Sample records for years rapid development

  1. Virtual environment architecture for rapid application development

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Grinstein, Georges G.; Southard, David A.; Lee, J. P.

    1993-01-01

    We describe the MITRE Virtual Environment Architecture (VEA), a product of nearly two years of investigations and prototypes of virtual environment technology. This paper discusses the requirements for rapid prototyping, and an architecture we are developing to support virtual environment construction. VEA supports rapid application development by providing a variety of pre-built modules that can be reconfigured for each application session. The modules supply interfaces for several types of interactive I/O devices, in addition to large-screen or head-mounted displays.

  2. Rapid soil development after windthrow disturbance in pristine forests.

    Treesearch

    B.T. Bormann; H. Spaltenstein; M.H. McClellan; F.C. Ugolini; K. Cromack; S.M. Nay

    1995-01-01

    1. We examined how rapidly soils can change during secondary succession by observing soil development on 350-year chronosequences in three pristine forest ecosystems in south-east Alaska. 2. Soil surfaces, created by different windthrow events of known or estimated age, were examined within each of three forest stands (0.5-2.0 ha plots; i.e. a within-stand...

  3. Rapid development of medical imaging tools with open-source libraries.

    PubMed

    Caban, Jesus J; Joshi, Alark; Nagy, Paul

    2007-11-01

    Rapid prototyping is an important element in researching new imaging analysis techniques and developing custom medical applications. In the last ten years, the open source community and the number of open source libraries and freely available frameworks for biomedical research have grown significantly. What they offer are now considered standards in medical image analysis, computer-aided diagnosis, and medical visualization. A cursory review of the peer-reviewed literature in imaging informatics (indeed, in almost any information technology-dependent scientific discipline) indicates the current reliance on open source libraries to accelerate development and validation of processes and techniques. In this survey paper, we review and compare a few of the most successful open source libraries and frameworks for medical application development. Our dual intentions are to provide evidence that these approaches already constitute a vital and essential part of medical image analysis, diagnosis, and visualization and to motivate the reader to use open source libraries and software for rapid prototyping of medical applications and tools.

  4. Library reuse in a rapid development environment

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Uhde, JO; Weed, Daniel; Gottlieb, Robert; Neal, Douglas

    1995-01-01

    The Aeroscience and Flight Mechanics Division (AFMD) established a Rapid Development Laboratory (RDL) to investigate and improve new 'rapid development' software production processes and refine the use of commercial, off-the-shelf (COTS) tools. These tools and processes take an avionics design project from initial inception through high fidelity, real-time, hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) testing. One central theme of a rapid development process is the use and integration of a variety of COTS tools: This paper discusses the RDL MATRIX(sub x)(R) libraries, as well as the techniques for managing and documenting these libraries. This paper also shows the methods used for building simulations with the Advanced Simulation Development System (ASDS) libraries, and provides metrics to illustrate the amount of reuse for five complete simulations. Combining ASDS libraries with MATRIX(sub x)(R) libraries is discussed.

  5. One-year outcomes after rapid-deployment aortic valve replacement.

    PubMed

    Young, Christopher; Laufer, Günther; Kocher, Alfred; Solinas, Marco; Alamanni, Francesco; Polvani, Gianluca; Podesser, Bruno K; Aramendi, Jose Ignacio; Arribas, Jose; Bouchot, Olivier; Livi, Ugolino; Massetti, Massimo; Terp, Kim; Giot, Christophe; Glauber, Mattia

    2018-02-01

    The goals of rapid-deployment aortic valve replacement include facilitation of minimally invasive surgery and reduced aortic crossclamp time. We report the short-term outcomes of a series of 493 patients undergoing rapid-deployment aortic valve replacement with the EDWARDS INTUITY valve system (Edwards Lifesciences, LLC, Irvine, Calif). Assessing Standard oF Care and Clinical Outcomes UsiNg the EDWARDS INTUITY VAlve SysTem in a European multI-center, Active, pOst-market surveillaNce Study was a prospective, multicenter (n = 26) European registry designed to evaluate the safety and performance of the valve system. During rapid-deployment aortic valve replacement, device technical success and crossclamp time were assessed. Procedural outcomes, hemodynamic performance, and various adverse events and clinical outcomes were evaluated up to 2 years. Between 2012 and 2014, 493 of 517 enrolled patients successfully received implants with the study valve (95.4% technical success). Mean crossclamp times for 163 full sternotomies, 128 mini-upper sternotomies, and 36 right anterior thoracotomies isolated aortic valve replacements were 47.3, 52.0, and 73.3 minutes, respectively. Mean follow-up was 1.8 years, with 870 total patient-years of follow-up. Mean effective orifice area increased from 0.72 (baseline) to 1.88 cm 2 , and mean pressure gradient decreased from 47.6 to 9.6 mm Hg (1 year). Mean effective orifice area index increased (0.39-1.01 cm 2 /m 2 ), and 28 of 287 patients (9.8%) exhibited severe prosthesis-patient mismatch at 1 year. After 1 year, 68.1% and 21.7% of patients were in New York Heart Association class I and II, respectively. Freedom from death, major bleeding, major perivalvular leak, reoperation, and device explant at 1 year were 0.935, 0.939, 0.976, 0.975, and 0.983, respectively. These results demonstrate commendable safety and performance of the test valve system over the short term in a broad European setting. Copyright © 2017 The

  6. Development of Face Recognition in 5- to 15-Year-Olds

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kinnunen, Suna; Korkman, Marit; Laasonen, Marja; Lahti-Nuuttila, Pekka

    2013-01-01

    This study focuses on the development of face recognition in typically developing preschool- and school-aged children (aged 5 to 15 years old, "n" = 611, 336 girls). Social predictors include sex differences and own-sex bias. At younger ages, the development of face recognition was rapid and became more gradual as the age increased up…

  7. Rapid SAW Sensor Development Tools

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Wilson, William C.; Atkinson, Gary M.

    2007-01-01

    The lack of integrated design tools for Surface Acoustic Wave (SAW) devices has led us to develop tools for the design, modeling, analysis, and automatic layout generation of SAW devices. These tools enable rapid development of wireless SAW sensors. The tools developed have been designed to integrate into existing Electronic Design Automation (EDA) tools to take advantage of existing 3D modeling, and Finite Element Analysis (FEA). This paper presents the SAW design, modeling, analysis, and automated layout generation tools.

  8. Advances in developing rapid, reliable and portable detection systems for alcohol.

    PubMed

    Thungon, Phurpa Dema; Kakoti, Ankana; Ngashangva, Lightson; Goswami, Pranab

    2017-11-15

    Development of portable, reliable, sensitive, simple, and inexpensive detection system for alcohol has been an instinctive demand not only in traditional brewing, pharmaceutical, food and clinical industries but also in rapidly growing alcohol based fuel industries. Highly sensitive, selective, and reliable alcohol detections are currently amenable typically through the sophisticated instrument based analyses confined mostly to the state-of-art analytical laboratory facilities. With the growing demand of rapid and reliable alcohol detection systems, an all-round attempt has been made over the past decade encompassing various disciplines from basic and engineering sciences. Of late, the research for developing small-scale portable alcohol detection system has been accelerated with the advent of emerging miniaturization techniques, advanced materials and sensing platforms such as lab-on-chip, lab-on-CD, lab-on-paper etc. With these new inter-disciplinary approaches along with the support from the parallel knowledge growth on rapid detection systems being pursued for various targets, the progress on translating the proof-of-concepts to commercially viable and environment friendly portable alcohol detection systems is gaining pace. Here, we summarize the progress made over the years on the alcohol detection systems, with a focus on recent advancement towards developing portable, simple and efficient alcohol sensors. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  9. Longitudinal development of cortical and subcortical gray matter from birth to 2 years.

    PubMed

    Gilmore, John H; Shi, Feng; Woolson, Sandra L; Knickmeyer, Rebecca C; Short, Sarah J; Lin, Weili; Zhu, Hongtu; Hamer, Robert M; Styner, Martin; Shen, Dinggang

    2012-11-01

    Very little is known about cortical development in the first years of life, a time of rapid cognitive development and risk for neurodevelopmental disorders. We studied regional cortical and subcortical gray matter volume growth in a group of 72 children who underwent magnetic resonance scanning after birth and at ages 1 and 2 years using a novel longitudinal registration/parcellation approach. Overall, cortical gray matter volumes increased substantially (106%) in the first year of life and less so in the second year (18%). We found marked regional differences in developmental rates, with primary motor and sensory cortices growing slower in the first year of life with association cortices growing more rapidly. In the second year of life, primary sensory regions continued to grow more slowly, while frontal and parietal regions developed relatively more quickly. The hippocampus grew less than other subcortical structures such as the amygdala and thalamus in the first year of life. It is likely that these patterns of regional gray matter growth reflect maturation and development of underlying function, as they are consistent with cognitive and functional development in the first years of life.

  10. Polygenic Risk, Rapid Childhood Growth, and the Development of Obesity

    PubMed Central

    Belsky, Daniel W.; Moffitt, Terrie E.; Houts, Renate; Bennett, Gary G.; Biddle, Andrea K.; Blumenthal, James A.; Evans, James P.; Harrington, HonaLee; Sugden, Karen; Williams, Benjamin; Poulton, Richie; Caspi, Avshalom

    2012-01-01

    Objective To test how genomic loci identified in genome-wide association studies influence the development of obesity. Design A 38-year prospective longitudinal study of a representative birth cohort. Setting The Dunedin Multidisciplinary Health and Development Study, Dunedin, New Zealand. Participants One thousand thirty-seven male and female study members. Main Exposures We assessed genetic risk with a multilocus genetic risk score. The genetic risk score was composed of single-nucleotide polymorphisms identified in genome-wide association studies of obesity-related phenotypes. We assessed family history from parent body mass index data collected when study members were 11 years of age. Main Outcome Measures Body mass index growth curves, developmental phenotypes of obesity, and adult obesity outcomes were defined from anthropometric assessments at birth and at 12 subsequent in-person interviews through 38 years of age. Results Individuals with higher genetic risk scores were more likely to be chronically obese in adulthood. Genetic risk first manifested as rapid growth during early childhood. Genetic risk was unrelated to birth weight. After birth, children at higher genetic risk gained weight more rapidly and reached adiposity rebound earlier and at a higher body mass index. In turn, these developmental phenotypes predicted adult obesity, mediating about half the genetic effect on adult obesity risk. Genetic associations with growth and obesity risk were independent of family history, indicating that the genetic risk score could provide novel information to clinicians. Conclusions Genetic variation linked with obesity risk operates, in part, through accelerating growth in the early childhood years after birth. Etiological research and prevention strategies should target early childhood to address the obesity epidemic. PMID:22665028

  11. Ada and the rapid development lifecycle

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Deforrest, Lloyd; Gref, Lynn

    1991-01-01

    JPL is under contract, through NASA, with the US Army to develop a state-of-the-art Command Center System for the US European Command (USEUCOM). The Command Center System will receive, process, and integrate force status information from various sources and provide this integrated information to staff officers and decision makers in a format designed to enhance user comprehension and utility. The system is based on distributed workstation class microcomputers, VAX- and SUN-based data servers, and interfaces to existing military mainframe systems and communication networks. JPL is developing the Command Center System utilizing an incremental delivery methodology called the Rapid Development Methodology with adherence to government and industry standards including the UNIX operating system, X Windows, OSF/Motif, and the Ada programming language. Through a combination of software engineering techniques specific to the Ada programming language and the Rapid Development Approach, JPL was able to deliver capability to the military user incrementally, with comparable quality and improved economies of projects developed under more traditional software intensive system implementation methodologies.

  12. The RAPID Toolkit: Facilitating Utility-Scale Renewable Energy Development

    Science.gov Websites

    energy and bulk transmission projects. The RAPID Toolkit, developed by the National Renewable Energy Renewable Energy Development The RAPID Toolkit: Facilitating Utility-Scale Renewable Energy Development information about federal, state, and local permitting and regulations for utility-scale renewable energy and

  13. A novel rapid access testicular cancer clinic: prospective evaluation after one year.

    PubMed

    Carey, K; Davis, N F; Elamin, S; Ahern, P; Brady, C M; Sweeney, P

    2016-02-01

    Our institution has recently developed a rapid access outpatient clinic to investigate men with testicular lumps and/or pain suspicious for testicular cancer (TCa). To present our experience after 12 months. All referrals to the rapid access testicular clinic (RATC) clinic were prospectively analysed from 01/01/2013 to 01/01/2014. The primary outcome variable was incidence of TCa in the referred patient cohort. Secondary outcome variables were waiting times prior to clinical review and waiting times prior to radical orchidectomy in patients diagnosed with TCa. Seventy-four new patients were referred to the RATC during the 1-year period and the mean age was 34 (range 15-81 years). TCa was the most common diagnosis and was found in 18 (25 %) patients. Patients diagnosed with TCa underwent radical orchidectomy, a median of 3 (range 1-5) days after their initial GP referral. Patients requiring surgical intervention for benign scrotal pathology underwent their procedure a median of 32 (range 3-61) days after their initial referral. Of the 18 patients diagnosed with TCa, 9 (50 %) were diagnosed with a seminomatous germ cell tumour on histopathology. The RATC is a new initiative in Ireland that provides expedient and definitive treatment of patients with newly diagnosed TCa. Early treatment will ultimately improve long-term prognosis in this patient cohort.

  14. Africa: rapid population increase retards development.

    PubMed

    1993-10-01

    The Organization of African Unity (OAU), the African Development Bank (ADB) and the UN Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) have criticized African governments for not taking the problem of unchecked population growth seriously enough. "Until recently most African governments did not view rapid population growth as a matter for concern," said the OAU assistant secretary-general for political affairs, Machivenyika Mapuranga, at a seminar on 'population and development'. The OAU estimates that an annual average population increase of 3.1% far outstrips Africa's economic growth, which in 1992 was less than 1%. Mapuranga acknowledged that cutting the population increase is an uphill struggle, especially among rural communities. African agriculture is largely labor intensive, sustained by smallholders, which encourages farmers to have more children. Like other wage earners, African farmers look to support from their family when they grow old and, for that reason, the number of children also counts. But with agricultural production growing at an average annual rate of 2.5%, self-sufficiency in food remains an elusive goal. Cities in sub-Saharan Africa are growing much faster than the overall rate of population increase of 3.1% per year. Between 1980 and 1988 the region's urban population increased at the rate of 6.9% a year. Urban areas now account for nearly 30% of the sub-Saharan Africa population, currently put at 680 million. By 2025, approximately 700 million people are expected to live in urban areas. Despite migration to towns, the rural population is expected to rise more than 68%, reaching over 590 million. full text

  15. Analysis of Rapidly Developing Low Cloud Ceilings in a Stable Environment

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Wheeler, Mark M.; Case, Jonathan L.

    2005-01-01

    This report describes the work done by the Applied Meteorology Unit (AMU) in developing a database of days that experienced rapid (< 90 minutes) low cloud formation in a stable atmosphere, resulting in ceilings at the Shuttle Landing Facility (TTS) that violated Space Shuttle Flight Rules (FR). The meteorological conditions favoring the rapid formation of low ceilings include the presence of any inversion below 8000 ft, high relative humidity beneath the inversion, and a clockwise turning of the winds from the surface to the middle troposphere (approx. 15000 ft). The AMU compared and contrasted the atmospheric and thermodynamic conditions between days with rapid low ceiling formation and days with low ceiling resulting from other mechanism. The AMU found that the vertical wind profile is the probable discerning factor between the rapidly-forming ceiling days and other low ceiling days at TTS. Most rapidly-developing low ceiling days had a clockwise turning of the winds with height, whereas other low ceiling days typically had a counter-clockwise turning of the winds with height or negligible vertical wind shear. Forecasters at the Space Meteorology Group (SMG) issue 30 to 90 minute forecasts for low cloud ceilings at TTS to support Space Shuttle landings. Mission verification statistics have shown ceilings to be the number one forecast challenge. More specifically, forecasters at SMG are concerned with any rapidly developing clouds ceilings below 8000 ft in a stable, capped thermodynamic environment, Therefore, the AMU was tasked to examine archived events of rapid stable cloud formation resulting in ceilings below 8000 ft, and document the atmospheric regimes favoring this type of cloud development. The AMU examined the cool season months of November to March during the years of 1993-2003 for days that had low-level inversions and rapid, stable low cloud formation that resulted in ceilings violating the Space Shuttle FR. The AMU wrote and modified existing code to

  16. Rapid Infancy Weight Gain and 7- to 9-year Childhood Obesity Risk: A Prospective Cohort Study in Rural Western China.

    PubMed

    Zhou, Jing; Dang, Shaonong; Zeng, Lingxia; Gao, Wenlong; Wang, Duolao; Li, Qiang; Jiang, Wenhui; Pei, Leilei; Li, Chao; Yan, Hong

    2016-04-01

    Obesity is increasing in developing countries. This study aimed to identify the association between rapid infancy weight gain and obesity risk among early school-age children. A total of 581 singletons (349 boys, 232 girls) whose mothers participated in an antenatal multiple micronutrient supplement trial in rural western China were followed from birth to between 7 and 9 years of age. Height and weight were measured at birth, 1.5 years, and between 7 and 9 years. At the 7- to 9-year time point, body composition was determined using bioelectrical impedance analysis. Multilevel mixed analysis was used to test the associations between rapid weight gain in infancy (from birth to age 1.5 years) and body size and composition or overweight/obesity among early school-age children. Overall, 31.2% (181 of 581) of the infants showed a weight-for-age Z score gain greater than 0.67 between birth and 1.5 years, indicating rapid weight gain. Approximately 5.7% (33 of 579) of the subjects were overweight (BMI-for-age Z scores [BAZ] >1 and ≤2) or obese (BAZ >2). Rapid infancy weight gain was associated with a higher BAZ (P < 0.001), mid-upper arm circumferences (P < 0.001), percentage body fat (P < 0.001), and fat mass index (P < 0.001) at 7 to 9 years of age after adjusting for biological and social economic factors, genetic factors, and perinatal and postnatal factors. These associations appeared to be independent of gender, economic status at early school age, and maternal nutritional status at enrollment. Rapid growers may have approximately 3 times the risk of being overweight/obese during the early school-age years (odds ratio = 2.94, 95% CI: 1.17-7.43, P = 0.022). Rapid infancy weight gain is a risk factor for being overweight/obesity among early school-age children in rural western China. We propose that social and biological determinants, such as economic status, physical activity, and feeding practice, should be targeted to prevent obesity.

  17. Rapid developing of Ektaspeed dental film by increase of temperature.

    PubMed

    Fredholm, U; Julin, P

    1987-01-01

    Three rapid developing solutions and one standard solution were tested for contrast and fog with Ektaspeed film at temperatures ranging from 15 degrees to 30 degrees C. Temperatures below 18 degrees C were found to give extremely long developing times, more than 3 minutes with rapid developers, and were not recommended. In the interval between 21 degrees C and 24 degrees C the standard developer needed 3.5-2.5 minutes to get optimum contrast. Two rapid developers needed 1.5 minutes and the fastest 1 minute to get satisfactory contrast throughout this temperature range. A further increase of the temperature gave only a marginal time saving with the rapid solutions and was not considered worthwhile. The relation between developing time and temperature for the rapid developers had a very steep gradient below 21 degrees C, while it levelled out at room temperature. For the standard developer the time/temperature function had a more even gradient from 7.5 minutes at 15 degrees C to 1.5 minutes at 27 degrees C, i.e. an average reduction of 0.5 minute per degree. Between 27 degrees C and 30 degrees C the gradient levelled out. The fog did not increase significantly until at 30 degrees C or at more than double the optimal developing time at room temperature. Recommendations of optimal developing time of Ektaspeed film at different temperatures are given for the four tested developing solutions.

  18. RAPADAPTE for rapid guideline development: high-quality clinical guidelines can be rapidly developed with limited resources.

    PubMed

    Alper, Brian S; Tristan, Mario; Ramirez-Morera, Anggie; Vreugdenhil, Maria M T; Van Zuuren, Esther J; Fedorowicz, Zbys

    2016-06-01

    Guideline development is challenging, expensive and labor-intensive. A high-quality guideline with 90 recommendations for breast cancer treatment was developed within 6 months with limited resources in Costa Rica. We describe the experience and propose a process others can use and adapt.The ADAPTE method (using existing guidelines to minimize repeating work that has been done) was used but existing guidelines were not current. The method was extended to use databases that systematically identify, appraise and synthesize evidence for clinical application (DynaMed, EBM Guidelines) to provide current evidence searches and critical appraisal of evidence. The Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) approach was used to rate the quality of evidence and the strength of recommendations. Draft recommendations with supporting evidence were provided to panel members for facilitated voting to target panel discussion to areas necessary for reaching consensus.Training panelists in guideline development methodology facilitated rapid consensus development. Extending 'guideline adaptation' to 'evidence database adaptation' was highly effective and efficient. Methods were created to simplify mapping DynaMed evidence ratings to GRADE ratings. Twelve steps are presented to facilitate rapid guideline development and enable further adaptation by others.This is a case report and the RAPADAPTE method was retrospectively derived. Prospective replication and validation will support advances for the guideline development community. If guideline development can be accelerated without compromising validity and relevance of the resulting recommendations this would greatly improve our ability to impact clinical care. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press in association with the International Society for Quality in Health Care; all rights reserved.

  19. Analysis of Rapidly Developing Low Cloud Ceilings in a Stable Environment

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Bauman, William H., III; Barrett, Joe H., III; Case, Jonathan L.; Wheeler, Mark M.; Baggett, G. Wayne

    2006-01-01

    Forecasters at the Space Meteorology Group (SMG) issue 30 to 90 minute forecasts for low cloud ceilings at the Space Shuttle Landing Facility (TTS) to support Space Shuttle landings. Mission verification statistics have shown ceilings to be the number one forecast challenge for SMG. More specifically, forecasters at SMG are concerned with any rapidly developing clouds/ceilings below 8000 ft in a stable, capped thermodynamic environment. Therefore, the Applied Meteorology Unit (AMU) was tasked to examine archived events of rapid stable cloud formation resulting in ceilings below 8000 ft, and document the atmospheric regimes favoring this type of cloud development. The AMU examined the cool season months of November to March during the years of 1993-2003 for days that had low-level inversions and rapid, stable low cloud formation that resulted in ceilings violating the Space Shuttle Flight Rules. The AMU wrote and modified existing code to identify inversions from the morning (-10 UTC) Cape Canaveral, FL rawinsonde (XMR) during the cool season and output pertinent sounding information. They parsed all days with cloud ceilings below 8000 ft at TTS, forming a database of possible rapidly-developing low ceiling events. Days with precipitation or noticeable fog burn-off situations were excluded from the database. In the first phase of this work, only the daytime hours were examined for possible ceiling development events since low clouds are easier to diagnose with visible satellite imagery. Phase II of this work includes expanding the database to include nighttime cases which is underway as this abstract is being written. For the nighttime cases, the AMU will analyze both the 00 UTC soundings and the 10 UTC soundings to examine those data for the presence of a low-level inversion. The 00 UTC soundings will probably not have a surface-based inversion, but the presence of inversions or "neutral" layers aloft and below 8,000 ft will most likely help define the stable

  20. Onboard Radar Processing Development for Rapid Response Applications

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Lou, Yunling; Chien, Steve; Clark, Duane; Doubleday, Josh; Muellerschoen, Ron; Wang, Charles C.

    2011-01-01

    We are developing onboard processor (OBP) technology to streamline data acquisition on-demand and explore the potential of the L-band SAR instrument onboard the proposed DESDynI mission and UAVSAR for rapid response applications. The technology would enable the observation and use of surface change data over rapidly evolving natural hazards, both as an aid to scientific understanding and to provide timely data to agencies responsible for the management and mitigation of natural disasters. We are adapting complex science algorithms for surface water extent to detect flooding, snow/water/ice classification to assist in transportation/ shipping forecasts, and repeat-pass change detection to detect disturbances. We are near completion of the development of a custom FPGA board to meet the specific memory and processing needs of L-band SAR processor algorithms and high speed interfaces to reformat and route raw radar data to/from the FPGA processor board. We have also developed a high fidelity Matlab model of the SAR processor that is modularized and parameterized for ease to prototype various SAR processor algorithms targeted for the FPGA. We will be testing the OBP and rapid response algorithms with UAVSAR data to determine the fidelity of the products.

  1. The Water-Energy-Food Nexus in a Rapidly Developing Resource Sector

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Allen, D. M.; Kirste, D. M.

    2014-12-01

    Technological advances and access to global markets have changed the rate at which resource exploitation takes place. The environmental impact of the rapid development and distribution of resources such as minerals and hydrocarbons has led to a greater potential for significant stress on water resources both in terms of quality and quantity. How and where those impacts manifest is crucial to determining appropriate risk management strategies. North East British Columbia has an abundance of shale gas reserves that are anticipated to be exploited at a large scale in coming years, primarily for export as liquefied natural gas (LNG). However, there is growing concern that fracking and other activities related to shale gas development pose risks to water quality and quantity in the region. Water lies at the center of the water-energy-food nexus, with an accelerating water demand for fracking and industrial operations as well as for domestic, environmental and agricultural uses. Climate change is also anticipated to alter the hydrologic regime, posing added stress to the water resource. This case study examines the water-energy-food nexus in the context of a region that is impacted by a rapidly developing resource sector, encompassing water demand/supply, climate change, interaction between deep aquifers and shallow aquifers/surface waters, water quality concerns related to fracking, land use disturbance, and community impacts. Due to the rapid rate of development, there are significant knowledge gaps in our understanding of the water resource. Currently agencies are undertaking water resource assessments and establishing monitoring sites. This research aims to assess water security in North East British Columbia in a coordinated fashion through various partnerships. In addition to collecting baseline knowledge and data, the study will evaluate risk and resilience indicators in relation to water security. A risk assessment framework specific to the shale gas development

  2. HIV Rapid Testing in a VA Emergency Department Setting: Cost Analysis at 5 Years.

    PubMed

    Knapp, Herschel; Chan, Kee

    2015-07-01

    To conduct a comprehensive cost-minimization analysis to comprehend the financial attributes of the first 5 years of an implementation wherein emergency department (ED) registered nurses administered HIV oral rapid tests to patients. A health science research implementation team coordinated with ED stakeholders and staff to provide training, implementation guidelines, and support to launch ED registered nurse-administered HIV oral rapid testing. Deidentified quantitative data were gathered from the electronic medical records detailing quarterly HIV rapid test rates in the ED setting spanning the first 5 years. Comprehensive cost analyses were conducted to evaluate the financial impact of this implementation. At 5 years, a total of 2,620 tests were conducted with a quarterly mean of 131 ± 81. Despite quarterly variability in testing rates, regression analysis revealed an average increase of 3.58 tests per quarter. Over the course of this implementation, Veterans Health Administration policy transitioned from written to verbal consent for HIV testing, serving to reduce the time and cost(s) associated with the testing process. Our data indicated salient health outcome benefits for patients with respect to the potential for earlier detection, and associated long-run cost savings. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  3. Rapid Development of Bioinformatics Education in China

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Zhong, Yang; Zhang, Xiaoyan; Ma, Jian; Zhang, Liang

    2003-01-01

    As the Human Genome Project experiences remarkable success and a flood of biological data is produced, bioinformatics becomes a very "hot" cross-disciplinary field, yet experienced bioinformaticians are urgently needed worldwide. This paper summarises the rapid development of bioinformatics education in China, especially related…

  4. Rapid changes in the range limits of Scots pine 4000 years ago

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

    Gear, A.J.; Huntley, B.

    Paleoecological data provide estimates of response rates to past climate changes. Fossil Pinus sylvestris stumps in far northern Scotland demonstrate former presence of pine trees where conventional pollen evidence of pine forests is lacking. Radiocarbon, dendrochronological, and fine temporal-resolution palynological data show that pine forest were present for about four centuries some 4,000 years ago; the forests expanded and then retreated rapidly some 70 to 80 kilometers. Despite the rapidity of this response to climate change, it occurred at rates slower by an order of magnitude than those necessary to maintain equilibrium with forecast climate changes attributed to the greenhousemore » effect.« less

  5. Rapid gas development in the Fayetteville shale basin, Arkansas

    EPA Science Inventory

    Advances in drilling and extraction of natural gas have resulted in rapid expansion of wells in shale basins. The rate of gas well installation in the Fayetteville shale is 774 wells a year since 2005 with thousands more planned. The Fayetteville shale covers 23,000 km2 although ...

  6. DEVELOPMENT OF THE PRIEST RAPIDS TURBINE UPGRADE PROJECT

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

    DeBolt, Donald; Richmond, Marshall C.; Donelson, Richard K.

    The Priest Rapids Dam is located on the Columbia River and is operated by Public Utility District No. 2 of Grant County, WA (GCPUD). In operation since 1959, GCPUD decided that a major upgrade was necessary. As with other hydroelectric facilities on the Columbia River, improving fish passage at Priest Rapids Dam is of great importance for salmon and steelhead populations in the Pacific Northwest. Consequently, GCPUD established the Priest Rapids Turbine Upgrade Project to extend the life of the units, increase efficiency and power production, and improve fish-passage. The Priest Rapids powerhouse is equipped with 10 vertical Kaplan turbinesmore » with runner diameters of 7.21 m operating under net heads varying from 18 m to 27 m. The scope of the project included a design competition involving three turbine manufacturers providing up to two designs for evaluation. Selection of the replacement design was determined by the lowest evaluated price based on model test results conducted at an independent laboratory (Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne in Lausanne Switzerland) and a biological performance score determined by a newly developed Biological Performance Assessment (BioPA) performed by Pacific Northwest National Laboratory in Richland, WA. In the paper, the hydraulic design challenges are reviewed, in addition to comparisons of designs evaluated during the competitive model test program and biological assessment. The paper also provides a description of the process followed by GCPUD, and how the evaluation criteria influenced the development and the finally selected solution.« less

  7. Early Detection of Rapidly Developing Cumulus Area using HIMAWARI-8

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yamada, Y.; Kadosaki, G.

    2017-12-01

    In recent years, many disasters have been occured by influence of meteorological change in Japan. So, it becomes more important to inform rapid weather change caused by cumulus which brings concentrated heavy rain/hail, wind gust, lightning in a short period. These severe events should inclease in the future by global warming. Therefore we are developping the alert system for Rapidly Developing Cumulus Area (RDCA) detection using Japanese new satellite. At July 2015, Japan Meteorological Agency started operation of new geostationary meteorological satellite "Himawari-8". This satellite has optical imager named Advanced Himawari Imager (AHI). It can observe Japan area every 2.5 minutes. The frequently infrared image with high resolution (2km) is the key of our alert system. We took some special functions in the algorithm of this system. One of the points is cloud location which shifts to north from true location around Japan by viewing angle from the satellite above the equator. We moved clouds to the correct position using geometric correction method according to its height and latitude. This algorithm also follows a movement of cloud every 2.5 minutes during several observations. It derives the information about degree of the development of cumulus. The prototype system gives the alert before 30 to 60 minutes in advance to the first lightning in typical cumulus case. However, we understand that there are some difficult cases to alert. For example, winter low cloud over the Japan Sea which brings a winter lightning, and tornado (although it is not cumulus). Now, we are adjusting some parameters of the algorithm. In the near future, our algorithm will be used in weather information delivery service to the customer.

  8. High-dose rapid and standard induction chemotherapy for patients aged over 1 year with stage 4 neuroblastoma: a randomised trial.

    PubMed

    Pearson, Andrew D J; Pinkerton, C Ross; Lewis, Ian J; Imeson, John; Ellershaw, Caroline; Machin, David

    2008-03-01

    The current standard treatment for patients with high-risk neuroblastoma includes initial induction chemotherapy with a 21-day interval between induction treatments. We aimed to assess whether an intensive chemotherapy protocol that had a 10-day interval between treatments would improve event-free survival (EFS) in patients aged 1 year or over with high-risk neuroblastoma. Between Oct 30, 1990, and March 18, 1999, patients with stage 4 neuroblastoma who had not received previous chemotherapy were enrolled from 29 centres in Europe. Patients were randomly assigned to rapid treatment (cisplatin [C], vincristine [O], carboplatin [J], etoposide [E], and cyclophosphamide [C], known as COJEC) or standard treatment (vincristine [O], cisplatin [P], etoposide [E], and cyclophosphamide [C], ie, OPEC, alternated with vincristine [O], carboplatin [J], etoposide [E], and cyclophosphamide [C], ie, OJEC). Both regimens used the same total cumulative doses of each drug (except vincristine), but the dose intensity of the rapid regimen was 1.8-times higher than that of the standard regimen. The standard regimen was given every 21 days if patients showed haematological recovery, whereas the rapid regimen was given every 10 days irrespective of haematological recovery. Response to chemotherapy was assessed according to the conventional International Neuroblastoma Response Criteria (INRC). In responders, surgical excision of the primary tumour was attempted, followed by myeloablation (with 200 mg/m2 of melphalan) and haemopoietic stem-cell rescue. Primary endpoints were 3-year, 5-year, and 10-year EFS. Data were analysed by intention to treat. This trial is registered on the clinical trials site of the US National Cancer Institute website, number NCT00365755, and also as EU-20592 and CCLG-NB-1990-11. 262 patients, of median age 2.95 years (range 1.03-20.97), were randomly assigned-132 patients to standard and 130 patients to rapid treatment. 111 patients in the standard group and 109

  9. Rapid Development: A Content Analysis Comparison of Literature and Purposive Sampling of AFRL Rapid Reaction Projects

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2011-12-01

    systems engineering technical and technical management processes. Technical Planning, Stakeholders Requirements Development, and Architecture Design were...Stakeholder Requirements Definition, Architecture Design and Technical Planning. A purposive sampling of AFRL rapid development program managers and engineers...emphasize one process over another however Architecture Design , Implementation scored higher among Technical Processes. Decision Analysis, Technical

  10. Librarian of the Year 2009: Team Cedar Rapids

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Berry, John N., III

    2009-01-01

    When flood came to Cedar Rapids city, the Cedar Rapids Public Library (CRPL), IA, lost 160,000 items including large parts of its adult and youth collections, magazines, newspapers, reference materials, CDs, and DVDs. Most of its public access computers were destroyed as was its computer lab and microfilm equipment. The automatic circulation and…

  11. A Study of Rapidly Developing Low Cloud Ceilings in a Stable Atmosphere at the Florida Spaceport

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Wheeler, Mark M.; Case, Jonathan L.; Baggett, G. Wayne

    2006-01-01

    Forecasters at the Space Meteorology Group (SMG) issue 30 to 90 minute forecasts for low cloud ceilings at the Shuttle Landing Facility (KTTS) in Kennedy Space Center, FL for all Space Shuttle missions. Mission verification statistics have shown cloud ceilings to be the biggest forecast challenge. SMG forecasters are especially concerned with rapidly developing cloud ceilings below 8000 ft. in a stable, capped thermodynamic environment because ceilings below 8000 ft restrict Shuttle landing operations and are the most challenging to predict accurately. This project involves the development of a database of these cases over east-central Florida in order to identify the onset, location, and if possible, dissipation times of rapidly-developing low cloud ceilings. Another goal is to document the atmospheric regimes favoring this type of cloud development to improve forecast skill of such events during Space Shuttle launch and landing operations. A 10-year database of stable, rapid low cloud development days during the daylight hours was compiled for the Florida cool-season months by examining the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station sounding data, and identifying days that had high boundary layer relative humidity associated with a thermally-capped environment below 8000 ft. Archived hourly surface observations from KTTS and Melbourne, Orlando, Sanford, and Ocala, FL were then examined for the onset of cloud ceilings below 8000 ft between 1100 and 2000 UTC. Once the database was supplemented with the hourly surface cloud observations, visible satellite imagery was examined in 30-minute intervals to confirm event occurrences. This paper will present results from some of the rapidly developing cloud ceiling cases and the prevailing meteorological conditions associated with these events, focusing on potential pre-curser information that may help improve their prediction.

  12. Identification of pollutant sources in a rapidly developing urban river catchment in China

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Huang, Jingshui; Yin, Hailong; Jomma, Seifeddine; Rode, Michael; Zhou, Qi

    2016-04-01

    Rapid economic development and urbanization worldwide cause serious ecological and environmental problems. A typical region that is in transition and requires systemic research for effective intervention is the rapidly developing city of Hefei in central P. R. China. In order to investigate the sources of pollutants over a one-year period in Nanfei River catchment that drains the city of Hefei, discharges were measured and water samples were taken and measured along the 14km river section at 10 sites for 4 times from 2013 to 2014. Overflow concentrations of combined sewer and separate storm drains were also measured by selecting 15 rain events in 4 typical drainage systems. Loads and budgets of water and different pollutant sources i.e., wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) effluent, urban drainage overflow, unknown wastewater were calculated. The water balance demonstrated that >70% of the discharge originated from WWTP effluent. Lack of clean upstream inflow thereby is threatening ecological safety and water quality. Furthermore, mass fluxes calculations revealed that >40% of the COD (Chemical Oxygen Demand) loads were from urban drainage overflow because of a large amount of discharge of untreated wastewater in pumping stations during rain events. WWTP effluent was the predominant source of the total nitrogen loads (>60%) and ammonia loads (>45%). However, the total phosphorous loads from three different sources are similar (˜1/3). Thus, our research provided a basis for appropriate and prior mitigation strategies (state-of-art of WWTP upgrade, sewer systems modification, storm water regulation and storage capacity improvement, etc.) for different precedence-controlled pollutants with the limited infrastructure investments in these rapidly developing urban regions.

  13. Vero cell technology for rapid development of inactivated whole virus vaccines for emerging viral diseases.

    PubMed

    Barrett, P Noel; Terpening, Sara J; Snow, Doris; Cobb, Ronald R; Kistner, Otfried

    2017-09-01

    Rapid development and production of vaccines against emerging diseases requires well established, validated, robust technologies to allow industrial scale production and accelerated licensure of products. Areas covered: A versatile Vero cell platform has been developed and utilized to deliver a wide range of candidate and licensed vaccines against emerging viral diseases. This platform builds on the 35 years' experience and safety record with inactivated whole virus vaccines such as polio vaccine. The current platform has been optimized to include a novel double inactivation procedure in order to ensure a highly robust inactivation procedure for novel emerging viruses. The utility of this platform in rapidly developing inactivated whole virus vaccines against pandemic (-like) influenza viruses and other emerging viruses such as West Nile, Chikungunya, Ross River and SARS is reviewed. The potential of the platform for development of vaccines against other emerging viruses such as Zika virus is described. Expert commentary: Use of this platform can substantially accelerate process development and facilitate licensure because of the substantial existing data set available for the cell matrix. However, programs to provide vaccines against emerging diseases must allow alternative clinical development paths to licensure, without the requirement to carry out large scale field efficacy studies.

  14. Low Ankle Brachial Index and the Development of Rapid Estimated GFR Decline and CKD

    PubMed Central

    Foster, Meredith C.; Ghuman, Nimrta; Hwang, Shih-Jen; Murabito, Joanne M.; Fox, Caroline S.

    2012-01-01

    Background Low ankle brachial index (ABI) is associated with increases in serum creatinine. Whether low ABI is associated with the development of rapid estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) decline, stage 3 chronic kidney disease (CKD), or microalbuminuria is uncertain. Study Design Prospective cohort study. Setting & Participants Framingham Offspring cohort participants who attended the sixth (1995-98) and eighth (2005-08) exams. Predictor ABI, categorized as normal (>1.1 to <1.4), low-normal (>0.9 to 1.1), and low (≤0.9). Outcomes Rapid eGFR decline (eGFR decline ≥3mL/min/1.73m2 per year), incident stage 3 CKD (eGFR<60mL/min/1.73m2), incident microalbuminuria. Measurements GFR was estimated using the serum creatinine-based CKD-EPI (CKD Epidemiology Collaboration) equation. Urinary albumin-creatinine ratio (UACR) was determined based on spot urine samples. Results Over 9.5 years, 9.0% (232 of 2592) experienced rapid eGFR decline and 11.1% (270 of 2426) developed stage 3 CKD. Compared to a normal ABI, low ABI was associated with a 5.73-fold increased odds of rapid eGFR decline (95% CI, 2.77-11.85; p<0.001) after age, sex, and baseline eGFR adjustment; this persisted after multivariable adjustment for standard CKD risk factors (OR, 3.60; 95% CI, 1.65-7.87; p=0.001). After adjustment for age, sex, and baseline eGFR, low ABI was associated with a 2.51-fold increased odds of stage 3 CKD (OR, 2.51; 95% CI, 1.16-5.44; p=0.02), although this was attenuated after multivariable adjustment (OR, 1.68; 95% CI, 0.75-3.76; p=0.2). Among 1902 free of baseline microalbuminuria, low ABI was associated with an increased odds of microalbuminuria after adjustment for age, sex, and baseline UACR (OR, 2.81; 95% CI, 1.07-7.37; p=0.04), with attenuation upon further adjustment (OR, 1.88; p=0.1). Limitations Limited number of events with a low ABI. Outcomes based on single serum creatinine and UACR measurements at each exam. Conclusions Low ABI is associated with an increased

  15. Designing a critical care nurse-led rapid response team using only available resources: 6 years later.

    PubMed

    Mitchell, Anne; Schatz, Marilyn; Francis, Heather

    2014-06-01

    Rapid response teams have been introduced to intervene in the care of patients whose condition deteriorates unexpectedly by bringing clinical experts quickly to the patient's bedside. Evidence supporting the need to overcome failure to deliver optimal care in hospitals is robust; whether rapid response teams demonstrate benefit by improving patient safety and reducing the occurrence of adverse events remains controversial. Despite inconsistent evidence regarding the effectiveness of rapid response teams, concerns regarding care and costly consequences of unaddressed deterioration in patients' condition have prompted many hospitals to implement rapid response teams as a patient safety strategy. A cost-neutral structure for a rapid response team led by a nurse from the intensive care unit was implemented with the goal of reducing cardiopulmonary arrests occurring outside the intensive care unit. The results of 6 years' experience indicate that a sustainable and effective rapid response team response can be put into practice without increasing costs or adding positions and can decrease the percentage of cardiopulmonary arrests occurring outside the intensive care unit. ©2014 American Association of Critical-Care Nurses.

  16. Modeling of subglacial hydrological development following rapid supraglacial lake drainage.

    PubMed

    Dow, C F; Kulessa, B; Rutt, I C; Tsai, V C; Pimentel, S; Doyle, S H; van As, D; Lindbäck, K; Pettersson, R; Jones, G A; Hubbard, A

    2015-06-01

    The rapid drainage of supraglacial lakes injects substantial volumes of water to the bed of the Greenland ice sheet over short timescales. The effect of these water pulses on the development of basal hydrological systems is largely unknown. To address this, we develop a lake drainage model incorporating both (1) a subglacial radial flux element driven by elastic hydraulic jacking and (2) downstream drainage through a linked channelized and distributed system. Here we present the model and examine whether substantial, efficient subglacial channels can form during or following lake drainage events and their effect on the water pressure in the surrounding distributed system. We force the model with field data from a lake drainage site, 70 km from the terminus of Russell Glacier in West Greenland. The model outputs suggest that efficient subglacial channels do not readily form in the vicinity of the lake during rapid drainage and instead water is evacuated primarily by a transient turbulent sheet and the distributed system. Following lake drainage, channels grow but are not large enough to reduce the water pressure in the surrounding distributed system, unless preexisting channels are present throughout the domain. Our results have implications for the analysis of subglacial hydrological systems in regions where rapid lake drainage provides the primary mechanism for surface-to-bed connections. Model for subglacial hydrological analysis of rapid lake drainage eventsLimited subglacial channel growth during and following rapid lake drainagePersistence of distributed drainage in inland areas where channel growth is limited.

  17. Modeling of subglacial hydrological development following rapid supraglacial lake drainage

    PubMed Central

    Dow, C F; Kulessa, B; Rutt, I C; Tsai, V C; Pimentel, S; Doyle, S H; van As, D; Lindbäck, K; Pettersson, R; Jones, G A; Hubbard, A

    2015-01-01

    The rapid drainage of supraglacial lakes injects substantial volumes of water to the bed of the Greenland ice sheet over short timescales. The effect of these water pulses on the development of basal hydrological systems is largely unknown. To address this, we develop a lake drainage model incorporating both (1) a subglacial radial flux element driven by elastic hydraulic jacking and (2) downstream drainage through a linked channelized and distributed system. Here we present the model and examine whether substantial, efficient subglacial channels can form during or following lake drainage events and their effect on the water pressure in the surrounding distributed system. We force the model with field data from a lake drainage site, 70 km from the terminus of Russell Glacier in West Greenland. The model outputs suggest that efficient subglacial channels do not readily form in the vicinity of the lake during rapid drainage and instead water is evacuated primarily by a transient turbulent sheet and the distributed system. Following lake drainage, channels grow but are not large enough to reduce the water pressure in the surrounding distributed system, unless preexisting channels are present throughout the domain. Our results have implications for the analysis of subglacial hydrological systems in regions where rapid lake drainage provides the primary mechanism for surface-to-bed connections. Key Points Model for subglacial hydrological analysis of rapid lake drainage events Limited subglacial channel growth during and following rapid lake drainage Persistence of distributed drainage in inland areas where channel growth is limited PMID:26640746

  18. Rapid Assessment Tool for Haemophilus influenzae type b Disease in Developing Countries1

    PubMed Central

    Nelson, Christopher B.; Watt, James P.; Mohsni, Ezzeddine; Wenger, Jay D.; Levine, Orin S.

    2004-01-01

    Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) still causes a substantial number of deaths among children in developing countries, despite the availability of effective conjugate vaccines. A major obstacle in developing a Hib vaccine has been limited awareness about the impact of Hib disease. A tool was developed to estimate the national rates of Hib meningitis and pneumonia by assessing retrospective local data over 7 to 10 days. Data from 11 countries in Africa, the Middle East, and Asia were studied and showed rates of Hib meningitis from >50 cases per 100,000 children >5 years in Ghana and Uganda to <15 per 100,000 in Iran, Jordan, and Uzbekistan. Results were affected by the quality of available data. The Hib rapid assessment tool can be useful to countries that desire a timely assessment of Hib disease rates. PMID:15324548

  19. Bus rapid transit and development : policies and practices that affect development around transit.

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2009-12-01

    The development of Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) systems is relatively recent in the United States, but several systems are in operation and more are advancing. There is a need for a more comprehensive understanding of the relationship between land use and...

  20. Effect of brief daily resistance training on rapid force development in painful neck and shoulder muscles: randomized controlled trial

    PubMed Central

    Jay, Kenneth; schraefel, mc; Andersen, Christoffer H; Ebbesen, Frederik S; Christiansen, David H; Skotte, Jørgen; Zebis, Mette K; Andersen, Lars L

    2013-01-01

    Objective: To determine the effect of small daily amounts of progressive resistance training on rapid force development of painful neck/shoulder muscles. Methods: 198 generally healthy adults with frequent neck/shoulder muscle pain (mean: age 43·1 years, computer use 93% of work time, 88% women, duration of pain 186 day during the previous year) were randomly allocated to 2- or 12 min of daily progressive resistance training with elastic tubing or to a control group receiving weekly information on general health. A blinded assessor took measures at baseline and at 10-week follow-up; participants performed maximal voluntary contractions at a static 90-degree shoulder joint angle. Rapid force development was determined as the rate of torque development and maximal muscle strength was determined as the peak torque. Results: Compared with the control group, rate of torque development increased 31·0 Nm s−1 [95% confidence interval: (1·33–11·80)] in the 2-min group and 33·2 Nm s−1 (1·66–12·33) in the 12-min group from baseline to 10-week follow-up, corresponding to an increase of 16·0% and 18·2% for the two groups, respectively. The increase was significantly different compared to controls (P<0·05) for both training groups. Maximal muscle strength increased only ∼5–6% [mean and 95% confidence interval for 2- and 12-min groups to control, respectively: 2·5 Nm (0·05–0·73) and 2·2 Nm (0·01–0·70)]. No significant differences between the 2- and 12-min groups were evident. A weak but significant relationship existed between changes in rapid force development and pain (r = 0·27, P<0·01), but not between changes in maximal muscle strength and pain. Conclusion: Small daily amounts of progressive resistance training in adults with frequent neck/shoulder pain increases rapid force development and, to a less extent, maximal force capacity. PMID:23758661

  1. Rapid and Complete Remission of Metastatic Adrenocortical Carcinoma Persisting 10 Years After Treatment With Mitotane Monotherapy

    PubMed Central

    Ghorayeb, Nada El; Rondeau, Geneviève; Latour, Mathieu; Cohade, Christian; Olney, Harold; Lacroix, André; Perrotte, Paul; Sabourin, Alexis; Mazzuco, Tania L; Bourdeau, Isabelle

    2016-01-01

    Abstract Mitotane has been used for more than 5 decades as therapy for adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC). However its mechanism of action and the extent of tumor response remain incompletely understood. To date no cases of rapid and complete remission of metastatic ACC with mitotane monotherapy has been reported. A 52-year-old French Canadian man presented with metastatic disease 2 years following a right adrenalectomy for stage III nonsecreting ACC. He was started on mitotane which was well tolerated despite rapid escalation of the dose. The patient course was exceptional as he responded to mitotane monotherapy after only few months of treatment. Initiation of chemotherapy was not needed and he remained disease-free with good quality of life on low maintenance dose of mitotane during the following 10 years. A germline heterozygous TP53 exon 4 polymorphism c.215C>G (p. Pro72Arg) was found. Immunohistochemical stainings for IGF-2 and cytoplasmic β-catenin were positive. Advanced ACC is an aggressive disease with poor prognosis and the current therapeutic options remain limited. These findings suggest that mitotane is a good option for the treatment of metastatic ACC and might result in rapid complete remission in selected patients. PMID:27043680

  2. Verification and Validation in a Rapid Software Development Process

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Callahan, John R.; Easterbrook, Steve M.

    1997-01-01

    The high cost of software production is driving development organizations to adopt more automated design and analysis methods such as rapid prototyping, computer-aided software engineering (CASE) tools, and high-level code generators. Even developers of safety-critical software system have adopted many of these new methods while striving to achieve high levels Of quality and reliability. While these new methods may enhance productivity and quality in many cases, we examine some of the risks involved in the use of new methods in safety-critical contexts. We examine a case study involving the use of a CASE tool that automatically generates code from high-level system designs. We show that while high-level testing on the system structure is highly desirable, significant risks exist in the automatically generated code and in re-validating releases of the generated code after subsequent design changes. We identify these risks and suggest process improvements that retain the advantages of rapid, automated development methods within the quality and reliability contexts of safety-critical projects.

  3. Increasing Body Mass Index Predicts Rapid Decline in Renal Function: A 5 Year Retrospective Study.

    PubMed

    Ma, Xiaojing; Zhang, Chengyin; Su, Hong; Gong, Xiaojie; Kong, Xianglei

    2018-05-02

    While obesity is a recognized risk factor for chronic kidney disease, it remains unclear whether change in body mass index (ΔBMI ) is independently associated with decline in renal function (evaluated by the change in estimated glomerular filtration rate, ΔeGFR) over time. Accordingly, to help clarify this we conducted a retrospective study to measure the association of ΔBMI with decline in renal function in Chinese adult population. A total of 4007 adults (aged 45.3±13.7 years, 68.6% male) without chronic kidney disease at baseline were enrolled between 2008 and 2013. Logistic regression models were applied to explore the relationships between baseline BMI and ΔBMI, and rapid decline in renal function (defined as the lowest quartile of ΔeGFR ). During 5 years of follow-up, the ΔBMI and ΔeGFR were 0.47±1.6 (kg/m 2 ) and -3.0±8.8 (ml/min/1.73 m 2 ), respectively. After adjusted for potential confounders, ΔBMI (per 1 kg/m 2 increase) was independently associated with the rapid decline in renal function [with a fully adjusted OR of 1.12 (95% CI, 1.05 to 1.20). By contrast, the baseline BMI was not associated with rapid decline in renal function [OR=1.05 (95% CI, 0.98 to 1.13)]. The results were robust among 2948 hypertension-free and diabetes-free participants, the adjusted ORs of ΔBMI and baseline BMI were 1.14 (95% CI, 1.05 to 1.23) and 1.0 (95% CI, 0.96 to 1.04) for rapid decline in renal function, respectively. The study revealed that increasing ΔBMI predicts rapid decline in renal function. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

  4. The Heliopause Electrostatic Rapid Transit System (HERTS) Design, Trades, and Analyses Performed in the First Year of a Two Year Investigation

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Wiegmann, Bruce M.

    2016-01-01

    The Heliopause Electrostatic Rapid Transit System (HERTS)1 was one of the seven total Phase II NASA Innovative Advanced Concepts (NIAC) that was down-selected in 2015 for continued funding and research. In Phase I we learned that a spacecraft propelled by an Electric Sail (E-Sail) can travel great astronomical distances, such as to the Heliopause region of the solar system (approx.100 to 120 AU) in approximately one quarter of the time (10 years) versus the time it took the Voyager spacecraft launched in 1977 (36 years). The current work within the Phase II NIAC effort builds upon the work that was done in the Phase I NIAC and is focused on: 1) Testing of plasma interaction with a charged wire in a unique MSFC test chamber, 2) Development of a Particle-in-Cell (PIC) models that are validated in the plasma testing and used to extrapolate to the E-Sail propulsion system design. 3) Further down select of a wire deployment and control approach from those narrowed down in the Phase I effort. This paper will document the findings to date (June, 2016) of the above focused areas.

  5. Development Of A Data Assimilation Capability For RAPID

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Emery, C. M.; David, C. H.; Turmon, M.; Hobbs, J.; Allen, G. H.; Famiglietti, J. S.

    2017-12-01

    The global decline of in situ observations associated with the increasing ability to monitor surface water from space motivates the creation of data assimilation algorithms that merge computer models and space-based observations to produce consistent estimates of terrestrial hydrology that fill the spatiotemporal gaps in observations. RAPID is a routing model based on the Muskingum method that is capable of estimating river streamflow over large scales with a relatively short computing time. This model only requires limited inputs: a reach-based river network, and lateral surface and subsurface flow into the rivers. The relatively simple model physics imply that RAPID simulations could be significantly improved by including a data assimilation capability. Here we present the early developments of such data assimilation approach into RAPID. Given the linear and matrix-based structure of the model, we chose to apply a direct Kalman filter, hence allowing for the preservation of high computational speed. We correct the simulated streamflows by assimilating streamflow observations and our early results demonstrate the feasibility of the approach. Additionally, the use of in situ gauges at continental scales motivates the application of our new data assimilation scheme to altimetry measurements from existing (e.g. EnviSat, Jason 2) and upcoming satellite missions (e.g. SWOT), and ultimately apply the scheme globally.

  6. Polygenic risk, rapid childhood growth, and the development of obesity: evidence from a 4-decade longitudinal study.

    PubMed

    Belsky, Daniel W; Moffitt, Terrie E; Houts, Renate; Bennett, Gary G; Biddle, Andrea K; Blumenthal, James A; Evans, James P; Harrington, Honalee; Sugden, Karen; Williams, Benjamin; Poulton, Richie; Caspi, Avshalom

    2012-06-01

    To test how genomic loci identified in genome-wide association studies influence the development of obesity. A 38-year prospective longitudinal study of a representative birth cohort. The Dunedin Multidisciplinary Health and Development Study, Dunedin, New Zealand. One thousand thirty-seven male and female study members. We assessed genetic risk with a multilocus genetic risk score. The genetic risk score was composed of single-nucleotide polymorphisms identified in genome-wide association studies of obesity-related phenotypes. We assessed family history from parent body mass index data collected when study members were 11 years of age. Body mass index growth curves, developmental phenotypes of obesity, and adult obesity outcomes were defined from anthropometric assessments at birth and at 12 subsequent in-person interviews through 38 years of age. Individuals with higher genetic risk scores were more likely to be chronically obese in adulthood. Genetic risk first manifested as rapid growth during early childhood. Genetic risk was unrelated to birth weight. After birth, children at higher genetic risk gained weight more rapidly and reached adiposity rebound earlier and at a higher body mass index. In turn, these developmental phenotypes predicted adult obesity, mediating about half the genetic effect on adult obesity risk. Genetic associations with growth and obesity risk were independent of family history, indicating that the genetic risk score could provide novel information to clinicians. Genetic variation linked with obesity risk operates, in part, through accelerating growth in the early childhood years after birth. Etiological research and prevention strategies should target early childhood to address the obesity epidemic.

  7. Rapid oxygenation of Earth's atmosphere 2.33 billion years ago.

    PubMed

    Luo, Genming; Ono, Shuhei; Beukes, Nicolas J; Wang, David T; Xie, Shucheng; Summons, Roger E

    2016-05-01

    Molecular oxygen (O2) is, and has been, a primary driver of biological evolution and shapes the contemporary landscape of Earth's biogeochemical cycles. Although "whiffs" of oxygen have been documented in the Archean atmosphere, substantial O2 did not accumulate irreversibly until the Early Paleoproterozoic, during what has been termed the Great Oxygenation Event (GOE). The timing of the GOE and the rate at which this oxygenation took place have been poorly constrained until now. We report the transition (that is, from being mass-independent to becoming mass-dependent) in multiple sulfur isotope signals of diagenetic pyrite in a continuous sedimentary sequence in three coeval drill cores in the Transvaal Supergroup, South Africa. These data precisely constrain the GOE to 2.33 billion years ago. The new data suggest that the oxygenation occurred rapidly-within 1 to 10 million years-and was followed by a slower rise in the ocean sulfate inventory. Our data indicate that a climate perturbation predated the GOE, whereas the relationships among GOE, "Snowball Earth" glaciation, and biogeochemical cycling will require further stratigraphic correlation supported with precise chronologies and paleolatitude reconstructions.

  8. [Development and evaluation of a rapid PCR detection kit for Ophiocordyceps sinensis].

    PubMed

    Hou, Fei-Xia; Cao, Jing; Wang, Sha-Sha; Wang, Xi; Yuan, Yuan; Peng, Cheng; Wan, De-Guang; Guo, Jin-Lin

    2017-03-01

    Ophiocordyceps sinensis is a valuable traditional Chinese medicine. Due to resource shortage, expensive price and huge market demand, there are many adulterants of O. sinensis in markets. Therefore, it is necessary to establish a rapid and effective method for distinguishing O. sinensis. Based on the species-specific PCR of O. sinensis, this study developed a detection kit by optimizing the components and evaluated the specificity, detection limit, repeatability and shelf life of the kit. The results showed that when the quality of O. sinensis accounted for more than 1/200 of that mixture, it could be detected successfully. Moreover, only O. sinensis could be amplified and glowed bright green fluorescence under ultraviolet light. The kit was still in effect when it was placed at 37 ℃ for three days, which indicated that it was stable and effective for one year stored in 4 ℃. The kit in the same batch under different operation conditions, and in different batch under the same operation conditions gave the same result and accuracy, which showed good repeatability of the kit. It is simple, rapid and accurate to distinguish O. sinensis from its adulterants using the kit, and lays the foundation for commercialization of traditional Chinese medicine fast detection kit. Copyright© by the Chinese Pharmaceutical Association.

  9. [Development of sample pretreatment techniques-rapid detection coupling methods for food security analysis].

    PubMed

    Huang, Yichun; Ding, Weiwei; Zhang, Zhuomin; Li, Gongke

    2013-07-01

    This paper summarizes the recent developments of the rapid detection methods for food security, such as sensors, optical techniques, portable spectral analysis, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, portable gas chromatograph, etc. Additionally, the applications of these rapid detection methods coupled with sample pretreatment techniques in real food security analysis are reviewed. The coupling technique has the potential to provide references to establish the selective, precise and quantitative rapid detection methods in food security analysis.

  10. Development of Word Reading Fluency and Spelling in a Consistent Orthography: An 8-Year Follow-Up

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Landerl, Karin; Wimmer, Heinz

    2008-01-01

    In a longitudinal study, development of word reading fluency and spelling were followed for almost 8 years. In a group of 115 students (65 girls, 50 boys) acquiring the phonologically transparent German orthography, prediction measures (letter knowledge, phonological short-term memory, phonological awareness, rapid automatized naming, and…

  11. Development and Evaluation of a Rapid and Sensitive EBOV-RPA Test for Rapid Diagnosis of Ebola Virus Disease.

    PubMed

    Yang, Mingjuan; Ke, Yuehua; Wang, Xuesong; Ren, Hang; Liu, Wei; Lu, Huijun; Zhang, Wenyi; Liu, Shiwei; Chang, Guohui; Tian, Shuguang; Wang, Lihua; Huang, Liuyu; Liu, Chao; Yang, Ruifu; Chen, Zeliang

    2016-06-01

    Confirming Ebola virus disease (EVD), a deadly infectious disease, requires real-time RT-PCR, which takes up to a few hours to yield results. Therefore, a rapid diagnostic assay is imperative for EVD diagnosis. A rapid nucleic acid test based on recombinase polymerase amplification (EBOV-RPA) was developed to specifically detect the 2014 outbreak strains. The EBOV-RPA assay was evaluated by testing samples from suspected EVD patients in parallel with RT-PCR. An EBOV-RPA, which could be completed in 20 min, was successfully developed. Of 271 patients who tested positive for Ebola virus by RT-PCR, 264 (sensitivity: 97%, 95% CI: 95.5-99.3%) were positive by EBOV-RPA; 101 of 104 patients (specificity: 97%, 95% CI: 93.9-100%) who tested negative by RT-PCR were also negative by EBOV-RPA. The sensitivity values for samples with a Ct value of <34, which accounted for 95.59% of the samples, was 100%. Discordant samples positive by RT-PCR but negative by EBOV-RPA had significantly high Ct values. Results of external quality assessment samples with EBOV-RPA were 100%, consistent with those of RT-PCR. The EBOV-RPA assay showed 97% sensitivity and 97% specificity for all EVD samples tested, making it a rapid and sensitive test for EVD diagnosis.

  12. Database Development for Ocean Impacts: Imaging, Outreach, and Rapid Response

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2012-09-30

    1 DISTRIBUTION STATEMENT A. Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited. Database Development for Ocean Impacts: Imaging, Outreach...Development for Ocean Impacts: Imaging, Outreach, and Rapid Response 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER 5b. GRANT NUMBER 5c. PROGRAM ELEMENT NUMBER 6. AUTHOR(S) 5d...hoses ( Applied Ocean Physics & Engineering department, WHOI, to evaluate wear and locate in mooring optical cables used in the Right Whale monitoring

  13. Rapid development of Proteomic applications with the AIBench framework.

    PubMed

    López-Fernández, Hugo; Reboiro-Jato, Miguel; Glez-Peña, Daniel; Méndez Reboredo, José R; Santos, Hugo M; Carreira, Ricardo J; Capelo-Martínez, José L; Fdez-Riverola, Florentino

    2011-09-15

    In this paper we present two case studies of Proteomics applications development using the AIBench framework, a Java desktop application framework mainly focused in scientific software development. The applications presented in this work are Decision Peptide-Driven, for rapid and accurate protein quantification, and Bacterial Identification, for Tuberculosis biomarker search and diagnosis. Both tools work with mass spectrometry data, specifically with MALDI-TOF spectra, minimizing the time required to process and analyze the experimental data. Copyright 2011 The Author(s). Published by Journal of Integrative Bioinformatics.

  14. Protocol for rapid sequence intubation in pediatric patients -- a four-year study.

    PubMed

    Marvez-Valls, Eduardo; Houry, Debra; Ernst, Amy A; Weiss, Steven J; Killeen, James

    2002-04-01

    To evaluate a protocol for rapid sequence intubation (RSI) for pediatric patients in a Level 1 trauma center. Retrospective review of prospectively gathered Continuing Quality Improvement (CQI) data at an inner city Level 1 trauma center with an emergency medicine residency program. Protocols for RSI were established prior to initiating the study. All pediatric intubations at the center from February 1996 to February 2000 were included. Statistical analysis included descriptive statistics for categorical data and Chi-square for comparisons between groups. Over the 4-year study period there were 83 pediatric intubations ranging in age from 18 months to 17 years; mean age 8.6. All had data collected at the time of intubation. There were 20 (24%) females and 62 (76%) males (p<0.001). Reasons for intubation were related to trauma in 71 (86%) and medical reasons in 12 (14%) (p<0.001). Of the trauma intubations 7 (10%) were for gunshot wounds, 39 (55%) were secondary to MVCs, and the remainder (25; 35%) were from assaults, falls, and closed head injuries. The non-trauma intubations were for smoke inhalation, overdose, seizure, HIV related complications, eclampsia, and near drowning. Intubations were successful with one attempt in 65 (78%) cases. No surgical airways were necessary. Rocuronium was used in 4 cases. Protocol deviations did not lead to complications. This protocol based pediatric rapid sequence intubation method worked well in an EM residency program. More intubations were in males and more were necessary due to trauma in this group.

  15. Product Development and its Comparative Analysis by SLA, SLS and FDM Rapid Prototyping Processes

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Choudhari, C. M.; Patil, V. D.

    2016-09-01

    To grab market and meeting deadlines has increased the scope of new methods in product design and development. Industries continuously strive to optimize the development cycles with high quality and cost efficient products to maintain market competitiveness. Thus the need of Rapid Prototyping Techniques (RPT) has started to play pivotal role in rapid product development cycle for complex product. Dimensional accuracy and surface finish are the corner stone of Rapid Prototyping (RP) especially if they are used for mould development. The paper deals with the development of part made with the help of Selective Laser Sintering (SLS), Stereo-lithography (SLA) and Fused Deposition Modelling (FDM) processes to benchmark and investigate on various parameters like material shrinkage rate, dimensional accuracy, time, cost and surface finish. This helps to conclude which processes can be proved to be effective and efficient in mould development. In this research work the emphasis was also given to the design stage of a product development to obtain an optimum design solution for an existing product.

  16. ProteoWizard: open source software for rapid proteomics tools development.

    PubMed

    Kessner, Darren; Chambers, Matt; Burke, Robert; Agus, David; Mallick, Parag

    2008-11-01

    The ProteoWizard software project provides a modular and extensible set of open-source, cross-platform tools and libraries. The tools perform proteomics data analyses; the libraries enable rapid tool creation by providing a robust, pluggable development framework that simplifies and unifies data file access, and performs standard proteomics and LCMS dataset computations. The library contains readers and writers of the mzML data format, which has been written using modern C++ techniques and design principles and supports a variety of platforms with native compilers. The software has been specifically released under the Apache v2 license to ensure it can be used in both academic and commercial projects. In addition to the library, we also introduce a rapidly growing set of companion tools whose implementation helps to illustrate the simplicity of developing applications on top of the ProteoWizard library. Cross-platform software that compiles using native compilers (i.e. GCC on Linux, MSVC on Windows and XCode on OSX) is available for download free of charge, at http://proteowizard.sourceforge.net. This website also provides code examples, and documentation. It is our hope the ProteoWizard project will become a standard platform for proteomics development; consequently, code use, contribution and further development are strongly encouraged.

  17. Rapid facial reactions to emotional facial expressions in typically developing children and children with autism spectrum disorder.

    PubMed

    Beall, Paula M; Moody, Eric J; McIntosh, Daniel N; Hepburn, Susan L; Reed, Catherine L

    2008-11-01

    Typical adults mimic facial expressions within 1000 ms, but adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) do not. These rapid facial reactions (RFRs) are associated with the development of social-emotional abilities. Such interpersonal matching may be caused by motor mirroring or emotional responses. Using facial electromyography (EMG), this study evaluated mechanisms underlying RFRs during childhood and examined possible impairment in children with ASD. Experiment 1 found RFRs to happy and angry faces (not fear faces) in 15 typically developing children from 7 to 12 years of age. RFRs of fear (not anger) in response to angry faces indicated an emotional mechanism. In 11 children (8-13 years of age) with ASD, Experiment 2 found undifferentiated RFRs to fear expressions and no consistent RFRs to happy or angry faces. However, as children with ASD aged, matching RFRs to happy faces increased significantly, suggesting the development of processes underlying matching RFRs during this period in ASD.

  18. Old knowledge and new technologies allow rapid development of model organisms

    PubMed Central

    Cook, Charles E.; Chenevert, Janet; Larsson, Tomas A.; Arendt, Detlev; Houliston, Evelyn; Lénárt, Péter

    2016-01-01

    Until recently the set of “model” species used commonly for cell biology was limited to a small number of well-understood organisms, and developing a new model was prohibitively expensive or time-consuming. With the current rapid advances in technology, in particular low-cost high-throughput sequencing, it is now possible to develop molecular resources fairly rapidly. Wider sampling of biological diversity can only accelerate progress in addressing cellular mechanisms and shed light on how they are adapted to varied physiological contexts. Here we illustrate how historical knowledge and new technologies can reveal the potential of nonconventional organisms, and we suggest guidelines for selecting new experimental models. We also present examples of nonstandard marine metazoan model species that have made important contributions to our understanding of biological processes. PMID:26976934

  19. Rapid Response Reforestation: Studies in Fire Restoration

    Treesearch

    Robin Rose; Diane L. Haase

    2005-01-01

    The Nursery Technology Cooperative has been conducting projects to examine forest seedling quality and reforestation success in the Pacific Northwest for more than 20 years. Because of the large wildfires in recent years, there is a growing interest in studying reforestation strategies for optimum restoration following a fire. We have developed 2 “Rapid Response...

  20. Faster Growth of Road Transportation CO2 Emissions in Asia Pacific Economies: Exploring Differences in Trends of the Rapidly Developing and Developed Worlds

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Marcotullio, Peter J.

    2006-01-01

    Researchers have identified how in some rapidly developing countries, road and aviation transportation CO2 emissions are rising faster (over time) when compared to the experiences of the USA at similar levels of economic development. While suggestive of how experiences of the rapidly developing Asia are different from those of the developed world…

  1. Rapid diagnostic tests for malaria

    PubMed Central

    Daily, Jennifer; Hotte, Nora; Dolkart, Caitlin; Cunningham, Jane; Yadav, Prashant

    2015-01-01

    Abstract Maintaining quality, competitiveness and innovation in global health technology is a constant challenge for manufacturers, while affordability, access and equity are challenges for governments and international agencies. In this paper we discuss these issues with reference to rapid diagnostic tests for malaria. Strategies to control and eliminate malaria depend on early and accurate diagnosis. Rapid diagnostic tests for malaria require little training and equipment and can be performed by non-specialists in remote settings. Use of these tests has expanded significantly over the last few years, following recommendations to test all suspected malaria cases before treatment and the implementation of an evaluation programme to assess the performance of the malaria rapid diagnostic tests. Despite these gains, challenges exist that, if not addressed, could jeopardize the progress made to date. We discuss recent developments in rapid diagnostic tests for malaria, highlight some of the challenges and provide suggestions to address them. PMID:26668438

  2. Rapid Change without Transformation: The Dominance of a National Policy Paradigm over International Influences on ECEC Development in Ireland 1995-2012

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wolfe, Toby; O'Donoghue-Hynes, Bernie; Hayes, Nóirín

    2013-01-01

    The rapidity of change in Irish early childhood policy over the last 20 years is clear to observers (OECD Thematic Review of Early Childhood Education and Care Policy in Ireland. "Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development," Paris, 2004). What may be debated is how significant the changes are. In this paper, we analyse…

  3. Evaluation of urban sprawl and urban landscape pattern in a rapidly developing region.

    PubMed

    Lv, Zhi-Qiang; Dai, Fu-Qiang; Sun, Cheng

    2012-10-01

    Urban sprawl is a worldwide phenomenon happening particularly in rapidly developing regions. A study on the spatiotemporal characteristics of urban sprawl and urban pattern is useful for the sustainable management of land management and urban land planning. The present research explores the spatiotemporal dynamics of urban sprawl in the context of a rapid urbanization process in a booming economic region of southern China from 1979 to 2005. Three urban sprawl types are distinguished by analyzing overlaid urban area maps of two adjacent study years which originated from the interpretation of remote sensed images and vector land use maps. Landscape metrics are used to analyze the spatiotemporal pattern of urban sprawl for each study period. Study results show that urban areas have expanded dramatically, and the spatiotemporal landscape pattern configured by the three sprawl types changed obviously. The different sprawl type patterns in five study periods have transformed significantly, with their proportions altered both in terms of quantity and of location. The present research proves that urban sprawl quantification and pattern analysis can provide a clear perspective of the urbanization process during a long time period. Particularly, the present study on urban sprawl and sprawl patterns can be used by land use and urban planners.

  4. Developing an Inclusive System in a Rapidly Changing European Society

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Drudy, Sheelagh; Kinsella, William

    2009-01-01

    This paper uses Ireland--one of Europe's most rapidly changing societies--as a case study and examines progress towards an inclusive education system. It explores policy and progress on developing an inclusive system under a number of key headings: social class, ethnicity, gender and disability. On the basis of analysis of official statistics and…

  5. Rapid fast-mapping abilities in 2-year-olds.

    PubMed

    Spiegel, Chad; Halberda, Justin

    2011-05-01

    Learning a new word consists of two primary tasks that have often been conflated into a single process: referent selection, in which a child must determine the correct referent of a novel label, and referent retention, which is the ability to store this newly formed label-object mapping in memory for later use. In addition, children must be capable of performing these tasks rapidly and repeatedly as they are frequently exposed to novel words during the course of natural conversation. Here we used a preferential pointing task to investigate 2-year-olds' (N=72) ability to infer the referent of a novel noun from a single ambiguous exposure and their ability to retain this mapping over time. Children were asked to identify the referent of a novel label on six critical trials distributed throughout the course of a 10-min study involving many familiar and novel objects. On these critical trials, images of a known object and a novel object (e.g., a ball and a nameless artifact constructed in the laboratory) appeared on two computer screens and a voice asked children to "point at the _____ [e.g., glark]." Following label onset, children were allowed only 3s during which to infer the correct referent, point at it, and potentially store this new word-object mapping. In a final posttest trial, all previously labeled novel objects appeared and children were asked to point to one of them (e.g., "Can you find the glark?"). To succeed, children needed to have initially mapped the novel labels correctly and retained these mappings over the course of the study. Despite the difficult demands of the current task, children successfully identified the target object on the retention trial. We conclude that 2-year-olds are able to fast map novel nouns during a brief single exposure under ambiguous labeling conditions. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  6. Prehospital care training in a rapidly developing economy: a multi-institutional study.

    PubMed

    Vyas, Dinesh; Hollis, Michael; Abraham, Rohit; Rustagi, Neeti; Chandra, Siddharth; Malhotra, Ajai; Rajpurohit, Vikas; Purohit, Harshada; Pal, Ranabir

    2016-06-01

    The trauma pandemic is one of the leading causes of death worldwide but especially in rapidly developing economies. Perhaps, a common cause of trauma-related mortality in these settings comes from the rapid expansion of motor vehicle ownership without the corresponding expansion of national prehospital training in developed countries. The resulting road traffic injuries often never make it to the hospital in time for effective treatment, resulting in preventable disability and death. The current article examines the development of a medical first responder training program that has the potential to reduce this unnecessary morbidity and mortality. An intensive training workshop has been differentiated into two progressive tiers: acute trauma training (ATT) and broad trauma training (BTT) protocols. These four-hour and two-day protocols, respectively, allow for the mass education of laypersons-such as police officials, fire brigade, and taxi and/or ambulance drivers-who are most likely to interact first with prehospital victims. Over 750 ATT participants and 168 BTT participants were trained across three Indian educational institutions at Jodhpur and Jaipur. Trainees were given didactic and hands-on education in a series of critical trauma topics, in addition to pretraining and post-training self-assessments to rate clinical confidence across curricular topics. Two-sample t-test statistical analyses were performed to compare pretraining and post-training confidence levels. Program development resulted in recruitment of a variety of career backgrounds for enrollment in both our ATT and BTT workshops. The workshops were run by local physicians from a wide spectrum of medical specialties and previously ATT-trained police officials. Statistically significant improvements in clinical confidence across all curricular topics for ATT and BTT protocols were identified (P < 0.0001). In addition, improvement in confidence after BTT training was similar in Jodhpur compared

  7. Bilateral cross-bite treated by repeated rapid maxillary expansions: a 17-year follow-up case.

    PubMed

    Cozzani, M; Mazzotta, L; Caprioglio, A

    2014-07-01

    The objective of this paper is to show the clinical results after the repeated application of a Haas expander for rapid maxillary expansion (RME) anchored onto deciduous teeth in a 7-year-old patient that presented bilateral cross-bite, superior crowding and no space for permanent lateral incisors eruption. A first Haas expander was applied to the patient. She was told to activate it once a day, each activation was equal to 0.20 mm. After the first RME, the bilateral cross-bite was solved but still there was not enough space for lateral incisor eruption. A second and then a third Haas expander were applied, with the same activation protocol as the first one, in order to gain space in the anterior region and to achieve proper eruption of the lateral incisors. The patient was then treated with fixed appliances. At debonding the patient presented well aligned arch-forms: space for lateral incisor eruption was gained and superior crowding was solved. Bilateral cross-bite was also corrected. She was seen again 10 years and 17 years after expansions: she showed no relapse and presented a good functional occlusion that had remained stable, and an aesthetically pleasant smile, however she exhibited gingival recessions. Repeated rapid maxillary expansion, anchored onto deciduous teeth, performed in early mixed dentition represents a safe and successful treatment to correct severe bilateral cross- bites and to create space for maxillary incisor eruption.

  8. Rapid Spacecraft Development: Results and Lessons Learned

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Watson, William A.

    2002-01-01

    The Rapid Spacecraft Development Office (RSDO) at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center is responsible for the management and direction of a dynamic and versatile program for the definition, competition, and acquisition of multiple indefinite delivery and indefinite quantity contracts - resulting in a catalog of spacecraft buses. Five spacecraft delivery orders have been placed by the RSDO and one spacecraft has been launched. Numerous concept and design studies have been performed, most with the intent of leading to a future spacecraft acquisition. A collection of results and lessons learned is recorded to highlight management techniques, methods and processes employed in the conduct of spacecraft acquisition. Topics include working relationships under fixed price delivery orders, price and value, risk management, contingency reserves, and information restrictions.

  9. SQLGEN: a framework for rapid client-server database application development.

    PubMed

    Nadkarni, P M; Cheung, K H

    1995-12-01

    SQLGEN is a framework for rapid client-server relational database application development. It relies on an active data dictionary on the client machine that stores metadata on one or more database servers to which the client may be connected. The dictionary generates dynamic Structured Query Language (SQL) to perform common database operations; it also stores information about the access rights of the user at log-in time, which is used to partially self-configure the behavior of the client to disable inappropriate user actions. SQLGEN uses a microcomputer database as the client to store metadata in relational form, to transiently capture server data in tables, and to allow rapid application prototyping followed by porting to client-server mode with modest effort. SQLGEN is currently used in several production biomedical databases.

  10. Syphilis screening in the Blood Transfusion Service: a report of four years' experience with the Treponema pallidum haemagglutination assay and the subsequent development of a rapid "spin" method.

    PubMed Central

    Puckett, A; Pratt, G

    1987-01-01

    A comparison of cardiolipin and a modified Treponema pallidum haemagglutination assay (TPHA) method over a four year period confirmed the superior sensitivity and specificity of TPHA. In 86,495 new donor sera 19 (0.02%) confirmed positive results were detected by TPHA, 10 of which did not react by the cardiolipin test. In 150,789 antenatal samples 49 confirmed positive results were found by TPHA, 30 of which did not react by cardiolipin. No cardiolipin positive, TPHA negative samples were confirmed as positive by the absorbed fluorescence treponemal antibody test, and overall 78% of cardiolipin reactions gave false biological positive results. Cardiolipin tests were continued only because of their speed. A further modification ("spin") of the TPHA has now been developed which is rapid, sensitive, and inexpensive, and in testing 21,807 sera, gave results equivalent to those of the previous "settle" method. Serious consideration should be given to dispensing with cardiolipin tests. PMID:3320095

  11. Polymerase Chain Reaction/Rapid Methods Are Gaining a Foothold in Developing Countries.

    PubMed

    Ragheb, Suzan Mohammed; Jimenez, Luis

    Detection of microbial contamination in pharmaceutical raw materials and finished products is a critical factor to guarantee their safety, stability, and potency. Rapid microbiological methods-such as polymerase chain reaction-have been widely applied to clinical and food quality control analysis. However, polymerase chain reaction applications to pharmaceutical quality control have been rather slow and sporadic. Successful implementation of these methods in pharmaceutical companies in developing countries requires important considerations to provide sensitive and robust assays that will comply with good manufacturing practices. In recent years several publications have encouraged the application of molecular techniques in the microbiological assessment of pharmaceuticals. One of these techniques is polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The successful application of PCR in the pharmaceutical industry in developing countries is governed by considerable factors and requirements. These factors include the setting up of a PCR laboratory and the choice of appropriate equipment and reagents. In addition, the presence of well-trained analysts and establishment of quality control and quality assurance programs are important requirements. The pharmaceutical firms should take into account these factors to allow better chances for regulatory acceptance and wide application of this technique. © PDA, Inc. 2014.

  12. Research and Development of Rapid Design Systems for Aerospace Structure

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Schaeffer, Harry G.

    1999-01-01

    This report describes the results of research activities associated with the development of rapid design systems for aerospace structures in support of the Intelligent Synthesis Environment (ISE). The specific subsystems investigated were the interface between model assembly and analysis; and, the high performance NASA GPS equation solver software system in the Windows NT environment on low cost high-performance PCs.

  13. The development of falling intonation in young children with cochlear implants: a 2-year longitudinal study.

    PubMed

    Snow, David P; Ertmer, David J

    2013-07-01

    This article describes the development of intonation in 12 cochlear implant (CI) recipients. In a previously reported study of the first year of CI use, children who were implanted late (after 24 months) acquired intonation more rapidly than the younger participants. The older children's advantage is plausibly owing to their greater maturity. However, children who were implanted early (before 25 months) did not have an advantage over the still younger control group of infants with normal hearing (NH), suggesting that the advantage requires a critical age of about 30 months. The younger CI-users reached this age in the second year of CI use. The results confirmed our expectation that even the younger CI recipients would acquire intonation more rapidly than infants with NH who had the same amount of robust hearing experience. Clinical implications are discussed in relation to the question of early versus late implantation.

  14. Myofibroma as a Rapidly Growing Gingival Mass in a 4-year-old Boy: a Case Report.

    PubMed

    Atarbashi-Moghadam, Saede; Lotfi, Ali; Shahrabi-Farahani, Shokoufeh; Atarbashi-Moghadam, Fazele

    2018-06-01

    Solitary myofibroma is an uncommon benign soft tissue neoplasm of myofibroblastic origin exhibiting head and neck region predilection but its presence in the jaws is rare. Myofibroma presents as painless mass and may demonstrate rapid enlargement and growth that clinically mimic malignancies. This report presents a 4-year-old male patient with a rapidly growing mandibular gingival mass with some evidence of underlying alveolar bone destruction. Incisional biopsy was performed and the specimen was stained with hematoxylin and eosin and immunohistochemical antibodies for αSMA, CD34, S100 and desmin. The diagnosis of myofibroma was made and the lesion was completely excised. The knowledge about microscopic features of this rare neoplasm helps to have a proper diagnosis and avoid unnecessary treatment.

  15. Predictive abilities of cardiovascular biomarkers to rapid decline of renal function in Chinese community-dwelling population: a 5-year prospective analysis.

    PubMed

    Fu, Shihui; Liu, Chunling; Luo, Leiming; Ye, Ping

    2017-11-09

    Predictive abilities of cardiovascular biomarkers to renal function decline are more significant in Chinese community-dwelling population without glomerular filtration rate (GFR) below 60 ml/min/1.73m 2 , and long-term prospective study is an optimal choice to explore this problem. Aim of this analysis was to observe this problem during the follow-up of 5 years. In a large medical check-up program in Beijing, there were 948 participants with renal function evaluated at baseline and follow-up of 5 years. Physical examinations were performed by well-trained physicians. Blood samples were analyzed by qualified technicians in central laboratory. Median rate of renal function decline was 1.46 (0.42-2.91) mL/min/1.73m 2 /year. Rapid decline of renal function had a prevalence of 23.5% (223 participants). Multivariate linear and Logistic regression analyses confirmed that age, sex, baseline GFR, homocysteine and N-terminal pro B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) had independently predictive abilities to renal function decline rate and rapid decline of renal function (p < 0.05 for all). High-sensitivity cardiac troponin T (hs-cTnT), carotid femoral pulse wave velocity and central augmentation index had no statistically independent association with renal function decline rate and rapid decline of renal function (p > 0.05 for all). Homocysteine and NT-proBNP rather than hs-cTnT had independently predictive abilities to rapid decline of renal function in Chinese community-dwelling population without GFR below 60 ml/min/1.73m 2 . Baseline GFR was an independent factor predicting the rapid decline of renal function. Arterial stiffness and compliance had no independent effect on rapid decline of renal function. This analysis has a significant implication for public health, and changing the homocysteine and NT-proBNP levels might slow the rapid decline of renal function.

  16. Rapid Prototyping as Method for Developing Instructional Strategies for Supporting Computer-Mediated Communication among University Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Knowlton, Dave S.

    2006-01-01

    Because rapid prototyping results in the quick development of curriculum, materials, and processes, it is a form of design that could be particularly useful to professors in higher education. Yet, literature documenting the use of rapid prototyping in higher education is scarce. This paper offers a case example of rapid prototyping being used as a…

  17. An important role of the moisture supply from the Kuroshio Current/Kuroshio Extension in the rapid development of an explosive cyclone

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hirata, H.; Kawamura, R.; Kato, M.; Shinoda, T.

    2014-12-01

    We investigated how the moisture supply from the Kuroshio Current/Kuroshio Extension affects the rapid intensification of an explosive cyclone using a couple atmosphere-ocean non-hydrostatic model, CReSS-NHOES. The Cloud-Resolving Storm Simulator (CReSS) and the Non-Hydrostatic Ocean model for the Earth Simulator (NHOES) have been developed by the Hydrospheric Atmospheric Research Center of Nagoya University and the Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology, respectively. We performed a numerical simulation of an extratropical cyclone migrating along the southern periphery of the Kuroshio Current on January 14, 2013, that developed most rapidly in recent years in the vicinity of Japan. The evolutions of surface fronts related to the cyclone simulated by the CReSS-NHOES closely resemble Shapiro-Keyser model. In the lower troposphere, the cyclone's bent-back front and the associated frontal T-bone structure become evident with the cyclone development. Cold Conveyor Belt (CCB) is also well organized over the northern part of the cyclone. During its developing stage, since the CCB dominates just over the Kuroshio Current/Kuroshio Extension, a large amount of moisture is efficiently supplied from the warm current into the CCB. The vapor evaporated from the underlying warm current is transported into the bent-back front by the CCB and converges horizontally in the vicinity of the front. As a result, strong diabatic heating arises over the corresponding moisture convergence area in that vicinity, indicating that the abundant moisture due to the warm current plays a vital role in rapid development of the cyclone through latent heat release processes. Both processes of the moisture transport from the warm current into the cyclone system via the CCB and of the latent heat release around the bent-back front are also confirmed by trajectory analyses. The rapid SLP decrease of the cyclone center can in turn increase the moisture supply from the warm current through

  18. Rapid Response Risk Assessment in New Project Development

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Graber, Robert R.

    2010-01-01

    A capability for rapidly performing quantitative risk assessments has been developed by JSC Safety and Mission Assurance for use on project design trade studies early in the project life cycle, i.e., concept development through preliminary design phases. A risk assessment tool set has been developed consisting of interactive and integrated software modules that allow a user/project designer to assess the impact of alternative design or programmatic options on the probability of mission success or other risk metrics. The risk and design trade space includes interactive options for selecting parameters and/or metrics for numerous design characteristics including component reliability characteristics, functional redundancy levels, item or system technology readiness levels, and mission event characteristics. This capability is intended for use on any project or system development with a defined mission, and an example project will used for demonstration and descriptive purposes, e.g., landing a robot on the moon. The effects of various alternative design considerations and their impact of these decisions on mission success (or failure) can be measured in real time on a personal computer. This capability provides a high degree of efficiency for quickly providing information in NASA s evolving risk-based decision environment

  19. Interagency partnering for weed prevention--progress on development of a National Early Detection and Rapid Response System for Invasive Plants in the United States

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Westbrooks, R.; Westbrooks, R.

    2011-01-01

    Over the past 50 years, experience has shown that interagency groups provide an effective forum for addressing various invasive species issues and challenges on multiple land units. However, more importantly, they can also provide a coordinated framework for early detection, reporting, identification and vouchering, rapid assessment, and rapid response to new and emerging invasive plants in the United States. Interagency collaboration maximizes the use of available expertise, resources, and authority for promoting early detection and rapid response (EDRR) as the preferred management option for addressing new and emerging invasive plants. Currently, an interagency effort is underway to develop a National EDRR System for Invasive Plants in the United States. The proposed system will include structural and informational elements. Structural elements of the system include a network of interagency partner groups to facilitate early detection and rapid response to new invasive plants, including the Federal Interagency Committee for the Management of Noxious and Exotic Weeds (FICMNEW), State Invasive Species Councils, State Early Detection and Rapid Response Coordinating Committees, State Volunteer Detection and Reporting Networks, Invasive Plant Task Forces, and Cooperative Weed Management Areas. Informational elements and products being developed include Regional Invasive Plant Atlases, and EDRR Guidelines for EDRR Volunteer Network Training, Rapid Assessment and Rapid Response, and Criteria for Selection of EDRR Species. System science and technical support elements which are provided by cooperating state and federal scientists, include EDRR guidelines, training curriculum for EDRR volunteers and agency field personnel, plant identification and vouchering, rapid assessments, as well as predictive modeling and ecological range studies for invasive plant species.

  20. Animation of Heliopause Electrostatic Rapid Transport System (HERTS)

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2016-04-20

    Animation of Heliopause Electrostatic Rapid Transport System (HERTS) concept. NASA engineers are conducting tests to develop models for the Heliopause Electrostatic Rapid Transport System. HERTS builds upon the electric sail invention of Dr. Pekka Janhunen of the Finnish Meteorological Institute. An electric sail could potentially send scientific payloads to the edge of our solar system, the heliopause, in less than 10 years. The research is led by Bruce M. Wiegmann, an engineer in the Advanced Concepts Office at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center. The HERTS E-Sail development and testing is funded by NASA’s Space Technology Mission Directorate through the NASA Innovative Advanced Concepts Program.

  1. Rapidly progressive idiopathic lenticular astigmatism.

    PubMed

    Tint, Naing L; Jayaswal, Rakesh; Masood, Imran; Maharajan, V Senthil

    2007-02-01

    A myopic 43-year-old woman with early nuclear sclerotic cataract developed more than 11.0 diopters (D) of astigmatism over a 6-month period. This was found to be lenticular in origin. Phacoemulsification with intraocular lens implantation was performed, resulting in residual astigmatism of 0.75 D. To our knowledge, this is the first case of rapidly progressive lenticular astigmatism in an otherwise healthy eye with early nuclear sclerotic cataract.

  2. Creating the Infrastructure for Rapid Application Development and Processing Response to the HIRDLS Radiance Anomaly

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Cavanaugh, C.; Gille, J.; Francis, G.; Nardi, B.; Hannigan, J.; McInerney, J.; Krinsky, C.; Barnett, J.; Dean, V.; Craig, C.

    2005-12-01

    The High Resolution Dynamics Limb Sounder (HIRDLS) instrument onboard the NASA Aura spacecraft experienced a rupture of the thermal blanketing material (Kapton) during the rapid depressurization of launch. The Kapton draped over the HIRDLS scan mirror, severely limiting the aperture through which HIRDLS views space and Earth's atmospheric limb. In order for HIRDLS to achieve its intended measurement goals, rapid characterization of the anomaly, and rapid recovery from it were required. The recovery centered around a new processing module inserted into the standard HIRDLS processing scheme, with a goal of minimizing the effect of the anomaly on the already existing processing modules. We describe the software infrastructure on which the new processing module was built, and how that infrastructure allows for rapid application development and processing response. The scope of the infrastructure spans three distinct anomaly recovery steps and the means for their intercommunication. Each of the three recovery steps (removing the Kapton-induced oscillation in the radiometric signal, removing the Kapton signal contamination upon the radiometric signal, and correcting for the partially-obscured atmospheric view) is completely modularized and insulated from the other steps, allowing focused and rapid application development towards a specific step, and neutralizing unintended inter-step influences, thus greatly shortening the design-development-test lifecycle. The intercommunication is also completely modularized and has a simple interface to which the three recovery steps adhere, allowing easy modification and replacement of specific recovery scenarios, thereby heightening the processing response.

  3. Rapid prototyping modelling in oral and maxillofacial surgery: A two year retrospective study.

    PubMed

    Suomalainen, Anni; Stoor, Patricia; Mesimäki, Karri; Kontio, Risto K

    2015-12-01

    The use of rapid prototyping (RP) models in medicine to construct bony models is increasing. The aim of the study was to evaluate retrospectively the indication for the use of RP models in oral and maxillofacial surgery at Helsinki University Central Hospital during 2009-2010. Also, the used computed tomography (CT) examination - multislice CT (MSCT) or cone beam CT (CBCT) - method was evaluated. In total 114 RP models were fabricated for 102 patients. The mean age of the patients at the time of the production of the model was 50.4 years. The indications for the modelling included malignant lesions (29%), secondary reconstruction (25%), prosthodontic treatment (22%), orthognathic surgery or asymmetry (13%), benign lesions (8%), and TMJ disorders (4%). MSCT examination was used in 92 and CBCT examination in 22 cases. Most of the models (75%) were conventional hard tissue models. Models with colored tumour or other structure(s) of interest were ordered in 24%. Two out of the 114 models were soft tissue models. The main benefit of the models was in treatment planning and in connection with the production of pre-bent plates or custom made implants. The RP models both facilitate and improve treatment planning and intraoperative efficiency. Rapid prototyping, radiology, computed tomography, cone beam computed tomography.

  4. Development of a definition for Rapid Progression (RP) of renal function in HIV-positive persons: the D:A:D study.

    PubMed

    Kamara, David A; Ryom, Lene; Ross, Michael; Kirk, Ole; Reiss, Peter; Morlat, Philippe; Moranne, Olivier; Fux, Christoph A; Mocroft, Amanda; Sabin, Caroline; Lundgren, Jens D; Smith, Colette J

    2014-03-25

    No consensus exists on how to define abnormally rapid deterioration in renal function (Rapid Progression, RP). We developed an operational definition of RP in HIV-positive persons with baseline estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) >90 ml/min/1.73 m2 (using Cockcroft Gault) in the Data Collection on Adverse Events of Anti-HIV Drugs (D:A:D) study from 2004 to 2011. Two definitions were evaluated; RP definition A: An average eGFR decline (slope) ≥5 ml/min/1.73 m2/year over four years of follow-up with ≥3 eGFR measurements/year, last eGFR <90 ml/min/1.73 m2 and an absolute decline ≥5 ml/min/1.73 m2/year in two consecutive years. RP definition B: An absolute annual decline ≥5 ml/min/1.73 m2/year in each year and last eGFR <90 ml/min/1.73 m2. Sensitivity analyses were performed considering two and three years' follow-up. The percentage with and without RP who went on to subsequently develop incident chronic kidney disease (CKD; 2 consecutive eGFRs <60 ml/min/1.73 m2 and 3 months apart) was calculated. 22,603 individuals had baseline eGFR ≥90 ml/min/1.73 m2. 108/3655 (3.0%) individuals with ≥4 years' follow-up and ≥3 measurements/year experienced RP under definition A; similar proportions were observed when considering follow-up periods of three (n=195/6375; 3.1%) and two years (n=355/10756; 3.3%). In contrast under RP definition B, greater proportions experienced RP when considering two years (n=476/10756; 4.4%) instead of three (n=48/6375; 0.8%) or four (n=15/3655; 0.4%) years' follow-up. For RP definition A, 13 (12%) individuals who experienced RP progressed to CKD, and only (21) 0.6% of those without RP progressed to CKD (sensitivity 38.2% and specificity 97.4%); whereas for RP definition B, fewer RP individuals progressed to CKD. Our results suggest using three years' follow-up and at least two eGFR measurements per year is most appropriate for a RP definition, as it allows inclusion of a reasonable number of individuals and is associated with

  5. Development of Experimental Setup of Metal Rapid Prototyping Machine using Selective Laser Sintering Technique

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Patil, S. N.; Mulay, A. V.; Ahuja, B. B.

    2018-04-01

    Unlike in the traditional manufacturing processes, additive manufacturing as rapid prototyping, allows designers to produce parts that were previously considered too complex to make economically. The shift is taking place from plastic prototype to fully functional metallic parts by direct deposition of metallic powders as produced parts can be directly used for desired purpose. This work is directed towards the development of experimental setup of metal rapid prototyping machine using selective laser sintering and studies the various parameters, which plays important role in the metal rapid prototyping using SLS technique. The machine structure in mainly divided into three main categories namely, (1) Z-movement of bed and table, (2) X-Y movement arrangement for LASER movements and (3) feeder mechanism. Z-movement of bed is controlled by using lead screw, bevel gear pair and stepper motor, which will maintain the accuracy of layer thickness. X-Y movements are controlled using timing belt and stepper motors for precise movements of LASER source. Feeder mechanism is then developed to control uniformity of layer thickness metal powder. Simultaneously, the study is carried out for selection of material. Various types of metal powders can be used for metal RP as Single metal powder, mixture of two metals powder, and combination of metal and polymer powder. Conclusion leads to use of mixture of two metals powder to minimize the problems such as, balling effect and porosity. Developed System can be validated by conducting various experiments on manufactured part to check mechanical and metallurgical properties. After studying the results of these experiments, various process parameters as LASER properties (as power, speed etc.), and material properties (as grain size and structure etc.) will be optimized. This work is mainly focused on the design and development of cost effective experimental setup of metal rapid prototyping using SLS technique which will gives the feel of

  6. Rapid E-learning Development Strategies and a Multimedia Project Design Model

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sözcü, Ömer Faruk; Ipek, Ismail

    2014-01-01

    The purpose of the study is to discuss e-learning design strategies which can be used for multimedia projects as a design model. Recent advances in instructional technologies have been found to be very important in the design of training courses by using rapid instructional design (ID) approaches. The approaches were developed to use in training…

  7. Rapidly Progressive Dementia

    PubMed Central

    Geschwind, Michael D.

    2016-01-01

    Purpose of Review: This article presents a practical and informative approach to the evaluation of a patient with a rapidly progressive dementia (RPD). Recent Findings: Prion diseases are the prototypical causes of RPD, but reversible causes of RPD might mimic prion disease and should always be considered in a differential diagnosis. Aside from prion diseases, the most common causes of RPD are atypical presentations of other neurodegenerative disorders, curable disorders including autoimmune encephalopathies, as well as some infections, and neoplasms. Numerous recent case reports suggest dural arterial venous fistulas sometimes cause RPDs. Summary: RPDs, in which patients typically develop dementia over weeks to months, require an alternative differential than the slowly progressive dementias that occur over a few years. Because of their rapid decline, patients with RPDs necessitate urgent evaluation and often require an extensive workup, typically with multiple tests being sent or performed concurrently. Jakob-Creutzfeldt disease, perhaps the prototypical RPD, is often the first diagnosis many neurologists consider when treating a patient with rapid cognitive decline. Many conditions other than prion disease, however, including numerous reversible or curable conditions, can present as an RPD. This chapter discusses some of the major etiologies for RPDs and offers an algorithm for diagnosis. PMID:27042906

  8. Rapid population growth.

    PubMed

    1972-01-01

    At the current rate of population growth, world population by 2000 is expected to reach 7 billion or more, with developing countries accounting for some 5.4 billion, and economically advanced nations accounting for 1.6 billion. 'Population explosion' is the result of falling mortality rates and continuing high birth rates. Many European countries, and Japan, have already completed what is termed as demographic transition, that is, birth rates have fallen to below 20 births per 1000 population, death rates to 10/1000 population, and annual growth rates are 1% or less; annual growth rates for less developed countries ranged from 2 to 3.5%. Less developed countries can be divided into 3 groups: 1) countries with both high birth and death rates; 2) countries with high birth rates and low death rates; and 3) countries with intermediate and declining birth rates and low death rates. Rapid population growth has serious economic consequences. It encourages inequities in income distribution; it limits rate of growth of gross national product by holding down level of savings and capital investments; it exerts pressure on agricultural production and land; and it creates unemployment problems. In addition, the quality of education for increasing number of chidren is adversely affected, as high proportions of children reduce the amount that can be spent for the education of each child out of the educational budget; the cost and adequacy of health and welfare services are affected in a similar way. Other serious consequences of rapid population growth are maternal death and illness, and physical and mental retardation of children of very poor families. It is very urgent that over a billion births be prevented in the next 30 years to reduce annual population growth rate from the current 2% to 1% per year.

  9. One-year-old fear memories rapidly activate human fusiform gyrus

    PubMed Central

    Pizzagalli, Diego A.

    2016-01-01

    Fast threat detection is crucial for survival. In line with such evolutionary pressure, threat-signaling fear-conditioned faces have been found to rapidly (<80 ms) activate visual brain regions including the fusiform gyrus on the conditioning day. Whether remotely fear conditioned stimuli (CS) evoke similar early processing enhancements is unknown. Here, 16 participants who underwent a differential face fear-conditioning and extinction procedure on day 1 were presented the initial CS 24 h after conditioning (Recent Recall Test) as well as 9-17 months later (Remote Recall Test) while EEG was recorded. Using a data-driven segmentation procedure of CS evoked event-related potentials, five distinct microstates were identified for both the recent and the remote memory test. To probe intracranial activity, EEG activity within each microstate was localized using low resolution electromagnetic tomography analysis (LORETA). In both the recent (41–55 and 150–191 ms) and remote (45–90 ms) recall tests, fear conditioned faces potentiated rapid activation in proximity of fusiform gyrus, even in participants unaware of the contingencies. These findings suggest that rapid processing enhancements of conditioned faces persist over time. PMID:26416784

  10. Key Factors Influencing Rapid Development of Potentially Dune-Stabilizing Moss-Dominated Crusts

    PubMed Central

    Bu, Chongfeng; Zhang, Kankan; Zhang, Chunyun; Wu, Shufang

    2015-01-01

    Biological soil crusts (BSCs) are a widespread photosynthetic ground cover in arid and semiarid areas. They have many positive ecological functions, such as increasing soil stability, and reducing water and wind erosion. Using artificial technology to achieve the rapid development of BSCs is expected to become a low-cost and highly beneficial ecological restoration measure. In the present study, typical moss-dominated crusts in a region characterized by mobile dunes (Mu Us Sandland, China) were collected, and a 40-day cultivation experiment was performed to investigate key factors, including watering frequency, light intensity and a nutrient addition, which affect the rapid development of moss crusts and their optimal combination. The results demonstrated that watering frequency and illumination had a significant positive effect (P=0.049, three-factor ANOVA) and a highly significant, complicated effect (P=0.000, three-factor ANOVA), respectively, on the plant density of bryophytes, and a highly significant positive effect on the chlorophyll a and exopolysaccharide contents (P=0.000, P=0.000; P=0.000, P=0.000; one-way ANOVA). Knop nutrient solution did not have a significant positive but rather negative effect on the promotion of moss-dominated crust development (P=0.270, three-factor ANOVA). Moss-dominated crusts treated with the combination of moderate-intensity light (6,000 lx) + high watering frequency (1 watering/2 days) - Knop had the highest moss plant densities, while the treatment with high-intensity light (12,000 lx) + high watering frequency (1 watering/2 days) + Knop nutrient solution had higher chlorophyll a contents than that under other treatments. It is entirely feasible to achieve the rapid development of moss crusts under laboratory conditions by regulating key factors and creating the right environment. Future applications may seek to use cultured bryophytes to control erosion in vulnerable areas with urgent needs. PMID:26230324

  11. Subacute sclerosing panencephalitis presenting as rapidly progressive young-onset dementia.

    PubMed

    Chakor, Rahul Tryambak; Santosh, Nandanavana Subbareddy

    2013-07-01

    Onset of dementia before 65 years of age is termed as young-onset dementia (YOD). Very little literature exists regarding the clinical features and diagnoses of dementia in younger individuals. We present a case series of four patients of age 10 to 23 years with severe dementia within 18 months of clinical onset (rapidly progressive dementia). Three patients had generalised periodic complexes typical of subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE) on electroencephalogram (EEG). All patients had elevated cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) IgG measles antibodies. Our case series highlights that SSPE is an important cause of rapidly progressive YOD in developing countries like India.

  12. Prelinguistic Vocal Development in Young Cochlear Implant Recipients and Typically Developing Infants: Year 1 of Robust Hearing Experience

    PubMed Central

    Ertmer, David J.; Jung, Jongmin

    2012-01-01

    This investigation examined the time course and sequence of prelinguistic vocal development during the first year of cochlear implant (CI) experience. Thirteen children who were implanted between 8 and 35 months and 11 typically developing (TD) infants participated in this longitudinal study. Adult–child play interactions were video- and audio-recorded at trimonthly intervals for each group, and child utterances were classified into categories representing progressively more mature productions: Precanonical Vocalizations, Basic Canonical Syllables, and Advanced Form vocalizations. Young CI recipients met the 20% criterion for establishment of the Basic Canonical Syllables and Advanced Forms levels with fewer months of robust hearing experience than the TD infants. Most CI recipients followed the sequence of development predicted by the Stark Assessment of Early Vocal Development—Revised. The relatively rapid progress of the CI children suggests that an earlier period of auditory deprivation did not have negative consequences for prelinguistic vocal development. It also supports the notion that young CI recipients comparatively advanced maturity facilitated expeditious auditory-guided speech development. PMID:21586617

  13. Multicentre evaluations of two new rapid IgG4 tests (WB rapid and panLF rapid) for detection of lymphatic filariasis

    PubMed Central

    Noordin, Rahmah; Itoh, Makoto; Kimura, Eisaku; Abdul Rahman, Rohana; Ravindran, Balachandran; Mahmud, Rohela; Supali, Taniawati; Weerasooriya, Mirani

    2007-01-01

    In the global effort to eliminate lymphatic filariasis (LF), rapid field-applicable tests are useful tools that will allow on-site testing to be performed in remote places and the results to be obtained rapidly. Exclusive reliance on the few existing tests may jeopardize the progress of the LF elimination program, thus the introduction of other rapid tests would be useful to address this issue. Two new rapid immunochromatographic IgG4 cassette tests have been produced, namely WB rapid and panLF rapid, for detection of bancroftian filariasis and all three species of lymphatic filaria respectively. WB rapid was developed using BmSXP recombinant antigen, while PanLF rapid was developed using BmR1 and BmSXP recombinant antigens. A total of 165 WB rapid and 276 panLF rapid tests respectively were evaluated at USM and the rest were couriered to another university in Malaysia (98 WB rapid, 129 panLF rapid) and to universities in Indonesia (56 WB rapid, 62 panLF rapid), Japan (152 of each test) and India (18 of each test) where each of the tests underwent independent evaluations in a blinded manner. The average sensitivities of WB rapid and panLF rapid were found to be 97.6% (94%–100%) and 96.5% (94%–100%) respectively; while their average specificities were both 99.6% (99%–100%). Thus this study demonstrated that both the IgG4 rapid tests were highly sensitive and specific, and would be useful additional tests to facilitate the global drive to eliminate this disease. PMID:17961262

  14. Rapid prototyping modelling in oral and maxillofacial surgery: A two year retrospective study

    PubMed Central

    Stoor, Patricia; Mesimäki, Karri; Kontio, Risto K.

    2015-01-01

    Background The use of rapid prototyping (RP) models in medicine to construct bony models is increasing. Material and Methods The aim of the study was to evaluate retrospectively the indication for the use of RP models in oral and maxillofacial surgery at Helsinki University Central Hospital during 2009-2010. Also, the used computed tomography (CT) examination – multislice CT (MSCT) or cone beam CT (CBCT) - method was evaluated. Results In total 114 RP models were fabricated for 102 patients. The mean age of the patients at the time of the production of the model was 50.4 years. The indications for the modelling included malignant lesions (29%), secondary reconstruction (25%), prosthodontic treatment (22%), orthognathic surgery or asymmetry (13%), benign lesions (8%), and TMJ disorders (4%). MSCT examination was used in 92 and CBCT examination in 22 cases. Most of the models (75%) were conventional hard tissue models. Models with colored tumour or other structure(s) of interest were ordered in 24%. Two out of the 114 models were soft tissue models. Conclusions The main benefit of the models was in treatment planning and in connection with the production of pre-bent plates or custom made implants. The RP models both facilitate and improve treatment planning and intraoperative efficiency. Key words:Rapid prototyping, radiology, computed tomography, cone beam computed tomography. PMID:26644837

  15. Instrument Development Procedures for Rapid Reading Rate Measures. Technical Report # 08-05

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Liu, Kimy; Carling, Kristy; Geller, Leanne Ketterlin; Tindal, Gerald

    2008-01-01

    In this study, we describe the development of rapid reading measures, sentences presented to students in a nearly subliminal manner, with a literal comprehension question asked following their removal. After administering alternate forms of these measures to students, we present the results from three statistical analyses to ascertain their…

  16. Recent developments and applications of hyperspectral imaging for rapid detection of mycotoxins and mycotoxigenic fungi in food products.

    PubMed

    Xing, Fuguo; Yao, Haibo; Liu, Yang; Dai, Xiaofeng; Brown, Robert L; Bhatnagar, Deepak

    2017-08-28

    Mycotoxins are the foremost naturally occurring contaminants of food products such as corn, peanuts, tree nuts, and wheat. As the secondary metabolites, mycotoxins are mainly synthesized by many species of the genera Aspergillus, Fusarium and Penicillium, and are considered highly toxic and carcinogenic to humans and animals. Most mycotoxins are detected and quantified by analytical chemistry-based methods. While mycotoxigenic fungi are usually identified and quantified by biological methods. However, these methods are time-consuming, laborious, costly, and inconsistent because of the variability of the grain-sampling process. It is desirable to develop rapid, non-destructive and efficient methods that objectively measure and evaluate mycotoxins and mycotoxigenic fungi in food. In recent years, some spectroscopy-based technologies such as hyperspectral imaging (HSI), Raman spectroscopy, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy have been extensively investigated for their potential use as tools for the detection, classification, and sorting of mycotoxins and toxigenic fungal contaminants in food. HSI integrates both spatial and spectral information for every pixel in an image, making it suitable for rapid detection of large quantities of samples and more heterogeneous samples and for in-line sorting in the food industry. In order to track the latest research developments in HSI, this paper gives a brief overview of the theories and fundamentals behind the technology and discusses its applications in the field of rapid detection and sorting of mycotoxins and toxigenic fungi in food products. Additionally, advantages and disadvantages of HSI are compared, and its potential use in commercial applications is reported.

  17. Cognitive Development: Two-Year-Old

    MedlinePlus

    ... Español Text Size Email Print Share Cognitive Development: Two-Year-Old Page Content Article Body Think back ... touching, looking, manipulating, and listening. Now, as a two-year-old, the learning process has become more ...

  18. Application of GIS Rapid Mapping Technology in Disaster Monitoring

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wang, Z.; Tu, J.; Liu, G.; Zhao, Q.

    2018-04-01

    With the rapid development of GIS and RS technology, especially in recent years, GIS technology and its software functions have been increasingly mature and enhanced. And with the rapid development of mathematical statistical tools for spatial modeling and simulation, has promoted the widespread application and popularization of quantization in the field of geology. Based on the investigation of field disaster and the construction of spatial database, this paper uses remote sensing image, DEM and GIS technology to obtain the data information of disaster vulnerability analysis, and makes use of the information model to carry out disaster risk assessment mapping.Using ArcGIS software and its spatial data modeling method, the basic data information of the disaster risk mapping process was acquired and processed, and the spatial data simulation tool was used to map the disaster rapidly.

  19. Extinction, reacquisition, and rapid forgetting of eyeblink conditioning in developing rats

    PubMed Central

    Freeman, John H.

    2014-01-01

    Eyeblink conditioning is a well-established model for studying the developmental neurobiology of associative learning and memory. However, age differences in extinction and subsequent reacquisition have yet to be studied using this model. The present study examined extinction and reacquisition of eyeblink conditioning in developing rats. In Experiment 1, post-natal day (P) 17 and 24 rats were trained to a criterion of 80% conditioned responses (CRs) using stimulation of the middle cerebellar peduncle (MCP) as a conditioned stimulus (CS). Stimulation CS-alone extinction training commenced 24 h later, followed by reacquisition training after the fourth extinction session. Contrary to expected results, rats trained starting on P17 showed significantly fewer CRs to stimulation CS-alone presentations relative to P24s, including fewer CRs as early as the first block of extinction session 1. Furthermore, the P17 group was slower to reacquire following extinction. Experiment 2 was run to determine the extent to which the low CR percentage observed in P17s early in extinction reflected rapid forgetting versus rapid extinction. Twenty-four hours after reaching criterion, subjects were trained in a session split into 50 stimulation CS-unconditioned stimulus paired trials followed immediately by 50 stimulation CS-alone trials. With this “immediate” extinction protocol, CR percentages during the first block of stimulation CS-alone presentations were equivalent to terminal acquisition levels at both ages but extinction was more rapid in the P17 group. These findings indicate that forgetting is observed in P17 relative to P24 rats 24 h following acquisition. The forgetting in P17 rats has important implications for the neurobiological mechanisms of memory in the developing cerebellum. PMID:25403458

  20. Development of a fluorescent probe-based recombinase polymerase amplification assay for rapid detection of Orf virus.

    PubMed

    Yang, Yang; Qin, Xiaodong; Wang, Guangxiang; Zhang, Yuen; Shang, Youjun; Zhang, Zhidong

    2015-12-02

    Orf virus (ORFV) is the causative agent of Orf (also known as contagious ecthyma or contagious papular dermatitis), a severe infectious skin disease in goats, sheep and other ruminants. The rapid detection of ORFV is of great importance in disease control and highly needed. A isothermal molecular diagnostic approach, termed recombinase polymerase amplification (RPA), is considered as an novel and rapid alternative techonology to PCR assay. In the present study, a novel fluorescent probe based on RPA assay (ORFV exo RPA assay) was developed. The developed ORFV exo RPA assay was capable of as low as 100 copies of ORFV DNA /reaction and was highly specific, with no cross-reaction with closely related viruses (capripox virus, foot-and-mouth disease virus or peste des petits ruminants virus). Further assessment with clinical samples showed that the developed ORFV exo RPA assay has good correlation with qPCR assays for detection of ORFV. These results suggest that the developed ORFV exo RPA assay is suitable for rapid detection of ORFV.

  1. The RAPID-II Neuropsychological Test battery for subjects aged 20 to 49 years: Norms and cognitive profile.

    PubMed

    Binetruy, M; Mauny, F; Lavaux, M; Meyer, A; Sylvestre, G; Puyraveau, M; Berger, E; Magnin, E; Vandel, P; Galmiche, J; Chopard, G

    Cognitive evaluation of young subjects is now widely carried out for non-traumatic diseases such as multiple sclerosis, HIV, or sleep disorders. This evaluation requires normative data based on healthy adult samples. However, most clinicians use a set of tests that were normed in an isolated manner from different samples using different cutoff criteria. Thus, the score of an individual may be considered either normal or impaired according to the norms used. It is well established that healthy adults obtained low-test scores when a battery of tests is administered. Thus, the knowledge of low base rates is required so as to minimize false diagnosis of cognitive impairment. The aim of this study was twofold (1) to provide normative data for RAPID-II battery in healthy adults, and (2) estimate the proportion of healthy adults having low scores across this battery. Norms for the 44 test scores of the RAPID-II test battery were developed using the overall sample of 335 individuals based on three categories of age (20 to 29, 30 to 39, and 40 to 49 years) and two educational levels: Baccalaureate or higher educational degree (high educational level), lower than baccalaureate (low educational level). The 5th, 25th, 50th, and 75th percentiles were calculated from the six age and education subsamples and used to define norms. The frequency of low scores on the RAPID-II battery was calculated by simultaneously examining the performance of 33 primary scores. A low score was defined as less than or equal to the 5th percentile drawn from the six age and education normative subsamples. In addition, the percentages of low scores were also determined when all possible combinations of two-test scores across the RAPID-II were considered in the overall normative sample. Our data showed that 59.4% subjects of the normative sample obtained at least one or more low score. With more than 9 test scores, this percentage was equal to 0% in the normative sample. Among all combinations of two

  2. Comprehensive Analysis of Large Sets of Age-Related Physiological Indicators Reveals Rapid Aging around the Age of 55 Years.

    PubMed

    Lixie, Erin; Edgeworth, Jameson; Shamir, Lior

    2015-01-01

    While many studies show a correlation between chronological age and physiological indicators, the nature of this correlation is not fully understood. To perform a comprehensive analysis of the correlation between chronological age and age-related physiological indicators. Physiological aging scores were deduced using principal component analysis from a large dataset of 1,227 variables measured in a cohort of 4,796 human subjects, and the correlation between the physiological aging scores and chronological age was assessed. Physiological age does not progress linearly or exponentially with chronological age: a more rapid physiological change is observed around the age of 55 years, followed by a mild decline until around the age of 70 years. These findings provide evidence that the progression of physiological age is not linear with that of chronological age, and that periods of mild change in physiological age are separated by periods of more rapid aging. © 2015 S. Karger AG, Basel.

  3. A heart breaking case of rapidly developing severe hemophagocytic syndrome secondary to chronic active EBV infection; a case report and review of the literature.

    PubMed

    Tawfik, Khoury; Liron, Yosha; Ayman, Abu Rmieleh; Schneider, Ronen; Wolf, D G; Ronen, Levi

    2015-06-01

    Epstein-Barr virus (EBV, HHV-4) is a gamma Herpesvirus with a 90% >seroprevalence in adults. Reactivations in non-immuno compromised individuals usually cause mild or no symptoms at all. Rarely, host immunity-virus balance is interrupted, resulting in a chronic active EBV infection. The following case illustrates the rapid development of severe hemophagocytic syndrome during chronic active EBV infection in a 73 year old woman who presented with lower extremity pain and edema, splenomegaly and abnormal liver enzymes. A diagnosis of chronic active EBV infection was made following an extensive investigation and the patient died secondary to rapidly progressive hemophagocytic syndrome. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  4. Evaluation of HART MetroRapid BRT.

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2015-08-01

    This report is a limited scope evaluation of the MetroRapids first two years of operation. The : MetroRapid represents Hillsborough Area Regional Transits first foray into bus rapid transit. Built at a : total cost of $34.75 million, or $1.98 m...

  5. Which Specific Skills Developing during Preschool Years Predict the Reading Performance in the First and Second Grade of Primary School?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Papadimitriou, Artemis M.; Vlachos, Filippos M.

    2014-01-01

    The aim of this study was to examine if specific skills that are developed during preschool years could predict the reading performance in the first and second grade of primary school. Two hundred and eighty-seven children participated in this longitudinal study. At the kindergarten level, phonological awareness (PA), rapid automatised naming,…

  6. Simulink based behavioural modelling of a pulse oximeter for deployment in rapid development, prototyping and verification.

    PubMed

    Shokouhian, M; Morling, R C S; Kale, I

    2012-01-01

    The pulse oximeter is a well-known device for measuring the level of oxygen in blood. Since their invention, pulse oximeters have been under constant development in both aspects of hardware and software; however there are still unsolved problems that limit their performance [6], [7]. Many fresh algorithms and new design techniques are being suggested every year by industry and academic researchers which claim that they can improve accuracy of measurements [8], [9]. With the lack of an accurate computer-based behavioural model for pulse oximeters, the only way for evaluation of these newly developed systems and algorithms is through hardware implementation which can be both expensive and time consuming. This paper presents an accurate Simulink based behavioural model for a pulse oximeter that can be used by industry and academia alike working in this area, as an exploration as well as productivity enhancement tool during their research and development process. The aim of this paper is to introduce a new computer-based behavioural model which provides a simulation environment from which new ideas can be rapidly evaluated long before the real implementation.

  7. Rapid development of tissue bank achieved by International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Tissue Banking Programme in China.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Yu-Min; Wang, Jian-Ru; Zhang, Nai-Li; Liu, Xiao-Ming; Zhou, Mo; Ma, Shao-Ying; Yang, Ting; Li, Bao-Xing

    2014-09-01

    Before 1986, the development of tissue banking in China has been slow and relatively uncoordinated. Under the support of International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Tissue Banking in China experienced rapid development. In this period, China Institute for Radiation Protection tissue bank mastered systematic and modern tissue banking technique by IAEA training course and gradually developed the first regional tissue bank (Shanxi Provincial Tissue Bank, SPTB) to provide tissue allograft. Benefit from training course, SPTB promoted the development of tissue transplantation by ways of training, brochure, advertisement and meeting. Tissue allograft transplantation acquired recognition from clinic and supervision and administration from government. Quality system gradually is developing and perfecting. Tissue allograft transplantation and tissue bank are developing rapidly and healthy.

  8. The Johns Hopkins model of psychological first aid (RAPID-PFA): curriculum development and content validation.

    PubMed

    Everly, George S; Barnett, Daniel J; Links, Jonathan M

    2012-01-01

    There appears to be virtual universal endorsement of the need for and value of acute "psychological first aid" (PFA) in the wake of trauma and disasters. In this paper, we describe the development of the curriculum for The Johns Hopkins RAPID-PFA model of psychological first aid. We employed an adaptation of the basic framework for the development of a clinical science as recommended by Millon which entailed: historical review, theoretical development, and content validation. The process of content validation of the RAPID-PFA curriculum entailed the assessment of attitudes (confidence in the application of PFA interventions, preparedness in the application of PFA); knowledge related to the application of immediate mental health interventions; and behavior (the ability to recognize clinical markers in the field as assessed via a videotape recognition exercise). Results of the content validation phase suggest the six-hour RAPID-PFA curriculum, initially based upon structural modeling analysis, can improve confidence in the application of PFA interventions, preparedness in the application of PFA, knowledge related to the application of immediate mental health interventions, and the ability to recognize clinical markers in the field as assessed via a videotape recognition exercise.

  9. Rapid Inspection of Aerospace Structures - Is It Autonomous Yet?

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Bar-Cohen, Yoseph; Backes, Paul; Joffe, Benjamin

    1996-01-01

    The trend to increase the usage of aging aircraft added a great deal of urgency to the ongoing need for low-cost, rapid, simple-to-operate, reliable and efficient NDE methods for detection and characterization of flaws in aircraft structures. In many cases, the problem of inspection is complex due to the limitation of current technology and the need to disassemble aircraft structures and testing them in lab conditions. To overcome these limitations, reliable field inspection tools are being developed for rapid NDE of large and complex-shape structures, that can operate at harsh, hostal and remote conditions with minimum human interface. In recent years, to address the need for rapid inspection in field conditions, numerous portable scanners were developed using NDE methods, including ultrasonics, shearography, thermography. This paper is written with emphasis on ultrasonic NDE scanners, their evolution and the expected direction of growth.

  10. Ecosystem thresholds in Lake Kälksjön, Sweden, in response to rapid climate cooling 8200 years ago

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Randsalu Wendrup, Linda; Conley, Daniel J.; Hammarlund, Dan; Snowball, Ian; Carstensen, Jacob; Fritz, Sherilyn C.

    2010-05-01

    50 years have been used to wiggle match the sediments to the tree-ring derived radiocarbon calibration curve (Snowball et al., in press). Snowball et al. (in press) used the wiggle matching, organic carbon measurements, mineral magnetic parameters and XRF data and reconstructed a distinct period of enhanced erosion in the catchment from 8066±25 to 7920±25 cal. yr BP. Their results suggest that an abrupt onset of winter precipitation in west-central Sweden started at least 50 years after the onset of the "8.2 kyr cold event" as defined by oxygen isotope data from Greenland. The lake has been sampled for diatom analysis at increments of 10 years over 500 years covering the 8.2 event. The wiggle matched chronology and presence of varves allows for a high resolution time constrained diatom analysis which we hope will reveal the response of the ecosystem to the rapid cooling and also allow us to work on developing and testing numerical methods for detecting and analysing regime shifts. A preliminary low resolution diatom study shows that the diatom flora displays a benthic response to the climate cooling. It also shows that the diatoms seem to react earlier than the previously measured parameters, suggesting that the diatoms and the lake ecosystem are affected by the rapid cooling rather immediately, for example due to changes in ice cover duration, while increased winter precipitation affects the ecosystem at a later stage.

  11. Photogrammetry for rapid prototyping: development of noncontact 3D reconstruction technologies

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Knyaz, Vladimir A.

    2002-04-01

    An important stage of rapid prototyping technology is generating computer 3D model of an object to be reproduced. Wide variety of techniques for 3D model generation exists beginning with manual 3D models generation and finishing with full-automated reverse engineering system. The progress in CCD sensors and computers provides the background for integration of photogrammetry as an accurate 3D data source with CAD/CAM. The paper presents the results of developing photogrammetric methods for non-contact spatial coordinates measurements and generation of computer 3D model of real objects. The technology is based on object convergent images processing for calculating its 3D coordinates and surface reconstruction. The hardware used for spatial coordinates measurements is based on PC as central processing unit and video camera as image acquisition device. The original software for Windows 9X realizes the complete technology of 3D reconstruction for rapid input of geometry data in CAD/CAM systems. Technical characteristics of developed systems are given along with the results of applying for various tasks of 3D reconstruction. The paper describes the techniques used for non-contact measurements and the methods providing metric characteristics of reconstructed 3D model. Also the results of system application for 3D reconstruction of complex industrial objects are presented.

  12. Brain development during the preschool years

    PubMed Central

    Brown, Timothy T.; Jernigan, Terry L.

    2012-01-01

    The preschool years represent a time of expansive psychological growth, with the initial expression of many psychological abilities that will continue to be refined into young adulthood. Likewise, brain development during this age is characterized by its “blossoming” nature, showing some of its most dynamic and elaborative anatomical and physiological changes. In this article, we review human brain development during the preschool years, sampling scientific evidence from a variety of sources. First, we cover neurobiological foundations of early postnatal development, explaining some of the primary mechanisms seen at a larger scale within neuroimaging studies. Next, we review evidence from both structural and functional imaging studies, which now accounts for a large portion of our current understanding of typical brain development. Within anatomical imaging, we focus on studies of developing brain morphology and tissue properties, including diffusivity of white matter fiber tracts. We also present new data on changes during the preschool years in cortical area, thickness, and volume. Physiological brain development is then reviewed, touching on influential results from several different functional imaging and recording modalities in the preschool and early school-age years, including positron emission tomography (PET), electroencephalography (EEG) and event-related potentials (ERP), functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), magnetoencephalography (MEG), and near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS). Here, more space is devoted to explaining some of the key methodological factors that are required for interpretation. We end with a section on multimodal and multidimensional imaging approaches, which we believe will be critical for increasing our understanding of brain development and its relationship to cognitive and behavioral growth in the preschool years and beyond. PMID:23007644

  13. Deep-Sea coral evidence for rapid change in ventilation of the deep north atlantic 15,400 years Ago

    PubMed

    Adkins; Cheng; Boyle; Druffel; Edwards

    1998-05-01

    Coupled radiocarbon and thorium-230 dates from benthic coral species reveal that the ventilation rate of the North Atlantic upper deep water varied greatly during the last deglaciation. Radiocarbon ages in several corals of the same age, 15.41 +/- 0.17 thousand years, and nearly the same depth, 1800 meters, in the western North Atlantic Ocean increased by as much as 670 years during the 30- to 160-year life spans of the samples. Cadmium/calcium ratios in one coral imply that the nutrient content of these deep waters also increased. Our data show that the deep ocean changed on decadal-centennial time scales during rapid changes in the surface ocean and the atmosphere.

  14. Rapid Development of Bespoke Unmanned Platforms for Atmospheric Science

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sobester, A.; Johnston, S. J.; Scanlan, J. P.; Hart, E. E.; O'Brien, N. S.

    2012-04-01

    The effective deployment of airborne atmospheric science instruments often hinges on the development cycle time of a suitable platform, one that is capable of delivering them to the desired altitude range for a specified amount of time, along a pre-determined trajectory. This could be driven by the need to respond rapidly to sudden, unexpected events (e.g., volcano eruptions, nuclear fallout, etc.) or simply to accommodate the iterative design and flight test cycle of the instrument developer. A shorter development cycle time would also afford us the ability to quickly adapt the hardware and control logic in response to unexpected results during an experimental campaign. We report on recent developments aimed at meeting this demand. As part of the Atmospheric Science Through Robotic Aircraft (ASTRA) initiative we have investigated the use of rapid prototyping technologies to this end, both on the 'airframe' of the platform itself and on the on-board systems. We show how fast multi-disciplinary design optimization techniques, coupled with computer-controlled additive manufacturing (3D printing) and laser cutting methods and electronic prototyping (using standard, modular, programmable building blocks) can lead to the delivery of a fully customized platform integrating a given instrument in a timescale of the order of ten days. Specific examples include the design and testing of a balloon-launched glider sensorcraft and a stratospheric balloon system. The 'vehicle' for the latter was built on a 3D printer using a copolymer thermoplastic material and fitted with a sacrificial protective 'cage' laser-cut from an open-cell foam. The data logging, tracking, sensor integration and communications services of the platform were constructed using the .net Gadgeteer open source hardware kit. The flight planning and eventual post-flight recovery of the system is enabled by a generic, stochastic trajectory simulation tool, also developed as part of the ASTRA initiative. This

  15. Rapid development of colitis in NSAID-treated IL-10-deficient mice.

    PubMed

    Berg, Daniel J; Zhang, Juan; Weinstock, Joel V; Ismail, Hanan F; Earle, Keith A; Alila, Hector; Pamukcu, Rifat; Moore, Steven; Lynch, Richard G

    2002-11-01

    Interleukin (IL)-10 is an anti-inflammatory and immune regulatory cytokine. IL-10-deficient mice (IL-10(-/-)) develop chronic inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), indicating that endogenous IL-10 is a central regulator of the mucosal immune response. Prostaglandins are lipid mediators that may be important mediators of intestinal inflammation. In this study we assessed the role of prostaglandins in the regulation of mucosal inflammation in the IL-10(-/-) mouse model of IBD. Prostaglandin (PG) synthesis was inhibited with nonselective or cyclooxygenase (COX)-isoform selective inhibitors. Severity of inflammation was assessed histologically. Cytokine production was assessed by ribonuclease protection analysis and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. PGE(2) levels were assessed by enzyme immunoassay. COX-1 and COX-2 expression was assessed by Western blot analysis. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) treatment of wild-type mice had minimal effect on the colon. In contrast, NSAID treatment of 4-week-old IL-10(-/-) mice resulted in rapid development of colitis characterized by infiltration of the lamina propria with macrophages and interferon gamma-producing CD4(+) T cells. Colitis persisted after withdrawal of the NSAID. NSAID treatment decreased colonic PGE(2) levels by 75%. Treatment of IL-10(-/-) mice with sulindac sulfone (which does not inhibit PG production) did not induce colitis whereas the NSAID sulindac induced severe colitis. COX-1- or COX-2-selective inhibitors used alone did not induce IBD in IL-10(-/-) mice. However, the combination of COX-1- and COX-2-selective inhibitors did induce colitis. NSAID treatment of IL-10(-/-) mice results in the rapid development of severe, chronic IBD. Endogenous PGs are important inhibitors of the development of intestinal inflammation in IL-10(-/-) mice.

  16. Immunofluorescence findings in rapid whitening of scalp hair.

    PubMed

    Guin, J D; Kumar, V; Petersen, B H

    1981-09-01

    Rapid whitening of scalp hair developed during a three-month period along with a diffuse, subtotal alopecia in a patient. Immunofluorescence microscopy of biopsy material showed prominent deposits of IgG and IgM in a granular pattern in the epithelium of the lower portions of hair follicles. Some return of the color and amount of scalp hair occurred within a year, but occasional bouts of hair loss continued to occur. It is theorized that the rapid graying was caused by a selective loss of pigmented hair, which was perhaps caused by an immunologic mechanism. Some of the findings suggest that the cause of this patient's loss of hair color may be different from those of patients who have been previously described as having rapid whitening of scalp hair because of alopecia areata or vitiligo.

  17. Rapid socio-economic changes, psychosocial factors and prevalence of hypertension among men and women aged 55 years at baseline in Estonia: a 13-year follow-up study.

    PubMed

    Sammul, Sirje; Viigimaa, Margus

    2018-05-27

    Hypertension is an important public health problem which causes premature morbidity and mortality. Cardiovascular diseases are responsible for about 55% of deaths in Estonia. was to assess, through a follow-up period, the prevalence of hypertension and to observe which risk factors of cardiovascular disease impact the occurrence of the disease. The second aim of the study was to evaluate the role of psychosocial factors and personality traits among individuals with a diagnosis of hypertension. The 330 subjects from Estonia, aged 55 years at baseline, from among whom 219 participated at follow-up. A cross-sectional study based on a self-reported questionnaire was conducted. Over 13 years, the prevalence of hypertension increased from 4% to 53%. Obese (body mass index ≥30 kg/m 2 ) individuals were four times more likely to belong to the hypertension group (p < .01). Among individuals with hypertension the depressed mood score was ≥4 points (max. 9 points) in 54.3% of participants. Depressed mood was linked with experiencing negative stressful life events (B = 0.047, 95% CI 0.016; 0.079; p < .01). Mastery had a protective impact on depressed mood. The self-rated quality of life score was lower among subjects with hypertension than among those who were not diagnosed with hypertension (p < .05). According to the 13-year follow-up study, rapid socio-economic changes in Estonia have affected psychosocial health factors among 55-year-old individuals with a diagnosis of hypertension. There is a significant relationship between obesity and the development of hypertension.

  18. Development of a definition for Rapid Progression (RP) of renal function in HIV-positive persons: the D:A:D study

    PubMed Central

    2014-01-01

    Background No consensus exists on how to define abnormally rapid deterioration in renal function (Rapid Progression, RP). We developed an operational definition of RP in HIV-positive persons with baseline estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) >90 ml/min/1.73 m2 (using Cockcroft Gault) in the Data Collection on Adverse Events of Anti-HIV Drugs (D:A:D) study from 2004 to 2011. Methods Two definitions were evaluated; RP definition A: An average eGFR decline (slope) ≥5 ml/min/1.73 m2/year over four years of follow-up with ≥3 eGFR measurements/year, last eGFR <90 ml/min/1.73 m2 and an absolute decline ≥5 ml/min/1.73 m2/year in two consecutive years. RP definition B: An absolute annual decline ≥5 ml/min/1.73 m2/year in each year and last eGFR <90 ml/min/1.73 m2. Sensitivity analyses were performed considering two and three years’ follow-up. The percentage with and without RP who went on to subsequently develop incident chronic kidney disease (CKD; 2 consecutive eGFRs <60 ml/min/1.73 m2 and 3 months apart) was calculated. Results 22,603 individuals had baseline eGFR ≥90 ml/min/1.73 m2. 108/3655 (3.0%) individuals with ≥4 years’ follow-up and ≥3 measurements/year experienced RP under definition A; similar proportions were observed when considering follow-up periods of three (n=195/6375; 3.1%) and two years (n=355/10756; 3.3%). In contrast under RP definition B, greater proportions experienced RP when considering two years (n=476/10756; 4.4%) instead of three (n=48/6375; 0.8%) or four (n=15/3655; 0.4%) years’ follow-up. For RP definition A, 13 (12%) individuals who experienced RP progressed to CKD, and only (21) 0.6% of those without RP progressed to CKD (sensitivity 38.2% and specificity 97.4%); whereas for RP definition B, fewer RP individuals progressed to CKD. Conclusions Our results suggest using three years’ follow-up and at least two eGFR measurements per year is most appropriate for a RP definition, as it allows inclusion of a reasonable

  19. Rapid Recovery of a Gully Thermokarst: 10 Years of Observation of the Toolik River Thermokarst, North Slope, Alaska

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bowden, W. B.; Gooseff, M. N.; Stuckey, J. J.; Fulweber, R. A.; Larouche, J. R.

    2014-12-01

    As permafrost thaws, previously frozen soils may become unstable and subside, in some cases forming thermo-erosional features such as gully thermokarst (GTKs). The formation of these features can result in sediment and nutrient inputs to local streams and lakes. The initial evolution of GTKs is rapid (months to several years) and appears to follow a progression in which the loss of ground ice in the soil creates a subsurface cavity that allows for the transport of water downslope, followed by the collapse of the overlying soil into the cavity, with a subsequent period of sediment and nutrient export. However, there is considerable uncertainty about the length of time these features remain unstable and actively transport sediments and nutrients. We followed the evolution of one moderately-sized (~5,000 m2) GTK located in the headwaters of the Toolik River (N68.692733° W149.205433°) on the North Slope of Alaska (USA). This feature formed in July 2003 and we monitored it for several years thereafter. In 2007 we began to monitor the shape and contours of this feature and quantified the level of ecologically important solutes it exports to the local stream. As expected, large quantities of sediment and nutrients were exported from this feature when it first formed. However, within a year or two the sediment export decreased to episodic events and the nutrient export, while elevated above reference levels, was not remarkably high. Between 2007 and the present (2014), the shape and topography of the feature have changed very little (Figure) except for some headwall retrogression, suggesting that long-term sediment transport has decreased dramatically. Thus, the overall sediment loading to the river was smaller and has decreased more rapidly than we expected. The rapid reduction in sediment and nutrient delivery is consistent with the more recent geomorphic evolution and stabilization of this feature. We conclude - contrary to our initial hypotheses - that these features

  20. Development and clinical evaluation of a rapid diagnostic kit for feline leukemia virus infection.

    PubMed

    Kim, Won-Shik; Chong, Chom-Kyu; Kim, Hak-Yong; Lee, Gyu-Cheol; Jeong, Wooseog; An, Dong-Jun; Jeoung, Hye-Young; Lee, Jae-In; Lee, Young-Ki

    2014-01-01

    Feline leukemia virus (FeLV) causes a range of neoplastic and degenerative diseases in cats. To obtain a more sensitive and convenient diagnosis of the disease, we prepared monoclonal antibodies specific for the FeLV p27 to develop a rapid diagnostic test with enhanced sensitivity and specificity. Among these antibodies, we identified two clones (hybridomas 8F8B5 and 8G7D1) that specifically bound to FeLV and were very suitable for a diagnostic kit. The affinity constants for 8F8B5 and 8G7D1 were 0.35 × 10⁸ and 0.86 × 10⁸, respectively. To investigate the diagnostic abilities of the rapid kit using these antibodies, we performed several clinical studies. Assessment of analytical sensitivity revealed that the detection threshold of the rapid diagnostic test was 2 ng/mL for recombinant p27 and 12.5 × 10⁴ IU/mL for FeLV. When evaluating 252 cat sera samples, the kit was found to have a kappa value of 0.88 compared to polymerase chain reaction (PCR), indicating a significant correlation between data from the rapid diagnostic test and PCR. Sensitivity and specificity of the kit were 95.2% (20/21) and 98.5% (257/261), respectively. Our results demonstrated that the rapid diagnostic test would be a suitable diagnostic tool for the rapid detection of FeLV infection in cats.

  1. Rapid Development and Distribution of Mobile Media-Rich Clinical Practice Guidelines Nationwide in Colombia.

    PubMed

    Flórez-Arango, José F; Sriram Iyengar, M; Caicedo, Indira T; Escobar, German

    2017-01-01

    Development and electronic distribution of Clinical Practice Guidelines production is costly and challenging. This poster presents a rapid method to represent existing guidelines in auditable, computer executable multimedia format. We used a technology that enables a small number of clinicians to, in a short period of time, develop a substantial amount of computer executable guidelines without programming.

  2. Development of a high-speed real-time PCR system for rapid and precise nucleotide recognition

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Terazono, Hideyuki; Takei, Hiroyuki; Hattori, Akihiro; Yasuda, Kenji

    2010-04-01

    Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is a common method used to create copies of a specific target region of a DNA sequence and to produce large quantities of DNA. A few DNA molecules, which act as templates, are rapidly amplified by PCR into many billions of copies. PCR is a key technology in genome-based biological analysis, revolutionizing many life science fields such as medical diagnostics, food safety monitoring, and countermeasures against bioterrorism. Thus, many applications have been developed with the thermal cycling. For these PCR applications, one of the most important key factors is reduction in the data acquisition time. To reduce the acquisition time, it is necessary to decrease the temperature transition time between the high and low ends as much as possible. We have developed a novel rapid real-time PCR system based on rapid exchange of media maintained at different temperatures. This system consists of two thermal reservoirs and a reaction chamber for PCR observation. The temperature transition was achieved within 0.3 sec, and good thermal stability was achieved during thermal cycling with rapid exchange of circulating media. This system allows rigorous optimization of the temperatures required for each stage of the PCR processes. Resulting amplicons were confirmed by electrophoresis. Using the system, rapid DNA amplification was accomplished within 3.5 min, including initial heating and complete 50 PCR cycles. It clearly shows that the device could allow us faster temperature switching than the conventional conduction-based heating systems based on Peltier heating/cooling.

  3. Integrating Low-Cost Rapid Usability Testing into Agile System Development of Healthcare IT: A Methodological Perspective.

    PubMed

    Kushniruk, Andre W; Borycki, Elizabeth M

    2015-01-01

    The development of more usable and effective healthcare information systems has become a critical issue. In the software industry methodologies such as agile and iterative development processes have emerged to lead to more effective and usable systems. These approaches highlight focusing on user needs and promoting iterative and flexible development practices. Evaluation and testing of iterative agile development cycles is considered an important part of the agile methodology and iterative processes for system design and re-design. However, the issue of how to effectively integrate usability testing methods into rapid and flexible agile design cycles has remained to be fully explored. In this paper we describe our application of an approach known as low-cost rapid usability testing as it has been applied within agile system development in healthcare. The advantages of the integrative approach are described, along with current methodological considerations.

  4. Development of Rapid Detection and Genetic Characterization of Salmonella in Poultry Breeder Feeds

    PubMed Central

    Jarquin, Robin; Hanning, Irene; Ahn, Soohyoun; Ricke, Steven C.

    2009-01-01

    Salmonella is a leading cause of foodborne illness in the United States, with poultry and poultry products being a primary source of infection to humans. Poultry may carry some Salmonella serovars without any signs or symptoms of disease and without causing any adverse effects to the health of the bird. Salmonella may be introduced to a flock by multiple environmental sources, but poultry feed is suspected to be a leading source. Detecting Salmonella in feed can be challenging because low levels of the bacteria may not be recovered using traditional culturing techniques. Numerous detection methodologies have been examined over the years for quantifying Salmonella in feeds and many have proven to be effective for Salmonella isolation and detection in a variety of feeds. However, given the potential need for increased detection sensitivity, molecular detection technologies may the best candidate for developing rapid sensitive methods for identifying small numbers of Salmonella in the background of large volumes of feed. Several studies have been done using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays and commercial kits to detect Salmonella spp. in a wide variety of feed sources. In addition, DNA array technology has recently been utilized to track the dissemination of a specific Salmonella serotype in feed mills. This review will discuss the processing of feeds and potential points in the process that may introduce Salmonella contamination to the feed. Detection methods currently used and the need for advances in these methods also will be discussed. Finally, implementation of rapid detection for optimizing control methods to prevent and remove any Salmonella contamination of feeds will be considered. PMID:22346699

  5. Twenty-Five Years of Dynamic Growth.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Pipes, Lana

    1980-01-01

    Discusses developments in instructional technology in the past 25 years in the areas of audio, video, micro-electronics, social evolution, the space race, and living with rapidly changing technology. (CMV)

  6. Review on CNC-Rapid Prototyping

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Z, M. Nafis O.; Y, Nafrizuan M.; A, Munira M.; J, Kartina

    2012-09-01

    This article reviewed developments of Computerized Numerical Control (CNC) technology in rapid prototyping process. Rapid prototyping (RP) can be classified into three major groups; subtractive, additive and virtual. CNC rapid prototyping is grouped under the subtractive category which involves material removal from the workpiece that is larger than the final part. Richard Wysk established the use of CNC machines for rapid prototyping using sets of 2½-D tool paths from various orientations about a rotary axis to machine parts without refixturing. Since then, there are few developments on this process mainly aimed to optimized the operation and increase the process capabilities to stand equal with common additive type of RP. These developments include the integration between machining and deposition process (hybrid RP), adoption of RP to the conventional machine and optimization of the CNC rapid prototyping process based on controlled parameters. The article ended by concluding that the CNC rapid prototyping research area has a vast space for improvement as in the conventional machining processes. Further developments and findings will enhance the usage of this method and minimize the limitation of current approach in building a prototype.

  7. Development of a double-antibody sandwich ELISA for rapid detection of Bacillus Cereus in food

    PubMed Central

    Zhu, Longjiao; He, Jing; Cao, Xiaohan; Huang, Kunlun; Luo, Yunbo; Xu, Wentao

    2016-01-01

    Bacillus cereus is increasingly recognized as one of the major causes of food poisoning in the industrialized world. In this paper, we describe a sensitive double-antibody sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) that was developed for rapid detection of B. cereus in food to minimize the risk of contamination. The polyclonal antibody (pAb) and monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) specific to B. cereus were generated from rabbit antiserum and mouse ascites, respectively, using the octanoic acid/saturated ammonium sulfate precipitation method and protein A-sepharose columns. IgG-isotype mAbs were specially developed to undergo a novel peripheral multiple sites immunization for rapid gain of hybridomas and a subtractive screen was used to eliminate cross reactivity with closely related species such as Bacillus thuringiensis, B. subtilis, B. licheniformis and B. perfringens. The linear detection range of the method was approximately 1 × 104–2.8 × 106 cells/mL with a detection limit (LOD) of 0.9 × 103 cells/mL. The assay was able to detect B. cereus when the samples were prepared in meat with various pathogens. The newly developed analytical method provides a rapid method to sensitively detect B. cereus in food specimens. PMID:26976753

  8. Rapid Development of Hybrid Courses for Distance Education: A Midwestern University's Pilot Project

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rust, Jodi

    2011-01-01

    A descriptive case study was used to explore how repurposing and a pedagogical-based instructional design model, the multimodal model (Picciano, 2009), were used to create quality distance education courses in a rapid development setting at a Midwestern land grant university. Data triangulation was used to secure data from faculty member…

  9. Your Child's Development: 2 Years (24 Months)

    MedlinePlus

    ... Safe Videos for Educators Search English Español Your Child’s Development: 2 Years (24 Months) KidsHealth / For Parents / Your Child’s Development: 2 Years (24 Months) Print en español El ...

  10. Application of ICME Methods for the Development of Rapid Manufacturing Technologies

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Maiwald-Immer, T.; Göhler, T.; Fischersworring-Bunk, A.; Körner, C.; Osmanlic, F.; Bauereiß, A.

    Rapid manufacturing technologies are lately gaining interest as alternative manufacturing method. Due to the large parameter sets applicable in these manufacturing methods and their impact on achievable material properties and quality, support of the manufacturing process development by the use of simulation is highly attractive. This is especially true for aerospace applications with their high quality demands and controlled scatter in the resulting material properties. The applicable simulation techniques to these manufacturing methods are manifold. The paper will focus on the melt pool simulation for a SLM (selective laser melting) process which was originally developed for EBM (electron beam melting). It will be discussed in the overall context of a multi-scale simulation within a virtual process chain.

  11. Rapid development of new protein biosensors utilizing peptides obtained via phage display.

    PubMed

    Wu, Jun; Park, Jong Pil; Dooley, Kevin; Cropek, Donald M; West, Alan C; Banta, Scott

    2011-01-01

    There is a consistent demand for new biosensors for the detection of protein targets, and a systematic method for the rapid development of new sensors is needed. Here we present a platform where short unstructured peptides that bind to a desired target are selected using M13 phage display. The selected peptides are then chemically synthesized and immobilized on gold, allowing for detection of the target using electrochemical techniques such as electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). A quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) is also used as a diagnostic tool during biosensor development. We demonstrate the utility of this approach by creating a novel peptide-based electrochemical biosensor for the enzyme alanine aminotransferase (ALT), a well-known biomarker of hepatotoxicity. Biopanning of the M13 phage display library over immobilized ALT, led to the rapid identification of a new peptide (ALT5-8) with an amino acid sequence of WHWRNPDFWYLK. Phage particles expressing this peptide exhibited nanomolar affinity for immobilized ALT (K(d,app) = 85±20 nM). The newly identified ALT5-8 peptide was then chemically synthesized with a C-terminal cysteine for gold immobilization. The performance of the gold-immobilized peptides was studied with cyclic voltammetry (CV), QCM, and EIS. Using QCM, the sensitivity for ALT detection was 8.9±0.9 Hz/(µg/mL) and the limit of detection (LOD) was 60 ng/mL. Using EIS measurements, the sensitivity was 142±12 impedance percentage change %/(µg/mL) and the LOD was 92 ng/mL. In both cases, the LOD was below the typical concentration of ALT in human blood. Although both QCM and EIS produced similar LODs, EIS is preferable due to a larger linear dynamic range. Using QCM, the immobilized peptide exhibited a nanomolar dissociation constant for ALT (K(d) = 20.1±0.6 nM). These results demonstrate a simple and rapid platform for developing and assessing the performance of sensitive, peptide-based biosensors for new protein targets.

  12. Rapid weight gain during infancy and early childhood is related to higher anthropometric measurements in preadolescence.

    PubMed

    Nanri, H; Shirasawa, T; Ochiai, H; Nomoto, S; Hoshino, H; Kokaze, A

    2017-05-01

    This study examined the relationship between rapid weight gain during infancy and/or early childhood and anthropometric measurements [body mass index (BMI), percent body fat (%BF), waist circumference (WC) and waist-to-height ratio (WHtR)] in preadolescence by sex. Subjects were fourth-grade school children (aged 9 to 10 years) from elementary schools in Ina-town, Japan, in 2010. Measurements of height, weight, %BF and WC were conducted for each subject. We obtained data on height and weight of subjects at birth, age 1.5 years and age 3 years from the Maternal and Child Health handbook. Rapid weight gain was defined as a change in weight-for-age standard deviation score greater than 0.67 from birth to age 1.5 years (infancy) or from age 1.5 to 3 years (early childhood). All anthropometric variables (BMI, %BF, WC and WHtR) at age 9 to 10 years were significantly higher in the rapid weight gain during both infancy and early childhood period group than in the no rapid weight gain group, regardless of sex. When compared with the no rapid weight gain group, rapid weight gain during early childhood period had significantly higher BMI and WC in boys and BMI, %BF and WC in girls. Compared with the no rapid weight gain group, the rapid weight gain during infancy group had a significantly higher WC in boys and significantly higher BMI and WC in girls. Rapid weight gain during both infancy and early childhood was related to higher anthropometric measurements, including WHtR, among Japanese preadolescents, regardless of sex. This study suggests that rapid weight gain during infancy and early childhood may be a risk factor for general/abdominal obesity later in life. © 2017 The Authors. Child: Care, Health and Development Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  13. Education in Management of Data Created by New Technologies for Rapid Product Development in SMEs

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Shaw, A.; Aitchison, D.

    2003-01-01

    This paper presents outcomes from a research programme aimed at developing new tools and methodologies to assist small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in rapid product development (RPD). The authors suggest that current education strategies for the teaching of RPD tools and methodologies may be of limited value unless those strategies also…

  14. Development of a Novel and Rapid Fully Automated Genetic Testing System.

    PubMed

    Uehara, Masayuki

    2016-01-01

    We have developed a rapid genetic testing system integrating nucleic acid extraction, purification, amplification, and detection in a single cartridge. The system performs real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) after nucleic acid purification in a fully automated manner. RNase P, a housekeeping gene, was purified from human nasal epithelial cells using silica-coated magnetic beads and subjected to real-time PCR using a novel droplet-real-time-PCR machine. The process was completed within 13 min. This system will be widely applicable for research and diagnostic uses.

  15. The Heliopause Electrostatic Rapid Transit System (HERTS) - Design, Trades, and Analyses Performed in a Two Year NASA Investigation of Electric Sail Propulsion Systems

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Wiegmann, Bruce M.; Scheider, Todd; Heaton, Andrew; Vaughn, Jason; Stone, Nobie; Wright, Ken

    2017-01-01

    Personnel from NASA's MSFC have been investigating the feasibility of an advanced propulsion system known as the Electric Sail (E-Sail) for future scientific exploration missions. This team initially won a NASA Space Technology Mission Directorate (STMD) Phase I NASA Innovative Advanced Concept (NIAC) award and then a two-year follow-on Phase II NIAC award in October 2015. This paper documents the findings from this three-year investigation. An Electric sail, a propellant-less propulsion system, uses solar wind ions to rapidly travel either to deep space or the inner solar system. Scientific spacecraft could reach Pluto in 5 years, or the boundary of the solar system in ten to twelve years compared to the thirty-five plus years the Voyager spacecraft took. The team's recent focuses have been: 1) Developing a Particle in Cell (PIC) numeric engineering model from MSFC's experimental data on the interaction between simulated solar wind and a charged bare wire that can be applied to a variety of missions, 2) Determining what missions could benefit from this revolutionary propulsion system, 3) Conceptualizing spacecraft designs for various tasks: to reach the solar system's edge, to orbit the sun as Heliophysics sentinels, or to examine a multitude of asteroids.

  16. Development of Species-specific Primers for Rapid Detection of Phellinus linteus and P. baumii

    PubMed Central

    Kim, Mun-Ok; Kim, Gi-Young; Nam, Byung-Hyouk; Jin, Cheng-Yun; Lee, Ki-Won; Park, Jae-Min; Lee, Sang-Joon

    2005-01-01

    Genus Phellinus taxonomically belongs to Aphyllophorales and some species of this genus have been used as a medicinal ingredients and Indian folk medicines. Especially, P. linteus and morphological-related species are well-known medicinal fungi that have various biological activities such as humoral and cell-mediated, anti-mutagenic, and anti-cancer activities. However, little is known about the rapid detection for complex Phellinus species. Therefore, this study was carried out to develop specific primers for the rapid detection of P. linteus and other related species. Designing the species-specific primers was done based on internal transcribed spacer sequence data. Each primer set detected specifically P. linteus (PL2/PL5R) and P. baumii (PB1/PB4R). These primer sets could be useful for the rapid detection of specific-species among unidentified Phellinus species. Moreover, restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis of the ITS region with HaeIII was also useful for clarifying the relationship between each 5 Phellinus species. PMID:24049482

  17. Using System Architecture, Review Entry Criteria, and Standard Work Package Data to Enable Rapid Development of Integrated Master Schedules

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2016-03-01

    ENTRY CRITERIA, AND STANDARD WORK PACKAGE DATA TO ENABLE RAPID DEVELOPMENT OF INTEGRATED MASTER SCHEDULES by Burton W. Porter Jr. March 2016...2. REPORT DATE March 2016 3. REPORT TYPE AND DATES COVERED Master’s Thesis 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE USING SYSTEM ARCHITECTURE, REVIEW ENTRY ... ENTRY CRITERIA, AND STANDARD WORK PACKAGE DATA TO ENABLE RAPID DEVELOPMENT OF INTEGRATED MASTER SCHEDULES Burton W. Porter Jr. Civilian

  18. Preliminary work toward the development of a dimensional tolerance standard for rapid prototyping

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Kennedy, W. J.

    1996-01-01

    Rapid prototyping is a new technology for building parts quickly from CAD models. It works by slicing a CAD model into layers, then by building a model of the part one layer at a time. Since most parts can be sliced, most parts can be modeled using rapid prototyping. The layers themselves are created in a number of different ways - by using a laser to cure a layer of an epoxy or a resin, by depositing a layer of plastic or wax upon a surface, by using a laser to sinter a layer of powder, or by using a laser to cut a layer of paper. Rapid prototyping (RP) is new, and a standard part for use in comparing dimensional tolerances has not yet been chosen and accepted by ASTM (the American Society for Testing Materials). Such a part is needed when RP is used to build parts for investment casting or for direct use. The objective of this project was to start the development of a standard part by using statistical techniques to choose the features of the part which show curl - the vertical deviation of a part from its intended horizontal plane.

  19. A five-year self-sustainability analysis of nurse-administered HIV rapid testing in Veterans Affairs primary care.

    PubMed

    Knapp, Herschel; Hagedorn, Hildi; Anaya, Henry D

    2014-10-01

    In 2008, nurse-administered HIV oral rapid testing (RT) was introduced at the Veterans Affairs Primary Care Clinic in Downtown Los Angeles. Analysis at five years revealed variable yet increasing rates of HIV RT at that facility despite the fact that no post-launch support was provided by the implementation team. Qualitative interviews among stakeholders conducted at five years revealed the pre-existing implementation practices endemic to this clinic that facilitated this unprecedented success (e.g. history of positive quality improvement implementations, leadership support, clinician involvement at each step of the process to facilitate empowerment, ownership and feasible customisation of the implementation, cohesive communication among clinicians and leadership, training, efficient supply pathway, progressive performance feedback and ongoing encouragement). © The Author(s) 2014 Reprints and permissions: sagepub.co.uk/journalsPermissions.nav.

  20. Identifying the superior measure of rapid fibrosis for predicting premature cirrhosis after liver transplantation for hepatitis C.

    PubMed

    Howell, J; Sawhney, R; Angus, P; Fink, M; Jones, R; Wang, B Z; Visvanathan, K; Crowley, P; Gow, P

    2013-12-01

    Hepatitis C virus (HCV) recurrence post liver transplant is universal, with a subgroup of patients developing rapid hepatic fibrosis. Various clinical definitions of rapid fibrosis (RF) have been used to identify risks for rapid progression, but their comparability and efficacy at predicting adverse outcomes has not been determined. Retrospective data analysis was conducted on 100 adult patients with HCV who underwent liver transplantation at a single center. We measured year 1 fibrosis progression (RF defined as METAVIR F score ≥ 1 at 1-year liver biopsy), time to METAVIR F2-stage fibrosis, and fibrosis rate (calculated using liver biopsies graded by METAVIR scoring F0-4; fibrosis rate = fibrosis stage/year post transplant). RF was defined as ≥ 0.5 units/year. Multivariate analysis revealed that donor age and peak HCV viral load were significant risks for RF, when fibrosis rate was used to define RF. Advanced donor age was a risk for rapid progression to F2-stage fibrosis, whereas genotype 2 or 3 HCV infection was protective. Fibrosis rate had the strongest correlation with time to cirrhosis development (P < 0.0001, r = -0.76) and was the most accurate predictor of rapid graft cirrhosis (P < 0.0001, area under the curve 0.979, sensitivity 100%, specificity 94%). Different measures of RF progression identify different risks for RF and are not directly comparable. Fibrosis rate was the most accurate predictor of rapid graft cirrhosis. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  1. Development and validation of a rapid, aldehyde dehydrogenase bright–based cord blood potency assay

    PubMed Central

    Noldner, Pamela; Troy, Jesse D.; Cheatham, Lynn; Parrish, Amanda; Page, Kristin; Gentry, Tracy; Balber, Andrew E.; Kurtzberg, Joanne

    2016-01-01

    Banked, unrelated umbilical cord blood provides access to hematopoietic stem cell transplantation for patients lacking matched bone marrow donors, yet 10% to 15% of patients experience graft failure or delayed engraftment. This may be due, at least in part, to inadequate potency of the selected cord blood unit (CBU). CBU potency is typically assessed before cryopreservation, neglecting changes in potency occurring during freezing and thawing. Colony-forming units (CFUs) have been previously shown to predict CBU potency, defined as the ability to engraft in patients by day 42 posttransplant. However, the CFU assay is difficult to standardize and requires 2 weeks to perform. Consequently, we developed a rapid multiparameter flow cytometric CBU potency assay that enumerates cells expressing high levels of the enzyme aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH bright [ALDHbr]), along with viable CD45+ or CD34+ cell content. These measurements are made on a segment that was attached to a cryopreserved CBU. We validated the assay with prespecified criteria testing accuracy, specificity, repeatability, intermediate precision, and linearity. We then prospectively examined the correlations among ALDHbr, CD34+, and CFU content of 3908 segments over a 5-year period. ALDHbr (r = 0.78; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.76-0.79), but not CD34+ (r = 0.25; 95% CI, 0.22-0.28), was strongly correlated with CFU content as well as ALDHbr content of the CBU. These results suggest that the ALDHbr segment assay (based on unit characteristics measured before release) is a reliable assessment of potency that allows rapid selection and release of CBUs from the cord blood bank to the transplant center for transplantation. PMID:26968535

  2. Selection of the Best Security Controls for Rapid Development of Enterprise-Level Cyber Security

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2017-03-01

    time, money , and people, which in most cases are very restricted. To rapidly build up “the first line of defense,” enterprises should select the most...any other development effort, cyber capability development requires resources of time, money , and people, which in most cases are very restricted...that provide the most security per unit of time, money , or human capital investment. A. CYBER: THE FIFTH DOMAIN OF WARFARE Leon E. Panetta, the U.S

  3. Rumination in a 7-year-old child.

    PubMed

    Griffin, J B

    1977-02-01

    Regurgitation of food by rumination has rarely been reported in latency-age children. A 7-year-old boy had symptoms of rumination, gagging, bruxism, and enuresis. During the oppositional stage of development many unresolved conflicts had developed between the patient and his parents. Short-term psychotherapy which focused on resolution of the power struggles produced rapid remission of the symptoms. A two-year follow-up showed no recurrence of difficulty.

  4. Social Development:: 2 Year Olds

    MedlinePlus

    ... Stages Listen Español Text Size Email Print Share Social Development: 2 Year Olds Page Content Article Body ... and they serve as valuable rehearsals for future social encounters. They’ll also help you appreciate the ...

  5. Rapid breeding and varietal replacement are critical to adaptation of cropping systems in the developing world to climate change.

    PubMed

    Atlin, Gary N; Cairns, Jill E; Das, Biswanath

    2017-03-01

    Plant breeding is a key mechanism for adaptation of cropping systems to climate change. Much discussion of breeding for climate change focuses on genes with large effects on heat and drought tolerance, but phenology and stress tolerance are highly polygenic. Adaptation will therefore mainly result from continually adjusting allele frequencies at many loci through rapid-cycle breeding that delivers a steady stream of incrementally improved cultivars. This will require access to elite germplasm from other regions, shortened breeding cycles, and multi-location testing systems that adequately sample the target population of environments. The objective of breeding and seed systems serving smallholder farmers should be to ensure that they use varieties developed in the last 10 years. Rapid varietal turnover must be supported by active dissemination of new varieties, and active withdrawal of obsolete ones. Commercial seed systems in temperate regions achieve this through competitive seed markets, but in the developing world, most crops are not served by competitive commercial seed systems, and many varieties date from the end of the Green Revolution (the late 1970s, when the second generation of modern rice and wheat varieties had been widely adopted). These obsolete varieties were developed in a climate different than today's, placing farmers at risk. To reduce this risk, a strengthened breeding system is needed, with freer international exchange of elite varieties, short breeding cycles, high selection intensity, wide-scale phenotyping, and accurate selection supported by genomic technology. Governments need to incentivize varietal release and dissemination systems to continuously replace obsolete varieties.

  6. Black Carbon and Kerosene Lighting: An Opportunity for Rapid Action on Climate Change and Clean Energy for Development

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

    Jacobson, Arne; Bond, Tami C.; Lam, Nicholoas L.

    2013-04-15

    Replacing inefficient kerosene lighting with electric lighting or other clean alternatives can rapidly achieve development and energy access goals, save money and reduce climate warming. Many of the 250 million households that lack reliable access to electricity rely on inefficient and dangerous simple wick lamps and other kerosene-fueled light sources, using 4 to 25 billion liters of kerosene annually to meet basic lighting needs. Kerosene costs can be a significant household expense and subsidies are expensive. New information on kerosene lamp emissions reveals that their climate impacts are substantial. Eliminating current annual black carbon emissions would provide a climate benefitmore » equivalent to 5 gigatons of carbon dioxide reductions over the next 20 years. Robust and low-cost technologies for supplanting simple wick and other kerosene-fueled lamps exist and are easily distributed and scalable. Improving household lighting offers a low-cost opportunity to improve development, cool the climate and reduce costs.« less

  7. [Assessment of 10 years of memory consultations in the Franche-Comté: Description and analysis of the RAPID regional database].

    PubMed

    Bereau, M; Sylvestre, G; Mauny, F; Puyraveau, M; Baudier, F; Magnin, E; Berger, E; Vandel, P; Galmiche, J; Chopard, G

    2015-09-01

    The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact, on a regional scale (Franche-Comté), of 3 National Alzheimer care plans, particularly concerning the development of the offer of care management by clinicians as well as the panel of diagnoses concerned. Data on sociodemographic, neuropsychological and diagnostic characteristics were retrieved from the RAPID regional database between 1st January 2003 and 31st December 2012. These analyses focused exclusively on patients who had an initial consultation (n=12,017) during the same period. The existence of a previously established health network capable of carrying out governmental health plans has produced an effective interface between regional administrative structures responsible for the implementation of these plans and health professionals responsible for carrying out them out. This network study, the use of a battery of tests and a common software database have enabled the development of patient care management throughout the Franche-Comté region. It also showed the diversification of diagnoses mentioned over the past years as well as changes in clinical practices on how to address the issue of cognitive impairment. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  8. Using three-dimensional rapid prototyping in the design and development of orthopaedic screws in standardised pull-out tests.

    PubMed

    Leslie, Laura Jane; Connolly, Ashley; Swadener, John G; Junaid, Sarah; Theivendran, Kanthan; Deshmukh, Subodh C

    2018-06-01

    The majority of orthopaedic screws are designed, tested and manufactured by existing orthopaedics companies and are predominantly developed with healthy bone in mind. The timescales and costs involved in the development of a new screw design, for example, for osteoporotic bone, are high. In this study, standard wood screws were used to analyse the concept of using three-dimensional printing, or rapid prototyping, as a viable stage of development in the design of a new bone screw. Six wood screws were reverse engineered and printed in polymeric material using stereolithography. Three of the designs were also printed in Ti6Al4V using direct metal laser sintering; however, these were not of sufficient quality to test further. Both the original metal screws (metal) and polymeric rapid prototyping screws were then tested using standard pull-out tests from low-density polyurethane blocks (Sawbones). Results showed the highest pull-out strengths for screws with the longest thread length and the smallest inner diameter. Of the six screw designs tested, five showed no more than a 17% variance between the metal and rapid prototyping results. A similar pattern of results was shown between the screw designs for both the metal and rapid prototyping screws in five of the six cases. While not producing fully comparable pull-out results to orthopaedic screws, the results from this study do provide evidence of the potential usefulness and cost-effectiveness of rapid prototyping in the early stages of design and testing of orthopaedic screws.

  9. A Rapidly Prototyped Vegetation Dryness Index Developed for Wildfire Risk Assessment at Stennis Space Center

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Ross, Kenton; Graham, William D.; Prados, Donald; Spruce, Joseph

    2006-01-01

    A remote sensing index was developed to allow improved monitoring of vegetation dryness conditions on a regional basis. This remote sensing index was rapidly prototyped at Stennis Space Center in response to drought conditions in the local area in spring 2006.

  10. Development of a highly sensitive lateral immunochromatographic assay for rapid detection of Vibrio parahaemolyticus.

    PubMed

    Liu, Xinfeng; Guan, Yuyao; Cheng, Shiliang; Huang, Yidan; Yan, Qin; Zhang, Jun; Huang, Guanjun; Zheng, Jian; Liu, Tianqiang

    2016-12-01

    Vibrio parahaemolyticus is widely present in brackish water all over the world, causing infections in certain aquatic animals. It is also a foodborne pathogen that causes diarrhea in humans. The aim of this study is to develop an immunochromatographic lateral flow assay (LFA) for rapid detection of V. parahaemolyticus in both aquatic products and human feces of diarrheal patients. Two monoclonal antibody (MAb) pairs, GA1a-IC9 and IC9-KB4c, were developed and proven to be highly specific and sensitive to V. parahaemolyticus. Based on the two MAb pairs, two types of LFA strips were prepared. Their testing limits for V. parahaemolyticus culture were both 1.2×10 3 CFU/ml. The diagnostic sensitivities and specificities were both 100% for the 32 tested microbial species, including 6 Vibrio species. Subsequently, the LFA strips were used to test Whiteleg shrimps and human feces. The type II strip showed a higher diagnostic sensitivity. Its sensitivity and specificity for hepatopancreas and fecal samples from 13 Whiteleg shrimps and fecal samples from 146 human diarrheal patients were all 100%. In conclusion, our homemade type II LFA is a very promising testing device for rapid and convenient detection of V. parahaemolyticus infection not only in aquatic animals, but also in human diarrheal patients. This sensitive immunochromtographic LFA allows rapid detection of V. parahaemolyticus without requirement of culture enrichment. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  11. Small Project Rapid Integration and Test Environment (SPRITE) An Innovation Space for Small Projects Design, Development, Integration, and Test

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Lee, Ashley; Rackoczy, John; Heater, Daniel; Sanders, Devon; Tashakkor, Scott

    2013-01-01

    Over the past few years interest in the development and use of small satellites has rapidly gained momentum with universities, commercial, and government organizations. In a few years we may see networked clusters of dozens or even hundreds of small, cheap, easily replaceable satellites working together in place of the large, expensive and difficult-to-replace satellites now in orbit. Standards based satellite buses and deployment mechanisms, such as the CubeSat and Poly Pico-satellite Orbital Deployer (P-POD), have stimulated growth in this area. The use of small satellites is also proving to be a cost effective capability in many areas traditionally dominated by large satellites, though many challenges remain. Currently many of these small satellites undergo very little testing prior to flight. As these small satellites move from technology demonstration and student projects toward more complex operational assets, it is expected that the standards for verification and validation will increase.

  12. Rapid Prototyping Technologies for Manufacturing and Maintenance Activities

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Pfeifer, Marcel Rolf

    2017-12-01

    The paper deals with the direct application of Rapid Prototyping technologies for parts and spare parts production in production companies and the economic effect by making use of this technology. Traditional production technologies are technologies such as forging, cutting, machining, etc. These technologies are widely accepted and the teething troubles are solved. Rapid Prototyping technologies such as 3D printing on the other hand came into the focus in the recent years when the technologies and the produced quality gradually advanced. Providing flexibility and time efficiency the technology should also have a practical application in production. This paper has the aim to provide a case-study based on existing cost figures to show that these technologies are not limited to prototype developments.

  13. The 6 "ws" of rapid response systems: best practices for improving development, implementation, and evaluation.

    PubMed

    Lazzara, Elizabeth H; Benishek, Lauren E; Sonesh, Shirley C; Patzer, Brady; Robinson, Patricia; Wallace, Ruth; Salas, Eduardo

    2014-01-01

    Delays in care have been cited as one of the primary contributors of preventable mortality; thus, quality patient safety is often contingent upon the delivery of timely clinical care. Rapid response systems (RRSs) have been touted as one mechanism to improve the ability of suitable staff to respond to deteriorating patients quickly and appropriately. Rapid response systems are defined as highly skilled individual(s) who mobilize quickly to provide medical care in response to clinical deterioration. While there is mounting evidence that RRSs are a valid strategy for managing obstetric emergencies, reducing adverse events, and improving patient safety, there remains limited insight into the practices underlying the development and execution of these systems. Therefore, the purpose of this article was to synthesize the literature and answer the primary questions necessary for successfully developing, implementing, and evaluating RRSs within inpatient settings-the Who, What, When, Where, Why, and How of RRSs.

  14. Predicting Long-Term Outcomes in Pleural Infections. RAPID Score for Risk Stratification.

    PubMed

    White, Heath D; Henry, Christopher; Stock, Eileen M; Arroliga, Alejandro C; Ghamande, Shekhar

    2015-09-01

    Pleural infections are associated with significant morbidity and mortality. The recently developed RAPID (renal, age, purulence, infection source, and dietary factors) score consists of five clinical factors that can identify patients at risk for increased mortality. The objective of this study was to further validate the RAPID score in a diverse cohort, identify factors associated with mortality, and provide long-term outcomes. We evaluated a single-center retrospective cohort of 187 patients with culture-positive pleural infections. Patients were classified by RAPID scores into low-risk (0-2), medium-risk (3-4), and high-risk (5-7) groups. The Social Security Death Index was used to determine date of death. All-cause mortality was assessed at 3 months, 1 year, 3 years, and 5 years. Clinical factors and comorbid conditions were evaluated for association. Three-month mortality for low-, medium-, and high-risk groups was 1.5, 17.8, and 47.8%, respectively. Increased odds were observed among medium-risk (odds ratio, 14.3; 95% confidence interval, 1.8-112.6; P = 0.01) and high-risk groups (odds ratio, 53.3; 95% confidence interval, 6.8-416.8; P < 0.01). This trend continued at 1, 3, and 5 years. Factors associated with high-risk scores include gram-negative rod infections, heart disease, diabetes, cancer, lung disease, and increased length of stay. When applied to a diverse patient cohort, the RAPID score predicts outcomes in patients up to 5 years and may aid in long-term risk stratification on presentation.

  15. The Heliopause Electrostatic Rapid Transit System (HERTS) Design, Trades, and Analyses Performed in a Two Year NASA Investigation of Electric Sail Propulsion Systems

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Wiegmann, Bruce M.

    2017-01-01

    The Heliopause Electrostatic Rapid Transit System (HERTS) was one of the seven total Phase II NASA Innovative Advanced Concepts (NIAC) that was down-selected in 2015 for continued funding and research. In Phase I our team learned that a spacecraft propelled by an Electric Sail (E-Sail) can travel great astronomical distances, such as to the Heliopause region of the solar system (approx. 100 to 120 AU) in approximately one quarter of the time (10 years) versus the time it took the Voyager spacecraft launched in 1977 (36 years). The completed work within the Phase II NIAC funded effort builds upon the work that was done in the Phase I NIAC and is focused on: 1) Testing of plasma interaction with a charged wire in a MSFC simulated solar environment vacuum test chamber. 2) Development of a Particle-in-Cell (PIC) models that are validated in the plasma testing and used to extrapolate to the E-Sail propulsion system design. 3) Conceptual design of a Technology Demonstration Mission (TDM) spacecraft developed to showcase E-Sail propulsion systems. 4) Down selection of both: a) Materials for a multi km length conductor and, b) Best configuration of the proposed conductor deployment subsystem. This paper will document the findings to date (June, 2017) of the above focused areas.

  16. Development of Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification (LAMP) Assay for Rapid Detection of Cannabis sativa.

    PubMed

    Kitamura, Masashi; Aragane, Masako; Nakamura, Kou; Watanabe, Kazuhito; Sasaki, Yohei

    2016-07-01

    In many parts of the world, the possession and cultivation of Cannabis sativa L. are restricted by law. As chemical or morphological analyses cannot identify the plant in some cases, a simple yet accurate DNA-based method for identifying C. sativa is desired. We have developed a loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay for the rapid identification of C. sativa. By optimizing the conditions for the LAMP reaction that targets a highly conserved region of tetrahydrocannabinolic acid (THCA) synthase gene, C. sativa was identified within 50 min at 60-66°C. The detection limit was the same as or higher than that of conventional PCR. The LAMP assay detected all 21 specimens of C. sativa, showing high specificity. Using a simple protocol, the identification of C. sativa could be accomplished within 90 min from sample treatment to detection without use of special equipment. A rapid, sensitive, highly specific, and convenient method for detecting and identifying C. sativa has been developed and is applicable to forensic investigations and industrial quality control.

  17. Your Child's Development: 2.5 Years (30 Months)

    MedlinePlus

    ... Safe Videos for Educators Search English Español Your Child’s Development: 2.5 Years (30 Months) KidsHealth / For Parents / Your Child’s Development: 2.5 Years (30 Months) Print en español ...

  18. Nutritional transition in children under five years and women of reproductive age: a 15-years trend analysis in Peru.

    PubMed

    Loret de Mola, Christian; Quispe, Renato; Valle, Giancarlo A; Poterico, Julio A

    2014-01-01

    Rapid urbanization, increase in food availability, and changes in diet and lifestyle patterns have been changing nutritional profiles in developing nations. We aimed to describe nutritional changes in children under 5 years and women of reproductive age in Peru, during a 15-year period of rapid economic development and social policy enhancement. Trend analyses of anthropometric measures in children of preschool age and women between 15-49 years, using the Peruvian National Demographic and Family Health Surveys (DHS) from 1996 to 2011. WHO growth curves were used to define stunting, underweight, wasting and overweight in children <5 y. We employed the WHO BMI-age standardized curves for teenagers between 15-19 y. In women >19 years, body mass index (BMI) was analyzed both categorically and as a continuous variable. To statistically analyze the trends, we used regression models: Linear and Poisson for continuous and binary outcomes, respectively. We analyzed data from 123 642 women and 64 135 children, from 1996 to 2011. Decreases over time were evidenced for underweight (p<0.001), wasting (p<0.001), and stunting (p<0.001) in children under 5 y. This effect was particularly noted in urban settings. Overweight levels in children reduced (p<0.001), however this reduction stopped, in urban settings, since 2005 (∼12%). Anemia decreased in children and women (p<0.001); with higher reduction in urban (↓43%) than in rural children (↓24%). BMI in women aged 15-19 years increased (p<0.001) across time, with noticeable BMI-curve shift in women older than 30 years. Moreover, obesity doubled during this period in women more than 19 y. Nutrition transition in Peru shows different patterns for urban and rural populations. Public policies should emphasize targeting both malnutrition conditions--undernutrition/stunting, overweight/obesity and anemia--considering age and place of residence in rapid developing societies like Peru.

  19. Communications satellites - The experimental years

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Edelson, B. I.

    1983-01-01

    Only eight years after the launc of Sputnik-1 by the Soviet Union, the first commercial satellite, 'Early Bird', entered service. In just twelve years commercial satellite service extended around the earth and became profitable. The reasons for the successful development of the communications satellite services in a comparatively short time are considered. These reasons are related to the presence of three ingredients, taking into account technology to create the system, communications requirements to form a market, and a management structure to implement the system. The formation of the concept of using earth orbiting satellites for telecommunications is discussed. It is pointed out that the years from 1958 to 1964 were the true 'experimental years' for satellite communications. The rapid development of technology during this crucial period is described, giving attention to passive satellites, active systems, and development satellites.

  20. Development and validation of a rapid, aldehyde dehydrogenase bright-based cord blood potency assay.

    PubMed

    Shoulars, Kevin; Noldner, Pamela; Troy, Jesse D; Cheatham, Lynn; Parrish, Amanda; Page, Kristin; Gentry, Tracy; Balber, Andrew E; Kurtzberg, Joanne

    2016-05-12

    Banked, unrelated umbilical cord blood provides access to hematopoietic stem cell transplantation for patients lacking matched bone marrow donors, yet 10% to 15% of patients experience graft failure or delayed engraftment. This may be due, at least in part, to inadequate potency of the selected cord blood unit (CBU). CBU potency is typically assessed before cryopreservation, neglecting changes in potency occurring during freezing and thawing. Colony-forming units (CFUs) have been previously shown to predict CBU potency, defined as the ability to engraft in patients by day 42 posttransplant. However, the CFU assay is difficult to standardize and requires 2 weeks to perform. Consequently, we developed a rapid multiparameter flow cytometric CBU potency assay that enumerates cells expressing high levels of the enzyme aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH bright [ALDH(br)]), along with viable CD45(+) or CD34(+) cell content. These measurements are made on a segment that was attached to a cryopreserved CBU. We validated the assay with prespecified criteria testing accuracy, specificity, repeatability, intermediate precision, and linearity. We then prospectively examined the correlations among ALDH(br), CD34(+), and CFU content of 3908 segments over a 5-year period. ALDH(br) (r = 0.78; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.76-0.79), but not CD34(+) (r = 0.25; 95% CI, 0.22-0.28), was strongly correlated with CFU content as well as ALDH(br) content of the CBU. These results suggest that the ALDH(br) segment assay (based on unit characteristics measured before release) is a reliable assessment of potency that allows rapid selection and release of CBUs from the cord blood bank to the transplant center for transplantation. © 2016 by The American Society of Hematology.

  1. Development of Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification (LAMP) Assay for Rapid and Sensitive Identification of Ostrich Meat

    PubMed Central

    Abdulmawjood, Amir; Grabowski, Nils; Fohler, Svenja; Kittler, Sophie; Nagengast, Helga; Klein, Guenter

    2014-01-01

    Animal species identification is one of the primary duties of official food control. Since ostrich meat is difficult to be differentiated macroscopically from beef, therefore new analytical methods are needed. To enforce labeling regulations for the authentication of ostrich meat, it might be of importance to develop and evaluate a rapid and reliable assay. In the present study, a loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay based on the cytochrome b gene of the mitochondrial DNA of the species Struthio camelus was developed. The LAMP assay was used in combination with a real-time fluorometer. The developed system allowed the detection of 0.01% ostrich meat products. In parallel, a direct swab method without nucleic acid extraction using the HYPLEX LPTV buffer was also evaluated. This rapid processing method allowed detection of ostrich meat without major incubation steps. In summary, the LAMP assay had excellent sensitivity and specificity for detecting ostrich meat and could provide a sampling-to-result identification-time of 15 to 20 minutes. PMID:24963709

  2. Rapid E-Learning Simulation Training and User Response

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rackler, Angeline

    2011-01-01

    A new trend in e-learning development is to have subject matter experts use rapid development tools to create training simulations. This type of training is called rapid e-learning simulation training. Though companies are using rapid development tools to create training quickly and cost effectively, there is little empirical research to indicate…

  3. Justification of rapid prototyping in the development cycle of thermoplastic-based lab-on-a-chip.

    PubMed

    Preywisch, Regina; Ritzi-Lehnert, Marion; Drese, Klaus S; Röser, Tina

    2011-11-01

    During the developmental cycle of lab-on-a-chip devices, various microstructuring techniques are required. While in the designing and assay implementation phase direct structuring or so-called rapid-prototyping methods such as milling or laser ablation are applied, replication methods like hot embossing or injection moulding are favourable for large quantity manufacturing. This work investigated the applicability of rapid-prototyping techniques for thermoplastic chip development in general, and the reproducibility of performances in dependency of the structuring technique. A previously published chip for prenatal diagnosis that preconcentrates DNA via electrokinetic trapping and field-amplified-sample-stacking and afterwards separates it in CGE was chosen as a model. The impact of structuring, sealing, and the integration of membranes on the mobility of the EOF, DNA preconcentration, and DNA separation was studied. Structuring methods were found to significantly change the location where preconcentration of DNA occurs. However, effects on the mobility of the EOF and the separation quality of DNA were not observed. Exchange of the membrane has no effect on the chip performance, whereas the sealing method impairs the separation of DNA within the chip. The overall assay performance is not significantly influenced by different structuring methods; thus, the application of rapid-prototyping methods during a chip development cycle is well justified. Copyright © 2011 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  4. Rapid Cycle Amine (RCA) 3.0 System Development

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Chullen, Cinda; Campbell, Colin; Papale, William; Hawes, Kevin; Wichowski, Robert

    2015-01-01

    The Rapid Cycle Amine (RCA) 3.0 system is currently under development by NASA, the Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center (JSC) in conjunction with United Technologies Corporation Aerospace Systems (UTAS). The RCA technology is a new carbon dioxide (CO2) and humidity removal system that has been baselined for the Advanced Extravehicular Mobility Unit (AEMU) Portable Life Support System. The evolution of the RCA development has progressed through several iterations of technology readiness levels including RCA 1.0, RCA 2.0, and RCA 3.0 test articles. The RCA is an advancement over currently technologies due to its unique regeneration capability. The RCA is capable of simultaneously removing CO2 and humidity from an influent air steam and subsequent regeneration when exposed to a vacuum source. The RCA technology uses two solid amine sorbent beds in an alternating fashion to adsorb CO2 and water (uptake mode) and desorb CO2 and water (regeneration mode) at the same time. The two beds operate in an efficient manner so that while one bed is in the uptake mode, the other is in the regeneration mode, thus continuously providing an on-service sorbent bed by which CO2 and humidity may be removed. The RCA 2.0 and 3.0 test articles were designed with a novel valve assembly which allows for switching between uptake and regeneration modes with only one moving part while minimizing gas volume losses to the vacuum source by means of an internal pressure equalization step during actuation. The RCA technology also is low power, small, and has performed extremely well in all development testing thus far. A final design was selected for the RCA 3.0, fabricated, assembled, and performance tested in 2014 with delivery to NASAJSC in January 2015. This paper will provide an overview on the RCA 3.0 system design and results of pre-delivery testing with references to the development of RCA 1.0 and RCA 2.0.

  5. Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy for Rapid Cycling Bipolar Disorder

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Reilly-Harrington, Noreen A.; Knauz, Robert O.

    2005-01-01

    This article describes the application of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) to the treatment of rapid cycling bipolar disorder. Between 10% and 24% of bipolar patients experience a rapid cycling course, with 4 or more mood episodes occurring per year. Characterized by nonresponse to standard mood-stabilizing medications, rapid cyclers are…

  6. App Factory: A flexible approach to rehabilitation engineering in an era of rapid technology advancement.

    PubMed

    Jones, Michael; Mueller, James; Morris, John

    2017-01-01

    This article describes a flexible and effective approach to research and development in an era of rapid technological advancement. The approach relies on secondary dispersal of grant funds to commercial developers through a competitive selection process. This "App Factory" model balances the practical reliance on multi-year funding needed to sustain a rehabilitation engineering research center (RERC), with the need for agility and adaptability of development efforts undertaken in a rapidly changing technology environment. This approach also allows us to take advantage of technical expertise needed to accomplish a particular development task, and provides incentives to deliver successful products in a cost-effective manner. In this article, we describe the App Factory structure, process, and results achieved to date; and we discuss the lessons learned and the potential relevance of this approach for other grant-funded research and development efforts. Data presented on the direct costs and number of downloads of the 16 app development projects funded in the App Factory's first 3 years show that it can be an effective means for supporting focused, short-term assistive technology development projects.

  7. Rapid sea level rise and ice sheet response to 8,200-year climate event

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Cronin, T. M.; Vogt, P.R.; Willard, D.A.; Thunell, R.; Halka, J.; Berke, M.; Pohlman, J.

    2007-01-01

    The largest abrupt climatic reversal of the Holocene interglacial, the cooling event 8.6–8.2 thousand years ago (ka), was probably caused by catastrophic release of glacial Lake Agassiz-Ojibway, which slowed Atlantic meridional overturning circulation (AMOC) and cooled global climate. Geophysical surveys and sediment cores from Chesapeake Bay reveal the pattern of sea level rise during this event. Sea level rose ∼14 m between 9.5 to 7.5 ka, a pattern consistent with coral records and the ICE-5G glacio-isostatic adjustment model. There were two distinct periods at ∼8.9–8.8 and ∼8.2–7.6 ka when Chesapeake marshes were drown as sea level rose rapidly at least ∼12 mm yr−1. The latter event occurred after the 8.6–8.2 ka cooling event, coincided with extreme warming and vigorous AMOC centered on 7.9 ka, and may have been due to Antarctic Ice Sheet decay.

  8. Rapid emergence of climate change in environmental drivers of marine ecosystems.

    PubMed

    Henson, Stephanie A; Beaulieu, Claudie; Ilyina, Tatiana; John, Jasmin G; Long, Matthew; Séférian, Roland; Tjiputra, Jerry; Sarmiento, Jorge L

    2017-03-07

    Climate change is expected to modify ecological responses in the ocean, with the potential for important effects on the ecosystem services provided to humankind. Here we address the question of how rapidly multiple drivers of marine ecosystem change develop in the future ocean. By analysing an ensemble of models we find that, within the next 15 years, the climate change-driven trends in multiple ecosystem drivers emerge from the background of natural variability in 55% of the ocean and propagate rapidly to encompass 86% of the ocean by 2050 under a 'business-as-usual' scenario. However, we also demonstrate that the exposure of marine ecosystems to climate change-induced stress can be drastically reduced via climate mitigation measures; with mitigation, the proportion of ocean susceptible to multiple drivers within the next 15 years is reduced to 34%. Mitigation slows the pace at which multiple drivers emerge, allowing an additional 20 years for adaptation in marine ecological and socio-economic systems alike.

  9. Rapid emergence of climate change in environmental drivers of marine ecosystems

    PubMed Central

    Henson, Stephanie A.; Beaulieu, Claudie; Ilyina, Tatiana; John, Jasmin G.; Long, Matthew; Séférian, Roland; Tjiputra, Jerry; Sarmiento, Jorge L.

    2017-01-01

    Climate change is expected to modify ecological responses in the ocean, with the potential for important effects on the ecosystem services provided to humankind. Here we address the question of how rapidly multiple drivers of marine ecosystem change develop in the future ocean. By analysing an ensemble of models we find that, within the next 15 years, the climate change-driven trends in multiple ecosystem drivers emerge from the background of natural variability in 55% of the ocean and propagate rapidly to encompass 86% of the ocean by 2050 under a ‘business-as-usual' scenario. However, we also demonstrate that the exposure of marine ecosystems to climate change-induced stress can be drastically reduced via climate mitigation measures; with mitigation, the proportion of ocean susceptible to multiple drivers within the next 15 years is reduced to 34%. Mitigation slows the pace at which multiple drivers emerge, allowing an additional 20 years for adaptation in marine ecological and socio-economic systems alike. PMID:28267144

  10. Rapid emergence of climate change in environmental drivers of marine ecosystems

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Henson, Stephanie A.; Beaulieu, Claudie; Ilyina, Tatiana; John, Jasmin G.; Long, Matthew; Séférian, Roland; Tjiputra, Jerry; Sarmiento, Jorge L.

    2017-03-01

    Climate change is expected to modify ecological responses in the ocean, with the potential for important effects on the ecosystem services provided to humankind. Here we address the question of how rapidly multiple drivers of marine ecosystem change develop in the future ocean. By analysing an ensemble of models we find that, within the next 15 years, the climate change-driven trends in multiple ecosystem drivers emerge from the background of natural variability in 55% of the ocean and propagate rapidly to encompass 86% of the ocean by 2050 under a `business-as-usual' scenario. However, we also demonstrate that the exposure of marine ecosystems to climate change-induced stress can be drastically reduced via climate mitigation measures; with mitigation, the proportion of ocean susceptible to multiple drivers within the next 15 years is reduced to 34%. Mitigation slows the pace at which multiple drivers emerge, allowing an additional 20 years for adaptation in marine ecological and socio-economic systems alike.

  11. [Rapidly progressive puberty in a patient with mosaic Turner syndrome: a case report and literature review].

    PubMed

    Liang, Y; Wei, H; Yu, X; Huang, W; Luo, X P

    2017-02-02

    Objective: To explore the clinical characteristics of diagnosis and treatment in patients with Turner syndrome and rapidly progressive puberty. Method: A rare case of rapidly progressive puberty in Turner syndrome with a mosaic karyotype of 45, X/46, X, del(X)(p21)(80%/20%)was diagnosed at Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology in January. 2015. Clinical characteristics and the related literature were reviewed. Original papers on precocious puberty or rapidly progressive puberty in Turner syndrome, published until Apr. 2016 were retrieved at PubMed and CNKI databases by the use of the key words "Turner syndrome" , "precocious puberty" and "rapidly progressive puberty" . Result: The patient was born at term with birth weight of 2 450 g and was diagnosed with SGA at 3 years of age for the first evaluating of growth and development. Then recombined human growth hormone (rhGH )was given at 4 years of age due to short stature (height<3 percentile) and low growth velocity(<5.0 cm/year) as well. However, rhGH treatment was discontinued after 9 months because of economic burdens. Breast development was noted at 9 years and 3 months. The patient was followed up at 3 months intervals. Physical examination revealed a Tanner stage Ⅲ breast development at 10.33 years , the bone age was 11.6 years. Then, gonadotropin-releasing hormone analogs treatment was added to slow pubertal progression and to preserve maximum adult height. The growth rate decreased with therapy from 7.5 cm/year to 4.4 cm/year. The patient was reevaluated, and the chromosome analysis of peripheral blood revealed a mosaic karyotype 45, X/46, X, del(X)(p21)(80%/ 20%). To date, only 10 cases have been reported in the literature. Six of them showing mosaic TS, three karyotypes with structural abnormality of short arm of X chromosome, one with the karyotype 45, X. Conclusion: It is the first time that rapidly progressive puberty in a 45, X/46, X, del(X)(p21

  12. A Lateral Flow Rapid Test for Human Toxocariasis Developed Using Three Toxocara canis Recombinant Antigens.

    PubMed

    Yunus, Muhammad Hafiznur; Tan Farrizam, Siti Naqiuyah; Abdul Karim, Izzati Zahidah; Noordin, Rahmah

    2018-01-01

    Laboratory diagnosis of toxocariasis is still a challenge especially in developing endemic countries with polyparasitism. In this study, three Toxocara canis recombinant antigens, rTES-26, rTES-30, and rTES-120, were expressed and used to prepare lateral flow immunoglobulin G4 (IgG4) dipsticks. The concordance of the results of the rapid test (comprising three dipsticks) with a commercial IgG-enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) (Cypress Diagnostics, Belgium) was compared against the concordance of two other commercial IgG-ELISA kits (Bordier, Switzerland and NovaTec, Germany) with the Cypress kit. Using Toxocara- positive samples, the concordance of the dipstick dotted with rTES-26, rTES-30, and rTES-120 was 41.4% (12/29), 51.7% (15/29), and 72.4% (21/29), respectively. When positivity with any dipstick was considered as an overall positive rapid test result, the concordance with the Cypress kit was 93% (27/29). Meanwhile, when compared with the results of the Cypress kit, the concordance of IgG-ELISA from NovaTec and Bordier was 100% (29/29) and 89.7% (26/29), respectively. Specific IgG4 has been recognized as a marker of active infection for several helminthic diseases; therefore, the two non-concordant results of the rapid test when compared with the NovaTec IgG-ELISA kit may be from samples of people with non-active infection. All the three dipsticks showed 100% (50/50) concordance with the Cypress kit when tested with serum from individuals who were healthy and with other infections. In conclusion, the lateral flow rapid test is potentially a good, fast, and easy test for toxocariasis. Next, further validation studies and development of a test with the three antigens in one dipstick will be performed.

  13. Dynamic integration of land use changes in a hydrologic assessment of a rapidly developing Indian catchment.

    PubMed

    Wagner, Paul D; Bhallamudi, S Murty; Narasimhan, Balaji; Kantakumar, Lakshmi N; Sudheer, K P; Kumar, Shamita; Schneider, Karl; Fiener, Peter

    2016-01-01

    Rapid land use and land-cover changes strongly affect water resources. Particularly in regions that experience seasonal water scarcity, land use scenario assessments provide a valuable basis for the evaluation of possible future water shortages. The objective of this study is to dynamically integrate land use model projections with a hydrologic model to analyze potential future impacts of land use change on the water resources of a rapidly developing catchment upstream of Pune, India. For the first time projections from the urban growth and land use change model SLEUTH are employed as a dynamic input to the hydrologic model SWAT. By this means, impacts of land use changes on the water balance components are assessed for the near future (2009-2028) employing four different climate conditions (baseline, IPCC A1B, dry, wet). The land use change modeling results in an increase of urban area by +23.1% at the fringes of Pune and by +12.2% in the upper catchment, whereas agricultural land (-14.0% and -0.3%, respectively) and semi-natural area (-9.1% and -11.9%, respectively) decrease between 2009 and 2028. Under baseline climate conditions, these land use changes induce seasonal changes in the water balance components. Water yield particularly increases at the onset of monsoon (up to +11.0mm per month) due to increased impervious area, whereas evapotranspiration decreases in the dry season (up to -15.1mm per month) as a result of the loss of irrigated agricultural area. As the projections are made for the near future (2009-2028) land use change impacts are similar under IPCC A1B climate conditions. Only if more extreme dry years occur, an exacerbation of the land use change impacts can be expected. Particularly in rapidly changing environments an implementation of both dynamic land use change and climate change seems favorable to assess seasonal and gradual changes in the water balance. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  14. Rapid Discontinuation of Prednisone in Kidney Transplant Recipients: 15-Year Outcomes From the University of Minnesota.

    PubMed

    Serrano, Oscar Kenneth; Kandaswamy, Raja; Gillingham, Kristen; Chinnakotla, Srinath; Dunn, Ty B; Finger, Erik; Payne, William; Ibrahim, Hassan; Kukla, Aleksandra; Spong, Richard; Issa, Naim; Pruett, Timothy L; Matas, Arthur

    2017-10-01

    Short- and intermediate-term results have been reported after rapid discontinuation of prednisone (RDP) in kidney transplant recipients. Yet there has been residual concern about late graft failure in the absence of maintenance prednisone. From October 1, 1999, through June 1, 2015, we performed a total of 1553 adult first and second kidney transplants-1021 with a living donor, 532 with a deceased donor-under our RDP protocol. We analyzed the 15-year actuarial overall patient survival (PS), graft survival (GS), death-censored GS (DCGS), and acute rejection-free survival (ARFS) rates for RDP compared with historical controls on maintenance prednisone. For living donor recipients, the actuarial 15-year PS rates were similar between groups. But RDP was associated with increased GS (P = 0.02) and DCGS (P = 0.01). For deceased donor recipients, RDP was associated with significantly better PS (P < 0.01), GS (P < 0.01) and DCGS (P < 0.01). There was no difference between groups in the rate of acute or chronic rejection, or in the mean estimated glomerular filtration rate at 15 years. However, RDP-treated recipients had significantly lower rates of avascular necrosis, cytomegalovirus, cataracts, new-onset diabetes after transplant, and cardiac complications. Importantly, for recipients with GS longer than 5 years, there was no difference between groups in subsequent actuarial PS, GS, and DCGS. In summary, at 15 years postkidney transplant, RDP did not lead to decreased in PS or GS, or an increase in graft dysfunction but as associated with reduced complication rates.

  15. Characterisation of rapid progressors to type 1 diabetes among children with HLA-conferred disease susceptibility.

    PubMed

    Pöllänen, Petra M; Lempainen, Johanna; Laine, Antti-Pekka; Toppari, Jorma; Veijola, Riitta; Vähäsalo, Paula; Ilonen, Jorma; Siljander, Heli; Knip, Mikael

    2017-07-01

    In this study, we aimed to characterise rapid progressors to type 1 diabetes among children recruited from the general population, on the basis of HLA-conferred disease susceptibility. We monitored 7410 HLA-predisposed children participating in the Finnish Type 1 Diabetes Prediction and Prevention (DIPP) study for the development of beta cell autoimmunity and type 1 diabetes from birth over a median follow-up time of 16.2 years (range 0.9-21.1 years). Islet cell antibodies (ICA) and autoantibodies to insulin (IAA), GAD (GADA) and islet antigen 2 (IA-2A) were assessed as markers of beta cell autoimmunity. Rapid progression was defined as progression to clinical type 1 diabetes within 1.5 years of autoantibody seroconversion. We analysed the association between rapid progression and demographic and autoantibody characteristics as well as genetic markers, including 25 non-HLA SNPs predisposing to type 1 diabetes. Altogether, 1550 children (21%) tested positive for at least one diabetes-associated autoantibody in at least two samples, and 248 (16%) of seroconverters progressed to type 1 diabetes by the end of 2015. The median time from seroconversion to diagnosis was 0.51 years in rapid progressors (n = 42, 17%) and 5.4 years in slower progressors. Rapid progression was observed both among young (<5 years) and early pubertal children (>7 years), resulting in a double-peak distribution of seroconversion age. Compared with slower progressors, rapid progressors had a higher frequency of positivity for multiple (≥2) autoantibodies and had higher titres of ICA, IAA and IA-2A at seroconversion, and there was a higher prevalence of the secretor genotype in the FUT2 gene among those carrying the high-risk HLA genotype. Compared with autoantibody-positive non-progressors, rapid progressors were younger, were more likely to carry the high-risk HLA genotype and a predisposing SNP in the PTPN22 gene, had higher frequency of ICA, IAA, GADA and IA-2A positivity and

  16. "Flooding Risk Analysis and the Understanding of Hydrological Disturbance due to the Rapid Urbanization in a Low-Scale Subwatershed in Houston Area". ( The project develops a relavant Model of flooding risk assessment to define the connection between increased streamflow/flooding and the rapid urban land development).

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Geldiyev, P.

    2017-12-01

    Rapid urban development and changing climate influences the frequency and magnitude of flooding in Houston area. This proposed project aims to evaluate the flooding risks with the current and future land use changes by 2040 for one subbasin of the San Jacinto Brazos/Neches-Trinity Coastal basin. Surface environments and streamflow data of the Clear Creek are analyzed and stimulated to discuss the possible impact of urbanization on the occurrence of floods. The streamflow data is analyzed and simulated with the application of the Geographic Information Systems and its extensions. Both hydrologic and hydraulic models of the Clear Creek are created with the use of HEC-HMS and HEC-RAS software. Both models are duplicated for the year 2040, based on projected 2040 Landcover Maps developed by Houston and Galveston Area Council. This project examines a type of contemporary hydrologic disturbance and the interaction between land cover and changes in hydrological processes. Expected results will be very significant for urban development and flooding management.

  17. Cloning and Expression of Genes for Dengue Virus Type-2 Encoded-Antigens for Rapid Diagnosis and Vaccine Development

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1988-10-31

    00 0 Cloning and Expression of Genes for Dengue Virus (Type-2 Encoded-Antigens for Rapid ODiagnosis and Vaccine DevelopmentN| ANNUAL PROGRESS REPORT...11. TITLE (include Security Classification) Cloning and Expression of Genes f or Dengue Virus Type 2 Fncoded Antigens for Rapid Diagnosis and Vaccine ...epidemics in Central and South Americas and the Caribbean is a cause of major concern. An effective vaccine is not available to protect individuals

  18. Bus rapid transit developments in China : perspectives from research, meetings, and site visits in April 2006.

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2006-07-01

    This report briefly summarizes the information related to Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) developments in China collected through : independent research and a visit to China from April 17-26, 2006 as part of FTA Public Transportation Trade Mission. The purpo...

  19. State and Federal project development procedures for bus rapid transit : managing differences and reducing implementation delays

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2011-08-01

    This report documents an investigation into the transportation project development process in the : context of the implementation of bus rapid transit systems on the State Highway System as well as such : systems being part of the Federal New Starts ...

  20. The RABiT: a rapid automated biodosimetry tool for radiological triage. II. Technological developments.

    PubMed

    Garty, Guy; Chen, Youhua; Turner, Helen C; Zhang, Jian; Lyulko, Oleksandra V; Bertucci, Antonella; Xu, Yanping; Wang, Hongliang; Simaan, Nabil; Randers-Pehrson, Gerhard; Lawrence Yao, Y; Brenner, David J

    2011-08-01

    Over the past five years the Center for Minimally Invasive Radiation Biodosimetry at Columbia University has developed the Rapid Automated Biodosimetry Tool (RABiT), a completely automated, ultra-high throughput biodosimetry workstation. This paper describes recent upgrades and reliability testing of the RABiT. The RABiT analyses fingerstick-derived blood samples to estimate past radiation exposure or to identify individuals exposed above or below a cut-off dose. Through automated robotics, lymphocytes are extracted from fingerstick blood samples into filter-bottomed multi-well plates. Depending on the time since exposure, the RABiT scores either micronuclei or phosphorylation of the histone H2AX, in an automated robotic system, using filter-bottomed multi-well plates. Following lymphocyte culturing, fixation and staining, the filter bottoms are removed from the multi-well plates and sealed prior to automated high-speed imaging. Image analysis is performed online using dedicated image processing hardware. Both the sealed filters and the images are archived. We have developed a new robotic system for lymphocyte processing, making use of an upgraded laser power and parallel processing of four capillaries at once. This system has allowed acceleration of lymphocyte isolation, the main bottleneck of the RABiT operation, from 12 to 2 sec/sample. Reliability tests have been performed on all robotic subsystems. Parallel handling of multiple samples through the use of dedicated, purpose-built, robotics and high speed imaging allows analysis of up to 30,000 samples per day.

  1. Effect of the INSIGHT Responsive Parenting Intervention on Rapid Infant Weight Gain and Overweight Status at Age 1 Year

    PubMed Central

    Savage, Jennifer S.; Birch, Leann L.; Marini, Michele; Anzman-Frasca, Stephanie; Paul, Ian M.

    2016-01-01

    IMPORTANCE Rapid infant weight gain is associated with later obesity, but interventions to prevent rapid infant growth and reduce risk for overweight status in infancy are lacking. OBJECTIVE To examine the effect of a responsive parenting (RP) intervention on infant weight gain between birth and 28 weeks and overweight status at age 1 year. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS The Intervention Nurses Start Infants Growing on Healthy Trajectories (INSIGHT) study is an ongoing randomized clinical trial comparing an RP intervention designed to prevent childhood obesity with a safety control. The study includes primiparous mother-newborn dyads (n = 291) and was conducted at the Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, Hershey, Pennsylvania, in addition to home visits. Enrollment was initiated in January 2012, and evaluable population analyses for this study were conducted between April 2015 and November 2015. INTERVENTIONS At 2 weeks post partum, initial intervention materials appropriate to the assigned treatment group were mailed to the participant’s home. Research nurses conducted home visits at 3 weeks, 16 weeks, 28 weeks, and 40 weeks, and a research center visit occurred at 1 year. The Intervention Nurses Start Infants Growing on Healthy Trajectories curriculum included messages about infant feeding, sleep hygiene, active social play, emotion regulation, and growth record education. The control group received a developmentally appropriate home safety intervention also delivered by nurse home visitors. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES Conditional weight gain from birth to 28 weeks was calculated. General linear models examined intervention effect on conditional weight gain. The intervention’s effect on infant weight-for-length percentiles was tested using analysis of variance. Logistic regression compared the odds of overweight status (weight for length ≥95th percentile) at 1 year as a function of conditional weight gain. RESULTS Of the mothers included in the

  2. Cognitive Development: One-Year-Old

    MedlinePlus

    ... Stages Listen Español Text Size Email Print Share Cognitive Development: One-Year-Old Page Content Article Body As you watch your toddler at play, have you noticed how hard she concentrates on everything she does? Each game or task is a learning proposition, and she’ll gather all sorts of ...

  3. Design and Development of an Equipotential Voltage Reference (Grounding) System for a Low-Cost Rapid-Development Modular Spacecraft Architecture

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Lukash, James A.; Daley, Earl

    2011-01-01

    This work describes the design and development effort to adapt rapid-development space hardware by creating a ground system using solutions of low complexity, mass, & cost. The Lunar Atmosphere and Dust Environment Explorer (LADEE) spacecraft is based on the modular common spacecraft bus architecture developed at NASA Ames Research Center. The challenge was building upon the existing modular common bus design and development work and improving the LADEE spacecraft design by adding an Equipotential Voltage Reference (EVeR) system, commonly referred to as a ground system. This would aid LADEE in meeting Electromagnetic Environmental Effects (E3) requirements, thereby making the spacecraft more compatible with itself and its space environment. The methods used to adapt existing hardware are presented, including provisions which may be used on future spacecraft.

  4. Aeronautics Education, Research, and Industry Alliance (AERIAL) Year 2 Report and Year 3 Proposal

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Bowen, Brent D.; Box, Richard C.; Fink, Mary M.; Gogos, Geroge; Lehrer, Henry R.; Narayanan, Ram M.; Nickerson, Jocelyn S.; Tarry, Scott E.; Vlasek, Karisa D.

    2003-01-01

    The Aeronautics Education, Research, and Industry Alliance (AERIAL): a comprehensive, multi-faceted NASA EPSCoR 2000 initiative, contributes to the strategic research and technology priorities of NASA while intensifying Nebraska s rapidly growing aeronautics research and development endeavors. AERIAL enables Nebraska researchers to: (a) continue strengthening their collaborative relationships with NASA Field Centers, Codes, and Enterprises; (b) increase the capacity of higher education throughout Nebraska to invigorate and expand aeronautics research; and (c) expedite the development of aeronautics-related research infrastructure and industry in the state. This report contains a summary of AERIAL's activities and accomplishments during the second year of implementation. The AERIAL Year 3 proposal is also included.

  5. Development of an immunochromatographic kit for rapid detection of human influenza B virus infection.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Peirui; Duan, Yueqiang; Zhang, Dexi; Zhang, Shaogeng; Li, Zhiwei; Wang, Xiliang; Yang, Penghui

    2014-01-01

    Type B influenza virus is a major epidemic strain responsible for considerable mortality and morbidity. A colloidal gold immunochromatographic strip for the rapid detection of human influenza B virus was developed. This test is based on membrane chromatography and uses colloidal gold conjugated with influenza B virus anti-NP monoclonal antibody as the tracer. The assembled test strip was housed in a plastic case. The colloid gold strip (CGS) specifically detected all influenza B viruses tested and did not react with other respiratory viruses. Compared with SYBR Green real-time PCR, the sensitivity and specificity of the CGS test was 89.76% and 99.56%, respectively, and the consistency ratio between CGS and real-time PCR was 96.06% in detecting influenza B virus in 710 nasopharyngeal swabs from patients with influenza-like illness in the hospital. The CGS array developed in this study enabled typing of influenza B viruses in human clinical specimens. Thus, together with the advantages of rapid detection and easy operation without requiring specialized personnel and equipment, this technique is a convenient and relatively inexpensive diagnostic tool for large-scale screening of clinical samples.

  6. Evaluation of rapid HIV test kits on whole blood and development of rapid testing algorithm for voluntary testing and counseling centers in Ethiopia.

    PubMed

    Tegbaru, Belete; Messele, Tsehaynesh; Wolday, Dawit; Meles, PhD Hailu; Tesema, Desalegn; Birhanu, Hiwot; Tesfaye, Girma; Bond, Kyle B; Martin, Robert; Rayfield, Mark A; Wuhib, Tadesse; Fekadu, Makonnen

    2004-10-01

    Five simple and rapid HIV antibody detection assays viz. Determine, Capillus, Oraquick, Unigold and Hemastrip were evaluated to examine their performance and to develop an alternative rapid test based testing algorithm for voluntary counseling and testing (VCT) in Ethiopia. All the kits were tested on whole blood, plasma and serum. The evaluation had three phases: Primary lab review, piloting at point of service and implementation. This report includes the results of the first two phases. A total of 2,693 specimens (both whole blood and plasma) were included in the evaluation. Results were compared to double Enzyme Linked Immuno-Sorbent Assay (ELISA) system. Discordant EIA results were resolved using Western Blot. The assays had very good sensitivities and specificities, 99-100%, at the two different phases of the evaluation. A 98-100% result agreement was obtained from those tested at VCT centers and National Referral Laboratory for AIDS (NRLA), in the quality control phase of the evaluation. A testing strategy yielding 100% [95% CI; 98.9-100.0] sensitivity was achieved by the sequential use of the three rapid test kits. Direct cost comparison showed serial testing algorithm reduces the cost of testing by over 30% compared to parallel testing in the current situation. Determine, Capillus/Oraquick (presence/absence of frefrigeration) and Unigold were recommended as screening, confirmation and tiebreaker tests, respectively.

  7. Establishment of minimal positive-control conditions to ensure brain safety during rapid development of emergency vaccines.

    PubMed

    Baek, Hyekyung; Kim, Kwang Ho; Park, Min Young; Kim, Kyeongryun; Ko, Bokyeong; Seo, Hyung Seok; Kim, Byoung Soo; Hahn, Tae-Wook; Yi, Sun Shin

    2017-08-31

    With the increase in international human and material exchanges, contagious and infectious epidemics are occurring. One of the effective methods of epidemic inhibition is the rapid development and supply of vaccines. Considering the safety of the brain during vaccine development is very important. However, manuals for brain safety assays for new vaccines are not uniform or effective globally. Therefore, the aim of this study is to establish a positive-control protocol for an effective brain safety test to enhance rapid vaccine development. The blood-brain barrier's tight junctions provide selective defense of the brain; however, it is possible to destroy these important microstructures by administering lipopolysaccharides (LPSs), thereby artificially increasing the permeability of brain parenchyma. In this study, test conditions are established so that the degree of brain penetration or brain destruction of newly developed vaccines can be quantitatively identified. The most effective conditions were suggested by measuring time-dependent expressions of tight junction biomarkers (zonula occludens-1 [ZO-1] and occludin) in two types of mice (C57BL/6 and ICR) following exposure to two types of LPS ( Salmonella and Escherichia ). In the future, we hope that use of the developed positive-control protocol will help speed up the determination of brain safety of novel vaccines.

  8. Development of a rapid and simple immunochromatographic assay to identify Vibrio parahaemolyticus.

    PubMed

    Sakata, Junko; Kawatsu, Kentaro; Iwasaki, Tadashi; Kumeda, Yuko

    2015-09-01

    To rapidly and simply determine whether or not bacterial colonies growing on agar were Vibrio parahaemolyticus, we developed an immunochromatographic assay (VP-ICA) using two different monoclonal antibodies (designated mAb-VP34 and mAb-VP109) against the delta subunit of V. parahaemolyticus-F0F1 ATP synthase. The epitopes recognized by mAb-VP34 and mAb-VP109 were mapped to sequences of eight ((47)LLTSSFSA(54)) and six amino acid residues ((16)FDFAVD(21)), respectively. An amino acid sequence similarity search of the NCBI database using BLASTP showed that both epitopic amino acid sequences were present together only in V. parahaemolyticus. When 124 V. parahaemolyticus strains and 94 strains of 27 other Vibrio species or 35 non-Vibrio species were tested using the VP-ICA, the VP-ICA identified V. parahaemolyticus with 100% accuracy. The VP-ICA rapidly and simply identified the pathogen directly from a single agar colony within 30 min, indicating that VP-ICA will greatly reduce labor and time required to identify V. parahaemolyticus compared with conventional biochemical tests. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  9. RAPID: Collaborative Commanding and Monitoring of Lunar Assets

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Torres, Recaredo J.; Mittman, David S.; Powell, Mark W.; Norris, Jeffrey S.; Joswig, Joseph C.; Crockett, Thomas M.; Abramyan, Lucy; Shams, Khawaja S.; Wallick, Michael; Allan, Mark; hide

    2011-01-01

    RAPID (Robot Application Programming Interface Delegate) software utilizes highly robust technology to facilitate commanding and monitoring of lunar assets. RAPID provides the ability for intercenter communication, since these assets are developed in multiple NASA centers. RAPID is targeted at the task of lunar operations; specifically, operations that deal with robotic assets, cranes, and astronaut spacesuits, often developed at different NASA centers. RAPID allows for a uniform way to command and monitor these assets. Commands can be issued to take images, and monitoring is done via telemetry data from the asset. There are two unique features to RAPID: First, it allows any operator from any NASA center to control any NASA lunar asset, regardless of location. Second, by abstracting the native language for specific assets to a common set of messages, an operator may control and monitor any NASA lunar asset by being trained only on the use of RAPID, rather than the specific asset. RAPID is easier to use and more powerful than its predecessor, the Astronaut Interface Device (AID). Utilizing the new robust middleware, DDS (Data Distribution System), developing in RAPID has increased significantly over the old middleware. The API is built upon the Java Eclipse Platform, which combined with DDS, provides platform-independent software architecture, simplifying development of RAPID components. As RAPID continues to evolve and new messages are being designed and implemented, operators for future lunar missions will have a rich environment for commanding and monitoring assets.

  10. Development of a rapid response plan for intraoperative emergencies: the Circulate, Scrub, and Technical Assistance Team.

    PubMed

    Earle, David; Betti, Diane; Scala, Emilia

    2017-01-01

    Unplanned intraoperative events are inevitable and cause stress and inefficiency among staff. We believe that developing a technical rapid response team with explicitly defined, narrow roles would reduce the amount of chaos during such emergencies. This article provides a detailed description of the development and implementation of such a program. In-situ simulation of an intraoperative emergency was used for a formal assessment of the current practice. Debriefing sessions identified areas of improvement and solicited solutions. A multidisciplinary working group then developed and implemented the technical rapid response team based on the needs assessment. The program was designed to create a Circulating, Scrubbing, and Technical Assistance Team that helps with equipment, supplies, anesthesia, and communication. We anticipate the program will foster a culture of safety, and promote positive relationships and attitudes of the entire multidisciplinary team. In the future, research regarding patient outcomes and staff satisfaction and safety attitudes may help provide objective evidence of the benefits of the program. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  11. Consistent abnormalities in metabolic network activity in idiopathic rapid eye movement sleep behaviour disorder.

    PubMed

    Wu, Ping; Yu, Huan; Peng, Shichun; Dauvilliers, Yves; Wang, Jian; Ge, Jingjie; Zhang, Huiwei; Eidelberg, David; Ma, Yilong; Zuo, Chuantao

    2014-12-01

    Rapid eye movement sleep behaviour disorder has been evaluated using Parkinson's disease-related metabolic network. It is unknown whether this disorder is itself associated with a unique metabolic network. 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography was performed in 21 patients (age 65.0±5.6 years) with idiopathic rapid eye movement sleep behaviour disorder and 21 age/gender-matched healthy control subjects (age 62.5±7.5 years) to identify a disease-related pattern and examine its evolution in 21 hemi-parkinsonian patients (age 62.6±5.0 years) and 16 moderate parkinsonian patients (age 56.9±12.2 years). We identified a rapid eye movement sleep behaviour disorder-related metabolic network characterized by increased activity in pons, thalamus, medial frontal and sensorimotor areas, hippocampus, supramarginal and inferior temporal gyri, and posterior cerebellum, with decreased activity in occipital and superior temporal regions. Compared to the healthy control subjects, network expressions were elevated (P<0.0001) in the patients with this disorder and in the parkinsonian cohorts but decreased with disease progression. Parkinson's disease-related network activity was also elevated (P<0.0001) in the patients with rapid eye movement sleep behaviour disorder but lower than in the hemi-parkinsonian cohort. Abnormal metabolic networks may provide markers of idiopathic rapid eye movement sleep behaviour disorder to identify those at higher risk to develop neurodegenerative parkinsonism. © The Author (2014). Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Guarantors of Brain. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  12. Rapid response systems.

    PubMed

    Lyons, Patrick G; Edelson, Dana P; Churpek, Matthew M

    2018-07-01

    Rapid response systems are commonly employed by hospitals to identify and respond to deteriorating patients outside of the intensive care unit. Controversy exists about the benefits of rapid response systems. We aimed to review the current state of the rapid response literature, including evolving aspects of afferent (risk detection) and efferent (intervention) arms, outcome measurement, process improvement, and implementation. Articles written in English and published in PubMed. Rapid response systems are heterogeneous, with important differences among afferent and efferent arms. Clinically meaningful outcomes may include unexpected mortality, in-hospital cardiac arrest, length of stay, cost, and processes of care at end of life. Both positive and negative interventional studies have been published, although the two largest randomized trials involving rapid response systems - the Medical Early Response and Intervention Trial (MERIT) and the Effect of a Pediatric Early Warning System on All-Cause Mortality in Hospitalized Pediatric Patients (EPOCH) trial - did not find a mortality benefit with these systems, albeit with important limitations. Advances in monitoring technologies, risk assessment strategies, and behavioral ergonomics may offer opportunities for improvement. Rapid responses may improve some meaningful outcomes, although these findings remain controversial. These systems may also improve care for patients at the end of life. Rapid response systems are expected to continue evolving with novel developments in monitoring technologies, risk prediction informatics, and work in human factors. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  13. Assessing Information Literacy Skills Development in First Year Students: A Multi-Year Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Fain, Margaret

    2011-01-01

    Assessment data from 5 years of a pretest/posttest with first-year students was analyzed using McNemar's test. The results show that revisiting previous assessment data can identify significant changes in information literacy skill development.

  14. Development of a prototype for dissolved CO2 rapid measurement and preliminary tests

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Li, Meng; Guo, Jinjia; Zhang, Zhihao; Luo, Zhao; Qin, Chuan; Zheng, Ronger

    2017-10-01

    The measurements of dissolved CO2 in seawater is of great significance for the study of global carbon cycle. At present, the commercial sensors used for dissolved CO2 measurements are mostly equipped with permeable membranes for the purpose of gas-liquid separation, with the advantages of easy operation, low cost, etc.. However, most of these devices measure CO2 after reaching gas equilibrium, so it takes a few minutes to respond, which limited its applications in rapid measurements. In this paper, a set of prototype was developed for the rapid measurements of dissolved CO2. The system was built basing the direct absorption TDLAS. To detect the CO2 absorption line located at 4991.26 cm-1 , a fiber-coupled DFB laser operating at 2004 nm was selected as the light source. A Herriott type multi-pass cavity with an effective optical path length of 10 m and an inner volume of 90 mL was used for absorption measurements. A detection limit of 26 μatm can be obtained with this compact cavity. To realize the rapid measurements of dissolved CO2, a degasser with high degassing rate was necessary. A hollow fiber membrane with a large permeable area used in this paper can achieve degassing rate up to 2.88 kPa/min. Benefitted from the high degassing rate of the degasser and high sensitivity of the compact TDLAS system, a rapid measurement of dissolved CO2 in water can be achieved within 1s time, and the response time of the prototype when the dissolved CO2 concentration changed abruptly in actual measurement was 15 s. To evaluate the performance of the prototype, comparison measurements were carried out with a commercial mass spectrometer. The dissolved CO2 in both seawater and tap-water was measured, and the experimental results showed good consistent trends with R2 of 0.973 and 0.931. The experimental results proved the feasibility of dissolved CO2 rapid measurement. In the near future, more system evaluation experiments will be carried out and the system will be further

  15. Development of Rapid Isothermal Amplification Assays for Detection of Phytophthora spp. in Plant Tissue.

    PubMed

    Miles, Timothy D; Martin, Frank N; Coffey, Michael D

    2015-02-01

    Several isothermal amplification techniques recently have been developed that are tolerant of inhibitors present in many plant extracts, which can reduce the need for obtaining purified DNA for running diagnostic assays. One such commercially available technique that has similarities with real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for designing primers and a labeled probe is recombinase polymerase amplification (RPA). This technology was used to develop two simple and rapid approaches for detection of Phytophthora spp.: one genus-specific assay multiplexed with a plant internal control and the other species-specific assays for Phytophthora ramorum and P. kernoviae. All assays were tested for sensitivity (ranging from 3 ng to 1 fg of DNA) and specificity using DNA extracted from more than 136 Phytophthora taxa, 21 Pythium spp., 1 Phytopythium sp., and a wide range of plant species. The lower limit of linear detection using purified DNA was 200 to 300 fg of DNA in all pathogen RPA assays. Six different extraction buffers were tested for use during plant tissue maceration and the assays were validated in the field by collecting 222 symptomatic plant samples from over 50 different hosts. Only 56 samples were culture positive for Phytophthora spp. whereas 91 were positive using the Phytophthora genus-specific RPA test and a TaqMan real-time PCR assay. A technique for the generation of sequencing templates from positive RPA amplifications to confirm species identification was also developed. These RPA assays have added benefits over traditional technologies because they are rapid (results can be obtained in as little as 15 min), do not require DNA extraction or extensive training to complete, use less expensive portable equipment than PCR-based assays, and are significantly more specific than current immunologically based methods. This should provide a rapid, field-deployable capability for pathogen detection that will facilitate point-of-sample collection processing

  16. Development of Nested PCR, Multiplex PCR, and Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification Assays for Rapid Detection of Cylindrocladium scoparium on Eucalyptus.

    PubMed

    Qiao, Tian-Min; Zhang, Jing; Li, Shu-Jiang; Han, Shan; Zhu, Tian-Hui

    2016-10-01

    Eucalyptus dieback disease, caused by Cylindrocladium scoparium , has occurred in last few years in large Eucalyptus planting areas in China and other countries. Rapid, simple, and reliable diagnostic techniques are desired for the early detection of Eucalyptus dieback of C. scoparium prior to formulation of efficient control plan. For this purpose, three PCR-based methods of nested PCR, multiplex PCR, loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) were developed for detection of C. scoparium based on factor 1-alpha (tef1) and beta-tubulin gene in this study. All of the three methods showed highly specific to C. scoparium . The sensitivities of the nested PCR and LAMP were much higher than the multiplex PCR. The sensitivity of multiplex PCR was also higher than regular PCR. C. scoparium could be detected within 60 min from infected Eucalyptus plants by LAMP, while at least 2 h was needed by the rest two methods. Using different Eucalyptus tissues as samples for C. scoparium detection, all of the three PCR-based methods showed much better detection results than regular PCR. Base on the results from this study, we concluded that any of the three PCR-based methods could be used as diagnostic technology for the development of efficient strategies of Eucalyptus dieback disease control. Particularly, LAMP was the most practical method in field application because of its one-step and rapid reaction, simple operation, single-tube utilization, and simple visualization of amplification products.

  17. Development of Nested PCR, Multiplex PCR, and Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification Assays for Rapid Detection of Cylindrocladium scoparium on Eucalyptus

    PubMed Central

    Qiao, Tian-Min; Zhang, Jing; Li, Shu-Jiang; Han, Shan; Zhu, Tian-Hui

    2016-01-01

    Eucalyptus dieback disease, caused by Cylindrocladium scoparium, has occurred in last few years in large Eucalyptus planting areas in China and other countries. Rapid, simple, and reliable diagnostic techniques are desired for the early detection of Eucalyptus dieback of C. scoparium prior to formulation of efficient control plan. For this purpose, three PCR-based methods of nested PCR, multiplex PCR, loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) were developed for detection of C. scoparium based on factor 1-alpha (tef1) and beta-tubulin gene in this study. All of the three methods showed highly specific to C. scoparium. The sensitivities of the nested PCR and LAMP were much higher than the multiplex PCR. The sensitivity of multiplex PCR was also higher than regular PCR. C. scoparium could be detected within 60 min from infected Eucalyptus plants by LAMP, while at least 2 h was needed by the rest two methods. Using different Eucalyptus tissues as samples for C. scoparium detection, all of the three PCR-based methods showed much better detection results than regular PCR. Base on the results from this study, we concluded that any of the three PCR-based methods could be used as diagnostic technology for the development of efficient strategies of Eucalyptus dieback disease control. Particularly, LAMP was the most practical method in field application because of its one-step and rapid reaction, simple operation, single-tube utilization, and simple visualization of amplification products. PMID:27721691

  18. Rapid process development of chromatographic process using direct analysis in real time mass spectrometry as a process analytical technology tool.

    PubMed

    Yan, Binjun; Chen, Teng; Xu, Zhilin; Qu, Haibin

    2014-06-01

    The concept of quality by design (QbD) is widely applied in the process development of pharmaceuticals. However, the additional cost and time have caused some resistance about QbD implementation. To show a possible solution, this work proposed a rapid process development method, which used direct analysis in real time mass spectrometry (DART-MS) as a process analytical technology (PAT) tool for studying the chromatographic process of Ginkgo biloba L., as an example. The breakthrough curves were fast determined by DART-MS at-line. A high correlation coefficient of 0.9520 was found between the concentrations of ginkgolide A determined by DART-MS and HPLC. Based on the PAT tool, the impacts of process parameters on the adsorption capacity were discovered rapidly, which showed a decreased adsorption capacity with the increase of the flow rate. This work has shown the feasibility and advantages of integrating PAT into QbD implementation for rapid process development. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  19. District Composite Report: Rapides Parish. 2002-2003

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Louisiana State Department of Education, 2004

    2004-01-01

    Up to six years of data (the current year and the five previous years where available) are presented in Louisiana's District Composite Reports. This report is specific to Rapides Parish. Each year, this report is updated by adding the most current year's data and deleting the data that are more than six years old. Incorporating longitudinal data…

  20. Development of a rapid recombinase polymerase amplification assay for detection of Brucella in blood samples.

    PubMed

    Ren, Hang; Yang, Mingjuan; Zhang, Guoxia; Liu, Shiwei; Wang, Xinhui; Ke, Yuehua; Du, Xinying; Wang, Zhoujia; Huang, Liuyu; Liu, Chao; Chen, Zeliang

    2016-04-01

    A rapid and sensitive recombinase polymerase amplification (RPA) assay, Bruce-RPA, was developed for detection of Brucella. The assay could detect as few as 3 copies of Brucella per reaction within 20 min. Bruce-RPA represents a candidate point-of-care diagnosis assay for human brucellosis. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  1. Developing rapid methods for analyzing upland riparian functions and values.

    PubMed

    Hruby, Thomas

    2009-06-01

    Regulators protecting riparian areas need to understand the integrity, health, beneficial uses, functions, and values of this resource. Up to now most methods providing information about riparian areas are based on analyzing condition or integrity. These methods, however, provide little information about functions and values. Different methods are needed that specifically address this aspect of riparian areas. In addition to information on functions and values, regulators have very specific needs that include: an analysis at the site scale, low cost, usability, and inclusion of policy interpretations. To meet these needs a rapid method has been developed that uses a multi-criteria decision matrix to categorize riparian areas in Washington State, USA. Indicators are used to identify the potential of the site to provide a function, the potential of the landscape to support the function, and the value the function provides to society. To meet legal needs fixed boundaries for assessment units are established based on geomorphology, the distance from "Ordinary High Water Mark" and different categories of land uses. Assessment units are first classified based on ecoregions, geomorphic characteristics, and land uses. This simplifies the data that need to be collected at a site, but it requires developing and calibrating a separate model for each "class." The approach to developing methods is adaptable to other locations as its basic structure is not dependent on local conditions.

  2. Chlorine residuals and haloacetic acid reduction in rapid sand filtration.

    PubMed

    Chuang, Yi-Hsueh; Wang, Gen-Shuch; Tung, Hsin-hsin

    2011-11-01

    It is quite rare to find biodegradation in rapid sand filtration for drinking water treatment. This might be due to frequent backwashes and low substrate levels. High chlorine concentrations may inhibit biofilm development, especially for plants with pre-chlorination. However, in tropical or subtropical regions, bioactivity on the sand surface may be quite significant due to high biofilm development--a result of year-round high temperature. The objective of this study is to explore the correlation between biodegradation and chlorine concentration in rapid sand filters, especially for the water treatment plants that practise pre-chlorination. In this study, haloacetic acid (HAA) biodegradation was found in conventional rapid sand filters practising pre-chlorination. Laboratory column studies and field investigations were conducted to explore the association between the biodegradation of HAAs and chlorine concentrations. The results showed that chlorine residual was an important factor that alters bioactivity development. A model based on filter influent and effluent chlorine was developed for determining threshold chlorine for biodegradation. From the model, a temperature independent chlorine concentration threshold (Cl(threshold)) for biodegradation was estimated at 0.46-0.5mgL(-1). The results imply that conventional filters with adequate control could be conducive to bioactivity, resulting in lower HAA concentrations. Optimizing biodegradable disinfection by-product removal in conventional rapid sand filter could be achieved with minor variation and a lower-than-Cl(threshold) influent chlorine concentration. Bacteria isolation was also carried out, successfully identifying several HAA degraders. These degraders are very commonly seen in drinking water systems and can be speculated as the main contributor of HAA loss. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  3. Rapid Web-Based Platform for Assessment of Orthopedic Surgery Patient Care Milestones: A 2-Year Validation.

    PubMed

    Gundle, Kenneth R; Mickelson, Dayne T; Cherones, Arien; Black, Jason; Hanel, Doug P

    To determine the validity, feasibility, and responsiveness of a new web-based platform for rapid milestone-based evaluations of orthopedic surgery residents. Single academic medical center, including a trauma center and pediatrics tertiary hospital. Forty residents (PG1-5) in an orthopedic residency program and their faculty evaluators. Residents and faculty were trained and supported in the use of a novel trainee-initiated web-based evaluation system. Residents were encouraged to use the system to track progress on patient care subcompetencies. Two years of prospectively collected data were reviewed from residents at an academic program. The primary outcome was Spearman's rank correlation between postgraduate year (PGY) and competency level achieved as a measure of validity. Secondary outcomes assessed feasibility, resident self-evaluation versus faculty evaluation, the distributions among subcompetencies, and responsiveness over time. Between February 2014 and February 2016, 856 orthopedic surgery patient care subcompetency evaluations were completed (1.2 evaluations per day). Residents promptly requested feedback after a procedure (median = 0 days, interquartile range: 0-2), and faculty responded within 2 days in 51% (median = 2 days, interquartile range: 0-13). Primary outcome showed a correlation between PGY and competency level (r = 0.78, p < 0.001), with significant differences in competency among PGYs (p < 0.001 by Kruskal-Wallis rank sum test). Self-evaluations by residents substantially agreed with faculty-assigned competency level (weighted Cohen's κ = 0.72, p < 0.001). Resident classes beginning the study as PGY1, 2, and 3 separately demonstrated gains in competency over time (Spearman's rank correlation 0.39, 0.60, 0.59, respectively, each p < 0.001). There was significant variance in the number of evaluations submitted per subcompetency (median = 43, range: 6-113) and competency level assigned (p < 0.01). Rapid tracking of trainee competency with

  4. Rapid crop cover mapping for the conterminous United States

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Dahal, Devendra; Wylie, Bruce K.; Howard, Daniel

    2018-01-01

    Timely crop cover maps with sufficient resolution are important components to various environmental planning and research applications. Through the modification and use of a previously developed crop classification model (CCM), which was originally developed to generate historical annual crop cover maps, we hypothesized that such crop cover maps could be generated rapidly during the growing season. Through a process of incrementally removing weekly and monthly independent variables from the CCM and implementing a ‘two model mapping’ approach, we found it viable to generate conterminous United States-wide rapid crop cover maps at a resolution of 250 m for the current year by the month of September. In this approach, we divided the CCM model into one ‘crop type model’ to handle the classification of nine specific crops and a second, binary model to classify the presence or absence of ‘other’ crops. Under the two model mapping approach, the training errors were 0.8% and 1.5% for the crop type and binary model, respectively, while test errors were 5.5% and 6.4%, respectively. With spatial mapping accuracies for annual maps reaching upwards of 70%, this approach demonstrated a strong potential for generating rapid crop cover maps by the 1st of September.

  5. Rapid Crop Cover Mapping for the Conterminous United States.

    PubMed

    Dahal, Devendra; Wylie, Bruce; Howard, Danny

    2018-06-05

    Timely crop cover maps with sufficient resolution are important components to various environmental planning and research applications. Through the modification and use of a previously developed crop classification model (CCM), which was originally developed to generate historical annual crop cover maps, we hypothesized that such crop cover maps could be generated rapidly during the growing season. Through a process of incrementally removing weekly and monthly independent variables from the CCM and implementing a 'two model mapping' approach, we found it viable to generate conterminous United States-wide rapid crop cover maps at a resolution of 250 m for the current year by the month of September. In this approach, we divided the CCM model into one 'crop type model' to handle the classification of nine specific crops and a second, binary model to classify the presence or absence of 'other' crops. Under the two model mapping approach, the training errors were 0.8% and 1.5% for the crop type and binary model, respectively, while test errors were 5.5% and 6.4%, respectively. With spatial mapping accuracies for annual maps reaching upwards of 70%, this approach demonstrated a strong potential for generating rapid crop cover maps by the 1 st of September.

  6. Rapid Magnetic Resonance Imaging for Diagnosing Cancer-related Low Back Pain

    PubMed Central

    Hollingworth, William; Gray, Darryl T; Martin, Brook I; Sullivan, Sean D; Deyo, Richard A; Jarvik, Jeffrey G

    2003-01-01

    OBJECTIVES This study compared the relative efficiency of lumbar x-ray and rapid magnetic resonance (MR) imaging for diagnosing cancer-related low back pain (LBP) in primary care patients. DESIGN We developed a decision model with Markov state transitions to calculate the cost per case detected and cost per quality-adjusted life year (QALY) of rapid MR imaging. Model parameters were estimated from the medical literature. The costs of x-ray and rapid MR were calculated in an activity-based costing study. SETTING AND PATIENTS A hypothetical cohort of primary care patients with LBP referred for imaging to exclude cancer as the cause of their pain. MAIN RESULTS The rapid MR strategy was more expensive due to higher initial imaging costs and larger numbers of patients requiring conventional MR and biopsy. The overall sensitivity of the rapid MR strategy was higher than that of the x-ray strategy (62% vs 55%). However, because of low pre-imaging prevalence of cancer-related LBP, this generates <1 extra case per 1,000 patients imaged. Therefore, the incremental cost per case detected using rapid MR was high ($213,927). The rapid MR strategy resulted in a small increase in quality-adjusted survival (0.00043 QALYs). The estimated incremental cost per QALY for the rapid MR strategy was $296,176. CONCLUSIONS There is currently not enough evidence to support the routine use of rapid MR to detect cancer as a cause of LBP in primary care patients. PMID:12709099

  7. Rapid Detection of Herpes Viruses for Clinical Applications

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Pierson, Duane; Mehta, Satish

    2013-01-01

    There are eight herpes viruses that infect humans, causing a wide range of diseases resulting in considerable morbidity and associated costs. Varicella zoster virus (VZV) is a human herpes virus that causes chickenpox in children and shingles in adults. Approximately 1,000,000 new cases of shingles occur each year; post-herpetic neuralgia (PHN) follows shingles in 100,000 to 200,000 people annually. PHN is characterized by debilitating, nearly unbearable pain for weeks, months, and even years. The onset of shingles is characterized by pain, followed by the zoster rash, leading to blisters and severe pain. The problem is that in the early stages, shingles can be difficult to diagnose; chickenpox in adults can be equally difficult to diagnose. As a result, both diseases can be misdiagnosed (false positive/negative). A molecular assay has been adapted for use in diagnosing VZV diseases. The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay is a non-invasive, rapid, sensitive, and highly specific method for VZV DNA detection. It provides unequivocal results and can effectively end misdiagnoses. This is an approximately two-hour assay that allows unequivocal diagnosis and rapid antiviral drug intervention. It has been demonstrated that rapid intervention can prevent full development of the disease, resulting in reduced likelihood of PHN. The technology was extended to shingles patients and demonstrated that VZV is shed in saliva and blood of all shingles patients. The amount of VZV in saliva parallels the medical outcome.

  8. Development of materials for the rapid manufacture of die cast tooling

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hardro, Peter Jason

    The focus of this research is to develop a material composition that can be processed by rapid prototyping (RP) in order to produce tooling for the die casting process. Where these rapidly produced tools will be superior to traditional tooling production methods by offering one or more of the following advantages: reduced tooling cost, shortened tooling creation time, reduced man-hours for tool creation, increased tool life, and shortened die casting cycle time. By utilizing RP's additive build process and vast material selection, there was a prospect that die cast tooling may be produced quicker and with superior material properties. To this end, the material properties that influence die life and cycle time were determined, and a list of materials that fulfill these "optimal" properties were highlighted. Physical testing was conducted in order to grade the processability of each of the material systems and to optimize the manufacturing process for the downselected material system. Sample specimens were produced and microscopy techniques were utilized to determine a number of physical properties of the material system. Additionally, a benchmark geometry was selected and die casting dies were produced from traditional tool materials (H13 steel) and techniques (machining) and from the newly developed materials and RP techniques (selective laser sintering (SLS) and laser engineered net shaping (LENS)). Once the tools were created, a die cast alloy was selected and a preset number of parts were shot into each tool. During tool creation, the manufacturing time and cost was closely monitored and an economic model was developed to compare traditional tooling to RP tooling. This model allows one to determine, in the early design stages, when it is advantageous to implement RP tooling and when traditional tooling would be best. The results of the physical testing and economic analysis has shown that RP tooling is able to achieve a number of the research objectives, namely

  9. Nutritional Transition in Children under Five Years and Women of Reproductive Age: A 15-Years Trend Analysis in Peru

    PubMed Central

    Loret de Mola, Christian; Quispe, Renato; Valle, Giancarlo A.; Poterico, Julio A.

    2014-01-01

    Background Rapid urbanization, increase in food availability, and changes in diet and lifestyle patterns have been changing nutritional profiles in developing nations. We aimed to describe nutritional changes in children under 5 years and women of reproductive age in Peru, during a 15-year period of rapid economic development and social policy enhancement. Materials and Methods Trend analyses of anthropometric measures in children of preschool age and women between 15–49 years, using the Peruvian National Demographic and Family Health Surveys (DHS) from 1996 to 2011. WHO growth curves were used to define stunting, underweight, wasting and overweight in children <5y. We employed the WHO BMI-age standardized curves for teenagers between 15–19y. In women >19 years, body mass index (BMI) was analyzed both categorically and as a continuous variable. To statistically analyze the trends, we used regression models: Linear and Poisson for continuous and binary outcomes, respectively. Results We analyzed data from 123 642 women and 64 135 children, from 1996 to 2011. Decreases over time were evidenced for underweight (p<0.001), wasting (p<0.001), and stunting (p<0.001) in children under 5y. This effect was particularly noted in urban settings. Overweight levels in children reduced (p<0.001), however this reduction stopped, in urban settings, since 2005 (∼12%). Anemia decreased in children and women (p<0.001); with higher reduction in urban (↓43%) than in rural children (↓24%). BMI in women aged 15–19 years increased (p<0.001) across time, with noticeable BMI-curve shift in women older than 30 years. Moreover, obesity doubled during this period in women more than 19y. Conclusion Nutrition transition in Peru shows different patterns for urban and rural populations. Public policies should emphasize targeting both malnutrition conditions—undernutrition/stunting, overweight/obesity and anemia—considering age and place of residence in rapid developing societies

  10. Rapid dental development in a Middle Paleolithic Belgian Neanderthal.

    PubMed

    Smith, Tanya M; Toussaint, Michel; Reid, Donald J; Olejniczak, Anthony J; Hublin, Jean-Jacques

    2007-12-18

    The evolution of life history (pace of growth and reproduction) was crucial to ancient hominin adaptations. The study of dental development facilitates assessment of growth and development in fossil hominins with greater precision than other skeletal analyses. During tooth formation, biological rhythms manifest in enamel and dentine, creating a permanent record of growth rate and duration. Quantification of these internal and external incremental features yields developmental benchmarks, including ages at crown completion, tooth eruption, and root completion. Molar eruption is correlated with other aspects of life history. Recent evidence for developmental differences between modern humans and Neanderthals remains ambiguous. By measuring tooth formation in the entire dentition of a juvenile Neanderthal from Scladina, Belgium, we show that most teeth formed over a shorter time than in modern humans and that dental initiation and eruption were relatively advanced. By registering manifestations of stress across the dentition, we are able to present a precise chronology of Neanderthal dental development that differs from modern humans. At 8 years of age at death, this juvenile displays a degree of development comparable with modern human children who are several years older. We suggest that age at death in juvenile Neanderthals should not be assessed by comparison with modern human standards, particularly those derived from populations of European origin. Moreover, evidence from the Scladina juvenile and other similarly aged hominins suggests that a prolonged childhood and slow life history are unique to Homo sapiens.

  11. Rapid dental development in a Middle Paleolithic Belgian Neanderthal

    PubMed Central

    Smith, Tanya M.; Toussaint, Michel; Reid, Donald J.; Olejniczak, Anthony J.; Hublin, Jean-Jacques

    2007-01-01

    The evolution of life history (pace of growth and reproduction) was crucial to ancient hominin adaptations. The study of dental development facilitates assessment of growth and development in fossil hominins with greater precision than other skeletal analyses. During tooth formation, biological rhythms manifest in enamel and dentine, creating a permanent record of growth rate and duration. Quantification of these internal and external incremental features yields developmental benchmarks, including ages at crown completion, tooth eruption, and root completion. Molar eruption is correlated with other aspects of life history. Recent evidence for developmental differences between modern humans and Neanderthals remains ambiguous. By measuring tooth formation in the entire dentition of a juvenile Neanderthal from Scladina, Belgium, we show that most teeth formed over a shorter time than in modern humans and that dental initiation and eruption were relatively advanced. By registering manifestations of stress across the dentition, we are able to present a precise chronology of Neanderthal dental development that differs from modern humans. At 8 years of age at death, this juvenile displays a degree of development comparable with modern human children who are several years older. We suggest that age at death in juvenile Neanderthals should not be assessed by comparison with modern human standards, particularly those derived from populations of European origin. Moreover, evidence from the Scladina juvenile and other similarly aged hominins suggests that a prolonged childhood and slow life history are unique to Homo sapiens. PMID:18077342

  12. [Attempt for development of rapid word reading test for children--evaluation of reliability and validity].

    PubMed

    Hashimoto, Ryusaku; Kashiwagi, Mitsuru; Suzuki, Shuhei

    2008-09-01

    We developed a rapid word reading test for examining the phonological processing ability of Japanese children. We prepared two versions of the test, version A and B. Each test has word and non-word tasks. Twenty-two healthy boys of third grade in primary schools participated in this validation study. For criterion related validity, we performed the serial Hiragana reading test, the sentence reading test, Raven's coloured progressive matrices (RCPM), the Token test for children, the Kana word dictation test, the standardized comprehension test of abstract words (SCTAW), and Trail Circle test. The reading times of the newly developed test correlated moderately or highly with those of the serial Hiragana reading test and the sentence reading test. However, the scores of the other tests (RCPM, Token test for children, Kana word dictation test, SCTAW, Trail Circle test) did not correlated with the reading time of the rapid word reading test. Test-retest reliabilities in the word tasks were more than moderate: 0.52 and 0.76 in versions A and B, while those in the non-word tasks were high: 0.91 and 0.88 in versions A and B. The correlation coefficient between versions A and B was 0.7 for the word tasks and 0.92 for the non-word tasks. This study showed that the rapid word reading test has substantial validity and reliability for testing the phonological processing ability of Japanese children. In addition, the non-word tasks were more suitable for selectively examining the speed of the grapheme to phoneme conversion process.

  13. A seven-year northern sky survey of Ap stars for rapid variability

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Nelson, Matthew J.; Kreidl, Tobias J.

    1993-01-01

    A high-speed photometric survey of 120 Ap stars in the northern sky, has been conducted, between 1985 and 1991, in order to search for rapid variability. Stars of spectral types, namely from B8 to F4, have been selected for the survey. The selected pulsational variable stars occupy the hotter regions of the instability strip of the Hertzsprung-Russel diagram. Noted is the absence of pulsations in the hotter B8-A3 Ap stars; this does not, however, preclude the existence of pulsations, since HD 218495 was recently discovered to be a rapidly oscillating Ap (roAp) star. The primary result of this study is that various combinations of photometric indices, while pointing towards roAp stars having the characteristic signatures of cool, SrCrEu stars, still fail to isolate the roAp phenomenon from similar nonpulsating Ap stars. Color-magnitude and color-color diagrams are presented in order to complete this survey.

  14. The RABiT: A Rapid Automated Biodosimetry Tool For Radiological Triage. II. Technological Developments

    PubMed Central

    Garty, Guy; Chen, Youhua; Turner, Helen; Zhang, Jian; Lyulko, Oleksandra; Bertucci, Antonella; Xu, Yanping; Wang, Hongliang; Simaan, Nabil; Randers-Pehrson, Gerhard; Yao, Y. Lawrence; Brenner, David J.

    2011-01-01

    Purpose Over the past five years the Center for Minimally Invasive Radiation Biodosimetry at Columbia University has developed the Rapid Automated Biodosimetry Tool (RABiT), a completely automated, ultra-high throughput biodosimetry workstation. This paper describes recent upgrades and reliability testing of the RABiT. Materials and methods The RABiT analyzes fingerstick-derived blood samples to estimate past radiation exposure or to identify individuals exposed above or below a cutoff dose. Through automated robotics, lymphocytes are extracted from fingerstick blood samples into filter-bottomed multi-well plates. Depending on the time since exposure, the RABiT scores either micronuclei or phosphorylation of the histone H2AX, in an automated robotic system, using filter-bottomed multi-well plates. Following lymphocyte culturing, fixation and staining, the filter bottoms are removed from the multi-well plates and sealed prior to automated high-speed imaging. Image analysis is performed online using dedicated image processing hardware. Both the sealed filters and the images are archived. Results We have developed a new robotic system for lymphocyte processing, making use of an upgraded laser power and parallel processing of four capillaries at once. This system has allowed acceleration of lymphocyte isolation, the main bottleneck of the RABiT operation, from 12 to 2 sec/sample. Reliability tests have been performed on all robotic subsystems. Conclusions Parallel handling of multiple samples through the use of dedicated, purpose-built, robotics and high speed imaging allows analysis of up to 30,000 samples per day. PMID:21557703

  15. An analysis of social consequences of rapid fertility decline in China.

    PubMed

    Liu, Z; Liu, L

    1988-12-01

    Rapid fertility decline in China has brought about 2 direct effects: 1) the natural increase of the population has slowed down, and 2) the age structure has changed from the young to the adult type. These 2 effects have caused a series of economic and social consequences. Rapid fertility decline increases the gross national product per capita and accelerates the improvement of people's lives. Rapid fertility decline slows population growth and speeds up the accumulation of capital and the development of the economy. Since 1981, accumulation growth has exceeded consumption growth. Fertility decline alleviates the enrollment pressure on primary and secondary schools, raises the efficiency of education funds, and promotes the popularization of education. The family planning program strengthens the maternal and child health care and the medical care systems. As the result of economic development, the people's nutritional levels are improving. The physical quality of teenagers has improved steadily. The change in the age structure will alleviate the tension of rapid population growth and benefit population control in the next century. Fertility decline forces the traditional attitude toward childbearing from "more children, more happiness" to improved quality of children. The rapid fertility decline has caused a great deal of concern both inside and outside China about the aging of the population. The labor force, however, will continue to grow for the next 60 years. At present, China's population problems are still those of population growth.

  16. Rapid adhesive bonding concepts

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Stein, B. A.; Tyeryar, J. R.; Hodges, W. T.

    1984-01-01

    Adhesive bonding in the aerospace industry typically utilizes autoclaves or presses which have considerable thermal mass. As a consequence, the rates of heatup and cooldown of the bonded parts are limited and the total time and cost of the bonding process is often relatively high. Many of the adhesives themselves do not inherently require long processing times. Bonding could be performed rapidly if the heat was concentrated in the bond lines or at least in the adherends. Rapid adhesive bonding concepts were developed to utilize induction heating techniques to provide heat directly to the bond line and/or adherends without heating the entire structure, supports, and fixtures of a bonding assembly. Bonding times for specimens are cut by a factor of 10 to 100 compared to standard press bonding. The development of rapid adhesive bonding for lap shear specimens (per ASTM D1003 and D3163), for aerospace panel bonding, and for field repair needs of metallic and advanced fiber reinforced polymeric matrix composite structures are reviewed.

  17. Integrated database for rapid mass movements in Norway

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Jaedicke, C.; Lied, K.; Kronholm, K.

    2009-03-01

    Rapid gravitational slope mass movements include all kinds of short term relocation of geological material, snow or ice. Traditionally, information about such events is collected separately in different databases covering selected geographical regions and types of movement. In Norway the terrain is susceptible to all types of rapid gravitational slope mass movements ranging from single rocks hitting roads and houses to large snow avalanches and rock slides where entire mountainsides collapse into fjords creating flood waves and endangering large areas. In addition, quick clay slides occur in desalinated marine sediments in South Eastern and Mid Norway. For the authorities and inhabitants of endangered areas, the type of threat is of minor importance and mitigation measures have to consider several types of rapid mass movements simultaneously. An integrated national database for all types of rapid mass movements built around individual events has been established. Only three data entries are mandatory: time, location and type of movement. The remaining optional parameters enable recording of detailed information about the terrain, materials involved and damages caused. Pictures, movies and other documentation can be uploaded into the database. A web-based graphical user interface has been developed allowing new events to be entered, as well as editing and querying for all events. An integration of the database into a GIS system is currently under development. Datasets from various national sources like the road authorities and the Geological Survey of Norway were imported into the database. Today, the database contains 33 000 rapid mass movement events from the last five hundred years covering the entire country. A first analysis of the data shows that the most frequent type of recorded rapid mass movement is rock slides and snow avalanches followed by debris slides in third place. Most events are recorded in the steep fjord terrain of the Norwegian west coast, but

  18. Rapid Naming in Relation to Reading and Writing in Korean (Hangul), Chinese (Hanja) and English among Korean Children: A 1-Year Longitudinal Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cho, Jeung-Ryeul; Chiu, Ming Ming

    2015-01-01

    The relation of rapid automatised naming (RAN) to word recognition may depend on the phonological regularity of the orthography. This study examined differential contributions of RAN to reading and writing in Korean alphabetic Hangul, logographic Hanja (Chinese) and English as a second language among 73 fifth graders in Korea across 1?year. RAN…

  19. Cost-effectiveness of rapid HCV testing and simultaneous rapid HCV and HIV testing in substance abuse treatment programs

    PubMed Central

    Schackman, Bruce R.; Leff, Jared A.; Barter, Devra M.; DiLorenzo, Madeline A.; Feaster, Daniel J.; Metsch, Lisa R.; Freedberg, Kenneth A.; Linas, Benjamin P.

    2014-01-01

    Aims To evaluate the cost-effectiveness of rapid hepatitis C virus (HCV) and simultaneous HCV/HIV antibody testing in substance abuse treatment programs. Design We used a decision analytic model to compare the cost-effectiveness of no HCV testing referral or offer, off-site HCV testing referral, on-site rapid HCV testing offer, and on-site rapid HCV and HIV testing offer. Base case inputs included 11% undetected chronic HCV, 0.4% undetected HIV, 35% HCV co-infection among HIV-infected, 53% linked to HCV care after testing antibody positive, and 67% linked to HIV care. Disease outcomes were estimated from established computer simulation models of HCV (HEP-CE) and HIV (CEPAC). Setting and Participants Data on test acceptance and costs were from a national randomized trial of HIV testing strategies conducted at 12 substance abuse treatment programs in the USA. Measurements Lifetime costs (2011 US dollars) and quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) discounted at 3% annually; incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs) Findings On-site rapid HCV testing had an ICER of $18,300/QALY compared with no testing, and was more efficient than (dominated) off-site HCV testing referral. On-site rapid HCV and HIV testing had an ICER of $64,500/QALY compared with on-site rapid HCV testing alone. In one and two-way sensitivity analyses, the ICER of on-site rapid HCV and HIV testing remained <$100,000/QALY, except when undetected HIV prevalence was <0.1% or when we assumed frequent HIV testing elsewhere. The ICER remained <$100,000/QALY in approximately 90% of probabilistic sensitivity analyses. Conclusions On-site rapid hepatitis C virus and HIV testing in substance abuse treatment programs is cost-effective at a <$100,000/ quality-adjusted life years threshold. PMID:25291977

  20. Multifunctional Nanotechnology-Enabled Sensors for Rapid Capture and Detection of Pathogens.

    PubMed

    Mustafa, Fatima; Hassan, Rabeay Y A; Andreescu, Silvana

    2017-09-15

    Nanomaterial-based sensing approaches that incorporate different types of nanoparticles (NPs) and nanostructures in conjunction with natural or synthetic receptors as molecular recognition elements provide opportunities for the design of sensitive and selective assays for rapid detection of contaminants. This review summarizes recent advancements over the past ten years in the development of nanotechnology-enabled sensors and systems for capture and detection of pathogens. The most common types of nanostructures and NPs, their modification with receptor molecules and integration to produce viable sensing systems with biorecognition, amplification and signal readout are discussed. Examples of all-in-one systems that combine multifunctional properties for capture, separation, inactivation and detection are also provided. Current trends in the development of low-cost instrumentation for rapid assessment of food contamination are discussed as well as challenges for practical implementation and directions for future research.

  1. Multifunctional Nanotechnology-Enabled Sensors for Rapid Capture and Detection of Pathogens

    PubMed Central

    Mustafa, Fatima; Andreescu, Silvana

    2017-01-01

    Nanomaterial-based sensing approaches that incorporate different types of nanoparticles (NPs) and nanostructures in conjunction with natural or synthetic receptors as molecular recognition elements provide opportunities for the design of sensitive and selective assays for rapid detection of contaminants. This review summarizes recent advancements over the past ten years in the development of nanotechnology-enabled sensors and systems for capture and detection of pathogens. The most common types of nanostructures and NPs, their modification with receptor molecules and integration to produce viable sensing systems with biorecognition, amplification and signal readout are discussed. Examples of all-in-one systems that combine multifunctional properties for capture, separation, inactivation and detection are also provided. Current trends in the development of low-cost instrumentation for rapid assessment of food contamination are discussed as well as challenges for practical implementation and directions for future research. PMID:28914769

  2. RapidIO as a multi-purpose interconnect

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Baymani, Simaolhoda; Alexopoulos, Konstantinos; Valat, Sébastien

    2017-10-01

    RapidIO (http://rapidio.org/) technology is a packet-switched high-performance fabric, which has been under active development since 1997. Originally meant to be a front side bus, it developed into a system level interconnect which is today used in all 4G/LTE base stations world wide. RapidIO is often used in embedded systems that require high reliability, low latency and scalability in a heterogeneous environment - features that are highly interesting for several use cases, such as data analytics and data acquisition (DAQ) networks. We will present the results of evaluating RapidIO in a data analytics environment, from setup to benchmark. Specifically, we will share the experience of running ROOT and Hadoop on top of RapidIO. To demonstrate the multi-purpose characteristics of RapidIO, we will also present the results of investigating RapidIO as a technology for high-speed DAQ networks using a generic multi-protocol event-building emulation tool. In addition we will present lessons learned from implementing native ports of CERN applications to RapidIO.

  3. The NASA ISS-RapidScat Mission (Invited)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Rodriguez, E.

    2013-12-01

    between all satellites in the constellation. Of great interest as well will be the ability of RapidScat to observe both the diurnal and semi-diurnal wind cycles. Previously, the diurnal cycle had been partially observed by combining scatterometer pairs, but its seasonal and yearly changes had not been characterized. Due to relative biases, the semi-diurnal cycle has not been observed from space. RapidScat will also be able to observed the diurnal cycle over land, which will improve the knowledge of scatterometer calibration targets and complement soil moisture and vegetation missions. Finally, although it has a smaller swath than QuikSCAT's, RapidScat's data will serve as a useful complement to the winds acquired from other platforms. This may be of significant advantage when covering rapidly developing systems, such as tropical hurricanes.

  4. Rapid decline in forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) and the development of bronchitic symptoms among new Chinese coal miners

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

    Wang, M.L.; Wu, Z.E.; Du, Q.G.

    2007-10-15

    The objective was to investigate the relationship between the development of bronchitic symptoms and the early rapid decline of forced expiratory volume in I second (FEV1). A two-stage and a mixed model approach were used to analyze data from 260 newly hired Chinese coal miners who completed approximately 5 to 16 health surveys during 3 years. The proportion of miners with onset of bronchitic symptoms was significantly elevated after 11 months of underground mining. Miners with incident symptoms had greater declines in FEV1 compared with those who did not (- 65 vs - 23 mL/yr, P < 0. 05). Atmore » 24 months follow-up, FEV1 had declined an average 235 mL among the 26 miners who developed bronchitic symptoms and smoked, compared with a decline of 96 mL among the 132 nonsmoking miners without symptoms. Conclusions: Among new coal miners, a sharp early decline in FEV1 is associated with the development of bronchitic symptoms.« less

  5. [Application of supercritical solution rapid expansion technology in preparation of fine pharmacal particles].

    PubMed

    Zhang, Zhong-yi; Li, Hong-lei; Lei, Zheng-jie

    2006-12-01

    Rapid expansion of supercritical solution (RESS), a new technology, has been developed in the recent years. Fundamental principle of RESS technology used to prepare fine pharmacal particles was summarized in this paper. A brief review of factors which influenced the process of RESS and application of RESS technology were introduced.

  6. Development of genetic diversity, differentiation and structure over 500 years in four ponderosa pine populations.

    PubMed

    Lesser, M R; Parchman, T L; Jackson, S T

    2013-05-01

    Population history plays an important role in shaping contemporary levels of genetic variation and geographic structure. This is especially true in small, isolated range-margin populations, where effects of inbreeding, genetic drift and gene flow may be more pronounced than in large continuous populations. Effects of landscape fragmentation and isolation distance may have implications for persistence of range-margin populations if they are demographic sinks. We studied four small, disjunct populations of ponderosa pine over a 500-year period. We coupled demographic data obtained through dendroecological methods with microsatellite data to discern how and when contemporary levels of allelic diversity, among and within-population levels of differentiation, and geographic structure, arose. Alleles accumulated rapidly following initial colonization, demonstrating proportionally high levels of gene flow into the populations. At population sizes of approximately 100 individuals, allele accumulation saturated. Levels of genetic differentiation among populations (F(ST) and Jost's D(est)) and diversity within populations (F(IS)) remained stable through time. There was no evidence of geographic genetic structure at any time in the populations' history. Proportionally, high gene flow in the early stages of population growth resulted in rapid accumulation of alleles and quickly created relatively homogenous genetic patterns among populations. Our study demonstrates that contemporary levels of genetic diversity were formed quickly and early in population development. How contemporary genetic diversity accumulates over time is a key facet of understanding population growth and development. This is especially relevant given the extent and speed at which species ranges are predicted to shift in the coming century. © 2013 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

  7. Elevated serum uric acid level predicts rapid decline in kidney function

    PubMed Central

    Kuwabara, Masanari; Bjornstad, Petter; Hisatome, Ichiro; Niwa, Koichiro; Roncal-Jimenez, Carlos A; Andres-Hernando, Ana; Jensen, Thomas; Milagres, Tamara; Sato, Yuka; Garcia, Gabriela; Ohno, Minoru; Lanaspa, Miguel A; Johnson, Richard J

    2018-01-01

    Background While elevated serum uric acid level (SUA) is a recognized risk factor for chronic kidney disease (CKD), it remains unclear whether change in SUA is independently associated with change in estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) over time. Accordingly, we examined the longitudinal associations between change in SUA and change in eGFR over 5-years in a general Japanese population. Methods This was a large, single-center, retrospective 5-year cohort study at St. Luke's International Hospital, Tokyo, Japan, between 2004 and 2009. We included 13,070 subjects (30–85 years) in our analyses whose data were available at 2004 and 2009. Of those, we excluded 492 subjects with eGFR <60 mL/min/1.73m2 at baseline. In addition to examining the entire cohort (n=12,578), we stratified our analyses by baseline eGFR groups; 60–90 mL/min/1.73m2, 90–120 mL/min/1.73m2, and ≥120 mL/min/1.73m2. Linear and logistic regressions models were applied to examine the relationships between baseline and change in SUA, change in eGFR and rapid eGFR decline (defined as the highest quantile of change in eGFR), adjusted for age, sex, body mass index, abdominal circumference, hypertension, dyslipidemia, and diabetes mellitus. Results After multivariable adjustments including baseline eGFR, 1 mg/dL increase in baseline SUA was associated with greater odds of developing rapid eGFR decline (OR: 1.27, 95% CI: 1.17–1.38), and 1 mg/dL increase in SUA over 5-years was associated with 3.77-fold greater odds of rapid eGFR decline (OR: 3.77, 95% CI: 3.35–4.26). Conclusions Elevated baseline SUA and increasing SUA over time were independent risk factors for rapid eGFR decline over 5-years. PMID:28285309

  8. Development of an isothermal recombinase polymerase amplification assay for rapid detection of pseudorabies virus.

    PubMed

    Yang, Yang; Qin, Xiaodong; Zhang, Wei; Li, Zhiyong; Zhang, Shuaijun; Li, Yanmin; Zhang, Zhidong

    2017-06-01

    Recombinase polymerase amplification assays using real-time fluorescent detection (real-time RPA assay) and lateral flow dipstick (RPA LFD assay) were developed targeting the gD gene of pseudorabies virus (PRV). Both assays were performed at 39 °C within 20 min. The sensitivity of the real-time RPA assay and the RPA LFD assay was 100 copies per reaction and 160 copies per reaction, respectively. Both assays did not detect DNAs from other virus or PRV negative samples. Therefore, the developed RPA assays provide a rapid, simple, sensitive and specific alternative tool for detection of PRV. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  9. Development of vibrational spectroscopic methods to rapidly and non-destructively assess quality of chicken breast meat

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Development of Vibrational Spectroscopic Methods to Rapidly and Non-Destructively Assess Quality of Chicken Breast Meat H. Zhuang1, M. Sohn2, S. Trabelsi1 and K. Lawrence1 1Quality and Safety Assessment Research Unit, ARS-USDA, 950 College Station Road, Athens, GA 30605 2University of Georgia, De...

  10. The use of an automated flight test management system in the development of a rapid-prototyping flight research facility

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Duke, Eugene L.; Hewett, Marle D.; Brumbaugh, Randal W.; Tartt, David M.; Antoniewicz, Robert F.; Agarwal, Arvind K.

    1988-01-01

    An automated flight test management system (ATMS) and its use to develop a rapid-prototyping flight research facility for artificial intelligence (AI) based flight systems concepts are described. The ATMS provides a flight test engineer with a set of tools that assist in flight planning and simulation. This system will be capable of controlling an aircraft during the flight test by performing closed-loop guidance functions, range management, and maneuver-quality monitoring. The rapid-prototyping flight research facility is being developed at the Dryden Flight Research Facility of the NASA Ames Research Center (Ames-Dryden) to provide early flight assessment of emerging AI technology. The facility is being developed as one element of the aircraft automation program which focuses on the qualification and validation of embedded real-time AI-based systems.

  11. Early nutrition, growth and cognitive development of infants from birth to 2 years in Malaysia: a study protocol.

    PubMed

    Nurliyana, Abdul Razak; Mohd Shariff, Zalilah; Mohd Taib, Mohd Nasir; Gan, Wan Ying; Tan, Kit-Aun

    2016-09-29

    The first 2 years of life is a critical period of rapid growth and brain development. During this period, nutrition and environmental factors play important roles in growth and cognitive development of a child. This report describes the study protocol of early nutrition, growth and cognitive development of infants from birth to 2 years of age. This is a prospective cohort study of mothers and infants recruited from government health clinics in Seremban district in Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia. Infants are followed-up at 6, 12, 18 and 24 months of age. Pre-natal factors that include mother's pre-pregnancy body mass index, gestational weight gain, blood glucose and blood pressure during pregnancy, infant's gestational age, birth weight and head circumference at birth are obtained from patient card. Post-natal factors assessed at each follow-up are feeding practices, dietary intake, anthropometric measurements and cognitive development of infants. Iron status is assessed at 6 months, while infant temperament and home environment are assessed at 12 months. Maternal intelligence is assessed at 18 months. Early life nutritional programming is of current interest as many longitudinal studies are actively being conducted in developed countries to investigate this concept. The concept however is relatively new in developing countries such as Malaysia. This study will provide useful information on early nutrition and infant development in the first two years of life which can be further followed up to identify factors that track into childhood and contribute to growth and cognitive deviations.

  12. Oscillatory support for rapid frequency change processing in infants.

    PubMed

    Musacchia, Gabriella; Choudhury, Naseem A; Ortiz-Mantilla, Silvia; Realpe-Bonilla, Teresa; Roesler, Cynthia P; Benasich, April A

    2013-11-01

    Rapid auditory processing and auditory change detection abilities are crucial aspects of speech and language development, particularly in the first year of life. Animal models and adult studies suggest that oscillatory synchrony, and in particular low-frequency oscillations play key roles in this process. We hypothesize that infant perception of rapid pitch and timing changes is mediated, at least in part, by oscillatory mechanisms. Using event-related potentials (ERPs), source localization and time-frequency analysis of event-related oscillations (EROs), we examined the neural substrates of rapid auditory processing in 4-month-olds. During a standard oddball paradigm, infants listened to tone pairs with invariant standard (STD, 800-800 Hz) and variant deviant (DEV, 800-1200 Hz) pitch. STD and DEV tone pairs were first presented in a block with a short inter-stimulus interval (ISI) (Rapid Rate: 70 ms ISI), followed by a block of stimuli with a longer ISI (Control Rate: 300 ms ISI). Results showed greater ERP peak amplitude in response to the DEV tone in both conditions and later and larger peaks during Rapid Rate presentation, compared to the Control condition. Sources of neural activity, localized to right and left auditory regions, showed larger and faster activation in the right hemisphere for both rate conditions. Time-frequency analysis of the source activity revealed clusters of theta band enhancement to the DEV tone in right auditory cortex for both conditions. Left auditory activity was enhanced only during Rapid Rate presentation. These data suggest that local low-frequency oscillatory synchrony underlies rapid processing and can robustly index auditory perception in young infants. Furthermore, left hemisphere recruitment during rapid frequency change discrimination suggests a difference in the spectral and temporal resolution of right and left hemispheres at a very young age. © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  13. Rapid development of cyanobacterial crust in the field for combating desertification

    PubMed Central

    Park, Chan-Ho; Li, Xin Rong; Zhao, Yang; Jia, Rong Liang; Hur, Jae-Seoun

    2017-01-01

    Desertification is currently a major concern, and vast regions have already been devastated in the arid zones of many countries. Combined application of cyanobacteria with soil fixing chemicals is a novel method of restoring desertified areas. Three cyanobacteria, Nostoc sp. Vaucher ex Bornet & Flahault, Phormidium sp. Kützing ex Gomont and Scytonema arcangeli Bornet ex Flahault were isolated and tested in this study. Tacki-SprayTM (TKS7), which consists of bio-polysaccharides and tackifiers, was used as a soil fixing agent. In addition, superabsorbent polymer (SAP) was applied to the soil as a water-holding material and nutrient supplement. Application of cyanobacteria with superabsorbent polymer and TKS7 (CST) remarkably improved macro-aggregate stability against water and erodibility against wind after 12 months of inoculation when compared to the control soil. The mean weight diameter and threshold friction velocity of the CST treated soil were found to be 75% and 88% of those of the approximately 20-year-old natural cyanobacterial crust (N-BSC), respectively, while these values were 68% and 73% of those of the N-BSC soil after a single treatment of cyanobacteria alone (CY). Interestingly, biological activities of CST were similar to those of CY. Total carbohydrate contents, cyanobacterial biomass, microbial biomass, soil respiration, carbon fixation and effective quantum yield of CST treated soil were enhanced by 50–100% of the N-BSC, while those of control soil were negligible. Our results suggest that combined application of cyanobacteria with soil fixing chemicals can rapidly develop cyanobacterial crust formation in the field within 12 months. The physical properties and biological activities of the inoculated cyanobacterial crust were stable during the study period. The novel method presented herein serves as another approach for combating desertification in arid regions. PMID:28644849

  14. Rapid development of cyanobacterial crust in the field for combating desertification.

    PubMed

    Park, Chan-Ho; Li, Xin Rong; Zhao, Yang; Jia, Rong Liang; Hur, Jae-Seoun

    2017-01-01

    Desertification is currently a major concern, and vast regions have already been devastated in the arid zones of many countries. Combined application of cyanobacteria with soil fixing chemicals is a novel method of restoring desertified areas. Three cyanobacteria, Nostoc sp. Vaucher ex Bornet & Flahault, Phormidium sp. Kützing ex Gomont and Scytonema arcangeli Bornet ex Flahault were isolated and tested in this study. Tacki-SprayTM (TKS7), which consists of bio-polysaccharides and tackifiers, was used as a soil fixing agent. In addition, superabsorbent polymer (SAP) was applied to the soil as a water-holding material and nutrient supplement. Application of cyanobacteria with superabsorbent polymer and TKS7 (CST) remarkably improved macro-aggregate stability against water and erodibility against wind after 12 months of inoculation when compared to the control soil. The mean weight diameter and threshold friction velocity of the CST treated soil were found to be 75% and 88% of those of the approximately 20-year-old natural cyanobacterial crust (N-BSC), respectively, while these values were 68% and 73% of those of the N-BSC soil after a single treatment of cyanobacteria alone (CY). Interestingly, biological activities of CST were similar to those of CY. Total carbohydrate contents, cyanobacterial biomass, microbial biomass, soil respiration, carbon fixation and effective quantum yield of CST treated soil were enhanced by 50-100% of the N-BSC, while those of control soil were negligible. Our results suggest that combined application of cyanobacteria with soil fixing chemicals can rapidly develop cyanobacterial crust formation in the field within 12 months. The physical properties and biological activities of the inoculated cyanobacterial crust were stable during the study period. The novel method presented herein serves as another approach for combating desertification in arid regions.

  15. The development of an autonomous rendezvous and docking simulation using rapid integration and prototyping technology

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Shackelford, John H.; Saugen, John D.; Wurst, Michael J.; Adler, James

    1991-01-01

    A generic planar 3 degree of freedom simulation was developed that supports hardware in the loop simulations, guidance and control analysis, and can directly generate flight software. This simulation was developed in a small amount of time utilizing rapid prototyping techniques. The approach taken to develop this simulation tool, the benefits seen using this approach to development, and on-going efforts to improve and extend this capability are described. The simulation is composed of 3 major elements: (1) Docker dynamics model, (2) Dockee dynamics model, and (3) Docker Control System. The docker and dockee models are based on simple planar orbital dynamics equations using a spherical earth gravity model. The docker control system is based on a phase plane approach to error correction.

  16. Rapid Detection of Pathogens

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

    David Perlin

    2005-08-14

    Pathogen identification is a crucial first defense against bioterrorism. A major emphasis of our national biodefense strategy is to establish fast, accurate and sensitive assays for diagnosis of infectious diseases agents. Such assays will ensure early and appropriate treatment of infected patients. Rapid diagnostics can also support infection control measures, which monitor and limit the spread of infectious diseases agents. Many select agents are highly transmissible in the early stages of disease, and it is critical to identify infected patients and limit the risk to the remainder of the population and to stem potential panic in the general population. Nucleicmore » acid-based molecular approaches for identification overcome many of the deficiencies associated with conventional culture methods by exploiting both large- and small-scale genomic differences between organisms. PCR-based amplification of highly conserved ribosomal RNA (rRNA) genes, intergenic sequences, and specific toxin genes is currently the most reliable approach for bacterial, fungal and many viral pathogenic agents. When combined with fluorescence-based oligonucleotide detection systems, this approach provides real-time, quantitative, high fidelity analysis capable of single nucleotide allelic discrimination (4). These probe systems offer rapid turn around time (<2 h) and are suitable for high throughput, automated multiplex operations that are critical for clinical diagnostic laboratories. In this pilot program, we have used molecular beacon technology invented at the Public health Research Institute to develop a new generation of molecular probes to rapidly detect important agents of infectious diseases. We have also developed protocols to rapidly extract nucleic acids from a variety of clinical specimen including and blood and tissue to for detection in the molecular assays. This work represented a cooperative research development program between the Kramer-Tyagi/Perlin labs on probe

  17. Growth and development of red alder compared with conifers in 30-year-old stands.

    Treesearch

    Carl M. Berntsen

    1961-01-01

    Red alder (Alnus rubra), although a widespread tree species in Pacific coast forests, has only in recent years attained commercial importance as a source of wood material for diversified products including furniture, paneling, and paper pulp. With the rapid increase in the harvest of red alder, both public agencies and private industry are making a...

  18. Long-term culture change related to rapid response system implementation.

    PubMed

    Stevens, Jennifer; Johansson, Anna; Lennes, Inga; Hsu, Douglas; Tess, Anjala; Howell, Michael

    2014-12-01

    Increasing attention to patient safety in training hospitals may come at the expense of trainee autonomy and professional growth. This study sought to examine changes in medical trainees' self-reported behaviour after the institution-wide implementation of a rapid response system. We conducted a two-point cross-sectional survey of medical trainees in 2006, during the implementation of a rapid response system, and in 2010, in a single academic medical centre. A novel instrument was used to measure trainee likelihood of calling for supervisory assistance, perception of autonomy, and comfort in managing decompensating patients. Non-parametric tests to assess for change were used and year of training was evaluated as an effect modifier. Response rates were 38% in 2006 and 70% in 2010. After 5 years of the full implementation of the rapid response system, residents were significantly more likely to report calling their attending physicians for assistance (rising from 40% to 65% of relevant situations; p < 0.0001). Year of training was a significant effect modifier. Interns felt significantly more comfortable in managing acutely ill patients; juniors and seniors felt significantly less concerned about their autonomy at 5 years after the implementation of the rapid response system. These changes were mirrored in the actual use of the rapid response system, which increased by 41% during the 5-year period after adjustment for patient volume (p < 0.0001). A primary team-focused implementation of a rapid response system was associated with durable changes in resident physicians' reported behaviour, including increased comfort with involving more experienced physicians and managing unstable patients. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  19. Rapid development of xylanase assay conditions using Taguchi methodology.

    PubMed

    Prasad Uday, Uma Shankar; Bandyopadhyay, Tarun Kanti; Bhunia, Biswanath

    2016-11-01

    The present investigation is mainly concerned with the rapid development of extracellular xylanase assay conditions by using Taguchi methodology. The extracellular xylanase was produced from Aspergillus niger (KP874102.1), a new strain isolated from a soil sample of the Baramura forest, Tripura West, India. Four physical parameters including temperature, pH, buffer concentration and incubation time were considered as key factors for xylanase activity and were optimized using Taguchi robust design methodology for enhanced xylanase activity. The main effect, interaction effects and optimal levels of the process factors were determined using signal-to-noise (S/N) ratio. The Taguchi method recommends the use of S/N ratio to measure quality characteristics. Based on analysis of the S/N ratio, optimal levels of the process factors were determined. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) was performed to evaluate statistically significant process factors. ANOVA results showed that temperature contributed the maximum impact (62.58%) on xylanase activity, followed by pH (22.69%), buffer concentration (9.55%) and incubation time (5.16%). Predicted results showed that enhanced xylanase activity (81.47%) can be achieved with pH 2, temperature 50°C, buffer concentration 50 Mm and incubation time 10 min.

  20. Development of flexural vibration inspection techniques to rapidly assess the structural health of rural bridge systems

    Treesearch

    Brian K. Brashaw; Robert Vatalaro; Xiping Wang; Kevin Sarvela; James P. Wacker

    2008-01-01

    Approximately 4,000 vehicle bridges in the State of Minnesota contain structural timber members. Recent research at the University of Minnesota Duluth Natural Resources Research Institute (UMD NRRI) has been conducted on vibration testing of timber bridges as a means of developing rapid in-place testing techniques for assessing the structural health of bridges. The...

  1. Development and Validation of Rapid Assessment Indices for Condition of Coastal Wetlands in Southern New England USA

    EPA Science Inventory

    The goals of this study were to develop and validate a Rapid Assessment Method (RAM) for assessing the condition of coastal wetlands in New England, USA. Eighty-one coastal wetland sites were assessed; nested within these were ten reference sites which were previously assessed us...

  2. Systematic Review of Self-Report Measures of Pain Intensity in 3- and 4-Year-Old Children: Bridging a Period of Rapid Cognitive Development.

    PubMed

    von Baeyer, Carl L; Jaaniste, Tiina; Vo, Henry L T; Brunsdon, Georgie; Lao, Hsuan-Chih; Champion, G David

    2017-09-01

    Claims are made for the validity of some self-report pain scales for 3- and 4-year-old children, but little is known about their ability to use such tools. This systematic review identified self-report pain intensity measures used with 3- and/or 4- year-old participants (3-4yo) and considered their reliability and validity within this age span. The search protocol identified research articles that included 3-4yo, reported use of any pain scale, and included self-reported pain intensity ratings. A total of 1,590 articles were screened and 617 articles met inclusion criteria. Of the included studies, 98% aggregated self-report data for 3-4yo with data for older children, leading to overestimates of the reliability and validity of self-report in the younger age group. In the 14 studies that provided nonaggregated data for 3-4yo, there was no evidence for 3-year-old and weak evidence for 4-year-old children being able to use published self-report pain intensity tools in a valid or reliable way. Preschool-age children have been reported to do better with fewer than the 6 response options offered on published faces scales. Simplified tools are being developed for young children; however, more research is needed before these are adopted. Some self-report pain scales have been promoted for use with 3- and 4-year-old children, but this is on the basis of studies that aggregated data for younger and older children, resulting in overestimates of reliability and validity for the preschool-age children. Scales with fewer response options show promise, at least for 4-year-old children. Copyright © 2017 American Pain Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  3. The impact of rapid population growth, expanding urbanisation, and other factors on development in sub-Saharan Africa: the contrasting responses of Tanzania and Kenya.

    PubMed

    Huth, M J

    1984-01-01

    This article analyzes the impact of the twin factors of rapid population growth and expanding urbanization on social and economic development in sub-Saharan Africa and compares policies that have been developed in Tanzania and Kenya in response to these factors. The principal consequences of overpopulation and overurbanization have been economic stagnation and physical and cultural malaise in urban population centers. Between 1960-80, per capita incomes in 19 countries of sub-Saharan Africa grew by less than 1%/year and 15 countries recorded a negative rate of growth in per capita income during the 1970s. Urban populations have increased at at overall rate of 6%/year as sub-Saharan Africans have migrated to cities in search of employment. Few national governments in the region have formulated longterm strategies to deal effectively with this double-faceted development constraint or have integrated new urban populations into the national economy. tanzania's development strategy is focused on the goals of socialism, rural development, and self-reliance. Urban development has remained a residual item in Tanzania's national development process, despite the fact that the urban population increased from 5.7% of the total population in 1967 to 12.7% in 1978 and is projected to comprise 24.7% by the year 2000. In contrast, Kenya, whose proportion of urban population increased from 9% to 15% between 1962 and 1979, has pursued an urban-focused development strategy. The strong urban-rural linkages of the economy have focused migration to the secondary towns. The national development plan includes urban spatial, employment, and investment policies. Although this plan constitutes a good basis for future planning, the magnitude of the urban problem is beyond the capabilities of the central government and requires the development of local capabilities.

  4. Development of a nested-PCR assay for the rapid detection of Pilidiella granati in pomegranate fruit

    PubMed Central

    Yang, Xue; Hameed, Uzma; Zhang, Ai-Fang; Zang, Hao-Yu; Gu, Chun-Yan; Chen, Yu; Xu, Yi-Liu

    2017-01-01

    Pilidiella granati, a causal agent of twig blight and crown rot of pomegranate, is an emerging threat that may cause severe risk to the pomegranate industry in the future. Development of a rapid assay for the timely and accurate detection of P. granati will be helpful in the active surveillance and management of the disease caused by this pathogen. In this study, a nested PCR method was established for the detection of P. granati. Comparative analysis of genetic diversity within 5.8S rDNA internal transcribed spacer (ITS) sequences of P. granati and 21 other selected fungal species was performed to design species-specific primers (S1 and S2). This primer pair successfully amplified a 450 bp product exclusively from the genomic DNA of P. granati. The developed method can detect 10 pg genomic DNA of the pathogen in about 6 h. This technique was successfully applied to detect the natural infection of P. granati in the pomegranate fruit. The designed protocol is rapid and precise with a high degree of sensitivity. PMID:28106107

  5. Cognitive Development during the College Years.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Van Hecke, Madeleine L.

    The use of William Perry's (1970) model of cognitive development during the college years to restructure an abnormal psychology course is described. The model provides a framework for students and teachers to understand the confusion and frustration they sometimes experience. Perry proposed that students enter college with tacit epistemological…

  6. Genotyping and interpretation of STR-DNA: Low-template, mixtures and database matches-Twenty years of research and development.

    PubMed

    Gill, Peter; Haned, Hinda; Bleka, Oyvind; Hansson, Oskar; Dørum, Guro; Egeland, Thore

    2015-09-01

    The introduction of Short Tandem Repeat (STR) DNA was a revolution within a revolution that transformed forensic DNA profiling into a tool that could be used, for the first time, to create National DNA databases. This transformation would not have been possible without the concurrent development of fluorescent automated sequencers, combined with the ability to multiplex several loci together. Use of the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) increased the sensitivity of the method to enable the analysis of a handful of cells. The first multiplexes were simple: 'the quad', introduced by the defunct UK Forensic Science Service (FSS) in 1994, rapidly followed by a more discriminating 'six-plex' (Second Generation Multiplex) in 1995 that was used to create the world's first national DNA database. The success of the database rapidly outgrew the functionality of the original system - by the year 2000 a new multiplex of ten-loci was introduced to reduce the chance of adventitious matches. The technology was adopted world-wide, albeit with different loci. The political requirement to introduce pan-European databases encouraged standardisation - the development of European Standard Set (ESS) of markers comprising twelve-loci is the latest iteration. Although development has been impressive, the methods used to interpret evidence have lagged behind. For example, the theory to interpret complex DNA profiles (low-level mixtures), had been developed fifteen years ago, but only in the past year or so, are the concepts starting to be widely adopted. A plethora of different models (some commercial and others non-commercial) have appeared. This has led to a confusing 'debate' about the 'best' to use. The different models available are described along with their advantages and disadvantages. A section discusses the development of national DNA databases, along with details of an associated controversy to estimate the strength of evidence of matches. Current methodology is limited to

  7. Rapid methods for the detection of foodborne bacterial pathogens: principles, applications, advantages and limitations

    PubMed Central

    Law, Jodi Woan-Fei; Ab Mutalib, Nurul-Syakima; Chan, Kok-Gan; Lee, Learn-Han

    2015-01-01

    The incidence of foodborne diseases has increased over the years and resulted in major public health problem globally. Foodborne pathogens can be found in various foods and it is important to detect foodborne pathogens to provide safe food supply and to prevent foodborne diseases. The conventional methods used to detect foodborne pathogen are time consuming and laborious. Hence, a variety of methods have been developed for rapid detection of foodborne pathogens as it is required in many food analyses. Rapid detection methods can be categorized into nucleic acid-based, biosensor-based and immunological-based methods. This review emphasizes on the principles and application of recent rapid methods for the detection of foodborne bacterial pathogens. Detection methods included are simple polymerase chain reaction (PCR), multiplex PCR, real-time PCR, nucleic acid sequence-based amplification (NASBA), loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) and oligonucleotide DNA microarray which classified as nucleic acid-based methods; optical, electrochemical and mass-based biosensors which classified as biosensor-based methods; enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and lateral flow immunoassay which classified as immunological-based methods. In general, rapid detection methods are generally time-efficient, sensitive, specific and labor-saving. The developments of rapid detection methods are vital in prevention and treatment of foodborne diseases. PMID:25628612

  8. Mortality from road traffic accidents in a rapidly urbanizing Chinese city: A 20-year analysis in Shenzhen, 1994-2013.

    PubMed

    Xie, Shao-Hua; Wu, Yong-Sheng; Liu, Xiao-Jian; Fu, Ying-Bin; Li, Shan-Shan; Ma, Han-Wu; Zou, Fei; Cheng, Jin-Quan

    2016-01-01

    This study aimed to describe the trends of motorization and mortality rates from road traffic accidents and examine their associations in a rapidly urbanizing city in China, Shenzhen. Using data from the Shenzhen Deaths Registry between 1994 and 2013, we calculated the annual mortality rates of road traffic accidents, in addition to the age- and sex-specific mortality rates and their annual percentage changes (APCs) for the period of 2000-2013. We also examined the associations between mortality rate of road traffic accidents and traffic growth with Spearman's rank correlation analysis and a log-linear model derived from Smeed's law. A total of 20,196 deaths due to road traffic accidents, including 14,391 (71.3%) male deaths and 5,805 (28.7%) female deaths, were recorded in Shenzhen from 1994 to 2013. The annual mortality rates in terms of deaths per population and deaths per vehicle changed in similar patterns, demonstrating an increase since 1994 and peaking in 1997, followed by a steady decrease thereafter. The decrease in mortality was faster in individuals aged 20 year or older compared to those younger than 20 years. The mortality rates in term of deaths per population were positively correlated with the total number of vehicles per kilometer of road but negatively correlated with the motorization rate in term of vehicles per population. The estimated model for deaths due to road traffic accidents in relation to the total population and the number of registered vehicles was ln (deaths/10,000 vehicles) = -1.902 × ln (vehicles/population) - 1.961. The coefficient was statistically significant (P < .001) and the coefficient of determination was 0.966, indicating a good model fit. We described a generally decreasing trend in the mortality rates of road traffic accidents in a rapidly urbanizing Chinese city based observations in the 20-year period from 1994 to 2013. The decreased mortality rate may be explained by the expansion of road network construction

  9. Rapid Prototyping of Composite Structures

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Colton, Jonathan S.

    1998-01-01

    This progress report for the project Rapid Production of Composite Structures covers the period from July 14, 1997 to June 30, 1998. It will present a short overview of the project, followed by the results to date and plans for the future. The goal of this research is to provide a minimum 100x reduction in the time required to produce arbitrary, laminated products without the need for a separate mold or an autoclave. It will accomplish this by developing the science underlying the rapid production of composite structures, specifically those of carbon fiber-epoxy materials. This scientific understanding will be reduced to practice in a demonstration device that will produce a part on the order of 12" by 12" by 6". Work in the past year has focussed on developing an understanding of the materials issues and of the machine design issues. Our initial goal was to use UV cureable resins to accomplish full cure on the machine. Therefore, we have centered our materials work around whether or not UV cureable resins will work. Currently, the answer seems to be that they will not work, because UV light cannot penetrate the carbon fibers, and because no "shadow" curing seems to occur. As a result, non-UV cureable resins are being investigated. This has resulted in a change in the machine design focus. We are now looking into a "dip and place" machine design, whereby a prepreg layer would have one side coated with a curing agent, and then would be placed onto the previous layer. This would lead to cure at the interface, but not to the top of the layer. The formulation of the resins to accomplish this task at room or slightly elevated temperatures is being investigated, as is the machine design needed to apply the curing agent and then cure or partially cure the part. A final, out-of-autoclave, post-cure may be needed with this strategy, as final cure on the machine may not be possible, as it was for the initial UV cure strategy. The remainder of this report details the progress

  10. Rapid emergence of subaerial landmasses and onset of a modern hydrologic cycle 2.5 billion years ago.

    PubMed

    Bindeman, I N; Zakharov, D O; Palandri, J; Greber, N D; Dauphas, N; Retallack, G J; Hofmann, A; Lackey, J S; Bekker, A

    2018-05-01

    The history of the growth of continental crust is uncertain, and several different models that involve a gradual, decelerating, or stepwise process have been proposed 1-4 . Even more uncertain is the timing and the secular trend of the emergence of most landmasses above the sea (subaerial landmasses), with estimates ranging from about one billion to three billion years ago 5-7 . The area of emerged crust influences global climate feedbacks and the supply of nutrients to the oceans 8 , and therefore connects Earth's crustal evolution to surface environmental conditions 9-11 . Here we use the triple-oxygen-isotope composition of shales from all continents, spanning 3.7 billion years, to provide constraints on the emergence of continents over time. Our measurements show a stepwise total decrease of 0.08 per mille in the average triple-oxygen-isotope value of shales across the Archaean-Proterozoic boundary. We suggest that our data are best explained by a shift in the nature of water-rock interactions, from near-coastal in the Archaean era to predominantly continental in the Proterozoic, accompanied by a decrease in average surface temperatures. We propose that this shift may have coincided with the onset of a modern hydrological cycle owing to the rapid emergence of continental crust with near-modern average elevation and aerial extent roughly 2.5 billion years ago.

  11. [Rapid diagnostic test for malaria].

    PubMed

    Houzé, S

    2017-02-01

    The rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) whose main interest lies in their implementation without special equipment by unskilled personnel have grown significantly over the past fifteen years to diagnose malaria. They rely on the detection of specific Plasmodium proteins, PfHRP2, pLDH and aldolase. If the detection of PfHRP2 has very good sensitivity for the diagnosis of Plasmodium falciparum malaria, the detection of pLDH or aldolase is less efficient for other species, leaving its place to the reference microscopic diagnosis. RDT could not generally be used to monitor therapeutic efficacy because they can remain positive after clinical and parasitological cure. Furthermore, the development of the use of these tests has highlighted the need for quality assurance programs to monitor their production as their use.

  12. Rapid response to an emerging infectious disease - Lessons learned from development of a synthetic DNA vaccine targeting Zika virus.

    PubMed

    Kudchodkar, Sagar B; Choi, Hyeree; Reuschel, Emma L; Esquivel, Rianne; Jin-Ah Kwon, Jackie; Jeong, Moonsup; Maslow, Joel N; Reed, Charles C; White, Scott; Kim, J Joseph; Kobinger, Gary P; Tebas, Pablo; Weiner, David B; Muthumani, Kar

    2018-03-17

    Vaccines are considered one of the greatest advances in modern medicine. The global burden of numerous infectious diseases has been significantly reduced, and in some cases, effectively eradicated through the deployment of specific vaccines. However, efforts to develop effective new vaccines against infectious pathogens such as influenza, Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), dengue virus (DENV), chikungunya virus (CHIKV), Ebola virus, and Zika virus (ZIKV) have proven challenging. Zika virus is a mosquito-vectored flavivirus responsible for periodic outbreaks of disease in Africa, Southeast Asia, and the Pacific Islands dating back over 50 years. Over this period, ZIKV infections were subclinical in most infected individuals and resulted in mild cases of fever, arthralgia, and rash in others. Concerns about ZIKV changed over the past two years, however, as outbreaks in Brazil, Central American countries, and Caribbean islands revealed novel aspects of infection including vertical and sexual transmission modes. Cases have been reported showing dramatic neurological pathologies including microcephaly and other neurodevelopmental problems in babies born to ZIKV infected mothers, as well as an increased risk of Guillain-Barre syndrome in adults. These findings prompted the World Health Organization to declare ZIKV a public health emergency in 2016, which resulted in expanded efforts to develop ZIKV vaccines and immunotherapeutics. Several ZIKV vaccine candidates that are immunogenic and effective at blocking ZIKV infection in animal models have since been developed, with some of these now being evaluated in the clinic. Additional therapeutics under investigation include anti-ZIKV monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) that have been shown to neutralize infection in vitro as well as protect against morbidity in mouse models of ZIKV infection. In this review, we summarize the current understanding of ZIKV biology and describe our efforts to rapidly develop a vaccine against ZIKV

  13. Electrochemical Biosensors for Rapid Detection of Foodborne Salmonella: A Critical Overview

    PubMed Central

    Cinti, Stefano; Volpe, Giulia; Piermarini, Silvia; Delibato, Elisabetta; Palleschi, Giuseppe

    2017-01-01

    Salmonella has represented the most common and primary cause of food poisoning in many countries for at least over 100 years. Its detection is still primarily based on traditional microbiological culture methods which are labor-intensive, extremely time consuming, and not suitable for testing a large number of samples. Accordingly, great efforts to develop rapid, sensitive and specific methods, easy to use, and suitable for multi-sample analysis, have been made and continue. Biosensor-based technology has all the potentialities to meet these requirements. In this paper, we review the features of the electrochemical immunosensors, genosensors, aptasensors and phagosensors developed in the last five years for Salmonella detection, focusing on the critical aspects of their application in food analysis. PMID:28820458

  14. Development of a Rapid Insulin Assay by Homogenous Time-Resolved Fluorescence

    PubMed Central

    Vallaghe, Julie; Gregor, Nathalie; Donthamsetti, Prashant; Harris, Paul E.; Pierre, Nicolas; Freyberg, Robin; Charrier-Savournin, Fabienne; Javitch, Jonathan A.; Freyberg, Zachary

    2016-01-01

    Direct measurement of insulin is critical for basic and clinical studies of insulin secretion. However, current methods are expensive and time-consuming. We developed an insulin assay based on homogenous time-resolved fluorescence that is significantly more rapid and cost-effective than current commonly used approaches. This assay was applied effectively to an insulin secreting cell line, INS-1E cells, as well as pancreatic islets, allowing us to validate the assay by elucidating mechanisms by which dopamine regulates insulin release. We found that dopamine functioned as a significant negative modulator of glucose-stimulated insulin secretion. Further, we showed that bromocriptine, a known dopamine D2/D3 receptor agonist and newly approved drug used for treatment of type II diabetes mellitus, also decreased glucose-stimulated insulin secretion in islets to levels comparable to those caused by dopamine treatment. PMID:26849707

  15. Rapid Model Fabrication and Testing for Aerospace Vehicles

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Buck, Gregory M.

    2000-01-01

    Advanced methods for rapid fabrication and instrumentation of hypersonic wind tunnel models are being developed and evaluated at NASA Langley Research Center. Rapid aeroheating model fabrication and measurement techniques using investment casting of ceramic test models and thermographic phosphors are reviewed. More accurate model casting techniques for fabrication of benchmark metal and ceramic test models are being developed using a combination of rapid prototype patterns and investment casting. White light optical scanning is used for coordinate measurements to evaluate the fabrication process and verify model accuracy to +/- 0.002 inches. Higher-temperature (<210C) luminescent coatings are also being developed for simultaneous pressure and temperature mapping, providing global pressure as well as global aeroheating measurements. Together these techniques will provide a more rapid and complete experimental aerodynamic and aerothermodynamic database for future aerospace vehicles.

  16. Rapid evidence assessment: increasing the transparency of an emerging methodology.

    PubMed

    Varker, Tracey; Forbes, David; Dell, Lisa; Weston, Adele; Merlin, Tracy; Hodson, Stephanie; O'Donnell, Meaghan

    2015-12-01

    Within the field of evidence-based practice, policy makers, health care professionals and consumers require timely reviews to inform decisions on efficacious health care and treatments. Rapid evidence assessment (REA), also known as rapid review, has emerged in recent years as a literature review methodology that fulfils this need. It highlights what is known in a clinical area to the target audience in a relatively short time frame. This article discusses the lack of transparency and limited critical appraisal that can occur in REA, and goes on to propose general principles for conducting a REA. The approach that we describe is consistent with the principles underlying systematic review methodology, but also makes allowances for the rapid delivery of information as required while utilizing explicit and reproducible methods at each stage. Our method for conducting REA includes: developing an explicit research question in consultation with the end-users; clear definition of the components of the research question; development of a thorough and reproducible search strategy; development of explicit evidence selection criteria; and quality assessments and transparent decisions about the level of information to be obtained from each study. In addition, the REA may also include an assessment of the quality of the total body of evidence. Transparent reporting of REA methodologies will provide greater clarity to end-users about how the information is obtained and about the trade-offs that are made between speed and rigour. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  17. Growth in early life and the development of obesity by age 9 years: are there critical periods and a role for an early life stressor?

    PubMed

    Giles, L C; Whitrow, M J; Rumbold, A R; Davies, C E; de Stavola, B; Pitcher, J B; Davies, M J; Moore, V M

    2013-04-01

    Rapid growth, possibly occurring in critical periods in early life, may be important for the development of obesity. It is unknown whether this is influenced by postnatal exposures such as age-relevant sources of stress. Frequent house moves may be one such stressor. We aimed to examine if there is a period of growth in early life critical for the development of child obesity by age 9 years and assess the role of house moves in modifying any relationships between early life growth and obesity at age 9 years. Prospective Australian birth cohort study. In all, 392 children with serial body size measurements from birth to age 9 years. Standardized body mass index (z-BMI) was available for six time points (spanning birth to 3½ years), and the total number of house moves between birth and 3½ years. The outcomes considered were z-BMI and % body fat (%BF) at age 9 years. Linear regression models were used to estimate the effects of serial measurements of z-BMI and number of house moves on the outcomes. Life-course plots showed that z-BMI at 3½ years was a statistically significant predictor of z-BMI at 9 years (β=0.80; standard error (s.e.), 0.04), whereas z-BMI at 9 months (β=-1.13; s.e., 0.40) and 3½ years (β=4.82; s.e., 0.42) were significant predictors of %BF at age 9 years. There were statistically significant interactions between the number of house moves and change in z-BMI between 9 and 12 months, such that ≥ 3 house moves in early life amplified the detrimental effects of earlier rapid growth on both body size and composition at age 9 years. In the absence of evidence for a single critical period, efforts to prevent overweight and obesity are required throughout childhood. In addition, modifiable postnatal stressors may exacerbate effects of early growth on obesity in later childhood.

  18. AIBench: a rapid application development framework for translational research in biomedicine.

    PubMed

    Glez-Peña, D; Reboiro-Jato, M; Maia, P; Rocha, M; Díaz, F; Fdez-Riverola, F

    2010-05-01

    Applied research in both biomedical discovery and translational medicine today often requires the rapid development of fully featured applications containing both advanced and specific functionalities, for real use in practice. In this context, new tools are demanded that allow for efficient generation, deployment and reutilization of such biomedical applications as well as their associated functionalities. In this context this paper presents AIBench, an open-source Java desktop application framework for scientific software development with the goal of providing support to both fundamental and applied research in the domain of translational biomedicine. AIBench incorporates a powerful plug-in engine, a flexible scripting platform and takes advantage of Java annotations, reflection and various design principles in order to make it easy to use, lightweight and non-intrusive. By following a basic input-processing-output life cycle, it is possible to fully develop multiplatform applications using only three types of concepts: operations, data-types and views. The framework automatically provides functionalities that are present in a typical scientific application including user parameter definition, logging facilities, multi-threading execution, experiment repeatability and user interface workflow management, among others. The proposed framework architecture defines a reusable component model which also allows assembling new applications by the reuse of libraries from past projects or third-party software. Copyright (c) 2009 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  19. Rapid Facial Reactions to Emotional Facial Expressions in Typically Developing Children and Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Beall, Paula M.; Moody, Eric J.; McIntosh, Daniel N.; Hepburn, Susan L.; Reed, Catherine L.

    2008-01-01

    Typical adults mimic facial expressions within 1000ms, but adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) do not. These rapid facial reactions (RFRs) are associated with the development of social-emotional abilities. Such interpersonal matching may be caused by motor mirroring or emotional responses. Using facial electromyography (EMG), this study…

  20. Personal Development in Secondary Education: The Irish Transition Year

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Clerkin, Aidan

    2012-01-01

    Secondary education in Ireland includes an optional Transition Year (TY) between the junior and senior examination cycles, when students are typically about 15 years old. Transition Year is an innovative programme, unique to Irish education, which is intended as a non-academic year devoted to personal and social development in the absence of…

  1. Development of rapidly quenched nickel-based non-boron filler metals for brazing corrosion resistant steels

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ivannikov, A.; Kalin, B.; Suchkov, A.; Penyaz, M.; Yurlova, M.

    2016-04-01

    Corrosion-resistant steels are stably applied in modern rocket and nuclear technology. Creating of permanent joints of these steels is a difficult task that can be solved by means of welding or brazing. Recently, the use rapidly quenched boron-containing filler metals is perspective. However, the use of such alloys leads to the formation of brittle borides in brazing zone, which degrades the corrosion resistance and mechanical properties of the compounds. Therefore, the development of non-boron alloys for brazing stainless steels is important task. The study of binary systems Ni-Be and Ni-Si revealed the perspective of replacing boron in Ni-based filler metals by beryllium, so there was the objective of studying of phase equilibrium in the system Ni-Be-Si. The alloys of the Ni-Si-Be with different contents of Si and Be are considered in this paper. The presence of two low-melting components is revealed during of their studying by methods of metallography analysis and DTA. Microhardness is measured and X-ray diffraction analysis is conducted for a number of alloys of Ni-Si-Be. The compositions are developed on the basis of these data. Rapidly quenched brazing alloys can be prepared from these compositions, and they are suitable for high temperature brazing of steels.

  2. Apical hypertrophy associated with rapid T wave inversion on the electrocardiogram.

    PubMed

    Yamanari, H; Saito, D; Mikio, K; Nakamura, K; Nanba, T; Morita, H; Mizuo, K; Sato, T; Ohe, T

    1995-01-01

    A 53-year-old man who had no chest pain and no family history of heart disease demonstrated a rapid T wave change on an electrocardiogram, from a positive T wave to a giant negative T wave, within 1 year. Echocardiography showed no left ventricular hypertrophy before or after the T wave change. Cine-magnetic resonance imaging revealed focal apical hypertrophy after the appearance of the giant negative T wave. Although T wave inversions sometimes develop within a short period in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, they are rare in a patient without hypertension or chest pain.

  3. Reproducibility patterns of multiple rapid swallows during high resolution esophageal manometry provide insights into esophageal pathophysiology.

    PubMed

    Price, L H; Li, Y; Patel, A; Gyawali, C Prakash

    2014-05-01

    Multiple rapid swallows (MRS) during esophageal high resolution manometry (HRM) assess esophageal neuromuscular integrity by evaluating postdeglutitive inhibition and rebound contraction, but most reports performed only a single MRS sequence. We assessed patterns of MRS reproducibility during clinical HRM in comparison to a normal cohort. Consecutive clinical HRM studies were included if two separate MRS sequences (four to six rapid swallows ≤4 s apart) were successfully performed. Chicago Classification diagnoses were identified; contraction wave abnormalities were additionally recorded. MRS-induced inhibition (contraction ≤3 cm during inhibition phase) and rebound contraction was assessed, and findings compared to 18 controls (28.0 ± 0.7 year, 50.0% female). Reproducibility consisted of similar inhibition and contraction responses with both sequences; discordance was segregated into inhibition and contraction phases. Multiple rapid swallows were successfully performed in 89.3% patients and all controls; 225 subjects (56.2 ± 0.9 year, 62.7% female) met study inclusion criteria. Multiple rapid swallows were reproducible in 76.9% patients and 94.4% controls (inhibition phase: 88.0% vs 94.4%, contraction phase 86.7% vs 100%, respectively, p = ns). A gradient of reproducibility was noted, highest in well-developed motor disorders (achalasia spectrum, hypermotility disorders, and aperistalsis, 91.7-100%, p = ns compared to controls); and lower in lesser motor disorders (contraction wave abnormalities, esophageal body hypomotility) or normal studies (62.2-70.8%, p < 0.0001 compared to well-developed motor disorders). Inhibition phase was most discordant in contraction wave abnormalities, while contraction phase was most discordant when studies were designated normal. Multiple rapid swallows are highly reproducible, especially in well-developed motor disorders, and complement the standard wet swallow manometry protocol. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  4. Lessons from the Salk Polio Vaccine: Methods for and Risks of Rapid Translation

    PubMed Central

    Juskewitch, B.A., Justin E.; Tapia, B.A., Carmen J.; Windebank, Anthony J.

    2010-01-01

    Abstract The Salk inactivated poliovirus vaccine is one of the most rapid examples of bench‐to‐bedside translation in medicine. In the span of 6 years, the key basic lab discoveries facilitating the development of the vaccine were made, optimization and safety testing was completed in both animals and human volunteers, the largest clinical trial in history of 1.8 million children was conducted, and the results were released to an eagerly awaiting public. Such examples of rapid translation cannot only offer clues to what factors can successfully drive and accelerate the translational process but also what mistakes can occur (and thus should be avoided) during such a swift process. In this commentary, we explore the translational path of the Salk polio vaccine from the key basic science discoveries to the 1954 Field Trials and delve into the scientific and sociopolitical factors that aided in its rapid development. Moreover, we look at the Cutter and Wyeth incidents after the vaccine’s approval and the errors that led to them. Clin Trans Sci 2010; Volume 3: 182–185 PMID:20718820

  5. Rapid thinning of Pine Island Glacier in the early Holocene.

    PubMed

    Johnson, J S; Bentley, M J; Smith, J A; Finkel, R C; Rood, D H; Gohl, K; Balco, G; Larter, R D; Schaefer, J M

    2014-02-28

    Pine Island Glacier, a major outlet of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet, has been undergoing rapid thinning and retreat for the past two decades. We demonstrate, using glacial-geological and geochronological data, that Pine Island Glacier (PIG) also experienced rapid thinning during the early Holocene, around 8000 years ago. Cosmogenic (10)Be concentrations in glacially transported rocks show that this thinning was sustained for decades to centuries at an average rate of more than 100 centimeters per year, which is comparable with contemporary thinning rates. The most likely mechanism was a reduction in ice shelf buttressing. Our findings reveal that PIG has experienced rapid thinning at least once in the past and that, once set in motion, rapid ice sheet changes in this region can persist for centuries.

  6. Development of a quantitative rapid diagnostic test for multibacillary leprosy using smart phone technology.

    PubMed

    Paula Vaz Cardoso, Ludimila; Dias, Ronaldo Ferreira; Freitas, Aline Araújo; Hungria, Emerith Mayra; Oliveira, Regiane Morillas; Collovati, Marco; Reed, Steven G; Duthie, Malcolm S; Martins Araújo Stefani, Mariane

    2013-10-23

    Despite efforts to eliminate leprosy as public health problem, delayed diagnosis and disabilities still occur in many countries. Leprosy diagnosis remains based on clinical manifestations and the number of clinicians with expertise in leprosy diagnosis is in decline. We have developed a new immunochromatographic test with the goal of producing a simple and rapid system that can be used, with a minimal amount of training, to provide an objective and consistent diagnosis of multibacillary leprosy. The test immobilizes two antigens that have been recognized as excellent candidates for serologic diagnosis (the PGL-I mimetic, ND-O, and LID-1), on a nitrocellulose membrane. This allows the detection of specific IgM and IgG antibodies within 20 minutes of the addition of patient sera. Furthermore, we coupled the NDO-LID® rapid tests with a new cell phone-based test reader platform (Smart Reader®) to provide objective interpretation that was both quantifiable and consistent. Direct comparison of serologic responses indicated that the rapid test detected a greater proportion of leprosy patients than a lab-based PGL-I ELISA. While positive responses were detected by PGL-I ELISA in 83.3% of multibacillary patients and 15.4% of paucibacillary patients, these numbers were increased to 87% and 21.2%, respectively, when a combination of the NDO-LID® test and Smart Reader® was used. Among multibacillary leprosy the sensitivity of NDO-LID® test assessed by Smart Reader® was 87% (95% CI, 79.2-92.7%) and the specificity was 96.1% (95% CI, 91.7- 98.6%). The positive predictive value and the negative predictive value of NDO-LID® tests were 94% (95% CI, 87.4-97.8%) and 91.4% (95% CI, 85.9-95.2%), respectively. The widespread provision of rapid diagnostic tests to facilitate the diagnosis or prognosis of multibacillary leprosy could impact on leprosy control programs by aiding early detection, directing appropriate treatment and potentially interrupting Mycobacterium leprae

  7. Development and testing of a rapid diagnostic test for bubonic and pneumonic plague.

    PubMed

    Chanteau, Suzanne; Rahalison, Lila; Ralafiarisoa, Lalao; Foulon, Jeanine; Ratsitorahina, Mahery; Ratsifasoamanana, Lala; Carniel, Elisabeth; Nato, Farida

    2003-01-18

    Plague is often fatal without prompt and appropriate treatment. It affects mainly poor and remote populations. Late diagnosis is one of the major causes of human death and spread of the disease, since it limits the effectiveness of control measures. We aimed to develop and assess a rapid diagnostic test (RDT) for plague. We developed a test that used monoclonal antibodies to the F1 antigen of Yersinia pestis. Sensitivity and specificity were assessed with a range of bacterial cultures and clinical samples, and compared with findings from available ELISA and bacteriological tests for plague. Samples from patients thought to have plague were tested with the RDT in the laboratory and by health workers in 26 pilot sites in Madagascar. The RDT detected concentrations of F1 antigen as low as 0.5 ng/mL in up to 15 min, and had a shelf life of 21 days at 60 degrees C. Its sensitivity and specificity were both 100%. RDT detected 41.6% and 31% more positive clinical specimens than did bacteriological methods and ELISA, respectively. The agreement rate between tests done at remote centres and in the laboratory was 89.8%. With the combination of bacteriological methods and F1 ELISA as reference standard, the positive and negative predictive values of the RDT were 90.6% and 86.7%, respectively. Our RDT is a specific, sensitive, and reliable test that can easily be done by health workers at the patient's bedside, for the rapid diagnosis of pneumonic and bubonic plague. This test will be of key importance for the control of plague in endemic countries.

  8. Development of a rapid recombinase polymerase amplification assay for the detection of Streptococcus pneumoniae in whole blood.

    PubMed

    Clancy, Eoin; Higgins, Owen; Forrest, Matthew S; Boo, Teck Wee; Cormican, Martin; Barry, Thomas; Piepenburg, Olaf; Smith, Terry J

    2015-10-29

    Streptococcus pneumoniae is an important cause of microbial disease in humans. The introduction of multivalent vaccines has coincided with a dramatic decrease in the number of pneumococcal-related deaths. In spite of this, at a global level, pneumococcal infection remains an important cause of death among children under 5 years of age and in adults 65 years of age or older. In order to properly manage patients and control the spread of infection, a rapid and highly sensitive diagnostic method is needed for routine implementation, especially in resource-limited regions where pneumococcal disease is most prevalent. Using the gene encoding leader peptidase A as a molecular diagnostics target, a real-time RPA assay was designed and optimised for the detection of S. pneumoniae in whole blood. The performance of the assay was compared to real-time PCR in terms of its analytical limit of detection and specificity. The inhibitory effect of human genomic DNA on amplification was investigated. The potential clinical utility of the assay was investigated using a small number of clinical samples. The RPA assay has a limit of detection equivalent to PCR (4.0 and 5.1 genome equivalents per reaction, respectively) and was capable of detecting the equivalent of <1 colony forming unit of S. pneumoniae when spiked into human whole blood. The RPA assay was 100 % inclusive (38/38 laboratory reference strains and 19/19 invasive clinical isolates) and 100 % exclusive; differentiating strains of S. pneumoniae species from other viridans group streptococci, including S. pseudopneumoniae. When applied to the analysis of a small number (n = 11) of clinical samples (blood culture positive for S. pneumoniae), the RPA assay was demonstrated to be both rapid and sensitive. The RPA assay developed in this work is shown to be as sensitive and as specific as PCR. In terms of reaction kinetics, the RPA assay is shown to exceed those of the PCR, with the RPA running to completion in 20 minutes

  9. Infant Feeding Practices of Emirati Women in the Rapidly Developing City of Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.

    PubMed

    Gardner, Hazel; Green, Katherine; Gardner, Andrew

    2015-09-02

    Rapid economic and cultural transition in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has been accompanied by new challenges to public health; most notably a rapid rise in chronic disease. Breastfeeding is known to improve health outcomes in adulthood, is associated with reduced risk of developing chronic disease, and is therefore an important public health issue for this rapidly increasing population. Factors associated with infant feeding practices were examined in a cohort of 125 Emirati women and their infants, with data collected at birth and 3, 6 and 15 months postpartum by questionnaires and interviews. Participants were recruited in the Corniche Hospital, the main maternity hospital in the city of Abu Dhabi. Factors affecting the duration of breastfeeding and the introduction of complementary foods were investigated using univariate and multivariate statistics. Recommended infant feeding practices, such as exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of life and timely introduction of appropriate complementary foods, were poorly adhered to. Factors implicated in early cessation of breastfeeding included: time to first breastfeed, mother's education level, employment status and early introduction of complementary foods.

  10. Infant Feeding Practices of Emirati Women in the Rapidly Developing City of Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

    PubMed Central

    Gardner, Hazel; Green, Katherine; Gardner, Andrew

    2015-01-01

    Rapid economic and cultural transition in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has been accompanied by new challenges to public health; most notably a rapid rise in chronic disease. Breastfeeding is known to improve health outcomes in adulthood, is associated with reduced risk of developing chronic disease, and is therefore an important public health issue for this rapidly increasing population. Factors associated with infant feeding practices were examined in a cohort of 125 Emirati women and their infants, with data collected at birth and 3, 6 and 15 months postpartum by questionnaires and interviews. Participants were recruited in the Corniche Hospital, the main maternity hospital in the city of Abu Dhabi. Factors affecting the duration of breastfeeding and the introduction of complementary foods were investigated using univariate and multivariate statistics. Recommended infant feeding practices, such as exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of life and timely introduction of appropriate complementary foods, were poorly adhered to. Factors implicated in early cessation of breastfeeding included: time to first breastfeed, mother’s education level, employment status and early introduction of complementary foods. PMID:26404348

  11. Ictal SPECT in patients with rapid eye movement sleep behaviour disorder.

    PubMed

    Mayer, Geert; Bitterlich, Marion; Kuwert, Torsten; Ritt, Philipp; Stefan, Hermann

    2015-05-01

    Rapid eye movement sleep behaviour disorder is a rapid eye movement parasomnia clinically characterized by acting out dreams due to disinhibition of muscle tone in rapid eye movement sleep. Up to 80-90% of the patients with rapid eye movement sleep behaviour disorder develop neurodegenerative disorders within 10-15 years after symptom onset. The disorder is reported in 45-60% of all narcoleptic patients. Whether rapid eye movement sleep behaviour disorder is also a predictor for neurodegeneration in narcolepsy is not known. Although the pathophysiology causing the disinhibition of muscle tone in rapid eye movement sleep behaviour disorder has been studied extensively in animals, little is known about the mechanisms in humans. Most of the human data are from imaging or post-mortem studies. Recent studies show altered functional connectivity between substantia nigra and striatum in patients with rapid eye movement sleep behaviour disorder. We were interested to study which regions are activated in rapid eye movement sleep behaviour disorder during actual episodes by performing ictal single photon emission tomography. We studied one patient with idiopathic rapid eye movement sleep behaviour disorder, one with Parkinson's disease and rapid eye movement sleep behaviour disorder, and two patients with narcolepsy and rapid eye movement sleep behaviour disorder. All patients underwent extended video polysomnography. The tracer was injected after at least 10 s of consecutive rapid eye movement sleep and 10 s of disinhibited muscle tone accompanied by movements registered by an experienced sleep technician. Ictal single photon emission tomography displayed the same activation in the bilateral premotor areas, the interhemispheric cleft, the periaqueductal area, the dorsal and ventral pons and the anterior lobe of the cerebellum in all patients. Our study shows that in patients with Parkinson's disease and rapid eye movement sleep behaviour disorder-in contrast to wakefulness

  12. Development of a Fluorescence-Based Sensor for Rapid Diagnosis of Cyanide Exposure

    PubMed Central

    2015-01-01

    Although commonly known as a highly toxic chemical, cyanide is also an essential reagent for many industrial processes in areas such as mining, electroplating, and synthetic fiber production. The “heavy” use of cyanide in these industries, along with its necessary transportation, increases the possibility of human exposure. Because the onset of cyanide toxicity is fast, a rapid, sensitive, and accurate method for the diagnosis of cyanide exposure is necessary. Therefore, a field sensor for the diagnosis of cyanide exposure was developed based on the reaction of naphthalene dialdehyde, taurine, and cyanide, yielding a fluorescent β-isoindole. An integrated cyanide capture “apparatus”, consisting of sample and cyanide capture chambers, allowed rapid separation of cyanide from blood samples. Rabbit whole blood was added to the sample chamber, acidified, and the HCN gas evolved was actively transferred through a stainless steel channel to the capture chamber containing a basic solution of naphthalene dialdehyde (NDA) and taurine. The overall analysis time (including the addition of the sample) was <3 min, the linear range was 3.13–200 μM, and the limit of detection was 0.78 μM. None of the potential interferents investigated (NaHS, NH4OH, NaSCN, and human serum albumin) produced a signal that could be interpreted as a false positive or a false negative for cyanide exposure. Most importantly, the sensor was 100% accurate in diagnosing cyanide poisoning for acutely exposed rabbits. PMID:24383576

  13. Development of a fluorescence-based sensor for rapid diagnosis of cyanide exposure.

    PubMed

    Jackson, Randy; Oda, Robert P; Bhandari, Raj K; Mahon, Sari B; Brenner, Matthew; Rockwood, Gary A; Logue, Brian A

    2014-02-04

    Although commonly known as a highly toxic chemical, cyanide is also an essential reagent for many industrial processes in areas such as mining, electroplating, and synthetic fiber production. The "heavy" use of cyanide in these industries, along with its necessary transportation, increases the possibility of human exposure. Because the onset of cyanide toxicity is fast, a rapid, sensitive, and accurate method for the diagnosis of cyanide exposure is necessary. Therefore, a field sensor for the diagnosis of cyanide exposure was developed based on the reaction of naphthalene dialdehyde, taurine, and cyanide, yielding a fluorescent β-isoindole. An integrated cyanide capture "apparatus", consisting of sample and cyanide capture chambers, allowed rapid separation of cyanide from blood samples. Rabbit whole blood was added to the sample chamber, acidified, and the HCN gas evolved was actively transferred through a stainless steel channel to the capture chamber containing a basic solution of naphthalene dialdehyde (NDA) and taurine. The overall analysis time (including the addition of the sample) was <3 min, the linear range was 3.13-200 μM, and the limit of detection was 0.78 μM. None of the potential interferents investigated (NaHS, NH4OH, NaSCN, and human serum albumin) produced a signal that could be interpreted as a false positive or a false negative for cyanide exposure. Most importantly, the sensor was 100% accurate in diagnosing cyanide poisoning for acutely exposed rabbits.

  14. Risk factors for children's receptive vocabulary development from four to eight years in the longitudinal study of Australian children.

    PubMed

    Taylor, Catherine L; Christensen, Daniel; Lawrence, David; Mitrou, Francis; Zubrick, Stephen R

    2013-01-01

    Receptive vocabulary develops rapidly in early childhood and builds the foundation for language acquisition and literacy. Variation in receptive vocabulary ability is associated with variation in children's school achievement, and low receptive vocabulary ability is a risk factor for under-achievement at school. In this study, bivariate and multivariate growth curve modelling was used to estimate trajectories of receptive vocabulary development in relation to a wide range of candidate child, maternal and family level influences on receptive vocabulary development from 4-8 years. The study sample comprised 4332 children from the first nationally representative Longitudinal Study of Australian Children (LSAC). Predictors were modeled as risk variables with the lowest level of risk as the reference category. In the multivariate model, risks for receptive vocabulary delay at 4 years, in order of magnitude, were: Maternal Non- English Speaking Background (NESB), low school readiness, child not read to at home, four or more siblings, low family income, low birthweight, low maternal education, maternal mental health distress, low maternal parenting consistency, and high child temperament reactivity. None of these risks were associated with a lower rate of growth from 4-8 years. Instead, maternal NESB, low school readiness and maternal mental health distress were associated with a higher rate of growth, although not sufficient to close the receptive vocabulary gap for children with and without these risks at 8 years. Socio-economic area disadvantage, was not a risk for low receptive vocabulary ability at 4 years but was the only risk associated with a lower rate of growth in receptive vocabulary ability. At 8 years, the gap between children with and without socio-economic area disadvantage was equivalent to eight months of receptive vocabulary growth. These results are consistent with other studies that have shown that social gradients in children's developmental outcomes

  15. Rapid Succession within the Veillonella Population of a Developing Human Oral Biofilm In Situ

    PubMed Central

    Palmer, Robert J.; Diaz, Patricia I.; Kolenbrander, Paul E.

    2006-01-01

    Streptococci are the primary component of the multispecies oral biofilm known as supragingival dental plaque; they grow by fermentation of sugars to organic acids, e.g., lactic acid. Veillonellae, a ubiquitous component of early plaque, are unable to use sugars; they ferment organic acids, such as lactate, to a mixture of shorter-chain-length acids, CO2, and hydrogen. Certain veillonellae bind to (coaggregate with) streptococci in vitro. We show that, between 4 and 8 hours into plaque development, the dominant strains of Veillonella change in their phenotypic characteristics (coaggregation and antibody reactivity) as well as in their genotypic characteristics (16S RNA gene sequences as well as strain level fingerprint patterns). This succession is coordinated with the development of mixed-species bacterial colonies. Changes in community structure can occur very rapidly in natural biofilm development, and we suggest that this process may influence evolution within this ecosystem. PMID:16707703

  16. High-Throughput Sequencing Reveals Hypothalamic MicroRNAs as Novel Partners Involved in Timing the Rapid Development of Chicken (Gallus gallus) Gonads.

    PubMed

    Han, Wei; Zou, Jianmin; Wang, Kehua; Su, Yijun; Zhu, Yunfen; Song, Chi; Li, Guohui; Qu, Liang; Zhang, Huiyong; Liu, Honglin

    2015-01-01

    Onset of the rapid gonad growth is a milestone in sexual development that comprises many genes and regulatory factors. The observations in model organisms and mammals including humans have shown a potential link between miRNAs and development timing. To determine whether miRNAs play roles in this process in the chicken (Gallus gallus), the Solexa deep sequencing was performed to analyze the profiles of miRNA expression in the hypothalamus of hens from two different pubertal stages, before onset of the rapid gonad development (BO) and after onset of the rapid gonad development (AO). 374 conserved and 46 novel miRNAs were identified as hypothalamus-expressed miRNAs in the chicken. 144 conserved miRNAs were showed to be differentially expressed (reads > 10, P < 0.05) during the transition from BO to AO. Five differentially expressed miRNAs were validated by real-time quantitative RT-PCR (qRT-PCR) method. 2013 putative genes were predicted as the targets of the 15 most differentially expressed miRNAs (fold-change > 4.0, P < 0.01). Of these genes, 7 putative circadian clock genes, Per2, Bmal1/2, Clock, Cry1/2, and Star were found to be targeted multiple times by the miRNAs. qRT-PCR revealed the basic transcription levels of these clock genes were much higher (P < 0.01) in AO than in BO. Further functional analysis suggested that these 15 miRNAs play important roles in transcriptional regulation and signal transduction pathways. The results provide new insights into miRNAs functions in timing the rapid development of chicken gonads. Considering the characteristics of miRNA functional conservation, the results will contribute to the research on puberty onset in humans.

  17. Re-assessment of net energy production and greenhouse gas emissions avoidance after 40 years of photovoltaics development.

    PubMed

    Louwen, Atse; van Sark, Wilfried G J H M; Faaij, André P C; Schropp, Ruud E I

    2016-12-06

    Since the 1970s, installed solar photovoltaic capacity has grown tremendously to 230 gigawatt worldwide in 2015, with a growth rate between 1975 and 2015 of 45%. This rapid growth has led to concerns regarding the energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions of photovoltaics production. We present a review of 40 years of photovoltaics development, analysing the development of energy demand and greenhouse gas emissions associated with photovoltaics production. Here we show strong downward trends of environmental impact of photovoltaics production, following the experience curve law. For every doubling of installed photovoltaic capacity, energy use decreases by 13 and 12% and greenhouse gas footprints by 17 and 24%, for poly- and monocrystalline based photovoltaic systems, respectively. As a result, we show a break-even between the cumulative disadvantages and benefits of photovoltaics, for both energy use and greenhouse gas emissions, occurs between 1997 and 2018, depending on photovoltaic performance and model uncertainties.

  18. Developing Attitudinal Metrics for Induction-Year Agricultural Education Teachers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rayfield, John; McKim, Billy R.; Lawrence, Shannon; Stair, Kristin

    2014-01-01

    This study was part of a larger regional study of induction-year agricultural education teachers in three Western states. Studies have purported that attitude toward teaching is important for understanding and helping induction-year teachers. Thus, developing an instrument to assess induction-year agricultural education teachers' attitudes toward…

  19. Immunity to airborne challenge with Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus develops rapidly after immunization with the attenuated vaccine strain TC-83.

    PubMed

    Phillpotts, R J

    1999-05-14

    Mice vaccinated subcutaneously with the attenuated vaccine strain of Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus (VEEV) rapidly develop immunity to subcutaneous or airborne challenge with virulent VEEV. The specificity of this immune response was demonstrated by challenge with a heterologous virus (St. Louis encephalitis virus). Examination of the levels of VEEV-specific antibody classes in serum and respiratory secretions suggested that the rapid development of immunity was coincident with the appearance of specific IgM and IgG (but not IgA) in the respiratory tract. In order to confirm the role of respiratory tract antibody, mice were passively immunised either intraperitoneally or intranasally with polyclonal VEEV-specific IgG. Intranasal administration of specific IgG significantly enhanced protection against airborne challenge. These results confirm the need to emphasise local antibody production in the development of improved VEEV vaccines.

  20. Risks and Benefits of Rapid Clozapine Titration.

    PubMed

    Lochhead, Jeannie D; Nelson, Michele A; Schneider, Alan L

    2016-05-18

    Clozapine is often considered the gold standard for the treatment of schizophrenia. Clinical guidelines suggest a gradual titration over 2 weeks to reduce the risks of adverse events such as seizures, hypotension, agranulocytosis, and myocarditis. The slow titration often delays time to therapeutic response. This raises the question of whether, in some patients, it may be safe to use a more rapid clozapine titration. The following case illustrates the potential risks associated with the use of multiple antipsychotics and rapid clozapine titration. We present the case of a young man with schizophrenia who developed life threatening neuroleptic malignant syndrome (NMS) during rapid clozapine titration and treatment with multiple antipsychotics. We were unable to find another case in the literature of NMS associated with rapid clozapine titration. This case is meant to urge clinicians to carefully evaluate the risks and benefits of rapid clozapine titration, and to encourage researchers to further evaluate the safety of rapid clozapine titration. Rapid clozapine titration has implications for decreasing health care costs associated with prolonged hospitalizations, and decreasing the emotional suffering associated with uncontrolled symptoms of psychosis. Clozapine is considered the most effective antipsychotic available thus efforts should focus on developing strategies that would allow for safest and most efficient use of clozapine to encourage its utilization for treatment resistance schizophrenia.

  1. Use of a Rapid Ethylene Glycol Assay: a 4-Year Retrospective Study at an Academic Medical Center.

    PubMed

    Rooney, Sydney L; Ehlers, Alexandra; Morris, Cory; Drees, Denny; Davis, Scott R; Kulhavy, Jeff; Krasowski, Matthew D

    2016-06-01

    Ethylene glycol (EG) is a common cause of toxic ingestions. Gas chromatography (GC)-based laboratory assays are the gold standard for diagnosing EG intoxication. However, GC requires specialized instrumentation and technical expertise that limits feasibility for many clinical laboratories. The objective of this retrospective study was to determine the utility of incorporating a rapid EG assay for management of cases with suspected EG poisoning. The University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics core clinical laboratory adapted a veterinary EG assay (Catachem, Inc.) for the Roche Diagnostics cobas 8000 c502 analyzer and incorporated this assay in an osmolal gap-based algorithm for potential toxic alcohol/glycol ingestions. The main limitation is that high concentrations of propylene glycol (PG), while readily identifiable by reaction rate kinetics, can interfere with EG measurement. The clinical laboratory had the ability to perform GC for EG and PG, if needed. A total of 222 rapid EG and 24 EG/PG GC analyses were documented in 106 patient encounters. Of ten confirmed EG ingestions, eight cases were managed entirely with the rapid EG assay. PG interference was evident in 25 samples, leading to 8 GC analyses to rule out the presence of EG. Chart review of cases with negative rapid EG assay results showed no evidence of false negatives. The results of this study highlight the use of incorporating a rapid EG assay for the diagnosis and management of suspected EG toxicity by decreasing the reliance on GC. Future improvements would involve rapid EG assays that completely avoid interference by PG.

  2. Modularized compact positron emission tomography detector for rapid system development

    PubMed Central

    Xi, Daoming; Liu, Xiang; Zeng, Chen; Liu, Wei; Li, Yanzhao; Hua, Yuexuan; Mei, Xiongze; Kim, Heejong; Xiao, Peng; Kao, Chien-Min; Xie, Qingguo

    2016-01-01

    Abstract. We report the development of a modularized compact positron emission tomography (PET) detector that outputs serial streams of digital samples of PET event pulses via an Ethernet interface using the UDP/IP protocol to enable rapid configuration of a PET system by connecting multiple such detectors via a network switch to a computer. Presently, the detector is 76  mm×50  mm×55  mm in extent (excluding I/O connectors) and contains an 18×12 array of 4.2×4.2×20  mm3 one-to-one coupled lutetium-yttrium oxyorthosilicate/silicon photomultiplier pixels. It employs cross-wire and stripline readouts to merge the outputs of the 216 detector pixels to 24 channels. Signals at these channels are sampled using a built-in 24-ch, 4-level field programmable gate arrays-only multivoltage threshold digitizer. In the computer, software programs are implemented to analyze the digital samples to extract event information and to perform energy qualification and coincidence filtering. We have developed two such detectors. We show that all their pixels can be accurately discriminated and measure a crystal-level energy resolution of 14.4% to 19.4% and a detector-level coincidence time resolution of 1.67 ns FWHM. Preliminary imaging results suggests that a PET system based on the detectors can achieve an image resolution of ∼1.6  mm. PMID:28018941

  3. Rapid Global Expansion of Invertebrate Fisheries: Trends, Drivers, and Ecosystem Effects

    PubMed Central

    Anderson, Sean C.; Mills Flemming, Joanna; Watson, Reg; Lotze, Heike K.

    2011-01-01

    Background Worldwide, finfish fisheries are receiving increasing assessment and regulation, slowly leading to more sustainable exploitation and rebuilding. In their wake, invertebrate fisheries are rapidly expanding with little scientific scrutiny despite increasing socio-economic importance. Methods and Findings We provide the first global evaluation of the trends, drivers, and population and ecosystem consequences of invertebrate fisheries based on a global catch database in combination with taxa-specific reviews. We also develop new methodologies to quantify temporal and spatial trends in resource status and fishery development. Since 1950, global invertebrate catches have increased 6-fold with 1.5 times more countries fishing and double the taxa reported. By 2004, 34% of invertebrate fisheries were over-exploited, collapsed, or closed. New fisheries have developed increasingly rapidly, with a decrease of 6 years (3 years) in time to peak from the 1950s to 1990s. Moreover, some fisheries have expanded further and further away from their driving market, encompassing a global fishery by the 1990s. 71% of taxa (53% of catches) are harvested with habitat-destructive gear, and many provide important ecosystem functions including habitat, filtration, and grazing. Conclusions Our findings suggest that invertebrate species, which form an important component of the basis of marine food webs, are increasingly exploited with limited stock and ecosystem-impact assessments, and enhanced management attention is needed to avoid negative consequences for ocean ecosystems and human well-being. PMID:21408090

  4. Development of type 2 diabetes mellitus thirty-one years after Billroth II in a patient asking for diabetes surgery.

    PubMed

    Garciacaballero, M; Reyes-Ortiz, A; Toval, J A; Martínez-Moreno, J M; Miralles, F

    2014-07-01

    Diabetes surgery in obese and slim patients seems to be a superior alternative to the current medical treatment. Gastric bypass is an alternative treatment for diabetes. Nevertheless, there are still doubts whether diabetes can recur if you gain weight or if the effects are maintained over time. Other questions refer to the type of surgery to make the bypass limb length or reservoir size for the resolution of the Diabetes Mellitus. Male patient 69-year-old came to us in order to perform tailored One Anastomosis Gastric Bypass (BAGUA) to treat his type 2 diabetes mellitus and metabolic syndrome. He has a history of peptic ulcer treated with subtotal gastrectomy and Billroth II reconstruction 49 years ago. He currently is not obese and developed diabetes 31 years after surgery. Globally there are no reports of patients with normal BMI that after performing gastric bypass developed diabetes mellitus. There are cases where obese diabetic patients after gastric bypass improve or remits the T2DM, but it relapses due to insufficient weight loss or gain it. The patient with gastric bypass Billroth II type, should not developed diabetes. He is normal weight and not had weight gain that could be linked to the development of diabetes. The results generated by bariatric surgery are encouraging, but still do not clarify the precise way how surgery produces rapid improvement of systemic metabolism as in diabetes, but in our patient, the effect was quite different because the gastric bypass had no protective effect against diabetes. Copyright AULA MEDICA EDICIONES 2014. Published by AULA MEDICA. All rights reserved.

  5. The analysis of rapidly developing fog at the Kennedy Space Center

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Wheeler, Mark M.; Atchison, Michael K.; Schumann, Robin; Taylor, Greg E.; Yersavich, Ann; Warburton, John D.

    1994-01-01

    This report documents fog precursors and fog climatology at Kennedy Space Center (KSC) Florida from 1986 to 1990. The major emphasis of this report focuses on rapidly developing fog events that would affect the less than 7-statute mile visibility rule for End-Of-Mission (EOM) Shuttle landing at KSC (Rule 4-64(A)). The Applied Meteorology Unit's (AMU's) work is to: develop a data base for study of fog associated weather conditions relating to violations of this landing constraint; develop forecast techniques or rules-of-thumb to determine whether or not current conditions are likely to result in an acceptable condition at landing; validate the forecast techniques; and transition techniques to operational use. As part of the analysis the fog events were categorized as either advection, pre-frontal or radiation. As a result of these analyses, the AMU developed a fog climatological data base, identified fog precursors and developed forecaster tools and decision trees. The fog climatological analysis indicates that during the fog season (October to April) there is a higher risk for a visibility violation at KSC during the early morning hours (0700 to 1200 UTC), while 95 percent of all fog events have dissipated by 1600 UTC. A high number of fog events are characterized by a westerly component to the surface wind at KSC (92 percent) and 83 percent of the fog events had fog develop west of KSC first (up to 2 hours). The AMU developed fog decision trees and forecaster tools that would help the forecaster identify fog precursors up to 12 hours in advance. Using the decision trees as process tools ensures the important meteorological data are not overlooked in the forecast process. With these tools and a better understanding of fog formation in the local KSC area, the Shuttle weather support forecaster should be able to give the Launch and Flight Directors a better KSC fog forecast with more confidence.

  6. Characterizing the Frequency and Elevation of Rapid Drainage Events in West Greenland

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Cooley, S.; Christoffersen, P.

    2016-12-01

    Rapid drainage of supraglacial lakes on the Greenland Ice Sheet is critical for the establishment of surface-to-bed hydrologic connections and the subsequent transfer of water from surface to bed. Yet, estimates of the number and spatial distribution of rapidly draining lakes vary widely due to limitations in the temporal frequency of image collection and obscureness by cloud. So far, no study has assessed the impact of these observation biases. In this study, we examine the frequency and elevation of rapidly draining lakes in central West Greenland, from 68°N to 72.6°N, and we make a robust statistical analysis to estimate more accurately the likelihood of lakes draining rapidly. Using MODIS imagery and a fully automated lake detection method, we map more than 500 supraglacial lakes per year over a 63000 km2 study area from 2000-2015. Through testing four different definitions of rapidly draining lakes from previously published studies, we find that the number of rapidly draining lakes varies from 3% to 38%. Logistic regression between rapid drainage events and image sampling frequency demonstrates that the number of rapid drainage events is strongly dependent on cloud-free observation percentage. We then develop three new drainage criteria and apply an observation bias correction that suggests a true rapid drainage probability between 36% and 45%, considerably higher than previous studies without bias assessment have reported. We find rapid-draining lakes are on average larger and disappear earlier than slow-draining lakes, and we also observe no elevation differences for the lakes detected as rapidly draining. We conclude a) that methodological problems in rapid drainage research caused by observation bias and varying detection methods have obscured large-scale rapid drainage characteristics and b) that the lack of evidence for an elevation limit on rapid drainage suggests surface-to-bed hydrologic connections may continue to propagate inland as climate warms.

  7. Navigating the Rapids: The Development of Regulated Next-Generation Sequencing-Based Clinical Trial Assays and Companion Diagnostics

    PubMed Central

    Pant, Saumya; Weiner, Russell; Marton, Matthew J.

    2014-01-01

    Over the past decade, next-generation sequencing (NGS) technology has experienced meteoric growth in the aspects of platform, technology, and supporting bioinformatics development allowing its widespread and rapid uptake in research settings. More recently, NGS-based genomic data have been exploited to better understand disease development and patient characteristics that influence response to a given therapeutic intervention. Cancer, as a disease characterized by and driven by the tumor genetic landscape, is particularly amenable to NGS-based diagnostic (Dx) approaches. NGS-based technologies are particularly well suited to studying cancer disease development, progression and emergence of resistance, all key factors in the development of next-generation cancer Dxs. Yet, to achieve the promise of NGS-based patient treatment, drug developers will need to overcome a number of operational, technical, regulatory, and strategic challenges. Here, we provide a succinct overview of the state of the clinical NGS field in terms of the available clinically targeted platforms and sequencing technologies. We discuss the various operational and practical aspects of clinical NGS testing that will facilitate or limit the uptake of such assays in routine clinical care. We examine the current strategies for analytical validation and Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approval of NGS-based assays and ongoing efforts to standardize clinical NGS and build quality control standards for the same. The rapidly evolving companion diagnostic (CDx) landscape for NGS-based assays will be reviewed, highlighting the key areas of concern and suggesting strategies to mitigate risk. The review will conclude with a series of strategic questions that face drug developers and a discussion of the likely future course of NGS-based CDx development efforts. PMID:24860780

  8. Rapid-sequence MRI for long-term surveillance for paraganglioma and phaeochromocytoma in patients with succinate dehydrogenase mutations.

    PubMed

    Daniel, Eleni; Jones, Robert; Bull, Matthew; Newell-Price, John

    2016-12-01

    Patients with SDHx mutations need long-term radiological surveillance for the development of paragangliomas and phaeochromocytomas, but no longitudinal data exist. The aim of the study was to assess the performance of rapid-sequence non-contrast magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in the long-term monitoring of patients with SDHx mutations. Retrospective study between 2005 and 2015 at a University Hospital and regional endocrine genetics referral centre. Clinical and imaging data of 47 patients with SDHx mutations (SDHB (36), SDHC (6) and SDHD (5)) who had surveillance for detection of paragangliomas by rapid-sequence non-contrast MRI (base of skull to pubic symphysis) were collected. Twelve index cases (nine SDHB, one SDHC and two SDHD) and 35 mutation-positive relatives were monitored for a mean of 6.4 years (range 3.1-10.0 years). Mean age at the end of the study: SDHB 46.9 ± 17.6 years; SDHC 42.3 ± 24.4 years; SDHD 54.9 ± 10.6 years. On excluding imaging at initial diagnosis of index cases, 42 patients underwent 116 rapid-sequence MRI scans: 83 scans were negative and 31 scans were positive for sPGL/HNPGL in 13 patients. Most patients had multiple scans (n = number of patients (number of rapid-sequence MRI scans during screening)): n = 9 (2), n = 20 (3), n = 6 (4), n = 1 (6). Nine patients (three index) were diagnosed with new paragangliomas during surveillance and non-operated tumour size was monitored in nine patients. There were two false-positive scans (1.6%). Scans were repeated every 27 ± 9 months. Biannual rapid-sequence non-contrast MRI is effective to monitor patients with SDHx mutations for detection of new tumours and monitoring of known tumours. © 2016 European Society of Endocrinology.

  9. Development of a rapid and simple Agrobacterium tumefaciens mediated transformation system for the fungal pathogen Heterobasidion annosum

    Treesearch

    Nicklas Samils; Malin Elfstrand; Daniel L. Lindner Czederpiltz; Jan Fahleson; Ake Olson; Christina Dixelius; Jan Stenlid

    2006-01-01

    Heterobasidion annosum causes root and butt-rot in trees and is the most serious forest pathogen in the northern hemisphere. We developed a rapid and simple Agrobacterium-mediated method of gene delivery into H. annosum to be used in functional studies of candidate genes and for visualization of mycelial interactions. Heterobasidion annosum TC 32-1 was cocultivated at...

  10. Evaluation of simple rapid HIV assays and development of national rapid HIV test algorithms in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

    PubMed

    Lyamuya, Eligius F; Aboud, Said; Urassa, Willy K; Sufi, Jaffer; Mbwana, Judica; Ndugulile, Faustin; Massambu, Charles

    2009-02-18

    Suitable algorithms based on a combination of two or more simple rapid HIV assays have been shown to have a diagnostic accuracy comparable to double enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) or double ELISA with Western Blot strategies. The aims of this study were to evaluate the performance of five simple rapid HIV assays using whole blood samples from HIV-infected patients, pregnant women, voluntary counseling and testing attendees and blood donors, and to formulate an alternative confirmatory strategy based on rapid HIV testing algorithms suitable for use in Tanzania. Five rapid HIV assays: Determine HIV-1/2 (Inverness Medical), SD Bioline HIV 1/2 3.0 (Standard Diagnostics Inc.), First Response HIV Card 1-2.0 (PMC Medical India Pvt Ltd), HIV1/2 Stat-Pak Dipstick (Chembio Diagnostic System, Inc) and Uni-Gold HIV-1/2 (Trinity Biotech) were evaluated between June and September 2006 using 1433 whole blood samples from hospital patients, pregnant women, voluntary counseling and testing attendees and blood donors. All samples that were reactive on all or any of the five rapid assays and 10% of non-reactive samples were tested on a confirmatory Inno-Lia HIV I/II immunoblot assay (Immunogenetics). Three hundred and ninety samples were confirmed HIV-1 antibody positive, while 1043 were HIV negative. The sensitivity at initial testing of Determine, SD Bioline and Uni-Gold was 100% (95% CI; 99.1-100) while First Response and Stat-Pak had sensitivity of 99.5% (95% CI; 98.2-99.9) and 97.7% (95% CI; 95.7-98.9), respectively, which increased to 100% (95% CI; 99.1-100) on repeat testing. The initial specificity of the Uni-Gold assay was 100% (95% CI; 99.6-100) while specificities were 99.6% (95% CI; 99-99.9), 99.4% (95% CI; 98.8-99.7), 99.6% (95% CI; 99-99.9) and 99.8% (95% CI; 99.3-99.9) for Determine, SD Bioline, First Response and Stat-Pak assays, respectively. There was no any sample which was concordantly false positive in Uni-Gold, Determine and SD Bioline assays. An

  11. Rapidly Progressive Maxillary Atelectasis.

    PubMed

    Elkhatib, Ahmad; McMullen, Kyle; Hachem, Ralph Abi; Carrau, Ricardo L; Mastros, Nicholas

    2017-07-01

    Report of a patient with rapidly progressive maxillary atelectasis documented by sequential imaging. A 51-year-old man, presented with left periorbital and retro-orbital pain associated with left nasal obstruction. An initial computed tomographic (CT) scan of the paranasal sinuses failed to reveal any significant abnormality. A subsequent CT scan, indicated for recurrence of symptoms 11 months later, showed significant maxillary atelectasis. An uncinectomy, maxillary antrostomy, and anterior ethmoidectomy resulted in a complete resolution of the symptoms. Chronic maxillary atelectasis is most commonly a consequence of chronic rhinosinusitis. All previous reports have indicated a chronic process but lacked documentation of the course of the disease. This report documents a patient of rapidly progressive chronic maxillary atelectasis with CT scans that demonstrate changes in the maxillary sinus (from normal to atelectatic) within 11 months.

  12. Development of Middle Stone Age innovation linked to rapid climate change

    PubMed Central

    Ziegler, Martin; Simon, Margit H.; Hall, Ian R.; Barker, Stephen; Stringer, Chris; Zahn, Rainer

    2013-01-01

    The development of modernity in early human populations has been linked to pulsed phases of technological and behavioural innovation within the Middle Stone Age of South Africa. However, the trigger for these intermittent pulses of technological innovation is an enigma. Here we show that, contrary to some previous studies, the occurrence of innovation was tightly linked to abrupt climate change. Major innovational pulses occurred at times when South African climate changed rapidly towards more humid conditions, while northern sub-Saharan Africa experienced widespread droughts, as the Northern Hemisphere entered phases of extreme cooling. These millennial-scale teleconnections resulted from the bipolar seesaw behaviour of the Atlantic Ocean related to changes in the ocean circulation. These conditions led to humid pulses in South Africa and potentially to the creation of favourable environmental conditions. This strongly implies that innovational pulses of early modern human behaviour were climatically influenced and linked to the adoption of refugia. PMID:23695699

  13. Development of Middle Stone Age innovation linked to rapid climate change.

    PubMed

    Ziegler, Martin; Simon, Margit H; Hall, Ian R; Barker, Stephen; Stringer, Chris; Zahn, Rainer

    2013-01-01

    The development of modernity in early human populations has been linked to pulsed phases of technological and behavioural innovation within the Middle Stone Age of South Africa. However, the trigger for these intermittent pulses of technological innovation is an enigma. Here we show that, contrary to some previous studies, the occurrence of innovation was tightly linked to abrupt climate change. Major innovational pulses occurred at times when South African climate changed rapidly towards more humid conditions, while northern sub-Saharan Africa experienced widespread droughts, as the Northern Hemisphere entered phases of extreme cooling. These millennial-scale teleconnections resulted from the bipolar seesaw behaviour of the Atlantic Ocean related to changes in the ocean circulation. These conditions led to humid pulses in South Africa and potentially to the creation of favourable environmental conditions. This strongly implies that innovational pulses of early modern human behaviour were climatically influenced and linked to the adoption of refugia.

  14. Numerical model-based diagnostic study of the rapid development phase of the Presidents' Day cyclone

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Whitaker, Jeffrey S.; Uccellini, Louis W.; Brill, Keith F.

    1988-01-01

    A mesoscale model simulation of the Presidents' Day cyclone at 1200 GMT 18 February 1979 is presented which captures the upper-tropospheric intrusion of stratospheric air upstream of the East Coast and subsequent development of the surface cyclone. The model simulation is then used to examine the descent of the stratospheric air mass and the interaction of this air mass with a lower-tropospheric potential vorticity maximum associated with an inverted trough and coastal front along the East Coast. The model is also used to examine the processes that contribute to the rapid decrease of sea-level pressure and increase in lower-tropospheric cyclonic vorticity during the explosive development phase of the cyclone.

  15. What Is in the Naming? A 5-Year Longitudinal Study of Early Rapid Naming and Phonological Sensitivity in Relation to Subsequent Reading Skills in Both Native Chinese and English as a Second Language

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Pan, Jinger; McBride-Chang, Catherine; Shu, Hua; Liu, Hongyun; Zhang, Yuping; Li, Hong

    2011-01-01

    Among 262 Chinese children, syllable awareness and rapid automatized naming (RAN) at age 5 years and invented spelling of Pinyin at age 6 years independently predicted subsequent Chinese character recognition and English word reading at ages 8 years and 10 years, even with initial Chinese character reading ability statistically controlled. In…

  16. Effect of the INSIGHT Responsive Parenting Intervention on Rapid Infant Weight Gain and Overweight Status at Age 1 Year: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

    PubMed

    Savage, Jennifer S; Birch, Leann L; Marini, Michele; Anzman-Frasca, Stephanie; Paul, Ian M

    2016-08-01

    Rapid infant weight gain is associated with later obesity, but interventions to prevent rapid infant growth and reduce risk for overweight status in infancy are lacking. To examine the effect of a responsive parenting (RP) intervention on infant weight gain between birth and 28 weeks and overweight status at age 1 year. The Intervention Nurses Start Infants Growing on Healthy Trajectories (INSIGHT) study is an ongoing randomized clinical trial comparing an RP intervention designed to prevent childhood obesity with a safety control. The study includes primiparous mother-newborn dyads (n = 291) and was conducted at the Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, Hershey, Pennsylvania, in addition to home visits. Enrollment was initiated in January 2012, and evaluable population analyses for this study were conducted between April 2015 and November 2015. At 2 weeks post partum, initial intervention materials appropriate to the assigned treatment group were mailed to the participant's home. Research nurses conducted home visits at 3 weeks, 16 weeks, 28 weeks, and 40 weeks, and a research center visit occurred at 1 year. The Intervention Nurses Start Infants Growing on Healthy Trajectories curriculum included messages about infant feeding, sleep hygiene, active social play, emotion regulation, and growth record education. The control group received a developmentally appropriate home safety intervention also delivered by nurse home visitors. Conditional weight gain from birth to 28 weeks was calculated. General linear models examined intervention effect on conditional weight gain. The intervention's effect on infant weight-for-length percentiles was tested using analysis of variance. Logistic regression compared the odds of overweight status (weight for length ≥95th percentile) at 1 year as a function of conditional weight gain. Of the mothers included in the study, 246 were white (88%), 260 were non-Hispanic (93%), 210 were married (75%), and 201 were working full

  17. Importance of Rapid Eye Movement Sleep Behavior Disorder to the Primary Care Physician.

    PubMed

    McCarter, Stuart J; Howell, Michael J

    2016-10-01

    Sleep disorders and neurodegenerative diseases are commonly encountered in primary care. A common, but underdiagnosed sleep disorder, rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder (RBD), is highly associated with Parkinson disease and related disorders. Rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder is common. It is estimated to affect 0.5% of the general population and more than 7% of individuals older than 60 years; however, most cases go unrecognized. Rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder presents as dream enactment, often with patients thrashing, punching, and kicking while they are sleeping. Physicians can quickly assess for the presence of RBD with high sensitivity and specificity by asking patients the question "Have you ever been told that you act out your dreams, for example by punching or flailing your arms in the air or screaming and shouting in your sleep?" Patients with RBD exhibit subtle signs of neurodegenerative disease, such as mild motor slowing, constipation, or changes in sense of smell. These signs and symptoms may predict development of a neurodegenerative disease within 3 years. Ultimately, most patients with RBD develop a neurodegenerative disease, highlighting the importance of serial neurological examinations to assess for the presence of parkinsonism and/or cognitive impairment and prognostic counseling for these patients. Rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder is treatable with melatonin (3-6 mg before bed) or clonazepam (0.5-1 mg before bed) and may be the most common, reversible cause of sleep-related injury. Thus, it is important to identify patients at risk of RBD in a primary care setting so that bedroom safety can be addressed and treatment may be initiated. Copyright © 2016 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  18. Development of solid - based paper strips for rapid diagnosis of Pseudorabies infection.

    PubMed

    Joon Tam, Yew; Mohd Lila, Mohd Azmi; Bahaman, Abdul Rani

    2004-12-01

    Pseudorabies (Aujeszky's disease) is an economically significant disease of swine known to cause central nervous disorders, respiratory disease, reproductive failure and mortality in infected pigs. In attempts to eradicate the disease from becoming endemic, early detection is important to prevent further economic losses and to allow for detection and removal of infected pigs in domestic herds. Thus, a rapid and sensitive technique is necessary for the detection of the virus. For rapid and simple examination, an immuno - chromatographic lateral - flow assay system based on immunologic recognition of specific pseudorabies virus antigen was developed by utilising, as signal generator, colloidal gold conjugated to secondary antibody to detect primary or sample antibody in the sera of pseudorabies infected animals. The pseudorabies virus used as a capture antigen in the test strip was first cultivated in VERO cell culture and then purified by sucrose gradient separation to produce the viral protein concentration of 3.8 mg/ml. The standard pseudorabies antigens reacted well with the hyperimmune serum (HIS). The antibody detection system is basically composed of colloidal gold - labelled antibodies fixed on a conjugate pad, and the complementary pseudorabies antigen immobilised onto a nitrocellulose membrane forming capture zone. If the target antibody is present in a specimen, the colloidal gold-labelled antibody will form a complex with the antibody sample. Subsequently, the formed complex will migrate to the capture zone and is then bound to the solid phase via antigen - antibody interaction. As a result, a signal marker is generated by the accumulation of colloidal gold for detection confirmation. The results obtained demonstrated that the optimum combination of pseudorabies antigen needed as the capture reagent and gold conjugate as secondary antibody recognition marker was at a concentration of 0.38mg/ml and at 1:10 dilution factor respectively. The sensitivity of

  19. Controlled precipitation for enhanced dissolution rate of flurbiprofen: development of rapidly disintegrating tablets.

    PubMed

    Essa, Ebtessam A; Elmarakby, Amira O; Donia, Ahmed M A; El Maghraby, Gamal M

    2017-09-01

    The aim of this work was to investigate the potential of controlled precipitation of flurbiprofen on solid surface, in the presence or absence of hydrophilic polymers, as a tool for enhanced dissolution rate of the drug. The work was extended to develop rapidly disintegrated tablets. This strategy provides simple technique for dissolution enhancement of slowly dissolving drugs with high scaling up potential. Aerosil was dispersed in ethanolic solution of flurbiprofen in the presence and absence of hydrophilic polymers. Acidified water was added as antisolvent to produce controlled precipitation. The resultant particles were centrifuged and dried at ambient temperature before monitoring the dissolution pattern. The particles were also subjected to FTIR spectroscopic, X-ray diffraction and thermal analyses. The FTIR spectroscopy excluded any interaction between flurbiprofen and excipients. The thermal analysis reflected possible change in the crystalline structure and or crystal size of the drug after controlled precipitation in the presence of hydrophilic polymers. This was further confirmed by X-ray diffraction. The modulation in the crystalline structure and size was associated with a significant enhancement in the dissolution rate of flurbiprofen. Optimum formulations were successfully formulated as rapidly disintegrating tablet with subsequent fast dissolution. Precipitation on a large solid surface area is a promising strategy for enhanced dissolution rate with the presence of hydrophilic polymers during precipitation process improving the efficiency.

  20. Myopathy in hyperthyroidism as a consequence of rapid reduction of thyroid hormone

    PubMed Central

    Li, Qianrui; Liu, Yuping; Zhang, Qianying; Tian, Haoming; Li, Jianwei; Li, Sheyu

    2017-01-01

    Abstract Rationale: Myalgia and elevated creatine kinase (CK) are occasionally observed during the treatment of hyperthyroid patients. Relative hypothyroidism resulted from rapid thyroid hormone reduction had been promoted as a plausible cause of these myopathic changes, however rarely reported. Patient concerns: We hereby presented a 20-year-old female with Grave's disease, who developed myopathy and elevated CK during rapid correction of thyroid hormone. Diagnoses: Relative hypothyroidism-induced myopathy. Interventions: Antithyroid drug (ATD) dosage was reduced without levothyroxine replacement. Outcomes: The muscular symptoms were recovered with CK level returned to normal after adoption of the euthyroid status. Lessons: Differentiation of relative hypothyroidism from other causes of myopathy, especially with the effect of ATD, is important for clinical practice, although difficult in many cases. PMID:28746208

  1. Development of a high efficiency integration system and promoter library for rapid modification of Pseudomonas putida KT2440

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

    Elmore, Joshua R.; Furches, Anna; Wolff, Gara N.

    Pseudomonas putida strains are highly robust bacteria known for their ability to efficiently utilize a variety of carbon sources, including aliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbons. Recently, P. putida has been engineered to valorize the lignin stream of a lignocellulosic biomass pretreatment process. Nonetheless, when compared to platform organisms such as Escherichia coli, the toolkit for engineering P. putida is underdeveloped. Heterologous gene expression in particular is problematic. Plasmid instability and copy number variance provide challenges for replicative plasmids, while use of homologous recombination for insertion of DNA into the chromosome is slow and laborious. Furthermore, heterologous expression efforts to date typicallymore » rely on overexpression of exogenous pathways using a handful of poorly characterized promoters. In order to improve the P. putida toolkit, we developed a rapid genome integration system using the site-specific recombinase from bacteriophage Bxb1 to enable rapid, high efficiency integration of DNA into the P. putida chromosome. We also developed a library of synthetic promoters with various UP elements, -35 sequences, and -10 sequences, as well as different ribosomal binding sites. We tested these promoters using a fluorescent reporter gene, mNeonGreen, to characterize the strength of each promoter, and identified UP-element-promoter-ribosomal binding sites combinations capable of driving a ~150-fold range of protein expression levels. One additional integrating vector was developed that confers more robust kanamycin resistance when integrated at single copy into the chromosome. This genome integration and reporter systems are extensible for testing other genetic parts, such as examining terminator strength, and will allow rapid integration of heterologous pathways for metabolic engineering.« less

  2. Development and validation of the RapidHIT™ 200 utilising NGMSElect™ Express for the processing of buccal swabs.

    PubMed

    Shackleton, David; Pagram, Jenny; Ives, Lesley; Vanhinsbergh, Des

    2018-06-02

    The RapidHIT™ 200 System is a fully automated sample-to-DNA profile system designed to produce high quality DNA profiles within 2h. The use of RapidHIT™ 200 System within the United Kingdom Criminal Justice System (UKCJS) has required extensive development and validation of methods with a focus on AmpFℓSTR ® NGMSElect™ Express PCR kit to comply with specific regulations for loading to the UK National DNA Database (NDNAD). These studies have been carried out using single source reference samples to simulate live reference samples taken from arrestees and victims for elimination. The studies have shown that the system is capable of generating high quality profile and has achieved the accreditations necessary to load to the NDNAD; a first for the UK. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  3. Rapid versus gradual bladder decompression in acute urinary retention.

    PubMed

    Etafy, Mohamed H; Saleh, Fatma H; Ortiz-Vanderdys, Cervando; Hamada, Alaa; Refaat, Alaa M; Aal, Mohamed Abdel; Deif, Hazem; Gawish, Maher; Abdellatif, Ashraf H; Gadalla, Khaled

    2017-01-01

    To demonstrate a benefit in diminished adverse events such as hypotension and hematuria with gradual drainage of the bladder when compared to rapid decompression in patients with acute urinary retention (AUR) due to benign prostatic hyperplasia in a case-control study. Sixty-two patients matched our selection criteria presenting with AUR. They were divided into two groups - the first was managed by rapid drainage of the bladder, the second was managed by gradual drainage through a urethral catheter (The first 100 mL immediately evacuated, then the rest evacuated gradually over 2 h). The mean age was 64.4 and 63.2 years in the first and second group, respectively. Diagnosed cause was benign hyperplasia of the prostate. Hematuria occurred in two patients in the first group and none in the second group. The two cases of hematuria were mild and treated conservatively. After the relief of the obstruction, the mean blood pressure was noticed to decrease by 15 mmHg and 10 mmHg in the first and second group, respectively, however, no one developed significant hypotension. Pain relief was achieved after complete drainage in the first group and after the evacuation of 100 mL in the second group. We conclude that there is no significant difference between rapid and gradual decompression of the bladder in patients with AUR. Hematuria and hypotension may occur after rapid decompression of the obstructed urinary bladder, but these complications are rarely clinically significant.

  4. Rapid single cell detection of Staphylococcus aureus by aptamer-conjugated gold nanoparticles

    PubMed Central

    Chang, Yi-Chung; Yang, Chia-Ying; Sun, Ruei-Lin; Cheng, Yi-Feng; Kao, Wei-Chen; Yang, Pan-Chyr

    2013-01-01

    Staphylococcus aureus is one of the most important human pathogens, causing more than 500,000 infections in the United States each year. Traditional methods for bacterial culture and identification take several days, wasting precious time for patients who are suffering severe bacterial infections. Numerous nucleic acid-based detection methods have been introduced to address this deficiency; however, the costs and requirement for expensive equipment may limit the widespread use of such technologies. Thus, there is an unmet demand of new platform technology to improve the bacterial detection and identification in clinical practice. In this study, we developed a rapid, ultra-sensitive, low cost, and non-polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based method for bacterial identification. Using this method, which measures the resonance light-scattering signal of aptamer-conjugated gold nanoparticles, we successfully detected single S. aureus cell within 1.5 hours. This new platform technology may have potential to develop a rapid and sensitive bacterial testing at point-of-care. PMID:23689505

  5. Rapid single cell detection of Staphylococcus aureus by aptamer-conjugated gold nanoparticles.

    PubMed

    Chang, Yi-Chung; Yang, Chia-Ying; Sun, Ruei-Lin; Cheng, Yi-Feng; Kao, Wei-Chen; Yang, Pan-Chyr

    2013-01-01

    Staphylococcus aureus is one of the most important human pathogens, causing more than 500,000 infections in the United States each year. Traditional methods for bacterial culture and identification take several days, wasting precious time for patients who are suffering severe bacterial infections. Numerous nucleic acid-based detection methods have been introduced to address this deficiency; however, the costs and requirement for expensive equipment may limit the widespread use of such technologies. Thus, there is an unmet demand of new platform technology to improve the bacterial detection and identification in clinical practice. In this study, we developed a rapid, ultra-sensitive, low cost, and non-polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based method for bacterial identification. Using this method, which measures the resonance light-scattering signal of aptamer-conjugated gold nanoparticles, we successfully detected single S. aureus cell within 1.5 hours. This new platform technology may have potential to develop a rapid and sensitive bacterial testing at point-of-care.

  6. Development of a rapid assay for the diagnosis of Myxobolus cerebralis in fish and oligochaetes using loop-mediated isothermal amplification.

    PubMed

    El-Matbouli, M; Soliman, H

    2005-09-01

    A loop-mediated isothermal amplification assay was developed for the rapid detection of Myxobolus cerebralis in both fish and oligochaete hosts. The assay was optimized to amplify parasitic DNA by incubation with Bst DNA polymerase and a set of six specially constructed primers at 65 degrees C for 60 min. The amplification products were detected visually using SYBR Green I dye which gave identical results to gel electrophoresis analysis. Parasite DNA was detected from infected oligochaetes, and from the anal fin, caudal fin, dorsal fin and operculum of clinically infected fish. This 'Myxo-LAMP' assay has a detection limit similar to that of a polymerase chain reaction assay (10(-6)), but is more rapid and only requires a water bath for amplification and is therefore practical for simple and rapid diagnosis of infected tissue.

  7. Development of a multiplex PCR-based rapid typing method for enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli O157 strains.

    PubMed

    Ooka, Tadasuke; Terajima, Jun; Kusumoto, Masahiro; Iguchi, Atsushi; Kurokawa, Ken; Ogura, Yoshitoshi; Asadulghani, Md; Nakayama, Keisuke; Murase, Kazunori; Ohnishi, Makoto; Iyoda, Sunao; Watanabe, Haruo; Hayashi, Tetsuya

    2009-09-01

    Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli O157 (EHEC O157) is a food-borne pathogen that has raised worldwide public health concern. The development of simple and rapid strain-typing methods is crucial for the rapid detection and surveillance of EHEC O157 outbreaks. In the present study, we developed a multiplex PCR-based strain-typing method for EHEC O157, which is based on the variability in genomic location of IS629 among EHEC O157 strains. This method is very simple, in that the procedures are completed within 2 h, the analysis can be performed without the need for special equipment or techniques (requiring only conventional PCR and agarose gel electrophoresis systems), the results can easily be transformed into digital data, and the genes for the major virulence markers of EHEC O157 (the stx(1), stx(2), and eae genes) can be detected simultaneously. Using this method, 201 EHEC O157 strains showing different XbaI digestion patterns in pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) analysis were classified into 127 types, and outbreak-related strains showed identical or highly similar banding patterns. Although this method is less discriminatory than PFGE, it may be useful as a primary screening tool for EHEC O157 outbreaks.

  8. A galaxy rapidly forming stars 700 million years after the Big Bang at redshift 7.51.

    PubMed

    Finkelstein, S L; Papovich, C; Dickinson, M; Song, M; Tilvi, V; Koekemoer, A M; Finkelstein, K D; Mobasher, B; Ferguson, H C; Giavalisco, M; Reddy, N; Ashby, M L N; Dekel, A; Fazio, G G; Fontana, A; Grogin, N A; Huang, J-S; Kocevski, D; Rafelski, M; Weiner, B J; Willner, S P

    2013-10-24

    Of several dozen galaxies observed spectroscopically that are candidates for having a redshift (z) in excess of seven, only five have had their redshifts confirmed via Lyman α emission, at z = 7.008, 7.045, 7.109, 7.213 and 7.215 (refs 1-4). The small fraction of confirmed galaxies may indicate that the neutral fraction in the intergalactic medium rises quickly at z > 6.5, given that Lyman α is resonantly scattered by neutral gas. The small samples and limited depth of previous observations, however, makes these conclusions tentative. Here we report a deep near-infrared spectroscopic survey of 43 photometrically-selected galaxies with z > 6.5. We detect a near-infrared emission line from only a single galaxy, confirming that some process is making Lyman α difficult to detect. The detected emission line at a wavelength of 1.0343 micrometres is likely to be Lyman α emission, placing this galaxy at a redshift z = 7.51, an epoch 700 million years after the Big Bang. This galaxy's colours are consistent with significant metal content, implying that galaxies become enriched rapidly. We calculate a surprisingly high star-formation rate of about 330 solar masses per year, which is more than a factor of 100 greater than that seen in the Milky Way. Such a galaxy is unexpected in a survey of our size, suggesting that the early Universe may harbour a larger number of intense sites of star formation than expected.

  9. Development of a rapid, robust, and universal picogreen-based method to titer adeno-associated vectors.

    PubMed

    Piedra, Jose; Ontiveros, Maria; Miravet, Susana; Penalva, Cristina; Monfar, Mercè; Chillon, Miguel

    2015-02-01

    Recombinant adeno-associated viruses (rAAVs) are promising vectors in preclinical and clinical assays for the treatment of diseases with gene therapy strategies. Recent technological advances in amplification and purification have allowed the production of highly purified rAAV vector preparations. Although quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) is the current method of choice for titrating rAAV genomes, it shows high variability. In this work, we report a rapid and robust rAAV titration method based on the quantitation of encapsidated DNA with the fluorescent dye PicoGreen®. This method allows detection from 3×10(10) viral genome/ml up to 2.4×10(13) viral genome/ml in a linear range. Contrasted with dot blot or qPCR, the PicoGreen-based assay has less intra- and interassay variability. Moreover, quantitation is rapid, does not require specific primers or probes, and is independent of the rAAV pseudotype analyzed. In summary, development of this universal rAAV-titering method may have substantive implications in rAAV technology.

  10. Economic analyses of rapid population growth.

    PubMed

    Birdsall, N

    1989-01-01

    "Discussion of the macroeconomic consequences of rapid population growth is organized into three schools: pessimists, optimists, and the recent revisionists. For the revisionists, differing views are presented about the pervasiveness and relevance of market failures, such as the negative externalities of childbearing, and about the ability of families and institutions to adjust rapidly to changes brought on by rapid population growth. A welfare economics approach is used to review the merits of various public policies to reduce fertility, including public financing of family planning services and taxes and incentives associated with childbearing." The focus is on developing countries. excerpt

  11. [Rapid prototyping: a very promising method].

    PubMed

    Haverman, T M; Karagozoglu, K H; Prins, H-J; Schulten, E A J M; Forouzanfar, T

    2013-03-01

    Rapid prototyping is a method which makes it possible to produce a three-dimensional model based on two-dimensional imaging. Various rapid prototyping methods are available for modelling, such as stereolithography, selective laser sintering, direct laser metal sintering, two-photon polymerization, laminated object manufacturing, three-dimensional printing, three-dimensional plotting, polyjet inkjet technology,fused deposition modelling, vacuum casting and milling. The various methods currently being used in the biomedical sector differ in production, materials and properties of the three-dimensional model which is produced. Rapid prototyping is mainly usedforpreoperative planning, simulation, education, and research into and development of bioengineering possibilities.

  12. Development of rapid phenotypic system for the identification of Gram-negative oxidase-positive bacilli in resource-limited settings.

    PubMed

    Kazmi, Mahmooda; Khan, Adnan; Kazmi, Shahana Urooj

    2013-06-01

    Rapid and accurate identification of bacterial pathogens is a fundamental goal of clinical microbiology. The diagnosis and surveillance of diseases is dependent, to a great extent, on laboratory services, which cannot function without effective reliable reagents and diagnostics. Despite the advancement in microbiology diagnosis globally, resourcelimited countries still struggle to provide an acceptable diagnosis quality which helps in clinical disease management and improve their mortality and morbidity data. During this study an indigenous product, Quick Test Strip (QTS) NE, was developed for the rapid identification of biochemically slower group of Gram-negative oxidase-positive bacilli that covers 19 different bacterial genera. Some of the members belonging to these groups are well-established human pathogens, e.g. various species of Vibrio, Pseudomonas, Burkholderia, Aeromonas, Achromobacter and Stenotrophomonas. This study also evaluates the performance of QTS-NE by comparing with genotypic characterization methods. A total of 232 clinical and reference bacterial isolates were tested by three different methods. QTSNE provides 100 percent concordant results with other rapid identification and molecular characterization methods and confirms the potential to be used in clinical diagnosis.

  13. Rapid determination of 210Po in water samples

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

    Maxwell, Sherrod L.; Culligan, Brian K.; Hutchison, Jay B.

    2013-08-02

    A new rapid method for the determination of 210Po in water samples has been developed at the Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL) that can be used for emergency response or routine water analyses. If a radiological dispersive device (RDD) event or a radiological attack associated with drinking water supplies occurs, there will be an urgent need for rapid analyses of water samples, including drinking water, ground water and other water effluents. Current analytical methods for the assay of 210Po in water samples have typically involved spontaneous auto-deposition of 210Po onto silver or other metal disks followed by counting by alphamore » spectrometry. The auto-deposition times range from 90 minutes to 24 hours or more, at times with yields that may be less than desirable. If sample interferences are present, decreased yields and degraded alpha spectrums can occur due to unpredictable thickening in the deposited layer. Separation methods have focused on the use of Sr Resin, often in combination with 210Pb analysis. A new rapid method for 210Po in water samples has been developed at the Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL) that utilizes a rapid calcium phosphate co-precipitation method, separation using DGA Resin (N,N,N,N-tetraoctyldiglycolamide extractant-coated resin, Eichrom Technologies or Triskem-International), followed by rapid microprecipitation of 210Po using bismuth phosphate for counting by alpha spectrometry. This new method can be performed quickly with excellent removal of interferences, high chemical yields and very good alpha peak resolution, eliminating any potential problems with the alpha source preparation for emergency or routine samples. A rapid sequential separation method to separate 210Po and actinide isotopes was also developed. This new approach, rapid separation with DGA Resin plus microprecipitation for alpha source preparation, is a significant advance in radiochemistry for the rapid determination of 210Po.« less

  14. Development of rapid and sensitive high throughput pharmacologic assays for marine phycotoxins.

    PubMed

    Van Dolah, F M; Finley, E L; Haynes, B L; Doucette, G J; Moeller, P D; Ramsdell, J S

    1994-01-01

    The lack of rapid, high throughput assays is a major obstacle to many aspects of research on marine phycotoxins. Here we describe the application of microplate scintillation technology to develop high throughput assays for several classes of marine phycotoxin based on their differential pharmacologic actions. High throughput "drug discovery" format microplate receptor binding assays developed for brevetoxins/ciguatoxins and for domoic acid are described. Analysis for brevetoxins/ciguatoxins is carried out by binding competition with [3H] PbTx-3 for site 5 on the voltage dependent sodium channel in rat brain synaptosomes. Analysis of domoic acid is based on binding competition with [3H] kainic acid for the kainate/quisqualate glutamate receptor using frog brain synaptosomes. In addition, a high throughput microplate 45Ca flux assay for determination of maitotoxins is described. These microplate assays can be completed within 3 hours, have sensitivities of less than 1 ng, and can analyze dozens of samples simultaneously. The assays have been demonstrated to be useful for assessing algal toxicity and for assay-guided purification of toxins, and are applicable to the detection of biotoxins in seafood.

  15. Evaluation of simple rapid HIV assays and development of national rapid HIV test algorithms in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

    PubMed Central

    2009-01-01

    Background Suitable algorithms based on a combination of two or more simple rapid HIV assays have been shown to have a diagnostic accuracy comparable to double enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) or double ELISA with Western Blot strategies. The aims of this study were to evaluate the performance of five simple rapid HIV assays using whole blood samples from HIV-infected patients, pregnant women, voluntary counseling and testing attendees and blood donors, and to formulate an alternative confirmatory strategy based on rapid HIV testing algorithms suitable for use in Tanzania. Methods Five rapid HIV assays: Determine™ HIV-1/2 (Inverness Medical), SD Bioline HIV 1/2 3.0 (Standard Diagnostics Inc.), First Response HIV Card 1–2.0 (PMC Medical India Pvt Ltd), HIV1/2 Stat-Pak Dipstick (Chembio Diagnostic System, Inc) and Uni-Gold™ HIV-1/2 (Trinity Biotech) were evaluated between June and September 2006 using 1433 whole blood samples from hospital patients, pregnant women, voluntary counseling and testing attendees and blood donors. All samples that were reactive on all or any of the five rapid assays and 10% of non-reactive samples were tested on a confirmatory Inno-Lia HIV I/II immunoblot assay (Immunogenetics). Results Three hundred and ninety samples were confirmed HIV-1 antibody positive, while 1043 were HIV negative. The sensitivity at initial testing of Determine, SD Bioline and Uni-Gold™ was 100% (95% CI; 99.1–100) while First Response and Stat-Pak had sensitivity of 99.5% (95% CI; 98.2–99.9) and 97.7% (95% CI; 95.7–98.9), respectively, which increased to 100% (95% CI; 99.1–100) on repeat testing. The initial specificity of the Uni-Gold™ assay was 100% (95% CI; 99.6–100) while specificities were 99.6% (95% CI; 99–99.9), 99.4% (95% CI; 98.8–99.7), 99.6% (95% CI; 99–99.9) and 99.8% (95% CI; 99.3–99.9) for Determine, SD Bioline, First Response and Stat-Pak assays, respectively. There was no any sample which was concordantly false

  16. Development of a colloidal gold immunochromatographic strip for rapid detection of Streptococcus agalactiae in tilapia.

    PubMed

    Wen-de, Wu; Min, Li; Ming, Chen; Li-Ping, Li; Rui, Wang; Hai-Lan, Chen; Fu-Yan, Chen; Qiang, Mi; Wan-Wen, Liang; Han-Zhong, Chen

    2017-05-15

    A colloidal gold immunochromatographic strip was developed for rapid detection of Streptococcus agalactiae (S. agalactiae) infection in tilapia. The monoclonal antibodies (mAb) 4C12 and 3A9 were used to target S. agalactiae as colloidal gold-mAb conjugate and captured antibody, respectively. The colloidal gold immunochromatographic strip was assembled via routine procedures. Optimal pH and minimum antibody levels in the reaction system for gold colloidal-mAb 4C12 conjugation were pH 7.4 and 18μg/mL, respectively. Optimal concentrations of the captured antibody 3A9 and goat anti-mouse antibody were 0.6mg/mL and 2mg/mL, respectively. The sensitivity of the strip for detecting S. agalactiae was 1.5×10 5 colony forming units (CFU). No cross-reaction was observed with other commonly encountered bacteria, including Pseudomonas fluorescens, Aeromonas hydrophila, Vibrio anguillarum and Streptococcus iniae. The assay time for S. agalactiae was less than 15min. Tilapia samples artificially infected with S. agalactiae were tested using the newly developed strip. The results indicated that blood, brain, kidney, spleen, metanephros and intestine specimens of infected fish can be used for S. agalactiae detection. The validity of the strip was maintained for 6 months at 4°C. These findings suggested that the immunochromatographic strip was effective for spot and rapid detection of S. agalactiae infected tilapia. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  17. Development, optimization and validation of a rapid colorimetric microplate bioassay for neomycin sulfate in pharmaceutical drug products.

    PubMed

    Francisco, Fabiane Lacerda; Saviano, Alessandro Morais; Pinto, Terezinha de Jesus Andreoli; Lourenço, Felipe Rebello

    2014-08-01

    Microbiological assays have been used to evaluate antimicrobial activity since the discovery of the first antibiotics. Despite their limitations, microbiological assays are widely employed to determine antibiotic potency of pharmaceutical dosage forms, since they provide a measure of biological activity. The aim of this work is to develop, optimize and validate a rapid colorimetric microplate bioassay for the potency of neomycin in pharmaceutical drug products. Factorial and response surface methodologies were used in the development and optimization of the choice of microorganism, culture medium composition, amount of inoculum, triphenyltetrazolium chloride (TTC) concentration and neomycin concentration. The optimized bioassay method was validated by the assessment of linearity (range 3.0 to 5.0μg/mL, r=0.998 and 0.994 for standard and sample curves, respectively), precision (relative standard deviation (RSD) of 2.8% and 4.0 for repeatability and intermediate precision, respectively), accuracy (mean recovery=100.2%) and robustness. Statistical analysis showed equivalency between agar diffusion microbiological assay and rapid colorimetric microplate bioassay. In addition, microplate bioassay had advantages concerning the sensitivity of response, time of incubation, and amount of culture medium and solutions required. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  18. Development of one-step quantitative reverse transcription PCR for the rapid detection of flaviviruses.

    PubMed

    Patel, Pranav; Landt, Olfert; Kaiser, Marco; Faye, Oumar; Koppe, Tanja; Lass, Ulrich; Sall, Amadou A; Niedrig, Matthias

    2013-02-14

    The genus Flavivirus includes several pathogenic agents that cause severe illness in humans. Re-emergence of West Nile virus in Europe and continuous spread of certain flaviviruses such as dengue, yellow fever and Japanese encephalitis viruses represent a global danger to public health. Therefore, a rapid and accurate molecular method is required for diagnostics and epidemiological surveillance of flaviviruses. A Pan-Flavi quantitative RT-PCR assay using a Locked-Nucleic Acid probe targeting the flavivirus NS5 gene was developed and optimized to detect a wide range of flaviviruses simultaneously. The specificity and sensitivity of the Pan-Flavi assay were tested using RNA of different flaviviruses and non-flaviviruses. Furthermore, the assay was compared directly to flavivirus species-specific assays for the ability to detect flaviviruses sensitively. Two degenerate primers and one Locked-Nucleic Acids probe were designed to amplify most of the flaviviruses. To increase the specificity and fluorescence signal of the Pan-Flavi assay for detection of yellow fever virus and dengue virus 4, additional primers and probes were included. Viral RNA of thirty different flaviviruses was detected, verifying the broad range specificity. The testing of this assay was successful, using standard plasmid and RNA dilutions of yellow fever virus vaccine strain, dengue virus 1 and tick-borne encephalitis virus, with a sensitivity limit of 10-100 genome copies/reaction. Also comparatively good results were achieved for detecting different flaviviruses by the Pan-Flavi assay when compared to the flavivirus species-specific assays. The assay is rapid, broad-range flavivirus-specific and highly sensitive making it a valuable tool for rapid detection of flaviviruses in livestock samples, epidemiological studies or as useful complement to single flavivirus-specific assays for clinical diagnosis.

  19. Rapid Response Team activation for pediatric patients on the acute pain service.

    PubMed

    Teets, Maxwell; Tumin, Dmitry; Walia, Hina; Stevens, Jenna; Wrona, Sharon; Martin, David; Bhalla, Tarun; Tobias, Joseph D

    2017-11-01

    Untreated pain or overly aggressive pain management may lead to adverse physiologic consequences and activation of the hospital's Rapid Response Team. This study is a quality improvement initiative that attempts to identify patient demographics and patterns associated with Rapid Response Team consultations for patients on the acute pain service. A retrospective review of all patients on the acute pain service from February 2011 until June 2015 was cross-referenced with inpatients requiring consultation from the Rapid Response Team. Two independent practitioners reviewed electronic medical records to determine which events were likely associated with pain management interventions. Over a 4-year period, 4872 patients were admitted to the acute pain service of whom 135 unique patients required Rapid Response Team consults. There were 159 unique Rapid Response Team activations among 6538 unique acute pain service consults. A subset of 27 pain management-related Rapid Response Team consultations was identified. The largest percentage of patients on the acute pain service were adolescents aged 12-17 (36%). Compared to this age group, the odds of Rapid Response Team activation were higher among infants <1 year old (odds ratio = 2.85; 95% confidence interval: 1.59, 5.10; P < .001) and adults over 18 years (odds ratio = 1.68; 95% confidence interval: 1.01, 2.80; P = .046). Identifying demographics and etiologies of acute pain service patients requiring Rapid Response Team consultations may help to identify patients at risk for clinical decompensation. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  20. Performance of an HRP-2 Rapid Diagnostic Test in Nigerian Children Less Than 5 Years of Age

    PubMed Central

    Ajumobi, Olufemi; Sabitu, Kabir; Nguku, Patrick; Kwaga, Jacob; Ntadom, Godwin; Gitta, Sheba; Elizeus, Rutebemberwa; Oyibo, Wellington; Nsubuga, Peter; Maire, Mark; Poggensee, Gabriele

    2015-01-01

    The diagnostic performance of histidine-rich protein 2 (HRP-2)–based malaria rapid diagnostic test (RDT) was evaluated in a mesoendemic area for malaria, Kaduna, Nigeria. We compared RDT results with expert microscopy results of blood samples from 295 febrile children under 5 years. Overall, 11.9% (35/295) tested positive with RDT compared with 10.5% (31/295) by microscopy: sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value (NPV) were 100%, 98.5%, 88.6%, and 100%, respectively. The RDT sensitivity was not affected by transmission season, parasite density, and age. Specificity and positive PV decreased slightly during the high-transmission season (97.5% and 83.3%). The RDT test positivity rates in the low- and high-transmission seasons were 9.4% and 13.5%, respectively. Overall, the test performance of this RDT was satisfactory. The findings of a low proportion of RDT false positives, no invalid and no false-negative results should validate the performance of RDTs in this context. PMID:25711608

  1. Using Aerial Photography to Estimate Riparian Zone Impacts in a Rapidly Developing River Corridor

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Owers, Katharine A.; Albanese, Brett; Litts, Thomas

    2012-03-01

    Riparian zones are critical for protecting water quality and wildlife, but are often impacted by human activities. Ongoing threats and uncertainty about the effectiveness of buffer regulations emphasize the importance of monitoring riparian buffers through time. We developed a method to rapidly categorize buffer width and landuse attributes using 2007 leaf-on aerial photography and applied it to a 65 km section of the Toccoa River in north Georgia. We repeated our protocol using 1999 leaf-off aerial photographs to assess the utility of our approach for monitoring. Almost half (45%) of the length of the Toccoa River was bordered by buffers less than 50 ft wide in 2007, with agricultural and built-up lands having the smallest buffers. The percentage of river length in each buffer width category changed little between 1999 and 2007, but we did detect a 5% decrease in agricultural land use, a corresponding increase in built-up land use, and an additional 149 buildings within 100 ft of the river. Field verification indicated that our method overestimated buffer widths and forested land use and underestimated built-up land use and the number of buildings within 100 ft of the river. Our methodology can be used to rapidly assess the status of riparian buffers. Including supplemental data (e.g., leaf-off imagery, road layers) will allow detection of the fine-scale impacts underestimated in our study. Our results on the Toccoa River reflect historic impacts, exemptions and variances to regulations, and the ongoing threat of vacation home development. We recommend additional monitoring, improvements in policy, and efforts to increase voluntary protection and restoration of stream buffers.

  2. Using aerial photography to estimate riparian zone impacts in a rapidly developing river corridor.

    PubMed

    Owers, Katharine A; Albanese, Brett; Litts, Thomas

    2012-03-01

    Riparian zones are critical for protecting water quality and wildlife, but are often impacted by human activities. Ongoing threats and uncertainty about the effectiveness of buffer regulations emphasize the importance of monitoring riparian buffers through time. We developed a method to rapidly categorize buffer width and landuse attributes using 2007 leaf-on aerial photography and applied it to a 65 km section of the Toccoa River in north Georgia. We repeated our protocol using 1999 leaf-off aerial photographs to assess the utility of our approach for monitoring. Almost half (45%) of the length of the Toccoa River was bordered by buffers less than 50 ft wide in 2007, with agricultural and built-up lands having the smallest buffers. The percentage of river length in each buffer width category changed little between 1999 and 2007, but we did detect a 5% decrease in agricultural land use, a corresponding increase in built-up land use, and an additional 149 buildings within 100 ft of the river. Field verification indicated that our method overestimated buffer widths and forested land use and underestimated built-up land use and the number of buildings within 100 ft of the river. Our methodology can be used to rapidly assess the status of riparian buffers. Including supplemental data (e.g., leaf-off imagery, road layers) will allow detection of the fine-scale impacts underestimated in our study. Our results on the Toccoa River reflect historic impacts, exemptions and variances to regulations, and the ongoing threat of vacation home development. We recommend additional monitoring, improvements in policy, and efforts to increase voluntary protection and restoration of stream buffers.

  3. Development of a Novel, Bicombinatorial Approach to Alloy Development, and Application to Rapid Screening of Creep Resistant Titanium Alloys

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Martin, Brian

    Combinatorial approaches have proven useful for rapid alloy fabrication and optimization. A new method of producing controlled isothermal gradients using the Gleeble Thermomechanical simulator has been developed, and demonstrated on the metastable beta-Ti alloy beta-21S, achieving a thermal gradient of 525-700 °C. This thermal gradient method has subsequently been coupled with existing combinatorial methods of producing composition gradients using the LENS(TM) additive manufacturing system, through the use of elemental blended powders. This has been demonstrated with a binary Ti-(0-15) wt% Cr build, which has subsequently been characterized with optical and electron microscopy, with special attention to the precipitate of TiCr2 Laves phases. The TiCr2 phase has been explored for its high temperature mechanical properties in a new oxidation resistant beta-Ti alloy, which serves as a demonstration of the new bicombinatorial methods developed as applied to a multicomponent alloy system.

  4. The Race to the Top--Early Learning Challenge Year Two Progress Report

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    US Department of Education, 2014

    2014-01-01

    The human brain develops rapidly in the first five years of life. High-quality early learning experiences can have a profound and lasting positive effect on young children during these years, setting the stage for success in kindergarten and beyond. This is especially true for young children with high needs who are from low-income families; who…

  5. Post-term growth and cognitive development at 5 years of age in preterm children: Evidence from a prospective population-based cohort.

    PubMed

    Simon, Laure; Nusinovici, Simon; Flamant, Cyril; Cariou, Bertrand; Rouger, Valérie; Gascoin, Géraldine; Darmaun, Dominique; Rozé, Jean-Christophe; Hanf, Matthieu

    2017-01-01

    While the effects of growth from birth to expected term on the subsequent development of preterm children has attracted plentiful attention, less is known about the effects of post-term growth. We aimed to delineate distinct patterns of post-term growth and to determine their association with the cognitive development of preterm children. Data from a prospective population-based cohort of 3,850 surviving infants born at less than 35 weeks of gestational age were used. Growth was assessed as the Body Mass Index (BMI) Z-scores at 3, 9, 18, 24, 36, 48, and 60 months. Cognitive development at five years of age was evaluated by the Global School Adaptation score (GSA). Latent class analysis was implemented to identify distinct growth patterns and logistic regressions based on propensity matching were used to evaluate the relationship between identified growth trajectories and cognitive development. Four patterns of post-term growth were identified: a normal group with a Z-score consistently around zero during childhood (n = 2,469; 64%); a group with an early rapid rise in the BMI Z-score, but only up to 2 years of age (n = 195; 5%); a group with a slow yet steady rise in the BMI Z-score during childhood (n = 510; 13%); and a group with a negative Z-score growth until 3 years of age (n = 676; 18%). The group with a slow yet steady rise in the BMI Z-score was significantly associated with low GSA scores. Our findings indicate heterogeneous post-term growth of preterm children, with potential for association with their cognitive development.

  6. Better concrete mixes for rapid repair in Wisconsin.

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2017-04-01

    With the increasing demands on the highway system and increasing costs of user delay, the use and development of rapid-repairtechniques are expected to grow rapidly. High early strength (HES) portland cement concrete can help reduce the duration oftr...

  7. A Systems Approach to Rapid School Improvement

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    McCauley, Carlas

    2018-01-01

    To support systemic thinking about school improvement, the Center on School Turnaround at WestEd developed a framework to assist states, districts, and schools in leading and managing rapid improvement efforts. The framework, which is presented in this article, has four domains that have proved central to rapid, significant improvement: (1)…

  8. Designing Instructor-Led Schools with Rapid Prototyping.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lange, Steven R.; And Others

    1996-01-01

    Rapid prototyping involves abandoning many of the linear steps of traditional prototyping; it is instead a series of design iterations representing each major stage. This article describes the development of an instructor-led course for midlevel auditors using the principles and procedures of rapid prototyping, focusing on the savings in time and…

  9. Rapid Development of Specialty Population Registries and Quality Measures from Electronic Health Record Data.

    PubMed

    Kannan, Vaishnavi; Fish, Jason S; Mutz, Jacqueline M; Carrington, Angela R; Lai, Ki; Davis, Lisa S; Youngblood, Josh E; Rauschuber, Mark R; Flores, Kathryn A; Sara, Evan J; Bhat, Deepa G; Willett, DuWayne L

    2017-01-01

    (a) real-time patient lists of registry patients and (b) EDW-gener-ated CQM data. Agile project management methods were employed, including co-development, lightweight requirements documentation with User Stories and acceptance criteria, and time-boxed iterative development of EHR features in 2-week "sprints" for rapid-cycle feedback and refinement. Using this approach, in calendar year 2015 we developed a total of 43 specialty chronic disease registries, with 111 new EHR data collection and clinical decision support tools, 163 new clinical quality measures, and 30 clinic-specific dashboards reporting on both real-time patient care gaps and summarized and vetted CQM measure performance trends. This study suggests concurrent design of EHR data collection tools and reporting can quickly yield useful EHR structured data for chronic disease registries, and bodes well for efforts to migrate away from manual abstraction. This work also supports the view that in new EHR-based registry development, as in new product development, adopting agile principles and practices can help deliver valued, high-quality features early and often. Schattauer GmbH.

  10. Recent advances in rapid pathogen detection method based on biosensors.

    PubMed

    Chen, Ying; Wang, Zhenzhen; Liu, Yingxun; Wang, Xin; Li, Ying; Ma, Ping; Gu, Bing; Li, Hongchun

    2018-06-01

    As strain variation and drug resistance become more pervasive, the prevention and control of infection have been a serious problem in recent years. The detection of pathogen is one of the most important parts of the process of diagnosis. Having a series of advantages, such as rapid response, high sensitivity, ease of use, and low cost, biosensors have received much attention and been studied deeply. Moreover, relying on its characteristics of small size, real time, and multiple analyses, biosensors have developed rapidly and used widely and are expected to be applied for microbiological detection in order to meet higher accuracy required by clinical diagnosis. The main goal of this contribution is not to simply collect and list all papers related to pathogen detection based on biosensors published recently, but to discuss critically the development and application of many kinds of biosensors such as electrochemical (amperometric, impedimetric, potentiometric, and conductometric), optical (fluorescent, fibre optic and surface plasmon resonance), and piezoelectric (quartz crystal microbalances and atomic force microscopy) biosensors in pathogen detection as well as the comparisons with the existing clinical detection methods (traditional culture, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, polymerase chain reaction, and mass spectrometry).

  11. The Early Years: Development, Learning and Teaching.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Boulton-Lewis, Gillian, Ed.; Catherwood, Di, Ed.

    Designed for teachers, students, caregivers, and health professionals who work with children from birth to age 8, this book provides a review of recent research and theories of development and learning in the early childhood years, with an emphasis on implications for effective teaching. Where appropriate, the book takes an Australian perspective,…

  12. Small acid soluble proteins for rapid spore identification.

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

    Branda, Steven S.; Lane, Todd W.; VanderNoot, Victoria A.

    2006-12-01

    This one year LDRD addressed the problem of rapid characterization of bacterial spores such as those from the genus Bacillus, the group that contains pathogenic spores such as B. anthracis. In this effort we addressed the feasibility of using a proteomics based approach to spore characterization using a subset of conserved spore proteins known as the small acid soluble proteins or SASPs. We proposed developing techniques that built on our previous expertise in microseparations to rapidly characterize or identify spores. An alternative SASP extraction method was developed that was amenable to both the subsequent fluorescent labeling required for laser-induced fluorescencemore » detection and the low ionic strength requirements for isoelectric focusing. For the microseparations, both capillary isoelectric focusing and chip gel electrophoresis were employed. A variety of methods were evaluated to improve the molecular weight resolution for the SASPs, which are in a molecular weight range that is not well resolved by the current methods. Isoelectric focusing was optimized and employed to resolve the SASPs using UV absorbance detection. Proteomic signatures of native wild type Bacillus spores and clones genetically engineered to produce altered SASP patterns were assessed by slab gel electrophoresis, capillary isoelectric focusing with absorbance detection as well as microchip based gel electrophoresis employing sensitive laser-induced fluorescence detection.« less

  13. Continuous Professional Development: What Role and Who Benefits? Reflections on Teacher Development in Uganda

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wabule, Alice

    2016-01-01

    Continuous professional development has assumed a central role in organisational development in recent years. In the teaching profession, initial training is no longer seen as enough due to rapid changes in technology, social structures, ideologies and the increasing diversity of the classrooms. While acknowledging the empowering aspect of CPD,…

  14. Rapid Recovery of an Urban Remnant Reptile Community following Summer Wildfire.

    PubMed

    Davis, Robert A; Doherty, Tim S

    2015-01-01

    Reptiles in urban remnants are threatened with extinction by increased fire frequency, habitat fragmentation caused by urban development, and competition and predation from exotic species. Understanding how urban reptiles respond to and recover from such disturbances is key to their conservation. We monitored the recovery of an urban reptile community for five years following a summer wildfire at Kings Park in Perth, Western Australia, using pitfall trapping at five burnt and five unburnt sites. The reptile community recovered rapidly following the fire. Unburnt sites initially had higher species richness and total abundance, but burnt sites rapidly converged, recording a similar total abundance to unburnt areas within two years, and a similar richness within three years. The leaf-litter inhabiting skink Hemiergis quadrilineata was strongly associated with longer unburnt sites and may be responding to the loss of leaf litter following the fire. Six rarely-captured species were also strongly associated with unburnt areas and were rarely or never recorded at burnt sites, whereas two other rarely-captured species were associated with burnt sites. We also found that one lizard species, Ctenotus fallens, had a smaller average body length in burnt sites compared to unburnt sites for four out of the five years of monitoring. Our study indicates that fire management that homogenises large areas of habitat through frequent burning may threaten some species due to their preference for longer unburnt habitat. Careful management of fire may be needed to maximise habitat suitability within the urban landscape.

  15. Developing Collective Learning Extension for Rapidly Evolving Information System Courses

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Agarwal, Nitin; Ahmed, Faysal

    2017-01-01

    Due to rapidly evolving Information System (IS) technologies, instructors find themselves stuck in the constant game of catching up. On the same hand students find their skills obsolete almost as soon as they graduate. As part of IS curriculum and education, we need to emphasize more on teaching the students "how to learn" while keeping…

  16. Flexibility of rapid-acting insulin analogues in children and adolescents with diabetes mellitus.

    PubMed

    Danne, Thomas

    2007-01-01

    Every year, approximately 70,000 children aged<15 years develop type 1 diabetes mellitus (DM) worldwide. Achieving glycosylated hemoglobin control is a very important aim, but quality-of-life concerns for the child and the family should also have high priority in the management of pediatric DM. This review outlines some of the issues involved in treating type 1 DM in children and adolescents, as well as the use of rapid-acting insulin analogues in basal-bolus therapy and continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion pumps. This review article was based on a presentation at a satellite symposium entitled "Realising the Value of Modern Insulins: Reaching Further with Rapid-Acting Insulin Analogues "that was convened during the XIXth World Diabetes Congress, December 3, 2006, in Cape Town, South Africa. Treating children and adolescents with DM is a challenge that should not be ignored. Furthermore, DM in children is quite different from that in adults. Numerous factors have to be taken into account when evaluating treatment for children with DM in comparison with treatment for adult DM: sleep patterns; unpredictable activities, especially eating behaviors; limited size of injection sites, making it difficult to rotate injections; higher insulin sensitivity; and frequent infectious diseases. In addition, achieving normal psychosocial development may be just as important as achieving strict metabolic control in this population. Rapid-acting insulin analogues can be used effectively in these individuals with type 1 DM. The pharmacokinetic profile of insulin aspart suggests that it is suitable for flexible mealtime administration in children and adolescents. Indeed, clinical studies in children and adolescents have shown the efficacy and tolerability of postprandial administration of insulin aspart, particularly in comparison with soluble human insulin. Postprandial administration of insulin aspart, compared with preprandial soluble human insulin, has also been studied in

  17. Rapid Pore Cranial Drilling With External Ventricular Drainage for Treatment of Intraventricular Hemorrhage: A 36-Year Case Series

    PubMed Central

    Zhang, Wei; Wei, Lin; Li, Gang; Sun, Jinlong; Jin, Peng; Yang, Jun; Wang, Daokui; Bai, Yunan; Li, Xingang; Fei, Chang; Wang, Chengwei; Wang, Baoan; Pan, Shumao; Du, Jihai; Xie, Bo; Xu, Dongfang; Xin, Changming; Wang, Jihua; Zhang, Qinglin

    2015-01-01

    This study aimed to describe the technique details of rapid pore cranial drilling with external ventricular drainage and document its clinical outcomes by highlighting the advantages over the traditional and modified cranial drilling technique. Intraventricular hemorrhage is one of the most severe subtypes of hemorrhagic stroke with high mortality. The amount of blood in the ventricles is associated with severity of outcomes, and fast removal of the blood clot is the key to a good prognosis. Between 1977 and 2013, 3773 patients admitted for intraventricular hemorrhage underwent rapid pore cranial drilling drainage. The therapeutic effects and clinical outcomes were retrospectively analyzed. Of these patients, 1049 (27.8%) experienced complete remission, 1788 (47.4%) had improved condition, and 936 (24.8%) died. A total of 3229 (85.6%) patients gained immediate remission. One typical case was illustrated to demonstrate the efficacy of the rapid pore drilling technique. Rapid pore cranial drilling drainage in patients with intraventricular hemorrhage is fast, effective, and provides immediate relief in patients with severe conditions. It could be a better alternative to the conventional drilling approach for treatment of intraventricular hemorrhage. A randomized controlled trial for direct comparison between the rapid pore cranial drilling drainage and conventional drilling technique is in urgent need. PMID:25590642

  18. Rapid Pore Cranial Drilling With External Ventricular Drainage for Treatment of Intraventricular Hemorrhage: A 36-Year Case Series.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Wei; Wei, Lin; Li, Gang; Sun, Jinlong; Jin, Peng; Yang, Jun; Wang, Daokui; Bai, Yunan; Li, Xingang; Fei, Chang; Wang, Chengwei; Wang, Baoan; Pan, Shumao; Du, Jihai; Xie, Bo; Xu, Dongfang; Xin, Changming; Wang, Jihua; Zhang, Qinglin

    2015-06-01

    This study aimed to describe the technique details of rapid pore cranial drilling with external ventricular drainage and document its clinical outcomes by highlighting the advantages over the traditional and modified cranial drilling technique. Intraventricular hemorrhage is one of the most severe subtypes of hemorrhagic stroke with high mortality. The amount of blood in the ventricles is associated with severity of outcomes, and fast removal of the blood clot is the key to a good prognosis. Between 1977 and 2013, 3773 patients admitted for intraventricular hemorrhage underwent rapid pore cranial drilling drainage. The therapeutic effects and clinical outcomes were retrospectively analyzed. Of these patients, 1049 (27.8%) experienced complete remission, 1788 (47.4%) had improved condition, and 936 (24.8%) died. A total of 3229 (85.6%) patients gained immediate remission. One typical case was illustrated to demonstrate the efficacy of the rapid pore drilling technique. Rapid pore cranial drilling drainage in patients with intraventricular hemorrhage is fast, effective, and provides immediate relief in patients with severe conditions. It could be a better alternative to the conventional drilling approach for treatment of intraventricular hemorrhage. A randomized controlled trial for direct comparison between the rapid pore cranial drilling drainage and conventional drilling technique is in urgent need.

  19. Rapidly developing gas gangrene due to a simple puncture wound.

    PubMed

    Oncel, Selim; Arsoy, Emin Sami

    2010-06-01

    Gas gangrene, an infection caused by Clostridium perfringens, is a potentially fatal and physically disabling disease due to its sometimes incredibly rapid progression. An adolescent boy was referred to our university hospital with a history of nail puncture in the hand that occurred a few hours previously. The physical examination revealed a swollen and tender arm with crepitations up to the shoulder. Gas was coming out from the puncture wound with digital pressure on the forearm. The plain radiograph of the arm was typical of gas gangrene with the presence of gas under the skin and between muscular fibrils.Having received 1 dose of meropenem, the boy had surgery, in which his entire upper extremity had to be disarticulated from the shoulder. The maintenance antimicrobial therapy with intravenously administered penicillin G and clindamycin was continued for a duration of 10 days, at the end of which, the patient was discharged.The rapidly progressive character and the dramatic ending of this case made us wonder whether antimicrobial prophylaxis would play any role in the preventive management of puncture wounds.

  20. Rapid response deluge system

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mille, J. R.

    1984-08-01

    The development of a rapid response deluge system by the Ammunition Equipment Directorate (AED) for use in suppressing propellant fires during demilitarization shows great promise. Prototype systems have been tested and data acquired on their efficiencies. Present system vs previous generations and lessons learned are discussed.

  1. Rapid Cycle Amine (RCA 2.0) System Development

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Papale, William; O'Coin, James; Wichowski, Robert; Chullen, Cinda; Campbell, Colin

    2012-01-01

    The Rapid Cycle Amine (RCA) system is a low power assembly capable of simultaneously removing carbon dioxide (CO2) and humidity from an influent air steam and subsequent regeneration when exposed to a vacuum source. Two solid amine sorbent beds are alternated between an uptake mode and a regeneration mode. During the uptake mode, the sorbent is exposed to an air steam (ventilation loop) to adsorb CO2 and water vapor, while during the regeneration mode, the sorbent rejects the adsorbed CO2 and water vapor to a vacuum source. The two beds operate such that while one bed is in the uptake mode, the other is in the regeneration mode, thus continuously providing an on-service sorbent bed by which CO2 and humidity may be removed. A novel valve assembly provides a simple means of diverting the process air flow through the uptake bed while simultaneously directing the vacuum source to the regeneration bed. Additionally, the valve assembly is designed to allow for switching between uptake and regeneration modes with only one moving part while minimizing gas volume losses to the vacuum source by means of an internal pressure equalization step during actuation. The process can be controlled by a compact, low power controller design with several modes of operation available to the user. Together with NASA, United Technologies Corporation Aerospace Systems has been developing RCA 2.0 based on performance and design feedback on several sorbent bed test articles and valve design concepts. A final design was selected in November 2011 and fabricated and assembled between March and August 2012, with delivery to NASA-JSC in September 2012. This paper will provide an overview on the RCA system design and results of pre-delivery testing.

  2. Rapid Cycle Amine (RCA 2.0) System Development

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Papale, William; O'Coin, James; Wichowski, Robert; Chullen, Cinda; Campbell, Colin

    2013-01-01

    The Rapid Cycle Amine (RCA) system is a low-power assembly capable of simultaneously removing carbon dioxide (CO2) and humidity from an influent air steam and subsequent regeneration when exposed to a vacuum source. Two solid amine sorbent beds are alternated between an uptake mode and a regeneration mode. During the uptake mode, the sorbent is exposed to an air steam (ventilation loop) to adsorb CO2 and water (H2O) vapor, whereas during the regeneration mode, the sorbent rejects the adsorbed CO2 and H2O vapor to a vacuum source. The two beds operate such that while one bed is in the uptake mode, the other is in the regeneration mode, thus continuously providing an on-service sorbent bed by which CO2 and humidity may be removed. A novel valve assembly provides a simple means of diverting the process air flow through the uptake bed while simultaneously directing the vacuum source to the regeneration bed. Additionally, the valve assembly is designed to allow for switching between uptake and regeneration modes with only one moving part while minimizing gas volume losses to the vacuum source by means of an internal pressure equalization step during actuation. The process can be controlled by a compact, low-power controller design with several modes of operation available to the user. Together with NASA Johnson Space Center, Hamilton Sundstrand Space Systems International, Inc. has been developing RCA 2.0 based on performance and design feedback on several sorbent bed test articles and valve design concepts. A final design of RCA 2.0 was selected in November 2011 and fabricated and assembled between March and August 2012, with delivery to NASA Johnson Space Center in September 2012. This paper provides an overview of the RCA system design and results of pre-delivery testing.

  3. On the Development of Postdoctoral Education in China

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Yao, Yun

    2007-01-01

    Having experienced three stages of "preliminary establishment", "rapid and comprehensive development" and "steady development" for twenty years, China's postdoctoral system is moving towards a new one, the stage of "quality improvement and innovation development." Remarkable achievements in the system…

  4. Wildfires and Forest Development in Tropical and Subtropical Asia: Outlook for the Year 2000

    Treesearch

    Johann G. Goldammer

    1987-01-01

    California's foothill counties are the scene of rapid development. All types of construction in former wildlands is creating an intermix of wildland-structures-wildland that is different from the traditional "urban-wildland interface." The fire and structural environment for seven counties is described. Fire statistics are compared with growth patterns...

  5. The national web-based outbreak rapid alert system in Norway: eight years of experience, 2006-2013.

    PubMed

    Guzman-Herrador, B; Vold, L; Berg, T; Berglund, T M; Heier, B; Kapperud, G; Lange, H; Nygård, K

    2016-01-01

    In 2005, the Norwegian Institute of Public Health established a web-based outbreak rapid alert system called Vesuv. The system is used for mandatory outbreak alerts from municipal medical officers, healthcare institutions, and food safety authorities. As of 2013, 1426 outbreaks have been reported, involving 32913 cases. More than half of the outbreaks occurred in healthcare institutions (759 outbreaks, 53·2%). A total of 474 (33·2%) outbreaks were associated with food or drinking water. The web-based rapid alert system has proved to be a helpful tool by enhancing reporting and enabling rapid and efficient information sharing between different authorities at both the local and national levels. It is also an important tool for event-based reporting, as required by the International Health Regulations (IHR) 2005. Collecting information from all the outbreak alerts and reports in a national database is also useful for analysing trends, such as occurrence of certain microorganisms, places or sources of infection, or route of transmission. This can facilitate the identification of specific areas where more general preventive measures are needed.

  6. Rapidly progressive subacute sclerosing panencephalitis presenting with acute loss of vision.

    PubMed

    Ekici, Bariş; Calişkan, Mine; Tatli, Burak; Aydinli, Nur; Ozmen, Meral

    2011-12-01

    A 10-year-old male presented with vision loss and behavioral changes. He had midpoint pupils with no reaction to light and normal funduscopic examination. Cranial magnetic resonance imaging revealed bilateral cortical lesions at parieto-occipital lobes. Elevated measles antibody titers in the cerebrospinal fluid confirmed the diagnosis of subacute sclerosing panencephalitis. Despite oral inosiplex and supportive care, patient developed generalized seizures with frequent myoclonic jerks and rapidly progressed into coma. Cortical blindness in subacute sclerosing panencephalitis can be an early indicator for fulminant course.

  7. Developing a rapid-response program for health system decision-makers in Canada: findings from an issue brief and stakeholder dialogue.

    PubMed

    Wilson, Michael G; Lavis, John N; Gauvin, Francois-Pierre

    2015-03-11

    There is currently no mechanism in place outside of government to provide rapid syntheses of the best available research evidence about problems, options and/or implementation considerations related to a specific health system challenge that Canadian health system decision-makers need to address in a timely manner. A 'rapid-response' program could address this gap by providing access to optimally packaged, relevant and high-quality research evidence over short periods of time (i.e. days or weeks). We prepared an issue brief that describes the best available research evidence related to the problem, three broad features of a program that addresses the problem and implementation considerations. We identified systematic reviews by searching for organization-targeted implementation strategies in Health Systems Evidence ( www.healthsystemsevidence.org ) and drew on an existing analytical framework for how knowledge-brokering organizations can organize themselves to operationalize the program features. The issue brief was then used to inform a half-day stakeholder dialogue about whether and how to develop a rapid-response program for health system decision-makers in Canada. We thematically synthesized the deliberations. We found very few relevant systematic reviews but used frameworks and examples from existing programs to 1) outline key considerations for organizing a rapid-response program,, 2) determine what can be done in timelines ranging from 3 to 10 and 30 business days, and 3) define success and measure it. The 11 dialogue participants from across Canada largely agreed with the content presented in the brief, but noted two key challenges to consider: securing stable, long-term funding and finding a way to effectively and equitably manage the expected demand. Recommendations and suggestions for next steps from dialogue participants included taking an 'organic' approach to developing a pan-Canadian network and including jurisdictional scans as a type of product to

  8. Rapid versus gradual bladder decompression in acute urinary retention

    PubMed Central

    Etafy, Mohamed H.; Saleh, Fatma H.; Ortiz-Vanderdys, Cervando; Hamada, Alaa; Refaat, Alaa M.; Aal, Mohamed Abdel; Deif, Hazem; Gawish, Maher; Abdellatif, Ashraf H.; Gadalla, Khaled

    2017-01-01

    Objective: To demonstrate a benefit in diminished adverse events such as hypotension and hematuria with gradual drainage of the bladder when compared to rapid decompression in patients with acute urinary retention (AUR) due to benign prostatic hyperplasia in a case–control study. Methods: Sixty-two patients matched our selection criteria presenting with AUR. They were divided into two groups – the first was managed by rapid drainage of the bladder, the second was managed by gradual drainage through a urethral catheter (The first 100 mL immediately evacuated, then the rest evacuated gradually over 2 h). Results: The mean age was 64.4 and 63.2 years in the first and second group, respectively. Diagnosed cause was benign hyperplasia of the prostate. Hematuria occurred in two patients in the first group and none in the second group. The two cases of hematuria were mild and treated conservatively. After the relief of the obstruction, the mean blood pressure was noticed to decrease by 15 mmHg and 10 mmHg in the first and second group, respectively, however, no one developed significant hypotension. Pain relief was achieved after complete drainage in the first group and after the evacuation of 100 mL in the second group. Conclusions: We conclude that there is no significant difference between rapid and gradual decompression of the bladder in patients with AUR. Hematuria and hypotension may occur after rapid decompression of the obstructed urinary bladder, but these complications are rarely clinically significant. PMID:29118535

  9. Development of a serotype colloidal gold strip using monoclonal antibody for rapid detection type Asia1 foot-and-mouth disease.

    PubMed

    Lin, Tong; Shao, Jun-jun; Du, Jun-zheng; Cong, Guo-zheng; Gao, Shan-dian; Chang, Huiyun

    2011-09-01

    In this study, we developed a rapid, one step colloid gold strip (CGS) capable of specifically detecting type Asia1 foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV). We have produced two monoclonal antibodies (mAb) to type Asia1 FMD (named 1B8 and 5E2). On the test strip, the purified 1B8 labelled with the colloidal gold was used as the detector, and the purified 5E2 and goat anti-mouse antibodies were wrapped onto nitrocellulose (NC) membranes as the test and the control line, respectively. The rapid colloidal gold stereotype diagnostic strip was housed in a plastic case. In specificity and sensitivity assay, there was no cross-reaction of the antigen with the other type of FMD and SVDV. The detection sensitivity was found to be as high as 10(-5) dilution of Asia1/JSL/05 (1 × 10(7.2)TCID(50)/50 μL). There was excellent agreement between the results obtained by CGS and reverse indirect hemagglutination assay (RIHA), and the agreement can reach to 98.75%. We developed colloidal gold strips that have good qualities and does not require specialized equipment or technicians. This method provided a feasible, convenient, rapid, and effective for detecting type Asia1 FMDV in the fields.

  10. Economic impacts of bus rapid transit in southeast Michigan.

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2015-12-01

    In recent years, Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) has generated great interest across the United States. There are more than 20 BRT : systems in existence, and more are in the planning stage (including in Detroit). Within the next few years, BRT will be plann...

  11. NASA MSFC Electrostatic Levitator (ESL) Rapid Quench System

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    SanSoucie, Michael P.; Craven, Paul D.

    2014-01-01

    Electrostatic levitation, a form of containerless processing, is an important tool in materials research. Levitated specimens are free from contact with a container; therefore, heterogeneous nucleation on container walls is not possible. This allows studies of deeply undercooled melts. Furthermore, studies of high-temperature, highly reactive materials are also possible. Studies of the solidification and crystallization of undercooled melts is vital to the understanding of microstructure development, particularly the formation of alloys with unique properties by rapid solidification. The NASA Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) Electrostatic Levitator (ESL) lab has recently been upgraded to allow for rapid quenching of levitated materials. The ESL Rapid Quench System uses a small crucible-like vessel that can be partially filled with a low melting point material, such as a Gallium alloy, as a quench medium. An undercooled sample can be dropped into the vessel to rapidly quench the sample. A carousel with nine vessels sits below the bottom electrode assembly. This system allows up to nine rapid quenches before having to break vacuum and remove the vessels. This new Rapid Quench System will allow materials science studies of undercooled materials and new materials development. In this presentation, the system is described and initial results are presented.

  12. Rapid-infusion rituximab in lymphoma treatment: 2-year experience in a single institution.

    PubMed

    Atay, Sevcan; Barista, Ibrahim; Gundogdu, Fatma; Akgedik, Kiymet; Arpaci, Afey

    2012-05-01

    Rituximab is a chimeric anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody. We aimed to explore the safety and tolerability of rapid infusion rituximab, (over 90 minutes) in patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma at Hacettepe University Department of Medical Oncology. Adult patients diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma who were to receive rituximab were included in the study. The schedule of administration for cycle 1 was unaltered and delivered according to the product monograph. All subsequent cycles were administered over a total infusion time of 90 minutes (20% of the dose in the first 30 minutes, then the remaining 80% over 60 minutes, total dose delivered in 500 mL). All patients were observed for infusion-related reactions during the rituximab infusion, and vital signs were recorded every 15 minutes. From July 2006 to December 2008, 75 patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma were treated with rituximab-based chemotherapy. A total of 372 infusions were administered. The majority of patients were treated with rituximab plus cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone, or rituximab only. The 90-minute rituximab infusion schedule was well tolerated, with no grade 3 or 4 infusion-related adverse events observed. A rapid infusion rituximab over 90 minutes is well tolerated and safe when administered as the second and subsequent infusions in the course of therapy.

  13. The development of an experimental facility and investigation of rapidly maneuvering Micro-Air-Vehicle wings

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wilson, Lee Alexander

    Vertical Takeoff-and-Landing (VTOL) Micro Air Vehicles (MAVs) provide a versatile operational platform which combines the capabilities of fixed wing and rotary wing MAVs. In order to improve performance of these vehicles, a better understanding of the rapid transition between horizontal and vertical flight is required. This study examines the flow structures around the Mini-Vertigo VTOL MAV using flow visualization techniques. This will gives an understanding of the flow structures which dominate the flight dynamics of rapid pitching maneuvers. This study consists of three objectives: develop an experimental facility, use flow visualization to investigate the flow around the experimental subject during pitching, and analyze the results. The flow around the Mini-Vertigo VTOL MAV is dominated by the slipstream from its propellers. The slipstream delays LE separation and causes drastic deflection in the flow. While the frequency of the vortices shed from the LE and TE varies with flow speed, the non-dimensional frequency does not. It does, however, vary slightly with the pitching rate. These results are applicable across a wide range of flight conditions. The results correlate to previous research done to examine the aerodynamic forces on the MAV.

  14. Rapid prototyping for biomedical engineering: current capabilities and challenges.

    PubMed

    Lantada, Andrés Díaz; Morgado, Pilar Lafont

    2012-01-01

    A new set of manufacturing technologies has emerged in the past decades to address market requirements in a customized way and to provide support for research tasks that require prototypes. These new techniques and technologies are usually referred to as rapid prototyping and manufacturing technologies, and they allow prototypes to be produced in a wide range of materials with remarkable precision in a couple of hours. Although they have been rapidly incorporated into product development methodologies, they are still under development, and their applications in bioengineering are continuously evolving. Rapid prototyping and manufacturing technologies can be of assistance in every stage of the development process of novel biodevices, to address various problems that can arise in the devices' interactions with biological systems and the fact that the design decisions must be tested carefully. This review focuses on the main fields of application for rapid prototyping in biomedical engineering and health sciences, as well as on the most remarkable challenges and research trends.

  15. Rapid onset of comorbidity of common mental disorders: findings from the Netherlands Mental Health Survey and Incidence Study (NEMESIS).

    PubMed

    de Graaf, R; Bijl, R V; ten Have, M; Beekman, A T F; Vollebergh, W A M

    2004-01-01

    In a cohort of subjects with no history of psychopathology, we determined a 3-year incidence and the risk factors of comorbid and pure mood, anxiety and substance use disorders. Data were obtained from the Netherlands Mental Health Survey and Incidence Study (NEMESIS), a longitudinal community study in which 4796 adults were interviewed in 1996, 1997 and 1999 with the Composite International Diagnostic Interview. Of 2869 cases at risk, 10.8% developed an incident disorder within 3 years, of which 16.1% was comorbid. Neuroticism, childhood trauma and parental psychiatric history were more strongly associated with comorbid than with pure disorders. No differences emerged in events occurring in the first year after baseline, but events in the period thereafter showed markedly stronger associations with comorbidity and pure mood disorder than with pure anxiety and substance use disorder. Functional disability was also linked more strongly to comorbidity and pure mood disorder. Clear risk factors exist for the rapid onset of comorbidity. Interventions are needed to prevent rapid comorbidity in subjects who recently developed a primary disorder.

  16. Reliability of rapid reporting of cancers in New Hampshire.

    PubMed

    Celaya, Maria O; Riddle, Bruce L; Cherala, Sai S; Armenti, Karla R; Rees, Judy R

    2010-01-01

    The New Hampshire State Cancer Registry (NHSCR) has a 2-phase reporting system. An abbreviated, "rapid" report of cancer diagnosis or treatment is due to the central registry within 45 days of diagnosis and a more detailed, definitive report is due within 180 days. Rapid reports are used for various research studies, but researchers who contact patients are warned that the rapid reports may contain inaccuracies. This study aimed to assess the reliability of rapid cancer reports. For diagnosis years 2000-2004, we compared the rapid and definitive reports submitted to NHSCR. We calculated the sensitivity and positive predictive value of rapid reports; the reliability of key data items overall and for major sites; and the time between diagnosis and submission of the report. Rapid reports identified incident cancer cases with a sensitivity of 88.5%. The overall accuracy of key data items was high. The accuracy of primary sites identified by rapid reports was high generally but lower for ovarian and unknown primaries. A subset analysis showed that 47% of cancers were reported within 90 days of diagnosis. Rapid reports submitted to NHSCR are generally of high quality and present a useful opportunity for research investigations in New Hampshire.

  17. Current Continuing Education Needs of Two-Year College Mathematics Faculty Must Be Met!

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sharp, Karen Tabey

    Arguing that rapid developments in technology and changing enrollment patterns make updating the skills of two-year college mathematics faculty an imperative, this paper discusses the ways in which the continuing education needs of faculty members can be met. First, technological developments, especially in the computer sciences, are reviewed, and…

  18. Rapid Assessment and Response Studies of Injection Drug Use: Knowledge Gain, Capacity Building, and Intervention Development in a Multisite Study

    PubMed Central

    Stimson, Gerry V.; Fitch, Chris; Jarlais, Don Des; Poznyak, Vladimir; Perlis, Theresa; Oppenheimer, Edna; Rhodes, Tim

    2006-01-01

    Objectives. We evaluated the World Health Organization’s rapid assessment and response (RAR) method of assessing injection drug use and its associated health problems, focusing on knowledge gain, capacity building, and whether RAR leads to the development of interventions reducing the health effects of injection drug use. Methods. Data were derived from RAR studies conducted in Beijing, China; Bogotá, Colombia; Greater Rosario, Argentina; Hanoi, Vietnam; Kharkiv, Ukraine; Minsk, Belarus; Nairobi, Kenya; Penang, Malaysia; St. Petersburg, Russia; and Tehran, Iran. Results. Substantial gains in knowledge and response capacity were reported at all of the study sites. Before RAR initiation, prevention and intervention programs had been absent or inadequate at most of the sites. The RARs resulted in many new or modified interventions; 7 sites reported 24 health-related interventions that were subsequently developed and influenced by the RARs. Conclusions. RARs, which require relatively little external funding, appear to be effective in linking assessment to development of appropriate interventions. The present results add to the evidence that rapid assessment is an important public health tool. PMID:16380578

  19. Ideas for the rapid development of the structural models in mechanical engineering

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Oanta, E.; Raicu, A.; Panait, C.

    2017-08-01

    Conceiving computer based instruments is a long run concern of the authors. Some of the original solutions are: optimal processing of the large matrices, interfaces between the programming languages, approximation theory using spline functions, numerical programming increased accuracy based on the extended arbitrary precision libraries. For the rapid development of the models we identified the following directions: atomization, ‘librarization’, parameterization, automatization and integration. Each of these directions has some particular aspects if we approach mechanical design problems or software development. Atomization means a thorough top-down decomposition analysis which offers an insight regarding the basic features of the phenomenon. Creation of libraries of reusable mechanical parts and libraries of programs (data types, functions) save time, cost and effort when a new model must be conceived. Parameterization leads to flexible definition of the mechanical parts, the values of the parameters being changed either using a dimensioning program or in accord to other parts belonging to the same assembly. The resulting templates may be also included in libraries. Original software applications are useful for the model’s input data generation, to input the data into CAD/FEA commercial applications and for the data integration of the various types of studies included in the same project.

  20. Rapid-scan EPR imaging.

    PubMed

    Eaton, Sandra S; Shi, Yilin; Woodcock, Lukas; Buchanan, Laura A; McPeak, Joseph; Quine, Richard W; Rinard, George A; Epel, Boris; Halpern, Howard J; Eaton, Gareth R

    2017-07-01

    In rapid-scan EPR the magnetic field or frequency is repeatedly scanned through the spectrum at rates that are much faster than in conventional continuous wave EPR. The signal is directly-detected with a mixer at the source frequency. Rapid-scan EPR is particularly advantageous when the scan rate through resonance is fast relative to electron spin relaxation rates. In such scans, there may be oscillations on the trailing edge of the spectrum. These oscillations can be removed by mathematical deconvolution to recover the slow-scan absorption spectrum. In cases of inhomogeneous broadening, the oscillations may interfere destructively to the extent that they are not visible. The deconvolution can be used even when it is not required, so spectra can be obtained in which some portions of the spectrum are in the rapid-scan regime and some are not. The technology developed for rapid-scan EPR can be applied generally so long as spectra are obtained in the linear response region. The detection of the full spectrum in each scan, the ability to use higher microwave power without saturation, and the noise filtering inherent in coherent averaging results in substantial improvement in signal-to-noise relative to conventional continuous wave spectroscopy, which is particularly advantageous for low-frequency EPR imaging. This overview describes the principles of rapid-scan EPR and the hardware used to generate the spectra. Examples are provided of its application to imaging of nitroxide radicals, diradicals, and spin-trapped radicals at a Larmor frequency of ca. 250MHz. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  1. Synaptic Inputs Compete during Rapid Formation of the Calyx of Held: A New Model System for Neural Development

    PubMed Central

    Holcomb, Paul S.; Hoffpauir, Brian K.; Hoyson, Mitchell C.; Jackson, Dakota R.; Deerinck, Thomas J.; Marrs, Glenn S.; Dehoff, Marlin; Wu, Jonathan; Ellisman, Mark H.

    2013-01-01

    Hallmark features of neural circuit development include early exuberant innervation followed by competition and pruning to mature innervation topography. Several neural systems, including the neuromuscular junction and climbing fiber innervation of Purkinje cells, are models to study neural development in part because they establish a recognizable endpoint of monoinnervation of their targets and because the presynaptic terminals are large and easily monitored. We demonstrate here that calyx of Held (CH) innervation of its target, which forms a key element of auditory brainstem binaural circuitry, exhibits all of these characteristics. To investigate CH development, we made the first application of serial block-face scanning electron microscopy to neural development with fine temporal resolution and thereby accomplished the first time series for 3D ultrastructural analysis of neural circuit formation. This approach revealed a growth spurt of added apposed surface area (ASA) >200 μm2/d centered on a single age at postnatal day 3 in mice and an initial rapid phase of growth and competition that resolved to monoinnervation in two-thirds of cells within 3 d. This rapid growth occurred in parallel with an increase in action potential threshold, which may mediate selection of the strongest input as the winning competitor. ASAs of competing inputs were segregated on the cell body surface. These data suggest mechanisms to select “winning” inputs by regional reinforcement of postsynaptic membrane to mediate size and strength of competing synaptic inputs. PMID:23926251

  2. Your Child's Development: 1.5 Years (18 Months)

    MedlinePlus

    ... 5 Years (18 Months) Print en español El desarrollo de su hijo: 1,5 años (18 meses) ... takes off some clothes scribbles with a crayon Social and Emotional Development begins to engage in pretend ...

  3. The pattern of traumatic brain injuries: a country undergoing rapid development.

    PubMed

    Bener, Abdulbari; Omar, Azhar O Kh; Ahmad, Amal E; Al-Mulla, Fatma H; Abdul Rahman, Yassir S

    2010-02-01

    Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) remain an important public health problem in most industrial developed and especially in developing countries. This may also result in temporary or permanent disability. The aim of this study was to examine the trends in the distribution of traumatic brain injuries by gender, age, severity of injury and outcome and describe the incidence in the injury patterns. This is a retrospective, descriptive, hospital-based study that included all cases of TBI during the period from January 2003 to December 2007. This study is a retrospective analysis of 1919 patients with traumatic brain injury attended and treated at the Accident and Emergency Department of the Hamad General Hospital and other Trauma Centers of the Hamad Medical Corporation. Details of all TBI cases were extracted from the database of the Emergency Medical Services (EMS). Severity of TBI was assessed by Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS). This study was based on 1919 patients suffering from traumatic brain injury, where 154 died and 97 (5.1%) of them died in the intensive care unit. The number of TBI cases increased remarkably in 2007 by 69.7%. However, the incidence rate was nearly stable across the years (4.2-4.9/10 000 population). Of the total TBI cases, the majority of them were non-Qataris (72.7%) and men (88.6%). There was a significant increase in number of TBI cases between 2003 and 2007 in terms of age group (p = 0.003), nationality (p = 0.004) and severity of injuries (p = 0.05). The highest peak rate of TBI cases was observed among the population over 65 years old, followed by 15-24 year olds. Falls caused most TBIs in the 1-14 years age group, road traffic accidents in the age group 15-24 years and sports and recreation in the age group 25-34 years. The present study findings revealed that traumatic brain injury is a major public health problem, especially among young adults and older people. Although there was a sharp increase found in the number of TBI cases, the

  4. Water Resources of Rapides Parish

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Griffith, J.M.

    2009-01-01

    Rapides Parish, located in central Louisiana, contains fresh groundwater and surface-water resources. In 2005, about 443 million gallons per day (Mgal/d) were withdrawn from water sources in Rapides Parish. About 92 percent (409 Mgal/d) was withdrawn from surface water, and 8 percent (34 Mgal/d) was withdrawn from groundwater. Withdrawals for power generation accounted for 91 percent (403 Mgal/d) of the total water withdrawn. Withdrawals for other uses included public supply (27 Mgal/d), irrigation (9 Mgal/d), and aquaculture (3 Mgal/d). Water withdrawals in the parish generally increased from 1960 to 1995 and decreased from 1995 to 2005. This fact sheet summarizes basic information on the water resources of Rapides Parish, La. Information on groundwater and surface-water availability, quality, development, use, and trends is based on previously published reports listed in the references section.

  5. RAPID DETERMINATION OF RA-226 IN ENVIRONMENTAL SAMPLES

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

    Maxwell, S.

    2012-01-03

    A new rapid method for the determination of {sup 226}Ra in environmental samples has been developed at the Savannah River Site Environmental Lab (Aiken, SC, USA) that can be used for emergency response or routine sample analyses. The need for rapid analyses in the event of a Radiological Dispersive Device or Improvised Nuclear Device event is well-known. In addition, the recent accident at Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant in March, 2011 reinforces the need to have rapid analyses for radionuclides in environmental samples in the event of a nuclear accident. {sup 226}Ra (T1/2 = 1,620 years) is one of the mostmore » toxic of the long-lived alpha-emitters present in the environment due to its long life and its tendency to concentrate in bones, which increases the internal radiation dose of individuals. The new method to determine {sup 226}Ra in environmental samples utilizes a rapid sodium hydroxide fusion method for solid samples, calcium carbonate precipitation to preconcentrate Ra, and rapid column separation steps to remove interferences. The column separation process uses cation exchange resin to remove large amounts of calcium, Sr Resin to remove barium and Ln Resin as a final purification step to remove {sup 225}Ac and potential interferences. The purified {sup 226}Ra sample test sources are prepared using barium sulfate microprecipitation in the presence of isopropanol for counting by alpha spectrometry. The method showed good chemical recoveries and effective removal of interferences. The determination of {sup 226}Ra in environmental samples can be performed in less than 16 h for vegetation, concrete, brick, soil, and air filter samples with excellent quality for emergency or routine analyses. The sample preparation work takes less than 6 h. {sup 225}Ra (T1/2 = 14.9 day) tracer is used and the {sup 225}Ra progeny {sup 217}At is used to determine chemical yield via alpha spectrometry. The rapid fusion technique is a rugged sample digestion method that ensures

  6. Rehabilitation of a periodontal patient with rapidly progressing marginal alveolar bone loss: 1-year follow-up.

    PubMed

    Sewón, L A; Ampula, L; Vallittu, P K

    2000-08-01

    The present case report describes a 1-year follow-up of functional rehabilitation of a young periodontal patient with severely advanced, rapidly progressing marginal bone loss treated by using a new splinting material, i.e., glass fiber-reinforced composite (FRC). Apart from one single tooth, the young man had retained all his natural teeth. Periodontal treatment was based on cleaning and root planing enabled by partial-thickness-flap operations. This method was selected to avoid further damage to the remaining alveolar bone. After healing for 6 months, a cavity retained internal FRC splint was constructed and 1 missing lower molar was replaced by an inlay-retained FRC resin-bonded fixed partial denture (FPD). A 12 months follow-up period revealed a healthy periodontium and good functional and esthetic results. The new material allows the use of periodontal treatment methods instead of prosthetic alternatives, which until now have been a more generally used approach in the treatment of severely advanced periodontal cases. Internal fiber-reinforced composite splinting being affordable for the patient, easy for the clinician to construct and giving good esthetic and functional results, suggests that the method may be a valuable aid in periodontal treatment.

  7. Defining Teachers' Technostress Levels: A Scale Development

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Çoklar, Ahmet Naci; Efilti, Erkan; Sahin, Levent

    2017-01-01

    With the integration of technology in recent years, use of technology has rapidly increased in educational system, and has become almost a must rather than an option. The use of technology in educational processes accompanies some adaptation issues due to the nature of technology (rapid development, cost, need for electricity, change of roles,…

  8. AFRPL Rapid Indexing System.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Beltran, Alfred A.

    A modified Keyword Out of Context (KWOC) system was developed to gain rapid control over more than 8,000 scattered, unindexed documents. This was the first step in providing the technical information support required by Air Force Rocket Propulsion Laboratory scientists and engineers. Implementation of the KWOC system, computer routines, and…

  9. Rapid tests and urine sampling techniques for the diagnosis of urinary tract infection (UTI) in children under five years: a systematic review.

    PubMed

    Whiting, Penny; Westwood, Marie; Watt, Ian; Cooper, Julie; Kleijnen, Jos

    2005-04-05

    Urinary tract infection (UTI) is one of the most common sources of infection in children under five. Prompt diagnosis and treatment is important to reduce the risk of renal scarring. Rapid, cost-effective, methods of UTI diagnosis are required as an alternative to culture. We conducted a systematic review to determine the diagnostic accuracy of rapid tests for detecting UTI in children under five years of age. The evidence supports the use of dipstick positive for both leukocyte esterase and nitrite (pooled LR+ = 28.2, 95% CI: 17.3, 46.0) or microscopy positive for both pyuria and bacteriuria (pooled LR+ = 37.0, 95% CI: 11.0, 125.9) to rule in UTI. Similarly dipstick negative for both LE and nitrite (Pooled LR- = 0.20, 95% CI: 0.16, 0.26) or microscopy negative for both pyuria and bacteriuria (Pooled LR- = 0.11, 95% CI: 0.05, 0.23) can be used to rule out UTI. A test for glucose showed promise in potty-trained children. However, all studies were over 30 years old. Further evaluation of this test may be useful. Dipstick negative for both LE and nitrite or microscopic analysis negative for both pyuria and bacteriuria of a clean voided urine, bag, or nappy/pad specimen may reasonably be used to rule out UTI. These patients can then reasonably be excluded from further investigation, without the need for confirmatory culture. Similarly, combinations of positive tests could be used to rule in UTI, and trigger further investigation.

  10. Rapid tests and urine sampling techniques for the diagnosis of urinary tract infection (UTI) in children under five years: a systematic review

    PubMed Central

    Whiting, Penny; Westwood, Marie; Watt, Ian; Cooper, Julie; Kleijnen, Jos

    2005-01-01

    Background Urinary tract infection (UTI) is one of the most common sources of infection in children under five. Prompt diagnosis and treatment is important to reduce the risk of renal scarring. Rapid, cost-effective, methods of UTI diagnosis are required as an alternative to culture. Methods We conducted a systematic review to determine the diagnostic accuracy of rapid tests for detecting UTI in children under five years of age. Results The evidence supports the use of dipstick positive for both leukocyte esterase and nitrite (pooled LR+ = 28.2, 95% CI: 17.3, 46.0) or microscopy positive for both pyuria and bacteriuria (pooled LR+ = 37.0, 95% CI: 11.0, 125.9) to rule in UTI. Similarly dipstick negative for both LE and nitrite (Pooled LR- = 0.20, 95% CI: 0.16, 0.26) or microscopy negative for both pyuria and bacteriuria (Pooled LR- = 0.11, 95% CI: 0.05, 0.23) can be used to rule out UTI. A test for glucose showed promise in potty-trained children. However, all studies were over 30 years old. Further evaluation of this test may be useful. Conclusion Dipstick negative for both LE and nitrite or microscopic analysis negative for both pyuria and bacteriuria of a clean voided urine, bag, or nappy/pad specimen may reasonably be used to rule out UTI. These patients can then reasonably be excluded from further investigation, without the need for confirmatory culture. Similarly, combinations of positive tests could be used to rule in UTI, and trigger further investigation. PMID:15811182

  11. Rapid disappearance of a warm, dusty circumstellar disk.

    PubMed

    Melis, Carl; Zuckerman, B; Rhee, Joseph H; Song, Inseok; Murphy, Simon J; Bessell, Michael S

    2012-07-04

    Stars form with gaseous and dusty circumstellar envelopes, which rapidly settle into disks that eventually give rise to planetary systems. Understanding the process by which these disks evolve is paramount in developing an accurate theory of planet formation that can account for the variety of planetary systems discovered so far. The formation of Earth-like planets through collisional accumulation of rocky objects within a disk has mainly been explored in theoretical and computational work in which post-collision ejecta evolution typically is ignored, although recent work has considered the fate of such material. Here we report observations of a young, Sun-like star (TYC 8241 2652 1) where infrared flux from post-collisional ejecta has decreased drastically, by a factor of about 30, over a period of less than two years. The star seems to have gone from hosting substantial quantities of dusty ejecta, in a region analogous to where the rocky planets orbit in the Solar System, to retaining at most a meagre amount of cooler dust. Such a phase of rapid ejecta evolution has not been previously predicted or observed, and no currently available physical model satisfactorily explains the observations.

  12. Uncooled infrared sensors: rapid growth and future perspective

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Balcerak, Raymond S.

    2000-07-01

    The uncooled infrared cameras are now available for both the military and commercial markets. The current camera technology incorporates the fruits of many years of development, focusing on the details of pixel design, novel material processing, and low noise read-out electronics. The rapid insertion of cameras into systems is testimony to the successful completion of this 'first phase' of development. In the military market, the first uncooled infrared cameras will be used for weapon sights, driver's viewers and helmet mounted cameras. Major commercial applications include night driving, security, police and fire fighting, and thermography, primarily for preventive maintenance and process control. The technology for the next generation of cameras is even more demanding, but within reach. The paper outlines the technology program planned for the next generation of cameras, and the approaches to further enhance performance, even to the radiation limit of thermal detectors.

  13. 150 years of land degradation and development: loss of habitats, natural resources due to quarrying and industrialization followed by land reclamation in the heart of Budapest city

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Török, Ákos

    2017-04-01

    The urban development and land degradation is an accelerated process in the 21st century; however several examples are known when this happened in the past. A historic case study is discussed in this research when clump of three former small towns (named: Buda, Pest and Óbuda) became a million population city more than hundred years ago invoking significant land degradation, drastic and surprising changes in land use. Budapest which is now the capital of Hungary has seen rapid land use changes in the past 150 years especially from 1850'ies to early 20th century. The population of the city rapidly grown from the end of 19th century to early 20th century; i.e. it is tripled from 1880 to 1920 and reached nearly 1 million in 40 years. This population boom induced significant land degradation, changes in land use and loss of habitats. The paper presents examples how the land use has changed in the past 105 years with historic maps and interpreted cases suggesting different pathways leading to land degradation. The first one focuses on vineyards and grape cultivation and explains how these areas were first converted to limestone quarries to provide construction material to the city and then transformed to urban habitat in the early 20th century again. The cellars - former quarry galleries - than were used for housing (urban habitat) and later were used as storage facilities and mushroom cultivation sites. At present these subsurface openings cause high risk of land development (collapse) and limit the land use of the given area. The current paper also outlines the development of the city via the perspective of natural resources, since drinking water and industrial water need modified the land development and urbanization. Another example is also given how the brewery industry exploited natural resources and the surface water use was shifted to exploitation of karstic waters causing land degradation and drop of water table. Additional example demonstrates how the former

  14. Development of an immunochromatographic strip test for rapid detection of melamine in raw milk, milk products, and animal feed

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    A simple, rapid and sensitive immunogold chromatographic strip test based on a monoclonal antibody was developed for the detection of melamine (MEL) residues in raw milk, milk products and animal feed. The limit of detection was estimated to be 0.05 µg/mL in raw milk, since the detection test line ...

  15. RATT: Rapid Annotation Transfer Tool

    PubMed Central

    Otto, Thomas D.; Dillon, Gary P.; Degrave, Wim S.; Berriman, Matthew

    2011-01-01

    Second-generation sequencing technologies have made large-scale sequencing projects commonplace. However, making use of these datasets often requires gene function to be ascribed genome wide. Although tool development has kept pace with the changes in sequence production, for tasks such as mapping, de novo assembly or visualization, genome annotation remains a challenge. We have developed a method to rapidly provide accurate annotation for new genomes using previously annotated genomes as a reference. The method, implemented in a tool called RATT (Rapid Annotation Transfer Tool), transfers annotations from a high-quality reference to a new genome on the basis of conserved synteny. We demonstrate that a Mycobacterium tuberculosis genome or a single 2.5 Mb chromosome from a malaria parasite can be annotated in less than five minutes with only modest computational resources. RATT is available at http://ratt.sourceforge.net. PMID:21306991

  16. Design of personal rapid transit networks for transit-oriented development cities.

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2014-04-01

    Personal rapid transit (PRT) is an automated transit system in which vehicles are sized to transport a batch of passengers on demand to their destinations, by means of nonstop and non-transfer on its own right-of-way. PRT vehicles run exclusively on ...

  17. Rapid-Infusion Rituximab in Lymphoma Treatment: 2-Year Experience in a Single Institution

    PubMed Central

    Atay, Sevcan; Barista, Ibrahim; Gundogdu, Fatma; Akgedik, Kiymet; Arpaci, Afey

    2012-01-01

    Purpose: Rituximab is a chimeric anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody. We aimed to explore the safety and tolerability of rapid infusion rituximab, (over 90 minutes) in patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma at Hacettepe University Department of Medical Oncology. Patients and Methods: Adult patients diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma who were to receive rituximab were included in the study. The schedule of administration for cycle 1 was unaltered and delivered according to the product monograph. All subsequent cycles were administered over a total infusion time of 90 minutes (20% of the dose in the first 30 minutes, then the remaining 80% over 60 minutes, total dose delivered in 500 mL). All patients were observed for infusion-related reactions during the rituximab infusion, and vital signs were recorded every 15 minutes. Results: From July 2006 to December 2008, 75 patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma were treated with rituximab-based chemotherapy. A total of 372 infusions were administered. The majority of patients were treated with rituximab plus cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone, or rituximab only. The 90-minute rituximab infusion schedule was well tolerated, with no grade 3 or 4 infusion-related adverse events observed. Conclusion: A rapid infusion rituximab over 90 minutes is well tolerated and safe when administered as the second and subsequent infusions in the course of therapy. PMID:22942806

  18. Two years experience with quality assurance protocol for patient related Rapid Arc treatment plan verification using a two dimensional ionization chamber array

    PubMed Central

    2011-01-01

    Purpose To verify the dose distribution and number of monitor units (MU) for dynamic treatment techniques like volumetric modulated single arc radiation therapy - Rapid Arc - each patient treatment plan has to be verified prior to the first treatment. The purpose of this study was to develop a patient related treatment plan verification protocol using a two dimensional ionization chamber array (MatriXX, IBA, Schwarzenbruck, Germany). Method Measurements were done to determine the dependence between response of 2D ionization chamber array, beam direction, and field size. Also the reproducibility of the measurements was checked. For the patient related verifications the original patient Rapid Arc treatment plan was projected on CT dataset of the MatriXX and the dose distribution was calculated. After irradiation of the Rapid Arc verification plans measured and calculated 2D dose distributions were compared using the gamma evaluation method implemented in the measuring software OmniPro (version 1.5, IBA, Schwarzenbruck, Germany). Results The dependence between response of 2D ionization chamber array, field size and beam direction has shown a passing rate of 99% for field sizes between 7 cm × 7 cm and 24 cm × 24 cm for measurements of single arc. For smaller and larger field sizes than 7 cm × 7 cm and 24 cm × 24 cm the passing rate was less than 99%. The reproducibility was within a passing rate of 99% and 100%. The accuracy of the whole process including the uncertainty of the measuring system, treatment planning system, linear accelerator and isocentric laser system in the treatment room was acceptable for treatment plan verification using gamma criteria of 3% and 3 mm, 2D global gamma index. Conclusion It was possible to verify the 2D dose distribution and MU of Rapid Arc treatment plans using the MatriXX. The use of the MatriXX for Rapid Arc treatment plan verification in clinical routine is reasonable. The passing rate should be 99% than the verification

  19. Increasing magnitude of Hurricane Rapid Intensification in the central-eastern Atlantic over the past 30 years

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Leung, L. R.; Balaguru, K.; Foltz, G. R.

    2017-12-01

    During the 2017 Atlantic hurricane season, several hurricanes underwent rapid intensification (RI) in the central-eastern Atlantic. This motivates an analysis of trends in the strength of hurricane RI during the 30-year post-satellite period of 1986-2015. Our results show that in the eastern tropical Atlantic, to the east of 60W, the mean RI magnitude averaged during 2001-2015 was 3.8 kt per 24 hr higher than during 1986-2000. However, in the western tropical Atlantic, to the west of 60W, changes in RI magnitude over the same period were not statistically significant. We examined the large-scale environment to understand the causes behind these changes in RI magnitude and found that various oceanic and atmospheric parameters that play an important role in RI changed favorably in the eastern tropical Atlantic. More specifically, changes in SST, Potential Intensity, upper-ocean heat content, wind shear, relative humidity and upper-level divergence enhanced the ability for hurricanes to undergo RI in the eastern tropical Atlantic. In contrast, changes in the same factors are inconsistent in the western tropical Atlantic. While changes in SST and Potential Intensity were positive, changes in upper-ocean heat content, wind shear and upper-level divergence were either insignificant or unfavorable for RI. Finally, we examined the potential role of various climate phenomena, which are well-known to impact Atlantic hurricane activity, in causing the changes in the large-scale environment. Our analysis reveals that changes in the Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation over the 30-year period are predominantly responsible. These results provide important aspects of the large-scale context to understand the Atlantic hurricane season of 2017.

  20. Development of microLIPS (Luciferase Immunoprecipitation Systems): a novel microfluidic assay for rapid serum antibody detection

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chandrangsu, Matt; Burbelo, Peter D.; Iadarola, Michael J.; Smith, Paul D.; Morgan, Nicole Y.

    2012-06-01

    There is considerable interest in the development of rapid, point-of-care antibody detection for the diagnosis of infectious and auto-immune diseases. In this paper, we present work on the development of a self-contained microfluidic format for the Luciferase Immunoprecipitation Systems (LIPS) assay. Whereas the majority of immunoassays for antigen-specific antibodies employ either bacteria- or yeast-expressed proteins and require the use of secondary antibodies, the LIPS technique uses a fusion protein comprised of a Renilla luciferase reporter and the antigen of interest produced via mammalian cell culture, ensuring the addition of mammalian post-translational modifications. Patient serum is mixed with the fusion protein and passed over immobilized Protein A/G; after washing, the only remaining luciferase-tagged antigens are those retained by specific antibodies. These can be quantitatively measured using chemiluminescence upon the introduction of coelenterazine. The assay has been successfully employed for a wide variety of diseases in a microwell format. We report on a recent demonstration of rapid HSV-2 diagnosis with the LIPS assay in a microfluidic format, using one microliter of serum and obtaining results in under ten minutes. We will also discuss recent progress on two fronts, both aimed at the deployment of this technology in the field: first, simplifying assay operation through the automation of flow control using power-free means; and second, efforts to increase signal levels, primarily through strategies to increase antibody binding capacity, in order to move towards portable battery powered electronics.

  1. Development of a serotype colloidal gold strip using monoclonal antibody for rapid detection type Asia1 foot-and-mouth disease

    PubMed Central

    2011-01-01

    Background In this study, we developed a rapid, one step colloid gold strip (CGS) capable of specifically detecting type Asia1 foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV). We have produced two monoclonal antibodies (mAb) to type Asia1 FMD (named 1B8 and 5E2). On the test strip, the purified 1B8 labelled with the colloidal gold was used as the detector, and the purified 5E2 and goat anti-mouse antibodies were wrapped onto nitrocellulose (NC) membranes as the test and the control line, respectively. The rapid colloidal gold stereotype diagnostic strip was housed in a plastic case. Results In specificity and sensitivity assay, there was no cross-reaction of the antigen with the other type of FMD and SVDV. The detection sensitivity was found to be as high as 10-5 dilution of Asia1/JSL/05 (1 × 107.2TCID50/50 μL). There was excellent agreement between the results obtained by CGS and reverse indirect hemagglutination assay (RIHA), and the agreement can reach to 98.75%. Conclusion We developed colloidal gold strips that have good qualities and does not require specialized equipment or technicians. This method provided a feasible, convenient, rapid, and effective for detecting type Asia1 FMDV in the fields. PMID:21880157

  2. Rapid Recovery of an Urban Remnant Reptile Community following Summer Wildfire

    PubMed Central

    2015-01-01

    Reptiles in urban remnants are threatened with extinction by increased fire frequency, habitat fragmentation caused by urban development, and competition and predation from exotic species. Understanding how urban reptiles respond to and recover from such disturbances is key to their conservation. We monitored the recovery of an urban reptile community for five years following a summer wildfire at Kings Park in Perth, Western Australia, using pitfall trapping at five burnt and five unburnt sites. The reptile community recovered rapidly following the fire. Unburnt sites initially had higher species richness and total abundance, but burnt sites rapidly converged, recording a similar total abundance to unburnt areas within two years, and a similar richness within three years. The leaf-litter inhabiting skink Hemiergis quadrilineata was strongly associated with longer unburnt sites and may be responding to the loss of leaf litter following the fire. Six rarely-captured species were also strongly associated with unburnt areas and were rarely or never recorded at burnt sites, whereas two other rarely-captured species were associated with burnt sites. We also found that one lizard species, Ctenotus fallens, had a smaller average body length in burnt sites compared to unburnt sites for four out of the five years of monitoring. Our study indicates that fire management that homogenises large areas of habitat through frequent burning may threaten some species due to their preference for longer unburnt habitat. Careful management of fire may be needed to maximise habitat suitability within the urban landscape. PMID:25992802

  3. Myopathy in hyperthyroidism as a consequence of rapid reduction of thyroid hormone: A case report.

    PubMed

    Li, Qianrui; Liu, Yuping; Zhang, Qianying; Tian, Haoming; Li, Jianwei; Li, Sheyu

    2017-07-01

    Myalgia and elevated creatine kinase (CK) are occasionally observed during the treatment of hyperthyroid patients. Relative hypothyroidism resulted from rapid thyroid hormone reduction had been promoted as a plausible cause of these myopathic changes, however rarely reported. We hereby presented a 20-year-old female with Grave's disease, who developed myopathy and elevated CK during rapid correction of thyroid hormone. Relative hypothyroidism-induced myopathy. Antithyroid drug (ATD) dosage was reduced without levothyroxine replacement. The muscular symptoms were recovered with CK level returned to normal after adoption of the euthyroid status. Differentiation of relative hypothyroidism from other causes of myopathy, especially with the effect of ATD, is important for clinical practice, although difficult in many cases.

  4. Rapid soil formation after glacial retreat shaped by spatial patterns of organic matter accrual in microaggregates.

    PubMed

    Schweizer, Steffen A; Hoeschen, Carmen; Schlüter, Steffen; Kögel-Knabner, Ingrid; Mueller, Carsten W

    2018-04-01

    Global change contributes to the retreat of glaciers at unprecedented rates. The deglaciation facilitates biogeochemical processes on glacial deposits with initiating soil formation as an important driver of evolving ecosystems. The underlying mechanisms of soil formation and the association of soil organic matter (SOM) with mineral particles remain unclear, although further insights are critical to understand carbon sequestration in soils. We investigated the microspatial arrangement of SOM coatings at intact soil microaggregate structures during various stages of ecosystem development from 15 to >700 years after deglaciation in the proglacial environment of the Damma glacier (Switzerland). The functionally important clay-sized fraction (<2 μm) was separated into two density fractions with different amounts of organo-mineral associations: light (1.6-2.2 g/cm 3 ) and heavy (>2.2 g/cm 3 ). To quantify how SOM extends across the surface of mineral particles (coverage) and whether SOM coatings are distributed in fragmented or connected patterns (connectivity), we developed an image analysis protocol based on nanoscale secondary ion mass spectrometry (NanoSIMS). We classified SOM and mineral areas depending on the 16 O - , 12 C - , and 12 C 14 N - distributions. With increasing time after glacial retreat, the microspatial coverage and connectivity of SOM increased rapidly. The rapid soil formation led to a succession of patchy distributed to more connected SOM coatings on soil microaggregates. The maximum coverage of 55% at >700 years suggests direct evidence for SOM sequestration being decoupled from the mineral surface, as it was not completely masked by SOM and retained its functionality as an ion exchange site. The chemical composition of SOM coatings showed a rapid change toward a higher CN:C ratio already at 75 years after glacial retreat, which was associated with microbial succession patterns reflecting high N assimilation. Our results demonstrate that

  5. Lung Cancer in a Rural Area of China: Rapid Rise in Incidence and Poor Improvement in Survival.

    PubMed

    Yang, Juan; Zhu, Jian; Zhang, Yong-Hui; Chen, Yong-Sheng; Ding, Lu-Lu; Kensler, Thomas W; Chen, Jian-Guo

    2015-01-01

    Lung cancer has been a major health problem in developed countries for several decades, and has emerged recently as the leading cause of cancer death in many developing countries. The incidence of lung cancer appears to be increasing more rapidly in rural than in urban areas of China. This paper presents the trends of lung cancer incidence and survival derived from a 40-year population-based cancer monitoring program in a rural area, Qidong, China. The Qidong cancer registration data of 1972- 2011 were used to calculate the crude rate, age-standardized rate by Chinese population (CASR) and by world population (WASR), birth cohort rates, and other descriptive features. Active and passive methods were used to construct the data set, with a deadline of the latest follow-up of April 30, 2012. The total number of lung cancer cases was 15,340, accounting for 16.5% of all sites combined. The crude incidence rate, CASR and WASR of this cancer were 34.1, 15.7 and 25.4 per 100,000, respectively. Males had higher crude rates than females (49.7 vs 19.0). Rapidly increasing trends were found in annual percent change resulting in lung cancer being a number one cancer site after year 2010 in Qidong. Birth cohort analysis showed incidence rates have increased for all age groups over 24 years old. The 5 year observed survival rates were 3.55% in 1973-1977, 3.92 in 1983-1987, 3.69% in 1993-1997, and 6.32% in 2003-2007. Males experienced poorer survival than did females. Lung cancer has become a major cancer-related health problem in this rural area. The rapid increases in incidence likely result from an increased cigarette smoking rate and evolving environmental risk factors. Lung cancer survival, while showing some improvement in prognosis, still remains well below that observed in the developed areas of the world.

  6. Development of an on-site rapid real-time polymerase chain reaction system and the characterization of suitable DNA polymerases for TaqMan probe technology.

    PubMed

    Furutani, Shunsuke; Naruishi, Nahoko; Hagihara, Yoshihisa; Nagai, Hidenori

    2016-08-01

    On-site quantitative analyses of microorganisms (including viruses) by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) system are significantly influencing medical and biological research. We have developed a remarkably rapid and portable real-time PCR system that is based on microfluidic approaches. Real-time PCR using TaqMan probes consists of a complex reaction. Therefore, in a rapid real-time PCR, the optimum DNA polymerase must be estimated by using actual real-time PCR conditions. In this study, we compared the performance of three DNA polymerases in actual PCR conditions using our rapid real-time PCR system. Although KAPA2G Fast HS DNA Polymerase has the highest enzymatic activity among them, SpeedSTAR HS DNA Polymerase exhibited better performance to rapidly increase the fluorescence signal in an actual real-time PCR using TaqMan probes. Furthermore, we achieved rapid detection of Escherichia coli in 7 min by using SpeedSTAR HS DNA Polymerase with the same sensitivity as that of a conventional thermal cycler.

  7. Aniline Is Rapidly Converted Into Paracetamol Impairing Male Reproductive Development.

    PubMed

    Holm, Jacob Bak; Chalmey, Clementine; Modick, Hendrik; Jensen, Lars Skovgaard; Dierkes, Georg; Weiss, Tobias; Jensen, Benjamin Anderschou Holbech; Nørregård, Mette Marie; Borkowski, Kamil; Styrishave, Bjarne; Martin Koch, Holger; Mazaud-Guittot, Severine; Jegou, Bernard; Kristiansen, Karsten; Kristensen, David Møbjerg

    2015-11-01

    Industrial use of aniline is increasing worldwide with production estimated to surpass 5.6 million metric tons in 2016. Exposure to aniline occurs via air, diet, and water augmenting the risk of exposing a large number of individuals. Early observations suggest that aniline is metabolized to paracetamol/acetaminophen, likely explaining the omnipresence of low concentrations of paracetamol in European populations. This is of concern as recent studies implicate paracetamol as a disrupter of reproduction. Here, we show through steroidogenic profiling that exposure to aniline led to increased levels of the Δ4 steroids, suggesting that the activity of CYP21 was decreased. By contrast, paracetamol decreased levels of androgens likely through inhibition of CYP17A1 activity. We confirm that aniline in vivo is rapidly converted to paracetamol by the liver. Intrauterine exposure to aniline and paracetamol in environmental and pharmaceutical relevant doses resulted in shortening of the anogenital distance in mice, a sensitive marker of fetal androgen levels that in humans is associated with reproductive malformations and later life reproductive disorders. In conclusion, our results provide evidence for a scenario where aniline, through its conversion into antiandrogenic paracetamol, impairs male reproductive development. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society of Toxicology. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  8. Development and Validation of a Lateral Flow Immunoassay for Rapid Detection of NDM-Producing Enterobacteriaceae

    PubMed Central

    Boutal, Hervé; Naas, Thierry; Devilliers, Karine; Oueslati, Saoussen; Bernabeu, Sandrine; Simon, Stéphanie

    2017-01-01

    ABSTRACT The global spread of carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae (CPE) that are often resistant to most, if not all, classes of antibiotics is a major public health concern. The NDM-1 carbapenemase is among the most worrisome carbapenemases given its rapid worldwide spread. We have developed and evaluated a lateral flow immunoassay (LFIA) (called the NDM LFIA) for the rapid and reliable detection of NDM-like carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae from culture colonies. We evaluated the NDM LFIA using 175 reference enterobacterial isolates with characterized β-lactamase gene content and 74 nonduplicate consecutive carbapenem-resistant clinical isolates referred for expertise to the French National Reference Center (NRC) for Antibiotic Resistance during a 1-week period (in June 2016). The reference collection included 55 non-carbapenemase producers and 120 carbapenemase producers, including 27 NDM producers. All 27 NDM-like carbapenemase producers of the reference collection were correctly detected in less than 15 min by the NDM LFIA, including 22 strains producing NDM-1, 2 producing NDM-4, 1 producing NDM-5, 1 producing NDM-7, and 1 producing NDM-9. All non-NDM-1 producers gave a negative result with the NDM LFIA. No cross-reaction was observed with carbapenemases (VIM, IMP, NDM, KPC, and OXA-48-like), extended-spectrum β-lactamases (ESBLs) (TEM, SHV, and CTX-M), AmpCs (CMY-2, DHA-2, and ACC-1), and oxacillinases (OXA-1, -2, -9, and -10). Similarly, among the 74 referred nonduplicate consecutive clinical isolates, all 7 NDM-like producers were identified. Overall, the sensitivity and specificity of the assay were 100% for NDM-like carbapenemase detection with strains cultured on agar. The NDM LFIA was efficient, rapid, and easy to implement in the routine workflow of a clinical microbiology laboratory for the confirmation of NDM-like carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae. PMID:28404680

  9. Utilizing Fission Technology to Enable Rapid and Affordable Access to any Point in the Solar System

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Houts, Mike; Bonometti, Joe; Morton, Jeff; Hrbud, Ivana; Bitteker, Leo; VanDyke, Melissa; Godfroy, T.; Pedersen, K.; Dobson, C.; Patton, B.; hide

    2000-01-01

    Fission technology can enable rapid, affordable access to any point in the solar system. Potential fission-based transportation options include bimodal nuclear thermal rockets, high specific energy propulsion systems, and pulsed fission propulsion systems. In-space propellant re-supply enhances the effective performance of all systems, but requires significant infrastructure development. Safe, timely, affordable utilization of first-generation space fission propulsion systems will enable the development of more advanced systems. First generation systems can build on over 45 years of US and international space fission system technology development to minimize cost.

  10. Rapid deceleration mode evaluation

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Conners, Timothy R.; Nobbs, Steven G.; Orme, John S.

    1995-01-01

    Aircraft with flight capability above 1.4 normally have an RPM lockup or similar feature to prevent inlet buzz that would occur at low engine airflows. This RPM lockup has the effect of holding the engine thrust level at the intermediate power (maximum non-afterburning). For aircraft such as military fighters or supersonic transports, the need exists to be able to rapidly slow from supersonic to subsonic speeds. For example, a supersonic transport that experiences a cabin decompression needs to be able to slow/descend rapidly, and this requirement may size the cabin environmental control system. For a fighter, there may be a desire to slow/descend rapidly, and while doing so to minimize fuel usage and engine exhaust temperature. Both of these needs can be aided by achieving the minimum possible overall net propulsive force. As the intermediate power thrust levels of engines increase, it becomes even more difficult to slow rapidly from supersonic speeds. Therefore, a mode of the performance seeking control (PSC) system to minimize overall propulsion system thrust has been developed and tested. The rapid deceleration mode reduces the engine airflow consistent with avoiding inlet buzz. The engine controls are trimmed to minimize the thrust produced by this reduced airflow, and moves the inlet geometry to degrade the inlet performance. As in the case of the other PSC modes, the best overall performance (in this case the least net propulsive force) requires an integrated optimization of inlet, engine, and nozzle variables. This paper presents the predicted and measured results for the supersonic minimum thrust mode, including the overall effects on aircraft deceleration.

  11. Modular, Reconfigurable, and Rapid Response Space Systems: The Remote Sensing Advanced Technology Microsatellite

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Esper, Jaime; Andary, Jim; Oberright, John; So, Maria; Wegner, Peter; Hauser, Joe

    2004-01-01

    Modular, Reconfigurable, and Rapid-response (MR(sup 2)) space systems represent a paradigm shift in the way space assets of all sizes are designed, manufactured, integrated, tested, and flown. This paper will describe the MR(sup 2) paradigm in detail, and will include guidelines for its implementation. The Remote Sensing Advanced Technology microsatellite (RSAT) is a proposed flight system test-bed used for developing and implementing principles and best practices for MR(sup 2) spacecraft, and their supporting infrastructure. The initial goal of this test-bed application is to produce a lightweight (approx. 100 kg), production-minded, cost-effective, and scalable remote sensing micro-satellite capable of high performance and broad applicability. Such applications range from future distributed space systems, to sensor-webs, and rapid-response satellite systems. Architectures will be explored that strike a balance between modularity and integration while preserving the MR(sup 2) paradigm. Modularity versus integration has always been a point of contention when approaching a design: whereas one-of-a-kind missions may require close integration resulting in performance optimization, multiple and flexible application spacecraft benefit &om modularity, resulting in maximum flexibility. The process of building spacecraft rapidly (< 7 days), requires a concerted and methodical look at system integration and test processes and pitfalls. Although the concept of modularity is not new and was first developed in the 1970s by NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center (Multi-Mission Modular Spacecraft), it was never modernized and was eventually abandoned. Such concepts as the Rapid Spacecraft Development Office (RSDO) became the preferred method for acquiring satellites. Notwithstanding, over the past 30 years technology has advanced considerably, and the time is ripe to reconsider modularity in its own right, as enabler of R(sup 2), and as a key element of transformational systems. The

  12. Development and evaluation of a rapid recombinase polymerase amplification assay for detection of coxsackievirus A6.

    PubMed

    Wang, Kaifeng; Wu, Yue; Yin, Dan; Tang, Shixing; Hu, Guifang; He, Yaqing

    2017-01-01

    Coxsackievirus A6 (CV-A6) is an important pathogen causing hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD). The aim of this study was to develop and evaluate a rapid real-time reverse transcription recombinase polymerase amplification (RT-RPA) assay for detection of CV-A6. The sensitivity of this assay was 202 copies/reaction, with 100 % specificity. Furthermore, this assay yielded consistent results comparable with a commercial qRT-PCR diagnostic kit. This assay is therefore potentially useful for surveillance of CV-A6 infections and outbreak control.

  13. Factors driving the development of healthcare waste management in the United Kingdom over the past 60 years.

    PubMed

    Townend, William K; Cheeseman, Christopher; Edgar, Jen; Tudor, Terry

    2009-06-01

    Since the creation of the National Health Service (NHS) in the United Kingdom in 1948 there have been significant changes in the way waste materials produced by healthcare facilities have been managed due to a number of environmental, legal and social drivers. This paper reviews the key changes in legislation and healthcare waste management that have occurred in the UK between 1948 and the present time. It investigates reasons for the changes and how the problems associated with healthcare wastes have been addressed. The reaction of the public to offensive disposal practices taking place locally required political action by the UK government and subsequently by the European legislature. The relatively new UK industry of hazardous healthcare waste management has developed rapidly over the past 25 years in response to significant changes in healthcare practices. The growth in knowledge and appreciation of environmental issues has also been fundamental to the development of this industry. Legislation emanating from Europe is now responsible for driving change to UK healthcare waste management. This paper examines the drivers that have caused the healthcare waste management to move forward in the 60 years since the NHS was formed. It demonstrates that the situation has moved from a position where there was no overall strategy to the current situation where there is a strong regulatory framework but still no national strategy. The reasons for this situation are examined and based upon the experience gained; suggestions are made for the benefit of countries with systems for healthcare waste management still in the early stages of development or without any provisions at all.

  14. Pepino mosaic virus genotype shift in North America and development of a loop-mediated isothermal amplification for rapid genotype identification

    PubMed Central

    2013-01-01

    Background Pepino mosaic, once an emerging disease a decade ago, has become endemic on greenhouse tomatoes worldwide in recent years. Three distinct genotypes of Pepino mosaic virus (PepMV), including EU, US1 and CH2 have been recognized. Our earlier study conducted in 2006–2007 demonstrated a predominant EU genotype in Canada and United States. The objective of the present study was to monitor the dynamic of PepMV genetic composition and its current status in North America. Results Through yearly monitoring efforts in 2009–2012, we detected a dramatic shift in the prevalent genotype of PepMV from the genotype EU to CH2 in North America since early 2010, with another shift from CH2 to US1 occurring in Mexico only two years later. Through genetic diversity analysis using the coat protein gene, such genotype shifting of PepMV in North America was linked to the positive identification of similar sequence variants in two different commercial tomato seed sources used for scion and rootstock, respectively. To allow for a quick identification, a reverse transcription loop-mediated isothermal amplification (RT-LAMP) system was developed and demonstrated to achieve a rapid identification for each of the three genotypes of PepMV, EU, US1 and CH2. Conclusion Through systemic yearly monitoring and genetic diversity analysis, we identified a linkage between the field epidemic isolates and those from commercial tomato seed lots as the likely sources of initial PepMV inoculum that resulted in genetic shifting as observed on greenhouse tomatoes in North America. Application of the genotype-specific RT-LAMP system would allow growers to efficiently determine the genetic diversity on their crops. PMID:23587202

  15. Marked increase in the prevalence of obesity in children of the Seychelles, a rapidly developing country, between 1998 and 2004.

    PubMed

    Bovet, Pascal; Chiolero, Arnaud; Madeleine, George; Gabriel, Anne; Stettler, Nicolas

    2006-01-01

    There are few data on overweight in children in developing countries. Such data are important to guide public health policy. We assessed trends in the prevalence of overweight and obesity in children from the Seychelles, a middle-income island state in the Indian Ocean. Multiple cross-sectional surveys were conducted each year between 1998 and 2004 on all students of all schools in four selected school grades (creche, 4th, 7th and 10th years of mandatory school). Weight and height were measured and children were asked about walking time and frequency of physical exercise at leisure time. Excess weight categories were defined according to the criteria of the International Obesity Task Force (IOTF) and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Data were available for 33 340 observations in 1998-2004, corresponding to 23,459 individual children measured once or several times. Based on IOTF criteria, the prevalence of 'overweight' or 'obesity' increased from 8.7% to 13.5% in boys, and from 11.8% to 18.6% in girls from 1998 to 2004 (P < 0.001). The prevalence of 'obesity' increased from 2.1% to 5.2% in boys and from 3.1% to 6.2% in girls (P < 0.001). Using CDC criteria, the prevalence of 'at risk of overweight' and 'overweight' increased by similar proportions. The shift towards higher values over time was larger in the upper than the lower tail of the BMI distribution. Physical activity decreased over calendar years and was inversely associated with excess weight. The prevalence of excess weight increased markedly over a seven-year period in children in the Seychelles. This is likely to reflect a rapid nutrition transition with increasingly positive energy balance. These findings stress the need for programs and policies aimed at promoting physical activity and healthy nutrition in countries in epidemiological transition.

  16. Eco-evolution in size-structured ecosystems: simulation case study of rapid morphological changes in alewife.

    PubMed

    Kang, Jung Koo; Thibert-Plante, Xavier

    2017-02-27

    Over the last 300 years, interactions between alewives and zooplankton communities in several lakes in the U.S. have caused the alewives' morphology to transition rapidly from anadromous to landlocked. Lakes with landlocked alewives contain smaller-bodied zooplankton than those without alewives. Landlocked adult alewives display smaller body sizes, narrower gapes, smaller inter-gill-raker spacings, reach maturity at an earlier age, and are less fecund than anadromous alewives. Additionally, landlocked alewives consume pelagic prey exclusively throughout their lives whereas anadromous alewives make an ontogenetic transition from pelagic to littoral prey. These rapid, well-documented changes in the alewives' morphology provide important insights into the morphological evolution of fish. Predicting the morphological evolution of fish is crucial for fisheries and ecosystem management, but the involvement of multiple trophic interactions make predictions difficult. To obtain an improved understanding of rapid morphological change in fish, we developed an individual-based model that simulated rapid changes in the body size and gill-raker count of a fish species in a hypothetical, size-structured prey community. Model parameter values were based mainly on data from empirical studies on alewives. We adopted a functional trait approach; consequently, the model explicitly describes the relationships between prey body size, alewife body size, and alewife gill-raker count. We sought to answer two questions: (1) How does the impact of alewife populations on prey feed back to impact alewife size and gill raker number under several alternative scenarios? (2) Will the trajectory of the landlocked alewives' morphological evolution change after 150-300 years in freshwater? Over the first 250 years, the alewives' numbers of gill-rakers only increased when reductions in their body size substantially improved their ability to forage for small prey. Additionally, alewives' gill

  17. Plant Growth and Development: An Outline for a Unit Structured Around the Life Cycle of Rapid-Cycling Brassica Rapa.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Becker, Wayne M.

    This outline is intended for use in a unit of 10-12 lectures on plant growth and development at the introductory undergraduate level as part of a course on organismal biology. The series of lecture outlines is structured around the life cycle of rapid-cycling Brassica rapa (RCBr). The unit begins with three introductory lectures on general plant…

  18. C3I Rapid Prototype Investigation.

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1986-01-01

    feasibility of applying rapid K prototyping techniques to Air Force C3 1 system developments . This report presents the technical progress during the...computer tunctions. The cost to use each in terms of hardware, software, analysis, and needed further developments was assessed. Prototyping approaches were...acquirer, and developer are the ". basis for problems in C3I system developments . These problems destabilize r-. the requirements determination process

  19. Development of 1-year-old computational phantom and calculation of organ doses during CT scans using Monte Carlo simulation.

    PubMed

    Pan, Yuxi; Qiu, Rui; Gao, Linfeng; Ge, Chaoyong; Zheng, Junzheng; Xie, Wenzhang; Li, Junli

    2014-09-21

    With the rapidly growing number of CT examinations, the consequential radiation risk has aroused more and more attention. The average dose in each organ during CT scans can only be obtained by using Monte Carlo simulation with computational phantoms. Since children tend to have higher radiation sensitivity than adults, the radiation dose of pediatric CT examinations requires special attention and needs to be assessed accurately. So far, studies on organ doses from CT exposures for pediatric patients are still limited. In this work, a 1-year-old computational phantom was constructed. The body contour was obtained from the CT images of a 1-year-old physical phantom and the internal organs were deformed from an existing Chinese reference adult phantom. To ensure the organ locations in the 1-year-old computational phantom were consistent with those of the physical phantom, the organ locations in 1-year-old computational phantom were manually adjusted one by one, and the organ masses were adjusted to the corresponding Chinese reference values. Moreover, a CT scanner model was developed using the Monte Carlo technique and the 1-year-old computational phantom was applied to estimate organ doses derived from simulated CT exposures. As a result, a database including doses to 36 organs and tissues from 47 single axial scans was built. It has been verified by calculation that doses of axial scans are close to those of helical scans; therefore, this database could be applied to helical scans as well. Organ doses were calculated using the database and compared with those obtained from the measurements made in the physical phantom for helical scans. The differences between simulation and measurement were less than 25% for all organs. The result shows that the 1-year-old phantom developed in this work can be used to calculate organ doses in CT exposures, and the dose database provides a method for the estimation of 1-year-old patient doses in a variety of CT examinations.

  20. Development of 1-year-old computational phantom and calculation of organ doses during CT scans using Monte Carlo simulation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Pan, Yuxi; Qiu, Rui; Gao, Linfeng; Ge, Chaoyong; Zheng, Junzheng; Xie, Wenzhang; Li, Junli

    2014-09-01

    With the rapidly growing number of CT examinations, the consequential radiation risk has aroused more and more attention. The average dose in each organ during CT scans can only be obtained by using Monte Carlo simulation with computational phantoms. Since children tend to have higher radiation sensitivity than adults, the radiation dose of pediatric CT examinations requires special attention and needs to be assessed accurately. So far, studies on organ doses from CT exposures for pediatric patients are still limited. In this work, a 1-year-old computational phantom was constructed. The body contour was obtained from the CT images of a 1-year-old physical phantom and the internal organs were deformed from an existing Chinese reference adult phantom. To ensure the organ locations in the 1-year-old computational phantom were consistent with those of the physical phantom, the organ locations in 1-year-old computational phantom were manually adjusted one by one, and the organ masses were adjusted to the corresponding Chinese reference values. Moreover, a CT scanner model was developed using the Monte Carlo technique and the 1-year-old computational phantom was applied to estimate organ doses derived from simulated CT exposures. As a result, a database including doses to 36 organs and tissues from 47 single axial scans was built. It has been verified by calculation that doses of axial scans are close to those of helical scans; therefore, this database could be applied to helical scans as well. Organ doses were calculated using the database and compared with those obtained from the measurements made in the physical phantom for helical scans. The differences between simulation and measurement were less than 25% for all organs. The result shows that the 1-year-old phantom developed in this work can be used to calculate organ doses in CT exposures, and the dose database provides a method for the estimation of 1-year-old patient doses in a variety of CT examinations.

  1. Recent advances in the use of laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) as a rapid point-of-care pathogen diagnostic

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Rehse, Steven; Trojand, Daniel; Putnam, Russell; Gillies, Derek; Woodman, Ryan; Sheikh, Khadija; Daabous, Andrew

    2013-05-01

    There is a well-known and urgent need in the fields of medicine, environmental health and safety, food-processing, and defense/security to develop new 21st Century technologies for the rapid and sensitive identification of bacterial pathogens. In only the last five years, the use of a real-time elemental (atomic) analysis performed with laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) has made tremendous progress in becoming a viable technology for rapid bacterial pathogen detection and identification. In this talk we will show how this laser-based optical emission spectroscopic technique is able to sensitively assay the elemental composition of bacterial cells in situ. We will also present the latest achievements of our lab to fully develop LIBS-based bacterial sensing including simulation of a rapid urinary tract infection diagnosis and investigation of a variety of autonomous multivariate analysis algorithms. Lastly, we will show how this technology is now ready to be transitioned from the laboratory to field-portable and potentially man-portable instrumentation. The introduction of such a technology into popular use could very well transform the field of bacterial biosensing - a market valued at approximately 10 billion/year world-wide. Funding for this project was provided in part by a Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada Discovery Grant.

  2. Early rapid weight gain and subsequent overweight and obesity in middle childhood in Peru.

    PubMed

    Penny, Mary E; Jimenez, M Michelle; Marin, R Margot

    2016-01-01

    Rapid postnatal weight gain is associated with risk of overweight and obesity, but it's unclear whether this holds in populations exposed to concurrent obesogenic risk factors and for children who have been extensively breastfed. This study investigates whether an increase in weight for age from birth to 1 year (infancy) and from 1 to 5 years (early childhood) predicts overweight and obesity, and waist circumference at 8 years, using data from a longitudinal cohort study in Peru. Generalized estimating equations (GEE) models were constructed for overweight and obesity, obesity alone and waist circumference at 8 years versus rapid weight gain in infancy, and early childhood including adjusted models to account for confounders. Rapid weight gain in both periods was associated with double the risk of overweight and obesity, obesity alone at 8 years and increased waist circumference even after controlling for maternal BMI and education level, sex of child, height-for-age at 8 years, consumption of "fast food" and number of days of active exercise. The association was significant, with some differences, for children in both rural and urban environments. Rapid weight gain in infancy and in early childhood in Peru is associated with overweight and obesity at age 8 years even when considering other determinants of childhood obesity.

  3. Performance of a New Rapid Immunoassay Test Kit for Point-of-Care Diagnosis of Significant Bacteriuria

    PubMed Central

    Cox, Marsha E.; DiNello, Robert K.; Geisberg, Mark; Abbott, April; Roberts, Pacita L.; Hooton, Thomas M.

    2015-01-01

    Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are frequently encountered in clinical practice and most commonly caused by Escherichia coli and other Gram-negative uropathogens. We tested RapidBac, a rapid immunoassay for bacteriuria developed by Silver Lake Research Corporation (SLRC), compared with standard bacterial culture using 966 clean-catch urine specimens submitted to a clinical microbiology laboratory in an urban academic medical center. RapidBac was performed in accordance with instructions, providing a positive or negative result in 20 min. RapidBac identified as positive 245/285 (sensitivity 86%) samples with significant bacteriuria, defined as the presence of a Gram-negative uropathogen or Staphylococcus saprophyticus at ≥103 CFU/ml. The sensitivities for Gram-negative bacteriuria at ≥104 CFU/ml and ≥105 CFU/ml were 96% and 99%, respectively. The specificity of the test, detecting the absence of significant bacteriuria, was 94%. The sensitivity and specificity of RapidBac were similar on samples from inpatient and outpatient settings, from male and female patients, and across age groups from 18 to 89 years old, although specificity was higher in men (100%) compared with that in women (92%). The RapidBac test for bacteriuria may be effective as an aid in the point-of-care diagnosis of UTIs especially in emergency and primary care settings. PMID:26063858

  4. Self-reported drug use among secondary school students in two rapidly developing Nigerian towns.

    PubMed

    Nevadomsky, J

    1982-01-01

    A 32-item standardized multiple-choice and open-ended questionnaire was completed by nearly 500 male and female secondary school students in two rapidly developing Nigerian towns. About two thirds of the students reported some exposure to alcohol, and about one quarter reported some experience with tobacco. There was much less use of caffeine, methaqualone in combination with diphenhydramine, 2-ethylamino-3-phenylorcamphane in combination with vitamins, chlordiazepoxide, diazepam, cannabis and dexamphetamine. Many students fell into the "past use" category. Parents were extremely disapproving of the use of almost any drug. Many students supported stronger penalties for the use of cannabis. Non-users claimed that drugs were dangerous to health. In addition, religious beliefs were associated with abstinence from drugs.

  5. Towards the development of rapid screening techniques for shale gas core properties

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Cave, Mark R.; Vane, Christopher; Kemp, Simon; Harrington, Jon; Cuss, Robert

    2013-04-01

    Shale gas has been produced for many years in the U.S.A. and forms around 8% of total their natural gas production. Recent testing for gas on the Fylde Coast in Lancashire UK suggests there are potentially large reserves which could be exploited. The increasing significance of shale gas has lead to the need for deeper understanding of shale behaviour. There are many factors which govern whether a particular shale will become a shale gas resource and these include: i) Organic matter abundance, type and thermal maturity; ii) Porosity-permeability relationships and pore size distribution; iii) Brittleness and its relationship to mineralogy and rock fabric. Measurements of these properties require sophisticated and time consuming laboratory techniques (Josh et al 2012), whereas rapid screening techniques could provide timely results which could improve the efficiency and cost effectiveness of exploration. In this study, techniques which are portable and provide rapid on-site measurements (X-ray Fluorescence (XRF) and Infra-red (IR) spectroscopy) have been calibrated against standard laboratory techniques (Rock-Eval 6 analyser-Vinci Technologies) and Powder whole-rock XRD analysis was carried out using a PANalytical X'Pert Pro series diffractometer equipped with a cobalt-target tube, X'Celerator detector and operated at 45kV and 40mA, to predict properties of potential shale gas material from core material from the Bowland shale Roosecote, south Cumbria. Preliminary work showed that, amongst various mineralogical and organic matter properties of the core, regression models could be used so that the total organic carbon content could be predicted from the IR spectra with a 95 percentile confidence prediction error of 0.6% organic carbon, the free hydrocarbons could be predicted with a 95 percentile confidence prediction error of 0.6 mgHC/g rock, the bound hydrocarbons could be predicted with a 95 percentile confidence prediction error of 2.4 mgHC/g rock, mica content

  6. Development of an antigen-based rapid diagnostic test for the identification of blowfly (Calliphoridae) species of forensic significance.

    PubMed

    McDonagh, Laura; Thornton, Chris; Wallman, James F; Stevens, Jamie R

    2009-06-01

    In this study we examine the limitations of currently used sequence-based approaches to blowfly (Calliphoridae) identification and evaluate the utility of an immunological approach to discriminate between blowfly species of forensic importance. By investigating antigenic similarity and dissimilarity between the first instar larval stages of four forensically important blowfly species, we have been able to identify immunoreactive proteins of potential use in the development of species-specific immuno-diagnostic tests. Here we outline our protein-based approach to species determination, and describe how it may be adapted to develop rapid diagnostic assays for the 'on-site' identification of blowfly species.

  7. Development of an immunochromatographic lateral flow device for rapid diagnosis of Vibrio cholerae O1 serotype Ogawa.

    PubMed

    Chen, Weixian; Zhang, Jun; Lu, Gang; Yuan, Zuowei; Wu, Qian; Li, Jingjing; Xu, Guiping; He, An; Zheng, Jian; Zhang, Juan

    2014-04-01

    Cholera is an acute malignant infectious disease caused by the bacteria Vibrio cholerae leading to severe dehydrating diarrhea and vomiting, even high rates of mortality in some cases. However, the prevention of the epidemic disease is achievable if proper sanitation practices are followed, provided the accurate and prompt diagnosis of each prevalent serotype in cholera epidemic. The current gold standard of bacterial culture is inadequate for rapid diagnosis. Our aim is to develop an immunochromatographic test format for O1 serotype Ogawa diagnosis and provide the need for better epidemic prevention and early response. The monoclonal antibodies were raised in conventional method and subsequently screened for a match pair. A variety of related and unrelated bacteria strains recruited were employed to test their sensitivity, specificity etc. by indirect ELISA. The human fecal samples were used to test the final lateral-flow device product to satisfy the measurement requirement. A new monoclonal antibody (McAb) pair, named IXiao₃G₆ and IXiao₁D₉, was generated, which is specifically against V. cholerae O1 serotype Ogawa. Additionally, we developed an immunochromatographic lateral flow device (LFD) using this McAb pair for the highly specific and rapid (5 min) detection of Ogawa. Our product has advantages of simplicity and precision, and can benefit the scene and elementary medical institutions. Copyright © 2013 The Canadian Society of Clinical Chemists. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  8. Developing a Natural Gas-Powered Bus Rapid Transit Service. A Case Study

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

    Mitchell, George

    2015-11-01

    The Roaring Fork Transit Authority (RFTA) and its VelociRFTA Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) program are unique in many ways. For example, VelociRFTA was the first rural BRT system in the United States and the operational environment of the VelociRFTA BRT is one of the most severe in the country, with extreme winter temperatures and altitudes close to 8,000 feet. RFTA viewed high altitude operation as the most challenging characteristic when it began considering the use of natural gas. RFTA is the second-largest public transit system in Colorado behind Denver's Regional Transportation District (RTD), and it is one of the largestmore » rural public transit systems in the country. In 2013, RFTA accepted delivery of 22 new compressed natural gas (CNG) buses that went into service after completion of maintenance and refueling facilities earlier that year. This paper examines the lessons learned from RFTA's experience of investigating--and ultimately choosing--CNG for their new BRT program and focuses on the unique environment of RFTA's BRT application; the decision process to include CNG fueling in the project; unforeseen difficulties encountered in the operation of CNG buses; public perception; cost comparison to competing fuels; and considerations for indoor fueling facilities and project funding.« less

  9. Developing a Natural Gas-Powered Bus Rapid Transit Service: A Case Study

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

    Mitchell, G.

    2015-11-03

    The Roaring Fork Transit Authority (RFTA) and its VelociRFTA Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) program are unique in many ways. For example, VelociRFTA was the first rural BRT system in the United States and the operational environment of the VelociRFTA BRT is one of the most severe in the country, with extreme winter temperatures and altitudes close to 8,000 feet. RFTA viewed high altitude operation as the most challenging characteristic when it began considering the use of natural gas. RFTA is the second-largest public transit system in Colorado behind Denver's Regional Transportation District (RTD), and it is one of the largestmore » rural public transit systems in the country. In 2013, RFTA accepted delivery of 22 new compressed natural gas (CNG) buses that went into service after completion of maintenance and refueling facilities earlier that year. This paper examines the lessons learned from RFTA's experience of investigating--and ultimately choosing--CNG for their new BRT program and focuses on the unique environment of RFTA's BRT application; the decision process to include CNG fueling in the project; unforeseen difficulties encountered in the operation of CNG buses; public perception; cost comparison to competing fuels; and considerations for indoor fueling facilities and project funding.« less

  10. Preliminary Component Integration Using Rapid Prototyping Techniques

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Cooper, Ken; Salvail, Pat; Gordon, Gail (Technical Monitor)

    2001-01-01

    Rapid prototyping is a very important tool that should be used by both design and manufacturing disciplines during the development of elements for the aerospace industry. It helps prevent lack of adequate communication between design and manufacturing engineers (which could lead to costly errors) through mutual consideration of functional models generated from drawings. Rapid prototyping techniques are used to test hardware for design and material compatibility at Marshall Space Flight Center.

  11. Hadron rapidity spectra within a hybrid model

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Khvorostukhin, A. S.; Toneev, V. D.

    2017-01-01

    A 2-stage hybrid model is proposed that joins the fast initial state of interaction, described by the hadron string dynamics (HSD) model, to subsequent evolution of the expanding system at the second stage, treated within ideal hydrodynamics. The developed hybrid model is assigned to describe heavy-ion collisions in the energy range of the NICA collider under construction in Dubna. Generally, the model is in reasonable agreement with the available data on proton rapidity spectra. However, reproducing proton rapidity spectra, our hybrid model cannot describe the rapidity distributions of pions. The model should be improved by taking into consideration viscosity effects at the hydrodynamical stage of system evolution.

  12. Increased corrosion resistance of the AZ80 magnesium alloy by rapid solidification.

    PubMed

    Aghion, E; Jan, L; Meshi, L; Goldman, J

    2015-11-01

    Magnesium (Mg) and Mg-alloys are being considered as implantable biometals. Despite their excellent biocompatibility and good mechanical properties, their rapid corrosion is a major impediment precluding their widespread acceptance as implantable biomaterials. Here, we investigate the potential for rapid solidification to increase the corrosion resistance of Mg alloys. To this end, the effect of rapid solidification on the environmental and stress corrosion behavior of the AZ80 Mg alloy vs. its conventionally cast counterpart was evaluated in simulated physiological electrolytes. The microstructural characteristics were examined by optical microscopy, SEM, TEM, and X-ray diffraction analysis. The corrosion behavior was evaluated by immersion, salt spraying, and potentiodynamic polarization. Stress corrosion resistance was assessed by Slow Strain Rate Testing. The results indicate that the corrosion resistance of rapidly solidified ribbons is significantly improved relative to the conventional cast alloy due to the increased Al content dissolved in the α-Mg matrix and the correspondingly reduced presence of the β-phase (Mg17 Al12 ). Unfortunately, extrusion consolidated solidified ribbons exhibited a substantial reduction in the environmental performance and stress corrosion resistance. This was mainly attributed to the detrimental effect of the extrusion process, which enriched the iron impurities and increased the internal stresses by imposing a higher dislocation density. In terms of immersion tests, the average corrosion rate of the rapidly solidified ribbons was <0.4 mm/year compared with ∼2 mm/year for the conventionally cast alloy and 26 mm/year for the rapidly solidified extruded ribbons. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  13. The use of newly developed real-time PCR for the rapid identification of bacteria in culture-negative osteomyelitis.

    PubMed

    Kobayashi, Naomi; Bauer, Thomas W; Sakai, Hiroshige; Togawa, Daisuke; Lieberman, Isador H; Fujishiro, Takaaki; Procop, Gary W

    2006-12-01

    We report a case of a culture-negative osteomyelitis in which our newly developed real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) could differentiate Staphylococcus aureus from Staphylococcus epidermidis. This is the first report that described the application of this novel assay to an orthopedics clinical sample. This assay may be useful for other clinical culture-negative cases in a combination with a broad-spectrum assay as a rapid microorganism identification method.

  14. Development Achievements at Pittsburg State University for Fiscal Year 1988.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Smoot, Joseph G.

    The development report for Pittsburg State University's (PSU) fiscal year 1988 is presented. The most important objective of PSU's development program is to provide funding beyond the state support in order to distinguish the university among its U.S. peers. Chapters include an overview of FY 1988 development activities, the Annual Fund, the…

  15. Rapid Estrogen Signaling in the Brain: Implications for the Fine-Tuning of Neuronal Circuitry”

    PubMed Central

    Srivastava, Deepak P.; Waters, Elizabeth M.; Mermelstein, Paul G.; Kramár, Enikö A.; Shors, Tracey J.; Liu, Feng

    2011-01-01

    Rapid actions of estrogens were first described over 40 years ago. However, the importance of rapid estrogen-mediated actions in the central nervous system (CNS) has only now becoming apparent. Several lines of evidence demonstrate that rapid estrogen-mediated signaling elicits potent effects on molecular and cellular events, resulting in the fine-tuning of neuronal circuitry. At an ultrastructural level, the details of estrogen receptor localization and how these are regulated by the circulating hormone and age, are now becoming evident. Furthermore, the mechanisms that allow membrane-associated estrogen receptors to couple with intracellular signaling pathways are also now being revealed. Elucidation of complex actions of rapid estrogen-mediated signaling on synaptic proteins, connectivity and synaptic function in pyramidal neurons has demonstrated that this neurosteroid engage specific mechanisms in different areas of the brain. The regulation of synaptic properties most likely underlies the ‘fine-tuning’ of neuronal circuitry. This in turn may influence how learned behaviors are encoded by different circuitry in male and female subjects. Importantly, as estrogens have been suggested as potential treatments of a number of disorders of the CNS, advancements in our understanding of rapid estrogen signaling in the brain will serve to aid in the development of potential novel estrogen-based treatments. PMID:22072656

  16. First-Year College Students' Strengths Awareness and Perceived Leadership Development

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Soria, Krista M.; Roberts, Julia E.; Reinhard, Alex P.

    2015-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to examine whether first-year college students' strengths awareness is associated with their perceived leadership development. The institution in this study offered all first-year students the Clifton StrengthsFinder assessment and strengths-related programming. The results of hierarchical regression analysis of two…

  17. Leadership for the Development Function in the Two-Year College.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rowh, Mark

    Identifying and obtaining external funding for two-year colleges require an approach which is consistent with the particular scope and mission of such institutions and which takes into consideration the priorities of funding agencies. Faced with divergent functions and financial/staffing constraints, two-year college development officers must not…

  18. Optimal de novo design of MRM experiments for rapid assay development in targeted proteomics.

    PubMed

    Bertsch, Andreas; Jung, Stephan; Zerck, Alexandra; Pfeifer, Nico; Nahnsen, Sven; Henneges, Carsten; Nordheim, Alfred; Kohlbacher, Oliver

    2010-05-07

    Targeted proteomic approaches such as multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) overcome problems associated with classical shotgun mass spectrometry experiments. Developing MRM quantitation assays can be time consuming, because relevant peptide representatives of the proteins must be found and their retention time and the product ions must be determined. Given the transitions, hundreds to thousands of them can be scheduled into one experiment run. However, it is difficult to select which of the transitions should be included into a measurement. We present a novel algorithm that allows the construction of MRM assays from the sequence of the targeted proteins alone. This enables the rapid development of targeted MRM experiments without large libraries of transitions or peptide spectra. The approach relies on combinatorial optimization in combination with machine learning techniques to predict proteotypicity, retention time, and fragmentation of peptides. The resulting potential transitions are scheduled optimally by solving an integer linear program. We demonstrate that fully automated construction of MRM experiments from protein sequences alone is possible and over 80% coverage of the targeted proteins can be achieved without further optimization of the assay.

  19. Rapid onset of rhabdomyolysis after switching to a raltegravir-based antiretroviral regimen.

    PubMed

    Tsai, Wan-Jung; Lee, Susan Shin-Jung; Tsai, Hung-Chin; Sy, Cheng-Len; Chen, Jui-Kuang; Wu, Kuang-Sheng; Wang, Yung-Hsin; Chen, Yao-Shen

    2016-04-01

    Raltegravir is the first integrase inhibitor antiretroviral agent that has been demonstrated to have antiviral efficacy and safety. However, the US Food and Drug Administration has recommended use with caution in patients with risk factors for rhabdomyolysis, based on four case reports of rhabdomyolysis in patients with identifiable risk factors. We present a 32-year-old Asian man with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), but without other underlying diseases, who developed rapid-onset, raltegravir-associated rhabdomyolysis and hyperlactatemia. Our patient lacked predisposing factors for rhabdomyolysis, and the rapid onset time of 4 days was the shortest reported. Therefore, clinicians should exercise caution when using raltegravir and closely monitor all patients for the symptoms of muscle pain and weakness. This case has been reported to the National Adverse Drug Reactions Reporting System of the Department of Health in Taiwan. Copyright © 2013. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  20. Enhancing Child Development: The Beginning Years. Fostering Families.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Schatz, Mona Struhsaker; And Others

    This module is part of a training program for foster parents and foster care workers offered at Colorado State University. The module's learning objectives address: (1) factors that interact to affect child development; (2) developmental milestones for infants and young children; (3) parenting processes appropriate to the childhood years; (4)…

  1. Rapid analysis of foodborne pathogens by surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sengupta, Atanu; Shende, Chetan; Huang, Hermes; Farquharson, Stuart; Inscore, Frank

    2012-05-01

    Foodborne diseases resulting from Campylobacter, Escherichia, Listeria, Salmonella, Shigella and Vibrio species affect as many as 76 million persons in the United States each year, resulting in 325,000 hospitalizations and 5,000 deaths. The challenge to preventing distribution and consumption of contaminated foods lies in the fact that just a few bacterial cells can rapidly multiply to millions, reaching infectious doses within a few days. Unfortunately, current methods used to detect these few cells rely on lengthy growth enrichment steps that take a similar amount of time (1 to 4 days). Consequently, there is a critical need for an analyzer that can rapidly extract and detect foodborne pathogens in 1-2 hours (not days), at 100 colony forming units per gram of food, and with a specificity that differentiates from indigenous microflora, so that false alarms are eliminated. In an effort to meet this need, we have been developing a sample system that extracts such pathogens from food, selectively binds these pathogens, and produces surface-enhanced Raman spectra (SERS). Here we present preliminary SERS measurements of Listeria and Salmonella.

  2. Cognitive Development One Year After Infantile Critical Pertussis.

    PubMed

    Berger, John T; Villalobos, Michele E; Clark, Amy E; Holubkov, Richard; Pollack, Murray M; Berg, Robert A; Carcillo, Joseph A; Dalton, Heidi; Harrison, Rick; Meert, Kathleen L; Newth, Christopher J L; Shanley, Thomas P; Wessel, David L; Anand, Kanwaljeet J S; Zimmerman, Jerry J; Sanders, Ronald C; Liu, Teresa; Burr, Jeri S; Willson, Douglas F; Doctor, Allan; Dean, J Michael; Jenkins, Tammara L; Nicholson, Carol E

    2018-02-01

    Pertussis can cause life-threatening illness in infants. Data regarding neurodevelopment after pertussis remain scant. The aim of this study was to assess cognitive development of infants with critical pertussis 1 year after PICU discharge. Prospective cohort study. Eight hospitals comprising the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute for Child Health and Human Development Collaborative Pediatric Critical Care Research Network and 18 additional sites across the United States. Eligible patients had laboratory confirmation of pertussis infection, were less than 1 year old, and were admitted to the PICU for at least 24 hours. The Mullen Scales of Early Learning was administered at a 1-year follow-up visit. Functional status was determined by examination and parental interview. Of 196 eligible patients, 111 (57%) completed the Mullen Scales of Early Learning. The mean scores for visual reception, receptive language, and expressive language domains were significantly lower than the norms (p < 0.001), but not fine and gross motor domains. Forty-one patients (37%) had abnormal scores in at least one domain and 10 (9%) had an Early Learning Composite score 2 or more SDs below the population norms. Older age (p < 0.003) and Hispanic ethnicity (p < 0.008) were associated with lower mean Early Learning Composite score, but presenting symptoms and PICU course were not. Infants who survive critical pertussis often have neurodevelopmental deficits. These infants may benefit from routine neurodevelopmental screening.

  3. Development of microsatellite markers for the rapid and reliable genotyping of Brettanomyces bruxellensis at strain level.

    PubMed

    Albertin, Warren; Panfili, Aurélie; Miot-Sertier, Cécile; Goulielmakis, Aurélie; Delcamp, Adline; Salin, Franck; Lonvaud-Funel, Aline; Curtin, Chris; Masneuf-Pomarede, Isabelle

    2014-09-01

    Although many yeasts are useful for food production and beverage, some species may cause spoilage with important economic loss. This is the case of Dekkera/Brettanomyces bruxellensis, a contaminant species that is mainly associated with fermented beverages (wine, beer, cider and traditional drinks). To better control Brettanomyces spoilage, rapid and reliable genotyping methods are necessary to determine the origins of the spoilage, to assess the effectiveness of preventive treatments and to develop new control strategies. Despite several previously published typing methods, ranging from classical molecular methods (RAPD, AFLP, REA-PFGE, mtDNA restriction analysis) to more engineered technologies (infrared spectroscopy), there is still a lack of a rapid, reliable and universal genotyping approach. In this work, we developed eight polymorphic microsatellites markers for the Brettanomyces/Dekkera bruxellensis species. Microsatellite typing was applied to the genetic analysis of wine and beer isolates from Europe, Australia and South Africa. Our results suggest that B. bruxellensis is a highly disseminated species, with some strains isolated from different continents being closely related at the genetic level. We also focused on strains isolated from two Bordeaux wineries on different substrates (grapes, red wines) and for different vintages (over half a century). We showed that all B. bruxellensis strains within a cellar are strongly related at the genetic level, suggesting that one clonal population may cause spoilage over decades. The microsatellite tool now paves the way for future population genetics research of the B. bruxellensis species. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  4. Development of colloidal gold-based immunochromatographic assay for rapid detection of Mycoplasma suis in porcine plasma.

    PubMed

    Meng, Kai; Sun, Wenjing; Zhao, Peng; Zhang, Limei; Cai, Dongjie; Cheng, Ziqiang; Guo, Huijun; Liu, Jianzhu; Yang, Dubao; Wang, Shujing; Chai, Tongjie

    2014-05-15

    A one-step immunochromatographic assay using gold nanoparticles coated with polyclonal antibody (pAb) against Mycoplasma suis (M. suis) was developed in this study for the detection of M. suis in porcine plasma. The colloidal gold was prepared by the reduction of gold salt with sodium citrate coupled with pAb against M. suis. The pAb was produced by immunizing the BALB/c mice with recombinant MSG1 (rMSG1) protein from M. suis expressed in Escherichia coli. The optimal concentrations of the capture antibody and the coating antibody were 12 μg/ml and 1.5 mg/ml, respectively, and that of the blocking buffer was 1% bovine serum albumin. The lower detection limit of the immunochromatographic assay test was 100 ng/ml with visual detection under optimal conditions of analysis. Classical swine fever virus, porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus, swine pneumonia mycoplasma, swine toxoplasma, and porcine parvovirus were used to evaluate the specificity of the immunochromatographic strips. No cross-reaction of the antibodies with other related swine pathogens was observed. This qualitative test based on the visual evaluation of the results did not require any equipment. The assay time for M. suis detection was less than 10 min, suitable for rapid detection at the grassroots level. The one-step colloidal gold immunochromatographic strips that we developed had high specificity and sensitivity. Therefore, this method would be feasible, convenient, rapid, and effective for detecting M. suis in porcine plasma. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  5. Development Process and Technical Aspects of Laparoscopic Hepatectomy: Learning Curve Based on 15 Years of Experience.

    PubMed

    Komatsu, Shohei; Scatton, Olivier; Goumard, Claire; Sepulveda, Ailton; Brustia, Raffaele; Perdigao, Fabiano; Soubrane, Olivier

    2017-05-01

    Laparoscopic hepatectomy continues to be a challenging operation associated with a steep learning curve. This study aimed to evaluate the learning process during 15 years of experience with laparoscopic hepatectomy and to identify approaches to standardization of this procedure. Prospectively collected data of 317 consecutive laparoscopic hepatectomies performed from January 2000 to December 2014 were reviewed retrospectively. The operative procedures were classified into 4 categories (minor hepatectomy, left lateral sectionectomy [LLS], left hepatectomy, and right hepatectomy), and indications were classified into 5 categories (benign-borderline tumor, living donor, metastatic liver tumor, biliary malignancy, and hepatocellular carcinoma). During the first 10 years, the procedures were limited mainly to minor hepatectomy and LLS, and the indications were limited to benign-borderline tumor and living donor. Implementation of major hepatectomy rapidly increased the proportion of malignant tumors, especially hepatocellular carcinoma, starting from 2011. Conversion rates decreased with experience for LLS (13.3% vs 3.4%; p = 0.054) and left hepatectomy (50.0% vs 15.0%; p = 0.012), but not for right hepatectomy (41.4% vs 35.7%; p = 0.661). Our 15-year experience clearly demonstrates the stepwise procedural evolution from LLS through left hepatectomy to right hepatectomy, as well as the trend in indications from benign-borderline tumor/living donor to malignant tumors. In contrast to LLS and left hepatectomy, a learning curve was not observed for right hepatectomy. The ongoing development process can contribute to faster standardization necessary for future advances in laparoscopic hepatectomy. Copyright © 2017 American College of Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  6. Alcohol Tax Policy and Related Mortality. An Age-Period-Cohort Analysis of a Rapidly Developed Chinese Population, 1981–2010

    PubMed Central

    Chung, Roger Y.; Kim, Jean H.; Yip, Benjamin H.; Wong, Samuel Y. S.; Wong, Martin C. S.; Chung, Vincent C. H.; Griffiths, Sian M.

    2014-01-01

    To delineate the temporal dynamics between alcohol tax policy changes and related health outcomes, this study examined the age, period and cohort effects on alcohol-related mortality in relation to changes in government alcohol policies. We used the age-period-cohort modeling to analyze retrospective mortality data over 30 years from 1981 to 2010 in a rapidly developed Chinese population, Hong Kong. Alcohol-related mortality from 1) chronic causes, 2) acute causes, 3) all (chronic+acute) causes and 4) causes 100% attributable to alcohol, as defined according to the Alcohol-Related Disease Impact (ARDI) criteria developed by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, were examined. The findings illustrated the possible effects of alcohol policy changes on adult alcohol-related mortality. The age-standardized mortality trends were generally in decline, with fluctuations that coincided with the timing of the alcohol policy changes. The age-period-cohort analyses demonstrated possible temporal dynamics between alcohol policy changes and alcohol-related mortality through the period effects, and also generational impact of alcohol policy changes through the cohort effects. Based on the illustrated association between the dramatic increase of alcohol imports in the mid-1980s and the increased alcohol-related mortality risk of the generations coming of age of majority at that time, attention should be paid to generations coming of drinking age during the 2007–2008 duty reduction. PMID:25153324

  7. Three Years of Collaboration in the Development of Portal Schools.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Pankratz, Roger; Williams, John

    In 1971 six rural, eastern Kansas School Districts collaborated with Kansas State Teachers College in the development of portal schools. Four-year goals and first-year objectives were established and a steering committee comprised of representatives of each significant role group was organized to transact business associated with the development…

  8. Development of a Combined Human Transferrin-Hemoglobin Lateral Immunochromatographic Assay for Accurate and Rapid Fecal Occult Blood Test.

    PubMed

    Ye, Yuanyuan; Deng, Yin; Mao, Jinju; Yan, Qin; Huang, Yidan; Zhang, Jun; Zheng, Jian; Li, Yue; Chen, Weixian

    2018-05-01

    Fecal occult bloodtest (FOBT) plays an important role in the diagnosis of gastrointestinal diseases. The sensitivities of current FOBT methods are still not satisfactory. The aim of this study is to develop a combined human transferrin (HTf)-hemoglobin (HHb) lateral flow assay (LFA) for accurate and rapid FOBT. Monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) targeting HTf were developed by conventional methods and paired using LFA strips. The best HTf MAb pair was chosen according to the overall performance on testing limit and specificity. Meanwhile, HHb LFA strips were prepared using previously developed HHb MAbs. The testing limit and specificity were characterized. Based on the selected HTf MAb pair and the verified HHb MAb pair, combined HTf-HHb strips were developed. The combined HTf-HHb strips were used for FOBT of 400 human fecal samples, including 200 gastrointestinal bleeding specimens and 200 healthy subjects. For comparison, the homemade individual HTf and HHb strips, as well as three kinds of commercial FOBT strips, were also used for the FOBT. Two MAb pairs targeting HTf were developed for LFA. Two types of HTf strips were prepared accordingly. The type I was chosen due to its lower detection limit. Using the type I HTf MAb pair and the verified HHb- MAb pair, the combined HTf-HHb strips could detect the HTf at concentrations between 1 ng/mL and 1 x 106 ng/mL and the HHb between 10 ng/mL and 2.5 x 106 ng/mL. Compared to individual HTf and HHb strips and three kinds of commercial strips, the combined strips showed the highest diagnostic sensitivity in FOBT (96.0%). The specificity was a satisfactory 99%. Our combined HTf-HHb test strips are a very promising product for accurate and rapid FOBT.

  9. Mouse Embryo Cryopreservation by Rapid Cooling.

    PubMed

    Shaw, Jillian

    2018-05-01

    Embryo cryopreservation has been used to archive mouse strains. Protocols have evolved over this time and now vary considerably in terms of cryoprotectant solution, cooling and warming rates, methods to add and remove cryoprotectant, container or carrier type, volume of cryoprotectant, the stage of preimplantation development, and the use of additional treatments such as blastocyst puncture and microinjection. The rapid cooling methods use concentrated solutions of cryoprotectants to reduce the water content of the cell before cooling commences, thus preventing the formation of ice crystals. Embryos are equilibrated with the cryoprotectants, loaded into a carrier, and then rapidly cooled (e.g., by being plunged directly into LN 2 or onto a surface cooled in LN 2 ). The rapid cooling methods eliminate the need for controlled-rate freezers and seeding procedures. However, they are much more sensitive to minor variations when performing the steps. The rapid-cooling protocol described here is suitable for use with plastic insemination straws. Because it uses relatively large volumes, it is less technically demanding than some other methods that use minivolume devices. © 2018 Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press.

  10. Rapidly Progressive Quadriplegia and Encephalopathy.

    PubMed

    Wynn, DonRaphael; McCorquodale, Donald; Peters, Angela; Juster-Switlyk, Kelsey; Smith, Gordon; Ansari, Safdar

    2016-11-01

    A woman aged 77 years was transferred to our neurocritical care unit for evaluation and treatment of rapidly progressive motor weakness and encephalopathy. Examination revealed an ability to follow simple commands only and abnormal movements, including myoclonus, tongue and orofacial dyskinesias, and opsoclonus. Imaging study findings were initially unremarkable, but when repeated, they demonstrated enhancement of the cauda equina nerve roots, trigeminal nerve, and pachymeninges. Cerebrospinal fluid examination revealed mildly elevated white blood cell count and protein levels. Serial electrodiagnostic testing demonstrated a rapidly progressive diffuse sensory motor axonopathy, and electroencephalogram findings progressed from generalized slowing to bilateral periodic lateralized epileptiform discharges. Critical details of her recent history prompted a diagnostic biopsy. Over time, the patient became completely unresponsive with no further abnormal movements and ultimately died. The differential diagnosis, pathological findings, and diagnosis are discussed with a brief review of a well-known yet rare diagnosis.

  11. TRACKING CHANGES IN WETLANDS WITH URBANIZATION: SIXTEEN YEARS OF EXPERIENCE IN PORTLAND, OREGON

    EPA Science Inventory

    Urban wetlands can provide valuable ecological and societal services. They also can experience rapid change with development. Data from National Wetland Inventory Maps (NWI) and a series of field studies conducted between 1987 and 1998 were used to track changes over 16 years i...

  12. Beyond Job Training: Rural Economic Development and the Two-Year College.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Banks, Thomas A.

    1990-01-01

    Argues that rural two-year colleges must go beyond traditional job training programs for business/industry to have a decisive impact on local economic development. Presents a comprehensive economic development model, including human capital development; economic development awareness; and business, special group, infrastructure, and agricultural…

  13. Rapid Freeform Sheet Metal Forming: Technology Development and System Verification

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

    Kiridena, Vijitha; Verma, Ravi; Gutowski, Timothy

    The objective of this project is to develop a transformational RApid Freeform sheet metal Forming Technology (RAFFT) in an industrial environment, which has the potential to increase manufacturing energy efficiency up to ten times, at a fraction of the cost of conventional technologies. The RAFFT technology is a flexible and energy-efficient process that eliminates the need for having geometry-specific forming dies. The innovation lies in the idea of using the energy resource at the local deformation area which provides greater formability, process control, and process flexibility relative to traditional methods. Double-Sided Incremental Forming (DSIF), the core technology in RAFFT, ismore » a new concept for sheet metal forming. A blank sheet is clamped around its periphery and gradually deformed into a complex 3D freeform part by two strategically aligned stylus-type tools that follow a pre-described toolpath. The two tools, one on each side of the blank, can form a part with sharp features for both concave and convex shapes. Since deformation happens locally, the forming force at any instant is significantly decreased when compared to traditional methods. The key advantages of DSIF are its high process flexibility, high energy-efficiency, low capital investment, and the elimination of the need for massive amounts of die casting and machining. Additionally, the enhanced formability and process flexibility of DSIF can open up design spaces and result in greater weight savings.« less

  14. A scoping review of rapid review methods.

    PubMed

    Tricco, Andrea C; Antony, Jesmin; Zarin, Wasifa; Strifler, Lisa; Ghassemi, Marco; Ivory, John; Perrier, Laure; Hutton, Brian; Moher, David; Straus, Sharon E

    2015-09-16

    Rapid reviews are a form of knowledge synthesis in which components of the systematic review process are simplified or omitted to produce information in a timely manner. Although numerous centers are conducting rapid reviews internationally, few studies have examined the methodological characteristics of rapid reviews. We aimed to examine articles, books, and reports that evaluated, compared, used or described rapid reviews or methods through a scoping review. MEDLINE, EMBASE, the Cochrane Library, internet websites of rapid review producers, and reference lists were searched to identify articles for inclusion. Two reviewers independently screened literature search results and abstracted data from included studies. Descriptive analysis was conducted. We included 100 articles plus one companion report that were published between 1997 and 2013. The studies were categorized as 84 application papers, seven development papers, six impact papers, and four comparison papers (one was included in two categories). The rapid reviews were conducted between 1 and 12 months, predominantly in Europe (58 %) and North America (20 %). The included studies failed to report 6 % to 73 % of the specific systematic review steps examined. Fifty unique rapid review methods were identified; 16 methods occurred more than once. Streamlined methods that were used in the 82 rapid reviews included limiting the literature search to published literature (24 %) or one database (2 %), limiting inclusion criteria by date (68 %) or language (49 %), having one person screen and another verify or screen excluded studies (6 %), having one person abstract data and another verify (23 %), not conducting risk of bias/quality appraisal (7 %) or having only one reviewer conduct the quality appraisal (7 %), and presenting results as a narrative summary (78 %). Four case studies were identified that compared the results of rapid reviews to systematic reviews. Three studies found that the conclusions between

  15. Approaches to Developing Health in Early Years Settings

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mooney, Ann; Boddy, Janet; Statham, June; Warwick, Ian

    2008-01-01

    Purpose: The purpose of the paper is to consider the opportunities and difficulties in developing health-promotion work in early years settings in the UK. Design/methodology/approach: As the first study of its kind conducted in the UK, a multi-method approach was adopted involving: an overview of health-related guidance and of effective…

  16. Reliability and validity of four alternative definitions of rapid-cycling bipolar disorder.

    PubMed

    Maj, M; Pirozzi, R; Formicola, A M; Tortorella, A

    1999-09-01

    This study tested the reliability and validity of four definitions of rapid cycling. Two trained psychiatrists, using the Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia, independently assessed 210 patients with bipolar disorder. They checked whether each patient met four definitions of rapid cycling: one consistent with DSM-IV criteria, one waiving criteria for duration of affective episodes, one waiving such criteria and requiring at least one switch from mania to depression or vice versa during the reference year, and one waiving duration criteria and requiring at least 8 weeks of fully symptomatic affective illness during the reference year. The interrater reliability was calculated by Cohen's kappa statistic. Patients who met each definition according to both psychiatrists were compared to those who did not meet any definition (nonrapid-cycling group) on demographic and clinical variables. All patients were followed up for 1 year. Kappa values were 0.93, 0.73, 0.75, and 0.80, respectively, for the four definitions of rapid cycling. The groups meeting the second and third definitions included significantly more female and bipolar II patients than did the nonrapid-cycling group. Those two groups also had the lowest proportion of patients with a favorable lithium prophylaxis outcome and the highest stability of the rapid-cycling pattern on follow-up. The four groups of rapid-cycling patients did not differ significantly among themselves on any of the assessed variables. The expression "rapid cycling" encompasses a spectrum of conditions. The DSM-IV definition, although quite reliable, covers only part of this spectrum, and the conditions that are excluded are very typical in terms of key validators and are relatively stable over time.

  17. Can maximal and rapid isometric torque characteristics predict playing level in division I American collegiate football players?

    PubMed

    Thompson, Brennan J; Ryan, Eric D; Sobolewski, Eric J; Smith, Doug B; Conchola, Eric C; Akehi, Kazuma; Buckminster, Tyler

    2013-03-01

    The purpose of this study was to determine if maximal and rapid isometric torque characteristics could discriminate starters from nonstarters in elite Division I American collegiate football players. Sixteen starters (mean ± SD: age = 20.81 ± 1.28 years; height = 184.53 ± 6.58 cm; and mass = 108.69 ± 22.16 kg) and 15 nonstarters (20.40 ± 1.68 years; 182.27 ± 10.52 cm; and 104.60 ± 22.44 kg) performed isometric maximal voluntary contractions (MVCs) of the leg flexor and extensor muscle groups. Peak torque (PT), rate of torque development (RTD), the time to peak RTD (TTRTDpeak), contractile impulse (IMPULSE), and absolute torque values (TORQUE) at specific time intervals were calculated from a torque-time curve. The results indicated significant and nonsignificant differences between starters and nonstarters for the early rapid leg flexion torque characteristics that included RTD, IMPULSE, and TORQUE at 30 and 50 milliseconds, and TTRTDpeak. These variables also demonstrated the largest effect sizes of all the variables examined (0.71-0.82). None of the leg extensor variables, leg flexion PT, or later leg flexion rapid torque variables (≥ 100 milliseconds) were significant discriminators of playing level. These findings suggest that the early rapid leg flexion torque variables may provide an effective and sensitive muscle performance measurement in the identification of collegiate football talent. Further, coaches and practitioners may use these findings when designing training programs for collegiate football players with the intent to maximize rapid leg flexion characteristics.

  18. The associations between depressive and anxiety symptoms, body image, and weight in the first year postpartum: a rapid systematic review.

    PubMed

    Hartley, Eliza; Hill, Briony; McPhie, Skye; Skouteris, Helen

    2018-02-01

    The aim of this study was to conduct a rapid systematic review of the evidence of associations between postpartum depressive symptoms, anxiety symptoms, body image and weight status in the first 12 months post birth. The postpartum period places the mother and infant at risk of a number of negative health outcomes. Mental health conditions such as depression and anxiety are common in the postpartum, as are poor body image and excessive weight retention as women adjust to their post pregnancy body. However, the associations between body image, weight status and psychological distress are not currently well understood.   Articles in English, published between 2006 and 2017, involving singleton pregnancies of normally developing infants and maternal depression or anxiety were eligible for this systematic review.  From the total of 1805 articles located, 12 were identified as relevant and were subsequently reviewed in full. In the nine studies of depressive symptoms, body image or weight status, four found a significant relationship. Significant associations were not found in the three studies investigating postpartum anxiety symptoms, body image or weight. Body dissatisfaction was associated significantly with poorer postpartum weight status in all nine studies. Further research is needed to determine the nature of the relationships between body image, weight status and depressive and anxiety symptoms across the first year after birth. This information will assist health professionals to promote healthy lifestyle behaviours in the postpartum, as well as inform clinical interventions that target behaviour change to prevent the worsening of these issues and related negative outcomes.

  19. Literacy Development in the First Year of Schooling.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hill, Susan; Louden, William

    Drawing on the research study, "100 Children Go to School: Connections between Literacy Development in the Prior to School Period and the First Year of Schooling," conducted from 1996-1998 by a team made up of Susan Hill, Barbara Comber, William Louden, Judith Rivalland, and Jo-Anne Reid, this paper discusses the findings of the study,…

  20. Child Development and Molecular Genetics: 14 Years Later

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Plomin, Robert

    2013-01-01

    Fourteen years ago, the first article on molecular genetics was published in this journal: "Child Development, Molecular Genetics, and What to Do With Genes Once They Are Found" (R. Plomin & M. Rutter, 1998). The goal of the article was to outline what developmentalists can do with genes once they are found. These new directions for developmental…

  1. The protective effect of rapid cold-hardening develops more quickly in frozen versus supercooled larvae of the Antarctic midge, Belgica antarctica.

    PubMed

    Kawarasaki, Yuta; Teets, Nicholas M; Denlinger, David L; Lee, Richard E

    2013-10-15

    During the austral summer, larvae of the terrestrial midge Belgica antarctica (Diptera: Chironomidae) experience highly variable and often unpredictable thermal conditions. In addition to remaining freeze tolerant year-round, larvae are capable of swiftly increasing their cold tolerance through the rapid cold-hardening (RCH) response. The present study compared the induction of RCH in frozen versus supercooled larvae. At the same induction temperature, RCH occurred more rapidly and conferred a greater level of cryoprotection in frozen versus supercooled larvae. Furthermore, RCH in frozen larvae could be induced at temperatures as low as -12°C, which is the lowest temperature reported to induce RCH. Remarkably, as little as 15 min at -5°C significantly enhanced larval cold tolerance. Not only is protection from RCH acquired swiftly, but it is also quickly lost after thawing for 2 h at 2°C. Because the primary difference between frozen and supercooled larvae is cellular dehydration caused by freeze concentration of body fluids, we also compared the effects of acclimation in dehydrated versus frozen larvae. Because slow dehydration without chilling significantly increased larval survival to a subsequent cold exposure, we hypothesize that cellular dehydration caused by freeze concentration promotes the rapid acquisition of cold tolerance in frozen larvae.

  2. Factors that Influence Vocabulary Development in Two-Year-Old Children

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Stokes, Stephanie F.; Klee, Thomas

    2009-01-01

    Background: This research explored the relative impact of demographic, cognitive, behavioural, and psycholinguistic factors on vocabulary development in two-year-old children. Methods: Two hundred and thirty-two children (24-30 months) were tested on expressive and receptive vocabulary, cognitive development, word learning and working memory…

  3. The Development of Counseling and Psychotherapy in China.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Zheng, Richang; Zhang, Wen; Li, Tan; Zhang, Shanshan

    The paper discusses the development of counseling and psychotherapy in China. These have developed rapidly for more than ten years, with special technique integration, varied methods, and the spread of concepts. But measured by scientific criterion, it still is in the primary stage of development. Although the number of diversified forms of…

  4. Customer-experienced rapid prototyping

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhang, Lijuan; Zhang, Fu; Li, Anbo

    2008-12-01

    In order to describe accurately and comprehend quickly the perfect GIS requirements, this article will integrate the ideas of QFD (Quality Function Deployment) and UML (Unified Modeling Language), and analyze the deficiency of prototype development model, and will propose the idea of the Customer-Experienced Rapid Prototyping (CE-RP) and describe in detail the process and framework of the CE-RP, from the angle of the characteristics of Modern-GIS. The CE-RP is mainly composed of Customer Tool-Sets (CTS), Developer Tool-Sets (DTS) and Barrier-Free Semantic Interpreter (BF-SI) and performed by two roles of customer and developer. The main purpose of the CE-RP is to produce the unified and authorized requirements data models between customer and software developer.

  5. The Republic of Chile: An Upper Middle-Income Country at the Crossroads of Economic Development and Aging

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gitlin, Laura N.; Fuentes, Patricio

    2012-01-01

    Chile is a developing country with a rapidly expanding economy and concomitant social and cultural changes. It is expected to become a developed country within 10 years. Chile is also characterized as being in an advanced demographic transition. Unique challenges are posed by the intersection of rapid economic development and an aging population,…

  6. Tracing children's vocabulary development from preschool through the school-age years: An 8-year longitudinal study

    PubMed Central

    Kang, Cuiping; Liu, Hongyun; Zhang, Yuping; McBride-Chang, Catherine; Tardif, Twila; Li, Hong; Liang, Weilan; Zhang, Zhixiang; Shu, Hua

    2014-01-01

    In this 8-year longitudinal study, we traced the vocabulary growth of Chinese children, explored potential precursors of vocabulary knowledge, and investigated how vocabulary growth predicted future reading skills. Two hundred sixty-four (264) native Chinese children from Beijing were measured on a variety of reading and language tasks over 8 years. Between the ages of 4 to 10 years, they were administered tasks of vocabulary and related cognitive skills. At age 11, comprehensive reading skills, including character recognition, reading fluency, and reading comprehension were examined. Individual differences in vocabulary developmental profiles were estimated using the intercept-slope cluster method. Vocabulary development was then examined in relation to later reading outcomes. Three subgroups of lexical growth were classified, namely high-high (with a large initial vocabulary size and a fast growth rate), low-high (with a small initial vocabulary size and a fast growth rate) and low-low (with a small initial vocabulary size and a slow growth rate) groups. Low-high and low-low groups were distinguishable mostly through phonological skills, morphological skills and other reading-related cognitive skills. Childhood vocabulary development (using intercept and slope) explained subsequent reading skills. Findings suggest that language-related and reading-related cognitive skills differ among groups with different developmental trajectories of vocabulary, and the initial size and growth rate of vocabulary may be two predictors for later reading development. PMID:24962559

  7. Rapid Chemical Exposure and Dose Research

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    EPA evaluates the potential risks of the manufacture and use of thousands of chemicals. To assist with this evaluation, EPA scientists developed a rapid, automated model using off the shelf technology that predicts exposures for thousands of chemicals.

  8. SU-E-T-23: A Developing Australian Network for Datamining and Modelling Routine Radiotherapy Clinical Data and Radiomics Information for Rapid Learning and Clinical Decision Support

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

    Thwaites, D; Holloway, L; Bailey, M

    2015-06-15

    Purpose: Large amounts of routine radiotherapy (RT) data are available, which can potentially add clinical evidence to support better decisions. A developing collaborative Australian network, with a leading European partner, aims to validate, implement and extend European predictive models (PMs) for Australian practice and assess their impact on future patient decisions. Wider objectives include: developing multi-institutional rapid learning, using distributed learning approaches; and assessing and incorporating radiomics information into PMs. Methods: Two initial standalone pilots were conducted; one on NSCLC, the other on larynx, patient datasets in two different centres. Open-source rapid learning systems were installed, for data extraction andmore » mining to collect relevant clinical parameters from the centres’ databases. The European DSSs were learned (“training cohort”) and validated against local data sets (“clinical cohort”). Further NSCLC studies are underway in three more centres to pilot a wider distributed learning network. Initial radiomics work is underway. Results: For the NSCLC pilot, 159/419 patient datasets were identified meeting the PM criteria, and hence eligible for inclusion in the curative clinical cohort (for the larynx pilot, 109/125). Some missing data were imputed using Bayesian methods. For both, the European PMs successfully predicted prognosis groups, but with some differences in practice reflected. For example, the PM-predicted good prognosis NSCLC group was differentiated from a combined medium/poor prognosis group (2YOS 69% vs. 27%, p<0.001). Stage was less discriminatory in identifying prognostic groups. In the good prognosis group two-year overall survival was 65% in curatively and 18% in palliatively treated patients. Conclusion: The technical infrastructure and basic European PMs support prognosis prediction for these Australian patient groups, showing promise for supporting future personalized treatment decisions

  9. Evaluation of Proteus as a Tool for the Rapid Development of Models of Hydrologic Systems

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Weigand, T. M.; Farthing, M. W.; Kees, C. E.; Miller, C. T.

    2013-12-01

    Models of modern hydrologic systems can be complex and involve a variety of operators with varying character. The goal is to implement approximations of such models that are both efficient for the developer and computationally efficient, which is a set of naturally competing objectives. Proteus is a Python-based toolbox that supports prototyping of model formulations as well as a wide variety of modern numerical methods and parallel computing. We used Proteus to develop numerical approximations for three models: Richards' equation, a brine flow model derived using the Thermodynamically Constrained Averaging Theory (TCAT), and a multiphase TCAT-based tumor growth model. For Richards' equation, we investigated discontinuous Galerkin solutions with higher order time integration based on the backward difference formulas. The TCAT brine flow model was implemented using Proteus and a variety of numerical methods were compared to hand coded solutions. Finally, an existing tumor growth model was implemented in Proteus to introduce more advanced numerics and allow the code to be run in parallel. From these three example models, Proteus was found to be an attractive open-source option for rapidly developing high quality code for solving existing and evolving computational science models.

  10. Isolation, amplification and characterization of foodborne pathogen disease bacteria gene for rapid kit test development

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Nurjayadi, M.; Santoso, I.; Kartika, I. R.; Kurniadewi, F.; Saamia, V.; Sofihan, W.; Nurkhasanah, D.

    2017-07-01

    There is a lot of public concern over food safety. Food-safety cases recently, including many food poisoning cases in both the developed and developing countries, considered to be the national security threats which involved police investigation. Quick and accurate detection methods are needed to handle the food poisoning cases with a big number of sufferers at the same time. Therefore, the research is aimed to develop a specific, sensitive, and rapid result molecular detection tool for foodborne pathogen bacteria. We, thus, propose genomic level approach with Polymerase Chain Reaction. The research has successfully produced a specific primer to perform amplification to fim-C S. typhi, E. coli, and pef Salmonella typhimurium genes. The electrophoresis result shows that amplification products are 95 base pairs, 121 base pairs, and 139 base pairs; and all three genes are in accordance with the size of the in silico to third genes bacteria. In conclusion, the research has been successfully designed a specific detection tool to three foodborne pathogen bacteria genes. Further stages test and the uses of Real-time PCR in the detection are still in the trial process for better detection method.

  11. RAPID REMOVAL OF A GROUNDWATER CONTAMINANT PLUME.

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Lefkoff, L. Jeff; Gorelick, Steven M.; ,

    1985-01-01

    A groundwater management model is used to design an aquifer restoration system that removes a contaminant plume from a hypothetical aquifer in four years. The design model utilizes groundwater flow simulation and mathematical optimization. Optimal pumping and injection strategies achieve rapid restoration for a minimum total pumping cost. Rapid restoration is accomplished by maintaining specified groundwater velocities around the plume perimeter towards a group of pumping wells located near the plume center. The model does not account for hydrodynamic dispersion. Results show that pumping costs are particularly sensitive to injection capacity. An 8 percent decrease in the maximum allowable injection rate may lead to a 29 percent increase in total pumping costs.

  12. Rapid and field-deployable biological and chemical Raman-based identification

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Botonjic-Sehic, Edita; Paxon, Tracy L.; Boudries, Hacene

    2011-06-01

    Pathogen detection using Raman spectroscopy is achieved through the use of a sandwich immunoassay. Antibody-modified magnetic beads are used to capture and concentrate target analytes in solution and surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) tags are conjugated with antibodies and act as labels to enable specific detection of biological pathogens. The rapid detection of biological pathogens is critical to first responders, thus assays to detect E.Coli and Anthrax have been developed and will be reported. The problems associated with pathogen detection resulting from the spectral complexity and variability of microorganisms are overcome through the use of SERS tags, which provide an intense, easily recognizable, and spectrally consistent Raman signal. The developed E. coli assay has been tested with 5 strains of E. coli and shows a low limit of detection, on the order of 10 and 100 c.f.u. per assay. Additionally, the SERS assay utilizes magnetic beads to collect the labeled pathogens into the focal point of the detection laser beam, making the assay robust to commonly encountered white powder interferants such as flour, baking powder, and corn starch. The reagents were also found to be stable at room temperature over extended periods of time with testing conducted over a one year period. Finally, through a specialized software algorithm, the assays are interfaced to the Raman instrument, StreetLab Mobile, for rapid-field-deployable biological identification.

  13. Development and evaluation of an enzyme-labeled antibody test for the rapid detection of hog cholera antibodies

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

    Saunders, G.C.

    1977-01-01

    A rapid enzyme-labeled antibody (ELA) microtechnique for the screening of swine for hog cholera antibodies was developed and evaluated with a blind study, using a 640-sample hog cholera serum bank. The total time to run a group of 22 samples was approximately 1 hour. The ELA test results correlated >99% with hog cholera serum-neutralization test results on the same serums. Test results also indicated that the ELA test shares with the hog cholera serum-neutralization test the problem of cross reactions between the antibodies of hog cholera and bovine viral diarrhea.

  14. Rapid Detection of Urinary Tract Infections via Bacterial Nuclease Activity.

    PubMed

    Flenker, Katie S; Burghardt, Elliot L; Dutta, Nirmal; Burns, William J; Grover, Julia M; Kenkel, Elizabeth J; Weaver, Tyler M; Mills, James; Kim, Hyeon; Huang, Lingyan; Owczarzy, Richard; Musselman, Catherine A; Behlke, Mark A; Ford, Bradley; McNamara, James O

    2017-06-07

    Rapid and accurate bacterial detection methods are needed for clinical diagnostic, water, and food testing applications. The wide diversity of bacterial nucleases provides a rich source of enzymes that could be exploited as signal amplifying biomarkers to enable rapid, selective detection of bacterial species. With the exception of the use of micrococcal nuclease activity to detect Staphylococcus aureus, rapid methods that detect bacterial pathogens via their nuclease activities have not been developed. Here, we identify endonuclease I as a robust biomarker for E. coli and develop a rapid ultrasensitive assay that detects its activity. Comparison of nuclease activities of wild-type and nuclease-knockout E. coli clones revealed that endonuclease I is the predominant DNase in E. coli lysates. Endonuclease I is detectable by immunoblot and activity assays in uropathogenic E. coli strains. A rapid assay that detects endonuclease I activity in patient urine with an oligonucleotide probe exhibited substantially higher sensitivity for urinary tract infections than that reported for rapid urinalysis methods. The 3 hr turnaround time is much shorter than that of culture-based methods, thereby providing a means for expedited administration of appropriate antimicrobial therapy. We suggest this approach could address various unmet needs for rapid detection of E. coli. Copyright © 2017 The American Society of Gene and Cell Therapy. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  15. [Penis growth and development in children and adolescents: a study based on GAMLSS].

    PubMed

    Yi, Qing-Jie; Zeng, Yan; Zeng, Qing; Wang, Yi-Nan; Xiong, Feng

    2017-08-01

    To investigate penis development in children and adolescents aged 0-16 years, and to plot the percentile curve for penis development in different age groups. A total of 3 024 normal male neonates, children, and adolescents aged 0-16 years in Chongqing, China were selected by simple random sampling and stratified cluster sampling. The length and diameter of the penis were measured for all subjects. A descriptive statistical analysis was used to investigate the data characteristics of the penis, and the GAMLSS fitting model was used to plot the percentile curves of P 3 , P 10 , P 25 , P 50 , P 75 , P 90 , and P97 and obtain percentile reference values. The length and diameter of the penis grew rapidly before the age of 1 year, grew relatively slowly from 1 to 11 years old, and entered a rapid growth period from 11 years old. The length of the penis was positively correlated with its diameter (r=0.961, P<0.01). The percentile reference values of penis length and diameter were obtained and the percentile curve was plotted. The growth and development of penis length is consistent with that of penis diameter in male children and adolescents in Chongqing, and 0-1 year and 11-16 years are rapid growth periods of penis length and diameter. The percentile curve of penis length and diameter in children and adolescents aged 0-16 years in Chongqing which has been established will provide a reference for further studies on sexual development in children and adolescents.

  16. Calcination/dissolution chemistry development Fiscal year 1995

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

    Delegard, C.H.

    1995-09-01

    The task {open_quotes}IPC Liaison and Chemistry of Thermal Reconstitution{close_quotes} is a $300,000 program that was conducted in Fiscal Year (FY) 1995 with U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Research and Development (EM-53) Efficient Separations and Processing Crosscutting Program supported under technical task plan (TTP) RL4-3-20-04. The principal investigator was Cal Delegard of the Westinghouse Hanford Company (WHC). The task encompassed the following two subtasks related to the chemistry of alkaline Hanford Site tank waste: (1) Technical Liaison with the Institute of Physical Chemistry of the Russian Academy of Science (IPC/RAS) and its research into the chemistry of transuranic elementsmore » (TRU) and technetium (Tc) in alkaline media. (2) Laboratory investigation of the chemistry of calcination/dissolution (C/D) (or thermal reconstitution) as an alternative to the present reference Hanford Site tank waste pretreatment flowsheet, Enhanced Sludge Washing (ESW). This report fulfills the milestone for the C/D subtask to {open_quotes}Provide End-of-Year Report on C/D Laboratory Test Results{close_quotes} due 30 September 1995. A companion report, fulfilling the milestone to provide an end-of-year report on the IPC/RAS liaison, also has been prepared.« less

  17. Rapid Profile: A Second Language Screening Procedure.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mackey, Alison; And Others

    1991-01-01

    Rapid Profile, developed by Manfred Pienemann of National Languages Institute of Australia/Language Acquisition Research Centre, is a computer-based procedure for screening speech samples collected from language learners to assess their level of language development as compared to standard patterns in the acquisition of the target language. Rapid…

  18. Development and Evaluation of a Novel Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification Method for Rapid Detection of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus

    PubMed Central

    Thai, Hong Thi Cam; Le, Mai Quynh; Vuong, Cuong Duc; Parida, Manmohan; Minekawa, Harumi; Notomi, Tsugunori; Hasebe, Futoshi; Morita, Kouichi

    2004-01-01

    The development and evaluation of a one-step single-tube accelerated real-time quantitative reverse transcription (RT) loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay is reported for rapid detection of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV) replicase gene. A total of 49 samples (15 throat washes, 13 throat swabs, and 21 combined throat and nasal swabs) collected from patients admitted to the Hanoi-French and Ninhbinh hospitals in Vietnam during the SARS epidemic were evaluated and compared to conventional RT-PCR. The RT-LAMP assay demonstrated 100-fold-greater sensitivity, with a detection limit of 0.01 PFU. The sensitivity and specificity of RT-LAMP assay for detecting viral RNA in clinical specimens with regard to RT-PCR were 100 and 87%, respectively. The specificity of the RT-LAMP assay was further validated by restriction analysis as well as nucleotide sequencing of the amplified product. The concentration of virus in most of the clinical samples was 0.1 PFU (0.1 to 102 PFU), as determined from the standard curve of SARS RT-LAMP and based on the time of positivity. The assay procedure is quite simple, wherein the amplification is carried out in a single tube under isothermal conditions at 63°C, and the result can be obtained in less than 1 h (as early as 11 min). Thus, the RT-LAMP assay reported here has the advantages of rapid amplification, simple operation, and easy detection and will be useful for rapid and reliable clinical diagnosis of SARS-CoV in developing countries. PMID:15131154

  19. The Middle Years, Development and Adjustment; A Study-Discussion Course.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kleinsasser, L.D., Comp.; Harris, Dale B., Comp.

    Based largely on research in adult development and aging, these readings and discussion questions pertain to such aspects of development and adjustment in middle life as the following: individual differences in aging; biological changes through the adult years; changes in the physical senses (vision, hearing, taste, smell, touch, and pain)…

  20. Otitis Media and Language Development at 1 Year of Age.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wallace, Ina F.; And Others

    1988-01-01

    Fifteen 1-year-olds without otitis media were compared to 12 babies who were otitis positive. No significant differences were detected on the Bayley Scales of Infant Development or the Sequenced Inventory of Communication Development (SICD) Receptive scale. However, the otitis-positive group exhibited lower SICD Expressive scores than the…

  1. Rapid assessment procedures in injury control.

    PubMed

    Klevens, Joanne; Anderson, Mark

    2004-03-01

    Injuries are among the leading causes of death and disability worldwide. The burden caused by injuries is even greater among the poorer nations and is projected to increase. Very often the lack of technical and financial resources, as well as the urgency of the problem, preclude applying sophisticated surveillance and research methods for generating relevant information to develop effective interventions. In these settings, it is necessary to consider more rapid and less costly methods in applying the public health approach to the problem of injury prevention and control. Rapid Assessment Procedures (RAP), developed within the fields of epidemiology, anthropology and health administration, can provide valid information in a manner that is quicker, simpler, and less costly than standard data collection methods. RAP have been applied widely and successfully to infectious and chronic disease issues, but have not been used extensively, if at all, as tools in injury control. This paper describes Rapid Assessment Procedures that (1) are useful for understanding the scope of the problem and for identifying potential risk factors, (2) can assist practitioners in determining intervention priorities, (3) can provide in-depth knowledge about a specific injury-related problem, and (4) can be used in surveillance systems to monitor outcomes. Finally, the paper describes some of the caveats in using RAP.

  2. First-Year Athletes' Student Development and Their University Residence.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Saidla, Debie D.; And Others

    1994-01-01

    Investigated relationships between aspects of student athletes' psychosocial development and perceptions of university residence environment. Student athletes (n=53) enrolled in first-year orientation class completed Student Developmental Task and Lifestyle Inventory and University Residence Environment Scale. Findings revealed that student…

  3. Development and application of wood adhesives in China

    Treesearch

    Jiyou Gu; Zhiyong Cai

    2010-01-01

    Rapid economic development and growth in China has resulted in a substantial increase in the demand for utilization of bio-based composites. This provides a unique opportunity for developing wood adhesives. This study reviews research development and major accomplishments in wood adhesives and technology in China over the last 50 years. It also discusses the...

  4. From Persuasion to Accommodation in Public Two-Year College Development.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Young, Raymond J.

    This document, both a historical report and a personal narrative from a university professor, describes public two-year college development in the United States from the late 1940s to the end of the 1980s. Highlights include: (1) by 1950, the number of public two-year colleges (322) had become greater than the number of private ones (302); (2) by…

  5. Rapid Spontaneously Resolving Acute Subdural Hematoma

    PubMed Central

    Gan, Qi; Zhao, Hexiang; Zhang, Hanmei; You, Chao

    2017-01-01

    Introduction: This study reports a rare patient of a rapid spontaneously resolving acute subdural hematoma. In addition, an analysis of potential clues for the phenomenon is presented with a review of the literature. Patient Presentation: A 1-year-and-2-month-old boy fell from a height of approximately 2 m. The patient was in a superficial coma with a Glasgow Coma Scale of 8 when he was transferred to the authors’ hospital. Computed tomography revealed the presence of an acute subdural hematoma with a midline shift beyond 1 cm. His guardians refused invasive interventions and chose conservative treatment. Repeat imaging after 15 hours showed the evident resolution of the hematoma and midline reversion. Progressive magnetic resonance imaging demonstrated the complete resolution of the hematoma, without redistribution to a remote site. Conclusions: Even though this phenomenon has a low incidence, the probability of a rapid spontaneously resolving acute subdural hematoma should be considered when patients present with the following characteristics: children or elderly individuals suffering from mild to moderate head trauma; stable or rapidly recovered consciousness; and simple acute subdural hematoma with a moderate thickness and a particularly low-density band in computed tomography scans. PMID:28468224

  6. Development of a rapid diagnostic assay for the detection of tomato chlorotic dwarf viroid based on isothermal reverse-transcription-recombinase polymerase amplification

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    A molecular diagnostic assay utilizing reverse transcription-recombinase polymerase amplification (RT-RPA) at an isothermal constant temperature of 39 °C and target-specific primers and probe were developed for the rapid, sensitive, and specific detection of tomato chlorotic dwarf viroid (TCDVd) in ...

  7. Rapid Development and Use of a Nationwide Training Program for Cholera Management, Haiti, 2010

    PubMed Central

    Lynch, Michael; Lambert, Yves; Sobel, Jeremy; Domerçant, Jean W.; Khan, Azharul

    2011-01-01

    When epidemic cholera appeared in Haiti in October 2010, the medical community there had virtually no experience with the disease and needed rapid training as the epidemic spread throughout the country. We developed a set of training materials specific to Haiti and launched a cascading training effort. Through a training-of-trainers course in November 14–15, 2010, and department-level training conducted in French and Creole over the following 3 weeks, 521 persons were trained and equipped to further train staff at the institutions where they worked. After the training, the hospitalized cholera patients’ case-fatality rate dropped from 4% to <2% by mid-December and was <1% by January 2011. Continuing in-service training, monitoring and evaluation, and integration of cholera management into regular clinical training will help sustain this success. PMID:22099112

  8. Development of a PCR-based assay for rapid and reliable identification of pathogenic Fusaria.

    PubMed

    Mishra, Prashant K; Fox, Roland T V; Culham, Alastair

    2003-01-28

    Identification of Fusarium species has always been difficult due to confusing phenotypic classification systems. We have developed a fluorescent-based polymerase chain reaction assay that allows for rapid and reliable identification of five toxigenic and pathogenic Fusarium species. The species includes Fusarium avenaceum, F. culmorum, F. equiseti, F. oxysporum and F. sambucinum. The method is based on the PCR amplification of species-specific DNA fragments using fluorescent oligonucleotide primers, which were designed based on sequence divergence within the internal transcribed spacer region of nuclear ribosomal DNA. Besides providing an accurate, reliable, and quick diagnosis of these Fusaria, another advantage with this method is that it reduces the potential for exposure to carcinogenic chemicals as it substitutes the use of fluorescent dyes in place of ethidium bromide. Apart from its multidisciplinary importance and usefulness, it also obviates the need for gel electrophoresis.

  9. Lessons learned from Rapid Response Research on wildland fires

    Treesearch

    Leigh Lentile; Penny Morgan; Colin Hardy; Andrew Hudak; Robert Means; Roger Ottmar; Peter Robichaud; Elaine Sutherland; Frederick Way; Sarah Lewis

    2007-01-01

    In recent years, more researchers are collecting data either on active wildfires or immediately after wildfire occurrence. Known as Rapid Response Research, this important undertaking provides real-time information, useful data, and improved tools for managers.

  10. Rapid tests for diagnosis of leptospirosis: current tools and emerging technologies.

    PubMed

    Picardeau, Mathieu; Bertherat, Eric; Jancloes, Michel; Skouloudis, Andreas N; Durski, Kara; Hartskeerl, Rudy A

    2014-01-01

    Leptospirosis is an emerging zoonosis with a worldwide distribution but is more commonly found in impoverished populations in developing countries and tropical regions with frequent flooding. The rapid detection of leptospirosis is a critical step to effectively manage the disease and to control outbreaks in both human and animal populations. Therefore, there is a need for accurate and rapid diagnostic tests and appropriate surveillance and alert systems to identify outbreaks. This review describes current in-house methods and commercialized tests for the rapid diagnosis of acute leptospirosis. It focuses on diagnostic tests that can be performed with minimal training and limited equipment in less-developed and newly industrialized countries, particularly in resource-limited settings and with results in minutes to less than 4 hours. We also describe recent technological advances in the field of diagnostic tests that could allow for the development of innovative rapid tests in the near future. © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  11. Rapid Quench in an Electrostatic Levitator

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    SanSoucie, Michael P.; Rogers, Jan R.; Matson, Douglas M.

    2016-01-01

    The Electrostatic Levitation (ESL) Laboratory at the NASA Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) is a unique facility for investigators studying high-temperature materials. The ESL laboratory's main chamber has been upgraded with the addition of a rapid quench system. This system allows samples to be dropped into a quench vessel that can be filled with a low melting point material, such as a gallium or indium alloy, as a quench medium. Thereby allowing rapid quenching of undercooled liquid metals. Up to eight quench vessels can be loaded into a wheel inside the chamber that is indexed with control software. The system has been tested successfully with samples of zirconium, iron-cobalt alloys, titanium-zirconium-nickel alloys, and a silicon-cobalt alloy. This new rapid quench system will allow materials science studies of undercooled materials and new materials development. In this presentation, the system is described and some initial results are presented.

  12. Continued Development of the Rapid Cycle Amine (RCA) System for Advanced Extravehicular Activity Systems

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Papale, William; Chullen, Cinda; Campbell, Colin; Conger, Bruce; McMillin, Summer; Jeng, Frank

    2014-01-01

    Development activities related to the Rapid Cycle Amine (RCA) Carbon Dioxide (CO2) and Humidity control system have progressed to the point of integrating the RCA into an advanced Primary Life Support System (PLSS 2.0) to evaluate the interaction of the RCA among other PLSS components in a ground test environment. The RCA 2.0 assembly (integrated into PLSS 2.0) consists of a valve assembly with commercial actuator motor, a sorbent canister, and a field-programmable gate array (FPGA)-based process node controller. Continued design and development activities for RCA 3.0 have been aimed at optimizing the canister size and incorporating greater fidelity in the valve actuator motor and valve position feedback design. Further, the RCA process node controller is envisioned to incorporate a higher degree of functionality to support a distributed PLSS control architecture. This paper will describe the progression of technology readiness levels of RCA 1.0, 2.0 and 3.0 along with a review of the design and manufacturing successes and challenges for 2.0 and 3.0 units. The anticipated interfaces and interactions with the PLSS 2.0/2.5/3.0 assemblies will also be discussed.

  13. Technology assessment and strategy for development of a Rapid Field Water Microbiology Test Kit. Technical report

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

    Preston, D.R.; Schaub, S.A.

    1991-09-01

    A literature and market search of existing technology for the detection, identification, and quantification of microorganisms in water was conducted. Based upon the availability of technologies and their configurations, an assessment of the appropriate strategies to pursue for the near and long term development plans in development of the Rapid Field Bacteriology Test Kit was performed. Near term technologies to improve the Army's capability to detect microorganisms would appear to be essentially improvements in versatility and measurement of coliform indicator organisms. New chromogenic and fluorogenic indicator substances associated with new substrates appear to be best suited for test kit developmentmore » either for quantitative membrane filter tests or presence/absence and multiple fermentation tests. Test times, incubator requirements, and operator involvement appear to be similar to older technologies. Long term development would appear to favor such technologies as genetic probes with amplification of the hydridized nucleic acid materials of positive samples, and some immunological based systems such as enzyme linked, immuno-sorbent assays. In both cases, the major problems would appear to be sample preparation and development of signal strengths from the reactions which would allow the user to see results in 1 hour.« less

  14. Environmental health impacts associated with rapid urbanisation in South Africa.

    PubMed

    von Schirnding, Y; Yach, D

    There is an urgent need for epidemiological assessments of environmental factors associated with rapid urbanisation in developing countries. Unlike the process in developed countries, urbanisation in the developing world is often associated with urban poverty, particularly on the periphery of the city where informal settlement areas develop. Population growth rates in these areas are frequently higher than in the city itself, and access to basic environmental amenities is frequently lacking. In Africa, ill-health conditions associated with rapid urbanisation, such as diarrhoea and acute respiratory infections, continue to be major causes of childhood deaths. An account is given of research being conducted in South Africa to address such problems, as well as problems related to inner-city decay, such as childhood lead exposure. There is a critical need for better inter-sectoral co-ordination between the health sector and other sectors such as housing and planning, in preventing negative health impacts associated with rapid urbanisation in the future.

  15. Bus Rapid Transit system’s influence on urban development: An inquiry to Boston and Seoul BRT systems’ technical characteristics

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Prayogi, Lutfi

    2018-03-01

    This article explores the relation between bus rapid transit (BRT) system and urban development. This article was written through a multi-staged comprehensive literature review. It includes a general overview of widely acknowledged BRT technical characteristics. It explains the approach taken in understanding the relation between BRT system provision and urban development around the system. Findings regarding the influence of Boston Silver Line 4 and 5 and Seoul BRT systems on urban development around the systems are quoted and used as case studies. Investigation on the technical characteristics of Boston SL4/5 and Seoul BRT systems are provided. This article shows that the two BRT systems that influence urban development around the systems have technical characteristics that enable the BRT systems to have high performance. However, while the quoted BRT systems can influence urban development, they have significantly different performance.

  16. Ten years of Developing International Volcanology Graduate Study Programs

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Rose, W. I.

    2010-12-01

    In 2000 I reported at this symposium about multi-institutional graduate field trips to IAVCEI events, such as the Bali meeting and its importance in building international collegiality and awareness among the volcanology doctoral students. NSF was an enthusiastic supporter of these field sessions and this support has continued through the highly successful Pucon and Reykjavik sessions. International volcanology graduate program development began with several exchange programs. EHaz was a highly successful program (McGill, Simon Fraser, Michigan Tech, Buffalo, UNAM and Universidad de Colima) funded by the Department of Education (FIPSE) that moved students across North America where dozens of graduate students spent semesters of their study abroad and shared annual field trips and online student led graduate seminar classes. Michigan Tech’s volcanology graduate program started a Masters International program that combined Peace Corps service with hazards mitigation graduate study and students were placed by Peace Corps in countries with prominent natural hazards. The new program funded 2 year residences in foreign environments, principally in Pacific Latin America. NSF strongly supported this program from its inception, and eventually it gained NSF PIRE support. Dozens of students have initiated the 3 year program (15 completed) to date. A similar PIRE developed at UAF with a link to volcanology in the Russian Far East. One gain is the development of many socially-conscious research selections. Beginning this year transatlantic dual degree masters programs in volcanology are being offered by a consortium of US and European volcanology programs (Michigan Tech, Buffalo, Clermont Ferrand and University of Milan Bicocca), again aided by FIPSE funding. Students have dual advisors on both sides of the Atlantic and spend about half of their two year programs in Europe and half in US. Faculty also travel in the program and the four campuses are increasingly linked by

  17. Developing Biomarkers in Mood Disorders Research Through the Use of Rapid-Acting Antidepressants

    PubMed Central

    Niciu, Mark J.; Mathews, Daniel C.; Nugent, Allison C.; Ionescu, Dawn F.; Furey, Maura L.; Richards, Erica M.; Machado-Vieira, Rodrigo; Zarate, Carlos A.

    2014-01-01

    An impediment to progress in mood disorders research is the lack of analytically valid and qualified diagnostic and treatment biomarkers. Consistent with the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)’s Research Domain Criteria (RDoC) initiative, the lack of diagnostic biomarkers has precluded us from moving away from a purely subjective (symptom-based) towards a more objective diagnostic system. In addition, treatment response biomarkers in mood disorders would facilitate drug development and move beyond trial-and-error towards more personalized treatments. As such, biomarkers identified early in the pathophysiological process are proximal biomarkers (target engagement), while those occurring later in the disease process are distal (disease pathway components). One strategy to achieve this goal in biomarker development is to increase efforts at the initial phases of biomarker development (i.e., exploration and validation) at single sites with the capability of integrating multimodal approaches across a biological systems level. Subsequently, resultant putative biomarkers could then undergo characterization and surrogacy as these latter phases require multisite collaborative efforts. We have used multimodal approaches – genetics, proteomics/metabolomics, peripheral measures, multimodal neuroimaging, neuropsychopharmacological challenge paradigms and clinical predictors – to explore potential predictor and mediator/moderator biomarkers of the rapid-acting antidepressants ketamine and scopolamine. These exploratory biomarkers may then be used for a priori stratification in larger multisite controlled studies during the validation and characterization phases with the ultimate goal of surrogacy. In sum, the combination of target engagement and well-qualified disease-related measures are crucial to improve our pathophysiological understanding, personalize treatment selection and expand our armamentarium of novel therapeutics. PMID:24353110

  18. Developing biomarkers in mood disorders research through the use of rapid-acting antidepressants.

    PubMed

    Niciu, Mark J; Mathews, Daniel C; Nugent, Allison C; Ionescu, Dawn F; Furey, Maura L; Richards, Erica M; Machado-Vieira, Rodrigo; Zarate, Carlos A

    2014-04-01

    An impediment to progress in mood disorders research is the lack of analytically valid and qualified diagnostic and treatment biomarkers. Consistent with the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)'s Research Domain Criteria (RDoC) initiative, the lack of diagnostic biomarkers has precluded us from moving away from a purely subjective (symptom-based) toward a more objective diagnostic system. In addition, treatment response biomarkers in mood disorders would facilitate drug development and move beyond trial-and-error toward more personalized treatments. As such, biomarkers identified early in the pathophysiological process are proximal biomarkers (target engagement), while those occurring later in the disease process are distal (disease pathway components). One strategy to achieve this goal in biomarker development is to increase efforts at the initial phases of biomarker development (i.e. exploration and validation) at single sites with the capability of integrating multimodal approaches across a biological systems level. Subsequently, resultant putative biomarkers could then undergo characterization and surrogacy as these latter phases require multisite collaborative efforts. We have used multimodal approaches - genetics, proteomics/metabolomics, peripheral measures, multimodal neuroimaging, neuropsychopharmacological challenge paradigms and clinical predictors - to explore potential predictor and mediator/moderator biomarkers of the rapid-acting antidepressants ketamine and scopolamine. These exploratory biomarkers may then be used for a priori stratification in larger multisite controlled studies during the validation and characterization phases with the ultimate goal of surrogacy. In sum, the combination of target engagement and well-qualified disease-related measures are crucial to improve our pathophysiological understanding, personalize treatment selection, and expand our armamentarium of novel therapeutics. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  19. Development and characterization of a rapid polymerizing collagen for soft tissue augmentation

    PubMed Central

    Devore, Dale; Zhu, Jiaxun; Brooks, Robert; McCrate, Rebecca Rone; Grant, David A.

    2015-01-01

    Abstract A liquid collagen has been developed that fibrilizes upon injection. Rapid polymerizing collagen (RPC) is a type I porcine collagen that undergoes fibrillization upon interaction with ionic solutions, such as physiological solutions. The ability to inject liquid collagen would be beneficial for many soft tissue augmentation applications. In this study, RPC was synthesized and characterized as a possible dermal filler. Transmission electron microscopy, ion induced RPC fibrillogenesis tests, collagenase resistance assay, and injection force studies were performed to assess RPC's physicochemical properties. An in vivo study was performed which consisted of a 1‐, 3‐, and 6‐month study where RPC was injected into the ears of miniature swine. The results demonstrated that the liquid RPC requires low injection force (<7 N); fibrillogenesis and banding of collagen occurs when RPC is injected into ionic solutions, and RPC has enhanced resistance to collagenase breakdown. The in vivo study demonstrated long‐term biocompatibility with low irritation scores. In conclusion RPC possesses many of the desirable properties of a soft tissue augmentation material. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part A: 104A: 758–767, 2016. PMID:26488368

  20. Rapid Conditioning for the Next Generation Melting System

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

    Rue, David M.

    This report describes work on Rapid Conditioning for the Next Generation Melting System under US Department of Energy Contract DE-FC36-06GO16010. The project lead was the Gas Technology Institute (GTI). Partners included Owens Corning and Johns Manville. Cost share for this project was provided by NYSERDA (the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority), Owens Corning, Johns Manville, Owens Illinois, and the US natural gas industry through GTI’s SMP and UTD programs. The overreaching focus of this project was to study and develop rapid refining approaches for segmented glass manufacturing processes using high-intensity melters such as the submerged combustion melter.more » The objectives of this project were to 1) test and evaluate the most promising approaches to rapidly condition the homogeneous glass produced from the submerged combustion melter, and 2) to design a pilot-scale NGMS system for fiberglass recycle.« less

  1. Psi4NumPy: An Interactive Quantum Chemistry Programming Environment for Reference Implementations and Rapid Development.

    PubMed

    Smith, Daniel G A; Burns, Lori A; Sirianni, Dominic A; Nascimento, Daniel R; Kumar, Ashutosh; James, Andrew M; Schriber, Jeffrey B; Zhang, Tianyuan; Zhang, Boyi; Abbott, Adam S; Berquist, Eric J; Lechner, Marvin H; Cunha, Leonardo A; Heide, Alexander G; Waldrop, Jonathan M; Takeshita, Tyler Y; Alenaizan, Asem; Neuhauser, Daniel; King, Rollin A; Simmonett, Andrew C; Turney, Justin M; Schaefer, Henry F; Evangelista, Francesco A; DePrince, A Eugene; Crawford, T Daniel; Patkowski, Konrad; Sherrill, C David

    2018-06-11

    Psi4NumPy demonstrates the use of efficient computational kernels from the open-source Psi4 program through the popular NumPy library for linear algebra in Python to facilitate the rapid development of clear, understandable Python computer code for new quantum chemical methods, while maintaining a relatively low execution time. Using these tools, reference implementations have been created for a number of methods, including self-consistent field (SCF), SCF response, many-body perturbation theory, coupled-cluster theory, configuration interaction, and symmetry-adapted perturbation theory. Furthermore, several reference codes have been integrated into Jupyter notebooks, allowing background, underlying theory, and formula information to be associated with the implementation. Psi4NumPy tools and associated reference implementations can lower the barrier for future development of quantum chemistry methods. These implementations also demonstrate the power of the hybrid C++/Python programming approach employed by the Psi4 program.

  2. Development of Rapid Diagnostic Kit for Identification of Hanwoo (Korean Native Cattle) Brand Meat by Detecting BIO-TAG

    PubMed Central

    Park, Sung Kwon; Lee, Myung Hoon; Cho, Soo Hyun

    2014-01-01

    This study was performed to develop a rapid immuno-assay kit, by using a specific antigen to detect Hanwoo brand meat. We selected a synthetic antigen specific to our target antibody, named BIO-TAG (Tyr-D-Ala-Phe), by utilizing a computer-based analysis and literature review. BIO-TAG tagged with adjuvant was subcutaneously injected in sheep and Hanwoo. The serum and meat juice of the immunized or non-immunized animal were then analyzed, to measure the titer of antibody by ELISA and Western blot. The amount of antibodies against the BIO-TAG increased (p<0.05) in serum by vaccination. Furthermore, meat juice from the immunized Hanwoo showed greater (p<0.05) antibody titer, compared with those from non-immunized groups. To optimze the dilution factor, we performed dot-ELISA, with various combination levels of BIO-TAG. Results from dot-ELISA showed that 2 mg/mL BIO-TAG was sufficient to distinguish the immunized meat from non-immunized groups. These results support our hypothesis that simple immunization of Hanwoo generates a sufficient amount of antibodies to be detectable in the meat juice by means of the immune-assay. Therefore, specific Hanwoo brand meat can be more precisely identified by our rapid diagnostic kit. This technology can deter possible fraud of counterfeit meat brands in the Korean domestic market with ease and rapidity; and offers a new tool that guarantees consumers high quality Hanwoo brand beef. PMID:26761175

  3. Sex as a strategy against rapidly evolving parasites

    PubMed Central

    Tinkler, Shona K.; Tinsley, Matthew C.

    2016-01-01

    Why is sex ubiquitous when asexual reproduction is much less costly? Sex disrupts coadapted gene complexes; it also causes costs associated with mate finding and the production of males who do not themselves bear offspring. Theory predicts parasites select for host sex, because genetically variable offspring can escape infection from parasites adapted to infect the previous generations. We examine this using a facultative sexual crustacean, Daphnia magna, and its sterilizing bacterial parasite, Pasteuria ramosa. We obtained sexually and asexually produced offspring from wild-caught hosts and exposed them to contemporary parasites or parasites isolated from the same population one year later. We found rapid parasite adaptation to replicate within asexual but not sexual offspring. Moreover, sexually produced offspring were twice as resistant to infection as asexuals when exposed to parasites that had coevolved alongside their parents (i.e. the year two parasite). This fulfils the requirement that the benefits of sex must be both large and rapid for sex to be favoured by selection. PMID:28003455

  4. Audiovisual Simultaneity Judgment and Rapid Recalibration throughout the Lifespan.

    PubMed

    Noel, Jean-Paul; De Niear, Matthew; Van der Burg, Erik; Wallace, Mark T

    2016-01-01

    Multisensory interactions are well established to convey an array of perceptual and behavioral benefits. One of the key features of multisensory interactions is the temporal structure of the stimuli combined. In an effort to better characterize how temporal factors influence multisensory interactions across the lifespan, we examined audiovisual simultaneity judgment and the degree of rapid recalibration to paired audiovisual stimuli (Flash-Beep and Speech) in a sample of 220 participants ranging from 7 to 86 years of age. Results demonstrate a surprisingly protracted developmental time-course for both audiovisual simultaneity judgment and rapid recalibration, with neither reaching maturity until well into adolescence. Interestingly, correlational analyses revealed that audiovisual simultaneity judgments (i.e., the size of the audiovisual temporal window of simultaneity) and rapid recalibration significantly co-varied as a function of age. Together, our results represent the most complete description of age-related changes in audiovisual simultaneity judgments to date, as well as being the first to describe changes in the degree of rapid recalibration as a function of age. We propose that the developmental time-course of rapid recalibration scaffolds the maturation of more durable audiovisual temporal representations.

  5. Changing pattern of premature mortality burden over 6 years of rapid growth of the economy in suburban south-west China: 1998-2003.

    PubMed

    Cai, Le; Chongsuvivatwong, Virasakdi; Geater, Alan

    2008-05-01

    This study was conducted in Kunming, the capital of Yunnan, a poor province in south-west China experiencing rapid economic growth. The study examined the short-term trend in premature mortality burden from common causes of death in a suburban region between 1998 and 2003. Years of life lost (YLL) per 1000 population and mortality rate per 100,000 population were calculated from medical death certificates, and broken down by cause of death, sex and year without age weighting but with a discounting rate of 3%. Non-communicable diseases contributed over 80% of all causes of YLL, with a slightly increasing trend. The combined rate for communicable, maternal, prenatal and nutritional deficiencies declined from 4.7 to 2.4 per 1000 population. Remarkably, declining trends in YLL were also seen for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, drug use and road traffic accidents, whereas increasing trends were seen for ischaemic heart disease (IHD) and liver cancer (males). The YLL rate for stroke, self-inflicted injuries, lung cancer and stomach cancer fluctuated over time. The region should focus on further control of IHD and liver cancer.

  6. Rapidly disintegrating vagina retentive cream suppositories of progesterone: development, patient satisfaction and in vitro/in vivo studies.

    PubMed

    Bendas, Ehab Rasmy; Basalious, Emad B

    2016-01-01

    Our objective was to develop novel vagina retentive cream suppositories (VRCS) of progesterone having rapid disintegration and good vaginal retention. VRCS of progesterone were prepared using oil in water (o/w) emulsion of mineral oil or theobroma oil in hard fat and compared with conventional vaginal suppositories (CVS) prepared by hard fat. VRCS formulations were tested for content uniformity, disintegration, melting range, in vitro release and stability studies. The most stable formulation (VRCS I) was subjected to scaling-up manufacturing and patients' satisfaction test. The rapid disintegration, good retentive properties are applicable through the inclusion of emulsified theobroma oil rather than hydrophilic surfactant into the hard fat bases. The release profile of progesterone from VRCS I showed a biphasic pattern due to the formation of progesterone reservoir in the emulsified theobroma oil. All volunteers involved in patients' satisfaction test showed high satisfactory response to the tested formulation (VRCS). The in vivo pharmacokinetic study suggests that VRCS of progesterone provided higher rate and extent of absorption compared to hard fat based suppositories. Our results proposed that emulsified theobroma oil could be promising to solve the problems of poor patients' satisfaction and variability of drug absorption associated with hard fat suppositories.

  7. RAPID Toolkit Creates Smooth Flow Toward New Projects

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

    Levine, Aaron; Young, Katherine

    2016-07-01

    Uncertainty about the duration and outcome of the permitting process has historically been seen as a deterrent to investment in renewable energy projects, including new hydropower projects. What if the process were clearer, smoother, faster? That's the purpose of the Regulatory and Permitting Information Desktop (RAPID) Toolkit, developed by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) with funding from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy and the Western Governors' Association. Now, the RAPID Toolkit is being expanded to include information about developing and permitting hydropower projects, with initial outreach and information gathering occurring duringmore » 2015.« less

  8. Ultra-rapid EOP determination with VLBI

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Haas, Rüdiger; Kurihara, Shinobu; Nozawa, Kentaro; Hobiger, Thomas; Lovell, Jim; McCallum, Jamie; Quick, Jonathan

    2013-04-01

    In 2007 the Geospatial information Authority of Japan (GSI) and the Onsala Space Observatory (OSO) started a project aiming at determining the earth rotation angle, usually expressed as dUT1, in near real-time. In the beginning of this project dedicated one hour long one-baseline experiments were observed periodically using the VLBI stations Onsala (Sweden) and Tsukuba (Japan). The strategy is that the observed VLBI-data are sent in real-time via the international optical fibre backbone to the VLBI-correlator at Tsukuba where the data are correlated and analyzed in near-real time, producing ultra-rapid dUT1 results. An offline version of this strategy has been adopted in 2009 for the regular VLBI intensive series INT-2 involving Wettzell (Germany) and Tsukuba. Since March 2010 the INT-2 is using real-time e-transfer, too, and since June 2010 also automated analysis. Starting in 2009 the ultra-rapid approach was applied to regular 24 hour long VLBI-sessions that involve Tsukuba and Onsala, so that ultra-rapid dUT1 results can be produced already during ongoing VLBI-sessions. This strategy was successfully operated during the 15 days long CONT11 campaign. In 2011 the ultra-rapid strategy was extended to involve a network of VLBI-stations, so that not only dUT1 but also the polar motion components can be determined in near real-time. Initially, in November 2011 a dedicated three-station session was observed involving Onsala, Tsukuba and Hobart (Tasmania, Australia). In 2012 several regular 24 hour long IVS-sessions that involved Onsala, Tsukuba and HartRAO (South Africa) were operated with the ultra-rapid strategy, and in several cases also Hobart was added as a fourth station. For this project we use the new analysis software c5++ developed by the National Institute of Information and Communications Technology (NICT). In this presentation we give an overview of the UREOP-project, describe the recent developments, and discuss the obtained results.

  9. Utilization of rapid response resources and outcomes in a comprehensive cancer center*.

    PubMed

    Austin, Charles A; Hanzaker, Chris; Stafford, Renae; Mayer, Celeste; Culp, Loc; Lin, Feng-Chang; Chang, Lydia

    2014-04-01

    To compare the differences in characteristics and outcomes of cancer center patients with other subspecialty medical patients reviewed by rapid response teams. A retrospective cohort study of hospitalized general medicine patients, subspecialty medicine patients, and oncology patients requiring rapid response team activation over a 2-year period from September 2009 to August 2011. Five hundred fifty-seven subspecialty medical patients required rapid response team intervention. A single academic medical center in the southeastern United States (800+ bed) with a dedicated 50-bed inpatient comprehensive cancer care center. Data abstraction from computerized medical records and a hospital quality improvement rapid response database. Of the 557 patients, 135 were cancer center patients. Cancer center patients had a significantly higher Charlson Comorbidity Score (4.4 vs 2.9, < 0.001). Cancer center patients had a significantly longer hospitalization period prior to rapid response team activation (11.4 vs 6.1 d, p < 0.001). There was no significant difference between proportions of patients requiring ICU transfer between the two groups (odds ratio, 1.2; 95% CI, 0.8-1.8). Cancer center patients had a significantly higher in-hospital mortality compared with the other subspecialty medical patients (33% vs 18%; odds ratio, 2.2; 95% CI, 1.50-3.5). If the rapid response team event required an ICU transfer, this finding was more pronounced (56% vs 23%; odds ratio, 4.0; 95% CI, 2.0-7.8). The utilization of rapid response team resources during the 2-year period studied was also much higher for the oncology patients with 37.34 activations per 1,000 patient discharges compared with 20.86 per 1,000 patient discharges for the general medical patients. Oncology patients requiring rapid response team activation have a significantly higher in-hospital mortality rate, particularly if the rapid response team requires ICU transfer. Oncology patients also utilize rapid response team

  10. Insights From the Development of an Environmental Science Professional Development Field Course for Undergraduates from Two-Year and Four-Year Colleges.

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Schmidt, C. M.; Hall, S. R.; Walker, B.; Paul, J.

    2017-12-01

    Existing STEM retention and diversity programs have identified access to field and professional experiences as critical to helping students identify as scientists, form networks, and gain important skills necessary for employment. This program reimagines the traditional geology field course as a professional development experience for students at 2-year and 4-year institutions interested in environmental careers. Students participate in a summer field course in the Sierra Nevada of California, during which time they complete geology, geomorphology, hydrology, and ecology field projects designed to compliment the curriculum of Environmental Geoscience, Environmental Science, and Environmental Studies programs. During the course students interact with local professionals in the environmental sector and work to earn badges based on the skills demonstrated during field projects. Badges create transparent documentation of skill mastery for students and provide a new way for students to understand and market their skills and competencies to potential employers. We will report on the curriculum development, implementation and assessment of the first cohort of students to participate in the program. Preliminary results of formative and summative assessments and their implications for student success and program design will be addressed.

  11. Right-Rapid-Rough

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Lawrence, Craig

    2003-01-01

    IDEO (pronounced 'eye-dee-oh') is an international design, engineering, and innovation firm that has developed thousands of products and services for clients across a wide range of industries. Its process and culture attracted the attention of academics, businesses, and journalists around the world, and are the subject of a bestselling book, The Art of Innovation by Tom Kelley. One of the keys to IDEO's success is its use of prototyping as a tool for rapid innovation. This story covers some of IDEO's projects, and gives reasons for why they were successful.

  12. Development of a smart timber bridge - a five-year plan

    Treesearch

    Brent M. Phares; Terry J. Wipf; Ursula Deza; James P. Wacker

    2011-01-01

    This paper outlines a 5-year research plan for the development of a structural health monitoring system for timber bridges. A series of studies identify and evaluate various sensing technologies for measurement of structural adequacy and/or deterioration parameters. The overall goal is to develop a turn-key system to analyze, monitor, and report on the performance and...

  13. A 1200-Year Record of Rapid Climate Changes Across the Tropical Americas Identified from Lake Sediments (Invited)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Abbott, M.; Rodbell, D. T.; Stansell, N.; Bird, B. W.; Vuille, M.

    2009-12-01

    Well-dated, highly resolved lake sediment stratigraphies from similar catchments across the tropical Americas provide a means to investigate the timing, rate and direction of climate variability as well as providing a way to evaluate whether rapid changes occur synchronously in both hemispheres. This presentation focuses on the last 1500 years from three new high-resolution stable isotope records including Yuraicocha (12°32'S, 75°29'W), Pumacocha (10°41'S, 76° 3'36W), and Gancho (8°27'N, 80°51'W). These lakes are all sensitive to changes in P/E and the sediment records respond at subdecadal timescales. Additionally, the results from these sites are compared with lake level records from Titicaca (16°14'S, 68°37'W) and Blanca (8°19'N, 71°46'W) as well as other lake core and speleothem records from the region. The results show that in general conditions are dry across South America from ~800 AD until ~1300 AD with wetter conditions in Central America and the Caribbean. This pattern of dry conditions in tropical South America and wet conditions in the north reverses after ~1300 when conditions become wetter in South America, and drier in Central America and the Carrabin.

  14. Development of a rapid assay to detect the dinoflagellate Amyloodinium ocellatum using loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP).

    PubMed

    Picón-Camacho, Sara M; Thompson, William P; Blaylock, Reginald B; Lotz, Jeffrey M

    2013-09-23

    Amyloodinium ocellatum is a highly pathogenic dinoflagellate parasite with global distribution that causes high mortalities in the culture of tropical and sub-tropical marine and estuarine fishes. Diagnosis typically occurs through gross examination following the onset of morbidity, at which point treatment is of limited benefit. In the present study, a new molecular diagnostic tool for the rapid detection of A. ocellatum (AO) was developed using the loop-mediated isothermal amplification method (LAMP). The AO-LAMP assay designed is highly specific using a set of four primers - two outer and two inner primers targeting six different regions on the 5' end of the Small Subunit rDNA region (SSU rDNA) of A. ocellatum. The AO-LAMP assay, optimized for 25-30 min at 62°C, amplified the DNA from A. ocellatum extracted from both water and gill tissue samples and did not amplify DNA from four closely related dinoflagellate sp ecies. The detection limit of the AO-LAMP assay was 10 fg, exceptionally higher than the conventional PCR (1 pg). In addition, the standardized AO-LAMP assay was capable of detecting single tomonts and trophonts; the assay was not affected by the presence of possible inhibitory substances present in environmental water samples or gill samples. The AO-LAMP assay developed in the present study provides a novel useful tool for the simple, rapid and sensitive detection of A. ocellatum in water and gill tissue samples, which could assist in the early detection and improved control of A. ocellatum infections in aquaculture systems. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  15. Rapid population growth of a critically endangered carnivore.

    PubMed

    Grenier, M B; McDonald, D B; Buskirk, S W

    2007-08-10

    Reintroductions of endangered species are controversial because of high costs and frequent failures. However, the population of black-footed ferrets descended from animals released in Shirley Basin, Wyoming, from 1991 to 1994 has grown rapidly after a decline to a low of five animals in 1997. Beginning around 2000, the population grew rapidly to an estimated 223 (95% confidence interval is 192 to 401) individuals in 2006. Matrix population modeling shows the importance of survival and reproduction during the first year of life, reflecting an uncommon life history for an endangered mammalian carnivore. Recovery of the species may benefit from more opportunistic and widespread releases.

  16. Development of polymer nano composite patterns using fused deposition modeling for rapid investment casting process

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Vivek, Tiwary; Arunkumar, P.; Deshpande, A. S.; Vinayak, Malik; Kulkarni, R. M.; Asif, Angadi

    2018-04-01

    Conventional investment casting is one of the oldest and most economical manufacturing techniques to produce intricate and complex part geometries. However, investment casting is considered economical only if the volume of production is large. Design iterations and design optimisations in this technique proves to be very costly due to time and tooling cost for making dies for producing wax patterns. However, with the advent of Additive manufacturing technology, plastic patterns promise a very good potential to replace the wax patterns. This approach can be very useful for low volume production & lab requirements, since the cost and time required to incorporate the changes in the design is very low. This research paper discusses the steps involved for developing polymer nanocomposite filaments and checking its suitability for investment castings. The process parameters of the 3D printer machine are also optimized using the DOE technique to obtain mechanically stronger plastic patterns. The study is done to develop a framework for rapid investment casting for lab as well as industrial requirements.

  17. Incidence of hypertension and non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus and associated risk factors in a rapidly developing Caribbean community: the St James survey, Trinidad.

    PubMed Central

    Miller, G J; Maude, G H; Beckles, G L

    1996-01-01

    OBJECTIVE: To compare the incidence rates of hypertension and non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus in relation to ethnicity and other characteristics in a rapidly developing community. DESIGN: Prospective surveillance of a total community for five years. SUBJECTS: Cohort of 2491 men and women aged 35 to 69 years (79% response), of African, Indian and "other' (mainly Afro-European) descent. RESULTS: During surveillance, secular increases occurred in fasting blood glucose concentrations in both sexes and in body mass index (BMI) in men, with apparent secular reductions in systolic blood pressure in both sexes. Incidence rates of hypertension did not differ significantly with ethnicity, ranging between 33 and 41 per 1000 person-years in men and between 27 and 32 per 1000 person-years in women. In men, the incidence of diabetes (per 1000 person-years) in Indians (24) was significantly higher than in Africans (13) and others (11). In women, the diabetic incidence was similar to that for men in Indians (23) and Africans (14), but in others was twice that in men (21). In both sexes, weight gain was an important risk factor for hypertension, whereas risk of diabetes increased with BMI at baseline. The increased risk of diabetes in Indians among men was independent of baseline BMI and blood glucose. CONCLUSION: Apart from the increased risk of diabetes in Indians, ethnicity had no significant influence on incidence rates of hypertension and diabetes in Trinidad. Secular increases in blood glucose in both sexes and in BMI in men probably contributed to the concurrent increase in mortality from coronary heart disease in this community. PMID:8944854

  18. Rapid Magnetic Nanobiosensor for the detection of Serratia marcescen

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Aljabali, Alaa A. A.; Hussein, Emad; Aljumaili, Omar; Zoubi, Mazhar Al; Altrad, Bahaa; Albatayneh, Khaled; Al-razaq, Mutaz A. Abd

    2018-02-01

    The development of rapid, sensitive, accurate and reliable bacterial detection methods are of keen interest to ensure food safety and hospital security. Therefore, the development of a fast, specific, low-cost and trusted methods is in high demand. Magnetic nanoparticles with their unique material properties have been utilized as a tool for pathogen detection. Here, we present a novel iron oxide nanoparticles labeled with specific targeting antibodies to improve specificity and extend the use of nanoparticles as nanosensors. The results indicated that antibody labeled iron oxide platform that binds specifically to Serriata marcescenst in a straightforward method is very specific and sensitive. The system is capable of rapid and specific detection of various clinically relevant bacterial species, with sensitivity down to single bacteria. The generic platform could be used to identify pathogens for a variety of applications rapidly.

  19. [The social marketing models and policy advices for HIV rapid testing initiated by non-govermental organization].

    PubMed

    Liu, H; Cai, L P; Xue, H; Zhao, Y; Wu, D; Zhang, D P; Yin, W Y; Sun, J P

    2016-10-06

    Currently, a growing number of community-based organizations are providing rapid HIV testing service in various forms, some people with specific needs also purchase HIV rapid test papers through online sales channels, those imply that the demand of HIV self-test is in increasing year by year.In this paper, aims to understand the current situation of HIV rapid test led by CBOs and the approach, strategies and results of social marketing by means of expert interviews and site visits. Hope to illustrate the current situation, and make recommendations for future work.

  20. Rapid Quench in an Electrostatic Levitator

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    SanSoucie, Michael P.; Rogers, Jan R.; Matson, Michael M.

    2016-01-01

    The Electrostatic Levitation (ESL) Laboratory at the NASA Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) is a unique facility for investigators studying high-temperature materials. The ESL laboratory’s main chamber has been upgraded with the addition of a rapid quench system. This system allows samples to be dropped into a quench vessel that can be filled with a low melting point material, such as a gallium or indium alloy, as a quench medium. Thereby allowing rapid quenching of undercooled liquid metals. Up to eight quench vessels can be loaded into a wheel inside the chamber that is indexed with control software. The system has been tested successfully with samples of zirconium, iron-cobalt alloys, iron-chromium-nickel, titanium-zirconium-nickel alloys, and a silicon-cobalt alloy. This new rapid quench system will allow materials science studies of undercooled materials and new materials development. The system is described and some initial results are presented.