Optical clearing of tissues and blood using the immersion method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tuchin, Valery V

2005-01-01

This paper aims to review recent results on the optical clearing of the naturally turbid biological tissues and blood using the optical immersion technique, which is well known in physical science and is applied for the reduction of light scattering and undesirable reflections in the optical system. Basic principles of the technique, its advantages, limitations and future are discussed. The refractive index matching concept for enhancement of in-depth light penetration into tissues and blood is presented on the basis of in vitro and in vivo studies using optical spectroscopy, polarization and coherence-domain techniques. The index matching of scatterers and ground matter by means of administration of clearing agents is under discussion. The optical properties of tissues with basic multiple scattering, which are transformed to a low scattering mode, are analysed. It is shown that light reflection, transmission, scattering and polarization can be effectively controlled. The possibilities of using the optical immersion method for diagnostic purposes based on contrasting of abnormalities, on in-depth profiling of tissue and blood and on monitoring of endogenous and exogenous matter diffusion within tissue are demonstrated

A scoping review of the uses of the care index in children

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Gupta, E; Innes, N; Schuller, A A; Vermaire, J H; Marshman, Z

OBJECTIVE: To conduct a scoping review of literature to describe how the care index (CI) and restorative index (RI) are used in child populations and to determine whether they are fit for purpose. BASIC RESEARCH DESIGN: Scoping review conducted using the Arksey and O'Malley (2005) framework. METHOD:

Clear cell hidradenocarcinoma of the eyelid: a case report with a review of the literature.

Science.gov (United States)

Singh, Gurcharan; Narasimha, Aparna; Kumar, Harendra; Datti, Narendra

2013-04-01

Clear cell hidradenocarcinomas are extremely rare neoplasms, with very few well-documented cases reported in the literature. The most common sites are the head and neck regions. These tumors are histologically malignant but are not always aggressive. They are known for recurrence and may metastasize widely. Treatment is wide local resection. We report on a case of clear cell hidradenocarcinoma occurring over the eyelid together with a review of the literature.

Alpha-fetoprotein-producing ovarian clear cell adenocarcinoma with fetal gut differentiation: a rare case report and literature review.

Science.gov (United States)

Chao, Wei-Ting; Liu, Chia-Hao; Lai, Chiung-Ru; Chen, Yi-Jen; Chuang, Chi-Mu; Wang, Peng-Hui

2018-06-22

Alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) is a useful tumor marker for ovarian germ cell tumors, particularly yolk sac tumor (YST). It is valuable for both diagnosis and further follow-up. Epithelial ovarian carcinoma (EOC) rarely secretes AFP, especially for clear cell type and in the postmenopausal women. Based on the limited knowledge about AFP-producing clear cell type EOC, a case and literature review on this topic is extensively reviewed. We report a 55-year-old postmenopausal woman experienced vaginal spotting for one month, and serum level of AFP was 60,721 ng/ml initially. Histological examination was clear cell type EOC. Tumor cells revealed strong immunoreactivity for glypican-3 (GPC3) and AFP and weak for hepatocyte nuclear factor-1 beta (HNF-1 beta), but negative for CD30, making the diagnosis of AFP-producing clear cell type EOC with fetal gut differentiation in focal areas, FIGO (International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics) IIIc. Although the patient underwent an intensive treatment, including optimal debulking surgery and multi-agent chemotherapy, the patient died of disease. To provide a better understanding of clinical and molecular characteristics of the AFP-producing clear cell type EOC, we conducted a systematic literature review. A total of three papers described the AFP-producing clear cell type EOC are available. The overall survival rate of these cases, including the current case is 50%. Although immunohistochemical examination is not always needed in routine for the diagnosis of clear cell type EOC, to distinguish from other tumors, especially germ cell tumors, or to provide the better way to monitor therapeutic response or to evaluate the disease status, immunostaining, including GPC3, HNF-1 beta, CD30, cytokeratin 7 or 20, and AFP is taken into account. Due to rarity, the appropriate chemotherapy regimen and the biological behavior of AFP-producing clear cell type EOC are still unclear.

Methodology for predicting sequences of mean monthly clearness index and daily solar radiation data in remote areas: Application for sizing a stand-alone PV system

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mellit, A. [Department of Electronics, Institute of Sciences Engineering, Centre University of Medea, Medea 26000 (Algeria); Department of Electronics, Faculty of Science Engineering, Blida University, Blida 09000 (Algeria); Kalogirou, S.A. [Higher Technical Institute, P.O. Box 20423, Nicosia 2152 (Cyprus); Shaari, S. [Faculty of Applied Sciences, Universiti Teknologi MARA 40450 Shah Alam, Selangor (Malaysia); Salhi, H. [Department of Electronics, Faculty of Science Engineering, Blida University, Blida 09000 (Algeria); Hadj Arab, A. [Development Centre of Renewable Energy (CDER), P.O. Box 62, Bouzareah, Algiers 16000 (Algeria); Departamento de Energias Renerables, CIEMAT, Arda Complutense, 22, Madrid 28040 (Spain)

2008-07-15

In this paper, a suitable adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system (ANFIS) model is presented for estimating sequences of mean monthly clearness index (anti K{sub t}) and total solar radiation data in isolated sites based on geographical coordinates. The magnitude of solar radiation is the most important parameter for sizing photovoltaic (PV) systems. The ANFIS model is trained by using a multi-layer perceptron (MLP) based on fuzzy logic (FL) rules. The inputs of the ANFIS are the latitude, longitude, and altitude, while the outputs are the 12-values of mean monthly clearness index anti K{sub t}. These data have been collected from 60 locations in Algeria. The results show that the performance of the proposed approach in the prediction of mean monthly clearness index anti K{sub t} is favorably compared to the measured values. The root mean square error (RMSE) between measured and estimated values varies between 0.0215 and 0.0235 and the mean absolute percentage error (MAPE) is less than 2.2%. In addition, a comparison between the results obtained by the ANFIS model and artificial neural network (ANN) models, is presented in order to show the advantage of the proposed method. An example for sizing a stand-alone PV system is also presented. This technique has been applied to Algerian locations, but it can be generalized for any geographical position. It can also be used for estimating other meteorological parameters such as temperature, humidity and wind speed. (author)

APPLIED MECHANICS REVIEWS, WADEX WORD AND AUTHOR INDEX, VOLUME XVI, 1963,

Science.gov (United States)

Author inDEX ) an IBM 1401 prepared mechanical index, extension of KWIC. WADEX usable for browsing and searching. This second WADEX is based on 8,000 titles of APPLIED MECHANICS REVIEWS (AMR), Vol. 16, 1963, an international critical review magazine. In WADEX, titles printed fully with author names, and as many lines used as necessary (60 characters per line). WADEX entry: word in title (except forbidden word) or author’s name. Alphabetically sequenced entries printed out of context. Words are single words or hypenated word pairs or ’Tagged Words’ (TW).

12 CFR 19.135 - Applications for stay or review of disciplinary actions imposed by registered clearing agencies.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... Involving the Federal Securities Laws § 19.135 Applications for stay or review of disciplinary actions... 12 Banks and Banking 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Applications for stay or review of disciplinary actions imposed by registered clearing agencies. 19.135 Section 19.135 Banks and Banking COMPTROLLER OF...

Spatio-Temporal Characteristics in the Clearness Index Derived from Global Solar Radiation Observations in Korea

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yeonjin Jung

2016-04-01

Full Text Available The spatio-temporal characteristics of the clearness index (KT were investigated using daily global solar irradiance measurements (290–2800 nm for the period of 2000–2014 at 21 sites in Korea, a complex region in East Asia with a distinct monsoon season and heavy aerosol loading year-round. The annual mean KT value for all sites is 0.46, with values of 0.63 and 0.25 for clear and overcast skies, respectively. The seasonal variations in monthly average KT show a minimum of 0.37 in July at all sites except for Jeju, where the value was 0.29 in January. The maximum value (KT = 0.51 is observed in October, followed by a secondary peak (KT = 0.49 during February–April. The lowest KT value (KT = 0.42 was observed at both the Seoul and Jeju sites, and the highest (KT = 0.48 in the southeastern regions. Increases in average KT exceeding 4% per decade were observed in the middle and southeastern regions, with the maximum (+8% per decade at the Daegu site. Decreasing trends (<−4% per decade were observed in the southwestern regions, with the maximum (−7% per decade at the Mokpo site. Cloud amount, relative humidity, and aerosol optical depth together explained 57% of the variance in daily mean KT values. The contributions of these three variables to variations in KT are 42%, 9% and 6%, respectively. Thus, the variations in KT in Korea can be primarily attributed to the presence of clouds and water vapor, with relatively weak aerosol effects.

Primary clear cell ductal adenocarcinoma of the pancreas: A case report and clinicopathologic literature review

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yashpal Modi

2014-01-01

Full Text Available We present a very rare, interesting case of a carcinoma of the pancreas with predominantly abundant clear cell morphology. According to the WHO classification, primary clear cell carcinoma of the pancreas is classified as a rare "miscellaneous" carcinoma. The tumor was observed in the distal body and tail of the pancreas of a 74-year-old woman. The histopathology of tumor cells showed well-defined cell membranes, clear cytoplasm, and prominent cell boundaries. Immunohistochemical (IHC staining showed positive reactions to antibodies against vimentin, cytokeratin 7 (CK-7, mucicarmine (MUC-1, periodic acid-Schiff (PAS, periodic acid-Schiff with diastase (PASD, carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA, and Carbohydrate Antigen 19-9 (CA 19-9. On the other hand, IHC staining was negative for alpha-fetoprotein (AFP, cytokeratin 20 (CK-20, HMB45, chromogranin, and synaptophysin. The patient was subsequently diagnosed with a primary solid-type pancreatic clear cell carcinoma with hepatic metastasis. Herein, we report this rare case and include a review of the current literature of this tumor.

Primary clear cell sarcoma of bone

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Choi, J.H.; Gu, M.J.; Kim, M.J.; Bae, Y.K.; Choi, W.H.; Shin, D.S.; Cho, K.H.

2003-01-01

Clear cell sarcoma is a rare soft tissue sarcoma of young adults with melanocytic differentiation. It occurs predominantly in the soft tissue of extremities, typically involving tendons and aponeuroses. Primary clear cell sarcoma of bone is extremely rare. We report a case of primary clear cell sarcoma of the right first metatarsal in a 48-year-old woman and provide a literature review of the entity. (orig.)

Review of sustainability indices and indicators: Towards a new City Sustainability Index (CSI)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mori, Koichiro, E-mail: kmori@iis.u-tokyo.ac.jp [Institute of Industrial Science, University of Tokyo (Japan); Christodoulou, Aris, E-mail: aris.christodoulou@ucl.ac.uk [Centre for Transport Studies, University College London (United Kingdom)

2012-01-15

The purpose of this paper is to discuss conceptual requirements for a City Sustainability Index (CSI) and to review existing major sustainability indices/indicators in terms of the requirements. The following indices are reviewed: Ecological Footprint (EF), Environmental Sustainability Index (ESI), Dashboard of Sustainability (DS), Welfare Index, Genuine Progress Indicator (GPI), Index of Sustainable Economic Welfare, City Development Index, emergy/exergy, Human Development Index (HDI), Environmental Vulnerability Index (EVI), Environmental Policy Index (EPI), Living Planet Index (LPI), Environmentally-adjusted Domestic Product (EDP), Genuine Saving (GS), and some applications of composite indices or/and multivariate indicators to local or regional context as case studies. The key conceptual requirements for an adequate CSI are: (i) to consider environmental, economic and social aspects (the triple bottom line of sustainability) from the viewpoint of strong sustainability; (ii) to capture external impacts (leakage effects) of city on other areas beyond the city boundaries particularly in terms of environmental aspects; (iii) to create indices/indicators originally for the purpose of assessing city sustainability; and (iv) to be able to assess world cities in both developed and developing countries using common axes of evaluation. Based on the review, we conclude that it is necessary to create a new CSI that enables us to assess and compare cities' sustainability performance in order to understand the global impact of cities on the environment and human life as compared with their economic contribution. In the future, the CSI will be able to provide local authorities with guidance toward sustainable paths. - Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer We derive the four key requirements for a new City Sustainability Index (CSI) system. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer First, the triple bottom line must be considered in terms of strong sustainability. Black

Review of sustainability indices and indicators: Towards a new City Sustainability Index (CSI)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mori, Koichiro; Christodoulou, Aris

2012-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to discuss conceptual requirements for a City Sustainability Index (CSI) and to review existing major sustainability indices/indicators in terms of the requirements. The following indices are reviewed: Ecological Footprint (EF), Environmental Sustainability Index (ESI), Dashboard of Sustainability (DS), Welfare Index, Genuine Progress Indicator (GPI), Index of Sustainable Economic Welfare, City Development Index, emergy/exergy, Human Development Index (HDI), Environmental Vulnerability Index (EVI), Environmental Policy Index (EPI), Living Planet Index (LPI), Environmentally-adjusted Domestic Product (EDP), Genuine Saving (GS), and some applications of composite indices or/and multivariate indicators to local or regional context as case studies. The key conceptual requirements for an adequate CSI are: (i) to consider environmental, economic and social aspects (the triple bottom line of sustainability) from the viewpoint of strong sustainability; (ii) to capture external impacts (leakage effects) of city on other areas beyond the city boundaries particularly in terms of environmental aspects; (iii) to create indices/indicators originally for the purpose of assessing city sustainability; and (iv) to be able to assess world cities in both developed and developing countries using common axes of evaluation. Based on the review, we conclude that it is necessary to create a new CSI that enables us to assess and compare cities' sustainability performance in order to understand the global impact of cities on the environment and human life as compared with their economic contribution. In the future, the CSI will be able to provide local authorities with guidance toward sustainable paths. - Highlights: ► We derive the four key requirements for a new City Sustainability Index (CSI) system. ► First, the triple bottom line must be considered in terms of strong sustainability. ► Second, environmental leakage effects beyond city boundaries should

Clearing and settlement of exchange traded derivatives

OpenAIRE

John McPartland

2009-01-01

Derivatives are a class of financial instruments that derive their value from some underlying commodity, security, index, or other asset. Futures and options are common forms of derivatives. This article explains how clearing and settlement systems for exchange traded derivatives work.

76 FR 72483 - Self-Regulatory Organizations; Options Clearing Corporation; Order Approving Proposed Rule Change...

Science.gov (United States)

2011-11-23

... existing interpretation, which relates to the treatment and clearing of options on the CBOE Gold ETF... jurisdictional status CBOE Gold ETF Volatility Index and clarifies that OCC will clear and treat as securities... relative performance index is an ETF designed to measure the return of gold [[Page 72484

A Review of Abstracting and Indexing Services for Biomedical Journals

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sarita Bhardwaj

2017-10-01

Full Text Available The days are gone when the researchers used to go to library to look for the articles of their choice. With the introduction of electronic era, searching an article online has become easier. This has been possible due to the availability of various Abstracting and Indexing (A & I services in the world. Of more than 400 online A & I services available, only a few like Google and Thomson Reuters cover all disciplines. Most A & I services cover just one discipline allowing them to cover their area in more depth. There are many databases and indexing services for biomedical journals, most important ones being PubMed/Medline, Scopus, and Web of Science (ISI. This article gives a review of various databases and indexes available for dental journals in the world.

Efficiency, effectiveness and treatment stability of clear aligners: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Zheng, M; Liu, R; Ni, Z; Yu, Z

2017-08-01

The objective of this study was to perform a systematic review of the orthodontic literature with regard to efficiency, effectiveness and stability of treatment outcome with clear aligners compared with treatment with conventional brackets. An electronic search without time or language restrictions was undertaken in October 2014 in the following electronic databases: Google Scholar, the Cochrane Oral Health Group's Trials Register, Scopus, CENTRAL, MEDLINE via OVID, EMBASE via OVID and Web of Science. We also searched the reference lists of relevant articles. Quality assessment of the included articles was performed. Two authors were responsible for study selection, validity assessment and data extraction. Four controlled clinical trials including a total of 252 participants satisfied the inclusion criteria. We grouped the trials into four main comparisons. One randomized controlled trial was classified as level 1B evidence, and three cohort studies were classified as level 2B evidence. Clear aligners appear to have a significant advantage with regard to chair time and treatment duration in mild-to-moderate cases based on several cross-sectional studies. No other differences in stability and occlusal characteristics after treatment were found between the two systems. Despite claims about the effectiveness of clear aligners, evidence is generally lacking. Shortened treatment duration and chair time in mild-to-moderate cases appear to be the only significant effectiveness of clear aligners over conventional systems that are supported by the current evidence. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Multiobjective clearing of reactive power market in deregulated power systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rabiee, A.; Shayanfar, H.; Amjady, N.

2009-01-01

This paper presents a day-ahead reactive power market which is cleared in the form of multiobjective context. Total payment function (TPF) of generators, representing the payment paid to the generators for their reactive power compensation, is considered as the main objective function of reactive power market. Besides that, voltage security margin, overload index, and also voltage drop index are the other objective functions of the optimal power flow (OPF) problem to clear the reactive power market. A Multiobjective Mathematical Programming (MMP) formulation is implemented to solve the problem of reactive power market clearing using a fuzzy approach to choose the best compromise solution according to the specific preference among various non-dominated (pareto optimal) solutions. The effectiveness of the proposed method is examined based on the IEEE 24-bus reliability test system (IEEE 24-bus RTS). (author)

Extracting Leaf Area Index by Sunlit Foliage Component from Downward-Looking Digital Photography under Clear-Sky Conditions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yelu Zeng

2015-10-01

Full Text Available The development of near-surface remote sensing requires the accurate extraction of leaf area index (LAI from networked digital cameras under all illumination conditions. The widely used directional gap fraction model is more suitable for overcast conditions due to the difficulty to discriminate the shaded foliage from the shadowed parts of images acquired on sunny days. In this study, a new LAI extraction method by the sunlit foliage component from downward-looking digital photography under clear-sky conditions is proposed. In this method, the sunlit foliage component was extracted by an automated image classification algorithm named LAB2, the clumping index was estimated by a path length distribution-based method, the LAD and G function were quantified by leveled digital images and, eventually, the LAI was obtained by introducing a geometric-optical (GO model which can quantify the sunlit foliage proportion. The proposed method was evaluated at the YJP site, Canada, by the 3D realistic structural scene constructed based on the field measurements. Results suggest that the LAB2 algorithm makes it possible for the automated image processing and the accurate sunlit foliage extraction with the minimum overall accuracy of 91.4%. The widely-used finite-length method tends to underestimate the clumping index, while the path length distribution-based method can reduce the relative error (RE from 7.8% to 6.6%. Using the directional gap fraction model under sunny conditions can lead to an underestimation of LAI by (1.61; 55.9%, which was significantly outside the accuracy requirement (0.5; 20% by the Global Climate Observation System (GCOS. The proposed LAI extraction method has an RMSE of 0.35 and an RE of 11.4% under sunny conditions, which can meet the accuracy requirement of the GCOS. This method relaxes the required diffuse illumination conditions for the digital photography, and can be applied to extract LAI from downward-looking webcam images

Ideas for clear technical writing

Science.gov (United States)

Robinson, B.P.

1984-01-01

The three greatest obstacles to clear technical-report writing are probably (1) imprecise words, (2) wordiness, and (3) poorly constructed sentences. Examples of category 1 include abstract words, jargon, and vogue words; of category 2, sentences containing impersonal construction superfluous words; and of category 3, sentences lacking parallel construction and proper order of related words and phrases. These examples and other writing-related subjects are discussed in the report, which contains a cross-referenced index and 24 references.

A propaganda index for reviewing problem framing in articles and manuscripts: an exploratory study.

Science.gov (United States)

Gambrill, Eileen; Reiman, Amanda

2011-01-01

To determine the effectiveness of an index in increasing recognition of misleading problem framing in articles and manuscripts. A propaganda index consisting of 32 items was developed drawing on related literature. Seventeen subjects who review manuscripts for possible publication were requested to read five recent published reports of randomized controlled trials concerning social anxiety and to identify indicators of propaganda (defined as encouraging beliefs and actions with the least thought possible). They then re-read the same five articles using a propaganda index to note instances of propaganda. Convenience sample of individuals who review manuscripts for possible publication and sample of recent published reports of randomized controlled trials regarding social anxiety in five different journals by different authors, blinded by author and journal. Data showed that there was a high rate of propagandistic problem framing in reports of RCTs regarding social anxiety such as hiding well argued alternative views and vagueness. This occurred in 117 out of 160 opportunities over five research reports. A convenience sample of 17 academics spotted only 4.5 percent of propaganda indicators. This increased to 64 percent with use of the 32 item propaganda index. Use of a propaganda index increased recognition of related indicators. However many instances remained undetected. This propaganda index warrants further exploration as a complement to reporting guidelines such as CONSORT and PRISMA.

Complete cumulative index (1963-1983)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1983-01-01

This complete cumulative index covers all regular and special issues and supplements published by Atomic Energy Review (AER) during its lifetime (1963-1983). The complete cumulative index consists of six Indexes: the Index of Abstracts, the Subject Index, the Title Index, the Author Index, the Country Index and the Table of Elements Index. The complete cumulative index supersedes the Cumulative Indexes for Volumes 1-7: 1963-1969 (1970), and for Volumes 1-10: 1963-1972 (1972); this Index also finalizes Atomic Energy Review, the publication of which has recently been terminated by the IAEA

75 FR 28085 - Self-Regulatory Organizations; The Options Clearing Corporation; Notice of Filing of Proposed...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-05-19

... Options on the CBOE Gold ETF Volatility Index May 13, 2010. Pursuant to Section 19(b)(1) of the Securities... any option contracts on the CBOE Gold ETF Volatility Index. II. Self-Regulatory Organization's... rule change is to make clear that options on the CBOE Gold ETF Volatility Index, which is an index that...

A Critical Review of Search Strategies Used in Recent Systematic Reviews Published in Selected Prosthodontic and Implant-Related Journals: Are Systematic Reviews Actually Systematic?

Science.gov (United States)

Layton, Danielle

The aim of this study was to outline how search strategies can be systematic, to examine how the searches in recent systematic reviews in prosthodontic and implant-related journals were structured, and to determine whether the search strategies used in those articles were systematic. A total of 103 articles published as systematic reviews and indexed in Medline between January 2013 and May 2016 were identified from eight prosthodontic and implant journals and reviewed. The search strategies were considered systematic when they met the following criteria: (1) more than one electronic database was searched, (2) more than one searcher was clearly involved, (3) both text words and indexing terms were clearly included in the search strategy, (4) a hand search of selected journals or reference lists was undertaken, (5) gray research was specifically sought, and (6) the articles were published in English and at least one other language. The data were tallied and qualitatively assessed. The majority of articles reported on implants (54%), followed by tooth-supported fixed prosthodontics (13%). A total of 23 different electronic resources were consulted, including Medline (by 100% of articles), the Cochrane Library (52%), and Embase (37%). The majority consulted more than one electronic resource (71%), clearly included more than one searcher (73%), and employed a hand search of either selected journals or reference lists (86%). Less than half used both text words and indexing terms to identify articles (42%), while 15% actively sought gray research. Articles published in languages other than English were considered in 63 reviews, but only 14 had no language restrictions. Of the 103 articles, 5 completed search strategies that met all 6 criteria, and a further 12 met 5 criteria. Two articles did not fulfill any of the criteria. More than 95% of recent prosthodontic and implant review articles published in the selected journals failed to use search strategies that were

A review on fuzzy and stochastic extensions of the multi index transportation problem

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Singh Sungeeta

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The classical transportation problem (having source and destination as indices deals with the objective of minimizing a single criterion, i.e. cost of transporting a commodity. Additional indices such as commodities and modes of transport led to the Multi Index transportation problem. An additional fixed cost, independent of the units transported, led to the Multi Index Fixed Charge transportation problem. Criteria other than cost (such as time, profit etc. led to the Multi Index Bi-criteria transportation problem. The application of fuzzy and stochastic concept in the above transportation problems would enable researchers to not only introduce real life uncertainties but also obtain solutions of these transportation problems. The review article presents an organized study of the Multi Index transportation problem and its fuzzy and stochastic extensions till today, and aims to help researchers working with complex transportation problems.

Inter-comparison of different models for estimating clear sky solar global radiation for the Negev region of Israel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ianetz, Amiran; Lyubansky, Vera; Setter, Ilan; Kriheli, Boris; Evseev, Efim G.; Kudish, Avraham I.

2007-01-01

Solar global radiation is a function of solar altitude, site altitude, albedo, atmospheric transparency and cloudiness, whereas solar global radiation on a clear day is defined such that it is a function of all the abovementioned parameters except cloudiness. Consequently, analysis of the relative magnitudes of solar global radiation and solar global radiation on a clear day provides a platform for studying the influence of cloudiness on solar global radiation. The Iqbal filter for determining the day type has been utilized to calculate the monthly average clear day solar global radiation at three sites in the Negev region of Israel. An inter-comparison between four models for estimating clear sky solar global radiation at the three sites was made. The relative accuracy of the four models was determined by comparing the monthly average daily clear sky solar global radiation to that determined using the Iqbal filter. The analysis was performed on databases consisting of measurements made during the time interval of January 1991 to December 2004. The monthly average daily clear sky solar global radiation determined by the Berlynd model was found to give the best agreement with that determined using the Iqbal filter. The Berlynd model was then utilized to calculate a daily clear day index, K c , which is defined as the ratio of the daily solar global radiation to the daily clear day solar global radiation. It is suggested that this index be used as an indication of the degree of cloudiness. Linear regression analysis was performed on the individual monthly databases for each site to determine the correlation between the daily clear day index and the daily clearness index, K T

Clear aligners for orthodontic treatment?

Science.gov (United States)

Javidi, Hanieh; Graham, Elizabeth

2015-12-01

PubMed/Medline, Embase, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Clinical trials (CENTRAL), Web of Knowledge, SCOPUS, Google Scholar and LILACS databases. Clinical prospective and retrospective studies of orthodontic treatment with clear aligners on patients over the age of 15 that included clear descriptions of the materials and applied technique were included. Selection was undertaken independently by two reviewers. Two reviewers extracted data independently with study quality being assessed using the grading system described by the Swedish Council on Technology Assessment in Health Care (SBU). A narrative summary of the findings was presented. Eleven studies involving a total of 480 patients were included consisting of two randomised controlled trials, five prospective studies and four retrospective studies. Six studies were considered to be of moderate quality, the remainder of limited quality. Most of the studies presented with methodological problems: small sample size, bias and confounding variables, lack of method error analysis, blinding in measurements, and deficient or missing statistical methods. The quality level of the studies was not sufficient to draw any evidence-based conclusions.

Assessing abstracts of Iranian systematic reviews and metaanalysis indexed in WOS and Scopus using PRISMA.

Science.gov (United States)

Kazerani, Maryam; Davoudian, Atefeh; Zayeri, Farid; Soori, Hamid

2017-01-01

Background: Systematic reviews and meta-analysis have significant advantages over conventional reviews in that all available data should be presented. This study aimed to evaluate Iranian systematic reviews and meta-analysis abstracts indexed in WOS and Scopus during 2003-2012 based on PRISMA checklist. Methods: This is an analytical study. We evaluated 46 article abstracts indexed in WOS, 89 article abstracts indexed in Scopus and 158 article abstracts indexed in WOS and Scopus both (overlapped group). The quality of the abstracts was evaluated according to the PRISMA checklist for abstracts. Some indicators including distribution per year, total citation, average citations per year, average citations per documents and average citations per year in each article were determined through searching the WOS and Scopus Databases' analytical section. Then, the correlations between the abstract's PRISMA scores, average citations per year, and publication year were calculated. Results: The abstract's quality is not desirable as far as the PRISMA criteria are concerned. In other words, none of the articles' abstracts is in line with the PRISMA items. The average of scores of the current study was 5.9 while the maximum score was 12. The PRISMA criteria showed the highest compliance with "Objectives" (98.6%), the second highest with "Synthesis of result" (85%) and "Title" (80.2%) and the lowest compliance with "Registration" (2%). There was a positive correlation between the compliance of PRISMA score and the average citations per year while there was a negative correlation between PRISMA score and the publication year. Conclusion: It seems that the suggested criteria for reporting Iranian systematic reviews and meta-analysis are not considered adequately by the writers and even scientific journal editors.

77 FR 520 - Self-Regulatory Organizations; Options Clearing Corporation; Order Approving Proposed Rule Change...

Science.gov (United States)

2012-01-05

... one of the reference ETFs measured by the index is a gold- or silver-based ETF.\\5\\ Generally, OCC... security of an underlying relative performance index is an ETF designed to measure the return of gold or... changes to OCC's By-Laws clarifying that options on the CBOE Gold ETF Volatility Index will be cleared and...

75 FR 35861 - Self-Regulatory Organizations; The Options Clearing Corporation; Order Granting Approval of a...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-06-23

... Clearing Options on the CBOE Gold ETF Volatility Index June 14, 2010. I. Introduction On April 26, 2010... Gold ETF Volatility Index. The proposed rule change was published for comment in the Federal Register... treat as securities options any option contracts on the CBOE Gold ETF Volatility Index.\\4\\ This...

77 FR 21277 - Customer Clearing Documentation, Timing of Acceptance for Clearing, and Clearing Member Risk...

Science.gov (United States)

2012-04-09

..., 23, 37, et al. Customer Clearing Documentation, Timing of Acceptance for Clearing, and Clearing..., 38, and 39 RIN 3038-0092, -0094 Customer Clearing Documentation, Timing of Acceptance for Clearing... implement new statutory provisions enacted by Title VII of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer...

Fluorescent-protein stabilization and high-resolution imaging of cleared, intact mouse brains.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Martin K Schwarz

Full Text Available In order to observe and quantify long-range neuronal connections in intact mouse brain by light microscopy, it is first necessary to clear the brain, thus suppressing refractive-index variations. Here we describe a method that clears the brain and preserves the signal from proteinaceous fluorophores using a pH-adjusted non-aqueous index-matching medium. Successful clearing is enabled through the use of either 1-propanol or tert-butanol during dehydration whilst maintaining a basic pH. We show that high-resolution fluorescence imaging of entire, structurally intact juvenile and adult mouse brains is possible at subcellular resolution, even following many months in clearing solution. We also show that axonal long-range projections that are EGFP-labelled by modified Rabies virus can be imaged throughout the brain using a purpose-built light-sheet fluorescence microscope. To demonstrate the viability of the technique, we determined a detailed map of the monosynaptic projections onto a target cell population in the lateral entorhinal cortex. This example demonstrates that our method permits the quantification of whole-brain connectivity patterns at the subcellular level in the uncut brain.

Practical models to estimate horizontal irradiance in clear sky conditions: Preliminary results

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Salazar, German A.; Hernandez, Alejandro L.; Saravia, Luis R. [Department of Physics, School of Exact Sciences, National University of Salta, Bolivia Avenue 5150, 4400 Salta Capital (Argentina); INENCO (Institute of Non Conventional Energy Research), Bolivia Avenue 5150, 4400 Salta Capital (Argentina)

2010-11-15

The Argentinean Northwest (ANW) is a high altitude region located alongside Los Andes Mountains. The ANW is also one of the most insolated regions in the world due to its altitude and particular climate. However, the characterization of the solar resource in the region is incomplete as there are no stations to measure solar radiation continuously and methodically. With irradiance data recently having been measured at three sites in the Salta Province, a study was carried out that resulted in a practical model to quickly and efficiently estimate the horizontal irradiance in high altitude sites in clear sky conditions. This model uses the altitude above sea level (A) as a variable and generates a representative clearness index as a result (k{sub t-R}) that is calculated for each site studied. This index k{sub t-R} is then used with the relative optical air mass and the extraterrestrial irradiance to estimate the instantaneous clearness index (k{sub t}). Subsequently, the index k{sub t-R} is corrected by introducing the atmospheric pressure in the definition of relative optical air mass proposed by Kasten. The results are satisfactory as errors in the irradiance estimations with respect to measured values do not exceed 5% for pressure corrected air masses AM{sub c} < 2. This model will be used in a feasibility study to locate sites for the installation of solar thermal power plants in the ANW. A prototype of a CLFR solar power plant is being built in the INENCO Campus, at the National University of Salta. (author)

Peer Review of Best Practices

Science.gov (United States)

Pearlman, J.; Buttigieg, P. L.; Simpson, P.; Munoz, C.; Dufois, F.; Heslop, E. E.

2017-12-01

To ensure the quality of oceanographic data, there is a clear need to employ best practices (BPs) for ocean observation and information management. However, effectively discovering these BPs is a challenge, hindering harmonized quality assurance across projects and programmes. To remedy this, we are prototyping a resource for the stable archiving and efficient discovery of BPs through a granular, semantically indexed, and consistently formatted web resource. While these technical advances have value, they cannot ensure improved oceanographic data quality without effective and inclusive peer review processes. Peer review of digitized best practices can take a number of forms from traditional (blind) peer review as practiced by journal publishers through to the evolving "open" approach where community reviews have both the authors and reviewers identified. This presentation will discuss the options for peer review mechanisms for best practices, including a hybrid approach where both expert panels and open community review are used to improve methodologies and thus downstream data quality. It is not yet clear if the ocean community prefers open versus blind reviews for best practices. It is also unclear the extent to which innovation versus solid technical base should have a higher priority in the reviews. Further, it is not clear whether the reviews should use an internal expert panel of the IODE OceanBestPractices Repository (http://www.oceanbestpractices.net/) or should be done as part of a journal publications process or both, as mentioned above. Thus, we will also describe our future approach to `field test' these review models on a multi-stakeholder compendium of digitized best practice documents.

Adoption and impact of index-insurance and credit for smallholder farmers in developing countries : A systematic review

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Marr, Ana; Winkel, Anne; van Asseldonk, Marcel; Lensink, Robert; Bulte, Erwin

2016-01-01

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to review the most recent scientific literature on the determinants explaining the demand for index-insurance, the impact of index-insurance and the existing links between insurance and credit. In this meta-analysis, the authors identify key discoveries on the

A review of the foot function index and the foot function index – revised

Science.gov (United States)

2013-01-01

Background The Foot Function Index (FFI) is a self-report, foot-specific instrument measuring pain and disability and has been widely used to measure foot health for over twenty years. A revised FFI (FFI-R) was developed in response to criticism of the FFI. The purpose of this review was to assess the uses of FFI and FFI-R as were reported in medical and surgical literature and address the suggestions found in the literature to improve the metrics of FFI-R. Methods A systematic literature search of PubMed/Medline and Embase databases from October 1991 through December 2010 comprised the main sources of literature. To enrich the bibliography, the search was extended to BioMedLib and Scopus search engines and manual search methods. Search terms included FFI, FFI scores, FFI-R. Requirements included abstracts/full length articles, English-language publications, and articles containing the term "foot complaints/problems." Articles selected were scrutinized; EBM abstracted data from literature and collected into tables designed for this review. EBM analyzed tables, KJC, JM, RMS reviewed and confirmed table contents. KJC and JM reanalyzed the original database of FFI-R to improve metrics. Results Seventy-eight articles qualified for this review, abstracts were compiled into 12 tables. FFI and FFI-R were used in studies of foot and ankle disorders in 4700 people worldwide. FFI Full scale or the Subscales and FFI-R were used as outcome measures in various studies; new instruments were developed based on FFI subscales. FFI Full scale was adapted/translated into other cultures. FFI and FFI-R psychometric properties are reported in this review. Reanalysis of FFI-R subscales' confirmed unidimensionality, and the FFI-R questionnaires' response categories were edited into four responses for ease of use. Conclusion This review was limited to articles published in English in the past twenty years. FFI is used extensively worldwide; this instrument pioneered a quantifiable measure

Index to Nuclear Safety: a technical progress review by chrology, permuted title, and author, Volume 11(1) through Volume 20(6)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cottrell, W B; Passiakos, M

1980-06-01

This index to Nuclear Safety, a bimonthly technical progress review, covers articles published in Nuclear Safety, Volume II, No. 1 (January-February 1970), through Volume 20, No. 6 (November-December 1979). It is divided into three sections: a chronological list of articles (including abstracts) followed by a permuted-title (KWIC) index and an author index. Nuclear Safety, a bimonthly technical progress review prepared by the Nuclear Safety Information Center (NSIC), covers all safety aspects of nuclear power reactors and associated facilities. Over 600 technical articles published in Nuclear Safety in the last ten years are listed in this index.

Conformity index: A review

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Feuvret, Loic; Noel, Georges; Mazeron, Jean-Jacques; Bey, Pierre

2006-01-01

We present a critical analysis of the conformity indices described in the literature and an evaluation of their field of application. Three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy, with or without intensity modulation, is based on medical imaging techniques, three-dimensional dosimetry software, compression accessories, and verification procedures. It consists of delineating target volumes and critical healthy tissues to select the best combination of beams. This approach allows better adaptation of the isodose to the tumor volume, while limiting irradiation of healthy tissues. Tools must be developed to evaluate the quality of proposed treatment plans. Dosimetry software provides the dose distribution in each CT section and dose-volume histograms without really indicating the degree of conformity. The conformity index is a complementary tool that attributes a score to a treatment plan or that can compare several treatment plans for the same patient. The future of conformal index in everyday practice therefore remains unclear

76 FR 17727 - Self-Regulatory Organizations; The Options Clearing Corporation; Order Approving Proposed Rule...

Science.gov (United States)

2011-03-30

...-settled, European-style options. In the event of a corporate event that eliminates one of the underlying... Options are highly similar to other index options cleared by OCC except for the identity and nature of the... similar corporate event. If the value of an underlying Relative Performance Index ceases to be published...

Index-Based Dietary Patterns and Colorectal Cancer Risk: A Systematic Review123

Science.gov (United States)

Steck, Susan E; Guinter, Mark; Zheng, Jiali; Thomson, Cynthia A

2015-01-01

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most common cancer in both men and women in the United States. Various a priori dietary patterns that take into account diet complexity have been associated with CRC risk. This systematic review augments the evidence for an association between CRC risk and the Mediterranean Diet Score (MDS) and the Healthy Eating Index (HEI), and provides new evidence for a novel Dietary Inflammatory Index (DII). Human studies published in English after 31 December 2008 were reviewed. Five case-control studies and 7 prospective cohort studies conducted in the United States and Europe were identified. Five of the studies examined the MDS, 4 examined the HEI, and 4 examined the DII. Comparing highest to lowest score groups, higher MDSs were associated with an 8–54% lower CRC risk, and higher HEI scores were associated with a 20–56% lower CRC risk. More proinflammatory diet scores were associated with a 12–65% higher CRC risk compared with more anti-inflammatory diets in studies that used the DII. The results reported by sex suggested similar associations for men and women. This review builds upon the evidence supporting the association between higher overall diet quality and lower risk of CRC. Increasing scores of MDS and HEI and anti-inflammatory DII scores are characterized by high intake of plant-based foods and low intake of animal products. Future studies in more diverse populations and with consistent scoring calculations are recommended. PMID:26567200

The Practice Environment Scale of the Nursing Work Index: An updated review and recommendations for use.

Science.gov (United States)

Swiger, Pauline A; Patrician, Patricia A; Miltner, Rebecca S Susie; Raju, Dheeraj; Breckenridge-Sproat, Sara; Loan, Lori A

2017-09-01

The Practice Environment Scale of the Nursing Work Index (PES-NWI) is an instrument, which measures the nursing practice environment - defined as factors that enhance or attenuate a nurse's ability to practice nursing skillfully and deliver high quality care. The purpose of this paper is to provide an updated review of the Practice Environment Scale of the Nursing Work Index's use to date and provide recommendations that may be helpful to nursing leaders and researchers who plan to use this instrument. A narrative review of quantitative studies. PubMed, EMBASE, and the Cumulative Index to Nursing & Allied Health Literature were searched to identify relevant literature using the search terms, Practice Environment Scale of the Nursing Work Index and PES-NWI. Studies were included if they were published in English between 2010 and 2016 and focused on the relationship between the Practice Environment Scale of the Nursing Work Index and patient, nurse, or organizational outcomes. Data extraction focused on the reported survey scores and the significance and strength of the reported associations. Forty-six articles, from 28 countries, were included in this review. The majority reported significant findings between the nursing practice environment and outcomes. Although some modifications have been made, the instrument has remained primarily unchanged since its development. Most often, the scores regarding staffing and resource adequacy remained the lowest. The frequency of use of this instrument has remained high. Many researchers advocate for a move beyond the study of the connection between the Practice Environment Scale and nurse, patient, and organizational outcomes. Research should shift toward identifying interventions that improve the environment in which nurses practice and determining if changing the environment results in improved care quality. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Controling the scattering of Intralipid by using optical clearing agents

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wen Xiang; Luo Qingming; Zhu Dan; Tuchin, Valery V

2009-01-01

Optical clearing agents (OCAs) with high refractive indices and hyperosmolarity can enhance the penetration of light in tissues by reducing scattering in tissues. However, the mechanism of tissue optical clearing is not much clear for the complex interaction between tissues and OCAs. In this work, Intralipid was mixed with different concentrations of OCAs, i.e. dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), glycerol, 1,4-butanediol, 1,2-propanediol, poly-ethylene glycol 200 (PEG200) and poly-ethylene glycol 400 (PEG400). Except for PEG200 and PEG400 that make aggregation of particles, the others kept the mixture uniform. The reduced scattering coefficients of uniform mixtures were predicted with Mie theory and measured by a commercially available spectrophotometer with an integrating sphere. The results show that all of the OCAs used enhance the optical clearing effect of Intralipid. If OCAs do not change the structure of Intralipid, Mie theory prediction matches well with the measurements. And the higher the refractive index of OCA, the smaller the reduced scattering coefficient. A simple formula deduced can quantitatively predict the optical clearing effect caused by OCAs. This work is helpful for clarifying the mechanism of tissue optical clearing, which will make the effect of optical clearing of tissue predictable and controllable.

Characterisation of optically cleared paper by optical coherence tomography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fabritius, T; Alarousu, E; Prykaeri, T; Hast, J; Myllylae, Risto

2006-01-01

Due to the highly light scattering nature of paper, the imaging depth of optical methods such as optical coherence tomography (OCT) is limited. In this work, we study the effect of refractive index matching on improving the imaging depth of OCT in paper. To this end, four different refractive index matching liquids (ethanol, 1-pentanol, glycerol and benzyl alcohol) with a refraction index between 1.359 and 1.538 were used in experiments. Low coherent light transmission was studied in commercial copy paper sheets, and the results indicate that benzyl alcohol offers the best improvement in imaging depth, while also being sufficiently stable for the intended purpose. Constructed cross-sectional images demonstrate visually that the imaging depth of OCT is considerably improved by optical clearing. Both surfaces of paper sheets can be detected along with information about the sheet's inner structure. (laser applications and other topics in quantum electronics)

76 FR 6648 - Self-Regulatory Organizations; The Options Clearing Corporation; Notice of Filing of Proposed...

Science.gov (United States)

2011-02-07

...-settled, European-style options. In the event of a corporate event that eliminates one of the underlying... Performance Options are highly similar to other index options cleared by OCC except for the identity and... similar corporate event. If the value of an underlying Relative Performance Index ceases to be published...

The combined use of corticotomy and clear aligners: A case report.

Science.gov (United States)

Cassetta, Michele; Altieri, Federica; Barbato, Ersilia

2016-09-01

To describe an orthodontic treatment that combines an esthetic approach (clear aligners) with surgery (alveolar corticotomy). A patient with moderate dental crowding and Class I skeletal and molar relationships was selected. Orthodontic records of the patient were taken. Periodontal indexes, oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL), and treatment time were evaluated. After we reflected a full-thickness flap beyond the teeth apices, the cortical bone was exposed on the buccal aspect and a modified corticotomy procedure was performed. Interproximal corticotomy cuts were extended through the entire thickness of the cortical layer, just barely penetrating into medullary bone. Orthodontic force was applied on the teeth immediately after surgery. Total treatment time was 2 months. Periodontal indexes were improved after correction of crowding. A deterioration of OHRQoL was limited to 3 days following surgery. This case report may encourage the use, limited to selected cases, of corticotomy associated with clear aligners to treat moderate crowding.

Optimizing UV Index determination from broadband irradiances

Science.gov (United States)

Tereszchuk, Keith A.; Rochon, Yves J.; McLinden, Chris A.; Vaillancourt, Paul A.

2018-03-01

A study was undertaken to improve upon the prognosticative capability of Environment and Climate Change Canada's (ECCC) UV Index forecast model. An aspect of that work, and the topic of this communication, was to investigate the use of the four UV broadband surface irradiance fields generated by ECCC's Global Environmental Multiscale (GEM) numerical prediction model to determine the UV Index. The basis of the investigation involves the creation of a suite of routines which employ high-spectral-resolution radiative transfer code developed to calculate UV Index fields from GEM forecasts. These routines employ a modified version of the Cloud-J v7.4 radiative transfer model, which integrates GEM output to produce high-spectral-resolution surface irradiance fields. The output generated using the high-resolution radiative transfer code served to verify and calibrate GEM broadband surface irradiances under clear-sky conditions and their use in providing the UV Index. A subsequent comparison of irradiances and UV Index under cloudy conditions was also performed. Linear correlation agreement of surface irradiances from the two models for each of the two higher UV bands covering 310.70-330.0 and 330.03-400.00 nm is typically greater than 95 % for clear-sky conditions with associated root-mean-square relative errors of 6.4 and 4.0 %. However, underestimations of clear-sky GEM irradiances were found on the order of ˜ 30-50 % for the 294.12-310.70 nm band and by a factor of ˜ 30 for the 280.11-294.12 nm band. This underestimation can be significant for UV Index determination but would not impact weather forecasting. Corresponding empirical adjustments were applied to the broadband irradiances now giving a correlation coefficient of unity. From these, a least-squares fitting was derived for the calculation of the UV Index. The resultant differences in UV indices from the high-spectral-resolution irradiances and the resultant GEM broadband irradiances are typically within 0

Technique of Hurdle Clearing in 400 Meters Hurdles

OpenAIRE

Jakoubek, Jiří

2018-01-01

Title: Technique of Hurdle Clearing in 400 Meters Hurdles Authors: Jiří Jakoubek Supervisor: PhDr. Aleš Kaplan, Ph.D. Aims: The aim of this thesis is to describe technique of hurdle clearing in 400 meters hurdle race using study review and to examine this technique at particular athlete during training and racing sessions in 400 meters hurdles race. Methods: Technique was compared and examined at young athlete. Two kinograms were used for analysis, one from training and one from racing sessio...

Clear-sky classification procedures and models using a world-wide data-base

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Younes, S.; Muneer, T.

2007-01-01

Clear-sky data need to be extracted from all-sky measured solar-irradiance dataset, often by using algorithms that rely on other measured meteorological parameters. Current procedures for clear-sky data extraction have been examined and compared with each other to determine their reliability and location dependency. New clear-sky determination algorithms are proposed that are based on a combination of clearness index, diffuse ratio, cloud cover and Linke's turbidity limits. Various researchers have proposed clear-sky irradiance models that rely on synoptic parameters; four of these models, MRM, PRM, YRM and REST2 have been compared for six world-wide-locations. Based on a previously-developed comprehensive accuracy scoring method, the models MRM, REST2 and YRM were found to be of satisfactory performance in decreasing order. The so-called Page radiation model (PRM) was found to underestimate solar radiation, even though local turbidity data were provided for its operation

Standardizing the evaluation of scientific and academic performance in neurosurgery--critical review of the "h" index and its variants.

Science.gov (United States)

Aoun, Salah G; Bendok, Bernard R; Rahme, Rudy J; Dacey, Ralph G; Batjer, H Hunt

2013-11-01

Assessing the academic impact and output of scientists and physicians is essential to the academic promotion process and has largely depended on peer review. The inherent subjectivity of peer review, however, has led to an interest to incorporate objective measures into more established methods of academic assessment and promotion. Journal impact factor has been used to add objectivity to the process but this index alone does not capture all aspects of academic impact and achievement. The "h" index and its variants have been designed to compensate for these shortcomings, and have been successfully used in the fields of physics, mathematics, and biology, and more recently in medicine. Leaders in academic neurosurgery should be aware of the advantages offered by each of these indices, as well as of their individual shortcomings, to be able to efficiently use them to refine the peer-review process. This review critically analyzes indices that are currently available to evaluate the academic impact of scientists and physicians. These indices include the total citation count, the total number of papers, the impact factor, as well as the "h" index with eight of its most common variants. The analysis focuses on their use in the field of academic neurosurgery, and discusses means to implement them in current review processes. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

77 FR 57602 - Self-Regulatory Organizations; The Options Clearing Corporation; Notice of Filing of Proposed...

Science.gov (United States)

2012-09-18

... level review of the clearing member's systems and processing capabilities, and review other pertinent... clarify the proper application of such rules to cleared OTC options. MarkitSERV Trade Submission Mechanics... overall level of implied volatilities at three and five years, and to the implied volatility skew. A...

Accuracy of the ABC/2 Score for Intracerebral Hemorrhage: Systematic Review and Analysis of MISTIE, CLEAR-IVH, and CLEAR III.

Science.gov (United States)

Webb, Alastair J S; Ullman, Natalie L; Morgan, Tim C; Muschelli, John; Kornbluth, Joshua; Awad, Issam A; Mayo, Stephen; Rosenblum, Michael; Ziai, Wendy; Zuccarrello, Mario; Aldrich, Francois; John, Sayona; Harnof, Sagi; Lopez, George; Broaddus, William C; Wijman, Christine; Vespa, Paul; Bullock, Ross; Haines, Stephen J; Cruz-Flores, Salvador; Tuhrim, Stan; Hill, Michael D; Narayan, Raj; Hanley, Daniel F

2015-09-01

The ABC/2 score estimates intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) volume, yet validations have been limited by small samples and inappropriate outcome measures. We determined accuracy of the ABC/2 score calculated at a specialized reading center (RC-ABC) or local site (site-ABC) versus the reference-standard computed tomography-based planimetry (CTP). In Minimally Invasive Surgery Plus Recombinant Tissue-Type Plasminogen Activator for Intracerebral Hemorrhage Evacuation-II (MISTIE-II), Clot Lysis Evaluation of Accelerated Resolution of Intraventricular Hemorrhage (CLEAR-IVH) and CLEAR-III trials. ICH volume was prospectively calculated by CTP, RC-ABC, and site-ABC. Agreement between CTP and ABC/2 was defined as an absolute difference up to 5 mL and relative difference within 20%. Determinants of ABC/2 accuracy were assessed by logistic regression. In 4369 scans from 507 patients, CTP was more strongly correlated with RC-ABC (r(2)=0.93) than with site-ABC (r(2)=0.87). Although RC-ABC overestimated CTP-based volume on average (RC-ABC, 15.2 cm(3); CTP, 12.7 cm3), agreement was reasonable when categorized into mild, moderate, and severe ICH (κ=0.75; PABC (84% within 5 mL; 48% of scans within 20%) than for site-ABC (81% within 5 mL; 41% within 20%). RC-ABC had moderate accuracy for detecting ≥5 mL change in CTP volume between consecutive scans (sensitivity, 0.76; specificity, 0.86) and was more accurate with smaller ICH, thalamic hemorrhage, and homogeneous clots. ABC/2 scores at local or central sites are sufficiently accurate to categorize ICH volume and assess eligibility for the CLEAR-III and MISTIE III studies and moderately accurate for change in ICH volume. However, accuracy decreases with large, irregular, or lobar clots. URL: http://www.clinicaltrials.gov. Unique identifier: MISTIE-II NCT00224770; CLEAR-III NCT00784134. © 2015 American Heart Association, Inc.

Renal cell tumors with clear cell histology and intact VHL and chromosome 3p: a histological review of tumors from the Cancer Genome Atlas database.

Science.gov (United States)

Favazza, Laura; Chitale, Dhananjay A; Barod, Ravi; Rogers, Craig G; Kalyana-Sundaram, Shanker; Palanisamy, Nallasivam; Gupta, Nilesh S; Williamson, Sean R

2017-11-01

Clear cell renal cell carcinoma is by far the most common form of kidney cancer; however, a number of histologically similar tumors are now recognized and considered distinct entities. The Cancer Genome Atlas published data set was queried (http://cbioportal.org) for clear cell renal cell carcinoma tumors lacking VHL gene mutation and chromosome 3p loss, for which whole-slide images were reviewed. Of the 418 tumors in the published Cancer Genome Atlas clear cell renal cell carcinoma database, 387 had VHL mutation, copy number loss for chromosome 3p, or both (93%). Of the remaining, 27/31 had whole-slide images for review. One had 3p loss based on karyotype but not sequencing, and three demonstrated VHL promoter hypermethylation. Nine could be reclassified as distinct or emerging entities: translocation renal cell carcinoma (n=3), TCEB1 mutant renal cell carcinoma (n=3), papillary renal cell carcinoma (n=2), and clear cell papillary renal cell carcinoma (n=1). Of the remaining, 6 had other clear cell renal cell carcinoma-associated gene alterations (PBRM1, SMARCA4, BAP1, SETD2), leaving 11 specimens, including 2 high-grade or sarcomatoid renal cell carcinomas and 2 with prominent fibromuscular stroma (not TCEB1 mutant). One of the remaining tumors exhibited gain of chromosome 7 but lacked histological features of papillary renal cell carcinoma. Two tumors previously reported to harbor TFE3 gene fusions also exhibited VHL mutation, chromosome 3p loss, and morphology indistinguishable from clear cell renal cell carcinoma, the significance of which is uncertain. In summary, almost all clear cell renal cell carcinomas harbor VHL mutation, 3p copy number loss, or both. Of tumors with clear cell histology that lack these alterations, a subset can now be reclassified as other entities. Further study will determine whether additional entities exist, based on distinct genetic pathways that may have implications for treatment.

A short guide to peer-reviewed, MEDLINE-indexed complementary and alternative medicine journals.

Science.gov (United States)

Morgan, Sherry; Littman, Lynn; Palmer, Christina; Singh, Gurneet; LaRiccia, Patrick J

2012-01-01

Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) comprises a multitude of disciplines, for example, acupuncture, ayurvedic medicine, biofeedback, herbal medicine, and homeopathic medicine. While research on CAM interventions has increased and the CAM literature has proliferated since the mid-1990s, a number of our colleagues have expressed difficulties in deciding where to publish CAM articles. In response, we created a short guide to peer-reviewed MEDLINE-indexed journals that publish CAM articles. We examined numerous English-language sources to identify titles that met our criteria, whether specific to or overlapping CAM. A few of the resources in which we found the journal titles that we included are Alternative Medicine Foundation, American Holistic Nurses Association, CINAHL/Nursing Database, Journal Citation Reports database, MEDLINE, PubMed, and Research Council for Complementary Medicine. We organized the 69 selected titles for easy use by creating 2 user-friendly tables, one listing titles in alphabetical order and one listing them in topical categories. A few examples of the topical categories are Acupuncture, CAM (general), Chinese Medicine, Herbal/Plant/Phytotherapy, Neuroscience/Psychology, Nursing/Clinical Care. Our study is the first to list general CAM journals, specialty CAM journals, and overlapping mainstream journals that are peer reviewed, in English, and indexed in MEDLINE. Our goal was to assist both authors seeking publication and mainstream journal editors who receive an overabundance of publishable articles but must recommend that authors seek publication elsewhere due to space and priority issues. Publishing in journals indexed by and included in MEDLINE (or PubMed) ensures that citations to articles will be found easily. Copyright © 2012 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.

A clear cell adenocarcinoma of the gallbladder with hepatoid differentiation: case report and review of literature

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zhang C

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Chengsheng Zhang,1,2 Wei Zhang,1,2 Dianbin Mu,1 Xuetao Shi,1 Lei Zhao1,2 1Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Shandong Cancer Hospital affiliated to Shandong University, Shandong Academy of Medical Science, 2School of Medicine and Life Sciences, University of Jinan-Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Jinan, Shandong Province, People’s Republic of China Abstract: An 80-year-old male was referred to our department for a gallbladder mass. He denied any history of alcohol consumption or cholecystitis and smoking. Hepatitis B surface antigen test and antihepatitis C antibody test were found to be negative. Serum carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA19-9 and carcinoembryonic antigen were elevated (CA19-9 was 59.92 U/mL and carcinoembryonic antigen was 12.64 ng/mL, whereas alpha-fetoprotein was below the normal limit (2.46 ng/mL. Computed tomography scan revealed a solid mass with measurements of 4.6×5.6×7.1 cm, which nearly filled the whole gallbladder space. Radical cholecystectomy, including segments IV B and V of the liver and lymphadenectomy, was performed. The neoplasm in gallbladder was completely resected, and the patient obtained a negative margin. Histological and immunohistochemical profile suggested a clear cell adenocarcinoma of the gallbladder with hepatoid differentiation. After reviewing the literature, we reported that this case is the first identified case of cell adenocarcinoma of the gallbladder with extensive hepatoid differentiation. However, clinical features of clear cell adenocarcinoma with hepatoid differentiation remain unclear due to the extremely rare incidence. There was no indication of adjuvant chemotherapy and no literature has been reported on the application of chemotherapy. This case showed a promising clinical outcome after curative resection, which indicated that surgical treatment could be potentially considered for suitable patients. Keywords: gallbladder, clear cell adenocarcinoma, hepatoid differentiation 

Index to Nuclear Safety: a technical progress review by chronology, permuted title, and author, Volume 18 (1) through Volume 22 (6)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cottrell, W.B.; Passiakos, M.

1982-06-01

This index to Nuclear Safety covers articles published in Nuclear Safety, Volume 18, Number 1 (January-February 1977) through Volume 22, Number 6 (November-December 1981). The index is divided into three section: a chronological list of articles (including abstracts), a permuted-title (KWIC) index, and an author index. Nuclear Safety, a bimonthly technical progress review prepared by the Nuclear Safety Information Center, covers all safety aspects of nuclear power reactors and associated facilities. Over 300 technical articles published in Nuclear Safety in the last 5 years are listed in this index

Index to Nuclear Safety: a technical progress review by chronology, permuted title, and author, Volume 18 (1) through Volume 22 (6)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cottrell, W.B.; Passiakos, M.

1982-06-01

This index to Nuclear Safety covers articles published in Nuclear Safety, Volume 18, Number 1 (January-February 1977) through Volume 22, Number 6 (November-December 1981). The index is divided into three section: a chronological list of articles (including abstracts), a permuted-title (KWIC) index, and an author index. Nuclear Safety, a bimonthly technical progress review prepared by the Nuclear Safety Information Center, covers all safety aspects of nuclear power reactors and associated facilities. Over 300 technical articles published in Nuclear Safety in the last 5 years are listed in this index.

Index to Nuclear Safety: a technical progress review by chronology, permuted title, and author. Vol. 11(1)--Vol. 18(6)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cottrell, W.B.; Klein, A.

1978-04-11

This index to Nuclear Safety covers articles published in Nuclear Safety, Vol. 11, No. 1 (January-February 1970), through Vol. 18, No. 6 (November-December 1977). It is divided into three sections: a chronological list of articles (including abstracts) followed by a permuted-title (KWIC) index and an author index. Nuclear Safety, a bimonthly technical progress review prepared by the Nuclear Safety Information Center (NSIC), covers all safety aspects of nuclear power reactors and associated facilities. Over 450 technical articles published in Nuclear Safety in the last eight years are listed in this index.

Index to Nuclear Safety: a technical progress review by chronology, permuted title, and author. Vol. 11(1)--Vol. 18(6)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cottrell, W.B.; Klein, A.

1978-01-01

This index to Nuclear Safety covers articles published in Nuclear Safety, Vol. 11, No. 1 (January-February 1970), through Vol. 18, No. 6 (November-December 1977). It is divided into three sections: a chronological list of articles (including abstracts) followed by a permuted-title (KWIC) index and an author index. Nuclear Safety, a bimonthly technical progress review prepared by the Nuclear Safety Information Center (NSIC), covers all safety aspects of nuclear power reactors and associated facilities. Over 450 technical articles published in Nuclear Safety in the last eight years are listed in this index

Atomic Force Microscopy Based Cell Shape Index

Science.gov (United States)

Adia-Nimuwa, Usienemfon; Mujdat Tiryaki, Volkan; Hartz, Steven; Xie, Kan; Ayres, Virginia

2013-03-01

Stellation is a measure of cell physiology and pathology for several cell groups including neural, liver and pancreatic cells. In the present work, we compare the results of a conventional two-dimensional shape index study of both atomic force microscopy (AFM) and fluorescent microscopy images with the results obtained using a new three-dimensional AFM-based shape index similar to sphericity index. The stellation of astrocytes is investigated on nanofibrillar scaffolds composed of electrospun polyamide nanofibers that has demonstrated promise for central nervous system (CNS) repair. Recent work by our group has given us the ability to clearly segment the cells from nanofibrillar scaffolds in AFM images. The clear-featured AFM images indicated that the astrocyte processes were longer than previously identified at 24h. It was furthermore shown that cell spreading could vary significantly as a function of environmental parameters, and that AFM images could record these variations. The new three-dimensional AFM-based shape index incorporates the new information: longer stellate processes and cell spreading. The support of NSF PHY-095776 is acknowledged.

77 FR 73106 - Self-Regulatory Organizations; ICE Clear Credit LLC; Notice of Withdrawal of Proposed Rule Change...

Science.gov (United States)

2012-12-07

... default swaps and European Corporate Single-Name credit default swaps. Notice of the proposed rule change... Organizations; ICE Clear Credit LLC; Notice of Withdrawal of Proposed Rule Change To Add Rules Related to the Clearing of iTraxx Europe Index CDS and European Corporate Single-Name CDS December 3, 2012. On September...

Social indexing at skoob: the description of the book ‘Sophie’s world’ from tags and reviews

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Raquel Juliana Prado Leite de Sousa

2016-04-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Skoob is a Brazilian social network based on the exchange of information of books and magazines, which allows the user, or skoobers, to insert of tags for organizing their personal bookshelves, as well as the sharing of public resources description. The analysis of the labeling of literary books is an indicative of the behavior of readers across the social activity index. Objective: To explore the social indexing done at Skoob, in order to examine the concepts used in tags, comparing them to the concepts present in reviews written by readers. Metodology: The book selected was ‘Sophie's World: a novel about the history of philosophy’ by Jostein Gaarder. First of all, we raised the discrepancy of the most popular tags assigned to the book. Then, through the content analysis with qualitative approach, we analyzed 30 reviews in order to raise the concepts in critical appreciation from readers. Finally, a comparison was made between the concepts of tags and reviews. Results: There was a variance between the tags that doesn’t refer to the number (singular or plural. The concepts raised in the reviews were grouped into three categories: a Subject, b Textual Genre, and c Value Judgments. The concepts presented in the tags and the book reviews generally were different. Conclusion: It was possible, by analysing the reviews, to deep the understanding of some concepts found in the tags. However, among the concepts cited in the reviews only philosophy and mystery were present in the most of the popular tags.

Primary clear cell carcinoma of parotid gland: Case report and review of literature.

Science.gov (United States)

Rodríguez, Marta Saldaña; Reija, Maria Fe García; Rodilla, Irene González

2013-01-01

Clear cell carcinoma (CCC) is a rare low-grade carcinoma that represents only 1% to 2% of all salivary glands tumors. The finding of a clear cell tumor in a parotid gland involves the necessity of differential diagnosis between primary clear cell parotid tumors and metastases, mainly from kidney. The biological behavior is not very aggressive and development, which is very slow, is usually asymptomatic and indeed, the tumor often reaches considerable dimensions before being diagnosed. The treatment of choice is the surgical excision. There are rare cases of local recurrence and distant metastases. The aim of this article is to report a primary CCC in the parotid gland that microscopically closely resembled a metastatic CCC of renal origin, making microscopic differentiation difficult.

The effects of work-related and individual factors on the Work Ability Index: a systematic review.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

T.I.J. van den Berg (Tilja); L.A.M. Elders (Leo); B.C.H. Zwart, de; A. Burdorf (Alex)

2009-01-01

textabstractThis paper systematically reviews the scientific literature on the effects of individual and work-related factors on the Work Ability Index (WAI). Studies on work ability published from 1985 to 2006 were identified through a structured search in PubMed, and Web of Science. Studies were

75 FR 81977 - Order Exempting the Trading and Clearing of Certain Products Related to the CBOE Gold ETF...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-12-29

... Related to the CBOE Gold ETF Volatility Index and Similar Products AGENCY: Commodity Futures Trading... the trading and clearing of certain options (``Options'') on the CBOE Gold ETF Volatility Index (``GVZ... Trust Shares''), an ETF designed to reflect the performance of the price of gold bullion.\\5\\ \\5\\ See...

Bilateral vocal fold immobility: a 13 year review of etiologies, management and the utility of the empey index

OpenAIRE

Brake, Maria K.; Anderson, Jennifer

2015-01-01

Background Bilateral vocal fold immobility (BVFI) is a rare diagnosis causing dyspnea, dysphonia and dysphagia. Management depends on respiratory performance, airway patency, vocal ability, and quality-of-life priorities. The authors review the presentation, management and outcome in patients diagnosed with BVFI. The utility and efficacy of the Empey index (EI) and the Expiratory Disproportion Index (EDI) are evaluated as an objective monitoring tools for BVFI patients. Methods A 13-year retr...

Body mass index and dental caries in children and adolescents: a systematic review of literature published 2004 to 2011

Science.gov (United States)

2012-01-01

The objective The authors undertook an updated systematic review of the relationship between body mass index and dental caries in children and adolescents. Method The authors searched Medline, ISI, Cochrane, Scopus, Global Health and CINAHL databases and conducted lateral searches from reference lists for papers published from 2004 to 2011, inclusive. All empirical papers that tested associations between body mass index and dental caries in child and adolescent populations (aged 0 to 18 years) were included. Results Dental caries is associated with both high and low body mass index. Conclusion A non-linear association between body mass index and dental caries may account for inconsistent findings in previous research. We recommend future research investigate the nature of the association between body mass index and dental caries in samples that include a full range of body mass index scores, and explore how factors such as socioeconomic status mediate the association between body mass index and dental caries. PMID:23171603

Clear retainer

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Priyakorn Chaimongkol

2017-01-01

Full Text Available A clear retainer is a removable retainer that is popular in the present day. Compared with conventional fixed and removable orthodontic retainers, it is a more esthetic, comfortable, and inexpensive appliance. Although several studies have been published about clear retainers, it could be difficult to interpret the results because of the variety of study designs, sample sizes, and research methods. This article is intended to compile the content from previous studies and discuss advantages, disadvantages, fabrication, insertion, and adjustment. Moreover, the effectiveness in maintaining dental position, occlusion, retention protocols, thickness, and survival rate of clear retainers is discussed.

Differentiation of low- and high-grade clear cell renal cell carcinoma: Tumor size versus CT perfusion parameters.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Chao; Kang, Qinqin; Xu, Bing; Guo, Hairuo; Wei, Qiang; Wang, Tiegong; Ye, Hui; Wu, Xinhuai

To compare the utility of tumor size and CT perfusion parameters for differentiation of low- and high-grade clear cell renal cell carcinoma (RCC). Tumor size, Equivalent blood volume (Equiv BV), permeability surface-area product (PS), blood flow (BF), and Fuhrman pathological grading of clear cell RCC were retrospectively analyzed. High-grade clear cell RCC had significantly higher tumor size and lower PS than low grade. Tumor size positively correlated with Fuhrman grade, but PS negatively did. Tumor size and PS were significantly independent indexes for differentiating high-grade from low-grade clear cell RCC. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Surgical Site Infection after Sternotomy in Low- and Middle-Human Development Index Countries: A Systematic Review.

Science.gov (United States)

Forrester, Joseph D; Cai, Lawrence Z; Zeigler, Sanford; Weiser, Thomas G

2017-10-01

The burden of cardiovascular disease is increasing in low- and middle-human development index (LMHDI) countries, and cardiac operations are an important component of a comprehensive cardiovascular care package. Little is known about the baseline incidence of surgical site infections (SSIs) among patients undergoing sternotomy in LMHDI countries. A prospectively registered, systematic literature review of articles in the PubMed, Ovid, and Web of Science databases describing the epidemiology and management of SSIs among persons undergoing sternotomy in LMHDI countries was performed. We performed a quantitative synthesis of patients undergoing sternotomy for CABG to estimate published sternotomy SSI rates. Of the 423 abstracts identified after applying search criteria, 14 studies were reviewed in detail. The pooled SSI rate after sternotomy among reviewed studies was 4.3 infections per 100 sternotomies (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.3-6.0 infections per 100 sternotomies), which is comparable to infection rates in high-human development index countries. As the burden of cardiovascular disease in LMHDI settings increases, the ability to provide safe cardiac surgical care is paramount. Describing the baseline SSI rate after sternotomy in LMHDI countries is an important first step in creating baseline expectations for SSI rates in cardiac surgical programs in these settings.

Clear cell urothelial carcinoma of the urinary bladder: a case report and review of the literature.

Science.gov (United States)

Knez, Virginia M; Barrow, Willis; Lucia, M Scott; Wilson, Shandra; La Rosa, Francisco G

2014-08-14

The occurrence of clear cell tumors in the bladder is not uncommon. Clear cell dysplasia is well-described and characterized by focal replacement of transitional mucosa by cells with abundant clear cytoplasm, nuclear enlargement, and a granular chromatin pattern. Clear cells can also be seen in clear cell adenocarcinoma, which is rare, comprising 0.5% to 2.0% of the reported bladder carcinomas. Other clear cell tumors found in the bladder to be considered in the differential diagnosis are tumors of Müllerian origin and metastatic lesions, such as renal cell carcinoma, clear cell sarcoma, and malignant melanoma. Clear cell urothelial carcinoma is exceedingly rare, with only nine clinical cases described in the literature. We report the case of a 75-year-old Caucasian man who presented with intermittent hematuria, in whom a bladder tumor was identified. A final histopathology examination of a cystoprostatectomy specimen revealed a pT3b, G3 urothelial carcinoma of clear cell type (>90% clear cells) and a prostatic adenocarcinoma of Gleason grade 3+3 (score=6). The bladder tumor consisted of sheets of malignant cells with severe nuclear atypia and abundant clear cytoplasm; no glandular or tubular structures were identified. Tumor cells were periodic acid-Schiff positive and negative after diastase treatment; additional mucicarmine and oil red O stains were negative. Immunohistochemical stains showed the tumor cells positive for cytokeratin 7 (CK7), p63 (>80% nuclei), p53 (about 30% nuclei), vimentin, E-cadherin, cluster of differentiation (CD10), and Ki-67 (>70% nuclei). Stains for cell adhesion molecule 5.2 (CAM 5.2), CD117, cytokeratin 20 (CK20), human melanoma black 45 (HMB-45), paired box protein (PAX 8), placental alkaline phosphatase (PLAP), prostate specific antigen (PSA), renal cell carcinoma (RCC), cancer antigen 25 (CA25), leukocyte common antigen (LC), S-100 protein, and uroplakin III were all negative. The tumor marker profile was consistent with clear

Index to Nuclear Safety. A technical progress review by chronology, permuted title, and author. Vol. 11, No. 1--Vol. 17, No. 6

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cottrell, W.B.; Klein, A.

1977-01-01

This index to Nuclear Safety covers articles in Nuclear Safety Vol. 11, No. 1 (Jan.-Feb. 1970), through Vol. 17, No. 6 (Nov.-Dec. 1976). The index includes a chronological list of articles (including abstract) followed by KWIC and Author Indexes. Nuclear Safety, a bimonthly technical progress review prepared by the Nuclear Safety Information Center, covers all safety aspects of nuclear power reactors and associated facilities. The index lists over 350 technical articles in the last six years of publication

Index to Nuclear Safety. A technical progress review by chronology, permuted title, and author. Vol. 11, No. 1--Vol. 17, No. 6

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cottrell, W.B.; Klein, A.

1977-02-23

This index to Nuclear Safety covers articles in Nuclear Safety Vol. 11, No. 1 (Jan.-Feb. 1970), through Vol. 17, No. 6 (Nov.-Dec. 1976). The index includes a chronological list of articles (including abstract) followed by KWIC and Author Indexes. Nuclear Safety, a bimonthly technical progress review prepared by the Nuclear Safety Information Center, covers all safety aspects of nuclear power reactors and associated facilities. The index lists over 350 technical articles in the last six years of publication.

An Index of Loss Aversion

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Köbberling, V.; Wakker, P.P.

2005-01-01

To a considerable extent, risk aversion as it is commonly observed is caused by loss aversion. Several indexes of loss aversion have been proposed in the literature. The one proposed in this paper leads to a clear decomposition of risk attitude into three distinct components: basic utility,

An Index of Loss Aversion

NARCIS (Netherlands)

V. Köbberling (Veronika); P.P. Wakker (Peter)

2005-01-01

textabstractTo a considerable extent, risk aversion as it is commonly observed is caused by loss aversion. Several indexes of loss aversion have been proposed in the literature. The one proposed in this paper leads to a clear decomposition of risk attitude into three distinct components: basic

Dynamic Modeling of CDS Index Tranche Spreads

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Dorn, Jochen

This paper provides a Market Model which implies a dynamics for standardized CDS index tranche spreads, i.e. tranches which securitise CDS index series and dispose of predefined subordination. This model is useful for pricing options on tranches with future Issue Dates as well as for modeling...... options on structured credit derivatives. With the upcoming regulation of the CDS market in perspective, the model presented here is also an attempt to face the effects on pricing approaches provoked by an eventual Clearing Chamber . It becomes also possible to calibrate Index Tranche Options with bespoke...... tenors/tranche subordination to market data obtained by more liquid Index Tranche Options with standard characteristics....

Index to Nuclear Safety. A technical progress review by chronology, permuted title, and author. Vol 11, No. 1 through Vol. 16, No. 6

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cottrell, W.B.; Klein, A.

1976-04-01

This index to Nuclear Safety covers articles in Nuclear Safety Vol. 11, No. 1 (Jan.-Feb. 1970) through Vol. 16, No. 6 (Nov.-Dec. 1975). Included in the index is a chronological list of articles (including abstract) followed by both a KWIC index and an Author Index. Nuclear Safety is a bimonthly technical progress review prepared by the Nuclear Safety Information Center and covers all safety aspects of nuclear power reactors and associated facilities. The index lists over 300 technical articles in the last six years of publication

Index to Nuclear Safety. A technical progress review by chronology, permuted title, and author. Vol 11, No. 1 through Vol. 16, No. 6

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cottrell, W.B.; Klein, A.

1976-04-01

This index to Nuclear Safety covers articles in Nuclear Safety Vol. 11, No. 1 (Jan.-Feb. 1970) through Vol. 16, No. 6 (Nov.-Dec. 1975). Included in the index is a chronological list of articles (including abstract) followed by both a KWIC index and an Author Index. Nuclear Safety is a bimonthly technical progress review prepared by the Nuclear Safety Information Center and covers all safety aspects of nuclear power reactors and associated facilities. The index lists over 300 technical articles in the last six years of publication.

Adenoma clear cell carcinoma of prostatic utricle. Report of a case. Literature Review

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cataldi, S.; Castillo, L.; Rodrígue, R.

2004-01-01

The prostatic utricle (UP) is a rudimentary structure derived from the Müllerian ducts (paramesonephric), which gives rise to the female genital tract in its portion flow and Wollfianos products (mesonephric), which causes the male seminal tubes urogenital sinus and in the caudal segment. It is located in the central portion of the prostatic urethra. UP pathology is rare in the literature and only few isolated cases have been reported and rare reviews. UP neoplasms are extremely rare. The first report on the literature is the year 1967 in a man 66 years in which the diagnosis was incidental in a piece of prostatectomy. Objective: The aim of this paper is to review the literature on this rare condition from the report of a clinical case. Case report: Male patient, 15 years who presented with hematuria. the tomography showed right renal agenesis, hypertrophic left kidney and a solid mass retrovesical in prostate topography. The transrectal ultrasound guided biopsy remains informed embryonic kidney blastoma and immunohistochemical profile is specific to urothelial epithelium and glomerular (BPM CK7 strongly positive). It is involved, resecting the tumor whose pelvic pathology (AP) corresponded to clear cell adenocarcinoma UP. Pursuing a post-operative complications and remains without clinical tomographic control locoregional relapse was diagnosed 5 months after. Get chemotherapy type adriamycin-cisplatin with complete clinical response after the 2nd cycle of treatment and rapid lesion progression at the end of the 6th cycle. Was re hospitalized resecting one laterovesical mass right, leaving in situ a left laterovesical similar mass. the AP was similar to the original. Currently, the patient underwent a left nephrostomy is planned initiation of palliative chemotherapy of weekly Docetaxel type. Conclusions: Given the rarity of the disease, and little literature there is no data on evolution and sensitivity to treatment. In the case of this patient highlight the high

Clostridium difficile infection in low- and middle-human development index countries: a systematic review.

Science.gov (United States)

Forrester, Joseph D; Cai, Lawrence Z; Mbanje, Chenesa; Rinderknecht, Tanya N; Wren, Sherry M

2017-10-01

To describe the impact and epidemiology of Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) in low- and middle-human development index (LMHDI) countries. Prospectively registered, systematic literature review of existing literature in the PubMed, Ovid and Web of Science databases describing the epidemiology and management of C. difficile in LMHDI countries. Risk factors were compared between studies when available. Of the 218 abstracts identified after applying search criteria, 25 studies were reviewed in detail. The weighted pooled infection rate among symptomatic non-immunosuppressed inpatients was 15.8% (95% CI 12.1-19.5%) and was 10.1% (95% CI 3.0-17.2%) among symptomatic outpatients. Subgroup analysis of immunosuppressed patient populations revealed pooled infection rates similar to non-immunosuppressed patient populations. Risk factor analysis was infrequently performed. While the percentages of patients with CDI in LMHDI countries among the reviewed studies are lower than expected, there remains a paucity of epidemiologic data evaluating burden of C. difficile infection in these settings. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

7 CFR 1770.3 - Index of records.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 12 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Index of records. 1770.3 Section 1770.3 Agriculture... Index of records. (a) Each borrower shall maintain a master index of records. The master index shall... maintained. The master index shall be subject to review by RUS and RUS shall reserve the right to add records...

75 FR 70055 - Self-Regulatory Organizations; The Options Clearing Corporation; Order Approving Proposed Rule...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-11-16

... accommodate quarterly options, which expire on the last business day of a calendar quarter, and short term options, which expire a week after their introduction for trading. Quarterly index options and short term... And Monthly Options November 9, 2010. I. Introduction On September 15, 2010, The Options Clearing...

[Identification of cutoff points for Homeostatic Model Assessment for Insulin Resistance index in adolescents: systematic review].

Science.gov (United States)

Andrade, Maria Izabel Siqueira de; Oliveira, Juliana Souza; Leal, Vanessa Sá; Lima, Niedja Maria da Silva; Costa, Emília Chagas; Aquino, Nathalia Barbosa de; Lira, Pedro Israel Cabral de

2016-06-01

To identify cutoff points of the Homeostatic Model Assessment for Insulin Resistance (HOMA-IR) index established for adolescents and discuss their applicability for the diagnosis of insulin resistance in Brazilian adolescents. A systematic review was performed in the PubMed, Lilacs and SciELO databases, using the following descriptors: "Adolescents", "insulin resistance" and "ROC curve". Original articles carried out with adolescents published between 2005 and 2015 in Portuguese, English or Spanish languages, which included the statistical analysis using ROC curve to determine the index cutoff (HOMA-IR) were included. A total of 184 articles were identified and after the study phases were applied, seven articles were selected for the review. All selected studies established their cutoffs using a ROC curve, with the lowest observed cutoff of 1.65 for girls and 1.95 for boys and the highest of 3.82 for girls and 5.22 for boys. Of the studies analyzed, one proposed external validity, recommending the use of the HOMA-IR cutoff >2.5 for both genders. The HOMA-IR index constitutes a reliable method for the detection of insulin resistance in adolescents, as long as it uses cutoffs that are more adequate for the reality of the study population, allowing early diagnosis of insulin resistance and enabling multidisciplinary interventions aiming at health promotion of this population. Copyright © 2015 Sociedade de Pediatria de São Paulo. Publicado por Elsevier Editora Ltda. All rights reserved.

A review on indexes and dietary assessment methods for determining the quality of diets - doi:10.5020/18061230.2011.p404

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ana Carolina Pinheiro Volp

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Objective: To summarize the different indexes most frequently used to evaluate the quality of diets, as well as the dietary assessment methods used for scoring, pointing out their advantages and disadvantages. Methods: We performed a literature search, with no date restriction, on primary indexed sources and in the databases SciELO, PubMed, Medline, Lilacs, Dedalus and ILSI Web of Knowledge. The keywords used were diet (ary quality, diet (ary patterns, diet quality index, Mediterranean diet and nutrition. Then, the cited references were reviewed, classifying the information by index. Results: The most widely indexes used are Diet Quality Index, Healthy Eating Index and Alternative Mediterranean Diet Score, using the food frequency questionnaire or a combination of the 24-hour recall and food (s record (s. Conclusion: The determination of feeding patterns through indices is a relatively easy process; however, to have confidence in the results is necessary to know the biases that each index and instrument has, as well as its construction and punctuation.

Computerized index for teaching files

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bramble, J.M.

1989-01-01

A computerized index can be used to retrieve cases from a teaching file that have radiographic findings similar to an unknown case. The probability that a user will review cases with a correct diagnosis was estimated with use of radiographic findings of arthritis in hand radiographs of 110 cases from a teaching file. The nearest-neighbor classification algorithm was used as a computer index to 110 cases of arthritis. Each case was treated as an unknown and inputted to the computer index. The accuracy of the computer index in retrieving cases with the same diagnosis (including rheumatoid arthritis, gout, psoriatic arthritis, inflammatory osteoarthritis, and pyrophosphate arthropathy) was measured. A Bayes classifier algorithm was also tested on the same database. Results are presented. The nearest-neighbor algorithm was 83%. By comparison, the estimated accuracy of the Bayes classifier algorithm was 78%. Conclusions: A computerized index to a teaching file based on the nearest-neighbor algorithm should allow the user to review cases with the correct diagnosis of an unknown case, by entering the findings of the unknown case

Ultrasound predictors of placental invasion: the Placenta Accreta Index.

Science.gov (United States)

Rac, Martha W F; Dashe, Jodi S; Wells, C Edward; Moschos, Elysia; McIntire, Donald D; Twickler, Diane M

2015-03-01

We sought to apply a standardized evaluation of ultrasound parameters for the prediction of placental invasion in a high-risk population. This was a retrospective review of gravidas with ≥1 prior cesarean delivery who received an ultrasound diagnosis of placenta previa or low-lying placenta in the third trimester at our institution from 1997 through 2011. Sonographic images were reviewed by an investigator blinded to pregnancy outcome and sonography reports. Parameters assessed included loss of retroplacental clear zone, irregularity and width of uterine-bladder interface, smallest myometrial thickness, presence of lacunar spaces, and bridging vessels. Diagnosis of placental invasion was based on histologic confirmation. Statistical analyses were performed using linear logistic regression and multiparametric analyses to generate a predictive equation evaluated using a receiver operating characteristic curve. Of 184 gravidas who met inclusion criteria, 54 (29%) had invasion confirmed on hysterectomy specimen. All sonographic parameters were associated with placental invasion (P placental location, yielded an area under the curve of 0.87 (95% confidence interval, 0.80-0.95). Using logistic regression, a predictive equation was generated, termed the "Placenta Accreta Index." Each parameter was weighted to create a 9-point scale in which a score of 0-9 provided a probability of invasion that ranged from 2-96%, respectively. Assignment of the Placenta Accreta Index may be helpful in predicting individual patient risk for morbidly adherent placenta. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

An Index to the Caricatures in the "New York Review of Books" from Its Inception Through the Fifteenth Anniversary Issue (1963-1978).

Science.gov (United States)

Drazan, Joseph Gerald; Sanguine, Phyllis

This index identifies caricatures drawn by David Levine which are found in the "New York Review of Books" from its first issue in 1963 through the special fifteenth anniversary issue dated October 12, 1978. The index is arranged alphabetically by surname for each personality caricatured, with some cross references. The numbering system…

Aboveground biomass and nutrient accumulation 20 years after clear-cutting a southern Appalachian watershed

Science.gov (United States)

Katherine J. Elliott; Lindsay R. Boring; Wayne T. Swank

2002-01-01

In 1975, we initiated a long-term interdisciplinary study of forest watershed ecosystem response to clear- cutting and cable logging in watershed 7 at the Coweeta Hydrologic Laboratory in the southern Appalachian Mountains of North Carolina. This paper describes ~20 years of change in species composition, aboveground biomass, leaf area index (LAI),...

Profiling of subgingival plaque biofilm microbiota in female adult patients with clear aligners: a three-month prospective study.

Science.gov (United States)

Guo, Runzhi; Zheng, Yunfei; Liu, Hao; Li, Xiaobei; Jia, Lingfei; Li, Weiran

2018-01-01

Clear aligners are well known for facilitating oral hygiene maintenance and decreasing susceptibility to periodontal diseases as compared to conventional fixed appliances. However, few research studies focus on the subgingival microbial community during clear aligner treatment (CAT). Hence, this study investigates changes of the subgingival microbial community and its association with clinical characteristics during the first three months of CAT. Ten female patients with clear aligners were enrolled in this study. Subgingival plaque samples were obtained at three time points: before orthodontic treatment (T0), one month after orthodontic treatment (T1) and three months after orthodontic treatment (T2). DNA was then extracted from plaque samples and analyzed by 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Periodontal examinations, including plaque index (PI) and gingival bleeding index (GBI) measurements were also recorded. The plaque indices (PIs) and gingival bleeding indices (GBIs) were slightly increased at T1 and T2, but no statistically significant difference was found. The alpha diversity indices, including the ACE, Chao1, Shannon indices, all showed a declining trend without significance, and a rising trend in the Simpson diversity index was observed. The weighted UniFrac distance was significantly higher at T1 and T2 compared with T0. Principal Coordinates Analysis (PCoA) demonstrated that the communities at T0 tended to cluster apart from the communities at T1 and T2. The relative abundance of the phylum Firmicutes and genus Mycoplasma was significantly increased at T0 compared with T2. There was no significant difference in the relative abundance of periodontal pathogens at the genus and species levels or core microorganisms at the genus level. A slightly decreasing microbial diversity with a significant change of microbial structure was found during the first three-month clear aligner treatment (CAT). However, subjects receiving clear aligner treatment were free from

Utilizing bi-spectral index (BIS) for the monitoring of sedated adult ICU patients: a systematic review.

Science.gov (United States)

Bilgili, Beliz; Montoya, Juan C; Layon, A J; Berger, Andrea L; Kirchner, H L; Gupta, Leena K; Gloss, David S

2017-03-01

The ideal level of sedation in the ICU is an ongoing source of scrutiny. At higher levels of sedation, the current scoring systems are not ideal. BIS may be able to improve both. We evaluated literature on effectiveness of BIS monitoring in sedated mechanically ventilated (MV) ICU patients compared to clinical sedation scores (CSS). For this systematic review, full text articles were searched in OVID, MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Cochrane databases from 1986 - 2014. Additional studies were identified searching bibliographies/abstracts from national/international Critical Care Medicine conferences and references from searched articles retrieved. Search terms were: 'Clinical sedation scale, Bi-spectral Index, Mechanical ventilation, Intensive care Unit'. Included were prospective, randomized and non-randomized studies comparing BIS monitoring with any CSS in MV adult (>18 yr old) ICU patients. Studies were graded for quality of evidence based on bias as established by the GRADE guidelines. Additional sources of bias were examined. There were five studies which met inclusion criteria. All five studies were either unclear or high risk for blinding of participants and blinding of outcome assessment. All papers had at least one source of additional high risk, or unclear/unstated. BIS monitoring in the mechanically ventilated ICU patient may decrease sedative drug dose, recall, and time to wake-up. The studies suggesting this are severely limited methodologically. BIS, when compared to subjective CSSs, is not, at this time, clearly indicated. An appropriately powered randomized, controlled study is needed to determine if this monitoring modality is of use on the ICU.

Browse Title Index

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Items 1 - 50 of 644 ... Journal Home > Advanced Search > Browse Title Index. Log in or ... Ethics review n international health research: quality assurance or bureaucratic nightmare? Details ... Audit of Management of Open Fractures, Details PDF.

A new index for electricity spot markets

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Falbo, Paolo; Fattore, Marco; Stefani, Silvana

2010-01-01

Different indexes are used in electricity markets worldwide to represent the daily behavior of spot prices. However, the peculiarities of these markets require a careful choice of the index, based on mathematical formulation and its statistical properties. Choosing a bad index may influence the financial policies of market players, since derivative pricing and hedging performance can be deeply affected. In this paper with an initial theoretical analysis, we intend to show that the most widely used indexes (simple arithmetic average and weighted average with current volumes) are poor representatives of the spot market. We will then perform an analysis of the hedging strategy on a derivative instrument (an Asian option) written on a reference index. The resulting simulations, applied to OMEL (Spain) and EEX (Germany), are sufficiently clear cut to suggest that the decision to adopt an index to represent properly a market must be taken very carefully. Finally we will propose a new index (FAST index) and, after comparing it with the previous indexes, will show that both theoretically and practically this index can be taken as a good electricity market synthetic indicator.

Ground disposal of oil shale wastes: a review with an indexed annotated bibliography through 1976

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Routson, R.C.; Bean, R.M.

1977-12-01

This review covers the available literature concerning ground-disposed wastes and effluents of a potential oil shale industry. Ground disposal has been proposed for essentially all of the solid and liquid wastes produced (Pfeffer, 1974). Since an oil shale industry is not actually in operation, the review is anticipatory in nature. The section, Oil Shale Technology, provides essential background for interpreting the literature on potential shale oil wastes and the topics are treated more completely in the section entitled Environmental Aspects of the Potential Disposal of Oil Shale Wastes to Ground. The first section of the annotated bibliography cites literature concerning potential oil shale wastes and the second section cites literature concerning oil shale technology. Each section contains references arranged historically by year. An index is provided.

Cellulose Degradation by Cellulose-Clearing and Non-Cellulose-Clearing Brown-Rot Fungi

OpenAIRE

Highley, Terry L.

1980-01-01

Cellulose degradation by four cellulose-clearing brown-rot fungi in the Coniophoraceae—Coniophora prasinoides, C. puteana, Leucogyrophana arizonica, and L. olivascens—is compared with that of a non-cellulose-clearing brown-rot fungus, Poria placenta. The cellulose- and the non-cellulose-clearing brown-rot fungi apparently employ similar mechanisms to depolymerize cellulose; most likely a nonenzymatic mechanism is involved.

[Work-related Stress and the Allostatic Load Index - A Systematic Review].

Science.gov (United States)

Mauss, D; Li, J; Schmidt, B; Angerer, P; Jarczok, M N

2017-12-01

Work-related stress is a growing social challenge and has been associated with reduced employee health, well-being, and productivity. One tool to measure the stress-related wear and tear of the body is the Allostatic Load Index (ALI). This review summarizes recent evidence on the association between work-related stress and ALI in working adults. A systematic literature search following the PRISMA-Statement was conducted in 21 databases including Medline, PubPsych, MedPilot, and Cochrane Register. Publications addressing work related-stress and medical parameters using ALI were considered. Data on study population, analytic techniques, and results were tabulated. Methodological quality was evaluated using a standardized checklist. 9 articles were identified with a total of 3 532 employees from 5 countries reporting cross-sectional data from the years 2003-2013. Overall, 7 studies reported a positive and significant association between work-related stress and ALI, while 2 studies showed no or an insignificant association. Substantial heterogeneity was observed in methods applied and study quality. This systematic review provides evidence that work-related stress is associated with ALI in cross-sectional studies. This association needs to be demonstrated by future studies using longitudinal data on working populations. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Association between dietary glycemic index, glycemic load, and body mass index in the Inter99 study: is underreporting a problem?

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lau, C.; Toft, U.; Tetens, Inge

2006-01-01

Background: The few studies examining the potential associations between glycemic index (GI), glycemic load (GL), and body mass index (BMI) have provided no clear pictures. Underreporting of energy intake may be one explanation for this. Objective: We examined the associations between GI, GL...... a positive association between GI, GL, and BMI. Energy adjustment and the exclusion of LERs significantly affected the results of the analysis; thus, we stress the importance of energy adjustment....

Browse Title Index

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Items 101 - 150 of 879 ... Journal Home > Advanced Search > Browse Title Index ... Vol 20, No 4 (2006), Assessing academic potential for university admission: ... Vol 16, No 2 (2002), Book Review: Rethinking truth by Higgs, P & Smith, J, Details.

A giant benign clear cell hidradenoma on the anterior trunk.

Science.gov (United States)

Demirci, Gulsen Tukenmez; Atis, Guldehan; Altunay, Ilknur Kivanç; Sakiz, Damlanur

2011-10-05

Clear cell hidradenoma (CCH) is an uncommon variant of benign cutaneous adnexal tumors. These tumors are clinically asymptomatic, solitary dermal nodules. They occur most frequently on the scalp, face abdomen and extremities. Growth is slow and malignant change is rare. 45-year-old woman presented with a nodule which had begun 4 years ago as a small nodular asymptomatic lesion and had a central ulceration and a minimal hemorrhagic discharge on her anterior abdomen wall. On dermatologic examination there was a 6.5×5×4 cm non-tender, soft reddish purple nodule, with lobular appearance and ulceration. In the laboratory investigations, all hematologic and biochemical tests were normal. A computed tomography (CT) scan demonstrated a cystic tumor with lobulated contour with contrast enhancement. The lesion was excised totally. In histopathological examination, the tumor was composed of biphasic smaller dark polygonal cells and larger clear cells and coarse nuclear chromatine. There were duct like structures. Immunohistochemical investigation was done for the suspicion of malignancy. Cytoplasm of clear cells and of duct like structures showed PAS-positive and d-PAS resistant staining. There was a positive reaction to epithelial membrane antigen and carcinoembryonic antigen. The mitotic index in Ki 67 examination was low. All these findings confirmed the diagnosis of benign CCH.

A comparative study of combined periodontal and orthodontic treatment with fixed appliances and clear aligners in patients with periodontitis

Science.gov (United States)

2015-01-01

Purpose With the increasing prevalence of orthodontic treatment in adults, clear aligner treatments are becoming more popular. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of orthodontic treatment on periodontal tissue and to compare orthodontic treatment with fixed appliances (FA) to clear aligner treatment (CAT) in periodontitis patients. Methods A total of 35 patients who underwent orthodontic treatment in the Department of Periodontology were included in this study. After periodontal treatment with meticulous oral hygiene education, patients underwent treatment with FA or CAT, and this study analyzed patient outcomes depending on the treatment strategy. Clinical parameters were assessed at baseline and after orthodontic treatment, and the duration of treatment was compared between these two groups. Results The overall plaque index, the gingival index, and probing depth improved after orthodontic treatment (Porthodontic treatment, clinical parameters were improved in the FA and CAT groups with meticulous oral hygiene education and plaque control. Regarding plaque index and gingival index, no significant differences were found between these two groups. We suggest that combined periodontal and orthodontic treatment can improve patients’ periodontal health irrespective of orthodontic techniques. PMID:26734489

Browse Title Index

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Items 1 - 50 of 98 ... Journal Home > Advanced Search > Browse Title Index ... model for the continued professionalisation of student affairs in Africa, Abstract PDF ... Vol 2, No 2 (2014), Book Review: How College Affects Students, A Third decade ...

Autophagy and bacterial clearance: a not so clear picture

OpenAIRE

Mostowy, Serge

2012-01-01

Autophagy, an intracellular degradation process highly conserved from yeast to humans, is viewed as an important defence mechanism to clear intracellular bacteria. However, recent work has shown that autophagy may have different roles during different bacterial infections that restrict bacterial replication (antibacterial autophagy), act in cell autonomous signalling (non-bacterial autophagy) or support bacterial replication (pro-bacterial autophagy). This review will focus on newfound intera...

76 FR 47529 - Customer Clearing Documentation and Timing of Acceptance for Clearing; Correction

Science.gov (United States)

2011-08-05

... COMMODITY FUTURES TRADING COMMISSION 17 CFR Parts 1, 23, and 39 RIN 3038-AD51 Customer Clearing Documentation and Timing of Acceptance for Clearing; Correction AGENCY: Commodity Futures Trading Commission... published in the Federal Register of August 1, 2011, regarding Customer Clearing Documentation and Timing of...

MR imaging of clear cell sarcoma (malignant melanoma of the soft parts): a multicenter correlative MRI-pathology study of 21 cases and literature review

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Beuckeleer, L.H. de; Schepper, A.M. de; Vandevenne, J.E.; Bloem, J.L.; Davies, A.M.; Oudkerk, M.; Hauben, E.; Marck, E. van; Somville, J.; Vanel, D.; Steinbach, L.S.; Guinebretiere, J.M.; Hogendoorn, P.C.W.; Mooi, W.J.; Verstraete, K.; Zaloudek, C.; Jones, H.

2000-01-01

Objective. To evaluate MR imaging and pathology findings in order to define the characteristic features of clear cell sarcoma of the soft tissues (malignant melanoma of the soft parts).Design and patients. MR examinations of 21 patients with histologically proven clear cell sarcoma of the musculoskeletal system were retrospectively reviewed and assessed for shape, homogeneity, delineation, signal intensities on T1- and T2-weighted images, contrast enhancement, relationship with adjacent fascia or tendon, secondary bone involvement, and intratumoral necrosis. In 19 cases the pathology findings were available for review and for a comparative MR-pathology study.Results. On T1-weighted images, lesions were isointense (n=3), hypointense (n=7) or slightly hyperintense to muscle (n=11). Immunohistochemical examination was performed in 17 patients. All 17 specimens showed positivity for HMB-45 antibody. In nine of 11 lesions with slightly increased signal intensity on T1-weighted images, a correlative MR imaging-pathology study was possible. All nine were positive to HMB-45 antibody.Conclusions. Clear cell sarcoma of the musculoskeletal system often has a benign-looking appearance on MR images. In up to 52% of patients, this lesion with melanocytic differentiation has slightly increased signal intensity on T1-weighted images compared with muscle. As the presence of this relative higher signal intensity on T1-weighted images is rather specific for tumors displaying melanocytic differentiation, radiologists should familiarize themselves with this rare entity and include it in their differential diagnosis when confronted with a well-defined, homogeneous, strongly enhancing mass with slightly higher signal intensity compared with muscle on native T1-weighted images. (orig.)

[Ground-clearing fires in the amazon and respiratory disease].

Science.gov (United States)

Gonçalves, Karen dos Santos; de Castro, Hermano Albuquerque; Hacon, Sandra de Souza

2012-06-01

The intentional burning of forest biomass commonly known as "ground-clearing fires" is an age-old and widespread practice in the country and is seen as a major contributor to global emissions of greenhouse gases. However, global awareness of their potential impact is relatively recent. The occurrence of large ground-clearing fires in the Brazilian and international scenarios drew attention to the problem, but the measures taken to prevent and/or control the fires are still insufficient. In the Amazon region, with distinct geographical and environmental features from the rest of the country, with its historic process of land occupation, every year the ground-clearing fires expose larger portions of the population making them vulnerable to its effects. In this context, this non-systematic review presents the papers written over the past five years about the fires in the Brazilian Amazon and respiratory illness. The main objective is to provide information for managers and leaders on environmental issues about the problems related to biomass burning in the Amazon region.

The Distress Disclosure Index: a research review and multitrait-multimethod examination.

Science.gov (United States)

Kahn, Jeffrey H; Hucke, Brandy E; Bradley, Allyson M; Glinski, Austin J; Malak, Brittany L

2012-01-01

The Distress Disclosure Index (DDI; J. H. Kahn & R. M. Hessling, 2001) is a brief self-report measure of one's tendency to disclose personally distressing information. The purpose of this article was to summarize what is known about the DDI, present new validity evidence, and make recommendations for use of the DDI. This article reviews research on the DDI from the past decade that indicates that distress disclosure is associated with well-being, professional help-seeking attitudes and intentions, and success in brief psychotherapy. On the basis of the reviewed literature, the authors report a reliability generalization study of DDI scores that strongly supports the internal consistency and test-retest reliability of DDI scores, and they review criterion-related and construct validity evidence. Next, the authors present a new multitrait-multimethod validity study of the DDI. Participants (N = 153) and peer informants (N = 153)--one per participant--completed paper-and-pencil questionnaire packets. Convergent validity of self-reported DDI scores was supported by a strong association with self-reports of emotional self-disclosure in response to a specific, unpleasant event, and self- and peer reports on the DDI were moderately correlated. DDI scores were not strongly associated with cognitive reappraisal and ambivalence over emotional expression, thus supporting discriminant validity. DDI scores were strongly associated with expressive suppression, and correlations between DDI scores and affect, depression symptoms, coping, and emotional expressivity were similar to those found with expressive suppression. The authors offer possible hypotheses explaining the overlap between distress disclosure and expressive suppression and present recommendations for future use of the DDI. (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved.

Profiling of subgingival plaque biofilm microbiota in female adult patients with clear aligners: a three-month prospective study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Runzhi Guo

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Background Clear aligners are well known for facilitating oral hygiene maintenance and decreasing susceptibility to periodontal diseases as compared to conventional fixed appliances. However, few research studies focus on the subgingival microbial community during clear aligner treatment (CAT. Hence, this study investigates changes of the subgingival microbial community and its association with clinical characteristics during the first three months of CAT. Methods Ten female patients with clear aligners were enrolled in this study. Subgingival plaque samples were obtained at three time points: before orthodontic treatment (T0, one month after orthodontic treatment (T1 and three months after orthodontic treatment (T2. DNA was then extracted from plaque samples and analyzed by 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Periodontal examinations, including plaque index (PI and gingival bleeding index (GBI measurements were also recorded. Results The plaque indices (PIs and gingival bleeding indices (GBIs were slightly increased at T1 and T2, but no statistically significant difference was found. The alpha diversity indices, including the ACE, Chao1, Shannon indices, all showed a declining trend without significance, and a rising trend in the Simpson diversity index was observed. The weighted UniFrac distance was significantly higher at T1 and T2 compared with T0. Principal Coordinates Analysis (PCoA demonstrated that the communities at T0 tended to cluster apart from the communities at T1 and T2. The relative abundance of the phylum Firmicutes and genus Mycoplasma was significantly increased at T0 compared with T2. There was no significant difference in the relative abundance of periodontal pathogens at the genus and species levels or core microorganisms at the genus level. Conclusion A slightly decreasing microbial diversity with a significant change of microbial structure was found during the first three-month clear aligner treatment (CAT. However, subjects

CLEAR test facility

CERN Multimedia

Ordan, Julien Marius

2017-01-01

A new user facility for accelerator R&D, the CERN Linear Electron Accelerator for Research (CLEAR), started operation in August 2017. CLEAR evolved from the former CLIC Test Facility 3 (CTF3) used by the Compact Linear Collider (CLIC). The new facility is able to host and test a broad range of ideas in the accelerator field.

Clear cell hidradenocarcinoma developing in pacemaker pocket.

Science.gov (United States)

Reyes, Cesar V

2008-11-01

An octagenerian woman developed clear cell hidradenocarcinoma, a rare neoplasm of eccrine sweat gland origin, 4 years following pacemaker implantation in her right lateral chest. The tumor immunohistochemically mimicked a metastatic lobular breast carcinoma, for example, strongly positive estrogen, weakly positive progesterone, and weakly reactive mammoglobin. A complete surgical excision of the tumor was complemented with ipsilateral dissection of involved adjacent axillary lymph nodes. Recommended irradiation was refused by the patient. Retrospective 3-year mammogram review, 2-year postsurgery follow-up, and complete postmortem evaluation failed to prove a primary breast malignancy or other metastatic lesion elsewhere.

Clear-cell variant urothelial carcinoma of the bladder: a case report and review of the literature

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hossein Tezval

2012-10-01

Full Text Available Clear cell variants of transitional cell carcinomas (TCC of the bladder are extremely rare tumors. Only 6 cases have been reported until now. We report of a 67 year old man who presented with fast growing tumor disease. While initial diagnosis showed localized bladder tumor, final histopathology revealed pT4, G3, L1 urothelial carcinoma with clear cell differentiation. No more than 14 weeks after initial diagnosis the patient died from multi-organ failure after unsuccessful salvage laparotomy which showed massive tumor burden within the pelvis and peritoneal carcinosis. This case demonstrated an extremely fast tumor growth. Therefore, patients with clear cell urothelial carcinoma should be treated vigorously and without time delay. We present a case of clear cell variant of TCC which exhibited an extremely aggressive behavior. To our knowledge this is the fifth report of this rare disease.

A comparative study of combined periodontal and orthodontic treatment with fixed appliances and clear aligners in patients with periodontitis.

Science.gov (United States)

Han, Ji-Young

2015-12-01

With the increasing prevalence of orthodontic treatment in adults, clear aligner treatments are becoming more popular. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of orthodontic treatment on periodontal tissue and to compare orthodontic treatment with fixed appliances (FA) to clear aligner treatment (CAT) in periodontitis patients. A total of 35 patients who underwent orthodontic treatment in the Department of Periodontology were included in this study. After periodontal treatment with meticulous oral hygiene education, patients underwent treatment with FA or CAT, and this study analyzed patient outcomes depending on the treatment strategy. Clinical parameters were assessed at baseline and after orthodontic treatment, and the duration of treatment was compared between these two groups. The overall plaque index, the gingival index, and probing depth improved after orthodontic treatment (P<0.01). The overall bone level also improved (P=0.045). However, the bone level changes in the FA and CAT groups were not significantly different. Significant differences were found between the FA and CAT groups in probing depth, change in probing depth, and duration of treatment (P<0.05). However, no significant differences were found between the FA and CAT groups regarding the plaque index, changes in the plaque index, the gingival index, changes in the gingival index, or changes in the alveolar bone level. The percentage of females in the CAT group (88%) was significantly greater than in the FA group (37%) (P<0.01). After orthodontic treatment, clinical parameters were improved in the FA and CAT groups with meticulous oral hygiene education and plaque control. Regarding plaque index and gingival index, no significant differences were found between these two groups. We suggest that combined periodontal and orthodontic treatment can improve patients' periodontal health irrespective of orthodontic techniques.

Measurement Properties of the Functional Rating Index: A systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Bai, Zhongfei; Shu, Tian; Lu, Jiani; Niu, Wenxin

2018-04-13

A systematic review and meta-analysis. To assess the measurement properties of the Functional Rating Index (FRI) and determine whether its measurement properties are comparable with other region-specific questionnaires. In addition to low back pain (LBP) and neck pain (NP), multi-region spinal pain (SP) is a common problem with a considerable prevalence in the general population. The FRI was built to assess physical functioning in patients with SP. However, a systematic review assessing evidence of its measurement properties in separated populations and a comparison with other questionnaires regarding each measurement property is lacking. Articles concerning the FRI's measurement properties or head-to-head comparison with other questionnaires on measurement properties were obtained from MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL, and PsycINFO. Two reviewers independently reviewed the articles, extracted data, and conducted the methodological quality assessment. The COnsensus-based Standards for the selection of health Measurement INstruments (COSMIN) checklist was used to assess the methodological quality of the included studies. A total of 18 studies evaluating the FRI's measurement properties, including seven that carried out head-to-head comparisons in at least one measurement property with other questionnaires, were included in the current review. Our findings show strong positive evidence for structural validity and internal consistency in patients with SP and LBP. Evidence for most of the FRI's measurement properties is limited, conflicting, or even unknown. The current evidence shows that the FRI is comparable with both the ODI and the NDI in responsiveness. However, relevant information about the majority of the other measurement properties is lacking. Our finding suggests that clinicians and researchers should use the FRI with caution until there are more studies with high methodological quality that support the view that it is positive in all measurement properties

A systematic review and meta-analysis of applications of the self-report habit index to nutrition and physical activity behaviours

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Gardner, B.; de Bruijn, G.-J.; Lally, P.

2011-01-01

Background: Health behaviour models typically neglect habitual action. The Self-Report Habit Index (SRHI) permits synthesis of evidence of the influence of habit on behaviour. Purpose: The purpose of this study is to review evidence around mean habit strength, habit-behaviour correlations, and habit

77 FR 37803 - Customer Clearing Documentation, Timing of Acceptance for Clearing, and Clearing Member Risk...

Science.gov (United States)

2012-06-25

..., 202-418-6703, [email protected] , Division of Clearing and Risk, and Camden Nunery, Economist, 202-418-5723, Office of the Chief Economist, Commodity Futures Trading Commission, Three Lafayette Centre, 1155...

Dynamic airway pressure-time curve profile (Stress Index): a systematic review.

Science.gov (United States)

Terragni, Pierpaolo; Bussone, Guido; Mascia, Luciana

2016-01-01

The assessment of respiratory mechanics at the bedside is necessary in order to identify the most protective ventilatory strategy. Indeed in the last 20 years, adverse effects of positive ventilation to the lung structures have led to a reappraisal of the objectives of mechanical ventilation. The ventilator setting requires repeated readjustment over the period of mechanical ventilation dependency and careful respiratory monitoring to minimize the risks, preventing further injury and permitting the lung and airways healing. Among the different methods that have been proposed and validated, the analysis of dynamic P-t curve (named Stress Index, SI) represents an adequate tool available at the bedside, repeatable and, therefore, able to identify the amount of overdistension occurring in the daily clinical practice, when modifying positive end-expiratory pressure. In this review we will analyze the evidence that supports respiratory mechanics assessment at the bedside and the application of the dynamic P/t curve profile (SI) to optimize protective ventilation in patients with acute respiratory failure.

Frontier differences and the global malmquist index

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Asmild, Mette

2015-01-01

This chapter reviews different ways of comparing the efficiency frontiers for subgroups within a data set, specifically program efficiency, the metatechnology (or technology gap) ratio and the global frontier difference index. The latter is subsequently used to define a global Malmquist index...

On the refractive index of sodium iodide solutions for index matching in PIV

Science.gov (United States)

Bai, Kunlun; Katz, Joseph

2014-04-01

Refractive index matching has become a popular technique for facilitating applications of modern optical diagnostic techniques, such as particle image velocimetry, in complex systems. By matching the refractive index of solid boundaries with that of the liquid, unobstructed optical paths can be achieved for illumination and image acquisition. In this research note, we extend previously provided data for the refractive index of aqueous solutions of sodium iodide (NaI) for concentrations reaching the temperature-dependent solubility limit. Results are fitted onto a quadratic empirical expression relating the concentration to the refractive index. Temperature effects are also measured. The present range of indices, 1.333-1.51, covers that of typical transparent solids, from silicone elastomers to several recently introduced materials that could be manufactured using rapid prototyping. We also review briefly previous measurements of the refractive index, viscosity, and density of NaI solutions, as well as prior research that has utilized this fluid.

The Economic Freedom Index : A Review

OpenAIRE

Ruperto P. Alonzo

2002-01-01

The economic freedom index (EFI) is one of several cross-country yardsticks that incorporate dimensions of progress and well-being that go beyond what conventional economic indicators tell us. It is a composite of 21 indicators that include “personal choice, protection of private property, and freedom of exchange.” It is one of the few measures where the Philippines ranks higher than most of its neighbors; the Philippines was in fact 29th among 123 countries rated for 1999, while neighboring ...

Study to paraphrase nuclear technical terms with clear and brief explanations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shobu, Nobuhiro; Takashita, Hirofumi; Horikoshi, Hidehiko; Osawa, Yukiko

2010-01-01

This report summarizes the review work to paraphrase nuclear technical terms with clear and brief explanations. Explanation with nuclear technical terms was not very acceptable to the public in a variety of contexts. The objective of this study is not to paraphrase with the expert's ideas but to paraphrase from the public point of view. Japan Atomic Energy Agency (hereafter abbreviated as 'JAEA') has conducted a survey on public attitudes toward fifty-nine nuclear technical terms by using an online questionnaire. Most of them were frequently used in the brochures of Nuclear fuel Cycle Engineering Laboratories of JAEA. The survey clarified the public awareness and comprehension of each term. Thirty-two terms, which was subject to paraphrase on a priority basis, were selected from fifty-nine nuclear technical terms based on our importance rating. At the work to paraphrase thirty-two terms, emphasis was placed more on clearness and briefness than on scientific/technical accuracy. They are reviewed through focus group interviews. This study brought results on recognizable style and thirty-two well-polished paraphrases. (author)

On the Economic Consequences of Index-Linked Investing

OpenAIRE

Jeffrey Wurgler

2010-01-01

Trillions of dollars are invested through index funds, exchange-traded funds, and other index derivatives. The benefits of index-linked investing are well-known, but the possible broader economic consequences are unstudied. I review research which suggests that index-linked investing is distorting stock prices and risk-return tradeoffs, which in turn may be distorting corporate investment and financing decisions, investor portfolio allocation decisions, fund manager skill assessments, and oth...

THE SPECTRAL INDEX PROPERTIES OF FERMI BLAZARS

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fan, J. H.; Yang, J. H.; Yuan, Y. H.; Wang, J.; Gao, Y., E-mail: jhfan_cn@yahoo.com.cn [Center for Astrophysics, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006 (China)

2012-12-20

In this paper, a sample of 451 blazars (193 flat spectrum radio quasars (FSRQs), 258 BL Lacertae objects) with corresponding X-ray and Fermi {gamma}-ray data is compiled to investigate the correlation both between the X-ray spectral index and the {gamma}-ray spectral index and between the spectral index and the luminosity, and to compare the spectral indexes {alpha}{sub X}, {alpha}{sub {gamma}}, {alpha}{sub X{gamma}}, and {alpha}{sub {gamma}X{gamma}} for different subclasses. We also investigated the correlation between the X-ray and the {gamma}-ray luminosity. The following results have been obtained. Our analysis indicates that an anti-correlation exists between the X-ray and the {gamma}-ray spectral indexes for the whole sample. However, when we considered the subclasses of blazars (FSRQs, the low-peaked BL Lacertae objects (LBLs) and the high-peaked BL Lacertae objects (HBLs)) separately, there is not a clear relationship for each subclass. Based on the Fermi-detected sources, we can say that the HBLs are different from FSRQs, while the LBLs are similar to FSRQs.

Association between Body Mass Index, Waist-to-Height Ratio and Adiposity in Children: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nerea Martin-Calvo

2016-08-01

Full Text Available Obesity is defined as an abnormal or excessive fat accumulation that may impair health. Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA has been suggested as the gold standard to define obesity, but because its use is complex and expensive, anthropometric measures such as body mass index (BMI or the waist-to-height ratio (WtHr have been used as alternatives. The aim of this study was to review the published literature and investigate the correlation of BMI and WtHr with body fat (BF measured by DEXA in pediatric populations. References were sought in PubMed/Medline and Embase datasets. Five original articles, published between 2013 and 2015, were finally included in this review. Their sample size ranged from 83 to 5355, and the age of participants ranged from 4.9 to 19 years old. The most frequently reported association measurements were the coefficients of determination (R2, followed by correlation coefficients and least-squares regression coefficients. BF measured by DEXA was strongly correlated with both BMI (R2 ranging from 0.32 to 0.91 and WtHr (R2 ranging from 0.49 to 0.73. Thus, either BMI or WtHr may be useful to define obesity when more sophisticated techniques are not available. Our systematic review of the available literature found that neither index demonstrated superiority in assessing obesity in children.

Clear aligners in orthodontic treatment.

Science.gov (United States)

Weir, T

2017-03-01

Since the introduction of the Tooth Positioner (TP Orthodontics) in 1944, removable appliances analogous to clear aligners have been employed for mild to moderate orthodontic tooth movements. Clear aligner therapy has been a part of orthodontic practice for decades, but has, particularly since the introduction of Invisalign appliances (Align Technology) in 1998, become an increasingly common addition to the orthodontic armamentarium. An internet search reveals at least 27 different clear aligner products currently on offer for orthodontic treatment. The present paper will highlight the increasing popularity of clear aligner appliances, as well as the clinical scope and the limitations of aligner therapy in general. Further, the paper will outline the differences between the various types of clear aligner products currently available. © 2017 Australian Dental Association.

The role of body mass index, physical activity, and diet in colorectal cancer recurrence and survival: a review of the literature

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Vrieling, A.; Kampman, E.

2010-01-01

The role of dietary and other lifestyle factors in colorectal cancer recurrence and survival is largely unknown. We conducted a review to summarize the evidence from epidemiologic studies that examined the association of body mass index (BMI), physical activity, and nutrition with colorectal cancer

The current trend of administering a patient-generated index in the oncological setting: a systematic review.

Science.gov (United States)

Tang, Jessica A; Oh, Taemin; Scheer, Justin K; Parsa, Andrew T

2014-03-17

The patient-generated index (PGI) is a more novel approach to evaluating health-related quality of life (HRQOL) that allows patients to formulate their own responses in an open-ended format in order to measure HRQOL based on each patient's own stated goals and expectations. To date the use of PGI in the setting of patients diagnosed with cancer remains relatively less common compared to other health conditions. This systematic review primarily aims to identify current literature in which PGI has been used as a tool to assess quality of life in cancer patients. A systematic review using the MEDLINE database from January 1990 to July 2013 was performed with the following search terms to identify the implementation of PGI in oncology settings: (PGI OR patient generated index OR patient-generated OR patient-reported OR patient generated OR patient reported) AND (cancer OR oncology OR tumor OR neoplasm OR malignancy). Of the 2167 papers initially identified, 10 papers evaluated quality of life in oncology patients by collecting free-form responses from the patient, 4 of which actually used PGI. An overarching theme observed in these studies highlighted the concerns mentioned by patients that were not targeted or detected by standardized quality of life measures. While implementing the PGI may require slightly more investment of resources in the beginning, the potential implications of allowing patients to characterize their quality of life on their own terms are tremendous.

The current trend of administering a patient-generated index in the oncological setting: a systematic review

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jessica A. Tang

2014-06-01

Full Text Available The patient-generated index (PGI is a more novel approach to evaluating health-related quality of life (HRQOL that allows patients to formulate their own responses in an open-ended format in order to measure HRQOL based on each patient’s own stated goals and expectations. To date the use of PGI in the setting of patients diagnosed with cancer remains relatively less common compared to other health conditions. This systematic review primarily aims to identify current literature in which PGI has been used as a tool to assess quality of life in cancer patients. A systematic review using the MEDLINE database from January 1990 to July 2013 was performed with the following search terms to identify the implementation of PGI in oncology settings: (PGI OR patient generated index OR patient-generated OR patient-reported OR patient generated OR patient reported AND (cancer OR oncology OR tumor OR neoplasm OR malignancy. Of the 2167 papers initially identified, 10 papers evaluated quality of life in oncology patients by collecting free-form responses from the patient, 4 of which actually used PGI. An overarching theme observed in these studies highlighted the concerns mentioned by patients that were not targeted or detected by standardized quality of life measures. While implementing the PGI may require slightly more investment of resources in the beginning, the potential implications of allowing patients to characterize their quality of life on their own terms are tremendous.

17 CFR 39.4 - Procedures for implementing derivatives clearing organization rules and clearing new products.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... 17 Commodity and Securities Exchanges 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Procedures for implementing derivatives clearing organization rules and clearing new products. 39.4 Section 39.4 Commodity and Securities Exchanges COMMODITY FUTURES TRADING COMMISSION DERIVATIVES CLEARING ORGANIZATIONS § 39.4 Procedures for...

Clear cell chondrosarcoma

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kumar, R.; David, R.; Cierney, G. III

1985-01-01

The clinical, radiologic, and histopathologic features of three cases of clear cell chondrosarcoma are described. On radiographs, this rather benign-appearing tumor resembles a chondroblastoma when it occurs at the end of a long bone, and may occasionally show a calcified matrix. However, it has distinctive tumor cells with a centrally placed vesicular nucleus surrounded by clear cytoplasm. The lesion has a low-grade malignancy and is amenable to en bloc surgical resection, which results in a much better prognosis than that of conventional chondrosarcoma.

A CDO option market model on standardized CDS index tranches

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Dorn, Jochen

We provide a market model which implies a dynamic for standardized CDS index tranche spreads. This model is useful for pricing options on tranches with future Issue Dates as well as for modeling emerging options on struc- tured credit derivatives. With the upcoming regulation of the CDS market...... in perspective, the model presented here is also an attempt to face the e ects on pricing approaches provoked by an eventual Clearing Chamber . It becomes also possible to calibrate Index Tranche Options with bespoke tenors/tranche subordination to market data obtained by more liquid Index Tranche Options...

77 FR 12896 - Self-Regulatory Organizations; Midwest Clearing Corporation; Order Cancelling Clearing Agency...

Science.gov (United States)

2012-03-02

... SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION [Release No. 34-66458; File No. 600-9] Self-Regulatory Organizations; Midwest Clearing Corporation; Order Cancelling Clearing Agency Registration February 24, 2012. I... Act provides that in the event any self- regulatory organization is no longer in existence or has...

Tumor signatures of PTHLH overexpression, high serum calcium, and poor prognosis were observed exclusively in clear cell but not non clear cell renal carcinomas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yao, Masahiro; Murakami, Takayuki; Shioi, Koichi; Mizuno, Nobuhiko; Ito, Hiroki; Kondo, Keiichi; Hasumi, Hisashi; Sano, Futoshi; Makiyama, Kazuhide; Nakaigawa, Noboru; Kishida, Takeshi; Nagashima, Yoji; Yamanaka, Shoji; Kubota, Yoshinobu

2014-01-01

High serum calcium (Ca) due to aberrant secretion of tumor parathyroid hormone-like hormone (PTHLH) is a well-known paraneoplastic sign and is associated with poor prognosis in patients with renal cell carcinoma (RCC). However, the status of serum Ca and tumor PTHLH expression have not been verified using the 2004 World Health Organization (WHO) renal tumor classification. We retrospectively reviewed corrected serum Ca levels at initial onset (n = 683) and/or as of recurrence (n = 71) in patients with RCC. We also examined a total of 623 renal parenchymal tumor samples for PTHLH mRNA expressions by quantitative real-time PCR. High serum Ca concomitant with PTHLH overexpression in tumors was observed exclusively in clear cell RCC but not in other non clear cell subtype tumors, including papillary, chromophobe, collecting-duct, unclassified, and other rare subtype RCCs or in benign oncocytomas and angiomyolipomas. In clear cell RCC, PTHLH expression was significantly high in male patients, and was associated with a symptomatic presentation, higher grade, and higher stage cases, whereas it was not associated with VHL gene status. Univariate analyses demonstrated that high PTHLH expression was strongly associated with poor outcome both in overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) for patients who underwent standard nephrectomy. Further multivariate Cox analyses revealed that the PTHLH expressions remained as independent prognostic parameters for OS but not for DFS. These data suggest that the previously characterized tumor signatures of high serum Ca due to high PTHLH expression and poor prognosis are clear cell RCC-specific features, whereas these characteristics are rare in non clear cell RCCs

Quality index tables for some eastern hardwood species

Science.gov (United States)

Joseph J. Mendel; William H. Smith; William H. Smith

1970-01-01

This paper briefly reviews the quality-index concept, presents log-quality index tables for a selected group of eastern hardwood tree species, and explains how timber operators can use Q.I. for evaluating the lumber that can be sawed from logs and trees.

Predictive validity of the GOSLON Yardstick index in patients with unilateral cleft lip and palate: A systematic review.

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Cindy Buj-Acosta

Full Text Available Among the various indices developed for measuring the results of treatment in patients born with unilateral cleft lip and palate (UCLP, the GOSLON Yardstick index is the most widely used to assess the efficacy of treatment and treatment outcomes, which in UCLP cases are closely linked to jaw growth. The aim of this study was to conduct a systematic review to validate the predictability of growth using the GOSLON Yardstick in patients born with UCLP. A systematic literature review was conducted in four Internet databases: Medline, Cochrane Library, Scopus and Embase, complemented by a manual search and a further search in the databases of the leading journals that focus on this topic. An electronic search was also conducted among grey literature. The search identified a total of 131 articles. Duplicated articles were excluded and after reading titles and abstracts, any articles not related to the research objective were excluded, leaving a total of 21 texts. After reading the complete text, only three articles fulfilled the inclusion criteria. The results showed a predictive validity of between 42.2% and 64.7%, which points to a lack of evidence in the literature for the predictive validity of the GOSLON Yardstick index used in children born with UCLP.

Body mass index and gastroesophageal reflux disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

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Corley, Douglas A; Kubo, Ai

2006-11-01

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a common cause of morbidity and health-care utilization in many countries. Obesity is a potentially modifiable risk factor, but existing studies have conflicting results, possibly due to differences in study design, definitions, or populations. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of studies identified using MEDLINE, the Web of Science electronic database, manual literature review, and a review of expert bibliographies. Studies were included if they: (1) evaluated obesity, body mass index (BMI), or another measure of body size; (2) included data on reflux symptoms, esophagitis, or a GERD-related hospitalization; and (3) reported a relative risk or odds ratio (OR) with confidence intervals or provided sufficient data to permit their calculation. We identified 20 studies that included 18,346 patients with GERD. Studies from the United States demonstrated an association between increasing BMI and the presence of GERD (95% confidence interval [CI]= 1.36-1.80, overweight, OR = 1.57, P value homogeneity = 0.51, 95% CI = 1.89-2.45, obese, OR = 2.15, P= 0.10). Studies from Europe provided heterogeneous results despite stratification for several factors; individual studies demonstrated both positive associations and no association. This analysis demonstrates a positive association between increasing BMI and the presence of GERD within the United States; this relationship became apparent only after stratification by country and level of BMI. These results support the evaluation of weight reduction as a potential therapy for GERD. Further studies are needed to evaluate potential mechanisms and any differences in this relationship among different study populations.

Body mass index effects sperm quality: a retrospective study in Northern China

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En-Yin Wang

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Excess weight and obesity have become a serious problem in adult men of reproductive age throughout the world. The purpose of this retrospective study was to assess the relationships between body mass index and sperm quality in subfertile couples in a Chinese Han population. Sperm analyses were performed and demographic data collected from 2384 male partners in subfertile couples who visited a reproductive medical center for treatment and preconception counseling. The subjects were classified into four groups according to their body mass index: underweight, normal, overweight, and obese. Of these subjects, 918 (38.3% had a body mass index of >25.0 kg m−0 2 . No significant differences were found between the four groups with respect to age, occupation, level of education, smoking status, alcohol use, duration of sexual abstinence, or the collection time of year for sperm. The results clearly indicated lower sperm quality (total sperm count, sperm concentration, motile sperm, relative amounts of type A motility, and progressive motility sperm [A + B] in overweight and obese participants than in those with normal body mass index. Normal sperm morphology and sperm volume showed no clear difference between the four groups. This study indicates that body mass index has a negative effect on sperm quality in men of subfertile couples in a Northern Chinese population. Further study should be performed to investigate the relationship between body mass index and sperm quality in a larger population.

Work motivation of nurses: a literature review.

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Toode, Kristi; Routasalo, Pirkko; Suominen, Tarja

2011-02-01

The aim of this review is to describe nurses' work motivation from the perspective of staff nurses. This information would be useful for the development of motivation strategies and further research into nurses' work motivation. A thorough review of the research literature. The literature search was performed using four databases: CINAHL, PubMed, PsychINFO, and SocINDEX. Only studies that met the following criteria were selected for review: (1) were published between 1990 and 2009, (2) were written in English, (3) dealt with work motivation, (4) concerned working staff nurses, (5) involved empirical research, (6) clearly and explicitly provided the research results about the factors affecting nurses' work motivation. Altogether 24 studies met these criteria and were included in this review. Inductive content analysis was carried out to analyse and categorise the data. Nursing research has neither clear understanding nor consensus about the concept of work motivation; nor has a universal definition been adopted. Despite limited empirical evidence it may be concluded that staff nurses appear to be motivated. Five categories of factors affecting their work motivation were identified: (1) work-place characteristics, (2) working conditions, (3) personal characteristics, (4) individual priorities, and (5) internal psychological states. Further research is needed to gain a more comprehensive insight into nurses' work motivation and the factors affecting it. This can be achieved by defining the concept of work motivation as precisely as possible, working out a pertinent research methodology, and subsequently developing and testing a theoretical model of nurses' work motivation. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Urinary collecting system invasion is associated with poor survival in patients with clear-cell renal cell carcinoma.

Science.gov (United States)

Bailey, George C; Boorjian, Stephen A; Ziegelmann, Matthew J; Westerman, Mary E; Lohse, Christine M; Leibovich, Bradley C; Cheville, John C; Thompson, R Houston

2017-04-01

To evaluate the prognostic significance of urinary collecting system invasion (UCSI) in a large series of patients with clear-cell renal cell carcinoma (RCC). Patients with clear-cell RCC treated with nephrectomy between 2001 and 2010 were reviewed from a prospectively maintained registry. One urological pathologist re-reviewed all slides. Cancer-specific survival was estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method, and associations of UCSI with death from RCC were evaluated using Cox models. Of the 859 patients with clear-cell RCC, 58 (6.8%) had UCSI. At last follow-up, 310 patients had died from RCC at a median of 1.8 years after surgery. The median follow-up for patients alive at last follow-up was 8.2 years. The estimated cancer-specific survival at 10 years after surgery for patients with UCSI was 17%, compared with 60% for patients without UCSI (P system invasion is associated with poor prognosis among patients with clear-cell RCC. If validated, consideration should be given to including UCSI in future staging systems. © 2016 The Authors BJU International © 2016 BJU International Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Bilateral vocal fold immobility: a 13 year review of etiologies, management and the utility of the Empey index.

Science.gov (United States)

Brake, Maria K; Anderson, Jennifer

2015-06-26

Bilateral vocal fold immobility (BVFI) is a rare diagnosis causing dyspnea, dysphonia and dysphagia. Management depends on respiratory performance, airway patency, vocal ability, and quality-of-life priorities. The authors review the presentation, management and outcome in patients diagnosed with BVFI. The utility and efficacy of the Empey index (EI) and the Expiratory Disproportion Index (EDI) are evaluated as an objective monitoring tools for BVFI patients. A 13-year retrospective review was performed of BVFI patients at St. Michael's Hospital, University of Toronto, a tertiary referral centre for laryngology. Forty-eight patients were included; 46 presented with airway obstruction symptoms. Tracheotomy was required for airway management in 40% of patients throughout the course of their treatment, which was reduced to 19% at the end of the study period. Twenty-one patients underwent endoscopic arytenoidectomy/cordotomy. Non-operative management included continuous positive airway pressure devices. Pulmonary function testing was carried out in 29 patients. Only a portion of the BVFI patients met the defined upper airway obstruction criteria (45% EI and 52% EDI). Seven patients had complete pre- and post-operative PFTs for comparison and all seven had ratios that significantly improved post-operatively which correlated clinically. The EI and EDI have limited use in evaluating patients with who have variable upper airway obstruction, but may be helpful in monitoring within subject airway function changes.

Impact of fixed orthodontic appliance or clear-aligner on daily performance, in adult patients with moderate need for treatment.

Science.gov (United States)

Lin, Feiou; Yao, Linjie; Bhikoo, Chandradev; Guo, Jing

2016-01-01

To assess the impact of wearing fixed orthodontic appliance (FOA) or clear-aligner, on daily performance in adult patients. The Oral Impacts on Daily Performance (OIDP) index was assessed in 152 adults aged 25-35 years at baseline (T0), 6 months after bonding (T1), and 12 months after bonding (T2). Participants were randomly divided into two groups: CA group (participants treated with clear-aligner) and a control group (FOA group; participants treated with FOA). Baseline malocclusion severity was assessed using the Index of Orthodontic Treatment Need. There were no significant differences in sociodemographic variables and OIDP scores at baseline between the two groups. Significant changes in OIDP total and subscale scores were observed while wearing FOA: OIDP total score and subscale scores of eating, cleaning teeth, smiling, and social relation at T1 and T2 were significantly higher than at baseline (P<0.05 or P<0.01). However, only OIDP total score was significantly increased at T1 compared to the baseline in the CA group. OIDP total score and subscale scores of eating, cleaning teeth, smiling, and social relation were significantly higher in patients wearing FOA than in patients wearing clear-aligner at T1 and T2 (P<0.05 or P<0.01). Patients wearing clear-aligner have fewer impacts on daily life than those wearing FOA during treatment, and have no significant changes in OIPD subscale scores at 12 months. FOA therapy significantly impacts daily performance in adult patients during treatment.

Anthropometric indicators of abdominal obesity: review of the papers indexed on SciELO electronic library

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Claudio Barnabé dos Santos Cavalcanti

2009-01-01

Full Text Available http://dx.doi.org/10.5007/1980-0037.2009v11n2p217   A systematic review of original articles published between 1993 and 2007 and indexed in SciELO (Scientific Electronic Library Online was carried out to identify the anthropometric indicators used to assess abdominal obesity in different target subgroups, and to provide an overview of available evidence regarding the relationship between these anthropometric indicators and obesity-associated comorbidities. The articles were analyzed and the following data were collected:year of publication, sample size and age, anthropometric measure used to detect abdominal obesity, and main results of the study. The review comprised 47 articles which met all inclusion criteria, most of them published over the last 5 years. Waist-hip ratio and waist circumference were used as indicators of abdominal obesity in 34 and 11 of the articles reviewed, respectively. With respect to age range, the samples were heterogeneous in most of the studies (n=27 and ten included adolescents. Four studies were conducted on elderly subjects and three included children, but none exclusively involved adolescents as the target population. The sample size was larger than 500 in 26 studies. Despite disagreement in terms of the degree of correlation, the studies generally showed that the anthropometric indicators of abdominal obesity were correlated with hypertension, diabetes, dyslipidemias, and coronary heart risk. The results of this review suggest that abdominal obesity is associated with metabolic diseases. However, there is a lack of studies involving the adolescent population, suggesting the need for further research in this area.

Rapidly curable electrically conductive clear coatings

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bowman, Mark P.; Anderson, Lawrence G.; Post, Gordon L.

2018-01-16

Rapidly curable electrically conductive clear coatings are applied to substrates. The electrically conductive clear coating includes to clear layer having a resinous binder with ultrafine non-stoichiometric tungsten oxide particles dispersed therein. The clear coating may be rapidly cured by subjecting the coating to infrared radiation that heats the tungsten oxide particles and surrounding resinous binder. Localized heating increases the temperature of the coating to thereby thermally cure the coating, while avoiding unwanted heating of the underlying substrate.

On the history of the connectivity index: from the connectivity index to the exact solution of the protein alignment problem.

Science.gov (United States)

Randić, M

2015-01-01

We briefly review the history of the connectivity index from 1975 to date. We hope to throw some light on why this unique, by its design, graph theoretical molecular descriptor continues to be of interest in QSAR, having wide use in applications in structure-property and structure-activity studies. We will elaborate on its generalizations and the insights it offered on applications in Multiple Regression Analysis (MRA). Going beyond the connectivity index we will outline several related developments in the development of molecular descriptors used in MRA, including molecular ID numbers (1986), the variable connectivity index (1991), orthogonal regression (1991), irrelevance of co-linearity of descriptors (1997), anti-connectivity (2006), and high discriminatory descriptors characterizing molecular similarity (2015). We will comment on beauty in QSAR and recent progress in searching for similarity of DNA, proteins and the proteome. This review reports on several results which are little known to the structure-property-activity community, the significance of which may surprise those unfamiliar with the application of discrete mathematics to chemistry. It tells the reader many unknown stories about the connectivity index, which may help the reader to better understand the meaning of this index. Readers are not required to be familiar with graph theory.

Skin optical clearing potential of disaccharides

Science.gov (United States)

Feng, Wei; Shi, Rui; Ma, Ning; Tuchina, Daria K.; Tuchin, Valery V.; Zhu, Dan

2016-08-01

Skin optical clearing can significantly enhance the ability of biomedical optical imaging. Some alcohols and sugars have been selected to be optical clearing agents (OCAs). In this work, we paid attention to the optical clearing potential of disaccharides. Sucrose and maltose were chosen as typical disaccharides to compare with fructose, an excellent monosaccharide-OCA, by using molecular dynamics simulation and an ex vivo experiment. The experimental results indicated that the optical clearing efficacy of skin increases linearly with the concentration for each OCA. Both the theoretical predication and experimental results revealed that the two disaccharides exerted a better optical clearing potential than fructose at the same concentration, and sucrose is optimal. Since maltose has an extremely low saturation concentration, the other two OCAs with saturation concentrations were treated topically on rat skin in vivo, and optical coherence tomography imaging was applied to monitor the optical clearing process. The results demonstrated that sucrose could cause a more significant increase in imaging depth and signal intensity than fructose.

Clear cell myomelanocytic tumor of the falciform ligament/ligamentum teres

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Yan Tan

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Clear cell myomelanocytic tumors (CCMTs of the falciform ligament/ligamentum teres are extremely rare. CCMTs are a variant of perivascular epithelioid cell tumors. We present a case of hepatic CCMT in a 54-year-old woman with abdominal pain. The patient had an 8.8 cm well-demarcated tumor in the right lobe of the liver. Contrast-enhanced computed tomography showed a heterogeneous mass that enhanced significantly in the arterial and portal venous phases, and was less enhanced in the delayed phase. The patient underwent a right hemihepatectomy and cholecystectomy. The tumor cells had clear to slightly eosinophilic cytoplasm, vesicular nuclei, and were positive for HMB-45 and smooth muscle actin. The patient had no recurrence after 36 months follow-up. A review of the literature identified 10 hepatic CCMTs. Hepatic CCMTs are usually benign tumors of young women that present as large masses located in the right lobe of the liver.

Educational gaming in the health sciences: systematic review.

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Blakely, Gillian; Skirton, Heather; Cooper, Simon; Allum, Peter; Nelmes, Pam

2009-02-01

This paper is a report of a review to investigate the use of games to support classroom learning in the health sciences. One aim of education in the health sciences is to enable learners to develop professional competence. Students have a range of learning styles and innovative teaching strategies assist in creating a dynamic learning environment. New attitudes towards experiential learning methods have contributed to the expansion of gaming as a strategy. A search for studies published between January 1980 and June 2008 was undertaken, using appropriate search terms. The databases searched were: British Education Index, British Nursing Index, The Cochrane Library, CINAHLPlus, Medline, PubMed, ERIC, PsychInfo and Australian Education Index. All publications and theses identified through the search were assessed for relevance. Sixteen papers reporting empirical studies or reviews that involved comparison of gaming with didactic methods were included. The limited research available indicates that, while both traditional didactic methods and gaming have been successful in increasing student knowledge, neither method is clearly more helpful to students. The use of games generally enhances student enjoyment and may improve long-term retention of information. While the use of games can be viewed as a viable teaching strategy, care should be exercised in the use of specific games that have not been assessed objectively. Further research on the use of gaming is needed to enable educators to gaming techniques appropriately for the benefit of students and, ultimately, patients.

Mesotherapy: a bibliographical review.

Science.gov (United States)

Herreros, Fernanda Oliveira Camargo; Moraes, Aparecida Machado de; Velho, Paulo Eduardo Neves Ferreira

2011-01-01

Intradermotherapy is a medical procedure introduced by Pistor in 1958 that consists in the application of intradermal injections of diluted pharmacological substances that are given directly into the region to be treated. There are reports of the use of intradermotherapy to treat painful diseases, skin diseases and unaesthetic conditions. Medical clinics have been recently offering the treatment of intradermotherapy, using the more popular name for this practice - mesotherapy. There is only scant scientific information about this subject published in periodicals indexed on MedLine. Only a few states rigorously pursue this method. Most indexed publications about this subject deal with the complications of this technique. Unaesthetic dermatoses have been a common complaint in dermatologic clinics, and it has become necessary to have scientific evidence to give to patients. Therefore, well-researched scientific studies about this technique are necessary to offer data to medical professionals that will clearly explain to patients both the benefits and the risks of these procedures. A bibliographical review was conducted and we verified the need for new studies with adequate methods to confirm the benefits of intradermotherapy as used in dermatologic treatment.

Information sources for obesity prevention policy research: a review of systematic reviews.

Science.gov (United States)

Hanneke, Rosie; Young, Sabrina K

2017-08-08

Systematic identification of evidence in health policy can be time-consuming and challenging. This study examines three questions pertaining to systematic reviews on obesity prevention policy, in order to identify the most efficient search methods: (1) What percentage of the primary studies selected for inclusion in the reviews originated in scholarly as opposed to gray literature? (2) How much of the primary scholarly literature in this topic area is indexed in PubMed/MEDLINE? (3) Which databases index the greatest number of primary studies not indexed in PubMed, and are these databases searched consistently across systematic reviews? We identified systematic reviews on obesity prevention policy and explored their search methods and citations. We determined the percentage of scholarly vs. gray literature cited, the most frequently cited journals, and whether each primary study was indexed in PubMed. We searched 21 databases for all primary study articles not indexed in PubMed to determine which database(s) indexed the highest number of these relevant articles. In total, 21 systematic reviews were identified. Ten of the 21 systematic reviews reported searching gray literature, and 12 reviews ultimately included gray literature in their analyses. Scholarly articles accounted for 577 of the 649 total primary study papers. Of these, 495 (76%) were indexed in PubMed. Google Scholar retrieved the highest number of the remaining 82 non-PubMed scholarly articles, followed by Scopus and EconLit. The Journal of the American Dietetic Association was the most-cited journal. Researchers can maximize search efficiency by searching a small yet targeted selection of both scholarly and gray literature resources. A highly sensitive search of PubMed and those databases that index the greatest number of relevant articles not indexed in PubMed, namely multidisciplinary and economics databases, could save considerable time and effort. When combined with a gray literature search and

78 FR 39027 - Order Granting the Fixed Income Clearing Corporation's Amended Application for Permanent...

Science.gov (United States)

2013-06-28

... accounting controls prepared by an independent public accountant, and notice of any proposed rule changes.\\58... select, or participate in the selection of, the clearing agency's independent public accountant and that would review the nature and scope of the work to be performed by the independent public accountant and...

17 CFR 39.7 - Fraud in connection with the clearing of transactions on a derivatives clearing organization.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... 17 Commodity and Securities Exchanges 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Fraud in connection with the clearing of transactions on a derivatives clearing organization. 39.7 Section 39.7 Commodity and Securities Exchanges COMMODITY FUTURES TRADING COMMISSION DERIVATIVES CLEARING ORGANIZATIONS § 39.7 Fraud in connection...

Acupuncture for chronic prostatitis: A systematic review and meta-analysis protocol.

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Peng, Tianzhong; Cheng, Ying; Jin, Yuhao; Xu, Na; Guo, Taipin

2018-04-01

Chronic prostatitis (CP) is a prevalent genitourinary condition. Considering its safety profile, acupuncture can be an option treating CP symptoms. The aim of this review is to undertake a systematic review to estimate the effectiveness and safety of acupuncture on CP. We will search all randomized controlled trials for CP in August 2018 in the databases of MEDLINE, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, EMBASE, Springer, WHO International Clinical Trials Registry Platform (ICTRP), China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Wan fang, Chinese Biomedical Literature Database (CBM), PsycInfo, Chinese Scientific Journal Database (VIP), and other available resources. Languages are limited as English and Chinese. Search terms used are will "acupuncture," and "chronic prostatitis," "non-bacterial prostatitis," "abacterial prostatitis." And duplicates will be screened. The primary outcomes consisted of improvement rate and pain relief evaluated by The National Institutes of Health Chronic Prostatitis Symptom Index (NIH-CPSI) index. Secondary outcomes include the recurrence rate and side effects, such as pneumothorax, discomforts, and infection. This study will demonstrate an evidence-based review of acupuncture for chronic prostatitis. The study will provide clear evidence to assess the effectiveness and side effects of acupuncture for chronic prostatitis. There is no requirement of ethical approval and it will be in print or disseminated by electronic copies. CRD42018088834.

Weighing the evidence of low glycemic index dietary intervention for the management of gestational diabetes mellitus: an Asian perspective.

Science.gov (United States)

Mohd Yusof, Barakatun-Nisak; Firouzi, Somayyeh; Mohd Shariff, Zalilah; Mustafa, Norlaila; Mohamed Ismail, Nor Azlin; Kamaruddin, Nor Azmi

2014-03-01

This review aims to evaluate the effectiveness of low glycemic index (GI) dietary intervention for the treatment of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), specifically from the Asian perspective. A systematic review of the literature using multiple databases without time restriction was conducted. Three studies were retrieved based upon a priori inclusion criteria. While there was a trend towards improvement, no significant differences were observed in overall glycemic control and pregnancy outcomes in GDM women. However, a tendency for lower birth weight and birth centile if the intervention began earlier was noted. Low GI diets were well accepted and had identical macro-micronutrient compositions as the control diets. However, due to genetic, environment and especially food pattern discrepancies between Western countries and Asians, these results may not be contributed to Asian context. Clearly, there are limited studies focusing on the effect of low GI dietary intervention in women with GDM, particularly in Asia.

Benefit of general anesthesia monitored by bispectral index compared with monitoring guided only by clinical parameters. Systematic review and meta-analysis

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Carlos Rogério Degrandi Oliveira

Full Text Available Abstract Background: The bispectral index parameter is used to guide the titration of general anesthesia; however, many studies have shown conflicting results regarding the benefits of bispectral index monitoring. The objective of this systematic review with meta-analysis is to evaluate the clinical impact of monitoring with the bispectral index parameter. Methods: The search for evidence in scientific information sources was conducted during December 2013 to January 2015, the following primary databases: Medline/PubMed, LILACS, Cochrane, CINAHL, Ovid, SCOPUS and TESES. The criteria for inclusion in the study were randomized controlled trials, comparing general anesthesia monitored, with bispectral index parameter with anesthesia guided solely by clinical parameters, and patients aged over 18 years. The criteria for exclusion were studies involving anesthesia or sedation for diagnostic procedures, and intraoperative wake-up test for surgery of the spine. Results: The use of monitoring with the bispectral index has shown benefits reducing time to extubation, orientation in time and place, and discharge from both the operating room and post anesthetic care unit. The risk of nausea and vomiting after surgery was reduced by 12% in patients monitored with bispectral index. Occurred a reduction of 3% in the risk of cognitive impairment postoperatively at 3 months postoperatively and 6% reduction in the risk of postoperative delirium in patients monitored with bispectral index. Furthermore, the risk of intraoperative memory has been reduced by 1%. Conclusion: Clinically, anesthesia monitoring with the BIS can be justified because it allows advantages from reducing the recovery time after waking, mainly by reducing the administration of general anesthetics as well as the risk of adverse events.

An Open Science Peer Review Oath [v2; ref status: indexed, http://f1000r.es/4wf

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Jelena Aleksic

2015-01-01

Full Text Available One of the foundations of the scientific method is to be able to reproduce experiments and corroborate the results of research that has been done before. However, with the increasing complexities of new technologies and techniques, coupled with the specialisation of experiments, reproducing research findings has become a growing challenge. Clearly, scientific methods must be conveyed succinctly, and with clarity and rigour, in order for research to be reproducible. Here, we propose steps to help increase the transparency of the scientific method and the reproducibility of research results: specifically, we introduce a peer-review oath and accompanying manifesto. These have been designed to offer guidelines to enable reviewers (with the minimum friction or bias to follow and apply open science principles, and support the ideas of transparency, reproducibility and ultimately greater societal impact. Introducing the oath and manifesto at the stage of peer review will help to check that the research being published includes everything that other researchers would need to successfully repeat the work. Peer review is the lynchpin of the publishing system: encouraging the community to consciously (and conscientiously uphold these principles should help to improve published papers, increase confidence in the reproducibility of the work and, ultimately, provide strategic benefits to authors and their institutions.

Study of the epidermis ablation effect on the efficiency of optical clearing of skin in vivo

Science.gov (United States)

Genina, E. A.; Ksenofontova, N. S.; Bashkatov, A. N.; Terentyuk, G. S.; Tuchin, V. V.

2017-06-01

We present the results of a comparative analysis of optical immersion clearing of skin in laboratory animals in vivo with and without preliminary ablation of epidermis. Laser ablation is implemented using a setup based on a pulsed erbium laser (λ = 2940 nm). The size of the damaged region amounted to 6 × 6 mm, the depth being smaller than 50 μm. As an optical clearing agent (OCA), use is made of polyethylene glycol (PEG-300). Based on optical coherence tomography, we use the single scattering model to estimate the scattering coefficient in the process of optical clearing in 2 regions at depths of 50-170 μm and 150-400 μm. The results show that skin surface ablation leads to the local oedema of the affected region that increases the scattering coefficient. However, the intense evaporation of water from the ablation zone facilitates the optical clearing at the expense of tissue dehydration, particularly in the upper layers. The assessment of the optical clearing efficiency shows that the efficiency exceeding 30% can be achieved at a depth from 50 to 170 μm in 120 min after ablation, as well as after the same ablation with subsequent application of PEG-300, which increases the efficiency of the immersion method by almost 1.8 times. At a depth from 150 to 400 μm, dehydration of upper layers cannot completely compensate for an increase in light scattering by dermis after epidermis ablation. The additional effect of OCA enhances the optical clearing of skin at the expense of improving the refractive index matching between dermis components, but the maximal efficiency of optical clearing in 120 min does not exceed 6%.

Sustainability index for Taipei

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Y.-J.; Huang Chingming

2007-01-01

Sustainability indicators are an effective means of determining whether a city is moving towards sustainable development (SD). After considering the characteristics of Taipei, Taiwan, discussions with experts, scholars and government departments and an exhaustive literature review, this study selected 51 sustainability indicators corresponding to the socio-economic characteristic of Taipei City. Such indicators should be regarded as a basis for assessing SD in Taipei City. The 51 indicators are classified into economic, social, environmental and institutional dimensions. Furthermore, statistical data is adopted to identify the trend of SD from 1994 to 2004. Moreover, the sustainability index is calculated for the four dimensions and for Taipei as a whole. Analysis results demonstrate that social and environmental indicators are moving towards SD, while economic and institutional dimensions are performing relatively poorly. However, since 2002, the economic sustainability index has gradually moved towards SD. Overall, the Taipei sustainability index indicates a gradual trend towards sustainable development during the past 11 years

Automatic indexing, compiling and classification

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Andreewsky, Alexandre; Fluhr, Christian.

1975-06-01

A review of the principles of automatic indexing, is followed by a comparison and summing-up of work by the authors and by a Soviet staff from the Moscou INFORM-ELECTRO Institute. The mathematical and linguistic problems of the automatic building of thesaurus and automatic classification are examined [fr

Media Language, Clear or Obscure

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jakobsen, Bjarne le Fevre; Ejstrup, Michael

2015-01-01

Abstract— Be clear, not obscure. One of the four maxims for optimal communication is that it is essential to develop proficiency in being concise and clear. The question is whether this is really a good idea in all contexts. There is some evidence to the contrary. Undoubtedly, we have many contexts...

Diet - clear liquid

Science.gov (United States)

... Group. Clear liquid diet. In: Morrison. Manual of Clinical Nutrition Management. Updated 2013. bscn2k15.weebly.com/uploads/1/2/9/2/12924787/manual_of_clinical_nutrition2013.pdf . Accessed August 20, 2016. Schattner MA, ...

A giant benign clear cell hidradenoma on the anterior trunk

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Damlanur Sakiz

2011-10-01

Full Text Available Clear cell hidroadenoma (CCA is a uncommon variant of bening cutaneous adnexial tumors. These tumors are clinically asymptomatic, solitary dermal nodules. they occur most frequently on the scalp, face, abdomen and the extremities. Growth is slow and malignant change is rare. 45- year-old woman presented us with a nodule with a central ulceration and a minimal hemoragic discharge on her anterior abdomen wall which had begun 4 years ago as a small nodular asymptomatic lesion. On dermatological examination there was a 6.5x4x5 cm non-tender, soft reddish purple nodule with lobular appearence and ulceration. In the laboratory investigations, all the hematologic and biochemical tests were normal. A CT scan demonstrated a cyctic tumor with lobulated countour with contrast enhancement. The lesion excised totally. In histopathological examination the tumor was composed of biphasic  smaller dark polygonal cells and larger clera cells and coarse nuclear chromatine. There were duct like structures. Immunohistochemical investigation was done for the suspicion of malignancy. Cytoplasm of clear cells and duct like structures showed PAS positive and d-Pas resistant staining. There was a positive reactivity to epithelial membrane antigen and carcinoembrionic antigen. The mitotic index in Ki 67 examination was low. All these findings confirmed the diagnosis of bening CCA. 

A revision of the revaluation index of Spanish pensions

OpenAIRE

Roch, Oriol; Bosch Príncep, Manuela; Morillo, Isabel; Vilalta de Miguel, Daniel

2017-01-01

This article reviews the methodological aspects of the revaluation index of Spanish pensions developed following Law 23/2013 which regulates the sustainability factor and revaluation index of the Social Security pension system. From a gradual breakdown of the elements that make up the revaluation index, an exposition is given of the formal and implementation problems it involves. Finally, an alternative model based on dynamic optimization techniques is proposed and its use is illustrated with...

SNOW CLEARING SERVICE WINTER 2001-2002

CERN Multimedia

ST-HM Group; Tel. 72202

2001-01-01

As usual at this time of the year, the snowing clearing service, which comes under the control of the Transport Group (ST-HM), is preparing for the start of snow-clearing operations (timetable, stand-by service, personnel responsible for driving vehicles and machines, preparation of useful and necessary equipment, work instructions, etc.) in collaboration with the Cleaning Service (ST-TFM) and the Fire Brigade (TIS-FB). The main difficulty for the snow-clearing service is the car parks, which cannot be properly cleared because of the presence of CERN and private vehicles parked there overnight in different parts of the parking areas. The ST-HM Transport Group would therefore like to invite you to park vehicles together in order to facilitate the access of the snow ploughs, thus allowing the car parks to be cleared more efficiently before the personnel arrives for work in the mornings.

MODIS Collection 6 Clear Sky Restoral (CSR): Filtering Cloud Mast 'Not Clear' Pixels

Science.gov (United States)

Meyer, Kerry G.; Platnick, Steven Edward; Wind, Galina; Riedi, Jerome

2014-01-01

Correctly identifying cloudy pixels appropriate for the MOD06 cloud optical and microphysical property retrievals is accomplished in large part using results from the MOD35 1km cloud mask tests (note there are also two 250m subpixel cloud mask tests that can convert the 1km cloudy designations to clear sky). However, because MOD35 is by design clear sky conservative (i.e., it identifies "not clear" pixels), certain situations exist in which pixels identified by MOD35 as "cloudy" are nevertheless likely to be poor retrieval candidates. For instance, near the edge of clouds or within broken cloud fields, a given 1km MODIS field of view (FOV) may in fact only be partially cloudy. This can be problematic for the MOD06 retrievals because in these cases the assumptions of a completely overcast homogenous cloudy FOV and 1-dimensional plane-parallel radiative transfer no longer hold, and subsequent retrievals will be of low confidence. Furthermore, some pixels may be identified by MOD35 as "cloudy" for reasons other than the presence of clouds, such as scenes with thick smoke or lofted dust, and should therefore not be retrieved as clouds. With such situations in mind, a Clear Sky Restoral (CSR) algorithm was introduced in C5 that attempts to identify pixels expected to be poor retrieval candidates. Table 1 provides SDS locations for CSR and partly cloudy (PCL) pixels.

Seeing through Musculoskeletal Tissues: Improving In Situ Imaging of Bone and the Lacunar Canalicular System through Optical Clearing

Science.gov (United States)

Berke, Ian M.; Miola, Joseph P.; David, Michael A.; Smith, Melanie K.; Price, Christopher

2016-01-01

In situ, cells of the musculoskeletal system reside within complex and often interconnected 3-D environments. Key to better understanding how 3-D tissue and cellular environments regulate musculoskeletal physiology, homeostasis, and health is the use of robust methodologies for directly visualizing cell-cell and cell-matrix architecture in situ. However, the use of standard optical imaging techniques is often of limited utility in deep imaging of intact musculoskeletal tissues due to the highly scattering nature of biological tissues. Drawing inspiration from recent developments in the deep-tissue imaging field, we describe the application of immersion based optical clearing techniques, which utilize the principle of refractive index (RI) matching between the clearing/mounting media and tissue under observation, to improve the deep, in situ imaging of musculoskeletal tissues. To date, few optical clearing techniques have been applied specifically to musculoskeletal tissues, and a systematic comparison of the clearing ability of optical clearing agents in musculoskeletal tissues has yet to be fully demonstrated. In this study we tested the ability of eight different aqueous and non-aqueous clearing agents, with RIs ranging from 1.45 to 1.56, to optically clear murine knee joints and cortical bone. We demonstrated and quantified the ability of these optical clearing agents to clear musculoskeletal tissues and improve both macro- and micro-scale imaging of musculoskeletal tissue across several imaging modalities (stereomicroscopy, spectroscopy, and one-, and two-photon confocal microscopy) and investigational techniques (dynamic bone labeling and en bloc tissue staining). Based upon these findings we believe that optical clearing, in combination with advanced imaging techniques, has the potential to complement classical musculoskeletal analysis techniques; opening the door for improved in situ investigation and quantification of musculoskeletal tissues. PMID:26930293

Seeing through Musculoskeletal Tissues: Improving In Situ Imaging of Bone and the Lacunar Canalicular System through Optical Clearing.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ian M Berke

Full Text Available In situ, cells of the musculoskeletal system reside within complex and often interconnected 3-D environments. Key to better understanding how 3-D tissue and cellular environments regulate musculoskeletal physiology, homeostasis, and health is the use of robust methodologies for directly visualizing cell-cell and cell-matrix architecture in situ. However, the use of standard optical imaging techniques is often of limited utility in deep imaging of intact musculoskeletal tissues due to the highly scattering nature of biological tissues. Drawing inspiration from recent developments in the deep-tissue imaging field, we describe the application of immersion based optical clearing techniques, which utilize the principle of refractive index (RI matching between the clearing/mounting media and tissue under observation, to improve the deep, in situ imaging of musculoskeletal tissues. To date, few optical clearing techniques have been applied specifically to musculoskeletal tissues, and a systematic comparison of the clearing ability of optical clearing agents in musculoskeletal tissues has yet to be fully demonstrated. In this study we tested the ability of eight different aqueous and non-aqueous clearing agents, with RIs ranging from 1.45 to 1.56, to optically clear murine knee joints and cortical bone. We demonstrated and quantified the ability of these optical clearing agents to clear musculoskeletal tissues and improve both macro- and micro-scale imaging of musculoskeletal tissue across several imaging modalities (stereomicroscopy, spectroscopy, and one-, and two-photon confocal microscopy and investigational techniques (dynamic bone labeling and en bloc tissue staining. Based upon these findings we believe that optical clearing, in combination with advanced imaging techniques, has the potential to complement classical musculoskeletal analysis techniques; opening the door for improved in situ investigation and quantification of musculoskeletal

Clear progress in nuclear safety worldwide: Convention on nuclear safety concludes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2002-01-01

It has been concluded that a significant progress has been observed in a number of key areas, such as strengthened legislation, regulatory independence, the availability of financial resources, enhanced emergency preparedness and safety improvements at nuclear power plants built to earlier standards. The objective of the Convention is to achieve and maintain a high level of nuclear safety worldwide. During the two week Review Meeting, parties engaged in a 'peer review' process in which the National Reports from individual States were collectively examined and discussed, with written replies provided to all the questions raised. Clear improvement was noted in the quality of the National Reports, the number of questions and the openness and quality of discussion and answers. The Contracting Parties praised the IAEA's various safety review missions and services, which they use widely to help enhance the effectiveness of their national safety arrangements. Forty-six contracting parties participated at the Review Meeting with over 400 delegates attending, including many heads and senior officers from regulatory bodies and experts from industry. To date, the Convention has been signed by sixty-five States and ratified by fifty-four, representing 428 of the 448 nuclear power reactors worldwide

Rate and factors influencing the conversion of abstracts presented at the argentinian congress of hypertension meetings to indexed full peer-reviewed publications.

Science.gov (United States)

Barochiner, J; Martínez, R; Choi, M; Espeche, W; Micali, R G; Tomat, A

2018-03-01

Publication rates vary significantly among different scientific meetings, with many abstracts never being published as peer-reviewed articles. This issue has never been investigated in the Hypertension field in Argentina. Our purpose was to determine the proportion of abstracts presented at the Argentinian Congress of Hypertension meetings that were published as full articles in peer-reviewed indexed journals, the time lag to publication and the factors associated with successful publication. we conducted a PubMed search to identify peer-reviewed publications of abstracts presented at the Argentinian Congress of Hypertension meetings between 2006 and 2015, assessing publication rate along with the time lag to publication. We also extracted information about several abstract characteristics and, for those that got published, we recorded the date of publication and journal name with its impact factor and H index. Predictors of publication were analyzed using a multivariable model. a total of 619 abstracts were presented between 2006 and 2015. The rate of conversion to full-text peer-reviewed articles by June 2017 was 28.1% (95%CI 24.7-31.8%), with a median time to publication of 15.7 months (IQR 8-30.9). On multivariable analysis, the independent predictors of publication were basic science category (OR 5 [95%CI 2.3-10.8], p<0.001), oral presentation (OR 2.8 [95%CI 1.6-4.9], p<0.001) and being an award winner for the presentation (OR 3 [95%CI 1.3-6.8], p=0.01). conversion rate to full peer-reviewed articles of abstracts presented at the Argentinian Congress of Hypertension meetings is far from ideal, with potential areas where efforts should be concentrated to improve dissemination of knowledge. Copyright © 2018 SEH-LELHA. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Assessment of patient's experiences across the interface between primary and secondary care: Consumer Quality Index Continuum of Care

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Berendsen, A.J.; Groenier, K.H.; Jong, de G.M.; Jong, de B.A.; Veen, van der W.J.; Dekker, J.; Waal, de M.W.M.; Schuling, J.

2009-01-01

0.4, except between the domains GP Approach and GP Referral. All domains clearly produced discriminating scores for groups with different characteristics. CONCLUSIONS: The Consumer Quality Index (CQ-index) Continuum of Care can be a useful instrument to assess aspects of the collaboration between

A scoping review protocol on the roles and tasks of peer reviewers in the manuscript review process in biomedical journals.

Science.gov (United States)

Glonti, Ketevan; Cauchi, Daniel; Cobo, Erik; Boutron, Isabelle; Moher, David; Hren, Darko

2017-10-22

The primary functions of peer reviewers are poorly defined. Thus far no body of literature has systematically identified the roles and tasks of peer reviewers of biomedical journals. A clear establishment of these can lead to improvements in the peer review process. The purpose of this scoping review is to determine what is known on the roles and tasks of peer reviewers. We will use the methodological framework first proposed by Arksey and O'Malley and subsequently adapted by Levac et al and the Joanna Briggs Institute. The scoping review will include all study designs, as well as editorials, commentaries and grey literature. The following eight electronic databases will be searched (from inception to May 2017): Cochrane Library, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, Educational Resources Information Center, EMBASE, MEDLINE, PsycINFO, Scopus and Web of Science. Two reviewers will use inclusion and exclusion criteria based on the 'Population-Concept-Context' framework to independently screen titles and abstracts of articles considered for inclusion. Full-text screening of relevant eligible articles will also be carried out by two reviewers. The search strategy for grey literature will include searching in websites of existing networks, biomedical journal publishers and organisations that offer resources for peer reviewers. In addition we will review journal guidelines to peer reviewers on how to perform the manuscript review. Journals will be selected using the 2016 journal impact factor. We will identify and assess the top five, middle five and lowest-ranking five journals across all medical specialties. This scoping review will undertake a secondary analysis of data already collected and does not require ethical approval. The results will be disseminated through journals and conferences targeting stakeholders involved in peer review in biomedical research. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the

Habitat Suitability Index Models: Red-winged blackbird

Science.gov (United States)

Short, Henry L.

1985-01-01

A review and synthesis of existing information were used to develop a Habitat Suitability Index (HSI) model for the red-winged blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus L.). The model consolidates habitat use information into a framework appropriate for field application, and is scaled to produce an index between 0.0 (unsuitable habitat) to 1.0 (optimum habitat). HSI models are designed to be used with Habitat Evaluation Procedures previously developed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Effect of talker and speaking style on the Speech Transmission Index (L)

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Wijngaarden, S.J. van; Houtgast, T.

2004-01-01

The Speech Transmission Index (STI) is routinely applied for predicting the intelligibility of messages (sentences) in noise and reverberation. Despite clear evidence that the STI is capable of doing so accurately, recent results indicate that the STI sometimes underestimates the effect of

INDEXING AND INDEX FUNDS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

HAKAN SARITAŞ

2013-06-01

Full Text Available Proponents of the efficient market hypothesis believe that active portfolio management is largely wasted effort and unlikely to justify the expenses incurred. Therefore, they advocate a passive investment strategy that makes no attempt to outsmart the market. One common strategy for passive management is indexing where a fund is designed to replicate the performance of a broad-based index of stocks and bonds. Traditionally, indexing was used by institutional investors, but today, the use of index funds proliferated among individual investors. Over the years, both international and domestic index funds have disproportionately outperformed the market more than the actively managed funds have.

Snow-clearing operations

CERN Multimedia

EN Department

2010-01-01

To facilitate snow clearing operations, which commence at 4.30 in the morning, all drivers of CERN cars are kindly requested to park them together in groups. This will help us greatly assist us in our work. Thank-you for your help. Transport Group / EN-HE Tel. 72202

Energy transition index Germany 2020+. New compass for the turnaround; Energiewende-Index Deutschland 2020+. Neuer Kompass fuer die Wende

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Vahlenkamp, Thomas; Kropeit, Julia [McKinsey and Company, Duesseldorf (Germany); Ritzenhofen, Ingmar [McKinsey and Company, Koeln (Germany); Gersema, Gerke [McKinsey and Company, Berlin (Germany)

2017-10-15

Does the energy transition keep what it once promised? Five years after the first index survey, the balance sheet is mixed: While key objectives such as the reduction of CO{sub 2} emissions are not achieved, important new tasks are lacking in target marks - such as the decarbonisation of the heating and transport sector or the interplay of central and decentralized supply. The energy transition index addresses these future topics with new indicators and calculation bases. Now it is up to the next federal government to set the right course so that the energy transition becomes a success story. The formulation of less, consistent and clear goals rank first. [German] Haelt die Energiewende, was sie einst versprochen hat? Fuenf Jahre nach der ersten Index-Erhebung faellt die Bilanz gemischt aus: Waehrend zentrale Ziele wie die Reduktion der CO{sub 2}-Emissionen nicht erreicht werden, fehlt es fuer wichtige neue Aufgaben an verbindlichen Zielmarken - etwa zur Dekarbonisierung des Waerme- und Verkehrssektors oder zum Zusammenspiel von zentraler und dezentraler Versorgung. Der Energiewende-Index adressiert diese Zukunftsthemen mit neuen Indikatoren und Berechnungsgrundlagen. Jetzt ist es an der kommenden Bundesregierung, die richtigen Weichen zu stellen, damit die Energiewende zur Erfolgsgeschichte wird. Die Formulierung weniger, konsistenter und klarer Ziele steht dabei an erster Stelle.

Physics of negative refractive index materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ramakrishna, S Anantha

2005-01-01

In the past few years, new developments in structured electromagnetic materials have given rise to negative refractive index materials which have both negative dielectric permittivity and negative magnetic permeability in some frequency ranges. The idea of a negative refractive index opens up new conceptual frontiers in photonics. One much-debated example is the concept of a perfect lens that enables imaging with sub-wavelength image resolution. Here we review the fundamental concepts and ideas of negative refractive index materials. First we present the ideas of structured materials or meta-materials that enable the design of new materials with a negative dielectric permittivity, negative magnetic permeability and negative refractive index. We discuss how a variety of resonance phenomena can be utilized to obtain these materials in various frequency ranges over the electromagnetic spectrum. The choice of the wave-vector in negative refractive index materials and the issues of dispersion, causality and energy transport are analysed. Various issues of wave propagation including nonlinear effects and surface modes in negative refractive materials (NRMs) are discussed. In the latter part of the review, we discuss the concept of a perfect lens consisting of a slab of a NRM. This perfect lens can image the far-field radiative components as well as the near-field evanescent components, and is not subject to the traditional diffraction limit. Different aspects of this lens such as the surface modes acting as the mechanism for the imaging of the evanescent waves, the limitations imposed by dissipation and dispersion in the negative refractive media, the generalization of this lens to optically complementary media and the possibility of magnification of the near-field images are discussed. Recent experimental developments verifying these ideas are briefly covered

INFLUENCE OF TRACE ELEMENTS AND THEIR CHELATES CONNECTIONS ON MORPHOLOGICAL COMPOSITIONS OF CARCASSES AND TASTING ESTIMATION OF MEAT AND CLEAR SOUP GOT FROM THE ANIMALS OF BLACK-GRAY BREED

OpenAIRE

FARIONIK T.V.

2008-01-01

In this article the investigational are described tasting estimation of meat and clear soup of got from experimental animals on food of scarce trace elements and them indifferent connections (Fe, Cu, Mn, Zn, Co). During adding to the ration of animals of scarce trace elements additions found out really the best organoleptic indexes of meat and clear soup.

Laryngeal Sensation Before and After Clearing Behaviors

Science.gov (United States)

Bonilha, Heather Shaw; Gerlach, Terri Treman; Sutton, Lori Ellen; Dawson, Amy Elizabeth; Nietert, Paul J

2013-01-01

Purpose People frequently present to voice clinics with complaints of irritating laryngeal sensations. Clinicians attempt to reduce the irritating sensations and their common sequela, coughing and throat clearing, by advocating for techniques that remove the irritation with less harm to the vocal fold tissue. Despite the prevalence of patients with these complaints, it is not known if the less harmful techniques recommended by clinicians are effective at clearing irritating laryngeal sensations or that irritating laryngeal sensations are, in fact, more frequent in people with voice disorders than people without voice disorders. Method Assessments of participant reported laryngeal sensation, pre- and post- clearing task, were obtained from 22 people with and 24 people without a voice disorder. Six clearing tasks were used to preliminarily evaluate the differing effects of tasks believed to be deleterious and ameliorative. Results People with and without voice disorders reported pre-clear laryngeal sensation at a similar rate. Post-clear sensation was less likely to be completely or partially removed in people with voice disorders than in the non-voice disordered group. Hard throat clear and swallow with water were the most effective techniques at removing laryngeal sensation. Conclusions The findings provide initial evidence for some of the clinical practices common to treating patients with voice disorders and chronic clearing such as advocating for swallowing a sip of water as a replacement behavior instead of coughing or throat clearing. However, the findings raise questions about other practices such as associating irritating laryngeal sensation with a voice disorder. PMID:22717491

Measuring the effects of topically applied skin optical clearing agents and modeling the effects and consequences for laser therapies

Science.gov (United States)

Verkruysse, Wim; Khan, Misbah; Choi, Bernard; Svaasand, Lars O.; Nelson, J. Stuart

2005-04-01

Human skin prepared with an optical clearing agent manifests reduced scattering as a result of de-hydration and refractive index matching. This has potentially large effects for laser therapies of several skin lesions such as port wine stain, hair removal and tattoo removal. With most topically applied clearing agents the clearing effect is limited because they penetrate poorly through the intact superficial skin layer (stratum corneum). Agent application modi other than topical are impractical and have limited the success of optical clearing in laser dermatology. In recent reports, however, a mixture of lipofylic and hydrofylic agents was shown to successfully penetrate through the intact stratum corneum layer which has raised new interest in this field. Immediately after application, the optical clearing effect is superficial and, as the agent diffuses through the skin, reduced scattering is manifested in deeper skin layers. For practical purposes as well as to maximize therapeutic success, it is important to quantify the reduced scattering as well as the trans-cutaneous transport dynamics of the agent. We determined the time and tissue depth resolved effects of optically cleared skin by inserting a microscopic reflector array in the skin. Depth dependent light intensity was measured by quantifying the signal of the reflector array with optical coherence tomography. A 1-dimensional mass diffusion model was used to estimate a trans-cutaneous transport diffusion constant for the clearing agent mixture. The results are used in Monte Carlo modeling to determine the optimal time of laser treatment after topical application of the optical clearing agent.

CLEARING OF ELECTRON CLOUD IN SNS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

WANG, L.; LEE, Y.Y.; RAPRIA, D.

2004-01-01

In this paper we describe a mechanism using the clearing electrodes to remove the electron cloud in the Spallation Neutron Source (SNS) accumulator ring, where strong multipacting could happen at median clearing fields. A similar phenomenon was reported in an experimental study at Los Alamos laboratory's Proton Synchrotron Ring (PSR). We also investigated the effectiveness of the solenoid's clearing mechanism in the SNS, which differs from the short bunch case, such as in B-factories. The titanium nitride (TiN) coating of the chamber walls was applied to reduce the secondary electron yield (SEY)

Primary peritoneal clear cell carcinoma versus ovarian carcinoma versus malignant transformation of endometriosis: a vexing issue.

Science.gov (United States)

Insabato, Luigi; Natella, Valentina; Somma, Anna; Persico, Marcello; Camera, Luigi; Losito, Nunzia Simona; Masone, Stefania

2015-05-01

Peritoneum is a site for both primary and secondary tumors. Primary peritoneal tumors are fairly rare. The most common primary tumors of the peritoneum are malignant mesothelioma and serous papillary adenocarcinoma. Clear cell carcinoma of the peritoneum is extremely rare and often misdiagnosed as mesothelioma, serous carcinoma, or metastatic adenocarcinoma, so it represents a diagnostic challenge for both clinicians and pathologists. Up to date, to the best of our knowledge, only 11 cases of primary peritoneal clear cell carcinoma have been reported in the English literature. Distinguishing this tumor of the peritoneum versus ovarian carcinoma can be problematic. Herein, we report a rare case of primary peritoneal clear cell carcinoma occurring in a 49-year-old woman, along with a review of the literature. © The Author(s) 2015.

Intelligibility of clear speech: effect of instruction.

Science.gov (United States)

Lam, Jennifer; Tjaden, Kris

2013-10-01

The authors investigated how clear speech instructions influence sentence intelligibility. Twelve speakers produced sentences in habitual, clear, hearing impaired, and overenunciate conditions. Stimuli were amplitude normalized and mixed with multitalker babble for orthographic transcription by 40 listeners. The main analysis investigated percentage-correct intelligibility scores as a function of the 4 conditions and speaker sex. Additional analyses included listener response variability, individual speaker trends, and an alternate intelligibility measure: proportion of content words correct. Relative to the habitual condition, the overenunciate condition was associated with the greatest intelligibility benefit, followed by the hearing impaired and clear conditions. Ten speakers followed this trend. The results indicated different patterns of clear speech benefit for male and female speakers. Greater listener variability was observed for speakers with inherently low habitual intelligibility compared to speakers with inherently high habitual intelligibility. Stable proportions of content words were observed across conditions. Clear speech instructions affected the magnitude of the intelligibility benefit. The instruction to overenunciate may be most effective in clear speech training programs. The findings may help explain the range of clear speech intelligibility benefit previously reported. Listener variability analyses suggested the importance of obtaining multiple listener judgments of intelligibility, especially for speakers with inherently low habitual intelligibility.

The World Bank's "Employing Workers" index

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lee, Sangheon; McCann, Deirdre; Torm, Nina Elisabeth

2008-01-01

This note provides an update on the ongoing debate over the World Bank's Doing Business project with a particular focus on its "Employing Workers" index, which is intended to measure difficulty of hiring, rigidity of working hours and difficulty of firing. The authors review the findings of studi...

CO2 efflux from cleared mangrove peat.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Catherine E Lovelock

Full Text Available CO(2 emissions from cleared mangrove areas may be substantial, increasing the costs of continued losses of these ecosystems, particularly in mangroves that have highly organic soils.We measured CO(2 efflux from mangrove soils that had been cleared for up to 20 years on the islands of Twin Cays, Belize. We also disturbed these cleared peat soils to assess what disturbance of soils after clearing may have on CO(2 efflux. CO(2 efflux from soils declines from time of clearing from ∼10,600 tonnes km(-2 year(-1 in the first year to 3000 tonnes km(2 year(-1 after 20 years since clearing. Disturbing peat leads to short term increases in CO(2 efflux (27 umol m(-2 s(-1, but this had returned to baseline levels within 2 days.Deforesting mangroves that grow on peat soils results in CO(2 emissions that are comparable to rates estimated for peat collapse in other tropical ecosystems. Preventing deforestation presents an opportunity for countries to benefit from carbon payments for preservation of threatened carbon stocks.

Internalization, Clearing and Settlement, and Liquidity

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Degryse, H.A.; van Achter, M.; Wuyts, G.

2012-01-01

Abstract: We study the relation between liquidity in financial markets and post-trading fees (i.e. clearing and settlement fees). The clearing and settlement agent (CSD) faces different marginal costs for different types of transactions. Costs are lower for an internalized transaction, i.e. when

[The practice of systematic reviews. II. Searching and selection of studies

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Assendelft, W J; van Tulder, M W; Scholten, R J

1999-01-01

can be performed in trial registers and printed indexes and by correspondence with experts and hand searching of journals. Storage of the search results in a bibliographic database is recommended. Various methodological problems may play a role in searching and selecting studies for a review: studies......Structured searching and selection of studies is an important component of a systematic review. It is recommended to record the various steps in a protocol in advance. The thoroughness of the searching and selection will partially depend on the available resources, like manpower and funds. A search...... action should be based on an unequivocally formulated research or clinical question, that is operationalized into clear inclusion and exclusion criteria. The actual start of a search strategy is a search in preferably multiple databases like Medline and EMBASE-Excerpta Medica. Additional search actions...

Surgically induced astigmatism after phacoemulsification by temporal clear corneal and superior clear corneal approach: a comparison

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nikose AS

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Archana Sunil Nikose, Dhrubojyoti Saha, Pradnya Mukesh Laddha, Mayuri Patil Department of Ophthalmology, N.K.P. Salve Institute and LMH, Nagpur, Maharashtra, India Introduction: Cataract surgery has undergone various advances since it was evolved from ancient couching to the modern phacoemulsification cataract surgery. Surgically induced astigmatism (SIA remains one of the most common complications. The introduction of sutureless clear corneal incision has gained increasing popularity worldwide because it offers several advantages over the traditional sutured limbal incision and scleral tunnel. A clear corneal incision has the benefit of being bloodless and having an easy approach, but SIA is still a concern.Purpose: In this study, we evaluated the SIA in clear corneal incisions with temporal approach and superior approach phacoemulsification. Comparisons between the two incisions were done using keratometric readings of preoperative and postoperative refractive status.Methodology: It was a hospital-based prospective interventional comparative randomized control trial of 261 patients conducted in a rural-based tertiary care center from September 2012 to August 2014. The visual acuity and detailed anterior segment and posterior segment examinations were done and the cataract was graded according to Lens Opacification Classification System II. Patients were divided for phacoemulsification into two groups, group A and group B, who underwent temporal and superior clear corneal approach, respectively. The patients were followed up on day 1, 7, 30, and 90 postoperatively. The parameters recorded were uncorrected visual acuity, best-corrected visual acuity, slit lamp examination, and keratometry. The mean difference of SIA between 30th and 90th day was statistically evaluated using paired t-test, and all the analyses were performed using SPSS 18.0 (SPSS Inc. software.Results: The mean postoperative SIA in group A was 0.998 D on the 30th day, which

Effect of apical clearing technique on the treatment outcome of teeth with asymptomatic apical periodontitis: A randomized clinical trial

OpenAIRE

Priya Mittal; Ajay Logani; Naseem Shah; R M Pandey

2016-01-01

Aim: This study aims to compare the periapical healing of teeth with asymptomatic apical periodontitis treated either by conventional apical preparation (CAP) or apical clearing technique (ACT). Materials and Methods: T wenty subjects with bilateral nonvital similar teeth exhibiting comparable periapical index (PAI) score were enrolled and randomly allocated. Group I (CAP, n = 20): Apical preparation three sizes greater (master apical file [MAF]) than the first binding file at the establis...

Metastatic clear cell carcinoma of the kidney: therapeutic role of bevacizumab

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bukowski, Ronald M

2010-01-01

The biology and pathogenesis of clear cell carcinoma of the kidney has been extensively investgated, and the role of von Hipple-Landau gene inactivation and tumor associated angiogenesis is now recognized. Development of vascular endothelial growth factor inhibitors and phase 3 clinical trials utilizing this class of agents has produced a new treatment paradigm for patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma (RCC). One of the active regimens identified is the combination of bevacizumab and interferon-α. Recently published reports provided evidence of the clinical and biologic activity of this therapy. The current manuscript reviews the background and rationale for the activity of bevacizumab in RCC, and results from recent clinical trials with this agent alone or in combination with targeted agents or cytokines. The role of this therapy in contrast to other targeted agents is reviewed, and the potential utility as well as questions raised by recent studies are discussed

78 FR 54507 - Clearing Agency; the Options Clearing Corporation; Notice of Filing of Proposed Rule Change To...

Science.gov (United States)

2013-09-04

... risk arising from the potential need to liquidate a particular clearing member's margin collateral, OCC... by improving OCC's risk management process related to deposits as margin collateral of concentrated... and Policy so that OCC has discretion to disapprove as margin collateral for a particular clearing...

Complexity index indicates refinery capability, value

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Johnston, D.

1996-01-01

Refinery size usually is measured in terms of distillation capacity. Relative size, however, can be measured using refinery complexity--a concept developed by W.L. Nelson in the 1960s. Nelson developed the complexity index to quantify the relative cost of components that make up a refinery. It is a pure cost index that provides a relative measure of the construction costs of a particular refinery based on its crude and upgrading capacity. The Nelson index compares the costs of various upgrading units--such as a fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) unit or a catalytic reformer--to the cost of a crude distillation unit. Computation of the index is an attempt to quantify the relative cost of a refinery based on the added cost of various upgrading units and the relative upgrading capacity. A review of complexity calculations, and an explanation of how indices have changed, provide a simple means of determining the complexity of single refineries or refining regions. The impact of complexity on product slate is also examined in this paper

Primary clear cell sarcoma of rib

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hersekli, Murat Ali; Ozkoc, Gurkan; Akpinar, Sercan; Ozalay, Metin; Tandogan, Reha N.; Bircan, Sema; Tuncer, Ilhan

2005-01-01

Clear cell sarcoma (malignant melanoma of soft tissues) is a very rare soft tissue neoplasm. It generally arises in tendons and aponeuroses. Although metastasis of malignant melanoma to bone is not uncommon, primary clear cell sarcoma of bone is an extremely rare neoplasm. To our knowledge five cases have been reported in the English literature. We present a case of primary clear cell sarcoma of bone in a 28-year-old woman arising in the left ninth rib. We treated the patient with total excision of the mass and postoperative radiotherapy. The patient is alive and well without local recurrence or distant metastasis at 33 months after surgery. (orig.)

Clinical impact of ki-67 labeling index in non-small cell lung cancer

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jakobsen, Jan Nyrop; Sørensen, Jens Benn

2013-01-01

The ki-67 index is a marker of proliferation in malignant tumors. Studies from the period 2000 to 2012 on the prognostic and predictive value of ki-67 labeling index (LI) in non-small cell cancer (NSCLC) are reviewed. Twenty-eight studies reported on the prognostic value of ki-67 index with various...

The problem of clear air turbulence

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Due to rapid improvements in on-board instrumentation and atmospheric observation systems, in most cases, aircraft are able to steer clear of regions of adverse weather. However, they still encounter unexpected bumpy flight conditions in regions away from storms and clouds. This is the phenomenon of clear air ...

Training to Perform Ankle-Brachial Index: Systematic Review and Perspectives to Improve Teaching and Learning.

Science.gov (United States)

Chaudru, S; de Müllenheim, P-Y; Le Faucheur, A; Kaladji, A; Jaquinandi, V; Mahé, G

2016-02-01

To conduct a systematic review focusing on the impact of training programs on ankle-brachial index (ABI) performance by medical students, doctors and primary care providers. Lower extremity peripheral artery disease (PAD) is a highly prevalent disease affecting ∼202 million people worldwide. ABI is an essential component of medical education because of its ability to diagnose PAD, and as it is a powerful prognostic marker for overall and cardiovascular related mortality. A systematic search was conducted (up to May 2015) using Medline, Embase, and Web of Science databases. Five studies have addressed the impact of a training program on ABI performance by either medical students, doctors or primary care providers. All were assigned a low GRADE system quality. The components of the training vary greatly either in substance (what was taught) or in form (duration of the training, and type of support which was used). No consistency was found in the outcome measures. According to this systematic review, only few studies, with a low quality rating, have addressed which training program should be performed to provide the best way of teaching how to perform ABI. Future high quality researches are required to define objectively the best training program to facilitate ABI teaching and learning. Copyright © 2015 European Society for Vascular Surgery. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Review of Spatial Indexing Techniques for Large Urban Data Management

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Azri, Suhaibah; Ujang, Uznir; Anton, François

Pressure on land development in urban areas causes progressive efforts in spatial planning and management. The physical expansion of urban areas to accommodate rural migration implies a massive impact to social, economical and political situations of major cities. Most of the models used...... in managing urban areas are moving towards sustainable urban development in order to fulfill current necessities while preserving the resources for future generations. However, in order to manage large amounts of urban spatial data, an efficient spatial data constellation method is needed. With the ease...... of three dimensional (3D) spatial data usage in urban areas as a new source of data input, practical spatial data indexing is necessary to improve data retrieval and management. Current two dimensional (2D) spatial indexing approaches seem not applicable to the current and future spatial developments...

Clear-air lidar dark band

Science.gov (United States)

Girolamo, Paolo Di; Scoccione, Andrea; Cacciani, Marco; Summa, Donato; Schween, Jan H.

2018-04-01

This paper illustrates measurements carried out by the Raman lidar BASIL in the frame of HOPE, revealing the presence of a clear-air dark band phenomenon (i.e. the appearance of a minimum in lidar backscatter echoes) in the upper portion of the convective boundary layer. The phenomenon is clearly distinguishable in the lidar backscatter echoes at 1064 nm. This phenomenon is attributed to the presence of lignite aerosol particles advected from the surrounding open pit mines in the vicinity of the measuring site.

distribution of hourly variability index of sky clearness

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Mgina

Clouds affect the values of insolation for solar technology and other applications. To detect the presence of variability in the sky ... It appears that the site has great potential for application of solar technologies. INTRODUCTION. Knowledge about the .... for solar collectors-part 1. Thermal performance of glazed liquid heating.

Joint CARE-ELAN, CARE-HHH-APD, and EUROTEV-WP3 Workshop on Electron Cloud Clearing

CERN Document Server

Scandale, Walter; Schulte, D; Zimmermann, F; Electron Cloud Effects and Technological Consequences; ECL2

2007-01-01

This report contains the Proceedings of the joint CARE-HHH-APD, CARE-ELAN, and EUROTEV-WP3 Mini-Workshop on 'Electron Cloud Clearing - Electron Cloud and Technical Consequences', "ECL2", held at CERN in Geneva, Switzerland, 1-2 March 2007). The ECL2 workshop explored novel technological remedies against electron-cloud formation in an accelerator beam pipe. A primary motivation for the workshop was the expected harmful electron-cloud effects in the upgraded LHC injectors and in future linear colliders, as well as recent beam observations in operating facilities like ANKA, CESR, KEKB, RHIC, and SPS. The solutions discussed at ECL2 included enamel-based clearing electrodes, slotted vacuum chambers, NEG coating, and grooves. Several of the proposed cures were assessed in terms of their clearing efficiency and the associated beam impedance. The workshop also reviewed new simulation tools like the 3D electron-ion build-up 'Faktor', modeling assumptions, analytical calculations, beam experiments, and laboratory meas...

76 FR 45730 - Customer Clearing Documentation and Timing of Acceptance for Clearing

Science.gov (United States)

2011-08-01

... proposing regulations to facilitate customer access to clearing and to bolster risk management through... and execution of customer transactions on a DCM or SEF on terms that have a reasonable relationship to... a reasonable relationship to the best terms available by prohibiting restrictions in customer...

Coffee Index as Quick and Simple Indicator of Purchasing Power Parity

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jakub Fischer

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Purchasing Power Parity is the corner stone of all international comparisons. Various approaches to Purchasing Power Parity, such as the Big Mac Index, KFC Index, iPad Index, Tall Latte Index or Ikea Index were popularized to the broader audience besides the OECD Purchasing Power Parity indices. The aim of this paper is to develop a new ready-to-use quick and simple index based on the prices of Nespresso coffee’s capsules and show the main challenges of such indices as well as of the PPP concept. For the purpose of our research the data on the Nespresso capsules prices were collected. Taking into account also the popularity (demand side of the capsules types, the Espresso line was chosen as the basis for which all further calculations are made. The Nespresso Index provides us with clear evidence that the Law of One Price cannot work in recent world because of three key features. Firstly, differences in taxes make the perfect parity impossible. Secondly, the price discrimination prevents the rational subjects from arbitrage. Finally, the changes in the exchange rate make such indices highly volatile. Despite these weaknesses, the Nespresso Index could be used as the useful supplement of the OECD PPP as it is low cost, easy and fast to compute and digestible for the lay public.

Clearly written, easily comprehended? The readability of websites providing information on epilepsy.

Science.gov (United States)

Brigo, Francesco; Otte, Willem M; Igwe, Stanley C; Tezzon, Frediano; Nardone, Raffaele

2015-03-01

There is a general need for high-quality, easily accessible, and comprehensive health-care information on epilepsy to better inform the general population about this highly stigmatized neurological disorder. The aim of this study was to evaluate the health literacy level of eight popular English-written websites that provide information on epilepsy in quantitative terms of readability. Educational epilepsy material on these websites, including 41 Wikipedia articles, were analyzed for their overall level of readability and the corresponding academic grade level needed to comprehend the published texts on the first reading. The Flesch Reading Ease (FRE) was used to assess ease of comprehension while the Gunning Fog Index, Coleman-Liau Index, Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level, Automated Readability Index, and Simple Measure of Gobbledygook scales estimated the corresponding academic grade level needed for comprehension. The average readability of websites yielded results indicative of a difficult-to-fairly-difficult readability level (FRE results: 44.0±8.2), with text readability corresponding to an 11th academic grade level (11.3±1.9). The average FRE score of the Wikipedia articles was indicative of a difficult readability level (25.6±9.5), with the other readability scales yielding results corresponding to a 14th grade level (14.3±1.7). Popular websites providing information on epilepsy, including Wikipedia, often demonstrate a low level of readability. This can be ameliorated by increasing access to clear and concise online information on epilepsy and health in general. Short "basic" summaries targeted to patients and nonmedical users should be added to articles published in specialist websites and Wikipedia to ease readability. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Diet quality as assessed by the Healthy Eating Index, the Alternate Healthy Eating Index, the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension score, and health outcomes: a systematic review and meta-analysis of cohort studies.

Science.gov (United States)

Schwingshackl, Lukas; Hoffmann, Georg

2015-05-01

Dietary patterns consider synergistic effects compared with isolated foods or nutrients on health outcomes. The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to examine the associations of diet quality as assessed by the Healthy Eating Index (HEI), the Alternate Healthy Eating Index (AHEI), and the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) score and the risk of all-cause mortality, cardiovascular mortality or incidence, cancer mortality or incidence, type 2 diabetes mellitus, and neurodegenerative diseases. A literature search was performed using the electronic databases MEDLINE, SCOPUS, and EMBASE with an end date of May 10, 2014. Study-specific risk ratios were pooled using a random effect model by the Cochrane software package Review Manager 5.2. Fifteen cohort studies (34 reports), including 1,020,642 subjects, met the criteria and were included in the meta-analysis. Diets of the highest quality, as assessed by the HEI, AHEI, and DASH score, resulted in a significant risk reduction (RR) for all-cause mortality (RR 0.78, 95% CI 0.76 to 0.80; PDiets that score highly on the HEI, AHEI, and DASH are associated with a significant reduction in the risk of all-cause mortality, cardiovascular disease, cancer, and type 2 diabetes mellitus by 22%, 22%, 15%, and 22%, respectively, and therefore is of high public health relevance. Copyright © 2015 Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Anterior Crossbite and Crowding Correction with a Series of Clear Aligners Involving Lower Incisor Extraction: "The Clear Way" Case Report.

Science.gov (United States)

Bawaskar, Naval Suresh

2015-01-01

The Clear Aligner can be used to correct tooth movement without involving extraction, surgery, and other adjunct orthopaedic appliances. Some forms ofattachments are required with clear aligners to achieve all major types of orthodontic tooth movements. The Clear Aligner is a procedure that can be performed by a clinician with computer simulation/calculation. Since the Clear Aligner can be fabricated in steps, it is readily available to change the treatment sequence throughout the course of the treatment in cases of complex malocclusions. The patient can receive any necessary dental procedures with ease during the course of the treatment. The treatment can also be easily resumed even if the patient has not worn the aligners for a period of time. The purpose of this article is to report dental anterior crossbite correction with a series of Clear Aligners without the use of any forms of attachments. The Clear Aligner could be used as an alternative in appropriate cases for those who are reluctant with conventional appliances.

BIBLIOGRAPHY ON DEAFNESS, A SELECTED INDEX.

Science.gov (United States)

FELLENDORF, GEORGE W.; AND OTHERS

APPROXIMATELY 3,200 REFERENCES ARE LISTED BY AUTHOR AND GROUPED ACCORDING TO SUBJECT. ALL REFERENCES ARE ARTICLES FROM "THE VOLTA REVIEW," 1899 TO 1965, OR "THE AMERICAN ANNALS OF THE DEAF," 1847 TO 1965. AN AUTHOR INDEX IS INCLUDED. THIS DOCUMENT WAS PUBLISHED BY THE ALEXANDER GRAHAM BELL ASSOCIATION FOR THE DEAF, INC., THE…

A Canadian Indian Health Status Index.

Science.gov (United States)

Connop, P J

1983-01-01

Health care services for registered "band" Indians in Ontario are provided primarily by the Canadian Federal Government. Complex management methods preclude the direct involvement of Indian people in the decisions for their health resource allocation. Health indicators, need, and health status indexes are reviewed. The biostatistics of mortality and demography of the Indian and reference populations are aggregated with hospitalization/morbidity experience as the Chen G'1 Index, as an indicator of normative and comparative need. This is weighted by linear measurements of perceived need for preventive medicine programs, as ranked and scaled values of priorities, Zj. These were determined by community survey on 11 Indian reserves using a non-probabilistic psychometric method of "pair comparisons," based upon "Thurstone's Law of Comparative Judgement.," The calculation of the aggregate single unit Indian Health Status Index [Log.G'1].Zj and its potential application in a "zero-base" budget is described.

clearScience: Infrastructure for Communicating Data-Intensive Science.

Science.gov (United States)

Bot, Brian M; Burdick, David; Kellen, Michael; Huang, Erich S

2013-01-01

Progress in biomedical research requires effective scientific communication to one's peers and to the public. Current research routinely encompasses large datasets and complex analytic processes, and the constraints of traditional journal formats limit useful transmission of these elements. We are constructing a framework through which authors can not only provide the narrative of what was done, but the primary and derivative data, the source code, the compute environment, and web-accessible virtual machines. This infrastructure allows authors to "hand their machine"- prepopulated with libraries, data, and code-to those interested in reviewing or building off of their work. This project, "clearScience," seeks to provide an integrated system that accommodates the ad hoc nature of discovery in the data-intensive sciences and seamless transitions from working to reporting. We demonstrate that rather than merely describing the science being reported, one can deliver the science itself.

The Open Science Peer Review Oath [v1; ref status: indexed, http://f1000r.es/4ou

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jelena Aleksic

2014-11-01

Full Text Available One of the foundations of the scientific method is to be able to reproduce experiments and corroborate the results of research that has been done before. However, with the increasing complexities of new technologies and techniques, coupled with the specialisation of experiments, reproducing research findings has become a growing challenge. Clearly, scientific methods must be conveyed succinctly, and with clarity and rigour, in order for research to be reproducible. Here, we propose steps to help increase the transparency of the scientific method and the reproducibility of research results: specifically, we introduce a peer-review oath and accompanying manifesto. These have been designed to offer guidelines to enable reviewers (with the minimum friction or bias to follow and apply open science principles, and support the ideas of transparency, reproducibility and ultimately greater societal impact. Introducing the oath and manifesto at the stage of peer review will help to check that the research being published includes everything that other researchers would need to successfully repeat the work. Peer review is the lynchpin of the publishing system: encouraging the community to consciously (and conscientiously uphold these principles should help to improve published papers, increase confidence in the reproducibility of the work and, ultimately, provide strategic benefits to authors and their institutions. Future incarnations of the various national Research Excellence Frameworks (REFs will evolve away from simple citations towards measurable societal value and impact. The proposed manifesto aspires to facilitate this goal by making transparency, reproducibility and citizen-scientist engagement (with the knowledge-creation and dissemination processes the default parameters for performing sound research.

Component-Level Electronic-Assembly Repair (CLEAR) Operational Concept

Science.gov (United States)

Oeftering, Richard C.; Bradish, Martin A.; Juergens, Jeffrey R.; Lewis, Michael J.; Vrnak, Daniel R.

2011-01-01

This Component-Level Electronic-Assembly Repair (CLEAR) Operational Concept document was developed as a first step in developing the Component-Level Electronic-Assembly Repair (CLEAR) System Architecture (NASA/TM-2011-216956). The CLEAR operational concept defines how the system will be used by the Constellation Program and what needs it meets. The document creates scenarios for major elements of the CLEAR architecture. These scenarios are generic enough to apply to near-Earth, Moon, and Mars missions. The CLEAR operational concept involves basic assumptions about the overall program architecture and interactions with the CLEAR system architecture. The assumptions include spacecraft and operational constraints for near-Earth orbit, Moon, and Mars missions. This document addresses an incremental development strategy where capabilities evolve over time, but it is structured to prevent obsolescence. The approach minimizes flight hardware by exploiting Internet-like telecommunications that enables CLEAR capabilities to remain on Earth and to be uplinked as needed. To minimize crew time and operational cost, CLEAR exploits offline development and validation to support online teleoperations. Operational concept scenarios are developed for diagnostics, repair, and functional test operations. Many of the supporting functions defined in these operational scenarios are further defined as technologies in NASA/TM-2011-216956.

Drugs Cleared Through The FDA's Expedited Review Offer Greater Gains Than Drugs Approved By Conventional Process.

Science.gov (United States)

Chambers, James D; Thorat, Teja; Wilkinson, Colby L; Neumann, Peter J

2017-08-01

We investigated whether drugs approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) through expedited review have offered larger health gains, compared to drugs approved through conventional review processes. We identified published estimates of additional health gains (measured in quality-adjusted life-years, or QALYs) associated with drugs approved in the period 1999-2012 through expedited (seventy-six drugs) versus conventional (fifty-nine) review processes. We found that drugs in at least one expedited review program offered greater gains than drugs reviewed through conventional processes (0.182 versus 0.003 QALYs). We also found that, compared to drugs not included in the same program, greater gains were provided by drugs in the priority review (0.175 versus 0.007 QALYs), accelerated approval (0.370 versus 0.031 QALYs), and fast track (0.254 versus 0.014 QALYs) programs. Our analysis suggests that the FDA has prioritized drugs that offer the largest health gains. Project HOPE—The People-to-People Health Foundation, Inc.

Clear cell hidradenocarcinoma--a case report with unusual in situ malignant changes.

Science.gov (United States)

Al-Irhayim, B

1984-05-01

Clear cell hidradenocarcinoma is a rare tumour, the histogenesis of which has been much debated in the past. However, it is now considered a tumour of sweat gland origin. Presented herewith is a report of a case with unusual histological features of in situ malignant changes within sweat glands. These changes very closely simulate lobular cancerisation of the breast. On reviewing the English literature on the histopathology of sweat gland tumours, we have not found similar histological findings. These histological findings provide supportive evidence of the sweat gland origin of these tumours.

Responses of small mammals to clear-cutting in temperate and boreal forests of Europe: a meta-analysis and review

OpenAIRE

Bogdziewicz, Michał; Zwolak, Rafał

2013-01-01

We analyzed the responses of small mammals to clear-cutting in temperate and boreal forests in Europe. We conducted a meta-analysis of published research on most often studied small mammal species (the striped field mouse, the yellow-necked mouse, the wood mouse, the field vole, the common vole, the bank vole, the Eurasian harvest mouse, the common shrew and the Eurasian pygmy shrew), comparing their abundance on clear-cuts and in unharvested stands. For four other species (the gray-sided vol...

Progress in high index contrast integrated optics

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Baets, R.G.F.; Bienstman, P.; Bogaerts, W.; Brouckaert, J.; De Backere, P.; Dumon, P.; Roelkens, G.; Scheerlinck, S.; Smit, M.K.; Taillaert, D.; Van Campenhout, J.; Van Laere, F.; Thourhout, Van D.

2007-01-01

A large fraction of the recent innovation in integrated optics is enabled by the use of high index contrast structures and devices. The strong confinement achievable in such devices allows for dramatic performance benefits and downscaling. In this paper the progress in this field is reviewed.

Review to give the public clear information on near surface disposal project of low-level radioactive wastes generated from research, industrial and medical facilities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shobu, Nobuhiro; Amazawa, Hiroya; Koibuchi, Hiroto; Nakata, Hisakazu; Kato, Masatoshi; Takao, Tomoe; Terashima, Daisuke; Tanaka, Yoshie; Shirasu, Hisanori

2013-12-01

Japan Atomic Energy Agency (hereafter abbreviated as “JAEA”) has promoted near surface disposal project for low-level radioactive wastes generated from research, industrial and medical facilities after receiving project approval from the government in November 2009. JAEA has carried out public information about low-level radioactive wastes disposal project on the web site. When some town meetings are held toward mutual understanding with the public, more detailed and clear explanations for safety management of near surface disposal are needed especially. Therefore, the information provision method to make the public understand should be reviewed. Moreover, a web-based survey should be carried out in order to get a sense of what the public knows, what it values and where it stands on nuclear energy and radiation issues, because the social environment surrounding nuclear energy and radiation issues has drastically changed as a result of the accident at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station on March 11, 2011. This review clarified the points to keep in mind about public information on near surface disposal project for low-level radioactive wastes generated from research, industrial and medical facilities, and that public awareness and understanding toward nuclear energy and radiation was changed before and after the accident at Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant. (author)

A Systematic Review of Cross-cultural Adaptation of the Oswestry Disability Index.

Science.gov (United States)

Yao, Min; Wang, Qiong; Li, Zun; Yang, Long; Huang, Pin-Xian; Sun, Yue-Li; Wang, Jing; Wang, Yong-Jun; Cui, Xue-Jun

2016-12-15

Systematic review of cross-cultural adaptation of the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI). The aim of this study was to evaluate the translation procedures for and measurement properties of cross-cultural adaptations of the ODI. The ODI is the most commonly used questionnaire to determine the outcome of low back pain, and has been translated into many other languages, such as Danish, Greek, and Korean, and adapted for use in different countries. PubMed, the Cochrane Library, Medline, and EMBASE were searched from the time they were established to January 2015. Studies related to cross-cultural adaptation of the ODI in a specific language/culture were included. Guidelines for the Process of Cross-Cultural Adaptation of Self-Report Measures and Quality Criteria for Psychometric Properties of Health Status Questionnaire were used for assessment. This study included 27 versions of ODI adaptations in 24 different languages/cultures. Only the Danish-Danish adaptation employed all six of the cross-cultural adaptation processes. Expert committee review (three of 27), back translation (eight of 27), and pretesting (nine of 27) were conducted in very few studies. The Polish-Polish (two) adaptation reported all (nine of nine) the measurement properties, whereas the Traditional Chinese-Taiwan and Hungarian-Hungarian adaptations reported six of them. Content validity (16/27), construct validity (17/27), and reliability (22/27) were determined in a relatively high number of studies, whereas agreement (three of 27), responsiveness (12/27), floor and ceiling effects (six of 27), and interpretability (one of 27) were only determined in some studies. We recommend the Traditional Chinese-Taiwan, Simplified Chinese-Mandarin Chinese, Danish-Danish, German-Swiss, Hungarian-Hungarian, Italian-Italian, and Polish-Polish (two) versions for application, but Traditional Chinese-Hong Kong, French-Swiss, Japanese-Japanese (two), Polish-Polish (two), Tamil-Indian, and Thai-Thai versions may need

[Getting an insight into the brain - new optical clearing techniques and imaging using light-sheet microscope].

Science.gov (United States)

Pawłowska, Monika; Legutko, Diana; Stefaniuk, Marzena

2017-01-01

One of the biggest challenges in neuroscience is to understand how brain operates. For this, it would be the best to image the whole brain with at least cellular resolution, preserving the three-dimensional structure in order to capture the connections between different areas. Most currently available high-resolution imaging techniques are based on preparing thin brain sections that are next photographed one by one and subsequently bigger structures are reconstructed. These techniques are laborious and create artifacts. Recent optical clearing methods allow to obtain literally transparent brains that can be imaged using light-sheet microscope. The present review summarizes the most popular optical clearing techniques, describing their different mechanisms and comparing advantages and disadvantages of different approaches, and presents the principle of light-sheet microscopy and its use in imaging. Finally, it gives examples of application of optical tissue clearing and light-sheet imaging in neuroscience and beyond it.

Clear sky solar insolation data for Islamabad

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Akhter, P.; Baig, A.; Mufti, A.

1990-09-01

Monthly average values of both integrated and instantaneous clear sky solar radiation components for Islamabad territory have been presented and discussed. The components include total, direct normal, direct horizontal, global and diffuse radiations, sun hours, number of clear days and temperature for solar energy applications. Beam irradiance values are used to get clear sky (maximum) sun hours by ab-initio. The need for replacing the conventional sunshine recorder is discussed. (author). 8 refs, 1 fig, 2 tabs

Setting clear expectations for safety basis development

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

MORENO, M.R.

2003-01-01

DOE-RL has set clear expectations for a cost-effective approach for achieving compliance with the Nuclear Safety Management requirements (10 CFR 830, Nuclear Safety Rule) which will ensure long-term benefit to Hanford. To facilitate implementation of these expectations, tools were developed to streamline and standardize safety analysis and safety document development resulting in a shorter and more predictable DOE approval cycle. A Hanford Safety Analysis and Risk Assessment Handbook (SARAH) was issued to standardized methodologies for development of safety analyses. A Microsoft Excel spreadsheet (RADIDOSE) was issued for the evaluation of radiological consequences for accident scenarios often postulated for Hanford. A standard Site Documented Safety Analysis (DSA) detailing the safety management programs was issued for use as a means of compliance with a majority of 3009 Standard chapters. An in-process review was developed between DOE and the Contractor to facilitate DOE approval and provide early course correction. As a result of setting expectations and providing safety analysis tools, the four Hanford Site waste management nuclear facilities were able to integrate into one Master Waste Management Documented Safety Analysis (WM-DSA)

"Crowdsourcing" ten years in: A review.

Science.gov (United States)

Wazny, Kerri

2017-12-01

First coined by Howe in 2006, the field of crowdsourcing has grown exponentially. Despite its growth and its transcendence across many fields, the definition of crowdsourcing has still not been agreed upon, and examples are poorly indexed in peer-reviewed literature. Many examples of crowdsourcing have not been scaled-up past the pilot phase. In spite of this, crowdsourcing has great potential, especially in global health where resources are lacking. This narrative review seeks to review both indexed and grey crowdsourcing literature broadly in order to explore the current state of the field. This is a review of reviews of crowdsourcing. Semantic searches were conducted using Google Scholar rather than indexed databases due to poor indexing of the topic. 996 articles were retrieved, of which 69 were initially identified as being reviews or theoretically-based. 21 of these were found to be irrelevant and 48 articles were reviewed. This narrative review focuses on defining crowdsourcing, taxonomies of crowdsourcing, who constitutes the crowd, research that is amenable to crowdsourcing, regulatory and ethical aspects of crowdsourcing and some notable examples of crowdsourcing. Crowdsourcing has the potential to be hugely promising, especially in global health, due to its ability to collect information rapidly, inexpensively and accurately. Rigorous ethical and regulatory controls are needed to ensure data are collected and analysed appropriately and crowdsourcing should be considered complementary to traditional research methods.

New gridded database of clear-sky solar radiation derived from ground-based observations over Europe

Science.gov (United States)

Bartok, Blanka; Wild, Martin; Sanchez-Lorenzo, Arturo; Hakuba, Maria Z.

2017-04-01

Since aerosols modify the entire energy balance of the climate system through different processes, assessments regarding aerosol multiannual variability are highly required by the climate modelling community. Because of the scarcity of long-term direct aerosol measurements, the retrieval of aerosol data/information from other type of observations or satellite measurements are very relevant. One approach frequently used in the literature is analyze of the clear-sky solar radiation which offer a better overview of changes in aerosol content. In the study first two empirical methods are elaborated in order to separate clear-sky situations from observed values of surface solar radiation available at the World Radiation Data Center (WRDC), St. Petersburg. The daily data has been checked for temporal homogeneity by applying the MASH method (Szentimrey, 2003). In the first approach, clear sky situations are detected based on clearness index, namely the ratio of the surface solar radiation to the extraterrestrial solar irradiation. In the second approach the observed values of surface solar radiation are compared to the climatology of clear-sky surface solar radiation calculated by the MAGIC radiation code (Muller et al. 2009). In both approaches the clear-sky radiation values highly depend on the applied thresholds. In order to eliminate this methodological error a verification of clear-sky detection is envisaged through a comparison with the values obtained by a high time resolution clear-sky detection and interpolation algorithm (Long and Ackermann, 2000) making use of the high quality data from the Baseline Surface Radiation Network (BSRN). As the consequences clear-sky data series are obtained for 118 European meteorological stations. Next a first attempt has been done in order to interpolate the point-wise clear-sky radiation data by applying the MISH (Meteorological Interpolation based on Surface Homogenized Data Basis) method for the spatial interpolation of

Reconstruction of Clear-PEM data with STIR

CERN Document Server

Martins, M V; Rodrigues, P; Trindade, A; Oliveira, N; Correia, M; Cordeiro, H; Ferreira, N C; Varela, J; Almeida, P

2006-01-01

The Clear-PEM scanner is a device based on planar detectors that is currently under development within the Crystal Clear Collaboration, at CERN. The basis for 3D image reconstruction in Clear-PEM is the software for tomographic image reconstruction (STIR). STIR is an open source object-oriented library that efficiently deals with the 3D positron emission tomography data sets. This library was originally designed for the traditional cylindrical scanners. In order to make its use compatible with planar scanner data, new functionalities were introduced into the library's framework. In this work, Monte Carlo simulations of the Clear-PEM scanner acquisitions were used as input for image reconstruction with the 3D OSEM algorithm available in STIR. The results presented indicate that dual plate PEM data can be accurately reconstructed using the enhanced STIR framework.

76 FR 45724 - Clearing Member Risk Management

Science.gov (United States)

2011-08-01

... proposed rules address risk management for cleared trades by futures commission merchants, swap dealers... Commission has proposed extensive regulations addressing open access and risk management at the derivatives..., 2011) (Risk Management Requirements for Derivatives Clearing Organizations). These proposed regulations...

Comparison of seven optical clearing methods for mouse brain

Science.gov (United States)

Wan, Peng; Zhu, Jingtan; Yu, Tingting; Zhu, Dan

2018-02-01

Recently, a variety of tissue optical clearing techniques have been developed to reduce light scattering for imaging deeper and three-dimensional reconstruction of tissue structures. Combined with optical imaging techniques and diverse labeling methods, these clearing methods have significantly promoted the development of neuroscience. However, most of the protocols were proposed aiming for specific tissue type. Though there are some comparison results, the clearing methods covered are limited and the evaluation indices are lack of uniformity, which made it difficult to select a best-fit protocol for clearing in practical applications. Hence, it is necessary to systematically assess and compare these clearing methods. In this work, we evaluated the performance of seven typical clearing methods, including 3DISCO, uDISCO, SeeDB, ScaleS, ClearT2, CUBIC and PACT, on mouse brain samples. First, we compared the clearing capability on both brain slices and whole-brains by observing brain transparency. Further, we evaluated the fluorescence preservation and the increase of imaging depth. The results showed that 3DISCO, uDISCO and PACT posed excellent clearing capability on mouse brains, ScaleS and SeeDB rendered moderate transparency, while ClearT2 was the worst. Among those methods, ScaleS was the best on fluorescence preservation, and PACT achieved the highest increase of imaging depth. This study is expected to provide important reference for users in choosing most suitable brain optical clearing method.

Clear Liquor Scrubbing with Anhydrite Production

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hargrove, O. W.; Carey, T. R.; Lowell, P. S.; Meserole, F. B.; Rhudy, R. G.; Feeley, Thomas J.

1997-01-01

The objective of this project to develop an advanced flue gas desulfurization (FGD) process that has decreased capital and operating costs, higher SO 2 removal efficiency, and better by-product solids quality than existing, commercially available technology. A clear liquor process (which uses a scrubbing liquid with no solids) will be used to accomplish this objective rather than a slurry liquor process (which contains solids). This clear liquor scrubbing (CLS) project is focused on three research areas: (1) Development of a clear liquor scrubbing process that uses a clear solution to remove SO 2 from flue gas and can be operated under inhibited-oxidation conditions; (2) Development of an anhydrite process that converts precipitated calcium sulfite to anhydrous calcium sulfate (anhydrite); and (3) Development of an alkali/humidification process to remove HCl from flue gas upstream of the FGD system. The anhydrite process also can be retrofit into existing FGD systems to produce a valuable by-product as an alternative to gypsum. This fits well into another of FETC's PRDA objectives of developing an advanced byproduct recovery subsystem capable of transforming SO 2 into a useable byproduct or high-volume valuable commodities of interest. This paper describes the proposed processes, outlines the test approach, and preliminary Phase I test results

[Non-metastatic clear cell renal cancer: dependence of the tumour stage on clinico-anatomic and morphologic factors; prognostic value of macro- and karyometric characteristics].

Science.gov (United States)

Iurin, A G

2010-01-01

Non-metastatic clear-cell renal cancer: dependence of the tumour stage on clinico-anatomic and morphologic factors; prognostic value of macro- and karyometric characteristics Sankt Peterburg Pathology Bureau, Sankt Peterburg It was shown based on multivariate regression analysis that pT1a3bN0MO stages of non-metastatic clear-cell renal cancer significantly correlate not only with the tumor size and invasion into the fatty tissue and/or renal vein but also with the invasion into the renal capsule and with the mean maximum diameter and mean nucleus area of tumor cells. There was no correlation of clear-cell renal cancer stages with tumor proliferative activity, gene p53 mutation, oncosuppressor gene PTEN expression, fraction of tumour clear-cell component, and such clinical characteristics as patients' sex, age, and body mass index. Taking into account statistically significant differences between the patients' survival rates, the regression equations developed in this work may be used for the prediction of disease outcome.

Clear cell chondrosarcoma mimicking chondroblastoma in a skeletally immature patient

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cannon, Christopher P.; Nelson, Scott D.; Seeger, Leanne L.; Eckardt, Jeffrey J.

2002-01-01

We report the case of a clear cell chondrosarcoma (CCCS) occurring in the femoral head of a 14-year-old skeletally immature boy. Radiographic examination revealed a well-defined, osteolytic lesion in the epiphysis of the femoral head. Given the patient's age and the radiographic appearance of the lesion, chondroblastoma was high on the differential diagnosis. A frozen section was performed at the time of open biopsy was felt to be consistent with either chondroblastoma or CCCS. CCCS in a skeletally immature patient was felt to be unlikely, so curettage and bone grafting was performed. Final pathology review, however, confirmed the diagnosis of CCCS. The patient was taken back to surgery 4 weeks later for a wide resection and hemiarthroplasty. (orig.)

Clear cell chondrosarcoma mimicking chondroblastoma in a skeletally immature patient

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cannon, Christopher P. [Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Madigan Army Medical Center, Ft. Lewis, WA (United States); Nelson, Scott D. [Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles School of Medicine, CA (United States); Seeger, Leanne L. [Department of Radiological Sciences, University of California, CA (United States); Eckardt, Jeffrey J. [Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of California, Los Angeles School of Medicine, CA (United States)

2002-06-01

We report the case of a clear cell chondrosarcoma (CCCS) occurring in the femoral head of a 14-year-old skeletally immature boy. Radiographic examination revealed a well-defined, osteolytic lesion in the epiphysis of the femoral head. Given the patient's age and the radiographic appearance of the lesion, chondroblastoma was high on the differential diagnosis. A frozen section was performed at the time of open biopsy was felt to be consistent with either chondroblastoma or CCCS. CCCS in a skeletally immature patient was felt to be unlikely, so curettage and bone grafting was performed. Final pathology review, however, confirmed the diagnosis of CCCS. The patient was taken back to surgery 4 weeks later for a wide resection and hemiarthroplasty. (orig.)

Open bite treatment using clear aligners.

Science.gov (United States)

Guarneri, Maria Paola; Oliverio, Teresa; Silvestre, Ivana; Lombardo, Luca; Siciliani, Giuseppe

2013-09-01

A 35-year-old female patient with dentoalveolar open bite of 4 mm, molar Class I malocclusion, centered midlines, moderate crowding, and labial inclination of the lower incisor was treated with clear aligners to reduce protrusion and close the anterior open bite. The result showed that clear aligners were an effective method with which to correct this malocclusion. The treatment was complete after 18 months. The patient was satisfied with her new appearance and function.

Life Sciences and Allied Fields: Indexes and Abstracts, Book Review Indexes, Serials Bibliographies, Translations. Bibliographic Series No. 32.

Science.gov (United States)

Colpitts, D. Corinne

The information sources for the life sciences and allied fields listed were selected from the holdings of the Arkansas University library. Citations include indexes and abstracts dealing with national and international literature in medicine, the biological sciences, environmental science, veterinary medicine, agriculture, botany, and zoology, as…

A framework for evaluating automatic indexing or classification in the context of retrieval

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Golub, Korajlka; Soergel, Dagobert; Buchanan, George

2016-01-01

subject indexing, hard scientific evidence of their performance in operating information environments is scarce. A major reason for this is that research is usually conducted in laboratory conditions, excluding the complexities of real-life systems and situations. The paper reviews and discusses issues...... with existing evaluation approaches such as problems of aboutness and relevance assessments, implying the need to use more than a single “gold standard” method when evaluating indexing and retrieval and proposes a comprehensive evaluation framework. The framework is informed by a systematic review...

Concurrent chart review provides more accurate documentation and increased calculated case mix index, severity of illness, and risk of mortality.

Science.gov (United States)

Frazee, Richard C; Matejicka, Anthony V; Abernathy, Stephen W; Davis, Matthew; Isbell, Travis S; Regner, Justin L; Smith, Randall W; Jupiter, Daniel C; Papaconstantinou, Harry T

2015-04-01

Case mix index (CMI) is calculated to determine the relative value assigned to a Diagnosis-Related Group. Accurate documentation of patient complications and comorbidities and major complications and comorbidities changes CMI and can affect hospital reimbursement and future pay for performance metrics. Starting in 2010, a physician panel concurrently reviewed the documentation of the trauma/acute care surgeons. Clarifications of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services term-specific documentation were made by the panel, and the surgeon could incorporate or decline the clinical queries. A retrospective review of trauma/acute care inpatients was performed. The mean severity of illness, risk of mortality, and CMI from 2009 were compared with the 3 subsequent years. Mean length of stay and mean Injury Severity Score by year were listed as measures of patient acuity. Statistical analysis was performed using ANOVA and t-test, with p reimbursement and more accurately stratify outcomes measures for care providers. Copyright © 2015 American College of Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Clear cell hidradenocarcinoma:

OpenAIRE

Lamovec, Janez; Pohar-Marinšek, Živa

2003-01-01

A case of eccrine clear cell hidradenocarcinoma of sweat gland origin is presented, disclosing its clinical behavior and morphologic characteristics asevidenced by fine needle aspiration biopsy and tissue section histology. Thepatient was a 53-years old male who had a tumor on his fifth toe for 16 years. The tumor recurred 18 months after excision and metastasized widely 17 months following the amputation of the toe due to the recurrence. In spite of chemotherapy the patient died 37 months af...

The New Generation of Citation Indexing in the Age of Digital Libraries

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Mengxiong; Cabrera, Peggy

2008-01-01

As the Web is becoming a powerful new medium in scientific publication and scholarly communication, citation indexing has found a new application in the digital environment. The authors reviewed the new developments in Web-based citation indexing and conducted a case study in three major citation search tools, "Web of Science", "Scopus" and…

Body mass index predicts risk for complications from transtemporal cerebellopontine angle surgery.

Science.gov (United States)

Mantravadi, Avinash V; Leonetti, John P; Burgette, Ryan; Pontikis, George; Marzo, Sam J; Anderson, Douglas

2013-03-01

To determine the relationship between body mass index (BMI) and risk for specific complications from transtemporal cerebellopontine angle (CPA) surgery for nonmalignant disease. Case series with chart review. Tertiary-care academic hospital. Retrospective review of 134 consecutive patients undergoing transtemporal cerebellopontine angle surgery for nonmalignant disease from 2009 to 2011. Data were collected regarding demographics, body mass index, intraoperative details, hospital stay, and complications including cerebrospinal fluid leak, wound complications, and brachial plexopathy. One hundred thirty-four patients were analyzed with a mean preoperative body mass index of 28.58. Statistical analysis demonstrated a significant difference in body mass index between patients with a postoperative cerebrospinal fluid leak and those without (P = .04), as well as a similar significant difference between those experiencing postoperative brachial plexopathy and those with no such complication (P = .03). Logistical regression analysis confirmed that body mass index is significant in predicting both postoperative cerebrospinal fluid leak (P = .004; odds ratio, 1.10) and brachial plexopathy (P = .04; odds ratio, 1.07). Elevated body mass index was not significant in predicting wound complications or increased hospital stay beyond postoperative day 3. Risk of cerebrospinal fluid leak and brachial plexopathy is increased in patients with elevated body mass index undergoing surgery of the cerebellopontine angle. Consideration should be given to preoperative optimization via dietary and lifestyle modifications as well as intraoperative somatosensory evoked potential monitoring of the brachial plexus to decrease these risks.

The Clearing : Heidegger’s Lichtung and the big scrub

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Garbutt, Rob

2010-01-01

Full Text Available Clearings make settlement possible. Whether on a small scale using an axe and other hand implements to make way for a dwelling and a garden, or on a large scale with a chain strung between two D9 bulldozers in preparation for a major agribusiness development, the process of clearing creates spaces for installing something new. This paper uses the idea of (the clearing, as practice, process, outcome and metaphor, to examine the installation of the locals in a settler society. Using Lismore on the far-north coast of New South Wales, Australia, as a case example, the particular work of clearing that is discussed here is a practice that enables a form of colonisation and settlement that distances itself from its history of migration. This is a history of settler locals who were 'always here', and a colonial form of clearing clears the land and the mind of troubling pasts and of troubling presences. For the locals within a place, then, clearing manages and simplifies a complex set of social and material relations, histories and identities.Using Anthony Appiah's concept the 'space clearing gesture', the paper concludes with a reflection on the space in which the idea of "the clearing" and this paper appears. Do places, in this instance rural places, provide a type of clearing in which certain ideas might appear that may not appear elsewhere? If situatedness matters then the diversity of places where thinking is done is important for our ecology of thought, and in connection with this, perhaps what 'rural cultural studies' does is clear a particular type of space for thinking.

The Clearing: Heidegger’s Lichtung and The Big Scrub

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rob Garbutt

2010-02-01

Full Text Available Clearings make settlement possible. Whether on a small scale using an axe and other hand implements to make way for a dwelling and a garden, or on a large scale with a chain strung between two D9 bulldozers in preparation for a major agribusiness development, the process of clearing creates spaces for installing something new. This paper uses the idea of (the clearing, as practice, process, outcome and metaphor, to examine the installation of the locals in a settler society. Using Lismore on the far-north coast of New South Wales, Australia, as a case example, the particular work of clearing that is discussed here is a practice that enables a form of colonisation and settlement that distances itself from its history of migration. This is a history of settler locals who were 'always here', and a colonial form of clearing clears the land and the mind of troubling pasts and of troubling presences. For the locals within a place, then, clearing manages and simplifies a complex set of social and material relations, histories and identities. Using Anthony Appiah's concept the 'space clearing gesture', the paper concludes with a reflection on the space in which the idea of "the clearing" and this paper appears. Do places, in this instance rural places, provide a type of clearing in which certain ideas might appear that may not appear elsewhere? If situatedness matters then the diversity of places where thinking is done is important for our ecology of thought, and in connection with this, perhaps what 'rural cultural studies' does is clear a particular type of space for thinking.

Charlson comorbidity index derived from chart review or administrative data: agreement and prediction of mortality in intensive care patients

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Stavem K

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Knut Stavem,1–3 Henrik Hoel,4 Stein Arve Skjaker,5 Rolf Haagensen6 1Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, 2Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Medical Division, 3Health Services Research Unit, Akershus University Hospital, Lørenskog, 4Department of Surgery, Sykehuset Innlandet Kongsvinger, Kongsvinger, 5Section of Orthopaedic Emergency, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, 6Department of Anaesthesiology, Surgical Division, Akershus University Hospital, Lørenskog, Norway Purpose: This study compared the Charlson comorbidity index (CCI information derived from chart review and administrative systems to assess the completeness and agreement between scores, evaluate the capacity to predict 30-day and 1-year mortality in intensive care unit (ICU patients, and compare the predictive capacity with that of the Simplified Acute Physiology Score (SAPS II model.Patients and methods: Using data from 959 patients admitted to a general ICU in a Norwegian university hospital from 2007 to 2009, we compared the CCI score derived from chart review and administrative systems. Agreement was assessed using % agreement, kappa, and weighted kappa. The capacity to predict 30-day and 1-year mortality was assessed using logistic regression, model discrimination with the c-statistic, and calibration with a goodness-of-fit statistic.Results: The CCI was complete (n=959 when calculated from chart than from administrative data (n=839. Agreement was good, with a weighted kappa of 0.667 (95% confidence interval: 0.596–0.714. The c-statistics for categorized CCI scores from charts and administrative data were similar in the model that included age, sex, and type of admission: 0.755 and 0.743 for 30-day mortality, respectively, and 0.783 and 0.775, respectively, for 1-year mortality. Goodness-of-fit statistics supported the model fit.Conclusion: The CCI scores from chart review and administrative data showed good agreement

Hazard index for underground toxic material

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Smith, C.F.; Cohen, J.J.; McKone, T.E.

1980-06-01

To adequately define the problem of waste management, quantitative measures of hazard must be used. This study reviews past work in the area of hazard indices and proposes a geotoxicity hazard index for use in characterizing the hazard of toxic material buried underground. Factors included in this index are: an intrinsic toxicity factor, formulated as the volume of water required for dilution to public drinking-water levels; a persistence factor to characterize the longevity of the material, ranging from unity for stable materials to smaller values for shorter-lived materials; an availability factor that relates the transport potential for the particular material to a reference value for its naturally occurring analog; and a correction factor to accommodate the buildup of decay progeny, resulting in increased toxicity

Hazard index for underground toxic material

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Smith, C.F.; Cohen, J.J.; McKone, T.E.

1980-06-01

To adequately define the problem of waste management, quantitative measures of hazard must be used. This study reviews past work in the area of hazard indices and proposes a geotoxicity hazard index for use in characterizing the hazard of toxic material buried underground. Factors included in this index are: an intrinsic toxicity factor, formulated as the volume of water required for dilution to public drinking-water levels; a persistence factor to characterize the longevity of the material, ranging from unity for stable materials to smaller values for shorter-lived materials; an availability factor that relates the transport potential for the particular material to a reference value for its naturally occurring analog; and a correction factor to accommodate the buildup of decay progeny, resulting in increased toxicity.

A simple formula for determining globally clear skies

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Long, C.N.; George, A.T.; Mace, G.G. [Penn State Univ., University Park, PA (United States)] [and others

1996-04-01

Surface measurements to serve as {open_quotes}ground truth{close_quotes} are of primary importance in the development of retrieval algorithms using satellite measurements to predict surface irradiance. The most basic algorithms of this type deal with clear sky (i.e., cloudless) top-to-surface shortwave (SW) transfer, serving as a necessary prerequisite towards treating both clear and cloudy conditions. Recently, atmosphere SW cloud forcing to infer the possibility of excess atmospheric absorption (compared with model results) in cloudy atmospheres. The surface component of this ratio relies on inferring the expected clear sky SW irradiance to determine the effects of clouds on the SW energy budget. Solar renewable energy applications make use of clear and cloud fraction climatologies to assess solar radiation resources. All of the above depend to some extent on the identification of globally clear sky conditions and the attendant measurements of downwelling SW irradiance.

Proposal for an Environmental Ship Index. Air pollutants and CO2

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Den Boer, E.; Faber, J.; Nelissen, D.

2009-02-15

This report develops an environmental index for the air emissions of seagoing ships. The ports of Le Havre (France), Antwerp (Belgium), Rotterdam (Netherlands), Bremen and Hamburg (both Germany) want to develop a uniform Environmental Ship Index (ESI) that identifies ships that go beyond the current average technology in reducing air emissions. The index should be transparent, easy to determine and easy to verify. It should build on current legislation on air pollutant emissions. Therefore, the report reviews current legislation, existing indices in the maritime sector and in other modes of transport.

Metastatic clear cell carcinoma of the kidney: therapeutic role of bevacizumab

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ronald M Bukowski

2010-03-01

Full Text Available Ronald M BukowskiCleveland Clinic Taussig Cancer Center, CCF Lerner College of Medicine of CWRU Cleveland, OH, USAAbstract: The biology and pathogenesis of clear cell carcinoma of the kidney has been extensively investgated, and the role of von Hipple-Landau gene inactivation and tumor associated angiogenesis is now recognized. Development of vascular endothelial growth factor inhibitors and phase 3 clinical trials utilizing this class of agents has produced a new treatment paradigm for patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma (RCC. One of the active regimens identified is the combination of bevacizumab and interferon-α. Recently published reports provided evidence of the clinical and biologic activity of this therapy. The current manuscript reviews the background and rationale for the activity of bevacizumab in RCC, and results from recent clinical trials with this agent alone or in combination with targeted agents or cytokines. The role of this therapy in contrast to other targeted agents is reviewed, and the potential utility as well as questions raised by recent studies are discussed.Keywords: metastatic renal cell carcinoma, bevacizumab, interferon-α

The Effect of Dietary Glycaemic Index on Glycaemia in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.

Science.gov (United States)

Ojo, Omorogieva; Ojo, Osarhumwese Osaretin; Adebowale, Fajemisin; Wang, Xiao-Hua

2018-03-19

The increasing prevalence of diabetes in the United Kingdom and worldwide calls for new approaches to its management, and diets with low glycaemic index have been proposed as a useful means for managing glucose response. However, there are conflicting reports and differences in the results of studies in terms of their effectiveness. Furthermore, the impact of low-glycaemic index diets and their long-term use in patients with type 2 diabetes remains unclear. The objective of this study was to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis of the effect of low-glycaemic index diets in patients with type 2 diabetes. Search methods: Randomised controlled studies were selected from a number of databases (EBSCOHost with links to Health Research databases, PubMed, and grey literature) based on the Population, Intervention, Comparator, Outcomes and Study designs (PICOS) framework. The search terms included synonyms and Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) and involved the use of Boolean operators (AND/OR) which allowed the combination of words and search terms. As per the selection criteria, the following types of articles were selected: studies on randomised controlled trials, with year of publication between 2008 and 2018, including patients with type 2 diabetes. Thus, studies involving patients with gestational and type 1 diabetes were excluded, as were observational studies. Nine articles which met the inclusion criteria were selected for the systematic review, whereas only six articles which met the criteria were included in the meta-analysis. Studies were evaluated for quality and risk of bias. In addition, heterogeneity, meta-analysis, and sensitivity tests of the extracted data were carried out using Review Manager 5.3 (Review Manager, 2014). The findings of the systematic review showed that the low-glycaemic index (low-GI) diet resulted in a significant improvement ( 0.05) in four studies compared with the control diet. Four studies showed improvements in fasting blood

A review of culturally adapted versions of the Oswestry Disability Index: the adaptation process, construct validity, test-retest reliability and internal consistency.

Science.gov (United States)

Sheahan, Peter J; Nelson-Wong, Erika J; Fischer, Steven L

2015-01-01

The Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) is a self-report-based outcome measure used to quantify the extent of disability related to low back pain (LBP), a substantial contributor to workplace absenteeism. The ODI tool has been adapted for use by patients in several non-English speaking nations. It is unclear, however, if these adapted versions of the ODI are as credible as the original ODI developed for English-speaking nations. The objective of this study was to conduct a review of the literature to identify culturally adapted versions of the ODI and to report on the adaptation process, construct validity, test-retest reliability and internal consistency of these ODIs. Following a pragmatic review process, data were extracted from each study with regard to these four outcomes. While most studies applied adaptation processes in accordance with best-practice guidelines, there were some deviations. However, all studies reported high-quality psychometric properties: group mean construct validity was 0.734 ± 0.094 (indicated via a correlation coefficient), test-retest reliability was 0.937 ± 0.032 (indicated via an intraclass correlation coefficient) and internal consistency was 0.876 ± 0.047 (indicated via Cronbach's alpha). Researchers can be confident when using any of these culturally adapted ODIs, or when comparing and contrasting results between cultures where these versions were employed. Implications for Rehabilitation Low back pain is the second leading cause of disability in the world, behind only cancer. The Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) has been developed as a self-report outcome measure of low back pain for administration to patients. An understanding of the various cross-cultural adaptations of the ODI is important for more concerted multi-national research efforts. This review examines 16 cross-cultural adaptations of the ODI and should inform the work of health care and rehabilitation professionals.

A novel water poverty index model for evaluation of Chinese regional water security

Science.gov (United States)

Gong, L.; Jin, C. L.; Li, Y. X.; Zhou, Z. L.

2017-08-01

This study proposed an improved Water Poverty Index (WPI) model employed in evaluating Chinese regional water security. Firstly, the Chinese WPI index system was constructed, in which the indicators were obtained according to China River reality. A new mathematical model was then established for WPI values calculation on the basis of Center for Ecology and Hydrology (CEH) model. Furthermore, this new model was applied in Shiyanghe River (located in western China). It turned out that the Chinese index system could clearly reflect the indicators threatening security of river water and the Chinese WPI model is feasible. This work has also developed a Water Security Degree (WSD) standard which is able to be regarded as a scientific basis for further water resources utilization and water security warning mechanism formulation.

Visceral Adiposity Index (VAI) Is Predictive of an Altered Adipokine Profile in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes

OpenAIRE

Amato, M.; Pizzolanti, G.; Torregrossa, V.; Misiano, G.; Milano, S.; Giordano, C.

2014-01-01

AIMS: Although there is still no clear definition of "adipose tissue dysfunction" or ATD, the identification of a clinical marker of altered fat distribution and function may provide the needed tools for early identification of a condition of cardiometabolic risk. Our aim was to evaluate the correlations among various anthropometric indices [BMI, Waist Circumference (WC), Hip Circumference (HC), Waist/Hip ratio (WHR), Body Adiposity Index (BAI) and Visceral adiposity Index (VAI)] and several ...

Outcomes sensitive to nursing service quality in ambulatory cancer chemotherapy: Systematic scoping review.

Science.gov (United States)

Griffiths, Peter; Richardson, Alison; Blackwell, Rebecca

2012-07-01

There is long standing interest in identifying patient outcomes that are sensitive to nursing care and an increasing number of systems that include outcomes in order to demonstrate or monitor the quality of nursing care. We undertook scoping reviews of the literature in order to identify patient outcomes sensitive to the quality of nursing services in ambulatory cancer chemotherapy settings to guide the development of an outcomes-based quality measurement system. A 2-stage scoping review to identify potential outcome areas which were subsequently assessed for their sensitivity to nursing was carried out. Data sources included the Cochrane Library, Medline, Embase, the British Nursing Index, Google and Google scholar. We identified a broad range of outcomes potentially sensitive to nursing. Individual trials support many nursing interventions but we found relatively little clear evidence of effect on outcomes derived from systematic reviews and no evidence associating characteristics of nursing services with outcomes. The purpose of identifying a set of outcomes as specifically nurse-sensitive for quality measurement is to give clear responsibility and create an expectation of strong clinical leadership by nurses in terms of monitoring and acting on results. It is important to select those outcomes that nurses have most impact upon. Patient experience, nausea, vomiting, mucositis and safe medication administration were outcome areas most likely to yield sensitive measures of nursing service quality in ambulatory cancer chemotherapy. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Optimized optical clearing method for imaging central nervous system

Science.gov (United States)

Yu, Tingting; Qi, Yisong; Gong, Hui; Luo, Qingming; Zhu, Dan

2015-03-01

The development of various optical clearing methods provides a great potential for imaging entire central nervous system by combining with multiple-labelling and microscopic imaging techniques. These methods had made certain clearing contributions with respective weaknesses, including tissue deformation, fluorescence quenching, execution complexity and antibody penetration limitation that makes immunostaining of tissue blocks difficult. The passive clarity technique (PACT) bypasses those problems and clears the samples with simple implementation, excellent transparency with fine fluorescence retention, but the passive tissue clearing method needs too long time. In this study, we not only accelerate the clearing speed of brain blocks but also preserve GFP fluorescence well by screening an optimal clearing temperature. The selection of proper temperature will make PACT more applicable, which evidently broaden the application range of this method.

Chronic lymphocytic lymphoma and concomitant renal cell carcinoma (Clear Cell Type: Review of the literature

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Burak Uz

2016-01-01

Full Text Available In the present report, a 73 years-old male patient who developed clear cell type renal cell carcinoma (RCC 5 years after the diagnosis of chronic lymphocytic lymphoma (CLL and plausible explanations for this association were discussed by the authors. The incidence of CLL and RCC occurring in the same patient is higher than that expected in the general population. Various explicative hypotheses of this concurrence include treatment-related development of a second malignancy, immunomodulatory mechanisms, viral aetiology, cytokine (interleukin 6 release from a tumor, and common genetic mutations. Further investigations are warranted.

A case of severe encephalitis while on PD-1 immunotherapy for recurrent clear cell ovarian cancer

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Morgan Burke

2018-05-01

Full Text Available Recurrent clear cell ovarian carcinoma is a difficult to treat condition and early trial data has suggested a possible role for immune checkpoint inhibitors. Nivolumab is an anti-PD-1 immunotherapy that has been used in this setting. While immune related toxicity of these agents has been well described, the occurrence of immune specific neurotoxicity is thought to be rare. We present a case of severe encephalitis while on PD-1 immunotherapy for a recurrent ovarian clear cell cancer and we believe this to be the first such reported case associated with the use of PD-1 inhibitor monotherapy. In this case, a 64-year-old woman with persistent clear cell ovarian cancer on Nivolumab presented with a severe fever of unknown origin and delirium; initial imaging and diagnostic work-up suggested a neurological etiology, but with no clear source. We concluded that this was a severe case of immune related encephalitis, thought to be brought about by the anti-PD-1 immunotherapy which responded well to systemic corticosteroids and plasmapheresis and the patient able to make a full recovery. We present a summary of the case and its management as well as a review of the literature on the previously reported neurotoxicity's of PD-1 inhibitors.

Treatment results and prognostic factors of clear cell ovarian carcinomas and ovarian carcinomas with clear cell component

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M. D. Ahmedova

2012-01-01

Full Text Available The most important prognostic factors for clear cell carcinoma (CCC are clinical and morphological signs and clinical stage of the disease. Analyses of 5-year survival in patients with I stage of CCC is 69 %, in II stage – 55 %, in III stage – 14 % and in IV stage – 4 % patients. We analyzed distant results of treatment of 71 patients with CCC and of 25 patients with mixed malignant ovaries neoplasm with obligatory clear cell component taking into consideration main clinical and morphological sings of disease. On the base of performed reseal we revealed that morphological structure of the tumors and stage of the disease exerted heist influence on the exponent of survival of the patients with clear CCC ovaries neoplasm. Besides, there is a correlation between exponent of patients’ survival and radicalized of surgery, character of tumor growth, differentiation degree, cell anaplasia and mitotic activity of tumor cells.

Effect of maternal body mass index on hormones in breast milk: a systematic review.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nicholas J Andreas

Full Text Available Maternal Body Mass Index (BMI is positively associated with infant obesity risk. Breast milk contains a number of hormones that may influence infant metabolism during the neonatal period; these may have additional downstream effects on infant appetite regulatory pathways, thereby influencing propensity towards obesity in later life.To conduct a systematic review of studies examining the association between maternal BMI and the concentration of appetite-regulating hormones in breast milk.Pubmed was searched for studies reporting the association between maternal BMI and leptin, adiponectin, insulin, ghrelin, resistin, obestatin, Peptide YY and Glucagon-Like Peptide 1 in breast milk.Twenty six studies were identified and included in the systematic review. There was a high degree of variability between studies with regard to collection, preparation and analysis of breast milk samples. Eleven of fifteen studies reporting breast milk leptin found a positive association between maternal BMI and milk leptin concentration. Two of nine studies investigating adiponectin found an association between maternal BMI and breast milk adiponectin concentration; however significance was lost in one study following adjustment for time post-partum. No association was seen between maternal BMI and milk adiponectin in the other seven studies identified. Evidence for an association between other appetite regulating hormones and maternal BMI was either inconclusive, or lacking.A positive association between maternal BMI and breast milk leptin concentration is consistently found in most studies, despite variable methodology. Evidence for such an association with breast milk adiponectin concentration, however, is lacking with additional research needed for other hormones including insulin, ghrelin, resistin, obestatin, peptide YY and glucagon-like peptide-1. As most current studies have been conducted with small sample sizes, future studies should ensure adequate sample

Effect of maternal body mass index on hormones in breast milk: a systematic review.

Science.gov (United States)

Andreas, Nicholas J; Hyde, Matthew J; Gale, Chris; Parkinson, James R C; Jeffries, Suzan; Holmes, Elaine; Modi, Neena

2014-01-01

Maternal Body Mass Index (BMI) is positively associated with infant obesity risk. Breast milk contains a number of hormones that may influence infant metabolism during the neonatal period; these may have additional downstream effects on infant appetite regulatory pathways, thereby influencing propensity towards obesity in later life. To conduct a systematic review of studies examining the association between maternal BMI and the concentration of appetite-regulating hormones in breast milk. Pubmed was searched for studies reporting the association between maternal BMI and leptin, adiponectin, insulin, ghrelin, resistin, obestatin, Peptide YY and Glucagon-Like Peptide 1 in breast milk. Twenty six studies were identified and included in the systematic review. There was a high degree of variability between studies with regard to collection, preparation and analysis of breast milk samples. Eleven of fifteen studies reporting breast milk leptin found a positive association between maternal BMI and milk leptin concentration. Two of nine studies investigating adiponectin found an association between maternal BMI and breast milk adiponectin concentration; however significance was lost in one study following adjustment for time post-partum. No association was seen between maternal BMI and milk adiponectin in the other seven studies identified. Evidence for an association between other appetite regulating hormones and maternal BMI was either inconclusive, or lacking. A positive association between maternal BMI and breast milk leptin concentration is consistently found in most studies, despite variable methodology. Evidence for such an association with breast milk adiponectin concentration, however, is lacking with additional research needed for other hormones including insulin, ghrelin, resistin, obestatin, peptide YY and glucagon-like peptide-1. As most current studies have been conducted with small sample sizes, future studies should ensure adequate sample sizes and

Evaluation of Clear Sky Models for Satellite-Based Irradiance Estimates

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sengupta, Manajit [National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Gotseff, Peter [National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)

2013-12-01

This report describes an intercomparison of three popular broadband clear sky solar irradiance model results with measured data, as well as satellite-based model clear sky results compared to measured clear sky data. The authors conclude that one of the popular clear sky models (the Bird clear sky model developed by Richard Bird and Roland Hulstrom) could serve as a more accurate replacement for current satellite-model clear sky estimations. Additionally, the analysis of the model results with respect to model input parameters indicates that rather than climatological, annual, or monthly mean input data, higher-time-resolution input parameters improve the general clear sky model performance.

Short Tools to Assess Young Children's Dietary Intake: A Systematic Review Focusing on Application to Dietary Index Research

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lucinda K. Bell

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Dietary indices evaluate diet quality, usually based on current dietary guidelines. Indices can therefore contribute to our understanding of early-life obesity-risk dietary behaviours. Yet indices are commonly applied to dietary data collected by onerous methods (e.g., recalls or records. Short dietary assessment instruments are an attractive alternative to collect data from which to derive an index score. A systematic review of studies published before April 2013 was conducted to identify short (≤50 items tools that measure whole-of-diet intake of young children (birth-five years and are applicable to dietary indices, in particular screening obesogenic dietary behaviours. The search identified 3686 papers of which 16, reporting on 15 tools (n=7, infants and toddlers birth-24 months; n=8, preschoolers 2–5 years, met the inclusion criteria. Most tools were food frequency questionnaires (n=14, with one innovative dietary questionnaire identified. Seven were tested for validity or reliability, and one was tested for both. Six tools (n=2, infants and toddlers; n=4, preschoolers are applicable for use with current dietary indices, five of which screen obesogenic dietary behaviours. Given the limited number of brief, valid and reliable dietary assessment tools for young children to which an index can be applied, future short tool development is warranted, particularly for screening obesogenic dietary behaviours.

Dragnet: A Case Study of the CLEAR System

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Musa, Samuel; Keegan, Matt; Kyser, Giles

2007-01-01

...). The quickest way to describe CLEAR is to mention a quote from Ron Huberman, assistant deputy superintendent, Office of Information and Strategic Services at CPD "CLEAR automates everything we do in...

TAKE, development of the refractive index measurement technology for industrial needs; TAKE, taitekerroinmittaustekniikan kehittaeminen teollisuuden tarpeisiin - MPKT 12

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Raety, J. [Oulu Univ. (Finland)

1998-12-31

Refractive index is one of the basic physical phenomena of materials. Traditional refractive index measurement has been widely used e.g. In research, in quality inspection of products and raw materials. It is also used for follow up of the different industrial processes. A measuring and research environment, by which it is possible to determine the complex refractive index of liquid samples, was developed in 1996 at the Measuring Instrument laboratory of the University of Oulu. This equipment, based on the reflectance of light measures both the refractive index and absorption factor of liquids simultaneously. While the commercial refractometers are best suitable for research of clear liquids, by the developed equipment it is possible to investigate by the side of clear fluids also dark strongly light absorbing samples. The measuring wave length can be chosen continuously inside the UV-Visual range. The knowing of the wave-length dependence of the complex refractive index gives additional information on the state of the fluid under inspection. The main objective of the task is to solve measuring problems of biotechnology, food industry and forest industry by a new type of refractometric method. This means the simultaneous measurement of refractive index and absorption, and the utilisation of this knowledge in wide spectral region. A refractometer, based on the technology, suitable for applied research of new measuring targets will be designed and constructed in the research. The above mentioned goals also require the survey of the present situation of the refractometry. This one and a half year project will be started in spring 1998. (orig.)

TAKE, development of the refractive index measurement technology for industrial needs; TAKE, taitekerroinmittaustekniikan kehittaeminen teollisuuden tarpeisiin - MPKT 12

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Raety, J [Oulu Univ. (Finland)

1999-12-31

Refractive index is one of the basic physical phenomena of materials. Traditional refractive index measurement has been widely used e.g. In research, in quality inspection of products and raw materials. It is also used for follow up of the different industrial processes. A measuring and research environment, by which it is possible to determine the complex refractive index of liquid samples, was developed in 1996 at the Measuring Instrument laboratory of the University of Oulu. This equipment, based on the reflectance of light measures both the refractive index and absorption factor of liquids simultaneously. While the commercial refractometers are best suitable for research of clear liquids, by the developed equipment it is possible to investigate by the side of clear fluids also dark strongly light absorbing samples. The measuring wave length can be chosen continuously inside the UV-Visual range. The knowing of the wave-length dependence of the complex refractive index gives additional information on the state of the fluid under inspection. The main objective of the task is to solve measuring problems of biotechnology, food industry and forest industry by a new type of refractometric method. This means the simultaneous measurement of refractive index and absorption, and the utilisation of this knowledge in wide spectral region. A refractometer, based on the technology, suitable for applied research of new measuring targets will be designed and constructed in the research. The above mentioned goals also require the survey of the present situation of the refractometry. This one and a half year project will be started in spring 1998. (orig.)

“Crowdsourcing” ten years in: A review

Science.gov (United States)

Wazny, Kerri

2017-01-01

Background First coined by Howe in 2006, the field of crowdsourcing has grown exponentially. Despite its growth and its transcendence across many fields, the definition of crowdsourcing has still not been agreed upon, and examples are poorly indexed in peer–reviewed literature. Many examples of crowdsourcing have not been scaled–up past the pilot phase. In spite of this, crowdsourcing has great potential, especially in global health where resources are lacking. This narrative review seeks to review both indexed and grey crowdsourcing literature broadly in order to explore the current state of the field. Methods This is a review of reviews of crowdsourcing. Semantic searches were conducted using Google Scholar rather than indexed databases due to poor indexing of the topic. 996 articles were retrieved, of which 69 were initially identified as being reviews or theoretically–based. 21 of these were found to be irrelevant and 48 articles were reviewed. Results This narrative review focuses on defining crowdsourcing, taxonomies of crowdsourcing, who constitutes the crowd, research that is amenable to crowdsourcing, regulatory and ethical aspects of crowdsourcing and some notable examples of crowdsourcing. Conclusions Crowdsourcing has the potential to be hugely promising, especially in global health, due to its ability to collect information rapidly, inexpensively and accurately. Rigorous ethical and regulatory controls are needed to ensure data are collected and analysed appropriately and crowdsourcing should be considered complementary to traditional research methods. PMID:29302322

Aromatherapy: a systematic review.

Science.gov (United States)

Cooke, B; Ernst, E

2000-01-01

Aromatherapy is becoming increasingly popular; however there are few clear indications for its use. To systematically review the literature on aromatherapy in order to discover whether any clinical indication may be recommended for its use, computerised literature searches were performed to retrieve all randomised controlled trials of aromatherapy from the following databases: MEDLINE, EMBASE, British Nursing Index, CISCOM, and AMED. The methodological quality of the trials was assessed using the Jadad score. All trials were evaluated independently by both authors and data were extracted in a pre-defined, standardised fashion. Twelve trials were located: six of them had no independent replication; six related to the relaxing effects of aromatherapy combined with massage. These studies suggest that aromatherapy massage has a mild, transient anxiolytic effect. Based on a critical assessment of the six studies relating to relaxation, the effects of aromatherapy are probably not strong enough for it to be considered for the treatment of anxiety. The hypothesis that it is effective for any other indication is not supported by the findings of rigorous clinical trials. PMID:10962794

Geophysical study of the Clear Lake region, California

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chapman, R.H.

1975-01-01

Results of geophysical studies in the Clear Lake region of California, north of San Francisco, have revealed a prominent, nearly circular negative gravity anomaly with an amplitude of more than 25 milligals (mgal) and an areal extent of approximately 250 square miles and, in addition, a number of smaller positive and negative anomalies. The major negative gravity anomaly is closely associated with the Clear Lake volcanic field and with an area characterized by hot springs and geothermal fields. However, the anomaly cannot be explained by mapped surface geologic features of the area. Aeromagnetic data in the Clear Lake region show no apparent correlation with the major negative gravity anomaly; the local magnetic field is affected principally by serpentine. An electrical resistivity low marks the central part of the gravity minimum, and a concentration of earthquake epicenters characterizes the Clear Lake volcanic field area. The primary cause of the major negative gravity anomaly is believed to be a hot intrusive mass, possibly a magma chamber, that may underlie the Clear Lake volcanic field and vicinity. This mass may serve as a source of heat for the geothermal phenomena in the area. Other smaller gravity anomalies in the Clear Lake region are apparently caused by near-surface geologic features, including relatively dense units of the Franciscan Formation and less dense Cenozoic sedimentary and volcanic rock units.

A systematic review of systematic reviews on interventions for caregivers of people with chronic conditions.

Science.gov (United States)

Corry, Margarita; While, Alison; Neenan, Kathleen; Smith, Valerie

2015-04-01

To evaluate the effectiveness of interventions to support caregivers of people with selected chronic conditions. Informal caregivers provide millions of care hours each week contributing to significant healthcare savings. Despite much research evaluating a range of interventions for caregivers, their impact remains unclear. A systematic review of systematic reviews of interventions to support caregivers of people with selected chronic conditions. The electronic databases of PubMed, CINAHL, British Nursing Index, PsycINFO, Social Science Index (January 1990-May 2014) and The Cochrane Library (Issue 6, June 2014), were searched using Medical Subject Heading and index term combinations of the keywords caregiver, systematic review, intervention and named chronic conditions. Papers were included if they reported a systematic review of interventions for caregivers of people with chronic conditions. The methodological quality of the included reviews was independently assessed by two reviewers using R-AMSTAR. Data were independently extracted by two reviewers using a pre-designed data extraction form. Narrative synthesis of review findings was used to present the results. Eight systematic reviews were included. There was evidence that education and support programme interventions improved caregiver quality of life. Information-giving interventions improved caregiver knowledge for stroke caregivers. Education, support and information-giving interventions warrant further investigation across caregiver groups. A large-scale funded programme for caregiver research is required to ensure that studies are of high quality to inform service development across settings. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Chemical clearing and dehydration of GFP expressing mouse brains.

Science.gov (United States)

Becker, Klaus; Jährling, Nina; Saghafi, Saiedeh; Weiler, Reto; Dodt, Hans-Ulrich

2012-01-01

Generally, chemical tissue clearing is performed by a solution consisting of two parts benzyl benzoate and one part benzyl alcohol. However, prolonged exposure to this mixture markedly reduces the fluorescence of GFP expressing specimens, so that one has to compromise between clearing quality and fluorescence preservation. This can be a severe drawback when working with specimens exhibiting low GFP expression rates. Thus, we screened for a substitute and found that dibenzyl ether (phenylmethoxymethylbenzene, CAS 103-50-4) can be applied as a more GFP-friendly clearing medium. Clearing with dibenzyl ether provides improved tissue transparency and strikingly improved fluorescence intensity in GFP expressing mouse brains and other samples as mouse spinal cords, or embryos. Chemical clearing, staining, and embedding of biological samples mostly requires careful foregoing tissue dehydration. The commonly applied tissue dehydration medium is ethanol, which also can markedly impair GFP fluorescence. Screening for a substitute also for ethanol we found that tetrahydrofuran (CAS 109-99-9) is a more GFP-friendly dehydration medium than ethanol, providing better tissue transparency obtained by successive clearing. Combined, tetrahydrofuran and dibenzyl ether allow dehydration and chemical clearing of even delicate samples for UM, confocal microscopy, and other microscopy techniques.

Quantification of sensory and food quality: the R-index analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Hye-Seong; van Hout, Danielle

2009-08-01

The accurate quantification of sensory difference/similarity between foods, as well as consumer acceptance/preference and concepts, is greatly needed to optimize and maintain food quality. The R-Index is one class of measures of the degree of difference/similarity, and was originally developed for sensory difference tests for food quality control, product development, and so on. The index is based on signal detection theory and is free of the response bias that can invalidate difference testing protocols, including categorization and same-different and A-Not A tests. It is also a nonparametric analysis, making no assumptions about sensory distributions, and is simple to compute and understand. The R-Index is also flexible in its application. Methods based on R-Index analysis have been used as detection and sensory difference tests, as simple alternatives to hedonic scaling, and for the measurement of consumer concepts. This review indicates the various computational strategies for the R-Index and its practical applications to consumer and sensory measurements in food science.

Comparison of index systems for rating water quality in intermittent rivers.

Science.gov (United States)

Perrin, Jean-Louis; Salles, Christian; Bancon-Montigny, Chrystelle; Raïs, Naoual; Chahinian, Nanée; Dowse, Lauryan; Rodier, Claire; Tournoud, Marie-George

2018-01-08

Water quality indexes (WQI) are a practical way to evaluate and compare the level of chemical contamination of different water bodies and to spatially and temporally compare levels of pollution. The purpose of this study was to check if these indexes are appropriate for intermittent rivers under arid and semi-arid climates. A literature review enabled the comparison of 25 water quality indexes to discern their capability to evaluate spatial (inter and intra catchment) and temporal (high and low water flow conditions) variations in water quality in three Mediterranean intermittent rivers: the River Vène (France) and the Oued Fez and the River Sebou (Morocco). Hierarchical cluster analysis identified groups of WQI with similar behavior and brought to light the 6 most distinguishing indexes. Whatever the hydrological conditions at the two sites, both the ME-MCATUHE and NCS indexes, which were developed for Morocco and Greece, and the CCMEWQI and BCWQI indexes, which were developed for non-arid or semi-arid zones, gave appropriate water quality evaluations.

Evaluation of the Relationship between Mitral Valve Prolapse (MVP and Body Mass Index (BMI: A Review Article

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hossein Samim

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Background: Mitral valve prolapse (MVP is a valvular heart disease in which the two valve flaps of the mitral valve do not close equally, and part of the mitral valve slips backward loosely into the left atrium during systole. In general, MVP is associated with low body mass index (BMI, as confirmed by several studies. However, the reason for the higher prevalence of MVP in patients with low BMI remains unknown. Objectives: There is no reliable evidence on the role of genetics or pathophysiological factors in this correlation, and the hypothesis that the size of BMI may lead to MVP or vice versa has not yet been established. Materials and Methods: In this study, all the articles were evaluated in terms of the inclusion criteria. In total, we found 546 articles via PubMed and Google scholar, out of which 30 articles were mainly focusing on MVP, MVR as the major complication of MVP, and BMI, which were included in this systematic review. Results: Among these reviewed studies, patients with MVP had a lower BMI score compared to the subjects without MVP. The low and high BMI score were 28±5 kg/m and 31±6 kg/m, respectively. Conclusions: In the present study, we concluded that low BMI is directly associated with the occurrence of MVP.

The Association Between NIMH Funding and h-index in Psychiatry.

Science.gov (United States)

Saraykar, Smita; Saleh, Ayman; Selek, Salih

2017-08-01

Academic productivity is measured under many domains: number of high impact publications, objective bibliometrics, securing extra-mural funding, etc. Citation impact is measured by an objective bibliometric called h-index. Securing funding from the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) is considered prestigious in the field of psychiatry. It is unknown if NIMH takes into consideration the author's h-index during the grant review process. The goal of this study was to determine the correlation between a principal investigator's (PI's) h-index and the NIMH funding. Correlational analysis was conducted on publicly available 2012 NIMH funding data to assess the relationship between NIMH funding and a PI's h-index. A simple linear regression was calculated to predict the h-index based on the amount of funding offered to the PI. A total of 139 PIs and their corresponding h-index and NIMH funding (direct, indirect, and total cost) were included. A strong correlation was found between h-index and NIMH funding: direct cost (r = 0.632, p h-index, β = 0.821, t (2.599), p h-index, R 2  = 0.410, F (3, 119) = 27.59, p h-index and securing NIMH funding. Thus, h-index stands out as a reliable measure for assessing the impact of scholarly contributions in academic psychiatry and can be used as an adjunct for performance evaluations, appointment, and promotions in academia.

Heterogeneity in Trajectories of Body Mass Index and Their Associations with Mortality in Old Age: A Literature Review

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hiroshi Murayama

2017-09-01

Full Text Available This article reviewed studies to investigate the association between trajectories of body mass index (BMI and mortality among older adults. Investigators conducted a systematic search of published peer-reviewed literature in the PubMed database, and three articles that satisfied the inclusion criteria for the review were identified. All of these studies used group-based trajectory models to identify distinct BMI trajectories. Two studies were derived from the U.S. and used data from the Health and Retirement Study, with up to nine repeated observations. Most of the BMI trajectories in older Americans were increasing and fell primarily within the overweight and obese ranges. The other study was from Japan and used nationwide data, with up to seven repeated observations. BMI trajectories identified in the older Japanese were mostly decreasing and fell primarily within the normal weight range. Although the distribution of BMI trajectories was different between the two nations, the findings from these three studies consistently demonstrated that people with stable overweight trajectories had the lowest all-cause mortality rates in both countries. Beyond this, however, these studies suggested that priorities for weight control in old age should likely differ between Western and non-Western countries. Research regarding BMI trajectories and mortality in old age is very limited at present. Evidence from countries other than the U.S. and Japan is warranted in order to validate current findings and guide the development of local clinical and public health strategies for body weight management aimed at improving the health and survival of older adults.

Parenting styles and body mass index: a systematic review of prospective studies among children.

Science.gov (United States)

Sokol, R L; Qin, B; Poti, J M

2017-03-01

Parenting style may be an important determinant of an individual's future weight status. However, reviews that evaluate the relationship between parenting style and weight-related outcomes have not focused on prospective studies. We systematically searched PubMed, Embase and PsychInfo for studies published between 1995 and 2016 that evaluated the prospective relationship between parenting style experienced in childhood and subsequent weight outcomes. We identified 11 prospective cohort studies. Among the eight studies that categorized parenting style into distinct groups (i.e. authoritative, authoritarian, permissive and neglectful), five provided evidence that authoritative parenting was associated with lower body mass index gains. Among the six highest quality studies, four suggested a protective role of authoritative parenting style against adverse weight-related outcomes. However, only one study controlled for a comprehensive set of confounders, and the small number of studies conducted within certain age groups precluded our ability to ascertain critical periods when parenting style is most strongly related to child weight. The present literature supports the idea that authoritative parenting may be protective against later overweight and obesity, although findings are mixed. More prospective cohort studies of longer durations, with more sophisticated methods that examine age-varying relationships, and that control for a comprehensive set of confounders, are needed. © 2017 World Obesity Federation.

Parenting styles and body mass index: A systematic review of prospective studies among children

Science.gov (United States)

Sokol, Rebeccah L; Qin, Bo; Poti, Jennifer M

2017-01-01

Background Parenting style may be an important determinant of an individual's future weight status. However, reviews that evaluate the relationship between parenting style and weight-related outcomes have not focused on prospective studies. Methods We systematically searched PubMed, Embase, and PsychInfo for studies published between 1995-2016 that evaluated the prospective relationship between parenting style experienced in childhood and subsequent weight outcomes. Results We identified eleven prospective cohort studies. Among the eight studies that categorized parenting style into distinct groups (i.e. authoritative, authoritarian, permissive, and neglectful), five provided evidence that authoritative parenting was associated with lower body mass index gains. Among the six highest quality studies, four suggested a protective role of authoritative parenting style against adverse weight-related outcomes. However, only one study controlled for a comprehensive set of confounders, and the small number of studies conducted within certain age groups precluded our ability to ascertain critical periods when parenting style is most strongly related to child weight. Conclusions The present literature supports the idea that authoritative parenting may be protective against later overweight and obesity, although findings are mixed. More prospective cohort studies of longer durations, with more sophisticated methods that examine age-varying relationships, and that control for a comprehensive set of confounders, are needed. PMID:28086262

Coastal sediment elevation change following anthropogenic mangrove clearing

Science.gov (United States)

Hayden, Heather L.; Granek, Elise F.

2015-11-01

Coastal mangrove forests along tropical shorelines serve as an important interface between land and sea. They provide a physical buffer protecting the coastline from erosion and act as sediment "traps" catching terrestrial sediment, thus preventing smothering of subtidal coral reefs. Coastal development that removes mangrove habitat may impact adjacent nearshore coral reefs through sedimentation and nutrient loading. We examined differences in sediment elevation change between patches of open-coast intact and anthropogenically cleared red mangroves (Rhizophora mangle) on the east side of Turneffe Atoll, Belize, to quantify changes following mangrove clearing. Samples were collected over a 24 month period at five study sites, each containing paired intact (+mangrove) and cleared (-mangrove) plots. Five sediment elevation pins were deployed in each plot: behind areas cleared of mangroves (-mangrove) and behind adjacent intact mangroves (+mangrove). Sediment elevation increased at intact mangrove sites (M = +3.83 mm, SE = 0.95) whereas cleared mangrove areas suffered elevation loss (M = -7.30 mm, SE = 3.38). Mangroves inshore of partial or continuous gaps in the adjacent fringing reefs had higher rates of elevation loss (M = -15.05 mm) than mangroves inshore of continuous fringing reefs (M = -1.90 mm). Our findings provide information on potential effects of mangrove clearing and the role of offshore habitat characteristics on coastal sediment trapping and maintenance of sediment elevation by mangroves. With implications for coastline capacity to adjust to sea level rise, these findings are relevant to management of coastal fringing mangrove forests across the Caribbean.

Is mandatory research ethics reviewing ethical?

Science.gov (United States)

Dyck, Murray; Allen, Gary

2013-08-01

Review boards responsible for vetting the ethical conduct of research have been criticised for their costliness, unreliability and inappropriate standards when evaluating some non-medical research, but the basic value of mandatory ethical review has not been questioned. When the standards that review boards use to evaluate research proposals are applied to review board practices, it is clear that review boards do not respect researchers or each other, lack merit and integrity, are not just and are not beneficent. The few benefits of mandatory ethical review come at a much greater, but mainly hidden, social cost. It is time that responsibility for the ethical conduct of research is clearly transferred to researchers, except possibly in that small proportion of cases where prospective research participants may be so intrinsically vulnerable that their well-being may need to be overseen.

Chemical clearing and dehydration of GFP expressing mouse brains.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Klaus Becker

Full Text Available Generally, chemical tissue clearing is performed by a solution consisting of two parts benzyl benzoate and one part benzyl alcohol. However, prolonged exposure to this mixture markedly reduces the fluorescence of GFP expressing specimens, so that one has to compromise between clearing quality and fluorescence preservation. This can be a severe drawback when working with specimens exhibiting low GFP expression rates. Thus, we screened for a substitute and found that dibenzyl ether (phenylmethoxymethylbenzene, CAS 103-50-4 can be applied as a more GFP-friendly clearing medium. Clearing with dibenzyl ether provides improved tissue transparency and strikingly improved fluorescence intensity in GFP expressing mouse brains and other samples as mouse spinal cords, or embryos. Chemical clearing, staining, and embedding of biological samples mostly requires careful foregoing tissue dehydration. The commonly applied tissue dehydration medium is ethanol, which also can markedly impair GFP fluorescence. Screening for a substitute also for ethanol we found that tetrahydrofuran (CAS 109-99-9 is a more GFP-friendly dehydration medium than ethanol, providing better tissue transparency obtained by successive clearing. Combined, tetrahydrofuran and dibenzyl ether allow dehydration and chemical clearing of even delicate samples for UM, confocal microscopy, and other microscopy techniques.

Adoption and impact of index-insurance and credit for smallholder farmers in developing countries

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Marr, Ana; Winkel, Anne; Asseldonk, van Marcel; Lensink, Robert; Bulte, Erwin

2016-01-01

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to review the most recent scientific literature on the determinants explaining the demand for index-insurance, the impact of index-insurance and the existing links between insurance and credit. In this meta-analysis, the authors identify key discoveries on

Thomson Reuters to release Book Citation Index later this year

Science.gov (United States)

Aldred, Maxine

2011-08-01

Thomson Reuters will launch its new Book Citation Index later this year. Projected to include 25,000 volumes from major publishers and university presses in science, social science, and the humanities, the Book Citation Index will cover scholarly books (both series and nonseries) that present original research or literature reviews. The current effort regarding the science section is focused on books published from 2005 to the present. AGU has sent copies of its catalog for inclusion in the Book Citation Index, but the final selection will be made by Thomson Reuters, using its internal selection criteria, which may be found at http://wokinfo.com/wok/media/pdf/BKCI-SelectionEssay_web.pdf.

Clear cell HCC: an imitator of hepatic adenoma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Incedayi, M.; Sivrioglu, A.

2012-01-01

Full text: A 60-year old male patient was complaining of a postprandial heartburn and of abdominal distension. Physical examination was normal except for nodular, painless hepatomegaly. Ultrasonographic examination of the liver showed diffuse increased echogenicity and coarse echotexture. A large mixed echogenic mass is seen in the right hepatic lobe. Computerized tomography showed heterogeneously hypodense mass lesions with fatty change on non-contrast scans and enhance heterogeneously on both arterial phase and venous phase postcontrast scans. Following true-cut biopsy, it was ascertained to be a clear cell HCC. Clear cell HCC may include large fatty areas and this is often misdiagnosed to be an adenoma. Clear cell HCC is characterized by high female prevalence, high rate of association with liver cirrhosis and has no significant difference in prognosis compared with non-clear cell HCC

High-Density Near-Field Readout over 50 GB Capacity Using Solid Immersion Lens with High Refractive Index

Science.gov (United States)

Shinoda, Masataka; Saito, Kimihiro; Kondo, Takao; Ishimoto, Tsutomu; Nakaoki, Ariyoshi

2003-02-01

We have investigated high-density near-field readout using a solid immersion lens with a high refractive index. By using a glass material with a high refractive index of 2.08, we developed an optical pick-up with the effective numerical aperture of 1.8. We could observe a clear eye pattern for a 50 GB capacity disc in 120 mm diameter. We confirmed that the near-field readout system is promising method of realizing a high-density optical disc system.

Toward Competitive and Innovative ASEAN SMEs: Philippine SME Policy Index 2012

OpenAIRE

Aldaba, Rafaelita M.; Aldaba, Fernando T.

2014-01-01

The ASEAN SME Policy Index is an analytical tool to review, track, and identify gaps in small and medium enterprise (SME) policy development and implementation. The index covers the following eight policy areas: institutional framework; cheaper and faster start-up and better legislation and regulation for SMEs; access to information and supporting services; access to finance; technology and technology transfer; market access and getting more output of the single market; promotion of entrepren...

Influence of Peri-Implant Soft Tissue Condition and Plaque Accumulation on Peri-Implantitis: a Systematic Review

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mindaugas Pranskunas

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Objectives: To systematically examine influence of soft tissue condition and plaque accumulation around dental implants on peri-implantitis development. Material and Methods: An electronic literature search was conducted of two databases - MEDLINE (Ovid and EMBASE from 2011 to 2016. Sequential screenings at the title, abstract, and full-text levels were performed. Clinical human studies in the English language that had reported soft tissue condition or plaque accumulation influence on peri-implantitis development were included. The resulting articles were independently subjected to clear inclusion and exclusion criteria by two reviewers as follows. Results: The search resulted in 8 articles meeting the inclusion criteria. These studies reported gingival index, plaque index, pocket depth, bleeding on probing/modified bleeding index for sites with “adequate” (≥ 2 mm and “inadequate” (< 2 mm width of keratinized mucosa. Results demonstrated that the amount of keratinized mucosa has little influence on soft-tissue inflammation in the presence of good oral hygiene. However, suboptimal oral hygiene due to difficulty in access for plaque control in the areas of minimal keratinized mucosa may lead to greater tissue damage. Conclusions: In cases with insufficient keratinized gingiva in the vicinity of implants, the insufficiency does not necessarily mediate adverse effects on the hygiene management and soft tissue health condition. Nonetheless, the risk of the increase of gingival index, plaque index, pocket depth, bleeding on probing/modified bleeding index is present. Therefore, the presence of an appropriate amount of keratinized gingiva is required.

Comparison of Utility of Histogram Apparent Diffusion Coefficient and R2* for Differentiation of Low-Grade From High-Grade Clear Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Yu-Dong; Wu, Chen-Jiang; Wang, Qing; Zhang, Jing; Wang, Xiao-Ning; Liu, Xi-Sheng; Shi, Hai-Bin

2015-08-01

The purpose of this study was to compare histogram analysis of apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) and R2* for differentiating low-grade from high-grade clear cell renal cell carcinoma (RCC). Forty-six patients with pathologically confirmed clear cell RCC underwent preoperative BOLD and DWI MRI of the kidneys. ADCs based on the entire tumor volume were calculated with b value combinations of 0 and 800 s/mm(2). ROI-based R2* was calculated with eight TE combinations of 6.7-22.8 milliseconds. Histogram analysis of tumor ADCs and R2* values was performed to obtain mean; median; width; and fifth, 10th, 90th, and 95th percentiles and histogram inhomogeneity, kurtosis, and skewness for all lesions. Thirty-three low-grade and 13 high-grade clear cell RCCs were found at pathologic examination. The TNM classification and tumor volume of clear cell RCC significantly correlated with histogram ADC and R2* (ρ = -0.317 to 0.506; p histogram ADC and R2* indexes, 10th percentile ADC had the highest accuracy (91.3%) in discriminating low- from high-grade clear cell RCC. R2* in discriminating hemorrhage was achieved with a threshold of 68.95 Hz. At this threshold, high-grade clear cell RCC had a significantly higher prevalence of intratumor hemorrhage (high-grade, 76.9%; low-grade, 45.4%; p Histogram analysis of ADC and R2* allows differentiation of low- from high-grade clear cell RCC with high accuracy.

3D Printer Generated Tissue iMolds for Cleared Tissue Using Single- and Multi-Photon Microscopy for Deep Tissue Evaluation.

Science.gov (United States)

Miller, Sean J; Rothstein, Jeffrey D

2017-01-01

Pathological analyses and methodology has recently undergone a dramatic revolution. With the creation of tissue clearing methods such as CLARITY and CUBIC, groups can now achieve complete transparency in tissue samples in nano-porous hydrogels. Cleared tissue is then imagined in a semi-aqueous medium that matches the refractive index of the objective being used. However, one major challenge is the ability to control tissue movement during imaging and to relocate precise locations post sequential clearing and re-staining. Using 3D printers, we designed tissue molds that fit precisely around the specimen being imaged. First, images are taken of the specimen, followed by importing and design of a structural mold, then printed with affordable plastics by a 3D printer. With our novel design, we have innovated tissue molds called innovative molds (iMolds) that can be generated in any laboratory and are customized for any organ, tissue, or bone matter being imaged. Furthermore, the inexpensive and reusable tissue molds are made compatible for any microscope such as single and multi-photon confocal with varying stage dimensions. Excitingly, iMolds can also be generated to hold multiple organs in one mold, making reconstruction and imaging much easier. Taken together, with iMolds it is now possible to image cleared tissue in clearing medium while limiting movement and being able to relocate precise anatomical and cellular locations on sequential imaging events in any basic laboratory. This system provides great potential for screening widespread effects of therapeutics and disease across entire organ systems.

H-index in medicine is driven by original research.

Science.gov (United States)

Nowak, Jan K; Lubarski, Karol; Kowalik, Lukasz M; Walkowiak, Jaroslaw

2018-02-28

To investigate the contribution of selected types of articles to h-indices of medical researchers. We used the Web of Science to export the publication records of various members from 26 scientific medical societies (13 European, 13 North American) associated with 13 medical specialties. Those included were presidents (n=26), heads of randomly chosen committees (n=52), and randomly selected members of those committees (n=52). Publications contributing to h-index were categorized as research articles, reviews, guidelines, meta-analyses, or other published work. Overall, 3259 items authored by 129 scholars were analyzed. The median h-index was 19.5. The median contribution of research articles to h-index was 84.4%. Researchers in the upper h-index tercile (≥28.5) had a larger share of research articles that contributed to h-index in comparison with those in the lower h-index tercile (≤12.5) (median 87.3% [1st-3rd quartile: 80.0%-93.1%] vs 80.0% [50.0%-88.9%], P=0.015). We observed an analogous difference with regard to guidelines (1.1% [0%-3.7%] vs 0% [0%-0%], P=0.007). Original research drives h-indices in medicine. Although guidelines contribute to h-indices in medicine, their influence is low. The specific role of randomized controlled trials in building h-index in medicine remains to be assessed.

The art of thinking clearly

CERN Document Server

Dobelli, Rolf

2013-01-01

The Art of Thinking Clearly by world-class thinker and entrepreneur Rolf Dobelli is an eye-opening look at human psychology and reasoning — essential reading for anyone who wants to avoid “cognitive errors” and make better choices in all aspects of their lives. Have you ever: Invested time in something that, with hindsight, just wasn’t worth it? Or continued doing something you knew was bad for you? These are examples of cognitive biases, simple errors we all make in our day-to-day thinking. But by knowing what they are and how to spot them, we can avoid them and make better decisions. Simple, clear, and always surprising, this indispensable book will change the way you think and transform your decision-making—work, at home, every day. It reveals, in 99 short chapters, the most common errors of judgment, and how to avoid them.

A step-defined sedentary lifestyle index: <5000 steps/day.

Science.gov (United States)

Tudor-Locke, Catrine; Craig, Cora L; Thyfault, John P; Spence, John C

2013-02-01

Step counting (using pedometers or accelerometers) is widely accepted by researchers, practitioners, and the general public. Given the mounting evidence of the link between low steps/day and time spent in sedentary behaviours, how few steps/day some populations actually perform, and the growing interest in the potentially deleterious effects of excessive sedentary behaviours on health, an emerging question is "How many steps/day are too few?" This review examines the utility, appropriateness, and limitations of using a reoccurring candidate for a step-defined sedentary lifestyle index: 10 000) to lower (sedentary lifestyle index for adults is appropriate for researchers and practitioners and for communicating with the general public. There is little evidence to advocate any specific value indicative of a step-defined sedentary lifestyle index in children and adolescents.

Metabolic effects of low glycaemic index diets

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rusu Emilia

2009-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract The persistence of an epidemic of obesity and type 2 diabetes suggests that new nutritional strategies are needed if the epidemic is to be overcome. A promising nutritional approach suggested by this thematic review is metabolic effect of low glycaemic-index diet. The currently available scientific literature shows that low glycaemic-index diets acutely induce a number of favorable effects, such as a rapid weight loss, decrease of fasting glucose and insulin levels, reduction of circulating triglyceride levels and improvement of blood pressure. The long-term effect of the combination of these changes is at present not known. Based on associations between these metabolic parameters and risk of cardiovascular disease, further controlled studies on low-GI diet and metabolic disease are needed.

The development of a flash flood severity index

Science.gov (United States)

Schroeder, Amanda J.; Gourley, Jonathan J.; Hardy, Jill; Henderson, Jen J.; Parhi, Pradipta; Rahmani, Vahid; Reed, Kimberly A.; Schumacher, Russ S.; Smith, Brianne K.; Taraldsen, Matthew J.

2016-10-01

Flash flooding is a high impact weather event that requires clear communication regarding severity and potential hazards among forecasters, researchers, emergency managers, and the general public. Current standards used to communicate these characteristics include return periods and the United States (U.S.) National Weather Service (NWS) 4-tiered river flooding severity scale. Return periods are largely misunderstood, and the NWS scale is limited to flooding on gauged streams and rivers, often leaving out heavily populated urban corridors. To address these shortcomings, a student-led group of interdisciplinary researchers came together in a collaborative effort to develop an impact-based Flash Flood Severity Index (FFSI). The index was proposed as a damage-based, post-event assessment tool, and preliminary work toward the creation of this index has been completed and presented here. Numerous case studies were analyzed to develop the preliminary outline for the FFSI, and three examples of such cases are included in this paper. The scale includes five impact-based categories ranging from Category 1 very minor flooding to Category 5 catastrophic flooding. Along with the numerous case studies used to develop the initial outline of the scale, empirical data in the form of semi-structured interviews were conducted with multiple NWS forecasters across the country and their responses were analyzed to gain more perspective on the complicated nature of flash flood definitions and which tools were found to be most useful. The feedback from these interviews suggests the potential for acceptance of such an index if it can account for specific challenges.

Bleeding and infection with external ventricular drainage: a systematic review in comparison with adjudicated adverse events in the ongoing Clot Lysis Evaluating Accelerated Resolution of Intraventricular Hemorrhage Phase III (CLEAR-III IHV) trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Dey, Mahua; Stadnik, Agnieszka; Riad, Fady; Zhang, Lingjiao; McBee, Nichol; Kase, Carlos; Carhuapoma, J Ricardo; Ram, Malathi; Lane, Karen; Ostapkovich, Noeleen; Aldrich, Francois; Aldrich, Charlene; Jallo, Jack; Butcher, Ken; Snider, Ryan; Hanley, Daniel; Ziai, Wendy; Awad, Issam A

2015-03-01

Retrospective series report varied rates of bleeding and infection with external ventricular drainage (EVD). There have been no prospective studies of these risks with systematic surveillance, threshold definitions, or independent adjudication. To analyze the rate of complications in the ongoing Clot Lysis: Evaluating Accelerated Resolution of Intraventricular Hemorrhage Phase III (CLEAR III) trial, providing a comparison with a systematic review of complications of EVD in the literature. Patients were prospectively enrolled in the CLEAR III trial after placement of an EVD for obstructive intraventricular hemorrhage and randomized to receive recombinant tissue-type plasminogen activator or placebo. We counted any detected new hemorrhage (catheter tract hemorrhage or any other distant hemorrhage) on computed tomography scan within 30 days from the randomization. Meta-analysis of published series of EVD placement was compiled with STATA software. Growing or unstable hemorrhage was reported as a cause of exclusion from the trial in 74 of 5707 cases (1.3%) screened for CLEAR III. The first 250 patients enrolled have completed adjudication of adverse events. Forty-two subjects (16.8%) experienced ≥1 new bleeds or expansions, and 6 of 250 subjects (2.4%) suffered symptomatic hemorrhages. Eleven cases (4.4%) had culture-proven bacterial meningitis or ventriculitis. Risks of bleeding and infection in the ongoing CLEAR III trial are comparable to those previously reported in EVD case series. In the present study, rates of new bleeds and bacterial meningitis/ventriculitis are very low despite multiple daily injections, blood in the ventricles, the use of thrombolysis in half the cases, and generalization to >60 trial sites.

The effects of work-related and individual factors on the Work Ability Index: a systematic review.

Science.gov (United States)

van den Berg, T I J; Elders, L A M; de Zwart, B C H; Burdorf, A

2009-04-01

This paper systematically reviews the scientific literature on the effects of individual and work-related factors on the Work Ability Index (WAI). Studies on work ability published from 1985 to 2006 were identified through a structured search in PubMed, and Web of Science. Studies were included if the WAI was used as measure of work ability and if quantitative information was presented on determinants of work ability. In total, 20 studies were included with 14 cross-sectional studies and six longitudinal studies. Factors associated with poor work ability, as defined by WAI, were lack of leisure-time vigorous physical activity, poor musculoskeletal capacity, older age, obesity, high mental work demands, lack of autonomy, poor physical work environment, and high physical work load. The WAI is associated with individual characteristics, lifestyle, demands at work, and physical condition. This multifactorial nature of work ability should be taken into account in health promotion programmes aimed at maintaining and promoting the participation of the labour force and improvement of the performance at work.

Enhanced subcarrier-index modulation-based asymmetrically clipped optical OFDM using even subcarriers

Science.gov (United States)

Guan, Rui; Xu, Wei; Yang, Zhaohui; Huang, Nuo; Wang, Jin-Yuan; Chen, Ming

2017-11-01

In this paper, we propose a subcarrier-index modulation-based asymmetrically clipped optical orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (SACO-OFDM) scheme for optical wireless communication (OWC) systems, which benefits from the subcarrier-index modulation (SIM) and asymmetrically clipped optical orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (ACO-OFDM) techniques. SACO-OFDM conveys additional information via the subcarrier indexing, and the error rate of the bit transmitted by the subcarrier indexing is much lower than that of the conventional M-ary modulation scheme. On the other hand, as the signal constellation in M-ary modulation is relieved, SACO-OFDM has simple transceiver structure and low detection complexity. Moreover, considering the spectral, an enhanced SACO-OFDM (ESACO-OFDM) using even subcarriers is proposed. In this technique, the odd subcarriers are activated for SACO-OFDM, and the imaginary part of even subcarriers are activated for pulse-amplitude-modulated discrete multitone (PAM-DMT). Clearly, ESACO-OFDM achieves better spectral efficiency than the conventional optical OFDM, since all subcarriers are used for data transmission. Simulation results verify the significant bit error rate (BER) and peak-to-average power ratio (PAPR) improvement by the proposed ESACO-OFDM, especially for the medium-to-high signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) regime.

Perceived gender in clear and conversational speech

Science.gov (United States)

Booz, Jaime A.

Although many studies have examined acoustic and sociolinguistic differences between male and female speech, the relationship between talker speaking style and perceived gender has not yet been explored. The present study attempts to determine whether clear speech, a style adopted by talkers who perceive some barrier to effective communication, shifts perceptions of femininity for male and female talkers. Much of our understanding of gender perception in voice and speech is based on sustained vowels or single words, eliminating temporal, prosodic, and articulatory cues available in more naturalistic, connected speech. Thus, clear and conversational sentence stimuli, selected from the 41 talkers of the Ferguson Clear Speech Database (Ferguson, 2004) were presented to 17 normal-hearing listeners, aged 18 to 30. They rated the talkers' gender using a visual analog scale with "masculine" and "feminine" endpoints. This response method was chosen to account for within-category shifts of gender perception by allowing nonbinary responses. Mixed-effects regression analysis of listener responses revealed a small but significant effect of speaking style, and this effect was larger for male talkers than female talkers. Because of the high degree of talker variability observed for talker gender, acoustic analyses of these sentences were undertaken to determine the relationship between acoustic changes in clear and conversational speech and perceived femininity. Results of these analyses showed that mean fundamental frequency (fo) and f o standard deviation were significantly correlated to perceived gender for both male and female talkers, and vowel space was significantly correlated only for male talkers. Speaking rate and breathiness measures (CPPS) were not significantly related for either group. Outcomes of this study indicate that adopting a clear speaking style is correlated with increases in perceived femininity. Although the increase was small, some changes associated

Clear aligners generations and orthodontic tooth movement.

Science.gov (United States)

Hennessy, Joe; Al-Awadhi, Ebrahim A

2016-03-01

Clear aligner technology has evolved over the last 15 years, with these appliances continually being modified to increase the range of tooth movements that they can achieve. However, there is very little clinical research available to show how these appliances achieve their results. This article describes the different generations of clear aligners that are available and highlights their use. However, until more clinical research becomes available, aligners cannot be routinely prescribed as an effective alternative to fixed labial appliances.

Visualization index for image-enabled medical records

Science.gov (United States)

Dong, Wenjie; Zheng, Weilin; Sun, Jianyong; Zhang, Jianguo

2011-03-01

With the widely use of healthcare information technology in hospitals, the patients' medical records are more and more complex. To transform the text- or image-based medical information into easily understandable and acceptable form for human, we designed and developed an innovation indexing method which can be used to assign an anatomical 3D structure object to every patient visually to store indexes of the patients' basic information, historical examined image information and RIS report information. When a doctor wants to review patient historical records, he or she can first load the anatomical structure object and the view the 3D index of this object using a digital human model tool kit. This prototype system helps doctors to easily and visually obtain the complete historical healthcare status of patients, including large amounts of medical data, and quickly locate detailed information, including both reports and images, from medical information systems. In this way, doctors can save time that may be better used to understand information, obtain a more comprehensive understanding of their patients' situations, and provide better healthcare services to patients.

Roadmap-Based Level Clearing of Buildings

KAUST Repository

Rodriguez, Samuel

2011-01-01

In this paper we describe a roadmap-based approach for a multi-agent search strategy to clear a building or multi-story environment. This approach utilizes an encoding of the environment in the form of a graph (roadmap) that is used to encode feasible paths through the environment. The roadmap is partitioned into regions, e.g., one per level, and we design region-based search strategies to cover and clear the environment. We can provide certain guarantees within this roadmap-based framework on coverage and the number of agents needed. Our approach can handle complex and realistic environments where many approaches are restricted to simple 2D environments. © 2011 Springer-Verlag.

A New ENSO Index Derived from Satellite Measurements of Column Ozone

Science.gov (United States)

Ziemke, J. R.; Chandra, S.; Oman, L. D.; Bhartia, P. K.

2010-01-01

Column Ozone measured in tropical latitudes from Nimbus 7 total ozone mapping spectrometer (TOMS), Earth Probe TOMS, solar backscatter ultraviolet (SBUV), and Aura ozone monitoring instrument (OMI) are used to derive an El Nino-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) index. This index, which covers a time period from 1979 to the present, is defined as the Ozone ENSO Index (OEI) and is the first developed from atmospheric trace gas measurements. The OEI is constructed by first averaging monthly mean column ozone over two broad regions in the western and eastern Pacific and then taking their difference. This differencing yields a self-calibrating ENSO index which is independent of individual instrument calibration offsets and drifts in measurements over the long record. The combined Aura OMI and MLS ozone data confirm that zonal variability in total column ozone in the tropics caused by ENSO events lies almost entirely in the troposphere. As a result, the OEI can be derived directly from total column ozone instead of tropospheric column ozone. For clear-sky ozone measurements a +1K change in Nino 3.4 index corresponds to +2.9 Dobson Unit (DU) change in the OEI, while a +1 hPa change in SOI coincides with a -1.7DU change in the OEI. For ozone measurements under all cloud conditions these numbers are +2.4DU and -1.4 DU, respectively. As an ENSO index based upon ozone, it is potentially useful in evaluating climate models predicting long term changes in ozone and other trace gases.

The Effectiveness of Clear Speech as a Masker

Science.gov (United States)

Calandruccio, Lauren; Van Engen, Kristin; Dhar, Sumitrajit; Bradlow, Ann R.

2010-01-01

Purpose: It is established that speaking clearly is an effective means of enhancing intelligibility. Because any signal-processing scheme modeled after known acoustic-phonetic features of clear speech will likely affect both target and competing speech, it is important to understand how speech recognition is affected when a competing speech signal…

Research Review of the Institute of African Studies

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Please note: As of 2013 the Research Review of the Institute of African Studies is now publishing under the title Contemporary Journal of African Studies. You can view the CJAS pages on AJOL here: http://www.ajol.info/index.php/contjas/index. The Research Review of the Institute of African Studies at the University of ...

Clear-PEM, a dedicated PET camera for mammography

CERN Document Server

Lecoq, P

2002-01-01

Preliminary results suggest that Positron Emission Mammography (PEM) can offer a noninvasive method for the diagnosis of breast cancer. Metabolic images from PEM contain unique information not available from conventional morphologic imaging techniques and aid in expeditiously establishing the diagnosis of cancer. A dedicated machine seems to offer better perspectives in terms of position resolution and sensitivity. This paper describes the concept of Clear-PEM, the system presently developed by the Crystal Clear Collaboration at CERN for an evaluation of this approach. This device is based on new crystals introduced by the Crystal Clear as well as on modern data acquisition techniques developed for the large experiments in high energy physics experiments.

Automated clearing system and the banking sector performance: the ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Automated clearing system and the banking sector performance: the Nigerian experience. ... Abstract. This study investigated the impact of automated clearing system on the Nigerian banking system. ... AJOL African Journals Online. HOW TO ...

Nuclear threat. A clear and present danger

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kikuchi, Masahiro; Nakagome, Yoshihiro

2005-01-01

It was disappointed at the discussion in the review conference of the NPT held in 2005. The fact may be caused by the estrangement between the international urgent issues related to the non-proliferation and the effectiveness of archaic measures through the NPT. However, it should not be recognized that the international obligation and worth of NPT has been gone. The NPT referred the typical international situation under the cold war era. Although several permanent issues of the nuclear non-proliferation exist in current discussions, the activities relevant to the NPT may not be effect against newly unstable situations after the September 11th of 2001. Urgent challenges to be taken are that we must strictly analyze the interventions between 'the clear and present danger' of our world and the nuclear herms, and must take appropriate actions toward them without influences from previous international situations that might be subsisted in current international treaties and agreements. This paper identified the features of nuclear threats based on the four categories and examined the possibilities of nuclear terrorism from previous facts with the inductive inference. The results identified the possibility of nuclear facility attack and of radioactive materials theft by the Polico-Religious Groups and others are stood out. The authors would suggest the important of urgent recognition to establish the certain security system against nuclear terrorism. (author)

Comanagement of Pediatric Depression and Obesity: A Clear Need for Evidence.

Science.gov (United States)

Mihalopoulos, Nicole L; Spigarelli, Michael G

2015-09-01

The purpose of this article is to provide a review of the existing literature for the comanagement of depression and obesity in the pediatric population. A review of the current literature was conducted using EBSCOhost and EMBASE to identify evidence and recommendations for the comanagement of depression and obesity among children and adolescents (aged 2-18 years). Additional search criteria included peer-reviewed, English language-only full-text articles published before August 2015. Multiple factors contribute to and influence the interplay of obesity and depression in the pediatric population. These 2 chronic conditions are affected by multiple factors, including the roles of the family, school, health care practitioners, and access to health care. In addition, there are no formal recommendations for the treatment of depression in the setting of obesity for pediatric or adult populations, and there is only medication approved by the Food and Drug Administration (orlistat) for the treatment of obesity in the adolescent population. Bariatric surgery may play a role in some adolescents, but larger and long-term clinical studies with the use of therapeutic agents in conjunction with lifestyle modification need to be conducted to support this. The interrelatedness of these 2 separate diseases is not well understood; the presence of 1 of the diseases clearly contributes to the manifestation of the other and likely to the ability to treat the other disease. Current focus is on modifying behavior to decrease weight. Weight loss is associated with improvement in depressive symptoms but may not be adequate to treat depression. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Enhancing facial features by using clear facial features

Science.gov (United States)

Rofoo, Fanar Fareed Hanna

2017-09-01

The similarity of features between individuals of same ethnicity motivated the idea of this project. The idea of this project is to extract features of clear facial image and impose them on blurred facial image of same ethnic origin as an approach to enhance a blurred facial image. A database of clear images containing 30 individuals equally divided to five different ethnicities which were Arab, African, Chines, European and Indian. Software was built to perform pre-processing on images in order to align the features of clear and blurred images. And the idea was to extract features of clear facial image or template built from clear facial images using wavelet transformation to impose them on blurred image by using reverse wavelet. The results of this approach did not come well as all the features did not align together as in most cases the eyes were aligned but the nose or mouth were not aligned. Then we decided in the next approach to deal with features separately but in the result in some cases a blocky effect was present on features due to not having close matching features. In general the available small database did not help to achieve the goal results, because of the number of available individuals. The color information and features similarity could be more investigated to achieve better results by having larger database as well as improving the process of enhancement by the availability of closer matches in each ethnicity.

Clear-Sky Narrowband Albedo Datasets Derived from Modis Data

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Y.; Minnis, P.; Sun-Mack, S.; Arduini, R. F.; Hong, G.

2013-12-01

Satellite remote sensing of clouds requires an accurate estimate of the clear-sky radiances for a given scene to detect clouds and aerosols and to retrieve their microphysical properties. Knowing the spatial and angular variability of clear-sky albedo is essential for predicting the clear-sky radiance at solar wavelengths. The Clouds and the Earth's Radiant Energy System (CERES) Project uses the near-infrared (NIR; 1.24, 1.6 or 2.13 μm) and visible (VIS; 0.63 μm) channels available on the Terra and Aqua Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometers (MODIS) to help identify clouds and retrieve their properties. Generally, clear-sky albedo for a given surface type is determined for conditions when the vegetation is either thriving or dormant and free of snow. The clear-sky albedos are derived using a radiative transfer parameterization of the impact of the atmosphere, including aerosols, on the observed reflectances. This paper presents the method of generating monthly clear-sky overhead albedo maps for both snow-free and snow-covered surfaces of these channels using one year of MODIS (Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) CERES products. Maps of 1.24 and 1.6 μm are being used as the background to help retrieve cloud properties (e.g., effective particle size, optical depth) in CERES cloud retrievals in both snow-free and snow-covered conditions.

Age-related normal ranges for the Haller index in children

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Daunt, Stephen W.; Cohen, Justine H.; Miller, Stephen F.

2004-01-01

The Haller index is an accepted CT method for evaluating thoracic dimensions in patients with pectus excavatum. The purpose of this study is to establish age- and gender-related norms for the Haller index in childhood. We retrospectively reviewed 574 consecutive chest CT examinations (M=285, F=289) performed at our institution from August 2001 through March 2002. Seventeen patients with a history of chest-wall deformity, trauma, or syndrome were excluded, for a total sample size of 557 patients. The Haller index was calculated for each patient, using electronic calipers. The sample population was then separated by gender and placed into 2-year age groupings. Two-way analysis of variance and Tukey's multiple comparisons were performed to determine significance at a=0.05. The least-square mean Haller index values for each age group and gender were calculated with 95% confidence intervals. In both males and females, the 0- to 2-year age group showed a significantly smaller mean Haller index than older children. In addition, females had significantly greater Haller index values than males in the 0- to 6- and 12- to 18-year age groups. The Haller index, a quantitative measurement of chest-wall configuration, demonstrates significant age- and gender-related variability. This should be considered when evaluating the patient with suspected chest-wall deformity. (orig.)

Bipolar disorder, schizoaffective disorder, and schizophrenia overlap: a new comorbidity index.

Science.gov (United States)

Laursen, Thomas Munk; Agerbo, Esben; Pedersen, Carsten Bøcker

2009-10-01

Growing evidence of an etiologic overlap between schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, and bipolar disorder has become increasingly difficult to disregard. We investigated the magnitude of the overlap between the clinical diagnoses of bipolar affective disorder, schizoaffective disorder, and schizophrenia over a 35-year period based on the entire Danish population. We established a register-based prospective cohort study of more than 2.5 million persons born in Denmark after 1954. Risks for the 3 psychiatric disorders were estimated by survival analysis using the Aalen-Johansen method. Cohort members were followed from 1970 to 2006. We introduced a new comorbidity index measuring the magnitude of the overlap between the 3 disorders. Overall, 12,734 patients were admitted with schizophrenia, 4,205 with bipolar disorder, and 1,881 with schizoaffective disorder. A female bipolar patient's risk of also being admitted with a schizoaffective disorder by the age of 45 years was approximately 103 times higher than that of a woman at the same age in the general population. Thus, we defined the comorbidity index between schizoaffective disorder and bipolar disorder at age 45 years to be 103. At age 45 years, the index between schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder was 80 and between schizophrenia and bipolar disorder was 20. Similar large comorbidity indexes were found for men. A large comorbidity index between schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder was found, as well as a large index between bipolar disorder and schizoaffective disorder. But, more surprisingly, it was clear that a substantial comorbidity index between bipolar disorder and schizophrenia was present. This study supports the existence of an overlap between bipolar disorder and schizophrenia and thus challenges the strict categorical approach used in both DSM-IV and ICD-10 classification systems. Copyright 2009 Physicians Postgraduate Press, Inc.

Fuzzy bicriteria multi-index transportation problems for coal allocation planning of Taipower

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tzeng, G.-H.; Teodorvic, D.; Hwang, M.-J.

1996-01-01

Taipower, the official electricity authority of Taiwan, encounters several difficulties in planning annual coal purchase and allocation schedule, e.g. with multiple sources, multiple destinations, multiple coal types, different shipping vessels, and even an uncertain demand and supply. In this study, these concerns are formulated as a fuzzy bicriteria multi-index transportation problem. Furthermore, an effective and interactive algorithm is proposed which combines reducing index method and interactive fuzzy multi-objective linear programming technique to cope with a complicated problem which may be prevalent in other industries. Results obtained in this study clearly demonstrate that this model can not only satisfy more of the actual requirements of the integral system but also offer more information to the decision makers (DMs) for reference in favor of exalting decision making quality. 34 refs., 4 figs., 4 tabs

Two cases of seborrheic keratosis with basal clear cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Anan, Takashi; Fukumoto, Takaya; Kimura, Tetsunori

2017-03-01

Seborrheic keratosis with basal clear cells (SKBCC) is an extremely rare histopathological variant of seborrheic keratosis that has histological similarities to melanoma in situ. We herein report two cases of SKBCC and provide the first description of the dermoscopic features of this condition, in addition to the histopathological findings. Both of the two lesions showed typical histological architectures of seborrheic keratosis with rows or focal clusters of monomorphic clear cells with abundant pale cytoplasm and small round nucleus in the basal layer. Immunohistochemical examination revealed that most clear cells were positive for high molecular weight cytokeratin (34βE12) in a peripheral pattern but were negative tor Melan-A. Dermoscopy revealed typical features of ordinary seborrheic keratosis, while unfortunately did not reflect the presence of basal clear cells. © 2016 Japanese Dermatological Association.

Habitat Suitability Index Models: Yellow-headed blackbird

Science.gov (United States)

Schroeder, Richard L.

1982-01-01

Habitat preferences of the yellow-headed blackbird (Xanthocephalus xanthocephalus) are described in this publication. It is one of a series of Habitat Suitability Index (HSI) models and was developed through an analysis of available infomration on the species-habitat requirements of the species. Habitat use information is presented in a review of the literature, followed by the development of an HSI model, designed for use in impact assessment and habitat management activities.

Does lumbar paraspinal muscle fatty degeneration correlate with aerobic index and Oswestry disability index?

Science.gov (United States)

Prasarn, Mark L; Kostantinos, Vasalos; Coyne, Ellen; Wright, John; Rechtine, Glenn R

2015-01-01

We sought to analyze whether the amount of paraspinal fatty degeneration correlates with a patient's physical fitness, and to determine if these findings on lumbar magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans can help predict functional outcomes. A retrospective review was performed on 172 patients. Inclusion criteria involved being seen by a spine surgeon for low back pain, having aerobic index (AI), body mass index (BMI), Oswestry disability index (ODI), and body fat percentage measured recently, and having had a recent lumbar MRI scan. The percentage of fatty muscle degeneration was graded by three reviewers using T2-weighted axial images at L3 and L5 using a newly proposed system that was validated independently. The system is graded as follows: Grade 1: 0-24%, Grade 2: 25-49%, Grade 3: 50-74%, and Grade 4: 75-100%. An independent t-test was used for comparisons. The average AI was 34.87, and the cohort was divided into two groups: above-average AI (89 patients) and below-average AI (83 patients). For all paraspinal fat measurements and body fat percentage, the difference between the above- and below-average AI groups was statistically significant (P < 0.05), with the least amount of paraspinal fatty degeneration and body fat in the greater AI group. Weight alone and BMI were not found to be significantly different between those with above-average AI when compared to those with below-average AI (P = 0.491 and P = 0.122, respectively). There was a trend for lower ODI scores in the above-average AI group (41.9 vs 46.1), but this did not reach statistical significance between the two groups (P = 0.075). For all patients it was shown that there was significantly less paraspinal fat at the L3 level as compared to L5 (P < 0.001). We were able to show that patients with a higher AI have lower body fat percentages and lower amounts of fatty degeneration in their lumbar paraspinal musculature. The amount of paraspinal fatty degeneration, therefore, correlates with physical

High Altitude Clear Air Turbulence Project

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — The Air Force Flight Dynamics Laboratory conducted the High Altitude Clear Air Turbulence Project in the mid 1960s with the intention of better understanding air...

Pediatric evaluation of the ClearVoice™ speech enhancement algorithm in everyday life

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nathalie Noël-Petroff

2013-12-01

Full Text Available ClearVoice™ enables Advanced Bionics cochlear implant users to improve their speech understanding in difficult listening environments, without compromising performance in quiet situations. The aim of the study was to evaluate the benefits of ClearVoice in children. Children between six and fourteen years of age randomly tested two modalities of ClearVoice for one month each. The baseline program, HiRes 120™, and both ClearVoice programs were evaluated with a sentence test in quiet and noise. Parents and teachers completed a questionnaire related to everyday noisy situations. The switchover to ClearVoice was uneventful for both modalities. Adjustments to thresholds and comfort levels were required. Seven out of the nine children preferred a ClearVoice program. No impact of ClearVoice on performance in quiet was observed and both modalities of ClearVoice improved speech understanding in noise compared to the baseline program, significantly with ClearVoice high. Positive outcomes were obtained from the questionnaires and discussions with parents and children. This study showed that children benefited from using ClearVoice in their daily life. There was a clear trend towards improved speech understanding in noise with ClearVoice, without affecting performance in quiet; therefore ClearVoice can be used by children all day, without having to change programs.

The impact of socially responsible investment index constituent announcements on firm price: evidence from the JSE

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Chimwemwe Chipeta

2012-11-01

Full Text Available This paper examines whether Socially Responsible Investment (SRI Index constituent announcements have any impact on the returns of firms listing on the JSE SRI Index. The event study methodology is utilised to estimate abnormal returns for the firms included in the Index. The results indicate insignificant average abnormal returns (AARs for the years 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2009, suggesting no significant shareholder gains over the entire event window. However, the year 2005 is associated with positive and significant abnormal returns. Post announcement cumulative average abnormal returns (CAARs are positive for the years 2005 and 2007. However, the year 2008 exhibited extreme swings in CAARs with a general declining trend in the latter part of the event window. These swings are attributed to the global financial crisis of 2008. Furthermore, the cumulative returns for the total sample show no clear outperformance of the SRI over the JSE All Share Index.

Changes in biotic and abiotic processes following mangrove clearing

Science.gov (United States)

Granek, Elise; Ruttenberg, Benjamin I.

2008-12-01

Mangrove forests, important tropical coastal habitats, are in decline worldwide primarily due to removal by humans. Changes to mangrove systems can alter ecosystem properties through direct effects on abiotic factors such as temperature, light and nutrient supply or through changes in biotic factors such as primary productivity or species composition. Despite the importance of mangroves as transitional habitats between land and sea, little research has examined changes that occur when they are cleared. We examined changes in a number of biotic and abiotic factors following the anthropogenic removal of red mangroves ( Rhizophora mangle) in the Panamanian Caribbean, including algal biomass, algal diversity, algal grazing rates, light penetration, temperature, sedimentation rates and sediment organic content. In this first study examining multiple ecosystem-level effects of mangrove disturbance, we found that areas cleared of mangroves had higher algal biomass and richness than intact mangrove areas. This increase in algal biomass and richness was likely due to changes in abiotic factors (e.g. light intensity, temperature), but not biotic factors (fish herbivory). Additionally the algal and cyanobacterial genera dominating mangrove-cleared areas were rare in intact mangroves and included a number of genera that compete with coral for space on reefs. Interestingly, sedimentation rates did not differ between intact and cleared areas, but the sediments that accumulated in intact mangroves had higher organic content. These findings are the first to demonstrate that anthropogenic clearing of mangroves changes multiple biotic and abiotic processes in mangrove forests and that some of these changes may influence adjacent habitats such as coral reefs and seagrass beds. Additional research is needed to further explore the community and ecosystem-level effects of mangrove clearing and their influence on adjacent habitats, but it is clear that mangrove conservation is an

The Effect of Dietary Glycaemic Index on Glycaemia in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials

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Omorogieva Ojo

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Background: The increasing prevalence of diabetes in the United Kingdom and worldwide calls for new approaches to its management, and diets with low glycaemic index have been proposed as a useful means for managing glucose response. However, there are conflicting reports and differences in the results of studies in terms of their effectiveness. Furthermore, the impact of low-glycaemic index diets and their long-term use in patients with type 2 diabetes remains unclear. Objectives: The objective of this study was to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis of the effect of low-glycaemic index diets in patients with type 2 diabetes. Methods: Search methods: Randomised controlled studies were selected from a number of databases (EBSCOHost with links to Health Research databases, PubMed, and grey literature based on the Population, Intervention, Comparator, Outcomes and Study designs (PICOS framework. The search terms included synonyms and Medical Subject Headings (MeSH and involved the use of Boolean operators (AND/OR which allowed the combination of words and search terms. Selection criteria: As per the selection criteria, the following types of articles were selected: studies on randomised controlled trials, with year of publication between 2008 and 2018, including patients with type 2 diabetes. Thus, studies involving patients with gestational and type 1 diabetes were excluded, as were observational studies. Nine articles which met the inclusion criteria were selected for the systematic review, whereas only six articles which met the criteria were included in the meta-analysis. Data collection and analysis: Studies were evaluated for quality and risk of bias. In addition, heterogeneity, meta-analysis, and sensitivity tests of the extracted data were carried out using Review Manager 5.3 (Review Manager, 2014. Results: The findings of the systematic review showed that the low-glycaemic index (low-GI diet resulted in a significant improvement

Walkability Index

Science.gov (United States)

The Walkability Index dataset characterizes every Census 2010 block group in the U.S. based on its relative walkability. Walkability depends upon characteristics of the built environment that influence the likelihood of walking being used as a mode of travel. The Walkability Index is based on the EPA's previous data product, the Smart Location Database (SLD). Block group data from the SLD was the only input into the Walkability Index, and consisted of four variables from the SLD weighted in a formula to create the new Walkability Index. This dataset shares the SLD's block group boundary definitions from Census 2010. The methodology describing the process of creating the Walkability Index can be found in the documents located at ftp://newftp.epa.gov/EPADataCommons/OP/WalkabilityIndex.zip. You can also learn more about the Smart Location Database at https://edg.epa.gov/data/Public/OP/Smart_Location_DB_v02b.zip.

Why are there race/ethnic differences in adult body mass index-adiposity relationships? A quantitative critical review.

Science.gov (United States)

Heymsfield, S B; Peterson, C M; Thomas, D M; Heo, M; Schuna, J M

2016-03-01

Body mass index (BMI) is now the most widely used measure of adiposity on a global scale. Nevertheless, intense discussion centers on the appropriateness of BMI as a phenotypic marker of adiposity across populations differing in race and ethnicity. BMI-adiposity relations appear to vary significantly across race/ethnic groups, but a collective critical analysis of these effects establishing their magnitude and underlying body shape/composition basis is lacking. Accordingly, we systematically review the magnitude of these race-ethnic differences across non-Hispanic (NH) white, NH black and Mexican American adults, their anatomic body composition basis and potential biologically linked mechanisms, using both earlier publications and new analyses from the US National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Our collective observations provide a new framework for critically evaluating the quantitative relations between BMI and adiposity across groups differing in race and ethnicity; reveal new insights into BMI as a measure of adiposity across the adult age-span; identify knowledge gaps that can form the basis of future research and create a quantitative foundation for developing BMI-related public health recommendations. © 2015 World Obesity.

One Clear Image? Challenging Simplicity in Place Branding

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ren, Carina Bregnholm; Blichfeldt, Bodil Stilling

2011-01-01

Unique selling points! Simplicity sells! One clear identity! One clear image! These are some of the place branding mantras of today. In this paper, this “simplicity trend” is critically examined and challenged by raising the question whether clear images and simplicity are truly the only options...... in destination branding. After a short introduction and discussion of the underlying assumptions of destination branding strategy, an illustrative case is used to demonstrate how tourism stakeholders create several different “versions” of the tourist destination through a multiplicity of discursive, performative...... and socio-material practices at the tourist destination. Based on these findings, place marketers are encouraged to embrace and benefit from the multiple destination rather than seeking to reduce its multiplicity. It is argued that diversity branding might actually be deployed, strategically, in order...

Learning modulation of odor representations: new findings from Arc-indexed networks

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Qi eYuan

2014-12-01

Full Text Available We first review our understanding of odor representations in rodent olfactory bulb and anterior piriform cortex. We then consider learning-induced representation changes. Finally we describe the perspective on network representations gained from examining Arc-indexed odor networks of awake rats. Arc-indexed networks are sparse and distributed, consistent with current views. However Arc provides representations of repeated odors. Arc-indexed repeated odor representations are quite variable. Sparse representations are assumed to be compact and reliable memory codes. Arc suggests this is not necessarily the case. The variability seen is consistent with electrophysiology in awake animals and may reflect top down-cortical modulation of context. Arc-indexing shows that distinct odors share larger than predicted neuron pools. These may be low-threshold neuronal subsets.Learning’s effect on Arc-indexed representations is to increase the stable or overlapping component of rewarded odor representations. This component can decrease for similar odors when their discrimination is rewarded. The learning effects seen are supported by electrophysiology, but mechanisms remain to be elucidated.

Rainfall Intensity and Frequency Explain Production Basis Risk in Cumulative Rain Index Insurance

Science.gov (United States)

Muneepeerakul, Chitsomanus P.; Muneepeerakul, Rachata; Huffaker, Ray G.

2017-12-01

With minimal moral hazard and adverse selection, weather index insurance promises financial resilience to farmers struck by harsh weather conditions through swift compensation at affordable premium. Despite these advantages, the very nature of indexing gives rise to production basis risk as the selected weather indexes do not sufficiently correspond to actual damages. To address this problem, we develop a stochastic yield model, built upon a stochastic soil moisture model driven by marked Poisson rainfall. Our analysis shows that even under similar temperature and rainfall amount yields can differ significantly; this was empirically supported by a 2-year field experiment in which rain-fed maize was grown under very similar total rainfall. Here, the year with more intense, less-frequent rainfall produces a better yield—a rare counter evidence to most climate change projections. Through a stochastic yield model, we demonstrate the crucial roles of rainfall intensity and frequency in determining the yield. Importantly, the model allows us to compute rainfall pattern-related basis risk inherent in cumulative rain index insurance. The model results and a case study herein clearly show that total rainfall is a poor indicator of yield, imposing unnecessary production basis risk on farmers and false-positive payouts on insurers. Incorporating rainfall intensity and frequency in the design of rain index insurance can offer farmers better protection, while maintaining the attractive features of the weather index insurance and thus fulfilling its promise of financial resilience.

Efficacy of technology-based interventions for obesity prevention in adolescents: a systematic review.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Jyu-Lin; Wilkosz, Mary Ellen

2014-01-01

About one third of adolescents in the USA are overweight and/or obese. Obesity during the adolescent years is associated with many adverse health consequences, including type 2 diabetes, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and psychosocial problems. Because of substantial advances in technologies and wide acceptance by adolescents, it is now possible to use technology for healthy weight management and prevention of obesity. This systematic review used Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines and aimed to evaluate the existing literature reported on the effectiveness of technology-based intervention (web-based, e-learning, and active video games) in preventing obesity in adolescents. The primary aim of this review was to explore if components of specific interventions were associated with a reduction in body mass index. Research articles obtained from CINAHL, Embase, PubMed, PsycInfo, and the Cochrane database from1990 to 2014 were reviewed. A total of 131 published articles were identified, and 14 met the inclusion criteria of a randomized or nonrandomized clinical study with body mass index as primary outcome and/or secondary outcomes of diet/physical activity and/or psychosocial function, tested lifestyle interventions to prevent obesity, used technology, and studied adolescents (aged 12-18 years). The results indicated that six of 14 studies found body mass index and/or body fat decreased at short-term (less than 12 months) follow-up. Six of eleven studies that examined physical activity or physical activity-related outcomes found an improved physical activity outcome (time playing active video games and increase in physical activity time), while five of seven studies which assessed dietary outcomes indicated improvement in dietary behaviors. Five of seven studies suggested an improvement in psychosocial function (reduced depression, improved self-esteem and efficacy, improvement on Behavior Assessment Scale) in adolescents

Modification of Low Refractive Index Polycarbonate for High Refractive Index Applications

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Gunjan Suri

2009-01-01

Full Text Available Polycarbonates and polythiourethanes are the most popular materials in use today, for optical applications. Polycarbonates are of two types which fall in the category of low refractive index and medium refractive index. The present paper describes the conversion of low refractive index polycarbonates into high refractive index material by the use of a high refractive index monomer, polythiol, as an additive. Novel polycarbonates, where the properties of refractive index and Abbe number can be tailor made, have been obtained. Thermal studies and refractive index determination indicate the formation of a new polymer with improved properties and suitable for optical applications.

Clinical Application of the PES/WES Index on Natural Teeth: Case Report and Literature Review

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Alessandro Lanza

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The use of reliable indices to evaluate the aesthetic outcomes in the aesthetic area is an important and objective clinical aid to monitor the results over time. According to the literature various indices were proposed to evaluate aesthetic outcomes of implant-prosthetic rehabilitation of the anterior area like Peri-Implant and Crown Index [PICI], Implant Crown Aesthetic Index [ICAI], Pink Esthetic Score/White Esthetic Score [PES/WES], and Pink Esthetic Score [PES] but none of them was related to prosthetic rehabilitation on natural teeth. The aim of this study is to verify the validity of PES/WES index for natural tooth-prosthetic rehabilitation of the anterior area. As secondary objective, we proposed to evaluate the long-term predictability of this clinical application, one of which is presented below, following the analysis of the most currently accepted literature.

CLEARING MAGNET DESIGN FOR APS-U

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Abliz, M.; Grimmer, J.; Jaski, Y.; Westferro, F.; Ramanathan, M.

2017-06-25

The Advanced Photon Source is in the process of developing an upgrade (APS-U) of the storage ring. The upgrade will be converting the current double bend achromat (DBA) lattice to a multi-bend achromat (MBA) lattice. In addition, the storage ring will be operated at 6 GeV and 200 mA with regular swap-out injection to keep the stored beam current constant [1]. The swap-out injection will take place with beamline shutters open. For radiation safety to ensure that no electrons can exit the storage ring, a passive method of protecting the beamline and containing the electrons inside the storage ring is proposed. A clearing magnet will be located in all beamline front ends inside the storage ring tunnel. This article will discuss the features and design of the clearing magnet scheme for APS-U.

Development of a hybrid pollution index for heavy metals in marine and estuarine sediments.

Science.gov (United States)

Brady, James P; Ayoko, Godwin A; Martens, Wayde N; Goonetilleke, Ashantha

2015-05-01

Heavy metal pollution of sediments is a growing concern in most parts of the world, and numerous studies focussed on identifying contaminated sediments by using a range of digestion methods and pollution indices to estimate sediment contamination have been described in the literature. The current work provides a critical review of the more commonly used sediment digestion methods and identifies that weak acid digestion is more likely to provide guidance on elements that are likely to be bioavailable than other traditional methods of digestion. This work also reviews common pollution indices and identifies the Nemerow Pollution Index as the most appropriate method for establishing overall sediment quality. Consequently, a modified Pollution Index that can lead to a more reliable understanding of whole sediment quality is proposed. This modified pollution index is then tested against a number of existing studies and demonstrated to give a reliable and rapid estimate of sediment contamination and quality.

75 FR 77576 - General Regulations and Derivatives Clearing Organizations

Science.gov (United States)

2010-12-13

... Derivatives Clearing Organizations AGENCY: Commodity Futures Trading Commission. ACTION: Notice of proposed... derivatives clearing organization (DCO) Core Principles A (Compliance), H (Rule Enforcement), N (Antitrust... commission merchant (FCM) that is also registered as a securities broker-dealer (FCM/BD), and make certain...

Clear speech and lexical competition in younger and older adult listeners.

Science.gov (United States)

Van Engen, Kristin J

2017-08-01

This study investigated whether clear speech reduces the cognitive demands of lexical competition by crossing speaking style with lexical difficulty. Younger and older adults identified more words in clear versus conversational speech and more easy words than hard words. An initial analysis suggested that the effect of lexical difficulty was reduced in clear speech, but more detailed analyses within each age group showed this interaction was significant only for older adults. The results also showed that both groups improved over the course of the task and that clear speech was particularly helpful for individuals with poorer hearing: for younger adults, clear speech eliminated hearing-related differences that affected performance on conversational speech. For older adults, clear speech was generally more helpful to listeners with poorer hearing. These results suggest that clear speech affords perceptual benefits to all listeners and, for older adults, mitigates the cognitive challenge associated with identifying words with many phonological neighbors.

Nickel-Hydrogen Battery Fault Clearing at Low State of Charge

Science.gov (United States)

Lurie, C.

1997-01-01

Fault clearing currents were achieved and maintained at discharge rates from C/2 to C/3 at high and low states of charge. The fault clearing plateau voltage is strong function of: discharge current, and voltage-prior-to-the-fault-clearing-event and a weak function of state of charge. Voltage performance, for the range of conditions reported, is summarized.

Lower Bispectral index values in psychiatric patients: A prospective, observational study

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Venkatapura J Ramesh

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Background : Bispectral index score (BIS is a processed electroencephalographic parameter used to measure level of sedation in anaesthetised patients. In few studies of psychiatric patients undergoing electroconvulsive therapy (ECT, it was observed that the BIS values were lower at baseline. It is not clear from those studies whether the BIS values are really low. Also, it is not clear whether the lower values are related to the primary psychiatric illness or the due to the effect of ECT. Therefore, we studied the BIS values in psychiatric illnesses and compared them with the normal controls. Materials and Methods : BIS index was recorded in 237 patients with various psychiatric illness (Group P and 40 control patients without any psychiatric illness undergoing spinal surgery (Group C. BIS values were recorded in supine position before breakfast and before the morning doses of antipsychotic/benzodiazepine medications. It was recorded during resting state in all the subjects. Results : BIS values were lower in group P compared to control group (a mean of 89.8 ± 7.8 vs 95.7 ± 2.4, P < 0.0001. In the group P, the patients with psychosis and bipolar disorder had significantly lower BIS values than the patients with depression (P = 0.04. Conclusions : BIS values in psychiatric patients are lower than those in the control group. Psychotic and bipolar disorders are associated with significantly lower BIS values than the depression.

In vitro starch digestibility and expected glycemic index of pound cakes baked in two-cycle microwave-toaster and conventional oven.

Science.gov (United States)

García-zaragoza, Francisco J; Sánchez-Pardo, María E; Ortiz-Moreno, Alicia; Bello-Pérez, Luis A

2010-11-01

Bread baking technology has an important effect on starch digestibility measured as its predicted glycemic index tested in vitro. The aim of this work was to evaluate the changes in predicted glycemic index of pound cake baked in a two-cycle microwave toaster and a conventional oven. The glycemic index was calculated from hydrolysis index values by the Granfeldt method. Non-significant differences (P > 0.05) were found in hydrolysis index (60.67 ± 3.96 for the product baked in microwave oven and 65.94 ± 4.09 for the product baked in conventional oven) and predicted glycemic index content (60.5 for product baked in microwave oven and 65 for the product baked in conventional oven) in freshly-baked samples. Results clearly demonstrate that the baking pound cake conventional process could be replicated using a two-cycle multifunction microwave oven, reducing the traditional baking time. Further research is required in order to achieve pound cake crumb uniformity.

A comparative study between transport and criticality safety indexes for fissile uranium nuclearly pure

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Moraes da Silva, T. de; Sordi, G.M.A.A. [Instituto de Pesquisas Energeticas e Nucleares, IPEN/CNEN (Brazil)]. e-mail: tmsilva@ipen.br

2006-07-01

The international and national standards determine that during the transport of radioactive materials the package to be sent should be identified by labels of risks specifying content, activity and the transport index. The result of the monitoring of the package to 1 meter identifies the transport index, TI, which represents the dose rate to 1 meter of this. The transport index is, by definition, a number that represents a gamma radiation that crosses the superficial layer the radioactive material of the package to 1 meter of distance. For the fissile radioactive material that is the one in which a neutron causes the division of the atom, the international standards specify criticality safety index CSI, which is related with the safe mass of the fissile element. In this work it was determined the respective safe mass for each considered enrichment for the compounds of uranium oxides UO{sub 2}, U{sub 3}O{sub 8} and U{sub 3}Si{sub 2}. In the study of CSI it was observed that the value 50 of the expression 50/N being N the number of packages be transported in subcriticality conditions it represents a fifth part of the safe mass of the element uranium or 9% of the smallest mass critical for a transport not under exclusive use. As conclusion of the accomplished study was observed that the transport index starting from 7% of enrichment doesn't present contribution and that criticality safety index is always greater than the transport index. Therefore what the standards demand to specify, the largest value between both indexes, was clearly identified in this study as being the criticality safety index. (Author)

Identification of novel therapeutic targets in microdissected clear cell ovarian cancers.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Michael P Stany

Full Text Available Clear cell ovarian cancer is an epithelial ovarian cancer histotype that is less responsive to chemotherapy and carries poorer prognosis than serous and endometrioid histotypes. Despite this, patients with these tumors are treated in a similar fashion as all other ovarian cancers. Previous genomic analysis has suggested that clear cell cancers represent a unique tumor subtype. Here we generated the first whole genomic expression profiling using epithelial component of clear cell ovarian cancers and normal ovarian surface specimens isolated by laser capture microdissection. All the arrays were analyzed using BRB ArrayTools and PathwayStudio software to identify the signaling pathways. Identified pathways validated using serous, clear cell cancer cell lines and RNAi technology. In vivo validations carried out using an orthotopic mouse model and liposomal encapsulated siRNA. Patient-derived clear cell and serous ovarian tumors were grafted under the renal capsule of NOD-SCID mice to evaluate the therapeutic potential of the identified pathway. We identified major activated pathways in clear cells involving in hypoxic cell growth, angiogenesis, and glucose metabolism not seen in other histotypes. Knockdown of key genes in these pathways sensitized clear cell ovarian cancer cell lines to hypoxia/glucose deprivation. In vivo experiments using patient derived tumors demonstrate that clear cell tumors are exquisitely sensitive to antiangiogenesis therapy (i.e. sunitinib compared with serous tumors. We generated a histotype specific, gene signature associated with clear cell ovarian cancer which identifies important activated pathways critical for their clinicopathologic characteristics. These results provide a rational basis for a radically different treatment for ovarian clear cell patients.

Diagnosis checking of statistical analysis in RCTs indexed in PubMed.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Paul H; Tse, Andy C Y

2017-11-01

Statistical analysis is essential for reporting of the results of randomized controlled trials (RCTs), as well as evaluating their effectiveness. However, the validity of a statistical analysis also depends on whether the assumptions of that analysis are valid. To review all RCTs published in journals indexed in PubMed during December 2014 to provide a complete picture of how RCTs handle assumptions of statistical analysis. We reviewed all RCTs published in December 2014 that appeared in journals indexed in PubMed using the Cochrane highly sensitive search strategy. The 2014 impact factors of the journals were used as proxies for their quality. The type of statistical analysis used and whether the assumptions of the analysis were tested were reviewed. In total, 451 papers were included. Of the 278 papers that reported a crude analysis for the primary outcomes, 31 (27·2%) reported whether the outcome was normally distributed. Of the 172 papers that reported an adjusted analysis for the primary outcomes, diagnosis checking was rarely conducted, with only 20%, 8·6% and 7% checked for generalized linear model, Cox proportional hazard model and multilevel model, respectively. Study characteristics (study type, drug trial, funding sources, journal type and endorsement of CONSORT guidelines) were not associated with the reporting of diagnosis checking. The diagnosis of statistical analyses in RCTs published in PubMed-indexed journals was usually absent. Journals should provide guidelines about the reporting of a diagnosis of assumptions. © 2017 Stichting European Society for Clinical Investigation Journal Foundation.

Non-storm irregular variation of the Dst index

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S. Nakano

2012-01-01

Full Text Available The Dst index has a long-term variation that is not associated with magnetic storms. We estimated the long-term non-storm component of the Dst variation by removing the short-term variation related to magnetic storms. The results indicate that the variation of the non-storm component includes not only a seasonal variation but also an irregular variation. The irregular long-term variation is likely to be due to an anti-correlation with the long-term variation of solar-wind activity. In particular, a clear anti-correlation is observed between the non-storm component of Dst and the long-term variation of the solar-wind dynamic pressure. This means that in the long term, the Dst index tends to increase when the solar-wind dynamic pressure decreases. We interpret this anti-correlation as an indication that the long-term non-storm variation of Dst is influenced by the tail current variation. The long-term variation of the solar-wind dynamic pressure controls the plasma sheet thermal pressure, and the change of the plasma sheet thermal pressure would cause the non-storm tail current variation, resulting in the non-storm variation of Dst.

Clearing of ventilating emissions in low temperature environment of plasma

Science.gov (United States)

Mansurov, R. Sh; Rafalskaya, T. A.

2017-11-01

The method of high-temperature processing of streams of the ventilating air which is a subject clearing from organic pollutions is developed. Data about its efficiency, including on a number of economic parameters are obtained. Results of work are recommended for use, first of all, by development clearing plasma-thermal reactors (CPTR) for clearing air, especially from toxic substances, and also for large technological clearing installations, containing organic ventilating emissions (OVE). It is created experimental CPTR. Laws of the expiration of a plasma jet in stream of OVE limited by cylindrical walls, water-cooled channel are experimentally investigated. Dependences of a trajectory and long-range the plasma jet blown radially in stream of OVE are received. Heat exchange of stream of OVE with walls of CPTR after blowing a plasma jet is experimentally investigated; dependences of distribution of temperatures on length of a reactor and a thermal stream in a wall of channel of CPTR are received. Are investigated chemical compound of OVE after plasma-thermal clearing, some experimental data by formation of oxides of nitrogen and mono-oxide of carbon during clearing are received.

Refractive index engineering of high performance coupler for compact photonic integrated circuits

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Lu; Zhou, Zhiping

2017-04-01

High performance couplers are highly desired in many applications, but the design is limited by nearly unchangeable material refractive index. To tackle this issue, refractive index engineering method is investigated, which can be realized by subwavelength grating. Subwavelength gratings are periodical structures with pitches small enough to locally synthesize the refractive index of photonic waveguides, which allows direct control of optical profile as well as easier fabrication process. This review provides an introduction to the basics of subwavelength structures and pay special attention to the design strategies of some representative examples of subwavelength grating devices, including: edge couplers, fiber-chip grating couplers, directional couplers and multimode interference couplers. Benefited from the subwavelength grating which can engineer the refractive index as well as birefringence and dispersion, these devices show better performance when compared to their conventional counterparts.

The Responsiveness and Interpretability of the Shoulder Pain and Disability Index

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Thoomes-de Graaf, Marloes; Scholten-Peeters, Wendy; Duijn, Edwin; Karel, Yasmaine; de Vet, Henrica C W; Koes, Bart; Verhagen, Arianne

2017-01-01

Study Design Clinical measurement study; prospective cohort design. Background Shoulder pain is a common disorder and treatment is most often focused on a reduction of pain and functional disabilities. Several reviews have encouraged the use of the Shoulder Pain and Disability Index (SPADI) to

Clinical Application of the PES/WES Index on Natural Teeth: Case Report and Literature Review

OpenAIRE

Lanza, Alessandro; Di Francesco, Fabrizio; De Marco, Gennaro; Femiano, Felice; Itro, Angelo

2017-01-01

The use of reliable indices to evaluate the aesthetic outcomes in the aesthetic area is an important and objective clinical aid to monitor the results over time. According to the literature various indices were proposed to evaluate aesthetic outcomes of implant-prosthetic rehabilitation of the anterior area like Peri-Implant and Crown Index [PICI], Implant Crown Aesthetic Index [ICAI], Pink Esthetic Score/White Esthetic Score [PES/WES], and Pink Esthetic Score [PES] but none of them was relat...

Work-in-process clearing in supply chain operations planning

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Selcuk, B.; Fransoo, J.C.; Kok, de A.G.

2008-01-01

In this study we provide insights into the effectiveness of the clearing function concept in a hierarchical planning context. The clearing function is a mathematical representation of the relation between the Work-In-Process (WIP) and the throughput of a production process. We use it in a

Does gently clearing the nasal passage affect odor identification?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mitchell G. Spring

2014-12-01

Full Text Available Identifying scents in a wine’s bouquet is considered one of the most important steps in the process of wine tasting. An individual’s ability to successfully do this is dependent on the sense of smell; thus, altering the nasal microenvironment could have a powerful effect on the wine tasting experience. In the present study, we examined olfactory performance in healthy participants who cleared their nasal cavity before odorant presentations. Fifty undergraduate participants were assessed with a standardized test of olfaction requiring the recognition of a battery of odors. Half of these participants cleared mucus from their nasal cavities (by gently blowing their noses prior to the assessment. No difference was found in performance between those who cleared their nasal passages and those who did not. Further, data were not different than known population data from the test. These data suggest that gently clearing the nasal cavity before presentation of odorants bears no effect on the ability to perceive those odor qualities.

Roadmap-Based Level Clearing of Buildings

KAUST Repository

Rodriguez, Samuel; Amato, Nancy M.

2011-01-01

In this paper we describe a roadmap-based approach for a multi-agent search strategy to clear a building or multi-story environment. This approach utilizes an encoding of the environment in the form of a graph (roadmap) that is used to encode

A Carotenoid Health Index Based on Plasma Carotenoids and Health Outcomes

Science.gov (United States)

Donaldson, Michael S.

2011-01-01

While there have been many studies on health outcomes that have included measurements of plasma carotenoids, this data has not been reviewed and assembled into a useful form. In this review sixty-two studies of plasma carotenoids and health outcomes, mostly prospective cohort studies or population-based case-control studies, are analyzed together to establish a carotenoid health index. Five cutoff points are established across the percentiles of carotenoid concentrations in populations, from the tenth to ninetieth percentile. The cutoff points (mean ± standard error of the mean) are 1.11 ± 0.08, 1.47 ± 0.08, 1.89 ± 0.08, 2.52 ± 0.13, and 3.07 ± 0.20 µM. For all cause mortality there seems to be a low threshold effect with protection above every cutoff point but the lowest. But for metabolic syndrome and cancer outcomes there tends to be significant positive health outcomes only above the higher cutoff points, perhaps as a triage effect. Based on this data a carotenoid health index is proposed with risk categories as follows: very high risk: 4 µM. Over 95 percent of the USA population falls into the moderate or high risk category of the carotenoid health index. PMID:22292108

The e-index, complementing the h-index for excess citations.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chun-Ting Zhang

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: The h-index has already been used by major citation databases to evaluate the academic performance of individual scientists. Although effective and simple, the h-index suffers from some drawbacks that limit its use in accurately and fairly comparing the scientific output of different researchers. These drawbacks include information loss and low resolution: the former refers to the fact that in addition to h(2 citations for papers in the h-core, excess citations are completely ignored, whereas the latter means that it is common for a group of researchers to have an identical h-index. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: To solve these problems, I here propose the e-index, where e(2 represents the ignored excess citations, in addition to the h(2 citations for h-core papers. Citation information can be completely depicted by using the h-index together with the e-index, which are independent of each other. Some other h-type indices, such as a and R, are h-dependent, have information redundancy with h, and therefore, when used together with h, mask the real differences in excess citations of different researchers. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Although simple, the e-index is a necessary h-index complement, especially for evaluating highly cited scientists or for precisely comparing the scientific output of a group of scientists having an identical h-index.

An Investigation of Loop Seal Clearings in ATLAS SBLOCA Tests

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kim, Yeonsik; Cho, Seok; Kang, Kyoungho; Park, Hyunsik; Min, Kyeongho; Choi, Namhyeon; Park, Jonggook; Kim, Bokdeuk; Choi, Kiyong [Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

2013-05-15

In most of the SBLOCA cases, the pressure of the upper-head region will increase mainly owing to the accumulated steam and water inventory in the upper-plenum. This build-up pressure acts as a suppression force to the core water level, and resultantly the core water level will decrease possibly up to and/or below the top of the active core region. Simultaneously, the downcomer water level will increase owing to the evacuated water inventory from the lower part of the core region. This unbalanced hydro-static pressure between the core and downcomer region acts as a potential pushing force to the reactor coolant pump (RCP) side intermediate leg. The potential pushing force will be increased with time to overcome the hydro-static head in the upflow intermediate leg. The unbalanced hydro-static pressure can finally be dissolved with the occurrence of the loop seal clearing. A minimum core collapsed water level, located below the elevation of the loop seal bottom leg in the ATLAS tests, is taken at this time. Since the loop seal bottom leg is located below the core top for typical PWR plants such as an APR1400, the water level depression may uncover the core upper regions until the core water level recovers with the progress of the clearing of the loop seal upflow leg. At this moment, the core temperature may increase to a peak cladding temperature (PCT) owing to an excessive core uncovery by the minimum core collapsed water level. Therefore, the loop seal clearing phenomenon is very important with respect to the PCT occurrence, which is one of the most important parameters to insure the safety of the reactor system. The loop seal clearing behavior seems to be closely related to the break location and break size. Usually, a loop seal in the break loop is cleared first, and the number of loop seal clearings is dependent on the break size. The larger the break size, the more the loop seals that are cleared. An investigation of LSC in the SBLOCA for DVI line and CL breaks

Environmental quality evaluation for towns in Bogota; An approach to the construction of indexes of environmental quality

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Escobar, Luis; Bermudez, Tatiana

2004-01-01

This paper is a conceptual and methodological estimate for the construction of a synthetic indicator that allows one to come a step closer to the diagnosis of the environmental conditions of the nineteen administrative units of Bogota known as localidades. Here the contained information is synthesized in eight simple selected indicators, the index is constructed by applying analysis of principal components, of which the alignment of the localidades is derived in accordance with the value that it takes in the environmental quality index. Once the method of calculation is applied, the results indicate that the conditions of environmental quality if Bogota are not homogeneous, clearly existing environmental differences between localidades in the north and south. Also prioritization and analysis index of environmental qualities per localidades introduced, of which the principal determinants of the index of each localidad are introduced, thus providing the decision makers with important input, in order to define the base line as a stating point of the urban environmental management

3D confocal imaging in CUBIC-cleared mouse heart

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nehrhoff, I.; Bocancea, D.; Vaquero, J.; Vaquero, J.J.; Lorrio, M.T.; Ripoll, J.; Desco, M.; Gomez-Gaviro, M.V.

2016-07-01

Acquiring high resolution 3D images of the heart enables the ability to study heart diseases more in detail. Here, the CUBIC (clear, unobstructed brain imaging cocktails and computational analysis) clearing protocol was adapted for thick mouse heart sections to increase the penetration depth of the confocal microscope lasers into the tissue. The adapted CUBIC clearing of the heart lets the antibody penetrate deeper into the tissue by a factor of five. The here shown protocol enables deep 3D highresolution image acquisition in the heart. This allows a much more accurate assessment of the cellular and structural changes that underlie heart diseases. (Author)

3D confocal imaging in CUBIC-cleared mouse heart

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nehrhoff, I.; Bocancea, D.; Vaquero, J.; Vaquero, J.J.; Lorrio, M.T.; Ripoll, J.; Desco, M.; Gomez-Gaviro, M.V.

2016-01-01

Acquiring high resolution 3D images of the heart enables the ability to study heart diseases more in detail. Here, the CUBIC (clear, unobstructed brain imaging cocktails and computational analysis) clearing protocol was adapted for thick mouse heart sections to increase the penetration depth of the confocal microscope lasers into the tissue. The adapted CUBIC clearing of the heart lets the antibody penetrate deeper into the tissue by a factor of five. The here shown protocol enables deep 3D highresolution image acquisition in the heart. This allows a much more accurate assessment of the cellular and structural changes that underlie heart diseases. (Author)

Cerebral Perfusion Pressure Targets Individualized to Pressure-Reactivity Index in Moderate to Severe Traumatic Brain Injury: A Systematic Review.

Science.gov (United States)

Needham, Edward; McFadyen, Charles; Newcombe, Virginia; Synnot, Anneliese J; Czosnyka, Marek; Menon, David

2017-03-01

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) frequently triggers a disruption of cerebral autoregulation. The cerebral perfusion pressure (CPP) at which autoregulation is optimal ("CPPopt") varies between individuals, and can be calculated based on fluctuations between arterial blood pressure and intracranial pressure. This review assesses the effect of individualizing CPP targets to pressure reactivity index (a measure of autoregulation) in patients with TBI. Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, MEDLINE®, Embase, and Cumulative Index of Nursing and Allied Health Literature were searched in March 2015 for studies assessing the effect of targeting CPPopt in TBI. We included all studies that assessed the impact of targeting CPPopt on outcomes including mortality, neurological outcome, and physiological changes. Risk of bias was assessed using the RTI Item Bank and evidence quality was considered using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) criteria. Eight cohort studies (based on six distinct data sets) assessing the association between CPPopt and mortality, Glasgow Outcome Scale and physiological measures in TBI were included. The quality of evidence was deemed very low based on the GRADE criteria. Although the data suggest an association between variation from CPPopt and poor clinical outcome at 6 months, the quality of evidence prevents firm conclusions, particularly regarding causality, from being drawn. Available data suggest that targeting CPPopt might represent a technique to improve outcomes following TBI, but currently there is insufficient high-quality data to support a recommendation for use in clinical practice. Further prospective, randomized controlled studies should be undertaken to clarify its role in the acute management of TBI.

A large, switchable optical clearing skull window for cerebrovascular imaging

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Chao; Feng, Wei; Zhao, Yanjie; Yu, Tingting; Li, Pengcheng; Xu, Tonghui; Luo, Qingming; Zhu, Dan

2018-01-01

Rationale: Intravital optical imaging is a significant method for investigating cerebrovascular structure and function. However, its imaging contrast and depth are limited by the turbid skull. Tissue optical clearing has a great potential for solving this problem. Our goal was to develop a transparent skull window, without performing a craniotomy, for use in assessing cerebrovascular structure and function. Methods: Skull optical clearing agents were topically applied to the skulls of mice to create a transparent window within 15 min. The clearing efficacy, repeatability, and safety of the skull window were then investigated. Results: Imaging through the optical clearing skull window enhanced both the contrast and the depth of intravital imaging. The skull window could be used on 2-8-month-old mice and could be expanded from regional to bi-hemispheric. In addition, the window could be repeatedly established without inducing observable inflammation and metabolic toxicity. Conclusion: We successfully developed an easy-to-handle, large, switchable, and safe optical clearing skull window. Combined with various optical imaging techniques, cerebrovascular structure and function can be observed through this optical clearing skull window. Thus, it has the potential for use in basic research on the physiopathologic processes of cortical vessels. PMID:29774069

Bibliography and author index for electrical discharges in vacuum (1897-1978)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Miller, H.C.

1980-01-01

This bibliography covers the field of electrical discharges in vacuum, comprising both electrical breakdown in vacuum and vacuum arcs. A breif review section lists some review papers which would be helpful to the novice in this field. The bulk of the paper consists of bibliographic listings, arranged by year of publication and within each year, alphabetically by first author. An author index refers one to all papers authored or coauthored by a particular person. There are 2032 papers listed through December 1978

ClearPEM: prototype PET device dedicated to breast imaging

CERN Multimedia

Joao Varela

2009-01-01

Clinical trials have begun in Portugal on a new breast imaging system (ClearPEM) using positron emission tomography (PET). The system, developed by a Portuguese consortium in collaboration with CERN and laboratories participating in the Crystal Clear collaboration, will detect even the smallest tumours and thus help avoid unnecessary biopsies.

Clearing the way for reducing emissions from tropical deforestation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Skutsch, M.; Bird, N.; Trines, E.; Dutschke, M.; Frumhoff, P.; Jong, B.H.J. de; Laake, P. van; Masera, O.; Murdiyarso, D.

2007-01-01

Carbon emissions from tropical deforestation account for about 25% of all anthropogenic carbon dioxide emissions but cannot be credited under current climate change agreements. In the discussions around the architecture of the post-2012 climate regime, the possibility of including credits for reduced emissions from deforestation arises. The paper reviews two approaches for this, compensated reductions (CR) as proposed by Santilli et al. and the Joint Research Centre proposal that combine voluntary commitments by non-Annex I countries to reduce emissions from deforestation with carbon market financing. Both approaches have the clear advantages of simplicity and the possibility of fitting to an evolving greenhouse gas emission reduction regime. The authors consider the strengths and limitations of each proposal and build upon them to address several implementation challenges and options for improvement. Given the urgency of avoiding dangerous climate change, the timely development of technically sound, politically acceptable, cost-effective and practicable measures to reduce emissions from deforestation and forest degradation is essential. These two approaches take us a step closer to this goal, but they need to be refined rapidly to enable this goal to be realised

Clearing the way for reducing emissions from tropical deforestation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Skutsch, M. [Department of Technology and Sustainable Development, University of Twente, P.O. Box 217, 7500 AE Enschede (Netherlands); Bird, N. [Joanneum Research, Elizabethstrasse 5/1, A-8010 Graz (Austria); Trines, E. [Gramserweg 2, 3711 AW Austerlitz (Netherlands); Dutschke, M. [Biocarbon, Badstrasse 41, 77652 Offenburg (Germany); Frumhoff, P. [Union of Concerned Scientists, 2 Brattle Square, Cambridge, MA 02238-9105 (United States); De Jong, B.H.J. [El Colegio de la Frontera Sur, Unidad Villahermosa, Carr. Vhsa-Reforma Km. 15.5, C.P. 86280, Ra Guineo 2da Secc, Villahermosa, Tabasco (Mexico); Van Laak, P. [ITC, Department of Natural Resources, P.O. Box 6, 7500 AA Enschede (Netherlands); Masera, O. [Centro de Investigaciones en Ecosistemas, UNAMAP 27-3 Xangari 58089, Morelia, Michoacan (Mexico); Murdiyarso, D. [Center for International Forestry Research, Jl. CIFOR, Situ Gede Sindangbarang, Bogor 16680 (Indonesia)

2007-06-15

Carbon emissions from tropical deforestation account for about 25% of all anthropogenic carbon dioxide emissions but cannot be credited under current climate change agreements. In the discussions around the architecture of the post-2012 climate regime, the possibility of including credits for reduced emissions from deforestation arises. The paper reviews two approaches for this, compensated reductions (CR) as proposed by Santilli et al. and the Joint Research Centre proposal that combine voluntary commitments by non-Annex I countries to reduce emissions from deforestation with carbon market financing. Both approaches have the clear advantages of simplicity and the possibility of fitting to an evolving greenhouse gas emission reduction regime. The authors consider the strengths and limitations of each proposal and build upon them to address several implementation challenges and options for improvement. Given the urgency of avoiding dangerous climate change, the timely development of technically sound, politically acceptable, cost-effective and practicable measures to reduce emissions from deforestation and forest degradation is essential. These two approaches take us a step closer to this goal, but they need to be refined rapidly to enable this goal to be realised.

White-throated Sparrow Response to Forest Harvesting in North-Central Alberta: Results Not So Clear-Cut?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kevin C. Hannah

2008-06-01

Full Text Available The use of density to measure a species' responses to habitat change remains prevalent despite warnings that relying on such parameters can be misleading. We evaluated whether density was a useful surrogate of habitat quality for the White-throated Sparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis, an apparent habitat generalist, in a recently logged landscape near Calling Lake, Alberta, Canada. We detected significant differences in the territory density of birds among three distinct habitat types: interior forest, forest edges, and recent (4- to 6-yr-old clear-cuts. However, the observed patterns in territory density were not consistent with several indices of habitat quality. We found a consistent and marked gradient for indices such as nesting success (based on a reproductive index, pairing success, and the proportion of territories that successfully fledged young between interior forest sites and clear-cuts. Edge habitats, in which high relative density offset lower reproductive success, represented moderate-quality habitat for this species. Our results suggest that the continued use of density alone, without some measure of habitat quality, is insufficient if not misleading when evaluating response to habitat change. Our results have important implications for understanding the population dynamics of this species, which is often overlooked in population-level studies yet continues to experience long-term population declines over large portions of its breeding range.

Book Reviews in Periodicals.

Science.gov (United States)

Ettelt, Harold J.

All recent issues of periodicals found which contain indexed book reviews are listed in this compilation from Drake Memorial Library at the New York State University at Brockport. The periodicals are listed by 29 subject headings in this informal guide designed to be used at Drake Library. The number of reviews in the periodical in a recent year…

A New Type of distributed Enamel based Clearing Electrode

CERN Document Server

Kroyer, T; Caspers, Friedhelm; Hellmond, P; Métral, E; Wendel, J C; Zimmermann, F

2007-01-01

Clearing electrodes can be used for electron cloud (EC) suppression in high intensity particle accelerators. In this paper the use of low and highly resistive layers on a dielectric substrate are examined. The beam coupling impedance of such a structure is evaluated. Furthermore the clearing efficiency as well as technological issues are discussed.

78 FR 75528 - Federal Government Participation in the Automated Clearing House

Science.gov (United States)

2013-12-12

... Participation in the Automated Clearing House AGENCY: Bureau of the Fiscal Service, Treasury. ACTION: Notice of... Service (Service) is proposing to amend its regulation governing the use of the Automated Clearing House... Automated Clearing House, Electronic funds transfer, Financial institutions, Fraud, and Incorporation by...

Estimativa da radiação global incidente em superfícies inclinadas por modelos isotrópicos e índice de claridade Estimation of the incident global radiation on tilted surfaces using isotropic models and clearness index

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Adilson Pacheco de Souza

2010-04-01

Full Text Available O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar o desempenho de modelos isotrópicos de estimativa do total de radiação incidente em superfícies inclinadas e propor estimativas com base nas correlações entre os índices de claridade horizontais e inclinados, em diferentes condições de cobertura de céu, em Botucatu, SP. Foram avaliadas superfícies com inclinação de 12,85º, 22,85º e 32,85º, pelos modelos isotrópicos propostos por Liu & Jordan, Revfeim, Jimenez & Castro, Koronakis, a teoria Circunsolar, e a correlação entre os índices de claridade horizontais e inclinados, para diferentes condições de cobertura de céu. O banco de dados de radiação global utilizado corresponde ao período de 1998 a 2007, com intervalos de 4/1998 a 8/2001 para a inclinação de 22,85º, de 9/2001 a 2/2003 para 12,85º e de 1/2004 a 12/2007 para 32,85º. O desempenho dos modelos foi avaliado pelos indicadores estatísticos erro absoluto médio, raiz quadrada do quadrado médio do erro e índice "d" de Wilmott. Os modelos de Liu & Jordan, Koronakis e de Revfeim apresentaram os melhores desempenhos em dias nublados, em todas as inclinações. As coberturas de céu parcialmente difuso e parcialmente aberto, nos maiores ângulos de inclinação, apresentaram as maiores dispersões entre valores estimados e medidos, independentemente do modelo. As equações estatísticas apresentaram bons resultados em aplicações com agrupamentos de dados mensais.The objective of this work was to evaluate the performance of isotropic models estimative of the global radiation on tilted surfaces and to propose estimations based on correlation between the clearness index for horizontal and tilted surfaces, for different sky conditions, in Botucatu, SP, Brazil. The isotropic model proposed by Liu & Jordan, Revfeim, Jimenez & Castro, Koronakis, the Circunsolar theory and the correlation between the clearness index for horizontal and tilted surfaces, for different sky conditions

Different methods for assessment of nutritional status in newborn infants based on physical and anthropometric indexes: a short review article

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ali Asghar Rashidi

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Several complications during childhood is associated with nutritional status of infants at birth. Therefore, nutritional status of newborns must be evaluated properly after birth. Assessment of the nutritional status of neonates based on anthropometric and physical indices is simple and inexpensive without the need for advanced medical equipment. However, no previous studies have focused on the assessment methods of the nutritional status of infants via anthropometric and physical indices. This study aimed to review some of the key methods used to determine the nutritional status of neonates using anthropometric and physical indices. To date, most studies have focused on the diagnosis of fetal malnutrition (FM and growth monitoring. In order to diagnose FM, researchers have used growth charts and Ponderal index (PI based on anthropometric indices, as well as Clinical Assessment of Nutritional (CAN Score based on physical features. Moreover, in order to assess the growth status of infants, growth charts were used. According to the findings of this study, standard intrauterine growth curves and the PI are common measurement tools in the diagnosis of FM. Furthermore, CAN score is widely used in the evaluation of the nutritional status of neonates. Given the differences in the physical features of term and preterm infants, this index should be adjusted for preterm neonates. Longitudinal growth charts are one of the most prominent methods used for monitoring of the growth patterns of infants.

Primary clear cell sarcoma of bone: a unique site of origin

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gelczer, R.K.; Wenger, D.E.; Wold, L.E.

1999-01-01

Clear cell sarcoma is a rare soft tissue neoplasm, accounting for less than 1% of soft tissue sarcomas. We are presenting a case of a clear cell sarcoma of bone which, to our knowledge, is the only report of a primary clear cell sarcoma of bone. (orig.)

Bounds and inequalities relating h-index, g-index, e-index and generalized impact factor: an improvement over existing models.

Science.gov (United States)

Abbas, Ash Mohammad

2012-01-01

In this paper, we describe some bounds and inequalities relating h-index, g-index, e-index, and generalized impact factor. We derive the bounds and inequalities relating these indexing parameters from their basic definitions and without assuming any continuous model to be followed by any of them. We verify the theorems using citation data for five Price Medalists. We observe that the lower bound for h-index given by Theorem 2, [formula: see text], g ≥ 1, comes out to be more accurate as compared to Schubert-Glanzel relation h is proportional to C(2/3)P(-1/3) for a proportionality constant of 1, where C is the number of citations and P is the number of papers referenced. Also, the values of h-index obtained using Theorem 2 outperform those obtained using Egghe-Liang-Rousseau power law model for the given citation data of Price Medalists. Further, we computed the values of upper bound on g-index given by Theorem 3, g ≤ (h + e), where e denotes the value of e-index. We observe that the upper bound on g-index given by Theorem 3 is reasonably tight for the given citation record of Price Medalists.

Electron clearing and dimensional tolerance for the ISA chamber

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Herrera, J.C.

1976-01-01

In the straight sections of the ISA ring, the clearing of the low energy electrons produced by the beam-gas collisions will take place by longitudinal motion. Thus, an electron of low energy, which is prevented from escaping transversely by the attractive field of the beam, will receive successive kicks by the circulating protons and thereby acquire sufficient energy to travel longitudinally toward the clearing electrodes. However, a discontinuity or step in the chamber diameter, which occurs within an axial distance equal to a few diameters, gives rise to a potential difference along the chamber axis. An estimate of the magnitude of the diameter discontinuity that can be tolerated without a clearing electrode is given

32 CFR 70.10 - Complaints concerning decisional documents and index entries.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... declining to list that aspect of the service record as an issue. (v) Guidance as to other types of complaints. The following guidance governs other specified types of complaints: (A) The Stipulation of... noted in the decisional document or index entries: (Authentication) Attachment 2—Joint Service Review...

Global Food Security Index Studies and Satellite Information

Science.gov (United States)

Medina, T. A.; Ganti-Agrawal, S.; Joshi, D.; Lakhankar, T.

2017-12-01

Food yield is equal to the total crop harvest per unit cultivated area. During the elapsed time of germination and frequent harvesting, both human and climate related effects determine a country's' contribution towards global food security. Each country across the globe's annual income per capita was collected to then determine nine countries for further studies. For a location to be chosen, its income per capita needed to be considered poor, uprising or wealthy. Both physical land cover and regional climate helped categorize potential parameters thought to be studied. Once selected, Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) data was collected for Ethiopia, Liberia, Indonesia, United States, Norway, Russia, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia over the recent 16 years for approximately every 16 days starting from early in the year 2000. Software languages such as Geographic Information System (GIS), MatLab and Excel were used to determine how population size, income and deforestation directly determines agricultural yields. Because of high maintenance requirements for large harvests when forest areas are cleared, they often have a reduction in soil quality, requiring fertilizer use to produce sufficient crop yields. Total area and vegetation index of each country is to be studied, to determine crop and deforestation percentages. To determine how deforestation impacts future income and crop yield predictions of each country studied. By using NDVI results a parameter is to be potentially found that will help define an index, to create an equation that will determine a country's annual income and ability to provide for their families and themselves.

1999 Transit customer satisfaction index : final report : results of survey and conclusions

Science.gov (United States)

2000-10-01

The purpose of this report is to provide an overview of the results and analysis of the data collected in the 1999 Florida Transit Properties Customer Satisfaction Index project, as well as to briefly review the data sources and the weighting methodo...

Development and validation of an index to assess hospital quality management systems

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Wagner, C.; Groene, O.; Thompson, C. A.; Klazinga, N. S.; Dersarkissian, M.; Arah, O. A.; Suñol, R.; Kringos, D. S.; Lombarts, M. J. M. H.; Plochg, T.; Lopez, M. A.; Secanell, M.; Sunol, R.; Vallejo, P.; Bartels, P.; Kristensen, S.; Michel, P.; Saillour-Glenisson, F.; Vlcek, F.; Car, M.; Jones, S.; Klaus, E.; Bottaro, S.; Garel, P.; Saluvan, M.; Bruneau, C.; Depaigne-Loth, A.; Shaw, C.; Hammer, A.; Ommen, O.; Pfaff, H.; Botje, D.; Kutaj-Wasikowska, H.; Kutryba, B.; Escoval, A.; Lívio, A.; Eiras, M.; Franca, M.; Leite, I.; Almeman, F.; Kus, H.; Ozturk, K.; Mannion, R.; Chow, A.; Wang, A.; Thompson, A.

2014-01-01

The aim of this study was to develop and validate an index to assess the implementation of quality management systems (QMSs) in European countries. Questionnaire development was facilitated through expert opinion, literature review and earlier empirical research. A cross-sectional online survey

Detection and clearing of trapped ions in the high current Cornell photoinjector

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S. Full

2016-03-01

Full Text Available We have recently performed experiments to test the effectiveness of three ion-clearing strategies in the Cornell high intensity photoinjector: DC clearing electrodes, bunch gaps, and beam shaking. The photoinjector reaches a new regime of linac beam parameters where high continuous wave beam currents lead to ion trapping. Therefore ion mitigation strategies must be evaluated for this machine and other similar future high current linacs. We have developed several techniques to directly measure the residual trapped ions. Our two primary indicators of successful clearing are the amount of ion current removed by a DC clearing electrode, and the absence of bremsstrahlung radiation generated by beam-ion interactions. Measurements were taken for an electron beam with an energy of 5 MeV and continuous wave beam currents in the range of 1–20 mA. Several theoretical models have been developed to explain our data. Using them, we are able to estimate the clearing electrode voltage required for maximum ion clearing, the creation and clearing rates of the ions while employing bunch gaps, and the sinusoidal shaking frequency necessary for clearing via beam shaking. In all cases, we achieve a maximum ion clearing of at least 70% or higher, and in some cases our data is consistent with full ion clearing.

Bibliography and author index for electrical discharges in vacuum (1897--1976)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Miller, H.C.

1978-01-01

This bibliography covers the field of electrical discharges in vacuum, comprising both electrical breakdown in vacuum and vacuum arcs. A brief review section lists some review papers that would be helpful to the novice in this field. The bulk of the report consists of bibliographic listings, arranged by year of publication, and within each year, alphabetically by first author. An author index refers one to all papers authored or coauthored by a particular person. A total of 1,813 papers from 1897 through December 1976 are listed

Advanced repair solution of clear defects on HTPSM by using nanomachining tool

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Hyemi; Kim, Munsik; Jung, Hoyong; Kim, Sangpyo; Yim, Donggyu

2015-10-01

As the mask specifications become tighter for low k1 lithography, more aggressive repair accuracy is required below sub 20nm tech. node. To meet tight defect specifications, many maskshops select effective repair tools according to defect types. Normally, pattern defects are repaired by the e-beam repair tool and soft defects such as particles are repaired by the nanomachining tool. It is difficult for an e-beam repair tool to remove particle defects because it uses chemical reaction between gas and electron, and a nanomachining tool, which uses physical reaction between a nano-tip and defects, cannot be applied for repairing clear defects. Generally, film deposition process is widely used for repairing clear defects. However, the deposited film has weak cleaning durability, so it is easily removed by accumulated cleaning process. Although the deposited film is strongly attached on MoSiN(or Qz) film, the adhesive strength between deposited Cr film and MoSiN(or Qz) film becomes weaker and weaker by the accumulated energy when masks are exposed in a scanner tool due to the different coefficient of thermal expansion of each materials. Therefore, whenever a re-pellicle process is needed to a mask, all deposited repair points have to be confirmed whether those deposition film are damaged or not. And if a deposition point is damaged, repair process is needed again. This process causes longer and more complex process. In this paper, the basic theory and the principle are introduced to recover clear defects by using nanomachining tool, and the evaluated results are reviewed at dense line (L/S) patterns and contact hole (C/H) patterns. Also, the results using a nanomachining were compared with those using an e-beam repair tool, including the cleaning durability evaluated by the accumulated cleaning process. Besides, we discuss the phase shift issue and the solution about the image placement error caused by phase error.

The managed clearing: An overlooked land-cover type in urbanizing regions?

Science.gov (United States)

Madden, Marguerite; Gray, Josh; Meentemeyer, Ross K.

2018-01-01

Urban ecosystem assessments increasingly rely on widely available map products, such as the U.S. Geological Service (USGS) National Land Cover Database (NLCD), and datasets that use generic classification schemes to detect and model large-scale impacts of land-cover change. However, utilizing existing map products or schemes without identifying relevant urban class types such as semi-natural, yet managed land areas that account for differences in ecological functions due to their pervious surfaces may severely constrain assessments. To address this gap, we introduce the managed clearings land-cover type–semi-natural, vegetated land surfaces with varying degrees of management practices–for urbanizing landscapes. We explore the extent to which managed clearings are common and spatially distributed in three rapidly urbanizing areas of the Charlanta megaregion, USA. We visually interpreted and mapped fine-scale land cover with special attention to managed clearings using 2012 U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Agriculture Imagery Program (NAIP) images within 150 randomly selected 1-km2 blocks in the cities of Atlanta, Charlotte, and Raleigh, and compared our maps with National Land Cover Database (NLCD) data. We estimated the abundance of managed clearings relative to other land use and land cover types, and the proportion of land-cover types in the NLCD that are similar to managed clearings. Our study reveals that managed clearings are the most common land cover type in these cities, covering 28% of the total sampled land area– 6.2% higher than the total area of impervious surfaces. Managed clearings, when combined with forest cover, constitutes 69% of pervious surfaces in the sampled region. We observed variability in area estimates of managed clearings between the NAIP-derived and NLCD data. This suggests using high-resolution remote sensing imagery (e.g., NAIP) instead of modifying NLCD data for improved representation of spatial heterogeneity and

Adenomatoid odontogenic tumor with clear cell changes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Neeta Mohanty

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Adenomatoid odontogenic tumor (AOT has a limited biological profile and been an attention-grabbing tumor for a century for its origin. Though described earlier, it was widely accepted after Harbitz from Norway reported about this uncommon benign tumor in 1915. There has been a long debate as whether this tumor is a hamartoma or a neoplasm. Here, we present a case of AOT in a 20-year-old female with details of clinical, radiological and histological features along with clear cell changes, signifying AOT to be more aggressive in nature than assessed from earlier literature. Thus, we did an extensive search of PubMed literature on AOT with all its histopathological features associated until date to find the report of clear cell changes yet.

Long-term stability of the Clear-PEM detector modules

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Amaral, Pedro; Bruyndonckx, Peter; Carrico, Bruno; Ferreira, Miguel; Luyten, Joan; Moura, Rui; Ortigao, Catarina; Rodrigues, Pedro; Silva, Jose C. da; Trindade, Andreia; Varela, Joao

2007-01-01

Experimental evaluation of the imaging system Clear-PEM for positron emission mammography, under development within the framework of the crystal clear collaboration at CERN, is presented in terms of its long-term stability. The detector modules and experimental setup are described. Time evolution results of signal yield, energy resolution, depth-of-interaction and inter-channel crosstalk for a reference detector module are reported

Acoustic properties of naturally produced clear speech at normal speaking rates

Science.gov (United States)

Krause, Jean C.; Braida, Louis D.

2004-01-01

Sentences spoken ``clearly'' are significantly more intelligible than those spoken ``conversationally'' for hearing-impaired listeners in a variety of backgrounds [Picheny et al., J. Speech Hear. Res. 28, 96-103 (1985); Uchanski et al., ibid. 39, 494-509 (1996); Payton et al., J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 95, 1581-1592 (1994)]. While producing clear speech, however, talkers often reduce their speaking rate significantly [Picheny et al., J. Speech Hear. Res. 29, 434-446 (1986); Uchanski et al., ibid. 39, 494-509 (1996)]. Yet speaking slowly is not solely responsible for the intelligibility benefit of clear speech (over conversational speech), since a recent study [Krause and Braida, J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 112, 2165-2172 (2002)] showed that talkers can produce clear speech at normal rates with training. This finding suggests that clear speech has inherent acoustic properties, independent of rate, that contribute to improved intelligibility. Identifying these acoustic properties could lead to improved signal processing schemes for hearing aids. To gain insight into these acoustical properties, conversational and clear speech produced at normal speaking rates were analyzed at three levels of detail (global, phonological, and phonetic). Although results suggest that talkers may have employed different strategies to achieve clear speech at normal rates, two global-level properties were identified that appear likely to be linked to the improvements in intelligibility provided by clear/normal speech: increased energy in the 1000-3000-Hz range of long-term spectra and increased modulation depth of low frequency modulations of the intensity envelope. Other phonological and phonetic differences associated with clear/normal speech include changes in (1) frequency of stop burst releases, (2) VOT of word-initial voiceless stop consonants, and (3) short-term vowel spectra.

Tissue clearing for confocal imaging of native and bio-artificial skeletal muscle.

Science.gov (United States)

Decroix, L; Van Muylder, V; Desender, L; Sampaolesi, M; Thorrez, L

2015-01-01

Novel clearing techniques have revolutionized three-dimensional confocal imaging of the brain without the need for physical tissue sectioning. We evaluated three clearing methods, ScaleA2, Clear(T2), and 3DISCO for visualizing native and tissue engineered muscle by confocal microscopy. We found that Clear(T2) treatment improved the depth of visualization of immunohistochemical staining slightly, but did not improve depth of visualization of endogenous green fluorescent protein (GFP). ScaleA2 preserved endogenous GFP signal better and permitted significantly deeper GFP imaging, but it was incompatible with tropomyosin immunohistochemical staining. 3DISCO treatment preserved both endogenous GFP and immunohistochemical staining, and permitted significantly deeper imaging. Clearing time for the 3DISCO procedure is short compared to ScaleA2 and Clear(T2). We suggest that 3DISCO is the preferable clearing method for native and tissue engineered skeletal muscle tissue.

Comparison of MARS-KS and SPACE for UPTF TRAM Loop Seal Clearing Experiment

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kim, Min Gil; Lee, Won Woong; Lee, Jeong Ik [KAIST, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of); Bang, Young Seok [KINS, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

2016-05-15

In this study, the authors assessed SPACE code, which was developed by a consortium led by Korea Hydro and Nuclear Power Co., Ltd. (KHNP), now in licensing process and MARS-KS code for UPTF TRAM loop seal clearing experiment to evaluate the code predictability regarding loop seal clearing for supporting the regulatory review. The sensitivity of PT/CT sagging contact angle has been studied. The results of sagging contact angle could explain in different ways. In the case of wide sagging contact angle, the result is quite conservative in the aspect of containment as the heat is well-transferred to moderator. it causes the moderator to heat up. On the other hand, the narrow sagging contact angle results fuel heatup and give limiting condition for fuel integrity. As a result of estimation, a proper application of sagging contact angle is required to provide limiting condition for subsequent analysis. The results from the two codes were compared to the experimental data, but due to the lack of information on the uncertainties it is too early to conclude the both code's performance. However, from the obtained analysis results, some differences between MARS-KS and SPACE are initially observed. Especially, SPACE has larger oscillation in the calculated mass flow rate value than MARS-KS. This phenomenon was observed in comparison of SPACE and MARS-KS CCFL model as well.

Characteristics of Indigenous primary health care service delivery models: a systematic scoping review.

Science.gov (United States)

Harfield, Stephen G; Davy, Carol; McArthur, Alexa; Munn, Zachary; Brown, Alex; Brown, Ngiare

2018-01-25

Indigenous populations have poorer health outcomes compared to their non-Indigenous counterparts. The evolution of Indigenous primary health care services arose from mainstream health services being unable to adequately meet the needs of Indigenous communities and Indigenous peoples often being excluded and marginalised from mainstream health services. Part of the solution has been to establish Indigenous specific primary health care services, for and managed by Indigenous peoples. There are a number of reasons why Indigenous primary health care services are more likely than mainstream services to improve the health of Indigenous communities. Their success is partly due to the fact that they often provide comprehensive programs that incorporate treatment and management, prevention and health promotion, as well as addressing the social determinants of health. However, there are gaps in the evidence base including the characteristics that contribute to the success of Indigenous primary health care services in providing comprehensive primary health care. This systematic scoping review aims to identify the characteristics of Indigenous primary health care service delivery models. This systematic scoping review was led by an Aboriginal researcher, using the Joanna Briggs Institute Scoping Review Methodology. All published peer-reviewed and grey literature indexed in PubMed, EBSCO CINAHL, Embase, Informit, Mednar, and Trove databases from September 1978 to May 2015 were reviewed for inclusion. Studies were included if they describe the characteristics of service delivery models implemented within an Indigenous primary health care service. Sixty-two studies met the inclusion criteria. Data were extracted and then thematically analysed to identify the characteristics of Indigenous PHC service delivery models. Culture was the most prominent characteristic underpinning all of the other seven characteristics which were identified - accessible health services, community

Palliative Sedation for Existential Suffering: A Systematic Review of Argument-Based Ethics Literature.

Science.gov (United States)

Rodrigues, Paulo; Crokaert, Jasper; Gastmans, Chris

2018-06-01

Although unanimity exists on using palliative sedation (PS) for controlling refractory physical suffering in end-of-life situations, using it for controlling refractory existential suffering (PS-ES) is controversial. Complicating the debate is that definitions and terminology for existential suffering are unclear, ambiguous, and imprecise, leading to a lack of consensus for clinical practice. To systematically identify, describe, analyze, and discuss ethical arguments and concepts underpinning the argument-based bioethics literature on PS-ES. We conducted a systematic search of the argument-based bioethics literature in PubMed, CINAHL, Embase ® , The Philosopher's Index, PsycINFO ® , PsycARTICLES ® , Scopus, ScienceDirect, Web of Science, Pascal-Francis, and Cairn. We included articles published in peer-reviewed journals till December 31, 2016, written in English or French, which focused on ethical arguments related to PS-ES. We used Peer Review of Electronic Search Strategies protocol, Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses, and The Qualitative Analysis Guide of Leuven for data extraction and synthesis of themes. We identified 18 articles that met the inclusion criteria. Our analysis revealed mind-body dualism, existential suffering, refractoriness, terminal condition, and imminent death as relevant concepts in the ethical debate on PS-ES. The ethical principles of double effect, proportionality, and the four principles of biomedical ethics were used in argumentations in the PS-ES debate. There is a clear need to better define the terminology used in discussions of PS-ES and to ground ethical arguments in a more effective way. Anthropological presuppositions such as mind-body dualism underpin the debate and need to be more clearly elucidated using an interdisciplinary approach. Copyright © 2018 American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

All-solid tellurite optical fiber with transversely disordered refractive index profile and its optical image transport performance

Science.gov (United States)

Tong, Hoang Tuan; Kuroyanagi, Shunei; Suzuki, Takenobu; Ohishi, Yasutake

2018-02-01

All-solid tellurite-glass optical rod and fiber with transversely-disordered refractive index profile were successfully fabricated to study the transport of infrared images by using transverse localization of light. The fabrication was carried out by using stack-and-draw and rod-in-tube techniques. The fabricated tellurite optical rod and fiber were composed of high-index and low-index units which were arranged randomly in the transverse plane but were invariant in the longitudinal direction. The diameter of each unit was approximately 1.0 μm. The high-index and low-index materials were TeO2-Li2O-WO3-MoO3-Nb2O5 (TLWMN) glass and TeO2-ZnO-Na2O-La2O3 (TZNL) glass, respectively. At 1550 nm, their refractive index difference Δn is 0.096. To investigate the optical image transport capability, A CW laser light at 1550 nm was used as an input probe beam and the 1951 U.S. Air Force test target was installed in front of 10-cm-long segments of the fabricated rod and fiber in the experimental setup. The output signal was recorded by a beam profiler. As a result, clear transported images of numbers and lines on the test target were obtained.

Electron clearing and dimensional tolerance for the ISA chamber

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Herrera, J.C.

1976-01-01

In the straight sections of the ISA ring, the clearing of the low energy electrons produced by the beam-gas collisions will take place by longitudinal motion. Thus, an electron of low energy, which is prevented from escaping transversely by the attractive field of the beam, will receive successive kicks by the circulating protons and thereby acquire sufficient energy to travel longitudinally toward the clearing electrodes. However, a discontinuity or step in the chamber diameter, which occurs within an axial distance equal to a few diameters, gives rise to a potential difference along the chamber axis. In the case of a section of chambers which has a larger diameter, that is, a small cavity, the two steps result in a longitudinal potential well, or attractive region. It is then necessary that the electrons be given additional energy in order to overcome this longitudinal trapping potential. The ISA design envisions the placement of clearing electrodes at the location of significant chamber discontinuities, particularly in the experimental insertions. An estimate of the magnitude of the diameter discontinuity that can be tolerated without a clearing electrode is given

Whole-body and Whole-Organ Clearing and Imaging Techniques with Single-Cell Resolution: Toward Organism-Level Systems Biology in Mammals.

Science.gov (United States)

Susaki, Etsuo A; Ueda, Hiroki R

2016-01-21

Organism-level systems biology aims to identify, analyze, control and design cellular circuits in organisms. Many experimental and computational approaches have been developed over the years to allow us to conduct these studies. Some of the most powerful methods are based on using optical imaging in combination with fluorescent labeling, and for those one of the long-standing stumbling blocks has been tissue opacity. Recently, the solutions to this problem have started to emerge based on whole-body and whole-organ clearing techniques that employ innovative tissue-clearing chemistry. Here, we review these advancements and discuss how combining new clearing techniques with high-performing fluorescent proteins or small molecule tags, rapid volume imaging and efficient image informatics is resulting in comprehensive and quantitative organ-wide, single-cell resolution experimental data. These technologies are starting to yield information on connectivity and dynamics in cellular circuits at unprecedented resolution, and bring us closer to system-level understanding of physiology and diseases of complex mammalian systems. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Thinnings by site index in plantations of Pinus caribaea Morelet var caribaea Barrer and Golfari

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pedro Antonio Álvarez Olivera

2014-06-01

Full Text Available A forest mensuration database from plantations of Pinus caribaea Morelet var caribae a Barret and Golfari was used. The species was planted in the western region of Cuba. Objective was determining the yield by site index, with the necessary clearings and thinning to maintain similar increments of diameter and of volume, with approach to the biological rotation of the species. The available literature was consulted on growth and production of the species. With the application of the software SPSS 15.0 and of Microsoft Excel the curves were obtained adjusted by the mathematical pattern of Schumacher formula to obtain yield tables, previously selected the intervals of indexes of sites. With the Stefan graph of diameters and width crowns was determined the thinning, application according to accumulated basal area, what was supplemented with the statistical models The objectives were completed expressed in the conclusions to the application of the results obtained by the means of consulted information. The site indexes go from 14 to 26 m for basic age of 30 years. The increments allow a valuation economic practice of application of logging by site index at rotation fixed.

HMB-45 negative clear cell perivascular epithelioid cell tumor of the skin.

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Pusiol, Teresa; Morichetti, Doriana; Zorzi, Maria Grazia; Dario, Surace

2012-01-01

The first case of cutaneous clear cell perivascular epithelioid cell tumor (PEComa) with negative HMB-45 marker is presented. The tumor was a nodule 3x2 cm in size, located on the right foot in a 60-year-old man. The lesion consisted of large irregularly shaped cells with clear cytoplasm, negative for S-100 protein, HMB-45, Melan-A, pancytokeratin, epithelial membrane antigen and CAM5.2. Multifocal positivity for desmin, microphthalmia transcription factor and tyrosinase was found. The diagnosis of cutaneous PEComa of clear cell type was made. Clear cell change is a very unusual finding in PEComa and may pose problems in diagnostic differentiation from other clear cell cutaneous lesions that may be excluded with immunohistochemistry. In our case, the HMB-45 negativity may be explained by extensive clear cell change. Additional studies are necessary to accept the clear cell cutaneous HMB-45 negative PEComa as a new variant of perivascular epithelioid cell tumor.

Deaf children's use of clear visual cues in mindreading.

Science.gov (United States)

Hao, Jian; Su, Yanjie

2014-11-01

Previous studies show that typically developing 4-year old children can understand other people's false beliefs but that deaf children of hearing families have difficulty in understanding false beliefs until the age of approximately 13. Because false beliefs are implicit mental states that are not expressed through clear visual cues in standard false belief tasks, the present study examines the hypothesis that the deaf children's developmental delay in understanding false beliefs may reflect their difficulty in understanding a spectrum of mental states that are not expressed through clear visual cues. Nine- to 13-year-old deaf children of hearing families and 4-6-year-old typically developing children completed false belief tasks and emotion recognition tasks under different cue conditions. The results indicated that after controlling for the effect of the children's language abilities, the deaf children inferred other people's false beliefs as accurately as the typically developing children when other people's false beliefs were clearly expressed through their eye-gaze direction. However, the deaf children performed worse than the typically developing children when asked to infer false beliefs with ambiguous or no eye-gaze cues. Moreover, the deaf children were capable of recognizing other people's emotions that were clearly conveyed by their facial or body expressions. The results suggest that although theory-based or simulation-based mental state understanding is typical of hearing children's theory of mind mechanism, for deaf children of hearing families, clear cue-based mental state understanding may be their specific theory of mind mechanism. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Index-based Crop Insurance for Climate Adaptation in the Developing World

Science.gov (United States)

Brown, M. E.; Osgood, D. E.; Carriquiry, M. A.

2011-12-01

Weather has always presented a challenge to small-scale farmers, particularly in regions where poverty and lack of infrastructure has restricted the development of financial instruments to limit risk. New 'index' insurance innovations in agriculture are beginning to enable even the poorest farmers to unlock major productivity gains (e.g. insuring loans for improved seeds). Although index insurance has the potential to greatly improve productivity in developing country agriculture, the principal technical challenge to up-scaling this product is "data poverty," the absence of weather data in low-income areas needed to design robust and affordable insurance products. Earth science, particularly remote sensing, has the potential to ameliorate data poverty. However, raw use of earth science model output leads to non-optimal indexes and many obstacles remain to transform earth science products into insurance solutions. Estimation uncertainty, limited availability of consistent time series, and difficulties of predicting loses based on remote observations are reviewed in this article. The importance of multidisciplinary approaches addressing the needs of stakeholders in simple to understand indexes is highlighted. The successful use of Earth science data to support the index insurance industry in currently poor and isolated communities in the developing world would transform the ability of small farmers to increase yields, household incomes and regional economies, if the growing gap between earth science and index insurance can be closed.

Performance Evaluation and Market Timing: the Skill Index

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ney Roberto Otoni de Brito

2003-01-01

Full Text Available MERTON (1981 examines the creation of value by fund managers selecting between stocks and fixed income instruments through market timing. HENRIKSON and MERTON (1981 proceed to propose empirical tests of funds and manager performance in market timing. BRITO, BONA and TACIRO (2003 generalize the results of MERTON (1981 and HENRIKSON and MERTON (1981 for actively managed funds with a clearly defined benchmark portfolio. In the generalized context of active portfolio management, this paper proposes a new index – the Skill Index of Brito (SIB – to measure the performance and efficiency in market timing of actively managed funds. The paper proceeds to test the performance and skill of hedge funds in Brazil using the SIB. A representative sample of 32 hedge funds with a window of 90 trading days on October 31, 1999 was obtained. The empirical tests of performance and skill use the interbank borrowing and lending rate as the passive benchmark. The results indicate the significance at the 5% level of the SIB for ten hedge funds in the sample. Among them seven funds also have shown significance at the 1% level. In sum the results indicate a majority of hedge funds with no significant skill in the Brazilian market in the examined period.

A Literature Review of Indexing and Searching Techniques Implementation in Educational Search Engines

Science.gov (United States)

El Guemmat, Kamal; Ouahabi, Sara

2018-01-01

The objective of this article is to analyze the searching and indexing techniques of educational search engines' implementation while treating future challenges. Educational search engines could greatly help in the effectiveness of e-learning if used correctly. However, these engines have several gaps which influence the performance of e-learning…

Negative index effects from a homogeneous positive index prism

Science.gov (United States)

Marcus, Sherman W.; Epstein, Ariel

2017-12-01

Cellular structured negative index metamaterials in the form of a right triangular prism have often been tested by observing the refraction of a beam across the prism hypotenuse which is serrated in order to conform to the cell walls. We show that not only can this negative index effect be obtained from a homogeneous dielectric prism having a positive index of refraction, but in addition, for sampling at the walls of the cellular structure, the phase in the material has the illusory appearance of moving in a negative direction. Although many previous reports relied on refraction direction and phase velocity of prism structures to verify negative index design, our investigation indicates that to unambiguously demonstrate material negativity additional empirical evidence is required.

Computer-assisted indexing for the INIS database

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nevyjel, A.

2006-01-01

INIS has identified computer-assisted indexing as areas where information technology could assist best in maintaining database quality and indexing consistency, while containing production costs. Subject analysis is a very important but also very expensive process in the production of the INIS database. Given the current necessity to process an increased number of records, including subject analysis, without additional staff, INIS as well as the member states need improvements in their processing efficiency. Computer assisted subject analysis is a promising way to achieve this. The quality of the INIS database is defined by its inputting rules. The Thesaurus is a terminological control device used in translating from the natural language of documents, indexers or users into a more constrained system language. It is a controlled and dynamic vocabulary of semantically and generically related terms. It is the essential tool for subject analysis as well as for advanced search engines. To support the identification of descriptors in the free text (title, abstract, free keywords) 'hidden terms' have been introduced as extension of the Thesaurus, which identify phrases or character strings of free text and point to the valid descriptor, which should be suggested. In the process of computer-assisted subject analysis the bibliographic records (including title and abstract) are analyzed by the software, resulting in a list of suggested descriptors. Within the working platform (graphical user interface) the suggested descriptors are sorted by importance (by their relevance for the content of the document) and the subject specialist clearly sees the highlighted context from which the terms were selected. The system allows the subject specialist to accept or reject descriptors from the suggested list and to assign additional descriptors when necessary. First experiences show that a performance enhancement of about 80-100% can be achieved in the subject analysis process. (author)

Is shock index associated with outcome in children with sepsis/septic shock?*.

Science.gov (United States)

Yasaka, Yuki; Khemani, Robinder G; Markovitz, Barry P

2013-10-01

controlling for the use of vasoactive therapy within the first 6 hours with logistic regression analysis, shock index at hour 6 remained significantly associated with mortality (odds ratio, 1.09; 95% CI, 1.05-1.14). Shock index may have promise as a marker of mortality in children with sepsis/septic shock. Although there is no clear cutoff shock index to identify risk of mortality, given the higher risk of mortality as shock index increases, children with elevated shock index may benefit from more aggressive resuscitation and higher level of care.

Stiffness of RBC optical confinement affected by optical clearing

Science.gov (United States)

Grishin, Oleg V.; Fedosov, Ivan V.; Tuchin, Valery V.

2017-03-01

In vivo optical trapping is a novel applied direction of an optical manipulation, which enables one to noninvasive measurement of mechanical properties of cells and tissues in living animals directly. But an application area of this direction is limited because strong scattering of many biological tissues. An optical clearing enables one to decrease the scattering and therefore increase a depth of light penetration, decrease a distortion of light beam, improve a resolution in imaging applications. Now novel methods had appeared for a measurement an optical clearing degree at a cellular level. But these methods aren't applicable in vivo. In this paper we present novel measurement method of estimate of the optical clearing, which are based on a measurement of optical trap stiffness. Our method may be applicable in vivo.

Development of environmental consequence index (ECI) using fuzzy composite programming

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Arunraj, N.S.; Maiti, J.

2009-01-01

Estimation of environmental consequences of hazardous substances in chemical industries is a very difficult task owing to (i) diversity in the types of hazards and their effects, (ii) location, and (ii) uncertainty in input information. Several indices have been developed over the years to estimate the environmental consequences. In this paper, a critical literature review was done on the existing environmental indices to identify their applications and limitations. The existing indices lack in consideration of all environmental consequence factors such as material hazard factors, dispersion factors, environmental effects, and their uncertainty. A new methodology is proposed for the development of environmental consequence index (ECI), which can overcome the stated limitations. Moreover, the recently developed fuzzy composite programming (FCP) is used to take care of the uncertainty in estimation. ECI is applied to benzene extraction unit (BEU) of a petrochemical industry situated in eastern part of India. The ECI for all the eight sections of BEU are estimated and ranked. The results are compared with well-established indices such as Dow fire and explosion index, safety weight hazard index (SWeHI), and environmental accident index (EAI). The proposed ECI may outperform other indices based on its detailed consideration of the factors and performed equally to Dow F and E index, and EAI in most of the cases for the present application

Origin of clear cell carcinoma: nature or nurture?

Science.gov (United States)

Kolin, David L; Dinulescu, Daniela M; Crum, Christopher P

2018-02-01

A rare but serious complication of endometriosis is the development of carcinoma, and clear cell and endometrioid carcinomas of the ovary are the two most common malignancies which arise from endometriosis. They are distinct diseases, characterized by unique morphologies, immunohistochemical profiles, and responses to treatment. However, both arise in endometriosis and can share common mutations. The overlapping mutational profiles of clear cell and endometrioid carcinomas suggest that their varied histologies may be due to a different cell of origin which gives rise to each type of cancer. Cochrane and colleagues address this question in a recent article in this journal. They show that a marker of ovarian clear cell carcinoma, cystathionine gamma lyase, is expressed in ciliated cells. Similarly, they show that markers of secretory cells (estrogen receptor and methylenetetrahydrofolate dehydrogenase 1) are expressed in ovarian endometrioid carcinoma. Taken together, they suggest that endometrioid and clear cell carcinomas arise from cells related to secretory and ciliated cells, respectively. We discuss Cochrane et al's work in the context of other efforts to determine the cell of origin of gynecological malignancies, with an emphasis on recent developments and challenges unique to the area. These limitations complicate our interpretation of tumor differentiation; does it reflect nature imposed by a specific cell of origin or nurture, by either mutation(s) or environment? Copyright © 2017 Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2017 Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Bibliography and author index for electrical discharges in vacuum (1897 to 1980)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Miller, H.C.

1982-01-29

This bibliography covers the field of electrical discharges in vacuum, comprising both electrical breakdown in vacuum and vacuum arcs. A brief review section lists some review papers which would be helpful to the novice in this field. The bulk of the paper consists of bibliographic listings, arranged by year of publication and within each year, alphabetically by first author. An author index refers one to all papers authored or coauthored by a particular person. There are 2450 papers listed through December 1980.

IndexCat

Data.gov (United States)

U.S. Department of Health & Human Services — IndexCat provides access to the digitized version of the printed Index-Catalogue of the Library of the Surgeon General's Office; eTK for medieval Latin texts; and...

Comparison of index velocity measurements made with a horizontal acoustic Doppler current profiler

Science.gov (United States)

Jackson, P. Ryan; Johnson, Kevin K.; Duncker, James J.

2012-01-01

The State of Illinois' annual withdrawal from Lake Michigan is limited by a U.S. Supreme Court decree, and the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) is responsible for monitoring flows in the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal (CSSC) near Lemont, Illinois as a part of the Lake Michigan Diversion Accounting overseen by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Chicago District. Every 5 years, a technical review committee consisting of practicing engineers and academics is convened to review the U.S. Geological Survey's streamgage practices in the CSSC near Lemont, Illinois. The sixth technical review committee raised a number of questions concerning the flows and streamgage practices in the CSSC near Lemont and this report provides answers to many of those questions. In addition, it is the purpose of this report to examine the index velocity meters in use at Lemont and determine whether the acoustic velocity meter (AVM), which is now the primary index velocity meter, can be replaced by the horizontal acoustic Doppler current profiler (H-ADCP), which is currently the backup meter. Application of the AVM and H-ADCP to index velocity measurements in the CSSC near Lemont, Illinois, has produced good ratings to date. The site is well suited to index velocity measurements in spite of the large range of velocities and highly unsteady flows at the site. Flow variability arises from a range of sources: operation of the waterway through control structures, lockage-generated disturbances, commercial and recreational traffic, industrial withdrawals and discharges, natural inflows, seiches, and storm events. The influences of these factors on the index velocity measurements at Lemont is examined in detail in this report. Results of detailed data comparisons and flow analyses show that use of bank-mounted instrumentation such as the AVM and H-ADCP appears to be the best option for index velocity measurement in the CSSC near Lemont. Comparison of the rating curves for the AVM and H-ADCP demonstrates

"Index for Inclusion": A Framework for School Review in the United Arab Emirates

Science.gov (United States)

Alborno, Nadera Emran; Gaad, Eman

2014-01-01

This study uses the "Index for Inclusion", developed by Booth and Ainscow, as a framework for investigating inclusive provision in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), introduced through the "School for All" initiative. The study, by Nadera Emran Alborno of the American University in Dubai and Eman Gaad of the British University in…

Regional indexes for France. Methodology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2006-01-01

According to the U.S. Department of Energy, an estimated 25% of the GNP is affected by weather-related events. The variations in temperature - even small ones - can also have long-lasting effects on the operational results of a company. Among other, the Energy supply sector is sensitive to weather risks: a milder or harsher than usual winter leads to a decrease or increase of energy consumption. The price of electricity on power trading facilities like Powernext is especially sensitive to odd changes in temperatures. Powernext and Meteo-France (the French meteorological agency) have joined expertise in order to promote the use of weather indices in term of decision making or underlying of hedging tools to energy actors, end users from any other sector of activity and specialists of the weather risk hedging. The Powernext Weather indices are made from information collected by Meteo-France's main observation network according to the norms of international meteorology, in areas carefully selected. The gross data are submitted to a thorough review allowing the correction of abnormalities and the reconstitution of missing data. Each index is fashioned to take into account the economic activity in the various regions of the country as represented by each region's population. This demographic information represents a fair approximation of the weight of the regional economic activity. This document presents the calculation methodology of regional weather indexes for France. Each regional index covers an homogenous area in terms of temperature represented by the biggest city. Five reference cities are used to represent the 22 economical regions of France (Paris Orly, Lyon, Marignane, Bordeaux and Strasbourg). (J.S.)

Homophobia or sexism? A systematic review of prejudice against nonheterosexual orientation in Brazil.

Science.gov (United States)

Costa, Angelo Brandelli; Peroni, Rodrigo Oliva; Bandeira, Denise Ruschel; Nardi, Henrique Caetano

2013-01-01

Since it was coined in the 1970s, in the United States, the term "homophobia" has been invoked to define the prejudice against nonheterosexual orientation. Besides the US, the phenomenon has been detected in many contemporary societies, including Brazil. Prejudice against nonheterosexual orientation is strongly associated with the historical and social contexts in which it is embedded, which means that the term should not be used without a clear definition of its local specificities. This applies to the recent debate around homophobia in the Brazilian context. In an attempt to identify existing studies of prejudice against nonheterosexual orientations in Brazil, a systematic review was conducted in SciELO indexes, PubMed, PsycINFO, SCOPUS, and Web of Science. The articles were collected using the keyword "homophobia" and related terms, and "Brazil", in the languages of the databases. The search returned 355 articles. Of these, 247 were removed because they were duplicates. The abstracts of 109 studies published between 1973 and 2011were analyzed. Thirty-one articles were identified as relevant. The reviewed studies indicate that prejudice against nonheterosexual orientations is an evident and widespread phenomenon that is prevalent in various populations and contexts. Nevertheless, prejudice in Brazil is not homogeneous, and particular attention is necessary to the inequality of gender relations (sexism) and prejudice against gender nonconformity, which seem to explain, if not cause, most of the prejudice against nonheterosexual orientations. Although theoretically there is a clear distinction between sexual orientation and gender expression, from the standpoint of manifestation of prejudice that distinction seems to be more tenuous.

A Novel Index for Online Voltage Stability Assessment Based on Correlation Characteristic of Voltage Profiles

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M. R. Aghamohammadi

2011-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract: Voltage instability is a major threat for security of power systems. Preserving voltage security margin at a certain limit is a vital requirement for today’s power systems. Assessment of voltage security margin is a challenging task demanding sophisticated indices. In this paper, for the purpose of on line voltage security assessment a new index based on the correlation characteristic of network voltage profile is proposed. Voltage profile comprising all bus voltages contains the effect of network structure, load-generation patterns and reactive power compensation on the system behaviour and voltage security margin. Therefore, the proposed index is capable to clearly reveal the effect of system characteristics and events on the voltage security margin. The most attractive feature for this index is its fast and easy calculation from synchronously measured voltage profile without any need to system modelling and simulation and without any dependency on network size. At any instant of system operation by merely measuring network voltage profile and no further simulation calculation this index could be evaluated with respect to a specific reference profile. The results show that the behaviour of this index with respect to the change in system security is independent of the selected reference profile. The simplicity and easy calculation make this index very suitable for on line application. The proposed approach has been demonstrated on IEEE 39 bus test system with promising results showing its effectiveness and applicability.

HIA Review Synthesis Report

Science.gov (United States)

A systematic review of health impact assessments (HIAs) from the U.S. was conducted to obtain a clear picture of how HIAs are being implemented nationally and to identify potential areas for improving the HIA community of practice.

49 CFR 1242.69 - Clearing wrecks (account XX-52-63).

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... 49 Transportation 9 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Clearing wrecks (account XX-52-63). 1242.69 Section 1242.69 Transportation Other Regulations Relating to Transportation (Continued) SURFACE...-Transportation § 1242.69 Clearing wrecks (account XX-52-63). Separate common expenses according to specific...

49 CFR 1242.62 - Clearing wrecks (account XX-51-63).

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... 49 Transportation 9 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Clearing wrecks (account XX-51-63). 1242.62 Section 1242.62 Transportation Other Regulations Relating to Transportation (Continued) SURFACE...-Transportation § 1242.62 Clearing wrecks (account XX-51-63). Separate common expenses according to specific...

AP Index

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — Planetary Amplitude index - Bartels 1951. The a-index ranges from 0 to 400 and represents a K-value converted to a linear scale in gammas (nanoTeslas)--a scale that...

Navigation by light polarization in clear and turbid waters

Science.gov (United States)

Lerner, Amit; Sabbah, Shai; Erlick, Carynelisa; Shashar, Nadav

2011-01-01

Certain terrestrial animals use sky polarization for navigation. Certain aquatic species have also been shown to orient according to a polarization stimulus, but the correlation between underwater polarization and Sun position and hence the ability to use underwater polarization as a compass for navigation is still under debate. To examine this issue, we use theoretical equations for per cent polarization and electric vector (e-vector) orientation that account for the position of the Sun, refraction at the air–water interface and Rayleigh single scattering. The polarization patterns predicted by these theoretical equations are compared with measurements conducted in clear and semi-turbid coastal sea waters at 2 m and 5 m depth over sea floors of 6 m and 28 m depth. We find that the per cent polarization is correlated with the Sun's elevation only in clear waters. We furthermore find that the maximum value of the e-vector orientation angle equals the angle of refraction only in clear waters, in the horizontal viewing direction, over the deeper sea floor. We conclude that navigation by use of underwater polarization is possible under restricted conditions, i.e. in clear waters, primarily near the horizontal viewing direction, and in locations where the sea floor has limited effects on the light's polarization. PMID:21282170

The Nordic power market: Are there alternatives to expensive clearing?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nerdrum, Per Kaare; Poulsson, Christian

2003-01-01

The Enron scandal of 2002 has set focus on counter party risk in the Nordic power market and is an important cause of increased clearing of bilateral financial power contracts. The article discusses whether expensive clearing is always the best tool for dealing with counter party risk

A stochastic framework for clearing of reactive power market

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Amjady, N.; Rabiee, A.; Shayanfar, H.A.

2010-01-01

This paper presents a new stochastic framework for clearing of day-ahead reactive power market. The uncertainty of generating units in the form of system contingencies are considered in the reactive power market-clearing procedure by the stochastic model in two steps. The Monte-Carlo Simulation (MCS) is first used to generate random scenarios. Then, in the second step, the stochastic market-clearing procedure is implemented as a series of deterministic optimization problems (scenarios) including non-contingent scenario and different post-contingency states. In each of these deterministic optimization problems, the objective function is total payment function (TPF) of generators which refers to the payment paid to the generators for their reactive power compensation. The effectiveness of the proposed model is examined based on the IEEE 24-bus Reliability Test System (IEEE 24-bus RTS). (author)

Effects of Mixing on Hopper Sedimentation in Clearing Mixtures

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hjelmager Jensen, Jacob; Saremi, Sina

2015-01-01

, and a common perception of turbulence (or at least of mixing) is that it delays sedimentation. Existing measurements of sedimentation rates in a closed-flume experiment, engineered to provide input to a hopper sedimentation model, revealed that turbulence in a clearing mixture is not necessarily associated......Hopper sedimentation is the result of precipitation of typically fine sediment from a homogenous, high-concentration mixture, which is not completely deficient of turbulence. If hopper sedimentation or loading is accomplished through a single-inflow system, or if the irregularity of the inflow...... concentrations is pronounced or simply terminated, then the hopper mixture will clear. Whereas turbulent mixing is redundant, when the mixture is homogeneous, it may take an active role when the mixture is clearing. The role of turbulence on hopper sedimentation has been the focus of several studies...

Changes in soil characteristics and C dynamics after mangrove clearing (Vietnam).

Science.gov (United States)

Grellier, Séraphine; Janeau, Jean-Louis; Dang Hoai, Nhon; Nguyen Thi Kim, Cuc; Le Thi Phuong, Quynh; Pham Thi Thu, Thao; Tran-Thi, Nhu-Trang; Marchand, Cyril

2017-09-01

Of the blue carbon sinks, mangroves have one of the highest organic matter (OM) storage capacities in their soil due to low mineralization processes resulting from waterlogging. However, mangroves are disappearing worldwide because of demographic increases. In addition to the loss of CO 2 fixation, mangrove clearing can strongly affect soil characteristics and C storage. The objectives of the present study were to quantify the evolution of soil quality, carbon stocks and carbon fluxes after mangrove clearing. Sediment cores to assess physico-chemical properties were collected and in situ CO 2 fluxes were measured at the soil-air interface in a mangrove of Northern Vietnam. We compared a Kandelia candel mangrove forest with a nearby zone that had been cleared two years before the study. Significant decrease of clay content and an increase in bulk density for the upper 35cm in the cleared zone were observed. Soil organic carbon (OC) content in the upper 35cm decreased by >65% two years after clearing. The quantity and the quality of the carbon changed, with lower carbon to nitrogen ratios, indicating a more decomposed OM, a higher content of dissolved organic carbon, and a higher content of inorganic carbon (three times higher). This highlights the efficiency of mineralization processes following clearing. Due to the rapid decrease in the soil carbon content, CO 2 fluxes at sediment interface were >50% lower in the cleared zone. Taking into account carbonate precipitation after OC mineralization, the mangrove soil lost ~10MgOCha -1 yr -1 mostly as CO 2 to the atmosphere and possibly as dissolved forms towards adjacent ecosystems. The impacts on the carbon cycle of mangrove clearing as shown by the switch from a C sink to a C source highlight the importance of maintaining these ecosystems, particularly in a context of climate change. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

7 CFR 5.1 - Parity index and index of prices received by farmers.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Parity index and index of prices received by farmers... § 5.1 Parity index and index of prices received by farmers. (a) The parity index and related indices... farmers, interest, taxes, and farm wage rates, as revised May 1976 and published in the May 28, 1976, and...

Investigation of Loop Seal Clearing Phenomena for the ATLAS SBLOCA Long Term Cooling Test using TRACE and MARS-KS

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hwang, Min Jeong; Park, M. H.; Marigomen Ralph; Sim, S. K. [Environment and Energy Technology, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

2016-10-15

During Design Certificate(DC) review of the APR1400, USNRC raised a long term cooling safety issue on the effect of loop seal clearing during cold leg Small Break Loss Of Coolant Accident(SBLOCA) due to relatively deep cross-over loop compared to the US PWRs. The objective of this study is thus to investigate the loop seal clearing phenomena during cold leg slot break SBLOCA long term cooling and resolve the safety issue on the SBLOCA long term cooling related to the APR1400 DC. TRACE and MARS-KS were used to predict the test results and to perform sensitivity studies for the SBLOCA loop seal clearing phenomena. The calculation shows that the TRACE code well predict the sequence of Test LTC-CL-04R. However, compared to the experiment, the TRACE over predicts the primary pressure due to smaller break flow prediction. MARS-KS well predicts major thermal hydraulic parameters during the transient with reasonable agreement. MARS-KS better predicts ATLAS LTC-CL-04R test data with a good agreement than the TRACE due to better prediction of the break flow. Overall, compared to the experiment, the TRACE and MARS-KS Codes show a discrepancy in predicting the loop seal clearing and reformation time. Both TRACE and MARS-KS correctly predicts core water level and fuel cladding temperatures. From this study, it can be said that even though APR1400 cross-over leg design has slightly deeper loop seals, the effect on the safety of the SBLOCA long term cooling is minimal compared to the SBLOCA cladding failure criteria. Further study on the SBLOCA loop seal clearing phenomena is needed.

Indexes to Nuclear Regulatory Commission issuances, January--June 1995. Volume 41, Index 2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1995-09-01

Digests and indexes for issuances of the Commission (CLI), the Atomic Safety and Licensing Board Panel (LBP), the Administrative Law Judges (ALJ), the directors' Decisions (DD), and the Denials of Petitions for rulemaking (DPRM) are presented in this document. These digests and indexes are intended to serve as a guide to the issuances. The information elements are displayed in one or more of five separate formats arranged as follows: Case name index; digests and headers; legal citations index; subject index; and facility index

Indexes to Nuclear Regulatory Commission issuances, January-March 1984. Volume 19, Index 1

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1984-01-01

Digests and indexes for issuances of the Commission, the Atomic Safety and Licensing Appeal Panel, the Atomic Safety and Licensing Board Panel, the Administrative Law Judge, the Directors' Decisions, and the Denials of Petitions of Rulemaking are presented in this document. These digests and indexes are intended to serve as a guide to the issuances. Information elements are displayed in one or more of five separate formats: Case Name Index, Digests and Headers, Legal Citations Index, Subject Index, and Facility Index

Indexes to Nuclear Regulatory Commission Issuances, July--December 1993. Volume 38, Index 2

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1994-04-01

Digests and indexes for issuances of the Commission (CLI), the Atomic Safety and Licensing Board Panel (LBP), the Administrative Law Judges (ALJ), the Directors` Decisions (DD), and the Denials of Petitions for Rulemaking (DPRM) are presented in this document. These digests and indexes are intended to serve as a guide to the issuances. These information elements are displayed in one or more of five separate formats arranged as follows: Case Name Index; Digests and Headers; Legal Citations Index; Subject Index, and Facility Index.

Indexes to Nuclear Regulatory Commission issuances, January--June 1995. Volume 41, Index 2

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1995-09-01

Digests and indexes for issuances of the Commission (CLI), the Atomic Safety and Licensing Board Panel (LBP), the Administrative Law Judges (ALJ), the directors` Decisions (DD), and the Denials of Petitions for rulemaking (DPRM) are presented in this document. These digests and indexes are intended to serve as a guide to the issuances. The information elements are displayed in one or more of five separate formats arranged as follows: Case name index; digests and headers; legal citations index; subject index; and facility index.

Respiratory Changes in Response to Cognitive Load: A Systematic Review.

Science.gov (United States)

Grassmann, Mariel; Vlemincx, Elke; von Leupoldt, Andreas; Mittelstädt, Justin M; Van den Bergh, Omer

2016-01-01

When people focus attention or carry out a demanding task, their breathing changes. But which parameters of respiration vary exactly and can respiration reliably be used as an index of cognitive load? These questions are addressed in the present systematic review of empirical studies investigating respiratory behavior in response to cognitive load. Most reviewed studies were restricted to time and volume parameters while less established, yet meaningful parameters such as respiratory variability have rarely been investigated. The available results show that respiratory behavior generally reflects cognitive processing and that distinct parameters differ in sensitivity: While mentally demanding episodes are clearly marked by faster breathing and higher minute ventilation, respiratory amplitude appears to remain rather stable. The present findings further indicate that total variability in respiratory rate is not systematically affected by cognitive load whereas the correlated fraction decreases. In addition, we found that cognitive load may lead to overbreathing as indicated by decreased end-tidal CO2 but is also accompanied by elevated oxygen consumption and CO2 release. However, additional research is needed to validate the findings on respiratory variability and gas exchange measures. We conclude by outlining recommendations for future research to increase the current understanding of respiration under cognitive load.

A Review of the Relationship between Dietary Glycemic Index and Glycemic Load and Type 2 Diabetes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fahime Zeinali

2016-10-01

Full Text Available Background: In recent decades, studies on type 2 diabetes (T2D, have adopted a new approach to the field of a more complete collection of variables related to the lifestyles and diet of people. Diet is an important factor in increasing the rate of T2D among individuals. Considering the consumption of a high-carbohydrate diet, little attention has been paid to the type of carbohydrates consumed in the incidence of T2D. The present study aimed to review the literature on the relationship between the glycemic index (GI, the glycemic load, (GL and T2D, it also targets at evaluating and comparing the results of similar studies in other countries Methods: Using search engines, including PubMed, Science Direct, Embase and Scopus, and key words such as GI, GL, diabetes; articles with cross-sectional, clinical trial, Prospective and retrospective cohort designs between 2000 to 2016 were selected. Moreover, non-English language articles were not investigate. Results: The results of these studies showed that a diet containing low GI and GL has beneficial effects on the metabolism of glucose in the body and is also considered as a factor to protect the body against T2D and its complications. Conclusions: Monitoring eating habits of people with T2D can have beneficial effects on T2D and its associated risk factors.

Perception of foreign-accented clear speech by younger and older English listeners

OpenAIRE

Li, Chi-Nin

2009-01-01

Naturally produced English clear speech has been shown to be more intelligible than English conversational speech. However, little is known about the extent of the clear speech effects in the production of nonnative English, and perception of foreign-accented English by younger and older listeners. The present study examined whether Cantonese speakers would employ the same strategies as those used by native English speakers in producing clear speech in their second language. Also, the clear s...

On the impact of self-clearing on electroactive polymer (EAP) actuators

Science.gov (United States)

Ahmed, Saad; Ounaies, Zoubeida; Lanagan, Michael T.

2017-10-01

Electroactive polymer (EAP)-based actuators have large potential for a wide array of applications; however, their practical implementation is still a challenge because of the requirement of high driving voltage, which most often leads to premature defect-driven electrical breakdown. Polymer-based capacitors have the ability to clear defects with partial electrical breakdown and subsequent removal of a localized electrode section near the defect. In this study, this process, which is known as self-clearing, is adopted for EAP technologies. We report a methodical approach to self-clear an EAP, more specifically P(VDF-TrFE-CTFE) terpolymer, to delay premature defect-driven electrical breakdown of the terpolymer actuators at high operating electric fields. Breakdown results show that electrical breakdown strength is improved up to 18% in comparison to a control sample after self-clearing. Furthermore, the electromechanical performance in terms of blocked force and free displacement of P(VDF-TrFE-CTFE) terpolymer-based bending actuators are examined after self-clearing and precleared samples show improved blocked force, free displacement and maximum sustainable electric field compared to control samples. The study demonstrates that controlled self-clearing of EAPs improves the breakdown limit and reliability of the EAP actuators for practical applications without impeding their electromechanical performance.

Component-Level Electronic-Assembly Repair (CLEAR) System Architecture

Science.gov (United States)

Oeftering, Richard C.; Bradish, Martin A.; Juergens, Jeffrey R.; Lewis, Michael J.; Vrnak, Daniel R.

2011-01-01

This document captures the system architecture for a Component-Level Electronic-Assembly Repair (CLEAR) capability needed for electronics maintenance and repair of the Constellation Program (CxP). CLEAR is intended to improve flight system supportability and reduce the mass of spares required to maintain the electronics of human rated spacecraft on long duration missions. By necessity it allows the crew to make repairs that would otherwise be performed by Earth based repair depots. Because of practical knowledge and skill limitations of small spaceflight crews they must be augmented by Earth based support crews and automated repair equipment. This system architecture covers the complete system from ground-user to flight hardware and flight crew and defines an Earth segment and a Space segment. The Earth Segment involves database management, operational planning, and remote equipment programming and validation processes. The Space Segment involves the automated diagnostic, test and repair equipment required for a complete repair process. This document defines three major subsystems including, tele-operations that links the flight hardware to ground support, highly reconfigurable diagnostics and test instruments, and a CLEAR Repair Apparatus that automates the physical repair process.

Hazards Control Department annual technology review, 1984

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Griffith, R.V.; Anderson, K.J.

1985-01-01

The Annual Technology Review covers the period from October 1983 to September 1984. Topics reviewed include Nuclear Criticality Information System, nuclear dosimetry, personnel dosimetry, laser chemistry, electric filters and neutron spectrometry. Individual papers are indexed and abstracted for the data base. (DT)

Clear cell carcinoma of the ovary: Is there a role of histology-specific treatment?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Takano Masashi

2012-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract Several clinical trials to establish standard treatment modality for ovarian cancers included a high abundance of patients with serous histologic tumors, which were quite sensitive to platinum-based chemotherapy. On the other hand, ovarian tumor with rare histologic subtypes such as clear cell or mucinous tumors have been recognized to show chemo-resistant phenotype, leading to poorer prognosis. Especially, clear cell carcinoma of the ovary (CCC is a distinctive tumor, deriving from endometriosis or clear cell adenofibroma, and response rate to platinum-based therapy is extremely low. It was implied that complete surgical staging enabled us to distinguish a high risk group of recurrence in CCC patients whose disease was confined to the ovary (pT1M0; however, complete surgical staging procedures could not lead to improved survival. Moreover, the status of peritoneal cytology was recognized as an independent prognostic factor in early-staged CCC patients, even after complete surgical staging. In advanced cases with CCC, the patients with no residual tumor had significantly better survival than those with the tumor less than 1 cm or those with tumor diameter more than 1 cm. Therefore, the importance of achieving no macroscopic residual disease at primary surgery is so important compared with other histologic subtypes. On the other hand, many studies have shown that conventional platinum-based chemotherapy regimens yielded a poorer prognosis in patients with CCC than in patients with serous subtypes. The response rate by paclitaxel plus carboplatin (TC was slightly higher, ranging from 22% to 56%, which was not satisfactory enough. Another regimen for CCC tumors is now being explored: irinotecan plus cisplatin, and molecular targeting agents. In this review article, we discuss the surgical issues for early-staged and advanced CCC including possibility of fertility-sparing surgery, and the chemotherapy for CCC disease.

ON THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE CORONAL MAGNETIC DECAY INDEX AND CORONAL MASS EJECTION SPEED

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Xu Yan; Liu Chang; Jing Ju; Wang Haimin, E-mail: yx2@njit.edu [Space Weather Research Lab, Center for Solar-Terrestrial Research, New Jersey Institute of Technology, 323 Martin Luther King Boulevard, Newark, NJ 07102-1982 (United States)

2012-12-10

Numerical simulations suggest that kink and torus instabilities are two potential contributors to the initiation and prorogation of eruptive events. A magnetic parameter called the decay index (i.e., the coronal magnetic gradient of the overlying fields above the eruptive flux ropes) could play an important role in controlling the kinematics of eruptions. Previous studies have identified a threshold range of the decay index that distinguishes between eruptive and confined configurations. Here we advance the study by investigating if there is a clear correlation between the decay index and coronal mass ejection (CME) speed. Thirty-eight CMEs associated with filament eruptions and/or two-ribbon flares are selected using the H{alpha} data from the Global H{alpha} Network. The filaments and flare ribbons observed in H{alpha} associated with the CMEs help to locate the magnetic polarity inversion line, along which the decay index is calculated based on the potential field extrapolation using Michelson Doppler Imager magnetograms as boundary conditions. The speeds of CMEs are obtained from the LASCO C2 CME catalog available online. We find that the mean decay index increases with CME speed for those CMEs with a speed below 1000 km s{sup -1} and stays flat around 2.2 for the CMEs with higher speeds. In addition, we present a case study of a partial filament eruption, in which the decay indices show different values above the erupted/non-erupted part.

Efficiency of ocular UV protection by clear lenses.

Science.gov (United States)

Rifai, Katharina; Hornauer, Matthias; Buechinger, Ramona; Schoen, Roland; Barraza-Bernal, Maria; Habtegiorgis, Selam; Glasenapp, Carsten; Wahl, Siegfried; Mappes, Timo

2018-04-01

Ocular UV doses accumulate all-day, not only during periods of direct sun exposure. The UV protection efficiency of three clear lenses was evaluated experimentally, validated by simulation, and compared to non-UV protection: a first spectacle lens with a tailored UV absorber, a second spectacle lens, minimizing UV back reflections, as well as a third spectacle lens, combining both. A tailored UV-absorber efficiently reduced overall UV irradiance to 7 %, whereas reduction of back-reflections still left UV irradiance at 42 %. Thus, clear lenses with a tailored UV absorber efficiently protect the eye from UV, supplementing sun glasses wear to an all-day protection scenario.

21 CFR 516.157 - Publication of the index and content of an index listing.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 6 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Publication of the index and content of an index... MINOR SPECIES Index of Legally Marketed Unapproved New Animal Drugs for Minor Species § 516.157 Publication of the index and content of an index listing. (a) FDA will make the list of indexed drugs...

A critical review of published research literature reviews on nursing and healthcare ageism.

Science.gov (United States)

Wilson, Donna M; Nam, Mavis A; Murphy, Jill; Victorino, João P; Gondim, Ellen C; Low, Gail

2017-12-01

To establish how common and impactful nursing and healthcare ageism is and whether proven interventions or prevention methods exist. Ageism has been a concern since 1969 when it was first introduced as a concept for social reform. As ageism has been linked to lower quality health services and reduced health care access, it is imperative that healthcare and nursing ageism is prevented or identified and reduced or eliminated. A qualitative narrative review of published research literature reviews using a scoping design to map all published reviews was undertaken. The EBSCO Discovery Service (providing access to articles in 271 databases, including MEDLINE and CINAHL) and Directory of Open Access Journals (providing access to over 9,000 open access journals) were used to find review articles. Using predetermined inclusion and exclusion criteria, and limited by English language and peer-review publications, 12 eligible reviews were identified and information from them was systematically identified, assessed and synthesised. The 12 reviews did not provide clear and convincing information to determine how common and impactful nursing or healthcare ageism is, nor what can best be done to prevent or address it. Although each review had value since research literature was collected and discussed on nursing or healthcare ageism, the array of literature search and analysis methods, and diversity in conclusions reached about the evidence is highly problematic. Research literature reviews offering a more balanced perspective and demonstrating greater care in finding and using quality evidence are needed. At this point in time, there is no clear understanding of how widespread and impactful nursing or healthcare ageism is, and what can best be done to prevent or address it. Nurses need to be aware that ageism may be common and impactful, and guard against it. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Visceral adiposity index (VAI is predictive of an altered adipokine profile in patients with type 2 diabetes.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marco C Amato

Full Text Available AIMS: Although there is still no clear definition of "adipose tissue dysfunction" or ATD, the identification of a clinical marker of altered fat distribution and function may provide the needed tools for early identification of a condition of cardiometabolic risk. Our aim was to evaluate the correlations among various anthropometric indices [BMI, Waist Circumference (WC, Hip Circumference (HC, Waist/Hip ratio (WHR, Body Adiposity Index (BAI and Visceral adiposity Index (VAI] and several adipocytokines [Visfatin, Resistin, Leptin, Soluble leptin receptors (sOB-R, Adiponectin, Ghrelin, Adipsin, PAI-1, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF, Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF TNF-α, hs-CRP, IL-6, IL-18] in patients with type 2 diabetes (DM2. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Ninety-one DM2 patients (age: 65.25 ± 6.38 years; 42 men and 49 women in stable treatment for the last six months with metformin in monotherapy (1.5-2 g/day were cross-sectionally studied. Clinical, anthropometric, and metabolic parameters were evaluated. Serum adipocytokine levels were assayed with Luminex based kits. RESULTS: At the Pearson's correlation, among all the indices investigated, VAI showed a significant correlation with almost all adipocytokines analyzed [Visfatin, Resistin and hsCRP (all p<0.001; Adiponectin, sOb-R, IL-6, IL-18, HGF (all p<0.010; Ghrelin and VEGF (both p<0.05]. Through a two-step cluster analysis, 55 patients were identified with the most altered adipocytokine profile (patients with ATD. At a ROC analysis, VAI showed the highest C-statistic [0.767 (95% CI 0.66-0.84] of all the indices. CONCLUSIONS: Our study suggests that the VAI, among the most common indexes of adiposity assessment, shows the best correlation with the best known adipocytokines and cardiometabolic risk serum markers. Although to date we are still far from clearly identifying an ATD, the VAI would be an easy tool for clearly mirroring a condition of cardiometabolic risk, in the absence of an

How indexes have changed

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Farrar, G.L.

1993-01-01

The accompanying table compares refinery construction and operating wages monthly for the years 1990 and 1991. The Nelson-Farrar refinery construction cost indexes are inflation indexes, while the operating indexes incorporate a productivity which shows improvement with experience and the increasing size of operations. The refinery construction wage indexes in the table show a steady advance over the 2-year period. Common labor indexes moved up faster than skilled indexes. Refinery operating wages showed a steady increase, while productivities averaged higher near the end of the period. Net result is that labor costs remained steady for the period

Rock index properties for geoengineering in the Paradox Basin

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

O'Rourke, J.E.; Rey, P.H.; Alviti, E.; Capps, C.C.

1986-02-01

Previous researchers have investigated the use of a number of rapid index tests that can be used on core samples, or in situ, to determine rock properties needed for geoengineering design, or to predict construction performance in these rock types. Selected research is reviewed, and the correlations of index tests with laboratory tests of rock properties found by the earlier investigators are discussed. The selection and testing of rock core samples from the Gibson Dome No. 1 borehole in Paradox Basin are described. The samples consist primarily of non-salt rock above salt cycle 6, but include some samples of anhydrite and salt cycle 6. The index tests included the point load test, Schmidt hammer rebound test, and abrasion hardness test. Statistical methods were used to analyze the correlations of index test data with laboratory test data of rock properties for the same core. Complete statistical results and computer-generated graphics are presented; these results are discussed in relation to the work of earlier investigations for index testing of similar rock types. Generally, fair to good correlations were obtained for predicting unconfined compressive strength and Young's modulus for sandstone and siltstone, while poorer correlations were found for limestone. This may be due to the large variability of limestone properties compared to the small number of samples. Overall, the use of index tests to assess rock properties at Paradox Basin appears to be practial for some conceptual and preliminary design needs, and the technique should prove useful at any salt repository site. However, it is likely that specific correlations should be demonstrated separately for each site, and the data base for establishing the correlations should probably include at least several hundred data points for each type

Maternal obesity and breastfeeding intention, initiation, intensity and duration: a systematic review.

Science.gov (United States)

Turcksin, Rivka; Bel, Sarah; Galjaard, Sander; Devlieger, Roland

2014-04-01

This systematic review investigates the relationship between maternal obesity and breastfeeding intention, initiation, intensity, duration and milk supply. A comprehensive search was performed through three major databases, including Medline, Cochrane Library and Cumulative Index For Nursing and Allied Health Literature, and by screening reference lists of the relevant publications. Selection criteria were: report of original research, studies on low-risk obese mothers and the comparison with normal weight mothers which met at least two of the following primary outcomes: breastfeeding intention; initiation; intensity; duration and/or milk supply. Furthermore, the included reports had to contain a clear definition of pre-pregnant obesity, use compensation mechanisms for potential confounding factors, have a prospective cohort design and had to have been published between 1997 and 2011 and in English, French or Dutch. Effects of obesity on breastfeeding intention, initiation, intensity, duration and milk supply were analysed, tabulated and summarised in this review. Studies have found that obese women are less likely to intend to breastfeed and that maternal obesity seems to be associated with a decreased initiation of breastfeeding, a shortened duration of breastfeeding, a less adequate milk supply and delayed onset of lactogenesis II, compared with their normal weight counterparts. This systematic review indicates therefore that maternal obesity is an adverse determinant for breastfeeding success. © 2012 JohnWiley & Sons Ltd.

Predicting risk and outcomes for frail older adults: an umbrella review of frailty screening tools

Science.gov (United States)

Apóstolo, João; Cooke, Richard; Bobrowicz-Campos, Elzbieta; Santana, Silvina; Marcucci, Maura; Cano, Antonio; Vollenbroek-Hutten, Miriam; Germini, Federico; Holland, Carol

2017-01-01

indicators were analyzed, most of which were applied to community-dwelling older people. The Frailty Index was examined in almost all these dimensions, with the exception of reliability, and its diagnostic and predictive characteristics were shown to be satisfactory. Gait speed showed high sensitivity, but only moderate specificity, and excellent predictive ability for future disability in activities of daily living. The Tilburg Frailty Indicator was shown to be a reliable and valid measure for frailty screening, but its diagnostic accuracy was not evaluated. Screening Letter, Timed-up-and-go test and PRISMA 7 (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) demonstrated high sensitivity and moderate specificity for identifying frailty. In general, low physical activity, variously measured, was one of the most powerful predictors of future decline in activities of daily living. Conclusion Only a few frailty measures seem to be demonstrably valid, reliable and diagnostically accurate, and have good predictive ability. Among them, the Frailty Index and gait speed emerged as the most useful in routine care and community settings. However, none of the included systematic reviews provided responses that met all of our research questions on their own and there is a need for studies that could fill this gap, covering all these issues within the same study. Nevertheless, it was clear that no suitable tool for assessing frailty appropriately in emergency departments was identified. PMID:28398987

Book reviews

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

T. Abdel-Motey., C. Urfels., K. Rodriguez., J. Mardikian., J.A. Drobnicki., V. Diodato.

2000-10-01

Full Text Available Title:(1 The Library and Information Professional’s Guide to the Internet. (2 Reinvention of the Public Library for the 21st Century. (3 Public Library Collection Development in the Information Age. (4 Making Sense of Journals in the Life Science: From Specialty Origins to Contemporary Assortment. (5 The Holocaust: Memories, Research, Reference. (6 How to Index Your Local Newspaper Using WordPerfect or Microsoft Word for Windows. (7 Effective Utilization and Management of Emerging Information Technologies. (8 Information Technology and Organizations: Challenges of New Technologies. (9 Facilities Planning for School Media and Technology Centers. (10 Libraries Without Walls 2: The Delivery of Library Services to Distance Users. (11 New International Directions in HIV Prevention for Gay and Bisexual Men. (12 Soaring to Excellence Videos: Tools of Our Trade III: Books, the Internet, and Beyond.Author:(1Reviewed by Teresa Abdel-Motey. (2Review by Claire Urfels. (3Reviewed by Dr. Ketty Rodriguez. (4Reviewed by Jackie Mardikian. (5Reviewed by John A. Drobnicki.(6Reviewed by Dr. Virgil Diodato. (7Reviewed by Dr. Lisa M. Covi. (8Reviewed by Tom Zillner. (9Reviewed by Dr. W. Bernard Lukenbill. (10Reviewed by Dr. Elizabeth Buchanan. (11Reviewed by Aisha White. (12Reviewed by Phyllis Tragash

An alternative method to determine the refractive index of Al{sub x}Ga{sub 1−x}N

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Engelbrecht, J.A.A., E-mail: Japie.Engelbrecht@nmmu.ac.za [Physics Department, NMMU, Port Elizabeth (South Africa); HRTEM Facility, NMMU, Port Elizabeth (South Africa); Sephton, B. [Physics Department, NMMU, Port Elizabeth (South Africa); Minnaar, E. [HRTEM Facility, NMMU, Port Elizabeth (South Africa); Wagener, M.C. [Physics Department, NMMU, Port Elizabeth (South Africa)

2016-01-01

Certain characterizations of Al{sub x}Ga{sub 1−x}N epilayers require knowledge of the refractive index. Four theoretical models are reviewed, and a simple method to obtain the refractive index n of Al{sub x}Ga{sub 1−x}N is proposed. Values of the refractive index obtained at various wavelengths and Al concentrations are compared to the theoretical models, as well as to previously obtained experimental results. Acceptable agreement with both theoretical and experimental values are obtained.

Renal cell carcinoma: evolving approaches to advanced non-clear cell carcinoma

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Daniel Y.C. Heng

2011-12-01

Full Text Available The treatment of metastatic renal cell carcinoma (RCC has changed dramatically with the introduction of targeted therapies including sunitinib, sorafenib, and temsirolimus. Because patients with conventional clear cell histology account for 75- 80% of all patients with RCC, there has been little accumulated evidence on the treatment of patients with non-clear cell histologies. Most clinical trials have excluded them from enrolment, except for randomized studies investigating temsirolimus. Many retrospective studies on the use of all three of these targeted therapies in patients with non-clear cell histology have demonstrated response rates ranging from 3.7%–16%. Although response rates may not be as high compared to patients with clear cell histologies, targeted therapy does provide a clinically meaningful response.

The problem of clear air turbulence: Changing perspectives in the ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

observation systems, in most cases, aircraft are able to steer clear of regions of adverse ... that weather is a predominant cause of aviation accidents, accounting for ... clear air turbulence, wind shear and wake-vortex effects. Here .... ters a region of turbulence, the pilot informs the ground control about the location and extent.

Estimation of Polar Cap Potential and the Role of PC Index

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ga-Hee Moon

2012-09-01

with the storm size, it is clear that the average correlation coefficient is high. There is a tendency that duration of the recovery phase is longer as the PC index increases.

Indexes to Nuclear Regulatory Commission issuances, January-June 1986. Volume 23, Index 2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1986-01-01

Digests and indexes for issuances of the Commission, the Atomic Safety and Licensing Appeal Panel, the Atomic Safety and Licensing Board Panel, the Administrative Law Judge, the Directors' Decisions, and the Denials of Petitions of Rulemaking are presented in this document. The information elements are displayed in one or more of five separate formats. These formats are case name index, digests and headers, legal citations index, subject index, and facility index

Virginia ESI: INDEX (Index Polygons)

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — This data set contains vector polygons representing the boundaries of all hardcopy cartographic products produced as part of the Environmental Sensitivity Index...

Predicting Clear-Sky Reflectance Over Snow/Ice in Polar Regions

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Yan; Sun-Mack, Sunny; Arduini, Robert F.; Hong, Gang; Minnis, Patrick

2015-01-01

Satellite remote sensing of clouds requires an accurate estimate of the clear-sky radiances for a given scene to detect clouds and aerosols and to retrieve their microphysical properties. Knowing the spatial and angular variability of clear-sky albedo is essential for predicting clear-sky radiance at solar wavelengths. The Clouds and the Earth's Radiant Energy System (CERES) Project uses the nearinfrared (NIR; 1.24, 1.6 or 2.13 micrometers), visible (VIS; 0.63 micrometers) and vegetation (VEG; 0.86 micrometers) channels available on the Terra and Aqua Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) to help identify clouds and retrieve their properties in both snow-free and snow-covered conditions. Thus, it is critical to have reliable distributions of clear-sky albedo for all of these channels. In CERES Edition 4 (Ed4), the 1.24-micrometer channel is used to retrieve cloud optical depth over snow/ice-covered surfaces. Thus, it is especially critical to accurately predict the 1.24-micrometer clear-sky albedo alpha and reflectance rho for a given location and time. Snow albedo and reflectance patterns are very complex due to surface texture, particle shapes and sizes, melt water, and vegetation protrusions from the snow surface. To minimize those effects, this study focuses on the permanent snow cover of Antarctica where vegetation is absent and melt water is minimal. Clear-sky albedos are determined as a function of solar zenith angle (SZA) from observations over all scenes determined to be cloud-free to produce a normalized directional albedo model (DRM). The DRM is used to develop alpha(SZA=0 degrees) on 10 foot grid for each season. These values provide the basis for predicting r at any location and set of viewing & illumination conditions. This paper examines the accuracy of this approach for two theoretical snow surface reflectance models.

Indexes to Nuclear Regulatory Commission issuances, January-June 1984. Vol. 19, Index 2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1984-11-01

Digests and indexes for issuances of the Commission (CLI), the Atomic Safety and Licensing Appeal Panel (ALAB), the Atomic Safety and Licensing Board Panel (LBP), the Administrative Law Judge (ALJ), the Directors' Decisions (DD), and the Denials of Petitions of Rulemaking are presented in this document. The information elements are displayed in one or more of five separate formats: case name index, digests and headers, legal citations index, subject index, and facility index

Clear-PEM: A dedicated PET camera for improved breast cancer detection

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Abreu, M. C.; Almeida, P.; Balau, F.; Ferreira, N. C.; Fetal, S.; Fraga, F.; Martins, M.; Matela, N.; Moura, R.; Ortigao, C.; Peralta, L.; Rato, P.; Ribeiro, R.; Rodrigues, P.; Santos, A. I.; Trindade, A.; Varela, J.

2005-01-01

Positron emission mammography (PEM) can offer a non-invasive method for the diagnosis of breast cancer. Metabolic images from PEM using 18 F-fluoro-deoxy-glucose, contain unique information not available from conventional morphologic imaging techniques like X-ray radiography. In this work, the concept of Clear-PEM, the system presently developed in the frame of the Crystal Clear Collaboration at CERN, is described. Clear-PEM will be a dedicated scanner, offering better perspectives in terms of position resolution and detection sensitivity. (authors)

Some models for electric power price clearing in liberalized market area

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chogelja, Goran; Pavlov, Risto

2001-01-01

This paper presents some of the basic models for electrical energy price clearing in liberalized market area and competition on level of consumption and level of production. As an example the Amsterdam power exchange APX (spot market) is given and some of another types of markets and methodology for pricing are presented. In detal 'clearing pricing mechanism in day athead market' from the Amsterdam power exchange is presented as well as the methodology for market balancing and financial clearing. (Original)

Novel immunological and nutritional-based prognostic index for gastric cancer.

Science.gov (United States)

Sun, Kai-Yu; Xu, Jian-Bo; Chen, Shu-Ling; Yuan, Yu-Jie; Wu, Hui; Peng, Jian-Jun; Chen, Chuang-Qi; Guo, Pi; Hao, Yuan-Tao; He, Yu-Long

2015-05-21

To assess the prognostic significance of immunological and nutritional-based indices, including the prognostic nutritional index (PNI), neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), and platelet-lymphocyte ratio in gastric cancer. We retrospectively reviewed 632 gastric cancer patients who underwent gastrectomy between 1998 and 2008. Areas under the receiver operating characteristic curve were calculated to compare the predictive ability of the indices, together with estimating the sensitivity, specificity and agreement rate. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to identify risk factors for overall survival (OS). Propensity score analysis was performed to adjust variables to control for selection bias. Each index could predict OS in gastric cancer patients in univariate analysis, but only PNI had independent prognostic significance in multivariate analysis before and after adjustment with propensity scoring (hazard ratio, 1.668; 95% confidence interval: 1.368-2.035). In subgroup analysis, a low PNI predicted a significantly shorter OS in patients with stage II-III disease (P = 0.019, P gastric cancer. Canton score can be a novel preoperative prognostic index in gastric cancer.

Development of software for estimating clear sky solar radiation in Indonesia

Science.gov (United States)

Ambarita, H.

2017-01-01

Research on solar energy applications in Indonesia has come under scrutiny in recent years. Solar radiation is harvested by solar collector or solar cell and convert the energy into useful energy such as heat and or electricity. In order to provide a better configuration of a solar collector or a solar cell, clear sky radiation should be estimated properly. In this study, an in-house software for estimating clear sky radiation is developed. The governing equations are solved simultaneously. The software is tested in Medan city by performing a solar radiation measurements. For clear sky radiation, the results of the software and measurements ones show a good agreement. However, for the cloudy sky condition it cannot predict the solar radiation. This software can be used to estimate the clear sky radiation in Indonesia.

Flood Victims Quality of Life Index 2017 (FVQoL-Index'17: scale ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Flood Victims Quality of Life Index 2017 (FVQoL-Index'17: scale development ... constructed (adapted and modified) based on the previous standardized instruments. The findings from this study reveal that FVQoL-Index'17 allowed to measure ...

The refractive index of curved spacetime II: QED, Penrose limits and black holes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hollowood, Timothy J.; Shore, Graham M.; Stanley, Ross J.

2009-01-01

This work considers the way that quantum loop effects modify the propagation of light in curved space. The calculation of the refractive index for scalar QED is reviewed and then extended for the first time to QED with spinor particles in the loop. It is shown how, in both cases, the low frequency phase velocity can be greater than c, as found originally by Drummond and Hathrell, but causality is respected in the sense that retarded Green functions vanish outside the lightcone. A 'phenomenology' of the refractive index is then presented for black holes, FRW universes and gravitational waves. In some cases, some of the polarization states propagate with a refractive index having a negative imaginary part indicating a potential breakdown of the optical theorem in curved space and possible instabilities.

Review and meta-analysis of trends in precipitation regime in Italy

Science.gov (United States)

Caporali, Enrica; Chiarello, Valentina; Defina, Ilaria; Fatichi, Simone

2017-04-01

Research to detect changes in climatic variables has become a topic of particular interest to observe signals of climate change as well as to understand drivers of modifications in water resources availability and suggest management adaptations. We specifically focus on Italy, outlining the "state of the art" of the Italian precipitation regime through a review of 46 published studies on rainfall trend analyses. The aim is to combine a large body of knowledge in a single review and to explain the main patterns of rainfall changes occurred in the last decades. The review results are analyzed for the entire Italian peninsula and separately for three macro areas: North, Central and South&Islands. The attention is focused on three indexes at the annual and seasonal scale: mean Total Precipitation (TP), number of Wet Days (WDs) and Precipitation Intensity (PI). Two other aspects are briefly investigated: drought and extreme rainfall events. Different geographic areas, time series length and number of stations, are taken into account using a "weight factor Fi". Subsequently, for each index, findings in terms of increasing or decreasing trends are collected into five principal categories: Negative (N), Negative Significant (NS), Positive (P), Positive Significant (PS), and No Trend (NT). Overall, there is an agreement about the tendency of the WDs that are decreasing on the whole Italy, with some discrepancies regarding the spring and the summer seasons. This is substantially in agreement with the tendency of the TP, especially at annual scale where the presence of a decreasing trend is detected. An opposite behavior is detected for PI, which increases both on an annual and on a seasonal basis. It is worth to point out that PI is analyzed just in few studies and it is strongly influenced on the classification in precipitation intensity intervals. A general finding is that signal to noise ratio on precipitation metrics is quite low, which hampers a clear definition of

Predicting fiber refractive index from a measured preform index profile

Science.gov (United States)

Kiiveri, P.; Koponen, J.; Harra, J.; Novotny, S.; Husu, H.; Ihalainen, H.; Kokki, T.; Aallos, V.; Kimmelma, O.; Paul, J.

2018-02-01

When producing fiber lasers and amplifiers, silica glass compositions consisting of three to six different materials are needed. Due to the varying needs of different applications, substantial number of different glass compositions are used in the active fiber structures. Often it is not possible to find material parameters for theoretical models to estimate thermal and mechanical properties of those glass compositions. This makes it challenging to predict accurately fiber core refractive index values, even if the preform index profile is measured. Usually the desired fiber refractive index value is achieved experimentally, which is expensive. To overcome this problem, we analyzed statistically the changes between the measured preform and fiber index values. We searched for correlations that would help to predict the Δn-value change from preform to fiber in a situation where we don't know the values of the glass material parameters that define the change. Our index change models were built using the data collected from preforms and fibers made by the Direct Nanoparticle Deposition (DND) technology.

Objective assessment of plaster cast quality in pediatric distal forearm fractures: Is there an optimal index?

Science.gov (United States)

Labronici, Pedro José; Ferreira, Leonardo Termis; Dos Santos Filho, Fernando Claudino; Pires, Robinson Esteves Santos; Gomes, Davi Coutinho Fonseca Fernandes; da Silva, Luiz Henrique Penteado; Gameiro, Vinicius Schott

2017-02-01

Several so-called casting indices are available for objective evaluation of plaster cast quality. The present study sought to investigate four of these indices (gap index, padding index, Canterbury index, and three-point index) as compared to a reference standard (cast index) for evaluation of plaster cast quality after closed reduction of pediatric displaced distal forearm fractures. Forty-three radiographs from patients with displaced distal forearm fractures requiring manipulation were reviewed. Accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, false-positive probability, false-negative probability, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, positive likelihood ratio, and negative likelihood ratio were calculated for each of the tested indices. Comparison among indices revealed diagnostic agreement in only 4.7% of cases. The strongest correlation with the cast index was found for the gap index, with a Spearman correlation coefficient of 0.94. The gap index also displayed the best agreement with the cast index, with both indices yielding the same result in 79.1% of assessments. When seeking to assess plaster cast quality, the cast index and gap index should be calculated; if both indices agree, a decision on quality can be made. If the cast and gap indices disagree, the padding index can be calculated as a tiebreaker, and the decision based on the most frequent of the three results. Calculation of the three-point index and Canterbury index appears unnecessary. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

NOAA AVHRR Clear-Sky Products over Oceans (ACSPO): Sea Surface Temperature, Clear Sky Radiances, and Aerosol Optical Depth for the Global Ocean, 2011 - present (NCEI Accession 0072979)

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — The AVHRR Clear-Sky Processor over Oceans, jointly developed between NESDIS STAR and OSDPD, produces AVHRR clear-sky products over oceans. ACSPO generates output...

A CLEAR Plan for School Crisis Management.

Science.gov (United States)

Moriarty, Anthony; And Others

1993-01-01

Although many school formulas for crisis management are well coordinated internally, many are also shortsighted in recognizing when a school crisis falls simultaneously into law enforcement's domain. An Illinois high school has devised CLEAR, a crisis management plan delineating cognizance of personnel, the linkages they establish, accountability…

Reactivity indexes for different geometries of palladium leads

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gomez-Carrillo, S C; Bolcatto, P G [Departamento de Fisica, Facultad de Ingenieria Quimica, Universidad Nacional de Litoral, Santiago del Estero 2829 S3000AOM Santa Fe Argentina (Argentina); Ortega, J, E-mail: scgomez@fiq.unl.edu.a [Departamento de Fisica Teorica de la Materia Condensada, Universidad Autonoma de Madrid (Spain)

2009-05-01

Electronic transport through metallic break junctions or molecules is clearly dependent not only on the electronic structure of the central nanodevice connecting the leads, but also the shape and crystalline orientation of the contacts which can define the possible conduction channels. In this work we examine different geometries of contacts of palladium characterizing them through global and local reactivity indexes as electrophilicity, chemical hardness and Fukui functions. In molecules, these indicators are essentially defined by the energies of the frontier molecular orbitals and in solids they are related with the local and partial density of states. We use for this purpose an ab-initio based code (FIREBALL), applied to plane contacts with (001) fcc faces and also pyramidal tips grown following a (001) and (111) packaging. The results allow us to have an insight about the chemical features of this type of nanojunctions.

Viva the h-index

OpenAIRE

Waaijers, Leo

2011-01-01

In their article 'The inconsistency of the h-index' Ludo Waltman and Nees Jan van Neck give three examples to demonstrate the inconsistency of the h-index. As will be explained, a little extension of their examples just illustrate the opposite, a stable feature of the h-index. For starting authors it, the h-index that is, focusses on the number of articles; for experienced authors its focus shifts towards the citation scores. This feature may be liked or not but does not make the h-index an i...