For 170 years, scientists have attempted to explain why consistent temporal patterns of death are observed among individuals within populations. Historical efforts to identify a {open_quotes}law of mortality{close_quotes} from these patterns ended in 1935 when it was declared that such a law did not exist. These empirical tests for a law of mortality were constructed using mortality curves based on all causes of death. We predicted that patterns of mortality consistent with the historical concept of a law would be revealed if mortality curves for species were constructed using only senescent causes of death. Using data on senescent mortality for laboratory animals and humans, we demonstrate that patterns of mortality overlap when compared on a biologically comparable time scale. These results are consistent with the ...
for 170 years, scientists have attempted to explain why consistent temporal patterns of death are observed among individuals within populations. Historical efforts to identify a `law of mortality` from these patterns ended in 1935 when it was declared that such a law did not exist. These empirical tests for a law of mortality were constructed using mortality curves based on all causes of death. We predicted patterns of mortality consistent with the historical concept of a law would be revealed if mortality curves for species were constructed using only senescent causes of death. Using data on senescent mortality for laboratory animals and humans, we demonstrate patterns of mortality overlap when compared on a biologically comparable time scale. The results are consistent with the existence of a law of ...
Summary Objective- To evaluate the role of prophylactic trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (co-trimoxazole) antibacterial prophylaxis in reducing morbidity and mortality in HIV-infected post-natal women in southern Africa. Methods- Double-blind placebo-controlled trial. HIV-infected women with WHO stage 2 or 3 HIV disease who had recently delivered in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at the University Teaching Hospital, Lusaka, Zambia were randomised to receive daily co-trimoxazole (cotox) or matched placebo daily for the duration of the trial. Participants were followed up for a minimum of 1-year. Primary outcome measures were mortality from any cause or hospital admission and serious adverse events. Results- Of 600 women randomised, follow-up information was available from 355 (18...
Experiments were carried out to test the hypothesis that instantaneous daily rates of egg-larval mortality of Pacific herring were higher at two oil-exposed sites than at two other sites not so exposed. Results showed that egg-larval mortality was twice as great in the oil-exposed areas as in the two non-oiled areas. Larval growth rates were also severely affected; they were about half of those measured in populations from other areas of the north Pacific Ocean. A cautionary note was introduced to the effect that the differences in the egg-larval mortality between oiled and control sites may have been influenced by differences in egg dessication, predation, and wave scouring, hence these results should not be construed as conclusive evidence of oil spill damage. 40 refs., 6 figs.
AimsTo evaluate the associations of myocardial infarction (MI) and major bleeding with 1-year mortality. Both MI and major bleeding predict 1-year mortality in patients presenting...Full Text Available
There are very different views on the health hazards of DU munitions. Most of the concerns of veterans and their advisors focus on the radiological effects of DU and consequently these are the focus of this editorial. Effects on the kidney and environmental consequences are, however, considered in the second of the Royal Society reports and the main conclusions of both of the reports are outlined in the summary document published in this issue of the journal. The main radiological concerns focus on the irradiation of lung tissues from inhaled DU particles and irradiation resulting from the translocation of inhaled particles to the thoracic lymph nodes.The overwhelming scientific view, presented in the two Royal Society reports and in other independent reviews, is that the main risks of exposure to DU aerosols are an increase in lung cancer and (from chemical toxicity) damage to the kidney, although these are likely to be evident only following substantial intakes. The equivalent doses ...
Background. The `RISchio CArdiovascolare nei pazienti afferenti all' Area Vasta In Dialisi (RISCAVID) study is an observational and prospective trial including the whole chronic haemodialysis (HD) population in the northwest part of Tuscany (1.235 million people). The aim of the study was to elucidate the relevance of traditional and non-traditional risk factors of mortality and morbidity in HD patients as well as the impact of different HD modalities.Methods. A total of 757 HD patients (mean age 66 +- 14 years, mean dialytic age 70 +- 76 months, diabetes 19%) were prospectively followed up for 30 months and all-cause mortality, cardiovascular (CV) mortality and non-fatal CV events (acute myocardial infarction and stroke) were registered. At the time of the enrolment, demographic, clinical...
Background and objectives: The severity of anemia at which to initiate erythropoiesis-stimulating agent (ESA) treatment in nondialysis chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients is unclear. Risk of mortality,...Full Text Available
BackgroundAcute lower respiratory infections are the commonest cause of morbidity and potentially preventable mortality in Indigenous infants. Infancy is also a critical time for...Full Text Available
Cimetidine 1 g daily is often continued for a fixed period beyond the time of healing of duodenal ulcer on the assumption that it might reduce the subsequent relapse rate. To test this, 194 patients...Full Text Available
In acute liver failure following hepatitis, toxic insults, or after major liver surgery, there is an increased bacterial translocation from the gut. This may explain some of the infectious complications seen in these conditions. To elucidate mechanisms and find possible preventive measures, we investigated the effect of rectal administration of arginine and probiotic bacteria (Lactobacillus spp.) on bacterial translocation and the extent of liver failure. Sprague-Dawley rats were used and five different Lactobacillus strains (Lb. reuteri R2LC, Lb. rhamnosus DSM 6594 (= strain 271), Lb. plantarum DSM 9843 (= strain 299v), Lb. fermentum 8704:3 (= strain 245), and Lb. reuteri (= strain 108) were administered rectally once daily for 8 days with and without 2% arginine. Acute liver injury (ALI) was induced on the eighth day by intraperitoneal injection of D-galactosamine (1.1 g/kg body weight), and samples were collected after 24 and 48 hours. Bacterial translocation ...
Non-linear autoregressive Markov regime-switching models are intuitive. Time-series approaches for the modelling of electricity spot prices are frequently proposed. In this paper, such models are compared with an ordinary linear autoregressive model with regard to their forecast performances. The study is carried out using German daily spot-prices from the European Energy Exchange in Leipzig. Four non-linear models are used for the forecast study. The results of the study suggest that Markov regime-switching models provide better forecasts than linear models. (author)
Non-linear autoregressive Markov regime-switching models are intuitive. Time-series approaches for the modelling of electricity spot prices are frequently proposed. In this paper, such models are compared with an ordinary linear autoregressive model with regard to their forecast performances. The study is carried out using German daily spot-prices from the European Energy Exchange in Leipzig. Four non-linear models are used for the forecast study. The results of the study suggest that Markov regime-switching models provide better forecasts than linear models. (author)
The Meteorological Service of Canada has made weather datasets available in real-time on the Internet, for use by those with an interest in solar applications. Ensemble weather models can be used to produce medium range forecasts of weather events and to predict the likely available kilowatt-hours (kWhrs) of solar energy. As such, solar sites can maximize their harvest and use of solar energy. This presentation highlighted several different types of renewable energy forecasts obtained from weather models, including forecasts of expected kWhrs from solar panels and wind turbines, daily forecasts of expected solar heated water volumes and forecasts of water collection potential from impending precipitation events. The value of renewable energy forecasts in helping the solar energy sector monitor daily energy loads as well as daily and weekly solar energy supply was emphasized. It was suggested that ...
To make the doubly labelled water method for determining energy expenditure more applicable in a free-living population, collection of a single daily urine or breath sample would have advantages compared to a 24-hr urine collection. Coward et al. reported the use of a single daily urine sample. In the previously described study, a single urine collection and a fasting morning breath sample were collected from four men during two 21-day periods (fall, F, spring, S) while maintaining their body wts. on controlled diets (20% calories from protein, 40% from fat, 60% from CHO [F]; 20% protein, 20% fat, 60% CHO [S]). Urine and breath samples were analyzed to determine disappearance rates of D and "1"8O for up to 21 days. Values were compared with metabolizable energy intake levels (EI), with or without corrections for estimated changes in body composition assessed by several methods. Preliminary evaluations suggest that the single ...
Abstract Mammalian teeth exhibit incremental structures representing successive forming fronts of enamel at varying time scales, including a short daily increment called a cross striation and a long period called a stria of Retzius, the latter of which, in humans, occurs on average every 8-9 days. The number of daily increments between striae is called the repeat interval, which is the same period as that required to form one increment of bone, i.e. the lamella, the fundamental - if not archetypal - unit of bone. Lamellae of known formation time nevertheless vary in width, and thus their measures provide time-calibrated growth rate variability. We measured growth rate variability for as many as 6 years of continuously forming primary incremental lamellar bone from midshaft femur histologic...
The feasibility of using desferrioxamine (DF), an iron chelator, as a therapeutic agent against paraquat (PQ/sup + +/) toxicity in male Sprague-Dawley rats was explored, based on the rationale of limiting toxic hydroxyl radical production from hydrogen peroxide by removing redox-active iron. Body weights, mortality, and lung histopathology were followed for periods up to 14 days after intraperitoneal injection of PQ/sup + +/ (20 or 25 mg/kg body weight) with or without concurrent daily subcutaneous injections of DF (300 mg/day). Animals receiving PQ/sup + +/ showed the expected typical patterns of mortality and of lung histopathology, namely: marked edema, subpleural hemorrhage, acute inflammation, perivascular mononuclear cell infiltrates, sloughing of alveolar and bronchiolar lining cells, and diffuse interstitial fibrosis. Desferrioxamine alone was non-toxic. Surprisingly, results when both PQ/sup + +/ and DF were ...
Rice, the world's major staple crop, is a poor source of essential micronutrients, including folates (vitamin B9). We report folate biofortification of rice seeds achieved by overexpressing two Arabidopsis thaliana genes of the pterin and para-aminobenzoate branches of the folate biosynthetic pathway from a single locus. We obtained a maximal enhancement as high as 100 times above wild type, with 100 g of polished raw grains containing up to four times the adult daily folate requirement.
... However blaming vitamin supplements on deaths, or mortality is silly, as the studies are not exactly kosher. Vitamin C in 2,000mg is good for allergies, and niacin (b3) in 10,0000mg is good for depression. This is all examples on how vitamin supplements can help. I call it a security blanket, as food these days is not so good due vitamin and mineral damage due to light, or storage. By the time we eat the apple from the supermarket, there is minimal vitamin and ...
Acute vertebrobasilar occlusion (VBO) is associated with a high risk of stroke and death. Although local thrombolysis may achieve recanalization and improve outcome, mortality is still between 35% and 75%. However, without recanalization the chance of a good outcome is extremely poor, with mortality rates of 80-90%. Early treatment is a fundamental factor, but detailed studies of the exact time management of the diagnostic and interventional workflow are still lacking. Data on 18 patients were retrospectively evaluated. Time periods between symptom onset, admission to hospital, time of diagnosis, and beginning of intervention were correlated with postinterventional neurological status. The Glasgow Coma Scale and National Institute of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) were used to examine patients before and after local thrombolysis. Additionally, multivariate statistics were applied to ...
Pregnant females and newborn rats were exposed to a gamma irradiation of 150 rads. The stage of gestation at the time of irradiation varied from 14 to 21 days. The newborn rats were irradiated at 0, 1 and 2 days of age. The effect of irradiation of foetus and newborn rats depends on the age of the animal at the time of irradiation. This effect was specially important at the beginning of the foetal life. Neonatal mortality, growth of body weight and adult brain development were investigated. A modification of germ cell radiosensitivity during the period studied, was emphasized.
Patients with end stage renal failure (ESRD) require renal replacement therapy in the form of dialysis or renal transplantation. There is an increasing number of people receiving maintenance dialysis as patients with ESRD are increasing faster than the supply of transplantable organs. The mortality rate on dialysis is 4-6 times that of the general population and is substantially reduced by transplantation. For the past 8 years, dialysis research has focused on improving patient outcomes and quality of life on dialysis. This review examines recent advances in haemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis in a historical context and considers future research possibilities. PMID:19329705
BackgroundAcute kidney injury (AKI) is associated with increased short-term mortality of septic patients; however, the exact influence of AKI on long-term mortality in such patients...Full Text Available
BackgroundDepressive mood is associated with mortality. Because personality has been found to be associated with depression and mortality as well, we aimed to test...Full Text Available
The United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority mortality study was designed to investigate the relation between exposure to ionising radiation and mortality among the authority's employees. The present...Full Text Available
The mammalian circadian timing system is organized into hierarchical structures with a central clock in the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) and subsidiary peripheral oscillators. After the discovery of the local clockwork in peripheral organs and tissues, which have a molecular makeup similar to the central pacemaker SCN, uncovering the roles of the peripheral clock in the rhythmic physiology has been an emerging goal in chronobiology. Glucocorticoid (GC) is a multifunctional adrenal steroid hormone that shows a robust circadian rhythm. The daily GC rhythm has long been thought to be governed by the SCN via the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal neuroendocrine axis. Recent findings, however, indicate that multiple regulatory mechanisms, including the adrenal intrinsic mechanism by the peripheral...
The trade-off which must be established between the various functions of pumped-storage plants is examined. A compromise between supply security and economic planning can be found only by coordinated planning of pumped-storage units and thermal generation plants. A model used by Electricite de France (EDF) to ensure optimized daily planning of thermal and pumped-storage units is described. The model, called the DEMETER model, ensures the optimization of the daily planning of thermal and pumped-storage plants. The model iterates between two levels: coordination where the prices of the generated energy and the operating reserve are determined to adjust generation to load and keep a sufficient reserve; and decomposition where the schedule of each unit is optimized on the basis of the above prices and taking into account local constraints such as unavailability, and minimum shut down time. The role of EDF is to supply customers ...
Fifty-nine patients underwent free flap osteocutaneous reconstruction that consisted of flaps of the dorsum of the foot in 26 patients and iliac crest flaps in 33 with a success rate of 92 percent and a mortality rate of 1.6 percent. These flaps, which require the expertise of microvascular surgeons, are time-consuming and complicate operating room and time management, but they represent a remarkable advance in reconstruction that can facilitate cosmetic and functional recovery of the patient. In particular, they promote healing in radiation-recurrent oral cancer and represent a definitive form of management for established radionecrosis of the mandible. The large volume of tissue available with iliac crest osteocutaneous grafts permits the management of patients with extensive cancer involving the skin, mucosa, and bone, but cancer control may still be disappointing and there is a need for improved adjuvant chemotherapy ...
The operation of pumped-storage plants (PSP) is based on the daily load variations of power demand. It performs power generation at peak load times during the day, and pumps water up into the reservoir during the off-peak times at night. In the Taipower system in Taiwan, there are two pumped storage plants with ten units. These had a total installed capacity of 2,602 MW or a 12 percent capacity at the end of 1995. The plants were able to reduce system generation costs and improve reliability. A Pumped-Storage Plant Benefit Analysis (PSPBA) program was established using the principle of economic dispatch in 1985. This paper explains the rules of the program, the analysis results of the past 10 years, and a a cost benefit evaluation. It was found that the advantages of PSP are not only in supplying the power for peak load, but also in decreasing the total fuel cost. 5 figs., 4 refs.
Since 1945, more than 1.8 x 10"2"1 Bq of artificial radionuclides have been released into the atmosphere. Approximately 2.04 x 10"1"8B, i.e. approx. 0.11%, are the result of accidents at nuclear industrial facilities. This percentage is causing increased interest among researchers. This is due to the fact that in the wake of accidental release radionuclides become distributed unevenly across the Earth's surface, and the associated exposures, fluctuating from background level to several grays, an induce both stochastic and deterministic effects in the irradiated population. A comparative analysis of the medical consequences of the twentieth century's most serious nuclear events, namely the authorized dumping of high level radioactive waste into the river Techa in 1950, the explosion of a storage tank containing long lived radioactive waste in the Southern Urals in 1957, the fire at Sellafield in 1957 and the accident at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant in 1986, has shown that when ...
To utilize solar energy effectively, a method has been developed by which daily clearness indexes can be estimated from phrase of general weather condition, and it has been examined at four places located at different typical climatic divisions in Japan. Successive results of extra-terrestrial solar insulation and measured solar insulation were illustrated at each place. It was found that the envelope of maximal value among measured values is in proportion to the extra-terrestrial solar insulation. Based on the basic clearness index and the meaning of term expressing general weather condition defined by the Meteorological Agency, the general weather condition was quantitated using the clearness index. This value was defined as weather index. Relationship between the measured clearness index at each place and the weather index was analyzed regressively. Correlation between the both was highly close, proportionally. Accordingly, the clearness index can be estimated ...
Passage through dams is a major source of mortality of anadromous juvenile salmonids because some populations must negotiate up to eight dams in Columbia and Snake rivers. Dams cause direct mortality when fish pass through turbines, but dams may also cause indirect mortality by altering migration conditions in rivers. Forebays immediately upstream of dams have decreased the water velocity of rivers and may contribute substantially to the total migration delay of juvenile salmonids. Recently, Coutant (2001a) suggested that in addition to low water velocities, lack of natural turbulence may contribute to migration delay by causing fish to lose directional cues. Coutant (2001a) further hypothesized that restoring turbulence in dam forebays may reduce migration delay by providing directional cues that allow fish to find passage routes more quickly (Coutant 2001a). Although field experiments have yielded proof of the concept of ...
Objective: To find out safety and efficiency of Misoprostol in cervical ripening and induction of labour to achieve vaginal delivery. Results: From Misoprostol insertion to delivery time was 4-24 hours. Vaginal delivery was achieved in 80.2%, which included spontaneous, forceps and vacuum extraction. Caesarean section rate was 19.7%. Indications for C. Section included Misoprostol unresponsiveness 11% and fetal distress in 8.6%. Oxytocin augmentation was required in 32% of cases. Term babies were 58%. Intrauterine death and neonatal deaths were 9.8% and 8.6% respectively. Hyper stimulation and postpartum haemorrhage was seen in 2.4% and 3.7% of patients respectively. Conclusion: intravaginal Misoprostol is well tolerated and is very effective for the induction of labour in eclampsia. It helps vaginal delivery in toxemic patients, reduces maternal morbidity, mortality and hospital stay. (author)
Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation provides the only potential curative option in many patients with hematological malignancies. Finding a suitably matched donor in a timely manner is often difficult. However, most patients have a partially HLA-mismatched (HLA-haploidentical) first-degree relative readily available. Historically, HLA-haploidentical bone marrow transplantation (BMT) has been considered extremely high risk due to high rates of life-threatening graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) and non-relapse mortality (NRM). Modifications of the stem cell graft, such as T-cell depletion, have resulted in poor rates of engraftment. We have recently completed a phase II clinical trial of nonmyeloablative HLA-haploidentical hematopoietic BMT followed by post-transplantation high-cyclophosp...
The spectre of exclusionary medical service provision, restricted clinic access and physician targeting in sectarian-divided Iraq underscores the crucial and timely need for qualitative research into the inter-relationship between conflict, identity and health. In response, this paper provides a critical ethnography of obstetric service provision and patient access during Shia-Sunni hostilities in Gilgit Town, capital of Pakistans Northern Areas (2005). I analyse how services were embedded in and constrained by sectarian affiliation in ways that detrimentally impacted Sunni women patients and hospital staff, resulting in profoundly diminished clinic access, reduced physician coverage and a higher observed incidence of maternal morbidity and mortality. The paper first situates obstetric med...
The aims of this study were to identify risk factors and evaluate the association with clinical outcomes of postoperative cardiac surgery-associated acute kidney injury (CSA-AKI). Data from 2488 consecutive adult patients were analyzed. Patients were classified as having CSA-AKI based on the risk, injury, failure, loss of kidney function, and end-stage kidney disease (RIFLE) criteria using peak postoperative creatinine in the postoperative intensive care unit (ICU). Multiple stepwise logistic regression analysis was used to identify independent risk factors for CSA-AKI. CSA-AKI occurred in 584 patients (23.5%). CSA-AKI patients had significantly longer aortic cross-clamp and cardiopulmonary bypass times. Furthermore, CSA-AKI patients had higher hospital mortality (5.5% vs 1.5%, PCopyright2...
ABSTRACT Drought is an important seedling mortality agent in dry and moist tropical forests, and more severe and frequent droughts are predicted in the future. The effect of drought on leaf gas exchange and seedling survival was tested in a dry-down experiment with four tree species from dry and moist forests in Bolivia. Seedlings were droughted and wilting stage and gas exchange were monitored. Drought led to a gradual reduction of photosynthesis and stomatal conductance over time, whereas respiration and photosynthetic water-use efficiency initially increased with drought and then declined. Seedlings gradually went through the different wilting stages, until they eventually died, but the trajectory differed for the four species. The strong relationship between wilting stage and photosynt...
Background For the past 14 years, we have been performing laparoscopic adrenalectomy via the lateral transabdominal as well as the posterior retroperitoneal approach. The aim of this study is to describe patient selection criteria for each approach with comparison of perioperative outcomes. Methods In patients with smaller tumors, low body mass index (BMI), history of previous abdominal operations, appropriate body habitus, and bilateral pathology, we have performed preferentially the posterior approach. Data regarding clinical pathology, tumor size, BMI, estimated blood loss (EBL), operating time (OT), morbidity, mortality, and duration of stay were analyzed retrospectively. Data are expressed as mean +- standard error of the mean (SEM). Results One hundred seventy-two laparoscopic adrena...
Brain tumor was diagnosed by computer tomography or magnetic resonance imaging in 100 children aged 0 to 19 years. They consecutively underwent primary surgical treatment during the years 1984 to 1988. Non-neoplastic lesions and operations for residual tumors are not included. 54 tumors were localized supratentorially. 72% of these were benign og low grade malignancies. 46 tumors had an infratentorial localication. 59% of these were high grade malignancies. Children tolerate major-neurosurgical procedures better than adults and restitution is usually favourable. 42 children with high grade malignancies underwent postoperative radiotherpy. Per- and postoperative mortality in this series was 1%. 80 children are alive. 62 of these are in excellent condition after a median observation time of 40 months. 10 refs.
In 1996, a field-scale phytoremediation demonstration project was initiated and managed by the U.S. Air Force at a site in western Fort Worth, Texas, using a plantation of 1-year-old stems harvested from branches of eastern cottonwoods during the dormant season (whips) and a plantation of 1-year-old eastern cottonwood seedlings (calipers). The primary objective of the demonstration project was to determine the effectiveness of eastern cottonwoods at reducing the mass of dissolved trichloroethene transported within an alluvial aquifer. The U.S. Geological Survey conducted a study, in cooperation with the U.S. Air Force, to determine water-level variations and their effects on tree growth and mortality and on the biogeochemical system at the phytoremediation site. As part of the study, water-level and water-quality data were collected throughout the duration of the project. This report presents water-level variations at periodic sampling events; data from August ...
The paper presents a computer-aided analysis of the combined use of ventilation and structural heat capacity and insulation as a means of saving air-conditioning power in digital telephone exchanges. It is shown that such savings can be effected by increasing air change with outdoor cool air at night, and when feasible, also in daytime, through the air change unit, in a conventional airconditioning cycle. The total thermal time constant (TTTC) method of calculation used enables the evaluation of daily or seasonal heat-flow balance for a given indoor temperature, considering the tendency of the heat capacity of the building and of envelope components to flatten the fluctuations of this temperature.
The specific goals of this research are to (1) determine daily and seasonal variability of seawater pCO{sub 2} partial pressure of CO{sub 2} and NO{sub 3} in Middle Atlantic Bight (MAB) waters; (2) estimate seasonal CO{sub 2} fluxes between the MAB shelf and the atmosphere; and (3) determine the primary controls of surface seawater pCO{sub 2} in this coastal system. During the first phase of the DOE-OMP (1992-1995) we developed the Submersible Autonomous Moored Instrument for CO{sub 2} (SAMI-CO{sub 2}) which is designed to measure seawater CO{sub 2} on ocean moorings for extended periods.
Individuals who use augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) depend on technology to meet their daily needs and form relationships. Speech generating devices (SGDs) are integral components of communication systems. Reliability of SGDs is critical for effective use in everyday life. This study examined the reliability of new SGDs and found that mean time to first failure was 42.7 (SD = 41.2) weeks and at least 40% required repairs within the first year of use. The components that most frequently broke down were touch screens, wiring, main boards, batteries, memory cards, and AC adaptors. The costs of repairing SGDs were analyzed. The clinical implications of device breakdown are identified for key stakeholders, including clients, families, service providers, funding agencies, and ma...
Accessible summary - -Children with a Nonverbal Learning Disability (NLD) resulting from shunted hydrocephalus and spina bifida face many difficulties not experienced by those with a language learning disability. - -As they grow older and more autonomy is expected, friendships became harder to sustain and daily life can be full of fear if the nonverbal learning disability is not identified and managed. - -This paper explains the theorised cause of nonverbal learning disability - damage to right hemisphere white matter or myelin. - -Damage is believed to cause problems with planning, organisation, time management, problem-solving, decision-making and friendships, and the mismatch with articulate speech and a good vocabulary causes a functional profile that is difficult for educationists or ...
A female employee was exposed to lead dust for 8 h daily from 4.5.1982 to 20.5.1982. During this time conception occurred (1st day of last menses 4.5.82). Acute symptoms of lead intoxication were not observed in this subject but were in other employees. Measurements of lead content were started after the end of exposure and continued for 6 months until normal values were obtained. Because of the half-life of nearly 20 days for lead elimination from blood the estimated body burden at the end of exposure was about 1200 ppb. The fetal tissue samples contained between 0.4 (brain) and 7.9 (liver) ..mu..g lead/g dry weight. The fetal lead was mainly stored in bone, blood and liver. From the results given a delayed elimination of fetal lead is suggested.
Pots used for experiments conducted on plants grown in them create rooting environments that are affected by limited soil volume, which can affect various physiological processes, including transpiration, and plant growth. However, the applicability of results from pot experiments to the field has received limited attention. The objective of this study was to compare the growth and transpiration of maize (Zea mays L.) and winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) when grown in pots and field plots under various constant water deficits. The experiments were conducted under similar environmental conditions for both pots and plots. Transpirational responses at both transient (RTTr) and daily (RDTr) time scales to a decreasing fraction of available soil water (FASW) were analyzed. For a comparable F...
Plants require solar radiation for photosynthesis and their growth is directly related to the amount received, assuming that other environmental parameters are not limiting. Therefore, precise estimation of photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) is necessary to enhance overall accuracies of plant growth models. This study aimed to explore the PAR radiant flux in the San Francisco Bay Area of northern California. During the growing season (March through August) for 2?years 2007?2008, the on-site magnitudes of photosynthetic photon flux densities (PPFD) were investigated and then processed at both the hourly and dailytime scales. Combined with global solar radiation (R S) and simulated extraterrestrial solar radiation, five PAR-related values were developed, i.e., flux density-based PAR ...
The paper describes, for the Hausa farmers of Gidan Jatau in northern Nigeria, the distinct ways in which they see and understand (a) their close and distant environment and (b) their bodies' anatomy and physiology. These ways result in 'another geography' - of both space and being - which, however, may no longer now have the resonance it had in the early 1970s when the author lived in Gidan Jatau for two years as a guest. At that time, the spiritual dimensions of daily life were deemed important to the health and prosperity of each person and to the farmstead as a whole. The argument is made that the urban-centred literature on the bori possession-cult neglects the ordinary, anonymous spirits of house and field. Any serious archaeology of the landscape will need insights into this 'altern...
The interscalenic block technique is widely used for ambulatory shoulder surgery despite a substantial number of failures and adverse effects. We prospectively evaluated satisfaction in 40 consecutive patients who underwent open Bankart repair under a single general anesthesic performed in an ambulatory care unit. The mean age of the patients was 23 years. There were 29 men and 11 women. Patients were evaluated postoperatively with a visual analog scale of pain (in the recovery room, at the time of discharge, and the day after and 1 week after surgery) via a home assessment questionnaire that included the following: effectiveness of oral pain medication, ability to perform activities of daily life, and overall satisfaction. One patient failed to be discharged because of a feeling of faintn...
Abstract Micronutrient deficiencies are a public health concern among young children in low-income countries, and novel strategies are needed to improve the nutritional status of children at risk. One promising approach is the use of lipid-based nutrient supplements (LNS), which can be added to complementary food at the time of consumption. The optimal amount of zinc to include in LNS is uncertain, and concerns have been expressed about possible adverse effects of zinc on sensory characteristics of LNS. We conducted a series of acceptability studies of LNS containing either 0 or 10-mg of zinc per daily 20-g LNS dose among Burkinabe children 9-15 months old and their mothers. These acceptability studies included observations of children's consumption, maternal and child sensory reaction to ...
Summary Background Sorafenib is an oral multikinase inhibitor that blocks cell proliferation via the ERK pathway and angiogenesis via the VEGF pathway. This phase II trial was conducted to determine the efficacy and tolerability of sorafenib for the treatment of patients with metastatic urothelial cancer (UC) who had not had prior chemotherapy for advanced disease. Patients and Methods Seventeen chemo-na?ve UC patients with adequate performance status and organ function were treated with sorafenib 400?mg twice daily on a continuous basis until progression or unacceptable toxicity. The primary endpoint was objective tumor response rate as measured by RECIST criteria. Secondary endpoints included rate of prolonged stable disease (>3?months), time to progression, median and 1?yr survival and ...
Abstract Aims To determine, in the context of a trial in which counseling did not improve smoking cessation outcomes, whether this was due to a failure of the conceptual theory identifying treatment targets or the action theory specifying interventions. Design Data from a randomized clinical trial of smoking cessation counseling and bupropion SR were submitted to multi level modeling to test whether counseling influenced real time reports of cognitions, emotions and behaviors, and whether these targets predicted abstinence. Setting Center for Tobacco Research and Intervention, Madison, WI. Participants A total of 403 adult, daily smokers without contraindications to bupropion SR use. Participants were assigned randomly to receive individual counseling or no counseling and a 9 week course o...
Objective:To evaluate the impact of avoidable mortality on the changes in life expectancy at birth in Spain.Methods:Standard life table techniques...Full Text Available
This study assesses the contribution of smoking to all-cause mortality among a primarily minority cohort of urban transit operators. Survey and medical exam data, obtained from 1,785 workers (61% African...Full Text Available
BackgroundMost maternal deaths in developing countries can be prevented. China is among the 13 countries with the most maternal deaths; however, there has been a marked decrease...Full Text Available
Background and objectives: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is associated with impaired physical activity. However, it is unclear whether the associations of physical activity with mortality are modified...Full Text Available
BackgroundLong-term vegetation changes in hyper-arid areas have long been neglected. Mortality, recruitment and change in populations of the ecologically and culturally important...Full Text Available
This report examines the mortality experience of 527 men who retired from a copper smelter where they were exposed to airborne arsenic trioxide. Urinary arsenic values of all plant employees were determined...Full Text Available
A historical prospective mortality study was conducted on a cohort of 34 156 male members of a heavy construction equipment operators union with potential exposure to diesel exhaust emissions. This...Full Text Available
BackgroundInvasive Staphylococcus aureus infection is increasingly recognised as an important cause of serious sepsis across the developing world, with mortality...Full Text Available
The authors studied noncancer mortality among phenoxyacid herbicide and chlorophenol production workers and sprayers included in an international study comprising 36 cohorts from 12 countries followed...Full Text Available
SummaryBackgroundPatients undergoing dialysis have a substantially increased risk of cardiovascular mortality and morbidity. Although several trials have shown the...Full Text Available
We studied the dynamics of microbial communities attached to model aggregates (4-mm-diameter agar spheres) and the component processes of colonization, detachment, growth, and grazing mortality. Agar...Full Text Available
BackgroundWe examined whether older adults who had continuity of care with a primary care physician (PCP) had lower mortality.MethodsSecondary analyses...Full Text Available
We explored the association between groundwater radon levels and childhood cancer mortality in North Carolina. Using data from two state-wide surveys of public drinking water supplies, counties were...Full Text Available
This presentation gives the results of a research programme aimed at evaluating exhaust emissions from ships moving within confined coastal zones, as in Piraeus harbour. The level of various exhaust emissions were estimated on the basis of a mathematical model applied for each sea traffic element (ship). Hourly and daily records of all ships` movements in different parts of the harbour were compiled, covering extended periods of time and associated with different shipping operational characteristics (peaks, lows, etc). In order to correlate the exhaust emissions from shipping with the quality of the air in the area of interest, land-based measurements for the same pollutants were carried out in selected locations, near the port and in the greater Athens area. This enabled the investigation of time and spatial diffusion of exhaust emissions from shipping within the area of interest, taking into account the influence of ...
BackgroundThe objective of this study was to develop and validate a daily electronic Endometriosis Pain and Bleeding Diary (EPBD) for assessing treatment-related changes in endometriosis...Full Text Available
The purpose of this study was to examine relationships between weather and outdoor physical activity (PA). An online weather source was used to obtain daily max temperature [DMT], precipitation, and...Full Text Available
Adaptive radiation therapy (ART) is the incorporation of daily images in the radiotherapy treatment process so that the treatment plan can be evaluated and modified to maximize the amount of radiation...Full Text Available
ObjectivesThe objectives of this study were to describe the levels of daily spiritual experiences in community-dwelling older adults, to compare levels of spiritual...Full Text Available
Purpose: Radiotherapy (RT) has been the predominant local treatment for Ewing's sarcoma of bone at the University of Florida. Twice-daily hyperfractionated RT was initiated in 1982 to improve local control and functional outcome. This retrospective review compares the results of once-daily vs. twice-daily RT in patients with primary Ewing's sarcoma of an extremity, with emphasis on functional outcome. Methods and Materials: Between June 1971 and January 1990, 37 patients were treated at the University of Florida for nonmetastatic Ewing's sarcoma of bone with a primary lesion in an extremity. Three patients underwent amputation. Of 34 patients treated with RT, 31 had RT alone and 3 had a combination of RT and local excision. Before 1982, 14 patients received once-daily RT; since 1982, 17 patients have received twice-daily RT. Doses of once-daily RT varied from 47 ...
This paper analyses the complex, non-linear effects of spot price drivers in wholesale electricity markets: their intra-day dynamics and transient irregularities. The context is the UK market, after the reforms introduced in March 2001, analysed with an original set of price drivers reflecting economic, technical, strategic, risk, behavioural and market design effects. Models are estimated separately as dailytime-series of the 48 half-hourly trading periods. All coefficients exhibit substantial intra-day variation, relating to the heterogeneity of operating plants and market design aspects. This reveals a market responding to economic fundamentals and plant operating properties, with learning and emergent financial characteristics, as well as some strategic manipulation of capacity, most effectively exercised by the more flexible plants. Using regime-switching parameters, the effects of capacity margin and inter-day capacity adjustment are ...
The molar of guinea pigs was irradiated with /sup 60/Co-..gamma.. ray for daily observations of the manifestation of disturbed tooth formation by microradiography and the time registration by tetracycline-labelling. Irradiation first injured young blast cells of the dentin in the growth phase, dental pulp cells, and cells of the enamel. The portion composed of injured cells formed a depressed ''constriction'' from the dental pulp side toward the border between the enamel and dentin. The cells of the enamel injured by irradiation in the growth phase later formed a very thin irregular stroma. In contrast, cells in the differentiation or subsequent phase at the time of irradiation and cells probably having started to grow after irradiation proceeded with formation of a normal stroma and calcification. No uniform relation was obtained between the histological staining of the organic stroma of ...
The performance of five well-known photosynthesis-light equations is compared by presenting a wide range of solutions in the form of dimensionless nomographs for the case where photosynthetically available radiation (PAR) reduces exponentially down the water column and is distributed sinusoidally through the photoperiod. These provide a simple means of calculating daily photosynthesis at any depth (e.g. at a benthic layer), or through a water column, avoiding the need to perform complex integrations. An examination is made of the accuracy of common approximate methods for calculating daily photosynthesis, assuming constant PAR. For optically deep water a modification is proposed to Talling's planimetric solution, to enable daily photosynthesis to be calculated more accurately, yet simply, over the whole range of possible PAR values. The errors induced by approximating the daily PAR distribution ...
Currently daily quality control (QC) tests for mammography systems are generally evaluated by using visual analysis phantoms, which of course means subjective measurement. In our study, however, we evaluated a novel digital phantom, the 1Shot Phantom M plus (1Shot Phantom), together with automatic analysis software dedicated for mammography systems using Fuji computed radiography (FCR). The digital phantom enables objective evaluation by providing for actual physical measurement rather than subjective visual assessment. We measured contrast to noise ratio (CNR), image receptor homogeneity, missed tissue at chest wall side, modulation transfer function (MTF), and geometric distortion utilizing the 1Shot Phantom. We then compared the values obtained using the 1Shot Phantom with values obtained from the European guidelines and International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) standards. In addition, we evaluated the convenience of using the digital phantom. The values ...
The analysis described demonstrates the use of benefit/cost sensitivity analysis in examining the wide range of potential damages and savings associated with converting oil-fired electric utility boilers to burn coal in Florida. This model, for the first time incorporates, in quantitative terms, environmental economic externalities into a benefit/cost ratio sensitivity analysis framework. Five different dose-response estimates of morbidity and mortality costs, property devaluation, and willing-to-pay estimates are used in combination with four acid rain dose-response models to estimate the net present worth of externality costs. The model estimates the net present worth of benefits by incorporating into a dynamic framework all relevant construction, O + M, and fuel costs of converting an electrical generation facility from using oil to coal. These benefits of fuel savings are then weighted against various combinations of externality costs ...
There are two major water currents off the coast of Peru in South America. The Humboldt or Peru current travels northwest across latitudes 35/sup 0/S to 6/sup 0/S. To the north, a branch of the equatorial current flows southward down to latitudes 6-7/sup 0/S in normal years. Its warm, less salty water is poor in nutrients and cannot support fishery. In some years, this warm current extends much more southward, down to 12/sup 0/S. This has a catastrophic effect leading to a mass mortality of the anchovies and, in turn, of the guano birds and less production of farm crops. This phenomenon occurs around Christmas (summer in the southern hemisphere) and is, therefore, called El Nino. The main feature of El Nino is to change the sea surface temperature. An abnormal rise in sea surface temperature can give rise to odd air movements which can change the monsoons pattern, even at distant places, profoundly. In the past 26 years, when El Ninos have occurred, they coincided ...
Objective: To evaluate the clinical efficacy of multiple stents placement in the management of hilar cholangiocarcinoma, especially in the complex cases of which the hepatic ducts are invaded. Methods: Forty-five consecutive patients with hilar cholangiocarcinoma were treated with percutaneous transhepatic placement of two or three self-expandable metallic endoprostheses. The cause of hilar obstructions in these patients were all cholangiocarcinoma, including Bismuth classification type II (n 12), IIIa (n 17), IIIb (n 10), and IV (n 6). Two or 3 stents were placed in the configuration of T, Y or X over the strictures. Results: Stent placement with 2 or 3 endoprostheses was successful in all patients. All patients showed significant decrease in serum bilirubin level. The mortality rate within 30 days of stent placement was 2.2% (1/45). The mean survival and stent patency times were 215.3 d (26- 516 d) and 181.5 d (26-473 d), respectively. ...
The purpose of the Air Force Health Study is to determine whether those individuals involved in the spraying of herbicides in Vietnam during the Ranch Hand operation have experienced any adverse health effects as a result of their participation in that program. The study is designed to evaluate both the mortality (death) and morbidity (disease) in these individuals over a 20-year beginning in 1982. The Baseline Mortality Report was released in June 1983, the Baseline Morbidity Report in February 1984. Follow-up mortality reports were released in 1984, 1985, and 1986. This study has not demonstrated health effects which can be conclusively attributed to herbicide or dioxin exposure. This report contains analyses of cumulative deaths occurring up to 31 December 1987. The overall cumulative mortality of the Ranch Hands remains statistically indistinguishable from that of both their matched Comparisons and ...
An important aspect of water quality modeling is forecasting water quality variables for real-time management and control applications to enhance, maintain and sustain desirable water qualities. The major objective of this research is to develop dailytime series models for forecasting river dissolved-oxygen (DO). The modeling approach adopted herein combines deterministic and stochastic concepts for determining properties of the DO process based on time series data and dynamic mechanisms governing the said process. This is accomplished by deriving a general DO stochastic model structure based on a modified Streeter-Phelps DO-BOD dynamic model. Then some types of nonlinear models namely, self-exciting threshold autoregressive-moving average (SETARMA), amplitude-dependent autoregressive (ADAR) and bilinear (BL) models, and the class of linear autoregressive-moving average (ARMA) models are adopted for ...
The registration of secondary cosmic ray neutrons is a convenient tool for the investigation of primary cosmic ray variations and for meteorological effects as well. At present a large network of neutron monitors exists, aiming at studies of cosmic ray variations which are related to interplanetary conditions and geomagnetic activity. At the same time cosmic ray variations may be related to some atmospheric processes. In this connection, using the data from two neutron monitors (a standard and a lead free one), a gamma detector from Moscow station and lead free neutron monitor at BEO Moussala, we studied the correlations between rain flows and neutron flux. In this study we used daily averages on the basis of 10 min data for the neutron flux, corrected for barometric pressure and data from local meteo-stations. The preliminary analysis indicates a correlation between rain flows and neutron flux in several cases. To explain observable ...
Purpose Radiation-induced heart disease (RIHD) is a severe side effect of thoracic radiotherapy. This study examined the effects of pentoxifylline (PTX) and a-tocopherol on cardiac injury in a rat model of RIHD. Methods and Materials Male Sprague-Dawley rats received fractionated local heart irradiation with a daily dose of 9 Gy for 5 days and were observed for 6 months after irradiation. Rats were treated with a combination of PTX, 100 mg/kg/day, and a-tocopherol (20 IU/kg/day) and received these compounds either from 1 week before until 6 months after irradiation or starting 3 months after irradiation, a time point at which histopathologic changes become apparent in our model of RIHD. Results Radiation-induced increases in left ventricular diastolic pressure (in mm Hg: 35 +- 6 after sham...
Studies were undertaken to examine the effects of animal age on the anticarcinogenic properties of antioxidants. Female hairless mice, 2.5, 4.5 and 9.5 months of age, were subjected to daily irradiation from Westinghouse BZS-WLG lamps for 19 weeks. Experimental groups of animals were maintained on a commercial rodent meal supplemented with a 2% (w/w) antioxidant mixture. Control groups received only the meal. Tumour latency, expressed as median time to tumor development, was significantly greater for all age groups receiving antioxidants than for their similarly aged controls. However, the response to antioxidants appeared to decrease with age and the antioxidant effect was significantly less in the 9.5 month-old group than in the 2.5 month-old group. Likewise, the two youngest groups receiving antioxidants demonstrated a significantly fewer number of tumors per animal. It is concluded that animal age influences the degree of photoprotection ...
Introduction: We have evaluated the ability of a semi-automated, optomotor reflex method to assess drug-induced visual dysfunction, in albino and pigmented rats and mice. Methods: Male Han Wistar (HW) and Long Evans (LE) rats and mice (CD-1 and C57BL/6) were tested in a chamber formed by 4 computer monitors displaying a rotating vertical grating, to elicit head-tracking movements. The highest visible grating frequency was taken as the threshold of visual acuity, in cycles per degree (c/d). Animals received an intravenous infusion of either sodium iodate (50mg/kg) or 0.9% w/v NaCl (aq). They were tested 2h later, then re-tested daily for a further 3days. The time course of the effect was assessed in HW rats over a 6-week period, including electron microscopy, and immunohistochemical analysi...
The terrestrial biosphere can significantly affect the exchange of water and energy at the biosphere-atmosphere interface. Additionally, the land cover type can affect regional atmospheric chemistry and climate via biogenic volatile organic carbon (VOC) emissions and their formation of secondary organic aerosols. The broad goal of this study is to investigate the impact of land cover and vegetation changes on these specific chemistry and climate effects. The Common Land Model (CLM) is used to parameterize the biosphere-atmosphere interface over the Shanghai region in China. Phase 1 of this study, described in this report, generates input parameters for this model based on a time series of actual and derived parameters. Atmospheric forcing data are generated on an hourly temporal resolution based on a 20-year series of monthly and daily averages. Surface data, including land cover/land use and soil information, are generated for two scenarios: ...
Previous work suggests that supplemental ascorbic acid (AA) may inhibit intestinal copper absorption by stabilizing the less absorbable cuprous state. The authors studied copper absorption in healthy men (age 19-32) fed a constant diet with different amounts of ascorbic acid supplements. The 6 men were confined to a metabolic unit for the entire 14 week study. The basal diet consisted of a 7 day rotating menu which provided an average of 2.1 mg Cu/d and was adequate in all other nutrients except AA (5 mg/d). The basal diet was supplemented with either zero, 60, or 600 mg of AA daily, added to grape juice and consumed at each meal. All feces were collected. Blood was taken weekly for monitoring AA and copper status. Copper absorption was determined by both balance and "6"5Cu stable isotope techniques. As determined by fecal Cu excretion, varying intakes of AA between 0.1 to 10 times the RDA had no significant effect on copper retention. This is ...
BackgroundLate-onset sepsis in the premature infant is frequently revealed by severe, unusual and recurrent bradycardias. In view of the high morbidity and mortality...Full Text Available
Background:Prolonged mechanical ventilation is increasingly common. It is expensive and associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Our objective is to comprehensively characterize...Full Text Available
This study uses data from a random sample of births in the Netherlands during the period 1850-1922 to examine the relationships between social class, social mobility and mortality at middle and old age. Population registers and personal cards covering the period from 1850 to 2004 for all Dutch provinces were used to reconstruct individual life histories of 14,900 births. For men we did not find an effect of the social class of origin (using two different SES-classifications) on mortality in age group 18 to 35. We also did not observe an effect of own social class on mortality after age 35. For women effects of social class of origin and social class of husband were generally absent as well. Our conclusion is that the standard ideas about the negative effects of processes of industrializati...
Sinonasal malignancy is a cause of otorhinolaryngologic morbidity and mortality in West Africa. However, there is a dearth of information in the literature on its clinicopathologic presentation in West...Full Text Available
Background/Aim:To assess the prognostic indicators preoperatively presenting and influencing the mortality rate following esophagectomy for esophageal cancer.Full Text Available
Prematurity is by far the commonest cause of neonatal morbidity and mortality. The management of premature labour is empirical because little is understood about the mechanism of labour. Effective...Full Text Available
Sepsis has continuously been a leading cause of neonatal morbidity and mortality despite current advances in chemotherapy and patient intensive care facilities. Neonates are at high risk for...Full Text Available
We model coral community response to bleaching and mass mortality events which are predicted to increase in frequency with climate change. The model was parameterized for the Arabian/Persian Gulf, but is generally applicable. We assume three species groups (Acropora, faviids, and Porites) in two life-stages each where the juveniles are in competition but the adults can enter a size-refuge in which they cannot be competitively displaced. An aggressive group (Acropora species) dominates at equilibrium, which is not reached due to mass mortality events that primarily disadvantage this group (compensatory mortality, >90% versus 25% in faviids and Porites) roughly every 15 years. Population parameters (N individuals, carrying capacity) were calculated from satellite imagery and in situ transect...
Primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) is a rare cholestatic liver disease with major morbidity and mortality. Therapeutic management is difficult, due to lack of conclusive data and individual disease...Full Text Available
Purpose. Formation of a tracheoinnominate artery fistula (TIF) and consecutive hemorrhage is a rare and life-threatening complication with high mortality. Warning symptoms can...Full Text Available
Congestive heart failure (CHF) is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality. CHF is marked by atrial and ventricular enlargement and reduced cardiac contractility, as well as an association...Full Text Available
Hyperglycemia frequently occurs with acute medical illness, especially among patients with cardiovascular disease, and has been linked to increased morbidity and mortality in critically ill patients....Full Text Available
... F4 ... Sublethal Toxicity of Nine Pesticides on Olfactory Learning Performances of ... Daphnia and Preparation of Dosage- Mortality Curves for Pesticides ...
Several factors have been proposed to explain the persistence of a high incidence of venous thromboembolism worldwide with its associated morbidity and mortality. Underutilization of anticoagulants...Full Text Available
SummaryBackgroundMalaria, a non-fatal disease if detected promptly and treated properly, still causes many deaths in malaria-endemic countries with...Full Text Available
New comparative tests on two different types of solar collectors are presented in this paper. A standard glazed flat plate collector and an evacuated tube collector are installed in parallel and tested at the same working conditions; the evacuated collector is a direct flow through type with external compound parabolic concentrator (CPC) reflectors. Efficiency in steady-state and quasi-dynamic conditions is measured following the standard and it is compared with the input/output curves measured for the whole day. The first purpose of the present work is the comparison of results in steady-state and quasi-dynamic test methods both for flat plate and evacuated tube collectors. Besides this, the objective is to characterize and to compare the daily energy performance of these two types of collectors. An effective mean for describing and analyzing the daily performance is the so called input/output diagram, in which the collected solar energy is ...
We explore a possibility that the daily sea-level pressure (SLP) over South Korea responds to the high-speed solar wind event. This is of interest in two aspects: First, if there is a statistical association this can be another piece of evidence showing that various meteorological observables indeed respond to variations in the interplanetary environment. Second, this can be a very crucial observational constraint since most models proposed so far are expected to preferentially work in higher latitude regions than the low latitude region studied here. We have examined daily solar wind speed ${\\rm V}$, daily SLP difference ${\\rm \\Delta SLP}$, and daily ${\\rm \\log(BV^{2})}$ using the superposed epoch analysis in which the key date is set such that the daily solar wind speed exceeds 800 ${\\rm kms^{-1}}$. We find that the daily ${\\rm \\Delta SLP}$ averaged ...
The nuclear activity was conducted for many years in Romania under Traditional Safeguards (TS) and has developed in good conditions the specific nuclear safeguards. Now there is a good opportunity to improve the performance and quality of the safeguards activity and at the same time to increase the accountancy and control of nuclear materials by passing to Integrated Safeguards (IS) implementation. The legal framework is the Law 100/2000 for ratification of the Protocol between Romania and International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), additional completion to the Agreement between the Socialist Republic of Romania Government and IAEA relating to safeguards. It is part of the Treaty on the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons published in the Official Gazette no. 3/31 January 1970, and the Additional Protocol published in the Official Gazette no. 295/ 29.06.2000. The first discussion about Integrated Safeguards (IS) between the Nuclear Fuel Plant (FCN) representatives ...
BackgroundCharacterizing and comparing the determinant of cotinine concentrations in different populations should facilitate a better understanding of smoking patterns and addiction....Full Text Available
Questionnaires and twice daily peak expiratory flow measurements were used to evaluate the effects of the menstrual cycle in asthmatic women. Forty per cent of women reported premenstrual deterioration...Full Text Available
Because the proportion of Hispanic patients is increasing rapidly, most physicians are now coming into daily contact with Hispanics. In addition to obvious difficulty with oral communication, Hispanics...Full Text Available
Nov 5, 2010 ... PEM. The Particle Environment Monitor measures the type, amount, energy, ... info, Daily PEM HEPS and MEPS data at the original sensor ...
One of ENEA's many activities consists in dealing with the analysis of information strategies. In this case the analysis concerns an environmental issue, the ozone hole which, in spite of the consideration given by the media, is not sufficiently highlighted, as well as in the case of climate changes issue. A survey of the coverage of four daily newspapers was realized; the time period covered by the analysis spans form January 1996 to December 1997, 77 articles in total. The newspapers involved are: La Repubblica, Il Corriere della Sera, L'Unita' on a national scale, and Il Resto del Carlino on a regional scale. The number of articles analyzed is divided as follows: 26 for the Repubblica, 24 for the Corriere della Sera, 21 for the Unita', 6 for the Resto del Carlino. The purpose of the work was to detect quality and quantity indicators of the Italian press about the ozone hole issue and possible environmental ...
Purpose: We present an update analysis of the multiinstitutional Ewing's sarcoma study CESS 86. Methods and Materials: From January 1986 through June 1991, 177 patients with localized Ewing's sarcoma of bone, aged 25 years or less, were recruited. Chemotherapy consisted of four 9-week courses of vincristine, actinomycin D, cyclophosphamide, and adriamycin (VACA) in low-risk tumors (extremity tumors =# 100 cm"3). Local therapy was an individual decision in each patient and was either radical surgery (amputation, wide resection) or resection plus postoperative irradiation with 45 Gy or definitive radiotherapy with 60 Gy (45 Gy plus boost). Irradiated patients were randomized concerning the type of fractionation in either conventional fractionation (once daily 1.8-2.0 Gy, break of chemotherapy) or hyperfractionated split-course irradiation simultaneously with the VACA/VAIA chemotherapy (twice daily 1.6 Gy, break of 12 days after 22.4 Gy and 44.8 ...
Aim: To investigate interpretative accuracy and reporting time for radiologists performing computed tomography (CT) colonography in day-to-day non-academic clinical practice. Materials and methods: Thirteen radiologists from seven centres, who were reporting CT colonography in non-academic daily clinical practice, interpreted a dataset of 15 colonoscopically validated cases in a controlled environment. Ten cases had either a cancer or polyp >10 mm; one case had a medium polyp and four were normal. Correct case categorization and interpretation times were compared using analysis of variance to aggregated results obtained from both experienced observers and observers recently trained using 50 cases, working in an academic environment. The effect of experience was determined using Spearman's rank correlation. Results: Individual accuracy was highly variable, range 53% (95% CI 27-79%) to 93% (95% CI 68-100%). ...
The authors developed an analytical model (intersection model) to estimate the exposure of sea otters (Enhydra lutris), to oil from the Exxon Valdez oil spill. The authors applied estimated and assumed exposure dependent mortality rates to the Kenai Peninsula sea otter population to provide examples of the application of the model in estimating sea otter mortality. The intersection model requires three distinct types of data: (1) distribution, abundance, and movements of oil, (2) abundance and distribution of sea otters, and (3) sea otter mortality rates relative to oil exposure. Initial output of the model is an estimate of exposure of otters to oil. Exposure is measured in amount and duration of oil near an otter`s observed location (intersections). The authors provide two examples of the model using different assumptions about the relation between exposure and mortality. Because of an apparent ...
This paper reported on the number of seabirds impacted by the Terra Nova floating production, storage and offloading (FPSO) vessel, which released 160,000 litres of crude oil after it struck the Grand Banks, an area located approximately 340 km east of St. John's, Newfoundland. An area of approximately 340 km{sup 2} was impacted by the spill, which occurred at a time when large numbers of dovekies and murres inhabit the region. After the spill, both vessel-based and helicopter-based surveys were conducted in order to estimate seabird densities in the immediate region. Densities were then compared to other data from similar time periods. The number of birds at risk was estimated base on seabird densities noted from on-vessel surveys. A mean density of 3.46 murres per km{sup 2} and 1.07 dovekies per km{sup 2} were recorded. Mean density increased when birds in flight were also considered. Density estimates were similar to data previously ...
We study the daily incidence of myocardial infarction deaths in Mexico for 4 years (1996-99) with a total of 129 917 cases in all the country, collected at the General Directorate of Epidemiology (National Ministry of Health). We divided the cases by sex and age and perform two kinds of analysis. First, we did an spectral analysis using the Maximum Entropy Method, considering the complete period, and minimum and maximum epochs of solar activity. The results show that the most persistent periodicity at higher frequencies in the myocardial infarction death occurrence is that of seven days. Considering the solar cycle phases, we found that during solar minimum times some frequencies are not detectable compared with solar maximum epochs, particularly that of seven days. Biological rhythms close to seven days, the circaseptans, are in general thought to be only the result of the social organization of life. However, this cannot be the only ...
Previous studies on Venezuelan diets provided information on food consumed in each diet and their nutritional contents. It also showed the comparison of the iron absorption from these diets when given in the morning after over-night fast and when given at the customary time of the day. It was observed that the iron absorption from the lunch given at noon was slightly higher (although not significant) in Zulia and Sucre diets. There were no significant differences between the Zulia lunch given in the morning after over-night fast at noon. Similar results were observed in the Sucre diet lunch repeated twice. From these results we can state that iron absorption from meals is not affected by the time it is administered with the condition that the subjects tested have had a previous fast of three hours before the meal is administered. The significant difference in iron absorption in the first study could be due to a marked physiological ...
Plutonium isotopes (239Pu and 238Pu, and 241Am) with a total activity of 269 kBq were accidentally deposited in a puncture wound of the right index finger of a nuclear worker at the Mayak Production Association. Tissues surrounding the wound site contaminated with radionuclides were excised 4.5 h after the injury. Residual contamination within the wound amounted to 0.05% of the initial contamination. The 10-d therapy with CaNa3-diethylene triamine pentaacetate acid (CaNa3-DTPA) was performed in parallel with in vivo measurements of the wound site and daily urine bioassays. The wound intake of radionuclides was consistent with two forms of radioactive materials detected within the wound site, i.e., soluble compounds and a large fragment, which was completely removed by excision. On day 9 after the injury, the clearance rate from the wound site was 1.8 times higher than the rate predicted by the National Council on Radiation Protection and ...
Six commercial insecticides viz., decis 25EC (deltamethrin), thiodan 35EC (endosulfan), curacron 500EC (profenophos), somialfa 110EC (esfenvalerate), denitol 30EC (fenpropathrin) and advantage 20EC (carbosulfan) were tested with recommended doses against first instar larvae of cotton bollworm, Helicoverpa armigera (Hub.) to determine their degree of toxicity under controlled laboratory conditions. Leaf dip method was applied for these tests. Insect mortality was assessed after 24, 48 and 72 hours of insecticide application. Results showed that curacron 500EC gave significantly high mortality of 100 % after 24 hours of application followed by thiodan 35EC, somialfa 110EC and advantage 20EC causing 93, 80 and 72 % mortality, respectively. Whereas, denitol 30EC and decis 25EC showed the minimum, non-significant differences by giving mortality of 45 and 43 %, respectively. Effectiveness of all insecticides ...
Background Adrenalectomy remains the definitive therapy for most adrenal neoplasms. Introduced in the 1990s, laparoscopic adrenalectomy is reported to have lower associated morbidity and mortality. This study aimed to evaluate national adrenalectomy trends, including major postoperative complications and perioperative mortality. Methods The Nationwide Inpatient Sample was queried to identify all adrenalectomies performed during 1998?2006. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression were performed, with adjustments for patient age, sex, comorbidities, indication, year of surgery, laparoscopy, hospital teaching status, and hospital volume. Annual incidence, major in-hospital postoperative complications, and in-hospital mortality were evaluated. Results Using weighted national estimate, 4...
Terror management theory (TMT) proposes that people who are reminded of their mortality should be motivated to defend their cultural worldview. Studies 1 and 2 examined whether the TMT worldview defence-buffering effect found in Western cultures could be generalized to Asians in Taiwan. No such effect was found in the present studies. This non-significant result was robust when either a stronger distraction task was used (study 1) or when a subliminal manipulation of mortality salience was utilized (study 2). A meta-analysis, including 24 TMT experiments in East Asia, was also conducted (study 3). The average effect size (d = 0.11, r = 0.055) of worldview defence among these experiments was not significantly different from zero. Study 4 found that mortality salience manipulation also did n...
Many of the world's coral reefs suffered high coral mortality during the 1998 ENSO, with the highest mortality in the western Indian Ocean (WIO). A meta-analysis of field data on change in coral cover across the 1998 ENSO event was conducted for 36 major reef areas in the WIO, and relationship of the change with the historical sea-surface temperature (SST) variability investigated. WIO reefs were categorized into three major SST groups of differing coral cover change. Cover change was negatively associated with standard deviation (SD) SST until about SD 2.3, with increasing flatness of the SST frequency distributions. It increased with further increase in SD as the SST distributions became strongly bimodal in the Arabian/Persian Gulf area. The study indicates that environmental resistance/...
Background Trauma centers are designated to provide systematized multidisciplinary care to injured patients. Effective trauma systems reduce patient mortality by facilitating the treatment of injured patients at appropriately resourced hospitals. Several U.S. studies report reduced mortality among patients admitted directly to a level I trauma center compared with those admitted to hospitals with less resources. It has yet to be shown whether there is an outcome benefit associated with the ?level of hospital? initially treating severely injured trauma patients in Australia. This study was designed to determine whether the level of trauma center providing treatment impacts mortality and/or hospital length of stay. Methods Outcomes were evaluated for severely injured trauma patients with an ...
Background There is increasing recognition that lower nurse staffing levels are associated with higher morbidity and mortality among medical and surgical patients. The degree to which this applies to elderly patients with hip fractures is unclear. Questions/purposes We conducted a pilot study using administrative data as an initial step in investigating the relationship between nurse staffing levels and in-hospital mortality among elderly patients with hip fractures. Patients and Methods We retrospectively reviewed administrative data for 13,343 patients 65?years or older with a primary diagnosis of hip fracture admitted to 39 Michigan hospitals between 2003 and 2006. We used logistic regression to calculate the change in predicted probability of in-hospital death conferred by differences ...
Using aggregate data for the counties of England and Wales, a negative association is found between mean radon concentrations in dwellings and lung cancer standardised mortality ratios, when regional smoking variations, diet variations, social class variations and population density are controlled. Cornwall and Devon have the highest mean domestic radon gas concentrations, yet the number of lung cancer deaths there was within the range to be expected from relationships not involving radon observed in the rest of the country. While high values of radon exposure appear to concentrate in particular localities, the variations in lung cancer mortality between districts in Cornwall and Devon are small. These findings do not refute the linear exposure-risk hypothesis, but the evidence suggests that relatively few, if any, radon related deaths were associated with the dwellings where radon gas concentrations exceed the recommended action level.
Efforts are being made to determine a gamma radiation dose for mortality of third-instar larvae of Anastrepha fraterculus which infest mangos of the Haden variety of 400 g weight. Four radiation treatments were tested: 0.4 kGy, 0.6 kGy, 0.8 kGy and 1.0 kGy. Using as a criterium for mortality the interruption of the biological cycle between larva and pupa, the following results were achieved: 49.61%, 63.33%, 74.86% and 90.72%. The percentages obtained have been corrected using the Abbot formula. When the criterium was based on no adult emergence, 100% mortality was achieved for the four treatments. (author)
AbstractBACKGROUND: Disparities in treatment and mortality for colorectal cancer (CRC) may reflect differences in access to specialized care or other characteristics of the area where an individual lives. METHODS: Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results Program-Medicare data for seniors diagnosed with CRC were linked to area measures of the sociodemographic characteristics and the capacity of surgeons, medical oncologists, and radiation oncologists. Outcomes included receipt of stage-appropriate CRC care and mortality. RESULTS: After adjustment, blacks and Hispanics were less likely than whites to undergo surgery (odds ratio [OR] 0.57, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.52-0.63 and OR 0.82, 95% CI 0.70-0.95, respectively). Individuals who lived in areas with the highest tertile of surgeon c...
AbstractBackground Few published data are available on the benefits of aspirin use in patients with unstable angina (UA). Hypothesis Aspirin use carries a mortality benefit in a population-based cohort of patients presenting with UA. Methods All residents of Olmsted County, Minnesota presenting to local emergency departments with acute chest pain from January 1985 through December 1992 having symptoms consistent with UA were identified through medical records. A total of 1628 patients were identified with UA and were stratified by aspirin use in-hospital and at discharge. Cardiovascular mortality and nonfatal myocardial infarction and stroke were assessed over a median of 7.5 years follow-up and all-cause mortality data over a median of 16.7 years. The mean age of patients with UA was 65 y...
Objectives: Evaluate the effect of diet, physical exercise, and a daily oral intake of a soy isoflavones extract (Fisiogen) contained 200mg of Glycine max, which corresponded to 80mg of isoflavone (60.8mg of genistein, 16mg of daidzein and 3.2mg of glicitein) on leptin and other adipokines plasma levels in healthy obese postmenopausal women. Methods: A multicentric randomized longitudinal prospective cohort study was conducted in a sample of 87 healthy obese postmenopausal women. Patients were randomly assigned to a 1200kcal diet and exercise group (control group) or a group of 1200kcal diet, exercise, and daily oral intake of daily oral intake of a soy isoflavones extract (Fisiogen) contained 200mg of Glycine max, which corresponded to 80mg of isoflavone (60.8mg of genistein, 16mg of daid...
Ba, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Ni, Pb and Zn were determined in birch leaves (Folium Betulae), dandelion roots (Radix Taraxacae), hawthorn blossom (Inflorescentia Crataegi) and their infusions by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry (GFAAS) after microwave digestion of plant samples. Infusions were made from herbs according to prescription for patients, provided by the producer of medicine on the package. The results obtained were compared with daily requirements for each element. Results show high content of cadmium in the medicinal plants analyzed. The highest level in infusions was observed for Ni and Zn (over 90% of the total element concentration for Ni and in most cases over 50% for Zn), and the lowest for Cd and Pb. The calculated daily intake of majority of the analyzed elements was very low (under 1% of daily requirements)
This study focuses on comparing reports of nicotine withdrawal, craving, and depressive symptoms obtained using an Interactive Voice Response (IVR) system and several questionnaires. As part of a smoking cessation trial, daily reports of withdrawal, craving, and negative mood were collected using an IVR system for 7 days after participants attempted to quit smoking, and several pencil and paper questionnaires (i.e., the Minnesota Nicotine Withdrawal Scale, the Questionnaire on Smoking Urges, and the Center for Epidemiological Studies-Depression) were completed a week after the target quit date. The sample was composed of 378 daily smokers. Moderate to high correlations were found between the research questionnaires obtained at the end of the week and the corresponding daily IVR reports of ...
A review of the literature that has appeared over the past five decades indicates that the median case fatality from severe malnutrition has remained unchanged over this period and is typically 20-30%,...Full Text Available
BackgroundAntioxidant vitamins are often described as having “independent” associations with risk of cancer, cardiovascular disease (CVD) and mortality. We aimed...Full Text Available
Sixty-five patients operated with total pancreatectomy were reviewed with respect to factors influencing operative mortality and morbidity, long-term survival, and metabolic sequelae. The diagnoses...Full Text Available
BACKGROUND: A number of studies have shown that the early mortality following TURP is higher for patients with prostate cancer than those with benign disease. This study examines the effect of the histological...Full Text Available
BackgroundIn Africa low birth weight (LBW) (<2500 g), is the strongest determinant of infant morbidity and mortality. The aim of this study was to quantify the effect of...Full Text Available
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE:Streptococcus pneumoniae is a major cause of mortality and morbidity in both developing and industrialized countries, especially...Full Text Available
Fetal growth restriction (FGR) is an adverse pregnancy outcome associated with significant perinatal and paediatric morbidity and mortality, and an increased risk of chronic disease later in adult life....Full Text Available
... HIV & AIDS (15) I Infectious Diseases (21) Injection Drug Use (7) M Mental Illness (139) Mortality (7) ... Hallucinogens (5) Hashish (2) Heroin (21) I Illegal Drugs (115) Inhalants (12) K Ketamine (1) L LSD ( ...
... HIV & AIDS (15) I Infectious Diseases (22) Injection Drug Use (7) M Mental Illness (141) Mortality (7) ... Hallucinogens (5) Hashish (2) Heroin (21) I Illegal Drugs (117) Inhalants (13) K Ketamine (1) L LSD ( ...
... HIV & AIDS (15) I Infectious Diseases (21) Injection Drug Use (7) M Mental Illness (139) Mortality (7) ... Hallucinogens (5) Hashish (2) Heroin (21) I Illegal Drugs (112) Inhalants (12) K Ketamine (1) L LSD ( ...
... HIV & AIDS (15) I Infectious Diseases (21) Injection Drug Use (7) M Mental Illness (138) Mortality (7) ... Hallucinogens (5) Hashish (2) Heroin (21) I Illegal Drugs (116) Inhalants (12) K Ketamine (1) L LSD ( ...
Hip fractures are associated with a high rate of mortality and profound temporary and sometimes permanent impairment of quality of life. Current guidelines indicate that surgeons should perform surgery...Full Text Available
BackgroundGeographic Information Systems (GIS) can provide valuable insight into patterns of human activity. Online spatial display applications, such as Google Earth, can democratise...Full Text Available
BackgroundContrast-induced nephropathy is the leading cause of in-hospital acute renal failure. This side effect of contrast agents leads to increased morbidity, mortality, and health...Full Text Available
Background and objectives: The relationship between serum potassium (SK) and mortality in chronic kidney disease (CKD) has not been systematically investigated.Design, setting, participants,...Full Text Available
The classic evolutionary theory of aging explains why mortality rises with age: as individuals grow older, less lifetime fertility remains, so continued survival contributes less to reproductive fitness....Full Text Available
The phlebotomine sand fly Lutzomyia longipalpis is the most important vector of American visceral leishmaniasis (AVL), the disseminated and most serious form of the disease in Central...Full Text Available
Preterm birth is the leading cause of neonatal mortality and morbidity and long-term disability of non-anomalous infants. Previous studies have identified a prior early spontaneous preterm birth as...Full Text Available
The current obesity pandemic is expected to result in considerable downstream morbidity, mortality and incremental costs to health care systems around the world. The major metabolic complications of...Full Text Available
The objective of this study was to determine if inflammatory tolerance and enhancement of innate immune function could be induced by the gram-positive cell wall component peptidoglycan (PGN)....Full Text Available
Preterm and low birthweight (PTLBW) continues to be a major cause of mortality and morbidity across the world. In recent years, maternal periodontal disease has been implicated as a risk factor for...Full Text Available
The reasons for referral to hospital of 147 babies subsequently included in the DHSS study of postneonatal infant mortality were analysed and compared with those of 104 control infants. Although similar...Full Text Available
BackgroundSeasonal influenza A infection affects a significant cohort of the global population annually, resulting in considerable morbidity and mortality. Therapeutic strategies...Full Text Available
Ovarian carcinoma is now the leading cause of death among women. Surgery has reached its limits, and further aggressive surgery will result in an inordinate morbidity and mortality. Ovarian carcinoma...Full Text Available
Several studies have raised the possibility that exposure to electrical and/or magnetic fields may be injurious to health in particular by the promotion or initiation of cancer. To investigate whether...Full Text Available
AIMS OF THE STUDY: Type-2 diabetic patients have excessive cardiovascular mortality, primarily related to diabetic nephropathy. The extent of the morbidity due to nephropathy in type-2 diabetes mellitus...Full Text Available
The fungus Cryptococcus neoformans is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in patients with impaired CD4+ T cell function, particularly those with AIDS. To identify...Full Text Available
Sudden unexpected postoperative hemodynamic collapse with a high mortality develops in 1–3% of patients undergoing coronary artery bypass surgery (CABG). The contribution of surgical graft complications...Full Text Available
An incidence study of malignant melanoma of the skin (MMS), conducted previously among the workers of four plants of a large telecommunications industry located in Montreal, Canada, showed a standardised...Full Text Available
Background:In recent years, breast cancer (BC) mortality rates have declined, reflecting advances in early detection. Prevention and management of treatment sequelae that could impair...Full Text Available
Background and ObjectiveCervical cancer is one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality amongst the gynecological cancers worldwide, especially in developing countries. It...Full Text Available
Peptic ulcer bleeding is a common disease and recurrent bleeding is an independent risk factor of mortality. Infusion with proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) prevents recurrent bleeding after successful...Full Text Available
BackgroundThe fifth Millennium Development Goal (MDG5) aims at improving maternal health. Globally, the maternal mortality ratio (MMR) declined from 400 to 260 per 100000 live births...Full Text Available
Water samples from several ponds in Minnesota were evaluated for their capacity to induce malformations in embryos of Xenopus laevis. The FETAX assay was used to assess the occurrence of malformations...Full Text Available
African trypanosomes exert significant morbidity and mortality in man and livestock. Only a few drugs are available for the treatment of trypanosome infections and therefore, the development of new...Full Text Available
Mass mortalities among seals and dolphins inhabiting contaminated marine regions have led to speculation about a possible involvement of immunosuppression associated with environmental pollution. To...Full Text Available
BackgroundThe hard clam, Mercenaria mercenaria, has been affected by severe mortality episodes associated with the protistan parasite QPX (Quahog Parasite Unknown)...Full Text Available
BackgroundDue to the high morbidity and mortality of fulminant hepatitis, early diagnosis followed by early effective treatment is the key for prognosis improvement. So far, little...Full Text Available
BackgroundEpidemiological studies showed that physical exercise, specifically moderate lifelong training, is protective against cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Most experimental...Full Text Available
BackgroundDiagnostic delay in patients with tuberculosis (TB) leads to ongoing TB transmission, higher mortality rates and increased patient and government health expenditure. Qualitative...Full Text Available
Patients treated with bleomycin are at risk of developing the acute adult respiratory distress syndrome post-operatively. In a prospective study of 12 patients who had received bleomycin preoperatively...Full Text Available
BackgroundSevere sepsis and septic shock are major causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide. In experimental sepsis there is prominent apoptosis of various cell types, and genetic...Full Text Available
BackgroundCancer constitutes a serious burden of disease worldwide and has become the second leading cause of death in China. Alcohol consumption is causally associated with the...Full Text Available
Epignathus is an extremely rare oropharyngeal teratoma that commonly arises from the palate, leading to a high mortality (80–100%) due to airway obstruction in the neonatal period. We present...Full Text Available
The transmissible gastroenteritis coronavirus (TGEV) infects the epithelial cells of the intestinal tract of pigs, resulting in a high mortality rate in piglets. This study shows the interaction of...Full Text Available
Esophageal perforation is associated with a significant risk of morbidity and mortality. We report herein a case of lye-induced esophageal perforation managed successfully by employing endoscopic T-tube...Full Text Available
We developed mice with germline endogenous expression of oncogenic Hras to study effects on development and mechanisms of tumor initiation. They had high perinatal mortality, abnormal...Full Text Available
Both deficiency and excess of growth hormone (GH) are associated with increased mortality and morbidity. GH replacement in otherwise healthy subjects leads to complications, whereas individuals with...Full Text Available
Data reveal that sodium pentobarbital anesthesia does not depress glucose uptake of neutrophils stimulated by the addition of live E. coli. E. coli viability was reduced equally in blood obtained before and after sodium pentobarbital anesthesia. Pre- and ...
IntroductionIn critically ill patients the relationship between the storage age of red blood cells (RBCs) transfused and outcomes are controversial. To determine if duration of RBC...Full Text Available
BackgroundStudies from various countries have observed worse population health in geographical areas with more income inequality. The psychosocial interpretation of this association...Full Text Available
Between 1943 and 1982, 5,140 new cases of testicular cancer were diagnosed in Denmark. The age-standardized incidence rate more than doubled in the period. Striking variations is seen in the age-relationship...Full Text Available
BackgroundLung volume reduction surgery is effective at improving lung function, quality of life, and mortality in carefully selected individuals with advanced emphysema. Recently,...Full Text Available
IntroductionThe optimal dialysis dose for the treatment of acute kidney injury (AKI) is controversial. We sought to evaluate the relationship between renal replacement therapy (RRT)...Full Text Available
OBJECTIVE: To study cause specific mortality and cancer morbidity in workers exposed to the dust of grinding materials, grinding agents, and stainless steel, especially with regard to a possibly increased...Full Text Available
BackgroundLoss to follow-up (LTF) challenges the reporting of antiretroviral treatment (ART) programmes, since it encompasses patients alive but lost to programme and deaths misclassified...Full Text Available
Sentinel species such as bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) can be impacted by large-scale mortality events due to exposure to marine algal toxins. In the Sarasota Bay region...Full Text Available
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third-ranked neoplasm in order of incidence and mortality, worldwide, and the second cause of cancer death in industrialized countries. One of the most important environmental...Full Text Available
Coronary artery disease (CAD) is the single most common cause of death in the developed world, responsible for about 1 in every 5 deaths. The morbidity, mortality, and socioeconomic importance...Full Text Available
In situ toxicity tests were designed for Ceriodaphnia dubia and Chironomus tentans as part of a larger study designed to assess the effectiveness of constructed wetlands for the treatment of wastewater produced by oil production at Suncor OSG. The artificial wetlands were 50m long by 3m wide, with three replicates of the control and the treatment. Each wetland had four sample sites equidistant along its length, creating a gradient of treatment from site A being the most toxic to site D being the least toxic. Each test was conducted twice during the summer of 1994. Both the Ceriodaphnia and Chironomus test cages were a flow through design to allow for maximal exposure to the water within the wetlands. Mortality and reproduction were used as endpoints for Ceriodaphnia, whereas mortality and growth were used as endpoints for the Chironomus test. Test durations were fifteen and ten days respectively. Chironomus had very high ...
Rationale: Ventilator-induced lung injury (VILI) leads to an unacceptably high mortality. In this regard, the antiinflammatory properties of inhaled carbon monoxide (CO) may provide...Full Text Available
Toluene diisocyanate (TDI) and methylene diphenyldiisocyanate (MDI) are used in large quantities in the polyurethane foam manufacturing industry. Both substances are mutagenic and at least TDI is carcinogenic...Full Text Available
Type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM2) is increasing in incidence, creating worldwide public health concerns and impacting morbidity and mortality rates. An increasing number of studies have demonstrated shared...Full Text Available
BackgroundCardiovascular disease (CVD) is a leading cause of mortality in the United States as well as globally. Epidemiological studies show that regular fruit and vegetable consumption...Full Text Available
BackgroundSepsis or bacteraemia, however rare, is a significant cause of high mortality and serious complications in children. In previous studies skin disease or skin infections...Full Text Available
Background: The objective of this study was to assess the factors associated with the traffic mortality in the region of Central Macedonia in order to produce evidence in building up preventive...Full Text Available
Brain edema is frequently shown after cerebral ischemia. It is an expansion of brain volume because of increasing water content in brain. It causes to increase mortality after stroke. Agmatine, formed...Full Text Available
BackgroundChronic kidney disease and end-stage renal disease are major causes of morbidity and mortality that are seen far more commonly in the aged population. Interestingly, kidney...Full Text Available
The principles of path analysis and causal modelling are discussed. Path analysis was applied to three data sets to assess the relationship between group characteristics (number per group and "mixing"...Full Text Available
In 2004, the Southeastern France regional council asked the regional health observatory to conduct an environmental health inventory to i) identify environmental health problems in this area; ii) examine the relations between environmental exposure to pollutants and human health; and iii) help public officials to identify priorities in this area. We collected and validated data from national, regional and local institutions, constructed environmental (levels of emissions and pollutants), health (mortality, incidence, prevalence) and behavioral indicators (e.g., complaints about odors), and compared these over time and between places when possible. For each topic, we summarized current knowledge about the links between environment and health. In southeastern France, as in other French areas, indoor air pollution, home and leisure injuries and other home-related risks are public health issues. Other topics are more significant or particular to ...
The present work studies the fecundity, egg batching and mating of normal females of Earias Insulana Boisd. crossed with males irradiated as 24 h adult moths with two doses (80 and 100 Gy.) of gamma radiation. The male progeny were out bred or inbred with untreated individuals for two successive generations F_1and F_2 and their progeny was observed for any inherited deleterious effects on reproduction. The female fecundity and egg hatch were significantly reduced among P1,F1 and F2 generations by increasing the dosages applied to P_1 males as compared with the untreated control. The percentage of mating of P_1 females was significantly reduced at the two doses as compared to the untreated control. The average number of spermatophores per mated female was reduced among P_1,F_1 and F_2 generations when parental males were irradiated with 100 Gy. The larval and pupal mortality a,o mg F_1, F_2 and F_3 generations was high and dose dependent. The average developmental ...
More than 80% of the people of Nepal are farmers and 90% of the farmers do farming for subsistence. Agricultural productions contribute about 50% of country's GDP. Agricultural sector has been categorized as the top priority sector since many years. The environment of the country has also deteriorated substantially by the unplanned and unscientific use of natural resources such as air, soil, water, air and forest. Fertility of the soil has also been declining and studies show that productions in mountains is decreasing at a rate of 40 Kg/ha. Yr (1). The Terai, a narrow strip of land in the south, is in heavy pressure due to over exploitation and population growth (both natural and migratory). Shallow groundwater (shallow tube wells) is the main source of drinking water in Terai (the lowland region of Nepal). A study conducted by Department of Water Supply and Sewerage (DWSS) showed that more than 55% of Terai tube wells are microbiologically contaminated (2). There might be many ...
Ischemic bowel disease is a rare disorder whose incidence is increasing as the mean age of the population increases. Diagnosis by clinical, laboratory and radiologic means is often difficult, and delay in definitive therapy results in substantial morbidity and mortality. A series of 26 consecutive patients, with proved acute superior mesenteric ischemia, was retrospectively reviewed: the authors reports the diagnostic methods performed preoperatively, the site and the cause of infarction and the time passed between the first radiograph and surgery. Plain abdominal radiographs were performed in 25 of 26 patients, screening abdominal US in 23 cases and CT in 19 cases. All radiological examinations were retrospectively reviewed by the three authors, independently, to recognize the different signs of infarction. On plain abdominal films, the findings warranting a presumptive diagnosis of bowel infarction were air-fluid levels (84% of cases), ...
One mitigation goal of the Hungry Horse Dam fisheries mitigation program, funded by the Bonneville Power Administration, is to replace lost production of 100,000 adult kokanee in Flathead Lake. The mitigation program calls for a five-year test to determine if kokanee can be reestablished in Flathead Lake. The test consists. of annual stocking of one million hatchery-raised yearling kokanee. There are three benchmarks for judging the success of the kokanee reintroduction effort: (1) Post-stocking survival of 30 percent of planted kokanee one year after stocking; (2) Yearling to adult survival of 10 percent (100,000 adult salmon); (3) Annual kokanee harvest of 50,000 or more fish per year by 1998, with an average length of 11 inches or longer for harvested fish, and fishing pressure of 100,000 angler hours or more. Kokanee were the primary sport fish species in the Flathead Lake fishery in the early 1900s, and up until the late 1980s when the population rapidly declined in numbers and ...
In early 2006 we designed and built low energy consumption, pump-operated system, for dosing of the liquid nutrient in the summer 2006 season. This operated successfully, and the system was used again during the 2007 and 2008 seasons for dosing. During the early winter period, 2008, laboratory tests were made of the liquid nutrient pump system, and it was noted that small amounts of air were being entrained on the suction side of the pump, during conditions when the inlet pressure was low. It was believed that this was the cause of diurnal fluctuations in the flow supplied, characteristic of the 2007 year flow data. Replacement of '0' rings on the inlet side of the pumps was the solution to this problem, and when tested in the field during the summer season, the flow supplied was found to be stable. A decision was made by the IKERT committee at the meeting of 20th to 21st May 2008 (held in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) to use an injection flow rate of liquid ...
Maximum metal loss rate of Alloy 800 coupons was about 0.5 mil/year and occurred at the maximum temperature of 600/sup 0/C. Significantly greater oxide penetration into the alloy occurred in unabraded as-received tubing. Since the corrosion rate of unabraded tubing was less temperature sensitive than polished coupons, and attained a maximum value at temperatures in the range of 550 to 565/sup 0/C, a value of 1 mil/year should be used as the corrosion rate for design purposes. Because daily thermal cycling is inherent in solar central receiver operation, oxidation and chromium depletion rates can be expected to increase if surface oxide layers spall. The oxide layers formed on Alloy 800 appeared to be adherent, and adherence will benefit further from growth-derived compressive stresses in oxide layers on the salt-exposed inner diameter of receiver tubes. Since the lower duty factor in diurnal solar service may offset the accelerated metal loss due to cyclic spalling ...
Two children with cutaneous lymphoma and leukemia who were treated with total skin electron beam therapy (TSEB) are described here. Patient 1. A 7-year-old boy was admitted because of a mass over the bilateral parotis and anemia. The white blood cell count on admission was 5,000/ul. Bone marrow examination revealed 70 per cent monoblasts (M5a type by FAB classification). Complete remission was obtained following the regimen of daunomycin, cytosine arabinoside, 6-mercaptopurine and prednisolone. He was again admitted because of a skin nodule on the left thigh 19 months after initial diagnosis. A biopsy of the skin nodule demonstrated monoblastic infiltration. He received 20 Grays (Gy) to the left thigh and this led to resolution of the skin nodule. At that time, other skin nodules appeared on the right upper and lower extremities. He was treated with TSEB. Daily doses of 1 Gy were given twice a week with a 4 MeV electron beam and a total dose of ...
Background: the fact that therapeutic irradiation can induce significant stenosis in the arteries of the head, neck, and chest, as welt as in the aorta and the iliac arteries, is familiar in daily practice and well documented in the literature. By contrast, radiation-induced renal artery stenosis seems to be a less widely known complication. Patients and methods: the sudden onset of medically refractory arterial hypertension and coma in a 27-year-old man is reported, who had been treated at age 20 with chemotherapy and radiotherapy for Ewing's sarcoma in the lumbar region. This treatment had been performed at the hospital of Sion, Switzerland in 2001. Also, the relevant literature from 1965 to 2007 is reviewed to underscore various aspects of this problem and to demonstrate the clinical relevance of renal artery stenosis as a potential long-term sequela of radiotherapy. Conclusion: radiation-induced renal artery stenosis has only rarely been described in the ...
Many electric power utilities are currently employing machine condition monitoring technologies as a means of reducing forced outages and controlling repair costs. These condition monitoring technologies are a set of {open_quotes}tools{close_quotes} to help maintenance and operations personnel identify and repair machinery problems before catastrophic failure occurs. In this way, the analysis of this data becomes a vital link in the daily operation of the plant. Machinery vibration analysis, machinery balancing and alignment, motor current testing, periodic thermography surveys, analysis of lubrication oil samples, performance monitoring, chemistry monitoring, ultrasonic leak detection surveys, and non-destructive inspections are some of the technologies available to perform this condition monitoring. However, even for a small or medium size plant, the sheer volume of data provided by applying all or some of these technologies can be staggering, not to mention the ...
To predict the response of blood lead to airborne and dietary lead requires knowledge of the rate of uptake of lead into the body from lung and gut, its subsequent partitioning between compartments, the stay time in those compartments, and its redistribution or excretion. Tracer studies with volunteers have shown no differences in systemic distribution of inorganic lead between tissues whether it is taken by inhalation, ingestion or injection. Lead is rapidly transferred from plasma to red cells, and there is slower movement thence into liver and other soft tissues, to bone, and to excreta. Work at Harwell and elsewhere with /sup 203/Pb has shown that the initial rapid distribution leaves rather over half the assimilated lead attached to red cells. The result is remarkably consistent, and applies also to dogs and baboons. The renal clearance (Vu) (ratio of U to CB, or daily urinary output expressed as mass of blood having the same lead ...
The primary objective of this project is to investigate the effects of global change on the biodiversity of aphid communities in Western Europe. Biodiversity has been examined at 3 levels: total number of species, phenology and reproductive strategy. Data were provided by EXAMINE, the European suction traps network which has been now operating for 35 years. 392 different species have been identified. At each location, total number of species has been regularly increasing, one additional species being caught every 1 or 2 years depending on location. This is due to introduced species but also to warming which favours rare species. No general trend of increasing density has been detected, but phenological earliness of almost all species (annual date of first appearance in suction traps) is strongly correlated with temperature and especially with mean daily temperature (during more or less long periods of time lying principally in February and ...
Background and Purpose: In an earlier phase II study, irradiation together with razoxane was shown to improve local control in recurrent rectal cancer. Therefore, the Austrian Society of Radiooncology (OeGRO) initiated a randomized controlled trial in 1992 to compare this combined treatment versus radiation therapy alone. Patients and Methods: Between 1992 and 1999, 36 patients with localized recurrences of rectal cancer were randomized to receive radiotherapy without (group A) or with razoxane (group B). The prognostic variables of the two groups were similar except for a longer median latency period from initial surgery to local recurrence in group A. High-energy photons with daily fractions between 170 and 200 cGy were used. The median total radiation dose was 60 Gy in each group. The patients in group B received a median razoxane dose of 9.6 g (range, 5-12 g). Main outcome measures were local control, overall survival, and toxicity. Results: The combined ...
The gender-specific expression pattern of aromatase and 5alpha-reductases (5alpha-R) during brain development provides neurons the right amount of estradiol and DHT to induce a dimorphic organization of the structure. Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are endocrine disruptive pollutants; exposure to PCBs through placental transfer and breast-feeding may adversely affect the organizational action of sex steroid, resulting in long-term alteration of reproductive neuroendocrinology. The study was aimed at: a) evaluating the hypothalamic expression of aromatase, 5alpha-R1 and 5alpha-R2 in fetuses (GD20), infant (PN12), weaning (PN21) and young adult (PN60) male and female rats exposed to PCBs during development; b) correlating these parameters with the time of testicular descent, puberty onset, estrous cyclicity and copulatory behavior; c) evaluating possible alterations of some non reproductive behaviors (locomotion, learning and memory, depression/anxiety behavior). A ...
These classroom guides, designed to accompany the daily CNN (Cable News Network) Newsroom broadcasts for the month of October 2000, provide program rundowns, suggestions for class activities and discussion, student handouts, and a list of related news terms. Top stories include: Chinese authorities detain Falun Gong protesters on Tiananmen Square and Pope John Paul II angers China by canonizing Chinese martyrs, U.S. presidential candidates prepare for the first presidential debate, U.S. presidential candidates debate education issues, Danville, Kentucky prepares for the first U.S. vice presidential debate, and Yugoslav protesters seize parliament (October 2-6); Yugoslavian president Vojislav Kostunica takes office, recent clashes between Arabs and Israelis concern neighboring Arab states, North Korea observes 55 years of communism with celebrations, Al Gore and George W. Bush meet in the second presidential debate, and Violence in the Mideast and an attack on a ...
Tanzania has recently developed a comprehensive environmental policy which has put high priority on several specific environmental issues. One of the issues is the quality of waste water. A special priority is given to the pollution from the sisal industry. The East-African agro-industries generate very large quantities of organic residues from production and processing of different crops. These residues form a major contribution to the pollution of air, soil and waterways, but, at the same time they constitute a large potential for production of bioenergy through anaerobic digestion as well as potential substrate for other biological fermentation processes. Generally, these residues are regarded as having no or very little value and the different disposal methods are mainly a matter of getting rid of the waste. The generation of residues are very often concentrated on few large units, which makes the exploitation of these resources feasible in large scale biogas ...
BackgroundFinasteride, a 5 alpha reductase inhibitor, is an established treatment for benign prostatic hyperplasia. The recommended dosage is 5 mg a day, however case reports have...Full Text Available
Asymptomatic alanine aminotransferase (ALT) elevations have been detected with acetaminophen use at the maximum daily dose of 4 grams/day (g/d) for more than 3 consecutive days in subjects with...Full Text Available
PurposeAuto-propagation of anatomical region-of-interests (ROIs) from the planning CT to daily CT is an essential step in image-guided adaptive radiotherapy. The...Full Text Available
1. The LD50 of iodomethane orally administered to rats is 76mg./kg. body wt. but repeated daily doses of 30–50mg./kg. body wt. are without effect. 2. Oral doses of iodomethane to...Full Text Available
A Staphylococcus strain was inoculated on the top and cut surfaces of freshly baked Southern custard pies which were then packaged in a pasteboard carton and held at 30 C. Daily plate...Full Text Available
Available in vitro and animal studies have shown cancer protective effects of tea polyphenols. Recent study suggests a greater protective effect of green tea intake on breast cancer...Full Text Available
A publication on Norwegian gas and gas export. The content is wide spread from use of gas in daily life via sub sea pipeline repair systems to an overview over tomorrows gas fields. (AG)
Objective: To investigate the efficacy, safety, and clinical benefit of a once-daily formulation of trazodone (Trazodone Contramid® OAD) in the treatment of major depressive...Full Text Available
... were given daily i.p. injections of either sesame oil (2.5 ml/kg, vehicle control) or VCD dissolved in sesame oil (80 mg/kg, 0.57 mmol/kg) for ... ...
Several drugs are available for the management of postmenopausal osteoporosis. This may, in daily practice, confuse the clinician. This manuscript offers an evidence-based update of previous treatment...Full Text Available
Choice procedures have indicated that the relative reinforcing effectiveness of opioid drugs increases during opioid withdrawal. The demand curve, an absolute measure of reinforcer value, has not been...Full Text Available
Molecular life science is one of the fastest-growing fields of scientific and technical innovation, and biotechnology has profound effects on many aspects of daily life—often with deep, ethical...Full Text Available
BackgroundThere is need for a cognitive test battery that can be easily used in clinical practice to detect or monitor cognitive performance in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS)....Full Text Available
Premature circuit clotting is a major problem in daily practice of continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT), increasing blood loss, workload, and costs. Early clotting is related to bioincompatibility,...Full Text Available
Diel variations in rates of C export, sucrose-phosphate synthase (SPS) and sucrose synthase (SS) activity, and C reserves were investigated in Zostera marina L. (eelgrass) to elucidate the environmental...Full Text Available
Summary Purpose BMS-275183 is an oral C-4 methyl carbonate analogue of paclitaxel that has the same mechanism of action, stabilization of tubulin polymerization. The present study was designed to: (i) assess the safety and tolerability of BMS-275183, and (ii) determine a suitable Phase II dose of BMS-275183 when given on a continuous daily schedule to patients with advanced solid tumor(s). Methods This was a multi-institutional, open-label, Phase I, single-arm dose escalation study in which cohorts of eligible patients with advanced malignancies were treated with BMS-275183 orally on a continuous daily schedule. The starting dose level was 6?mg/m2/day administered once daily. Cohorts of 3 patients were treated at each dose level provided no dose-limiting toxicities (DLTs) were observed. Ea...
Selective phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitors (PDE5Is) have revolutionized the treatment of erectile dysfunction (ED) in men. As an on-demand treatment, PDE5Is have excellent efficacy and safety in...Full Text Available
Results of monitoring milk and tap water in New York City are presented. The New York City sample is a monthly composite of pasteurized milk purchased daily at retail stores. The monthly "9"0Sr to calcium ratios for New York City since the inception of the sampling program in 1954 are presented. Samples of New York City tap water are taken daily, so that by the end of the month, approximately 100 liters have been collected. The available cesium-137 data expressed as the "1"3"7Cs to "9"0Sr ratio are also given.
Population residing in the northern part of the Chelyabinsk oblast and the south eastern part of the Sverdlovsk oblast of Russia affected to accidental exposure since 1957. The territory (East Ural Radioactive Trace - EURT) was contaminated after explosion of container with highly radioactive wastes at the Mayak Production Association. Studies of health effects of exposure in the southern, head part of EURT are conducted in the Ural Research and Practical Center of Radiation Medicine (U.R.P.R.M.). In the 1990's U.R.P.C.R.M. formed a cohort of EURT within Chelyabinsk oblast (14,500 cases and 19,400 external controls). The cohort was followed in 1957-1987 and the results of the study are discussed by Crestinina et al. First results of study on exposure late health effects among rural population in the northern part of the EURT are presented in this paper. Firstly, or the period 1958-2000 a statistically significant increase in cancer mortality associated ...
Objective: To survey the data for the state of health in the ambient residents of Daya Bay Nuclear Power Plant, and provide the background data to evaluate the state of health affected by fallout of nuclear power plant. Methods: The datas were collected by a radiation epidemiology. The investigation was carried out in the area within 20 km of radius from Daya Bay Nuclear' Power Plant, and the subjects who had lived there for three years or longer before January. 1,1993 and covered by the Household Registry were recruited to a cohort. Results: The mortality rate of overall cancer (per 100 000 PYr) was 88.57 (the standard mortality rate was 79.77 ), the mortality rate of leukemia (per 100 000 PYr) was 3.24 (the standard mortality rate was 2.94), the palpation rate of the goiter in 7-14 years old was 8.34%(9.69% in B ultrasonic), the morbidity rate of newborn's defect (per 100 00 P) was 82.33. The ...
Purpose/Objective. Daily Cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) in room imaging is used to determine tumour shrinkage during a full radiotherapy (RT) course. In addition, relative interfractional tumour and lymph node motion is determined for each RT fraction. Material and methods. From November 2009 to March 2010, 20 consecutive lung cancer patients (14 NSCLC, 6 SCLC) were followed with daily CBCT during RT. The gross tumour volume for lung tumour (GTV-t) was visible in all daily CBCT scans and was delineated at the beginning, at the tenth and the 20th fraction, and at the end of treatment. Whenever visible, the gross tumour volume for lymph nodes (GTV-n) was also delineated. The GTV-t and GTV-n volumes were determined. All patients were setup according to an online bony anatomy match. Retrospectively, matching based on the internal target volume (ITV), the GTV-t or the GTV-n was performed. Results. In eight patients, we ...
An analysis of the mortality of workers employed at the Commissariat a l'Energie Atomique (CEA) between 1946 and 1994 is presented. Standardized Mortality Ratios (SMR) are computed with reference to the French national population for the period 1968-1994. 51 286 workers are included in the study. 3 784 deaths occurred between 1968 and 1994. A healthy worker effect is observed for men (SMR=0.53 Cl{sub 90%}=[0.52; 0.55]) and for women (SMR=0.70 Cl{sub 90%}=[0.64; 0.76]). An excess is observed for male pleural cancers (SMR=1.54, Cl{sub 90%}=[1.03; 2.21]). An excess of breast cancer is observed among women, statistically significant for the 1980-1994 period (SMR=1.30, Cl{sub 90%}=[1.04; 1.61]). An excess is observed for malignant melanoma for both sexes (SMR=1.38, Cl{sub 90%}=[0.95; 1.96]), stronger for the 1990-1994 period (SMR=2.11, Cl{sub 90%}=[1.25; 3.34]). It diminishes with age. (orig.)
This research project aimed to determine the factors for the transfer of the elements silver (Ag), cerium (Ce), cobalt (Co), chrome (Cr), gallium (Ga), lanthanum (La), molybdenum (Mo), niobium (Nb), radium (Ra), ruthenium (Ru), antimony (sb), thorium (Th), titanium (Ti) and uranium (U) from food into the mother's milk. This factors will be used as a basic to check and derive activity values for the contamination of food and for radiation protection at working places of suckling women. For this purpose 19 mothers collected samples daily (2-8 weeks), using the duplicate method, of all the food they consumed as well as of their milk. After microwave-assisted digestion the element contents were analysed by mass-spectroscopy with inductive coupled plasma (ICP-MS). The results of the mothers who participate for more than 5 weeks were used to make a time lapse between the intake and transfer of the elements in the mothers milk visible. ...
Selenium (Se), zinc (Zn), magnesium (Mg), molybdenum (Mo) and vanadium (V) in 28 types of Egyptian common foodstuffs as well as drinking and irrigation water samples were determined using neutron activation analysis (NAA) and atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS). The samples were collected from 74 sites over 13 governorates as well as the Nile river, wells and tap water in the regions of the Nile Delta, Sinai, the east and west desert, and north and south Egypt. These trace elements were chosen according to international references, which show the close relationship of their deficiencies to immunity-related diseases. Calculation values of daily uptake per capita were made with the results of analysis. The results, as calculated per 100 g dry weight, showed that some Egyptian foods are rich in Se including such fish (0.94 #mu#g), sesame (0.88 #mu#g), beef meat (0.48 #mu#g), instant tea (0.42 #mu#g), mushroom (0.34 #mu#g) and eggs (0.3 #mu#g), whereas the vegetables ...
The objective of this project is to eliminate three closely inter-related barriers to oil production in Alaska through the use of a geographic information system (GIS) and other information technology strategies. These barriers involve identification of oil development potential from existing wells, planning projects to efficiently avoid conflicts with other interests, and gaining state approvals for exploration and development projects. Each barrier is the result of either current labor-intensive methods or poorly accessible information. This project brings together three parts of the oil exploration, development, and permitting process to form the foundation for a more fully integrated information technology infrastructure for the State of Alaska. This web-based system will enable the public and other review participants to track permit status, submit and view comments, and obtain important project information online. By automating several functions of the current manual process, ...
According to the California Earthquake Authority, only about 12% of current California residences are covered by any form of earthquake insurance, down from about 30% in 1996 following the 1994, M6.7 Northridge earthquake. Part of the reason for this decreasing rate of insurance uptake is the high deductible, either 10% or 15% of the value of the structure, and the relatively high cost of the premiums, as much as thousands of dollars per year. The earthquake insurance industry is composed of the CEA, a public-private partnership; modeling companies that produce damage and loss models similar to the FEMA HAZUS model; and financial companies such as the insurance, reinsurance, and investment banking companies in New York, London, the Cayman Islands, Zurich, Dubai, Singapore, and elsewhere. In setting earthquake insurance rates, financial companies rely on models like HAZUS, that calculate on risk and exposure. In California, the process begins with an official earthquake forecast by the ...
Dinarmus basalis Rondani (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae), an ectoparasitoid of bruchid pests of stored cowpeas (Vigna unguiculata), is a potential biological control agent. We investigated whether grain protectants from Hyptis spicigera and H. suaveolens (Lamiaceae) disturb parasitism and post-embryonic growth of the parasitoid. When cowpeas containing bruchid larvae were treated before being placed in the presence of D. basalis females, the rate of parasitism decreased on average up to 24% and 47% in the presence of, respectively, leaf dry powder and essential oils from both plant species. The estimated larval mortality was higher on treated (9.55 to 28.6%) than on non-treated parasitized hosts (2.8%), depending on the plant species and the plant extract tested. Additional larval mortality wa...
Lifetime observations on a group of 358 rhesus monkeys indicate that life expectancy loss from exposure to protons in the energy range encountered in the Van Allen belts and solar proton events is influenced primarily by the dose rather than the energy of radiation. After 24 years, life expectancy losses from similar surface doses of low-LET (138-2300 MeV) and high-LET (32-55 MeV) protons are not significantly different, but the high-LET protons are associated with more deaths in the early years, while the low-LET protons contribute more to mortality in later years. In males, the most significant cause of life shortening is nonleukemia cancers.
Background The Norwood procedure consists of three palliative operations, performed in neonates with hypoplastic left heart syndrome. Especially the first stage (Norwood I) is associated with the highest mortality rates in paediatric cardiac surgery (up to 25%). During surgery, the aorta is reconstructed and a systemic-to-pulmonary shunt is applied. Originally the modified Blalock-Taussig shunt was used, but recently the right-ventricle-to-pulmonary-artery shunt is increasingly being employed. We reviewed the results of our operative strategy, where an individualised choice of shunt is made. Furthermore, attempts to reduce interstage mortality (between Norwood I and II) were assessed. Methods All neonates who underwent Norwood stage I palliation from August 2004 until November 2010 were in...
A new area-wide pest control strategy using the pink bollworm, Pectinophora gossypiella (Saunders) (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae), genetically transformed with a conditionally lethal gene, is under development. Conditional lethality of several transgenic pink bollworm strains was demonstrated in a series of laboratory rearing experiments. Pink bollworms were transformed with genetic constructs using the RIDL technology (Release of Insects with a Dominant Lethal gene) for development of an autocidal biological control system for possible supplement or replacement of radiation based sterile insect release. LA1124 is a lethal construct controlled by a tetracycline repressible transactivator protein (tTA), in which binding of tTA to its specific target sequence tetO drives production of more tTA. In the absence of tetracycline, this leads to lethality by high expression of tTA. When tetracycline is present, tTA does not bind tetO, and so the positive feedback cycle is not established and tTA ...
The evaluation of hepatic histology and treatment of hepatitis C virus (HCV)/HIV-coinfected patients is rapidly changing. HCV has become an important cause of mortality in HIV-infected patients. Consequently, assessment of liver histology in all coinfected patients is particularly important. The evaluation of hepatic histology is shifting from reliance on the liver biopsy toward noninvasive modalities. Additionally, the importance of HCV-associated morbidity and mortality in HIV-infected patients has prompted increasing numbers of these patients to be HCV treatment candidates. Prospective trials in coinfected patients have reported lower sustained virologic responses compared to HCV-monoinfected patients. Consequently, the numbers of coinfected nonresponders to pegylated interferon/ribavir...
We developed an intersection model to integrate parameters estimated from three distinct data sets that resulted from the Exxon Valdez oil spill: (1) the distribution, amount, and movements of spilled oil; (2) the distribution and abundance of sea otters along the Kenai Peninsula; and (3) the estimates of site-specific sea otter mortality relative to oil exposure from otters captured for rehabilitation and from collected carcasses. In this chapter, we describe the data sets and provide examples of how they can be used in the model to generate acute loss estimates. We also examine the assumptions required for the model and provide suggestions for improving and applying the model.
An observational cohort study was conducted to compare the performance of the RIFLE (risk, injury, failure, loss and end-stage kidney disease), AKIN (acute kidney injury network) and conventional graded criteria to identify acute kidney injury (AKI) following SCT and to predict long-term mortality in 141 myeloablative allogeneic SCT (m-allo), 60 non-myeloablative allogeneic SCT (nm-allo) and 48 autologous SCT (auto) cases. The AKIN criteria had less ability to identify patients as having the lowest category, stage 1 (analogous to RIFLE risk): 33% (37%) in m-allo, 23% (32%) in nm-allo and 8.3% (16.7%) in auto. Cox regression showed that categories higher than the intermediate stage were independent predictors of mortality in all three definitions. The areas under receiver operating characte...
Background There is some evidence that a patient?s pre-operative condition influences short-term and long-term post-operative outcomes. The aim of the present study is to compare the physiological and operative severity score for the enumeration of mortality and morbidity (POSSUM) and modified Glasgow prognostic score (mGPS) models in the prediction of post-operative outcome, both short term and long term, in patients undergoing resection of oesophago-gastric cancer. Patients and Methods Patients who underwent curative resection for oesophago-gastric cancer from January 2005 to May 2009 and who had data to score the POSSUM, P-POSSUM, O-POSSUM and mGPS models were included in the study. Observed morbidity and mortality rates were compared with predicted outcome in different risk groups. Bot...
To evaluate the usefulness of radiation therapy alternative to surgery for clinical N0-N1 non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). From 1976 through 1989, 116 patients with NSCLC without mediastinal involvement were treated with definitive radiation therapy alone at Gunma University Hospital. All patients were treated with once-daily standard fractionation using 10 MV X-rays. The total dose ranged from 60 Gy to 80 Gy. The actuarial 2- and 5-year survival rates of the entire group were 43% and 20%, respectively with a median survival time of 19 months. The survival of 76 patients with stage T2 tumors was significantly better than that of 28 patients with T3 tumors (mean survival time 21 versus 15.5 months; p<0.05). Sixty-two patients with tumors less than 5 cm in diameter had a 2-year progression rate of 20%, in comparison with 39% of 54 patients with tumors greater than 5 cm. The difference of survivals for these 2 groups was ...
Selenium and iodine are trace elements that play an important role in health of man and animals. Concerning supply of both elements it is important to meet nutritional needs. According to discoveries selenium is a part of an active group of glutathione peroxidase enzyme. It prevents necrotic changes in liver, muscle dystrophy and has impact on growth. Extensive studies on content of selenium in plant and animal origin products were started in the beginning of the seventies in Western Europe (Frankenberger, et al., 1998). The aim of our work was to determine selenium and iodine content in total diets of Slovene military. Slovene military nutrition is based on its own nutritional standards, which determine 200 #mu#g of iodine and 50 #mu#g of selenium in daily diet (Rep. Slovenija Ministrstvo za Obrambo, 1994). To determine if the amounts of both elements meet the standards we have analysed 20 total daily diets from four different barracks within ...
The objective of this study was to determine the effects of partially substituting cottonseed cake with graded levels of baobab (Adansonia digitata L.) seed cake (BSC) on milk yield and quality in Guernsey cows. Sixteen cows in mid-lactation and in their third parity were allocated to diets containing 0% (control), 5%, 10%, and 15% BSC in a completely randomized design. Each cow was given a daily feed ration of 6?kg and a basal diet of soya bean stover ad libitum. There were no differences in daily feed intake (P?>?0.05), but basal intake differed among all treatment groups with cows on the control diet having the highest intake (30???0.34?kg/day). Mean daily milk yield differed (P?P?P?P?P?>?0.05). These results indicate that BSC can substitute soya bean cake in dairy diets, but milk produ...
New York City data indicate that seasonal and annual variations in dispersion-normalized air pollutant concentrations appear to accurately reflect changes in source emission patterns. The normalized concentrations make it possible to observe the impact of regulatory changes on ambient air quality without these impacts being obscured by meteorological fluctuations. It is found that numerical modeling techniques and regression analysis can be powerful tools for extracting information from large sets of air quality data. The use of differential, as opposed to absolute, pollutant concentration values will reduce artifact correlations caused by seasonal, weekly, or daily meteorological fluctuations and will permit more accurate estimation of the regression coefficients. This technique was successfully applied to a set of daily pollution measurements whose absolute concentrations were found not to yield a statistically significant fit by multiple ...
New York City data indicate that seasonal and annual variations in dispersion-normalized air pollutant concentrations appear to accurately reflect changes in source emission patterns. The normalized concentrations make it possible to observe the impact of regulatory changes on ambient air quality without these impacts being obscured by meteorological fluctuations. It is found that numerical modeling techniques and regression analysis can be powerful tools for extracting information from large sets of air quality data. The use of differential, as opposed to absolute, pollutant concentration values will reduce artifact correlations caused by seasonal, weekly, or daily meteorological fluctuations and will permit more accurate estimation of the regression coefficients. This technique was successfully applied to a set of daily pollution measurements whose absolute concentrations were found not to yield a statistically significant fit by multiple ...
Contents include: index for 1970-1980; January 1981 data -- alert periods, daily solar indices, solar flares, solar radio emission, coronal holes, inferred interplanetary magnetic field polarities, mean solar magnetic field, spacecraft observations, December 1980 data -- daily solar-activity centers, sudden ionospheric disturbances, spacecraft observations, solar radio emission, cosmic rays, geomagnetic indices, radio-propagation indices; late data -- solar radio emission November, December 1980, spacecraft observations November 1980, cosmic rays, Huancayo Oct 1980 -- climax, alert, Deep River Nov 1980.
Analysis of Sr-90 in milk and tap water has been conducted in New York City since 1954. The milk sample analyzed is a monthly composite of pasteurized milk purchased daily at retail stores. The monthly Sr-90 to calcium ratios for New York City since the inception of the sampling progam in 1954 through 1981 are tabulated. Samples of New York City tap water are taken daily so that by the end of the month, approximately 100 liters have been collected. Data on Sr-90 since the inception of the program are presented. The available Cs-137 data expressed as the Cs-137 to Sr-90 ratio are given. A graphical presentation of the New York City Sr-90 data is also shown.
Objectives To delineate the safety and tolerability profile of methylphenidate and atomoxetine in children and adolescents with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) monitored for more than 1?year. Design A cohort study analyzing data from the national ADHD register on patients from the Lombardy Region treated with MPH or atomoxetine. Participants A total of 229 children (median age 11?years, range 6?17), enrolled in 15 regional centers between June 2007 and May 2010. Results The prevalence rate of pharmacological treatment for ADHD was 0.23%, whereas the estimated ADHD prevalence in the population was 0.95%. In total, 73.8% of patients had been treated with atomoxetine (10?90?mg daily) or MPH (10?75?mg daily); 22% of patients also received an additional psychotropic drug. Of the...
Even if there have been efforts to validate remote-sensing-based energy balance models, which provide evapotranspiration (ET) maps over a large spatial scale, few studies have been conducted to validate their performance in Korea. In this study, surface energy balance fluxes including ET were estimated and inter-compared with two different models using the Landsat-5 Thematic Mapper (TM) image over a watershed scale in Korea. While there were larger spatial discrepancies for net radiation, soil heat and sensible heat fluxes on a pixel-by-pixel basis between the two models, relatively smaller spatial discrepancies for the latent heat flux and daily ET were detected. The spatial discrepancies for the daily ET were larger in low topography and dense vegetation ranges. Despite the different par...
The biological half-life of "1"3"7Cs in the total body of human subjects was determined in 23 individuals of Japanese male adult in their normal works by measuring amount of "1"3"7Cs in both their total body and daily urine in the same period. For the group, the value was determined by averaging the half-lives for individuals, by comparing the mean body burden and the mean daily urinary excretion, or by applying a curve fitting method to the body burden estimate. The biological half-life averaged 86 days, ranging from 50 to 161 days. The averages of the biological half-lives for the group were 83, 87 and 82 days in the different periods of observation. By the curve fitting method, 85 days was found for the group. The biological half-life for the individuals depended on both body weight and age, to a lesser extent, of the subjects. (author).
Evidence for dietary/nutritional treatments of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) varies widely, from double-blind, placebo-controlled trials to anecdotal. In guiding patients, clinicians can apply the SECS versus RUDE rule: treatments that are Safe, Easy, Cheap, and Sensible (SECS) require less evidence than those that are Risky, Unrealistic, Difficult, or Expensive (RUDE). Two nutritional treatments appear worth general consideration: Recommended Daily Allowance/Reference Daily Intake multivitamin/mineral supplements as a pediatric health intervention not specific to ADHD and essential fatty acids, especially a mix of eicosapentaenoic acid, docosahexaenoic acid, and ?-linolenic acid as an ADHD-specific intervention. Controlled studies support the elimination of artificial fo...
Atrial fibrillation (AF) is common after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) and increases the morbidity and cost. Amiodarone reduces AF after CABG. Ranolazine, an antianginal agent, also prolongs atrial refractoriness and inhibits after depolarizations and triggered activity; effects that could decrease AF after CABG. The present study compared amiodarone versus ranolazine for the prevention of AF after CABG. A retrospective cohort study of patients undergoing CABG at Aspirus Hospital from June 2008 to April 2010. The patients received either amiodarone (400 mg preoperatively followed by 200 mg twice daily for 10 to 14 days) or ranolazine (1,500 mg preoperatively followed by 1,000 mg twice daily for 10 to 14 days). The primary end point was any identified AF after CABG. A total of 393 ...
Simultaneous exposures of rats and hamsters to inhaled radon daughters, with and without uranium ore dust, were performed daily for five months. Pulmonary pathology developing in 6 to 13 mo after cessation of daily exposures included interstitial fibrosis, emphysema, epithelial hyperplasia, squamous metaplasia, and malignant neoplasia. Rats showed a greater variety and more severe response to these uranium mine inhalation exposures than did hamsters. Inhalation of radon daughters with uranium ore dust displayed the site of greatest damage, including squamous carcinoma, from the nasopharynx to the lungs. Sixty percent of the rats exposed to radon daughters with ore dust developed primary pulmonary carcinomas, providing an appropriate short-term experimental animal model for investigation of respiratory tract carcinogenesis in uranium miners.
Purpose Nonpoint sources (NPS) pollution has been an important cause for water quality impairment worldwide. To take the temporal variations of both NPS pollution and in-stream attenuation into consideration, an inverse modeling approach and the load duration curve (LDC) method were combined for variable nutrient total maximum daily load (TMDL) development. Methods Water quality and hydrological parameters were monitored monthly along the ChangLe River system in 2004?2008. The catchment NPS export load (EL) and TMDL for total nitrogen (TN) were estimated by the inverse format of an existing stream nutrient transport equation. The LDC method was used to describe the variability of EL, TMDL, requiring load (RLR) and percent (the ratio between the RLR and the EL, RPR) reduction, and then to s...
Lower respiratory tract infections are one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in children worldwide. Recent technological advances in the field of molecular biology have allowed virologists...Full Text Available
BackgroundMalaria is one of the leading causes of mortality and morbidity in Nigeria. It is not known how user fees introduced under the Bamako Initiative (BI) system affect healthcare...Full Text Available
A population-based, cohort study was conducted to determine the importance of Gulf War deployment to Southwest Asia, from 1 August 1990 to 31 December 1991, in explaining neurologic mortality and peripheral nerve disease among United States military worki...
Pneumococcal disease in young children has not been as well characterized in East Africa as it has been in industrialized countries. Although pneumococci are likely to cause substantial mortality...Full Text Available
BackgroundTwo randomized controlled trials of lung cancer screening initiated in the 1970's, the Johns Hopkins Lung Project and the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Lung...Full Text Available
Background: Markers of protein-energy wasting (PEW) and inflammation are common in chronic kidney disease (CKD) and are among the strongest predictors of mortality in dialysis patients.Objective:...Full Text Available
Heavy high viscosity oils, transformer oils, and very light low viscosity oils have been used in a Norwegian company in the impregnation, sheathing, and installation of paper insulated cables. The aim...Full Text Available
From the frequency of diagnostic radiologic examinations and their radiation dose delivered to the population the risk of cancer induction and genetic damage is calculated on the basis of the risk factors given by the ICRP. Thus 0.38 % and 3 % of the total mortality for cancer and leukemia, resp., can be attributed to X-ray diagnostics. Chest examinations alone result in 0.07-0.7 damages per 100,000 persons depending on the imaging technique applied. (author).
AimsThe prevalence and importance of liver function test (LFT) abnormalities in a large contemporary cohort of heart failure patients have not been systematically evaluated.Full Text Available
BackgroundMore optimistic perceptions of cardiovascular disease risk are associated with substantively lower rates of cardiovascular death among men. It remains unknown whether this...Full Text Available
Subchronic exposure to pharmacological levels of estrogenic compounds, including 17 beta-estradiol, diethylstilbestrol, and alpha-dienestrol, significantly increased the mortality of B6C3F1 female mice...Full Text Available
BackgroundAfrican horse sickness virus (AHSV) causes a non-contagious, infectious disease in equids, with mortality rates that can exceed 90% in susceptible horse populations....Full Text Available
BackgroundTroponin is the preferred biomarker for risk stratification in non-ST-elevation ACS. The incremental prognostic utility of the initial magnitude of troponin...Full Text Available
The authors report the personal techniques and the results of CT-guided percutaneous drainage of postoperative abdominal fluid collections. CT-guided percutaneous drainage offers many advantages over surgery: it is less invasive, can be repeated and requires no anesthesia, there are not surgery-related risks and lower morbidity and mortality rates. Moreover, subsequent hospitalization is shorter and costs are consequently reduced. The authors conclude that CT-guided percutaneous drainage is the method of choice in the treatment of postoperative abdominal fluid collections.
BackgroundOmega-3 fatty acid (n-3 FA) blood levels and intakes have been inversely associated with risk for sudden cardiac death, but their relationship with all-cause...Full Text Available
Most households in low and middle income countries, including in India, use solid fuels (coal/coke/lignite, firewood, dung, and crop residue) for cooking and heating. Such fuels increase child mortality, chiefly from acute respiratory infection. There are, however, few direct estimates of the impact of solid fuel on child mortality in India. Methods: We compared household solid fuel use in 1998 between 6790 child deaths, from all causes, in the previous year and 609 601 living children living in 1.1 million nationally-representative homes in India. Analyses were stratified by child's gender, age (neonatal, post-neonatal, 1-4 years) and colder versus warmer states. We also examined the association of solid fuel to non-fatal pneumonias. Solid fuel use was very common (87% in households with child deaths and 77% in households with living children). After adjustment for demographic factors and living conditions, solid-fuel use ...
Gadolinium (Gd) based contrast agents (GBCAs) in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) are used in daily clinical practice and appear safe in most patients; however, nephrogenic systemic fibrosis...Full Text Available
The effective half-life based on urine bioassay results of Wolsung NPP's worker was calculated. The effective half-life for tritiated water vapour obtained was 5 {approx} 9 days. In comparison to 10 days reported for ICRP-30, it is lower than the corresponding half-life for Reference Man. Also, the half-life was calculated based on intake amount of daily water. According to this result, the metabolism was reviewed.
Crop water demand in the Okanagan Basin was determined for 1961 to 1990, 2010 to 2039, 2040 to 2069, and 2070 to 2099. Daily station temperature data were spatially interpolated to a 1 x 1 km grid and adjusted for elevation. Daily precipitation data were estimated across four climatic regions. Output from three global climate models (GCM), CGCM2, CSIROMk2 and HadCM3 was used to create future daily climate. Daily potential evapo-transpiration (grass reference) was estimated from an empirical relationship between Bellani-plate atmometer readings, temperature and extra-terrestrial solar radiation, and then modified by crop coefficients for all crops except pasture. Depending on GCM, projected water demand increased by 12-20% (2010 to 2039), 24-38% (2040 to 2069) and 40-61% (2070 to 2099). Possible elevated CO{sub 2} effects on stomatal conductance which may reduce water demand were not accounted for. ...
Daily exposures of adult beagle dogs to inhaled radon daughters plus uranium ore dust, with and without concurrent cigarette smoking, for 2 to 5-1/2 yr have produced massive pulmonary fibrosis and severe emphysema. The cumulative exposure doses are similar to those associated with a 5-fold or greater increase in death rate of uranium miners due to chronic respiratory insufficiency, including pneumoconiosis, pulmonary fibrosis, and emphysema.
Assisted users with expired passwords Closed 233 NCICB Support Wizard Accounts Tickets Set up Resource Accounts for individual developers to control and track access on QA Application servers Maintained daily account synchronization between GForge project developers and CVS write access accounts Created FTP and SFTP user accounts for TCGA test, analysis datasets downloads and analysis datasets management.
In the present study 12 diets, each one consisting of a pool of seven day diets, composed by four meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner and snack, adequate in energy and macro nutrients according to the RDA (Recommended Daily Allowance) recommendations, were elaborated and offered to a group of 12 men (19-42 years). The diets were collected by duplicate portion technique and dried by two different processes: freeze drying and 60 deg C ventilated oven drying. In the total, 24 diets were analyzed. The content of some minerals and trace elements (Ca, Fe, Mg, Mn, Na, Se and Zn) were determined by Instrumental Neutron Activation Analysis. The validation of methodology was made by analysis of the reference materials Typical Diet (NIST SRM 1548"a), Orchard Leaves (NIST SRM 1541) and Peach Leaves (NIST SRM 1547). The results observed by two different drying processes used were statistically compared by test T of Student. It was possible to conclude that the concentration means ...
The levels of four different heavy metals [cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), chromium (Cr) and copper (Cu)] were determined in various vegetables [leek (Allium ampeloprasum), sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum), parsley (Petroselium cripsum), gardem cress (lepidium sativum) and tarragon (Artemisia dracuncullus)] cultivated around the Sanandaj city. (Author)
The levels of four different heavy metals [cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), chromium (Cr) and copper (Cu)] were determined in various vegetables [leek (Allium ampeloprasum), sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum), parsley (Petroselium cripsum), gardem cress (lepidium sativum) and tarragon (Artemisia dracuncullus)] cultivated around the Sanandaj city. (Author)
Daily oral treatment with the cyclopentyl 2′-deoxyguanosine nucleoside BMS-200475 at doses ranging from 0.02 to 0.5 mg/kg of body weight for 1 to 3 months effectively reduced the level of woodchuck...Full Text Available
...Box Contains One Month Supply Dietary supplement with a premium patented formula of L-Arginine, Ginseng, Ginkgo plus 13 essential vitamins, antioxidants, and minerals to support male sexual function . ArginMax for Male Sexual Fitness is a patented combination of l-Arginine, Ginseng, Ginkgo, and 13 essential vitamins and ...
Daily exposures of adult beagle dogs to inhaled radon daughters and to uranium ore dust for 4-1/2 to 6 yr have produced respiratory tract carcinomas, at similar cumulative working level months (WLM) of exposures to those which induced carcinomas in uranium miners. Biological data from the beagle-dog experiments can therefore be used for prediction of carcinogenic risk under changing exposure conditions in future uranium miners.
After baseline studies, 21 patients with osteoporosis were treated with human parathyroid hormone fragment (PTH 1-34) given as once-daily subcutaneous injections for 6-24 months. The dose used did not...Full Text Available
The Bavarian Agency for Environmental Protection (LfU) is monitoring the air quality is several bavarian regions. The daily and monthly data of concentration ration of sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide, ozone and other pollutants are published in yearly reports, most often as diagrams with further statistica information.
The study was conducted to determine potential target organ toxicity and its reversibility in hamsters following twice daily oral doses of NSC-D629243 for 28 consecutive days. Male and female hamsters were administered NSC-D629243 dissolved in sesame oil ...
From diseased wild and cultured Oreochromis niloticus in Lower Egypt, 17 Aeromonas hydrophila isolates were recovered. The mortality was between 10% and 70% in among cultured fish. The course of the disease ran in an acute manner. For cultured fish, the disease outbreaks were found mainly in winter and for the wild Nile fish, mortalities were observed in late spring and summer. Additionally wild fish were affected with ectoparasites. The LD50 values of the isolates ranged between 10(3) and 10(7). Isolates of high virulence were resistant to 1 hr boiling and to the bactericidal effect of fresh normal guinea pig serum. Moreover, they did not agglutinate in acriflavin. Only the virulent isolates could agglutinate tilapia erythrocytes. The above effects were reversed for avirulent isolates while moderately virulent isolates showed no consistency in their reactions. Tube agglutination test using O and WC antisera prepared against 6 isolates versus O ...
The mortality in undrained abdominal abscesses is high with a mortality rate ranging between 45 and 100%. The outcome in abdominal abscesses, however, has improved due to advances in image guided percutaneous interventional techniques. The main indications for the catheter drainage include treatment or palliation of sepsis associated with an infected fluid collection, and alleviation of the symptoms that may be caused by fluid collections by virtue of their size, like pancreatic pseudocele or lymphocele. The single liver abscesses may be drained with ultrasound guidance only, whereas the multiple abscesses usually require computed tomography (CT) guidance and placement of multiple catheters. The pancreatic abscesses are generally drained routinely and urgently. Non-infected pancreatic pseudocysts may be simply observed unless they are symptomatic or cause problems such as pain or obstruction of the biliary or the gastrointestinal tract. ...
The program package COSYMA for assessing the radiological and economic consequences of nuclear accidents, developed with the support of the European Commission, was applied to investigate the health effects and risks from accidental releases of radioactive material from the Daya Bay nuclear power plant. Population distribution data in the range of 80 km around the site and hourly meteorological data for the year 1985 representative of accident consequence analysis were used. The results showed that early effects are more important at distances closer to the site, while the number of fatal cancers is closely related to the population density and the late effects are still important at distances larger than 50 km from the site. The mean annual expected values for early mortality and late mortality estimated for the population within a circle of 80 km around the Daya Bay nuclear power plant are 4.5x10"-"3 and 0.1 yr"-"1, respectively.
Background Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common sustained atrial arrhythmia and it is independently associated with an increased morbidity and mortality. As a result of the high prevalence of AF, the economic and clinical impact of the disease is substantial. This study describes the economic and clinical impact of AF in the Netherlands. Methods Epidemiological data on AF in the Netherlands were projected on population estimates of the Netherlands in 2009 and combined with data on the cost of AF and its interventions. Results Overall prevalence of AF in the Netherlands is 5.5% in the population over 55?years, corresponding to about 250,000 AF patients. The prevalence increases with age, and the mean age of AF patients is 69.3?years. Incidence of AF in the Netherlands varies with age...
Introduction Gastrointestinal bleeding is a common life-threatening problem, causing significant mortality, costs and resource allocation. Its management requires a dynamic multidisciplinary approach that directs diagnostic and therapeutic priorities appropriately. Materials and methods Articles published within the past 15 years, related to gastrointestinal bleeding, were reviewed through MEDLINE search, in addition to current guidelines and standards. Results Decisions of ICU admission and blood transfusion must be individualized based on the extent of bleeding, hemodynamic profile and comorbidities of the patient and the risk of rebleeding. A secure airway may be required to optimize oxygenation and to prevent aspiration. Doses of induction agents must be reduced due to the changes in v...
The development of Callossobruchus chinensis (L.) in different packaging materials were conducted with gram and lentil seeds under control temperature. The highest population rise was recorded in laminated jute bags and the weight loss of gram increased with the increase of the number of insects. A doses of 0.1 kGy inhibit all metamorphic stages of the beetle. The use of appropriate packaging materials can reduce the risk of re infestation in the post-irradiated food items. 9 refs., 1 fig., 2 tables (author).
Abstract Neurodegenerative and neurometabolic disorders may cause significant morbidity and mortality in children. Imaging is important in early diagnosis of metabolic disorders and in determining the extent of brain injury. Especially after the development of new techniques such as diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS), neuroimaging plays more important role in the diagnosis and management of these disorders. In these disorders, usually a mutation causes a clinically significant block in one or more metabolic pathways. This blockage usually results in either a deficiency of the product or in an accumulation of substrate with damage induced by either storage or toxicity. The presenting symptoms are usually nonspecific. In some of the ...
The objectives of the research in the field of epidemiology , performed at the Belgian Nuclear Research Centre SCK-CEN are (1) to study cancer mortality and morbidity in nuclear workers in Belgium; (2) to document the feasibility of retrospective cohort studies in Belgium; (3) to participate in the IARC study. For radiobiology, the main objectives are: (1) to elucidate the mechanisms of the effects of ionizing radiation on the mammalian embryo during the early phase of its development, (2) to assess the genetic risks of maternal exposure to ionizing radiation, (3) to elucidate the mechanisms by which damage to the brain and mental retardation are caused in man after prenatal irradiation. The main achievements in these domains for 1997 are presented.
The transfer of fish from field to laboratory facilities or their propagation in closed or restricted systems frequently results in bacterial infection and ultimately large-scale mortality. In attemps to alleviate this problem, we have added tetracycline hydrochloride to the water prophylactically (pretreating tanks before wild fish were added) and therapeutically (treating tanks after bacterial outbreaks were detected.) In the present study, we examined the effect of tetracyline hydrochloride on the critical thermal maximum (CTM) of the common shiner (Notropis cornutus).
''Paraquat lung'' which is complicated with paraquat poisoning has been a lethal pulmonary pathology presenting intra-alveolar fibrosis, but an effective therapy has not been developed so far. We hypothesized that the type II alveolar cells producing surfactant were damaged by paraquat which was actively accumulated through out the blood by alveolar epithelial cells. To prove this hypothesis, we examined the effect of an intratracheal administration of an artificial lung surfactant (surfacten, Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma Corporation, Osaka) on mortality in a model of murine paraquat poisoning. Paraquat was given intramuscularly 3 days after the intratracheal surfactant administration. The mice used were C57BL/6J strain and Balb/C strain. The lethal dose, 50% (LD50), of paraquat was about 28 mg/kg in the C57BL/6J strain and about 9 mg/kg in the Balb/C strain, respectively. Mortalities of paraquat poisoning in both strains of mice improved ...
Pulmonary fibrosis was produced in mice treated with butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) 400 mg/kg and immediately exposed to 80% oxygen for 3 days. This treatment regimen resulted in 47% mortality. Surviving mice exhibited significant accumulations of pulmonary collagen as evidence by increases in total lung hydroxyproline levels. The administration of indomethacin (4 mg/kg/day) on days 1-6 after BHT decreased mortality to 14% and diminished the accumulation of collagen in lung tissue. Indomethacin also enhanced survival when administered on days 1-3 after BHT/O/sub 2/ but had no effect on lung collagen levels. Treatment with indomethacin on days 4-6 after BHT had no beneficial effect. The administration of prednisolone (60 mg/kg/day) on days 1-3, 1-6, or 4-6 after BHT decreased mortality but had not effect on accumulation of lung collagen. Cis-4-hydroxyproline (400 mg/kg/day) also had no effect on pulmonary fibrosis but did ...
Consensus principles from radiation biology were used to describe a generic set of nonlinear, first-order differential equations for modeling of toxicity-induced compensatory cell kinetics in terms of sublethal injury, repair, direct killing, killing of cells with unrepaired sublethal injury, and repopulation. This cellular model was linked to a probit model of hematopoietic mortality that describes death from infection and/or hemorrhage between {approximately} 5 and 30 days. Mortality data from 27 experiments with 851 doseresponse groups, in which doses were protracted by rate and/or fractionation, were used to simultaneously estimate all rate constants by maximum-likelihood methods. Data used represented 18,940 test animals distributed according to: (mice, 12,827); (rats, 2,925); (sheep, 1,676); (swine, 829); (dogs, 479); and (burros, 204). Although a long-term, repopulating hematopoietic stem cell is ancestral to all lineages needed to ...
The occurrence of hybrid incompatibilities forms an important stage during the evolution of reproductive isolation. In early stages of speciation, males and females often respond differently to hybridization. Haldane's rule states that the heterogametic sex suffers more from hybridization than the homogametic sex. Although haplodiploid reproduction (haploid males, diploid females) does not involve sex chromosomes, sex-specific incompatibilities are predicted to be prevalent in haplodiploid species. Here, we evaluate the effect of sex/ploidy level on hybrid incompatibilities and locate genomic regions that cause increased mortality rates in hybrid males of the haplodiploid wasps Nasonia vitripennis and Nasonia longicornis. Our data show that diploid F(1) hybrid females suffer less from hybridization than haploid F(2) hybrid males. The latter not only suffer from an increased mortality rate, but also from behavioural and spermatogenic sterility. ...
During outbreaks, Microdiprion pallipes (Fall.) is the most destructive of the pine sawflies in Sweden. Its distribution includes most provinces, but damaging outbreaks have until recently occurred only in two inland areas in northern Sweden. These areas are characterised by high elevation, a harsh climate, and slow tree growth. The four recorded outbreak periods showed a 10 year periodicity. Outside these areas, a lesser outbreak occurred in 1988 to 1990, on the east coast (province of Uppland). Outbreak patterns, life history variation, and mortality factors were studied. Factors that may explain the distribution of outbreaks and the population patterns were identified.Experimental and observational evidence on the potential of various factors to influence fecundity, dispersal, and survival was evaluated. In the outbreak areas, there were few major population factors. Parasitism by Rhorus substitutor (Thunb.) was the largest cause of larval ...
Background and Purpose: Total-body irradiation (TBI) is an important part of the conditioning regimen for hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) in patients with hematologic malignancies. The results after treatment with various TBI regimes were compared, and dose-effect relationships for the endpoints relapse incidence, disease-free survival, treatment-related mortality, and overall survival were derived. The aim was to define requirements for an optimal treatment schedule with respect to leukemic cell kill and late normal-tissue morbidity. Material and Methods: A literature search was performed. Three randomized studies, four studies comparing results of two or three TBI regimens, and nine reports with results of one specific TBI regimen were identified. Biologically effective doses (BEDs) were calculated. The results of the randomized studies and the studies comparing results of two or three TBI regimens were pooled, and the pooled relative risk (RR) was ...
Background and Purpose: Total-body irradiation (TBI) is an important part of the conditioning regimen for hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) in patients with hematologic malignancies. The results after treatment with various TBI regimes were compared, and dose-effect relationships for the endpoints relapse incidence, disease-free survival, treatment-related mortality, and overall survival were derived. The aim was to define requirements for an optimal treatment schedule with respect to leukemic cell kill and late normal-tissue morbidity. Material and Methods: A literature search was performed. Three randomized studies, four studies comparing results of two or three TBI regimens, and nine reports with results of one specific TBI regimen were identified. Biologically effective doses (BEDs) were calculated. The results of the randomized studies and the studies comparing results of two or three TBI regimens were pooled, and the pooled relative risk (RR) was ...
Objective: The aim of this study was to compare symptoms and anterior segment tolerability with short-term (3-day) administration of once-daily timolol hemihydrate 0.5%, timolol maleate in sorbate 0.5%, and generic timolol maleate gel-forming solution 0.5% in the treatment of glaucoma and/or ocular hypertension. Methods: In this prospective, randomized, double-masked, active-controlled, 3-period crossover pilot study, eligible patients had primary open-angle, pigmentdispersion, or exfoliation glaucoma, and/or ocular hypertension in >=1 eye; had a best corrected visual acuity of 1.0 or better in each eye, as measured using the Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study (ETDRS) visual acuity testing chart; were receiving 1 glaucoma medication; and had an untreated intraocular pressure (IOP) ...
This paper presents a Benders decomposition approach to determine the optimal day-ahead power scheduling in a pool-organized power system, taking into account dispatch, network and security constraints. The study model considers the daily market and the technical constraints resolution as two different and consecutive processes. The daily market is solved in a first stage subject to economical criteria exclusively and then, the constraints solution algorithm is applied to this initial dispatch through the redispatching method. The Benders partitioning algorithm is applied to this constraints solution process to obtain an optimal secure power scheduling. The constraints solution includes a full AC network and security model to incorporate voltages magnitudes as they are a critical factor in some real power systems. The algorithm determines the active power committed to each generator so as to minimize the energy redispatch cost subject to ...
Locomotive engineers (train drivers) on irregular work schedules reported a general coffee consumption rate higher than that reported by a comparison sample of permanent shift factory workers. The present study examines the impact of this consumption on workday and non-workday sleep behaviour and mood ratings. Twenty-seven engineers and their spouses each completed daily logs for 30 consecutive days. Daily logs were then sorted into workday and non-workday categories. Workday sleep length was significantly shorter than non-workday sleep length for both engineers and spouses. For the engineers only, coffee consumption on workdays was higher than on non-workdays. This increased coffee consumption was correlated with longer sleep latency, increased negative mood, and decreased positive mood on both work and non-workdays. This was not true for spouses. These results may be related to a days-off carry-over effect of caffeine or a general consumption ...
Two studies were conducted to investigate the effects of nutrition and suckling patterns on the ovarian cyclicity of postpartum buffaloes. In Study 1, which was conducted on an institutional farm, two different diets were fed to 24 buffaloes during late gestation and postpartum period. Restricted (twice daily) suckling began on day 30 postpartum in half the animals on each diet. The body weight of both ad libitum suckled and twice daily suckled groups declined during the postpartum period, irrespective of the diet fed. Buffaloes subjected to restricted suckling lost less body weight and re-established ovarian cyclicity earlier than those suckled ad libitum. In Study 2, which was conducted under village conditions, temporary calf removal for 72 hours on days 91-93 postpartum in anoestrous buffaloes induced the re-establishment of ovarian cyclicity within 14 days. (author). 11 refs, 7 tabs.
This double-blind, multicenter, randomized placebo-controlled study evaluated the antihypertensive efficacy and safety of nebivolol, a selective beta1-adrenoreceptor blocker with vasodilating effects, in patients with mild to moderate hypertension (sitting diastolic blood pressure [SiDBP] > or =95 mm Hg and < or =109 mm Hg). A total of 909 patients were randomized to receive placebo or nebivolol 1.25, 2.5, 5, 10, 20, or 40 mg once daily for up to 84 days. The primary end point was the change in trough SiDBP from baseline to study end. Nebivolol significantly reduced trough SiDBP (8.0-11.2 mm Hg compared with 2.9 mm Hg with placebo; P<.001) and trough sitting systolic blood pressure (a 4.4-9.5-mm Hg decrease compared with a 2.2-mm Hg increase [corrected] with placebo; P< or =.002). The overall adverse event experience was similar in the nebivolol (46.1%) and placebo (40.7%) groups (P=.273). Once-daily nebivolol is an effective ...
The Wind2H2 system is fully functional and continues to gather performance data. In this report, specifications of the Wind2H2 equipment (electrolyzers, compressor, hydrogen storage tanks, and the hydrogen fueled generator) are summarized. System operational experience and lessons learned are discussed. Valuable operational experience is shared through running, testing, daily operations, and troubleshooting the Wind2H2 system and equipment errors are being logged to help evaluate the reliability of the system.
This short article discusses the results of a market survey on ventilation systems for residential buildings and the role played by ventilation systems in our daily lives. Problems incurred as a result of insufficient ventilation conditions such as the formation of mould in dwellings whose windows have been replaced with better seals are discussed, for example. The negative image of air-conditioning and its causes are examined. The need for action in this area is stressed. Further findings of the study are presented, including a detailed review of current equipment and scenarios on how these systems can develop in the future. The extension of the study to cover the situation in further European countries is mentioned.
The effects of a timolol maleate gel-forming solution (TMGS) on intraocular pressure (IOP), blood pressure (BP), and pupil size (PS) were evaluated in normotensive dogs. TMGS was administered once daily to six normotensive beagle dogs. TMGS administration reduced IOP and PS. The hypotensive effect persisted for 24 hr after the administration. The mean reduction in IOP was 5.3 mm Hg (P<0.01). The changes in BP and PS were not significant. These results suggest that TMGS can potentially be used in the treatments of glaucoma and ocular hypertension in dogs. PMID:16820724
What makes teamwork tick?. Cooperation matters, in daily life and in complex applications. After all, many tasks need more than a single agent to be effectively performed. Therefore, teamwork rules!. Teams are social groups of agents dedicated to the fulfilment of particular persistent tasks. In modern multiagent environments, heterogeneous teams often consist of autonomous software agents, various types of robots and human beings. Teamwork in Multi-agent Systems: A Formal Approach explains teamwork rules in terms of agents' attitudes and their complex interplay. It provides the first comprehe
The solar powered electric vehicle race began in Arlington, Texas on June 20, 1993 and finished 7 days later in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Thirty four teams from Universities across the United States and Puerto Rico completed the race out of thirty six entries. The race demonstrated the viability of sunlight powered vehicles as the better average daily speeds were in excess of 50 miles an hour. Even in the rain, most average speeds were in excess of 15 miles an hour. Analyzed results, photographs, and project details are included. (GHH)
The objective of this work is a study for the application of a new technology that will be used in the engine management system in the vehicle; where the final consumer can opt for the inquiry performance or seeking an economy for the fuel consumption depending on its daily use and of the prices offered in the gas stations. Flexible Fuel is a technology in development for the automobile market that mixes the use of two fuels (gasoline and ethanol) and their mixtures in the internal combustion engine. (author)
We report a case of stress fracture of the clavicle associated with sternocostoclavicular hyperostosis. A 60-year-old man sustained a stress fracture of the right clavicle with no history of trauma. On radiography, hyperostosis of the anterior chest wall and ankylosis of the sternoclavicular joint were evident in addition to the fracture. Fracture healing was uneventful after 2.5 months. Ankylosis of the sternoclavicular joint may have caused increased stress at the midshaft of the clavicle by daily activity or minor trauma. Such a fracture is a rare complication of sternocostoclavicular hyperostosis. (orig.)
As the amount of urban and industrial wastes is increasing more and more, recycling is very necessary. Daily, there are many news about packing, even more since European Union is getting ready a Directive that will propose and will impose the reuse and recycling of the materials used to produce the packs. This Directive will be followed by different national laws of the countries members of EU. This paper describes the increasing use of aluminium for packing, and particularly its use for beverage cans, its characteristic and applications.
Radiotherapeutic results of the Ewing sarcoma of the long tubular bones in 140 pediatric patients aged 3-16 are analyzed with the respect to different methods of irradiation. Three-field irradiation, the fields being located at 120 deg to one another with daily irradiation of all three fields at a focal dose of 2 Gy, was found superior in treatment of primary neoplasm. It is stressed that the disease termination mainly depends on the efficiency of primary neoplasm treatment, as the neoplasm reccurence generally is followed by metastases. Radiation load is calculated for maximal irradiation area of soft tissues in children.
Control of human filarial infections currently depends on chemotherapeutic strategies predominantly directed at microfilariae. Doxycycline therapy in an extended daily dose regimen sterilizes and kills adult stages, but the utility of this drug for routine field use remains an issue of concern. No macrofilaricidal drugs with efficacy after one or two doses are available for use, delaying the achievement of the elimination or eradication of onchocerciasis and lymphatic filariasis. Moxidectin, a macrocyclic lactone, is currently in clinical trials for onchocerciasis. A few other drugs that have already been approved for use in veterinary practice or in human medicine for other indications are available for investigation. Early drug discovery pipelines are poorly populated and the process of ...
The Marine Technology Society 1994 conference was held in Washington, D.C., September 7-9, 1994. Titled Challenges and Opportunities in the Marine Environment, the conference offered a wide variety of presentations. State-of-the-art technology, government policies and regulations, and environmental concerns were addressed. Offshore mining, coastal zone management, marine engineering, oceanographic research, educational issues, and global climate change were also well represented in the presentations. The conference proceedings are organized around the daily sessions and roughly 70% of the papers are included.
This paper summarizes the investigation of horizontal direction drilling and the subsequent experimental installation of a natural gas network in a suburb of Paris, France. Three aspects of drilling were studied prior to implementation: (1) reliability of the technique and quality of pipelaying to ensure long-term supply main operation; (2) ability to assess the successfulness of the work by assessing preliminary conditions; and (3) economonic viability. Measurement of tensile stress on polyethylene pipe during pulling and comparative accelerated aging tests on scratched pipe were performed. In the implementation phase, 300 meters of pipe were laid daily, by using three machines simultaneously, at a cost comparable to that of conventional techniques.
With major D&D projects ongoing or being planned, and also with the daily management of radwaste from nuclear facilities, the potential role of transport packagings has often been overlooked: here will one rely essentially on drums, there several local waste processing units are built, elsewhere decommissioned facilities are cut in small bits to fit into small containers by far less efficient. The present paper proposes to illustrate how integrating a transport system from the start may influence operational choices of waste management.
Information security involves many branches of effort, including information assurance, host level security, physical security, and network security. Computer network security methods and implementations are given a top-down description to permit a medically focused audience to anchor this information to their daily practice. The depth of detail of network functionality and security measures, like that of the study of human anatomy, can be highly involved. Presented at the level of major gross anatomical systems, this paper will focus on network backbone implementation and perimeter defenses, then diagnostic tools, and finally the user practices (the human element). Physical security measures, though significant, have been defined as beyond the scope of this presentation.
SO/sub 2/ concentrations in the Stuttgart air have been measured continuously since 1965. The two measuring points were located at the bottom of the Stuttgart city basin and 900 m east on the side of one of the surrounding hills. Long-term curves of pollutant loads have been established in consideration of meteorological parameters, as well as curves showing the average daily, weekly, and yearly pollution. The information thus gained may help to plan air pollution abatement measures in city planning.
... Focuses on distillation and packed towers, and presents the methods and fundamentals of plant design along with supplemental mechanical and related data, nomographs, data charts and heuristics. AU$223.45 ex-GST Terms and Conditions CRC Handbook of Chemis... For almost a century this handbook has been updated annually, except for a few wartime years, and has served generations of engineers and scientists. Current daily price AU$209.09 ex-GST Terms and Conditions Perry's Chemical Engin... Was: $199.95 inc gst NOW: ...
The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI), and the Department of Energy-National Energy Technologies Laboratory (DOE-NETL) are evaluating and demonstrating integration of terrestrial carbon sequestration techniques at a coal-fired electric power plant through the use of Flue Gas Desulfurization (FGD) system gypsum as a soil amendment and mulch, and coal fly ash pond process water for periodic irrigation. From January to March 2002, the Project Team initiated the construction of a 40 ha Carbon Capture and Water Emissions Treatment System (CCWESTRS) near TVA's Paradise Fossil Plant on marginally reclaimed surface coal mine lands in Kentucky. The CCWESTRS is growing commercial grade trees and cover crops and is expected to sequester 1.5-2.0 MT/ha carbon per year over a 20-year period. The concept could be used to meet a portion of the timber industry's needs while simultaneously sequestering carbon in lands which would otherwise ...
Background.There are no suitably powered epidemiological studies of `transient azotaemia' (TA). The objective of this study was to describe the epidemiology of TA and its independent association with hospital mortality. We hypothesized that TA would be associated with an independent increase in the risk of death. Methods.We retrospectively studied all patients admitted to a university-affiliated hospital in Australia between January 2000 and December 2002. Patients were excluded if they were <15 years old, were on chronic dialysis, had kidney transplant or if their length of hospital stay was <24 hours. We defined TA as rapidly recovering acute kidney injury (AKI) (return to no-AKI risk, injury, failure, loss, end stage (RIFLE) class within 72 hours of onset). We performed descriptive and ...
The isopod parasite Ceratothoa oestroides becomes hard to eradicate in intensive fish rearing systems and in addition to causing weight loss in adult fish it causes mortalities in larval and juveniles stages of sea bass and sea bream. Faced with the fast emergence of this infection in Adriatic finfish facilities, an effective compound had to be tested for bath treatment. Ivermectin was chosen for this purpose on the basis of extensive practice in northern European countries which used ivermectin administered in food with good results in treatment of Lepeophtheirus sp. and Caligus sp. infections. For determination of toxicity of ivermectin, a short-term toxicity bioassay on 40-day-old sea bream, Sparus aurata, L., was conducted, following FAO and UNEP procedures for methodology in aquatic t...
Sepsis and septic shock remain major causes of mortality and morbidity worldwide. Previously, high dose corticosteroids were used to dampen the inflammatory response but studies and meta-analyses showed this to be of no benefit and possibly detrimental. Subsequently, low dose corticosteroids were used in the treatment of sepsis and septic shock with the hypothesis that these conditions are associated with relative adrenal insufficiency. Although some studies showed promising results larger studies and meta-analyses have failed to reproduce these effects and the use of corticosteroids in the treatment of sepsis and septic shock remains controversial. We review the current literature and guidelines regarding low dose corticosteroid use in the management of sepsis and septic shock.
There is limited information on the incidence of acute kidney injury (AKI) in patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI) although AKI may contribute to morbidity and mortality. We investigated the incidence of AKI in patients with moderate and severe TBI and the association of AKI with risk factors and outcomes in these patients. We studied all TBI patients over 16 years of age admitted to the two designated trauma hospitals in the state of Victoria, Australia from 1 January to 31 December 2008. Patients were included if they had head trauma and presented with a Glasgow coma scale (GCS) <13. Prospectively collected data from the hospital trauma registries, ICUs, and pathology databases were analyzed retrospectively. Risk injury failure loss end (RIFLE) criteria were used to categorize rena...
Individuals with sickle cell disease (SCD) demonstrate an increased susceptibility to invasive bacterial infections (IBI). The most common organisms causing IBI are Streptococcus pneumoniae, nontyphi Salmonella species and Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib). IBI are the most common causes of death in children below 5 years of age with SCD. Increased susceptibility to IBI is because of several factors including dysfunctional antibody production and opsonophagocytosis as well as defective splenic clearance. Early diagnosis of Hib and pneumococcal infections combined with antibiotic prophylaxis and immunization programs, could lead to significant improvements in mortality, especially in Africa. Pediatr Blood Cancer. 2010;55:401-406. Copyright 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Seventy-one patients with intestinal injury secondary to pelvic irradiation had predominantly large bowel lesions. Seventeen cases were treated conservatively and 54 came to surgery, 28 patients having more than one operation. Following this essentially salvage surgery there were more ileal than colonic anastomotic leaks. Thirty-four patients died during the follow-up period (2-12 years), 19 from recurrent malignancy, and nine as a result of continuing radiation effects. Seventy per cent of the patients who had a radiation fistula died as a result of malignancy. Of 42000 cases of pelvic malignancy treated by irradiation over the decade 1972-1982, surgical referrals for complications constituted 1.7%, with an overall radiation-related mortality of 0.2%. It is our opinion that colostomy alone has little part to play in this condition, and a policy based on excisional surgery is suggested.
In spite of the improved imaging techniques currently available, mortality for pancreatic cancer is still high, and pancreatics is often diagnosed only in its advanced stages. The authors investigated the value of different imaging techniques - i.e., US, CT, and ERCP - for an early diagnosis, when a more effective (curative?) treatment can be suggested. Fifty-six cases of pancreatic cancer and 36 cases of chronic pancreatitis were evaluated. The results indicate that ERCP, with the help of statistical methods, is superior to US and CT not only in evaluating early neoplastic or inflammatory lesions, but also for their differential diagnosis. In the letter case, ERCP can sometimes be used as a valid alternative to fine-needle aspiration biopsy.
Soluble TWEAK is a member of the TNF-alpha family of cytokines that has been shown to predict mortality in patients with heart failure. Pulmonary artery hypertension is a devastating disease, in which right ventricular function has been shown to be the major determinant of prognosis. In this hypothesis-generating study, we sought to evaluate the potential usefulness of sTWEAK in the prediction of disease severity in patients with pulmonary artery hypertension. We therefore conducted a retrospective analysis of sTWEAK serum levels in 95 stable patients with PAH. For all patients data on hemodynamic parameters, biomarkers and functional exercise tests were available. Compared to controls, patients with PAH showed significantly decreased levels of sTWEAK [median 314?pg/ml (interquartile range...
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the toxicological effects of feeding the oils of Calophyllum inophyllum, Pentaclethra macrophylla and Terminalia catappa to rats. The effects on physical appearance, feed intake, weight gain, plasma and tissue cholesterol and triacyglycerol levels in rats with 5% of the oils in normal rat feed were determined. Weekly monitoring of the rats showed good physical appearance and steady weight gain, with no mortality recorded for the period of the study. Haematological analysis of the rats indicated that they were not anaemic. Histopathotogical examination of the sections of the heart, liver, kidney and spleen revealed moderate (T. catappa oil) to severe fatty change and necrosis in the liver. Glomerulonephrotic changes in the kidneys of rats fed with T...
Paraquat is a nonselective contact herbicide of great toxicological importance, being associated with high mortality rates, mainly due to respiratory failure. We report the case of a 22-year-old male admitted to the emergency room with a sore throat, dysphagia, hemoptysis, and retrosternal pain after the ingestion of 50 mL of a paraquat solution, four days prior to admission. Chest CT scans revealed pulmonary opacities, pneumomediastinum, pneumothorax, and subcutaneous emphysema. The patient was submitted to two cycles of immunosuppressive therapy with cyclophosphamide, methylprednisolone, and dexamethasone. The pulmonary gas exchange parameters gradually improved, and the patient was discharged four weeks later. The clinical and tomographic follow-up evaluations performed at four months after discharge showed that there had been further clinical improvement. We also present a brief review of the literature, as well as a discussion of the therapeutic algorithm for ...
Paraquat is a nonselective contact herbicide of great toxicological importance, being associated with high mortality rates, mainly due to respiratory failure. We report the case of a 22-year-old male admitted to the emergency room with a sore throat, dysphagia, hemoptysis, and retrosternal pain after the ingestion of 50 mL of a paraquat solution, four days prior to admission. Chest CT scans revealed pulmonary opacities, pneumomediastinum, pneumothorax, and subcutaneous emphysema. The patient was submitted to two cycles of immunosuppressive therapy with cyclophosphamide, methylprednisolone, and dexamethasone. The pulmonary gas exchange parameters gradually improved, and the patient was discharged four weeks later. The clinical and tomographic follow-up evaluations performed at four months after discharge showed that there had been further clinical improvement. We also present a brief review of the literature, as well as a discussion of the therapeutic algorithm for ...
Objective Comorbidities predisposing cardiac surgical patients toward deep sternal wound infection, such as diabetes and obesity, are rising in the United States. Longitudinal analysis of risk factors, morbidity, and mortality was performed to assessed effects of these health trends on deep sternal wound infection rates. Methods In this retrospective analysis of all median sternotomies performed at a single institution from 1991 through 2006, demographic and surgical characteristics were identified from a prospective database. The cohort was separated into periods from 1992 through 2001 and 2002 through 2006 to identify longitudinal trends in risk factors for deep sternal wound infection. Univariate and matched multivariable analyses were performed. Results Overall, study population had in...
Zooplankton tolerant to ultraviolet radiation (UVR) could be indirectly affected by UVR through interactions with UV-sensitive species in the same ecosystem. In Lake Giles, Pennsylvania, USA, the calanoid copepod Leptodiaptomus minutus is more UVR tolerant than the cohabiting species Daphnia catawba and Cyclops scutifer. We asked whether L. minutus is affected by UV-induced mortality of a food competitor (D. catawba) or a predator of its nauplii (C. scutifer). We conducted two in situ enclosure experiments with six treatments: L. minutus alone, L . minutus + Daphnia and L. minutus + Cyclops in the presence and absence of UVR. There were few differences in survival among treatments in Experiment 1, which had enhanced food and a cumulative UVR (320 nm) dose of 9.3 kJ m-2. In Experiment 2, wh...
When evaluating the risks of oncogenesis and cancer mortality following exposure to the radiations of the atomic bombs (A-bombs), the medical X-ray doses received by the A-bomb survivors must also be estimated and considered. Using a human phantom, dosimetry was performed to estimate the X-ray doses received by A-bomb survivors during medical examinations at the Radiation Effects Foundation (RERF) as part of the long-term follow-up on the Adult Health Study (AHS). These examinations have been estimated to represent nearly 45% of the survivors' cumulative medical irradiation dose. Doses to the salivary glands, thyroid gland, lung, breast, stomach and colon were measured using thermoluminescent dosemeters. The results, which are reported here, will aid in estimating organ doses received by individual AHS participants. (Author).
When evaluating the risks of oncogenesis and cancer mortality following exposure to the radiations of the atomic bombs (A-bombs), the medical X-ray doses received by the A-bomb survivors must also be estimated and considered. Using a human phantom, dosimetry was performed to estimate the X-ray doses received by A-bomb survivors during medical examinations at the Radiation Effects Foundation (RERF) as part of the long-term follow-up on the Adult Health Study (AHS). These examinations have been estimated to represent nearly 45% of the survivors' cumulative medical irradiation dose. Doses to the salivary glands, thyroid gland, lung, breast, stomach and colon were measured using thermoluminescent dosemeters. The results, which are reported here, will aid in estimating organ doses received by individual AHS participants. (Author).
Background Experimental and clinical studies have identified a crucial role of microcirculation impairment in severe infections. We hypothesized that mottling, a sign of microcirculation alterations, was correlated to survival during septic shock. Methods We conducted a prospective observational study in a tertiary teaching hospital. All consecutive patients with septic shock were included during a 7-month period. After initial resuscitation, we recorded hemodynamic parameters and analyzed their predictive value on mortality. The mottling score (from 0 to 5), based on mottling area extension from the knees to the periphery, was very reproducible, with an excellent agreement between independent observers [kappa?=?0.87, 95% CI (0.72?0.97)]. Results Sixty patients were included. The SOFA scor...
Objective. Preterm neonates are susceptible to infection due to a combination of sub-optimal immunity and increased exposure to invasive organisms. Invasive fungal infections are associated with significant morbidity and mortality among preterm infants cared for in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). Mannose-binding lectin (MBL) is a component of the innate immune system, which may be especially important in the neonatal setting. The objective of this study was to investigate the presence of any association between MBL gene polymorphism and nosocomial invasive fungal infection in preterm neonates. Methods. Codon 54 (B allele) polymorphism in exon 1 of the MBL gene was investigated in 31 patients diagnosed as nosocomial invasive fungal infection and 30 control preterm neonates. Results...
Lead is a heavy metal which is widely used in paint industry, pigments, dyes, electrical components and electronics, plastic chemicals and in various other things. Since some of the lead salts are soluble in water, lead presents a potential threat to aquatic organisms. Studies dealing with invertebrates include those on mortality, growth and lead uptake in Lymnaea palustris and bioaccumulation of heavy metals in oysters and mussels. Little information exists regarding the effect of lead on the fresh water crustaceans. Hence the present investigation has been undertaken to study the uptake and loss of lead on exposure to subtoxic levels or organic and inorganic lead.
Purpose Elective laparoscopic sigmoid resection (LSR) for symptomatic diverticular disease is supposed to have significant short-term advantages compared to open surgery (open sigmoid resection (OSR)). This opinion is rather based on inferences from trials on colonic resections for malignant diseases or minor laparoscopic surgery. This randomized controlled trial was conducted to compare quality of life as well as morbidity and clinical outcome after LSR vs. OSR following a midterm follow-up period. Methods Patients presenting with a symptomatic sigmoid diverticular disease stage II/III (Stock/Hansen) were randomly allocated to LSR or OSR in a prospective multicenter trial. Endpoints included the quality of life assessed with a standardized questionnaire, postoperative mortality, and compl...
Chronic mesenteric arterial ischemia is an uncommon condition associated a high morbidity and mortality. It is most Commonly caused by atherosclerotic occlusive disease. Patients may suffer epigastric or periumbilical postprandial pain ten to thirty minutes after eating. A case of chronic mesenteric artery stenosis, the diagnosis was performance with colonoscopy and biopsy. We present a case report of a patient with chronic mesenteric ischemia. Mesenteric arteriography was performed and documented estenosis of the mesenteric superior artery. Then percutaneous arteriography with angioplasty and implant of stent was performed. The patients became completely asymptomatic and normal colon mucous is observed in control colonoscopy. The purpose of this report is to present the case endoscopy, clinic and radiological features and to describe the percutaneous angioplasty and implant of stent. We believe that angioplasty treatment offers and improvement in this pathology ...
Water stress and fire disturbance can directly impact stand structure, biomass and composition by causing mortality and influencing competitive interactions among trees. However, open eucalypt forests of southwest Australia are highly resilient to fire and drought and may respond differently to increased fire frequency and aridity than forests dominated by non-eucalypt species. We measured the variation in stem density, basal area, stand biomass, sapwood area, leaf area and litterfall across 16 mixed jarrah (Eucalyptus marginata) and marri (Corymbia calophylla) forest stands along an aridity gradient in southwest Australia that had variable fire histories. Fire frequency was defined as the total number of fires over a ~30-year period and aridity as the ratio of potential evapotranspiration...
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is considered to be one of the most common malignancies worldwide, and the most common one in Africa and Asia. Over the last decade, a rising incidence of up to 10-15/100,000 per population has been seen in the Western world, with an estimate of 250,000 deaths and more than a million worldwide per year. By the year 2010, the World Health Organization expects that HCC will be the leading cause of cancer mortality surpassing lung cancer. This increasing incidence is most likely related to an increasing prevalence of chronic hepatitis C (HC) and B (HB) virus infections and other diseases inducing chronic inflammation (Befeler and Di Bisceglie 2002; Llovet et al. 2003).
The main objectives of research in the field of health effects at the Belgian Nuclear Research Centre SCK-CEN are: (1) to study cancer mortality and morbidity in nuclear workers in Belgium; (2) to document the feasibility of retrospective cohort studies in Belgium; (3) to participate in the IARC study; (4) to elucidate the mechanisms of the effects of ionizing radiation on the mammalian embryo during the early phases of its development; (5) to assess the genetic risks of material exposure to ionizing radiation; (6) to elucidate the cellular mechanisms leading to brain damage after prenatal irradiation; (7) to advise authorities and to provide the general population with adequate information concerning the health risk arising from radiation exposure. Progress and major achievements in these topical areas for 1997 are reported.
Plant secondary chemistry is determined by both genetic and environmental factors, and while large intraspecific variation in secondary chemistry has been reported frequently, the levels of genetic variation of many secondary metabolites in forest trees in the context of potential resistance against pests have been rarely investigated. We examined the effect of tree genotype and environment/site on the variation in defensive secondary chemistry of lodgepole pine, Pinus contorta var. latifolia, against the fungus, Grosmannia clavigera (formerly known as Ophiostoma clavigerum), associated with the mountain pine beetle, Dendroctonus ponderosae. Terpenoids were analyzed in phloem samples from 887, 20-yr-old trees originating from 45 half-sibling families planted at two sites. Samples were coll...
Regular fuel reduction burning is an important management strategy for reducing the scale and intensity of wildfires in south-west Australian native forests, but the long term effects of this on tree and stand growth are not well understood. Five fire treatments, including application of frequent and infrequent low intensity burns, and 25?years of fire exclusion, were applied to small (4?ha) experimental plots in a low rainfall mixed jarrah (Eucalyptus marginata) and marri (Corymbia calophylla) forest to investigate the effects of these treatments on tree stem diameter growth, stand basal area increment and tree mortality. Mean tree stem growth measured over 20?years was lowest in the long unburnt treatment compared with the burn treatments, although surface soil nutrient levels were gener...
Aluminium phosphide ingestion is the most common agricultural poisoning in suburban and rural India and with a high mortality rate. Among survivors of acute poisoning there are recent sporadic reports of esophageal complications such as esophageal strictures and tracheo-esophageal fistula. The present study was carried out to determine the incidence, natural history, and treatment outcome of local esophageal complications in survivors of aluminium phosphide poisoning with complaints of dysphagia. All confirmed cases of poisoning with aluminium phosphide ingestion were admitted in Hamidia Hospital, Gandhi Medical College, Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, India, from October 2007 to October 2008. Survivors with complaints of dysphagia underwent a barium study and upper gastrointestinal endoscopy to d...
We developed mice with germline endogenous expression of oncogenic Hras to study effects on development and mechanisms of tumor initiation. They had high perinatal mortality, abnormal cranial dimensions, defective dental ameloblasts, and nasal septal deviation, consistent with some of the features of human Costello syndrome. These mice developed papillomas and angiosarcomas, which were associated with Hras(G12V) allelic imbalance and augmented Hras signaling. Endogenous expression of Hras(G12V) was also associated with a higher mutation rate in vivo. Tumor initiation by Hras(G12V) likely requires augmentation of signal output, which in papillomas and angiosarcomas is achieved via increased Hras-gene copy number, which may be favored by a higher mutation frequency in cells expressing the oncoprotein. PMID:19416908
Summary 1.-Traditional views of ecological disturbance emphasize the role that physical disturbances play in reducing competition between populations and maintaining species coexistence. I present an alternative view that employs a simple Lotka-Volterra model to demonstrate how disturbance resistance, disturbance resilience and resource storage can increase competition between individual perennial plants of similar growth form along a resource supply gradient. 2.-In contrasting the growth of individual genets of two hypothetical species, I assumed that traits associated with inherently low module (i.e. plant part) mortality in infertile soils resulted in greater resource storage, but traded off with maximum potential net photosynthesis rates and thus disturbance resilience. 3.-The species ...
Bowel infarction is a rare and typical condition of the elderly; despite improvements in diagnostic imaging and vascular surgery, bowel infarction remains a major cause of acute abdomen, with mortality rates ranging 70-80%. Diagnosis on often late because clinical sings, laboratory data and radiologic findings are a specific. The authors investigated radiographic and particular CT patterns of intestinal infraction in 56 patients submitted to surgery within 12 hours of admission. We also report the CT findings of 5 of these patients who had reversible mesenteric ischemia. CT is more sensitive than radiography and does not exhibit the limitations of angiography (i.e., invasiveness, radiation exposure an complex organization. Therefore CT can presently be considered the method of choice in patients with suspected bowel infarction.
Preterm birth is a common cause of neonatal morbidity and mortality. Many asymptomatic genital infections have been associated with preterm birth, but attempts to determine a causal relationship between specific infections and preterm birth have been disappointing. Treatment trials of specific infections have generally failed to show a positive effect, and in some trials have shown a deleterious effect. Although there is a strong association between the presence of bacterial vaginosis and Trichomonas vaginalis in pregnancy and preterm birth, randomized treatment trials have failed to show a benefit of treatment of these organisms. Treatment of asymptomatic bacterial vaginosis or T. vaginalis to prevent preterm birth is not warranted. PMID:12112946
This investigation of a brain cancer cluster in Missouri used two approaches to investigate associations with potential risk factors. In a case-control study in a rural town, we interviewed surrogates of cases and controls about potential risk factors. We found a statistically significant positive association of brain cancer with reported exposure to dental x-rays. Occupation was not associated with the cluster in the rural town. In a standardized proportional mortality study for the state of Missouri, we calculated the observed and expected proportion of brain cancers by occupation and industry in Missouri decedents. We found that motor vehicle manufacturers, beauty shop workers, managers and administrators, elementary school teachers, and hairdressers and cosmetologists had significantly elevated proportions of brain cancer. Brain tumors are inconsistently associated with occupation in the literature. Further study of brain cancer etiology with respect to dental ...
Objective: Sarcopenia of legs is an important cause of physical dysfunctions, frailty and dependence. Many predisposing and underlying mechanisms of sarcopenia, including age, sedentary life style, oxidative stress, insulin resistance, and low testosterone levels, are also known to be related to atherosclerosis, which is another leading cause of morbidity and mortality in elderly subjects. In this study, we investigated our hypothesis that sarcopenia and atherosclerosis are associated with each other to facilitate mutual abnormalities. Methods: Study was performed in apparently healthy 496 middle-aged to elderly persons recruited consecutively among the visitors to the medical check-up program, Anti-Aging Doc, in a University hospital, from March 2006 to December 2007. Mid-thigh muscle cro...
Seed dispersal involves several complex stages that can be affected by multiple peripheral processes. Thus, a major dispersal event can be followed by secondary dispersal, which can reduce density-dependent mortality and consolidate the dispersal phase. But predation events can also follow, and predation of seeds in feces is particularly interesting because it can heavily alter the fate of seeds dispersed through vertebrate guts. Our review of 20 cases involving this kind of interaction found that research has chiefly been in tropical and subtropical areas (85% of cases), suggesting that it is a minor phenomenon at higher latitudes. However, the small size of both the seeds and predators involved may have caused this process to go unnoticed outside the tropics. We tested the presence of pr...
Summary The antigenic relationship between the phocine distemper virus (PDV) strain causing the epidemic in 2002 and the PDV strain of 1988, canine distemper virus from two dogs and one marten, and one measles virus strain was investigated in vivo and in vitro using monospecific polyclonal and monoclonal antibodies directed against five different proteins of canine or phocine distemper virus (N, P, M, F, H). Epitopic mapping revealed no difference between the PDV strains causing the epidemics in 1988 or 2002. However, the use of these antibodies allowed discrimination between different morbilliviruses including a vaccine strain of canine distemper virus. The major differences among the investigated morbilliviruses were found in the H protein.
Viral infections are still common causes of morbidity and mortality in immunosuppressed patients after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Infections caused by virus such as cytomegalovirus, adenovirus and Epstein-Barr virus are well-known. In addition, several other viruses such as polyomavirus and human herpesvirus 6 have been recently reported to be causes of significant complications. As the delay in recovery of virus-specific cellular immune response after transplant is associated with viral reactivation and viral disease, adoptive immunotherapy to restore virus-specific cellular immunity is an attractive option. Recent clinical trials showed the safety and effectiveness of adoptive immunotherapy against viral diseases. In this review, we summarize the current status o...
Magnesium fructose-1,6-diphosphate is a novel agent of antimyocardial ischaemia. In the present study, the subchronic toxicity of magnesium fructose-1,6-diphosphate was investigated after 13-week repeated intravenous administration in beagle dogs. The animals received doses of 0, 75, 150 and 300 mg/kg/day (three males and three females for each dose). During the study period, clinical signs, mortality, body weights, food consumption, electrocardiogram, urinalysis, haematology, clinical biochemistry, macroscopic findings, organ weights and histopathology were examined. The administration of magnesium fructose-1,6-diphosphate resulted in increased incidence of clinical signs, including salivation and emesis. These effects were transient and were noted in almost all dogs given 300 mg/kg/day a...
Traffic characterization is an important means for Internet Service Providers (ISPs) to adapt and to optimize their networks to the requirements of the customers. Most network measurements are performed in the backbone of these ISPs, showing both, residential and business Internet traffic. However, the traffic characteristics of business and home users differ significantly. Therefore, we have performed measurements of home users at a broadband wireless access service provider in order to reflect only home user traffic characteristics. In this paper, we present the results of these measurements, showing daily traffic fluctuations, flow statistics as well as application distributions. The results show a difference to backbone traffic characteristics. Furthermore, we observed a shift from web...
The need for alternative energy increases steadily???especially due to the climate change and the limited availability of fossil fuels. Geothermal power uses the intrinsic heat which is stored in the accessible part of the Earth???s crust. Its importance among the renewable energy resources originates from the almost unlimited energy supply of the Earth and its independence from external influences such as seasonal or even daily climatic variability. Nevertheless, there are risks which have to be assessed. From a mathematical point of view there are four building blocks of the characterization of deep geothermal systems: seismic exploration, gravimetry, modeling transport processes, and modeling the stress field. In particular, local depletion poses a significant risk during the industrial...
Introduction: Intractable ascites in neonates has a varied etiology; and often, the cause is idiopathic. The management usually consists of observation, diuretics, paracentesis, albumin replacements, and self correction. However, in some cases, the above treatment remains unsuccessful. Results: We present 2 cases of intractable ascites causing metabolic abnormalities, severe protein and immunoglobulin loss, and respiratory compromise. Although the use of peritoneovenous shunts for intractable ascites has been reported previously, our cases differ in both technique and patient size. Our first patient is an ex-28-week premature, 1.4-kg infant with intractable ascites for which a peritoneal drain was initially placed. After 3 weeks and putting out nearly 300 mL of ascitic fluid daily, we plac...
Blood kinetics and tissue distribution of 20, 80 and 110 nm silver nanoparticles were investigated in rats up to 16 days after intravenous administration once daily for 5 consecutive days. Following both single and repeated injection, silver nanoparticles disappeared rapidly from the blood and distributed to all organs evaluated (liver, lungs, spleen, brain, heart, kidneys and testes) regardless of size. The 20 nm particles distributed mainly to liver, followed by kidneys and spleen, whereas the larger particles distributed mainly to spleen followed by liver and lung. In the other organs evaluated, no major differences between the sizes were observed. Size-dependent tissue distribution suggests size-dependent toxicity and health risks. Repeated administration resulted in accumulation in li...
A large database (507 station-years) of daily suspended particulate matter (SPM) concentration and discharge data from 36 stations on river basins ranging from 600?km2 to 600,000?km2 in size (USA and Europe) was collected to assess the effects of SPM transport regime on bias and imprecision of flux estimates when using infrequent surveys and the discharge-weighted mean concentration method. By extracting individual SPM concentrations and corresponding discharge values from the database, sampling frequencies from 12 to 200 per year were simulated using Monte Carlo techniques. The resulting estimates of yearly SPM fluxes were compared to reference fluxes derived from the complete database. For each station and given frequency, bias was measured by the median of relative errors between estima...
Unlike the conventional automotive, modem railway trains are designed with non-openable windows; and a mechanical ventilation and air-conditioning (MVAC) system is installed in each train compartment for better indoor air quality as well as to provide a thermally comfortable environment. The ventilation rate is no doubt a critical element in the design of a MVAC system, especially in Hong Kong where the daily passenger load is extremely heavy. Earlier studies illustrated that carbon dioxide can be controlled at 1000 ppm by increasing the ventilation rate to 25.2 m{sup 3} h{sup -1}; however, it will also lead to an increase in energy consumption. In this paper, the electrical energy consumption at various ventilation rates was studied, and the cost of maintaining a low carbon dioxide level was estimated These provide solid information for the local railway companies to improve the air quality inside the train compartments. (author)
The effects of oral administration of aqueous extract of Bulbine natalensis Baker stem at daily doses of 25, 50, and 100mg/kg body weight on the reproductive function of Wistar rats were evaluated. The indices of mating and fertility success as well as quantal frequency increased after 7 days of treatment in all the dose groups except the 100mg/kg body weight group. The number of litters was not statistically different (P>0.05) from the control. Whereas the absolute weights of the epididymis, seminal vesicle, and prostate were not affected, that of the testes was significantly increased. The epididymal sperm count, motility, morphology, and viscosity were not different from the control after 7 days of treatment. The male rat serum testosterone, progesterone, luteinizing hormone, and follic...
The effect of mean daily air temperature (MDT) on flowering rate (the reciprocal of days to flower) was quantified for 18 species of annual bedding plants. Plants were grown in environmental growth chambers at constant air temperature set points of 5, 7.5, 10, 15, 25, or 30^oC and under an irradiance of 160-180mmolm^-^2s^-^1, with a 16-h photoperiod. Nonlinear mathematical equations were developed to predict the effect of MDT on flowering rate and to estimate the base, optimum, and maximum temperatures (Tmin, Topt, and Tmax), which are the temperatures at which flowering rates are zero (low temperature), maximal, and zero once again (high temperature), respectively. The estimated Tmin varied among species and ranged from 1.1^oC in French marigold (Tagetes patula L.) to 9.9^oC in angelonia ...
ABSTRACT Aim The study aimed to test simultaneously our understanding of the effects of bupropion sustained-release (SR) treatment on putative mediators and our understanding of determinants of post-quit abstinence, including withdrawal distress, cigarette craving, positive affect and subjective reactions to cigarettes smoked during a lapse. The specificity of bupropion SR effects was also tested in exploratory analyses. Design Data from a randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial of bupropion SR were submitted to mediation analyses. Setting Center for Tobacco Research and Intervention, Madison, WI, USA. Participants A total of 403 adult, daily smokers without contraindications to bupropion SR use. Intervention Participants were assigned randomly to receive a 9-week course of bupropion...
Although managing fisheries is complex, policymakers must make decisions daily that affect the future of aquatic resources. To make these decisions, they often combine a mental model with lessons learned from formal models such as computer models. While such computer models are frequently interpreted as predictors of the future, they are often more valuable when used as tools for learning about fisheries and options for management. This approach, looking at computer simulations as learning laboratories, is what this study is all about since its objective is to investigate by means of a microworld if policymakers in Belgian fisheries have the policy instruments at hand to align the real fisheries world with their often completely different desired fisheries worlds. This study illustrates ba...
The effects of exposure to sublethal levels of microwaves were studied. Young albino rats of both sexes were exposed for 60 days to 7.5-GHz microwaves (1.0-KHz square wave modulation, average power 0.6 mW/cm2) for 3 h daily. During and after microwave exposure several physiological parameters were measured in both control and exposed animals. It was found that the animals exposed to microwaves tended to eat and drink less and thus showed a smaller gain in body weight. Some of the hematological parameters and organ weights were also significantly different. It is proposed that a nonspecific stress response due to microwave exposure and mediated through the central nervous system is responsible for the observed physiological changes.
The treatment of chronic pain conditions continue to present a challenge to the medical field. Physical therapy treatment needs to approach the management of chronic pain differently than the approach used to resolve acute pain. Patients with chronic pain often have many factors that have perpetuated the pain condition. These factors, as well as pain itself, influence their ability to reactivate and perform functional daily activities. Physical therapists can begin to address some of the factors, including fear and deconditioning, by building confidence and body awareness in a self-care model including a slow graduated reactivation program. There is evidence that patients with chronic pain conditions have altered motor control that may be influencing reoccurrences and possible flares of pa...
Purpose The primary objective of this sub-study, undertaken as an extension to the previously reported phase-I study, was to explore the feasibility, tolerability and pharmacokinetics (PK) of belinostat when administered by the oral route. Preliminary pharmacodynamic (PD) studies were also performed to enable comparison of the biological effects of the oral and intravenous formulations. Patients and methods Oral belinostat was administered in a range of doses and schedules (once, twice or thrice daily), on either day 1 or days 1?5, of the second or a subsequent treatment cycle in 15 patients who were included in the phase-I trial of intravenous belinostat. Serial blood samples were collected for PK and PD (histone acetylation) analyses, and the results compared with corresponding analyses ...
Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a disorder characterized by skin thickness and vasculopathy. The objective of the study was to evaluate the therapeutic effect and safety of the association of pentoxyphylline and vitamin E in SSc patients. Twelve SSc patients (American College of Rheumatology criteria) enrolled this 24-week open-label study. Patients received daily 800?mg of pentoxyphylline and 800?UI of vitamin E and were evaluated at 4-week interval. The primary efficacy endpoint was the change in Modified Rodnan Skin Score (MRSS) at week 24. Nine diffuse SSc patients treated 6?months with cyclophosphamide were used as a historical control group. The mean age of the treated group was 43.6?years, and ten of 12 (84%) patients were women. Their mean MRSS reduced from 25.7 to 18.7 (p?=?0.03) at 1...
Knee osteoarthritis (OA) is a common degenerative joint disorder and a major cause of pain and disability. The hypothesis tested in this study was that the passion fruit peel extract (PFP), a flavonoid-rich dietary supplement, would reduce symptoms due to knee OA. Thirty-three OA patients were enrolled in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial with parallel-group design. Patients received either placebo or PFP pills (150 mg, daily) in a double-blinded fashion for 2 months. The OA clinical symptoms were evaluated monthly with Western Ontario and McMaster Universities (WOMAC) Osteoarthritis Index. In the PFP group, there was a significant improvement in total WOMAC score and WOMAC subscale score of physical function after 30 days and pain after 60 days. At 60 days, reductions o...
PURPOSE.- The study aims to clinically validate the defining characteristics (DCs) of the nursing diagnosis (ND) of Activity Intolerance for patients with ischemic heart disease and refractory angina. METHODS.- Cross-sectional study was used, involving 22 patients with ND of Activity Intolerance. The Fehring method was used to validate the ND. FINDINGS.- Most DCs presented reliability indexes between 0.5 and 0.79. Three DCs presented reliability indexes - 0.8. CONCLUSION.- All DCs were validated, and electrocardiographic changes indicating ischemia, verbal report of fatigue, and abnormal rate response to activity were considered as DC major. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING PRACTICE.- This study is relevant in daily nursing practice for guidance in establishing the care plan and describing the ass...
This guide is intended to provide the necessary guidance to successfully manage the NAVMED Navy Occupational Health Information Management System (NOHIMS) at NAVMED sites and the NAVSEA Occupational Safety and Health Record Keeping System (OSHRKS) at NAVSEA sites. Outlines procedures to manage system operations, procedures to resolve hardware, software and communications problems, and procedures outside the realm of system operations that are required for a successful system. This guide is intended for the System and Functional Managers use. The System Manager is the individual designated to provide overall ADP management to the entire local configuration. Usually responsible for file backup, daily operations of the CPU, security, supplies, equipment, operating software and technical ADP guidance to the local functional users.
The consequences of exit, voice, loyalty, and neglect behavior were examined using retrospective questionnaires (Study 1) and 2 social interaction diary studies (Study 2). Exit and neglect were generally associated with more negative partner responses and reduced feelings of value and closeness, and were reported to be more harmful to the relationship. Voice was associated with more positive partner responses and greater value and intimacy, and was perceived to be most beneficial to the relationship. In contrast, loyalty was perceived to have the same detrimental consequences as destructive behaviors (Study 1) and did not predict more positive outcomes within daily interactions (Study 2). These results indicate that, despite good intentions, loyal intimates are often left feeling ignored a...
Local control of Ewing's sarcoma was analysed in a series of 67 patients treated by surgery and/or radiotherapy as well as combination chemotherapy. Radiotherapy was employed with or without surgery in 60 patients and produced an overall local control rate of 55%; complete excision of the primary lesion seemed to be beneficial. There was a marked variation in control rates depending on the site of the primary lesion: limb 85%, rib 53%, pelvis 31% and other sites 33%.Primary tumours greater than 10 cm in diameter were significantly less likely to be controlled. Using daily fractions of approximately 180 cGy, total doses in excess of 6000 cGy seem more likely to produce serious late morbidity amd may not increase the local control rate. No cases of second malignancy arising in irradiated tissue have been observed to date, but one patient developed acute lymphoblastic leukaemia. (author).
Short-duration measurements have been widely used to screen for exposures to elevated radon concentrations in individual houses or at state or regional levels. However, a number of factors, including spatial and temporal variability in radon concentrations, must be considered before comparison to concentration guidelines can be made. Daily variations in radon concentration can lead to inherent measurement uncertainties ranging from 20 to 100+ percent. Differences in radon concentration due to seasonal effects and/or sampling location are also variable, and do not appear to be regionally consistent. Winter/summer concentration ratios, for example, have been observed to vary by as much as a factor of 10 in basements and by a factor of 5 in first floors. In this paper the implications of these uncertainties on the use of short-term sampling for inferring long-term exposures are discussed.
Tests on the scrubbing column have led to the following results: Use of a scrubbing column with Raschig rings is only meaningful for the sedimentation of particles exceeding diameters of 0.5 ..mu..m; drops of diameter size 1.5 ..mu..m are formed in the column; more efficient drop precipitators in the column air flow ease the load on subsequent suspended material filters thereby contributing to a longer life of these filters even at higher sodium ion concentrations in the washing water; with distillate of an 8% rather than 0.8% salt solution a decontamination factor greater than 10 can be calculated since larger particles precipitate more readily. This only applies, however, under the condition that the washing water is renewed regularly, if necessary daily where higher aerosol concentrations are present. If not, the decontamination factor will be reduced through the salt-containing secondary aerosols from the washing water.
Tests on the scrubbing column have led to the following results: Use of a scrubbing column with Raschig rings is only meaningful for the sedimentation of particles exceeding diameters of 0.5 #mu#m; drops of diameter size 1.5 #mu#m are formed in the column; more efficient drop precipitators in the column air flow ease the load on subsequent suspended material filters thereby contributing to a longer life of these filters even at higher sodium ion concentrations in the washing water; with distillate of an 8% rather than 0.8% salt solution a decontamination factor greater than 10 can be calculated since larger particles precipitate more readily. This only applies, however, under the condition that the washing water is renewed regularly, if necessary daily where higher aerosol concentrations are present. If not, the decontamination factor will be reduced through the salt-containing secondary aerosols from the washing water. (orig.).
We investigate the intertemporal risk-return trade-off of foreign exchange (FX) rates for ten currencies quoted against the USD. For each currency, we use three risk measures simultaneously that pertain to that currency; its realized volatility, its realized skewness, and its value-at-risk. We apply monthly FX excess returns and risk measures calculated from daily observations. We find that there is a significant contemporaneous risk-return trade-off for the currencies under investigation. There is no evidence of noncontemporaneous risk-return trade-off. We pay special attention to the risk-return trade-off during the recent financial crisis.
Good performance in extended lactations of dairy cattle may have a beneficial effect on food costs, health, and fertility. Because data for extended lactation performance is scarce, lactation persistency has been suggested as a suitable selection criterion. Persistency phenotypes were calculated in several ways: P1 was yield relative to an approximate peak, P2 was the slope after peak production, and P3 was a measure derived to be phenotypically uncorrelated to yield and calculated as a function of linear regressions on test-day deviations of days in milk. Phenotypes P1, P2, and P3 were calculated for sires as solutions estimated from a random regression model fitted to milk yield. Because total milk yield, calculated as the sum of daily sire solutions, was correlated to P1 and P2 (r=0.30 ...
This study has confirmed large seasonal and daily variations of Rn in soil gas, developed models for the effects of temperature and moisture on air-water Rn partition, inhibited Rn diffusion from wet soil into sparse large air-filled pores and effects of diffusion into bedrock, demonstrated that organic matter is a major host for 226Ra in soils and that organic-bound Ra largely determines the proportion of 222Rn emanated to pore space, shown that in contrast 220Rn is emanated mainly from 224Ra in Fe-oxides, detected significant disequilibrium between 226Ra and 238U in organic matter and in some recent glacial soils, demonstrated by computer models that air convection driven by temperature differences is expected in moderately permeable soils on hillsides.
This study has confirmed large seasonal and daily variations of Rn in soil gas, developed models for the effects of temperature and moisture on air-water Rn partition, inhibited Rn diffusion from wet soil into sparse large air-filled pores and effects of diffusion into bedrock, demonstrated that organic matter is a major host for 226Ra in soils and that organic-bound Ra largely determines the proportion of 222Rn emanated to pore space, shown that in contrast 220Rn is emanated mainly from 224Ra in Fe-oxides, detected significant disequilibrium between 226Ra and 238U in organic matter and in some recent glacial soils, demonstrated by computer models that air convection driven by temperature differences is expected in moderately permeable soils on hillsides.
Objective.The interest of dental research in metal-free restorations has been rising in the last 20 years following the introduction of innovative all-ceramic materials in the daily practice. In particular, high strength ceramics and related CAD/CAM techniques have widely increased the clinical indications of metal-free prostheses, showing more favourable mechanical characteristics compared to the early ceramic materials.The purpose of the present paper is providing a brief review on the all-ceramic dental materials, evaluating pros and cons in the light of the most recent scientific results and of the authors? clinical experience.Materials. A structured review of the literature was given on the basis of medical and engineering papers published in the last decades on the use of dental cera...
Passive microwave soil moisture datasets can be used as an input to provide an integrated assessment of climate variability as it relates to agricultural production. The objective of this research was to examine three passive microwave derived soil moisture datasets over multiple growing seasons in contrasting Canadian agricultural environments. Absolute and relative soil moisture was evaluated from two globally available datasets from the Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer for EOS (AMSR-E) sensor using different retrieval algorithms, as well as relative soil wetness at a weekly scale from the Special Sensor Microwave/Imager (SSM/I) sensor. At a daily scale, the Land Parameter Retrieval Model (LPRM) provides a better estimate of surface soil moisture conditions than the National Snow a...
This study evaluated the clinical efficacy of treatment with oral risedronate (17.5?mg once daily) for 8?weeks in 11 Japanese patients with Paget?s disease of bone (PDB). Risedronate suppressed the excessive bone turnover associated with PDB and improved several biochemical markers, including serum alkaline phosphatase (ALP), serum bone-specific ALP (BALP), urinary deoxypyridinoline (DPD), and urinary cross-linked N-telopeptide of type 1 collagen (NTX). These markers began to decrease within about 2?weeks after the initiation of treatment in most patients, and the response persisted for up to 40?weeks after the cessation of treatment. Risedronate reduced pain by week 24 in most patients. According to quantitative bone scintigraphy, the lesion with the highest radioisotope (RI) uptake showe...
Ethnopharmacological relevance: Extracts of the roots of Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi (Labiatae) have been widely used to relieve fever related to bacterial infection and inflammatory diseases in traditional Korean medicine and have been reported to be effective in brain diseases. These experiments were conducted to examine the effects of oral administration of Scutellaria baicalensis extracts on the rescue of memory impairments induced by chronic cerebral hypoperfusion or chronic lipopolysaccharide (LPS) infusion. In addition, the underlying mechanisms of these effects were investigated. Materials and methods: In the first experiment, chronic cerebral hypoperfusion was induced in male Wister rats by bilateral common carotid artery occlusion (BCCAo). Daily administration of Scutellaria b...
Rationale Hypothalamic?pituitary?adrenal axis dysregulation predicts poor clinical and biochemical response to antidepressants. Antiglucocorticoids have therapeutic benefits but most have a troublesome adverse event profile. Aspects of neuropsychological performance, notably working memory, are susceptible to corticosteroid modulation and are impaired in depression. Aspirin has been shown to attenuate the adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) and cortisol response to physiological challenge suggesting its potential to act as an augmenting agent in depression. Objectives To examine the effect of sub-acute (300?mg daily for 7?days) aspirin pre-treatment on the cortisol awakening response and the effect of acute (600?mg) and sub-acute aspirin on the neuroendocrine and neuropsychological response...
Summary A prospective and randomized trial design is of utmost interest when it comes to evaluating new developments in the management of cardiovascular medicine. By defining the primary end point and a profound related statistic new therapeutic options can be tested with an adequate number of patients. The course of the trial is supervised by a Clinical Events Committee and a Data and Safety Monitoring Board. Registries are promising tools for describing how the results of clinical trials are translated into daily practice. Their drawbacks include lack of control of the clinical endpoints and their uniform definition and lack of a control group. There are numerous examples from cardiology of the limited usefulness of data obtained from registry studies with their often unexpected results ...
This document includes the following topics: Background; Data Collection; Scope/Applicability of the Proposed Regulation; Description of the Industry; Industry Subcategorization; Pollutants of Concern for the Centralized Waste Treatment Industry; Pollutants Selected for Regulation; Wastewater Treatment Technologies; Regulatory Options Considered and Selected for Basis of Regulation; Long-Term Averages, Variability Factors, and Limitations and Standards; Cost of Treatment Technologies; Pollutant Loading and Removal Estimates; Non-Water Quality Impacts; Implementation; Analytical Methods and Baseline Values; List of Definitions; List of Acronyms; Appendix A--Pollutant Groups; Appendix B--Listing of Characerization Data From Non-Hazardous Oils Facilities; Appendix C--Listing of Daily Influent and Effluent Measuements; Appendix D--Facility-Specific Compliance Costs; Appendix E--Attachements to Chapter 10; and Appendix F--Listing of Pollutants of Concern and Cas ...
Abstract A 3-month, open-label, single-center study was conducted to determine whether a uniquely formulated and physiologically balanced topical treatment serum containing multiple growth factors, cytokines, peptides, antioxidants and depigmenting agents could improve the visible signs of facial photodamage. Thirty-seven females, aged 32-55 years, with mild to severe, fine and coarse peri-ocular wrinkles were enrolled and completed the study. Subjects applied the treatment serum to the face twice daily for 3 months in conjunction with a basic skincare regimen. Clinical evaluations of photodamage were performed at baseline and months 1, 2 and 3. Cutometer measurements and subject self-assessment questionnaires were also conducted during the study. Clinical evaluations showed statistically ...
SummaryBackground Persistent Lyme Disease Symptoms (PLDS) have included fatigue, headaches, poor concentration and memory, lightheadedness, joint pain, and mood disturbances. Evidence-based guidelines committees disagree over the severity of PLDS. The 2004 International Lyme and Associated Diseases Society (ILADS) concluded that PLDS are severe. The 2006 Infectious Disease Society of America (IDSA) guidelines committee concluded that PLDS are nothing more than the "aches and pains of daily living" and an ad hoc International Lyme group concluded that PLDS are "symptoms common in persons who have never had Lyme disease." Hypothesis Clinical trials validate the severity of persistent Lyme disease symptoms. Evaluation of the Hypothesis There are 22 standardized instruments used to measure the...
This study evaluates the trends of meteorological and agrometeorological indices computed at different sites in the Region of Umbria (Central Italy). The indices were selected on the basis of whether they enable the evaluation of the potential effects of climatic changes on agricultural water requirements and management. The meteorological stations were preliminarily selected considering the length and entirety of the data series and a homogeneous spatial coverage of the region under study. The daily rainfall and minimum and maximum temperature data collected at the stations were elaborated to calculate meteorological and agrometeorological indices (for corn, widespread irrigated crop in Central Italy).The results of the analysis show that rainfall has decreased generally everywhere and th...
Excessive physical activity plays an important role in the progression of anorexia nervosa (AN) by accelerating weight loss during dietary restriction. To search for mechanisms underlying this trait, a panel of mouse chromosome substitution strains derived from C57BL/6J and A/J strains was exposed to a scheduled feeding paradigm and to voluntary running wheel (RW) access. Here, we showed that A/J chromosomes 4, 12 and 13 contribute to the development of a disrupted RW activity in response to daily restricted feeding. This pattern is characterized by intense RW activity during the habitual rest phase and leads to accelerated body weight loss. Regions on mouse chromosomes 4, 12 and 13 display homology with regions on human chromosomes linked with anxiety and obsessionality in AN cohorts. The...
Background: Chloroquine has in-vitro activity against influenza and could be an ideal candidate for worldwide prevention of influenza in the period between onset of a pandemic with a virulent influenza strain and the development and widespread dissemination of an effective vaccine. We aimed to assess the efficacy of such an intervention. Methods: In this randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial done at a single centre in Singapore, we randomly assigned (1:1) healthy adults to receive chloroquine phosphate (500 mg/day for 1 week, then once a week to complete 12 weeks) or matching placebo by use of a computer-generated randomisation list. Participants filled an online symptom diary every week, supplemented by daily diaries and self-administered nasal swabs when unwell. Haemagglutin...
This report is a compilation of the Chalk Point surface weather and ambient atmospheric profile data for the second intensive test period, June 14-24, 1976. The atmospheric profiles were made using rawinsonde instrumentation. The compilation includes the 0700 EST daily weather chart, hourly surface observations from Chalk Point, Patuxent River Naval Test Center, MD and Andrews Air Force Base, MD. Temperature, relative humidity, dew point, wind speed and wind direction are presented in graphical profiles. All other data are presented in tabular form.
Proper balance control is a key aspect of acitivities of daily living. The aim of this study was to determine the contribution of body weight to predict balance stability. The balance stability of 59 male subjects with BMI ranging from 17.4 to 63.8kg/m2 was assessed using a force platform. The subjects were tested with and without vision. A stepwise multiple regression analysis was used to determine the independent effect of body weight, age, body height and foot length on balance stability (i.e., mean speed of the center of foot pressure). With vision, the stepwise multiple regression revealed that body weight accounted for 52% of the variance of balance stability. The addition of age contributed a further 3% to explain balance control. Without vision, body weight accounted for 54% of the...
SummaryThis paper examines the sensitivity and uncertainty of evaporation estimates from Nasser Lake, south of Egypt using data collected at the floating station Raft, 2km upstream of the Aswan High Dam, and 12 evaporation models. Based on their approach the evaporation models were ranked in five classes, respectively the Bowen ratio energy budget (BREB) approach, three energy-aerodynamic based methods, a mass transfer method, two temperature and five solar radiation-temperature approaches. State dependent parameter models were used to estimate the sensitivity indices of the different evaporation estimation methods at daily and monthly frequencies. A drastic reduction in the cost of the sensitivity analysis was obtained when coupled with efficient sampling methods, producing quasi-Monte Ca...
An enriched culture 48, capable of adapting to the reservoir conditions and fermenting molasses to produce gas and acid, was used as an inoculum for bio- huff-`n`-puff tests at Fuyu oil area of Jilin oil field. The production well was injected with water containing 4-6% (v/v) molasses and inoculum, and then shut in. After 15-21 days, the well was placed back in operation. A total of 44 wells were treated, of which only two wells showed no effects. The daily oil production of treated wells increased by 33.3-733.3%. Up to the end of 1994, the oil production was increased by 204 tons per well on average. Results obtained from various types of production wells were discussed.
Determination of the radiocarbon (14C) content of airborne particulate matter yields insight into the proportion of the carbonaceous material derived from fossil and contemporary carbon sources. Daily samples of PM2.5 were collected by high-volume sampler at an urban background site in Birmingham, UK, and the fraction of 14C in both the total carbon, and in the organic and elemental carbon fractions, determined by two-stage combustion to CO2, graphitisation and quantification by accelerator mass spectrometry. OC and EC content was also determined by Sunset Analyzer. The mean fraction contemporary TC in the PM2.5 samples was 0.50 (range 0.27-0.66, n=26). There was no seasonality to the data, but there was a positive trend between fraction contemporary TC and magnitude of SOC/TC ratio and fo...
The first Brazilian historical mortality cohort study on miners was conducted. The cohort consisted of 3224 workers in the underground coal mining industry in southern Brazil. This industry has been operating since 1942 without compliance with any regulatory standards, since there were no relevant national regulations. Over almost 60 years, about 5000 workers were exposed to high levels of radiation. However, later radiation exposure was significantly reduced, particularly that due to radon exposure. Recent radon concentration measurements indicated an average annual exposure to radon progeny of 2.1 WLM, ranging from 0.2 to 7.2 WLM. As radon exposure in the past was unknown, it can be suggested that mine workers have not been working safely as regards the health hazard related to radon and radon progeny exposure. The cohort inclusion criteria are as follows: (a) all male employees who had worked for at least one year at the coal mine; (b) workers with complete ...
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a highly conversed topic, particularly since implementation of screening for CRC is imminent within the U.K. Aims: The aim of this research project was to examine the diagnostic tools currently used within the UK to detect CRC and their impact on the aetiology and epidemiology of CRC. Methodology: The complexity of the research topic lent itself towards a literature review. A systematic approach of researching was therefore adopted to analyse and critically evaluate the reliability and validity of articles. Electronic databases including AMED, Cancerlit, CINHAL, the Cochrane Library, EMBASE, MEDLINE and EBM-Reviews were utilised to provide a wide spectrum of recent and relevant articles. Other research strategies involved looking for books relating to the topics, which were kept to within 6 years of publication to maintain accuracy of information. Selected websites, such as NICE, the Department of Health, NHS websites and Cancer Research U.K. were useful at ...
Daily intakes of certain trace elements (Pb, Cd, Ni, Hg, and Cr) were assessed using dietary history and weighed record methods and concurrent chemical analysis (CA) of duplicate portions, along with blood levels, in a group (21 M, 23 F) of inhabitants of the Gubbio area (Belvedere, Biscina Scritto). The evaluation of only intake of trace elements was accomplished in 40 subjects (20 M, 20 F) 1 year later. In both surveys, trace element intakes were generally lower than the potential tolerable weekly intake. However, daily intakes of Pb, Cd, Ni, Hg, and Cr were higher in men compared to women in both surveys (P<0.05). In fact, intakes at the 50th percentile were greater in men by approximately 75% for Pb, 91% for Cd, 20% for Ni, 45% fo Hg, and 29% for Cr in the first survey. In the second survey, percentage differences for Pb, Cd, Ni, and Cr were about 12%, 28%, 26%, and 26%, respectively. Blood trace element levels were slightly higher in ...
Background: In the German CESS-studies, Ewing's sarcoma patients with pulmonary metastases at diagnosis were considered as candidates for additional bilateral lung irradiation. We have retrospectively analyzed the impact of radiotherapy on survival. Material and methods: Out of 42 patients presenting with pulmonary metastases of Ewing's sarcoma between 1981 and June 1992, 30 were evaluable. One patient died of progressive disease prior to lung irradiation. The other patients had a complete radiographic remission either after chemotherapy (n=25) or chemotherapy plus resection of lung metastases (n=4). 22 patients received bilateral lung irradiation with doses of 12 to 21 Gy (once daily 1.5 Gy or twice daily 1.25 Gy), six had no further treatment and one had bone marrow transplantation for consolidation. Results: Ten patients are in complete remission, nine of them had received lung irradiation and one had a complete resection of three lung ...
Due to a leakage from a 12-inch pressurized diesel steel pipe four years ago, an area of approximately 30,000 square meters was contaminated. A pilot study applying the technology of in-situ enhanced bioremediation was conducted. In the study, a field test kit and on-site monitoring equipment were applied for site characterization and treatment verification. Physically, the enhanced bioremediation study consisted of an air extraction and air supply system, and a nutrition supply network. Certain consistent sampling methodology was employed. Progress was verified by daily monitoring and monthly verification. The objective of this study was to evaluate the capabilities of indigenous microorganisms to biodegrade the petroleum hydrocarbons with provision of oxygen and nutrients. Nine extraction wells and eight air sparging wells were installed. The air sparging wells injected the air into geoformation and the extraction wells provided the underground air circulation. ...
In the green building of Shanghai Research Institute of Building Science, the evacuated tubular solar collectors with a total area of 150 m{sup 2} were installed to provide heating for the covered area of 460 m{sup 2}. The floor heating coil pipes were made of high-quality pure copper with the dimension of {phi} 12 x 0.7 mm. Under typical weather condition of Shanghai, the average heating capacity was 25.04 kW during the working hours from 9:00 to 17:00, which was sufficient to keep indoor thermal environment. The average electric COP of the floor heating system was 19.76 during the system operation. Compared with the widely used air-source heat pump heating systems with the electric COP of 3.5 in Shanghai, the solar-powered floor heating system shows great potential in energy conservation in winter. With respect to the whole heating period, the solar fraction was 56%. According to the performance analysis of the system with ambient parameters, it was observed that the system ...
In this book the notion of time in classical physics and relativity theory is discussed. After a criticism of the absolute time some alternative measures of time in mechanics are considered. Thereafter the problem of equal time at different points of the space as well as the time in different inertial systems are considered. In this framework the clock paradox is discussed. Then the Lorentz transformation is considered. Thereafter the reconstruction of the absolute time in relativity theory is described. Finally the notion of time in general relativity theory is considered.
"ID# ","Measurement ID Number " "DATE ","Date " "JDATE ","Julian Date " "TIME ", "Local Time " "GMT ","Greenwich Mean Time " "BAND ","Dielectric Probe Band ...
Applying for AAO scheduled time Applying for AAT service time Applying for Gemini Time Travel and Accommodation AAT Schedule UKST Schedule Instrument capabilities and...
... which may have embedded remote terminals, and (4 ... model the time-variant or stochastic aspects of ... on such system parameters as queue size, time ...
The Pawtucket Heart Health Program is one of the community studies examining whether population-based efforts to lower cardiovascular risk factors will reduce cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. The Pawtucket Heart Health Program intervention is based on a blend of social learning theory, community organization models, community psychology tenets, and diffusion research. This model allows for multifaceted programs that target individuals, groups, organizations, and the entire community to alter their cardiovascular risk through managing blood pressure, lowering blood cholesterol, quitting smoking, increasing fitness, and maintaining desirable weight levels. A dominant feature of the intervention is the emphasis that it places on volunteers for program delivery. The role of volunteers in providing direct services to help citizens lower their blood pressure and lose weight is highlighted to demonstrate the feasibility and effectiveness of these services. In ...
The use of the cervicograph with the incorporated action and alert lines in labour management in developing country obstetrics is now well established and patients in labour in Port Moresby have been thus managed since 1973. In this study the cerviograph was introduced in hospitals and health centres in Enga Province and the results analysed. Despite intensive tuition in its use, a large number of cervicographs were incorrectly constructed, especially in health centres, and its introduction made little difference to operative delivery or perinatal mortality rates. The proportion of patients crossing the action line was much higher than in Post Moresby but this difference was probably also largely due to the inaccuracy of many cervicographs. It is likely that these difficulties will not be overcome until many more nurses with intensive training in the use of the cervicograph are available and until more deliveries take place in health institutions to maintain ...
The ability of Yersinia pestis to forestall the mammalian innate immune response is a fundamental aspect of plague pathogenesis. In this study, we examined the effect of Ail, a 17-kDa outer membrane protein that protects Y. pestis against complement-mediated lysis, on bubonic plague pathogenesis in mice and rats. The Y. pestis ail mutant was attenuated for virulence in both rodent models. The attenuation was greater in rats than in mice, which correlates with the ability of normal rat serum, but not mouse serum, to kill ail-negative Y. pestis in vitro. Intradermal infection with the ail mutant resulted in an atypical, subacute form of bubonic plague associated with extensive recruitment of polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN or neutrophils) to the site of infection in the draining lymph node and the formation of large purulent abscesses that contained the bacteria. Systemic spread and mortality were greatly attenuated, however, and a productive adaptive immune ...
The Savannah River Swamp is a 3,020 Ha forested wetland on the floodplain of the Savannah River and is located on the Department of Energy`s Savannah River Site (SRS). Major impacts to the swamp hydrology occurred with the completion of the production reactors and one coal-fired powerhouse at the SRS in the early 1950`s. Water was pumped from the Savannah River, through secondary heat exchangers of the reactors, and discharged into three of the tributary streams that flow into the swamp. This continued from 1954 to 1988 at various levels. The sustained increases in water volume resulted in overflow of the original stream banks and the creation of additional floodplains. Accompanying this was considerable erosion of the original stream corridor and deposition of a deep silt layer on the newly formed delta. Heated water was discharged directly into Pen Branch and water temperature in the stream often exceeded 50 C. The nearly continuous flood of the swamp, the thermal load of the water, ...
Primary adenocarcinomas of the urinary bladder are uncommon, and the molecular pathways are currently not well defined. In this study, we assessed the association between biologic markers and clinicopathologic characteristics in a cohort of 21 patients with primary urinary bladder adenocarcinoma. Immunohistochemical staining for cell cycle-specific markers, including p53, p21, p27, Ki-67, and cyclin E, were performed on sections of a tissue microarray construct. The tumors were high grade in 12 (57%) and pT2 or higher in 18 (86%); lymph nodes were involved in 6 cases (29%); and there was pathologic evidence of schistosomiasis in 14 (67%). The best prognostic combination of markers was combined alterations in p27 and Ki-67 and was associated with stage (P = .012), grade (P = .005), DNA ploidy (P = .005), and lymph node involvement (P = .04). Stage, lymph node involvement, combined alterations of p27 and Ki-67, and combined alterations of all 5 biomarkers were associated with increased ...
Attacks by herbivorous insects reduce biomass production in willow plantations. The long-term goal of our research is to develop sustainable plant protection against these insect pests. Two lines of research are pursued. The first concentrates on identifying factors involved in the regulation of leaf-eating beetles. These insects vary in density among plantations, sometimes reaching outbreak levels resulting in complete defoliation. Mortality factors of eggs and larvae in plantations with low and high beetle densities have been investigated. The importance of plant resistance has also been investigated. The second line of research considers the mechanisms behind an earlier demonstrated resistance in certain willow clones against a gall midge. By using molecular techniques we have searched for markers of resistance. Promising results have been found concerning so called PR proteins; in particular chitinase seems to be present in high activities in plants expressing ...
A mathematical interaction model, validated by experimental results, was developed to modeling the metal uptake by plants and induced growth decrease, by knowing metal in soils. The model relates the dynamics of the uptake of metals from soil to plants. Also, two types of relationships are tested: total and available metal content. The model successfully fitted the experimental data and made it possible to predict the threshold values of total mortality with a satisfactory approach. Data are taken from soils treated with Cd and Ni for ryegrass (Lolium perenne, L.) and oats (Avena sativa L.), respectively. Concentrations are measured in the aboveground biomass of plants. In the latter case, the concentration of metals in different parts of the plants (tillering, shooting and earing) is also modeled. At low concentrations, the effects of metals are moderate, and the dynamics appear to be linear. However, increasing concentrations show nonlinear behaviors. - The model ...
This paper elucidates morphological characteristics, reproduction forms and ecological characteristics of Plectus sp. and Rhabditis sp. which are most frequently detected nematodes separated from tap water. The paper also discussed experimentally establishment of cultivating conditions for these nematodes, and behavior and reproduction characteristics of nematodes under widely ranging conditions of temperatures, bacteria concentrations and pH. Plectus sp. grows in hermaphroditic individuals, while Rhabditis sp. grows only in female. An LE culture medium can cultivate nematodes that appear in tap water, and is suitable for subculture of nematodes. Conditions of temperatures from 20{degree}C to 25{degree}C, pH and inoculated concentration of bacteria at 10{sup 8} cell {center_dot} ml{sup -1} are suitable for reproduction of Plectus sp. and Rhabditis sp. Plectus sp. and Rhabditis sp. prefer mild temperatures for reproduction, cannot reproduce below about 5{degree}C, and become difficult ...
Cervical cancer is emerging as a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in women worldwide. Toll-like Receptor (TLR) gene polymorphisms may contribute to subsequent inter-individual variability in cancer susceptibility. The present study aimed to identify the role of TLR 3 (c.1377C/T) [rs3775290] and TLR 9 (G2848A) [rs352140] gene polymorphisms in the risk of developing cervical cancer in North India. Peripheral blood samples were collected from 200 histopathologically confirmed cervical cancer patients from North India and 200 unrelated, cancer-free, age-matched healthy female controls of similar ethnicity. Genomic DNA was extracted using the salting-out method, and genotyped for TLR 3 and TLR 9 using polymerase chain reaction-based restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP). O...
These summary descriptive data of ethnically similar cohorts of indigenous and migrant Japanese males have shown similarities or slight differences in characteristics wholly or largely genetically determined, such as blood groups, stature, and skeletal size. Differences have been noted in characteristics largely environmental or behavioral, such as diet and cigarette smoking habit, as well as in characteristics determined by a varying mixture of genetic and environmental influences, such as weight, blood pressure, glucose tolerance, and serum lipid and uric acid levels. Detailed analyses of the distributions of laboratory variables, of dietary data obtained by different methods, and of correlations among laboratory, dietary, physical, and demographic variables are currently in progress. Also part of the study plan are determinations of disease prevalence from evaluation of examination, laboratory, and electrocardiographic findings, of disease incidence from repeat examinations and from ...
Behavioral economics has captured the interest of scholars and the general public by demonstrating ways in which individuals make decisions that appear irrational. While increasing attention is being focused on the implications of this research for the design of risk-reducing policies, less attention has been paid to how it affects the economic valuation of policy consequences. This article considers the latter issue, reviewing the behavioral economics literature and discussing its implications for the conduct of benefit-cost analysis, particularly in the context of environmental, health, and safety regulations. We explore three concerns: using estimates of willingness to pay or willingness to accept compensation for valuation, considering the psychological aspects of risk when valuing mortality-risk reductions, and discounting future consequences. In each case, we take the perspective that analysts should avoid making judgments about whether values are "rational" ...
Group B Streptococcus (GBS) is the leading cause of meningitis in newborn infants. Bacterial cell surface appendages, known as pili, have been recently described in streptococcal pathogens, including GBS. The pilus tip adhesin, PilA, contributes to GBS adherence to blood-brain barrier (BBB) endothelium; however, the host receptor and the contribution of PilA in central nervous system (CNS) disease pathogenesis are unknown. Here we show that PilA binds collagen, which promotes GBS interaction with the ?(2)?(1) integrin resulting in activation of host chemokine expression and neutrophil recruitment during infection. Mice infected with the PilA-deficient mutant exhibit delayed mortality, a decrease in neutrophil infiltration and bacterial CNS dissemination. We find that PilA-mediated virulence is dependent on neutrophil influx as neutrophil depletion results in a decrease in BBB permeability and GBS-BBB penetration. Our results suggest that the bacterial pilus, ...
Mammography has emerged as a reliable non-invasive technique for the early detection of breast cancer--the second leading cause of cancer-related mortality among American women. The radiographic appearance of the female breast consists of radiolucent (dark) regions due to fat and radiodense (light) regions due to connective and epithelial tissue. The amount of radiodense tissue can be used as a marker for predicting breast cancer risk. This paper presents the development of an algorithm for estimating the percentage of radiodense tissue in a digitized mammogram. The technique involves determining a dynamic threshold for segmenting radiodense indications in mammograms. Both the mammographic image and the threshold are modeled as Gaussian random variables. This work is intended to support a concurrent study at the Fox Chase Cancer Center (FCCC) exploring the association between dietary patterns and breast cancer risk. Mammograms have been obtained from an existing ...
In recent years, there has been increased interest in using early life stages of freshwater bivalves to test the toxicity of dissolved constituents in water. The authors have developed laboratory and in situ assays with artificially cultured Utterbackia imbecillis to examine effects of contaminants and existing conditions in embayments and rivers on mortality and reproductive success of unionid mussels. Age sensitivity of U. imbecillis to Cd and Cu was examined using both static acute and 8-day static renewal bioassays. Both aqueous and sediment exposures demonstrated greater sensitivity to Cd than Cu. LC{sub 50}`s for two-day old (2d) and 9d mussels were approximately half the LC{sub 50} calculated for 16d mussels in 48-hr bioassays with Cd. Additionally, acute assays were repeated twice to examine variability in response between different mussel cultures to the two metals. The results of this work reinforce the potential of juvenile U. imbecillis as a standard ...
Folder Display Clocks Folder TWSTT Folder Loran-C Folder Telephone Time Folder NTP Info Web-Based Time Synchronization Web time displays from the USNO Master Clock, Washington, DC...
We investigate the default time of a firm when a stochastic discount factor is used so that both diffusion and regime switching risks are priced. We establish the relationship between the probability distribution of the default time and the solution of a system of coupled partial differential equations.
In an ignition timing control apparatus for controlling the ignition timing of each cylinder in order to reduce knock generation in a multi-cylinder engine, a lag-angle correction is made for the ignition timing of a cylinder in which a knock is generated and at the same time, a slight lag-angle correction is made for the ignition timing of the other cylinders in which no knock is generated. When the operating condition of engine is rapidly changed for example, under the condition in which knock is liable to occur in all cylinders as at rapid acceleration time, a lag-angle correction is made by the same amount as in the knock generating cylinder, for the ignition timing of cylinders in which no knock is generated. When no knock is generated for a predetermined time, a lead-angle correction is made for the ignition ...
The forest products industry is the third largest economic sector in Alberta, producing pulp and paper, dimensional lumber, paneling, and value added products, providing some 40,000 jobs . 'Value added' is a key component of expanding economic activity within the forest products sector. Wood residues can play a key role in obtaining more value from forest resources by providing new products, serving as feedstock to energy and chemical production, and playing a role in agriculture and land reclamation. One of the principal roles of the Forest Products Development Branch of the Alberta Economics Department is to encourage the development of the industry by creating new uses for these materials and developing awareness of the scope of the resource. Distances to markets, economic competition from conventional energy sources and coordination of research efforts are substantial barriers to further development that the Forest Products Development Branch has to face ...
Previous studies have found that classrooms are often inadequately ventilated, with the resultant increased risk of negative impacts on the pupils. This paper describes a series of field measurements that investigated the indoor air quality, thermal comfort and acoustic performance of nine recently built secondary schools in England. The most significant conclusion is that the complex interaction between ventilation, thermal comfort and acoustics presents considerable challenges for designers. The study showed that while the acoustic standards are demanding it was possible to achieve natural ventilation designs that met the criteria for indoor ambient noise levels when external noise levels were not excessive. Most classrooms in the sample met the requirement of limiting the daily average CO{sub 2} concentration to below 1500 ppm but just a few met the need to readily provide 8 l/s per person of fresh air under the easy control of the occupants. It would seem that ...
The performance of a group of reference laboratories measuring lead in blood, has been monitored by an intensive external quality assessment programme, since 1974. Performance was similar to that observed in other, larger quality control surveys but rapidly improved following detailed investigations of critical factors in the analytical methodology. The introduction of a rigorous internal quality control protocol, with all laboratories using the same well-characterised materials, has produced external quality control results that are both accurate and very tightly distributed. Between-laboratory coefficients of variation of less than 5%, less than 6% and less than 20% are now obtained at concentrations of over 1.0 ..mu..mol/l (20.7 ..mu..g/dl), 0.5-1.0 ..mu..mol/l (10-20 ..mu..g/dl) and less than 0.5 ..mu..mol/l (10 ..mu..g/dl), respectively. These results represent the best that can be achieved by current methodology and instrumentation in regular, daily use.
Urinary tract infection (UTI) is a common problem in the female population. Women with diabetes mellitus are possibly at a higher risk. The usual medical therapy for UTI is antibiotic treatment. The aim of this study is to explore strategies employed by diabetic women for prevention and self-treatment of UTI. Forty-two women with diabetes mellitus who had experienced at least one episode of UTI in the last six months were included. Data collection included background information, questions about prevention and self-treatment strategies and a clinical examination to measure maximal urine flow, residual urine, a blood test evaluating diabetic control (HbA1c) and a urine test strip for determination of glucose, leucocytes, nitrite, blood, protein and pH. Thirty-five participants (83.3%) reported changes in daily routines like 'always keeping warm', 'increased fluid intake', 'good personal hygiene' as prevention strategies. Different herb and plant extracts were used ...
Tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) and interleukin-1 (IL-1) have been shown to stimulate bone resorption in vitro. We have now investigated whether these cytokines also cause a similar action when administered in vivo. This was made possible by the adaptation of a newly developed technique that enables the continual assessment of bone resorption in vivo in mice by measuring urinary excretion of {sup 3}H from ({sup 3}H)tetracycline-prelabeled animals. Experiments using maneuvers known to influence bone resorption, such as a change in dietary calcium or administration of parathyroid hormone or dichloromethylenebisphosphonate, indicate that the technique is reliable and sensitive in mice. Daily intravenous administration of either recombinant human or recombinant murine TNF-alpha, as well as subcutaneous administration of recombinant human IL-1 alpha, were found to stimulate bone resorption in a dose-dependent manner. The effect was maximal within 2 days. Thus, ...
Due to the fact that, the workers' behavior is characterized by its complexity and diversity, this issue has been seen as a great 'black box' in discussions regarding the Management Systems of SHE. Associated with this issue other arises: How conscious people? How to engage them with the process? How to improve the risk control? How to motivate the prevention? Most of these responses are discussed in the Social and Human Sciences for many years. However, it is necessary to closer the technical-operational knowledge and the human aspects, applying in the organizations' daily work, to make the working environment more safe. The purpose of this study, therefore, is examining the possibility of reducing accidents through the identification and treatment of deviations (unsafe acts and unsafe conditions), cause the whole accident, be it serious or not, begins with a small deviation. It was used as a reference tool, the Behavior audit ...
The level of assimilation of dietary iron is believed to have an important influence on iron status. To examine the effect of enhancing the availability of dietary iron on iron balance, 17 adult volunteer subjects were given 2 g of ascorbic acid daily with meals for 16 weeks. Serum ferritin levels before and after the study averaged 46 and 43 micrograms/L, respectively, indicating a negligible effect on iron stores. When vitamin C supplementation was continued for an additional 20 months in five iron-replete and four iron-deficient subjects, serum ferritin determinations again failed to indicate any significant effect of the vitamin C on iron reserves. These findings were not explained by intestinal adaptation to the enhancing effect of the vitamin, because radioisotopic measurements of nonheme iron absorption showed no reduction in the enhancing effect of 1 g of ascorbic acid after four months of megadoses of vitamin C. It is concluded that altering the ...
Vaarst Vestervang (Denmark) comprises 16 villas and 1 communal building. The complex was designed by the inhabitants themselves with the aim of polluting the environment as little as possible. The land area constitutes 69.000 square meters where it is possible to grass animals. The document reports a measuring programme concerning the overall heat consumption as one of the main aims of the inhabitants is to save energy and thus contribute to the protection of the environment. The capacity of the solar collectors predominantly used in the building complex was 235 kWh/m{sup 2}. Supplementary heating is provided by boilers fired with wood. The measuring system is described in detail. Tables show the influence of heat transmission losses, ventilation, airing out of rooms, the angle of the sun`s rays within the buildings and heating needs on energy consumption. Energy consumption data is presented in relation to the forms of space and water heating utilized. Daily ...
This book describes one approach to building and operating biogas systems. The biogas systems include raw material preparation, digesters, separate gas storage tanks, use of the gas to run engines, and the use of the sludge as fertilizer. Chapters included are: (1) "Introduction"; (2) "Biogas Systems are Small Factories"; (3) "The Raw Materials of Biogas Digestion"; (4) "The Daily Operation of a Biogas Factory"; (5) "The Once a Year Cleaning of the Digester"; (6) "Tanks and Pipes: Storing and Moving Biogas"; (7) "The Factory's Products: Biogas"; (8) "The Factory's Products: Biofertilizer"; (9) "The ABCs of Safety"; and (10) "Conclusion: Profiting from an Appropriate Technology." Many diagrams are provided throughout this handbook. New ideas, composting, bioinsecticides, ferrocement, facts and figures, sources and resources, feasibility studies, problem solving, and vocabulary are presented in the appendices. (YP)
The aims of the study were to develop and test the psychometric properties of the Thai Family Health Routines (TFHR) scale, a 70-item self-report questionnaire used to measure the health of Thai families through their routine behaviors in daily life. Development of the TFHR was based on the structural domains of Denham's Family Health Model. The TFHR scale was initially composed of 85 items and tested on 1,040 families living in the central region of Thailand. The confirmatory factor analysis, with an acceptable factor structure model, yielded 70 items aligned with six factors: self-care, safety and prevention, mental health behavior, family care, family caregiving, and illness care routines. The preliminary psychometric properties demonstrated that the TFHR scale had satisfactory internal consistency, criterion validity, and construct validity. The test results suggested that the TFHR scale has potential benefits for family and community nurses to assess Thai ...
Bone-seeking radiopharmaceutical uptake (BSRU) was used to examine alveolar bone metabolism in a longitudinal study of tetracycline efficacy in beagle dogs. BSRU was measured in untreated control dogs and in beagles receiving either 250 mg or 500 mg oral tetracycline-HCl daily for 16 months. The rate of bone loss was determined for radiographs taken semiannually for a 6-month pretreatment period and for a 24-month treatment period. Measurements of BSRU obtained at month 16 of treatment were correlated with rates of bone loss determined radiographically in an attempt to determine whether BSRU was indicative of the subsequent rate of bone loss. A reduced rate of alveolar bone loss was found in the 500 mg tetracycline group at month 16 of the study relative to the untreated controls which was consistent with the decreased bone-seeking radiopharmaceutical uptake observed in this group. A significantly increased BSRU (p<.0001) was found in the 250 mg tetracycline ...
Lutein is a yellow pigment found in common foods that promotes the health of eyes and skin and is associated with reduced risk of age-related macular degeneration and cataracts. In the present study, selected high-lutein wheat and corn were milled into wholegrain flours by two mills to improve flour uniformity. The high-lutein and lutein-fortified wholegrain flours were processed into breads, cookies, and muffins to study lutein stability during baking and subsequent storage. Lutein and its isomers were separated, identified, and quantified by LC-UV/vis and LC-MS following extraction with water-saturated 1-butanol. Baking resulted in a significant reduction in all-trans-lutein and the formation of cis-lutein and cis-zeaxanthin isomers. Subsequent storage at ambient temperature had a slight impact on the content of all-trans-lutein. Effects of processing were more pronounced in lutein-fortified products, and the degradation rate of lutein was influenced by concentration and baking ...
Emulsions now find a wide range of applications in industry and daily life. In the pharmaceutical industry lipophilic active ingredients as well as many nutritional products such as vitamins are often formulated in the dispersed phase of oil-in-water emulsions. Emulsions can be produced with different mechanical emulsification techniques. In the following review, the process of rotor-stator systems and disc systems are compared to other popular mechanical emulsification systems. On the basis of experimental results from the authors' laboratory, a discontinuous gear-rim dispersing system, discontinuous disc system, and a continuous high pressure system are compared with regard to their attainable mean droplet diameter and drop size distribution in an oil-in-water emulsion. It can be shown that dissolver discs with a very simple geometry attain very small mean droplet diameters and a very narrow droplet size distribution, comparable to the emulsions obtained ...
Kaiser Alumina and Chemical Co. impounds red mud, the byproduct of alumina production, behind levees. Kaiser recognizes that this action cannot be maintained indefinitely. Therefore, a project is in progress to produce useful products from red mud that increase the profitability of the Gramercy facility. Before products could be developed, an obstacle had to be overcome. The annual rainfall in South Louisiana prevents evaporative drying of the mud lakes. Innovative methods were applied to dry the lake mud. Two products have been developed. A daily landfill cover and an absorbant, which are marketed under the Cajunite{trademark} banner. Both products are currently being tested by potential customers at their sites. Environmental concerns were addressed during development. Extensive TCLP results show no metal leachate problems. All pilot tests and plant trials received LADEQ approval. Products that are under development include levee core, road base, fertilizer ...
The radioprotective effects of Liv.52 on tissue-reduced glutathione (GSH) levels were studied in rats. Adult female Sprague Dawley rats were exposed to whole body gamma radiation of 4 Gy and 8 Gy. Prior to radiation exposure, Liv.52 was fed, one ml per rat, daily for 15 days. Three days after radiation exposure, reduced glutathione levels in the liver, spleen, kidney and blood were studied. Liv.52 was beneficial in restoring the spleen weight to body weigh t ratio in the animals of the 4 Gy group. In the spleen and liver, Liv.52 helped to restore reduced glutathione in sub-lethally exposed rats. Blood-reduced glutathione was found to be normal in both groups of experimental rats who received Liv.52. The above results exhibit the radioprotective effects of Liv.52 in relation to tissue-reduced glutathione in experimental rats exposed to sub-lethal doses of radiation. (author). 3 tabs., 25 refs.
RADIANT{trademark} is manufactured by United States Surgical Corporation, Vascular Therapies Division, (formerly Progressive Angioplasty Systems). The system comprises a liquid {beta}-radiation source, a shielded isolation/transfer device (ISAT), modified over-the-wire or rapid exchange delivery balloons, and accessory kits. The liquid {beta}-source is Rhenium-188 in the form of sodium perrhenate (NaReO{sub 4}), Rhenium-188 is primarily a {beta}-emitter with a physical half-life of 17.0 hours. The maximum energy of the {beta}-particles is 2.1 MeV. The source is produced daily in the nuclear pharmacy hot lab by eluting a Tungsten-188/Rhenium-188 generator manufactured by Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). Using anion exchange columns and Millipore filters the effluent is concentrated to approximately 100 mCi/ml, calibrated, and loaded into the (ISAT) which is subsequently transported to the cardiac catheterization laboratory. The delivery catheters are modified ...
Erectile dysfunction following radical prostatectomy remains a frequent problem despite the development of nerve-sparing techniques. This erectile dysfunction is believed to be neurogenic, enhanced by hypoxia-induced structural changes which result in additional veno-occlusive dysfunction. Recently, daily use of intracavernous vasoactive substances and oral use of PDE5-inhibitors have been clinically studied for treatment of postprostatectomy erectile dysfunction. Since these studies showed benefits of "penile rehabilitation therapy," these effects have been studied in a preclinical setting. We reviewed experimental literature on erectile tissue preserving and neuroregenerative treatment strategies, and found that preservation of the erectile tissue by the use of intracavernous nitric oxide donors or vasoactive substances, oral PDE5-inhibitors, and hyperbaric oxygen therapy improved erectile function by antifibrotic effects and preservation of smooth muscle. ...
Building 922 houses all of SNL/California`s ES and H Departments: Health Protection, Environmental Protection, Safety, and Environmental Operations. It covers approximately 10,000 square feet and houses about 80 people. The office personnel generate nonhazardous solid office wastes in their daily activities. To determine the types and amounts of waste generated, a special PPOA sorting team sorted all of the trash collected from the building for a period of one-week (including paper and aluminum cans in the recycling bins). The team sorted the trash into major categories: paper, plastic, metals, glass, wet garbage, rest room waste, and miscellaneous materials. They then sorted it into subcategories within each major category. Rest room waste was collected but not sorted. The waste in each category was weighed separately. The total amount of trash collected during the week was approximately 168.8 kg (371.4 lbs). The results of this PPOA indicate that SNL/California ...
Gastric dilatation-volvulus (GDV) is a life-threatening condition in dogs and other species in which the stomach dilates and rotates on itself. The etiology of the disease is multi-factorial, but explicit precipitating causes are unknown. This study sought to determine if there was a significant association between changes in hourly-measured temperature and/or atmospheric pressure and the occurrence of GDV in the population of high-risk working dogs in Texas. The odds of a day being a GDV day, given certain temperature and atmospheric pressure conditions for that day or the day before, was estimated using logistic regression models. There were 57 days in which GDV(s) occurred, representing 2.60% of the days in the 6-year study period. The months of November, December, and January collectively accounted for almost half (47%) of all cases. Disease risk was negatively associated with daily maximum temperature. An increased risk of GDV was weakly associated with the ...
In this paper we present results of our investigation into the relationship between urban microclimate and the local density of tree cover as measured in Sacramento, California. These results were obtained through analysis of data collected in a two-month long monitoring program with automatic weather stations installed at 15 residential locations throughout the city. Measured wind speeds showed a highly negative correlation with respect to tree cover. Daily peak air temperatures showed significant variation often differing from site to site by 2 to 4{degrees}C ({approx}3.5 to 7{degrees}F). A complex interaction between several competing factors is discussed leading to the conclusion that additional tree cover may actually increase urban air temperatures on synoptically cool days. It is suggested that this does not have a significant adverse affect in terms of overall summer urban cooling load. This is supported by an integrated analysis of the temperature data ...
Nike is a recently completed multi-kilojoule krypton fluoride (KrF) laser that has been built to study the physics of direct drive inertial confinement fusion. This paper describes in detail both the pulsed power and optical performance of the largest amplifier in the Nike laser, the 60 cm amplifier. This is a double pass, double sided, electron beam-pumped system that amplifies the laser beam from an input of 50 J to an output of up to 5 kJ. It has an optical aperture of 60 cm x 60 cm and a gain length of 200 cm. The two electron beams are 60 cm high x 200 cm wide, have a voltage of 640 kV, a current of 540 kA, and a flat top power pulse duration of 250 ns. A 2 kG magnetic field is used to guide the beams and prevent self-pinching. Each electron beam is produced by its own Marx/pulse forming line system. The amplifier has been fully integrated into the Nike system and is used on a daily basis for laser-target experiments. copyright 1997 American Institute of ...
Mitotic delay is described as a classical response to radiation; however, circadian rhythmicity in cell division in vivo has not been considered by many authors. The present study investigated the relation between fluctuations reported as mitotic delay and recovery in vivo and circadian oscillations in mitotic index in mouse corneal epithelium. One aspect involved single doses (approximately 600 rad) given to mice at different circadian stages. The normal circadian rhythm in cell division was never obliterated. Inhibition of mitosis was evident but unpredictable, ranging from 6 to 15 hr after irradiation. Recovery was evident only during the daily increase in mitotic index of controls. The classical interpretation of recovery from mitotic delay may be in an in vitro phenomenon not reflecting in vivo responses, which are apparently strongly circadian stage dependent. The second portion of the study demonstrated a dose-response effect on length of mitotic delay and, ...
Emergency response preparedness for radiological accidents involving wound contamination has become more important, considering the current extending tendency in the nuclear industry related to the nuclear fuel cycle. The US National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements (NCRP) proposed a biokinetic and dosimetric model for the intake of radionuclides through contaminated wounds in 2007. The present paper describes the implementation of this NCRP wound model for the prediction of systemic behaviour of some important radioactive elements encountered in workplaces related to the nuclear industry. The NCRP wound model was linked to the current ICRP systemic model at each blood compartment and simultaneous differential equations for the content of radioactivity in each compartment and excreta were solved with the Runge-Kutta method. The results of the calculation of wound, whole-body or specific organ retention and daily urinary or faecal excretion rate of ...
Establishment of a continuous population has been prevented over a 24 year period in the San Joaquin Valley, USA, through continuous, daily in-season release of sterile pink bollworms based on an extensive trap monitoring programme. A post-harvest crop destruction ordinance and occasional use of pheromones as disruptants were the only other factors used by programme management, except in 1990. In 1990, the programme used a conventional insecticide on 280 acres (113 ha) out of 1.18 million acres (477,546 ha) of cotton. During the four year period 1986-1989, a management system was explored using a high rate pheromone disruption system and sterile insects. Major reductions in conventional insecticide usage, while maintaining extremely low populations, were evident in this semi-isolated valley of southern California. It is hoped that this will provide a model for a future large scale test on up to 20,000 acres (8100 ha) of cotton. (author). 11 refs, 1 fig., 7 tabs.
At-site and regional frequency analyses of annual maximum 1-, 2-, and 3-days rainfall in Han River basin was performed and compared based on the regional L-moments algorithm. To perform regional frequency analysis, Han River basin was subdivided into 3 sub-basins such as South Han River, North Han River, and downstream regions. For each sub-basin, the discordancy and homogeneity tests were performed. As the results of goodness of fit tests, lognormal model was selected as an appropriate probability distribution for both South Han River and downstream regions and gamma-3 model for North Han River region. From Monte Carlo simulation, RBIAS and RRMSE of the estimated quantiles from regional frequency analysis and at-site frequency analysis were calculated and compared each other. Regional frequency analysis shows less RRMSE of the estimated quantiles than at-sites frequency analysis in overall return periods. The differences of RRMSE between two approaches increase as the return period ...
Energy study was conducted in an organic fertilizer production plant in Nigeria, to determine the energy consumption patterns and the associated costs for the production of both powdered and pelletised fertilizer. Analysis was conducted for a daily production of 9000 kg of the finished products. Eight and nine defined unit operations were required for production of powder and pellets, respectively. The electrical and manual energy required for the production of powder were 94.5 and 5.6% of the total energy, respectively, with corresponding 93.9 and 5.1% for the production of pellets. The respective average energy intensities were estimated as 0.28 and 0.35 MJ/kg for powder and pellets. The most energy intensive operation was identified as the pulverizing unit with energy intensity of 0.09 MJ/kg, accounting for respective proportions of 33.4 and 27.0% of the total energy for production of powder and pellets. The energy cost per unit production for powdered and ...
In previous research, we found that sodium-dependent high-affinity choline uptake in the hippocampus and frontal cortex of the rat was lowered after acute (45 min) exposure to low-level 2450-MHz pulsed microwaves (power density 1 mW/cm2; average whole body specific absorption rate, 0.6 W/kg; 2 mu sec pulses, 500 pps). In the present experiment, we investigated developments of tolerance and classical conditioning to these effects of microwaves. Rats were exposed to microwaves in cylindrical waveguides in 10 daily sessions (45 min per session). In an 11th session, we subjected the rats to either microwave (study of tolerance) or sham exposure (study of conditioned effect) for 45 min, and immediately measured choline uptake in the hippocampus and frontal cortex. We found that tolerance, a decrease in response to microwaves, developed to the effect of microwaves on choline uptake in the hippocampus, but not in the frontal cortex. Conditioned effects were also observed: ...
This paper describes the challenges involved in the construction of a mid-rise housing development in Boston, Massachusetts, during which the development team elected to upgrade the initial design criteria from Minimum Building Code to Energy Star and Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification. The various constraints imposed on the development were discussed, including constraints imposed by the involvement of substantial public funds as well as the constraints imposed by various funding sources that were approached to leverage energy efficiency and green building investment via competitive grant solicitations. Building owner and utility cost management priorities were outlined along with details of central mechanical system selection. Issues concerning isolation and compartmentalization were examined along with indoor pollution source control. A building load analysis was presented as well as details of daily heating and cooling ...
The cost of transporting biogas digestate can be decreased by reducing its water content. However, the digestate emits volatile compounds during drying. This study investigated the drying behaviour and the change of digestate composition. Drying took place in a hybrid solar/waste-heat dryer that used solar energy as well as waste heat from a combined heat and power unit (CHP) and the exhaust air of a microturbine. The experiment involved the use of 60 t of liquid digestate. Climatic conditions were measured inside and outside the drying hall. Dry matter (DM) and organic dry matter (ODM) were also measured on a daily basis. In addition, the energy consumption of waste and solar heat were recorded and related to the quantity of dried feedstock. The total nitrogen, ammonium, phosphate, potassium oxide, magnesium oxide and calcium oxide in the digestate were subjected to chemical analysis before and after the drying process. Losses of nitrogen were calculated. Specific ...
The distribution of lead in lactating mice and suckling offspring was studied with whole body autoradiography at 4 and 24 h after a single intravenous injection of {sup 203}Pb (50 mmol Pb/kg) to the dams. In the lactating mice on day 14 of lactation, the highest uptake of radioactivity at 4 h after administration was recorded in renal cortex, skeleton and liver. A high uptake was also evident in the mannary gland. At 24 h after administration, the radioactivity had decreased in most organs except in the skeleton. In the suckling pups, exposed to lead only via dams` milk for 24 h, the highest level of radioactivity was present in the intestinal mucosa and a much lower level of radioactivity was present in the skeleton. The mammary glands from mice given three daily intravenous injections of 240 {mu}mol Pb/kg were examined with X-ray microanalysis. At 4 h after the last injection, lead was found associated with casein micelles both inside the alveolar cell and in the ...
The distribution of lead in lactating mice and suckling offspring was studied with whole body autoradiography at 4 and 24 h after a single intravenous injection of "2"0"3Pb (50 mmol Pb/kg) to the dams. In the lactating mice on day 14 of lactation, the highest uptake of radioactivity at 4 h after administration was recorded in renal cortex, skeleton and liver. A high uptake was also evident in the mannary gland. At 24 h after administration, the radioactivity had decreased in most organs except in the skeleton. In the suckling pups, exposed to lead only via dams' milk for 24 h, the highest level of radioactivity was present in the intestinal mucosa and a much lower level of radioactivity was present in the skeleton. The mammary glands from mice given three daily intravenous injections of 240 #mu#mol Pb/kg were examined with X-ray microanalysis. At 4 h after the last injection, lead was found associated with casein micelles both inside the alveolar cell and in the ...
WR-2721 (S-2-(3-aminopropylamino)ethylphosphorothioic acid) has been demonstrated to be cytotoxic to stem spermatogonia in the mouse. Five and 10 injections of 300 mg/kg killed sufficient numbers of stem cells to reduce sperm production 56 days after treatment by 16 and 43%, respectively. Single injections of 300 or 400 mg/kg of WR-2721 given 15 min after irradiation produced negligible toxicity to stem cells as measured by counts of repopulated tubules; 600 mg/kg reduced stem cell survival by 47%. Four daily injections of 300 mg/kg given 4, 3, 2, and 1 days prior to irradiation reduced stem cell survival by about 60%. The cytotoxic effects of WR-2721 on testicular stem cells at least partially explains the reduced protection factors observed in the testis with low doses of radiation and during fractionated treatments involving multiple injections of drug.
Energy expenditure (EE) of four adult men on a weight-maintenance diet was estimated by use of doubly labeled water, intake balance, and direct and indirect calorimetry. The doubly labeled water (2H218O) method was used to estimate free-living EE for 13 d. Metabolizable energy (ME) intake was used to estimate free-living EE for 1 wk. The subjects' 24-h EE was measured in a dual direct-indirect room calorimeter on 3 alternate days. Estimates of free-living EE as measured by ME intake and doubly labeled water indicate agreement between the two methods (mean difference +/- SEM, -1.04 +/- 0.63%). Measurements of EE with indirect and direct calorimetry are equivalent (mean difference 0.63 +/- 0.44%). The daily EE measured by doubly labeled water in these free-living adults over a 13-d period was 15.01% greater than the 24-h EE measured within the calorimeter.
Therapeutic effect of p-aminobenzoic acid-N-xyloside Na (K-247) were studied. Eleven patients with a variety of solid tumors were treated with K-247 alone. K-247 was given orally 800 mg daily for 4 weeks. As for side effect of the drug, only mild gastritis was observed in a few patients. Partial response (over 25% reduction of tumor size) with a median duration of two months was observed in 3 patients. These cases were metastatic tumor of lung from the carcinoma of thyroid, metastatic tumors of lung from the carcinoma of kidney, and mediastinal tumor. In eight patients the response was classified as no change and in one patient there was progressive disease. Thus K-247 has some therapeutic activity in patients with solid tumor. Combination therapy of irradiation and administration of K-247 were also studied. In the twelve patients receiving the combination therapy, partial response was observed in 7 patients with complete response in 3 patients. In some patients it ...
This book deals with organizations that operate in high hazard industries, such as the nuclear power, aviation, oil and chemical industry organisations. The society puts a great strain on these organisations to rigorously manage the risks inherent in the technology they use and the products they produce. In this book, an organisational psychology view is taken to analyse what are the typical challenges of daily work in these environments. The analysis is based on a literature review about human and organisational factors in safety critical industries, and on the interviews of Finnish safety experts and safety managers from four different companies. In addition to this, personnel interviews conducted in the Finnish nuclear power plants are utilised. The authors come up with eight themes that seem to be common organizational challenges cross the industries. These include e.g. how does the personnel understand the risks and what is the right level for rules and ...
The ruptured offshore oil well 80 miles from Mexican town of Ciudad del Carmen, which poured 8000 barrels of light oil a day into the Gulf of Mexico, provided marine scientists with the opportunity to monitor the spill and see what happens to petroleum hydrocarbons in sea water. Scientists followed changes in viscosity, surface tension, and buoyancy of individual oil globs as they moved through the water and interacted with the surface slick. Using gas chromatography and mass spectroscopy, chemists are gaining an understanding of the unique characteristics of the oil. Computer-generated models projected the slick's movement in the Gulf in response to wind and wave pressures, but the sophisticated system did not give an accurate daily prediction. Immediate damage to fish, turtles, and sea birds was documented by tagging. Long-term effects will take longer to ascertain since 25 years is generally required to flush oil out of sediments. Fishermen do not agree ...
The stability of a solid ice cover subjected to rapidly varying water levels and discharge was investigated. The support from the bank limits the stress in the ice cover and consequently bank contact must be maintained to ensure ice cover stability. An analysis was required of the stability of ice hinges, a flexible connection between a solid ice cover and the riverbank. Phase II and phase III of the research involved a field study of the Peace River, investigating the evolution of ice hinges with water level variation, from initial ice cover cracking parallel to the banks, to a fully developed hinge. A test program of midwinter discharge variations was undertaken to gather specific data and measurements of ice hinge link length, ice thickness, hinge joint behavior, riverbank geometry, and response of ice hinging to water level variation. This volume of appendices to the study presents detailed observations and comments from field notes through the formation, midwinter and breakup ...
The stability of a solid ice cover subjected to rapidly varying water levels and discharge was investigated. The support from the bank limits the stress in the ice cover and consequently bank contact must be maintained to ensure ice cover stability. An analysis was required of the stability of ice hinges, a flexible connection between a solid ice cover and the riverbank. Phase II and phase III of the research involved a field study of the Peace River, investigating the evolution of ice hinges with water level variation, from initial ice cover cracking parallel to the banks, to a fully developed hinge. A test program of midwinter discharge variations was undertaken to gather specific data and measurements of ice hinge link length, ice thickness, hinge joint behavior, riverbank geometry, and response of ice hinging to water level variation. As a result of the program, concepts developed throughout the study were confirmed, preliminary guidelines for hydroelectric power plant operation at ...
Summary Potential predictors of egg quality were assessed in whiting Merlangius merlangus L. permitted to spawn in a tank from which eggs were collected. These included fertilisation rate, the proportion of viable buoyant eggs, egg diameter, and egg wet and dry weights; all were influenced by temporal effects and were negatively correlated with days from start of spawning. The spawning period was protracted, from February to June. Mean daily egg production per female was 2.74 +- 2.43 g and 2338 +- 2075 eggs, equivalent to 14.6 +- 13.1 g kg-1 day-1 female-1. Egg diameter was 1.21 +- 0.04 mm, egg wet weight 1.20 +- 0.21 mg, dry weight 0.10 +- 0.02 mg, and mean fertilisation rate and hatching rates were 76.8 and 73.3%, respectively. The incubation period ranged from 72 to 80 degree days and w...
This research centered on finding and perfecting methods of collection and disposal of refuse in Ibadan North Local Government Areas. The methodology used included questionnaire administration, personal interviews, field reconnaissance, and biochemical tests of water samples, all aimed at providing useful data for the design of effective methods of collecting and disposing refuse. The local government area was divided into three classes based on resident income: a high-income area (Bodija Avenue, etc.), a medium-income area (Sanngo, Oluyole, etc.), and a low-income area (Beere, Adeoyo, etc.). The research outcomes revealed that the waste generation rate for the local government ranged from 0.2 to 0.33 kg/cap/day and waste density ranged from 172.41 to 217.61 kg/m"3. Water analyses showed that the chloride, manganese, lead, and cadmium levels in water from low-income areas were above the WHO standard. The refuse generated in high and medium-income areas was collected and transported to ...
In 1992, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) began using a Flow Duration Analysis (FDA) methodology to assess headwater benefits in river basins where use of the Headwater Benefits Energy Gains (HWBEG) model may not result in significant improvements in modeling accuracy. The purpose of this study is to validate the accuracy and appropriateness of the FDA method for determining energy gains in less complex basins. This report presents the results of Oak Ridge National Laboratory`s (ORNL`s) validation of the FDA method. The validation is based on a comparison of energy gains using the FDA method with energy gains calculated using the MWBEG model. Comparisons of energy gains are made on a daily and monthly basis for a complex river basin (the Alabama River Basin) and a basin that is considered relatively simple hydrologically (the Stanislaus River Basin). In addition to validating the FDA method, ORNL was asked to suggest refinements and improvements to ...