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Sample records for burnt treatment preliminary

  1. Validation of radiosterilization dose of human skin dressings for burnt treatment: preliminary study

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Castro, E.

    2008-01-01

    Full text: Due to the need for better materials to treat burnt patients, the Peruvian Institute of Nuclear Energy (IPEN) and the Rosa Guerzoni Chambergo Tissue Bank are collaborating for developing human skin dressings. Skin was procured from living donors, who surgically were performed a dermolipectomy. Exclusion criteria, stated by the Peruvian Organization for Transplant and Donation were observed. Glycerolized human skin dressings were processed at the tissue bank and sent to IPEN, where the gamma irradiation sterilizing dose was determined. The purpose of this work is to validate the radiation sterilization dose delivered to human skin dressings using the IAEA Code of Practice for the Radiation Sterilization of Tissue Allografts: Requirements for Validation and Routine Control. A batch of human skin dressings was tested. Average values of bioburden present in ten samples was 30 UFC/item, obtaining a sub-sterilization dose of 4 kGy. Irradiations were performed in the GammacellExcel 220. Sterility tests performed fulfilled the requirements established by the Code, achieving a validated dose value of 19.7 kGy. This preliminary study, that should be repeated in two other batches of processed human skin, allows to diminish 25 kGy the sterilizing dose to the stated above dose value, in a frame of a quality assurance system that also comprises the processes held at tissue banks previous irradiation. It also permit the availability of these materials in Peruvian hospitals. (Author)

  2. Postfire Burnt-Wood Management Affects Plant Damage by Ungulate Herbivores

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jorge Castro

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available I analyze the effect of post-fire burnt wood management on herbivore attack on a woody plant species (Ulex parviflorus. Two experimental plots of ca. 20 hectares were established at two elevations in a burnt area in a Mediterranean mountain (Sierra Nevada, Spain. Three replicates of three treatments differing in post-fire burnt wood management were established per plot: “no intervention” (NI, all trees remained standing, “partial cut plus lopping” (PCL, felling the trees, cutting the main branches, and leaving all the biomass in situ, and “salvage logging” (SL; removal of logs and elimination of woody debris. Risk of herbivory and damage intensity were monitored for two years. The pattern of attack by ungulate herbivores varied among treatments and years. In any case, there was an overall reduction in the risk of herbivory in the PCL treatment, presumably because the highest habitat complexity in this treatment hampered ungulate movement and foraging. As a result, the burnt logs and branches spread over the ground acted as a physical barrier that protected seedlings from herbivores. This protection may be used for the regeneration of shrubs and trees, and it is of interest for the regeneration of burnt sites either naturally or by reforestation.

  3. Layout Guide for Burnt and Un-burnt Tropical Forest: The Diversity of Forest Plants and Insetcs for Sustainable Environmental

    Science.gov (United States)

    Watiniasih, N. L.; Tambunan, J.; Merdana, I. M.; Antara, I. N. G.

    2018-04-01

    Forest fire is a common phenomenon in tropical forest likes in Indonesia. Beside the effect of soaring heat and lack of rain during dry season due to the tropical climate, farming system is also reported as one reason of forest fire in Indonesia. People of surrounding areas and neighbouring countries are suffering from the effect of forest fire. Plants and animals are the most suffer from this occurrence that they cannot escape. This study aimed to investigate the effect of previously burnt and un-burnt tropical forest in Borneo Island on the plant and insect diversity of the tropical forest. The result of the study found that the plants in previously burnt forest area was dominated by one species, while higher and more stable plant diversity was found in un-burnt forest. Although the number of individual insects was higher in previously burnt tropical forest, but the insects was more diverse in un-burnt tropical forest. The alteration of environmental conditions in previously burnt and un-burnt forest indicate that the energy held in natural forest support higher number and more stable insects than previously burnt forest.

  4. Multitemporal burnt area mapping using Landsat 8: merging multiple burnt area indices to highlight burnt areas

    CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

    Vhengani, L

    2015-07-01

    Full Text Available gases. These, makes the study of wildfires important. The study of fires is in three phases. Firstly it is forecasting, which uses Fire Danger Index (FDI), secondly it is the mapping of active fires and thirdly, the mapping of burnt areas to access...

  5. Post-Fire Soil Respiration in Relation to the Burnt Wood Management

    Science.gov (United States)

    Marañón Jiménez, Sara; Castro, J.; Kowalski, A.; Serrano-Ortiz, P.; Ruiz, B.; Sancez-Canete, Ep; Zamora, R.

    2010-05-01

    Wildfires are the main cause of forests and understory destruction in Mediterranean areas. One of the most dramatic consequences is the perturbation of carbon fluxes. A high percentage of the CO2 emitted by the ecosystem after a wildfire is due to soil respiration, which represents the most important uncertainty in the global carbon cycle. In this study we have quantified the soil respiration and its seasonal variability in reforested pine forests in the National and Natural Park of Sierra Nevada which were burned in September of 2005. Measurement campaigns were carried out along two years in two experimental plots at different altitudinal levels (1500 and 2200 m a.s.l.), in which three post-fire silvicultural treatments of burned wood were established: 1) "Non-Intervention" (NI), leaving all of the burnt trees standing. 2) "Cut plus Lopping" (CL), a treatment where most of the trees were cut and felled, with the main branches also lopped off, but leaving all the cut biomass in situ covering partially the ground surface 3) "Salvage Logging" (SL), all trees were cut and the trunks and branches were removed. Soil respiration was highly determined by the effects derived of the altitudinal level, with the highest values at the lowest altitude. The seasonal precipitation regime had also a key role. Soil respiration kept a basal level during the summer drought, during this period the response to the altitudinal level and post-fire treatments were reduced. On the other hand, soil respiration boosted after rain events, when the differences between treatments became more pronounced. In general, especially under these conditions of absence of water limitation, the post-fire burnt wood treatment with the highest CO2 fluxes was that in which all the burnt wood biomass remained covering partially the soil surface ("Cut plus Lopping") while the lowest values were registered in the treatment in which the soil was bared ("Salvage Logging"). Results of this study are especially

  6. [King Injo's disease and burnt needle therapy].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, In-Sook

    2004-12-01

    This paper investigates an interrelationship between burnt needle therapy and King Injo's disease. From 1633 (Year 11 in King Injo's reign) to May 5, 1649 (Year 27 in King Injo's reign), right before his death, King Injo was treated with burnt needles by Yi Hyeongik, an acupuncturist when the king had health problems. This study arises from two questions: why was King Injo often treated with burnt needles? and what effect did burnt needles have?Burnt needle therapy is a combined form of acupuncture and moxibustion. Yi Hyeongik was famous for eradicating pathogenic factors. He was appointed as a doctor in the Royal Hospital. The medical definition for pathogenic factors is that they are disease-causing factors. Understanding the pathogenic factor for King Injo's disease could make it possible to find the interrelationship between burnt needles and the king's disease. In the Joseon ear, the prevalent belief about diseases was that diseases could be caused by homeopathic magic. Some people thought homeopathic magic caused King Injo's disease. The actual reasons for King Injo's disease were the participation in the excessive rites of Queen Mother Inmok's funeral and the constant oppression from the Ching Dynasty after disgraceful defeat in the war. When King Injo started to be sick, homeopathic magic cases were found in the royal palace. The king's incurable disease was believed to have happened as a result of homeopathic magic. King Injo's suspicion toward Princess Jeongmyeong derived from her mother, Queen Mother Inmok. Moral justification for King Injo's coup was Gwanghaegun or Prince Gwanghae's immoral conduct toward Queen Mothe Inmok. After he was installed, King Injo obeyed the Queen Mother and showed her every attention. Meanwhile, he treated Princess Jeongmyeong with respect, maximized the moral justification for the coup, and solidified the royal authority. However, constant rebellions and treasons threatened King Injo. The king suspected that Queen Mother

  7. King Injo's Disease and Burnt Needle Therapy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    KIM In-Sook

    2004-12-01

    Full Text Available This paper investigates an interrelationship between burnt needle therapy(번침 and King Injo'sdisease. From 1633 (Year 11 in King Injo's reign to May 5, 1649 (Year 27 King in Injo's reign, right before his death, King Injo(인조 was treated with burnt needles by Yi Hyeongik(이형익, an acupuncturist when the king had health problems. This study arises from two questions: why was King Injo often treated with burnt needles? and what effect did burnt needles have? Burnt needle therapy is a combined form of acupuncture and moxibustion. Yi Hyeongik was famous for eradicating pathogenic factors. He was appointed as a doctor in the Royal Hospital. The medical definition for pathogenic factors is that they are disease-causing factors. Understanding the pathogenic factor for King Injo's disease could make it possible to find the interrelationship between burnt needles and the king's disease. In the Joseon era, the prevalent belief about diseases was that diseases could be caused by homeopathic magic. Some people thought homeopathic magic caused King Injo's disease.  The actual reasons for King Injo's disease were the participation in the excessive rites of Queen Mother Inmok's funeral and the constant oppression from the Ching Dynasty after disgraceful defeat in the war. When King Injo started to be sick, homeopathic magic cases were found in the royal palace. The king's incurable disease was believed to have happened as a result of homeopathic magic. King Injo's suspicion toward Princess Jeongmyeong(정명공주 derived from her mother, Queen Mother Inmok(인목대비. Moral justification for King Injo's coup was Gwanghaegun(광해군 or Prince Gwanghae's immoral conduct toward Queen Mother Inmok. After he was installed, King Injo obeyed the Queen Mother and showed her every attention. Meanwhile, he treated Princess Jeongmyeong with respect, maximized the moral justification for the coup, and solidified the royal authority. However, constant

  8. Competitive outcomes between wood-decaying fungi are altered in burnt wood.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Edman, Mattias; Eriksson, Anna-Maria

    2016-06-01

    Fire is an important disturbance agent in boreal forests where it creates a wide variety of charred and other types of heat-modified dead wood substrates, yet how these substrates affect fungal community structure and development within wood is poorly understood. We allowed six species of wood-decaying basidiomycetes to compete in pairs in wood-discs that were experimentally burnt before fungal inoculation. The outcomes of interactions in burnt wood differed from those in unburnt control wood for two species:Antrodia sinuosanever lost on burnt wood and won over its competitor in 67% of the trials compared to 40% losses and 20% wins on unburnt wood. In contrast, Ischnoderma benzoinumwon all interactions on unburnt wood compared to 33% on burnt wood. However, the responses differed depending on the identity of the competing species, suggesting an interaction between competitor and substrate type. The observed shift in competitive balance between fungal species probably results from chemical changes in burnt wood, but the underlying mechanism needs further investigation. Nevertheless, the results indicate that forest fires indirectly structure fungal communities by modifying dead wood, and highlight the importance of fire-affected dead wood substrates in boreal forests. © FEMS 2016. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  9. 77 FR 39675 - Wallowa-Whitman National Forest, Baker County, OR; North Fork Burnt River Mining

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-07-05

    ...-Whitman National Forest, Baker County, OR; North Fork Burnt River Mining AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA... North Fork Burnt River Mining Record of Decision will replace and supercede the 2004 North Fork Burnt River Mining Record of Decision only where necessary to address the inadequacies identified by the court...

  10. Characterization of raw and burnt oil shale from Dotternhausen: Petrographical and mineralogical evolution with temperature

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Thiéry, Vincent; Bourdot, Alexandra; Bulteel, David

    2015-01-01

    The Toarcian Posidonia shale from Dotternhausen, Germany, is quarried and burnt in a fluidized bed reactor to produce electricity. The combustion residue, namely burnt oil shale (BOS), is used in the adjacent cement work as an additive in blended cements. The starting material is a typical laminated oil shale with an organic matter content ranging from 6 to 18%. Mineral matter consists principally of quartz, feldspar, pyrite and clays. After calcination in the range, the resulting product, burnt oil shale, keeps the macroscopic layered texture however with different mineralogy (anhydrite, lime, iron oxides) and the formation of an amorphous phase. This one, studied under STEM, reveals a typical texture of incipient partial melting due to a long retention time (ca. 30 min) and quenching. An in-situ high temperature X-ray diffraction (HTXRD) allowed studying precisely the mineralogical changes associated with the temperature increase. - Highlights: • We present oil shale/burnt oil shale characterization. • The Posidonia Shale is burnt in a fluidized bed. • Mineralogical evolution with temperature is complex. • The burnt oil shale is used in composite cements

  11. Preliminary studies on the relationship between Tuber melanosporum and vesicular arbuscular mycorrizhae in the "burnt-places"

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rosell Armengol, Alexis

    1997-12-01

    Full Text Available The vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizal status of the herbaceous plants living inside and outside the "burnt- places" caused by Tuber melanosporum Vitt. was examined in order to determine whether the fungus may interfere with endomycorrhizal formation. When plants surviving in the burnt-out areas were compared to those in surrounding ground, a clear reduction in growth and vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizal colonization were observed; additionally a reduction in the number of endogonaceous spores occurring in me soil was detected. These results suggest mat T. melanosporum produces substances also inhibitive to endomycorrhizal fungi.

    S'ha examinat l'estat de les micorrizes vessículo-arbusculars de les plantes herbácies que viuen dins i fora deis tofoners deguts a Tuber melanosporum Vitt., a fi de determinar si el fong interfereix en la formació endomicorrízica. Quan varen comparar-se les plantes que sobrevivien als tofoners amb les del terreny del voltant, es va observar una clara reducció en llur creixement i en la micorrizació vessículo-arbuscular; i, a més, es va detectar una reducció notable en el nombre d'espores endogàmiques presents al sòl. Tot això suggereix que T. melanosporum produeix substancies inhibents també respecte als fongs endomicorrízics.

  12. Burning Down the House: the Burnt Building V6 at Late Neolithic Tell Sabi Abyad, Syria

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Akkermans, Peter M.M.G.; Brüning, Merel L.; Hammers, Neeke Mineke

    2012-01-01

    This article presents the remains of a T-shaped burnt building found in trench V6 in Operation II at Late Neolithic Tell Sabi Abyad, Syria. The burnt building closely resembles the so-called Burnt Village excavated earlier at Tell Sabi Abyad in Operation I, level 6, but is slightly older. Many...

  13. Reactivity Measurements On Burnt And Reference Fuel Samples In LWR-PROTEUS Phase II

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Murphy, M.; Jatuff, F.; Grimm, P.; Seiler, R.; Luethi, A.; Van Geemert, R.; Brogli, R.; Chawla, R.; Meier, G.; Berger, H.-D.

    2003-01-01

    During the year 2002, the PROTEUS research reactor was used to make a series of reactivity measurements on Pressurised Water Reactor (PWR) burnt fuel samples, and on a series of specially prepared standards. These investigations have been made in two different neutron spectra. In addition, the intrinsic neutron emissions of the burnt fuel samples have been determined. (author)

  14. A comparison of carcass decomposition and associated insect succession onto burnt and unburnt pig carcasses.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McIntosh, Craig S; Dadour, Ian R; Voss, Sasha C

    2017-05-01

    The rate of decomposition and insect succession onto decomposing pig carcasses were investigated following burning of carcasses. Ten pig carcasses (40-45 kg) were exposed to insect activity during autumn (March-April) in Western Australia. Five replicates were burnt to a degree described by the Crow-Glassman Scale (CGS) level #2, while five carcasses were left unburnt as controls. Burning carcasses greatly accelerated decomposition in contrast to unburnt carcasses. Physical modifications following burning such as skin discolouration, splitting of abdominal tissue and leathery consolidation of skin eliminated evidence of bloat and altered microambient temperatures associated with carcasses throughout decomposition. Insect species identified on carcasses were consistent between treatment groups; however, a statistically significant difference in insect succession onto remains was evident between treatments (PERMANOVA F (1, 224)  = 14.23, p < 0.01) during an 8-day period that corresponds with the wet stage of decomposition. Differences were noted in the arrival time of late colonisers (Coleoptera) and the development of colonising insects between treatment groups. Differences in the duration of decomposition stages and insect assemblages indicate that burning has an effect on both rate of decomposition and insect succession. The findings presented here provide baseline data for entomological casework involving burnt remains criminal investigations.

  15. Identification and application of the valid wavelength bands for burnt area detection and fire severity classification using Landsat/TM data

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Maki, M.; Tamura, M.

    2003-01-01

    Firstly, by using Landsat Thematic Mapper (TM) imagery before and after forest fire, the valid wavelength bands for detecting burnt areas were examined and compared to NDVI. Secondly, by using the valid wavelength bands, mapping of burnt area and classification of fire severity were examined. The results show that (a) channel 4 and 7 were more sensitive than other channels for detecting burnt area, (b) BAI (Burnt Area Index) [(ch. 4-ch. 7)/(ch. 4+ch. 7)] was more useful than NDVI for detecting burnt areas, and (c) BAI imagery was more useful for classification of burn severity than NDVI imagery

  16. Recycling of organic wastes in burnt soils: combined application of poultry manure and plant cultivation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Villar, M C; Petrikova, V; Díaz-Raviña, M; Carballas, T

    2004-01-01

    A pot experiment was conducted to investigate the efficacy of a post-fire land management practice, including plant cultivation (Lolium perenne) combined with poultry manure addition, for restoring the protective vegetation cover in soils degraded by high intensity wildfires. The greenhouse experiment was performed with three burnt pine forest soils with added poultry manure at two doses of application and comparing the data with those obtained using NPK fertilizer. A significant effect of the amendment, soil properties and the interaction between amendment and soil properties on vegetation cover (phytomass production, nutrient content) was detected, but often the amendment treatment explained most of the variance. Changes induced by the organic amendment were more marked than those induced by inorganic fertilization. The increase of phytomass and nutrient uptake with poultry manure addition indicated the beneficial effects of this soil management practice. These findings can serve to develop field experiments and burnt soils reclamation technology.

  17. Mapping the recovery of the burnt vegetation by classifying pre- and post-fire spectral indices

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M. A Peña

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available This study analyzed the state of recovery of the burnt vegetation in the National Park of Torres del Paine between December, 2011 and March, 2012. The calculation and comparison of the NVDI (normalized difference vegetation index of the burnt area throughout a time series of 24 Landsat images acquired before, during and after the fire (2009- 2015, showed the temporal variation in the biomass levels of the burnt vegetation. The subsequent classification and comparison of the spectral indices: NDVI, NBR (normalized burnt ratio and NDWI (normalized difference water index on a full-data available and phenologically matched pre- and post-fire image pair (acquired in October 2009 and 2014, enabled to analyze and mapping the state of recovery of the burnt vegetation. The results show that the area of the lowest classes of all the spectral indices of the pre-fire date became the most dominant on the post-fire date. The pre- and post- fire NDVI class crossing by a confusion matrix showed that the highest and most prevailing pre-fire NDVI classes, mostly corresponding to hydromorphic forests and Andean scrubs, turned into the lowest class in 2014. The remaining area, comprising Patagonian steppe, reestablished its biomass levels in 2014, mostly exhibiting the same pre-fire NDVI classes. These results may provide guidelines to monitor and manage the regeneration of the vegetation impacted by this fire.

  18. Reactivity and neutron emission measurements of highly burnt PWR fuel rod samples

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Murphy, M.F.; Jatuff, F.; Grimm, P.; Seiler, R.; Brogli, R.; Meier, G.; Berger, H.-D.; Chawla, R.

    2006-01-01

    Fuel rods with burnup values beyond 50 GWd/t are characterised by relatively large amounts of fission products and a high abundance of major and minor actinides. Of particular interest is the change in the reactivity of the fuel as a function of burnup and the capability of modern codes to predict this change. In addition, the neutron emission from burnt fuel has important implications for the design of transport and storage facilities. Measurements have been made of the reactivity effects and the neutron emission rates of highly burnt uranium oxide and mixed oxide fuel rod samples coming from a pressurised water reactor (PWR). The reactivity measurements have been made in a PWR lattice in the PROTEUS zero-energy reactor moderated in turn with: water, a water and heavy water mixture and water containing boron. A combined transport flask and sample changer was used to insert the 400 mm long burnt fuel rod segments into the reactor. Both control rod compensation and reactor period methods were used to determine the reactivities of the samples. For the range of burnup values investigated, an interesting exponential relationship has been found between the neutron emission rate and the measured reactivity

  19. Nuclear reactor with a fixed system of neutron poison, which can be burnt up, introduced into the reactor core

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mueller, E.; Roegler, H.J.; Wickert, M.

    1985-01-01

    The fixed system consists of neutron poison which can be burnt up, in an uneven distribution, and with adjustable absorber rods for output control, which are driven into the reactor core from the side along the fuel elements. There is an excess of neutron poison which can be burnt up, overall, on the side of the reactor core away from the absorber rods. The reactor core is free of neutron poison which can be burnt up on the side where the absorber rods are driven in, so that the ratio of maximum to mean power density with reference to a possible absorber rod positions is less than for homogeneous distribution of the neutron poison which can be burnt up. (orig./HP) [de

  20. Design of a proteus lattice representative of a burnt and fresh fuel interface at power conditions in light water reactors

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hursin, M.; Perret, G. [Paul Scherrer Institut (PSI), 5232 Villigen (Switzerland)

    2012-07-01

    The research program LIFE (Large-scale Irradiated Fuel Experiment) between PSI and Swissnuclear has been started in 2006 to study the interaction between large sets of burnt and fresh fuel pins in conditions representative of power light water reactors. Reactor physics parameters such as flux ratios and reaction rate distributions ({sup 235}U and {sup 238}U fissions and {sup 238}U capture) are calculated to estimate an appropriate arrangement of burnt and fresh fuel pins within the central element of the test zone of the zero-power research reactor PROTEUS. The arrangement should minimize the number of burnt fuel pins to ease fuel handling and reduce costs, whilst guaranteeing that the neutron spectrum in both burnt and fresh fuel regions and at their interface is representative of a large uniform array of burnt and fresh pins in the same moderation conditions. First results are encouraging, showing that the burnt/fresh fuel interface is well represented with a 6 x 6 bundle of burnt pins. The second part of the project involves the use of TSUNAMI, CASMO-4E and DAKOTA to perform parametric and optimization studies on the PROTEUS lattice by varying its pitch (P) and fraction of D{sub 2}O in moderator (F{sub D2O}) to be as representative as possible of a power light water reactor core at hot full power conditions at beginning of cycle (BOC). The parameters P and F{sub D2O} that best represent a PWR at BOC are 1.36 cm and 5% respectively. (authors)

  1. Land cover mapping with emphasis to burnt area delineation using co-orbital ALI and Landsat TM imagery

    Science.gov (United States)

    Petropoulos, George P.; Kontoes, Charalambos C.; Keramitsoglou, Iphigenia

    2012-08-01

    In this study, the potential of EO-1 Advanced Land Imager (ALI) radiometer for land cover and especially burnt area mapping from a single image analysis is investigated. Co-orbital imagery from the Landsat Thematic Mapper (TM) was also utilised for comparison purposes. Both images were acquired shortly after the suppression of a fire occurred during the summer of 2009 North-East of Athens, the capital of Greece. The Maximum Likelihood (ML), Artificial Neural Networks (ANNs) and Support Vector Machines (SVMs) classifiers were parameterised and subsequently applied to the acquired satellite datasets. Evaluation of the land use/cover mapping accuracy was based on the error matrix statistics. Also, the McNemar test was used to evaluate the statistical significance of the differences between the approaches tested. Derived burnt area estimates were validated against the operationally deployed Services and Applications For Emergency Response (SAFER) Burnt Scar Mapping service. All classifiers applied to either ALI or TM imagery proved flexible enough to map land cover and also to extract the burnt area from other land surface types. The highest total classification accuracy and burnt area detection capability was returned from the application of SVMs to ALI data. This was due to the SVMs ability to identify an optimal separating hyperplane for best classes' separation that was able to better utilise ALI's advanced technological characteristics in comparison to those of TM sensor. This study is to our knowledge the first of its kind, effectively demonstrating the benefits of the combined application of SVMs to ALI data further implying that ALI technology may prove highly valuable in mapping burnt areas and land use/cover if it is incorporated into the development of Landsat 8 mission, planned to be launched in the coming years.

  2. Gamma-ray spectrometric measurements of fission rate ratios between fresh and burnt fuel following irradiation in a zero-power reactor

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kröhnert, H., E-mail: hanna.kroehnert@ensi.ch [Paul Scherrer Institut (PSI), CH-5232 Villigen (Switzerland); École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), CH-1015 Lausanne (Switzerland); Perret, G.; Murphy, M.F. [Paul Scherrer Institut (PSI), CH-5232 Villigen (Switzerland); Chawla, R. [Paul Scherrer Institut (PSI), CH-5232 Villigen (Switzerland); École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), CH-1015 Lausanne (Switzerland)

    2013-01-11

    The gamma-ray activity from short-lived fission products has been measured in fresh and burnt UO{sub 2} fuel samples after irradiation in a zero-power reactor. For the first time, short-lived gamma-ray activity from fresh and burnt fuel has been compared and fresh-to-burnt fuel fission rate ratios have been derived. For the measurements, well characterized fresh and burnt fuel samples, with burn-ups up to 46 GWd/t, were irradiated in the zero-power research reactor PROTEUS. Fission rate ratios were derived based on the counting of high-energy gamma-rays above 2200 keV, in order to discriminate against the high intrinsic activity of the burnt fuel. This paper presents the measured fresh-to-burnt fuel fission rate ratios based on the {sup 142}La (2542 keV), {sup 89}Rb (2570 keV), {sup 138}Cs (2640 keV) and {sup 95}Y (3576 keV) high-energy gamma-ray lines. Comparisons are made with the results of Monte Carlo modeling of the experimental configuration, carried out using the MCNPX code. The measured fission rate ratios have 1σ uncertainties of 1.7–3.4%. The comparisons with calculated predictions show an agreement within 1–3σ, although there appears to be a slight bias (∼3%).

  3. Characterization of the Extended-Spectrum beta-Lactamase Producers among Non-Fermenting Gram-Negative Bacteria Isolated from Burnt Patients

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mojdeh Hakemi Vala

    2013-09-01

    -fermenter isolates were ESBL producer. Conclusions: None of the third or fourth generation of cephalosporins is suitable for treatment of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Acinetobacter baumannii isolated from burnt patients.

  4. Monitoring of reforestation on burnt areas in Western Russia using Landsat time series

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vorobev, Oleg; Kurbanov, Eldar

    2017-04-01

    Forest fires are main disturbance factor for the natural ecosystems, especially in boreal forests. Monitoring for the dynamic of forest cover regeneration in the post-fire period of ecosystem recovery is crucial to both estimation of forest stands and forest management. In this study, on the example of burnt areas of 2010 wildfires in Republic Mari El of Russian Federation we estimated post-fire dynamic of different classes of vegetation cover between 2011-2016 years with the use of time series Landsat satellite images. To validate the newly obtained thematic maps we used 80 test sites with independent field data, as well Canopus-B images of high spatial resolution. For the analysis of the satellite images we referred to Normalized Differenced Vegetation Index (NDVI) and Tasseled Cap transformation. The research revealed that at the post-fire period the area of thematic classes "Reforestation of the middle and low density" has maximum cover (44%) on the investigated burnt area. On the burnt areas of 2010 there is ongoing active process of grass overgrowing (up to 20%), also there are thematic classes of deadwood (15%) and open spaces (10%). The results indicate that there is mostly natural regeneration of tree species pattern corresponding to the pre-fire condition. Forest plantations cover only 2% of the overall burnt area. By the 2016 year the NDVI parameters of young vegetation cover were recovered to the pre-fire level as well. The overall unsupervised classification accuracy of more than 70% shows high degree of agreement between the thematic map and the ground truth data. The research results can be applied for the long term succession monitoring and management plan development for the reforestation activities on the lands disturbed by fire.

  5. Comparing erosion rates in burnt forests and agricultural fields for a mountain catchment in NW Iberia

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nunes, João Pedro; Marisa Santos, Juliana; Bernard-Jannin, Léonard; Keizer, Jan Jacob

    2013-04-01

    A large part of northwestern Iberia is nowadays covered by commercial forest plantations of eucalypts and maritime pines, which have partly replaced traditional agricultural land-uses. The humid Mediterranean climate, with mild wet winters and warm dry summers, creates favorable conditions for the occurrence of frequent and recurrent forest fires. Erosion rates in recently burnt areas have been the subject of numerous studies; however, there is still a lack of information on their relevance when compared with agricultural erosion rates, impairing a comprehensive assessment of the role of forests for soil protection. This study focuses on Macieira de Alcoba, head-water catchment in the Caramulo Mountain Range, north-central Portugal, with a mixture of agricultural fields (mostly a rotation between winter pastures and summer cereals) on the lower slopes and forest plantations (mostly eucalypts) on the upper slopes. Agricultural erosion in this catchment has been monitored since 2010; a forest fire in 2011 presented an opportunity to compare post-fire and agricultural erosion rates at nearby sites with comparable soil and climatic conditions. Erosion rates were monitored between 2010 and 2013 by repeated surveys of visible erosion features and, in particular, by mapping and measuring rills and gullies after important rainfall events. During the 2011/2012 hydrological year, erosion rates in the burnt forest were two orders of magnitude above those in agricultural fields, amounting to 17.6 and. 0.1 Mg ha-1, respectively. Rills were widespread in the burnt area, while in the agricultural area they were limited to a small number of fields with higher slope; these particular fields experienced an erosion rate of 2.3 Mg ha-1, still one order of magnitude lower than at the burnt forest site. The timing of the erosion features was also quite distinct for the burnt area and the agricultural fields. During the first nine months after the fire, rill formation was not observed in

  6. Deadwood Decay in a Burnt Mediterranean Pine Reforestation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Carlos R. Molinas-González

    2017-05-01

    Full Text Available Dead wood remaining after wildfires represents a biological legacy for forest regeneration, and its decay is both cause and consequence of a large set of ecological processes. However, the rate of wood decomposition after fires is still poorly understood, particularly for Mediterranean-type ecosystems. In this study, we analyzed deadwood decomposition following a wildfire in a Mediterranean pine plantation in the Sierra Nevada Natural and National Park (southeast Spain. Three plots were established over an elevational/species gradient spanning from 1477 to 2053 m above sea level, in which burnt logs of three species of pines were experimentally laid out and wood densities were estimated five times over ten years. The logs lost an overall 23% of their density, although this value ranged from an average 11% at the highest-elevation plot (dominated by Pinus sylvestris to 32% at an intermediate elevation (with P. nigra. Contrary to studies in other climates, large-diameter logs decomposed faster than small-diameter logs. Our results provide one of the longest time series for wood decomposition in Mediterranean ecosystems and suggest that this process provides spatial variability in the post-fire ecosystem at the scale of stands due to variable speeds of decay. Common management practices such as salvage logging diminish burnt wood and influence the rich ecological processes related to its decay.

  7. A system for 3D representation of burns and calculation of burnt skin area.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Prieto, María Felicidad; Acha, Begoña; Gómez-Cía, Tomás; Fondón, Irene; Serrano, Carmen

    2011-11-01

    In this paper a computer-based system for burnt surface area estimation (BAI), is presented. First, a 3D model of a patient, adapted to age, weight, gender and constitution is created. On this 3D model, physicians represent both burns as well as burn depth allowing the burnt surface area to be automatically calculated by the system. Each patient models as well as photographs and burn area estimation can be stored. Therefore, these data can be included in the patient's clinical records for further review. Validation of this system was performed. In a first experiment, artificial known sized paper patches were attached to different parts of the body in 37 volunteers. A panel of 5 experts diagnosed the extent of the patches using the Rule of Nines. Besides, our system estimated the area of the "artificial burn". In order to validate the null hypothesis, Student's t-test was applied to collected data. In addition, intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) was calculated and a value of 0.9918 was obtained, demonstrating that the reliability of the program in calculating the area is of 99%. In a second experiment, the burnt skin areas of 80 patients were calculated using BAI system and the Rule of Nines. A comparison between these two measuring methods was performed via t-Student test and ICC. The hypothesis of null difference between both measures is only true for deep dermal burns and the ICC is significantly different, indicating that the area estimation calculated by applying classical techniques can result in a wrong diagnose of the burnt surface. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd and ISBI. All rights reserved.

  8. SOLID BURNT BRICKS’ TENSILE STRENGTH

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Aneta Maroušková

    2017-11-01

    Full Text Available This paper deals with experimental testing of solid burnt bricks and mortar in pure (axial tension. The obtained working diagrams will be further use for a detailed numerical analysis of whole brick masonry column under concentric compressive load. Failure mechanism of compressed brick masonry column is characterized by the appearance and development of vertical tensile cracks in masonry units (bricks passing in the direction of principal stresses and is accompanied by progressive growth of horizontal deformations. These cracks are caused by contraction and interaction between two materials with different mechanical characteristics (brick and mortar. The aim of this paper is more precisely describe the response of quasi-brittle materials to uniaxial loading in tension (for now only the results from three point bending test are available. For these reasons, bricks and mortar tensile behavior is experimentally tested and the obtained results are discussed.

  9. The Human and Physical Determinants of Wildfires and Burnt Areas in Israel

    Science.gov (United States)

    Levin, Noam; Tessler, Naama; Smith, Andrew; McAlpine, Clive

    2016-09-01

    Wildfires are expected to increase in Mediterranean landscapes as a result of climate change and changes in land-use practices. In order to advance our understanding of human and physical factors shaping spatial patterns of wildfires in the region, we compared two independently generated datasets of wildfires for Israel that cover approximately the same study period. We generated a site-based dataset containing the location of 10,879 wildfires (1991-2011), and compared it to a dataset of burnt areas derived from MODIS imagery (2000-2011). We hypothesized that the physical and human factors explaining the spatial distribution of burnt areas derived from remote sensing (mostly large fires, >100 ha) will differ from those explaining site-based wildfires recorded by national agencies (mostly small fires, human activities, improving the management of forest areas and raising public awareness to fire risk are key considerations in reducing fire danger.

  10. Short- and medium-term effects of three fire fighting chemicals on the properties of a burnt soil

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Couto-Vazquez, A.; Gonzalez-Prieto, S.J.

    2006-01-01

    The impact of three fire fighting chemicals (FFC) on 11 chemical soil properties and on soil recovery (0-2 cm depth) was evaluated 1, 30, 90 and 365 days after a prescribed fire. Five treatments were considered: unburnt soil (United States) and burnt soil with 2 l m -2 of water alone (BS) or mixed with the foaming agent Auxquimica RFC-88 at 1% (BS + Fo), Firesorb at 1.5% (BS + Fi) and FR Cross ammonium polyphosphate at 20% (BS + Ap). At t = 1 day, soil pH increases in the order US 15 N decreased in all burnt soils (significatively in BS + Ap) due to the inputs of 15 N depleted ashes from leguminous vegetation. Compared with US, soil δ 15 N increased significantly in all burnt plots between t = 90 days (30 days in BS + Ap) and t = 365 days, suggesting a medium-term fire-triggered increment of N outputs ( 15 N depleted). As is habitually the case, there was a transient post-fire increase of NH 4 + -N levels (significative for BS + FFC plots) that lasted for 30 (BS, BS + Fo and BS + Fi) to 90 days (BS + Ap). The high initial NH 4 + -N levels in BS + Ap (200x that of US; 9-18x those of BS, BS + Fo and BS + Fi), and its persistence can delay the post-fire vegetation recovery due to the toxicity of NH 4 + to seeds and seedlings. NO 3 -N levels changed significantly only in BS + Ap between t = 30 and t = 90 days due to the nitrification of its large NH 4 + -N pool. Except in BS + Ap, whose soil P levels were 70-140x (t = 1 days) and 10-20x (t = 365 days) higher than in the other treatments, available P content in BS and BS + FFC was not significatively higher than in US. The concentrations of available cations in BS and BS + FFC were higher (not always significatively, except for K) than in US until t = 90 days, likely due to ashes- and FFC-derived cations. Contrarily to divalent cations, monovalent cations (more soluble and easily leached) decreased slowly until t = 90 days

  11. Letters and Viewpoints Potentials of Using Waste Burnt Clay as a ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Samples of waste burnt clay were collected from various parts of the country to study their pozzolanic properties. The samples were ground into fine powder and taken for chemical tests. Results from the chemical tests on all the samples showed high silica content. In fact the combined percentages of Silica (SiO2), Alumina ...

  12. A Comparison of Spectral Angle Mapper and Artificial Neural Network Classifiers Combined with Landsat TM Imagery Analysis for Obtaining Burnt Area Mapping

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marko Scholze

    2010-03-01

    Full Text Available Satellite remote sensing, with its unique synoptic coverage capabilities, can provide accurate and immediately valuable information on fire analysis and post-fire assessment, including estimation of burnt areas. In this study the potential for burnt area mapping of the combined use of Artificial Neural Network (ANN and Spectral Angle Mapper (SAM classifiers with Landsat TM satellite imagery was evaluated in a Mediterranean setting. As a case study one of the most catastrophic forest fires, which occurred near the capital of Greece during the summer of 2007, was used. The accuracy of the two algorithms in delineating the burnt area from the Landsat TM imagery, acquired shortly after the fire suppression, was determined by the classification accuracy results of the produced thematic maps. In addition, the derived burnt area estimates from the two classifiers were compared with independent estimates available for the study region, obtained from the analysis of higher spatial resolution satellite data. In terms of the overall classification accuracy, ANN outperformed (overall accuracy 90.29%, Kappa coefficient 0.878 the SAM classifier (overall accuracy 83.82%, Kappa coefficient 0.795. Total burnt area estimates from the two classifiers were found also to be in close agreement with the other available estimates for the study region, with a mean absolute percentage difference of ~1% for ANN and ~6.5% for SAM. The study demonstrates the potential of the examined here algorithms in detecting burnt areas in a typical Mediterranean setting.

  13. Decentralised wastewater treatment effluent fertigation: preliminary ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Decentralised wastewater treatment effluent fertigation: preliminary technical assessment. ... living in informal settlements with the effluent produced being used on agricultural land. ... Banana and taro required 3 514 mm of irrigation effluent.

  14. Store for burnt-up fuel elements of nuclear reactors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kumpf, H.

    1981-01-01

    Burnt-up fuel elements of nuclear reactors have to be cooled during storage. For this reason the boxes which surround the fuel elements can have cooling air flowing round them in natural flow. This air is taken through the walls of a storage building through zones of parallel pipes, whose diameter and spacing are in the ratio of 1 : 0.5 to 1 : 2. The pipes have dust filters. Prefilters with fan drive are situated in parallel with the inlet pipe zones. (orig.) [de

  15. Utilization of freshly induced high-energy gamma-ray activity as a measure of fission rates in re-irradiated burnt UO{sub 2} fuel

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Murphy, M. F.; Perret, G. [Paul Scherrer Institut (PSI), CH-5232 Villigen (Switzerland); Krohnert, H.; Chawla, R. [Paul Scherrer Institut (PSI), CH-5232 Villigen (Switzerland); Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne (EPFL), CH-1015 Lausanne (Switzerland)

    2009-07-01

    In the frame of the LIFE-PROTEUS (Large-scale Irradiation Fuel Experiments at PROTEUS) program, a measurement technique is being developed to measure fission rates in burnt fuel, following re-irradiation in a zero-power research reactor. In the presented approach, the fission rates are estimated by measuring high energy gamma-rays (above 2000 keV) emitted by short-lived fission products freshly produced in the fuel. Due to their high energies, these gamma-rays can be discriminated against the high intrinsic gamma-ray activity of the burnt fuel, which reaches energies up to 2000 keV. To demonstrate the feasibility of this approach, fresh and burnt fuel samples (with burn-ups varying from 36 to 64 MWd/kg) were irradiated in the PROTEUS reactor at the Paul Scherrer Institut, and their emitted gamma-ray spectra were recorded shortly after irradiation. It was possible, for the first time, to detect the short-lived gamma-ray activity in the high-energy region, even in the presence of the intrinsic gamma-ray background of the burnt fuel samples. Using the short-lived gamma-ray lines {sup 142}La (2542 keV), {sup 89}Rb (2570 keV), 95Y (2632 keV), {sup 138}Cs (2640 keV) and {sup 95}Y (3576 keV), relative fission rates between different core positions were derived for a fresh sample as well as for a burnt sample with a burn-up of 36 MWd/kg. It was shown that, for both the fresh and burnt fuel samples, the measured fission rate ratios agreed well, i.e. within the statistical uncertainties, with calculation results obtained by Monte Carlo simulations. (authors)

  16. Store for radioactive waste and burnt-up fuel elements

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Spilker, H.; Rox, R.; Peschl, H.W.

    1985-01-01

    The invention concerns a concrete storage block in which there are several vertical storage and cooling ducts for radioactive waste and burnt-up fuel elements. The storage block is assembled from several square concrete blocks. Several vertical ducts are made in these. The square blocks are placed on a concrete baseplate. The aligned ducts of several square blocks placed above each other form storage and cooling ducts for tubular storage containers. An annular gap is left for cooling air between the outside wall of the storage containers and the inside wall of the storage and cooling ducts. (orig./HP) [de

  17. Amplification of wildfire area burnt by hydrological drought in the humid tropics

    Science.gov (United States)

    Taufik, Muh; Torfs, Paul J. J. F.; Uijlenhoet, Remko; Jones, Philip D.; Murdiyarso, Daniel; van Lanen, Henny A. J.

    2017-06-01

    Borneo's diverse ecosystems, which are typical humid tropical conditions, are deteriorating rapidly, as the area is experiencing recurrent large-scale wildfires, affecting atmospheric composition and influencing regional climate processes. Studies suggest that climate-driven drought regulates wildfires, but these overlook subsurface processes leading to hydrological drought, an important driver. Here, we show that models which include hydrological processes better predict area burnt than those solely based on climate data. We report that the Borneo landscape has experienced a substantial hydrological drying trend since the early twentieth century, leading to progressive tree mortality, more severe than in other tropical regions. This has caused massive wildfires in lowland Borneo during the past two decades, which we show are clustered in years with large areas of hydrological drought coinciding with strong El Niño events. Statistical modelling evidence shows amplifying wildfires and greater area burnt in response to El Niño/Southern Oscillation (ENSO) strength, when hydrology is considered. These results highlight the importance of considering hydrological drought for wildfire prediction, and we recommend that hydrology should be considered in future studies of the impact of projected ENSO strength, including effects on tropical ecosystems, and biodiversity conservation.

  18. Burnt sugarcane harvesting - cardiovascular effects on a group of healthy workers, Brazil.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Cristiane Maria Galvão Barbosa

    Full Text Available Brazil is the world's largest producer of sugarcane. Harvest is predominantly manual, exposing workers to health risks: intense physical exertion, heat, pollutants from sugarcane burning.Panel study to evaluate the effects of burnt sugarcane harvesting on blood markers and on cardiovascular system.Twenty-eight healthy male workers, living in the countryside of Brazil were submitted to blood markers, blood pressure, heart rate variability, cardiopulmonary exercise testing, sympathetic nerve activity evaluation and forearm blood flow measures (venous occlusion plethysmography during burnt sugarcane harvesting and four months later while they performed other activities in sugar cane culture.Mean participant age was 31 ± 6.3 years, and had worked for 9.8 ± 8.4 years on sugarcane work. Work during the harvest period was associated with higher serum levels of Creatine Kinase - 136.5 U/L (IQR: 108.5-216.0 vs. 104.5 U/L (IQR: 77.5-170.5, (p = 0.001; plasma Malondialdehyde-7.5 ± 1.4 µM/dl vs. 6.9 ± 1.0 µM/dl, (p = 0.058; Glutathione Peroxidase - 55.1 ± 11.8 Ug/Hb vs. 39.5 ± 9.5 Ug/Hb, (p<0.001; Glutathione Transferase- 3.4±1.3 Ug/Hb vs. 3.0 ± 1.3 Ug/Hb, (p = 0.001; and 24-hour systolic blood pressure - 120.1 ± 10.3 mmHg vs. 117.0 ± 10.0 mmHg, (p = 0.034. In cardiopulmonary exercise testing, rest-to-peak diastolic blood pressure increased by 11.12 mmHg and 5.13 mmHg in the harvest and non-harvest period, respectively. A 10 miliseconds reduction in rMSSD and a 10 burst/min increase in sympathetic nerve activity were associated to 2.2 and 1.8 mmHg rises in systolic arterial pressure, respectively.Work in burnt sugarcane harvesting was associated with changes in blood markers and higher blood pressure, which may be related to autonomic imbalance.

  19. Increasing microbial diversity and nitrogen cycling potential of burnt forest soil in Spain through post-fire management

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pereg, Lily; Mataix-Solera, Jorge; McMillan, Mary; García-Orenes, Fuensanta

    2016-04-01

    Microbial diversity and function in soils are increasingly assessed by the application of molecular methods such as sequencing and PCR technology. We applied these techniques to study microbial recovery in post-fire forest soils. The recovery of forest ecosystems following severe fire is influenced by post-fire management. The removal of burnt tree stumps (salvage logging) is a common practice in Spain following fire. In some cases, the use of heavy machinery in addition to the vulnerability of soils to erosion and degradation make this management potentially damaging to soil, and therefore to the ecosystem. We hypothesized that tree removal slows down the recovery of soil biological communities including microbial and plant communities and contributes to soil degradation in the burnt affected area. The study area is located in "Sierra de Mariola Natural Park" in Alcoi, Alicante (E Spain). A big forest fire (>500 has) occurred in July 2012. The forest is composed mainly of Pinus halepensis trees with an understory of typical Mediterranean shrubs species such as Quercus coccifera, Rosmarinus officinalis, Thymus vulgaris, Brachypodium retusum, etc. Soil is classified as a Typic Xerorthent (Soil Survey Staff, 2014) developed over marls. In February 2013, salvage logging (SL) treatment, with a complete extraction of the burned wood using heavy machinery, was applied to a part of the affected forest. Plots for monitoring the effects of SL were installed in this area and in a similar nearby control (C) area, where no SL treatment was done. The recovery of soil bacterial and fungal communities post-fire with and without tree removal was analysed by using Next-Generation sequencing and the abundance of functional genes, related to nitrogen cycling, in the soil was estimated using quantitative PCR (qPCR). We will present the methods used and the results of our study in this PICO presentation.

  20. Parâmetros físico-químicos e cromatográficos em aguardentes de cana queimada e não queimada Physicochemical and chromatographic parameters in sugar cane brandies from burnt and non-burnt cane

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    José Masson

    2007-12-01

    Full Text Available Este trabalho teve por objetivo avaliar as concentrações de furfural, álcoois superiores, ésteres, aldeídos, cobre, acidez volátil, metanol e grau alcoólico de aguardentes obtidas de cana, com e sem queima prévia. Foram utilizadas amostras de aguardente artesanal de cana queimada e não queimada, fermentadas com a mesma levedura e destiladas no mesmo destilador; amostras de produtor de aguardente industrial de cana queimada e amostras obtidas de outro produtor artesanal de cana não queimada. As análises físico-químicas e cromatográficas (CG foram realizadas no Laboratório de Análise Físico-Química de Aguardente - LAFQA/DQI na Universidade Federal de Lavras. As concentrações de furfural apresentaram diferença significativa (PThis work was intended to evaluate the concentrations of furfural, higher alcohols, esters, aldehydes, copper, volatile acidity methanol and alcoholic degree of sugar cane brandies obtained from sugar cane both with and without previous burning. Samples of artisanal brandies from burnt and non-burnt cane, fermented with the same yeast and distilled in the same still, samples of burnt cane from an industrial brandy producer and samples of non-burnt cane obtained from another artisanal producer were utilized. The physicochemical and chromatographic (CG analyses were accomplished in the Sugar Cane Brandy Physicochemical Analysis Laboratory at the Federal University of Lavras. The concentrations of furfural showed significant differences (P<0.01 among the groups of artisanal brandies obtained from sugar cane with and without previous burning, coming from the same manufacturing process with means of 1.48 mg.100mL-1 ethanol and 0.63mg.100mL-1 ethanol, respectively, although they have been bellow the maximum limit (5.0 mg.100mL-1 ethanol allowed. The other components of the brandies studied were not affected significantly by the previous burning of sugar cane.

  1. 'Like Playing with Fire Under a Hut' - You Will Get Burnt If You Do ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    'Like Playing with Fire Under a Hut' - You Will Get Burnt If You Do Not Adjust: Reflections of Social Work Students on Adjusting to University Life. ... High dropout rates in first year and the enculturation into the academic literacies essential in promoting a successful academic adjustment are some of the challenges faced by ...

  2. Hydrothermal Liquefaction Treatment Preliminary Hazard Analysis Report

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lowry, Peter P.; Wagner, Katie A.

    2015-08-31

    A preliminary hazard assessment was completed during February 2015 to evaluate the conceptual design of the modular hydrothermal liquefaction treatment system. The hazard assessment was performed in 2 stages. An initial assessment utilizing Hazard Identification and Preliminary Hazards Analysis (PHA) techniques identified areas with significant or unique hazards (process safety-related hazards) that fall outside of the normal operating envelope of PNNL and warranted additional analysis. The subsequent assessment was based on a qualitative What-If analysis. This analysis was augmented, as necessary, by additional quantitative analysis for scenarios involving a release of hazardous material or energy with the potential for affecting the public.

  3. Characterization of Burnt Clays by X-ray Diffraction Analysis, Chemical Analysis and Environmental Scanning Electron Microscopy

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Navrátilová, Eva; Neděla, Vilém

    2016-01-01

    Roč. 22, S3 (2016), s. 1862-1863 ISSN 1431-9276 Institutional support: RVO:68081731 Keywords : burnt clays * pozzolanic activity * amorphous phase * environmental scanning electron microscope Subject RIV: JA - Electronics ; Optoelectronics, Electrical Engineering Impact factor: 1.891, year: 2016

  4. An automated procedure for themoluminescence dating of pottery and burnt stones

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mejdahl, V.

    1982-01-01

    An automated procedure for dating of quartz and feldspar inclusions in pottery has been developed and tested in a comprehensive programme comprising material from a number of well-dated Danish sites. The results indicate that TL dating of pottery can now be carried out on a routine basis with an accuracy of about 5%. Experiments on dating of large grains of alkali feldspars extracted from burnt stones are described. The results are encouraging and show that the method may enable a reduction of some of the uncertainties associated with the conventional inclusion technique. (author)

  5. Investigation of soils affected by burnt hospital wastes in Nigeria using PIXE.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ephraim P, Inyang; Ita, Akpan; Eusebius I, Obiajunwa

    2013-12-01

    Improper management of hospital waste has been reported to be responsible for several acute outbreaks like the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS). In spite of these challenges, hospital wastes are sometimes not properly handled in Nigeria. To date, there has not been an adequate study on the effect and fate of burnt hospital waste on agricultural soil. The effect of burnt hospital wastes on the agricultural soil was conducted on soils sampled around farm settlement near Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital Complex, Ile-Ife, South West Nigeria. PIXE technique was employed with a 1.7 MV 5SDH Tandem Pelletron accelerator available at Centre for Energy Research and Development O.A.U Ile-Ife, Nigeria. Eleven elements- Si, Cl, K, Ca, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Zr and Pb were detected and their concentrations and enrichment factors determined. The presence of Pb and Cl at the elevated concentrations range of (77.8 ± 3.5 - 279.6 ± 97.6 and 102.2 ± 37.4 -167.2±17.43) ppm respectively in this study, is of serious health concern because of the agricultural practices in the neighborhoods of the study sites. There is a need for proper handling of hospital and other related hazardous wastes because of the possibility of such posing serious environmental pollution problems.

  6. Preliminary Results of the Louisiana Sex Offender Treatment Program

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lee A. Underwood

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available The purpose of this study was to offer preliminary support for the Louisiana Sex Offender Treatment Program (LSOTP in addressing the needs of juvenile sex offenders. Research objectives were (1 to offer statistical evidence for reductions in anxiety, depression, cognitive distortion and negative attitudes towards women comparing a group of 21 adolescents, 12 of whom received services as usual and nine of whom participated in the LSOTP. A controlled experimental evaluation design was utilized. The juvenile sex offenders were randomly assigned to the experimental group for 12 weeks receiving treatment services and a control group receiving care “as usual” in a residential group care program. Participants in the experimental group experienced statistically significant decreases in cognitive distortions related specifically to rape and molestation.The results of this study offer preliminary support of the LSOTP as a best practices alternative to other treatment modalities.

  7. A delayed neutron technique for measuring induced fission rates in fresh and burnt LWR fuel

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Jordan, K.A., E-mail: kajordan@gmail.co [Paul Scherrer Institut, Laboratory for Reactor Physics and System Behaviour, 5232 Villigen (Switzerland); Perret, G. [Paul Scherrer Institut, Laboratory for Reactor Physics and System Behaviour, 5232 Villigen (Switzerland)

    2011-04-01

    The LIFE-PROTEUS program at the Paul Scherrer Institut is being undertaken to characterize the interfaces between burnt and fresh fuel assemblies in modern LWRs. Techniques are being developed to measure fission rates in burnt fuel following re-irradiation in the zero-power PROTEUS research reactor. One such technique utilizes the measurement of delayed neutrons. To demonstrate the feasibility of the delayed neutron technique, fresh and burnt UO{sub 2} fuel samples were irradiated in different positions in the PROTEUS reactor, and their neutron outputs were recorded shortly after irradiation. Fission rate ratios of the same sample irradiated in two different positions (inter-positional) and of two different samples irradiated in the same position (inter-sample) were derived from the measurements and compared with Monte Carlo predictions. Derivation of fission rate ratios from the delayed neutron measured signal requires correcting the signal for the delayed neutron source properties, the efficiency of the measurement setup, and the time dependency of the signal. In particular, delayed neutron source properties strongly depend on the fissile and fertile isotopes present in the irradiated sample and must be accounted for when deriving inter-sample fission rate ratios. Measured inter-positional fission rate ratios generally agree within 1{sigma} uncertainty (on the order of 1.0%) with the calculation predictions. For a particular irradiation position, however, a bias of about 2% is observed and is currently under investigation. Calculated and measured inter-sample fission rate ratios have C/E values deviating from unity by less than 1% and within 2{sigma} of the statistical uncertainties. Uncertainty arising from delayed neutron data is also assessed, and is found to give an additional 3% uncertainty factor. The measurement data indicate that uncertainty is overestimated.

  8. Analysis of reactivity worths of highly-burnt PWR fuel samples measured in LWR-PROTEUS Phase II

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Grimm, Peter; Murphy, Michael F.; Jatuff, Fabian; Seiler, Rudolf [Paul Scherrer Institute, CH-5232 Villigen PSI (Switzerland)

    2008-07-01

    The reactivity loss of PWR fuel with burnup has been determined experimentally by inserting fresh and highly-burnt fuel samples in a PWR test lattice in the framework of the LWR-PROTEUS Phase II programme. Seven UO{sub 2} samples irradiated in a Swiss PWR plant with burnups ranging from approx40 to approx120 MWd/kg and four MOX samples with burnups up to approx70 MWd/kg were oscillated in a test region constituted of actual PWR UO{sub 2} fuel rods in the centre of the PROTEUS zero-power experimental facility. The measurements were analyzed using the CASMO-4E fuel assembly code and a cross section library based on the ENDF/B-VI evaluation. The results show close proximity between calculated and measured reactivity effects and no trend for a deterioration of the quality of the prediction at high burnup. The analysis thus demonstrates the high accuracy of the calculation of the reactivity of highly-burnt fuel. (authors)

  9. Preliminary treatment of MSW fly ash as a way of improving electrodialytic remediation

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Ferreira, Célia Maria Dias; Jensen, Pernille Erland; Ottosen, Lisbeth M.

    2008-01-01

    In the current work electrodialytic remediation (EDR) was applied to remove heavy metals from municipal solid waste (MSW) fly ash, a hazardous waste collected during flue gas treatment. Tests were conducted to evaluate if EDR could be improved by introducing a preliminary treatment in which very...... soluble salts were removed. Three different preliminary treatments were conducted with different L:S ratios and pH. Treatment in which metal release and L/S ratio were lower was selected for EDR. Electrodialytic remediation was performed at a constant current of 38 mA, for 14 days, using gluconate...... as a solubilisation enhancement agent. Conductivity and pH were monitored and electrolyte samples were collected every 4 days to evaluate metal release over time. It was found that the preliminary treatment reduces fouling of the ion-exchange membranes used in EDR and drastically increases the removal of metals...

  10. Differences between Whole Otolith and Broken-Burnt Otolith Ages of Red Mullet (Mullus barbatus ponticus Essipov, 1927) Sampled from the Black Sea (Samsun, Turkey)

    OpenAIRE

    POLAT, Nazmi; BOSTANCI, Derya; YILMAZ, Savaş

    2005-01-01

    Different bony structures as scales, vertebrae, otoliths, opercles and subopercles of 156 red mullet (Mullus barbatus ponticus Essipov, 1927) sampled from the Black Sea were removed for age determination. Otoliths were read once by two experienced readers. However, due to the difficulty of interpretation of annuli on the otolith edge, the broken-burnt method was applied to the 61 otoliths. Broken-burnt otoliths were also read once by the same two experienced readers. When whole otolith and br...

  11. Export of solids and nutrients from burnt areas: effects of fire severity and forest type

    Science.gov (United States)

    Abrantes, Nelson; Morais, Inês; Silva, Vera; Malvar, Mauxa C.; Prats, Sérgio; Coelho, Celeste; Keizer, Jan J.

    2015-04-01

    In the last few decades, the number of wildfires has markedly increased in Mediterranean Europe, including Portugal. Besides a range of direct impacts, wildfires can significantly alter the geomorphological and hydrological processes during a period commonly referred to as the "window-of-disturbance". It is now increasingly recognized that these indirect wildfire effects depend strongly on fire severity, i.e. the heating-induced changes in vegetation and litter cover as well as in topsoil properties such as infiltration capacity, aggregate stability and soil water repellency. Nonetheless, the exact role of fire severity in post-fire hydrological and erosion processes is still poorly quantified in many parts of the world, including Portugal. Another important gap in fire-related research stills to be the impacts of wildfire on soil fertility losses, in particular through erosion by runoff. Both research gaps were addressed in this study, following a wildfire that took place in July 2013 in Talhadas (Sever do Vouga, Aveiro) and burnt circa 815 ha. In the burnt area and the surrounding unburnt areas, six study sites were selected and, immediately after the fire, instrumented with slope-scale runoff plots. Two of the sites were long-unburnt, two were burnt at low severity and the other two were burnt at high severity; for all of them one being covered by a Eucalyptus globulus plantation and the other by a Pinus pinaster plantation. Following the instrumentation of the sites, runoff was measured at 1- to 2-weekly intervals and, whenever possible, runoff samples were collected for subsequent analysis in the laboratory with respect to total suspended sediments content and total nitrogen and total phosphorus concentrations. The results obtained in this study showed that the severity of the fire played a more important role in the loss of nutrients and solids than the type of vegetation. While the occurrence of fire markedly increased soil (fertility) losses, this effect

  12. Equilibrium cycle of 18 months at 120% of the original nominal power with optimized fuel discharge burnt for the CLV

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Perusquia, R.; Montes, J.L.; Hernandez, J.L.; Ortiz, J.J.; Hernandez, H.; Castillo, A.

    2007-01-01

    The Federal Commission of Electricity carries out works at the moment related with the one increase from the power to original 120% of the nominal one in the rectors of water in boil (BWR) of the Laguna Verde Central (CLV). In the National Institute of Nuclear Research (ININ) are carried out studies of the impact on the design of the fuel recharge derived of this increase. As option in the ININ the feasibility of continuing using the same type of fuel assemble that one has come using recently in the CLV, the type GE12 is analyzed. To achieve it was diminished the LPPF of the power cells from 1.43 to 1.24. It was verified, with the recently acquired CMS codes system that the use of fuel assemble GE12 type with cells of low peak of local power and low gadolinia concentration (ININ4) they are suitable for cycles of 18 months at 120% of the original nominal power in the reactors of the CLV. It was decreased the recharge from 148 to 140 when using the ININ4 fuel assemble instead of one conventionally designed. This brings itself appreciable economic savings. However, the above mentioned brought itself an increase of the dispersion in the burnt of definitive fuel discharges. All this when it had already been fulfilled the goals and requirements imposed in the design of the balance cycle. It was necessary to establish a principle with base to the one which it was developed a method that allowed to reduce in efficient form the dispersion of the burnt of discharge and at the same time to already have a low impact in the operational parameters reached. The method was applied in the cycle of balance of 18 months to 120% of the original nominal power using the fuel assemble of low peak of local power being achieved the following results; it was decreased the dispersion of the burnt of definitive discharge from 5.4% to 2.2%, the maximum burnt of discharge was diminished from 50.694 GWD/M to 47.443 GWD/TM, it was increased the minimum burnt of discharge from 41.369 GWD/TM to 42

  13. Role of grain refinement in hardening of structural steels at preliminary thermomechanical treatment

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bukhvalov, A.B.; Grigor'eva, E.V.; Davydova, L.S.; Degtyarev, M.V.; Levit, V.I.; Smirnova, N.A.; Smirnov, L.V.

    1981-01-01

    The hardening mechanism during preliminary thermomechanical treatment with deformation by cold rolling or hydroextrusion is studied on structural 37KhN3M1 and 38KhN3MFA steels. Specimens have been tested on static tension, impact strength and fracture toughness. It is shown that hydroextrusion application instead of rolling does not change the hardening effect of preliminary thermomechanical treatment (PTMT). It is established that the increase of preliminary deformation degree and the use of accelerated short term hardening heating provides a bett er grain refinement and the increase of PTMT hardening effect [ru

  14. Preliminary heat treatment of 4KhM2Fch die steel

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Leonidov, V.M.; Berezkin, Y.A.; Nikitenko, E.V.

    1986-01-01

    To improve the machinability and preparation of the structure for hardening, die steels are given a preliminary treatment which provides a reduction in hardness as a result of separation in the structure of the carbide and ferrite phases, coagulation of the carbides, and acquisition by them of a granular form and also the obtaining of fine grains and a uniform distribution of the structural constituents. The microstructure was evaluated after etching in 4% nital on an MIM-8M microscope. The 4KhM2Fch steel was given a preliminary heat treatment of normalize and anneal. It was concluded that for 4KhM2Fch steel a preliminary heat treatment of normalizing from 950 0 C with a hold of 1.5-2 h, annealing at 750-760 0 C with a hold of 2-3 h, cooling to the isothermal temperature of 670-680 0 C with a hold of 3-4 h, and further air cooling is recommended. The structure after such a heat is granular pearlite with a rating 1-2 and a hardness of 220-250 HB

  15. Generation of the ECP database (ECP01.DAT) of the cycle 1 of the Unit 1 of Laguna Verde with burnt of 1377 MWD/MT

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Perusquia C, R.

    1992-10-01

    In order to carrying out a comparison among the results provided by the Program of Estimate of the ECP Critical Position and the Shutdown/Startup produced in the Cycle 1 of the Unit 1 of Laguna Verde, it was generated the base of the ECP program, following the outlines settled down in the Procedure 'Generation of ECP Database for Laguna Verde' (IT.SN/DFR-074). Next the data sheets filled when being generated the ECP01.DAT database with a burnt of 1377 MWD/MT are provided. In the report IT.SN/DFR-079 'Adjustment and Preliminary Evaluation of the Predictions of Criticity of the ECP Program with Reported Data of the Cycle 1 of the Unit 1 of Laguna Verde', the results of the comparison among those estimates of the ECP program using the ECP01.DAT database with the real data of the Cycle 1 of the Unit 1 of Laguna Verde are presented. (Author)

  16. Mulching and seeding treatments for post-fire stabilization techniques in Laza (NW Spain: medium-term effects on soil quality and effectiveness

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M. Díaz-Raviña

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available The impact of fire and different post-fire stabilisation treatments like mulching and seeding on some selected physical, chemical biochemical and microbiological properties as well as the efficacy of these treatments on control of post-fire erosion was evaluated in a burnt area affected by a high severity wildfire located in Laza (NW Spain. Soil samples were collected from the A horizon (0-2 cm of the burnt soil 8 and 12 months after the wildfire as well as from the unburnt soil located in an adjacent plot used as control; sediments were periodically collected after precipitation events in the burnt soil with and without different post-fire stabilisation treatments. The results clearly showed that a significant medium-term impact of the wildfire on most soil properties analyzed was still observed 12 months after the fire event and that mulching and seeding treatments did not affect the overall soil quality (physical, chemical, biochemical and microbiological properties of this burned soil. Sediments data indicated that both stabilisation treatments were effective to control post-fire erosion since, compared to the burnt control, soil losses were reduced by 85% in the mulching treatment and by 30% in the seeding treatment.

  17. Propolis Modifies Collagen Types I and III Accumulation in the Matrix of Burnt Tissue

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Pawel Olczyk

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Wound healing represents an interactive process which requires highly organized activity of various cells, synthesizing cytokines, growth factors, and collagen. Collagen types I and III, serving as structural and regulatory molecules, play pivotal roles during wound healing. The aim of this study was to compare the propolis and silver sulfadiazine therapeutic efficacy throughout the quantitative and qualitative assessment of collagen types I and III accumulation in the matrix of burnt tissues. Burn wounds were inflicted on pigs, chosen for the evaluation of wound repair because of many similarities between pig and human skin. Isolated collagen types I and III were estimated by the surface plasmon resonance method with a subsequent collagenous quantification using electrophoretic and densitometric analyses. Propolis burn treatment led to enhanced collagens and its components expression, especially during the initial stage of the study. Less expressed changes were observed after silver sulfadiazine (AgSD application. AgSD and, with a smaller intensity, propolis stimulated accumulation of collagenous degradation products. The assessed propolis therapeutic efficacy, throughout quantitatively and qualitatively analyses of collagen types I and III expression and degradation in wounds matrix, may indicate that apitherapeutic agent can generate favorable biochemical environment supporting reepithelization.

  18. Monte-Carlo code calculation of 3D reactor core model with usage of burnt fuel isotopic compositions, obtained by engineering codes

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Aleshin, Sergey S.; Gorodkov, Sergey S.; Shcherenko, Anna I. [National Research Centre ' Kurchatov Institute' , Moscow (Russian Federation)

    2016-09-15

    A burn-up calculation of large systems by Monte-Carlo code (MCU) is complex process and it requires large computational costs. Previously prepared isotopic compositions are proposed to be used for the Monte-Carlo code calculations of different system states with burnt fuel. Isotopic compositions are calculated by an approximation method. The approximation method is based on usage of a spectral functionality and reference isotopic compositions, that are calculated by the engineering codes (TVS-M, BIPR-7A and PERMAK-A). The multiplication factors and power distributions of FAs from a 3-D reactor core are calculated in this work by the Monte-Carlo code MCU using earlier prepared isotopic compositions. The separate conditions of the burnt core are observed. The results of MCU calculations were compared with those that were obtained by engineering codes.

  19. Random Forest Variable Importance Spectral Indices Scheme for Burnt Forest Recovery Monitoring—Multilevel RF-VIMP

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sornkitja Boonprong

    2018-05-01

    Full Text Available Burnt forest recovery is normally monitored with a time-series analysis of satellite data because of its proficiency for large observation areas. Traditional methods, such as linear correlation plotting, have been proven to be effective, as forest recovery naturally increases with time. However, these methods are complicated and time consuming when increasing the number of observed parameters. In this work, we present a random forest variable importance (RF-VIMP scheme called multilevel RF-VIMP to compare and assess the relationship between 36 spectral indices (parameters of burnt boreal forest recovery in the Great Xing’an Mountain, China. Six Landsat images were acquired in the same month 0, 1, 4, 14, 16, and 20 years after a fire, and 39,380 fixed-location samples were then extracted to calculate the effectiveness of the 36 parameters. Consequently, the proposed method was applied to find correlations between the forest recovery indices. The experiment showed that the proposed method is suitable for explaining the efficacy of those spectral indices in terms of discrimination and trend analysis, and for showing the satellite data and forest succession dynamics when applied in a time series. The results suggest that the tasseled cap transformation wetness, brightness, and the shortwave infrared bands (both 1 and 2 perform better than other indices for both classification and monitoring.

  20. The Potential of Sentinel Satellites for Burnt Area Mapping and Monitoring in the Congo Basin Forests

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Astrid Verhegghen

    2016-11-01

    Full Text Available In this study, the recently launched Sentinel-2 (S2 optical satellite and the active radar Sentinel-1 (S1 satellite supported by active fire data from the MODIS sensor were used to detect and monitor forest fires in the Congo Basin. In the context of a very strong El Niño event, an unprecedented outbreak of fires was observed during the first months of 2016 in open forests formations in the north of the Republic of Congo. The anomalies of the recent fires and meteorological situation compared to historical data show the severity of the drought. Burnt areas mapped by the S1 SAR and S2 Multi Spectral Instrument (MSI sensors highlight that the fires occurred mainly in Marantaceae forests, characterized by open tree canopy cover and an extensive tall herbaceous layer. The maps show that the origin of the fires correlates with accessibility to the forest, suggesting an anthropogenic origin. The combined use of the two independent and fundamentally different satellite systems of S2 and S1 captured an extent of 36,000 ha of burnt areas, with each sensor compensating for the weakness (cloud perturbations for S2, and sensitivity to ground moisture for S1 of the other.

  1. Reactivity and neutron emission measurements of burnt PWR fuel rod samples in LWR-PROTEUS phase II

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Murphy, M. F.; Jatuff, F.; Grimm, P.; Seiler, R.; Brogli, R.; Meier, G.; Berger, H. D.; Chawla, R.

    2004-01-01

    Measurements have been made of the reactivity effects and the neutron emission rates of uranium oxide and mixed oxide burnt fuel samples having a wide range of burnup values and coming from a Pressurised Water Reactor (PWR). The reactivity measurements have been made in a PWR lattice moderated in turn with: water, a water and heavy water mixture, and water containing boron. An interesting relationship has been found between the neutron emission rate and the measured reactivity. (authors)

  2. Preliminary Results of the Louisiana Sex Offender Treatment Program

    OpenAIRE

    Lee A. Underwood; Frances L.L. Dailey; Carrie Merino; Yolanda Crump

    2015-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to offer preliminary support for the Louisiana Sex Offender Treatment Program (LSOTP) in addressing the needs of juvenile sex offenders. Research objectives were (1) to offer statistical evidence for reductions in anxiety, depression, cognitive distortion and negative attitudes towards women comparing a group of 21 adolescents, 12 of whom received services as usual and nine of whom participated in the LSOTP. A controlled experimental evaluation design was utilize...

  3. Guide for the estimation of the α and β coefficients in the Average enrichment equation as burnt function by fuel type

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Montes T, J.L.; Cortes C, C.C.

    1992-08-01

    The objective of the report is to determine manually or by means of a calculation sheet, the coefficients α and β of the average enrichment equation as function of the fuel burnt (B) using the Lineal Reactivity Pattern, with information generated by the RECORD code of the FMS package. (Author)

  4. Research on a dispersing solution for burnt crude oils: Aegean Sea oil spill

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bergueiro, J.R.; Morales, N.; Dominguez, F.

    1993-01-01

    The oil tanker Aegean Sea spilled oil when it grounded during severe storm conditions near La Coruna, Spain. Much of the oil burned after an explosion was caused by the hull breaking apart. Oil which contaminated several beaches was affected by both combustion and weathering. Experiments were conducted on oil sampled from the beaches to investigate dispersion of the oil using Beep Enersperse 1990 at different shaking speeds. Biodegradation experiments were also conducted in the presence of Beep Enersperse 1990 but with seawater absent. Although emulsification of the burnt and weathered oil was very difficult, good dispersion and biodegradation were obtained. After 42 d in a stirred reactor, biodegradation of the oil reached at least 80%. 3 refs., 3 figs., 4 tabs

  5. Thermoluminescence dating of burnt cherts from the Alice Boer site (Brazil)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Beltrao, M. da C.M.C.; Enriquez, C.R.; Danon, J.; Zuleta, E.

    1983-01-01

    More than 40 culturally burnt cherts from the Alice Boer site near Rio Claro, Sao Paulo State, have been studied by thermoluminescence (TL). Nine of these were found to be sufficiently heated by early man to reset the TL clock to zero and thereby be suitable for TL dating. These cherts define, for the upper half of the uppermost cultural layer (layer III), a time scale for the presence of man from 2,220 to 11,000 years. This time range is in essential agreement with the geological-paleoclimatological age estimate for the end of deposition of this layer, as well as with radiocarbon dates. In particular, it lends support to a radiocarbon age of 14,000 BP for a deeper level. The overall geochronologic results are not in contradiction with earlier statements that the deepest cultural layer (layer V) at Alice Boer might have been deposited at least 20,000 years ago. (Author) [pt

  6. Liming in the sugarcane burnt system and the green harvest practice affect soil bacterial community in northeastern São Paulo, Brazil.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Val-Moraes, Silvana Pompeia; de Macedo, Helena Suleiman; Kishi, Luciano Takeshi; Pereira, Rodrigo Matheus; Navarrete, Acacio Aparecido; Mendes, Lucas William; de Figueiredo, Eduardo Barretto; La Scala, Newton; Tsai, Siu Mui; de Macedo Lemos, Eliana Gertrudes; Alves, Lúcia Maria Carareto

    2016-12-01

    Here we show that both liming the burnt sugarcane and the green harvest practice alter bacterial community structure, diversity and composition in sugarcane fields in northeastern São Paulo state, Brazil. Terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism fingerprinting and 16S rRNA gene cloning and sequencing were used to analyze changes in soil bacterial communities. The field experiment consisted of sugarcane-cultivated soils under different regimes: green sugarcane (GS), burnt sugarcane (BS), BS in soil amended with lime applied to increase soil pH (BSL), and native forest (NF) as control soil. The bacterial community structures revealed disparate patterns in sugarcane-cultivated soils and forest soil (R = 0.786, P = 0.002), and overlapping patterns were shown for the bacterial community structure among the different management regimes applied to sugarcane (R = 0.194, P = 0.002). The numbers of operational taxonomic units (OTUs) found in the libraries were 117, 185, 173 and 166 for NF, BS, BSL and GS, respectively. Sugarcane-cultivated soils revealed higher bacterial diversity than NF soil, with BS soil accounting for a higher richness of unique OTUs (101 unique OTUs) than NF soil (23 unique OTUs). Cluster analysis based on OTUs revealed similar bacterial communities in NF and GS soils, while the bacterial community from BS soil was most distinct from the others. Acidobacteria and Alphaproteobacteria were the most abundant bacterial phyla across the different soils with Acidobacteria Gp1 accounting for a higher abundance in NF and GS soils than burnt sugarcane-cultivated soils (BS and BSL). In turn, Acidobacteria Gp4 abundance was higher in BS soils than in other soils. These differential responses in soil bacterial community structure, diversity and composition can be associated with the agricultural management, mainly liming practices, and harvest methods in the sugarcane-cultivated soils, and they can be detected shortly after harvest.

  7. Effect of preliminary heat treatment on phase transformations and properties of the Kh15N5D2T (VNS-2) steel

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Madyanov, S.A.; Voronenko, B.I.; Makhnev, E.S.

    1978-01-01

    It is shown that preliminary heat treatment has a significant effect on the α→γ transformation kinetics, the quantity of residual austenite, the grain size and mechanical properties of the Kh15N5D2T steel after final heat treatment. The preliminary heat treatment regimes leading to the increase of the quantity of residual austenite and to grain refining increase the work of crack propagation in the finally strengthened state. The optimum properties were obtained after threefold preliminary tempering for 1h at 650 deg C. An approximately constant relation of α- and γ-phases (approximately 50%) is observed at 625 deg C irrespective of the investigated regimes of preliminary heat treatment

  8. Preliminary stop of the TOPical Imiquimod treatment of high-grade Cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (TOPIC) trial

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Koeneman, M. M.; Kruse, Arnold-Jan; Kooreman, L. F. S.; zur Hausen, Axel; Hopman, Anton H N; Sep, S. J. S.; Van Gorp, T.; Slangen, B. F. M.; van Beekhuizen, H. J.; de Sande, Michiel A. J. van; Gerestein, Cornelis G.; Nijman, H. W.; Kruitwagen, R. F. M. P.

    2017-01-01

    The "TOPical Imiquimod treatment of high-grade Cervical intraepithelial neoplasia" (TOPIC) trial was stopped preliminary, due to lagging inclusions. This study aimed to evaluate the treatment efficacy and clinical applicability of imiquimod 5% cream in high-grade cervical intraepithelial neoplasia

  9. Post-fire vegetation behaviour in large burnt scars from 2005 fire season in Spain

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bastos, A.; Gouveia, C. M.; DaCamara, C. C.; Trigo, R. M.

    2012-04-01

    Wildfires have a wide diversity of impacts on landscape which, in turn, depend on the interaction of fire regimes (e.g. intensity, extent, frequency) and the response of vegetation to them in short and long-terms. The increase in erosion rates and the loss of nutrients by runoff in the first months following the fire are among the major impacts of wildfires. A minimum of 30% of vegetation cover is enough to protect soils against erosion but vegetation may require a long period to reach this threshold after severe fires. Since erosion risk is strongly linked to vegetation recovery rates, post-fire vegetation monitoring becomes crucial in land management. Fire regimes in the Mediterranean have been changing in the past decades due to modifications in both socio-economic and climate patterns. Although many vegetation species in Mediterranean ecosystems are adapted to wildfires, changes in fire regime characteristics affect the ability of ecosystems to recover to their previous state. In Spain, fire is an important driver of changes in landscape composition, leading to dominance of shrubland following fire and to a major decrease of pine woodlands (Viedma et al., 2006). Remote sensing is a powerful tool in land management, allowing vegetation monitoring on large spatial scales for relatively long periods of time. In order to assess vegetation dynamics, monthly NDVI data from 1998-2009 from SPOT/VEGETATION at 1km spatial resolution over the Iberian Peninsula were used. This work focuses on 2005 fire season in Spain, which registered the highest amount of burnt area since 1994, with more than 188000 ha burnt. Burnt scars in this fire season were identified by cluster analysis. Post-fire vegetation recovery was assessed based on the monoparametric model developed by Gouveia et al. (2010) that was applied to four large scars located in different geographical settings with different land cover characteristics. While the two northern regions presented fast recovery, in the

  10. Response to "Treatment compliance and effectiveness in complex PTSD patients with co-morbid personality disorder undergoing stabilizing cognitive behavioral group treatment: a preliminary study"

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    de Jongh, A.; ten Broeke, E.

    2014-01-01

    Last November, the European Journal of Psychotraumatology published an interesting paper entitled "Treatment compliance and effectiveness in complex PTSD patients with co-morbid personality disorder undergoing stabilizing cognitive behavioral group treatment: a preliminary study". This article

  11. Usage of burnt fuel isotopic compositions from engineering codes in Monte-Carlo code calculations

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Aleshin, Sergey S.; Gorodkov, Sergey S.; Shcherenko, Anna I.

    2015-01-01

    A burn-up calculation of VVER's cores by Monte-Carlo code is complex process and requires large computational costs. This fact makes Monte-Carlo codes usage complicated for project and operating calculations. Previously prepared isotopic compositions are proposed to use for the Monte-Carlo code (MCU) calculations of different states of VVER's core with burnt fuel. Isotopic compositions are proposed to calculate by an approximation method. The approximation method is based on usage of a spectral functionality and reference isotopic compositions, that are calculated by engineering codes (TVS-M, PERMAK-A). The multiplication factors and power distributions of FA and VVER with infinite height are calculated in this work by the Monte-Carlo code MCU using earlier prepared isotopic compositions. The MCU calculation data were compared with the data which were obtained by engineering codes.

  12. Environmental Monitoring Supported by Aerial Photography – a Case Study of the Burnt Down Bugac Juniper Forest, Hungary

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Szatmári József

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available Wildfire poses a serious risk in several regions of the world threatening urban, agricultural areas and natural ecosystems as well. Nature conservation has important role to be prepared for the management of postfire environmental degradation and restoration for protected areas preserving valuable ecosystems. The improving temporal and spatial resolution of remote sensing and GIS methods significantly contributes to map the changes for accelerating management steps of restoration. In this study a severe wildfire and its impacts were assessed in case of a protected area of the Kiskunság National Park in Hungary, which was partly burnt down in 2012. The aim of this research was to efficiently and accurately assess the damages and to plan and execute the restoration works using remote sensing tools. Aerial data collection was performed one month, and one year after the fire. In 2014 the regenerated vegetation was surveyed and mapped in the field. Using the aerial photographs and the field data, the degree and extent of the fire damages, the types and the state of the vegetation and the presence and proportion of the invasive species were determined. Semi-automatic methods were used for the classification of completely, partially damaged and undamaged areas. Based on the results, the reforestation of the burnt area is suggested to prevent the overspreading of white poplar against common junipers and to clean the area from the most frequent invasive species. To monitor the regeneration of the vegetation and the spreading of the invasive species, further aerial photography and field campaigns are planned.

  13. Decision tree analysis as a supplementary tool to enhance histomorphological differentiation when distinguishing human from non-human cranial bone in both burnt and unburnt states: A feasibility study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Simmons, T; Goodburn, B; Singhrao, S K

    2016-01-01

    This feasibility study was undertaken to describe and record the histological characteristics of burnt and unburnt cranial bone fragments from human and non-human bones. Reference series of fully mineralized, transverse sections of cranial bone, from all variables and specimen states, were prepared by manual cutting and semi-automated grinding and polishing methods. A photomicrograph catalogue reflecting differences in burnt and unburnt bone from human and non-humans was recorded and qualitative analysis was performed using an established classification system based on primary bone characteristics. The histomorphology associated with human and non-human samples was, for the main part, preserved following burning at high temperature. Clearly, fibro-lamellar complex tissue subtypes, such as plexiform or laminar primary bone, were only present in non-human bones. A decision tree analysis based on histological features provided a definitive identification key for distinguishing human from non-human bone, with an accuracy of 100%. The decision tree for samples where burning was unknown was 96% accurate, and multi-step classification to taxon was possible with 100% accuracy. The results of this feasibility study strongly suggest that histology remains a viable alternative technique if fragments of cranial bone require forensic examination in both burnt and unburnt states. The decision tree analysis may provide an additional but vital tool to enhance data interpretation. Further studies are needed to assess variation in histomorphology taking into account other cranial bones, ontogeny, species and burning conditions. © The Author(s) 2015.

  14. Endurance with partnership: a preliminary conceptual framework for couples undergoing in vitro fertilisation treatment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ying, Liying; Wu, Lai Har; Wu, Xiangli; Shu, Jing; Loke, Alice Yuen

    2018-04-01

    Infertility affects both women and men in the physical, emotional, existential, and interpersonal realms. When couples seek in vitro fertilisation (IVF) treatment, they further suffer from the difficulties of the treatment and the uncertainty of its outcome. The aim of this study was to develop a preliminary conceptual framework for couples undergoing IVF treatment to give health professionals a better understanding of the experiences of such couples, and to guide the development of an intervention. The process of identifying frameworks adopted in intervention studies confirmed that there is no established framework for infertile couples undergoing IVF treatment. A skeletal framework identified from previous studies provides an internal structure for the proposed framework for couples undergoing IVF treatment, filled out with concepts drawn from a concept analysis and a qualitative study, knitting the structure together. This preliminary framework is the Endurance with Partnership Conceptual Framework (P-EPCF). It consists of four domains: the impacts of infertility and stressors, dyadic mediators, dyadic moderators and dyadic outcomes. According to the P-EPCF, the impacts of infertility and IVF treatment can be mediated by the couples' partnership and dyadic coping. Improvements in the psychological well-being and marital functioning of IVF couples can then be expected. The P-EPCF would be potentially valuable in guiding the development of a complex, couple-based intervention, which could focus on enhancing the partnership of couples and their coping strategies.

  15. The effectiveness of tipi in the treatment of hip and knee osteoarthritis: a preliminary report

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marcos Bosi Ferraz

    1991-01-01

    Full Text Available Osteoarthritis (OA is a common painful inflammatory condition occurring mainly in the later half of life. Hipe and knee are the joints mostly affected. Petiveria alliacea (tipi popularly known as an anti-rheumatic medicine, has been used by OA patients to relief pain. This one-week cross-over double-blind trial has preliminary evaluated the analgesic effect of tipi tea in 14 patients with hip and knee OA. Imperata exaltata (sape was used as the Placebo tea. The pain assessments that were made at baseline and before the start of the second treatment period by treatment groups were comparable. While taking tipi or placebo tea patients experienced a statistically significant improvement in pain on motion and pain at night. The comparison between the improvements reported while on tipi and placebo tea, however, did not disclose any statistically significant difference. At the conclusion of the study 7 patients preferred tipi tea and 6 preferred placebo tea (NS. Two patients reported insomnia, one durign placebo treatment and the other during tipi treatment. In this preliminary report both teas succeeded in the aim of relieving pain.

  16. Short-term nitrogen losses by overland flow in a recently burnt forest area in north-central Portugal: A study at micro-plot scale.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ferreira, R V; Serpa, D; Machado, A I; Rodríguez-Blanco, M L; Santos, L F; Taboada-Castro, M T; Cerqueira, M A; Keizer, J J

    2016-12-01

    Over the past decades, wildfires have affected extensive areas of the Mediterranean region with negative impacts on the environment. Most of the studies on fire-affected areas have focused on sediment losses by overland flow, whereas few have addressed post-fire nutrient export. The present study aimed to address this research gap by assessing nitrogen (nitrate and total nitrogen) losses by overland flow in a recently burnt area in north-central Portugal. To this end, three burnt slopes were selected for their contrasting forest types (eucalypt vs. pine) and parent materials (granite vs. schist). The selected study sites were a eucalypt site on granite (BEG), a eucalypt site on schist (BES) and a maritime pine site on schist (BPS). Overland flow samples were collected during the first six months after the wildfire on a 1- to 2-weekly basis, after which this study had to be cancelled due to bench terracing of some of the sites. A peak in total nitrogen concentrations was observed in burnt areas immediately after the first post-fire rainfall event as a response to the erosion of the N-enriched ash layer. After this initial peak, smaller peaks were observed throughout the study period, mainly as a response to overland flow and/or erosion events. Nitrogen export differed strikingly between the two types of forests on schist, being higher at the eucalypt than at the pine site, due to the lack of a protective soil layer. Parent material did not play an important role on nitrogen export by overland flow since no significant differences were found between the eucalypt sites on granite and schist. The present study provides some insight into the differences in post-fire soil fertility losses between forest types and parent materials in the Mediterranean region, which is crucial information for defining post-fire land management measures to reduce soil degradation. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  17. El soporte nutrimental y su relación con algunos indicadores pronósticos del niño quemado Nutritional support and its relation to some prognostic indicators of burnt child

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alejandro Torres Amaro

    2011-12-01

    between the nutritional support established during the firsts hours after resuscitation with some prognostic indicators in burnt children. Methods: an analytical and retrospective study was conducted including 252 children admitted in the burn service of the "Juan Manuel Márquez" Teaching Children Hospital of Marianao in La Habana with a stay higher of 7 days during the decade of 2000 to 2009. From the audit of medical records it was obtained the following prognostic indicators of burnt child: burnt body surface, stay time, weight loss percentage and mortality. Likewise it was possible to obtain information about the type of metabolic nutritional support used during treatment. Results: the above mentioned more used support was mixed where is combined the peripheral enteral and parenteral modality covering the 52 % of treated patients. The children with less percentage of weight loss (under 10 % received the exclusive enteral way (53,1 % of treated cases and in the 37,4 % the support was mixed, but using the peripheral modality of parenteral use. Conclusions: the nutritional strategy used in burnt child may to modify some prognostic indicators and must to be a therapeutical priority to prevent the clinical deterioration of these patients.

  18. Partitioning planning studies: Preliminary evaluation of metal and radionuclide partitioning the high-temperature thermal treatment systems

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Liekhus, K.; Grandy, J.; Chambers, A.

    1997-03-01

    A preliminary study of toxic metals and radionuclide partitioning during high-temperature processing of mixed waste has been conducted during Fiscal Year 1996 within the Environmental Management Technology Evaluation Project. The study included: (a) identification of relevant partitioning mechanisms that cause feed material to be distributed between the solid, molten, and gas phases within a thermal treatment system; (b) evaluations of existing test data from applicable demonstration test programs as a means to identify and understand elemental and species partitioning; and, (c) evaluation of theoretical or empirical partitioning models for use in predicting elemental or species partitioning in a thermal treatment system. This preliminary study was conducted to identify the need for and the viability of developing the tools capable of describing and predicting toxic metals and radionuclide partitioning in the most applicable mixed waste thermal treatment processes. This document presents the results and recommendations resulting from this study that may serve as an impetus for developing and implementing these predictive tools

  19. Partitioning planning studies: Preliminary evaluation of metal and radionuclide partitioning the high-temperature thermal treatment systems

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Liekhus, K.; Grandy, J.; Chambers, A. [and others

    1997-03-01

    A preliminary study of toxic metals and radionuclide partitioning during high-temperature processing of mixed waste has been conducted during Fiscal Year 1996 within the Environmental Management Technology Evaluation Project. The study included: (a) identification of relevant partitioning mechanisms that cause feed material to be distributed between the solid, molten, and gas phases within a thermal treatment system; (b) evaluations of existing test data from applicable demonstration test programs as a means to identify and understand elemental and species partitioning; and, (c) evaluation of theoretical or empirical partitioning models for use in predicting elemental or species partitioning in a thermal treatment system. This preliminary study was conducted to identify the need for and the viability of developing the tools capable of describing and predicting toxic metals and radionuclide partitioning in the most applicable mixed waste thermal treatment processes. This document presents the results and recommendations resulting from this study that may serve as an impetus for developing and implementing these predictive tools.

  20. Role of the preliminary heat treatment in anisothermic eutectoid change of the cast iron

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    T. Szykowny

    2011-07-01

    Full Text Available Preliminary heat treatment, preceding continuous cooling of the iron casting, assumed in the research, complies with the applied in prac- tice single normalization, double normalization or normalization with slow cooling. In each of these cases continuous cast iron cooling has been begun from the same temperature 925°C. CCT diagrams have been made with use of metallographic method. The mechanism, kinet- ics and the final structure of eutectoid change of the cast iron after such treatment have been traced.

  1. Design, construction and operation of a new filter approach for treatment of surface waters in Southeast Asia

    Science.gov (United States)

    Frankel, R. J.

    1981-05-01

    A simple, inexpensive, and efficient method of water treatment for rural communities in Southeast Asia was developed using local materials as filter media. The filter utilizes coconut fiber and burnt rice husks in a two-stage filtering process designed as a gravityfed system without the need for backwashing, and eliminates in most cases the need of any chemicals. The first-stage filter with coconut fiber acts essentially as a substitute for the coagulation and sedimentation phases of conventional water-treatment plants. The second-stage filter, using burnt rice husks, is similar to slow sand filtration with the additional benefits of taste, color and odor removals through the absorption properties of the activated carbon in the medium. This paper reports on the design, construction costs, and operating results of several village size units in Thailand and in the Philippines.

  2. Post-processor for simulations of the ORIGEN program and calculation of the composition of the activity of a burnt fuel core by a BWR type reactor

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sandoval V, S.

    2006-01-01

    The composition calculation and the activity of nuclear materials subject to processes of burnt, irradiation and decay periods are of utility for diverse activities inside the nuclear industry, as they are it: the processes design and operations that manage radioactive material, the calculation of the inventory and activity of a core of burnt nuclear fuel, for studies of type Probabilistic Safety Analysis (APS), as well as for regulation processes and licensing of nuclear facilities. ORIGEN is a program for computer that calculates the composition and the activity of nuclear materials subject to periods of burnt, irradiation and decay. ORIGEN generates a great quantity of information whose processing and analysis are laborious, and it requires thoroughness to avoid errors. The automation of the extraction, conditioning and classification of that information is of great utility for the analyst. By means of the use of the post-processor presented in this work it is facilitated, it speeds up and wide the capacity of analysis of results, since diverse consultations with several classification options and filtrate of results can be made. As illustration of the utility of the post-processor, and as an analysis of interest for itself, it is also presented in this work the composition of the activity of a burned core in a BWR type reactor according to the following classification criteria: by type of radioisotope (fission products, activation products and actinides), by specie type (gassy, volatile, semi-volatile and not volatile), by element and by chemical group. The results show that the total activity of the studied core is dominated by the fission products and for the actinides, in proportion four to one, and that the gassy and volatile species conform a fifth part of the total activity of the core. (Author)

  3. Implementation of transdiagnostic treatment for emotional disorders in residential eating disorder programs: A preliminary pre-post evaluation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thompson-Brenner, Heather; Boswell, James F; Espel-Huynh, Hallie; Brooks, Gayle; Lowe, Michael R

    2018-03-19

    Data are lacking from empirically supported therapies implemented in residential programs for eating disorders (EDs). Common elements treatments may be well-suited to address the complex implementation and treatment challenges that characterize these settings. This study assessed the preliminary effect of implementing a common elements therapy on clinician treatment delivery and patient (N = 616) symptom outcomes in two residential ED programs. The Unified Protocol for Transdiagnostic Treatment of Emotional Disorders was adapted to address ED and co-occurring psychopathology and implemented across sites. Therapists' treatment fidelity was rated independently to assess implementation success. Additionally, longitudinal (pre-post) design compared treatment outcomes among patients treated before and after implementation. Patient outcomes included ED and depressive symptoms, experiential avoidance, anxiety sensitivity, and mindfulness. Following training and implementation, clinicians demonstrated adequate to good fidelity. Relative to pre-implementation, post-implementation patients showed significantly greater improvements in experiential avoidance, anxiety sensitivity, and mindfulness at discharge (ps ≤ .04) and more favorable outcomes on ED symptom severity, depression, and experiential avoidance at 6-month follow up (ps ≤ .0001). Preliminary pilot data support the feasibility of implementing transdiagnostic common elements therapy in residential ED treatment, and suggest that implementation may benefit transdiagnostic outcomes for patients.

  4. Analysis of burnt nuclear fuel elements by gamma-spectrometry

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lammer, M.

    1978-01-01

    Gamma-spectrometry allows a non-destructive determination of the fission and activation product content of spent nuclear fuel. The concentration of some of these products depends significantly on the so-called fuel parameters which describe the irradiation history and the fuel composition. The use of these dependences for deriving ''unknown fuel parameters'' from measured fission product activities is investigated in this work. Relevant application fields are burnup determination, fuel testing and inspections within the nuclear materials safeguards programme. The present thesis investigates how these dependences can be used to derive unknown fuel parameters. The possibilities and basic limitations of deriving information from a measured gamma spectrum are considered on principle. The main conclusion is that only ratios of fission product activities allow the development of an interpretation method which is generally applicable to all types of fuel from different reactors. The dependence of activity ratios on cooling time, irradiation time, integrated and final neutron flux, fuel composition, as well as fission and breeding rates are then investigated and presented graphically in a way suitable for applicaton. These relationships can be used for the analysis of spent fuel, and the detailed procedures, which depend on the applicaton field, are worked out in this work. In order to test the interpretation methods, samples of nuclear fuel have been irradiated and the gamma spectra analysed. The methods developed in this work can be applied successfully to the analysis of burnt fuel in the frame of fuel testing programmes and to safeguards verification purposes. If however, apart from a gamma spectrum, no information on the investigated fuel is available, the above-mentioned parameters can be derived with low accuracy only. (author)

  5. High-intensity focused ultrasound treatment of placenta accreta after vaginal delivery: a preliminary study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bai, Y; Luo, X; Li, Q; Yin, N; Fu, X; Zhang, H; Qi, H

    2016-04-01

    To evaluate the safety and efficiency of high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) in the treatment of placenta accreta after vaginal delivery. Enrolled into this study between September 2011 and September 2013 were 12 patients who had been diagnosed with placenta accreta following vaginal delivery and who had stable vital signs. All patients were treated using an ultrasound-guided HIFU treatment system. As indication of the effectiveness of the treatment we considered decreased vascular index on color Doppler imaging, decrease in size of residual placenta compared with pretreatment size on assessment by three-dimensional ultrasound with Virtual Organ Computer-aided Analysis, reduced signal intensity and degree of enhancement on magnetic resonance imaging and avoidance of hysterectomy following treatment. To assess the safety of HIFU treatment, we recorded side effects, hemorrhage, infection, sex steroid levels, return of menses and subsequent pregnancy. Patients were followed up in this preliminary study until December 2013. The 12 patients receiving HIFU treatment had an average postpartum hospital stay of 6.8 days and an average period of residual placental involution of 36.9 days. HIFU treatment did not apparently increase the risk of infection or hemorrhage and no patient required hysterectomy. In all patients menstruation recommenced after an average of 80.2 days, and sex steroid levels during the middle luteal phase of the second menstrual cycle were normal. Two patients became pregnant again during the follow-up period. This preliminary study suggests that ultrasound-guided HIFU is a safe and effective non-invasive method to treat placenta accreta patients after vaginal delivery who have stable vital signs and desire to preserve fertility. Copyright © 2015 ISUOG. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd. Copyright © 2015 ISUOG. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  6. Preliminary data on Pemphigus vulgaris treatment by a proteomics-defined peptide: a case report

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mittelman Abraham

    2006-10-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Although described by Hippocrates in 400 B.C., pemphigus disease still needs a safe therapeutical approach, given that the currently used therapies (i.e. corticosteroids and immunosuppressive drugs often provoke collateral effects. Here we present preliminary data on the possible use of a proteomics derived desmoglein peptide which appears promising in halting disease progression without adverse effects. Methods The low-similarity Dsg349–60REWVKFAKPCRE peptide was topically applied for 1 wk onto a lesion in a patient with a late-stage Pemphigus vulgaris (PV complicated by diabetes and cataract disease. The peptide was applied as an adjuvant in combination with the standard corticosteroid-based immunosuppressive treatment. Results After 1 wk, the treated PV eroded lesion appeared dimensionally reduced and with an increased rate of re-epithelization when compared to adjacent non-treated lesions. Short-term benefits were: decrease of anti-Dsg antibody titer and reduction of the corticosteroid dosage. Long-term benefits: after two years following the unique 1-wk topical treatment, the decrease of anti-Dsg antibody titer persists. The patient is still at the low cortisone dosage. Adverse effects: no adverse effect could be monitored. Conclusion With the limits inherent to any preliminary study, this case report indicates that topical treatment with Dsg349–60REWVKFAKPCRE peptide may represent a feasible first step in the search for a simple, effective and safe treatment of PV.

  7. Effects of curing time and line addition on the microstructure and physical properties of hydrated burnt clay-lime mixes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hajjaji, M.; Mleza, Y.

    2012-01-01

    The change of the microstructure of hydrated burnt illitic-kaolinitic clay-lime blends as a fonction of curing time and line addition were investigated using X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscope. The relation between physical properties - bending strenght, density and water absorption - and the operating factors were formulated using response surface methodology. It was found that floculation-agglomeration, carbonation and hydrates formation where the main happening transformations. The pozzolanic reactions essentially involved metakaolin, derived from heated kaolinite. Based on the RSM results, both factors had positive effects on the strength and their interactions were synergistic. However, they manifested opposite effects and significant antaginistic interactions on density and water absorption

  8. Preliminary Clinical Study On Ms Treatment With Hyperbaric Oxygenation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ulewicz Kazimierz

    2015-06-01

    Full Text Available The authors conducted the preliminary clinical investigation on 16 multiple sclerosis (Sclerosis multiplex patients of median disease duration 9.33 years and symptoms evaluated on Kurtzke’s scale. The patients underwent between 25 and 30 hyperbaric oxygen exposures at a pressure of 2 ata in intervals spread over a few days. The patients were qualified and classified to the treatment symptomatologically according to Fisher but the obtained results were evaluated according to the standardised Disability Status Scale by Kurtzke. During the investigations the authors carried out additional quantitative immunoglobulin and complement activity determination, lymphocyte T and B determinations as well as the usually applied clinical and laboratory investigations. Evident clinical improvement was observed in 14 patients, but in the case of one patient a deterioration was observed after 15 hyperbaric expositions (resulting in the hyperbaric oxygen treatment being stopped, whilst in another case no curative effect could be observed. By utilising the 50% haemolysis method, within the examined immunological parameters the authors observed an increase of complement fractions and its activity, white lymphocytes T and B examined qualitatively did not maintain the characteristic shift. The authors are still discussing the obtained results.

  9. Treatment by gliding arc of epoxy resin: preliminary analysis of surface modifications

    Science.gov (United States)

    Faubert, F.; Wartel, M.; Pellerin, N.; Pellerin, S.; Cochet, V.; Regnier, E.; Hnatiuc, B.

    2016-12-01

    Treatments with atmospheric pressure non-thermal plasma are easy to implement and inexpensive. Among them gliding arc (GlidArc) remains rarely used in surface treatment of polymers. However, it offers economic and flexible way to treat quickly large areas. In addition the choice of carrier gas makes it possible to bring the active species and other radicals allowing different types of grafting and functionalization of the treated surfaces, for example in order to apply for anti-biofouling prevention. This preliminary work includes analysis of the surface of epoxy resins by infrared spectroscopy: the different affected chemical bonds were studied depending on the duration of treatment. The degree of oxidation (the C/O ratio) is obtained by X-ray microanalysis and contact angle analysis have been performed to determinate the wettability properties of the treated surface. A spectroscopic study of the plasma allows to determine the possible active species in the different zones of the discharge.

  10. A Preliminary Evaluation of Fast ForWord-Language as an Adjuvant Treatment in Language Intervention

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fey, Marc E.; Finestack, Lizbeth H.; Gajewski, Byron J.; Popescu, Mihai; Lewine, Jeffrey D.

    2010-01-01

    Purpose: Fast ForWord-Language (FFW-L) is designed to enhance children's processing of auditory-verbal signals and, thus, their ability to learn language. As a preliminary evaluation of this claim, we examined the effects of a 5-week course of FFW-L as an adjuvant treatment with a subsequent 5-week conventional narrative-based language…

  11. Processing Methods of Alkaline Hydrolysate from Rice Husk

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Olga D. Arefieva

    2017-07-01

    Full Text Available This paper devoted to finding processing methods of alkaline hydrolysate produced from rice husk pre-extraction, and discusses alkaline hydrolysate processing schemed and disengagement of some products: amorphous silica of various quality, alkaline lignin, and water and alkaline extraction polysaccharides. Silica samples were characterized: crude (air-dried, burnt (no preliminary water treatment, washed in distilled water, and washed in distilled water and burnt. Waste water parameters upon the extraction of solids from alkaline hydrolysate dropped a few dozens or thousand times depending on the applied processing method. Color decreased a few thousand times, turbidity was virtually eliminated, chemical oxygen demanded about 20–136 times; polyphenols content might decrease 50% or be virtually eliminated. The most prospective scheme obtained the two following solid products from rice husk alkaline hydrolysate: amorphous silica and alkaline extraction polysaccharide. Chemical oxygen demand of the remaining waste water decreased about 140 times compared to the silica-free solution.

  12. ACAMPROSATE AND BACLOFEN WERE NOT EFFECTIVE IN THE TREATMENT OF PATHOLOGICAL GAMBLING: PRELIMINARY BLIND RATER COMPARISON STUDY

    OpenAIRE

    Pinhas N Dannon; Pinhas N Dannon

    2011-01-01

    Objectives: Pathological gambling (PG) is a highly prevalent and disabling impulse control disorder. A range of psychopharmacological options are available for the treatment of PG, including selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI), opioid receptor antagonists, anti-addiction drugs and mood stabilizers. In our preliminary study, we examined the efficacy of two anti-addiction drugs, Baclofen and Acamprosate, in the treatment of PG. Materials & Methods: 17 male gamblers were randomly ...

  13. A Preliminary Version of Heavy Ion Treatment Planning System at IMP

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Liu Xinguo; Dai Zhongying; Ye Fei; Wu Qingfeng; Li Ping; Li Qiang; Jin Xiaodong; Du Xiaogang; WangYangping; Dang Jianwu

    2010-01-01

    Based on the Heavy Ion Research Facility in Lanzhou (HIRFL/HIRFL-CSR), clinical trials of heavy ion radiotherapy are being conducted at the Institute of Modern Physics (IMP), Chinese Academy of Sciences, where two-dimensional(2D) layer-stacking conformal irradiation method in a passive beam delivery system was applied. To make better use of the biophysical advantages of heavy ion beams and ensure success of the clinical trials, a preliminary version of heavy ion treatment planning system (TPS) has been developed at IMP. The TPS was designed in a manner to adapt to the 2D layer-stacking conformal irradiation method. The architecture and function of the TPS software and the implementation of dose calculation algorithm in the TPS were introduced in this paper.The deviation between the doses planned by the TPS and measured through an anthropomorphous phantom was verified to be less than 5%. Finally,the pending issues for developing a sophisticated treatment planning system at IMP were discussed. (authors)

  14. Sludge Treatment Project Engineered Container Retrieval And Transfer System Preliminary Design Hazard Analysis Supplement 1

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Franz, G.R.; Meichle, R.H.

    2011-01-01

    This 'What/If' Hazards Analysis addresses hazards affecting the Sludge Treatment Project Engineered Container Retrieval and Transfer System (ECRTS) NPH and external events at the preliminary design stage. In addition, the hazards of the operation sequence steps for the mechanical handling operations in preparation of Sludge Transport and Storage Container (STSC), disconnect STSC and prepare STSC and Sludge Transport System (STS) for shipping are addressed.

  15. Generation of the ECP database (ECP01.DAT) of the cycle 1 of the Unit 1 of Laguna Verde with burnt of 1377 MWD/MT; Generacion de la base ECP (ECP01.DAT) del ciclo 1 de la Unidad 1 de Laguna Verde con quemado de 1377 MWD/MT

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Perusquia C, R. [ININ, 52045 Ocoyoacac, Estado de Mexico (Mexico)

    1992-10-15

    In order to carrying out a comparison among the results provided by the Program of Estimate of the ECP Critical Position and the Shutdown/Startup produced in the Cycle 1 of the Unit 1 of Laguna Verde, it was generated the base of the ECP program, following the outlines settled down in the Procedure 'Generation of ECP Database for Laguna Verde' (IT.SN/DFR-074). Next the data sheets filled when being generated the ECP01.DAT database with a burnt of 1377 MWD/MT are provided. In the report IT.SN/DFR-079 'Adjustment and Preliminary Evaluation of the Predictions of Criticity of the ECP Program with Reported Data of the Cycle 1 of the Unit 1 of Laguna Verde', the results of the comparison among those estimates of the ECP program using the ECP01.DAT database with the real data of the Cycle 1 of the Unit 1 of Laguna Verde are presented. (Author)

  16. Neuroendocrine brake for the treatment of morbid obesity. Preliminary report

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Aureo Ludovico de Paula

    2005-06-01

    Full Text Available Objectives: To demonstrate the preliminary results of a newtechnique named neuroendocrine brake, for surgical treatment ofmorbid obesity. Methods: In November 2003, three patientsunderwent the neuroendocrine brake operation performed by thelaparoscopic approach. The mean age was 46.4 years; all patientswere female. Mean BMI was 42.3 kg/m2. The patients selectedpresented some relative or absolute contraindications to the useof gastrointestinal bypass techniques, including gastric ulcer anda family history of gastric malignancy(1 and chronic anemia (2.All patients had associated diseases, including type II diabetesmellitus (2, hypertension (2, obstructive sleep apnea (1,dyslipidemia (3, cholecystolithiasis (1, gastric ulcer (1 andchronic anemia (2. The laparoscopic technique consisted of anileal interposition at the proximal jejunum and longitudinalgastrectomy. Results: There was no conversion to open surgery orpostoperative complications. Sixteen months later, the meanpercentage of initial body weight loss was 44.6% and the meanBMI was 24.3 kg/m2. Glucose, triglyceride and cholesterol levelswere normalized, and sleep apnea showed remission. Conclusion:In spite of the reduced number of patients and short term followup, the good results suggest that the neuroendocrine brake maybecome an option for surgical treatment of morbid obesity in thenear future.

  17. Preliminary exploitation of industrial facility for flue gas treatment

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chmielewski, A.G.; Zimek, Z.; Iller, E.; Tyminski, B.; Licki, J.

    2001-01-01

    laboratory and pilot installation in Poland has lead to decision concerning design and construction of the industrial demonstration plant for electron beam flue gas treatment. Industrial demonstration facility for electron beam flue gas treatment was designed and installed in EPS Pomorzany in Szczecin. This flue gas purification installation treats exhaust gases coming from a block which consists of two Benson type boilers of power 56 MWe each, supplying additional steam for heating purposes up to 40 MWth each. The 270,000 Nm 3 /h flue gases (half of produced by the blocks) is treated meet Polish regulations which are imposed since 1997. Four electron accelerators has been constructed by Nissin High Voltage, Kyoto, Japan to provide 1200 kW of total beam power with electron energy 0,8 MeV to be installed in EPS Pomorzany. Two-stage irradiation was applied as it was tested at the pilot plant. The industrial installation located at EPS Pomorzany consist of two independent reaction chambers, humidification tower with water and steam supply systems, ammonia water handling system with ammonia injection, electrostatic precipitator, by product handling system, measuring and control systems. Solid particles which are formed as salts are separated in ESP and byproduct pretreated in handling system with amount up to 700 kg/h. All systems including accelerators were tested separately to meet EPS regulations (72 h continues run) and confirm producer warranted parameters and facility design specification. Some necessary modifications including accelerators were introduced by equipment producers depends on obtained results of performed measurements. The quality of shielding properties of accelerator chamber walls was tested according to national regulation and the license on accelerator exploitation and personnel qualification were issued by polish authorities. The spatial dose distribution and dose rate measurement were carried on with electron energy 700 and 800 keV. Preliminary results

  18. Posterior perineal support as treatment for anal fissures--preliminary results with a new toilet seat device.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tan, Kok-Yang; Seow-Choen, Francis; Hai, Chew Heng; Thye, Gan Kok

    2009-03-01

    Anal fissures can cause morbidity in an otherwise healthy young patient. The process of evacuation results in stretching and descent of the anoderm and perineum especially posteriorly. Posterior perineal support may provide counter pressure at the posterior aspect of the pelvic floor, balancing the pressure exerted by the faeces on the anal wall, thus improving evacuation and reducing the trauma associated with it, and reducing symptoms of anal fissures. Symptoms of constipation may also be reduced secondarily. We report the preliminary results with a novel, simple and noninvasive method of treatment provided by a toilet seat device. A prospective study was performed in 32 patients. The study was designed mainly to investigate the patients' subjective perceptions of their symptoms related to anal fissures and constipation. Questionnaires were provided to patients before, during and after treatment. The study revealed statistically significant improvement in pain, bleeding, symptoms of constipation and abdominal discomfort after 3 months usage of the device. The odds of patients perceiving an improvement in symptoms were also significantly increased after 3 months of treatment compared to 2 weeks of treatment. This preliminary study revealed that a posterior perineal support device can bring about significant improvement in the symptoms of patients with anal fissures. There may also be secondary benefits of a reduction in the symptoms of constipation. Although not conclusive, these results should serve as a springboard for further research into this area.

  19. Radioactive waste shredding: Preliminary evaluation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Soelberg, N.R.; Reimann, G.A.

    1994-07-01

    The critical constraints for sizing solid radioactive and mixed wastes for subsequent thermal treatment were identified via a literature review and a survey of shredding equipment vendors. The types and amounts of DOE radioactive wastes that will require treatment to reduce the waste volume, destroy hazardous organics, or immobilize radionuclides and/or hazardous metals were considered. The preliminary steps of waste receipt, inspection, and separation were included because many potential waste treatment technologies have limits on feedstream chemical content, physical composition, and particle size. Most treatment processes and shredding operations require at least some degree of feed material characterization. Preliminary cost estimates show that pretreatment costs per unit of waste can be high and can vary significantly, depending on the processing rate and desired output particle size

  20. Efficacy of Argentum-Quartz Solution in the Treatment of Perianal Fistulas: A Preliminary Study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tomasello Giovanni

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background: Nowadays, an optimal and effective medical surgery remains the gold standard for perianal fistulas. Hereby we reported preliminary results in favor of using Argentum-quartz solution for both primary and recurrent perianal fistulas. Methods: Three patients with intersphincteric and extrasphincteric fistulas were enrolled. Argentum-quartz solution was administrated twice a week for a period of 4 weeks, followed by a pause of 8 days and then another 4 weeks of treatment, totally 16 administrations. After treatment, all patients were monitored for a 4-month follow-up. Results: Complete closures of 2 extrasphincteric fistulas and a partial closure with absence of inflammation and superative phenomena in the intrasphincteric fistula were both manifested. Conclusion: Selective treatment of perianal fistulas with an argentum-quartz solution is safe and effective, and may represent a reliable alternative.

  1. Exploring the Influence of Topographic Correction and SWIR Spectral Information Inclusion on Burnt Scars Detection From High Resolution EO Imagery: A Case Study Using ASTER imagery

    Science.gov (United States)

    Said, Yahia A.; Petropoulos, George; Srivastava, Prashant K.

    2014-05-01

    Information on burned area estimates is of key importance in environmental and ecological studies as well as in fire management including damage assessment and planning of post-fire recovery of affected areas. Earth Observation (EO) provides today the most efficient way in obtaining such information in a rapid, consistent and cost-effective manner. The present study aimed at exploring the effect of topographic correction to the burnt area delineation in conditions characteristic of a Mediterranean environment using ASTER high resolution multispectral remotely sensed imagery. A further objective was to investigate the potential added-value of the inclusion of the shortwave infrared (SWIR) bands in improving the retrievals of burned area cartography from the ASTER data. In particular the capability of the Maximum Likelihood (ML), the Support Vector Machines (SVMs) and Object-based Image Analysis (OBIA) classification techniques has been examined herein for the purposes of our study. As a case study is used a typical Mediterranean site on which a fire event occurred in Greece during the summer of 2007, for which post-fire ASTER imagery has been acquired. Our results indicated that the combination of topographic correction (ortho-rectification) with the inclusion of the SWIR bands returned the most accurate results in terms of burnt area mapping. In terms of image processing methods, OBIA showed the best results and found as the most promising approach for burned area mapping with least absolute difference from the validation polygon followed by SVM and ML. All in all, our study provides an important contribution to the understanding of the capability of high resolution imagery such as that from ASTER sensor and corroborates the usefulness particularly of the topographic correction as an image processing step when in delineating the burnt areas from such data. It also provides further evidence that use of EO technology can offer an effective practical tool for the

  2. Preliminary study of infiltration gallery for water treatment towards Universal Access 2019 in Indonesia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Maritha Nilam Kusuma

    2018-06-01

    Full Text Available Infiltration gallery is a method of water treatment through soil filtration. The mechanism is the filtering or absorption of contaminants in the river that flows through the soil. This method uses soil to remove contaminants. This method has three kinds of screening processes, ie physically, chemically and biologically. This process depends on moisture content, temperature, porosity, specific gravity, the saturated degree and hydraulic conductivity in the soil. Now a days, the cost of clean water production in the province of East Java, Indonesia requires a lot of cost, because the consumption of coagulant is very high; It is necessary to have a preliminary processing that helps the performance of water treatment in East Java, Indonesia. Natural water purification method using soil called infiltration gallery can be one solution in processing river water or as preliminary processing for water treatment in East Java. The purpose of this research is to know soil characteristics in soil samples in each region and its ability to removel TSS and Total Coliform. The second objective is to find good soil composition for removel TSS and total Coliform. The location of soil sampling is in Surabaya, Lumajang, Bangkalan, Mojokerto, Sidoarjo and Gresik, East Java province, Indonesia. The method of analysis used gravimetry, method 9223 B, the comparison between mass and specific gravity, constant head permeameter and wet grain. The results showed that the soil samples from each region were not able to remove the TSS and total coliform, so that the engineering of soil composition was required. Appropriate soil composition is sand and clay, 85% and 15%, with the percentage of TSS and total coliform removal of 63.50% and 99.67%.

  3. Semantic Feature Training for the Treatment of Anomia in Alzheimer Disease: A Preliminary Investigation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Flanagan, Kieran J; Copland, David A; van Hees, Sophia; Byrne, Gerard J; Angwin, Anthony J

    2016-03-01

    This is a preliminary investigation into the effectiveness of semantic feature training for the treatment of anomia in Alzheimer disease (AD). Anomia is a common clinical characteristic of AD. It is widely held that anomia in AD is caused by the combination of cognitive deficits and progressive loss of semantic feature information. Therapy that aims to help participants relearn or retain semantic features should, therefore, help treat anomia in AD. Two men with AD and one man with progressive nonfluent aphasia received 10 treatment sessions focused on relearning the names of 20 animals and 20 fruits. Within each category, half of the items were of high and half were of low typicality. We individualized treatment items to each participant, using items that each had not named correctly at baseline. Treatment sessions consisted of naming, category sorting, and semantic feature verification tasks. Both participants with AD showed post-treatment improvements in naming, and one maintained the treatment effects at 6-week follow-up. The semantic category of the treatment items influenced post-treatment outcomes, but typicality did not. In contrast to the participants with AD, the man with progressive nonfluent aphasia had no improvement in naming ability. Our results suggest the potential viability of semantic feature training to treat anomia in AD and, therefore, the need for further research.

  4. Processo de cuidar da criança queimada: vivência de familiares Procedimiento para el cuidado de los niños quemados: experiencia en familia Burnt children care procedure: experience in family

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Milla Chianca Gomes Varela

    2009-10-01

    Full Text Available Este estudo teve o objetivo de descrever a vivência de familiares no cuidado da criança que sofreu queimadura. Foi realizado um estudo exploratório, em um hospital de emergência na cidade de João Pessoa - PB, com dez acompanhantes de crianças hospitalizadas, vítimas de queimadura. Os resultados mostraram que os agentes térmicos foram os maiores causadores das queimaduras nas crianças. O discurso dos participantes revela que a maioria dos acidentes ocorreu na presença do cuidador, menciona algumas condutas erradas após a ocorrência do acidente e alguns consideram a experiência de cuidar da criança queimada como negativa, o que evidencia a necessidade de orientação da população em geral e a participação no cuidar da criança queimada.Este estudio tuvo como objetivo describir la experiencia de la familia en el cuidado de los niños que han sufrido quemaduras. Un estudio exploratorio fue realizado en un hospital de emergencia en la ciudad de João Pessoa - PB, con diez compañeros de los niños hospitalizados por quemaduras. Los resultados enseñaron que los agentes térmicos fueron la principal causa de quemaduras en los niños. El discurso de los participantes indica que la mayoría de los accidentes se produjo en presencia del cuidador, menciona algunos procedimientos equivocados después del accidente, mientras que algunos consideran que la experiencia de cuidar de los niños quemados es negativa, destacando la necesidad de orientación para la población general y participación en el cuidado de los niños quemados.This study aimed to describe the family experience in the care of the child who got burnt. An exploratory study was conducted in a hospital emergency room in the city of João Pessoa - PB, with ten companions of hospitalized burnt children. The results showed that the thermal agents were the biggest cause of children's burns. The speech of the participants shows that most accidents occurred in the presence of the

  5. Preliminary results of ecotoxicological assessment of an Acid Mine Drainage (AMD) passive treatment system testing water quality of depurated lixiviates

    OpenAIRE

    Miguel Sarmiento, Aguasanta; Bonnail, Estefanía; Nieto Liñán, José Miguel; Valls Casillas, Tomás Ángel del

    2017-01-01

    The current work reports on the preliminary results of a toxicity test using screening experiments to check the efficiency of an innovative passive treatment plant designed for acid mine drainage purification. Bioassays took place with water samples before and after the treatment system and in the river, once treated water is discharged. Due to the high toxicity of the water collected at the mouth of the mine (before the treatment plant), the bioassay was designed and developed with respect t...

  6. SECONDARY WASTE/ETF (EFFLUENT TREATMENT FACILITY) PRELIMINARY PRE-CONCEPTUAL ENGINEERING STUDY

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    May, T.H.; Gehner, P.D.; Stegen, Gary; Hymas, Jay; Pajunen, A.L.; Sexton, Rich; Ramsey, Amy

    2009-01-01

    This pre-conceptual engineering study is intended to assist in supporting the critical decision (CD) 0 milestone by providing a basis for the justification of mission need (JMN) for the handling and disposal of liquid effluents. The ETF baseline strategy, to accommodate (WTP) requirements, calls for a solidification treatment unit (STU) to be added to the ETF to provide the needed additional processing capability. This STU is to process the ETF evaporator concentrate into a cement-based waste form. The cementitious waste will be cast into blocks for curing, storage, and disposal. Tis pre-conceptual engineering study explores this baseline strategy, in addition to other potential alternatives, for meeting the ETF future mission needs. Within each reviewed case study, a technical and facility description is outlined, along with a preliminary cost analysis and the associated risks and benefits.

  7. Solid lipid nanoparticles by coacervation loaded with a methotrexate prodrug: preliminary study for glioma treatment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Battaglia, Luigi; Muntoni, Elisabetta; Chirio, Daniela; Peira, Elena; Annovazzi, Laura; Schiffer, Davide; Mellai, Marta; Riganti, Chiara; Salaroglio, Iris Chiara; Lanotte, Michele; Panciani, Pierpaolo; Capucchio, Maria Teresa; Valazza, Alberto; Biasibetti, Elena; Gallarate, Marina

    2017-03-01

    Methotrexate-loaded biocompatible nanoparticles were tested for preliminary efficacy in glioma treatment. Behenic acid nanoparticles, prepared by the coacervation method, were loaded with the ester prodrug didodecylmethotrexate, which was previously tested in vitro against glioblastoma human primary cultures. Nanoparticle conjugation with an ApoE mimicking chimera peptide was performed to obtain active targeting to the brain. Biodistribution studies in healthy rats assessed the superiority of ApoE-conjugated formulation, which was tested on an F98/Fischer glioma model. Differences were observed in tumor growth rate (measured by MRI) between control and treated rats. In vitro tests on F98 cultured cells assessed their susceptibility to treatment, with consequent apoptosis, and allowed us to explain the apoptosis observed in glioma models.

  8. Varfarin in the complex treatment of antiphospholipid syndrome: preliminary results

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    T M Reshetnyak

    2003-01-01

    Full Text Available Objective. To assess efficacy and tolerance of varfarin in prophylaxis and therapy of thrombotic complications in patients with antiphospholipid syndrome (APS. Methods. 20 pts with APS (5 male and 15 female received varfarin during a year. 8 of them had primary APS (PAPS and 12 -systemic lupus erythematosus with APS (SLE+APS. 2 other pts (I with SLE+APS and I with PAPS received varfarin during the last 4 years. Nobody from 9 pts with PAPS received corticosteroids (CS. In SLE+APS pts CS dose varied from 4 to 20 mg/day and was not increased during follow up. During the study prothrombine time (PT was examined with thromboplastin ( manufactured by Renam having international sensitivity index 1,2 and international normalization relation (INR. Depending on treatment scheme APS pts were divided into 3 groups. Group 1 included 8 pts with INR<2,0, Group 2-7 with INR >3,0, group 3 - 7 pts with INR<2,0 receiving as additional treatment thrombo ASS 100 mg/day and vasonit from 600 to 1200 mg/day. Results. Two pts with INR = 1,8 had thrombosis recurrence (due to leg thrombophlebitis. There were no recurrences in other groups. 2 from 22 pts had "large" bleedings. "Small" bleedings episodes were noted in 7 from 22 pts. Largely that were subcutaneous bleedings (in 4 pts no more than 5 cm of size. Two pts receiving varfarin with INR 1,8 and 2,4 had renal colic. Conclusion. Our preliminary results prove the necessity of inclusion of varfarin in the treatment of pts with APS and thrombosis but intensive anticoagulant effect is not always desired.

  9. Preliminary treatment of chlorinated waste streams containing fission products

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hudry, Damien; Bardez, Isabelle; Bart, Florence [CEA Marcoule DTCD/SECM/LM2C, BP 17171, 30207 Bagnols sur Ceze (France); Deniard, Philippe; Jobic, Stephane [Institut des Materiaux Jean Rouxel, Universite de Nantes, CNRS, BP 32229, 44322 Nantes cedex 3 (France); Rakhmatullin, Aydar [Conditions Extremes et Materiaux: Hautes Temperatures et Irradiations, CEMHTI-CNRS, 45071 Orleans cedex 2 (France); Bessada, Catherine [Conditions Extremes et Materiaux: Hautes Temperatures et Irradiations, CEMHTI-CNRS, 45071 Orleans cedex 2 (France); Universite d' Orleans, Faculte des Sciences, BP 6749, 45067 Orleans cedex 2 (France)

    2008-07-01

    Separating actinides from fission products (FP) by electrolytic techniques in a molten chloride medium produces high-level waste which, because of its high chlorine content, cannot be directly and quantitatively loaded in a glass matrix and therefore requires the development of new management methods. In this regard the strategy of submitting chlorinated waste streams to a preliminary treatment consists in separating the various types of FP from the solvent to minimize the ultimate high-level waste volume. Selective precipitation of the rare earth elements by NH{sub 4}H{sub 2}PO{sub 4} was investigated in a LiCl-KCl medium, and could constitute the first step in the purification process. Unlike the use of alkali orthophosphate, this method provides similar conversion factors with the simple addition of stoichiometric phosphorus (P:rare-earth = 1) and does not require excess phosphate (P:rare-earth = 5). This prevents the formation of a secondary Li{sub 3}PO{sub 4} phase. Moreover, NH{sub 4}H{sub 2}PO{sub 4} also allows chlorine bound to rare earth elements to be eliminated as NH{sub 4}Cl. The formation of HCl is highly probable.

  10. [Predictive factors of mortality of the burnt persons: study on 221 adults hospitalized between 2004 and 2009].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Elkafssaoui, S; Hami, H; Mrabet, M; Bouaiti, E; Tourabi, K; Quyou, A; Soulaymani, A; Ihrai, H

    2014-06-01

    The objective of the present study is the evaluation of the predictive factors of mortality to a troop of Moroccan grown-up serious burnt persons. Variables analyzed in the study are: the age, the sex, the localization of the burn, the degree of burn, indicates Total Body Surface Area (TBSA), indicate Unit of Standard Burn (UBS) and the indication of leases, sepsis and the medical histories (tobacco, diabetes). Factors associated significantly to a mortality raised at the burned patients were the female genital organ, the localization of the burn at the level of the head, the sepsis, one TBSA greater or equal to 20%, an UBS greater or equal to 200 and an indication of leases greater or equal to 75. Other factors such as the age, the degree of burn and the histories did not show a significant difference. An evaluation and a good knowledge of factors associated to a high risk of death allow an adequate coverage of this category of patients. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  11. The effectiveness of tipi in the treatment of hip and knee osteoarthritis--a preliminary report.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ferraz, M B; Pereira, R B; Coelho Andrade, L E; Atra, E

    1991-01-01

    Osteoarthritis (OA) is a common painful inflammatory condition occurring mainly in the later half of life. Hip and knee are the joints mostly affected. Petiveria alliacea (tipi) popularly known as an anti-rheumatic medicine, has been used by OA patients to relief pain. This one-week cross-over double-blind trial has preliminary evaluated the analgesic effect of tipi tea in 14 patients with hip and knee OA. Imperata exaltata (sape) was used as the Placebo tea. The pain assessments that were made at baseline and before the start of the second treatment period by treatment groups were comparable. While taking tipi or placebo tea patients experienced a statistically significant improvement in pain on motion and pain at night. The comparison between the improvements reported while on tipi and placebo tea, however, did not disclose any statistically significant difference. At the conclusion of the study 7 patients preferred tipi tea and 6 preferred placebo tea (NS). Two patients reported insomnia, one during placebo treatment and the other during tipi treatment.

  12. Preliminary results with a strip ionization chamber used as beam monitor for hadrontherapy treatments

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Boriano, A. [Dipartimento di Fisica Sperimentale e INFN, Via P.Giuria 1, 1-10125 Turin (Italy); Bourhaleb, F. [Fondazione TERA, Via Puccini 1, 1-28100 Novara (Italy); Cirio, R. [Dipartimento di Fisica Sperimentale e INFN, Via P.Giuria 1, 1-10125 Turin (Italy)] (and others)

    2006-01-15

    Preliminary results are presented from a test of a parallel plate ionization chamber with the anode segmented in strips (MOPI) to be used as a beam monitor for therapeutical treatments on the 62 MeV proton beam line of the INFN-LNS Superconducting Cyclotron. Ocular pathologies have been treated at the Catana facility since March 2002. The detector, placed downstream of the patient collimator, will allow the measurement of the relevant beam diagnostic parameters during treatment such as integrated beam fluence, for dose determination; the beam baricentre, width and asymmetry will be obtained from the fluence profile sampled with a resolution of about 100 Urn at a rate up to 1 kHz with no dead time. In this test, carried out at LNS, the detector has been exposed to different beam shapes and the integrated fluence derived by the measured beam profiles has been compared with that obtained with other dosimeters normally used for treatment. The skewness of the beam profile has been measured and shown to be suitable to on-line check variations of the beam shape.

  13. Preliminary results with a strip ionization chamber used as beam monitor for hadrontherapy treatments

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Boriano, A.; Bourhaleb, F.; Cirio, R.

    2006-01-01

    Preliminary results are presented from a test of a parallel plate ionization chamber with the anode segmented in strips (MOPI) to be used as a beam monitor for therapeutical treatments on the 62 MeV proton beam line of the INFN-LNS Superconducting Cyclotron. Ocular pathologies have been treated at the Catana facility since March 2002. The detector, placed downstream of the patient collimator, will allow the measurement of the relevant beam diagnostic parameters during treatment such as integrated beam fluence, for dose determination; the beam baricentre, width and asymmetry will be obtained from the fluence profile sampled with a resolution of about 100 Urn at a rate up to 1 kHz with no dead time. In this test, carried out at LNS, the detector has been exposed to different beam shapes and the integrated fluence derived by the measured beam profiles has been compared with that obtained with other dosimeters normally used for treatment. The skewness of the beam profile has been measured and shown to be suitable to on-line check variations of the beam shape

  14. Preliminary results with a strip ionization chamber used as beam monitor for hadrontherapy treatments

    Science.gov (United States)

    Boriano, A.; Bourhaleb, F.; Cirio, R.; Cirrone, G. A. P.; Cuttone, G.; Donetti, M.; Garelli, E.; Giordanengo, S.; Luparia, A.; Marchette, F.; Peroni, C.; Raffaele, L.; Sabini, M. G.; Valastro, L.

    2006-01-01

    Preliminary results are presented from a test of a parallel plate ionization chamber with the anode segmented in strips (MOPI) to be used as a beam monitor for therapeutical treatments on the 62 MeV proton beam line of the INFN-LNS Superconducting Cyclotron. Ocular pathologies have been treated at the Catana facility since March 2002. The detector, placed downstream of the patient collimator, will allow the measurement of the relevant beam diagnostic parameters during treatment such as integrated beam fluence, for dose determination; the beam baricentre, width and asymmetry will be obtained from the fluence profile sampled with a resolution of about 100 Urn at a rate up to 1 kHz with no dead time. In this test, carried out at LNS, the detector has been exposed to different beam shapes and the integrated fluence derived by the measured beam profiles has been compared with that obtained with other dosimeters normally used for treatment. The skewness of the beam profile has been measured and shown to be suitable to on-line check variations of the beam shape.

  15. Feasibility, safety, acceptability, and preliminary efficacy of measurement-based care depression treatment for HIV patients in Bamenda, Cameroon.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pence, Brian W; Gaynes, Bradley N; Atashili, Julius; O'Donnell, Julie K; Kats, Dmitry; Whetten, Kathryn; Njamnshi, Alfred K; Mbu, Tabenyang; Kefie, Charles; Asanji, Shantal; Ndumbe, Peter

    2014-06-01

    Depression affects 18-30 % of HIV-infected patients in Africa and is associated with greater stigma, lower antiretroviral adherence, and faster disease progression. However, the region's health system capacity to effectively identify and treat depression is limited. Task-shifting models may help address this large mental health treatment gap. Measurement-Based Care (MBC) is a task-shifting model in which a Depression Care Manager guides a non-psychiatric (e.g., HIV) provider in prescribing and managing antidepressant treatment. We adapted MBC for depressed HIV-infected patients in Cameroon and completed a pilot study to assess feasibility, safety, acceptability, and preliminary efficacy. We enrolled 55 participants; all started amitriptyline 25-50 mg daily at baseline. By 12 weeks, most remained at 50 mg daily (range 25-125 mg). Median (interquartile range) PHQ-9 depressive severity scores declined from 13 (12-16) (baseline) to 2 (0-3) (week 12); 87 % achieved depression remission (PHQ-9 feasibility, safety, acceptability, and preliminary efficacy in this uncontrolled pilot study. Further research should assess whether MBC could improve adherence and HIV outcomes in this setting.

  16. Seasonal occurrence, removal efficiencies and preliminary risk assessment of multiple classes of organic UV filters in wastewater treatment plants.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tsui, Mirabelle M P; Leung, H W; Lam, Paul K S; Murphy, Margaret B

    2014-04-15

    Organic ultraviolet (UV) filters are applied widely in personal care products (PCPs), but the distribution and risks of these compounds in the marine environment are not well known. In this study, the occurrence and removal efficiencies of 12 organic UV filters in five wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) equipped with different treatment levels in Hong Kong, South China, were investigated during one year and a preliminary environmental risk assessment was carried out. Using a newly developed simultaneous multiclass quantification liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method, butyl methoxydibenzoylmethane (BMDM), 2,4-dihydroxybenzophenone (BP-1), benzophenone-3 (BP-3), benzophenone-4 (BP-4) and 2-ethyl-hexyl-4-trimethoxycinnamate (EHMC) were frequently (≥80%) detected in both influent and effluent with mean concentrations ranging from 23 to 1290 ng/L and 18-1018 ng/L, respectively; less than 2% of samples contained levels greater than 1000 ng/L. Higher concentrations of these frequently detected compounds were found during the wet/summer season, except for BP-4, which was the most abundant compound detected in all samples in terms of total mass. The target compounds behaved differently depending on the treatment level in WWTPs; overall, removal efficiencies were greater after secondary treatment when compared to primary treatment with >55% and compounds showing high removal (defined as >70% removal), respectively. Reverse osmosis was found to effectively eliminate UV filters from effluent (>99% removal). A preliminary risk assessment indicated that BP-3 and EHMC discharged from WWTPs may pose high risk to fishes in the local environment. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  17. Preliminary studies on the use of irradiation for decontaminating water and sludge in wastewater treatment plants in Chile

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Villanueva, Loreto; Schrader, Rosemarie

    1999-01-01

    This work describes the activities carried out to date by the Chilean Nuclear Energy Commission, CCHEN, in prospecting the application of gamma and electron beam irradiation to the decontamination of sewage water and sludge in the country. Sludge, in particular, will become a relevant environmental problem in the coming years, because of the large amounts that will be generated, due to the construction of many wastewater treatment plants in the country. The main study consisted of experimental gamma irradiation tests on representative samples of digested sludge from two pilot wastewater treatment plants operating in Santiago. This study showed the technical feasibility of using low irradiation doses, of around 2-3 kGy to significantly reduce the pathogen content in this sludge. Preliminary tests were also carried out to determine that the disinfected sludge was fit for agricultural use due to its nutrient content. A preliminary technical and economic evaluation is being prepared on the use of gamma irradiation for sludge disinfection, as a complement to the experimental studies. With this evaluation a feasible process has been outlined for using gamma irradiation in conjunction with conventional processes for the sludge disinfection or hygienization in domestic wastewater treatment plants, in order to produce a useful material for agricultural use that meets the demanding EPA standards when classified as class A sludge, which permits agricultural use without sanitary restrictions. Several evaluations have been made to determine the potential use of irradiation for water and industrial wastewater effluents decontamination, considering normative standards as well as technical and economic aspects. One of these has been the preliminary evaluation of using electron beam irradiation for disinfecting drinking water, which has the technical advantage of preventing the formation of trihalomethanes, that occur in water chlorination due to the presence of natural humic

  18. A Preliminary Investigation of the Long-Term Outcome of the Unified Protocol for Transdiagnostic Treatment of Emotional Disorders

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bullis, Jacqueline R.; Fortune, Meghan R.; Farchione, Todd J.; Barlow, David H.

    2014-01-01

    Objective To conduct a preliminary examination of long-term outcomes on a broad range of affective disorder symptoms treated with a newly developed intervention: The Unified Protocol for Transdiagnostic Treatment of Emotional Disorders (UP). Method Maintenance of treatment gains at long-term follow-up (LTFU) were explored in patients (n = 15, mean age = 32.27; 60% female) who completed a clinical trial of the UP. Results Treatment gains observed at 6-month follow-up (6MFU) on measures of clinical severity, general symptoms of depression and anxiety, and a measure of symptom interference in daily functioning were largely maintained 12 months later (at an average of 18 months posttreatment), and any significant changes from 6MFU to LTFU reflected small increases in symptoms that remained, on average, in the subclinical range. Conclusions These findings provide the first initial support for the durability of broad treatment gains following transdiagnostic treatment. PMID:25113056

  19. Use of the KineSpring system in the treatment of medial knee osteoarthritis: preliminary results.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Madonna, Vincenzo; Condello, Vincenzo; Piovan, Gianluca; Screpis, Daniele; Zorzi, Claudio

    2015-01-01

    the purpose of this study was to analyze our preliminary results obtained with the KineSpring system in patients suffering from medial compartment knee osteoarthritis (OA). between September 2012 and May 2014, 53 patients underwent treatment with the KineSpring system. Patient self-assessment was performed pre-operatively and at 3, 6 and 12 months postoperatively, and included the KOOS, Tegner activity score, Lysholm functional knee score, VAS knee pain score, and IKDC score. Device- and procedure-related adverse events were recorded. mean KOOS subscales, except for the Sport/Recreation subscale at six months, improved over time. Mean WOMAC Pain and Function domains, Lysholm score, IKDC score and VAS knee pain score improved over the follow-up period and were significantly improved at 3, 6 and 12 months postoperatively compared to baseline. Mean Tegner score improved slightly over time. In 5 of the 53 (9.4%) patients re-operation was necessary. In 3 patients the device was removed due to infection (one case) or persistent knee pain (two cases). Surgical arthrolysis was performed in two patients. in our preliminary experience, the KineSpring system gave good short-term clinical results. Level IV, therapeutic case series.

  20. Post-fire wood management alters water stress, growth, and performance of pine regeneration in a Mediterranean ecosystem

    Science.gov (United States)

    Maranon-Jimenez, Sara; Castro, Jorge; Querejeta, José Ignacio; Fernandez-Ondono, Emilia; Allen, Craig D.

    2013-01-01

    Extensive research has focused on comparing the impacts of post-fire salvage logging versus those of less aggressive management practices on forest regeneration. However, few studies have addressed the effects of different burnt-wood management options on seedling/sapling performance, or the ecophysiological mechanisms underlying differences among treatments. In this study, we experimentally assess the effects of post-fire management of the burnt wood on the growth and performance of naturally regenerating pine seedlings (Pinus pinaster). Three post-fire management treatments varying in degree of intervention were implemented seven months after a high-severity wildfire burned Mediterranean pine forests in the Sierra Nevada, southeast Spain: (a) “No Intervention” (NI, all burnt trees left standing); (b) “Partial Cut plus Lopping” (PCL, felling most of the burnt trees, cutting off branches, and leaving all the biomass on site without mastication); and (c) “Salvage Logging” (SL, felling the burnt trees, piling up the logs and masticating the fine woody debris). Three years after the fire, the growth, foliar nutrient concentrations, and leaf carbon, nitrogen and oxygen isotopic composition (δ13C, δ18O and δ15N) of naturally regenerating seedlings were measured in all the treatments. Pine seedlings showed greatest vigor and size in the PCL treatment, whereas growth was poorest in SL. The nutrient concentrations were similar among treatments, although greater growth in the two treatments with residual wood present indicated higher plant uptake. Seedlings in the SL treatment showed high leaf δ13C and δ18O values indicating severe water stress, in contrast to significantly alleviated water stress indications in the PCL treatment. Seedling growth and physiological performance in NI was intermediate between that of PCL and SL. After six growing seasons, P. pinaster saplings in PCL showed greater growth and cone production than SL saplings. In summary

  1. Physical exercise as a supplement to outpatient treatment of alcohol use disorders – design and preliminary results of a randomized controlled trial

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Sari, Sengül; Bilberg, Randi Marie; Roessler, Kirsten Kaya

    Background and aim Alcohol use disorder is a widespread problem in Denmark and has severe impacts on health and quality of life of each individual. The clinical treatment of alcohol use disorder involves evidence-based knowledge on medical treatment, physical training, and psychological management...... the study and inform about the first preliminary results. Perspectives If this study detects a positive relationship between exercise as a supplement to alcohol treatment and patients’ alcohol intake, quality of life, fitness, well-being, anxiety, depression and interpersonal problems...

  2. National Scale Operational Mapping of Burnt Areas as a Tool for the Better Understanding of Contemporary Wildfire Patterns and Regimes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Panteleimon Xofis

    2013-08-01

    Full Text Available This paper presents the results of an operational nationwide burnt area mapping service realized over Greece for the years 2007–2011, through the implementation of the so-called BSM_NOA dedicated method developed at the National Observatory of Athens for post-fire recovery management. The method exploits multispectral satellite imagery, such as Landsat-TM, SPOT, FORMOSAT-2, WorldView and IKONOS. The analysis of fire size distribution reveals that a high number of fire events evolve to large and extremely large wildfires under favorable wildfire conditions, confirming the reported trend of an increasing fire-severity in recent years. Furthermore, under such conditions wildfires affect to a higher degree areas at high altitudes, threatening the existence of ecologically significant ecosystems. Finally, recent socioeconomic changes and land abandonment has resulted in the encroachment of former agricultural areas of limited productivity by shrubs and trees, resulting both in increased fuel availability and continuity, and subsequently increased burnability.

  3. Treatment compliance and effectiveness in complex PTSD patients with co-morbid personality disorder undergoing stabilizing cognitive behavioral group treatment: a preliminary study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ethy Dorrepaal

    2013-11-01

    Full Text Available Background: In the empirical and clinical literature, complex posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD and personality disorders (PDs are suggested to be predictive of drop-out or reduced treatment effectiveness in trauma-focused PTSD treatment. Objective: In this study, we aimed to investigate if personality characteristics would predict treatment compliance and effectiveness in stabilizing complex PTSD treatment. Method: In a randomized controlled trial on a 20-week stabilizing group cognitive behavioral treatment (CBT for child-abuse-related complex PTSD, we included 71 patients of whom 38 were randomized to a psycho-educational and cognitive behavioral stabilizing group treatment. We compared the patients with few PD symptoms (adaptive (N=14 with the non-adaptive patients (N=24 as revealed by a cluster analysis. Results: We found that non-adaptive patients compared to the adaptive patients showed very low drop-out rates. Both non-adaptive patients, classified with highly different personality profiles “withdrawn” and “aggressive,” were equally compliant. With regard to symptom reduction, we found no significant differences between subtypes. Post-hoc, patients with a PD showed lower drop-out rates and higher effect sizes in terms of complex PTSD severity, especially on domains that affect regulation and interpersonal problems. Conclusion: Contrary to our expectations, these preliminary findings indicate that this treatment is well tolerated by patients with a variety of personality pathology. Larger sample sizes are needed to study effectiveness for subgroups of complex PTSD patients.

  4. Preliminary engineering assessment of treatment alternatives for groundwater from the Hanford 200 Area 200-BP-5 plumes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1996-05-01

    This report presents the results of the Preliminary Engineering Assessment of Treatment Alternatives (PEATA), an engineering evaluation of potential treatment alternatives for groundwater extracted from the 200-BP-5 Area's 216-BY Cribs and 216-B-5 Reverse Well plumes. The primary objective of the PEATA was to identify treatment technologies that are worth further consideration (i.e., treatability testing or a more refined engineering evaluation). It will also provide a basis for evaluating the results of the treatability testing that is currently being conducted on the presumptive remedy of ion exchange with disposal of spent resin and will serve as a guide for selection of other technologies for additional testing. Because there are little data or past experience with groundwater similar to the BY-Crib and B-5 Reverse Well Plumes, treatment efficiencies cannot be predicted with certainty and rigorous treatment system designs and costs cannot be developed. This applies to all alternatives, including the presumptive remedy of ion exchange. The approach for this study was to develop conceptual designs and approximate costs for the treatment technologies that were most likely to be effective on the BY-Crib and B-5 Reverse Well groundwater

  5. PRELIMINARY STUDY OF PLYWOOD PRODUCED WITH PARICÁ (Schizolobium amazonicum Huber ex Ducke VENEERS MODIFIED BY THERMO-MECHANICAL TREATMENT

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Larissa Medeiros Arruda

    2011-05-01

    Full Text Available The objective of this preliminary research was to study the effects of thermo-mechanical modification in veneers of Paricá (Schizolobium amazonicum Huber ex Ducke to improve plywood hygroscopicity and mechanical properties. The amount of 24 veneers was used with the dimensions 25 x 25 cm, that were compressed under different times (5, 10 and 15 minutes at 150°C and pressure at 1 N.mm-2, constituting three treatments and one untreated. Plywood were bonded with resorcinol-formaldehyde, glue consumption of 360 g.m-2 at ambient temperature and pressure of 1 N.mm-2 for 10 hours. The samples were evaluated by colorimetric analysis and physical and mechanical properties. Colorimetric analysis showed that there was a darkening of the wood toward the increase of treatment time. The treatment was not efficient in reducing swelling, only reducing absorption of water. The mechanical properties were not significantly affected by the treatment.

  6. Preliminary study for treatment methodology establishment of liquid waste containing uranium in refining facility lagoon

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lee, Byung Jik; Lee, Kune Woo; Won, Hui Jun; Ahn, Byung Gil; Shim, Joon Bo

    1999-12-01

    The preliminary study which establishes the treatment methodology of the sludge waste containing uranium in the conversion facility lagoon was performed. The property of lagoon liquid waste such as the initial water content, the density including radiochemical analysis results were obtained using the samples taken from the lagoon. The objective of this study is to provide some basically needed materials for selection of the most proper lagoon waste treatment methodology by reviewing the effective processes and methods for minimizing the secondary waste resulting from the treatment and disposition of large amount of radioactive liquid waste according to the facility closing. The lagoon waste can be classified into two sorts, such as supernatant and precipitate. The supernatants contain uranium less than 5 ppm and their water content are about 35 percent. Therefore, supernatants are solutions composed of mainly salt components. However, the precipitates have lots of uranium compound contained in the coagulation matrix, and are formed as two kinds of crystalline structures. The most proper method minimizing the secondary waste would be direct drying and solidification of the supernatants and precipitates after separation of them by filtering. (author)

  7. Post-fire salvage logging reduces carbon sequestration in Mediterranean coniferous forest

    OpenAIRE

    Serrano-Ortiz, P.; Marañón-Jiménez, S.; Reverter, B.R.; Sánchez-Cañete, E.P.; Castro, J.; Zamora, R.; Kowalski, A.S.

    2011-01-01

    Post-fire salvage logging is a common silvicultural practice around the world, with the potential to alter the regenerative capacity of an ecosystem and thus its role as a source or a sink of carbon. However, there is no information on the effect of burnt wood management on the net ecosystem carbon balance. Here, we examine for the first time the effect of post-fire burnt wood management on the net ecosystem carbon balance by comparing the carbon exchange of two treatments in a burnt Mediterr...

  8. Experience base for Radioactive Waste Thermal Processing Systems: A preliminary survey

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mayberry, J.; Geimer, R.; Gillins, R.; Steverson, E.M.; Dalton, D.; Anderson, G.L.

    1992-04-01

    In the process of considering thermal technologies for potential treatment of the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory mixed transuranic contaminated wastes, a preliminary survey of the experience base available from Radioactive Waste Thermal Processing Systems is reported. A list of known commercial radioactive waste facilities in the United States and some international thermal treatment facilities are provided. Survey focus is upon the US Department of Energy thermal treatment facilities. A brief facility description and a preliminary summary of facility status, and problems experienced is provided for a selected subset of the DOE facilities

  9. Radioisotopic studies on pulmonary function in experimental burn shock

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lambrecht, W.; Barcikowski, S.; Maziarz, Z.; Zajgner, J.; Markiewicz, A.

    1980-01-01

    Disturbances in pulmonary ventilation and perfusion, which can initiate severe complications, often lead to many therapeutic failures in burn shock. Early recognition of respiratory disturbances is often required to improve results of treatment of burn shock. The authors investigated changes in pulmonary ventilation and perfusion in napalm-burnt rabbits using 133 Xe. Simultaneously, they determined effect of treatment with cytochrome C on pulmonary ventilation and perfusion in animals burnt with napalm. It was found that in napalm-burnt rabbits burn shock was accompanied by a significant deterioration in pulmonary ventilation and perfusion. The most marked changes were observed one and two days after burn. It was also found a beneficial effect of treatment with cytochrome C on alveolar ventilation. The authors pointed out the usefulness of radioisotopic investigations of pulmonary ventilation and perfusion in burn shock. (author)

  10. A preliminary study of cognitive-behavioral family-based treatment versus parent training for young children with obsessive-compulsive disorder.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rosa-Alcázar, Ana I; Iniesta-Sepúlveda, Marina; Storch, Eric A; Rosa-Alcázar, Ángel; Parada-Navas, José L; Olivares Rodríguez, José

    2017-01-15

    Cognitive-Behavioral Family-Based Treatment (CBFT) is the standard of care in young children with OCD. Developmental considerations, parent desires, and cost-effective advantages motivate research to explore the relative efficacy of parent-only interventions. The main goal in this study was to test the effectiveness and feasibility of a parent only intervention for OCD in young children, comparing, in a preliminary fashion the relative efficacy of reducing obsessive-compulsive symptoms through two treatment conditions: 1) an individual CBFT for early OCD involving both parents and children, and 2) the family component of the intervention involving only individual Parent Training (PT). Twenty treatment-seeking families from two private outpatient clinics in Spain were alternately assigned to one of the two treatment conditions. Participants had a primary diagnosis of OCD and a mean age of 6.62 years (65% males). Interventions were conducted by the same therapist and the assessments were administered by independent clinicians who were blind to the experimental conditions of the participants. Assessment time-points were pretreatment, posttreatment, and 3-month follow-up (including diagnosis, symptom severity, global functioning, family accommodation, externalizing and internalizing symptoms, and satisfaction measures). The two ways of implementation, involving child and parents (CBFT) or involving only parents (PT), produced clinical improvements and were well-accepted by parents and children. The CBFT condition was superior to the PT condition in reducing externalizing problems. reduced sample size and absence of randomization were the main limitations of this study. these results suggest, in a preliminary manner, that the need to have the child present at session with the clinician could be decreased for some children, as well as the overall feasibility of working only with parents for the implementation of CBT for OCD in very young children. Copyright © 2016

  11. Efficiency of deactivation of skin contaminated with 241Am in concentrated acid

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Il'in, L.A.; Ivannikov, A.T.; Popov, B.A.; Altukhova, G.A.; Parfenova, I.M.

    1980-01-01

    Data are given on the decontamination, by means of water, soap, and Pentacin, of a burnt skin surface contaminated by 241 Am in 0.05, 1, or 8 n HNO 3 . The effectiveness of such decontamination depended on the concentration of the acid, the time when treatment started, and the washing agent used. The most effective agent proved to be a 3% soap solution which, if applied early enough (within 5 min), removed as much as 98% of the radionuclide. Soap treatment diminished considerably the severity of the chemical burn and the penetration of 241 Am into the derma and its skin absorption. The effect from the decontamination was less marked when it was done at a later time and when the acid was more concentrated. Preliminary recommendations on decontamination of skin exposed to radionuclides in concentrated acids are given [ru

  12. Predicting Treatment Outcomes from Prefrontal Cortex Activation for Self-Harming Patients with Borderline Personality Disorder: A Preliminary Study

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ruocco, Anthony C.; Rodrigo, Achala H.; McMain, Shelley F.; Page-Gould, Elizabeth; Ayaz, Hasan; Links, Paul S.

    2016-01-01

    Self-harm is a potentially lethal symptom of borderline personality disorder (BPD) that often improves with dialectical behavior therapy (DBT). While DBT is effective for reducing self-harm in many patients with BPD, a small but significant number of patients either does not improve in treatment or ends treatment prematurely. Accordingly, it is crucial to identify factors that may prospectively predict which patients are most likely to benefit from and remain in treatment. In the present preliminary study, 29 actively self-harming patients with BPD completed brain-imaging procedures probing activation of the prefrontal cortex (PFC) during impulse control prior to beginning DBT and after 7 months of treatment. Patients that reduced their frequency of self-harm the most over treatment displayed lower levels of neural activation in the bilateral dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) prior to beginning treatment, and they showed the greatest increases in activity within this region after 7 months of treatment. Prior to starting DBT, treatment non-completers demonstrated greater activation than treatment-completers in the medial PFC and right inferior frontal gyrus. Reductions in self-harm over the treatment period were associated with increases in activity in right DLPFC even after accounting for improvements in depression, mania, and BPD symptom severity. These findings suggest that pre-treatment patterns of activation in the PFC underlying impulse control may be prospectively associated with improvements in self-harm and treatment attrition for patients with BPD treated with DBT. PMID:27242484

  13. Predicting Treatment Outcomes from Prefrontal Cortex Activation for Self-Harming Patients with Borderline Personality Disorder: A Preliminary Study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Anthony Charles Ruocco

    2016-05-01

    Full Text Available Self-harm is a potentially lethal symptom of borderline personality disorder (BPD that often improves with dialectical behavior therapy (DBT. While DBT is effective for reducing self-harm in many patients with BPD, a small but significant number of patients either does not improve in treatment or ends treatment prematurely. Accordingly, it is crucial to identify factors that may prospectively predict which patients are most likely to benefit from and remain in treatment. In the present preliminary study, twenty-nine actively self-harming patients with BPD completed brain-imaging procedures probing activation of the prefrontal cortex during impulse control prior to beginning DBT and after seven months of treatment. Patients that reduced their frequency of self-harm the most over treatment displayed lower levels of neural activation in the bilateral dorsolateral prefrontal cortex prior to beginning treatment, and they showed the greatest increases in activity within this region after seven months of treatment. Prior to starting DBT, treatment non-completers demonstrated greater activation than treatment-completers in the medial prefrontal cortex and right inferior frontal gyrus. Reductions in self-harm over the treatment period were associated with increases in activity in right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex even after accounting for improvements in depression, mania, and BPD symptom severity. These findings suggest that pre-treatment patterns of activation in the prefrontal cortex underlying impulse control may be prospectively associated with improvements in self-harm and treatment attrition for patients with BPD treated with DBT.

  14. Predicting Treatment Outcomes from Prefrontal Cortex Activation for Self-Harming Patients with Borderline Personality Disorder: A Preliminary Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ruocco, Anthony C; Rodrigo, Achala H; McMain, Shelley F; Page-Gould, Elizabeth; Ayaz, Hasan; Links, Paul S

    2016-01-01

    Self-harm is a potentially lethal symptom of borderline personality disorder (BPD) that often improves with dialectical behavior therapy (DBT). While DBT is effective for reducing self-harm in many patients with BPD, a small but significant number of patients either does not improve in treatment or ends treatment prematurely. Accordingly, it is crucial to identify factors that may prospectively predict which patients are most likely to benefit from and remain in treatment. In the present preliminary study, 29 actively self-harming patients with BPD completed brain-imaging procedures probing activation of the prefrontal cortex (PFC) during impulse control prior to beginning DBT and after 7 months of treatment. Patients that reduced their frequency of self-harm the most over treatment displayed lower levels of neural activation in the bilateral dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) prior to beginning treatment, and they showed the greatest increases in activity within this region after 7 months of treatment. Prior to starting DBT, treatment non-completers demonstrated greater activation than treatment-completers in the medial PFC and right inferior frontal gyrus. Reductions in self-harm over the treatment period were associated with increases in activity in right DLPFC even after accounting for improvements in depression, mania, and BPD symptom severity. These findings suggest that pre-treatment patterns of activation in the PFC underlying impulse control may be prospectively associated with improvements in self-harm and treatment attrition for patients with BPD treated with DBT.

  15. Biodegradable biliary stent implantation in the treatment of benign bilioplastic-refractory biliary strictures: preliminary experience.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mauri, Giovanni; Michelozzi, Caterina; Melchiorre, Fabio; Poretti, Dario; Tramarin, Marco; Pedicini, Vittorio; Solbiati, Luigi; Cornalba, Gianpaolo; Sconfienza, Luca Maria

    2013-12-01

    To evaluate feasibility, safety, and outcome of patients treated with biodegradable biliary stents for benign biliary stenosis refractory to other treatments. Between March 2011 and September 2012, ten patients (seven men, three women; age 59 ± 7 years) with recurrent cholangitis due to postsurgical biliary stricture, previous multiple unsuccessful (two to five) bilioplasties, and unsuitability for surgical/endoscopic repair underwent percutaneous implantation of a biodegradable biliary stent. Patients were followed-up clinically and with ultrasound at 1, 3 and 6 months, and then at 6-month intervals. Stent implantation was always feasible. No immediate major or minor complications occurred. In all patients, 48-h cholangiographic control demonstrated optimal stent positioning and stenosis resolution. In a median follow-up time of 16.5 months (25th-75th percentiles = 11-20.25 months) no further invasive treatment was needed. Three patients experienced transient episodes of cholangitis. Neither re-stenosis nor dilatation of the biliary tree was documented during follow-up. No stent was visible at the 6-month follow-up. Percutaneous placement of biodegradable biliary stents represents a new option in treating benign biliary stenoses refractory to treatment with bilioplasty. This technique seems to be feasible, effective and free from major complications. Further investigations are warranted to confirm our preliminary results.

  16. Preliminary study of Conbercept injected intravitreally for the treatment of wet age-related macular degeneration

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ying Qin

    2017-08-01

    Full Text Available AIM:To observe the preliminary efficacy of conbercept injected intravitreally for the treatment of wet age-related macular degeneration(wAMD.METHODS:Seventeen wAMD patients(18 eyeswere selected to receive conbercept injection. All patients were given a single conbercept injection every month, 3 times. Before and after 1, 2, 3mo of the injection, the best corrected visual acuity(BCVA, intraocular pressure(IOP, measured by Non-contact tonometer, fundus photography, fundus fluorescein angiography(FFA, indocyanine green angiography(ICG, optical coherence tomography(OCTexamination and the complications incidence were compared.RESULTS:Three months after conbercept injection, the BCVA improved in 15 eyes(83%, stable in 3 eyes(17%. Before treatment, the average central macular thickness was 421.72±54.43μm, at 1 and 2 and 3mo after treatment, the average central macular thickness was 337.89±25.88μm, 293.56±26.87μm, 266.89±19.10μm respectively. There were significant differences compared with before and after injection(PCONCLUSION:Intravitreal injection conbercept for wAMD can significantly improve the visual function, reduce the macular edema and the leakage with higher safety and less complications. However the prolonged efficacy needs further observation.

  17. ACAMPROSATE AND BACLOFEN WERE NOT EFFECTIVE IN THE TREATMENT OF PATHOLOGICAL GAMBLING: PRELIMINARY BLIND RATER COMPARISON STUDY

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Pinhas N Dannon

    2011-06-01

    Full Text Available Objectives: Pathological gambling (PG is a highly prevalent and disabling impulse control disorder. A range of psychopharmacological options are available for the treatment of PG, including selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI, opioid receptor antagonists, anti-addiction drugs and mood stabilizers. In our preliminary study, we examined the efficacy of two anti-addiction drugs, Baclofen and Acamprosate, in the treatment of PG. Materials & Methods: 17 male gamblers were randomly divided into two groups. Each group received one of the two drugs without being blind to treatment. All patients underwent a comprehensive psychiatric diagnostic evaluation and completed a series of semi-structured interviews. During the six months of study, monthly evaluations were carried out to assess improvement and relapses. Relapse was defined as recurrent gambling behavior. Results: None of the 17 patients reached the six months abstinence. One patient receiving Baclofen sustained abstinence for 4 months. 14 patients succeeded in sustaining abstinence for 1-3 months. 2 patients stopped attending monthly evaluations. Conclusion: Baclofen and Acamprosate did not prove efficient in treating pathological gamblers.

  18. Acamprosate and Baclofen were Not Effective in the Treatment of Pathological Gambling: Preliminary Blind Rater Comparison Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dannon, Pinhas N; Rosenberg, Oded; Schoenfeld, Netta; Kotler, Moshe

    2011-01-01

    Pathological gambling (PG) is a highly prevalent and disabling impulse control disorder. A range of psychopharmacological options are available for the treatment of PG, including selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, opioid receptor antagonists, anti-addiction drugs, and mood stabilizers. In our preliminary study, we examined the efficacy of two anti-addiction drugs, baclofen and acamprosate, in the treatment of PG. Seventeen male gamblers were randomly divided into two groups. Each group received one of the two drugs without being blind to treatment. All patients underwent a comprehensive psychiatric diagnostic evaluation and completed a series of semi-structured interviews. During the 6-months of study, monthly evaluations were carried out to assess improvement and relapses. Relapse was defined as recurrent gambling behavior. None of the 17 patients reached the 6-months abstinence. One patient receiving baclofen sustained abstinence for 4 months. Fourteen patients succeeded in sustaining abstinence for 1-3 months. Two patients stopped attending monthly evaluations. Baclofen and acamprosate did not prove efficient in treating pathological gamblers.

  19. Hand robotics rehabilitation: feasibility and preliminary results of a robotic treatment in patients with hemiparesis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sale, Patrizio; Lombardi, Valentina; Franceschini, Marco

    2012-01-01

    Background. No strongly clinical evidence about the use of hand robot-assisted therapy in stroke patients was demonstrated. This preliminary observer study was aimed at evaluating the efficacy of intensive robot-assisted therapy in hand function recovery, in the early phase after a stroke onset. Methods. Seven acute ischemic stroke patients at their first-ever stroke were enrolled. Treatment was performed using Amadeo robotic system (Tyromotion GmbH Graz, Austria). Each participant received, in addition to inpatients standard rehabilitative treatment, 20 sessions of robotic treatment for 4 consecutive weeks (5 days/week). Each session lasted for 40 minutes. The exercises were carried out as follows: passive modality (5 minutes), passive/plus modality (5 minutes), assisted therapy (10 minutes), and balloon (10 minutes). The following impairment and functional evaluations, Fugl-Meyer Scale (FM), Medical Research Council Scale for Muscle Strength (hand flexor and extensor muscles) (MRC), Motricity Index (MI), and modified Ashworth Scale for wrist and hand muscles (AS), were performed at the beginning (T0), after 10 sessions (T1), and at the end of the treatment (T2). The strength hand flexion and extension performed by Robot were assessed at T0 and T2. The Barthel Index and COMP (performance and satisfaction subscale) were assessed at T0 and T2. Results. Clinical improvements were found in all patients. No dropouts were recorded during the treatment and all subjects fulfilled the protocol. Evidence of a significant improvement was demonstrated by the Friedman test for the MRC (P hand motor recovery in acute stroke patients. The simplicity of the treatment, the lack of side effects, and the first positive results in acute stroke patients support the recommendations to extend the clinical trial of this treatment, in association with physiotherapy and/or occupational therapy.

  20. A randomized controlled trial of metacognitive therapy vs. cognitive behavioral therapy vs. waiting list in the treatment of adults with generalized anxiety disorder: A preliminary analysis

    OpenAIRE

    Kvistedal, Draco Jon Torstein

    2011-01-01

    Forty two participants with generalized anxiety disorder were treated with either Metacognitive therapy or Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, in a randomized controlled study comparing the relative effect of the two treatments. A wait list condition comprised the control group. Statistical analysis proved MCT superior to CBT, and CBT proved superior to no treatment. Because this is a preliminary study it has some limitations, such as no follow-up data or treatment adherence control. Thus at the cu...

  1. Durability of treatment response to zolpidem with three different maintenance regimens: a preliminary study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Perlis, Michael; Grandner, Michael; Zee, Jarcy; Bremer, Erin; Whinnery, Julia; Barilla, Holly; Andalia, Priscilla; Gehrman, Phil; Morales, Knashawn; Thase, Michael; Bootzin, Richard; Ader, Robert

    2015-09-01

    At present, there is no consensus regarding how to medically manage chronic insomnia in the long term. The unstated standard of practice is for patients to use hypnotics intermittently. The present study aimed to compare a partial reinforcement strategy with nightly and intermittent dosing strategies for its potential as a maintenance therapy. A mixed model was used in the study. One between-subjects factor: group (n = 4). One repeated-measures factor: time (12 weekly assessments). A total of 74 subjects with chronic Insomnia were treated with 10 mg zolpidem for 4 weeks. Treatment respondents were randomized to nightly dosing with 10 mg or 5 mg (QHS-10 and QHS-5), intermittent dosing with 10 mg (IDS-10 [3-5 days weekly]), or partial reinforcement dosing with 10 mg (PRS-10 [nightly pill use with 50% active medication and 50% placebos]) for 12 weeks. It was found, in compliant subjects (n = 55), that all four strategies evaluated maintained treatment response over time (ie, prevented or delayed relapse). For the subjects that remained in remission, the subjects in the intermittent dosing group (IDS-10) group exhibited poorer sleep continuity. While best considered a preliminary study, the present findings suggest that the partial reinforcement strategy may be a viable means toward maintaining treatment gains over time with less active medication. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  2. Development and preliminary evaluation of an integrated treatment targeting parenting and depressive symptoms in mothers of children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chronis-Tuscano, Andrea; Clarke, Tana L; O'Brien, Kelly A; Raggi, Veronica L; Diaz, Yamalis; Mintz, Abigail D; Rooney, Mary E; Knight, Laura A; Seymour, Karen E; Thomas, Sharon R; Seeley, John; Kosty, Derek; Lewinsohn, Peter

    2013-10-01

    More than 50% of mothers of children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) have a lifetime history of major depressive disorder (MDD). Maternal depressive symptoms are associated with impaired parenting and predict adverse developmental and treatment outcomes for children with ADHD. For these reasons, we developed and examined the preliminary efficacy of an integrated treatment targeting parenting and depressive symptoms for mothers of children with ADHD. This integrated intervention incorporated elements of 2 evidence-based treatments: behavioral parent training (BPT) and cognitive behavioral depression treatment. Ninety-eight mothers with at least mild depressive symptoms were randomized to receive either standard BPT (n = 51) or the integrated parenting intervention for ADHD (IPI-A; n = 47). Participants were assessed at baseline, posttreatment, and 3- to 6-month follow-up on measures of (a) self-reported maternal depressive symptoms, (b) observed positive and negative parenting, and (c) observed and mother-reported child disruptive behavior and mother-reported child and family impairment. The IPI-A produced effects of small to moderate magnitude relative to BPT on maternal depressive symptoms, observed negative parenting, observed child deviance, and child impairment at posttreatment and on maternal depressive symptoms, child disruptive behavior, child impairment and family functioning at follow-up. Contrary to expectations, the BPT group demonstrated moderate to large effects relative to IPI-A on observed positive parenting at follow-up. This treatment development study provides encouraging preliminary support for the integrated intervention targeting parenting and depressive symptoms in mothers of children with ADHD. Future studies should examine whether this integrated intervention improves long-term developmental outcomes for children with ADHD. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2013 APA, all rights reserved).

  3. Hand Robotics Rehabilitation: Feasibility and Preliminary Results of a Robotic Treatment in Patients with Hemiparesis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Patrizio Sale

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available Background. No strongly clinical evidence about the use of hand robot-assisted therapy in stroke patients was demonstrated. This preliminary observer study was aimed at evaluating the efficacy of intensive robot-assisted therapy in hand function recovery, in the early phase after a stroke onset. Methods. Seven acute ischemic stroke patients at their first-ever stroke were enrolled. Treatment was performed using Amadeo robotic system (Tyromotion GmbH Graz, Austria. Each participant received, in addition to inpatients standard rehabilitative treatment, 20 sessions of robotic treatment for 4 consecutive weeks (5 days/week. Each session lasted for 40 minutes. The exercises were carried out as follows: passive modality (5 minutes, passive/plus modality (5 minutes, assisted therapy (10 minutes, and balloon (10 minutes. The following impairment and functional evaluations, Fugl-Meyer Scale (FM, Medical Research Council Scale for Muscle Strength (hand flexor and extensor muscles (MRC, Motricity Index (MI, and modified Ashworth Scale for wrist and hand muscles (AS, were performed at the beginning (T0, after 10 sessions (T1, and at the end of the treatment (T2. The strength hand flexion and extension performed by Robot were assessed at T0 and T2. The Barthel Index and COMP (performance and satisfaction subscale were assessed at T0 and T2. Results. Clinical improvements were found in all patients. No dropouts were recorded during the treatment and all subjects fulfilled the protocol. Evidence of a significant improvement was demonstrated by the Friedman test for the MRC (P<0.0123. Evidence of an improvement was demonstrated for AS, FM, and MI. Conclusions. This original rehabilitation treatment could contribute to increase the hand motor recovery in acute stroke patients. The simplicity of the treatment, the lack of side effects, and the first positive results in acute stroke patients support the recommendations to extend the clinical trial of this

  4. Habit reversal training and educational group treatments for children with tourette syndrome: A preliminary randomised controlled trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yates, Rachel; Edwards, Katie; King, John; Luzon, Olga; Evangeli, Michael; Stark, Daniel; McFarlane, Fiona; Heyman, Isobel; İnce, Başak; Kodric, Jana; Murphy, Tara

    2016-05-01

    Quality of life of children with Tourette Syndrome (TS) is impacted greatly by its symptoms and their social consequences. Habit Reversal Training (HRT) is effective but has not, until now, been empirically evaluated in groups. This randomised controlled trial evaluated feasibility and preliminary efficacy of eight HRT group sessions compared to eight Education group sessions. Thirty-three children aged 9-13 years with TS or Chronic Tic Disorder took part. Outcomes evaluated were tic severity and quality of life (QoL). Tic severity improvements were found in both groups. Motor tic severity (Yale Global Tic Severity Scale) showed greatest improvements in the HRT group. Both groups showed a strong tendency toward improvements in patient reported QoL. In conclusion, group-based treatments for TS are feasible and exposure to other children with tics did not increase tic expression. HRT led to greater reductions in tic severity than Education. Implications, such as cost-effectiveness of treatment delivery, are discussed. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  5. Phase I/II study of proton beam irradiation for the treatment of subfoveal choroidal neovascularization in age-related macular degeneration: treatment techniques and preliminary results

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yonemoto, Leslie T.; Slater, Jerry D.; Friedrichsen, Eric J.; Loredo, Lilia N.; Ing, Jeffrey; Archambeau, John O.; Teichman, Sandra; Moyers, Michael F.; Blacharski, Paul A.; Slater, James M.

    1996-01-01

    Purpose: Age-related macular degeneration is the prevalent etiology of subfoveal choroidal neovascularization (CNV). The only effective treatment is laser photocoagulation, which is associated with decreased visual acuity following treatment in most patients. This study assessed both the response of subfoveal CNV to proton beam irradiation and treatment-related morbidity. We evaluated preliminary results in patients treated with an initial dose of 8 Cobalt Gray Equivalents (CGE) using a relative biological effectiveness (RBE) of 1.1. Methods and Materials: Twenty-one patients with subfoveal CNV received proton irradiation to the central macula with a single fraction of 8 CGE; 19 were eligible for evaluation. Treatment-related morbidity was based on Radiation Therapy Oncology Group (RTOG) criteria; response was evaluated by Macular Photocoagulation Study (MPS) guidelines. Fluorescein angiography was performed; visual acuity, contrast sensitivity, and reading speed were measured at study entry and at 3-month intervals after treatment. Follow-up ranged from 6 to 15 months. Results: No measurable treatment-related morbidity was seen during or after treatment. Of 19 patients evaluated at 6 months, fluorescein angiography demonstrated treatment response in 10 (53%); 14 (74%) patients had improved or stable visual acuity. With a mean follow-up of 11.6 months, 11 (58%) patients have demonstrated improved or stable visual acuity. Conclusion: A macular dose of 8 CGE yielded no measurable treatment morbidity in patients studied. Fluorescein nagiography demonstrated that regressed or stabilized lesions were associated with improved visual acuity as compared with MPS results. In the next phase, a dose of 14 CGE in a single fraction will be used to further define the optimal dose fractionation schedule

  6. Treatment Guidelines for Preoperative Radiation Therapy for Retroperitoneal Sarcoma: Preliminary Consensus of an International Expert Panel

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Baldini, Elizabeth H., E-mail: ebaldini@partners.org [Department of Radiation Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Brigham and Women' s Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts (United States); Wang, Dian [Department of Radiation Oncology, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois (United States); Haas, Rick L.M. [Department of Radiotherapy, The Netherlands Cancer Institute-Antoni van Leeuwenhoek Hospital, Amsterdam (Netherlands); Catton, Charles N. [Department of Radiation Oncology, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, Toronto, Ontario (Canada); Indelicato, Daniel J. [Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Florida Medical Center, Jacksonville, Florida (United States); Kirsch, David G. [Department of Radiation Oncology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina (United States); Roberge, David [Department of Radiation Oncology, Centre Hospitalier de l' Université de Montreal, Montreal, Quebec (Canada); Salerno, Kilian [Department of Radiation Oncology, Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Buffalo, New York (United States); Deville, Curtiland [Department of Radiation Oncology and Molecular Radiation Sciences, Johns Hopkins Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center, Washington, DC (United States); Guadagnolo, B. Ashleigh [Department of Radiation Oncology, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas (United States); O' Sullivan, Brian [Department of Radiation Oncology, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, Toronto, Ontario (Canada); Petersen, Ivy A. [Department of Radiation Oncology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota (United States); Le Pechoux, Cecile [Department of Radiotherapy, Institut Gustave-Roussy, Villejuif (France); Abrams, Ross A. [Department of Radiation Oncology, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois (United States); DeLaney, Thomas F. [Department of Radiation Oncology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts (United States)

    2015-07-01

    Purpose: Evidence for external beam radiation therapy (RT) as part of treatment for retroperitoneal sarcoma (RPS) is limited. Preoperative RT is the subject of a current randomized trial, but the results will not be available for many years. In the meantime, many practitioners use preoperative RT for RPS, and although this approach is used in practice, there are no radiation treatment guidelines. An international expert panel was convened to develop consensus treatment guidelines for preoperative RT for RPS. Methods and Materials: An expert panel of 15 academic radiation oncologists who specialize in the treatment of sarcoma was assembled. A systematic review of reports related to RT for RPS, RT for extremity sarcoma, and RT-related toxicities for organs at risk was performed. Due to the paucity of high-quality published data on the subject of RT for RPS, consensus recommendations were based largely on expert opinion derived from clinical experience and extrapolation of relevant published reports. It is intended that these clinical practice guidelines be updated as pertinent data become available. Results: Treatment guidelines for preoperative RT for RPS are presented. Conclusions: An international panel of radiation oncologists who specialize in sarcoma reached consensus guidelines for preoperative RT for RPS. Many of the recommendations are based on expert opinion because of the absence of higher level evidence and, thus, are best regarded as preliminary. We emphasize that the role of preoperative RT for RPS has not been proven, and we await data from the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) study of preoperative radiotherapy plus surgery versus surgery alone for patients with RPS. Further data are also anticipated pertaining to normal tissue dose constraints, particularly for bowel tolerance. Nonetheless, as we await these data, the guidelines herein can be used to establish treatment uniformity to aid future assessments of efficacy

  7. Original Article PRELIMINARY BIOAUTOGRAPHIC ANALYSIS OF ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Sierra Leone 2Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, ... the seeds are used in the treatment of skin infections. ... Screening with DPPH showed prominent antioxidant spots on silica at Rf 0.8, 0.5, 0.4 .... underpins conditions like rheumatoid arthritis, ..... As a follow-up to the preliminary TLC studies.

  8. Treatment of Unruptured Intracranial Aneurysms and Cognitive Performance: Preliminary Results of a Prospective Clinical Trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bründl, Elisabeth; Böhm, Christina; Lürding, Ralf; Schödel, Petra; Bele, Sylvia; Hochreiter, Andreas; Scheitzach, Judith; Zeman, Florian; Brawanski, Alexander; Schebesch, Karl-Michael

    2016-10-01

    Few studies have addressed the effect of treatment of unruptured intracranial aneurysm (UIA) on cognitive function. Neuropsychological assessment after UIA treatment is underreported, and prospective trials have repeatedly been demanded. In 2014, we conducted a prospective controlled study to evaluate the differences in cognitive processing caused by the treatment of anterior circulation UIAs. Thirty patients were enrolled until September 2015. Ten patients received endovascular aneurysm occlusion (EV), 10 patients were treated microsurgically (MS), and 10 patients with surgically treated degenerative lumbar spine disease (LD) served as control. All patients underwent extended standardized neuropsychological assessment before (t 1 ) and 6 weeks after treatment (t 2 ). Tests included verbal, visual, and visuospatial memory, psychomotor functioning, executive functioning, and its subdomains verbal fluency and cognitive flexibility. We statistically evaluated intragroup and intergroup changes. Intragroup comparisons and group-rate analysis showed no significant impairment in overall neuropsychological performance, either postinterventionally or postoperatively. However, the postoperative performance in cognitive processing speed, cognitive flexibility, and executive functioning was significantly worse in the MS group than in the EV (P = 0.038) and LD group (P = 0.02). Compared with the EV group, patients with MS showed significant postoperative impairment in a subtest for auditory-verbal memory (Wechsler Memory Scale, Fourth Edition, Logical Memory II; MS vs. EV P = 0.011). The MS group trended toward posttreatment impairment in subtests for verbal fluency and semantic memory (Regensburg Word Fluency Test; MS vs. EV P = 0.083) and in auditory-verbal memory (Wechsler Memory Scale, Fourth Edition, Logical Memory II; MS vs. LD P = 0.06). Our preliminary data showed no effect of anterior circulation UIA treatment on overall neuropsychological function but impaired

  9. PTSD and Impaired Eye Expression Recognition: A Preliminary Study

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schmidt, Jakob Zeuthen; Zachariae, Robert

    2009-01-01

    This preliminary study examined whether posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) was related to difficulties in identifying the mental states of others in a group of refugees. Sixteen Bosnian refugees, referred to treatment in an outpatient treatment center for survivors of torture and war-related trauma in Denmark (CETT), were compared to 16 non-PTSD…

  10. Cation export by overland flow in a recently burnt forest area in north-central Portugal.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Machado, A I; Serpa, D; Ferreira, R V; Rodríguez-Blanco, M L; Pinto, R; Nunes, M I; Cerqueira, M A; Keizer, J J

    2015-08-15

    The current fire regime in the Mediterranean Basin constitutes a serious threat to natural ecosystems because it drastically enhances surface runoff and soil erosion in the affected areas. Besides soil particles themselves, soil cations can be lost by fire-enhanced overland flow, increasing the risk of fertility loss of the typically shallow and nutrient poor Mediterranean soils. Although the importance of cations for land-use sustainability is widely recognized, cation losses by post-fire runoff have received little research attention. The present study aimed to address this research gap by assessing total exports of Na(+), K(+), Ca(2+) and Mg(2+) in a recently burnt forest area in north-central Portugal. These exports were compared for two types of planted forest (eucalypt vs. maritime pine plantations), two types of parent materials (schist vs. granite) and for two spatial scales (micro-plot vs. hill slope). The study sites were a eucalypt plantation on granite (BEG), a eucalypt plantation on schist (BES) and a maritime pine plantation on schist (BPS). Overland flow samples were collected during the first six months after the wildfire. Cation losses differed strikingly between the two forest types on schist, being higher at the eucalypt than pine site. This difference was evident at both spatial scales, and probably due to the extensive cover of a needle cast from the scorched pine crowns. The role of parent material in cation export was less straightforward as it varied with spatial scale. Cation losses were higher for the eucalypt plantation on schist than for that on granite at the micro-plot scale, whereas the reverse was observed at the hill slope scale. Finally, cation yields were higher at the micro-plot than slope scale, in agreement with the general notion of scaling-effect in runoff generation. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  11. Treatment of Retinopathy of Prematurity with topical ketorolac tromethamine: a preliminary study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Cafferata Maria

    2004-08-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Retinopathy of Prematurity (ROP is a common retinal neovascular disorder of premature infants. It is of variable severity, usually heals with mild or no sequelae, but may progress to blindness from retinal detachments or severe retinal scar formation. This is a preliminary report of the effectiveness and safety of a new and original use of topical ketorolac in preterm newborn to prevent the progression of ROP to the more severe forms of this disease. Methods From January 2001 to December 2002, all fifty nine preterm newborns with birthweight less than 1250 grams or gestational age less than 30 weeks of gestational age admitted to neonatal intensive care were eligible for treatment with topical ketorolac (0.25 milligrams every 8 hours in each eye. The historical comparison group included all 53 preterm newborns, with the same inclusion criteria, admitted between January 1999 and December 2000. Results Groups were comparable in terms of weight distribution, Apgar score at 5 minutes, incidence of sepsis, intraventricular hemorrhage and necrotizing enterocolitis. The duration of oxygen therapy was significantly longer in the control group. In the ketorolac group, among 43 children that were alive at discharge, one (2.3% developed threshold ROP and cryotherapy was necessary. In the comparison group 35 children survived, and six child (17% needed cryotherapy (Relative Risk 0.14, 95%CI 0.00 to 0.80, p = 0.041. Adjusting by duration of oxygen therapy did not significantly change these results. Adverse effects attributable to ketorolac were not detected. Conclusions This preliminary report suggests that ketorolac in the form of an ophthalmic solution can reduce the risk of developing severe ROP in very preterm newborns, without producing significant adverse side effects. These results, although promising, should be interpreted with caution because of the weakness of the study design. This is an inexpensive and simple intervention that

  12. Intradermal therapy (mesotherapy) for the treatment of acute pain in carpal tunnel syndrome: a preliminary study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Conforti, Giorgio; Capone, Loredana; Corra, Stefano

    2014-01-01

    The carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is the most common cause of severe hand pain. In this study we treated acute pain in CTS patients by means of local intradermal injections of anti-inflammatory drugs (mesotherapy). In twenty-five patients (forty-five hands), CTS diagnosis was confirmed by clinical and neurophysiological examination prior to mesotherapy. A mixture containing lidocaine 10 mg, ketoprophen lysine-acetylsalycilate 80 mg, xantinol nicotinate 100 mg, cyanocobalamine 1,000 mcg plus injectable water was used. Sites of injection were three parallel lines above the transverse carpal ligament and two v-shaped lines, one at the base of the thenar eminence, and the other at the base of the hypothenar eminence. The day after the treatment, all but four patients reported a significant reduction in pain and paresthesias. After 12 months, 17 patients had a complete pain relief, eight patients reported recurrence of pain and sensory symptoms and four out of them underwent surgical treatment. With the obvious limits of a small-size open-label study, our results suggest that mesotherapy can temporary relieve pain and paresthesias in most CTS patients and in some cases its effect seems to be long-lasting. Further controlled studies are needed to confirm our preliminary findings and to compare mesotherapy to conventional approaches for the treatment of CTS.

  13. [Mineral trioxide aggragate pulpotomy for the treatment of immature permanent teeth with irreversible pulpitis: a preliminary clinical study].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Peng, Chufang; Zhao, Yuming; Yang, Yuan; Qin, Man

    2015-12-01

    To evaluate the preliminary clinical effect of mineral trioxide aggragate (MTA) pulpotomy on immature permanent teeth with irreversible pulpitis. Twenty-six immature permanent teeth with irreversible pulpitis were recuited from Department of Pediatric Dentistry, Peking University School and Hospital of Stomatology. These teeth were treated with partial or full pulpotomy according to the condition of pulp bleeding. MTA was used as pulp capping material. Patients were recalled periodically after the treatment. Clinical and radiographic effects were evaluated. At one year follow-up, 20 teeth were evaluated as healed or healing, 2 teeth were evaluated as failure and 4 teeth were dropped out. The success rate was considered 91% (20/22). A dentinal bridge was radiographcally observed underneath the pulpotomy site in 13 teeth(65%, 13/20). MTA pulpotomy is an effective method for the treatment of immature permanent teeth with irreversible pulpitis. But further research with longer follow up period is required.

  14. Pediatric Endoscopic Pilonidal Sinus Treatment, a Revolutionary Technique to Adopt in Children with Pilonidal Sinus Fistulas: Our Preliminary Experience.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Esposito, Ciro; Izzo, Serena; Turrà, Francesco; Cerulo, Mariapina; Severino, Giovanni; Settimi, Alessandro; Iannazzone, Marta; Masieri, Lorenzo; Cortese, Giuseppe; Escolino, Maria

    2018-03-01

    This study aimed to report our preliminary experience with pediatric endoscopic pilonidal sinus treatment (PEPSiT). We retrospectively reviewed the reports of 15 patients, 6 girls and 9 boys, with an average age of 16 years (range 13-18) with noninfected pilonidal sinus disease who underwent PEPSiT in our institution over an 18-month period. Four cases were redo-procedures, for recurrence of disease after open excision repair. Surgical outcomes of sinus healing, recurrence of disease, postoperative pain, hospital stay, analgesic requirements, and patient satisfaction levels were evaluated and a comparison analysis with classic open repair was performed. All procedures were performed under subarachnoid spinal anesthesia. We always adopted a fistuloscope, an endoscopic forceps, and a monopolar electrode to remove the hairs and to heal the fistula. The average length of surgery was 28.5 minutes (range 26-41). No intraoperative or postoperative complications were reported. The average pain score evaluated using Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) pain scale during the first 48 postoperative hours was 3.2 (range 2-5). The average analgesic requirement was 22 hours (range 16-28). The average hospital stay length was 28 hours (range 22-48). They changed dressing daily, by applying a topical solution of eosin 2% and a silver sulfadiazine spray. At 1 month postoperatively, the external openings were closed in all patients and no recurrence was recorded at a mean follow-up of 6 month. PEPSiT was associated with a significantly shorter, painless, and better outcome compared to open technique. On the basis of our preliminary experience, we believe that PEPSiT is a promising technique for surgical treatment of pilonidal sinus in children. It is technically easy and quick to perform, with a short and painless hospital stay, without recurrences in our series. It allows operated patients an early return to full daily activities without restrictions that happen for the classic treatment.

  15. Polymicrobial Gardnerella biofilm resists repeated intravaginal antiseptic treatment in a subset of women with bacterial vaginosis: a preliminary report.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Swidsinski, Alexander; Loening-Baucke, Vera; Swidsinski, Sonja; Verstraelen, Hans

    2015-03-01

    Bacterial vaginosis is a recalcitrant polymicrobial biofilm infection that often resists standard antibiotic treatment. We therefore considered repeated treatment with octenidine, a local antiseptic that has previously been shown to be highly effective in several biofilm-associated infections. Twenty-four patients with recurrent BV were treated with a 7-day course of octenidine (octenidine dihydrochloride spray application with the commercial product Octenisept). In case of treatment failure or relapse within 6 months, patients were re-treated with a 28-day course of octenidine. In case of recurrence within 6 months after the second treatment course, patients were treated again with a 28-day course followed by weekly applications for 2 months. Treatment effect was evaluated by assessment of the presence of the biofilm on voided vaginal epithelial cells through fluorescence in situ hybridisation. The initial cure rate following a 7-day course of octenidine was as high as 87.5%. The 6-month relapse rate was, however, as high as 66.6%. Repeated treatment for 28 days led to an overall cure rate of 75.0%; however, it was also associated with emergence of complete resistance to octenidine in a subset of women. The overall cure rate after three treatment courses with 1-year follow-up was 62.5 %, with 37.5 % of the patients showing complete resistance to octenidine. Our preliminary results showed that octenidine dihydrochloride was initially highly effective, but the efficacy of repeated and prolonged treatment dropped quickly as challenge with the antiseptic rapidly led to bacterial resistance in a considerable subset of women.

  16. Pyrogenic organic matter accumulation after density and particle size fractionation of burnt Cambisol using solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy

    Science.gov (United States)

    López-Martín, María; Knicker, Heike

    2017-04-01

    Fires lead to formation of the pyrogenic organic matter (PyOM) which is quickly incorporated into the soil. The charring process involves chemical alterations of the litter material, where biologically available structures are transferred into aromatic polymers, such as black carbon (BC) and black nitrogen (BN). In order to reveal the medium term fate of BC and BN in soils, the top 5 cm of A horizons from unburnt, single and double burnt Cambisols of the Sierra de Aznalcóllar (Southern Spain) were collected 7 year after an intense fire and separated according to their density and their size (Golchin et al., 1994; Sohi et al., 2001). The density fractionation yielded in the free (fPOM), occluded particulate organic matter (oPOM) and the mineral-association organic fraction (MAF) and was performed using a sodium polytungstate solution with a density of 1.8 g cm-3. The MAF was further separated into the sand (2 mm to 63 μm) and coarse silt (63 to 20 μm) and fine fraction (solid-state 13C and 15N NMR spectroscopy. The 13C and 15N NMR spectra of all fPOM and oPOM fractions are dominated by signals assignable to O-alkyl C followed by resonance lines of alkyl C. The spectra indicate that fPOM is mainly composed of undecomposed plant debris whereas oPOM is rich in unsubstituted-aliphatic material. The lack of intensity in the chemical shift region from 160 to140 ppm in the spectra of the small size fractions reveals the absence of lignin residues. This, their low C/N ratios and the clear 13C-signal attributed to carboxylic C allows the conclusion that this fraction mainly composed of microbial residues. Former studies evidenced that aromaticity of the burnt bulk soil decreased with elapsing time after the fire. The present investigation revealed that most of the remaining aromatic C accumulated in the POM fractions, which is in contrast to other studies showing a preferential recovery of BC in the fine particle size fractions. Possibly, the poor interaction between Py

  17. A preliminary investigation of the relationship between dispositional mindfulness and eating disorder symptoms among men in residential substance use treatment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Elmquist, JoAnna; Shorey, Ryan C; Anderson, Scott E; Stuart, Gregory L

    2017-01-01

    The comorbidity between eating disorders (EDs) and substance use disorders (SUDs) is of particular concern given the high rates of mortality, relapse and poor treatment outcomes associated with both disorders. As a result, there has been a growing impetus within the field to elucidate factors that might influence and aid treatment for this comorbidity. One such factor is dispositional mindfulness, as past literature has demonstrated a significant relationship between mindfulness and both EDs and SUDs. However, we are unaware of any research that has examined the relationship between dispositional mindfulness and ED symptoms in a sample of men in residential treatment for SUDs. Medical records from 152 men were included in the current study. Alcohol and drug use and problems, ED symptoms, and dispositional mindfulness were assessed with self-report measures. Hierarchical regression analysis indicated that dispositional mindfulness was inversely related to ED symptoms after controlling for alcohol use, drug use, and age. Although results are preliminary and continued research in this area is needed, our findings suggest that there may be potential usefulness in targeting and enhancing mindfulness among patients in residential treatment for SUDs with co-occurring psychiatric symptoms (e.g., EDs).

  18. A feasibility study to determine the functionality of a novel rocking kiln - fluidized bed reactor for the treatment of waste

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mohamad Azman Che Mat Isa; Muhd Noor Muhd Yunus; Mohamad Puad Abu; Shahazrin Mohd Nasir; Mohd fairus Abdul Farid

    2004-01-01

    Rotary kiln has been widely used in incineration and studied by many researches. Solid wastes of various shapes, sizes and heat value can be fed into rotary kiln either in batches or continually. Waste combustion in rotary kiln involves rotation method and the residence time depends on the length and diameter of the rotary kiln and the total stoichiometric air given to the system. Rocking system is another technology used in incinerator. In the rocking system, internal elements in the combustion chamber move to transports and mix the burning waste so that all combustible material in the waste is fully burnt. Another technology in incinerator is the fluidized bed This method uses air to fluidized the sand thus enhancing the combustion process. The total air is controlled in order to obtain a suitable fluidized condition This preliminary study was conducted to study the feasibility of an incinerator system when three components viz. the rotary kiln, rocking system and fluidized bed are combined This research was also conducted to obtain preliminary data parameters of the three components such as the suitable temperature, the angle of the kiln, residence time, total air for fluidization, rocking speed and the devolatilization rate. The samples used in this research were the palm oil kernel shells. The results of the studies showed that the palm oil kernel shells combusted evenly using the new parameters. (Author)

  19. Preliminary engineering evaluation of heat and digest treatment for in-tank removal of radionuclides from complexed waste

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Klem, M.J.

    1995-01-01

    This report uses laboratory data from low temperature-ambient pressure digestion of actual complexed supernatant to evaluate digestion as a pretreatment method for waste in double-shell tanks 241-AN-102, 241-AN-107 and 241-AY-101. Digestion time requirements were developed at 100 degrees celsius to remove organic and meet NRC Class C criterion for TRU elements and NRC Class B criterion for 90Sr. The incidental waste ruling will establish the need for removal of 90Sr. Digestion pretreatment precipitates non radioactive metal ions and produces additional high-level waste solids and canisters of high level glass. This report estimates the amount of additional high-level waste produced and preliminary capital and operating costs for in-tank digestion of waste. An overview of alternative in-tank treatment methods is included

  20. Deep transcranial magnetic stimulation for the treatment of auditory hallucinations: a preliminary open-label study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rosenberg, Oded; Roth, Yiftach; Kotler, Moshe; Zangen, Abraham; Dannon, Pinhas

    2011-02-09

    Schizophrenia is a chronic and disabling disease that presents with delusions and hallucinations. Auditory hallucinations are usually expressed as voices speaking to or about the patient. Previous studies have examined the effect of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) over the temporoparietal cortex on auditory hallucinations in schizophrenic patients. Our aim was to explore the potential effect of deep TMS, using the H coil over the same brain region on auditory hallucinations. Eight schizophrenic patients with refractory auditory hallucinations were recruited, mainly from Beer Ya'akov Mental Health Institution (Tel Aviv university, Israel) ambulatory clinics, as well as from other hospitals outpatient populations. Low-frequency deep TMS was applied for 10 min (600 pulses per session) to the left temporoparietal cortex for either 10 or 20 sessions. Deep TMS was applied using Brainsway's H1 coil apparatus. Patients were evaluated using the Auditory Hallucinations Rating Scale (AHRS) as well as the Scale for the Assessment of Positive Symptoms scores (SAPS), Clinical Global Impressions (CGI) scale, and the Scale for Assessment of Negative Symptoms (SANS). This preliminary study demonstrated a significant improvement in AHRS score (an average reduction of 31.7% ± 32.2%) and to a lesser extent improvement in SAPS results (an average reduction of 16.5% ± 20.3%). In this study, we have demonstrated the potential of deep TMS treatment over the temporoparietal cortex as an add-on treatment for chronic auditory hallucinations in schizophrenic patients. Larger samples in a double-blind sham-controlled design are now being preformed to evaluate the effectiveness of deep TMS treatment for auditory hallucinations. This trial is registered with clinicaltrials.gov (identifier: NCT00564096).

  1. Non-surgical periodontal treatment of peri-implant diseases with the adjunctive use of diode laser: preliminary clinical study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lerario, Francesco; Roncati, Marisa; Gariffo, Annalisa; Attorresi, Enrica; Lucchese, Alessandra; Galanakis, Alexandros; Palaia, Gaspare; Romeo, Umberto

    2016-01-01

    Peri-implant diseases present in two forms: peri-implant mucositis and peri-implantitis. The prevalence of peri-implant complications is significantly rising. The aim of this study was to compare conventional treatment of inflamed peri-implant tissues with conventional treatment together with diode laser application. Twenty-seven patients (age 36 to 67, 15 women and 12 men, 12 smokers and 15 non-smokers) requiring treatment for mucositis or peri-implantitis were taken into account for this preliminary study. Plaque index (PI), pocket depth (PD), and bleeding on probing (BoP) were recorded at baseline evaluation. Patients in control group (CG) received conventional non-surgical periodontal treatment. Patients in test group received conventional non-surgical periodontal treatment together with diode laser application (810 nm, 30 s, 1 W, 50 Hz, t on = 100 ms, t off = 100 ms, energy density = 24.87 J/cm(2)). Paired t test was used to evaluate the difference in repeated measurements of considered indexes at T 0 and T 1 (1 year) in both groups. A total of 606 sites were taken into account in the test group (TG) and 144 in the CG. PD mean variation in the TG was 2.66 mm ± 1.07, while mean PD variation in the CG was 0.94 ± 1.13 mm. Paired t testing of the variation in PD in CG and TG revealed a statistically significant difference between the two groups (p diode laser seems to be an additional valuable tool for peri-implant disease treatment.

  2. Examining implementation and preliminary performance indicators of veterans treatment courts: The Kentucky experience.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shannon, Lisa M; Birdwhistell, Shira; Hulbig, Shelia K; Jones, Afton Jackson; Newell, Jennifer; Payne, Connie

    2017-08-01

    Veterans' Treatment Courts (VTCs) are posited as a solution to offer rehabilitation for veterans involved in the criminal justice system. Despite the pervasive implementation of VTCs, there is little research focused specifically on VTC implementation and outcomes, which are based on other problem-solving court models such as drug court. The current study presents qualitative process evaluation data from key stakeholders (n=21) and veteran participants (n=4) to show accomplishments, challenges, and lessons learned during first-year implementation at two VTC sites. Quantitative performance data is also presented on veteran participants (n=19) served during the first year to show: types of services, monitoring, judicial interaction, sanctions/therapeutic responses, and rewards, as well as preliminary data on recidivism. Qualitative data, from both key stakeholders and veteran participants, suggests that offering rehabilitation via various program components, services/referrals, and accountability are critical to the success of the VTC. Data also provides valuable lessons learned for VTC implementation including communication, collaboration, information/protocols, and resources. Performance data shows that a variety of services are utilized and that frequent judicial interaction, drug testing, and sanctions are cornerstones of the VTC. Implications and future directions for research are discussed. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  3. Preliminary evaluation of the tibial tuberosity-trochlear groove measurement

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Miles, James Edward; Kirpensteijn, Jolle; Svalastoga, Eiliv Lars

    guide surgical treatment. The TTTG measures tibial tuberosity position relative to the axis of the femoral trochlea. A preliminary investigation of TTTG measurement was performed using the red fox (Vulpes vulpes) cadavers as a morphologically similar and homogenous substitute for dog cadavers. CT...

  4. Unit installation and testing of demonstration of electric power generation using biogas from sewage treatment; Instalacao e testes de uma unidade de demonstracao de geracao de energia eletrica a partir de biogas de tratamento de esgoto

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Coelho, Suani Teixeira; Gonzalez Velazquez, Silvia Maria Stortini; Martins, Osvaldo Stella; Costa, David Freire da; Basaglia, Fernando [Centro Nacional de Referencia em Biomassa (CENBIO), Sao Paulo, SP (Brazil)], e-mail: suani@iee.usp.br, e-mail: sgvelaz@iee.usp.br, e-mail: omartins@iee.usp.br, e-mail: davidcosta@iee.usp.br, e-mail: basaglia@iee.usp.br; Bacic, Antonio Carlos K. [Companhia de Saneamento Basico do Estado de Sao Paulo (SABESP), SP (Brazil)], e-mail: acbacic@sabesp.com.br

    2004-07-01

    This article intend to discuss the electricity generation with 30 kW (ISO) micro turbines, using biogas generated by sewage treatment process at SABESP (Basic Sanitation Company of Sao Paulo State), located at Barueri, Brazil. This project, pioneer in Latin America, is being accomplished together with BUN - Biomass Users Network of Brazil (proponent), by CENBIO - Brazilian Reference Center on Biomass (executer), with patronage of FINEP / CT-ENERG (financial backer), by means of COVENAT No: 23.01.0653.00, regarding to ENERG-BIOG Project - 'Installation and Tests of an Electric Energy Generation Demonstration Unit from Biogas Sewage Treatment'. This plant operates with anaerobic digestion process, which has as mainly products biogas (composed mainly by methane) and sludge. Currently, part of the methane produced is burnt in a boiler used to increase digesters efficiency process. The rest of the methane is burnt in flare to reduce the impacts caused by gases emissions. An alternative to flare it is the biogas conversion into electricity through engines and micro turbines. Thus, this article presents the project results, related with the exploitation of sewer biogas for power generation, as well as bigger details about purification, compression and electricity generation systems (biogas micro turbine), used in the facility. (author)

  5. A Preliminary Investigation of Wastewater Treatment Efficiency and Economic Cost of Subsurface Flow Oyster-Shell-Bedded Constructed Wetland Systems

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chia-Chuan Hsu

    2013-06-01

    Full Text Available We conducted a preliminary investigation of wastewater treatment efficiency and economic cost of the oyster-shell-bedded constructed wetlands (CWs compared to the conventional gravel-bedded CW based on field monitoring data of water quality and numerical modeling. Four study subsurface (SSF CWs were built to receive wastewater from Taipei, Taiwan. Among these sites, two are vertical wetlands, filled with bagged- (VA and scattered- (VB oyster shells, and the other two horizontal wetlands were filled with scattered-oyster shells (HA and gravels (HB. The BOD, NO3−, DO and SS treatment efficiency of VA and VB were higher than HA and HB. However, VA was determined as the best option of CW design due to its highest cost-effectiveness in term of BOD removal (only 6.56 US$/kg as compared to VB, HA and HB (10.88–25.01 US$/kg. The results confirmed that oyster shells were an effective adsorption medium in CWs. Hydraulic design and arrangement of oyster shells could be important in determining their treatment efficiency and cost-effectiveness. A dynamic model was developed to simulate substance transmissions in different treatment processes in the CWS using AQUASIM 2.1 based on the water quality data. Feasible ranges of biomedical parameters involved were determined for characterizing the importance of different biochemical treatment processes in SSF CWs. Future work will involve extending the experimental period to confirm the treatment efficiency of the oyster-shell-bedded CW systems in long-term operation and provide more field data for the simulated model instead of the literature values.

  6. Preliminary plan for treating mixed waste

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Vandegrift, G.F.; Conner, C.; Hutter, J.C.; Leonard, R.A.; Nunez, L.; Sedlet, J.; Wygmans, D.G.

    1993-06-01

    A preliminary waste treatment plan was developed for disposing of radioactive inorganic liquid wastes that contain hazardous metals and/or hazardous acid concentrations at Argonne National Laboratory. This plan, which involves neutralization and sulfide precipitation followed by filtration, reduces the concentration of hazardous metals and the acidity so that the filtrate liquid is simply a low-level radioactive waste that can be fed to a low-level waste evaporator

  7. Post-processor for simulations of the ORIGEN program and calculation of the composition of the activity of a burnt fuel core by a BWR type reactor; Post-procesador para simulaciones del programa ORIGEN y calculo de la composicion de la actividad de un nucleo de combustible quemado por un reactor tipo BWR

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sandoval V, S. [IIE, Av. Reforma 113, Col. Palmira, 62490 Cuernavaca, Morelos (Mexico)]. e-mail: sandoval@iie.org.mx

    2006-07-01

    The composition calculation and the activity of nuclear materials subject to processes of burnt, irradiation and decay periods are of utility for diverse activities inside the nuclear industry, as they are it: the processes design and operations that manage radioactive material, the calculation of the inventory and activity of a core of burnt nuclear fuel, for studies of type Probabilistic Safety Analysis (APS), as well as for regulation processes and licensing of nuclear facilities. ORIGEN is a program for computer that calculates the composition and the activity of nuclear materials subject to periods of burnt, irradiation and decay. ORIGEN generates a great quantity of information whose processing and analysis are laborious, and it requires thoroughness to avoid errors. The automation of the extraction, conditioning and classification of that information is of great utility for the analyst. By means of the use of the post-processor presented in this work it is facilitated, it speeds up and wide the capacity of analysis of results, since diverse consultations with several classification options and filtrate of results can be made. As illustration of the utility of the post-processor, and as an analysis of interest for itself, it is also presented in this work the composition of the activity of a burned core in a BWR type reactor according to the following classification criteria: by type of radioisotope (fission products, activation products and actinides), by specie type (gassy, volatile, semi-volatile and not volatile), by element and by chemical group. The results show that the total activity of the studied core is dominated by the fission products and for the actinides, in proportion four to one, and that the gassy and volatile species conform a fifth part of the total activity of the core. (Author)

  8. Nigerian Journal of Chemical Research Vol.12, 2007 Preliminary ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    HP USER

    Preliminary Studies on the Phytochemical and Pharmacological Screening of Alchornea Cordifolia. M. O. Edema* and O. P. Osarumwense ... leaves extract used by local medicine practitioners for the treatment of ... plant in Africa and is used in the traditional medicine ... presence of alkaloids, cardiac glycosides, saponins,.

  9. Influence of preliminary radiation-oxidizing treatment on the corrosion resistance of zirconium in conditions of action of ionizing radiation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Garibov, A. A.; Aliyev, A. G.; Agayev, T. N.; Velibekova, G. Z.

    2004-01-01

    Today mainly water-cooled nuclear reactors predominate in atomic energetics. For safe work of nuclear reactors detection of accumulation process of explosives, formed during radiation and temperature influence on heat-carriers in contact with materials of nuclear reactors in normal and emergency regimes of work is of great importance. The main sources of molecular hydrogen formation in normal and emergency regimes are the processes of liquid and vaporous water in vapo metallic reaction [1-5]. At the result of these processes molecular hydrogen concentration in heat-carrier composition always exceeds theoretically expected concentration. One of the main ways to solve the problem of water-cooled reactors safety is detection of possibilities to raise material resistance of fuel elements and heat carrier to joint action of ionizing radiation and temperature. The second way is inhibition of radiation-catalytic activity of construction materials' surface during the process of water decomposition. It's been established, that one of the ways to raise resistance of zirconium materials to the influence of ionizing radiation is formation of thin oxide film on the surface of metals. In the given work the influence of preliminary oxidizing treatment of zirconium surface on its radiation-catalytic activity during the process of water decomposition. With this aim zirconium is exposed to preliminary influence of gamma-quantum in contact with hydrogen peroxide at different meanings of absorbed radiation dose

  10. Deep transcranial magnetic stimulation for the treatment of auditory hallucinations: a preliminary open-label study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zangen Abraham

    2011-02-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Schizophrenia is a chronic and disabling disease that presents with delusions and hallucinations. Auditory hallucinations are usually expressed as voices speaking to or about the patient. Previous studies have examined the effect of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS over the temporoparietal cortex on auditory hallucinations in schizophrenic patients. Our aim was to explore the potential effect of deep TMS, using the H coil over the same brain region on auditory hallucinations. Patients and methods Eight schizophrenic patients with refractory auditory hallucinations were recruited, mainly from Beer Ya'akov Mental Health Institution (Tel Aviv university, Israel ambulatory clinics, as well as from other hospitals outpatient populations. Low-frequency deep TMS was applied for 10 min (600 pulses per session to the left temporoparietal cortex for either 10 or 20 sessions. Deep TMS was applied using Brainsway's H1 coil apparatus. Patients were evaluated using the Auditory Hallucinations Rating Scale (AHRS as well as the Scale for the Assessment of Positive Symptoms scores (SAPS, Clinical Global Impressions (CGI scale, and the Scale for Assessment of Negative Symptoms (SANS. Results This preliminary study demonstrated a significant improvement in AHRS score (an average reduction of 31.7% ± 32.2% and to a lesser extent improvement in SAPS results (an average reduction of 16.5% ± 20.3%. Conclusions In this study, we have demonstrated the potential of deep TMS treatment over the temporoparietal cortex as an add-on treatment for chronic auditory hallucinations in schizophrenic patients. Larger samples in a double-blind sham-controlled design are now being preformed to evaluate the effectiveness of deep TMS treatment for auditory hallucinations. Trial registration This trial is registered with clinicaltrials.gov (identifier: NCT00564096.

  11. Changes in EC , pH and in the concentrations of nitrate, ammonium, sodium and chlorine in the drainage solution of a crop of roses on substrates with drainage recycling

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mariela Rodríguez

    2012-08-01

    Full Text Available The rose cultivation system has been changing from soil to substrate on the Plateau of Bogota. The objective of this study was the monitoring of the EC, pH, and the levels of nitrate, ammonium, sodium and chlorine in a drainage solution in a crop of roses with substrates based on burnt rice husk and coconut fiber. The Charlotte rose variety grafted onto ‘Natal Briar’ was planted in a greenhouse located in one of the SENA facilities in Mosquera (Colombia; with a density of 6.5 plants/ m². For this experiment, a split plot design was used arranged in randomized blocks with a three-level recirculating system (0, 50 and 100% on the substrates 100% burnt rice husk; 65% burnt rice husk plus 35% coconut fiber; and 35% burnt rice husk plus 65% coconut fiber, repeated three times. The EC decreased from 2.7 to 1.3 mS cm-1 within weeks 2 and 5 which demonstrated an increase of mineral consumption by the plants. The pH levels dropped from 7.46 to 6.27 within weeks 3 to 8 and then increased to 7.39 within weeks 8 to 12. Nitrate concentrations showed a decreasing trend in recirculation treatments within weeks 2 to 12. A lower ammonium concentration was observed at week 4 in treatments with and without recirculation during the vegetative stage. The levels of sodium and chloride increased in treatments with a recirculation system, without signs of toxicity

  12. Treating Substance-Using Women and Their Children in Public Housing: Preliminary Evaluation Findings.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Metsch, Lisa R.; Wolfe, Harlan P.; Fewell, Rebecca; McCoy, Clyde B.; Elwood, William N.; Wohler-Torres, Brad; Petersen-Baston, Pamela; Haskins, Henry V.

    2001-01-01

    SafePort is a residential substance abuse treatment program within public housing to provide drug treatment to parenting women in Key West, Florida. All family members--women, children, and significant others--receive comprehensive assessments to determine appropriate therapeutic interventions. Preliminary evaluation findings suggest that women…

  13. Management of factor VII-deficient patients undergoing joint surgeries--preliminary results of locally developed treatment regimen.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Windyga, J; Zbikowski, P; Ambroziak, P; Baran, B; Kotela, I; Stefanska-Windyga, E

    2013-01-01

    Inherited factor VII (FVII) deficiency is a rare coagulation disorder with variable haemorrhagic manifestations. In severely affected cases spontaneous haemarthroses leading to advanced arthropathy have been observed. Such cases may require surgery. Therapeutic options for bleeding prevention in FVII deficient patients undergoing surgery comprise various FVII preparations but the use of recombinant activated factor VII (rFVIIa) seems to be the treatment of choice. To present the outcome of orthopaedic surgery under haemostatic coverage of rFVIIa administered according to the locally established treatment regimen in five adult patients with FVII baseline plasma levels below 10 IU dL(-1). Two patients required total hip replacement (THR); three had various arthroscopic procedures. Recombinant activated factor VII was administered every 8 h on day of surgery (D0) followed by every 12-24 h for the subsequent 9-14 days, depending on the type of surgery. Factor VII plasma coagulation activity (FVII:C) was determined daily with no predefined therapeutic target levels. Doses of rFVIIa on D0 ranged from 18 to 37 μg kg(-1) b.w. and on the subsequent days--from 13 to 30 μg kg(-1) b.w. Total rFVIIa dose per procedure ranged from 16 to 37.5 mg, and the total number of doses per procedure was 16-31. None of our patients developed excessive bleeding including those in whom FVII:C trough levels returned nearly to the baseline level on the first post-op day. Preliminary results demonstrate that rFVIIa administered according to our treatment regimen is an effective and safe haemostatic agent for hypoproconvertinaemia patients undergoing orthopaedic surgery. © 2012 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

  14. Hydrothermal Liquefaction and Upgrading of Municipal Wastewater Treatment Plant Sludge: A Preliminary Techno-Economic Analysis

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Snowden-Swan, Lesley J. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Zhu, Yunhua [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Jones, Susanne B. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Elliott, Douglas C. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Schmidt, Andrew J. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Hallen, Richard T. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Billing, Justin M. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Hart, Todd R. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Fox, Samuel P. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Maupin, Gary D. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)

    2016-06-08

    A preliminary process model and techno-economic analysis (TEA) was completed for fuel produced from hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL) of sludge waste from a municipal wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) and subsequent biocrude upgrading. The model is adapted from previous work by Jones et al. (2014) for algae HTL, using experimental data generated in fiscal year 2015 (FY15) bench-scale HTL testing of sludge waste streams. Testing was performed on sludge samples received from MetroVancouver’s Annacis Island WWTP (Vancouver, B.C.) as part of a collaborative project with the Water Environment and Reuse Foundation (WERF). The full set of sludge HTL testing data from this effort will be documented in a separate report to be issued by WERF. This analysis is based on limited testing data and therefore should be considered preliminary. Future refinements are necessary to improve the robustness of the model, including a cross-check of modeled biocrude components with the experimental GCMS data and investigation of equipment costs most appropriate at the smaller scales used here. Environmental sustainability metrics analysis is also needed to understand the broader impact of this technology pathway. The base case scenario for the analysis consists of 10 HTL plants, each processing 100 dry U.S. ton/day (92.4 ton/day on a dry, ash-free basis) of sludge waste and producing 234 barrel per stream day (BPSD) biocrude, feeding into a centralized biocrude upgrading facility that produces 2,020 barrel per standard day of final fuel. This scale was chosen based upon initial wastewater treatment plant data collected by the resource assessment team from the EPA’s Clean Watersheds Needs Survey database (EPA 2015a) and a rough estimate of what the potential sludge availability might be within a 100-mile radius. In addition, we received valuable feedback from the wastewater treatment industry as part of the WERF collaboration that helped form the basis for the selected HTL and upgrading

  15. Brain responses to biological motion predict treatment outcome in young adults with autism receiving Virtual Reality Social Cognition Training: Preliminary findings.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Y J Daniel; Allen, Tandra; Abdullahi, Sebiha M; Pelphrey, Kevin A; Volkmar, Fred R; Chapman, Sandra B

    2017-06-01

    Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is characterized by remarkable heterogeneity in social, communication, and behavioral deficits, creating a major barrier in identifying effective treatments for a given individual with ASD. To facilitate precision medicine in ASD, we utilized a well-validated biological motion neuroimaging task to identify pretreatment biomarkers that can accurately forecast the response to an evidence-based behavioral treatment, Virtual Reality-Social Cognition Training (VR-SCT). In a preliminary sample of 17 young adults with high-functioning ASD, we identified neural predictors of change in emotion recognition after VR-SCT. The predictors were characterized by the pretreatment brain activations to biological vs. scrambled motion in the neural circuits that support (a) language comprehension and interpretation of incongruent auditory emotions and prosody, and (b) processing socio-emotional experience and interpersonal affective information, as well as emotional regulation. The predictive value of the findings for individual adults with ASD was supported by regression-based multivariate pattern analyses with cross validation. To our knowledge, this is the first pilot study that shows neuroimaging-based predictive biomarkers for treatment effectiveness in adults with ASD. The findings have potentially far-reaching implications for developing more precise and effective treatments for ASD. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

  16. Journal of Agriculture and Social Research, Vol. 13, No.2, 2013 ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    user

    bark of African pear wood can also be burnt as a primitive lamp oil or bush candle. The leaves .... Market Development Issues. Forests, Treess ... TABLE 1: Differences in seed weight of Dacryodes edulis from the various treatments. Treatments.

  17. Burnt souls

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Medwedew, G.

    1991-01-01

    This is a realistic portrayal of the days before and after the accident. The conformism of those acting and the careless, work and negligence of the nuclear power plant's strategie services are strongly criticized. The judgment on those politically responsible is scathing. The book is full of compassion for the sorrows of the population within the vicinity of the plant and for the victims in the hospitals. The catastrophe's chronicle is depressing and bitter. (orig./DG) [de

  18. Preliminary study of interventional treatment for tubal pregnancy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tang Yukuan; Chen Hanwei; Li Kaifang; Jiang Zaibo; Ma Zhuang; Liu Huanling

    2000-01-01

    Objective: To study the clinical value and methods of interventional treatment for tubal pregnancy. Methods: Two different methods were used in the interventional treatment of 18 patients with tubal pregnancy, which were transvaginal tubal intra-gestational methotrexate (MTX) injection and intra-utero-arterial MTX infusion. The former was selected for the treatment of 8 patients and the latter for 10 patients. Cook-fallopian tube catheterization set and the general angiographic catheters of 4.1 Fr Cobra were used. After the treatment, conditions of the patients, β-HCG level and ultrasound changes of the pregnant bladder were the main indexes for monitoring the therapeutic effect in this study. Results: The successful rate, cure rate, embryo killing rate reached 100%, 88.9%(16/18) and 94.4% (17/18) respectively. Two cases of intra-utero-arterial MTX infusion treatment failed, β-HCG was reduced to normal level with an average of 11.2 +- 11.6 d (3-28 d). In 10 cases, the ultrasound showed that the pregnancy bladder disappeared in 2-3 weeks, accounting for 76.9% (10/13). The longest time was 60 days. The range of menstruation recovery was 37 +- 9 d (21-50 d). Conclusions: Interventional treatment of tubal pregnancy is effective, reliable and easy for operation. It will be especially effective by arterial procedure. Interventional treatment will be a important method for terminating tubal pregnancy

  19. The use of Amniotic membrane in the treatment of Burns in Children: a clinical trial at the university Teaching Hospital, Lusaka

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Katebe, K.R.C

    1995-01-01

    This is a clinical trial which was carried out at the University Teaching Hospital, Lusaka from the 1st of July to the 31st December, 1994. It involved treatment of burns in forty children using gamma irradiated amniotic membrane produced at the hospital. The results showed that it is feasible to produce Gamma irradiated biological dressings from amniotic membrane at this hospital. The amniotic membrane was easy to apply on burns and the treatment was acceptable to the majority of parents with burnt children. The use of amniotic membrane was non inflammatory to the wounds in all forty patients (100%), reduced wound infection in thirty three patients (82.5%), increased the rate of wound healing in thirty nine patients (97.5%), and resulted in good quality wound healing in thirty one patients (77.5%). Therefore, the treatment offers a good alternative in the treatment of burns in children at the hospital

  20. [Preliminary investigation on the pathogeny, diagnosis and treatment of chondromalacia patella].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ye, Q B; Wu, Z H; Wang, Y P; Lin, J; Qiu, G X

    2001-04-01

    This paper presents the preliminary investigation on chondromalacia patella at our department in recent years. A random cluster sampling survey covering 2743 normal persons was carried out. The prevalence rate is 36.2%. It was found that, applying transmission electron microscope and immunohistochemical methods on to cartilage tissues of the abnormal region, articular cartilage necrosis was in direct proportion with the abnormal pressure, while the restoration capability of local chondrocytes was in inverse proportion with pathological changes and the pressure. The chondromalacia patella was produced by repeated abnormal stress acting on the cartilage. The stress derived from the uncongruency and the decreasing in the contact area of patellofemoral joint when the subluxation or tilt of patellae was caused by the abnormal anatomical and biomechanical relationship. The initial lesion was at the matrix of cartilage, the collagen network was disrupted, then proteoglycan was lost. The microenvironment of chondrocytes was changed with degradation of matrix. So the chondrocytes became degenerative and necrosis from superficial to deep layer, then feed back the matrix again. Finally, the total cartilage layer might disappear, and the bone under cartilage might proliferate. At late stage, the cartilage was completely destroyed and had no self-restorative ability. Therefore, early diagnosis and treatment are necessary. It is highly suggested axis radiograph of the knee with the tibiae tuberositas localization are helpful to early diagnosis. Furthermore, JKY-Muscle Rehabilitation Instrument is invented for non-operative therapy. It enhances muscle power by selective training of the vastus medialis muscle using electrical stimulator to relieve pain and correct subluxation of patella with 90% efficiency (63% of excellent-effective rate). In late stage, patellofemoral replacement is recommended. The excellent-effective rate is 86.3%.

  1. Preliminary laboratory investigation of thermally treated recycled concrete aggregate for general use in concrete

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Larbi, J.A.; Heijnen, W.M.M.; Brouwer, J.P.; Mulder, E.

    2000-01-01

    This paper deals with a preliminary laboratory study to assess the effectiveness of thermal treatment methods to improve the quality of recycled concrete aggregate. The samples used for the study consisted of sieved fractions of crushed concrete that were subjected to various thermal treatments at

  2. Amblyopia treatment of adults with dichoptic training using the virtual reality oculus rift head mounted display: preliminary results.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Žiak, Peter; Holm, Anders; Halička, Juraj; Mojžiš, Peter; Piñero, David P

    2017-06-28

    The gold standard treatments in amblyopia are penalizing therapies, such as patching or blurring vision with atropine that are aimed at forcing the use of the amblyopic eye. However, in the last years, new therapies are being developed and validated, such as dichoptic visual training, aimed at stimulating the amblyopic eye and eliminating the interocular supression. To evaluate the effect of dichoptic visual training using a virtual reality head mounted display in a sample of anisometropic amblyopic adults and to evaluate the potential usefulness of this option of treatment. A total of 17 subjects (10 men, 7 women) with a mean age of 31.2 years (range, 17-69 year) and anisometropic amblyopia were enrolled. Best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and stereoacuity (Stereo Randot graded circle test) changes were evaluated after 8 sessions (40 min per session) of dichoptic training with the computer game Diplopia Game (Vivid Vision) run in the Oculus Rift OC DK2 virtual reality head mounted display (Oculus VR). Mean BCVA in amblyopic eye improved significantly from a logMAR value of 0.58 ± 0.35 before training to a post-training value of 0.43 ± 0.38 (p virtual reality head mounted display seems to be an effective option of treatment in adults with anisometropic amblyopia. Future clinical trials are needed to confirm this preliminary evidence. Trial ID: ISRCTN62086471 . Date registered: 13/06/2017. Retrospectively registered.

  3. Effect of high-dose irradiation and autoclave treatment on microbial safety and quality of ready-to-eat Bulgogi sauce

    Science.gov (United States)

    Park, Jin-Gyu; Song, Beom-Seok; Kim, Jae-Hun; Han, In-Jun; Yoon, Yohan; Chung, Hyung-Wook; Kim, Eun-Jeong; Gao, Meixu; Lee, Ju-Woon

    2012-08-01

    In Korea, commercialized sauce for ready-to-eat (RTE) Bulgogi is usually manufactured using heat treatment to ensure that it has a long shelf-life. However, heat treatment may adversely affect the taste and flavor of the sauce, thus, the development of suitable sterilizing methods for RTE sauces is necessary to preserve the quality of the sauce during long storage periods. In this study, total bacterial growth, the viscosity, and the sensory properties of Bulgogi sauce were compared between sterilization with gamma irradiation (0-40 kGy) and autoclave treatment during storage at 35 °C for 90 days. No bacterial growth was observed following irradiation at more than 10 kGy or after autoclave treatment. However, the viscosity and sensory properties of samples gamma-irradiated at above 10 kGy or autoclave-treated were significantly changed, even though autoclave treatment induced a burnt taste and flavor. Therefore, a gamma irradiation of 10 kGy was effective to prepare ready-to-eat Bulgogi sauce with microbial safety and original sensory qualities.

  4. Influence of preliminary deformation and phase strengthening on γ reversible α transformation kinetics in cerium under pressure

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Larionov, L.V.; Livshits, L.D.; Peresada, G.I.; AN SSSR, Moscow. Inst. Fiziki Zemli)

    1985-01-01

    Using the methods of piezo- and resistometry the influence of preliminary plastic deformation, phase transformation induced strengthening and heat treatment on kinetics of γ reversible α transformation in cerium is studied. It is shown, that the used methods of preliminary treatment of sample material do not change pressure value of γ → α and α →γ transformation initiation and do not affect hysteresis value, but affect considerably its kinetics. Preliminary plastic deformation and structural strengthening increase the average formation rate of a new phase. According to the data of tensile tests, structural strengthening, apprearing as a result of one cycle of γ → α → γ transformation, increases cerium strength characteristics 6y 30-50% with simultaneous decrease in plasticity. Metallographic studies confirm martensitic character of γ → α → γ transformations in cerium

  5. Thermal treatment of recycled concrete aggegate for general use in concrete. A preliminary study

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Larbi, J.A.; Heijnen, W.M.M.; Brouwer, J.P.; Mulder, E.

    2000-01-01

    In this paper, the results of a preliminary laboratory study to assess the effectiveness of thermally treating recycled concrete aggregate for genera) use in concrete are presented. The samples used for the study consisted of sieved fractions of crushed concrete that were subjected to various

  6. Sustained-release bupropion versus naltrexone in the treatment of pathological gambling: a preliminary blind-rater study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dannon, Pinhas N; Lowengrub, Katherine; Musin, Ernest; Gonopolski, Yehudit; Kotler, Moshe

    2005-12-01

    bupropion group were rated as partial responders. In the naltrexone group, 3 (23%) of 13 completers were rated as partial responders. Full response was defined as the absence of gambling for a 2-week duration together with improvement on the Clinical Global Impression-Improvement Scale. Partial response was defined as a decrease in the frequency of gambling behavior and a decrease in the amount of money spent on gambling. This preliminary study shows that sustained-release bupropion may be effective as naltrexone in the treatment of PG. Further studies are needed to confirm our findings.

  7. [The diagnosis and treatment of myxedema coma].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Aoki, Chie; Kasai, Kikuo

    2012-11-01

    Myxedema coma is defined as severe hypothyroidism leading to decreased mental status, hypothermia, and other symptoms related to dysfunction in multiple organs. It is very rare disease with high mortality rate. Early recognition and therapy of myxedema coma are essential, and treatment should be begun on the basis of clinical suspection. However, regimen of myxedema is not well established even now, especially about thyroid hormone supplementation. Japan Thyroid Association is drawing up "The diagnostic criteria of myxedema coma (3rd draft) and preliminary guide to treatment of it". According to this criteria and preliminary guide, the clinical presentation, diagnosis, and treatment of myxedema coma will be reviewed here.

  8. Phosphorus in chronosequence of burnt sugar cane in Brazilian cerrado: humic acid analysis by {sup 31}P NMR; Fosforo em cronossequencia de cana-de-acucar queimada no cerrado goiano: analise de acidos humicos por RMN de {sup 31}P

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Rossi, Celeste Q.; Pereira, Marcos G.; Garcia, Andreas C., E-mail: mgervasiopereira@gmail.com [Universidade Federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro (UFRRJ), Seropedica, RJ (Brazil). Dept. de Solos; Perin, Adriano; Gazolla, Paulo R. [Instituto Federal de Educacao, Ciencia e Tecnologia Goiano, Rio Verde, GO (Brazil); Gonzalez, Antonio P. [Universidade de Coruna, ES (Spain). Faculdad de Ciencias

    2013-10-01

    The aim of this study was to identify, with the use of {sup 31}P NMR spectroscopy, organic P species in humic acids (HA) in samples from Oxisol cultivated in chronosequence with sugar cane, pasture and Cerrado. The main forms of P-type found were orthophosphate, monoester-P (phosphate sugars) and P-diester (orthophosphate). The {sup 31}P NMR technique proved capable of identifying changes in the areas studied as a function of sugar cane burning time. In areas with 1 and 5 years of burnt cane, a decrease in recalcitrant organic P in humic acids indicated the need for use of P-humic substances for plant nutrition (author)

  9. Cognitive Task Analysis of Business Jet Pilots' Weather Flying Behaviors: Preliminary Results

    Science.gov (United States)

    Latorella, Kara; Pliske, Rebecca; Hutton, Robert; Chrenka, Jason

    2001-01-01

    This report presents preliminary findings from a cognitive task analysis (CTA) of business aviation piloting. Results describe challenging weather-related aviation decisions and the information and cues used to support these decisions. Further, these results demonstrate the role of expertise in business aviation decision-making in weather flying, and how weather information is acquired and assessed for reliability. The challenging weather scenarios and novice errors identified in the results provide the basis for experimental scenarios and dependent measures to be used in future flight simulation evaluations of candidate aviation weather information systems. Finally, we analyzed these preliminary results to recommend design and training interventions to improve business aviation decision-making with weather information. The primary objective of this report is to present these preliminary findings and to document the extended CTA methodology used to elicit and represent expert business aviator decision-making with weather information. These preliminary findings will be augmented with results from additional subjects using this methodology. A summary of the complete results, absent the detailed treatment of methodology provided in this report, will be documented in a separate publication.

  10. Preliminary study on carprofen concentration measurements after transcutaneous treatment with Vetdrop® in a microfracture joint defect model in sheep.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sidler, Michèle; Fouché, Nathalie; Meth, Ingmar; von Hahn, Friedrich; von Rechenberg, Brigitte; Kronen, Peter W

    2014-12-09

    The present preliminary study describes concentration time courses of the NSAID carprofen in the plasma and synovial fluid in a microfrature sheep model after transcutaneous treatments with a novel application device (Vetdrop®). To treat circumscribed inflammatory processes a transcutaneous application device could potentially be beneficial. After transcutaneous application normally lower systemic concentrations are measured which may reduce the incidence of side effects, whereas efficacy is still maintained. In this study carprofen was used based on its capacity to provide analgesia after orthopaedic procedures in sheep and it is considered that it may have a positive influence on the healing of cartilage in low concentrations. In all transcutaneously treated animals, carprofen plasma concentrations exceeded those of synovial fluid, although plasma levels remained significantly reduced (300-fold) as compared to carprofen administered intravenously. Furthermore, in contrast to the intravenously treated animals, a modest accumulation of carprofen in plasma and synovial fluid was observed in the transcutaneously treated animals over the 6-week treatment period. The transcutaneously administered carprofen using the Vetdrop® device penetrated the skin and both, plasma- and synovial concentrations could be measured repeatedly over time. This novel device may be considered a valuable transcutaneous drug delivery system.

  11. Preliminary Study of Intravenous Amantadine Treatment for Ataxia Management in Patients with Probable Multiple System Atrophy with Predominant Cerebellar Ataxia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jinyoung Youn

    2012-05-01

    Full Text Available Background and Purpose: Multiple system atrophy with predominant cerebellar ataxia is a disabling neurologic disease. However, effective management has not yet been established. We conducted a short-term, open-label preliminary study to assess the benefits of intravenous amantadine treatment in patients with probable multiple system atrophy with predominant cerebellar ataxia. Methods: Twenty patients (10 male, 10 female with probable multiple system atrophy with predominant cerebellar ataxia received 400 mg of amantadine by intravenous per day for 5 days. Ataxia severity was evaluated by the International Cooperative Ataxia Rating Scale before and after intravenous amantadine therapy and all subjects reported subjective improvement after intravenous amantadine treatment using a patient global impression scale. We analyzed the total and subscale scores by the ataxia scale and patient global impression scale. Results: The mean age was 57.4 years (range: 47–72 and the mean disease duration was 30.8 months (range: 11–79. The ataxia severity significantly decreased after intravenous amantadine therapy from 42.5 to 37.3 (p < 0.001. The mean patient global impression scale for improvement was 2.9 and there were no side effects of intravenous amantadine treatment observed. When we assessed responders, the duration of intravenous amantadine effect was more than 1 month in 4 subjects of 7 responders. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that intravenous amantadine treatment can be a safe management option in cerebellar ataxia, although the mechanism is unclear. Thus, further double-blind, long-term studies with a larger sample size are needed.

  12. The prevalence of asthma work relatedness: Preliminary data

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wojciech Dudek

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available Objectives: About 5–10% of asthmatics do not respond well to standard treatment plan. Occupational exposure may be one of the factors that can be linked with treatment failure. The aim of the study was to assess the prevalence of work-related asthma (WRA among adult asthmatics under follow up in an outpatient allergy clinic and to create a useful tool for detecting individuals with possible WRA. Material and Methods: Preliminary 5-question questionnaire designed to recognize WRA was presented to 300 asthmatics. All patients with positive preliminary verification along with 50 subjects from control group were asked to fill up a detailed questionnaire. The WRA was diagnosed by positive match for asthma symptoms in combination with workplace exposure indicated in the detailed WRA questionnaire followed by confirmation of each WRA case by detailed exposure analysis. Results: Work-related asthma was recognized in 63 subjects (21% of study group. The preliminary questionnaire has 76.9% sensitivity and 94% specificity in recognition of WRA. Occupational exposure to irritants is a risk factor of WRA recognition (relative risk (RR = 2.09 (1.44:3.03. Working in exposure-free environment is a factor against WRA recognition (RR = 0.38 (0.24:0.61. Among subjects with work-related asthma, the uncontrolled course of the disease is significantly more frequent (p = 0.012. Subjects with WRA more often report sickness absenteeism due to asthma than those without WRA (9.6% vs. 3.2%, respectively, but the observed differences did not reach the statistical significance. Conclusions: Short 5-question questionnaire seems to be a promising tool to detect individuals with possible work-related asthma in the outpatient setting for further evaluation and additional attention.

  13. Preliminary Outcomes from an Integrated Pediatric Mental Health Outpatient Clinic.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Maslow, Gary R; Banny, Adrienne; Pollock, McLean; Stefureac, Kristen; Rosa, Kendra; Walter, Barbara Keith; Hobbs Knutson, Katherine; Lucas, Joseph; Heilbron, Nicole

    2017-10-01

    An estimated 1 in 5 children in the United States meet criteria for a diagnosable mental disorder, yet fewer than 20% receive mental health services. Unmet need for psychiatric treatment may contribute to patterns of increasing use of the emergency department. This article describes an integrated pediatric evaluation center designed to prevent the need for treatment in emergency settings by increasing access to timely and appropriate care for emergent and critical mental health needs. Preliminary results showed that the center provided rapid access to assessment and treatment services for children and adolescents presenting with a wide range of psychiatric concerns. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  14. Use of a single implant to retain mandibular overdenture: A preliminary clinical trial of 13 cases

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tao Cheng

    2012-09-01

    Conclusion: Within the limitations of this preliminary prospective clinical study, single-implant-supported mandibular overdentures were a successful alternative treatment option for elderly edentulous patients.

  15. Preliminary Monthly Climatological Summaries

    Data.gov (United States)

    National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — Preliminary Local Climatological Data, recorded since 1970 on Weather Burean Form 1030 and then National Weather Service Form F-6. The preliminary climate data pages...

  16. Hydrothermal Liquefaction and Upgrading of Municipal Wastewater Treatment Plant Sludge: A Preliminary Techno-Economic Analysis, Rev.1

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Snowden-Swan, Lesley J. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Zhu, Yunhua [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Jones, Susanne B. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Elliott, Douglas C. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Schmidt, Andrew J. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Hallen, Richard T. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Billing, Justin M. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Hart, Todd R. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Fox, Samuel P. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Maupin, Gary D. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)

    2016-09-01

    A preliminary process model and techno-economic analysis (TEA) was completed for fuel produced from hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL) of sludge waste from a municipal wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) and subsequent biocrude upgrading. The model is adapted from previous work by Jones et al. (2014) for algae HTL, using experimental data generated in fiscal year 2015 (FY15) bench-scale HTL testing of sludge waste streams. Testing was performed on sludge samples received from Metro Vancouver’s Annacis Island WWTP (Vancouver, B.C.) as part of a collaborative project with the Water Environment and Reuse Foundation (WERF). The full set of sludge HTL testing data from this effort will be documented in a separate report to be issued by WERF. This analysis is based on limited testing data and therefore should be considered preliminary. In addition, the testing was conducted with the goal of successful operation, and therefore does not represent an optimized process. Future refinements are necessary to improve the robustness of the model, including a cross-check of modeled biocrude components with the experimental GCMS data and investigation of equipment costs most appropriate at the relatively small scales used here. Environmental sustainability metrics analysis is also needed to understand the broader impact of this technology pathway. The base case scenario for the analysis consists of 10 HTL plants, each processing 100 dry U.S. ton/day (92.4 ton/day on a dry, ash-free basis) of sludge waste and producing 234 barrel per stream day (BPSD) biocrude, feeding into a centralized biocrude upgrading facility that produces 2,020 barrel per standard day of final fuel. This scale was chosen based upon initial wastewater treatment plant data collected by PNNL’s resource assessment team from the EPA’s Clean Watersheds Needs Survey database (EPA 2015a) and a rough estimate of what the potential sludge availability might be within a 100-mile radius. In addition, we received

  17. Preliminary Efficacy of a Cognitive-Behavioral Treatment Program for Anxious Youth with Autism Spectrum Disorders

    Science.gov (United States)

    White, Susan W.; Ollendick, Thomas; Scahill, Lawrence; Oswald, Donald; Albano, Anne Marie

    2009-01-01

    Anxiety is a commonly occurring psychiatric concern in adolescents with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). This pilot study examined the preliminary efficacy of a manual-based intervention targeting anxiety and social competence in four adolescents with high-functioning ASD. Anxiety and social functioning were assessed at baseline, midpoint,…

  18. Preliminary design of a biological treatment facility for trench water from a low-level radioactive waste disposal area at West Valley, New York

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Rosten, R.; Malkumus, D. [Pacific Nuclear, Inc. (United States); Sonntag, T. [New York State Energy Research and Development Authority, NY (United States); Sundquist, J. [Ecology and Environment, Inc. (United States)

    1993-03-01

    The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) owns and manages a State-Licensed Low-Level Radioactive Waste Disposal Area (SDA) at West Valley, New York. Water has migrated into the burial trenches at the SDA and collected there, becoming contaminated with radionuclides and organic compounds. The US Environmental Protection Agency issued an order to NYSERDA to reduce the levels of water in the trenches. A treatability study of the contaminated trench water (leachate) was performed and determined the best available technology to treat the leachate and discharge the effluent. This paper describes the preliminary design of the treatment facility that incorporates the bases developed in the leachate treatability study.

  19. Repeated combined endovascular therapy with milrinone and nimodipine for the treatment of severe vasospasm: preliminary results.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sherif, Camillo; Wambacher, Bernhard; Loyoddin, Michel; Karaic, Radenko; Krafft, Peter; Valentin, Andreas; Tscholakoff, Dimiter; Kleinpeter, Guenther

    2015-01-01

    Delayed vasospasm (VSP) following aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH) remains a major source of morbidity. Milrinone was recently suggested as an invasive VSP treatment option. It is a phosphodiesterase III inhibitor with vasodilating and additional positive inotrope and anti-inflammatory effects. In this preliminary series, we included patients with severe VSP and unsuccessful maximum conservative therapy. Inclusion criteria were (1) transcranial Doppler (TCD) mean >180 cm/s; (2) increase of >50 % of TCD mean values within 6 h to values >150 cm/s; and/or (3) neurological deterioration (after exclusion of hemorrhage, hydrocephalus, and other systemic reasons). Patients received endovascular therapy with nimodipine 2 mg followed by milrinone 4-8 mg. Reinterventions were indicated aggressively in cases of persistent neurological deficits or persistent high mean TCD >180 cm/s. Of 121 consecutive aSAH patients, 16 (13.2 %) received endovascular VSP therapy. Of these, 11 patients (68.5 %) received ≥ 3 interventions (median 4; maximum 9); 14 (87.5 %) showed postinterventional angiographic improvement of vessel diameters; and 11 (68.5 %) showed improvement of their neurological deficits after a mean follow-up time of 4.5 months. No cardiovascular adverse events attributed to milrinone were observed. Milrinone may be a useful supplementary substance for endovascular VSP therapy. Aggressive reintervention indications did not cause additional adverse events.

  20. Preliminary Evidence for Cognitive Mediation During Cognitive–Behavioral Therapy of Panic Disorder

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hofmann, Stefan G.; Suvak, Michael K.; Barlow, David H.; Shear, M. Katherine; Meuret, Alicia E.; Rosenfield, David; Gorman, Jack M.; Woods, Scott W.

    2007-01-01

    Cognitive–behavioral therapy (CBT) and pharmacotherapy are similarly effective for treating panic disorder with mild or no agoraphobia, but little is known about the mechanism through which these treatments work. The present study examined some of the criteria for cognitive mediation of treatment change in CBT alone, imipramine alone, CBT plus imipramine, and CBT plus placebo. Ninety-one individuals who received 1 of these interventions were assessed before and after acute treatment, and after a 6-month maintenance period. Multilevel moderated mediation analyses provided preliminary support for the notion that changes in panic-related cognitions mediate changes in panic severity only in treatments that include CBT. PMID:17563154

  1. The use of hypofractionated intensity-modulated irradiation in the treatment of glioblastoma multiforme: preliminary results of a prospective trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sultanem, Khalil; Patrocinio, Horacio; Lambert, Christine; Corns, Robert; Leblanc, Richard; Parker, William; Shenouda, George; Souhami, Luis

    2004-01-01

    Despite major advances in treatment modalities, the prognosis of patients with glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) remains poor. Exploring hypofractionated regimens to replace the standard 6-week radiotherapy schedule is an attractive strategy as an attempt to prevent accelerated tumor cell repopulation. There is equally interest in dose escalation to the gross tumor volume where the majority of failures occur. We report our preliminary results using hypofractionated intensity-modulated accelerated radiotherapy regimen in the treatment of patients with GBM. Between July 1998 and December 2001, 25 patients with histologically proven diagnosis of GBM, Karnofsky performance status > or =60, and a postoperative tumor volume step-and-shoot technique), 60 Gy in 20 daily fractions of 3 Gy each were given to the GTV, whereas the planning target volume received a minimum of 40 Gy in 20 fractions of 2 Gy each at its periphery. Treatments were delivered over a 4-week period using 5 daily fractions per week. Dose was prescribed at the isocenter (ICRU point). Three beam angles were used in all of the cases. Treatments were well tolerated. Acute toxicity was limited to increased brain edema during radiotherapy in 2 patients who were on tapering doses of corticosteroids. This was corrected by increasing the steroid dose. At a median follow-up of 8.8 months, no late toxicity was observed. One patient experienced visual loss at 9 months after completion of treatment. MRI suggested nonspecific changes to the optic chiasm. On review of the treatment plan, the total dose to the optic chiasm was confirmed to be equal to or less than 40 Gy in 20 fractions. When Radiation Therapy Oncology Group recursive partitioning analysis was used, 10 patients were class III-IV, and 15 patients were class V-VI. To date, 21 patients have had clinical and/or radiologic evidence of disease progression, and 16 patients have died. The median survival was 9.5 months (range: 2.8-22.9 months), the 1-year survival

  2. Medical marijuana users in substance abuse treatment

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Swartz Ronald

    2010-03-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background The rise of authorized marijuana use in the U.S. means that many individuals are using cannabis as they concurrently engage in other forms of treatment, such as substance abuse counseling and psychotherapy. Clinical and legal decisions may be influenced by findings that suggest marijuana use during treatment serves as an obstacle to treatment success, compromises treatment integrity, or increases the prevalence or severity of relapse. In this paper, the author reviews the relationship between authorized marijuana use and substance abuse treatment utilizing data from a preliminary pilot study that, for the first time, uses a systematic methodology to collect data examining possible effects on treatment. Methods Data from the California Outcomes Measurement System (CalOMS were compared for medical (authorized marijuana users and non-marijuana users who were admitted to a public substance abuse treatment program in California. Behavioral and social treatment outcomes recorded by clinical staff at discharge and reported to the California Department of Alcohol and Drug Programs were assessed for both groups, which included a sample of 18 reported medical marijuana users. Results While the findings described here are preliminary and very limited due to the small sample size, the study demonstrates that questions about the relationship between medical marijuana use and involvement in drug treatment can be systematically evaluated. In this small sample, cannabis use did not seem to compromise substance abuse treatment amongst the medical marijuana using group, who (based on these preliminary data fared equal to or better than non-medical marijuana users in several important outcome categories (e.g., treatment completion, criminal justice involvement, medical concerns. Conclusions This exploratory study suggests that medical marijuana is consistent with participation in other forms of drug treatment and may not adversely affect

  3. Impacts of harvesting methods of sugar cane on the soil macrofauna in production area in Espírito Santo – Brazil

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Eloísa dos Santos Benazzi

    2013-12-01

    Full Text Available The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of harvesting methods on the macrofauna, a known indicator of soil quality that detects changes in the system and indicates management alternatives. The experimental design was randomized blocks with six replications, with each block consisting of four parcels that corresponded to treatments green cane (CC, burnt cane (CQ, green cane – burnt cane (CC-Q and burnt cane – green cane (CQ-C. Samples were collected in February and July 2010. The animals were divided into major taxonomic groups and accounted. Were evaluated ecological indexes (Shannon, Pielou and richness and average total density of individuals and groups. Data were analyzed by the nonparametric statistical tools by Friedman or Signal test at 5%. To check relationships between soil fauna and environmental variables, was used a multivariate conditional ordination method, the redundancy analysis (RDA. The index richness was more efficient than the total average density to evaluate the influence of cane harvesting systems, with the highest values related to areas harvested without burning. Further, the occurrence of key groups in the areas harvested without burning configures the establishment of a trophic web. There was dominance of the social group Formicidae in all treatments

  4. Preliminary radiation-oxidizing treatment influence on radiation-catalytic activity of zirconium during water decomposition process

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Garibov, A.A.; Aliyev, A.G.; Agayev, T.N.; Aliyev, S.M.; Velibekova, G.Z.

    2004-01-01

    The study of physical-chemical processes proceeding in contact of metal constructional materials nuclear reactors with water at simultaneous influence of temperature and radiation represents the large interest at the decision of problems material authority and safety of work of nuclear -power installations [1-2]. One of the widely widespread materials of active zone nuclear reactors is metal zirconium and its alloys. The influence of preliminary radiation processing on radiation, radiation -thermal and thermal processes of accumulation of molecular hydrogen and oxidation zirconium in contact with water is investigated at T=673 K and ρ=5mg/sm 3 [3-4]. Initial samples zirconium previously has been exposed by an irradiation in medium H 2 O 2 at D=20-410 kGy. The contribution of radiation processes in these contacts in process thermo-radiation decomposition of water and oxidation of materials of zirconium is revealed. It is established that the interaction of Zr metal, preliminary treated by radiation, with water at radiation -heterogeneous processes leads to passivity of a surface. The rate meanings of thermal, radiation -thermal processes and radiation-chemical yields of hydrogen are determined. It is revealed, that at radiation-heterogeneous processes in system Zr +H 2 O (ρ =5mg/sm 3 T=673 K) the increase of the absorbed doze up to 123 kGy results to reduction of a radiation -chemical yield of molecular hydrogen. The further increase of the absorbed doze results to increase of a radiation -chemical yield of hydrogen. The observable effect at the preliminary radiation of zirconium is connected to formation of oxide phase on a surface. The mechanism of radiation -heterogeneous processes proceeding in system Zr+H 2 O is suggested. (author)

  5. Ionising energy treatment for fresh horticultural produce -mandarins and other produce, Trials 1 and 2, May-July 1987

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    McLauchlan, R.L.; Brown, B.I.; Mitchell, G.E.; Aston, J.W.; Wood, A.F.; Isaacs, A.R.; Williams, S.M.; Nottingham, S.M.; Wilson, P.R.; Juffs, H.S.; Johnson, G.I.; Heather, N.W.; Giles, J.E.; Wills, P.A.

    1988-01-01

    Two trials are described on the effect of ionising energy treatment, or irradiation, on the quality, shelf-life and composition of fresh produce, mainly at doses consistent with disinfestation treatment for quarantine purposes. Trial 1, carried out in May 1987, deals with replicated treatments of Imperial mandarins and preliminary observation treatments on a range of other produce. Trial 2 deals with replicated treatments of Ellendale mandarins and preliminary observation treatments on other produce

  6. BIPS-FS preliminary design, miscellaneous notes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1976-01-01

    A compendium of flight system preliminary design internal memos and progress report extracts for the Brayton Isotope Power System Preliminary Design Review to be held July 20, 21, and 22, 1975 is presented. The purpose is to bring together those published items which relate only to the preliminary design of the Flight System, Task 2 of Phase I. This preliminary design effort was required to ensure that the Ground Demonstration System will represent the Flight System as closely as possible

  7. 45 CFR 150.217 - Preliminary determination.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-10-01

    ... 45 Public Welfare 1 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Preliminary determination. 150.217 Section 150.217... Are Failing To Substantially Enforce HIPAA Requirements § 150.217 Preliminary determination. If, at... designees). (b) Notifies the State of CMS's preliminary determination that the State has failed to...

  8. Preliminary results of MR imaging of lymphoma: Distinguishing active tumor from benign residue

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Drace, J.; Baker, L.L.; Chang, P.; Castellino, R.A.

    1987-01-01

    Distinguishing tumor from benign posttreatment tissue based on both morphologic and tissue characteristics is critically important. Patients are studied before, during, and after treatment; at the time of recurrence; and on long-term follow-up. Multisection spin-echo sequences in orthogonal planes and a special single-section tissue characterization matrix of 16 different repetition time/echo time combinations are used. These basic images are used for cluster analysis (approximate fuzzy C means), T1-T2 synthetic images, linear combinations, and comparison with internal standards. Preliminary results in 35 patients imaged before treatment and 12 patients with follow-up examinations consistently show lymphoma masses to have complex architecture with high T2-weighted signal and moderate T1-weighted signal, distinct from posttreatment fibrosis. Uncommon components of active tumor with low T2-weighted signal appear distinct from fibrosis on T1-weighted images. Preliminary cluster analysis results show distinct clustering of active lymphoma versus fibrosis and biopsy-proved cystic degeneration

  9. Exploratory shaft facility preliminary designs - Permian Basin

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1983-09-01

    The purpose of the Preliminary Design Report, Permian Basin, is to provide a description of the preliminary design for an Exploratory Shaft Facility in the Permian Basin, Texas. This issue of the report describes the preliminary design for constructing the exploratory shaft using the Large Hole Drilling method of construction and outlines the preliminary design and estimates of probable construction cost. The Preliminary Design Report is prepared to complement and summarize other documents that comprise the design at the preliminary stage of completion, December 1982. Other design documents include drawings, cost estimates and schedules. The preliminary design drawing package, which includes the construction schedule drawing, depicts the descriptions in this report. For reference, a list of the drawing titles and corresponding numbers are included in the Appendix. The report is divided into three principal sections: Design Basis, Facility Description, and Construction Cost Estimate. 30 references, 13 tables

  10. Dissolved air flotation for treating wastewater of the nuclear industry. Preliminary results

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ortiz-Oliveros, H.B.; Jimenez-Moleon, M.C.; Cruz-Gonzalez, D.

    2012-01-01

    Preliminary testing of dissolved air flotation (DAF) for wastewater treatment is presented. A combined coagulation-flocculation/DAF column system is used to remove oil and 60 Co from nuclear industry wastewater. In this work, operational conditions and coagulant/flocculant concentrations are optimized by varying pH. Determinations of air-solids ratio (G/S), retention time (θ), pressure (P), volume of depressurized air-water mixture (V), turbidity and 60 Co concentrations are reported. The effect of the treatment on the efficiency of separation of oily residues is also discussed. The results establish that the coagulant/flocculant system, formed by a modified polyamine (25 mgL -1 ) and a slightly cationic polyacrylamide (1.5 mgL -1 ), under specific operational conditions (pH = 7, mixing intensity Im 1 = 300 s -1 and Im 2 = 30 s -1 ), allowed the destabilization of colloidal matter, resulting in resistant flocs. It was concluded that by using G/S = 0.3, θ = 15 min, P = 620 kPa and V = 0.0012 m 3 , the greatest percentage removals of oil, turbidity, total cobalt and 60 Co were obtained. These preliminary results then show that dissolved air flotation represents a good alternative for treatment of nuclear industry wastewater contaminated with radionuclides. (author)

  11. Hyoid Displacement in Post-Treatment Cancer Patients: Preliminary Findings

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zu, Yihe; Yang, Zhenyu; Perlman, Adrienne L.

    2011-01-01

    Purpose: Dysphagia after head and neck cancer treatment is a health care issue; in some cases, the cause of death is not cancer but, rather, the passage of food or liquid into the lungs. Hyoid displacement is known to be important to safe swallowing function. The purpose of this study was to evaluate hyoid displacement after cancer treatment.…

  12. Serenoa repens extract additionally to quinolones in the treatment of chronic bacterial prostatitis. The preliminary results of a long term observational study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Konstantinos Stamatiou

    2013-12-01

    Full Text Available Introduction: Chronic prostatitis displays a variety of symptoms (mainly local pain exhibiting variability in origin and intensity. The purpose of this article is to briefly present the preliminary results of our study examining the role of phytotherapeutic agents in the treatment of chronic prostatitis patients. Materials and methods: The study included in total fifty-six consecutive patients who visited the outpatient department. Subjects were randomized into two groups. Subjects in the first group (28 patients received prulifloxacin 600 mg for 15 days, while subjects in the second group (28 patients received prulifloxacin 600 mg for 15 days and Serenoa repens extract for 8 weeks. The response was tested using laboratory and clinical criteria. Results: We found statistically significant differences between the two groups regarding pain regression and no statistically significant regarding bacterial eradication. Moreover however while sexual dysfunction improvement was equally achieved in both groups, improvement of urinary symptoms was more evident in the 2nd group especially after the completion of the antibiotic treatment. Conclusions: Serenoa repens extract for 8 weeks seems to improve prostatitis related pain. Further randomized, placebo-controlled studies are needed to substantiate safer conclusions.

  13. Device for controlling the composition of the mixture burnt in the combustion spaces of an internal combustion engine. Einrichtung zur Regelung der Zusammensetzung des in den Brennraeumen einer Brennkraftmaschine zur Verbrennung kommenden Betriebsgemisches

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Latsch, R; Bianchi, V

    1986-07-31

    The purpose of the invention is to create a device by which the extent of the reaction to the control of the composition of the mixture burnt in the combustion spaces of an internal combustion engine can be measured in a sensitive, responsive and safe way, where the position of the elements detecting the reaction should have a relatively small effect on the accuracy of the measurement and the extent of measurement. According to the invention, this problem is solved by the use of 2 thermal sensors connected to a control device (photo-electric diode, photo-electric transistor), one of which acts catalytically and causes the parts of the gas mixture there to react. The thermal sensor output signals are periodically integrated via the piston work and are entered in the control device. The measured temperature is a measure of how far the method of operation of the internal combustion engine has approached its limits. (HWJ).

  14. Preliminary impression techniques for microstomia patients

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    K Aswini Kumar

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available The Prosthetic rehabilitation of microstomia patients presents difficulties at all the stages. The difficulty starts with the preliminary impression making. This is due to the tongue rigidity and the decreased oral opening. A maximum oral opening which is smaller than the size of the tray can make prosthetic treatment challenging. Due to the restricted mouth opening, insertion and removal of the impression trays is extremely cumbersome and various modifications of the trays have been used in the past. Among these are the flexible trays and the sectional trays used with different modes of reassembling the segments extra orally after the impression is made. This article reviews the literature published from 1971 to 2015 concerning preliminary impression techniques used in making impressions for patients with microstomia based on various tray designs. An electronic search was performed across three databases (PubMed, Science Direct and Google Scolar for relevant citations. The keywords/combinations used for the search were microstomia, limited/constricted/restricted mouth opening/oral access, trismus, sectional trays, impressions and prosthetic/prosthodontic rehabilitation. The search was limited to papers written in English which resulted in a total of 45 related articles of which 17 articles were included for discussion of this review.

  15. DELTA project

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Barbero, Jose A.; Florido, Pablo C.; Mendieta, Horacio; Pasquevich, Daniel M.; Manzano, F.

    1999-01-01

    In this paper we outline a new concept for final treatment of radioactive waste. The process includes the first steps of the reprocessing of burnt fuels up to the final transmutation of the separated long-half-life actinides. (author)

  16. Simultaneous stack-gas scrubbing and waste water treatment

    Science.gov (United States)

    Poradek, J. C.; Collins, D. D.

    1980-01-01

    Simultaneous treatment of wastewater and S02-laden stack gas make both treatments more efficient and economical. According to results of preliminary tests, solution generated by stack gas scrubbing cycle reduces bacterial content of wastewater. Both processess benefit by sharing concentrations of iron.

  17. The Effect of Burnt and Un-burnt Land on Soil Physicochemical ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    ADOWIE PERE

    2Department of Soil Science and Land Resources Management. University of Nigeria ... Based on this, effects of fire on soil quality dynamics was examined ... Post-burn increases in soil ... (Edem et al., 2012) The native vegetation has been.

  18. Online gaming dependency: a preliminary study in China.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Peng, Wei; Liu, Ming

    2010-06-01

    Based on theories and previous studies on problematic Internet use, we propose a model to better understand the contributors to and consequences of online gaming dependency. A preliminary study was conducted through a survey of online gamers in China. The results of path analysis found that maladaptive cognitions, shyness, and depression are positively related to online gaming dependency. Online gaming dependency was also positively related to different types of negative life outcomes. The findings of this study have implications for the prevention and treatment of addictive online gaming.

  19. Effectiveness and safety of celecoxib combined with diacerein in the treatment of senile degenerative knee osteoarthritis: study protocol and preliminary results of a randomized controlled trial

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Guo-dong Wang

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Background and objectives: The non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug celecoxib, used for the treatment of senile degenerative knee osteoarthritis, has a rapid onset of action and few side effects. However, it cannot prevent the occurrence and development of knee osteoarthritis. Celecoxib withdrawal is likely to induce a rebound increase in inflammation that may aggravate symptoms. Diacerein is a drug used to improve articular cartilage metabolism. It can delay the progression of senile degenerative knee osteoarthritis, but has a slow onset of action. Whether combined treatment with celecoxib and diacerein provides complimentary actions to achieve a better therapeutic effect on senile degenerative knee osteoarthritis remains unclear. >Design: A prospective, single-center, randomized controlled trial. Methods: Three hundred patients with senile degenerative knee osteoarthritis who receive treatment at the Department of Orthopedics, Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, China will be randomly assigned to the celecoxib (200 mg, once a day, orally, diacerein (50 mg, twice a day, orally, and celecoxib + diacerein (celecoxib 200 mg, once a day, orally and diacerein 50 mg, twice a day, orally groups, with 100 patients in each group. Patients in each group will be treated for 12 successive weeks, and a 36-week follow-up will be performed. At 24 weeks after treatment, the VAS score for pain during the 20-meter walk test and osteoarthritis index were significantly decreased in the diacerein and celecoxib + diacerein groups compared to pre-treatment (P Outcome measures and preliminary results: The primary outcome measure of this study is the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS score for pain during the 20-meter walk test before and 1, 4, 12, 24, and 36 weeks after treatment. The secondary outcome measures of this study include osteoarthritis index and X-ray image findings of the knee before and 1, 4, 12, 24, and 36 weeks after treatment, as well

  20. Impact of a high severity wildfire and two post-fire stabilisation treatments on the structure of the microbial community in a soil located in Laza (Ourense, NW Spain

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    A. Lombao

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Studies concerning the microbial communities in burnt soils have been focused on biochemical properties and, despite its interest, information about the microbial community structure is scarce. The aim of this study was to evaluate the short- and medium- term effects produced by a high severity fire and the application of post-fire stabilization methods (mulching and seeding in the structure of soil microbial population, determined by means of the analysis of phospholipid fatty acids (PLFA. The study was performed in a forest ecosystem affected by a high severity wildfire and highly susceptible to post-fire soil erosion (Laza, NW Spain. Samples were collected from the A horizon (0-2 cm immediately and 4, 8 and 12 months after the wildfire. The results of principal component analysis carried out with PLFA data make possible to differentiate between burnt and unburnt samples, indicating a clear effect of the wildfire on composition of microbial communities. Unburnt samples were characterized by the presence of fungal fatty acid as 18:2ω6, 18:1ω9 o 16:ω5, whereas fatty acid characteristics of actinomycetes tended to be higher in burnt samples than in the corresponding unburnt samples. The structure of microbial communities also varied with sampling time, confirming seasonal fluctuations of soil microbial parameters.

  1. Chemical attributes, total organic carbon stock and humified fractions of organic matter soil submitted to different systems of sugarcane management

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jean Sérgio Rosset

    2014-10-01

    Full Text Available Mechanized harvesting maintenance of trash from cane sugar and soil application of waste as vinasse and filter cake can improve the system of crop yield. Thus, this study aimed to evaluate the changes in the chemical, the stock of total organic carbon and humified organic matter fractions in an Oxisol cultivated with cane sugar with the following management systems: with sugarcane vinasse application (CCV, without application of burnt cane waste (CQS, with burnt cane vinasse application (CQV, with application of burnt cane filter cake (CQTF and burnt cane with joint application of vinasse and filter cake (CQVTF. For reference we used an area of natural vegetation (NV, Cerrado sensu stricto. Treatment CQVTF showed improvement in soil chemical properties, increased inventory levels of total organic carbon – TOC (values ranging from 21.28 to 40.02 Mg ha-1 and humified fractions of soil organic matter in relation to other treatments. The CQS area at a depth of 0-0.05 m, showed the greatest losses of soil TOC stocks (56.3% compared to NV. The adoption of management presented CCV and chemical attributes of the soil TOC stocks equivalent to those observed in areas with CQV CQTF and despite the short period of adoption (3 years. The TOC correlated with the sum of bases (r = 0.76 **, cation exchange capacity (r = 0.59 ** and base saturation (r = 0.63 **, while the humic acids (r = 0.40 ** fulvic acids (r = 0.49 ** and humin (r = 0.59 ** correlated with the cation exchange capacity of the soil. These results indicate that the preservation of trash in the management of cane sugar added to the application of vinasse and filter cake increases the TOC stocks promoting improvement in soil chemical properties.

  2. INTEGRATION OF MECHANICAL AND CULTURAL CONTROL TREATMENTS TO MANAGE INVASIVE SHRUB Chromolaena odorata AND OTHER WEEDS UNDER DROUGHT CONDITIONS IN PASTURE AREA

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M. Rusdy

    2013-03-01

    Full Text Available A field experiment was conducted on Chromolaena odorata dominated pasture with the objectives of evaluating efficacy of integrated of mechanical and cultural control on weed suppression and determining botanical composition of plant species after treatment started. The treatments were, T1 slashing of Chromolaena every month, T2 digging up of Chromolanea, and exposed to dry (mulching, T3 digging up of Chromolaena followed by burning, T4 digging up of Chromolaena followed by burning and sowing with Centrosema pubescens and T5 digging up of Chromolaena followed by burning and planting with Brachiaria decumbens. Results of experiment showed that under drought conditions, digging up Chromolaena was very effective in suppressing regrowth of Chromolaena but it was not effective to other weeds. Among treatments, digging out of Chromolaena followed by burning and planting with Brachiaria decumbens was the most effective and slashing of Chromolaena every month was the least effective in suppressing weeds. Botanical composition was shifted with treatments. Stachytarpheta jamaicensis and Chromolaena were the dominant species in monthly slashed Chromolaena plots, Stachytarpheta and Calopogonium muconoides were the dominant species in mulched plots while Mimosa pudica, Brachiaria and Centrosema were the dominant species in burnt plots.

  3. Sludge treatment facility preliminary siting study for the sludge treatment project (A-13B)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    WESTRA, A.G.

    1999-01-01

    This study evaluates various sites in the 100 K area and 200 areas of Hanford for locating a treatment facility for sludge from the K Basins. Both existing facilities and a new standalone facility were evaluated. A standalone facility adjacent to the AW Tank Farm in the 200 East area of Hanford is recommended as the best location for a sludge treatment facility

  4. Preliminary analysis of treatment strategies for transuranic wastes from reprocessing plants

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ross, W.A.; Schneider, K.J.; Swanson, J.L.; Yasutake, K.M.; Allen, R.P.

    1985-07-01

    This document provides a comparison of six treatment options for transuranic wastes (TRUW) resulting from the reprocessing of commercial spent fuel. Projected transuranic waste streams from the Barnwell Nuclear Fuel Plant (BNFP), the reference fuel reprocessing plant in this report, were grouped into the five categories of hulls and hardware, failed equipment, filters, fluorinator solids, and general process trash (GPT) and sample and analytical cell (SAC) wastes. Six potential treatment options were selected for the five categories of waste. These options represent six basic treatment objectives: (1) no treatment, (2) minimum treatment (compaction), (3) minimum number of processes and products (cementing or grouting), (4) maximum volume reduction without decontamination (melting, incinerating, hot pressing), (5) maximum volume reduction with decontamination (decontamination, treatment of residues), and (6) noncombustible waste forms (melting, incinerating, cementing). Schemes for treatment of each waste type were selected and developed for each treatment option and each type of waste. From these schemes, transuranic waste volumes were found to vary from 1 m 3 /MTU for no treatment to as low as 0.02 m 3 /MTU. Based on conceptual design requirements, life-cycle costs were estimated for treatment plus on-site storage, transportation, and disposal of both high-level and transuranic wastes (and incremental low-level wastes) from 70,000 MTU. The study concludes that extensive treatment is warranted from both cost and waste form characteristics considerations, and that the characteristics of most of the processing systems used are acceptable. The study recommends that additional combinations of treatment methods or strategies be evaluated and that in the interim, melting, incineration, and cementing be further developed for commercial TRUW. 45 refs., 9 figs., 32 tabs

  5. Preliminary analysis of treatment strategies for transuranic wastes from reprocessing plants

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ross, W.A.; Schneider, K.J.; Swanson, J.L.; Yasutake, K.M.; Allen, R.P.

    1985-07-01

    This document provides a comparison of six treatment options for transuranic wastes (TRUW) resulting from the reprocessing of commercial spent fuel. Projected transuranic waste streams from the Barnwell Nuclear Fuel Plant (BNFP), the reference fuel reprocessing plant in this report, were grouped into the five categories of hulls and hardware, failed equipment, filters, fluorinator solids, and general process trash (GPT) and sample and analytical cell (SAC) wastes. Six potential treatment options were selected for the five categories of waste. These options represent six basic treatment objectives: (1) no treatment, (2) minimum treatment (compaction), (3) minimum number of processes and products (cementing or grouting), (4) maximum volume reduction without decontamination (melting, incinerating, hot pressing), (5) maximum volume reduction with decontamination (decontamination, treatment of residues), and (6) noncombustible waste forms (melting, incinerating, cementing). Schemes for treatment of each waste type were selected and developed for each treatment option and each type of waste. From these schemes, transuranic waste volumes were found to vary from 1 m/sup 3//MTU for no treatment to as low as 0.02 m/sup 3//MTU. Based on conceptual design requirements, life-cycle costs were estimated for treatment plus on-site storage, transportation, and disposal of both high-level and transuranic wastes (and incremental low-level wastes) from 70,000 MTU. The study concludes that extensive treatment is warranted from both cost and waste form characteristics considerations, and that the characteristics of most of the processing systems used are acceptable. The study recommends that additional combinations of treatment methods or strategies be evaluated and that in the interim, melting, incineration, and cementing be further developed for commercial TRUW. 45 refs., 9 figs., 32 tabs.

  6. Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation as an adjuvant method in the treatment of depression: Preliminary results

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jovičić Milica

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Introduction. Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS is a method of brain stimulation which is increasingly used in both clinical practice and research. Up-to-date studies have pointed out a potential antidepressive effect of rTMS, but definitive superiority over placebo has not yet been confirmed. Objective. The aim of the study was to examine the effect of rTMS as an adjuvant treatment with antidepressants during 18 weeks of evaluation starting from the initial application of the protocol. Methods. Four patients with the diagnosis of moderate/severe major depression were included in the study. The protocol involved 2000 stimuli per day (rTMS frequency of 10 Hz, intensity of 120% motor threshold administered over the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC for 15 days. Subjective and objective depressive symptoms were measured before the initiation of rTMS and repeatedly evaluated at week 3, 6, 12 and 18 from the beginning of the stimulation. Results. After completion of rTMS protocol two patients demonstrated a reduction of depressive symptoms that was sustained throughout the 15-week follow-up period. One patient showed a tendency of remission during the first 12 weeks of the study, but relapsed in week 18. One patient showed no significant symptom reduction at any point of follow-up. Conclusion. Preliminary findings suggest that rTMS has a good tolerability and can be efficient in accelerating the effect of antidepressants, particularly in individuals with shorter duration of depressive episodes and moderate symptom severity. [Projekat Ministarstva nauke Republike Srbije, br. III41029 i br. ON175090

  7. 28 CFR 2.48 - Revocation: Preliminary interview.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... 28 Judicial Administration 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Revocation: Preliminary interview. 2.48....48 Revocation: Preliminary interview. (a) Interviewing officer. A parolee who is retaken on a warrant issued by a Commissioner shall be given a preliminary interview by an official designated by the Regional...

  8. Small-angle neutron scattering investigations of Co-doped iron oxide nanoparticles. Preliminary results

    Science.gov (United States)

    Creanga, Dorina; Balasoiu, Maria; Soloviov, Dmitro; Balasoiu-Gaina, Alexandra-Maria; Puscasu, Emil; Lupu, Nicoleta; Stan, Cristina

    2018-03-01

    Preliminary small-angle neutron scattering investigations on aqueous suspensions of several cobalt doped ferrites (CoxFe3-xO4, x=0; 0.5; 1) nanoparticles prepared by chemical co-precipitation method, are reported. The measurements were accomplished at the YuMO instrument in function at the IBR-2 reactor. Results of intermediary data treatment are presented and discussed.

  9. On Preliminary Test Estimator for Median

    OpenAIRE

    Okazaki, Takeo; 岡崎, 威生

    1990-01-01

    The purpose of the present paper is to discuss about estimation of median with a preliminary test. Two procedures are presented, one uses Median test and the other uses Wilcoxon two-sample test for the preliminary test. Sections 3 and 4 give mathematical formulations of such properties, including mean square errors with one specified case. Section 5 discusses their optimal significance levels of the preliminary test and proposes their numerical values by Monte Carlo method. In addition to mea...

  10. Remote sensing-based fire frequency mapping in a savannah ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) images from 2000 to 2006 were obtained and classified for burnt area mapping. Linear pixel unmixing was used for image classification and subsequent mapping of burnt areas. The results showed that it was feasible to have discrimination of burnt areas and ...

  11. Studying Treatment Intensity: Lessons from Two Preliminary Studies

    Science.gov (United States)

    Neil, Nicole; Jones, Emily A.

    2015-01-01

    Determining how best to meet the needs of learners with Down syndrome requires an approach to intervention delivered at some level of intensity. How treatment intensity affects learner acquisition, maintenance, and generalization of skills can help optimize the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of interventions. There is a growing body of research…

  12. Preliminary safety evaluation for a medical therapy reactor

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jones, J.L.; Neuman, W.A.

    1989-01-01

    A conceptual design of a passively safe reactor facility for boron neutron capture therapy has been previously described. The medical therapy reactor (MTR) has a maximum power level of 10 MW(thermal) and utilizes 45 wt% uranium in UZrH, 20 wt% 235 U enriched hydride fuel matrix with 1 wt% erbium, which is a burnable poison and provides prompt negative reactivity feedback. The facility has five beam ports for patient treatment and advanced neutron beam research and is capable of 2,000 to 10,000 treatments per year, assuming single 8h/day, 5 day/week operation. The epithermal treatment flux from the beam ports is large, enabling single-session treatment of brain cancers of <10-min duration, with minimal fast neutron and gamma contaminants. The reactor core is designed with sufficient excess reactivity to yield a core lifetime equal to a facility lifetime of 30 yr. A preliminary safety evaluation was performed using the RELAP5 thermal-hydraulic code. The analysis addressed accidents in several major categories, including a pump coastdown, a loss of secondary heat sink, and a $0.5 step reactivity insertion

  13. Efficacy of modest dose irradiation in combination with long-term endocrinal treatment for high-risk prostate cancer. A preliminary report

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sasaki, Tomonari; Nakamura, Katsumasa; Shioyama, Yoshiyuki

    2004-01-01

    Although radiotherapy in combination with endocrinal manipulation has been identified as an effective treatment for patients with high-risk prostate cancer, the optimal dose for locoregional control of prostate cancer in combination with hormonal therapy has not yet been determined. The efficacy of modest doses of irradiation (60-62 Gy) combined with long-term endocrinal treatment for patients with high-risk prostate cancer (defined as a pretreatment prostate-specific antigen (PSA) level greater than 20 ng/ml or a Gleason's score of 8-10 or T3-T4 disease) was analyzed in 60 Japanese patients. The patients included in this study had received radical radiotherapy with long-term endocrinal manipulation in the period between 1993 and 2000. The median age of the patients was 70 years (range, 56-83). Neoadjuvant hormonal therapy with a median duration of 3.9 months was performed prior to radiotherapy, and hormonal therapy was continued until recurrence. A median dose of 61.4 Gy (range, 44-71.4) was delivered to the prostate. Pelvic node irradiation was performed in 49 patients (81.6%). After a median follow-up period of 28.5 months, the overall survival, cause-specific survival and biochemical relapse-free survival at 3 years were 94.4%, 96% and 89.8%, respectively. Local failure was observed in one patient, distant metastases were observed in three patients and a late toxic effect greater than Grade 2 was not observed in any patients. This study, though preliminary due to a short-term follow-up period, reveals the possibility that modest doses of irradiation combined with long-term endocrinal treatment could be an effective means of achieving excellent local control of high-risk prostate cancer. (author)

  14. Preliminary Ecotoxicity and Biodegradability Assessment of Metalworking Fluids

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gerulová, Kristína; Amcha, Peter; Filická, Slávka

    2010-01-01

    The main aim of this study was to evaluate the potential of activated sludge from sewage treatment plant to degrade selected MWFs (ecotoxicity to bacterial consortium) and to evaluate the ecotoxicity by Lemna minor-higher plant. After evaluating the ecotoxicity, biodegradations rate with activated sludge was assessed on the basis of COD measurement. Preliminary study of measuring the ecotoxicity according to OECD 221 by Lemna minor shows effective concentration of Emulzin H at the rate of 81.6 mg l-1, for Ecocool 82.9 mg l-1, for BC 25 about 99.3 mg l-1, and for Dasnobor about 97.3 mg l-1. Preliminary study of measuring the ecotoxicity by bacterial consortium according to OECD 209 (STN EN ISO 8192) shows effective concentration of Blasocut BC 25 at the rate 227.4 mg l-1. According to OECD 302B, the biodegradations level of Emulzin H, Ecocool and BC 25 achieved 80% in 10 days. It can be stated that these MWFs have potential to ultimate degradation, but the statement has to be confirmed by a biodegradability test with other parameters than COD, which exhibits some disadvantages in testing O/W emulsions.

  15. Cyanide wastes treatment by bioremediation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Deloya Martinez, Alma

    2012-01-01

    The results of the development of an autochthonous consortium of degrader microorganisms of the cyanide for the application in the biological treatment of the dangerous wastes of cyanide, were presented. The autochthonous microorganisms obtained were lyophilized in different protective environments, such as gelatin and lactose broth at different temperatures (-35, -45, -55 and -65). A pretreatment method in slurry was applied for the preliminary treatment of the cyanide wastes: for the preliminary leaching of the waste, with periods between 3 and 5 days and a posterior treatment, by aerated lagoons, applying the consortium of lyophilized microorganisms. Eight different lyophilized were obtained in different temperature conditions and with two lyophilization protective media that have presented excellent recovery at six months of lyophilization. The consortium of lyophilized microorganisms has presented 70 to 80 percent of viability, with cyanide removal percentages higher than 95% and it can be conserved active for a prolonged time (for years). The lyophilized microorganisms can be applied in the biodegradation of the cyanide wastes from the gold mines or any other cyanide waste such as metal electroplanting baths, as well as from jewelry manufacturing. (author) [es

  16. A triple murder.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vidanapathirana, M; Ruwanpura, P R; Ariyaratne, D; Karunanayake, D S K

    2015-12-01

    Three partially burnt bodies were found in a burnt out bedroom. A candle and matches were found on a partially burnt bed, suggesting accidental deaths. Careful scene analysis and forensic post-mortems demonstrated that this was a multiple murder rather than an accident. © The Author(s) 2015.

  17. Decreases in smoking during treatment for methamphetamine-use disorders: preliminary evidence.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McPherson, Sterling; Orr, Michael; Lederhos, Crystal; McDonell, Michael; Leickly, Emily; Hirchak, Katherine; Oluwoye, Oladunni A; Murphy, Sean M; Layton, Matthew; Roll, John M

    2018-06-01

    Despite high rates of smoking (70-90%) and the severely negative impact of smoking on physical and mental health, only 12% of individuals receiving stimulant-use disorder treatment also receive smoking-cessation treatment. The aim of this investigation was to examine the effect of a contingency management (CM) intervention targeting methamphetamine (MA) use on cigarette smoking. Sixty-one adults with MA-use disorders who were smokers were assigned to CM or standard psychosocial treatment. Rates of smoking-negative breath samples (carbon monoxide <3 ppm) were compared between the two groups while controlling for baseline carbon monoxide level, marijuana use, MA use, and time. This subgroup of mostly male (59%) participants included 44 participants in the CM group and 17 participants in the standard psychosocial treatment. Tobacco smoking participants who received CM targeting MA use were 140% (odds ratio: 2.395; 95% confidence interval: 1.073-5.346) more likely to submit a smoking-negative breath sample relative to standard psychosocial treatment during the treatment period, holding constant several other prespecified covariates. This study provides evidence that a behavioral treatment for MA use results in reductions in cigarette smoking in adults with MA-use disorder.

  18. Survival and neurologic outcome of infants with medulloblastoma treated with surgery and MOPP chemotherapy. A preliminary report.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Baram, T Z; van Eys, J; Dowell, R E; Cangir, A; Pack, B; Bruner, J M

    1987-07-15

    The results of treatment of infants with medulloblastoma using surgery and chemotherapy, without the use of radiation therapy, are reported. Both survival and outcome, in terms of growth, neurologic deficit, and intelligence are compared with the same parameters in children treated conventionally. Although preliminary, our results suggest that chemotherapy combined with surgery is a valid option for the treatment of infants with this type of neoplasm.

  19. Intraarterial reteplase and intravenous abciximab for treatment of acute ischemic stroke. A preliminary feasibility and safety study in a non-human primate model

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Qureshi, Adnan I.; Suri, M. Fareed K.; Ali, Zulfiqar; Ringer, Andrew J.; Boulos, Alan S.; Guterman, Lee R.; Hopkins, L. Nelson; Nakada, Marian T.; Alberico, Ronald A.; Martin, Lisa B.E.

    2005-01-01

    We performed a preliminary feasibility and safety study using intravenous (IV) administration of a platelet glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitor (abciximab) in conjunction with intraarterial (IA) administration of a thrombolytic agent (reteplase) in a primate model of intracranial thrombosis. We introduced thrombus through superselective catheterization of the intracranial segment of the internal carotid artery in 16 primates. The animals were randomly assigned to receive IA reteplase and IV abciximab (n =4), IA reteplase and IV placebo (n =4), IA placebo and IV abciximab (n =4) or IA and IV placebo (n =4). Recanalization was assessed by serial angiography during the 6-h period after initiation of treatment. Postmortem magnetic resonance (MR) imaging was performed to determine the presence of cerebral infarction or intracranial hemorrhage. Partial or complete recanalization at 6 h after initiation of treatment (decrease of two or more points in pre-treatment angiographic occlusion grade) was observed in two animals treated with IA reteplase and IV abciximab, three animals treated with IA reteplase alone and one animal treated with IV abciximab alone. No improvement in perfusion was observed in animals that received IV and IA placebo. Cerebral infarction was demonstrated on postmortem MR imaging in three animals that received IA and IV placebo and in one animal each from the groups that received IA reteplase and IV abciximab or IV abciximab alone. One animal that received IV abciximab alone had a small intracerebral hemorrhage on MR imaging. (orig.)

  20. Effect of high-dose irradiation and autoclave treatment on microbial safety and quality of ready-to-eat Bulgogi sauce

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Park, Jin-Gyu; Song, Beom-Seok; Kim, Jae-Hun; Han, In-Jun; Yoon, Yohan; Chung, Hyung-Wook; Kim, Eun-Jeong; Gao Meixu; Lee, Ju-Woon

    2012-01-01

    In Korea, commercialized sauce for ready-to-eat (RTE) Bulgogi is usually manufactured using heat treatment to ensure that it has a long shelf-life. However, heat treatment may adversely affect the taste and flavor of the sauce, thus, the development of suitable sterilizing methods for RTE sauces is necessary to preserve the quality of the sauce during long storage periods. In this study, total bacterial growth, the viscosity, and the sensory properties of Bulgogi sauce were compared between sterilization with gamma irradiation (0–40 kGy) and autoclave treatment during storage at 35 °C for 90 days. No bacterial growth was observed following irradiation at more than 10 kGy or after autoclave treatment. However, the viscosity and sensory properties of samples gamma-irradiated at above 10 kGy or autoclave-treated were significantly changed, even though autoclave treatment induced a burnt taste and flavor. Therefore, a gamma irradiation of 10 kGy was effective to prepare ready-to-eat Bulgogi sauce with microbial safety and original sensory qualities. - Highlights: ► No bacterial growth in gamma-irradiated Bulgogi sauce ≥10 kGy or autoclaved sample was observed. ► Viscosity of irradiated sample at 40 kGy was similar to that of autoclaved sample. ► Sensory properties of irradiated sample >10 kGy or autoclaved sample deteriorated.

  1. Adherence to treatment in adolescents with cystic fibrosis

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Bucks, Romola S.; Hawkins, Katharine; Skinner, T. C.

    2009-01-01

    ObjectivesThis study was conducted to explore the relationships between illness perceptions, emotional representations, treatment beliefs and reported adherence in adolescents with cystic fibrosis (CF). MethodsThirty-eight adolescents completed questionnaires assessing their perceptions of CF, be...... CF as a chronic condition. ConclusionsThe findings provide preliminary support for the self-regulatory model, using the necessity-concerns framework to operationalize treatment beliefs, in explaining adherence to treatment in adolescents with CF....

  2. 23 CFR 645.109 - Preliminary engineering.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-04-01

    ... 23 Highways 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Preliminary engineering. 645.109 Section 645.109 Highways FEDERAL HIGHWAY ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION ENGINEERING AND TRAFFIC OPERATIONS UTILITIES Utility Relocations, Adjustments, and Reimbursement § 645.109 Preliminary engineering. (a) As...

  3. Preliminary design county plan Zeeland

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1987-01-01

    The preliminary design 'Streekplan Zeeland' (Country plan Zeeland, with regard to the location of additional nuclear power plants in Zeeland, the Netherlands) has passed through a consultation and participation round. Thereupon 132 reactions have been received. These have been incorporated and answered in two notes. This proposal deals with the principal points of the preliminary design and treats also the remarks of the committees Environmental (town and country) Planning (RO), Provincial (town and country) Planning Committee (PPC) and Association of Communities of Zeeland (VZG), on the reply notes. The preliminary design with the modifications, collected in appendix 3, is proposed to be the starting point in the drawing-up of the design-country-plan. This design subsequently will pass the formal country-plan procedure. (author). 1 fig

  4. Financial feasibility of a log sort yard handling small-diameter logs: A preliminary study

    Science.gov (United States)

    Han-Sup Han; E. M. (Ted) Bilek; John (Rusty) Dramm; Dan Loeffler; Dave Calkin

    2011-01-01

    The value and use of the trees removed in fuel reduction thinning and restoration treatments could be enhanced if the wood were effectively evaluated and sorted for quality and highest value before delivery to the next manufacturing destination. This article summarizes a preliminary financial feasibility analysis of a log sort yard that would serve as a log market to...

  5. A multimedia interactive education system for prostate cancer patients: development and preliminary evaluation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Diefenbach, Michael A; Butz, Brian P

    2004-01-21

    A cancer diagnosis is highly distressing. Yet, to make informed treatment choices patients have to learn complicated disease and treatment information that is often fraught with medical and statistical terminology. Thus, patients need accurate and easy-to-understand information. To introduce the development and preliminary evaluation through focus groups of a novel highly-interactive multimedia-education software program for patients diagnosed with localized prostate cancer. The prostate interactive education system uses the metaphor of rooms in a virtual health center (ie, reception area, a library, physician offices, group meeting room) to organize information. Text information contained in the library is tailored to a person's information-seeking preference (ie, high versus low information seeker). We conducted a preliminary evaluation through 5 separate focus groups with prostate cancer survivors (N = 18) and their spouses (N = 15). Focus group results point to the timeliness and high acceptability of the software among the target audience. Results also underscore the importance of a guide or tutor who assists in navigating the program and who responds to queries to facilitate information retrieval. Focus groups have established the validity of our approach and point to new directions to further enhance the user interface.

  6. Preliminary results of fast neutron treatments in carcinoma of the pancreas

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gahbauer, R.; Koh, K. Y.; Rodriguez-Antunez, A.; Jelden, G. L.; Turco, R. F.; Horton, J.; Bukowski, R.; Reimer, R.; Blue, J.; Roberts, W.

    1980-01-01

    A group of 30 patients with adenocarcinoma of the pancreas including some patients with very advanced disease, were treated with the so-called mixed beam modality employing photon treatments three times per week and neutron treatments twice a week. Two hundred Rads or equivalent Rads (RBE 3.3) were given in daily fractions aiming at a total dose of 6000 Rads in 6 to 8 weeks. The treatments were well tolerated and significant palliation was achieved in 26 to 30 cases. Twelve months survival was 33 percent with a median survival of 7 months or 210 days. Treatment techniques and localization procedures are discussed.

  7. Preliminary assessment, by means of Radon exhalation rate measurements, of the bio-sustainability of microwave treatment to eliminate biodeteriogens infesting stone walls of monumental historical buildings.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mancini, S.; Caliendo, E.; Guida, M.; Bisceglia, B.

    2017-10-01

    The main purpose of the work described in this paper has been to establish the protocol for a new non-disruptive technique of intervention, based on microwave treatment, for cleaning operations on monumental historical buildings, to eliminate biodeteriogens infesting stones. Non-destructive methods in the cleaning operations, should not only preserve the physical integrity, the chemical-mineralogical and structural identity of materials, but, when the exhalation of pollutant agents (like for example Radon gas) from building materials is considered, also, make the indoor air quality (IAQ) levels healthy. Therefore, one of the main steps of the protocol proposed in this paper is concerned with the assessment of the Radon exhalation rate in order to verify that microwave treatments do not increase the Radon naturally exhalated by building materials. In this paper, the preliminary results of the Radon measurements performed on two different type of tuff samples (grey tuff and yellow tuff), typical of the Italian traditional construction heritage, with the E-PERM passive technique at the Environmental Radioactivity Laboratory (Amb.Ra.), University of Salerno, Italy, ISO 9001:2008 certified, are summarized.

  8. Exploratory shaft facility preliminary designs - Paradox Basin. Technical report

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1983-09-01

    The purpose of the Preliminary Design Report, Paradox Basin, is to provide a description of the preliminary design for an Exploratory Shaft Facility in the Paradox Basin, Utah. This issue of the report describes the preliminary design for constructing the exploratory shaft using the Large Hole Drilling Method of construction and outlines the preliminary design and estimates of probable construction cost. The Preliminary Design Report is prepared to complement and summarize other documents that comprise the design at the preliminary stage of completion, December 1982. Other design documents include drawings, cost estimates and schedules. The preliminary design drawing package, which includes the construction schedule drawing, depicts the descriptions in this report. For reference, a list of the drawing titles and corresponding numbers is included in the Appendix. The report is divided into three principal sections: Design Basis, Facility Description, and Construction Cost Estimate. 30 references

  9. Early detection and assertive community treatment of young psychotics

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jørgensen, P; Nordentoft, M; Abel, M B

    2000-01-01

    Recent research indicates that early detection of young persons suffering from psychosis and subsequent intensive intervention enhances treatment response and prognosis, but the data are only preliminary and suggestive....

  10. Preliminary level 2 specification for the nested, fixed-depth sampling system

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    BOGER, R.M.

    1999-01-01

    This preliminary Level 2 Component Specification establishes the performance, design, development, and test requirements for the in-tank sampling system which will support the BNFL contract in the final disposal of Hanford's High Level Wastes (HLW) and Low Activity Wastes (LAW). The PHMC will provide Low Activity Wastes (LAW) tank wastes for final treatment by BNFL from double-shell feed tanks. Concerns about the inability of the baseline ''grab'' sampling to provide large volume samples within time constraints has led to the development of a nested, fixed-depth sampling system. This sampling system will provide large volume? representative samples without the environmental, radiation exposure, and sample volume Impacts of the current base-line ''grab'' sampling method. This preliminary Level 2 Component Specification is not a general specification for tank sampling, but is based on a ''record of decision'', AGA (HNF-SD-TWR-AGA-001 ), the System Specification for the Double Shell Tank System (HNF-SD-WM-TRD-O07), and the BNFL privatization contract

  11. Facetal distraction as treatment for single- and multilevel cervical spondylotic radiculopathy and myelopathy: a preliminary report.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Goel, Atul; Shah, Abhidha

    2011-06-01

    The authors discuss their successful preliminary experience with 36 cases of cervical spondylotic disease by performing facetal distraction using specially designed Goel cervical facet spacers. The clinical and radiological results of treatment are analyzed. The mechanism of action of the proposed spacers and the rationale for their use are evaluated. Between 2006 and February 2010, 36 patients were treated using the proposed technique. Of these patients, 18 had multilevel and 18 had single-level cervical spondylotic radiculopathy and/or myelopathy. The average follow-up period was 17 months with a minimum of 6 months. The Japanese Orthopaedic Association classification system, visual analog scale (neck pain and radiculopathy), and Odom criteria were used to monitor the clinical status of the patient. The patients were prospectively analyzed. The technique of surgery involved wide opening of the facet joints, denuding of articular cartilage, distraction of facets, and forced impaction of Goel cervical facet spacers into the articular cavity. Additionally, the interspinous process ligaments were resected, and corticocancellous bone graft from the iliac crest was placed and was stabilized over the adjoining laminae and facets after adequately preparing the host bone. Eighteen patients underwent single-level, 6 patients underwent 2-level, and 12 patients underwent 3-level treatment. The alterations in the physical architecture of spine and canal dimensions were evaluated before and after the placement of intrafacet joint spacers and after at least 6 months of follow-up. All patients had varying degrees of relief from symptoms of pain, radiculopathy, and myelopathy. Analysis of radiological features suggested that the distraction of facets with the spacers resulted in an increase in the intervertebral foraminal dimension (mean 2.2 mm), an increase in the height of the intervertebral disc space (range 0.4-1.2 mm), and an increase in the interspinous distance (mean 2

  12. Improving Indigenous access to cancer screening and treatment services: descriptive findings and a preliminary report on the Midwest Indigenous Women’s Cancer Support Group

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lisabeth D Finn

    2008-01-01

    Full Text Available BackgroundHigher cancer morbidity and mortality rates for the Indigenous population comparedto the overall Australian population has underlined the critical need to improve accessfor Aboriginal people to cancer treatment services. This paper describes anIndigenous Women’s Cancer Support Group (IWCSG established to supportIndigenous people with cancer and their carers/relatives and to facilitate Aboriginalaccess to cancer screening and treatment. Preliminary findings from an evaluation ofthe group are presented.MethodsThe study employed qualitative research methods to describe IWCSG operations andinvestigate the group’s effectiveness. It included one-on-one interviews with 11Geraldton-based health service providers, the IWCSG coordinator, and 10 womenwho have been linked to IWCSG support, as well as observation of group meetings.ResultsDescriptive outcomes relate to group operations, group effectiveness, group benefitsand future development of the group. A cultural strength of IWCSG is its ability tooperate confidentially behind the scenes, providing emotional support and practicalhelp directly to Indigenous people concerned about privacy and shame issues. Theimportant cultural role IWCSG plays in overcoming communication and othercultural barriers to accessing cancer treatment was unanimously recognised by healthservice providers. Aboriginal women supported by IWCSG spoke about an increasedsense of safety, trust and support in accessing and navigating mainstream cancerservices. A critical issue emerging from the research is the need for further development of effective collaborative working relationships between IWCSGmembers and health service providers.ConclusionsThe IWCSG has the potential to inform an effective model for facilitating Indigenousaccess both to cancer treatment and to mainstream treatment for a variety of healthproblems. Future research is required to explore the applicability of Indigenoussupport groups and to focus on the

  13. Effects of fire and three fire-fighting chemicals on main soil properties, plant nutrient content and vegetation growth and cover after 10 years.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fernández-Fernández, M; Gómez-Rey, M X; González-Prieto, S J

    2015-05-15

    The study addresses a knowledge-gap in the long-term ecological consequences of fire and fire-fighting chemicals. Ten years after a prescribed fire and the application of three fire-fighting chemicals, their effects on the soil-plant system were evaluated. Five treatments were established: unburnt soils (US) and burnt soils treated with water alone (BS), foaming agent (BS+Fo), Firesorb (BS+Fi) and ammonium polyphosphate (BS+Ap). Soils (0-2 cm depth) and foliar material of shrubs (Erica umbellata, Pterospartum tridentatum and Ulex micranthus) and trees (Pinus pinaster) were analysed for total N, δ(15)N, and soil-available and plant total macronutrients and trace elements. Soil pH, NH₄(+)-N and NO₃(-)-N; pine basal diameter and height; and shrub cover and height were also measured. Compared with US plots, burnt soils had less nitrates and more Mo. Although differences were not always significant, BS+Ap had the highest levels of soil available P, Na and Al. Plants from BS+Ap plots had higher values of δ(15)N (P. pinaster and E. umbellata), P (all species), Na (P. tridentatum and U. micranthus) and Mg (E. umbellata and P. tridentatum) than other treatments; while K in plants from BS+Ap plots was the highest among treatments for P. pinaster and the lowest for the shrubs. Pines in US plots were higher and wider than in burnt treatments, except for BS+Ap, where the tallest and widest trees were found, although half of them were either dead (the second highest mortality after BS+Fi) or had a distorted trunk. BS+Ap was the treatment with strongest effects on plants, showing E. umbellata the lowest coverage and height, P. tridentatum the highest coverage, U. micranthus one of the lowest coverages and being the only treatment where Genista triacanthos was absent. Consequently, it is concluded that both fire and ammonium polyphosphate application had significant effects on the soil-plant system after 10 years. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  14. Helical tomotherapy in the treatment of pediatric malignancies: a preliminary report of feasibility and acute toxicity

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Beltrán César

    2011-08-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Radiation therapy plays a central role in the management of many childhood malignancies and Helical Tomotherapy (HT provides potential to decrease toxicity by limiting the radiation dose to normal structures. The aim of this article was to report preliminary results of our clinical experience with HT in pediatric malignancies. Methods In this study 66 consecutive patients younger than 14 years old, treated with HT at our center between January 2006 and April 2010, have been included. We performed statistical analyses to assess the relationship between acute toxicity, graded according to the RTOG criteria, and several clinical and treatment characteristics such as a dose and irradiation volume. Results The median age of patients was 5 years. The most common tumor sites were: central nervous system (57%, abdomen (17% and thorax (6%. The most prevalent histological types were: medulloblastoma (16 patients, neuroblastoma (9 patients and rhabdomyosarcoma (7 patients. A total of 52 patients were treated for primary disease and 14 patients were treated for recurrent tumors. The majority of the patients (72% were previously treated with chemotherapy. The median prescribed dose was 51 Gy (range 10-70 Gy. In 81% of cases grade 1 or 2 acute toxicity was observed. There were 11 cases (16,6% of grade 3 hematological toxicity, two cases of grade 3 skin toxicity and one case of grade 3 emesis. Nine patients (13,6% had grade 4 hematological toxicity. There were no cases of grade 4 non-hematological toxicities. On the univariate analysis, total dose and craniospinal irradiation (24 cases were significantly associated with severe toxicity (grade 3 or more, whereas age and chemotherapy were not. On the multivariate analysis, craniospinal irradiation was the only significant independent risk factor for grade 3-4 toxicity. Conclusion HT in pediatric population is feasible and safe treatment modality. It is characterized by an acceptable level of

  15. Helical tomotherapy in the treatment of pediatric malignancies: a preliminary report of feasibility and acute toxicity

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mesbah, Latifa; Marsiglia, Hugo; Matute, Raúl; Usychkin, Sergey; Marrone, Immacolata; Puebla, Fernando; Mínguez, Cristina; García, Rafael; García, Graciela; Beltrán, César

    2011-01-01

    Radiation therapy plays a central role in the management of many childhood malignancies and Helical Tomotherapy (HT) provides potential to decrease toxicity by limiting the radiation dose to normal structures. The aim of this article was to report preliminary results of our clinical experience with HT in pediatric malignancies. In this study 66 consecutive patients younger than 14 years old, treated with HT at our center between January 2006 and April 2010, have been included. We performed statistical analyses to assess the relationship between acute toxicity, graded according to the RTOG criteria, and several clinical and treatment characteristics such as a dose and irradiation volume. The median age of patients was 5 years. The most common tumor sites were: central nervous system (57%), abdomen (17%) and thorax (6%). The most prevalent histological types were: medulloblastoma (16 patients), neuroblastoma (9 patients) and rhabdomyosarcoma (7 patients). A total of 52 patients were treated for primary disease and 14 patients were treated for recurrent tumors. The majority of the patients (72%) were previously treated with chemotherapy. The median prescribed dose was 51 Gy (range 10-70 Gy). In 81% of cases grade 1 or 2 acute toxicity was observed. There were 11 cases (16,6%) of grade 3 hematological toxicity, two cases of grade 3 skin toxicity and one case of grade 3 emesis. Nine patients (13,6%) had grade 4 hematological toxicity. There were no cases of grade 4 non-hematological toxicities. On the univariate analysis, total dose and craniospinal irradiation (24 cases) were significantly associated with severe toxicity (grade 3 or more), whereas age and chemotherapy were not. On the multivariate analysis, craniospinal irradiation was the only significant independent risk factor for grade 3-4 toxicity. HT in pediatric population is feasible and safe treatment modality. It is characterized by an acceptable level of acute toxicity that we have seen in this highly

  16. Predicting methylphenidate response in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: a preliminary study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Johnston, Blair A; Coghill, David; Matthews, Keith; Steele, J Douglas

    2015-01-01

    Methylphenidate (MPH) is established as the main pharmacological treatment for patients with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Whilst MPH is generally a highly effective treatment, not all patients respond, and some experience adverse reactions. Currently, there is no reliable method to predict how patients will respond, other than by exposure to a trial of medication. In this preliminary study, we sought to investigate whether an accurate predictor of clinical response to methylphenidate could be developed for individual patients, using sociodemographic, clinical and neuropsychological measures. Of the 43 boys with ADHD included in this proof-of-concept study, 30 were classed as responders and 13 as non-responders to MPH, with no significant differences in age nor verbal intelligence quotient (IQ) between the groups. Here we report the application of a multivariate analysis approach to the prediction of clinical response to MPH, which achieved an accuracy of 77% (p = 0.005). The most important variables to the classifier were performance on a 'go/no go' task and comorbid conduct disorder. This preliminary study suggested that further investigation is merited. Achieving a highly significant accuracy of 77% for the prediction of MPH response is an encouraging step towards finding a reliable and clinically useful method that could minimise the number of children needlessly being exposed to MPH. © The Author(s) 2014.

  17. 32 CFR 644.30 - Preliminary real estate work.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... 32 National Defense 4 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 true Preliminary real estate work. 644.30 Section 644... PROPERTY REAL ESTATE HANDBOOK Project Planning Military (army and Air Force) and Other Federal Agencies § 644.30 Preliminary real estate work. (a) Preliminary real estate work is defined as that action taken...

  18. Time domain simulations of preliminary breakdown pulses in natural lightning.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Carlson, B E; Liang, C; Bitzer, P; Christian, H

    2015-06-16

    Lightning discharge is a complicated process with relevant physical scales spanning many orders of magnitude. In an effort to understand the electrodynamics of lightning and connect physical properties of the channel to observed behavior, we construct a simulation of charge and current flow on a narrow conducting channel embedded in three-dimensional space with the time domain electric field integral equation, the method of moments, and the thin-wire approximation. The method includes approximate treatment of resistance evolution due to lightning channel heating and the corona sheath of charge surrounding the lightning channel. Focusing our attention on preliminary breakdown in natural lightning by simulating stepwise channel extension with a simplified geometry, our simulation reproduces the broad features observed in data collected with the Huntsville Alabama Marx Meter Array. Some deviations in pulse shape details are evident, suggesting future work focusing on the detailed properties of the stepping mechanism. Preliminary breakdown pulses can be reproduced by simulated channel extension Channel heating and corona sheath formation are crucial to proper pulse shape Extension processes and channel orientation significantly affect observations.

  19. Process development for elemental recovery from PGM tailings by thermochemical treatment: Preliminary major element extraction studies using ammonium sulphate as extracting agent.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mohamed, Sameera; van der Merwe, Elizabet M; Altermann, Wladyslaw; Doucet, Frédéric J

    2016-04-01

    Mine tailings can represent untapped secondary resources of non-ferrous, ferrous, precious, rare and trace metals. Continuous research is conducted to identify opportunities for the utilisation of these materials. This preliminary study investigated the possibility of extracting major elements from South African tailings associated with the mining of Platinum Group Metals (PGM) at the Two Rivers mine operations. These PGM tailings typically contain four major elements (11% Al2O3; 12% MgO; 22% Fe2O3; 34% Cr2O3), with lesser amounts of SiO2 (18%) and CaO (2%). Extraction was achieved via thermochemical treatment followed by aqueous dissolution, as an alternative to conventional hydrometallurgical processes. The thermochemical treatment step used ammonium sulphate, a widely available, low-cost, recyclable chemical agent. Quantification of the efficiency of the thermochemical process required the development and optimisation of the dissolution technique. Dissolution in water promoted the formation of secondary iron precipitates, which could be prevented by leaching thermochemically-treated tailings in 0.6M HNO3 solution. The best extraction efficiencies were achieved for aluminium (ca. 60%) and calcium (ca. 80%). 35% iron and 32% silicon were also extracted, alongside chromium (27%) and magnesium (25%). Thermochemical treatment using ammonium sulphate may therefore represent a promising technology for extracting valuable elements from PGM tailings, which could be subsequently converted to value-added products. However, it is not element-selective, and major elements were found to compete with the reagent to form water-soluble sulphate-metal species. Further development of this integrated process, which aims at achieving the full potential of utilisation of PGM tailings, is currently underway. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  20. Prescribed Burning and Clear-Cutting Effects on Understory Vegetation in a Pinus canariensis Stand (Gran Canaria

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    José Ramón Arévalo

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Prescribed fires are a powerful tool for reducing fire hazards by decreasing amounts of fuel. The main objective is to analyze the effects of prescribed burning on the understory vegetation composition as well as on the soil characteristics of a reforested stand of Pinus canariensis. The study attempts to identify the effects of the preburning treatment of cutting understory vegetation on the floristic parameters of the vegetation community. This study was carried out for two years following a prescribed fire in a Canarian pine stand. Cutting and burning treatment affected species composition and increased diversity. Burnt and cut plots were characterized by a diverse array of herbaceous species and by a lower abundance of Teline microphylla (endemic legume, although burning apparently induced its germination. Cut treatment was more consistently differentiated from the control plots than burnt treatment. Soil K decreased after both treatments, pH slightly decreased after cutting, while P and Ca increased after fire. From an ecological point of view, prescribed burning is a better management practice than cutting the woody species of the understory. However, long-term studies would be necessary to evaluate the effects of fire intensity, season and frequency in which the prescribed burning is applied.

  1. Prescribed burning and clear-cutting effects on understory vegetation in a Pinus canariensis stand (Gran Canaria).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Arévalo, José Ramón; Fernández-Lugo, Silvia; García-Domínguez, Celia; Naranjo-Cigala, Agustín; Grillo, Federico; Calvo, Leonor

    2014-01-01

    Prescribed fires are a powerful tool for reducing fire hazards by decreasing amounts of fuel. The main objective is to analyze the effects of prescribed burning on the understory vegetation composition as well as on the soil characteristics of a reforested stand of Pinus canariensis. The study attempts to identify the effects of the preburning treatment of cutting understory vegetation on the floristic parameters of the vegetation community. This study was carried out for two years following a prescribed fire in a Canarian pine stand. Cutting and burning treatment affected species composition and increased diversity. Burnt and cut plots were characterized by a diverse array of herbaceous species and by a lower abundance of Teline microphylla (endemic legume), although burning apparently induced its germination. Cut treatment was more consistently differentiated from the control plots than burnt treatment. Soil K decreased after both treatments, pH slightly decreased after cutting, while P and Ca increased after fire. From an ecological point of view, prescribed burning is a better management practice than cutting the woody species of the understory. However, long-term studies would be necessary to evaluate the effects of fire intensity, season and frequency in which the prescribed burning is applied.

  2. Thermal treatment of historical radioactive solid and liquid waste into the CILVA incinerator

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Deckers, Jan; Mols, Ludo

    2007-01-01

    Since the very beginning of the nuclear activities in Belgium, the incineration of radioactive waste was chosen as a suitable technique for achieving an optimal volume reduction of the produced waste quantities. Based on the 35 years experience gained by the operation of the old incinerator, a new industrial incineration plant started nuclear operation in May 1995, as a part of the Belgian Centralized Treatment/Conditioning Facility named CILVA. Up to the end of 2006, the CILVA incinerator has burnt 1660 tonne of solid waste and 419 tonne of liquid waste. This paper describes the type and allowable radioactivity of the waste, the incineration process, heat recovery and the air pollution control devices. Special attention is given to the treatment of several hundreds of tonne historical waste from former reprocessing activities such as alpha suspected solid waste, aqueous and organic liquid waste and spent ion exchange resins. The capacity, volume reduction, chemical and radiological emissions are also evaluated. BELGOPROCESS, a company set up in 1984 at Dessel (Belgium) where a number of nuclear facilities were already installed is specialized in the processing of radioactive waste. It is a subsidiary of ONDRAF/NIRAS, the Belgian Nuclear Waste Management Agency. According to its mission statement, the activities of BELGOPROCESS focus on three areas: treatment, conditioning and interim storage of radioactive waste; decommissioning of shut-down nuclear facilities and cleaning of contaminated buildings and land; operating of storage sites for conditioned radioactive waste. (authors)

  3. Laryngeal electromyography in movement disorders: preliminary data

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kimaid Paulo A.T.

    2004-01-01

    Full Text Available This study describes preliminary laryngeal electromyography (LEMG data and botulinum toxin treatment in patients with dysphonia due to movement disorders. Twenty-five patients who had been clinically selected for botulinum toxin administration were examined, 19 with suspected laryngeal dystonia or spasmodic dysphonia (SD, 5 with vocal tremor, and 1 with Gilles de la Tourette syndrome (GTS. LEMG evaluations were performed before botulinum toxin administration using monopolar electrodes. Electromyography was consistent with dystonia in 14 patients and normal in 5, and differences in frequency suggesting essential tremor in 3 and Parkinson tremors in 2. The different LEMG patterns and significant improvement in our patients from botulinum toxin therapy has led us to perform laryngeal electromyography as a routine in UNICAMP movement disorders ambulatory.

  4. Capability of microalgae for local saline sewage treatment towards biodiesel production

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wu, K.-C.; Yau, Y.-H.; Ho, K.-C.

    2017-08-01

    Seawater flushing was introduced in Hong Kong since 1950’s. High salinity has an inhibitory effect on nitrification and biological phosphorus uptake of microorganisms. Therefore, saline sewage has impact on traditional biological wastewater treatment. Saline conditions of domestic wastewater then pose opportunity to use algal technology in wastewater treatment. During the treatment (phycoremediation), biodiesel can be produced. This study aims to give an in-depth investigation and development on application of local microalgal strains on biodiesel production. Dunaliella tertiolecta was selected the appropriate algal species with high potential for phycoremediation then biodiesel production. D.tertiolecta was further investigated by optimizing its growth in different process condition in preliminary effluent as based medium. The optimized process condition were acclimated culture with medium initial cell number (5.0 ×105 cells mL-1), under 5% CO2 aerations in preliminary effluent adjust to 15 psu (denoting practical salinity unit). Results showed that lipid content increased from 30.2% to 42%, and biomass productivity reached 463.3 mg L-1day-1 by Fatty acid Methyl Ester (FAME) profile was found for biodiesel production in optimized stage. The treatment period of preliminary effluent was shortened from 15d in original design (unacclimated culture, low initial cell number (5.0 ×105 cells mL-1), without CO2 aeration) to 4d.

  5. Plutonium Immobilization Can Loading Preliminary Specifications

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kriikku, E.

    1998-11-25

    This report discusses the Plutonium Immobilization can loading preliminary equipment specifications and includes a process block diagram, process description, equipment list, preliminary equipment specifications, plan and elevation sketches, and some commercial catalogs. This report identifies loading pucks into cans and backfilling cans with helium as the top priority can loading development areas.

  6. A preliminary placebo-controlled crossover trial of fludrocortisone for chronic fatigue syndrome.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Peterson, P K; Pheley, A; Schroeppel, J; Schenck, C; Marshall, P; Kind, A; Haugland, J M; Lambrecht, L J; Swan, S; Goldsmith, S

    1998-04-27

    To provide a preliminary assessment of the efficacy and safety of fludrocortisone acetate treatment of chronic fatigue syndrome. A placebo-controlled, double-blind, random-allocation crossover trial of 6 weeks of fludrocortisone. An outpatient clinical trials unit. Twenty-five participants with chronic fatigue syndrome (mean age, 40 years; 19 [76%] women; mean duration of illness, 7.0 years) were recruited from a research and clinic registry. Five patients withdrew from the trial. All participants were scheduled to receive fludrocortisone acetate (0.1-0.2 mg) or a placebo for 6 weeks in each treatment. Self-administered questionnaires were completed at the beginning and end of each treatment arm that asked patients to rate the severity of their symptoms on a visual analogue scale. The Medical Outcomes Study 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey, a reaction time test, and a treadmill exercise test were used to assess functional status. Blood pressure, heart rate, and plasma norepinephrine levels were obtained at baseline. Blood pressure and heart rate were recorded at the end of the exercise test and monitored at all subsequent visits. At baseline, the study participants reported symptom severity greater than 5 for most symptoms, and all had evidence of marked functional impairments. No improvement was observed in the severity of any symptom or in any test of function for the 20 participants who completed both arms of the trial. Blood pressure and heart rate readings were unaffected by treatment, and plasma norepinephrine levels did not differ from those of a healthy control group. The incidence of adverse experiences was similar in the fludrocortisone and placebo arms of the trial. Low-dose fludrocortisone does not provide sufficient benefit to be evident in a preliminary blinded trial of unselected patients with chronic fatigue syndrome.

  7. Freshly induced short-lived gamma-ray activity as a measure of fission rates in lightly re-irradiated spent fuel

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kroehnert, H., E-mail: hanna.kroehnert@psi.c [Paul Scherrer Institut (PSI), OPRA-E07, CH-5232 Villigen (Switzerland); Perret, G., E-mail: gregory.perret@psi.c [Paul Scherrer Institut (PSI), OPRA-E07, CH-5232 Villigen (Switzerland); Murphy, M.F., E-mail: mike.murphy@psi.c [Paul Scherrer Institut (PSI), OPRA-E07, CH-5232 Villigen (Switzerland); Chawla, R., E-mail: rakesh.chawla@epfl.c [Paul Scherrer Institut (PSI), OPRA-E07, CH-5232 Villigen (Switzerland); Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne (EPFL), CH-1015 Lausanne (Switzerland)

    2010-12-01

    A new measurement technique has been developed to determine fission rates in burnt fuel, following re-irradiation in a zero-power research reactor. The development has been made in the frame of the LIFE-PROTEUS program at the Paul Scherrer Institute, which aims at characterizing the interfaces between fresh and highly burnt fuel assemblies in modern LWRs. To discriminate against the high intrinsic gamma-ray activity of the burnt fuel, the proposed measurement technique uses high-energy gamma-rays, above 2000 keV, emitted by short-lived fission products freshly produced in the fuel. To demonstrate the feasibility of this technique, a fresh UO{sub 2} sample and a 36 GWd/t burnt UO{sub 2} sample were irradiated in the PROTEUS reactor and their gamma-ray activities were recorded directly after irradiation. For both fresh and the burnt fuel samples, relative fission rates were derived for different core positions, based on the short-lived {sup 142}La (2542 keV), {sup 89}Rb (2570 keV), {sup 138}Cs (2640 keV) and {sup 95}Y (3576 keV) gamma-ray lines. Uncertainties on the inter-position fission rate ratios were mainly due to the uncertainties on the net-area of the gamma-ray peaks and were about 1-3% for the fresh sample, and 3-6% for the burnt one. Thus, for the first time, it has been shown that the short-lived gamma-ray activity, induced in burnt fuel by irradiation in a zero-power reactor, can be used as a quantitative measure of the fission rate. For both fresh and burnt fuel, the measured results agreed, within the uncertainties, with Monte Carlo (MCNPX) predictions.

  8. Neurofeedback treatment in autism. Preliminary findings in behavioral, cognitive, and neurophysiological functioning.

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Kouijzer, M.E.J.; Schie, H.T. van; Moor, J.M.H. de; Gerrits, B.J.L.; Buitelaar, J.K.

    2011-01-01

    Effects of neurofeedback treatment were investigated in children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Sixty percent of the participants in the treatment group successfully reduced excessive theta power during neurofeedback treatment. Reduction of theta power was confirmed by pre- and post-QEEG

  9. Neurofeedback treatment in autism. Preliminary findings in behavioral, cognitive, and neurophysiological functioning

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Kouijzer, M.E.J.; Schie, H.T. van; Moor, J.M.H. de; Gerrits, B.J.L.; Buitelaar, J.K.

    2010-01-01

    Effects of neurofeedback treatment were investigated in children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Sixty percent of the participants in the treatment group successfully reduced excessive theta power during neurofeedback treatment. Reduction of theta power was confirmed by pre- and post-QEEG

  10. Hydrogen Gas Retention and Release from WTP Vessels: Summary of Preliminary Studies

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Gauglitz, Phillip A. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Bontha, Jagannadha R. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Daniel, Richard C. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Mahoney, Lenna A. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Rassat, Scot D. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Wells, Beric E. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Bao, Jie [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Boeringa, Gregory K. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Buchmiller, William C. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Burns, Carolyn A. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Chun, Jaehun [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Karri, Naveen K. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Li, Huidong [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Tran, Diana N. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)

    2015-07-01

    The Hanford Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant (WTP) is currently being designed and constructed to pretreat and vitrify a large portion of the waste in the 177 underground waste storage tanks at the Hanford Site. A number of technical issues related to the design of the pretreatment facility (PTF) of the WTP have been identified. These issues must be resolved prior to the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of River Protection (ORP) reaching a decision to proceed with engineering, procurement, and construction activities for the PTF. One of the issues is Technical Issue T1 - Hydrogen Gas Release from Vessels (hereafter referred to as T1). The focus of T1 is identifying controls for hydrogen release and completing any testing required to close the technical issue. In advance of selecting specific controls for hydrogen gas safety, a number of preliminary technical studies were initiated to support anticipated future testing and to improve the understanding of hydrogen gas generation, retention, and release within PTF vessels. These activities supported the development of a plan defining an overall strategy and approach for addressing T1 and achieving technical endpoints identified for T1. Preliminary studies also supported the development of a test plan for conducting testing and analysis to support closing T1. Both of these plans were developed in advance of selecting specific controls, and in the course of working on T1 it was decided that the testing and analysis identified in the test plan were not immediately needed. However, planning activities and preliminary studies led to significant technical progress in a number of areas. This report summarizes the progress to date from the preliminary technical studies. The technical results in this report should not be used for WTP design or safety and hazards analyses and technical results are marked with the following statement: “Preliminary Technical Results for Planning – Not to be used for WTP Design

  11. Neurofeedback Treatment in Autism. Preliminary Findings in Behavioral, Cognitive, and Neurophysiological Functioning

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kouijzer, Mirjam E. J.; van Schie, Hein T.; de Moor, Jan M. H.; Gerrits, Berrie J. L.; Buitelaar, Jan K.

    2010-01-01

    Effects of neurofeedback treatment were investigated in children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Sixty percent of the participants in the treatment group successfully reduced excessive theta power during neurofeedback treatment. Reduction of theta power was confirmed by pre- and post-QEEG measures. Parents of participants in the…

  12. Analysis of the burnup of the control rods with the COREMASTER-Presto code; Analisis del quemado de barras de control con el codigo COREMASTER-PRESTO

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hernandez, J.L.; Alonso, G.; Perusquia, R.; Montes, J.L.; Hernandez, H. [ININ, 52045 Ocoyoacac, Estado de Mexico (Mexico)]. e-mail: jlhm@nuclear.inin-mx

    2003-07-01

    An evaluation of the capacity of the COREMASTER-Presto code, to evaluate generically the burnt of the control bars in the Laguna Verde reactors plant (CLV) is made. It was found that the code only reports burnt values of the control rods in MWD/TM, in spite of having with a second order polynomial model, for the conversion to remainder of the Boron-10 (B-10). It was observed that said model is adequate only for burnt smaller to 45,000 MWD/TM. To evaluate the burnt of the control rods it was reproduced the balance cycle of 18 months for the CLV, executing Cm-Presto during 13 consecutive cycles. First without rod burnt, taking this as the base case. Later on, cases with 1, 2 and up to 13 cycles with rod burnt were generated. When comparing results it was observed that the control rods pattern it loses reactivity lineally with the burnt one. By each 10 G Wd/T of burnt of the nucleus it is decreased the reactivity of the pattern rods {approx} 1 pcm in hot condition and of {approx} 20 pcm in cold condition. When burning three cycles those rods more burnt reached the 13,900 MWD/TM, equivalent to 36% of B-10 reduction, near value to 34% proposed by aging in the one lost study of B-10. It was observed that Cm-Presto it doesn't burn the superior node of the control rods when these are completely extracted. A one big lost of B-10, of the order of 50%, it represents only a decrease of 11% of the reactivity value of the rod. One can affirm that even when it is strongly decreased the content of B-10, the rod is continue considering as a black absorber, that is to say, thermal neutron that enters in the neutron rod that is absorbed. (Author)

  13. Analysis of the burnup of the control rods with the COREMASTER-Presto code

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hernandez, J.L.; Alonso, G.; Perusquia, R.; Montes, J.L.; Hernandez, H.

    2003-01-01

    An evaluation of the capacity of the COREMASTER-Presto code, to evaluate generically the burnt of the control bars in the Laguna Verde reactors plant (CLV) is made. It was found that the code only reports burnt values of the control rods in MWD/TM, in spite of having with a second order polynomial model, for the conversion to remainder of the Boron-10 (B-10). It was observed that said model is adequate only for burnt smaller to 45,000 MWD/TM. To evaluate the burnt of the control rods it was reproduced the balance cycle of 18 months for the CLV, executing Cm-Presto during 13 consecutive cycles. First without rod burnt, taking this as the base case. Later on, cases with 1, 2 and up to 13 cycles with rod burnt were generated. When comparing results it was observed that the control rods pattern it loses reactivity lineally with the burnt one. By each 10 G Wd/T of burnt of the nucleus it is decreased the reactivity of the pattern rods ∼ 1 pcm in hot condition and of ∼ 20 pcm in cold condition. When burning three cycles those rods more burnt reached the 13,900 MWD/TM, equivalent to 36% of B-10 reduction, near value to 34% proposed by aging in the one lost study of B-10. It was observed that Cm-Presto it doesn't burn the superior node of the control rods when these are completely extracted. A one big lost of B-10, of the order of 50%, it represents only a decrease of 11% of the reactivity value of the rod. One can affirm that even when it is strongly decreased the content of B-10, the rod is continue considering as a black absorber, that is to say, thermal neutron that enters in the neutron rod that is absorbed. (Author)

  14. Exploratory shaft facility preliminary designs - Gulf Interior Region salt domes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1983-09-01

    The purpose of the Preliminary Design Report, Gulf Interior Region, is to provide a description of the preliminary design for an Exploratory Shaft Facility on the Richton Dome, Mississippi. This issue of the report describes the preliminary design for constructing the exploratory shaft using the Large Hole Drilling method of construction and outlines the preliminary design and estimates of probable construction cost. The Preliminary Design Report is prepared to complement and summarize other documents that comprise the design at the preliminary stage of completion, December 1982. Other design documents include drawings, cost estimates and schedules. The preliminary design drawing package, which includes the construction schedule drawing, depicts the descriptions in this report. For reference, a list of the drawing titles and corresponding numbers are included in the Appendix. The report is divided into three principal sections: Design Basis, Facility Description and Construction Cost Estimate

  15. Profiles of Juvenile Male Incest Perpetrators: Preliminary Treatment Implications.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nanjundappa, G.; And Others

    1987-01-01

    Evaluated the effects on participants' self-image of sexual offenses they had committed. Subjects (N=6) were male adolescents convicted of child molestation in a residential treatment and care facility. Results suggested subjects (who were themselves victims of family violence) perceived an above average self-image and handled their problems by…

  16. Effects of an accidental dry-season fire on the reproductive phenology of two Neotropical savanna shrubs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dodonov, P; Zanelli, C B; Silva-Matos, D M

    2017-10-30

    Fire is a recurrent disturbance in savanna vegetation and savanna species are adapted to it. Even so, fire may affect various aspects of plant ecology, including phenology. We studied the effects of a spatially heterogeneous fire on the reproductive phenology of two dominant woody plant species, Miconia albicans (Melastomataceae) and Schefflera vinosa (Araliaceae), in a savanna area in South-eastern Brazil. The study site was partially burnt by a dry-season accidental fire in August 2006, and we monitored the phenolology of 30 burnt and 30 unburnt individuals of each species between September 2007 and September 2008. We used restricted randomizations to assess phenological differences between the burnt and unburnt individuals. Fire had negative effects on the phenology of M. albicans, with a smaller production of reproductive structures in general and of floral buds, total fruits, and ripe fruits in burnt plants. All unburnt but only 16% of the burnt M. albicans plants produced ripe fruits during the study. Fire effects on S. vinosa were smaller, but there was a greater production of floral buds and fruits (but not ripe fruits) by burnt plants; approximately 90% of the individuals of S. vinosa produced ripe fruits during the study, regardless of having been burnt or not. The differences between the two species may be related to S. vinosa's faster growth and absence from the seed bank at the study site, whereas M. albicans grows more slowly and is dominant in the seed bank.

  17. A preliminary pilot randomized crossover study of uzara (Xysmalobium undulatum versus ibuprofen in the treatment of primary dysmenorrhea.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Karim H I Abd-El-Maeboud

    Full Text Available Preliminary evaluation of efficacy and safety of uzara use in treatment of moderate and severe primary dysmenorrhea in comparison to ibuprofen.This randomized, comparative two way cross-over study comprised 60 single female students at Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University, Egypt, aged 19-28 years with moderate (n = 46 or severe (n = 14 primary dysmenorrhea. Participants were randomized to take either uzara (80 mg/8 hours for two doses, then 40 mg/8 hours then ibuprofen (400 mg/6 hours in two subsequent cycles or vice versa. The pain intensity, using VAS, was recorded immediately before taking the medication (0 hour and after 4, 12, 24, 48-60, 96-120 hours. Main outcome measures included effectiveness of pain relief defined as drop of VAS to 3 or less, patient's global evaluation of the drug, absence from school, the use of a rescue medication, and, in those who continued the treatment, the pain intensity difference (PID at different points after start of medication and its sum (SPID.Uzara was comparably effective to ibuprofen (78.3% vs. 86.7% of cycles; respectively, with comparable rates of effectiveness on global evaluation (being around 50% for either drug, and rates of school absences (11.7% vs. 13.3%; respectively. The need for rescue medication was different (18.3% and 10%; respectively, albeit with no statistical significance. The means of PID at different time points and SPID were comparable, with significantly lower average mean of VAS scores compared to that felt with no medication (1.6 vs. 6.8, p<0.001. Side effects were less with uzara than ibuprofen (0% vs. 8.3%, p<0.05.Uzara might be as effective as ibuprofen in management of primary dysmenorrhea but with less side effects. These findings need to be confirmed by a properly designed trial with a larger sample size.Current Controlled Trials ISRCTN25618258.

  18. Estimation of tumour dose enhancement due to gold nanoparticles during typical radiation treatments: a preliminary Monte Carlo study

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cho, S H

    2005-01-01

    A recent mice study demonstrated that gold nanoparticles could be safely administered and used to enhance the tumour dose during radiation therapy. The use of gold nanoparticles seems more promising than earlier methods because of the high atomic number of gold and because nanoparticles can more easily penetrate the tumour vasculature. However, to date, possible dose enhancement due to the use of gold nanoparticles has not been well quantified, especially for common radiation treatment situations. Therefore, the current preliminary study estimated this dose enhancement by Monte Carlo calculations for several phantom test cases representing radiation treatments with the following modalities: 140 kVp x-rays, 4 and 6 MV photon beams, and 192 Ir gamma rays. The current study considered three levels of gold concentration within the tumour, two of which are based on the aforementioned mice study, and assumed either no gold or a single gold concentration level outside the tumour. The dose enhancement over the tumour volume considered for the 140 kVp x-ray case can be at least a factor of 2 at an achievable gold concentration of 7 mg Au/g tumour assuming no gold outside the tumour. The tumour dose enhancement for the cases involving the 4 and 6 MV photon beams based on the same assumption ranged from about 1% to 7%, depending on the amount of gold within the tumour and photon beam qualities. For the 192 Ir cases, the dose enhancement within the tumour region ranged from 5% to 31%, depending on radial distance and gold concentration level within the tumour. For the 7 mg Au/g tumour cases, the loading of gold into surrounding normal tissue at 2 mg Au/g resulted in an increase in the normal tissue dose, up to 30%, negligible, and about 2% for the 140 kVp x-rays, 6 MV photon beam, and 192 Ir gamma rays, respectively, while the magnitude of dose enhancement within the tumour was essentially unchanged. (note)

  19. A Preliminary Outcome Study of an Outpatient Treatment Program for Gamblers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Blackman, Sheldon; And Others

    The Gamblers Treatment Clinic (GTC) opened in 1982 as a New York State Office of Mental Health Demonstration Program. The basic premise of the GTC is that excessive gambling is a disorder of impulse control. Treatment, conducted in the community in a time-limited fashion, attempts to uncover the underlying dynamics that precipitate disorders of…

  20. Preliminary clinical trial with a new hypotensive, guanabenz, in a group of hypertensive patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    De Ridder, J H; Marchandise, P

    1980-01-01

    In a small preliminary clinical trial of guanabenz in 16 hypertensives also under treatment with diuretics (hydrochlorothiazide and amiloride), blood pressure was safely and completely controlled in 10 (64%), the criterion for "control" being a reduction to the strict level specified by the Society of Actuaries (130/85 m lambda Hg). The dosage of guanabenz was adjusted upward from 16 mg/day until blood pressure normalized or side effects intervened. The 16 patients accumulated 97 months of guanabenz treatment. The 6 unsuccessful cases included only 2 outright therapeutic failures; the other 4 patients discontinued treatment for various reasons: dry mouth and nausea (with good blood pressure reduction); aggravation of existing depression; or generalized urticaria. The fourth patient discontinued for reasons unknown.

  1. New large solar photocatalytic plant: set-up and preliminary results.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Malato, S; Blanco, J; Vidal, A; Fernández, P; Cáceres, J; Trincado, P; Oliveira, J C; Vincent, M

    2002-04-01

    A European industrial consortium called SOLARDETOX has been created as the result of an EC-DGXII BRITE-EURAM-III-financed project on solar photocatalytic detoxification of water. The project objective was to develop a simple, efficient and commercially competitive water-treatment technology, based on compound parabolic collectors (CPCs) solar collectors and TiO2 photocatalysis, to make possible easy design and installation. The design, set-up and preliminary results of the main project deliverable, the first European industrial solar detoxification treatment plant, is presented. This plant has been designed for the batch treatment of 2 m3 of water with a 100 m2 collector-aperture area and aqueous aerated suspensions of polycrystalline TiO2 irradiated by sunlight. Fully automatic control reduces operation and maintenance manpower. Plant behaviour has been compared (using dichloroacetic acid and cyanide at 50 mg l(-1) initial concentration as model compounds) with the small CPC pilot plants installed at the Plataforma Solar de Almería several years ago. The first results with high-content cyanide (1 g l(-1)) waste water are presented and plant treatment capacity is calculated.

  2. Some aspects of the processing development for uranium ores treatment

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bruno, J.B.

    1982-01-01

    It is discussed the methodology adopted by NUCLEBRAS to the processing development for uranium ores treatment. The used methodology has the following steps: exploratories studies, preliminaries stiudies and optimization studies. The studies include physical and chemical contained in the solution. As examples are cited the uranium ores treatment in Lagoa Real and Itataia. (A.B.) [pt

  3. TU-CD-304-03: Dosimetric Verification and Preliminary Comparison of Dynamic Wave Arc for SBRT Treatments

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Burghelea, M [UZ BRUSSEL, Brussels (Belgium); BRAINLAB AG, Munich (Germany); Babes Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca (Romania); Poels, K; Gevaert, T; Tournel, K; Dhont, J; De Ridder, M; Verellen, D [UZ BRUSSEL, Brussels (Belgium); Hung, C [BRAINLAB AG, Munich (Germany); Eriksson, K [RAYSEARCH LABORATORIES AB, Stockholm (Sweden); Simon, V [Babes Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca (Romania)

    2015-06-15

    Purpose: To evaluate the potential dosimetric benefits and verify the delivery accuracy of Dynamic Wave Arc, a novel treatment delivery approach for the Vero SBRT system. Methods: Dynamic Wave Arc (DWA) combines simultaneous movement of gantry/ring with inverse planning optimization, resulting in an uninterrupted non-coplanar arc delivery technique. Thirteen SBRT complex cases previously treated with 8–10 conformal static beams (CRT) were evaluated in this study. Eight primary centrally-located NSCLC (prescription dose 4×12Gy or 8×7.5Gy) and five oligometastatic cases (2×2 lesions, 10×5Gy) were selected. DWA and coplanar VMAT plans, partially with dual arcs, were generated for each patient using identical objective functions for target volumes and OARs on the same TPS (RayStation, RaySearch Laboratories). Dosimetric differences and delivery time among these three planning schemes were evaluated. The DWA delivery accuracy was assessed using the Delta4 diode array phantom (ScandiDos AB). The gamma analysis was performed with the 3%/3mm dose and distance-to-agreement criteria. Results: The target conformity for CRT, VMAT and DWA were 0.95±0.07, 0.96±0.04 and 0.97±0.04, while the low dose spillage gradient were 5.52±1.36, 5.44±1.11, and 5.09±0.98 respectively. Overall, the bronchus, esophagus and spinal cord maximum doses were similar between VMAT and DWA, but highly reduced compared with CRT. For the lung cases, the mean dose and V20Gy were lower for the arc techniques compares with CRT, while for the liver cases, the mean dose and the V30Gy presented slightly higher values. The average delivery time of VMAT and DWA were 2.46±1.10 min and 4.25±1.67 min, VMAT presenting shorter treatment time in all cases. The DWA dosimetric verification presented an average gamma index passing rate of 95.73±1.54% (range 94.2%–99.8%). Conclusion: Our preliminary data indicated that the DWA is deliverable with clinically acceptable accuracy and has the potential to

  4. TU-CD-304-03: Dosimetric Verification and Preliminary Comparison of Dynamic Wave Arc for SBRT Treatments

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Burghelea, M; Poels, K; Gevaert, T; Tournel, K; Dhont, J; De Ridder, M; Verellen, D; Hung, C; Eriksson, K; Simon, V

    2015-01-01

    Purpose: To evaluate the potential dosimetric benefits and verify the delivery accuracy of Dynamic Wave Arc, a novel treatment delivery approach for the Vero SBRT system. Methods: Dynamic Wave Arc (DWA) combines simultaneous movement of gantry/ring with inverse planning optimization, resulting in an uninterrupted non-coplanar arc delivery technique. Thirteen SBRT complex cases previously treated with 8–10 conformal static beams (CRT) were evaluated in this study. Eight primary centrally-located NSCLC (prescription dose 4×12Gy or 8×7.5Gy) and five oligometastatic cases (2×2 lesions, 10×5Gy) were selected. DWA and coplanar VMAT plans, partially with dual arcs, were generated for each patient using identical objective functions for target volumes and OARs on the same TPS (RayStation, RaySearch Laboratories). Dosimetric differences and delivery time among these three planning schemes were evaluated. The DWA delivery accuracy was assessed using the Delta4 diode array phantom (ScandiDos AB). The gamma analysis was performed with the 3%/3mm dose and distance-to-agreement criteria. Results: The target conformity for CRT, VMAT and DWA were 0.95±0.07, 0.96±0.04 and 0.97±0.04, while the low dose spillage gradient were 5.52±1.36, 5.44±1.11, and 5.09±0.98 respectively. Overall, the bronchus, esophagus and spinal cord maximum doses were similar between VMAT and DWA, but highly reduced compared with CRT. For the lung cases, the mean dose and V20Gy were lower for the arc techniques compares with CRT, while for the liver cases, the mean dose and the V30Gy presented slightly higher values. The average delivery time of VMAT and DWA were 2.46±1.10 min and 4.25±1.67 min, VMAT presenting shorter treatment time in all cases. The DWA dosimetric verification presented an average gamma index passing rate of 95.73±1.54% (range 94.2%–99.8%). Conclusion: Our preliminary data indicated that the DWA is deliverable with clinically acceptable accuracy and has the potential to

  5. 46 CFR 176.635 - Preliminary examination requirements.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-10-01

    ... 46 Shipping 7 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Preliminary examination requirements. 176.635 Section... (UNDER 100 GROSS TONS) INSPECTION AND CERTIFICATION Hull and Tailshaft Examinations § 176.635 Preliminary examination requirements. (a) If you exclusively use divers to examine the underwater hull plating, you must...

  6. Shifts in the abundance and community structure of soil ammonia oxidizers in a wet sclerophyll forest under long-term prescribed burning.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Long, Xi-En; Chen, Chengrong; Xu, Zhihong; He, Ji-Zheng

    2014-02-01

    Fire shapes global biome distribution and promotes the terrestrial biogeochemical cycles. Ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB) and archaea (AOA) play a vital role in the biogeochemical cycling of nitrogen (N). However, behaviors of AOB and AOA under long-term prescribed burning remain unclear. This study was to examine how fire affected the abundances and communities of soil AOB and AOA. A long-term repeated forest fire experiment with three burning treatments (never burnt, B0; biennially burnt, B2; and quadrennially burnt, B4) was used in this study. The abundances and community structure of soil AOB and AOA were determined using quantitative PCR, restriction fragment length polymorphism and clone library. More frequent fires (B2) increased the abundance of bacterium amoA gene, but tended to decrease archaeal amoA genes. Fire also modified the composition of AOA and AOB communities. Canonical correspondence analysis showed soil pH and dissolved organic C (DOC) strongly affected AOB genotypes, while nitrate-N and DOC shaped the AOA distribution. The increased abundance of bacterium amoA gene by fires may imply an important role of AOB in nitrification in fire-affected soils. The fire-induced shift in the community composition of AOB and AOA demonstrates that fire can disturb nutrient cycles. © 2013.

  7. Group Cognitive Behavioural Therapy and Group Recreational Activity for Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorders: A Preliminary Randomized Controlled Trial

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hesselmark, Eva; Plenty, Stephanie; Bejerot, Susanne

    2014-01-01

    Although adults with autism spectrum disorder are an increasingly identified patient population, few treatment options are available. This "preliminary" randomized controlled open trial with a parallel design developed two group interventions for adults with autism spectrum disorders and intelligence within the normal range: cognitive…

  8. Deep Brain Stimulation in Huntington’s Disease—Preliminary Evidence on Pathophysiology, Efficacy and Safety

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lars Wojtecki

    2016-08-01

    Full Text Available Huntington’s disease (HD is one of the most disabling degenerative movement disorders, as it not only affects the motor system but also leads to cognitive disabilities and psychiatric symptoms. Deep brain stimulation (DBS of the pallidum is a promising symptomatic treatment targeting the core motor symptom: chorea. This article gives an overview of preliminary evidence on pathophysiology, safety and efficacy of DBS in HD.

  9. Scope and purpose of the preliminary planning work

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kalas, P.

    1976-01-01

    The results of preliminary planning work are usually expressed in a number of recommendations covering mainly: long-term national policy in the field of energy resources and selection of projects to be further studied at the feasibility level. Moreover, recommendations on further actions are made including: inventory of generation and transmission facilities recommended for the implementation in order to meet the load forecasted for medium-term period, preparation of a preliminary calender of decisions to be taken for the implementation of the projects recommended, preparation of a preliminary construction schedule, preparation of a preliminary investment program, preparation of a program of necessary engineering works, and performance of study on electricity rates which would adjust existing tariffs to proposed development program of the utility. (HP) [de

  10. Modeling Hepatitis C treatment policy.

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kuypers, Marshall A.; Lambert, Gregory Joseph; Moore, Thomas W.; Glass, Robert John,; Finley, Patrick D.; Ross, David; Chartier, Maggie

    2013-09-01

    Chronic infection with Hepatitis C virus (HCV) results in cirrhosis, liver cancer and death. As the nations largest provider of care for HCV, US Veterans Health Administration (VHA) invests extensive resources in the diagnosis and treatment of the disease. This report documents modeling and analysis of HCV treatment dynamics performed for the VHA aimed at improving service delivery efficiency. System dynamics modeling of disease treatment demonstrated the benefits of early detection and the role of comorbidities in disease progress and patient mortality. Preliminary modeling showed that adherence to rigorous treatment protocols is a primary determinant of treatment success. In depth meta-analysis revealed correlations of adherence and various psycho-social factors. This initial meta-analysis indicates areas where substantial improvement in patient outcomes can potentially result from VA programs which incorporate these factors into their design.

  11. The effect of fire, with and without subsequent defoliation on the ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    On plots where the burn was followed by an 8-weekly clipping treatment, a slower biomass accumulation rate of the sward as a whole was recorded than on burnt plots allowed unchecked post-fire regrowth. The lowest rate was recorded on unburnt plots allowed unchecked growth. The burn plus 8-weekly clipping reduced ...

  12. Preliminary results of steel containment vessel model test

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Matsumoto, T.; Komine, K.; Arai, S.

    1997-01-01

    A high pressure test of a mixed-scaled model (1:10 in geometry and 1:4 in shell thickness) of a steel containment vessel (SCV), representing an improved boiling water reactor (BWR) Mark II containment, was conducted on December 11-12, 1996 at Sandia National Laboratories. This paper describes the preliminary results of the high pressure test. In addition, the preliminary post-test measurement data and the preliminary comparison of test data with pretest analysis predictions are also presented

  13. [Medical care for the burnt in modern local military conflicts].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sidel'nikov, V O; Paramonov, B A; Tatarin, S N

    2002-07-01

    The article is devoted to the experience of treatment of the servicemen who burned during the hostilities in Afghanistan (1979-1989), Tadjikistan (1992-1994) and in Republic of Chechnya (1994-2996). Medical care rendered in 18,921 cases of burns and combined trauma (the burn prevailed) is analyzed: 1201--in Afghanistan, 205--in Tadjikistan and 415--in Republic of Chechnya. In the structure of sanitary losses of surgical character the burned persons constituted 2.5% in Afghanistan, 7.0%--in Tadjikistan and 3.9%--in Republic of Chechnya. The most effective was the medical-evacuation system in Afghanistan. The optimal medical-evacuation system during the local armed conflicts and wars is the evacuation consisted of two stages: first medical aid--specialized medical care.

  14. Technetium removal: preliminary flowsheet options

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Eager, K.M.

    1995-01-01

    This document presents the results of a preliminary investigation into options for preliminary flowsheets for 99Tc removal from Hanford Site tank waste. A model is created to show the path of 99Tc through pretreatment to disposal. The Tank Waste Remediation (TWRS) flowsheet (Orme 1995) is used as a baseline. Ranges of important inputs to the model are developed, such as 99Tc inventory in the tanks and important splits through the TWRS flowsheet. Several technetium removal options are discussed along with sensitivities of the removal schemes to important model parameters

  15. [Initial experiences with amisulpride, an in Germany novel, atypical neuroleptic drug in treatment of adolescents with psychiatric disorders].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Göpel, C; Marcus, A

    2001-08-01

    In addition to conventional antipsychotic drugs, during the past decade an increasing number of atypical neuroleptics has been introduced in the treatment of juvenile schizophrenic and schizoaffective disorders. In 1999 Germany legalized the benzamide amisulpride for the treatment of acute and chronic schizophrenic symptoms. Preliminary treatment results are reported here. Ten adolescent cases are presented with regard to the efficacy, side effects and dosage of amisulpride. Preliminary results on the use of amisulpride are promising. The rate of side effects is tolerable. Amisulprise seems to constitute a useful alternative in the treatment of juvenile schizophrenia for those who suffer from intolerable side effects of classical or atypical neuroleptics. Controlled studies are warranted to further clarify its efficacy and safety in the treatment of adolescents.

  16. Waste Feed Delivery System Phase 1 Preliminary RAM Analysis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    DYKES, A.A.

    2000-01-01

    This report presents the updated results of the preliminary reliability, availability, and maintainability (RAM) analysis of selected waste feed delivery (WFD) operations to be performed by the Tank Farm Contractor (TFC) during Phase I activities in support of the Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant (WTP). For planning purposes, waste feed tanks are being divided into five classes in accordance with the type of waste in each tank and the activities required to retrieve, qualify, and transfer waste feed. This report reflects the baseline design and operating concept, as of the beginning of Fiscal Year 2000, for the delivery of feed from three of these classes, represented by source tanks 241-AN-102, 241-AZ-101 and 241-AN-105. The preliminary RAM analysis quantifies the potential schedule delay associated with operations and maintenance (OBM) field activities needed to accomplish these operations. The RAM analysis is preliminary because the system design, process definition, and activity planning are in a state of evolution. The results are being used to support the continuing development of an O and M Concept tailored to the unique requirements of the WFD Program, which is being documented in various volumes of the Waste Feed Delivery Technical Basis (Carlson. 1999, Rasmussen 1999, and Orme 2000). The waste feed provided to the WTP must: (1) meet limits for chemical and radioactive constituents based on pre-established compositional envelopes (i.e., feed quality); (2) be in acceptable quantities within a prescribed sequence to meet feed quantities; and (3) meet schedule requirements (i.e., feed timing). In the absence of new criteria related to acceptable schedule performance due to the termination of the TWRS Privatization Contract, the original criteria from the Tank Waste Remediation System (77443s) Privatization Contract (DOE 1998) will continue to be used for this analysis

  17. Effect of heat treatment regime on structural lamination in ferritic-austenitic steels

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sizov, R.A.; Zakharova, M.I.; Novikov, I.I.; Bannykh, O.A.

    1983-01-01

    The effect of preliminary thermal treatment on lamination and viscosity of EhP-53 and KO-3 steels after durable aging at the temperature of 350 is studied. It is shown that preliminary heat treatment considerably affects lamination processes in the result of aging of 0Kh18G8N2T steel. The lowest rate of lamination and higher impact strength after aging at 350 deg C for 4500 hours corresponds to the following heat treatment: 10 hour aging at 650 deg C with cooling in the air, then quenching in water from 950 deg C after aging for 30 min and the following tempering (650 deg C, 5 hours). Unlike the 0Kh18G8N2T steel, lamination parameters of steel 0Kh22N6T practically do not change after the application of heat treatment. Nevertherless, taking into account results of impact strength, it is advisable to have thermal treatment according to the regime: quenching in water at 950 deg C after aging for 30 min

  18. THE DETERMINATION THE POLLUTION EMISSIONS OF SO2, NOX, CO, CO2 AND O2 FROM THE CHANNELS OF BURNT GAS ON BOILER OF 420 T/H - STEAM, IN THE SIGHT APPLICATION PROCEEDING TO REDUCE OF THESE

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Valentin Nedeff

    2007-03-01

    Full Text Available The work present the results obtained after dynamic analyze the pollution emissions of SO2, NOx, CO, CO2 and O2 on evacuation channels of burnt gas on boiler of 420 t/h steam, having right the basic combustible the lignite, and auxiliary combustible the fuel oil and the natural gas. The values of pollution emission was analyze beside the admissible maxims values required by European legislation for Romania in the year 2005. The conclusion elaborated it adverted to: the values of oxides azoth, carry they frame in the limits provide in Environmental Authorization, under 60 mg/Nmc on 6% oxygen, the concentration values of SO2 which was bigger in report with one authorized comprised between 3500-3900 mg/Nmc confronted by 3400 mg/Nm. For integration in the foresee Government Decision 541/2003 aren't sufficient just proceeding of below reduce SO2, must take and another measures such as: get the fuel with quantity of sulphur 0.5% and with a content of ash below 35%.

  19. Electrokinetic Treatment for Model Caissons with Increasing Dimensions

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Eltayeb Mohamedelhassan

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available Electrokinetic treatment has been known in geotechnical engineering for over six decades, yet, the technique is rarely used. This stems from the absence of design guidelines and specifications for electrokinetic treatment systems. An important issue that need to be investigated and understood in order to devise guidelines from experimental results is the effect of the foundation element size on the outcome of the treatment. Also important is determining the optimum distance between the electrodes and estimating the energy consumption prior to treatment. This experimental study is a preliminary step in understanding some of the issues critical for the guidelines and specifications. Four model caissons with surface areas between 16000 and 128000 mm2 were embedded in soft clayey soil under water and treated for 168 hr with a dc voltage of 6 V. From the results, a distance between the anode (model caisson and the cathode equal 0.25 times the outside diameter of the model caisson was identified as optimum. Relationships between the surface area and axial capacity of the model caisson and the surface area and energy consumption were presented. The equations can be used to preliminary estimate the load capacity and the energy consumption for full-scale applications.

  20. Advanced Mixed Waste Treatment Project melter system preliminary design technical review meeting

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Eddy, T.L.; Raivo, B.D.; Soelberg, N.R.; Wiersholm, O.

    1995-02-01

    The Idaho National Engineering Laboratory Advanced Mixed Waste Treatment Project sponsored a plasma are melter technical design review meeting to evaluate high-temperature melter system configurations for processing heterogeneous alpha-contaminated low-level radioactive waste (ALLW). Thermal processing experts representing Department of Energy contractors, the Environmental Protection Agency, and private sector companies participated in the review. The participants discussed issues and evaluated alternative configurations for three areas of the melter system design: plasma torch melters and graphite arc melters, offgas treatment options, and overall system configuration considerations. The Technical Advisory Committee for the review concluded that graphite arc melters are preferred over plasma torch melters for processing ALLW. Initiating involvement of stakeholders was considered essential at this stage of the design. For the offgas treatment system, the advisory committee raised the question whether to a use wet-dry or a dry-wet system. The committee recommended that the waste stream characterization, feed preparation, and the control system are essential design tasks for the high-temperature melter treatment system. The participants strongly recommended that a complete melter treatment system be assembled to conduct tests with nonradioactive surrogate waste material. A nonradioactive test bed would allow for inexpensive design and operational changes prior to assembling a system for radioactive waste treatment operations.

  1. Advanced Mixed Waste Treatment Project melter system preliminary design technical review meeting

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Eddy, T.L.; Raivo, B.D.; Soelberg, N.R.; Wiersholm, O.

    1995-02-01

    The Idaho National Engineering Laboratory Advanced Mixed Waste Treatment Project sponsored a plasma are melter technical design review meeting to evaluate high-temperature melter system configurations for processing heterogeneous alpha-contaminated low-level radioactive waste (ALLW). Thermal processing experts representing Department of Energy contractors, the Environmental Protection Agency, and private sector companies participated in the review. The participants discussed issues and evaluated alternative configurations for three areas of the melter system design: plasma torch melters and graphite arc melters, offgas treatment options, and overall system configuration considerations. The Technical Advisory Committee for the review concluded that graphite arc melters are preferred over plasma torch melters for processing ALLW. Initiating involvement of stakeholders was considered essential at this stage of the design. For the offgas treatment system, the advisory committee raised the question whether to a use wet-dry or a dry-wet system. The committee recommended that the waste stream characterization, feed preparation, and the control system are essential design tasks for the high-temperature melter treatment system. The participants strongly recommended that a complete melter treatment system be assembled to conduct tests with nonradioactive surrogate waste material. A nonradioactive test bed would allow for inexpensive design and operational changes prior to assembling a system for radioactive waste treatment operations

  2. 7 CFR 1780.55 - Preliminary engineering reports and Environmental Reports.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-01-01

    ... 7 Agriculture 12 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Preliminary engineering reports and Environmental..., Designing, Bidding, Contracting, Constructing and Inspections § 1780.55 Preliminary engineering reports and Environmental Reports. Preliminary engineering reports (PERs) must conform to customary professional standards...

  3. Preliminary Context Analysis of Community Informatics Social ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Preliminary context analysis is always part of the feasibility study phase in the development of information system for Community Development (CD) purposes. In this paper, a context model and a preliminary context analysis are presented for Social Network Web Application (SNWA) for CD in the Niger Delta region of ...

  4. Analysis of nuclear reaction products and materials; Preliminary treatment of uranium analysis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Soedyartomo.

    1976-01-01

    Pre-treatment of samples is necessary to be done in order to achieve the efficient steps and accurate results of uranium analysis. The pre-treatment is particularly affected by the type of sample, the uranium concentration predicated in the sample, and the uranium analytical method which will be applied. A brief discussion about the pre-treatment of uranium analysis in the uranium ore processing and the reprocessing of spent fuel is given. (author)

  5. Modified iPad for treatment of amblyopia: a preliminary study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Handa, Tomoya; Ishikawa, Hitoshi; Shoji, Nobuyuki; Ikeda, Tetsuya; Totuka, Satoru; Goseki, Toshiaki; Shimizu, Kimiya

    2015-12-01

    We report the results of a new amblyopia treatment device used in 7 children with anisometropic amblyopia. The Occlu-pad was created by removing the polarizing film layer from the liquid crystal display screen of an iPad Air (Apple Inc, Cupertino, CA). Patients were asked to wear special glasses that contained a polarizing filter for their amblyopic eye and a light reduction filter for their normal eye and instructed to play an amblyopia training game displayed only to the amblyopic eye. In 5 patients corrected distance visual acuities in the amblyopic eyes improved after 2 months' treatment on average by 0.38 (logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution). Copyright © 2015 American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  6. Game-Based Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (GB-CBT) Group Program for Children Who Have Experienced Sexual Abuse: A Preliminary Investigation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Misurell, Justin R.; Springer, Craig; Tryon, Warren W.

    2011-01-01

    This preliminary investigation examined the efficacy of a game-based cognitive-behavioral therapy group program for elementary school-aged children who have experienced sexual abuse. Treatment aimed to improve: (a) internalizing symptoms, (b) externalizing behaviors, (c) sexually inappropriate behaviors, (d) social skills deficits, (e) self-esteem…

  7. Identifying Treatment Effect Modifiers in the STarT Back Trial: A Secondary Analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Beneciuk, Jason M; Hill, Jonathan C; Campbell, Paul; Afolabi, Ebenezer; George, Steven Z; Dunn, Kate M; Foster, Nadine E

    2017-01-01

    Identification of patient characteristics influencing treatment outcomes is a top low back pain (LBP) research priority. Results from the STarT Back trial support the effectiveness of prognostic stratified care for LBP compared with current best care, however, patient characteristics associated with treatment response have not yet been explored. The purpose of this secondary analysis was to identify treatment effect modifiers within the STarT Back trial at 4-month follow-up (n = 688). Treatment response was dichotomized using back-specific physical disability measured using the Roland-Morris Disability Questionnaire (≥7). Candidate modifiers were identified using previous literature and evaluated using logistic regression with statistical interaction terms to provide preliminary evidence of treatment effect modification. Socioeconomic status (SES) was identified as an effect modifier for disability outcomes (odds ratio [OR] = 1.71, P = .028). High SES patients receiving prognostic stratified care were 2.5 times less likely to have a poor outcome compared with low SES patients receiving best current care (OR = .40, P = .006). Education level (OR = 1.33, P = .109) and number of pain medications (OR = .64, P = .140) met our criteria for effect modification with weaker evidence (.20 > P ≥ .05). These findings provide preliminary evidence for SES, education, and number of pain medications as treatment effect modifiers of prognostic stratified care delivered in the STarT Back Trial. This analysis provides preliminary exploratory findings about the characteristics of patients who might least likely benefit from targeted treatment using prognostic stratified care for LBP. Copyright © 2016 American Pain Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  8. The impact of wildfire on stream fishes in an Atlantic-Mediterranean climate: evidence from an 18-year chronosequence

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Monaghan K.A.

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available The predicted increase in wildfires associated with climate change poses a risk to freshwater biodiversity that may be exacerbated by river regulation. We studied the effects of wildfire and river management on the fish assemblages of Atlantic-Mediterranean streams in northern Portugal. Employing a chronosquence survey covering an 18-year gradient of impact-recovery from major fire events (ca. 100% catchment burnt, we assessed the ecological response with respect to time since wildfire, interpreting fish assemblages in the context of species traits and characteristics of the river habitat. Non-burnt sites (N = 18; surveyed 4 years previously were compared to burnt sites (N = 14, two of which were part of the non-burnt set, thus providing a Before-After Impact comparison (BAI; N = 2. Across burnt sites richness and abundance were not related to time since wildfire. BAI revealed a contrast in the response of different species that corresponded to descriptive evidence from the chronosequence of burnt sites. As resource specialists, Salmo trutta were negatively impacted by wildfire; Iberian endemic cyprinids, characterized by generalist traits, demonstrated resistance. Habitat structure was a key determinant of wildfire-impact, increasing with channel slope and the degree of channelization. The low abundance of migratory taxa (S. trutta and Anguilla anguilla at burnt sites suggested the importance of fish mobility to post-fire recovery. These data demonstrate that trait profiles and habitat descriptions provide pragmatic information for the management of rivers in fire-susceptible regions and suggest that the rehabilitation of these upland stream habitats might enhance ecological resistance and resilience to catchment wildfire.

  9. [Getting older with rheumatoid arthritis-is there a burnout of the disease?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bauhammer, J; Fiehn, C

    2018-04-30

    Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic inflammatory disease. Synovitis is the main pathology and can lead to a progressive destruction of the joints. It is often said that RA "burns out", implying that the inflammation decreases spontaneously in the long term, mostly severe course of RA and reaches a stage with a stable absence of joint inflammation, even without treatment. To test this concept we analyzed the published evidence. Data of historic long-term inception cohorts of patients who have never been treated with antirheumatic drugs and patients who received conventional disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARD), show that the disease stays active with sustained radiological progression in the majority of patients. At best, the disease can show a milder course with time or a stage of absence of joint inflammation can be reached if patients responded very well to initial drug treatment. Terminating DMARD treatment in this situation bears the risk of a latent progressive joint destruction, the appearance of extra-articular manifestations and an increase in the cardiovascular risk. Hence there is no evidence for the existence of a "burnt out" RA with stable inactive disease without drug treatment in the long-term course. In a modern treatment strategy of RA following the treat-to-target principle and aiming at remission, the term "burnt out" RA should no longer be used.

  10. Biofeedback treatment for Tourette syndrome: a preliminary randomized controlled trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nagai, Yoko; Cavanna, Andrea E; Critchley, Hugo D; Stern, Jeremy J; Robertson, Mary M; Joyce, Eileen M

    2014-03-01

    To study the clinical effectiveness of biofeedback treatment in reducing tics in patients with Tourette syndrome. Despite advances in the pharmacologic treatment of patients with Tourette syndrome, many remain troubled by their tics, which may be resistant to multiple medications at tolerable doses. Electrodermal biofeedback is a noninvasive biobehavioral intervention that can be useful in managing neuropsychiatric and neurologic conditions. We conducted a randomized controlled trial of electrodermal biofeedback training in 21 patients with Tourette syndrome. After training the patients for 3 sessions a week over 4 weeks, we observed a significant reduction in tic frequency and improved indices of subjective well-being in both the active-biofeedback and sham-feedback (control) groups, but there was no difference between the groups in these measurements. Furthermore, the active-treatment group did not demonstrably learn to reduce their sympathetic electrodermal tone using biofeedback. Our findings indicate that this form of biofeedback training was unable to produce a clinical effect greater than placebo. The main confounding factor appeared to be the 30-minute duration of the training sessions, which made it difficult for patients to sustain a reduction in sympathetic tone when their tics themselves were generating competing phasic electrodermal arousal responses. Despite a negative finding in this study, electrodermal biofeedback training may have a role in managing tics if optimal training schedules can be identified.

  11. Life cycle assessment of advanced waste water treatment

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Larsen, Henrik Fred; Hansen, Peter Augusto

    The EU FP6 NEPTUNE project is related to the EU Water Framework Directive and the main goal is to develop new and optimize existing waste water treatment technologies (WWTT) and sludge handling methods for municipal waste water. Besides nutrients, a special focus area is micropollutants (e....... In total more that 20 different waste water and sludge treatment technologies are to be assessed. This paper will present the preliminary LCA results from running the induced versus avoided impact approach (mainly based on existing LCIA methodology) on one of the advanced treatment technologies, i...

  12. Preliminary Hazard Classification for the 105-B Reactor

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kerr, N.R.

    1997-08-01

    This document summarizes the inventories of radioactive and hazardous materials present within the 105-B Reactor and uses the inventory information to determine the preliminary hazard classification for the surveillance and maintenance activities of the facility. The result of this effort was the preliminary hazard classification for the 105-B Building surveillance and maintenance activities. The preliminary hazard classification was determined to be Nuclear Category 3. Additional hazard and accident analysis will be documented in a separate report to define the hazard controls and final hazard classification

  13. Short-course diphenoxylate hydrochloride for treatment of methadone withdrawal symptoms.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ives, T J; Stults, C C

    1983-11-01

    The authors conducted a preliminary trial of a 5-day course of diphenoxylate in the treatment of out-patients with methadone withdrawal symptoms. Diphenoxylate provided substantial relief from detoxification symptoms with no drug-associated adverse effects.

  14. Gratitude, abstinence, and alcohol use disorders: Report of a preliminary finding.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Krentzman, Amy R

    2017-07-01

    Gratitude is a central component of addiction recovery for many, yet it has received scant attention in addiction research. In a sample of 67 individuals entering abstinence-based alcohol-use-disorder treatment, this study employed gratitude and abstinence variables from sequential assessments (baseline, 6months, 12months) to model theorized causal relationships: gratitude would increase pre-post treatment and gratitude after treatment would predict greater percent days abstinent 6months later. Neither hypothesis was supported. This unexpected result led to the theory that gratitude for sobriety was the construct of interest; therefore, the association between gratitude and future abstinence would be positive among those already abstinent. Thus, post-treatment abstinence was tested as a moderator of the effect of gratitude on future abstinence: this effect was statistically significant. For those who were abstinent after treatment, the relationship between gratitude and future abstinence was positive; for those drinking most frequently after treatment, the relationship between gratitude and future abstinence was negative. In this preliminary study, dispositional tendency to affirm that there is much to be thankful for appeared to perpetuate the status quo-frequent drinkers with high gratitude were drinking frequently 6months later; abstinent individuals with high gratitude were abstinent 6months later. Gratitude exercises might be contraindicated for clients who are drinking frequently and have abstinence as their treatment goal. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  15. Argon laser in the treatment of diabetic retinopathy (Preliminary communication)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Saprykin, P.I.; Simonova, K.K.; Belyaeva, M.I.

    1974-01-01

    The complications observed in the photocoagulation treatment of diabetic angiopathy and retinopathy include the following conditions: tractional retinal detachment, accelerated development of proliferating retinitis and massive hemmorrhaging into the vitreous body. (V.A.P.)

  16. Cognitive remediation therapy for patients with anorexia nervosa: preliminary findings

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Campbell Iain C

    2007-06-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Anorexia nervosa (AN is a severe mental illness. Drug treatments are not effective and there is no established first choice psychological treatment for adults with AN. Neuropsychological studies have shown that patients with AN have difficulties in cognitive flexibility: these laboratory based findings have been used to develop a clinical intervention based on Cognitive Remediation Therapy (CRT which aims to use cognitive exercises to strengthen thinking skills. Aims 1 To conduct a preliminary investigation of CRT in patients with AN 2 to explore whether cognitive training improves performance in set shifting tasks 3 to explore whether CRT exercises are appropriate and acceptable to AN patients 4 to use the data to improve a CRT module for AN patients. Methods Intervention was comprised of ten 45 minute sessions of CRT. Four patients with AN were assessed before and after the ten sessions using five set shifting tests and clinical assessments. At the end, each patient wrote a letter providing feedback on the intervention. Results Post intervention, three of the five set shifting assessments showed a moderate to large effect size in performance and two showed a large effect size in performance, both indicative of improved flexibility. Patients were aware of an improvement in their cognitive flexibility qualitative feedback was generally positive towards CRT. Discussion This preliminary study suggests that CRT changed performance on flexibility tasks and may be beneficial for acute, treatment resistant patients with AN. Feedback gathered from this small case series has enabled modification of the intervention for a future larger study, for example, by linking exercises with real life behavioural tasks and including exercises that encourage global thinking. Conclusion This exploratory study has produced encouraging data supporting the use of CRT in patients with AN: it has also provided insight into how the module should be

  17. Short-time phosphorus losses by overland flow in burnt pine and eucalypt plantations in north-central Portugal: A study at micro-plot scale.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ferreira, R V; Serpa, D; Cerqueira, M A; Keizer, J J

    2016-05-01

    Over the past decades, wildfires have affected vast areas of Mediterranean ecosystems leading to a variety of negative on- and off-site environmental impacts. Research on fire-affected areas has given more attention to sediment losses by fire-enhanced overland flow than to nutrient exports, especially in the Mediterranean region. To address this knowledge gap for post-fire losses of phosphorus (P) by overland flow, a recently burnt forest area in north-central Portugal was selected and instrumented immediately after a wildfire. Three slopes were selected for their contrasting forest types (eucalypt vs. pine) and parent materials (granite vs. schist). The selected study sites were a eucalypt site on granite (BEG), a eucalypt site on schist (BES) and a maritime pine site on schist (BPS). Micro-plots were monitored over a period of six months, i.e. till the construction of terraces for reforestation obliged to the removal of the plots. During this 6-month period, overland flow samples were collected at 1- to 2-weekly intervals, depending on rainfall. Total P and PO4-P losses differed markedly between the two types of forests on schist, being lower at the pine site than at the eucalypt site, probably due to the presence of a protective layer of pine needle cast. Parent material did not play an important role in PO4-P losses by overland flow but it did in TP losses, with significantly lower values at the eucalypt site on granite than that on schist. These differences in TP losses can be attributed to the coarser texture of granite soils, typically promoting infiltration and decreasing runoff. The present findings provided further insights into the spatial and temporal patterns of post-fire soil nutrient losses in fire-prone forest types during the initial stages of the window-of-disturbance, which can be useful for defining post-fire emergency measures to reduce the risk of soil fertility losses. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  18. DEMONSTRATION OF FUEL CELLS TO RECOVER ENERGY FROM ANAEROBIC DIGESTER GAS - PHASE I. CONCEPTUAL DESIGN, PRELIMINARY COST, AND EVALUATION STUDY

    Science.gov (United States)

    The report discusses Phase I (a conceptual design, preliminary cost, and evaluation study) of a program to demonstrate the recovery of energy from waste methane produced by anaerobic digestion of waste water treatment sludge. The fuel cell is being used for this application becau...

  19. Space reactor preliminary mechanical design

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Meier, K.L.

    1983-01-01

    An analysis was performed on the SABRE reactor space power system to determine the effect of the number and size of heat pipes on the design parameters of the nuclear subsystem. Small numbers of thin walled heat pipes were found to give a lower subsystem mass, but excessive fuel swelling resulted. The SP-100 preliminary design uses 120 heat pipes because of acceptable fuel swelling and a minimum nuclear subsystem mass of 1875 kg. Salient features of the reactor preliminary design are: individual fuel modules, ZrO 2 block core mounts, bolted collar fuel module restraints, and a BeO central plug

  20. Metacognitive Reflection and Insight Therapy for Early Psychosis: A preliminary study of a novel integrative psychotherapy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vohs, Jenifer L; Leonhardt, Bethany L; James, Alison V; Francis, Michael M; Breier, Alan; Mehdiyoun, Nikki; Visco, Andrew C; Lysaker, Paul H

    2018-05-01

    Poor insight impedes treatment in early phase psychosis (EPP). This manuscript outlines preliminary findings of an investigation of the novel metacognitively oriented integrative psychotherapy, Metacognitive Reflection and Insight Therapy, for individuals with early phase psychosis (MERIT-EP). Twenty adults with EPP and poor insight were randomized to either six months of MERIT-EP or treatment as usual (TAU). Therapists were trained and therapy was successfully delivered under routine, outpatient conditions. Insight, assessed before and after treatment, revealed significant improvement for the MERIT-EP, but not TAU, group. These results suggest MERIT-EP is feasible to deliver, accepted by patients, and leads to clinically significant improvements in insight. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  1. Preliminary Analysis and Selection of Mooring Solution Candidates

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Thomsen, Jonas Bjerg; Delaney, Martin

    This report covers a preliminary analysis of mooring solutions candidates for four large floating wave energy converters. The work is part of the EUDP project “Mooring Solutions for Large Wave Energy Converters” and is the outcome of "Work Package 3: Preliminary Analysis". The report further...... compose the "Milestone 4: Report on results of preliminary analysis and selection of final candidates. The report is produced by Aalborg University with input from the partner WECs Floating Power Plant, KNSwing, LEANCON and Wave Dragon. Tension Technology International (TTI) has provided a significant...

  2. Light ion production for a future radiobiological facility at CERN: preliminary studies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stafford-Haworth, Joshua; Bellodi, Giulia; Küchler, Detlef; Lombardi, Alessandra; Röhrich, Jörg; Scrivens, Richard

    2014-02-01

    Recent medical applications of ions such as carbon and helium have proved extremely effective for the treatment of human patients. However, before now a comprehensive study of the effects of different light ions on organic targets has not been completed. There is a strong desire for a dedicated facility which can produce ions in the range of protons to neon in order to perform this study. This paper will present the proposal and preliminary investigations into the production of light ions, and the development of a radiobiological research facility at CERN. The aims of this project will be presented along with the modifications required to the existing linear accelerator (Linac3), and the foreseen facility, including the requirements for an ion source in terms of some of the specification parameters and the flexibility of operation for different ion types. Preliminary results from beam transport simulations will be presented, in addition to some planned tests required to produce some of the required light ions (lithium, boron) to be conducted in collaboration with the Helmholtz-Zentrum für Materialien und Energie, Berlin.

  3. Feasibility study of incineration treatment of radioactive waste oil

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wang Peiyi; Zhou Lianquan; Ma Mingxie; Yang Liguo; Li Xiaohai; Qiu Mingcai; Zhang Xiaobin; Dong Jingling; Yang Baomin

    2001-01-01

    The author describes the combustion experiment of radioactive waste oil, including determination of the basic properties of the waste oils, pretreatment and incineration experiment. As for low flash point oil possibly mixed with gasoline, it is recommended to add kerosine to lower the viscosity. Spray incineration experiment shows that for waste oil with viscosity less than 30 mPa·s, it can be completely burnt even if the heat strength in the stove is less than 1.6 x 10 6 kJ/(m 3 ·h). Within a broad range of extra-air coefficient, CO concentration in flue gas is below 0.1%

  4. Pharmacological Approaches for Treatment-resistant Bipolar Disorder

    Science.gov (United States)

    Poon, Shi Hui; Sim, Kang; Baldessarini, Ross J.

    2015-01-01

    Bipolar disorder is prevalent, with high risks of disability, substance abuse and premature mortality. Treatment responses typically are incomplete, especially for depressive components, so that many cases can be considered “treatment resistant.” We reviewed reports on experimental treatments for such patients: there is a striking paucity of such research, mainly involving small incompletely controlled trials of add-on treatment, and findings remain preliminary. Encouraging results have been reported by adding aripiprazole, bupropion, clozapine, ketamine, memantine, pramipexole, pregabalin, and perhaps tri-iodothyronine in resistant manic or depressive phases. The urgency of incomplete responses in such a severe illness underscores the need for more systematic, simpler, and better controlled studies in more homogeneous samples of patients. PMID:26467409

  5. Effects Of Desensitization Treatment On Core-Condition Training

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fry, P. S.

    1973-01-01

    Pre- and posttest ratings on measures of helping skills such as empathy, respect, concreteness, and genuineness were obtained in the preliminary and advanced training. A significant training effect was obtained for both groups. Desensitization treatment was a significant source of variance for the experimental subjects in training. (Author/LA)

  6. Preliminary results of a randomized trial of mitomycin C as an adjunct to radical radiotherapy in the treatment of locally advanced squamous cell carcinoma of the cervix

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Roberts, Kenneth B.; Urdaneta, Nelson; Vera, Raul; Vera, Andres; Gutierrez, Enrique; Rockwell, Sara; Sartorelli, Alan C.; Fischer, Diana B.; Fischer, James J.

    1996-01-01

    Purpose/Objective: To determine the efficacy of Mitomycin C (MC) in combination with radiotherapy (RT) for the treatment of carcinoma of the cervix Materials and Methods: A Phase III randomized study of MC + RT (CMT) vs. RT was initiated in 1990 to test whether or not a bioreductive alkylating agent would improve the cure of squamous cell carcinoma of the cervix (CCa), a tumor for which hypoxia is known to be a strong prognostic factor. As of March 1996, 157 patients have been enrolled. After excluding 8 patients (pts) for protocol violations (3 in CMT group and 5 in RT group), the 110 analyzable pts having at least two years of partial follow-up were used for the preliminary analysis reported here. Intravenous MC, 15 mg/M 2 , was given on the 1st and 6th week of treatment. Before randomization between CMT and RT, patients were stratified by standardized radiotherapy prescriptions of both brachytherapy and external beam RT dose, as dictated by tumor stage. Results: The 58 pts in the CMT group and 52 pts in the RT group have a mean follow-up of 27.1 months, and a comparable distribution by age and stage (mean age 48.3 years; stage IB 2%, IIA 14%, IIB 47%, IIIA 1%, IIIB 34%, IVA 3%). The three year actuarial survival rates for CMT and RT were 77% and 58%, respectively (p=0.15). Three months following completion of therapy, complete response (CR) was achieved in 51 pts (88%) of the CMT group and in 47 pts (90%) of the RT group (p=NS). Of those with CR, the three year actuarial local recurrence free survivals for CMT and RT were 84% and 68%, respectively (p=0.12). There were no treatment-related deaths. Mild hematologic toxicity was seen only in the CMT group, with 4 pts having a nadir WBC <1.5 (but none below 1.0) and with 1 pt having a nadir platelet count below 25K. Grade 3 skin toxicity was seen in 3 pts receiving CMT and 1 pt receiving RT alone. Grade 3 cystitis was seen in one RT pt. Grade 3 and 4 GI toxicities were seen in two RT pts. No excess in non

  7. Development of a preliminary composite disease activity index in psoriatic arthritis.

    LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

    Mumtaz, Aizad

    2012-02-01

    OBJECTIVES: To develop a preliminary composite psoriatic disease activity index (CPDAI) for psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis. METHODS: Five domains were assessed and specific instruments were employed for each domain to determine the extent of domain involvement and the effect of that involvement on quality of life\\/function. Disease activity for each domain was then graded from 0 to 3 giving a CPDAI range of 0-15. Patient and physician global disease activity measures were also recorded and an independent physician was asked to indicate if treatment change was required. Bivariate correlation analysis was performed. Factor, tree analysis and standardised response means were also calculated. RESULTS: Significant correlation was seen between CPDAI and both patient (r = 0.834) and physician (r = 0.825) global disease activity assessments (p = 0.01). Tree analysis revealed that 96.3% of patients had their treatment changed when CPDAI values were greater than 6; no patient had their treatment changed when CPDAI values were less than 5. CONCLUSION: CPDAI correlates well with patient and physician global disease activity assessments and is an effective tool that clearly distinguishes those who require a treatment change from those who do not.

  8. Preliminary study on radio-chemo-induced oral mucositis and low level laser therapy

    Science.gov (United States)

    Merigo, Elisabetta; Fontana, Matteo; Fornaini, Carlo; Clini, Fabio; Cella, Luigi; Vescovi, Paolo; Oppici, Aldo

    2012-09-01

    Background: Oral mucositis remains one of the most common and troubling side effects of antineoplastic radiation and drug therapy: its incidence in onco-hematological radio-chemotreated patients is variable between 50 and 100% and its impact on this populations is directly linked with the experience of intense pain causing reduction and modification of therapy regimens, decreased survival rates and increased cost of care. Purpose: Aim of this study is the preliminary evaluation of a Low Level Laser therapy (LLLT) protocol on healing process of oral mucositis and on pain and quality of life of patients experiencing this dramatic side-effect. Materials and methods: Patients were evaluated and treated at the Unita` Operativa Semplice Dipartimentale di Odontostomatologia e Chirurgia Maxillo-Facciale of the Hospital of Piacenza were they were treated for primary disease with protocols of chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy. LLLT protocol was performed with a diode laser (808 nm -XD Smile - Fotona -Slovenia) on a two weeks-6 treatments schedule with power of 0.5 W and application of 30 seconds. Mucositis grading was scored on the basis of WHO classification by two blind operators at each treatment and at 1 and 2 weeks after treatment. Pain and capability of deglutition were described by patients by means questionnaires based on Visual Analogue Scale, Numerical Rating Scale and Quality of Life. Results: A relevant improvement of healing of oral mucositis, in terms of reduction of grading score, and of pain, swallowing discomfort and quality of life was recorded. Discussion and conclusion: Results of this preliminary study are encouraging for the realization of larger studies focused on the application of LLLT protocols in management of radio-chemotreated patients with oral mucositis.

  9. Preliminary data on validity of the Drug Addiction Treatment Efficacy Questionnaire.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kastelic, Andrej; Mlakar, Janez; Pregelj, Peter

    2013-09-01

    This study describes the validation process for the Slovenian version of the Drug Addiction Treatment Efficacy Questionnaire (DATEQ). DATEQ was constructed from the questionnaires used at the Centre for the Treatment of Drug Addiction, Ljubljana University Psychiatric Hospital, and within the network of Centres for the Prevention and Treatment of Drug Addiction in Slovenia during the past 14 years. The Slovenian version of the DATEQ was translated to English using the 'forward-backward' procedure by its authors and their co-workers. The validation process included 100 male and female patients with established addiction to illicit drugs who had been prescribed opioid substitution therapy. The DATEQ questionnaire was used in the study, together with clinical evaluation to measure psychological state and to evaluate the efficacy of treatment in the last year. To determinate the validity of DATEQ the correlation with the clinical assessments of the outcome was calculated using one-way ANOVA. The F value was 44.4, p<0.001 (sum of squares: between groups 210.4, df=2, within groups 229.7, df=97, total 440.1, df=99). At the cut-off 4 the sensitivity is 81% and specificity 83%. The validation process for the Slovenian DATEQ version shows metric properties similar to those found in international studies of similar questionnaires, suggesting that it measures the same constructs, in the same way and as similar questionnaires. However, the relatively low sensitivity and specificity suggests caution when using DATEQ as the only measure of outcome.

  10. For a General Theory of Health: preliminary epistemological and anthropological notes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Naomar de Almeida Filho

    Full Text Available In order to conduct a preliminary evaluation of the conditions allowing for a General Theory of Health, the author explores two important structural dimensions of the scientific health field: the socio-anthropological dimension and the epistemological dimension. As a preliminary semantic framework, he adopts the following definitions in English and Portuguese for two series of meanings: disease = patologia, disorder = transtorno, illness = enfermidade, sickness = doença, and malady = moléstia. He begins by discussing some sociological theories and biomedical concepts of health-disease, which, despite their limitations, can be used as a point of departure for this undertaking, given the dialectical and multidimensional nature of the disease-illness-sickness complex (DIS. Second, he presents and evaluates some underlying socio-anthropological theories of disease, taking advantage of the opportunity to highlight the semeiologic treatment of health-disease through the theory of "signs, meanings, and health practices". Third, he analyzes several epistemological issues relating to the Health theme, seeking to justify its status as a scientific object. Finally, the author focuses the discussion on a proposal to systematize various health concepts as an initial stage for the theoretical construction of the Collective Health field.

  11. For a General Theory of Health: preliminary epistemological and anthropological notes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Almeida Filho Naomar de

    2001-01-01

    Full Text Available In order to conduct a preliminary evaluation of the conditions allowing for a General Theory of Health, the author explores two important structural dimensions of the scientific health field: the socio-anthropological dimension and the epistemological dimension. As a preliminary semantic framework, he adopts the following definitions in English and Portuguese for two series of meanings: disease = patologia, disorder = transtorno, illness = enfermidade, sickness = doença, and malady = moléstia. He begins by discussing some sociological theories and biomedical concepts of health-disease, which, despite their limitations, can be used as a point of departure for this undertaking, given the dialectical and multidimensional nature of the disease-illness-sickness complex (DIS. Second, he presents and evaluates some underlying socio-anthropological theories of disease, taking advantage of the opportunity to highlight the semeiologic treatment of health-disease through the theory of "signs, meanings, and health practices". Third, he analyzes several epistemological issues relating to the Health theme, seeking to justify its status as a scientific object. Finally, the author focuses the discussion on a proposal to systematize various health concepts as an initial stage for the theoretical construction of the Collective Health field.

  12. Preliminary Evaluation of Method to Monitor Landfills Resilience against Methane Emission

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chusna, Noor Amalia; Maryono, Maryono

    2018-02-01

    Methane emission from landfill sites contribute to global warming and un-proper methane treatment can pose an explosion hazard. Stakeholder and government in the cities in Indonesia been found significant difficulties to monitor the resilience of landfill from methane emission. Moreover, the management of methane gas has always been a challenging issue for long waste management service and operations. Landfills are a significant contributor to anthropogenic methane emissions. This study conducted preliminary evaluation of method to manage methane gas emission by assessing LandGem and IPCC method. From the preliminary evaluation, this study found that the IPCC method is based on the availability of current and historical country specific data regarding the waste disposed of in landfills while from the LandGEM method is an automated tool for estimating emission rates for total landfill gas this method account total gas of methane, carbon dioxide and other. The method can be used either with specific data to estimate emissions in the site or default parameters if no site-specific data are available. Both of method could be utilize to monitor the methane emission from landfill site in cities of Central Java.

  13. F/H Effluent Treatment Facility. Preliminary engineering report

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1985-01-01

    The Department of Energy is currently proposing to construct the F/H ETF to process wastewater from the Separations Areas and replace the existing seepage basins. Reasons for seepage basin closure are two-fold. First, nonradioactive hazardous materials routinely discharged to the seepage basins may have adversely impacted the quality of the groundwater in the vicinity of the basins. Second, amendments to the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) were approved in 1984, prohibiting the discharge of hazardous wastes to unlined seepage basins after November, 1988. The F/H ETF will consist of wastewater storage facilities and a treatment plant discharging treated effluent to Upper Three Runs Creek. Seepage basin use in F and H Areas wil be discontinued after startup, allowing timely closure of these basins. 3 refs

  14. Preliminary Study of Greywater Treatment through Rotating Biological Contactor

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ashfaq Ahmed Pathan

    2011-07-01

    Full Text Available The characteristics of the greywater vary from country to country and it depends upon the cultural and social behavior of the respective country. There was a considerable need to characterize and recycle the greywater. In this regard greywater was separated from the black water and analyzed for various physiochemical parameters. Among various greywater recycling treatment technologies, RBC (Rotating Biological Contactor is more effective treatment technique in reducing COD (Chemical Oxygen Demand and organic matters from the greywater. But this technology was not applied and tested in Pakistan. There was extensive need to investigate the RBC technology for greywater recycling at small scale before applying at mass scale. To treat the greywater, a single-stage RBC simulator was designed and developed at laboratory scale. An electric motor equipped with gear box to control the rotations of the disks was mounted on the tank. The simulator was run at the rate of 1.7 rpm. The disc area of the RBC was immersed about 40% in the greywater. Water samples were collected at each HRT (Hydraulic Retention Time and analyzed for the parameters such as pH, conductivity, TDS (Total Dissolved Solids, salinity, BOD5 (Biochemical Oxygen Demand, COD and suspended solids by using standard methods. The results are encouraging with percentage removal of BOD5 and COD being 53 and 60% respectively.

  15. Preliminary design of a dedicated proton therapy linac

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hamm, R.W.; Crandall, K.R.; Potter, J.M.

    1991-01-01

    The preliminary design has been completed for a low current, compact proton linac dedicated to cancer therapy. A 3 GHz side-coupled structure accelerates the beam from a 70 MeV drift tube linac using commercially available S-band rf power systems and accelerating cavities. This significantly reduces the linac cost and allows incremental energies up to 250 MeV. The short beam pulse width and high repetition rate make the linac similar to the high energy electron linacs now used for cancer therapy, yet produce a proton flux sufficient for treatment of large tumors. The high pulse repetition rate permits raster scanning, and the small output beam size and emittance result in a compact isocentric gantry design. Such a linac will reduce the facility and operating costs for a dedicated cancer therapy system

  16. Preliminary design report for the NAC combined transport cask

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1990-04-01

    Nuclear Assurance Corporation (NAC) is under contract to the United States Department of Energy (DOE) to design, license, develop and test models, and fabricate a prototype cask transportation system for nuclear spent fuel. The design of this combined transport (rail/barge) transportation system has been divided into two phases, a preliminary design phase and a final design phase. This Preliminary Design Package (PDP) describes the NAC Combined Transport Cask (NAC-CTC), the results of work completed during the preliminary design phase and identifies the additional detailed analyses, which will be performed during final design. Preliminary analytical results are presented in the appropriate sections and supplemented by summaries of procedures and assumptions for performing the additional detailed analyses of the final design. 60 refs., 1 fig., 2 tabs

  17. 45 CFR 671.15 - Publication of preliminary determination

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-10-01

    ... 45 Public Welfare 3 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Publication of preliminary determination 671.15... Publication of preliminary determination Prior to any designation or redesignation of substances pursuant to... Environmental Protection Agency and other federal agencies, within 30 days after the date of publication of...

  18. Preliminary Turkish study of psychiatric in-patients' competence to make treatment decisions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Aydin Er, Rahime; Sehiralti, Mine; Aker, Ahmet Tamer

    2013-03-01

    Competence is a prerequisite for informed consent. Patients who are found to be competent are entitled to accept or refuse the proposed treatment. In recent years, there has been an increased interest in studies examining competence for treatment in psychiatric patients. In this study, we aimed to investigate the decision-making competencies of inpatients with a range of psychiatric diseases. This study was carried out at the psychiatry clinic of Kocaeli University Hospital in Turkey from June 2007 to February 2008. Decision-making competence was assessed in 83 patients using the MacArthur Competence Assessment Tool-Treatment (MacCAT-T). The study groups consisted of patients with mood (39.8%), psychotic (27.7%) and anxiety disorders (18.1%), and alcohol/substance addiction (14.5%). There was a significant relation between decision-making competence and demographic and clinical characteristics. Appreciation of the given information was more impaired in psychotic disorder patients than in other patients, but understanding and reasoning of the given information was similar in all groups. These results reveal the importance of evaluating decision-making competencies of psychiatric patients before any treatment or intervention is carried out to ascertain their ability to give informed consent to treatment. Institutional and national policies need to be determined and put into practice relating to the assessment and management of competence in patients with psychiatric disorders. Copyright © 2012 Wiley Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.

  19. Development of independent MU/treatment time verification algorithm for non-IMRT treatment planning: A clinical experience

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tatli, Hamza; Yucel, Derya; Yilmaz, Sercan; Fayda, Merdan

    2018-02-01

    The aim of this study is to develop an algorithm for independent MU/treatment time (TT) verification for non-IMRT treatment plans, as a part of QA program to ensure treatment delivery accuracy. Two radiotherapy delivery units and their treatment planning systems (TPS) were commissioned in Liv Hospital Radiation Medicine Center, Tbilisi, Georgia. Beam data were collected according to vendors' collection guidelines, and AAPM reports recommendations, and processed by Microsoft Excel during in-house algorithm development. The algorithm is designed and optimized for calculating SSD and SAD treatment plans, based on AAPM TG114 dose calculation recommendations, coded and embedded in MS Excel spreadsheet, as a preliminary verification algorithm (VA). Treatment verification plans were created by TPSs based on IAEA TRS 430 recommendations, also calculated by VA, and point measurements were collected by solid water phantom, and compared. Study showed that, in-house VA can be used for non-IMRT plans MU/TT verifications.

  20. 78 FR 64478 - Request for Comments on the Preliminary Cybersecurity Framework

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-10-29

    ...-01] Request for Comments on the Preliminary Cybersecurity Framework AGENCY: National Institute of... Cybersecurity Framework (``preliminary Framework''). The preliminary Framework was developed by NIST using... Cybersecurity'' (``Executive Order''). Under the Executive Order, the Secretary of Commerce is tasked to direct...

  1. Preliminary designs: passive solar manufactured housing. Technical status report

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    1980-05-12

    The criteria established to guide the development of the preliminary designs are listed. Three preliminary designs incorporating direct gain and/or sunspace are presented. Costs, drawings, and supporting calculations are included. (MHR)

  2. The conversion of renewable biogas source into energy; A conversao da fonte renovavel biogas em energia

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Coelho, Suani Teixeira; Velazquez, Silvia Maria Stortini Gonzalez; Martins, Osvaldo Stella; Abreu, Fernando Castro de [Universidade de Sao Paulo (USP), SP (Brazil). Inst. de Eletrotecnica e Energia]|[Centro Nacional de Referencia em Biomassa (CENBIO), Sao Paulo, SP (Brazil)]. E-mails: suani@iee.usp.br; sgvelaz@iee.sup.br; omartins@iee.usp.br; fcabreu@iee.usp.br

    2006-07-01

    This article intend to present some considerations directed to electricity generation with small systems (micro turbine and conventional engines ), using biogas generated by sewage treatment process in SABESP (Basic Sanitation Company of Sao Paulo State), located at Barueri, Brazil. This project, pioneer in Latin America, is being accomplished together with BUN - Biomass Users Network of Brazil (proponent), in association with CENBIO - Biomass Reference National Center (executer), with patronage of FINEP / CT-ENERG (financial backer), by means of Convention No: 23.01.0653.00, regarding to ENERG-BIOG Project - Installation and Tests of an Electric Energy Generation Demonstration Unit from Biogas Sewage Treatment. The study is being done at Barueri Sewage Treatment Plant.This plant operate with anaerobic digestion process, which has as mainly products biogas (composed mainly by methane) and sludge. Part of the methane produced at the anaerobic process is burnt in a boiler being used to increase digesters temperature. The rest of the methane is burnt in flare to reduce the impacts caused by gases emissions. This article presents some technical, financial and environmental project results, related to the exploitation of sewer biogas for power generation, as well as bigger details about generation systems (biogas micro turbine), used in the facility. (author)

  3. Sewage biogas conversion into electricity; Conversao do biogas de tratamento de esgoto em eletricidade

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Coelho, Suani Teixeira; Velazquez, Silvia Maria Stortini Gonzalez; Martins, Osvaldo Stella; Abreu, Fernando Castro de [Universidade de Sao Paulo (CENBIO/IEE/USP), Sao Paulo, SP (Brazil). Inst. de Eletrotecnica e Energia. Centro Nacional de Referencia em Biomassa], e-mails: suani@iee.usp.br, sgvelaz@iee.usp.br, omartins@iee.usp.br, fcabreu@iee.usp.br

    2006-07-01

    This article intend to present some considerations directed to electricity generation with small systems (micro turbine and conventional engines ), using biogas generated by sewage treatment process in SABESP (Basic Sanitation Company of Sao Paulo State), located at Barueri, Brazil. This project, pioneer in Latin America, is being accomplished together with BUN - Biomass Users Network of Brazil (proponent), in association with CENBIO - Biomass Reference National Center (executer), with patronage of FINEP / CT-ENERG (financial backer), by means of Convention no: 23.01.0653.00, regarding to ENERG BIOG Project - 'Installation and Tests of an Electric Energy Generation Demonstration Unit from Biogas Sewage Treatment'. The study is being done at Barueri Sewage Treatment Plant. This plant operate with anaerobic digestion process, which has as mainly products biogas (composed mainly by methane) and sludge. Part of the methane produced at the anaerobic process is burnt in a boiler being used to increase digesters temperature. The rest of the methane is burnt in flare to reduce the impacts caused by gases emissions. This article presents some technical, financial and environmental project results, related to the exploitation of sewer biogas for power generation, as well as bigger details about generation systems (biogas micro turbine), used in the facility. (author)

  4. Microbial functional diversity of a shrubland soil experimentally burned and treated with two post-fire stabilization techniques (straw mulch and seeding

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M.T. Fonturbel

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available The study examined the effect of two post-fire stabilization treatments (seeding and mulching on microbial diversity of a shrubland area of Galicia after an experimental fire. The soil was a Leptosol developed over granite with a slope of 38-54% and the soil microbial functional diversity was assessed using Biolog substrate utilization EcoPlates (Biolog Inc., Hayward, CA, USA. Soil samples were taken from the A horizon (0-5 cm depth at different sampling times over one year after the experimental fire. The results indicated that immediately after the fire there were significant differences in the categorized substrate utilization pattern between the microbial communities of the burnt soil treatments and the corresponding unburnt control. The burned soils exhibited significant higher values for the utilization of carboxylic acids, amino acids, carbohydrates and phenolic compounds, suggesting that the microbial community in the burned soils could be favoured by the increase in available C and nutrients following the experimental fire. These changes in the categorized substrate utilization pattern were attenuated with time; thus, one year after the fire, similar values for utilization of different C sources were observed for all unburned and burnt soils. With respect to post-fire treatments only the mulching showed an effect on the C utilization pattern.

  5. Using unplanned fires to help suppressing future large fires in Mediterranean forests.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Adrián Regos

    Full Text Available Despite the huge resources invested in fire suppression, the impact of wildfires has considerably increased across the Mediterranean region since the second half of the 20th century. Modulating fire suppression efforts in mild weather conditions is an appealing but hotly-debated strategy to use unplanned fires and associated fuel reduction to create opportunities for suppression of large fires in future adverse weather conditions. Using a spatially-explicit fire-succession model developed for Catalonia (Spain, we assessed this opportunistic policy by using two fire suppression strategies that reproduce how firefighters in extreme weather conditions exploit previous fire scars as firefighting opportunities. We designed scenarios by combining different levels of fire suppression efficiency and climatic severity for a 50-year period (2000-2050. An opportunistic fire suppression policy induced large-scale changes in fire regimes and decreased the area burnt under extreme climate conditions, but only accounted for up to 18-22% of the area to be burnt in reference scenarios. The area suppressed in adverse years tended to increase in scenarios with increasing amounts of area burnt during years dominated by mild weather. Climate change had counterintuitive effects on opportunistic fire suppression strategies. Climate warming increased the incidence of large fires under uncontrolled conditions but also indirectly increased opportunities for enhanced fire suppression. Therefore, to shift fire suppression opportunities from adverse to mild years, we would require a disproportionately large amount of area burnt in mild years. We conclude that the strategic planning of fire suppression resources has the potential to become an important cost-effective fuel-reduction strategy at large spatial scale. We do however suggest that this strategy should probably be accompanied by other fuel-reduction treatments applied at broad scales if large-scale changes in fire

  6. Using unplanned fires to help suppressing future large fires in Mediterranean forests.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Regos, Adrián; Aquilué, Núria; Retana, Javier; De Cáceres, Miquel; Brotons, Lluís

    2014-01-01

    Despite the huge resources invested in fire suppression, the impact of wildfires has considerably increased across the Mediterranean region since the second half of the 20th century. Modulating fire suppression efforts in mild weather conditions is an appealing but hotly-debated strategy to use unplanned fires and associated fuel reduction to create opportunities for suppression of large fires in future adverse weather conditions. Using a spatially-explicit fire-succession model developed for Catalonia (Spain), we assessed this opportunistic policy by using two fire suppression strategies that reproduce how firefighters in extreme weather conditions exploit previous fire scars as firefighting opportunities. We designed scenarios by combining different levels of fire suppression efficiency and climatic severity for a 50-year period (2000-2050). An opportunistic fire suppression policy induced large-scale changes in fire regimes and decreased the area burnt under extreme climate conditions, but only accounted for up to 18-22% of the area to be burnt in reference scenarios. The area suppressed in adverse years tended to increase in scenarios with increasing amounts of area burnt during years dominated by mild weather. Climate change had counterintuitive effects on opportunistic fire suppression strategies. Climate warming increased the incidence of large fires under uncontrolled conditions but also indirectly increased opportunities for enhanced fire suppression. Therefore, to shift fire suppression opportunities from adverse to mild years, we would require a disproportionately large amount of area burnt in mild years. We conclude that the strategic planning of fire suppression resources has the potential to become an important cost-effective fuel-reduction strategy at large spatial scale. We do however suggest that this strategy should probably be accompanied by other fuel-reduction treatments applied at broad scales if large-scale changes in fire regimes are to be

  7. Naphtha interaction with bitumen and clays : a preliminary study

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Afara, M.; Munoz, V.; Mikula, R. [Natural Resources Canada, Devon, AB (Canada). CANMET Western Research Centre

    2010-07-01

    This PowerPoint presentation described a preliminary study conducted to characterize naphtha interactions with bitumen and clays. Coarse tailings, fluid-fine tailings, and froth treatment tailings are produced as a result of surface mine oil sands operations. Solvents are used to produce the bitumens, but the actual fraction of the solvent that evaporates and contributes to VOCs from tailing ponds is poorly understood. This study examined the interactions between the solvent, bitumen and mineral components in froth treatment tails. The study was conducted with aim of quantifying the VOC or solvent escaping from the froth treatment tailings. Samples containing bitumen, clay, a bitumen-clay mixture, or MFT were spiked with 3000 ppm of solvent. The amount of naphtha released was monitored by gas chromatography, mass spectrometry, and flame ionization detection of the evolved gases. The results were expressed as a percentage of the total hydrocarbon peak area of the sample versus a control. Results of the study showed that the naphtha interacted more strongly with the bitumen than with kaolinite and the clay minerals from the oil sands. Although initial solvent evaporation was reduced in the presence of bitumens and clays, long-term solvent releases will need to be quantified. tabs., figs.

  8. UVISS preliminary visibility analysis

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Betto, Maurizio

    1998-01-01

    The goal of this work is to obtain a preliminary assessment of the sky visibility for anastronomical telescope located on the express pallet of the International SpaceStation (ISS)} taking into account the major constraints imposed on the instrument by the ISSattitude and structure. Part of the w......The goal of this work is to obtain a preliminary assessment of the sky visibility for anastronomical telescope located on the express pallet of the International SpaceStation (ISS)} taking into account the major constraints imposed on the instrument by the ISSattitude and structure. Part...... of the work is also to setup the kernel of a software tool for the visibility analysis thatshould be easily expandable to consider more complex strucures for future activities.This analysis is part of the UVISS assessment study and it is meant to provide elementsfor the definition and the selection...

  9. The Anaclitic-Introjective Depression Assessment: Development and preliminary validity of an observer-rated measure.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rost, Felicitas; Luyten, Patrick; Fonagy, Peter

    2018-03-01

    The two-configurations model developed by Blatt and colleagues offers a comprehensive conceptual and empirical framework for understanding depression. This model suggests that depressed patients struggle, at different developmental levels, with issues related to dependency (anaclitic issues) or self-definition (introjective issues), or a combination of both. This paper reports three studies on the development and preliminary validation of the Anaclitic-Introjective Depression Assessment, an observer-rated assessment tool of impairments in relatedness and self-definition in clinical depression based on the item pool of the Shedler-Westen Assessment Procedure. Study 1 describes the development of the measure using expert consensus rating and Q-methodology. Studies 2 and 3 report the assessment of its psychometric properties, preliminary reliability, and validity in a sample of 128 patients diagnosed with treatment-resistant depression. Four naturally occurring clusters of depressed patients were identified using Q-factor analysis, which, overall, showed meaningful and theoretically expected relationships with anaclitic/introjective prototypes as formulated by experts, as well as with clinical, social, occupational, global, and relational functioning. Taken together, findings reported in this paper provide preliminary evidence for the reliability and validity of the Anaclitic-Introjective Depression Assessment, an observer-rated measure that allows the detection of important nuanced differentiations between and within anaclitic and introjective depression. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  10. Preliminary results of the global audit of treatment of refractory status epilepticus.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ferlisi, M; Hocker, S; Grade, M; Trinka, E; Shorvon, S

    2015-08-01

    The treatment of refractory and super refractory status epilepticus is a "terra incognita" from the point of view of evidence-based medicine. As randomized or controlled studies that are sufficiently powered are not feasible in relation to the many therapies and treatment approaches available, we carried out an online multinational audit (registry) in which neurologists or intensivists caring for patients with status epilepticus may prospectively enter patients who required general anesthesia to control the status epilepticus (SE). To date, 488 cases from 44 different countries have been collected. Most of the patients had no history of epilepsy and had a cryptogenic etiology. First-line treatment was delayed and not in line with current guidelines. The most widely used anesthetic of first choice was midazolam (59%), followed by propofol and barbiturates. Ketamine was used in most severe cases. Other therapies were administered in 35% of the cases, mainly steroids and immunotherapy. Seizure control was achieved in 74% of the patients. Twenty-two percent of patients died during treatment, and four percent had treatment actively withdrawn because of an anticipated poor outcome. The neurological outcome was good in 36% and poor in 39.3% of cases, while 25% died during hospitalization. Factors that positively influenced outcome were younger age, history of epilepsy, and low number of different anesthetics tried. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled "Status Epilepticus". Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  11. Facts and data concerning energy in France and in the world during 1998

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lavergne, R.; Meuric, L.; Gombert, M.; Paquel, V.; Vaillant, C.; Quintaine, Th.

    1999-01-01

    This series of short articles presents a preliminary study of the energy consumption in France in 1998. The electricity production and the consumption of natural gas, of solid fossil fuels and of petroleum are detailed through various tables. In 1998 the global cost of energy for France was cut by 29% in comparison with 1997. This drop in costs is due to the fall of crude oil prices (-33,2% for Brent oil) whereas the dollar exchange rate remained quite constant through the year. The CO 2 emissions computed from the quantity of energy burnt show a 4,7% rise in comparison with 1997. Different tables give the consumption of energy in the world, they allow the reader to situate the position of France. (A.C.)

  12. [Evaluation and symptomatic treatment of surinfectious exacerbations of COPD: preliminary study of antibiotic treatment combined with fenspiride (Pneumorel 80mg) versus placebo].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lirsac, B; Benezet, O; Dansin, E; Nouvet, G; Stach, B; Voisin, C

    2000-02-01

    Exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) have an inflammatory component in addition to the possible infectious component. The antiinflammatory properties of fenspiride (Pneumorel(R) 80 mg) should be evaluated in this frequent clinical situation. Assess the supplementary therapeutic benefit provided by fenspiride administered in combination with antibiotics in COPD patients presenting an episode of bronchial infection. A preliminary randomized placebo-controlled double-blind study was conduced in 7 centers. Patients under 80 years of age of both sexes were included. All patients had COPD and presented a bronchial infection defined as the presence of at least 2 of the 3 criteria defined by Anthonisen. Patients were randomly assigned to group F or group P. Group F received an antibiotic therapy from day 1 to day 11 plus fenspiride (3 x 80mg/d from day 0 to day 30). Group P received the same antibiotic therapy plus placebo. Amoxicillin 500mg plus clavulanic acid 125, 3 tablets/day, was administered in both groups. Thirty-nine patients were included (group F 19 patients, group P 20 patients; 6 women and 33 men; mean age 61.1 +/- 9.8 years). The 3 Anthonisen criteria were present in 79% and 75% of the patients in group F and P respectively (NS). On day 11, expectoration resolved in 39% and 32% (NS) and cough in 44% and 16% (NS) of the patients in groups F and P respectively. Lung auscultation returned to normal in 83% of the patients in group F compared with 47% in group P (p=0.05). A composite clinical score including expectoration cough and auscultation findings showed that 28% of the patients in group F were symptom-free on day 11 compared with 0% in group P (p=0.04). On day 30, the two groups were comparable. In this preliminary study of patients with COPD presenting a bronchial superinfection, there was a significant improvement in lung auscultation and in the composite clinical score in patients given fenspiride. Fenspiride was thus found to

  13. Prescribed burning in a Eucalyptus woodland suppresses fruiting of hypogeous fungi, an important food source for mammals.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Trappe, James M; Nicholls, A O; Claridge, Andrew W; Cork, Steven J

    2006-11-01

    Fruit bodies of hypogeous fungi are an important food source for many small mammals and are consumed by larger mammals as well. A controversial hypothesis that prescribed burning increases fruiting of certain hypogeous fungi based on observations in Tasmania was tested in the Australian Capital Territory to determine if it applied in a quite different habitat. Ten pairs of plots, burnt and nonburnt, were established at each of two sites prescribe-burnt in May 1999. When sampled in early July, after autumn rains had initiated the fungal fruiting season, species richness and numbers of fruit bodies on the burnt plots were extremely low: most plots produced none at all. Both species richness and fruit body numbers were simultaneously high on nonburnt plots. One of the sites was resampled a year after the initial sampling. At that time species richness and fruit body abundance were still significantly less on burnt plots than on nonburnt, but a strong trend towards fungal recovery on the burnt plots was evident. This was particularly so when numbers of fruit bodies of one species, the hypogeous agaric Dermocybe globuliformis, were removed from the analysis. This species strongly dominated the nonburnt plots but was absent from burnt plots in both years. The trend towards recovery of fruit body abundance in the burnt plots one year after the burn was much more pronounced with exclusion of the Dermocybe data. The Tasmanian-based hypothesis was based mostly on the fruiting of two fire-adapted species in the Mesophelliaceae. Neither species occurred on our plots. Accordingly, the results and conclusions of the Tasmanian study cannot be extrapolated to other habitats without extensive additional study. Implications for management of habitat for fungi and the animals that rely on the fungi as a food source are discussed.

  14. Preliminary design of a Binary Breeder Reactor

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Garcia C, E. Y.; Francois, J. L.; Lopez S, R. C.

    2014-10-01

    A binary breeder reactor (BBR) is a reactor that by means of the transmutation and fission process can operates through the depleted uranium burning with a small quantity of fissile material. The advantages of a BBR with relation to other nuclear reactor types are numerous, taking into account their capacity to operate for a long time without requiring fuel reload or re-arrangement. In this work four different simulations are shown carried out with the MCNPX code with libraries Jeff-3.1 to 1200 K. The objective of this study is to compare two different models of BBR: a spherical reactor and a cylindrical one, using two fuel cycles for each one of them (U-Pu and Th-U) and different reflectors for the two different geometries. For all the models a super-criticality state was obtained at least 10.9 years without carrying out some fuel re-arrangement or reload. The plutonium-239 production was achieved in the models where natural uranium was used in the breeding area, while the production of uranium-233 was observed in the cases where thorium was used in the fertile area. Finally, a behavior of stationary wave reactor was observed inside the models of spherical reactor when contemplating the power uniform increment in the breeding area, while inside the cylindrical models was observed the behavior of a traveling wave reactor when registering the displacement of the burnt wave along the cylindrical model. (Author)

  15. Thermal plasma treatment of cell-phone waste : preliminary result

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ruj, B. [Central Mechanical Engineering Research Inst., Durgapur (India). Thermal Engineering Group; Chang, J.S.; Li, O.L. [McMaster Univ., Hamilton, ON (Canada). Dept. of Engineering Physics; Pietsch, G. [RWTH Aachen Univ., Aachen (Germany)

    2010-07-01

    The cell phone is an indispensable service facilitator, however, the disposal and recycling of cell phones is a major problem. While the potential life span of a mobile phone, excluding batteries, is over 10 years, most of the users upgrade their phones approximately four times during this period. Cell phone waste is significantly more hazardous than many other municipal wastes as it contains thousands of components made of toxic chemicals and metals like lead, cadmium, chromium, mercury, polyvinyl chlorides (PVC), brominated flame retardants, beryllium, antimony and phthalates. Cell phones also use many expensive rare metals. Since cell phones are made up of plastics, metals, ceramics, and trace other substances, primitive recycling or disposal of cell phone waste to landfills and incinerators creates irreversible environmental damage by polluting water and soil, and contaminating air. In order to minimize releases into the environment and threat to human health, the disposal of cell phones needs to be managed in an environmentally friendly way. This paper discussed a safer method of reducing the generation of syngas and hydrocarbons and metal recovery through the treatment of cell phone wastes by a thermal plasma. The presentation discussed the experiment, with particular reference to sample preparation; experimental set-up; and results four samples with different experimental conditions. It was concluded that the plasma treatment of cell phone waste in reduced condition generates gaseous components such as hydrogen, carbon monoxide, and hydrocarbons which are combustible. Therefore, this system is an energy recovery system that contributes to resource conservation and reduction of climate change gases. 5 refs., 2 tabs., 2 figs.

  16. Epidural cortical stimulation as adjunctive treatment for non-fluent aphasia: preliminary findings.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cherney, Leora R; Erickson, Robert K; Small, Steven L

    2010-09-01

    This study evaluated the safety and feasibility of targeted epidural cortical stimulation delivered concurrently with intensive speech-language therapy for treatment of chronic non-fluent aphasia. Eight stroke survivors with non-fluent aphasia received intensive behavioural therapy for 3 h daily for 6 weeks using a combination of articulation drills, oral reading and conversational practice. Four of these participants (investigational participants) also underwent functional MRI guided surgical implantation of an epidural stimulation device which was activated only during therapy sessions. Behavioural data were collected before treatment, immediately after treatment and at 6 and 12 weeks following termination of therapy. Imaging data were collected before and after treatment. Investigational participants showed a mean Aphasia Quotient change of 8.0 points immediately post-therapy and at the 6 week follow-up, and 12.3 points at 12 weeks. The control group had changes of 4.6, 5.5 and 3.6 points, respectively. Similar changes were noted on subjective caregiver ratings. Functional imaging suggested increased consolidation of activity in interventional participants. Behavioural speech-language therapy improves non-fluent aphasia, independent of cortical stimulation. However, epidural stimulation of the ipsilesional premotor cortex may augment this effect, with the largest effects after completion of therapy. The neural mechanisms underlying these effects are manifested in the brain by decreases in the volume of activity globally and in particular regions. Although the number of participants enrolled in this trial precludes definitive conclusions, targeted epidural cortical stimulation appears safe and may be a feasible adjunctive treatment for non-fluent aphasia, particularly when the aphasia is more severe.

  17. Preliminary observations on the use of dry urea treatment and ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Raw unprocessed jackbean contains 28 - 30% crude protein but also contains toxic elements that limit its use as feed ingredient for nionogastric animals. A 21 - day feeding trial was conducted to determine the effect of dry urea treatment prior to toasting on its nutritive value for young broiler chicks. One of two batches of raw ...

  18. Gait retraining as part of the treatment programme for soldiers with ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Kathryn van Boom

    with exercise-related leg pain: preliminary clinical experiences and retention. W O Zimmermann,1 ... highest reported incidence of MTSS in a military setting was. 35% of 124 naval ... The goal of this study is to evaluate the treatment results and ...

  19. Cooling via one hand improves physical performance in heat-sensitive individuals with Multiple Sclerosis: A preliminary study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Murray Julie

    2008-05-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Many individuals afflicted with multiple sclerosis (MS experience a transient worsening of symptoms when body temperature increases due to ambient conditions or physical activity. Resulting symptom exacerbations can limit performance. We hypothesized that extraction of heat from the body through the subcutaneous retia venosa that underlie the palmar surfaces of the hands would reduce exercise-related heat stress and thereby increase the physical performance capacity of heat-sensitive individuals with MS. Methods Ten ambulatory MS patients completed one or more randomized paired trials of walking on a treadmill in a temperate environment with and without cooling. Stop criteria were symptom exacerbation and subjective fatigue. The cooling treatment entailed inserting one hand into a rigid chamber through an elastic sleeve that formed an airtight seal around the wrist. A small vacuum pump created a -40 mm Hg subatmospheric pressure enviinside the chamber where the palmar surface of the hand rested on a metal surface maintained at 18–22°C. During the treatment trials, the device was suspended from above the treadmill on a bungee cord so the subjects could comfortably keep a hand in the device without having to bear its weight while walking on the treadmill. Results When the trials were grouped by treatment only, cooling treatment increased exercise durations by 33% (43.6 ± 17.1 min with treatment vs. 32.8 ± 10.9 min. without treatment, mean ± SD, p -6, paired t-test, n = 26. When the average values were calculated for the subjects who performed multiple trials before the treatment group results were compared, cooling treatment increased exercise duration by 35% (42.8 ± 16.4 min with treatment vs. 31.7 ± 9.8 min. without treatment, mean ± SD, p Conclusion These preliminary results suggest that utilization of the heat transfer capacity of the non-hairy skin surfaces can enable temperature-sensitive individuals with MS to

  20. The Survey of Treatment Entry Pressures (STEP): identifying client's reasons for entering substance abuse treatment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dugosh, Karen Leggett; Festinger, David S; Lynch, Kevin G; Marlowe, Douglas B

    2014-10-01

    Systematically identifying reasons that clients enter substance abuse treatment may allow clinicians to immediately focus on issues of greatest relevance to the individual and enhance treatment engagement. We developed the Survey of Treatment Entry Pressures (STEP) to identify the specific factors that precipitated an individual's treatment entry. The instrument contains 121 items from 6 psychosocial domains (i.e., family, financial, social, medical, psychiatric, legal). The current study examined the STEP's psychometric properties. A total of 761 participants from various treatment settings and modalities completed the STEP prior to treatment admission and 4-7 days later. Analyses were performed to examine the instrument's psychometric properties including item response rates, test-retest reliability, internal consistency, and factor structure. The items displayed adequate test-retest reliability and internal consistency within each psychosocial domain. Generally, results from exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses support a 2-factor structure reflecting type of reinforcement schedule. The study provides preliminary support for the psychometric properties of the STEP. The STEP may provide a reliable way for clinicians to characterize and capitalize on a client's treatment motivation early on which may serve to improve treatment retention and therapeutic outcomes. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  1. Preliminary assessments the shortcut to remediation (category III-surplus facility assessments)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Byars, L.L.

    1995-01-01

    This report presents the details of the preliminary assessments for the shortcut of decontamination of surplus nuclear facilities. Topics discussed include: environment, health and safety concerns; economic considerations; reduction of transition time; preliminary characterization reports; preliminary project plan; health and safety plan; quality assurance plan; surveillance and maintenance plan; and waste management plan

  2. Treatment of oil-contaminated drill cuttings using supercritical carbon dioxide (SC CO2)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Odusanya, O.O.; Guigard, S.E.

    2002-01-01

    New treatment technologies are currently being investigated for the treatment of oil-contaminated drill cuttings generated during drilling for oil and gas. Supercritical Fluid Extraction (SFE) is a promising technology that could effectively treat these contaminated drill cuttings. The objectives of this work were therefore to investigate the application of SFE to oil-contaminated drill cuttings treatment and to determine the optimal extraction conditions to remove the oil from these cuttings. Preliminary extractions indicate that SFE with carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) can effectively remove oil from oil-contaminated drill cuttings. Extraction efficiencies calculated based on Total Petroleum Hydrocarbon (TPH) content were greater than 76% for the cuttings and extraction conditions tested in this work. The preliminary results indicate a trend of increasing extraction efficiencies with increasing temperature and pressure although more data is required to confirm this trend. Additional work will focus on performing additional extractions to determine the optimum extraction conditions. (author)

  3. The treatment of radiation burns

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2015-01-01

    The treatment of high dose accidental irradiations can now combine surgery and stem cell therapy. This treatment has been used successfully on 2 patients with the same protocol: removal of bone marrow from the patient, isolation and cultivation of mesenchymal stem cells, injections of the cells near the wound during surgery and afterwards. The success of this therapy has been stunning: not only the wound has been cured but the scar is painless. These preliminary results must be reinforced through a research program in order to understand how the therapy works and to optimise it in terms of the quantity of cells to inject and the frequency of the injections. (A.C.)

  4. The role of coarse woody debris in southeastern pine forests; preliminary results from a large-scale experiment.

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    McCay Timothy, S.; Hanula, James, L.; Loeb, Susan, C.; Lohr, Steven, M.; McMinn, James, W.; Wright-Miley. Bret, D.

    2002-08-01

    McCay, Timothy S., James L. Hanula, Susan C. Loeb, Steven M. Lohr, James W. McMinn, and Bret D. Wright-Miley. 2002. The role of coarse woody debris in southeastern pine forests; preliminary results from a large-scale experiment. 135-144. In: Proceedings of the symposium on the ecology and management of dead wood in western forests. 1999 November 2-4; Reno, NV. Gen. Tech. Rep. PSW-GTR-181. Albany, CA: Pacific Southwest Research Station, Forest Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture 949 p. ABSTRACT: We initiated a long-term experiment involving manipulation of coarse woody debris (CWD) at the Savannah River National Environmental Research Park in the upper Coastal Plain of South Carolina. Each of four 9.3-ha plots in each of four blocks was subject to one of the following treatments: removal of all snags and fallen logs, removal of fallen logs only, felling and girdling to simulate a catastrophic pulse of CWD, and control. Removal treatments were applied in 1996, and the felling or snag-creation treatment will be applied in 2000-2001. Monitoring of invertebrate, herptile, avian, and mammalian assemblages and CWD dynamics began immediately after CWD removal and continues through the present. Removal treatments resulted in a fivefold to tenfold reduction in CWD abundance. To date, significant differences among treatments have only been detected for a few animal taxa. However, preliminary results underscore the benefits of large-scale experiments. This experiment allowed unambiguous tests of hypotheses regarding the effect of CWD abundance on fauna. Coupled with studies of habitat use and trophic interactions, the experimental approach may result in stronger inferences regarding the function of CWD than results obtained through natural history observation or uncontrolled correlative studies.

  5. When do children get burnt?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Verey, Frances; Lyttle, Mark D; Lawson, Zoe; Greenwood, Rosemary; Young, Amber

    2014-11-01

    Burns are a cause of more than 5000 paediatric hospital admissions per year in England and Wales. Injury prevention and service provision may be better planned with knowledge of burn timing. Prospectively collected records from 1st January 2010 to 31st December 2011 were analysed. All episodes involving patients less than 16 years of age reviewed by the South West Children's Burns Centre were included. Data was collected from 1480 records to investigate seasonal, weekly, and daily variation. Day to day analysis showed significantly more burns occurred on Saturday and Sunday than Monday-Friday (p10% body surface area), 38% occurred after 19:00. There was no statistically significant variation in the monthly (p=0.105) or seasonal (p=0.270) distribution of burns. Bank holidays did not cause a statistically significant increase in numbers. Injury prevention strategies are likely to have most volume impact by increasing awareness of the peak time for burns in children, enabling parents at home with young children to modify any risky behaviour and by targeting older children and their behaviour. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd and ISBI. All rights reserved.

  6. ANAEROBIC MEMBRANE BIOREACTORS FOR DOMESTIC WASTEWATER TREATMENT. PRELIMINARY STUDY

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Luisa Vera

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available The operation of submerged anaerobic membrane bioreactors (SAnMBRs for domestic wastewaters treatment was studied in laboratory scale, with the objective to define sustainable filtration conditions of the suspensions along the process. During continuous experiments, the organic matter degradation by anaerobic way showed an average DQOT removal of 85% and 93%. Indeed, the degradation generated biogas after 12 days of operation and its relative methane composition was of 60% after 25 days of operation. Additionally, the comparison between membrane bioreactors (MBRs performance in aerobic and anaerobic conditions in filterability terms, reported that both systems behave similarly once reached the stationary state.

  7. Preliminary clinical results of locoregional hyperthermia for primary and secondary bone tumors

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Zhu, J.L.; Nagata, Yasushi; Kanamori, Shuichi; Mitsumori, Michihide; Okuno, Yoshishige; Horii, Naotoshi; Nishimura, Yasumasa; Masunaga, Shinitiro; Hiraoka, Masahiro [Kyoto Univ. (Japan). Graduate School of Medicine

    2000-03-01

    Nineteen primary and secondary bone tumors in 16 patients were treated with hyperthermia plus radiotherapy and/or chemotherapy between 1982 and 1997 at Kyoto University Hospital. The thermometric and clinical results were analyzed retrospectively. In 55 of 86 hyperthermia sessions, the intratumor temperature was measured using a thermometer. Of the 19 tumors, 16 (84%) received heat treatment 4-7 times, and 3 (16%) received 1 or 2 treatments of hyperthermia. The mean maximum, mean minimum and average intratumor temperatures were 42.9, 40.4 and 41.6 deg C, respectively, and 12 (67%) reached a tumor maximum temperature above 42.5 deg C. The durations that intratumor points exceeded 42, 41 and 40 deg C were 27, 34 and 38 min, respectively. The local tumor response to treatment was assessed using X-ray computed tomography. The local response rate was 16% and the local pain relief rate was 63%. The 1-year cumulative survival rate was 60%. Our preliminary results indicated that thermoradiotherapy and thermochemotherapy are clinicaly feasible and potentially beneficial in the management of locally advanced bone tumors. (author)

  8. Using a treatment partner and text messaging to improve adherence ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    This paper reports on preliminary qualitative research preceding a randomised ... Results: The caregivers interviewed were all mothers of MHSU who took .... combination: (1) pragmatic reasons; (2) the need to compare ..... treatment partner should contact the participants i.e. through ... notes to verbal face to face messages.

  9. Simultaneous Delorme's procedure and inter-sphinteric prosthetic implant for the treatment of rectal prolapse and faecal incontinence: preliminary experience and literature review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cavazzoni, Emanuel; Rosati, Emanuele; Zavagno, Valentina; Graziosi, Luigina; Donini, Annibale

    2015-02-01

    Rectal prolapse is a distressing condition affecting mostly elderly patients and females. Delorme's procedure is frequently performed since it offers good results and is burdened by a particularly low morbidity. Faecal Incontinence is associated with prolapse in a large percentage of patients, due to the sphincter damage caused by the prolapsed rectum through the anal canal. Prolapse resection is often ineffective in treating incontinence, and further specific procedures are frequently required. At present, no data are available on combined Delorme's procedure with the implant of Bulking Agents for the simultaneous treatment of rectal prolapse and faecal incontinence. Three patients affected by complete external rectal prolapse underwent simultaneous Delorme's procedure with application of six polyacrylonitrile prosthetic cylinders in the inter-sphinteric space (Gate Keeper™, THD, Correggio Italy). Follow up was at 3,6 and 12 months. Gate Keeper procedure required a short operative time; no morbidity or complications were experienced. Prolapse was successfully treated in all patients and the mean Vaizey's incontinence score value dropped from pre-operative 19.3 to 9.3 after 3 months. All patients experienced a reduction of incontinence episodes and an improvement in daily activities and lifestyle. Gate Keeper implant is feasible and safe when associated to surgical procedures like Delorme's prolapse resection. Preliminary results are positive even if a study with a larger numbers of patients is needed to confirm the efficacy. A simultaneous treatment of faecal incontinence should be always considered when performing surgery for rectal prolapse. The present manuscript describes a simultaneous combination of two surgical techniques to treat rectal prolapse and faecal incontinence. To date, there are no published data on a similar approach. The paper underlies the importance of treating faecal incontinence when performing surgery for rectal prolapse. Copyright

  10. Preliminary investigation of liquid phase sintering in ferrous systems

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Klein, J.

    1975-04-01

    Liquid phase sintering was utilized to achieve, by a simple compaction and sintering procedure involving short times and moderate temperatures, a virtually full dense high carbon Fe:C alloy and high boron Fe:B alloy. Parameters such as powder characteristics and mixing, compacting pressure, heating program and the liquid phase fraction were found to influence the sintered density. The response of the Fe:C alloy to a heat treatment is reported along with preliminary experiments in the iron base ternary system Fe:W:C. Residual porosities observed in microstructures of certain liquid phase sintered compacts were accounted for by a proposed capillary flow of the liquid phase and a local densification competing against an overall densification. Some general recommendations are made for liquid phase sintering of powder aggregates. 15 fig., 7 tables

  11. 37 CFR 1.480 - Demand for international preliminary examination.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... 37 Patents, Trademarks, and Copyrights 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Demand for international... Provisions International Preliminary Examination § 1.480 Demand for international preliminary examination. (a) On the filing of a proper Demand in an application for which the United States International...

  12. Analysis of vegetation in an Imperata grassland of Barak valley, Assam.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Astapati, Ashim Das; Das, Ashesh Kumar

    2012-09-01

    Imperata grassland at Dorgakona, Barak valley, North Eastern India was analyzed for species composition and diversity pattern in relation to traditional management practices. 19 families were in the burnt and unburnt plots of the study site with Poaceae as the most dominant one. 29 species occurred in the burnt plot and 28 in the unburnt plot. Most of the species were common in both the plots. The pattern of frequency diagrams indicated that the vegetation was homogeneous. Imperata cylindrica, a rhizomatous grass was the dominant species based on density (318.75 and 304.18 nos. m(-2)), basal cover (158.22 and 148.34 cm2 m(-2)) and Importance value index (IVI) (132.64 and 138.74) for the burnt and unburnt plots respectively. Borreria pusilla was the co-dominant species constituting Imperata-Borreria assemblage of the studied grassland. It was observed that B. pusilla (162.25 nos. m(-2) and 50.37 nos. m(-2), I. cylindrica (318.75 nos. m(-2) and 304.18 nos. m(-2)) and Setaria glauca (24.70 nos. m(-2) and 16.46 nos. m(-2) were benefited from burning as shown by the values sequentially placed for burnt and unburnt plots. Certain grasses like Chrysopogon aciculatus and Sacciolepis indica were restricted to burnt plot while Oxalis corniculata showed its presence to unburnt plot. Grasses dominated the grassland as revealed by their contribution to the mean percentage cover of 72% in burnt plot and 76% in umburnt plot. The dominance-diversity curves in the study site approaches a log normal series distribution suggesting that the resources are shared by the constituent species. Seasonal pattern in diversity index suggested definite influence of climatic seasonality on species diversity; rainy season was conducive for maximum diversity (1.40 and 1.38 in the burnt and unburnt plots, respectively). Dominance increased with concentration of fewer species (0.0021 in burnt plot and 0.0055 in unbumt plot) in summer and behaves inversely to index of diversity. This study showed

  13. Review of Preliminary Analysis Techniques for Tension Structures.

    Science.gov (United States)

    1984-02-01

    however,a linear dinamic analysis can be conducted for purposes of preliminary design, relative to the static configuration. It is noted that the amount of...16 Chapter 3. PRELIMINARY DESIGN OF TENSION STRUCTURES . . .. .. .. .... 22 S.3.1 Cable Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . .. .. .. .... 23...3.1.1 Singly-Connected Segments. .. .... ... 24 3.1.2 Multiply-Connected Segments . . .. .. .. .. 27 3.1.3 Linearized Dynamics of Cable Systems . . . . 29

  14. Development of a distress inventory for cancer: preliminary results.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Thomas B

    2002-01-01

    Full Text Available CONTEXT: Advances in cancer treatment have led to cure and prolongation of patients′ lives; however associated psychosocial problems, including distress, can detrimentally affect patients′ compliance with treatment and ultimately, their outcome. Symptom distress has been well addressed in many studies; however, psychological distress has only been quantified by using depression or anxiety scales/checklists or quality of life scales containing a distress sub scale/component or by the use of scales that are not psychological distress-specific. AIMS: The present study is an attempt to construct a psychological distress inventory for specific use with cancer patients. SETTINGS AND DESIGN: The standardisation sample consisted of 63 randomly selected patients with head and neck cancer who had undergone/ were undergoing curative treatment at the Regional Cancer Centre, Trivandrum. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The Distress Inventory for Cancer contained 57 positively and negatively toned items. An item analysis was conducted, followed by a factor analysis, thereby identifying the domains influencing distress. RESULTS: The final questionnaire contained 26 items subdivided into four domains viz. the personal, spiritual, physical, and the family domains, with each domain providing a sub score. The reliability coefficient (Cronbach′s alpha of the scale was found to be 0.85. CONCLUSIONS: These are the preliminary results of an ongoing study on global distress and tool development process. Reported here is the first step towards development of such tool.

  15. Low-dose radiotherapy as treatment for benign lymphoepitelial lesion in HIV-patients

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gonzalez Patino, E.; Lopez Vazquez, M.D.; Cascallar Caneda, L.; Antinez Lopez, J.; Victoria Fernandez, C.; Salvador Garrido, N.; Ares Banobre, M.; Porto vazquez, M.C.

    1995-01-01

    Standard treatments for benign lymphoepitelial lesion of the parotid gland in patients infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) are unsatisfactory. Recently, low-dose radiotherapy has been proposed as a noninvasive treatment option. We describe a case of bilateral benign lymphoepitelial lesion parotid gland in a HIV-positive paint, treated by radiotherapy. Low-dose radiotherapy, appears as a alternative in the treatment for benign lymphoepitelial lesion in HIV-patients, and preliminary evaluations have indicated that this treatment is effective from both the clinical and cosmetic points of view

  16. Awareness, knowledge and attitudes towards epilepsy among rural populations in East Coast Peninsular Malaysia: a preliminary exploration.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Neni, Selamat Widiasmoro; Latif, Ahmad Zubaidi Abdul; Wong, Sok Yee; Lua, Pei Lin

    2010-06-01

    This study was carried out to gauge the preliminary insight regarding epilepsy among the rural society. The purposes of this study were: (1) to determine general level of awareness, knowledge and attitudes (AKA) towards epilepsy among rural communities, (2) to compare the AKA level based on socio-demographic characteristics and (3) to investigate rural cohort's perception of the best epilepsy treatment, preference for epilepsy information delivery and preference for mode of transportation to seek medical treatment. This prospective, cross sectional study included a sample of 615 rural residents enrolled via cluster sampling in East Coast region of Peninsular Malaysia (mean age=41.6+/-18.02, female=56.6%, married=65.5%, Malay=94.0%, monthly income 0.05). However, respondents with higher education significantly possessed better attitudes and higher Total AKA level compared to those with lower education level (p<0.001). Employed respondents reported significantly more favourable attitudes than unemployed respondents (p=0.011). Additionally, higher income rural cohorts possessed both significantly better attitudes and better AKA. These rural communities perceived modern medicine as the best epilepsy treatment (56.60%), preferred to obtain direct epilepsy-related information from health personnel (60.4%) and chose to use their own car to seek medical treatment in hospital (76.30%). The outcomes of this preliminary study signified the need to devise a dedicated epilepsy education program for implementation among rural residents. Increased AKA level in the society could enhance the people's acceptance, reduce stigmatisation and improve health-related quality of life (HRQoL) for epilepsy patients and their family. Copyright 2010 British Epilepsy Association. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  17. Treatment of air dried archaeological wool textiles from waterlogged environment

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Scharff, Annemette Bruselius

    2014-01-01

    expanded the fibers and the yarn increased in size, resulting in more flexible and less brittle textiles. This property was kept when the textiles were dried by stepwise dehydration in ethanol, acetone, and white spirit with a final treatment in 5% lanolin. Preliminary tests on brittle textiles can...

  18. Preliminary assessment of safeguardability on the concepture design of advanced spent fuel conditioning process

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lee, Sang Yoon; Ha, Jang Ho; Ko, Won Il; Song, Dae Yong; Kim, Ho Dong

    2003-04-01

    In this report, a preliminary study on the safeguardability of ACP (Advanced spent fuel Conditioning Process) was conducted with Los Alamos National Laboratory. The proposed ACP concept is an electrometallurgical treatment technique to convert oxide-type spent nuclear fuels into metal forms, which can achieve significant reduction of the volume and heat load of spent fuel to be stored and disposed of. For the safeguardability analysis of the ACP facility, sub-processes and their KMPs (Key Measurement Points) were defined first, and then their material flows were analyzed. Finally, the standard deviation of the Inventory Difference (ID) value of the facility was estimated with assumption by assuming international target values for the uncertainty of measurement methods and their uncertainty. From the preliminary calculation, we concluded that if the assumptions regarding measurement instruments can be achieved in a safeguards system for the ACP facility, the safeguards goals of International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) could be met. In the second phase of this study, further study on sensitivity analyses considering various factors such as measurement errors, facility capacities, MBA periods etc. may be needed.

  19. Preliminary assessment of safeguardability on the concepture design of advanced spent fuel conditioning process

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lee, Sang Yoon; Ha, Jang Ho; Ko, Won Il; Song, Dae Yong; Kim, Ho Dong

    2003-04-01

    In this report, a preliminary study on the safeguardability of ACP (Advanced spent fuel Conditioning Process) was conducted with Los Alamos National Laboratory. The proposed ACP concept is an electrometallurgical treatment technique to convert oxide-type spent nuclear fuels into metal forms, which can achieve significant reduction of the volume and heat load of spent fuel to be stored and disposed of. For the safeguardability analysis of the ACP facility, sub-processes and their KMPs (Key Measurement Points) were defined first, and then their material flows were analyzed. Finally, the standard deviation of the Inventory Difference (ID) value of the facility was estimated with assumption by assuming international target values for the uncertainty of measurement methods and their uncertainty. From the preliminary calculation, we concluded that if the assumptions regarding measurement instruments can be achieved in a safeguards system for the ACP facility, the safeguards goals of International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) could be met. In the second phase of this study, further study on sensitivity analyses considering various factors such as measurement errors, facility capacities, MBA periods etc. may be needed

  20. Pickering safeguards: a preliminary analysis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Todd, J.L.; Hodgkinson, J.G.

    1977-05-01

    A summary is presented of thoughts relative to a systems approach for implementing international safeguards. Included is a preliminary analysis of the Pickering Generating Station followed by a suggested safeguards system for the facility

  1. Using a rainforest-flame forest mosaic to test the hypothesis that leaf and litter fuel flammability is under natural selection.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Clarke, Peter J; Prior, Lynda D; French, Ben J; Vincent, Ben; Knox, Kirsten J E; Bowman, David M J S

    2014-12-01

    We used a mosaic of infrequently burnt temperate rainforest and adjacent, frequently burnt eucalypt forests in temperate eastern Australia to test whether: (1) there were differences in flammability of fresh and dried foliage amongst congeners from contrasting habitats, (2) habitat flammability was related to regeneration strategy, (3) litter fuels were more flammable in frequently burnt forests, (4) the severity of a recent fire influenced the flammability of litter (as this would suggest fire feedbacks), and (5) microclimate contributed to differences in fire hazard amongst habitats. Leaf-level comparisons were made among 11 congeneric pairs from rainforest and eucalypt forests. Leaf-level ignitability, combustibility and sustainability were not consistently higher for taxa from frequently burnt eucalypt forests, nor were they higher for species with fire-driven recruitment. The bulk density of litter-bed fuels strongly influenced flammability, but eucalypt forest litter was not less dense than rainforest litter. Ignitability, combustibility and flame sustainability of community surface fuels (litter) were compared using fuel arrays with standardized fuel mass and moisture content. Forests previously burned at high fire severity did not have consistently higher litter flammability than those burned at lower severity or long unburned. Thus, contrary to the Mutch hypothesis, there was no evidence of higher flammability of litter fuels or leaves from frequently burnt eucalypt forests compared with infrequently burnt rainforests. We suggest the manifest pyrogenicity of eucalypt forests is not due to natural selection for more flammable foliage, but better explained by differences in crown openness and associated microclimatic differences.

  2. Proton Therapy for Spinal Ependymomas: Planning, Acute Toxicities, and Preliminary Outcomes

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Amsbaugh, Mark J. [Division of Radiation Oncology, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX (United States); Grosshans, David R., E-mail: dgrossha@mdanderson.org [Division of Radiation Oncology, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX (United States); McAleer, Mary Frances; Zhu, Ron; Wages, Cody; Crawford, Cody N.; Palmer, Matthew; De Gracia, Beth; Woo Shiao; Mahajan, Anita [Division of Radiation Oncology, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX (United States)

    2012-08-01

    Purpose: To report acute toxicities and preliminary outcomes for pediatric patients with ependymomas of the spine treated with proton beam therapy at the MD Anderson Cancer Center. Methods and Materials: Eight pediatric patients received proton beam irradiation between October 2006 and September 2010 for spinal ependymomas. Toxicity data were collected weekly during radiation therapy and all follow-up visits. Toxicities were graded according to the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events version 3.0. Results: All patients had surgical resection of the tumor before irradiation (7 subtotal resection and 1 gross total resection). Six patients had World Health Organization Grade I ependymomas, and two had World Health Organization Grade II ependymomas. Patients had up to 3 surgical interventions before radiation therapy (range, 1-3; median, 1). Three patients received proton therapy after recurrence and five as part of their primary management. The entire vertebral body was treated in all but 2 patients. The mean radiation dose was 51.1 cobalt gray equivalents (range, 45 to 54 cobalt gray equivalents). With a mean follow-up of 26 months from the radiation therapy start date (range, 7-51 months), local control, event-free survival, and overall survival rates were all 100%. The most common toxicities during treatment were Grade 1 or 2 erythema (75%) and Grade 1 fatigue (38%). No patients had a Grade 3 or higher adverse event. Proton therapy dramatically reduced dose to all normal tissues anterior to the vertebral bodies in comparison to photon therapy. Conclusion: Preliminary outcomes show the expected control rates with favorable acute toxicity profiles. Proton beam therapy offers a powerful treatment option in the pediatric population, where adverse events related to radiation exposure are of concern. Extended follow-up will be required to assess for late recurrences and long-term adverse effects.

  3. Endovascular stenting for treatment of complex intracranial aneurysms: preliminary outcome

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Huang Qinghai; Liu Jianmin; Xu Yi; Hong Bo; Zhao Wenyuan; Zhou Xiaoping

    2004-01-01

    Objective: To summarize the technique and efficiency of combined endovascular stenting and Guglielmi detachable coils (GDC) packing for the treatment of intracranial wide-necked bifurcation aneurysms and recanalized aneurysms. Methods: The coronary stents were implanted across the necks of 5 intracranial wide-necked aneurysms (two at bifurcation of ICA, one at basilar artery and two recanalized PcoA aneurysms). The porous stents covered the ostia of vital side branches and perforating vessels in three cases. Microcatheters were introduced into the aneurysmal sac through the stent mesh and then followed by GDCs embolizing the aneurysms. Results: The stents were deployed in parent artery in all cases. Total occlusion was obtained in 4 cases, while more than 90% in one case with patency of the parent arteries and vital perforating arteries. Follow-up angiography performed in all patients 3-6 months later revealed no intrastent stenosis. All the patients recovered well except III nerve palsy in one patient which diminished 3 months later. Conclusion: Endovaseular therapy combined stent implantation and microcoil placement maybe a valid alteration for the treatment of wide-necked bifurcation aneurysms and recanalized aneurysms, which shows promise clinical application in the future. The ostia of vital side branches covered with stents showed no effect on hemodynamics. (authors)

  4. Evaluation of the therapeutic results of actinic keratosis treated with topical 5% fluorouracil by reflectance confocal laser microscopy: preliminary study*

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ishioka, Priscila; Maia, Marcus; Rodrigues, Sarita Bartholomei; Marta, Alessandra Cristina; Hirata, Sérgio Henrique

    2015-01-01

    Topical treatment for actinic keratosis with 5% fluorouracil has a recurrence rate of 54% in 12 months of follow-up. This study analyzed thirteen actinic keratoses on the upper limbs through confocal microscopy, at the time of clinical diagnosis and after 4 weeks of treatment with fluorouracil. After the treatment was established and evidence of clinical cure was achieved, in two of the nine actinic keratoses, confocal microscopy enabled visualization of focal areas of atypical honeycomb pattern in the epidermis indicating therapeutic failure. Preliminary data suggest the use of confocal microscopy as a tool for diagnosis and therapeutic control of actinic keratosis. PMID:26131881

  5. Cognitive enhancement treatments for bipolar disorder

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Miskowiak, Kamilla W; Carvalho, André F; Vieta, Eduard

    2016-01-01

    Cognitive dysfunction is an emerging treatment target in bipolar disorder (BD). Several trials have assessed the efficacy of novel pharmacological and psychological treatments on cognition in BD but the findings are contradictory and unclear. A systematic search following the PRISMA guidelines...... was conducted on PubMed and PsychInfo. Eligible articles reported randomized, controlled or open-label trials investigating pharmacological or psychological treatments targeting cognitive dysfunction in BD. The quality of the identified randomized controlled trials (RCTs) was evaluated with the Cochrane...... Collaboration's Risk of Bias tool. We identified 19 eligible studies of which 13 were RCTs and six were open-label or non-randomized studies. The findings regarding efficacy on cognition were overall disappointing or preliminary, possibly due to several methodological challenges. For the RCTs, the risk of bias...

  6. Preliminary I&C Design for LORELEI

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Korotkin, S.; Kaufman, Y.; Guttmann, E. B.; Levy, S.; Amidan, D.; Gdalyho, B.; Cahana, T.; Ellenbogen, A.; Arad, M.; Weiss, Y.; Sasson, A.; Ferry, L.; Bourrelly, F.; Cohen, Y.

    2014-01-01

    This document summarizes the preliminary I&C design for LORELEI experiment The preliminary design deals with considerations regarding appropriate safety and service instrumentation. The determined closed loop control rules for temperature and position will be implemented in the detailed design. The Computer Aided Operator Decisions System (CAODS) will be used for prediction of hot spot temperature and thickness of oxidation layer using Baker-Just correlation. The proposed hybrid simulation system comprising of both virtual and real hardware will be in-cooperated for LORELEI verification. It will perform both integration cold tests for a partial hardware loop and virtual tests for the final I&C design

  7. Cell emulation and preliminary results.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2016-07-01

    This report details preliminary results of the testing plan implemented by the Hawaii Natural Energy Institute to evaluate Electric Vehicle (EV) battery durability and reliability under electric utility grid operations. Commercial EV battery cells ar...

  8. A core concept for the self-consistent nuclear energy system based on the promising future technology

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Arie, K.; Suzuki, M.; Kawashima, M.; Igashira, M.; Shimizu, A.; Fujii-e, Y.

    1995-01-01

    Feasibility of FP burning while maintaining fuel breeding capability for the Self-Consistent Nuclear Energy System is evaluated through neutron balance and a fast reactor core. It is shown that all radioactive FPs produced by itself can be burnt by a fast reactor while maintaining breeding capability, assuming separation of radioactive FP and stable FP isotopes. Assuming that the recovery system of fuel and FPs to be burnt is based on a pyro-chemical process, the major long-lived FPs of I, Pd, Tc, Sn, Se can be burnt with keeping breeding capability by suitability arranging materials in the fast reactor core. (Author)

  9. Preliminary study on detection of irradiated foodstuffs from the Romanian market

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cutrubinis, Mihalis; Chirita, Daniel; Savu, Diana; Elisabeta Secu, Corina; Mihai, Radu; Secu, Mihai; Ponta, Corneliu

    2007-01-01

    In order to fulfil the European task for market survey in food irradiation the first Romanian laboratory for detection of irradiated foodstuffs was established at IRASM Irradiation Centre. In this preliminary study, a wide range of Romanian food samples (spices, vegetables and meat) gamma irradiated at IRASM have been studied using different detection methods: (1) DNA comet assay, (2) thermoluminescence (TL) and (3) electron spin resonance (ESR) for foodstuffs containing bone or cellulose. The results suggest that there is no general available detection method and there is no perfect detection method. In conclusion, in order to carry out a correct identification of radiation treatment of a food sample it is recommended to use at least two standardised detection methods

  10. SNF sludge treatment system preliminary project execution plan

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Flament, T.A.

    1998-01-01

    The Fluor Daniel Hanford, Inc. (FDH) Project Director for the Spent Nuclear Fuel (SNF) Project has requested Numatec Hanford Company (NHC) to define how Hanford would manage a new subproject to provide a process system to receive and chemically treat radioactive sludge currently stored in the 100 K Area fuel retention basins. The subproject, named the Sludge Treatment System (STS) Subproject, provides and operates facilities and equipment to chemically process K Basin sludge to meet Tank Waste Remediation System (TWRS) requirements. This document sets forth the NHC management approach for the STS Subproject and will comply with the requirements of the SNF Project Management Plan (HNF-SD-SNFPMP-011). This version of this document is intended to apply to the initial phase of the subproject and to evolve through subsequent revision to include all design, fabrication, and construction conducted on the project and the necessary management and engineering functions within the scope of the subproject. As Project Manager, NHC will perform those activities necessary to complete the STS Subproject within approved cost and schedule baselines and turn over to FDH facilities, systems, and documentation necessary for operation of the STS

  11. Cell kinetics of gastrointestinal tumors after different nutritional regimens. A preliminary report

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Franchi, F.; Rossi-Fanelli, F.; Seminara, P.; Cascino, A.; Barone, C.; Scucchi, L.

    1991-01-01

    Forty-four cases of different untreated gastrointestinal tumors were studied with regard to cell kinetic activity. As a pilot experiment, the authors also determined the 3H-TdR Labeling Index (LI) in 28 patients in basal conditions and after 15 days of nutritional manipulation with prevalently lipid-based or glucose-based feeding to ascertain whether selective nutritional regimens could affect tumor proliferation. Preliminary results from this study indicate that a kinetic perturbation is induced in tumor cells by nutritional manipulation. Lipid-based feeding seems to produce effects similar to those of chemical or physical anticancer agents, thus suggesting a possible supporting role of nutritional manipulation in cancer treatment strategy

  12. Preliminary study of attitude and knowledge of thyroid cancer patients to radioiodine therapy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Thongpraparn, Thonnapong; Pusuwan, Pawana; Tocharoenchai, Chiraporn; Siriphitukyotin, Oratai; Wongsawat, Wanwimon; Chaudakshetrin, Pachee; Putrasreni, Nucharee

    2003-01-01

    The purpose of this preliminary study is to survey the attitude and knowledge of radiation and radioiodine treatment in thyroid cancer patients. Fifty-two thyroid cancer patients who were prepared for radioactive iodine treatment at Division of Nuclear Medicine, Department of Radiology, Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital were requested to fill the questionaires before and after receiving the information about radioiodine treatment. The questionaires consisted of 12 questions of which the first five were about the attitude to radiation and radioiodine treatment. The rest was about an information on radioiodine treatment. For data analysis, firstly the percentage of correct answer of each question was calculated and compared between pre- and post-test. Secondly all patients were categorized into 2 groups according to their education: upto high school, and undergraduate or higher. The attitude and the understanding about radioiodine treatment were analyzed in each group. The results show that post-test gives higher percentages of correct answers for all questions with an average of 29% improvement. For upto high school group, the attitude improves from 69.4% to 97.2% and the understanding about radioiodine treatment improves from 88.9% to 100%. Similarly, for the undergraduate or higher group,the attitude improves from 93.3% to 100% and the understanding about radioiodine treatment improves from 73.3% to 100%. It may be concluded that our education intervention is informative and the well-educated patients have better attitude to radiation

  13. A Preliminary Evaluation of the Physiological Mechanisms of Action for Sleep Restriction Therapy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Annie Vallières

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Our objective was to investigate the physiological mechanisms involved in the sleep restriction treatment of insomnia. A multiple baseline across subjects design was used. Sleep of five participants suffering from insomnia was assessed throughout the experimentation by sleep diaries and actigraphy. Ten nights of polysomnography were conducted over five occasions. The first two-night assessment served to screen for sleep disorders and to establish a baseline for dependent measures. Three assessments were undertaken across the treatment interval, with the fifth and last one coming at follow-up. Daily cortisol assays were obtained. Sleep restriction therapy was applied in-lab for the first two nights of treatment and was subsequently supervised weekly. Interrupted time series analyses were computed on sleep diary data and showed a significantly decreased wake time, increased sleep efficiency, and decreased total sleep time. Sleepiness at night seems positively related to sleep variables, polysomnography data suggest objective changes mainly for stage 2, and power spectral analysis shows a decrease in beta-1 and -2 powers for the second night of treatment. Cortisol levels seem to be lower during treatment. These preliminary results confirm part of the proposed physiological mechanisms and suggest that sleep restriction contributes to a rapid decrease in hyperarousal insomnia.

  14. ADME studies and preliminary safety pharmacology of LDT5, a lead compound for the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    F. Noël

    Full Text Available This study aimed to estimate the absorption, distribution, metabolism and excretion (ADME properties and safety of LDT5, a lead compound for oral treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia that has previously been characterized as a multi-target antagonist of α1A-, α1D-adrenoceptors and 5-HT1A receptors. The preclinical characterization of this compound comprised the evaluation of its in vitro properties, including plasma, microsomal and hepatocytes stability, cytochrome P450 metabolism and inhibition, plasma protein binding, and permeability using MDCK-MDR1 cells. De-risking and preliminary safety pharmacology assays were performed through screening of 44 off-target receptors and in vivo tests in mice (rota-rod and single dose toxicity. LDT5 is stable in rat and human plasma, human liver microsomes and hepatocytes, but unstable in rat liver microsomes and hepatocytes (half-life of 11 min. LDT5 is highly permeable across the MDCK-MDR1 monolayer (Papp ∼32×10-6 cm/s, indicating good intestinal absorption and putative brain penetration. LDT5 is not extensively protein-bound and is a substrate of human CYP2D6 and CYP2C19 but not of CYP3A4 (half-life >60 min, and did not significantly influence the activities of any of the human cytochrome P450 isoforms screened. LDT5 was considered safe albeit new studies are necessary to rule out putative central adverse effects through D2, 5-HT1A and 5-HT2B receptors, after chronic use. This work highlights the drug-likeness properties of LDT5 and supports its further preclinical development.

  15. Positive Psychotherapy for Smoking Cessation: Treatment Development, Feasibility and Preliminary Results.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kahler, Christopher W; Spillane, Nichea S; Day, Anne; Clerkin, Elise; Parks, Acacia; Leventhal, Adam M; Brown, Richard A

    2014-01-01

    Low positive and high negative affect predict low rates of smoking abstinence among smokers making a quit attempt. Positive Psychotherapy can both increase positive affect and decrease negative affect and therefore may be a useful adjunct to behavioral smoking counseling. The purpose of the present study was to assess the feasibility and acceptability of a Positive Psychotherapy for Smoking Cessation (PPT-S) intervention that integrates standard smoking cessation counseling with nicotine patch and a package of positive psychology interventions. We delivered PPT-S to 19 smokers who were low in positive affect at baseline. Rates of session attendance and satisfaction with treatment were high, and most participants reported using and benefiting from the positive psychology interventions. Almost one-third of participants (31.6%) sustained smoking abstinence for 6 months after their quit date. Future studies to assess the relative efficacy of PPT-S compared to standard smoking cessation treatment are warranted.

  16. Proton therapy for pediatric cranial tumors: preliminary report on treatment and disease-related morbidities

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    McAllister, Bruce; Archambeau, John O.; Nguyen, M. Connie; Slater, Jerry D.; Loredo, Lilia; Schulte, Reinhard; Alvarez, Ofelia; Bedros, Antranik A.; Kaleita, Thomas; Moyers, Michael; Miller, Daniel; Slater, James M.

    1997-01-01

    Purpose: Accelerated protons were used in an attempt to limit treatment-related morbidity in children with tumors in or near the developing brain, by reducing the integral dose to adjacent normal tissues. Methods and Materials: Children treated with protons at Loma Linda University Medical Center between August 1991 and December 1994 were analyzed retrospectively. Twenty-eight children, aged 1 to 18 years, were identified as at risk for brain injury from treatment. Medical records, physical examinations, and correspondence with patients, their parents, and referring physicians were analyzed. The investigators tabulated post-treatment changes in pre-treatment signs and symptoms and made judgments as to whether improvement, no change, or worsening related to disease or treatment had supervened. Magnetic resonance images were correlated with clinical findings and radiographic impressions were tabulated. Results: Follow-up ranged from 7 to 49 months (median 25 months). Four instances of treatment-related morbidity were identified. Forty-one instances of site-specific, disease-related morbidity were identified: 15 improved or resolved and 26 remained unchanged after treatment. Four patients had radiographic evidence of local failure. Three of these patients, including two with high-grade glioma, have died. Conclusion: Early treatment-related morbidity associated with proton therapy is low. Tumor progression remains a problem when treating certain histologies such as high-grade glioma. Escalating the dose delivered to target volumes may benefit children with tumors associated with poor rates of local control. Long-term follow-up, including neurocognitive testing, is in progress to assess integral-dose effects on cognitive, behavioral and developmental outcomes in children with cranial tumors

  17. An open trial of Acceptance-based Separated Family Treatment (ASFT) for adolescents with anorexia nervosa.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Timko, C Alix; Zucker, Nancy L; Herbert, James D; Rodriguez, Daniel; Merwin, Rhonda M

    2015-06-01

    Family based-treatments have the most empirical support in the treatment of adolescent anorexia nervosa; yet, a significant percentage of adolescents and their families do not respond to manualized family based treatment (FBT). The aim of this open trial was to conduct a preliminary evaluation of an innovative family-based approach to the treatment of anorexia: Acceptance-based Separated Family Treatment (ASFT). Treatment was grounded in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), delivered in a separated format, and included an ACT-informed skills program. Adolescents (ages 12-18) with anorexia or sub-threshold anorexia and their families received 20 treatment sessions over 24 weeks. Outcome indices included eating disorder symptomatology reported by the parent and adolescent, percentage of expected body weight achieved, and changes in psychological acceptance/avoidance. Half of the adolescents (48.0%) met criteria for full remission at the end of treatment, 29.8% met criteria for partial remission, and 21.3% did not improve. Overall, adolescents had a significant reduction in eating disorder symptoms and reached expected body weight. Treatment resulted in changes in psychological acceptance in the expected direction for both parents and adolescents. This open trial provides preliminary evidence for the feasibility, acceptability, and efficacy of ASFT for adolescents with anorexia. Directions for future research are discussed. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  18. Association of plasma homovanillic acid with behavioral symptoms in patients diagnosed with dementia: a preliminary report.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sweet, R A; Pollock, B G; Mulsant, B H; Rosen, J; Lo, K H; Yao, J K; Henteleff, R A; Mazumdar, S

    1997-12-01

    Neuroleptic treatment of psychotic symptoms or agitated behavior in elderly patients diagnosed with dementia is associated with reduced efficacy and increased rates of neuroleptic-induced parkinsonism in comparison to younger patients with schizophrenia. We report the first study to examine the relationship between an in vivo measure of dopaminergic function, plasma homovanillic acid (pHVA), and ratings of psychosis, agitation, and parkinsonism before and after neuroleptic treatment in dementia patients. Pretreatment pHVA was significantly correlated with parkinsonian rigidity, with a trend observed with agitation and hostility. Though mean pHVA did not change during perphenazine treatment, intraindividual change in pHVA at day 15 was correlated with improvement in hostility, with a similar trend for improvement in agitation. These preliminary findings are consistent with reports associating dopaminergic function with agitated, but not psychotic, symptoms in patients diagnosed with dementia, and with a reduced responsivity of dopaminergic systems to neuroleptic treatment in these patients.

  19. Effects of fire and three fire-fighting chemicals on main soil properties, plant nutrient content and vegetation growth and cover after 10 years

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fernández-Fernández, M.; Gómez-Rey, M.X.; González-Prieto, S.J.

    2015-01-01

    The study addresses a knowledge-gap in the long-term ecological consequences of fire and fire-fighting chemicals. Ten years after a prescribed fire and the application of three fire-fighting chemicals, their effects on the soil–plant system were evaluated. Five treatments were established: unburnt soils (US) and burnt soils treated with water alone (BS), foaming agent (BS + Fo), Firesorb (BS + Fi) and ammonium polyphosphate (BS + Ap). Soils (0–2 cm depth) and foliar material of shrubs (Erica umbellata, Pterospartum tridentatum and Ulex micranthus) and trees (Pinus pinaster) were analysed for total N, δ 15 N, and soil-available and plant total macronutrients and trace elements. Soil pH, NH 4 + –N and NO 3 − –N; pine basal diameter and height; and shrub cover and height were also measured. Compared with US plots, burnt soils had less nitrates and more Mo. Although differences were not always significant, BS + Ap had the highest levels of soil available P, Na and Al. Plants from BS + Ap plots had higher values of δ 15 N (P. pinaster and E. umbellata), P (all species), Na (P. tridentatum and U. micranthus) and Mg (E. umbellata and P. tridentatum) than other treatments; while K in plants from BS + Ap plots was the highest among treatments for P. pinaster and the lowest for the shrubs. Pines in US plots were higher and wider than in burnt treatments, except for BS + Ap, where the tallest and widest trees were found, although half of them were either dead (the second highest mortality after BS + Fi) or had a distorted trunk. BS + Ap was the treatment with strongest effects on plants, showing E. umbellata the lowest coverage and height, P. tridentatum the highest coverage, U. micranthus one of the lowest coverages and being the only treatment where Genista triacanthos was absent. Consequently, it is concluded that both fire and ammonium polyphosphate application had significant effects on the soil–plant system after 10 years. - Highlights: • We hypothesized

  20. Treatment Development and Feasibility Study of Family-Focused Treatment for Adolescents with Bipolar Disorder and Comorbid Substance Use Disorders

    Science.gov (United States)

    Goldstein, Benjamin I.; Goldstein, Tina R.; Collinger, Katelyn A.; Axelson, David A.; Bukstein, Oscar G.; Birmaher, Boris; Miklowitz, David J.

    2014-01-01

    Background Comorbid substance use disorders (SUD) are associated with increased illness severity and functional impairment among adolescents with bipolar disorder (BD). Previous psychosocial treatment studies have excluded adolescents with both BD and SUD. Studies suggest that integrated interventions are optimal for adults with BD and SUD. Methods We modified family-focused treatment for adolescents with BD (FFT-A) in order to explicitly target comorbid SUD (FFT-SUD). Ten adolescents with BD who had both SUD and an exacerbation of manic, depressed, or mixed symptoms within the last 3 months were enrolled. FFT-SUD was offered as an adjunct to pharmacotherapy, with a target of 21 sessions over 12 months of treatment. The FFT-SUD manual was iteratively modified to integrate a concurrent focus on SUD. Results Six subjects completed a mid-treatment 6-month assessment (after a mean of 16 sessions was completed). Of the 10 subjects, 3 dropped out early ( after ≤ 1 session); in the case of each of these subjects, the participating parent had active SUD. No other subjects in the study had a parent with active SUD. Preliminary findings suggested significant reductions in manic symptoms and depressive symptoms and improved global functioning. Reduction in cannabis use was modest and did not reach significance. Limitations Limitations included a small sample, open treatment, concurrent medications, and no control group. Conclusions These preliminary findings suggest that FFT-SUD is a feasible intervention, particularly for youth without parental SUD. FFT-SUD may be effective in treating mood symptoms, particularly depression, despite modest reductions in substance use. Integrating motivation enhancing strategies may augment the effect of this intervention on substance use. Additional strategies, such as targeting parental substance use, may prevent early attrition. PMID:24847999

  1. Sodium-bearing Waste Treatment Technology Evaluation Report

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Charles M. Barnes; Arlin L. Olson; Dean D. Taylor

    2004-05-01

    Sodium-bearing waste (SBW) disposition is one of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Idaho Operation Office’s (NE-ID) and State of Idaho’s top priorities at the Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory (INEEL). The INEEL has been working over the past several years to identify a treatment technology that meets NE-ID and regulatory treatment requirements, including consideration of stakeholder input. Many studies, including the High-Level Waste and Facilities Disposition Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), have resulted in the identification of five treatment alternatives that form a short list of perhaps the most appropriate technologies for the DOE to select from. The alternatives are (a) calcination with maximum achievable control technology (MACT) upgrade, (b) steam reforming, (c) cesium ion exchange (CsIX) with immobilization, (d) direct evaporation, and (e) vitrification. Each alternative has undergone some degree of applied technical development and preliminary process design over the past four years. This report presents a summary of the applied technology and process design activities performed through February 2004. The SBW issue and the five alternatives are described in Sections 2 and 3, respectively. Details of preliminary process design activities for three of the alternatives (steam reforming, CsIX, and direct evaporation) are presented in three appendices. A recent feasibility study provides the details for calcination. There have been no recent activities performed with regard to vitrification; that section summarizes and references previous work.

  2. Cognitive therapy as an early treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder in children and adolescents: a randomized controlled trial addressing preliminary efficacy and mechanisms of action.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Meiser-Stedman, Richard; Smith, Patrick; McKinnon, Anna; Dixon, Clare; Trickey, David; Ehlers, Anke; Clark, David M; Boyle, Adrian; Watson, Peter; Goodyer, Ian; Dalgleish, Tim

    2017-05-01

    Few efficacious early treatments for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in children and adolescents exist. Previous trials have intervened within the first month post-trauma and focused on secondary prevention of later post-traumatic stress; however, considerable natural recovery may still occur up to 6-months post-trauma. No trials have addressed the early treatment of established PTSD (i.e. 2- to 6-months post-trauma). Twenty-nine youth (8-17 years) with PTSD (according to age-appropriate DSM-IV or ICD-10 diagnostic criteria) after a single-event trauma in the previous 2-6 months were randomly allocated to Cognitive Therapy for PTSD (CT-PTSD; n = 14) or waiting list (WL; n = 15) for 10 weeks. Significantly more participants were free of PTSD after CT-PTSD (71%) than WL (27%) at posttreatment (intent-to-treat, 95% CI for difference .04-.71). CT-PTSD yielded greater improvement on child-report questionnaire measures of PTSD, depression and anxiety; clinician-rated functioning; and parent-reported outcomes. Recovery after CT-PTSD was maintained at 6- and 12-month posttreatment. Beneficial effects of CT-PTSD were mediated through changes in appraisals and safety-seeking behaviours, as predicted by cognitive models of PTSD. CT-PTSD was considered acceptable on the basis of low dropout and high treatment credibility and therapist alliance ratings. This trial provides preliminary support for the efficacy and acceptability of CT-PTSD as an early treatment for PTSD in youth. Moreover, the trial did not support the extension of 'watchful waiting' into the 2- to 6-month post-trauma window, as significant improvements in the WL arm (particularly in terms of functioning and depression) were not observed. Replication in larger samples is needed, but attention to recruitment issues will be required. © 2016 The Authors. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Association for Child and Adolescent Mental Health.

  3. [Modern treatment approaches to gambling].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Egorov, A Iu

    2014-01-01

    Compulsive gambling has received widespread attention in the last decade. Gambling has become the first non-chemical addiction, which went down to the section "Addiction and related disorders" of the modern DSM-V. The review considers non-pharmacological and pharmacological approaches to the treatment of gambling. Among non-drug approaches, cognitive-behavioral therapy and 12-step programs have gained the most popularity in the "Gamblers Anonymous" community. Among pharmacological approaches, three classes of drugs: antidepressants (mainly SSRIs), opiate antagonists (naltrexone and nalmefene) and mood stabilizers (valproate, lithium, topiramate) proved to be effective in treatment of gambling. No differences in the efficacy of the three classes of psychotropic drugs have been identified. Preliminary results for N-acetylcysteine and memantine cause optimism in terms of perspective.

  4. Adding Group Psychotherapy to Medication Treatment in Dysthymia

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hellerstein, David J.; Little, Suzanne A. S.; Samstag, Lisa Wallner; Batchelder, Sarai; Muran, J. Christopher; Fedak, Michael; Kreditor, David; Rosenthal, Richard N.; Winston, Arnold

    2001-01-01

    Patients with dysthymia have been shown to respond to treatment with antidepressant medications, and to some degree to psychotherapy. Even patients successfully treated with medication often have residual symptoms and impaired psychosocial functioning. The authors describe a prospective randomized 36-week study of dysthymic patients, comparing continued treatment with antidepressant medication (fluoxetine) alone and medication with the addition of group therapy treatment. After an 8-week trial of fluoxetine, medication-responsive subjects were randomly assigned to receive either continued medication only or medication plus 16 sessions of manualized group psychotherapy. Results provide preliminary evidence that group therapy may provide additional benefit to medication-responding dysthymic patients, particularly in interpersonal and psychosocial functioning. PMID:11264333

  5. Dual antiplatelet treatment in patients candidates for abdominal surgery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Illuminati, Giulio; Ceccanei, Gianluca; Pacilè, Maria A; Pizzardi, Giulia; Palumbo, Piergaspare; Vietri, Francesco

    2013-01-01

    With the increasing diffusion of percutaneous interventions (PCI), surgeons are often faced with the problem of operating on patients under dual antiplatelet treatment. Replacing dual antiplatelet regiment with low molecular weight heparin may expose to the abrupt thrombosis of coronary stent and massive myocardial infarction. The purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis that abdominal operations can be safely performed under dual antiplatelet treatment. Eleven patients underwent 5 colectomies, 3 nefrectomies, 2 gastrectomies and 1 hysterectomy under aspirin and plavix without any significant perioperative hemorrhage. These preliminary results show that abdominal operations can be safely performed under dual antiplatelet regimen. Abdominal surgery, Dual antiplatelet treatment.

  6. Space Elevators Preliminary Architectural View

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pullum, L.; Swan, P. A.

    Space Systems Architecture has been expanded into a process by the US Department of Defense for their large scale systems of systems development programs. This paper uses the steps in the process to establishes a framework for Space Elevator systems to be developed and provides a methodology to manage complexity. This new approach to developing a family of systems is based upon three architectural views: Operational View OV), Systems View (SV), and Technical Standards View (TV). The top level view of the process establishes the stages for the development of the first Space Elevator and is called Architectural View - 1, Overview and Summary. This paper will show the guidelines and steps of the process while focusing upon components of the Space Elevator Preliminary Architecture View. This Preliminary Architecture View is presented as a draft starting point for the Space Elevator Project.

  7. Researches on Preliminary Chemical Reactions in Spark-Ignition Engines

    Science.gov (United States)

    1943-06-01

    compression type, without ignition, the resulting preliminary reactions being detectable and meas- urable thermometrically . Contents I. Influence of Preliminary...thoroughly insulated be- tween the carburettor and the engine, by aluminium foil and asbestos. -I -I " I" I ’I il i~ " !, I I 1𔃻I I’ ) To enable the

  8. A Preliminary Review of Fatigue Among Rail Staff

    OpenAIRE

    Jialin Fan; Andrew P. Smith

    2018-01-01

    Background: Fatigue is a severe problem in the rail industry, which may jeopardize train crew's health and safety. Nonetheless, a preliminary review of all empirical evidence for train crew fatigue is still lacking. The aim of the present paper is, therefore, to provide a preliminary description of occupational fatigue in the rail industry. This paper reviews the literature with the research question examining the risk factors associated with train crew fatigue, covering both papers published...

  9. Successful treatment of methotrexate intolerance in juvenile idiopathic arthritis using eye movement desensitization and reprocessing - treatment protocol and preliminary results.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Höfel, Lea; Eppler, Bruno; Storf, Magdalena; Schnöbel-Müller, Elizabeth; Haas, Johannes-Peter; Hügle, Boris

    2018-02-13

    Methotrexate (MTX), commonly used in juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA), frequently has to be discontinued due to intolerance with anticipatory and associative gastrointestinal adverse effects. Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is a psychological method where dysfunctional experiences and memories are reprocessed by recall combined with bilateral eye movements. The objective of this study was to assess efficacy of EMDR for treatment of MTX intolerance in JIA patients. We performed an open prospective study on consecutive JIA patients with MTX intolerance. Intolerance was determined using the Methotrexate Intolerance Severity Score (MISS) questionnaire prior to treatment, directly after treatment and after four months. Health-related quality of life was determined using the PedsQL prior to and four months after treatment. Patients were treated according to an institutional EMDR protocol with 8 sessions over two weeks. Changes in MISS and PedsQL were analyzed using non-parametric statistics. Eighteen patients with MTX intolerance (median MISS at inclusion 16.5, IQR = 11.75-20.25) were included. Directly after treatment, MTX intolerance symptoms were significantly improved (median MISS 1 (IQR = 0-2). After four months, median MISS score was at 6.5 (IQR = 2.75-12.25, p = 0.001), with 9/18 patients showing MISS scores ≥6. Median PedsQL after 4 months improved significantly from 77.6% to 85.3% (p = 0.008). MTX intolerance in children with JIA was effectively treated using an EMDR protocol, with lasting effect over a period of 4 months. EMDR treatment can potentially increase quality of life of affected patients and enable continued MTX treatment.

  10. Combining Cognitive Behavioral Therapy with Contingency Management for Smoking Cessation in Adolescent Smokers: A Preliminary Comparison of Two Different CBT Formats

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cavallo, Dana A.; Cooney, Judith L.; Duhig, Amy M.; Smith, Anne E.; Liss, Thomas B.; McFetridge, Amanda K.; Babuscio, Theresa; Nich, Charla; Carroll, Kathleen M.; Rounsaville, Bruce J.; Krishnan-Sarin, Suchitra

    2013-01-01

    This pilot study evaluated the optimal format of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) to combine with contingency management (CM) in a four-week, high school-based smoking cessation program. Thirty-four adolescent smokers received a standard weekly version of CBT or a frequent brief behavioral intervention. Results indicate a trend toward a higher seven-day point prevalence end-of-treatment abstinence rate and percent days abstinent during treatment in the CBT condition. In addition, significantly more participants in the CBT group completed treatment. These preliminary results suggest that when combined with CM, the standard weekly format of CBT is more acceptable to adolescent smokers. PMID:18058412

  11. Fidaxomicin in the treatment of colitis due to Clostridium difficile: preliminary results

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Francesco Cortese

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available The incidence of Clostridium difficile infections (CDI and Clostridium difficile-Associated Diarrhea (CDAD is increasing in Canada, USA, and Europe and represents a considerable clinical problem. Both naïve and hypervirulent strains can be considered as opportunistic bacteria affecting immunocompromised, antibiotic-treated, critical, or subcritical patients with a microbiota disruption. CDI arising is strictly related to antibiotic, single or combined, and/or proton pump inhibitor treatment. CDI can cause a syndrome with systemic involvement and complex treatment, sometimes requiring surgical interventions (e.g. colectomy in fulminant colitis. Antibiotic treatment with metronidazole by mouth is the first choice and generally vancomycin is administered in case of lack of effectiveness. Fidaxomicin is a new macrocyclic antibiotic for C. difficile with microflora-sparing properties. This paper reports our initial experience in 11 patients with non-responder or relapsing CDIs. Fidaxomicin was effective in 10 cases (91%. Only one patient with an active ulcerative colitis did not respond and was treated with fecal-microbiota transplantation. In two patients diarrhea persisted, but just the ulcerative colitis one was C. difficile-related. No adverse events were experienced.http://dx.doi.org/10.7175/cmi.v8i1s.956

  12. Radioiodine treatment in children with thyroid cancer from Belarus

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Reiners, C.; Biko, J.; Geworski, L.; Olthoff, M.; Demidchik, E.P.; Streffer, C.; Paretzke, H.; Voigt, G.; Kenigsberg, Y.; Bauer, W.; Heinemann, G.; Pfob, H.

    1996-01-01

    Between 1st of April 1993 and 15th of November 1995, 95 children from Belarus with most advanced stages of thyroid cancer have been treated totally 305 times with radioiodine in Germany. In spite of a high frequency of advanced tumor stages pT4 (82%), lymph node metastases (95%) and distant metastases (55%) in those selected children, the preliminary results of radioiodine treatment are promising. In 55% of the children complete remission and in 44% partial remission of thyroid cancer could be achieved. In no case progressive disease under treatment has been observed

  13. Combined endoscopic approaches to the cardiac sphincter achalasia treatment

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    V. N. Klimenko

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available Aim. To assess combined endoscopic approaches to the cardiac sphincter achalasia treatment. Results. There are preliminary results of treatment and methods of carrying out of combined endoscopic pneumocardiodilatation and injections of botulotoxin type A ‘Disport’ at achalasia cardia are described in the article. Aethio-pathogenetic aspects in the development of achalasia cardia, action of botulotoxin type A and balloon pneumocardiodilatation of the esophagus, were described. And modern roentgen-endoscopic classification of achalasia cardia was given. Prognostic estimation scale of possibility to implement further combined endoscopic or surgical treatment is defined and is being in subsequent working out. Conclusion. Described clinical cases most brightly demonstrate variety of clinical achalasia cardia manifestations and also determine of the earlier display of surgical treatment.

  14. Cognitive-behavioural group therapy versus guided self-help for compulsive buying disorder: a preliminary study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Müller, A; Arikian, A; de Zwaan, M; Mitchell, J E

    2013-01-01

    Compulsive buying (CB) is defined as extreme preoccupation with buying/shopping and frequent buying that causes substantial negative psychological, social, occupational and financial consequences. There exists preliminary evidence that group cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) is effective in the treatment of CB. The present pilot study made a first attempt to compare group CBT for CB with telephone-guided self-help (GSH). Fifty-six patients were allocated randomly to one of the three conditions: (1) group CBT (n = 22); (2) GSH (n = 20); and (3) a waiting list condition (n = 14). The results indicate that face-to-face group CBT is superior not only to the waiting list condition but also to GSH. Patients who received GSH tended to have more success in overcoming CB compared with the waiting list controls. Given the sample size, the results must be considered as preliminary and further research is needed to address the topic whether GSH also could be a helpful intervention in reducing CB. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  15. Fission rates measured using high-energy gamma-rays from short half-life fission products in fresh and spent nuclear fuel

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kroehnert, H.

    2011-02-01

    In recent years, higher discharge burn-ups and initial fuel enrichments have led to more and more heterogeneous core configurations in light water reactors (LWRs), especially at the beginning of cycle when fresh fuel assemblies are loaded next to highly burnt ones. As this trend is expected to continue in the future, the Paul Scherrer Institute has, in collaboration with the Swiss Association of Nuclear Utilities, swissnuclear, launched the experimental programme LIFE(at)PROTEUS. The LIFE(at)PROTEUS programme aims to better characterise interfaces between burnt and fresh UO 2 fuel assemblies in modern LWRs. Thereby, a novel experimental database is to be made available for enabling the validation of neutronics calculations of strongly heterogeneous LWR core configurations. During the programme, mixed fresh and highly burnt UO 2 fuel lattices will be investigated in the zero-power research reactor PROTEUS. One of the main types of investigations will be to irradiate the fuel in PROTEUS and measure the resulting fission rate distributions across the interface between fresh and burnt fuel zones. The measurement of fission rates in burnt fuel re-irradiated in a zero-power reactor requires, however, the development of new experimental techniques which are able to discriminate against the high intrinsic activity of the fuel. The principal goal of the present research work has been to develop such a new measurement technique. The selected approach is based on the detection of high-energy gamma-ray lines above the intrinsic background (i.e. above 2200 keV), which are emitted by short-lived fission products freshly created in the fuel. The fission products 88 Kr, 142 La, 138 Cs, 84 Br, 89 Rb, 95 Y, 90m Rb and 90 Rb, with half-lives between 2.6 min and 2.8 h, have been identified as potential candidates. During the present research work, the gamma-ray activity of short-lived fission products has, for the first time, been measured and quantitatively evaluated for re

  16. Elution behaviour of solid residues from thermal waste treatment and disposal

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Vetter, G.

    1992-01-01

    In the research part carried through so far, the leaching behaviour of residues of different waste combustion methods was compared with that of other materials frequently deposited at landfills as regards heavy metals and anions. Furthermore, specifically residues from different types of waste subjected to the Siemens semicoking process were investigated. The leaching behaviour of well vitrified slags approaches very much the favourable values of melting-chamber granulate from a black-coal-fired power plant. By contrast, poorly vitrified slags or slags from an ordinary waste combustion plant yield eluate concentrations exceeding in part the limiting values applicable to landfilling material. With vitrified slags, the type of waste burnt has no recognizable influence on leaching behaviour. (orig.) [de

  17. Ayahuasca-assisted therapy for addiction: results from a preliminary observational study in Canada.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thomas, Gerald; Lucas, Philippe; Capler, N Rielle; Tupper, Kenneth W; Martin, Gina

    2013-03-01

    This paper reports results from a preliminary observational study of ayahuasca-assisted treatment for problematic substance use and stress delivered in a rural First Nations community in British Columbia, Canada. The "Working with Addiction and Stress" retreats combined four days of group counselling with two expert-led ayahuasca ceremonies. This study collected pre-treatment and six months follow-up data from 12 participants on several psychological and behavioral factors related to problematic substance use, and qualitative data assessing the personal experiences of the participants six months after the retreat. Statistically significant (p ayahuasca-assisted therapy appears to be associated with statistically significant improvements in several factors related to problematic substance use among a rural aboriginal population. These findings suggest participants may have experienced positive psychological and behavioral changes in response to this therapeutic approach, and that more rigorous research of ayahuasca-assisted therapy for problematic substance use is warranted.

  18. Kemungkinan Penerapan Preliminary Ruling Procedure sebagai Media Constitutional Complaint di Mahkamah Konstitusi

    OpenAIRE

    Arundhati, Gautama Budi

    2017-01-01

    Preliminary ruling procedure seperti yang diterapkan di Uni Eropa dapat menjadi metode alternatif dalam pelaksanaan constitutional complaint di Indonesia. Undang-Undang Dasar 1945 sebagai hukum tertinggi di Indonesia dikawal oleh lembaga yang bernama Mahkamah Konstitusi Republik Indonesia, dan dalam preliminary ruling procedure untuk pemberlakuan constitutional complaint maka dibutuhkan Peran Pengadilan Negeri dimana melalui preliminary ruling procedure tersebut dapat melakukan constitutional...

  19. Preliminary Opto-Mechanical Design for the X2000 Transceiver

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hemmati, H.; Page, N. A.

    2000-01-01

    Preliminary optical design and mechanical conceptual design for a 30 cm aperture transceiver are described. A common aperture is used for both transmit and receive. Special attention was given to off-axis and scattered light rejection and isolation of the receive channel from the transmit channel. Requirements, details of the design and preliminary performance analysis of the transceiver are provided.

  20. Effects of conjugated linoleic acid and high oleic acid safflower oil in the treatment of children with HPV-induced laryngeal papillomatosis: a randomized, double-blinded and crossover preliminary study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Louw, Louise

    2012-10-12

    scores between baselines and CLA treatments (n8) were significantly lower: total scores [(p 0.02) (95% CI -30.00; 0.00)]; anatomical scores [(p 0.008) (95% CI -33.00: -2.00)]. Immune enhancement could not be demonstrated. These preliminary case and group findings pave the way for further research on the therapeutic potential of adjuvant CLA in the treatment of HPV-induced LP.

  1. Post-translational Analysis of Arabidopsis thaliana Proteins in Response to Cyclic Guanosine Monophosphate Treatment

    KAUST Repository

    Parrott, Brian

    2011-01-01

    and phosphorylation before analysis via mass spectrometry. Preliminary results suggest a tendency towards an increased number of phosphorylated proteins as a result of cGMP treatment. The data also showed a sharp increase in methionine oxidation in response

  2. Mood disorders in elderly population: neurostimulative treatment possibilities.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rosenberg, Oded; Shoenfeld, Netta; Kotler, Moshe; Dannon, Pinhas N

    2009-06-01

    Treatment of mood disorders is one of the most challenging territories in elderly. Effectiveness of different treatment strategies could be related to age, sex and physical conditions. The side effect profile in this population also affects pharmacological interventions. Our review includes the neurostimulative treatment strategies in elderly. However, possible treatment strategies such as electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) and deep brain stimulation (DBS) were less studied in elderly. ECT was found to be an effective treatment procedure in mood disorders. Few double-blind sham controlled studies were conducted and demonstrated effectiveness of TMS. DBS has lack of double-blind studies. ECT seems to be the golden standard for the treatment resistant elderly patients, yet side effect profile of ECT in elderly will be discussed. Double -blind sham controlled studies with larger samples are necessary to confirm preliminary results with transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), magnetic seizure therapy (MST) and VNS, DBS.

  3. Licensing support system preliminary needs analysis: Volume 1

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1989-01-01

    This Preliminary Needs Analysis, together with the Preliminary Data Scope Analysis (next in this series of reports), is a first effort under the LSS Design and Implementation Contract toward developing a sound requirements foundation for subsequent design work. Further refinements must be made before requirements can be specified in sufficient detail to provide a basis for suitably specific system specifications. This preliminary analysis of the LSS requirements has been divided into a ''needs'' and a ''data scope'' portion only for project management and scheduling reasons. The Preliminary Data Scope Analysis will address all issues concerning the content and size of the LSS data base; providing the requirements basis for data acquisition, cataloging and storage sizing specifications. This report addresses all other requirements for the LSS. The LSS consists of both computer subsystems and non-computer archives. This study addresses only the computer subsystems, focusing on the Access Subsystems. After providing background on previous LSS-related work, this report summarizes the findings from previous examinations of needs and describes a number of other requirements that have an impact on the LSS. The results of interviews conducted for this report are then described and analyzed. The final section of the report brings all of the key findings together and describes how these needs analyses will continue to be refined and utilized in on-going design activities. 14 refs., 2 figs., 1 tab

  4. Preliminary HECTOR analysis by Dragon

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Presser, W; Woloch, F

    1972-06-02

    From the different cores measured in HECTOR, only ACH 4/B-B was selected for the Dragon analysis, since it presented the largest amount of uniform fuel loading in the central test region and is therefore nearest to an infinite lattice. Preliminary results are discussed.

  5. Novel hyperthermia applicator system allows adaptive treatment planning: Preliminary clinical results in tumour-bearing animals.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dressel, S; Gosselin, M-C; Capstick, M H; Carrasco, E; Weyland, M S; Scheidegger, S; Neufeld, E; Kuster, N; Bodis, S; Rohrer Bley, C

    2017-09-11

    Hyperthermia (HT) as an adjuvant to radiation therapy (RT) is a multimodality treatment method to enhance therapeutic efficacy in different tumours. High demands are placed on the hardware and treatment planning software to guarantee adequately planned and applied HT treatments. The aim of this prospective study was to determine the effectiveness and safety of the novel HT system in tumour-bearing dogs and cats in terms of local response and toxicity as well as to compare planned with actual achieved data during heating. A novel applicator with a flexible number of elements and integrated closed-loop temperature feedback control system, and a tool for patient-specific treatment planning were used in a combined thermoradiotherapy protocol. Good agreement between predictions from planning and clinical outcome was found in 7 of 8 cases. Effective HT treatments were planned and verified with the novel system and provided improved quality of life in all but 1 patient. This individualized treatment planning and controlled heat exposure allows adaptive, flexible and safe HT treatments in palliatively treated animal patients. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  6. Virtual reality therapy versus cognitive behavior therapy for social phobia: a preliminary controlled study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Klinger, E; Bouchard, S; Légeron, P; Roy, S; Lauer, F; Chemin, I; Nugues, P

    2005-02-01

    Social phobia is one of the most frequent mental disorders and is accessible to two forms of scientifically validated treatments: anti-depressant drugs and cognitive behavior therapies (CBT). In this last case, graded exposure to feared social situations is one of the fundamental therapeutic ingredients. Virtual reality technologies are an interesting alternative to the standard exposure in social phobia, especially since studies have shown its usefulness for the fear of public speaking. This paper reports a preliminary study in which a virtual reality therapy (VRT), based on exposure to virtual environments, was used to treat social phobia. The sample consisted of 36 participants diagnosed with social phobia assigned to either VRT or a group-CBT (control condition). The virtual environments used in the treatment recreate four situations dealing with social anxiety: performance, intimacy, scrutiny, and assertiveness. With the help of the therapist, the patient learns adapted cognitions and behaviors in order to reduce anxiety in the corresponding real situations. Both treatments lasted 12 weeks, and sessions were delivered according to a treatment manual. Results showed statistically and clinically significant improvement in both conditions. The effect-sizes comparing the efficacy of VRT to the control traditional group-CBT revealed that the differences between the two treatments are trivial.

  7. Standing the Test of Time: Reference for a Preliminary Ruling

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Butler, Graham

    2017-01-01

    It is often too easy to forget just how important the preliminary reference procedure is for the functionality of European Union law. For the Court of Justice, there are both formal and informal means of judicial dialogue. This article focuses on the formal means of dialogue through the preliminary...

  8. Preliminary seismic design of dynamically coupled structural systems

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pal, N.; Dalcher, A.W.; Gluck, R.

    1977-01-01

    In this paper, the analysis criteria for coupling and decoupling, which are most commonly used in nuclear design practice, are briefly reviewed and a procedure outlined and demonstrated with examples. Next, a criterion judged to be practical for preliminary seismic design purposes is defined. Subsequently, a technique compatible with this criterion is suggested. A few examples are presented to test the proposed procedure for preliminary seismic design purposes. Limitations of the procedure are also discussed and finally, the more important conclusions are summarized

  9. TITAN Legal Weight Truck cask preliminary design report

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1990-04-01

    The Preliminary Design of the TITAN Legal Weight Truck (LWT) Cask System and Ancillary Equipment is presented in this document. The scope of this document includes the LWT cask with fuel baskets, impact limiters, and lifting and tiedown features; the cask support system for transportation; intermodal transfer skid; personnel barrier; and cask lifting yoke assembly. The results of the tradeoff studies and evaluations that were performed during the preliminary design are presented in Appendix A to this report. 51 figs., 17 tabs

  10. Process Design of Wastewater Treatment for the NREL Cellulosic Ethanol Model

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Steinwinder, T.; Gill, E.; Gerhardt, M.

    2011-09-01

    This report describes a preliminary process design for treating the wastewater from NREL's cellulosic ethanol production process to quality levels required for recycle. In this report Brown and Caldwell report on three main tasks: 1) characterization of the effluent from NREL's ammonia-conditioned hydrolyzate fermentation process; 2) development of the wastewater treatment process design; and 3) development of a capital and operational cost estimate for the treatment concept option. This wastewater treatment design was incorporated into NREL's cellulosic ethanol process design update published in May 2011 (NREL/TP-5100-47764).

  11. [Percutaneous radiofrequency ablation of hepatic metastases. Preliminary experience].

    Science.gov (United States)

    De Baere, T; Elias, D; Ducreux, M; Dromain, C; Kuach, V; Gamal El Din, M; Sobotka, A; Lasser, P; Roche, A

    1999-11-01

    To evaluate the efficiency of percutaneous radiofrequency ablation in the treatment of liver metastases. Eighteen patients with 31 liver metastases, mainly from colorectal cancer, 10 - 35 mm in diameter (m = 23), underwent 26 courses of percutaneous radiofrequency ablation. Fifteen patients had previously undergone hepatectomy, and 3 patients had contra-indications to surgery. Imaging guidance was ultrasound in 21 patients, CT in 4 (tumors not seen with ultrasound), and both in 1. A generator working at 450 KHz with a maximum output power of 150 W was used to treat each lesion for 18 - 20 min. Treatment was monitored with real time ultrasound. Among the 12 patients followed more than 3 months, only one of the 24 treated lesions recurred after a mean follow up of 259 ¿ 109 days. Liver disease was controlled in 8 of the 12 patients after 90 - 509 days (m = 306). Among these 8 patients, 3 were tumor free after 559, 378 and 90 days, respectively; 2 died tumor free of non-tumoral disease (pulmonary embolism, digestive bleeding); 3 developed lung metastases treated with chemotherapy (n = 2) or surgery (n = 1). Three of the 12 patients had widespread hepatic tumor occurrence, and one patient died of these metastases. Six patients experienced mild skin burns, but no major complication was observed. Radiofrequency ablation of hepatic metastases appears safe and promising in this preliminary experience. Further investigation is needed.

  12. Effect of landscape-level fuel treatments on carbon emissions and storage over a 50 yr time cycle

    Science.gov (United States)

    K. Osborne; C. Dicus; C. Isbell; Alan Ager; D. Weise; M. Landram

    2011-01-01

    We investigated how multiple fuel treatment types, organized in varying spatial arrangements, and at increasing proportions of a mixed-conifer forest in the Klamath Mountains of northern California (~20,000 ha) variably affect carbon sequestration and emissions over a 50 year time period. Preliminary analysis of three fuel treatment scenarios (fire only, mechanical...

  13. High-dose vitamin B6 decreases homocysteine serum levels in patients with schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorders: a preliminary study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Miodownik, Chanoch; Lerner, Vladimir; Vishne, Tali; Sela, Ben-Ami; Levine, Joseph

    2007-01-01

    Vitamin B6 plays an essential role in the normal functioning of the central nervous system. Normal homocysteine (Hcy) serum level is maintained by remethylation of Hcy to methionine by enzymes that require folic acid and vitamin B12 and by catabolism to cysteine by a vitamin B6-dependent enzyme. These findings may be consistent with the hypothesis that the vitamin B6 status may influence plasma Hcy levels. The aims of this preliminary study were (1) to determine whether a correlation exists between Hcy and vitamin B6 levels in patients with schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorders and (2) to investigate whether treatment with high-dose vitamin B6 may reduce Hcy levels in these patients. In this preliminary study, we enrolled 11 patients with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorders (7 men and 4 women; mean age +/- SD, 50 +/- 12 years) receiving high doses of vitamin B6 treatment (1200 mg/d) for 12 weeks. Blood samples for the assessment of pyridoxal-5-phosphate and Hcy serum levels were obtained at baseline and after 12 weeks of treatment. Age was significantly positively correlated with Hcy levels at baseline (r = 0.392, P = 0.004). All other parameters, including diagnosis, disease duration, and pyridoxal-5-phosphate serum level, were not correlated with Hcy serum levels at baseline. After vitamin B6 treatment, Hcy serum levels significantly decreased (14.2 +/- 3.4 vs. 11.8 +/- 2.0 micromol/L, respectively, t = 2.679, P = 0.023); this decrease being statistically significant in men but not in women. High doses of vitamin B6 lead to a decrease in Hcy serum level in male patients with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder.

  14. Preliminary acclimation strategies for successful startup in conventional biofilters.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Elías, Ana; Barona, Astrid; Gallastegi, Gorka; Rojo, Naiara; Gurtubay, Luis; Ibarra-Berastegi, Gabriel

    2010-08-01

    The question of how to obtain the best inocula for conventional biofilters arises when an acclimation/adaptation procedure is to be applied. Bearing in mind that no standardized procedure for acclimating inocula exists, certain preliminary strategies for obtaining an active inoculum from wastewater treatment sludge are proposed in this work. Toluene was the contaminant to be degraded. Concerning the prior separation of sludge phases, no obvious advantage was found in separating the supernatant phase of the sludge before acclimation. As far as a continuous or discontinuous acclimation mode is concerned, the latter is recommended for rapidly obtaining acclimated sludge samples by operating the system for no longer than 1 month. The continuous mode rendered similar degradation rates, although it required longer operating time. Nevertheless, the great advantage of the continuous system lay in the absence of daily maintenance and the ready availability of the activated sample.

  15. Occurrence of pharmaceutical contaminants and screening of treatment alternatives for southeastern Louisiana.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Boyd, G R; Grimm, D A

    2001-12-01

    Recent studies conducted in Germany, Switzerland, Denmark, Brazil, Canada, the United States, and elsewhere indicate that low-level concentrations of pharmaceuticals and personal-care products (PPCPs) and their metabolites may be widespread contaminants in our aquatic environment. The persistence of pharmaceutical contaminants has been attributed to (1) human consumption of drugs and subsequent discharges from sewage treatment plants, and (2) veterinary use of drugs and nonpoint discharges from agricultural runoff. Contamination of water resources by these compounds, particularly endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs), is emerging as an international environmental concern. The long-term effects of continuous, low-level exposure to PPCPs is not well understood. Preliminary data for raw water samples collected from the Mississippi River and Lake Pontchartrain, Louisiana, are summarized. Three PPCP compounds (clofibric acid, naproxen, and estrone) were analyzed using solid-phase extraction, derivatization, and GC/MS. Batch experiments also were conducted to determine equilibrium capacity of activated carbon for clofibric acid. Preliminary results indicate the occurrence of the selected PPCP contaminants in raw water samples at or near method-detection limits. For batch equilibrium experiments, preliminary results indicate that activated carbon potentially can be used to remove clofibric acid from water. More research is needed to develop rapid and reliable methods for PPCP analysis and to determine the effectiveness of treatment processes for removal of PPCP contaminants in water.

  16. Preliminary ethical appraisal of a trial - what's it all about?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Siipi, Helena

    Preliminary ethical appraisal of medical trials is often based on the following four principles: respect for autonomy, beneficence, non-maleficence, and justice. Preliminary ethical appraisal should, however, not be understood solely as application of these four principles to practice. Ethical committees will inevitably interpret the principles and make decisions about their reciprocal importance in connection with each trial. Reasoning does not always proceed from above towards practical recommendations of action, but can instead also be based on a moral rule or practice relating to a certain action. A good preliminary ethical appraisal will also take into account everyday standards of morality, law and shared moral values of the society.

  17. Preliminary investigations into the aetiology and treatment of cockle, a sheep pelt defect.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Heath, A C; Cole, D J; Bishop, D M; Pfeffer, A; Cooper, S M; Risdon, P

    1995-01-01

    A defect of sheep pelts known as cockle, detectable after depilation, but usually first noted only in the pickled pelt or tanned stage of processing, was studied to establish causal factor(s) and effective treatments. In addition, data on the histology and seasonal prevalence of the disease were obtained. Samples collected soon after slaughter from pelts identified at the pickled pelt stage as having cockle, had a superficial dermatitis with infiltration of eosinophils. This may represent an immediate hypersensitivity reaction of the sheep to lice. Treatments of sheep with either insecticides, disinfectants or shearing showed that where biting lice (Bovicola ovis) were removed, cockle lesions had either disappeared or regressed on pickled pelts. In Trial 1 diazinon reduced cockle prevalence and severity substantially; cypermethrin had a less pronounced effect. In Trial 2 diazinon, cypermethrin, Hibitane and Savlon were equally effective in reducing biting louse numbers as shown by counts of lice at 35 and 63 days post-treatment. Reduction of cockle on pelts from sheep slaughtered at 39 days post-treatment was achieved best by both diazinon and shearing. Examination of other pelts at 67 days post-treatment showed diazinon and Hibitane to be equally effective in reducing cockle. Furthermore, shearing in the absence of insecticides reduced the severity and extent of lesions on cockled pelts. The diazinon excipient and zinc sulphate were consistently poor at removing lice and reducing cockle prevalence and severity. The results have important implications for the leather industry in that shearing and good dipping practice with appropriate chemicals at the right time can lead to improved pelt quality. However, an incentive scheme for farmers, and a means of identifying individual pelts to the farms or origin, are both necessary before a marked improvement is likely to occur.

  18. Land Application of Wastes: An Educational Program. Treatment Systems, Effluent Qualities, and Costs - Module 4, Objectives, Script, and Booklet.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Clarkson, W. W.; And Others

    This module describes the following conventional treatment systems and evaluates their use as pretreatment steps for land application: preliminary, primary, secondary, disinfection, and advanced waste treatment. Effluent qualities are summarized, a brief discussion of application systems is given, and cost comparisons are discussed in some detail.…

  19. Preliminary safety analysis methodology for the SMART

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Bae, Kyoo Hwan; Chung, Y. J.; Kim, H. C.; Sim, S. K.; Lee, W. J.; Chung, B. D.; Song, J. H. [Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Taejeon (Korea)

    2000-03-01

    This technical report was prepared for a preliminary safety analysis methodology of the 330MWt SMART (System-integrated Modular Advanced ReacTor) which has been developed by Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI) and funded by the Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST) since July 1996. This preliminary safety analysis methodology has been used to identify an envelope for the safety of the SMART conceptual design. As the SMART design evolves, further validated final safety analysis methodology will be developed. Current licensing safety analysis methodology of the Westinghouse and KSNPP PWRs operating and under development in Korea as well as the Russian licensing safety analysis methodology for the integral reactors have been reviewed and compared to develop the preliminary SMART safety analysis methodology. SMART design characteristics and safety systems have been reviewed against licensing practices of the PWRs operating or KNGR (Korean Next Generation Reactor) under construction in Korea. Detailed safety analysis methodology has been developed for the potential SMART limiting events of main steam line break, main feedwater pipe break, loss of reactor coolant flow, CEA withdrawal, primary to secondary pipe break and the small break loss of coolant accident. SMART preliminary safety analysis methodology will be further developed and validated in parallel with the safety analysis codes as the SMART design further evolves. Validated safety analysis methodology will be submitted to MOST as a Topical Report for a review of the SMART licensing safety analysis methodology. Thus, it is recommended for the nuclear regulatory authority to establish regulatory guides and criteria for the integral reactor. 22 refs., 18 figs., 16 tabs. (Author)

  20. Treatment of eating disorders in child and adolescent psychiatry.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Herpertz-Dahlmann, Beate

    2017-11-01

    Recent research on the multimodal treatment of eating disorders in child and adolescent psychiatry has yielded a significant increase in randomized controlled trials and systematic reviews. This review aims to present relevant findings published during the last 2 years related to medical and psychological treatment of anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa and avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID). For anorexia nervosa, recent reports described the efficacy of different treatment settings, lengths of hospital stay and high vs. low-calorie refeeding programmes. For both anorexia and bulimia nervosa, a number of randomized controlled trials comparing individual and family-oriented treatment approaches were published. For the newly defined ARFID, only very preliminary results on possible treatment approaches implying a multidisciplinary treatment programme were obtained. Although there is some evidence of the effectiveness of new child and adolescent psychiatric treatment approaches to eating disorders, the relapse rate remains very high, and there is an urgent need for ongoing intensive research.

  1. The expanding cognitive-behavioural therapy treatment umbrella for the anxiety disorders: disorder-specific and transdiagnostic approaches.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rector, Neil A; Man, Vincent; Lerman, Bethany

    2014-06-01

    Cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) is an empirically supported treatment for anxiety disorders. CBT treatments are based on disorder-specific protocols that have been developed to target individual anxiety disorders, despite that anxiety disorders frequently co-occur and are comorbid with depression. Given the high rates of diagnostic comorbidity, substantial overlap in dimensional symptom ratings, and extensive evidence that the mood and anxiety disorders share a common set of psychological and biological vulnerabilities, transdiagnostic CBT protocols have recently been developed to treat the commonalities among the mood and anxiety disorders. We conducted a selective review of empirical developments in the transdiagnostic CBT treatment of anxiety and depression (2008-2013). Preliminary evidence suggests that theoretically based transdiagnostic CBT approaches lead to large treatment effects on the primary anxiety disorder, considerable reduction of diagnostic comorbidity, and some preliminary effects regarding the impact on the putative, shared psychological mechanisms. However, the empirical literature remains tentative owing to relatively small samples, limited direct comparisons with disorder-specific CBT protocols, and the relative absence of the study of disorder-specific compared with shared mechanisms of action in treatment. We conclude with a treatment conceptualization of the new transdiagnostic interventions as complementary, rather than contradictory, to disorder-specific CBT.

  2. [Variable magnetic fields in the treatment of tics disorders - preliminary results].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pasek, Jarosław; Jędrzejewska, Anna; Jagodziński, Leszek; Obuchowicz, Anna; Flak, Maria; Sieroń, Aleksander

    Tics disorders is frequent pathological syndrome, particularly typical for children's age. The symptoms of this disease are differential, and their intensification individualized, which makes difficult unique recognition. Tics disorders concern the most often the muscles of face, head, upper limbs and trunk. The study group consisted of 16 patients (11 boys and 5 girls) with tics complex disorders about unknown etiology particularly relating of face and upper limbs muscles. In the treatment were the interventions with use a magnetotherapy and magnetostimulation applied. The procedures were ones daily by 3 weeks in two series executed. It author's pool was the frequency of occurrence tics disorders as well as the proportional opinion of effectiveness conducted treatment estimated. After 10 weeks in 14 patients was the decrease of occurrence frequency involuntary movements observed, in proportional scale about 75%. The results of subjective opinion of mood showed, that decrease the frequency tics disorders had in all children the direct shift on improvement their mood, and also satisfaction in their parents. The use of variable magnetic fields influenced on decrease the occurrence frequency tics disorders, and also on improvement quality of life the treated patients.

  3. The Relationship between Eating Disorder Symptoms and Treatment Rejection among Young Adult Men in Residential Substance Use Treatment

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    JoAnna Elmquist

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Research has demonstrated that individuals with substance use disorders (SUDs and comorbid mental health problems evidence heightened negative consequences, including poorer treatment outcomes, a higher risk for relapse, and mortality compared to individuals with a single disorder. In this study, we focus on the comorbidity between SUDs and eating disorder (ED symptomatology, as EDs are similarly associated with high rates of relapse, morbidity, and mortality. Of particular importance is research examining treatment rejection among individuals in treatment for SUDs with cooccurring ED symptomatology. This study seeks to add to the literature by examining treatment rejection among young adult men in residential treatment for SUDs ( N = 68 with cooccurring ED symptomatology. Results from hierarchical regression analyses indicated that ED symptoms were significantly associated with treatment rejection after controlling for alcohol and drug use and problems and depression symptoms. Although this is a preliminary study, the results add to a growing body of research examining the comorbidity between SUDs and ED symptomatology. Future research examining this relationship is needed to further elucidate the treatment patterns among individuals with comorbid ED symptoms and substance use diagnoses.

  4. Influence of tularemia live vaccine immunization on the immediate and end-results of combined treatment of patients with endometrial carcinoma

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Adamyan, R.T.; Movsesyan, M.A.

    1999-01-01

    Early and delayed results of the combined treatment (surgery + remote gamma therapy) of patients with corpus uteri carcinoma preliminary immunized with tularemia live vaccine (TLV). It is shown that the immunization of almost all indices of delayed treatment results ay all disease stages [ru

  5. Preliminary treatment of bovine mastitis caused by Staphylococcus aureus, with trx-SA1, recombinant endolysin of S. aureus bacteriophage IME-SA1.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fan, Jindai; Zeng, Zhiliang; Mai, Kaijie; Yang, Yu; Feng, Jiaqi; Bai, Yang; Sun, Baoli; Xie, Qingmei; Tong, Yigang; Ma, Jingyun

    2016-08-15

    Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) has become a great threat to human and animal health and there is an urgent need to develop novel antibacterial agents to control this pathogen. The objective of this study was to obtain an active recombinant endolysin from the novel bacteriophage (IME-SA1), and conduct an efficacy trial of its effectiveness against bovine mastitis. We isolated a phage that was virulent and specific for S. aureus with an optimal multiplicity of infection of 0.01. Electron microscopy revealed that IME-SA1 was a member of the family Myoviridae, with an isometric head (98nm) and a long contractile tail (200nm). Experimental lysis experiments indicated the phage had an incubation period of 20min with a burst size of 80. When host bacteria were in early exponential growth stages, a multiplicity of infection of 0.01 resulted in a complete bacterial lysis after 9h. The endolysin gene (804bp) was cloned into the pET-32a bacterial expression vector and recombinant endolysin Trx-SA1 was successfully obtained with molecular size of about 47kDa. Preliminary results of therapeutic trials in cow udders showed that Trx-SA1 could effectively control mild clinical mastitis caused by S. aureus. The endolysin Trx-SA1 might be an alternative treatment strategy for infections caused by S. aureus, including MRSA. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  6. The former Lyon-Perrache gas works (France). Diagnosis and preliminary treatment in view of the re-use of a site in an urban zone

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Suais, M.F.; Wafelman, C.

    1993-01-01

    The Lyon-Perrache gas works, built in 1834, presented the whole complexity of an industrial centre which was at the peak of technology. With 12 gas holders, there were as many underground structures, which very probably in were closed as they were when the plant was definitively stopped in 1954. During preliminary explorations on the site, the presence of hydrocarbons was detected in the ground, and the first tar containing vat was brought to light. BRGM and the ''Pollution Service'' Company helped EDF-GDF in this first operational phase. Two types of simultaneous actions were conducted: - Searching for information characterizing the site condition, -Application of actions for the treatment of waste matters in acceptable technical and economical conditions. They were conducted in three distinct steps. The first sept revealed the existence of 7 tanks, which were still susceptible to contain tar and to be at the origin of underground contamination. The second step was marked by the opening of tanks and by the technico-economical analysis of the principal solutions for removing the refuse they contained (rubbish, water, tar). In parallel, the diagnosis about the condition of the sub-soil and of the water table has shown distinct signs of pollution of soil and water by organic compounds (notably hydrocarbons and derivatives). Soil was specially affected at the place of former stockings of incineration residues (bitumen) and straight below the benzol removing unit. The third step, presently in progress, is aiming at a better definition of underground quality around two singular points, in order to define and test the best adapted treatment method. The aims of the future step shall be to reclaim a level of general quality compatible with the future utilization of soil and sub-soil. (author). 4 figs., 5 photos

  7. Full scale treatment of phenolic coke coking waste water under unsteady conditions

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Suschka, Jan [Institute for Ecology of Industrial Areas, Katowice (Poland); Morel, Jacek; Mierzwinski, Stanislaw; Januszek, Ryszard [Coke Plant Przyjazn, Dabrowa Gornicza (Poland)

    1994-12-31

    Phenolic waste water from the largest coke coking plant in Poland is treated at a full technical scale. From the very beginning it became evident that very high qualitative variations in short and long periods were to be expected. For this purpose, the biological treatment plant based on activated sludge is protected through preliminary physical-chemical treatment and the results are secured by a final chemical stage of treatment. Nevertheless, improvements in the performance of the treatment plant have been found necessary to introduce. In this work, the experience gained over the last five years is described and developed improvements were presented. 3 refs., 9 figs., 1 tab.

  8. Full scale treatment of phenolic coke coking waste water under unsteady conditions

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Suschka, Jan [Institute for Ecology of Industrial Areas, Katowice (Poland); Morel, Jacek; Mierzwinski, Stanislaw; Januszek, Ryszard [Coke Plant Przyjazn, Dabrowa Gornicza (Poland)

    1993-12-31

    Phenolic waste water from the largest coke coking plant in Poland is treated at a full technical scale. From the very beginning it became evident that very high qualitative variations in short and long periods were to be expected. For this purpose, the biological treatment plant based on activated sludge is protected through preliminary physical-chemical treatment and the results are secured by a final chemical stage of treatment. Nevertheless, improvements in the performance of the treatment plant have been found necessary to introduce. In this work, the experience gained over the last five years is described and developed improvements were presented. 3 refs., 9 figs., 1 tab.

  9. Incorrectly Interpreting the Carbon Mass Balance Technique Leads to Biased Emissions Estimates from Global Vegetation Fires

    Science.gov (United States)

    Surawski, N. C.; Sullivan, A. L.; Roxburgh, S. H.; Meyer, M.; Polglase, P. J.

    2016-12-01

    Vegetation fires are a complex phenomenon and have a range of global impacts including influences on climate. Even though fire is a necessary disturbance for the maintenance of some ecosystems, a range of anthropogenically deleterious consequences are associated with it, such as damage to assets and infrastructure, loss of life, as well as degradation to air quality leading to negative impacts on human health. Estimating carbon emissions from fire relies on a carbon mass balance technique which has evolved with two different interpretations in the fire emissions community. Databases reporting global fire emissions estimates use an approach based on `consumed biomass' which is an approximation to the biogeochemically correct `burnt carbon' approach. Disagreement between the two methods occurs because the `consumed biomass' accounting technique assumes that all burnt carbon is volatilized and emitted. By undertaking a global review of the fraction of burnt carbon emitted to the atmosphere, we show that the `consumed biomass' accounting approach overestimates global carbon emissions by 4.0%, or 100 Teragrams, annually. The required correction is significant and represents 9% of the net global forest carbon sink estimated annually. To correctly partition burnt carbon between that emitted to the atmosphere and that remaining as a post-fire residue requires the post-burn carbon content to be estimated, which is quite often not undertaken in atmospheric emissions studies. To broaden our understanding of ecosystem carbon fluxes, it is recommended that the change in carbon content associated with burnt residues be accounted for. Apart from correctly partitioning burnt carbon between the emitted and residue pools, it enables an accounting approach which can assess the efficacy of fire management operations targeted at sequestering carbon from fire. These findings are particularly relevant for the second commitment period for the Kyoto protocol, since improved landscape fire

  10. 500 kHZ intracavitary hyperthermia in the treatment of patients with cervical and endometrial cancer - preliminary results and treatment description

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Piotrowicz, N.; Lyczek, J.; Zielinski, J.; Debicki, P.

    2002-01-01

    The effectiveness of elevated temperature (hyperthermia) in cancer treatment is a well-known issue. However, due to technical problems with generating hyperthermia within the tumour and, at the same time, sparing the healthy tissues, in practice this modality is not widely used. Local hyperthermia was induced by a computer-controlled generator (500 kHz) with three amplifiers transmitting energy to the lesion via a modified uterine brachytherapy applicator. Temperature was measured with 3 thermocouples.Total treatment time was 60-90 minutes. 10 patients with cervical and endometrial cancer were enrolled into this study and 11 procedures were performed. Prior to hyperthermia all patients were treated with external field irradiation to the pelvis to the dose of 45-46 Gy. Intracavitary LDR/HDR brachytherapy (dose of 45 Gy/point Ai n two fractions) with colpostat used for the hyperthermia procedure was than performed. In all cases, except one, caused by equipment failure, biologically stable temperature was observed. No severe side effects of treatment were observed. There was no need to terminate treatment due to high temperature intolerance. (author)

  11. Improvement of high-temperature thermomechanical treatment of the rolled section made of VT3-1 alloy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gavze, A.L.; Korostelev, Yu.P.

    2002-01-01

    Changes in mechanical properties and structure are investigated in alloy VT3-1 rods produced with the use of high temperature thermomechanical treatment (HTMT) on their heating and deformation during straightening as well as during preliminary hot deformation of the billets on a helical rolling mill (HRM). It is stated that the straightening at 550-700 deg C with elongation of ∼ 2% results in some decrease of ultimate strength and in essential enhancement of plasticity and impact strength. In a similar manner, preliminary rolling on HRM affects the properties of rods after final heat treatment. It is shown that rod production according to the experimental processing procedure increases the quality of the rods and can be realized when manufacturing rolled products of alloy VT3-1 with the use of HTMT [ru

  12. comparative analysis of the compressive strength of concrete

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    2013-03-01

    Mar 1, 2013 ... all cement manufacturing plants given rise to the emergence of a strong local burnt bricks industry. The bricks are made in various sizes using a local adapta- tion of the standards process controlled burnt bricks technology. The raw materials compromise solely of soil deposits found along the flood plains of ...

  13. Possible applications of Neuromuscular Taping in pain reduction in Multiple Sclerosis subject: a preliminary report

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Carmine Berlingieri

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available Pain is a common disabling symptom in patients with Multiple Sclerosis (MS. It has been indicated that pain prevalence in MS patients is between 29–86 %. It is evident that most MS patients requiring treatment will be also searching pain related treatments to assist in day to day activities. Neuropathic pain is a difficult symptom and is generally inadequately relieved even though different rehabilitative approaches may be used. Neuromuscular Taping inducing micro-movements by stimulating receptors in the skin has been described in literature as a possible intervention in neurological and orthopedic rehabilitation improving mobility and in pain reduction. The aim of this preliminary report was to analyze the effect and to evaluate the possible applications of Neuromuscular Taping (NMT in patients with MS in order to reduce pain in comparison to the Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS and to physical rehabilitation treatment alone. We observed that NMT together with standard physical rehabilitation was able to reduce neuropathic pain to greater lengths, with statistically significant differences between pre and post treatment, compared to the other treatments evaluated. This study showed increased efficacy in pain reduction when NMT was applied to standard physical treatment in long standing pain conditions. Neuromuscular Taping may constitute a low cost treatment strategy for neuropathic pain conditions in MS.

  14. Viral indicators for fecal contamination - a one-year viral metagenomic study of treatment efficiency in danish waste water treatment plants

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hellmér, Maria; Stranddorf, Kasper; Seidel, Michael

    2017-01-01

    from two urban waste water treatment plants in Copenhagen. All samples are investigated for their viral content and the presence of pathogens by metagenomic sequencing and analyzed specifically for HAdV, JCPyV, norovirus GI and GII (NoV GI and GII) using quantitative (q)PCR. Preliminary qPCR results......, the number of identified pathogenic viral species decreases with treatment of the waste water. Further bioinformatic analyses will investigate the seasonal variations of viral composition within a sample as well as the effect of the treatment system. Updated qPCR and metagenomics data will be presented....... are therefore using metagenomics sequencing with the aim to map the viriome in different water sources. In addition we investigate the possibility to use Human Adenovirus (HAdV) or JC Polyomavirus (JCPyV) as indicator for human fecal contamination. Water has been sampled monthly throughout the treatment process...

  15. Waste Feed Delivery System Phase 1 Preliminary RAM Analysis [SEC 1 and 2

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    DYKES, A.A.

    2000-10-11

    This report presents the updated results of the preliminary reliability, availability, and maintainability (RAM) analysis of selected waste feed delivery (WFD) operations to be performed by the Tank Farm Contractor (TFC) during Phase I activities in support of the Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant (WTP). For planning purposes, waste feed tanks are being divided into five classes in accordance with the type of waste in each tank and the activities required to retrieve, qualify, and transfer waste feed. This report reflects the baseline design and operating concept, as of the beginning of Fiscal Year 2000, for the delivery of feed from three of these classes, represented by source tanks 241-AN-102, 241-AZ-101 and 241-AN-105. The preliminary RAM analysis quantifies the potential schedule delay associated with operations and maintenance (OBM) field activities needed to accomplish these operations. The RAM analysis is preliminary because the system design, process definition, and activity planning are in a state of evolution. The results are being used to support the continuing development of an O&M Concept tailored to the unique requirements of the WFD Program, which is being documented in various volumes of the Waste Feed Delivery Technical Basis (Carlson. 1999, Rasmussen 1999, and Orme 2000). The waste feed provided to the WTP must: (1) meet limits for chemical and radioactive constituents based on pre-established compositional envelopes (i.e., feed quality); (2) be in acceptable quantities within a prescribed sequence to meet feed quantities; and (3) meet schedule requirements (i.e., feed timing). In the absence of new criteria related to acceptable schedule performance due to the termination of the TWRS Privatization Contract, the original criteria from the Tank Waste Remediation System (77443s) Privatization Contract (DOE 1998) will continue to be used for this analysis.

  16. DBS in Treatment of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Angelo Lavano

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD is a debilitating psychiatric condition for which pharmacological therapy is not always solvable. Various treatments have been suggested and deep brain stimulation (DBS is currently under investigation for patients affected by PTSD. We review the neurocircuitry and up-to-date clinical concepts which are behind the use of DBS in posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD. The role of DBS in treatment-refractory PTSD patients has been investigated relying on both preclinical and clinical studies. DBS for PTSD is in its preliminary phases and likely to provide hope for patients with medical refractory PTSD following the results of randomized controlled studies.

  17. Prison Therapeutic Community Treatment for Female Offenders: Profiles and Preliminary Findings for Mental Health and Other Variables (Crime, Substance Use and HIV Risk)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sacks, Joann Y.; Sacks, Stanley; Mckendrick, Karen; Banks, Steven; Schoeneberger, Marlies; Hamilton, Zachary; Stommel, Joseph; Shoemaker, Joanie

    2008-01-01

    This random assignment study compared women in a prison Therapeutic Community (TC) program with those in a cognitive-behavioral intervention. Over two thirds of study subjects received a lifetime diagnosis of severe mental disorder, nearly one-half received a diagnosis of PTSD, and virtually all reported exposure to trauma. Preliminary analysis (n…

  18. Preliminary study of e-beam processing as a phytosanitary treatment against Guignardia citricarpa

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Araujo, Michel M.; Fanaro, Gustavo B.; Silveira, Ana P.M.; Rogovschi, Vladimir D.; Villavicencio, Anna L.C.H.; Correa, Benedito

    2009-01-01

    Citrus black spot (CBS) is a fungal disease, caused by Guignardia citricarpa and affects practically all citrus species of economic importance, especially sweet oranges. It has become a serious, widespread problem for citrus production in South America. It causes lesions on citrus fruit peel and leaves and can induce fruit drop before maturity. Fruits from citrus areas affected by CBS represent a risk for introduction of this pathogen into new areas. European Community and United States severely limit importation of fresh citrus fruit from those countries were the disease is present. Various treatments have been explored to reduce the risk of introduction of CBS into countries that are currently free of this disease. E-beam processing has been successfully used to inactivate food spoilage microorganisms, including bacteria, yeasts and moulds. Ionizing radiation treatment has been known to extend the postharvest life of many tropical and subtropical fruits. Irradiation is the most recent commercial phytosanitary treatment for fresh commodities. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of electron beam processing on the viability of G. citricarpa. Isolated fungi from naturally infected oranges were irradiated with 2.5, 5.0, 7.5, 10.0 and 12.5 kGy using an electron beam irradiator (Radiation Dynamics Co., model JOB-188, New York, USA). Irradiation appeared to be a useful alternative as a phytosanitary treatment to control citrus black spot dissemination. (author)

  19. Treatment of Internet Addiction with Anxiety Disorders: Treatment Protocol and Preliminary Before-After Results Involving Pharmacotherapy and Modified Cognitive Behavioral Therapy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Santos, Veruska Andrea; Freire, Rafael; Zugliani, Morená; Cirillo, Patricia; Santos, Hugo Henrique; Nardi, Antonio Egidio; King, Anna Lucia

    2016-03-22

    The growth of the Internet has led to significant change and has become an integral part of modern life. It has made life easier and provided innumerous benefits; however, excessive use has brought about the potential for addiction, leading to severe impairments in social, academic, financial, psychological, and work domains. Individuals addicted to the Internet usually have comorbid psychiatric disorders. Panic disorder (PD) and generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) are prevalent mental disorders, involving a great deal of damage in the patient's life. This open trial study describes a treatment protocol among 39 patients with anxiety disorders and Internet addiction (IA) involving pharmacotherapy and modified cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). Of the 39 patients, 25 were diagnosed with PD and 14 with GAD, in addition to Internet addiction. At screening, patients responded to the MINI 5.0, Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale, Hamilton Depression Rating Scale, Clinical Global Impressions Scale, and the Young Internet Addiction Scale. At that time, IA was observed taking into consideration the IAT scale (cutoff score above 50), while anxiety disorders were diagnosed by a psychiatrist. Patients were forwarded for pharmacotherapy and a modified CBT protocol. Psychotherapy was conducted individually, once a week, over a period of 10 weeks, and results suggest that the treatment was effective for anxiety and Internet addiction. Before treatment, anxiety levels suggested severe anxiety, with an average score of 34.26 (SD 6.13); however, after treatment the mean score was 15.03 (SD 3.88) (Paddiction scores was observed, from 67.67 (SD 7.69) before treatment, showing problematic internet use, to 37.56 (SD 9.32) after treatment (Panxiety, the correlation between scores was .724. This study is the first research into IA treatment of a Brazilian population. The improvement was remarkable due to the complete engagement of patients in therapy, which contributed to the success of the

  20. Original Article PRELIMINARY BIOAUTOGRAPHIC ANALYSIS OF ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    PRELIMINARY BIOAUTOGRAPHIC ANALYSIS OF THE SEEDS OF GLYPHAEA BREVIS. (SPRENG) MONACHINO FOR ANTIOXIDANT AND ANTIBACTERIAL PRINCIPLES. Michael Lahai1, Tiwalade Adewale Olugbade2. 1Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Medicine ...

  1. Hydrocarbons conversions over mineral ion-exchangers used in uranium ore waste treatment

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Azzouz, A.

    1988-05-01

    Preliminary experiments were carried out in order to investigate catalytic activities in hydrocarbons reactions of natural and synthetic zeolites previously loaded with heavy elements as lanthanides and actinides in yellow cake treatment. This way could be considered as an interesting low coast alternative in revalorifying these mineral ion-exchangers. (author)

  2. 17 CFR 210.8-01 - Preliminary Notes to Article 8.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-04-01

    ... 17 Commodity and Securities Exchanges 2 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Preliminary Notes to Article 8... ADVISERS ACT OF 1940, AND ENERGY POLICY AND CONSERVATION ACT OF 1975 Article 8 Financial Statements of Smaller Reporting Companies § 210.8-01 Preliminary Notes to Article 8. Sections 210.8-01 to 210.8-08 shall...

  3. FORMULATION AND TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT OF HERBAL PHENOLIC BIOPOLYMER-CONTAINING FILMS FOR BURN TREATMENT.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gokadze, S; Barbakadze, V; Mulkijanyan, K; Bakuridze, A; Bakuridze, L

    2017-06-01

    Application of phytofilms based on biosolublepolymers is considered as a prospectivemethod for burn treatment . Herbal remedies contain biologically active substances, that are relatively less toxic, do not cause skin irritation or allergic reactions and, importantly, affectstrains of the microorganisms and viruses resistant to antibiotics and synthetic drugs. Nowadays, the advantages are given to such burn healing drugs, which along with high specific efficacy, have analgesic, anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial effects, and don't irritate the tissues. The mentioned peculiarities are characteristic for a new herbal phenolic biopolymer poly[3-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl) glyceric acid](PDGA), isolated from the roots and stems of different comfrey species . The aim of the study was the development of the formulation and technology of biosoluble films for burn treatment on the basis of PDGA. The optimal content of phytofilm for burn healing was selected on the basis of the biopharmaceutical study results. The impact of the film-former on the quality, adhesion and moisture absorption of the phytofilmhas been studied. The optimal degree of the phytofilm moisture, determining its high adhesive properties,was established. The film prepared on the basis of sodium alginate, with 30.4% humidity, demonstrated the greatest adhesion strength. After investigation of the PDGA release it was found, that the hydrophilic bases such as: sodium carboxymethyl-cellulose (69.2%) andsodium alginate (78,65%) appeared to be optimal among the others. At the same time, taking into consideration the disadvantages of sodium carboxymethyl-cellulose (tautening effect on burnt surface, relatively low stability), a film based on sodium alginate has been chosen. The manufacturing technology for obtaining PDGA-containing phytofilm by casting is proposed. Theshelf-lifeofproposedPDGA-containingphytofilmis 2 years.

  4. Effect of Cordyceps sinensis on the Treatment of Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis: A Pilot Study on Mice Model

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shan-Shan Zhong

    2017-01-01

    Conclusions: Our preliminary study demonstrated that CS efficiently alleviated EAE severity and EAE-related pathology damage and decreased the number of Th1s in the periphery, indicating its effectiveness in the treatment of murine EAE. Thus, our findings strongly support the therapeutic potential of this agent as a new traditional Chinese medicine approach in MS treatment.

  5. The acceptability, feasibility, and possible benefits of a neurobiologically-informed 5-day multifamily treatment for adults with anorexia nervosa.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wierenga, Christina E; Hill, Laura; Knatz Peck, Stephanie; McCray, Jason; Greathouse, Laura; Peterson, Danika; Scott, Amber; Eisler, Ivan; Kaye, Walter H

    2018-05-02

    Novel treatments for adults with anorexia nervosa (AN) are lacking. Recent scientific advances have identified neurobiologically-driven temperament contributors to AN symptoms that may guide development of more effective treatments. This preliminary study evaluates the acceptability, feasibility and possible benefits of a multicenter open trial of an intensive 5-day neurobiologically-informed multifamily treatment for adults with AN and their supports (SU). The temperament-focused treatment combines psychoeducation of AN neurobiology and SU involvement to develop skills to manage traits contributing to disease chronicity. Fifty-four adults with AN and at least one SU (n = 73) received the 5-day treatment. Acceptability, feasibility, and attrition were measured post-treatment. Clinical outcome (BMI, eating disorder psychopathology, family function) was assessed post-treatment and at >3-month follow-up. The treatment had low attrition, with only one drop-out. Patients and SU rated the intervention as highly acceptable, and clinicians reported good feasibility. At post-treatment, patients demonstrated significantly increased BMI, reduced eating disorder psychopathology, and improved family function. Benefits were maintained in the 39 patients who completed follow-up assessment, with 62% reporting full or partial remission. Preliminary results are promising and suggest this novel treatment is feasible and acceptable. To establish treatment efficacy, fully-powered randomized controlled trials are necessary. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  6. Illustrating idiographic methods for translation research: moderation effects, natural clinical experiments, and complex treatment-by-subgroup interactions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ridenour, Ty A; Wittenborn, Andrea K; Raiff, Bethany R; Benedict, Neal; Kane-Gill, Sandra

    2016-03-01

    A critical juncture in translation research involves the preliminary studies of intervention tools, provider training programs, policies, and other mechanisms used to leverage knowledge garnered at one translation stage into another stage. Potentially useful for such studies are rigorous techniques for conducting within-subject clinical trials, which have advanced incrementally over the last decade. However, these methods have largely not been utilized within prevention or translation contexts. The purpose of this manuscript is to demonstrate the flexibility, wide applicability, and rigor of idiographic clinical trials for preliminary testing of intervention mechanisms. Specifically demonstrated are novel uses of state-space modeling for testing intervention mechanisms of short-term outcomes, identifying heterogeneity in and moderation of within-person treatment mechanisms, a horizontal line plot to refine sampling design during the course of a clinic-based experimental study, and the need to test a treatment's efficacy as treatment is administered along with (e.g., traditional 12-month outcomes).

  7. Resistant and Refractory Hypertension: Antihypertensive Treatment Resistance vs Treatment Failure

    Science.gov (United States)

    Siddiqui, Mohammed; Dudenbostel, Tanja; Calhoun, David A.

    2017-01-01

    Resistant or difficult to treat hypertension is defined as high blood pressure that remains uncontrolled with 3 or more different antihypertensive medications, including a diuretic. Recent definitions also include controlled blood pressure with use of 4 or more medications as also being resistant to treatment. Recently, refractory hypertension, an extreme phenotype of antihypertensive treatment failure has been defined as hypertension uncontrolled with use of 5 or more antihypertensive agents, including a long-acting thiazide diuretic and a mineralocorticoid receptor antagonist. Patients with resistant vs refractory hypertension share similar characteristics and comorbidities, including obesity, African American race, female sex, diabetes, coronary heart disease, chronic kidney disease, and obstructive sleep apnea. Patients with refractory vs resistant hypertension tend to be younger and are more likely to have been diagnosed with congestive heart failure. Refractory hypertension might also differ from resistant hypertension in terms of underlying cause. Preliminary evidence suggests that refractory hypertension is more likely to be neurogenic in etiology (ie, heightened sympathetic tone), vs a volume-dependent hypertension that is more characteristic of resistant hypertension in general. PMID:26514749

  8. Assessing off-site impacts of wildfires on aquatic organisms using in-situ assays

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ré, Ana; Saraiva, MariaJoão; Puga, João; Campos, Isabel; Pereira, Joana; Keizer, Jacob; Goncalves, Fernando; Abrantes, Nelson

    2017-04-01

    Wildfires have been recognized as an important source of diffuse pollution to aquatic systems, particularly through the production and transport of pyrolytic substances such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and metals associated to ash/soil loads. However, the effects of these compounds from recently burnt areas on the aquatic biota have been largely ignored. Hence, the main goal of this study was to assess the ecotoxicological effects of wildfires in aquatic systems through the use of in situ experiments. In this sense, five sites were selected in a catchment partially burnt: two in the main water course - Ceira river (Miranda do Corvo, Portugal), being one located upstream (RUS) and the other downstream (RDS) the burnt area; two in tributary streams within the burnt area (SUS and SDS); and finally one in a stream located in the unburnt part of the catchment (CS). During the first post-fire rainfall events, distinct organisms, including the water flea Daphnia magna, the freshwater shrimp Atyaephyra desmaresti, the freshwater clam Corbicula fluminea and the mosquitofish Gambusia holbrooki were exposed in situ, in all five sites, using dedicated test chambers. After four days of field exposition, the mortality and post-exposure feeding inhibition were evaluated. Feeding depression after exposure time was selected as a sub-lethal endpoint because it is a quick, sensitive and ecologically relevant indicator of toxic stress. The results showed negligible mortality for all the species and sites, thus lethality was not sensitive to discern impacts among the assessed sites. Conversely, the sub-lethal post-exposure feeding inhibition endpoint, revealed a decrease of feeding rate, in streams within the burnt area (SUS and SDS), that seemed to be the most affected places in the study area. Conversely, the sites outside the burnt area, both on river (RUS) and on the stream (CS), showed no adverse effects in this endpoint. Hence, the current results pointed-out that

  9. Treatment accuracy of hypofractionated spine and other highly conformal IMRT treatments

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sutherland, B.; Hanlon, P.; Charles, P.

    2011-01-01

    Full text: Spinal cord metastases pose difficult challenges for radiation treatment due to tight dose constraints and a concave PTY. This project aimed to thoroughly test the treatment accuracy of the Eclipse Treatment Planning System (TPS) for highly modulated IMRT treatments, in particular of the thoracic spine, using an Elekta Synergy Linear Accelerator. The increased understanding obtained through different quality assurance techniques allowed recommendations to be made for treatment site commissioning with improved accuracy at the Princess Alexandra Hospital (PAH). Three thoracic spine IMRT plans at the PAH were used for data collection. Complex phantom models were built using CT data, and fields simulated using Monte Carlo modelling. The simulated dose distributions were compared with the TPS using gamma analysis and DYH comparison. High resolution QA was done for all fields using the MatriXX ion chamber array, MapCHECK2 diode array shifted, and the EPlD to determine a procedure for commissioning new treatment sites. Basic spine simulations found the TPS overestimated absorbed dose to bone, however within spinal cord there was good agreement. High resolution QA found the average gamma pass rate of the fields to be 99.1 % for MatriXX, 96.5% for MapCHECK2 shifted and 97.7% for EPlD. Preliminary results indicate agreement between the TPS and delivered dose distributions higher than previously believed for the investigated IMRT plans. The poor resolution of the MatriXX, and normalisation issues with MapCHECK2 leads to probable recommendation of EPlD for future IMRT commissioning due to the high resolution and minimal setup required.

  10. Deep transcranial magnetic stimulation for the treatment of pathological gambling.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rosenberg, Oded; Klein, Limor Dinur; Dannon, Pinhas N

    2013-03-30

    Five pathological gamblers received deep transcranial magnetic stimulation (DTMS). Evaluations included rating scales and collateral anamnesis. Despite initial improvement in ratings, collateral anamnesis demonstrated failure to respond. DTMS to the pre-frontal cortex using an H1 coil was an ineffective treatment. Our study is preliminary, and additional studies are required. Crown Copyright © 2012. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  11. Process simulation and uncertainty analysis of plasma arc mixed waste treatment

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ferrada, J.J.; Welch, T.D.

    1994-01-01

    Innovative mixed waste treatment subsystems have been analyzed for performance, risk, and life-cycle cost as part of the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE)'s Mixed Waste Integrated Program (MWIP) treatment alternatives development and evaluation process. This paper concerns the analysis of mixed waste treatment system performance. Performance systems analysis includes approximate material and energy balances and assessments of operability, effectiveness, and reliability. Preliminary material and energy balances of innovative processes have been analyzed using FLOW, an object-oriented, process simulator for waste management systems under development at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. The preliminary models developed for FLOW provide rough order-of-magnitude calculations useful for sensitivity analysis. The insight gained from early modeling of these technologies approximately will ease the transition to more sophisticated simulators as adequate performance and property data become available. Such models are being developed in ASPEN by DOE's Mixed Waste Treatment Project (MWTP) for baseline and alternative flow sheets based on commercial technologies. One alternative to the baseline developed by the MWIP support groups in plasma arc treatment. This process offers a noticeable reduction in the number of process operations as compared to the baseline process because a plasma arc melter is capable of accepting a wide variety of waste streams as direct inputs (without sorting or preprocessing). This innovative process for treating mixed waste replaces several units from the baseline process and, thus, promises an economic advantage. The performance in the plasma arc furnace will directly affect the quality of the waste form and the requirements of the off-gas treatment units. The ultimate objective of MWIP is to reduce the amount of final waste produced, the cost, and the environmental impact

  12. A Controlled Randomized Preliminary Trial of a Modified Dissonance-Based Eating Disorder Intervention Program.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Green, M A; Willis, M; Fernandez-Kong, K; Reyes, S; Linkhart, R; Johnson, M; Thorne, T; Lindberg, J; Kroska, E; Woodward, H

    2017-12-01

    We conducted a controlled randomized preliminary trial of a modified dissonance-based eating disorder program (n = 24) compared to an assessment-only control condition (n = 23) via a longitudinal design (baseline, postintervention, 2-month follow-up) in a community sample of women (N = 47) with clinical (n = 22) and subclinical (n = 25) eating disorder symptoms. The traditional content of the Body Project, a dissonance-based eating disorder prevention program, was modified to include verbal, written, and behavioral exercises designed to dissuade self-objectification and maladaptive social comparison. Women with clinical and subclinical symptoms were included in the target audience to investigate both the treatment and the indicated prevention utility of the modified dissonance program. Body dissatisfaction, self-esteem, self-objectification, thin-ideal internalization, maladaptive social comparison, trait anxiety, and eating disorder symptoms were evaluated in the control and the modified dissonance condition at baseline, postintervention, and 2-month follow-up. We predicted a statistically significant 2 (condition: control, modified dissonance) x 3 (time: baseline, postintervention, 2-month follow-up) interaction in the mixed factorial multivariate analyses of variance results. Results confirmed this hypothesis. Eating disorder risk factors and symptoms decreased significantly among participants in the modified dissonance condition at postintervention and 2-month follow-up compared to baseline; symptom improvement was greater among participants in the modified compared to the control condition. A secondary analysis indicated symptom improvement did not vary as a function of symptom status (clinical, subclinical), suggesting the program is efficacious in both indicated prevention and treatment applications. Results provide preliminary support for the modified dissonance program. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  13. 75 FR 50733 - Preliminary Theft Data; Motor Vehicle Theft Prevention Standard

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-08-17

    ... [Docket No. NHTSA 2010-0098] Preliminary Theft Data; Motor Vehicle Theft Prevention Standard AGENCY... of preliminary theft data; request for comments. SUMMARY: This document requests comments on data about passenger motor vehicle thefts that occurred in calendar year (CY) 2008 including theft rates for...

  14. Preliminary results from the use of the novel Interactive binocular treatment (I-BiT) system, in the treatment of strabismic and anisometropic amblyopia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Waddingham, P E; Butler, T K H; Cobb, S V; Moody, A D R; Comaish, I F; Haworth, S M; Gregson, R M; Ash, I M; Brown, S M; Eastgate, R M; Griffiths, G D

    2006-03-01

    We have developed a novel application of adapted virtual reality (VR) technology, for the binocular treatment of amblyopia. We describe the use of the system in six children. Subjects consisted of three conventional treatment 'failures' and three conventional treatment 'refusers', with a mean age of 6.25 years (5.42-7.75 years). Treatment consisted of watching video clips and playing interactive games with specifically designed software to allow streamed binocular image presentation. Initial vision in the amblyopic eye ranged from 6/12 to 6/120 and post-treatment 6/7.5 to 6/24-1. Total treatment time was a mean of 4.4 h. Five out of six children have shown an improvement in their vision (average increase of 10 letters), including those who had previously failed to comply with conventional occlusion. Improvements in vision were demonstrable within a short period of time, in some children after 1 h of treatment. This system is an exciting and promising application of VR technology as a new treatment for amblyopia.

  15. Preliminary design data package. Appendix C

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    1979-07-25

    The design requirements, design philosophy, method and assumptions, and preliminary computer-aided design of the Near-Term Hybrid Vehicle including its electric and heat power units, control equipment, transmission system, body, and overall vehicle characteristics are presented. (LCL)

  16. CONTENT ANALYSIS, DISCOURSE ANALYSIS, AND CONVERSATION ANALYSIS: PRELIMINARY STUDY ON CONCEPTUAL AND THEORETICAL METHODOLOGICAL DIFFERENCES

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Anderson Tiago Peixoto Gonçalves

    2016-08-01

    Full Text Available This theoretical essay aims to reflect on three models of text interpretation used in qualitative research, which is often confused in its concepts and methodologies (Content Analysis, Discourse Analysis, and Conversation Analysis. After the presentation of the concepts, the essay proposes a preliminary discussion on conceptual and theoretical methodological differences perceived between them. A review of the literature was performed to support the conceptual and theoretical methodological discussion. It could be verified that the models have differences related to the type of strategy used in the treatment of texts, the type of approach, and the appropriate theoretical position.

  17. Safety and efficacy of aneurysm treatment with WEB

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Pierot, Laurent; Costalat, Vincent; Moret, Jacques

    2016-01-01

    OBJECT WEB is an innovative intrasaccular treatment for intracranial aneurysms. Preliminary series have shown good safety and efficacy. The WEB Clinical Assessment of Intrasaccular Aneurysm Therapy (WEBCAST) trial is a prospective European trial evaluating the safety and efficacy of WEB in wide......-neck bifurcation aneurysms. METHODS Patients with wide-neck bifurcation aneurysms for which WEB treatment was indicated were included in this multicentergood clinical practices study. Clinical data including adverse events and clinical status at 1 and 6 months were collected and independently analyzed by a medical....... RESULTS Ten European neurointerventional centers enrolled 51 patients with 51 aneurysms. Treatment with WEB was achieved in 48 of 51 aneurysms (94.1%). Adjunctive implants (coils/stents) were used in 4 of 48 aneurysms (8.3%). Thromboembolic events were observed in 9 of 51 patients (17.6%), resulting...

  18. Impacts of Frequent Burning on Live Tree Carbon Biomass and Demography in Post-Harvest Regrowth Forest

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Luke Collins

    2014-04-01

    Full Text Available The management of forest ecosystems to increase carbon storage is a global concern. Fire frequency has the potential to shift considerably in the future. These shifts may alter demographic processes and growth of tree species, and consequently carbon storage in forests. Examination of the sensitivity of forest carbon to the potential upper and lower extremes of fire frequency will provide crucial insight into the magnitude of possible change in carbon stocks associated with shifts in fire frequency. This study examines how tree biomass and demography of a eucalypt forest regenerating after harvest is affected by two experimentally manipulated extremes in fire frequency (i.e., ~3 year fire intervals vs. unburnt sustained over a 23 year period. The rate of post-harvest biomass recovery of overstorey tree species, which constituted ~90% of total living tree biomass, was lower within frequently burnt plots than unburnt plots, resulting in approximately 20% lower biomass in frequently burnt plots by the end of the study. Significant differences in carbon biomass between the two extremes in frequency were only evident after >15–20 years of sustained treatment. Reduced growth rates and survivorship of smaller trees on the frequently burnt plots compared to unburnt plots appeared to be driving these patterns. The biomass of understorey trees, which constituted ~10% of total living tree biomass, was not affected by frequent burning. These findings suggest that future shifts toward more frequent fire will potentially result in considerable reductions in carbon sequestration across temperate forest ecosystems in Australia.

  19. Changes in species occurrence and phytomass after clearfelling, prescribed burning and slash removal in two Swedish spruce forests

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nykvist, N.

    1997-01-01

    In two old Norway spruce stands, the one at Garpenberg in central Sweden, the other at Flakatraesk in northern Sweden, the phytomass of the field- and ground-layer was measured before clearfelling and one and four years later. The phytomass of the field-layer was also measured 10 and 16 years after clearfelling. Of 13-14 plant species originally in the field-layer, 2-3 were not found after clearfelling. In contrast, 15 and 9 new species appeared on the plots on which slash was left, at Garpenberg and at Flakatraesk. Some were short-lived, and 16 years after clearfelling, only 11 and 7, respectively, persisted. Corresponding figures for the plots from which slash was removed were 9 and 8, and for the burnt plots 11 and 9. Clearfelling of the old forests also increased the phytomass of the field-layer. Removal of slash decreased the phytomass of some species, increased it for others. During the first years after burning, phytomass on the burnt plots was less than that on the controls, but three years later it was similar to that on the unburnt plots. The spatial variation in phytomass was great, and no significant difference was found between treatments after clearfelling. The biomass of the most common moss species of Swedish coniferous forests declined strongly after clearfelling. Two new mosses appeared on the clearfelled plots, viz. Polytrichum spp. and Ceratodon purpureus; the latter being found only on burnt plots at Flakatraesk four years after burning 17 refs, 16 figs, 18 tabs. four years after burning 17 refs, 16 figs, 18 tabs

  20. [Compression treatment for burned skin].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jaafar, Fadhel; Lassoued, Mohamed A; Sahnoun, Mahdi; Sfar, Souad; Cheikhrouhou, Morched

    2012-02-01

    The regularity of a compressive knit is defined as its ability to perform its function in a burnt skin. This property is essential to avoid the phenomenon of rejection of the material or toxicity problems But: Make knits biocompatible with high burnet of human skin. We fabric knits of elastic material. To ensure good adhesion to the skin, we made elastic material, typically a tight loop knitted. The Length of yarn absorbed by stitch and the raw matter are changed with each sample. The physical properties of each sample are measured and compared. Surface modifications are made to these samples by impregnation of microcapsules based on jojoba oil. Knits are compressif, elastic in all directions, light, thin, comfortable, and washable for hygiene issues. In addition, the washing can find their compressive properties. The Jojoba Oil microcapsules hydrated the human burnet skin. This moisturizer is used to the firmness of the wound and it gives flexibility to the skin. Compressive Knits are biocompatible with burnet skin. The mixture of natural and synthetic fibers is irreplaceable in terms comfort and regularity.

  1. Endoscopic laser treatment of glottic carcinoma

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Peretti, G.; Cappiello, J.; Renaldini, G.; Antonelli, A.R.; Villanacci, V.; Marocolo, D.

    1992-01-01

    Histological diagnosis of laryngeal epithelial abnormalities may range from mucosal aberration, without risk of progressing into invasive neoplasm, to in situ or invasive carcinoma. Precise identification of epithelial abnormalities of laryngeal mucosa requires biopsy and microscopic evaluation. Random biopsies are frequently inadequate, since they are not representative for the entire lesion. Excisional Biopsy, allowing removal of lesion together with a rim of healthy tissue is ideal for both diagnosis and treatment. If completely removed, the cancer should not require further treatment; if the margins are not free of disease, re-excision or radiotherapy is considered as alternative options. Laser excision represents an extension of the clinical application of endoscopy, allowing the laryngologist to perform an accurate and bloodless surgery. Endoscopic laser treatment for selected glottic SCC (squamous cell carcinoma) has been shown to provide an excellent alternative to radiotherapy or open neck surgery in terms of cure rate and functional results. Preliminary results are presented with the purpose of stressing the role of EB with CO2 laser in diagnosis and treatment of selected glottic carcinoma. (author). 16 refs

  2. Intradiscal electrothermal treatment for discogenic back pain: experimental investigation and preliminary clinical application

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fang Wen; Teng Gaojun; He Shicheng; Guo Jinhe; Deng Gang; Zhu Guangyu; Li Guozhao; Ding Huijuan; Shen Zhiping

    2005-01-01

    Objective: To assess the effectiveness and the safety of IDET for chronic discogenic low back pain. Methods: Standard intradiscal electrothermal treatment were performed in two adjacent disc levels (L3-4, L4-5) of two domestic pigs. MRI were available at pretreatment, posttreatment of 1,2 weeks, and then the two animals were killed respectively at 1,2 weeks after the procedure. The specimens were then undergone thin sectioned and subjected to humatoxylin and eosin staining for histological investigation. 23 patients (totally 29 discs, including L2-3 to L5-S1) with chronic symptoms underwent IDET for clinical study. VAS (Visual Analog Scale) pain scores were collected before the treatment, 1 week and 3 months after the procedure. One way ANOVA was used for statistical analysis. Results: 4 discs of standard IDET models have been set up in two pigs showing normal MRI T2W1 signal of nucleus pulposus immediately after the procedure, but the high signal extent of the central part of the nucleo pulposus shrinked with conspicuous peripheral low signal changes during the following 1-2 W. Degeneration and shrinkage of nucleo-pulposus with lecolized fibrous ring thickening were found pathologically but without damage to nurve roots and epidural sac. 29 discs in 23 patients were performed successfully, without complication. The follow-up evaluation of 1 week and 3 months after the treatment showing significant differences with those before the treatment on was scores 65.3% and 78.9% respectively (P<0.0001). Conclusions: IDET is safe and effective for chronic discogenic low back pain. (authors)

  3. Preliminary study of mercury target structure

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kaminaga, Masanori; Haga, Katsuhiro; Hino, Ryutaro [Japan Atomic Energy Research Inst., Tokai, Ibaraki (Japan). Tokai Research Establishment; Kumasaka, Katsuyuki; Uchida, Shoji; Nakagawa, Toshi; Mori, Seiji; Nishikawa, Akira

    1997-11-01

    Development of a proton accelerator based neutron source (1.5 GeV, 5.3 mA (for neutron source 3.3 mA), thermal power 8 MW) is currently conducted by the Special Task Force for Neutron Science Initiative, JAERI. Preliminary design studies and related R and D of a solid metal target for the first stage (1.5 GeV, 1 mA) and a liquid metal target for both the first and second stages (1.5 GeV, 3.3 mA) are conducted by the Target Group to develop both solid and liquid metal target systems. A few kinds of target structures have been investigated in FY 1996 and the preliminary results for the target structures are described in this paper. Investigation results of alternative materials for the target container are also described in this paper. (author)

  4. Manufacturing and preliminary tests of a 12 T ''wind and react'' coil

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Corte, A. della; Pasotti, G.; Sacchetti, N.; Spadoni, M.; Oliva, A.B.; Penco, R.; Parodi, S.; Valle, N.; Specking, W.

    1994-01-01

    As already reported ENEA is engaged in the realization of a 12 T wind and react Nb 3 Sn coil, a subsize magnet designed to simulate many technological problems to be faced in NET-ITER magnets. EM-LMI and Ansaldo are the industrial partners in this project. A preliminary winding has been built and successfully tested. This winding has been cut in pieces and carefully inspected to be sure that the impregnation process after the heat treatment works well. No particular flaws have been detected. Then manufacturing of the 12 T magnet has been started and completed in about three months. Heat treatment, impregnation and electrical tests at 300 K have been successfully performed and the magnet is now ready for final tests. In order to obtain the most significant scientific and technological information from this magnet, the original test program (insertion of the coil in the SULTAN facility) has been modified according to a decision of the Fusion Technology Steering Committee (FTSC) of EURATOM. Details of the new test programs are given in the paper

  5. Preliminary results on optimising hydrothermal treatment used in co-production of biofuels

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Thomsen, M.H.; Thomsen, A.B.; Jørgensen, H.

    . The solubilised hemicellulose is in a second step converted by either enzymes or weak acid hydrolyses tomonomeric sugar compounds for ethanol production. The cellulose fraction containing the lignin will be burned for electricity or part of it may be used for ethanol production by means of SSF. By-products from......In December 2002, an EU-project for co-production of biofuels was started. The overall objective is to develop cost and energy effective production systems for co-production of bio ethanol and electricity based on integrated biomass utilization. Duringthe first 12 months period of the project...... illustrates that it is possible to extract more than 95% of the alkaline salts (at 200 C) leaving a solid cellulose rich biofuel for combustion or for further treatment in the ethanol process. In the experiments performed at 190 C, the best totalglucose yield after pre-treatment and following enzymatic...

  6. Preliminary Development of Regulatory PSA Models for SFR

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Choi, Yong Won; Shin, Andong; Bae, Moohoon; Suh, Namduk; Lee, Yong Suk

    2013-01-01

    Well developed PRA methodology exists for LWR (Light Water Reactor) and PHWR (Pressurized Heavy Water Reactor). Since KAERI is developing a prototype SFR targeting to apply for a license by 2017, KINS needs to have a PRA models to assess the safety of this prototype reactor. The purpose of this study is to develop the regulatory PSA models for the independent verification of the SFR safety. Since the design of the prototype SFR is not mature yet, we have tried to develop the preliminary models based on the design data of KAERI's previous SFR design. In this study, the preliminary initiating events of level 1 internal event for SFR were selected through reviews of existing PRA (LWR, PRISM, ASTRID and KALIMER-600) models. Then, the event tree for each selected initiating event was developed. The regulatory PRA models of SFR developed are preliminary in a sense, because the prototype SFR design is not mature and provided yet. Still it might be utilized for the forthcoming licensing review in assessing the risk of safety issues and the configuration control of the design

  7. Rapid Recovery of an Urban Remnant Reptile Community following Summer Wildfire.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Davis, Robert A; Doherty, Tim S

    2015-01-01

    Reptiles in urban remnants are threatened with extinction by increased fire frequency, habitat fragmentation caused by urban development, and competition and predation from exotic species. Understanding how urban reptiles respond to and recover from such disturbances is key to their conservation. We monitored the recovery of an urban reptile community for five years following a summer wildfire at Kings Park in Perth, Western Australia, using pitfall trapping at five burnt and five unburnt sites. The reptile community recovered rapidly following the fire. Unburnt sites initially had higher species richness and total abundance, but burnt sites rapidly converged, recording a similar total abundance to unburnt areas within two years, and a similar richness within three years. The leaf-litter inhabiting skink Hemiergis quadrilineata was strongly associated with longer unburnt sites and may be responding to the loss of leaf litter following the fire. Six rarely-captured species were also strongly associated with unburnt areas and were rarely or never recorded at burnt sites, whereas two other rarely-captured species were associated with burnt sites. We also found that one lizard species, Ctenotus fallens, had a smaller average body length in burnt sites compared to unburnt sites for four out of the five years of monitoring. Our study indicates that fire management that homogenises large areas of habitat through frequent burning may threaten some species due to their preference for longer unburnt habitat. Careful management of fire may be needed to maximise habitat suitability within the urban landscape.

  8. Childhood cancer in El Salvador: A preliminary exploration of parental concerns in the abandonment of treatment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rossell, Nuria; Gigengack, Roy; Blume, Stuart

    2015-08-01

    In El Salvador, children under 12 diagnosed with cancer have access to free treatment at a specialized national facility. Until recently, 13 percent of patients annually abandoned therapy--a serious loss of lives and scarce resources. This qualitative study explores how some parents perceived their child's cancer and treatment, and what led them to stop bringing their child for chemotherapy. In in-depth interviews, parents of six children who abandoned their child's cancer treatment discussed sickness and life circumstances during the course of treatment. Poverty, effects of treatment, mistrust, emotions and religious convictions all figured in the parents' explanation of their actions. However, each family weighed these concerns differently. It was the interaction of the concerns, and not the concern per se, that represented the explanatory frameworks the families used to explain stopping their child's treatment. This finding illustrates the parents' navigation among a collection of variable concerns, rather than exposing one fixed cause for their behavior. For example, poverty affects a parent's worldview as well as concrete living conditions, and therefore has a complex relationship with abandonment of treatment. Thus, it follows that strategies to reduce treatment abandonment (and increase a child's chance for survival) must be multidimensional. Qualitative studies of how families perceive childhood cancer and treatment can illuminate the processes and relationships involved in abandonment of treatment. This approach can also show how families' living circumstances frame their perceptions and inform strategies to improve how medical services are provided, thus reducing abandonment of treatment. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  9. Ultrasonic propulsion of kidney stones: preliminary results of human feasibility study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bailey, Michael; Cunitz, Bryan; Dunmire, Barbrina; Paun, Marla; Lee, Franklin; Ross, Susan; Lingeman, James; Coburn, Michael; Wessells, Hunter; Sorensen, Mathew; Harper, Jonathan

    2014-09-03

    One in 11 Americans has experienced kidney stones, with a 50% average recurrence rate within 5-10 years. Ultrasonic propulsion (UP) offers a potential method to expel small stones or residual fragments before they become a recurrent problem. Reported here are preliminary findings from the first investigational use of UP in humans. The device uses a Verasonics ultrasound engine and Philips HDI C5-2 probe to generate real-time B-mode imaging and targeted "push" pulses on demand. There are three arms of the study: de novo stones, post-lithotripsy fragments, and the preoperative setting. A pain questionnaire is completed prior to and following the study. Movement is classified based on extent. Patients are followed for 90 days. Ten subjects have been treated to date: three de novo , five post-lithotripsy, and two preoperative. None of the subjects reported pain associated with the treatment or a treatment related adverse event, beyond the normal discomfort of passing a stone. At least one stone was moved in all subjects. Three of five post-lithotripsy subjects passed a single or multiple stones within 1-2 weeks following treatment; one subject passed two (1-2 mm) fragments before leaving clinic. In the pre-operative studies we successfully moved 7 - 8 mm stones. In four subjects, UP revealed multiple stone fragments where the clinical image and initial ultrasound examination indicated a single large stone.

  10. Intoxication by star fruit (Averrhoa carambola) in six dialysis patients? (Preliminary report)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Neto, M M; Robl, F; Netto, J C

    1998-03-01

    We observed six cases of patients in a dialysis programme who were apparently intoxicated by ingestion of star fruit. After ingestion of 2-3 fruits or 150-200 ml of the fruit juice, the six patients, who had previously been stable in a regular dialysis programme, developed a variety of symptoms ranging from insomnia and hiccups to agitation, mental confusion and (in one case) death. In preliminary investigations to characterize the hypothetical neurotoxin in the fruit, an extract, when injected intraperitoneally or intracerebroventricularly in rats, provoked persistent convulsions of the tonic-clonic type. It appears that star fruit (Averrhoa carambola) contains an excitatory neurotoxin. Patients with renal failure on conservative or dialysis treatment should be dissuaded from ingestion of the fruit.

  11. Preliminary Phytochemical and Physicochemical Characterization of ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Purpose: To carry out phytochemical and physicochemical studies on the leaves of Gynura segetum. Methods: Preliminary phytochemical and physicochemical studies using chromatographic techniques,were carried out, Parameters evaluated include ash value, loss on drying and extractive value, amongst others.

  12. Preliminary risk assessments of the small HTGR

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Everline, C.J.; Bellis, E.A.

    1985-05-01

    Preliminary investment and safety risk assessments were performed for a preconceptual design of a four-module 250-MW(t) side-by-side steel-vessel pebble bed HTGR plant. Broad event spectra were analyzed involving component damage resulting in unscheduled plant outages and fission product releases resulting in offsite doses. The preliminary assessment indicates at this stage of the design that two categories of events govern the investment risk envelope: primary coolant leaks which release some circulating and plate-out activity that contaminates the confinement and turbogenerator damage which involves extensive turbine blade failure. Primary coolant leaks are important contributors because associated cleanup and decontamination requirements result in longer outages that arise from other events with comparable frequencies. Turbogenerator damage is the salient low-frequency investment risk accident due to the relatively long outages being experienced in the industry. Thermal transients are unimportant investment risk contributors because pressurized core heatups cause little damage, and depressurized core heatups occur at negligible frequencies relative to the forced outage goal. These preliminary results demonstrate investment and safety risk goal compliance at this stage in the design process. Studies are continuing in order to provide valuable insights into risk-significant events to assure a balanced approach to meeting user and regulatory requirements

  13. Treatment for Traumatic Brain Injury in Mice Using Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation: A Preliminary Study

    Science.gov (United States)

    Carr, Alexandria; Zenitsky, Gary; Crowther, Lawrence; Hadimani, Ravi; Anantharam, Vellareddy; Kanthasamy, Anumantha; Jiles, David

    2014-03-01

    Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) is a non-invasive surgery-free tool used to stimulate the brain by time-varying magnetic fields. TMS is currently being investigated as a treatment for neurological disorders such as depression, Parkinson's disease and TBI. Before moving to human TMS/TBI trials, animal testing should be pursued to determine suitability and adverse effects. As an initial study, four healthy mice were treated with TMS at different power levels to determine short-term behavioral effects and set a control group baseline. The mouse's behavior was studied using the Rotorod test, which measures the animal's latency to fall off a rotating rod, and the Versamax test, which measures horizontal and vertical movement, and total distance traveled. The Rotorod test has shown for TMS power levels >=90% the mice begin to fall directly post-treatment. Similarly, the Versamax test has shown for power levels >=80% the mice are less mobile directly post-treatment. Versamax mobility was found to return to normal the day following treatment. These mice were housed in the facility for 4 months and the behavioral tests were repeated. Versamax results showed there was no significant variation in mobility indicating there are no long-term side effects of TMS treatment on the mice. This work was supported by the Barbara and James Palmer Endowment and the Carver Charitable Trust at the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Iowa State University.

  14. Behavior of HepG2 liver cancer cells using microfluidic-microscopy: a preliminary study

    Science.gov (United States)

    Karamahmutoglu, Hande; ćetin, Metin; Yaǧcı, Tamer; Elitaş, Meltem

    2018-02-01

    Hepatocellular carcinoma is one of the most common types of liver cancer causing death all over the world. Although early-stage liver cancer can sometimes be treated with partial hepatectomy, liver transplantation, ablation, and embolization, sorafenib treatment is the only approved systemic therapy for advanced HCC. The aim of this research is to develop tools and methods to understand the individuality of hepatocellular carcinoma. Microfluidic cell-culture platform has been developed to observe behavior of single-cells; fluorescence microscopy has been implemented to investigate phenotypic changes of cells. Our preliminary data proved high-level heterogeneity of hepatocellular carcinoma while verifying limited growth of liver cancer cell lines on the silicon wafer.

  15. Preliminary Cluster Size and Efficiencies results of CMS RPC at GIF++

    CERN Document Server

    Gonzalez Blanco Gonzalez, Genoveva

    2016-01-01

    A brief description and first preliminary results of the Efficiencies and Cluster Size measurements of the CMS Resistive Plate Chambers, will be presented inside the Gamma Irradiation Facility GIF++ at CERN. Preliminary studies that sets the base performance measurements of CMS RPC for starting aging studies.

  16. Stem Cell Ophthalmology Treatment Study (SCOTS for retinal and optic nerve diseases: a preliminary report

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jeffrey N Weiss

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available In this report, we present the results of a single patient with optic neuropathy treated within the Stem Cell Ophthalmology Treatment Study (SCOTS. SCOTS is an Institutional Review Board approved clinical trial and is the largest ophthalmology stem cell study registered at the National Institutes of Health to date- www.clinicaltrials.gov Identifier NCT 01920867. SCOTS utilizes autologous bone marrow-derived stem cells in the treatment of optic nerve and retinal diseases. Pre- and post-treatment comprehensive eye exams were independently performed at the Wilmer Eye Institute at the Johns Hopkins Hospital, USA. A 27 year old female patient had lost vision approximately 5 years prior to enrollment in SCOTS. Pre-treatment best-corrected visual acuity at the Wilmer Eye Institute was 20/800 Right Eye (OD and 20/4,000 Left Eye (OS. Four months following treatment in SCOTS, the central visual acuity had improved to 20/100 OD and 20/40 OS.

  17. Treatment of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia in Denmark 1991 to 2007

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Barken, Sidsel Svennekjær

    2010-01-01

    Abstract: Objectives: The number of invasive cervical cancers peaked in Denmark in 1966 with 963 cases. Cervical cancer is prevented by treatment of screen-detected cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN). We assessed the trend in CIN treatments in Denmark. Material and Methods: From highly...... the data using the unique Danish identification numbers, and excluded all duplicate registrations. We excluded all destructive therapies and hysterectomies for which no CIN or cervical cancer diagnosis was found in the period from 3 months before to 1 month after the treatment date. We age......-standardized the number of cervical treatments using Danish women in 2007 as standard population. Results: The preliminary analysis shows that the number of treatments increased from about 6,000 in 1991 to about 8,200 in 2007, most noticeably due to an increase of about 2,600 in the number of conisations (Figure 1...

  18. OMEGA Upgrade preliminary design

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Craxton, R.S.

    1989-10-01

    The OMEGA laser system at the Laboratory for Laser Energetics of the University of Rochester is the only major facility in the United States capable of conducting fully diagnosed, direct-drive, spherical implosion experiments. As such, it serves as the national Laser Users Facility, benefiting scientists throughout the country. The University's participation in the National Inertial Confinement Fusion (ICF) program underwent review by a group of experts under the auspices of the National Academy of Sciences (the Happer Committee) in 1985. The Happer Committee recommended that the OMEGA laser be upgraded in energy to 30 kJ. To this end, Congress appropriated $4,000,000 for the preliminary design of the OMEGA Upgrade, spread across FY88 and FY89. This document describes the preliminary design of the OMEGA Upgrade. The proposed enhancements to the existing OMEGA facility will result in a 30-kHJ, 351-nm, 60-beam direct-drive system, with a versatile pulse-shaping facility and a 1%--2% uniformity of target drive. The Upgrade will allow scientists to explore the ignition-scaling regime, and to study target behavior that is hydrodynamically equivalent to that of targets appropriate for a laboratory microfusion facility (LMF). In addition, it will be possible to perform critical interaction experiments with large-scale-length uniformly irradiated plasmas

  19. [Depressive disorders in elderly: treatment possibilities rather than pharmacotherapy].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rosenberg, Oded; Shoenfeld, Netta; Kotler, Moshe; Dannon, Pinhas N

    2009-02-01

    Treatment of depression is one of the most challenging issues in adult populations. In adults, response rates to classic treatments are lower than expected. The effectiveness of different treatment strategies could be related to age, sex and physical conditions of the patients. The side-effect profile in adult population affects pharmacological interventions. The aim of this review is to present the non-pharmacological treatment strategies in the adult population. However, possible treatment strategies such as electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), and deep brain stimulation (DBS) were less frequently studied in this population. ECT was found to be the most effective treatment procedure for depression of adults. There were only a few double-blind sham (placebo) controlled studies with demonstrated effectiveness of TMS. DBS lacks double-blind studies of this invasive treatment method. ECT seems to be the gold standard for the treatment of resistant patients in this population but the side-effect profile of ECT in this sensitive population will be discussed. Double-blind sham controlled studies with larger samples are necessary to confirm preliminary results with TMS and DBS.

  20. Preliminary characterization of abandoned septic tank systems. Volume 1

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1995-12-01

    This report documents the activities and findings of the Phase I Preliminary Characterization of Abandoned Septic Tank Systems. The purpose of the preliminary characterization activity was to investigate the Tiger Team abandoned septic systems (tanks and associated leachfields) for the purpose of identifying waste streams for closure at a later date. The work performed was not to fully characterize or remediate the sites. The abandoned systems potentially received wastes or effluent from buildings which could have discharged non-domestic, petroleum hydrocarbons, hazardous, radioactive and/or mixed wastes. A total of 20 sites were investigated for the preliminary characterization of identified abandoned septic systems. Of the 20 sites, 19 were located and characterized through samples collected from each tank(s) and, where applicable, associated leachfields. The abandoned septic tank systems are located in Areas 5, 12, 15, 25, and 26 on the Nevada Test Site