Can overeating induce conditioned taste avoidance in previously food restricted rats?

Science.gov (United States)

Hertel, Amanda; Eikelboom, Roelof

2010-03-30

While feeding is rewarding, the feeling of satiation has been theorized to have a mixed affect. Using a food restriction model of overeating we examined whether bingeing was capable of supporting conditioned taste avoidance (CTA). Adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were maintained on either an ad lib (n=8) or restricted (50% of regular consumption; n=24) food access for 20 days. On Days 9, 14, and 19 all rats were given access to a novel saccharin solution in place of water, and two groups of food restricted rats were given access to either 100% of regular food consumption or ad lib food. Ad lib access in the restricted rats induced significant overeating on all three exposures. After all rats were returned to ad lib feeding, a 24h two-bottle saccharin/water choice test displayed significantly reduced saccharin consumption in the overeating rats, compared to those in the other 3 groups. To determine whether this avoidance was due to a learned association, a second experiment used a latent inhibition paradigm, familiarizing half the rats with the saccharin for 8 days prior to pairing it with overeating. Using the design of Experiment 1, with only the continuously ad lib and the restricted to ad lib feeding groups, it was found that the overeating-induced saccharin avoidance was attenuated by the pre-exposure. These results suggest that self-induced overeating is capable of supporting a learned avoidance of a novel solution suggestive of a conditioned satiety or taste avoidance. (c) 2009 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Allergic conditions and risk of hematological malignancies in adults: a cohort study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Schwartzbaum Judith

2004-11-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Two contradictory hypotheses have been proposed to explain the relationship between allergic conditions and malignancies, the immune surveillance hypothesis and the antigenic stimulation hypothesis. The former advocates that allergic conditions may be protective against development of cancer, whereas the latter proposes an increased risk. This relationship has been studied in several case-control studies, but only in a few cohort studies. Methods The association between allergic conditions and risk of developing leukemia, Hodgkin's disease, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and myeloma was investigated in a cohort of 16,539 Swedish twins born 1886–1925. Prospectively collected, self-reported information about allergic conditions such as asthma, hay fever or eczema was obtained through questionnaires administered in 1967. The cohort was followed 1969–99 and cancer incidence was ascertained from the Swedish Cancer Registry. Results Hives and asthma tended to increase the risk of leukemia (relative risk [RR] = 2.1, 95% Confidence Interval [CI] 1.0–4.5 and RR = 1.6, 95% CI 0.8–3.5, respectively. There was also an indication of an increased risk of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma associated with eczema during childhood (RR = 2.3, 95% CI 1.0–5.3. Conclusion In contrast to most previous studies, our results do not indicate a protective effect of allergic conditions on the risk of developing hematological malignancies. Rather, they suggest that allergic conditions might increase the risk of some hematological malignancies.

Process cells dismantling of EUREX pant: previous activities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gili, M.

1998-01-01

In the '98-'99 period some process cells of the EUREX pant will be dismantled, in order to place there the liquid wastes conditioning plant 'CORA'. This report resumes the previous activities (plant rinsing campaigns and inactive Cell 014 dismantling), run in the past three years and the drawn experience [it

Is Previous Respiratory Disease a Risk Factor for Lung Cancer?

Science.gov (United States)

Denholm, Rachel; Schüz, Joachim; Straif, Kurt; Stücker, Isabelle; Jöckel, Karl-Heinz; Brenner, Darren R.; De Matteis, Sara; Boffetta, Paolo; Guida, Florence; Brüske, Irene; Wichmann, Heinz-Erich; Landi, Maria Teresa; Caporaso, Neil; Siemiatycki, Jack; Ahrens, Wolfgang; Pohlabeln, Hermann; Zaridze, David; Field, John K.; McLaughlin, John; Demers, Paul; Szeszenia-Dabrowska, Neonila; Lissowska, Jolanta; Rudnai, Peter; Fabianova, Eleonora; Dumitru, Rodica Stanescu; Bencko, Vladimir; Foretova, Lenka; Janout, Vladimir; Kendzia, Benjamin; Peters, Susan; Behrens, Thomas; Vermeulen, Roel; Brüning, Thomas; Kromhout, Hans

2014-01-01

Rationale: Previous respiratory diseases have been associated with increased risk of lung cancer. Respiratory conditions often co-occur and few studies have investigated multiple conditions simultaneously. Objectives: Investigate lung cancer risk associated with chronic bronchitis, emphysema, tuberculosis, pneumonia, and asthma. Methods: The SYNERGY project pooled information on previous respiratory diseases from 12,739 case subjects and 14,945 control subjects from 7 case–control studies conducted in Europe and Canada. Multivariate logistic regression models were used to investigate the relationship between individual diseases adjusting for co-occurring conditions, and patterns of respiratory disease diagnoses and lung cancer. Analyses were stratified by sex, and adjusted for age, center, ever-employed in a high-risk occupation, education, smoking status, cigarette pack-years, and time since quitting smoking. Measurements and Main Results: Chronic bronchitis and emphysema were positively associated with lung cancer, after accounting for other respiratory diseases and smoking (e.g., in men: odds ratio [OR], 1.33; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.20–1.48 and OR, 1.50; 95% CI, 1.21–1.87, respectively). A positive relationship was observed between lung cancer and pneumonia diagnosed 2 years or less before lung cancer (OR, 3.31; 95% CI, 2.33–4.70 for men), but not longer. Co-occurrence of chronic bronchitis and emphysema and/or pneumonia had a stronger positive association with lung cancer than chronic bronchitis “only.” Asthma had an inverse association with lung cancer, the association being stronger with an asthma diagnosis 5 years or more before lung cancer compared with shorter. Conclusions: Findings from this large international case–control consortium indicate that after accounting for co-occurring respiratory diseases, chronic bronchitis and emphysema continue to have a positive association with lung cancer. PMID:25054566

The effect of conditional probability of chord progression on brain response: an MEG study.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Seung-Goo Kim

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Recent electrophysiological and neuroimaging studies have explored how and where musical syntax in Western music is processed in the human brain. An inappropriate chord progression elicits an event-related potential (ERP component called an early right anterior negativity (ERAN or simply an early anterior negativity (EAN in an early stage of processing the musical syntax. Though the possible underlying mechanism of the EAN is assumed to be probabilistic learning, the effect of the probability of chord progressions on the EAN response has not been previously explored explicitly. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: In the present study, the empirical conditional probabilities in a Western music corpus were employed as an approximation of the frequencies in previous exposure of participants. Three types of chord progression were presented to musicians and non-musicians in order to examine the correlation between the probability of chord progression and the neuromagnetic response using magnetoencephalography (MEG. Chord progressions were found to elicit early responses in a negatively correlating fashion with the conditional probability. Observed EANm (as a magnetic counterpart of the EAN component responses were consistent with the previously reported EAN responses in terms of latency and location. The effect of conditional probability interacted with the effect of musical training. In addition, the neural response also correlated with the behavioral measures in the non-musicians. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Our study is the first to reveal the correlation between the probability of chord progression and the corresponding neuromagnetic response. The current results suggest that the physiological response is a reflection of the probabilistic representations of the musical syntax. Moreover, the results indicate that the probabilistic representation is related to the musical training as well as the sensitivity of an individual.

Interference from previous distraction disrupts older adults' memory.

Science.gov (United States)

Biss, Renée K; Campbell, Karen L; Hasher, Lynn

2013-07-01

Previously relevant information can disrupt the ability of older adults to remember new information. Here, the researchers examined whether prior irrelevant information, or distraction, can also interfere with older adults' memory for new information. Younger and older adults first completed a 1-back task on pictures that were superimposed with distracting words. After a delay, participants learned picture-word paired associates and memory was tested using picture-cued recall. In 1 condition (high interference), some pairs included pictures from the 1-back task now paired with new words. In a low-interference condition, the transfer list used all new items. Older adults had substantially lower cued-recall performance in the high- compared with the low-interference condition. In contrast, younger adults' performance did not vary across conditions. These findings suggest that even never-relevant information from the past can disrupt older adults' memory for new associations.

Extreme fire events are related to previous-year surface moisture conditions in permafrost-underlain larch forests of Siberia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Forkel, Matthias; Beer, Christian; Thonicke, Kirsten; Cramer, Wolfgang; Bartalev, Sergey; Schmullius, Christiane

2012-01-01

Wildfires are a natural and important element in the functioning of boreal forests. However, in some years, fires with extreme spread and severity occur. Such severe fires can degrade the forest, affect human values, emit huge amounts of carbon and aerosols and alter the land surface albedo. Usually, wind, slope and dry air conditions have been recognized as factors determining fire spread. Here we identify surface moisture as an additional important driving factor for the evolution of extreme fire events in the Baikal region. An area of 127 000 km 2 burned in this region in 2003, a large part of it in regions underlain by permafrost. Analyses of satellite data for 2002–2009 indicate that previous-summer surface moisture is a better predictor for burned area than precipitation anomalies or fire weather indices for larch forests with continuous permafrost. Our analysis advances the understanding of complex interactions between the atmosphere, vegetation and soil, and how coupled mechanisms can lead to extreme events. These findings emphasize the importance of a mechanistic coupling of soil thermodynamics, hydrology, vegetation functioning, and fire activity in Earth system models for projecting climate change impacts over the next century. (letter)

Study of some physical aspects previous to design of an exponential experiment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Caro, R.; Francisco, J. L. de

1961-01-01

This report presents the theoretical study of some physical aspects previous to the design of an exponential facility. The are: Fast and slow flux distribution in the multiplicative medium and in the thermal column, slowing down in the thermal column, geometrical distribution and minimum needed intensity of sources access channels and perturbations produced by possible variations in its position and intensity. (Author) 4 refs

Radon anomalies prior to earthquakes (1). Review of previous studies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ishikawa, Tetsuo; Tokonami, Shinji; Yasuoka, Yumi; Shinogi, Masaki; Nagahama, Hiroyuki; Omori, Yasutaka; Kawada, Yusuke

2008-01-01

The relationship between radon anomalies and earthquakes has been studied for more than 30 years. However, most of the studies dealt with radon in soil gas or in groundwater. Before the 1995 Hyogoken-Nanbu earthquake, an anomalous increase of atmospheric radon was observed at Kobe Pharmaceutical University. The increase was well fitted with a mathematical model related to earthquake fault dynamics. This paper reports the significance of this observation, reviewing previous studies on radon anomaly before earthquakes. Groundwater/soil radon measurements for earthquake prediction began in 1970's in Japan as well as foreign countries. One of the most famous studies in Japan is groundwater radon anomaly before the 1978 Izu-Oshima-kinkai earthquake. We have recognized the significance of radon in earthquake prediction research, but recently its limitation was also pointed out. Some researchers are looking for a better indicator for precursors; simultaneous measurements of radon and other gases are new trials in recent studies. Contrary to soil/groundwater radon, we have not paid much attention to atmospheric radon before earthquakes. However, it might be possible to detect precursors in atmospheric radon before a large earthquake. In the next issues, we will discuss the details of the anomalous atmospheric radon data observed before the Hyogoken-Nanbu earthquake. (author)

77 FR 5998 - Airworthiness Directives; EADS CASA (Type Certificate Previously Held by Construcciones...

Science.gov (United States)

2012-02-07

... Airworthiness Directives; EADS CASA (Type Certificate Previously Held by Construcciones Aeronauticas, S.A... proposed to correct an unsafe condition for the specified products. The MCAI states: EADS-CASA received... address this condition, EADS-CASA has developed an engine condition control cable P/N 35-56382-0005 with...

Junk-food enhances conditioned food cup approach to a previously established food cue, but does not alter cue potentiated feeding; implications for the effects of palatable diets on incentive motivation.

Science.gov (United States)

Derman, Rifka C; Ferrario, Carrie R

2018-03-16

Efforts to stem the global rise in obesity have been minimally effective, perhaps in part because our understanding of the psychological and behavioral drivers of obesity is limited. It is well established that stimuli that are paired with palatable foods can powerfully influence food-seeking and feeding behaviors. However, how consumption of sugary, fatty "junk-foods" affects these motivational responses to food cues is poorly understood. Here, we determined the effects of short- and long-term "junk-food" consumption on the expression of cue potentiated feeding and conditioned food cup approach to Pavlovian conditioned stimuli (CS). Further, to determine the degree to which effects of "junk-food" were selective to Pavlovian motivational processes, we varied the predictive validity of the CS by including training groups conditioned with unique CS-US contingencies ranging from -1.0 to +1.0. "Junk-food" did not enhance cue potentiated feeding in any group, but expression of this potentiation effect varied with the CS-US contingency independent of diet. In contrast, "junk-food" consistently enhanced conditioned approach to the food cup; this effect was dependent on the previously established CS-US contingency. That is, consumption of "junk-food" following training enhanced approach to the food cup only in response to CSs with previously positive CS-US contingencies. This was accompanied by reduced motivation for the US itself. Together these data show that "junk-food" consumption selectively enhances incentive motivational responses to previously established food CSs, without altering cue potentiated feeding induced by these same CSs, and in the absence of enhanced motivation for food itself. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Summary of Previous Chamber or Controlled Anthrax Studies and Recommendations for Possible Additional Studies

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Piepel, Gregory F.; Amidan, Brett G.; Morrow, Jayne B.

2010-12-29

This report and an associated Excel file(a) summarizes the investigations and results of previous chamber and controlled studies(b) to characterize the performance of methods for collecting, storing and/or transporting, extracting, and analyzing samples from surfaces contaminated by Bacillus anthracis (BA) or related simulants. This report and the Excel are the joint work of the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) for the Department of Homeland Security, Science and Technology Directorate. The report was originally released as PNNL-SA-69338, Rev. 0 in November 2009 with limited distribution, but was subsequently cleared for release with unlimited distribution in this Rev. 1. Only minor changes were made to Rev. 0 to yield Rev. 1. A more substantial update (including summarizing data from other studies and more condensed summary tables of data) is underway

Association between previous splenectomy and gastric dilatation-volvulus in dogs: 453 cases (2004-2009).

Science.gov (United States)

Sartor, Angela J; Bentley, Adrienne M; Brown, Dorothy C

2013-05-15

To evaluate the association between previous splenectomy and gastric dilatation-volvulus (GDV) in dogs. Multi-institutional retrospective case-control study. Animals-151 dogs treated surgically for GDV and 302 control dogs with no history of GDV. Computerized records of dogs evaluated via exploratory laparotomy or abdominal ultrasonography were searched, and dogs with GDV and dogs without GDV (control dogs) were identified. Two control dogs were matched with respect to age, body weight, sex, neuter status, and breed to each dog with GDV. Data were collected on the presence or absence of the spleen for both dogs with GDV and control dogs. Conditional logistic regression analysis was used to investigate the association of previous splenectomy with GDV. 6 (4%) dogs in the GDV group and 3 (1%) dogs in the control group had a history of previous splenectomy. The odds of GDV in dogs with a history of previous splenectomy in this population of dogs were 5.3 times those of dogs without a history of previous splenectomy (95% confidence interval, 1.1 to 26.8). For the patients in the present study, there was an increased odds of GDV in dogs with a history of splenectomy. Prophylactic gastropexy may be considered in dogs undergoing a splenectomy, particularly if other risk factors for GDV are present.

Laparoscopy After Previous Laparotomy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zulfo Godinjak

2006-11-01

Full Text Available Following the abdominal surgery, extensive adhesions often occur and they can cause difficulties during laparoscopic operations. However, previous laparotomy is not considered to be a contraindication for laparoscopy. The aim of this study is to present that an insertion of Veres needle in the region of umbilicus is a safe method for creating a pneumoperitoneum for laparoscopic operations after previous laparotomy. In the last three years, we have performed 144 laparoscopic operations in patients that previously underwent one or two laparotomies. Pathology of digestive system, genital organs, Cesarean Section or abdominal war injuries were the most common causes of previouslaparotomy. During those operations or during entering into abdominal cavity we have not experienced any complications, while in 7 patients we performed conversion to laparotomy following the diagnostic laparoscopy. In all patients an insertion of Veres needle and trocar insertion in the umbilical region was performed, namely a technique of closed laparoscopy. Not even in one patient adhesions in the region of umbilicus were found, and no abdominal organs were injured.

Data from studies of previous radioactive waste disposal in Massachusetts Bay

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Curtis, W.R.; Mardis, H.M.

1984-12-01

This report presents the results of studies conducted in Massachusetts Bay during 1981 and 1982. Included are data from: (1) a side scan sonar survey of disposal areas in the Bay that was carried out by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) for EPA; (2) Collections of sediment and biota by NOAA for radiochemical analysis by EPA; (3) collections of marketplace seafood samples by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for radioanalysis by both FDA and EPA; and (4) a radiological monitoring survey of LLW disposal areas by EPA to determine whether there should be any concern for public health resulting from previous LLW disposals in the Bay

Prospective memory and its correlates and predictors in schizophrenia: an extension of previous findings.

Science.gov (United States)

Ungvari, Gabor S; Xiang, Yu-Tao; Tang, Wai-Kwong; Shum, David

2008-09-01

Prospective memory (PM) is the ability to remember to do something in the future without explicit prompts. Extending the number of subjects and the scope of our previously published study, this investigation examined the relationship between PM and socio-demographic and clinical factors, activities of daily living (ADL) and frontal lobe functions in patients with chronic schizophrenia. One hundred and ten Chinese schizophrenia patients, 60 from the previous study and 50 additional patients recruited for this study, and 110 matched healthy comparison subjects (HC) formed the study sample. Patients' clinical condition and activity of daily living were evaluated with the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS) and the Functional Needs Assessment (FNA). Time- and event-based PM tasks and three tests of prefrontal lobe functions (Design Fluency Test [DFT], Tower of London [TOL], Wisconsin Card Sorting Test [WCST]) were also administered. Patients' level of ADL and psychopathology were not associated with PM functions and only anticholinergic medications (ACM) showed a significant negative correlational relationship with PM tasks. Confirming the findings of the previous study, patients performed significantly more poorly on all two PM tasks than HC. Performance on time-based PM task significantly correlated with age, education level and DFT in HC and with age, DFT, TOL and WCST in patients. Patients' performance on the event-based PM correlated with DFT and one measure of WCST. In patients, TOL and age predicted the performance on time-based PM task; DFT and WCST predicted the event-based task. Involving a large sample of patients with matched controls, this study confirmed that PM is impaired in chronic schizophrenia. Deficient PM functions were related to prefrontal lobe dysfunction in both HC and patients but not to the patients' clinical condition, nor did they significantly affect ADL. ACMs determined certain aspects of PM.

Palatability and efficacy of bromadiolone rodenticide block bait previously exposed to environmental conditions.

Science.gov (United States)

Nakagawa, Lia; de Masi, Eduardo; Narciso, Emerson; Neto, Hildebrando Montenegro; Papini, Solange

2015-10-01

In São Paulo city, rodent infestation is considered to be a serious public health problem and is the object of a municipal rodent control programme. One of the most important routine methods involves baiting in sewers, using bromadiolone block bait in a pulsed baiting strategy. It has been observed that, after each pulse, bait is not always consumed, and its appearance is altered, which has led to concerns about efficacy. We assessed whether exposure to sewer conditions influences the palatability and efficacy of rodenticide baits to Norway rats (Rattus norvegicus). Baits containing bromadiolone as active ingredient were placed in sewers, removed after 30 days and offered to rats in a two-choice food trial and a no-choice food trial. The appearance of the rodenticide baits changed after 30 days exposure to sewer conditions, but they continued to be palatable and effective against rats. The level of mortality was considered to be satisfactory, 75% in the two-choice food trial and 100% in the no-choice food trial. Results support the reuse of rodenticide block bait in rodent control. It seems to be justified to continue using/reuse baits even when their appearance has changed after 30 days exposure in sewer systems. © 2014 Society of Chemical Industry.

Preoperative screening: value of previous tests.

Science.gov (United States)

Macpherson, D S; Snow, R; Lofgren, R P

1990-12-15

To determine the frequency of tests done in the year before elective surgery that might substitute for preoperative screening tests and to determine the frequency of test results that change from a normal value to a value likely to alter perioperative management. Retrospective cohort analysis of computerized laboratory data (complete blood count, sodium, potassium, and creatinine levels, prothrombin time, and partial thromboplastin time). Urban tertiary care Veterans Affairs Hospital. Consecutive sample of 1109 patients who had elective surgery in 1988. At admission, 7549 preoperative tests were done, 47% of which duplicated tests performed in the previous year. Of 3096 previous results that were normal as defined by hospital reference range and done closest to the time of but before admission (median interval, 2 months), 13 (0.4%; 95% CI, 0.2% to 0.7%), repeat values were outside a range considered acceptable for surgery. Most of the abnormalities were predictable from the patient's history, and most were not noted in the medical record. Of 461 previous tests that were abnormal, 78 (17%; CI, 13% to 20%) repeat values at admission were outside a range considered acceptable for surgery (P less than 0.001, frequency of clinically important abnormalities of patients with normal previous results with those with abnormal previous results). Physicians evaluating patients preoperatively could safely substitute the previous test results analyzed in this study for preoperative screening tests if the previous tests are normal and no obvious indication for retesting is present.

Molecular dynamics study of kinetic boundary condition at an interface between a polyatomic vapor and its condensed phase

OpenAIRE

Ishiyama, Tatsuya; Yano, Takeru; Fujikawa, Shigeo

2004-01-01

The kinetic boundary condition for the Boltzmann equation at an interface between a polyatomic vapor and its liquid phase is investigated by the numerical method of molecular dynamics, with particular emphasis on the functional form of the evaporation part of the boundary condition, including the evaporation coefficient. The present study is an extension of a previous one for argon [Ishiyama, Yano, and Fujikawa, Phys. Fluids 16, 2899 (2004)] to water and methanol, typical examples of polyatom...

77 FR 33622 - Airworthiness Directives; Alpha Aviation Concept Limited (Type Certificate Previously Held by...

Science.gov (United States)

2012-06-07

... Airworthiness Directives; Alpha Aviation Concept Limited (Type Certificate Previously Held by Alpha Aviation... Aviation Concept Limited Model R2160 Airplanes. This AD results from mandatory continuing airworthiness... condition on an aviation product. The MCAI describes the unsafe condition as oil lines fitted to affected...

Placebo interventions for all clinical conditions

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hróbjartsson, Asbjørn; Gøtzsche, Peter C

2010-01-01

Placebo interventions are often claimed to substantially improve patient-reported and observer-reported outcomes in many clinical conditions, but most reports on effects of placebos are based on studies that have not randomised patients to placebo or no treatment. Two previous versions of this re...... of this review from 2001 and 2004 found that placebo interventions in general did not have clinically important effects, but that there were possible beneficial effects on patient-reported outcomes, especially pain. Since then several relevant trials have been published.......Placebo interventions are often claimed to substantially improve patient-reported and observer-reported outcomes in many clinical conditions, but most reports on effects of placebos are based on studies that have not randomised patients to placebo or no treatment. Two previous versions...

[Fatal amnioinfusion with previous choriocarcinoma in a parturient woman].

Science.gov (United States)

Hrgović, Z; Bukovic, D; Mrcela, M; Hrgović, I; Siebzehnrübl, E; Karelovic, D

2004-04-01

The case of 36-year-old tercipare is described who developed choriocharcinoma in a previous pregnancy. During the first term labour the patient developed cardiac arrest, so reanimation and sectio cesarea was performed. A male new-born was delivered in good condition, but even after intensive therapy and reanimation occurred death of parturient woman with picture of disseminate intravascular coagulopathia (DIK). On autopsy and on histology there was no sign of malignant disease, so it was not possible to connect previous choricarcinoma with amniotic fluid embolism. Maybe was place of choriocarcinoma "locus minoris resistentiae" which later resulted with failure in placentation what was hard to prove. On autopsy we found embolia of lung with a microthrombosis of terminal circulation with punctiformis bleeding in mucous, what stands for DIK.

77 FR 15980 - Airworthiness Directives; Alpha Aviation Concept Limited (Type Certificate Previously Held by...

Science.gov (United States)

2012-03-19

... Concept Limited (Type Certificate Previously Held by Alpha Aviation Design Limited) Airplanes AGENCY... rulemaking (NPRM). SUMMARY: We propose to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for Alpha Aviation Concept... condition on an aviation product. The MCAI describes the unsafe condition as oil lines fitted to affected...

Barriers to postpartum screening for type 2 diabetes: a qualitative study of women with previous gestational diabetes.

Science.gov (United States)

Rafii, Forough; Rahimparvar, Seyedeh Fatemeh Vasegh; Mehrdad, Neda; Keramat, Afsaneh

2017-01-01

Risk of developing type 2 diabetes is increased in women with previous gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). Postpartum glycemic screening is recommended in women with recent GDM. But this screening rate is low and the reasons are unclear. The aim of this study was to explore the experiences of Iranian women with recent GDM on barriers of postpartum screening for diabetes. This qualitative study was conducted in Tehran, Iran in 2016. Semi-structured interview was used for data collection. 22 women with recent GDM were interviewed. These women gave birth in Tehran hospitals at a minimum of 6 months before interview. The missed screening defined as not attending to laboratory for Fasting Blood Sugar and/or Oral Glucose Tolerance Test, 6 week to 6 month after their child birthing. The data was analyzed by content analysis method. Themes and sub-themes that illustrated the barriers to postpartum diabetes screening were: inadequate education (about developing diabetes in the future, implementation of the screening, and glucometer validity in diagnosis of diabetes), perceiving the screening as difficult (feeling comfortable with the glucometer, poor laboratory conditions, issues related to the baby/babies, and financial problems), improper attitudes toward the screening (unwilling to get diagnosed, not giving priority to oneself, having false beliefs) and procrastination (gap to intention and action, self-deception and self-regulation failure). Women with recent GDM reported several barriers for postpartum diabetes screening. This study help to develop the evidence-based interventions for improving this screening rate.

Estimating the effect of current, previous and never use of drugs in studies based on prescription registries

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nielsen, Lars Hougaard; Løkkegaard, Ellen; Andreasen, Anne Helms

2009-01-01

of this misclassification for analysing the risk of breast cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Prescription data were obtained from Danish Registry of Medicinal Products Statistics and we applied various methods to approximate treatment episodes. We analysed the duration of HT episodes to study the ability to identify......PURPOSE: Many studies which investigate the effect of drugs categorize the exposure variable into never, current, and previous use of the study drug. When prescription registries are used to make this categorization, the exposure variable possibly gets misclassified since the registries do...... not carry any information on the time of discontinuation of treatment.In this study, we investigated the amount of misclassification of exposure (never, current, previous use) to hormone therapy (HT) when the exposure variable was based on prescription data. Furthermore, we evaluated the significance...

Spectrophotometric determination of uranium with arsenazo previous liquid-liquid extraction and colour development in organic medium

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Palomares Delgado, F.; Vera Palomino, J.; Petrement Eguiluz, J. C.

1964-01-01

The determination of uranium with arsenazo is hindered by a great number of cation which form stable complexes with the reactive and may given rise to serious interferences. By studying the optimum conditions of uranium the extraction be means of tributylphosphate solutions dissolved in methylisobuthylketone, under conditions for previous masking of the interfering cations, an organic extract was obtained containing all the uranium together with small amounts of iron. The possible interference derived from the latter element is avoided by reduction with hydroxylammoniumchlorid followed by complex formation of the Fe(II)-ortophenantroline compound in alcoholic medium. (Author) 17 refs

Effect of circadian phase on memory acquisition and recall: operant conditioning vs. classical conditioning.

Science.gov (United States)

Garren, Madeleine V; Sexauer, Stephen B; Page, Terry L

2013-01-01

There have been several studies on the role of circadian clocks in the regulation of associative learning and memory processes in both vertebrate and invertebrate species. The results have been quite variable and at present it is unclear to what extent the variability observed reflects species differences or differences in methodology. Previous results have shown that following differential classical conditioning in the cockroach, Rhyparobia maderae, in an olfactory discrimination task, formation of the short-term and long-term memory is under strict circadian control. In contrast, there appeared to be no circadian regulation of the ability to recall established memories. In the present study, we show that following operant conditioning of the same species in a very similar olfactory discrimination task, there is no impact of the circadian system on either short-term or long-term memory formation. On the other hand, ability to recall established memories is strongly tied to the circadian phase of training. On the basis of these data and those previously reported for phylogenetically diverse species, it is suggested that there may be fundamental differences in the way the circadian system regulates learning and memory in classical and operant conditioning.

Effect of circadian phase on memory acquisition and recall: operant conditioning vs. classical conditioning.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Madeleine V Garren

Full Text Available There have been several studies on the role of circadian clocks in the regulation of associative learning and memory processes in both vertebrate and invertebrate species. The results have been quite variable and at present it is unclear to what extent the variability observed reflects species differences or differences in methodology. Previous results have shown that following differential classical conditioning in the cockroach, Rhyparobia maderae, in an olfactory discrimination task, formation of the short-term and long-term memory is under strict circadian control. In contrast, there appeared to be no circadian regulation of the ability to recall established memories. In the present study, we show that following operant conditioning of the same species in a very similar olfactory discrimination task, there is no impact of the circadian system on either short-term or long-term memory formation. On the other hand, ability to recall established memories is strongly tied to the circadian phase of training. On the basis of these data and those previously reported for phylogenetically diverse species, it is suggested that there may be fundamental differences in the way the circadian system regulates learning and memory in classical and operant conditioning.

An Experimental study of Fullerene (C60) Nano-fluids on Pool Boiling Conditions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Melani, Ai; Shin, Byoong Su; Chang, Soon Heung

2009-01-01

Critical heat flux (CHF) is directly related to the performance of the system since CHF limits the heat transfer of a heat transfer system. Significant enhancement of CHF allows reliable operation of equipment with more margins to operational limit and more economic cost saving. The previous results show that the nano-fluids significantly enhanced pool boiling CHF compared to pure water. It was supposed that CHF enhancement was due to increased thermal conductivity of fluids, change of bubble shape and behavior, and nano-particle coating of the boiling surface. The previous researches also show that mainly the pool boiling experiment was employed metal particles. Fullerene (C 60 ) is a novel carbon allotrope that was first discovered in 1985 by a winner noble 'Sir Harold W.Kroto, Richard E. Smalley and Robert F.Curl Jr'. In this study we report the first CHF experiment in pool boiling conditions using Fullerene (C 60 ) nanofluids

Study on consumers’ attitudes towards Terms and Conditions (T&Cs) : final report

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Elshout, M.; Elsen, M.; Leenheer, J.; Loos, M.; Luzak, J.

2016-01-01

Previous research has shown that when buying products and services online, the vast majority of consumers accept Terms and Conditions (T&Cs) without even reading them. The current research examined effects of interventions aimed at making consumers aware of the quality of such T&Cs. This was done by

WITHDRAWAL OF PREVIOUS COMPLAINT. A COMPARISON OF THE OLD AND THE NEW CRIMINAL CODE. PROBLEMS OF COMPARATIVE LAW

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Alin Sorin NICOLESCU

2015-07-01

Full Text Available In criminal law previous complaint has a double legal valence, material and procedural in nature, constituting a condition for criminal liability, but also a functional condition in cases expressly and limitatively provided by law, a consequence of criminal sanction condition. For certain offenses criminal law determines the initiation of the criminal complaint by the introduction of previous complaint by the injured party, without its absence being a question of removing criminal liability. From the perspective of criminal material law conditioning of the existence of previous complaint ,its lack and withdrawal, are regulated by art. 157 and 158 of the New Penal Code, with significant changes in relation to the old regulation of the institution . In terms of procedural aspect , previous complaint is regulated in art. 295-298 of the New Code of Criminal Procedure. Regarding the withdrawal of the previuos complaint, in the case of offenses for which the initiation of criminal proceedings is subject to the existence of such a complaint, we note that in the current Criminal Code this legal institution is regulated separately, representing both a cause for removal of criminal liability and a cause that preclude criminal action. This unilateral act of the will of the injured party - the withdrawal of the previous complaint, may be exercised only under certain conditions, namely: it can only be promoted in the case of the offenses for which the initiation of criminal proceedings is subject to the introduction of a previous complaint; it is made exclusively by the rightholder, by legal representatives or with the consent of the persons required by law for persons lacking legal capacity or having limited legal capacity;it must intervene until giving final judgment and it must represent an express and explicit manifestation. A novelty isrepresented by the possibility of withdrawing previous complaint if the prosecution was driven ex officio, although for

A conditioned aversion study of sucrose and SC45647 taste in TRPM5 knockout mice.

Science.gov (United States)

Eddy, Meghan C; Eschle, Benjamin K; Peterson, Darlene; Lauras, Nathan; Margolskee, Robert F; Delay, Eugene R

2012-06-01

Previously, published studies have reported mixed results regarding the role of the TRPM5 cation channel in signaling sweet taste by taste sensory cells. Some studies have reported a complete loss of sweet taste preference in TRPM5 knockout (KO) mice, whereas others have reported only a partial loss of sweet taste preference. This study reports the results of conditioned aversion studies designed to motivate wild-type (WT) and KO mice to respond to sweet substances. In conditioned taste aversion experiments, WT mice showed nearly complete LiCl-induced response suppression to sucrose and SC45647. In contrast, TRPM5 KO mice showed a much smaller conditioned aversion to either sweet substance, suggesting a compromised, but not absent, ability to detect sweet taste. A subsequent conditioned flavor aversion experiment was conducted to determine if TRPM5 KO mice were impaired in their ability to learn a conditioned aversion. In this experiment, KO and WT mice were conditioned to a mixture of SC45647 and amyl acetate (an odor cue). Although WT mice avoided both components of the stimulus mixture, they avoided SC45647 more than the odor cue. The KO mice also avoided both stimuli, but they avoided the odor component more than SC45647, suggesting that while the KO mice are capable of learning an aversion, to them the odor cue was more salient than the taste cue. Collectively, these findings suggest the TRPM5 KO mice have some residual ability to detect SC45647 and sucrose, and, like bitter, there may be a TRPM5-independent transduction pathway for detecting these substances.

A study on the critical heat flux for annuli and round tubes under low pressure conditions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Park, Jae Wook

1997-02-01

This study aims to reveal the characteristics of the critical heat flux (CHF) of internally heated concentric annuli and vertical round tubes in low-pressure and low-flow (LPLF) conditions. Although many efforts have been devote to the subject of the CHF during the last forty years, the information on the CHF phenomenon for LPLF conditions is still very limited. The applicable ranges of the CHF correlations for annuli and round tubes are concentrate on the operating conditions of nuclear power plant (NPP), namely high-pressure and high-flow (HPHF) conditions. these facts promoted to collect the reliable CHF data for LPLF conditions for both annuli and round tubes. The critical heat flux data for vertical flow boiling of water in annuli and round tubes at low pressures and low mass fluxes show the following trends: The observed CHF mechanism for annuli was changed in the order of flooding, churn-to-annular flow transition, and local dryout under a large bubble in churn flow as the flow rate was increased from zero to higher values. The observed parametric trends for annuli are consistent with the previous understanding except that the CHF for downward flow is considerably lower (up to 40%) than that for upward flow. The critical quality is much lower than that for round tubes at the same inlet conditions. The observed parametric trends for round tubes are generally consistent with the previous understanding except for system pressure an tube diameter effect. For the system pressure effect, it is observed that the pressure effect is complicated but not so large, whereas the existing CHF correlations do not present the parametric trend exactly. For tube diameter effect, the decreasing trends of CHF with respect to tube diameter was the general understanding so far, but in this region the CHF show a increasing trend of tube diameter. The prediction and the parametric trend analyses are performed by two view points, I.e., for fixed inlet conditions and for local

Implant breast reconstruction after salvage mastectomy in previously irradiated patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Persichetti, Paolo; Cagli, Barbara; Simone, Pierfranco; Cogliandro, Annalisa; Fortunato, Lucio; Altomare, Vittorio; Trodella, Lucio

2009-04-01

The most common surgical approach in case of local tumor recurrence after quadrantectomy and radiotherapy is salvage mastectomy. Breast reconstruction is the subsequent phase of the treatment and the plastic surgeon has to operate on previously irradiated and manipulated tissues. The medical literature highlights that breast reconstruction with tissue expanders is not a pursuable option, considering previous radiotherapy a contraindication. The purpose of this retrospective study is to evaluate the influence of previous radiotherapy on 2-stage breast reconstruction (tissue expander/implant). Only patients with analogous timing of radiation therapy and the same demolitive and reconstructive procedures were recruited. The results of this study prove that, after salvage mastectomy in previously irradiated patients, implant reconstruction is still possible. Further comparative studies are, of course, advisable to draw any conclusion on the possibility to perform implant reconstruction in previously irradiated patients.

Case-control study for colorectal cancer genetic susceptibility in EPICOLON: previously identified variants and mucins

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Moreno Victor

2011-08-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Colorectal cancer (CRC is the second leading cause of cancer death in developed countries. Familial aggregation in CRC is also important outside syndromic forms and, in this case, a polygenic model with several common low-penetrance alleles contributing to CRC genetic predisposition could be hypothesized. Mucins and GALNTs (N-acetylgalactosaminyltransferase are interesting candidates for CRC genetic susceptibility and have not been previously evaluated. We present results for ten genetic variants linked to CRC risk in previous studies (previously identified category and 18 selected variants from the mucin gene family in a case-control association study from the Spanish EPICOLON consortium. Methods CRC cases and matched controls were from EPICOLON, a prospective, multicenter, nationwide Spanish initiative, comprised of two independent stages. Stage 1 corresponded to 515 CRC cases and 515 controls, whereas stage 2 consisted of 901 CRC cases and 909 controls. Also, an independent cohort of 549 CRC cases and 599 controls outside EPICOLON was available for additional replication. Genotyping was performed for ten previously identified SNPs in ADH1C, APC, CCDN1, IL6, IL8, IRS1, MTHFR, PPARG, VDR and ARL11, and 18 selected variants in the mucin gene family. Results None of the 28 SNPs analyzed in our study was found to be associated with CRC risk. Although four SNPs were significant with a P-value ADH1C (OR = 1.63, 95% CI = 1.06-2.50, P-value = 0.02, recessive, rs1800795 in IL6 (OR = 1.62, 95% CI = 1.10-2.37, P-value = 0.01, recessive, rs3803185 in ARL11 (OR = 1.58, 95% CI = 1.17-2.15, P-value = 0.007, codominant, and rs2102302 in GALNTL2 (OR = 1.20, 95% CI = 1.00-1.44, P-value = 0.04, log-additive 0, 1, 2 alleles], only rs3803185 achieved statistical significance in EPICOLON stage 2 (OR = 1.34, 95% CI = 1.06-1.69, P-value = 0.01, recessive. In the joint analysis for both stages, results were only significant for rs3803185 (OR = 1

Case-control study for colorectal cancer genetic susceptibility in EPICOLON: previously identified variants and mucins

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Abulí, Anna; Morillas, Juan D; Rigau, Joaquim; Latorre, Mercedes; Fernández-Bañares, Fernando; Peña, Elena; Riestra, Sabino; Payá, Artemio; Jover, Rodrigo; Xicola, Rosa M; Llor, Xavier; Fernández-Rozadilla, Ceres; Carvajal-Carmona, Luis; Villanueva, Cristina M; Moreno, Victor; Piqué, Josep M; Carracedo, Angel; Castells, Antoni; Andreu, Montserrat; Ruiz-Ponte, Clara; Castellví-Bel, Sergi; Alonso-Espinaco, Virginia; Muñoz, Jenifer; Gonzalo, Victoria; Bessa, Xavier; González, Dolors; Clofent, Joan; Cubiella, Joaquin

2011-01-01

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the second leading cause of cancer death in developed countries. Familial aggregation in CRC is also important outside syndromic forms and, in this case, a polygenic model with several common low-penetrance alleles contributing to CRC genetic predisposition could be hypothesized. Mucins and GALNTs (N-acetylgalactosaminyltransferase) are interesting candidates for CRC genetic susceptibility and have not been previously evaluated. We present results for ten genetic variants linked to CRC risk in previous studies (previously identified category) and 18 selected variants from the mucin gene family in a case-control association study from the Spanish EPICOLON consortium. CRC cases and matched controls were from EPICOLON, a prospective, multicenter, nationwide Spanish initiative, comprised of two independent stages. Stage 1 corresponded to 515 CRC cases and 515 controls, whereas stage 2 consisted of 901 CRC cases and 909 controls. Also, an independent cohort of 549 CRC cases and 599 controls outside EPICOLON was available for additional replication. Genotyping was performed for ten previously identified SNPs in ADH1C, APC, CCDN1, IL6, IL8, IRS1, MTHFR, PPARG, VDR and ARL11, and 18 selected variants in the mucin gene family. None of the 28 SNPs analyzed in our study was found to be associated with CRC risk. Although four SNPs were significant with a P-value < 0.05 in EPICOLON stage 1 [rs698 in ADH1C (OR = 1.63, 95% CI = 1.06-2.50, P-value = 0.02, recessive), rs1800795 in IL6 (OR = 1.62, 95% CI = 1.10-2.37, P-value = 0.01, recessive), rs3803185 in ARL11 (OR = 1.58, 95% CI = 1.17-2.15, P-value = 0.007, codominant), and rs2102302 in GALNTL2 (OR = 1.20, 95% CI = 1.00-1.44, P-value = 0.04, log-additive 0, 1, 2 alleles], only rs3803185 achieved statistical significance in EPICOLON stage 2 (OR = 1.34, 95% CI = 1.06-1.69, P-value = 0.01, recessive). In the joint analysis for both stages, results were only significant for rs3803185 (OR = 1.12, 95% CI = 1

Experimental study on centerline velocities of a rectangular capture hood under realistic conditions.

Science.gov (United States)

He, Xinjian; Lewis, Braxton V; Guffey, Steven E

2018-02-01

Capture hoods are an important component of a local ventilation system designed to reduce exposures to airborne contaminants. The velocity at any point along the centerline of the hood (V x ) is currently estimated using one of many predictive equations developed since the 1930s. It is unproven that those predictive equations for V x are accurate, despite the prodigious number of studies concerning them. Among other issues, almost all experimental verifications were conducted for conditions that were either unrealistically ideal without competing air currents (e.g., zero cross draft) or were not described. This study measured values of V x along the midline using Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) at distances of 1-14 inches in front of a rectangular capture hood. The experiments were conducted in a large wind tunnel (9' × 12' × 40', H × W × L) using a heated, breathing, anthropomorphically sized manikin. Three 0 degree draft velocities (V draft = 4, 14, and 50 ft/min) were tested, all directed toward the hood face and the back of the manikin (if present). For each value of V draft , the velocity fields were measured in a factorial design with and without the manikin, and with and without a worktable underneath the hood. An ideal condition was represented by a freestanding hood at the 4 fpm draft. Nonideal conditions included the presence of a worktable or manikin, and the combination of table and manikin. Each condition was tested at the three levels of V draft . The experimental results found significant effects (p < 0.001) for V draft , the presence of the manikin, the presence of the worktable, and all combinations of those factors. The effects of the independent variables were most pronounced at distances greater than 10 in (25.4 cm) from the hood face. It is concluded that none of the previously published models accurately predicted V x under the realistic conditions tested in this study. A satisfactory model will have to include terms for V draft and the

Inflation with generalized initial conditions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Albrecht, A.; Brandenberger, R.; Matzner, R.

1987-01-01

In many current models of the early Universe a scalar field phi which is only very weakly coupled to other quantum fields is used to generate inflation. In such models there are no forces which could thermalize the scalar field, and previous assumptions about its preinflation ''initial'' conditions must be abandoned. In this paper the onset of inflation is studied classically for more general initial conditions of the scalar field configuration. In particular, initial conditions with a nonvanishing spatial average of phi, with phi chosen at random in each initial horizon volume, and with random initial momenta are considered. We identify and discuss several mechanisms that can drive these more general initial conditions toward an inflationary state. The analysis is done in one spatial dimension

Kinetics study of hydrochlorothiazide lactose liquid state interaction using conventional isothermal arrhenius method under basic and neutral conditions

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Faranak Ghaderi

Full Text Available ABSTRACT The Maillard reaction of hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ and lactose has been previously demonstrated in pharmaceutical formulations. In this study, the activation energy of - hydrohlorothiazide and lactose interaction in the liquid state was ascertained under basic and neutral conditions. Conventional isothermal High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC technique was employed to ascertain the kinetic parameters using Arrhenius method. Results: The activation energy obtained was 82.43 and 100.28 kJ/mol under basic and neutral conditions, respectively. Consequently, it can be inferred that Maillard reaction is significantly affected by pH, which can be used as a control factor whenever the reaction potentially occurs.

Muscular outputs during dynamic bench press under stable versus unstable conditions.

Science.gov (United States)

Koshida, Sentaro; Urabe, Yukio; Miyashita, Koji; Iwai, Kanzunori; Kagimori, Aya

2008-09-01

Previous studies have suggested that resistance training exercise under unstable conditions decreases the isometric force output, yet little is known about its influence on muscular outputs during dynamic movement. The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of an unstable condition on power, force, and velocity outputs during the bench press. Twenty male collegiate athletes (mean age, 21.3 +/- 1.5 years; mean height, 167.7 +/- 7.7 cm; mean weight, 75.9 +/- 17.5 kg) participated in this study. Each subject attempted 3 sets of single bench presses with 50% of 1 repetition maximum (1RM) under a stable condition with a flat bench and an unstable condition with a Swiss ball. Acceleration data were obtained with an accelerometer attached to the center of a barbell shaft, and peak outputs of power, force, and velocity were computed. Although significant loss of the peak outputs was found under the unstable condition (p velocity outputs, compared with previous findings. Such small reduction rates of muscular outputs may not compromise the training effect. Prospective studies are necessary to confirm whether the resistance training under an unstable condition permits the improvement of dynamic performance and trunk stability.

Mediastinal involvement in lymphangiomatosis: a previously unreported MRI sign

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Shah, Vikas; Shah, Sachit; Barnacle, Alex; McHugh, Kieran [Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children, Department of Radiology, London (United Kingdom); Sebire, Neil J. [Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children, Department of Histopathology, London (United Kingdom); Brock, Penelope [Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children, Department of Oncology, London (United Kingdom); Harper, John I. [Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children, Department of Dermatology, London (United Kingdom)

2011-08-15

Multifocal lymphangiomatosis is a rare systemic disorder affecting children. Due to its rarity and wide spectrum of clinical, histological and imaging features, establishing the diagnosis of multifocal lymphangiomatosis can be challenging. The purpose of this study was to describe a new imaging sign in this disorder: paraspinal soft tissue and signal abnormality at MRI. We retrospectively reviewed the imaging, clinical and histopathological findings in a cohort of eight children with thoracic involvement from this condition. Evidence of paraspinal chest disease was identified at MRI and CT in all eight of these children. The changes comprise heterogeneous intermediate-to-high signal parallel to the thoracic vertebrae on T2-weighted sequences at MRI, with abnormal paraspinal soft tissue at CT and plain radiography. Multifocal lymphangiomatosis is a rare disorder with a broad range of clinicopathological and imaging features. MRI allows complete evaluation of disease extent without the use of ionising radiation and has allowed us to describe a previously unreported imaging sign in this disorder, namely, heterogeneous hyperintense signal in abnormal paraspinal tissue on T2-weighted images. (orig.)

Cost-effectiveness of abiraterone treatment in patients with castration-resistant prostate cancer who previously received docetaxel therapy

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A. V. Rudakova

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Background. Therapy for metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC is a serious problem that requires significant public health care expenditures.Objective: to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of abiraterone treatment in patients with metastatic CRPC who previously received docetaxel under the conditions of the budgetary public health system of the Russian Federation.Material and methods. Markovian simulation based on the COU-AA-301 randomized placebo-controlled Phase III study was used. Survival analysis was made in 70-year-old patients. The cost of abiraterone therapy corresponded to that of the 2013 auctions.Results. Abiraterone therapy in patients who have previously received docetaxel therapy causes an increase in average life expectancy by an average of 4.6 months and progression-free survival by 2.0 months. Moreover, the cost calculated with reference to one year of additional life will account for about 3.6 million rubles and that to one additional quality-adjusted life year will be about 5.45 million rubles.Conclusion. The cost-effectiveness of abiraterone therapy for metastatic CRPC in patients who have previously received docetaxel therapy is similar to that of other medicaments used in oncological practice under the conditions of the budgetary public health system of the Russian Federation. In this connection, abiraterone may be considered as an economically acceptable medical intervention in this clinical situation.

Cost-effectiveness of abiraterone treatment in patients with castration-resistant prostate cancer who previously received docetaxel therapy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. V. Rudakova

2014-11-01

Full Text Available Background. Therapy for metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC is a serious problem that requires significant public health care expenditures.Objective: to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of abiraterone treatment in patients with metastatic CRPC who previously received docetaxel under the conditions of the budgetary public health system of the Russian Federation.Material and methods. Markovian simulation based on the COU-AA-301 randomized placebo-controlled Phase III study was used. Survival analysis was made in 70-year-old patients. The cost of abiraterone therapy corresponded to that of the 2013 auctions.Results. Abiraterone therapy in patients who have previously received docetaxel therapy causes an increase in average life expectancy by an average of 4.6 months and progression-free survival by 2.0 months. Moreover, the cost calculated with reference to one year of additional life will account for about 3.6 million rubles and that to one additional quality-adjusted life year will be about 5.45 million rubles.Conclusion. The cost-effectiveness of abiraterone therapy for metastatic CRPC in patients who have previously received docetaxel therapy is similar to that of other medicaments used in oncological practice under the conditions of the budgetary public health system of the Russian Federation. In this connection, abiraterone may be considered as an economically acceptable medical intervention in this clinical situation.

Polychlorinated biphenyl exposure, diabetes and endogenous hormones: a cross-sectional study in men previously employed at a capacitor manufacturing plant.

Science.gov (United States)

Persky, Victoria; Piorkowski, Julie; Turyk, Mary; Freels, Sally; Chatterton, Robert; Dimos, John; Bradlow, H Leon; Chary, Lin Kaatz; Burse, Virlyn; Unterman, Terry; Sepkovic, Daniel W; McCann, Kenneth

2012-08-29

Studies have shown associations of diabetes and endogenous hormones with exposure to a wide variety of organochlorines. We have previously reported positive associations of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and inverse associations of selected steroid hormones with diabetes in postmenopausal women previously employed in a capacitor manufacturing plant. This paper examines associations of PCBs with diabetes and endogenous hormones in 63 men previously employed at the same plant who in 1996 underwent surveys of their exposure and medical history and collection of bloods and urine for measurements of PCBs, lipids, liver function, hematologic markers and endogenous hormones. PCB exposure was positively associated with diabetes and age and inversely associated with thyroid stimulating hormone and triiodothyronine-uptake. History of diabetes was significantly related to total PCBs and all PCB functional groupings, but not to quarters worked and job score, after control for potential confounders. None of the exposures were related to insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) in non-diabetic men. Associations of PCBs with specific endogenous hormones differ in some respects from previous findings in postmenopausal women employed at the capacitor plant. Results from this study, however, do confirm previous reports relating PCB exposure to diabetes and suggest that these associations are not mediated by measured endogenous hormones.

Study of a vapor-compression air-conditioning system for jetliners

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Roeyttae, P.

2009-07-01

Most modern passenger aeroplanes use air cycle cooling. A high-speed air cycle is a reliable and light option, but not very efficient. This thesis presents research work done to design a novel vapour cooling cycle for aeroplanes. Due to advancements in high-speed permanent magnet motors, the vapour cycle is seen as a competitive option for the air cycle in aeroplanes. The aerospace industry placews tighter demands on the weight, reliability and environmental effects of the machinery than those met by conventional chillers, and thus modifications to conventional design are needed. The thesis is divided into four parts: the initial screening of the working fluid, 1-D design and performance values of the compressor, 1-D off-design value predictions of the compressor and the 3-D design of the compressor. The R24fa was selected as the working fluid based the study. The off-design range of the compressor was predicted to be wide and suitable for the application. The air-conditioning system developed is considerably smaller than previous designs using centrifugal compressors. (orig.)

Effect of magnetization boundary condition on cavity magnon polariton of YIG thin film

Science.gov (United States)

Jiang, H. H.; Xiao, Y.; Hu, C. M.; Guo, H.; Xia, K.

2018-06-01

Motivated by recent studies of cavity magnon polariton (CMP), we extended a previous theoretical work to generalize microwave transmission calculation with various magnetization boundary condition of YIG thin film embedded in cavity. It is found that numerical implementation given in this paper can be easily applied to other magnetization boundary condition and extended to magnetic multilayers. Numerical results show that ferromagnetic resonance mode of microwave transmission spectrum, which is absent in previous calculation, can be recovered by altering the pinning condition of surface spins. The demonstrated reliability of our theory opens attractive perspectives for studying CMP of thin film with complicated surface magnetization distribution and magnetic multilayers.

[Population policy and women: the relevance of previous studies].

Science.gov (United States)

De Barbieri, M T

1983-01-01

Although Mexico has had high rates of population growth since the 1930s caused by continuing high fertility but declining infant and general mortality, and has undergone deep structural change including declining agricultural production, rapid industrialization, urbanization, and increasing urban umemployment, it was not until the 1970s that the government began to adopt measures aimed at controlling population growth. Opponents of family planning argued that economic and social development would lead to fertility decline, but its proponents believed that reducing population growth would free resources for productive investment that otherwise would have to be used to finance services for the ever-growing population. At the same time that the constitution and laws were changed to allow or promote family planning, Mexican civil and labor laws were changed to provide for equality of men and women. Some background is necessary to understand the effect of such changes in the role and status of the Mexican woman. A relationship has been noted between demographic models--the form in which a society reproduces over a given time--and the social condition of women. Women have generally been subordinated to men during known history, but recent research indicates that their history has not been as uniform as once supposed. The particular form in which each society defines the natural-biological basis of sex roles varies; social definitions of sex and gender vary depending on the extension of "natural-biological" character to specific areas and tasks. The cases of French women in the 16th-18th centuries and German women under Hitler illustrate different ways in which demographic models and the condition of women have varied within a general framework of subordination of women. But when attempts are made to change a given demographic model, the condition of women is redefined at the level of practice as well as of value orientations concerning motherhood, female labor force

Granulomatous lobular mastitis: report of a case with previously undescribed histopathological abnormalities.

Science.gov (United States)

Axelsen, R A; Reasbeck, P

1988-10-01

A 41-yr-old multiparous woman presented with a discrete breast lump which proved histologically to be an example of granulomatous lobular mastitis. The clinical and histological features were similar to those noted in previous reports. Additional histological features in the present case were an intense mononuclear cell infiltration of lobular and ductal epithelium, associated with nuclear fragments morphologically suggestive of apoptosis. These appearances, which have not previously been described, are illustrated, together with the more classical features of the condition well demonstrated by the present case. The novel histological features noted here suggest that the development of granulomatous lobular mastitis may be at least in part immunologically mediated, and that the cellular infiltrates seen may be a manifestation of cell-mediated destruction of mammary epithelium.

Subsequent pregnancy outcome after previous foetal death

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Nijkamp, J. W.; Korteweg, F. J.; Holm, J. P.; Timmer, A.; Erwich, J. J. H. M.; van Pampus, M. G.

Objective: A history of foetal death is a risk factor for complications and foetal death in subsequent pregnancies as most previous risk factors remain present and an underlying cause of death may recur. The purpose of this study was to evaluate subsequent pregnancy outcome after foetal death and to

The biomechanics of running in athletes with previous hamstring injury: A case-control study.

Science.gov (United States)

Daly, C; Persson, U McCarthy; Twycross-Lewis, R; Woledge, R C; Morrissey, D

2016-04-01

Hamstring injury is prevalent with persistently high reinjury rates. We aim to inform hamstring rehabilitation by exploring the electromyographic and kinematic characteristics of running in athletes with previous hamstring injury. Nine elite male Gaelic games athletes who had returned to sport after hamstring injury and eight closely matched controls sprinted while lower limb kinematics and muscle activity of the previously injured biceps femoris, bilateral gluteus maximus, lumbar erector spinae, rectus femoris, and external oblique were recorded. Intergroup comparisons of muscle activation ratios and kinematics were performed. Previously injured athletes demonstrated significantly reduced biceps femoris muscle activation ratios with respect to ipsilateral gluteus maximus (maximum difference -12.5%, P = 0.03), ipsilateral erector spinae (maximum difference -12.5%, P = 0.01), ipsilateral external oblique (maximum difference -23%, P = 0.01), and contralateral rectus femoris (maximum difference -22%, P = 0.02) in the late swing phase. We also detected sagittal asymmetry in hip flexion (maximum 8°, P = 0.01), pelvic tilt (maximum 4°, P = 0.02), and medial rotation of the knee (maximum 6°, P = 0.03) effectively putting the hamstrings in a lengthened position just before heel strike. Previous hamstring injury is associated with altered biceps femoris associated muscle activity and potentially injurious kinematics. These deficits should be considered and addressed during rehabilitation. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Dexamethasone intravitreal implant in previously treated patients with diabetic macular edema : Subgroup analysis of the MEAD study

OpenAIRE

Augustin, A.J.; Kuppermann, B.D.; Lanzetta, P.; Loewenstein, A.; Li, X.; Cui, H.; Hashad, Y.; Whitcup, S.M.; Abujamra, S.; Acton, J.; Ali, F.; Antoszyk, A.; Awh, C.C.; Barak, A.; Bartz-Schmidt, K.U.

2015-01-01

Background Dexamethasone intravitreal implant 0.7?mg (DEX 0.7) was approved for treatment of diabetic macular edema (DME) after demonstration of its efficacy and safety in the MEAD registration trials. We performed subgroup analysis of MEAD study results to evaluate the efficacy and safety of DEX 0.7 treatment in patients with previously treated DME. Methods Three-year, randomized, sham-controlled phase 3 study in patients with DME, best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) of 34?68 Early Treatment...

Subsequent childbirth after a previous traumatic birth.

Science.gov (United States)

Beck, Cheryl Tatano; Watson, Sue

2010-01-01

Nine percent of new mothers in the United States who participated in the Listening to Mothers II Postpartum Survey screened positive for meeting the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition criteria for posttraumatic stress disorder after childbirth. Women who have had a traumatic birth experience report fewer subsequent children and a longer length of time before their second baby. Childbirth-related posttraumatic stress disorder impacts couples' physical relationship, communication, conflict, emotions, and bonding with their children. The purpose of this study was to describe the meaning of women's experiences of a subsequent childbirth after a previous traumatic birth. Phenomenology was the research design used. An international sample of 35 women participated in this Internet study. Women were asked, "Please describe in as much detail as you can remember your subsequent pregnancy, labor, and delivery following your previous traumatic birth." Colaizzi's phenomenological data analysis approach was used to analyze the stories of the 35 women. Data analysis yielded four themes: (a) riding the turbulent wave of panic during pregnancy; (b) strategizing: attempts to reclaim their body and complete the journey to motherhood; (c) bringing reverence to the birthing process and empowering women; and (d) still elusive: the longed-for healing birth experience. Subsequent childbirth after a previous birth trauma has the potential to either heal or retraumatize women. During pregnancy, women need permission and encouragement to grieve their prior traumatic births to help remove the burden of their invisible pain.

The Amygdala Is Critical for Trace, Delay, and Contextual Fear Conditioning

Science.gov (United States)

Kochli, Daniel E.; Thompson, Elaine C.; Fricke, Elizabeth A.; Postle, Abagail F.; Quinn, Jennifer J.

2015-01-01

Numerous investigations have definitively shown amygdalar involvement in delay and contextual fear conditioning. However, much less is known about amygdala contributions to trace fear conditioning, and what little evidence exists is conflicting as noted in previous studies. This discrepancy may result from selective targeting of individual nuclei…

Return to work outcomes for workers with mental health conditions: A retrospective cohort study.

Science.gov (United States)

Prang, Khic-Houy; Bohensky, Megan; Smith, Peter; Collie, Alex

2016-01-01

The aims of this study were to describe predictors of sustained return to work (RTW) among a cohort of workers with compensated work-related mental health conditions (MHCs); and to examine predictors of subsequent absences due to the same condition. This study was a retrospective analysis of compensation claims data in Victoria, Australia. We selected workers with an accepted wage replacement claim due to a work-related MHC from 1 January 2002 to 31 December 2009, with two years of follow-up data. We identified 8358 workers meeting our inclusion criteria. The median age of workers was 44 years (Interquartile range (IQR): 36-51) and 56% were female. In a multivariable Cox regression analysis, older age, being from a small organisation, working in some specific industry segments, consulting a psychiatrist or psychologist, using medications, and having a previous claim were all associated with a delayed RTW. Workers experiencing work pressure, assault/workplace violence or other mental stress factors, working in the public administration and safety industry and having a medical incapacity certification between 3-4 days and 5-7 days had a higher rate of multiple RTW attempts. This study identified a number of risk factors associated with a delayed RTW and multiple attempts at RTW. Predictors may help identify high-risk groups and facilitate the RTW process of workers with MHCs. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Professions and Working Conditions Associated With Community-Acquired Pneumonia.

Science.gov (United States)

Almirall, Jordi; Serra-Prat, Mateu; Bolíbar, Ignasi; Palomera, Elisabet; Roig, Jordi; Boixeda, Ramon; Bartolomé, Maria; de la Torre, Mari; Parra, Olga; Torres, Antoni

2015-12-01

Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) is not considered a professional disease, and the effect of different occupations and working conditions on susceptibility to CAP is unknown. The aim of this study is to determine whether different jobs and certain working conditions are risk factors for CAP. Over a 1-year period, all radiologically confirmed cases of CAP (n=1,336) and age- and sex-matched controls (n=1,326) were enrolled in a population-based case-control study. A questionnaire on CAP risk factors, including work-related questions, was administered to all participants during an in-person interview. The bivariate analysis showed that office work is a protective factor against CAP, while building work, contact with dust and sudden changes of temperature in the workplace were risk factors for CAP. The occupational factor disappeared when the multivariate analysis was adjusted for working conditions. Contact with dust (previous month) and sudden changes of temperature (previous 3 months) were risk factors for CAP, irrespective of the number of years spent working in these conditions, suggesting reversibility. Some recent working conditions such as exposure to dust and sudden changes of temperature in the workplace are risk factors for CAP. Both factors are reversible and preventable. Copyright © 2014 SEPAR. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

Recurrent severe invasive pneumococcal disease in an adult with previously unknown hyposplenia

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ballegaard, Vibe C; Schejbel, Lone; Hoffmann, Steen

2015-01-01

was found. Despite immunization against S. pneumoniae and measurement of what was interpreted as protective levels of serotype-specific IgG antibodies after vaccination, the patient suffered from a third episode of IPD. CONCLUSIONS: Individuals with predisposing medical conditions or a history of severe......BACKGROUND: The risk of life-threatening and invasive infections with encapsulated bacteria is increased in patients with hyposplenia or asplenia. We report a case of recurrent invasive pneumococcal meningitis in a woman with previous unknown hyposplenia. She was vaccinated after the first episode...... of meningitis and developed sufficient levels of pneumococcal antibodies. The pneumococcal strains isolated were serotype 7 F and 17 F. To our knowledge, there has been no previously reported case of recurrent invasive pneumococcal disease in a pneumococcal vaccinated adult with hyposplenia and apparently...

[Effect of previous experience in reacting to a danger signal on "open field" behavior in the rat].

Science.gov (United States)

Poltyreva, T E; Petrov, E S

1983-01-01

Modification of rats behaviour in an "hopen field" test was investigated, induced by an acoustic stimulus, previously subjected to conditioning in a shuttle chamber in experiments with possibility and impossibility of avoidance from electrical shock. It has been established that presentation of a stimulus having the meaning of a danger signal, in a new situation, significantly suppresses investigating behaviour of rats, whereas the stimulus which had not been subjected to conditioning exerts no marked effect on behaviour. The greatest suppression was observed in rats with "learned helplessness". This fact suggests that the degree of suppression of the behaviour in an open field in response to a danger signal, depends on the animal's previous experience in reacting to this signal.

Challenging previous conceptions of vegetarianism and eating disorders.

Science.gov (United States)

Fisak, B; Peterson, R D; Tantleff-Dunn, S; Molnar, J M

2006-12-01

The purpose of this study was to replicate and expand upon previous research that has examined the potential association between vegetarianism and disordered eating. Limitations of previous research studies are addressed, including possible low reliability of measures of eating pathology within vegetarian samples, use of only a few dietary restraint measures, and a paucity of research examining potential differences in body image and food choice motives of vegetarians versus nonvegetarians. Two hundred and fifty-six college students completed a number of measures of eating pathology and body image, and a food choice motives questionnaire. Interestingly, no significant differences were found between vegetarians and nonvegetarians in measures of eating pathology or body image. However, significant differences in food choice motives were found. Implications for both researchers and clinicians are discussed.

Limestone attrition under simulated oxyfiring Fluidized-Bed combustion conditions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Scala, F. [Istituto di Ricerche sulla Combustione - CNR, Napoli (Italy); Salatino, P. [Dipartimento di Ingegneria Chimica - Universita degli Studi di Napoli Federico II, Napoli (Italy)

2009-03-15

Limestone attrition by surface wear was studied during the flue gas desulfurization under simulated fluidized-bed (FB) oxyfiring conditions and hindered calcination. Bench-scale experimental tests were carried out using well-established techniques previously developed for the characterization of sulfation and attrition of sorbents in air-blown atmospheric FB combustors. The experimental limestone conversion and attrition results were compared with those previously obtained with the same limestone under simulated air-blown combustion conditions. The differences in the conversion and attrition extents and patterns associated with oxyfiring as compared to air-blown atmospheric combustion were highlighted and related to the different particle morphologies and thicknesses of the sulfate layer. It was noted that attrition could play an important role in practical circulating FB combustor operation, by effectively enhancing particle sulfation under both oxyfiring and air-blown combustion conditions. (Abstract Copyright [2009], Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

A previous hamstring injury affects kicking mechanics in soccer players.

Science.gov (United States)

Navandar, Archit; Veiga, Santiago; Torres, Gonzalo; Chorro, David; Navarro, Enrique

2018-01-10

Although the kicking skill is influenced by limb dominance and sex, how a previous hamstring injury affects kicking has not been studied in detail. Thus, the objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of sex and limb dominance on kicking in limbs with and without a previous hamstring injury. 45 professional players (males: n=19, previously injured players=4, age=21.16 ± 2.00 years; females: n=19, previously injured players=10, age=22.15 ± 4.50 years) performed 5 kicks each with their preferred and non-preferred limb at a target 7m away, which were recorded with a three-dimensional motion capture system. Kinematic and kinetic variables were extracted for the backswing, leg cocking, leg acceleration and follow through phases. A shorter backswing (20.20 ± 3.49% vs 25.64 ± 4.57%), and differences in knee flexion angle (58 ± 10o vs 72 ± 14o) and hip flexion velocity (8 ± 0rad/s vs 10 ± 2rad/s) were observed in previously injured, non-preferred limb kicks for females. A lower peak hip linear velocity (3.50 ± 0.84m/s vs 4.10 ± 0.45m/s) was observed in previously injured, preferred limb kicks of females. These differences occurred in the backswing and leg-cocking phases where the hamstring muscles were the most active. A variation in the functioning of the hamstring muscles and that of the gluteus maximus and iliopsoas in the case of a previous injury could account for the differences observed in the kicking pattern. Therefore, the effects of a previous hamstring injury must be considered while designing rehabilitation programs to re-educate kicking movement.

Cogema experience on retrieving and conditioning solid radwaste previously stored in pits. The La Hague north west pit case

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bodin, F.; Alexandre, D.; Fournier, Ph.

2000-01-01

Short lived, low and medium level waste called 'technological waste' produced by the La Hague Reprocessing Plant have been stored in the La Hague North-West concrete-lined pits until implementation at ANDRA's Centre de Stockage de la Manche (CSM). COGEMA decided to retrieve and condition 11,000 m 3 of humid solid radwaste, stored in bulk in pits. This report describes the experience gained from February 1990 to December 1998, taking into account radwaste and integrated dose rate results conditioning such waste. The procedures and means used and improved by COGEMA to comply with ANDRA's storage standards and the ever-decreasing financial costs generated by the workers, allowed to retrieve and condition 11,000 m 3 of old solid radwaste with competitive costs and in complete safety and protection of the environment. (authors)

Conditioned pain modulation is affected by occlusion cuff conditioning stimulus intensity, but not duration.

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, A; Pedler, A

2018-01-01

Various conditioned pain modulation (CPM) methodologies have been used to investigate diffuse noxious inhibitory control pain mechanisms in healthy and clinical populations. Occlusion cuff parameters have been poorly studied. We aimed to investigate whether occlusion cuff intensity and/or duration influenced CPM magnitudes. We also investigated the role of physical activity levels on CPM magnitude. Two studies were performed to investigate the role of intensity and duration of occlusion cuff conditioning stimulus on test stimulus (tibialis anterior pressure pain thresholds). In Study 1, conditioning stimulus intensity of 2/10 or 5/10 (duration CPM magnitude. In Study 1, 27 healthy volunteers (mean ± SD: 24.9 years (±4.5); eight female) demonstrated that an occlusion cuff applied to the upper arm eliciting 5/10 local pain resulted in a significant (mean ± SD: 17% ± 46%) increase in CPM magnitude, when compared to 2/10 intensity (-3% ± 38%, p = 0.026), whereas in Study 2, 25 healthy volunteers (22.5 years (±2.7); 13 female) demonstrated that 3 min of 2/10 CS intensity did not result in a significant change in CPM (p = 0.21). There was no significant relationship between physical activity levels and CPM in either study (p > 0.22). This study demonstrated that an occlusion cuff of 5/10 conditioning stimulus intensity, when compared to 2/10, significantly increased CPM magnitude. Maintaining 2/10 conditioning stimulus for 3 min did not increase CPM magnitude. Dysfunctional conditioned pain modulation (CPM) has been associated with poor health outcomes. Various factors can influence CPM outcomes. The role of occlusion cuff conditioning stimulus intensity and duration has not been previously investigated. Intensity (5/10), but not duration of lower intensity (2/10) conditioning stimulus, affects CPM magnitude. © 2017 European Pain Federation - EFIC®.

Study on conditional probability of surface rupture: effect of fault dip and width of seismogenic layer

Science.gov (United States)

Inoue, N.

2017-12-01

The conditional probability of surface ruptures is affected by various factors, such as shallow material properties, process of earthquakes, ground motions and so on. Toda (2013) pointed out difference of the conditional probability of strike and reverse fault by considering the fault dip and width of seismogenic layer. This study evaluated conditional probability of surface rupture based on following procedures. Fault geometry was determined from the randomly generated magnitude based on The Headquarters for Earthquake Research Promotion (2017) method. If the defined fault plane was not saturated in the assumed width of the seismogenic layer, the fault plane depth was randomly provided within the seismogenic layer. The logistic analysis was performed to two data sets: surface displacement calculated by dislocation methods (Wang et al., 2003) from the defined source fault, the depth of top of the defined source fault. The estimated conditional probability from surface displacement indicated higher probability of reverse faults than that of strike faults, and this result coincides to previous similar studies (i.e. Kagawa et al., 2004; Kataoka and Kusakabe, 2005). On the contrary, the probability estimated from the depth of the source fault indicated higher probability of thrust faults than that of strike and reverse faults, and this trend is similar to the conditional probability of PFDHA results (Youngs et al., 2003; Moss and Ross, 2011). The probability of combined simulated results of thrust and reverse also shows low probability. The worldwide compiled reverse fault data include low fault dip angle earthquake. On the other hand, in the case of Japanese reverse fault, there is possibility that the conditional probability of reverse faults with less low dip angle earthquake shows low probability and indicates similar probability of strike fault (i.e. Takao et al., 2013). In the future, numerical simulation by considering failure condition of surface by the source

A conditional Poisson analysis of fine particulate matter and U.S. Medicare hospitalization, 1999-2010, by individual-level chronic health conditions.

Science.gov (United States)

Background/Aim: A previous analysis suggested that U.S. counties with higher county-level prevalence of chronic conditions had stronger associations of mortality with fine particulate matter (PM2.5). This study assesses the modification of the effect of PM2.5 on daily hospitaliz...

COGEMA experience on retrieving and conditioning solid radwaste previously stored in pits. The La Hague North-West pit case

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bodin, F.; Alexandre, D.; Fournier, P.

1999-01-01

Short lived, low and medium level waste called 'technological waste' produced by the La Hague Reprocessing Plant have been stored in the La Hague North-West concrete-lined pits until implementation at ANDRA's Centre de Stockage de la Manche (CSM). COGEMA decided to retrieve and condition 11,000 m 3 of humid solid radwaste, stored in bulk in pits. On account of the variety of radwaste kinds, retrieving and conditioning operations represented real challenge. One goal of these operations was to ensure that the work was performed in complete safety towards environment with optimum containment and with the best radiation protection for the personnel involved. COGEMA decided to split the work into two phases. The feedback from the first phase was very helpful to the second phase. This report describes the experience gained from February 1990 to December 1998, taking into account radwaste and integrated dose rate results conditioning such waste. The procedures and means used and improved by COGEMA to comply with ANDRA's storage standards and the ever-decreasing financial costs generated by the workers, allowed to retrieve and condition 11,000 m 3 of old solid radwaste with competitive costs and in complete safety and protection of the environment. (author)

No discrimination against previous mates in a sexually cannibalistic spider

Science.gov (United States)

Fromhage, Lutz; Schneider, Jutta M.

2005-09-01

In several animal species, females discriminate against previous mates in subsequent mating decisions, increasing the potential for multiple paternity. In spiders, female choice may take the form of selective sexual cannibalism, which has been shown to bias paternity in favor of particular males. If cannibalistic attacks function to restrict a male's paternity, females may have little interest to remate with males having survived such an attack. We therefore studied the possibility of female discrimination against previous mates in sexually cannibalistic Argiope bruennichi, where females almost always attack their mate at the onset of copulation. We compared mating latency and copulation duration of males having experienced a previous copulation either with the same or with a different female, but found no evidence for discrimination against previous mates. However, males copulated significantly shorter when inserting into a used, compared to a previously unused, genital pore of the female.

Abiraterone in metastatic prostate cancer without previous chemotherapy

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Ryan, Charles J.; Smith, Matthew R.; de Bono, Johann S.; Molina, Arturo; Logothetis, Christopher J.; de Souza, Paul; Fizazi, Karim; Mainwaring, Paul; Piulats, Josep M.; Ng, Siobhan; Carles, Joan; Mulders, Peter F. A.; Basch, Ethan; Small, Eric J.; Saad, Fred; Schrijvers, Dirk; van Poppel, Hendrik; Mukherjee, Som D.; Suttmann, Henrik; Gerritsen, Winald R.; Flaig, Thomas W.; George, Daniel J.; Yu, Evan Y.; Efstathiou, Eleni; Pantuck, Allan; Winquist, Eric; Higano, Celestia S.; Taplin, Mary-Ellen; Park, Youn; Kheoh, Thian; Griffin, Thomas; Scher, Howard I.; Rathkopf, Dana E.; Boyce, A.; Costello, A.; Davis, I.; Ganju, V.; Horvath, L.; Lynch, R.; Marx, G.; Parnis, F.; Shapiro, J.; Singhal, N.; Slancar, M.; van Hazel, G.; Wong, S.; Yip, D.; Carpentier, P.; Luyten, D.; de Reijke, T.

2013-01-01

Abiraterone acetate, an androgen biosynthesis inhibitor, improves overall survival in patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer after chemotherapy. We evaluated this agent in patients who had not received previous chemotherapy. In this double-blind study, we randomly assigned

Secondary recurrent miscarriage is associated with previous male birth.

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

Ooi, Poh Veh

2012-01-31

Secondary recurrent miscarriage (RM) is defined as three or more consecutive pregnancy losses after delivery of a viable infant. Previous reports suggest that a firstborn male child is associated with less favourable subsequent reproductive potential, possibly due to maternal immunisation against male-specific minor histocompatibility antigens. In a retrospective cohort study of 85 cases of secondary RM we aimed to determine if secondary RM was associated with (i) gender of previous child, maternal age, or duration of miscarriage history, and (ii) increased risk of pregnancy complications. Fifty-three women (62.0%; 53\\/85) gave birth to a male child prior to RM compared to 32 (38.0%; 32\\/85) who gave birth to a female child (p=0.002). The majority (91.7%; 78\\/85) had uncomplicated, term deliveries and normal birth weight neonates, with one quarter of the women previously delivered by Caesarean section. All had routine RM investigations and 19.0% (16\\/85) had an abnormal result. Fifty-seven women conceived again and 33.3% (19\\/57) miscarried, but there was no significant difference in failure rates between those with a previous male or female child (13\\/32 vs. 6\\/25, p=0.2). When patients with abnormal results were excluded, or when women with only one previous child were considered, there was still no difference in these rates. A previous male birth may be associated with an increased risk of secondary RM but numbers preclude concluding whether this increases recurrence risk. The suggested association with previous male birth provides a basis for further investigations at a molecular level.

Secondary recurrent miscarriage is associated with previous male birth.

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

Ooi, Poh Veh

2011-01-01

Secondary recurrent miscarriage (RM) is defined as three or more consecutive pregnancy losses after delivery of a viable infant. Previous reports suggest that a firstborn male child is associated with less favourable subsequent reproductive potential, possibly due to maternal immunisation against male-specific minor histocompatibility antigens. In a retrospective cohort study of 85 cases of secondary RM we aimed to determine if secondary RM was associated with (i) gender of previous child, maternal age, or duration of miscarriage history, and (ii) increased risk of pregnancy complications. Fifty-three women (62.0%; 53\\/85) gave birth to a male child prior to RM compared to 32 (38.0%; 32\\/85) who gave birth to a female child (p=0.002). The majority (91.7%; 78\\/85) had uncomplicated, term deliveries and normal birth weight neonates, with one quarter of the women previously delivered by Caesarean section. All had routine RM investigations and 19.0% (16\\/85) had an abnormal result. Fifty-seven women conceived again and 33.3% (19\\/57) miscarried, but there was no significant difference in failure rates between those with a previous male or female child (13\\/32 vs. 6\\/25, p=0.2). When patients with abnormal results were excluded, or when women with only one previous child were considered, there was still no difference in these rates. A previous male birth may be associated with an increased risk of secondary RM but numbers preclude concluding whether this increases recurrence risk. The suggested association with previous male birth provides a basis for further investigations at a molecular level.

Periodontal conditions in vegetarians: a clinical study.

Science.gov (United States)

Staufenbiel, I; Weinspach, K; Förster, G; Geurtsen, W; Günay, H

2013-08-01

Investigations about possible correlations between vegetarian diet and periodontal conditions are rare and characterized by small case numbers. The aim of this clinical study was to investigate the influence of a vegetarian diet on periodontal parameters with an appropriate sample size. A total of 200 patients, 100 vegetarians and 100 non-vegetarians, were included in the study. All patients were examined including a full mouth assessment of the periodontal and dental conditions. In addition, a questionnaire was handed out to ask for patients' oral hygiene habits and level of education. For statistical analysis the Mann-Whitney Test (χ(2) for analysis of the questionnaire) was applied (level of significance: Pvegetarians versus 41.72 years non-vegetarians). Vegetarians had significantly lower probing pocket depths (P=0.039), bleeding on probing (P=0.001), periodontal screening index (P=0.012), a better hygiene index (Pvegetarians. Furthermore, vegetarians had a higher level of education (PVegetarians revealed better periodontal conditions (less inflammation signs, less periodontal damage and a better dental home care). However, it should be considered that vegetarians are not only avoiding meat in their nutrition but are also characterized by an overall healthier life style.

A longitudinal study of plasma insulin and glucagon in women with previous gestational diabetes

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Damm, P; Kühl, C; Hornnes, P

1995-01-01

OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether plasma insulin or glucagon predicts later development of diabetes in women with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: The subjects studied were 91 women with diet-treated GDM and 33 healthy women. Plasma insulin and glucagon during a 50...... at follow-up (2 had insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus, 13 had non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus, and 12 had impaired glucose tolerance). Compared with the control subjects, women with previous GDM had relatively impaired insulin secretion (decreased insulinogenic index and delayed peak insulin...... for subsequent development of overt diabetes (logistic regression analysis). CONCLUSIONS: Women who develop GDM have a relative insulin secretion deficiency, the severity of which is predictive for later development of diabetes. Furthermore, our data indicate that their relatively reduced beta-cell function may...

The effect of post-conditioning exposure to morphine on the retention of a morphine-induced conditioned taste aversion.

Science.gov (United States)

Jacobs, W J; Zellner, D A; LoLordo, V M; Riley, A L

1981-06-01

In the following experiment, multiple injections of morphine sulfate following the acquisition of a morphine-induced taste aversion had no effect on the retention of the previously acquired aversion. Post-conditioning injections of morphine resulted in the development of physical dependence to morphine and led to a decrement in the ability of morphine to induce a subsequent aversion to a second novel taste. This failure of post-conditioning exposures to morphine to affect a previously acquired morphine-induced taste aversion even though tolerance to morphine had occurred was discussed in the context of Rescorla's event-memory model of conditioning.

The influence of previous low back trouble, general health, and working conditions on future sick-listing because of low back trouble. A 15-year follow-up study of risk indicators for self-reported sick-listing caused by low back trouble.

Science.gov (United States)

Müller, C F; Monrad, T; Biering-Sørensen, F; Darre, E; Deis, A; Kryger, P

1999-08-01

A 15-year follow-up study. To find risk indicators for self-reported sick-listing because of low back trouble and to evaluate which variables were the most important indicators of work incapacity resulting from low back trouble during the follow-up period of 15 years. The initial data were obtained from a health survey conducted in a general population from the Municipality of Glostrup, Denmark. The follow-up data included information from the Central Person Register, the Early Retirement Pension Register, and a postal questionnaire regarding self-reported sick-listing because of low back trouble. An epidemiologic study, in which logistic regression analyses were used for evaluation of the data. The model used consisted of the variable in question, age, gender, and previous experience of low back trouble, along with interactions. It was found that 22 of 37 variables were risk indicators for later self-reported sick-listing because of low back trouble during the preceding year or the 7 years before the date of follow-up evaluation. In analyzing the most significant variables simultaneously, it was found that information from the initial investigation about sick-listing in general during the previous 10 years, sciatic pain, use of analgesics for low back trouble, previous sick-listing because of low back trouble, and occupation were the most important risk indicators for self-reported work incapacity resulting from low back trouble during the follow-up period of 15 years. Findings showed that the strongest prognostic indicators of later sick-listing because of low back trouble involve information from the person about previous sick-listing behavior in general and previous experience of low back trouble episodes, especially if these had been accompanied by sciatic pain, use of analgesics, or previous low back trouble sick-listing.

Conditioned sounds enhance visual processing.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fabrizio Leo

Full Text Available This psychophysics study investigated whether prior auditory conditioning influences how a sound interacts with visual perception. In the conditioning phase, subjects were presented with three pure tones ( =  conditioned stimuli, CS that were paired with positive, negative or neutral unconditioned stimuli. As unconditioned reinforcers we employed pictures (highly pleasant, unpleasant and neutral or monetary outcomes (+50 euro cents, -50 cents, 0 cents. In the subsequent visual selective attention paradigm, subjects were presented with near-threshold Gabors displayed in their left or right hemifield. Critically, the Gabors were presented in synchrony with one of the conditioned sounds. Subjects discriminated whether the Gabors were presented in their left or right hemifields. Participants determined the location more accurately when the Gabors were presented in synchrony with positive relative to neutral sounds irrespective of reinforcer type. Thus, previously rewarded relative to neutral sounds increased the bottom-up salience of the visual Gabors. Our results are the first demonstration that prior auditory conditioning is a potent mechanism to modulate the effect of sounds on visual perception.

A study about the interest and previous contact of high school students with Astronomy

Science.gov (United States)

Carvalho, C. L.; Zanitti, M. H. R.; Felicidade, B. L.; Gomes, A. D. T.; Dias, E. W.; Coelho, F. O.

2016-04-01

The currently problems in Astronomy teaching in Brazilian Basic Education contrast with the space, and the popularity that astronomical themes have in various media in the country. In this work, we present the results of a study about the interest, and previous contact of high school students from a public school in the city of "São João del-Rei"/MG with topics related to Astronomy. The study and the pedagogical intervention were carried out by students of the PIBID/CAPES/UFSJ. The intervention was performed through an oral exposition with the students' participation, followed by the use of the Stellarium program. The results suggest the majority of students surveyed are interested in Astronomy, and have had some contact with the area. However, some inconsistencies in their responses were identified and examined. The implications for research and for Astronomy Education are discussed. We also make some considerations about relationship between the lack of specific knowledge and the misinformation as one possible reason for the little interest of students in various areas of Science.

Physiotherapy students' perspectives of online e-learning for interdisciplinary management of chronic health conditions: a qualitative study.

Science.gov (United States)

Gardner, Peter; Slater, Helen; Jordan, Joanne E; Fary, Robyn E; Chua, Jason; Briggs, Andrew M

2016-02-16

To qualitatively explore physiotherapy students' perceptions of online e-learning for chronic disease management using a previously developed, innovative and interactive, evidence-based, e-learning package: Rheumatoid Arthritis for Physiotherapists e-Learning (RAP-eL). Physiotherapy students participated in three focus groups in Perth, Western Australia. Purposive sampling was employed to ensure maximum heterogeneity across age, gender and educational background. To explore students' perspectives on the advantages and disadvantages of online e-learning, ways to enhance e-learning, and information/learning gaps in relation to interdisciplinary management of chronic health conditions, a semi-structured interview schedule was developed. Verbatim transcripts were analysed using inductive methods within a grounded theory approach to derive key themes. Twenty-three students (78 % female; 39 % with previous tertiary qualification) of mean (SD) age 23 (3.6) years participated. Students expressed a preference for a combination of both online e-learning and lecture-style learning formats for chronic disease management, citing flexibility to work at one's own pace and time, and access to comprehensive information as advantages of e-learning learning. Personal interaction and ability to clarify information immediately were considered advantages of lecture-style formats. Perceived knowledge gaps included practical application of interdisciplinary approaches to chronic disease management and developing and implementing physiotherapy management plans for people with chronic health conditions. Physiotherapy students preferred multi-modal and blended formats for learning about chronic disease management. This study highlights the need for further development of practically-oriented knowledge and skills related to interdisciplinary care for people with chronic conditions among physiotherapy students. While RAP-eL focuses on rheumatoid arthritis, the principles of learning apply to

Consolidation of an extinction memory depends on the unconditioned stimulus magnitude previously experienced during training.

Science.gov (United States)

Stollhoff, Nicola; Eisenhardt, Dorothea

2009-07-29

Here, we examine the role of the magnitude of the unconditioned stimulus (US) during classical conditioning in consolidation processes after memory retrieval. We varied the US durations during training and we test the impact of these variations on consolidation after memory retrieval with one or two conditioned stimulus-only trials. We found that the consolidation of an extinction memory depends on US duration during training and ruled out the possibility that this effect is attributable to differences in satiation after conditioning. We conclude that consolidation of an extinction memory is triggered only when the duration of the US reaches a critical threshold. This demonstrates that memory consolidation cannot be regarded as an isolated process depending solely on training conditions. Instead, it depends on the animal's previous experience as well.

Ifosfamide in previously untreated disseminated neuroblastoma. Results of Study 3A of the European Neuroblastoma Study Group.

Science.gov (United States)

Kellie, S J; De Kraker, J; Lilleyman, J S; Bowman, A; Pritchard, J

1988-05-01

A prospective study of the effectiveness of ifosfamide as a single agent in the management of previously untreated patients with Evans stage IV neuroblastoma was undertaken. Eighteen children aged more than 1 year were treated with ifosfamide (IFX) 3 g/m2 daily for 2 days immediately after diagnosis and 3 weeks later. Treatment was continued with combination chemotherapy using vincristine, cyclophosphamide, cisplatinum and etoposide (OPEC) or a variant. Mesna (2-mercaptoethane sulphonate) was given to all patients during IFX treatment to prevent urotoxicity. Eight of the 18 patients (44%) responded to IFX. Nine had greater than 66% reduction in baseline tumor volume. Of 15 evaluable patients with raised pre-treatment urinary catecholamine excretion, six (40%) achieved greater than 50% reduction in pretreatment levels. Two of 10 patients evaluable for bone marrow response had complete clearance. Toxicity was mild in all patients. Upon completing 'first line' therapy, only four patients (22%) achieved a good partial remission (GPR) or complete response (CR). Median survival was 11 months. There was a lower rate of attaining GPR and shortened median survival in patients receiving phase II IFX before OPEC or variant, compared to patients with similar pre-treatment characteristics treated with OPEC from diagnosis in an earlier study.

Evaluation and analysis of geological condition of in-situ fragmentation leaching uranium

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yang Jianming; Tan Kaixuan; Huang Xiaonai

2003-01-01

The ore geological condition, hydrogeological condition, engineering geological condition and technological mineralogical character of in-situ fragmentation leaching uranium are analyzed, and it is considered that the implementation of in-situ fragmentation leaching uranium technology is decided by different geological factor. Previously prospecting and geological condition evaluation of uranium ore is based on traditional mining method. If in-situ fragmentation leaching uranium method is adopted, one must re-evaluate previously prospected deposits before they are mined, or one must evaluate new prospecting deposits according to geological conditions of in-situ fragmentation leaching uranium method. The feasibility evaluation method of uranium deposit by in-situ fragmentation leaching uranium put forward by B. N. Mociniets is introducd, and it is considered that B. N. Mociniets method has guidable significance for geological condition evaluation before uranium deposits are mined. A feasibility study is done by applying B. N. Mociniets method to a uranium deposit. (authors)

Effects of Swim Stress on Neophobia and Reconditioning Using a Conditioned Taste Aversion Procedure

Science.gov (United States)

Walker, Jennifer M.; Ramsey, Ashley K.; Fowler, Stephanie W.; Schachtman, Todd R.

2012-01-01

Previous research has found that swim stress during a classical conditioning trial attenuates conditioned taste aversion (CTA). In the current study, rats were used to examine the effects of inescapable swim stress on the habituation of neophobia to a flavored solution and reacquisition of an extinguished conditioned taste aversion. In Experiment…

Temperament and living conditions: a comparison study of Poles and Koreans.

Science.gov (United States)

Zajenkowska, Anna; Zajenkowski, Marcin

2013-02-01

The present investigation tested the temperament traits of 319 Polish and 315 South Korean students according to the regulative theory of temperament. Poland and South Korea are two countries with a similar rate of economic growth but with distinct cultures; for instance, they differ in terms of individualism and masculinity dimensions as well as living conditions. This means that they have achieved the same goal with different resources but presumably also with different side effects. The results indicate that the Poles had higher levels of briskness, sensor sensibility and endurance, as well as lower levels of emotional reactivity and perseveration in comparison with South Koreans. The structure of one's temperament determines one's ability to meet environmental requirements and also how one deals with stressful conditions. According to previous empirical data, Poles' temperament profile can be characterized as being less prone to stress perception and therefore more advantageous. It is possible that Koreans, as they have a less adaptive temperament structure, experience higher levels of stress in a more stimulating environment than Poles. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Outcome of trial of scar in patients with previous caesarean section

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Khan, B.; Bashir, R.; Khan, W.

2016-01-01

Medical evidence indicates that 60-80% of women can achieve vaginal delivery after a previous lower segment caesarean section. Proper selection of patients for trial of scar and vigilant monitoring during labour will achieve successful maternal and perinatal outcome. The objective of our study is to establish the fact that vaginal delivery after one caesarean section has a high success rate in patients with previous one caesarean section for non-recurrent cause. Methods: The study was conducted in Ayub Teaching Abbottabad, Gynae-B Unit. All labouring patients, during the study period of five years, with previous one caesarean section and between 37 weeks to 41 weeks of gestation for a non-recurrent cause were included in the study. Data was recorded on special proforma designed for the purpose. Patients who had previous classical caesarean section, more than one caesarean section, and previous caesarean section with severe wound infection, transverse lie and placenta previa in present pregnancy were excluded. Foetal macrosomia (wt>4 kg) and severe IUGR with compromised blood flow on Doppler in present pregnancy were also not considered suitable for the study. Patients who had any absolute contraindication for vaginal delivery were also excluded. Results: There were 12505 deliveries during the study period. Total vaginal deliveries were 8790 and total caesarean sections were 3715. Caesarean section rate was 29.7%. Out of these 8790 patients, 764 patients were given a trial of scar and 535 patients delivered successfully vaginally (70%). Women who presented with spontaneous onset of labour were more likely to deliver vaginally (74.8%) as compared to induction group (27.1%). Conclusion: Trial of vaginal birth after caesarean (VBAC) in selected cases has great importance in the present era of the rising rate of primary caesarean section. (author)

Sudden unexpected death in children with a previously diagnosed cardiovascular disorder

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Polderman, Florens N.; Cohen, Joeri; Blom, Nico A.; Delhaas, Tammo; Helbing, Wim A.; Lam, Jan; Sobotka-Plojhar, Marta A.; Temmerman, Arno M.; Sreeram, Narayanswani

2004-01-01

BACKGROUND: It is known that children with previously diagnosed heart defects die suddenly. The causes of death are often unknown. OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to identify all infants and children within the Netherlands with previously diagnosed heart disease who had a sudden unexpected death

Sudden unexpected death in children with a previously diagnosed cardiovascular disorder

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Polderman, F.N.; Cohen, Joeri; Blom, N.A.; Delhaas, T.; Helbing, W.A.; Lam, J.; Sobotka-Plojhar, M.A.; Temmerman, Arno M.; Sreeram, N.

2004-01-01

Background: It is known that children with previously diagnosed heart defects die suddenly. The causes of death are often unknown. Objective: The aim of the study was to identify all infants and children within the Netherlands with previously diagnosed heart disease who had a sudden unexpected death

Experimental wind tunnel study of a smart sensing skin for condition evaluation of a wind turbine blade

Science.gov (United States)

Downey, Austin; Laflamme, Simon; Ubertini, Filippo

2017-12-01

Condition evaluation of wind turbine blades is difficult due to their large size, complex geometry and lack of economic and scalable sensing technologies capable of detecting, localizing, and quantifying faults over a blade’s global area. A solution is to deploy inexpensive large area electronics over strategic areas of the monitored component, analogous to sensing skin. The authors have previously proposed a large area electronic consisting of a soft elastomeric capacitor (SEC). The SEC is highly scalable due to its low cost and ease of fabrication, and can, therefore, be used for monitoring large-scale components. A single SEC is a strain sensor that measures the additive strain over a surface. Recently, its application in a hybrid dense sensor network (HDSN) configuration has been studied, where a network of SECs is augmented with a few off-the-shelf strain gauges to measure boundary conditions and decompose the additive strain to obtain unidirectional surface strain maps. These maps can be analyzed to detect, localize, and quantify faults. In this work, we study the performance of the proposed sensing skin at conducting condition evaluation of a wind turbine blade model in an operational environment. Damage in the form of changing boundary conditions and cuts in the monitored substrate are induced into the blade. An HDSN is deployed onto the interior surface of the substrate, and the blade excited in a wind tunnel. Results demonstrate the capability of the HDSN and associated algorithms to detect, localize, and quantify damage. These results show promise for the future deployment of fully integrated sensing skins deployed inside wind turbine blades for condition evaluation.

Everolimus for Previously Treated Advanced Gastric Cancer: Results of the Randomized, Double-Blind, Phase III GRANITE-1 Study

Science.gov (United States)

Ohtsu, Atsushi; Ajani, Jaffer A.; Bai, Yu-Xian; Bang, Yung-Jue; Chung, Hyun-Cheol; Pan, Hong-Ming; Sahmoud, Tarek; Shen, Lin; Yeh, Kun-Huei; Chin, Keisho; Muro, Kei; Kim, Yeul Hong; Ferry, David; Tebbutt, Niall C.; Al-Batran, Salah-Eddin; Smith, Heind; Costantini, Chiara; Rizvi, Syed; Lebwohl, David; Van Cutsem, Eric

2013-01-01

Purpose The oral mammalian target of rapamycin inhibitor everolimus demonstrated promising efficacy in a phase II study of pretreated advanced gastric cancer. This international, double-blind, phase III study compared everolimus efficacy and safety with that of best supportive care (BSC) in previously treated advanced gastric cancer. Patients and Methods Patients with advanced gastric cancer that progressed after one or two lines of systemic chemotherapy were randomly assigned to everolimus 10 mg/d (assignment schedule: 2:1) or matching placebo, both given with BSC. Randomization was stratified by previous chemotherapy lines (one v two) and region (Asia v rest of the world [ROW]). Treatment continued until disease progression or intolerable toxicity. Primary end point was overall survival (OS). Secondary end points included progression-free survival (PFS), overall response rate, and safety. Results Six hundred fifty-six patients (median age, 62.0 years; 73.6% male) were enrolled. Median OS was 5.4 months with everolimus and 4.3 months with placebo (hazard ratio, 0.90; 95% CI, 0.75 to 1.08; P = .124). Median PFS was 1.7 months and 1.4 months in the everolimus and placebo arms, respectively (hazard ratio, 0.66; 95% CI, 0.56 to 0.78). Common grade 3/4 adverse events included anemia, decreased appetite, and fatigue. The safety profile was similar in patients enrolled in Asia versus ROW. Conclusion Compared with BSC, everolimus did not significantly improve overall survival for advanced gastric cancer that progressed after one or two lines of previous systemic chemotherapy. The safety profile observed for everolimus was consistent with that observed for everolimus in other cancers. PMID:24043745

Optimal conditions for particle-bubble attachment in flotation: an experimental study

Science.gov (United States)

Sanchez Yanez, Aaron; Hernandez Sanchez, Jose Federico; Thoroddsen, Sigurdur T.

2017-11-01

Mineral flotation is a process used in the mining industry for separating solid particles of different sizes and densities. The separation is done by injecting bubbles into a slurry where the particles attach to them, forming floating aggregates. The attachment depends mainly on the bubbles and particles sizes as well as the hydrophobicity and roughness of the particles. We simplified the collective behavior in the industrial process to a single free particle-bubble collision, in contrast with previous studies where one of the two was kept fixed. We experimentally investigated the collision of spherical solid particles of a fixed diameter with bubbles of different sizes. By controlling the initial relative offset of the bubble and the particle, we conducted experiments observing their interaction. Recording with two synchronized high-speed cameras, perpendicular to each other, we can reconstruct the tridimensional trajectories of the bubble, the solid particle, and the aggregate. We describe the conditions for which the attachment happens in terms of dimensionless parameters such as the Ohnesorge number, the relative particle-bubble offset and the hydrophobicity of the particle surface. We furthermore investigate the role of the surface roughness in the attachment.

Eyeblink conditioning in unmedicated schizophrenia patients: a positron emission tomography study.

Science.gov (United States)

Parker, Krystal L; Andreasen, Nancy C; Liu, Dawei; Freeman, John H; O'Leary, Daniel S

2013-12-30

Previous studies suggest that patients with schizophrenia exhibit dysfunctions in a widely distributed circuit-the cortico-cerebellar-thalamic-cortical circuit, or CCTCC-and that this may explain the multiple cognitive deficits observed in the disorder. This study uses positron emission tomography (PET) with O(15) H₂O to measure regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) in response to a classic test of cerebellar function, the associative learning that occurs during eyeblink conditioning, in a sample of 20 unmedicated schizophrenia patients and 20 closely matched healthy controls. The PET paradigm examined three phases of acquisition and extinction (early, middle and late). The patients displayed impaired behavioral performance during both acquisition and extinction. The imaging data indicate that, compared to the control subjects, the patients displayed decreases in rCBF in all three components of the CCTCC during both acquisition and extinction. Specifically, patients had less rCBF in the middle and medial frontal lobes, anterior cerebellar lobules I/V and VI, as well as the thalamus during acquisition and although similar areas were found in the frontal lobe, ipsilateral cerebellar lobule IX showed consistently less activity in patients during extinction. Thus this study provides additional support for the hypothesis that patients with schizophrenia have a cognitive dysmetria--an inability to smoothly coordinate many different types of mental activity--that affects even a very basic cognitive task that taps into associative learning. © 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Studies in Phebus reactor of fuel behaviour upon LOCA conditions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Manin, A.; Del Negro, R.; Reocreux, M.

1980-09-01

The fuel behaviour upon LOCA conditions is studied in an in-pile loop, in Phebus reactor. This paper presents: a short description of Phebus reactor; the current program (adjusting the thermohydraulic conditions in order to get cladding failure); the program developments (consequences involved by cladding failure); the fuel test conditions determination [fr

The Role of Endogenous D2 Receptor Levels in Morphine Addiction: A Correlative Study of Morphine Place Conditioning and In Vivo [3H]-Raclopride Binding

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Khan, N.; Gatley, S.

2004-01-01

Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that has a wide array of effects on an individual’s mental state. It is vital in the regulation of motor skills and in generating the effects of substance abuse. This study examined the dopamine D2 receptors found in the striatum of the brain. The impetus for investigating this receptor lies in the perception that it plays an influential role in drug addiction. It has been conjectured on the basis of human PET studies that possession of low levels of D2 receptors will heighten an individual’s susceptibility to drug addiction. However, an alternative explanation of low D2 receptor levels in drug dependent individuals is that these levels are a consequence of drug abuse. To understand this phenomenon, the present study employed the paradigm of conditioned place preference (CPP). In CPP, individuals of an out-bred mouse strain are observed to spend time in environments where they had previously been exposed to a drug that is abused by humans. The drug chosen for our studies was morphine because it has been previously shown to generate a robust place preference in mice and is a prototypic abused drug in humans. D2 receptor levels were quantified using an in vivo binding study involving [3H]raclopride, a radioactive compound that binds to D2 receptors. The results showed a significant place preference for morphine following the conditioning procedure. Additionally, data from the binding analysis agreed with previous studies that the striatum contains high levels of D2 receptors. However, there was no consistent relationship between the extent of morphine CPP and D2 receptor levels as revealed by [3H]-RAC binding. This finding does not support the hypothesis that low levels of D2 receptors predispose a mouse to easy morphine conditioning. Further experiments are required to determine the ability to generalize our findings to other species and other drugs of abuse.

Analysis of three-phase equilibrium conditions for methane hydrate by isometric-isothermal molecular dynamics simulations

Science.gov (United States)

Yuhara, Daisuke; Brumby, Paul E.; Wu, David T.; Sum, Amadeu K.; Yasuoka, Kenji

2018-05-01

To develop prediction methods of three-phase equilibrium (coexistence) conditions of methane hydrate by molecular simulations, we examined the use of NVT (isometric-isothermal) molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. NVT MD simulations of coexisting solid hydrate, liquid water, and vapor methane phases were performed at four different temperatures, namely, 285, 290, 295, and 300 K. NVT simulations do not require complex pressure control schemes in multi-phase systems, and the growth or dissociation of the hydrate phase can lead to significant pressure changes in the approach toward equilibrium conditions. We found that the calculated equilibrium pressures tended to be higher than those reported by previous NPT (isobaric-isothermal) simulation studies using the same water model. The deviations of equilibrium conditions from previous simulation studies are mainly attributable to the employed calculation methods of pressure and Lennard-Jones interactions. We monitored the pressure in the methane phase, far from the interfaces with other phases, and confirmed that it was higher than the total pressure of the system calculated by previous studies. This fact clearly highlights the difficulties associated with the pressure calculation and control for multi-phase systems. The treatment of Lennard-Jones interactions without tail corrections in MD simulations also contributes to the overestimation of equilibrium pressure. Although improvements are still required to obtain accurate equilibrium conditions, NVT MD simulations exhibit potential for the prediction of equilibrium conditions of multi-phase systems.

Analysis of three-phase equilibrium conditions for methane hydrate by isometric-isothermal molecular dynamics simulations.

Science.gov (United States)

Yuhara, Daisuke; Brumby, Paul E; Wu, David T; Sum, Amadeu K; Yasuoka, Kenji

2018-05-14

To develop prediction methods of three-phase equilibrium (coexistence) conditions of methane hydrate by molecular simulations, we examined the use of NVT (isometric-isothermal) molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. NVT MD simulations of coexisting solid hydrate, liquid water, and vapor methane phases were performed at four different temperatures, namely, 285, 290, 295, and 300 K. NVT simulations do not require complex pressure control schemes in multi-phase systems, and the growth or dissociation of the hydrate phase can lead to significant pressure changes in the approach toward equilibrium conditions. We found that the calculated equilibrium pressures tended to be higher than those reported by previous NPT (isobaric-isothermal) simulation studies using the same water model. The deviations of equilibrium conditions from previous simulation studies are mainly attributable to the employed calculation methods of pressure and Lennard-Jones interactions. We monitored the pressure in the methane phase, far from the interfaces with other phases, and confirmed that it was higher than the total pressure of the system calculated by previous studies. This fact clearly highlights the difficulties associated with the pressure calculation and control for multi-phase systems. The treatment of Lennard-Jones interactions without tail corrections in MD simulations also contributes to the overestimation of equilibrium pressure. Although improvements are still required to obtain accurate equilibrium conditions, NVT MD simulations exhibit potential for the prediction of equilibrium conditions of multi-phase systems.

Combining complexity measures of EEG data: multiplying measures reveal previously hidden information.

Science.gov (United States)

Burns, Thomas; Rajan, Ramesh

2015-01-01

Many studies have noted significant differences among human electroencephalograph (EEG) results when participants or patients are exposed to different stimuli, undertaking different tasks, or being affected by conditions such as epilepsy or Alzheimer's disease. Such studies often use only one or two measures of complexity and do not regularly justify their choice of measure beyond the fact that it has been used in previous studies. If more measures were added to such studies, however, more complete information might be found about these reported differences. Such information might be useful in confirming the existence or extent of such differences, or in understanding their physiological bases. In this study we analysed publically-available EEG data using a range of complexity measures to determine how well the measures correlated with one another. The complexity measures did not all significantly correlate, suggesting that different measures were measuring unique features of the EEG signals and thus revealing information which other measures were unable to detect. Therefore, the results from this analysis suggests that combinations of complexity measures reveal unique information which is in addition to the information captured by other measures of complexity in EEG data. For this reason, researchers using individual complexity measures for EEG data should consider using combinations of measures to more completely account for any differences they observe and to ensure the robustness of any relationships identified.

Post-cold-storage conditioning time affects soil denitrifying enzyme activity

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Chirinda, Ngonidzashe; Olesen, Jørgen Eivind; Porter, John Roy

2011-01-01

Soil denitrifying enzyme activity (DEA) is often assessed after cold storage. Previous studies using the short-term acetylene inhibition method have not considered conditioning time (post-cold-storage warm-up time prior to soil analysis) as a factor influencing results. We observed fluctuations...

Speech auditory brainstem response (speech ABR) characteristics depending on recording conditions, and hearing status: an experimental parametric study.

Science.gov (United States)

Akhoun, Idrick; Moulin, Annie; Jeanvoine, Arnaud; Ménard, Mikael; Buret, François; Vollaire, Christian; Scorretti, Riccardo; Veuillet, Evelyne; Berger-Vachon, Christian; Collet, Lionel; Thai-Van, Hung

2008-11-15

Speech elicited auditory brainstem responses (Speech ABR) have been shown to be an objective measurement of speech processing in the brainstem. Given the simultaneous stimulation and recording, and the similarities between the recording and the speech stimulus envelope, there is a great risk of artefactual recordings. This study sought to systematically investigate the source of artefactual contamination in Speech ABR response. In a first part, we measured the sound level thresholds over which artefactual responses were obtained, for different types of transducers and experimental setup parameters. A watermelon model was used to model the human head susceptibility to electromagnetic artefact. It was found that impedances between the electrodes had a great effect on electromagnetic susceptibility and that the most prominent artefact is due to the transducer's electromagnetic leakage. The only artefact-free condition was obtained with insert-earphones shielded in a Faraday cage linked to common ground. In a second part of the study, using the previously defined artefact-free condition, we recorded speech ABR in unilateral deaf subjects and bilateral normal hearing subjects. In an additional control condition, Speech ABR was recorded with the insert-earphones used to deliver the stimulation, unplugged from the ears, so that the subjects did not perceive the stimulus. No responses were obtained from the deaf ear of unilaterally hearing impaired subjects, nor in the insert-out-of-the-ear condition in all the subjects, showing that Speech ABR reflects the functioning of the auditory pathways.

Standard Model Vacuum Stability and Weyl Consistency Conditions

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Antipin, Oleg; Gillioz, Marc; Krog, Jens

2013-01-01

At high energy the standard model possesses conformal symmetry at the classical level. This is reflected at the quantum level by relations between the different beta functions of the model. These relations are known as the Weyl consistency conditions. We show that it is possible to satisfy them...... order by order in perturbation theory, provided that a suitable coupling constant counting scheme is used. As a direct phenomenological application, we study the stability of the standard model vacuum at high energies and compare with previous computations violating the Weyl consistency conditions....

Study of wall conditioning in tokamaks with application to ITER

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kogut, Dmitri

2014-01-01

Thesis is devoted to studies of performance and efficiency of wall conditioning techniques in fusion reactors, such as ITER. Conditioning is necessary to control the state of the surface of plasma facing components to ensure plasma initiation and performance. Conditioning and operation of the JET tokamak with ITER-relevant material mix is extensively studied. A 2D model of glow conditioning discharges is developed and validated; it predicts reasonably uniform discharges in ITER. In the nuclear phase of ITER operation conditioning will be needed to control tritium inventory. It is shown here that isotopic exchange is an efficient mean to eliminate tritium from the walls by replacing it with deuterium. Extrapolations for tritium removal are comparable with expected retention per a nominal plasma pulse in ITER. A 1D model of hydrogen isotopic exchange in beryllium is developed and validated. It shows that fluence and temperature of the surface influence efficiency of the isotopic exchange. (author) [fr

Reverse arthroplasty for osteoarthritis and rotator cuff deficiency after previous surgery for recurrent anterior shoulder instability.

Science.gov (United States)

Raiss, Patric; Zeifang, Felix; Pons-Villanueva, Juan; Smithers, Christopher J; Loew, Markus; Walch, Gilles

2014-07-01

Osteoarthritis in combination with rotator cuff deficiency following previous shoulder stabilisation surgery and after failed surgical treatment for chronic anterior shoulder dislocation is a challenging condition. The aim of this study was to analyse the results of reverse shoulder arthroplasty in such patients. Thirteen patients with a median follow-up of 3.5 (range two to eight) years and a median age of 70 (range 48-82) years were included. In all shoulders a tear of at least one rotator cuff tendon in combination with osteoarthritis was present at the time of arthroplasty. The Constant score, shoulder flexion and external and internal rotation with the elbow at the side were documented pre-operatively and at the final follow-up. Pre-operative, immediate post-operative and final follow-up radiographs were analysed. All complications and revisions were documented. Twelve patients were either satisfied or very satisfied with the procedure. The median Constant score increased from 26 points pre-operatively to 67 points at the final follow-up (p = 0.001). The median shoulder flexion increased significantly from 70° to 130° and internal rotation from two to four points (p = 0.002). External rotation did not change significantly (p = 0.55). Glenoid notching was present in five cases and was graded as mild in three cases and moderate in two. One complication occurred leading to revision surgery. Reverse arthroplasty leads to high satisfaction rates for patients with osteoarthritis and rotator cuff deficiency who had undergone previous shoulder stabilisation procedures. The improvements in clinical outcome as well as the radiographic results seem to be comparable with those of other studies reporting on the outcome of reverse shoulder arthroplasty for other conditions.

Study of the cyclotron operating conditions; Etude des conditions de fonctionnement du cyclotron

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Debraine, P; Bariaud, A; Goldschmidt-Clermont, Y

1948-12-01

This work is a detailed study of the operating conditions of the cyclotron. It analyzes the behaviour of the particles from their first accelerations to their arrival on an external target. Calculations were performed using relativistic formulations in order to make the results usable without any energy level restriction. The obtained results supply some numerical elements for a cyclotron pre-determination and allow a satisfactory visualization of the real phenomena taking place during the accelerations. The shape of the phase change during the successive accelerations has been obtained for a given magnetic field configuration with respect to the operating frequency, to the magnetic field value in the center, and to the accelerating voltage between the dees. Taking into account the limitations due to the accelerating and focussing conditions, the usable phase interval has been determined with respect to the characteristic operating parameters. The study of this phase interval with respect to the accelerating voltage, on the one hand, and with respect to the frequency or to the center magnetic field, on the other hand, has permitted to find again two facts experimentally observed: voltage threshold and dissymmetry of the response curve. The study of radial and axial oscillations has shown the existence of precession phenomena and indicates a maximum limit for the magnetic field variation in order to avoid the disturbances due to oscillations coupling. The study of the ion beam envelope inside the chamber with respect to the initial phases has permitted to determine the optimum shape of the dees and the height of the deflecting channel. Moreover, the influence of various parameters on the ion beam efficiency can be shown using an ideal source. The study of the passing conditions inside the deflecting channel has shown the influence of the separation sheet, has given the dimensions to foresee for the deflecting channel, and has indicated the way to follow to obtain

Condition of America's Public School Facilities: 2012-13. First Look. NCES 2014-022

Science.gov (United States)

Alexander, Debbie; Lewis, Laurie

2014-01-01

This report provides nationally representative data on the condition of public school facilities. The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) previously collected data on this topic in 1999 (Lewis et al. 2000). The study presented in this report collected information about the condition of public school facilities in the 2012-13 school…

Evolution of conditional cooperation under multilevel selection.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Huanren; Perc, Matjaž

2016-03-11

We study the emergence of conditional cooperation in the presence of both intra-group and inter-group selection. Individuals play public goods games within their groups using conditional strategies, which are represented as piecewise linear response functions. Accordingly, groups engage in conflicts with a certain probability. In contrast to previous studies, we consider continuous contribution levels and a rich set of conditional strategies, allowing for a wide range of possible interactions between strategies. We find that the existence of conditional strategies enables the stabilization of cooperation even under strong intra-group selection. The strategy that eventually dominates in the population has two key properties: (i) It is unexploitable with strong intra-group selection; (ii) It can achieve full contribution to outperform other strategies in the inter-group selection. The success of this strategy is robust to initial conditions as well as changes to important parameters. We also investigate the influence of different factors on cooperation levels, including group conflicts, group size, and migration rate. Their effect on cooperation can be attributed to and explained by their influence on the relative strength of intra-group and inter-group selection.

Effects of blood collection conditions on ovarian cancer serum markers.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jason D Thorpe

2007-12-01

Full Text Available Evaluating diagnostic and early detection biomarkers requires comparing serum protein concentrations among biosamples ascertained from subjects with and without cancer. Efforts are generally made to standardize blood processing and storage conditions for cases and controls, but blood sample collection conditions cannot be completely controlled. For example, blood samples from cases are often obtained from persons aware of their diagnoses, and collected after fasting or in surgery, whereas blood samples from some controls may be obtained in different conditions, such as a clinic visit. By measuring the effects of differences in collection conditions on three different markers, we investigated the potential of these effects to bias validation studies.We analyzed serum concentrations of three previously studied putative ovarian cancer serum biomarkers-CA 125, Prolactin and MIF-in healthy women, women with ovarian cancer undergoing gynecologic surgery, women undergoing surgery for benign ovary pathology, and women undergoing surgery with pathologically normal ovaries. For women undergoing surgery, a blood sample was collected either in the clinic 1 to 39 days prior to surgery, or on the day of surgery after anesthesia was administered but prior to the surgical procedure, or both. We found that one marker, prolactin, was dramatically affected by collection conditions, while CA 125 and MIF were unaffected. Prolactin levels were not different between case and control groups after accounting for the conditions of sample collection, suggesting that sample ascertainment could explain some or all of the previously reported results about its potential as a biomarker for ovarian cancer.Biomarker validation studies should use standardized collection conditions, use multiple control groups, and/or collect samples from cases prior to influence of diagnosis whenever feasible to detect and correct for potential biases associated with sample collection.

Conditional selectivity performance of Indian mutual fund schemes: An empirical study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Subrata Roy

2015-06-01

Full Text Available The present study seeks to examine the stock-selection performance of the sample open-ended equity mutual fund schemes of Birla Sun Life Mutual Fund Company based on traditional and conditional performance measures. It is generally expected that inclusion of some relevant predetermined public information variables in the conditional CAPM provides better performance estimates as compared to the traditional measures. The study reports that after inclusion of conditioning public information variables, the selectivity performances of the schemes have dramatically improved relative to the traditional measure and also found that conditional measure is superior to traditional measure in statistical test.

Predictive factors for the development of diabetes in women with previous gestational diabetes mellitus

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Damm, P.; Kühl, C.; Bertelsen, Aksel

1992-01-01

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to determine the incidence of diabetes in women with previous dietary-treated gestational diabetes mellitus and to identify predictive factors for development of diabetes. STUDY DESIGN: Two to 11 years post partum, glucose tolerance was investigated in 241...... women with previous dietary-treated gestational diabetes mellitus and 57 women without previous gestational diabetes mellitus (control group). RESULTS: Diabetes developed in 42 (17.4%) women with previous gestational diabetes mellitus (3.7% insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus and 13.7% non...... of previous patients with gestational diabetes mellitus in whom plasma insulin was measured during an oral glucose tolerance test in late pregnancy a low insulin response at diagnosis was found to be an independent predictive factor for diabetes development. CONCLUSIONS: Women with previous dietary...

Transformation of environmental conditions in large former Soviet countries: regional analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Bityukova, V. R.; Borovikov, M. S.

2018-01-01

The article studies changes in the structure of environmental conditions of regions in the large former Soviet countries (case study of Russia and Kazakhstan) that have formed considerable contrasts in the placement of industrial complex and population settlement during the previous development stages. The changes related to the transition to market economy have led to essential transformation of environmental conditions. A complex index allowing to assess changes at the regional level in Kazakhstan and Russia and to reveal main similarities and differences between those changes is applied to studying the transformation of regional and industry structure. The article examines both industry-specific and spatial patterns forming environmental conditions at the regional level.

Impact of previous vascular burden on in-hospital and long-term mortality in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction.

Science.gov (United States)

Consuegra-Sánchez, Luciano; Melgarejo-Moreno, Antonio; Galcerá-Tomás, José; Alonso-Fernández, Nuria; Díaz-Pastor, Angela; Escudero-García, Germán; Jaulent-Huertas, Leticia; Vicente-Gilabert, Marta

2014-06-01

Patients with a current acute coronary syndrome and previous ischemic heart disease, peripheral arterial disease, and/or cerebrovascular disease are reported to have a poorer outcome than those without these previous conditions. It is uncertain whether this association with outcome is observed at long-term follow-up. Prospective observational study, including 4247 patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction. Detailed clinical data and information on previous ischemic heart disease, peripheral arterial disease, and cerebrovascular disease ("vascular burden") were recorded. Multivariate models were performed for in-hospital and long-term (median, 7.2 years) all-cause mortality. One vascular territory was affected in 1131 (26.6%) patients and ≥ 2 territories in 221 (5.2%). The total in-hospital mortality rate was 12.3% and the long-term incidence density was 3.5 deaths per 100 patient-years. A background of previous ischemic heart disease (odds ratio = 0.83; P = .35), peripheral arterial disease (odds ratio = 1.30; P = .34), or cerebrovascular disease (stroke) (odds ratio = 1.15; P = .59) was not independently predictive of in-hospital death. In an adjusted model, previous cerebrovascular disease and previous peripheral arterial disease were both predictors of mortality at long-term follow-up (hazard ratio = 1.57; P cerebrovascular disease and peripheral arterial disease were predictors of mortality at long-term after hospital discharge. Copyright © 2013 Sociedad Española de Cardiología. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

49 CFR 173.23 - Previously authorized packaging.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... 49 Transportation 2 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Previously authorized packaging. 173.23 Section... REQUIREMENTS FOR SHIPMENTS AND PACKAGINGS Preparation of Hazardous Materials for Transportation § 173.23 Previously authorized packaging. (a) When the regulations specify a packaging with a specification marking...

The job satisfaction of principals of previously disadvantaged schools

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The aim of this study was to identify influences on the job satisfaction of previously disadvantaged ..... I am still riding the cloud … I hope it lasts. .... as a way of creating a climate and culture in schools where individuals are willing to explore.

22 CFR 40.91 - Certain aliens previously removed.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... 22 Foreign Relations 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Certain aliens previously removed. 40.91... IMMIGRANTS UNDER THE IMMIGRATION AND NATIONALITY ACT, AS AMENDED Aliens Previously Removed § 40.91 Certain aliens previously removed. (a) 5-year bar. An alien who has been found inadmissible, whether as a result...

Is email a reliable means of contacting authors of previously published papers? A study of the Emergency Medicine Journal for 2001.

Science.gov (United States)

O'Leary, F

2003-07-01

To determine whether it is possible to contact authors of previously published papers via email. A cross sectional study of the Emergency Medicine Journal for 2001. 118 articles were included in the study. The response rate from those with valid email addresses was 73%. There was no statistical difference between the type of email address used and the address being invalid (p=0.392) or between the type of article and the likelihood of a reply (p=0.197). More responses were obtained from work addresses when compared with Hotmail addresses (86% v 57%, p=0.02). Email is a valid means of contacting authors of previously published articles, particularly within the emergency medicine specialty. A work based email address may be a more valid means of contact than a Hotmail address.

Does the patients′ educational level and previous counseling affect their medication knowledge?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Abdulmalik M Alkatheri

2013-01-01

Conclusions: The education level of the patient and previous counseling are positively linked to medication knowledge. Knowledge of the medications′ side effects proved to be the most difficult task for the participants in this study, requiring the highest level of education, and was improved by previous counseling.

SONOGRAPHIC PREDICTION OF SCAR DEHISCENCE IN WOMEN WITH PREVIOUS CAESAREAN SECTION

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shubhada Suhas Jajoo

2018-01-01

Full Text Available BACKGROUND Caesarean section (Sectio Caesarea is a surgical method for the completion of delivery. After various historical modifications of operative techniques, modern approach consists in the transverse dissection of the anterior wall of the uterus. The rate of vaginal birth after caesarean section was significantly reduced from year to year and the rate of repeated caesarean section is increased during the past 10 years. Evaluation of scar thickness is done by ultrasound, but it is still debatable size of thick scar that would be guiding “cut-off value” for the completion of the delivery method. To better assess the risk of uterine rupture, some authors have proposed sonographic measurement of lower uterine segment thickness near term assuming that there is an inverse correlation between LUS thickness and the risk of uterine scar defect. Therefore, this assessment for the management of women with prior CS may increase safety during labour by selecting women with the lowest risk of uterine rupture. The aim of the study is to study the diagnostic accuracy of sonographic measurements of the Lower Uterine Segment (LUS thickness near term in predicting uterine scar defects in women with prior Caesarean Section (CS. We aim to ascertain the best cut-off values for predicting uterine rupture. MATERIALS AND METHODS 100 antenatal women with history of previous one LSCS who come to attend antenatal clinic will be assessed for scar thickness by transabdominal ultrasonography and its correlation with intraoperative findings. This prospective longitudinal study was conducted for 1 year after IEC approval with inclusion criteria previous one LSCS. Exclusion criteria- 1 Previous myomectomy scar; 2 Previous 2 LSCS; 3 Previous hysterotomy scar. RESULTS Our findings indicate that there is a strong association between degree of LUS thinning measured near term and the risk of uterine scar defect at birth. In our study, optimal cut-off value for predicting

Report of study 7.3: cooling and air conditioning

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Russo, F.

2000-07-01

This report describes the results of the study carried out by the study group 7.3 in the triennium 1997-2000. The study was focused on industrial refrigeration and air conditioning for the large building utilising natural gas. The goal of this study, carried out in collaboration of the members of study group 7.3, was to analyse the markets of industrial refrigeration and air conditioning for large buildings to identify possibilities to increase the natural gas share in these sectors. The available technology in the two sectors of the market are described in a single section, i.e. the 'State of the art of the technology'. In this section, technical characteristics, applications, performances, new developments and others topics are discussed for absorbers, gas engines, gas turbines and fuel cells. In the 'Industrial Refrigeration' section an analysis of the present global market for the industrial sector is presented. Economics, advantages and barriers to gas units compared with the electrical units are discussed. Information on existing industrial plants, possible application options and new technology developments are described as well. The 'Air conditioning for the large building' section deals with offices, hotels, commercial buildings, hospitals and shopping centres with a cooling capacity of 350 kW or higher. It appears that the use of natural gas for cooling of large buildings has been increasing during the last decade, thanks to the greater availability of natural gas and the development of new technologies. A marketing survey of gas air-conditioning was carried out in cooperation with a group of Intergas Marketing. Based on the survey, the report describes the market position of natural gas relative to electricity. It provides the strategic prospects for further developing natural gas as a competitive option for air-conditioning of large buildings using a combination of state-of-the-art technologies. It is important to highlight

Rare Neural Correlations Implement Robotic Conditioning with Delayed Rewards and Disturbances

Science.gov (United States)

Soltoggio, Andrea; Lemme, Andre; Reinhart, Felix; Steil, Jochen J.

2013-01-01

Neural conditioning associates cues and actions with following rewards. The environments in which robots operate, however, are pervaded by a variety of disturbing stimuli and uncertain timing. In particular, variable reward delays make it difficult to reconstruct which previous actions are responsible for following rewards. Such an uncertainty is handled by biological neural networks, but represents a challenge for computational models, suggesting the lack of a satisfactory theory for robotic neural conditioning. The present study demonstrates the use of rare neural correlations in making correct associations between rewards and previous cues or actions. Rare correlations are functional in selecting sparse synapses to be eligible for later weight updates if a reward occurs. The repetition of this process singles out the associating and reward-triggering pathways, and thereby copes with distal rewards. The neural network displays macro-level classical and operant conditioning, which is demonstrated in an interactive real-life human-robot interaction. The proposed mechanism models realistic conditioning in humans and animals and implements similar behaviors in neuro-robotic platforms. PMID:23565092

Experimental studies of an optimal operating condition for the Bunsen process in the I-S thermochemical cycle

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yoon, Ho Joon; No, Hee Cheon; Kim, Young Soo; Jin, Hyung Gon; Lee, Jeong Ik; Lee, Byung Jin

2009-01-01

Conventional I-S cycles have critical limitations in material integrity and thermal efficiency. The HIx and sulfuric acids in high temperature and pressure cause serious material corrosions. They also carry too much water and iodine over the entire processes. To try to find a solution to these problems, KAIST proposed an optimal operating condition of Bunsen section through a parametric study of existing experimental data, and, based on it, devised a new flowsheet. When the contents of water and I 2 in the feed are controlled within the optimal band, HI concentration in HIx phase becomes strongly over-azeotropic. By simple flashing of the over-azeotropic HI solution, highly enriched HI vapor can be obtained, which leads to improved energy efficiency of the cycle. Since the cycle is operable under low pressures, the corrosivity of the operating condition can also be alleviated. In order to validate the previous experimental data and enhance the feasibility of the newly proposed flowsheet, KAIST is performing experiments. Procedure and results of early stage of experiments are introduced in this paper. (author)

Work organisation, technology and working conditions

OpenAIRE

Dhondt, S.; Kraan, K.; Sloten, G. van

2002-01-01

The personal computer, computer networks and the Internet have brought the Union into the Information Age. These technological changes have inevitably led to changes in the work environment and the quality of working conditions. For the third time, the European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions has carried out a questionnaire-based survey on working conditions throughout the European Union, covering all Member States. Previous surveys were carried out in 1991 and...

The job satisfaction of principals of previously disadvantaged schools

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The aim of this study was to identify influences on the job satisfaction of previously disadvantaged school principals in North-West Province. Evans's theory of job satisfaction, morale and motivation was useful as a conceptual framework. A mixedmethods explanatory research design was important in discovering issues with ...

Doxorubicin and ifosfamide combination chemotherapy in previously treated acute leukemia in adults: a Southwest Oncology Group pilot study.

Science.gov (United States)

Ryan, D H; Bickers, J N; Vial, R H; Hussein, K; Bottomley, R; Hewlett, J S; Wilson, H E; Stuckey, W J

1980-01-01

The Southwest Oncology Group did a limited institutional pilot study of the combination of doxorubicin and ifosfamide in the treatment of previously treated adult patients with acute leukemia. Thirty-four patients received one or two courses of the combination. All patients had received prior chemotherapy and 32 had received prior anthracycline chemotherapy. Three patients died before their responses could be fully evaluated. Fourteen patients achieved complete remission (41%) and one patient achieved partial remission. The complete remission rate was 27% for patients with acute myeloblastic leukemia (myelomonoblastic leukemia, monoblastic leukemia, and erythroleukemia) and 89% for patients with acute lymphocytic and undifferentiated leukemia (ALL). Toxic effects included severe hematologic reactions in 33 of 34 patients, hematuria in six patients, altered sensorium in one patient, and congestive heart failure in one patient. The safety of the combination was established and toxic side effects of this therapy were tolerable. The 89% complete remission rate for previously treated patients with ALL suggests that the combination of doxorubicin and ifosfamide may be particularly effective in ALL.

Studies on migration behavior of radionuclides under reducing conditions in JNC

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kitamura, A.; Sato, H.

2002-01-01

Japan Nuclear Cycle Development Institute (JNC) has performed extensive researches and developments to investigate the geochemistry and radionuclide migration in buffer materials and geosphere. Experimental and modeling studies have been carried out related to the geological disposal of high-level radioactive waste (HLW) as a link in the chair of a follow-up of the second progress report, which has explained in the technical feasibility of HLW geological disposal in Japan. In this paper, three experimental studies on solubility, sorption and diffusion of radionuclides under reducing conditions for assuring the reliability and for improving the quality of the databases are introduced. Solubility and sorption behavior of neptunium (Np) have been studied under reducing conditions in carbonate media. For the solubility study, thermodynamic equilibrium constants of carbonatohydroxo complexes of Np(IV) have been determined from a solubility measurement in alkaline solutions. For the sorption study, distribution coefficient (K d ) of Np onto smectite has been determined in weak alkaline solutions under reducing conditions in carbonate media. For the diffusion study, apparent diffusivity (D a ) of selenium (Se) in compacted bentonite have been determined under reducing conditions as a function of silica sand content and temperature

Mentoring to develop research selfefficacy, with particular reference to previously disadvantaged individuals

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S. Schulze

2010-07-01

Full Text Available The development of inexperienced researchers is crucial. In response to the lack of research self-efficacy of many previously disadvantaged individuals, the article examines how mentoring can enhance the research self-efficacy of mentees. The study is grounded in the self-efficacy theory (SET – an aspect of the social cognitive theory (SCT. Insights were gained from an in-depth study of SCT, SET and mentoring, and from a completed mentoring project. This led to the formulation of three basic principles. Firstly, institutions need to provide supportive environmental conditions that facilitate research selfefficacy. This implies a supportive and efficient collective system. The possible effects of performance ratings and reward systems at the institution also need to be considered. Secondly, mentoring needs to create opportunities for young researchers to experience successful learning as a result of appropriate action. To this end, mentees need to be involved in actual research projects in small groups. At the same time the mentor needs to facilitate skills development by coaching and encouragement. Thirdly, mentors need to encourage mentees to believe in their ability to successfully complete research projects. This implies encouraging positive emotional states, stimulating self-reflection and self-comparison with others in the group, giving positive evaluative feedback and being an intentional role model.

Study of transient burnout under flow reduction condition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Iwamura, Takamichi

1986-09-01

Transient burnout characteristics of a fuel rod under a rapid flow reduction condition of a light water reactor were experimentally and analytically studied. The test sections were uniformly heated vertical tube and annulus with the heated length of 800 mm. Test pressures ranged 0.5 ∼ 3.9 MPa, heat fluxes 2,160 ∼ 3,860 KW/m 2 , and flow reduction rates 0.44 ∼ 770 %/s. The local flow condition during flow reduction transients were calculated with a separate flow model. The two-fluid/three-field thermal-hydraulic code, COBRA/TRAC, was also used to investigate the liquid film behavior on the heated surface. The major results obtained in the present study are as follows: The onset of burnout under a rapid flow reduction condition was caused by a liquid film dryout on the heated surface. With increasing flow reduction rate beyond a threshold, the burnout mass velocity at the inlet became lower than the steady-state burnout mass velocity. This is explained by the fact that the vapor flow rate continues to increase due to the delay of boiling boundary movement and the resultant high vapor velocity sustains the liquid film flow after the inlet flow rate reaches the steady-state burnout flow rate. The ratio of inlet burnout mass velocities between flow reduction transient and steady-state became smaller with increasing system pressure because of the lower vapor velocity due to the lower vapor specific volume. Flow reduction burnout occurred when the outlet quality agreed with the steady-state burnout quality within 10 %, suggesting that the local condition burnout model can be used for flow reduction transients. Based on this model, a method to predict the time to burnout under a flow reduction condition in a uniformly heated tube was developed. The calculated times to burnout agreed well with some experimental results obtained by the Author, Cumo et al., and Moxon et al. (author)

Low back pain in military recruits in relation to social background and previous low back pain. A cross-sectional and prospective observational survey

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hestbæk, Lise; Larsen, K.; Weidich, F.

2005-01-01

back pain in the development of low back pain in military recruits. METHODS: During a three-month period, Danish military recruits with different social backgrounds live and work under the same conditions. Thus, there is an opportunity to investigate the influence of social background......BACKGROUND: Traditionally, studies on the etiology of low back pain have been carried out in adult populations. However, since low back pain often appears early in life, more research on young populations is needed. This study focuses on the importance of social background factors and previous low...... on the development of low back pain, when persons are removed from their usual environment and submitted to a number of new stressors. In addition, the importance of the recruits' previous low back pain history in relation to low back pain during military service was studied. This was done by means of questionnaires...

Study of Piezoelectric Vibration Energy Harvester with non-linear conditioning circuit using an integrated model

Science.gov (United States)

Manzoor, Ali; Rafique, Sajid; Usman Iftikhar, Muhammad; Mahmood Ul Hassan, Khalid; Nasir, Ali

2017-08-01

Piezoelectric vibration energy harvester (PVEH) consists of a cantilever bimorph with piezoelectric layers pasted on its top and bottom, which can harvest power from vibrations and feed to low power wireless sensor nodes through some power conditioning circuit. In this paper, a non-linear conditioning circuit, consisting of a full-bridge rectifier followed by a buck-boost converter, is employed to investigate the issues of electrical side of the energy harvesting system. An integrated mathematical model of complete electromechanical system has been developed. Previously, researchers have studied PVEH with sophisticated piezo-beam models but employed simplistic linear circuits, such as resistor, as electrical load. In contrast, other researchers have worked on more complex non-linear circuits but with over-simplified piezo-beam models. Such models neglect different aspects of the system which result from complex interactions of its electrical and mechanical subsystems. In this work, authors have integrated the distributed parameter-based model of piezo-beam presented in literature with a real world non-linear electrical load. Then, the developed integrated model is employed to analyse the stability of complete energy harvesting system. This work provides a more realistic and useful electromechanical model having realistic non-linear electrical load unlike the simplistic linear circuit elements employed by many researchers.

ATLANTIC DIP: simplifying the follow-up of women with previous gestational diabetes.

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

Noctor, E

2013-11-01

Previous gestational diabetes (GDM) is associated with a significant lifetime risk of type 2 diabetes. In this study, we assessed the performance of HbA1c and fasting plasma glucose (FPG) measurements against that of 75 g oral glucose tolerance testing (OGTT) for the follow-up screening of women with previous GDM.

A comparison of morbidity associated with placenta previa with and without previous caesarean sections

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Baqai, S.; Siraj, A.; Noor, N.

2018-01-01

To compare the morbidity associated with placenta previa with and without previous caesarean sections. Study Design: Retrospective comparative study. Place and Duration of Study: From March 2014 till March 2016 in the department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at PNS Shifa hospital Karachi. Material and Methods: After the approval from hospital ethical committee, antenatal patients with singleton pregnancy of gestational age >32 weeks, in the age group of 20-40 years diagnosed to have placenta previa included in the study. All patients with twin pregnancy less than 20 years and more than 40 years of age were excluded. The records of all patients fulfilling the inclusion criteria were reviewed. Data had been collected for demographic and maternal variables, placenta previa, history of previous lower segment caesarean section (LSCS), complications associated with placenta previa and techniques used to control blood loss were recorded. Results: During the study period, 6879 patients were delivered in PNS Shifa, out of these, 2060 (29.9%) had caesarean section out of these, 47.3% patients had previous history of LSCS. Thirty three (1.6%) patients were diagnosed to have placenta previa and frequency of placenta previa was significantly higher in patients with previous history of LSCS than previous normal delivery of LSCS i.e. 22 vs. 11 (p=0.023). It was observed that the frequency of morbidly adherent placenta (MAP) and Intensive care unit (ICU) stay were significantly higher in patients with previous history of LSCS than previous history of normal delivery. Conclusion: Frequency of placenta previa was significantly higher in patients with history of LSCS. Also placenta previa remains a major risk factor for various maternal complications. (author)

Discovery of temporal and disease association patterns in condition-specific hospital utilization rates.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Julian S Haimovich

Full Text Available Identifying temporal variation in hospitalization rates may provide insights about disease patterns and thereby inform research, policy, and clinical care. However, the majority of medical conditions have not been studied for their potential seasonal variation. The objective of this study was to apply a data-driven approach to characterize temporal variation in condition-specific hospitalizations. Using a dataset of 34 million inpatient discharges gathered from hospitals in New York State from 2008-2011, we grouped all discharges into 263 clinical conditions based on the principal discharge diagnosis using Clinical Classification Software in order to mitigate the limitation that administrative claims data reflect clinical conditions to varying specificity. After applying Seasonal-Trend Decomposition by LOESS, we estimated the periodicity of the seasonal component using spectral analysis and applied harmonic regression to calculate the amplitude and phase of the condition's seasonal utilization pattern. We also introduced four new indices of temporal variation: mean oscillation width, seasonal coefficient, trend coefficient, and linearity of the trend. Finally, K-means clustering was used to group conditions across these four indices to identify common temporal variation patterns. Of all 263 clinical conditions considered, 164 demonstrated statistically significant seasonality. Notably, we identified conditions for which seasonal variation has not been previously described such as ovarian cancer, tuberculosis, and schizophrenia. Clustering analysis yielded three distinct groups of conditions based on multiple measures of seasonal variation. Our study was limited to New York State and results may not directly apply to other regions with distinct climates and health burden. A substantial proportion of medical conditions, larger than previously described, exhibit seasonal variation in hospital utilization. Moreover, the application of clustering

Pavlovian conditioning analysis of morphine tolerance.

Science.gov (United States)

Siegel, S

1978-01-01

It has been demonstrated that many conditional responses to a variety of drugs are opposite in direction to the unconditional effects of the drug, and the conditioning analysis of morphine tolerance emphasizes the fact that subjects with a history of morphine administration display morphine-compensatory conditional responses when confronted with the usual administration procedure but without the drug. Thus, when the drug is presented in the context of the usual administration cues, these conditional morphine-compensatory responses would be expected to attenuate the drug-induced unconditional responses, thereby decreasing the observed response to the drug. Research has been summarized which supports this compensatory conditioning model of tolerance by demonstrating that the display of tolerance is specific to the environment in which the drug has been previously administered. Further evidence supporting this theory of tolerance has been provided by studies establishing that extinction, partial reinforcement, and latent inhibition--non-pharmacological manipulations known to be effective in generally affecting the display of conditional responses--similarly affect the display of morphine tolerance. Additional research has suggested many parallels between learning and morphine tolerance: Both processes exhibit great retention, both are disrupted by electroconvulsive shock and frontal cortical stimulation, both are retarded by inhibitors of protein synthesis, and both are facilitated by antagonists of these metabolic inhibitors.

Sunburn and sun-protective behaviors among adults with and without previous nonmelanoma skin cancer: a population-based study

Science.gov (United States)

Fischer, Alexander H.; Wang, Timothy S.; Yenokyan, Gayane; Kang, Sewon; Chien, Anna L.

2016-01-01

Background Individuals with previous nonmelanoma skin cancer (NMSC) are at increased risk for subsequent skin cancer, and should therefore limit UV exposure. Objective To determine whether individuals with previous NMSC engage in better sun protection than those with no skin cancer history. Methods We pooled self-reported data (2005 and 2010 National Health Interview Surveys) from US non-Hispanic white adults (758 with and 34,161 without previous NMSC). We calculated adjusted prevalence odds ratios (aPOR) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI), taking into account the complex survey design. Results Individuals with previous NMSC versus no history of NMSC had higher rates of frequent use of shade (44.3% versus 27.0%; aPOR=1.41; 1.16–1.71), long sleeves (20.5% versus 7.7%; aPOR=1.55; 1.21–1.98), a wide-brimmed hat (26.1% versus 10.5%; aPOR=1.52; 1.24–1.87), and sunscreen (53.7% versus 33.1%; aPOR=2.11; 95% CI=1.73–2.59), but did not have significantly lower odds of recent sunburn (29.7% versus 40.7%; aPOR=0.95; 0.77–1.17). Among subjects with previous NMSC, recent sunburn was inversely associated with age, sun avoidance, and shade but not sunscreen. Limitations Self-reported cross-sectional data and unavailable information quantifying regular sun exposure. Conclusion Physicians should emphasize sunburn prevention when counseling patients with previous NMSC, especially younger adults, focusing on shade and sun avoidance over sunscreen. PMID:27198078

Pregnancy in a Previously Conjoined Thoracopagus Twin with a Crisscross Heart

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bassam H. Rimawi

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Background. Crisscross heart (CCH is a complex, rare, congenital, rotational, cardiac abnormality that accounts for <0.1% of congenital heart defects (CHD. CCH is characterized by the crossing of the inflow streams of the two ventricles due to an abnormal twisting of the heart. A case of maternal CCH has not been previously reported. Case. We report a case of a primigravida with a CCH, who was separated at birth from her thoracopagus conjoined twin. Pregnancy was managed by congenital cardiology, maternal-fetal medicine, anesthesiology, and obstetrics. She underwent a 39-week vaginal delivery without maternal or neonatal complication. Conclusion. A successful term pregnancy outcome was achieved in a patient with CCH using a multidisciplinary approach to address her cardiac condition.

Previous experiences and emotional baggage as barriers to lifestyle change - a qualitative study of Norwegian Healthy Life Centre participants.

Science.gov (United States)

Følling, Ingrid S; Solbjør, Marit; Helvik, Anne-S

2015-06-23

Changing lifestyle is challenging and difficult. The Norwegian Directorate of Health recommends that all municipalities establish Healthy Life Centres targeted to people with lifestyle issues. Little is known about the background, experiences and reflections of participants. More information is needed about participants to shape effective lifestyle interventions with lasting effect. This study explores how participants in a lifestyle intervention programme describe previous life experiences in relation to changing lifestyle. Semi-structured qualitative in-depth interviews were performed with 23 participants (16 women and 7 men) aged 18 - 70 years. The data were analysed using systematic text condensation searching for issues describing participants' responses, and looking for the essence, aiming to share the basis of life-world experiences as valid knowledge. Participants identified two main themes: being stuck in old habits, and being burdened with emotional baggage from their previous negative experiences. Participants expressed a wish to change their lifestyles, but were unable to act in accordance with the health knowledge they possessed. Previous experiences with lifestyle change kept them from initiating attempts without professional assistance. Participants also described being burdened by an emotional baggage with problems from childhood and/or with family, work and social life issues. Respondents said that they felt that emotional baggage was an important explanation for why they were stuck in old habits and that conversely, being stuck in old habits added load to their already emotional baggage and made it heavier. Behavioural change can be hard to perform as psychological distress from life baggage can influence the ability to change. The study participants' experience of being stuck in old habits and having substantial emotional baggage raises questions as to whether or not Healthy Life Centres are able to help participants who need to make a lifestyle

Previous Fractures at Multiple Sites Increase the Risk for Subsequent Fractures: The Global Longitudinal Study of Osteoporosis in Women

Science.gov (United States)

Gehlbach, Stephen; Saag, Kenneth G.; Adachi, Jonathan D.; Hooven, Fred H.; Flahive, Julie; Boonen, Steven; Chapurlat, Roland D.; Compston, Juliet E.; Cooper, Cyrus; Díez-Perez, Adolfo; Greenspan, Susan L.; LaCroix, Andrea Z.; Netelenbos, J. Coen; Pfeilschifter, Johannes; Rossini, Maurizio; Roux, Christian; Sambrook, Philip N.; Silverman, Stuart; Siris, Ethel S.; Watts, Nelson B.; Lindsay, Robert

2016-01-01

Previous fractures of the hip, spine, or wrist are well-recognized predictors of future fracture, but the role of other fracture sites is less clear. We sought to assess the relationship between prior fracture at 10 skeletal locations and incident fracture. The Global Longitudinal Study of Osteoporosis in Women (GLOW) is an observational cohort study being conducted in 17 physician practices in 10 countries. Women ≥ 55 years answered questionnaires at baseline and at 1 and/or 2 years (fractures in previous year). Of 60,393 women enrolled, follow-up data were available for 51,762. Of these, 17.6%, 4.0%, and 1.6% had suffered 1, 2, or ≥3 fractures since age 45. During the first 2 years of follow-up, 3149 women suffered 3683 incident fractures. Compared with women with no prior fractures, women with 1, 2, or ≥ 3 prior fractures were 1.8-, 3.0-, and 4.8-fold more likely to have any incident fracture; those with ≥3 prior fractures were 9.1-fold more likely to sustain a new vertebral fracture. Nine of 10 prior fracture locations were associated with an incident fracture. The strongest predictors of incident spine and hip fractures were prior spine fracture (hazard ratio 7.3) and hip (hazard ratio 3.5). Prior rib fractures were associated with a 2.3-fold risk of subsequent vertebral fracture, previous upper leg fracture predicted a 2.2-fold increased risk of hip fracture; women with a history of ankle fracture were at 1.8-fold risk of future fracture of a weight-bearing bone. Our findings suggest that a broad range of prior fracture sites are associated with an increased risk of incident fractures, with important implications for clinical assessments and risk model development. PMID:22113888

Medieval Iceland, Greenland, and the New Human Condition: A case study in integrated environmental humanities

Science.gov (United States)

Hartman, Steven; Ogilvie, A. E. J.; Ingimundarson, Jón Haukur; Dugmore, A. J.; Hambrecht, George; McGovern, T. H.

2017-09-01

This paper contributes to recent studies exploring the longue durée of human impacts on island landscapes, the impacts of climate and other environmental changes on human communities, and the interaction of human societies and their environments at different spatial and temporal scales. In particular, the paper addresses Iceland during the medieval period (with a secondary, comparative focus on Norse Greenland) and discusses episodes where environmental and climatic changes have appeared to cross key thresholds for agricultural productivity. The paper draws upon international, interdisciplinary research in the North Atlantic region led by the North Atlantic Biocultural Organization (NABO) and the Nordic Network for Interdisciplinary Environmental Studies (NIES) in the Circumpolar Networks program of the Integrated History and Future of People on Earth (IHOPE). By interlinking analyses of historically grounded literature with archaeological studies and environmental science, valuable new perspectives can emerge on how these past societies may have understood and coped with such impacts. As climate and other environmental changes do not operate in isolation, vulnerabilities created by socioeconomic factors also beg consideration. The paper illustrates the benefits of an integrated environmental-studies approach that draws on data, methodologies and analytical tools of environmental humanities, social sciences, and geosciences to better understand long-term human ecodynamics and changing human-landscape-environment interactions through time. One key goal is to apply previously unused data and concerted expertise to illuminate human responses to past changes; a secondary aim is to consider how lessons derived from these cases may be applicable to environmental threats and socioecological risks in the future, especially as understood in light of the New Human Condition, the concept transposed from Hannah Arendt's influential framing of the human condition that is

Correlation-study about the ambient dose rate and the weather conditions

Science.gov (United States)

Furuya, Masato; Hatano, Yuko; Aoyama, Tomoo; Igarashi, Yasuhito; Kita, Kazuyuki; Ishizuka, Masahide

2016-04-01

The long-term radiation risks are believed to be heavily affected by the resuspension process. We therefore focus on the surface-atmosphere exchange process of released radioactive materials in this study. Radioactive materials were deposited on the soil and float in the air, and such complicated process are influenced by the weather conditions deeply. We need to reveal the correlation between the weather conditions and the ambient dose rate. In this study, we study the correlation between the weather conditions and the ambient dose rate with the correction of the decrease due to the radioactive decay. We found that there is a negative correlation between the ambient dose rate and the soil water content by the correlation coefficient. Using this result, we reconstruct the ambient dose rate from the weather conditions by the multiple regression analysis and found that the reconstructed data agree with the observation very well. Using Kalman filter, which can be sequentially updates the state estimate, we obtained such a good agreement.

Radioisotope studies under pathologic conditions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

DeRossi; Salvatori, M.; Valenza, V.

1987-01-01

This article presents a general discussion on salivary pathology, before dealing with the various salivary gland diseases which can draw real advantage from radioisotope studies. Clinical problems related to the salivary glands first concern diffuse or focal glandular swelling. Focal swelling includes inflammatory or metastatic deposits in preauricular or submandibular lymph nodes, cysts, abscesses, foci of inflammation, benign and malignant neoplasms of the salivary glands themselves or of surrounding blood or lymph vessels, nerves, connective tissue, and oral mucosa. Primary tumors of the salivary glands are rare and usually benign. The combination of a systemic disease with dry mouth and dry eyes due to inflamed conjunctiva and cornea because of decreased fluid production, forms Sjogren syndrome. It may also cause diffuse glandular swelling. Chronic alcoholism, cirrhosis, diabetes mellitus, hyperlipoproteinemia, and malnutrition are other pathologic conditions sometimes associated with diffuse salivary gland swelling

Previous dropout from diabetic care as a predictor of patients' willingness to use mobile applications for self-management: A cross-sectional study.

Science.gov (United States)

Yamaguchi, Satoko; Waki, Kayo; Tomizawa, Nobuko; Waki, Hironori; Nannya, Yasuhito; Nangaku, Masaomi; Kadowaki, Takashi; Ohe, Kazuhiko

2017-07-01

Preventing dropout is crucial in managing diabetes. Accordingly, we investigated whether patients who had dropped out of diabetic care are suitable candidates for the use of mobile technologies - such as smartphone applications - to support self-management (mHealth), which might help prevent dropout. We carried out a cross-sectional study in Tokyo, Japan. Patients aged 20 years or older who were clinically diagnosed as diabetic and who regularly visited the outpatient unit at the University of Tokyo Hospital were recruited between August 2014 and March 2015. Data were collected through face-to-face structured interviews, physical measurements and medical records. Participants were asked whether they were willing to use mHealth after being shown DialBetics - an mHealth application for diabetics - as an example, and about their history of dropout and previous mHealth experience. Data were analyzed by multivariate logistic regression models. Of 307 patients with type 1 and type 2 diabetes, 34 (11.1%) had previously dropped out from diabetic care. Multivariate analysis identified previous mHealth experience as a negative predictor of dropout (odds ratio 0.211, P = 0.023). Of those 34 patients, 27 (79.4%) expressed willingness to use mHealth, a significantly higher percentage than for those who had never dropped out (51.5%, P = 0.002). After adjusting for confounders, history of dropout remained a strong predictor of willingness (odds ratio 3.870, P = 0.004). Patients who previously dropped out of diabetic care are suitable candidates for mHealth. Future studies must evaluate whether mHealth is effective for preventing repeated dropout and improving glycemic control among this population. © 2016 The Authors. Journal of Diabetes Investigation published by Asian Association for the Study of Diabetes (AASD) and John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.

Relative Impact of Multimorbid Chronic Conditions on Health-Related Quality of Life – Results from the MultiCare Cohort Study

Science.gov (United States)

Brettschneider, Christian; Leicht, Hanna; Bickel, Horst; Dahlhaus, Anne; Fuchs, Angela; Gensichen, Jochen; Maier, Wolfgang; Riedel-Heller, Steffi; Schäfer, Ingmar; Schön, Gerhard; Weyerer, Siegfried; Wiese, Birgitt; König, Hans-Helmut; Altiner, Attila; Bickel, Horst; Blank, Wolfgang; Brettschneider, Christian; Bullinger, Monika; van den Bussche, Hendrik; Dahlhaus, Anne; Ehreke, Lena; Freitag, Michael; Fuchs, Angela; Gensichen, Jochen; Gerlach, Ferdinand; Hansen, Heike; Heinrich, Sven; Höfels, Susanne; von dem Knesebeck, Olaf; König, Hans-Helmut; Krause, Norbert; Leicht, Hanna; Luppa, Melanie; Maier, Wolfgang; Mayer, Manfred; Mellert, Christine; Nützel, Anna; Paschke, Thomas; Petersen, Juliana; Prokein, Jana; Riedel-Heller, Steffi; Romberg, Heinz-Peter; Schäfer, Ingmar; Scherer, Martin; Schön, Gerhard; Steinmann, Susanne; Schulz, Sven; Wegscheider, Karl; Weckbecker, Klaus; Werle, Jochen; Weyerer, Siegfried; Wiese, Birgitt; Zieger, Margrit

2013-01-01

Background Multimorbidity has a negative impact on health-related quality of life (HRQL). Previous studies included only a limited number of conditions. In this study, we analyse the impact of a large number of conditions on HRQL in multimorbid patients without preselecting particular diseases. We also explore the effects of these conditions on the specific dimensions of HRQL. Materials and Methods This analysis is based on a multicenter, prospective cohort study of 3189 multimorbid primary care patients aged 65 to 85. The impact of 45 conditions on HRQL was analysed. The severity of the conditions was rated. The EQ-5D, consisting of 5 dimensions and a visual-analogue-scale (EQ VAS), was employed. Data were analysed using multiple ordinary least squares and multiple logistic regressions. Multimorbidity measured by a weighted count score was significantly associated with lower overall HRQL (EQ VAS), b = −1.02 (SE: 0.06). Parkinson’s disease had the most pronounced negative effect on overall HRQL (EQ VAS), b = −12.29 (SE: 2.18), followed by rheumatism, depression, and obesity. With regard to the individual EQ-5D dimensions, depression (OR = 1.39 to 3.3) and obesity (OR = 1.44 to 1.95) affected all five dimensions of the EQ-5D negatively except for the dimension anxiety/depression. Obesity had a positive effect on this dimension, OR = 0.78 (SE: 0.07). The dimensions “self-care”, OR = 4.52 (SE: 1.37) and “usual activities”, OR = 3.59 (SE: 1.0), were most strongly affected by Parkinson’s disease. As a limitation our sample may only represent patients with at most moderate disease severity. Conclusions The overall HRQL of multimorbid patients decreases with an increasing count and severity of conditions. Parkinson’s disease, depression and obesity have the strongest impact on HRQL. Further studies should address the impact of disease combinations which require very large sample sizes as well as advanced statistical methods

Regularization in Hilbert space under unbounded operators and general source conditions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hofmann, Bernd; Mathé, Peter; Von Weizsäcker, Heinrich

2009-01-01

The authors study ill-posed equations with unbounded operators in Hilbert space. This setup has important applications, but only a few theoretical studies are available. First, the question is addressed and answered whether every element satisfies some general source condition with respect to a given self-adjoint unbounded operator. This generalizes a previous result from Mathé and Hofmann (2008 Inverse Problems 24 015009). The analysis then proceeds to error bounds for regularization, emphasizing some specific points for regularization under unbounded operators. The study finally reviews two examples within the light of the present study, as these are fractional differentiation and some Cauchy problems for the Helmholtz equation, both studied previously and in more detail by U Tautenhahn and co-authors

Effects of total body irradiation-based conditioning allogenic sem cell transplantation for pediatric acute leukemia: A single-institution study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Park, Jong Moo; Choi, Eun Kyung; Kim, Jong Hoon

2014-01-01

To evaluate the effects of total body irradiation (TBI), as a conditioning regimen prior to allogeneic stem cell transplantation (allo-SCT), in pediatric acute leukemia patients. From January 2001 to December 2011, 28 patients, aged less than 18 years, were treated with TBI-based conditioning for allo-SCT in our institution. Of the 28 patients, 21 patients were diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL, 75%) and 7 were diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia (AML, 25%). TBI was completed 4 days or 1 day before stem cell infusion. Patients underwent radiation therapy with bilateral parallel opposing fields and 6-MV X-rays. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to calculate survival outcomes. The 2-year event-free survival and overall survival rates were 66% and 56%, respectively (71.4% and 60.0% in AML patients vs. 64.3% and 52.4% in ALL patients, respectively). Treatment related mortality rate were 25%. Acute and chronic graft-versus-host disease was a major complication; other complications included endocrine dysfunction and pulmonary complications. Common complications from TBI were nausea (89%) and cataracts (7.1%). The efficacy and toxicity data in this study of TBI-based conditioning to pediatric acute leukemia patients were comparable with previous studies. However, clinicians need to focus on the acute and chronic complications related to allo-SCT.

Effects of total body irradiation-based conditioning allogenic sem cell transplantation for pediatric acute leukemia: A single-institution study

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Park, Jong Moo; Choi, Eun Kyung; Kim, Jong Hoon [Dept.of Radiation Oncology, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); and others

2014-09-15

To evaluate the effects of total body irradiation (TBI), as a conditioning regimen prior to allogeneic stem cell transplantation (allo-SCT), in pediatric acute leukemia patients. From January 2001 to December 2011, 28 patients, aged less than 18 years, were treated with TBI-based conditioning for allo-SCT in our institution. Of the 28 patients, 21 patients were diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL, 75%) and 7 were diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia (AML, 25%). TBI was completed 4 days or 1 day before stem cell infusion. Patients underwent radiation therapy with bilateral parallel opposing fields and 6-MV X-rays. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to calculate survival outcomes. The 2-year event-free survival and overall survival rates were 66% and 56%, respectively (71.4% and 60.0% in AML patients vs. 64.3% and 52.4% in ALL patients, respectively). Treatment related mortality rate were 25%. Acute and chronic graft-versus-host disease was a major complication; other complications included endocrine dysfunction and pulmonary complications. Common complications from TBI were nausea (89%) and cataracts (7.1%). The efficacy and toxicity data in this study of TBI-based conditioning to pediatric acute leukemia patients were comparable with previous studies. However, clinicians need to focus on the acute and chronic complications related to allo-SCT.

Burnout characteristics under flow reduction condition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Iwamura, Takamichi; Kuroyanagai, Toshiyuki

1982-01-01

Burnout characteristics in a uniformly heated, vertically oriented tube, under flow reduction condition, were experimentally studied. Test pressures ranged 0.5 -- 3.9 MPa and flow reduction rates 0.6 -- 35%/s. An analytical method was developed to obtain the local mass velocity during a transient condition. The local mass velocity at the burnout location with an increasing flow reduction rate was slightly different from that measured in steady state tests. The system pressure had a significant effect on the difference. An empirical correlation was presented to give the ratio between the transient and steady state burnout mass velocities at the burnout location as a function of the steam-water density ratio and the flow reduction rate. Experimental results of previous work were compared with this correlation. (author)

Previous utilization of service does not improve timely booking in ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Previous utilization of service does not improve timely booking in antenatal care: Cross sectional study ... Journal Home > Vol 24, No 3 (2010) > ... Results: Past experience on antenatal care service utilization did not come out as a predictor for ...

Impact of previously disadvantaged land-users on sustainable ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Impact of previously disadvantaged land-users on sustainable agricultural ... about previously disadvantaged land users involved in communal farming systems ... of input, capital, marketing, information and land use planning, with effect on ...

A study on the condition monitoring for safety-related electric cables

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kim, Chul Hwan; Ahn, S. P.; Yeo, S. M.; Kang, Y. S.; Ahn, S. M.; Kim, I. S.; Kim, D. S.; Kang, J. S. [Sungkyunkwan Univ., Suwon (Korea, Republic of)

2002-03-15

In this report, we have studied compositions and characteristics of various types of insulation material for cables in Nuclear Power Plant. We arrange relationship with condition monitoring methods. Also, we propose new condition monitoring method using third harmonic frequency. We test the proposed method with CV cables. We also describe about feature of condition monitoring such as application, theory, characteristic, thereby other engineer can confirm to advantage and disadvantage for each method, and possibly choice adequate condition monitoring method for various types of cables.

Small Is Not Always Beautiful – A Comparative Study Of Working Conditions

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sørensen, Ole Henning; Hasle, Peter; Bach, Elsa

2004-01-01

When considering working conditions, the myth sometimes holds that small is beautiful. Some studies of occupational accidents show that small companies have fever accidents than large. This indicates that small companies have better working conditions than large. A Danish study based on a random...... sample of employees in the general industry rejects this myth. The figures show that physical working conditions become systematically worse the smaller the size of privately owned companies. The study also supports international data that small companies underreport accidents, and that this might...... be the reason why small seems beautiful....

Response to deep TMS in depressive patients with previous electroconvulsive treatment.

Science.gov (United States)

Rosenberg, Oded; Zangen, Abraham; Stryjer, Rafael; Kotler, Moshe; Dannon, Pinhas N

2010-10-01

The efficacy of transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) in the treatment of major depression has already been shown. Novel TMS coils allowing stimulation of deeper brain regions have recently been developed and studied. Our study is aimed at exploring the possible efficacy of deep TMS in patients with resistant depression, who previously underwent electroconvalsive therapy (ECT). Using Brainsway's deep TMS H1 coil, six patients who previously underwent ECT, were treated with 120% power of the motor threshold at a frequency of 20 Hz. Patients underwent five sessions per week, up to 4 weeks. Before the study, patients were evaluated using the Hamilton depression rating scale (HDRS, 24 items), the Hamilton anxiety scale, and the Beck depression inventory and were again evaluated after 5, 10, 15, and 20 daily treatments. Response to treatment was considered a reduction in the HDRS of at least 50%, and remission was considered a reduction of the HDRS-24 below 10 points. Two of six patients responded to the treatment with deep TMS, including one who achieved full remission. Our results suggest the possibility of a subpopulation of depressed patients who may benefit from deep TMS treatment, including patients who did not respond to ECT previously. However, the power of the study is small and similar larger samples are needed. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Study of organic chlorine in soils and formation in biotic and abiotic conditions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Osswald, Aurelie

2016-01-01

Chlorine has long been considered as the predominantly chlorine form present in the environment. However, recent studies have shown that chlorine is retained in the soil as an organic form and is formed by a natural process of chlorination mainly from the microbial activity of the soil still poorly documented. The aim of this study is to estimate the organic and inorganic forms of chlorine in contrasting soil and highlight the evolution of these forms according to certain environmental parameters or terms of incubations and to the activity of microorganisms. For this, the organo-mineral horizons of contrasting soil were studied (i) in situ: The amounts of chlorine and physico-chemical and microbiological parameters of soil were measured; (ii) in two experimental devices incubations under different conditions. Measurements of chlorine levels between the beginning and the end of the first experiment were measured by AOX analyzer. For the second experiment, the soil was previously enriched with Na 37 Cl and 37 Cl levels were measured by HR ICP MS. Soil samples from these incubations were analyzed by Xanes spectrometry to identify the speciation of chlorine forms in soils. Soil non-extractable organic chlorine contents represent almost all of the chlorine. The parameters that influence the distribution of chlorine contents in soils correspond to vegetation cover, pH, organic carbon content and quantities of microorganisms. The chlorine contents measured by AOX analyzer and by HR ICP MS highlight an organic chlorine formation over time in relation to the microorganisms in the soil. The measures carried out by HR ICP MS show also an organic chlorine formation in abiotic conditions. Conversely, XANES spectrometry measurements have shown any organic chlorine formation. In conclusion, the parameters that influence the distribution of chlorine contents in soils have been targeted. Similarly, the microbial origin of the chlorination process has been demonstrated, although a

Influence of previous knowledge in Torrance tests of creative thinking

OpenAIRE

Aranguren, María; Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas CONICET

2015-01-01

The aim of this work is to analyze the influence of study field, expertise and recreational activities participation in Torrance Tests of Creative Thinking (TTCT, 1974) performance. Several hypotheses were postulated to explore the possible effects of previous knowledge in TTCT verbal and TTCT figural university students’ outcomes. Participants in this study included 418 students from five study fields: Psychology;Philosophy and Literature, Music; Engineering; and Journalism and Advertisin...

Analyzing Traffic Crash Severity in Work Zones under Different Light Conditions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xinxin Wei

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Previous studies have investigated various factors that contribute to the severity of work zone crashes. However, little has been done on the specific effects of light conditions. Using the data from the Enhanced Tennessee Roadway Information Management System (E-TRIMS, crashes that occurred in the Tennessee work zones during 2003–2015 are categorized into three light conditions: daylight, dark-lighted, and dark-not-lighted. One commonly used decision tree method—Classification and Regression Trees (CART—is adopted to investigate the factors contributing to crash severity in highway work zones under these light conditions. The outcomes from the three decision trees with differing light conditions show significant differences in the ranking and importance of the factors considered in the study, thereby indicating the necessity of examining traffic crashes according to light conditions. By separately considering the crash characteristics under different light conditions, some new findings are obtained from this study. The study shows that an increase in the number of lanes increases the crash severity level in work zones during the day while decreasing the severity at night. Similarly, drugs and alcohol are found to increase the severity level significantly under the dark-not-lighted condition, while they have a limited influence under daylight and dark-lighted conditions.

High-energy synchrotron x-ray diffraction studies on disordered materials. From ambient condition to an extreme condition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kohara, Shinji; Ohishi, Yasuo; Suzuya, Kentaro; Takata, Masaki

2007-01-01

High-energy x-rays from synchrotron radiation source allow us to measure high-quality diffraction data of the disordered materials from under ambient condition to an extreme condition, which is necessary to reveal the detailed structure of glass, liquid, and amorphous materials. We introduce the high-energy x-ray diffraction beamline and dedicated diffractometer for glass, liquid, and amorphous materials with the recent developments of ancillary equipments. Furthermore our recent studies on the structures of disordered materials reviewed. (author)

Determining root correspondence between previously and newly detected objects

Science.gov (United States)

Paglieroni, David W.; Beer, N Reginald

2014-06-17

A system that applies attribute and topology based change detection to networks of objects that were detected on previous scans of a structure, roadway, or area of interest. The attributes capture properties or characteristics of the previously detected objects, such as location, time of detection, size, elongation, orientation, etc. The topology of the network of previously detected objects is maintained in a constellation database that stores attributes of previously detected objects and implicitly captures the geometrical structure of the network. A change detection system detects change by comparing the attributes and topology of new objects detected on the latest scan to the constellation database of previously detected objects.

Sufficiency of Bell's conditions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gutkowski, D; Masotto, G [Istituto di Matematica della Universita di Palermo (Italy); Valdes, M V

1979-04-11

It is shown that, if the results of measurements of spin components of two-spin one-half particles coupled to a singlet state with respect to n=3 directions satisfy Bell's conditions, then these results are compatible with a local hidden-variable theory. The previous statement is extended to the case n=4.

Study of stowage of radioactive materials packagings in accidental conditions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chevalier, G.; Gilles, P.; Phalippou, C.; Pouard, M.; Draulans, J.; Lafontaine, I.

1987-03-01

The study of transport conditions shows that few data are available on accidental conditions. Two types of accidents are selected and defined by calculations and tests. Sizing of stowage is determined for a frontal shock (35 g deceleration), maintaining the packaging on the vehicle, and side shock rupture of the stowage system for a determined stress. Mathematical formulations are developed [fr

Treatment satisfaction with paliperidone extended-release tablets: open-label study in schizophrenia patients dissatisfied with previous antipsychotic medication

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yang FD

2017-04-01

Full Text Available Fu De Yang,1 Juan Li,1 Yun Long Tan,1 Wei Ye Liang,1 Rongzhen Zhang,1 Ning Wang,1 Wei Feng,1 Shangli Cai,2 Jian Min Zhuo,2 Li Li Zhang2 1Beijing Hui-Long-Guan Hospital, 2Department of Medical Affairs, Xian Janssen Pharmaceutical Ltd, Beijing, People’s Republic of China Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the changes in treatment satisfaction after switching to paliperidone extended-release (ER in Chinese schizophrenia patients dissatisfied with their previous antipsychotic treatment.Methods: In this 8-week, open-label, single-arm, multicenter, prospective study, 1,693 patients dissatisfied with previous antipsychotic medication were enrolled and switched to paliperidone ER tablets (3–12 mg/d based on clinical judgment. The primary efficacy end point was change in Medication Satisfaction Questionnaire (MSQ score from baseline to week 8. The secondary end points included percentage of patients with MSQ score ≥4, as well as changes in Clinical Global Improvement-Severity (CGI-S and Personal and Social Performance (PSP scores.Results: MSQ scores increased significantly from baseline (mean [standard deviation {SD}]: 2.48 [0.55] to week 8 (5.47 [0.89], P<0.0001; primary end point, full analysis set. The percentage of patients with MSQ score ≥4 was 95.9% at week 8, indicating that most of the patients were satisfied with their treatment. Significant (P<0.0001 improvements from baseline to week 8 were noted in CGI-S score (2.37 [1.20] and PSP score (25.5 [15.0]. A total of 174 (10.28% patients experienced adverse events (AEs. The most common (>10 patients events were extrapyramidal disorder (n=84, 4.96%, poor quality sleep (n=18, 1.06% and akathisia (n=13, 0.77%. The majority of AEs were mild to moderate in severity. No deaths occurred.Conclusion: Treatment satisfaction improved after switching to paliperidone ER from the previous antipsychotic in Chinese patients with schizophrenia. Keywords: atypical antipsychotics, open label

Flux Balance Analysis of Escherichia coli under Temperature and pH Stress Conditions

KAUST Repository

Xu, Xiaopeng

2015-05-12

An interesting discovery in biology is that most genes in an organism are dispensable. That means these genes have minor effects on survival of the organism in standard laboratory conditions. One explanation of this discovery is that some genes play important roles in specific conditions and are essential genes under those conditions. E. coli is a model organism, which is widely used. It can adapt to many stress conditions, including temperature, pH, osmotic, antibiotic, etc. Underlying mechanisms and associated genes of each stress condition responses are usually different. In our analysis, we combined protein abundance data and mutant conditional fitness data into E. coli constraint-based metabolic models to study conditionally essential metabolic genes under temperature and pH stress conditions. Flux Balance Analysis was employed as the modeling method to analysis these data. We discovered lists of metabolic genes, which are E. coli dispensable genes, but conditionally essential under some stress conditions. Among these conditionally essential genes, atpA in low pH stress and nhaA in high pH stress found experimental evidences from previous studies. Our study provides new conditionally essential gene candidates for biologists to explore stress condition mechanisms.

Central pipecolic acid increases food intake under ad libitum feeding conditions in the neonatal chick.

Science.gov (United States)

Takagi, Tomo; Tachibana, Tetsuya; Saito, Ei-Suke; Tomonaga, Shouzou; Saito, Shin; Bungo, Takashi; Denbow, D Michael; Furuse, Mitsuhiro

2003-08-21

It has been demonstrated that L-pipecolic acid (L-PA) is a major metabolic intermediate of L-lysine in the mammalian and chicken brain. A previous study showed that intracerebroventricular (i.c.v.) injection of L-PA suppressed feeding in neonatal chicks, and the actions were associated with gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA)-B receptor activation. It has been reported that endogenous L-PA in the brain fluctuated under different feeding conditions. In the present study, we investigated the effect of i.c.v. injection of L-PA on food intake in the neonatal chick under ad libitum feeding conditions. The food intake was increased by 0.5 or 1.0 mg L-PA under ad libitum feeding conditions contrary to previous studies using fasted birds. A hyperphagic effect of L-PA (0.5 mg) was attenuated by both GABA-A receptor antagonist (picrotoxin, 0.5 microg) and GABA-B receptor antagonist (CGP54626, 21.0 ng). These results indicate that a hyperphagic effect of L-PA is mediated by both GABA-A and GABA-B receptors and L-PA differentially affects food intake under different feeding conditions in the neonatal chick.

Cobalt deposition studies in the primary circuit under BWR conditions (Phase 1 and 2)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bennett, Peter

1996-04-01

This report presents the results from the first 2 phases of an experiment performed to investigate the effects of water chemistry on cobalt transport and deposition in the primary circuit under BWR conditions. Two high pressure water loops have been used to compare the incorporation of cobalt into the oxide films on coupons of various LWR primary circuit constructional materials, with several pretreatments, under Hydrogen Water Chemistry (HWC) and Normal Water Chemistry (NWC) conditions. Cobalt-60 deposition rates onto samples that had been pre-oxidised in air were lower than on samples that had been exposed previously in a water loop or had untreated surfaces. In NWC, oxide layers were thicker, normalised Co-60 deposition rates were higher and Co-60 activities per unit volume of oxide were greater. Some evidence has been produced to support the conclusions of other workers that a chromium-rich outer oxide layer is responsible for enhanced cobalt incorporation. (author)

Study on the high speed scramjet characteristics at Mach 10 to 15 flight condition

Science.gov (United States)

Takahashi, M.; Itoh, K.; Tanno, H.; Komuro, T.; Sunami, T.; Sato, K.; Ueda, S.

A scramjet engine model, designed to establish steady and strong combustion at free-stream conditions corresponding to Mach 12 flight, was tested in a large free-piston driven shock tunnel. Combustion tests of a previous engine model showed that combustion heat release obtained in the combustor was not sufficient to maintain strong combustion. For a new scramjet engine model, the inlet compression ratio was increased to raise the static temperature and density of the flow at the combustor entrance. As a result of the aerodynamic design change, the pressure rise due to combustion increased and the duration of strong combustion conditions in the combustor was extended. A hyper-mixer injector designed to enhance mixing and combustion by introducing streamwise vortices was applied to the new engine model. The results showed that the hyper mixer injector was very effective in promoting combustion heat release and establishing steady and strong combustion in the combustor.

Erlotinib-induced rash spares previously irradiated skin

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lips, Irene M.; Vonk, Ernest J.A.; Koster, Mariska E.Y.; Houwing, Ronald H.

2011-01-01

Erlotinib is an epidermal growth factor receptor inhibitor prescribed to patients with locally advanced or metastasized non-small cell lung carcinoma after failure of at least one earlier chemotherapy treatment. Approximately 75% of the patients treated with erlotinib develop acneiform skin rashes. A patient treated with erlotinib 3 months after finishing concomitant treatment with chemotherapy and radiotherapy for non-small cell lung cancer is presented. Unexpectedly, the part of the skin that had been included in his previously radiotherapy field was completely spared from the erlotinib-induced acneiform skin rash. The exact mechanism of erlotinib-induced rash sparing in previously irradiated skin is unclear. The underlying mechanism of this phenomenon needs to be explored further, because the number of patients being treated with a combination of both therapeutic modalities is increasing. The therapeutic effect of erlotinib in the area of the previously irradiated lesion should be assessed. (orig.)

Incorporation of Eu(III) into calcite under recrystallization conditions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hellebrandt, S.E.; Jordan, Norbert; Barkleit, Astrid; Schmidt, Moritz; Hofmann, S.

2017-01-01

The interaction of three calcite powders with Eu(III) under recrystallization conditions was studied on the molecular level using site-selective time-resolved laser fluorescence spectroscopy (TRLFS). Batch contact studies with reaction times from 1 week up to 3 years revealed that the speciation differs from that observed previously in co-precipitation experiments and is dominated by a newly identified species ''γ''. The speed of formation of this species was found to depend greatly on the recrystallization rate of the studied minerals.

Incorporation of Eu(III) into calcite under recrystallization conditions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hellebrandt, S.E. [Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf e.V., Dresden (Germany). Inst. of Resource Ecology; Jordan, Norbert [Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf e.V., Dresden (Germany). Surface Processes; Barkleit, Astrid [Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf e.V., Dresden (Germany). Chemistry of the F-Elements; Schmidt, Moritz [Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf e.V., Dresden (Germany). HGF Young Investigator Group; Hofmann, S.

2017-06-01

The interaction of three calcite powders with Eu(III) under recrystallization conditions was studied on the molecular level using site-selective time-resolved laser fluorescence spectroscopy (TRLFS). Batch contact studies with reaction times from 1 week up to 3 years revealed that the speciation differs from that observed previously in co-precipitation experiments and is dominated by a newly identified species ''γ''. The speed of formation of this species was found to depend greatly on the recrystallization rate of the studied minerals.

Quantifying the influence of previously burned areas on suppression effectiveness and avoided exposure: A case study of the Las Conchas Fire

Science.gov (United States)

Matthew P. Thompson; Patrick Freeborn; Jon D. Rieck; Dave Calkin; Julie W. Gilbertson-Day; Mark A. Cochrane; Michael S. Hand

2016-01-01

We present a case study of the Las Conchas Fire (2011) to explore the role of previously burned areas (wildfires and prescribed fires) on suppression effectiveness and avoided exposure. Methodological innovations include characterisation of the joint dynamics of fire growth and suppression activities, development of a fire line effectiveness framework, and...

A conditioned reinforcer did not help to maintain an operant conditioning in the absence of a primary reinforcer in horses.

Science.gov (United States)

Lansade, Léa; Calandreau, Ludovic

2018-01-01

The use of conditioned reinforcers is increasingly promoted in animal training. Surprisingly, the efficiency of their use remains to be demonstrated in horses. This study aimed to determine whether an auditory signal which had previously been associated with a food reward 288 times could be used as a conditioned reinforcer to replace the primary reinforcer in an unrelated operant conditioning procedure. Fourteen horses were divided into two groups of 7: No Reinforcement (NR) and Conditioned Reinforcement (CR). All horses underwent nine sessions of Pavlovian conditioning during which the word "good" was associated with food (32 associations/session). The horses then followed five sessions of operant conditioning (30 trials/session) during which they had to touch a cone signaled by an experimenter to receive a food reward. The last day, horses underwent one test session of the operant response: no reward was given, but the word "good" was said each time a CR horse touched the cone. Nothing was said in the NR group. CR horses did not achieve more correct trials than NR horses during the test. These findings again show that the conditioned reinforcement was ineffective when used instead of the primary reinforcement to maintain conditioning. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Apomorphine conditioning and sensitization: the paired/unpaired treatment order as a new major determinant of drug conditioned and sensitization effects.

Science.gov (United States)

de Matos, Liana Wermelinger; Carey, Robert J; Carrera, Marinete Pinheiro

2010-09-01

Repeated treatments with psychostimulant drugs generate behavioral sensitization. In the present study we employed a paired/unpaired protocol to assess the effects of repeated apomorphine (2.0 mg/kg) treatments upon locomotion behavior. In the first experiment we assessed the effects of conditioning upon apomorphine sensitization. Neither the extinction of the conditioned response nor a counter-conditioning procedure in which we paired an inhibitory treatment (apomorphine 0.05 mg/kg) with the previously established conditioned stimulus modified the sensitization response. In the second experiment, we administered the paired/unpaired protocol in two phases. In the second phase, we reversed the paired/unpaired protocol. Following the first phase, the paired group alone exhibited conditioned locomotion in the vehicle test and a sensitization response. In the second phase, the initial unpaired group which received 5 paired apomorphine trials during the reversal phase did not develop a conditioned response but developed a potentiated sensitization response. This disassociation of the conditioned response from the sensitization response is attributed to an apomorphine anti-habituation effect that can generate a false positive Pavlovian conditioned response effect. The potentiated sensitization response induced by the treatment reversal protocol points to an important role for the sequential experience of the paired/unpaired protocol in behavioral sensitization. 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Cerebral Metastasis from a Previously Undiagnosed Appendiceal Adenocarcinoma

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Antonio Biroli

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Brain metastases arise in 10%–40% of all cancer patients. Up to one third of the patients do not have previous cancer history. We report a case of a 67-years-old male patient who presented with confusion, tremor, and apraxia. A brain MRI revealed an isolated right temporal lobe lesion. A thorax-abdomen-pelvis CT scan showed no primary lesion. The patient underwent a craniotomy with gross-total resection. Histopathology revealed an intestinal-type adenocarcinoma. A colonoscopy found no primary lesion, but a PET-CT scan showed elevated FDG uptake in the appendiceal nodule. A right hemicolectomy was performed, and the specimen showed a moderately differentiated mucinous appendiceal adenocarcinoma. Whole brain radiotherapy was administrated. A subsequent thorax-abdomen CT scan revealed multiple lung and hepatic metastasis. Seven months later, the patient died of disease progression. In cases of undiagnosed primary lesions, patients present in better general condition, but overall survival does not change. Eventual identification of the primary tumor does not affect survival. PET/CT might be a helpful tool in detecting lesions of the appendiceal region. To the best of our knowledge, such a case was never reported in the literature, and an appendiceal malignancy should be suspected in patients with brain metastasis from an undiagnosed primary tumor.

Best in show but not best shape: a photographic assessment of show dog body condition.

Science.gov (United States)

Such, Z R; German, A J

2015-08-01

Previous studies suggest that owners often wrongly perceive overweight dogs to be in normal condition. The body shape of dogs attending shows might influence owners' perceptions, with online images of overweight show winners having a negative effect. This was an observational in silico study of canine body condition. 14 obese-prone breeds and 14 matched non-obese-probe breeds were first selected, and one operator then used an online search engine to identify 40 images, per breed, of dogs that had appeared at a major national UK show (Crufts). After images were anonymised and coded, a second observer subjectively assessed body condition, in a single sitting, using a previously validated method. Of 1120 photographs initially identified, 960 were suitable for assessing body condition, with all unsuitable images being from longhaired breeds. None of the dogs (0 per cent) were underweight, 708 (74 per cent) were in ideal condition and 252 (26 per cent) were overweight. Pugs, basset hounds and Labrador retrievers were most likely to be overweight, while standard poodles, Rhodesian ridgebacks, Hungarian vizslas and Dobermanns were least likely to be overweight. Given the proportion of show dogs from some breeds that are overweight, breed standards should be redefined to be consistent with a dog in optimal body condition. British Veterinary Association.

Probability in reasoning: a developmental test on conditionals.

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Barrouillet, Pierre; Gauffroy, Caroline

2015-04-01

Probabilistic theories have been claimed to constitute a new paradigm for the psychology of reasoning. A key assumption of these theories is captured by what they call the Equation, the hypothesis that the meaning of the conditional is probabilistic in nature and that the probability of If p then q is the conditional probability, in such a way that P(if p then q)=P(q|p). Using the probabilistic truth-table task in which participants are required to evaluate the probability of If p then q sentences, the present study explored the pervasiveness of the Equation through ages (from early adolescence to adulthood), types of conditionals (basic, causal, and inducements) and contents. The results reveal that the Equation is a late developmental achievement only endorsed by a narrow majority of educated adults for certain types of conditionals depending on the content they involve. Age-related changes in evaluating the probability of all the conditionals studied closely mirror the development of truth-value judgements observed in previous studies with traditional truth-table tasks. We argue that our modified mental model theory can account for this development, and hence for the findings related with the probability task, which do not consequently support the probabilistic approach of human reasoning over alternative theories. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Dissociation in decision bias mechanism between probabilistic information and previous decision

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Yoshiyuki eKaneko

2015-05-01

Full Text Available Target detection performance is known to be influenced by events in the previous trials. It has not been clear, however, whether this bias effect is due to the previous sensory stimulus, motor response, or decision. Also it remains open whether or not the previous trial effect emerges via the same mechanism as the effect of knowledge about the target probability. In the present study, we asked normal human subjects to make a decision about the presence or absence of a visual target. We presented a pre-cue indicating the target probability before the stimulus, and also a decision-response mapping cue after the stimulus so as to tease apart the effect of decision from that of motor response. We found that the target detection performance was significantly affected by the probability cue in the current trial and also by the decision in the previous trial. While the information about the target probability modulated the decision criteria, the previous decision modulated the sensitivity to target-relevant sensory signals (d-prime. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging, we also found that activation in the left intraparietal sulcus was decreased when the probability cue indicated a high probability of the target. By contrast, activation in the right inferior frontal gyrus was increased when the subjects made a target-present decision in the previous trial, but this change was observed specifically when the target was present in the current trial. Activation in these regions was associated with individual-difference in the decision computation parameters. We argue that the previous decision biases the target detection performance by modulating the processing of target-selective information, and this mechanism is distinct from modulation of decision criteria due to expectation of a target.

Dissociation in decision bias mechanism between probabilistic information and previous decision

Science.gov (United States)

Kaneko, Yoshiyuki; Sakai, Katsuyuki

2015-01-01

Target detection performance is known to be influenced by events in the previous trials. It has not been clear, however, whether this bias effect is due to the previous sensory stimulus, motor response, or decision. Also it remains open whether or not the previous trial effect emerges via the same mechanism as the effect of knowledge about the target probability. In the present study, we asked normal human subjects to make a decision about the presence or absence of a visual target. We presented a pre-cue indicating the target probability before the stimulus, and also a decision-response mapping cue after the stimulus so as to tease apart the effect of decision from that of motor response. We found that the target detection performance was significantly affected by the probability cue in the current trial and also by the decision in the previous trial. While the information about the target probability modulated the decision criteria, the previous decision modulated the sensitivity to target-relevant sensory signals (d-prime). Using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), we also found that activation in the left intraparietal sulcus (IPS) was decreased when the probability cue indicated a high probability of the target. By contrast, activation in the right inferior frontal gyrus (IFG) was increased when the subjects made a target-present decision in the previous trial, but this change was observed specifically when the target was present in the current trial. Activation in these regions was associated with individual-difference in the decision computation parameters. We argue that the previous decision biases the target detection performance by modulating the processing of target-selective information, and this mechanism is distinct from modulation of decision criteria due to expectation of a target. PMID:25999844

Predictive effects of previous episodes on the risk of recurrence in depressive and bipolar disorders

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kessing, Lars Vedel; Andersen, Per Kragh

2005-01-01

Findings from several studies have suggested that the risk of recurrence increases with the number of previous episodes in depressive and bipolar disorders. However, a comprehensive and critical review of the literature published during the past century shows that in several previous studies...

Apparatus bias and place conditioning with ethanol in mice.

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Cunningham, Christopher L; Ferree, Nikole K; Howard, MacKenzie A

2003-12-01

Although the distinction between "biased" and "unbiased" is generally recognized as an important methodological issue in place conditioning, previous studies have not adequately addressed the distinction between a biased/unbiased apparatus and a biased/unbiased stimulus assignment procedure. Moreover, a review of the recent literature indicates that many reports (70% of 76 papers published in 2001) fail to provide adequate information about apparatus bias. This issue is important because the mechanisms underlying a drug's effect in the place-conditioning procedure may differ depending on whether the apparatus is biased or unbiased. The present studies were designed to assess the impact of apparatus bias and stimulus assignment procedure on ethanol-induced place conditioning in mice (DBA/2 J). A secondary goal was to compare various dependent variables commonly used to index conditioned place preference. Apparatus bias was manipulated by varying the combination of tactile (floor) cues available during preference tests. Experiment 1 used an unbiased apparatus in which the stimulus alternatives were equally preferred during a pre-test as indicated by the group average. Experiment 2 used a biased apparatus in which one of the stimuli was strongly preferred by most mice (mean % time on cue = 67%) during the pre-test. In both studies, the stimulus paired with drug (CS+) was assigned randomly (i.e., an "unbiased" stimulus assignment procedure). Experimental mice received four pairings of CS+ with ethanol (2 g/kg, i.p.) and four pairings of the alternative stimulus (CS-) with saline; control mice received saline on both types of trial. Each experiment concluded with a 60-min choice test. With the unbiased apparatus (experiment 1), significant place conditioning was obtained regardless of whether drug was paired with the subject's initially preferred or non-preferred stimulus. However, with the biased apparatus (experiment 2), place conditioning was apparent only when

Subliminal influence on preferences? A test of evaluative conditioning for brief visual conditioned stimuli using auditory unconditioned stimuli.

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Heycke, Tobias; Aust, Frederik; Stahl, Christoph

2017-09-01

In the field of evaluative conditioning (EC), two opposing theories-propositional single-process theory versus dual-process theory-are currently being discussed in the literature. The present set of experiments test a crucial prediction to adjudicate between these two theories: Dual-process theory postulates that evaluative conditioning can occur without awareness of the contingency between conditioned stimulus (CS) and unconditioned stimulus (US); in contrast, single-process propositional theory postulates that EC requires CS-US contingency awareness. In a set of three studies, we experimentally manipulate contingency awareness by presenting the CSs very briefly, thereby rendering it unlikely to be processed consciously. We address potential issues with previous studies on EC with subliminal or near-threshold CSs that limited their interpretation. Across two experiments, we consistently found an EC effect for CSs presented for 1000 ms and consistently failed to find an EC effect for briefly presented CSs. In a third pre-registered experiment, we again found evidence for an EC effect with CSs presented for 1000 ms, and we found some indication for an EC effect for CSs presented for 20 ms.

Traffic Flow Condition Classification for Short Sections Using Single Microwave Sensor

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Memiş Kemal

2010-01-01

Full Text Available Daily observed traffic flow can show different characteristics varying with the times of the day. They are caused by traffic incidents such as accidents, disabled cars, construction activities and other unusual events. Three different major traffic conditions can be occurred: "Flow," "Dense" and "Congested". Objective of this research is to identify the current traffic condition by examining the traffic measurement parameters. The earlier researches have dealt only with speed and volume by ignoring occupancy. In our study, the occupancy is another important parameter of classification. The previous works have used multiple sensors to classify traffic condition whereas our work uses only single microwave sensor. We have extended Multiple Linear Regression classification with our new approach of Estimating with Error Prediction. We present novel algorithms of Multiclassification with One-Against-All Method and Multiclassification with Binary Comparison for multiple SVM architecture. Finaly, a non-linear model of backpropagation neural network is introduced for classification. This combination has not been reported on previous studies. Training data are obtained from the Corsim based microscopic traffic simulator TSIS 5.1. All performances are compared using this data set. Our methods are currently installed and running at traffic management center of 2.Ring Road in Istanbul.

Automatic electromagnetic valve for previous vacuum

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Granados, C. E.; Martin, F.

1959-01-01

A valve which permits the maintenance of an installation vacuum when electric current fails is described. It also lets the air in the previous vacuum bomb to prevent the oil ascending in the vacuum tubes. (Author)

Teachers’ Working Conditions Amid Swedish School Choice Reform: Avenues for Further Research

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Karolina Åsa Parding

2016-04-01

Full Text Available Since the 1990s, governance changes, including customer choice agendas, have permeated the public sector and, consequently, welfare sector professionals’ work. One example is the education sector. The aim of this paper is to identify and discuss avenues for further research when it comes to teachers’ working conditions in the light of current choice agendas. This is accomplished by presenting an overview of previous studies on implications of the reforms for teachers’ working conditions. How are these conditions described in relation to the current school choice agenda in Sweden? What directions should be applied to increase knowledge of these conditions? We conclude by identifying some avenues for further research: the issues of organization of work, temporal and spatial dimensions of working conditions, and finally comparative studies of various forms, are suggested as warranting further investigation to highlight the diversified labor market in which teachers find themselves today.Keywords: Competition, governance change, privatization, professional work, school choice, Sweden, teaching profession, working conditions

Does previous use affect litter box appeal in multi-cat households?

Science.gov (United States)

Ellis, J J; McGowan, R T S; Martin, F

2017-08-01

It is commonly assumed that cats actively avoid eliminated materials (especially in multi-cat homes), suggesting regular litter box cleaning as the best defense against out-of-box elimination. The relationship between previous use and litter box appeal to familiar subsequent users is currently unknown. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between previous litter box use and the identity of the previous user, type of elimination, odor, and presence of physical/visual obstructions in a multi-cat household scenario. Cats preferred a clean litter box to a dirty one, but the identity of the previous user had no impact on preferences. While the presence of odor from urine and/or feces did not impact litter box preferences, the presence of odorless faux-urine and/or feces did - with the presence of faux-feces being preferred over faux-urine. Results suggest neither malodor nor chemical communication play a role in litter box preferences, and instead emphasize the importance of regular removal of physical/visual obstructions as the key factor in promoting proper litter box use. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A psychophysical study of endogenous analgesia: the role of the conditioning pain in the induction and magnitude of conditioned pain modulation.

Science.gov (United States)

Nir, Rony-Reuven; Granovsky, Yelena; Yarnitsky, David; Sprecher, Elliot; Granot, Michal

2011-05-01

Endogenous analgesia (EA) can be examined experimentally using a conditioned pain modulation (CPM) paradigm. While noxious conditioning stimulation intensities (CSIs) are mainly used, it has not been fully investigated in the same experimental design whether the experienced conditioning pain level affects CPM responses. The principal goal of the present study was to characterize CPM induction and magnitudes evoked by various conditioning pain levels. Furthermore, we explored associations between conditioning pain reports and CPM responses across various CSIs. Thirty healthy, young, right-handed males were tested with a parallel CPM paradigm. Three different CSIs (hand water-immersion) induced mild, moderate and intense pain levels, rated 12.41 ± 7.85, 31.57 ± 9.56 and 58.1 ± 11.43, respectively (0-100 numerical pain scale) (P < 0.0001). Contact-heat 'test-stimulus' levels were compared before and during conditioning. Within the group, (i) CPM was induced only by the moderate and intense CSIs (Ps ≤ 0.001); (ii) no difference was demonstrated between the magnitudes of these CPM responses. Regression analysis revealed that CPM induction was independent of the perceived conditioning pain level, but associated with the absolute CSI (P < 0.0001). Conditioning pain levels were correlated across all CSIs, as were CPM magnitudes (Ps ≤ 0.01). We conclude that among males, (i) once a CPM response is evoked by a required conditioning pain experience, its magnitude is not further affected by increasing conditioning pain and (ii) CPM magnitudes are inter-correlated, but unrelated to conditioning pain reports. These observations may suggest that CPM responses represent an intrinsic element of an individual's EA processes, which are not significantly affected by the experienced conditioning pain. Copyright © 2010 European Federation of International Association for the Study of Pain Chapters. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

HEART TRANSPLANTATION IN PATIENTS WITH PREVIOUS OPEN HEART SURGERY

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R. Sh. Saitgareev

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Heart Transplantation (HTx to date remains the most effective and radical method of treatment of patients with end-stage heart failure. The defi cit of donor hearts is forcing to resort increasingly to the use of different longterm mechanical circulatory support systems, including as a «bridge» to the follow-up HTx. According to the ISHLT Registry the number of recipients underwent cardiopulmonary bypass surgery increased from 40% in the period from 2004 to 2008 to 49.6% for the period from 2009 to 2015. HTx performed in repeated patients, on the one hand, involves considerable technical diffi culties and high risks; on the other hand, there is often no alternative medical intervention to HTx, and if not dictated by absolute contradictions the denial of the surgery is equivalent to 100% mortality. This review summarizes the results of a number of published studies aimed at understanding the immediate and late results of HTx in patients, previously underwent open heart surgery. The effect of resternotomy during HTx and that of the specifi c features associated with its implementation in recipients previously operated on open heart, and its effects on the immediate and long-term survival were considered in this review. Results of studies analyzing the risk factors for perioperative complications in repeated recipients were also demonstrated. Separately, HTx risks after implantation of prolonged mechanical circulatory support systems were examined. The literature does not allow to clearly defi ning the impact factor of earlier performed open heart surgery on the course of perioperative period and on the prognosis of survival in recipients who underwent HTx. On the other hand, subject to the regular fl ow of HTx and the perioperative period the risks in this clinical situation are justifi ed as a long-term prognosis of recipients previously conducted open heart surgery and are comparable to those of patients who underwent primary HTx. Studies

Conditional dissociation as a punishment mechanism in the evolution of cooperation

Science.gov (United States)

Qu, Xinglong; Zhou, Changli; Cao, Zhigang; Yang, Xiaoguang

2016-05-01

Recent studies show that conditional dissociation, a.k.a. post-interaction partner-refusal, can promote the emergence and stability of cooperation. However, in most of these studies, players' strategies are restricted to pure ones, which is obviously inconsistent with many biological and economic situations. Another concern with line of these studies is that conditional dissociation is often combined with other mechanisms. These mechanisms may favor cooperation per se, leaving it unclear whether conditional dissociation is indeed a key factor. In this paper, we study a clean model, pruning all the factors other than conditional dissociation that may favor cooperation. We find that conditional dissociation, which could be viewed as a variant of peer punishment, does promote cooperation, no matter whether mixed strategies are allowed or not. This confirms the previous findings in the literature. In addition, compared with the pure strategy scenario, cooperators are less competitive when mixed strategies are allowed. Our main finding is supported by both the numerical simulations and the theoretical analysis of Neutrally Stable Strategy. We also find that cooperative behavior is favored when waiting time and/or the population's lifespan are longer.

Stability studies on refined soybean oil stored in various conditions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Arawande, J.O.; Amoo, I.A.

2008-01-01

The 12 months stability study of freshly produced refined soybean oil revealed that refined soybean oil stored in plastic containers in dark was more hydrolytically and oxidatively stable than that stored in other containers in light condition. There was no significant difference at P < 0.05 in free fatty acids and acid value of oil stored under light and dark conditions in tin and glass containers but there was significant difference at P < 0.05 in peroxide value of oil stored in light and dark conditions in all the storage containers. Light increased the degree of oxidative rancidity of refined soybean oil, the most in tin containers, followed by glass containers and the least in plastic containers. (author)

Reacquisition of cocaine conditioned place preference and its inhibition by previous social interaction preferentially affect D1-medium spiny neurons in the accumbens corridor.

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Prast, Janine M; Schardl, Aurelia; Schwarzer, Christoph; Dechant, Georg; Saria, Alois; Zernig, Gerald

2014-01-01

We investigated if counterconditioning with dyadic (i.e., one-to-one) social interaction, a strong inhibitor of the subsequent reacquisition of cocaine conditioned place preference (CPP), differentially modulates the activity of the diverse brain regions oriented along a mediolateral corridor reaching from the interhemispheric sulcus to the anterior commissure, i.e., the nucleus of the vertical limb of the diagonal band, the medial septal nucleus, the major island of Calleja, the intermediate part of the lateral septal nucleus, and the medial accumbens shell and core. We also investigated the involvement of the lateral accumbens core and the dorsal caudate putamen. The anterior cingulate 1 (Cg1) region served as a negative control. Contrary to our expectations, we found that all regions of the accumbens corridor showed increased expression of the early growth response protein 1 (EGR1, Zif268) in rats 2 h after reacquisition of CPP for cocaine after a history of cocaine CPP acquisition and extinction. Previous counterconditioning with dyadic social interaction inhibited both the reacquisition of cocaine CPP and the activation of the whole accumbens corridor. EGR1 activation was predominantly found in dynorphin-labeled cells, i.e., presumably D1 receptor-expressing medium spiny neurons (D1-MSNs), with D2-MSNs (immunolabeled with an anti-DRD2 antibody) being less affected. Cholinergic interneurons or GABAergic interneurons positive for parvalbumin, neuropeptide Y or calretinin were not involved in these CPP-related EGR1 changes. Glial cells did not show any EGR1 expression either. The present findings could be of relevance for the therapy of impaired social interaction in substance use disorders, depression, psychosis, and autism spectrum disorders.

Electrophysiologic studies of neronal activities under ischemia condition.

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Shun-Ho; Wang, Ping-Hsien; Chen, Jia-Jin Jason

2008-01-01

Substrate with integrated microelectrode arrays (MEAs) provides an alternative electrophysiological method. With MEAS, one can measure the impedance and elicit electrical stimulation from multiple sites of MEAs to determine the electrophysiological conditions of cells. The aims of this research were to construct an impedance and action potential measurement system for neurons cultured on MEAs for observing the electrophysiological signal transmission in neuronal network during glucose and oxygen deprivation (OGD). An extracellular stimulator producing the biphasic micro-current pulse for neuron stimulation was built in this study. From the time-course recording of impedance, OGD condition effectively induced damage in neurons in vitro. It is known that the results of cell stimulation are affected by electrode impedance, so does the result of neuron cells covered on the electrode can measure the sealing resistance. For extracellular stimulation study, cortical neuronal activity was recorded and the suitable stimulation window was determined. However, the stimulation results were affected by electrode impedance as well as sealing impedance resulting from neuron cells covering the electrode. Further development of surface modification for cultured neuron network should provide a better way for in vitro impedance and electrophysiological measurements.

Biotransformation potential of phytosterols under anoxic and anaerobic conditions.

Science.gov (United States)

Dykstra, C M; Giles, H D; Banerjee, S; Pavlostathis, S G

2014-01-01

The biotransformation potential of three phytosterols (campesterol, stigmasterol and β-sitosterol) under denitrifying, sulfate-reducing and fermentative/methanogenic conditions was assessed. Using a group contribution method, the standard Gibbs free energy of phytosterols was calculated and used to perform theoretical energetic calculations. The oxidation of phytosterols under aerobic, nitrate-reducing, sulfate-reducing and methanogenic conditions was determined to be energetically feasible. However, using semi-continuously fed cultures maintained at 20-22 °C over 16 weekly feeding cycles (112 days; retention time, 21 days), phytosterol removal was observed under nitrate-reducing and sulfate-reducing conditions, but not under fermentative/methanogenic conditions. Under sulfate-reducing conditions, stigmast-4-en-3-one was identified as an intermediate of phytosterol biotransformation, a reaction more likely carried out by dehydrogenases/isomerases, previously reported to act on cholesterol under both oxic and anoxic (denitrifying) conditions. Further study of the biotransformation of phytosterols under anoxic/anaerobic conditions is necessary to delineate the factors and conditions leading to enhanced phytosterol biodegradation and the development of effective biological treatment systems for the removal of phytosterols from pulp and paper wastewaters and other phytosterol-bearing waste streams.

The prevalence of previous self-harm amongst self-poisoning patients in Sri Lanka

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mohamed, Fahim; Perera, Aravinda; Wijayaweera, Kusal

2011-01-01

BACKGROUND: One of the most important components of suicide prevention strategies is to target people who repeat self-harm as they are a high risk group. However, there is some evidence that the incidence of repeat self-harm is lower in Asia than in the West. The objective of this study...... was to investigate the prevalence of previous self-harm among a consecutive series of self-harm patients presenting to hospitals in rural Sri Lanka. METHOD: Six hundred and ninety-eight self-poisoning patients presenting to medical wards at two hospitals in Sri Lanka were interviewed about their previous episodes...... of self-harm. RESULTS: Sixty-one (8.7%, 95% CI 6.7-11%) patients reported at least one previous episode of self-harm [37 (10.7%) male, 24 (6.8%) female]; only 19 (2.7%, 95% CI 1.6-4.2%) patients had made more than one previous attempt. CONCLUSION: The low prevalence of previous self-harm is consistent...

Sunburn and sun-protective behaviors among adults with and without previous nonmelanoma skin cancer (NMSC): A population-based study.

Science.gov (United States)

Fischer, Alexander H; Wang, Timothy S; Yenokyan, Gayane; Kang, Sewon; Chien, Anna L

2016-08-01

Individuals with previous nonmelanoma skin cancer (NMSC) are at increased risk for subsequent skin cancer, and should therefore limit ultraviolet exposure. We sought to determine whether individuals with previous NMSC engage in better sun protection than those with no skin cancer history. We pooled self-reported data (2005 and 2010 National Health Interview Surveys) from US non-Hispanic white adults (758 with and 34,161 without previous NMSC). We calculated adjusted prevalence odds ratios (aPOR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI), taking into account the complex survey design. Individuals with previous NMSC versus no history of NMSC had higher rates of frequent use of shade (44.3% vs 27.0%; aPOR 1.41; 95% CI 1.16-1.71), long sleeves (20.5% vs 7.7%; aPOR 1.55; 95% CI 1.21-1.98), a wide-brimmed hat (26.1% vs 10.5%; aPOR 1.52; 95% CI 1.24-1.87), and sunscreen (53.7% vs 33.1%; aPOR 2.11; 95% CI 1.73-2.59), but did not have significantly lower odds of recent sunburn (29.7% vs 40.7%; aPOR 0.95; 95% CI 0.77-1.17). Among those with previous NMSC, recent sunburn was inversely associated with age, sun avoidance, and shade but not sunscreen. Self-reported cross-sectional data and unavailable information quantifying regular sun exposure are limitations. Physicians should emphasize sunburn prevention when counseling patients with previous NMSC, especially younger adults, focusing on shade and sun avoidance over sunscreen. Copyright © 2016 American Academy of Dermatology, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Effect of Previous Irradiation on Vascular Thrombosis of Microsurgical Anastomosis: A Preclinical Study in Rats

Science.gov (United States)

Gallardo-Calero, Irene; López-Fernández, Alba; Romagosa, Cleofe; Vergés, Ramona; Aguirre-Canyadell, Marius; Soldado, Francisco; Velez, Roberto

2016-01-01

Background: The objective of the present investigation was to compare the effect of neoadjuvant irradiation on the microvascular anastomosis in cervical bundle using an experimental model in rats. Methods: One hundred forty male Sprague–Dawley rats were allocated into 4 groups: group I, control, arterial microanastomosis; group II, control, venous microanastomosis; group III, arterial microanastomosis with previous irradiation (20 Gy); and group IV, venous microanastomosis with previous irradiation (20 Gy). Clinical parameters, technical values of anastomosis, patency, and histopathological parameters were evaluated. Results: Irradiated groups (III and IV) and vein anastomosis groups (II and IV) showed significantly increased technical difficulties. Group IV showed significantly reduced patency rates (7/35) when compared with the control group (0/35). Radiotherapy significantly decreased the patency rates of the vein (7/35) when compared with the artery (1/35). Groups III and IV showed significantly reduced number of endothelial cells and also showed the presence of intimal thickening and adventitial fibrosis as compared with the control group. Conclusion: Neoadjuvant radiotherapy reduces the viability of the venous anastomosis in a preclinical rat model with a significant increase in the incidence of vein thrombosis. PMID:27975009

Influence of cow breed type, age and previous lactation status on cow height, calf growth, and patterns of body weight, condition, and blood metabolites for cows grazing bahiagrass pastures.

Science.gov (United States)

Coleman, S W; Chase, C C; Riley, D G; Williams, M J

2017-01-01

This study was initiated to evaluate performance and patterns of cow traits and blood metabolites of 3 breeds of cows grazing bahiagrass (Paspalum notatum Flügge) pastures in central Florida. Purebred cows (n = 411) of either Angus (Bos taurus), Brahman (Bos indicus), or Romosinuano (Bos taurus) breeding, rotationally grazed (moved twice weekly) bahiagrass pastures year-round, and received bahiagrass hay supplemented with molasses and soyhulls or legume hay supplemented with unfortified molasses from October to June each production year. At monthly intervals, all cows were weighed, measured at the hip (HH), scored for BCS, and blood samples collected by jugular puncture from 10 cows per cow breed/block group for plasma urea N (PUN), glucose and non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA). Data were analyzed on cows that calved with a statistical model that included fixed effects of year, cowage, cow breed, month, block, supplement group (n = 2, but not presented), and whether the cow weaned a calf the previous year. Cow was a repeated observation over mo. Three-way interactions involving monthly patterns for cowage x year, year x lactation status the previous year, cowage × cow breed, year × cow breed, and cow breed × lactation status the previous year were significant (P cow breed × month was important (P cows compared to 3-yr old cows; 2) greater BW and BCS before calving for cows that did not lactate the previous year; 3) PUN levels were above 11 mg/dl except for February, August and September, and was generally greater in tropically adapted breeds; 4) GLU was greatest in Brahman, lowest in Angus, and intermediate in Romosinuano cows; and 5) plasma levels of NEFA escalated at calving and then declined, but Brahman cows maintained greater (P Cows that lactated the previous year had less NEFA than those that did not lactate. Brahman cows were less fertile than Bos taurus breeds, and weaned heavier calves.

Geomagnetic storm under laboratory conditions: randomized experiment

Science.gov (United States)

Gurfinkel, Yu I.; Vasin, A. L.; Pishchalnikov, R. Yu; Sarimov, R. M.; Sasonko, M. L.; Matveeva, T. A.

2017-10-01

The influence of the previously recorded geomagnetic storm (GS) on human cardiovascular system and microcirculation has been studied under laboratory conditions. Healthy volunteers in lying position were exposed under two artificially created conditions: quiet (Q) and storm (S). The Q regime playbacks a noise-free magnetic field (MF) which is closed to the natural geomagnetic conditions on Moscow's latitude. The S regime playbacks the initially recorded 6-h geomagnetic storm which is repeated four times sequentially. The cardiovascular response to the GS impact was assessed by measuring capillary blood velocity (CBV) and blood pressure (BP) and by the analysis of the 24-h ECG recording. A storm-to-quiet ratio for the cardio intervals (CI) and the heart rate variability (HRV) was introduced in order to reveal the average over group significant differences of HRV. An individual sensitivity to the GS was estimated using the autocorrelation function analysis of the high-frequency (HF) part of the CI spectrum. The autocorrelation analysis allowed for detection a group of subjects of study which autocorrelation functions (ACF) react differently in the Q and S regimes of exposure.

Geomagnetic storm under laboratory conditions: randomized experiment.

Science.gov (United States)

Gurfinkel, Yu I; Vasin, A L; Pishchalnikov, R Yu; Sarimov, R M; Sasonko, M L; Matveeva, T A

2018-04-01

The influence of the previously recorded geomagnetic storm (GS) on human cardiovascular system and microcirculation has been studied under laboratory conditions. Healthy volunteers in lying position were exposed under two artificially created conditions: quiet (Q) and storm (S). The Q regime playbacks a noise-free magnetic field (MF) which is closed to the natural geomagnetic conditions on Moscow's latitude. The S regime playbacks the initially recorded 6-h geomagnetic storm which is repeated four times sequentially. The cardiovascular response to the GS impact was assessed by measuring capillary blood velocity (CBV) and blood pressure (BP) and by the analysis of the 24-h ECG recording. A storm-to-quiet ratio for the cardio intervals (CI) and the heart rate variability (HRV) was introduced in order to reveal the average over group significant differences of HRV. An individual sensitivity to the GS was estimated using the autocorrelation function analysis of the high-frequency (HF) part of the CI spectrum. The autocorrelation analysis allowed for detection a group of subjects of study which autocorrelation functions (ACF) react differently in the Q and S regimes of exposure.

Study on Site Conditions Based on Topographic Slope

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, X.; Wang, X.; Yuan, X.; Chen, M.; Dou, A.

2018-04-01

The travel-time averaged shear-wave velocity to a depth of 30m (Vs30) below the Earth's surface is widely used to classify sites in many building codes. Vs30 is also used to estimate site classification in recent ground-motion prediction equations (GMPEs), and the distribution of Vs30 has been mapped in a region or country. An alternative method has recently been proposed for evaluating global seismic site conditions or Vs30, from the SRTM (Shuttle Radar Topography Mission) DEMs (digital elevation models). The basic premise of the method is that the topographic slope can be used as a reliable proxy for Vs30 in the absence of geologically and geotechnically based site-condition maps through correlations between Vs30 measurements and topographic gradient. Here, we use different resolutions (3 arcsec, 30 arcsec) DEM data to get Vs30 data separately, analyze and compare the difference of Vs30 data and site conditions obtained from different resolution DEM data. Shandong Province in eastern China and Sichuan Province in Western China are studied respectively. It is found that the higher resolution data is better at defining spatial topographic features than the 30c data, but less improvement in its correlation with Vs30.

STUDY ON SITE CONDITIONS BASED ON TOPOGRAPHIC SLOPE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

X. Wu

2018-04-01

Full Text Available The travel-time averaged shear-wave velocity to a depth of 30m (Vs30 below the Earth’s surface is widely used to classify sites in many building codes. Vs30 is also used to estimate site classification in recent ground-motion prediction equations (GMPEs, and the distribution of Vs30 has been mapped in a region or country. An alternative method has recently been proposed for evaluating global seismic site conditions or Vs30, from the SRTM (Shuttle Radar Topography Mission DEMs (digital elevation models. The basic premise of the method is that the topographic slope can be used as a reliable proxy for Vs30 in the absence of geologically and geotechnically based site-condition maps through correlations between Vs30 measurements and topographic gradient. Here, we use different resolutions (3 arcsec, 30 arcsec DEM data to get Vs30 data separately, analyze and compare the difference of Vs30 data and site conditions obtained from different resolution DEM data. Shandong Province in eastern China and Sichuan Province in Western China are studied respectively. It is found that the higher resolution data is better at defining spatial topographic features than the 30c data, but less improvement in its correlation with Vs30.

Guess LOD approach: sufficient conditions for robustness.

Science.gov (United States)

Williamson, J A; Amos, C I

1995-01-01

Analysis of genetic linkage between a disease and a marker locus requires specifying a genetic model describing both the inheritance pattern and the gene frequencies of the marker and trait loci. Misspecification of the genetic model is likely for etiologically complex diseases. In previous work we have shown through analytic studies that misspecifying the genetic model for disease inheritance does not lead to excess false-positive evidence for genetic linkage provided the genetic marker alleles of all pedigree members are known, or can be inferred without bias from the data. Here, under various selection or ascertainment schemes we extend these previous results to situations in which the genetic model for the marker locus may be incorrect. We provide sufficient conditions for the asymptotic unbiased estimation of the recombination fraction under the null hypothesis of no linkage, and also conditions for the limiting distribution of the likelihood ratio test for no linkage to be chi-squared. Through simulation studies we document some situations under which asymptotic bias can result when the genetic model is misspecified. Among those situations under which an excess of false-positive evidence for genetic linkage can be generated, the most common is failure to provide accurate estimates of the marker allele frequencies. We show that in most cases false-positive evidence for genetic linkage is unlikely to result solely from the misspecification of the genetic model for disease or trait inheritance.

Current net ecosystem exchange of CO2 in a young mixed forest: any heritage from the previous ecosystem?

Science.gov (United States)

Violette, Aurélie; Heinesch, Bernard; Erpicum, Michel; Carnol, Monique; Aubinet, Marc; François, Louis

2013-04-01

For 15 years, networks of flux towers have been developed to determine accurate carbon balance with the eddy-covariance method and determine if forests are sink or source of carbon. However, for prediction of the evolution of carbon cycle and climate, major uncertainties remain on the ecosystem respiration (Reco, which includes the respiration of above ground part of trees, roots respiration and mineralization of the soil organic matter), the gross primary productivity (GPP) and their difference, the net ecosystem exchange (NEE) of forests. These uncertainties are consequences of spatial and inter-annual variability, driven by previous and current climatic conditions, as well as by the particular history of the site (management, diseases, etc.). In this study we focus on the carbon cycle in two mixed forests in the Belgian Ardennes. The first site, Vielsalm, is a mature stand mostly composed of beeches (Fagus sylvatica) and douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) from 80 to 100 years old. The second site, La Robinette, was covered before 1995 with spruces. After an important windfall and a clear cutting, the site was replanted, between 1995 and 2000, with spruces (Piceas abies) and deciduous species (mostly Betula pendula, Aulnus glutinosa and Salix aurita). The challenge here is to highlight how initial conditions can influence the current behavior of the carbon cycle in a growing stand compared to a mature one, where initial conditions are supposed to be forgotten. A modeling approach suits particularly well for sensitivity tests and estimation of the temporal lag between an event and the ecosystem response. We use the forest ecosystem model ASPECTS (Rasse et al., Ecological Modelling 141, 35-52, 2001). This model predicts long-term forest growth by calculating, over time, hourly NEE. It was developed and already validated on the Vielsalm forest. Modelling results are confronted to eddy-covariance data on both sites from 2006 to 2011. The main difference between both

Study of containment air cooler capacity in steam air environment during accident conditions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kansal, M.; Mohan, N.; Bhawal, R.N.; Bajaj, S.S.

2002-01-01

Full text: The air coolers are provided for controlling the temperature in the reactor building during normal operation. These air coolers also serve as the main heat sink for the removal of energy from high enthalpy air-steam mixture expected in reactor building under accident conditions. A subroutine COOLER has been developed to estimate the heat removal rate of the air coolers at high temperature and steam conditions. The subroutine COOLER has been attached with the code PACSR (post accident containment system response) used for containment pressure temperature calculation. The subroutine was validated using design parameters at normal operating condition. A study was done to estimate the heat removal rate for some postulated accident conditions. The study reveals that, under accident conditions, the heat removal rate of air coolers increases several times compared with normal operating conditions

A cross-sectional study of tuberculosis drug resistance among previously treated patients in a tertiary hospital in Accra, Ghana: public health implications of standardized regimens.

Science.gov (United States)

Forson, Audrey; Kwara, Awewura; Kudzawu, Samuel; Omari, Michael; Otu, Jacob; Gehre, Florian; de Jong, Bouke; Antonio, Martin

2018-04-02

Mycobacterium tuberculosis drug resistance is a major challenge to the use of standardized regimens for tuberculosis (TB) therapy, especially among previously treated patients. We aimed to investigate the frequency and pattern of drug resistance among previously treated patients with smear-positive pulmonary tuberculosis at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital Chest Clinic, Accra. This was a cross-sectional survey of mycobacterial isolates from previously treated patients referred to the Chest Clinic Laboratory between October 2010 and October 2013. The Bactec MGIT 960 system for mycobactrerial culture and drug sensitivity testing (DST) was used for sputum culture of AFB smear-positive patients with relapse, treatment failure, failure of smear conversion, or default. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize patient characteristics, and frequency and patterns of drug resistance. A total of 112 isolates were studied out of 155 from previously treated patients. Twenty contaminated (12.9%) and 23 non-viable isolates (14.8%) were excluded. Of the 112 studied isolates, 53 (47.3%) were pan-sensitive to all first-line drugs tested Any resistance (mono and poly resistance) to isoniazid was found in 44 isolates (39.3%) and any resistance to streptomycin in 43 (38.4%). Thirty-one (27.7%) were MDR-TB. Eleven (35.5%) out of 31 MDR-TB isolates were pre-XDR. MDR-TB isolates were more likely than non-MDR isolates to have streptomycin and ethambutol resistance. The main findings of this study were the high prevalence of MDR-TB and streptomycin resistance among previously treated TB patients, as well as a high prevalence of pre-XDR-TB among the MDR-TB patients, which suggest that first-line and second-line DST is essential to aid the design of effective regimens for these groups of patients in Ghana.

Antenna analysis and boundary conditions for Alfven wave studies in tokamaks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ross, D.W.; Li Yanming; Mahajan, S.M.; Michie, R.B.

1986-01-01

Previous studies of Alfven wave heating which employed kinetic theory are extended in order to take into account antenna configurations, in cylindrical geometry, consisting of arbitrary shell currents and their associated radial feeders. For each Fourier component of the form exp [-i(lzeta-mtheta)], the shell current consists of a divergence-free part having the helicity of the mode (l, m), plus an orthogonal part requiring the feeders. It is shown, both analytically and by including the full current in the numerical code, that only the divergence-free part of the current contributes significantly to the plasma response and antenna loading. The important effect of the feeders is to cancel the contribution from the surface current perpendicular to the helicity. This explicitly verifies results reported previously. (author)

Antenna analysis and boundary conditions for Alfven wave studies in tokamaks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ross, D.W.; Li, Y.M.; Mahajan, S.M.; Michie, R.B.

1985-07-01

Previous studies of Alfven wave heating which employed kinetic theory are extended to take into account antenna configurations, in cylindrical geometry, consisting of arbitrary shell currents and their associated radial feeders. For each Fourier component of the form esp/-i(l zeta - m theta)/, the shell current consists of a divergence-free part having the helicity of the mode (l,m), plus an orthogonal part requiring the feeders. It is shown, both analtically and by including the full current in the numerical code, that only the divergence-free part of the current contributes significantly to the plasma response and antenna loading. The important effect of the feeders is to cancel the contribution from the surface current perpendicular to the helicity. This explicitly verifies results reported previously

Modeling of hydrologic conditions and solute movement in processed oil shale waste embankments under simulated climatic conditions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Reeves, T.L.; Turner, J.P.; Hasfurther, V.R.; Skinner, Q.D.

1992-06-01

The scope of this program is to study interacting hydrologic, geotechnical, and chemical factors affecting the behavior and disposal of combusted processed oil shale. The research combines bench-scale testing with large scale research sufficient to describe commercial scale embankment behavior. The large scale approach was accomplished by establishing five lysimeters, each 7.3 x 3.0 x 3.0 m deep, filled with processed oil shale that has been retorted and combusted by the Lurgi-Ruhrgas (Lurgi) process. Approximately 400 tons of Lurgi processed oil shale waste was provided by RBOSC to carry out this study. Research objectives were designed to evaluate hydrologic, geotechnical, and chemical properties and conditions which would affect the design and performance of large-scale embankments. The objectives of this research are: assess the unsaturated movement and redistribution of water and the development of potential saturated zones and drainage in disposed processed oil shale under natural and simulated climatic conditions; assess the unsaturated movement of solubles and major chemical constituents in disposed processed oil shale under natural and simulated climatic conditions; assess the physical and constitutive properties of the processed oil shale and determine potential changes in these properties caused by disposal and weathering by natural and simulated climatic conditions; assess the use of previously developed computer model(s) to describe the infiltration, unsaturated movement, redistribution, and drainage of water in disposed processed oil shale; evaluate the stability of field scale processed oil shale solid waste embankments using computer models

Narrowing down the conditions for extinction of Pavlovian feature-positive discriminations in humans

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van Vooren, P.R.; Franssen, M.; Beckers, T.; Hermans, D.; Baeyens, F.

2012-01-01

The aim of this study was to delineate the minimal conditions for extinction of Pavlovian modulation in humans. Previous experiments at our lab showed that, after X-- A+/A- acquisition training, X- trials did not extinguish differential X-- A+/A- responding, while X-- A- trials did. Additionally,

Laboratory mouse housing conditions can be improved using common environmental enrichment without compromising data

Science.gov (United States)

Gau, Christine; Scheideler, Angelika; Aguilar-Pimentel, Juan A.; Amarie, Oana V.; Becker, Lore; Garrett, Lillian; Hans, Wolfgang; Hölter, Sabine M.; Janik, Dirk; Moreth, Kristin; Neff, Frauke; Östereicher, Manuela; Racz, Ildiko; Rathkolb, Birgit; Rozman, Jan; Bekeredjian, Raffi; Graw, Jochen; Klingenspor, Martin; Klopstock, Thomas; Ollert, Markus; Schmidt-Weber, Carsten; Wolf, Eckhard; Wurst, Wolfgang; Gailus-Durner, Valérie; Brielmeier, Markus; Fuchs, Helmut; Hrabé de Angelis, Martin

2018-01-01

Animal welfare requires the adequate housing of animals to ensure health and well-being. The application of environmental enrichment is a way to improve the well-being of laboratory animals. However, it is important to know whether these enrichment items can be incorporated in experimental mouse husbandry without creating a divide between past and future experimental results. Previous small-scale studies have been inconsistent throughout the literature, and it is not yet completely understood whether and how enrichment might endanger comparability of results of scientific experiments. Here, we measured the effect on means and variability of 164 physiological parameters in 3 conditions: with nesting material with or without a shelter, comparing these 2 conditions to a “barren” regime without any enrichments. We studied a total of 360 mice from each of 2 mouse strains (C57BL/6NTac and DBA/2NCrl) and both sexes for each of the 3 conditions. Our study indicates that enrichment affects the mean values of some of the 164 parameters with no consistent effects on variability. However, the influence of enrichment appears negligible compared to the effects of other influencing factors. Therefore, nesting material and shelters may be used to improve animal welfare without impairment of experimental outcome or loss of comparability to previous data collected under barren housing conditions. PMID:29659570

Laboratory mouse housing conditions can be improved using common environmental enrichment without compromising data.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Viola André

2018-04-01

Full Text Available Animal welfare requires the adequate housing of animals to ensure health and well-being. The application of environmental enrichment is a way to improve the well-being of laboratory animals. However, it is important to know whether these enrichment items can be incorporated in experimental mouse husbandry without creating a divide between past and future experimental results. Previous small-scale studies have been inconsistent throughout the literature, and it is not yet completely understood whether and how enrichment might endanger comparability of results of scientific experiments. Here, we measured the effect on means and variability of 164 physiological parameters in 3 conditions: with nesting material with or without a shelter, comparing these 2 conditions to a "barren" regime without any enrichments. We studied a total of 360 mice from each of 2 mouse strains (C57BL/6NTac and DBA/2NCrl and both sexes for each of the 3 conditions. Our study indicates that enrichment affects the mean values of some of the 164 parameters with no consistent effects on variability. However, the influence of enrichment appears negligible compared to the effects of other influencing factors. Therefore, nesting material and shelters may be used to improve animal welfare without impairment of experimental outcome or loss of comparability to previous data collected under barren housing conditions.

Conditioning Influences Audio-Visual Integration by Increasing Sound Saliency

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fabrizio Leo

2011-10-01

Full Text Available We investigated the effect of prior conditioning of an auditory stimulus on audiovisual integration in a series of four psychophysical experiments. The experiments factorially manipulated the conditioning procedure (picture vs monetary conditioning and multisensory paradigm (2AFC visual detection vs redundant target paradigm. In the conditioning sessions, subjects were presented with three pure tones (= conditioned stimulus, CS that were paired with neutral, positive, or negative unconditioned stimuli (US, monetary: +50 euro cents,.–50 cents, 0 cents; pictures: highly pleasant, unpleasant, and neutral IAPS. In a 2AFC visual selective attention paradigm, detection of near-threshold Gabors was improved by concurrent sounds that had previously been paired with a positive (monetary or negative (picture outcome relative to neutral sounds. In the redundant target paradigm, sounds previously paired with positive (monetary or negative (picture outcomes increased response speed to both auditory and audiovisual targets similarly. Importantly, prior conditioning did not increase the multisensory response facilitation (ie, (A + V/2 – AV or the race model violation. Collectively, our results suggest that prior conditioning primarily increases the saliency of the auditory stimulus per se rather than influencing audiovisual integration directly. In turn, conditioned sounds are rendered more potent for increasing response accuracy or speed in detection of visual targets.

Instantons and the trace anomaly condition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dowrick, N.; McDougall, N.A.

1988-01-01

In the past, it has been claimed that instanton dynamics evaluated using the dilute-gas-approximation with a cut-off do not satisfy the trace anomaly condition, and that inter-instanton interactions were required to correct this. However, they show that any model for instanton dynamics automatically satisfies the trace anomlay condition provided no dimensionful parameter other than the QCD scale Λ is introduced during the calculation, and they explain the origin of the previous (incorrect) conclusion

Operational Markov Condition for Quantum Processes

Science.gov (United States)

Pollock, Felix A.; Rodríguez-Rosario, César; Frauenheim, Thomas; Paternostro, Mauro; Modi, Kavan

2018-01-01

We derive a necessary and sufficient condition for a quantum process to be Markovian which coincides with the classical one in the relevant limit. Our condition unifies all previously known definitions for quantum Markov processes by accounting for all potentially detectable memory effects. We then derive a family of measures of non-Markovianity with clear operational interpretations, such as the size of the memory required to simulate a process or the experimental falsifiability of a Markovian hypothesis.

The relative impact of 13 chronic conditions across three different outcomes.

Science.gov (United States)

Perruccio, Anthony V; Power, J Denise; Badley, Elizabeth M

2007-12-01

Previous estimates of individual and population attributable risks for adverse outcomes due to chronic conditions have considered only a limited number of conditions and outcomes, with some studies using inappropriate formulae or methods of estimation. This study re-examines the magnitude of individual and population attributable risks for a wide range of conditions and various health outcomes. Log-Poisson regression was used to calculate prevalence ratios as an indicator of individual risk and population-associated fractions of 13 chronic conditions, examining activity limitations, self-rated health and physician visits. The effect of multimorbidity on prevalence ratios was examined. Canada, 2000-01. Nationally representative sample of Canadians aged 12+ years (n _ 130 880). At the individual level, fibromyalgia/chronic fatigue syndrome and cancer, and to a lesser extent stroke and heart disease, were associated with an increased risk of both activity limitations and a self-rated health status of fair or poor; high blood pressure was associated with four or more physician visits in the previous 12 months. In contrast, population attributable fractions were substantial for arthritis/rheumatism, heart disease, back problems and high blood pressure across all outcomes. Adjustment for multimorbidity resulted in a marked decreases in prevalence ratios. Differences in the ranking of individual risks and population attributable fractions for different diseases and outcomes are substantial. This needs to be taken into account when setting priorities, as interventions may need to be targeted to different conditions depending on which aspects of health are being considered, and whether the focus is on individuals, such as in clinical care, or improving the health of the population.

The pathogenicity of genetic variants previously associated with left ventricular non-compaction

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Abbasi, Yeganeh; Jabbari, Javad; Jabbari, Reza

2016-01-01

BACKGROUND: Left ventricular non-compaction (LVNC) is a rare cardiomyopathy. Many genetic variants have been associated with LVNC. However, the number of the previous LVNC-associated variants that are common in the background population remains unknown. The aim of this study was to provide...... an updated list of previously reported LVNC-associated variants with biologic description and investigate the prevalence of LVNC variants in healthy general population to find false-positive LVNC-associated variants. METHODS AND RESULTS: The Human Gene Mutation Database and PubMed were systematically...... searched to identify all previously reported LVNC-associated variants. Thereafter, the Exome Sequencing Project (ESP) and the Exome Aggregation Consortium (ExAC), that both represent the background population, was searched for all variants. Four in silico prediction tools were assessed to determine...

Reoperative sentinel lymph node biopsy after previous mastectomy.

Science.gov (United States)

Karam, Amer; Stempel, Michelle; Cody, Hiram S; Port, Elisa R

2008-10-01

Sentinel lymph node (SLN) biopsy is the standard of care for axillary staging in breast cancer, but many clinical scenarios questioning the validity of SLN biopsy remain. Here we describe our experience with reoperative-SLN (re-SLN) biopsy after previous mastectomy. Review of the SLN database from September 1996 to December 2007 yielded 20 procedures done in the setting of previous mastectomy. SLN biopsy was performed using radioisotope with or without blue dye injection superior to the mastectomy incision, in the skin flap in all patients. In 17 of 20 patients (85%), re-SLN biopsy was performed for local or regional recurrence after mastectomy. Re-SLN biopsy was successful in 13 of 20 patients (65%) after previous mastectomy. Of the 13 patients, 2 had positive re-SLN, and completion axillary dissection was performed, with 1 having additional positive nodes. In the 11 patients with negative re-SLN, 2 patients underwent completion axillary dissection demonstrating additional negative nodes. One patient with a negative re-SLN experienced chest wall recurrence combined with axillary recurrence 11 months after re-SLN biopsy. All others remained free of local or axillary recurrence. Re-SLN biopsy was unsuccessful in 7 of 20 patients (35%). In three of seven patients, axillary dissection was performed, yielding positive nodes in two of the three. The remaining four of seven patients all had previous modified radical mastectomy, so underwent no additional axillary surgery. In this small series, re-SLN was successful after previous mastectomy, and this procedure may play some role when axillary staging is warranted after mastectomy.

Adhesion of resin composites to biomaterials in dentistry : an evaluation of surface conditioning methods

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Özcan, Mutlu

2003-01-01

Since previous investigations revealed that most clinical failures in adhesively luted ceramic restorations initiate from the cementation or internal surfaces, the study presented in Chapter II evaluated the effect of three different surface conditioning methods on the bond strength of a Bis-GMA

77 FR 70176 - Previous Participation Certification

Science.gov (United States)

2012-11-23

... participants' previous participation in government programs and ensure that the past record is acceptable prior... information is designed to be 100 percent automated and digital submission of all data and certifications is... government programs and ensure that the past record is acceptable prior to granting approval to participate...

A study of skin disorders in patients with primary psychiatric conditions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kuruvila Maria

2004-09-01

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: The skin occupies a powerful position as an organ of communication and plays an important role in socialization throughout life. The interface between dermatology and psychiatry is complex and of clinical importance. AIMS: To document the incidence of cutaneous disorders in patients with primary psychiatric conditions. METHODS: Three hundred patients with a primary psychiatric condition who had cutaneous disease were entered into the study group. The patients were classified appropriately based on the classification of psychocutaneous disorders. The control group included 300 patients presenting with a skin disorder and without any known psychiatric complaint. RESULTS: The majority of the cases in the study group were in the 3rd-5th decade. In this study, the most common primary psychiatric conditions were manic depressive psychosis (53.33%, depression (36.33%, schizophrenia (8.33% and anxiety (2%. Of the study group, 68.66% patients had infective dermatoses and the rest had non-infective dermatoses. A high incidence of pityriasis versicolor and dermatophyte infections was noted in males from the study group. Among non-infective dermatoses, 8% had eczema, and psychogenic skin disorders were seen in 4.67% of the study group. Of these, delusions of parasitosis were the commonest (2% followed by venereophobia (1%. CONCLUSIONS: A statistically significant higher incidence of tinea versicolor and dermatophyte infections was seen in the study group. Delusion of parasitosis was the most common psychogenic skin disorder seen in the study group, followed by venereophobia.

Brain-derived neurotrophic factor enhances conditioned taste aversion retention.

Science.gov (United States)

Castillo, Diana V; Figueroa-Guzmán, Yazmín; Escobar, Martha L

2006-01-05

Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) has recently emerged as one of the most potent molecular mediators of not only central synaptic plasticity, but also behavioral interactions between an organism and its environment. Our previous studies on the insular cortex (IC), a region of the temporal cortex implicated in the acquisition and storage of conditioned taste aversion (CTA), have demonstrated that induction of long-term potentiation (LTP) in the projection from the basolateral nucleus of the amygdala (Bla) to the IC, previous to CTA training, enhances the retention of this task. Recently, we found that intracortical microinfusion of BDNF induces a lasting potentiation of synaptic efficacy in the Bla-IC projection of adult rats in vivo. In this work, we present experimental data showing that intracortical microinfusion of BDNF previous to CTA training enhances the retention of this task. These findings support the concept that BDNF may contribute to memory-related functions performed by a neocortical area, playing a critical role in long-term synaptic plasticity.

Confinement dynamics and boundary condition studies in the Reversed Field Pinch

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schoenberg, K.F.; Ingraham, J.C.; Moses, R.W. Jr.

1988-01-01

The study of confinement dynamics, including investigation of the boundary conditions required for plasma sustainment, are central to the development of the Reversed Field Pinch (RFP) concept. Recently, several insights into confinement have emerged from a detailed investigation RFP electron and ion dynamics. These insights derive from the recognition that both magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) and electron kinetic effects play an important and coupled role in RFP stability, sustainment, and confinement. In this paper, we summarize the results of confinement studies on the ZT-40M experiment, and boundary condition studies on the Wisconsin non-circular RFP experiment. A brief description of the newly commissioned Madison Symmetric Torus (MST) is also presented. 28 refs., 3 figs

Clinical evaluation of postural posture of patients with previous stroke subjected to early rehabilitation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anna Sagan

2018-02-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Impairment disorders are often found in patients with stroke and impairment of motor and cognitive functions. This is a very serious complication because, by imposing a motor impairment, it aggravates the condition of disability and makes it difficult to conduct physical rehabilitation.The resulting neurological deficits due to stroke determine functional disorders. The possibility of locomotion is usually compromised, therefore the risk of falls increases significantly. The aim of the work is to present Postural Assesment Scale for Strock PASS with the postural stroke assessment scale, the impact of early rehabilitation of patients staying in the neurology ward.Material and methods: Postural examination was carried out among 17 people, of which 8 were women, and 9 were male. The study was divided into two stages. The first stage occurred immediately after the stroke and the second one before the patient was discharged from the ward. Research was carried out at the Biegański Specialist Hospital in Grudziądz in the Department of Neurology and Clinical Neuroimmunology and Impact Department.Conclusions: The results of the postural studies carried out in people with previous stroke subjected to early physiotherapy have a beneficial effect of the conducted therapy. There are positive changes between the first and the final examination of the patients.

Effects of previous ovarian surgery for endometriosis on the outcome of assisted reproduction treatment.

Science.gov (United States)

Geber, Selmo; Ferreira, Daniela Parreiras; Spyer Prates, Luis Felipe Víctor; Sales, Liana; Sampaio, Marcos

2002-01-01

Endometriosis affects 2-50% of women at reproductive age. Surgery is an option for treatment, but there is no convincing evidence that it promotes a significant improvement in fertility. Also, the removal of ovarian endometrioma might lead to a reduction in the follicular reserve and response to stimulation. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of previous ovarian surgery for endometriosis on the ovarian response in assisted reproduction treatment cycles and its pregnancy outcome. A total of 61 women, with primary infertility and previously having undergone ovarian surgery for endometriosis, who had received 74 IVF/intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) cycles, were studied (study group). A further 74 patients with primary infertility who underwent 77 IVF/ICSI cycles within#10; the same period of time, at the same clinic and without previous ovarian surgery or endometriosis were studied as a control group. Patients were matched for age and treatment performed. Patients 35 years with previous ovarian surgery needed more ampoules for ovulation induction (P = 0.017) and had fewer follicles and oocytes than women in the control group (P = 0.001). Duration of folliculogenesis was similar in both groups, as was fertilization rate. A total of 10 patients achieved pregnancy in the study group (34.5%) and 14 (48.3%) in the control group. Although a lower pregnancy rate was observed in patients who had undergone previous ovarian surgery, this difference was not statistically significant (P = 0.424). In conclusion, ovarian surgery for the treatment of endometriosis reduces the ovarian outcome in IVF/ICSI cycles in women >35 years old, and might also decrease pregnancy rates. Therefore, for infertile patients, non-surgical treatment might be a better option to avoid reduction of the ovarian response.

INPR ACPR utilization in fuel behaviour studies under accidental condition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Negut, Gheorghe; Popov, Mircea

1990-01-01

This paper is dedicated to the experimental program, investigating CANDU type fuel behaviour in transient condition, as well as the facilities supporting this program. The tests Reactivity Initiated Accident type. The experiments were performed within TRIGA ACPR facility, installed at INSTITUTE for NUCLEAR POWER REACTORS, Pitesti, ROMANIA. Studies of the safety issues took a great international developement during last years. In USA, Japan, owners of the similar reactors, and USSR there are a big commitment to such programs, intended to establish the nuclear fuel behaviour under RIA-conditions. In our country, too, there are programs aiming a complete testing of the CANDU type fuels. As it is known, RIA is not a CANDU specific accident, but the fuel behaviour in such conditions can give useful informations on the fuel cladding failure threshold and about reflooding post LOCA heat transfer condition. Based on some papers and specific requirements it was initiated and developed a safety research program on CANDU type fuel using the ACPR. The paper describes the reactor,test capsule, instrumentation, fuel samples, tests, post irradiation results. (orig.)

The long-term consequences of previous hyperthyroidism

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hjelm Brandt Kristensen, Frans

2015-01-01

Thyroid hormones affect every cell in the human body, and the cardiovascular changes associated with increased levels of thyroid hormones are especially well described. As an example, short-term hyperthyroidism has positive chronotropic and inotropic effects on the heart, leading to a hyperdynamic...... with CVD, LD and DM both before and after the diagnosis of hyperthyroidism. Although the design used does not allow a stringent distinction between cause and effect, the findings indicate a possible direct association between hyperthyroidism and these morbidities, or vice versa....... vascular state. While it is biologically plausible that these changes may induce long-term consequences, the insight into morbidity as well as mortality in patients with previous hyperthyroidism is limited. The reasons for this are a combination of inadequately powered studies, varying definitions...

How much are your geraniums? Taking graph conditions beyond first Order

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Rensink, Arend; Katoen, Joost-Pieter; Langerak, Rom; Rensink, Arend

2017-01-01

Previous work has shown how first-order logic can equivalently be expressed through nested graph conditions, also called condition trees, with surprisingly few ingredients. In this paper, we extend condition trees by adding set-based operators such as sums and products, calculated over operands that

Prevalence of Untreated Surgical Conditions in Rural Rwanda: A Population-Based Cross-sectional Study in Burera District.

Science.gov (United States)

Maine, Rebecca G; Linden, Allison F; Riviello, Robert; Kamanzi, Emmanuel; Mody, Gita N; Ntakiyiruta, Georges; Kansayisa, Grace; Ntaganda, Edmond; Niyonkuru, Francine; Mubiligi, Joel M; Mpunga, Tharcisse; Meara, John G; Hedt-Gauthier, Bethany L

2017-12-20

In low- and middle-income countries, community-level surgical epidemiology is largely undefined. Accurate community-level surgical epidemiology is necessary for surgical health systems planning. To determine the prevalence of surgical conditions in Burera District, Northern Province, Rwanda. A cross-sectional study with a 2-stage cluster sample design (at village and household level) was carried out in Burera District in March and May 2012. A team of surgeons randomly sampled 30 villages with probability proportionate to village population size, then sampled 23 households within each village. All available household members were examined. The presence of 10 index surgical conditions (injuries/wounds, hernias/hydroceles, breast masses, neck masses, obstetric fistulas, undescended testes, hypospadias, hydrocephalus, cleft lip/palate, and clubfoot) was determined by physical examination. Prevalence was estimated overall and for each condition. Multivariable logistic regression was performed to identify factors associated with surgical conditions, accounting for the complex survey design. Of the 2165 examined individuals, 1215 (56.2%) were female. The prevalence of any surgical condition among all examined individuals was 12% (95% CI, 9.2-14.9%). Half of conditions were hernias/hydroceles (49.6%), and 44% were injuries/wounds. In multivariable analysis, children 5 years or younger had twice the odds of having a surgical condition compared with married individuals 21 to 35 years of age (reference group) (odds ratio [OR], 2.2; 95% CI, 1.26-4.04; P = .01). The oldest group, people older than 50 years, also had twice the odds of having a surgical condition compared with the reference group (married, aged >50 years: OR, 2.3; 95% CI, 1.28-4.23; P = .01; unmarried, aged >50 years: OR, 2.38; 95% CI, 1.02-5.52; P = .06). Unmarried individuals 21 to 35 years of age and unmarried individuals aged 36 to 50 years had higher odds of a surgical condition compared with the

[Prevalence of previously diagnosed diabetes mellitus in Mexico.

Science.gov (United States)

Rojas-Martínez, Rosalba; Basto-Abreu, Ana; Aguilar-Salinas, Carlos A; Zárate-Rojas, Emiliano; Villalpando, Salvador; Barrientos-Gutiérrez, Tonatiuh

2018-01-01

To compare the prevalence of previously diagnosed diabetes in 2016 with previous national surveys and to describe treatment and its complications. Mexico's national surveys Ensa 2000, Ensanut 2006, 2012 and 2016 were used. For 2016, logistic regression models and measures of central tendency and dispersion were obtained. The prevalence of previously diagnosed diabetes in 2016 was 9.4%. The increase of 2.2% relative to 2012 was not significant and only observed in patients older than 60 years. While preventive measures have increased, the access to medical treatment and lifestyle has not changed. The treatment has been modified, with an increase in insulin and decrease in hypoglycaemic agents. Population aging, lack of screening actions and the increase in diabetes complications will lead to an increase on the burden of disease. Policy measures targeting primary and secondary prevention of diabetes are crucial.

Children with autism spectrum disorders show abnormal conditioned response timing on delay, but not trace, eyeblink conditioning

Science.gov (United States)

Oristaglio, Jeff; West, Susan Hyman; Ghaffari, Manely; Lech, Melissa S.; Verma, Beeta R.; Harvey, John A.; Welsh, John P.; Malone, Richard P.

2013-01-01

Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and age-matched typically-developing (TD) peers were tested on two forms of eyeblink conditioning (EBC), a Pavlovian associative learning paradigm where subjects learn to execute an appropriately-timed eyeblink in response to a previously neutral conditioning stimulus (CS). One version of the task, trace EBC, interposes a stimulus-free interval between the presentation of the CS and the unconditioned stimulus (US), a puff of air to the eye which causes subjects to blink. In delay EBC, the CS overlaps in time with the delivery of the US, usually with both stimuli terminating simultaneously. ASD children performed normally during trace EBC, exhibiting no differences from typically-developing (TD) subjects with regard to learning rate or the timing of the CR. However, when subsequently tested on delay EBC, subjects with ASD displayed abnormally-timed conditioned eye blinks that began earlier and peaked sooner than those of TD subjects, consistent with previous findings. The results suggest an impaired ability of children with ASD to properly time conditioned eye blinks which appears to be specific to delay EBC. We suggest that this deficit may reflect a dysfunction of cerebellar cortex in which increases in the intensity or duration of sensory input can temporarily disrupt the accuracy of motor timing over short temporal intervals. PMID:23769889

Analysis of previous perceptual and motor experience in breaststroke kick learning

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ried Bettina

2015-12-01

Full Text Available One of the variables that influence motor learning is the learner’s previous experience, which may provide perceptual and motor elements to be transferred to a novel motor skill. For swimming skills, several motor experiences may prove effective. Purpose. The aim was to analyse the influence of previous experience in playing in water, swimming lessons, and music or dance lessons on learning the breaststroke kick. Methods. The study involved 39 Physical Education students possessing basic swimming skills, but not the breaststroke, who performed 400 acquisition trials followed by 50 retention and 50 transfer trials, during which stroke index as well as rhythmic and spatial configuration indices were mapped, and answered a yes/no questionnaire regarding previous experience. Data were analysed by ANOVA (p = 0.05 and the effect size (Cohen’s d ≥0.8 indicating large effect size. Results. The whole sample improved their stroke index and spatial configuration index, but not their rhythmic configuration index. Although differences between groups were not significant, two types of experience showed large practical effects on learning: childhood water playing experience only showed major practically relevant positive effects, and no experience in any of the three fields hampered the learning process. Conclusions. The results point towards diverse impact of previous experience regarding rhythmic activities, swimming lessons, and especially with playing in water during childhood, on learning the breaststroke kick.

Social transmission of Pavlovian fear: fear-conditioning by-proxy in related female rats.

Science.gov (United States)

Jones, Carolyn E; Riha, Penny D; Gore, Andrea C; Monfils, Marie-H

2014-05-01

Pairing a previously neutral conditioned stimulus (CS; e.g., a tone) to an aversive unconditioned stimulus (US; e.g., a foot-shock) leads to associative learning such that the tone alone will elicit a conditioned response (e.g., freezing). Individuals can also acquire fear from a social context, such as through observing the fear expression of a conspecific. In the current study, we examined the influence of kinship/familiarity on social transmission of fear in female rats. Rats were housed in triads with either sisters or non-related females. One rat from each cage was fear conditioned to a tone CS+ shock US. On day two, the conditioned rat was returned to the chamber accompanied by one of her cage mates. Both rats were allowed to behave freely, while the tone was played in the absence of the foot-shock. The previously untrained rat is referred to as the fear-conditioned by-proxy (FCbP) animal, as she would freeze based on observations of her cage-mate's response rather than due to direct personal experience with the foot-shock. The third rat served as a cage-mate control. The third day, long-term memory tests to the CS were performed. Consistent with our previous application of this paradigm in male rats (Bruchey et al. in Behav Brain Res 214(1):80-84, 2010), our results revealed that social interactions between the fear conditioned and FCbP rats on day two contribute to freezing displayed by the FCbP rats on day three. In this experiment, prosocial behavior occurring at the termination of the cue on day two was significantly greater between sisters than their non-sister counterparts, and this behavior resulted in increased freezing on day three. Our results suggest that familiarity and/or kinship influences the social transmission of fear in female rats.

A Study of the Factors Conditioning College Mathematics, 1890-1945.

Science.gov (United States)

Whittington, Russell, Jr.

This study attempted to determine (1) the nature of the influences conditioning college mathematics, (2) the impact of these influences, and (3) the changes which seem to have resulted during three chronological periods from 1890 to 1945. For each period of the study certain basic questions were investigated (1) learning theory in the teaching of…

Study of the Working Conditions of Health Extension Workers in ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Coverage: 2005-2009” of which “The Health Extension Program (HEP)” is a major component”. Objective: The study focuses on the first batch of Health Extension Workers (HEWs) with the overall objective of assessing the working conditions of HEWs and their job satisfaction. Methods: An in-depth field study was carried ...

Highlights from the previous volumes

Science.gov (United States)

Jacopo, Iacovacci; Takahiro, Kohsokabe; Kunihiko, Kaneko; al., Lange Steffen et; al., Helden Laurent et; et al.

2017-04-01

Functional Multiplex PageRank: The centrality is a functionPattern formation induced by fixed boundary conditionPower-law distributed Poincaré recurrences in higher-dimensional systemsMeasurement of second-order response without perturbation

Effects of neckbands on body condition of migratory geese

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Clausen, Kevin Kuhlmann; Madsen, Jesper

2014-01-01

index (API) of marked geese and body mass of recaptured birds previously marked, this study investigated the effect of neckbands on body condition of pink-footed geese Anser brachyrhynchus at different temporal scales, and evaluated to what extent capture, handling and banding affected these birds......Ringing and marking are widely used techniques in avian ecology to assist studies of migration, survival and behaviour, and often used approaches to estimate population sizes. Only rarely however, are the effects of these markings on bird viability thoroughly tested. Using an abdominal profile...... on short, medium and longer terms. Our results indicated that body condition of geese were negatively affected in the days immediately succeeding capture, but that only a minor effect persisted on a seasonal scale. We found no support for a long term effect of neckbands on the body mass of individual birds...

A Survey of Patients' Preoperative Need for Information About Postoperative Pain-Effect of Previous Surgery Experience.

Science.gov (United States)

Mavridou, Paraskevi; Manataki, Adamantia; Arnaoutoglou, Elena; Damigos, Dimitrios

2017-10-01

The aim of this study was to determine the kind of information patients need preoperatively about postoperative pain (POP) and whether this is affected by previous surgery experience. A descriptive study design using preoperative questionnaires. Questionnaires with fixed questions related to POP and its management were distributed preoperatively to consenting, consecutive surgical patients. Patients were divided into two groups: patients with previous surgery experience (group A) and patients without previous surgery experience (group B). Of the patients who participated in the study, 94.2% wanted information about POP and 77.8% of them believe that they will feel calmer if they get the information they need. The patients' biggest concern relates to pain management issues after discharge. Next, in order of preference is information about the analgesics that they need to take. The patients want to be informed primarily with a personal interview (59.4%). Previous surgery experience has no effect on patients' needs for information. Most of the patients want to be informed about the management of the POP after being discharged. It is remarkable that patients who had previous surgery experience need the same information with those who had no previous surgery. Copyright © 2016 American Society of PeriAnesthesia Nurses. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Conditions for extinction events in chemical reaction networks with discrete state spaces.

Science.gov (United States)

Johnston, Matthew D; Anderson, David F; Craciun, Gheorghe; Brijder, Robert

2018-05-01

We study chemical reaction networks with discrete state spaces and present sufficient conditions on the structure of the network that guarantee the system exhibits an extinction event. The conditions we derive involve creating a modified chemical reaction network called a domination-expanded reaction network and then checking properties of this network. Unlike previous results, our analysis allows algorithmic implementation via systems of equalities and inequalities and suggests sequences of reactions which may lead to extinction events. We apply the results to several networks including an EnvZ-OmpR signaling pathway in Escherichia coli.

Chiropractic manipulation in pediatric health conditions – an updated systematic review

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gotlib Allan

2008-09-01

Full Text Available Abstract Objective Our purpose was to review the biomedical literature from January 2004 to June 2007 inclusive to determine the extent of new evidence related to the therapeutic application of manipulation for pediatric health conditions. This updates a previous systematic review published in 2005. No critical appraisal of the evidence is undertaken. Data Sources We searched both the indexed and non-indexed biomedical manual therapy literature. This included PubMed, MANTIS, CINAHL, ICL, as well as reference tracking. Other resources included the Cochrane Library, CCOHTA, PEDro, WHO ICTRP, AMED, EMBASE and AHRQ databases, as well as research conferences and symposium proceedings. Results The search identified 1275 citations of which 57 discrete citations met the eligibility criteria determined by three reviewers who then determined by consensus, each citation's appropriate level on the strength of evidence scale. The new evidence from the relevant time period was 1 systematic review, 1 RCT, 2 observational studies, 36 descriptive case studies and 17 conference abstracts. When this additional evidence is combined with the previous systematic review undertaken up to 2003, there are now in total, 2 systematic reviews, 10 RCT's, 3 observational studies, 177 descriptive studies, and 31 conference abstracts defining this body of knowledge. Summary There has been no substantive shift in this body of knowledge during the past 3 1/2 years. The health claims made by chiropractors with respect to the application of manipulation as a health care intervention for pediatric health conditions continue to be supported by only low levels of scientific evidence. Chiropractors continue to treat a wide variety of pediatric health conditions. The evidence rests primarily with clinical experience, descriptive case studies and very few observational and experimental studies. The health interests of pediatric patients would be advanced if more rigorous scientific

First-Trimester Working Conditions and Birthweight: A Prospective Cohort Study

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Vrijkotte, Tanja G. M.; van der Wal, Marcel F.; van Eijsden, Manon; Bonsel, Gouke J.

2009-01-01

Objectives. We investigated the relationship between women's first-trimester working conditions and infant birthweight. Methods. Pregnant women (N=8266) participating in the Amsterdam Born Children and Their Development study completed a questionnaire gathering information on employment and working

Influence of previous experience on resistance training on reliability of one-repetition maximum test.

Science.gov (United States)

Ritti-Dias, Raphael Mendes; Avelar, Ademar; Salvador, Emanuel Péricles; Cyrino, Edilson Serpeloni

2011-05-01

The 1-repetition maximum test (1RM) has been widely used to assess maximal strength. However, to improve accuracy in assessing maximal strength, several sessions of the 1RM test are recommended. The aim of this study was to analyze the influence of previous resistance training experience on the reliability of 1RM test. Thirty men were assigned to the following 2 groups according to their previous resistance training experience: no previous resistance training experience (NOEXP) and more than 24 months of resistance training experience (EXP). All subjects performed the 1RM tests in bench press and squat in 4 sessions on distinct days. There was a significant session × group effect in bench press (F = 3.09; p reliability of the 1RM test is influenced by the subject's previous experience in resistance training. Subjects without experience in resistance training require more practice and familiarization and show greater increases in maximal strength between sessions than subjects with previous experience in resistance training.

Patterns of presentation of chronic ischemic heart disease with and without previous myocardial infarction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ahmad, R.; Rabbani, A.; Awan, Z.A.

2009-01-01

The prevalence of Ischemic Heart Disease (IHD) is on the rise, from increasing lifespan of population and availability of better medical facilities. We studied chronic IHD cases with and without previous myocardial infarction, in Hazara, NWFP, Pakistan to evaluate left ventricular (LV) dysfunction, wall motion abnormalities and complications of IHD. All patients presenting with history of chest pain in Medical 'C' Unit, Ayub Teaching Hospital, Abbottabad from June 2004 to May 2005 were included in the study. Patients with non-cardiac chest pain were excluded from the study. Cases with congenital and rheumatic heart disease, cardiomyopathies, unstable angina and acute MI were excluded. Patients with IHD with or without myocardial infarction (MI) were studied for left ventricular dysfunction (ejection fraction, left atrial size, E/A ratio), wall motion abnormalities and complications of IHD (Mitral regurgitation, Ventricular Septal Defect (VSD), LV aneurysm, LV clot). Clinical and echocardiographic evaluation was done in each case. Out of 183 cases of chronic IHD, 123 patients were without previous MI and 60 had had previous MI. Ejection fraction (EF) was 45%+-15 in the group without MI and 35+-11% in cases with MI. Left Atrium (LA) size was 35+-6 mm and 39+-4 mm in the two groups respectively. LV diastolic dysfunction was seen in 17% in the first and 24% in the second group respectively. Global hypokinesia was seen in 8% and 17% in the 2 groups respectively. Regional Wall Motion Abnormality (RWMA) was observed in 12% in patients without MI and in 58% cases with MI. Mitral regurgitation was seen in 10 and 20% in the 2 groups respectively LV clots, VSD, LV and aneurysm were seen in 8.4, 5, and 6.5% respectively, only in cases with previous MI. LV dysfunction, wall motion abnormalities and mitral regurgitation were more common in IHD cases with previous heart attack. (author)

75 FR 76056 - FEDERAL REGISTER CITATION OF PREVIOUS ANNOUNCEMENT:

Science.gov (United States)

2010-12-07

... SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Sunshine Act Meeting FEDERAL REGISTER CITATION OF PREVIOUS ANNOUNCEMENT: STATUS: Closed meeting. PLACE: 100 F Street, NE., Washington, DC. DATE AND TIME OF PREVIOUSLY ANNOUNCED MEETING: Thursday, December 9, 2010 at 2 p.m. CHANGE IN THE MEETING: Time change. The closed...

VBAC Scoring: Successful vaginal delivery in previous one caesarean section in induced labour

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Raja, J.F.; Bangash, K.T.; Mahmud, G.

2013-01-01

Objective: To develop a scoring system for the prediction of successful vaginal birth after caesarean section, following induction of labour with intra-vaginal E2 gel (Glandin). Methods: The cross-sectional study was conducted from January 2010 to August 2011, at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences in Islamabad. Trial of labour in previous one caesarean section, undergoing induction with intra-vaginal E2 gel, was attempted in 100 women. They were scored according to six variables; maternal age; gestation; indications of previous caesarean; history of vaginal birth either before or after the previous caesarean; Bishop score and body mass index. Multivariate and univariate logistic regression analysis was used to develop the scoring system. Results: Of the total, 67 (67%) women delivered vaginally, while 33 (33%) ended in repeat caesarean delivery. Among the subjects, 55 (55%) women had no history of vaginal delivery either before or after previous caesarean section; 15 (15%) had history of vaginal births both before and after the previous caesarean; while 30 (30%) had vaginal delivery only after the previous caesarean section. Rates of successful vaginal birth after caesarean increased from 38% in women having a score of 0-3 to 58% in patients scoring 4-6. Among those having a score of 7-9 and 10-12, the success rates were 71% and 86% respectively. Conclusion: Increasing scores correlated with the increasing probability of vaginal birth after caesarean undergoing induction of labour. The admission VBAC scoring system is useful in counselling women with previous caesarean for the option of induction of labour or repeat caesarean delivery. (author)

28 CFR 10.5 - Incorporation of papers previously filed.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 28 Judicial Administration 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Incorporation of papers previously filed... CARRYING ON ACTIVITIES WITHIN THE UNITED STATES Registration Statement § 10.5 Incorporation of papers previously filed. Papers and documents already filed with the Attorney General pursuant to the said act and...

Perceived Work Conditions and Turnover Intentions: The Mediating Role of Meaning of Work

Science.gov (United States)

Arnoux-Nicolas, Caroline; Sovet, Laurent; Lhotellier, Lin; Di Fabio, Annamaria; Bernaud, Jean-Luc

2016-01-01

Perceived working conditions lead to various negative outcomes for employee behaviors, including turnover intentions. Although potential mediators for these relationships were previously identified, the importance of meaning of work has not yet been investigated. This study examines the role of this psychological resource as a mediator for the relationships between perceived working conditions and turnover intentions in a sample of 336 French workers from different job contexts. Results show that adverse working conditions were positively and significantly associated with turnover intentions. Meaning of work is negatively related to both perceived working conditions and turnover intentions. Mediation analyses for meaning of work demonstrated indirect effects of several adverse working conditions on turnover intentions. The role of meaning of work as a psychological resource for employees facing adverse working conditions is discussed, especially regarding its implications for research and practice within organizational contexts. PMID:27242616

Perceived Work Conditions and Turnover Intentions: The Mediating Role of Meaning of Work.

Science.gov (United States)

Arnoux-Nicolas, Caroline; Sovet, Laurent; Lhotellier, Lin; Di Fabio, Annamaria; Bernaud, Jean-Luc

2016-01-01

Perceived working conditions lead to various negative outcomes for employee behaviors, including turnover intentions. Although potential mediators for these relationships were previously identified, the importance of meaning of work has not yet been investigated. This study examines the role of this psychological resource as a mediator for the relationships between perceived working conditions and turnover intentions in a sample of 336 French workers from different job contexts. Results show that adverse working conditions were positively and significantly associated with turnover intentions. Meaning of work is negatively related to both perceived working conditions and turnover intentions. Mediation analyses for meaning of work demonstrated indirect effects of several adverse working conditions on turnover intentions. The role of meaning of work as a psychological resource for employees facing adverse working conditions is discussed, especially regarding its implications for research and practice within organizational contexts.

Study on growth condition of Trichoderma mutants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen Jian'ai; Xiao Min; Wang Weiming; Chen Weijing; Sun Yongtang

2002-01-01

Some Trichoderma mutants were cultured under different conditions 4 strains, T5, T0803, T1010, T1003 were selected with different mediums and every medium was mixed with fungicide of 40 ppm. The fungicides were procymidone + chlorothalonil, maneb and phosethyl-Al. The pH of medium were 5, 6, 7 and 8, respectively. The growing temperatures were 15, 20, 25 and 30 degree C, respectively. After the hypha growing for some days under natural high temperature, they were put in low temperature for producing spores. The growing times for these hypha were 3,4,5 and 6 days, respectively. All dates were analyzed on statistics with the orthogonal array and ranges (R) were different with different factor and levels (R = 40.4, 42.4, 48.0, 62.8, 107.0). The results showed that the strain was the most influent condition (R = 107.0) and the changed temperature time from high to low was the least influent condition (R = 40.4). Each factor variance was significant and A 3 b 4 C 2 D 1 E 3 was the optimum combined condition, under which T1010 grew more quickly and produced the most spores

Plasma focus matching conditions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Soliman, H.M.; Masoud, M.M.; Elkhalafawy, T.A.

1988-01-01

A snow-plough and slug models have been used to obtain the optimum matching conditions of the plasma in the focus. The dimensions of the plasma focus device are, inner electrode radius = 2 cm, outer electrode radius = 5.5 cm, and its length = 8 cm. It was found that the maximum magnetic energy of 12.26 kJ has to be delivered to plasma focus whose density is 10 19 /cm 3 at focusing time of 2.55 μs and with total external inductance of 24.2 n H. The same method is used to evaluate the optimum matching conditions for the previous coaxial discharge system which had inner electrode radius = 1.6 cm, outer electrode radius = 3.3 cm and its length = 31.5 cm. These conditions are charging voltage = 12 kV, capacity of the condenser bank = 430 μf, plasma focus density = 10 19 /cm 3 focusing time = 8 μs and total external inductance = 60.32 n H.3 fig., 2 tab

Days out of role due to common physical and mental conditions: results from the Northern Ireland study of health and stress.

Science.gov (United States)

Ennis, Edel; O'Neill, S; Murphy, S; Bunting, B

2016-11-01

Days out of role due to health problems are a major source of lost human capital. We examined the relative importance of common physical and mental disorders in accounting for days out of role in Northern Ireland using the Northern Ireland Study of Health and Stress (NISHS) WHO World Mental Health (WMH) Survey. Face-to-face interviews were carried out with 4340 respondents (68.4 % response rate). Multiple regression analysis estimated associations of specific chronic physical disorders and mental disorders conditions and comorbidities with days out of role controlling for basic socio-demographics. Overall, 16.8 % of respondents had at least one day totally out of role in the previous year. The strongest population-level effect was associated with arthritis, which accounted for 23.5 % of all days out of role. The strongest individual-level effects (days out of role per year) were associated with any anxiety disorder (32.3) arthritis (26.1) and pain (22.0). The 11 conditions accounted for 93 % of all days out of role, as measured by population attributable risk proportions (PARPs). Common health conditions, including mental disorders, make up a large proportion of the number of days out of role and should be addressed to substantially increase overall productivity.

A Study of Leadership Strategies and Their Impact on Teacher Working Conditions

Science.gov (United States)

Rosenbalm, Elizabeth M.

2012-01-01

Throughout this study, the researcher sought to find the key strategies needed to improve school culture and working conditions. These findings were measured by the 2010 and 2012 North Carolina Teacher Working Conditions Survey (NC TWCS) data, as well as staff focus-group dialogue at three selected schools. The participant groups consisted of an…

On conditional scalar increment and joint velocity-scalar increment statistics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang Hengbin; Wang Danhong; Tong Chenning

2004-01-01

Conditional velocity and scalar increment statistics are usually studied in the context of Kolmogorov's refined similarity hypotheses and are considered universal (quasi-Gaussian) for inertial-range separations. In such analyses the locally averaged energy and scalar dissipation rates are used as conditioning variables. Recent studies have shown that certain local turbulence structures can be captured when the local scalar variance (φ 2 ) r and the local kinetic energy k r are used as the conditioning variables. We study the conditional increments using these conditioning variables, which also provide the local turbulence scales. Experimental data obtained in the fully developed region of an axisymmetric turbulent jet are used to compute the statistics. The conditional scalar increment probability density function (PDF) conditional on (φ 2 ) r is found to be close to Gaussian for (φ 2 ) r small compared with its mean and is sub-Gaussian and bimodal for large (φ 2 ) r , and therefore is not universal. We find that the different shapes of the conditional PDFs are related to the instantaneous degree of non-equilibrium (production larger than dissipation) of the local scalar. There is further evidence of this from the conditional PDF conditional on both (φ 2 ) r and χ r , which is largely a function of (φ 2 ) r /χ r , a measure of the degree of non-equilibrium. The velocity-scalar increment joint PDF is close to joint Gaussian and quad-modal for equilibrium and non-equilibrium local velocity and scalar, respectively. The latter shape is associated with a combination of the ramp-cliff and plane strain structures. Kolmogorov's refined similarity hypotheses also predict a dependence of the conditional PDF on the degree of non-equilibrium. Therefore, the quasi-Gaussian (joint) PDF, previously observed in the context of Kolmogorov's refined similarity hypotheses, is only one of the conditional PDF shapes of inertial range turbulence. The present study suggests that

Experimental study of elliptical jet from sub to supercritical conditions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Muthukumaran, C. K.; Vaidyanathan, Aravind, E-mail: aravind7@iist.ac.in [Department of Aerospace Engineering, Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology, Trivandrum, Kerala 695547 (India)

2014-04-15

The jet mixing at supercritical conditions involves fluid dynamics as well as thermodynamic phenomena. All the jet mixing studies at critical conditions to the present date have focused only on axisymmetric jets. When the liquid jet is injected into supercritical environment, the thermodynamic transition could be well understood by considering one of the important fluid properties such as surface tension since it decides the existence of distinct boundary between the liquid and gaseous phase. It is well known that an elliptical liquid jet undergoes axis-switching phenomena under atmospheric conditions due to the presence of surface tension. The experimental investigations were carried out with low speed elliptical jet under supercritical condition. Investigation of the binary component system with fluoroketone jet and N{sub 2} gas as environment shows that the surface tension force dominates for a large downstream distance, indicating delayed thermodynamic transition. The increase in pressure to critical state at supercritical temperature is found to expedite the thermodynamic transition. The ligament like structures has been observed rather than droplets for supercritical pressures. However, for the single component system with fluoroketone jet and fluoroketone environment shows that the jet disintegrates into droplets as it is subjected to the chamber conditions even for the subcritical pressures and no axis switching phenomenon is observed. For a single component system, as the pressure is increased to critical state, the liquid jet exhibits gas-gas like mixing behavior and that too without exhibiting axis-switching behavior.

Impulsivity moderates the relationship between previous quit failure and cue-induced craving.

Science.gov (United States)

Erblich, Joel; Michalowski, Alexandra

2015-12-01

Poor inhibitory control has been shown to be an important predictor of relapse to a number of drugs, including nicotine. Indeed, smokers who exhibit higher levels of impulsivity are thought to have impaired regulation of urges to smoke, and previous research has suggested that impulsivity may moderate cue-induced cigarette cravings. To that end, we conducted a study to evaluate the interplay between failed smoking cessation, cue-induced craving, and impulsivity. Current smokers (n=151) rated their cigarette cravings before and after laboratory to exposure to smoking cues, and completed questionnaires assessing impulsivity and previous failed quit attempts. Findings indicated that shorter duration of previous failed quit attempts was related to higher cue-induced cigarette craving, especially among smokers with higher levels of impulsivity. Results underscore the importance of considering trait impulsivity as a factor in better understanding the management of cue-induced cravings. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Failure to Find Ethanol-Induced Conditioned Taste Aversion in Honey Bees (Apis mellifera L.).

Science.gov (United States)

Varnon, Christopher A; Dinges, Christopher W; Black, Timothy E; Wells, Harrington; Abramson, Charles I

2018-04-24

Conditioned taste aversion (CTA) learning is a highly specialized form of conditioning found across taxa that leads to avoidance of an initially neutral stimulus, such as taste or odor, that is associated with, but is not the cause of, a detrimental health condition. This study examines if honey bees (Apis mellifera L.) develop ethanol (EtOH)-induced CTA. Restrained bees were first administered a sucrose solution that was cinnamon scented, lavender scented, or unscented, and contained either 0, 2.5, 5, 10, or 20% EtOH. Then, 30 minutes later, we used a proboscis extension response (PER) conditioning procedure where the bees were taught to associate either cinnamon odor, lavender odor, or an air-puff with repeated sucrose feedings. For some bees, the odor of the previously consumed EtOH solution was the same as the odor associated with sucrose in the conditioning procedure. If bees are able to learn EtOH-induced CTA, they should show an immediate low level of response to odors previously associated with EtOH. We found that bees did not develop CTA despite the substantial inhibitory and aversive effects EtOH has on behavior. Instead, bees receiving a conditioning odor that was previously associated with EtOH showed an immediate high level of response. While this demonstrates bees are capable of one-trial learning common to CTA experiments, this high level of response is the opposite of what would occur if the bees developed a CTA. Responding on subsequent trials also showed a general inhibitory effect of EtOH. Finally, we found that consumption of cinnamon extract reduced the effects of EtOH. The honey bees' lack of learned avoidance to EtOH mirrors that seen in human alcoholism. These findings demonstrate the usefulness of honey bees as an insect model for EtOH consumption. Copyright © 2018 by the Research Society on Alcoholism.

Study of two conditioning methods of parasitoids used in biological control prior to inundative releases in apple orchards

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Valérie-Anne Dumont

2011-12-01

Full Text Available The rosy apple aphid, Dysaphis plantaginea Pass., is a major pest in apple orchards in Belgium. Two micro-hymenopteran parasitoids Aphidius matricariae Haliday and Ephedrus cerasicola Stary are potentially capable of controlling this pest. However, when released in orchards the adult parasitoids tend to disperse. Based on the results of previous work it is proposed that the reason is that the artificial diet in which they are raised does not contain the odors that enable the parasitoids to identify the habitat where there are suitable aphid hosts. To optimize the control and make it economically effective it is important to reduce dispersal. This might be done by conditioning parasitoids during rearing by exposing them to the odors associated with orchards. The odor used in this study was a hydrodistillate of apple leaves, the main host-plant of the targeted aphid. Two methods of conditioning were used: 1 soaking mummies of the parasitoid in p ure hydrodistillate, 2 including a defined concentration of hydrodistillate in the artificial diet used for rearing the parasitoid. They were exposed to either a dilution of 100×, 200× and 1000× in two consecutive generations. The response of adult parasitoids to odors was determined using a dual choice olfactometer. Of the E. cerasicola conditioned by soaking the mummies 70–75% of individuals were attracted to the odor of plants infested with D. plantaginea compared to the 55–60% in the controls. The A.matricariae that were conditioned by feeding them artificial diets containing different concentrations of apple odor for one or two generations, showed no preference for the odor of apple leaves. Second generation adults of E. cerasicola exposed to a 200 times dilution of pure hydrodistillate showed a more marked response to apple odor.

Vitamin D deficiency in medical patients at a central hospital in Malawi: a comparison with TB patients from a previous study.

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Yamikani Mastala

Full Text Available OBJECTIVES: To determine the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency (VDD in adult medical, non-tuberculous (non-TB patients. To investigate associations with VDD. To compare the results with a similar study in TB patients at the same hospital. DESIGN: Cross-sectional sample. SETTING: Central hospital in Malawi. PARTICIPANTS: Adult non-TB patients (n = 157, inpatients and outpatients. OUTCOME MEASURES: The primary outcome was the prevalence of VDD. Potentially causal associations sought included nutritional status, in/outpatient status, HIV status, anti-retroviral therapy (ART and, by comparison with a previous study, a diagnosis of tuberculosis (TB. RESULTS: Hypovitaminosis D (≤75 nmol/L occurred in 47.8% (75/157 of patients, 16.6% (26/157 of whom had VDD (≤50 nmol/L. None had severe VDD (≤25 nmol/L. VDD was found in 22.8% (23/101 of in-patients and 5.4% (3/56 of out-patients. In univariable analysis in-patient status, ART use and low dietary vitamin D were significant predictors of VDD. VDD was less prevalent than in previously studied TB patients in the same hospital (68/161 = 42%. In multivariate analysis of the combined data set from both studies, having TB (OR 3.61, 95%CI 2.02-6.43 and being an in-patient (OR 2.70, 95%CI 1.46-5.01 were significant independent predictors of VDD. CONCLUSIONS: About half of adult medical patients without TB have suboptimal vitamin D status, which is more common in in-patients. VDD is much more common in TB patients than non-TB patients, even when other variables are controlled for, suggesting that vitamin D deficiency is associated with TB.

Magnitude of reactive thrombocytosis and associated clinical conditions in dogs.

Science.gov (United States)

Athanasiou, Labrini V; Polizopoulou, Zoe S; Papavasileiou, Eleftheria G; Mpairamoglou, Efstathios L; Kantere, Maria C; Rousou, Xanthi A

2017-09-09

Previous studies on the underlying causes of thrombocytosis have raised scientific interest in its clinical relevance in dogs. The purpose of this study was: (1) to explore the clinical conditions associated with thrombocytosis; (2) to compare platelet counts among these conditions; and (3) to identify possible interactions with other haematological variables and associated conditions. Medical records of 195 dogs with thrombocytosis (platelet count >500×10 3 /μL) were reviewed for signalment, complete blood count results and definitive diagnosis. The prevalence of thrombocytosis was 6.02%. All cases included had reactive thrombocytosis, with non-neoplastic, non-inflammatory underlying conditions in 48.2%, inflammatory processes in 34.4% and neoplastic processes in 17.4%. Haemoglobin and white blood cell counts were negatively and positively associated with platelet count, respectively. This study revealed that mean platelet count in dogs with neoplasia and a packed cell volume of 35% or below was significantly higher than that for dogs with other disease categories. Therefore, for dogs with marked thrombocytosis and anaemia, it is recommended that neoplasia should be included in the list of differential diagnoses. © British Veterinary Association (unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

Thermogravimetric study of a Phase Change Slurry: Effect of variable conditions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Giro-Paloma, J.; Valle-Zermeño, R. del; Fernández, A.I.; Chimenos, J.M.; Formosa, J.

2016-01-01

Highlights: • Dry or wet PCS present differences in their thermal behavior. • The optimum conditions of dry PCS were determined by TGA. • Type of atmosphere and heating rate were the variables under consideration. • T peak can be accurately determined at 1 °C·min −1 in N 2. • Fusion/latent heat can be best determined at 10 °C·min −1 . - Abstract: Microcapsules containing Phase Change Materials (MPCM) are widely used for passive systems in energy storage. When MPCM are mixed with a carrier fluid, Phase Change Slurries (PCS) are used for heat transfer fluids in active systems or heat transport systems. The thermal behavior of PCS can be measured as dry or wet basis, resulting in important differences in weight losses. This study explores the optimum conditions for analyzing the thermal behavior of dried PCS by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) varying the parameter conditions for obtaining peak temperature and heat flow (latent heat). The factors that were taken into account were the atmosphere of study (air and nitrogen) and the heating rate (0.5, 1, 5, and 10 °C·min −1 ). The best conditions to determine peak temperature are at 1 °C·min −1 and in N 2 atmosphere, whereas the decomposition fusion/latent heat of the sample is improved at higher heating velocities towards 10 °C·min −1 .

Hip fractures and area level socioeconomic conditions: a population-based study

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Rapp Kilian

2009-04-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Only a limited number of studies have analyzed the association between hip fracture incidence and socioeconomic conditions. Most, but not all found an association, and results are in part conflicting. The aim of our study was to evaluate the association between hip fractures and socioeconomic conditions in Germany, from 1995 to 2004, on a census tract area level. Methods We used data from the national hospital discharge diagnosis register and data on socioeconomic and demographic characteristics of 131 census tracts from official statistics. Associations between the hip fracture incidence and socioeconomic conditions were analyzed by multiple Poisson regression models, taking overdispersion into account. Results The risk of hip fracture decreased by 4% with a 7% increase (about one interquartile range of non-German nationals. It decreased by 10% with a 6% increased rate of unemployment, increased by 7% with a 2% increase of the proportion of welfare recipients, and also increased by 3% with an increase of the proportion of single parent families of 1.9%. Conclusion Our results showed weak associations between indicators of socioeconomic conditions at area level and hip fracture risk; the varied by type of indicator. We conclude that hip fracture incidence might be influenced by the socioeconomic context of a region, but further analysis using more specific markers for deprivation on a smaller scale and individual-level data are needed.

Personality Development at Work: Workplace Conditions, Personality Changes, and the Corresponsive Principle

Science.gov (United States)

Le, Kimdy; Donnellan, M. Brent; Conger, Rand

2013-01-01

Objective Investigations concerning adult personality development have increasingly focused on factors that are associated with apparent personality trait changes. The current study contributes to this literature by replicating and extending previous research concerning personality trait development in young adulthood and perceptions of workplace conditions. Method Analyses were based on up to 442 individuals who participated in the ongoing Family Transitions Project (e.g., Conger & Conger, 2002). The current analyses included personality trait data from 1994 and 2003, high-school grades and SES indicators from 1994, and reports about work conditions in 2001, 2003, and 2005. Results Personality attributes were prospectively associated with work conditions and income. Findings also support the corresponsive principle of personality development (e.g. Roberts, Caspi, & Moffitt, 2003): Traits that were prospectively associated with particular workplace conditions often seemed to be accentuated by those conditions. Conclusions Personality traits are prospectively associated with perceptions of the workplace. Workplace conditions are also associated with trait development. PMID:23336723

Personality Development at Work: Workplace Conditions, Personality Changes, and the Corresponsive Principle.

Science.gov (United States)

Le, Kimdy; Donnellan, M Brent; Conger, Rand

2014-02-01

Investigations concerning adult personality development have increasingly focused on factors that are associated with apparent personality trait changes. The current study contributes to this literature by replicating and extending previous research concerning personality trait development in young adulthood and perceptions of workplace conditions. Analyses were based on up to 442 individuals who participated in the ongoing Family Transitions Project (e.g., Conger & Conger, 2002). The current analyses included personality trait data from 1994 and 2003, high school grades and socioeconomic status indicators from 1994, and reports about work conditions in 2001, 2003, and 2005. Personality attributes were prospectively associated with work conditions and income. Findings also support the corresponsive principle of personality development (e.g., Roberts, Caspi, & Moffitt, 2003): Traits that were prospectively associated with particular workplace conditions often seemed to be accentuated by those conditions. Personality traits are prospectively associated with perceptions of the workplace. Workplace conditions are also associated with trait development. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Memory enhancement produced by post-training exposure to sucrose-conditioned cues [v1; ref status: indexed, http://f1000r.es/ur

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Matthew R Holahan

2013-01-01

Full Text Available A number of aversive and appetitive unconditioned stimuli (such as shock and food are known to produce memory enhancement when they occur during the post-training period. Post-training exposure to conditioned aversive stimuli has also been shown to enhance memory consolidation processes. The present study shows for the first time that post-training exposure to conditioned stimuli previously paired with consumption of a sucrose solution also enhances memory consolidation. Male Long Evans rats were trained on a one-session conditioned cue preference (CCP task on a radial arm maze. Immediately or 2 hours after training, rats consumed a sucrose solution or were exposed to cues previously paired with consumption of sucrose or cues previously paired with water. Twenty-four hours later, the rats were tested for a CCP. Immediate, but not delayed, post-training consumption of sucrose enhanced memory for the CCP. Immediate, but not delayed, post-training exposure to cues previously paired with sucrose, but not with water, also enhanced CCP memory. The possibility that rewarding and aversive conditioned stimuli affect memory by a common physiological process is discussed.

Transcriptional profiling of human breast cancer cells cultured under microgravity conditions revealed the key role of genetic gravity sensors previously detected in Drosophila melanogaster

Science.gov (United States)

Valdivia-Silva, Julio E.; Lavan, David; Diego Orihuela-Tacuri, M.; Sanabria, Gabriela

2016-07-01

Currently, studies in Drosophila melanogaster has shown emerging evidence that microgravity stimuli can be detected at the genetic level. Analysis of the transcriptome in the pupal stage of the fruit flies under microgravity conditions versus ground controls has suggested the presence of a few candidate genes as "gravity sensors" which are experimentally validated. Additionally, several studies have shown that microgravity causes inhibitory effects in different types of cancer cells, although the genes involved and responsible for these effects are still unknown. Here, we demonstrate that the genes suggested as the sensors of gravitational waves in Drosophila melanogaster and their human counterpart (orthologous genes) are highly involved in carcinogenesis, proliferation, anti-apoptotic signals, invasiveness, and metastatic potential of breast cancer cell tumors. The transcriptome analyses suggested that the observed inhibitory effect in cancer cells could be due to changes in the genetic expression of these candidates. These results encourage the possibility of new therapeutic targets managed together and not in isolation.

Shipping container response to severe highway and railway accident conditions: Main report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fischer, L.E.; Chou, C.K.; Gerhard, M.A.; Kimura, C.Y.; Martin, R.W.; Mensing, R.W.; Mount, M.E.; Witte, M.C.

1987-02-01

This report describes a study performed by the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory to evaluate the level of safety provided under severe accident conditions during the shipment of spent fuel from nuclear power reactors. The evaluation is performed using data from real accident histories and using representative truck and rail cask models that likely meet 10 CFR 71 regulations. The responses of the representative casks are calculated for structural and thermal loads generated by severe highway and railway accident conditions. The cask responses are compared with those responses calculated for the 10 CFR 71 hypothetical accident conditions. By comparing the responses it is determined that most highway and railway accident conditions fall within the 10 CFR 71 hypothetical accident conditions. For those accidents that have higher responses, the probabilities anf potential radiation exposures of the accidents are compared with those identified by the assessments made in the ''Final Environmental Statement on the Transportation of Radioactive Material by Air and other Modes,'' NUREG-0170. Based on this comparison, it is concluded that the radiological risks from spent fuel under severe highway and railway accident conditions as derived in this study are less than risks previously estimated in the NUREG-0170 document

How to prevent type 2 diabetes in women with previous gestational diabetes?

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pedersen, Anne Louise Winkler; Terkildsen Maindal, Helle; Juul, Lise

2017-01-01

OBJECTIVES: Women with previous gestational diabetes (GDM) have a seven times higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes (T2DM) than women without. We aimed to review the evidence of effective behavioural interventions seeking to prevent T2DM in this high-risk group. METHODS: A systematic review...... of RCTs in several databases in March 2016. RESULTS: No specific intervention or intervention components were found superior. The pooled effect on diabetes incidence (four trials) was estimated to: -5.02 per 100 (95% CI: -9.24; -0.80). CONCLUSIONS: This study indicates that intervention is superior...... to no intervention in prevention of T2DM among women with previous GDM....

Fish quality – linking previous infections to the quality of consumers’ fillet

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

The quality of the fish meat is dependent upon a wide range of biological and non-biological factors. In the present study it has been established that previous infections by Vibrio anguillarum in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) influence the quality of the fish meat (fillet) at slaughter more...... than after the fish have recovered from the infection. The texture of the fillet analysed by sensory analysis showed changes, which could be explained by previous tissue damage caused by the infection. These changes indicated formation of scars in affected tissue during the processes of tissue repair......, which gave rise to a more fibrous, tougher and flaky texture of the fillets....

A study of ideal conditions for sodium purification in diffusion type cold trap

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Walsh, L.M.

1993-08-01

The ideal conditions for sodium purification in diffusion type cold traps are studied. It is known that the temperature profile along axial direction (x) of the trap must follow the condition (∂ T/∂ x) 2 ≤ 0 , in order to avoid crystals deposition on the wall and the consequent premature plugging. In the present work it is showed that (∂ T/∂ x) 2 ≤ 0 condition is necessary but not sufficient. A temperature profile which satisfies both conditions is found and its practical obtention is presented. (L.C.J.A.)

Effect of media composition, including gelling agents, on isolation of previously uncultured rumen bacteria.

Science.gov (United States)

Nyonyo, T; Shinkai, T; Tajima, A; Mitsumori, M

2013-01-01

The aim of this study was to develop novel anaerobic media using gellan gum for the isolation of previously uncultured rumen bacteria. Four anaerobic media, a basal liquid medium (BM) with agar (A-BM), a modified BM (MBM) with agar (A-MBM), an MBM with phytagel (P-MBM) and an MBM with gelrite (G-MBM) were used for the isolation of rumen bacteria and evaluated for the growth of previously uncultured rumen bacteria. Of the 214 isolates composed of 144 OTUs, 103 isolates (83 OTUs) were previously uncultured rumen bacteria. Most of the previously uncultured strains were obtained from A-MBM, G-MBM and P-MBM, but the predominant cultural members, isolated from each medium, differed. A-MBM and G-MBM showed significantly higher numbers of different OTUs derived from isolates than A-BM (P rumen bacteria were isolated from all media used, the ratio of previously uncultured bacteria to total isolates was increased in A-MBM, P-MBM and G-MBM. © 2012 The Society for Applied Microbiology.

Passivation condition of carbon steel in bentonite/sand mixture

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Taniguchi, Naoki; Kawakami, Susumu

2002-03-01

It is essential to understand the corrosion type of carbon steel under the repository conditions for the lifetime assessment of carbon steel overpack used for geological isolation of high-level radioactive waste. According to the previous study, carbon steel is hard to passivate in buffer material assuming a chemical condition range of groundwater in Japan. However, concrete support will be constructed around the overpack in the case of repository in the soft rock system and groundwater having a higher pH may infiltrate to buffer material. There is a possibility that the corrosion type of carbon steel will be influenced by the rise of the pH in groundwater. In this study, anodic polarization experiments were performed to understand the passivation condition of carbon steel in buffer material saturated with water contacted with concrete. An ordinary concrete an a low-alkalinity concrete were used in the experiment. The results of the experiments showed that the carbon steel can passivate under the condition that water having pH > 13 infiltrate to the buffer material assuming present property of buffer material. If the low-alkalinity concrete is selected as the support material, passivation can not occur on carbon steel overpack. The effect of the factors of buffer material such as dry density and mixing ratio of sand on the passivation of carbon steel was also studied. The results of the study showed that the present property of buffer material is enough to prevent passivation of carbon steel. (author)

Clusterin and chemotherapy sensitivity under normoxic and graded hypoxic conditions in colorectal cancer.

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

Kevans, David

2012-06-01

In vitro studies have shown that clusterin modulates treatment sensitivity in a number of human cancers; however, the interaction between clusterin expression and hypoxia in controlling treatment response in CRC has not previously been examined. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of clusterin overexpression in CRC cells on sensitivity to 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), oxaliplatin and FOLFOX treatment under normoxic and graded hypoxic conditions.

Experimental and theoretical study on natural circulation capacity under rolling motion condition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tan Sichao; Gao Puzhen

2007-01-01

Effect of rolling motion on natural circulation capacity was studied experimentally and theoretically. Experiments were conducted under the conditions of rolling and unrolling motions. The experimental results show that natural circulation capacity decreases under rolling motion condition. A mathematic model was developed to calculate the natural circulation capacity under rolling motion condition, considering the characteristics of natural circulation, the model was modified. The calculated results agree with experimental data well. Effect of rolling motion on natural circulation was analyzed through calculation and the following conclusions were obtained: (1) The increase of flow resistance coefficient is the main reason that the natural circulation capacity decreases under rolling motion condition; (2) Non-uniform distribution of fluid mass in the pipe has also influence on natural circulation capacity. (author)

Role of Boundary Conditions in Monte Carlo Simulation of MEMS Devices

Science.gov (United States)

Nance, Robert P.; Hash, David B.; Hassan, H. A.

1997-01-01

A study is made of the issues surrounding prediction of microchannel flows using the direct simulation Monte Carlo method. This investigation includes the introduction and use of new inflow and outflow boundary conditions suitable for subsonic flows. A series of test simulations for a moderate-size microchannel indicates that a high degree of grid under-resolution in the streamwise direction may be tolerated without loss of accuracy. In addition, the results demonstrate the importance of physically correct boundary conditions, as well as possibilities for reducing the time associated with the transient phase of a simulation. These results imply that simulations of longer ducts may be more feasible than previously envisioned.

Study of photosensitization reaction progress in a 96 well plate with photosensitizer rich condition using Talaporfin sodium

Science.gov (United States)

Ogawa, Emiyu; Takahashi, Mei; Arai, Tsunenori

2013-02-01

To quantitatively investigate photosensitization reaction in vitro against myocardial cells with photosensitizer rich condition in solution using Talaporfin sodium in the well of a 96 well plate, we studied photosensitization reaction progress in this well. We have proposed non-thermal conduction block of myocardium tissue using the photosensitization reaction with laser irradiation shortly after Talaporfin sodium injection. In above situation, the photosensitizer is located outside the myocardial cells in high concentration. To understand interaction of the photosensitization reaction in which the photosensitizer distributes outside cells, the photosensitization reaction progress in the well was studied. Talaporfin sodium (799.69 MW) solution and a 663 nm diode laser were used. The photosensitizer solution concentrations of 12.5-37.5 μM were employed. The photosensitizer fluorescence with 0.29 W/cm2 in irradiance, which was optimized in previous cell death study, was measured during the laser irradiation until 40 J/cm2. The photosensitizer solution absorbance and dissolved oxygen pressure after the laser irradiation were also measured. We found that the photosensitization reaction progress had 2 distinctive phases of different reaction rate: rapid photosensitization reaction consuming dissolved oxygen and gentle photosensitization reaction with oxygen diffusion from the solution-air boundary. The dissolved oxygen pressure and photosensitizer solution absorbance were 30% and 80% of the initial values after the laser irradiation, respectively. Therefore, oxygen was rate-controlling factor of the photosensitization reaction in the well with the photosensitizer rich condition. In the oxygen diffusion phase, the oxygen pressure was maintained around 40 mmHg until the laser irradiation of 40 J/cm2 and it is similar to that of myocardium tissue in vivo. We think that our 96 well plate in vitro system may simulate PDT in myocardial tissue with photosensitization reaction

Super-low dose endotoxin pre-conditioning exacerbates sepsis mortality.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Keqiang; Geng, Shuo; Yuan, Ruoxi; Diao, Na; Upchurch, Zachary; Li, Liwu

2015-04-01

Sepsis mortality varies dramatically in individuals of variable immune conditions, with poorly defined mechanisms. This phenomenon complements the hypothesis that innate immunity may adopt rudimentary memory, as demonstrated in vitro with endotoxin priming and tolerance in cultured monocytes. However, previous in vivo studies only examined the protective effect of endotoxin tolerance in the context of sepsis. In sharp contrast, we report herein that pre-conditionings with super-low or low dose endotoxin lipopolysaccharide (LPS) cause strikingly opposite survival outcomes. Mice pre-conditioned with super-low dose LPS experienced severe tissue damage, inflammation, increased bacterial load in circulation, and elevated mortality when they were subjected to cecal-ligation and puncture (CLP). This is in opposite to the well-reported protective phenomenon with CLP mice pre-conditioned with low dose LPS. Mechanistically, we demonstrated that super-low and low dose LPS differentially modulate the formation of neutrophil extracellular trap (NET) in neutrophils. Instead of increased ERK activation and NET formation in neutrophils pre-conditioned with low dose LPS, we observed significantly reduced ERK activation and compromised NET generation in neutrophils pre-conditioned with super-low dose LPS. Collectively, our findings reveal a novel mechanism potentially responsible for the dynamic programming of innate immunity in vivo as it relates to sepsis risks.

Super-low Dose Endotoxin Pre-conditioning Exacerbates Sepsis Mortality

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Keqiang Chen

2015-04-01

Full Text Available Sepsis mortality varies dramatically in individuals of variable immune conditions, with poorly defined mechanisms. This phenomenon complements the hypothesis that innate immunity may adopt rudimentary memory, as demonstrated in vitro with endotoxin priming and tolerance in cultured monocytes. However, previous in vivo studies only examined the protective effect of endotoxin tolerance in the context of sepsis. In sharp contrast, we report herein that pre-conditioning with super-low or low dose endotoxin lipopolysaccharide (LPS cause strikingly opposite survival outcomes. Mice pre-conditioned with super-low dose LPS experienced severe tissue damage, inflammation, increased bacterial load in circulation, and elevated mortality when they were subjected to cecal-ligation and puncture (CLP. This is in contrast to the well-reported protective phenomenon with CLP mice pre-conditioned with low dose LPS. Mechanistically, we demonstrated that super-low and low dose LPS differentially modulate the formation of neutrophil extracellular trap (NET in neutrophils. Instead of increased ERK activation and NET formation in neutrophils pre-conditioned with low dose LPS, we observed significantly reduced ERK activation and compromised NET generation in neutrophils pre-conditioned with super-low dose LPS. Collectively, our findings reveal a mechanism potentially responsible for the dynamic programming of innate immunity in vivo as it relates to sepsis risks.

Predicting fruit consumption: the role of habits, previous behavior and mediation effects

NARCIS (Netherlands)

de Vries, H.; Eggers, S.M.; Lechner, L.; van Osch, L.; van Stralen, M.M.

2014-01-01

Background: This study assessed the role of habits and previous behavior in predicting fruit consumption as well as their additional predictive contribution besides socio-demographic and motivational factors. In the literature, habits are proposed as a stable construct that needs to be controlled

Low-dose radiation suppresses Pokemon expression under hypoxic conditions.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Seung-Whan; Yu, Kweon; Shin, Kee-Sun; Kwon, Kisang; Hwang, Tae-Sik; Kwon, O-Yu

2014-01-01

Our previous data demonstrated that CoCl2-induced hypoxia controls endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress-associated and other intracellular factors. One of them, the transcription factor Pokemon, was differentially regulated by low-dose radiation (LDR). There are limited data regarding how this transcription factor is involved in expression of the unfolded protein response (UPR) under hypoxic conditions. The purpose of this study was to obtain clues on how Pokemon is involved in the UPR. Pokemon was selected as a differentially expressed gene under hypoxic conditions; however, its regulation was clearly repressed by LDR. It was also demonstrated that both expression of ER chaperones and ER stress sensors were affected by hypoxic conditions, and the same results were obtained when cells in which Pokemon was up- or down-regulated were used. The current state of UPR and LDR research associated with the Pokemon pathway offers an important opportunity to understand the oncogenesis, senescence, and differentiation of cells, as well as to facilitate introduction of new therapeutic radiopharmaceuticals.

Total hip arthroplasty after a previous pelvic osteotomy: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Shigemura, T; Yamamoto, Y; Murata, Y; Sato, T; Tsuchiya, R; Wada, Y

2018-06-01

There are several reports regarding total hip arthroplasty (THA) after a previous pelvic osteotomy (PO). However, to our knowledge, until now there has been no formal systematic review and meta-analysis published to summarize the clinical results of THA after a previous PO. Therefore, we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of results of THA after a previous PO. We focus on these questions as follows: does a previous PO affect the results of subsequent THA, such as clinical outcomes, operative time, operative blood loss, and radiological parameters. Using PubMed, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library, we searched for relevant original papers. The pooling of data was performed using RevMan software (version 5.3, Cochrane Collaboration, Oxford, UK). A p-value50%, significant heterogeneity was assumed and a random-effects model was applied for the meta-analysis. A fixed-effects model was applied in the absence of significant heterogeneity. Eleven studies were included in this meta-analysis. The pooled results indicated that there was no significant difference in postoperative Merle D'Aubigne-Postel score (I 2 =0%, SMD=-0.15, 95% CI: -0.36 to 0.06, p=0.17), postoperative Harris hip score (I 2 =60%, SMD=-0.23, 95% CI: -0.50 to 0.05, p=0.10), operative time (I 2 =86%, SMD=0.37, 95% CI: -0.09 to 0.82, p=0.11), operative blood loss (I 2 =82%, SMD=0.23, 95% CI: -0.17 to 0.63, p=0.25), and cup abduction angle (I 2 =43%, SMD=-0.08, 95% CI: -0.25 to 0.09, p=0.38) between THA with and without a previous PO. However, cup anteversion angle of THA with a previous PO was significantly smaller than that of without a previous PO (I 2 =77%, SMD=-0.63, 95% CI: -1.13 to -0.13, p=0.01). Systematic review and meta-analysis of results of THA after a previous PO was performed. A previous PO did not affect the results of subsequent THA, except for cup anteversion. Because of the low quality evidence currently available, high-quality randomized controlled trials are required

Robust Machine Learning Variable Importance Analyses of Medical Conditions for Health Care Spending.

Science.gov (United States)

Rose, Sherri

2018-03-11

To propose nonparametric double robust machine learning in variable importance analyses of medical conditions for health spending. 2011-2012 Truven MarketScan database. I evaluate how much more, on average, commercially insured enrollees with each of 26 of the most prevalent medical conditions cost per year after controlling for demographics and other medical conditions. This is accomplished within the nonparametric targeted learning framework, which incorporates ensemble machine learning. Previous literature studying the impact of medical conditions on health care spending has almost exclusively focused on parametric risk adjustment; thus, I compare my approach to parametric regression. My results demonstrate that multiple sclerosis, congestive heart failure, severe cancers, major depression and bipolar disorders, and chronic hepatitis are the most costly medical conditions on average per individual. These findings differed from those obtained using parametric regression. The literature may be underestimating the spending contributions of several medical conditions, which is a potentially critical oversight. If current methods are not capturing the true incremental effect of medical conditions, undesirable incentives related to care may remain. Further work is needed to directly study these issues in the context of federal formulas. © Health Research and Educational Trust.

Influence of previous administration of trans-phenylcyclopropylamine on radioprotective and hypothermic effects of serotonin

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Misustova, J.; Hosek, B.; Novak, L.; Kautska, J.

1978-01-01

The influence of a previous administration of trans-phenylcyclopropylamine (t-PCPA) on radioprotective and hypothermic effects of serotonin was studied in male mice of the H strain, which were given t-PCPA in the dose of 4 mg/kg intraperitoneally 2 or 7 hours before application of serotonin (40 mg/kg, i.p.). The time course of protection was studied for exposures to 800 and 900 R. The results have shown that a previous administration of t-PCPA does not alter the short-time protective effect of serotonin, but that it significantly prolongs the time course of protection. The administration of t-PCPA also affects the starting speed and the duration of the serotonin-induced hypothermic reaction. The established correlation between prolongation of the radioprotective and hypothermic effects of serotonin induced by previous application of t-PCPA supplements the results with the existence of mutual relationship between changes of the energetic exchange and radioresistance of the organism. (author)

The Cerebellum in Maintenance of a Motor Skill: A Hierarchy of Brain and Spinal Cord Plasticity Underlies H-Reflex Conditioning

Science.gov (United States)

Wolpaw, Jonathan R.; Chen, Xiang Yang

2006-01-01

Operant conditioning of the H-reflex, the electrical analog of the spinal stretch reflex, is a simple model of skill acquisition and involves plasticity in the spinal cord. Previous work showed that the cerebellum is essential for down-conditioning the H-reflex. This study asks whether the cerebellum is also essential for maintaining…

[Parathyroid cancer in a patient with previous history of hypernephroma: a clinical case].

Science.gov (United States)

Martín Navarro, J; Mendoza, E; Mateos, P; Cereceda, A; Coca, S

2007-01-01

We report the clinical case of a 55 year-old male patient, with a previous history of nephrectomy by hypernephroma sixteen years ago, first presenting hypercalcemia and rising of intact parathyroid hormone (iPTH) levels. A localization study revealed an intrathyroid nodule with cystic appearance. After undergoing a hemi-thyroidectomy, the patient is diagnosed with parathyroid carcinoma. This article analyzes previously published cases presenting parathyroidal pathologies associated with hypernephroma. A broader differential diagnosis--including the screening of parathyroidal pathologies should be considered in patients with hypercalcemia and hypernephroma.

Antireflective Boundary Conditions for Deblurring Problems

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marco Donatelli

2010-01-01

Full Text Available This survey paper deals with the use of antireflective boundary conditions for deblurring problems where the issues that we consider are the precision of the reconstruction when the noise is not present, the linear algebra related to these boundary conditions, the iterative and noniterative regularization solvers when the noise is considered, both from the viewpoint of the computational cost and from the viewpoint of the quality of the reconstruction. In the latter case, we consider a reblurring approach that replaces the transposition operation with correlation. For many of the considered items, the anti-reflective algebra coming from the given boundary conditions is the optimal choice. Numerical experiments corroborating the previous statement and a conclusion section end the paper.

A study of passive safety conditions for fast reactor core

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shimizu, Akinao

1991-01-01

A study has been made for passive safety conditions of fast reactor cores. Objective of the study is to develop a concept of a core with passive safety as well as a simple safety philosophy. A simple safety philosophy, which is wore easy to explain to the public, is needed to enhance the public acceptance for nuclear reactors. The present paper describes a conceptual plan of the study including the definition of the problem a method of approach and identification of tasks to be solved

Immediacy Bias in Emotion Perception: Current Emotions Seem More Intense than Previous Emotions

Science.gov (United States)

Van Boven, Leaf; White, Katherine; Huber, Michaela

2009-01-01

People tend to perceive immediate emotions as more intense than previous emotions. This "immediacy bias" in emotion perception occurred for exposure to emotional but not neutral stimuli (Study 1), when emotional stimuli were separated by both shorter (2 s; Studies 1 and 2) and longer (20 min; Studies 3, 4, and 5) delays, and for emotional…

Previously unknown species of Aspergillus.

Science.gov (United States)

Gautier, M; Normand, A-C; Ranque, S

2016-08-01

The use of multi-locus DNA sequence analysis has led to the description of previously unknown 'cryptic' Aspergillus species, whereas classical morphology-based identification of Aspergillus remains limited to the section or species-complex level. The current literature highlights two main features concerning these 'cryptic' Aspergillus species. First, the prevalence of such species in clinical samples is relatively high compared with emergent filamentous fungal taxa such as Mucorales, Scedosporium or Fusarium. Second, it is clearly important to identify these species in the clinical laboratory because of the high frequency of antifungal drug-resistant isolates of such Aspergillus species. Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) has recently been shown to enable the identification of filamentous fungi with an accuracy similar to that of DNA sequence-based methods. As MALDI-TOF MS is well suited to the routine clinical laboratory workflow, it facilitates the identification of these 'cryptic' Aspergillus species at the routine mycology bench. The rapid establishment of enhanced filamentous fungi identification facilities will lead to a better understanding of the epidemiology and clinical importance of these emerging Aspergillus species. Based on routine MALDI-TOF MS-based identification results, we provide original insights into the key interpretation issues of a positive Aspergillus culture from a clinical sample. Which ubiquitous species that are frequently isolated from air samples are rarely involved in human invasive disease? Can both the species and the type of biological sample indicate Aspergillus carriage, colonization or infection in a patient? Highly accurate routine filamentous fungi identification is central to enhance the understanding of these previously unknown Aspergillus species, with a vital impact on further improved patient care. Copyright © 2016 European Society of Clinical Microbiology and

Preference conditioning in healthy individuals: correlates with hazardous drinking.

Science.gov (United States)

Balodis, Iris M; Lockwood, Kathleen P; Magrys, Sylvia A; Olmstead, Mary C

2010-06-01

Conditioned reward is a classic measure of drug-induced brain changes in animal models of addiction. The process can be examined in humans using the Conditioned Pattern Preference (CPP) task, in which participants associate nonverbal cues with reward but demonstrate low awareness of this conditioning. Previously, we reported that alcohol intoxication does not affect CPP acquisition in humans, but our data indicated that prior drug use may impact conditioning scores. To test this possibility, the current study examined the relationship between self-reported alcohol use and preference conditioning in the CPP task. Working memory was assessed during conditioning by asking participants to count the cues that appeared at each location on a computer screen. Participants (69 female and 23 male undergraduate students) completed the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) and the Rutgers Alcohol Problem Index (RAPI) as measures of hazardous drinking. Self-reported hazardous drinking was significantly correlated with preference conditioning in that individuals who scored higher on these scales exhibited an increased preference for the reward-paired cues. In contrast, hazardous drinking did not affect working memory errors on the CPP task. These findings support evidence that repeated drug use sensitizes neural pathways mediating conditioned reward and point to a neurocognitive disposition linking substance misuse and responses to reward-paired stimuli. The relationship between hazardous drinking and conditioned reward is independent of changes in cognitive function, such as working memory.

Time, rate, and conditioning.

Science.gov (United States)

Gallistel, C R; Gibbon, J

2000-04-01

The authors draw together and develop previous timing models for a broad range of conditioning phenomena to reveal their common conceptual foundations: First, conditioning depends on the learning of the temporal intervals between events and the reciprocals of these intervals, the rates of event occurrence. Second, remembered intervals and rates translate into observed behavior through decision processes whose structure is adapted to noise in the decision variables. The noise and the uncertainties consequent on it have both subjective and objective origins. A third feature of these models is their timescale invariance, which the authors argue is a very important property evident in the available experimental data. This conceptual framework is similar to the psychophysical conceptual framework in which contemporary models of sensory processing are rooted. The authors contrast it with the associative conceptual framework.

Color-coded duplex sonography in the study of thyroid pathologic conditions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anguissola, R.; Bozzini, A.; Campani, R.; Bottinelli, O.; Genovese, E.; Guglielmoni, B.; Fulle, I.; Bandi, G.

1991-01-01

The authors examined 110 patients with suspected pathologic conditions of the thyroid by means of color-coded duplex US. In addition to the information yielded by conventional US, this technique allows organ vascularization to be demonstrated. Five normal patients were considered as a control group: no tissue vascularization was demonstrated in these cases. In 8 patients presenting with carcinoma or recurrences, vascularization was markedly increased both peripheral and central to the nodule. A few doubts are still to be solved as to the diagnostic value of color-coded duplex US in the evaluation of non-carcinomas nodular pathologic conditions. As a matter of fact, non-functioning avascular adenomas can be demonstrated only in a very low percentage of cases (66%). Color-coded duplex US proved extremely sensitive and specific in depicting malignant neoplasms. Moreover, the use of fine.needle biopsy could be optimized and subsequently reduced. Color-coded duplex US proved to be markedly superior to othe rmethods and techniques in the study of thyroid diseases, especially thyroiditis and multiple pathologic conditions. The simultaneous presence of hypocapture at scintigraphy and peripheral and central vascularization in a single nodule or within multinodular struma at color-Doppler was highly suggestive of malignant thyroid neoplasm. Color-coded duplex US is a low-cost technique, which can be performed on an outpatient basis. Moreover, it is not invasive, nor does it damage the thyroid. That is why its use is almost mandatory in the study of pathologic conditions of the thyroid

Self-reported recognition of undiagnosed life threatening conditions in chiropractic practice: a random survey

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Daniel Dwain M

2012-07-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The purpose of this study was to identify the type and frequency of previously undiagnosed life threatening conditions (LTC, based on self-reports of chiropractic physicians, which were first recognized by the chiropractic physician. Additionally this information may have a preliminary role in determining whether chiropractic education provides the knowledge necessary to recognize these events. Methods The study design was a postal, cross-sectional, epidemiological self-administered survey. Two thousand Doctors of Chiropractic in the US were randomly selected from a list of 57878. The survey asked respondents to state the number of cases from the list where they were the first physician to recognize the condition over the course of their practice careers. Space was provided for unlisted conditions. Results The response rate was 29.9%. Respondents represented 11442 years in practice and included 3861 patients with a reported undiagnosed LTC. The most commonly presenting conditions were in rank order: carcinoma, abdominal aneurysm, deep vein thrombosis, stroke, myocardial infarction, subdural hematoma and a large group of other diagnoses. The occurrence of a previously undiagnosed LTC can be expected to present to the chiropractic physician every 2.5 years based on the responding doctors reports. Conclusion Based on this survey chiropractic physicians report encountering undiagnosed LTC’s in the normal course of practice. The findings of this study are of importance to the chiropractic profession and chiropractic education. Increased awareness and emphasis on recognition of LTC is a critical part of the education process and practice life.

22 CFR 40.93 - Aliens unlawfully present after previous immigration violation.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... 22 Foreign Relations 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Aliens unlawfully present after previous... TO BOTH NONIMMIGRANTS AND IMMIGRANTS UNDER THE IMMIGRATION AND NATIONALITY ACT, AS AMENDED Aliens Previously Removed § 40.93 Aliens unlawfully present after previous immigration violation. An alien described...

Ecoclimatic indicators to study crop suitability in present and future climatic conditionsTIC CONDITIONS

Science.gov (United States)

Caubel, Julie; Garcia de Cortazar Atauri, Inaki; Huard, Frédéric; Launay, Marie; Ripoche, Dominique; Gouache, David; Bancal, Marie-Odile; Graux, Anne-Isabelle; De Noblet, Nathalie

2013-04-01

Climate change is expected to affect both regional and global food production through changes in overall agroclimatic conditions. It is therefore necessary to develop simple tools of crop suitability diagnosis in a given area so that stakeholders can envisage land use adaptations under climate change conditions. The most common way to investigate potential impacts of climate on the evolution of agrosystems is to make use of an array of agroclimatic indicators, which provide synthetic information derived from climatic variables and calculated within fixed periods (i.e. January first - 31th July). However, the information obtained during these periods does not enable to take account of the plant response to climate. In this work, we present some results of the research program ORACLE (Opportunities and Risks of Agrosystems & forests in response to CLimate, socio-economic and policy changEs in France (and Europe). We proposed a suite of relevant ecoclimatic indicators, based on temperature and rainfall, in order to evaluate crop suitability for both present and new climatic conditions. Ecoclimatic indicators are agroclimatic indicators (e.g., grain heat stress) calculated during specific phenological phases so as to take account of the plant response to climate (e.g., the grain filling period, flowering- harvest). These indicators are linked with the ecophysiological processes they characterize (for e.g., the grain filling). To represent this methodology, we studied the suitability of winter wheat in future climatic conditions through three distinct French sites, Toulouse, Dijon and Versailles. Indicators have been calculated using climatic data from 1950 to 2100 simulated by the global climate model ARPEGE forced by a greenhouse effect corresponding to the SRES A1B scenario. The Quantile-Quantile downscaling method was applied to obtain data for the three locations. Phenological stages (emergence, ear 1 cm, flowering, beginning of grain filling and harvest) have been

Social conditioning and extinction paradigm: A translational study in virtual reality

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Youssef eShiban

2015-04-01

Full Text Available In human beings, experiments investigating fear conditioning with social stimuli are rare. The current study aims at translating an animal model for social fear conditioning (SFC to a human sample using an operant SFC paradigm in virtual reality (VR. Forty participants actively (using a joystick approached virtual male agents that served as conditioned stimuli (CS. During the acquisition phase, unconditioned stimuli (US, a combination of an air blast (5 bar, 10 ms and a female scream (95 dB, 40 ms, were presented when participants reached a defined proximity to the agent with a contingency of 75% for CS+ agents and never for CS- agents. During the extinction and the test phases, no US was delivered. Outcome variables were pleasantness ratings and physiological reactions in heart rate and fear-potentiated startle. Additionally, the influence of social anxiety, which was measured with the Social Phobia Inventory scale, was evaluated. As expected after the acquisition phase the CS+ was rated clearly less pleasant than the CS-. This difference vanished during extinction. Furthermore, the HR remained high for the CS+, while the HR for the CS- was clearly lower after than before the acquisition. Furthermore, a clear difference between CS+ and CS- after the acquisition indicated successful conditioning on this translational measure. Contrariwise extinction was not observed on the physiological variables. Importantly, at the generalization test, higher socially fearful participants rated pleasantness of all agents as low whereas the lower socially fearful participants rated pleasantness as low only for the CS+. SFC was successfully induced and extinguished confirming operant conditioning in this SFC paradigm. These findings suggest that the paradigm is suitable to expand the knowledge about the learning and unlearning of social fears. Further studies should investigate the operant mechanisms of development and treatment of social anxiety disorder.

Social conditioning and extinction paradigm: a translational study in virtual reality.

Science.gov (United States)

Shiban, Youssef; Reichenberger, Jonas; Neumann, Inga D; Mühlberger, Andreas

2015-01-01

In human beings, experiments investigating fear conditioning with social stimuli are rare. The current study aims at translating an animal model for social fear conditioning (SFC) to a human sample using an operant SFC paradigm in virtual reality. Forty participants actively (using a joystick) approached virtual male agents that served as conditioned stimuli (CS). During the acquisition phase, unconditioned stimuli (US), a combination of an air blast (5 bar, 10 ms) and a female scream (95 dB, 40 ms), were presented when participants reached a defined proximity to the agent with a contingency of 75% for CS+ agents and never for CS- agents. During the extinction and the test phases, no US was delivered. Outcome variables were pleasantness ratings and physiological reactions in heart rate (HR) and fear-potentiated startle. Additionally, the influence of social anxiety, which was measured with the Social Phobia Inventory scale, was evaluated. As expected after the acquisition phase the CS+ was rated clearly less pleasant than the CS-. This difference vanished during extinction. Furthermore, the HR remained high for the CS+, while the HR for the CS- was clearly lower after than before the acquisition. Furthermore, a clear difference between CS+ and CS- after the acquisition indicated successful conditioning on this translational measure. Contrariwise no CS+/CS- differences were observed in the physiological variables during extinction. Importantly, at the generalization test, higher socially fearful participants rated pleasantness of all agents as low whereas the lower socially fearful participants rated pleasantness as low only for the CS+. SFC was successfully induced and extinguished confirming operant conditioning in this SFC paradigm. These findings suggest that the paradigm is suitable to expand the knowledge about the learning and unlearning of social fears. Further studies should investigate the operant mechanisms of development and treatment of social anxiety

Counterbalancing for serial order carryover effects in experimental condition orders

OpenAIRE

Brooks, Joseph L

2012-01-01

Reactions of neural, psychological, and social systems are rarely, if ever, independent of previous inputs and states. The potential for serial order carryover effects from one condition to the next in a sequence of experimental trials makes counterbalancing of condition order an essential part of experimental design. Here, a method is proposed for generating counterbalanced sequences for repeated-measures designs including those with multiple observations of each condition on one participant...

Fire Risk Scoping Study: Investigation of nuclear power plant fire risk, including previously unaddressed issues

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lambright, J.A.; Nowlen, S.P.; Nicolette, V.F.; Bohn, M.P.

1989-01-01

An investigation of nuclear power plant fire risk issues raised as a result of the USNRC sponsored Fire Protection Research Program at Sandia National Laboratories has been performed. The specific objectives of this study were (1) to review and requantify fire risk scenarios from four fire probabilistic risk assessments (PRAs) in light of updated data bases made available as a result of USNRC sponsored Fire Protection Research Program and updated computer fire modeling capabilities, (2) to identify potentially significant fire risk issues that have not been previously addressed in a fire risk context and to quantify the potential impact of those identified fire risk issues where possible, and (3) to review current fire regulations and plant implementation practices for relevance to the identified unaddressed fire risk issues. In performance of the fire risk scenario requantifications several important insights were gained. It was found that utilization of a more extensive operational experience base resulted in both fire occurrence frequencies and fire duration times (i.e., time required for fire suppression) increasing significantly over those assumed in the original works. Additionally, some thermal damage threshold limits assumed in the original works were identified as being nonconservative based on more recent experimental data. Finally, application of the COMPBRN III fire growth model resulted in calculation of considerably longer fire damage times than those calculated in the original works using COMPBRN I. 14 refs., 2 figs., 16 tabs

A Computational Study of Amensalistic Control of Listeria monocytogenes by Lactococcus lactis under Nutrient Rich Conditions in a Chemostat Setting

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hassan Khassehkhan

2016-09-01

Full Text Available We study a previously introduced mathematical model of amensalistic control of the foodborne pathogen Listeria monocytogenes by the generally regarded as safe lactic acid bacteria Lactococcus lactis in a chemostat setting under nutrient rich growth conditions. The control agent produces lactic acids and thus affects pH in the environment such that it becomes detrimental to the pathogen while it is much more tolerant to these self-inflicted environmental changes itself. The mathematical model consists of five nonlinear ordinary differential equations for both bacterial species, the concentration of lactic acids, the pH and malate. The model is algebraically too involved to allow a comprehensive, rigorous qualitative analysis. Therefore, we conduct a computational study. Our results imply that depending on the growth characteristics of the medium in which the bacteria are cultured, the pathogen can survive in an intermediate flow regime but will be eradicated for slower flow rates and washed out for higher flow rates.

Initial results of CyberKnife treatment for recurrent previously irradiated head and neck cancer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Himei, Kengo; Katsui, Kuniaki; Yoshida, Atsushi

2003-01-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of CyberKnife for recurrent previously irradiated head and neck cancer. Thirty-one patients with recurrent previously irradiated head and neck cancer were treated with a CyberKnife from July 1999 to March 2002 at Okayama Kyokuto Hospital were retrospectively studied. The accumulated dose was 28-80 Gy (median 60 Gy). The interval between CyberKnife treatment and previous radiotherapy was 0.4-429.5 months (median 16.3 months). Primary lesions were nasopharynx: 7, maxillary sinus: 6, tongue: 5, ethmoid sinus: 3, and others: 1. The pathology was squamous cell carcinoma: 25, adenoid cystic carcinoma: 4, and others: 2. Symptoms were pain: 8, and nasal bleeding: 2. The prescribed dose was 15.0-40.3 Gy (median 32.3 Gy) as for the marginal dose. The response rate (complete response (CR)+partial response (PR)) and local control rate (CR+PR+no change (NC)) was 74% and 94% respectively. Pain disappeared for 4 cases, relief was obtained for 4 cases and no change for 2 cases and nasal bleeding disappeared for 2 cases for an improvement of symptoms. An adverse effects were observed as mucositis in 5 cases and neck swelling in one case. Prognosis of recurrent previously irradiated head and neck cancer was estimated as poor. Our early experience shows that CyberKnife is expected to be feasible treatment for recurrent previously irradiated head and neck cancer, and for the reduction adverse effects and maintenance of useful quality of life (QOL) for patients. (author)

Thermo-Hydrodynamical Alignment Effect, Conditions of Realization

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sherkiladze, I.

2004-01-01

Conditions are considered of rapid intensification of a tropical hurricane. Characteristic range is determined of equilibrium translation speed. Dependence is considered of intensity of a opical hurricane from alignment number and hurricane heat potential. The basic assumption is confirmed of developed previously equilibrium translation model. (authors)

Effects of stigma-reducing conditions on intention to seek psychological help among Korean college students with anxious-ambivalent attachment.

Science.gov (United States)

Nam, Suk Kyung; Choi, Seong In; Lee, Sang Min

2015-05-01

This study aimed to examine whether stigma-reducing conditions (i.e., random assignment of participants to hypothetical scenarios with varying levels of stigma) effectively increase intention to seek help for Korean college students with anxious-ambivalent attachment style, depending on previous counseling experience. Three hundred thirty Korean college students participated and were randomly assigned to either a low or a high stigma-reducing manipulative condition group. Each group was provided with three possible strategies to reduce stigma: the location of a counseling center, contact with a mental health patient, and the media portrayal of mental illness. In the high-stigma group, the strategies were described in a way that was highly stigmatizing. In the other group, the 3 strategies were created in a way that was not as stigmatizing. In order to examine the effect of stigma-reducing scenarios through the conditions, participants were also instructed to remember a previous or current stressful situation before responding to the questionnaire. The results of multivariate analysis of variance showed a 3-way interaction effect (i.e., level of stigma based on stigma manipulative condition, level of attachment anxiety, and previous counseling experience) on the intentions score when the "contact" and the "media" strategies were applied. The results indicated that individuals who have a higher level of attachment anxiety and a previous experience of counseling were more sensitive to the stigma-reducing manipulative condition. These results highlight the importance of the "contact" and "media" strategies in reducing stigma of seeking counseling for mental health services. (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved).

Natural fission reactors from Gabon. Contribution to the study of the conditions of stability of a natural radioactive wastes storage site (2 Ga)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pourcelot, L.

1997-01-01

The natural fission reactors of Oklo consists of a core of uraninite (60%) with fission products, embedded in a pure clay matrix. Thus, the aim of geological, mineral, and geochemical studies of the Oklo Reactors is to assess the behaviour of fission products in an artificial waste depository. Previous studies have shown that Reactor Zone 10, located in the Oklo mine, represents an example for an exceptional confinement of fission products since 2 Ga. In reactor Zone 9, located in Oklo open pit, migrations are more important. Reactor ZOne 13 was influenced by a thermal event due to a doleritic intrusion, located some twenty meters far away, one Ga years after fission reaction operations. In this study,we characterized temperature and redox conditions of fluids by using stable isotopes of uraninites and clays. Moreover mineralogical and chemical characteristics were defined. (author)

Rancidity inhibition study in frozen whole mackerel (scomber scombrus by a previous plant extract treatment.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Aubourg, Santiago P.

2005-09-01

Full Text Available The effect of flaxseeds (Linum usitatissimum on rancidity development in frozen whole mackerel (Scomber scombrus was studied. For it, fresh mackerel were dipped in flaxseeds aqueous extract during 60 min, frozen at –80 ºC during 24 hours and kept frozen (–20 ºC up to 12 months. Sampling was carried out on the initial material and at months 1, 3, 5, 7, 9 and 12 of frozen storage at –20 ºC. A parallel experiment with non treated fish was carried out in the same conditions. Rancidity development was measured by several biochemical indices (free fatty acids, peroxides, conjugated dienes and trienes, secondary oxidation products and lipoxygenase activity and complemented by the sensory analysis (skin, flesh odour, consistency and flesh appearance. As a result of the previous antioxidant treatment, peroxides showed to breakdown faster (pSe ha estudiado el efecto del lino (Linum usitatissimum en el desarrollo de rancidez en caballa entera congelada (Scomber scombrus. Para ello, caballas frescas fueron sumergidas en extractos acuosos de semillas de lino durante 60 min, congeladas a -80 ºC durante 24 h y mantenidas congeladas ( -20 ºC durante 12 meses. Se tomaron muestras del material inicial y tras 1, 3, 5, 7, 9 y 12 meses de congelación a -20 ºC . Un experimento paralelo con pescado no tratado fue llevado acabo en las mismas condiciones. El desarrollo de la rancidez fue medido por varios índices bioquímicos (ácidos grasos libres, peróxidos, dienos y trienos conjugados, productos secundarios de oxidación y actividad lipoxigenasa y completado con análisis sensorial (piel, olor de la carne, consistencia y apariencia de la carne. Como resultado del tratamiento antioxidante, los peróxidos se degradaron más rápidos (p < 0.05 después del mes 7, y por tanto, contenidos mayores (p < 0.05 de dienos y trienos conjugados pudieron ser detectados en el pescado tratado. El tratamiento antioxidante también condujo a un

Influence of the Previous Preheating Temperature on the Static Coefficient of Friction with Lubrication

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M. Živković

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Experimental investigations static coefficient of friction in lubricated conditions and pre-heating of the sample pin at high temperatures is discussed in this paper. The static coefficient of friction was measured in the sliding steel copper pins per cylinder of polyvinylchloride. Pins are previously heated in a special chamber from room temperature to a temperature of 800 oC with a step of 50 °C. Tribological changes in the surface layer of the pins caused by pre-heating the pins at high temperatures and cooling systems have very significantly influenced the increase in the coefficient of static friction. The results indicate the possibility of improving the friction characteristics of metal materials based on their thermal treatment at elevated temperatures.

Underestimation of Severity of Previous Whiplash Injuries

Science.gov (United States)

Naqui, SZH; Lovell, SJ; Lovell, ME

2008-01-01

INTRODUCTION We noted a report that more significant symptoms may be expressed after second whiplash injuries by a suggested cumulative effect, including degeneration. We wondered if patients were underestimating the severity of their earlier injury. PATIENTS AND METHODS We studied recent medicolegal reports, to assess subjects with a second whiplash injury. They had been asked whether their earlier injury was worse, the same or lesser in severity. RESULTS From the study cohort, 101 patients (87%) felt that they had fully recovered from their first injury and 15 (13%) had not. Seventy-six subjects considered their first injury of lesser severity, 24 worse and 16 the same. Of the 24 that felt the violence of their first accident was worse, only 8 had worse symptoms, and 16 felt their symptoms were mainly the same or less than their symptoms from their second injury. Statistical analysis of the data revealed that the proportion of those claiming a difference who said the previous injury was lesser was 76% (95% CI 66–84%). The observed proportion with a lesser injury was considerably higher than the 50% anticipated. CONCLUSIONS We feel that subjects may underestimate the severity of an earlier injury and associated symptoms. Reasons for this may include secondary gain rather than any proposed cumulative effect. PMID:18201501

Detection of previously undiagnosed cases of COPD in a high-risk population identified in general practice

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Løkke, Anders; Ulrik, Charlotte Suppli; Dahl, Ronald

2012-01-01

Background and Aim: Under-diagnosis of COPD is a widespread problem. This study aimed to identify previously undiagnosed cases of COPD in a high-risk population identified through general practice. Methods: Participating GPs (n = 241) recruited subjects with no previous diagnosis of lung disease,...

Psychosocial work conditions, social capital, and daily smoking: a population based study.

Science.gov (United States)

Lindström, M

2004-09-01

To investigate the associations between psychosocial conditions at work, social capital/social participation, and daily smoking. The 2000 public health survey in Scania is a cross sectional postal questionnaire study with a 59% participation rate. A total of 5180 persons aged 18-64 years that belonged to the work force and the unemployed were included in this study. Logistic regression models were used to investigate the associations between psychosocial factors at work/unemployment, social participation, and daily smoking. Psychosocial conditions at work were defined according to the Karasek-Theorell demand-control/decision latitudes into relaxed, active, passive, and jobstrain categories. The multivariate analyses included age, country of origin, education and economic stress. 17.2% proportion of all men and 21.9% of all women were daily smokers. The jobstrain (high demands/low control) and unemployed categories had significantly higher odds ratios of daily smoking among both men and women compared to the relaxed (low demands/high control) reference category. The passive (low demands/low control), jobstrain, and unemployed categories were also significantly associated with low social participation. Low social participation was significantly and positively associated with daily smoking within each of the psychosocial work conditions and unemployed categories. The positive association between low social capital/low social participation and daily smoking is well known. However, both social participation and daily smoking are associated with psychosocial work conditions and unemployment. Psychosocial work conditions and unemployment may affect daily smoking both directly and through a pathway including social participation.

Counterbalancing for Serial Order Carryover Effects in Experimental Condition Orders

Science.gov (United States)

Brooks, Joseph L.

2012-01-01

Reactions of neural, psychological, and social systems are rarely, if ever, independent of previous inputs and states. The potential for serial order carryover effects from one condition to the next in a sequence of experimental trials makes counterbalancing of condition order an essential part of experimental design. Here, a method is proposed…

Injuries in an Extreme Conditioning Program

Science.gov (United States)

Aune, Kyle T.; Powers, Joseph M.

2016-01-01

Background: Extreme conditioning programs (ECPs) are fitness training regimens relying on aerobic, plyometric, and resistance training exercises, often with high levels of intensity for a short duration of time. These programs have grown rapidly in popularity in recent years, but science describing the safety profile of these programs is lacking. Hypothesis: The rate of injury in the extreme conditioning program is greater than the injury rate of weightlifting and the majority of injuries occur to the shoulder and back. Study Design: Cross-sectional study. Level of Evidence: Level 4. Methods: This is a retrospective survey of injuries reported by athletes participating in an ECP. An injury survey was sent to 1100 members of Iron Tribe Fitness, a gym franchise with 5 locations across Birmingham, Alabama, that employs exercises consistent with an ECP in this study. An injury was defined as a physical condition resulting from ECP participation that caused the athlete to either seek medical treatment, take time off from exercising, or make modifications to his or her technique to continue. Results: A total of 247 athletes (22%) completed the survey. The majority (57%) of athletes were male (n = 139), and 94% of athletes were white (n = 227). The mean age of athletes was 38.9 years (±8.9 years). Athletes reported participation in the ECP for, on average, 3.6 hours per week (± 1.2 hours). Eighty-five athletes (34%) reported that they had sustained an injury while participating in the ECP. A total of 132 injuries were recorded, yielding an estimated incidence of 2.71 per 1000 hours. The shoulder or upper arm was the most commonly injured body site, accounting for 38 injuries (15% of athletes). Athletes with a previous shoulder injury were 8.1 times as likely to injure their shoulder in the ECP compared with athletes with healthy shoulders. The trunk, back, head, or neck (n = 29, 12%) and the leg or knee (n = 29, 12%) were the second most commonly injured sites. The

Homicide and domestic violence. Are there different psychological profiles mediated by previous exerted on the victim?

OpenAIRE

Montserrat Yepes; Maria R. Vinas; Inmaculada Armadans; Miguel A. Soria

2009-01-01

A sample of 46 men was evaluated with the DAPP (Questionnaire of Domestic Aggressor Psychological Profile). All were inmates convicted for various degrees of violence against their wives in different prisons. The sample was divided into three groups: homicides without previous violence against their wives (H) (n=11), homicides with previous violence (VH) (n=9) and domestic batterers without previous homicide attempts against their partners (B) (n=26). The aim of the study was to analyze the p...

A study of recording possibilities of emulsions in autoradiography conditions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bogomolov, C.S.; Razorenova, I.F.; Ruditskaya, I.A.; Khruliova, L.S.

1976-01-01

The autoradiography method is widely used in various fields of science and technique and particularly, in medico-biological and medical researches. Combination of autoradiography method and electron microscopy allowed to carry out researches with qualitatively new level and to study radioactive labels, for example, in separate elements of a cell structure. In the present paper there has been carried out a study of nuclear emulsion properties with reference to electron-microscopic autoradiography conditions. (orig./ORU) [de

Atopic conditions and mental health problems: a 3-year follow-up study.

Science.gov (United States)

Lien, Lars; Green, Kristian; Thoresen, Magne; Bjertness, Espen

2010-09-01

The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that atopic conditions at 15/16 years of age affect both internalized and externalized mental health problems 3 years later. Combined school and postal survey was conducted in urban and rural settings. A total of 3,674 adolescents (70.1% response rate) were followed at two time points and interviewed with similar questionnaires at baseline and follow-up. Hopkins Symptoms Checklist (HSCL-10) was used to assess internalized problems, and two subscales (conduct problems and hyperactivity) from the Strength and Difficulties Questionnaire to measure externalized mental health problems. The atopic conditions investigated were asthma, hay fever and eczema by asking the adolescents whether these conditions were present or not. There was an increase in the prevalence of internalized mental health problems from about 17-25% and a decrease in externalized mental health problems and number of atopic conditions in the follow-up period. Of the atopic conditions, hay fever was most prevalent with about 34% at 15 years of age and 20% at 18. The asthma prevalence was at 10 and 5% and eczema at 25 and 10%, respectively. Internalized mental health problems among girls were significantly associated with atopic conditions 3 years earlier, also after controlling for confounding variables. To live with atopic conditions seem to affect the mood and level of anxiety among adolescent girls. This should be kept in mind by health professionals treating young girls with atopic conditions.

18 CFR 154.302 - Previously submitted material.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... 18 Conservation of Power and Water Resources 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Previously submitted material. 154.302 Section 154.302 Conservation of Power and Water Resources FEDERAL ENERGY REGULATORY... concurrently with the rate change filing. There must be furnished to the Director, Office of Energy Market...

Spectrophotometric determination of uranium with arsenazo previous liquid-liquid extraction and colour development in organic medium; Determinacion espectrofotometrica de uranio con arsenazo, previa extraccion y desarrollo del color en medio organico

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Palomares Delgado, F; Vera Palomino, J; Petrement Eguiluz, J C

1964-07-01

The determination of uranium with arsenazo is hindered by a great number of cation which form stable complexes with the reactive and may given rise to serious interferences. By studying the optimum conditions of uranium the extraction be means of tributylphosphate solutions dissolved in methylisobuthylketone, under conditions for previous masking of the interfering cations, an organic extract was obtained containing all the uranium together with small amounts of iron. The possible interference derived from the latter element is avoided by reduction with hydroxylammoniumchlorid followed by complex formation of the Fe(II)-ortophenantroline compound in alcoholic medium. (Author) 17 refs.

Reflections of distraction in memory: transfer of previous distraction improves recall in younger and older adults.

Science.gov (United States)

Thomas, Ruthann C; Hasher, Lynn

2012-01-01

Three studies explored whether younger and older adults' free recall performance can benefit from prior exposure to distraction that becomes relevant in a memory task. Participants initially read stories that included distracting text. Later, they studied a list of words for free recall, with half of the list consisting of previously distracting words. When the memory task was indirect in its use of distraction (Study 1), only older adults showed transfer, with better recall of previously distracting compared with new words, which increased their recall to match that of younger adults. However, younger adults showed transfer when cued about the relevance of previous distraction both before studying the words (Study 2) and before recalling the words (Study 3) in the memory test. Results suggest that both younger and older adults encode distraction, but younger adults require explicit cueing to use their knowledge of distraction. In contrast, older adults transfer knowledge of distraction in both explicitly cued and indirect memory tasks. Results are discussed in terms of age differences in inhibition and source-constrained retrieval.

Study of thermalhydraulic conditions in a steam generating channel at emergency conditions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Staviskij, E.M.; Savvatimskij, G.I.; Elkin, I.V.; Liverant, Eh.I.; Proshutinskij, A.P.

1980-01-01

The results of investigation into the thermal hydraulic conditions in a ring channel when interrupting the cooling water feed are presented. Experiments have been carried out in a channel with an electrical heated inner tube of 14K18N9T steel in the range of regime parameters:Δtsub(n)=25; 100 deg C; P=3-11.9 MPa; rhow=700-2100 kg/m 2 s; q=250-850 kW/m 2 ; the temperature of the beginning of cooling tsub(p)=300-700 deg C. Analyzed are in detail Main stages of development of emergency conditions: channel dewatering and heating up, supply of a channel with water and heat transfer in the regime of film boiling, damping of heated-up wall are analyzed in detail. Formulae for the calculation of these processes and experimental data are given [ru

A Flexible-Dose Study of Paliperidone ER in Patients With Nonacute Schizophrenia Previously Treated Unsuccessfully With Oral Olanzapine.

Science.gov (United States)

Kotler, Moshe; Dilbaz, Nesrin; Rosa, Fernanda; Paterakis, Periklis; Milanova, Vihra; Smulevich, Anatoly B; Lahaye, Marjolein; Schreiner, Andreas

2016-01-01

The goal of this study was to explore the tolerability, safety, and treatment response of switching from oral olanzapine to paliperidone extended release (ER). Adult patients with nonacute schizophrenia who had been treated unsuccessfully with oral olanzapine were switched to flexible doses of paliperidone ER (3 to 12 mg/d). The primary efficacy outcome was a ≥ 20% improvement in Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) total scores from baseline to endpoint for patients who switched medications because of lack of efficacy with olanzapine and noninferiority versus previous olanzapine treatment (mean endpoint change in PANSS total scores vs. baseline of ≤ 5 points) for patients who switched for reasons other than lack of efficacy. Safety and tolerability were assessed by monitoring adverse events, extrapyramidal symptoms, and weight change. Of 396 patients, 65.2% were men, mean age was 40.0 ± 12.0 years, and 75.5% had paranoid schizophrenia. Among the patients whose main reason for switching was lack of efficacy, an improvement in the PANSS total score of ≥ 20% occurred in 57.4% of patients. Noninferiority was confirmed for each subgroup of patients whose main reason for switching was something other than lack of efficacy. Paliperidone ER was generally well tolerated. Extrapyramidal symptoms as measured by total Extrapyramidal Symptom Rating Scale scores showed statistically significant and clinically relevant improvements at endpoint, the average weight decreased by 0.8 ± 5.2 kg at endpoint, and a clinically relevant weight gain of ≥ 7% occurred in 8.0% of patients. Paliperidone ER flexibly-dosed over 6 months was well tolerated and associated with a meaningful clinical response in patients with nonacute schizophrenia who had previously been unsuccessfully treated with oral olanzapine.

Late preterm birth and previous cesarean section: a population-based cohort study.

Science.gov (United States)

Yasseen Iii, Abdool S; Bassil, Kate; Sprague, Ann; Urquia, Marcelo; Maguire, Jonathon L

2018-02-21

Late preterm birth (LPB) is increasingly common and associated with higher morbidity and mortality than term birth. Yet, little is known about the influence of previous cesarean section (PCS) and the occurrence of LPB in subsequent pregnancies. We aim to evaluate this association along with the potential mediation by cesarean sections in the current pregnancy. We use population-based birth registry data (2005-2012) to establish a cohort of live born singleton infants born between 34 and 41 gestational weeks to multiparous mothers. PCS was the primary exposure, LPB (34-36 weeks) was the primary outcome, and an unplanned or emergency cesarean section in the current pregnancy was the potential mediator. Associations were quantified using propensity weighted multivariable Poisson regression, and mediating associations were explored using the Baron-Kenny approach. The cohort included 481,531 births, 21,893 (4.5%) were LPB, and 119,983 (24.9%) were predated by at least one PCS. Among mothers with at least one PCS, 6307 (5.26%) were LPB. There was increased risk of LPB among women with at least one PCS (adjusted Relative Risk (aRR): 1.20 (95%CI [1.16, 1.23]). Unplanned or emergency cesarean section in the current pregnancy was identified as a strong mediator to this relationship (mediation ratio = 97%). PCS was associated with higher risk of LPB in subsequent pregnancies. This may be due to an increased risk of subsequent unplanned or emergency preterm cesarean sections. Efforts to minimize index cesarean sections may reduce the risk of LPB in subsequent pregnancies.

Impacts of previous crops on Fusarium foot and root rot, and on yields of durum wheat in North West Tunisia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Samia CHEKALI

2016-07-01

Full Text Available The impacts of ten previous crop rotations (cereals, legumes and fallow on Fusarium foot and root rot of durum wheat were investigated for three cropping seasons in a trial established in 2004 in Northwest Tunisia. Fungi isolated from the roots and stem bases were identified using morphological and molecular methods, and were primarily Fusarium culmorum and F. pseudograminearum. Under low rainfall conditions, the previous crop affected F. pseudograminearum incidence on durum wheat roots but not F. culmorum. Compared to continuous cropping of durum wheat, barley as a previous crop increased disease incidence more than fivefold, while legumes and fallow tended to reduce incidence.  Barley as a previous crop increased wheat disease severity by 47%, compared to other rotations. Grain yield was negatively correlated with the incidence of F. culmorum infection, both in roots and stem bases, and fitted an exponential model (R2 = -0.61 for roots and -0.77 for stem bases, P<0.0001. Fusarium pseudograminearum was also negatively correlated with yield and fitted an exponential model (R2 = -0.53 on roots and -0.71 on stem bases, P < 0.0001 but was not correlated with severity.

Study related to the generation of the conditional intensities of ideal Bose-gas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Al-Oklah, H.

2007-01-01

In this paper, we will answer on the following question: Are there any conditions on the chemical potential and temperature of an ideal BOSE gas when generating the conditional intensities of ideal Bose-gas, and will the position distribution of the ideal Bose-gas be a Gibbs-process. The study shows that there should be no conditions on the chemical potential and thermodynamical temperature of an ideal BOSE gas when we generate the conditional intensities of ideal Bose-gas except that the fundamental conditions, the chemical potential is negative and the inverse temperature is positive. Thus the position distribution of the ideal Bose-gas may only be a Gibbs-process, in the special case when the thermodynamical temperature of the ideal BOSE gas tends to the absolute zero. (author)

Learning the condition of satisfaction of an elementary behavior in dynamic field theory

OpenAIRE

Luciw, M; Kazerounian, S; Lahkman, K; Richter, M; Sandamirskaya, Y

2015-01-01

In order to proceed along an action sequence, an autonomous agent has to recognize that the intended final condition of the previous action has been achieved. In previous work, we have shown how a sequence of actions can be generated by an embodied agent using a neural-dynamic architecture for behavioral organization, in which each action has an intention and condition of satisfaction. These components are represented by dynamic neural fields, and are coupled to motors...

Long- and short-term retention of traditional instruction vs. previously tested tactual vs. innovative tactual resources on the achievement and attitudes of second-grade students in science

Science.gov (United States)

Mitchell, Sherese A.

This researcher investigated the long- and short-term retention of information using traditional instruction versus previously tested tactual resources versus innovative tactual resources on the achievement and attitudes of second-grade students in science. The processing of new and difficult knowledge has challenged many young children who tend to be kinesthetic or tactual learners. In compliance with the National Science Education Standards, students should be actively engaged in their own learning. Therefore, to boost student achievement in science, the use of tactual materials was implemented. The sample included 67 second-grade students drawn from three heterogeneously grouped classes in a low socio-economic neighborhood. It consisted of 30 females and 37 males of which 97 percent were African American, 2 percent were Hispanic, and 1 percent Other. Students were unaware of their diagnosed learning-style preference(s) during the instruction and assessment phases of the study. Therefore, students' knowledge of their learning-style preferences could not have had any impact on their achievement or attitudes. A counterbalanced research design was employed. During the first session, Group 1 was taught with previously tested tactual resources (Electroboards, Flip Chutes, Fact Wheels, and Fact Fans), and Group 3 was taught traditionally. During the second session of instruction, Group 1 received instruction with innovative tactual resources, Group 2 received traditional instruction, Group 3 received instruction with previously tested tactual resources. During the final session of instruction, Group 1 received traditional instruction, Group 2 received instruction with previously tested tactual resources, and Group 3 received instruction with innovative tactual resources. The results indicated that the use of tactual materials, regardless of whether they were previously tested or innovative, produced higher achievement gains and more positive attitudes than traditional

DISC1 conditioned GWAS for psychosis proneness in a large Finnish birth cohort.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Liisa Tomppo

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Genetic evidence implicates the DISC1 gene in the etiology of a number of mental illnesses. Previously, we have reported association between DISC1 and measures of psychosis proneness, the Revised Social Anhedonia Scale (RSAS and Revised Physical Anhedonia Scale (RPAS, in the Northern Finland Birth Cohort 1966 (NFBC66. As part of the studies of this Finnish birth cohort genome-wide association analysis has recently been performed. METHODOLOGY: In the present study, we re-analyzed the genome-wide association data with regard to these two measures of psychosis proneness, conditioning on our previous DISC1 observation. From the original NFBC66 sample (N = 12 058, 4 561 individuals provided phenotype and genotype data. No markers were significant at the genome-wide level. However, several genes with biological relevance to mental illnesses were highlighted through loci displaying suggestive evidence for association (≥3 SNP with P<10E-4. These included the protein coding genes, CXCL3, KIAA1128, LCT, MED13L, TMCO7, TTN, and the micro RNA MIR620. CONCLUSIONS: By conditioning a previous genome-wide association study on DISC1, we have been able to identify eight genes as associating to psychosis proneness. Further, these molecules predominantly link to the DISC1 pathway, strengthening the evidence for the role of this gene network in the etiology of mental illness. The use of quantitative measures of psychosis proneness in a large population cohort will make these findings, once verified; more generalized to a broad selection of disorders related to psychoses and psychosis proneness.

Pellagra-like condition is xeroderma pigmentosum/Cockayne syndrome complex and niacin confers clinical benefit.

Science.gov (United States)

Hijazi, H; Salih, M A; Hamad, M H A; Hassan, H H; Salih, S B M; Mohamed, K A; Mukhtar, M M; Karrar, Z A; Ansari, S; Ibrahim, N; Alkuraya, F S

2015-01-01

An extremely rare pellagra-like condition has been described, which was partially responsive to niacin and associated with a multisystem involvement. The condition was proposed to represent a novel autosomal recessive entity but the underlying mutation remained unknown for almost three decades. The objective of this study was to identify the causal mutation in the pellagra-like condition and investigate the mechanism by which niacin confers clinical benefit. Autozygosity mapping and exome sequencing were used to identify the causal mutation, and comet assay on patient fibroblasts before and after niacin treatment to assess its effect on DNA damage. We identified a single disease locus that harbors a novel mutation in ERCC5, thus confirming that the condition is in fact xeroderma pigmentosum/Cockayne syndrome (XP/CS) complex. Importantly, we also show that the previously described dermatological response to niacin is consistent with a dramatic protective effect against ultraviolet-induced DNA damage in patient fibroblasts conferred by niacin treatment. Our findings show the power of exome sequencing in reassigning previously described novel clinical entities, and suggest a mechanism for the dermatological response to niacin in patients with XP/CS complex. This raises interesting possibilities about the potential therapeutic use of niacin in XP. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Is previous disaster experience a good predictor for disaster preparedness in extreme poverty households in remote Muslim minority based community in China?

Science.gov (United States)

Chan, Emily Y Y; Kim, Jean H; Lin, Cherry; Cheung, Eliza Y L; Lee, Polly P Y

2014-06-01

Disaster preparedness is an important preventive strategy for protecting health and mitigating adverse health effects of unforeseen disasters. A multi-site based ethnic minority project (2009-2015) is set up to examine health and disaster preparedness related issues in remote, rural, disaster prone communities in China. The primary objective of this reported study is to examine if previous disaster experience significantly increases household disaster preparedness levels in remote villages in China. A cross-sectional, household survey was conducted in January 2011 in Gansu Province, in a predominately Hui minority-based village. Factors related to disaster preparedness were explored using quantitative methods. Two focus groups were also conducted to provide additional contextual explanations to the quantitative findings of this study. The village household response rate was 62.4 % (n = 133). Although previous disaster exposure was significantly associated with perception of living in a high disaster risk area (OR = 6.16), only 10.7 % households possessed a disaster emergency kit. Of note, for households with members who had non-communicable diseases, 9.6 % had prepared extra medications to sustain clinical management of their chronic conditions. This is the first study that examined disaster preparedness in an ethnic minority population in remote communities in rural China. Our results indicate the need of disaster mitigation education to promote preparedness in remote, resource-poor communities.

Predicting intraindividual changes in learning strategies: The effects of previous achievement

OpenAIRE

Buško, Vesna; Mujagić, Amela

2013-01-01

Socio-cognitive models of self-regulated learning (e.g., Pintrich, 2000) emphasize contextualized nature oflearning process, and within-person variation in learning processes, along with between-person variability in selfregulation.Previous studies about contextual nature of learning strategies have mostly focused on the effects ofdifferent contextual factors on interindividual differences in learning strategies utilization. However, less attentionwas given to the question about contextual ef...

Left ventricular asynergy score as an indicator of previous myocardial infarction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Backman, C.; Jacobsson, K.A.; Linderholm, H.; Osterman, G.

1986-01-01

Sixty-eight patients with coronary heart disease (CHD) i.e. a hisotry of angina of effort and/or previous 'possible infarction' were examined inter alia with ECG and cinecardioangiography. A system of scoring was designed which allowed a semiquantitative estimate of the left ventricular asynergy from cinecardioangiography - the left ventricular motion score (LVMS). The LVMS was associated with the presence of a previous myocardial infarction (MI), as indicated by the history and ECG findings. The ECG changes specific for a previous MI were associated with high LVMS values and unspecific or absent ECG changes with low LVMS values. Decision thresholds for ECG changes and asynergy in diagnosing a previous MI were evaluated by means of a ROC analysis. The accuracy of ECG in detecting a previous MI was slightly higher when asynergy indicated a 'true MI' than when autopsy result did so in a comparable group. Therefore the accuracy of asynergy (LVMS ≥ 1) in detecting a previous MI or myocardial fibrosis in patients with CHD should be at least comparable with that of autopsy (scar > 1 cm). (orig.)

The prevalence of diagnosed chronic conditions and multimorbidity in Australia: A method for estimating population prevalence from general practice patient encounter data.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Christopher Harrison

Full Text Available To estimate the prevalence of common chronic conditions and multimorbidity among patients at GP encounters and among people in the Australian population. To assess the extent to which use of each individual patient's GP attendance over the previous year, instead of the average for their age-sex group, affects the precision of national population prevalence estimates of diagnosed chronic conditions.A sub-study (between November 2012 and March 2016 of the Bettering the Evaluation and Care of Health program, a continuous national study of GP activity. Each of 1,449 GPs provided data for about 30 consecutive patients (total 43,501 indicating for each, number of GP attendances in previous year and all diagnosed chronic conditions, using their knowledge of the patient, patient self-report, and patient's health record.Hypertension (26.5% was the most prevalent diagnosed chronic condition among patients surveyed, followed by osteoarthritis (22.7%, hyperlipidaemia (16.6%, depression (16.3%, anxiety (11.9%, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GORD (11.3%, chronic back pain (9.7% and Type 2 diabetes (9.6%. After adjustment, we estimated population prevalence of hypertension as 12.4%, 9.5% osteoarthritis, 8.2% hyperlipidaemia, 8.0% depression, 5.8% anxiety and 5.2% asthma. Estimates were significantly lower than those derived using the previous method. About half (51.6% the patients at GP encounters had two or more diagnosed chronic conditions and over one third (37.4% had three or more. Population estimates were: 25.7% had two or more diagnosed chronic conditions and 15.8% had three or more.Of the three approaches we have tested to date, this study provides the most accurate method for estimation of population prevalence of chronic conditions using the GP as an expert interviewer, by adjusting for each patient's reported attendance.

Analysing chemical equilibrium conditions when studying butyl acetate synthesis

OpenAIRE

Álvaro Orjuela Londoño; Fernando Leiva Lenis; Luis Alejandro Boyacá Mendivelso; Gerardo Rodríguez Niño; Luis María Carballo Suárez

2010-01-01

This work studied the liquid phase of acetic acid and butyl alcohol esterification reaction (P atm = 560 mmHg),using an ion exchange resin (Lewatit K-2431) as catalyst. A set of assays were carried out for determining the effect of catalyst load, temperature and molar ratio (acid/alcohol) on chemical equilibrium constant. Components’ selective sorption on the resin matrix was noticed; its effect on equilibrium conditions was verified, by using different acid/alcohol starting ratios. A non-ide...

Model test study of evaporation mechanism of sand under constant atmospheric condition

OpenAIRE

CUI, Yu Jun; DING, Wenqi; SONG, Weikang

2014-01-01

The evaporation mechanism of Fontainebleau sand using a large-scale model chamber is studied. First, the evaporation test on a layer of water above sand surface is performed under various atmospheric conditions, validating the performance of the chamber and the calculation method of actual evaporation rate by comparing the calculated and measured cumulative evaporations. Second,the evaporation test on sand without water layer is conducted under constant atmospheric condition. Both the evoluti...

Characteristics and follow-up of postmarketing studies of conditionally authorized medicines in the EU.

Science.gov (United States)

Hoekman, Jarno; Klamer, Thea T; Mantel-Teeuwisse, Aukje K; Leufkens, Hubert G M; De Bruin, Marie L

2016-07-01

The aim of the present study was to provide an insight into the characteristics and follow-up of postmarketing studies of medicines that were conditionally authorized in the European Union (EU). We compiled a list of all postmarketing studies attached as specific obligations to the licence of medicines that were granted conditional marketing authorization from January 2006 to April 2014. Studies were characterized based on their objective, design, status upon marketing authorization (MA) and due data set by authorities. They were linked to online study registrations (Clinicaltrials.gov, ENCePP) to determine completion date. We described and associated characteristics of studies and medicines, and determined whether studies were completed on time. A total of 59 postmarketing studies were requested for 21 conditionally authorized medicines. Most studies had an interventional study design (73%), were ongoing upon MA (61%) and aimed to provide additional data on efficacy (45%). Interventional studies were more often ongoing and providing efficacy data, while observational and other studies were more often new and providing safety data. Frequent grounds for requesting postmarketing studies were 'long-term follow-up' and 'increase data on subpopulations'. Of the 34 studies eligible for follow-up analysis, 26 (76%) were completed and 17 (50%) completed on time. Actual completion time took a median (interquartile range) of 274 (-121 to 556) days longer than expected. Our results indicated that most postmarketing studies attached to a conditional marketing authorization were eventually completed but that half were completed with a substantial delay. The observations suggest caution when broadening the use of postmarketing studies for resolving uncertainties about benefits and risks after MA. © 2016 The British Pharmacological Society.

Characteristics and follow‐up of postmarketing studies of conditionally authorized medicines in the EU

Science.gov (United States)

Klamer, Thea T.; Mantel‐Teeuwisse, Aukje K.; Leufkens, Hubert G. M.; De Bruin, Marie L.

2016-01-01

Aim The aim of the present study was to provide an insight into the characteristics and follow‐up of postmarketing studies of medicines that were conditionally authorized in the European Union (EU). Methods We compiled a list of all postmarketing studies attached as specific obligations to the licence of medicines that were granted conditional marketing authorization from January 2006 to April 2014. Studies were characterized based on their objective, design, status upon marketing authorization (MA) and due data set by authorities. They were linked to online study registrations (Clinicaltrials.gov, ENCePP) to determine completion date. We described and associated characteristics of studies and medicines, and determined whether studies were completed on time. Results A total of 59 postmarketing studies were requested for 21 conditionally authorized medicines. Most studies had an interventional study design (73%), were ongoing upon MA (61%) and aimed to provide additional data on efficacy (45%). Interventional studies were more often ongoing and providing efficacy data, while observational and other studies were more often new and providing safety data. Frequent grounds for requesting postmarketing studies were ‘long‐term follow‐up’ and ‘increase data on subpopulations’. Of the 34 studies eligible for follow‐up analysis, 26 (76%) were completed and 17 (50%) completed on time. Actual completion time took a median (interquartile range) of 274 (−121 to 556) days longer than expected. Conclusions Our results indicated that most postmarketing studies attached to a conditional marketing authorization were eventually completed but that half were completed with a substantial delay. The observations suggest caution when broadening the use of postmarketing studies for resolving uncertainties about benefits and risks after MA. PMID:26992001

Urinary tract infections in hospital pediatrics: many previous antibiotherapy and antibiotics resistance, including fluoroquinolones.

Science.gov (United States)

Garraffo, A; Marguet, C; Checoury, A; Boyer, S; Gardrat, A; Houivet, E; Caron, F

2014-02-01

We studied antibiotic resistance in pediatric UTIs and we evaluated the impact of antibiotic exposure in the previous 12 months, very little French data being available for this population. We conducted a multicenter prospective study including children consulting for, or admitted in 2 hospitals. Prior antibiotic exposure was documented from their health record. One hundred and ten patients (73 girls), 11 days to 12 years of age, were included in 10 months. Ninety-six percent presented with pyelonephritis, associated to uropathy for 25%. Escherichia coli was predominant (78%), followed by Proteus spp. and Enterococcus spp. The antibiotic resistance rate of E. coli was high and close to that reported for adults with complicated UTIs: amoxicillin 60%, amoxicillin-clavulanate 35%, cefotaxim 5%, trimethoprim-sulfametoxazole 26%, nalidixic acid 9%, ciprofloxacin 7%, gentamycin 1%, nitrofurantoin and fosfomycin 0%. The antibiotic exposure in the previous 12 months involved 62 children (56%) most frequently with β-lactams (89%) for a respiratory tract infection (56%). A clear relationship between exposure and resistance was observed for amoxicillin (71% vs. 46%), first generation (65% vs. 46%) and third generation (9% vs. 3%) cephalosporins, or trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (36% vs. 15%). However, antibiotic exposure could not account alone for the results, as suggested by the 7% of ciprofloxacin resistance, observed without any identified previous treatment. Bacterial species and antibiotic resistance level in children are similar to those reported for adults. Antibiotic exposure in the previous 12 months increases the risk of resistance but other factors are involved (previous antibiotic therapies and fecal-oral or mother-to-child transmission). Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Reasoning with Previous Decisions: Beyond the Doctrine of Precedent

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Komárek, Jan

2013-01-01

in different jurisdictions use previous judicial decisions in their argument, we need to move beyond the concept of precedent to a wider notion, which would embrace practices and theories in legal systems outside the Common law tradition. This article presents the concept of ‘reasoning with previous decisions...... law method’, but they are no less rational and intellectually sophisticated. The reason for the rather conceited attitude of some comparatists is in the dominance of the common law paradigm of precedent and the accompanying ‘case law method’. If we want to understand how courts and lawyers......’ as such an alternative and develops its basic models. The article first points out several shortcomings inherent in limiting the inquiry into reasoning with previous decisions by the common law paradigm (1). On the basis of numerous examples provided in section (1), I will present two basic models of reasoning...

Structure of wall-bounded flows at transcritical conditions

Science.gov (United States)

Ma, Peter C.; Yang, Xiang I. A.; Ihme, Matthias

2018-03-01

At transcritical conditions, the transition of a fluid from a liquidlike state to a gaslike state occurs continuously, which is associated with significant changes in fluid properties. Therefore, boiling in its conventional sense does not exist and the phase transition at transcritical conditions is known as "pseudoboiling." In this work, direct numerical simulations (DNS) of a channel flow at transcritical conditions are conducted in which the bottom and top walls are kept at temperatures below and above the pseudoboiling temperature, respectively. Over this temperature range, the density changes by a factor of 18 between both walls. Using the DNS data, the usefulness of the semilocal scaling and the Townsend attached-eddy hypothesis are examined in the context of flows at transcritical conditions—both models have received much empirical support from previous studies. It is found that while the semilocal scaling works reasonably well near the bottom cooled wall, where the fluid density changes only moderately, the same scaling has only limited success near the top wall. In addition, it is shown that the streamwise velocity structure function follows a logarithmic scaling and the streamwise energy spectrum exhibits an inverse wave-number scaling, thus providing support to the attached-eddy model at transcritical conditions.

Global Transcriptional Responses to Osmotic, Oxidative, and Imipenem Stress Conditions in Pseudomonas putida.

Science.gov (United States)

Bojanovič, Klara; D'Arrigo, Isotta; Long, Katherine S

2017-04-01

Bacteria cope with and adapt to stress by modulating gene expression in response to specific environmental cues. In this study, the transcriptional response of Pseudomonas putida KT2440 to osmotic, oxidative, and imipenem stress conditions at two time points was investigated via identification of differentially expressed mRNAs and small RNAs (sRNAs). A total of 440 sRNA transcripts were detected, of which 10% correspond to previously annotated sRNAs, 40% to novel intergenic transcripts, and 50% to novel transcripts antisense to annotated genes. Each stress elicits a unique response as far as the extent and dynamics of the transcriptional changes. Nearly 200 protein-encoding genes exhibited significant changes in all stress types, implicating their participation in a general stress response. Almost half of the sRNA transcripts were differentially expressed under at least one condition, suggesting possible functional roles in the cellular response to stress conditions. The data show a larger fraction of differentially expressed sRNAs than of mRNAs with >5-fold expression changes. The work provides detailed insights into the mechanisms through which P. putida responds to different stress conditions and increases understanding of bacterial adaptation in natural and industrial settings. IMPORTANCE This study maps the complete transcriptional response of P. putida KT2440 to osmotic, oxidative, and imipenem stress conditions at short and long exposure times. Over 400 sRNA transcripts, consisting of both intergenic and antisense transcripts, were detected, increasing the number of identified sRNA transcripts in the strain by a factor of 10. Unique responses to each type of stress are documented, including both the extent and dynamics of the gene expression changes. The work adds rich detail to previous knowledge of stress response mechanisms due to the depth of the RNA sequencing data. Almost half of the sRNAs exhibit significant expression changes under at least one

Intelligence, previous convictions and interrogative suggestibility: a path analysis of alleged false-confession cases.

Science.gov (United States)

Sharrock, R; Gudjonsson, G H

1993-05-01

The main purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between interrogative suggestibility and previous convictions among 108 defendants in criminal trials, using a path analysis technique. It was hypothesized that previous convictions, which may provide defendants with interrogative experiences, would correlate negatively with 'shift' as measured by the Gudjonsson Suggestibility Scale (Gudjonsson, 1984a), after intelligence and memory had been controlled for. The hypothesis was partially confirmed and the theoretical and practical implications of the findings are discussed.

Study the flashover voltage for outdoor polymer insulators under desert climatic conditions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

L.S. Nasrat

2013-06-01

Results showed that flashover voltage reaches to 38 kV for samples without filler and 47 kV for samples containing 50% of ATH filler in dry condition. A comparison between inorganic fillers under various environmental conditions showed higher flashover voltage values for samples containing ATH filler than that of samples containing H3BO3 and Mg(OH2 fillers at all filler concentrations. Flashover voltage increases 24% by adding ATH filler for polyester samples under sandstorm conditions. Also, in this study, the effects of sandstorm, ultra violet (UV radiation, mechanical strength (compressive and tensile strengths and thermal performance with respect to surface of the sample under test have been investigated in detail.

Study for Determining the Testing Condition of Compressor and Turbine System

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sri Sudadiyo

2009-01-01

Study for Determining the Testing Condition of Compressor and Turbine System. From the viewpoint of energy system and environment, the concept for nuclear reactors of the generation IV have good potential for electricity and heat generation devices in producing hydrogen. These gas cooled nuclear reactors employ turbine cycle in transferring the heat. To analyses that coolant system, it is proposed a model of compressor and turbine system with power 3 kW. The used working fluid was hydrogen that be burnt with air within combustion chamber, then be expanded through a turbine for getting shaft work that will be used in driving compressor and generator. This study is aimed to determine the optimum testing conditions of gas turbine system. The used method is by applying the balance equations of energy, mass, and momentum. Gas turbine and compressor were placed at the single shaft, in which it was about 55 percent of power output for running the compressor. Under the testing condition for the speed of 20305 rpm, it was obtained thermal efficiency of the turbine cycle approximate 18 % (equal to the Carnot efficiency ratio 65 %), so that it is properly developed for the development of nuclear power installation in supporting the electricity energy demand and it will be very promising for the future facility. (author)

Motion of air bubbles in stagnant water condition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bezdegumeli, U.; Ozdemir, S.; Yesin, O.

2004-01-01

Full text: In this study, air bubble motion in stagnant water condition in a vertical pipe is investigated experimentally. For this purpose, a test set-up was designed and constructed. Motions of single bubbles, having different diameters in the range of 3.0-4.8 mm, were recorded by using a monochrome camera, an image capture card and a PC. Recorded video images were processed to analyse bubble motion and to obtain the necessary data. The purpose of the study is to determine the variation of bubble axial velocity and bubble drag coefficient as a function of equivalent bubble diameter and bubble Reynolds number, Re b . Therefore, detailed information for this range of bubble diameters was obtained. The results have shown good consistency with the previous studies found in the literature

Motion of air bubbles in stagnant water condition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bezdegumeli, U.; Ozdemir, S.; Yesin, O.

2004-01-01

In this study, air bubble motion in stagnant water condition in a vertical pipe of 4.6 cm diameter is investigated experimentally. For this purpose, a test set-up was designed and constructed. Motions of single bubbles, having different diameters in the range of 3.0-4.8 mm, were recorded by using a monochrome camera, an image capture card and a PC. Recorded video images were processed to analyse bubble motion and to obtain the necessary data. The purpose of the study is to determine the variation of bubble axial velocity and bubble drag coefficient as a function of equivalent bubble diameter and bubble Reynolds number, Re b . Therefore, detailed information for this range of bubble diameters was obtained. The results have shown good consistency with the previous studies found in the literature. (author)

Adverse obstetric outcomes in women with previous cesarean for dystocia in second stage of labor.

Science.gov (United States)

Jastrow, Nicole; Demers, Suzanne; Gauthier, Robert J; Chaillet, Nils; Brassard, Normand; Bujold, Emmanuel

2013-03-01

To evaluate obstetric outcomes in women undergoing a trial of labor (TOL) after a previous cesarean for dystocia in second stage of labor. A retrospective cohort study of women with one previous low transverse cesarean undergoing a first TOL was performed. Women with previous cesarean for dystocia in first stage and those with previous dystocia in second stage were compared with those with previous cesarean for nonrecurrent reasons (controls). Multivariable regressions analyses were performed. Of 1655 women, those with previous dystocia in second stage of labor (n = 204) had greater risks than controls (n = 880) to have an operative delivery [odds ratio (OR): 1.5; 95% confidence intervals (CI) 1.1 to 2.2], shoulder dystocia (OR: 2.9; 95% CI 1.1 to 8.0), and uterine rupture in the second stage of labor (OR: 4.9; 95% CI 1.1 to 23), and especially in case of fetal macrosomia (OR: 29.6; 95% CI 4.4 to 202). The median second stage of labor duration before uterine rupture was 2.5 hours (interquartile range: 1.5 to 3.2 hours) in these women. Previous cesarean for dystocia in the second stage of labor is associated with second-stage uterine rupture at next delivery, especially in cases of suspected fetal macrosomia and prolonged second stage of labor. Thieme Medical Publishers 333 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10001, USA.

Antimetabolites in cataract surgery to prevent failure of a previous trabeculectomy.

Science.gov (United States)

Thomas, Roger E; Crichton, Andrew; Thomas, Bennett C

2014-07-28

Patients having cataract surgery have often earlier undergone a trabeculectomy for glaucoma. However, cataract surgery may be associated with failure of the previous glaucoma surgery and antimetabolites may be used with cataract surgery to prevent such failure. There is no systematic review on whether antimetabolites with cataract surgery prevent failure of a previous trabeculectomy. To assess the effects of antimetabolites with cataract surgery on functioning of a previous trabeculectomy. We searched CENTRAL (which contains the Cochrane Eyes and Vision Group Trials Register) (2014, Issue 5), Ovid MEDLINE, Ovid MEDLINE In-Process and Other Non-Indexed Citations, Ovid MEDLINE Daily, Ovid OLDMEDLINE (January 1946 to June 2014), EMBASE (January 1980 to June 2014), Latin American and Caribbean Health Sciences Literature Database (LILACS) (January 1982 to June 2014), the metaRegister of Controlled Trials (mRCT) (www.controlled-trials.com), ClinicalTrials.gov (www.clinicaltrials.gov) and the World Health Organization (WHO) International Clinical Trials Registry Platform (ICTRP) (www.who.int/ictrp/search/en). We did not use any date or language restrictions in the electronic searches for trials. We last searched the electronic databases on 10 June 2014. We also searched the Science Citation Index database (July 2013) and reference lists of potentially relevant studies. Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) of antimetabolites with cataract surgery in people with a functioning trabeculectomy. Two review authors independently reviewed the titles and abstracts from the electronic searches. Two review authors independently assessed relevant full-text articles and entered data. We identified no RCTs to test the effectiveness of antimetabolites with cataract surgery in individuals with the intention of preventing failure of a previous trabeculectomy. There are no RCTs of antimetabolites with cataract surgery in people with a functioning trabeculectomy. Appropriately powered RCTs

Experimental Study on Effect of Operating Conditions on Thermoelectric Power Generation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mahmoudi Nezhad, Sajjad; Rezaniakolaei, Alireza; Rosendahl, Lasse Aistrup

2017-01-01

Effect of boundary conditions of thermal reservoirs on power generation of thermoelectric modules (TEMs) is examined experimentally. To realize the characteristics of the power generation by the TEMs, the system performance is studied over various volumetric flow rates and flow temperatures...

Excitatory strength of expressive faces: effects of happy and fear expressions and context on the extinction of a conditioned fear response.

Science.gov (United States)

Lanzetta, J T; Orr, S P

1986-01-01

In a recent study, Orr and Lanzetta (1984) showed that the excitatory properties of fear facial expressions previously described (Lanzetta & Orr, 1981; Orr & Lanzetta, 1980) do not depend on associative mechanisms; even in the absence of reinforcement, fear faces intensify the emotional reaction to a previously conditioned stimulus and disrupt extinction of an acquired fear response. In conjunction with the findings on acquisition, the failure to obtain extinction suggests that fear faces have some of the functional properties of "prepared" (fear-relevant) stimuli. In the present study we compared the magnitude of conditioned fear responses to happy and fear faces when a potent danger signal, the shock electrodes, are attached or unattached. If fear faces are functionally analogous to prepared stimuli, then, even in the absence of veridical support for an expectation of shock, they should retain excitatory strength, whereas happy faces should not. The results are consistent with this view of fear expressions. In the absence of reinforcement, and with shock electrodes removed, conditioned fear responses and basal levels of arousal were of greater magnitude for the fear-face condition than for the happy-face condition.

A Study of the Relationship Between School Leadership and the Condition of School Buildings

OpenAIRE

Brannon, William Lee

2000-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between school leadership and the quality, condition, maintenance, improvements, and renovations of public school buildings. The first question examined the relationship between building conditions and perceptions of school board members, superintendent and central office staff, board of supervisors, and principals. The second question examined the relationship between building conditions and the financial support of leadership positio...

Studies of reactor waste conditioning and disposal at CRNL

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Beamer, N.V.; Bourne, W.T.; Buckely, L.P.; Pettipas, W.H.; Burrill, K.A.; Dixon, D.F.; Charlesworth, D.H.

1982-09-01

This report is a compilation of five papers presented at the Second Annual Meeting of the Canadian Nuclear Society in Ottawa, 1981 June. These papers describe recent progress in studies being conducted at the Chalk River Nuclear Laboratories related to the permanent disposal of low-and intermediate-level wastes arising in the Canadian nuclear industry. The principal topics discussed include waste processing by incineration, ultrafiltration and reverse osmosis, immobilization in bitumen and glass, and also the strategy for disposal of the conditioned wastes

Simulation study on the maximum continuous working condition of a power plant boiler

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Ning; Han, Jiting; Sun, Haitian; Cheng, Jiwei; Jing, Ying'ai; Li, Wenbo

2018-05-01

First of all, the boiler is briefly introduced to determine the mathematical model and the boundary conditions, then the boiler under the BMCR condition numerical simulation study, and then the BMCR operating temperature field analysis. According to the boiler actual test results and the hot BMCR condition boiler output test results, the simulation results are verified. The main conclusions are as follows: the position and size of the inscribed circle in the furnace and the furnace temperature distribution and test results under different elevation are compared and verified; Accuracy of numerical simulation results.

Performance advancement of solar air-conditioning through integrated system design for building

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fong, K.F.; Lee, C.K.

2014-01-01

This study is to advance the energy performance of solar air-conditioning system through appropriate component integration from the absorption refrigeration cycle and proper high-temperature cooling. In the previous studies, the solar absorption air-conditioning using the working pair of water – lithium bromide (H 2 O–LiBr) is found to have prominent primary energy saving than the conventional compression air-conditioning for buildings in the hot-humid climate. In this study, three integration strategies have been generated for solar cooling, namely integrated absorption air-conditioning; integrated absorption-desiccant air-conditioning; and integrated absorption-desiccant air-conditioning for radiant cooling. To realize these ideas, the working pair of ammonia – water (NH 3 –H 2 O) was used in the absorption cycle, rather than H 2 O–LiBr. As such, the evaporator and the condenser can be separate from the absorption refrigeration cycle for the new configuration of various integrated design alternatives. Through dynamic simulation, the year-round primary energy saving of the proposed integration strategies for solar NH 3 –H 2 O absorption air-conditioning systems could be up to 50.6% and 25.5%, as compared to the conventional compression air-conditioning and the basic solar H 2 O–LiBr absorption air-conditioning respectively. Consequently, carbon reduction of building air-conditioning can be achieved more effectively through the integrated system design in the hot and humid cities. - Highlights: • Three integration strategies, IAAU, IADAU and IADAU-RC, are proposed to advance solar air-conditioning. • NH 3 –H 2 O is adopted for absorption refrigeration instead of H 2 O–LiBr. • Separate evaporator and condenser, desiccant cooling and radiant cooling are designed for IADAU-RC. • IADAU-RC can have 50.6% primary energy saving against the conventional air-conditioning

Plug cementing: Horizontal to vertical conditions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Calvert, D.G.; Heathman, J.F.; Griffith, J.E.

1995-12-31

This paper presents an in-depth study of cement plug placement that was conducted with large-scale models for the improvement of plug cementing practices and plug integrity. Common hole and workstring geometries were examined with various rheology and density ratios between the drilling fluid and cement. The critical conditions dictating the difference between success and failure for various wellbore angles and conditions were explored, and the mechanisms controlling slurry movement before and after placement are now better understood. An understanding of these mechanisms allows the engineer to better tailor a design to specific hole conditions. Controversial concepts regarding plug-setting practices have been examined and resolved. The cumulative effects of density, rheology, and hole angle are major factors affecting plug success. While the Boycott effect and an extrusion effect were observed to be predominant in inclined wellbores, a spiraling or {open_quotes}roping{close_quotes} effect controls slurry movement in vertical wellbores. Ultimate success of a cement plug can be obtained if allowances are made for these effects in the job design, provided all other previously published recommended placement practices are followed. Results of this work can be applied to many sidetracking and plug-to-abandon operations. Additionally, the understanding of the fluid movement (creep) mechanisms holds potential for use in primary and remedial cementing work, and in controlling the placement of noncementitious fluids in the wellbore.

Evolution of passive movement in advective environments: General boundary condition

Science.gov (United States)

Zhou, Peng; Zhao, Xiao-Qiang

2018-03-01

In a previous work [16], Lou et al. studied a Lotka-Volterra competition-diffusion-advection system, where two species are supposed to differ only in their advection rates and the environment is assumed to be spatially homogeneous and closed (no-flux boundary condition), and showed that weaker advective movements are more beneficial for species to win the competition. In this paper, we aim to extend this result to a more general situation, where the environmental heterogeneity is taken into account and the boundary condition at the downstream end becomes very flexible including the standard Dirichlet, Neumann and Robin type conditions as special cases. Our main approaches are to exclude the existence of co-existence (positive) steady state and to provide a clear picture on the stability of semi-trivial steady states, where we introduced new ideas and techniques to overcome the emerging difficulties. Based on these two aspects and the theory of abstract competitive systems, we achieve a complete understanding on the global dynamics.

Incidence of Acneform Lesions in Previously Chemically Damaged Persons-2004

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

N Dabiri

2008-04-01

Full Text Available ABSTRACT: Introduction & Objective: Chemical gas weapons especially nitrogen mustard which was used in Iraq-Iran war against Iranian troops have several harmful effects on skin. Some other chemical agents also can cause acne form lesions on skin. The purpose of this study was to compare the incidence of acneform in previously chemically damaged soldiers and non chemically damaged persons. Materials & Methods: In this descriptive and analytical study, 180 chemically damaged soldiers, who have been referred to dermatology clinic between 2000 – 2004, and forty non-chemically damaged people, were chosen randomly and examined for acneform lesions. SPSS software was used for statistic analysis of the data. Results: The mean age of the experimental group was 37.5 ± 5.2 and that of the control group was 38.7 ± 5.9 years. The mean percentage of chemical damage in cases was 31 percent and the time after the chemical damage was 15.2 ± 1.1 years. Ninety seven cases (53.9 percent of the subjects and 19 people (47.5 percent of the control group had some degree of acne. No significant correlation was found in incidence, degree of lesions, site of lesions and age of subjects between two groups. No significant correlation was noted between percentage of chemical damage and incidence and degree of lesions in case group. Conclusion: Incidence of acneform lesions among previously chemically injured peoples was not higher than the normal cases.

Private prayer associations with depression, anxiety and other health conditions: an analytical review of clinical studies.

Science.gov (United States)

Anderson, James W; Nunnelley, Paige A

2016-09-01

To critically analyze appropriate clinical studies to assess the relationship between health conditions and the frequency of private prayer. Private prayer is defined as individuals praying for themselves. Using PubMed and other search engines, we identified over 300 articles reporting relationships between prayer and health conditions. We identified 41 observational clinical studies that evaluated the relationship between private prayer and health conditions. Prayer scores of 5 to 1 were assigned to studies, with 5 being private prayer for health and 1 being prayer in combination with meditation or Bible study. Frequency scores ranged from 3 to 1 with 3 being twice daily or more and 0 when frequency was not assessed. Studies were ranked from 8 to 1 based on the sum of Prayer and Frequency Scores. Twenty-one studies had Prayer-Frequency scores of 5 to 8, indicating that they evaluated private prayer (praying for one's own health) of suitable frequency in association with health conditions. Nine of 11 studies indicated that private prayer was associated with a significantly lower prevalence of depression (P value, prayer in four studies (P value, P prayer (P prayer did not have a significant effect on physical health or blood pressure. The reported observational studies suggest that frequent private prayer is associated with a significant benefit for depression, optimism, coping, and other mental health conditions such as anxiety. Controlled clinical trials are required to critically assess the associations of private prayer and health conditions.

Executive Functioning and Visuospatial Abilities in Bulimia Nervosa with or without a Previous History of Anorexia Nervosa.

Science.gov (United States)

Degortes, Daniela; Tenconi, Elena; Santonastaso, Paolo; Favaro, Angela

2016-03-01

The aim of the present study was to investigate executive functioning and visuospatial abilities in patients with bulimia nervosa (BN), with a particular interest in exploring the impact of a previous diagnosis of anorexia nervosa (AN). Several neuropsychological tasks were administered to 89 BN patients (52 with a previous history of AN and 37 without previous AN) and 160 healthy women. A poorer performance on set-shifting measures (Wisconsin Card Sorting Test) was found only in BN patients with a previous history of AN. Decision-making abilities (Iowa Gambling Task) were significantly impaired in the whole sample of BN patients, but difficulties were more pronounced in the subgroup with previous AN. Finally, we did not find any differences in response inhibition and visuospatial abilities between the two samples of BN patients and healthy women. Our findings support the idea that cognitive abilities in patients with BN are more impaired in the presence of a prior history of AN. The clinical and treatment implications of our findings should be explored in future studies. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and Eating Disorders Association.

Development of conditioned taste aversion to Mascagnia rigida in goats

OpenAIRE

Barbosa,Raquel Ribeiro; Silva,Idalécio Pacífico da; Soto-Blanco,Benito

2008-01-01

The aim of this study was to determine whether goats could be averted from consuming Mascagnia rigida, a toxic plant found in the semiarid region of northeastern Brazil. Fourteen male goats not previously familiarized to M. rigida were randomly allocated to two treatment groups: control (treated with 5.5mL water orally by a drenching gun) and lithium group (treated with 100mg LiCl/kg body weight orally by a drenching gun). For conditioning, goats were allowed to feed on M. rigida leaves for 1...

Spectroscopic study of cystine adsorption on pyrite surface: From vacuum to solution conditions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sanchez-Arenillas, M.; Mateo-Marti, E., E-mail: mateome@cab.inta-csic.es

2015-09-08

Highlights: • Successful adsorption of cystine on pyrite surface under several conditions. • Detailed XPS spectroscopic characterization of cystine adsorption on pyrite surface. • Spectroscopy evidence, oxidation and anoxic conditions adjust molecular adsorption. • Molecular chemistry on pyrite is driven depending on the surrounding conditions. • The cystine/pyrite(100) model is in good agreement with Wächtershäuser’s theory. - Abstract: We characterized the adsorption of cystine molecules on pyrite surface via X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Anoxic conditions were simulated under ultra-high-vacuum conditions. In contrast, to simulate oxidation conditions, the molecules were adsorbed on pyrite surface from solution. A novel comparative analysis revealed remarkable differences with respect to molecular adsorption and surface chemistry induced by environmental conditions. Molecular adsorption under anoxic conditions was observed to be more favorable, concentrating a large number of molecules on the surface and two different chemical species. In contrast, the presence of oxygen induced an autocatalytic oxidation process on the pyrite surface, which facilitated water binding on pyrite surface and partially blocked molecular adsorption. Pyrite is a highly reactive surface and contains two crucial types of surface functional groups that drive molecular chemistry on the surface depending on the surrounding conditions. Therefore, the system explored in this study holds interesting implications for supporting catalyzed prebiotic chemistry reactions.

Spectroscopic study of cystine adsorption on pyrite surface: From vacuum to solution conditions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sanchez-Arenillas, M.; Mateo-Marti, E.

2015-01-01

Highlights: • Successful adsorption of cystine on pyrite surface under several conditions. • Detailed XPS spectroscopic characterization of cystine adsorption on pyrite surface. • Spectroscopy evidence, oxidation and anoxic conditions adjust molecular adsorption. • Molecular chemistry on pyrite is driven depending on the surrounding conditions. • The cystine/pyrite(100) model is in good agreement with Wächtershäuser’s theory. - Abstract: We characterized the adsorption of cystine molecules on pyrite surface via X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Anoxic conditions were simulated under ultra-high-vacuum conditions. In contrast, to simulate oxidation conditions, the molecules were adsorbed on pyrite surface from solution. A novel comparative analysis revealed remarkable differences with respect to molecular adsorption and surface chemistry induced by environmental conditions. Molecular adsorption under anoxic conditions was observed to be more favorable, concentrating a large number of molecules on the surface and two different chemical species. In contrast, the presence of oxygen induced an autocatalytic oxidation process on the pyrite surface, which facilitated water binding on pyrite surface and partially blocked molecular adsorption. Pyrite is a highly reactive surface and contains two crucial types of surface functional groups that drive molecular chemistry on the surface depending on the surrounding conditions. Therefore, the system explored in this study holds interesting implications for supporting catalyzed prebiotic chemistry reactions

Impact of Availability and Use of ART/PMTCT Services on Fertility Desires of Previously Pregnant Women in Rakai, Uganda: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Litwin, Lindsay E; Makumbi, Frederick E; Gray, Ronald; Wawer, Maria; Kigozi, Godfrey; Kagaayi, Joseph; Nakigozi, Gertrude; Lutalo, Tom; Serwada, David; Brahmbhatt, Heena

2015-07-01

To assess fertility desires by availability and use of antiretroviral therapy and prevention of mother-to-child transmission (ART/PMTCT) services in Rakai, Uganda. Retrospective analyses of longitudinal data from the Rakai Community Cohort Study. Study participants were retrospectively identified and categorized by HIV status. Availability of ART/PMTCT services in Rakai was defined in three periods: (1) pre-ART/PMTCT (ART/PMTCT rollout (2005-2006), and (3) universal ART/PMTCT (>2006); and use of ART/PMTCT was coded as yes if the woman received services. Trends in fertility desires were assessed by χ. "Modified" Poisson regression was performed using generalized linear models with a log link and Poisson family to estimate prevalence rate ratios (PRRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of desire for another child among previously and currently pregnant women; PRRs were adjusted for demographic and behavioral factors. A total of 4227 sexually active women in Rakai, including 436 HIV+ women, contributed 13,970 observations over 5 survey rounds. Fertility desires increased in the population in the ART/PMTCT rollout [adjusted (adj.) PRR: 1.08, 95% CI: 1.04 to 1.13] and the universal availability periods (adj. PRR: 1.11, 95% CI: 1.08 to 1.14) compared with pre-ART/PMTCT period. A total of 862 woman observations used ART/PMTCT services. Fertility desires were similar among ART/PMTCT service users and nonusers in cross-sectional analysis (adj. PRR: 0.84, 95% CI: 0.62 to 1.14) and 1 year after ART/PMTCT use (adj. PRR: 1.27, 95% CI: 0.83 to 1.94). Availability of ART/PMTCT may increase fertility desires of previously pregnant women in Rakai, Uganda. Use of ART/PMTCT services was not correlated with fertility desires of previously or current pregnant women.

Cytogenetic Evolution in Myeloid Neoplasms at Relapse after Allogeneic Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation: Association with Previous Chemotherapy and Effect on Survival.

Science.gov (United States)

Ertz-Archambault, Natalie; Kosiorek, Heidi; Slack, James L; Lonzo, Melissa L; Greipp, Patricia T; Khera, Nandita; Kelemen, Katalin

2017-05-01

Cytogenetic evolution (CGE) in patients with myeloid neoplasms who relapsed after an allogeneic (allo) hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) has been evaluated by only few studies. The effect of the CGE on survival of relapsed allo-HCT recipients is not clear. The effect of previously received chemotherapy to induce CGE in this patient population has not been studied. The aims of our study are to (1) characterize the patterns of cytogenetic change in patients with myeloid neoplasms who relapsed after an allo-HCT, (2) evaluate the effect of CGE on survival, and (3) explore the association of CGE with previous chemotherapy (including the lines of salvage therapy, type of induction, and conditioning therapy). Of 49 patients with a myeloid malignancy (27 acute myeloid leukemia [AML], 19 myelodysplastic syndrome [MDS]/myeloproliferative neoplasm [MPN], and 3 chronic myelogenous leukemia) who relapsed after an allo-HCT, CGE was observed in 25 (51%), whereas 24 patients had unchanged cytogenetic findings at relapse. The CGE group carried more cytogenetic abnormalities at original diagnosis. The most frequent cytogenetic change was the acquisition of 3 or more new chromosomal abnormalities followed by acquisition of unbalanced abnormalities, aneuploidy, and emergence of apparently new clones unrelated to the original clone. The CGE cohort had higher proportion of MDS and MPN and fewer patients with de novo AML. Disease risk assessment category showed a trend to higher frequency of high-risk patients in the CGE group, though the difference was not statistically significant. Time from diagnosis to transplantation and time from transplantation to relapse were not different between the CGE and non-CGE groups. CGE and non-CGE cohorts had similar exposures to salvage therapy and to induction chemotherapy, as well as similar conditioning regimens; thus, no particular type of chemotherapy emerged as a predisposing factor to CGE. CGE was associated with significantly shortened

[Assessment, delivery and peripartum care in the case of a uterine rupture during labor of a woman with a previous C-section].

Science.gov (United States)

Parrilla-Fernández, Alberto; Manrique-Tejedor, Javier; Figuerol-Calderó, M Inmaculada; García-Romero, Verónica

Uterine rupture is a rare but severe complication in obstetrics. A previous C-section is the most important risk factor. Its incidence during labor in women with a previous C-section is of approximately 0.3-0.47%, being potentially severe. We present the case of a pregnant women with a previous C-section who suffered uterine rupture during labor. The rapid assessment and action of the midwife and obstetric team was essential to obtain a successful obstetric outcome, avoiding maternal and fetal mortality; and nursing care given to the mother and the newborn after birth contributed to achieving a normal postpartum. It is necessary to have specific knowledge about this condition that, despite rare, can present insidiously with a potential risk for the mother and the fetus. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

3-D laser confocal microscopy study of the oxidation of NdFeB magnets in atmospheric conditions

Science.gov (United States)

Meakin, J. P.; Speight, J. D.; Sheridan, R. S.; Bradshaw, A.; Harris, I. R.; Williams, A. J.; Walton, A.

2016-08-01

Neodymium iron boron (NdFeB) magnets are used in a number of important applications, such as generators in gearless wind turbines, motors in electric vehicles and electronic goods (e.g.- computer hard disk drives, HDD). Hydrogen can be used as a processing gas to separate and recycle scrap sintered Nd-Fe-B magnets from end-of-life products to form a powder suitable for recycling. However, the magnets are likely to have been exposed to atmospheric conditions prior to processing, and any oxidation could lead to activation problems for the hydrogen decrepitation reaction. Many previous studies on the oxidation of NdFeB magnets have been performed at elevated temperatures; however, few studies have been formed under atmospheric conditions. In this paper a combination of 3-D laser confocal microscopy and Raman spectroscopy have been used to assess the composition, morphology and rate of oxidation/corrosion on scrap sintered NdFeB magnets. Confocal microscopy has been employed to measure the growth of surface reaction products at room temperature, immediately after exposure to air. The results showed that there was a significant height increase at the triple junctions of the Nd-rich grain boundaries. Using Raman spectroscopy, the product was shown to consist of Nd2O3 and formed only on the Nd-rich triple junctions. The diffusion coefficient of the triple junction reaction product growth at 20 °C was determined to be approximately 4 × 10-13 cm2/sec. This value is several orders of magnitude larger than values derived from the diffusion controlled oxide growth observations at elevated temperatures in the literature. This indicates that the growth of the room temperature oxidation products are likely defect enhanced processes at the NdFeB triple junctions.

Analysis of conditional genetic effects and variance components in developmental genetics.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhu, J

1995-12-01

A genetic model with additive-dominance effects and genotype x environment interactions is presented for quantitative traits with time-dependent measures. The genetic model for phenotypic means at time t conditional on phenotypic means measured at previous time (t-1) is defined. Statistical methods are proposed for analyzing conditional genetic effects and conditional genetic variance components. Conditional variances can be estimated by minimum norm quadratic unbiased estimation (MINQUE) method. An adjusted unbiased prediction (AUP) procedure is suggested for predicting conditional genetic effects. A worked example from cotton fruiting data is given for comparison of unconditional and conditional genetic variances and additive effects.

An exploratory study demonstrating the diagnostic ability of healthcare professionals in primary care using online case studies for common skin conditions.

Science.gov (United States)

Tucker, Rod; Patel, Mahendra; Layton, Alison L; Walton, Shernaz

2014-04-01

To compare the diagnostic ability of pharmacists, nurses and general practitioners (GPs) for a range of skin conditions. An online study comprising 10 specifically developed dermatological case studies containing a digital image of the skin condition and a short case history. A total of 60 participants (20 representing each of pharmacists, GPs and primary care nurses) were required to identify the skin condition as well as the features in the case history that supported the diagnosis and the recommended first-line management approach for the condition. The mean diagnostic scores for each group were GPs = 8.8 (95% confidence interval, CI, 7.9-9.6), pharmacists = 6.2 (95% CI, 5.4-6.9) and nurses = 7.0 (95% CI, 6.1-7.9). Post hoc analysis revealed that the difference in mean diagnostic scores was significant (P skin conditions such as tinea corporis, scabies and plantar warts and overall at least 40% of pharmacists correctly identified all conditions. This small study has demonstrated that for all of the skin conditions considered, pharmacists' overall diagnostic scores were significantly different from those of GPs but similar to those of nurses for the conditions assessed. However, further work with a larger sample is required to determine the accuracy of these preliminary findings and to establish whether advice given by pharmacists in practice results in the appropriate course of action being taken. © 2013 Royal Pharmaceutical Society.

Preventive Strength of Dyadic Social Interaction against Reacquisition/Reexpression of Cocaine Conditioned Place Preference.

Science.gov (United States)

Bregolin, Tanja; Pinheiro, Barbara S; El Rawas, Rana; Zernig, Gerald

2017-01-01

The reorientation away from drugs of abuse and toward social interaction is a highly desirable but as yet elusive goal in the therapy of substance dependence. We could previously show that cocaine preferring Sprague-Dawley rats which engaged in only four 15 min episodes of dyadic social interaction (DSI) did not reacquire and reexpress cocaine conditioned place preference (CPP) after a single cocaine exposure. In the present study, we investigated how strong this preventive effect of DSI is. In corroboration of our previous findings in rats, four 15 min DSI episodes prevented the reacquisition/reexpression of cocaine CPP in mice. However, this effect was only observed if only one cocaine conditioning session (15 min) was used. If mice were counterconditioned with a total of four cocaine sessions, the cocaine CPP reemerged. Interestingly, the opposite also held true: in mice that had acquired/expressed cocaine CPP, one conditioning session with DSI did not prevent the persistence of cocaine CPP, whereas four DSI conditioning sessions reversed CPP for 15 mg/kg intraperitoneal cocaine. Of note, this cocaine dose was a strong reward in C57BL/6J mice, causing CPP in all tested animals. Our findings suggest that both the reversal (reconditioning) of CPP from cocaine to DSI as well as that from DSI to cocaine requires four conditioning sessions. As previously shown in C57BL/6 mice from the NIH substrain, mice from the Jackson substrain also showed a greater relative preference for 15 mg/kg intraperitoneal cocaine over DSI, whereas Sprague-Dawley rats were equally attracted to contextual stimuli associated with this cocaine dose and DSI. Also in corroboration of previous findings, both C57BL/6J mice and experimenters several generations removed from the original ones produced CPP for DSI to a lesser degree than Sprague-Dawley rats. Our findings demonstrate the robustness of our experimental model across several subject- and experimenter generations in two rodent genus (i

Preventive Strength of Dyadic Social Interaction against Reacquisition/Reexpression of Cocaine Conditioned Place Preference

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tanja Bregolin

2017-11-01

Full Text Available The reorientation away from drugs of abuse and toward social interaction is a highly desirable but as yet elusive goal in the therapy of substance dependence. We could previously show that cocaine preferring Sprague-Dawley rats which engaged in only four 15 min episodes of dyadic social interaction (DSI did not reacquire and reexpress cocaine conditioned place preference (CPP after a single cocaine exposure. In the present study, we investigated how strong this preventive effect of DSI is. In corroboration of our previous findings in rats, four 15 min DSI episodes prevented the reacquisition/reexpression of cocaine CPP in mice. However, this effect was only observed if only one cocaine conditioning session (15 min was used. If mice were counterconditioned with a total of four cocaine sessions, the cocaine CPP reemerged. Interestingly, the opposite also held true: in mice that had acquired/expressed cocaine CPP, one conditioning session with DSI did not prevent the persistence of cocaine CPP, whereas four DSI conditioning sessions reversed CPP for 15 mg/kg intraperitoneal cocaine. Of note, this cocaine dose was a strong reward in C57BL/6J mice, causing CPP in all tested animals. Our findings suggest that both the reversal (reconditioning of CPP from cocaine to DSI as well as that from DSI to cocaine requires four conditioning sessions. As previously shown in C57BL/6 mice from the NIH substrain, mice from the Jackson substrain also showed a greater relative preference for 15 mg/kg intraperitoneal cocaine over DSI, whereas Sprague-Dawley rats were equally attracted to contextual stimuli associated with this cocaine dose and DSI. Also in corroboration of previous findings, both C57BL/6J mice and experimenters several generations removed from the original ones produced CPP for DSI to a lesser degree than Sprague-Dawley rats. Our findings demonstrate the robustness of our experimental model across several subject- and experimenter generations in two

A two-dimensional vibration analysis of piezoelectrically actuated microbeam with nonideal boundary conditions

Science.gov (United States)

Rezaei, M. P.; Zamanian, M.

2017-01-01

In this paper, the influences of nonideal boundary conditions (due to flexibility) on the primary resonant behavior of a piezoelectrically actuated microbeam have been studied, for the first time. The structure has been assumed to treat as an Euler-Bernoulli beam, considering the effects of geometric nonlinearity. In this work, the general nonideal supports have been modeled as a the combination of horizontal, vertical and rotational springs, simultaneously. Allocating particular values to the stiffness of these springs provides the mathematical models for the majority of boundary conditions. This consideration leads to use a two-dimensional analysis of the multiple scales method instead of previous works' method (one-dimensional analysis). If one neglects the nonideal effects, then this paper would be an effort to solve the two-dimensional equations of motion without a need of a combination of these equations using the shortening or stretching effect. Letting the nonideal effects equal to zero and comparing their results with the results of previous approaches have been demonstrated the accuracy of the two-dimensional solutions. The results have been identified the unique effects of constraining and stiffening of boundaries in horizontal, vertical and rotational directions. This means that it is inaccurate to suppose the nonideality of supports only in one or two of these directions like as previous works. The findings are of vital importance as a better prediction of the frequency response for the nonideal supports. Furthermore, the main findings of this effort can help to choose appropriate boundary conditions for desired systems.

Should previous mammograms be digitised in the transition to digital mammography?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Taylor-Phillips, S.; Gale, A.G.; Wallis, M.G.

2009-01-01

Breast screening specificity is improved if previous mammograms are available, which presents a challenge when converting to digital mammography. Two display options were investigated: mounting previous film mammograms on a multiviewer adjacent to the workstation, or digitising them for soft copy display. Eight qualified screen readers were videotaped undertaking routine screen reading for two 45-min sessions in each scenario. Analysis of gross eye and head movements showed that when digitised, previous mammograms were examined a greater number of times per case (p=0.03), due to a combination of being used in 19% more cases (p=0.04) and where used, looked at a greater number of times (28% increase, p=0.04). Digitising previous mammograms reduced both the average time taken per case by 18% (p=0.04) and the participants' perceptions of workload (p < 0.05). Digitising previous analogue mammograms may be advantageous, in particular in increasing their level of use. (orig.)

Modulation of instrumental responding by a conditioned threat stimulus requires lateral and central amygdala

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vincent eCampese

2015-10-01

Full Text Available Two studies explored the role of the amygdala in response modulation by an aversive conditioned stimulus (CS in rats. Experiment 1 investigated the role of amygdala circuitry in conditioned suppression using a paradigm in which licking for sucrose was inhibited by a tone CS that had been previously paired with footshock. Electrolytic lesions of the lateral amygdala impaired suppression relative to sham-operated animals, and produced the same pattern of results when applied to central amygdala. In addition, disconnection of the lateral and central amygdala, by unilateral lesion of each on opposite sides of the brain, also impaired suppression relative to control subjects that received lesions of both areas on the same side. In each case, lesions were placed following Pavlovian conditioning and instrumental training, but before testing. This procedure produced within-subjects measures of the effects of lesion on freezing and between-group comparisons for the effects on suppression. Experiment 2 extended this analysis to a task where an aversive CS suppressed shuttling responses that had been previously food reinforced and also found effects of bilateral lesions of the central amygdala in a pre-post design. Together, these studies demonstrate that connections between the lateral and central amygdala constitute a serial circuit involved in processing aversive Pavlovian stimuli, and add to a growing body of findings implicating central amygdala in the modulation of instrumental behavior.

Systematic review of the risk of uterine rupture with the use of amnioinfusion after previous cesarean delivery.

Science.gov (United States)

Hicks, Paul

2005-04-01

Amnioinfusion is commonly used for the intrapartum treatment of women with pregnancy complicated by thick meconium or oligohydramnios with deep variable fetal heart rate decelerations. Its benefit in women with previous cesarean deliveries is less known. Theoretically, rapid increases in intrauterine volume would lead to a higher risk of uterine rupture. Searches of the Cochrane Library from inception to the third quarter of 2001 and MEDLINE, 1966 to November 2001, were performed by using keywords "cesarean" and "amnioinfusion." Search terms were expanded to maximize results. All languages were included. Review articles, editorials, and data previously published in other sites were not analyzed. Four studies were retrieved having unduplicated data describing amnioinfusion in women who were attempting a trial of labor after previous cesarean section. As the studies were of disparate types, meta-analysis was not possible. The use of amnioinfusion in women with previous cesarean delivery who are undergoing a trial of labor may be a safe procedure, but confirmatory large, controlled prospective studies are needed before definitive recommendations can be made.

Particular features of conditioned electrodefensive reflex in white rats on background of constant magnetic field

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Shust, I.V.; Galantyuk, S.I.; Cheretyanko, Yu.V.

Study of the influence of magnetic fields upon the higher nervous activity of man and animals has long been attracting the attention of researchers. It is indicated in the literature that magnetic fields inhibit development of conditioned reflexes in planarians, fishes, and mammals. However, there are data of opposite nature as well, indicating accelerated development of the avoidance reflex in animals exposed previously to a magnetic field. Researchers studied formation of a conditioned electrodefensive reflex (CER) in white rats exposed to a constant magnetic field (CMF), and the influence of a vitamin preparation - galascorbin - on formation of the CER in animals exposed to a CMF.

Condition Indicators for Inspection Planning of Concrete Structures

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Faber, Michael Havbro; Sørensen, John Dalsgaard

2002-01-01

Based on previous work by the authors a Bayesian formulation of condition indicators is developed further whereby in conjunction with a systems modelling of concrete structures the experience and expertise of the inspection personnel may be fully utilized. It is shown how the predicted evolution ...

Osseointegration in osteoporotic-like condition: A systematic review of preclinical studies.

Science.gov (United States)

Dereka, X; Calciolari, E; Donos, N; Mardas, N

2018-05-30

Osteoporosis is one of the most common skeletal disorders affecting a significant percentage of people worldwide. Research data suggested that systemic diseases such as osteoporosis could act as risk factors for osseointegration, jeopardizing the healing process and thus the predictability of dental implant success on compromised patients. It is well accepted that preclinical studies in animal models reproducing the osteoporotic condition are one of the most important stages in the research of new biomaterials and therapeutic modalities. The aim of this systematic review was to investigate whether osteoporosis compromises dental implant osseointegration in experimental osteoporotic-like conditions. A 3-stage systematic literature research was conducted in MEDLINE via OVID and EMBASE up to and including March 2017. Experimental studies reporting on dental implant osseointegration on different osteoporotic animal models were assessed. The studies had to report on the percentage of bone-to-implant contact (%BIC) as the primary outcome. ARRIVE guidelines for reporting on animal research were applied to evaluate the methodological quality and risk of bias of the studies. Fifty-seven studies met the inclusion criteria and were assessed qualitatively. The most adopted animal model was the rat. A variability of %BIC values was observed, ranging from 30% to 99% and from 26% to 94% for the healthy and osteoporotic group, respectively. The great majority (47) of the included studies concluded that estrogen deficiency significantly affects BIC values, 9 studies stated that it was not possible to observe statistical differences in BIC between ovariectomized and healthy groups and 1 study did not provide a comparison between the healthy and osteoporotic group. Owing to the great heterogeneity in implant surface, study design, observation time-points, site of implant placement and reported outcomes, a meta-analysis could not be performed. An overall high risk of bias was observed

Simulation Study of Flap Effects on a Commercial Transport Airplane in Upset Conditions

Science.gov (United States)

Cunningham, Kevin; Foster, John V.; Shah, Gautam H.; Stewart, Eric C.; Ventura, Robin N.; Rivers, Robert A.; Wilborn, James E.; Gato, William

2005-01-01

As part of NASA's Aviation Safety and Security Program, a simulation study of a twinjet transport airplane crew training simulation was conducted to address fidelity for upset or loss of control conditions and to study the effect of flap configuration in those regimes. Piloted and desktop simulations were used to compare the baseline crew training simulation model with an enhanced aerodynamic model that was developed for high-angle-of-attack conditions. These studies were conducted with various flap configurations and addressed the approach-to-stall, stall, and post-stall flight regimes. The enhanced simulation model showed that flap configuration had a significant effect on the character of departures that occurred during post-stall flight. Preliminary comparisons with flight test data indicate that the enhanced model is a significant improvement over the baseline. Some of the unrepresentative characteristics that are predicted by the baseline crew training simulation for flight in the post-stall regime have been identified. This paper presents preliminary results of this simulation study and discusses key issues regarding predicted flight dynamics characteristics during extreme upset and loss-of-control flight conditions with different flap configurations.

14 CFR 121.406 - Credit for previous CRM/DRM training.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... 14 Aeronautics and Space 3 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Credit for previous CRM/DRM training. 121... previous CRM/DRM training. (a) For flightcrew members, the Administrator may credit CRM training received before March 19, 1998 toward all or part of the initial ground CRM training required by § 121.419. (b...

Response of unirradiated and irradiated PWR fuel rods tested under power-cooling-mismatch conditions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

MacDonald, P.E.; Quapp, W.J.; Martinson, Z.R.; McCardell, R.K.; Mehner, A.S.

1978-01-01

This report summarizes the results from the single-rod power-cooling-mismatch (PCM) and irradiation effects (IE) tests conducted to date in the Power Burst Facility (PBF) at the U.S. DOE Idaho National Engineering Laboratory. This work was performed for the U.S. NRC under contact to the Department of Energy. These tests are part of the NRC Fuel Behavior Program, which is designed to provide data for the development and verification of analytical fuel behavior models that are used to predict fuel response to abnormal or postulated accident conditions in commercial LWRs. The mechanical, chemical and thermal response of both previously unirradiated and previously irradiated LWR-type fuel rods tested under power-cooling-mismatch condition is discussed. A brief description of the test designs is presented. The results of the PCM thermal-hydraulic studies are summarized. Primary emphasis is placed on the behavior of the fuel and cladding during and after stable film boiling. (orig.) [de

Rapid mineralisation of the herbicide isoproturon in soil from a previously treated Danish agricultural field.

Science.gov (United States)

Sørensen, Sebastian R; Aamand, Jens

2003-10-01

Mineralisation of the phenylurea herbicide isoproturon (3-(4-isopropylphenyl)-1,1-dimethylurea) and two of its known metabolites, 3-(4-isopropylphenyl)-1-methylurea (monodesmethyl-isoproturon) and 4-isopropylaniline, was studied in Danish agricultural soils with or without previous exposure to isoproturon. A potential for rapid mineralisation of isoproturon and the two metabolites was present in soils sampled from three plots within an agricultural field previously treated regularly with the herbicide, with 34-45%, 51-58% and 33-36% of the added [phenyl-U-14C]isoproturon, [phenyl-U-14C]monodesmethyl-isoproturon and [phenyl-U-14C]4-isopropylaniline metabolised to [14C]carbon dioxide within 30 days at 20 degrees C. In contrast, such extensive mineralisation of these three compounds was not observed within this period in soils sampled from two other agricultural fields without previous treatment with isoproturon. The mineralisation patterns indicated growth-linked metabolism of the three compounds in the previously exposed soils, and doubling times for [14C]carbon dioxide production ranged from 1.6 to 3.2, 1.0 to 2.1 and 1.3 to 1.7 days for isoproturon, monodesmethyl-isoproturon and 4-isopropylaniline, respectively. The ability to mineralise [phenyl-U-14C]isoproturon to [14C]carbon dioxide was successfully sub-cultured to a fresh mineral medium which provided isoproturon as sole source of carbon and nitrogen. One of the soils sampled from an agricultural field not previously treated with isoproturon showed accelerated mineralisation of [phenyl-U-14C]4-isopropylaniline toward the end of the experiment, with a doubling time for [14C]carbon dioxide production of 7.4days. This study indicates that the occurrence of rapid mineralisation of the phenyl ring of isoproturon to carbon dioxide is related to previous exposure to the herbicide, which suggests that microbial adaptation upon repeated isoproturon use may occur within agricultural fields.

English Studies as Creole Scholarship: Reconfiguring the Discipline for Postcolonial Conditions

Science.gov (United States)

Canagarajah, Suresh

2011-01-01

The shifts underway in contemporary social conditions call for a new alignment between the specializations constituting English Studies: namely, literature, applied linguistics, and rhetoric and composition. Postcolonial social movements have generated new language, textual, and literary practices. These developments bring to the fore practices…

Cellular Neural Network Method for Critical Slab with Albedo Boundary Condition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pirouzmanda, A.; Hadada, K.; Suh, K. Y.

2010-01-01

The neutron transport problems have been studied theoretically and numerically for years. A number of researchers have studied the criticality problems of one-speed neutrons in homogeneous slabs and spheres using various methods. The Chebyshev polynomial approximation method (T N method) has lately been developed and improved for the neutron transport equation in slab geometry. The one-speed time-dependent neutron transport equation using the Cellular Neural Network (CNN) for the vacuum boundary condition has previously been solved. In this paper, we demonstrate the capacity of CNN in calculating the critical slab thickness for different boundary conditions and its variation with moments N. The architecture of the CNN has already been dealt with thoroughly. Essentially, the CNN is used to model a first-order system of the partial differential equations (PDEs). The original equations in the T N approximation are also a set of PDEs. The CNN approach lends itself to analog VLSI implementation. In this study, the CNN model is implemented using the HSpice software package

Flexibility and working conditions : a qualitive and comparative study in seven EU member states

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Goudswaard, A.; Nanteuil, M. de

2000-01-01

Within the context of profound transformations in work and employment, the European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions has undertaken a qualitative and comparative study concerning the impact of flexibility on working conditions in the European Union. Complementing other

Comparison of storage conditions for human vaginal microbiome studies.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Guoyun Bai

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: The effect of storage conditions on the microbiome and metabolite composition of human biological samples has not been thoroughly investigated as a potential source of bias. We evaluated the effect of two common storage conditions used in clinical trials on the bacterial and metabolite composition of the vaginal microbiota using pyrosequencing of barcoded 16S rRNA gene sequencing and (1H-NMR analyses. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Eight women were enrolled and four mid-vaginal swabs were collected by a physician from each woman. The samples were either processed immediately, stored at -80°C for 4 weeks or at -20°C for 1 week followed by transfer to -80°C for another 4 weeks prior to analysis. Statistical methods, including Kolmogorovo-Smirnov and Wilcoxon tests, were performed to evaluate the differences in vaginal bacterial community composition and metabolites between samples stored under different conditions. The results showed that there were no significant differences between samples processed immediately after collection or stored for varying durations. (1H-NMR analysis of the small molecule metabolites in vaginal secretions indicated that high levels of lactic acid were associated with Lactobacillus-dominated communities. Relative abundance of lactic acid did not appear to correlate with relative abundance of individual Lactobacillus sp. in this limited sample, although lower levels of lactic acid were observed when L. gasseri was dominant, indicating differences in metabolic output of seemingly similar communities. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: These findings benefit large-scale, field-based microbiome and metabolomic studies of the vaginal microbiota.

Previously unidentified changes in renal cell carcinoma gene expression identified by parametric analysis of microarray data

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lenburg, Marc E; Liou, Louis S; Gerry, Norman P; Frampton, Garrett M; Cohen, Herbert T; Christman, Michael F

2003-01-01

Renal cell carcinoma is a common malignancy that often presents as a metastatic-disease for which there are no effective treatments. To gain insights into the mechanism of renal cell carcinogenesis, a number of genome-wide expression profiling studies have been performed. Surprisingly, there is very poor agreement among these studies as to which genes are differentially regulated. To better understand this lack of agreement we profiled renal cell tumor gene expression using genome-wide microarrays (45,000 probe sets) and compare our analysis to previous microarray studies. We hybridized total RNA isolated from renal cell tumors and adjacent normal tissue to Affymetrix U133A and U133B arrays. We removed samples with technical defects and removed probesets that failed to exhibit sequence-specific hybridization in any of the samples. We detected differential gene expression in the resulting dataset with parametric methods and identified keywords that are overrepresented in the differentially expressed genes with the Fisher-exact test. We identify 1,234 genes that are more than three-fold changed in renal tumors by t-test, 800 of which have not been previously reported to be altered in renal cell tumors. Of the only 37 genes that have been identified as being differentially expressed in three or more of five previous microarray studies of renal tumor gene expression, our analysis finds 33 of these genes (89%). A key to the sensitivity and power of our analysis is filtering out defective samples and genes that are not reliably detected. The widespread use of sample-wise voting schemes for detecting differential expression that do not control for false positives likely account for the poor overlap among previous studies. Among the many genes we identified using parametric methods that were not previously reported as being differentially expressed in renal cell tumors are several oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes that likely play important roles in renal cell

Neonatal taurine and alanine modulate anxiety-like behavior and decelerate cortical spreading depression in rats previously suckled under different litter sizes.

Science.gov (United States)

Francisco, Elian da Silva; Guedes, Rubem Carlos Araújo

2015-11-01

The amino acids taurine and alanine play a role in several physiological processes, including behavior and the electrical activity of the brain. In this study, we investigated the effect of treatment with taurine or alanine on anxiety-like behavior and the excitability-dependent phenomenon known as cortical spreading depression (CSD), using rats suckled in litters with 9 and 15 pups (groups L9 and L15). From postnatal days 7 to 27, the animals received per gavage 300 mg/kg/day of taurine or alanine or both. At 28 days, we tested the animals in the elevated plus maze, and at 33-35 days, we recorded CSD and analyzed its velocity of propagation, amplitude, and duration. Compared with water-treated controls, the L9 groups treated with taurine or alanine displayed anxiolytic behavior (higher number of entries in the open arms; p taurine, alanine, or both) treated at adulthood (90-110 days). The L15 condition resulted in smaller durations and higher CSD velocities compared with the L9 condition. Besides reinforcing previous evidence of behavioral modulation by taurine and alanine, our data are the first confirmation that treatment with these amino acids decelerates CSD regardless of lactation conditions (normal versus unfavorable lactation) or age at amino acid administration (young versus adult). The results suggest a modulating role for both amino acids on anxiety behavior and neuronal electrical activity.

Conditions for Ubiquitous Computing: What Can Be Learned from a Longitudinal Study

Science.gov (United States)

Lei, Jing

2010-01-01

Based on survey data and interview data collected over four academic years, this longitudinal study examined how a ubiquitous computing project evolved along with the changes in teachers, students, the human infrastructure, and technology infrastructure in the school. This study also investigated what conditions were necessary for successful…

The diffusion of medical technology, local conditions, and technology re-invention: a comparative case study on coronary stenting.

Science.gov (United States)

Hashimoto, Hideki; Noguchi, Haruko; Heidenreich, Paul; Saynina, Olga; Moreland, Abigail; Miyazaki, Shunichi; Ikeda, Shunya; Kaneko, Yoshihiro; Ikegami, Naoki

2006-12-01

Innovation of medical technology is a major driving force behind the increase in medical expenditures in developed countries. Previous studies identified that the diffusion of medical technology varied across countries according to the characteristics of regulatory policy and payment systems. Based on Roger's diffusion of innovation theory, this study purported to see how local practice norms, the evolving nature of diffusing technology, and local clinical needs in addition to differences in politico-economic systems would affect the process of innovation diffusion. Taking a case of coronary stenting, an innovative therapeutic technology in early 1990s, we provided a case study of hospital-based data between two teaching high-tech hospitals in Japan and the US for discussion. Stenting began to be widely used in both countries when complementary new technology modified its clinical efficacy, but the diffusion process still differed between the two hospitals due to (1) distinctive payment systems for hospitals and physicians, (2) practice norms in favor of percutaneous intervention rather than bypass surgery that was shaped by payment incentives and cultural attitudes, and (3) local patient's clinical characteristics that the technology had to be tailored for. The case study described the diffusion of stent technology as a dynamic process between patients, physicians, hospitals, health care systems, and technology under global and local conditions.

Value and reliability of findings from previous epidemiologic studies in the assessment of radiation-related cancer risks. Pt. 3

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Frasch, G.; Martignoni, K.

1990-01-01

The theories put forward here are predominantly based on pooled data from previous studies in a number of cohorts made up by mostly non-average individuals. These studies were carried out by various researchers and differed in procedures and aims. Factors of major importance to the validity and reliability of the conclusions drawn from this study are pointed out. In one chapter some light is thrown on factors known to bear a relation to the incidence of radiation-induced cancer of the breast, even though at present this can only very vaguely be described on a quantitative basis. These factors include fractionated dose regimens, pregnancies and parturitions, menarche, menopause, synergisms as well as secondary cancer of the breast. The available body of evidence suggests that exposure of each of 1 million women to a dose of 10 mGy (rad) can be linked with approx. 3 additional cases of mammary cancer reported on an average per year after the latency period. The fact that there is some statistical scatter around this value is chiefly attributable to age-related causes at the beginning of exposure. Differences in ethnic and cultural characteristics between the populations investigated appeared to be less important here. (orig./MG) [de

Dietary self-efficacy predicts AHEI diet quality in women with previous gestational diabetes.

Science.gov (United States)

Ferranti, Erin Poe; Narayan, K M Venkat; Reilly, Carolyn M; Foster, Jennifer; McCullough, Marjorie; Ziegler, Thomas R; Guo, Ying; Dunbar, Sandra B

2014-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the association of intrapersonal influences of diet quality as defined by the Health Belief Model constructs in women with recent histories of gestational diabetes. A descriptive, correlational, cross-sectional design was used to analyze relationships between diet quality and intrapersonal variables, including perceptions of threat of type 2 diabetes mellitus development, benefits and barriers of healthy eating, and dietary self-efficacy, in a convenience sample of 75 community-dwelling women (55% minority; mean age, 35.5 years; SD, 5.5 years) with previous gestational diabetes mellitus. Diet quality was defined by the Alternative Healthy Eating Index (AHEI). Multiple regression was used to identify predictors of AHEI diet quality. Women had moderate AHEI diet quality (mean score, 47.6; SD, 14.3). Only higher levels of education and self-efficacy significantly predicted better AHEI diet quality, controlling for other contributing variables. There is a significant opportunity to improve diet quality in women with previous gestational diabetes mellitus. Improving self-efficacy may be an important component to include in nutrition interventions. In addition to identifying other important individual components, future studies of diet quality in women with previous gestational diabetes mellitus are needed to investigate the scope of influence beyond the individual to potential family, social, and environmental factors. © 2014 The Author(s).

Audio-visual perception of 3D cinematography: an fMRI study using condition-based and computation-based analyses.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Akitoshi Ogawa

Full Text Available The use of naturalistic stimuli to probe sensory functions in the human brain is gaining increasing interest. Previous imaging studies examined brain activity associated with the processing of cinematographic material using both standard "condition-based" designs, as well as "computational" methods based on the extraction of time-varying features of the stimuli (e.g. motion. Here, we exploited both approaches to investigate the neural correlates of complex visual and auditory spatial signals in cinematography. In the first experiment, the participants watched a piece of a commercial movie presented in four blocked conditions: 3D vision with surround sounds (3D-Surround, 3D with monaural sound (3D-Mono, 2D-Surround, and 2D-Mono. In the second experiment, they watched two different segments of the movie both presented continuously in 3D-Surround. The blocked presentation served for standard condition-based analyses, while all datasets were submitted to computation-based analyses. The latter assessed where activity co-varied with visual disparity signals and the complexity of auditory multi-sources signals. The blocked analyses associated 3D viewing with the activation of the dorsal and lateral occipital cortex and superior parietal lobule, while the surround sounds activated the superior and middle temporal gyri (S/MTG. The computation-based analyses revealed the effects of absolute disparity in dorsal occipital and posterior parietal cortices and of disparity gradients in the posterior middle temporal gyrus plus the inferior frontal gyrus. The complexity of the surround sounds was associated with activity in specific sub-regions of S/MTG, even after accounting for changes of sound intensity. These results demonstrate that the processing of naturalistic audio-visual signals entails an extensive set of visual and auditory areas, and that computation-based analyses can track the contribution of complex spatial aspects characterizing such life

Audio-visual perception of 3D cinematography: an fMRI study using condition-based and computation-based analyses.

Science.gov (United States)

Ogawa, Akitoshi; Bordier, Cecile; Macaluso, Emiliano

2013-01-01

The use of naturalistic stimuli to probe sensory functions in the human brain is gaining increasing interest. Previous imaging studies examined brain activity associated with the processing of cinematographic material using both standard "condition-based" designs, as well as "computational" methods based on the extraction of time-varying features of the stimuli (e.g. motion). Here, we exploited both approaches to investigate the neural correlates of complex visual and auditory spatial signals in cinematography. In the first experiment, the participants watched a piece of a commercial movie presented in four blocked conditions: 3D vision with surround sounds (3D-Surround), 3D with monaural sound (3D-Mono), 2D-Surround, and 2D-Mono. In the second experiment, they watched two different segments of the movie both presented continuously in 3D-Surround. The blocked presentation served for standard condition-based analyses, while all datasets were submitted to computation-based analyses. The latter assessed where activity co-varied with visual disparity signals and the complexity of auditory multi-sources signals. The blocked analyses associated 3D viewing with the activation of the dorsal and lateral occipital cortex and superior parietal lobule, while the surround sounds activated the superior and middle temporal gyri (S/MTG). The computation-based analyses revealed the effects of absolute disparity in dorsal occipital and posterior parietal cortices and of disparity gradients in the posterior middle temporal gyrus plus the inferior frontal gyrus. The complexity of the surround sounds was associated with activity in specific sub-regions of S/MTG, even after accounting for changes of sound intensity. These results demonstrate that the processing of naturalistic audio-visual signals entails an extensive set of visual and auditory areas, and that computation-based analyses can track the contribution of complex spatial aspects characterizing such life-like stimuli.

Increased risk of default among previously treated tuberculosis cases in the Western Cape Province, South Africa.

Science.gov (United States)

Marx, F M; Dunbar, R; Hesseling, A C; Enarson, D A; Fielding, K; Beyers, N

2012-08-01

To investigate, in two urban communities with high tuberculosis (TB) incidence and high rates of TB recurrence, whether a history of previous TB treatment is associated with treatment default. Retrospective cohort study of TB cases with an episode of treatment recorded in the clinic-based treatment registers between 2002 and 2007. Probabilistic record linkage was used to ascertain treatment history of TB cases back to 1996. Based on the outcome of their most recent previous treatment episode, previously treated cases were compared to new cases regarding their risk of treatment default. Previous treatment success (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 1.79; 95%CI 1.17-2.73), previous default (aOR 6.18, 95%CI 3.68-10.36) and previous failure (aOR 9.72, 95%CI 3.07-30.78) were each independently associated with treatment default (P default were male sex (P = 0.003) and age 19-39 years (P risk of treatment default, even after previous successful treatment. This finding is of particular importance in a setting where recurrent TB is very common. Adherence to treatment should be ensured in new and retreatment cases to increase cure rates and reduce transmission of TB in the community.

Experimental study of critical heat flux enhancement with hypervapotron structure under natural circulation conditions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hou, Fangxin [Institute of Nuclear and New Energy Technology, Tsinghua University, Beijing (China); Chang, Huajian [Institute of Nuclear and New Energy Technology, Tsinghua University, Beijing (China); State Nuclear Power Technology R& D Center (Beijing), Beijing (China); Zhao, Yufeng, E-mail: zhaoyufeng@snptc.com.cn [State Nuclear Power Technology R& D Center (Beijing), Beijing (China); Zhang, Ming; Gao, Tianfang [State Nuclear Power Technology R& D Center (Beijing), Beijing (China); Chen, Peipei [State Power Investment Corporation, Beijing (China)

2017-05-15

Highlights: • Natural circulation tests are performed to study the effect of hypervapotron on CHF. • Hypervapotron structure improves CHF under natural circulation conditions. • Visualization data illustrate vapor blanket behavior under subcooled flow conditions. - Abstract: The enhancement of critical heat flux with a hypervapotron structure under natural circulation conditions is investigated in this study. Subcooled flow boiling CHF experiments are performed using smooth and hypervapotron surfaces at different inclination angles under natural circulation conditions. The experimental facility, TESEC (Test of External Vessel Surface with Enhanced Cooling), is designed to conduct CHF experiments in a 30 mm by 61 mm rectangular flow channel with a 200 mm long heated surface along the flow direction. The two-phase flow of subcooled flow boiling on both smooth and hypervapotron heating plates is observed and analyzed by the high-speed visualization technology. The results show that both smooth surface and hypervapotron surface CHF data exhibit a similar trend against inclination angles compared with the CHF results under forced flow condition on the same facility in earlier studies. However, the CHF enhancement of the hypervapotron structure is evidently more significant than the one under forced flow conditions. The experiments also indicate that the natural flow rates are higher with hypervapotron structure. The initiation of CHF is analyzed under transient subcooling and flow rate conditions for both smooth and hypervapotron heating surfaces. An explanation is given for the significant enhancement effect caused by the hypervapotron surface under natural circulation conditions. The visualization data are exhibited to demonstrate the behavior of the vapor blanket at various inclination angles and on different surfaces. The geometric data of the vapor blanket are quantified by an image post-processing method. It is found that the thickness of the vapor blanket

Influence of Previous Knowledge in Torrance Tests of Creative Thinking

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

María Aranguren

2015-07-01

Full Text Available The aim of this work is to analyze the influence of study field, expertise and recreational activities participation in Torrance Tests of Creative Thinking (TTCT, 1974 performance. Several hypotheses were postulated to explore the possible effects of previous knowledge in TTCT verbal and TTCT figural university students’ outcomes. Participants in this study included 418 students from five study fields: Psychology;Philosophy and Literature, Music; Engineering; and Journalism and Advertising (Communication Sciences. Results found in this research seem to indicate that there in none influence of the study field, expertise and recreational activities participation in neither of the TTCT tests. Instead, the findings seem to suggest some kind of interaction between certain skills needed to succeed in specific studies fields and performance on creativity tests, such as the TTCT. These results imply that TTCT is a useful and valid instrument to measure creativity and that some cognitive process involved in innovative thinking can be promoted using different intervention programs in schools and universities regardless the students study field.

Nuclear Fuel Fretting Mechanisms in a Room Temperature Unlubricated Condition

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lee, Young Ho; Kim, Hyung Kyu [Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

2008-10-15

Recently, efforts for evaluating the fretting wear mechanism have been carried out by many researchers in various conditions. In an unlubricated condition, especially, effects of a wear debris and/or its layer on the fretting wear behavior were proposed that the formation of a well-developed glaze layer has a beneficial effect for decreasing a friction coefficient. Otherwise, a wear rate was accelerated by a third-body abrasion. At this time, it is well known that wear debris behaviors are affected by test variables such as a temperature, environment, material characteristics, etc. In a nuclear fuel fretting, however, its contact condition is quite different when compared with general fretting wear studies and could be summarized as the following; first, a fuel rod is supported by spacer grid springs and dimples that were elastically deformable. This results in a unique friction loop and a different fretting mechanism when a fuel rod is vibrated due to a flow-induced vibration (FIV). Next, it is possible that some region of the wear scar area with a specific spring shape condition could be hidden due to different wear debris behavior. So, some of the wear debris layers could be found on the worn surfaces in previous studies even though fretting wear tests were performed in a water lubricated condition. Finally, initial contact condition could be changed both an actual operating condition in power plants (i.e. high temperature and pressurized water (HTHP) under severe irradiation conditions) and the fretting wear tests for evaluating the wear resistant spring in lab conditions (i.e. from room temperature to HTHP without irradiation conditions) due to material degradations and the formation of the wear scar, respectively. In summary, the spring shape effect and the variation of the contact condition with increasing fretting cycle should be evaluated in order to improve the wear resistance of the spacer grid spring. So, in this study, fretting wear tests have been

Mentoring to develop research selfefficacy, with particular reference to previously disadvantaged individuals

OpenAIRE

S. Schulze

2010-01-01

The development of inexperienced researchers is crucial. In response to the lack of research self-efficacy of many previously disadvantaged individuals, the article examines how mentoring can enhance the research self-efficacy of mentees. The study is grounded in the self-efficacy theory (SET) – an aspect of the social cognitive theory (SCT). Insights were gained from an in-depth study of SCT, SET and mentoring, and from a completed mentoring project. This led to the formulation of three basi...

THERMAL COMFORT STUDY OF AN AIR-CONDITIONED DESIGN STUDIO IN TROPICAL SURABAYA

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Agus Dwi Hariyanto

2005-01-01

Full Text Available This paper evaluates the current thermal comfort condition in an air-conditioned design studio using objective measurement and subjective assessment. Objective measurement is mainly to quantify the air temperature, MRT, relative humidity, and air velocity. Subjective assessment is conducted using a questionnaire to determine the occupants thermal comfort sensations and investigate their perception of the thermal comfort level. A design studio in an academic institution in Surabaya was chosen for the study. Results show that more than 80% of the occupants accepted the indoor thermal conditions even though both the environmental and comfort indices exceeded the limit of the standard (ASHRAE Standard 55 and ISO 7730. In addition, non-uniformity of spatial temperature was present in this studio. Some practical recommendations were made to improve the thermal comfort in the design studio.

The influence of normal and high ultimate muscle pH on the microbiology and colour stability of previously frozen black wildebeest (Connochaetes gnou) meat.

Science.gov (United States)

Shange, Nompumelelo; Makasi, Thandeka N; Gouws, Pieter A; Hoffman, Louwrens C

2018-01-01

Changes in pH, colour and microbiological counts were investigated in previously frozen Biceps femoris (BF) muscles from black wildebeest. Samples were stored under vacuum at refrigerated conditions (4.2±0.8°C) for 12days. Seven BF muscles had a high pH (DFD) (pH≥6) and five had a normal pH (pHmeat decreased. Browning under anaerobic storage conditions was seen, more for normal meat than DFD meat. Initial total viable counts, lactic acid bacteria and coliform counts from samples with normal pH, were significantly higher than counts from the DFD samples. However, overtime DFD meat showed a faster increase for all microorganisms tested compared to normal pH meat. Overall, this study revealed that DFD meat can have a shorter shelf-life than normal pH meat stored at 4.2±0.8°C. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Prevalence of pain in the head, back and feet in refugees previously exposed to torture: a ten-year follow-up study

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Olsen, Dorthe Reff; Montgomery, Edith; Bøjholm, Søren

2007-01-01

AIM: To estimate change over 10 years concerning the prevalence of pain in the head, back and feet, among previously tortured refugees settled in Denmark, and to compare associations between methods of torture and prevalent pain at baseline and at 10-year follow-up. METHODS: 139 refugees previous...... associated with the type and bodily focus of the torture. This presents a considerable challenge to future evidence-based development of effective treatment programs....

Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) is tolerant to higher levels of salinity than previous guidelines indicated: Implications of field and greenhouse studies

Science.gov (United States)

Putnam, Daniel H.; Benes, Sharon; Galdi, Giuliano; Hutmacher, Bob; Grattan, Steve

2017-04-01

Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) is the most widely grown leguminous forage crop in North America and is valued for high productivity, quality, economic value, and for dairy productivity. Alfalfa has historically been classified as moderately sensitive to saline conditions, with yield declines predicted at >2 dS/m in the saturated soil paste extract. However, greenhouse, sand tank, and field studies over the past five years have confirmed that alfalfa can be grown with limited negative effects at much higher salinity levels. A broad collection of alfalfa varieties has exhibited a range of resistance at irrigation water salinities >5 dS/m ECw in greenhouse trials, with significant variation due to variety. USDA-ARS sand tank studies indicated similar or greater tolerances closer to 8 dS/m in the soil water, in addition to confirmation of significant varietal differences. A three-year field study on clay loam soil with applications of 5-7 dS/m ECw irrigation water indicated normal yields and excellent stand survivability. A second field study in the same soil type with levels from 8-10 dS/m ECw showed yield reductions of 10-15% but economic yields were still achieved at those levels. Field and greenhouse studies were conducted with mixed salt saline sodic waters typical of the San Joaquin Valley of California. Field evaluation of variety performance was subject to greater variation due to secondary salinity-soil interactions including water infiltration and crusting problems, not only salinity per-se. Thus, adequate irrigation water availability to the crop may be as important as salinity in impacting yields under field conditions. Once established, the deep-rooted characteristics of alfalfa enable utilization of deeper subsurface moisture, even at moderate to high salinity levels, as documented by USDA lysimeter studies. Significant advantages to salinity-tolerant varieties have been observed. It will be important to consider specific management factors which may enable

Twelve previously unknown phage genera are ubiquitous in global oceans.

Science.gov (United States)

Holmfeldt, Karin; Solonenko, Natalie; Shah, Manesh; Corrier, Kristen; Riemann, Lasse; Verberkmoes, Nathan C; Sullivan, Matthew B

2013-07-30

Viruses are fundamental to ecosystems ranging from oceans to humans, yet our ability to study them is bottlenecked by the lack of ecologically relevant isolates, resulting in "unknowns" dominating culture-independent surveys. Here we present genomes from 31 phages infecting multiple strains of the aquatic bacterium Cellulophaga baltica (Bacteroidetes) to provide data for an underrepresented and environmentally abundant bacterial lineage. Comparative genomics delineated 12 phage groups that (i) each represent a new genus, and (ii) represent one novel and four well-known viral families. This diversity contrasts the few well-studied marine phage systems, but parallels the diversity of phages infecting human-associated bacteria. Although all 12 Cellulophaga phages represent new genera, the podoviruses and icosahedral, nontailed ssDNA phages were exceptional, with genomes up to twice as large as those previously observed for each phage type. Structural novelty was also substantial, requiring experimental phage proteomics to identify 83% of the structural proteins. The presence of uncommon nucleotide metabolism genes in four genera likely underscores the importance of scavenging nutrient-rich molecules as previously seen for phages in marine environments. Metagenomic recruitment analyses suggest that these particular Cellulophaga phages are rare and may represent a first glimpse into the phage side of the rare biosphere. However, these analyses also revealed that these phage genera are widespread, occurring in 94% of 137 investigated metagenomes. Together, this diverse and novel collection of phages identifies a small but ubiquitous fraction of unknown marine viral diversity and provides numerous environmentally relevant phage-host systems for experimental hypothesis testing.

The online application of binding condition B in native and non-native pronoun resolution

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Clare ePatterson

2014-02-01

Full Text Available Previous research has shown that anaphor resolution in a non-native language may be more vulnerable to interference from structurally inappropriate antecedents compared to native anaphor resolution. To test whether previous findings on reflexive anaphors generalise to non-reflexive pronouns, we carried out an eye-movement monitoring study investigating the application of binding condition B during native and non-native sentence processing. In two online reading experiments we examined when during processing local and/or non-local antecedents for pronouns were considered in different types of syntactic environment. Our results demonstrate that both native English speakers and native German-speaking learners of English showed online sensitivity to binding condition B in that they did not consider syntactically inappropriate antecedents. For pronouns thought to be exempt from condition B (so-called 'short-distance pronouns', the native readers showed a weak preference for the local antecedent during processing. The non-native readers, on the other hand, showed a preference for the matrix subject even where local coreference was permitted, and despite demonstrating awareness of short-distance pronouns' referential ambiguity in a complementary offline task. This indicates that non-native comprehenders are less sensitive during processing to structural cues that render pronouns exempt from condition B, and prefer to link a pronoun to a salient subject antecedent instead.

Survival after early-stage breast cancer of women previously treated for depression

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Suppli, Nis Frederik Palm; Johansen, Christoffer; Kessing, Lars Vedel

2017-01-01

treatment of depression and risk of receiving nonguideline treatment of breast cancer were assessed in multivariable logistic regression analyses. We compared the overall survival, breast cancer-specific survival, and risk of death by suicide of women who were and were not treated for depression before......Purpose The aim of this nationwide, register-based cohort study was to determine whether women treated for depression before primary early-stage breast cancer are at increased risk for receiving treatment that is not in accordance with national guidelines and for poorer survival. Material...... and Methods We identified 45,325 women with early breast cancer diagnosed in Denmark from 1998 to 2011. Of these, 744 women (2%) had had a previous hospital contact (as an inpatient or outpatient) for depression and another 6,068 (13%) had been treated with antidepressants. Associations between previous...

Previous bacterial infection affects textural quality parameters of heat-treated fillets from rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss)

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ingerslev, Hans-Christian; Hyldig, Grethe; Przybylska, Dominika Alicja

2012-01-01

Sensory quality of fish meat is influenced by many parameters prior to slaughter. In the present study, it was examined if previous infections or damages in the muscle tissue influence product quality parameters in fish. Fillets from rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) reared in seawater....... This article was the first to describe a correlation between previous infections in fish and changes in sensory-quality parameters. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS. This work contributes with knowledge about sensory-quality parameters of fish meat after recovery from infections and physical-tissue damage. Because...... the results demonstrate an influence on the texture from previous disease, the practical potentials of the results are valuable for the aquaculture industry. In order to minimize the effects of previous diseases on the sensory quality regarding the texture, these fishes should be processed as cold...

Previous induced abortion among young women seeking abortion-related care in Kenya: a cross-sectional analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Kabiru, Caroline W; Ushie, Boniface A; Mutua, Michael M; Izugbara, Chimaraoke O

2016-05-14

Unsafe abortion is a leading cause of death among young women aged 10-24 years in sub-Saharan Africa. Although having multiple induced abortions may exacerbate the risk for poor health outcomes, there has been minimal research on young women in this region who have multiple induced abortions. The objective of this study was therefore to assess the prevalence and correlates of reporting a previous induced abortion among young females aged 12-24 years seeking abortion-related care in Kenya. We used data on 1,378 young women aged 12-24 years who presented for abortion-related care in 246 health facilities in a nationwide survey conducted in 2012. Socio-demographic characteristics, reproductive and clinical histories, and physical examination assessment data were collected from women during a one-month data collection period using an abortion case capture form. Nine percent (n = 98) of young women reported a previous induced abortion prior to the index pregnancy for which they were receiving care. Statistically significant differences by previous history of induced abortion were observed for area of residence, religion and occupation at bivariate level. Urban dwellers and unemployed/other young women were more likely to report a previous induced abortion. A greater proportion of young women reporting a previous induced abortion stated that they were using a contraceptive method at the time of the index pregnancy (47 %) compared with those reporting no previous induced abortion (23 %). Not surprisingly, a greater proportion of young women reporting a previous induced abortion (82 %) reported their index pregnancy as unintended (not wanted at all or mistimed) compared with women reporting no previous induced abortion (64 %). Our study results show that about one in every ten young women seeking abortion-related care in Kenya reports a previous induced abortion. Comprehensive post-abortion care services targeting young women are needed. In particular, post

Converging evidence that subliminal evaluative conditioning does not affect self‐esteem or cardiovascular activity

Science.gov (United States)

Verkuil, Bart; Brosschot, Jos F.

2017-01-01

Abstract Self‐esteem moderates the relationship between stress and (cardiovascular) health, with low self‐esteem potentially exacerbating the impact of stressors. Boosting self‐esteem may therefore help to buffer against stress. Subliminal evaluative conditioning (SEC), which subliminally couples self‐words with positive words, has previously been successfully used to boost self‐esteem, but the existing studies are in need of replication. In this article, we aimed to replicate and extend previous SEC studies. The first 2 experiments simultaneously examined whether SEC increased self‐esteem (Experiment 1, n = 84) and reduced cardiovascular reactivity to a stressor in high worriers (Experiment 2, n = 77). On the basis of these results, the 3rd experiment was set up to examine whether an adjusted personalized SEC task increased self‐esteem and reduced cardiac activity in high worriers (n = 81). Across the 3 experiments, no effects were found of SEC on implicit or explicit self‐esteem or affect or on cardiovascular (re)activity compared to a control condition in which the self was coupled with neutral words. The results do not support the use of the subliminal intervention in its current format. As stress is highly prevalent, future studies should focus on developing other cost‐effective and evidence‐based interventions. PMID:28795525

DISRUPTION OF CONDITIONED REWARD ASSOCIATION BY TYPICAL AND ATYPICAL ANTIPSYCHOTICS

Science.gov (United States)

Danna, C.L.; Elmer, G.I.

2013-01-01

Antipsychotic drugs are broadly classified into typical and atypical compounds; they vary in their pharmacological profile however a common component is their antagonist effects at the D2 dopamine receptors (DRD2). Unfortunately, diminished DRD2 activation is generally thought to be associated with the severity of neuroleptic-induced anhedonia. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of the atypical antipsychotic olanzapine and typical antipsychotic haloperidol in a paradigm that reflects the learned transfer of incentive motivational properties to previously neutral stimuli, namely autoshaping. In order to provide a dosing comparison to a therapeutically relevant endpoint, both drugs were tested against amphetamine-induced disruption of prepulse inhibition as well. In the autoshaping task, rats were exposed to repeated pairings of stimuli that were differentially predictive of reward delivery. Conditioned approach to the reward predictive cue (sign-tracking) and to the reward (goal-tracking) increased during repeated pairings in the vehicle treated rats. Haloperidol and olanzapine completely abolished this behavior at relatively low doses (100 μg/kg). This same dose was the threshold dose for each drug to antagonize the sensorimotor gating deficits produced by amphetamine. At lower doses (3–30 μg/kg) both drugs produced a dose-dependent decrease in conditioned approach to the reward predictive cue. There was no difference between drugs at this dose range which indicates that olanzapine disrupts autoshaping at a significantly lower proposed DRD2 receptor occupancy. Interestingly, neither drug disrupted conditioned approach to the reward at the same dose range that disrupted conditioned approach to the reward predictive cue. Thus, haloperidol and olanzapine, at doses well below what is considered therapeutically relevant, disrupts the attribution of incentive motivational value to previously neutral cues. Drug effects on this dimension of reward

Haematological studies on micropopulations of Clethrionomys rutilus Pall under different radioecological conditions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Borodkin, P.A.; Testov, B.V.

1980-01-01

The effect of low dose ionizing radiation on living organisms is studied. The blood of Clethrionomys rutilus Pall which habitates under various radioecological conditions is studied. It is taken into account that hematologic indices reflex the general state of the organism and prove to be a sensitive test of physiological alterations in the organism. The animals were taken on the territory with the increased amount of uranium and thorium in the underlying original rock. Average radiation doses from external gamma radiation on experimental and control territories constitute 0.86 and 0.1 rem/year, respectively. Radiation from thoron, radon and products of their decay condition the dose of 2 rem/year on the experimental territory and 0.1 rem/year on the control territory. Blood for investigation is taken with the method of decapitation. A 5% level of importance of differences is taken for the statistic processing of results obtained. The investigation has revealed no considerable differences between micropopulations of Clethrionomys rutilus Pall habitating different radioecological conditions over all indices of the red blood studied. As considers the composition of white blood, statistically considerable excess of the general amount of leukocytes in wintered males from the radioactive territory is found. An insignificant excess of this index has been noted in other groups of animals, as well

Reirradiation in FFTF of swelling-resistant Path A alloys previously irradiated in HFIR

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Maziasz, P.J.

1985-01-01

Disks of Path A Prime Candidate Alloys (in several pretreatment conditions) and several heats of cold-worked (CW) type 316 and D9 type austenitic stainless steels have been irradiated in HFIR at 300, 500, and 600 0 C to fluences producing about 10 to 44 dpa and 450 to 3600 at. ppm He. These samples are being reirradiated in the Materials Open Test Assembly (MOTA) in FFTF at 500 and 600 0 C, together (side by side) with previously unirradiated disks of exactly the same materials, to greater than 100 dpa. These samples many of which have either very fine helium cluster or helium bubble distributions after HFIR irradiation, are intended to test the possibility and magnitude of a helium-induced extension of the initial low-swelling transient regime relative to the void swelling behavior normally found during FFTF irradiation. Further, these samples will reveal the microstructural stability or evolution differences that correlate with such helium effects. 17 references, 4 tables

Squamous cell carcinoma arising in previously burned or irradiated skin

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Edwards, M.J.; Hirsch, R.M.; Broadwater, J.R.; Netscher, D.T.; Ames, F.C.

1989-01-01

Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) arising in previously burned or irradiated skin was reviewed in 66 patients treated between 1944 and 1986. Healing of the initial injury was complicated in 70% of patients. Mean interval from initial injury to diagnosis of SCC was 37 years. The overwhelming majority of patients presented with a chronic intractable ulcer in previously injured skin. The regional relapse rate after surgical excision was very high, 58% of all patients. Predominant patterns of recurrence were in local skin and regional lymph nodes (93% of recurrences). Survival rates at 5, 10, and 20 years were 52%, 34%, and 23%, respectively. Five-year survival rates in previously burned and irradiated patients were not significantly different (53% and 50%, respectively). This review, one of the largest reported series, better defines SCC arising in previously burned or irradiated skin as a locally aggressive disease that is distinct from SCC arising in sunlight-damaged skin. An increased awareness of the significance of chronic ulceration in scar tissue may allow earlier diagnosis. Regional disease control and survival depend on surgical resection of all known disease and may require radical lymph node dissection or amputation

Colon cleansing protocol in children: research conditions vs. clinical practice.

Science.gov (United States)

Elitsur, Yoram; Balfaqih, Yaslam; Preston, Deborah

2018-04-01

 Colon preparation rates are the limiting factor for a successful diagnostic colonoscopy in children. Different colon cleansing protocols have been published for use in children. Unfortunately, the applicability of those published research protocols has not been formally evaluated in routine clinical practice. We investigated the success rate of our previously published colon cleansing protocol as utilized in our clinical practice.  This was a retrospective study. In the clinical practice, the colon cleansing protocol included PEG-3350 at a dose of 2 g/kg/day plus Dulcolax (Bisacodyl, Boehringer Ingelheim, TX USA) 5 mg/day for 2 days. Adequate colon preparation was graded between 1 - 5, as previously described, and grade ≥ 4.0 was considered an adequate preparation. Patients were instructed to complete a questionnaire that included PEG-3350 dose, number of stools per day, consistency of each stool, and side effects (vomiting, abdominal pain). Clinical and endoscopic results were compared between the protocol under research conditions and routine practice.  The success rate of the colon preparation in our clinical practice was similar to the results observed under our research protocol (75 % vs. 73.6 %). Moreover, the total number of stools, stool consistency, and the intubation rate of the terminal ileum were also similar. We concluded, that in our experience, the colon cleansing protocol used under research conditions was effective and appropriate for use in routine clinical practice.  We recommend testing each new protocol under the routine conditions of clinical practice to confirm its applicability for general practitioners.

An experimental study of low concentration sludge settling velocity under turbulent condition.

Science.gov (United States)

Guo, Lisha; Zhang, Daijun; Xu, Danyu; Chen, Yuan

2009-05-01

Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) was used to study the settling of activated sludge flocs under turbulent flow conditions. Experimental results showed that a larger particle diameter led to a higher settling velocity while the higher turbulence intensity led to lower settling velocity. Based on the measurements a mathematical relation has been derived which correlates the settling velocity for individual sludge flocs under turbulent conditions through a modified Vesilind equation. Settling velocity shows a power-type relation to sludge particle diameter and an exponential-type relation with turbulence intensity and sludge concentration.

Enhanced Morbidity of Pectoralis Major Myocutaneous Flap Used for Salvage after Previously Failed Oncological Treatment and Unsuccessful Reconstructive Head and Neck Surgery

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Christiana Maria Ribeiro Salles Vanni

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Introduction. The reconstruction of complex cervicofacial defects arising from surgical treatment for cancer is a real challenge for head and neck surgeons, especially in salvage reconstruction surgery and/or failed previous reconstruction. The pectoralis major myocutaneous flap (PMMF has been widely used in these specific situations due to its reliability and low rate of failure or complications. Objectives. Identify factors that determine complications and influence the final outcome of the reconstructions with PMMF in salvage cancer surgery or in salvage reconstruction. Methods. A cross-sectional study design was used to evaluate a sample including 17 surgical patients treated over a period of ten years that met the inclusion criteria. Results. Reconstruction was successful in 13 cases (76.5%, with two cases of partial flap loss and no case of total loss. Complications occurred in 13 cases (76.5% and were specifically related to the flap in nine instances (52.9%. An association was identified between the development of major complications and reconstruction of the hypopharynx (=0.013 as well as in patients submitted to surgery in association with radiation therapy as a previous cancer treatment (=0.002. The former condition is also associated with major reconstruction failure (=0.018. An even lower incidence of major complications was noted in patients under the age of 53 (=0.044. Conclusion. Older patients, with hypopharyngeal defects and submitted to previous surgery plus radiation therapy, presented a higher risk of complications and reconstruction failure with PMMF.

Prevention of type 2 diabetes mellitus in women with previous gestational diabetes mellitus.

Science.gov (United States)

Moon, Joon Ho; Kwak, Soo Heon; Jang, Hak C

2017-01-01

Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), defined as any degree of glucose intolerance with onset or first recognition during pregnancy, is characterized by underlying maternal defects in the β-cell response to insulin during pregnancy. Women with a previous history of GDM have a greater than 7-fold higher risk of developing postpartum diabetes compared with women without GDM. Various risk factors for postpartum diabetes have been identified, including maternal age, glucose levels in pregnancy, family history of diabetes, pre-pregnancy and postpartum body mass index, dietary patterns, physical activity, and breastfeeding. Genetic studies revealed that GDM shares common genetic variants with type 2 diabetes. A number of lifestyle interventional trials that aimed to ameliorate modifiable risk factors, including diet, exercise, and breastfeeding, succeeded in reducing the incidence of postpartum diabetes, weight retention, and other obesity-related morbidities. The present review summarizes the findings of previous studies on the incidence and risk factors of postpartum diabetes and discusses recent lifestyle interventional trials that attempted to prevent postpartum diabetes.

Reoxidation of Bioreduced Uranium Under Reducing Conditions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wan, Jiamin; Tokunaga, Tetsu K.; Brodie, Eoin; Wang, Zheming; Zheng, Zuoping; Herman, Don; Hazen, Terry C.; Firestone, Mary K.; Sutton, Steven R.

2005-01-01

Uranium mining and processing for nuclear weapons and fuel have left thousands of sites with toxic levels of this actinide in soil and ground water. An emerging strategy for remediating such environments involves using organic carbon to promote microbially-mediated reduction and precipitation of insoluble U(IV) minerals. Although previous U bioreduction studies have shown promising results, they were of short duration (up to a few months). Our longer-term (20 months) laboratory study using historically contaminated sediment has alarmingly shown that microbial reduction of U was transient even under reducing (methanogenic) conditions. Uranium was reductively immobilized during the first 100 days, but later (150 to 600 days) reoxidized and mobilized, although a microbial community capable of reducing U(VI) remained through the end of the experiment. The formation of Ca2UO2(CO3)3 complexes (caused by the elevated carbonate concentration from microbial respiration and presence of calcium) drove the U(IV)/U(VI) reduction potential to much more reducing conditions. Fe(III) and Mn(IV) were found to be likely terminal electron acceptors (TEAs) for U reoxidation. Thus, U remediation by organic carbon based reductive precipitation is not sustainable in calcareous, neutral to alkaline soils and ground waters

Name conditioning in event-related brain potentials.

Science.gov (United States)

Kotchoubey, Boris; Pavlov, Yuri G

2017-11-01

Four experiments are reported in which two harmonic tones (CS+ and CS-) were paired with a participant's own name (SON) and different names (DN), respectively. A third tone was not paired with any other stimulus and served as a standard (frequent stimulus) in a three-stimuli oddball paradigm. The larger posterior positivity (P3) to SON than DN, found in previous studies, was replicated in all experiments. Conditioning of the P3 response was albeit observed in two similar experiments (1 and 3), but the obtained effects were weak and not identical in the two experiments. Only Experiment 4, where the number of CS/UCS pairings and the Stimulus-Onset Asynchrony between CS and UCS were increased, showed clear CS+/CS- differences both in time and time-frequency domains. Surprisingly, differential responses to CS+ and CS- were also obtained in Experiment 2, although SON and DN in that experiment were masked and never consciously recognized as meaningful words (recognition rate 0/63 participants). The results are discussed in the context of other ERP conditioning experiments and, particularly, the studies of non-conscious effect on ERP. Several further experiments are suggested to replicate and extend the present findings and to remove the remaining methodological limitations. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

COMPARATIVE STUDY OF WHEAT GENOTYPES UNDER OPTIMUM AND WATER DEFICIT CONDITIONS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ihteram Ullah et al

2012-12-01

Full Text Available A set of 14 wheat genotypes including two checks were evaluated under irrigated (non-stress and rainfed (stress conditions for yield and yield components during 2009-10 at Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Agricultural University, Peshawar. Analysis across two environments revealed highly significant differences (P ≤ 0.01 between the two production systems for tillers m-2and grain yield, significant differences (P ≤ 0.05 for number of grain spike-1while non significant differences were observed for 1000-grain weight. Similarly, genetic variation among the genotypes was also highly significant for spike length and 1000-grain weight while non significant for the rest of the parameters. Genotype × environment interaction was significant for tillers m-2 and number of grain spike-1 only. Averaged over 14 wheat genotypes, reduction in tillers m-2, spike length, grains spike-1 and grain yield under rainfed environment was 127 m-2, 0.9, 7 and 707 kg ha-1, respectively compared to irrigated environment. For majority of the studied traits heritability was found lower under drought stress conditions compared to non-stressed condition

Living conditions, including life style, in primary-care patients with nonacute, nonspecific spinal pain compared with a population-based sample: a cross-sectional study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Odd Lindell

2010-11-01

Full Text Available Odd Lindell, Sven-Erik Johansson, Lars-Erik Strender1Center for Family and Community Medicine, Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Karolinska Institutet, Huddinge, SwedenBackground: Nonspecific spinal pain (NSP, comprising back and/or neck pain, is one of the leading disorders behind long-term sick-listing, including disability pensions. Early interventions to prevent long-term sick-listing require the identification of patients at risk. The aim of this study was to compare living conditions associated with long-term sick-listing for NSP in patients with nonacute NSP, with a nonpatient population-based sample. Nonacute NSP is pain that leads to full-time sick-listing>3 weeks.Methods: One hundred and twenty-five patients with nonacute NSP, 2000–2004, were included in a randomized controlled trial in Stockholm County with the objective of comparing cognitive–behavioral rehabilitation with traditional primary care. For these patients, a cross-sectional study was carried out with baseline data. Living conditions were compared between the patients and 338 nonpatients by logistic regression. The conditions from univariate analyses were included in a multivariate analysis. The nonsignificant variables were excluded sequentially to yield a model comprising only the significant factors (P <0.05. The results are shown as odds ratios (OR with 95% confidence intervals.Results: In the univariate analyses, 13 of the 18 living conditions had higher odds for the patients with a dominance of physical work strains and Indication of alcohol over-consumption, odds ratio (OR 14.8 (95% confidence interval [CI] 3.2–67.6. Five conditions qualified for the multivariate model: High physical workload, OR 13.7 (CI 5.9–32.2; Hectic work tempo, OR 8.4 (CI 2.5–28.3; Blue-collar job, OR 4.5 (CI 1.8–11.4; Obesity, OR 3.5 (CI 1.2–10.2; and Low education, OR 2.7 (CI 1.1–6.8.Conclusions: As most of the living conditions have previously been

Decomposition of variance in terms of conditional means

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alessandro Figà Talamanca

2013-05-01

Full Text Available Two different sets of data are used to test an apparently new approach to the analysis of the variance of a numerical variable which depends on qualitative variables. We suggest that this approach be used to complement other existing techniques to study the interdependence of the variables involved. According to our method, the variance is expressed as a sum of orthogonal components, obtained as differences of conditional means, with respect to the qualitative characters. The resulting expression for the variance depends on the ordering in which the characters are considered. We suggest an algorithm which leads to an ordering which is deemed natural. The first set of data concerns the score achieved by a population of students on an entrance examination based on a multiple choice test with 30 questions. In this case the qualitative characters are dyadic and correspond to correct or incorrect answer to each question. The second set of data concerns the delay to obtain the degree for a population of graduates of Italian universities. The variance in this case is analyzed with respect to a set of seven specific qualitative characters of the population studied (gender, previous education, working condition, parent's educational level, field of study, etc..

Exercise induced ST elevation and residual myocardial ischemia in previous myocardial infarction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shimonagata, Tsuyoshi; Nishimura, Tsunehiko; Uehara, Toshiisa; Hayashida, Kohei; Saito, Muneyasu; Sumiyoshi, Tetsuya

1987-01-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the clinical significance of stress induced ST elevation on infarcted area in 65 patients with previous myocardial infarction (single vessel disease) who had stress thallium scan. Stress induced ST changes on infarcted area were compared with quantitative assessment of myocardial ischemia (thallium ischemic score; TIS) and extent of myocardial infarction (defect score; DS) derived from circumferential profile analysis. In patients with previous myocardial infarction in less than 3 month from the onset (n = 36), left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) and extent of abnormal LV wall motion were not significantly different between patients with stress induced ST elevation ( ≥ 2 mm, n = 26) and those with stress induced ST elevation ( < 2 mm, n = 10), while, in patients with previous myocardial infarction in more than 3 month (n = 29), patients with stress induced ST elevation ( ≥ 2 mm, n = 15) showed left ventricular dyskinesis more frequently than those with ST elevation ( < 2 mm, n = 14). In addition, the former showed significantly higher DS and significantly lower TIS than the latter. In patients with previous myocardial infarction in less than 3 month, patients with ST elevation ( ≥ 2 mm, n = 15) with prominent upright T wave (n = 15) had transient thallium defect in infarcted area in 73 % and they had significantly higher LVEF and TIS than those with ST elevation ( < 2 mm, n = 11). These results indicated that ST elevation in infarcted area reflect different significance according to the recovery of injured myocardium and stress induced ST elevation with prominent upright T wave in infarcted area reflect residual myocardial ischemia in less than 3 month from the onset of myocardial infarction. (author)

Study of some physical aspects previous to design of an exponential experiment; Estudio de algunos aspectos fisicos previos al diseno de una experiencia exponencial

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Caro, R; Francisco, J L. de

1961-07-01

This report presents the theoretical study of some physical aspects previous to the design of an exponential facility. The are: Fast and slow flux distribution in the multiplicative medium and in the thermal column, slowing down in the thermal column, geometrical distribution and minimum needed intensity of sources access channels and perturbations produced by possible variations in its position and intensity. (Author) 4 refs.

Allometric Models to Predict Aboveground Woody Biomass of Black Locust (Robinia pseudoacacia L. in Short Rotation Coppice in Previous Mining and Agricultural Areas in Germany

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Christin Carl

2017-09-01

Full Text Available Black locust is a drought-resistant tree species with high biomass productivity during juvenility; it is able to thrive on wastelands, such as former brown coal fields and dry agricultural areas. However, research conducted on this species in such areas is limited. This paper aims to provide a basis for predicting tree woody biomass for black locust based on tree, competition, and site variables at 14 sites in northeast Germany that were previously utilized for mining or agriculture. The study areas, which are located in an area covering 320 km × 280 km, are characterized by a variety of climatic and soil conditions. Influential variables, including tree parameters, competition, and climatic parameters were considered. Allometric biomass models were employed. The findings show that the most important parameters are tree and competition variables. Different former land utilizations, such as mining or agriculture, as well as growth by cores or stumps, significantly influenced aboveground woody biomass production. The new biomass models developed as part of this study can be applied to calculate woody biomass production and carbon sequestration of Robinia pseudoacacia L. in short rotation coppices in previous mining and agricultural areas.

Bell inequalities under non-ideal conditions

OpenAIRE

Especial, João N. C.

2012-01-01

Bell inequalities applicable to non-ideal EPRB experiments are critical to the interpretation of experimental Bell tests. In this article it is shown that previous treatments of this subject are incorrect due to an implicit assumption and new inequalities are derived under general conditions. Published experimental evidence is reinterpreted under these results and found to be entirely compatible with local-realism, both, when experiments involve inefficient detection, if fair-sampling detecti...

Conditional Probability Modulates Visual Search Efficiency

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bryan eCort

2013-10-01

Full Text Available We investigated the effects of probability on visual search. Previous work has shown that people can utilize spatial and sequential probability information to improve target detection. We hypothesized that performance improvements from probability information would extend to the efficiency of visual search. Our task was a simple visual search in which the target was always present among a field of distractors, and could take one of two colors. The absolute probability of the target being either color was 0.5; however, the conditional probability – the likelihood of a particular color given a particular combination of two cues – varied from 0.1 to 0.9. We found that participants searched more efficiently for high conditional probability targets and less efficiently for low conditional probability targets, but only when they were explicitly informed of the probability relationship between cues and target color.

The suitability of XRF analysis for compositional classification of archaeological ceramic fabric: A comparison with a previous NAA study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Padilla, R.; Espen, P. van; Torres, P.P. Godo

2006-01-01

The main drawbacks of EDXRF techniques, restricting its more frequent use for the specific purpose of compositional analysis of archaeological ceramic fabric, have been the insufficient sensitivity to determine some important elements (like Cr, REE, among others), a somewhat worse precision and the inability to perform standard-less quantitative procedures in the absence of suitable certified reference materials (CRM) for ceramic fabric. This paper presents the advantages of combining two energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence methods for fast and non-destructive analysis of ceramic fabric with increased sensitivity. Selective polarized excitation using secondary targets (EDPXRF) and radioisotope excitation (R-XRF) using a 241 Am source. The analytical performance of the methods was evaluated by analyzing several CRM of sediment type, and the fitness for the purpose of compositional classification was compared with that obtained by using Instrumental Neutron Activation Analysis in a previous study of Cuban aborigine pottery

The suitability of XRF analysis for compositional classification of archaeological ceramic fabric: A comparison with a previous NAA study

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Padilla, R. [Centro de Aplicaciones Tecnologicas y Desarrollo Nuclear (CEADEN), Laboratorio de Analisis Quimico, Calle 30 no. 502, Playa, Ciudad Habana (Cuba)]. E-mail: roman.padilla@infomed.sld.cu; Espen, P. van [University of Antwerp (Belgium); Torres, P.P. Godo [Centro de Antropologia, Havana (Cuba)

2006-02-03

The main drawbacks of EDXRF techniques, restricting its more frequent use for the specific purpose of compositional analysis of archaeological ceramic fabric, have been the insufficient sensitivity to determine some important elements (like Cr, REE, among others), a somewhat worse precision and the inability to perform standard-less quantitative procedures in the absence of suitable certified reference materials (CRM) for ceramic fabric. This paper presents the advantages of combining two energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence methods for fast and non-destructive analysis of ceramic fabric with increased sensitivity. Selective polarized excitation using secondary targets (EDPXRF) and radioisotope excitation (R-XRF) using a {sup 241}Am source. The analytical performance of the methods was evaluated by analyzing several CRM of sediment type, and the fitness for the purpose of compositional classification was compared with that obtained by using Instrumental Neutron Activation Analysis in a previous study of Cuban aborigine pottery.

Theoretical Study of the NMR Chemical Shift of Xe in Supercritical Condition

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lacerda Junior, Evanildo Gomes; Sauer, Stephan P. A.; Mikkelsen, Kurt Valentin

2018-01-01

In this work we investigate the level of theory necessary for reproducing the non-linear variation of the 129Xe nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) chemical shift with the density of Xe in supercritical conditions. In detail we study how the 129Xe chemical shift depends under these conditions...... on electron correlation, relativistic and many-body effects. The latter are included using a sequential-QM/MM methodology, in which a classical MD simulation is performed first and the chemical shift is then obtained as an average of quantum calculations of 250 MD snapshots conformations carried out for Xen...... this approach we obtain very good agreement with the experimental data, showing that the chemical shift of 129Xe in supercritical conditions is very well described by cluster calculations at the HF level, with small contributions from relativistic and electron correlation effects....

Developmental differences in aversive conditioning, extinction, and reinstatement: A study with children, adolescents, and adults.

Science.gov (United States)

Waters, Allison M; Theresiana, Cindy; Neumann, David L; Craske, Michelle G

2017-07-01

This study investigated developmental differences in aversive conditioning, extinction, and reinstatement (i.e., the recovery of conditioned aversive associations following reexposure to the unconditioned stimulus [US] post-extinction). This study examined these mechanisms in children (M age =8.8years), adolescents (M age =16.1years), and adults (M age =32.3years) using differential aversive conditioning with a geometric shape conditional stimulus (CS+) paired with an aversive sound US and another shape (CS-) presented alone. Following an extinction phase in which both CSs were presented alone, half of the participants in each age group received three US exposures (reinstatement condition) and the other half did not (control condition), followed by all participants completing an extinction retest phase on the same day. Findings indicated (a) significant differences in generalizing aversive expectancies to safe stimuli during conditioning and extinction that persisted during retest in children relative to adults and adolescents, (b) significantly less positive CS reevaluations during extinction that persisted during retest in adolescents relative to adults and children, and (c) reinstatement of US expectancies to the CS+ relative to the CS- in all age groups. Results suggest important differences in stimulus safety learning in children and stimulus valence reevaluation in adolescents relative to adults. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Social Interaction and Conditional Self-Discrimination under a Paradigm of Avoidance and Positive Reinforcement in Wistar Rats

Science.gov (United States)

Penagos-Corzo, Julio C.; Pérez-Acosta, Andrés M.; Hernández, Ingrid

2015-01-01

The experiment reported here uses a conditional self-discrimination task to examine the influence of social interaction on the facilitation of self-discrimination in rats. The study is based on a previous report (Penagos- Corzo et al., 2011) showing positive evidence of such facilitation, but extending the exposition to social interaction…

M4FT-15OR03100421: Status Report on Alkaline Conditioning Studies

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tsouris, Costas [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Brown, Suree [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Janke, Christopher James [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Mayes, Richard T. [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Dai, Sheng [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Kuo, Li-Jung [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Gill, Gary [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)

2015-05-01

other metals. 5. Uptake of V, Fe, and Cu follows the same trend as that of uranium. Uptake of Ca, Mg, and Zn ions increases with increasing KOH conditioning time due to formation of carboxylate groups. 6. SEM showed that long conditioning times may also lead to adsorbent degradation. 7. The optimal conditioning parameters are: 0.44 M KOH, 70 C, for 1 hour. The results of this study are useful in the selection of optimal values of the parameters involved in preparing amidoxime-based adsorbent for uranium uptake from seawater. Additional work is still ongoing to provide a complete understanding of the chemistry of base conditioning and its role on the functioning of the adsorbent.

Vitamin D for the treatment of chronic painful conditions in adults.

Science.gov (United States)

Straube, Sebastian; Derry, Sheena; Straube, Carmen; Moore, R Andrew

2015-05-06

This review is an update of a previously published review in the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (Issue 1, 2010) on 'Vitamin D for the treatment of chronic painful conditions in adults'.Vitamin D is produced in the skin after exposure to sunlight and can be obtained through food. Vitamin D deficiency has been linked with a range of conditions, including chronic pain. Observational and circumstantial evidence suggests that there may be a role for vitamin D deficiency in the aetiology of chronic painful conditions. To assess the efficacy and safety of vitamin D supplementation in chronic painful conditions when tested against placebo or against active comparators. For this update, we searched the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), MEDLINE, and EMBASE to February 2015. This was supplemented by searching the reference lists of retrieved articles, reviews in the field, and online trial registries. We included studies if they were randomised double-blind trials of vitamin D supplementation compared with placebo or with active comparators for the treatment of chronic painful conditions in adults. Two review authors independently selected the studies for inclusion, assessed methodological quality, and extracted data. We did not undertake pooled analysis due to the heterogeneity of the data. Primary outcomes of interest were pain responder outcomes, and secondary outcomes were treatment group average pain outcomes and adverse events. We included six new studies (517 participants) in this review update, bringing the total of included studies to 10 (811 participants). The studies were heterogeneous with regard to study quality, the chronic painful conditions that were investigated, the dose of vitamin D given, co-interventions, and the outcome measures reported. Only two studies reported responder pain outcomes; the other studies reported treatment group average outcomes only. Overall, there was no consistent pattern that vitamin D treatment was

Study of transient burnout characteristics under flow reduction condition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Iwamura, Takamichi; Kuroyanagi, Toshiyuki

1984-03-01

As part of a study of the thermal behavior of fuel rods during Power-Cooling-Mismatch (PCM) accidents in light water reactors, burnout characteristics in a uniformly heated, vertically oriented tube or annulus, under flow reduction condition, were experimentally studied. Test pressures ranged 0.1--3.9 MPa and flow reduction rates 0.44--1100%/s. An analytical method is developed to obtain the local mass velocity during a transient condition. The major results are as follows: With increasing flow reduction rate beyond a threshold, transient burnout mass velocity at the inlet was lower than that in steady state tests under the experimental pressures. The higher system pressure resulted in the less transient effects. At pressures higher than 2.0 MPa and flow reduction rates lower than 20%/s, the local burnout mass velocity agreed with the steady state burnout mass velocity, whereas the local burnout mass velocity became higher than the steady state burnout mass velocity at flow reduction rates higher than 20%/s. At pressures lower than 1 MPa, with increasing flow reduction rate beyond the threshold value of 2%/s, the local burnout mass velocity was lower than the steady state burnout mass velocity. An empirical correlation is presented to give the ratio of the transient to the steady state burnout mass velocities at the burnout location as a function of the steam-water density ratio and the flow reduction rate. The experimental results by Cumo et al. agree with the correlation. The correlation, however, cannot predict the experimental results at higher flow reduction rates beyond 40%/s. (author)

Massless representations and admissibility condition for higher spin superalgebras

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Konstein, S E; Vasiliev, M A

1989-01-16

Massless particle representations of various infinite-dimensional higher spin superalgebras proposed previously are constructed. We analyse which of higher spin superalgebras obey the requirement (the admissibility condition) of possessing massless unitary representations with the same spectra of spins as predicted by the structure of gauge fields originating from these superalgebras. It is argued that those higher spin superalgebras, which obey the admissibility condition, can serve as rigid supersymmetries in nontrivial consistent gauge theories of massless fields of all spins.