An overview of semiconductor bridge, SCB, applications at Sandia National Laboratories

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bickes, R.W. Jr.; Grubelich, M.C.; Harris, S.M.; Merson, J.A.; Weinlein, J.H.

1995-05-01

The semiconductor bridge, SCB, developed by Sandia National Laboratories is a maturing technology now being used in several applications by Sandia customers. Most applications arose because of a need at the system level to provide explosive assemblies that were light weight, small volume, low cost and required small quantities of electrical energy to function -- for the purposes of this paper we define an explosive assembly to mean the combination of the firing set and an explosive component. As a result, and because conventional firing systems could not meet the stringent size, weight and energy requirements of our customers, we designed and are investigating SCB applications that range from devices for Sandia applications to igniters for fireworks. We present in this paper an overview of SCB technology with specific examples of the system designed for our customers to meet modern requirements that sophisticated explosive systems must satisfy in today`s market environments.

Web publishing today and tomorrow

CERN Document Server

Lie, Hakon W

1999-01-01

The three lectures will give participants the grand tour of the Web as we know it today, as well as peeks into the past and the future. Many three-letter acronyms will be expanded, and an overview will be provided to see how the various specifications work together. Web publishing is the common theme throughout the lectures and in the second lecture, special emphasis will be given to data formats for publishing, including HTML, XML, MathML and SMIL. In the last lectures, automatic document manipulation and presentation will be discussed, including CSS, DOM and XTL.

The radioactive wastes and environment protection: an overview

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zamorani, E.

1992-01-01

On the basis of pilot-scale studies two immobilization technologies, namely vitrification and stabilization/solidification (encapsulation), seems to have gained importance. The former in spite of its proven efficiency is extremely costly and has not been used on a commercial scale as yet. On the other hand stabilization/solidification is widely used these day, because of its cost effectiveness and simplicity. This report overviews the development today of this technology, the key parameters where knowledge is limited and the factors which can enhance the future utilization are identified. 55 refs., 5 tabs

Domestic dogs and human health: an overview.

Science.gov (United States)

Wells, Deborah L

2007-02-01

The domestic dog is one of the most commonly owned, and widely utilized, animals in today's society. This paper provides an overview of research that has explored the relationship between the domestic dog and human well-being. The article initially concentrates on the value of dogs for physical health in humans, exploring the evidence that this species can prevent us from becoming ill, facilitate our recovery from ill-health, and even serve as an early warning system for certain types of underlying ailment including cancer, oncoming seizures and hypoglycaemia. The paper then examines the relationship between dogs and psychological health in humans, exploring the ability of this species to aid the disabled and serve as a therapist to those in institutional settings such as hospitals, residential homes and prisons. Weaknesses in the existing research in this area are highlighted throughout the article. Taken together, the studies reviewed suggest that dogs can have prophylactic and therapeutic value for people.

Overview of PVQAT: Update and Perspectives (Presentation)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kurtz, S.; Wohlgemuth, J.; Yamamichi, M.; Sample, T.; Kelly, G.; Govind, R.

2015-02-01

The presentation provides an overview of PVQAT: International PV Quality Assurance Task Force - historical perspective, projects, climate - specific (use - environment -specific) durability testing, consistency of manufacturing, system verification, IECRE vs PVQAT, how to become involved, current status and multiyear targets, goals for today.

Phenomenology and management of cognitive and behavioral disorders in Parkinson's disease. Rise and logic of dementia in Parkinson's disease

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Papageorgiou Sokratis

2006-08-01

Full Text Available Abstract An overview of studies on the issue of dementia in Parkinson's disease shows that, over time, there has been an evolution in the perception of the magnitude of the problem and of its nature. Dementia seems today to be part of the disease. This change in the understanding of the disease can be accounted for by various methodological problems and by difficulties, on one hand, in the definition of dementia and its differentiation from other conditions, and, on the other hand, in the diagnosis of the disease itself in individual cases. Optimal therapeutic strategies are also examined, either based on cholinesterase inhibitors or antiparkinsonian drugs and symptomatic measures.

AN OVERVIEW OF ELASTOGRAPHY – AN EMERGING BRANCH OF MEDICAL IMAGING

Science.gov (United States)

Sarvazyan, Armen; Hall, Timothy J.; Urban, Matthew W.; Fatemi, Mostafa; Aglyamov, Salavat R.; Garra, Brian S.

2011-01-01

From times immemorial manual palpation served as a source of information on the state of soft tissues and allowed detection of various diseases accompanied by changes in tissue elasticity. During the last two decades, the ancient art of palpation gained new life due to numerous emerging elasticity imaging (EI) methods. Areas of applications of EI in medical diagnostics and treatment monitoring are steadily expanding. Elasticity imaging methods are emerging as commercial applications, a true testament to the progress and importance of the field. In this paper we present a brief history and theoretical basis of EI, describe various techniques of EI and, analyze their advantages and limitations, and overview main clinical applications. We present a classification of elasticity measurement and imaging techniques based on the methods used for generating a stress in the tissue (external mechanical force, internal ultrasound radiation force, or an internal endogenous force), and measurement of the tissue response. The measurement method can be performed using differing physical principles including magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), ultrasound imaging, X-ray imaging, optical and acoustic signals. Until recently, EI was largely a research method used by a few select institutions having the special equipment needed to perform the studies. Since 2005 however, increasing numbers of mainstream manufacturers have added EI to their ultrasound systems so that today the majority of manufacturers offer some sort of Elastography or tissue stiffness imaging on their clinical systems. Now it is safe to say that some sort of elasticity imaging may be performed on virtually all types of focal and diffuse disease. Most of the new applications are still in the early stages of research, but a few are becoming common applications in clinical practice. PMID:22308105

Nuclear medicine in tropical disease: an overview

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Braga, Francisco Jos H. N

2002-01-01

Leprosy is an infectious granulomatous disease. Incidence is again increasing and millions of people are affected in the world. Ga-67 scintigraphy is a good tool to identify active disease; bone scintigraphy is useful in the evaluation of mutilation and 99mTc-DTPA is good to evaluate kidney function. Paracoccidioidomycosis is a deep mycosis that affects nearly all organs. The following scintigraphic exams are useful to evaluate such patients: Ga-67, bone scintigraphy, liver / spleen / bone marrow scintigraphy, 99mTc-DISIDA scintigraphy, lymphoscintigraphy. Mycetoma is bone and soft tissue mycosis and gallium-67 and bone studies are very useful for the detection of active disease. Tuberculosis is the most well studied tropical disease and dozens of radiopharmaceuticals and techniques were described to evaluate such patients. Jorge Lobo's disease is a rare mycosis that affects mainly indians from the Amazon region and gallium-67 was shown to accumulate in active disease. Neurocysticercosis is spread worldwide and brain SPECT (99mTc-ECD or 99mTc-HMPAO) is a very good tool for the functional evaluation of the disease. Patients suffering from Cutaneous and mucous leishmaniosis may benefit from Gallium-67 scintigraphy. Chagas' disease may affect the heart and/or the digestive tract and several scintigraphic exams may be helpful in the evaluation of such cases (gated blood pool, heart perfusion tests, pharyngeal transit tests, gastric emptying tests, intestinal transit tests, hepato-biliary scintigraphy, among others). Scintigraphy should be more largely used in the functional evaluation of organs and systems of patients affected by topical diseases (Au)

Lyme disease and pediatric autoimmune neuropsychiatric disorders associated with streptococcal infections (PANDAS: an overview

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rhee H

2012-02-01

Full Text Available Hanna Rhee1, Daniel J Cameron21Medicine, San Diego, CA, 2Northern Westchester Hospital, Mount Kisco, NY, USAAbstract: Lyme disease (LD is a complex, multisystemic illness. As the most common vector-borne disease in the United States, LD is caused by bacterial spirochete Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto, with potential coinfections from agents of anaplasmosis, babesiosis, and ehrlichiosis. Persistent symptoms and clinical signs reflect multiorgan involvement with episodes of active disease and periods of remission, not sparing the coveted central nervous system. The capability of microorganisms to cause and exacerbate various neuropsychiatric pathology is also seen in pediatric autoimmune neuropsychiatric disorders associated with streptococcal infections (PANDAS, a recently described disorder attributed to bacterium Streptococcus pyogenes of group A beta-hemolytic streptococcus in which neurologic tics and obsessive-compulsive disorders are sequelae of the infection. In the current overview, LD and PANDAS are juxtaposed through a review of their respective infectious etiologies, clinical presentations, mechanisms of disease development, courses of illness, and treatment options. Future directions related to immunoneuropsychiatry are also discussed.Keywords: neuroborreliosis, infection, obsessive-compulsive disorder, tic disorder, Borrelia burgdorferi, strep throat

Disease resistance in sugarcane – An overview

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. Ramesh Sundar

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Sugarcane is one of the important commercial crops cultivated world-wide both under tropical and sub-tropical conditions. The crop gains economic importance by virtue of its industrial potential in terms of products like crystal white sugar, bagasse, pressmud, power etc. Among the various production constraints of the crop, diseases are seen as a major threat for sustaining the productivity of sugarcane. Conventional Breeding is a lengthy process and it involves almost more than 10 years for the release of a commercial variety. Many varieties with superior agronomical traits have succumbed to diseases like red rot and smut during the course of cultivation, which hitherto at the time of release were rated to be resistant. The breakdown of disease resistance is attributed to the possible emergence of new virulent pathotypes. This situation has warranted a pertinent need to have a thorough understanding on inheritance pattern and mechanism of disease resistance in sugarcane, which would aid for quick screening of disease resistant clones and successful management of the diseases, respectively. Overall, there is a paradigm shift in the understanding of plant disease resistance, thanks to the advent of robust molecular tools. An integration of the tools of “Omics” namely genomics, proteomics, metabolomics etc. has further strengthened in deciphering plant-pathogen interactions at the molecular level. With the accomplishments in elucidating sugarcane ESTs, which was ably supported by employing the next generation sequencing platforms to unlock the secrets of pathogenomics in sugarcane, it is now made possible to further improve our understanding on disease resistance in sugarcane. Giving the scenario, the future looks evenmore promising, wherein convincing results are in the offing to thoroughly unravel the enigmatic relationship between sugarcane and its important pathogens.

Cardiological-interventional therapy of coronary artery disease today

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Reynen, K.; Henssge, R.

1999-01-01

The current importance of the interventional therapy of coronary artery disease may be deduced from the exponential increase in procedures performed in Germany in the last decade - at least 125,840 in 1996. Today, by improved catheter and balloon materials as well as by growing experience of the cardiologists, even complex lesions may be treated. Limitations of balloon angioplasty include acute vessel closure and restenosis - newer angioplasty devices like directional or rotational atherectomy or excimer-laser angioplasty did not overcome these limitations; only by coronary stenting, acute vessel closure could be managed and the likelihood of restenosis - at least in particular groups of patients - could be reduced. For a few years, intracoronary brachytherapy of the segments dilated with beta- or gamma-emitters has been seeking to reduce restenosis rate; the department of cardiology of the Dresden Cardiovascular Institute is participating in such a multicentre study using the beta-emitter 188 renium. Further main topics of our department represent primary angioplasty in patients with acute myocardial infarction and invasive diagnostic or interventional procedures by the transradial approach. (orig.)

How smartphones are changing the face of mobile and participatory healthcare: an overview, with example from eCAALYX

OpenAIRE

Boulos, Maged N Kamel; Wheeler, Steve; Tavares, Carlos; Jones, Ray

2011-01-01

The latest generation of smartphones are increasingly viewed as handheld computers rather than as phones, due to their powerful on-board computing capability, capacious memories, large screens and open operating systems that encourage application development. This paper provides a brief state-of-the-art overview of health and healthcare smartphone apps (applications) on the market today, including emerging trends and market uptake. Platforms available today include Android, Apple iOS, RIM Bla...

Surgical management of peptic ulcer disease today--indication, technique and outcome.

Science.gov (United States)

Zittel, T T; Jehle, E C; Becker, H D

2000-03-01

The current surgical management of peptic ulcer disease and its outcome have been reviewed. Today, surgery for peptic ulcer disease is largely restricted to the treatment of complications. In peptic ulcer perforation, a conservative treatment trial can be given in selected cases. If laparotomy is necessary, simple closure is sufficient in the large majority of cases, and definitive ulcer surgery to reduce gastric acid secretion is no longer justified in these patients. Laparoscopic surgery for perforated peptic ulcer has failed to prove to be a significant advantage over open surgery. In bleeding peptic ulcers, definitive hemostasis can be achieved by endoscopic treatment in more than 90% of cases. In 1-2% of cases, immediate emergency surgery is necessary. Some ulcers have a high risk of re-bleeding, and early elective surgery might be advisable. Surgical bleeding control can be achieved by direct suture and extraluminal ligation of the gastroduodenal artery or by gastric resection. Benign gastric outlet obstruction can be controlled by endoscopic balloon dilatation in 70% of cases, but gastrojejunostomy or gastric resection are necessary in about 30% of cases. Elective surgery for peptic ulcer disease has been largely abandoned, and bleeding or obstructing ulcers can be managed safely by endoscopic treatment in most cases. However, surgeons will continue to encounter patients with peptic ulcer disease for emergency surgery. Currently, laparoscopic surgery has no proven advantage in peptic ulcer surgery.

The Role of Food Antioxidants, Benefits of Functional Foods, and Influence of Feeding Habits on the Health of the Older Person: An Overview.

Science.gov (United States)

Wilson, Douglas W; Nash, Paul; Buttar, Harpal Singh; Griffiths, Keith; Singh, Ram; De Meester, Fabien; Horiuchi, Rie; Takahashi, Toru

2017-10-28

This overview was directed towards understanding the relationship of brain functions with dietary choices mainly by older humans. This included food color, flavor, and aroma, as they relate to dietary sufficiency or the association of antioxidants with neurodegenerative diseases such as dementia and Alzheimer's disease. Impairment of olfactory and gustatory function in relation to these diseases was also explored. The role of functional foods was considered as a potential treatment of dementia and Alzheimer's disease through inhibition of acetylcholinesterase as well as similar treatments based on herbs, spices and antioxidants therein. The importance of antioxidants for maintaining the physiological functions of liver, kidney, digestive system, and prevention of cardiovascular diseases and cancer has also been highlighted. Detailed discussion was focused on health promotion of the older person through the frequency and patterns of dietary intake, and a human ecology framework to estimate adverse risk factors for health. Finally, the role of the food industry, mass media, and apps were explored for today's new older person generation.

After the Resistance: The Alamo Today

Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Podcasts

2014-09-23

Byron Breedlove reads his essay After the Resistance: The Alamo Today about the Alamo and emerging disease resistance.  Created: 9/23/2014 by National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases (NCEZID).   Date Released: 10/20/2014.

An overview of quantitative approaches in Gestalt perception.

Science.gov (United States)

Jäkel, Frank; Singh, Manish; Wichmann, Felix A; Herzog, Michael H

2016-09-01

Gestalt psychology is often criticized as lacking quantitative measurements and precise mathematical models. While this is true of the early Gestalt school, today there are many quantitative approaches in Gestalt perception and the special issue of Vision Research "Quantitative Approaches in Gestalt Perception" showcases the current state-of-the-art. In this article we give an overview of these current approaches. For example, ideal observer models are one of the standard quantitative tools in vision research and there is a clear trend to try and apply this tool to Gestalt perception and thereby integrate Gestalt perception into mainstream vision research. More generally, Bayesian models, long popular in other areas of vision research, are increasingly being employed to model perceptual grouping as well. Thus, although experimental and theoretical approaches to Gestalt perception remain quite diverse, we are hopeful that these quantitative trends will pave the way for a unified theory. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

An overview and recent changes in Section I

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bernstein, M.D.

1995-01-01

Power Boilers, Section 1 of the ASME B and PV Code, is the first and oldest of the Code sections, originally published in 1915. Eighty years later Section 1 is well established, and changes are typically incremental rather than dramatic. Before reviewing some of these recent changes, it is useful to provide an overview of Section 1 rules, which were originally, and are still today, standard rules for the construction of steam boilers. Changes of the last few years affect the following portions of Section 1: The Foreword; PG-39 rules regarding small nozzles which can be attached without postweld heat treatment; rules of PG-67 and PG-70 regarding safety valve relieving capacity; PW-28 rules covering weld procedure qualification for certain nonpressure parts; PW-39 rules for postweld heat treatment; a major revision to the PW-43 rules for calculating loads permitted on structural attachments to tube walls; and some ongoing revisions to the Manufacturer's Data Report Forms

An overview of systematic reviews of clinical evidence for cupping therapy

OpenAIRE

Huijuan Cao; Mei Han; Xiaoshu Zhu; Jianping Liu

2015-01-01

Background: As a traditional treatment method, cupping therapy is widely used in Asian countries. This overview of systematic reviews (SRs) investigated the effectiveness and safety of cupping therapy through an evidence-based approach. Methods: SRs that assessed the effectiveness of cupping therapy for any type of disease were searched through 6 electronic databases. Target diseases, cupping methods, numbers and types of included studies, quality of included trials, main results (includin...

The role of deep brain stimulation in Parkinson’s disease: an overview and update on new developments

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fang JY

2017-03-01

Full Text Available John Y Fang, Christopher Tolleson Department of Neurology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA Abstract: Parkinson’s disease (PD is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder characterized by the loss of neuronal dopamine production in the brain. Oral therapies primarily augment the dopaminergic pathway. As the disease progresses, more continuous delivery of therapy is commonly needed. Deep brain stimulation (DBS has become an effective therapy option for several different neurologic and psychiatric conditions, including PD. It currently has US Food and Drug Administration approval for PD and essential tremor, as well as a humanitarian device exception for dystonia and obsessive-compulsive disorder. For PD treatment, it is currently approved specifically for those patients suffering from complications of pharmacotherapy, including motor fluctuations or dyskinesias, and a disease process of at least 4 years of duration. Studies have demonstrated superiority of DBS and medical management compared to medical management alone in selected PD patients. Optimal patient selection criteria, choice of target, and programming methods for PD and the other indications for DBS are important topics that continue to be explored and remain works in progress. In addition, new hardware options, such as different types of leads, and different software options have recently become available, increasing the potential for greater efficacy and/or reduced side effects. This review gives an overview of therapeutic management in PD, specifically highlighting DBS and some of the recent changes with surgical therapy. Keywords: Parkinson’s disease, deep brain stimulation, functional neurosurgery 

Postmortem aviation forensic toxicology: an overview.

Science.gov (United States)

Chaturvedi, Arvind K

2010-05-01

An overview of the subtopic aviation combustion toxicology of the field of aerospace toxicology has been published. In a continuation of the overview, the findings associated with postmortem aviation forensic toxicology are being summarized in the present overview. A literature search for the period of 1960-2007 was performed. The important findings related to postmortem toxicology were evaluated. In addition to a brief introduction, this overview is divided into the sections of analytical methods; carboxyhemoglobin and blood cyanide ion; ethanol; drugs; result interpretation; glucose and hemoglobin A(1c); and references. Specific details of the subject matter were discussed. It is anticipated that this overview will be an outline source for aviation forensic toxicology within the field of aerospace toxicology.

Combination of radiological and nuclear medical imaging in animals: an overview about the today's possibilities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Behe, M.; Keil, B.; Kiessling, A.; Heverhagen, J.T.; Alfke, H.; Boehm, I.; Gotthardt, M.

2007-01-01

Molecular imaging of small animals has made considerable progress in the last years. Various research fields are interested in imaging small animals due to the lower numbers of animals per experiment. This has advantages with respect to financial, ethical and research aspects. Non-invasive imaging allows examination of one animal several times during the same experiment. This makes it possible to follow a pathological process in the same animal over time. However, the radiological methods used such as magnetic resonance imaging or computed tomography as well as the nuclear medicine methods such as single photon emission computed tomography or positron emission tomography suffer from disadvantages. Molecular aspects are limited in the radiological methods while anatomical localization is difficult in nuclear medicine. The fusion of these methods leads to additional information. This review shows today's possibilities with their advantages as well as disadvantages. (orig.)

An overview of renal metabolomics.

Science.gov (United States)

Kalim, Sahir; Rhee, Eugene P

2017-01-01

The high-throughput, high-resolution phenotyping enabled by metabolomics has been applied increasingly to a variety of questions in nephrology research. This article provides an overview of current metabolomics methodologies and nomenclature, citing specific considerations in sample preparation, metabolite measurement, and data analysis that investigators should understand when examining the literature or designing a study. Furthermore, we review several notable findings that have emerged in the literature that both highlight some of the limitations of current profiling approaches, as well as outline specific strengths unique to metabolomics. More specifically, we review data on the following: (i) tryptophan metabolites and chronic kidney disease onset, illustrating the interpretation of metabolite data in the context of established biochemical pathways; (ii) trimethylamine-N-oxide and cardiovascular disease in chronic kidney disease, illustrating the integration of exogenous and endogenous inputs to the blood metabolome; and (iii) renal mitochondrial function in diabetic kidney disease and acute kidney injury, illustrating the potential for rapid translation of metabolite data for diagnostic or therapeutic aims. Finally, we review future directions, including the need to better characterize interperson and intraperson variation in the metabolome, pool existing data sets to identify the most robust signals, and capitalize on the discovery potential of emerging nontargeted methods. Copyright © 2016 International Society of Nephrology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Research and development of anti-Alzheimer's disease drugs: an update from the perspective of technology flows.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Kunmeng; Lin, Hui-Heng; Pi, Rongbiao; Mak, Shinghung; Han, Yifan; Hu, Yuanjia

2018-04-01

Today, over 20 million people suffer from Alzheimer's disease (AD) worldwide. AD has become a critical issue to human health, especially in aging societies, and therefore it is a research hotspot in the global scientific community. The technology flow method differs from traditional reviews generating an informative overview of the research and development (R&D) landscape in a specific technological area. We need such an updated method to get a general overview of the R&D of anti-AD drugs in light of the dramatic developments in this area in recent years. Areas covered: This study collects patent data from the Integrity database. A total of 399 patents with 821 internal citation pairs in the US from 1978 to 2017 were analyzed. Patent citation network analysis was used to visualize the technology relationship. Expert opinion: For better production of anti-AD drugs, governments should emphasize the multi-target drug design, provide policy support for private companies, and encourage multilateral cooperation. The β-amyloid peptide (Aβ) theory leaves much to be desired; neurotransmitter and tau protein hypotheses are worth further examination. The use of old drugs for new indications is promising, as are traditional herbal medicines.

Aneurysmal coronary artery disease: An overview

Science.gov (United States)

ElGuindy, Mohamed S.

Aneurysmal coronary artery disease (ACAD) comprises both coronary artery aneurysms (CAA) and coronary artery ectasia (CAE). The reported prevalence of ACAD varies widely from 0.2 to 10%, with male predominance and a predilection for the right coronary artery (RCA). Atherosclerosis is the commonest cause of ACAD in adults, while Kawasaki disease is the commonest cause in children and adolescents, as well as in the Far East. Most patients are asymptomatic, but when symptoms do exist, they are usually related to myocardial ischemia. Coronary angiography is the mainstay of diagnosis, but follow up is best achieved using noninvasive imaging that does not involve exposure to radiation. The optimal management strategy in patients with ACAD remains controversial. Medical therapy is indicated for the vast majority of patients and includes antiplatelets and/or anticoagulants. Covered stents effectively limit further expansion of the affected coronary segments. Surgical ligation, resection, and coronary artery bypass grafting are appropriate for large lesions and for associated obstructive coronary artery disease. PMID:29564347

Skin cancer: an overview of epidemiology and risk factors.

Science.gov (United States)

Gordon, Randy

2013-08-01

To provide a general overview of malignant melanoma and non-melanoma skin cancer, with an emphasis on epidemiology, clinical presentation, and the multiple and varied risk factors associated with skin cancer. Peer-reviewed journal articles, government health reports, book chapters, and Web-based resources. Skin cancer is the most common carcinoma, affecting millions worldwide. Incidence is increasing yearly, making it a pre-eminent public health threat. Myriad factors increase the risk of skin cancer and may serve as important prognostic indicators for the disease. To provide nurses with a clearer understanding of the causative mechanisms of skin cancer and an improved awareness of the risk factors associated with the disease. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

An Overview of Smart Shoes in the Internet of Health Things: Gait and Mobility Assessment in Health Promotion and Disease Monitoring

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bjoern M. Eskofier

2017-09-01

Full Text Available New smart technologies and the internet of things increasingly play a key role in healthcare and wellness, contributing to the development of novel healthcare concepts. These technologies enable a comprehensive view of an individual’s movement and mobility, potentially supporting healthy living as well as complementing medical diagnostics and the monitoring of therapeutic outcomes. This overview article specifically addresses smart shoes, which are becoming one such smart technology within the future internet of health things, since the ability to walk defines large aspects of quality of life in a wide range of health and disease conditions. Smart shoes offer the possibility to support prevention, diagnostic work-up, therapeutic decisions, and individual disease monitoring with a continuous assessment of gait and mobility. This overview article provides the technological as well as medical aspects of smart shoes within this rising area of digital health applications, and is designed especially for the novel reader in this specific field. It also stresses the need for closer interdisciplinary interactions between technological and medical experts to bridge the gap between research and practice. Smart shoes can be envisioned to serve as pervasive wearable computing systems that enable innovative solutions and services for the promotion of healthy living and the transformation of health care.

The present and future disease burden of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection with today's treatment paradigm

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Razavi, H; Waked, I; Sarrazin, C

2014-01-01

The disease burden of hepatitis C virus (HCV) is expected to increase as the infected population ages. A modelling approach was used to estimate the total number of viremic infections, diagnosed, treated and new infections in 2013. In addition, the model was used to estimate the change in the total...... number of HCV infections, the disease progression and mortality in 2013-2030. Finally, expert panel consensus was used to capture current treatment practices in each country. Using today's treatment paradigm, the total number of HCV infections is projected to decline or remain flat in all countries...

Ethnopharmacology in Ireland: an overview

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yvonne Coady

Full Text Available The aim of this review was to extract information of the book Medicinal Plants in Folk Tradition: An Ethnobotany of Britain & Ireland published in 2004 by Allen and Hatfield, to give an overview of plants with medicinal potential and their applications. This study attempts to attest, observe and comment on the diversity of plants, as well as the accompanying information which inevitably is vital for the future development of herbal medicines for human therapy. Initially, the information in relation to medicinal plants in Ireland only was extracted from the above-mentioned book and organised in tables. Afterwards, it was analysed through the construction of maps and the positioning of each piece of information in specific geographical regions of the country. Its division into provinces was taken into consideration as well as into counties within the provinces. These maps and graphs illustrate the most predominantly reported botanical families identified and utilised (Asteraceae, Scrophulariaceae and Lamiaceae, and to the most frequently cited medicinal uses were attributed to topical applications. As a result we can see that the uses of traditional medicines vary among these different geographical areas of the country. Not only different uses were reported but also different plants used to treat the same condition, or different conditions treated with the same plant depending on the county. Various phytopharmaceuticals date back several decades and despite the existing evolving technology, without a doubt herbal medicines can and still do provide exceptional and efficacious outcomes like many of the conventional remedies available today.

Bladder cancer: overview and disease management. Part 1: non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer.

Science.gov (United States)

Anderson, Beverley

2018-05-10

Part 1 of this two-part article provides an overview of bladder cancer and discusses its management. Since publication of a previous article entitled 'Understanding the role of smoking in the aetiology of bladder cancer' ( Anderson, 2009 ), the author has received many requests for an update. This article provides an overview of bladder cancer and its current management practices, underlining the continued role of smoking as the predominant risk factor in the disease's development. The management of bladder cancer is governed by specific guidelines. Management of non-muscle-invasive cancers, including surgical intervention with transurethral resection, and intravesical therapy using chemotherapy and immunotherapy agents, is discussed. Cystectomy (removal of the bladder), is sometimes necessary. Treatments are effective in reducing tumour recurrence, but the effects of the risks and side-effects on the individual's quality of life can be significant. The prevalence of bladder cancer, and the nature of its management make this cancer one of the most expensive for the NHS to treat. The effectiveness of health promotional strategies in increasing peoples' awareness of their risk of developing the disease, and in enabling them to change long-term health behaviours is discussed. The role of the multidisciplinary team is explored, along with that of the uro-oncology cancer nurse specialist. Part 2 will consider the management of muscle-invasive and metastatic bladder cancer.

An overview on the ecology of Triatominae (Hemiptera:Reduviidae).

Science.gov (United States)

Galvão, Cleber; Justi, Silvia A

2015-11-01

Chagas disease, the American trypanosomiasis, is an important neglected tropical illness caused by the flagellate protozoan Trypanosoma cruzi (Kinetoplastida, Trypanosomatidae) and transmitted by insects of the subfamily Triatominae (Hemiptera: Reduviidae). Here we provide an overview on the current knowledge about Triatominae ecology, its association with human, T. cruzi infection and the immediate consequences of habitat fragmentation. We also discuss the geographic distribution of the species and the importance of predicting their distributions to control programs. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

An Overview of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

DATONYE ALASIA

countries a good knowledge of disease burden and process is essential. ... is important to note that chronic bronchitis is an epidemiological ... n E and asthma. Occupation ... Cigarette smoking: Tobacco smoke is by far the. 5 most important risk ...

An Overview of Sub-Saharan Africa Today.

Science.gov (United States)

Brook, Diane L.

1997-01-01

Articulates many reasons to teach about Sub-Saharan Africa in social studies classes. Although the region will become increasingly important because of global interdependence, it suffers widespread misunderstanding concerning its history and culture. Discusses the region's need for economic development and the quest for political democracy. (MJP)

An overview of history, pathogenesis and treatment of perforated peptic ulcer disease with evaluation of prognostic scoring in adults.

Science.gov (United States)

Prabhu, V; Shivani, A

2014-01-01

Peptic ulcer disease including both gastric and duodenal ulcer form a substantial part of patients seeking surgical opinion world-wide. The concept of acid in peptic ulcer disease, which was the basis of treatment of peptic ulcer was revolutionized by the discovery of H2-receptor antagonists, that led to the principle of acid suppression therapy for duodenal ulcer which followed decades of preference for surgical interventions in the form of gastric resections, vagotomy etc., After the discovery of Helicobacter pylori organism as the causative factor a triple drug regime was identified to treat peptic disease which was further modified to sequential therapy to avoid antibiotic resistance. This recognition has not concluded the chapter on peptic ulcers. The management of ulcer disease and its complications remain a surgical challenge. All the materials for this review have been accessed from various internet search engines. The references have been narrowed down to 34 by excluding cross references, duplicated citations, pediatric studies, case reports, iatrogenic and malignant perforations and including microbiological, immunohistochemistry references and studies with more than a sample size of ten. Case control, cohort studies, prospective/retrospective, metaanalytical studies were preferred in that order. This article attempts to take an overview of all aspects of the management of peptic ulcer.

EPICS system: an overview

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bartlett, J.F.; Bobbitt, J.S.; Kramper, B.J.; Lahey, T.E.; MacKinnon, B.A.; West, R.E.

1984-02-01

This paper presents an overview of the EPICS control system at FERMILAB. EPICS is a distributed, multi-user, interactive system for the control and monitoring of particle beamlines at a high-energy experimental physics laboratory. The overview discusses the operating environment of the control system, the requirements which determined the design decisions, the hardware and software configurations, and plans for the future growth and enhancement of the present system. This paper is the first of three related papers on the EPICS system. The other two cover (1) the system structure and user interface and (2) RSX implementation issues

Herbal option for diabetes: an overview

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Amreen Fatima

2012-05-01

Full Text Available The most spreading disease nowadays is diabetes. In a fast changing world, a number of means to treat diabetes naturally are explored by experts and clinicians today. Long-term use of insulin and other oral hypoglycemic agent will create unwanted side effects, resulting uncontrolled increase in blood sugar as well as complications with heart diseases also diabetics are highly prone to different types of microorganism and it will affect immune system of body. To avoid such problems herbal medications has greater advantages. Instead of using these types of allopathic formulations, it is beneficial to use Ayurvedic formulations for better management of diabetes mellitus. In this review, around a hundred of herbal plants were showing hypoglycemic activity and still they are using as home remedies for the effective treatment for diabetes mellitus.

Time scarcity and food choices: an overview.

Science.gov (United States)

Jabs, Jennifer; Devine, Carol M

2006-09-01

Time scarcity, the feeling of not having enough time, has been implicated in changes in food consumption patterns such as a decrease in food preparation at home, an increase in the consumption of fast foods, a decrease in family meals, and an increase in the consumption of convenience or ready-prepared foods. These food choices are associated with less healthful diets and may contribute to obesity and chronic health problems such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and cancer. In spite of the potential importance for health, there has been little study of how time scarcity influences people's food choices. This paper presents an overview of time issues related to food choices and discuss applications of time research for nutrition and health researchers, policy makers, and practitioners interested in food choice.

Hypermedia Concepts and Research: An Overview.

Science.gov (United States)

Burton, John K.; And Others

1995-01-01

Provides an overview of hypermedia, including a history of hypertext and multimedia, and discusses how they have been combined into the term hypermedia; a cognitive overview; dual coding and cue summation; and theories related to learners, including field dependence-independence, memory, and metacognition. Contains 156 references. (LRW)

An overview of biomarkers in Alzheimer’s disease

OpenAIRE

Wattamwar, Pandurang R; Mathuranath, P. S.

2010-01-01

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the commonest progressive, dementing neurodegenerative disease in elderly, which affects innumerable people each year, and these numbers are likely to further increase as the population ages. In addition to the financial burden of AD on health care system, the disease has powerful emotional impact on caregivers and families of those afflicted. In this advancing era of AD research, with the availability of new treatment strategies having disease-modifying effects, t...

Health effects of long-term exposure to air pollution: An overview of major respiratory and cardiovascular diseases and diabetes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jovanovic-Andersen Zorana

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Large number of studies provided convincing evidence for adverse effects of exposure to outdoor air pollution on human health, and served as basis for current USA and EU Air Quality Standards and limit values. Still, new knowledge is emerging, expanding our understanding of vast effects of exposure to air pollution on human health of this ubiquitous exposure affecting millions of people in urban setting. This paper focuses on the studies of health effects of long-term (chronic exposures to air pollution, and includes major chronic and acute diseases in adults and especially elderly, which will present increasing public health burden, due to improving longevity and projected increasing numbers of elderly. The paper gives overview over the most relevant and latest literature presented by different health outcomes: chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, asthma, pneumonia, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes.

Anthropogenic Drivers of Ecosystem Change: an Overview

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Gerald C. Nelson

2006-12-01

Full Text Available This paper provides an overview of what the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (MA calls "indirect and direct drivers" of change in ecosystem services at a global level. The MA definition of a driver is any natural or human-induced factor that directly or indirectly causes a change in an ecosystem. A direct driver unequivocally influences ecosystem processes. An indirect driver operates more diffusely by altering one or more direct drivers. Global driving forces are categorized as demographic, economic, sociopolitical, cultural and religious, scientific and technological, and physical and biological. Drivers in all categories other than physical and biological are considered indirect. Important direct drivers include changes in climate, plant nutrient use, land conversion, and diseases and invasive species. This paper does not discuss natural drivers such as climate variability, extreme weather events, or volcanic eruptions.

An overview of the use of music therapy in the context of Alzheimer's disease: a report of a French expert group.

Science.gov (United States)

Guetin, Stéphane; Charras, Kevin; Berard, Alain; Arbus, Christophe; Berthelon, Patrick; Blanc, Frédéric; Blayac, Jean-Pierre; Bonte, Florence; Bouceffa, Jean-Paul; Clement, Sylvain; Ducourneau, Gérard; Gzil, Fabrice; Laeng, Nathalie; Lecourt, Edith; Ledoux, Sylvie; Platel, Hervé; Thomas-Anterion, Catherine; Touchon, Jacques; Vrait, François-Xavier; Leger, Jean-Marie

2013-09-01

The aim of this overview is to present the developments of music therapy in France, its techniques, mechanisms and principal indications, mainly in the context of Alzheimer's disease. An international review of the literature on music therapy applied to Alzheimer's disease was conducted using the principal scientific search engines. A work group of experts in music therapy and psychosocial techniques then considered the different points highlighted in the review of literature and discussed them. Clinical and neurophysiological studies have enlightened some positive benefits of music in providing support for people with Alzheimer's disease or related disorders. Music therapy acts mainly through emotional and psycho-physiological pathways. It includes a series of techniques that can respond to targeted therapeutic objectives. Some studies have shown that music therapy reduces anxiety, alleviates periods of depression and aggressive behaviour and thus significantly improves mood, communication and autonomy of patients. Psychosocial interventions, such as music therapy, can contribute to maintain or rehabilitate functional cognitive and sensory abilities, as well as emotional and social skills and to reduce the severity of some behavioural disorders.

Alzheimer\\'s Disease: Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow

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Farid Fadaei

2007-04-01

Full Text Available Alzheimer's disease is the most common and well - known cause of dementia, as a progressive, irreversible brain disorder that affects cognitive function, personality, thought, perception and behaviour. Alzheimer's disease is the fourth leading cause of death in western countries. Interesting to know that this disease was unknown in medical community till 100 years ago and had no name. Dr. Alois Alzheimer, a German psychiatrist was the person who suspected the presence of this new illness and by succinct clinical, neuroanatomic, and neuropathologic examination of some cases; including the first known case of this disease- a woman named Auguste Deter- documented it. In further Emil Kraepe1inby knowing about the cases that Dr. Alzheimer reported, and another reports of this disease that were published in the first decade of the twentieth century, set the name of Alzbeimer on this new disease. Descriptions of Dr. Alzheimer and Kraepelin are the same as the present day descriptions of this disease. Electron microscopy, quantitative morphology and modem biochemistry emerging in the second half of the twentieth century opened a new era in dementia research with description of the ultra structure and biochemistry of senileplaques and neuronfibrillary tangles, the major disease markers of Alzheimer's disease. Basic research gave insight into the molecular genetics and pathophysiology of Alzheimers disease and based on the biochemical findings, new pharmacological treatment options were opened. The future attempts will probably be concentrated on the prevention of this disease. Oxidative stress, excessive transition metal ions, and misfolded / aggregated proteins and inflammation are among the probable causes of Alzheimer's disease and the future research will focus on their better understanding and prevention of their occurrence. As the last word, stem cells grafts that in animals have led to remarkable improvement of brain function may also be a

Inherited metabolic liver diseases in infants and children: an overview

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Ivo Barić

2013-10-01

damage into portal cirrhosis, this classisfication is still very useful. Diagnostic work-up in an unexplained liver disease can be very complex and tricky, particularly in patients with (subacute liver failure, when the time for interventions is limited, many pathological laboratory results can be a secondary abnormality, and many specific tests should be done and interpreted properly in parallel with various treatment measures. In such clinical setting, specific knowledge, skills, experience, special drugs and properly equiped diagnostic laboratories are, as a rule, necessary for good clinical outcome. Therefore, it is highly recommended to transfer the patient as soon as possible to a specialized center where all these requirements can be fulfilled by an experienced specialized team comprising pediatric gastroenterologist, subspecialist in metabolic diseases, intensivist, surgeon, biochemist and others. Such an approach is the only way to decrease the still high proportion of patients with inherited metabolic liver diseases who remain causally undiagnosed and whose outcome is far from optimal.

Microorganisms with Claimed Probiotic Properties: An Overview of Recent Literature

Science.gov (United States)

Fijan, Sabina

2014-01-01

Probiotics are defined as live microorganisms, which when administered in adequate amounts, confer a health benefit on the host. Health benefits have mainly been demonstrated for specific probiotic strains of the following genera: Lactobacillus, Bifidobacterium, Saccharomyces, Enterococcus, Streptococcus, Pediococcus, Leuconostoc, Bacillus, Escherichia coli. The human microbiota is getting a lot of attention today and research has already demonstrated that alteration of this microbiota may have far-reaching consequences. One of the possible routes for correcting dysbiosis is by consuming probiotics. The credibility of specific health claims of probiotics and their safety must be established through science-based clinical studies. This overview summarizes the most commonly used probiotic microorganisms and their demonstrated health claims. As probiotic properties have been shown to be strain specific, accurate identification of particular strains is also very important. On the other hand, it is also demonstrated that the use of various probiotics for immunocompromised patients or patients with a leaky gut has also yielded infections, sepsis, fungemia, bacteraemia. Although the vast majority of probiotics that are used today are generally regarded as safe and beneficial for healthy individuals, caution in selecting and monitoring of probiotics for patients is needed and complete consideration of risk-benefit ratio before prescribing is recommended. PMID:24859749

Veterinary clinical nutrition: success stories: an overview.

Science.gov (United States)

Davies, Mike

2016-08-01

In this overview of success stories in veterinary clinical nutrition topics in cats and dogs reviewed include the dietary management of chronic kidney disease, dissolution of urinary tract uroliths by dietary modification, the recognition that taurine and L-carnitine deficiencies can cause dilated cardiomyopathy; that clinical signs associated with feline hyperthyroidism (caused by a benign adenoma) can be controlled by a low-iodine diet alone; that dietary management of canine osteoarthritis can also reduce non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug doses; and that disease-free intervals and survival times can be statistically longer in dogs with Stage III lymphoma managed with diet. As we discover more about nutrigenetics and nutrigenomics, and as we expand our basic understanding of idiopathic diseases we are bound to identify more nutritionally related causes, and be able to develop novel dietary strategies to manage disease processes, including the formulation of diets designed to alter gene expression to obtain beneficial clinical outcomes.

Argyrophilic grain disease: An underestimated tauopathy

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Roberta Diehl Rodriguez

Full Text Available Argyrophilic grain disease (AGD is an under-recognized, distinct, highly frequent sporadic tauopathy, with a prevalence reaching 31.3% in centenarians. The most common AGD manifestation is slowly progressive amnestic mild cognitive impairment, accompanied by a high prevalence of neuropsychiatric symptoms. AGD diagnosis can only be achieved postmortem based on the finding of its three main pathologic features: argyrophilic grains, oligodendrocytic coiled bodies and neuronal pretangles. AGD is frequently seen together with Alzheimer's disease-type pathology or in association with other neurodegenerative diseases. Recent studies suggest that AGD may be a defense mechanism against the spread of other neuropathological entities, particularly Alzheimer's disease. This review aims to provide an in-depth overview of the current understanding on AGD.

An Overview of Head and Neck Malignancy with Perineural Spread.

Science.gov (United States)

Panizza, Benedict J

2016-04-01

This article provides an overview of perineural spread of head and neck malignancy. It defines the problem and explores some of the unique features, which occur with this pathology. The expectation is for a better understanding of this extraordinary disease, hopefully leading to earlier diagnosis and for a more consistent reporting of results. It summarizes the topics to be covered in this special edition, which should leave the reader with a fairly complete understanding of the contemporary issues of perineural spread.

Astronomie spatiale infrarouge, aujourd’hui et demain = Infrared space astronomy, today and tomorrow

CERN Document Server

Lequeux, J; David, F

2000-01-01

This book brings together the lectures given at the Les Houches summer school "Infrared space astronomy, today and tomorrow". It gives a wide overview of infrared astronomy, a wavelength domain crucial for studies of the solar system, stars at the beginning and end of their lives, interstellar matter and galaxies at all distances. Recent developments in observational techniques have been tremendous. The first contributions give an introduction to the basic physical processes and methods of detection and data processing. They are followed by a series of lectures dealing with the wide variety of astronomical objects that can be seen in the infrared.

Therapeutic potential of Aegle marmelos (L.-An overview

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Shahedur Rahman

2014-02-01

Full Text Available Medicinal plants are used in herbalism. They form the easily available source for healthcare purposes in rural and tribal areas. In the present review, an attempt has been made to congregate the phytochemical and pharmacological studies done on an important medicinal plant Aegle marmelos. Extensive experimental and clinical studies prove that Aegle marmelos possesses antidiarrhoeal, antimicrobial, antiviral, radioprotective, anticancer, chemopreventive, antipyretic, ulcer healing, antigenotoxic, diuretic, antifertility and anti-inflammatory properties, which help it to play role in prevention and treatment of many disease. Therefore, it is worthwhile to review its therapeutic properties to give an overview of its status to scientist both modern and ancient. This review also encompasses on the potential application of the above plant in the pharmaceutical field due to its wide pharmacological activities.

Miniature UAVs : An overview

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Weimar, P.W.L.; Kerkkamp, J.S.F.; Wiel, R.A.N.; Meiller, P.P.; Bos, J.G.H.

2014-01-01

With this book TNO provides an overview of topics related to Miniature Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (MUAVs). Both novices and experts may find this publication valuable. The Netherlands Organisation for Applied Scientific Research TNO conducts research on UAVs and MUAVs, see for example [1], on the

An Overview on Coronary Heart Disease (A Comparative Evaluation of Turkey and Europe and Cost-effectiveness of Diagnostic Strategies

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Cengiz Taşçı

2011-12-01

Full Text Available Objective: Coronary heart disease (CHD is the leading cause of death for men and women in Turkey as it is in Europe and US. The prevalence of the disease is 3.8% in Turkey and 200,000 patients are added to the pool of CHD annually Because of genetic predis¬position and high proportions of physical inactivity, smoking habit, and obesity, CHD is encountered in earlier ages in our country So, the economic burden of the disease is expected to be relatively high, but the amount of health expenditure is not always parallel to the prevalence of a disease in the community. This article was written to overview CHD statistics to make a comparison between Turkey and some European countries and to investigate the value of myocardial perfusion scan (MPS as a gatekeeper in diagnosing CHD before invasive coronary angiography (ICA. The consequences were evaluated for Turkey In diagnosis; noninvasive testing gains impor¬tance in connection with the new approaches in treatment strategies, because a direct ICA strategy results in higher rates of revascu¬larization without improvement in clinical outcomes. A "gatekeeper" is needed to select the patients who are not required to under¬go angiography. MPS with its proved power in diagnosis and predicting prognosis, provides a cost-effective solution, and is accepted in some extensive analyses as a "gatekeeper" particularly in intermediate and high risk patients and in patients with known CHD. In conclusion, MPS may provide an optimal solution better than the ongoing situation in Turkey as well, when it is approved as a "gatekeeper in an algorithm before ICA. (MIRT 2011;20:75-93

Earth as Building Material – an overview of RILEM activities and recent Innovations in Geotechnics

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Vyncke Johan

2018-01-01

Full Text Available This paper presents an overview of the different earth building techniques, the latest innovations and the normative aspects. The oldest man made earth constructions known to exist date back to 10 000 BC. Since then, earth has remained a popular building material throughout history. With time, different techniques evolved, starting from sundried adobe blocks to cob constructions, rammed earth walls and compressed earth bricks. Today these techniques are still being optimized and alternative binders, specifically adapted admixtures and surface treatments are being developed. Even though nearly one third of the world’s population lives in an earth construction, few specific building standards and testing methods exist. Many of the tests used today are based on tests for concrete and thus do not take into account the complex nature of earth constructions, such as their sensitivity to water. RILEM, the union of Laboratories and Experts in Construction Materials, Systems and Structures, set up a new Technical Committee in 2016: TC TCE (Testing and Characterisation of Earth-based building materials and elements. This committee, consisting of an international group of experts on the topic, aim to define testing procedures for earth as a building construction material. To end with, this paper also gives a short introduction to “Deep soil mixing”, an “earth” building technique dedicated to geotechnical engineering.

Acquiring, recording, and analyzing pathology data from experimental mice: an overview.

Science.gov (United States)

Scudamore, Cheryl L

2014-03-21

Pathology is often underutilized as an end point in mouse studies in academic research because of a lack of experience and expertise. The use of traditional pathology techniques including necropsy and microscopic analysis can be useful in identifying the basic processes underlying a phenotype and facilitating comparison with equivalent human diseases. This overview aims to provide a guide and reference to the acquisition, recording, and analysis of high-quality pathology data from experimental mice in an academic research setting. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

An Overview of Animal Models for Arthropod-Borne Viruses.

Science.gov (United States)

Reynolds, Erin S; Hart, Charles E; Hermance, Meghan E; Brining, Douglas L; Thangamani, Saravanan

2017-06-01

Arthropod-borne viruses (arboviruses) have continued to emerge in recent years, posing a significant health threat to millions of people worldwide. The majority of arboviruses that are pathogenic to humans are transmitted by mosquitoes and ticks, but other types of arthropod vectors can also be involved in the transmission of these viruses. To alleviate the health burdens associated with arbovirus infections, it is necessary to focus today's research on disease control and therapeutic strategies. Animal models for arboviruses are valuable experimental tools that can shed light on the pathophysiology of infection and will enable the evaluation of future treatments and vaccine candidates. Ideally an animal model will closely mimic the disease manifestations observed in humans. In this review, we outline the currently available animal models for several viruses vectored by mosquitoes, ticks, and midges, for which there are no standardly available vaccines or therapeutics.

Triticale biotic stresses--an overview.

Science.gov (United States)

Arseniuk, Edward

2014-01-01

Triticale has been considered as resistant to diseases over a long time. Although, many authors perpetuate this opinion, it is no longer true. However, in comparison to wheat and rye triticale still may look as a healthy crop, but its healthiness has been steadily declining. It could be explained by steady expansion of the growing area and longer exposure to pathogens. On the other hand, triticale is a crop on which meet pathogens of wheat and rye, but there is evidence that on triticale embedded more so called "wheat pathogens", than rye ones. For such an notable example may serve races of Puccinia recondita. In the latter respect triticale also appears to be a bridge facilitating a direct contact between the pathogens, e.g. between physiological forms of the most important cereal rusts. Such contacts stimulate somatic hybridization on bridging triticale plant and may finally result in new hybrid pathotypes carrying virulence genes (factors) to all three hosts, i.e. triticale, wheat and rye. In addition to all triticale commercial and agronomical values, triticale still is and it will continue to be bridging transfers of resistance genes to various pathogens and pests mainly from rye to wheat. The paper will describe main diseases affecting triticale worldwide. The first disease which occurred on this cereal in epidemic proportions was stem rust (Pucinia graminis f. sp. tritici) in Australia. Leaf and stripe rusts (P. recondita f. sp. tritici and P. striiformis) are also have gained in importance everywhere triticale is grown. In recent years, at least in Poland, powdery mildew caused by Blumeria graminis occurred in epidemic proportions in quite a number of winter triticale cultivars. Similar phenomenon has been observed with quite a number of other diseases caused by facultative pathogens, such as the most damaging to triticale the Stagonospora spp. leaf and glume blotch disease complex and other pathogens like Cochliobolus sativus, Fusarium culmorum, and F

Ebola virus vaccines: an overview of current approaches

Science.gov (United States)

Marzi, Andrea; Feldmann, Heinz

2016-01-01

Ebola hemorrhagic fever is one of the most fatal viral diseases worldwide affecting humans and nonhuman primates. Although infections only occur frequently in Central Africa, the virus has the potential to spread globally and is classified as a category A pathogen that could be misused as a bioterrorism agent. As of today there is no vaccine or treatment licensed to counteract Ebola virus infections. DNA, subunit and several viral vector approaches, replicating and non-replicating, have been tested as potential vaccine platforms and their protective efficacy has been evaluated in nonhuman primate models for Ebola virus infections, which closely resemble disease progression in humans. Though these vaccine platforms seem to confer protection through different mechanisms, several of them are efficacious against lethal disease in nonhuman primates attesting that vaccination against Ebola virus infections is feasible. PMID:24575870

An overview of the energy demand

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lavergne, R.

2009-01-01

According to IEA the world demand for energy is likely to grow by 45% from now to 2030 if today's tendency is extrapolated and coal would represent the third of this energy increase. The world CO 2 releases might have grown by 55% in 2030 compared to today's releases. Today at the world scale, the sector that generates most greenhouse effect gases is the energy production (26%) followed by industry (19%). France's strategy concerning climate change and energy policy is recalled and fits with European Union's action plan. This action plan in the energy sector follows 6 axes: -) the setting of an European market of energy, -) +20% in energy efficiency by 2020, -) 20% of renewable energies in the energy mix by 2020, -) the development of a European technology for a low carbon future, -) the development of nuclear energy, and -) The setting of a European foreign energy policy. (A.C.)

House of tomorrow today

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Lichtenberg, J.J.N.; Ham, M.; Hensen, J.L.M.

2011-01-01

The House of Tomorrow Today is a project focussing on a healthy, energy producing dwelling to be realized with today¿s proven technology. The project aims at an energy plus level based on the principles as formulated in SmartBuilding (Slimbouwen) [1] ActiveHouse [2] and HoTT [3] It can be seen as

Monadologies:An historical overview

OpenAIRE

Dunham, Jeremy; Phemister, Pauline

2016-01-01

This introductory overview comprises (i) a brief account of Leibniz's own monadology; (ii) a discussion of the reception of his philosophy up to Kant; and (iii) a short overview of the monadologies developed after Kant's first Critique, made via a summary of key points raised in this guest issue, highlighting recurrent themes, which include questions of historiography.

An overview of travel-associated central nervous system infectious diseases: risk assessment, general considerations and future directions.

Science.gov (United States)

Izadi, Morteza; Is'haqi, Arman; Is'haqi, Mohammad Ali; Jonaidi Jafari, Nematollah; Rahamaty, Fatemeh; Banki, Abdolali

2014-08-01

Nervous system infections are among the most important diseases in travellers. Healthy travellers might be exposed to infectious agents of central nervous system, which may require in-patient care. Progressive course is not uncommon in this family of disorders and requires swift diagnosis. An overview of the available evidence in the field is, therefore, urgent to pave the way to increase the awareness of travel-medicine practitioners and highlights dark areas for future research. In November 2013, data were collected from PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Knowledge (1980 to 2013) including books, reviews, and peer-reviewed literature. Works pertained to pre-travel care, interventions, vaccinations related neurological infections were retrieved. Here we provide information on pre-travel care, vaccination, chronic nervous system disorders, and post-travel complications. Recommendations with regard to knowledge gaps, and state-of-the-art research are made. Given an increasing number of international travellers, novel dynamic ways are available for physicians to monitor spread of central nervous system infections. Newer research has made great progresses in developing newer medications, detecting the spread of infections and the public awareness. Despite an ongoing scientific discussion in the field of travel medicine, further research is required for vaccine development, state-of-the-art laboratory tests, and genetic engineering of vectors.

Alternative microbial methods: An overview and selection criteria.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Jasson, V.; Jacxsens, L.; Luning, P.A.; Rajkovic, A.; Uyttendaele, M.

2010-01-01

This study provides an overview and criteria for the selection of a method, other than the reference method, for microbial analysis of foods. In a first part an overview of the general characteristics of rapid methods available, both for enumeration and detection, is given with reference to relevant

Poly Cystic Ovarian Syndrome: An Updated Overview

Science.gov (United States)

El Hayek, Samer; Bitar, Lynn; Hamdar, Layal H.; Mirza, Fadi G.; Daoud, Georges

2016-01-01

Poly Cystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) is one of the most common metabolic and reproductive disorders among women of reproductive age. Women suffering from PCOS present with a constellation of symptoms associated with menstrual dysfunction and androgen excess, which significantly impacts their quality of life. They may be at increased risk of multiple morbidities, including obesity, insulin resistance, type II diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular disease (CVD), infertility, cancer, and psychological disorders. This review summarizes what the literature has so far provided from guidelines to diagnosis of PCOS. It will also present a general overview about the morbidities associated with this disease, specifically with its more severe classic form. Finally, the review will stress on the various aspects of treatment and screening recommendations currently used in the management of this condition. PMID:27092084

Poly Cystic Ovarian Syndrome: an updated overview

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Samer eEl Hayek

2016-04-01

Full Text Available 1.AbstractPoly Cystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS is one of the most common metabolic and reproductive disorders among women of reproductive age. Women suffering from PCOS present with a constellation of symptoms associated with menstrual dysfunction and androgen excess, which significantly impacts their quality of life. They may be at increased risk of multiple morbidities, including obesity, insulin resistance, type II diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular disease, infertility, cancer, and psychological disorders. This review summarizes what the literature has so far provided from guidelines to diagnosis of PCOS. It will also present a general overview about the morbidities associated with this disease, specifically with its more severe classic form. Finally, the review will stress on the various aspects of treatment and screening recommendations currently used in the management of this condition.

An overview of an amplitude integrated EEG

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Setyo Handryastuti

2007-05-01

for neurodevelopmental problem in conditions such as hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE, prematurity, neonatal seizures, central nervous system infection, metabolic disorders, intraventricular or intracranial bleeding and brain malformation. This article gives an overview about aEEG and its role in newborn.

An overview of diseases in fish hatcheries and nurseries

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Md. Ali Reza Faruk

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Quality and healthy fish seed is the prerequisite for sustainable aquaculture. A major challenge to the expansion of aquaculture production is the outbreak of diseases. Disease induced mortality is a serious issue for the fish seed industry. The immature immune system in fish makes the early developmental stages more susceptible to infectious diseases. Common fish diseases in hatcheries and in early rearing systems are caused by protozoan, ciliates, myxosporodians, worms, opportunistic bacteria and fungi. Production of healthy fish seed and survivality depends on the proper health management, maintenance of good water quality, proper nutrition and application of biosecurity measures. The paper highlighted the different types of diseases, causative agents and their prevention and control measures in fish hatcheries and nurseries. [Fundam Appl Agric 2017; 2(3.000: 311-316

Environmental taxation. An overview

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Marcus, Vincent; Duboucher, Peggy; Ben Maid, Atika; Devaux, Jeremy; Nicklaus, Doris; Calvet, Melanie; Poupard, Christophe; Pourquier, Francois-Xavier; Vicard, Augustin; Monnoyer-Smith, Laurence

2017-01-01

This official publication proposes a detailed overview of the situation of environmental taxation in France. It first gives a general overview by discussing some key figures, by recalling the chronology of the main environmental taxation arrangements, and by discussing lessons learned from French and foreign experiments for an efficient, acceptable and consistent taxation. The second part proposes a detailed presentation of environmental taxation by distinguishing its main themes and objectives: struggle against climate change, reduction of air pollution and water pollution, and wastes, preservations and development of resources from biodiversity (soil artificialization, sustainable management of fauna and flora), efficient use of non renewable resources and of water (water resources, energetic and mineral raw materials). For each of these themes, the report presents the environmental problematic, and the existing arrangements, and proposes some elements of international comparison. The last part proposes a list of all environmental taxes

Operating the Advanced Test Reactor in today's economic and regulatory environment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Furstenau, R.V.; Patrick, M.E.; Mecham, D.C.

1999-01-01

The Advanced Test Reactor (ATR), located at the Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory, is the US Department of Energy's largest and most versatile test reactor. Base programs at ATR are planned well into the 21st century. The ATR and support facilities along with an overview of current programs will be reviewed, but the main focus of the presentation will be on the impact that today's economic and regulatory concerns have had on the operation of this test reactor. Today's economic and regulatory concerns have demanded more work be completed at lower cost while increasing the margin of safety. By the beginning of the 1990 s, federal budgets for research generally and particularly for nuclear research had decreased dramatically. Many national needs continued to require testing in the ATR; but demanded lower cost, increased efficiency, improved performance, and an increased margin of safety. At the same time budgets were decreasing, there was an increase in regulatory compliance activity. The new standards imposed higher margins of safety. The new era of greater openness and higher safety standards complemented research demands to work safer, smarter and more efficiently. Several changes were made at the ATR to meet the demands of the sponsors and public. Such changes included some workforce reductions, securing additional program sponsors, upgrading some facilities, dismantling other facilities, and implementing new safety programs. (author)

Women in engineering conference: capitalizing on today`s challenges

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Metz, S.S.; Martins, S.M. [eds.

1996-06-01

This document contains the conference proceedings of the Women in Engineering Conference: Capitalizing on Today`s Challenges, held June 1-4, 1996 in Denver, Colorado. Topics included engineering and science education, career paths, workplace issues, and affirmative action.

How smartphones are changing the face of mobile and participatory healthcare: an overview, with example from eCAALYX.

Science.gov (United States)

Boulos, Maged N Kamel; Wheeler, Steve; Tavares, Carlos; Jones, Ray

2011-04-05

The latest generation of smartphones are increasingly viewed as handheld computers rather than as phones, due to their powerful on-board computing capability, capacious memories, large screens and open operating systems that encourage application development. This paper provides a brief state-of-the-art overview of health and healthcare smartphone apps (applications) on the market today, including emerging trends and market uptake. Platforms available today include Android, Apple iOS, RIM BlackBerry, Symbian, and Windows (Windows Mobile 6.x and the emerging Windows Phone 7 platform). The paper covers apps targeting both laypersons/patients and healthcare professionals in various scenarios, e.g., health, fitness and lifestyle education and management apps; ambient assisted living apps; continuing professional education tools; and apps for public health surveillance. Among the surveyed apps are those assisting in chronic disease management, whether as standalone apps or part of a BAN (Body Area Network) and remote server configuration. We describe in detail the development of a smartphone app within eCAALYX (Enhanced Complete Ambient Assisted Living Experiment, 2009-2012), an EU-funded project for older people with multiple chronic conditions. The eCAALYX Android smartphone app receives input from a BAN (a patient-wearable smart garment with wireless health sensors) and the GPS (Global Positioning System) location sensor in the smartphone, and communicates over the Internet with a remote server accessible by healthcare professionals who are in charge of the remote monitoring and management of the older patient with multiple chronic conditions. Finally, we briefly discuss barriers to adoption of health and healthcare smartphone apps (e.g., cost, network bandwidth and battery power efficiency, usability, privacy issues, etc.), as well as some workarounds to mitigate those barriers.

How smartphones are changing the face of mobile and participatory healthcare: an overview, with example from eCAALYX

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tavares Carlos

2011-04-01

Full Text Available Abstract The latest generation of smartphones are increasingly viewed as handheld computers rather than as phones, due to their powerful on-board computing capability, capacious memories, large screens and open operating systems that encourage application development. This paper provides a brief state-of-the-art overview of health and healthcare smartphone apps (applications on the market today, including emerging trends and market uptake. Platforms available today include Android, Apple iOS, RIM BlackBerry, Symbian, and Windows (Windows Mobile 6.x and the emerging Windows Phone 7 platform. The paper covers apps targeting both laypersons/patients and healthcare professionals in various scenarios, e.g., health, fitness and lifestyle education and management apps; ambient assisted living apps; continuing professional education tools; and apps for public health surveillance. Among the surveyed apps are those assisting in chronic disease management, whether as standalone apps or part of a BAN (Body Area Network and remote server configuration. We describe in detail the development of a smartphone app within eCAALYX (Enhanced Complete Ambient Assisted Living Experiment, 2009-2012, an EU-funded project for older people with multiple chronic conditions. The eCAALYX Android smartphone app receives input from a BAN (a patient-wearable smart garment with wireless health sensors and the GPS (Global Positioning System location sensor in the smartphone, and communicates over the Internet with a remote server accessible by healthcare professionals who are in charge of the remote monitoring and management of the older patient with multiple chronic conditions. Finally, we briefly discuss barriers to adoption of health and healthcare smartphone apps (e.g., cost, network bandwidth and battery power efficiency, usability, privacy issues, etc., as well as some workarounds to mitigate those barriers.

The integration of quality function deployment and Kansei Engineering: An overview of application

Science.gov (United States)

Lokman, Anitawati Mohd; Awang, Ahmad Azran; Omar, Abdul Rahman; Abdullah, Nur Atiqah Sia

2016-02-01

As a result of today's globalized world and robust development of emerging markets, consumers are able to select from an endless number of products that are mostly similar in terms of design and properties, as well as equivalent in function and performance. The survival of businesses in a competitive ambience requires innovation, consumer loyalty, and products that are easily identifiable by consumers. Today's manufacturers have started to employ customer research instruments to survive in the highly industrialized world—for example, Conjoint Analysis, Design of Experiments and Semantic Design of Environment. However, this work only attempts to concentrate on Kansei Engineering and Quality Function Deployment. Kansei Engineering (KE) is deemed as the most appropriate method to link consumers' feelings, emotions or senses to the properties of a product because it translates people's impressions, interests, and feelings to the solutions of product design. Likewise, Quality Function Deployment (QFD) enables clearer interpretation of the needs of consumers, better concepts or products, and enhanced communication to internal operations that must then manufacture and deliver the product or services. The integration of both KE and QFD is believed possible, as many product manufacturers and businesses have started to utilize systematized methods to translate consumers' needs and wants into processes and products. Therefore, this work addresses areas of various integrations of KE and QFD processes in the industry, in an effort to assist an integration of KE and QFD. This work aims to provide evidence on the integration mechanism to enable successful incorporation of consumer's implicit feelings and demands into product quality improvement, and simultaneously providing an overview of both KE and QFD from the perspective of a novice.

What We Know About Tuberculosis Transmission: An Overview.

Science.gov (United States)

Churchyard, Gavin; Kim, Peter; Shah, N Sarita; Rustomjee, Roxana; Gandhi, Neel; Mathema, Barun; Dowdy, David; Kasmar, Anne; Cardenas, Vicky

2017-11-03

Tuberculosis remains a global health problem with an enormous burden of disease, estimated at 10.4 million new cases in 2015. To stop the tuberculosis epidemic, it is critical that we interrupt tuberculosis transmission. Further, the interventions required to interrupt tuberculosis transmission must be targeted to high-risk groups and settings. A simple cascade for tuberculosis transmission has been proposed in which (1) a source case of tuberculosis (2) generates infectious particles (3) that survive in the air and (4) are inhaled by a susceptible individual (5) who may become infected and (6) then has the potential to develop tuberculosis. Interventions that target these events will interrupt tuberculosis transmission and accelerate the decline in tuberculosis incidence and mortality. The purpose of this article is to provide a high-level overview of what is known about tuberculosis transmission, using the tuberculosis transmission cascade as a framework, and to set the scene for the articles in this series, which address specific aspects of tuberculosis transmission. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press for the Infectious Diseases Society of America.

Agile Software Development: An Introduction and Overview

Science.gov (United States)

Dingsøyr, Torgeir; Dybå, Tore; Moe, Nils Brede

Agile software development is an important topic in software engineering and information systems. This chapter provides a characterization and definition of agile software development, an overview of research through a summary of existing overview studies, an analysis of the research literature so far, and an introduction to the main themes of this book. The first part of the book provides foundations and background of agile development. The second part describes findings from studies of agile methods in practice. The third part identifies principal challenges and discusses new frontiers that agile development methods will meet in the future.

Cascade annealing: an overview

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Doran, D.G.; Schiffgens, J.O.

1976-04-01

Concepts and an overview of radiation displacement damage modeling and annealing kinetics are presented. Short-term annealing methodology is described and results of annealing simulations performed on damage cascades generated using the Marlowe and Cascade programs are included. Observations concerning the inconsistencies and inadequacies of current methods are presented along with simulation of high energy cascades and simulation of longer-term annealing

Liver transplantation:Yesterday,today and tomorrow

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

Osman Abbasoglu

2008-01-01

With the advances in technical skills,management of postoperative complications and improvements in immunosuppressive drugs,liver transplantation is the standard treatment for many patients with chronic liver disease.Today,shortage of donor organs seems to be the major limiting factor for the application of liver transplantation.This review focuses on five issues that are challenging to clinical practice of liver transplantation and relevant to gastroenterologists.These include living donor liver transplantation,recurrent viral hepatitis,non-heart-beating donors,hepatocellular carcinoma,and ABO incompatible livertransplantation.Living donor and non-heart beating donor transplantations were initiated as a solution to increase the donor organ pool and it is expected that there will be an increase in the number of these donors.Recurrent hepatitis C and hepatocellular carcinoma following liver transplantation are among major problems and ongoing research in these diseases may lead to better outcomes in these recipients.

An Energy Overview of the Czech Republic

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2003-01-01

The DOE Office of Fossil Energy is maintaining a web site that is meant to provide useful business- and energy-related information about countries and regions of the world for exporters, project developers, and researchers. The site consists of more than 130 country pages (organized into seven different world regions), with each country page having its own set of links to information sources about that country. There are also more than 30 Country Energy Overviews at the web site -- each of these is a comprehensive review of a specific country's entire energy situation, including sections on Energy Policy, Oil, Natural Gas, Coal, Hydroelectric/Renewables, Nuclear Power, Energy Transmission Infrastructure, Electricity, Electric Industry Overview, Environmental Activities, Privatization, Trade, and Economic Situation. The specific country highlighted in this Country Energy Overview is the Czech Republic. The site is designed to be dynamic. Updates to the overviews will be made as need an d resources permit

Epidemiology, disease and control of infections in ruminants by herpesviruses - an overview : review article

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

J.R. Patel

2008-05-01

Full Text Available There are at least 16 recognised herpesviruses that naturally infect cattle, sheep, goats and various species of deer and antelopes. Six of the viruses are recognised as distinct alphaherpesviruses and 9 as gammaherpesviruses. Buffalo herpesvirus (BflHV and ovine herpesvirus-1 (OvHV-1 remain officially unclassified. The prevalence of ruminant herpesviruses varies from worldwide to geographically restricted in distribution. Viruses in both subfamilies Alphaherpesvirinae and Gammaherpesvirinae cause mild to moderate and severe disease in respective natural or secondary ruminant hosts. Accordingly, the economic and ecological impact of the viruses is also variable. The molecular characteristics of some members have been investigated in detail. This has led to the identification of virulence-associated genes and construction of deletion mutants and recombinant viruses. Some of the latter have been developed as commercial vaccines. This paper aims to give an overview of the epidemiology and pathogenesis of infection by these viruses, immuno-prophylaxis and mechanisms of recovery from infection. Since there are 128 ruminant species in the family Bovidae, it is likely that some herpesviruses remain undiscovered. We conclude that currently known ruminant alphaherpesviruses occur only in their natural hosts and do not cross stably into other ruminant species. By contrast, gammaherpesviruses have a much broader host range as evidenced by the fact that antibodies reactive to alcelaphine herpesvirus type 1 have been detected in 4 subfamilies in the family Bovidae, namely Alcelaphinae, Hippotraginae, Ovibovinae and Caprinae. New gammaherpesviruses within these subfamilies are likely to be discovered in the future.

Role of AMPK in Diabetic Cardiovascular Complications: An Overview.

Science.gov (United States)

Kumar, Ashutosh; Nellaiappan, Karthika; Yerra, Veera Ganesh

2018-05-07

Macrovascular complications of diabetes like cardiovascular diseases appear to be one of the leading causes of mortality. Current therapies aimed at counteracting the adverse effects of diabetes on cardiovascular system are found to be inadequate. Hence, there is growing need in search of novel targets. Adenosine monophosphate activated protein kinase (AMPK) is one such promising target, as a plethora of evidences point to its cardioprotective role in pathological milieu like cardiac hypertrophy, atherosclerosis and heart failure. AMPK is a serine-threonine kinase, which gets activated in response to a cellular depriving energy status. It orchestrates cellular metabolic response to energy demand and is, therefore, often referred to as "metabolic master switch" of the cell. In this review, we provide an overview of patho-mechanisms of diabetic cardiovascular disease; highlighting the role of AMPK in the regulation of this condition, followed by a description of extrinsic modulators of AMPK as potential therapeutic tools. Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.org.

An overview: origins and development of green chemistry

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Linthorst, J.A.

2009-01-01

This article provides an overview of the origins and development of green chemistry. Aiming to contribute to the understanding of green chemistry, basically from a historical point of view, this overview argues that contextual influences and the user friendliness of the term are drivers for the

The male reproductive system - An overview of common problems.

Science.gov (United States)

Wijesinha, Sanjiva; Piterman, Leon; Kirby, Catherine N

2013-05-01

Many male reproductive system problems could be perceived as being embarrassing, which may be one of the reasons that they are often not identified in general practice. This article provides an overview of some common problems affecting the male reproductive system, and outlines current treatment options. Erectile dysfunction, premature ejaculation, loss of libido, testicular cancer and prostate disease may cause embarrassment to the patient and, occasionally, the general practitioner. We describe how patients affected by these conditions may present to general practice, and discuss the reasons why they may not present. We also discuss how GPs can overcome difficulties in identifying and dealing with their male patients suffering from male reproductive system issues.

An Energy Overview of Argentina

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2003-01-01

The DOE Office of Fossil Energy is maintaining a web site that is meant to provide useful business- and energy-related information about countries and regions of the world for exporters, project developers, and researchers. The site consists of more than 130 country pages (organized into seven different world regions), with each country page having its own set of links to information sources about that country. There are also more than 30 Country Energy Overviews at the web site -- each of these is a comprehensive review of a specific country's entire energy situation, including sections on Energy Policy, Oil, Natural Gas, Coal, Hydroelectric/Renewables, Nuclear Power, Energy Transmission Infrastructure, Electricity, Electric Industry Overview, Environmental Activities, Privatization, Trade, and Economic Situation. The specific country highlighted in this Country Energy Overview is Argentina. The site is designed to be dynamic. Updates to the overviews will be made as need and resources permit

An Energy Overview of India

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2003-01-01

The DOE Office of Fossil Energy is maintaining a web site that is meant to provide useful business- and energy-related information about countries and regions of the world for exporters, project developers, and researchers. The site consists of more than 130 country pages (organized into seven different world regions), with each country page having its own set of links to information sources about that country. There are also more than 30 Country Energy Overviews at the web site -- each of these is a comprehensive review of a specific country's entire energy situation, including sections on Energy Policy, Oil, Natural Gas, Coal, Hydroelectric/Renewables, Nuclear Power, Energy Transmission Infrastructure, Electricity, Electric Industry Overview, Environmental Activities, Privatization, Trade, and Economic Situation. The specific country highlighted in this Country Energy Overview is India. The site is designed to be dynamic. Updates to the overviews will be made as need and resources permit

An Energy Overview of Slovenia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2003-01-01

The DOE Office of Fossil Energy is maintaining a web site that is meant to provide useful business- and energy-related information about countries and regions of the world for exporters, project developers, and researchers. The site consists of more than 130 country pages (organized into seven different world regions), with each country page having its own set of links to information sources about that country. There are also more than 30 Country Energy Overviews at the web site -- each of these is a comprehensive review of a specific country's entire energy situation, including sections on Energy Policy, Oil, Natural Gas, Coal, Hydroelectric/Renewables, Nuclear Power, Energy Transmission Infrastructure, Electricity, Electric Industry Overview, Environmental Activities, Privatization, Trade, and Economic Situation. The specific country highlighted in this Country Energy Overview is Slovenia. The site is designed to be dynamic. Updates to the overviews will be made as need and resource s permit

An Energy Overview of Mexico

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2003-01-01

The DOE Office of Fossil Energy is maintaining a web site that is meant to provide useful business- and energy-related information about countries and regions of the world for exporters, project developers, and researchers. The site consists of more than 130 country pages (organized into seven different world regions), with each country page having its own set of links to information sources about that country. There are also more than 30 Country Energy Overviews at the web site -- each of these is a comprehensive review of a specific country's entire energy situation, including sections on Energy Policy, Oil, Natural Gas, Coal, Hydroelectric/Renewables, Nuclear Power, Energy Transmission Infrastructure, Electricity, Electric Industry Overview, Environmental Activities, Privatization, Trade, and Economic Situation. The specific country highlighted in this Country Energy Overview is Mexico. The site is designed to be dynamic. Updates to the overviews will be made as need and resources permit

An Energy Overview of Romania

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2003-01-01

The DOE Office of Fossil Energy is maintaining a web site that is meant to provide useful business- and energy-related information about countries and regions of the world for exporters, project developers, and researchers. The site consists of more than 130 country pages (organized into seven different world regions), with each country page having its own set of links to information sources about that country. There are also more than 30 Country Energy Overviews at the web site -- each of these is a comprehensive review of a specific country's entire energy situation, including sections on Energy Policy, Oil, Natural Gas, Coal, Hydroelectric/Renewables, Nuclear Power, Energy Transmission Infrastructure, Electricity, Electric Industry Overview, Environmental Activities, Privatization, Trade, and Economic Situation. The specific country highlighted in this Country Energy Overview is Romania. The site is designed to be dynamic. Updates to the overviews will be made as need and resources permit

An Energy Overview of Brazil

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2003-01-01

The DOE Office of Fossil Energy is maintaining a web site that is meant to provide useful business- and energy-related information about countries and regions of the world for exporters, project developers, and researchers. The site consists of more than 130 country pages (organized into seven different world regions), with each country page having its own set of links to information sources about that country. There are also more than 30 Country Energy Overviews at the web site -- each of these is a comprehensive review of a specific country's entire energy situation, including sections on Energy Policy, Oil, Natural Gas, Coal, Hydroelectric/Renewables, Nuclear Power, Energy Transmission Infrastructure, Electricity, Electric Industry Overview, Environmental Activities, Privatization, Trade, and Economic Situation. The specific country highlighted in this Country Energy Overview is Brazil. The site is designed to be dynamic. Updates to the overviews will be made as need and resources permit

Autobiographical memory compromise in Alzheimer's disease: a cognitive and clinical overview.

Science.gov (United States)

El Haj, Mohamad; Roche, Jean; Gallouj, Karim; Gandolphe, Marie-Charlotte

2017-12-01

Autobiographical memory refers to memory for personal information. The compromise of autobiographical memory in Alzheimer's disease (AD) results in a loss of knowledge about events and facts that defined the patients' life, and consequently, degradation of their self-knowledge and sense of identity. The compromise of autobiographical memory in AD can be attributed to a diminished subjective experience of memory and a diminished sense of the self. Our review provides a comprehensive overview of cognitive and clinical processes that may be involved in difficulties to retrieve autobiographical memories in Alzheimer's disease. Our review also proposes a theoretical model according to which, the diminished ability to retrieve contextual information and the overgenerality of recall result in a diminished subjective experience of past and future thinking. Besides its theoretical contribution, our review proposes clinical applicability for evaluation and rehabilitation of autobiographical memory in AD.

An overview of JET results

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Adams, J.M.; Alladio, F.; Altmann, H.

1989-01-01

An overview is given of experimental results obtained on JET during 1988, and in particular of results at high total power input into plasmas with various configurations. An account is given of the various interpretations of these results and some of the difficulties encountered are related. The progress is summarised in terms of the projected D-T performance. (author)

[Psychosomatic aspects of hyperthyroidism with special reference to Basedow's disease. An overview].

Science.gov (United States)

Rodewig, K

1993-08-01

The following paper deals with the current research in hyperthyroidism, with special accent to Graves' disease. Besides severe psychological trauma a breakdown of neurotic defense mechanism on the ground of a special personality structure was thought to be the trigger of the disease. The metabolic changes became the main point of interest. The influence of thyrostatic, surgical and radioactive therapies on psychological symptoms, was investigated. Thereby, the previously anticipated emotional factors became less significant in the aetiology of the disease. A recent study (Paschke 1990) suggests that patient with hyperthyroidism have, even in an euthyrotic state, an increased vulnerability to anxiety provoking situations. At this point it is not clear, due to the retrospective nature of the study, whether the vulnerability exists prior to the unset of the disease or is a result of the metabolic disorder. Both thyroxin and TRH are being successfully used in the treatment of major depression. TRH acts as a neurotransmitter in the autonomic nervous system and can be demonstrated in the peripheral lymphocytes. However, the exact mechanisms of action of thyroxin and TRH are still unknown. Graves' disease is an autoimmune disease, that can be caused by specific HLA antigens. Thereby, a changed subpopulation of lymphocytes can be demonstrated, as well as there disturbed functions. A correlation between high scores for anxiety and depression on one hand and the occurrence of an abnormal T4/T8 ratio on the other hand, have been reported in a small number of cases (Paschke 1990). The psychological symptoms in hyperthyroidism are similar to the symptomatology of neurotic anxiety and the anxious depressive syndrome.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Understanding Structural Features of Microbial Lipases–-An Overview

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

John Geraldine Sandana Mala

2008-01-01

Full Text Available The structural elucidations of microbial lipases have been of prime interest since the 1980s. Knowledge of structural features plays an important role in designing and engineering lipases for specific purposes. Significant structural data have been presented for few microbial lipases, while, there is still a structure-deficit, that is, most lipase structures are yet to be resolved. A search for ‘lipase structure’ in the RCSB Protein Data Bank ( http://www.rcsb.org/pdb/ returns only 93 hits (as of September 2007 and, the NCBI database ( http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov reports 89 lipase structures as compared to 14719 core nucleotide records. It is therefore worthwhile to consider investigations on the structural analysis of microbial lipases. This review is intended to provide a collection of resources on the instrumental, chemical and bioinformatics approaches for structure analyses. X-ray crystallography is a versatile tool for the structural biochemists and is been exploited till today. The chemical methods of recent interests include molecular modeling and combinatorial designs. Bioinformatics has surged striking interests in protein structural analysis with the advent of innumerable tools. Furthermore, a literature platform of the structural elucidations so far investigated has been presented with detailed descriptions as applicable to microbial lipases. A case study of Candida rugosa lipase (CRL has also been discussed which highlights important structural features also common to most lipases. A general profile of lipase has been vividly described with an overview of lipase research reviewed in the past.

An Overview of Science Challenges Pertaining to our Understanding of Extreme Geomagnetically Induced Currents. Chapter 8

Science.gov (United States)

Ngwira, Chigomezyo M.; Pulkkinen, Antti A.

2018-01-01

Vulnerability of man-made infrastructure to Earth-directed space weather events is a serious concern for today's technology-dependent society. Space weather-driven geomagnetically induced currents (GICs) can disrupt operation of extended electrically conducting technological systems. The threat of adverse impacts on critical technological infrastructure, like power grids, oil and gas pipelines, and communication networks, has sparked renewed interest in extreme space weather. Because extreme space weather events have low occurrence rate but potentially high impact, this presents a major challenge for our understanding of extreme GIC activity. In this chapter, we discuss some of the key science challenges pertaining to our understanding of extreme events. In addition, we present an overview of GICs including highlights of severe impacts over the last 80 years and recent U.S. Federal actions relevant to this community.

An Overview of Systematic Reviews of Shenmai Injection for Healthcare

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ling-yan Lu

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Shenmai injection (SMI is widely applied in clinical practice as an organ protector. This overview is to evaluate the current evidence from systematic reviews (SRs of SMI for healthcare. The literature searches were carried out in 6 databases without language restrictions until December 2012. The quality of the primary studies from the respective SRs was evaluated by using Jadad score. The overview quality assessment questionnaire (OQAQ was used to evaluate the methodological quality of all included SRs. Twenty eligible SRs were identified. They reported a wide range of conditions, including SMI for cardio/cerebrovascular diseases, viral myocarditis, tumor chemotherapy, and adverse drug reactions. Most of the primary studies were of good quality only in 1 SR of non-small-cell lung cancer. According to the OQAQ scores, the quality of included SRs was variable and six reviews were of high quality with a score of 5 points. Two SRs showed that SMI had low adverse drug reaction occurrence. In conclusion, there is mixed evidence to support efficacy of SMI for an adjunct therapy to tumor chemotherapy and premature evidence for the use of SMI for cardio/cerebrovascular disorders and viral myocarditis. SMI seems generally safe for clinical application. Further large sample-size and well-designed RCTs are needed.

The Practice of Campus-Based Threat Assessment: An Overview

Science.gov (United States)

Pollard, Jeffrey W.; Nolan, Jeffrey J.; Deisinger, Eugene R. D.

2012-01-01

This article provides an overview of threat assessment and management as implemented on campuses of higher education. Standards of practice and state calls for implementation are cited. An overview of some of the basic principles for threat assessment and management implementation is accompanied by examples of how they are utilized. Pitfalls…

An overview of maritime archaeological studies in India

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Tripati, S.

stream_size 66180 stream_content_type text/plain stream_name Maritime_contacts_of_the_past_2015_729.pdf.txt stream_source_info Maritime_contacts_of_the_past_2015_729.pdf.txt Content-Encoding UTF-8 Content-Type text/plain; charset...=UTF-8 AN OVERVIEW OF MARITIME ARCHAEOLOGICAL STUDIES IN INDIA 729An overview of maritime archaeological studies in India Sila Tripati, CSIR-National Institute of Oceanography, Goa, India Trade and cultural contacts among the people...

Late Effects of Polio: An Overview

Science.gov (United States)

... Polio Wellness Retreats For Health Professionals The Late Effects of Polio: An Overview FRENCH | GERMAN | PORTUGUESE POLIOMYELITIS ( ... largest and most inclusive category is called Late Effects of Polio or Polio Sequelae and is defined ...

[The DSM-V : An overview].

Science.gov (United States)

Loas, G

The aim of the present article is to present an overview of the recently published 5th version of the DSM. After a brief historic of the different versions of the DSM since the third edition, the main features of the classification were presented followed by the particularities of the fifth version.

An Overview of Multiple Sclerosis: Medical, Psychosocial, and Vocational Aspects of a Chronic and Unpredictable Neurological Disorder

Science.gov (United States)

Rumrill, Phillip D., Jr.; Roessler, Richard T.

2015-01-01

This article presents an overview of multiple sclerosis (MS), one of the most common neurological disorders in the western hemisphere. Medical and psychosocial aspects of the disease such as causes and risk factors, diagnosis, incidence and prevalence, symptoms, courses, and treatment are described. Existing research regarding the employment…

The Interaction Between Thyroid and Kidney Disease: An Overview of the Evidence

Science.gov (United States)

Rhee, Connie M.

2016-01-01

Purpose of Review Hypothyroidism is highly prevalent in chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients, including those receiving dialysis. This review examines potential mechanistic links between thyroid and kidney disease; current evidence for hypothyroidism as a risk factor for de novo CKD and CKD progression; and studies of thyroid functional disorders, cardiovascular disease, and death in the CKD population. Recent Findings Epidemiologic data have demonstrated an incrementally higher prevalence of hypothyroidism with increasing severity of kidney dysfunction. Various thyroid functional test abnormalities are also commonly observed in CKD, due to alterations in thyroid hormone synthesis, metabolism, and regulation. While the mechanistic link between thyroid and kidney disease remains unclear, observational studies suggest hypothyroidism is associated with abnormal kidney structure and function. Previously thought to be a physiologic adaptation, recent studies show that hypothyroidism is associated with higher risk of cardiovascular disease and death in CKD. Summary A growing body of evidence suggests that hypothyroidism is a risk factor for incident CKD, CKD progression, and higher death risk in kidney disease patients. Rigorous studies are needed to determine impact of thyroid hormone replacement upon kidney disease progression, cardiovascular disease, and mortality, which may shed light into the causal implications of hypothyroidism in CKD. PMID:27428519

An overview of the domestication and impact of the Salmonella mobilome.

Science.gov (United States)

Mebrhatu, Mehari Tesfazgi; Cenens, William; Aertsen, Abram

2014-02-01

Salmonella spp. are accountable for a large fraction of the global infectious disease burden, with most of their infections being food- or water-borne. The phenotypic features and adaptive potential of Salmonella spp. appear to be driven to a large extent by mobile or laterally acquired genetic elements. A better understanding of the conduct and diversification of these important pathogens consequently requires a more profound insight into the different mechanisms by which these pivotal elements establish themselves in the cell and affect its behavior. This review, therefore, provides an overview of the physiological impact and domestication of the Salmonella mobilome.

RURAL FINANCIAL MARKETS: AN OVERVIEW

OpenAIRE

Spio, Kojo; Groenewald, Jan A.

1997-01-01

The paper seeks to present an in depth overview of rural financial markets in developing countries. Attention is given to the role of financial markets in the development process, approaches to rural finance in developing countries, and formal and informal financial markets. The pro and cons of the various financial markets were also considered.

The effect of curcumin (turmeric on Alzheimer′s disease: An overview

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mishra Shrikant

2008-01-01

Full Text Available This paper discusses the effects of curcumin on patients with Alzheimer′s disease (AD. Curcumin (Turmeric, an ancient Indian herb used in curry powder, has been extensively studied in modern medicine and Indian systems of medicine for the treatment of various medical conditions, including cystic fibrosis, haemorrhoids, gastric ulcer, colon cancer, breast cancer, atherosclerosis, liver diseases and arthritis. It has been used in various types of treatments for dementia and traumatic brain injury. Curcumin also has a potential role in the prevention and treatment of AD. Curcumin as an antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and lipophilic action improves the cognitive functions in patients with AD. A growing body of evidence indicates that oxidative stress, free radicals, beta amyloid, cerebral deregulation caused by bio-metal toxicity and abnormal inflammatory reactions contribute to the key event in Alzheimer′s disease pathology. Due to various effects of curcumin, such as decreased Beta-amyloid plaques, delayed degradation of neurons, metal-chelation, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and decreased microglia formation, the overall memory in patients with AD has improved. This paper reviews the various mechanisms of actions of curcumin in AD and pathology.

Disease and disorders of freshwater unionid mussels: a brief overview of recent studies

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Francesca Carella

2016-11-01

Full Text Available The use of aquatic invertebrates in biomedical research and as environmental sentinels has dramatically grown in recent decades, with an increased need in understanding of comparative pathology. The Unionids freshwater mussels are a group of worldwide distributed bivalves residing small ditches and ponds, lakes, canals and rivers, often used as animal test in eco-toxicological studies. Once one of the most abundant bivalve molluscs in ancient rivers around the world, now many of them are declining in many countries and consequently are nearly extinct in many areas. The causes of this decline are not fully understood but alteration and degradation of the freshwater habitat seemed to play a central role. To date, link causality to the observed losses during episode of mussel die-offs has been more difficult to establish, and disease and pathogen presence have been scarcely considered. In this article we provide a brief overview of unionids freshwater mussel conservation status, also describing reported diseases and pathogens and illustrating a few relatively well-documented studies.

A brief overview of the history of veterinary field services in South Africa

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gideon K. Brückner

2014-11-01

Full Text Available The historical evolution of veterinary services in South Africa is closely linked to the colonial history of the past and the eventual political formation of the Union of South Africa in 1910, as well as the establishment of a fully democratic South Africa in 1994. The majority of the early pioneering veterinarians had close links to military activities and were originally mostly of British origin. The appointment of the first colonial chief veterinary officers occurred in the late 1800s. These appointments were dictated by the need to combat devastating animal diseases, such as rinderpest and African horse sickness, mainly because they affected draught oxen (used for travel and horses (used in combat. Veterinary field services was established in 1962 as a separate functional entity within government services when M.C. Lambrechts became Director of Veterinary Services of South Africa. In the context of this article, veterinary field services refers to that sphere of veterinary service delivery conducted by government-appointed or seconded veterinarians applying disease control and prevention, as required by animal health legislation. Paging through the history of veterinary field services in South Africa confirms that the problems faced by the veterinary services of today were just as real during the times of our pioneers. The pioneers of veterinary services transformed unknown animal diseases into textbook descriptions still used today and also demonstrated the important link to, and use of, the observations made by farmers, as well as the need for continued basic and applied research on animal diseases. This article provided a brief overview of the evolution of veterinary field services and the important role played by pioneers over the last two centuries to make South Africa relatively free and safe from the most important trade-sensitive and economically important animal diseases.

An Overview. High Risk Series.

Science.gov (United States)

General Accounting Office, Washington, DC.

This report provides an overview of efforts undertaken by the U.S. General Accounting Office (GAO) in 1990 to review and report on federal program areas its work identified as high risk because of vulnerabilities to waste, fraud, abuse, and mismanagement. It reviews the current status of efforts to address these concerns. The six categories of…

Parkinson’s disease: no milk today?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Andrea eKistner

2014-09-01

Full Text Available Several prospective epidemiological studies on large cohorts have consistently reported an association between milk intake and a higher incidence of Parkinson’s disease (PD. Pesticide contamination of milk and milk’s urate-lowering effects have been put forward as risk factors to explain epidemiological data. This has led to considerable uncertainty among physicians and avoidance of dairy products by PD patients. However, neither factor stands up to the rational and detailed examination of the literature carried out in this mini-review. We suggest that changes in eating behavior related to premotor PD are an alternative potential explanation of correlations observed between milk intake and PD occurrence. Despite clear-cut associations between milk intake and PD incidence, there is no rational explanation for milk being a risk factor for PD. Based on current knowledge, limiting the consumption of dairy products does not seem to be a reasonable strategy in the prevention of the development and progression of PD.

Preventing the Epidemic of Non-Communicable Diseases: An Overview

OpenAIRE

Robson , Anthony ,

2013-01-01

International audience; Diet, lifestyle and environment do not just affect a person's health, they also determine the health of their children and possibly the health of their grandchildren. Non-communicable disease is a global epidemic because of the combined effect of the modern diet (including drug abuse) and a sedentary lifestyle. A low energy dense, drug-free diet rich in bioavailable nutrients-plus-exercise is most effective for preventing non-communicable disease throughout life. Nanoc...

An Energy Overview of Bolivia

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

anon.

2003-08-13

The DOE Office of Fossil Energy maintained a web site that was meant to provide useful business- and energy-related information about countries and regions of the world for exporters, project developers, and researchers. The site consisted of more than 130 country pages (organized into seven different world regions), with each country page having its own set of links to information sources about that country. There were also more than 30 Country Energy Overviews at the web site -- each of these was a comprehensive review of a specific country's entire energy situation, including sections on Energy Policy, Oil, Natural Gas, Coal, Hydroelectric/Renewables, Nuclear Power, Energy Transmission Infrastructure, Electricity, Electric Industry Overview, Environmental Activities, Privatization, Trade, and Economic Situation. The specific country highlighted in this Country Energy Overview is Bolivia.

An overview of U.S. decommissioning experience -- A basic introduction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Boing, L.E.

1998-01-01

This paper presents an overview of the US experiences in the decommissioning technical area. Sections included are: (1) an overview of the magnitude of the problem, (2) a review of the US decommissioning process, (3) regulation of decommissioning, (4) regulatory and funding requirements for decommissioning, and (5) a general overview of all on-going and completed decommissioning projects to date in the US. The final section presents a review of some issues in the decommissioning area currently being debated in the technical specialists community

US PWR steam generator management: An overview

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Welty, C.S. Jr.

1997-01-01

This paper provides an overview on the status of steam generator management activities in US PWRs, and includes: (1) an overview of the impact of steam generator problems; (2) a brief discussion of historical damage trends and the current damage mechanism of most concern; (3) a discussion of the elements of open-quotes steam generator managementclose quotes; and (4) a description of the approach being followed to implement a degradation-specific protocol for tubing inspection and repair. This paper was prepared in conjunction with another paper presented during the Plenary Session of this Conference, open-quotes Steam Generator Degradation: Current Mitigation Strategies for Controlling Corrosionclose quotes, and is provided as a supplement to that material

Cyclodextrins as Protective Agents of Protein Aggregation: An Overview.

Science.gov (United States)

Oliveri, Valentina; Vecchio, Graziella

2016-06-06

Cyclodextrins are extensively used in different fields (e.g., catalysis, chromatography, pharma, supramolecular chemistry, bioorganic chemistry, and bioinorganic chemistry), and their applications have been widely reviewed. Their main application in the field of pharmaceutical is as a drug carrier. This review overviews, for the first time, the use of cyclodextrins and their derivatives as antiaggregant agents in a number of proteins (e.g., amyloid-β, insulin, recombinant human growth hormone, prion protein, transthyretin, and α-synuclein) and some multimeric enzymes. There are many diseases that are correlated to protein misfolding and amyloid formation processes affecting numerous organs and tissues. There are over 30 different amyloid proteins and a number of corresponding diseases. Alzheimer's disease is the most common neurodegenerative disease. Treatment of these diseases is still a goal to reach, and many molecules are studied in this perspective. Cyclodextrins have also been studied, and they show great potential; as such, further studies could be very promising. This review aims to be a stimulus for the design of new cyclodextrin derivatives to obtain multifunctional systems with antiaggregant activity. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Captive elephants - an overview

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

H.S. Riddle

2011-06-01

Full Text Available Currently a significant portion of the world’s elephant population is in captivity, mainly in Asia. Elephants have a long history of captivity in both Africa and Asia, and have adapted to many environments. Today, due to evolving needs and philosophies, some changes have occurred in the use of captive elephants, and debate about their welfare and management is increasing. To address this, several countries are developing higher standards of care via policies and guidelines; unfortunately most elephant range countries do not have a national strategy concerning their captive elephant population. Challenges in elephant medicine are always present, yet there is a lack of standardized requirements for veterinary care in elephant range countries, and the ability of veterinarians to treat elephant diseases is often limited. In recent years, much has been learned about elephant physiology, biology, and communication from captive elephants, and this knowledge supports management decisions affecting both captive and wild populations. Captive elephants present important educational and fundraising opportunities in support of conservation, but these are often not fully leveraged. Future considerations include implementing changes to improve staff support and training, establishing comprehensive registration of all captive populations, and ensuring that captive management does not negatively impact wild elephant populations.

Minerals in thalassaemia major patients: An overview.

Science.gov (United States)

Ozturk, Zeynep; Genc, Gizem Esra; Gumuslu, Saadet

2017-05-01

Thalassaemia major (TM) is a hereditary blood disease characterised by reduced or absent production of beta globin chains. Erythrocyte transfusions are given to raise the haemoglobin level in patients with thalassaemia major. However, transfusions have been related to increased risk of iron overload and tissue damage related to excess iron. Both elevated oxidative stress due to iron overload and increased hemolysis lead to over utilisation of minerals required for antioxidant enzymes activities. Iron chelators have been used to prevent iron overload in thalassaemia major patients, but these chelators have the possibility of removing minerals from the body. Thalassaemia patients are more at risk for mineral deficiency because of increased oxidative stress and iron chelation therapies. Growth and maturational delay, cardiomyopathy, endocrinopathies and osteoporosis are the complications of thalassaemia. Minerals may play a particular role to prevent these complications. In the current review, we provide an overview of minerals including zinc (Zn), copper (Cu), selenium (Se), magnesium (Mg) and calcium (Ca) in thalassaemia major patients. We, also, underline that some complications of thalassaemia can be caused by an increased need for minerals or lack of the minerals. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Porphyromonas gingivalis: An Overview of Periodontopathic Pathogen Below the Gum Line

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Kah Yan eHow

2016-02-01

Full Text Available Periodontal disease represents a group of oral inflammatory infections initiated by oral pathogens which exist as a complex biofilms on the tooth surface and cause destruction to tooth supporting tissues. The severity of this disease ranges from mild and reversible inflammation of the gingiva (gingivitis to chronic destruction of connective tissues, the formation of periodontal pocket and ultimately result in loss of teeth. While human subgingival plaque harbors more than 500 bacterial species, considerable research has shown that Porphyromonas gingivalis, a Gram-negative anaerobic bacterium, is the major etiologic agent which contributes to chronic periodontitis. This black-pigmented bacterium produces a myriad of virulence factors that causes destruction to periodontal tissue either directly or indirectly by modulating the host inflammatory response. Here, this review provides an overview of P. gingivalis and how its virulence factors contribute to the pathogenesis with other microbiome consortium in oral cavity.

Porphyromonas gingivalis: An Overview of Periodontopathic Pathogen below the Gum Line

Science.gov (United States)

How, Kah Yan; Song, Keang Peng; Chan, Kok Gan

2016-01-01

Periodontal disease represents a group of oral inflammatory infections initiated by oral pathogens which exist as a complex biofilms on the tooth surface and cause destruction to tooth supporting tissues. The severity of this disease ranges from mild and reversible inflammation of the gingiva (gingivitis) to chronic destruction of connective tissues, the formation of periodontal pocket and ultimately result in loss of teeth. While human subgingival plaque harbors more than 500 bacterial species, considerable research has shown that Porphyromonas gingivalis, a Gram-negative anaerobic bacterium, is the major etiologic agent which contributes to chronic periodontitis. This black-pigmented bacterium produces a myriad of virulence factors that cause destruction to periodontal tissues either directly or indirectly by modulating the host inflammatory response. Here, this review provides an overview of P. gingivalis and how its virulence factors contribute to the pathogenesis with other microbiome consortium in oral cavity. PMID:26903954

Pathological gambling: An overview

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shalini Singh

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Gambling activities are popular as a form of recreation and have been a source of income for many people worldwide. Although gambling has been common across continents and time, and a subset of individuals experience problems with gambling. This review attempts to provide an overview of problem gambling for clinicians who are likely to encounter such patients in their practice. The review discusses the relevance, nosology, and epidemiology of gambling. We also discuss the associated comorbidities and principles of management of pathological gambling.

Biofluid-based microRNA Biomarkers for Parkinsons Disease: an Overview and Update

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sapana Shinde

2015-02-01

Full Text Available Parkinson's disease (PD is a highly debilitating motor disorder and is the second most common neurodegenerative disease after Alzheimer's disease. Its current method of diagnosis mainly relies on subjective clinical rating scales in the presence of clinical motor features. Early detection of PD is a known challenge as neuronal cell death may range from 50% to 80% when a patient is first diagnosed with PD. Therefore, there is an urgent need to identify and develop biomarkers for early detection of this progressive disease. This mini review focuses on the recent developments of biofluid-based microRNAs (miRNAs as molecular biomarkers for PD. A comprehensive list of miRNA biomarkers found in blood, plasma, serum, and cerebral spinal fluid is presented. Challenges and future perspectives of using these PD-related molecular biomarkers in a “real-world” clinical setting are also discussed.

Mathematics Teaching Today

Science.gov (United States)

Martin, Tami S.; Speer, William R.

2009-01-01

This article describes features, consistent messages, and new components of "Mathematics Teaching Today: Improving Practice, Improving Student Learning" (NCTM 2007), an updated edition of "Professional Standards for Teaching Mathematics" (NCTM 1991). The new book describes aspects of high-quality mathematics teaching; offers a model for observing,…

Radiation Diffusion: An Overview of Physical and Numerical Concepts

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Graziani, F R

2005-01-01

An overview of the physical and mathematical foundations of radiation transport is given. Emphasis is placed on how the diffusion approximation and its transport corrections arise. An overview of the numerical handling of radiation diffusion coupled to matter is also given. Discussions center on partial temperature and grey methods with comments concerning fully implicit methods. In addition finite difference, finite element and Pert representations of the div-grad operator is also discussed

Epidemiology of testicular cancer: an overview.

Science.gov (United States)

Garner, Michael J; Turner, Michelle C; Ghadirian, Parviz; Krewski, Daniel

2005-09-01

Testicular cancer is a rare disease, accounting for 1.1% of all malignant neoplasms in Canadian males. Despite the low overall incidence of testicular cancer, it is the most common malignancy among young men. The incidence rate of testicular cancer has been increasing since the middle of the 20th century in many western countries. However, the etiology of testicular cancer is not well understood. A search of the peer-reviewed literature was conducted to identify important articles for review and inclusion in this overview of the epidemiology of testicular cancer. Most of the established risk factors are related to early life events, including cryptorchidism, carcinoma in situ and in utero exposure to estrogens. Occupational, lifestyle, socioeconomic and other risk factors have demonstrated mixed associations with testicular cancer. Although there are few established risk factors for testicular cancer, some appear to be related to hormonal balance at various life stages. Lifestyle and occupational exposures occurring later in life may play a role in promoting the disease, although they are not likely involved in cancer initiation. In addition to summarizing the current epidemiologic evidence on risk factors for testicular cancer, we suggest future research directions that may elucidate the etiology of testicular cancer.

Fast reactor physics - an overview

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, S.M.

2004-01-01

An introduction to the basic features of fast neutron reactors is made, highlighting the differences from the more conventional thermal neutron reactors. A discussion of important feedback reactivity mechanisms is given. Then an overview is presented of the methods of fast reactor physics, which play an important role in the successful design and operation of fast reactors. The methods are based on three main elements, namely (i) nuclear data bases, (ii) numerical methods and computer codes, and (iii) critical experiments. These elements are reviewed and the present status and future trends are summarized. (author)

Research in corporate communication: An overview of an emerging field

NARCIS (Netherlands)

C.B.M. van Riel (Cees)

1997-01-01

textabstractThis commentary is intended as an amendment to Argenti's (1996) viewpoint, published in Volume 10, Issue 1, of Management Communication Quarterly. Van Riel provides an overview of research in corporate communication, focusing on achievements found in the international academic literature

Deep Reinforcement Learning: An Overview

OpenAIRE

Li, Yuxi

2017-01-01

We give an overview of recent exciting achievements of deep reinforcement learning (RL). We discuss six core elements, six important mechanisms, and twelve applications. We start with background of machine learning, deep learning and reinforcement learning. Next we discuss core RL elements, including value function, in particular, Deep Q-Network (DQN), policy, reward, model, planning, and exploration. After that, we discuss important mechanisms for RL, including attention and memory, unsuperv...

Research in Corporate Communication: An Overview of an Emerging Field.

Science.gov (United States)

van Riel, Cees B. M.

1997-01-01

Provides an overview of research in corporate communication, focusing on achievements found in the international academic literature in both communication and business school disciplines. Gives three key concepts in such research: corporate identity, corporate reputation, and orchestration of communication. Advocates an interdisciplinary approach…

Qualitative research in CKD: an overview of methods and applications.

Science.gov (United States)

Tong, Allison; Winkelmayer, Wolfgang C; Craig, Jonathan C

2014-09-01

There recently has been a paradigm shift in health care policies and research toward greater patient centeredness. A core tenet of patient-centered care is that patients' needs, values, and preferences are respected in clinical decision making. Qualitative research methods are designed to generate insights about patients' priorities, values, and beliefs. However, in the past 5 years (2008-2013), only 23 (0.4%) of the 6,043 original articles published in the top 5 nephrology journals (assessed by impact factor) were qualitative studies. Given this observation, it seems important to promote awareness and better understanding within the nephrology community about qualitative research and how the findings can contribute to improving the quality and outcomes of care for patients with chronic kidney disease. This article outlines examples of how qualitative research can generate insight into the values and preferences of patients with chronic kidney disease, provides an overview of qualitative health research methods, and discusses practical applications for research, practice, and policy. Copyright © 2014 National Kidney Foundation, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Working Memory and Language: An Overview.

Science.gov (United States)

Baddeley, Alan

2003-01-01

This article introduces the concept of a multi-component working memory. Emphasis is placed on the phonological loop component, its fractionation into a storage and processing component, and implications for native and second language learning. An overview of the visual spatial sketchpad and its possible role in language is provided. (Contains…

Imaging Techniques in Endodontics: An Overview

Science.gov (United States)

Deepak, B. S.; Subash, T. S.; Narmatha, V. J.; Anamika, T.; Snehil, T. K.; Nandini, D. B.

2012-01-01

This review provides an overview of the relevance of imaging techniques such as, computed tomography, cone beam computed tomography, and ultrasound, to endodontic practice. Many limitations of the conventional radiographic techniques have been overcome by the newer methods. Advantages and disadvantages of various imaging techniques in endodontic practice are also discussed. PMID:22530184

Low Vision Driving with Bioptics: An Overview

Science.gov (United States)

Huss, Chuck; Corn, Anne

2004-01-01

This article presents an overview of driving for adolescents and adults who meet their states' visual requirements for low vision driving using bioptic lenses. It also discusses the outcomes of two studies of bioptic driver education.

Expert Systems: An Overview for Teacher-Librarians.

Science.gov (United States)

Orwig, Gary; Barron, Ann

1992-01-01

Provides an overview of expert systems for teacher librarians. Highlights include artificial intelligence and expert systems; the development of the MYCIN medical expert system; rule-based expert systems; the use of expert system shells to develop a specific system; and how to select an appropriate application for an expert system. (11 references)…

An overview of systematic review.

Science.gov (United States)

Baker, Kathy A; Weeks, Susan Mace

2014-12-01

Systematic review is an invaluable tool for the practicing clinician. A well-designed systematic review represents the latest and most complete information available on a particular topic or intervention. This article highlights the key elements of systematic review, what it is and is not, and provides an overview of several reputable organizations supporting the methodological development and conduct of systematic review. Important aspects for evaluating the quality of a systematic review are also included. Copyright © 2014 American Society of PeriAnesthesia Nurses. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Extracellular cell stress (heat shock) proteins-immune responses and disease: an overview.

Science.gov (United States)

Pockley, A Graham; Henderson, Brian

2018-01-19

Extracellular cell stress proteins are highly conserved phylogenetically and have been shown to act as powerful signalling agonists and receptors for selected ligands in several different settings. They also act as immunostimulatory 'danger signals' for the innate and adaptive immune systems. Other studies have shown that cell stress proteins and the induction of immune reactivity to self-cell stress proteins can attenuate disease processes. Some proteins (e.g. Hsp60, Hsp70, gp96) exhibit both inflammatory and anti-inflammatory properties, depending on the context in which they encounter responding immune cells. The burgeoning literature reporting the presence of stress proteins in a range of biological fluids in healthy individuals/non-diseased settings, the association of extracellular stress protein levels with a plethora of clinical and pathological conditions and the selective expression of a membrane form of Hsp70 on cancer cells now supports the concept that extracellular cell stress proteins are involved in maintaining/regulating organismal homeostasis and in disease processes and phenotype. Cell stress proteins, therefore, form a biologically complex extracellular cell stress protein network having diverse biological, homeostatic and immunomodulatory properties, the understanding of which offers exciting opportunities for delivering novel approaches to predict, identify, diagnose, manage and treat disease.This article is part of the theme issue 'Heat shock proteins as modulators and therapeutic targets of chronic disease: an integrated perspective'. © 2017 The Author(s).

Competitive intelligence as an enabler for firm competitiveness: An overview

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alexander Maune

2014-06-01

Full Text Available The purpose of this article is to provide an overview, from literature, about how competitive intelligence can be an enabler towards a firm’s competitiveness. This overview is done under the background of intense global competition that firms are currently experiencing. This paper used a qualitative content analysis as a data collection methodology on all identified journal articles on competitive intelligence and firm competitiveness. To identify relevant literature, academic databases and search engines were used. Moreover, a review of references in related studies led to more relevant sources, the references of which were further reviewed and analysed. To ensure reliability and trustworthiness, peer-reviewed journal articles and triangulation were used. The paper found that competitive intelligence is an important enabler of firm competitiveness. The findings from this paper will assist business managers to understand and improve their outlook of competitive intelligence as an enabler of firm competitiveness and will be of great academic value.

Control of human parasitic diseases: Context and overview.

Science.gov (United States)

Molyneux, David H

2006-01-01

The control of parasitic diseases of humans has been undertaken since the aetiology and natural history of the infections was recognized and the deleterious effects on human health and well-being appreciated by policy makers, medical practitioners and public health specialists. However, while some parasitic infections such as malaria have proved difficult to control, as defined by a sustained reduction in incidence, others, particularly helminth infections can be effectively controlled. The different approaches to control from diagnosis, to treatment and cure of the clinically sick patient, to control the transmission within the community by preventative chemotherapy and vector control are outlined. The concepts of eradication, elimination and control are defined and examples of success summarized. Overviews of the health policy and financing environment in which programmes to control or eliminate parasitic diseases are positioned and the development of public-private partnerships as vehicles for product development or access to drugs for parasite disease control are discussed. Failure to sustain control of parasites may be due to development of drug resistance or the failure to implement proven strategies as a result of decreased resources within the health system, decentralization of health management through health-sector reform and the lack of financial and human resources in settings where per capita government expenditure on health may be less than $US 5 per year. However, success has been achieved in several large-scale programmes through sustained national government investment and/or committed donor support. It is also widely accepted that the level of investment in drug development for the parasitic diseases of poor populations is an unattractive option for pharmaceutical companies. The development of partnerships to specifically address this need provides some hope that the intractable problems of the treatment regimens for the trypanosomiases and

An overview of BMIs.

Science.gov (United States)

Sepulveda, Francisco

2009-01-01

Research in BMIs has grown rapidly in the last few years. However, little attention has been paid to the overall system behavior, most published work being focused on the signal classification (i.e., translation) stage. More recently an increasing amount of work has been centred around the feature selection stage that precedes translation. The emphasis in feature selection and translation has stemmed from the large number of researchers with a machine learning or pattern recognition background who have recently joined the field. While there is an important contribution to BMIs, two crucial elements have not been sufficiently explored: the selection of suitable mental tasks and feedback protocols. This review presents an overview of BMIs and its main elements, with a focus on why each stage is important for the overall performance of such systems.

Experimental psychiatric illness and drug abuse models: from human to animal, an overview.

Science.gov (United States)

Edwards, Scott; Koob, George F

2012-01-01

Preclinical animal models have supported much of the recent rapid expansion of neuroscience research and have facilitated critical discoveries that undoubtedly benefit patients suffering from psychiatric disorders. This overview serves as an introduction for the following chapters describing both in vivo and in vitro preclinical models of psychiatric disease components and briefly describes models related to drug dependence and affective disorders. Although there are no perfect animal models of any psychiatric disorder, models do exist for many elements of each disease state or stage. In many cases, the development of certain models is essentially restricted to the human clinical laboratory domain for the purpose of maximizing validity, whereas the use of in vitro models may best represent an adjunctive, well-controlled means to model specific signaling mechanisms associated with psychiatric disease states. The data generated by preclinical models are only as valid as the model itself, and the development and refinement of animal models for human psychiatric disorders continues to be an important challenge. Collaborative relationships between basic neuroscience and clinical modeling could greatly benefit the development of new and better models, in addition to facilitating medications development.

An overview of the biological and psychosocial context surrounding neurocognition in HIV.

Science.gov (United States)

Vance, David E; Randazza, Jason; Fogger, Suzanne; Slater, Larry Z; Humphrey, Shameka C; Keltner, Norman L

2014-01-01

The presence of a psychiatric illness increases the risk of exposure to HIV and disease complications; however, effective treatments have substantially reduced mortality in adults with HIV. Despite such effective treatments, nearly half of adults with HIV experience neurocognitive deficits that can affect job-related and everyday tasks, thus reducing their quality of life. This article provides an overview of the context in which neurocognitive deficits occur in adults with HIV; it also includes implications for treatment and mitigation of such neurocognitive deficits. Understanding the underlying neurocognitive changes related to HIV can help psychiatric nurses provide better care to patients that may improve medication compliance and everyday functioning.

Therapeutic potential of dental pulp stem cells in regenerative medicine: An overview

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kavita Verma

2014-01-01

Full Text Available The purpose of this review is to gain an overview of the applications of the dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs in the treatment of various medical diseases. Stem cells have the capacity to differentiate and regenerate into various tissues. DPSCs are the adult stem cells that reside in the cell rich zone of the dental pulp. These are the multipotent cells that can be explained by their embryonic origin from the neural crest. Owing to this multipotency, these DPSCs can be used in both dental and medical applications. A review of literature has been performed using electronic and hand-searching methods for the medical applications of DPSCs. On the basis of the available information, DPSCs appear to be a promising alternative for the regeneration of tissues and treatment of various diseases, although, long-term clinical trials and studies are needed to confirm their efficacy.

Peptic Ulcer Disease

Science.gov (United States)

... Site ACG Patients Home / Digestive Health Topic / Peptic Ulcer Disease Peptic Ulcer Disease Basics Overview An “ulcer” is an open ... for pain in patients at risk for peptic ulcer disease. Peptic – caused by acid. PPIs – P roton P ump ...

Ophthalmic antiviral chemotherapy : An overview

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Athmanathan Sreedharan

1997-01-01

Full Text Available Antiviral drug development has been slow due to many factors. One such factor is the difficulty to block the viral replication in the cell without adversely affecting the host cell metabolic activity. Most of the antiviral compounds are analogs of purines and pyramidines. Currently available antiviral drugs mainly inhibit viral nucleic acid synthesis, hence act only on actively replicating viruses. This article presents an overview of some of the commonly used antiviral agents in clinical ophthalmology.

Omega test series - an overview

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Knowles, C.P.

2001-01-01

The United States Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) has supported a series of high explosive calibration experiments that were conducted in the Degelen Mountain area of the Semipalatinsk Test Site (STS) in the Republic of Kazakhstan (ROK). This paper will provide an overview of the second and third tests of this series which have been designated Omega-2 and Omega-3. Omega-2 was conducted on Saturday, September 25, 1999 and Omega-3 on Saturday, July 29, 2000. (author)

Creating Smart-er Cities: An Overview

Science.gov (United States)

Allwinkle, Sam; Cruickshank, Peter

2011-01-01

The following offers an overview of what it means for cities to be "smart." It draws the supporting definitions and critical insights into smart cities from a series of papers presented at the 2009 Trans-national Conference on Creating Smart(er) Cities. What the papers all have in common is their desire to overcome the all too often…

Etiopathogenesis of inflammatory bowel disease: today and tomorrow.

Science.gov (United States)

de Souza, Heitor S P

2017-07-01

Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, the two major forms of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), represent chronic diseases of unknown cause, and they are regarded as prototypical complex diseases. Despite all the recent advances, a complete appreciation of the pathogenesis of IBD is still limited. In this review, we present recent information contributing to a better understanding of mechanisms underlying IBD. Here, we attempt to highlight novel environmental triggers, data on the gut microbiota, its interaction with the host, and the potential influence of diet and food components. We discuss recent findings on defective signaling pathways and the potential effects on the immune response, and we present new data on epigenetic changes, inflammasome, and damage-associated molecular patterns associated with IBD. The continuing identification of several epigenetic, transcriptomic, proteomic, and metabolomic alterations in patients with IBD reflects the complex nature of the disease and suggests the need for innovative approaches such as systems biology for identifying novel relevant targets in IBD.

Automation of the shearer loader technique - an overview; Automatisierung der Walzenladertechnik - ein Ueberblick

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hackelboerger, B.; Hoelling, B. [Eickhoff Bergbautechnik GmbH, Bochum (Germany); Nienhaus, K.; Winkel, R. [RWTH Aachen (DE). Lehr- und Forschungsgebiet Betriebsmittel fuer die Gewinnung mineralischer Rohstoffe (BGMR)

2007-09-06

The present paper deals with the automation of the shearer loader technology. Starting with the reasons for automation: These are firstly the increase of production by way of rationalization, secondly the gentle material handling associated with health protection and safety at work. Consecutive the development of the automation concept by Eickhoff Bergbautechnik GmbH is being presented which commenced in 1986 with the introduction of the Memory Cut at DSK and successfully continued in 1993 with the first-time utilization of the Defined Face Opening (DFO) in Australia. The authors will present the state-of-the-art in the automation of Eickhoff shearer loaders with the EiControl concept. Besides tramming and ranging arm autosteering it comprises further additional modules for the automatic and semi-automatic cutting sequence to enable control and stabilization of the machine. An overview of the supplied systems combined with the experiences made by the respective mine operators will complete our glance at today's opportunities provided by the advanced shearer loader technology. The Outlook discusses the existing limits of automation and presents future development potentials such as coal boundary layer detection and collision prevention which paves the road to automatic longwall control with the vision of an unmanned face. (orig.)

Virtual Reality: An Overview.

Science.gov (United States)

Franchi, Jorge

1994-01-01

Highlights of this overview of virtual reality include optics; interface devices; virtual worlds; potential applications, including medicine and archaeology; problems, including costs; current research and development; future possibilities; and a listing of vendors and suppliers of virtual reality products. (Contains 11 references.) (LRW)

Slurry pipeline technology: an overview

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chapman, Jay P. [Pipeline Systems Incorporated (PSI), Belo Horizonte, MG (Brazil); Lima, Rafael; Pinto, Daniel; Vidal, Alisson [Ausenco do Brasil Engenharia Ltda., Nova Lima, MG (Brazil). PSI Div.

2009-12-19

Slurry pipelines represent an economical and environmentally friendly transportation means for many solid materials. This paper provides an over-view of the technology, its evolution and current Brazilian activity. Mineral resources are increasingly moving farther away from ports, processing plants and end use points, and slurry pipelines are an important mode of solids transport. Application guidelines are discussed. State-of-the-Art technical solutions such as pipeline system simulation, pipe materials, pumps, valves, automation, telecommunications, and construction techniques that have made the technology successful are presented. A discussion of where long distant slurry pipelines fit in a picture that also includes thickened and paste materials pipe lining is included. (author)

An overview of sugarcane brown rust in Cuba

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

María La O

Full Text Available ABSTRACT: Multiple pathogens affect sugarcane, among them Puccinia melanocephala, the causal agent of brown rust. This disease was first reported in Cuba in 1979 when it was responsible for a severe attack on the main sugarcane variety B4362. The aims of the present study were to give an overview of sugarcane brown rust in Cuba and show the current disease situation in the country. A retrospective analysis regard to sugarcane cultivar composition resistant to brown rust in Cuba was carried out. In addition 154 genotypes, including the most used progenitors in the breeding program and commercial varieties were evaluated under natural infection conditions. The identity of P. melanocephala was verified by Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR and by sequencing the ITS1 region. After the introduction of P. melanocephala into Cuba, the susceptible variety, B4362, was replaced by Ja60-5 which remained resistant until 1998. Since 2002, a varietal policy supported by a governmental resolution establishing that any single cultivar cannot occupy more than 20 % of the production area for each production company, local area and province, has been applied. Out of the genotypes evaluated, 49 showed resistance to the disease and 35 intermediate behavior, while 39 were susceptible and 31, highly susceptible. P. melanocephala was detected by PCR in all symptomatic samples and its identify confirmed by sequencing the ITS1 region. The adopted measurement together with permanent phytosanitary monitoring and commercial release of resistant or intermediate cultivars succeeded in avoiding any new epidemic. Inoculum pressure was reduced, even on susceptible and highly susceptible varieties since, by resolution, they cannot occupy more than 10 % of the planted area.

Particle Dark Matter: An Overview

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Roszkowski, Leszek

2009-01-01

Dark matter in the Universe is likely to be made up of some new, hypothetical particle which would be a part of an extension of the Standard Model of particle physics. In this overview, I will first briefly review well motivated particle candidates for dark matter. Next I will focus my attention on the neutralino of supersymmetry which is the by far most popular dark matter candidate. I will discuss some recent progress and comment on prospects for dark matter detection.

The Manhattan Project: An Overview

Science.gov (United States)

Reed, Cameron

2017-01-01

August 2017 will mark the 75th anniversary of the establishment of the United States Army's Manhattan Engineer District, which oversaw the development and deployment of the first generation of nuclear weapons during World War II. In this talk I give an overview of the Manhattan Project, touching on its historical context, genesis, organization, facilities, accomplishments, challenges encountered, and legacies. I will also comment briefly on some of its lesser-known aspects and the persistent popular mythologies that still surround it.

An overview of the asteroids

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Binzel, R.P.

1989-01-01

An introduction and overview of the field of asteroid science is presented, highlighting the accomplishments of the 1980s. The development and application of many observational techniques and data from the Infrared Astronomical Satellite have greatly increased our knowledge of asteroid physical properties. New scenarios for understanding the chemical diversity and dynamical structure of asteroids have emerged. New insights have been gained toward understanding their origin and interrelations with meteorites and comets. Suggestions and speculations are offered on future research directions

Environmental science and technology: An overview

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1993-01-01

This report is intended to provide an overview of the scientific and technological effort to meet the environmental goals identified in the Green Plan. The report gives a sense of the range of scientific and technological efforts that are being devoted to issues as diverse as conserving our wildlife and national parks and developing innovative technologies to clean-up polluted sites.

An overview of potential molecular mechanisms involved in VSMC phenotypic modulation.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Ming-Jie; Zhou, Yi; Chen, Lei; Wang, Yan-Qin; Wang, Xu; Pi, Yan; Gao, Chang-Yue; Li, Jing-Cheng; Zhang, Li-Li

2016-02-01

The fully differentiated medial vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) of mature vessels keep quiescent and contractile. However, VSMC can exhibit the plasticity in phenotype switching from a differentiated and contractile phenotype to a dedifferentiated state in response to alterations in local environmental cues, which is called phenotypic modulation or switching. Distinguishing from its differentiated state expressing more smooth muscle (SM)-specific/selective proteins, the phenotypic modulation in VSMC is characterized by an increased rate of proliferation, migration, synthesis of extracellular matrix proteins and decreased expression of SM contractile proteins. Although it has been well demonstrated that phenotypic modulation of VSMC contributes to the occurrence and progression of many proliferative vascular diseases, little is known about the details of the molecular mechanisms of VSMC phenotypic modulation. Growing evidence suggests that variety of molecules including microRNAs, cytokines and biochemical factors, membrane receptors, ion channels, cytoskeleton and extracellular matrix play important roles in controlling VSMC phenotype. The focus of the present review is to provide an overview of potential molecular mechanisms involved in VSMC phenotypic modulation in recent years. To clarify VSMC differentiation and phenotypic modulation mechanisms will contribute to producing cell-based therapeutic interventions for aberrant VSMC differentiation-related diseases.

Pulmonary arterial hypertension associated with congenital heart disease

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Michele D'Alto

2012-12-01

Full Text Available Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH is a common complication of congenital heart disease (CHD, with most cases occurring in patients with congenital cardiac shunts. In patients with an uncorrected left-to-right shunt, increased pulmonary pressure leads to vascular remodelling and dysfunction, resulting in a progressive rise in pulmonary vascular resistance and increased pressures in the right heart. Eventually, reversal of the shunt may arise, with the development of Eisenmenger's syndrome, the most advanced form of PAH-CHD. The prevalence of PAH-CHD has fallen in developed countries over recent years and the number of patients surviving into adulthood has increased markedly. Today, the majority of PAH-CHD patients seen in clinical practice are adults, and many of these individuals have complex disease or received a late diagnosis of their defect. While there have been advances in the management and therapy in recent years, PAH-CHD is a heterogeneous condition and some subgroups, such as those with Down's syndrome, present particular challenges. This article gives an overview of the demographics, pathophysiology and treatment of PAH-CHD and focuses on individuals with Down's syndrome as an important and challenging patient group.

New perspectives on innovative drug discovery: an overview.

Science.gov (United States)

Pan, Si Yuan; Pan, Shan; Yu, Zhi-Ling; Ma, Dik-Lung; Chen, Si-Bao; Fong, Wang-Fun; Han, Yi-Fan; Ko, Kam-Ming

2010-01-01

Despite advances in technology, drug discovery is still a lengthy, expensive, difficult, and inefficient process, with a low rate of success. Today, advances in biomedical science have brought about great strides in therapeutic interventions for a wide spectrum of diseases. The advent of biochemical techniques and cutting-edge bio/chemical technologies has made available a plethora of practical approaches to drug screening and design. In 2010, the total sales of the global pharmaceutical market will reach 600 billion US dollars and expand to over 975 billion dollars by 2013. The aim of this review is to summarize available information on contemporary approaches and strategies in the discovery of novel therapeutic agents, especially from the complementary and alternative medicines, including natural products and traditional remedies such as Chinese herbal medicine.

Dictionaries of African Sign Languages: An Overview

Science.gov (United States)

Schmaling, Constanze H.

2012-01-01

This article gives an overview of dictionaries of African sign languages that have been published to date most of which have not been widely distributed. After an introduction into the field of sign language lexicography and a discussion of some of the obstacles that authors of sign language dictionaries face in general, I will show problems…

The Dutch Construction Industry : An Overview and Its Use of Performance Information

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Van de Rijt, J.; Hompes, M.; Santema, S.C.

2010-01-01

This paper gives an overview of the Dutch Construction industry and elaborates further on its use of performance information. After giving an overview of the Dutch construction industry depicting size, major contractors, growth, profitability, value added, costs, productivity, this section is

Cardiological-interventional therapy of coronary artery disease today; Kardiologisch-interventionelle Therapie der koronaren Herzerkrankung heute

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Reynen, K.; Henssge, R. [Technische Univ. Dresden (Germany). Klinik fuer Kardiologie

1999-07-01

The current importance of the interventional therapy of coronary artery disease may be deduced from the exponential increase in procedures performed in Germany in the last decade - at least 125,840 in 1996. Today, by improved catheter and balloon materials as well as by growing experience of the cardiologists, even complex lesions may be treated. Limitations of balloon angioplasty include acute vessel closure and restenosis - newer angioplasty devices like directional or rotational atherectomy or excimer-laser angioplasty did not overcome these limitations; only by coronary stenting, acute vessel closure could be managed and the likelihood of restenosis - at least in particular groups of patients - could be reduced. For a few years, intracoronary brachytherapy of the segments dilated with beta- or gamma-emitters has been seeking to reduce restenosis rate; the department of cardiology of the Dresden Cardiovascular Institute is participating in such a multicentre study using the beta-emitter {sup 188}renium. Further main topics of our department represent primary angioplasty in patients with acute myocardial infarction and invasive diagnostic or interventional procedures by the transradial approach. (orig.)

Pentaquarks. An experimental overview

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Barna, D.

2005-01-01

Since the recent observation of a pentaquark (Θ + = qqqqq-bar) state (see Nakano et al. (LEPS Collaboration), Phys. Rev. Lett.91 (2003) 012002-1) several positive and negative experimental results have emerged. These results are overviewed, with a trial to find common features among them. (author)

The Cost of Improved Overview: An analysis of the Use of Electronic Whiteboards in Emergency Departments

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hertzum, Morten

2017-01-01

current. Performing these changes takes an estimated 6647 hours a year in each ED. While the whiteboard is well-like and has improved the clinicians’ overview, our cost-of-overview estimation shows that it consumes substantial staff resources. This reflects the value the clinicians assign to having......Forming and maintaining an overview of an information space is key to competent action in many situations and often supported by overview displays. We investigate the cost of the improved overview associated with the introduction of electronic whiteboards in four emergency departments (EDs...... an overview but also reveals the amount of resources removed from other activities to maintain this overview....

An Overview and Analysis of Marketing Ethics

OpenAIRE

Caner Dincer; Banu Dincer

2014-01-01

In todays business world, in addition to general decisions, managers must also make judgments concerning what is ethical to do. This is not an easy task especially for marketing professionals as marketing is the visible interface with not only customers, but with all other stakeholders, it is important for marketers to take into consideration the marketing ethics. Marketing ethics should be examined from an individual, organizational, and societal perspective.

The University as an Institution Today: Topics for Reflection | IDRC ...

International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

Today, in both the developing and industrialized worlds, the vital role of higher ... However, as the end of the second millennium draws near, we must reflect upon the ... Its philosophy, missions, functions, objectives, structures, and service to ...

Lasers In Physical Evidence Examination: An Overview

Science.gov (United States)

Menzel, E. R.

1987-01-01

A recent application of fluorescence that is perhaps largely unknown outside law enforcement involves the utilization of laser excited fluorescence (LEF) in forensic science. In this overview, the focus is on LEF applicaton to development of latent fingerprints. Other areas of criminalistics, such as document examination and fiber analysis will be dealt with briefly only. To bring the technical reader, who likely has little familiarity with the fingerprint field, up to stream, a historical introduction precedes the description of current procedures for laser detection of latent fingerprints which is followed by a brief outline of current areas of research in the fingerprint area and application of lasers to other types of evidence examination. The overview concludes with an assessment of the current state and utilization growth prognosis of lasers in criminalistics.

Zika virus: An overview

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gautam Rawal

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The Zika virus has been in the news for quite some time due to the ongoing recent outbreak in the Southern America, which started in December 2015. It has been declared a public health emergency by the World Health Organization in February 2016 owing to its association with the congenital deformities, particularly microcephaly in infants borne to the infected mothers. The rapid spread of the virus throughout the United States of America and subsequently to Asia has raised serious international concerns. Its spread to countries neighboring India is a serious threat to the Indian population. This review article gives an overview about the virus, its diagnosis, clinical features, and the management.

Skin in health and diseases in ṛgveda saṃhiṭa: an overview.

Science.gov (United States)

Mukhopadhyay, Amiya Kumar

2013-11-01

Ṛgveda is the oldest religious book of the Aryans. It picturises the early lives of the Aryans. We get mention of various diseases in this Veda. Skin - both in health and diseases had caught attention of the Vedic sages. Skin was not merely an organ of attraction and look but its colour was important socially. Mentions of various diseases like leprosy, guinea worm, jaundice etc., are interesting. Mention of different disorders of the nails and hair are also there, though in a very primitive and mystic form. Management strategy was consisted of herbs, amulates, chanting of mantras, touching the body, uses of water and sunrays etc. This may be presumed that this Veda founded the base for the Āyurveda of the later period.

The blue pill (sildenafil and its descendants: an overview

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Krzanowski Tomasz

2017-09-01

Full Text Available An increasing number of men around the world suffer from erectile dysfunction (ED. Indeed, according to the sexuality study conducted by Professor Izdebski, 1 out of 10 men in Poland suffers from ED. The problem is found among men of any age, however, 60% of all patients are between 40 and 60 years old, thus in their prime, and who still want to fully enjoy life. Not only do the effects of ED affect a man, but they have influence on his relationship and partner as well. In spite of a growing awareness within society, the problem remains perceived as embarrassing, which leads patients to treat themselves on their own, delaying a visit to their doctors. Meanwhile, in many cases, ED may be the first symptom of more serious diseases, such as diabetes, or result from the sideeffects of applied drugs. A breakthrough in the oral medication treatment of ED was observed when a new phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitor (PDE-5-inhibitor - sildenafil citrate (Viagra® - was introduced. Nowadays, 5 active substances from this group are being applied. The current medical guidelines recommend PDE-5 inhibitors as the firstline therapy for most men with ED, irrespective of the cause and severity of the disease. Recently, sildenafil at the dose of 25 mg came into the market without prescription. This paper presents an overview and update of the PDE-5 inhibitors.

Historical overview of imaging the meibomian glands

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

William Ngo

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Growing knowledge of the role of the meibomian glands in dry eye disease and contact lens discomfort has resulted in a surge of interest in visualizing these glands within the eyelids. This manuscript provides an overview of the many different visualization methods that have evolved over the past 30–40 years. Some of the visualization methods covered in this review include lid transillumination, video and non-contact meibography, and imaging methods employing confocal microscopy, optical coherence tomography and ultrasound. This review has also highlighted all the studies to date that have employed meibography as part of their methods. An overview of the available meibography dropout grading systems will also be provided.

Hard copies for digital medical images: an overview

Science.gov (United States)

Blume, Hartwig R.; Muka, Edward

1995-04-01

This paper is a condensed version of an invited overview on the technology of film hard-copies used in radiology. Because the overview was given to an essentially nonmedical audience, the reliance on film hard-copies in radiology is outlined in greater detail. The overview is concerned with laser image recorders generating monochrome prints on silver-halide films. The basic components of laser image recorders are sketched. The paper concentrates on the physical parameters - characteristic function, dynamic range, digitization resolution, modulation transfer function, and noise power spectrum - which define image quality and information transfer capability of the printed image. A preliminary approach is presented to compare the printed image quality with noise in the acquired image as well as with the noise of state-of- the-art cathode-ray-tube display systems. High-performance laser-image- recorder/silver-halide-film/light-box systems are well capable of reproducing acquired radiologic information. Most recently development was begun toward a display function standard for soft-copy display systems to facilitate similarity of image presentation between different soft-copy displays as well as between soft- and hard-copy displays. The standard display function is based on perceptional linearization. The standard is briefly reviewed to encourage the printer industry to adopt it, too.

Pulse power modulators - an overview

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Venkatramani, N.

2006-01-01

Pulse power modulators are electronic devices to provide, high voltage, high current, power bursts. Ideally, a modulator, with the means to shape and control the pulses, acts as a switch between a high voltage power supply and its load. This article gives an overview of the pulse power modulators: starting with the basics of pulse and modulation, it covers modulation topologies, different types of modulators, major subsystems and pulse measurement techniques. The various applications of pulse power modulators and the recent trends have been included at the end. (author)

Energy in Canada: an overview

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mawer, S.P.

1997-01-01

Future opportunities for Canadian petroleum producers and the impact of competition for a share of the US export market on the Canadian oil industry were discussed. An overview of the market in PADD II, the US mid-continent, as seen from the Ashland Petroleum Company's perspective, was presented. Ashland is the fourth largest importer of Canadian crude. The company firmly believes that despite only slight increases in demand, Canadian supply to the US mid-continent will grow by taking significant market share from Mexican, Venezuelan and Gulf coast competitors

Facing Tomorrow's Challenges - An Overview

Science.gov (United States)

,

2008-01-01

In 2007, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) developed a science strategy outlining the major natural-science issues facing the Nation in the next decade. The science strategy consists of six science directions of critical importance, focusing on areas where natural science can make a substantial contribution to the well-being of the Nation and the world. This fact sheet is an overview of the science strategy and describes how USGS research can strengthen the Nation with information needed to meet the challenges of the 21st century.

An overview of the teaching of nuclear chemistry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Seaborg, G.T.

1993-01-01

Subjective remarks by the author on teaching of nuclear chemistry are presented. A historical overview of nuclear chemistry and radiochemistry education and research as well as an outline of their prospects are given. (R.P.)

Skin in health and diseases in Ṛgveda saṃhiṭa: An overview

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Amiya Kumar Mukhopadhyay

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Ṛgveda is the oldest religious book of the Aryans. It picturises the early lives of the Aryans. We get mention of various diseases in this Veda. Skin - both in health and diseases had caught attention of the Vedic sages. Skin was not merely an organ of attraction and look but its colour was important socially. Mentions of various diseases like leprosy, guinea worm, jaundice etc., are interesting. Mention of different disorders of the nails and hair are also there, though in a very primitive and mystic form. Management strategy was consisted of herbs, amulates, chanting of mantras, touching the body, uses of water and sunrays etc. This may be presumed that this Veda founded the base for the Βyurveda of the later period.

High-performance computing — an overview

Science.gov (United States)

Marksteiner, Peter

1996-08-01

An overview of high-performance computing (HPC) is given. Different types of computer architectures used in HPC are discussed: vector supercomputers, high-performance RISC processors, various parallel computers like symmetric multiprocessors, workstation clusters, massively parallel processors. Software tools and programming techniques used in HPC are reviewed: vectorizing compilers, optimization and vector tuning, optimization for RISC processors; parallel programming techniques like shared-memory parallelism, message passing and data parallelism; and numerical libraries.

Breath analysis as a potential and non-invasive frontier in disease diagnosis: an overview.

Science.gov (United States)

Pereira, Jorge; Porto-Figueira, Priscilla; Cavaco, Carina; Taunk, Khushman; Rapole, Srikanth; Dhakne, Rahul; Nagarajaram, Hampapathalu; Câmara, José S

2015-01-09

Currently, a small number of diseases, particularly cardiovascular (CVDs), oncologic (ODs), neurodegenerative (NDDs), chronic respiratory diseases, as well as diabetes, form a severe burden to most of the countries worldwide. Hence, there is an urgent need for development of efficient diagnostic tools, particularly those enabling reliable detection of diseases, at their early stages, preferably using non-invasive approaches. Breath analysis is a non-invasive approach relying only on the characterisation of volatile composition of the exhaled breath (EB) that in turn reflects the volatile composition of the bloodstream and airways and therefore the status and condition of the whole organism metabolism. Advanced sampling procedures (solid-phase and needle traps microextraction) coupled with modern analytical technologies (proton transfer reaction mass spectrometry, selected ion flow tube mass spectrometry, ion mobility spectrometry, e-noses, etc.) allow the characterisation of EB composition to an unprecedented level. However, a key challenge in EB analysis is the proper statistical analysis and interpretation of the large and heterogeneous datasets obtained from EB research. There is no standard statistical framework/protocol yet available in literature that can be used for EB data analysis towards discovery of biomarkers for use in a typical clinical setup. Nevertheless, EB analysis has immense potential towards development of biomarkers for the early disease diagnosis of diseases.

Einstein today

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aspect, A.; Grangier, Ph.; Bouchet, F.R.; Brunet, E.; Derrida, B.; Cohen-Tannoudji, C.; Dalibard, J.; Laloe, F.; Damour, Th.; Darrigol, O.; Pocholle, J.P.

2005-01-01

The most important contributions of Einstein involve 5 fields of physics : the existence of quanta (light quanta, stimulated radiation emission and Bose-Einstein condensation), relativity, fluctuations (Brownian motion and thermodynamical fluctuations), the basis of quantum physics and cosmology (cosmological constant and the expansion of the universe). Diverse and renowned physicists have appreciated the development of modern physics from Einstein's ideas to the knowledge of today. This book is a collective book that gathers their work under 7 chapters: 1) 1905, a new beginning; 2) from the Einstein, Podolsky and Rosen's article to quantum information (cryptography and quantum computers); 3) the Bose-Einstein condensation in gases; 4) from stimulated emission to the today's lasers; 5) Brownian motion and the fluctuation-dissipation theory; 6) general relativity; and 7) cosmology. (A.C.)

An Overview of the CNES Propulsion Program for Spacecraft

Science.gov (United States)

Cadiou, A.; Darnon, F.; Gibek, I.; Jolivet, L.; Pillet, N.

2004-10-01

This paper presents an overview of the CNES spacecraft propulsion activities. The main existing and future projects corresponding to low earth orbit and geostationary platforms are described. These projects cover various types of propulsion subsystems: monopropellant, bipropellant and electric. Monopropellant is mainly used for low earth orbit applications such as earth observation (SPOT/Helios, PLEIADES) or scientific applications (minisatellite PROTEUS line and micro satellites MYRIADE line). Bipropellant is used for geostationary telecommunications satellites (@BUS). The field of application of electric propulsion is the station keeping of geostationary telecommunication satellites (@BUS), main propulsion for specific probes (SMART 1) and fine attitude control for dedicated micro satellites (MICROSCOPE). The preparation of the future and the associated Research and Technology program are also described in the paper. The future developments are mainly dedicated to the performance improvements of electric propulsion which leads to the development of thrusters with higher thrust and higher specific impulse than those existing today, the evaluation of the different low thrust technologies for formation flying applications, the development of new systems to pressurize the propellants (volatile liquid, micro pump), the research on green propellants and different actions concerning components such as over wrapped pressure vessels, valves, micro propulsion. A constant effort is also put on plume effect in chemical and electrical propulsion area (improvement of tools and test activities) in the continuity of the previous work. These different R &T activities are described in detail after a presentation of the different projects and of their propulsion subsystems. The scientific activity supporting the development of Hall thrusters is going on in the frame of the GDR (Groupement de Recherche) CNRS / Universities / CNES / SNECMA on Plasma Propulsion.

Cleaning of Easel Paintings: An Overview

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bordalo, R.; Morais, P.J.; Gouveia, H.; Young, C.

2006-01-01

The application of laser cleaning to paintings is relatively recent despite its use on stone-based materials for over 30 years. The cleaning of paintings is of high importance, because it is the least reversible invasive intervention, as well as the most usual of all conservation treatments. Paintings are multilayer system of heterogeneous nature, often very sensitive and inherent difficult to clean. Being a noncontact method, laser cleaning has advantages compared to alternative techniques. Over the last decade, there have been important research studies and advances. However, they are far from sufficient to study the effects on painting materials and to establish the best parameters for each material under investigation. This paper presents a historical overview of the application of laser technology to the cleaning of paintings giving special emphasis on the research of the last decade. An overview of the current research into the interaction between the radiation and the different painting materials (varnish, pigments, and medium) is also given. The pigment's mechanisms of discoloration and the presence of media as a variable factor in the discoloration of pigments are discussed.

Youth Suicidal Behavior: An Introduction and Overview

Science.gov (United States)

Miller, David N.; Eckert, Tanya L.

2009-01-01

Youth suicidal behavior continues to be a significant national problem in need of urgent attention by school personnel. The purpose of this introductory article to the special series is to provide an overview of youth suicidal behavior, including research-based information on demographic data; risk factors and warning signs; and where, when, and…

The Prospects of Radical Change Today

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Slavoj Žižek

2018-05-01

Full Text Available In this contribution, Slavoj Žižek takes the occasion of Marx’s bicentenary for reflecting on the prospects of radical change today. First, it is shown that under Stalinism, Lenin’s works were quoted out of context in an arbitrary way in order to legitimise arbitrary political measures. Marxism thereby became an ideology that justified brutal subjective interventions. Second, this contribution poses the question of the revolutionary subject and democracy today. It stresses the role of both contingency and strategy in revolutions. In political assemblages taking place on public squares, the inert mass of ordinary people is transubstantiated into a politically engaged united force. The basic political problem today is how to best reconfigure democracy. Third, this contribution analyses the “interesting times” we live in. These are times that feature multiple crises, right-wing populism à la Donald Trump and Marine Le Pen, the lower classes’ opposition to immigration, and the refugee crisis. Questions about human rights and their violation and about radical change need to be asked in this context.

Treatment with Biologicals in Rheumatoid Arthritis: An Overview.

Science.gov (United States)

Rein, Philipp; Mueller, Ruediger B

2017-12-01

Management and therapy of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) has been revolutionized by the development and approval of the first biological disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (bDMARDs) targeting tumor necrosis factor (TNF) α at the end of the last century. Today, numerous efficacious agents with different modes of action are available and achievement of clinical remission or, at least, low disease activity is the target of therapy. Early therapeutic interventions aiming at a defined goal of therapy (treat to target) are supposed to halt inflammation, improving symptoms and signs, and preserving structural integrity of the joints in RA. Up to now, bDMARDs approved for therapy in RA include agents with five different modes of action: TNF inhibition, T cell co-stimulation blockade, IL-6 receptor inhibition, B cell depletion, and interleukin 1 inhibition. Furthermore, targeted synthetic DMARDs (tsDMARDs) inhibiting Janus kinase (JAK) and biosimilars also are approved for RA. The present review focuses on bDMARDs and tsDMARDS regarding similarities and possible drug-specific advantages in the treatment of RA. Furthermore, compounds not yet approved in RA and biosimilars are discussed. Following the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) and European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR) recommendations, specific treatment of the disease will be discussed with respect to safety and efficacy. In particular, we discuss the question of favoring specific bDMARDs or tsDMARDs in the two settings of insufficient response to methotrexate and to the first bDMARD, respectively.

Rapid assessment methods in eye care: An overview

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Srinivas Marmamula

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Reliable information is required for the planning and management of eye care services. While classical research methods provide reliable estimates, they are prohibitively expensive and resource intensive. Rapid assessment (RA methods are indispensable tools in situations where data are needed quickly and where time- or cost-related factors prohibit the use of classical epidemiological surveys. These methods have been developed and field tested, and can be applied across almost the entire gamut of health care. The 1990s witnessed the emergence of RA methods in eye care for cataract, onchocerciasis, and trachoma and, more recently, the main causes of avoidable blindness and visual impairment. The important features of RA methods include the use of local resources, simplified sampling methodology, and a simple examination protocol/data collection method that can be performed by locally available personnel. The analysis is quick and easy to interpret. The entire process is inexpensive, so the survey may be repeated once every 5-10 years to assess the changing trends in disease burden. RA survey methods are typically linked with an intervention. This article provides an overview of the RA methods commonly used in eye care, and emphasizes the selection of appropriate methods based on the local need and context.

Retrievability: An international overview

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Richardson, P.J.

2000-01-01

Using available information from the published literature and material obtained from a network of contacts, a short introductory overview of international developments in the field of retrievability of emplaced nuclear waste was produced for the Swedish National Siting Coordinator for Nuclear Waste Disposal. This examined the issue in terms of a number of basic questions: Definition, Need, Design Implications, Safeguards for Fissile Material, Public Acceptability and Safety Assessment. The report was submitted in February 1999, and acted as a catalyst for the organisation of an international seminar by KASAM, the Swedish National Council for Nuclear Waste (these proceedings). This paper describes the report contents, and points to the invited papers at the seminar which expand on and update the limited descriptions in the original report. (author)

[Health care in today's Western Belarus in the inter-war period (1921-1939)].

Science.gov (United States)

Tiszczenko, E M

2001-01-01

During the inter-war period, today's Western Belarus, which under the Treaty of Riga constituted part of the Second Polish Republic, stood out for its higher morbidity in various disease categories than other regions of the country. Heightened threats of epidemics prevailed in that area, and typhoid fever, trachoma, tuberculois and venereal disease were serious health problems. Specific features of the health care of today's Western Belarus could be observed that set it apart from both that of Eastern Belarus forming a part of the Soviet Union as well as from the central and western provinces of Poland. Compared with Eastern Belarus, there was a lack of health services, including anti-tuberculosis, anti-venereal and paediatric dispensaries, or they were in the process of being created. But physicians' self-government bodies functioned, as did out-patient care with dispensary-like elements and health care provided by local health centres. There also existed the institution of full-time family doctors within the insured health-care system - something lacking in Eastern Belarus. As in other voivodships (provinces) of the Second Republic, there existed multi-sector health care: state, local, insurance-based and private. The Western Belarus had Poland's smallest number of physicians, new hospital beds and pharmacies. On the other hand, today's Western Belarus stands out by virtue of maintaining field-medicine traditions. To this day, assistant medical officers provide health care to the rural population - an arrangement not typical of the central and western provinces fo pre-war Poland.

[An overview of neurometabolic diseases in Tunisia. a 3-year prospective study].

Science.gov (United States)

Kraoua, I; Benrhouma, H; Rouissi, A; Youssef-Turki, I Ben; Zouari, B; Kaabachi, N; Gouider-Khouja, N

2009-01-01

Neurometabolic diseases are a large group of genetic diseases. In our country, the diagnostic and therapeutic approach to theses diseases is rather difficult. The aim of our study was to determine the frequency of neurometabolic diseases in the hospital population, to describe the problems in diagnosing these conditions and difficulties encountered during patient care. Our goal was to propose guidelines for a practical diagnostic and therapeutic approach to neurometabolic disorders in our country. We have conducted a prospective study over a 3-year period including all patients diagnosed with "metabolic disease" and followed at the Child and Adolescent Neurology Department of the National Institute of Neurology of Tunis. One hundred and thirty-six patients were included (2.4% of our patients). Mean age was 7.3 +/- 5.1 years. Mean age at onset was 4.3 years. There was a high consanguinity rate. Respiratory chain defects were the most frequently suspected diseases (16.9%), followed by lysosomal diseases (8.8%). Chromatography, initially systematically prescribed, became targeted with a higher diagnostic efficacy. Metabolic diseases diagnosed as certain, represented 22% of the studied cases. This can be explained by the insufficiency of available laboratory tests of confirmation. The prescription of specific treatment was insufficient, even for confirmed pathologies (14.7%) because of the high cost of these therapies. The diagnostic approach has to be rational, targeted, multidisciplinar and conducted within a care network. Diagnostic priority should focus on treatable neurometabolic diseases. The establishment of a systematized registry and neonatal screening for the main treatable neurometabolic diseases constitute the final objective of our work to prepare for biochemical and genetic studies.

Diverticular disease: A therapeutic overview

Science.gov (United States)

Tursi, Antonio

2010-01-01

Formation of colonic diverticula, via herniation of the colonic wall, is responsible for the development of diverticulosis. When diverticulosis becomes symptomatic, it becomes diverticular disease. Diverticular disease is common in Western and industrialized countries, and it is associated with numerous abdominal symptoms (including pain, bloating, nausea, diarrhea, and constipation). Standard medical therapies with antibiotics are currently recommended for patients affected by diverticular disease. However, changing concepts on the pathophysiology of the disease suggest that diverticular disease may share many of the hallmarks of inflammatory bowel diseases. On this basis, the addition of therapies using mesalazine and probiotics may enhance treatment efficacy by shortening the course of the disease and preventing recurrences. PMID:21577292

Research in corporate communication: An overview of an emerging field

OpenAIRE

Riel, Cees

1997-01-01

textabstractThis commentary is intended as an amendment to Argenti's (1996) viewpoint, published in Volume 10, Issue 1, of Management Communication Quarterly. Van Riel provides an overview of research in corporate communication, focusing on achievements found in the international academic literature in both communication and business school disciplines. In the author's opinion, there are three key concepts in corporate communication research: corporate identity, corporate reputation, and orch...

Clinicopathological features of medulloblastoma: an overview with an emphasis on molecular biology

NARCIS (Netherlands)

de Haas, T. G. K. J.; Kool, M.

2007-01-01

Medulloblastoma is a malignant, invasive embryonal tumor of the cerebellum with preferential manifestation in children, predominantly neuronal differentiation and an inherent tendency to metastasize via CSF pathways. In this review we present an overview of the clinicopathological aspects of

Poliovirus Laboratory Based Surveillance: An Overview.

Science.gov (United States)

Zaidi, Syed Sohail Zahoor; Asghar, Humayun; Sharif, Salmaan; Alam, Muhammad Masroor

2016-01-01

World Health Assembly (WHA) in 1988 encouraged the member states to launch Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) (resolution WHA41.28) against "the Crippler" called poliovirus, through strong routine immunization program and intensified surveillance systems. Since its launch, global incidence of poliomyelitis has been reduced by more than 99 % and the disease squeezed to only three endemic countries (Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Nigeria) out of 125. Today, poliomyelitis is on the verge of eradication, and their etiological agents, the three poliovirus serotypes, are on the brink of extinction from the natural environment. The last case of poliomyelitis due to wild type 2 strain occurred in 1999 in Uttar Pradesh, India whereas the last paralytic case due to wild poliovirus type 3 (WPV3) was seen in November, 2012 in Yobe, Nigeria. Despite this progress, undetected circulation cannot fully rule out the eradication as most of the poliovirus infections are entirely subclinical; hence sophisticated environmental surveillance is needed to ensure the complete eradication of virus. Moreover, the vaccine virus in under-immunized communities can sometimes revert and attain wild type characteristics posing a big challenge to the program.

Factors affecting physicians’ use of a dedicated overview interface in an electronic health record

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jensen, Lotte Groth; Bossen, Claus

2016-01-01

Background : It remains a continual challenge to present information in user interfaces in large IT systems to support overview in the best possible way. We here examine how an Electronic Health Record (EHR) supports the creation of overview among hospital physicians with a particular focus...... the reasons for its use and non-use Method: We conducted exploratory ethnographic fieldwork among physicians in two hospitals and gathered statistical data on their use of the overview interface. From the quantitative data, we identified where the interface was used most and conducted 18 semi-structured, open-ended...... on the use of an interface designed to provide clinicians with a patient information overview. The overview interface integrates information flexibly from diverse places in the EHR and presents this information in one screen display. Our study revealed widespread non-use of the overview interface. We explore...

An overview of Bothrops erythromelas venom

OpenAIRE

Nery,Neriane Monteiro; Luna,Karla Patrícia; Fernandes,Carla Freire Celedônio; Zuliani,Juliana Pavan

2016-01-01

Abstract This review discusses studies on the venom of Bothrops erythromelas published over the past 36 years. During this period, many contributions have been made to understand the venomous snake, its venom, and its experimental and clinical effects better. The following chronological overview is based on 29 articles that were published between 1979 and 2015, with emphasis on diverse areas. The complexity of this task demands an integration of multidisciplinary research tools to study toxin...

Early Childhood Music Education Research: An Overview

Science.gov (United States)

Young, Susan

2016-01-01

This article offers a short commentary on the "state of play" in early childhood music education research to accompany the articles published in this special issue. It provides an international overview of recent research trends in this field, with examples drawn from Europe, the Americas, Asia, the Middle East, East and South Africa and…

Overview and Prevention of Cervical Cancer | Ogu | Nigerian Health ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Background: Cervical cancer though a preventable disease, still has an estimated mortality of 80% from invasive cervical cancer in developing countries. The aim of this paper is to present an overview of cervical cancer and the various modalities available for screening and prevention of cervical cancer. Methodology: ...

Breath Analysis as a Potential and Non-Invasive Frontier in Disease Diagnosis: An Overview

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jorge Pereira

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Currently, a small number of diseases, particularly cardiovascular (CVDs, oncologic (ODs, neurodegenerative (NDDs, chronic respiratory diseases, as well as diabetes, form a severe burden to most of the countries worldwide. Hence, there is an urgent need for development of efficient diagnostic tools, particularly those enabling reliable detection of diseases, at their early stages, preferably using non-invasive approaches. Breath analysis is a non-invasive approach relying only on the characterisation of volatile composition of the exhaled breath (EB that in turn reflects the volatile composition of the bloodstream and airways and therefore the status and condition of the whole organism metabolism. Advanced sampling procedures (solid-phase and needle traps microextraction coupled with modern analytical technologies (proton transfer reaction mass spectrometry, selected ion flow tube mass spectrometry, ion mobility spectrometry, e-noses, etc. allow the characterisation of EB composition to an unprecedented level. However, a key challenge in EB analysis is the proper statistical analysis and interpretation of the large and heterogeneous datasets obtained from EB research. There is no standard statistical framework/protocol yet available in literature that can be used for EB data analysis towards discovery of biomarkers for use in a typical clinical setup. Nevertheless, EB analysis has immense potential towards development of biomarkers for the early disease diagnosis of diseases.

Insights from an overview of four PRAs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fitzpatrick, R.; Arrieta, L.; Teichmann, T.; Davis, P.

1987-01-01

This paper summarizes the findings of an investigation of four probabilistic risk assessments (PRAs), those for Millstone 3 Seabrook, Shoreham, and Oconee 3, performed by Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL) for the Reliability and Risk Assessment branch of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). This group of four PRAs was subjected to an overview process with the basic goal of ascertaining what insights might be gained (beyond those already documented within the individual PRAs) by an independent evaluation of the group with respect to nuclear plant safety and vulnerability. Specifically, the objectives of the study were 1) to identify and rank initiators, systems, components, and failure modes from dominant accident sequences according to their contribution to core melt probability and public risk; and 2) to derive from this process plant-specific and generic insights. The effort was not intended to verify the specific details and results of each PRA but rather - having accepted the results - to see what they might mean in a more global context. This paper also presents some comments and insights into the amenability of certain features of these PRAs to this type of overview process

Health and society in Chukotka: an overview.

Science.gov (United States)

Dudarev, Alexey A; Chupakhin, Valery S; Odland, Jon Øyvind

2013-01-01

This study provides a historical overview of the changes in the socio-economic and health status of the population of Chukotka, from the Soviet to the post-Soviet period, with special attention paid to the circumstances of indigenous people. Past health studies in Chukotka are reviewed and key demographic and health indicator data presented. Since the 1990s, Chukotka's population has shrunk to a third of its former size due to emigration of non-indigenous and mostly younger people, with a corresponding increase in the mortality rate due to aging of the population. However, the indigenous population has remained stable. Among the most important causes of mortality are injuries. The living conditions of indigenous people continue to be a cause of concern, beset by high rates of poverty, unemployment, alcoholism, suicide and a variety of infectious diseases, such as tuberculosis and sexually transmitted infections. The economy, general infrastructure and health care system of Chukotka have been considerably improved by the Abramovich administration in the 2000s.

Civil forensic psychiatry - Part 1: an overview.

Science.gov (United States)

Samuels, Anthony H

2018-02-01

Objectives This paper provides an overview for general and forensic psychiatrists of the complexity and challenge of working in the civil medico-legal arena. It covers expert evidence, ethics, core concepts in civil forensic psychiatry and report writing. Conclusions Civil forensic psychiatry is an important sub-speciality component of forensic psychiatry that requires specific skills, knowledge and the ability to assist legal bodies in determining the significance of psychiatric issues.

An Overview of Residential Ventilation Activities in the Building America Program (Phase I)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Barley, D.

2001-05-21

This report provides an overview of issues involved in residential ventilation; provides an overview of the various ventilation strategies being evaluated by the five teams, or consortia, currently involved in the Building America Program; and identifies unresolved technical issues.

3D Systems' Technology Overview and New Applications in Manufacturing, Engineering, Science, and Education

Science.gov (United States)

Andrews, Mike; Weislogel, Mark; Moeck, Peter; Stone-Sundberg, Jennifer; Birkes, Derek; Hoffert, Madeline Paige; Lindeman, Adam; Morrill, Jeff; Fercak, Ondrej; Friedman, Sasha; Gunderson, Jeff; Ha, Anh; McCollister, Jack; Chen, Yongkang; Geile, John; Wollman, Andrew; Attari, Babak; Botnen, Nathan; Vuppuluri, Vasant; Shim, Jennifer; Kaminsky, Werner; Adams, Dustin; Graft, John

2014-01-01

Abstract Since the inception of 3D printing, an evolutionary process has taken place in which specific user and customer needs have crossed paths with the capabilities of a growing number of machines to create value-added businesses. Even today, over 30 years later, the growth of 3D printing and its utilization for the good of society is often limited by the various users' understanding of the technology for their specific needs. This article presents an overview of current 3D printing technologies and shows numerous examples from a multitude of fields from manufacturing to education. PMID:28473997

Fims, forestry information management system: An overview

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1991-01-01

This geographic information system has been developed as part of Forestry Canada's Eastern Quebec Forestry Program for woodlot owners in eastern Quebec. The goal was to provide private woodlot operators with a management system that uses the most advanced technology available. This booklet provides an overview of this system, explaining how the system can be used.

Vaccination ecosystem health check: achieving impact today and sustainability for tomorrow.

Science.gov (United States)

Saadatian-Elahi, Mitra; Bloom, David; Plotkin, Stanley; Picot, Valentina; Louis, Jacques; Watson, Michael

2017-01-01

Vaccination is a complex ecosystem with several components that interact with one another and with the environment. Today's vaccine ecosystem is defined by the pursuit of polio eradication, the drive to get as many of the new vaccines to as many people as possible and the research and development against immunologically challenging diseases. Despite these successes, vaccine ecosystem is facing keys issues with regard to supply/distribution and cost/profitability asymmetry that risk slowing its global growth. The conference "Vaccination ecosystem health check: achieving impact today and sustainability for tomorrow" held in Annecy-France (January 19-21, 2015) took stock of the health of today's vaccination ecosystem and its ability to reliably and sustainably supply high-quality vaccines while investing in tomorrow's needed innovation. Small and decreasing numbers of suppliers/manufacturing facilities; paucity of research-driven companies; regulatory pressures; market uncertainties; political prioritization; anti-vaccine movements/complacency; and technological and programmatic issues were acknowledged as the major challenges that could weaken today's vaccination ecosystem. The expert panel discussed also drivers and barriers to a sustainable vaccination ecosystem; the metrics of a vaccination ecosystem; and what should be added, removed, increased, or reduced to maintain the health of the vaccination ecosystem.

Digital Libraries and Digitisation: An Overview and Critique

Science.gov (United States)

Rikowski, Ruth

2008-01-01

This article provides an overview of some of the main areas surrounding the broad topic of "Digital Libraries". This includes the advantages and costs of digitisation; the traditional and digital library; the library community and digitisation; and an examination of various digital library projects. It is not exhaustive, but hopefully, it provides…

Overview of vascular disease

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bisset, G.S. III

1998-01-01

Vascular disease in the pediatric population is a poorly understood process which is often underestimated in its incidence. The common beginnings of such ubiquitous diseases as atherosclerosis manifest themselves at a cellular level shortly after birth. Other common systemic disorders, including congestive heart failure and sepsis, are also intricately associated with dysfunctional vasculature. Progress in the understanding of normal and pathophysiologic processes within the vascular system begins with the 'control center' - the endothelial cell. The purpose of this review is to consolidate a body of knowledge on the processes that occur at the cellular level within the blood vessel wall, and to simplify the understanding of how imbalances in these physiologic parameters result in vascular disease. (orig.)

Concepts in Biotechnology An Affordable Overview of Biotechnology ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Home; Journals; Resonance – Journal of Science Education; Volume 2; Issue 9. Concepts in Biotechnology An Affordable Overview of Biotechnology Through Self Study ... Author Affiliations. Narayan S Punekar1. Molecular Enzymology Group, Biotechnology Centre, Indian Institute of Technology, Mumbai 400 076, India.

Phylogenetic reconstruction methods: an overview.

Science.gov (United States)

De Bruyn, Alexandre; Martin, Darren P; Lefeuvre, Pierre

2014-01-01

Initially designed to infer evolutionary relationships based on morphological and physiological characters, phylogenetic reconstruction methods have greatly benefited from recent developments in molecular biology and sequencing technologies with a number of powerful methods having been developed specifically to infer phylogenies from macromolecular data. This chapter, while presenting an overview of basic concepts and methods used in phylogenetic reconstruction, is primarily intended as a simplified step-by-step guide to the construction of phylogenetic trees from nucleotide sequences using fairly up-to-date maximum likelihood methods implemented in freely available computer programs. While the analysis of chloroplast sequences from various Vanilla species is used as an illustrative example, the techniques covered here are relevant to the comparative analysis of homologous sequences datasets sampled from any group of organisms.

An Energy Overview of the Republic of Bulgaria

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2003-01-01

The DOE Office of Fossil Energy is maintaining a web site that is meant to provide useful business- and energy-related information about countries and regions of the world for exporters, project developers, and researchers. The site consists of more than 130 country pages (organized into seven different world regions), with each country page having its own set of links to information sources about that country. There are also more than 30 Country Energy Overviews at the web site -- each of these is a comprehensive review of a specific country's entire energy situation, including sections on Energy Policy, Oil, Natural Gas, Coal, Hydroelectric/Renewables, Nuclear Power, Energy Transmission Infrastructure, Electricity, Electric Industry Overview, Environmental Activities, Privatization, Trade, and Economic Situation. The specific country highlighted in this Country Energy Overview is Bulgaria. The site is designed to be dynamic. Updates to the overviews will be made as need and resource s permit

An Energy Overview of the Republic of Finland

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2003-01-01

The DOE Office of Fossil Energy is maintaining a web site that is meant to provide useful business- and energy-related information about countries and regions of the world for exporters, project developers, and researchers. The site consists of more than 130 country pages (organized into seven different world regions), with each country page having its own set of links to information sources about that country. There are also more than 30 Country Energy Overviews at the web site -- each of these is a comprehensive review of a specific country's entire energy situation, including sections on Energy Policy, Oil, Natural Gas, Coal, Hydroelectric/Renewables, Nuclear Power, Energy Transmission Infrastructure, Electricity, Electric Industry Overview, Environmental Activities, Privatization, Trade, and Economic Situation. The specific country highlighted in this Country Energy Overview is Finland. The site is designed to be dynamic. Updates to the overviews will be made as need and resources permit

An Energy Overview of the Republic of Hungary

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2003-01-01

The DOE Office of Fossil Energy is maintaining a web site that is meant to provide useful business- and energy-related information about countries and regions of the world for exporters, project developers, and researchers. The site consists of more than 130 country pages (organized into seven different world regions), with each country page having its own set of links to information sources about that country. There are also more than 30 Country Energy Overviews at the web site -- each of these is a comprehensive review of a specific country's entire energy situation, including sections on Energy Policy, Oil, Natural Gas, Coal, Hydroelectric/Renewables, Nuclear Power, Energy Transmission Infrastructure, Electricity, Electric Industry Overview, Environmental Activities, Privatization, Trade, and Economic Situation. The specific country highlighted in this Country Energy Overview is Hungary. The site is designed to be dynamic. Updates to the overviews will be made as need and resources permit

An Energy Overview of the Republic of Kazakhstan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2003-01-01

The DOE Office of Fossil Energy is maintaining a web site that is meant to provide useful business- and energy-related information about countries and regions of the world for exporters, project developers, and researchers. The site consists of more than 130 country pages (organized into seven different world regions), with each country page having its own set of links to information sources about that country. There are also more than 30 Country Energy Overviews at the web site -- each of these is a comprehensive review of a specific country's entire energy situation, including sections on Energy Policy, Oil, Natural Gas, Coal, Hydroelectric/Renewables, Nuclear Power, Energy Transmission Infrastructure, Electricity, Electric Industry Overview, Environmental Activities, Privatization, Trade, and Economic Situation. The specific country highlighted in this Country Energy Overview is Kazakhstan. The site is designed to be dynamic. Updates to the overviews will be made as need and resources permit

An Energy Overview of the Republic of Egypt

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2003-01-01

The DOE Office of Fossil Energy is maintaining a web site that is meant to provide useful business- and energy-related information about countries and regions of the world for exporters, project developers, and researchers. The site consists of more than 130 country pages (organized into seven different world regions), with each country page having its own set of links to information sources about that country. There are also more than 30 Country Energy Overviews at the web site -- each of these is a comprehensive review of a specific country's entire energy situation, including sections on Energy Policy, Oil, Natural Gas, Coal, Hydroelectric/Renewables, Nuclear Power, Energy Transmission Infrastructure, Electricity, Electric Industry Overview, Environmental Activities, Privatization, Trade, and Economic Situation. The specific country highlighted in this Country Energy Overview is Egypt. The site is designed to be dynamic. Updates to the overviews will be made as need and resources permit

An Energy Overview of the Republic of Turkey

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2003-01-01

The DOE Office of Fossil Energy is maintaining a web site that is meant to provide useful business- and energy-related information about countries and regions of the world for exporters, project developers, and researchers. The site consists of more than 130 country pages (organized into seven different world regions), with each country page having its own set of links to information sources about that country. There are also more than 30 Country Energy Overviews at the web site -- each of these is a comprehensive review of a specific country's entire energy situation, including sections on Energy Policy, Oil, Natural Gas, Coal, Hydroelectric/Renewables, Nuclear Power, Energy Transmission Infrastructure, Electricity, Electric Industry Overview, Environmental Activities, Privatization, Trade, and Economic Situation. The specific country highlighted in this Country Energy Overview is Turkey. The site is designed to be dynamic. Updates to the overviews will be made as need and resources permit

An Energy Overview of the Republic of Lithuania

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2003-01-01

The DOE Office of Fossil Energy is maintaining a web site that is meant to provide useful business- and energy-related information about countries and regions of the world for exporters, project developers, and researchers. The site consists of more than 130 country pages (organized into seven different world regions), with each country page having its own set of links to information sources about that country. There are also more than 30 Country Energy Overviews at the web site -- each of these is a comprehensive review of a specific country's entire energy situation, including sections on Energy Policy, Oil, Natural Gas, Coal, Hydroelectric/Renewables, Nuclear Power, Energy Transmission Infrastructure, Electricity, Electric Industry Overview, Environmental Activities, Privatization, Trade, and Economic Situation. The specific country highlighted in this Country Energy Overview is Lithuania. The site is designed to be dynamic. Updates to the overviews will be made as need and resources permit

An Energy Overview of the Republic of Armenia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2003-01-01

The DOE Office of Fossil Energy is maintaining a web site that is meant to provide useful business- and energy-related information about countries and regions of the world for exporters, project developers, and researchers. The site consists of more than 130 country pages (organized into seven different world regions), with each country page having its own set of links to information sources about that country. There are also more than 30 Country Energy Overviews at the web site -- each of these is a comprehensive review of a specific country's entire energy situation, including sections on Energy Policy, Oil, Natural Gas, Coal, Hydroelectric/Renewables, Nuclear Power, Energy Transmission Infrastructure, Electricity, Electric Industry Overview, Environmental Activities, Privatization, Trade, and Economic Situation. The specific country highlighted in this Country Energy Overview is Armenia. The site is designed to be dynamic. Updates to the overviews will be made as need and resources permit

Open peer review at four STEM journals: an observational overview.

Science.gov (United States)

Ford, Emily

2015-01-01

Open peer review, peer review where authors' and reviewers' identities are disclosed to one another, is a growing trend in scholarly publishing. Through observation of four journals in STEM disciplines, PLOS One, Atmospheric Chemistry & Physics, PeerJ, and F1000Research, an observational overview is conducted. The overview relies on defined characteristics of open peer review. Results show that despite differing open peer review implementations, each journal retains editorial involvement in scholarly publishing. Further, the analysis shows that only one of these implementations is fully transparent in its peer review and decision making process. Finally, the overview contends that journals should clearly outline peer review and editorial processes in order to allow for open peer review to be better understood and adopted by authors, reviewers, editors, and readers of science communications.

The global environment: An overview

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tolba, M.K.

1992-01-01

Global environmental chemistry today involves a rapidly expanding need both for new research and for the development of an interdiciplinary approach to the multiplicity of interconnected environmental problems. Every ecosystem shows signs of damage: growing quantities of wastes; decreasing water supplies; soil degradation; coastal zone deterioration; deforestation and climatic change; global warming due to ozone depletion. Solutions must involve a cooperative and holistic global effort in three areas: scientific understanding of how the interactive physical, chemical and biological processes regulate the total Earth system; public policy implications including closer liaison between scientists and policymakers;and understanding of the state of the global environment, what is going wrong, why, and whether it is getting worse

Veterinary homeopathy: an overview.

OpenAIRE

Vockeroth, W G

1999-01-01

Complementary and alternative therapies, including homeopathy, have a definite place in veterinary medicine today. The public is demanding access to a full range of conventional and complementary therapies, and the best scenario is to have all therapies available, for there is a place and a need for all of them in the right situation. In my own practice, I use both alternative and conventional therapies, as well as referring patients to specialists, for services such as ultrasound and surgery...

An oxcarbazepine-related fatality with an overview of 26 oxcarbazepine postmortem cases

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Linnet, K.; Steentoft, A.; Simonsen, Kirsten Wiese

2008-01-01

We present an oxcarbazepine-related fatality together with an overview of 26 postmortem cases involving oxcarbazepine observed during the period 2001-2006. The fatality case concerned a 27-year-old woman with epilepsy, who was found dead in her bed. Oxcarbazepine and its active metabolite, 10-hyd...

Raman Spectroscopy: An Emerging Tool in Neurodegenerative Disease Research and Diagnosis.

Science.gov (United States)

Devitt, George; Howard, Kelly; Mudher, Amrit; Mahajan, Sumeet

2018-03-21

The pathogenesis underlining many neurodegenerative diseases remains incompletely understood. The lack of effective biomarkers and disease preventative medicine demands the development of new techniques to efficiently probe the mechanisms of disease and to detect early biomarkers predictive of disease onset. Raman spectroscopy is an established technique that allows the label-free fingerprinting and imaging of molecules based on their chemical constitution and structure. While analysis of isolated biological molecules has been widespread in the chemical community, applications of Raman spectroscopy to study clinically relevant biological species, disease pathogenesis, and diagnosis have been rapidly increasing since the past decade. The growing number of biomedical applications has shown the potential of Raman spectroscopy for detection of novel biomarkers that could enable the rapid and accurate screening of disease susceptibility and onset. Here we provide an overview of Raman spectroscopy and related techniques and their application to neurodegenerative diseases. We further discuss their potential utility in research, biomarker detection, and diagnosis. Challenges to routine use of Raman spectroscopy in the context of neuroscience research are also presented.

Generative Adversarial Networks: An Overview

Science.gov (United States)

Creswell, Antonia; White, Tom; Dumoulin, Vincent; Arulkumaran, Kai; Sengupta, Biswa; Bharath, Anil A.

2018-01-01

Generative adversarial networks (GANs) provide a way to learn deep representations without extensively annotated training data. They achieve this through deriving backpropagation signals through a competitive process involving a pair of networks. The representations that can be learned by GANs may be used in a variety of applications, including image synthesis, semantic image editing, style transfer, image super-resolution and classification. The aim of this review paper is to provide an overview of GANs for the signal processing community, drawing on familiar analogies and concepts where possible. In addition to identifying different methods for training and constructing GANs, we also point to remaining challenges in their theory and application.

Burden of mortality in Greenland--today and tomorrow

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nielsen, Lasse Christian; Hansen, Kristian Schultz; Nielsen, Ulla Ringgren

2004-01-01

: Concerted multi-sectoral approaches and broad holistic health strategies related to health promotion and prevention today will strategically improve the capability of the Greenlandic society to manage the future disease burden from ageing via its health care sector and the institutional sector for care......OBJECTIVES: Investigation of the relative impact of three factors expected to influence the future mortality burden in Greenland: demographic change, epidemiological transition and behavioural patterns. STUDY DESIGN: To identify general trends in public health status, evaluating the effect...... of public health campaigns and providing the basis for making predictions of future trends in the mortality burden data from the Greenlandic Death Causes Register to estimate Years of Life Lost (YLL) in the period 1976-1998 has been used. METHODS: YLL were estimated according to the Burden of Disease Method...

Fermilab Today

Science.gov (United States)

registration due today Women's Initiative: "Guiltless: Work/Life Balance" - Aug. 13 Nominations for ; -Leah Hesla In Brief Women's Initiative presents 'Guiltless: Work-Life Balance' - Thursday in One West Cowperthwaite-O'Hagan present "Guiltless: Work-Life Balance" on Thursday, Aug. 13, at 3 p.m. in One

An Overview of Short-term Statistical Forecasting Methods

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Elias, Russell J.; Montgomery, Douglas C.; Kulahci, Murat

2006-01-01

An overview of statistical forecasting methodology is given, focusing on techniques appropriate to short- and medium-term forecasts. Topics include basic definitions and terminology, smoothing methods, ARIMA models, regression methods, dynamic regression models, and transfer functions. Techniques...... for evaluating and monitoring forecast performance are also summarized....

Stimuli Responsive Ionogels for Sensing Applications—An Overview

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Andrew Kavanagh

2012-02-01

Full Text Available This overview aims to summarize the existing potential of “Ionogels” as a platform to develop stimuli responsive materials. Ionogels are a class of materials that contain an Ionic Liquid (IL confined within a polymer matrix. Recently defined as “a solid interconnected network spreading throughout a liquid phase”, the ionogel therefore combines the properties of both its solid and liquid components. ILs are low melting salts that exist as liquids composed entirely of cations and anions at or around 100 °C. Important physical properties of these liquids such as viscosity, density, melting point and conductivity can be altered to suit a purpose by choice of the cation/anion. Here we provide an overview to highlight the literature thus far, detailing the encapsulation of IL and responsive materials within these polymeric structures. Exciting applications in the areas of optical and electrochemical sensing, solid state electrolytes and actuating materials shall be discussed.

The planned Alaska SAR Facility - An overview

Science.gov (United States)

Carsey, Frank; Weeks, Wilford

1987-01-01

The Alaska SAR Facility (ASF) is described in an overview fashion. The facility consists of three major components, a Receiving Ground System, a SAR Processing System and an Analysis and Archiving System; the ASF Program also has a Science Working Team and the requisite management and operations systems. The ASF is now an approved and fully funded activity; detailed requirements and science background are presented for the facility to be implemented for data from the European ERS-1, the Japanese ERS-1 and Radarsat.

BIOMIMICRY – AN OVERVIEW

OpenAIRE

Ivanić, Kasandra-Zorica; Tadić, Zoran; Omazić, Mislav Ante

2015-01-01

Biomimicry implies the creative implementation of biological concepts into products. This paper provides a broad overview of the field of biomimicry, and has described the conversion of physiological and organizational solutions from nature into products and services. Implementation and economic efficiency is shown through selected examples. Four examples of successful implementation of nature solutions are the following: Velcro, lotus-effect, structural coloration and tubercles on the fins o...

Research reactors - an overview

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

West, C.D.

1997-01-01

A broad overview of different types of research and type reactors is provided in this paper. Reactor designs and operating conditions are briefly described for four reactors. The reactor types described include swimming pool reactors, the High Flux Isotope Reactor, the Mark I TRIGA reactor, and the Advanced Neutron Source reactor. Emphasis in the descriptions is placed on safety-related features of the reactors. 7 refs., 7 figs., 2 tabs

An Overview of a Continuum Mechanic Approach to a Thermodynamic Model of Failure

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Palazotto, A

1998-01-01

.... An overview of the thermodynamic definitions, concepts, and principles will be presented. This overview of the thermodynamics is necessary to provided the background needed to understand the damage model, which is based on thermodynamic principles...

An overview of cleaner fish use in Ireland.

Science.gov (United States)

Bolton-Warberg, M

2017-11-21

Sea lice infestations represent one of the most significant challenges facing the salmon farming industry, giving rise to lost production, additional costs of treatment and potential negative interactions with wild stocks. At present, cleaner fish, which actively remove lice from salmon, are an effective, biological, long-term option which has been adopted by many countries. In Ireland, several key studies were conducted in the 1990s on the use of wild-caught wrasse (corkwing, goldsinny and rock cook) as cleaner fish in experimental and commercial scale trials. More recently, the National University of Ireland Galway (NUIG), at their marine research facility in Carna (CRS), has undertaken applied research on ballan wrasse and lumpsucker. Currently, CRS is providing lumpsucker juveniles and research and development for the Irish salmon industry with support from BIM (Ireland's Seafood Development Agency) and Marine Harvest Ireland. There is a large amount of research currently being carried out in this area in all countries that are utilizing cleaner fish technology. The current focus in Ireland is the development of a native lumpsucker broodstock to facilitate its sustainable production. The aim of this article was to provide an overview of the research, challenges and use of cleaner fish in Ireland. © 2017 The Authors Journal of Fish Diseases Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Epigenetics in the Eye: An Overview of the Most Relevant Ocular Diseases

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hanan A. Alkozi

2017-10-01

Full Text Available Sight for mammals is one of the most appreciated senses. In humans there are several factors that contribute to the increment in all kind of eye diseases. This mini-review will focus on some diseases whose prevalence is steadily increasing year after year for non-genetic reasons, namely cataracts, dry eye, and glaucoma. Aging, diet, inflammation, drugs, oxidative stress, seasonal and circadian style-of-live changes are impacting on disease prevalence by epigenetics factors, defined as stable heritable traits that are not explained by changes in DNA sequence. The mini-review will concisely show the data showing epigenetics marks in these diseases and on how knowledge on the epigenetic alterations may guide therapeutic approaches to have a healthy eye.

Radioactive waste today - an asset tomorrow

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Holmstrand, M. [Norwegian Radiation Protection Authority (Norway)

2014-07-01

Mining of Rare Earth Elements (REE) causes radioactive pollution, as ores which contain REE also contain an elevated concentration of naturally occurring radioactive materials (NORM). Wastes from REE mining are therefore regarded as being inherently radioactive. One of the potential economically viable REE resources in Norway is in the Fensfield area in Telemark County, which is recognized as one of the world's largest thorium resources. If REE was mined in this area, a large volume of radioactive waste would be created. The authorities would then need to know how to regulate the waste so that the environmental impact would be as low as reasonably achievable when societal and economic factors having been accounted for (ALARA). Radioactive pollution from REE tailings could be a threat to the environment, biota and humans. However, naturally occurring thorium is practically not mobile nor bioavailable and has a relatively low specific activity and might therefore safely be deposited in a landfill. An environmental risk assessment should be used to evaluate if it is justifiable to deposit the radioactive tailings in a landfill or if alternative ways of handling, such as extraction of thorium in addition to extraction of REE from the ore, might be better. The risk assessment must start with a source term, the native carbonatite rocks, and an investigation on how the chemical properties of the rock changes when it's milled and treated with chemicals. Changes in the physical and chemical properties and changes in the environment where the processed rock are deposited might mobilize and/or make thorium bioavailable, thus increasing the environmental risk. Removal of thorium from the raw materials or tailings from the REE mining industry prior to deposition could be seen as one form of environmental protection with many benefits, for instance reducing the potential of external and internal radiation in biota and humans. We could also speculate about the

From submissiveness to agency: An overview of developments in ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

From submissiveness to agency: An overview of developments in translation studies and some ... approaches focusing on the source text, the process of translation, the reception of the translated text, and the ... AJOL African Journals Online.

Membrane Technologies in Wine Industry: An Overview.

Science.gov (United States)

El Rayess, Youssef; Mietton-Peuchot, Martine

2016-09-09

Membrane processes are increasingly reported for various applications in wine industry such as microfiltration, electrodialysis, and reverse osmosis, but also emerging processes as bipolar electrodialysis and membrane contactor. Membrane-based processes are playing a critical role in the field of separation/purification, clarification, stabilization, concentration, and de-alcoholization of wine products. They begin to be an integral part of the winemaking process. This review will provide an overview of recent developments, applications, and published literature in membrane technologies applied in wine industry.

Content-centric networks an overview, applications and research challenges

CERN Document Server

Ahmed, Syed Hassan; Kim, Dongkyun

2016-01-01

This book introduces Content-Centric Networking (CCN), a networking paradigm that provides a simple and effective solution to the challenging demands of future wired and wireless communications. It provides an overview of the recent developments in the area of future internet technologies, bringing together the advancements that have been made in Information-Centric Networking (ICN) in general, with a focus on CCN. It begins with an introduction to the basics of CCN is followed by an overview of the current internet paradigm and its challenges. Next, an application perspective has been included, where the authors encompass the selected applications for CCN with recent refereed research and developments. These applications include Internet of Things (IoT), Smart Grid, Vehicular Ad hoc Networks (VANETs), and Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs). The book is a useful reference source for practising researchers, and can be used as supporting material for undergraduate and graduate level courses in computer science and...

Central Delta languages: An overview | Kari | Stellenbosch Papers ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

This paper presents an overview of the phonology, morphology and syntax of Central Delta languages. It also provides information on the geo-linguistic, demographic and sociolinguistic situation of these languages. It notes that Central Delta languages have a 20-vowel system, which divides into two sets of 10 vowels ...

Bullying in Schools: An Overview. Juvenile Justice Bulletin

Science.gov (United States)

Seeley, Ken; Tombari, Martin L.; Bennett, Laurie J.; Dunkle, Jason B.

2011-01-01

Researchers from the National Center for School Engagement conducted a series of studies to explore the connections between bullying in schools, school attendance and engagement, and academic achievement. This bulletin provides an overview of the studies funded by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP), a summary of the…

An overview of quarantine for fruit flies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Frampton, E.R.

2000-01-01

What is meant by 'quarantine for fruit flies'? The Collins dictionary describes 'quarantine' as a period of isolation or detention, especially of persons or animals arriving from abroad, to prevent the spread of disease. In providing an overview of quarantine for fruit flies, a broader definition needs to be applied, that is, the combination of activities required to maintain the fruit fly status of a particular geographical area - perhaps better referred to as a 'quarantine system'. Familiarity with New Zealand's quarantine system for fruit flies (Diptera: Tephritidae) provides a useful basis for subsequent comparison with other countries' systems where some fruit fly species may be present. But, why have 'quarantine for fruit flies'? The multivoltine life history of many species. combined with a relatively long-lived adult stage and highly fecund females, results in a high potential for rapid population increase (Bateman 1979, Fletcher 1987). These factors and the close association of fruit flies with harvested fruit or vegetables explain the high quarantine profile of these insects. However, there is no international requirement for a country to have a quarantine system and unless there are natural quarantine barriers (e.g., mountain range, oceans, deserts) that can be utilised, effective quarantine by an individual country may be an impossible task. The implementation of a successful quarantine system is very expensive and therefore, it would be expected that any benefits attained outweigh the costs (Ivess 1998). Ivess (1998) listed the following benefits from the implementation of an effective quarantine system: minimising production costs (including post harvest treatments), maintaining competitive advantages for market access due to the ongoing freedom from particular pests of quarantine significance, an environment free from many pests harmful to plant health, the maintenance of ecosystems

Overview of IgG4 - Related Disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Opriţă, R; Opriţă, B; Berceanu, D; Diaconescu, I B

2017-01-01

Rationale (hypothesis): IgG4-related disease (IgG4-RD) is a pathological entity recently recognized by the medical world that can affect any organ or system. However, there is insufficient data about this disease in medical literature. Aim (objective): A more extensive clarification of the IgG4 molecule, the diversified aspects of IgG4-related disease, and the response of this disease to treatment, will provide a crucial understanding of the immune system and other diseases now known to be associated with IgG4. The MEDLINE online medical database was used, and, after a comprehensive review of medical articles regarding IgG4-RD, published after 2003, using the search words "IgG4- related disease" and "IgG4 molecule", we have described the clinical, pathological and therapeutic features of IgG4-RD, as well as the presence of the IgG4 molecule in the evolution, diagnosis and management of this syndrome. We characterized the potential disease mechanisms and discussed early observations related to treatment. Given the response to immunosuppressive therapy, it is hypothesized that IgG4-related disease is most likely an autoimmune disease. Therefore, IgG4-related disease is a fibro-inflammatory condition that can affect any organ and can lead to the formation of pseudotumoral lesions requiring differential diagnosis with various malignancies. Positive diagnostic criteria are histopathological and require at least two features out of the following three: dense limphoplasmocitary infiltrate, storiform fibrosis, obliterative phlebitis.

Curricular Critique of an Environmental Education Policy Framework: Acting Today, Shaping Tomorrow

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Douglas D. Karrow

2015-10-01

Full Text Available The following paper is a curricular critique of an environmental education policy framework called Acting Today, Shaping Tomorrow (2009. It is founded upon: (a an examination of the conventional argument for integrated curriculum models and its relevance to K-12 environmental education; and (b utilization of a typology of integrated curriculum models to analyze an environmental education policy framework within the jurisdiction of Ontario, Canada. In conclusion, Ontario’s environmental education policy framework tends toward an integrated curriculum model referred to as ‘selective infusion.’  The implications for integrated curricular practice are identified, with recommendations for improving the policy framework from an integrated curricular perspective.     Key Words: environmental education, integrated curriculum, curriculum critique, education policy.

Health and society in Chukotka: an overview

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alexey A. Dudarev

2013-03-01

Full Text Available This study provides a historical overview of the changes in the socio-economic and health status of the population of Chukotka, from the Soviet to the post-Soviet period, with special attention paid to the circumstances of indigenous people. Past health studies in Chukotka are reviewed and key demographic and health indicator data presented.Since the 1990s, Chukotka's population has shrunk to a third of its former size due to emigration of non-indigenous and mostly younger people, with a corresponding increase in the mortality rate due to aging of the population. However, the indigenous population has remained stable. Among the most important causes of mortality are injuries. The living conditions of indigenous people continue to be a cause of concern, beset by high rates of poverty, unemployment, alcoholism, suicide and a variety of infectious diseases, such as tuberculosis and sexually transmitted infections. The economy, general infrastructure and health care system of Chukotka have been considerably improved by the Abramovich administration in the 2000s.

An overview of the prevalence and distribution of gastrointestinal ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

An overview of the prevalence and distribution of gastrointestinal parasitic infections in post-war Iraq. Noor Abdulhaleem, Aliyu Mahmuda, Al-Zihiry Khalid Jameel Khadim, Roslaini Abd Majid, Leslie Than Thian Lung, Wan Omar Abdullah, Zasmy Unyah ...

An Overview on the Role of Macular Xanthophylls in Ocular Diseases

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sezen Yilmaz Sarialtin

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Macula lutea, is the center of the retina of the eye, contains high concentrations of lutein and zeaxanthin which can act as a filter against short-wavelength (blue light. Lutein and zeaxanthin are the only carotenoids detected in human lens which exhibit highly strong free radical scavenging activity. Many epidemiological studies, clinical trials, animal experiments have suggested that lutein and zeaxanthin have anti-inflammatory potential with their high antioxidant properties. Several eye diseases including, age-related macular degeneration, uveitis and retinitis pigmentosa are caused by ocular inflammation. Some studies have shown that lutein and zeaxanthin could be protective, curative and preventive against ocular inflammation induced diseases and other ocular disorders such as cataract, glaucoma and choroideremia. The mechanisms responsible for these effects are absorption of near-ultraviolet and blue light, reduction of oxidative stress, inflammation and angiogenesis. Lutein and zeaxanthin can be taken from dietary supplements or a diet high in fruits, vegetables such as kale, spinach and turnip greens. The aim of this review is to evaluate the relationship between the consumption of lutein and zeaxanthin and eye diseases.

Image Information Retrieval: An Overview of Current Research

OpenAIRE

Abby A. Goodrum

2000-01-01

This paper provides an overview of current research in image information retrieval and provides an outline of areas for future research. The approach is broad and interdisciplinary and focuses on three aspects of image research (IR): text-based retrieval, content-based retrieval, and user interactions with image information retrieval systems. The review concludes with a call for image retrieval evaluation studies similar to TREC.

Type I Glycogen Storage Disease

Science.gov (United States)

... the most common form of glycogen storage disease, accounting for 25% of all cases. It is an ... Links Videos Webinars About ALF OVERVIEW Programs About Liver Disease Ask the Experts People ALF ...

Review of Huebert’s Libertarianism Today

OpenAIRE

Walter E. Block

2010-01-01

Libertarianism Today, by Jacob Huebert (Santa Barbara, CA: Praeger, 2010), is an excellent introduction to libertarianism. In contrast to many other recent books about libertarianism, a consistent non-compromising libertarianism is defended throughout this book.

The transition of new technology to solve today`s problems

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kamin, R.A. [Naval Air Warfare Center, Trenton, NJ (United States); Martin, C.J.; Turner, L.M. [Defense Fuel Supply Center, Alexandria, VA (United States)

1995-05-01

Extensive research has been conducted in the development of methods to predict the degradation of F-44 in storage. The Low Pressure Reactor (LPR) has greatly enhanced the stability prediction capabilities necessary to make informed decisions concerning aviation fuel in storage. This technique has in the past been primarily used for research purposes. The Naval Air Warfare Center, Aircraft Division, Trenton, NJ, has used this technique successfully to assist the Defense Fuel Supply Center, Cameron Station, Alexandria, VA, in stability assessments of F-44. The High Performance Liquid Chromatography/Electrochemical Detector (HPLC/EC) antioxidant determination technique has also aided in making stability predictions by establishing the amount of inhibitor currently in the product. This paper will address two case studies in which the above new technology was used to insure the rapid detection and diagnosis of today`s field and logistic problems.

Rhinophyma Treated with Options Today

Science.gov (United States)

... Donate Weblog Press Room News Releases Glossary About Us Overview History Program Services Organization Key Staff Board of Directors ... Donate Weblog Press Room News Releases Glossary About Us Overview History Program Services Organization Key Staff Board of Directors ...

The Dutch Construction Industry: An Overview and Its Use of Performance Information

OpenAIRE

Van de Rijt, J.; Hompes, M.; Santema, S.C.

2010-01-01

This paper gives an overview of the Dutch Construction industry and elaborates further on its use of performance information. After giving an overview of the Dutch construction industry depicting size, major contractors, growth, profitability, value added, costs, productivity, this section is concluded by giving future predictions of the industry for the following years. A summary is given of the 2002 Dutch construction collusion as a means to give explanations for the persistent use of procu...

An overview of EXTOOL: An analysis tool for V-TOUGH and NUFT

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Daveler, S.

1995-08-01

Several post-processors have been used in connection with V-TOUGH. Initially, a sequence of utilities were used to extract and plot V-TOUGH information. This changed in 1991 as a new post-processor, EXTOOL, was developed. Currently, EXTOOL, is the main post-processor for the modeling codes V-TOUGH and NUFT. In the following sections, a history of V-TOUGH post-processing is discussed along with an overview of EXTOOL. This overview describes some of Extool's capabilities and suggests reasons for using this code instead of another postprocessor. More detailed information on EXTOOL can be found in the Extool User's Manual and the Extool Programmer's Guide. Both these manuals are drafts, and can be requested by sending email to daveler2 at sign llnl.gov

Agave biotechnology: an overview.

Science.gov (United States)

Nava-Cruz, Naivy Y; Medina-Morales, Miguel A; Martinez, José L; Rodriguez, R; Aguilar, Cristóbal N

2015-01-01

Agaves are plants of importance both in Mexican culture and economy and in other Latin-American countries. Mexico is reported to be the place of Agave origin, where today, scientists are looking for different industrial applications without compromising its sustainability and preserving the environment. To make it possible, a deep knowledge of all aspects involved in production process, agro-ecological management and plant biochemistry and physiology is required. Agave biotechnology research has been focusing on bio-fuels, beverages, foods, fibers, saponins among others. In this review, we present the advances and challenges of Agave biotechnology.

Aromatherapy for health care: an overview of systematic reviews.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Myeong Soo; Choi, Jiae; Posadzki, Paul; Ernst, Edzard

2012-03-01

Aromatherapy is the therapeutic use of essential oil from herbs, flowers, and other plants. The aim of this overview was to provide an overview of systematic reviews evaluating the effectiveness of aromatherapy. We searched 12 electronic databases and our departmental files without restrictions of time or language. The methodological quality of all systematic reviews was evaluated independently by two authors. Of 201 potentially relevant publications, 10 met our inclusion criteria. Most of the systematic reviews were of poor methodological quality. The clinical subject areas were hypertension, depression, anxiety, pain relief, and dementia. For none of the conditions was the evidence convincing. Several SRs of aromatherapy have recently been published. Due to a number of caveats, the evidence is not sufficiently convincing that aromatherapy is an effective therapy for any condition. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Urbanization and health - An overview | Nnebue | Orient Journal of ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Urbanization and health - An overview. ... and health with emphasis on approach and options for the promotion of healthy behaviours and safety. ... The urban context of particular cities may also affect health as well as modify the effect that ...

Lymphocyte-predominant Hodgkin disease: a comprehensive overview.

Science.gov (United States)

Bose, Sumit; Ganesan, Chitra; Pant, Manish; Lai, Catherine; Tabbara, Imad A

2013-02-01

Lymphocyte-predominant Hodgkin disease is a rare form of Hodgkin lymphoma that is recognized as a separate histopathological entity. This disease tends to have multiple relapses, but has an overall good prognosis. Owing to its rarity, and the prolonged time period between recurrence and transformation events, there is no consensus regarding optimal management. However, the National Comprehensive Cancer Network guidelines indicate that for early stages, appropriate treatment is radiotherapy. Several management options have been reported including observation, radiation, chemotherapy, combined chemoradiotherapy, and anti-CD20 antibody therapy. Salvage therapy remains effective in inducing prolonged remission in patients with relapsed/refractory disease.

Role of carotid duplex imaging in carotid screening programmes – an overview

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gillard Jonathan H

2008-07-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Stroke is the third most common cause of death in the UK and the largest single cause of severe disability. Each year more than 110,000 people in England suffer from a stroke which costs the National Health Service (NHS over GBP2.8 billion. Thus, it is imperative that patients at risk be screened for underlying carotid artery atherosclerosis. Aim To assess the role of carotid ultrasound in different carotid screening programmes. Methods A literature overview was carried out by using PubMed search engine, to identify different carotid screening programmes that had used ultrasound scan as a screening tool. Results It appears that the carotid ultrasound is an effective method for screening carotid artery disease in community as it effectively predicts the presence of stenosis with high accuracy. There is a need for primary care to recommend high risk patients for regular screening, to reduce stroke and transient ischemic attack (TIA related morbidity and mortality. Conclusion Screening programmes using carotid ultrasonography contribute to public health awareness and promotion which in long term could potentially benefit in disease prevention and essentially promote better standards of healthcare.

Propylthiouracil for alcoholic liver disease

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rambaldi, A; Gluud, C

2002-01-01

Alcohol is the most common cause of liver disease in the Western world today. Randomised clinical trials have addressed the question whether propylthiouracil has any efficacy in patients with alcoholic liver disease.......Alcohol is the most common cause of liver disease in the Western world today. Randomised clinical trials have addressed the question whether propylthiouracil has any efficacy in patients with alcoholic liver disease....

Kaluza-Klein theories: an overview

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chodos, A.

1984-01-01

The aim of this Comment is to provide for the nonexpert a descriptive overview, colored with a certain amount of personal prejudice, of the basic ideas underlying the Kaluza-Klein approach to unification, and a very brief survey of some of the more recent developments. The treatment is nonmathematical in the extreme. (author)

Comorbidity of periodontal disease: two sides of the same coin? An introduction for the clinician.

Science.gov (United States)

Holmstrup, Palle; Damgaard, Christian; Olsen, Ingar; Klinge, Björn; Flyvbjerg, Allan; Nielsen, Claus Henrik; Hansen, Peter Riis

2017-01-01

Increasing evidence has suggested an independent association between periodontitis and a range of comorbidities, for example cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, osteoporosis, Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, psoriasis, and respiratory infections. Shared inflammatory pathways are likely to contribute to this association, but distinct causal mechanisms remain to be defined. Some of these comorbid conditions may improve by periodontal treatment, and a bidirectional relationship may exist, where, for example, treatment of diabetes can improve periodontal status. The present article presents an overview of the evidence linking periodontitis with selected systemic diseases and calls for increased cooperation between dentists and medical doctors to provide optimal screening, treatment, and prevention of both periodontitis and its comorbidities.

Comorbidity of periodontal disease: two sides of the same coin? An introduction for the clinician

Science.gov (United States)

Holmstrup, Palle; Damgaard, Christian; Olsen, Ingar; Klinge, Björn; Flyvbjerg, Allan; Nielsen, Claus Henrik; Hansen, Peter Riis

2017-01-01

ABSTRACT Increasing evidence has suggested an independent association between periodontitis and a range of comorbidities, for example cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, osteoporosis, Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, psoriasis, and respiratory infections. Shared inflammatory pathways are likely to contribute to this association, but distinct causal mechanisms remain to be defined. Some of these comorbid conditions may improve by periodontal treatment, and a bidirectional relationship may exist, where, for example, treatment of diabetes can improve periodontal status. The present article presents an overview of the evidence linking periodontitis with selected systemic diseases and calls for increased cooperation between dentists and medical doctors to provide optimal screening, treatment, and prevention of both periodontitis and its comorbidities. PMID:28748036

[Allergy - an environmental disease].

Science.gov (United States)

Traidl-Hoffmann, Claudia

2017-06-01

The increase in allergies is a phenomenon that is being observed in all fast-developing countries. For a long time, science has taken as a starting point that solely a genetic predisposition is a precondition for the development of an allergy. Today, knowledge of environmental factors that can alter genes or the transcription of genes in the cells, has improved. Epidemiological studies have meanwhile identified several environmental factors that have a protective or supporting effect on allergy development. The environmental microbiome has recently gained central interest. A common theme in most of the studies is diversity: reduced diversity is correlated with enhanced risk for chronic inflammatory diseases and allergy.It is now of great interest for research to further analyze such environment-gene and/or environment-human interactions on all levels - from organs to cells to small and microstructures such as genes. For immunologists, it is specifically about understanding the influencing factors and effector pathways of allergens, and to apply thereby obtained insights in the follow-up for the ultimate goal of allergy research - prevention.

An overview of bacterial diseases of the most important agricultural crops in Nepal

OpenAIRE

Lamichhane, Jay Ram; Balestra, Giorgio M.; Mazzaglia, Angelo; Kshetri, MB; Varvaro, Leonardo

2011-01-01

Several surveys were carried out during three consecutive years (2007-2009) on the major crops cultivated in different districts of Nepal, in order to verify the possible presence of diseases caused by bacteria. The monitoring was carried out twice a year, in spring and autumn. During the survey we observed a wide range of bacterial diseases of plants. Most of the diseases were observed for the first time while others had been reported previously. Among the bacterial diseases observed for the...

Equine influenza: An overview

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S. P. Waghmare

2010-08-01

Full Text Available Equine influenza virus is a leading cause of respiratory disease in the horses. The disease is the OIE listed disease of equines, ponies, mules and donkeys and spreads very fast. The sporadic outbreaks of the disease have occurred all over the country. Many cases have been reported in Delhi, Meerut, Saharanpur, Jaipur, Hisar, Calcutta, Ahmedabad. Nearly all the horses at Matheran (Hill station were infected with influenza. The disease has spread like wildfire at the stables of Royal Western India Turf Club (RWITC at Pune and suspended the Mumbai racing season for prolonged period of time resulting in marked economic losses. After affecting racing in Mumbai, Calcutta and New Delhi, the dreaded equine influenza has spread to Karnataka and Mysore. An outbreak of disease has marred the racing season across the country. The disease was first detected in Jammu & Kashmir before entering the central region Horses at the army polo clubs and Delhi equestrian center were also affected. As per the recent survey conducted by the army across India, it has been found that 5400 horses are infected so far, especially thoroughbred most severely. Nearly, 95 % of horses on a major farm in India are suspected of suffering from equine influenza. The government also banned inter-state movement of horses for three months to contain the disease. [Vet World 2010; 3(4.000: 194-197

An overview of nuclear physics research

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kapoor, S.S.

2010-01-01

This overview is aimed to give a general picture of the global developments in nuclear physics research over the years since the beginning. It is based on the inaugural talk given at the 54th annual nuclear physics symposium organized by the Department of Atomic Energy, which was held as an International Symposium at BARC, Mumbai during Dec 8-12, 2009. The topics of nuclear fission, nuclear shell effects, super-heavy nuclei, and expanding frontiers of nuclear physics research with the medium to ultra-relativistic energy heavy-ion reactions are in particular highlighted. Accelerator driven sub-critical reactor system (ADS) is briefly described in the end as an example of spin-off of nuclear physics research. (author)

The empirical study of norms of justice - an overview

OpenAIRE

Jacquemain, Marc

2003-01-01

The paper discusses what is empirical study of justice feeling, drawing the line between this and normative study, but defending nevertheless that there are important linkis between both stances. It gives an overview of main theories whitin normative study of justice feelings

An Overview of Teratology.

Science.gov (United States)

Calado, Ana M; Dos Anjos Pires, Maria

2018-01-01

In this chapter, we provide an overview of the basic principles of teratology, beginning with its definition, the critical point for teratogenesis to occur and the most evident etiological agents to improve the understanding of this science.Teratology is a recent science that began in the early twentieth century, and has greatly improved over the recent years with the advancements in molecular biology, toxicology, animal laboratory science, and genetics, as well as the improvement on the knowledge of the environmental influences.Nevertheless, more work is required to reduce the influence of hazardous products that could be deleterious during pregnancy, thus reducing teratogenic defects in the newborn. While some teratogenic defects are attributed to their agents with certainty, the same for a lot of other such defects is lacking, necessitating consistent studies to decipher the influence of various teratogenic agents on their corresponding teratogenic defects. It is here that the laboratory animal science is of great importance both in the present and in the future.

String moduli inflation. An overview

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cicoli, Michele [Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron (DESY), Hamburg (Germany); Quevedo, Fernando [Cambridge Univ. (United Kingdom). DAMTP/CMS; Abdus Salam International Centre for Theoretical Physics, Trieste (Italy)

2011-06-15

We present an overview of inflationary models derived from string theory focusing mostly on closed string moduli as inflatons. After a detailed discussion of the {eta}-problem and different approaches to address it, we describe possible ways to obtain a de Sitter vacuum with all closed string moduli stabilised. We then look for inflationary directions and present some of the most promising scenarios where the inflatons are either the real or the imaginary part of Kaehler moduli. We pay particular attention on extracting potential observable implications, showing how most of the scenarios predict negligible gravitational waves and could therefore be ruled out by the Planck satellite. We conclude by briefly mentioning some open challenges in string cosmology beyond deriving just inflation. (orig.)

String moduli inflation. An overview

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cicoli, Michele; Quevedo, Fernando

2011-06-01

We present an overview of inflationary models derived from string theory focusing mostly on closed string moduli as inflatons. After a detailed discussion of the η-problem and different approaches to address it, we describe possible ways to obtain a de Sitter vacuum with all closed string moduli stabilised. We then look for inflationary directions and present some of the most promising scenarios where the inflatons are either the real or the imaginary part of Kaehler moduli. We pay particular attention on extracting potential observable implications, showing how most of the scenarios predict negligible gravitational waves and could therefore be ruled out by the Planck satellite. We conclude by briefly mentioning some open challenges in string cosmology beyond deriving just inflation. (orig.)

Role of Pharmacovigilance in India: An overview.

Science.gov (United States)

Suke, Sanvidhan G; Kosta, Prabhat; Negi, Harsh

2015-01-01

Pharmacovigilance (PV) plays a key role in the healthcare system through assessment, monitoring and discovery of interactions amongst drugs and their effects in human. Pharmaceutical and biotechnological medicines are designed to cure, prevent or treat diseases; however, there are also risks particularly adverse drug reactions (ADRs) can cause serious harm to patients. Thus, for safety medication ADRs monitoring required for each medicine throughout its life cycle, during development of drug such as pre-marketing including early stages of drug design, clinical trials, and post-marketing surveillance. PV is concerns with the detection, assessment, understanding and prevention of ADRs. Pharmacogenetics and pharmacogenomics are an indispensable part of the clinical research. Variation in the human genome is a cause of variable response to drugs and susceptibility to diseases are determined, which is important for early drug discovery to PV. Moreover, PV has traditionally involved in mining spontaneous reports submitted to national surveillance systems. The research focus is shifting toward the use of data generated from platforms outside the conventional framework such as electronic medical records, biomedical literature, and patient-reported data in health forums. The emerging trend in PV is to link premarketing data with human safety information observed in the post-marketing phase. The PV system team obtains valuable additional information, building up the scientific data contained in the original report and making it more informative. This necessitates an utmost requirement for effective regulations of the drug approval process and conscious pre and post approval vigilance of the undesired effects, especially in India. Adverse events reported by PV system potentially benefit to the community due to their proximity to both population and public health practitioners, in terms of language and knowledge, enables easy contact with reporters by electronically. Hence, PV

An Energy Overview of the Republic of Azerbaijan

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

anon.

2004-06-21

The DOE Office of Fossil Energy had maintained a web site that was meant to provide useful business- and energy-related information about countries and regions of the world for exporters, project developers, and researchers. The site consisted of more than 130 country pages (organized into seven different world regions), with each country page having its own set of links to information sources about that country. There were also more than 30 Country Energy Overviews at the web site -- each of these was a comprehensive review of a specific country's entire energy situation, including sections on Energy Policy, Oil, Natural Gas, Coal, Hydroelectric/Renewables, Nuclear Power, Energy Transmission Infrastructure, Electricity, Electric Industry Overview, Environmental Activities, Privatization, Trade, and Economic Situation. The specific country highlighted in this Country Energy Overview is Azerbaijan.

Differential diagnosis of white matter diseases in the tropics: An overview

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pandit Lekha

2009-01-01

Full Text Available In hospitals in the tropics, the availability of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI facilities in urban areas and especially in teaching institutions have resulted in white matter diseases being frequently reported in a variety of clinical settings. Unlike the west where multiple sclerosis (MS is the commonest white matter disease encountered, in the tropics, there are myriad causes for the same. Infectious and post infectious disorders probably account for the vast majority of these diseases. Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV infection tops the list of infective conditions. Central nervous system (CNS tuberculosis occasionally presents with patchy parenchymal lesions unaccompanied by meningeal involvement. Human T cell leukemia virus (HTLV infection and cystic inflammatory lesions such as neurocysticercosis are important causes to be considered in the differential diagnosis. Diagnosing post infectious demyelinating disorders is equally challenging since more than a third of cases seen in the tropics do not present with history of past infection or vaccinations. Metabolic and deficiency disorders such as Wernicke′s encephalopathy, osmotic demyelinating syndrome associated with extra pontine lesions and Vitamin B12 deficiency states can occassionaly cause confusion in diagnosis. This review considers a few important disorders which manifest with white matter changes on MRI and create diagnostic difficulties in a population in the tropics.

Survey of independent inventors: An overview

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Whalley, P.

1992-12-01

Independent inventors are important but little-researched members of the US technical community. The survey reported on here is the first in modern times to attempt to provide a profile of the US independent inventor that goes beyond a single geographical or organizational locale. The report that follows provides an overview of the demographics, practices and concerns of the modern US inventor as represented by the members of leading US inventor organizations. It is by no means comprehensive but seeks to be indicative of the issues raised in the survey each which will be dealt with more comprehensively in future publications.

An Energy Overview of the Republic of South Africa

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2003-01-01

The DOE Office of Fossil Energy is maintaining a web site that is meant to provide useful business- and energy-related information about countries and regions of the world for exporters, project developers, and researchers. The site consists of more than 130 country pages (organized into seven different world regions), with each country page having its own set of links to information sources about that country. There are also more than 30 Country Energy Overviews at the web site -- each of these is a comprehensive review of a specific country's entire energy situation, including sections on Energy Policy, Oil, Natural Gas, Coal, Hydroelectric/Renewables, Nuclear Power, Energy Transmission Infrastructure, Electricity, Electric Industry Overview, Environmental Activities, Privatization, Trade, and Economic Situation. The specific country highlighted in this Country Energy Overview is South Africa. The site is designed to be dynamic. Updates to the overviews will be made as need and resources permit

Pharmaceutical cocrystals: an overview.

Science.gov (United States)

Qiao, Ning; Li, Mingzhong; Schlindwein, Walkiria; Malek, Nazneen; Davies, Angela; Trappitt, Gary

2011-10-31

Pharmaceutical cocrystals are emerging as a new class of solid drugs with improved physicochemical properties, which has attracted increased interests from both industrial and academic researchers. In this paper a brief and systematic overview of pharmaceutical cocrystals is provided, with particular focus on cocrystal design strategies, formation methods, physicochemical property studies, characterisation techniques, and recent theoretical developments in cocrystal screening and mechanisms of cocrystal formations. Examples of pharmaceutical cocrystals are also summarised in this paper. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

[Clinical overview of auto-inflammatory diseases].

Science.gov (United States)

Georgin-Lavialle, S; Rodrigues, F; Hentgen, V; Fayand, A; Quartier, P; Bader-Meunier, B; Bachmeyer, C; Savey, L; Louvrier, C; Sarrabay, G; Melki, I; Belot, A; Koné-Paut, I; Grateau, G

2018-04-01

Monogenic auto-inflammatory diseases are characterized by genetic abnormalities coding for proteins involved in innate immunity. They were initially described in mirror with auto-immune diseases because of the absence of circulating autoantibodies. Their main feature is the presence of peripheral blood inflammation in crisis without infection. The best-known auto-inflammatory diseases are mediated by interleukines that consisted in the 4 following diseases familial Mediterranean fever, cryopyrinopathies, TNFRSF1A-related intermittent fever, and mevalonate kinase deficiency. Since 10 years, many other diseases have been discovered, especially thanks to the progress in genetics. In this review, we propose the actual panorama of the main known auto-inflammatory diseases. Some of them are recurrent fevers with crisis and remission; some others evaluate more chronically; some are associated with immunodeficiency. From a physiopathological point of view, we can separate diseases mediated by interleukine-1 and diseases mediated by interferon. Then some polygenic inflammatory diseases will be shortly described: Still disease, Schnitzler syndrome, aseptic abscesses syndrome. The diagnosis of auto-inflammatory disease is largely based on anamnesis, the presence of peripheral inflammation during attacks and genetic analysis, which are more and more performant. Copyright © 2018 Société Nationale Française de Médecine Interne (SNFMI). Published by Elsevier SAS. All rights reserved.

An Overview of Cloud Computing in Distributed Systems

Science.gov (United States)

Divakarla, Usha; Kumari, Geetha

2010-11-01

Cloud computing is the emerging trend in the field of distributed computing. Cloud computing evolved from grid computing and distributed computing. Cloud plays an important role in huge organizations in maintaining huge data with limited resources. Cloud also helps in resource sharing through some specific virtual machines provided by the cloud service provider. This paper gives an overview of the cloud organization and some of the basic security issues pertaining to the cloud.

Animal communication and human language: An overview

OpenAIRE

Barón Birchenall , Leonardo

2016-01-01

International audience; Comparative research has proven to be a fruitful field of study on the ontogenetic and phylogenetic evolution of language, and on the cognitive capacities unique to humans or shared with other animals. The degree of continuity between components of human language and non-human animal communication systems, as well as the existence of a core factor of language, are polemic subjects at present. In this article, we offer an overview of the research on animal communication...

Micro Hydro-Electric Energy Generation- An Overview

OpenAIRE

S. O. Anaza; M. S. Abdulazeez; Y. A. Yisah; Y. O. Yusuf; B. U. Salawu; S. U. Momoh

2017-01-01

Energy is required now more than ever due to population growth, industrialization and modernization. Challenges such as carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions and depletion of conventional source of energy necessitate for renewable sources, of which hydro energy seems to be the most predictable. Micro-hydro which is hydro energy in a “small” scale provides electricity to small communities by converting hydro energy into electrical energy. This paper is an overview of micro-hydro system by reviewing s...

Islamic Book and Information Culture: An Overview

OpenAIRE

Paul L. Hover

2007-01-01

This overview, the second article in an exploratory study of the information seeking (IS) behavior of a group of eighty-four reference librarians from Egypt and the USA, is intended to assist readers less familiar with Islamic history to better understand cross-cultural influences on Arab IS behavior. A description of pre-Islamic poetry and orality precedes a discussion of the importance of the Koran and Islamic traditions on the development of a religious, scribal society. Oral transmission ...

Renal cystic disease: A practical overview

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hartman, D.S.

1987-01-01

Renal cystic disease includes a group of lesions with extremely diverse clinical, radiographic, and pathologic findings. The recent development of multiple imaging systems to study renal cystic disease has resulted in considerable interest in correlating the images obtained by different modalities with each other and with the underlying gross pathology. A thorough knowledge of the disturbed morphology and natural history of these diseases will lead to a better understanding of their appearance on radiologic imaging. This refresher course correlates disturbed morphology with appearances on diagnostic imaging, urography, US, angiography, CT, and MR imaging. The advantages and limitations of each imaging method are detailed. A practical classification emphasizing differential features is presented. The presentation is divided into two parts. In the first part typical and atypical cystic masses, including acquired cystic disease (from dialysis), Von Hippel-Lindau disease, and the cystic disease of tuberous sclerosis are discussed. In the second part, polycystic kidney disease (dominant and recessive), medullary cystic disease, medullary sponge kidney, multicycle-dysplastic kidney, renal sinus cysts (peripelvic), and pluricystic kidney disease are discussed

The reductive decyanation reaction: an overview and recent developments

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jean-Marc R. Mattalia

2017-02-01

Full Text Available This review presents an overview of the reductive decyanation reaction with a special interest for recent developments. This transformation allows synthetic chemists to take advantages of the nitrile functional group before its removal. Mechanistic details and applications to organic synthesis are provided.

An Overview of the Challenges and Opportunities for Globalization ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The paper is an overview of the existing challenges and opportunities of globalization of Nigerian libraries. It examine the challenges and opportunities for the establishment of viable information and communication. Technologies (ICTs) and recommends the way forward for interconnectivity of Nigerian libraries to facilitate ...

An Overview of the Euthanasia Movement in the United States Today.

Science.gov (United States)

Rock-Levinson, A. J.

1979-01-01

Outlines a cursory history and commentary on the euthanasia movement in the United States and emphasizes the growing demand for recognition of the individual's right to make informed treatment decisions. The growing numbers and isolation of the elderly and effects in insurance coverage on the care of the dying are also discussed. (Author)

Neutrinos today

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pontecorvo, B.; Bilen'kij, S.

1987-01-01

After the famous 1983 discovery of intermediate W, Z 0 bosons it may be stated with certainty that W, Z 0 are entirely responsible for the production of neutrinos and for their interactions. Neutrino physics notions are presented from this point of view in the first four introductory, quite elementary, paragraphs of the paper. The following seven paragraphs are more sophisticated. They are devoted to the neutrino mass and neutrino mixing question, which is the most actual problem in today neutrino physics. Vacuum neutrino oscillations, matter neutrino oscillations and netrinoless double-decay are considered. Solar neutrino physics is discussed in some detail from the point of view of vacuum and matter neutrino oscillations. The role played by neutrinos in the Universe is briefly considered. In the last paragraph there discussed the probable observation by different groups of neutrinos connected with the Supernova 1987 A: the first observation of gravitational star collapse (at least the general rehearsal of such observation) opens up a new era in astronomy of today exerimental physics and astrophysics is presented at the end of the paper in the form of a Table

Bartonelosis (Carrion's Disease) in the pediatric population of Peru: an overview and update.

Science.gov (United States)

Huarcaya, Erick; Maguiña, Ciro; Torres, Rita; Rupay, Joan; Fuentes, Luis

2004-10-01

Bartonellosis, or Carrion's Disease, is an endemic and reemerging disease in Peru and Ecuador. Carrion's Disease constitutes a health problem in Peru because its epidemiology has been changing, and it is affecting new areas between the highland and the jungle. During the latest outbreaks, and previously in endemic areas, the pediatric population has been the most commonly affected. In the pediatric population, the acute phase symptoms are fever, anorexia, malaise, nausea and/or vomiting. The main signs are pallor, hepatomegaly, lymphadenopathies, cardiac murmur, and jaundice. Arthralgias and weight loss have also commonly been described. The morbidity and mortality of the acute phase is variable, and it is due mainly to superimposed infections or associated respiratory, cardiovascular, neurological or gastrointestinal complications. The eruptive phase, also known as Peruvian Wart, is characterized by eruptive nodes (which commonly bleed) and arthralgias. The mortality of the eruptive phase is currently extremely low. The diagnosis is still based on blood culture and direct observation of the bacilli in a blood smear. In the chronic phase, the diagnosis is based on biopsy or serologic assays. There are nationally standardized treatments for the acute phase, which consist of ciprofloxacin, and alternatively chloramphenicol plus penicillin G. However, most of the treatments are based on evidence from reported cases. During the eruptive phase the recommended treatment is rifampin, and alternatively, azithromycin or erythromycin.

Bartonelosis (Carrion's Disease in the pediatric population of Peru: an overview and update

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Erick Huarcaya

Full Text Available Bartonellosis, or Carrion's Disease, is an endemic and reemerging disease in Peru and Ecuador. Carrion's Disease constitutes a health problem in Peru because its epidemiology has been changing, and it is affecting new areas between the highland and the jungle. During the latest outbreaks, and previously in endemic areas, the pediatric population has been the most commonly affected. In the pediatric population, the acute phase symptoms are fever, anorexia, malaise, nausea and/or vomiting. The main signs are pallor, hepatomegaly, lymphadenopathies, cardiac murmur, and jaundice. Arthralgias and weight loss have also commonly been described. The morbidity and mortality of the acute phase is variable, and it is due mainly to superimposed infections or associated respiratory, cardiovascular, neurological or gastrointestinal complications. The eruptive phase, also known as Peruvian Wart, is characterized by eruptive nodes (which commonly bleed and arthralgias. The mortality of the eruptive phase is currently extremely low. The diagnosis is still based on blood culture and direct observation of the bacilli in a blood smear. In the chronic phase, the diagnosis is based on biopsy or serologic assays. There are nationally standardized treatments for the acute phase, which consist of ciprofloxacin, and alternatively chloramphenicol plus penicillin G. However, most of the treatments are based on evidence from reported cases. During the eruptive phase the recommended treatment is rifampin, and alternatively, azithromycin or erythromycin.

Radiologic atlas of rheumatic diseases

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dihlmann, W.

1986-01-01

This book is an ''atlas of rheumatic joint disease'' selected from 20 years of personal experience by the author. The author sets a goal of demonstrating the value of soft-tissue imaging in the diagnosis of early joint disease. This goal is achieved with high quality reproductions, many of which are presented in duplicate to illustrate bone and soft-tissue changes. The contents include an introductory overview of the ''Mosaic of Arthritis'' followed by sections on adult rheumatoid arthritis, seronegative spondyloarthropathies, classic collagen disease, enthesiopathies, and lastly a section on gout and psuedogout. The subject index is specific and indexes figures with boldface type. Each section is introduced by a brief outline or overview of the radiographic spectrum of the joint disorder to be illustrated

An overview on Approximate Bayesian computation*

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Baragatti Meïli

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Approximate Bayesian computation techniques, also called likelihood-free methods, are one of the most satisfactory approach to intractable likelihood problems. This overview presents recent results since its introduction about ten years ago in population genetics.

Euthanasia: an overview and the jewish perspective.

Science.gov (United States)

Gesundheit, Benjamin; Steinberg, Avraham; Glick, Shimon; Or, Reuven; Jotkovitz, Alan

2006-10-01

End-of-life care poses fundamental ethical problems to clinicians. Defining euthanasia is a difficult and complex task, which causes confusion in its practical clinical application. Over the course of history, abuse of the term has led to medical atrocities. Familiarity with the relevant bioethical issues and the development of practical guidelines might improve clinical performance. To define philosophical concepts, to present historical events, to discuss the relevant attitudes in modern bioethics and law that may be helpful in elaborating practical guidelines for clinicians regarding euthanasia and end-of-life care. Concepts found in the classic sources of Jewish tradition might shed additional light on the issue and help clinicians in their decision-making process. An historical overview defines the concepts of active versus passive euthanasia, physician-assisted suicide and related terms. Positions found in classical Jewish literature are presented and analyzed with their later interpretations. The relevance and application in modern clinical medicine of both the general and Jewish approaches are discussed. The overview of current bioethical concepts demonstrates the variety of approaches in western culture and legal systems. Philosophically and conceptually, there is a crucial distinction between active and passive euthanasia. The legitimacy of active euthanasia has been the subject of major controversy in recent times in various countries and religious traditions. The historical overview and the literature review demonstrate the need to provide clearer definitions of the concepts relating to euthanasia, for in the past the term has led to major confusion and uncontrolled abuse. Bioethical topics should, therefore, be included in medical training and continuing education. There are major debates and controversies regarding the current clinical and legal approaches. We trust that classical Jewish sources might contribute to the establishment of clinical

Acute appendicitis: An overview | Saidi | East African Medical Journal

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Objective: To provide an overview of the changing epidemiology of acute appendicitis in the developed and developing countries and the presumptive reasons. Data source: Major published series of the last two decades were reviewed using Medline Search and Index Medicus. The myriad of diagnostic approaches ...

Teaching science problem solving: an overview of experimental work

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Taconis, R.; Ferguson-Hessler, M.G.M.; Broekkamp, H.

2001-01-01

The traditional approach to teaching science problem solving is having the students work individually on a large number of problems. This approach has long been overtaken by research suggesting and testing other methods, which are expected to be more effective. To get an overview of the

An Overview of Human Rights, Good Governance and Development ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

An Overview of Human Rights, Good Governance and Development. ... African Research Review ... The paper also addresses the economic and social effect of such human rights violations on national development as well as the effect of using communication to solve the problem of human rights violations and corruption.

An overview of neural function and feedback control in human communication.

Science.gov (United States)

Hood, L J

1998-01-01

The speech and hearing mechanisms depend on accurate sensory information and intact feedback mechanisms to facilitate communication. This article provides a brief overview of some components of the nervous system important for human communication and some electrophysiological methods used to measure cortical function in humans. An overview of automatic control and feedback mechanisms in general and as they pertain to the speech motor system and control of the hearing periphery is also presented, along with a discussion of how the speech and auditory systems interact.

An Introduction to Flight Software Development: FSW Today, FSW 2010

Science.gov (United States)

Gouvela, John

2004-01-01

Experience and knowledge gained from ongoing maintenance of Space Shuttle Flight Software and new development projects including Cockpit Avionics Upgrade are applied to projected needs of the National Space Exploration Vision through Spiral 2. Lessons learned from these current activities are applied to create a sustainable, reliable model for development of critical software to support Project Constellation. This presentation introduces the technologies, methodologies, and infrastructure needed to produce and sustain high quality software. It will propose what is needed to support a Vision for Space Exploration that places demands on the innovation and productivity needed to support future space exploration. The technologies in use today within FSW development include tools that provide requirements tracking, integrated change management, modeling and simulation software. Specific challenges that have been met include the introduction and integration of Commercial Off the Shelf (COTS) Real Time Operating System for critical functions. Though technology prediction has proved to be imprecise, Project Constellation requirements will need continued integration of new technology with evolving methodologies and changing project infrastructure. Targets for continued technology investment are integrated health monitoring and management, self healing software, standard payload interfaces, autonomous operation, and improvements in training. Emulation of the target hardware will also allow significant streamlining of development and testing. The methodologies in use today for FSW development are object oriented UML design, iterative development using independent components, as well as rapid prototyping . In addition, Lean Six Sigma and CMMI play a critical role in the quality and efficiency of the workforce processes. Over the next six years, we expect these methodologies to merge with other improvements into a consolidated office culture with all processes being guided by

An Overview of the Glass Transition Temperature of Synthetic Polymers.

Science.gov (United States)

Beck, Keith R.; And Others

1984-01-01

Presents an overview of the glass-to-rubber transition, what it is, why it is important, and the major factors that influence it. Indicates that this information should be incorporated into chemistry curricula. (JN)

Nuclear power economics and technology: an overview

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1992-01-01

Intended for the non-specialist reader interested in energy and environmental policy matters, this report presents an overview of the current expert consensus on the status of nuclear power technology and its economic position. It covers the potential demand for nuclear energy, its economic competitivity, and the relevant aspects of reactor performance and future technological developments. The report provides an objective contribution to the ongoing scientific and political debate about what nuclear power can offer, now and in the future, in meeting the world's growing demand for energy and in achieving sustainable economic development. 24 refs., 18 figs;, 12 tabs., 5 photos

10. An Overview Of The Aetiologic Agents Of Diarrhoea Diseases In ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

user

primarily supportive with oral or intravenous fluid ... celiac disease, tuberculosis, and cancer of the colon has also be ... agents of diarrhoea include Candida albicans, C krusei, C .... Vitamin A replacement therapy has been advocated. 55.

The MANGO FET-HPC Project: an overview

OpenAIRE

Flich Cardo, José; Agosta, Giovanni; Ampletzer, Philipp; Atienza Alonso, David; Cilardo, Alessandro; Fornaciari, William; Kovac, Mario; Roudet, Fabrice; Zoni, Davide

2015-01-01

© 2015 IEEE. Personal use of this material is permitted. Permission from IEEE must be obtained for all other uses, in any current or future media, including reprinting/republishing this material for advertising or promotional purposes, creating new collective works, for resale or redistribution to servers or lists, or reuse of any copyrighted component of this work in other works. In this paper, we provide an overview of the MANGO project and its goal. The MANGO project aims at address...

Overview of nuclear education and outreach program among Malaysian school students

Science.gov (United States)

Sahar, Haizum Ruzanna; Masngut, Nasaai; Yusof, Mohd Hafizal; Ngadiron, Norzehan; Adnan, Habibah

2017-01-01

This paper gives an overview of nuclear education and outreach program conducted by Agensi Nuklear Malaysia (Nuklear Malaysia) throughout its operation and establishment. Since its foundation in 1972, Nuklear Malaysia has been the pioneer and is competent in the application of nuclear science and technology. Today, Nuklear Malaysia has ventured and eventually contributed into the development of various socio-economic sectors which include but not limited to medical, industry, manufacturing, agriculture, health, radiation safety and environment. This paper accentuates on the history of education and outreach program by Nuklear Malaysia, which include its timeline and evolution; as well as a brief on education and outreach program management, involvement of knowledge management as part of its approach and later the future of Nuklear Malaysia education and outreach program.

Nuclear information: An overview of IAEA's activities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Marchesi, I.H.; Konstantinov, L.V.

1986-01-01

As stated in this overview of IAEA nuclear information activities the Agency's role in information services is rapidly evolving and multifaceted. The Agency maintains more than 200 computerized files of information. Some 60 of these are part of systems directly related to nuclear activities. Some of these are briefly profiled in this overview such as INIS, the IAEA Nuclear Data Programme, the IAEA Incident Reporting System, the IAEA Energy and Economic Databank, the IAEA Power Reactor Information System, the Nuclear Fuel Cycle Information System, and the International Uranium Geology Information System. Future directions are pointed out. Different ways to upgrade information systems are listed

An Overview of Liquid Fluoride Salt Heat Transport Systems

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Holcomb, David Eugene [ORNL; Cetiner, Sacit M [ORNL

2010-09-01

Heat transport is central to all thermal-based forms of electricity generation. The ever increasing demand for higher thermal efficiency necessitates power generation cycles transitioning to progressively higher temperatures. Similarly, the desire to provide direct thermal coupling between heat sources and higher temperature chemical processes provides the underlying incentive to move toward higher temperature heat transfer loops. As the system temperature rises, the available materials and technology choices become progressively more limited. Superficially, fluoride salts at {approx}700 C resemble water at room temperature being optically transparent and having similar heat capacity, roughly three times the viscosity, and about twice the density. Fluoride salts are a leading candidate heat-transport material at high temperatures. Fluoride salts have been extensively used in specialized industrial processes for decades, yet they have not entered widespread deployment for general heat transport purposes. This report does not provide an exhaustive screening of potential heat transfer media and other high temperature liquids such as alkali metal carbonate eutectics or chloride salts may have economic or technological advantages. A particular advantage of fluoride salts is that the technology for their use is relatively mature as they were extensively studied during the 1940s-1970s as part of the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission's program to develop molten salt reactors (MSRs). However, the instrumentation, components, and practices for use of fluoride salts are not yet developed sufficiently for commercial implementation. This report provides an overview of the current understanding of the technologies involved in liquid salt heat transport (LSHT) along with providing references to the more detailed primary information resources. Much of the information presented here derives from the earlier MSR program. However, technology has evolved over the intervening years

Overview of medicinal plants used for cardiovascular system disorders and diseases in ethnobotany of different areas in Iran

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Baharvand-Ahmadi Babak

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Background and Aims: Today, cardiovascular diseases are the prominent cause of death in industrialized countries which include a variety of diseases such as hypertension, hyperlipidemia, thromboembolism, coronary heart disease, heart failure, etc. Recent research findings haveshown that not only the extent of cultivation and production of medicinal plants have not beenreduced, but also day-to-day production and consumption have increased. In traditional botanicalknowledge, herbal medicines are used for the treatment of cardiovascular disorders. In this study,we sought to gather and report medicinal plants used to treat these diseases in different regionsof Iran.Methods: The articles published about ethnobotanical study of cardiovascular diseases in variousregions of Iran, such as Arasbaran, Sistan, Kashan, Kerman, Isfahan Mobarakeh, Lorestan andIlam were prepared and summarized.Results: The results of ethnobotanical studies of various regions of Iran, such as Arasbaran, Sistan,Kashan, Kerman, Isfahan Mobarakeh, Lorestan and Ilam were gathered. The results showed thatsumac plants, barberry, yarrow, wild cucumber, horsetail, Eastern grape, hawthorn, wild rose,spinach, jujube, buckwheat, chamomile, chicory, thistle, Mary peas, nightshade, verbena, sorrel ,cherry, citrullus colocynthis, Peganum harmala, sesame and so many other plants are used for thetreatment of cardiovascular diseases and disorders.Conclusion: Herbal medicines are used effectively for some cardiovascular diseases. Rigoroustraining of patients to take precautions and drug interactions into account and to avoid thearbitrary use of medicinal plants is very important.

An Overview of NASA Automotive Component Reliability Studies

Science.gov (United States)

Sampson, Michael J.

2016-01-01

The results of NASAs studies into the appropriateness of using US Automotive electronic parts in NASA spaceflight systems will be presented. The first part of the presentation provides an overview of the United States Automotive Electronics Councils AECQ standardization program, the second part provides a summary of the results of NASAs procurement and testing experiences and other lessons learned along with preliminary test results.

Process Control System Cyber Security Standards - An Overview

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Robert P. Evans

2006-05-01

The use of cyber security standards can greatly assist in the protection of process control systems by providing guidelines and requirements for the implementation of computer-controlled systems. These standards are most effective when the engineers and operators, using the standards, understand what each standard addresses. This paper provides an overview of several standards that deal with the cyber security of process measurements and control systems.

Connected minds technology and today's learners

CERN Document Server

Pedrò, Francesc

2012-01-01

In all OECD countries, digital media and connectedness are integral to the lives of todays learners. It is often claimed that these learners are ""new millennium learners"", or ""digital natives"", who have different expectations about education. This book contributes to the debate about the effects of technology attachment and connectedness on todays learners, and their expectations about teaching. The book sets out to answer the following questions: Can the claim that todays students are ""new millenium learners"" or ""digital natives be sustained empirically? Is there consistent research evidence demonstrating the effects of technology on cognitive development, social values, and learning expectations? What are the implications for educational policy and practice?

Factors That Drive RTO Performance: An Overview. Synthesis Report

Science.gov (United States)

Misko, Josie

2017-01-01

This paper provides an overview of recent research on the factors that drive the performance of registered training organisations (RTOs), with a view to identifying areas for future research. Initially it explores the drivers of RTO performance; then discusses findings from available literature from Australia and from overseas, and discusses some…

An overview of flight computer technologies for future NASA

Science.gov (United States)

Alkalai, L.

2001-01-01

In this paper, we present an overview of current developments by several US Government Agencies and associated programs, towards high-performance single board computers for use in space. Three separate projects will be described; two that are based on the Power PC processor, and one based on the Pentium processor.

Overview, practical tips and potential pitfalls of using automatic exposure control in CT: Siemens care dose 4D

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Soederberg, Marcus

2016-01-01

Today, computed tomography (CT) systems routinely use automatic exposure control (AEC), which modulates the tube current. However, for optimal use, there are several aspects of an AEC system that need to be considered. The purpose of this study was to provide an overview of the Siemens CARE Dose 4D AEC system, discuss practical tips and demonstrate potential pitfalls. Two adult anthropomorphic phantoms were examined using two different Siemens CT systems. When optimising the CT radiation dose and image quality, the projection angle of the localiser, patient centring, protocol selection, scanning direction and the use of protective devices requires special attention. (authors)

An Overview of Otorhinolaryngeal Problems in Geriatrics

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Girija Shankar Mohanta

2018-06-01

Full Text Available Summary: Background: The increase of geriatric population, as well as their age-related problems, is of great concern for the society and for the governments all over the world and also in India. The main objectives were to overview and find the prevalence of Oto-rhino-laryngological problems in the geriatric population. Method: A prospective study of geriatric patients was undertaken in ENT & HNS Department, S.C.B Medical College & Hospital, Cuttack, India, from November 2014 to August 2016.Inclusion criteria –The patients of age 60 yrs & above who attended ENT outpatient department were studied. Among 3563 patients studied, 363 patients were admitted. The patients were segregated according to sex (male/female, ages (60–64 yr group, 65–69 yr group, 70 yr & above, disease ratio, and prevalence of diseases, associated co-morbidities, and socio-economic aspects. Results: Total patients studied were 3563. The otological problems were being prevalent in geriatrics among study population (51.77% in which presbycusis was the highest with 17.71% of total and 34.21% of otological problems. The problems related to nose were 13.03%, among which epistaxis was 4.98% of total and 37.60% of nasal problems. The neck and throat problems were 35.20%. The problems were more in males (63.65% than in females (36.35%. Conclusion: The hearing loss is the most prevalent diagnosis amongst all otologic problems and epistaxis amongst nasal symptoms. The emergence of head & neck cancers among the geriatric population is a great concern in a developing country like India. Keywords: Oto-rhino-laryngological problems, geriatric populations

PRIMARY CARIES: AN OVERVIEW

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gaurav Solanki

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Primary caries is an initial lesions produced by direct extension from an external surface. Dental caries is called as tooth decay or a cavity is a disease in which bacterial processes changes carbohydrate to acid which than dematerializes the hard tooth structure like enamel, dentin and cementum. Streptococcus mutans and Lactobacillus are the bacteria responsible for the dental caries by acid production. This article throws light on the dental caries disease, its sign and symptoms, treatment and prevention of it. A review of some patents on dental caries is also provided that summarizes the recent technical advancements taken place in this area.

Learning about Parkinson's Disease

Science.gov (United States)

Skip to main content Learning About Parkinson's Disease Enter Search Term(s): Español Research Funding An Overview Bioinformatics Current Grants Education and Training Funding Extramural Research ...

Learning about Huntington's Disease

Science.gov (United States)

Skip to main content Learning About Huntington's Disease Enter Search Term(s): Español Research Funding An Overview Bioinformatics Current Grants Education and Training Funding Extramural Research ...

Heavy flavour hadron spectroscopy: An overview

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

2014-10-31

Oct 31, 2014 ... A comprehensive overview and some of the theoretical attempts towards understanding heavy flavour hadron spectroscopy are presented. Apart from the conventional quark structure (quark, antiquarks structure for the mesons and three-quarks structure of baryons) of hadrons, multiquark hadrons the ...

Cholera: an overview with reference to the Yemen epidemic.

Science.gov (United States)

Rabaan, Ali A

2018-06-22

Cholera is a secretory diarrhoeal disease caused by infection with Vibrio cholerae, primarily the V. cholerae O1 El Tor biotype. There are approximately 2.9 million cases in 69 endemic countries annually, resulting in 95 000 deaths. Cholera is associated with poor infrastructure and lack of access to sanitation and clean drinking water. The current cholera epidemic in Yemen, linked to spread of V. cholerae O1 (Ogawa serotype), is associated with the ongoing war. This has devastated infrastructure and health services. The World Health Organization had estimated that 172 286 suspected cases arose between 27th April and 19th June 2017, including 1170 deaths. While there are three oral cholera vaccines prequalified by the World Health Organization, there are issues surrounding vaccination campaigns in conflict situations, exacerbated by external factors such as a global vaccine shortage. Major movements of people complicates surveillance and administration of double doses of vaccines. Cholera therapy mainly depends on rehydration, with use of antibiotics in more severe infections. Concerns have arisen about the rise of antibiotic resistance in cholera, due to mobile genetic elements. In this review, we give an overview of cholera epidemiology, virulence, antibiotic resistance, therapy and vaccines, in the light of the ongoing epidemic in Yemen.

Radiolabeled somatostatin analog scintigraphy in oncology and immune diseases: an overview

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kwekkeboom, D.J.; Krenning, E.P.

1997-01-01

[ 111 In-DTPA-D-Phe 1 [-octreotide is a new radiopharmaceutical with a great potential for the visualization of somatostatin receptor-positive tumors, granulomas, and diseases in which activated leukocytes play a role. The overall sensitivity of [ 111 In-DTPA-D-Phe 1 [-octreotide scintigraphy to localize neuroendocrine tumors is high. In several neuroendocrine tumor types, inclusion of somatostatin receptor imaging in the localization or staging procedure may be very rewarding, either in terms of cost-effectiveness, patient management, or quality of life. In our opinion, this holds true for patients with carcinoids, gastrinomas, paragangliomas, small-cell lung carcinoma, and selected cases of patients with insulinomas. The value of [ 111 In-DTPA-D-Phe 1 [-octreotide scintigraphy in patients with other tumors, such as breast cancer, malignant lymphomas, or in patients with granulomatous diseases, has to be established. (orig.). With 4 figs., 1 tab

An Overview of Power Topologies for Micro-hydro Turbines

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nababan, Sabar; Muljadi, E.; Blaabjerg, Frede

2012-01-01

This paper is an overview of different power topologies of micro-hydro turbines. The size of micro-hydro turbine is typically under 100kW. Conventional topologies of micro-hydro power are stand-alone operation used in rural electrical network in developing countries. Recently, many of micro-hydro...... power generations are connected to the distribution network through power electronics (PE). This turbines are operated in variable frequency operation to improve efficiency of micro-hydro power generation, improve the power quality, and ride through capability of the generation. In this paper our...... discussion is limited to the distributed generation. Like many other renewable energy sources, the objectives of micro-hydro power generation are to reduce the use of fossil fuel, to improve the reliability of the distribution system (grid), and to reduce the transmission losses. The overview described...

Forest fragmentation and Lyme disease

Science.gov (United States)

Lyme disease is the most commonly reported vectorborne disease in the United States. It is associated with human exposure to infected Ixodes ticks which exist even in degraded forest and herbaceous habitat. We provide an overview of the epidemiology, ecology and landscape charact...

Anabolic-androgenic steroids for alcoholic liver disease

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rambaldi, A; Iaquinto, G; Gluud, C

2003-01-01

Alcohol is one of the most common causes of liver disease in the Western World today. Randomised clinical trials have examined the effects of anabolic-androgenic steroids for alcoholic liver disease.......Alcohol is one of the most common causes of liver disease in the Western World today. Randomised clinical trials have examined the effects of anabolic-androgenic steroids for alcoholic liver disease....

An overview of means-end theory: potential application in consumer-oriented food product design

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Costa, A.I.A.; Dekker, M.; Jongen, W.M.F.

2004-01-01

This paper presents an overview of the means-end chain theory and associated techniques, and discusses the virtues and shortcomings of its potential application in consumer-oriented food product design. This overview, based on literature in the food area, presents also the process of conducting a

Framing in mass communication research: an overview and assessment

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Vliegenthart, R.

2012-01-01

This article provides an overview of the use of the framing concept in mass communication research. It focuses on the questions what a frame is and how it is measured, how variation in framing can be explained and what the effects of media framing are. Specific attention will be paid to the

Chronic kidney disease, spirituality and religiosity: a systematic overview with the list of eligible studies

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nicola Luigi Bragazzi

2013-08-01

Full Text Available Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD has a tremendous psychological burden, which sometimes is overlooked or underestimated in the daily clinical routine practice, since in the health care process physicians prefer to focus on the objective aspects of the pathology. In this contribution, we make a systematic overview of the relationship between spirituality/religiosity and CKD, an emerging theme which only recently has raised interest from the scientific community despite its importance. We investigate different variables, axis and categories (from the quality of life to customer’s satisfaction, treatment adherence and therapeutic alliance, clinical parameters, as well as overall survival, and coping strategies adopted by the patient. Moreover, we underpin the principal clinically relevant implications (like the possibility of psycho-therapeutic interventions based on the spiritual and religious attitudes of the patient and we discuss the main gaps, methodological barriers and difficulties in the field, fostering and advocating further research and clinical studies. This last aspect, together with the quality assessment of the studies, will be further explored in the second part of the study.

INTERNATIONAL BIOMASS TRADE AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT: AN OVERVIEW

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chiriac Catalin

2011-12-01

Full Text Available It is crystal clear that the neoclassical economical theory, despite being probably the best growth model ever invented by man, tickled a cost of environmental degradation which can threaten our wealth and even our existence. For this reason, the concept of sustainable development (SD is so empathic, being considered probably the best theoretical alternative invented by man to standard growth, because of its vision of a better world, where economics, society and environment are intimately linked. Thus, all human activities have to adapt to this new paradigm, in order to achieve its goals. From the economical perspective, production, consumption and trade must incorporate a kind of sustainable type of activity. In the recent years, growing demands in energy use and the increase of oil and coal prices, have led to the usage of new energy sources such as biomass, water, solar, wind and geothermal energy. This is why we propose in this paper to present an overview of international trade in biomass reported to the philosophy of SD. In short, we want to give an answer at two questions: how much is biomass trade sustainable and what risks may arise if the main source of energy used today, based on fossil fuels, will be totally substitute by biomass? To be sustainable, biomass, must meet certain criteria, such as: to possess a high capacity for regeneration, in a relatively short time; to offer a better efficiency compared with the traditional fossil fuel sources; to be less or non-polluting, to be used in solid, liquid and gaseous form; to have a broad applicability in production and consumption; to have a competitive level in terms of costs and prices for transport or storage, in both stages, as a raw material or as a finished product; to be a good substitute of traditional fuels (gasoline or diesel, without the necessity for structural changes of the of the engine. The article will conclude that the uprising trend of the EU biomass trade and

Quasi-elastic Neutrino Scattering - an Overview

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sobczyk, Jan T.

2011-01-01

A non-technical overview of charge current quasi-elastic neutrino interaction is presented. Many body computations of multinucleon ejection which is proposed to explain recent large axial mass measurements are discussed. A few comments on recent experimental results reported at NuInt11 workshop are included.

Phytotoxicity: An Overview of the Physiological Responses of Plants Exposed to Fungicides

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maria Celeste Dias

2012-01-01

Full Text Available In the last decades, the use of fungicides in agriculture for fungi diseases control has become crucial. Fungicide research has produced a diverse range of products with novel modes of action. However, the extensive use of these compounds in the agriculture system raises public concern because of the harmful potential of such substances in the environment and human health. Moreover, the phytotoxic effects of some fungicides are already recognized but little is known about the impact of these compounds on the photosynthetic apparatus. This paper presents a comprehensive overview of the literature considering different classes of fungicides and their effects on plant physiology, with particular emphasis on photosynthesis.

Preface: Catalysis Today

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Li, Yongdan

2016-01-01

This special issue of Catalysis Today with the theme “Sustain-able Energy” results from a great success of the session “Catalytic Technologies Accelerating the Establishment of Sustainable and Clean Energy”, one of the two sessions of the 1st International Symposium on Catalytic Science and Techn...

The gene identification problem: An overview for developers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fickett, J.W.

1995-03-27

The gene identification problem is the problem of interpreting nucleotide sequences by computer, in order to provide tentative annotation on the location, structure, and functional class of protein-coding genes. This problem is of self-evident importance, and is far from being fully solved, particularly for higher eukaryotes, Thus it is not surprising that the number of algorithm and software developers working in this area is rapidly increasing. The present paper is an overview of the field, with an emphasis on eukaryotes, for such developers.

Endodontic-periodontal microsurgery for combined endodontic-periodontal lesions: An overview.

Science.gov (United States)

Sharma, Ritu; Hegde, Vivek; Siddharth, M; Hegde, Rashmi; Manchanda, Gunsha; Agarwal, Pratul

2014-11-01

Endodontic and periodontal microsurgery has surpassed the success rates for traditional endodontic and periodontal surgical procedures. Excellent healing results are being attributed to both the techniques, when employed, for isolated endodontic or periodontal defects. Combined endodontic-periodontal lesions have been referred to as a true challenge, requiring not only endodontic microsurgical management but also concurrent bone grafting and membrane barriers techniques. The prevention of epithelial downgrowth and regeneration of periodontal cementum, fiber, and bone seals the fate of these cases. Achieving primary closure with submergence of grafts has a positive effect on GTR outcome. New techniques of periodontal microsurgery, such as minimally invasive papilla preserving flaps with passive internal mattress suturing, have managed to obtain 90% primary flap closure over grafted sites. Root surface treatment and conditioning has also shown to be beneficial for GTR. Endodontic microsurgery for the combined lesion has not integrated these advances yet. These advances, along with a recently suggested treatment strategy, are ushering in the level next in management of the combined lesions. This article offers an overview of the combined lesion, the disease, its classification, treatment strategy, regenerative tools, microsurgical recommendations, and outcome studies.

Chandra Observations of Neutron Stars: An Overview

Science.gov (United States)

Weisskopf, Martin C.; Karovska, M.; Pavlov, G. G.; Zavlin, V. E.; Clarke, Tracy

2006-01-01

We present a brief review of Chandra X-ray Observatory observations of neutron stars. The outstanding spatial and spectral resolution of this great observatory have allowed for observations of unprecedented clarity and accuracy. Many of these observations have provided new insights into neutron star physics. We present an admittedly biased and overly brief overview of these observations, highlighting some new discoveries made possible by the Observatory's unique capabilities. We also include our analysis of recent multiwavelength observations of the putative pulsar and its pulsar-wind nebula in the IC 443 SNR.

Leaf crinkle disease in urdbean (Vigna mungo L. Hepper): An overview on causal agent, vector and host.

Science.gov (United States)

Gautam, Narinder Kumar; Kumar, Krishna; Prasad, Manoj

2016-05-01

Urdbean leaf crinkle disease (ULCD) is an economically significant widespread and devastating disease resulting in extreme crinkling, puckering and rugosity of leaves inflicting heavy yield losses annually in major urdbean-producing countries of the world. This disease is caused by urdbean leaf crinkle virus (ULCV). Urdbean (Vigna mungo L. Hepper) is relatively more susceptible than other pulses to leaf crinkle disease. Urdbean is an important and useful crop cultivated in various parts of South-East Asia and well adapted for cultivation under semi-arid and subtropical conditions. Aphids, insects and whiteflies have been reported as vectors of the disease. The virus is also transmitted through sap inoculation, grafting and seed. The loss in seed yield in ULCD-affected urdbean crop ranges from 35 to 81%, which is dependent upon type of genotype location and infection time. The diseased material and favourable climatic conditions contribute for the widespread viral disease. Anatomical and biochemical changes take place in the affected diseased plants. Genetic variations have been reported in the germplasm screening which suggest continuous screening of available varieties and new germplasm to search for new traits (new genes) and identify new sources of disease resistance. There are very few reports on breeding programmes for the development and release of varieties tolerant to ULCD. Mostly random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) as well as inter-simple sequence repeat (ISSR) molecular markers have been utilized for fingerprinting of blackgram, and a few reports are there on sequence-tagged micro-satellite site (STMS) markers. There are so many RNA viruses which have also developed strategies to counteract silencing process by encoding suppressor proteins that create hindrances in the process. But, in the case of ULCV, there is no report available indicating which defence pathway is operating for its resistance in the plants and whether same silencing suppression

An overview on immunoregulatory and anti-inflammatory properties of chrysin and flavonoids substances.

Science.gov (United States)

Zeinali, Majid; Rezaee, Seyed Abdolrahim; Hosseinzadeh, Hossein

2017-08-01

Inflammation and the pro-inflammatory cytokines are associated with numerous chronic diseases. Studies suggest that flavonoids, plant polyphenolic compound derivatives from natural origin, have a wide range of putative biological activities. Similar to other flavonoids, chrysin (CH) by its anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory effects is a potential prophylactic agent in immunopathological and physicochemical injuries. This is an overview on putative immunomodulatory activities of flavonoids and beneficial health effects of these substances particularly, CH in the immune system. CH possesses potent immune-protective effects and suppresses inflammation in innate immune system which results to avoid damages induced by neutrophils and macrophages and suppresses immuno-inflammatory responses. Furthermore, beneficial effects of chrysin on inhibition of serum levels nuclear transcription factor κB (NF-κB) p65 unit, tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), IL-6, IL-12, IL-17A, interferon gamma (IFN-γ) was reported. Moreover, CH has been known as the antagonist of NF-kB and the agonist of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPAR-γ) which in down regulation of the key pro-inflammatory enzymes such as myeloperoxidase (MPO), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), phospholipase A2, and prostanoids. Therefore, CH can improve immune system and neurodegenerative diseases. In recent years, there has been an increasing interest in compound derivatives from natural origin. Taken together, evidences show that flavonoids may have health-promoting and disease-preventing dietary compounds with important benefits in modern life styles. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Fetal polycystic kidney disease: Pathological overview

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sunita B Patil

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Polycystic kidney disease is a rare developmental anomaly inherited as autosomal dominant or autosomal recessive. It is characterized by cystic dilatation of the collecting ducts frequently associated with hepatic involvement and progression to renal failure. It is included in the differential diagnosis of cystic diseases of the kidney. We report a case of polycystic kidney disease, in 22 weeks fetus incidentally detected on routine antenatal ultrasonography and confirmed by fetal autopsy. This report elucidates the importance of early diagnosis and intervention in cystic kidney diseases.

Controlling chemistry parameters in nuclear reactors and power plants, plant chemistry specification requirements and compliance - an overview of TAPS 1 and 2 experiences

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ravindranath; Muralidharan, K.; Save, C.B.; Patil, D.P.

2006-01-01

Tarapur Atomic Power Station -TAPS 1 and 2 is a twin unit Boiling Water Reactor (BWR) Nuclear Power Plant commissioned in the year 1969. Both units are running with capacity factor of more than 90 % in their 20 th cycle of operation as on today. The 220 MWe units were derated to 160 MWe during 1984 consequent to isolation of Secondary Steam Generators (SSG) in the 10 th cycle of operation due to SSG tube leaks. This paper presents an overview of Plant Chemistry Control measures and experiences during the last 38 years of operation. The overall plant chemistry performance of TAPS 1 and 2 observed is very good; which is evident from the material condition of various systems reflected in QC and I reports, NDT and ISI reports. This is also supported by the fact that both Units are showing excellent performance continuously during recent years. (author)

PARASITES, DISEASES AND DEFORMITIES OF COBIA

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ewen McLean

2008-01-01

Full Text Available Cobia, Rachycentron canadum, is the only member of the family Rachycentridae (Order Perciformes and as a warm–water fish is to be found in tropical and subtropical waters. The species has been reported in eastern Mediterranean waters and it is likely that in this particular case, cobia are lessespian. Cobia has been farmed in Taiwan since the early 1990s and today nascent cobia aquaculture operations operate throughout South East and Eastern Asia, in Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean Sea as well as in the United States. Many other nations are presently considering adopting cobia as a new species for aquaculture. Production by aquaculture experienced a 7000–fold increase from 1995 to 2005. The increased interest in the species has evolved due in large part to its many excellent characteristics which include good growth, with production of 6 kg live weight fish being possible over a year–long production cycle. Cobia are accepting of pond, net pens and recirculation–based culture; their fillet quality is high and meat delectable; They readily take formulated feeds and respond well to alternate proteins in their diets. Like other species new to aquaculture however, enlarged farming activities have been accompanied by increased incidence of commonly–encountered and emerging diseases. As an aid to current and potential producers as well as researchers, the following provides an overview of the published literature on cobia diseases, parasites and physical deformities.

An overview of performance assessment methodology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hongnian Jow

2010-01-01

The definition of performance assessment (PA) within the context of a geologic repository program is a post-closure safety assessment; a system analysis of hazards associated with the facility and the ability of the site and the design of the facility to provide for the safety functions. For the last few decades, PA methodology bas been developed and applied to different waste disposal programs around the world. PA has been used in the safety analyses for waste disposal repositories for low-level waste, intermediate level waste, and high-level waste including spent nuclear fuels. This paper provides an overview of the performance assessment methodology and gives examples of its applications for the Yucca Mountain Project. (authors)

Weathering of Roofing Materials-An Overview

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Berdahl, Paul; Akbari, Hashem; Levinson, Ronnen; Miller, William A.

2006-03-30

An overview of several aspects of the weathering of roofing materials is presented. Degradation of materials initiated by ultraviolet radiation is discussed for plastics used in roofing, as well as wood and asphalt. Elevated temperatures accelerate many deleterious chemical reactions and hasten diffusion of material components. Effects of moisture include decay of wood, acceleration of corrosion of metals, staining of clay, and freeze-thaw damage. Soiling of roofing materials causes objectionable stains and reduces the solar reflectance of reflective materials. (Soiling of non-reflective materials can also increase solar reflectance.) Soiling can be attributed to biological growth (e.g., cyanobacteria, fungi, algae), deposits of organic and mineral particles, and to the accumulation of flyash, hydrocarbons and soot from combustion.

Clinical potential of regulatory T cell therapy in liver diseases: An overview and current perspectives

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hannah Claire Jeffery

2016-09-01

Full Text Available The increasing demand for liver transplantation and the decline in donor organs has highlighted the need for alternative novel therapies to prevent chronic active hepatitis, which eventually leads to liver cirrhosis and liver cancer. Liver histology of chronic hepatitis is composed of both effector and regulatory lymphocytes. The human liver contains different subsets of effector lymphocytes, that are kept in check by a subpopulation of T cells known as Regulatory T cells (Treg. The balance of effector and regulatory lymphocytes generally determines the outcome of hepatic inflammation: resolution, fulminant hepatitis or chronic active hepatitis. Thus, maintaining and adjusting this balance is crucial in immunological manipulation of liver diseases. One of the options to restore this balance is to enrich Treg in the liver disease patients.Advances in the knowledge of Treg biology and development of clinical grade isolation reagents, cell sorting equipment and Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP facilities have paved the way to apply Treg cells as a potential therapy to restore peripheral self-tolerance in autoimmune liver diseases, chronic rejection and post-transplantation. Past and on-going studies have applied Treg in type-1 diabetes mellitus, systemic lupus erythematosus, graft versus host diseases (GVHD and solid organ transplantations. There have not been any new therapies for the autoimmune liver diseases for more than three decades; thus the clinical potential for the application of autologous Treg cell therapy to treat autoimmune liver disease is an attractive and novel option. However, it is fundamental to understand the deep immunology, genetic profiles, biology, homing behavior and microenvironment of Treg before applying the cells to the patients.

Educational Entrepreneurship Today

Science.gov (United States)

Hess, Frederick M., Ed.; McShane, Michael Q., Ed.

2016-01-01

In "Educational Entrepreneurship Today", Frederick M. Hess and Michael Q. McShane assemble a diverse lineup of high-profile contributors to examine the contexts in which new initiatives in education are taking shape. They inquire into the impact of entrepreneurship on the larger field--including the development and deployment of new…

How Children Learn to Use Language - An Overview of R ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Home; Journals; Resonance – Journal of Science Education; Volume 13; Issue 5. How Children Learn to Use Language - An Overview of R. Narasimhan's Ideas on Child Language Acquisition. Raman Chandrasekar. General Article Volume 13 Issue 5 May 2008 pp 430-439 ...

Expert systems as applied to bridges and pavements : an overview.

Science.gov (United States)

1986-01-01

Expert systems is a rapidly emerging new application of computers to aid decision makers in solving problems. This report gives an overview of what expert systems are and of what use they may be to a transportation department. The focus of the applic...

Population balance modelling of fluidized bed melt granulation: an overview

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Tan, H.S.; Goldschmidt, M.J.V.; Boerefijn, R.; Hounslow, M.J.; Salman, A.; Kuipers, J.A.M.

2005-01-01

This paper presents an overview of the work undertaken by our group to identify and quantify the rates processes active in fluidized bed melt granulation (FBMG). The process involves the identification and development of physically representative models to mechanistically describe FBMG using both

Atmospheric pressure plasma jets: an overview of devices and new directions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Winter, J; Brandenburg, R; Weltmann, K-D

2015-01-01

Atmospheric pressure plasma jets have a long history of more than 50 years. During this time their design and plasma generation mechanism has been developed and adapted to various fields of applications. This review aims at giving an overview of jet devices by starting with a brief history of their development. This is followed by an overview of commonly used terms and definitions as well as a survey of different classification schemes (e.g. geometry, excition frequency or specific energy input) described in literature. A selective update of new designs and novel research achievments on atmospheric pressure plasma jets published in 2012 or later shows the impressive variety and rapid development of the field. Finally, a brief outlook on the future trends and directions is given. (paper)

We, John Dewey's Audience of Today

Science.gov (United States)

da Cunha, Marcus Vinicius

2016-01-01

This article suggests that John Dewey's "Democracy and Education" does not describe education in an existing society, but it conveys a utopia, in the sense coined by Mannheim: utopian thought aims at instigating actions towards the transformation of reality, intending to attain a better world in the future. Today's readers of Dewey (his…

Primary School Leadership Today and Tomorrow

Science.gov (United States)

Southworth, Geoff

2008-01-01

The article provides a retrospective and prospective view of primary school leadership. It begins with an analytic description of primary school leadership in the recent past. The second part looks at school leadership today, identifies contemporary issues and examines role continuities and changes. The third part looks at what the future might…

The emergence of Indo-Anglian poetry: an overview | Sameni ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The history of English language in India begins with the age of colonisation. During this time, India is annexed to the territory of British Empire and Persian language as the official language of the country is replaced by English. This paper is an attempt to overview the development of versified form of Indian writing in English ...

Radiopharmaceuticals for oncology: status and newer trends- an overview

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ramamoorthy, N.; Prabhakar, G.

1997-01-01

Radiopharmaceuticals have provided a powerful means in the diagnosis and follow up of cancer patients. Radiopharmaceuticals for the treatment of metastatic thyroid cancer and palliation of metastatic bone pain are in extensive use. Newer agents are on the anvil for more efficacious diagnosis and therapy. This article gives an overview of the status and trends in this context. (author)

Vision: Results for Today. Leadership for Tomorrow

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Department of Energy' s Office of Industrial Technologies

2001-01-25

This 16-page brochure, including 9 one-page inserts, provides an overview of the Office of Industrial Technologies and its research, development, and deployment efforts to increase industrial energy efficiency.

Psychoanalysis today

Science.gov (United States)

FONAGY, PETER

2003-01-01

The paper discusses the precarious position of psychoanalysis, a therapeutic approach which historically has defined itself by freedom from constraint and counted treatment length not in terms of number of sessions but in terms of years, in today's era of empirically validated treatments and brief structured interventions. The evidence that exists for the effectiveness of psychoanalysis as a treatment for psychological disorder is reviewed. The evidence base is significant and growing, but less than might meet criteria for an empirically based therapy. The author goes on to argue that the absence of evidence may be symptomatic of the epistemic difficulties that psychoanalysis faces in the context of 21st century psychiatry, and examines some of the philosophical problems faced by psychoanalysis as a model of the mind. Finally some changes necessary in order to ensure a future for psychoanalysis and psychoanalytic therapies within psychiatry are suggested. PMID:16946899

Oily skin: an overview.

Science.gov (United States)

Sakuma, Thais H; Maibach, Howard I

2012-01-01

Oily skin (seborrhea) is a common cosmetic problem that occurs when oversized sebaceous glands produce excessive amounts of sebum giving the appearance of shiny and greasy skin. This paper overviews the main concepts of sebaceous gland anatomy and physiology, including the biosynthesis, storage and release of sebum, as well as its relationship to skin hydration and water barrier function. We also address how skin oiliness may vary according to diet, age, gender, ethnicity and hot humid climates. The deeper understanding of this skin type provides the opportunity to better guide patients regarding skin care and also assist in the development of sebosuppressive agents. Copyright © 2012 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Tarapur Atomic Power Station - - an overview of experience

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shah, J.C.

1979-01-01

A broad overview of the experience and performance of the Tarapur Atomic Power Station (TAPS) in its role as the developing world's first foray in commercial atomic power has been attempted. The prime objective was not just generation of power but assimilation of an advanced technology on an economically viable basis in the underdeveloped environment compounded with governmental organisational culture. Scientific and technical advances registered through the TAPS experience in the area of design, operation and maintenance are mentioned. Aspects of station performance, management and even economics are also covered. (auth.)

An overview of the aetiologic agents of diarrhoea diseases in children

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Diarrhoea disease is the second leading cause of death amongst Nigerian children (after malaria) with a prevalence rate in Nigeria of 18.8% which is one of the worst in sub-Sahara Africa. A major contributor to childhood morbidity and mortality, causes 4 million deaths each year in under-fives with each child experiencing ...

An experience of detection brain disease by roentgenographic CT on head

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kobata, Daikichi

1996-01-01

MRI and MRA are recommended today from the standpoint of sensitivity for the detraction of asymptomatic brain disease, and roentgenographic CT on head is not recommended. Under certain circumstances, however, having recently been given an opportunity of detecting brain disease by means of roentgenographic CT on head, we make a report of the diagnostic results. The examinees were the staff members of a non-profit organization consisting of 62 men and 56 women whose age was 48.6 years on the average. Asymptomatic brain disease was found in 6 cases including 1 case of cerebral infarction, 1 case of calcification of cerebral vascular wall and 1 case of cranial osteoma with a suspicion of Gardner syndrome. Incidentally, there were 31 cases with a complaint of headache, 20 cases of hypertension and 3 cases with a past history of head trauma. After such findings were obtained, guidance was provided to each of them. (author)

Can diabetes be treated as an indirectly work-related disease?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Andrzej Marcinkiewicz

2017-10-01

Full Text Available In this article the authors attempted to analyze the arguments for considering diabetes as a work-related disease. An overview of literature has been done out of articles published in the years 1980–2016, with the use of combination of key words referring to employment, workplace, and diabetes. The PubMed database was the source of data. The authors indicate that the following arguments are in favor of diabetes being recognized as a work-related disease: diabetes is not an occupational disease, it is not directly related to the work environment or the way the work is performed, but there are observed adverse effects of occupational work-related nuisances, such as night shift work, long work hours, job strain or workplace standing time, which influence its development and course. The number of publications on diabetes, including the problem of occupational work is comparable to the number of analogous publications concerning work-related diseases such as hypertension or ischemic heart disease. Moreover, some aspects of professional activity and diabetes were also included in clinical recommendations for the workplace, which is uncommon in the case of other diseases, even those generally recognized as work-related. Data from medical references, indicating the effectiveness of workplace interventions aimed at preventing diabetes development and/or worsening of its course should be considered as an argument for the inclusion of diabetes into the group of work-related diseases. This should also support the need for further research and practical actions aimed at preventing diabetes at the workplace. Med Pr 2017;68(5:667–675

Childhood constipation; an overview of genetic studies and associated syndromes

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Peeters, B.; Benninga, M. A.; Hennekam, R. C.

2011-01-01

Constipation is a common problem in children but little is known about its exact pathophysiology. Environmental, behavioural but also genetic factors are thought to play a role in the aetiology of childhood constipation. We provide an overview of genetic studies performed in constipation. Until now,

Methods to control for unmeasured confounding in pharmacoepidemiology : an overview

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Uddin, Md Jamal; Groenwold, Rolf H H; Ali, Mohammed Sanni; de Boer, Anthonius; Roes, Kit C B; Chowdhury, Muhammad A B; Klungel, Olaf H.

2016-01-01

Background Unmeasured confounding is one of the principal problems in pharmacoepidemiologic studies. Several methods have been proposed to detect or control for unmeasured confounding either at the study design phase or the data analysis phase. Aim of the Review To provide an overview of commonly

Disease Risk Assessments Involving Companion Animals: an Overview for 15 Selected Pathogens Taking a European Perspective.

Science.gov (United States)

Rijks, J M; Cito, F; Cunningham, A A; Rantsios, A T; Giovannini, A

2016-07-01

Prioritization of companion animal transmissible diseases was performed by the Companion Animals multisectoriaL interprofessionaL Interdisciplinary Strategic Think tank On zoonoses (CALLISTO) project. The project considered diseases occurring in domesticated species commonly kept as pets, such as dogs and cats, but also included diseases occurring in captive wild animals and production animal species. The prioritization process led to the selection of 15 diseases of prime public health relevance, agricultural economic importance, or both. An analysis was made of the current knowledge on the risk of occurrence and transmission of these diseases among companion animals, and from companion animals to man (zoonoses) or to livestock. The literature was scanned for risk assessments for these diseases. Studies were classified as import risk assessments (IRAs) or risk factor analyses (RFAs) in endemic areas. For those pathogens that are absent from Europe, only IRAs were considered; for pathogens present throughout Europe, only RFAs were considered. IRAs were identified for seven of the eight diseases totally or partially absent from Europe. IRAs for classical rabies and alveolar echinococcosis found an increased risk for introduction of the pathogen into officially disease-free areas as a consequence of abandoning national rules and adopting the harmonized EU rules for pet travel. IRAs for leishmaniosis focused on risk associated with the presence of persistently infected dogs in new geographical areas, taking into consideration the risk of disease establishment should a competent vector arise. IRAs for Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever and West Nile fever indicated that the likelihood of introduction via companion animals was low. IRAs for bluetongue paid no attention to the risk of introduction via companion animals, which was also the case for IRAs for foot-and-mouth disease, the only disease considered to be absent from Europe. RFAs dealing with the risk factors for

An overview of future sustainable nuclear power reactors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Poullikkas, Andreas [Electricity Authority of Cyprus, P.O. Box 24506, 1399 Nicosia (Cyprus)

2013-07-01

In this paper an overview of the current and future nuclear power reactor technologies is carried out. In particular, the nuclear technology is described and the classification of the current and future nuclear reactors according to their generation is provided. The analysis has shown that generation II reactors currently in operation all around the world lack significantly in safety precautions and are prone to loss of coolant accident (LOCA). In contrast, generation III reactors, which are an evolution of generation II reactors, incorporate passive or inherent safety features that require no active controls or operational intervention to avoid accidents in the event of malfunction, and may rely on gravity, natural convection or resistance to high temperatures. Today, partly due to the high capital cost of large power reactors generating electricity and partly due to the consideration of public perception, there is a shift towards the development of smaller units. These may be built independently or as modules in a larger complex, with capacity added incrementally as required. Small reactors most importantly benefit from reduced capital costs, simpler units and the ability to produce power away from main grid systems. These factors combined with the ability of a nuclear power plant to use process heat for co-generation, make the small reactors an attractive option. Generally, modern small reactors for power generation are expected to have greater simplicity of design, economy of mass production and reduced installation costs. Many are also designed for a high level of passive or inherent safety in the event of malfunction. Generation III+ designs are generally extensions of the generation III concept, which include advanced passive safety features. These designs can maintain the safe state without the use of any active control components. Generation IV reactors, which are future designs that are currently under research and development, will tend to have closed

Radiological protection at particle accelerators: An overview

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Thomas, R.H.

1991-01-01

Radiological protection began with particle accelerators. Many of the concerns in the health physics profession today were discovered at accelerator laboratories. Since the mid-1940s, our understanding has progressed through seven stages: observation of high radiation levels; shielding; development of dosimetric techniques; studies of induced activity and environmental impact; legislative and regulatory concerns; and disposal. The technical and scientific aspects of accelerator radiation safety are well in hand. In the US, there is an urgent need to move away from a ''best available technology'' philosophy to risk-based health protection standards. The newer accelerators will present interesting radiological protection issues, including copious muon production and high LET (neutron) environments

HIV vaccines in Canada: legal and ethical issues--an overview.

Science.gov (United States)

Garmaise, David

2002-07-01

In July 2002 the Legal Network released an overview paper on legal and ethical issues related to an HIV vaccine in Canada. The paper, which is based on a more detailed report prepared in collaboration with the Centre for Bioethics of the Clinical Research Institute of Montréal, calls for the establishment of a Canadian HIV Vaccine Plan.

Radicalization: An Overview and Annotated Bibliography of Open-Source Literature

Science.gov (United States)

2006-12-15

particularly with liberal, democratic, and humanistic Muslims Phares points to Jihadism as the main root cause of terrorism and suggests that defending...An Overview and Annotated Bibliography of Open-Source Literature 155 of ambiguity), epistemic and existential needs theory (need for closure...This book presents Terror Management Theory, which addresses behavioral and psychological responses to terrorist events. An existential

Hare's preference utilitarianism: an overview and critique

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mauro Cardoso Simões

2013-08-01

Full Text Available My purpose in this paper is to summarize some aspects of utilitarianism and to provide a general overview of Hare's preference utilitarianism, followed by a critique of Hare's preference theory.

Tracks: A National Environmental Public Health Tracking Network Overview

Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Podcasts

2009-08-04

In this podcast, Dr. Mike McGeehin, Director of CDC's Division of Environmental Hazards and Health Effects, provides an overview of the National Environmental Public Health Tracking Network. It highlights the Tracking Network's goal, how it will improve public health, its audience, and much more.  Created: 8/4/2009 by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).   Date Released: 8/4/2009.

The need for randomization in animal trials: an overview of systematic reviews.

Science.gov (United States)

Hirst, Jennifer A; Howick, Jeremy; Aronson, Jeffrey K; Roberts, Nia; Perera, Rafael; Koshiaris, Constantinos; Heneghan, Carl

2014-01-01

Randomization, allocation concealment, and blind outcome assessment have been shown to reduce bias in human studies. Authors from the Collaborative Approach to Meta Analysis and Review of Animal Data from Experimental Studies (CAMARADES) collaboration recently found that these features protect against bias in animal stroke studies. We extended the scope the work from CAMARADES to include investigations of treatments for any condition. We conducted an overview of systematic reviews. We searched Medline and Embase for systematic reviews of animal studies testing any intervention (against any control) and we included any disease area and outcome. We included reviews comparing randomized versus not randomized (but otherwise controlled), concealed versus unconcealed treatment allocation, or blinded versus unblinded outcome assessment. Thirty-one systematic reviews met our inclusion criteria: 20 investigated treatments for experimental stroke, 4 reviews investigated treatments for spinal cord diseases, while 1 review each investigated treatments for bone cancer, intracerebral hemorrhage, glioma, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's disease, and treatments used in emergency medicine. In our sample 29% of studies reported randomization, 15% of studies reported allocation concealment, and 35% of studies reported blinded outcome assessment. We pooled the results in a meta-analysis, and in our primary analysis found that failure to randomize significantly increased effect sizes, whereas allocation concealment and blinding did not. In our secondary analyses we found that randomization, allocation concealment, and blinding reduced effect sizes, especially where outcomes were subjective. Our study demonstrates the need for randomization, allocation concealment, and blind outcome assessment in animal research across a wide range of outcomes and disease areas. Since human studies are often justified based on results from animal studies, our results suggest that unduly biased animal

An overview of smart card technology and markets

OpenAIRE

Mark Furletti

2002-01-01

As part of the Payment Cards Center's series of discussion papers, this paper provides an overview of smart card technology and its potential for significantly increasing payment card functionality. In addition to reviewing the current market for smart cards in the U.S., this paper examines the costs and barriers associated with their wide spread adoption. European and US smart card acceptance is compared. In addition, this paper provides background on the technological and infrastructure dev...

Collisions involving antiprotons and antihydrogen: an overview

Science.gov (United States)

Jonsell, S.

2018-03-01

I give an overview of experimental and theoretical results for antiproton and antihydrogen scattering with atoms and molecules (in particular H, He). At low energies (>1 keV) there are practically no experimental data available. Instead I compare the results from different theoretical calculations, of various degrees of sophistication. At energies up to a few tens of eV, I focus on simple approximations that give reasonably accurate results, as these allow quick estimates of collision rates without embarking on a research project. This article is part of the Theo Murphy meeting issue `Antiproton physics in the ELENA era'.

Leadership and the Millennials: Transforming Today's Technological Teens into Tomorrow's Leaders

Science.gov (United States)

Wisniewski, Mary Ann

2010-01-01

Although older and younger generations unfailingly tend to disagree on values and are inclined to perceive one another with a degree of skepticism and disapproval, it is an unmistakable reality that because of technology today's youth are approaching life differently than previous generations. It is also clear that today's Millennials are…

CDC Vital Signs: Today's Heroin Epidemic

Science.gov (United States)

... the MMWR Science Clips Today’s Heroin Epidemic More people at risk, multiple drugs abused Language: English (US) Español Recommend on Facebook Tweet Share Compartir On This Page Overview Problem Infographics What Can Be Done Issue Details Overview Heroin use has increased across the US among men and ...

An Overview of Chitosan Nanoparticles and Its Application in Non-Parenteral Drug Delivery

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Munawar A. Mohammed

2017-11-01

Full Text Available The focus of this review is to provide an overview of the chitosan based nanoparticles for various non-parenteral applications and also to put a spotlight on current research including sustained release and mucoadhesive chitosan dosage forms. Chitosan is a biodegradable, biocompatible polymer regarded as safe for human dietary use and approved for wound dressing applications. Chitosan has been used as a carrier in polymeric nanoparticles for drug delivery through various routes of administration. Chitosan has chemical functional groups that can be modified to achieve specific goals, making it a polymer with a tremendous range of potential applications. Nanoparticles (NP prepared with chitosan and chitosan derivatives typically possess a positive surface charge and mucoadhesive properties such that can adhere to mucus membranes and release the drug payload in a sustained release manner. Chitosan-based NP have various applications in non-parenteral drug delivery for the treatment of cancer, gastrointestinal diseases, pulmonary diseases, drug delivery to the brain and ocular infections which will be exemplified in this review. Chitosan shows low toxicity both in vitro and some in vivo models. This review explores recent research on chitosan based NP for non-parenteral drug delivery, chitosan properties, modification, toxicity, pharmacokinetics and preclinical studies.

An Overview of Techniques for Cardiac Left Ventricle Segmentation on Short-Axis MRI

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Krasnobaev Arseny

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Nowadays, heart diseases are the leading cause of death. Left ventricle segmentation of a human heart in magnetic resonance images (MRI is a crucial step in both cardiac diseases diagnostics and heart internal structure reconstruction. It allows estimating such important parameters as ejection faction, left ventricle myocardium mass, stroke volume, etc. In addition, left ventricle segmentation helps to construct the personalized heart computational models in order to conduct the numerical simulations. At present, the fully automated cardiac segmentation methods still do not meet the accuracy requirements. We present an overview of left ventricle segmentation algorithms on short-axis MRI. A wide variety of completely different approaches are used for cardiac segmentation, including machine learning, graph-based methods, deformable models, and low-level heuristics. The current state-of-the-art technique is a combination of deformable models with advanced machine learning methods, such as deep learning or Markov random fields. We expect that approaches based on deep belief networks are the most promising ones because the main training process of networks with this architecture can be performed on the unlabelled data. In order to improve the quality of left ventricle segmentation algorithms, we need more datasets with labelled cardiac MRI data in open access.

Discussion: [of 'An overview of the Shainin System™ for quality improvement'

NARCIS (Netherlands)

de Mast, J.; Does, R.J.M.M.

2008-01-01

The article by Steiner, MacKay and Ramberg [An overview of the Shainin System for quality improvement] offers a sound and an accurate description of the Shainin System for quality improvement. Therefore, our comments will not address their representation of the Shainin System, but concern the

Dutch elm disease: an overview of the biology and management regimens

Science.gov (United States)

R. Jay. Stipes

2017-01-01

Much of the information on the Dutch elm disease (DED) topic was generated by a large group of dedicated scientists, in several different agencies, primarily in the United States and Europe, over the last century. My work on the fungicidal management is but a modest contribution to the whole. It goes without saying that much more work needs to be done to open up new...

An Overview on Metal Cations Extraction by Azocalixarenes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hasalettin Deligöz

2011-12-01

Full Text Available In this overview, our main aim is to present the design, preparation, characterization, and extraction/sorption properties of chromogenic azocalix[4]arenes (substituted with different groups toward metal cations. Azocalixarenes, which contain a conjugated chromophore, i.e. azo (-N=N- group are synthesized in “one-pot” procedures in satisfactory yields. A wide variety of applications is expected by the functionalization of the side arms. Some of them are used to complex with metal ions. These macrocycles due to their bowl-shaped geometry are indeed used as hosts allowing ionic or organic guests to coordinate onto their cavity. The azocalixarene based ionophores are generally applied in various fields such as catalyst recovery, power plant, agriculture, metals finishing, microelectonics, biotechnology processes, rare earths speciation, and potable water purification. Besides these, they find applications in the area of selective ion extractions, receptors, optical devices, chemical sensor devices, the stationary phase for capillary chromatography, ion transport membranes, and luminescence probes etc. This survey is focused to provide overview an of the versatile nature of azocalix[n]arenes as highly efficient extractants for metal ions treated as pollutants.

An updated overview of low and intermediate level waste disposal facilities around the world

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cuccia, Valeria; Uemura, George; Ferreira, Vinicius Verna M.; Tello, Cledola Cassia O. de; Malta, Ricardo Scott V.

2011-01-01

Low and intermediate level radioactive waste should be disposed off in proper disposal facilities. Some countries already have these facilities and others are planning theirs. Information about disposal facilities around the world is useful and necessary; however, data on this matter are usually scattered in official reports per country. In order to allow an easier access to this information, this paper aims to provide an overview of disposal facilities for low and intermediate level radioactive waste around the world, as updated as possible. Also, characteristics of the facilities are provided, when possible. Considering that the main source of radioactive waste are the activities of nuclear reactors in research or power generation, the paper will also provide a summarized overview of these reactors around the world, updated until April, 2011. This data collection may be an important tool for researchers, and other professionals in this field. Also, it might provide an overview about the final disposal of radioactive waste. (author)

Biofuels. An overview. Final Report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

De Castro, J.F.M.

2007-05-01

The overall objective of this desk study is to get an overview of the most relevant liquid biofuels especially in the African context, and more specifically in the Netherlands' relevant partner countries. The study will focus on biofuels for transport, but will also consider biofuels for cooking and power generation. Biogas as the result of anaerobic fermentation which can be used for cooking, lighting and electricity generation will not be considered in this study. Liquid biofuels are usually divided into alcohols that are used to substitute for gasoline and oils that are used to substitute for diesel and are often called Biodiesel, and this division will be followed in this study. In chapter 2 we will analyse several aspects of the use of alcohols particularly ethanol, in chapter 3 the same analysis will be done for oils, using as example the very promising Jatropha oil. In chapter we will analyse socio-economic issues of the use of these biofuels

First aid in the dental practice: an overview.

Science.gov (United States)

Jevon, P

2016-06-24

First aid encompasses a wide range of scenarios ranging from simple reassurance following a minor mishap to dealing with a life-threatening emergency. Dentists may need to provide first aid in their dental practice to a patient, relative or member of staff. This article provides an overview to first aid in the dental practice, including priorities, responsibilities when providing first aid, assessment of the environment and the casualty (primary survey &secondary survey). The new A3 'First Aid in the Workplace' poster is now available and is included as an insert in this issue (BDJ Vol. 220, Issue 12).

Infectious Diseases in the Homeless

Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Podcasts

In this podcast, Ted Pestorius speaks with Dr. Marian McDonald, Associate Director for Minority and Women’s Health at CDC about an article in September 2008 issue of Emerging Infectious Diseases on infectious diseases in the homeless. There are an estimated 100 million homeless people worldwide today, and this number is likely to grow. The homeless population is vulnerable to many diseases, including HIV, hepatitis, and tuberculosis. Dr. McDonald discusses why this population is so vulnerable.

BIOTECHNOLOGY : AN OVERVIEW

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

John I. Bruce

2012-09-01

Full Text Available Biotechnology as a science includes various aspects of the management and manipulation of biological systems. Recent advances in immunology, molecular biology, cell culture and other associated areas provide an opportunity for scientists to move biology out of the laboratory and into the realms of society. This has many implications which mankind on a whole may not be prepared to cope with at this time. This new capability has been referred to as "Biotechnology". Biotechnology has also been defined as "the integrated use of biochemistry, microbiology, and chemical engineering in order to achieve the capacities of microbes and culture cells". Genetic engineering which includes gene splicing and recombinant DNA-cloning is an example of a recent offshoot of biotechnology. Because of the advent of biotechnology, one can now think of the prospect of engineering tomorrows vaccines. In the past, vaccine development has been laborious and in many instances an unrewarding task. After years of effort only a handful of safe, effective vaccines have emerged. In the biotechnology arena, new methodologies and strategies for immunizing humans and domestic animals against infectious diseases are providing new hope for discovering successful vaccines. While most of the effort in the past has focused on viral vaccine development, attention is now being directed towards vaccines for protection against parasitic diseases. Currently, considerable effort is being made to develop vaccines for malaria, coccidiosis (in fowl, cholera, malaria, schistosomiasis and trypanosomiasis among others.

Optimising experimental research in respiratory diseases: an ERS statement.

Science.gov (United States)

Bonniaud, Philippe; Fabre, Aurélie; Frossard, Nelly; Guignabert, Christophe; Inman, Mark; Kuebler, Wolfgang M; Maes, Tania; Shi, Wei; Stampfli, Martin; Uhlig, Stefan; White, Eric; Witzenrath, Martin; Bellaye, Pierre-Simon; Crestani, Bruno; Eickelberg, Oliver; Fehrenbach, Heinz; Guenther, Andreas; Jenkins, Gisli; Joos, Guy; Magnan, Antoine; Maitre, Bernard; Maus, Ulrich A; Reinhold, Petra; Vernooy, Juanita H J; Richeldi, Luca; Kolb, Martin

2018-05-01

Experimental models are critical for the understanding of lung health and disease and are indispensable for drug development. However, the pathogenetic and clinical relevance of the models is often unclear. Further, the use of animals in biomedical research is controversial from an ethical perspective.The objective of this task force was to issue a statement with research recommendations about lung disease models by facilitating in-depth discussions between respiratory scientists, and to provide an overview of the literature on the available models. Focus was put on their specific benefits and limitations. This will result in more efficient use of resources and greater reduction in the numbers of animals employed, thereby enhancing the ethical standards and translational capacity of experimental research.The task force statement addresses general issues of experimental research (ethics, species, sex, age, ex vivo and in vitro models, gene editing). The statement also includes research recommendations on modelling asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, pulmonary fibrosis, lung infections, acute lung injury and pulmonary hypertension.The task force stressed the importance of using multiple models to strengthen validity of results, the need to increase the availability of human tissues and the importance of standard operating procedures and data quality. Copyright ©ERS 2018.

Machining refractory alloys: an overview

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Christopher, J.D.

1984-01-01

Nontraditional machining is a generic term for those material removal processes that differ drastically from the historic operations such as turning, milling, drilling, tapping, and grinding. The use of primary energy modes other than mechanical, such as thermal, electrical, and chemical, sets these operations apart and reinforces their nontraditional label. Several of these newer processes have been very successful in machining close tolerance parts from refractory materials. This paper provides a general overview of both traditional and nontraditional aspects of machining refractory materials. 11 figures, 7 tables

An Overview of Comic Books as an Educational Tool and Implications for Pharmacy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jagannath Muzumdar

2016-10-01

Full Text Available Objective: To present an overview of comic books as an educational tool and discuss the use of comic books in pharmacy education. Literature Identification: This research is comprised of a narrative literature review and critical analysis of the information retrieved. Key words included: comic(s, graphic novels, and pharmacy education. News articles, dissertations, theses, books, and scholarly articles from peer reviewed journals were selected and reviewed for inclusion in this article. Results: Comics have been used as a pedagogical tool to motivate students to read, help them remember the content, and make the whole learning process fun. They have been used as supplemental readings in biochemistry, physics, and business ethics. Comic books have been used in educating patients about the challenges of dialysis, promoting health, and informing consumers about diseases such as AIDS and cancer. Conclusion: In today’s media rich environment, comic books could be a visually interactive and innovative educational tool. Pharmacy faculty could use comic books or graphic novels as stand-alone texts or as part of a larger curriculum. Comic books could help students learn pharmacy-relevant content while enjoying the reading. Conflict of Interest The author declares no conflicts of interest or financial interests that the authors or members of their immediate families have in any product or service discussed in the manuscript, including grants (pending or received, employment, gifts, stock holdings or options, honoraria, consultancies, expert testimony, patents and royalties   Type: Review

Upper limb robotics applied to neurorehabilitation: An overview of clinical practice.

Science.gov (United States)

Duret, Christophe; Mazzoleni, Stefano

2017-01-01

During the last two decades, extensive interaction between clinicians and engineers has led to the development of systems that stimulate neural plasticity to optimize motor recovery after neurological lesions. This has resulted in the expansion of the field of robotics for rehabilitation. Studies in patients with stroke-related upper-limb paresis have shown that robotic rehabilitation can improve motor capacity. However, few other applications have been evaluated (e.g. tremor, peripheral nerve injuries or other neurological diseases). This paper presents an overview of the current use of upper limb robotic systems for neurorehabilitation, and highlights the rationale behind their use for the assessment and treatment of common neurological disorders. Rehabilitation robots are little integrated in clinical practice, except after stroke. Although few studies have been carried out to evaluate their effectiveness, evidence from the neurosciences and indications from pilot studies suggests that upper limb robotic rehabilitation can be applied safely in various other neurological conditions. Rehabilitation robots provide an intensity, quality and dose of treatment that exceeds therapist-mediated rehabilitation. Moreover, the use of force fields, multi-sensory environments, feedback etc. renders such rehabilitation engaging and motivating. Future studies should evaluate the effectiveness of rehabilitation robots in neurological pathologies other than stroke.

Chemical characterisation of experimental PFBR-MOX fuel - an overview

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mallik, G.K.; Arun Kumar; Panakkal, J.P.; Kamath, H.S.

2003-01-01

Fuel pins for experimental PFBR-type fuel containing ( Nat U 0.335 233 U 0.37 Pu 0.295 )O 2 are being manufactured at AFFF and will be irradiated in FBTR. A number of chemical characterization experiments have been carried out on simulated and actual fuel pellets to meet the design specifications of the fuel. An overview is being presented to highlight the related facts. (author)

Ormond's disease or secondary retroperitoneal fibrosis? An overview of retroperitoneal fibrosis

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Heckmann, M.; Uder, M.; Kuefner, M.A.; Heinrich, M.C. [Universitaetsklinikum Erlangen (Germany). Radiologisches Inst.

2009-04-15

Retroperitoneal fibrosis represents a rare inflammatory disease. About two thirds of all cases seem to be idiopathic (= Ormond's disease). The remaining one third is secondary and may be ascribed to infections, trauma, radiation therapy, malignant diseases, and the use of certain drugs. Up to 15 % of patients have additional fibrotic processes outside the retroperitoneum. The clinical symptoms of retroperitoneal fibrosis are non-specific. In sonography retroperitoneal fibrosis appears as a retroperitoneal hypoechoic mass which can involve the ureters and thus cause hydronephrosis. Intravenous urography and MR urography can demonstrate the typical triad of medial deviation and extrinsic compression of the ureters and hydronephrosis. CT and MRI are the modalities of choice for the diagnosis and follow-up of this disease. The lesion typically begins at the level of the fourth or fifth lumbar vertebra and appears as a plaque, encasing the aorta and the inferior vena cava and often enveloping and medially displacing the ureters. In unenhanced CT, retroperitoneal fibrosis appears as a mass that is isodense with muscle. When using MRI, the mass is hypointense in T1-weighted images and of variable intensity in T2-weighted images according to its stage: it may be hyperintense in early stages, while the tissue may have a low signal in late stages. After the administration of contrast media, enhancement is greatest in the early inflammatory phase and minimal in the late fibrotic phase. Dynamic gadolinium enhancement can be useful for assessing disease activity, monitoring response to treatment, and detecting relapse. To differentiate retroperitoneal masses, diffusion-weighted MRI may provide useful information. (orig.)

Tai Ji Quan: An overview of its history, health benefits, and cultural value

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yucheng Guo

2014-03-01

Full Text Available Tai Ji Quan is considered to be a part of traditional Chinese Wushu (a martial art and comprises various styles that have evolved historically from the Chen, Yang, Wǔ, Wú, and Sun families (schools. Recent simplification of the original classic styles has made Tai Ji Quan easier to adopt in practice. Thus, the traditional legacy of using Tai Ji Quan for self-defense, mindful nurturing of well-being, and fitness enhancement has been expanded to more contemporary applications that focus on promoting physical and mental health, enhancing general well-being, preventing chronic diseases, and being an effective clinical intervention for diverse medical conditions. As the impact of Tai Ji Quan on physical performance and health continues to grow, there is a need to better understand its historical impact and current status. This paper provides an overview of the evolution of Tai Ji Quan in China, its functional utility, and the scientific evidence of its health benefits, as well as how it has been a vehicle for enhancing cultural understanding and exchanging between East and West.

Organization and financing of home care in Europe: an overview.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kerkstra, A.; Hutten, J.

1994-01-01

The aim of this study was to provide an overview of the organization and financing of home nursing in the 15 member states in the European Union. Home nursing was defined as the nursing care provided at the patients' home by professional home nursing organizations. Data were gathered by means of

Brucellosis Vaccines: An Overview

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hasanjani-Roushan Mohammad Reza

2014-10-01

Full Text Available Objective: Brucellosis is considered as an important zoonotic and worldwide infection with more than half of million human cases, which it occurs more and more in animals like as wild and live stocks. Sheep, cattle, and goats are animal samples that listed. Symptoms of this disease in human are consisted of: undulant fever, back pains, faint, spondylitis, arthritis and orchitis. This infection causes abortion in livestock, and this point is one of the important economic losses. Reduction in milk production is another problem in this disease too. Materials and Methods: This study is conducted by reviewing of the literatures, which are related to this concern, and also visiting PubMed, ISI and other websites. Results: We must pay heed that most zoonoses are maintained in the animal reservoir. These diseases, such as leptospirosis, Q-fever, brucellosis etc. which among them brucellosis can transfer to human via close contact with infected animals or consumption of unpasteurized dairy. Therefore, eradication of this infection in human population is depended on omission of that in possible methods among animals reservoir. Such methods are like test-slaughter and vaccination of livestock. Hence, vaccination is not alone method for controlling, but it is probably economic one. Conclusion: Nowadays a vaccine which is effective for this disease control in human is not available. Of course presented some different vaccines for this infection in livestock that cleave live attenuated, killed bacteria and sub unit. Therefore, for eradication of this disease some vaccines with more effectiveness protection mid fewer side effects are necessary.

Integrated building (and) airflow simulation: an overview

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hensen, J.L.M.

2002-01-01

This paper aims to give a broad overview of building airflow simulation, and advocates that the essential ingredients for quality assurance are: domain knowledge; selection of appropriate level of resolution; calibration and validation; and a correct performance assessment methodology. Directions

Implementing an inclusive staffing model for today's reference services a practical guide for librarians

CERN Document Server

Nims, Julia K; Stevens, Robert

2013-01-01

Reference service remains a core function of modern libraries. However, how and where we provide assistance has evolved with changing technologies and the shifting habits and preferences of our users. One way libraries can provide the on-demand, in-person assistance while managing and developing new services and resources that will benefit current and future users is to reconsider how their reference points and services are staffed and adopt a staff-based reference model. In Implementing an Inclusive Staffing Model for Today's Reference Services, Nims, Storm, and Stevens describe step-by-step

Management of advanced gastric cancer: An overview of major findings from meta-analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Cai, Danxian; Li, Wende; Hui, Jialiang; Liu, Chuan; Zhao, Yanxia; Li, Guoxin

2016-01-01

This study aims to provide an overview of different treatment for advanced gastric cancer. In the present study, we systematically reviewed the major findings from relevant meta-analyses. A total of 54 relevant papers were searched via the PubMed, Web of Science, and Google scholar databases. They were classified according to the mainstay treatment modalities such as surgery, chemotherapy and others. Primary outcomes including overall survival, response rate, disease-free survival, recurrence-free survival, progression-free survival, time-to-progression, time-to failure, recurrence and safety were summarized. The recommendations and uncertainties regarding the treatment of advanced gastric cancer were also proposed. It was suggested that laparoscopic gastrectomy was a safe and technical alternative to open gastrectomy. Besides, neoadjuvant chemotherapy and adjuvant chemotherapy were thought to benefit the survival over surgery alone. And it was demonstrated in the study that targeted therapy like anti-angiogenic and anti-HER2 agents but anti-EGFR agent might have a significant survival benefit. PMID:27655725

Antifungal Resistance, Metabolic Routes as Drug Targets, and New Antifungal Agents: An Overview about Endemic Dimorphic Fungi

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Juliana Alves Parente-Rocha

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Diseases caused by fungi can occur in healthy people, but immunocompromised patients are the major risk group for invasive fungal infections. Cases of fungal resistance and the difficulty of treatment make fungal infections a public health problem. This review explores mechanisms used by fungi to promote fungal resistance, such as the mutation or overexpression of drug targets, efflux and degradation systems, and pleiotropic drug responses. Alternative novel drug targets have been investigated; these include metabolic routes used by fungi during infection, such as trehalose and amino acid metabolism and mitochondrial proteins. An overview of new antifungal agents, including nanostructured antifungals, as well as of repositioning approaches is discussed. Studies focusing on the development of vaccines against antifungal diseases have increased in recent years, as these strategies can be applied in combination with antifungal therapy to prevent posttreatment sequelae. Studies focused on the development of a pan-fungal vaccine and antifungal drugs can improve the treatment of immunocompromised patients and reduce treatment costs.

Film Presentation: Projekt Zukunft/Tomorrow Today

CERN Multimedia

Carolyn Lee

2010-01-01

Projekt Zukunft/Tomorrow Today, by Deutsche Welle (2009)   Deutsche Welle TV’s weekly science journal explores the LHC at CERN with host Ingolf Baur. Please note that we will show both the German and English versions of this broadcast. Each episode is about 27 minutes long. Projekt Zukunft/Tomorrow Today will be presented on Friday, 29 October from 13:00 to 14:00 in the Main Auditorium Language: German version followed by the English version      

Vorinostat?An Overview

OpenAIRE

Bubna, Aditya Kumar

2015-01-01

Vorinostat is a new drug used in the management of cutaneous T cell lymphoma when the disease persists, gets worse or comes back during or after treatment with other medicines. It is an efficacious and well tolerated drug and has been considered a novel drug in the treatment of this condition. Currently apart from cutaneous T cell lymphoma the role of Vorinostat for other types of cancers is being investigated both as mono-therapy and combination therapy.

Women in Energy: Rinku Gupta - Argonne Today

Science.gov (United States)

-performance clusters and supercomputers. What is the best part of your job? The best part is working with Argonne Today Argonne Today Mission People Work/Life Connections Focal Point Women in Energy: Rinku Gupta Home People Women in Energy: Rinku Gupta Women in Energy: Rinku Gupta Apr 1, 2016 | Posted by Argonne

Nuclear energy today

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2003-01-01

Energy is the power of the world's economies, whose appetite for this commodity is increasing as the leading economies expand and developing economies grow. How to provide the energy demanded while protecting our environment and conserving natural resources is a vital question facing us today. Many parts of our society are debating how to power the future and whether nuclear energy should play a role. Nuclear energy is a complex technology with serious issues and a controversial past. Yet it also has the potential to provide considerable benefits. In pondering the future of this imposing technology, people want to know. - How safe is nuclear energy? - Is nuclear energy economically competitive? - What role can nuclear energy play in meeting greenhouse gas reduction targets? - What can be done with the radioactive waste it generates? - Does its use increase the risk of proliferation of nuclear weapons? - Are there sufficient and secure resources to permit its prolonged exploitation? - Can tomorrow's nuclear energy be better than today's? This publication provides authoritative and factual replies to these questions. Written primarily to inform policy makers, it will also serve interested members of the public, academics, journalists and industry leaders. (author)

Intraoral scanning systems - a current overview.

Science.gov (United States)

Zimmermann, M; Mehl, A; Mörmann, W H; Reich, S

2015-01-01

There is no doubt today about the possibilities and potential of digital impression-taking with the aid of intraoral optical impression systems, and the past few years have seen a considerable increase in the range of optical intraoral scanners available on the market. On the strength of numerous innovations and a wider range of indications in orthodontics and implantology, intraoral scanning systems appear to be a highly promising development for the future. Digital impression-taking with intraoral scanners has already shown itself in some respects to be clearly superior to conventional impression- taking. Particularly worthy of mention is the versatile integration of digital impressions into diagnostic and treatment concepts to provide a customizable healthcare solution for the patient. It remains exciting to look forward to future developments that will allow us to observe digital impression-taking--as with other digital applications already established in everyday life--becoming firmly established in the routine of dentistry and dental technology. This article presents an overview of the benefits and limitations of digital impression-taking using intraoral scanning systems, and includes a summary of all the relevant intraoral scanners available on the market at present.

Thermal dosimetry for bladder hyperthermia treatment. An overview.

Science.gov (United States)

Schooneveldt, Gerben; Bakker, Akke; Balidemaj, Edmond; Chopra, Rajiv; Crezee, Johannes; Geijsen, Elisabeth D; Hartmann, Josefin; Hulshof, Maarten C C M; Kok, H Petra; Paulides, Margarethus M; Sousa-Escandon, Alejandro; Stauffer, Paul R; Maccarini, Paolo F

2016-06-01

The urinary bladder is a fluid-filled organ. This makes, on the one hand, the internal surface of the bladder wall relatively easy to heat and ensures in most cases a relatively homogeneous temperature distribution; on the other hand the variable volume, organ motion, and moving fluid cause artefacts for most non-invasive thermometry methods, and require additional efforts in planning accurate thermal treatment of bladder cancer. We give an overview of the thermometry methods currently used and investigated for hyperthermia treatments of bladder cancer, and discuss their advantages and disadvantages within the context of the specific disease (muscle-invasive or non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer) and the heating technique used. The role of treatment simulation to determine the thermal dose delivered is also discussed. Generally speaking, invasive measurement methods are more accurate than non-invasive methods, but provide more limited spatial information; therefore, a combination of both is desirable, preferably supplemented by simulations. Current efforts at research and clinical centres continue to improve non-invasive thermometry methods and the reliability of treatment planning and control software. Due to the challenges in measuring temperature across the non-stationary bladder wall and surrounding tissues, more research is needed to increase our knowledge about the penetration depth and typical heating pattern of the various hyperthermia devices, in order to further improve treatments. The ability to better determine the delivered thermal dose will enable clinicians to investigate the optimal treatment parameters, and consequentially, to give better controlled, thus even more reliable and effective, thermal treatments.

An Overview of the Genetics of Plant Response to Salt Stress: Present Status and the Way Forward.

Science.gov (United States)

Kaleem, Fawad; Shabir, Ghulam; Aslam, Kashif; Rasul, Sumaira; Manzoor, Hamid; Shah, Shahid Masood; Khan, Abdul Rehman

2018-04-02

Salinity is one of the major threats faced by the modern agriculture today. It causes multidimensional effects on plants. These effects depend upon the plant growth stage, intensity, and duration of the stress. All these lead to stunted growth and reduced yield, ultimately inducing economic loss to the farming community in particular and to the country in general. The soil conditions of agricultural land are deteriorating at an alarming rate. Plants assess the stress conditions, transmit the specific stress signals, and then initiate the response against that stress. A more complete understanding of plant response mechanisms and their practical incorporation in crop improvement is an essential step towards achieving the goal of sustainable agricultural development. Literature survey shows that investigations of plant stresses response mechanism are the focus area of research for plant scientists. Although these efforts lead to reveal different plant response mechanisms against salt stress, yet many questions still need to be answered to get a clear picture of plant strategy to cope with salt stress. Moreover, these studies have indicated the presence of a complicated network of different integrated pathways. In order to work in a progressive way, a review of current knowledge is critical. Therefore, this review aims to provide an overview of our understanding of plant response to salt stress and to indicate some important yet unexplored dynamics to improve our knowledge that could ultimately lead towards crop improvement.

THEORY IN RELIGION AND AGING: AN OVERVIEW

Science.gov (United States)

Levin, Jeff; Chatters, Linda M.; Taylor, Robert Joseph

2011-01-01

This paper provides an overview of theory in religion, aging, and health. It offers both a primer on theory and a roadmap for researchers. Four “tenses” of theory are described—distinct ways that theory comes into play in this field: grand theory, mid-range theory, use of theoretical models, and positing of constructs which mediate or moderate putative religious effects. Examples are given of both explicit and implicit uses of theory. Sources of theory for this field are then identified, emphasizing perspectives of sociologists and psychologists, and discussion is given to limitations of theory. Finally, reflections are offered as to why theory matters. PMID:20087662

Smart Grid Technologies in Europe: An Overview

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Luca Ardito

2013-01-01

Full Text Available The old electricity network infrastructure has proven to be inadequate, with respect to modern challenges such as alternative energy sources, electricity demand and energy saving policies. Moreover, Information and Communication Technologies (ICT seem to have reached an adequate level of reliability and flexibility in order to support a new concept of electricity network — the smart grid. In this work, we will analyse the state-of-the-art of smart grids, in their technical, management, security, and optimization aspects. We will also provide a brief overview of the regulatory aspects involved in the development of a smart grid, mainly from the viewpoint of the European Union.

An overview of decision theory

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hansson, S.O.

1991-01-01

This paper has been written to provide a non-technical overview of modern decision theory and to identify some of the major ways in which decision theory is relevant to the nuclear waste issue. It concludes that the use of decision theory in the nuclear waste issue should be further developed, and more sophisticated tools should be made used of. In particular, the application of models for uncertainty and for collective decision-making is warranted, and the same applies to models that include the earlier phases of the decision-making process. (92 refs.)

Etanercept An Overview of Dermatologic Adverse Events

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Lecluse, Lidian L. A.; Dowlatshahi, Emmilia A.; Limpens, C. E. Jacqueline M.; de Rie, Menno A.; Bos, Jan D.; Spuls, Phyllis I.

2011-01-01

Objectives: To provide a comprehensive overview of dermatologic adverse events of etanercept described in the literature (including all study types, case reports, and surveys) and to present information on the occurrence, severity, treatment, and course of these adverse events. Data Sources: MEDLINE

Online maritime health information: an overview of the situation.

Science.gov (United States)

Guitton, Matthieu J

2015-01-01

Due to their working conditions, seafarers often don't benefit from the same medical coverage than the onshore population. Therefore, seafarers and their relatives often need to locate health information by themselves. While the rise of the Internet has drastically transformed the way people can gather information, the availability of specific maritime health information online still need to be evaluated scientifically. We aim here to document of the characteristic of maritime health-related online information. A web survey was performed, articulated on two complementary analyses. First, an overall analysis of websites related to maritime health compared to websites related to two other health areas relevant for the general population (dental health and otorhinolaryngology) used as control. Second, an analysis of the understandability and actionability of a series of Wikipedia articles related to pathologies relevant for seafarers using the Patient Education Materials Assessment Tool (PEMAT). Online resources associated with maritime health were sparse and difficult to locate. When compared to other medical fields, maritime health websites were extremely poor in displaying useful information for seafarers. Available online resources regarding specific diseases affecting seafarers were mainly not adapted for a general audience and scored poorly both in terms of understandability and of actionability. This study provides a general overview of the degree of adaption of online material related to maritime health to seafarers' potential needs. Considerably more efforts need to be made in order to provide controlled online materials to answer the health information needs of the seafarers and their relatives.

Overview of Substance Use and Mental Health Among the "Baby Boomers" Generation.

Science.gov (United States)

Cleary, Michelle; Sayers, Jan; Bramble, Marguerite; Jackson, Debra; Lopez, Violeta

2017-01-01

As the population ages, risk factors commonly shared by chronic degenerative disease can be exacerbated by behaviours and lifestyle choices. There is increasing evidence that those affected by chronic disease (and associated symptoms such as pain), depression and adverse behavioural and lifestyle patterns are at risk of substance misuse. This paper overviews substance use in Baby Boomers, which are defined as people aged between 52-70 years old, and the implications this may have on their mental health and well-being. We provide an overview of the characteristics of the Baby Boomer generation, their health status and what is currently known about their substance use and misuse. A strengthening of older adult mental health outpatient services is recommended to prevent and address substance use among older adults. Further research examining factors that influence substance use among this group could better inform health promotion programs targeting Baby Boomers.

An overview of MEDM

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Evans, K. Jr.

1999-01-01

MEDM, which is derived from Motif Editor and Display Manager, is the primary graphical user interface to the EPICS control system and has also been used for other control systems. MEDM has two modes of operation, EDIT and EXECUTE. In its EDIT mode it provides the drawing tools needed to design control screens for operator interfaces. In its EXECUTE mode it manages those screens to communicate with the control system. MEDM provides a set of interface objects that falls into three main categories: (1) Monitors, such as text, meters, and plots; (2) Controllers, such as buttons, menus, and sliders; and (3) Drawing Objects, such as lines, rectangles, and images. Each of these objects has many options, allowing for the development of screens ranging from simple to quite sophisticated. MEDM has been developed over the last decade, primarily at Argonne National Laboratory, and is a large, well tested, extensively used program. It runs on most flavors of UNIX, VMS, and Windows 95/98/NT. It has been used to design thousands of control screens, such as the one shown in Fig. 1, at the Advanced Photon Source and other sites around the world. This paper presents an overview of MEDM and its features

An overview of an architecture proposal for a high energy physics Grid

CERN Document Server

Wäänänen, A; Konstantinov, A S; Kónya, B; Smirnova, O G

2002-01-01

The article gives an overview of a Grid testbed architecture proposal for the NorduGrid project. The aim of the project is to establish an inter-Nordic (Denmark, Norway, Sweden and Finland) testbed facility for implementation of wide area computing and data handling. The architecture is supposed to define a Grid system suitable for solving data intensive problems at the Large Hadron Collider at CERN. We present the various architecture components needed for such a system. After that we go on to give a description of the dynamics by showing the task flow. (12 refs).

[E-learning and university nursing education: an overview of reviews].

Science.gov (United States)

De Caro, Walter; Marucci, Anna Rita; Giordani, Mauro; Sansoni, Julita

2014-01-01

The increasing use of digital technologies and e-learning in nursing education and the health professions was also reflected in the time to many studies and reviews. The aim of this overview was to analyze education through e-learning technologies for nursing and health professional students. A comprehensive search of literature was conducted using database PubMed/MEDLINE, Ebsco/CINAHL, 2003-2013. The search strategy resulted in the inclusion, in first instance, of 9732 items. After the reduction of duplicates, applying limits and other parameters of inclusion/exclusion and, at the end, evaluation of quality through AMSTARD check list, we included in this overview, 22 reviews. The analized reviews were allowed to spread in different topic areas: study population (students and faculty), e-learning methods (blended learning Game/3D/situated learning) and evaluation (information technology, learning satisfaction comparison of e-learning with the traditional teaching methods) This overview demonstrates that e-learning in nursing academic education is a valid alternative to traditional learning. If e-learning activities are well structured and modulated, some advantages and economies are clear possible. Regard effects of e-learning on the improvement of ability, data are at the momenti limited when compared to traditional learning. Often e-learning appear as an adjunct respect traditional learning, but is necessary consider e-learning and digital tecnology as priority for the future of education of nursing students.

Oral submucous fibrosis: an overview of the aetiology, pathogenesis, classification, and principles of management.

Science.gov (United States)

Arakeri, Gururaj; Brennan, Peter A

2013-10-01

Oral submucous fibrosis (OSMF) is a complex, debilitating, and precancerous condition. Formerly confined to the Indian subcontinent, it is now often seen in the Asian populations of the United Kingdom, USA, and other developed countries, and is therefore a serious problem for global health. The well-known causative agent of the disease, areca-nut is now recognised as a group one carcinogen. We review and discuss all components of OSMF, including the terminology, presentation, aetiology, and pathogenesis, and provide a brief overview of its management. Copyright © 2012 The British Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Marketing of electricity from photovoltaic and wind power plants. An overview of the legal framework and the various options in marketing electricity from fluctuating energy resources; Die Vermarktung von Strom aus Photovoltaik- und Windenergieanlagen. Ein Ueberblick ueber den Rechtsrahmen und die verschiedenen Optionen der Vermarktung von Strom aus fluktuierenden Energietraegern

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Herz, Steffen; Valentin, Florian [von Bredow Valentin Partnerschaft von Rechtsanwaelten, Berlin (Germany)

2013-01-15

This article gives an overview of the marketing options available to operators of photovoltaic and wind power plants today. These include in particular the marketing channels specified in the newly incorporated Part 3a of the 2012 Renewable Energy Law (EEG), the use of the market premium and the green electricity privilege. Under certain conditions there is also some scope today for developing marketing models outside the purview of the EEG. Within this category the article takes a look at the options of self-supply and direct supply. In this context it also describes and assesses the market integration model that was newly introduced to the EEG in August 2012 through what has come to be known as the PV Amendment.

Vorinostat-An overview

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Aditya Kumar Bubna

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Vorinostat is a new drug used in the management of cutaneous T cell lymphoma when the disease persists, gets worse or comes back during or after treatment with other medicines. It is an efficacious and well tolerated drug and has been considered a novel drug in the treatment of this condition. Currently apart from cutaneous T cell lymphoma the role of Vorinostat for other types of cancers is being investigated both as mono-therapy and combination therapy.

Psychological Perspectives on the Development of Coronary Heart Disease

Science.gov (United States)

Matthews, Karen A.

2005-01-01

Psychological science has new opportunities to have major input into the understanding of the development of coronary heart disease. This article provides an overview of advances in understanding the etiology of heart disease, recently applied technologies for measuring early stages of heart disease, and an accumulating base of evidence on the…

Effectiveness of mHealth interventions for patients with diabetes: An overview of systematic reviews.

Science.gov (United States)

Kitsiou, Spyros; Paré, Guy; Jaana, Mirou; Gerber, Ben

2017-01-01

Diabetes is a common chronic disease that places an unprecedented strain on health care systems worldwide. Mobile health technologies such as smartphones, mobile applications, and wearable devices, known as mHealth, offer significant and innovative opportunities for improving patient to provider communication and self-management of diabetes. The purpose of this overview is to critically appraise and consolidate evidence from multiple systematic reviews on the effectiveness of mHealth interventions for patients with diabetes to inform policy makers, practitioners, and researchers. A comprehensive search on multiple databases was performed to identify relevant systematic reviews published between January 1996 and December 2015. Two authors independently selected reviews, extracted data, and assessed the methodological quality of included reviews using AMSTAR. Fifteen systematic reviews published between 2008 and 2014 were eligible for inclusion. The quality of the reviews varied considerably and most of them had important methodological limitations. Focusing on systematic reviews that offered the most direct evidence, this overview demonstrates that on average, mHealth interventions improve glycemic control (HbA1c) compared to standard care or other non-mHealth approaches by as much as 0.8% for patients with type 2 diabetes and 0.3% for patients with type 1 diabetes, at least in the short-term (≤12 months). However, limitations in the overall quality of evidence suggest that further research will likely have an important impact in these estimates of effect. Findings are consistent with clinically relevant improvements, particularly with respect to patients with type 2 diabetes. Similar to home telemonitoring, mHealth interventions represent a promising approach for self-management of diabetes.

Food safety and quality management in Kenya: An overview of the ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Food safety and quality management in Kenya: An overview of the roles ... of the enormous informal sector in the food industry accounting for at least 80% of the ... management in the food supply chain has cost implications and income is a ...

The nuclear fuel cycle, an overview

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ballery, J.L.; Cazalet, J.; Hagemann, R.

1995-01-01

Because uranium is widely distributed on the face of the Earth, nuclear energy has a very large potential as an energy source in view of future depletion of fossil fuel reserves. Also future energy requirements will be very sizeable as populations of developing countries are often growing and make the energy question one of the major challenges for the coming decades. Today, nuclear contributes some 340 GWe to the energy requirements of the world. Present and future nuclear programs require an adequate fuel cycle industry, from mining, refining, conversion, enrichment, fuel fabrication, fuel reprocessing and the storage of the resulting wastes. The commercial fuel cycle activities amount to an annual business in the 7-8 billions of US Dollars in the hands of a large number of industrial operators. This paper gives details about companies and countries involved in each step of the fuel cycle and about the national strategies and options chosen regarding the back end of the fuel cycle (waste storage and reprocessing). These options are illustrated by considering the policy adopted in three countries (France, United Kingdom, Japan) versed in reprocessing. (J.S.). 13 figs., 2 tabs

The singing nurse?! Music therapy, interdisciplinarity and an overview of research in psychosocial interventions

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ridder, Hanne Mette Ochsner

Conference: Music Therapy and Dementia Care in the 21st Century Dementia is one of the major causes of disability and dependency among older people, with agitation in dementia as the most significant symptom causing patient distress and caregiver burden in later stages of the disease. Music...... in various forms (e.g. caregiver singing or music listening) is widely used in nursing homes for people with dementia; however these practices are generally little informed by music therapy theory and research. In this presentation, an overview of research in non- pharmacological approaches is given.......g. in dyads with caregivers or relatives and the person with dementia. The aim is to provide and develop psychosocial interventions in the interdisciplinary team, and to support staff and caregivers in their use of music as part of the daily culture of care. References Bunt, L. & Stige, B. (2014). Music...

The First Report of Mycobacterium celatum Isolation from Domestic Pig (Sus scrofa domestica and Roe Deer (Capreolus capreolus and an Overview of Human Infections in Slovenia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mateja Pate

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Mycobacterium celatum, a slowly growing potentially pathogenic mycobacterium first described in humans, is regarded as an uncommon cause of human infection, though capable of inducing invasive disease in immunocompromised hosts. According to some reports, a serious disease due to M. celatum may also occur in individuals with no apparent immunodeficiency. In animals, an M. celatum-related disease has been described in three cases only: twice in a domestic ferret (Mustela putorius furo and once in a white-tailed trogon (Trogon viridis. In this paper, we report the first detection of M. celatum in a domestic pig (Sus scrofa domestica and roe deer (Capreolus capreolus. A nation-wide overview of human M. celatum infections recorded in Slovenia between 2000 and 2010 is also given. Pulmonary disease due to M. celatum was recognized in one patient with a history of a preexisting lung disease.

An overview of modal-based damage identification methods

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Farrar, C.R.; Doebling, S.W. [Los Alamos National Lab., NM (United States). Engineering Analysis Group

1997-09-01

This paper provides an overview of methods that examine changes in measured vibration response to detect, locate, and characterize damage in structural and mechanical systems. The basic idea behind this technology is that modal parameters (notably frequencies, mode shapes, and modal damping) are functions of the physical properties of the structure (mass, damping, and stiffness). Therefore, changes in the physical properties will cause detectable changes in the modal properties. The motivation for the development of this technology is first provided. The methods are then categorized according to various criteria such as the level of damage detection provided, model-based vs. non-model-based methods and linear vs. nonlinear methods. This overview is limited to methods that can be adapted to a wide range of structures (i.e., are not dependent on a particular assumed model form for the system such as beam-bending behavior and methods and that are not based on updating finite element models). Next, the methods are described in general terms including difficulties associated with their implementation and their fidelity. Past, current and future-planned applications of this technology to actual engineering systems are summarized. The paper concludes with a discussion of critical issues for future research in the area of modal-based damage identification.

Parkinson's Disease Videos

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Full Text Available ... Progression of the Disease? OHSU - Parkinson's Disease: Pharmacological Management of Depression, Anxiety & Psychosis OHSU - Overview of Parkinson's ... Disease? What Are Some Strategies to Improve the Quality of Community Care for PD Patients? CareMAP: Dealing ...

Preclinical Science Regarding Cannabinoids as Analgesics: An Overview

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

ME Lynch

2005-01-01

Full Text Available Modern pharmacology of cannabinoids began in 1964 with the isolation and partial synthesis of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, the main psychoactive agent in herbal cannabis. Since then, potent antinociceptive and antihyperalgesic effects of cannabinoid agonists in animal models of acute and chronic pain; the presence of cannabinoid receptors in pain-processing areas of the brain, spinal cord and periphery; and evidence supporting endogenous modulation of pain systems by cannabinoids has provided support that cannabinoids exhibit significant potential as analgesics. The present article presents an overview of the preclinical science.

Fission times of excited nuclei: An experimental overview

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Morjean, M.; Morjean, M.; Jacquet, D.

2009-01-01

An overview of selected recent experimental results on fission times is presented. Evidences for over-damped motion up to saddle point during the fission process of highly excited nuclei have been obtained independently through fission probability, pre-scission multiplicity and direct time measurements. In addition, strong clues have been found for a temperature dependency of friction. Experiments probing transient effects through fission probabilities are presented and the counterbalanced effects of friction and level density parameters are discussed. Promising perspectives for super-heavy stability studies, based on fission time measurements, are presented. (authors)

Infectious Diseases in the Homeless

Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Podcasts

2008-08-26

In this podcast, Ted Pestorius speaks with Dr. Marian McDonald, Associate Director for Minority and Women’s Health at CDC about an article in September 2008 issue of Emerging Infectious Diseases on infectious diseases in the homeless. There are an estimated 100 million homeless people worldwide today, and this number is likely to grow. The homeless population is vulnerable to many diseases, including HIV, hepatitis, and tuberculosis. Dr. McDonald discusses why this population is so vulnerable.  Created: 8/26/2008 by Emerging Infectious Diseases.   Date Released: 8/27/2008.

Health Effects of Psidium guajava L. Leaves: An Overview of the Last Decade.

Science.gov (United States)

Díaz-de-Cerio, Elixabet; Verardo, Vito; Gómez-Caravaca, Ana María; Fernández-Gutiérrez, Alberto; Segura-Carretero, Antonio

2017-04-24

Today, there is increasing interest in discovering new bioactive compounds derived from ethnomedicine. Preparations of guava ( Psidium guajava L.) leaves have traditionally been used to manage several diseases. The pharmacological research in vitro as well as in vivo has been widely used to demonstrate the potential of the extracts from the leaves for the co-treatment of different ailments with high prevalence worldwide, upholding the traditional medicine in cases such as diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular diseases, cancer, and parasitic infections. Moreover, the biological activity has been attributed to the bioactive composition of the leaves, to some specific phytochemical subclasses, or even to individual compounds. Phenolic compounds in guava leaves have been credited with regulating blood-glucose levels. Thus, the aim of the present review was to compile results from in vitro and in vivo studies carried out with guava leaves over the last decade, relating the effects to their clinical applications in order to focus further research for finding individual bioactive compounds. Some food applications (guava tea and supplementary feed for aquaculture) and some clinical, in vitro, and in vivo outcomes are also included.

Building Tomorrow's Business Today

Science.gov (United States)

Ryan, Jim

2010-01-01

Modern automobile maintenance, like most skilled-trades jobs, is more than simple nuts and bolts. Today, skilled-trades jobs might mean hydraulics, computerized monitoring equipment, electronic blueprints, even lasers. As chief executive officer of Grainger, a business-to-business maintenance, repair, and operating supplies company that…

Delivery arrangements for health systems in low-income countries: an overview of systematic reviews

Science.gov (United States)

Ciapponi, Agustín; Lewin, Simon; Herrera, Cristian A; Opiyo, Newton; Pantoja, Tomas; Paulsen, Elizabeth; Rada, Gabriel; Wiysonge, Charles S; Bastías, Gabriel; Dudley, Lilian; Flottorp, Signe; Gagnon, Marie-Pierre; Garcia Marti, Sebastian; Glenton, Claire; Okwundu, Charles I; Peñaloza, Blanca; Suleman, Fatima; Oxman, Andrew D

2017-01-01

assessments of the relevance of findings to low-income countries. Main results We identified 7272 systematic reviews and included 51 of them in this overview. We judged 6 of the 51 reviews to have important methodological limitations and the other 45 to have only minor limitations. We grouped delivery arrangements into eight categories. Some reviews provided more than one comparison and were in more than one category. Across these categories, the following intervention were effective; that is, they have desirable effects on at least one outcome with moderate- or high-certainty evidence and no moderate- or high-certainty evidence of undesirable effects. Who receives care and when: queuing strategies and antenatal care to groups of mothers. Who provides care: lay health workers for caring for people with hypertension, lay health workers to deliver care for mothers and children or infectious diseases, lay health workers to deliver community-based neonatal care packages, midlevel health professionals for abortion care, social support to pregnant women at risk, midwife-led care for childbearing women, non-specialist providers in mental health and neurology, and physician-nurse substitution. Coordination of care: hospital clinical pathways, case management for people living with HIV and AIDS, interactive communication between primary care doctors and specialists, hospital discharge planning, adding a service to an existing service and integrating delivery models, referral from primary to secondary care, physician-led versus nurse-led triage in emergency departments, and team midwifery. Where care is provided: high-volume institutions, home-based care (with or without multidisciplinary team) for people living with HIV and AIDS, home-based management of malaria, home care for children with acute physical conditions, community-based interventions for childhood diarrhoea and pneumonia, out-of-facility HIV and reproductive health services for youth, and decentralised HIV care

Gender reassignment surgery: an overview.

Science.gov (United States)

Selvaggi, Gennaro; Bellringer, James

2011-05-01

Gender reassignment (which includes psychotherapy, hormonal therapy and surgery) has been demonstrated as the most effective treatment for patients affected by gender dysphoria (or gender identity disorder), in which patients do not recognize their gender (sexual identity) as matching their genetic and sexual characteristics. Gender reassignment surgery is a series of complex surgical procedures (genital and nongenital) performed for the treatment of gender dysphoria. Genital procedures performed for gender dysphoria, such as vaginoplasty, clitorolabioplasty, penectomy and orchidectomy in male-to-female transsexuals, and penile and scrotal reconstruction in female-to-male transsexuals, are the core procedures in gender reassignment surgery. Nongenital procedures, such as breast enlargement, mastectomy, facial feminization surgery, voice surgery, and other masculinization and feminization procedures complete the surgical treatment available. The World Professional Association for Transgender Health currently publishes and reviews guidelines and standards of care for patients affected by gender dysphoria, such as eligibility criteria for surgery. This article presents an overview of the genital and nongenital procedures available for both male-to-female and female-to-male gender reassignment.

Parkinson's Disease Videos

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Full Text Available ... We Walk at Moving Day CareMAP: Managing Caregiver Stress Aware in Care: Real Stories CareMAP: End-of- ... Progression of the Disease? OHSU - Parkinson's Disease: Pharmacological Management of Depression, Anxiety & Psychosis Overview of Parkinson's Disease ...

An overview of new video techniques

CERN Document Server

Parker, R

1999-01-01

Current video transmission and distribution systems at CERN use a variety of analogue techniques which are several decades old. It will soon be necessary to replace this obsolete equipment, and the opportunity therefore exists to rationalize the diverse systems now in place. New standards for digital transmission and distribution are now emerging. This paper gives an overview of these new standards and of the underlying technology common to many of them. The paper reviews Digital Video Broadcasting (DVB), the Motion Picture Experts Group specifications (MPEG1, MPEG2, MPEG4, and MPEG7), videoconferencing standards (H.261 etc.), and packet video systems, together with predictions of the penetration of these standards into the consumer market. The digital transport mechanisms now available (IP, SDH, ATM) are also reviewed, and the implication of widespread adoption of these systems on video transmission and distribution is analysed.

The Bioeconomy in Europe: An Overview

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kes McCormick

2013-06-01

Full Text Available A bioeconomy can be defined as an economy where the basic building blocks for materials, chemicals and energy are derived from renewable biological resources. This paper provides an overview of the bioeconomy in Europe, examining it from a policy framework and concept perspective. The role of bioenergy in the bioeconomy is discussed particularly through biofuels for transport and biorefineries. The study finds that the definitions of the bioeconomy are evolving and vary depending on the actor, but display similarities such as the emphasis on economic output and a broad, cross-sectoral focus. While there is great optimism about the benefits and opportunities associated with developing an advanced bioeconomy in Europe, significant risks and trade-offs are also expressed. Furthermore, the bioeconomy concept has been criticised for presenting a technical fix and pre-empting alternative visions. To advance a competitive and sustainable bioeconomy, this paper calls for attention on two important themes: participatory governance that engages the general public and key stakeholders in an open and informed dialogue as well as a commitment by government and industry to innovation that drives concerted efforts on sustainable development of the bioeconomy.

Mixed Connective Tissue Disease

Science.gov (United States)

Mixed connective tissue disease Overview Mixed connective tissue disease has signs and symptoms of a combination of disorders — primarily lupus, scleroderma and polymyositis. For this reason, mixed connective tissue disease ...

Miniaturized tools and devices for bioanalytical applications: an overview

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Chudy, M.; Grabowska, I.; Ciosek, P.

2009-01-01

This article presents an overview of various miniaturized devices and technologies developed by our group. Innovative, fast and cheap procedures for the fabrication of laboratory microsystems based on commercially available materials are reported and compared with well-established microfabricatio...... optic detectors, potentiometric sensors platforms, microreactors and capillary electrophoresis (CE) microchips as well as integrated microsystems e. g. double detection microanalytical systems, devices for studying enzymatic reactions and a microsystem for cell culture and lysis....

The prevalence of severe fatigue in rheumatic diseases: an international study.

Science.gov (United States)

Overman, Cécile L; Kool, Marianne B; Da Silva, José A P; Geenen, Rinie

2016-02-01

Fatigue is a common, disabling, and difficult-to-manage problem in rheumatic diseases. Prevalence estimates of fatigue within rheumatic diseases vary considerably. Data on the prevalence of severe fatigue across multiple rheumatic diseases using a similar instrument is missing. Our aim was to provide an overview of the prevalence of severe fatigue across a broad range of rheumatic diseases and to examine its association with clinical and demographic variables. Online questionnaires were filled out by an international sample of 6120 patients (88 % female, mean age 47) encompassing 30 different rheumatic diseases. Fatigue was measured with the RAND(SF)-36 Vitality scale. A score of ≤35 was taken as representing severe fatigue (90 % sensitivity and 81 % specificity for chronic fatigue syndrome). Severe fatigue was present in 41 to 57 % of patients with a single inflammatory rheumatic disease such as rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, ankylosing spondylitis, Sjögren's syndrome, psoriatic arthritis, and scleroderma. Severe fatigue was least prevalent in patients with osteoarthritis (35 %) and most prevalent in patients with fibromyalgia (82 %). In logistic regression analysis, severe fatigue was associated with having fibromyalgia, having multiple rheumatic diseases without fibromyalgia, younger age, lower education, and language (French: highest prevalence; Dutch: lowest prevalence). In conclusion, one out of every two patients with a rheumatic disease is severely fatigued. As severe fatigue is detrimental to the patient, the near environment, and society at large, unraveling the underlying mechanisms of fatigue and developing optimal treatment should be top priorities in rheumatologic research and practice.

Energy from biomass: An overview

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Van der Toorn, L.J.; Elliott, T.P.

1992-01-01

Attention is paid to the effect of the use of energy from biomass on the greenhouse effect. An overview is given of the aspects of forest plantation, carbon dioxide fixation and energy from biomass, in particular with regard to the potential impact of the use of biomass energy on the speed of accumulation of carbon in the atmosphere. A simple model of the carbon cycle to illustrate the geochemical, biological and antropogenic characteristics of the cycle is presented and briefly discussed. Biomass, which is appropriate for energy applications, can be subdivided into three categories: polysaccharides, vegetable oils, and lignocellulosis. The costs for the latter are discussed. Three important options to use biomass as a commercial energy source are solid fuels, liquid fuels, and power generation. For each option the value of energy (on a large-scale level) is compared to the costs of several types of biomass. Recent evaluation of new techniques show that small biomass conversion plants can realize an electricity efficiency of 40%, with capitalized costs far below comparable conventional biomass conversion plants. One of the policy instruments to stimulate the use of biomass as an energy source is the carbon levy, in which the assumed external costs to reduce carbon dioxide emission are expressed. Political and administrative feasibility are important factors in the decision making with regard to carbon storage and energy plantations. 6 figs

Physics Survey Overview

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2002-01-01

An overview of a series of assignments of the branches of physics carried out by the Board on Physics and Astronomy of the National Research Council. It identifies further theories in physics and makes recommendations on preventive priorities. The Board on Physics and Astronomy (BPA) has conducted a new decadal survey of physics entitled ''Physics in a New Era''. The survey includes assessments of the main branches of physics as well as certain selected emerging areas. The various elements of the survey were prepared by separately-appointed National Research Council (NRC) committees. The BPA formed the Physics Survey Overview Committee (PSOVC) to complete the survey by preparing an overview of the field of physics to summarize and synthesize the results of the various assessments and to address cross-cutting issues that concern physics as a whole

End-stage renal disease in Nigeria: An overview of the epidemiology and the pathogenetic mechanisms

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M O Odubanjo

2011-01-01

Full Text Available There is paucity of information on the magnitude of the burden of renal disease in our environment. Obtaining accurate data is hampered by the poor socioeconomic status of most patients with lack of access to specialized care in tertiary institutions, where most of the data is generated. The incidence of chronic renal failure (CRF and end-stage renal disease (ESRD in any specified area is known to be influenced by the prevalence of specific disease entities resulting in CRF. Hypertension, glomerulonephritis (GN, sickle cell disease, quartan malaria nephropathy, urinary tract schistosomiasis and other parasite-related forms of chronic GN are known to contribute significantly to the incidence of CRF in Nigeria. As is the situation in other parts of the world, diabetic nephropathy appears to be of increasing importance in the causation of ESRD in Nigeria. Even though the underlying cause of renal disease can often not be treated, extensive studies in experimental animals and preliminary studies in humans suggest that progression in chronic renal disease may largely be due to secondary factors, attention to which may be important in the prevention and/or control of renal disease.

Geometry-based density functional theory an overview

CERN Document Server

Schmidt, M

2003-01-01

An overview of recent developments and applications of a specific density functional approach that originates from Rosenfeld's fundamental measure theory for hard spheres is given. Model systems that were treated include penetrable spheres that interact with a step function pair potential, the Widom-Rowlinson model, the Asakura-Oosawa colloid-polymer mixture, ternary mixtures of spheres, needles, and globular polymers, hard-body amphiphilic mixtures, fluids in porous media, and random sequential adsorption that describes non-equilibrium processes such as colloidal deposition and random car parking. In these systems various physical phenomena were studied, such as correlations in liquids, freezing and demixing phase behaviour, the properties of fluid interfaces with and without orientational order, and wetting and layering phenomena at walls.

Geometry-based density functional theory: an overview

Science.gov (United States)

Schmidt, Matthias

2003-01-01

An overview of recent developments and applications of a specific density functional approach that originates from Rosenfeld's fundamental measure theory for hard spheres is given. Model systems that were treated include penetrable spheres that interact with a step function pair potential, the Widom-Rowlinson model, the Asakura-Oosawa colloid-polymer mixture, ternary mixtures of spheres, needles, and globular polymers, hard-body amphiphilic mixtures, fluids in porous media, and random sequential adsorption that describes non-equilibrium processes such as colloidal deposition and random car parking. In these systems various physical phenomena were studied, such as correlations in liquids, freezing and demixing phase behaviour, the properties of fluid interfaces with and without orientational order, and wetting and layering phenomena at walls.

Geometry-based density functional theory: an overview

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schmidt, Matthias

2003-01-01

An overview of recent developments and applications of a specific density functional approach that originates from Rosenfeld's fundamental measure theory for hard spheres is given. Model systems that were treated include penetrable spheres that interact with a step function pair potential, the Widom-Rowlinson model, the Asakura-Oosawa colloid-polymer mixture, ternary mixtures of spheres, needles, and globular polymers, hard-body amphiphilic mixtures, fluids in porous media, and random sequential adsorption that describes non-equilibrium processes such as colloidal deposition and random car parking. In these systems various physical phenomena were studied, such as correlations in liquids, freezing and demixing phase behaviour, the properties of fluid interfaces with and without orientational order, and wetting and layering phenomena at walls

Sequential Product of Quantum Effects: An Overview

Science.gov (United States)

Gudder, Stan

2010-12-01

This article presents an overview for the theory of sequential products of quantum effects. We first summarize some of the highlights of this relatively recent field of investigation and then provide some new results. We begin by discussing sequential effect algebras which are effect algebras endowed with a sequential product satisfying certain basic conditions. We then consider sequential products of (discrete) quantum measurements. We next treat transition effect matrices (TEMs) and their associated sequential product. A TEM is a matrix whose entries are effects and whose rows form quantum measurements. We show that TEMs can be employed for the study of quantum Markov chains. Finally, we prove some new results concerning TEMs and vector densities.

Air quality and disease

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

First page Back Continue Last page Overview Graphics. Climate change is an important determinant of air quality. Climate change is an important determinant of air quality. Poor air quality associated with higher levels of respiratory and cardiovascular disease. Exposure to high levels of ground-level ozone associated with ...

Air Pollution Forecasts: An Overview.

Science.gov (United States)

Bai, Lu; Wang, Jianzhou; Ma, Xuejiao; Lu, Haiyan

2018-04-17

Air pollution is defined as a phenomenon harmful to the ecological system and the normal conditions of human existence and development when some substances in the atmosphere exceed a certain concentration. In the face of increasingly serious environmental pollution problems, scholars have conducted a significant quantity of related research, and in those studies, the forecasting of air pollution has been of paramount importance. As a precaution, the air pollution forecast is the basis for taking effective pollution control measures, and accurate forecasting of air pollution has become an important task. Extensive research indicates that the methods of air pollution forecasting can be broadly divided into three classical categories: statistical forecasting methods, artificial intelligence methods, and numerical forecasting methods. More recently, some hybrid models have been proposed, which can improve the forecast accuracy. To provide a clear perspective on air pollution forecasting, this study reviews the theory and application of those forecasting models. In addition, based on a comparison of different forecasting methods, the advantages and disadvantages of some methods of forecasting are also provided. This study aims to provide an overview of air pollution forecasting methods for easy access and reference by researchers, which will be helpful in further studies.

Air Pollution Forecasts: An Overview

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lu Bai

2018-04-01

Full Text Available Air pollution is defined as a phenomenon harmful to the ecological system and the normal conditions of human existence and development when some substances in the atmosphere exceed a certain concentration. In the face of increasingly serious environmental pollution problems, scholars have conducted a significant quantity of related research, and in those studies, the forecasting of air pollution has been of paramount importance. As a precaution, the air pollution forecast is the basis for taking effective pollution control measures, and accurate forecasting of air pollution has become an important task. Extensive research indicates that the methods of air pollution forecasting can be broadly divided into three classical categories: statistical forecasting methods, artificial intelligence methods, and numerical forecasting methods. More recently, some hybrid models have been proposed, which can improve the forecast accuracy. To provide a clear perspective on air pollution forecasting, this study reviews the theory and application of those forecasting models. In addition, based on a comparison of different forecasting methods, the advantages and disadvantages of some methods of forecasting are also provided. This study aims to provide an overview of air pollution forecasting methods for easy access and reference by researchers, which will be helpful in further studies.

Air Pollution Forecasts: An Overview

Science.gov (United States)

Bai, Lu; Wang, Jianzhou; Lu, Haiyan

2018-01-01

Air pollution is defined as a phenomenon harmful to the ecological system and the normal conditions of human existence and development when some substances in the atmosphere exceed a certain concentration. In the face of increasingly serious environmental pollution problems, scholars have conducted a significant quantity of related research, and in those studies, the forecasting of air pollution has been of paramount importance. As a precaution, the air pollution forecast is the basis for taking effective pollution control measures, and accurate forecasting of air pollution has become an important task. Extensive research indicates that the methods of air pollution forecasting can be broadly divided into three classical categories: statistical forecasting methods, artificial intelligence methods, and numerical forecasting methods. More recently, some hybrid models have been proposed, which can improve the forecast accuracy. To provide a clear perspective on air pollution forecasting, this study reviews the theory and application of those forecasting models. In addition, based on a comparison of different forecasting methods, the advantages and disadvantages of some methods of forecasting are also provided. This study aims to provide an overview of air pollution forecasting methods for easy access and reference by researchers, which will be helpful in further studies. PMID:29673227

Neural correlates of math anxiety – an overview and implications

OpenAIRE

Artemenko, Christina; Daroczy, Gabriella; Nuerk, Hans-Christoph

2015-01-01

Math anxiety is a common phenomenon which can have a negative impact on numerical and arithmetic performance. However, so far little is known about the underlying neurocognitive mechanisms. This mini review provides an overview of studies investigating the neural correlates of math anxiety which provide several hints regarding its influence on math performance: while behavioral studies mostly observe an influence of math anxiety on difficult math tasks, neurophysiological studies show that pr...

Overview of treatment of castration-resistant prostate cancer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Obertova, J.

2012-01-01

Prostatic cancer is a very heterogenic disease. Initial treatment of metastatic disease is androgen deprivation therapy, however upon the time eventually all cases develop castrate resistant disease (CRCP). In CRPC the combination of docetaxel with prednisone is considered to be the gold standard first line therapy with prolongation of overall survival. Until recently there was not standardly defined second line treatment. According to the international guidelines of today cabazitaxel and abirateron is recommended as second line therapy. The objective of this article is to present a review of the therapy of CRPC upon results from randomised phase III clinical trials. (author)

Danon disease: A case report and literature overview

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ćatović Suad

2007-01-01

Full Text Available Danon disease, a rare glycogen storage disease, is a dominant X-linked disorder. It is due to mutation in gene for lysosome-associated membrane protein 2 (LAMP 2. The LAMP 2 gene is located on Xq24, and its mutation causes primary deficiency of LAMP 2 and myocyte hypertrophy by accumulations of vacuoles containing glycogen. Danon disease is clinically characterized by the triad of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM, proximal myopathy and mental retardation. Myopathy and mental retardation can be absent, and cardiomyopathy is usually hypertrophic. This is a case report of the patient with genetically confirmed Danon disease and mixed cardiomyopathy, but without myopathy and mental retardation. ECG showed typical Wolff-Parkinson-White (WPW pattern while echocardiography demonstrated hypertrophy and dilatation of all cardiac chambers with impaired systolic and diastolic function. Male sex, early onset of symptoms, massive hypertrophy of the myocardium and ventricular preexcitation indicate a genetic basis for HCM. Therapeutic measures, except heart transplantation, do not improve prognosis substantially. Only an accurate diagnosis in patients with unexplained HCM helps in establishing of the appropriate treatment strategies and adequate genetic consultation. .

Lyme Disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Taylor, George C.

1991-01-01

This overview of the public health significance of Lyme disease includes the microbiological specifics of the infectious spirochete, the entomology and ecology of the ticks which are the primary disease carrier, the clinical aspects and treatment stages, the known epidemiological patterns, and strategies for disease control and for expanded public…

Robotics Competitions: An Overview of First© Events and VEX© Competitions

Science.gov (United States)

Habib, Maria A.

2012-01-01

Robotics competitions generate excitement and raise the profile of a robotics program. This article provides an overview of robotics competitions, concentrating on those sponsored by FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) and RECF (Robotics Education and Competition Foundation). FIRST® LEGO® League and VEX® robotics…

Packaging Printing Today

OpenAIRE

Stanislav Bolanča; Igor Majnarić; Kristijan Golubović

2015-01-01

Printing packaging covers today about 50% of all the printing products. Among the printing products there are printing on labels, printing on flexible packaging, printing on folding boxes, printing on the boxes of corrugated board, printing on glass packaging, synthetic and metal ones. The mentioned packaging are printed in flexo printing technique, offset printing technique, intaglio halftone process, silk – screen printing, ink ball printing, digital printing and hybrid printing process. T...

Could Sodium Chloride be an Environmental Trigger for Immune-Mediated Diseases? An Overview of the Experimental and Clinical Evidence.

Science.gov (United States)

Toussirot, Eric; Béreau, Matthieu; Vauchy, Charline; Saas, Philippe

2018-01-01

Immune mediated diseases (IMDs) are complex chronic inflammatory diseases involving genetic and environmental factors. Salt intake has been proposed as a diet factor that can influence the immune response. Indeed, experimental data report the influence of sodium chloride on the differentiation of naive CD4 + T cells into IL-17 secreting T helper (Th) cells (Th17 cells), by a mechanism involving the serum glucocorticoid kinase-1 (SGK1) that promotes the expression of the IL-23 receptor (IL-23R). The IL-23/IL-23R is critical for pathogenic inflammatory Th17 cell differentiation. Experimental data in murine models of arthritis, colitis and encephalomyelitis corroborate these findings. This manuscript reviews the current knowledge on the effects of sodium chloride on innate and adaptive immunity. We also performed a systematic literature review for clinical studies examining the relationships between salt consumption and the development or the activity/severity of the most common IMDs mediated by the IL-23/Th17 pathway, i.e., rheumatoid arthritis (RA), multiple sclerosis (MS), and Crohn's disease (CD). Nine studies were found, 4 in RA, 4 in MS and 1 in CD. An association was found between developments of anti-citrullinated protein antibody (ACPA) positive RA in smokers and salt intake, but these results were not confirmed in another study. For MS, no association was observed in pediatric subjects while in adult patients, a link was found between salt intake and disease activity. However, this result was not confirmed in another study. These conflicting results highlight the fact that further evaluation in human IMDs is required. Moreover, physicians need to develop clinical trials with diet interventions to evaluate the impact of low salt intake on disease activity/severity of IMDs.

Could Sodium Chloride be an Environmental Trigger for Immune-Mediated Diseases? An Overview of the Experimental and Clinical Evidence

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Eric Toussirot

2018-04-01

Full Text Available Immune mediated diseases (IMDs are complex chronic inflammatory diseases involving genetic and environmental factors. Salt intake has been proposed as a diet factor that can influence the immune response. Indeed, experimental data report the influence of sodium chloride on the differentiation of naive CD4+ T cells into IL-17 secreting T helper (Th cells (Th17 cells, by a mechanism involving the serum glucocorticoid kinase-1 (SGK1 that promotes the expression of the IL-23 receptor (IL-23R. The IL-23/IL-23R is critical for pathogenic inflammatory Th17 cell differentiation. Experimental data in murine models of arthritis, colitis and encephalomyelitis corroborate these findings. This manuscript reviews the current knowledge on the effects of sodium chloride on innate and adaptive immunity. We also performed a systematic literature review for clinical studies examining the relationships between salt consumption and the development or the activity/severity of the most common IMDs mediated by the IL-23/Th17 pathway, i.e., rheumatoid arthritis (RA, multiple sclerosis (MS, and Crohn's disease (CD. Nine studies were found, 4 in RA, 4 in MS and 1 in CD. An association was found between developments of anti-citrullinated protein antibody (ACPA positive RA in smokers and salt intake, but these results were not confirmed in another study. For MS, no association was observed in pediatric subjects while in adult patients, a link was found between salt intake and disease activity. However, this result was not confirmed in another study. These conflicting results highlight the fact that further evaluation in human IMDs is required. Moreover, physicians need to develop clinical trials with diet interventions to evaluate the impact of low salt intake on disease activity/severity of IMDs.

"UK today" Tallinnas / Tuuli Oder

Index Scriptorium Estoniae

Oder, Tuuli, 1958-

2001-01-01

Vabariikliku inglise keele olümpiaadi raames toimus Tallinnas viktoriini "UK today" lõppvoor. Osalesid 22 kooli kaheliikmelised võistkonnad. Viktoriini tulemused koolide lõikes ja küsimused õigete vastustega

Silk scaffolds in bone tissue engineering: An overview.

Science.gov (United States)

Bhattacharjee, Promita; Kundu, Banani; Naskar, Deboki; Kim, Hae-Won; Maiti, Tapas K; Bhattacharya, Debasis; Kundu, Subhas C

2017-11-01

Bone tissue plays multiple roles in our day-to-day functionality. The frequency of accidental bone damage and disorder is increasing worldwide. Moreover, as the world population continues to grow, the percentage of the elderly population continues to grow, which results in an increased number of bone degenerative diseases. This increased elderly population pushes the need for artificial bone implants that specifically employ biocompatible materials. A vast body of literature is available on the use of silk in bone tissue engineering. The current work presents an overview of this literature from materials and fabrication perspective. As silk is an easy-to-process biopolymer; this allows silk-based biomaterials to be molded into diverse forms and architectures, which further affects the degradability. This makes silk-based scaffolds suitable for treating a variety of bone reconstruction and regeneration objectives. Silk surfaces offer active sites that aid the mineralization and/or bonding of bioactive molecules that facilitate bone regeneration. Silk has also been blended with a variety of polymers and minerals to enhance its advantageous properties or introduce new ones. Several successful works, both in vitro and in vivo, have been reported using silk-based scaffolds to regenerate bone tissues or other parts of the skeletal system such as cartilage and ligament. A growing trend is observed toward the use of mineralized and nanofibrous scaffolds along with the development of technology that allows to control scaffold architecture, its biodegradability and the sustained releasing property of scaffolds. Further development of silk-based scaffolds for bone tissue engineering, taking them up to and beyond the stage of human trials, is hoped to be achieved in the near future through a cross-disciplinary coalition of tissue engineers, material scientists and manufacturing engineers. The state-of-art of silk biomaterials in bone tissue engineering, covering their wide

Regional Haze Evolved from Peat Fires - an Overview

Science.gov (United States)

Hu, Yuqi; Rein, Guillermo

2016-04-01

This work provides an overview of haze episodes, their cause, emissions and health effects found in the scientific literature. Peatlands, the terrestrial ecosystems resulting from the accumulation of partially decayed vegetation, become susceptible to smouldering fires because of natural droughts or anthropogenic-induced drainages. Once ignited, smouldering peat fires persistently consume large amounts of soil carbon in a flameless form. It is estimated that the average annual carbon gas emissions (mainly CO2 and CO) from peat fires are equivalent to 15% of manmade emissions, representing influential perturbation of global carbon circle. In addition to carbon emissions, smouldering peat fires emit substantial quantities of heterogeneous smoke, which is responsible for haze phenomena, has not yet been fully studied. Peat-fire-derived smoke is characterized by high concentration of particulate matter (PM), ranging from nano-scale ultrafine fraction (PM1, particle diameter condition, and then low buoyant smoke plume could accumulate and migrate long distances, leading to regional haze. Apart from air quality deterioration, haze leads to severe reduction in visibility, which strongly affects local transportation, construction, tourism and agriculture-based industries. For example, an unprecedented peatland mega-fire burst on the Indonesian islands Kalimantan and Sumatra during the 1997 El-Niño event, resulting in transboundary smoke-haze disaster. Severe haze events continue to appear in Southeast Asia every few years due to periodical peat fires in this region. In addition, smouldering peat fires have been frequently reported in tropical, temperate and boreal regions (Botswana in 2000, North America in 2004, Scotland in 2006 and Central Russia in 2010 et al.), peat-fire-induced haze has become a regional seasonal phenomenon. Exposure to smoky haze results in deleterious physiologic responses, predominantly to the respiratory and cardiovascular systems. In 1997, an

The Comprehensive Nuclear Test-ban Treaty : an overview

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1997-01-01

The Comprehensive Nuclear Test-Ban Treaty ushers in the post-nuclear testing era. The Treaty is the result of many years of intensive international negotiation, and is an impressive document of some 48 pages plus 15 pages of annexes which, by April 1997, 143 nations including New Zealand had signed. New Zealand has consistently maintained a strong opposition to the testing of nuclear weapons and has had a long involvement in negotiations towards this Treaty. This is the first of a series of articles on the Treaty, its enforcement, and its implications for New Zealand, and provides an overview of the treaty by means of a quick tour through its main provisions. (author)

Pediatric Hodgkin's disease - up, up, and beyond

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Donaldson, Sarah S.

2002-01-01

Juan A. del Regato, 1909-1999, was a superb clinician-educator who recognized the radiocurability of Hodgkin's disease but questioned treatment without late effects, particularly in children. The remarkable progress in pediatric Hodgkin's disease today is a tribute to this influential pioneer, who served as a role model to many. Combined modality therapy using low-dose, involved-field radiation and multiagent chemotherapy today results in a 5-year relative survival rate of 94% among American children with Hodgkin's disease. However, several areas hold promise for future advances, including a new pathology classification and biology studies that distinguish classic Hodgkin's disease from other lymphomas; new noninvasive staging techniques, including 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography; the definition of risk groups to segregate low-, intermediate-, and high-risk groups on the basis of a prognostic index, facilitating risk-adapted therapy; and myeloablative therapy followed by hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Currently used for children with relapse, it is associated with a 5-year survival of 65% and should be considered as the initial therapy for high-risk groups. Idiopathic diffuse pulmonary toxicity after autologous transplantation is high among children with an atopic history; thus, atopy should be considered when selecting children appropriate for transplantation. Finally, novel therapies, such as the anti-CD20 antibody, rituximab, may be useful for children with CD20+, lymphocyte-predominant Hodgkin's disease. The universal goal of cure without late effects is realistic for almost all children with Hodgkin's disease today

Eclampsia in the Dog : An Overview

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M. M. Pathan

2011-02-01

Full Text Available Eclampsia is an acute, life-threatening disease caused by low blood calcium levels (hypocalcaemia in dogs and more rarely in cats. The causes of Eclampsia are poor nutrition, low blood level of albumin, excessive milk production and disease of parathyroid gland. Imbalance between the rates of in flow and out flow from the extra cellular fluid calcium because of the increased loss into the milk appears to be an important factor in the pathogenesis of puerperal tetany in the bitches. Normally the condition is diagnosed by careful investigation, recording proper history, correlating the clinical signs, response to therapy in most cases and confirming the condition with laboratory diagnosis. Generally, 5-10 ml of 10% calcium gluconate will provide sufficient calcium for a bitch weighing between five and ten Kg. Dietary supplements of calcium and vitamin D are useful in preventing relapse of the disease after treatment and prevention of the disease. [Veterinary World 2011; 4(1.000: 45-47

Radiochemistry - today

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Drawe, H.

1980-01-01

After a longer starting period many radiation techniques have prevailed practically. Today radiation processes are usual components of chemistry, biology, medicine, and technologies in the most common sense. This paper deals with the latest state of radiation chemistry, whereas the possible practical applications are in the foreground of discussion as to reach mainly practicians in laboratory and industry. But also physicians, pharmacists and chemical engineers should be informed about the possibilities of application of high energyy radiation. Because radiation chemistry has also enriched works of related subjects, for example physical, organic and inorganic chemistry, this paper will also be of interest for experts of these disciplines. (orig.) [de

Media Stereotyping and Native Response: An Historical Overview.

Science.gov (United States)

Churchill, Ward; And Others

1978-01-01

This historical overview examines the media treatment of native peoples and includes the following: (1) the roots of modern stereotypes; (2) development and maturation, (3) contemporary responses, (4) music, and (5) other media. (RTS)

An overview on geochemistry of Proterozoic massif-type ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

A critical study of 311 published WR chemical analyses, isotopic and mineral chemistry of ... Keywords. Massif anorthosite complexes; overview; geochemistry; high-Al gabbro. J. Earth ...... (123–2920 ppm) unlike the experimental results of.

The Staphylococci Phages Family: An Overview

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Laurence Van Melderen

2012-11-01

Full Text Available Due to their crucial role in pathogenesis and virulence, phages of Staphylococcus aureus have been extensively studied. Most of them encode and disseminate potent staphylococcal virulence factors. In addition, their movements contribute to the extraordinary versatility and adaptability of this prominent pathogen by improving genome plasticity. In addition to S. aureus, phages from coagulase-negative Staphylococci (CoNS are gaining increasing interest. Some of these species, such as S. epidermidis, cause nosocomial infections and are therefore problematic for public health. This review provides an overview of the staphylococcal phages family extended to CoNS phages. At the morphological level, all these phages characterized so far belong to the Caudovirales order and are mainly temperate Siphoviridae. At the molecular level, comparative genomics revealed an extensive mosaicism, with genes organized into functional modules that are frequently exchanged between phages. Evolutionary relationships within this family, as well as with other families, have been highlighted. All these aspects are of crucial importance for our understanding of evolution and emergence of pathogens among bacterial species such as Staphylococci.

New forecasting methodology indicates more disease and earlier mortality ahead for today's younger Americans.

Science.gov (United States)

Reither, Eric N; Olshansky, S Jay; Yang, Yang

2011-08-01

Traditional methods of projecting population health statistics, such as estimating future death rates, can give inaccurate results and lead to inferior or even poor policy decisions. A new "three-dimensional" method of forecasting vital health statistics is more accurate because it takes into account the delayed effects of the health risks being accumulated by today's younger generations. Applying this forecasting technique to the US obesity epidemic suggests that future death rates and health care expenditures could be far worse than currently anticipated. We suggest that public policy makers adopt this more robust forecasting tool and redouble efforts to develop and implement effective obesity-related prevention programs and interventions.

Overview of deformable mirror technologies for adaptive optics and astronomy

Science.gov (United States)

Madec, P.-Y.

2012-07-01

From the ardent bucklers used during the Syracuse battle to set fire to Romans’ ships to more contemporary piezoelectric deformable mirrors widely used in astronomy, from very large voice coil deformable mirrors considered in future Extremely Large Telescopes to very small and compact ones embedded in Multi Object Adaptive Optics systems, this paper aims at giving an overview of Deformable Mirror technology for Adaptive Optics and Astronomy. First the main drivers for the design of Deformable Mirrors are recalled, not only related to atmospheric aberration compensation but also to environmental conditions or mechanical constraints. Then the different technologies available today for the manufacturing of Deformable Mirrors will be described, pros and cons analyzed. A review of the Companies and Institutes with capabilities in delivering Deformable Mirrors to astronomers will be presented, as well as lessons learned from the past 25 years of technological development and operation on sky. In conclusion, perspective will be tentatively drawn for what regards the future of Deformable Mirror technology for Astronomy.

The channelopathies: An overview | Blanckenberg | Southern ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Included in this diverse array of diseases are malignant hyperthermia, long QT syndrome, myotonia congenita, Eaton Lambert syndrome, certain forms of migraine and epilepsy, as well as cystic fibrosis.1 The common pathophysiology in all these diseases is an inherited abnormality of the amino acid sequence of the ...

Particle-induced chromosome aberrations and mutations: an overview

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ritter, S [Gesellschaft fuer Schwerionenforschung, Darmstadt (Germany)

1997-09-01

This overview will focus on progress in chromosome and mutation studies achieved by the application of new techniques. Furthermore, recent relevant data on longterm genetic effects of densely ionizing radiation will be summarized. (orig./MG)

Herbal Medicine for the Treatment of Vascular Dementia: An Overview of Scientific Evidence

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dennis Chang

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Dementia is a leading cause of mental and physical disability. Vascular dementia (VaD is the second most common cause of dementia after Alzheimer’s disease (AD constituting 10–15% of the dementia population. Currently there are no approved pharmaceutical options for VaD and the conventional anti-AD therapies provide only modest, short-term relief of symptoms associated with VaD. Herbal medicines have been used for the management of dementia-like symptoms for centuries and may provide viable therapies for VaD due to their multicomponent and multitarget approach. This review is designed to provide an updated overview on the current status of herbal medicine research, with an emphasis on Chinese herbal medicine, for the treatment of VaD or dementia. A case study is also provided to demonstrate the development process of a novel standardized complex herbal formulation for VaD. The article reveals some preliminary evidence to support the use of single and complex herbal preparations for VaD and dementia. Multiple issues in relation to clinical and preclinical research have been identified and future research directions are discussed.

A Business-to-Business Interoperability Testbed: An Overview

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kulvatunyou, Boonserm [ORNL; Ivezic, Nenad [ORNL; Monica, Martin [Sun Microsystems, Inc.; Jones, Albert [National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)

2003-10-01

In this paper, we describe a business-to-business (B2B) testbed co-sponsored by the Open Applications Group, Inc. (OAGI) and the National Institute of Standard and Technology (NIST) to advance enterprise e-commerce standards. We describe the business and technical objectives and initial activities within the B2B Testbed. We summarize our initial lessons learned to form the requirements that drive the next generation testbed development. We also give an overview of a promising testing framework architecture in which to drive the testbed developments. We outline the future plans for the testbed development.

Overview of diet-gene interactions and the example of xanthophylls.

Science.gov (United States)

Demmig-Adams, Barbara; Adams, William W

2010-01-01

This chapter provides an overview of diet-gene interaction and the role of dietary factors in human health and disease. Human master control genes that regulate processes of fundamental importance, such as cell proliferation and the immune response, are introduced and their modulation by nutraceuticals, produced by plants and photosynthetic microbes, is reviewed. Emphasis is placed on antioxidants and polyunsaturated fatty acids as regulators of master control genes. Furthermore, a case study is presented on xanthophylls, a group of carotenoids with multiple health benefits in the protection against eye disease and other chronic diseases, as well as the synergism between xanthophylls and other dietary factors. Lastly, dietary sources of the xanthophylls zeaxanthin and lutein are reviewed and their enhancement via genetic engineering is discussed.

An Overview of the Literature: Research in P-12 Engineering Education

Science.gov (United States)

Mendoza Díaz, Noemi V.; Cox, Monica F.

2012-01-01

This paper presents an extensive overview of preschool to 12th grade (P-12) engineering education literature published between 2001 and 2011. Searches were conducted through education and engineering library engines and databases as well as queries in established publications in engineering education. More than 50 publications were found,…

Disease: H01600 [KEGG MEDICUS

Lifescience Database Archive (English)

Full Text Available H01600 Parkinsonian syndrome Parkinsonian syndromes (PS) are multisystemic disease...6 (description, drug) ... AUTHORS ... Williams DR, Litvan I ... TITLE ... Parkinsonian ...MID:15033141 (description) ... AUTHORS ... Pezzoli G, Canesi M, Galli C ... TITLE ... An overview of parkinsonian

An overview of management of root fractures.

Science.gov (United States)

Prithviraj, D R; Bhalla, H K; Vashisht, R; Regish, K M; Suresh, P

2014-01-01

Crown or root fractures are the most commonly encountered emergencies in the dental clinic. Root fractures occur in fewer than eight percent of the traumatic injuries to permanent teeth. They are broadly classified as horizontal and vertical root fractures. Correct diagnosis of root fractures is essential to ensure a proper treatment plan and hence, the best possible prognosis. Indication of the type of treatment to be used depends primarily on the level of the fracture line. Therefore, a clinician must also have a thorough knowledge of the various treatment approaches to devise a treatment plan accordingly. Various treatment strategies have been proposed, each with their own advantages and disadvantages. Hence, this literature review presents an overview of the various types of root fractures and their management.