Dual decomposition for parsing with non-projective head automata

OpenAIRE

Koo, Terry; Rush, Alexander Matthew; Collins, Michael; Jaakkola, Tommi S.; Sontag, David Alexander

2010-01-01

This paper introduces algorithms for non-projective parsing based on dual decomposition. We focus on parsing algorithms for non-projective head automata, a generalization of head-automata models to non-projective structures. The dual decomposition algorithms are simple and efficient, relying on standard dynamic programming and minimum spanning tree algorithms. They provably solve an LP relaxation of the non-projective parsing problem. Empirically the LP relaxation is very often tight: for man...

The Food Early Warning System Project in Somalia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Leblanc, M.

1992-01-01

Full Text Available The article describes shortly the objectives of a Food Early Warning System (FEWS project, as well as its organisation. The specifie case of Somalia, where the project had to evolve in increasingly difficult situations, and the solutions used so as to preserve the output, are described.

Implementing Effective Mission Systems Engineering Practices During Early Project Formulation Phases

Science.gov (United States)

Moton, Tryshanda

2016-01-01

Developing and implementing a plan for a NASA space mission can be a complicated process. The needs, goals, and objectives of any proposed mission or technology must be assessed early in the Project Life Cycle. The key to successful development of a space mission or flight project is the inclusion of systems engineering in early project formulation, namely during Pre-phase A, Phase A, and Phase B of the NASA Project Life Cycle. When a space mission or new technology is in pre-development, or "pre-Formulation", feasibility must be determined based on cost, schedule, and risk. Inclusion of system engineering during project formulation is key because in addition to assessing feasibility, design concepts are developed and alternatives to design concepts are evaluated. Lack of systems engineering involvement early in the project formulation can result in increased risks later in the implementation and operations phases of the project. One proven method for effective systems engineering practice during the pre-Formulation Phase is the use of a mission conceptual design or technology development laboratory, such as the Mission Design Lab (MDL) at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC). This paper will review the engineering process practiced routinely in the MDL for successful mission or project development during the pre-Formulation Phase.

A pilot project on non-conventional learning

OpenAIRE

Fernandes, Sara; Cerone, Antonio; Barbosa, L. S.

2013-01-01

This poster presents a pilot project on non-conventional learning strategies based on students’ active participation in real-life FLOSS projects. The aim of the project is to validate the hypothesis that the peer-production model, which underlies most FLOSS projects, can enhance the learning-teaching process based on extensive and systematic collaborative practices.

UWB based low-cost and non-invasive practical breast cancer early detection

Science.gov (United States)

Vijayasarveswari, V.; Khatun, S.; Fakir, M. M.; Jusoh, M.; Ali, S.

2017-03-01

Breast cancer is one of the main causes of women death worldwide. Breast tumor is an early stage of cancer that locates in cells of a human breast. As there is no remedy, early detection is crucial. Towards this, Ultra-Wideband (UWB) is a prominent candidate. It is a wireless communication technology which can achieve high bandwidth with low power utilization. UWB is suitable to be used for short range communication systems including breast cancer detection since it is secure, non-invasive and human health friendly. This paper presents the low-cost and non-invasive early breast cancer detection strategy using UWB sensor (or antenna). Emphasis is given here to detect breast tumor in 2D and 3D environments. The developed system consisted of hardware and software. Hardware included UWB transceiver and a pair of home-made directional sensor/antenna. The software included feed-forward back propagation Neural Network (NN) module to detect the tumor existence, size and location along with soft interface between software and hardware. Forward scattering technique was used by placing two sensors diagonally opposite sides of a breast phantom. UWB pulses were transmitted from one side of phantom and received from other side, controlled by the software interface in PC environment. Collected received signals were then fed into the NN module for training, testing and validation. The system exhibited detection efficiency on tumor existence, location (x, y, z), and size were approximately 100%, (78.17%, 70.66%, 92.46%), 85.86% respectively. The proposed UWB based early breast cancer detection system could be more practical with low-cost, user friendly and non-harmful features. This project may help users to monitor their breast health regularly at their home.

Early retirement and non-employment after breast cancer.

Science.gov (United States)

Lindbohm, M-L; Kuosma, E; Taskila, T; Hietanen, P; Carlsen, K; Gudbergsson, S; Gunnarsdottir, H

2014-06-01

This study examined whether workplace support, sociodemographic factors and co-morbidity are associated with early retirement or non-employment due to other reasons among breast cancer survivors. We also compared quality of life and chronic symptoms (pain, fatigue, anxiety and depression) among employed, retired and other non-employed breast cancer survivors. We identified breast cancer survivors diagnosed between 1997 and 2002 from either a hospital or a cancer registry in Denmark, Finland, Iceland and Norway (NOCWO study). All patients had been treated with curative intent. Information on employment, co-morbidity and support was collected via a questionnaire. The sample included 1111 working-aged cancer-free survivors who had been employed at the time of diagnosis. We used multinomial logistic regression models to analyse the association of various determinants with early retirement and other non-employment (due to unemployment, subsidized employment or being a homemaker). Low education, low physical quality of life, co-morbidity and pain were associated with both early retirement and other non-employment after cancer. Other non-employed survivors also rated their mental quality of life as lower and experienced anxiety and fatigue more often than all the other survivors. Moreover, they reported a lower level of supervisor support after their diagnosis than the employed survivors. Retired survivors more often reported weak support from colleagues. Differences in ill health and functional status between various groups of non-employed cancer survivors need to be considered when planning policy measures for improving the labour market participation of this population and preventing their early withdrawal from working life. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Early cost estimating for road construction projects using multiple regression techniques

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ibrahim Mahamid

2011-12-01

Full Text Available The objective of this study is to develop early cost estimating models for road construction projects using multiple regression techniques, based on 131 sets of data collected in the West Bank in Palestine. As the cost estimates are required at early stages of a project, considerations were given to the fact that the input data for the required regression model could be easily extracted from sketches or scope definition of the project. 11 regression models are developed to estimate the total cost of road construction project in US dollar; 5 of them include bid quantities as input variables and 6 include road length and road width. The coefficient of determination r2 for the developed models is ranging from 0.92 to 0.98 which indicate that the predicted values from a forecast models fit with the real-life data. The values of the mean absolute percentage error (MAPE of the developed regression models are ranging from 13% to 31%, the results compare favorably with past researches which have shown that the estimate accuracy in the early stages of a project is between ±25% and ±50%.

Benefit–cost analysis of non-marginal climate and energy projects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dietz, Simon; Hepburn, Cameron

2013-01-01

Conventional benefit–cost analysis incorporates the normally reasonable assumption that the policy or project under examination is marginal. Among the assumptions this entails is that the policy or project is small, so the underlying growth rate of the economy does not change. However, this assumption may be inappropriate in some important circumstances, including in climate-change and energy policy. One example is global targets for carbon emissions, while another is a large renewable energy project in a small economy, such as a hydropower dam. This paper develops some theory on the evaluation of non-marginal projects, with empirical applications to climate change and energy. We examine the conditions under which evaluation of a non-marginal project using marginal methods may be wrong, and in our empirical examples we show that both qualitative and large quantitative errors are plausible. - Highlights: • This paper develops the theory of the evaluation of non-marginal projects. • It also includes empirical applications to climate change and energy. • We show when evaluation of a non-marginal project using marginal methods is wrong

Host country attractiveness for CDM non-sink projects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jung, Martina

2006-01-01

In the present study, CDM host countries are classified according to their attractiveness for CDM non-sink projects by using cluster analysis. The attractiveness of host countries for CDM non-sink projects is described by three indicators: mitigation potential, institutional CDM capacity and general investment climate. The results suggest that only a small proportion of potential host countries will attract most of the CDM investment. The CDM (non-sink) stars are China, India, Brazil, Argentina, Mexico, South Africa, Indonesia and Thailand. They are followed by attractive countries like Costa Rica, Trinidad and Tobago, Mongolia, Panama, and Chile. While most of the promising CDM host countries are located in Latin America and Asia, the general attractiveness of African host countries is relatively low (with the exception of South Africa). Policy implications of this rather inequitable geographical distribution of CDM project activities are discussed briefly

The Colorado Plateau Coring Project: A Continuous Cored Non-Marine Record of Early Mesozoic Environmental and Biotic Change

Science.gov (United States)

Irmis, Randall; Olsen, Paul; Geissman, John; Gehrels, George; Kent, Dennis; Mundil, Roland; Rasmussen, Cornelia; Giesler, Dominique; Schaller, Morgan; Kürschner, Wolfram; Parker, William; Buhedma, Hesham

2017-04-01

The early Mesozoic is a critical time in earth history that saw the origin of modern ecosystems set against the back-drop of mass extinction and sudden climate events in a greenhouse world. Non-marine sedimentary strata in western North America preserve a rich archive of low latitude terrestrial ecosystem and environmental change during this time. Unfortunately, frequent lateral facies changes, discontinuous outcrops, and a lack of robust geochronologic constraints make lithostratigraphic and chronostratigraphic correlation difficult, and thus prevent full integration of these paleoenvironmental and paleontologic data into a regional and global context. The Colorado Plateau Coring Project (CPCP) seeks to remedy this situation by recovering a continuous cored record of early Mesozoic sedimentary rocks from the Colorado Plateau of the western United States. CPCP Phase 1 was initiated in 2013, with NSF- and ICDP-funded drilling of Triassic units in Petrified Forest National Park, northern Arizona, U.S.A. This phase recovered a 520 m core (1A) from the northern part of the park, and a 240 m core (2B) from the southern end of the park, comprising the entire Lower-Middle Triassic Moenkopi Formation, and most of the Upper Triassic Chinle Formation. Since the conclusion of drilling, the cores have been CT scanned at the University of Texas - Austin, and split, imaged, and scanned (e.g., XRF, gamma, and magnetic susceptibility) at the University of Minnesota LacCore facility. Subsequently, at the Rutgers University Core Repository, core 1A was comprehensively sampled for paleomagnetism, zircon geochronology, petrography, palynology, and soil carbonate stable isotopes. LA-ICPMS U-Pb zircon analyses are largely complete, and CA-TIMS U-Pb zircon, paleomagnetic, petrographic, and stable isotope analyses are on-going. Initial results reveal numerous horizons with a high proportion of Late Triassic-aged primary volcanic zircons, the age of which appears to be a close

Analysis of preplate splitting and early cortical development illuminates the biology of neurological disease.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Eric C Olson

2014-11-01

Full Text Available The development of the layered cerebral cortex starts with a process called preplate splitting. Preplate splitting involves the establishment of prospective cortical layer 6 (L6 neurons within a plexus of pioneer neurons called the preplate. The forming layer 6 splits the preplate into a superficial layer of pioneer neurons called the marginal zone and a deeper layer of pioneer neurons called the subplate. Disruptions of this early developmental event by toxin exposure or mutation are associated with neurological disease including severe intellectual disability. This review explores recent findings that reveal the dynamism of gene expression and morphological differentiation during this early developmental period. Over 1000 genes show expression increases of ≥ 2 fold during this period in differentiating mouse L6 neurons. Surprisingly, 88% of previously identified non-syndromic intellectual disability (NS-ID genes are expressed at this time and show an average expression increase of 1.6 fold in these differentiating L6 neurons. This changing genetic program must, in part, support the dramatic cellular reorganizations that occur during preplate splitting. While different models have been proposed for the formation of a layer of L6 cortical neurons within the preplate, original histological studies and more recent work exploiting transgenic mice suggest that the process is largely driven by the coordinated polarization and coalescence of L6 neurons rather than by cellular translocation or migration. The observation that genes associated with forms of NS-ID are expressed during very early cortical development raises the possibility of studying the relevant biological events at a time point when the cortex is small, contains relatively few cell types, and few functional circuits. This review then outlines how explant models may prove particularly useful in studying the consequence of toxin and mutation on the etiology of some forms of NS-ID.

The human early-life exposome (HELIX): project rationale and design.

Science.gov (United States)

Vrijheid, Martine; Slama, Rémy; Robinson, Oliver; Chatzi, Leda; Coen, Muireann; van den Hazel, Peter; Thomsen, Cathrine; Wright, John; Athersuch, Toby J; Avellana, Narcis; Basagaña, Xavier; Brochot, Celine; Bucchini, Luca; Bustamante, Mariona; Carracedo, Angel; Casas, Maribel; Estivill, Xavier; Fairley, Lesley; van Gent, Diana; Gonzalez, Juan R; Granum, Berit; Gražulevičienė, Regina; Gutzkow, Kristine B; Julvez, Jordi; Keun, Hector C; Kogevinas, Manolis; McEachan, Rosemary R C; Meltzer, Helle Margrete; Sabidó, Eduard; Schwarze, Per E; Siroux, Valérie; Sunyer, Jordi; Want, Elizabeth J; Zeman, Florence; Nieuwenhuijsen, Mark J

2014-06-01

Developmental periods in early life may be particularly vulnerable to impacts of environmental exposures. Human research on this topic has generally focused on single exposure-health effect relationships. The "exposome" concept encompasses the totality of exposures from conception onward, complementing the genome. The Human Early-Life Exposome (HELIX) project is a new collaborative research project that aims to implement novel exposure assessment and biomarker methods to characterize early-life exposure to multiple environmental factors and associate these with omics biomarkers and child health outcomes, thus characterizing the "early-life exposome." Here we describe the general design of the project. In six existing birth cohort studies in Europe, HELIX will estimate prenatal and postnatal exposure to a broad range of chemical and physical exposures. Exposure models will be developed for the full cohorts totaling 32,000 mother-child pairs, and biomarkers will be measured in a subset of 1,200 mother-child pairs. Nested repeat-sampling panel studies (n = 150) will collect data on biomarker variability, use smartphones to assess mobility and physical activity, and perform personal exposure monitoring. Omics techniques will determine molecular profiles (metabolome, proteome, transcriptome, epigenome) associated with exposures. Statistical methods for multiple exposures will provide exposure-response estimates for fetal and child growth, obesity, neurodevelopment, and respiratory outcomes. A health impact assessment exercise will evaluate risks and benefits of combined exposures. HELIX is one of the first attempts to describe the early-life exposome of European populations and unravel its relation to omics markers and health in childhood. As proof of concept, it will form an important first step toward the life-course exposome.

Early retirement and non-employment after breast cancer

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lindbohm, M-L; Kuosma, E; Taskila, T

2014-01-01

This study examined whether workplace support, sociodemographic factors and co-morbidity are associated with early retirement or non-employment due to other reasons among breast cancer survivors. We also compared quality of life and chronic symptoms (pain, fatigue, anxiety and depression) among...... employed, retired and other non-employed breast cancer survivors....

Siting and early-stage project management of nuclear power plant

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang Kai; Li Guojin

2013-01-01

In this paper, difficulties and challenges facing in siting of nuclear power plant after Fukushima nuclear accident is introduced. The key points for siting are analyzed. The site characteristics related to nuclear safety and the evaluated methods are discussed. From project management perspective, main procedures and key points for the early-stage of a nuclear power project are described. (authors)

Multi-objective optimization of discrete time-cost tradeoff problem in project networks using non-dominated sorting genetic algorithm

Science.gov (United States)

Shahriari, Mohammadreza

2016-06-01

The time-cost tradeoff problem is one of the most important and applicable problems in project scheduling area. There are many factors that force the mangers to crash the time. This factor could be early utilization, early commissioning and operation, improving the project cash flow, avoiding unfavorable weather conditions, compensating the delays, and so on. Since there is a need to allocate extra resources to short the finishing time of project and the project managers are intended to spend the lowest possible amount of money and achieve the maximum crashing time, as a result, both direct and indirect costs will be influenced in the project, and here, we are facing into the time value of money. It means that when we crash the starting activities in a project, the extra investment will be tied in until the end date of the project; however, when we crash the final activities, the extra investment will be tied in for a much shorter period. This study is presenting a two-objective mathematical model for balancing compressing the project time with activities delay to prepare a suitable tool for decision makers caught in available facilities and due to the time of projects. Also drawing the scheduling problem to real world conditions by considering nonlinear objective function and the time value of money are considered. The presented problem was solved using NSGA-II, and the effect of time compressing reports on the non-dominant set.

ANALYSIS OF FORECASTING METHODS FROM THE POINT OF VIEW OF EARLY WARNING CONCEPT IN PROJECT MANAGEMENT

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Florin POPESCU

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Early warning system (EWS based on a reliable forecasting process has become a critical component of the management of large complex industrial projects in the globalized transnational environment. The purpose of this research is to critically analyze the forecasting methods from the point of view of early warning, choosing those useful for the construction of EWS. This research addresses complementary techniques, using Bayesian Networks, which addresses both uncertainties and causality in project planning and execution, with the goal of generating early warning signals for project managers. Even though Bayesian networks have been widely used in a range of decision-support applications, their application as early warning systems for project management is still new.

Project ATTACK and Project VISTA: Benchmark studies on the road to NATO's early TNF policy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Garrity, P.J.

1994-01-01

This paper is concerned with those studies and analyses that affected early NATO nuclear policy and force structure. The discussion focuses specifically on two open-quotes benchmarkclose quotes activities. Project VISTA and Project ATTACK. These two studies were chosen less because one can document their direct impact on NATO nuclear policy and more because they capture the state of thinking about tactical nuclear weapons at a particular point of time. Project VISTA offers an especially important benchmark in this respect. Project ATTACK is a rather different kind of benchmark. It is not a pathbreaking study. It is much narrower and more technical than VISTA. It appears to have received no public attention. Project ATTACK is interesting because it seems to capture a open-quotes nuts-and-boltsclose quotes feel for how U.S. (and thereby NATO) theater nuclear policy was evolving prior to MC 48. The background and context for Project VISTA and Project ATTACK are presented and discussed

Project GRETE: evaluation of non destructive testing techniques for monitoring of material degradation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Coste, J.F.

2001-01-01

The material aging of major critical components of nuclear installations due to in-service conditions may lead to a degradation of their mechanical characteristics. The early detection of material changes and their monitoring using innovative non destructive testing techniques would allow to plan actions in order to prevent the apparition of macroscopic damage (e.g. cracks). One major difficulty in using these particular techniques is to correlate the changes in the measured NDT signals to the microstructural changes in the material due to aging. This problem may be solved through careful microstructural examinations of the material damage. The objective of the project GRETE is to illustrate the potential use of NDT techniques for the monitoring of material degradation through two examples: neutron irradiation of reactor pressure vessel steel and thermal fatigue of piping. The purpose of this paper is to present the project and its programme of work. (author)

Early non-psychotic deviant behaviour as an endophenotypic ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Early non-psychotic deviant behaviour as an endophenotypic marker in ... probed into: social dysfunction, unprovoked aggression, extreme anxiety, ... Demographic data included: age, marital status, gender, and years of formal education.

Parent Early Evaluation of Kids: PEEK Outreach Training Project. Final Report.

Science.gov (United States)

Squires, Jane; Twombly, Liz; Yockelson, Sue

This report describes achievements and activities of the Parent Early Evaluation of Kids (PEEK) Outreach Project at the University of Oregon. This project focused on assisting state agencies, regional and tribal entities, and local health and education programs to develop comprehensive, low-cost systems for child-find and referral. Rural and inner…

The Construction Site Project: Transforming Early Childhood Teacher Practice

Science.gov (United States)

McNaughton, Kathryn; Krentz, Caroline

2007-01-01

The work of Malaguzzi (in Edwards, Gandini, & Forman, 1998; Fraser, 2006) has made the fundamentals of the preschools of Reggio Emilia familiar to many early childhood educators. The article describes an authentic project that enhanced undergraduate and postgraduate participants' understanding of the impact of collaboration, conversation, and…

Artful Dodgers: An Arts Education Research Project in Early Education Settings

Science.gov (United States)

Hayes, Nóirín; Maguire, Jackie; Corcoran, Lucie; O'Sullivan, Carmel

2017-01-01

Artful Dodgers is an arts education project developed by two artists and delivered in two early years settings located in two areas of urban disadvantage. It is a music and visual arts programme designed and implemented with early years teachers of children aged 3-5 years. It explored whether the provision of high-quality arts experiences could…

The prevalence and distribution of dental caries in four early medieval non-adult populations of different socioeconomic status from Central Europe

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Stránská, Petra; Velemínský, P.; Poláček, Lumír

2015-01-01

Roč. 60, č. 1 (2015), s. 62-76 ISSN 0003-9969 R&D Projects: GA ČR GB14-36938G Institutional support: RVO:67985912 ; RVO:68081758 Keywords : bioarchaeology * early medieval population * Great Moravia * non-adult individuals * dental caries * socio-economic status Subject RIV: AC - Archeology, Anthropology, Ethnology Impact factor: 1.733, year: 2015

Project risk management for development of non-utility power generators (NUGs)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lau, T.

1990-01-01

The growing Non-Utility Generation (NUG) industry has brought new opportunities and challenges for the insurance industry. There can be unique engineering and financial risks involved in the development of Non-Utility Power Generation projects. The use of new technologies to meet stringent environmental regulations and to improve project performance and efficiency presents new challenges to the project developers and designers. The lack of funding, resources and experience of some of these projects may create unusual risks that could result in failure or deficiency in the performance of the projects

SWARMS Early Trials Management for The SWARMs ECSEL-H2020 Project

Science.gov (United States)

Alcaraz, Daniel; Morales, Tania; Castro, Ayoze; Barrera, Carlos; Hernández, Joaquín; Llinás, Octavio

2017-04-01

The work presented on this paper is aimed to explain how the Early Trials of the Project SWARMS were managed in order to complete the first field demonstrations on real environment. SWARMs aims to reduce the operational cost in the use of maritime robots and vehicles, in order to increase the safety of tasks and reduce profesional divers risks. This will be achieved enabling the AUVs/ROVs to work in a cooperative mesh. The challenge is to design and develop an integrated platform (a set of Software/Hardware components), incorporated into the current generation of underwater vehicles in order to improve autonomy, cooperation, robustness, cost-effectiveness, and reliability of the offshore operations. The first demonstration of the project has been performed at PLOCAN (The Oceanic Platform of the Canary Islands) where these technologies were validated on its first stage. The Early Trials have represented the first in situ deployment and test of the novel technologies developed during the initial 14 months of the Project. Going into the sea supposed a huge challenge also in terms of management. The 32 partners of SWARMS had very different requirements (logistics, technical needs, software/computation needs, etc.), and a limited time frame to test and prove their individual developments. In order to fullfill the project objectives, all these tests were divided in 7 missions that were aimed to cover this early demonstration requiements. From PLOCAN, a management protocol was designed in order to cover all the partners needs and make an efficient resource asignment from the begining. These results will be extended to other two demonstrations of the project that forseen to be held in Romania (2017) and Norway (2018).

The TRIDEC Project: Future-Saving FOSS GIS Applications for Tsunami Early Warning

Science.gov (United States)

Loewe, P.; Wächter, J.; Hammitzsch, M.

2011-12-01

The Boxing Day Tsunami of 2004 killed over 240,000 people in 14 countries and inundated the affected shorelines with waves reaching heights up to 30m. This natural disaster coincided with an information catastrophy, as potentially life-saving early warning information existed, yet no means were available to deliver it to the communities under imminent threat. Tsunami Early Warning Capabilities have improved in the meantime by continuing development of modular Tsunami Early Warning Systems (TEWS). However, recent tsunami events, like the Chile 2010 and the Tohoku 2011 tsunami demonstrate that the key challenge for ongoing TEWS research on the supranational scale still lies in the timely issuing of reliable early warning messages. Since 2004, the GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences has built up expertise in the field of TEWS. Within GFZ, the Centre for GeoInformation Technology (CEGIT) has focused its work on the geoinformatics aspects of TEWS in two projects already: The German Indonesian Tsunami Early Warning System (GITEWS) funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) and the Distant Early Warning System (DEWS), a European project funded under the sixth Framework Programme (FP6). These developments are continued in the TRIDEC project (Collaborative, Complex, and Critical Decision Processes in Evolving Crises) funded under the European Union's seventh Framework Programme (FP7). This ongoing project focuses on real-time intelligent information management in Earth management and its long-term application. All TRIDEC developments are based on Free and Open Source Software (FOSS) components and industry standards where-ever possible. Tsunami Early Warning in TRIDEC is also based on mature system architecture models to ensure long-term usability and the flexibility to adapt to future generations of Tsunami sensors. All open source software produced by the project consortium are foreseen to be published on FOSSLAB, a publicly available

Improving decision making in the early phases of configuration projects

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mortensen, Niels Henrik; Harlou, Ulf; Haug, Anders

2008-01-01

During the early phases of configuration projects very important decisions are made which will heavily influence the performance of the company, benefits in different functional areas (production, sales, purchase, product development, service etc), maintenance of the configuration system...

Improving decision making in the early phases of configuration projects

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mortensen, Niels Henrik; Hvam, Lars; Harlou, Ulf

2011-01-01

During the early phases of configuration projects very important decisions are made which will heavily influence the performance of the company, benefits in different functional areas (production, sales, purchase, product development, service etc), maintenance of the configuration system...

Call for Papers – Special issue: Project Management in the Non-Profit Sector

OpenAIRE

Sankaran, Shankar

2015-01-01

This journal special issue will explore diverse stakeholder perspectives and share examples of project management practices in the non-profit sector. Key objectives are to develop understandings of project management practice in the sector, to examine how cross-sectoral collaboration and learning can help non-profit organisations achieve their project and programme objectives, and to explore ways in which the wider project management community can learn from experiences in the non-profit sector.

Project management - challenges in dealing with academic and non-academic partners

Science.gov (United States)

Henkel, Daniela; Eisenhauer, Anton; Drossou-Berendes, Alexandra

2016-04-01

Modern research projects on national, European and international level are challenged by an increasing requirement of inter and trans-disciplinarily, societal relevance and educational outreach as well as market oriented applications. In particular, to be successful in European research in the frame of HORIZON 2020, the EU Framework Programme for Research and Innovation, it is crucial that relatively large international research consortia involve academic and non-academic partners, NGOs, private and non-private institutions as well as industrial companies. For the management and organisation of such consortia coordinators have to deal with significant differences between multi-national and multi-sectorial administrations and research environments, in order to secure a successful implementation of the project. This often costs research and non-academic partners tremendous efforts, not to say excessive demands. Based on the experiences made in the frame of an Innovative Training Network (ITN) project within the HORIZON 2020 Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions, this presentation identifies organisational pitfalls and major challenges of the project management for European funded research involving multi-national academic and non-academic research partners. Possible strategies are discussed to circumvent and avoid conflicts already at the beginning of the project.

A Path to Successful Energy Retrofits: Early Collaboration through Integrated Project Delivery Teams

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Parrish, Kristen [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States)

2012-10-01

This document guides you through a process for the early design phases of retrofit projects to help you mitigate frustrations commonly experienced by building owners and designers. It outlines the value of forming an integrated project delivery team and developing a communication and information-sharing infrastructure that fosters collaboration. This guide does not present a complete process for designing an energy retrofit for a building. Instead, it focuses on the early design phase tasks related to developing and selecting energy efficiency measures (EEMs) that benefit from collaboration, and highlights the resulting advantages.

Kalispel Non-Native Fish Suppression Project 2007 Annual Report.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wingert, Michele; Andersen, Todd [Kalispel Natural Resource Department

2008-11-18

Non-native salmonids are impacting native salmonid populations throughout the Pend Oreille Subbasin. Competition, hybridization, and predation by non-native fish have been identified as primary factors in the decline of some native bull trout (Salvelinus confluentus) and westslope cutthroat trout (Oncorhynchus clarki lewisi) populations. In 2007, the Kalispel Natural Resource Department (KNRD) initiated the Kalispel Nonnative Fish Suppression Project. The goal of this project is to implement actions to suppress or eradicate non-native fish in areas where native populations are declining or have been extirpated. These projects have previously been identified as critical to recovering native bull trout and westslope cutthroat trout (WCT). Lower Graham Creek was invaded by non-native rainbow (Oncorhynchus mykiss) and brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) after a small dam failed in 1991. By 2003, no genetically pure WCT remained in the lower 700 m of Graham Creek. Further invasion upstream is currently precluded by a relatively short section of steep, cascade-pool stepped channel section that will likely be breached in the near future. In 2008, a fish management structure (barrier) was constructed at the mouth of Graham Creek to preclude further invasion of non-native fish into Graham Creek. The construction of the barrier was preceded by intensive electrofishing in the lower 700 m to remove and relocate all captured fish. Westslope cutthroat trout have recently been extirpated in Cee Cee Ah Creek due to displacement by brook trout. We propose treating Cee Cee Ah Creek with a piscicide to eradicate brook trout. Once eradication is complete, cutthroat trout will be translocated from nearby watersheds. In 2004, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) proposed an antimycin treatment within the subbasin; the project encountered significant public opposition and was eventually abandoned. However, over the course of planning this 2004 project, little public

Improving early childhood development and well-being in refugee ...

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

Improving early childhood development and well-being in refugee and other marginalized countries. Early childhood development research has traditionally focused on single-intervention initiatives and non-refugee populations. This project will generate evidence to support effective, integrated and scalable early childhood ...

Arizona Twin Project: a focus on early resilience.

Science.gov (United States)

Lemery-Chalfant, Kathryn; Clifford, Sierra; McDonald, Kristy; O'Brien, T Caitlin; Valiente, Carlos

2013-02-01

The Arizona Twin Project is an ongoing longitudinal study designed to elucidate the genetic and environmental influences underlying the development of early competence and resilience to common mental and physical health problems during infancy and childhood. Participants are a sample of 600 twins (25% Hispanic) recruited from birth records in the state of Arizona, United States. Primary caregivers were interviewed on twins' development and early social environments when twins were 12 and 30 months of age. Measures include indices of prenatal and obstetrical risk coded from hospital medical records, as well as primary caregiver-report questionnaires assessing multiple indicators of environmental risk and resilience (e.g., parental warmth and control, family and social support), twins' developmental maturity, temperament, health, behavior problems, and competencies. Preliminary findings highlight the importance of the early environment for infant and toddler health and well-being, both directly and as a moderator of genetic influences. Future directions include a third longitudinal assessment in middle childhood examining daily bidirectional relations between sleep, health behaviors, stress, and mood.

Developmental dynamics of radial vulnerability in the cerebral compartments in preterm infants and neonates

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ivica eKostović

2014-07-01

Full Text Available The developmental vulnerability of different classes of axonal pathways in preterm white matter is not known. We propose that laminar compartments of the developing cerebral wall serve as spatial framework for axonal growth and evaluate potential of anatomical landmarks for understanding reorganization of the cerebral wall after perinatal lesions. The 3T MRI (in vivo and histological analysis were performed in a series of cases ranging from 22 PCW to 3 years. For the follow-up scans, three groups of children (control, normotypic and preterms with lesions were examined at the term equivalent age and after the first year of life. MRI and histological abnormalities were analyzed in the following compartments: (a periventricular, with periventricular fibre system; (b intermediate, with periventricular crossroads, sagittal strata and centrum semiovale; (c superficial, composed of gyral white matter, subplate and cortical plate. Vulnerability of thalamo-cortical pathways within the crossroads and sagittal strata seems to be characteristic for early preterms, while vulnerability of long association pathways in the centrum semiovale seems to be predominant feature of late preterms. The structural indicator of the lesion of the long association pathways is the loss of delineation between centrum semiovale and subplate remnant, which is possible substrate of the diffuse periventricular leukomalacia. The enhanced difference in MR signal intensity of centrum semiovale and subplate remnant, observed in damaged children after first year, we interpret as structural plasticity of intact short cortico-cortical fibres, which grow postnatally through U-zones and enter the cortex through the subplate remnant. Our findings indicate that radial distribution of MRI signal abnormalities in the cerebral compartments may be related to lesion of different classes of axonal pathways and have prognostic value for predicting the likely outcome of prenatal and perinatal

Assessment of Early Stage Non-Motor Symptoms in Parkinson’sDisease

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Haluk Gümüş

2013-09-01

Full Text Available OBJECTIVE: In this study, our purpose is, in the early stage of PD, examining the frequency of occurrence of non-motor symptoms and discussing the effects of morbidity of disease. METHODS: Selcuk University, Meram Faculty of Medicine, Neurology outpatient clinic in the study, which is followed by the United Kingdom Brain Bank criteria for Parkinson's Disease Parkinson's Disease diagnosis and clinical staging according to Hoehn Yahr stages 1 and 2 of the 80 patients were studied. RESULTS: Cases, an increase in UPDRS scores were significantly higher non-motor symptoms. CONCLUSION: Non-motor symptoms in Parkinson's disease can often go unnoticed. Symptomatic treatment is an important part of the success. Therefore, PH and the non-motor symptoms, early detection is important to treat them in accordance with

Organizational change, psychosocial work environment, and non-disability early retirement

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Breinegaard, Nina; Jensen, Johan Høy; Bonde, Jens Peter

2017-01-01

Objective: This study examines the impact of organizational change and psychosocial work environment on non-disability early retirement among senior public service employees. Methods: In January and February 2011, Danish senior public service employees aged 58–64 years (N=3254) from the Capital...... psychosocial work environment contribute to non-disability early retirement among senior public service employees, measured at work-unit level....... Region of Denmark responded to a survey assessing psychosocial work environment (ie, social capital, organizational justice, and quality of management). Work-unit organizational changes (ie, change of management, merging, demerging, and relocation) were recorded from January 2009 to March 2011. Weekly...

Improvement of Dairy Cattle Productivity Through Early Non-Pregnancy Diagnosis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Indetie, D.

2002-01-01

Reproductive wastage bears a great deal on the productivity of dairy cattle by prolonging the calving intervals thereby reducing the milk produced and the number of calves born over the lifetime of a cow. early identification of a non-cyclic or non-pregnant cows can result in early intervention and rebreeding of the affected cattle ths improving productivity. Determination of progesterone levels in milk can be used as a good indicator of the reproductive status of dairy cows. five hundred and thirty two cows were sampled by collecting milk sample on day of AI, day 12 and 13 and day 22 to 24 after AI. The milk samples were assayed to determine progesterone levels at these stages of the estrus cycle, which were then used to deduce the reproductive status of the cow. Out of the cows sampled 16% were not cycling and had progesterone levels of 1 nm/L or less during the mid luteal phase. Insemination of cows whose Progesterone levels were less than 3 nm/L resulted in conception rates of 80% and indication of the timeliness of insemination. Inseminating cows 19 hours after onset of standing heat resulted in conception rates of 79% compared with insemination early whose conception rates were 15%.It can be concluded that the timeliness of AI will determine the success of conception rates if heat is detected properly and the cow is in the right reproductive state. Early non-pregnancy diagnosis using progesterone can reduce the anoestrus period as well as detecting cows with reproductive anomalies which can be rectified early and the cows presented for rebreeding thus reducing the calving interval and improving the productivity of the dairy enterprise

Team effectiveness in Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) projects.

Science.gov (United States)

Latif, Khawaja Fawad; Williams, Nigel

2017-10-01

The incorporation of team context into research and practice regarding team effectiveness in NGOs projects is a constant challenge. The research seeks to address the gap and identify the critical determinants of team effectiveness in projects undertaken by non-governmental organizations. Using a systematic process, the study involved both literature and focus group discussions to generate the required items. A total of 157 respondents (Team Members and Team Leaders) were part of the study that filled the questionnaires. Using exploratory factor analysis followed by confirmatory factor analysis, both convergent and discriminant validity was established. The present study found that team effectiveness in NGO social projects has a total of seven dimensions namely: Inter team coordination, community social linkage, team performance, knowledge, skills, and attitudes, leadership communication and engagement, decision making and information sharing, and team formation. There is a significant lack of research on team effectiveness in NGO projects. Where considerably large proportion of research on team effectiveness has focused on the corporate sector, the non-governmental teams have been neglected. This study clearly highlights the determinants that make up team effectiveness in NGOs. The determinants identified will help to specifically look at the effectiveness of teams in NGO projects. The study would help NGOs identify the dimensions in which they may be performing in a weaker manner and direct their energies in improving the factors. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

On projective invariants based on non-linear connections in a Finsler space I

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rastogi, S.C.

1986-05-01

The projective transformations based on linear connections in a Finsler space have been studied by Berwald, Misra, Szabo, Matsumoto, Fukai and Yamada, Rastogi and others. In almost all these papers the emphasis has been on studying Finsler spaces of scalar curvature, Finsler spaces of constant curvature and Finsler spaces of zero curvature with the help of projective curvature tensors of Weyl and Douglas. In 1981, the author studied projective transformation in a Finsler space based on non-linear connections and obtained certain projective invariants. The aim of the present paper is to study Finsler spaces of scalar curvature, constant curvature and zero curvature with the help of non-linear connections and projective invariants obtained from non-linear connections. (author)

The Comparison of Early Maladaptive Schema’s Domains Between Successful And Non-Successful Opiate Addicts and Non-Clinical Persons

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bahram Sahand

2009-10-01

Full Text Available Introduction: The current research was done in order to compare the early maladaptive schema’s domains between successful and non-successful opiate addicts and non-clinical persons in Tehran. Method: The research design was causal effect method. In this purpose 90 men (include successful and non-successful opiate addicts, and non-clinical persons (30 for each group, were selected by the available sampling method. Young Schema Questionnaire (YSQ-RE2R, General Health Questionnaire (GHQ, and Personal Characteristic Questionnaire were administered among selected sample. The results were analyzed by ANOVA, chi square, MANOVA, and tukey test. Results: The findings of this research indicated that there was a significant difference on “Early Maladaptive Schema’s domains” between these three groups. Conclusion: The results have important clinical interpretations. It is assumed that medical interference with the aim of modifying and correcting the “Early Maladaptive Schema’s domains” can be effective on the level of success for opiate addicts to give up their addiction.

Research project management 101: insiders' tips from Early Career Scientists

Science.gov (United States)

Cristini, Luisa; Pabortsava, Katsiaryna; Stichel, Torben

2016-04-01

From the very beginning of their career, it is important for Early Career Scientists (ECS) to develop project management skills to be able to organise their research efficiently. ECS are often in charge of specific tasks within their projects or for their teams. However, without specific training or tools, the successful completion of these assignments will depend entirely on the organisational skills of individual researchers. ECS are thus facing "sink-or-swim" situations, which can be either instructive or disastrous for their projects. Here we provide experience-based tips from fellow ECS that can help manage various project activities, including: 1. Communication with supervisors and peers 2. Lab management 3. Field trips (e.g., oceanographic campaigns) 4. Internships and collaborations with other institutions 5. Literature/background research 6. Conference convening These are potential "life buoys" for ECS, which will help them to carry out these tasks efficiently and successfully.

Early Involvement and Integration in Construction Projects: The Benefits of DfX in Elimination of Wastes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Heikki Halttula

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Typical construction processes provide waste: material waste but especially process-related waste. The majority of this waste can be avoided with efficient planning in the front end of projects. The main aim is to describe how the concept of Design for Excellence (DfX can reduce the most severe waste in construction projects. Based on a literature review of waste and requirements that aid early involvement and integration, we created a survey for analyzing and prioritizing types of waste in the construction industry. We describe how DFX reduces this waste, especially through the use of early involvement and integration. When applied, DfX creates incentives for project stakeholders to eliminate waste automatically through early involvement and integration.

Citizen science projects for non-science astronomy students

OpenAIRE

Barmby, Pauline; Gallagher, S. C.; Cami, J.

2014-01-01

A poster from the 2011 Western Conference on Science Education, describing the use of citizen science project Galaxy Zoo in a non-majors astronomy course. Lots more on this topic at https://www.zooniverse.org/education  

PRACTICE OF DRAFTING AND IMPLEMENTING OF FINANCING PROJECTS IN NON-FORMAL EDUCATION

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

BUZOIANU Daniela Angela

2015-06-01

Full Text Available In Petroleum and Gas University, besides teaching and research activities, a priority is non-formal education area. In the academic center of Ploiesti, the activities of non-formal education take place through Center for Porjects, Programs and Cultural - Artistic events (CPPECA and Student’s Culture House, located in the University campus (CCS. The mission of the Center for Projects, Programs and Cultural - Artistic events and Student’s Culture House is: - To offer a big diversity of activities in non-formal education area for students and teachers; - To become an essential and defining pillar in continous formation of young people. The purpose is to promote excellence also in non-formal education fied , starting from the value and tradition of university education in Romanian oil area The Center for Project, Programs and Cultural - Artistic events (CPPECA and Student’s House of Culture have: • An educational function; • A real multidirectional cultural vocation through: - initiating,implementing and developing cultural projects and programs; - organizing and developing specific events like shows, festivals, national and international contests. The paper presents practical aspects in development and implementation of financing projects in non-formal education field.

Preterm EEG: a multimodal neurophysiological protocol.

Science.gov (United States)

Stjerna, Susanna; Voipio, Juha; Metsäranta, Marjo; Kaila, Kai; Vanhatalo, Sampsa

2012-02-18

Since its introduction in early 1950s, electroencephalography (EEG) has been widely used in the neonatal intensive care units (NICU) for assessment and monitoring of brain function in preterm and term babies. Most common indications are the diagnosis of epileptic seizures, assessment of brain maturity, and recovery from hypoxic-ischemic events. EEG recording techniques and the understanding of neonatal EEG signals have dramatically improved, but these advances have been slow to penetrate through the clinical traditions. The aim of this presentation is to bring theory and practice of advanced EEG recording available for neonatal units. In the theoretical part, we will present animations to illustrate how a preterm brain gives rise to spontaneous and evoked EEG activities, both of which are unique to this developmental phase, as well as crucial for a proper brain maturation. Recent animal work has shown that the structural brain development is clearly reflected in early EEG activity. Most important structures in this regard are the growing long range connections and the transient cortical structure, subplate. Sensory stimuli in a preterm baby will generate responses that are seen at a single trial level, and they have underpinnings in the subplate-cortex interaction. This brings neonatal EEG readily into a multimodal study, where EEG is not only recording cortical function, but it also tests subplate function via different sensory modalities. Finally, introduction of clinically suitable dense array EEG caps, as well as amplifiers capable of recording low frequencies, have disclosed multitude of brain activities that have as yet been overlooked. In the practical part of this video, we show how a multimodal, dense array EEG study is performed in neonatal intensive care unit from a preterm baby in the incubator. The video demonstrates preparation of the baby and incubator, application of the EEG cap, and performance of the sensory stimulations.

Location priority for non-formal early childhood education school based on promethee method and map visualization

Science.gov (United States)

Ayu Nurul Handayani, Hemas; Waspada, Indra

2018-05-01

Non-formal Early Childhood Education (non-formal ECE) is an education that is held for children under 4 years old. The implementation in District of Banyumas, Non-formal ECE is monitored by The District Government of Banyumas and helped by Sanggar Kegiatan Belajar (SKB) Purwokerto as one of the organizer of Non-formal Education. The government itself has a program for distributing ECE to all villages in Indonesia. However, The location to construct the ECE school in several years ahead is not arranged yet. Therefore, for supporting that program, a decision support system is made to give some recommendation villages for constructing The ECE building. The data are projected based on Brown’s Double Exponential Smoothing Method and utilizing Preference Ranking Organization Method for Enrichment Evaluation (Promethee) to generate priority order. As the recommendations system, it generates map visualization which is colored according to the priority level of sub-district and village area. The system was tested with black box testing, Promethee testing, and usability testing. The results showed that the system functionality and Promethee algorithm were working properly, and the user was satisfied.

The DEBT Project: Early Intervention for Handicapped Children and Their Parents.

Science.gov (United States)

Macy, Daniel J.; And Others

Project DEBT (Developmental Education Birth through Two), an early identification and intervention program for handicapped and at risk children and their parents, is described. The Koontz Child Developmental Program, the core curriculum for instructional planning and intervention in DEBT, is reviewed, and new data are presented. It is explained…

All projects related to | Page 8 | IDRC - International Development ...

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

Improving early childhood development and well-being in refugee and other marginalized countries. Project. Early childhood development research has traditionally focused on single-intervention initiatives and non-refugee populations. Region: Kenya, Bangladesh, India, Canada, South Africa, Pakistan. Program: Maternal ...

Joint-operation in water resources project in Indonesia: Integrated or non-integrated

Science.gov (United States)

Ophiyandri, Taufika; Istijono, Bambang; Hidayat, Benny

2017-11-01

The construction of large water resources infrastructure project often involved a joint-operation (JO) project between two or more construction companies. The form of JO can be grouped into two categories - an integrated type and a non-integrated type. This paper investigates the reason of forming a JO project made by companies. The specific advantages and problems of JO project is also analysed in this paper. In order to achieve the objectives, three water resources infrastructure projects were selected as case studies. Data was gathered by conducting 11 semi-structured interviews to project owners, contractor managers, and project staffs. Data was analysed by means of content analysis. It was found that the most fundamental factor to form a JO is to win a competition or tender. An integrated model is in favour because it can reduce overhead costs and has a simple management system, while a non-integrated model is selected because it can avoid a sleeping partner and make contractor more responsible for their own job.

Operational Features of the Kamehameha Early Education Project. Technical Report #4.

Science.gov (United States)

Gallimore, Ronald; And Others

This report summarizes the operational features of the initial phases of the Kamehameha Early Education Project (KEEP). The rationale for KEEP's focus on conducting research on programs similar to those in the public schools rather than on developing radically innovative educational programs is discussed. Start up procedures such as recruitment of…

‘Value for Whom, by Whom’: Investigating Value Constructs in Non-Profit Project Portfolios

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Karyne Cheng Siew Ang

2016-11-01

Full Text Available In most non-profit organisations (NPOs, there are multiple programs, projects or initiatives running simultaneously. The management of multiple projects in organisations can be coined as project portfolio management (PPM (Archer & Ghasemzadeh 1999; Pennypacker & Dye 2002.  In any project-based organisation, it is critical that selected projects align with and deliver the organisation’s strategy or mission. Decisions about project funding are strategic decisions, particularly when there are resource limitations. In PPM decision making, the allocation of resources to projects requires a clear judgement of value across multiple perspectives. Value has often been expressed in financial terms, however increasingly research indicates that non-financial considerations are equally important in evaluating value. A key task in project portfolio management is to maximise value across the portfolio.  However, value can be a subjective notion, as each person may have different expectations of what is valuable. The involvement of diverse stakeholder interests could create complexities in decision making in non-profit organisations due to value being interpreted in different ways by the stakeholders. Furthermore in order to achieve its purpose, non-profits depend heavily on donors, patrons and sponsors - stakeholders who contribute to the portfolio but are often not the direct recipients of the services provided by the non-profit organisation (Kaplan 2012. Non-profit portfolios often compete with other initiatives for resources and attention from the same donors and sponsors, and may need to constantly justify the value they provide to these stakeholders. Most research about value in PPM has been conducted in the ‘for-profit’ sector. Recent value-based studies in the project portfolio field stress the importance of considering both commercial and non-commercial value in portfolio decision making (Killen, du Plessis & Young 2012; Kopman 2013; Martinsuo

What do we really know about early diagenesis of non-marine carbonates?

Science.gov (United States)

De Boever, Eva; Brasier, Alexander T.; Foubert, Anneleen; Kele, Sándor

2017-11-01

Non-marine carbonate rocks including cave, spring, stream, calcrete and lacustrine-palustrine sediments, are susceptible to early diagenetic processes. These can profoundly alter the carbonate fabric and affect paleoclimatic proxies. This review integrates recent insights into diagenesis of non-marine carbonates and in particular the variety of early diagenetic processes, and presents a conceptual framework to address them. With ability to study at smaller and smaller scales, down to nanometers, one can now observe diagenesis taking place the moment initial precipitates have formed, and continuing thereafter. Diagenesis may affect whole rocks, but it typically starts in nano- and micro-environments. The potential for diagenetic alteration depends on the reactivity of the initial precipitate, commonly being metastable phases like vaterite, Ca-oxalates, hydrous Mg-carbonates and aragonite with regard to the ambient fluid. Furthermore, organic compounds commonly play a crucial role in hosting these early transformations. Processes like neomorphism (inversion and recrystallization), cementation and replacement generally result in an overall coarsening of the fabric and homogenization of the wide range of complex, primary microtextures. If early diagenetic modifications are completed in a short time span compared to the (annual to millennial) time scale of interest, then recorded paleoenvironmental signals and trends could still acceptably reflect original, depositional conditions. However, even compact, non-marine carbonate deposits may behave locally and temporarily as open systems to crystal-fluid exchange and overprinting of one or more geochemical proxies is not unexpected. Looking to the future, relatively few studies have examined the behaviour of promising geochemical records, such as clumped isotope thermometry and (non-conventional) stable isotopes, in well-constrained diagenetic settings. Ongoing and future in-vitro and in-situ experimental approaches will

'Special' non-human actors in the 'inclusive' early childhood classroom

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Watson, Karen; Millei, Zsuzsa; Petersen, Eva Bendix

2015-01-01

of classrooms. In this article, we pay attention to ‘special’ non-human actors present in an ‘inclusive’ early childhood classroom. These ‘special’ non-human actors are so named as they operate in the classroom as objects specific for the child with a diagnosis. The ‘special’ non-human actors, in the specific...... case the wrist band, the lock and the scooter board, take on meaning within discourses in the ‘inclusive’ classroom. We illuminate how these non-human actors contribute to the constitution of the ‘normal’ and the regulation of educators and children. To trouble the working of power and the control...

EU-project AEROJET. Non-intrusive measurements of aircraft engine exhaust emissions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Schaefer, K.; Heland, J. [Fraunhofer-Inst. fuer Atmosphaerische Umweltforschung (IFU), Garmisch-Partenkirchen (Germany); Burrows, R. [Rolls-Royce Ltd. (United Kingdom). Engine Support Lab.; Bernard, M. [AUXITROL, S.A. (France). Aerospace Equipment Div.; Bishop, G. [British Aerospace (United Kingdom). Sowerby Research Centre; Lindermeir, E. [Deutsche Forschungsanstalt fuer Luft- und Raumfahrt e. V. (DLR), Bonn (Germany). Inst. fuer Optoelektronik; Lister, D.H. [Defence and Research Agency, Hants (United Kingdom). Propulsion and Development Dept.; Wiesen, P. [Bergische Univ. Wuppertal (Gesamthochshule) (Germany); Hilton, M. [University of Reading (United Kingdom). Dept. of Physics

1997-12-31

The main goal of the AEROJET programme is to demonstrate the equivalence of remote measurement techniques to conventional extractive methods for both gaseous and particulate measurements. The different remote measurement techniques are compared and calibrated. A demonstrator measurement system for exhaust gases, temperature and particulates including data-analysis software is regarded as result of this project. Non-intrusive measurements are the method of choice within the AEROJET project promising to avoid the disadvantages of the gas sampling techniques which are currently used. Different ground based non-intrusive measurement methods are demonstrated during a final evaluation phase. Several non-intrusive techniques are compared with conventional gas sampling and analysis techniques. (R.P.) 3 refs.

EU-project AEROJET. Non-intrusive measurements of aircraft engine exhaust emissions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Schaefer, K; Heland, J [Fraunhofer-Inst. fuer Atmosphaerische Umweltforschung (IFU), Garmisch-Partenkirchen (Germany); Burrows, R [Rolls-Royce Ltd. (United Kingdom). Engine Support Lab.; Bernard, M [AUXITROL, S.A. (France). Aerospace Equipment Div.; Bishop, G [British Aerospace (United Kingdom). Sowerby Research Centre; Lindermeir, E [Deutsche Forschungsanstalt fuer Luft- und Raumfahrt e. V. (DLR), Bonn (Germany). Inst. fuer Optoelektronik; Lister, D H [Defence and Research Agency, Hants (United Kingdom). Propulsion and Development Dept.; Wiesen, P [Bergische Univ. Wuppertal (Gesamthochshule) (Germany); Hilton, M [University of Reading (United Kingdom). Dept. of Physics

1998-12-31

The main goal of the AEROJET programme is to demonstrate the equivalence of remote measurement techniques to conventional extractive methods for both gaseous and particulate measurements. The different remote measurement techniques are compared and calibrated. A demonstrator measurement system for exhaust gases, temperature and particulates including data-analysis software is regarded as result of this project. Non-intrusive measurements are the method of choice within the AEROJET project promising to avoid the disadvantages of the gas sampling techniques which are currently used. Different ground based non-intrusive measurement methods are demonstrated during a final evaluation phase. Several non-intrusive techniques are compared with conventional gas sampling and analysis techniques. (R.P.) 3 refs.

Non-commutative residue of projections in Boutet de Monvel's calculus

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gaarde, Anders

2007-01-01

Using results by Melo, Nest, Schick, and Schrohe on the K-theory of Boutet de Monvel's calculus of boundary value problems, we show that the non-commutative residue introduced by Fedosov, Golse, Leichtnam, and Schrohe vanishes on projections in the calculus. This partially answers a question raised...... in a recent collaboration with Grubb, namely whether the residue is zero on sectorial projections for boundary value problems: This is confirmed to be true when the sectorial projections is in the calculus....

Early screening for dyslexia--a collaborative pilot project.

Science.gov (United States)

Ball, S; Becker, T; Boys, M; Davies, S; Noton, H

2001-01-01

An ongoing collaborative project, currently being piloted in 12 Wiltshire primary schools, is described. The aim is to provide a means of identifying potentially dyslexic children by the end of Key Stage 1 (Year 2) with a view to early intervention. The causal links identified by research between phonological skills and literacy development are taken as the theoretical basis of an initial screening procedure, and an intervention package is implemented for identified children. Those demonstrating persistent difficulties one year later are further assessed over a school term using an assessment package designed to identify those children showing a dyslexic profile. Further intervention is then planned and implemented.

Fringe projection application for surface variation analysis on helical shaped silicon breast

Science.gov (United States)

Vairavan, R.; Ong, N. R.; Sauli, Z.; Shahimin, M. M.; Kirtsaeng, S.; Sakuntasathien, S.; Alcain, J. B.; Paitong, P.; Retnasamy, V.

2017-09-01

Breast carcinoma is rated as a second collective cause of cancer associated death among adult females. Detection of the disease at an early stage would enhance the chance for survival. Established detection methods such as mammography, ultrasound and MRI are classified as non invasive breast cancer detection modality, but however they are not entire non-invasive as physical contact still occurs to the breast. Thus requirement for a complete non invasive and non contact is evident. Therefore, in this work, a novel application of digital fringe projection for early detection of breast cancer based on breast surface analysis is reported. Phase shift fringe projection technique and pixel tracing method was utilized to analyze the breast surface change due to the incidence of breast lump. Results have shown that the digital fringe projection is capable in detecting the existence of 1 cm sized lump within the breast sample.

An Algorithm for the Weighted Earliness-Tardiness Unconstrained Project Scheduling Problem

Science.gov (United States)

Afshar Nadjafi, Behrouz; Shadrokh, Shahram

This research considers a project scheduling problem with the object of minimizing weighted earliness-tardiness penalty costs, taking into account a deadline for the project and precedence relations among the activities. An exact recursive method has been proposed for solving the basic form of this problem. We present a new depth-first branch and bound algorithm for extended form of the problem, which time value of money is taken into account by discounting the cash flows. The algorithm is extended with two bounding rules in order to reduce the size of the branch and bound tree. Finally, some test problems are solved and computational results are reported.

Experimentation on accuracy of non functional requirement prioritization approaches for different complexity projects

OpenAIRE

Raj Kumar Chopra; Varun Gupta; Durg Singh Chauhan

2016-01-01

Non functional requirements must be selected for implementation together with functional requirements to enhance the success of software projects. Three approaches exist for performing the prioritization of non functional requirements using the suitable prioritization technique. This paper performs experimentation on three different complexity versions of the industrial software project using cost-value prioritization technique employing three approaches. Experimentation is conducted to analy...

Non-targeted plasma metabolome of early and late lactation gilts

Science.gov (United States)

Female pigs nursing their first litter (first-parity gilts) have increased energy requirements not only to support their piglets, but they themselves are still maturing. Non-targeted plasma metabolomics were used to investigate the differences between (1) post-farrowing and weaning (early or late l...

Baby or bathwater? Referrals of "non-cases" in a targeted early identification intervention for psychosis.

Science.gov (United States)

Jordan, Gerald; Kinkaid, Miriam; Iyer, Srividya N; Joober, Ridha; Goldberg, Karen; Malla, Ashok; Shah, Jai L

2018-03-14

To explore the unintended impact of a targeted case identification (TCI) campaign for first episode psychosis (FEP) on people not experiencing FEP ("non-cases") with respect to referral patterns and reasons for being a non-case. Sources of referral, reasons for being a non-case, and subsequent referral destinations of non-cases were examined before and after a TCI. Following the TCI, a greater proportion of non-cases lived outside the study catchment area. A smaller proportion was referred by the parent hospital's emergency room or had a substance-induced psychosis. TCIs for FEP may have unintended effects, with implications for early case identification and early intervention services.

Experimentation on accuracy of non functional requirement prioritization approaches for different complexity projects

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Raj Kumar Chopra

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Non functional requirements must be selected for implementation together with functional requirements to enhance the success of software projects. Three approaches exist for performing the prioritization of non functional requirements using the suitable prioritization technique. This paper performs experimentation on three different complexity versions of the industrial software project using cost-value prioritization technique employing three approaches. Experimentation is conducted to analyze the accuracy of individual approaches and the variation of accuracy with the complexity of the software project. The results indicate that selecting non functional requirements separately, but in accordance with functionality has higher accuracy amongst the other two approaches. Further, likewise other approaches, it witnesses the decrease in accuracy with increase in software complexity but the decrease is minimal.

Financing Non-Residential Photovoltaic Projects: Options and Implications

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bolinger, Mark

2009-01-09

Installations of grid-connected photovoltaic (PV) systems in the United States have increased dramatically in recent years, growing from less than 20 MW in 2000 to nearly 500 MW at the end of 2007, a compound average annual growth rate of 59%. Of particular note is the increasing contribution of 'non-residential' grid-connected PV systems--defined here as those systems installed on the customer (rather than utility) side of the meter at commercial, institutional, non-profit, or governmental properties--to the overall growth trend. Although there is some uncertainty in the numbers, non-residential PV capacity grew from less than half of aggregate annual capacity installations in 2000-2002 to nearly two-thirds in 2007. This relative growth trend is expected to have continued through 2008. The non-residential sector's commanding lead in terms of installed capacity in recent years primarily reflects two important differences between the non-residential and residential markets: (1) the greater federal 'Tax Benefits'--including the 30% investment tax credit (ITC) and accelerated tax depreciation--provided to commercial (relative to residential) PV systems, at least historically (this relative tax advantage has largely disappeared starting in 2009) and (2) larger non-residential project size. These two attributes have attracted to the market a number of institutional investors (referred to in this report as 'Tax Investors') seeking to invest in PV projects primarily to capture their Tax Benefits. The presence of these Tax Investors, in turn, has fostered a variety of innovative approaches to financing non-residential PV systems. This financial innovation--which is the topic of this report--has helped to overcome some of the largest barriers to the adoption of non-residential PV, and is therefore partly responsible (along with the policy changes that have driven this innovation) for the rapid growth in the market seen in recent years

Early false-belief understanding in traditional non-Western societies.

Science.gov (United States)

Barrett, H Clark; Broesch, Tanya; Scott, Rose M; He, Zijing; Baillargeon, Renée; Wu, Di; Bolz, Matthias; Henrich, Joseph; Setoh, Peipei; Wang, Jianxin; Laurence, Stephen

2013-03-22

The psychological capacity to recognize that others may hold and act on false beliefs has been proposed to reflect an evolved, species-typical adaptation for social reasoning in humans; however, controversy surrounds the developmental timing and universality of this trait. Cross-cultural studies using elicited-response tasks indicate that the age at which children begin to understand false beliefs ranges from 4 to 7 years across societies, whereas studies using spontaneous-response tasks with Western children indicate that false-belief understanding emerges much earlier, consistent with the hypothesis that false-belief understanding is a psychological adaptation that is universally present in early childhood. To evaluate this hypothesis, we used three spontaneous-response tasks that have revealed early false-belief understanding in the West to test young children in three traditional, non-Western societies: Salar (China), Shuar/Colono (Ecuador) and Yasawan (Fiji). Results were comparable with those from the West, supporting the hypothesis that false-belief understanding reflects an adaptation that is universally present early in development.

Naïve Bayesian Classifier for Selecting Good/Bad Projects during the Early Stage of International Construction Bidding Decisions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Woosik Jang

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Since the 1970s, revenues generated by Korean contractors in international construction have increased rapidly, exceeding USD 70 billion per year in recent years. However, Korean contractors face significant risks from market uncertainty and sensitivity to economic volatility and technical difficulties. As the volatility of these risks threatens project profitability, approximately 15% of bad projects were found to account for 74% of losses from the same international construction sector. Anticipating bad projects via preemptive risk management can better prevent losses so that contractors can enhance the efficiency of bidding decisions during the early stages of a project cycle. In line with these objectives, this paper examines the effect of such factors on the degree of project profitability. The Naïve Bayesian classifier is applied to identify a good project screening tool, which increases practical applicability using binomial variables with limited information that is obtainable in the early stages. The proposed model produced superior classification results that adequately reflect contractor views of risk. It is anticipated that when users apply the proposed model based on their own knowledge and expertise, overall firm profit rates will increase as a result of early abandonment of bad projects as well as the prioritization of good projects before final bidding decisions are made.

The KnowRISK project: Tools and strategies to reduce non-structural damage

Science.gov (United States)

Sousa Oliveira, Carlos; Lopes, Mário; Mota de Sá, Francisco; Amaral Ferreia, Mónica; Candeias, Paulo; Campos Costa, Alfredo; Rupakhety, Rajesh; Meroni, Fabrizio; Azzaro, Raffaele; D'Amico, Salvatore; Langer, Horst; Musacchio, Gemma; Sousa Silva, Delta; Falsaperla, Susanna; Scarfì, Luciano; Tusa, Giuseppina; Tuvé, Tiziana

2016-04-01

The project KnowRISK (Know your city, Reduce seISmic risK through non-structural elements) is financed by the European Commission to develop prevention measures that may reduce non-structural damage in urban areas. Pilot areas of the project are within the three European participating countries, namely Portugal, Iceland and Italy. Non-structural components of a building include all those components that are not part of the structural system, more specifically the architectural, mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems, as well as furniture, fixtures, equipment, and contents. Windows, partitions, granite veneer, piping, ceilings, air conditioning ducts and equipment, elevators, computer and hospital equipment, file cabinets, and retail merchandise are all examples of non-structural components that are vulnerable to earthquake damage. We will use the experience gained during past earthquakes, which struck in particular Iceland, Italy and Portugal (Azores). Securing the non-structural elements improves the safety during an earthquake and saves lives. This paper aims at identifying non-structural seismic protection measures in the pilot areas and to develop a portfolio of good practices for the most common and serious non-structural vulnerabilities. This systematic identification and the portfolio will be achieved through a "cross-knowledge" strategy based on previous researches, evidence of non-structural damage in past earthquakes. Shake table tests of a group of non-structural elements will be performed. These tests will be filmed and, jointly with portfolio, will serve as didactic supporting tools to be used in workshops with building construction stakeholders and in risk communication activities. A Practical Guide for non-structural risk reduction will be specifically prepared for citizens on the basis of the outputs of the project, taking into account the local culture and needs of each participating country.

Heritable and non-heritable pathways to early callous-unemotional behaviors

Science.gov (United States)

Hyde, Luke W.; Waller, Rebecca; Trentacosta, Christopher J.; Shaw, Daniel S.; Neiderhiser, Jenae M.; Ganiban, Jody M.; Reiss, David; Leve, Leslie D.

2016-01-01

Objective Callous-unemotional behaviors in early childhood identify children at high risk for severe trajectories of antisocial behavior and callous-unemotional traits that culminate in later diagnoses of conduct disorder, antisocial personality disorder, and psychopathy. Studies have demonstrated high heritability of callous-unemotional traits, but little research has examined specific heritable pathways to earlier callous-unemotional behaviors. Additionally, studies indicate that positive parenting protects against the development of callous-unemotional traits, but genetically informed designs have not been used to confirm that these relationships are not the product of gene-environment correlations. Method Using an adoption cohort of 561 families, biological mothers reported their history of severe antisocial behavior. Observations of adoptive mother positive reinforcement at 18 months were examined as predictors of callous-unemotional behaviors when children were 27 months old. Results Biological mother antisocial behavior predicted early callous-unemotional behaviors despite having no or limited contact with offspring. Adoptive mother positive reinforcement protected against early callous-unemotional behaviors in children not genetically related to the parent. High levels of adoptive mother positive reinforcement buffered the effects of heritable risk for callous-unemotional behaviors posed by biological mother antisocial behavior. Conclusions The findings elucidate heritable and non-heritable pathways to early callous-unemotional behaviors. The results provide a specific heritable pathway to callous-unemotional behaviors and compelling evidence that parenting is an important non-heritable factor in the development of callous-unemotional behaviors. As positive reinforcement buffered heritable risk for callous-unemotional behaviors, these findings have important translational implications for the prevention of trajectories to serious antisocial behavior. PMID

Relationship of creative projects in anatomy to medical student professionalism, test performance and stress: an exploratory study.

Science.gov (United States)

Shapiro, Johanna; Nguyen, Vincent P; Mourra, Sarah; Boker, John R; Ross, Marianne; Thai, Trung M; Leonard, Robert J

2009-11-03

The anatomy course offers important opportunities to develop professionalism at an early stage in medical education. It is an academically significant course that also engenders stress in some students. Over a three-year period, 115 of 297 students completed creative projects. Thirty-four project completers and 47 non-completers consented to participate in the study. Projects were analyzed for professionalism themes using grounded theory. A subset of project completers and non-completers were interviewed to determine their views about the stress of anatomy and medical school, as well as the value of the creative projects. We also compared test performance of project completers and non-completers. Projects completed early in the course often expressed ambivalence about anatomy, whereas later projects showed more gratitude and sense of awe. Project completers tended to report greater stress than noncompleters, but stated that doing projects reduced stress and caused them to develop a richer appreciation for anatomy and medicine. Project completers performed significantly lower than non-completers on the first written exam (pre-project). Differences between groups on individual exams after both the first and second creative project were nonsignificant. For some students, creative projects may offer a useful way of reflecting on various aspects of professionalism while helping them to manage stress.

Abnormal Development of the Earliest Cortical Circuits in a Mouse Model of Autism Spectrum Disorder.

Science.gov (United States)

Nagode, Daniel A; Meng, Xiangying; Winkowski, Daniel E; Smith, Ed; Khan-Tareen, Hamza; Kareddy, Vishnupriya; Kao, Joseph P Y; Kanold, Patrick O

2017-01-31

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) involves deficits in speech and sound processing. Cortical circuit changes during early development likely contribute to such deficits. Subplate neurons (SPNs) form the earliest cortical microcircuits and are required for normal development of thalamocortical and intracortical circuits. Prenatal valproic acid (VPA) increases ASD risk, especially when present during a critical time window coinciding with SPN genesis. Using optical circuit mapping in mouse auditory cortex, we find that VPA exposure on E12 altered the functional excitatory and inhibitory connectivity of SPNs. Circuit changes manifested as "patches" of mostly increased connection probability or strength in the first postnatal week and as general hyper-connectivity after P10, shortly after ear opening. These results suggest that prenatal VPA exposure severely affects the developmental trajectory of cortical circuits and that sensory-driven activity may exacerbate earlier, subtle connectivity deficits. Our findings identify the subplate as a possible common pathophysiological substrate of deficits in ASD. Copyright © 2017 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Contract types for nuclear power projects, non-turnkey type contracts in particular

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nyte'n, T.

1975-01-01

A non-turnkey contract differs from a turnkey contract in no special formal way. The way the buyer chooses to exercise his project leadership must be concretized in the contract. The way and extent he wishes to exercise technical checking must be laid down in the form of clear rules. The way information has to flow from one contractor over buyer to others and vice versa has to be laid down in detail and the consequences of non conformance fixed in such a manner that optimum project performance is reached. (orig./FW) [de

The non-destructive identification of early Chinese porcelain by PIXE

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cheng, H.S.; Zhang, Z.Q.; Zhang, B.; Yang, F.J.

2004-01-01

PIXE is used for the non-destructive differentiation of early precious Chinese blue and white porcelain made in Yuan (AD 1206-1368), Ming (AD 1368-1644) Dynasty in Jingdezhen from imitations. Also, ancient celadon made in Song Dynasty (AD 960-1279) is identified by measuring the trace elements contained in the glazes

The non-destructive identification of early Chinese porcelain by PIXE

Science.gov (United States)

Cheng, H. S.; Zhang, Z. Q.; Zhang, B.; Yang, F. J.

2004-06-01

PIXE is used for the non-destructive differentiation of early precious Chinese blue and white porcelain made in Yuan (AD 1206-1368), Ming (AD 1368-1644) Dynasty in Jingdezhen from imitations. Also, ancient celadon made in Song Dynasty (AD 960-1279) is identified by measuring the trace elements contained in the glazes.

A Guide to Community Shared Solar: Utility, Private, and Non-Profit Project Development (Book)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Coughlin, J.; Grove, J.; Irvine, L.; Jacobs, J. F.; Johnson Phillips, S.; Sawyer, A.; Wiedman, J.

2012-05-01

This guide is organized around three sponsorship models: utility-sponsored projects, projects sponsored by special purpose entities - businesses formed for the purpose of producing community solar power, and non-profit sponsored projects. The guide addresses issues common to all project models, as well as issues unique to each model.

Interdisciplinary Project Experiences: Collaboration between Majors and Non-Majors

Science.gov (United States)

Smarkusky, Debra L.; Toman, Sharon A.

2014-01-01

Students in computer science and information technology should be engaged in solving real-world problems received from government and industry as well as those that expose them to various areas of application. In this paper, we discuss interdisciplinary project experiences between majors and non-majors that offered a creative and innovative…

SOFTWARE IMPLEMENTATION OF FORMING OF COLOR-BASED CARDS FOR ASSESSMENT OF EARLY STAGES INNOVATION PROJECTS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ekaterina I. Bragina

2015-01-01

Full Text Available The article deals with functional program that allows to generate a visualrepresentation of the shareholder tothe innovative project early stage ofdevelopment, formed a color-based cards.

Striatal Dopamine Depletion Patterns and Early Non-Motor Burden in Parkinsons Disease.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Su Jin Chung

Full Text Available The mechanism underlying non-motor symptoms in Parkinson's disease has not yet been elucidated. In this study, we hypothesized that Parkinson patients with more non-motor symptoms have a different pattern of striatal dopamine depletion, particularly in areas other than the sensorimotor striatum, compared to those with fewer non-motor symptoms.We conducted a prospective survey of the degree of non-motor symptoms (using the Korean version of the Non-Motor Symptoms Scale; K-NMSS in 151 patients with early-stage Parkinson's disease who had undergone a dopamine transporter PET scan as an initial diagnostic procedure. We classified the patients into two groups; high non-motor patients (HNM-PD; K-NMSS score ≥ 41 and low non-motor patients (LNM-PD.Patients in the HNM-PD group (n = 71 were older, had longer symptom duration, exhibited more severe motor deficits, and had been prescribed higher levodopa-equivalent doses at follow-up than those in the LNM-PD group. However, dopamine transporter binding to the striatal sub-regions and inter-sub-regional binding ratios were comparable between the two groups. A general linear model showed that the HNM-PD group had significantly more severe motor deficits than the LNM-PD group after controlling for age, gender, symptom duration, and dopamine transporter binding to the sensorimotor striatum.This study demonstrated that the pattern of striatal dopamine depletion does not contribute to early non-motor burden in Parkinson's disease. Our results suggest that LNM-PD patients may have a more benign course of motor symptom progression than HNM-PD patients.

PROJECT W-551 DETERMINATION DATA FOR EARLY LAW INTERIM PRETREATMENT SYSTEM SELECTION

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

TEDESCHI AR

2008-08-11

This report provides the detailed assessment forms and data for selection of the solids separation and cesium separation technology for project W-551, Interim Pretreatment System. This project will provide early pretreated low activity waste feed to the Waste Treatment Plant to allow Waste Treatment Plan Low Activity Waste facility operation prior to construction completion of the Pretreatment and High Level Waste facilities. The candidate solids separations technologies are rotary microfiltration and crossflow filtration, and the candidate cesium separation technologies are fractional crystallization, caustic-side solvent extraction, and ion-exchange using spherical resorcinol-formaldehyde resin. This data was used to prepare a cross-cutting technology summary, reported in RPP-RPT-37740.

Relationship of creative projects in anatomy to medical student professionalism, test performance and stress: an exploratory study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Thai Trung M

2009-11-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The anatomy course offers important opportunities to develop professionalism at an early stage in medical education. It is an academically significant course that also engenders stress in some students. Methods Over a three-year period, 115 of 297 students completed creative projects. Thirty-four project completers and 47 non-completers consented to participate in the study. Projects were analyzed for professionalism themes using grounded theory. A subset of project completers and non-completers were interviewed to determine their views about the stress of anatomy and medical school, as well as the value of the creative projects. We also compared test performance of project completers and non-completers. Results Projects completed early in the course often expressed ambivalence about anatomy, whereas later projects showed more gratitude and sense of awe. Project completers tended to report greater stress than noncompleters, but stated that doing projects reduced stress and caused them to develop a richer appreciation for anatomy and medicine. Project completers performed significantly lower than non-completers on the first written exam (pre-project. Differences between groups on individual exams after both the first and second creative project were nonsignificant. Conclusion For some students, creative projects may offer a useful way of reflecting on various aspects of professionalism while helping them to manage stress.

Towards an Early Software Effort Estimation Based on Functional and Non-Functional Requirements

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kassab, M.; Daneva, Maia; Ormanjieva, Olga; Abran, A.; Braungarten, R.; Dumke, R.; Cuadrado-Gallego, J.; Brunekreef, J.

2009-01-01

The increased awareness of the non-functional requirements as a key to software project and product success makes explicit the need to include them in any software project effort estimation activity. However, the existing approaches to defining size-based effort relationships still pay insufficient

The hELENa project - I. Stellar populations of early-type galaxies linked with local environment and galaxy mass

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Sybilska, A.; Lisker, T.; Kuntschner, H.; Vazdekis, A.; van de Ven, G.; Peletier, R.; Falcón-Barroso, J.; Vijayaraghavan, R.; Janz, J.

2017-01-01

We present the first in a series of papers in The role of Environment in shaping Low-mass Early-type Nearby galaxies (hELENa) project. In this paper, we combine our sample of 20 low-mass early types (dEs) with 258 massive early types (ETGs) from the ATLAS3D survey - all observed with the SAURON

Rael Artel Gallery: Non-Profit Project Space : short tale of an experimental project's space tactics / Kiwa

Index Scriptorium Estoniae

Kiwa, pseud., 1975-

2009-01-01

Aastatel 2004-2008 Pärnus ja aastatel 2006-2008 Tartus tegutsenud Rael Artel Galeriist, mille looja ja moderaator oli Rael Artel. Galerii tegevus lõppes kunstialbumi "Hotell Pärnu : Rael Arel Gallery : Non Profit Project Space 2004-2008 / kontseptsioon ja toimetamine: Rael Artel" ilmumisega 2009. aastal

Montessori and Non-Montessori Early Childhood Teachers’ Attitudes Towards Inclusion and Access

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Natalie Danner

2015-11-01

Full Text Available Montessori and non-Montessori general education early childhood teachers were surveyed about their attitudes towards including children with disabilities and providing access in their classrooms.  Both groups reported similar and positive supports for inclusion within their schools. Montessori teachers reported having less knowledge about inclusion and less special education professional development than their non-Montessori counterparts.   Implications for professional development and teacher preparation are described.

Socioeconomic position and surgery for early-stage non-small-cell lung cancer

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kærgaard Starr, Laila; Osler, Merete; Steding-Jessen, Marianne

2013-01-01

Register 2001-2008 (date of diagnosis, histology, stage, and treatment), the Central Population Register (vital status), the Integrated Database for Labour Market Research (socioeconomic position), and the Danish Hospital Discharge Register (comorbidity). Logistic regression analyses were performed overall......AIM: To examine possible associations between socioeconomic position and surgical treatment of patients with early-stage non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). METHODS: In a register-based clinical cohort study, patients with early-stage (stages I-IIIa) NSCLC were identified in the Danish Lung Cancer...

The GEOFAR Project - Geothermal Finance and Awareness in Europeans Regions - Development of new schemes to overcome non-technical barriers, focusing particularly on financial barriers

Science.gov (United States)

Poux, Adeline; Wendel, Marco; Jaudin, Florence; Hiegl, Mathias

2010-05-01

Numerous advantages of geothermal energy like its widespread distribution, a base-load power and availability higher than 90%, a small footprint and low carbon emissions, and the growing concerns about climate changes strongly promote the development of geothermal projects. Geothermal energy as a local energy source implies needs on surface to be located close to the geothermal resource. Many European regions dispose of a good geothermal potential but it is mostly not sufficiently developed due to non-technical barriers occurring at the very early stages of the project. The GEOFAR Project carried out within the framework of EU's "Intelligent Energy Europe" (IEE) program, gathers a consortium of European partners from Germany, France, Greece, Spain and Portugal. Launched in September 2008, the aim of this research project is to analyze the mentioned non-technical barriers, focusing most particularly on economic and financial aspects. Based on this analysis GEOFAR aims at developing new financial and administrative schemes to overcome the main financial barriers for deep geothermal projects (for electricity and direct use, without heat pumps). The analysis of the current situation and the future development of geothermal energy in GEOFAR target countries (Germany, France, Greece, Spain, Portugal, Slovakia, Bulgaria and Hungary) was necessary to understand and expose the diverging status of the geothermal sector and the more and less complicated situation for geothermal projects in different Europeans Regions. A deeper analysis of 40 cases studies (operating, planned and failed projects) of deep geothermal projects also contributed to this detailed view. An exhaustive analysis and description of financial mechanisms already existing in different European countries and at European level to support investors completed the research on non-technical barriers. Based on this profound analysis, the GEOFAR project has made an overview of the difficulties met by project

Win-Win-Win: Reflections from a Work-Integrated Learning Project in a Non-Profit Organization

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dale C MacKrell

2016-05-01

Full Text Available This paper reports on the educational aspects of an information systems work-integrated learning (WIL capstone project for an organization which operates to alleviate homelessness in the Australian non-profit sector. The methodology adopted for the study is Action Design Research (ADR which draws on action research and design research as a means for framing a project's progress. Reflective insights by the project stakeholders, namely, students, academics, and the non-profit client, reveal a curriculum at work through internal features of the organization; personal features of the participants and features of the external environment. Preliminary findings suggest that students in a WIL project for a non-profit are highly engaged, especially when they become aware of the project’s social value. As well, the improvement of professional skills and emotional intelligence by students is more likely in real-life practice settings than in other less authentic WIL activities, equipping graduates for the workforce with both strong disciplinary and generic skills. Win-win-win synergies through project collaboration represent worthwhile outcomes to education, industry and research.

Final Technical Report for Year 5 Early Career Research Project "Viscosity and equation of state of hot and dense QCD matter"

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Molnar, Denes [Purdue Univ., West Lafayette, IN (United States)

2016-05-25

The Section below summarizes research activities and achievements during the fifth (last) year of the PI’s Early Career Research Project (ECRP). Unlike the first four years of the project, the last year was not funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). The ECRP advanced two main areas: i) radiative 3 ↔ 2 radiative transport, via development of a new computer code MPC/Grid that solves the Boltzmann transport equation in full 6+1D (3X+3V+time); and ii) application of relativistic hydrodynamics, via development of a self-consistent framework to convert viscous fluids to particles. In Year 5 we finalized thermalization studies with radiative gg ↔ ggg transport (Sec. 1.1.1) and used nonlinear covariant transport to assess the accuracy of fluid-to-particle conversion models (Sec. 1.1.2), calculated observables with self-consistent fluid-to-particle conversion from realistic viscous hydrodynamic evolution (Secs. 1.2.1 and 1.2.2), extended the covariant energy loss formulation to heavy quarks (Sec. 1.4.1) and studied energy loss in small systems (Sec. 1.4.2), and also investigated how much of the elliptic flow could have non-hydrodynamic origin (Sec 1.3). Years 1-4 of the ECRP were ARRA-funded and, therefore, they have their own report document ’Final Technical Report for Years 1-4 of the Early Career Research Project “Viscosity and equation of state of hot and dense QCD matter”’ (same award number DE-SC0004035). The PI’s group was also part of the DOE JET Topical Collaboration, a multi-institution project that overlapped in time significantly with the ECRP. Purdue achievements as part of the JET Top- ical Collaboration are in a separate report “Final Technical Report summarizing Purdue research activities as part of the DOE JET Topical Collaboration” (award DE-SC0004077).

Serious Non-AIDS Conditions in HIV: Benefit of Early ART.

Science.gov (United States)

Lundgren, Jens D; Borges, Alvaro H; Neaton, James D

2018-04-01

Optimal control of HIV can be achieved by early diagnosis followed by the initiation of antiretroviral therapy (ART). Two large randomised trials (TEMPRANO and START) have recently been published documenting the clinical benefits to HIV-positive adults of early ART initiation. Main findings are reviewed with a focus on serious non-AIDS (SNA) conditions. Data from the two trials demonstrated that initiating ART early in the course of HIV infection resulted in marked reductions in the risk of opportunistic diseases and invasive bacterial infections. This indicates that HIV causes immune impairment in early infection that is remedied by controlling viral replication. Intriguingly, in START, a marked reduction in risk of cancers, both infection-related and unrelated types of cancers, was observed. Like the findings for opportunistic infections, this anti-cancer effect of early ART shows how the immune system influences important pro-oncogenic processes. In START, there was also some evidence suggesting that early ART initiation preserved kidney function, although the clinical consequence of this remains unclear. Conversely, while no adverse effects were evident, the trials did not demonstrate a clear effect on metabolic-related disease outcomes, pulmonary disease, or neurocognitive function. HIV causes immune impairment soon after acquisition of infection. ART reverses this harm at least partially. The biological nature of the immune impairment needs further elucidation, as well as mechanisms and clinical impact of innate immune activation. Based on the findings from TEMPRANO and START, and because ART lowers the risk of onward transmission, ART initiation should be offered to all persons following their diagnosis of HIV.

The Power of Programming and the EarlyNutrition project: opportunities for health promotion by nutrition during the first thousand days of life and beyond.

Science.gov (United States)

Koletzko, Berthold; Brands, Brigitte; Chourdakis, Michael; Cramer, Simone; Grote, Veit; Hellmuth, Christian; Kirchberg, Franca; Prell, Christine; Rzehak, Peter; Uhl, Olaf; Weber, Martina

2014-01-01

At The Power of Programming 2014 Conference, researchers from multiple disciplines presented and discussed the effects of early nutrition and other environmental cues during the first thousand days of life and beyond on the lifelong risk of noncommunicable diseases. This paper aims to summarize the concepts and some of the first achievements of the EarlyNutrition research project that initiated the conference. The EarlyNutrition consortium is a multinational, multidisciplinary research collaboration of researchers from Europe, the USA, and Australia. A focus is placed on exploration of the developmental origins of obesity, adiposity, and related health outcomes. Here we report on the first findings of experimental approaches, cohort studies, randomized clinical trials, and systematic reviews of current information, as well as position papers, which have all been developed with the involvement of project partners. We conclude that the EarlyNutrition project has successfully established itself during the first 2 project years as a very strong platform for collaborative research on early programming effects. The first results, available already at this early stage of the project, point to great opportunities for health prevention strategies via the implementation of dietary and lifestyle modifications, with large effect sizes. Further results are expected which should support improved recommendations and related policies for optimized nutrition and lifestyle choices before and during pregnancy, in infancy, and in early childhood. © 2014 S. Karger AG, Basel.

International Severe Weather and Flash Flood Hazard Early Warning Systems—Leveraging Coordination, Cooperation, and Partnerships through a Hydrometeorological Project in Southern Africa

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Robert Jubach

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Climate, weather and water hazards do not recognize national boundaries. Transboundary/regional programs and cooperation are essential to reduce the loss of lives and damage to livelihoods when facing these hazards. The development and implementation of systems to provide early warnings for severe weather events such as cyclones and flash floods requires data and information sharing in real time, and coordination among the government agencies at all levels. Within a country, this includes local, municipal, provincial-to-national levels as well as regional and international entities involved in hydrometeorological services and Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR. Of key importance are the National Meteorological and Hydrologic Services (NMHSs. The NMHS is generally the authority solely responsible for issuing warnings for these hazards. However, in many regions of the world, the linkages and interfaces between the NMHS and other agencies are weak or non-existent. Therefore, there is a critical need to assess, strengthen, and formalize collaborations when addressing the concept of reducing risk and impacts from severe weather and floods. The U.S. Agency for International Development/Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance; the United Nations World Meteorological Organization (WMO; the WMO Southern Africa Regional Specialized Meteorological Center, hosted by the South African Weather Service; the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration/National Weather Service and the Hydrologic Research Center (a non-profit corporation are currently implementing a project working with Southern Africa NMHSs on addressing this gap. The project aims to strengthen coordination and collaboration mechanisms from national to local levels. The project partners are working with the NMHSs to apply and implement appropriate tools and infrastructure to enhance currently operational severe weather and flash flood early warning systems in each country in support of

Non-targeted effects of ionising radiation (note). A new European integrated project, 2006-2010

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Salomaa, S.; Wright, E.G.; Hildebrandt, G.; Kadhim, M.; Little, M.P.; Prise, K.M.; Belyakov, O.V.

2007-01-01

Complete text of publication follows. The general objectives of the NOTE project are: (1) to investigate the mechanisms of nontargeted effects, in particular, bystander effects, genomic instability and adaptive response; (2) to investigate if and how non-targeted effects modulate the cancer risk in the low dose region, and whether they relate to protective or harmful functions; (3) to investigate if ionising radiation can cause non-cancer diseases or beneficial effects at low and intermediate doses; (4) to investigate individual susceptibility and other factors modifying non-targeted responses; (5) to assess the relevance of non-targeted effects for radiation protection and to set the scientific basis for a modern, more realistic, radiation safety system; (6) to contribute to the conceptualisation of a new paradigm in radiation biology that would cover both the classical direct (DNA-targeted) and non-targeted (indirect) effects. The NOTE brings together 19 major European and Canadian groups involved in the discovery, characterisation and mechanistic investigation of non-targeted effects of ionising radiation in cellular, tissue and animal models. The NOTE research activities are organised in six work packages. Four work packages (WPs 2-5) are problem-oriented, focussing on major questions relevant for the scientific basis of the system of radiation protection: WP2 Mechanisms of non-targeted effects, WP3 Non-cancer diseases, WP4 Factors modifying non-targeted responses, WP5 Modelling of non-targeted effects. The integration activities provided by WP6 strengthen the collaboration by supporting the access to infrastructures, mobility and training. WP7 provides dissemination and exploitation activities in the form of workshops and a public website. Managerial activities (WP1) ensure the organisation and structures for decision making, monitoring of progress, knowledge management and efficient flow of information and financing. Coordinator of the NOTE project is Prof

Pump Early, Pump Often: A Continuous Quality Improvement Project.

Science.gov (United States)

Spatz, Diane L; Froh, Elizabeth B; Schwarz, Jessica; Houng, Kathy; Brewster, Isabel; Myers, Carey; Prince, Judy; Olkkola, Michelle

2015-01-01

Research demonstrates that although many mothers initiate pumping for their critically ill children, few women are successful at maintaining milk supply throughout their infants' entire hospital stay. At the Garbose Family Special Delivery Unit (SDU) at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, we care for mothers who have critically ill infants born with complex cardiac and congenital anomalies. Human milk is viewed as a medical intervention at our institution. Therefore, nurses on the SDU wanted to ensure best practice in terms of pumping initiation. This article describes a continuous quality improvement project that ensured mothers pumped early and often. Childbirth educators can play a key role in preparing mothers who are anticipating an infant who will require hospitalization immediately post-birth.

A high-level dynamic analysis approach for studying global process plant availability and production time in the early stages of mining projects

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dennis Travagini Cremonese

Full Text Available Abstract In the early stage of front-end studies of a Mining Project, the global availability (i.e. number of hours a plant is available for production and production (number of hours a plant is actually operated with material time of the process plant are normally assumed based on the experience of the study team. Understanding and defining the availability hours at the early stages of the project are important for the future stages of the project, as drastic changes in work hours will impact the economics of the project at that stage. An innovative high-level dynamic modeling approach has been developed to assist in the rapid evaluation of assumptions made by the study team. This model incorporates systems or equipment that are commonly used in mining projects from mine to product stockyard discharge after the processing plant. It includes subsystems that will simulate all the component handling, and major process plant systems required for a mining project. The output data provided by this high-level dynamic simulation approach will enhance the confidence level of engineering carried out during the early stage of the project. This study discusses the capabilities of the approach, and a test case compared with standard techniques used in mining project front-end studies.

The GridPP DIRAC project - DIRAC for non-LHC communities

CERN Document Server

Bauer, D; Currie, R; Fayer, S; Huffman, A; Martyniak, J; Rand, D; Richards, A

2015-01-01

The GridPP consortium in the UK is currently testing a multi-VO DIRAC service aimed at non-LHC VOs. These VOs (Virtual Organisations) are typically small and generally do not have a dedicated computing support post. The majority of these represent particle physics experiments (e.g. NA62 and COMET), although the scope of the DIRAC service is not limited to this field. A few VOs have designed bespoke tools around the EMI-WMS & LFC, while others have so far eschewed distributed resources as they perceive the overhead for accessing them to be too high. The aim of the GridPP DIRAC project is to provide an easily adaptable toolkit for such VOs in order to lower the threshold for access to distributed resources such as Grid and cloud computing. As well as hosting a centrally run DIRAC service, we will also publish our changes and additions to the upstream DIRAC codebase under an open-source license. We report on the current status of this project and show increasing adoption of DIRAC within the non-LHC communiti...

The GridPP DIRAC project - DIRAC for non-LHC communities

Science.gov (United States)

Bauer, D.; Colling, D.; Currie, R.; Fayer, S.; Huffman, A.; Martyniak, J.; Rand, D.; Richards, A.

2015-12-01

The GridPP consortium in the UK is currently testing a multi-VO DIRAC service aimed at non-LHC VOs. These VOs (Virtual Organisations) are typically small and generally do not have a dedicated computing support post. The majority of these represent particle physics experiments (e.g. NA62 and COMET), although the scope of the DIRAC service is not limited to this field. A few VOs have designed bespoke tools around the EMI-WMS & LFC, while others have so far eschewed distributed resources as they perceive the overhead for accessing them to be too high. The aim of the GridPP DIRAC project is to provide an easily adaptable toolkit for such VOs in order to lower the threshold for access to distributed resources such as Grid and cloud computing. As well as hosting a centrally run DIRAC service, we will also publish our changes and additions to the upstream DIRAC codebase under an open-source license. We report on the current status of this project and show increasing adoption of DIRAC within the non-LHC communities.

Beyond ectomycorrhizal bipartite networks: projected networks demonstrate contrasted patterns between early- and late-successional plants in Corsica.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Adrien eTaudiere

2015-10-01

Full Text Available The ectomycorrhizal (ECM symbiosis connects mutualistic plants and fungal species into bipartite networks. While links between one focal ECM plant and its fungal symbionts have been widely documented, systemic views of ECM networks are lacking, in particular, concerning the ability of fungal species to mediate indirect ecological interactions between ECM plant species (projected-ECM networks. We assembled a large dataset of plant-fungi associations at the species level and at the scale of Corsica using molecular data and unambiguously host-assigned records to: (i examine the correlation between the number of fungal symbionts of a plant species and the average specialization of these fungal species, (ii explore the structure of the plant-plant projected network and (iii compare plant association patterns in regard to their position along the ecological succession. Our analysis reveals no trade-off between specialization of plants and specialization of their partners and a saturation of the plant projected network. Moreover, there is a significantly lower-than-expected sharing of partners between early- and late-successional plant species, with fewer fungal partners for early-successional ones and similar average specialization of symbionts of early- and late-successional plants. Our work paves the way for ecological readings of Mediterranean landscapes that include the astonishing diversity of below-ground interactions.

Selected non-somatic risk factors for pregnancy loss in patients with abnormal early pregnancy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maciej Paszkowski

2015-12-01

The results of this study confirm the complexity of the early pregnancy loss etiopatogenesis. Further research need to be conducted in order to identify the non-somatic causative agents of various clinical forms of miscarriage. It may help do select women in reproductive age at high risk of early pregnancy loss and show the ways in which effective preventive measures can be introduced in such population.

The hELENa project - I. Stellar populations of early-type galaxies linked with local environment and galaxy mass

Science.gov (United States)

Sybilska, A.; Lisker, T.; Kuntschner, H.; Vazdekis, A.; van de Ven, G.; Peletier, R.; Falcón-Barroso, J.; Vijayaraghavan, R.; Janz, J.

2017-09-01

We present the first in a series of papers in The role of Environment in shaping Low-mass Early-type Nearby galaxies (hELENa) project. In this paper, we combine our sample of 20 low-mass early types (dEs) with 258 massive early types (ETGs) from the ATLAS3D survey - all observed with the SAURON integral field unit - to investigate early-type galaxies' stellar population scaling relations and the dependence of the population properties on local environment, extended to the low-σ regime of dEs. The ages in our sample show more scatter at lower σ values, indicative of less massive galaxies being affected by the environment to a higher degree. The shape of the age-σ relations for cluster versus non-cluster galaxies suggests that cluster environment speeds up the placing of galaxies on the red sequence. While the scaling relations are tighter for cluster than for the field/group objects, we find no evidence for a difference in average population characteristics of the two samples. We investigate the properties of our sample in the Virgo cluster as a function of number density (rather than simple clustrocentric distance) and find that dE ages correlate with the local density such that galaxies in regions of lower density are younger, likely because they are later arrivals to the cluster or have experienced less pre-processing in groups, and consequently used up their gas reservoir more recently. Overall, dE properties correlate more strongly with density than those of massive ETGs, which was expected as less massive galaxies are more susceptible to external influences.

Early literacy

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jensen, Anders Skriver

2012-01-01

This paper discusses findings from the Danish contribution to the EASE project, a European research project running from 2008 to 2010 on early literacy in relation to the transition from childcare to school. It explores a holistic, inclusive approach to early literacy that resists a narrow...... and schools. The paper also draws on Gee’s (2001, 2003, 2004, 2008) sociocultural approach to literacy, and Honneth’s (2003, 2006) concept of recognition. Emphasizing participation and recognition as key elements, it claims that stakeholders in early liter- acy must pay attention to how diverse early literacy...... opportunities empower children, especially when these opportunities are employed in a project-based learning environ- ment in which each child is able to contribute to the shared literacy events....

Organizational change, psychosocial work environment, and non-disability early retirement: a prospective study among senior public employees.

Science.gov (United States)

Breinegaard, Nina; Jensen, Johan Høy; Bonde, Jens Peter

2017-05-01

Objective This study examines the impact of organizational change and psychosocial work environment on non-disability early retirement among senior public service employees. Methods In January and February 2011, Danish senior public service employees aged 58-64 years (N=3254) from the Capital Region of Denmark responded to a survey assessing psychosocial work environment (ie, social capital, organizational justice, and quality of management). Work-unit organizational changes (ie, change of management, merging, demerging, and relocation) were recorded from January 2009 to March 2011. Weekly data on non-disability early retirement transfer were obtained from the DREAM register database, which holds weekly information about all public benefit payments in Denmark. Hazard ratios (HR) for early retirement following employees' 60 th birthday were estimated with Cox regression adjusted for age, gender, and socioeconomic status. Results Exposure to change of management [HR 1.37, 95% confidence interval (95% CI) 1.13-1.66], mergers (HR 1.23, 95% CI 1.02-1.48), and relocation of work unit (HR 1.24, 95% CI 1.01-1.54) increased rate of non-disability early retirement, while demerging of work unit did not (HR 1.03, 95% CI 0.79-1.33). Work units with lower levels of social capital (HR 1.22, 95% CI 1.05-1.41), organizational justice, (HR 1.18, 95% CI 1.04-1.32), and quality of management (HR 1.14, 95% CI 1.02-1.25) increased rate of early retirement. Conclusion Organizational change and poor psychosocial work environment contribute to non-disability early retirement among senior public service employees, measured at work-unit level.

Roentgenological findings in the non-cancerous portion of the stomach with early gastric cancer

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Komatsu, Yukihisa

1987-10-01

Roentgenological findings of the fine reliefs in the non-cancerous portion were studied in 61 patients with early gastric cancer by double contrast examination. Incidence of the various types of the fine reliefs in the non-cancerous portion were as follows;verrucae 4 %, granularity 34 %, fine granularity 58 %, islet 24 %, network 17 % and irregular network 16 %, respectively. Fine granularity and network were observed in 61 % and 46 % of the cases with poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma, respectively. Granularity, fine granularity and irregular network were observed in 30 %, 55 % and 40 % of the cases with signet-ring cell carcinoma, respectively. Granularity, fine granularity and islet were observed in 41 %, 59 % and 30 % of the cases with tubular adenocarcinoma, respectively. These results suggest that fine reliefs in the non-cancerous portion of the stomach with early gastric cancer showed both findings those found in atrophic gastritis (verrucae, granularity, fine granularity and network) and those in gastric cancer (granularity, fine granularity, islet and irregular network).

Roentgenological findings in the non-cancerous portion of the stomach with early gastric cancer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Komatsu, Yukihisa

1987-01-01

Roentgenological findings of the fine reliefs in the non-cancerous portion were studied in 61 patients with early gastric cancer by double contrast examination. Incidence of the various types of the fine reliefs in the non-cancerous portion were as follows ; verrucae 4 %, granularity 34 %, fine granularity 58 %, islet 24 %, network 17 % and irregular network 16 %, respectively. Fine granularity and network were observed in 61 % and 46 % of the cases with poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma, respectively. Granularity, fine granularity and irregular network were observed in 30 %, 55 % and 40 % of the cases with signet-ring cell carcinoma, respectively. Granularity, fine granularity and islet were observed in 41 %, 59 % and 30 % of the cases with tubular adenocarcinoma, respectively. These results suggest that fine reliefs in the non-cancerous portion of the stomach with early gastric cancer showed both findings those found in atrophic gastritis (verrucae, granularity, fine granularity and network) and those in gastric cancer (granularity, fine granularity, islet and irregular network). (author)

Troublesome telephony: how users and non-users shaped the development of early British exchange telephony

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dr Michael Kay

2015-05-01

Full Text Available When exchange telephony was first marketed to the British public by the early telephone companies in the late nineteenth century it was as an intuitive technology requiring no specialist knowledge or training. This has gone unquestioned in subsequent telephone historiography but, as this article demonstrates, telephone instruments and systems were not always unproblematic or easy to use. Whilst other scholars have discussed important factors in the development and uptake of telephony, such as business economics and intellectual property, this article focuses on usage, and argues that difficulties in using telephone instruments and systems also influenced key changes in the operations of early British exchange systems. To understand these responses and developments it is necessary to look at the opinions and complaints of both users and non-users of telephone exchange systems. In investigating non-users as well as users, this article is influenced by the work of Sally Wyatt in Oudshoorn and Pinch's (2003 edited volume regarding users and non-users of technologies. Recovering the reactions of such people is possible through extensive use of letters received by the telephone companies or published in the periodical press, and opinions voiced at select committee meetings investigating the state of the country's telephone system. In recovering the difficulties early users and non-users faced when confronted with exchange telephone systems this article emphasises the importance of problematising the historical uptake of new technologies, and highlights how, in the case of early British telephony in particular, these problems can reveal specific facts both about historical telephone use-experience and about how exchange telephony spread around the country.

Non-hypervascular hypointense nodules on Gd-EOB-DTPA-enhanced MRI as a predictor of outcomes for early-stage HCC.

Science.gov (United States)

Toyoda, Hidenori; Kumada, Takashi; Tada, Toshifumi; Sone, Yasuhiro; Maeda, Atsuyuki; Kaneoka, Yuji

2015-01-01

In patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), gadolinium-ethoxybenzyl-diethylenetriamine pentaacetic acid (Gd-EOB-DTPA)-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) often identifies non-hypervascular hypointense hepatic nodules during the hepatobiliary phase, but their prognostic significance is unclear. We conducted a prospective observational study to investigate the impact of non-hypervascular hypointense hepatic nodules detected by Gd-EOB-DTPA-enhanced MRI on the outcome of patients with early-stage HCC. Post-treatment recurrence and survival rates were analyzed in 138 patients with non-recurrent, early-stage HCC [Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC) stage 0 or A] and Child-Pugh A liver function according to the presence of non-hypervascular hypointense nodules on pretreatment Gd-EOB-DTPA-enhanced MRI. Non-hypervascular hypointense hepatic nodules were detected in 51 (37.0%) patients with early-stage HCC on pretreatment Gd-EOB-DTPA-enhanced MRI. Recurrence rates were significantly higher in patients with non-hypervascular hypointense nodules (p DTPA-enhanced MRI was independently associated with an increased recurrence rate, independent of tumor progression or treatment (p = 0.0005). The survival rate was significantly lower in patients with non-hypervascular hypointense nodules on Gd-EOB-DTPA-enhanced MRI (p = 0.0108). In patients with early-stage typical HCC (BCLC 0 or A), the presence of concurrent non-hypervascular hypointense hepatic nodules in the hepatobiliary phase of pretreatment Gd-EOB-DTPA-enhanced MRI is an indicator of higher likelihood of recurrence after treatment and may be a marker for unfavorable outcome.

The clinical study of the early soft tissue healing and marginal bone resorption after non-submerged implants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xu Anchen; Yang Desheng; Hu Bei; Leng Bin; Zhang Li

2009-01-01

Objective: To compare the amount of early marginal bone resorption in the first three months after non-submerged implants and to explore the relationship between the amount of early marginal bone resorption and the soft tissue healing in the first month. Method: ITI with non-submerged implants were implanted in 33 patients. Digital panoramic radiographs were taken during the operation, one month and three months later. The amount of marginal bone resorption was measured in the first, second and the third month after implant operation. The soft tissue healing was observed after 10 days. Results: There was significant difference (P<0.01) in the amount of early marginal bone resorption between one month and three months later. The early marginal bone resorption in the first month after implantation kept correlation with the soft tissue healing on 10th day(r=0.794, P<0.01). Conclusion: The amount of early marginal bone resorption in the first month exceeds that in the second and the third months after implant operation, and the soft tissue healing affects the amount of early marginal bone resorption in the first month. Biological seal is the critical factor influencing the early marginal bone resorption. (authors)

The Si Huan Playgroup: An Initiative to Provide Non-Formal Early Childhood Education Experiences to Children of Migrants in Beijing

Science.gov (United States)

Nyland, Berenice; Nyland, Chris; Gao, Yang; Ng, Josephine; Zeng, Xiaodong

2016-01-01

This paper is about an experiment in non-formal early childhood education for migrant children in Beijing. The Si Huan Playgroup was set up by a group of volunteers in 2004 and is built on ideas of early childhood pedagogy, equity, life-long learning and non-formal education. Non-formal education has implications for policy makers as this is a…

NON NEUROLOGICAL OUTCOME COMPARISON OF EARLY AND DELAYED SURGICAL STABILIZATION IN C-SPINE FRACTURES

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

T. G. B. Mahadewa

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Background: Non neurological outcome postsurgical stabilization in C-spine injury has not been reported. Non neurological outcome i.e. the risk of lung infection (pneumonia, systemic inflammation response syndrome (SIRS, length of postoperative care (LOPOC which can compromise the recovery process and treatment period. This study aims to investigate non neurological outcome comparison after early surgical stabilization (ESS and delayed surgical stabilization (DSS in patients with C-spine fractures. Methods: The author retrospectively reviews 59 of 108 consecutive patients who met the inclusion criteria with C-spine fractures who underwent surgical stabilization at the Sanglah General Hospital, between 2007 and 2010. Consisting of 25 patients underwent ESS and 34 patients were treated by DSS. The last follow up period range was 3-36 months. Non neurological outcome were evaluated and compared; the risk of pneumonia, SIRS and LOPOC. Results: Significant statistically between ESS and DSS in; the risk of pneumonia (ESS: DSS= 1:9 by Chi-square-test (p=0.023; the risk of SIRS (ESS: DSS= 1:11 by Chi-square-test (p=0.008; and the LOPOC (ESS: DSS= 6.84:9.97 by independent t-test (p=0.000. Application of ESS for C-spine fractures could provide early mobilization, prompt treatment and facilitate early rehabilitation thus significantly reduces complications due to prolong immobilization and reduces LOPOC. Conclussion: It can be concluded that the ESS strategy is effective and efficient thus may propose an option of surgical timing in C-spine fractures.

Photon number projection using non-number-resolving detectors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rohde, Peter P; Webb, James G; Huntington, Elanor H; Ralph, Timothy C

2007-01-01

Number-resolving photo-detection is necessary for many quantum optics experiments, especially in the application of entangled state preparation. Several schemes have been proposed for approximating number-resolving photo-detection using non-number-resolving detectors. Such techniques include multi-port detection and time-division multiplexing. We provide a detailed analysis and comparison of different number-resolving detection schemes, with a view to creating a useful reference for experimentalists. We show that the ideal architecture for projective measurements is a function of the detector's dark count and efficiency parameters. We also describe a process for selecting an appropriate topology given actual experimental component parameters

Water Pricing as an Economic Justification for Reducing Non-Revenue Water (NRW Projects

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Massoud Tabesh

2017-03-01

Full Text Available Management of water demand and modification of consumption patterns are becoming increasingly essential due to the increasingly limited precipitation and the growing population which have led to both severe restrictions on renewable water resources and increasing demands for water in Iran. The most important consumption management measures involve reducing Non-Revenue Water (NRW and decreasing water losses in the water supply system. Non-revenue water is defined as the difference between the total inflow and the metered consumption in the supply system. The losses may be divided into the two components of apparent and real losses. Achieving reductions in non-revenue water calls for the careful study and evaluation of the operational procedures proposed in each case since reductions will be economical only when accurate and realistic values are considered in water pricing. The present study draws upon the data obtained from non-revenue water projects implemented in District 4 of Tehran Water and Wastewater Company, the measures proposed by the project consultant, and the economic justifications claimed for all the costs associated with the measures to eliminate water losses. The cost of the proposed measures are calculated for two different economic values of water proposed to ensure benefits, and under four different interest rates. Results confirm the profitability of the non-revenue water solutions based on the finished cost of water even at subsidized rates of public funds. However, project profitability will be in question if the economic price of water is assumed to be equivalent to the total trade price of water and if both real and apparent losses are to be reduced.

A Proposal to Build an Education Research and Development Program: The Kamehameha Early Education Project Proposal. Technical Report #3.

Science.gov (United States)

Gallimore, Ronald; And Others

This report summarizes the programmatic features of a proposal for the Kamehameha Early Education Project (KEEP), a program aimed at the development, demonstration, and dissemination of methods for improving the education of Hawaiian and part-Hawaiian children. A brief description of the proposed project goals, structure, organization, and…

Diagnostic capabilities of non-treponemal and treponemal reactions in the early forms of syphilis.

OpenAIRE

Zakharov, S. V.

2017-01-01

A comparative analysis of the sensitivity and specificity of immunoblotting against other non-treponemal and treponemal reactions was carried out in 215 patients with early forms of syphilis. A high diagnostic efficiency of immunoblotting in patients with early latent syphilis was established. It was found that only in case of primary syphilis, immunoblotting is inferior to Immunofluorescence reaction; this test can be used for differential diagnosis between hidden syphilis and false positive...

Evidence for the prevention of bone loss in elderly and old early non-metastatic breast cancer patients treated with aromatase inhibitors

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gunmalm, V.; Jørgensen, N. R.; Abrahamsen, B.

2017-01-01

Breast cancer (BC) is the most common cancer amongst women worldwide. Bone health is emerging as an important issue for BC survivors. In this literature study, we focus on agents for preventing bone loss in early non-metastatic estrogen receptor positive BC in treatment with aromatase inhibitors...... (AI) and to assess the evidence for antiresorptive treatment of bone loss in early non-metastatic breast cancer. We included randomized controlled trials (RCT's) comparing: (a) bisphosphonates and control; (b) different bisphosphonates; (c) denosumab and control and (d) bisphosphonates vs. denosumab...... in early non-metastatic BC women in AI treatment. Among antiresorptives, zoledronic acid currently has the highest evidence for prevention of AI associated bone loss in early non-metastatic BC. Data on fracture prevention among all patients, elderly and old is sparse. More randomized controlled studies...

Diagnostic capabilities of non-treponemal and treponemal reactions in the early forms of syphilis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zakharov S.V.

2017-12-01

Full Text Available A comparative analysis of the sensitivity and specificity of immunoblotting against other non-treponemal and treponemal reactions was carried out in 215 patients with early forms of syphilis. A high diagnostic efficiency of immunoblotting in patients with early latent syphilis was established. It was found that only in case of primary syphilis, immunoblotting is inferior to Immunofluorescence reaction; this test can be used for differential diagnosis between hidden syphilis and false positive reactions to syphilis.

Long-Term Health Impact of Early Nutrition: The Power of Programming.

Science.gov (United States)

Koletzko, Berthold; Brands, Brigitte; Grote, Veit; Kirchberg, Franca F; Prell, Christine; Rzehak, Peter; Uhl, Olaf; Weber, Martina

2017-01-01

The Power of Programming conference 2016 at Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität Munich brought together about 600 researchers and other stakeholders from around the world who reviewed the recent evidence on the lasting health impact of environment and nutrition during early life, from pre-pregnancy to early childhood. The conference was hosted by the Early Nutrition Project, a multidisciplinary research collaboration funded by the European Commission with collaborating researchers from 35 institutions in 15 countries in Europe, the United States and Australia. The project explores the early origins of obesity, adiposity and associated non-communicable diseases, underlying mechanisms and opportunities for prevention. The project also proactively supports translational application of research findings. In fact, some existing evidence has already been rapidly adopted into policy, regulatory standards and practice. Further, broad dissemination of findings is achieved through the established digital eLearning platform of the Early Nutrition eAcademy, video clip-based learning and graphically supported messaging to consumers. The project demonstrated powerful effects of early metabolic programming on later health. Compared to other common prevention strategies, modifying risk trajectories in early life can achieve a much larger risk reduction and be more cost-effective. While some effective prevention strategies have been promptly implemented in policy and guidelines, legislation and practice, in other areas, the uptake is limited by a paucity of quality human intervention trials and insufficient evaluation of the feasibility of implementation and econometric impact. This needs to be strengthened by future collaborative research work. © 2017 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Early non-destructive biofouling detection and spatial distribution: Application of oxygen sensing optodes

KAUST Repository

Farhat, Nadia

2015-06-11

Biofouling is a serious problem in reverse osmosis/nanofiltration (RO/NF) applications, reducing membrane performance. Early detection of biofouling plays an essential role in an adequate anti-biofouling strategy. Presently, fouling of membrane filtration systems is mainly determined by measuring changes in pressure drop, which is not exclusively linked to biofouling. Non-destructive imaging of oxygen concentrations (i) is specific for biological activity of biofilms and (ii) may enable earlier detection of biofilm accumulation than pressure drop. The objective of this study was to test whether transparent luminescent planar O2 optodes, in combination with a simple imaging system, can be used for early non-destructive biofouling detection. This biofouling detection is done by mapping the two-dimensional distribution of O2 concentrations and O2 decrease rates inside a membrane fouling simulator (MFS). Results show that at an early stage, biofouling development was detected by the oxygen sensing optodes while no significant increase in pressure drop was yet observed. Additionally, optodes could detect spatial heterogeneities in biofouling distribution at a micro scale. Biofilm development started mainly at the feed spacer crossings. The spatial and quantitative information on biological activity will lead to better understanding of the biofouling processes, contributing to the development of more effective biofouling control strategies.

The hELENa project - I. Stellar populations of early-type galaxies linked with local environment and galaxy mass

OpenAIRE

Sybilska, A.; Lisker, T.; Kuntschner, H.; Vazdekis, A.; van de Ven, G.; Peletier, R.; Falcón-Barroso, J.; Vijayaraghavan, R.; Janz, J.

2017-01-01

We present the first in a series of papers in T$h$e role of $E$nvironment in shaping $L$ow-mass $E$arly-type $N$earby g$a$laxies (hELENa) project. In this paper we combine our sample of 20 low-mass early types (dEs) with 258 massive early types (ETGs) from the ATLAS$^{\\mathrm{3D}}$ survey - all observed with the SAURON integral field unit (IFU) - to investigate early-type galaxies' stellar population scaling relations and the dependence of the population properties on local environment, exten...

Montessori and Non-Montessori Early Childhood Teachers' Attitudes toward Inclusion and Access

Science.gov (United States)

Danner, Natalie; Fowler, Susan A.

2015-01-01

Montessori and non-Montessori general education early childhood teachers were surveyed about their attitudes toward including children with disabilities and providing these students access to the curriculum. Both groups reported similar and positive system-wide supports for inclusion within their schools. Montessori teachers reported having less…

The Relationship of Early Maladaptive Schemas, Attributional Styles and Learned Helplessness among Addicted and Non-Addicted Men.

Science.gov (United States)

Shaghaghy, Farhad; Saffarinia, Majid; Iranpoor, Mohadeseh; Soltanynejad, Ali

2011-01-01

Addiction is considered as one of the major problems in family and community in the world. According to cognitive view, organizing the experiences determines how to behave. Due to their importance in interpretation of special situations, cognitive schemas and attributional styles have a significant role in cognitive theories. The aim of this study was to compare early maladaptive schemas and attributional styles in addicts and non-addicts to recognize their role in addiction. In this causal-comparative study, 200 addicted and non-addicted men were randomly selected. Young early maladaptive schema and attributional styles questionnaires were used. Data analysis was performed by independent t-test, Pearson correlation and regression. The study population included 81 addicted and 90 non-addicted men. There were significant differences between early maladaptive schemas and attributional styles in the two groups of addicted and non-addicted men (P learned helplessness. A direct relationship was found between learned helplessness and frequency of addiction treatments (r ═ 0.234, P learned helplessness were less successful in addiction treatment and more likely to use drugs again after treatment. These issues show that addiction institutions and therapists have to pay attention to cognitive factors for addiction prevention.

Managing project complexity : A study into adapting early project phases to improve project performance in large engineering projects

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bosch-Rekveldt, M.G.C.

2011-01-01

Engineering projects become increasingly more complex and project complexity is assumed to be one of the causes for projects being delivered late and over budget. However, what this project complexity actually comprised of was unclear. To improve the overall project performance, this study focuses

Modulation of early cortical processing during divided attention to non-contiguous locations.

Science.gov (United States)

Frey, Hans-Peter; Schmid, Anita M; Murphy, Jeremy W; Molholm, Sophie; Lalor, Edmund C; Foxe, John J

2014-05-01

We often face the challenge of simultaneously attending to multiple non-contiguous regions of space. There is ongoing debate as to how spatial attention is divided under these situations. Whereas, for several years, the predominant view was that humans could divide the attentional spotlight, several recent studies argue in favor of a unitary spotlight that rhythmically samples relevant locations. Here, this issue was addressed by the use of high-density electrophysiology in concert with the multifocal m-sequence technique to examine visual evoked responses to multiple simultaneous streams of stimulation. Concurrently, we assayed the topographic distribution of alpha-band oscillatory mechanisms, a measure of attentional suppression. Participants performed a difficult detection task that required simultaneous attention to two stimuli in contiguous (undivided) or non-contiguous parts of space. In the undivided condition, the classic pattern of attentional modulation was observed, with increased amplitude of the early visual evoked response and increased alpha amplitude ipsilateral to the attended hemifield. For the divided condition, early visual responses to attended stimuli were also enhanced, and the observed multifocal topographic distribution of alpha suppression was in line with the divided attention hypothesis. These results support the existence of divided attentional spotlights, providing evidence that the corresponding modulation occurs during initial sensory processing time-frames in hierarchically early visual regions, and that suppressive mechanisms of visual attention selectively target distracter locations during divided spatial attention. © 2014 Federation of European Neuroscience Societies and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Projecting non-diffracting waves with intermediate-plane holography.

Science.gov (United States)

Mondal, Argha; Yevick, Aaron; Blackburn, Lauren C; Kanellakopoulos, Nikitas; Grier, David G

2018-02-19

We introduce intermediate-plane holography, which substantially improves the ability of holographic trapping systems to project propagation-invariant modes of light using phase-only diffractive optical elements. Translating the mode-forming hologram to an intermediate plane in the optical train can reduce the need to encode amplitude variations in the field, and therefore complements well-established techniques for encoding complex-valued transfer functions into phase-only holograms. Compared to standard holographic trapping implementations, intermediate-plane holograms greatly improve diffraction efficiency and mode purity of propagation-invariant modes, and so increase their useful non-diffracting range. We demonstrate this technique through experimental realizations of accelerating modes and long-range tractor beams.

Tracing Early Interventions on Childhood Overweight

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ditlevsen, Kia

This thesis presents results from a qualitative research project on early interventions to counter childhood obesity in Denmark. Overall, it was found that these interventions in families with preschool children were rarely performed. One barrier to the interventions is the structural setting...... in families with a non-western ethnic minority background and with low socioeconomic status. In families who participated in interventions, other social problems and a sense of insecurity caused by precarious living conditions of different kinds influenced the parents’ readiness to restrict children in order...... in the Danish health care system, which was found to be insufficient to initiate and facilitate early interventions. In addition, cultural stereotypes were found to affect the health care practitioners who are performing early interventions, and this can create reluctance to address overweight problems...

Early neuroimaging findings of glioblastoma mimicking non-neoplastic cerebral lesion.

Science.gov (United States)

Jung, Tae-Young; Jung, Shin

2007-09-01

A 54-year-old man and a 63-year-old woman presented with glioblastoma manifesting as seizure and headache, respectively. Magnetic resonance imaging of the two patients revealed hypointense area on T(1)-weighted imaging, and hyperintense area on T(2)-weighted and diffusion-weighted imaging, with no enhancement after gadolinium administration. Both patients underwent conservative therapy under diagnoses of non-neoplastic cerebral lesion. Six months later, they suffered aggravated symptoms and new neurological deficits. Follow-up magnetic resonance imaging revealed hypointense area on diffusion-weighted imaging and ring enhancement on T(1)-weighted imaging with gadolinium at the site of the previously detected lesions. The tumors showed growth pattern of superficial origin. The large enhanced masses were totally removed through craniotomy under neuronavigator guidance. The histological diagnoses were glioblastoma. Glioblastoma may mimic non-neoplastic conditions on neuroimaging in the early stages. Close follow up of such patients is essential.

Planning and urbanistic projects – the non-author approach and issues of synergy in cooperation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Liljana Jankovič Grobelšek

2005-01-01

Full Text Available The article presents the non-author approach to urbanistic and planning projects. The project leader guides the entire project team, yet particular coordinators are also important. Contrary to authorship in architectural projects, in physical planning authorship is often or even always completely shared. Not only because planning projects can change significantly during adoption procedures, but mainly because there are many participating actors (designers, planners, commissioners and/or investors etc. that are involved in any project’s undertaking. Experience proves that the non-author approach is beneficial for good project management and creation of conditions for constructive cooperation within an interdisciplinary working group and with all the other contributing parties. Two tested examples are presented. Their comparison is very interesting, since the first example shows a project where good cooperation between the client, investor and designers, as well as willing interested public, conditioned quality improvements, while the second (because of the public and consequently against its interests diminished its quality significantly. Our judgement is that the quantity of the often mentioned necessity of public involvement is actually sufficient. There are no obstacles for public participation in urbanistic and physical planning, as long as the public is interested. Troubles are often triggered elsewhere – how to safeguard the common, public interest before particular publics (e.g. neighbours, the immediately affected etc..

Non-LTE calculations of Al III line strengths in early-type stars

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dufton, P.L.; Brown, P.J.F.; Lennon, D.J.; Lynas-Gray, A.E.

1986-01-01

Non-LTE line formation calculations, based on the 'complete linearization method' are presented for the Al III ion in early-type stars. Equivalent widths, together with the corresponding LTE values, are tabulated for 15 ultraviolet and visible region transitions, for effective temperatures from 20 000 to 35 000 K, logarithmic gravities of 3.5, 4.0 and 4.5, microturbulent velocities of 0 and 5 km s -1 and logarithmic aluminium abundances of 6.0, 6.5 and 7.0. The non-LTE line strengths are significantly larger than the LTE values particularly for the visible region transitions and the implications of this are briefly discussed. (author)

Speeding up Monte Carlo molecular simulation by a non-conservative early rejection scheme

KAUST Repository

Kadoura, Ahmad Salim

2015-04-23

Monte Carlo (MC) molecular simulation describes fluid systems with rich information, and it is capable of predicting many fluid properties of engineering interest. In general, it is more accurate and representative than equations of state. On the other hand, it requires much more computational effort and simulation time. For that purpose, several techniques have been developed in order to speed up MC molecular simulations while preserving their precision. In particular, early rejection schemes are capable of reducing computational cost by reaching the rejection decision for the undesired MC trials at an earlier stage in comparison to the conventional scheme. In a recent work, we have introduced a ‘conservative’ early rejection scheme as a method to accelerate MC simulations while producing exactly the same results as the conventional algorithm. In this paper, we introduce a ‘non-conservative’ early rejection scheme, which is much faster than the conservative scheme, yet it preserves the precision of the method. The proposed scheme is tested for systems of structureless Lennard-Jones particles in both canonical and NVT-Gibbs ensembles. Numerical experiments were conducted at several thermodynamic conditions for different number of particles. Results show that at certain thermodynamic conditions, the non-conservative method is capable of doubling the speed of the MC molecular simulations in both canonical and NVT-Gibbs ensembles. © 2015 Taylor & Francis

Adult Outcomes as a Function of an Early Childhood Educational Program: An Abecedarian Project Follow-Up

Science.gov (United States)

Campbell, Frances A.; Pungello, Elizabeth P.; Burchinal, Margaret; Kainz, Kirsten; Pan, Yi; Wasik, Barbara H.; Barbarin, Oscar A.; Sparling, Joseph J.; Ramey, Craig T.

2012-01-01

Adult (age 30) educational, economic, and social-emotional adjustment outcomes were investigated for participants in the Abecedarian Project, a randomized controlled trial of early childhood education for children from low-income families. Of the original 111 infants enrolled (98% African American), 101 took part in the age 30 follow-up. Primary…

The Role Of The Integrated, Thematic Project To Learning Progress Of The Child In The Early Period

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Aida Cornelia Stoian

2016-12-01

Full Text Available In this study, we have proposed to present you the results of an empirical research in order to identify the positive aspects of the integrated, thematic project in learning progress of children in preschool. Using the observation method, we analyzed children's results regarding the objectives in the respect to the objectives in the grid. Children's progress in learning represents the confirmation and affirmation of the role of this integrated, thematic project in supporting the early learning child.

An Early Historical Examination of the Educational Intent of Supervised Agricultural Experiences (SAEs) and Project-Based Learning in Agricultural Education

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Smith, Kasee L.; Rayfield, John

2016-01-01

Project-based learning has been a component of agricultural education since its inception. In light of the current call for additional emphasis of the Supervised Agricultural Experience (SAE) component of agricultural education, there is a need to revisit the roots of project-based learning. This early historical research study was conducted to…

Building an early career network through outreach projects: The "mon océan & moi" example

Science.gov (United States)

Barbieux, M.; Scheurle, C.; Ardyna, M.; Harmel, T.; Ferraris, M.; Jessin, T.; Lacour, L.; Mayot, N.; Organelli, E.; Pasqueron De Fommervault, O.; Penkerc'h, C.; Poteau, A.; Uitz, J.; Ramondec, S.; Sauzède, R.; Velluci, V.; Claustre, H.

2016-02-01

The ocean plays an important role in the global processes of our planet, from climate change to sea level rise, uptake of carbon dioxide to fisheries stocks. In addition, its scientific importance, extraordinary beauty and public fascination provide perfect ingredients for both education and public outreach. Four years ago, after the launch of the "mon océan & moi" outreach project, an early career network (Ph.D. students and postdocs) has been formed to "promote collaborations/exchanges between the scientific and educational worlds in order to co-elaborate a teaching method for raising the awareness of school children on marine environments". Scientists are pursuing new research yielding improved knowledge and new documentation resources. However, they lack the communication skills to make the subject accessible to the general public. On the other hand, teachers must be informed of recent discoveries and of new resources for educational purposes. To fill this gap, the early career scientists developed, in collaboration with a school authority and an experienced science communicators team, both a trail education program tested directly in middle and high schools and innovative supporting material (i.e., animations, educative video clips and experiments, interactive maps and quizzes). Here we outline a set of guidelines as to how to improve science outreach across a variety of disciplines (e.g., science, technology, engineering) and how this may impact the experience of early career scientists. These tips will be useful for other early career scientists and science outreach projects, large or small, regional, national or international. Such novel outreach initiatives will help educate current and next generations about the importance of ocean environments and the relevance of ocean sciences for the society, and may serve as an example of teamwork for other young scientists.

Carbon tape microsampling for non-destructive analyses of artefacts

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Bartůněk, V.; Varadzin, Ladislav; Zavřel, Jan

-, - (2017) ISSN 1866-9557 R&D Projects: GA ČR(CZ) GAP405/10/2334 Institutional support: RVO:67985912 Keywords : microsampling * SEM-EDS * conducting SEM carbon tape * non-ferrous metallurgy * moulds * Early Middle Ages Subject RIV: AC - Archeology, Anthropology, Ethnology OBOR OECD: Archaeology Impact factor: 1.844, year: 2016

High resolution post-mortem MRI of non-fixed in situ foetal brain in the second trimester of gestation. Normal foetal brain development

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Scola, Elisa; Palumbo, Giovanni; Avignone, Sabrina; Cinnante, Claudia Maria [Fondazione IRCCS Ca Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Neuroradiology Unit, Milan (Italy); Conte, Giorgio [Fondazione IRCCS Ca Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Neuroradiology Unit, Milan (Italy); Universita degli Studi di Milano, Postgraduation School in Radiodiagnostics, Milan (Italy); Boito, Simona; Persico, Nicola [Fondazione IRCCS Ca Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology ' L. Mangiagalli' , Milan (Italy); Rizzuti, Tommaso [Fondazione IRCCS Ca Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Pathology Unit, Milan (Italy); Triulzi, Fabio [Fondazione IRCCS Ca Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Neuroradiology Unit, Milan (Italy); Universita degli Studi di Milano, Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation, Milan (Italy)

2018-01-15

To describe normal foetal brain development with high resolution post-mortem MRI (PMMRI) of non-fixed foetal brains. We retrospectively collected PMMRIs of foetuses without intracranial abnormalities and chromosomal aberrations studied after a termination of pregnancy due to extracranial abnormalities or after a spontaneous intrauterine death. PMMRIs were performed on a 3-T scanner without any fixation and without removing the brain from the skull. All PMMRIs were evaluated in consensus by two neuroradiologists. Our analysis included ten PMMRIs (median gestational age (GA): 21 weeks; range: 17-28 weeks). At 19 and 20 weeks of GA, the corticospinal tracts are recognisable in the medulla oblongata, becoming less visible from 21 weeks. Prior to 20 weeks the posterior limb of the internal capsule (PLIC) is more hypointense than surrounding deep grey nuclei; starting from 21 weeks the PLIC becomes isointense, and is hyperintense at 28 weeks. From 19-22 weeks, the cerebral hemispheres show transient layers: marginal zone, cortical plate, subplate, and intermediate, subventricular and germinal zones. PMMRI of non-fixed in situ foetal brains preserves the natural tissue contrast and skull integrity. We assessed foetal brain development in a small cohort of foetuses, focusing on 19-22 weeks of gestation. (orig.)

High resolution post-mortem MRI of non-fixed in situ foetal brain in the second trimester of gestation. Normal foetal brain development

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Scola, Elisa; Palumbo, Giovanni; Avignone, Sabrina; Cinnante, Claudia Maria; Conte, Giorgio; Boito, Simona; Persico, Nicola; Rizzuti, Tommaso; Triulzi, Fabio

2018-01-01

To describe normal foetal brain development with high resolution post-mortem MRI (PMMRI) of non-fixed foetal brains. We retrospectively collected PMMRIs of foetuses without intracranial abnormalities and chromosomal aberrations studied after a termination of pregnancy due to extracranial abnormalities or after a spontaneous intrauterine death. PMMRIs were performed on a 3-T scanner without any fixation and without removing the brain from the skull. All PMMRIs were evaluated in consensus by two neuroradiologists. Our analysis included ten PMMRIs (median gestational age (GA): 21 weeks; range: 17-28 weeks). At 19 and 20 weeks of GA, the corticospinal tracts are recognisable in the medulla oblongata, becoming less visible from 21 weeks. Prior to 20 weeks the posterior limb of the internal capsule (PLIC) is more hypointense than surrounding deep grey nuclei; starting from 21 weeks the PLIC becomes isointense, and is hyperintense at 28 weeks. From 19-22 weeks, the cerebral hemispheres show transient layers: marginal zone, cortical plate, subplate, and intermediate, subventricular and germinal zones. PMMRI of non-fixed in situ foetal brains preserves the natural tissue contrast and skull integrity. We assessed foetal brain development in a small cohort of foetuses, focusing on 19-22 weeks of gestation. (orig.)

Non-topography-guided PRK combined with CXL for the correction of refractive errors in patients with early stage keratoconus.

Science.gov (United States)

Fadlallah, Ali; Dirani, Ali; Chelala, Elias; Antonios, Rafic; Cherfan, George; Jarade, Elias

2014-10-01

To evaluate the safety and clinical outcome of combined non-topography-guided photorefractive keratectomy (PRK) and corneal collagen cross-linking (CXL) for the treatment of mild refractive errors in patients with early stage keratoconus. A retrospective, nonrandomized study of patients with early stage keratoconus (stage 1 or 2) who underwent simultaneous non-topography-guided PRK and CXL. All patients had at least 2 years of follow-up. Data were collected preoperatively and postoperatively at the 6-month, 1-year, and 2-year follow-up visit after combined non-topography-guided PRK and CXL. Seventy-nine patients (140 eyes) were included in the study. Combined non-topography-guided PRK and CXL induced a significant improvement in both visual acuity and refraction. Uncorrected distance visual acuity significantly improved from 0.39 ± 0.22 logMAR before combined non-topography-guided PRK and CXL to 0.12 ± 0.14 logMAR at the last follow-up visit (P PRK and CXL (P PRK and CXL is an effective and safe option for correcting mild refractive error and improving visual acuity in patients with early stable keratoconus. Copyright 2014, SLACK Incorporated.

Immunocytochemical expression of monocarboxylate transporters in the human visual cortex at midgestation.

Science.gov (United States)

Fayol, Laurence; Baud, Olivier; Monier, Anne; Pellerin, Luc; Magistretti, Pierre; Evrard, Philippe; Verney, Catherine

2004-01-31

Lactate and the other monocarboxylates are a major energy source for the developing brain. We investigated the immunocytochemical expression of two monocarboxylate transporters, MCT1 and MCT2, in the human visual cortex between 13 and 26 post-ovulatory weeks. We used immunoperoxidase and immunofluorescence techniques to determine whether these transporters co-localized with markers for blood vessels (CD34), neurons (microtubule-associated protein 2 [MAP2], SMI 311), radial glia (vimentin), or astrocytes (glial fibrillary acidic protein [GFAP], S100beta protein). MCT1 immunoreactivity was visible in blood vessel walls as early as the 13th week of gestation mainly in the cortical plate and subplate. At this stage, less than 10% of vessels in the ventricular layer expressed MCT1, whereas all blood vessels walls showed this immunoreactivity at the 26th gestational week. Starting at the 19th week of gestation, sparse MCT1 positive cell bodies were detected, some of them co-localized with MAP2 immunoreactivity. MCT2 immunoreactivity was noted in astrocytic cell bodies from week 19 and spread subsequently to the astrocyte end-feet in contact with blood vessels. MCTs immunoreactivities were most marked in the subplate and deep cortical plate, where the most differentiated neurons were located. Our findings suggest that monocarboxylate trafficking between vessels (MCT1), astrocytes (MCT2) and some postmitotic neurons (MCT1) could develop gradually toward 20 gestational weeks (g.w.). These data suggest that lactate or other monocarboxylates could represent a significant energy source for the human visual cortex at this early stage.

Effects of Non-Employment in Early Work-Life on Subsequent Employment Chances of Individuals in The Netherlands

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Luijkx, A.R.C.M.; Wolbers, M.H.J.

2009-01-01

In this article, the effects of non-employment in early work-life on subsequent employment chances of individuals in the Netherlands are examined. A main concern is whether the experience of non-employment in the beginning of the career (permanently) damages a workers later employment opportunities

Twins and non-twin siblings: different estimates of shared environmental influence in early childhood.

Science.gov (United States)

Koeppen-Schomerus, Gesina; Spinath, Frank M; Plomin, Robert

2003-04-01

Twin studies typically indicate shared environmental influence for cognitive abilities, especially in early childhood. However, across studies, DZ twin correlations tend to be greater than non-twin sibling correlations, suggesting that twin estimates of shared environment are to some extent specific to twins. We tested this hypothesis in a sample of more than 1800 MZ and 1800 same-sex DZ pairs from the Twins Early Development Study (TEDS), a study of twins born in England and Wales in 1994 and 1995. For this analysis, we obtained comparable data from more than 130 same-sex younger siblings of the twins. Twins and their younger siblings were assessed for language, cognitive abilities and behavior problems by their parents at 2 and 3 years of age. For language and cognitive measures at both 2 and 3 years, but not for behavior problems, estimates of shared environment were more than twice as large for twins as compared to non-twin siblings. We conclude that about half of twin study estimates of shared environment for cognitive abilities in early childhood are specific to twins. Although many possibilities exist for explaining the special shared environment effect for twins, we suggest that cognitive-relevant experiences that are not shared by siblings are shared by twins because they are exactly the same age.

The Vallecas Project: a cohort to identify early markers and mechanisms of Alzheimer's disease

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Javier eOlazarán

2015-09-01

Full Text Available Introduction. Alzheimer’s disease (AD is a major threat for the well-being of an increasingly aged world population. The physiopathological mechanisms of late-onset AD are multiple, possibly heterogeneous, and not well understood. Different combinations of variables from several domains (i.e., clinical, neuropsychological, structural, and biochemical markers may predict dementia conversion, according to distinct physiopathological pathways, in different groups of subjects. Methods. We launched the Vallecas Project (VP, a cohort study of non-demented people aged 70 to 85, to characterize the social, clinical, neuropsychological, structural, and biochemical underpinnings of AD inception. Given the exploratory nature of the VP, multidimensional and machine learning techniques will be applied, in addition to the traditional multivariate statistical methods. Results. A total of 1,169 subjects were recruited between October 2011 and December 2013. Mean age was 74.4 years (SD 3.9, 63.5% of the subjects were women, and 17.9% of the subjects were carriers of at least one ε4 allele of the apolipoprotein E (APOE gene. Cognitive diagnoses at inclusion were as follows: normal cognition 93.0% and mild cognitive impairment (MCI 7.0% (3.1% amnestic MCI, 0.1% non-amnestic MCI, 3.8% mixed MCI. Blood samples were obtained and stored for future determinations in 99.9% of the subjects and 3T magnetic resonance imaging (MRI study was conducted in 89.9% of the volunteers. The cohort is being followed up annually for four years after the baseline. Conclusion. We have established a valuable homogeneous single-center cohort which, by identifying groups of variables associated with high risk of MCI or dementia conversion, should help to clarify the early physiopathological mechanisms of AD and should provide avenues for prompt diagnosis and AD prevention.

Non-cancer drug consumption during the early trajectory of lymphoma survivorship.

Science.gov (United States)

Rioufol, Catherine; Lamy, Sébastien; Conte, Cécile; Jeanneau, Pauline; Compaci, Giselle; Delpierre, Cyrille; Lapeyre-Mestre, Maryse; Laurent, Guy; Despas, Fabien

2017-11-22

This study explored the use of non-cancer drugs in lymphoma survivors during the early trajectory (0 to 2 years) of cancer survivorship and determined the factors that influenced this consumption. Between January and March 2014, a cross-sectional survey was conducted to assess drug consumption in adult lymphoma survivors at the Toulouse University Hospital. This study was based on a questionnaire consisting of ten open questions related to medical prescription and/or self-medication occurring within the last 3 months. A total of 83/103 lymphoma survivors returned the questionnaire. This study showed that 91.6% of patients were drug consumers (about twice more than the general French population). Twenty percent of patients were treated with≥5 drugs. Overall drug consumption mainly concerned analgesics, anti-inflammatory drugs and psychotropics. The presence of comorbidity, urban residence and female gender were associated with overall drug consumption. Moreover, half of survivors required at least one self-medication. Finally, only seven survivors (8.4%) reported no use of any medication. This study shows that, at least during the early trajectory of cancer survivorship, lymphoma patients are heavily treated with non-cancer drug therapy. This drug consumption profile may have serious implications in terms of safety, overall benefit and health economics. Copyright © 2017 Société française de pharmacologie et de thérapeutique. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Perceived core competency achievements of fellowship and non-fellowship-trained early career pediatric hospitalists.

Science.gov (United States)

Librizzi, Jamie; Winer, Jeffrey C; Banach, Laurie; Davis, Aisha

2015-06-01

The pediatric hospital medicine (PHM) core competencies were established in 2010 to identify the specific knowledge base and skill set needed to provide the highest quality of care for hospitalized children. The objectives of this study were to examine the perceived core competency achievements of fellowship-trained and non-fellowship-trained early career pediatric hospitalists and identify perceived gaps in our current training models. An anonymous Web-based survey was distributed in November 2013. Hospitalists within 5 years of their residency graduation reported their perceived competency in select PHM core competencies. χ(2) and multiprobit regression analyses were utilized. One hundred ninety-seven hospitalists completed the survey and were included; 147 were non-fellowship-trained and 50 were PHM fellowship graduates or current PHM fellows. Both groups reported feeling less than competent in sedation and aspects of business practice. Non-fellowship-trained hospitalists also reported mean scores in the less than competent range in intravenous access/phlebotomy, technology-dependent emergencies, performing Plan-Do-Study-Act process and root cause analysis, defining basic statistical terms, and identifying research resources. Non-fellowship-trained hospitalists reported mean competency scores greater than fellowship-trained hospitalists in pain management, newborn care, and transitions in care. Early career pediatric hospitalists report deficits in several of the PHM core competencies, which should be considered when designing PHM-specific training in the future. Fellowship-trained hospitalists report higher levels of perceived competency in many core areas. © 2015 Society of Hospital Medicine.

Evaluating the impact of a community developed collaborative project for the prevention of early childhood caries: the Healthy Smile Happy Child project.

Science.gov (United States)

Schroth, Robert J; Edwards, Jeanette M; Brothwell, Douglas J; Yakiwchuk, Carol A; Bertone, Mary F; Mellon, Bernadette; Ward, Jennifer; Ellis, Marion; Hai-Santiago, Khalida; Lawrence, Herenia P; Moffatt, Michael E

2015-01-01

To determine the effectiveness of the Healthy Smile Happy Child (HSHC) project, a community-developed initiative promoting early childhood oral health in Manitoba, Canada. Specific aims were to assess improvements in caregiver knowledge, attitudes, and behaviours relating to early childhood oral health, and the burden of early childhood caries (ECC) and severe ECC (S-ECC). A serial cross-sectional study design was selected to contrast findings following the Healthy Smile Happy Child (HSHC) campaign in four communities with the previous baseline data. One community was a remote First Nation in northern Manitoba and another was a rural First Nation in southern Manitoba. The other two communities were urban centres, one of which was located in northern Manitoba. A community-development approach was adopted for the project to foster community solutions to address ECC. Goals of the HSHC program were to promote the project in each community, use existing community-based programs and services to deliver the oral health promotion and ECC prevention activities, and recruit and train natural leaders to assist in program development and to deliver the ECC prevention program. The HSHC coordinator worked with communities to develop a comprehensive list of potential strategies to address ECC. Numerous activities occurred in each community to engage members and increase their knowledge of early childhood oral health and ultimately lead them to adopt preventive oral health practices for their young children. Children under 71 months of age and their primary caregivers participated in this follow-up study. A -value ≤0.05 was statistically significant. 319 children (mean age 38.2±18.6 months) and their primary caregivers participated. Significant improvements in caregiver knowledge and attitudes were observed following the HSHC campaign, including that baby teeth are important (98.8%), that decay involving primary teeth can impact on health (94.3%), and the importance of a dental

Residential mobility in early childhood: Household and neighborhood characteristics of movers and non-movers

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Elizabeth Lawrence

2015-11-01

Full Text Available Background: Understanding residential mobility in early childhood is important for contextualizing influences on child health and well-being. Objective: This study describes individual, household, and neighborhood characteristics associated with residential mobility for children aged 0-5. Methods: We examined longitudinal data from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study-Birth Cohort (ECLS-B, a nationally representative sample of children born in 2001. Frequencies described the prevalence of characteristics for four waves of data and adjusted Wald tests compared means. Results: Moving was common for these families with young children, as nearly three-quarters of children moved at least once. Movers transitioned to neighborhoods with residents of higher socioeconomic status but experienced no improved household socioeconomic position relative to non-movers. Conclusions: Both the high prevalence and unique implications of early childhood residential mobility suggest the need for further research.

Evaluation of Pacific Islands Early Childhood Caries Prevention Project: Republic of the Marshall Islands.

Science.gov (United States)

Milgrom, Peter; Tut, Ohnmar K

2009-01-01

This communication reports an outcomes evaluation of the Pacific Islands Early Childhood Caries Prevention Project. The evaluation includes children in three conditions: a) topical fluoride varnish three times per school year; b) varnish plus twice-per-day toothbrushing; and c) intervention 2 plus three-times-per-day xylitol containing gummy bear snacks at school and home visits to encourage parental involvement. For this evaluation, groups 2 and 3 have been combined. One year after project implementation, mean decayed, extracted, or filled primary teeth was 10.3 [standard deviation (SD)= 4.3] teeth for group 1, and 8.2 (SD = 4.0) teeth for the combination of groups 2 and 3 (P 0.05). Evaluation confirms the outcome of a program including both in-school twice-daily toothbrushing with fluoridated toothpaste and frequent applications of fluoride varnish.

Attendance, Performance and the Acquisition of Early Literacy Skills: A Comparison of Indigenous and Non-Indigenous School Children

Science.gov (United States)

Ehrich, John; Wolgemuth, Jennifer R.; Helmer, Janet; Oteng, Georges; Lea, Tess; Bartlett, Claire; Smith, Heather; Emmett, Sue

2010-01-01

As part of an evaluation of a web-based early literacy intervention, ABRACADABRA, a small exploratory study was conducted over one term in three primary schools in the Northern Territory. Of particular concern was the relationship between attendance and the acquisition of early literacy skills of Indigenous and non-Indigenous children. Using the…

Effect of Foster Care on Language Learning at Eight Years: Findings from the Bucharest Early Intervention Project

Science.gov (United States)

Windsor, Jennifer; Moraru, Ana; Nelson, Charles A., III.; Fox, Nathan A.; Zeanah, Charles H.

2013-01-01

This study reports on language outcomes at eight years from the Bucharest Early Intervention Project, a randomized controlled study of foster care. We previously have shown that children placed in foster care by age two have substantially stronger preschool language outcomes than children placed later and children remaining in institutional care.…

Cosmological QCD phase transition in steady non-equilibrium dissipative Hořava–Lifshitz early universe

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Khodadi, M.; Sepangi, H.R.

2014-01-01

We study the phase transition from quark–gluon plasma to hadrons in the early universe in the context of non-equilibrium thermodynamics. According to the standard model of cosmology, a phase transition associated with chiral symmetry breaking after the electro-weak transition has occurred when the universe was about 1–10 μs old. We focus attention on such a phase transition in the presence of a viscous relativistic cosmological background fluid in the framework of non-detailed balance Hořava–Lifshitz cosmology within an effective model of QCD. We consider a flat Friedmann–Robertson–Walker universe filled with a non-causal and a causal bulk viscous cosmological fluid respectively and investigate the effects of the running coupling constants of Hořava–Lifshitz gravity, λ, on the evolution of the physical quantities relevant to a description of the early universe, namely, the temperature T, scale factor a, deceleration parameter q and dimensionless ratio of the bulk viscosity coefficient to entropy density (ξ)/s . We assume that the bulk viscosity cosmological background fluid obeys the evolution equation of the steady truncated (Eckart) and full version of the Israel–Stewart fluid, respectively. -- Highlights: •In this paper we have studied quark–hadron phase transition in the early universe in the context of the Hořava–Lifshitz model. •We use a flat FRW universe with the bulk viscosity cosmological background fluid obeying the evolution equation of the steady truncated (Eckart) and full version of the Israel–Stewart fluid, respectively

Role of early experience in ant enslavement: a comparative analysis of a host and a non-host species

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Sermage Claire

2005-08-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Ants use the odour of the colony to discriminate nestmates. In some species, this odour is learned during the first days following emergence, and thus early experience has a strong influence on nestmate discrimination. Slave-making ants are social parasites that capture brood of other ant species to increase the worker force of their colony. After emerging in the slave-maker nest, slave workers work as if they were in their own colony. We tested the hypothesis that early experience allows the deception of commonly enslaved species, while non-host species use a different mechanism, which does not involve learning. Results Pupae of a host species, Temnothorax unifasciatus, and a non-host species, T. parvulus, were allowed to emerge in the presence of workers of one of two slave-maker species, Chalepoxenus muellerianus or Myrmoxenus ravouxi. When T. unifasciatus was exposed to slave-makers for 10 days following emergence, they were more aggressive towards their own sisters and groomed the slave-maker more. T. parvulus gave a less clear result: while workers behaved more aggressively towards their sisters when exposed early to C. muellerianus workers, this was not the case when exposed early to M. ravouxi workers. Moreover, T. parvulus workers allogroomed conspecific nestmates less than T. unifasciatus. Allogrooming activity might be very important for the slave-makers because they are tended by their slaves. Conclusion Our findings show that early experience influences nestmate discrimination in the ant T. unifasciatus and can account for the successful enslavement of this species. However, the non-host species T. parvulus is less influenced by the early environment. This might help to explain why this species is never used by social parasites.

Exploring the role of wood waste landfills in early detection of non-native alien wood-boring beetles

Science.gov (United States)

Davide Rassati; Massimo Faccoli; Lorenzo Marini; Robert A. Haack; Andrea Battisti; Edoardo. Petrucco Toffolo

2015-01-01

Non-native wood-boring beetles (Coleoptera) represent one of the most commonly intercepted groups of insects at ports worldwide. The development of early detection methods is a crucial step when implementing rapid response programs so that non-native wood-boring beetles can be quickly detected and a timely action plan can be produced. However, due to the limited...

Content and Formation Cause of VOCs in Medical Waste Non-incineration Treatment Project

Science.gov (United States)

Dengchao, Jin; Hongjun, Teng; Zhenbo, Bao; Yang, Li

2018-02-01

When medical waste is treated by non-incineration technology, volatile organic compounds in the waste will be volatile out and form odor pollution. This paper studied VOCs productions in medical waste steam treatment project, microwave treatment project and chemical dinifection project. Sampling and analysis were carried out on the waste gas from treatment equipment and the gas in treatment workshop. The contents of nine VOCs were determined. It was found that the VOCs content in the exhaust gas at the outlet of steam treatment unit was much higher than that of microwave and chemical treatment unit, while the content of VOCs in the chemical treatment workshop was higher than that in the steam and microwave treatment workshop. The formation causes of VOCs were also analyzed and discussed in this paper.

RESEARCH ON NON-DESTRUCTIVE TESTING TECHNOLOGY IN CONSERVATION REPAIR PROJECT OF ANCESTRAL TEMPLE IN MUKDEN PALACE

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J. Yang

2017-08-01

Full Text Available Due to the use of wood and other non-permanent materials, traditional Chinese architecture is one of the most fragile constructions in various heritage objects today. With the increasing emphasis on the protection of cultural relics, the repair project of wooden structure has become more and more important. There are various kinds of destructions, which pose a hidden danger to the overall safety of the ancient buildings, caused not only by time and nature, but also by improper repairs in history or nowadays. Today, the use of digital technology is a basic requirement in the conservation of cultural heritage. Detection technology, especially non-destructive testing technology, could provide more accurate records in capturing detailed physical characteristics of structures such as geometric deformation and invisible damage, as well as prevent a man-made destruction in the process of repair project. This paper aims to interpret with a typical example, Ancestral Temple in Mukden Palace, along with a discussion of how to use the non-destructive testing technology with ground penetrating radar, stress wave, resistograph and so on, in addition to find an appropriate protection method in repair project of traditional Chinese wooden architecture.

Research on Non-Destructive Testing Technology in Conservation Repair Project of Ancestral Temple in Mukden Palace

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, J.; Fu, M.

2017-08-01

Due to the use of wood and other non-permanent materials, traditional Chinese architecture is one of the most fragile constructions in various heritage objects today. With the increasing emphasis on the protection of cultural relics, the repair project of wooden structure has become more and more important. There are various kinds of destructions, which pose a hidden danger to the overall safety of the ancient buildings, caused not only by time and nature, but also by improper repairs in history or nowadays. Today, the use of digital technology is a basic requirement in the conservation of cultural heritage. Detection technology, especially non-destructive testing technology, could provide more accurate records in capturing detailed physical characteristics of structures such as geometric deformation and invisible damage, as well as prevent a man-made destruction in the process of repair project. This paper aims to interpret with a typical example, Ancestral Temple in Mukden Palace, along with a discussion of how to use the non-destructive testing technology with ground penetrating radar, stress wave, resistograph and so on, in addition to find an appropriate protection method in repair project of traditional Chinese wooden architecture.

Perceived Social Support from Family and Friends and Early Maladaptive Schemas among Female and Male Delinquent and Non-delinquent Adolescents

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anahita khodabakhshi koolaee1

2016-03-01

Full Text Available Background and Objective: Adolescence, period of transition from childhood to adulthood, is time with changes in social, psychological, behavioral, and physical situations. These changes combined with the cultural, social and family backgrounds’ adolescents, can lead to social problems such as social deviations (delinquency.This study aims to compare the components of perceived social support and early maladaptive schemas in adolescents (male and female delinquent and non-delinquent.Materials and Methods: This research was based on comparative and causal method. In this research, 100 delinquent adolescents (80 male and 20 female using convenience sampling method and 100 non-delinquent adolescents (80 male and 20 female using Cluster sampling method were selected. They completed the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS questionnaires and Young Schema Questionnaire-Short Form (YSQ-SF. Data analysis was performed via descriptive statistics (Mean and SD. and analytic methods such as independent T-test.Results: Delinquent adolescents had higher mean of early maladaptive schemas and instead had lower level of social support. In addition, delinquent boys had higher early maladaptive schemas mean compared to non-delinquent boys and they had different levels of social support. There was a significant difference in perceived social support between delinquent and non-delinquent girls. Also, there was a significant difference between early maladaptive schemas of delinquent and non-delinquent girls.              Conclusion: The findings showed the importance of providing background for strengthening of social support. Identification of early maladaptive schemas as patterns of emotional and cognitive damage in adolescence can be useful to provide appropriate psychological services to improve the quality of life and increased health-related behaviors of delinquent individual.

Early cell adhesion events differ between osteoporotic and non-osteoporotic osteoblasts.

Science.gov (United States)

Perinpanayagam, H; Zaharias, R; Stanford, C; Brand, R; Keller, J; Schneider, G

2001-11-01

In osteoporosis, the regenerative capacity of bone is compromised, which may involve altered osteoblast (OB) activity. This could be attributed to an inappropriate synthesis and assembly of an extracellular matrix (ECM), altered cell adhesion to the ECM, or be due to inappropriate downstream activation of adhesion-mediated signaling cascades through proteins such as focal adhesion kinase (FAK). The purpose of our study was to compare early adhesion-mediated events using previously described and characterized clinically derived OBs obtained from human patients undergoing major joint arthroplasty for osteoporosis or osteoarthritis. The presence or absence of osteoporosis was established with a radiographic index. Using light microscopy and crystal violet staining, we show that OB cells derived from sites of osteoporosis do not attach and spread as well as non-osteoporotic (OP) OB cells. OP cells initially have a more rounded morphology, and show significantly less (P attachment to serum-coated tissue culture plastic over a 24 h time period. Immunofluorescent labeling after 24 h of attachment showed that OP OB focal adhesions (FAs) and stress fibers were less defined, and that the OP cells were smaller and had a more motile phenotype. When normalized protein lysates were Western blotted for phosphotyrosine (PY) a band corresponding to pp125FAK was identified. FAK tyrosine phosphorylation was evident at 6 h in both the OP and non-OP OBs, but decreased or was absent through 24 h in OP OBs. These results suggest early adhesion-mediated events, such as cell adhesion, attachment, and FAK signaling via PY may be altered in OP OBs.

A simplified clinical risk score predicts the need for early endoscopy in non-variceal upper gastrointestinal bleeding.

Science.gov (United States)

Tammaro, Leonardo; Buda, Andrea; Di Paolo, Maria Carla; Zullo, Angelo; Hassan, Cesare; Riccio, Elisabetta; Vassallo, Roberto; Caserta, Luigi; Anderloni, Andrea; Natali, Alessandro

2014-09-01

Pre-endoscopic triage of patients who require an early upper endoscopy can improve management of patients with non-variceal upper gastrointestinal bleeding. To validate a new simplified clinical score (T-score) to assess the need of an early upper endoscopy in non variceal bleeding patients. Secondary outcomes were re-bleeding rate, 30-day bleeding-related mortality. In this prospective, multicentre study patients with bleeding who underwent upper endoscopy were enrolled. The accuracy for high risk endoscopic stigmata of the T-score was compared with that of the Glasgow Blatchford risk score. Overall, 602 patients underwent early upper endoscopy, and 472 presented with non-variceal bleeding. High risk endoscopic stigmata were detected in 145 (30.7%) cases. T-score sensitivity and specificity for high risk endoscopic stigmata and bleeding-related mortality was 96% and 30%, and 80% and 71%, respectively. No statistically difference in predicting high risk endoscopic stigmata between T-score and Glasgow Blatchford risk score was observed (ROC curve: 0.72 vs. 0.69, p=0.11). The two scores were also similar in predicting re-bleeding (ROC curve: 0.64 vs. 0.63, p=0.4) and 30-day bleeding-related mortality (ROC curve: 0.78 vs. 0.76, p=0.3). The T-score appeared to predict high risk endoscopic stigmata, re-bleeding and mortality with similar accuracy to Glasgow Blatchford risk score. Such a score may be helpful for the prediction of high-risk patients who need a very early therapeutic endoscopy. Copyright © 2014 Editrice Gastroenterologica Italiana S.r.l. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Non-Formal Education and Livelihood Skills for Marginalised Street and Slum Youth in Uganda. Project Report

Science.gov (United States)

United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), 2006

2006-01-01

The Building Capacities for Non formal Education and Life Skills Programmes project in Uganda was implemented by Uganda Youth Development Link (UYDEL) with financial and technical support from UNESCO--Section for Literacy and non Formal Education in 2004-05; aiming at assisting vulnerable and marginalised youth affected by HIV/AIDS and other risk…

Academic success and early career outcomes : Can honors alumni be distinguished from non-honors alumni?

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kool, A.; Mainhard, M. T.; Brekelmans, M.; van Beukelen, P.; Jaarsma, Alexandra

2016-01-01

This study compared Dutch alumni who previously participated in an honors program (n=72) to non-honors alumni who entered university as high-achieving high school students (n=72) with regard to (1) final university grade point average (GPA) and (2) early career outcomes. Final grades were drawn from

Snake pictures draw more early attention than spider pictures in non-phobic women: Evidence from event-related brain potentials

OpenAIRE

Strien, Jan; Eijlers, R.; Franken, Ingmar; Huijding, Jorg

2014-01-01

textabstractSnakes were probably the first predators of mammals and may have been important agents of evolutionary changes in the primate visual system allowing rapid visual detection of fearful stimuli (Isbell, 2006). By means of early and late attention-related brain potentials, we examined the hypothesis that more early visual attention is automatically allocated to snakes than to spiders. To measure the early posterior negativity (EPN), 24 healthy, non-phobic women watched the random rapi...

Coupled rolling motion: a student project in non-holonomic mechanics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Janova, Jitka; Musilova, Jana; Bartos, JirI

2009-01-01

This paper presents an original undergraduate student project in theoretical mechanics: a demonstration of theory and experiment agreement inspired by a recently theoretically treated mechanical problem of coupled rolling motion of two cylinders. The problem of a mechanical system subjected to non-holonomic constraints is theoretically and numerically solved. Subsequently, the solution is quantitatively verified by a simple and inexpensive experiment, originally proposed and constructed by the authors. The comparison of results of the theoretical study with experimental output shows that there are instruments to directly verify rather abstract mathematical theories even on the undergraduate level. Moreover, combining the theoretical description of the problem with an appropriate laboratory experiment and computational procedures gives students a more complex view of the physical problem as a whole. This paper can be used by physics teachers on the undergraduate university level as an inspiration for an interesting student project. Moreover, the theoretical part of this paper itself can be used by interested intermediate students themselves as a good exercise in theoretical mechanics.

Prediction of leakage current of non-ceramic insulators in early aging period

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

El-Hag, Ayman H. [Electrical Engineering Department, American University of Sharjah, Sharjah (United Arab Emirates); Jahromi, Ali Naderian [Kinectrics Inc., Transmission and Distribution Technologies, Toronto (Canada); Sanaye-Pasand, Majid [Electrical and Computer Engineering Department, University of Tehran (Iran)

2008-10-15

The paper presents a neural network based prediction technique for the leakage current (LC) of non-ceramic insulators during salt-fog test. Nearly 50 distribution class silicone rubber (SIR) insulators with three different voltage classes have been tested in a salt-fog chamber, where the LC has been continuously recorded for at least 100 h. A boundary for early aging period is defined by the rate of change of the LC instead of a fixed threshold value. Consequently, the Gaussian radial basis network has been adopted to predict the level of LC at the early stage of aging of the SIR insulators and is compared with a classical network. The initial values of LC and its rate of change at 10 min intervals for the first 5 h are selected as the input to the network, and the final value of LC of the early aging period is considered as the output of the network. It is found that Gaussian radial basis function network with a random optimizing training method is an appropriate network to predict the LC with a 3.5-5.3% accuracy, if the training data and the testing data are selected from the same type of SIR insulators. (author)

On the non-existence of Thas maximal arcs in odd order projective planes

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Blokhuis, A.; Hamilton, N.; Wilbrink, H.A.

1998-01-01

In this paper it is shown that given a non-degenerate elliptic quadric in the projective spacePG(2n - 1,q),qodd, then there does not exist a spread ofPG(2n - 1,q) such that each element of the spread meets the quadric in a maximal totally singular subspace. An immediate consequence is that the

Non-Profit/Higher Education Project Management Series: The Project Plan

Science.gov (United States)

Burgher, Karl E.; Snyder, Michael

2012-01-01

This is the second installment of the AACRAO management series focusing on project management in the academy. In this article, the authors focus on white papers (often called charters, briefs, or fact sheets) and their partner, the work plan. The work plan is a detailed document that defines each aspect of a project. It is often preceded by a…

78 FR 33051 - Non-Rock Alternatives to Shoreline Protection Demonstration Project (LA-16) Iberia, Jefferson...

Science.gov (United States)

2013-06-03

... DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Natural Resources Conservation Service Non-Rock Alternatives to...-Rock Alternatives to Shoreline Protection Demonstration Project (LA-16), Iberia, Jefferson, and... and environmental limitations preclude the use of rock structures. The shoreline protection systems...

The Brookline Early Education Project: a 25-year follow-up study of a family-centered early health and development intervention.

Science.gov (United States)

Palfrey, Judith S; Hauser-Cram, Penny; Bronson, Martha B; Warfield, Marji Erickson; Sirin, Selcuk; Chan, Eugenia

2005-07-01

Clinicians, scientists, and policy makers are increasingly taking interest in the long-term outcomes of early intervention programs undertaken during the 1960s and 1970s, which were intended to improve young children's health and educational prospects. The Brookline Early Education Project (BEEP) was an innovative, community-based program that provided health and developmental services for children and their families from 3 months before birth until entry into kindergarten. It was open to all families in the town of Brookline and to families from neighboring Boston, to include a mixture of families from suburban and urban communities. The goal of the project, which was administered by the Brookline Public Schools, was to ensure that children would enter kindergarten healthy and ready to learn. Outcome studies of BEEP and comparison children during kindergarten and second grade demonstrated the program's effectiveness during the early school years. The goal of this follow-up study was to test the hypotheses that BEEP participants, in comparison with their peers, would have higher levels of educational attainment, higher incomes, and more positive health behaviors, mental health, and health efficacy during the young adult period. Participants were young adults who were enrolled in the BEEP project from 1973 to 1978. Comparison subjects were young adults in Boston and Brookline who did not participate in BEEP but were matched to the BEEP group with respect to age, ethnicity, mother's educational level, and neighborhood (during youth). A total of 169 children were enrolled originally in BEEP and monitored through second grade. The follow-up sample included a total of 120 young adults who had participated in BEEP as children. The sample differed from the original BEEP sample in having a slightly larger proportion of college-educated mothers and a slightly smaller proportion of urban families but otherwise resembled the original BEEP sample. The demographic features of

Early Invasive Versus Selective Strategy for Non-ST-Segment Elevation Acute Coronary Syndrome: The ICTUS Trial

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hoedemaker, N.P.G.; Damman, P.; Woudstra, P.; Hirsch, A.; Windhausen, F.; Tijssen, J.G.; Winter, R.J. de; Verheugt, F.W.A.; et al.,

2017-01-01

BACKGROUND: The ICTUS (Invasive Versus Conservative Treatment in Unstable Coronary Syndromes) trial compared early invasive strategy with a selective invasive strategy in patients with non-ST-segment elevation acute coronary syndrome (NSTE-ACS) and an elevated cardiac troponin T. No long-term

A Projected Non-linear Conjugate Gradient Method for Interactive Inverse Kinematics

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Engell-Nørregård, Morten; Erleben, Kenny

2009-01-01

Inverse kinematics is the problem of posing an articulated figure to obtain a wanted goal, without regarding inertia and forces. Joint limits are modeled as bounds on individual degrees of freedom, leading to a box-constrained optimization problem. We present A projected Non-linear Conjugate...... Gradient optimization method suitable for box-constrained optimization problems for inverse kinematics. We show application on inverse kinematics positioning of a human figure. Performance is measured and compared to a traditional Jacobian Transpose method. Visual quality of the developed method...

Early invasive versus non-invasive treatment in patients with non-ST-elevation acute coronary syndrome (FRISC-II): 15 year follow-up of a prospective, randomised, multicentre study.

Science.gov (United States)

Wallentin, Lars; Lindhagen, Lars; Ärnström, Elisabet; Husted, Steen; Janzon, Magnus; Johnsen, Søren Paaske; Kontny, Frederic; Kempf, Tibor; Levin, Lars-Åke; Lindahl, Bertil; Stridsberg, Mats; Ståhle, Elisabeth; Venge, Per; Wollert, Kai C; Swahn, Eva; Lagerqvist, Bo

2016-10-15

The FRISC-II trial was the first randomised trial to show a reduction in death or myocardial infarction with an early invasive versus a non-invasive treatment strategy in patients with non-ST-elevation acute coronary syndrome. Here we provide a remaining lifetime perspective on the effects on all cardiovascular events during 15 years' follow-up. The FRISC-II prospective, randomised, multicentre trial was done at 58 Scandinavian centres in Sweden, Denmark, and Norway. Between June 17, 1996, and Aug 28, 1998, we randomly assigned (1:1) 2457 patients with non-ST-elevation acute coronary syndrome to an early invasive treatment strategy, aiming for revascularisation within 7 days, or a non-invasive strategy, with invasive procedures at recurrent symptoms or severe exercise-induced ischaemia. Plasma for biomarker analyses was obtained at randomisation. For long-term outcomes, we linked data with national health-care registers. The primary endpoint was a composite of death or myocardial infarction. Outcomes were compared as the average postponement of the next event, including recurrent events, calculated as the area between mean cumulative count-of-events curves. Analyses were done by intention to treat. At a minimum of 15 years' follow-up on Dec 31, 2014, data for survival status and death were available for 2421 (99%) of the initially recruited 2457 patients, and for other events after 2 years for 2182 (89%) patients. During follow-up, the invasive strategy postponed death or next myocardial infarction by a mean of 549 days (95% CI 204-888; p=0·0020) compared with the non-invasive strategy. This effect was larger in non-smokers (mean gain 809 days, 95% CI 402-1175; p interaction =0·0182), patients with elevated troponin T (778 days, 357-1165; p interaction =0·0241), and patients with high concentrations of growth differentiation factor-15 (1356 days, 507-1650; p interaction =0·0210). The difference was mainly driven by postponement of new myocardial infarction

SSX2-4 expression in early-stage non-small cell lung cancer

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Greve, K B V; Pøhl, M; Olsen, K E

2014-01-01

The expression of cancer/testis antigens SSX2, SSX3, and SSX4 in non-small cell lung cancers (NSCLC) was examined, since they are considered promising targets for cancer immunotherapy due to their immunogenicity and testis-restricted normal tissue expression. We characterized three SSX antibodies...... was only detected in 5 of 143 early-stage NSCLCs, which is rare compared to other cancer/testis antigens (e.g. MAGE-A and GAGE). However, further studies are needed to determine whether SSX can be used as a prognostic or predictive biomarker in NSCLC....

Academic success and early career outcomes : Can honors alumni be distinguished from non-honors alumni?

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kool, A.; Mainhard, M. T.; Jaarsma, A. D C; Brekelmans, M.; van Beukelen, P.

2016-01-01

This study compared Dutch alumni who previously participated in an honors program (n = 72) to non-honors alumni who entered university as high-achieving high school students (n = 72) with regard to (1) final university grade point average (GPA) and (2) early career outcomes. Final grades were drawn

Early Invasive Versus Selective Strategy for Non-ST-Segment Elevation Acute Coronary Syndrome: The ICTUS Trial

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hoedemaker, Niels P. G.; Damman, Peter; Woudstra, Pier; Hirsch, Alexander; Windhausen, Fons; Tijssen, Jan G. P.; de Winter, Robbert J.; Peters, R. J. G.; Dunselman, P. H. J. M.; Verheugt, F. W. A.; Janus, C. L.; Umans, V.; Bendermacher, P. E. F.; Michels, H. R.; Sadé e, A.; Hertzberger, D.; de Miliano, P. A. R. M.; Liem, A. H.; Tjon Joe Gin, R.; van der Linde, M.; Lok, D.; Hoedemaker, G.; Pieterse, M.; van den Merkhof, L.; Danië ls, M.; van Hessen, M.; Hermans, W.; Schotborgh, C. E.; de Zwaan, C.; Bredero, A.; de Jaegere, P.; Janssen, M.; Louwerenburg, J.; Veerhoek, M.; Schalij, M.; de Porto, A.; Zijlstra, F.; Winter, J.; de Feyter, P.; Robles de Medina, R.; Withagen, P.; Sedney, M.; Thijssen, H.; van Rees, C.; van den Bergh, P.; de Cock, C.; van 't Hof, A.; Suttorp, M. J.; Windhausen, F.; Cornel, J. H.

2017-01-01

The ICTUS (Invasive Versus Conservative Treatment in Unstable Coronary Syndromes) trial compared early invasive strategy with a selective invasive strategy in patients with non-ST-segment elevation acute coronary syndrome (NSTE-ACS) and an elevated cardiac troponin T. No long-term benefit of an

Identifying anomalously early spring onsets in the CESM large ensemble project

Science.gov (United States)

Labe, Zachary; Ault, Toby; Zurita-Milla, Raul

2017-06-01

Seasonal transitions from winter to spring impact a wide variety of ecological and physical systems. While the effects of early springs across North America are widely documented, changes in their frequency and likelihood under the combined influences of climate change and natural variability are poorly understood. Extremely early springs, such as March 2012, can lead to severe economical losses and agricultural damage when these are followed by hard freeze events. Here we use the new Community Earth System Model Large Ensemble project and Extended Spring Indices to simulate historical and future spring onsets across the United States and in the particular the Great Lakes region. We found a marked increase in the frequency of March 2012-like springs by midcentury in addition to an overall trend towards earlier spring onsets, which nearly doubles that of observational records. However, changes in the date of last freeze do not occur at the same rate, therefore, causing a potential increase in the threat of plant tissue damage. Although large-scale climate modes, such as the Pacific Decadal Oscillation, have previously dominated decadal to multidecadal spring onset trends, our results indicate a decreased role in natural climate variability and hence a greater forced response by the end of the century for modulating trends. Without a major reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, our study suggests that years like 2012 in the US could become normal by mid-century.

Three-dimensional DNA image cytometry by optical projection tomographic microscopy for early cancer diagnosis.

Science.gov (United States)

Agarwal, Nitin; Biancardi, Alberto M; Patten, Florence W; Reeves, Anthony P; Seibel, Eric J

2014-04-01

Aneuploidy is typically assessed by flow cytometry (FCM) and image cytometry (ICM). We used optical projection tomographic microscopy (OPTM) for assessing cellular DNA content using absorption and fluorescence stains. OPTM combines some of the attributes of both FCM and ICM and generates isometric high-resolution three-dimensional (3-D) images of single cells. Although the depth of field of the microscope objective was in the submicron range, it was extended by scanning the objective's focal plane. The extended depth of field image is similar to a projection in a conventional x-ray computed tomography. These projections were later reconstructed using computed tomography methods to form a 3-D image. We also present an automated method for 3-D nuclear segmentation. Nuclei of chicken, trout, and triploid trout erythrocyte were used to calibrate OPTM. Ratios of integrated optical densities extracted from 50 images of each standard were compared to ratios of DNA indices from FCM. A comparison of mean square errors with thionin, hematoxylin, Feulgen, and SYTOX green was done. Feulgen technique was preferred as it showed highest stoichiometry, least variance, and preserved nuclear morphology in 3-D. The addition of this quantitative biomarker could further strengthen existing classifiers and improve early diagnosis of cancer using 3-D microscopy.

Numerical Simulation of Fluid Mixing in Upper Annular Space of SMART during Early Stage of non-LOCA

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bae, Youngmin; Kim, Young-In; Kim, Keung Koo [KAERI, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

2015-05-15

KAERI (Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute) is developing a passive safety injection system (PSIS) to supply cold borated water into a reactor coolant system (RCS) without any operator actions or AC power under the occurrence of postulated design basis accidents. The PSIS consists of four independent trains, each of which is furnished with a gravity drained core makeup tank (CMT) and a safety injection tank (SIT). The CMT is designed to provide makeup and boration functions to the RCS during the early stage of a loss of coolant accident (LOCA) and a non-LOCA. In this paper, we investigate numerically the fluid mixing characteristics in the upper annular space of SMART, especially when single-phase natural circulation is formed between the CMT and RCS following a non-LOCA such as a main steam line break. In this paper, the fluid mixing characteristics in the upper annular space of SMART are investigated numerically when single-phase natural circulation is formed between the RCS and CMT during the early stage of a non-LOCA.

Numerical Simulation of Fluid Mixing in Upper Annular Space of SMART during Early Stage of non-LOCA

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bae, Youngmin; Kim, Young-In; Kim, Keung Koo

2015-01-01

KAERI (Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute) is developing a passive safety injection system (PSIS) to supply cold borated water into a reactor coolant system (RCS) without any operator actions or AC power under the occurrence of postulated design basis accidents. The PSIS consists of four independent trains, each of which is furnished with a gravity drained core makeup tank (CMT) and a safety injection tank (SIT). The CMT is designed to provide makeup and boration functions to the RCS during the early stage of a loss of coolant accident (LOCA) and a non-LOCA. In this paper, we investigate numerically the fluid mixing characteristics in the upper annular space of SMART, especially when single-phase natural circulation is formed between the CMT and RCS following a non-LOCA such as a main steam line break. In this paper, the fluid mixing characteristics in the upper annular space of SMART are investigated numerically when single-phase natural circulation is formed between the RCS and CMT during the early stage of a non-LOCA

Treatment of Early Stage Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: Surgery or Stereotactic Ablative Radiotherapy?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Esengül Koçak Uzel

2015-03-01

Full Text Available The management of early-stage Non-small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC has improved recently due to advances in surgical and radiation modalities. Minimally-invasive procedures like Video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS lobectomy decreases the morbidity of surgery, while the numerous methods of staging the mediastinum such as endobronchial and endoscopic ultrasound-guided biopsies are helping to achieve the objectives much more effectively. Stereotactic Ablative Radiotherapy (SABR has become the frontrunner as the standard of care in medically inoperable early stage NSCLC patients, and has also been branded as tolerable and highly effective. Ongoing researches using SABR are continuously validating the optimal dosing and fractionation schemes, while at the same time instituting its role for both inoperable and operable patients.

Early non-destructive biofouling detection in spiral wound RO Membranes using a mobile earth's field NMR

KAUST Repository

Fridjonsson, E.O.; Vogt, S.J.; Vrouwenvelder, Johannes S.; Johns, M.L.

2015-01-01

We demonstrate the use of Earth's field (EF) Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) to provide early non-destructive detection of active biofouling of a commercial spiral wound reverse osmosis (RO) membrane module. The RO membrane module was actively biofouled to different extents, by the addition of biodegradable nutrients to the feed stream, as revealed by a subtle feed-channel pressure drop increase. Easily accessible EF NMR parameters (signal relaxation parameters T1, T2 and the total NMR signal modified to be sensitive to stagnant fluid only) were measured and analysed in terms of their ability to detect the onset of biofouling. The EF NMR showed that fouling near the membrane module entrance significantly distorted the flow field through the whole membrane module. The total NMR signal is shown to be suitable for non-destructive early biofouling detection of spiral wound membrane modules, it was readily deployed at high (operational) flow rates, was particularly sensitive to flow field changes due to biofouling and could be deployed at any position along the membrane module axis. In addition to providing early fouling detection, the mobile EF NMR apparatus could also be used to (i) evaluate the production process of spiral wound membrane modules, and (ii) provide an in-situ determination of module cleaning process efficiency.

Early non-destructive biofouling detection in spiral wound RO Membranes using a mobile earth's field NMR

KAUST Repository

Fridjonsson, E.O.

2015-04-20

We demonstrate the use of Earth\\'s field (EF) Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) to provide early non-destructive detection of active biofouling of a commercial spiral wound reverse osmosis (RO) membrane module. The RO membrane module was actively biofouled to different extents, by the addition of biodegradable nutrients to the feed stream, as revealed by a subtle feed-channel pressure drop increase. Easily accessible EF NMR parameters (signal relaxation parameters T1, T2 and the total NMR signal modified to be sensitive to stagnant fluid only) were measured and analysed in terms of their ability to detect the onset of biofouling. The EF NMR showed that fouling near the membrane module entrance significantly distorted the flow field through the whole membrane module. The total NMR signal is shown to be suitable for non-destructive early biofouling detection of spiral wound membrane modules, it was readily deployed at high (operational) flow rates, was particularly sensitive to flow field changes due to biofouling and could be deployed at any position along the membrane module axis. In addition to providing early fouling detection, the mobile EF NMR apparatus could also be used to (i) evaluate the production process of spiral wound membrane modules, and (ii) provide an in-situ determination of module cleaning process efficiency.

Snake pictures draw more early attention than spider pictures in non-phobic women: evidence from event-related brain potentials.

Science.gov (United States)

Van Strien, J W; Eijlers, R; Franken, I H A; Huijding, J

2014-02-01

Snakes were probably the first predators of mammals and may have been important agents of evolutionary changes in the primate visual system allowing rapid visual detection of fearful stimuli (Isbell, 2006). By means of early and late attention-related brain potentials, we examined the hypothesis that more early visual attention is automatically allocated to snakes than to spiders. To measure the early posterior negativity (EPN), 24 healthy, non-phobic women watched the random rapid serial presentation of 600 snake pictures, 600 spider pictures, and 600 bird pictures (three pictures per second). To measure the late positive potential (LPP), they also watched similar pictures (30 pictures per stimulus category) in a non-speeded presentation. The EPN amplitude was largest for snake pictures, intermediate for spider pictures and smallest for bird pictures. The LPP was significantly larger for both snake and spider pictures when compared to bird pictures. Interestingly, spider fear (as measured by a questionnaire) was associated with EPN amplitude for spider pictures, whereas snake fear was not associated with EPN amplitude for snake pictures. The results suggest that ancestral priorities modulate the early capture of visual attention and that early attention to snakes is more innate and independent of reported fear. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A first city-wide early defibrillation project in a German city: 5-year results of the Bochum against sudden cardiac arrest study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hanefeld Christoph

2010-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Immediate defibrillation is the decisive determinant of prognosis in patients suffering from cardiac/circulatory arrest caused by ventricular fibrillation (VF. Therefore, various national and international associations recommend that first responders use defibrillators as soon as possible and also recommend public access to early defibrillation programmes. Here we report the results of the first city-wide early defibrillation project in a large German urban area. Methods There were 155 automated external defibrillators (AEDs put into operation in the Bochum municipal area, and 6,294 people took part in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR and AED training. Free, accessible AEDs were installed in places with large volumes of people. Additionally, emergency forces were progressively equipped with AEDs. Results Twelve AED administrations prior to the arrival of an emergency physician were recorded and analysed over a period of 5 years (08/2004-08/2009. Rhythm analysis via AED demonstrated VF in seven cases, non-malignant dysrhythmias in four cases and asystole in one case. Two of the seven patients with VF were successfully defibrillated and survived cardiac/circulatory arrest without any neurological sequelae. Eight of the 12 AED applications were performed by laymen. The mean time between switching the unit on and applying the electrodes to the patient was 39 seconds (SD +/-20 sec. On average, another 20 seconds elapsed before the AED recommendation of "shock delivery" was displayed, and a total of 96 seconds elapsed before shock administration (± 56 sec. Conclusion Consistent with other reports, our findings show that the organisation of a city-wide initiative by a project office combining public access and first-responder defibrillation programmes can be safe, feasible and successful. Our experiences confirm that strategic planning of AED placement is a prerequisite for successful, cost-effective resuscitation.

Project evaluation: main characteristics

OpenAIRE

Moutinho, Nuno

2010-01-01

— The evaluation process of real investment projects must consider not only the traditional financial approach, but also non-financial aspects. Non financial analysis can provide additional relevant information about projects. We investigate financial and non-financial areas most relevant in project appraisal. We present main critical success factors and areas of analysis that lead to the perception of project success. Finally, companies are segmented to verify its financial and non-financial...

Incorporating the APS Catalog of the POSS I and Image Archive in ADS

Science.gov (United States)

Humphreys, Roberta M.

1998-01-01

The primary purpose of this contract was to develop the software to both create and access an on-line database of images from digital scans of the Palomar Sky Survey. This required modifying our DBMS (called Star Base) to create an image database from the actual raw pixel data from the scans. The digitized images are processed into a set of coordinate-reference index and pixel files that are stored in run-length files, thus achieving an efficient lossless compression. For efficiency and ease of referencing, each digitized POSS I plate is then divided into 900 subplates. Our custom DBMS maps each query into the corresponding POSS plate(s) and subplate(s). All images from the appropriate subplates are retrieved from disk with byte-offsets taken from the index files. These are assembled on-the-fly into a GIF image file for browser display, and a FITS format image file for retrieval. The FITS images have a pixel size of 0.33 arcseconds. The FITS header contains astrometric and photometric information. This method keeps the disk requirements manageable while allowing for future improvements. When complete, the APS Image Database will contain over 130 Gb of data. A set of web pages query forms are available on-line, as well as an on-line tutorial and documentation. The database is distributed to the Internet by a high-speed SGI server and a high-bandwidth disk system. URL is http://aps.umn.edu/IDB/. The image database software is written in perl and C and has been compiled on SGI computers with MIX5.3. A copy of the written documentation is included and the software is on the accompanying exabyte tape.

Validation of Early Detection Ovarian Cancer Biomarkers (Team Project) — EDRN Public Portal

Science.gov (United States)

Early detection of Ovarian Cancer (OC) is one of the key clinical problems in this disease. We propose a team EDRN project to address the issue of early detection of OC by performing a validation study on candidate protein markers already identified in previous EDRN research or in the literature (e.g. protein products of TCGA identified mutations specific to ovarian cancer). (See appendix for full listing) Biospecimen sources have been identified which include samples obtained at diagnosis and matched controls (Urban, Godwin, Marks, Skates), and longitudinal samples obtained prior to diagnosis (Urban, Skates, Godwin). Bioinformatic filters will be applied to rank the candidates (Diamandis). In order of ranking, candidate proteins for which high quality antibodies are available will be measured by development of ELISAs at JHU (Chan/Zhang) or through NAPPA at DFCI (Anderson/LaBaer), while for other candidates mass spectrometry based selective reaction monitoring (SRM) assays will be developed at PNNL (Rodland). Three milestones are defined. The first two milestones are to assemble the necessary specimens and to develop the qualifying assay(s). The final milestone is to estimate the markers’ sensitivity one year prior to diagnosis at a given high specificity.

[Air pollutant exposure during pregnancy and fetal and early childhood development. Research protocol of the INMA (Childhood and Environment Project)].

Science.gov (United States)

Esplugues, Ana; Fernández-Patier, Rosalía; Aguilera, Inma; Iñíguez, Carmen; García Dos Santos, Saúl; Aguirre Alfaro, Amelia; Lacasaña, Marina; Estarlich, Marisa; Grimalt, Joan O; Fernández, Marieta; Rebagliato, Marisa; Sala, María; Tardón, Adonina; Torrent, Maties; Martínez, María Dolores; Ribas-Fitó, Núria; Sunyer, Jordi; Ballester, Ferran

2007-01-01

The INMA (INfancia y Medio Ambiente [Spanish for Environment and Childhood]) project is a cooperative research network. This project aims to study the effects of environment and diet on fetal and early childhood development. This article aims to present the air pollutant exposure protocol during pregnancy and fetal and early childhood development of the INMA project. The information to assess air pollutant exposure during pregnancy is based on outdoor measurement of air pollutants (nitrogen dioxide [NO2], volatile organic compounds [VOC], ozone, particulate matter [PM10, PM2,5 ] and of their composition [polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons]); measurement of indoor and personal exposure (VOC and NO2); urinary measurement of a biological marker of hydrocarbon exposure (1-hydroxypyrene); and data gathered by questionnaires and geographic information systems. These data allow individual air pollutant exposure indexes to be developed, which can then be used to analyze the possible effects of exposure on fetal development and child health. This protocol and the type of study allow an approximation to individual air pollutant exposure to be obtained. Finally, the large number of participants (N = 4,000), as well as their geographic and social diversity, increases the study's potential.

Non-technical success factors for bioenergy projects—Learning from a multiple case study in Japan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Blumer, Yann B.; Stauffacher, Michael; Lang, Daniel J.; Hayashi, Kiyotada; Uchida, Susumu

2013-01-01

There is wide agreement in the literature that non-technical factors play a decisive role in the successful implementation of bioenergy projects. One underlying reason is that such projects require the involvement of many stakeholders, such as feedstock producers, engineers, authorities and the concerned public. We analyze the role of bioenergy-specific non-technical factors for the success of bioenergy projects. In a broad literature review we first identify potential success factors belonging to the five dimensions project characteristics, policy framework, regional integration, public perception and stakeholders. Using these factors as conceptual framework, we next analyze six Japanese pilot projects for bioenergy utilization supported by Japans Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Research Council. We apply Rough Set Analysis, a data mining method that can be used for small sample sizes to identify patterns in a dataset. We find that, by and large, non-technical factors from all five dimensions – such as the stability of the local policy framework – co-occur with project success. Furthermore, we show that there are diverging interpretations as to what success in a bioenergy project means. This requires tradeoffs between various goals, which should be identified and addressed explicitly at early stages of such a project. - Highlights: • We collect a broad list of non-technical success factors for bioenergy projects. • These are applied to six pilot projects in Japan and shown to be relevant. • We acknowledge different aspects of project success and their potential conflicts

MR imaging of recent non-traumatic intracranial hemorrhage: early experience at 3 T

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Griffiths, Paul D.; Wilkinson, Iain D.

2006-01-01

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) using 3.0 T scanners in the clinical environment is in its infancy and is only available at a limited number of sites worldwide. There is great interest amongst radiologists about the perceived benefits of clinical imaging at 3.0 T; however, it remains to be seen whether the theoretical advantages will bring real gains. MRI in patients with non-traumatic intracranial hemorrhage (ICH) is difficult, yet, these patients benefit from non-invasive angiography. Conventional catheter angiography (CCA) remains the reference standard for excluding/confirming the presence of intracranial vascular abnormalities, but MR angiography at 3.0 T may offer opportunities for significant changes in patient management. We present our experiences of using 3.0 T MR angiography in 27 patients with acute or early subacute ICH. (orig.)

The hELENa project - II. Abundance distribution trends of early-type galaxies: from dwarfs to giants

Science.gov (United States)

Sybilska, A.; Kuntschner, H.; van de Ven, G.; Vazdekis, A.; Falcón-Barroso, J.; Peletier, R. F.; Lisker, T.

2018-06-01

In this second paper of The role of Environment in shaping Low-mass Early-type Nearby galaxies (hELENa) series we study [Mg/Fe] abundance distribution trends of early-type galaxies (ETGs) observed with the Spectrographic Areal Unit for Research on Optical Nebulae integral field unit, spanning a wide range in mass and local environment densities: 20 low-mass early types (dEs) of Sybilska et al. and 258 massive early types (ETGs) of the ATLAS3D project, all homogeneously reduced and analysed. We show that the [Mg/Fe] ratios scale with velocity dispersion (σ) at fixed [Fe/H] and that they evolve with [Fe/H] along similar paths for all early types, grouped in bins of increasing local and global σ, as well as the second velocity moment Vrms, indicating a common inside-out formation pattern. We then place our dEs on the [Mg/Fe] versus [Fe/H] diagram of Local Group galaxies and show that dEs occupy the same region and show a similar trend line slope in the diagram as the high-metallicity stars of the Milky Way and the Large Magellanic Cloud. This finding extends the similar trend found for dwarf spheroidal versus dwarf irregular galaxies and supports the notion that dEs have evolved from late-type galaxies that have lost their gas at a point of their evolution, which likely coincided with them entering denser environments.

Isolated Early-type Galaxies in the 2dFGRS

Science.gov (United States)

Fuse, Christopher R.; Lamir, C.

2014-01-01

Isolated galaxies are systems that have experienced limited external perturbations, thus the properties of these galaxies are largely due to internal processes. The features of isolated early-type galaxies (IEGs) provide a baseline from which to compare early-type systems residing in higher-density environments. We use the Two-Degree Field Galaxy Redshift Survey (2dFGRS) and the NASA Extragalactic Database (NED) to identify IEGs in the nearby universe. Search criteria in the 2dFGRS were chosen to insure that the IEGs have remained separated from neighboring galaxies for the majority of their lifetimes. Isolated galaxies are chosen utilizing a minimum projected physical separation of 1 Mpc from any neighboring non-dwarf galaxy brighter than Mb = -16.5 mags. A minimum redshift separation of 350 km/s between a candidate galaxy and a neighboring was imposed to further insure the candidate’s isolation. Early results of the search for isolated early-type galaxies in the southern sky are presented.

Non-pharmacological and pharmacological interventions in patients with early arthritis: a systematic literature review informing the 2016 update of EULAR recommendations for the management of early arthritis

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Daien, Claire Immediato; Hua, Charlotte; Combe, Bernard; Landewe, Robert

2017-01-01

To perform a systematic literature review (SLR) on pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatments, in order to inform the European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR) recommendations for the management of early arthritis (EA). The expert committee defined research questions concerning

Association between early bacterial carriage and otitis media in Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal children in a semi-arid area of Western Australia: a cohort study

Science.gov (United States)

2012-01-01

Background Streptococcus pneumoniae (Pnc), nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae (NTHi) and Moraxella catarrhalis (Mcat) are the most important bacterial pathogens associated with otitis media (OM). Previous studies have suggested that early upper respiratory tract (URT) bacterial carriage may increase risk of subsequent OM. We investigated associations between early onset of URT bacterial carriage and subsequent diagnosis of OM in Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal children living in the Kalgoorlie-Boulder region located in a semi-arid zone of Western Australia. Methods Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal children who had nasopharyngeal aspirates collected at age 1- children and 14%, 5% and 18% in 146 non-Aboriginal children. OM was diagnosed at least once in 71% of Aboriginal children and 43% of non-Aboriginal children. After controlling for age, sex, presence of other bacteria and environmental factors, early nasopharyngeal carriage of NTHi increased the risk of subsequent OM (odds ratio = 3.70, 95% CI 1.22-11.23) in Aboriginal children, while Mcat increased the risk of OM in non-Aboriginal children (odds ratio = 2.63, 95% CI 1.32-5.23). Early carriage of Pnc was not associated with increased risk of OM. Conclusion Early NTHi carriage in Aboriginal children and Mcat in non-Aboriginal children is associated with increased risk of OM independent of environmental factors. In addition to addressing environmental risk factors for carriage such as overcrowding and exposure to environmental tobacco smoke, early administration of pneumococcal-Haemophilus influenzae D protein conjugate vaccine to reduce bacterial carriage in infants, may be beneficial for Aboriginal children; such an approach is currently being evaluated in Australia. PMID:23256870

Alberta Learning: Early Development Instrument Pilot Project Evaluation.

Science.gov (United States)

Meaney, Wanda; Harris-Lorenze, Elayne

The Early Development Instrument (EDI) was designed by McMaster University to measure the outcomes of childrens early years as they influence their readiness to learn at school. The EDI was piloted in several Canadian cities in recent years through two national initiatives. Building on these initiatives, Alberta Learning piloted the EDI as a…

Early Sherlockian scholarship: Non/fiction at play

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kate M. Donley

2017-03-01

Full Text Available Sherlockian scholarship is a display of intellect, wit, and canonical expertise that requires a cunning manipulation of a story world and of nonfiction. This playful style of writing defies easy classification in the terminology of fan and literary studies. Emerging in the early 20th century, Sherlockian scholarship had a tremendous surge in popularity in the late 1920s and early '30s in articles by renowned British and American authors, including Dorothy L. Sayers, Christopher Morley, Sir Desmond MacCarthy, Sir Sydney Castle Roberts, and Ronald A. Knox. The sustained popularity of Sherlockian scholarship owes much to these initial players, whose sparkling prose conjures a bygone era of repartee. In this study, I present a chronological survey of two early periods in Sherlockian scholarship to understand its poetics, popularity, generic identity, and contemporary relevance.

Mobile health systems for bipolar disorder: the relevance of non-functional requirements in MONARCA project

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mayora, Oscar; Frost, Mads; Arnrich, Bert

2016-01-01

This paper presents a series of challenges for developing mobile health solutions for mental health as a result of MONARCA project three-year activities. The lessons learnt on the design, development and evaluation of a mobile health system for supporting the treatment of bipolar disorder....... The findings presented here are the result of over 3 years of activity within the MONARCA EU project. The challenges listed and detailed in this paper may be used in future research as a starting point for identifying important non-functional requirements involved in mobile health provisioning...

The Zagreb Collection of human brains: a unique, versatile, but underexploited resource for the neuroscience community.

Science.gov (United States)

Judaš, Miloš; Šimić, Goran; Petanjek, Zdravko; Jovanov-Milošević, Nataša; Pletikos, Mihovil; Vasung, Lana; Vukšić, Mario; Kostović, Ivica

2011-05-01

The Zagreb Collection of developing and adult human brains was founded in 1974 by Ivica Kostović and consists of 1,278 developing and adult human brains, including 610 fetal, 317 children, and 359 adult brains. It is one of the largest collections of developing human brains. The collection serves as a key resource for many focused research projects and has led to several seminal contributions on mammalian cortical development, such as the discovery of the transient fetal subplate zone and of early bilaminar synaptogenesis in the embryonic and fetal human cerebral cortex, and the first description of growing afferent pathways in the human fetal telencephalon. The Zagreb Collection also serves as a core resource for ever-growing networks of international collaboration and represents the starting point for many young investigators who now pursue independent research careers at leading international institutions. The Zagreb Collection, however, remains underexploited owing to a lack of adequate funding in Croatia. Funding could establish an online catalog of the collection and modern virtual microscopy scanning methods to make the collection internationally more accessible. © 2011 New York Academy of Sciences.

Expert system application education project

Science.gov (United States)

Gonzelez, Avelino J.; Ragusa, James M.

1988-01-01

Artificial intelligence (AI) technology, and in particular expert systems, has shown potential applicability in many areas of operation at the Kennedy Space Center (KSC). In an era of limited resources, the early identification of good expert system applications, and their segregation from inappropriate ones can result in a more efficient use of available NASA resources. On the other hand, the education of students in a highly technical area such as AI requires an extensive hands-on effort. The nature of expert systems is such that proper sample applications for the educational process are difficult to find. A pilot project between NASA-KSC and the University of Central Florida which was designed to simultaneously address the needs of both institutions at a minimum cost. This project, referred to as Expert Systems Prototype Training Project (ESPTP), provided NASA with relatively inexpensive development of initial prototype versions of certain applications. University students likewise benefit by having expertise on a non-trivial problem accessible to them at no cost. Such expertise is indispensible in a hands-on training approach to developing expert systems.

Infusing Early Childhood Mental Health into Early Intervention Services

Science.gov (United States)

Grabert, John C.

2009-01-01

This article describes the process of enhancing early childhood mental health awareness and skills in non-mental health staff. The author describes a pilot training model, conducted the U.S. Army's Early Intervention Services, that involved: (a) increasing early childhood mental health knowledge through reflective readings, (b) enhancing…

Functional food properties of non-digestible oligosaccharides : a consensus report from the ENDO project (DGXII AIRII-CT94-1095)

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Loo, J. van; Cummings, J.; Delzenne, N.; Englyst, H.; Franck, A.; Hopkins, M.; Kok, N.; Macfarlane, G.; Newton, D.; Quigley, M.; Roberfroid, M.; Vliet, T. van; Heuvel, E. van den

1999-01-01

This paper results from the final phase of the ENDO project (DGXII AIRII-CT94-1095), a European Commission-funded project on non-digestible oligosaccharides (NDO). All participants in the programme met to perform a consensus exercise on the possible functional food properties of NDO. Topics studied

Non-Profit/Higher Education Project Management Series: Project Management (PM) Foundations

Science.gov (United States)

Burgher, Karl E.; Snyder, Michael B.

2012-01-01

This is the first in a series of forum articles on applying project management (PM) techniques and tools to the nonprofit sector with a focus on higher education. The authors will begin with a traditional look at project management because they believe that the integration of the tools and the processes associated with PM into many campus offices…

Business transactions and standards. Towards a system of concepts and a method for early problem identification in standard implementation projects

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Rukanova, B.D.

2005-01-01

To summarize, with respect to research question one we constructed a system of concepts, while in answer to research question two we proposed a method of how to apply this system of concepts in practice in order to identify potential problems in early stages of standard implementation projects.

The prognostic effect of subpleural lesions in early stage non-small cell lung cancer: preliminary report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Ho Jun; Lee, Hyung Sik; Hur, Won Joo; Lee, Ki Nam; Choi, Pill Jo

1998-01-01

We retrospectively analyzed the impact of subpleural lesions of early stage non-small cell lung cancer on the patterns of failure to support selection of postoperative adjuvant therapy. The study included 91 patients who underwent surgery for early stage non-small cell lung cancer at Donga University hospital from Dec 1990 to Sep 1996. Twenty five patients were excluded due to postoperative mortality (four patients, 4.4%) and stage III (21 patients). Of 66 patients, 22 patients were subpleural lesions (15 patients in stage I, and seven patients in stage II). Postoperative adjuvant radiation therapy was given to seven patients with T2N1 disease. The median follow-up duration was 29.5 months (range; 8-84 months). The overall survival rate was 69.5% at 3 years. For all patients who presented with (22 patients) and without (44 patients) subpleural lesions, 3-year overall survival rates were 35.5% and 84.6%, respectively (p=0.0017). For stage I patients who presented with (15 patients) and without (29 patients) subpleural lesions, 3-year overall survival rates were 33.1% and 92.3%, respectively (p=0.001). For stage II patients who presented with (7 patients) and without (15 patients) subpleural lesions, 3-year overall survival rates were 53.3% and 45.7%, respectively (p=0.911). For patients with T2NO disease (34 patients) who presented with (11 patients) and without (23 patients) subpleural lesions, 3-year overall survival rates were 27.3% and 90.3%,respectively (p=0.009).These observations suggest that the subpleural lesion play an important role as a prognostic factor for early stage non-small cell lung cancer. Especially for T2NO disease, patients with subpleural lesions showed significantly lower survival rate than those without that

Does working with industry come at a price? : a study of doctoral candidates' performance in collaborative vs. non-collaborative PhD projects

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Salimi, N.; Bekkers, R.N.A.; Frenken, K.

2014-01-01

The increasing involvement of industry in academic research raised concerns whether university-industry projects actually meet the same academic standards as university projects in-house. Looking at the academic output and impact of collaborative versus non-collaborative Ph.D. projects at Eindhoven

Early Non-Immunological Post Transplant complications: A Single Center Experience

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jabur Wael

2008-01-01

Full Text Available To assess non-immunological complications affecting renal transplant patients in the first six months after transplantation in Al-Karama hospital, Baghdad, Iraq, we studied 68 patients (49 males, 19 females attending the clinic during the year 2006. Forty six (67% patients received kidneys from related and 22 (33% from unrelated donors. The patients revealed the following complications: post transplant hypertension in 28 (41% patient, infection (mostly bacterial in 27 (37%, new onset diabetes in 11 (16%, calcineurin inhibitor toxicity in 10 (14%, anemia in 8 (12%, surgical complications in 7 (10%, slow graft recovery in 4 (6%, cardiovascular complications in 3 (4%, and Kaposi sarcoma in 2 (2.9%.Transient hyperglycemia, hypertension, infection and diabetes mel-litus were the commonest early complications of renal transplantation. The incidence of complications is comparable to the average reported in the literature, especially in this region of the world.

Final Project Report Project 10749-4.2.2.1 2007-2009

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zacher, Alan H.; Holladay, Johnathan E.; Frye, J. G.; Brown, Heather M.; Santosa, Daniel M.; Oberg, Aaron A.

2009-05-11

This is the final report for the DOE Project 10749-4.2.2.1 for the FY2007 - FY2009 period. This report is non-proprietary, and will be submitted to DOE as a final project report. The report covers activities under the DOE Project inside CRADA 269 (Project 53231) as well as project activites outside of that CRADA (Project 56662). This is the final report that is summarized from the non-proprietary quarterlies submitted to DOE over the past 2.5 years, which in turn are summaries from the proprietary technical reporting to UOP.

Early Phase Process Evaluation: Industrial Practices

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zulfan Adi Putra

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Process route evaluation is a part of research and development (R&D works in an industrial chemical project life cycle. In this early phase, good process evaluation, including process synthesis and designs, provide guidance’s on the R&D project. The paper aimed to collect practical methods used in this early phase process route evaluation from author’s 10 years of industrial experiences.  The collected methods range from forward-backward process synthesis, functional process design, use of cost estimation, and applications of Monte Carlo simulation. Led by a good project management (e.g. via a stage-gate approach use of these methods have shown beneficial results. Some important results are strong arguments on whether or not the project will continue, as well as relevant technical and economic issues identified during this early phase process synthesis and design. Later on, these issues become guidance’s to the follow-up project, if it is continued.

STM study on surface relief, ultra-fine structure and transformation mechanism of bainite in steels

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fang, H.S.; Yang, Z.G.; Wang, J.J.; Zheng, Y.K.

1995-01-01

The surface reliefs accompanying lower bainite transformation in steels have been studied by scanning tunneling microscopy (STM). With the exclusive vertical resolution of STM, we observed that the surface relief associated with bainite is a group of surface reliefs related to subplates, subunits and sub-subunits. From the bainite plate to the sub-subunit in it, the reliefs are in a tent shape, not of invariant plane strain (IPS) type. The fine structure of bainite in a steel has also been shown by STM and TEM that bainite plate is composed of subplates, subunits and sub-subunits. On the basis of the fine structure inside a bainitic ferrite plate observed under STM, sympathetic-ledgewise mechanism of bainite formation is proposed. (orig.)

Associations of prenatal and early life dietary inflammatory potential with childhood adiposity and cardiometabolic risk in Project Viva.

Science.gov (United States)

Sen, S; Rifas-Shiman, S L; Shivappa, N; Wirth, M D; Hebert, J R; Gold, D R; Gillman, M W; Oken, E

2018-05-01

Limited information exists regarding the association between early-life diet and cardiometabolic risk. Examine associations of dietary inflammatory index (DII) in pregnancy and early childhood (3-5 years) with adiposity, blood pressure and metabolic markers in mid-childhood (6-10 years). Among 992 mother-child pairs from Project Viva, a pre-birth cohort, we examined associations of DII scores with outcomes using multivariable linear regression adjusted for child age and sex and maternal age, BMI, education, parity, smoking, race and income. Mean (SD) maternal DII in pregnancy was -2.6(1.4) units and in child DII in early childhood was 0.3(0.7). Mean mid-childhood BMI z-score was 0.40(0.98) units. In boys only, DII in early childhood was associated with higher BMIz (adjusted β = 0.16 units per unit DII, 95%CI 0.02, 0.29), waist circumference (0.93 cm; -0.07, 1.92) and skin fold thicknesses (1.12 mm; 0.01, 2.23). Dietary inflammatory index in the highest quartiles during both pregnancy and in early childhood, compared to the lowest quartiles, was associated with higher waist circumference (2.4 cm; 0.14, 4.6) in all children, and BMIz in boys (0.78 units; 0.34, 1.22). Associations with BP and metabolic markers were null. A pro-inflammatory diet in pregnancy and early childhood may promote the development of adiposity. © 2017 World Obesity Federation.

The KnowRISK project - Know your city, Reduce seISmic risK through non-structural elements

Science.gov (United States)

Sousa Oliveria, Carlos; Amaral Ferreira, Mónica; Lopez, Mário; Sousa Silva, Delta; Musacchio, Gemma; Rupakhety, Rajesh; Falsaperla, Susanna; Meroni, Fabrizio; Langer, Horst

2016-04-01

Historically, there is a tendency to focus on seismic structural performance of buildings, neglecting the potential for damage of non-structural elements. In particular, non-structural elements of buildings are their architectural parts (i.e. partitions, ceilings, cladding), electrical and mechanical components (i.e., distribution panels, piping, plumbing), and contents (e.g., furniture, bookcases, computers and desktop equipment). Damage of these elements often contributes significantly to earthquake impacts. In the 1999 Izmit Earthquake, Turkey, 50% of the injuries and 3% of human losses were caused by non-structural failures. In the 2010-2011 Christchurch Earthquakes (New Zealand), 40% of building damage was induced by non-structural malfunctions. Around 70%-85% of construction cost goes into these elements, and their damage can strongly influence the ability of communities to cope with and recover from earthquakes. The project Know your city, Reduce seISmic risK through non-structural elements (KnowRISK) aims at facilitating local communities' access to expert knowledge on non-structural seismic protection solutions. The project will study seismic scenarios critical for non-structural damage, produce a portfolio of non-structural protection measures and investigate the level of awareness in specific communities. We will implement risk communication strategies that will take into account the social and cultural background and a participatory approach to raise awareness in local communities. The paradox between the progress of scientific knowledge and the ongoing increase of losses from natural disasters worldwide is a well-identified gap in the UN Hyogo Framework for Action 2005-2015, in which one of the main priorities is the investment on "knowledge use, innovation and education to build a culture of safety and resilience". The KnowRISK is well aligned with these priorities and will contribute to participatory action aimed at: i) transferring expert knowledge

Technology Uncertainty and Project Managers' Information Sharing - A comparative case study of two new product development projects

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jepsen, Lisbeth Brøde; Dietrich, Perttu

2014-01-01

uncertainty during various phases of new product development (NPD) projects. In this study, we compare two longitudinal NPD sub-projects that differ in uncertainty within the same large NPD project, in which the data source is the complete email exchange between a project manager and various actors...... (consisting of 3979 emails). The results show high levels of information sharing with the customer in both the early and late phases of high uncertainty. Interestingly, in the low uncertainty project, information sharing with the production department and the supplier is higher during the late phase...... of the NPD project. Unexpectedly, in both sub-projects, the project manager shares information with a wider range of both intra- and inter-organization actors in the early phases of the projects than in the late phases....

Evaluation of Extraction Protocols for Simultaneous Polar and Non-Polar Yeast Metabolite Analysis Using Multivariate Projection Methods

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nicolas P. Tambellini

2013-07-01

Full Text Available Metabolomic and lipidomic approaches aim to measure metabolites or lipids in the cell. Metabolite extraction is a key step in obtaining useful and reliable data for successful metabolite studies. Significant efforts have been made to identify the optimal extraction protocol for various platforms and biological systems, for both polar and non-polar metabolites. Here we report an approach utilizing chemoinformatics for systematic comparison of protocols to extract both from a single sample of the model yeast organism Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Three chloroform/methanol/water partitioning based extraction protocols found in literature were evaluated for their effectiveness at reproducibly extracting both polar and non-polar metabolites. Fatty acid methyl esters and methoxyamine/trimethylsilyl derivatized aqueous compounds were analyzed by gas chromatography mass spectrometry to evaluate non-polar or polar metabolite analysis. The comparative breadth and amount of recovered metabolites was evaluated using multivariate projection methods. This approach identified an optimal protocol consisting of 64 identified polar metabolites from 105 ion hits and 12 fatty acids recovered, and will potentially attenuate the error and variation associated with combining metabolite profiles from different samples for untargeted analysis with both polar and non-polar analytes. It also confirmed the value of using multivariate projection methods to compare established extraction protocols.

Early diagnosis of incipient caries based on non-invasive lasers

Science.gov (United States)

Velescu, A.; Todea, C.; Vitez, B.

2016-03-01

AIM: The aim of this study is to detect incipient caries and enamel demineralization using laser fluorescence.This serves only as an auxilary aid to identify and to monitor the development of these lesions. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 6 patients were involved in this study, three females and three male. Each patient underwent a professional cleaning, visual examination of the oral cavity, and then direct inspection using DiagnoCam and DIAGNOdent. After data recording each patient was submitted to retro-alveolar X-ray on teeth that were detected with enamel lesions. All data was collected and analyzed statistically. RESULTS: Of 36 areas considered in clinically healthy, 24 carious surfaces were found using laser fluorescence, a totally non-invasive method for detecting incipient carious lesions compared with the radiographic examination. CONCLUSIONS: This method has good applicability for patients because it improves treatment plan by early detection of caries and involves less fear for anxious patients and children.

A Non-Traditional Interim Project.

Science.gov (United States)

Brown, Diane; Ward, Dorothy

1980-01-01

Describes a project initiated by the Foreign Language Department of Birmingham-Southern College for their Interim term and discusses an interdisciplinary course focusing on Medieval Europe. The course included presentations on German and French language and literature, as well as lectures on the arts, philosophy, and family life of the period.…

Preliminary assessment of potential CDM early start projects in Brazil

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Meyers, S.; Sathaye, J.; Lehman, B.; Schumacher, K.; van Vliet, O.; Moreira, J.R.

2000-11-01

The Brazil/US Aspen Global Forum on Climate Change Policies and Programs has facilitated a dialogue between key Brazil and US public and private sector leaders on the subject of the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM). With support from the US government, a cooperative effort between Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and the University of Sao Paulo conducted an assessment of a number of projects put forth by Brazilian sponsors. Initially, we gathered information and conducted a screening assessment for ten projects in the energy sector and six projects in the forestry sector. Some of the projects appeared to offer greater potential to be attractive for CDM, or had better information available. We then conducted a more detailed assessment of 12 of these projects, and two other projects that were submitted after the initial screening. An important goal was to assess the potential impact of Certified Emission Reductions (CERs) on the financial performance of projects. With the exception of the two forestry-based fuel displacement projects, the impact of CERs on the internal rate of return (IRR) is fairly small. This is true for both the projects that displace grid electricity and those that displace local (diesel-based) electricity production. The relative effect of CERs is greater for projects whose IRR without CERs is low. CERs have a substantial effect on the IRR of the two short-rotation forestry energy substitution projects. One reason is that the biofuel displaces coke and oil, both of which are carbon-intensive. Another factor is that the product of these projects (charcoal and woodfuel, respectively) is relatively low value, so the revenue from carbon credits has a strong relative impact. CERs also have a substantial effect on the NPV of the carbon sequestration projects. Financial and other barriers pose a challenge for implementation of most of the projects. In most cases, the sponsor lacks sufficient capital, and loans are available only at high interest

Projecting invasion risk of non-native watersnakes (Nerodia fasciata and Nerodia sipedon in the western United States.

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Jonathan P Rose

Full Text Available Species distribution models (SDMs are increasingly used to project the potential distribution of introduced species outside their native range. Such studies rarely explicitly evaluate potential conflicts with native species should the range of introduced species expand. Two snake species native to eastern North America, Nerodia fasciata and Nerodia sipedon, have been introduced to California where they represent a new stressor to declining native amphibians, fish, and reptiles. To project the potential distributions of these non-native watersnakes in western North America, we built ensemble SDMs using MaxEnt, Boosted Regression Trees, and Random Forests and habitat and climatic variables. We then compared the overlap between the projected distribution of invasive watersnakes and the distributions of imperiled native amphibians, fish, and reptiles that can serve as prey or competitors for the invaders, to estimate the risk to native species posed by non-native watersnakes. Large areas of western North America were projected to be climatically suitable for both species of Nerodia according to our ensemble SDMs, including much of central California. The potential distributions of both N. fasciata and N. sipedon overlap extensively with the federally threatened Giant Gartersnake, Thamnophis gigas, which inhabits a similar ecological niche. N. fasciata also poses risk to the federally threatened California Tiger Salamander, Ambystoma californiense, whereas N. sipedon poses risk to some amphibians of conservation concern, including the Foothill Yellow-legged Frog, Rana boylii. We conclude that non-native watersnakes in California can likely inhabit ranges of several native species of conservation concern that are expected to suffer as prey or competing species for these invaders. Action should be taken now to eradicate or control these invasions before detrimental impacts on native species are widespread. Our methods can be applied broadly to quantify

Rightsizing Projects for Non-Research-Intensive Schools of Nursing via Academic-Clinical Partnerships.

Science.gov (United States)

Kooken, Wendy Carter; Eckhardt, Ann L; McNutt-Dungan, Marianne; Woods, Jonathan

Most academic-clinical partnerships are described as formal agreements between schools of nursing at research-intensive universities and large teaching hospitals. This article demonstrates less formal versions of academic-clinical partnerships established between a small, private liberal arts university school of nursing and 2 regional clinical agencies. In both exemplars, students, faculty, and staff contributed to evidence-based practice projects. Schools of nursing in non-research-intensive environments can develop right-size academic-clinical partnerships that are beneficial for all parties involved.

Role of chemotherapy and targeted therapy in early-stage non-small cell lung cancer.

Science.gov (United States)

Nagasaka, Misako; Gadgeel, Shirish M

2018-01-01

Adjuvant platinum based chemotherapy is accepted as standard of care in stage II and III non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients and is often considered in patients with stage IB disease who have tumors ≥ 4 cm. The survival advantage is modest with approximately 5% at 5 years. Areas covered: This review article presents relevant data regarding chemotherapy use in the perioperative setting for early stage NSCLC. A literature search was performed utilizing PubMed as well as clinical trial.gov. Randomized phase III studies in this setting including adjuvant and neoadjuvant use of chemotherapy as well as ongoing trials on targeted therapy and immunotherapy are also discussed. Expert commentary: With increasing utilization of screening computed tomography scans, it is possible that the percentage of early stage NSCLC patients will increase in the coming years. Benefits of adjuvant chemotherapy in early stage NSCLC patients remain modest. There is a need to better define patients most likely to derive survival benefit from adjuvant therapy and spare patients who do not need adjuvant chemotherapy due to the toxicity of such therapy. Trials for adjuvant targeted therapy, including adjuvant EGFR-TKI trials and trials of immunotherapy drugs are ongoing and will define the role of these agents as adjuvant therapy.

Role Of Non-Governmental Organizations Leadership In The Implementation Of Community Development Projects In Arumeru District Tanzania

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Rajabu Ally Mtunge

2015-08-01

Full Text Available The purpose of this study was to examine the role of leadership in the implementation of community development projects by local non-governmental organizations in Arumeru District Tanzania. The study applied survey design which covered the sample of 46 respondents including District Executive Director District Social Workers Non-Governmental Organization leaders workers and volunteers and community members in Arumeru district Tanzania. The study employed simple random sampling technique in order to ensure equal chance of an individual being involved in this study as inferential statistics considered. Data collected from a sample of 46 NGOs employees using a semi-structured questionnaire with both closed and open-ended questions. The collected data analyzed using both descriptive and inferential statistics. The descriptive statistical tools used included frequencies mean and standard deviation while inferential statistical tool used was correlation. Statistical Package for the Social Sciences SPSS version 19 used for analyzing the data collected. The study achieved a response of 46 out of a sample of 47 representing a response rate of 97.87. The results show that a significant number of NGOs 34.8 had not completed their projects 21.7 stated that less than five projects were complete and 43.5 of the respondents confirmed that more than five projects not completed over the last one year. Regarding the influence of leadership on implementation of project spearmans rank correlation revealed a very strong positive correlation 0.910 between of leadership vision and implementation of community development projects a strong positive correlation between communication and implementation of community development projects rho 0.730 n 46 p .001 strong positive correlation between commitment and implementation of community developmental projects which was statistically significant rs .601 p .000 and a positive correlation between accountability and

Early Learning Visual Impairment Services Training and Advancement (EL VISTA) Project: Leading the Way for a New Profession within a Profession

Science.gov (United States)

Landa-Vialard, Olaya; Ely, Mindy S.; Lartz, Maribeth Nelson

2018-01-01

The Frank Porter Graham (FPG) Child Development Institute, Early Intervention Training Center for Infants and Toddlers with Visual Impairments and Their Families, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, was a national project that developed resources with the goal of building the capacity of colleges and universities to prepare personnel to…

Non conventional psychiatric rehabilitation in schizophrenia using therapeutic riding: the FISE multicentre Pindar project

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Stefania Cerino

2011-12-01

Full Text Available The FISE (Federazione Italiana Sport Equestri Pindar is a multicentre research project aimed at testing the potential effects of therapeutic riding on schizophrenic patients. Twenty-four subjects with a diagnosis of schizophrenia were enrolled for a 1 year-treatment involving therapeutic riding sessions. All subjects were tested at the beginning and at the end of treatment with a series of validated test batteries (BPRS and 8 items-PANSS. The results discussed in this paper point out an improvement in negative symptoms, a constant disease remission in both early onset and chronic disease subjects, as well as a reduced rate of hospitalization.

Radiation therapy alone for early stage non-small cell carcinoma of the lung

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chun, Ha Chung; Lee, Myung Za

2002-01-01

To evaluate the outcome of early stage non-small cell lung cancer patients who were treated with radiation therapy along and define the optimal radiotherapeutic regimen for these patients. A retrospective review was performed on patients with sage I or II non-small cell carcinoma of the lung that were treated at our institution between June, 1987 and May, 2000. A total of 21 patients treated definitively with radiation therapy alone were included in this study. The age of the patients ranged from 53 to 81 years with a median of 66 years. All the patients were male. The medical reasons for inoperability were lack of pulmonary reserve, cardiovascular disease, poor performance status, old age, and patient refusal in the decreasing order. Pathological evidence was not adequate to characterize the non-small cell subtype in two patients. Of the remaining 19 patients, 16 had squamous cell carcinoma and 3 had adenocarcinoma. Treatment was given with conventional fractionation, once a day, five times a week. The doses to the primary site ranged from 56 Gy to 69 Gy. No patients were lost to follow-up. The overall survival rates for the entire group at 2, 3 and 5 years were 41, 30 and 21%, respectively. The cause specific survivals at 2, 3 and 5 years were 55, 36 and 25%, respectively. An intercurrent disease was the cause of death in two patients. The cumulative local failure rate at 5 years was 43%. Nine of the 21 patients had treatment failures after the curative radiotherapy was attempted. Local recurrences as the first site of failure were documented in 7 patients. Therefore, local failure alone represented 78% of the total failures. Those patients whose tumor sizes were less than 4 cm had a significantly better 5 year disease free survival than those with tumors greater than 4 cm (0% vs 36%). Those patients with a Karnofsky performance status less than 70 did not differ significantly with respect to actuarial survival when compared to those with a status greater than 70

Association between early bacterial carriage and otitis media in Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal children in a semi-arid area of Western Australia: a cohort study

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Sun Wenxing

2012-12-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Streptococcus pneumoniae (Pnc, nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae (NTHi and Moraxella catarrhalis (Mcat are the most important bacterial pathogens associated with otitis media (OM. Previous studies have suggested that early upper respiratory tract (URT bacterial carriage may increase risk of subsequent OM. We investigated associations between early onset of URT bacterial carriage and subsequent diagnosis of OM in Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal children living in the Kalgoorlie-Boulder region located in a semi-arid zone of Western Australia. Methods Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal children who had nasopharyngeal aspirates collected at age 1-  Results Carriage rates of Pnc, NTHi and Mcat at age 1-  Conclusion Early NTHi carriage in Aboriginal children and Mcat in non-Aboriginal children is associated with increased risk of OM independent of environmental factors. In addition to addressing environmental risk factors for carriage such as overcrowding and exposure to environmental tobacco smoke, early administration of pneumococcal-Haemophilus influenzae D protein conjugate vaccine to reduce bacterial carriage in infants, may be beneficial for Aboriginal children; such an approach is currently being evaluated in Australia.

Early Childhood Workforce Index, 2016

Science.gov (United States)

Whitebook, Marcy; McLean, Caitlin; Austin, Lea J. E.

2016-01-01

The State of the Early Childhood Workforce (SECW) Initiative is a groundbreaking multi-year project to shine a steady spotlight on the nation's early childhood workforce. The SECW Initiative is designed to challenge entrenched ideas and policies that maintain an inequitable and inadequate status quo for early educators and for the children and…

Studsvik`s fuel R and D projects

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Grounes, M [Studsvik Nuclearr AB, Nykoping (Sweden)

1997-08-01

The report reviews some recently performed, ongoing and planned fuel R and D projects, executed by Studsvik Nuclear AB, a subsidiary of Studsvik AB. Data from these projects are used as experimental support for fuel modelling at high burnup. Much of Studsvik Nuclear`s R and D work has been concentrated on fuel testing, which can be made in the R2 test reactor with high precision under realistic water reactor conditions. This type of work started in the early 1960s. The fuel testing projects executed at Studsvik have been organized under three different types of sponsorship: International (multilateral) fuel projects: jointly sponsored internationally on a world-wide basis, with project information remaining restricted to the project participants throughout the project`s duration and for some pre-determined time after project completion; Bilateral fuel projects: sponsored by one single organization, or a few co-operating organizations, with project information remaining restricted to the sponsor, sometimes published later; in-house R and D work: sponsored by Studsvik Nuclear. The fuel testing activities can be divided into a number of well-defined steps as follows: Base irradiation, performed in a power reactor, or in Studsvik`s R2 test reactor; power ramping and/or other in-pile measurements, performed in Studsvik`s R2 test reactor. Non-destructive testing between different phases of an experiment, performed in Studsvik`s R2 reactor pool, or in Studsvik`s Hot Cell Laboratory; destructive post-irradiation examinations, performed in Studsvik`s Hot Cell Laboratory, or in the sponsor`s hot cell laboratory. 47 refs, 2 tabs.

Immediate versus early non-occlusal loading of dental implants placed flapless in partially edentulous patients. One-year results from a randomised controlled trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Merli, Mauro; Merli, Aldo; Bernardelli, Francesco; Lombardini, Francesco; Esposito, Marco

2008-01-01

To compare immediate versus early (6 weeks) non-occlusal loading of dental implants placed flapless in partially edentulous patients 1 year after loading. Sixty patients were randomised: 30 to the immediately loaded group and 30 to the early loaded group. In order to be immediately loaded, implants were inserted with a minimum torque of > or = 40Ncm. Implants were fully occlusally loaded after 6 months. Outcome measures were prosthesis and implant failures, and biological and biomechanical complications. Five implants in five patients randomised to the immediately loaded group did not reach the required primary implant stability. Three of these implants (two prostheses) were not immediately loaded. Two patients who were randomised to the early loaded group were immediately loaded erroneously. Implants in five patients of the early loaded group were conventionally loaded. No patient dropped out and there were no failures. Two complications occurred in the early and one in the immediately loaded group (no statistically significant difference), but were solved. The use of a flapless technique for placing dental implants in conjunction with non-occlusal immediate or early loading in selected patients can provide excellent clinical results. No differences were observed when comparing implants that were loaded immediately or early. Therefore, when a high primary implant stability is obtained, it might be preferable to load the implants immediately rather than waiting for a few weeks.

Bridging the gap between selection decisions of facade systems at the early design phase: Issues, challenges and solutions

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Mohamad Kassema

2015-11-01

Full Text Available Building facade has a significant impact on the environmental and economic performance of buildings and projects. The specification of their elements at the early design phase depends on numerous technical, environmental and economic factors and involves several stakeholders. The procurement and delivery of the facade work package from the early design phase, through detailed design and manufacture, to installation is a process with several inherent risk factors due to the involved cost, technical and engineering complexities and its position on the critical path in all projects. This research investigates the process of selection and specification of building facade elements at the early design phases with the overarching aim of identifying the issues affecting specification decisions, their root causes and impact on projects. The research utilizes a mixed research approach which combines a retrospective case study and an industry survey as two research methods that build on each other. The findings suggest that the complexity of specification at the early design phases is exacerbated by factors such as the inadequate technical knowledge of stakeholders involved in the decision making process, the non-involvement of building facade consultants, the late involvement of specialist facade subcontractors, and in a few cases by some commercial exclusivity agreements that restricts specification decisions. 

News in early intervention in autism.

Science.gov (United States)

Geoffray, Marie-Maude; Thevenet, Marion; Georgieff, Nicolas

2016-09-01

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a complex neurodevelopmental trouble which prevents the child from socio-communicative interaction, and learning from his environment. Non-medical early intervention attempts to improve prognosis. We will review the main current hypothesis, intervention models and scientific supports about early intervention. We conducted a search of the literature published on Medline between 2010 and 2015 related to intervention models provided to children with ASD aged less than 3 years. Data were extracted from systematic reviews and recent randomized controlled trials with moderate to high GRADE quality of evidence. Early intervention refers to brain plasticity theory. With the epidemiological studies of infant "at risk" there is an attempt to intervene earlier before full syndrome is present. Interventions tend to follow more on a developmental hierarchy of socio-communicative skills and to focus on the dyadic relation between the child and the caregivers to improve the core autistic symptoms. Over the last 6 years, there's been news and fine-tuned ways about early intervention, and more and more systematic evaluation. However, there are only few interventions which were evaluated in trial with a strong GRADE recommendation and all of them have methodological concerns. It is important to be cautious in recommendations for mental health politic, even if it is important to improve access to services for all children and their families, hence finance and design rigorous project in research.

Dual projection of chiral p-forms in D = 2: The non-Abelian, PST and supersymmetric formulations of Hull's notons

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Abreu, E.M.C.

2002-08-01

Chiral p-forms are, in fact, present in many supersymmetric and supergravity models in two, six and ten dimensions. In this work, the dual projection procedure, which is essentially equivalent to a canonical transformation, is used to diagonalize some theories in D = 2 (0-forms). The dual projection performed here provides an alternative way of gauging the chiral components without the necessity of constraints. It is shown, through the dual projection, that the nonmover field (the noton) initially introduced by Hull to cancel out the Siegel anomaly, has non-Abelian, PST and supersymmetric formulations. (author)

Gender Gaps in Cognitive and Non-Cognitive Skills in Early Primary Grades : Evidence from Rural Indonesia

OpenAIRE

Nakajima, Nozomi; Jung, Haeil; Pradhan, Menno; Hasan, Amer; Kinnell, Angela; Brinkman, Sally

2016-01-01

This paper examines gender gaps in cognitive and non-cognitive skills among a sample of more than 10,000 children between the ages of 6 and 9 in rural Indonesia. In terms of cognitive skills, the analysis finds evidence of gender gaps favoring girls at each age in test scores of language (0.158-0.252 standard deviations) and mathematics (0.155-0.243 standard deviations) in the early years ...

Immediate versus early non-occlusal loading of dental implants placed flapless in partially edentulous patients: a 3-year randomized clinical trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Merli, Mauro; Moscatelli, Marco; Mariotti, Giorgia; Piemontese, Matteo; Nieri, Michele

2012-02-01

To compare immediate versus early non-occlusal loading of dental implants placed flapless in a 3-year, parallel group, randomized clinical trial. The study was conducted in a private dental clinic between July 2005 and July 2010. Patients 18 years or older were randomized to receive implants for fixed partial dentures in cases of partial edentulism. The test group was represented by immediate non-occlusal implant loading, whereas the control group was represented by early non-occlusal implant loading. The outcome variables were implant failure, complications and radiographic bone level at implant sites 3 years after loading, measured from the implant-abutment junction to the most coronal point of bone-to-implant contact. Randomization was computer-generated with allocation concealment by opaque sequentially numbered sealed envelopes, and the measurer was blinded to group assignment. Sixty patients were randomized: 30 to the immediately loaded group and 30 to the early loaded group. Four patients dropped out; however, the data of all patients were included in the analysis. No implant failure occurred. Two complications occurred in the control group and one in the test group. The mean bone level at 3 years was 1.91 mm for test group and 1.59 mm for control group. The adjusted difference in bone level was 0.26 mm (CI 95% -0.08 to 0.59, p = 0.1232). The null hypothesis of no difference in failure rates, complications and bone level between implants that were loaded immediately or early at 3 years cannot be rejected in this randomized clinical trial. © 2011 John Wiley & Sons A/S.

Gender and Boys' Singing in Early Childhood

Science.gov (United States)

Hall, Clare

2005-01-01

This article derives from a research project investigating the singing behaviour of a group of Australian boys in their first year of school. The project showed that the genesis of the "missing male" trend in singing at school may be occurring in early childhood. The impact of hegemonic masculinity in early childhood is explored here by…

Early awareness of emerging risks associated with food and feed production: Synopsis of pertinent work carried out within the SAFE FOODS project

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Marvin, H.J.P.; Kleter, G.A.

2009-01-01

This introduction to the journal¿s supplement on emerging food and feed safety issues summarizes the objectives and activities of the EU-funded SAFE FOODS project in general and its work package focusing on the early identification of emerging food safety risks, in particular. Within this work

Violent and non-violent methods of attempted and completed suicide in Swedish young men: the role of early risk factors.

Science.gov (United States)

Stenbacka, Marlene; Jokinen, Jussi

2015-08-14

There is a paucity of studies on the role of early risk factors for the choice of methods for violent suicide attempts. Adolescent risk factors for the choice of violent or non-violent methods for suicide attempts and the risk of subsequent suicide were studied using a longitudinal design. A national Swedish cohort of 48 834 18-20-year-old young men conscripted for military service from 1969 to 1970 was followed through official registers during a 37-year period. Two questionnaires concerning their psychosocial background were answered by each conscript. Cox proportional hazard regression analyses were used to estimate the risk for different methods of attempted suicide and later suicide. A total of 1195 (2.4 %) men had made a suicide attempt and of these, 133 (11.1 %) committed suicide later. The number of suicide victims among the non-attempters was 482 (1 %). Half of the suicides occurred during the same year as the attempt. Suicide victims had earlier onset of suicidal behaviour and had more often used hanging as a method of attempted suicide than those who did not later commit suicide. The early risk factors for both violent and non-violent methods of suicide attempt were quite similar. Violent suicide attempts, especially by hanging, are associated with a clearly elevated suicide risk in men and require special clinical and public health attention. The early risk factors related to the choice of either a violent or a non-violent suicide attempt method are interlinked and circumstantial factors temporally close to the suicide attempt, such as access to a specific method, may partly explain the choice of method.

Drug Repositioning Discovery for Early- and Late-Stage Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer

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Chien-Hung Huang

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Drug repositioning is a popular approach in the pharmaceutical industry for identifying potential new uses for existing drugs and accelerating the development time. Non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC is one of the leading causes of death worldwide. To reduce the biological heterogeneity effects among different individuals, both normal and cancer tissues were taken from the same patient, hence allowing pairwise testing. By comparing early- and late-stage cancer patients, we can identify stage-specific NSCLC genes. Differentially expressed genes are clustered separately to form up- and downregulated communities that are used as queries to perform enrichment analysis. The results suggest that pathways for early- and late-stage cancers are different. Sets of up- and downregulated genes were submitted to the cMap web resource to identify potential drugs. To achieve high confidence drug prediction, multiple microarray experimental results were merged by performing meta-analysis. The results of a few drug findings are supported by MTT assay or clonogenic assay data. In conclusion, we have been able to assess the potential existing drugs to identify novel anticancer drugs, which may be helpful in drug repositioning discovery for NSCLC.

Research on early-warning index of the spatial temperature field in concrete dams.

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Guang; Gu, Chongshi; Bao, Tengfei; Cui, Zhenming; Kan, Kan

2016-01-01

Warning indicators of the dam body's temperature are required for the real-time monitoring of the service conditions of concrete dams to ensure safety and normal operations. Warnings theories are traditionally targeted at a single point which have limitations, and the scientific warning theories on global behavior of the temperature field are non-existent. In this paper, first, in 3D space, the behavior of temperature field has regional dissimilarity. Through the Ward spatial clustering method, the temperature field was divided into regions. Second, the degree of order and degree of disorder of the temperature monitoring points were defined by the probability method. Third, the weight values of monitoring points of each regions were explored via projection pursuit. Forth, a temperature entropy expression that can describe degree of order of the spatial temperature field in concrete dams was established. Fifth, the early-warning index of temperature entropy was set up according to the calculated sequential value of temperature entropy. Finally, project cases verified the feasibility of the proposed theories. The early-warning index of temperature entropy is conducive to the improvement of early-warning ability and safety management levels during the operation of high concrete dams.

Impact of early stage non-equilibrium dynamics on photon production in relativistic heavy ion collisions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Oliva, L; Plumari, S; Scardina, F; Greco, V; Ruggieri, M

2017-01-01

In this study we discuss our results on the spectrum of photons emitted from the quark-gluon plasma produced in heavy ion collisions at RHIC energies. Simulating the space-time evolution of the fireball by solving the relativistic Boltzmann transport equation and including two-particle scattering processes with photon emission allows us to make a first step in the description of thermal photons from the QGP as well as of those produced in the pre-equilibrium stage. Indeed, we consider not only a standard Glauber initial condition but also a model in which quarks and gluons are produced in the very early stage through the Schwinger mechanism by the decay of an initial color-electric field. In the latter approach relativistic kinetic equations are coupled in a self-consistent way to field equations. We aim at spotting the impact of early stage non-equilibrium dynamics on the photon production. (paper)

Non-invasive assessment determine the swallowing and respiration dysfunction in early Parkinson's disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Chin-Man; Shieh, Wann-Yun; Weng, Yi-Hsin; Hsu, Yi-Hsuan; Wu, Yih-Ru

2017-09-01

Dysphagia is common among patients with Parkinson's disease. Swallowing and its coordination with respiration is extremely important to achieve safety swallowing. Different tools have been used to assess this coordination, however the results have been inconsistent. We aimed to investigate this coordination in patients with Parkinson's disease using a non-invasive method. Signals of submental muscle activity, thyroid cartilage excursion, and nasal airflow during swallowing were recorded simultaneously. Five different water boluses were swallowed three times, and the data were recorded and analyzed. Thirty-seven controls and 42 patients with early-stage Parkinson's disease were included. The rates of non-expiratory/expiratory pre- and post-swallowing respiratory phase patterns were higher in the patients than in the controls (P Parkinson's disease, and safety compensation mechanisms were used more than efficiency during swallowing. The results of this study may serve as a baseline for further research into new treatment regimens and to improve the management of swallowing in patients with Parkinson's disease. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Early-enhancing non-neoplastic lesions on gadolinium-enhanced MRI of the liver

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kanematsu, M. E-mail: masa-gif@umin.ac.jp; Kondo, H.; Semelka, R.C.; Matsuo, M.; Goshima, S.; Hoshi, H.; Moriyama, N.; Itai, Y

2003-10-01

AIM: To assess the frequency, cause, and significance of early-enhancing, non-neoplastic (EN) lesions on gadolinium-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the liver performed for the detection of malignant hepatic tumours. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From September 1997 to September 2000, we reviewed the images of 125 patients, suspected of having hepatic tumours, in whom (1) gadolinium-enhanced triphasic dynamic gradient-recalled-echo (GRE) imaging in addition to unenhanced T1- and T2-weighted MRI was performed, (2) conventional angiography and combination computed tomography (CT) hepatic arteriography and CT during arterial portography were performed within 2 weeks of the MRI, and (3) definitive surgery within 2 weeks of the MRI or follow-up study by means of intravenously contrast-enhanced CT or MRI in 10 months or more was performed. Angiographic studies were correlated to determine the underlying causes of the EN lesions. RESULTS: We found 78 EN lesions in 36 patients (29%), ranging in size from 4 and 50 mm (mean, 12.2 mm). From the MR reports, our radiologists had prospectively diagnosed EN lesions as probable malignant tumours in eight (10%), possible malignant tumours in 36 (46%), and probable non-neoplastic lesion in 34 (44%). EN lesions were found in 27 of 81 (33%) cirrhotic patients and in nine of 44 (20%) non-cirrhotic patients. Fifty-one EN lesions (65%) were located along the liver edge. The shape was circular in 42 (54%), oval in 14 (18%), irregular in 12 (15%), wedge-shaped in seven (9%), and fan-shaped in three (4%). Twenty EN lesions (26%) appeared slightly hyperintense on T2-weighted images. The causes were non-neoplastic arterio-portal shunting in 48 (62%), cystic venous drainage in four (5%), rib compression in four (5%), aberrant right gastric venous drainage in two (3%), and unknown in 20 (26%). CONCLUSION: Over half the number of EN lesions were caused by non-neoplastic arterio-portal shunting, occasionally showing slight hyperintensity on

The trivial role of torsion in projective invariant theories of gravity with non-minimally coupled matter fields

Science.gov (United States)

Alfonso, Victor I.; Bejarano, Cecilia; Beltrán Jiménez, Jose; Olmo, Gonzalo J.; Orazi, Emanuele

2017-12-01

We study a large family of metric-affine theories with a projective symmetry, including non-minimally coupled matter fields which respect this invariance. The symmetry is straightforwardly realised by imposing that the connection only enters through the symmetric part of the Ricci tensor, even in the matter sector. We leave the connection completely free (including torsion), and obtain its general solution as the Levi-Civita connection of an auxiliary metric, showing that the torsion only appears as a projective mode. This result justifies the widely used condition of setting vanishing torsion in these theories as a simple gauge choice. We apply our results to some particular cases considered in the literature, including the so-called Eddington-inspired-Born-Infeld theories among others. We finally discuss the possibility of imposing a gauge fixing where the connection is metric compatible, and comment on the genuine character of the non-metricity in theories where the two metrics are not conformally related.

Does working with industry come at a price? A study of doctoral candidates’ performance in collaborative vs. non-collaborative Ph.D. projects

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Salimi, Negin; Bekkers, Rudi; Frenken, Koen

2015-01-01

Collaborative Ph.D. projects between university and industry constitute an important aspect of university–industry collaboration, yet has remained under-researched thus far. The specific question this paper asks is how collaborative Ph.D. projects perform compared to non-collaborative Ph.D.

Educación Compensatoria. Aprendizaje temprano, éxito posterior (II: Carolina Abecedarian Project . [Compensatory education. Early learning, later success (II: Carolina Abecedarian Project

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Eduardo López López

2007-01-01

Full Text Available This is a review study which analyzes research that evaluates the long term effects of an early education program, the Abecedarian Project. The Abecedarian Project (ABC is a preventive compensatory education program for children from 0 to 5 years of high risk mothers. The experimental group (E received an intensive preschool treatment, while the control (C group did not. At five years old, each group was divided into another two groups: Two of these new groups (EE and CE received intensive schooling until the children reached 8 years old, while the other groups (EC and CC received no special treatment. The total sample was measured until each child reached 21 years. The results were as follows: The young adults, treated in the preschool years, had on average significantly higher cognitive test scores, earned higher scores on reading and math tests; they completed more years of education, they were more likely to attend a 4-year college or university, and they were less likely to become teen parents. Furthermore, the mothers of these students were more likely to reach a higher level of instruction and employment. Finally, the article discusses the validity of the study and the factors associated to the benefits (the early beginning, intensity and continuity of the program. Este es un estudio de revisión en el que se analizan las investigaciones que evalúan los efectos a lo largo del tiempo del temprano Abecedarian Project (ABC. El ABC es un programa compensador preventivo de 0-5 años y entresacados de madres de alto riesgo. El grupo experimental (E recibe tratamiento preescolar intensivo, no el control (C. Se prolongó escolarmente hasta los 8 años, subdividiéndose ambos grupos: Dos -EE y CE- recibieron tratamiento intensivo; otros (EC y CC convencional. Fueron medidos hasta los 21. Resultados: Los jóvenes adultos, tratados preescolarmente, mejoraron en rendimiento mental, lector y matemático; alcanzaron mayores instrucción y presencia en

Project financing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Alvarez, M.U.

1990-01-01

This paper presents the basic concepts and components of the project financing of large industrial facilities. Diagrams of a simple partnership structure and a simple leveraged lease structure are included. Finally, a Hypothetical Project is described with basic issues identified for discussion purposes. The topics of the paper include non-recourse financing, principal advantages and objectives, disadvantages, project financing participants and agreements, feasibility studies, organization of the project company, principal agreements in a project financing, insurance, and an examination of a hypothetical project

Large scale applicability of a Fully Adaptive Non-Intrusive Spectral Projection technique: Sensitivity and uncertainty analysis of a transient

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Perkó, Zoltán; Lathouwers, Danny; Kloosterman, Jan Leen; Hagen, Tim van der

2014-01-01

Highlights: • Grid and basis adaptive Polynomial Chaos techniques are presented for S and U analysis. • Dimensionality reduction and incremental polynomial order reduce computational costs. • An unprotected loss of flow transient is investigated in a Gas Cooled Fast Reactor. • S and U analysis is performed with MC and adaptive PC methods, for 42 input parameters. • PC accurately estimates means, variances, PDFs, sensitivities and uncertainties. - Abstract: Since the early years of reactor physics the most prominent sensitivity and uncertainty (S and U) analysis methods in the nuclear community have been adjoint based techniques. While these are very effective for pure neutronics problems due to the linearity of the transport equation, they become complicated when coupled non-linear systems are involved. With the continuous increase in computational power such complicated multi-physics problems are becoming progressively tractable, hence affordable and easily applicable S and U analysis tools also have to be developed in parallel. For reactor physics problems for which adjoint methods are prohibitive Polynomial Chaos (PC) techniques offer an attractive alternative to traditional random sampling based approaches. At TU Delft such PC methods have been studied for a number of years and this paper presents a large scale application of our Fully Adaptive Non-Intrusive Spectral Projection (FANISP) algorithm for performing the sensitivity and uncertainty analysis of a Gas Cooled Fast Reactor (GFR) Unprotected Loss Of Flow (ULOF) transient. The transient was simulated using the Cathare 2 code system and a fully detailed model of the GFR2400 reactor design that was investigated in the European FP7 GoFastR project. Several sources of uncertainty were taken into account amounting to an unusually high number of stochastic input parameters (42) and numerous output quantities were investigated. The results show consistently good performance of the applied adaptive PC

Disease management of early childhood caries: results of a pilot quality improvement project.

Science.gov (United States)

Ng, Man Wai; Torresyap, Gay; White, Alex; Melvin, Patrice; Graham, Dionne; Kane, Daniel; Scoville, Richard; Ohiomoba, Henry

2012-08-01

The purpose is to report findings of a quality improvement (QI) project implemented at two hospital-based dental clinics that care for children with early childhood caries (ECC). We tested a disease management (DM) approach in children younger than age 60 months with ECC. After 30 months, for the 403 and 234 DM patients at Children's Hospital Boston (CHB) and Saint Joseph Hospital (SJH) who returned for at least two visits, rates of new cavitation, pain, and referrals to the OR were 26.1, 13.4 and 10.9% for CHB and 41.0, 7.3 and 14.9% for SJH. Rates of new cavitation, pain, and referrals to the OR for historical controls were 75.2, 21.7, and 20.9% for CHB and 71.3, 31.3, and 25.0% for SJH. A risk-based DM approach utilizing QI strategies to address ECC can be implemented into practice and has the potential to improve care and health outcomes.

All-optical photoacoustic imaging and detection of early-stage dental caries

Science.gov (United States)

Sampathkumar, Ashwin; Hughes, David A.; Longbottom, Chris; Kirk, Katherine J.

2015-02-01

Dental caries remain one of the most common oral diseases in the world. Current detection methods, such as dental explorer and X-ray radiography, suffer from poor sensitivity and specificity at the earliest (and reversible) stages of the disease because of the small size (tooth decay. This AOPAI system provides a non-contact, non-invasive and non-ionizing means of detecting early-stage dental caries. Ex-vivo teeth exhibiting early-stage, white-spot lesions were imaged using AOPAI. Experimental scans targeted each early-stage lesion and a reference healthy enamel region. Photoacoustic (PA) signals were generated in the tooth using a 532-nm pulsed laser and the light-induced broadband ultrasound signal was detected at the surface of the tooth with an optical path-stabilized Michelson interferometer operating at 532 nm. The measured time-domain signal was spatially resolved and back-projected to form 2D and 3D maps of the lesion using k-wave reconstruction methods. Experimental data collected from areas of healthy and diseased enamel indicate that the lesion generated a larger PA response compared to healthy enamel. The PA-signal amplitude alone was able to detect a lesion on the surface of the tooth. However, time- reversal reconstructions of the PA scans also quantitatively depicted the depth of the lesion. 3D PA reconstruction of the diseased tooth indicated a sub-surface lesion at a depth of 0.6 mm, in addition to the surface lesion. These results suggest that our AOPAI system is well suited for rapid clinical assessment of early-stage dental caries. An overview of the AOPAI system, fine-resolution PA and histology results of diseased and healthy teeth will be presented.

Internal and External Barriers Impacting Non-Food Cellulosic Biofuel Projects in the United States

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jeremy Withers

2015-05-01

Full Text Available Escalating demand, along with EPAct 2005, has led the United States government to assume a twofold leadership approach of energy security and environmental practices. This has initiated several important issues pertaining to cellulosic biofuel production. However, little is known about what is needed for the U.S. to lead long-term renewable energy security, how the US will develop and implement leading environmental energy practices, what supply capabilities and refining technologies are available to produce renewable fuels, and how funding can be used to adopt available technologies. This article examines geographical aspects, operational status, and barriers tending to prevent the successful commercialization of non-food cellulosic ethanol projects in the U.S. from secondary sources. Outcomes of this research can be used to further understand inhibitors that impact the production and commercialization of ethanol from non-food cellulosic sources.

LVN to ADN: Innovative, Non-Traditional Learning Project.

Science.gov (United States)

Austin Community Coll., TX.

This document contains the curriculum for the first nursing course in the Licensed Vocational Nurse Mobility Track Project. The project is designed to provide selected Licensed Vocational Nurses (LVNs) the opportunity to complete the nursing course requirements for an Associate of Applied Science Degree in Nursing (ADN) in three semesters of…

ERP services effort estimation strategies based on early requirements

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Erasmus, I.P.; Daneva, Maia; Kalenborg, Axel; Trapp, Marcus

2015-01-01

ERP clients and vendors necessarily estimate their project interventions at a very early stage, before the full requirements to an ERP solution are known and often before a contract is finalized between a vendor/ consulting company and a client. ERP project estimation at the stage of early

Estimation of loci involved in non-shattering of seeds in early rice domestication.

Science.gov (United States)

Ishikawa, Ryo; Nishimura, Akinori; Htun, Than Myint; Nishioka, Ryo; Oka, Yumi; Tsujimura, Yuki; Inoue, Chizuru; Ishii, Takashige

2017-04-01

Rice (Oryza sativa L.) is widely cultivated around the world and is known to be domesticated from its wild form, O. rufipogon. A loss of seed shattering is one of the most obvious phenotypic changes selected for during rice domestication. Previously, three seed-shattering loci, qSH1, sh4, and qSH3 were reported to be involved in non-shattering of seeds of Japonica-type cultivated rice, O. sativa cv. Nipponbare. In this study, we focused on non-shattering characteristics of O. sativa Indica cv. IR36 having functional allele at qSH1. We produced backcross recombinant inbred lines having chromosomal segments from IR36 in the genetic background of wild rice, O. rufipogon W630. Histological and quantitative trait loci analyses of abscission layer formation were conducted. In the analysis of quantitative trait loci, a strong peak was observed close to sh4. We, nevertheless, found that some lines showed complete abscission layer formation despite carrying the IR36 allele at sh4, implying that non-shattering of seeds of IR36 could be regulated by the combination of mutations at sh4 and other seed-shattering loci. We also genotyped qSH3, a recently identified seed-shattering locus. Lines that have the IR36 alleles at sh4 and qSH3 showed inhibition of abscission layer formation but the degree of seed shattering was different from that of IR36. On the basis of these results, we estimated that non-shattering of seeds in early rice domestication involved mutations in at least three loci, and these genetic materials produced in this study may help to identify novel seed-shattering loci.

Lived Experiences of Sex Life Difficulties in Men and Women with Early RA - The Swedish TIRA Project.

Science.gov (United States)

Östlund, Gunnel; Björk, Mathilda; Valtersson, Eva; Sverker, Annette

2015-12-01

Men and women with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) experience restrictions in everyday life, in spite of the development of new medications. Recent research has described in detail how participation limitations are experienced in everyday life from a patient perspective. However, knowledge of how sex and intimate relationships are affected is still scarce. The aim of the present study was to explore sex life experiences in relation to sexual function and sexual relationships in men and women with early RA. The study formed part of TIRA-2 (the Swedish acronym for the prospective multicentre early arthritis project). The data collection included 45 interviews with 21 men and 24 women, aged 20-63, which were recorded and transcribed verbatim. The critical incident technique was used to collect data, and content analysis to categorize the results. Half the participants stated that RA affected their sex life. The general descriptions formed five categories: sex life and tiredness; sex life and ageing; emotional consequences of impaired sexual function; facilitators of sexual function and sexual relationships; and strain on the sexual relationship. Sex life is affected in early RA, in spite of new effective treatment strategies. New strategies of communication, assessment and self-managing interventions concerning the sex lives of patients with RA need to be implemented by a multidisciplinary healthcare team. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Non-Gaussianities due to relativistic corrections to the observed galaxy bispectrum

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dio, E. Di; Perrier, H.; Durrer, R.; Dizgah, A. Moradinezhad; Riotto, A.; Marozzi, G.; Noreña, J.

2017-01-01

High-precision constraints on primordial non-Gaussianity (PNG) will significantly improve our understanding of the physics of the early universe. Among all the subtleties in using large scale structure observables to constrain PNG, accounting for relativistic corrections to the clustering statistics is particularly important for the upcoming galaxy surveys covering progressively larger fraction of the sky. We focus on relativistic projection effects due to the fact that we observe the galaxies through the light that reaches the telescope on perturbed geodesics. These projection effects can give rise to an effective f NL that can be misinterpreted as the primordial non-Gaussianity signal and hence is a systematic to be carefully computed and accounted for in modelling of the bispectrum. We develop the technique to properly account for relativistic effects in terms of purely observable quantities, namely angles and redshifts. We give some examples by applying this approach to a subset of the contributions to the tree-level bispectrum of the observed galaxy number counts calculated within perturbation theory and estimate the corresponding non-Gaussianity parameter, f NL , for the local, equilateral and orthogonal shapes. For the local shape, we also compute the local non-Gaussianity resulting from terms obtained using the consistency relation for observed number counts. Our goal here is not to give a precise estimate of f NL for each shape but rather we aim to provide a scheme to compute the non-Gaussian contamination due to relativistic projection effects. For the terms considered in this work, we obtain contamination of f NL loc ∼ O(1).

In vitro MRI of brain development

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rados, Marko; Judas, Milos; Kostovic, Ivica

2006-01-01

In this review, we demonstrate the developmental appearance, structural features, and reorganization of transient cerebral zones and structures in the human fetal brain using a correlative histological and MRI analysis. The analysis of postmortem aldehyde-fixed specimens (age range: 10 postovulatory weeks to term) revealed that, at 10 postovulatory weeks, the cerebral wall already has a trilaminar appearance and consists of: (1) a ventricular zone of high cell-packing density; (2) an intermediate zone; (3) the cortical plate (in a stage of primary consolidation) with high MRI signal intensity. The anlage of the hippocampus is present as a prominent bulging in the thin limbic telencephalon. The early fetal telencephalon impar also contains the first commissural fibers and fornix bundles in the septal area. The ganglionic eminence is clearly visible as an expanded continuation of the proliferative ventricular zone. The basal ganglia showed an initial aggregation of cells. The most massive fiber system is in the hemispheric stalk, which is in continuity with thalamocortical fibers. During the mid-fetal period (15-22 postovulatory weeks), the typical fetal lamination pattern develops and the cerebral wall consists of the following zones: (a) a marginal zone (visible on MRI exclusively in the hippocampus); (b) the cortical plate with high cell-packing density and high MRI signal intensity; (c) the subplate zone, which is the most prominent zone rich in extracellular matrix and with a very low MRI signal intensity; (d) the intermediate zone (fetal 'white matter'); (e) the subventricular zone; (f) the periventricular fiber-rich zone; (g) the ventricular zone. The ganglionic eminence is still a very prominent structure with an intense proliferative activity. During the next period (22-26 postovulatory weeks), there is the developmental peak of transient MRI features, caused by the high content of hydrophyllic extracellular matrix in the subplate zone and the accumulation

Planning for high performance project teams

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Reed, W.; Keeney, J.; Westney, R.

1997-01-01

Both industry-wide research and corporate benchmarking studies confirm the significant savings in cost and time that result from early planning of a project. Amoco's Team Planning Workshop combines long-term strategic project planning and short-term tactical planning with team building to provide the basis for high performing project teams, better project planning, and effective implementation of the Amoco Common Process for managing projects

Non-Formal Spaces of Socio-Cultural Accompaniment: Responding to Young Unaccompanied Refugees--Reflections from the "Partispace" Project

Science.gov (United States)

Batsleer, Janet; Andersson, Björn; Liljeholm Hansson, Susanne; Lütgens, Jessica; Mengilli, Yagmur; Pais, Alexandre; Pohl, Axel; Wissö, Therése

2018-01-01

Drawing on research in progress in the Partispace project we make a case for the recognition of the importance of non-formal spaces in response to young refugees across three different national contexts: Frankfurt in Germany; Gothenburg in Sweden; and Manchester in the UK. It is argued that recognition of local regulation and national controls of…

Plasma levels of antiprogestin RU 486 following oral administration to non-pregnant and early pregnant women

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Swahn, M.L.; Wang, G.; Aedo, A.R.; Cekan, S.Z.; Bygdeman, M.

1986-01-01

RU 486 is a synthetic steroid which acts as an antiprogestin at the receptor level. The clinical usefulness of the compound for menstrual regulation and termination of early pregnancy is currently being evaluated. The aim of the present study was to determine the plasma levels of RU 486 following the oral administration of the compound to 42 pregnant and 10 non-pregnant women. The levels of RU 486 were measured by a radioimmunoassay method which uses chromatography on Sephadex LH 20 columns. The identity of the compound assayed as RU 486 was confirmed, but the presence of small amounts of two highly cross-reacting metabolites (monodemethyl and didemethyl RU 486) in the analyzed fractions could not be excluded. Following the ingestion of a single tablet containing 25 and 50 mg of the compound, a peak plasma value of approximately 3.5 to 4.0 mumol/l in both the pregnant and non-pregnant subjects was reached one to two hours later. The half-lives of elimination were about 20 hours in both the pregnant and the non-pregnant women. Following the repeated oral administration of 50, 100 or 200 mg of RU 486 daily for four days, maximum plasma levels of 2.9, 4.5 and 5.4 mumol/l, respectively, were found. Thus, the increase in plasma levels was not directly proportional to the increase in the dose. No accumulation of RU 486 in the plasma was found, even when the duration of treatment was prolonged to six days. The data partly explain the reported lack of relation between ingested dose and frequency of induced abortion and they may be useful for designing future studies on the use of compound to prevent implantation, induce menstruation or terminate an early pregnancy

Plasma levels of antiprogestin RU 486 following oral administration to non-pregnant and early pregnant women

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Swahn, M.L.; Wang, G.; Aedo, A.R.; Cekan, S.Z.; Bygdeman, M.

1986-11-01

RU 486 is a synthetic steroid which acts as an antiprogestin at the receptor level. The clinical usefulness of the compound for menstrual regulation and termination of early pregnancy is currently being evaluated. The aim of the present study was to determine the plasma levels of RU 486 following the oral administration of the compound to 42 pregnant and 10 non-pregnant women. The levels of RU 486 were measured by a radioimmunoassay method which uses chromatography on Sephadex LH 20 columns. The identity of the compound assayed as RU 486 was confirmed, but the presence of small amounts of two highly cross-reacting metabolites (monodemethyl and didemethyl RU 486) in the analyzed fractions could not be excluded. Following the ingestion of a single tablet containing 25 and 50 mg of the compound, a peak plasma value of approximately 3.5 to 4.0 mumol/l in both the pregnant and non-pregnant subjects was reached one to two hours later. The half-lives of elimination were about 20 hours in both the pregnant and the non-pregnant women. Following the repeated oral administration of 50, 100 or 200 mg of RU 486 daily for four days, maximum plasma levels of 2.9, 4.5 and 5.4 mumol/l, respectively, were found. Thus, the increase in plasma levels was not directly proportional to the increase in the dose. No accumulation of RU 486 in the plasma was found, even when the duration of treatment was prolonged to six days. The data partly explain the reported lack of relation between ingested dose and frequency of induced abortion and they may be useful for designing future studies on the use of compound to prevent implantation, induce menstruation or terminate an early pregnancy.

Cognitive Development in Early Readers.

Science.gov (United States)

Briggs, Chari; Elkind, David

Some studies of early readers are discussed. It is pointed out that study of early readers has relevance for practical and theoretical issues in psychology and education. Of interest in this document are the following questions: (1) Are there any special talents or traits distinguishing early from non-early readers? (2) Do children who read early…

Visualizations as Projection Devices

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Harty, Chris; Holm Jacobsen, Peter; Tryggestad, Kjell

The aim of this paper is to inquire into the role of project visualizations in shaping healthcare spaces and practices. The study draws upon an ethnographic field study from a large on-going hospital construction project in Denmark, and focuses on the early phases of on-boarding the design team...... into the project organization. During the on-boarding visualizations multiplies in form, content and purpose, ranging from paper and digitally based projections of clinical work spaces and practices for the future hospital building in use, to paper and digitally based projections of the cost budget and time...

Early CD3+/CD15+ peripheral blood leukocyte chimerism patterns correlate with long-term engraftment in non-malignant hematopoietic SCT.

Science.gov (United States)

Ketterl, T G; Flesher, M; Shanley, R; Miller, W

2014-04-01

Following hematopoietic SCT (HSCT) for non-malignant disorders (NMDs) variable donor chimerism among lympho-hematopoietic lines may be observed. We retrospectively evaluated early post-HSCT, lineage-sorted (CD3+ and CD15+) peripheral blood leukocyte chimerism data to characterize patterns and assess for association with long-term CD15+ engraftment. 'Early' was defined as the first value obtained between days +14 and +42, 'late' as the last recorded value after day +90. 'High' donor chimerism was defined as 80% on either fraction at all time-points. Patients were classified into four subgroups with respect to early CD3+/CD15+ chimerism patterns (high/low) then analyzed for long-term CD15+ chimerism status. A total of 135 transplants were evaluable, with all three time-points available in 97. Underlying disease, graft source, patient age and conditioning intensity varied. 'Split' early chimerism (discordant high/low CD3+/CD15+ status) was common. Multivariable analysis revealed strong association between conditioning regimen and primary disease on early CD3+/CD15+ chimerism patterns and a dominant predictive effect of early CD15+ chimerism on long-term CD15+ donor engraftment (observed at median day +365). These data may guide real-time clinician decisions (restraint vs intervention, when available) when faced with unfavorable or unusual early lympho-hematopoietic chimerism patterns following HSCT for NMD.

Age at onset of DSM-IV pathological gambling in a non-treatment sample: Early- versus later-onset.

Science.gov (United States)

Black, Donald W; Shaw, Martha; Coryell, William; Crowe, Raymond; McCormick, Brett; Allen, Jeff

2015-07-01

Pathological gambling (PG) is a prevalent and impairing public health problem. In this study we assessed age at onset in men and women with PG and compared the demographic and clinical picture of early- vs. later-onset individuals. We also compared age at onset in PG subjects and their first-degree relatives with PG. Subjects with DSM-IV PG were recruited during the conduct of two non-treatment clinical studies. Subjects were evaluated with structured interviews and validated questionnaires. Early-onset was defined as PG starting prior to age 33years. Age at onset of PG in the 255 subjects ranged from 8 to 80years with a mean (SD) of 34.0 (15.3) years. Men had an earlier onset than women. 84% of all subjects with PG had developed the disorder by age 50years. Early-onset subjects were more likely to be male, to prefer action games, and to have substance use disorders, antisocial personality disorder, attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder, trait impulsiveness, and social anxiety disorder. Later-onset was more common in women and was associated with a preference for slots and a history of sexual abuse. Age at onset of PG is bimodal and differs for men and women. Early-onset PG and later-onset PG have important demographic and clinical differences. The implications of the findings are discussed. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Gas nad mud volcanism formation as a result of geodynamic development of the Black sea region

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dmitrievsky, A.N.; Karakin, A.V.; Kazmin, V.G.

2002-01-01

Full text : Fluidodynamic model of moving of gas-mud mixture accompanied by eruptions of mud volcanoes and gas bursts is firstly demonstrated by the example of the Black sea basin. The entire spectrum of gas bursts can be divided into gas and mud-fluid volcanoes. Emanation of hydrocarbon gases during the eruptions accompanied by powerful exploison, bursts of gas, water and fragments of rocks as well as by issue of breccia are typical for the first type of volcanoes. It was suggested that the eastern part of the Black sea forms block or subplate moving to the northeast. This conclusion is important for estimation of seismic and connected geological hazard in the studied region. It was established that deformations and seismicity were mainly confined to the edges of the East Black sea subplate while in its inner part the level of seismic activity is considerably lower.

Early-time particle dynamics and non-affine deformations during microstructure selection in solids

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sengupta, Surajit [Centre for Advanced Materials, Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science, 2A and 2B, Raja S C Mullick Road, Jadavpur, Kolkata 700032 (India); Rao, Madan [Raman Research Institute, C V Raman Avenue, Bangalore 560 080 (India); Bhattacharya, Jayee [S N Bose National Centre for Basic Sciences, Block JD, Sector III, Salt Lake, Kolkata 700 098 (India)

2011-07-27

Solid-solid transitions are invariably associated with groups of particles whose deformations cannot be expressed as an affine strain about a reference configuration. The dynamics of these non-affine zones (NAZ) determine the subsequent microstructure, i.e. the mesoscale patterning resulting from the structural transition. Here, we focus on early-time dynamics of individual particles within an NAZ associated with a nucleation event. We show that the early-time behavior of these particles have distinctive characteristics depending on the transition temperature. The dynamics is heterogeneous, consisting of a few active particles exhibiting complex intermittent jamming and flow in response to internal stresses generated during the transformation. At low temperatures, the dynamics of these active particles is ballistic and the structural transformation proceeds via string-like correlated movement of active particles, along ridges in the potential energy topography set up by inactive particles. On increasing temperature, the dynamics of active particles show an abrupt transition from ballistic to diffusive behavior with a diffusion coefficient which appears to be independent of temperature. This dynamical transition in the nature of the trajectories of particles is coincident with a discontinuous transition in the microstructure of the solid. Finally, we characterize this transition in terms of a dynamical order parameter in the space of trajectories and discuss its connection with the glass transition and rheology of soft and granular matter.

Application of earthquake early warning system for disaster prevention in nuclear facilities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ionescu, C.; Dumitru, G.; Oprescu, T.; Ana, E.; Sofilca, N.; Grigore, D.

2007-01-01

Full text: The Romanian seismicity is dominated by the Vrancea deep (60-200 km) earthquakes which take place in a small volume located at the bend of Carpathian mountains, the place where three tectonic units are interacting: East-European, Intra-Alpine plates and Moesic sub-plate. Two or three events per century are devastating; having high energy they are felt over large and highly populated areas. The achievement of a seismic vulnerability reduction system for industrial and technological processes in the nuclear field intends to reduce possible after-earthquake damages which can take place in nuclear facilities situated in an extended area as compared to the usual one affected by Vrancea earthquakes. In this situation there are nuclear specific facilities like: - Van de Graaff Accelerator of IFIN-HH at Magurele; - TRIGA reactor operated at Pitesti, Mioveni, Jud. Arges; - Experimental Pilot Plant for tritium and deuterium separation of ICSI at Ramnicu Valcea; - Heavy water plant Drobeta Turnu Severin, Mehedinti. We intend to implement EEWS in the above sites in order to have a warning decision for earthquakes produced in Vrancea, Campulung Muscel and Herculane areas and its error-free transmission for activating the safety regulations for these facilities. (authors)

"Someone Had to Have Faith in Them as Professionals": An Evaluation of an Action Research Project to Develop Educational Leadership across the Early Years

Science.gov (United States)

Henderson, Linda

2017-01-01

This article reports on an evaluation of three action research projects developed by a group of teachers working across the early years in three independent schools. The article examines the role of action research in developing educational leadership capabilities. Drawing on the educational leadership literature, concepts and ideas of action and…

Early Maternal Time Investment and Early Child Outcomes

OpenAIRE

Del Bono, Emilia; Francesconi, Marco; Kelly, Yvonne; Sacker, Amanda

2014-01-01

Using large longitudinal survey data from the UK Millennium Cohort Study, this paper estimates the relationship between maternal time inputs and early child development. We find that maternal time is a quantitatively important determinant of skill formation and that its effect declines with child age. There is evidence of long-term effects of early maternal time inputs on later outcomes, especially in the case of cognitive skill development. In the case of non-cognitive development, the evide...

PROJECTED ROTATIONAL VELOCITIES OF 136 EARLY B-TYPE STARS IN THE OUTER GALACTIC DISK

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Garmany, C. D.; Glaspey, J. W. [National Optical Astronomy Observatory, 950 N. Cherry Ave., Tucson, AZ 85719 (United States); Bragança, G. A.; Daflon, S.; Fernandes, M. Borges; Cunha, K. [Observatório Nacional-MCTI, Rua José Cristino, 77. CEP: 20921-400, Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil); Oey, M. S. [University of Michigan, Department of Astronomy, 311 West Hall, 1085 S. University Ave., Ann Arbor, MI: 48109-1107 (United States); Bensby, T., E-mail: garmany@noao.edu [Lund Observatory, Department of Astronomy and Theoretical Physics, Box 43, SE-22100, Lund (Sweden)

2015-08-15

We have determined projected rotational velocities, v sin i, from Magellan/MIKE echelle spectra for a sample of 136 early B-type stars having large Galactocentric distances. The target selection was done independently of their possible membership in clusters, associations or field stars. We subsequently examined the literature and assigned each star as Field, Association, or Cluster. Our v sin i results are consistent with a difference in aggregate v sin i with stellar density. We fit bimodal Maxwellian distributions to the Field, Association, and Cluster subsamples representing sharp-lined and broad-lined components. The first two distributions, in particular, for the Field and Association are consistent with strong bimodality in v sin i. Radial velocities are also presented, which are useful for further studies of binarity in B-type stars, and we also identify a sample of possible new double-lined spectroscopic binaries. In addition, we find 18 candidate Be stars showing emission at Hα.

Laser Raman detection of platelet as a non-invasive approach for early and differential diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen, P; Wang, X H; Cheng, Y; Peng, J; Shen, A G; Hu, J M; Tian, Q; Shang, X L; Liu, Z C; Yao, X Q; Wang, J Z; Baek, S J; Park, A

2011-01-01

Early and differential diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a problem that puzzled many doctors. Reliable markers in easy-assembling samples are of considerable clinical diagnostic value. In this work, laser Raman spectroscopy (LRS) was developed a new method that potentially allows early and differential diagnosis of AD from the platelet sample. Raman spectra of platelets isolated from different ages of AD transgenic mice and non-transgenic controls were collected and analyzed. Multilayer perceptron networks (MLP) classification method was used to classify spectra and establish the diagnostic models. For differential diagnosis, spectra of platelets isolated from AD, Parkinson's disease (PD) and vascular dementia (VD) mice were also discriminated. Two notable spectral differences at 740 and 1654 cm -1 were revealed in the mean spectrum of platelets isolated from AD transgenic mice and the controls. MLP displayed a powerful ability in the classifying of early, advanced AD and the control group, and in differential diagnosis of PD and advanced AD, as well as VD and advanced AD. The results suggest that platelet detecting by LRS coupled with MLP analysis appears to be an easy and accurate method for early and differential diagnosis of AD. This technique could be rapidly promoted from laboratory to the hospital

Asthma prevalence and risk factors in early childhood at Northern Portugal

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

P.T.B.S. Branco

2016-05-01

Full Text Available Asthma is the commonest and most important chronic non-infectious disease in childhood and it has become more prevalent in recent years. There is a shortage of studies in relation to early childhood and so, as part of the INAIRCHILD project, this cross-sectional study aimed to assess the prevalence of asthma and its associated risk factors, namely demographic, environmental, psychosocial and clinical factors for infants and preschoolers living in Northern Portugal. Data concerning asthma prevalence were collected through questionnaires based on those from the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC-derived, the questionnaires were distributed to 1042 children attending the 17 nurseries involved in the INAIRCHILD project (10 in urban and suburban context, and 7 in rural context. The response rate was 48%. Prevalence of asthma based on symptomatology and odds ratio was calculated. Around 52% of the studied children presented at least one of the respiratory symptoms investigated (wheeze, dyspnea and cough in the absence of upper respiratory infections. The prevalence of asthma was 10.7%, comparable to the figures for Portuguese schoolchildren (6–7 years old reported by the national Directorate-General of Health, thus showing that an early diagnosis might be possible and helpful for the mitigation of childhood asthma. Environmental context (urban, suburban or rural, gender and family asthma history showed clear associations with asthma prevalence, namely non-rural location, male gender, and having an asthmatic parent were found to be risk factors. Keywords: Asthma, Children, Demographic, Environmental, Psychosocial and clinical risk factors

Asthma prevalence and risk factors in early childhood at Northern Portugal.

Science.gov (United States)

Branco, P T B S; Nunes, R A O; Alvim-Ferraz, M C M; Martins, F G; Ferraz, C; Vaz, L G; Sousa, S I V

2016-01-01

Asthma is the commonest and most important chronic non-infectious disease in childhood and it has become more prevalent in recent years. There is a shortage of studies in relation to early childhood and so, as part of the INAIRCHILD project, this cross-sectional study aimed to assess the prevalence of asthma and its associated risk factors, namely demographic, environmental, psychosocial and clinical factors for infants and preschoolers living in Northern Portugal. Data concerning asthma prevalence were collected through questionnaires based on those from the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC-derived), the questionnaires were distributed to 1042 children attending the 17 nurseries involved in the INAIRCHILD project (10 in urban and suburban context, and 7 in rural context). The response rate was 48%. Prevalence of asthma based on symptomatology and odds ratio was calculated. Around 52% of the studied children presented at least one of the respiratory symptoms investigated (wheeze, dyspnea and cough) in the absence of upper respiratory infections. The prevalence of asthma was 10.7%, comparable to the figures for Portuguese schoolchildren (6-7 years old) reported by the national Directorate-General of Health, thus showing that an early diagnosis might be possible and helpful for the mitigation of childhood asthma. Environmental context (urban, suburban or rural), gender and family asthma history showed clear associations with asthma prevalence, namely non-rural location, male gender, and having an asthmatic parent were found to be risk factors. Copyright © 2015 Sociedade Portuguesa de Pneumologia. Published by Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Non-Gaussianities due to relativistic corrections to the observed galaxy bispectrum

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dio, E. Di [INAF—Osservatorio Astronomico di Trieste, Via G.B. Tiepolo 11, Trieste, I-34143 Italy (Italy); Perrier, H.; Durrer, R.; Dizgah, A. Moradinezhad; Riotto, A. [University of Geneva, Department of Theoretical Physics and Center for Astroparticle Physics (CAP), 24 quai E. Ansermet, Geneva 4, CH-1211 Switzerland (Switzerland); Marozzi, G. [Centro Brasileiro de Pesquisas Físicas, Rua Dr. Xavier Sigaud 150, Urca, Rio de Janeiro, CEP 22290-180 Brazil (Brazil); Noreña, J., E-mail: Enea.DiDio@oats.inaf.it, E-mail: Hideki.Perrier@unige.ch, E-mail: Ruth.Durrer@unige.ch, E-mail: Marozzi@cbpf.br, E-mail: amoradinejad@physics.harvard.edu, E-mail: jorge.norena@pucv.cl, E-mail: Antonio.Riotto@unige.ch [Instituto de Física, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso, Casilla, Valparaíso, 4059 Chile (Chile)

2017-03-01

High-precision constraints on primordial non-Gaussianity (PNG) will significantly improve our understanding of the physics of the early universe. Among all the subtleties in using large scale structure observables to constrain PNG, accounting for relativistic corrections to the clustering statistics is particularly important for the upcoming galaxy surveys covering progressively larger fraction of the sky. We focus on relativistic projection effects due to the fact that we observe the galaxies through the light that reaches the telescope on perturbed geodesics. These projection effects can give rise to an effective f {sub NL} that can be misinterpreted as the primordial non-Gaussianity signal and hence is a systematic to be carefully computed and accounted for in modelling of the bispectrum. We develop the technique to properly account for relativistic effects in terms of purely observable quantities, namely angles and redshifts. We give some examples by applying this approach to a subset of the contributions to the tree-level bispectrum of the observed galaxy number counts calculated within perturbation theory and estimate the corresponding non-Gaussianity parameter, f {sub NL}, for the local, equilateral and orthogonal shapes. For the local shape, we also compute the local non-Gaussianity resulting from terms obtained using the consistency relation for observed number counts. Our goal here is not to give a precise estimate of f {sub NL} for each shape but rather we aim to provide a scheme to compute the non-Gaussian contamination due to relativistic projection effects. For the terms considered in this work, we obtain contamination of f {sub NL}{sup loc} ∼ O(1).

A New Method for Early Anomaly Detection of BWR Instabilities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ivanov, K.N.

2005-01-01

The objective of the performed research is to develop an early anomaly detection methodology so as to enhance safety, availability, and operational flexibility of Boiling Water Reactor (BWR) nuclear power plants. The technical approach relies on suppression of potential power oscillations in BWRs by detecting small anomalies at an early stage and taking appropriate prognostic actions based on an anticipated operation schedule. The research utilizes a model of coupled (two-phase) thermal-hydraulic and neutron flux dynamics, which is used as a generator of time series data for anomaly detection at an early stage. The model captures critical nonlinear features of coupled thermal-hydraulic and nuclear reactor dynamics and (slow time-scale) evolution of the anomalies as non-stationary parameters. The time series data derived from this nonlinear non-stationary model serves as the source of information for generating the symbolic dynamics for characterization of model parameter changes that quantitatively represent small anomalies. The major focus of the presented research activity was on developing and qualifying algorithms of pattern recognition for power instability based on anomaly detection from time series data, which later can be used to formulate real-time decision and control algorithms for suppression of power oscillations for a variety of anticipated operating conditions. The research being performed in the framework of this project is essential to make significant improvement in the capability of thermal instability analyses for enhancing safety, availability, and operational flexibility of currently operating and next generation BWRs.

Prioritising Project Scope Definition Elements in Public Building Projects

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mohammed K Fageha

2014-09-01

Full Text Available A complete definition of the scope of a project upfront during early stages ensures smooth and successful implementation during the project execution. This research identifies and prioritises project scope definition elements for public buildings in Saudi Arabia. Elements that could significantly contribute to complete project scope definition package at pre-project planning stage are identified and their interrelationship determined and prioritised. Using the Project Definition Rating Index (PDRI as a basis, the study uses analytical network process (ANP technique based on data obtained from project managers who have been involved in public sector projects in Saudi Arabia. Data collection and analysis was conducted in three steps. The first step involved identification of scope definition elements while the second involved an investigation into interrelationships among the elements. In the third step, ANP was used to determine the weight of the elements’ importance in terms of contribution to project scope definition completeness. Finally, Pareto analysis was used to prioritise and assess the distribution pattern of the elements. The outcome from this research is the prioritisation of project scope definition elements for public building projects in Saudi Arabia. The prioritised list developed indicates the importance of project scope definition elements. It should help project management teams identify elements to consider when evaluating project scope definition for completeness at the pre-project planning stage. Keywords: Project scope definition, pre-project planning, prioritising, public building projects, Saudi Arabia, Analytical Network Process (ANP

The New Mexico Technology Deployment Pilot Project: A technology reinvestment project. Final report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1996-11-01

The New Mexico Technology Deployment Project (NMTDP) has been in operation for slightly more than two years. As one of the original TRP projects, NMTDP had the charter to develop and validate a new model for technology extraction which emphasized focused technology collaboration, early industry involvement, and a strong dual use commercialization and productization emphasis. Taken in total, the first two years of the NMTDP have been exceptionally successful, surpassing the goals of the project. This report describes the accomplishments and evolution of the NMTDP to date and discusses the future potential of the project. Despite the end of federal funding, and a subsequent reduction in level of effort, the project partners are committed to continuation of the project.

The Critical Role of Early Dengue Surveillance and Limitations of Clinical Reporting - Implications for Non-Endemic Countries.

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Jui-Hung Kao

Full Text Available The increasing dengue burden and epidemic severity worldwide have highlighted the need to improve surveillance. In non-endemic areas such as Taiwan, where outbreaks start mostly with imported cases from Southeast Asia, a closer examination of surveillance dynamics to detect cases early is necessary. To evaluate problems with dengue surveillance and investigate the involvement of different factors at various epidemic stages, we investigated 632 laboratory-confirmed indigenous dengue cases in Kaohsiung City, Taiwan during 2009-2010. The estimated sensitivity of clinical surveillance was 82.4% (521/632. Initially, the modified serological surveillance (targeting only the contacts of laboratory-confirmed dengue cases identified clinically unrecognized afebrile cases in younger patients who visited private clinics and accounted for 30.4% (35/115 of the early-stage cases. Multivariate regression indicated that hospital/medical center visits [Adjusted Odds Ratio (aOR: 11.6, 95% confidence interval (CI: 6.3-21.4], middle epidemic stage [aOR: 2.4 (1.2-4.7], fever [aOR: 2.3 (2.3-12.9], and musculo-articular pain [aOR: 1.9 (1.05-3.3] were significantly associated with clinical reporting. However, cases with pruritus/rash [aOR: 0.47 (0.26-0.83] and diarrhea [aOR: 0.47 (0.26-0.85] were underreported. In conclusion, multiple factors contributed to dengue surveillance problems. To prevent a large-scale epidemic and minimize severe dengue cases, there is a need for integrated surveillance incorporating entomological, clinical, serological, and virological surveillance systems to detect early cases, followed by immediate prevention and control measures and continuous evaluation to ensure effectiveness. This effort will be particularly important for an arbovirus, such as Zika virus, with a high asymptomatic infection ratio. For dengue- non-endemic countries, we recommend serological surveillance be implemented in areas with high Aedes mosquito indices or many

A non-iterative sampling approach using noise subspace projection for EIT

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bellis, Cédric; Constantinescu, Andrei; Coquet, Thomas; Jaravel, Thomas; Lechleiter, Armin

2012-01-01

This study concerns the problem of the reconstruction of inclusions embedded in a conductive medium in the context of electrical impedance tomography (EIT), which is investigated within the framework of a non-iterative sampling approach. This type of identification strategy relies on the construction of a special indicator function that takes, roughly speaking, small values outside the inclusion and large values inside. Such a function is constructed in this paper from the projection of a fundamental singular solution onto the space spanned by the singular vectors associated with some of the smallest singular values of the data-to-measurement operator. The behavior of the novel indicator function is analyzed. For a subsequent implementation in a discrete setting, the quality of classical finite-dimensional approximations of the measurement operator is discussed. The robustness of this approach is also analyzed when only noisy spectral information is available. Finally, this identification method is implemented numerically and experimentally, and its efficiency is discussed on a set of, partly experimental, examples. (paper)

HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis and early antiretroviral treatment among female sex workers in South Africa: Results from a prospective observational demonstration project.

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Robyn Eakle

2017-11-01

Full Text Available Operational research is required to design delivery of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP and early antiretroviral treatment (ART. This paper presents the primary analysis of programmatic data, as well as demographic, behavioural, and clinical data, from the TAPS Demonstration Project, which offered both interventions to female sex workers (FSWs at 2 urban clinic sites in South Africa.The TAPS study was conducted between 30 March 2015 and 30 June 2017, with the enrolment period ending on 31 July 2016. TAPS was a prospective observational cohort study with 2 groups receiving interventions delivered in existing service settings: (1 PrEP as part of combination prevention for HIV-negative FSWs and (2 early ART for HIV-positive FSWs. The main outcome was programme retention at 12 months of follow-up. Of the 947 FSWs initially seen in clinic, 692 were HIV tested. HIV prevalence was 49%. Among those returning to clinic after HIV testing and clinical screening, 93% of the women who were HIV-negative were confirmed as clinically eligible for PrEP (n = 224/241, and 41% (n = 110/270 of the women who were HIV-positive had CD4 counts within National Department of Health ART initiation guidelines at assessment. Of the remaining women who were HIV-positive, 93% were eligible for early ART (n = 148/160. From those eligible, 98% (n = 219/224 and 94% (n = 139/148 took up PrEP and early ART, respectively. At baseline, a substantial fraction of women had a steady partner, worked in brothels, and were born in Zimbabwe. Of those enrolled, 22% on PrEP (n = 49/219 and 60% on early ART (n = 83/139 were seen at 12 months; we observed high rates of loss to follow-up: 71% (n = 156/219 and 30% (n = 42/139 in the PrEP and early ART groups, respectively. Little change over time was reported in consistent condom use or the number of sexual partners in the last 7 days, with high levels of consistent condom use with clients and low use with steady partners in both study groups

Proton-Based Stereotactic Ablative Radiotherapy in Early-Stage Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer

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Jonathan D. Grant

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Stereotactic ablative radiotherapy (SABR, a recent implementation in the practice of radiation oncology, has been shown to confer high rates of local control in the treatment of early stage non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC. This technique, which involves limited invasive procedures and reduced treatment intervals, offers definitive treatment for patients unable or unwilling to undergo an operation. The use of protons in SABR delivery confers the added physical advantage of normal tissue sparing due to the absence of collateral radiation dose delivered to regions distal to the target. This may translate into clinical benefit and a decreased risk of clinical toxicity in patients with nearby critical structures or limited pulmonary reserve. In this review, we present the rationale for proton-based SABR, principles relating to the delivery and planning of this modality, and a summary of published clinical studies.

Effectiveness and safety of early medication abortion provided in pharmacies by auxiliary nurse-midwives: A non-inferiority study in Nepal.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Corinne H Rocca

Full Text Available Expanding access to medication abortion through pharmacies is a promising avenue to reach women with safe and convenient care, yet no pharmacy provision interventions have been evaluated. This observational non-inferiority study investigated the effectiveness and safety of mifepristone-misoprostol medication abortion provided at pharmacies, compared to government-certified public health facilities, by trained auxiliary nurse-midwives in Nepal.Auxiliary nurse-midwives were trained to provide medication abortion through twelve pharmacies and public facilities as part of a demonstration project in two districts. Eligible women were ≤63 days pregnant, aged 16-45, and had no medical contraindications. Between 2014-2015, participants (n = 605 obtained 200 mg mifepristone orally and 800 μg misoprostol sublingually or intravaginally 24 hours later, and followed-up 14-21 days later. The primary outcome was complete abortion without manual vacuum aspiration; the secondary outcome was complication requiring treatment. We assessed risk differences by facility type with multivariable logistic mixed-effects regression.Over 99% of enrolled women completed follow-up (n = 600. Complete abortions occurred in 588 (98·0% cases, with ten incomplete abortions and two continuing pregnancies. 293/297 (98·7% pharmacy participants and 295/303 (97·4% public facility participants had complete abortions, with an adjusted risk difference falling within the pre-specified 5 percentage-point non-inferiority margin (1·5% [-0·8%, 3·8%]. No serious adverse events occurred. Five (1.7% pharmacy and two (0.7% public facility participants experienced a complication warranting treatment (aRD, 0.8% [-1.0%-2.7%].Early mifepristone-misoprostol abortion was as effective and safe when provided by trained auxiliary nurse-midwives at pharmacies as at government-certified health facilities. Findings support policy expanding provision through registered pharmacies by trained auxiliary

Early diagnosis of asthma in young children by using non-invasive biomarkers of airway inflammation and early lung function measurements: study protocol of a case-control study

Science.gov (United States)

van de Kant, Kim DG; Klaassen, Ester MM; Jöbsis, Quirijn; Nijhuis, Annedien J; van Schayck, Onno CP; Dompeling, Edward

2009-01-01

Background Asthma is the most common chronic disease in childhood, characterized by chronic airway inflammation. There are problems with the diagnosis of asthma in young children since the majority of the children with recurrent asthma-like symptoms is symptom free at 6 years, and does not have asthma. With the conventional diagnostic tools it is not possible to differentiate between preschool children with transient symptoms and children with asthma. The analysis of biomarkers of airway inflammation in exhaled breath is a non-invasive and promising technique to diagnose asthma and monitor inflammation in young children. Moreover, relatively new lung function tests (airway resistance using the interrupter technique) have become available for young children. The primary objective of the ADEM study (Asthma DEtection and Monitoring study), is to develop a non-invasive instrument for an early asthma diagnosis in young children, using exhaled inflammatory markers and early lung function measurements. In addition, aetiological factors, including gene polymorphisms and gene expression profiles, in relation to the development of asthma are studied. Methods/design A prospective case-control study is started in 200 children with recurrent respiratory symptoms and 50 control subjects without respiratory symptoms. At 6 years, a definite diagnosis of asthma is made (primary outcome measure) on basis of lung function assessments and current respiratory symptoms ('golden standard'). From inclusion until the definite asthma diagnosis, repeated measurements of lung function tests and inflammatory markers in exhaled breath (condensate), blood and faeces are performed. The study is registered and ethically approved. Discussion This article describes the study protocol of the ADEM study. The new diagnostic techniques applied in this study could make an early diagnosis of asthma possible. An early and reliable asthma diagnosis at 2–3 years will have consequences for the management of

Fermilab History and Archives Project | Home

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Special Events Early Users Meetings (1979 - 1989) The Tevatron Natural History Discoveries Technology Site Fermilab History and Archives Project Fermilab History and Archives Project Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory Home About the Archives History & Archives Online Request Contact Us Site Index

Nitric oxide and the non-adrenergic non-cholinergic neurotransmission

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Boeckxstaens, G. E.; Pelckmans, P. A.

1997-01-01

In the early 1960s, the first evidence was reported demonstrating neurally mediated responses in the presence of adrenergic and cholinergic antagonists, leading to the introduction of the concept of non-adrenergic non-cholinergic neurotransmission. The inhibitory component of this part of the

Enhancing international collaboration among early-career researchers

Science.gov (United States)

Carroll, Jennifer K; Albada, Akke; Farahani, Mansoureh; Lithner, Maria; Neumann, Melanie; Sandhu, Harbinder; Shepherd, Heather L

2010-01-01

Objective The European Association of Communication in Healthcare (EACH) Early Career Researchers Network (ECRN) aims are to (1) promote international collaboration among young investigators and (2) provide a support network for future innovative communication research projects. In October 2009, Miami, USA at a workshop facilitated by the ECRN at the International Conference on Communication in Healthcare (ICCH) hosted by the American Academy of Communication in Healthcare we explored common facilitators and challenges faced by early career researchers in health communication research. Methods Attendees introduced themselves, their research area(s) of interest, and listed one facilitator and one barrier for their career development. EACH ECRN members then led a discussion of facilitators and challenges encountered in communication research projects and career development. We discussed potential collaboration opportunities, future goals, and activities. Results Having supportive collegial relationships, institutional support, job security, and funding are critical facilitators for early career investigators. Key challenges include difficulty with time management and prioritizing, limited resources, and contacts. Conclusion International collaboration among early career researchers is a feasible and effective means to address important challenges, by increasing opportunities for professional support and networking, problem-solving, discussion of data, and ultimately publishing. Practice Implications Future AACH-EACH Early Career Researcher Networks should continue to build collaborations by developing shared research projects, papers, and other scholarly products. PMID:20663630

The PRIMA-PIETRA Project: A Web-Based Platform for Early Autism Risk Assessment

OpenAIRE

Ruta, Liliana; Siracusano, Rosamaria; Tortorella, Gaetano; Boncoddo, Maria; Colombi, Costanza; Crifaci, Giulia; Billeci, Lucia; Tartarisco, Gennaro; Ferro, Marcello; Narzisi, Antonio; Muratori, Filippo; Pioggia, Giovanni

2013-01-01

It is well recognized that the best outcomes in autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are achieved through early diagnosis and early intervention. ASD symptoms may occur as early as 12-18 months and different instruments have been developed for early autism risk assessment under the age of 2 years. The Modified Checklist for Autism in Children (M-CHAT) is a developmental surveillance-screening instrument administered during 18- to 36-month well-child visits that was demonstrated to improve early id...

Early hydrogen water chemistry project review, improvement opportunities and conceptural design options at Exelon boiling water reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Garcia, Susan E.; Odell, Andrew D.; Giannelli, Joseph F.

2012-09-01

Intergranular Stress Corrosion Cracking (IGSCC) and its impacts have been a major concern to the BWR fleet since the mid-70's. Several alternative strategies have been employed to reduce the negative impacts, however, the newest being Early Hydrogen Water Chemistry (EHWC). The Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) and the BWRVIP (Vessel Internals Project) has strongly supported the development of EHWC, including laboratory testing and a demonstration program that was performed at Peach Bottom Atomic Power Station in October 2011. This paper will review the impacts of a 'Special Test Program' on a BWR plant including: Project management findings; technical reviews and documents required to support such a demonstration program; temporary equipment design, installation and testing; keeping the demonstration progressing along with the plant return from a refuel outage; and lessons learned that can be applied to EHWC implementation during future start-ups. Details will be compared between various Exelon BWRs in support of conceptual designs for EHWC systems and operation. Some comparisons on operational impacts will be provided between various types of BWR plants with differing 'Balance of Plant' designs. (authors)

Comparison between Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study 7-field retinal photos and non-mydriatic, mydriatic and mydriatic steered widefield scanning laser ophthalmoscopy for assessment of diabetic retinopathy

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rasmussen, Malin L; Broe, Rebecca; Frydkjaer-Olsen, Ulrik

2015-01-01

AIMS: To compare non-mydriatic, mydriatic and steered mydriatic widefield retinal images with mydriatic 7-field Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study (ETDRS)-standards in grading diabetic retinopathy (DR). METHODS: We examined 95 patients (190 eyes) with type 1 diabetes. A non...

Nordic Comparative Analysis of Guidelines for Quality and Content in Early Childhood Education

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Ann-Christine Vallberg Roth

2014-09-01

Full Text Available The article is based on a project intended to further develop understanding of similarities and differences in Nordic binding guidelines and non-binding guidance for content and quality in early childhood education. The study is of a descriptive and comparative nature and the process is based on a research tradition connected to curriculum studies. Both variation and standardisation emerge in the comparative analysis with regard to content construction. Quality is expressed and may be interpreted as operationalised as both structure and process. In relation to the study results, quality may be interpreted as primarily oriented towards institutions, activities and secondarily towards individuals. Quality is consistently related to learning (lifelong learning and is more linear and oriented towards goal-rationality than non-linear.

Non Nuclear Testing of Reactor Systems In The Early Flight Fission Test Facilities (EFF-TF)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Van Dyke, Melissa; Martin, James

2004-01-01

The Early Flight Fission-Test Facility (EFF-TF) can assist in the design and development of systems through highly effective non-nuclear testing of nuclear systems when technical issues associated with near-term space fission systems are 'non-nuclear' in nature (e.g. system's nuclear operations are understood). For many systems, thermal simulators can be used to closely mimic fission heat deposition. Axial power profile, radial power profile, and fuel pin thermal conductivity can be matched. In addition to component and subsystem testing, operational and lifetime issues associated with the steady state and transient performance of the integrated reactor module can be investigated. Instrumentation at the EFF-TF allows accurate measurement of temperature, pressure, strain, and bulk core deformation (useful for accurately simulating nuclear behavior). Ongoing research at the EFF-TF is geared towards facilitating research, development, system integration, and system utilization via cooperative efforts with DOE laboratories, industry, universities, and other Nasa centers. This paper describes the current efforts for the latter portion of 2003 and beginning of 2004. (authors)

Project Management Techniques

OpenAIRE

Mihalache Anita; Salagean Liana

2010-01-01

Project management is a technique that can aid in the planning, scheduling, and monitoring of complex projects characterized by numerous, non repetitive jobs called activities. Examples of projects that would use project management include: - developing a mass rapid – transit system for a metropolitan area; - organizing the relocation of a corporate headquarters; - planning the production of a concert, film, or play; - developing and marketing a new automobile; - constructing a high – rise of...

Assessing the influence of project management on quality during the early phases of construction projects

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ljevo Žanesa

2018-12-01

Full Text Available Although the quality of a process affects the quality of the end product, there is currently an insignif­icant amount of knowledge about the quality of project management (PM processes that directly affect the quality of the delivered product (constructed building. This study presents a proposal for modeling the impact of the quality of the PM process on the quality of the con­structed building. The quality of the PM process is rep­resented by the main quality factors and product quality indicators. It presents the results of the interviews that were conducted and study cases that were analyzed in Bosnia and Herzegovina with a variety of project partici­pants (with different managerial perspectives in terms of the indicators of quality of the delivered product. All par­ticipants, regardless of managerial perspective, believe that the most important indicator of the quality of prod­ucts for each phase of the project is “customer satisfaction in the end phase”, the measurement of which is different for each project phase that is presented. The results of the factor analysis of the definition and the planning phases show that 11 variables, namely, the quality factors of the PM process, can be grouped into three new factors, which is described as 66.61% (77.046% of the basic set of vari­ables.

The Cordoba and Wolsung projects: a progress report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brooks, G.L.

1977-06-01

The Cordoba and Wolsung projects mark the entry into the international sales arena of the standardized Canadian 600 MWe CANDU-PHW reactor design. The Cordoba station experienced a setback in the early stages when severe inflation in Argentina led to a renegotiation of the contract. However, following this, good progress has been made and the current forecast completion date in 1980 is expected to be achieved. The Wolsung project experienced difficulties early in the project due to site conditions, so that site work commenced some 9-10 months later than originally planned. These difficulties had predictable effects upon the progress of site-related engineering and it is expected that the project completion date will be somewhat delayed

Non-invasive identification of protein biomarkers for early pregnancy diagnosis in the cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Diana C Koester

Full Text Available Approximately 80% of cheetahs living in typical zoological collections never reproduce. In more than 60% of breedings, the female is confirmed to ovulate, but parturition fails to occur. It is unknown if these non-pregnant intervals of elevated progesterone (deemed luteal phases are conception failures or a pregnancy terminating in embryonic/fetal loss. There have been recent advances in metabolic profiling and proteome analyses in many species with mass spectrometry used to identify 'biomarkers' and mechanisms indicative of specific physiological states (including pregnancy. Here, we hypothesized that protein expression in voided cheetah feces varied depending on pregnancy status. We: 1 identified the expansive protein profile present in fecal material of females; and 2 isolated proteins that may be candidates playing a role in early pregnancy establishment and diagnosis. Five hundred and seventy unique proteins were discovered among samples from pregnant (n = 8, non-pregnant, luteal phase (n = 5, and non-ovulatory control (n = 5 cheetahs. Four protein candidates were isolated that were significantly up-regulated and two were down-regulated in samples from pregnant compared to non-pregnant or control counterparts. One up-regulated candidate, immunoglobulin J chain (IGJ; an important component of the secretory immune system was detected using a commercially available antibody via immunoblotting. Findings revealed that increased IGJ abundance could be used to detect pregnancy successfully in >80% of 23 assessed females within 4 weeks after mating. The discovery of a novel fecal pregnancy marker improves the ability to determine reproductive, especially gestational, status in cheetahs managed in an ex situ insurance and source population.

Non-invasive identification of protein biomarkers for early pregnancy diagnosis in the cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus).

Science.gov (United States)

Koester, Diana C; Wildt, David E; Maly, Morgan; Comizzoli, Pierre; Crosier, Adrienne E

2017-01-01

Approximately 80% of cheetahs living in typical zoological collections never reproduce. In more than 60% of breedings, the female is confirmed to ovulate, but parturition fails to occur. It is unknown if these non-pregnant intervals of elevated progesterone (deemed luteal phases) are conception failures or a pregnancy terminating in embryonic/fetal loss. There have been recent advances in metabolic profiling and proteome analyses in many species with mass spectrometry used to identify 'biomarkers' and mechanisms indicative of specific physiological states (including pregnancy). Here, we hypothesized that protein expression in voided cheetah feces varied depending on pregnancy status. We: 1) identified the expansive protein profile present in fecal material of females; and 2) isolated proteins that may be candidates playing a role in early pregnancy establishment and diagnosis. Five hundred and seventy unique proteins were discovered among samples from pregnant (n = 8), non-pregnant, luteal phase (n = 5), and non-ovulatory control (n = 5) cheetahs. Four protein candidates were isolated that were significantly up-regulated and two were down-regulated in samples from pregnant compared to non-pregnant or control counterparts. One up-regulated candidate, immunoglobulin J chain (IGJ; an important component of the secretory immune system) was detected using a commercially available antibody via immunoblotting. Findings revealed that increased IGJ abundance could be used to detect pregnancy successfully in >80% of 23 assessed females within 4 weeks after mating. The discovery of a novel fecal pregnancy marker improves the ability to determine reproductive, especially gestational, status in cheetahs managed in an ex situ insurance and source population.

The use of Deauville criteria in follow-up assessment of response to therapy in extra-nodal Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Manar Hussein Abdel-Sattar

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Objective: Our aim was evaluate the role the PET/CT in the assessment of response to therapy in patients with Non-Hodgkin extra-nodal lymphoma: in particular, a five-point scale (Deauville criteria, which can be employed for early- and late-therapeutic response assessment. Methods: Sixty patients with pathologically confirmed Non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL were enrolled in this prospective study. All patients underwent the following PET/CT examinations: initial PET/CT for staging, interim PET/CT and end of treatment PET/CT. Response assessment was done using new Cheson’s guidelines and five-point scale (Deauville criteria. Results: All patients were evaluated for response to therapy in the early interim, followed by late interim, as well as end treatment assessment for the overall response. We found good concordance of response assessment according to the Deauville criteria classification with International Harmonization Project (IHP classification. After early interim 48/60 patients had concordant designations (91.7%, 83.3%, 70%, and 33.3% and 12 patients had discordant designations. After late interim, 56/60 patients had concordant designations (100%, 100%, 80%, and 50% and four patients had discordant designations. After end of treatment, 54/60 patients had concordant designations (100%, 100% and 71.4% and six patients has discordant designations. Conclusion: Response assessment according to the Deauville criteria classification showed good concordance with IHP classification. According to our findings, we recommend the use of Deauville criteria in reporting of PET/CT for staging and assessment of response to treatment. Keywords: PET/CT, Extranodal non-hodgkin lymphoma, Deauville criteria, IHP (International Harmonizing Project

Projective geometry and projective metrics

CERN Document Server

Busemann, Herbert

2005-01-01

The basic results and methods of projective and non-Euclidean geometry are indispensable for the geometer, and this book--different in content, methods, and point of view from traditional texts--attempts to emphasize that fact. Results of special theorems are discussed in detail only when they are needed to develop a feeling for the subject or when they illustrate a general method. On the other hand, an unusual amount of space is devoted to the discussion of the fundamental concepts of distance, motion, area, and perpendicularity.Topics include the projective plane, polarities and conic sectio

General hybrid projective complete dislocated synchronization with non-derivative and derivative coupling based on parameter identification in several chaotic and hyperchaotic systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sun Jun-Wei; Shen Yi; Zhang Guo-Dong; Wang Yan-Feng; Cui Guang-Zhao

2013-01-01

According to the Lyapunov stability theorem, a new general hybrid projective complete dislocated synchronization scheme with non-derivative and derivative coupling based on parameter identification is proposed under the framework of drive-response systems. Every state variable of the response system equals the summation of the hybrid drive systems in the previous hybrid synchronization. However, every state variable of the drive system equals the summation of the hybrid response systems while evolving with time in our method. Complete synchronization, hybrid dislocated synchronization, projective synchronization, non-derivative and derivative coupling, and parameter identification are included as its special item. The Lorenz chaotic system, Rössler chaotic system, memristor chaotic oscillator system, and hyperchaotic Lü system are discussed to show the effectiveness of the proposed methods. (general)

Prediction of response by FDG PET early during concurrent chemoradiotherapy for locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kim, Su Zi; Oh, So Won; Kim, Jin Soo; Kim, Ki Hwan; Kim, Yu Kyeong [SMG-Seoul National University Boramae Medical Center, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

2014-12-15

To evaluate the predictive value of the early response of 18F-flurodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG PET) during concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) for locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). FDG PET was performed before and during CCRT for 13 NSCLC patients. Maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax), mean standardized uptake value (SUVmean), metabolic tumor volume (MTV), and total lesion glycolysis (TLG) were measured and the changes were calculated. These early metabolic changes were compared with the standard tumor response by computed tomograms (CT) one month after CCRT.One month after the completion of CCRT, 9 patients had partial response (PR) of tumor and 4 patients had stable disease. The percent changes of SUVmax (%DeltaSUVmax) were larger in responder group than in non-responder group (55.7% +/- 15.6% vs. 23.1% +/- 19.0%, p = 0.01). The percent changes of SUVmean (%DeltaSUVmean) were also larger in responder group than in non-responder group (54.4% +/- 15.9% vs. 22.3% +/- 23.0%, p = 0.01). The percent changes of MTV (%DeltaMTV) or TLG (%DeltaTLG) had no correlation with the tumor response after treatment. All the 7 patients (100%) with %DeltaSUVmax > or = 50% had PR, but only 2 out of 6 patients (33%) with %DeltaSUVmax < 50% had PR after CCRT (p = 0.009). Likewise, all the 6 patients (100%) with %DeltaSUVmean > or = 50% had PR, but only 3 out of 7 patients (43%) with %DeltaSUVmean < 50% had PR after CCRT (p = 0.026). The degree of metabolic changes measured by PET-CT during CCRT was predictive for NSCLC tumor response after CCRT.

A Project Management Approach to Applying Best Practices to Online CS/MIS Experiential Learning Projects

Science.gov (United States)

Schwieger, Dana; Surendran, Ken

2015-01-01

The value of experiential learning projects (which are usually major assessments in courses) in education has been touted since the early 1900s (Dewey, 1938). These projects have the potential to deepen students' understanding of course topics by allowing them to put concepts into practice and watch the results develop. However, experiential…

Decision-making process in investment projects

OpenAIRE

Moutinho, Nuno

2011-01-01

We present projects evaluation approaches in what decision should be based. We try to understand what we have to take into account in a project analysis, knowing that we have to consider much unmeasured aspects, like non non-financial areas. We verify how all aspects are used and analysed in the project appraisal. We also desire to understand if companies have adequate tools and methods to correctly analyse and to take decisions in a project evaluation. In this study we identify several as...

Carbon Footprint Estimation Tool for Residential Buildings for Non-Specialized Users: OERCO2 Project

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jaime Solís-Guzmán

2018-04-01

Full Text Available Existing tools for environmental certification of buildings are failing in their ability to reach the general public and to create social awareness, since they require not only specialized knowledge regarding construction and energy sources, but also environmental knowledge. In this paper, an open-source online tool for the estimation of the carbon footprint of residential buildings by non-specialized users is presented as a product from the OERCO2 Erasmus + project. The internal calculations, data management and operation of this tool are extensively explained. The ten most common building typologies built in the last decade in Spain are analysed by using the OERCO2 tool, and the order of magnitude of the results is analysed by comparing them to the ranges determined by other authors. The OERCO2 tool proves itself to be reliable, with its results falling within the defined logical value ranges. Moreover, the major simplification of the interface allows non-specialized users to evaluate the sustainability of buildings. Further research is oriented towards its inclusion in other environmental certification tools and in Building Information Modeling (BIM environments.

Theory of Abelian projection

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ogilvie, M.C.

1999-01-01

Analytic methods for Abelian projection are developed. A number of results are obtained related to string tension measurements. It is proven that even without gauge fixing, Abelian projection yields string tensions of the underlying non-Abelian theory. Strong arguments are given for similar results in the case where gauge fixing is employed. The methods used emphasize that the projected theory is derived from the underlying non-Abelian theory rather than vice versa. In general, the choice of subgroup used for projection is not very important, and need not be Abelian. While gauge fixing is shown to be in principle unnecessary for the success of Abelian projection, it is computationally advantageous for the same reasons that improved operators, e.g., the use of fat links, are advantageous in Wilson loop measurements. Two other issues, Casimir scaling and the conflict between projection and critical universality, are also discussed. copyright 1999 The American Physical Society

Adaptive generalized matrix projective lag synchronization between two different complex networks with non-identical nodes and different dimensions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dai Hao; Jia Li-Xin; Zhang Yan-Bin

2012-01-01

The adaptive generalized matrix projective lag synchronization between two different complex networks with non-identical nodes and different dimensions is investigated in this paper. Based on Lyapunov stability theory and Barbalat's lemma, generalized matrix projective lag synchronization criteria are derived by using the adaptive control method. Furthermore, each network can be undirected or directed, connected or disconnected, and nodes in either network may have identical or different dynamics. The proposed strategy is applicable to almost all kinds of complex networks. In addition, numerical simulation results are presented to illustrate the effectiveness of this method, showing that the synchronization speed is sensitively influenced by the adaptive law strength, the network size, and the network topological structure. (general)

GEAR UP Aspirations Project Evaluation

Science.gov (United States)

Trimble, Brad A.

2013-01-01

The purpose of this study was to conduct a formative evaluation of the first two years of the Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs (GEAR UP) Aspirations Project (Aspirations) using a Context, Input, Process, and Product (CIPP) model so as to gain an in-depth understanding of the project during the middle school…

Sustainability Evaluation of Retrofitting and Renovation of Buildings in Early Stages

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jensen, Per Anker; Maslesa, Esmir; Gohardani, Navid

2013-01-01

research results and ideas for the development of a tool, which can be used as decision support for renovation projects in early stages. The research is part of the Eracobuild project ACES – “A concept for promotion of sustainable retrofitting and renovation in early stages” with participants from Denmark...

Early math intervention for marginalized students

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Overgaard, Steffen; Tonnesen, Pia Beck

2016-01-01

This study is one of more substudies in the project Early Math Intervention for Marginalized Students (TMTM2014). The paper presents the initial process of this substudy that will be carried out fall 2015. In the TMTM2014 project, 80 teachers, who completed a one week course in the idea of TMTM...

The early development of neutron diffraction: science in the wings of the Manhattan Project

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mason, T. E., E-mail: masont@ornl.gov; Gawne, T. J.; Nagler, S. E.; Nestor, M. B. [Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831 (United States); Carpenter, J. M. [Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne, IL 60439 (United States); Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831 (United States)

2013-01-01

Early neutron diffraction experiments performed in 1944 using the first nuclear reactors are described. Although neutron diffraction was first observed using radioactive decay sources shortly after the discovery of the neutron, it was only with the availability of higher intensity neutron beams from the first nuclear reactors, constructed as part of the Manhattan Project, that systematic investigation of Bragg scattering became possible. Remarkably, at a time when the war effort was singularly focused on the development of the atomic bomb, groups working at Oak Ridge and Chicago carried out key measurements and recognized the future utility of neutron diffraction quite independent of its contributions to the measurement of nuclear cross sections. Ernest O. Wollan, Lyle B. Borst and Walter H. Zinn were all able to observe neutron diffraction in 1944 using the X-10 graphite reactor and the CP-3 heavy water reactor. Subsequent work by Wollan and Clifford G. Shull, who joined Wollan’s group at Oak Ridge in 1946, laid the foundations for widespread application of neutron diffraction as an important research tool.

The early development of neutron diffraction: science in the wings of the Manhattan Project

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mason, T. E.; Gawne, T. J.; Nagler, S. E.; Nestor, M. B.; Carpenter, J. M.

2013-01-01

Early neutron diffraction experiments performed in 1944 using the first nuclear reactors are described. Although neutron diffraction was first observed using radioactive decay sources shortly after the discovery of the neutron, it was only with the availability of higher intensity neutron beams from the first nuclear reactors, constructed as part of the Manhattan Project, that systematic investigation of Bragg scattering became possible. Remarkably, at a time when the war effort was singularly focused on the development of the atomic bomb, groups working at Oak Ridge and Chicago carried out key measurements and recognized the future utility of neutron diffraction quite independent of its contributions to the measurement of nuclear cross sections. Ernest O. Wollan, Lyle B. Borst and Walter H. Zinn were all able to observe neutron diffraction in 1944 using the X-10 graphite reactor and the CP-3 heavy water reactor. Subsequent work by Wollan and Clifford G. Shull, who joined Wollan’s group at Oak Ridge in 1946, laid the foundations for widespread application of neutron diffraction as an important research tool

The H1 Data Preservation Project

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

South, D M; Steder, M

2012-01-01

The H1 data preservation project was started in 2009 as part of the global data preservation initiative in high-energy physics, DPHEP. In order to retain the full potential for future improvements, the H1 Collaboration aims for level 4 of the DPHEP recommendations, which requires the full simulation and reconstruction chain as well as the data to be preserved for future analysis. A major goal of the H1 project is therefore to provide secure, long-lived and validated access to the H1 data and analysis software, which is realised in collaboration with DESY-IT using virtualisation techniques. By implementing such a system, it is hoped that the lifetime of the unique ep collision data from HERA will be extended, providing the possibility for novel analysis in the future. The preservation of the data and software is performed alongside a consolidation programme of digital and non-digital documentation, some of which dates back to the early 1980s. A new organisational model of the H1 Collaboration, reflecting the change to the long term phase, is to be adopted in July 2012.

Emotional non-acceptance links early life stress and blunted cortisol reactivity to social threat.

Science.gov (United States)

Cărnuţă, Mihai; Crişan, Liviu G; Vulturar, Romana; Opre, Adrian; Miu, Andrei C

2015-01-01

Early life stress (ELS) has been recently associated with blunted cortisol reactivity and emotion dysregulation, but no study until now examined whether these characteristics are related. The main goal of this study was to examine the potential mediator role of emotion dysregulation in the relation between ELS and cortisol reactivity to social threat. Only women who were free of psychiatric and endocrine disorders, had regular menstrual cycle and did not use oral contraceptives were selected for this study (N=62). After filling in ELS and multidimensional emotion dysregulation measures, participants underwent the Trier Social Stress Test during which cortisol and autonomic responses were assessed. Most participants (85.5%) reported one or more major stressful events (i.e., physical abuse, sexual abuse, major parental conflicts, death of a family or close friend, severe illness) experienced before age 17. ELS was negatively associated with cortisol reactivity and positively associated with skin conductance level (SCL) reactivity, but it did not influence heart rate and respiratory sinus arrhythmia. In addition, ELS was positively related to emotional non-acceptance (i.e., a tendency to develop secondary emotional responses to one's negative emotions), and the latter was negatively related to cortisol responses and positively related to SCL responses. Bootstrapping analyses indicated that emotional non-acceptance was a significant mediator in the relationships between ELS and both cortisol and SCL responses. Emotional non-acceptance is thus one of the psychological mechanisms underlying blunted cortisol and increased sympathetic reactivity in young healthy volunteers with a history of ELS. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Current Status of Stereotactic Ablative Radiotherapy (SABR for Early-stage 
Non-small Cell Lung Cancer

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anhui SHI

2016-06-01

Full Text Available High level evidence from randomized studies comparing stereotactic ablative radiotherapy (SABR to surgery is lacking. Although the results of pooled analysis of two randomized trials for STARS and ROSEL showed that SABR is better tolerated and might lead to better overall survival than surgery for operable clinical stage I non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC, SABR, however, is only recommended as a preferred treatment option for early stage NSCLC patients who cannot or will not undergo surgery. We, therefore, are waiting for the results of the ongoing randomized studies [Veterans affairs lung cancer surgery or stereotactic radiotherapy in the US (VALOR and the SABRTooth study in the United Kingdom (SABRTooths]. Many retrospective and case control studies showed that SABR is safe and effective (local control rate higher than 90%, 5 years survival rate reached 70%, but there are considerable variations in the definitions and staging of lung cancer, operability determination, and surgical approaches to operable lung cancer (open vs video-assisted. Therefore, it is difficult to compare the superiority of radiotherapy and surgery in the treatment of early staged lung cancer. Most studies demonstrated that the efficacy of the two modalities for early staged lung cancer is equivalent; however, due to the limited data, the conclusions from those studies are difficult to be evidence based. Therefore, the controversies will be focusing on the safety and invasiveness of the two treatment modalities. This article will review the ongoing debate in light of these goals.

Project Temporalities

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Tryggestad, Kjell; Justesen, Lise; Mouritsen, Jan

2013-01-01

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore how animals can become stakeholders in interaction with project management technologies and what happens with project temporalities when new and surprising stakeholders become part of a project and a recognized matter of concern to be taken...... into account. Design/methodology/approach – The paper is based on a qualitative case study of a project in the building industry. The authors use actor-network theory (ANT) to analyze the emergence of animal stakeholders, stakes and temporalities. Findings – The study shows how project temporalities can...... multiply in interaction with project management technologies and how conventional linear conceptions of project time may be contested with the emergence of new non-human stakeholders and temporalities. Research limitations/implications – The study draws on ANT to show how animals can become stakeholders...

Preplanning of early cleanup. Annual report 1996

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1997-01-01

A pre-study 'Pre-planning of early cleanup after fallout of radioactive material' made by Studvik EcoSafe has pointed out the need and request for pre-planning of actions. Based on the pre-study this project was started with the goal to work out guidelines and checklists. Because of the common interest between the Nordic countries NKS is the organization responsible for the project. The results of the project will be a document pointing out what can be planned in advance, including guidelines and checklists, regarding early cleanup actions after a nuclear plant accident in or in the vicinity of the Nordic countries. In this work 'early' means the three first weeks after an accident. The project only deals with questions concerning external radiation. The document shall be usable by persons in charge of planning or decision makers on the appropriate level of organization for each country. The document shall principally be aimed towards persons without professional competence in the field of radiology. The result will be presented for a limited number of generalized environments and fallout situations: urban/suburban/rural (concentrating on urban/suburban); regional differences (in for example house types and constructing material); dry or wet deposition. Five housing environments, ten cleanup actions and wet or dry deposition are treated. For 66 combinations calculations are made and the results are documented as data sheets, each describing the beneficial effects, costs and disadvantages of application of a feasible method for cleaning in the early phase of a specific type of surface in one of five different urban or suburban environments. This data forms the foundation for the recommendations on guidelines, which are the ultimate goal of the EKO-5 project. (EG)

Process simulation and parametric modeling for strategic project management

CERN Document Server

Morales, Peter J

2013-01-01

Process Simulation and Parametric Modeling for Strategic Project Management will offer CIOs, CTOs and Software Development Managers, IT Graduate Students an introduction to a set of technologies that will help them understand how to better plan software development projects, manage risk and have better insight into the complexities of the software development process.A novel methodology will be introduced that allows a software development manager to better plan and access risks in the early planning of a project.  By providing a better model for early software development estimation and softw

Fitting the project into the environment : Gulf Heavy Oil Red Cross Projects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sakires, D.G.; Johannesen, D.V.

1998-01-01

A reservoir delineation project by Gulf Canada's Heavy Oil Division was reviewed. The six well drilling program was completed in 1997 with minimal negative environmental impacts. The program, dubbed the Red Cross project, took place in the Northern Boreal Forest of Saskatchewan. Its success is attributed to the early involvement of the regulatory agencies in Saskatchewan, on-site environmental investigations, the development of an environmental protection plan, conscientious construction practices, a monitoring program during construction, and a pro-active reclamation plan. The project area is identified as being environmentally sensitive and important as a wildlife habitat area. This successful project demonstrated the usefulness of pre-project planning and team work between industry and the regulators. Details of the planning, construction and planned remedial reclamation actions are described. 11 refs., 2 tabs

Stereotactic body radiation therapy versus conventional radiation therapy in patients with early stage non-small cell lung cancer

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jeppesen, Stefan Starup; Schytte, Tine; Jensen, Henrik R

2013-01-01

Abstract Introduction. Stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) for early stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is now an accepted and patient friendly treatment, but still controversy exists about its comparability to conventional radiation therapy (RT). The purpose of this single...... and SBRT predicted improved prognosis. However, staging procedure, confirmation procedure of recurrence and technical improvements of radiation treatment is likely to influence outcomes. However, SBRT seems to be as efficient as conventional RT and is a more convenient treatment for the patients....

40 CFR 26.1123 - Early termination of research.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Early termination of research. 26.1123 Section 26.1123 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY GENERAL PROTECTION OF HUMAN... Exposure of Non-pregnant, Non-nursing Adults § 26.1123 Early termination of research. The Administrator may...

National Quality Improvement Center on Early Childhood

Science.gov (United States)

Browne, Charlyn Harper

2014-01-01

The national Quality Improvement Center on early Childhood (QIC-eC) funded four research and demonstration projects that tested child maltreatment prevention approaches. The projects were guided by several key perspectives: the importance of increasing protective factors in addition to decreasing risk factors in child maltreatment prevention…

Extending the Range of a BEV - Early Progress

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Meyer, John; Agathocleous, Nicos; Kang, SH; Vespa, Tony

2015-09-30

The 2015 BEV Kia Soul is available with either a Positive Temperature Coefficient (PTC) heater only or an air-source R134a heat pump with PTC heater combination. Hanon, HATCI, and NREL are jointly, with financial support from the DoE, working towards extending the driving range of the heat pump vehicle. This presentation will focus on the early findings of the project, including test data of the baseline vehicle, early data from a modified vehicle, and range extension goals of the project.

Developing and testing an Early Warning System for Non Indigenous Species and Ballast Water Management

Science.gov (United States)

Magaletti, Erika; Garaventa, Francesca; David, Matej; Castriota, Luca; Kraus, Romina; Luna, Gian Marco; Silvestri, Cecilia; Forte, Cosmo; Bastianini, Mauro; Falautano, Manuela; Maggio, Teresa; Rak, Giulietta; Gollasch, Stephan

2018-03-01

This paper describes the methodological approach used for the development of an Early Warning System (EWS) for Non Indigenous Species (NIS) and ballast water management and summarizes the results obtained. The specific goals of the EWS are firstly to warn vessels to prevent loading of ballast water when critical biological conditions occur in ports and surrounding areas i.e. mass development or blooms of Harmful Aquatic Organisms and Pathogens (HAOP). Secondly, to warn environmental and health authorities when NIS or pathogens are present in ports or surrounding areas to enable an early response and an implementation of remediation measures. The EWS is designed to be used for implementing various parallel obligations, by taking into consideration different legal scopes, associated information and decision-making needs. The EWS was elaborated, tested in the Adriatic Sea and illustrated by two case studies. Although the EWS was developed with an Adriatic Sea focus, it is presented in a format so that it may be used as a model when establishing similar systems in other locations. The role of the various actors is discussed and recommendations on further developments of the EWS are presented. It was concluded that the EWS is a suitable tool to reduce the spread of potentially harmful and ballast water mediated species.

Early cosmology constrained

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Verde, Licia; Jimenez, Raul [Institute of Cosmos Sciences, University of Barcelona, IEEC-UB, Martí Franquès, 1, E08028 Barcelona (Spain); Bellini, Emilio [University of Oxford, Denys Wilkinson Building, Keble Road, Oxford, OX1 3RH (United Kingdom); Pigozzo, Cassio [Instituto de Física, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Salvador, BA (Brazil); Heavens, Alan F., E-mail: liciaverde@icc.ub.edu, E-mail: emilio.bellini@physics.ox.ac.uk, E-mail: cpigozzo@ufba.br, E-mail: a.heavens@imperial.ac.uk, E-mail: raul.jimenez@icc.ub.edu [Imperial Centre for Inference and Cosmology (ICIC), Imperial College, Blackett Laboratory, Prince Consort Road, London SW7 2AZ (United Kingdom)

2017-04-01

We investigate our knowledge of early universe cosmology by exploring how much additional energy density can be placed in different components beyond those in the ΛCDM model. To do this we use a method to separate early- and late-universe information enclosed in observational data, thus markedly reducing the model-dependency of the conclusions. We find that the 95% credibility regions for extra energy components of the early universe at recombination are: non-accelerating additional fluid density parameter Ω{sub MR} < 0.006 and extra radiation parameterised as extra effective neutrino species 2.3 < N {sub eff} < 3.2 when imposing flatness. Our constraints thus show that even when analyzing the data in this largely model-independent way, the possibility of hiding extra energy components beyond ΛCDM in the early universe is seriously constrained by current observations. We also find that the standard ruler, the sound horizon at radiation drag, can be well determined in a way that does not depend on late-time Universe assumptions, but depends strongly on early-time physics and in particular on additional components that behave like radiation. We find that the standard ruler length determined in this way is r {sub s} = 147.4 ± 0.7 Mpc if the radiation and neutrino components are standard, but the uncertainty increases by an order of magnitude when non-standard dark radiation components are allowed, to r {sub s} = 150 ± 5 Mpc.

Teaching of students technology early professional orientation of schoolchildren

Science.gov (United States)

Gilmanshina, S. I.; Sagitova, R. N.; Gilmanshin, I. R.; Kamaleeva, A. R.

2017-09-01

The necessity of early professional orientation of schoolchildren on the engineering profession and a new type of teacher was proved. Theoretically substantiated and experimentally tested pedagogical conditions of training of students - future teachers of technology early professional orientation of schoolchildren in the system of university preparation of teacher of a new type. This development of courses of special disciplines, aimed at developing of future teachers of readiness for early career guidance activities; development of interactive group projects for schoolchildren of different age groups (including primary school), expanding their understanding of the world of professions; practical testing of career guidance projects dealing with children’s audience.

A Systematic Approach to Modelling Change Processes in Construction Projects

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ibrahim Motawa

2012-11-01

Full Text Available Modelling change processes within construction projects isessential to implement changes efficiently. Incomplete informationon the project variables at the early stages of projects leads toinadequate knowledge of future states and imprecision arisingfrom ambiguity in project parameters. This lack of knowledge isconsidered among the main source of changes in construction.Change identification and evaluation, in addition to predictingits impacts on project parameters, can help in minimising thedisruptive effects of changes. This paper presents a systematicapproach to modelling change process within construction projectsthat helps improve change identification and evaluation. Theapproach represents the key decisions required to implementchanges. The requirements of an effective change processare presented first. The variables defined for efficient changeassessment and diagnosis are then presented. Assessmentof construction changes requires an analysis for the projectcharacteristics that lead to change and also analysis of therelationship between the change causes and effects. The paperconcludes that, at the early stages of a project, projects with a highlikelihood of change occurrence should have a control mechanismover the project characteristics that have high influence on theproject. It also concludes, for the relationship between changecauses and effects, the multiple causes of change should bemodelled in a way to enable evaluating the change effects moreaccurately. The proposed approach is the framework for tacklingsuch conclusions and can be used for evaluating change casesdepending on the available information at the early stages ofconstruction projects.

Planning and Managing Drupal Projects

CERN Document Server

Nordin, Dani

2011-01-01

If you're a solo website designer or part of a small team itching to build interesting projects with Drupal, this concise guide will get you started. Drupal's learning curve has thrown off many experienced designers, particularly the way it handles design challenges. This book shows you the lifecycle of a typical Drupal project, with emphasis on the early stages of site planning. Learn how to efficiently estimate and set up your own project, so you can focus on ways to make your vision a reality, rather than let project management details constantly distract you. Plan and estimate your projec

Association of coffee consumption and non-motor symptoms in drug-naïve, early-stage Parkinson's disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Cho, Bang-Hoon; Choi, Seong-Min; Kim, Joon-Tae; Kim, Byeong C

2018-02-09

Coffee consumption has an inverse association with the risk of Parkinson's disease (PD). The aim of this study was to investigate the association between coffee consumption and non-motor symptoms (NMSs) in patients with PD. In this cross-sectional study, we included 196 early-stage, treatment-naïve PD patients. Coffee consumption history was obtained via semi-structured interviews. NMSs were assessed using the Non-Motor Symptom assessment scale (NMSS). Of the 196 patients with PD, 136 (69.3%) were categorized as coffee drinkers and 60 (30.6%) were non-drinkers. Coffee drinkers were younger, predominantly male, were younger in age at symptom onset, had lower Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale motor and Beck Depression Inventory scores, and higher Mini-Mental State Examination scores than non-coffee drinkers. After adjustment, coffee drinking was significantly inversely associated with the prevalence of lack of motivation, anhedonia, and lack of pleasure, which were less frequent in coffee drinkers. Total NMSS scores were lower in coffee drinkers than in non-drinkers (p = 0.047). In particular, coffee drinking was significantly associated with a reduced severity of the mood/cognition domain of NMSS (p = 0.003). After correcting for multiple testing, there were no significant differences in the prevalence of NMSs, but there were significant differences in the severity of NMSs between coffee drinkers and non-drinkers. There is a negative association between coffee consumption and the severity of the mood/cognition domain of NMSS in patients with PD. Clinicians should consider the history of coffee consumption in the assessment of NMSs in PD. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Communications tools in research projects to support Semi and Non Structured Information

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Astrid Jaime

2005-06-01

Full Text Available Innovation and thus the production of knowledge becomes a factor of competitiveness. In this context quality management could be complemented by knowledge management to aim the improvement of knowledge production by research activities process. To this end, after describing knowledge and informa-tion typologies in engineering activities, a knowledge man-agement system is proposed. The goal is to support: (1 Semi-Structured Information (e.g. reports, etc. thanks to the BASIC-Lab tool functions, which are based on attributing points of view and annotations to documents and document zones, and (2 Non-Structured Information (such as mail, dialogues, etc., thanks to MICA-Graph approach which intends to support ex-change of technical messages that concerns common resolution of research problems within project teams and to capitalise relevant knowledge. For the both approaches, prototype tools have been developed and evaluated, primarily to feed back with manufacturing knowledge in the EADS industrial envi-ronment.

Chow groups of intersections of quadrics via homological projective duality and (Jacobians of) non-commutative motives

Science.gov (United States)

Bernardara, M.; Tabuada, G.

2016-06-01

Conjectures of Beilinson-Bloch type predict that the low-degree rational Chow groups of intersections of quadrics are one-dimensional. This conjecture was proved by Otwinowska in [20]. By making use of homological projective duality and the recent theory of (Jacobians of) non-commutative motives, we give an alternative proof of this conjecture in the case of a complete intersection of either two quadrics or three odd-dimensional quadrics. Moreover, we prove that in these cases the unique non-trivial algebraic Jacobian is the middle one. As an application, we make use of Vial's work [26], [27] to describe the rational Chow motives of these complete intersections and show that smooth fibrations into such complete intersections over bases S of small dimension satisfy Murre's conjecture (when \\dim (S)≤ 1), Grothendieck's standard conjecture of Lefschetz type (when \\dim (S)≤ 2), and Hodge's conjecture (when \\dim(S)≤ 3).

Travelling Policies and Global Buzzwords: How International Non-Governmental Organizations and Charities Spread the Word about Early Childhood in the Global South

Science.gov (United States)

Penn, Helen

2011-01-01

This article is based on a web-search commissioned by an international charity to review the work of international non-governmental organizations (INGOs) and charities which promote and support early childhood education and care (ECEC) in the global South. The article examines examples of such initiatives. It is suggested that there is…

Efficient non-linear model reduction via a least-squares Petrov-Galerkin projection and compressive tensor approximations

KAUST Repository

Carlberg, Kevin

2010-10-28

A Petrov-Galerkin projection method is proposed for reducing the dimension of a discrete non-linear static or dynamic computational model in view of enabling its processing in real time. The right reduced-order basis is chosen to be invariant and is constructed using the Proper Orthogonal Decomposition method. The left reduced-order basis is selected to minimize the two-norm of the residual arising at each Newton iteration. Thus, this basis is iteration-dependent, enables capturing of non-linearities, and leads to the globally convergent Gauss-Newton method. To avoid the significant computational cost of assembling the reduced-order operators, the residual and action of the Jacobian on the right reduced-order basis are each approximated by the product of an invariant, large-scale matrix, and an iteration-dependent, smaller one. The invariant matrix is computed using a data compression procedure that meets proposed consistency requirements. The iteration-dependent matrix is computed to enable the least-squares reconstruction of some entries of the approximated quantities. The results obtained for the solution of a turbulent flow problem and several non-linear structural dynamics problems highlight the merit of the proposed consistency requirements. They also demonstrate the potential of this method to significantly reduce the computational cost associated with high-dimensional non-linear models while retaining their accuracy. © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Efficient non-linear model reduction via a least-squares Petrov-Galerkin projection and compressive tensor approximations

KAUST Repository

Carlberg, Kevin; Bou-Mosleh, Charbel; Farhat, Charbel

2010-01-01

A Petrov-Galerkin projection method is proposed for reducing the dimension of a discrete non-linear static or dynamic computational model in view of enabling its processing in real time. The right reduced-order basis is chosen to be invariant and is constructed using the Proper Orthogonal Decomposition method. The left reduced-order basis is selected to minimize the two-norm of the residual arising at each Newton iteration. Thus, this basis is iteration-dependent, enables capturing of non-linearities, and leads to the globally convergent Gauss-Newton method. To avoid the significant computational cost of assembling the reduced-order operators, the residual and action of the Jacobian on the right reduced-order basis are each approximated by the product of an invariant, large-scale matrix, and an iteration-dependent, smaller one. The invariant matrix is computed using a data compression procedure that meets proposed consistency requirements. The iteration-dependent matrix is computed to enable the least-squares reconstruction of some entries of the approximated quantities. The results obtained for the solution of a turbulent flow problem and several non-linear structural dynamics problems highlight the merit of the proposed consistency requirements. They also demonstrate the potential of this method to significantly reduce the computational cost associated with high-dimensional non-linear models while retaining their accuracy. © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Coordinate systems and map projections

CERN Document Server

Maling, DH

1992-01-01

A revised and expanded new edition of the definitive English work on map projections. The revisions take into account the huge advances in geometrical geodesy which have occurred since the early years of satellite geodesy. The detailed configuration of the geoid resulting from the GEOS and SEASAT altimetry measurements are now taken into consideration. Additionally, the chapter on computation of map projections is updated bearing in mind the availability of pocket calculators and microcomputers. Analytical derivation of some map projections including examples of pseudocylindrical and polyconic

EDITORIAL: Non-linear and non-Gaussian cosmological perturbations Non-linear and non-Gaussian cosmological perturbations

Science.gov (United States)

Sasaki, Misao; Wands, David

2010-06-01

In recent years there has been a resurgence of interest in the study of non-linear perturbations of cosmological models. This has been the result of both theoretical developments and observational advances. New theoretical challenges arise at second and higher order due to mode coupling and the need to develop new gauge-invariant variables beyond first order. In particular, non-linear interactions lead to deviations from a Gaussian distribution of primordial perturbations even if initial vacuum fluctuations are exactly Gaussian. These non-Gaussianities provide an important probe of models for the origin of structure in the very early universe. We now have a detailed picture of the primordial distribution of matter from surveys of the cosmic microwave background, notably NASA's WMAP satellite. The situation will continue to improve with future data from the ESA Planck satellite launched in 2009. To fully exploit these data cosmologists need to extend non-linear cosmological perturbation theory beyond the linear theory that has previously been sufficient on cosmological scales. Another recent development has been the realization that large-scale structure, revealed in high-redshift galaxy surveys, could also be sensitive to non-linearities in the primordial curvature perturbation. This focus section brings together a collection of invited papers which explore several topical issues in this subject. We hope it will be of interest to theoretical physicists and astrophysicists alike interested in understanding and interpreting recent developments in cosmological perturbation theory and models of the early universe. Of course it is only an incomplete snapshot of a rapidly developing field and we hope the reader will be inspired to read further work on the subject and, perhaps, fill in some of the missing pieces. This focus section is dedicated to the memory of Lev Kofman (1957-2009), an enthusiastic pioneer of inflationary cosmology and non-Gaussian perturbations.

An Exploratory Study of the Effects of Project Finance on Project Risk Management : How the Distinguishing Attributes of Project Finance affects the Prevailing Risk Factor?

OpenAIRE

Chan, Ka Fai

2011-01-01

Project finance is a financing arrangement for projects, and it is characterised by the creation of a legally independent project company financed with non- or limited recourse loans. It is observed that the popularity of project finance is increasing in the recent decades, despite of the impact of Asian financial crisis. Especially in emerging markets, project finance is very common among the public-private partnership projects. It is possible that project finance yields some benefits in pro...

Why did Wundt abandon his early theory of the unconscious? Towards a new interpretation of Wundt's psychological project.

Science.gov (United States)

Araujo, Saulo de Freitas

2012-02-01

Despite the numerous and important contributions brought by Wundt scholarship in recent decades, some aspects of his work remain unclear and poorly understood. The aim of this paper is to explore one of these aspects, namely, the relationship between philosophy and psychology in Wundt's thought. To this end, we shall discuss an important yet neglected moment in Wundtian psychology, which remains unexplained to date: Why did Wundt abandon his early theory of the unconscious? According to the interpretation offered here, this can only be adequately explained by his intense philosophical studies in the period preceding the publication of the Grundzüge in 1874. Finally, we will point out some implications of this analysis to the general interpretation of Wundt's psychological project.

Testing Students’ Entrepreneurial Self-Efficacy as an Early Predictor of Entrepreneurial Activities. Evidence From the SEAS Project

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Krzysztof Zięba

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Over the last forty years, since Bandura (1977 introduced the concept of selfefcacy, there have been a constantly growing number of research publicatons using this concept. Its early development resulted in the creaton of a new construct of entrepreneurial self-efcacy (ESE proposed for the frst tme by (Chen et al. 1998. Since then, many different groups of research concerning ESE have emerged - one of them is the study of ESE of students. With regard to this partcular group, a recent tendency to study ESE in a pre-post setng can be notced i.a. Karlsson, Moberg (2013, Shinnar, Hsu, Powell (2014, Ismail, Zain, Zulihar (2015. Due to the increasing interest in entrepreneurial self-efcacy research and the need to fll the gap in the literature with regard to European post-communist countries (and partcularly – Poland (Drnovsek, Wincent, Cardon, 2010, in this paper we present a brief overview of ESE research and pose the queston whether ESE of Polish students can serve as an early predictor of their subsequent entrepreneurial actvites, potentally leading them to nascent entrepreneurship. The research material was collected from the SEAS (Survey on Entrepreneurial Attudes of Students Project carried out at the Faculty of Management and Economics, Gdańsk University of Technology. The research sample was composed of 72 students - ESE was measured in a pre-post setng using a single item based on a fve-point Likert scale. One of the research conclusions is that ESE manifested by student-beginners seems to influence their later entrepreneurial behavior in a statstcally signifcant way - potentally making ESE a valuable early predictor of future entrepreneurial actvites. In the concluding part of the study, limitatons are discussed and future study developments are indicated.

Poster — Thur Eve — 03: Application of the non-negative matrix factorization technique to [{sup 11}C]-DTBZ dynamic PET data for the early detection of Parkinson's disease

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lee, Dong-Chang [CancerCare Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB (Canada); Jans, Hans; McEwan, Sandy; Riauka, Terence [Department of Oncology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB (Canada); Cross Cancer Institute, Alberta Health Services, Edmonton, AB (Canada); Martin, Wayne; Wieler, Marguerite [Division of Neurology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB (Canada)

2014-08-15

In this work, a class of non-negative matrix factorization (NMF) technique known as alternating non-negative least squares, combined with the projected gradient method, is used to analyze twenty-five [{sup 11}C]-DTBZ dynamic PET/CT brain data. For each subject, a two-factor model is assumed and two factors representing the striatum (factor 1) and the non-striatum (factor 2) tissues are extracted using the proposed NMF technique and commercially available factor analysis software “Pixies”. The extracted factor 1 and 2 curves represent the binding site of the radiotracer and describe the uptake and clearance of the radiotracer by soft tissues in the brain, respectively. The proposed NMF technique uses prior information about the dynamic data to obtain sample time-activity curves representing the striatum and the non-striatum tissues. These curves are then used for “warm” starting the optimization. Factor solutions from the two methods are compared graphically and quantitatively. In healthy subjects, radiotracer uptake by factors 1 and 2 are approximately 35–40% and 60–65%, respectively. The solutions are also used to develop a factor-based metric for the detection of early, untreated Parkinson's disease. The metric stratifies healthy subjects from suspected Parkinson's patients (based on the graphical method). The analysis shows that both techniques produce comparable results with similar computational time. The “semi-automatic” approach used by the NMF technique allows clinicians to manually set a starting condition for “warm” starting the optimization in order to facilitate control and efficient interaction with the data.

Early awareness of emerging risks associated with food and feed production: synopsis of pertinent work carried out within the SAFE FOODS project.

Science.gov (United States)

Marvin, H J P; Kleter, G A

2009-05-01

This introduction to the journal's supplement on emerging food and feed safety issues summarizes the objectives and activities of the EU-funded SAFE FOODS project in general and its work package focusing on the early identification of emerging food safety risks, in particular. Within this work package, a number of studies have been carried out on methods enabling the early awareness, identification, and prevention of emerging issues before they can become real risks. The various reviews in this supplement explore the background of the emergence of known food safety risks, both of microbial and chemical/biochemical nature, as well the methods that can be used to identify such risks. Another review identifies a number of chemical and microbiological hazards that are likely to be affected by a changing climate. A major conclusion from these explorative reviews is that monitoring and information exchange systems or procedures are in place to detect, in an early phase, the emergence of potential food safety risks linked to known hazards. Additional systems are needed to predict the development of new potential food safety risks, which are linked to either new hazards or known hazards to which exposure has been altered.

The TESIS Project: Revealing Massive Early-Type Galaxies at z > 1

Science.gov (United States)

Saracco, P.; Longhetti, M.; Severgnini, P.; Della Ceca, R.; Braito, V.; Bender, R.; Drory, N.; Feulner, G.; Hopp, U.; Mannucci, F.; Maraston, C.

How and when present-day massive early-type galaxies built up and what type of evolution has characterized their growth (star formation and/or merging) still remain open issues. The different competing scenarios of galaxy formation predict much different properties of early-type galaxies at z > 1. The "monolithic" collapse predicts that massive spheroids formed at high redshift (z > 2.5-3) and that their comoving density is constant at z 1, their comoving density decreases from z = 0 to z ~ 1.5 and they should experience their last burst of star formation at z 1 can be probed observationally once a well defined sample of massive early-types at z > 1 is available. We are constructing such a sample through a dedicated near-IR very low resolution (λ/Δλ≃50) spectroscopic survey (TNG EROs Spectroscopic Identification Survey, TESIS, [6]) of a complete sample of 30 bright (K < 18.5) Extremely Red Objects (EROs).

Kentucky's Individualized Kindergartens: A State Network Design for Early Intervention.

Science.gov (United States)

Bright, B.; Cansler, D. P.

The KIK (Kentucky Individualized Kindergartens) project, a collaborative project between Kentucky's Department of Education and the Chapel Hill (NC) Training-Outreach project, is designed to serve high risk children. KIK provides early identification of high risk kindergarteners, development of individualized education programs, and implementation…

Study methodology and diabetes control in patients from the non-English diabetes management project (NEDMP).

Science.gov (United States)

Dirani, Mohamed; Dang, Trung M; Xie, Jing; Gnanasekaran, Sivashanth; Nicolaou, Theona; Rees, Gwyneth; Fenwick, Eva; Lamoureux, Ecosse L

2017-03-01

To describe the clinical characteristics of non-English speaking patients from the Diabetes Management Project (NEDMP), and compare their diabetes management and severity of diabetic retinopathy (DR) with the English-speaking DMP sample (EDMP). A prospective study was conducted on non-English speaking adults with diabetes who attended the Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital. 136 (90.1%) non-English speaking adults were assessed, with a mean age of 72.2 years (range: 50-88 years); 74 (54.4%) were male. Participants completed interviewer-administered questionnaires and underwent visual acuity, fundus photography, optical coherence tomography, biochemistry and anthropometric measurements. The EDMP assessed 609 patients in 2009 using a similar protocol. Type and duration of diabetes, diabetes control and diabetic retinopathy. A total of 127 (93.4%) and 8 (5.9%) participants reported having type 2 and type 1 diabetes, respectively, with a median (IQR) duration of 17 (14) years. The proportion of patients with poor diabetes control (HbA1c ≥ 7%) in the NEDMP was similar to the EDMP (64.0% and 68.2%, respectively; P = 0.411). A significantly higher proportion of patients with DR in the NEDMP were found to have poor diabetes control (HbA1c ≥ 7%) compared to those without DR (80.9% vs. 50.0%, P = 0.003). Almost two-thirds of NEDMP patients (74/118) had DR and 23% (27/115) had diabetic macular edema. The prevalence of DR was similar between the NEDMP and EDMP studies, ranging from 25-30% and 28-29%. The clinical characteristics, diabetes control, and DR severity of English and non-English-speaking patients were similar. The high proportion of poor diabetes management in non-English speaking patients with DR suggests educational and behavioural interventions to improve glycaemic control are warranted. © 2016 Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Ophthalmologists.

Is credit for early action credible early action?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rolfe, C.; Michaelowa, A.; Dutschke, M.

1999-12-01

Credit for early action as a tool for greenhouse gas emissions reduction is compared with various market instruments as a means of narrowing the gap between projected emissions and those of the Kyoto Protocol. Market instruments work by creating a market price for emissions and use the market to encourage reductions at the lowest price, which is done by placing limits on greenhouse gas emissions and allowing the market to decide where reductions occur, or by imposing a carbon tax or emissions charge. While they can be applied within a sector, they are usually used to encourage reductions throughout the economy or across large sectors. Credit for early action also creates an incentive for emissions reductions throughout the economy or at least across many sectors. Credit for early action tools do not work by either imposing a carbon tax or emissions charge or placing limits on emissions, rather they promise that entities that take action against greenhouse gases prior to the imposition of a carbon tax or emissions limits will receive a credit against future taxes or limits. An overview is provided of the Kyoto Protocol and the rationale for taking early action, and a review is included of the theory and specific proposals for market instruments and credit for early action. A comparative analysis is provided of these approaches by examining their relative efficiency, environmental effectiveness, and impacts on the redistribution of wealth. Credit for early action is viewed as problematic on a number of counts and is seen as an interim strategy for imposition while political support for market instruments develop. The environmental effectiveness of credit for early action is very difficult to predict, and credit for early action programs do not yield the lowest cost emissions reductions. Credit for early action programs will not achieve compliance with the Kyoto Protocol at the lowest cost, and credits for early action will increase the compliance costs for those who

Photo Z: A Real Research Project for Undergraduate Non-Majors

Science.gov (United States)

Rector, Travis A.; Puckett, A. W.; Hinnah, K. D.

2009-01-01

Research-Based Science Education (RBSE) is a method of instruction that models the processes of scientific inquiry and exploration used by scientists to discover new knowledge. It is "research-based" in the sense that students work together on a real astronomical research project. In other words, in order to learn science, students are given the opportunity to actually do science. We present "Photo Z," a new RBSE project wherein students search for distant galaxies using data from the NOAO Deep Wide Field Survey (NDWFS). Students download FITS data files from the NDWFS cutout server. They then complete photometry of galaxies in three bands (Bw, V and I) using Polaris, a custom-made plugin written for ImageJ. The photometric color of each galaxy allows an estimate of its redshift as well as its star-formation history. Many student projects are possible. An example is to search for galaxies clustered around high-redshift quasars. An advantage of this project is that the datasets are readily available online. This project is part of an NSF CCLI grant to develop and test RBSE curricula in an undergraduate course setting. The goals of RBSE are fourfold: (1) To teach that science is a process, not just a body of knowledge; (2) To improve retention of science content by using it in a research project; (3) to improve attitudes towards STEM careers, particularly among first-year students; and (4) to develop task-driven skills, such as critical thinking and teamwork skills, that are useful in any career path. These curricula are currently being developed and tested at the University of Alaska Anchorage, Indiana University Bloomington, and Pima Community College.

The Wiluna Uranium Project, Western Australia: Bringing a new project to the market

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Guthrie, V.

2014-01-01

Summary - Wiluna: One of the few projects able to provide new production from 2016 to take advantage of the predicted U market upswing. The 3Ps: • Process – Sound science is fundamental; – There are no short-cuts (but can be lots of delays)! • Persistence: – Tell your story over and over again; – Every roadblock can be overcome; • Patience: – Start early; – Expect all stakeholders to take longer to accept the project

Non-invasive method for screening and early detection of breast tumors using thermal field analysis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

O. Drosu

2009-10-01

Full Text Available The paper refers to general presentation of international and European evaluation regarding breast cancer incidence and mortality as well as recommendations for prevention, screening, detection and treatment.The past years international research development in biomedical engineering has put a particular emphasis on the thermography use in breast pathology diagnosis and its main advantages, such as: an early diagnose of the breast cancer, in that stage when the mammography or ultrasounds can not easily detect the changes of the tissue; a totally non-invasive interaction with human body; very low costs and possibilities for the women to do a self thermographic test.We also present some important results of our research within the field of breast tumor detection using the numerical analysis of the thermal inverse problem.

Non-Eosinophilic Nasal Polyps Shows Increased Epithelial Proliferation and Localized Disease Pattern in the Early Stage.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dong-Kyu Kim

Full Text Available Non-eosinophilic nasal polyps (NPs show less inflammatory changes and are less commonly associated with lower airway inflammatory disorders such as asthma, compared with eosinophilic NPs. However, the development of non-eosinophilic NPs which is a predominant subtype in Asian population still remains unclear.A total of 81 patients (45 with non-eosinophilic NPs and 36 with eosinophilic NPs were enrolled. Clinical information and computed tomography (CT, endoscopic, and histological findings were investigated. Tissue samples were analyzed for total IgE levels and for mRNA expression levels of interleukin (IL-4, IL-5, IL-13, interferon (IFN-γ, tumor necrosis factor (TNF-α, IL-17A, IL-22, IL-23p19, transforming growth factor (TGF-β1, TGF-β2, TGF-β3, and periostin. Immunostaining assessment of Ki-67 as a proliferation marker was performed.We found that epithelial in-growing patterns such as pseudocysts were more frequently observed in histological and endoscopic evaluations of non-eosinophilic NPs, which was linked to increase epithelial staining of Ki-67, a proliferating marker. Eosinophilic NPs were characterized by high infiltration of inflammatory cells, compared with non-eosinophilic NPs. To investigate the developmental course of each subtype, CT was analyzed according to CT scores and subtypes. Non-eosinophilic NPs showed more localized pattern and maxillary sinus involvement, but lesser olfactory involvement in early stage whereas eosinophilic NPs were characterized by diffuse ethmoidal and olfactory involvement. In addition, high ethmoidal/maxillary (E/M CT scores, indicating ethmoidal dominant involvement, were one of surrogate markers for eosinophilic NP. E/M CT scores was positively correlated with levels of TH2 inflammatory markers, including IL-4, IL-5, periostin mRNA expression and total IgE levels in NPs, whereas levels of the TH1 cytokine, IFN- γ were inversely correlated. Moreover, if the combinatorial algorithm meet the three

Neurons in the white matter of the adult human neocortex

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M Luisa Suarez-Sola

2009-06-01

Full Text Available The white matter (WM of the adult human neocortex contains the so-called “interstitial neurons”. They are most numerous in the superficial WM underlying the cortical gyri, and decrease in density toward the deep WM. They are morphologically heterogeneous. A subgroup of interstitial neurons display pyramidal-cell like morphologies, characterized by a polarized dendritic tree with a dominant apical dendrite, and covered with a variable number of dendritic spines. In addition, a large contingent of interstitial neurons can be classified as interneurons based on their neurochemical profile as well as on morphological criteria. WM- interneurons have multipolar or bipolar shapes and express GABA and a variety of other neuronal markers, such as calbindin and calretinin, the extracellular matrix protein reelin, or neuropeptide Y, somatostatin, and nitric oxide synthase. The heterogeneity of interstitial neurons may be relevant for the pathogenesis of Alzheimer disease and schizophrenia. Interstitial neurons are most prominent in human brain, and only rudimentary in the brain of non-primate mammals. These evolutionary differences have precluded adequate experimental work on this cell population, which is usually considered as a relict of the subplate, a transient compartment proper of development and without a known function in the adult brain. The primate-specific prominence of the subplate in late fetal stages points to an important role in the establishment of interstitial neurons. Neurons in the adult WM may be actively involved in coordinating inter-areal connectivity and regulation of blood flow. Further studies in primates will be needed to elucidate the developmental history, adult components and activities of this large neuronal system.

Early pharmaceutical profiling to predict oral drug absorption

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bergström, Christel A S; Holm, René; Jørgensen, Søren Astrup

2014-01-01

Preformulation measurements are used to estimate the fraction absorbed in vivo for orally administered compounds and thereby allow an early evaluation of the need for enabling formulations. As part of the Oral Biopharmaceutical Tools (OrBiTo) project, this review provides a summary of the pharmac......Preformulation measurements are used to estimate the fraction absorbed in vivo for orally administered compounds and thereby allow an early evaluation of the need for enabling formulations. As part of the Oral Biopharmaceutical Tools (OrBiTo) project, this review provides a summary...... and state-of-the art methodologies to study API properties impacting on oral absorption are reviewed. Assays performed during early development, i.e. physicochemical characterization, dissolution profiles under physiological conditions, permeability assays and the impact of excipients on these properties...

18F-FDG PET/CT in tuberculosis: an early non-invasive marker of therapeutic response

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Martinez, V.; Grenier, G.; Fior, R.; Boue, F.; Castilla-Lievre, M.A.; Guillet-Caruba, C.; Desarnaud, S.

2012-01-01

To evaluate the potential of 18 F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography ( 18 F-FDG PET/CT) for early therapeutic intervention in patients with probable or confirmed tuberculosis (TB). Twenty-one consecutive human immunodeficiency virus negative patients were prospectively included. All patients underwent 18 F-FDG PET/CT before and after 1 month of anti-tuberculosis treatment. The maximum standardised uptake value (SUV max ) of the most 18 F-FDG avid lesions was recorded. The median age of patients was 36 years (range 18-84); 33.3% were male, 80.9% were born in endemic countries, and 23.8% had a past history of TB. TB was confirmed on culture in 8, on histology in 9 and on the basis of clinical symptoms in 4 patients. 18 F-FDG PET/CT detected active pulmonary TB (n = 1), extrapulmonary (n = 10) or both (n = 10). The second 18 F-FDG PET/CT showed reduced radiotracer uptake intensity in 19 of 21 patients, with a median percentage decrease of SUV max of 31% (range 2-84). Two patients showed no improvement. TB was ruled out in one patient during follow-up; the final diagnosis was a non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. The other patient was smear-positive for 3 months. 18 F-FDG PET/CT allows an easy evaluation of early therapeutic response in patients with TB, particularly extra-pulmonary TB. (authors)

A Project Management Approach to Using Simulation for Cost Estimation on Large, Complex Software Development Projects

Science.gov (United States)

Mizell, Carolyn; Malone, Linda

2007-01-01

It is very difficult for project managers to develop accurate cost and schedule estimates for large, complex software development projects. None of the approaches or tools available today can estimate the true cost of software with any high degree of accuracy early in a project. This paper provides an approach that utilizes a software development process simulation model that considers and conveys the level of uncertainty that exists when developing an initial estimate. A NASA project will be analyzed using simulation and data from the Software Engineering Laboratory to show the benefits of such an approach.

Attending and non-attending patients in a real-life setting of an early arthritis clinic: why do people leave clinics and where do they go?

Science.gov (United States)

Nell-Duxneuner, Valerie; Rezende, Lucila Stange; Stamm, Tanja A; Duer, Mona; Smolen, Josef S; Machold, Klaus P

2012-01-01

Rheumatologist assessment as early as possible is considered essential for patients with inflammatory joint disease. In our Very Early Arthritis Clinic (VEAC), a substantial proportion of initially included and followed patients later stop attendance in the clinic. We questioned attending (AP) and non-attending patients (NAP) regarding current health status and satisfaction with care as well as reasons for discontinuation and current care received by NAP. VEAC patients first seen between 1996 and 2003 were included. Assessment included the RADAI, HAQ, and visual analogue scales for pain, disease activity, fatigue, satisfaction with current health care. Current (DMARD) treatment was recorded. Among AP, 87% had rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and 13% non-RA. Of NAP, 37% had RA, 23% non-RA and 40% no more rheumatic disease. Satisfaction with health care concerning rheumatic disease was better in AP than NAP. Likewise, most outcome parameters were better in AP. Substantially more RA patients in the AP than NAP group received DMARDs. Apart from the disappearance of arthritis, logistic reasons were given most frequently for discontinuation of attendance. Less than 10% of NAP indicated dissatisfaction with medical care. We found advantages in both disease activity measures and satisfaction with health care for patients receiving continuous care in a highly specialised Rheumatology clinic. Furthermore, different DMARD usage in RA in AP and NAP may indicate significant deficits in treatment quality outside specialist care. Logistic issues associated with access to continuous Rheumatology care for early arthritis patients need improvement.

Implementing a national early awareness and alert system for new and emerging health technologies in Italy: the COTE Project.

Science.gov (United States)

Migliore, Antonio; Perrini, Maria Rosaria; Jefferson, Tom; Cerbo, Marina

2012-07-01

The aim of this study was to establish a national Early Awareness and Alert (EAA) system for the identification and assessment of new and emerging health technologies in Italy. In 2008, Agenas, a public body supporting Regions and the Ministry of Health (MoH) in health services research, started a project named COTE (Observatory of New and Emerging Health Technologies) with the ultimate aim of implementing a national EAA system. The COTE project involved all stakeholders (MoH, Regions, Industry, Universities, technical government bodies, and Scientific Societies), in defining the key characteristics and methods of the EAA system. Agreement with stakeholders was reached using three separate workshops. During the workshops, participants shared and agreed methods for identification of new and emerging health technologies, prioritization, and assessment. The structure of the Horizon Scanning (HS) reports was discussed and defined. The main channels for dissemination of outputs were identified as the EuroScan database, and the stakeholders' Web portals. During the final workshop, Agenas presented the first three HS reports produced at national level and proposed the establishment of a permanent national EAA system. The COTE Project created the basis for a permanent national EAA system in Italy. An infrastructure to enable the stakeholders network to grow was created, methods to submit new and emerging health technologies for possible evaluation were established, methods for assessment of the technologies selected were defined, and the stakeholders involvement was delineated (in the identification, assessment, and dissemination stages).

Project Plan Remote Target Fabrication Refurbishment Project

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bell, Gary L.; Taylor, Robin D.

2009-01-01

In early FY2009, the DOE Office of Science - Nuclear Physics Program reinstated a program for continued production of 252 Cf and other transcurium isotopes at the Radiochemical Engineering Development Center (REDC) at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). The FY2009 major elements of the workscope are as follows: (1) Recovery and processing of seven transuranium element targets undergoing irradiation at the High Flux Isotope Reactor (HFIR) at ORNL; (2) Development of a plan to manufacture new targets for irradiation beginning in early- to mid-FY10 to supply irradiated targets for processing Campaign 75 (TRU75); and (3) Refurbishment of the target manufacturing equipment to allow new target manufacture in early FY10 The 252 Cf product from processing Campaign 74 (recently processed and currently shipping to customers) is expected to supply the domestic demands for a period of approximately two years. Therefore it is essential that new targets be introduced for irradiation by the second quarter of FY10 (HFIR cycle 427) to maintain supply of 252 Cf; the average irradiation period is ∼10 HFIR cycles, requiring about 1.5 calendar years. The strategy for continued production of 252 Cf depends upon repairing and refurbishing the existing pellet and target fabrication equipment for one additional target production campaign. This equipment dates from the mid-1960s to the late 1980s, and during the last target fabrication campaign in 2005- 2006, a number of component failures and operations difficulties were encountered. It is expected that following the target fabrication and acceptance testing of the targets that will supply material for processing Campaign 75 a comprehensive upgrade and replacement of the remote hot-cell equipment will be required prior to subsequent campaigns. Such a major refit could start in early FY 2011 and would take about 2 years to complete. Scope and cost estimates for the repairs described herein were developed, and authorization for the work

Projected Entangled Pair States with non-Abelian gauge symmetries: An SU(2) study

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zohar, Erez, E-mail: erez.zohar@mpq.mpg.de [Max-Planck-Institut für Quantenoptik, Hans-Kopfermann-Straße 1, 85748 Garching (Germany); Wahl, Thorsten B. [Rudolf Peierls Centre for Theoretical Physics, Oxford, 1 Keble Road, OX1 3NP (United Kingdom); Burrello, Michele, E-mail: michele.burrello@mpq.mpg.de [Max-Planck-Institut für Quantenoptik, Hans-Kopfermann-Straße 1, 85748 Garching (Germany); Cirac, J. Ignacio [Max-Planck-Institut für Quantenoptik, Hans-Kopfermann-Straße 1, 85748 Garching (Germany)

2016-11-15

Over the last years, Projected Entangled Pair States have demonstrated great power for the study of many body systems, as they naturally describe ground states of gapped many body Hamiltonians, and suggest a constructive way to encode and classify their symmetries. The PEPS study is not only limited to global symmetries, but has also been extended and applied for local symmetries, allowing to use them for the description of states in lattice gauge theories. In this paper we discuss PEPS with a local, SU(2) gauge symmetry, and demonstrate the use of PEPS features and techniques for the study of a simple family of many body states with a non-Abelian gauge symmetry. We present, in particular, the construction of fermionic PEPS able to describe both two-color fermionic matter and the degrees of freedom of an SU(2) gauge field with a suitable truncation.

THE LOCATION OF NON-THERMAL VELOCITY IN THE EARLY PHASES OF LARGE FLARES—REVEALING PRE-ERUPTION FLUX ROPES

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Harra, Louise K.; Matthews, Sarah; Culhane, J. L.; Cheung, Mark C. M.; Kontar, Eduard P.; Hara, Hirohisa

2013-01-01

Non-thermal velocity measurements of the solar atmosphere, particularly from UV and X-ray emission lines have demonstrated over the decades that this parameter is important in understanding the triggering of solar flares. Enhancements have often been observed before intensity enhancements are seen. However, until the launch of Hinode, it has been difficult to determine the spatial location of the enhancements to better understand the source region. The Hinode EUV Imaging Spectrometer has the spectral and spatial resolution to allow us to probe the early stages of flares in detail. We analyze four events, all of which are GOES M- or X-classification flares, and all are located toward the limb for ease of flare geometry interpretation. Three of the flares were eruptive and one was confined. In all events, pre-flare enhancement in non-thermal velocity at the base of the active region and its surroundings has been found. These enhancements seem to be consistent with the footpoints of the dimming regions, and hence may be highlighting the activation of a coronal flux rope for the three eruptive events. In addition, pre-flare enhancements in non-thermal velocity were found above the looptops for the three eruptive events

Multivariate Analysis of Students Perception on Teaching with Client Based and Non-Client Based Team Projects

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Philip Appiah-Kubi

2018-05-01

Full Text Available The classroom experience has evolved from traditional lecture, PowerPoint and whiteboards to a more active environment where students and instructors work together more on hands-on activities to achieve the course objectives. Various names have been given to this pedagogy; experiential learning, project-based learning, active learning, problem-based learning are a handful of names used to describe this evolving pedagogy. The main challenge faced by educators in educating undergraduate students to be independent thinkers and problem solvers, has been the driving force fueling the shift in pedagogy. The skill sets needed to be successful in the workforce has also evolved over the years. Today’s employees are not only expected to demonstrate proficiency in green skills in their field of study, but must also possess soft skills required to be competitive in the industry. Gone are the days where engineers worked in silos applying their green skills to create for the common good. To be productive, employers expect today’s engineer to demonstrate the ability to work in teams, communicate effectively, while applying the technical and analytical know-how needed to achieve a desired goal. To ensure that undergraduate students have these desired skills, most engineering educators have shifted away from the traditional all lecture classes and are applying active learning pedagogies. This research looks into student’s perception on project-based learning with client based and non-client based projects in terms of: the project as a learning device, contribution to research knowledge, motivation to learn, contribution to skills and personal benefits, and their effects on student evaluation of teaching and motivation to learn.

In-situ non-invasive device for early detection of fouling in aquatic systems

KAUST Repository

Fortunato, Luca

2017-01-05

An in-situ, non-destructive sensor device, system and method are provided to detect or assess fouling at a very early stage of development. They can be used to detect or assess fouling on a surface of an aquatic system. They can be used to obtain a depth profile of the fouling. Data concerning the depth profile can be extracted and used to assess the fouling on the surface, in one or more aspects, the method can include providing an optical tomography spectrometer; optically positioning the optical tomography spectrometer in association with a surface of an area to be assessed for fouling in an aqueous system; irradiating the surface; acquiring, from irradiating the surface, a plurality of signals as a function of a distance from the surface at different times; extracting data from the signals as a function of the distance to obtain a depth profile of the surface at the different times; and determining a change in the depth profile between the different times to assess fouling on the surface.

Early menarche, nulliparity and the risk for premature and early natural menopause.

Science.gov (United States)

Mishra, Gita D; Pandeya, Nirmala; Dobson, Annette J; Chung, Hsin-Fang; Anderson, Debra; Kuh, Diana; Sandin, Sven; Giles, Graham G; Bruinsma, Fiona; Hayashi, Kunihiko; Lee, Jung Su; Mizunuma, Hideki; Cade, Janet E; Burley, Victoria; Greenwood, Darren C; Goodman, Alissa; Simonsen, Mette Kildevæld; Adami, Hans-Olov; Demakakos, Panayotes; Weiderpass, Elisabete

2017-03-01

.80, 95% CI 1.53-2.12) and early menopause (1.31, 1.19-1.44). Nulliparity was associated with increased risk of premature menopause (2.26, 1.84-2.77) and early menopause (1.32, 1.09-1.59). Women having early menarche and nulliparity were at over 5-fold increased risk of premature menopause (5.64, 4.04-7.87) and 2-fold increased risk of early menopause (2.16, 1.48-3.15) compared with women who had menarche at ≥12 years and two or more children. Most of the studies (except the birth cohorts) relied on retrospectively reported age at menarche, which may have led to some degree of recall bias. Our findings support early monitoring of women with early menarche, especially those who have no children, for preventive health interventions aimed at mitigating the risk of adverse health outcomes associated with early menopause. InterLACE project is funded by the Australian National Health and Medical Research Council project grant (APP1027196). G.D.M. is supported by Australian Research Council Future Fellowship (FT120100812). There are no competing interests. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology.

Advances in Non-Destructive Early Assessment of Fruit Ripeness towards Defining Optimal Time of Harvest and Yield Prediction—A Review

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bo Li

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Global food security for the increasing world population not only requires increased sustainable production of food but a significant reduction in pre- and post-harvest waste. The timing of when a fruit is harvested is critical for reducing waste along the supply chain and increasing fruit quality for consumers. The early in-field assessment of fruit ripeness and prediction of the harvest date and yield by non-destructive technologies have the potential to revolutionize farming practices and enable the consumer to eat the tastiest and freshest fruit possible. A variety of non-destructive techniques have been applied to estimate the ripeness or maturity but not all of them are applicable for in situ (field or glasshouse assessment. This review focuses on the non-destructive methods which are promising for, or have already been applied to, the pre-harvest in-field measurements including colorimetry, visible imaging, spectroscopy and spectroscopic imaging. Machine learning and regression models used in assessing ripeness are also discussed.

Coaching in Early Mathematics.

Science.gov (United States)

Germeroth, Carrie; Sarama, Julie

2017-01-01

Falling scores in math have prompted a renewed interest in math instruction at early ages. By their own admission, early childhood educators are generally underprepared and not always comfortable teaching math. Professional development (PD) in early mathematics is widely considered a main way to increase teachers' skills and efficacy (e.g., Guskey, 2000; Hyson & Woods, 2014; Munby, Russell, & Martin, 2001; Piasta, Logan, Pelatti, Capps, & Petrill, 2015; Richardson & Placier, 2001; Sarama, Clements, Wolfe, & Spitler, 2016; Sarama & DiBiase, 2004; Zaslow, 2014). However, it has been documented that stand-alone PD is not as effective in changing practice (e.g., Biancarosa & Bryk, 2011; Garet et al., 2008; Guskey, 2000; Hyson & Woods, 2014; Institute of Medicine and National Research Council, 2015; Joyce & Showers, 2002; Zaslow, 2014). Site-embedded ongoing support in the form of coaching or mentoring has been shown to be critical for successful implementation (Neuman & Cunningham, 2009; Powell, Diamond, Burchinal, & Koehler, 2010). In this chapter, we describe coaching models and abstract characteristics of effective coaching from the research. With this background, we provide an in-depth view of the coaching aspect of two large empirical studies in early mathematics. We introduce the theoretical framework from which the coaching models for these projects were developed and describe the research on which they were based. We then summarize how the planned models were instantiated and challenges to their implementation within each project. In the final section, we summarize what we have learned and described implications and challenges for the field. © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Preinfarct Health Status and the Use of Early Invasive Versus Ischemia-Guided Management in Non-ST-Elevation Acute Coronary Syndrome.

Science.gov (United States)

Qintar, Mohammed; Smolderen, Kim G; Chan, Paul S; Gosch, Kensey L; Jones, Philip G; Buchanan, Donna M; Girotra, Saket; Spertus, John A

2017-10-01

Early invasive management improves outcomes in non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI). The association between preinfarct health status and the selecting patients for early invasive management is unknown. The Prospective Registry Evaluating outcomes after Myocardial Infarctions: Events and Recovery and Translational Research Investigating Underlying disparities in acute Myocardial infarction Patients' Health status are consecutive US multicenter registries, in which the associations between preinfarct angina frequency and quality of life (both assessed by the Seattle Angina Questionnaire on admission) and the Global Registry of Acute Coronary Events (GRACE) risk score and referral to early invasive management (coronary angiography within 48 hours) were evaluated using Poisson regression, after adjusting for site, demographics, and clinical and psychosocial variables. Of 3,768 patients with NSTEMI, 2,182 (57.9%) patients were referred for early invasive treatment. Patients with excellent, good, or very good baseline angina-specific quality of life, respectively, were more likely to receive early angiography, even after adjustment, as compared with patients reporting poor baseline quality of life because of angina (62.1.0%, 60.9%, 59.6%, vs 51.2%; adjusted relative risk [RR] = 1.09, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.04 to 1.16; RR = 1.13, 95% CI 1.01 to 1.27; RR 1.14, 95% CI 0.99 to 1.31, respectively). Finally, patients with a GRACE score in the highest risk decile (199.5 to management. Further work is needed to understand the role of preinfarct health status and in-hospital treatment strategy. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Understanding the costs and schedule of hydroelectric projects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Merrow, E.W.; Schroeder, B.R.

1991-01-01

This paper is based on a study conducted for the World Bank which evaluated the feasibility of developing an empirically based ex ante project analysis system for hydroelectric projects. The system would be used to assess: the reasonableness of engineering-based cost and schedule estimates used for project appraisal and preliminary estimates used to select projects for appraisal; and the potential for cost growth and schedule slip. The system would help identify projects early in the project appraisal process that harbor significantly higher than normal risks of overrunning cost and schedule estimates

Geometry of Moishezon and 1-convex spaces II: Projectivity of Moishezon spaces and its non-compact version

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sitaramayya, M.

1993-11-01

After a brief review of the geometry of Moishezon spaces, their relation with l-convex spaces and a reasonable and up to date understanding of the obstructions for projectivity of Moishezon objects both in singular and non-singular case is given. The geometry of l-convex manifolds and with l-dimensional exceptional set is studied and some problems and conjectures are stated. The tools of cohomology vanishing theorems important for the subject are briefly sketched. Compactifications of C 3 and Stein spaces are finally outlined. given. 111 refs, 2 figs

Managing complex, high risk projects a guide to basic and advanced project management

CERN Document Server

Marle, Franck

2016-01-01

Maximizing reader insights into project management and handling complexity-driven risks, this book explores propagation effects, non-linear consequences, loops, and the emergence of positive properties that may occur over the course of a project. This book presents an introduction to project management and analysis of traditional project management approaches and their limits regarding complexity. It also includes overviews of recent research works about project complexity modelling and management as well as project complexity-driven issues. Moreover, the authors propose their own new approaches, new methodologies and new tools which may be used by project managers and/or researchers and/or students in the management of their projects. These new elements include project complexity definitions and frameworks, multi-criteria approaches for project complexity measurement, advanced methodologies for project management (propagation studies to anticipate potential behaviour of the project, and clustering approaches...

Effect of non-electroactive additives on the early stage pyrrole electropolymerization on indium tin oxide electrodes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Castro-Beltran, A. [Facultad de Ingeniería Mecánica y Eléctrica, Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, Ave. Pedro de Alba s/n, Ciudad Universitaria, C.P. 66451 San Nicolás de los Garza, N.L. (Mexico); Centro de Innovación Investigación y Desarrollo en Ingeniería y Tecnología (CIIDIT), Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, PIIT-Monterrey C.P. 66600 Apodaca, N.L. (Mexico); Dominguez, C.; Bahena-Uribe, D. [Centro Investigación en Ingeniería y Ciencias Aplicadas (CIICAp), Universidad Autónoma del Estado de Morelos, Av. Universidad 1001, Col. Chamilpa, C.P. 62209 Cuernavaca, Mor. (Mexico); Sepulveda-Guzman, S., E-mail: selene.sepulvedagz@uanl.edu.mx [Facultad de Ingeniería Mecánica y Eléctrica, Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, Ave. Pedro de Alba s/n, Ciudad Universitaria, C.P. 66451 San Nicolás de los Garza, N.L. (Mexico); Centro de Innovación Investigación y Desarrollo en Ingeniería y Tecnología (CIIDIT), Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, PIIT-Monterrey C.P. 66600 Apodaca, N.L. (Mexico); Cruz-Silva, R. [Research Center for Exotic NanoCarbon, Shinshu University, 4-17-1 Wakasato, Nagano 380-8553 (Japan)

2014-09-01

The use of non-electroactive additives during electrodeposition of conducting polymers has long been used to modify the properties of deposited films. These additives can improve the adhesion, and not only change the morphology and deposition rate but also modify the chemical composition of the electrodeposited polymer. Several compounds have been used to modify deposition of polypyrrole; however, there is no systematic study of these compounds. In this work, we comparatively studied several water soluble chemical compounds, a cationic polymer, an anionic polymer, a cationic surfactant, and an anionic surfactant during potentiostatic electrodeposition of polypyrrole. In order to study the effect of these compounds on the interface, where the electrochemical polymerization takes place, we used electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The morphology during the initial stage of growth was studied by atomic force microscopy, whereas the resulting polypyrrole films were observed by scanning electron microscopy. - Highlights: • Early-stage polymerization polypyrrole particles on indium tin oxide (ITO). • Anionic additives promote pyrrole oxidation and polypyrrole film growth on ITO. • Cationic polyelectrolyte promotes adhesion between ITO and polypyrrole film. • Non-electroactive additives strongly influence polypyrrole nucleation on ITO.

Database of tsunami scenario simulations for Western Iberia: a tool for the TRIDEC Project Decision Support System for tsunami early warning

Science.gov (United States)

Armigliato, Alberto; Pagnoni, Gianluca; Zaniboni, Filippo; Tinti, Stefano

2013-04-01

TRIDEC is a EU-FP7 Project whose main goal is, in general terms, to develop suitable strategies for the management of crises possibly arising in the Earth management field. The general paradigms adopted by TRIDEC to develop those strategies include intelligent information management, the capability of managing dynamically increasing volumes and dimensionality of information in complex events, and collaborative decision making in systems that are typically very loosely coupled. The two areas where TRIDEC applies and tests its strategies are tsunami early warning and industrial subsurface development. In the field of tsunami early warning, TRIDEC aims at developing a Decision Support System (DSS) that integrates 1) a set of seismic, geodetic and marine sensors devoted to the detection and characterisation of possible tsunamigenic sources and to monitoring the time and space evolution of the generated tsunami, 2) large-volume databases of pre-computed numerical tsunami scenarios, 3) a proper overall system architecture. Two test areas are dealt with in TRIDEC: the western Iberian margin and the eastern Mediterranean. In this study, we focus on the western Iberian margin with special emphasis on the Portuguese coasts. The strategy adopted in TRIDEC plans to populate two different databases, called "Virtual Scenario Database" (VSDB) and "Matching Scenario Database" (MSDB), both of which deal only with earthquake-generated tsunamis. In the VSDB we simulate numerically few large-magnitude events generated by the major known tectonic structures in the study area. Heterogeneous slip distributions on the earthquake faults are introduced to simulate events as "realistically" as possible. The members of the VSDB represent the unknowns that the TRIDEC platform must be able to recognise and match during the early crisis management phase. On the other hand, the MSDB contains a very large number (order of thousands) of tsunami simulations performed starting from many different

Computer Assets Recovery Project

Science.gov (United States)

CortesPena, Aida Yoguely

2010-01-01

This document reports on the project that was performed during the internship of the author. The project involved locating and recovering machines in various locations that Boeing has no need for, and therefore requires that they be transferred to another user or transferred to a non-profit organization. Other projects that the author performed was an inventory of toner and printers, loading new computers and connecting them to the network.

Antiretroviral therapy in a community clinic - early lessons from a ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Antiretroviral therapy in a community clinic - early lessons from a pilot project. ... The HIV Research Unit, University of Cape Town, supplied training and ... Attention must be given to the diagnosis of tuberculosis during screening and early ART ...

Practical experience with a data collection project: the OREDA project

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sandtorv, Helge A.; Hokstad, Per; Thompson, David W.

1996-01-01

Experience data on the reliability of equipment has become vital to many types of engineering and maintenance analyses. The consequences of incorrect design or poor maintenance may adversely affect: safety, the environment or cost in most categories of process industries, and, in particular, offshore exploration and production industries. The OREDA project is a data collection programme for the offshore industry which has been operating since the early 80's. A high level of knowledge has been gained from this programme on: specification of data, data collection methods and the utilization of data. Some of the results and the knowledge gained from this project are presented in this paper

Stochastic evolution of cosmological parameters in the early universe

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

We develop a stochastic formulation of cosmology in the early universe, after considering the scatter in the redshift-apparent magnitude diagram in the early epochs as an observational evidence for the non-deterministic evolution of early universe. We consider the stochastic evolution of density parameter in the early ...

ICU early physical rehabilitation programs: financial modeling of cost savings.

Science.gov (United States)

Lord, Robert K; Mayhew, Christopher R; Korupolu, Radha; Mantheiy, Earl C; Friedman, Michael A; Palmer, Jeffrey B; Needham, Dale M

2013-03-01

To evaluate the potential annual net cost savings of implementing an ICU early rehabilitation program. Using data from existing publications and actual experience with an early rehabilitation program in the Johns Hopkins Hospital Medical ICU, we developed a model of net financial savings/costs and presented results for ICUs with 200, 600, 900, and 2,000 annual admissions, accounting for both conservative- and best-case scenarios. Our example scenario provided a projected financial analysis of the Johns Hopkins Medical ICU early rehabilitation program, with 900 admissions per year, using actual reductions in length of stay achieved by this program. U.S.-based adult ICUs. Financial modeling of the introduction of an ICU early rehabilitation program. Net cost savings generated in our example scenario, with 900 annual admissions and actual length of stay reductions of 22% and 19% for the ICU and floor, respectively, were $817,836. Sensitivity analyses, which used conservative- and best-case scenarios for length of stay reductions and varied the per-day ICU and floor costs, across ICUs with 200-2,000 annual admissions, yielded financial projections ranging from -$87,611 (net cost) to $3,763,149 (net savings). Of the 24 scenarios included in these sensitivity analyses, 20 (83%) demonstrated net savings, with a relatively small net cost occurring in the remaining four scenarios, mostly when simultaneously combining the most conservative assumptions. A financial model, based on actual experience and published data, projects that investment in an ICU early rehabilitation program can generate net financial savings for U.S. hospitals. Even under the most conservative assumptions, the projected net cost of implementing such a program is modest relative to the substantial improvements in patient outcomes demonstrated by ICU early rehabilitation programs.

Relationship Between Preoperative Sarcopenia Status and Immuno-nutritional Parameters in Patients with Early-stage Non-small Cell Lung Cancer.

Science.gov (United States)

Shoji, Fumihiro; Matsubara, Taichi; Kozuma, Yuka; Haratake, Naoki; Akamine, Takaki; Takamori, Shinkichi; Katsura, Masakazu; Toyokawa, Gouji; Okamoto, Tatsuro; Maehara, Yoshihiko

2017-12-01

Although the skeletal muscle in the region of the third lumbar vertebra (L3) is generally assessed in order to judge sarcopenia, not every patient with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) undergoes computed tomography including the L3 region. We hypothesized that immuno-nutritional parameters could predict the existence of sarcopenia in patients with NSCLC. The aim of this study was to retrospectively investigate the correlation between preoperative sarcopenia and immuno-nutritional parameters in patients with early-stage NSCLC. We selected 147 of patients with pathological stage I NSCLC who underwent preoperative measurement of immuno-nutritional parameters and CT including the L3 region. Preoperative sarcopenia was significantly associated with female gender (p=0.0003) and poor prognosis (p=0.0322). In Kaplan-Meier analysis of overall survival (OS) by preoperative sarcopenia status, the sarcopenic group had significantly shorter OS than the non-sarcopenic group (5-year OS: 87.27% vs. 77.37%, p=0.0131, log-rank test). In multivariate analysis, the preoperative sarcopenia status (hazard ratio=5.138; 95% confidence interval=2.305-11.676; psarcopenia status was significantly related to controlling nutritional status score (p=0.0071) and Geriatric Nutritional Risk Index (GNRI) (psarcopenia status and GNRI (r=0.348, psarcopenia which was associated with poor outcome in patients with early-stage NSCLC. Copyright© 2017, International Institute of Anticancer Research (Dr. George J. Delinasios), All rights reserved.

Managing Projects with CSR in mind

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kampf, Constance; Thomsen, Christa

2008-01-01

This paper examines project management as a place where CSR can be operationalized, focusing particularly on project conception processes and co-constructing CSR knowledge with emergent tertiary stakeholders. Two projects which dealt with emergent tertiary stakeholders differently are examined.......  First, the Finnish company Metsa-Botnia's paper pulp plant in Uruguay is examined as a project in which a tertiary stakeholder, Argentina, emerged during the early stages of the project.  Argentina requested dialogue about the project conception and Metsa Botnia did not include them.  In contrast......, the Danish emergency services company Falck A/S's project on redefining CSR is offered as an example of a project transformed through dialogue with the emergent tertiary stakeholder, the county of Aarhus.   To analyze the cases, the paper combines Morsing & Schultz's (2006) dialectic CSR strategy based...

Reactors Project Delivery: The Value of Experiance

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stosic, V. Zoran

2014-01-01

State of Affairs: Energy Potential and Density versus Environmental Load of different Energy Sources, Development of Fuel into Energy/Electricity Generation, Production Costs of Electricity, Contributions of Nuclear Energy to Security of Energy Supply, Recent Nuclear Development, Public Support growing again. Projects Status: Reactors under Construction, Different Projects Industrial Schemes, Projects Overview. The Value of Experience: Licensing, Standardization on Early Engineering Activities, Supply Chain and Manufacturing of Heavy Components, Installation, Procurement. (author)

Unique genome organization of non-mammalian papillomaviruses provides insights into the evolution of viral early proteins.

Science.gov (United States)

Van Doorslaer, Koenraad; Ruoppolo, Valeria; Schmidt, Annie; Lescroël, Amelie; Jongsomjit, Dennis; Elrod, Megan; Kraberger, Simona; Stainton, Daisy; Dugger, Katie M; Ballard, Grant; Ainley, David G; Varsani, Arvind

2017-07-01

The family Papillomaviridae contains more than 320 papillomavirus types, with most having been identified as infecting skin and mucosal epithelium in mammalian hosts. To date, only nine non-mammalian papillomaviruses have been described from birds ( n  = 5), a fish ( n  = 1), a snake ( n  = 1), and turtles ( n  = 2). The identification of papillomaviruses in sauropsids and a sparid fish suggests that early ancestors of papillomaviruses were already infecting the earliest Euteleostomi. The Euteleostomi clade includes more than 90 per cent of the living vertebrate species, and progeny virus could have been passed on to all members of this clade, inhabiting virtually every habitat on the planet. As part of this study, we isolated a novel papillomavirus from a 16-year-old female Adélie penguin ( Pygoscelis adeliae ) from Cape Crozier, Ross Island (Antarctica). The new papillomavirus shares ∼64 per cent genome-wide identity to a previously described Adélie penguin papillomavirus. Phylogenetic analyses show that the non-mammalian viruses (expect the python, Morelia spilota , associated papillomavirus) cluster near the base of the papillomavirus evolutionary tree. A papillomavirus isolated from an avian host (Northern fulmar; Fulmarus glacialis ), like the two turtle papillomaviruses, lacks a putative E9 protein that is found in all other avian papillomaviruses. Furthermore, the Northern fulmar papillomavirus has an E7 more similar to the mammalian viruses than the other avian papillomaviruses. Typical E6 proteins of mammalian papillomaviruses have two Zinc finger motifs, whereas the sauropsid papillomaviruses only have one such motif. Furthermore, this motif is absent in the fish papillomavirus. Thus, it is highly likely that the most recent common ancestor of the mammalian and sauropsid papillomaviruses had a single motif E6. It appears that a motif duplication resulted in mammalian papillomaviruses having a double Zinc finger motif in E6. We

Unique genome organization of non-mammalian papillomaviruses provides insights into the evolution of viral early proteins

Science.gov (United States)

Van Doorslaer, Koenraad; Ruoppolo, Valeria; Schmidt, Annie; Lescroël, Amelie; Jongsomjit, Dennis; Elrod, Megan; Kraberger, Simona; Stainton, Daisy; Dugger, Katie M.; Ballard, Grant; Ainley, David G.; Varsani, Arvind

2017-01-01

The family Papillomaviridae contains more than 320 papillomavirus types, with most having been identified as infecting skin and mucosal epithelium in mammalian hosts. To date, only nine non-mammalian papillomaviruses have been described from birds (n = 5), a fish (n = 1), a snake (n = 1), and turtles (n = 2). The identification of papillomaviruses in sauropsids and a sparid fish suggests that early ancestors of papillomaviruses were already infecting the earliest Euteleostomi. The Euteleostomi clade includes more than 90 per cent of the living vertebrate species, and progeny virus could have been passed on to all members of this clade, inhabiting virtually every habitat on the planet. As part of this study, we isolated a novel papillomavirus from a 16-year-old female Adélie penguin (Pygoscelis adeliae) from Cape Crozier, Ross Island (Antarctica). The new papillomavirus shares ∼64 per cent genome-wide identity to a previously described Adélie penguin papillomavirus. Phylogenetic analyses show that the non-mammalian viruses (expect the python, Morelia spilota, associated papillomavirus) cluster near the base of the papillomavirus evolutionary tree. A papillomavirus isolated from an avian host (Northern fulmar; Fulmarus glacialis), like the two turtle papillomaviruses, lacks a putative E9 protein that is found in all other avian papillomaviruses. Furthermore, the Northern fulmar papillomavirus has an E7 more similar to the mammalian viruses than the other avian papillomaviruses. Typical E6 proteins of mammalian papillomaviruses have two Zinc finger motifs, whereas the sauropsid papillomaviruses only have one such motif. Furthermore, this motif is absent in the fish papillomavirus. Thus, it is highly likely that the most recent common ancestor of the mammalian and sauropsid papillomaviruses had a single motif E6. It appears that a motif duplication resulted in mammalian papillomaviruses having a double Zinc finger motif in E6. We estimated the

A Strategic Analysis of Investment Opportunities within British Columbia's Private Healthcare Sector for a Non-Profit Genomics Research Organization

OpenAIRE

Barclay, John W.

2010-01-01

Advances in the genome sciences are leading to the development of new healthcare innovations relevant to the principles of personalized medicine. Genome BC, a non-profit research organization, invests in projects that will help facilitate the integration of these innovations into the delivery of healthcare. This analysis assesses the strategic positioning of private healthcare firms in BC to be early users of such innovations. The analysis assesses the suitability of investment from Genome BC...

REDD+ readiness: early insights on monitoring, reporting and verification systems of project developers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Joseph, Shijo; Sunderlin, William D; Verchot, Louis V; Herold, Martin

2013-01-01

A functional measuring, monitoring, reporting and verification (MRV) system is essential to assess the additionality and impact on forest carbon in REDD+ (reducing emissions from deforestation and degradation) projects. This study assesses the MRV capacity and readiness of project developers at 20 REDD+ projects in Brazil, Peru, Cameroon, Tanzania, Indonesia and Vietnam, using a questionnaire survey and field visits. Nineteen performance criteria with 76 indicators were formulated in three categories, and capacity was measured with respect to each category. Of the 20 projects, 11 were found to have very high or high overall MRV capacity and readiness. At the regional level, capacity and readiness tended to be highest in the projects in Brazil and Peru and somewhat lower in Cameroon, Tanzania, Indonesia and Vietnam. Although the MRV capacities of half the projects are high, there are capacity deficiencies in other projects that are a source of concern. These are not only due to limitations in technical expertise, but can also be attributed to the slowness of international REDD+ policy formulation and the unclear path of development of the forest carbon market. Based on the study results, priorities for MRV development and increased investment in readiness are proposed. (letter)

The PredictAD project

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Antila, Kari; Lötjönen, Jyrki; Thurfjell, Lennart

2013-01-01

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common cause of dementia affecting 36 million people worldwide. As the demographic transition in the developed countries progresses towards older population, the worsening ratio of workers per retirees and the growing number of patients with age-related illnes...... candidates and implement the framework in software. The results are currently used in several research projects, licensed to commercial use and being tested for clinical use in several trials....... objective of the PredictAD project was to find and integrate efficient biomarkers from heterogeneous patient data to make early diagnosis and to monitor the progress of AD in a more efficient, reliable and objective manner. The project focused on discovering biomarkers from biomolecular data...

Personality variables as predictors of early non-metastatic colorectal cancer patients' psychological distress and health-related quality of life: a one-year prospective study.

Science.gov (United States)

Hyphantis, Thomas; Paika, Vassiliki; Almyroudi, Augoustina; Kampletsas, Eleftherios O; Pavlidis, Nicholas

2011-05-01

We aimed to assess the course of early non-metastatic colorectal cancer patients' psychological distress and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) and to identify relevant clinical and psychological predictors during a one-year period. Of the 144 early non-metastatic colorectal cancer patients initially assessed for psychological distress symptoms (SCL-90-R), HRQOL (WHOQOL-BREF), sense of coherence (SOC), defense mechanisms (LSI) and hostility (HDHQ), 84 (58.3%) completed the one-year follow-up. Mean (SD) age was 65.1 (9.8) years and 67.4% were male. Mean (SD) disease duration was 1.7 (2.2) years, with 49.3% being diagnosed within the last six months. In 75.0% the site was at colon and in 25.0% at rectum; 2.1% had stage I, 59.0% stage II and 38.9% stage III disease. Paranoid ideation, psychoticism, interpersonal sensitivity, anxiety and depressive symptoms increased significantly over the one-year period of the study and most of the HRQOL components were significantly decreased over the same period. Men were at greater risk for further developing depressive symptomatology. Low SOC was independent predictor of depression, while hostility independently predicted anxiety, interpersonal sensitivity and psychoticism symptoms. General psychological distress and low SOC were independent predictors of HRQOL, while repression was also an independent predictor of Physical HRQOL. In early non-metastatic colorectal cancer patients, psychological distress symptoms are increased and HRQOL is decreased over one-year period. Symptoms of psychological distress are strong predictors of HRQOL, while personality variables can also predict psychological distress symptoms' increase and HRQOL decrease over time, and this could be relevant to psychological interventions. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Early postdenervation depolarization develops faster at endplates of hibernating golden hamsters where spontaneous quantal and non-quantal acetylcholine release is very small

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Moravec, J.; Vyskočil, František

2005-01-01

Roč. 51, č. 1 (2005), s. 25-29 ISSN 0168-0102 R&D Projects: GA AV ČR IAA5011411; GA ČR GA305/02/1333 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z5011922 Keywords : motor nerve ending * non-quantal * acetylcholine Subject RIV: ED - Physiology Impact factor: 2.184, year: 2005

Project management best practices: forging win-win partnerships

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Livet, B.

2006-01-01

This paper reviews various aspects of management of renewable energy projects. It outlines contracting strategies, major cost impacts on balance of plants construction and permitting a wind farm project. It concludes by recommending a careful evaluation of the contracting strategy which best fits the circumstances, consideration of site and balance of plant issues in developing a realistic cost model for the project and making an early contact with authorities to ascertain the permitting required for the project

Visual Motor Integration as a Screener for Responders and Non-Responders in Preschool and Early School Years: Implications for Inclusive Assessment in Oman

Science.gov (United States)

Emam, Mahmoud Mohamed; Kazem, Ali Mahdi

2016-01-01

Visual motor integration (VMI) is the ability of the eyes and hands to work together in smooth, efficient patterns. In Oman, there are few effective methods to assess VMI skills in children in inclusive settings. The current study investigated the performance of preschool and early school years responders and non-responders on a VMI test. The full…

Communicating mega-projects in the face of uncertainties: Israeli mass media treatment of the Dead Sea Water Canal.

Science.gov (United States)

Fischhendler, Itay; Cohen-Blankshtain, Galit; Shuali, Yoav; Boykoff, Max

2015-10-01

Given the potential for uncertainties to influence mega-projects, this study examines how mega-projects are deliberated in the public arena. The paper traces the strategies used to promote the Dead Sea Water Canal. Findings show that the Dead Sea mega-project was encumbered by ample uncertainties. Treatment of uncertainties in early coverage was dominated by economics and raised primarily by politicians, while more contemporary media discourses have been dominated by ecological uncertainties voiced by environmental non-governmental organizations. This change in uncertainty type is explained by the changing nature of the project and by shifts in societal values over time. The study also reveals that 'uncertainty reduction' and to a lesser degree, 'project cancellation', are still the strategies most often used to address uncertainties. Statistical analysis indicates that although uncertainties and strategies are significantly correlated, there may be other intervening variables that affect this correlation. This research also therefore contributes to wider and ongoing considerations of uncertainty in the public arena through various media representational practices. © The Author(s) 2013.

1995 project of the year Hanford Environmental compliance project nomination

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kelly, J.R.

1996-02-01

The completion of the Hanford Environmental Compliance (HEC) Project in December 1995 brought to a successful close a long line of major contributions to environmental cleanup. Not since the early days of the Hanford Site during and shortly after World War 11 had such a large group of diverse construction activities, with a common goal, been performed at Hanford. Key to this success was the unique combination of 14 subprojects under the HEC Project which afforded the flexibility to address evolving subproject requirements. This strategy resulted in the accomplishment of the HEC Project stakeholders` objectives on an aggressive schedule, at a $33 million cost savings to the customer. The primary objectives of the HEC Project were to upgrade selected Hanford Site facilities and systems to bring them into compliance with current environmental standards and regulations. The HEC Project contributed significantly towards the Hanford site compliance with Clean Water Act, Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) and Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) requirements. It provided, in part, those construction activities required to comply with those requirements in the areas of liquid and solid waste treatment and disposal, waste characterization, and groundwater monitoring.

1995 project of the year Hanford Environmental compliance project nomination

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kelly, J.R.

1996-02-01

The completion of the Hanford Environmental Compliance (HEC) Project in December 1995 brought to a successful close a long line of major contributions to environmental cleanup. Not since the early days of the Hanford Site during and shortly after World War 11 had such a large group of diverse construction activities, with a common goal, been performed at Hanford. Key to this success was the unique combination of 14 subprojects under the HEC Project which afforded the flexibility to address evolving subproject requirements. This strategy resulted in the accomplishment of the HEC Project stakeholders' objectives on an aggressive schedule, at a $33 million cost savings to the customer. The primary objectives of the HEC Project were to upgrade selected Hanford Site facilities and systems to bring them into compliance with current environmental standards and regulations. The HEC Project contributed significantly towards the Hanford site compliance with Clean Water Act, Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) and Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) requirements. It provided, in part, those construction activities required to comply with those requirements in the areas of liquid and solid waste treatment and disposal, waste characterization, and groundwater monitoring

Project network-oriented materials management policy for complex projects

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Dixit, Vijaya; Srivastava, Rajiv K; Chaudhuri, Atanu

2015-01-01

This work devises a materials management policy integrated with project network characteristics of complex projects. It proposes a relative quantitative measure, overall criticality (OC), for prioritisation of items based on penalty incurred due to their non-availability. In complex projects...... managerial tacit knowledge which provides them enough flexibility to provide information in real form. Computed OC values can be used for items prioritisation and as shortage cost coefficient in inventory models. The revised materials management policy was applied to a shipbuilding project. OC values were......, practicing managers find it difficult to measure OC of items because of the subjective factors and intractable nature of penalties involved. However, using their experience, they can linguistically identify the antecedents and relate them to consequent OC. This work adopts Fuzzy Set Theory to capture...

The ATLAS3D Project - XXX. Star formation histories and stellar population scaling relations of early-type galaxies

Science.gov (United States)

McDermid, Richard M.; Alatalo, Katherine; Blitz, Leo; Bournaud, Frédéric; Bureau, Martin; Cappellari, Michele; Crocker, Alison F.; Davies, Roger L.; Davis, Timothy A.; de Zeeuw, P. T.; Duc, Pierre-Alain; Emsellem, Eric; Khochfar, Sadegh; Krajnović, Davor; Kuntschner, Harald; Morganti, Raffaella; Naab, Thorsten; Oosterloo, Tom; Sarzi, Marc; Scott, Nicholas; Serra, Paolo; Weijmans, Anne-Marie; Young, Lisa M.

2015-04-01

We present the stellar population content of early-type galaxies from the ATLAS3D survey. Using spectra integrated within apertures covering up to one effective radius, we apply two methods: one based on measuring line-strength indices and applying single stellar population (SSP) models to derive SSP-equivalent values of stellar age, metallicity, and alpha enhancement; and one based on spectral fitting to derive non-parametric star formation histories, mass-weighted average values of age, metallicity, and half-mass formation time-scales. Using homogeneously derived effective radii and dynamically determined galaxy masses, we present the distribution of stellar population parameters on the Mass Plane (MJAM, σe, R^maj_e), showing that at fixed mass, compact early-type galaxies are on average older, more metal-rich, and more alpha-enhanced than their larger counterparts. From non-parametric star formation histories, we find that the duration of star formation is systematically more extended in lower mass objects. Assuming that our sample represents most of the stellar content of today's local Universe, approximately 50 per cent of all stars formed within the first 2 Gyr following the big bang. Most of these stars reside today in the most massive galaxies (>1010.5 M⊙), which themselves formed 90 per cent of their stars by z ˜ 2. The lower mass objects, in contrast, have formed barely half their stars in this time interval. Stellar population properties are independent of environment over two orders of magnitude in local density, varying only with galaxy mass. In the highest density regions of our volume (dominated by the Virgo cluster), galaxies are older, alpha-enhanced, and have shorter star formation histories with respect to lower density regions.

Collaborative effort in Washington state slashes non-essential use of the ED by Medicaid patients, delivering millions in projected savings.

Science.gov (United States)

2013-04-01

Early data suggest a coordinated, state-wide effort has reduced non-essential use of the ED by 10% among Medicaid recipients in Washington state, and is projected to save the state an estimated $31 million in the first year of the approach. The effort includes the adoption of seven best practices by hospitals across the state.These include the creation of an Emergency Department Information Exchange, so that EDs can immediately access a patient's utilization history, strict narcotic prescribing guidelines, and regular feedback reports to hospitals regarding ED utilization patterns. The effort was prompted by threats by the state legislature to limit Medicaid payments for ED visits deemed not medically necessary in the emergency setting. The legislature backed down when emergency physicians in the state countered with their own proposal to reduce nonessential use of the ED. They worked with other health care groups in the state to develop the plan. Data on the first six months of the effort are included in a report to the state legislature by the Washington State Health Care Authority. Among the findings are a 23% reduction in ED visits among Medicaid recipients with five or more visits, a 250% increase in providers who have registered with the state's Prescription Monitoring Program, aimed at identifying patients with narcotic-seeking behavior, and a doubling in the number of shared care plans, intended to improve care coordination. Emergency providers say big challenges remain, including a need for more resources for patients with mental health and dental care needs.

Designing a Free Academic Early Alert System

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Adam C Welch

2016-10-01

Full Text Available This manuscript describes the development and implementation of a cloud-based, academic early alert system using Google Sheets. It was written for a non-computer savvy person to be able to develop the early alert system. By creating a Master Sheet and using the syntax from the share function of Google Sheets, a unique sheet can be created for each advisor that limits information sharing of their specific advisees. By adding a Google Form to the sheet, advisor interventions can be captured that reflect interventions made as a result of the early alert sheet. Approximately 52% of students were identified on the early alert sheet by having at least one non-passing score on an exam. There were 35-50% of faculty advisors who documented their interventions in the sheet. The template and coding used to develop this academic early alert sheet may be applied to other central documentation needs, such as professionalism early alert. Conflict of Interest Dr. Welch reports owning stock in Alphabet, Inc, however, was not involved in the selection of Google as the preferred platform at this institution.   Type: Note

Modelling the cost-effectiveness of public awareness campaigns for the early detection of non-small-cell lung cancer.

Science.gov (United States)

Hinde, S; McKenna, C; Whyte, S; Peake, M D; Callister, M E J; Rogers, T; Sculpher, M

2015-06-30

Survival rates in lung cancer in England are significantly lower than in many similar countries. A range of Be Clear on Cancer (BCOC) campaigns have been conducted targeting lung cancer and found to improve the proportion of diagnoses at the early stage of disease. This paper considers the cost-effectiveness of such campaigns, evaluating the effect of both the regional and national BCOC campaigns on the stage distribution of non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) at diagnosis. A natural history model of NSCLC was developed using incidence data, data elicited from clinical experts and model calibration techniques. This structure is used to consider the lifetime cost and quality-adjusted survival implications of the early awareness campaigns. Incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs) in terms of additional costs per quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs) gained are presented. Two scenario analyses were conducted to investigate the role of changes in the 'worried-well' population and the route of diagnosis that might occur as a result of the campaigns. The base-case theoretical model found the regional and national early awareness campaigns to be associated with QALY gains of 289 and 178 QALYs and ICERs of £13 660 and £18 173 per QALY gained, respectively. The scenarios found that increases in the 'worried-well' population may impact the cost-effectiveness conclusions. Subject to the available evidence, the analysis suggests that early awareness campaigns in lung cancer have the potential to be cost-effective. However, significant additional research is required to address many of the limitations of this study. In addition, the estimated natural history model presents previously unavailable estimates of the prevalence and rate of disease progression in the undiagnosed population.

Contesting modernities : projects of modernisation in Chile, 1964-2006

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Ree, Gerard van der

2007-01-01

Since the early 1960s, Chilean history has been characterised by the implementation of widely different political projects. Despite the ideological differences between them, these projects have shared a strong orientation towards modernity and odernisation. All of them have been focused on making

Update on NAC's transportation projects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anne, Catherine; Patterson, John

2005-01-01

The Global Threat Reduction Initiative (GTRI) was announced in early 2004 by then U.S. Secretary of Energy Spencer Abraham and was reinforced by an international meeting in Vienna in September 2004 of countries supporting non- proliferation efforts. Under GTRI, the Foreign Research Reactor Program (FRR) will continue and irradiated fuel shipments under the Russian Research Fuel Return Program (RRRFR) will begin. These programs will result in a projected increase in research reactor shipments in the coming years. NAC owns and operates a fleet of eight NAC-LWT casks, which can transport up to 42 MTR fuel elements each. For the past 30 years, NAC has been supporting the Department of Energy with non-proliferation initiatives. Our teams have loaded casks in more than 25 foreign countries. Recent incidents of terrorism and ongoing threats have confirmed the necessity to ensure the security of high-enriched uranium and remove it from sensitive locations. Tremendous government efforts were initiated in 2004 in order to execute intra-governmental agreements for reactor conversion and material removal. As a result of these agreements, NAC will continue to provide its cask lease and transportation services to the Department of Energy. We expect to see very challenging shipments in the coming years. We are committed to these non-proliferation efforts as well as meeting our commercial customers' needs for transportation of irradiated fuel. The recent acquisition of NAC by USEC Inc. strengthens NAC's resources and joins NAC with a corporation with a strong non-proliferation orientation as the U.S. Government's Executive Agent under the highly successful U.S.-Russian Megatons to Megawatts program. This presentation summarizes our planned activities for the coming years with respect to GTRI initiatives. (author)

Early mathematics intervention in a Danish municipality

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lindenskov, Lena; Weng, Peter

2013-01-01

We describe a pilot project 2009 – 2010 about early intervention in second grade mathematics (about 8 years old) in Frederiksberg, a Danish urban municipality. We shortly describe the background of the pilot project, aims and organisation in four design cycles. We explore the pilot teachers......' feedback during the pilot process, how pilot teacher feedback was applied in material production, and the relations between the feedback and the project’s theoretical basis. The project is based on original theory (Math Holes theory), but international frameworks, like Mathematics Recovery, serve...

Projections to early visual areas V1 and V2 in the calcarine fissure from parietal association areas in the macaque.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Elena eBorra

2011-06-01

Full Text Available Non-extrastriate projections to area V1 in monkeys, now demonstrated by several anatomical studies, are potential substrates of physiologically documented multisensory effects in primary sensory areas. The full network of projections among association and primary areas, however, is likely to be complex and is still only partially understood. In the present report, we used the anterograde tracer biotinylated dextran amine to investigate projections to areas V1 and V2 from subdivisions of the parietal association cortex in macaque. Parietal cortex was chosen to allow comparisons between projections from this higher association area and from other previously reported areas. In addition, we were interested in further elucidating pathways to areas V1 and V2 from parietal areas, as potentially contributing to attention and active vision. Of eight cases, three brains had projections only to area V2, and the five others projected to both areas V1 and V2. Terminations in area V1 were sparse. These were located in supragranular layers I, II, upper III; occasionally in IVB; and in layer VI. Terminations in V2 were denser, and slightly more prevalent in the supragranular layers. For both areas, terminations were in the calcarine region, corresponding to the representation of the peripheral visual field. By reconstructions of single axons, we demonstrated that four of nine axons had collaterals, either to V1 and V2 (n=1 or to area V1 and a ventral area likely to be TEO (n=3. In area V1, axons extended divergently in layer VI as well as layer I. Overall, these and previous results suggest a nested connectivity architecture, consisting of multiple direct and indirect recurrent projections from association areas to area V1. Terminations in area V1 are not abundant, but could be potentiated by the network of indirect connections.

The outcome of institutional youth care compared to non-institutional youth care for children of primary school age and early adolescence : A multi-level meta-analysis

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Strijbosch, E.L.L.; Huijs, J.A.M.; Stams, G.J.J.M.; Wissink, I.B.; van der Helm, G.H.P.; de Swart, J.J.W.; van der Veen, Z.

2015-01-01

Objective: The outcome of institutional youth care for children is heavily debated. This multilevel meta-analysis aims to address the outcome of institutional youth care compared to non-institutional youth care for children of primary school age and early adolescence in economically developed

Early Education for Asian American Children.

Science.gov (United States)

Kitano, Margie K.

1980-01-01

A review of early education for Asian American children (Japanese, Chinese, Filipinos, Vietnamese, Koreans, Hawaiians, and Samoans) focuses on the 1975 Asian American Education Project, a study of the learning characteristics of preschool age children and its educational implications. (CM)

Transfer maps and projection formulas

OpenAIRE

Tabuada, Goncalo

2010-01-01

Transfer maps and projection formulas are undoubtedly one of the key tools in the development and computation of (co)homology theories. In this note we develop an unified treatment of transfer maps and projection formulas in the non-commutative setting of dg categories. As an application, we obtain transfer maps and projection formulas in algebraic K-theory, cyclic homology, topological cyclic homology, and other scheme invariants.

Early morning awakening and nonrestorative sleep are associated with increased minor non-fatal accidents during work and leisure time.

Science.gov (United States)

Chiu, Hsiao-Yean; Wang, Mei-Yeh; Chang, Cheng-Kuei; Chen, Ching-Min; Chou, Kuei-Ru; Tsai, Jen-Chen; Tsai, Pei-Shan

2014-10-01

The relationship between a composite measure of insomnia and occupational or fatal accidents has been investigated previously; however, little is known regarding the effect of various insomnia symptoms on minor non-fatal accidents during work and leisure time. We investigated the predicting role of insomnia symptoms on minor non-fatal accidents during work and leisure time. Data from the 2005 Taiwan Social Development Trend Survey of 36,473 Taiwanese aged ≥18 years were analyzed in 2013. Insomnia symptoms, including difficulty in initiating sleep (DIS), difficulty in maintaining sleep (DMS), early morning awakening (EMA), and nonrestorative sleep (NRS) were investigated. A minor non-fatal accident was defined as any mishap such as forgetting to turn off the gas or faucets, accidental falls, and abrasions or cuts occurring during work and leisure time in the past month that do not require immediate medical attention. Multivariable logistic regression was performed to assess the odds ratios (ORs) and associated 95% confidence interval (CI) of minor non-fatal accidents (as a binary variable) for each insomnia symptom compared with those of people presenting no symptoms, while controlling for possible confounders. EMA and NRS increased the odds of minor non-fatal accidents occurring during work and leisure time (adjusted OR=1.19, 95% CI=1.08-1.32 and adjusted OR=1.27, 95% CI=1.17-1.37, respectively). EMA and NRS are two symptoms that are significantly associated with an increased likelihood of minor non-fatal accidents during work and leisure time after adjusting for of a range of covariates. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Making the Case for Early Childhood Investments: Three Arguments

Science.gov (United States)

Neugebauer, Roger

2011-01-01

Tamar Manuelyan Atinc, vice president of The World Bank, introduces a World Bank report, "Investing in Young Children: An Early Childhood Development Guide for Policy Dialogue and Project Preparation". This report, which is a must for inclusion in every advocate's make the case for investing in early childhood services. It defines three arguments…

Couple Therapy with Veterans: Early Improvements and Predictors of Early Dropout.

Science.gov (United States)

Fischer, Melanie S; Bhatia, Vickie; Baddeley, Jenna L; Al-Jabari, Rawya; Libet, Julian

2017-07-28

Family services within Veterans Affairs Medical Centers fulfill an important role in addressing relationship distress among Veterans, which is highly prevalent and comorbid with psychopathology. However, even for evidence-based couple therapies, effectiveness is weaker compared to controlled studies, maybe because many Veteran couples drop out early and do not reach the "active" treatment stage after the 3-4 session assessment. In order to improve outcomes, it is critical to identify couples at high risk for early dropout, and understand whether couples may benefit from the assessment as an intervention. The current study examined (a) demographics, treatment delivery mode, relationship satisfaction, and psychological symptoms as predictors of dropout during and immediately following the assessment phase, and (b) changes in relationship satisfaction during assessment. 174 couples completed questionnaires during routine intake procedures. The main analyses focused on 140 male Veterans and their female civilian partners; 36.43% dropped out during the assessment phase and 24.74% of the remaining couples immediately following the first treatment session. More severe depressive symptoms in non-Veteran partners were associated with dropout during assessment. Relationship satisfaction improved significantly during the assessment phase for couples who did not drop out, with larger gains for non-Veteran partners. No demographics or treatment delivery mode were associated with dropout. Although more research is needed on engaging couples at risk for early dropout and maximizing early benefits, the findings suggest that clinicians should attend to the civilian partner's and Veteran's depressive symptoms at intake and consider the assessment part of active treatment. © 2017 Family Process Institute.

A secure communication system using projective-lag and/or projective-anticipating synchronizations of coupled multidelay feedback systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Thang Manh Hoang; Nakagawa, Masahiro

2008-01-01

In this paper, a chaotic secure communication system is proposed by using the schemes of projective-lag and/or projective-anticipating synchronizations of coupled multidelay feedback systems and the modulation technique of synchronization-manifold shift keying. Further, the security of the proposed system is enhanced by using non-stationary dynamics in the master and/or non-stationary synchronization manifolds. The specific examples using modified Ikeda systems demonstrate and verify the effectiveness of the proposed system

What to be implemented at the early stage of a large-scale project

CERN Document Server

Bachy, Gérard; Bachy, Gerard; Hameri, Ari Pekka

1997-01-01

This paper addresses the importance of the actions to be taken before the project planning phases begin. The approach taken stems from the production planning paradigm, with emphasis on the product, rather than on the process. It is argued that a complete part list or product breakdown structure (PBS) is the absolute prerequisite for the design of a successful work breakdown structure (WBS) for a project. This process requires the definition of the design and configuration disciplines during the engineering phase. These critical issues of concurrent engineering and product development are also emphasized in the paper. The WBS is, in turn, needed to establish a suitable organizational breakdown structure (OBS or organigram) for the project. Finally, the assembly sequence and the related assembly breakdown structure (ABS) of the end product is required before commencing the project planning phase, which provides the schedules, resource allocation, progress control, and the like for the project management. Detai...

Bundles over Quantum RealWeighted Projective Spaces

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tomasz Brzeziński

2012-09-01

Full Text Available The algebraic approach to bundles in non-commutative geometry and the definition of quantum real weighted projective spaces are reviewed. Principal U(1-bundles over quantum real weighted projective spaces are constructed. As the spaces in question fall into two separate classes, the negative or odd class that generalises quantum real projective planes and the positive or even class that generalises the quantum disc, so do the constructed principal bundles. In the negative case the principal bundle is proven to be non-trivial and associated projective modules are described. In the positive case the principal bundles turn out to be trivial, and so all the associated modules are free. It is also shown that the circle (coactions on the quantum Seifert manifold that define quantum real weighted projective spaces are almost free.

Premotor and non-motor features of Parkinson’s disease

Science.gov (United States)

Goldman, Jennifer G.; Postuma, Ron

2014-01-01

Purpose of review This review highlights recent advances in premotor and non-motor features in Parkinson’s disease, focusing on these issues in the context of prodromal and early stage Parkinson’s disease. Recent findings While Parkinson’s disease patients experience a wide range of non-motor symptoms throughout the disease course, studies demonstrate that non-motor features are not solely a late manifestation. Indeed, disturbances of smell, sleep, mood, and gastrointestinal function may herald Parkinson’s disease or related synucleinopathies and precede these neurodegenerative conditions by 5 or more years. In addition, other non-motor symptoms such as cognitive impairment are now recognized in incident or de novo Parkinson’s disease cohorts. Many of these non-motor features reflect disturbances in non-dopaminergic systems and early involvement of peripheral and central nervous systems including olfactory, enteric, and brainstem neurons as in Braak’s proposed pathological staging of Parkinson’s disease. Current research focuses on identifying potential biomarkers that may detect persons at risk for Parkinson’s disease and permit early intervention with neuroprotective or disease-modifying therapeutics. Summary Recent studies provide new insights on the frequency, pathophysiology, and importance of non-motor features in Parkinson’s disease as well as the recognition that these non-motor symptoms occur in premotor, early, and later phases of Parkinson’s disease. PMID:24978368

Identifying Issues in Applying Integrated Project Delivery to Domestic Nuclear Power Plant Construction Projects

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kim, Young Joo [Korean Nuclear Society, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

2016-05-15

Integrated Project Delivery (IPD) is defined as that people, systems, business structures, and practices of key stakeholders are incorporated into a single-team, with a single process, which executes a project in a way of optimizing the project's outcome, increasing values delivered to the end user, reducing waste, and maximizing efficiency throughout the phases of engineering to construction. The researcher had carried out literature review in terms of IPD to identify major characteristics of IPD which are presented in the following section and had compared such characteristics against peculiarities of nuclear power plant (NPP) construction projects in order to shed light on obstacles in possible application of IPD method to domestic NPP construction projects in the coming days. In this research, three (3) major characteristics of IPD were identified: 1) key stakeholders signing one balanced contract, forming de facto one body, sharing risk and reward 2) an integrated project team being formed in the early stage of a project and providing input to minimize time and cost loss from rework downstream 3) team members co-locating, having open and direct communication, making decisions on time, and pursuing the success of the project itself.

Problems of the social non-acceptance of mining projects with particular emphasis on the European Union – a literature review

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Badera Jarosław

2014-03-01

Full Text Available Problems of the social non-acceptance of the mining industry (particularly development projects is relatively new, so more widely discussed for a relatively short time. In this paper, an extensive review of worldwide literature on this topic has been presented with special regard to the specificity of the European Union countries, where the NIMBY (Not In My Backyard phenomenon is one of the key reasons for local community opposition. The problem is recognized mainly from the perspective of the mineral industry, but also from the point of view of government, NGOs or local communities. There are case studies, publications in the range of sustainable development, corporate social responsibility, geo-ethics, proposals for new analytical methods (for example multi-criteria and others or effective solutions. The improvement in social acceptance for the mineral industry may be achieved by further development of technological, organizational and scientific methods which minimizes mining influences on the environment and society developing. Modern approach to social issues associated with mineral activity includes also strategies of bilateral communication, mediation/negotiation, cooperation between stakeholders to a larger extent then in the past. However, it is the continuous need of extensive, in-depth social debate on mineral development projects in the European Union, both in energetic and non-energetic branch.

Integrin-Targeted Hybrid Fluorescence Molecular Tomography/X-ray Computed Tomography for Imaging Tumor Progression and Early Response in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xiaopeng Ma

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Integrins play an important role in tumor progression, invasion and metastasis. Therefore we aimed to evaluate a preclinical imaging approach applying ανβ3 integrin targeted hybrid Fluorescence Molecular Tomography/X-ray Computed Tomography (FMT-XCT for monitoring tumor progression as well as early therapy response in a syngeneic murine Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC model. Lewis Lung Carcinomas were grown orthotopically in C57BL/6 J mice and imaged in-vivo using a ανβ3 targeted near-infrared fluorescence (NIRF probe. ανβ3-targeted FMT-XCT was able to track tumor progression. Cilengitide was able to substantially block the binding of the NIRF probe and suppress the imaging signal. Additionally mice were treated with an established chemotherapy regimen of Cisplatin and Bevacizumab or with a novel MEK inhibitor (Refametinib for 2 weeks. While μCT revealed only a moderate slowdown of tumor growth, ανβ3 dependent signal decreased significantly compared to non-treated mice already at one week post treatment. ανβ3 targeted imaging might therefore become a promising tool for assessment of early therapy response in the future.

Alternative marine and fluvial models for the non-fossiliferous quartzitic sandstones of the Early Proterozoic Daspoort Formation, Transvaal Sequence of southern Africa

Science.gov (United States)

Eriksson, P. G.; Schreiber, U. M.; van der Neut, M.; Labuschagne, H.; Van Der Schyff, W.; Potgieter, G.

1993-04-01

This paper discusses some of the problems related to the palaeoenvironmental interpretation of non-fossiliferous, early Precambrian, recrystallised quartzitic sandstones, using the Early Proterozoic Daspoort Formation, Transvaal Sequence of southern Africa as a case study. These cross-bedded and planar stratified rocks have been interpreted previously as shallow marine deposits, based on limited studies of areas with well-exposed, relatively undeformed outcrops. This postulate rests largely on the apparently mature nature of the recrystallised sandstones and their thin bedding. Examination of outcrops throughout the preserved basin, including those which have been deformed and metamorphosed, reveals the presence of subordinate immature sandstones. Lateral facies relationships permit an alternative distal fan-fluvial braidplain model to be proposed. This is compatible with collected palaeocurrent data, thicknes trends and results of thin section petrography.

Early mortality after radical radiotherapy for non-small-cell lung cancer: comparison of PET-staged and conventionally staged cohorts treated at a large tertiary referral center

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mac Manus, Michael P.; Wong, Kevin; Hicks, Rodney J.; Matthews, Jane P.; Wirth, Andrew; Ball, David L.

2002-01-01

Purpose: At our center, approximately 30% of radical radiotherapy (RRT) candidates become ineligible for RRT for non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) after positron emission tomography (PET). We hypothesized that early cancer death rates would be lower in patients receiving RRT after PET staging compared with conventionally staged patients. Methods and Materials: Two prospective cohorts were compared. Cohort 1 consisted of all participants in an Australian randomized trial from our center given 60 Gy conventionally fractionated RRT with or without concurrent carboplatin from 1989 to 1995. Eligible patients had Stage I-III, Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group status 0 or 1, <10% weight loss, and had not undergone PET. Cohort 2 included all RRT candidates between November 1996 and April 1999 who received RRT after PET staging and fulfilled the above criteria for stage, Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group status, and weight loss. Results: Eighty and 77 eligible patients comprised the PET and non-PET groups, respectively. The PET-selected patients had significantly less weight loss; 73% and 49% of the PET and non-PET patients, respectively, received chemotherapy. The median survival was 31 months for PET patients and 16 months for non-PET patients. Mortality from NSCLC and other causes in the first year was 17% and 8% for PET patients and 32% and 4% for non-PET patients, respectively. The hazard ratio for NSCLC mortality for PET vs. non-PET patients was 0.49 (p=0.0016) on unifactorial analysis and was 0.55 (p = 0.0075) after adjusting for chemotherapy, which significantly improved survival. Conclusion: Patients selected for RRT after PET have lower early cancer mortality than those selected using conventional imaging

The AEROPATH project targeting Pseudomonas aeruginosa: crystallographic studies for assessment of potential targets in early-stage drug discovery

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Moynie, Lucille; Schnell, Robert; McMahon, Stephen A.; Sandalova, Tatyana; Boulkerou, Wassila Abdelli; Schmidberger, Jason W.; Alphey, Magnus; Cukier, Cyprian; Duthie, Fraser; Kopec, Jolanta; Liu, Huanting; Jacewicz, Agata; Hunter, William N.; Naismith, James H.; Schneider, Gunter

2012-01-01

A focused strategy has been directed towards the structural characterization of selected proteins from the bacterial pathogen P. aeruginosa. The objective is to exploit the resulting structural data, in combination with ligand-binding studies, and to assess the potential of these proteins for early-stage antimicrobial drug discovery. Bacterial infections are increasingly difficult to treat owing to the spread of antibiotic resistance. A major concern is Gram-negative bacteria, for which the discovery of new antimicrobial drugs has been particularly scarce. In an effort to accelerate early steps in drug discovery, the EU-funded AEROPATH project aims to identify novel targets in the opportunistic pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa by applying a multidisciplinary approach encompassing target validation, structural characterization, assay development and hit identification from small-molecule libraries. Here, the strategies used for target selection are described and progress in protein production and structure analysis is reported. Of the 102 selected targets, 84 could be produced in soluble form and the de novo structures of 39 proteins have been determined. The crystal structures of eight of these targets, ranging from hypothetical unknown proteins to metabolic enzymes from different functional classes (PA1645, PA1648, PA2169, PA3770, PA4098, PA4485, PA4992 and PA5259), are reported here. The structural information is expected to provide a firm basis for the improvement of hit compounds identified from fragment-based and high-throughput screening campaigns

Incentive contracts for development projects

Science.gov (United States)

Finley, David T.; Smith, Byron; DeGroff, B.

2012-09-01

Finding a contract vehicle that balances the concerns of the customer and the contractor in a development project can be difficult. The customer wants a low price and an early delivery, with as few surprises as possible as the project progresses. The contractor wants sufficient cost and schedule to cover risk. Both want to clearly define what each party will provide. Many program offices do not want to award cost plus contracts because their funding sources will not allow it, their boards do not want an open ended commitment, and they feel like they lose financial control of the project. A fixed price incentive contract, with a mutually agreed upon target cost, provides the owner with visibility into the project and input into the execution of the project, encourages both parties to save costs, and stimulates a collaborative atmosphere by aligning the respective interests of customers and contractors.

Early versus late percutaneous revascularization in patients hospitalized with non ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction: The atherosclerosis risk in communities surveillance study.

Science.gov (United States)

Arora, Sameer; Matsushita, Kunihiro; Qamar, Arman; Stacey, R Brandon; Caughey, Melissa C

2018-02-01

Current guidelines recommend early invasive intervention (<24 hr) for high risk patients with non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI). A delayed invasive strategy (24-72 hr) is considered reasonable for low risk patients. The real-world effectiveness of this strategy is unknown. The ARIC Study has conducted hospital surveillance of acute myocardial infarction (MI) since 1987. NSTEMI was classified using a validated algorithm. We limited our study to patients undergoing early (<24 hr of the event onset), or late (≥24 hr) percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Patients were stratified into low (TIMI score 2-4), and high risk (TIMI score 5-7, or presence of cardiogenic shock, ventricular fibrillation, or cardiac arrest). Associations between early versus late PCI and mortality were analyzed using multivariable logistic regression adjusted for demographics, hospitalization year, TIMI score, and comorbidities. From 1987 to 2012, 6,746 patients were hospitalized with NSTEMI and underwent PCI. Most were white (79%), male (68%), with mean age 61 years. The 28-day and 1-year mortality were 2% and 5%, respectively. Most revascularizations (65%) were late. After accounting for potential confounders, early PCI was associated with a 58% reduced 28-day mortality (OR = 0.42; 95% CI: 0.21-0.84) for the entire population, and 57% reduced mortality (OR = 0.43; 95% CI: 0.21-0.88) for high risk patients. By 1-year of follow up, there was no significant difference in mortality with respect to early vs. late PCI. In hospitalized NSTEMI patients with high risk of clinical events, early PCI is associated with improved 28-day survival. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Invasive Management Strategies and Antithrombotic Treatments in Patients With Non-ST-Segment-Elevation Acute Coronary Syndrome in China: Findings From the Improving CCC Project (Care for Cardiovascular Disease in China).

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Qing; Wang, Ying; Liu, Jing; Liu, Jun; Hao, Yongchen; Smith, Sidney C; Huo, Yong; Fonarow, Gregg C; Ma, Changsheng; Ge, Junbo; Taubert, Kathryn A; Morgan, Louise; Guo, Yang; Wang, Wei; Zhou, Yujie; Zhao, Dong

2017-06-01

Early invasive strategies and antithrombotic treatments are key treatments of non-ST-segment-elevation acute coronary syndrome (NSTE-ACS). Few studies have examined the use of these strategies in patients with NSTE-ACS in China. This study aimed to assess the applications of invasive strategies and antithrombotic treatments in patients with NSTE-ACS and compare their outcomes. A nationwide registry study, Improving CCC (Care for Cardiovascular Disease in China) ACS project, was launched in 2014 as a collaborative study of the American Heart Association and Chinese Society of Cardiology (CSC), with 142 participating hospitals reporting details of clinical management and outcomes of patients with NSTE-ACS. The use of invasive strategies and antithrombotic treatments was examined based on updated guidelines. Major adverse cardiovascular events were analyzed. A total of 9953 patients with NSTE-ACS were enrolled. Angiography was performed in 63.1% of these patients, and 58.2% underwent percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). However, 40.6% of patients did not undergo early risk assessment, and very-high-risk patients had the lowest proportion of PCI (41.7%). PCI was performed within recommended times in 11.1% of very-high-risk patients and 26.3% of high risk patients. Those who underwent PCI within 2 hours had higher mortality in high-risk and very-high-risk patients who received PCI. Early dual antiplatelet treatment was given in 88.3% of patients. There are notable differences between guideline recommendations and the clinical management of patients with NSTE-ACS in China. The reasons for very-high-risk NSTE-ACS patients not undergoing PCI, and the optimal timing of PCI, require further clarification. URL: http://www.clinicaltrials.gov. Unique identifier: NCT02306616. © 2017 American Heart Association, Inc.

Cognitive impairment in early-stage non-demented Parkinson's disease patients

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pfeiffer, Helle Cecilie Viekilde; Løkkegaard, A; Zoetmulder, Marielle

2013-01-01

In Parkinson's disease (PD), Parkinson's disease dementia (PDD) and Parkinson's disease-mild cognitive impairment (PD-MCI) are common. PD-MCI is a risk factor for developing PDD. Knowledge of cognition in early-stages PD is essential in understanding and predicting the dementia process....

Accelerated Hypofractionated Radiotherapy for Early-Stage Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer: Long-Term Results

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Soliman, Hany; Cheung, Patrick; Yeung, Latifa; Poon, Ian; Balogh, Judith; Barbera, Lisa; Spayne, Jacqueline; Danjoux, Cyril; Dahele, Max; Ung, Yee

2011-01-01

Purpose: To retrospectively review the results of a single-institution series of accelerated hypofractionated radiotherapy for early-stage non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in patients who are medically inoperable or who refuse surgery. Methods and Materials: Peripherally located T1 to T3 N0 M0 tumors were treated with 48 to 60 Gy in 12 to 15 fractions between 1996 and 2007. No elective nodal irradiation was delivered. Patient, tumor, and treatment information was abstracted from the medical records. Results: A total of 124 tumors were treated in 118 patients (56 male and 62 female). Median age at diagnosis was 76.3 years (range, 49-90 years). In all, 113 patients (95.8%) were not surgical candidates because of medical comorbidities. The 2- and 5-year overall survival (OS) rates were 51.0% and 23.3%, respectively, and the 2- and 5-year cause-specific survival (CSS) rates were 67.6% and 59.8%, respectively. The 2- and 5-year actuarial local control (LC) rates were 76.2% and 70.1%, respectively. Univariate analysis revealed that tumor size less than 3cm compared with greater than 3 cm resulted in significantly improved OS (40.0% vs. 5.0% at 5 years; p = 0.0002), CSS (69.7% vs. 45.1% at 5 years; p = 0.0461), and a trend toward better LC (82.5% vs. 66.9% at 2 years, 76.6% vs. 60.8% at 5 years; p = 0.0685). Treatment was well tolerated and there were no treatment delays because of acute toxicity. Conclusions: Accelerated hypofractionated radiotherapy with 48 to 60 Gy using fractions of 4 Gy per day provides very good results for small tumors in medically inoperable patients with early-stage NSCLC.

Distortionary effects of a production-sharing fiscal system in a sequential modular offshore petroleum project

Science.gov (United States)

Neves de Campos, Thiago

This research examines the distortionary effects of a discovered and undeveloped sequential modular offshore project under five different designs for a production-sharing agreement (PSA). The model differs from previous research by looking at the effect of taxation from the perspective of a host government, where the objective is to maximize government utility over government revenue generated by the project and the non-pecuniary benefits to society. This research uses Modern Asset Pricing (MAP) theory, which is able to provide a good measure of the asset value accruing to various stakeholders in the project combined with the optimal decision rule for the development of the investment opportunity. Monte Carlo simulation was also applied to incorporate into the model the most important sources of risk associated with the project and to account for non-linearity in the cash flows. For a complete evaluation of how the fiscal system affects the project development, an investor's behavioral model was constructed, incorporating three operational decisions: investment timing, capacity size and early abandonment. The model considers four sources of uncertainty that affect the project value and the firm's optimal decision: the long run oil price and short-run deviations from that price, cost escalation and the reservoir recovery rate. The optimizations outcomes show that all fiscal systems evaluated produce distortion over the companies' optimal decisions, and companies adjust their choices to avoid taxation in different ways according to the fiscal system characteristics. Moreover, it is revealed that fiscal systems with tax provisions that try to capture additional project profits based on production profitability measures leads to stronger distortions in the project investment and output profile. It is also shown that a model based on a fixed percentage rate is the system that creates the least distortion. This is because companies will be subjected to the same

SharePoint 2010 for Project Management

CERN Document Server

Sy, Dux

2012-01-01

If you were to analyze your team's performance on a typical project, you'd be surprised how much time is wasted on non-productive tasks. This hands-on guide shows you how to work more efficiently by organizing and managing projects with SharePoint 2010. You'll learn how to build a Project Management Information System (PMIS), customized to your project, that can effectively coordinate communication and collaboration among team members. Written by a certified Project Management Professional (PMP) and Microsoft SharePoint MVP with 15 years of IT project management experience, each chapter incl

Optimal timing for early surgery in infective endocarditis: a meta-analysis†

Science.gov (United States)

Liang, Fuxiang; Song, Bing; Liu, Ruisheng; Yang, Liu; Tang, Hanbo; Li, Yuanming

2016-01-01

To systematically review early surgery and the optimal timing of surgery in patients with infective endocarditis (IE), a search for foreign and domestic articles on cohort studies about the association between early surgery and infective endocarditis published from inception to January 2015 was conducted in the PubMed, EMBASE, Chinese Biomedical Literature (CBM), Wanfang and Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) databases. The studies were screened according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria, the data were extracted and the quality of the method of the included studies was assessed. Then, the meta-analysis was performed using the Stata 12.0 software. Sixteen cohort studies, including 8141 participants were finally included. The results of the meta-analysis revealed that, compared with non-early surgery, early surgery in IE lowers the incidence of in-hospital mortality [odds ratio (OR) = 0.57, 95% confidence interval (CI) (0.42, 0.77); P = 0.000, I2 = 73.1%] and long-term mortality [OR = 0.57, 95% CI (0.43, 0.77); P = 0.001, I2 = 67.4%]. Further, performing operation within 2 weeks had a more favourable effect on long-term mortality [OR = 0.63, 95% CI (0.41, 0.97); P = 0.192, I2 = 39.4%] than non-early surgery. In different kinds of IE, we found that early surgery for native valve endocarditis (NVE) had a lower in-hospital [OR = 0.46, 95% CI (0.31, 0.69); P = 0.001, I2 = 73.0%] and long-term [OR = 0.57, 95% CI (0.40, 0.81); P = 0.001, I2 = 68.9%] mortality than the non-early surgery group. However, for prosthetic valve endocarditis (PVE), in-hospital mortality did not differ significantly [OR = 0.83, 95% CI (0.65, 1.06); P = 0.413, I2 = 0.0%] between early and non-early surgery. We concluded that early surgery was associated with lower in-hospital and long-term mortality compared with non-early surgical treatment for IE, especially in NVE. However, the optimal timing of surgery remains unclear. Additional larger prospective clinical trials will be

Meals for Good: An innovative community project to provide healthy meals to children in early care and education programs through food bank catering.

Science.gov (United States)

Carpenter, Leah R; Smith, Teresa M; Stern, Katherine; Boyd, Lisa Weissenburger-Moser; Rasmussen, Cristy Geno; Schaffer, Kelly; Shuell, Julie; Broussard, Karen; Yaroch, Amy L

2017-12-01

Innovative approaches to childhood obesity prevention are warranted in early care and education (ECE) settings, since intervening early among youth is recommended to promote and maintain healthy behaviors. The objective of the Meals for Good pilot was to explore feasibility of implementing a food bank-based catering model to ECE programs to provide more nutritious meals, compared to meals brought from home (a parent-prepared model). In 2014-2015, a 12-month project was implemented by a food bank in central Florida in four privately-owned ECE programs. An explanatory sequential design of a mixed-methods evaluation approach was utilized, including a pre-post menu analysis comparing parent-prepared meals to the catered meals, and stakeholder interviews to determine benefits and barriers. The menu analysis of lunches showed daily reductions in calories, fat, and saturated fat, but an increase in sodium in catered meals when compared to parent-prepared meals. Interviews with ECE directors, teachers, parents, and food bank project staff, identified several benefits of the catered meals, including healthfulness of meals, convenience to parents, and the ECE program's ability to market this meal service. Barriers of the catered meals included the increased cost to parents, transportation and delivery logistics, and change from a 5 to a 2-week menu cycle during summer food service. This pilot demonstrated potential feasibility of a food bank-ECE program partnership, by capitalizing on the food bank's existing facilities and culinary programming, and interest in implementing strategies focused on younger children. The food bank has since leveraged lessons learned and expanded to additional ECE programs.

Non-linear modeling of 1H NMR metabonomic data using kernel-based orthogonal projections to latent structures optimized by simulated annealing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fonville, Judith M.; Bylesjoe, Max; Coen, Muireann; Nicholson, Jeremy K.; Holmes, Elaine; Lindon, John C.; Rantalainen, Mattias

2011-01-01

Highlights: → Non-linear modeling of metabonomic data using K-OPLS. → automated optimization of the kernel parameter by simulated annealing. → K-OPLS provides improved prediction performance for exemplar spectral data sets. → software implementation available for R and Matlab under GPL v2 license. - Abstract: Linear multivariate projection methods are frequently applied for predictive modeling of spectroscopic data in metabonomic studies. The OPLS method is a commonly used computational procedure for characterizing spectral metabonomic data, largely due to its favorable model interpretation properties providing separate descriptions of predictive variation and response-orthogonal structured noise. However, when the relationship between descriptor variables and the response is non-linear, conventional linear models will perform sub-optimally. In this study we have evaluated to what extent a non-linear model, kernel-based orthogonal projections to latent structures (K-OPLS), can provide enhanced predictive performance compared to the linear OPLS model. Just like its linear counterpart, K-OPLS provides separate model components for predictive variation and response-orthogonal structured noise. The improved model interpretation by this separate modeling is a property unique to K-OPLS in comparison to other kernel-based models. Simulated annealing (SA) was used for effective and automated optimization of the kernel-function parameter in K-OPLS (SA-K-OPLS). Our results reveal that the non-linear K-OPLS model provides improved prediction performance in three separate metabonomic data sets compared to the linear OPLS model. We also demonstrate how response-orthogonal K-OPLS components provide valuable biological interpretation of model and data. The metabonomic data sets were acquired using proton Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, and include a study of the liver toxin galactosamine, a study of the nephrotoxin mercuric chloride and a study of

Automated early detection of diabetic retinopathy

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Abràmoff, M.D.; Reinhardt, J.M.; Russell, S.R.; Folk, J.C.; Mahajan, V.B.; Niemeijer, M.; Quellec, G.

2010-01-01

Purpose To compare the performance of automated diabetic retinopathy (DR) detection, using the algorithm that won the 2009 Retinopathy Online Challenge Competition in 2009, the Challenge2009, against that of the one currently used in EyeCheck, a large computer-aided early DR detection project.

Nuclear power: Financing big projects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Raabe, G.

1992-01-01

Since the early seventies, the Dresdner Bank AG has been intensively engaged in financing nuclear power plants, e.g., the Muelheim-Kaerlich Nuclear Power Station currently down because of legal technicaltities. The bank has also been involved in other large-scale projects in the energy sector and, in addition, has conceptually accompanied the stages of the nuclear fuel cycle, such as enrichment, fuel element fabrication, and reprocessing. However, for political reasons it has not been possible to carry out these projects and finance them in the Federal Republic. With appropriate modifications, these financial models can also be transferred to international projects; after all, the enrichment sector has always been characterized by trilateral ventures. (orig.) [de

The life cycle of a genome project: perspectives and guidelines inspired by insect genome projects.

Science.gov (United States)

Papanicolaou, Alexie

2016-01-01

Many research programs on non-model species biology have been empowered by genomics. In turn, genomics is underpinned by a reference sequence and ancillary information created by so-called "genome projects". The most reliable genome projects are the ones created as part of an active research program and designed to address specific questions but their life extends past publication. In this opinion paper I outline four key insights that have facilitated maintaining genomic communities: the key role of computational capability, the iterative process of building genomic resources, the value of community participation and the importance of manual curation. Taken together, these ideas can and do ensure the longevity of genome projects and the growing non-model species community can use them to focus a discussion with regards to its future genomic infrastructure.

Was Project Management Life Really Better in Apollo?

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

This slide presentation discusses the question of "Was Project Management Life Really Better in Apollo?" Was money really flowing freely all through Apollo? Are we wallowing in nostalgia and comparing current circumstances to a managerial time which did not exist? This talk discusses these and other questions as background for you as today s project managers. There are slides showing the timelines from before the speech that Kennedy gave promising to land a man on the moon, to the early 60's, when the manned space center prepared the preliminary lunar landing mission design, an NASA organization chart from 1970, various photos of the rockets, and the astronauts are presented. The next slides discuss the budgets from the 1960's to the early 1970's. Also the results of a survey of 62 managers, who were asked "What problems pose the greatest obstacles to successful project performance?"

Aseismic Transform Fault Slip at the Mendocino Triple Junction From Characteristically Repeating Earthquakes

Science.gov (United States)

Materna, Kathryn; Taira, Taka'aki; Bürgmann, Roland

2018-01-01

The Mendocino Triple Junction (MTJ), at the northern terminus of the San Andreas Fault system, is an actively deforming plate boundary region with poorly constrained estimates of seismic coupling on most offshore fault surfaces. Characteristically repeating earthquakes provide spatial and temporal descriptions of aseismic creep at the MTJ, including on the oceanic transform Mendocino Fault Zone (MFZ) as it subducts beneath North America. Using a dataset of earthquakes from 2008 to 2017, we find that the easternmost segment of the MFZ displays creep during this period at about 65% of the long-term slip rate. We also find creep at slower rates on the shallower strike-slip interface between the Pacific plate and the North American accretionary wedge, as well as on a fault that accommodates Gorda subplate internal deformation. After a nearby M5.7 earthquake in 2015, we observe a possible decrease in aseismic slip on the near-shore MFZ that lasts from 2015 to at least early 2017.

Sri Lanka Telecentre Family Network Project | CRDI - Centre de ...

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

Sri Lanka Telecentre Family Network Project. There has been dramatic growth in telecentres and other local information and communication technology (ICT) projects in Sri Lanka. The largest of these, the Nanasala (rural knowledge centres) program, aims to reach 1 000 villages across the nation. Sarvodaya, an early ...

Description of WIMS Library Update Project (WLUP)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Leszczynski, Francisco

2002-01-01

WIMS-D is one of the few reactor lattice codes that are in the public domain and therefore are available on non-commercial terms, for research and power nuclear reactor calculations. The main weakness of the WIMS-D package is its multi-group constants library, which is based on very old data. Relatively good performance of WIMS-D is attributed to a series of empirical adjustments to the multi-group data. However, the adjustments are not always justified by more accurate and recent experimental measurements. In view of the recently available new, or revised, evaluated nuclear data files it was felt that the performance of WIMS-D could be improved by updating its library. The WIMS-D Library Update Project (WLUP) was initiated in the early 1990's and finished in 2001. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) supported its co-ordination, but the project itself consisted of voluntary contributions from a large number of participants. In due course, several benchmarks for testing the library were identified and analyzed, the WIMSR module of the NJOY code system was upgraded, a detailed parametric study was performed to investigate the effects of various data processing input options on integral results and, the data processing methods for the main reactor materials were optimized. The final product, available on CD-ROM from NDS-IAEA includes: 69 and 172 group WIMSD libraries prepared from the selected evaluated data files, IAEA-TECDOC with detailed documentation, Processing inputs, Benchmark inputs and, the system of auxiliary codes developed under the project. (author)

Early detection of psychosis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Larsen, Tor Ketil; Melle, Ingrid; Auestad, B.

2011-01-01

Background During the last decades we have seen a new focus on early treatment of psychosis. Several reviews have shown that duration of untreated psychosis (DUP) is correlated to better outcome. However, it is still unknown whether early treatment will lead to a better long-term outcome....... This study reports the effects of reducing DUP on 5-year course and outcome. Method During 1997–2000 a total of 281 consecutive patients aged >17 years with first episode non-affective psychosis were recruited, of which 192 participated in the 5-year follow-up. A comprehensive early detection (ED) programme...... and cognitive factors and for global assessment of functioning for social functioning at 5-year follow-up. The ED group also had more contacts with friends. Regression analysis did not find that these differences could be explained by confounders. Conclusions Early treatment had positive effects on clinical...

RCA's regional industrial project

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ali, A.T.

1988-01-01

The Regional Cooperation Agreement (RCA) for Research Development and Training Related to Nuclear Science and Technology, formulated under the auspices of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), came into force in June 1972. The overall objective of RCA is to promote technical cooperation among the developing and developed countries in the Asia Pacific region in the peaceful uses of nuclear energy and related technology. Currently, the biggest project under RCA is the Regional Project on the Industrial Applications of Isotopes and Radiation Technology for Asia and the Pacific. The project was established in 1982 for a period of five years and was completed in December 1986. The first phase of the project has generated a high degree of awareness on the industrial potential of isotopes and radiation technology throughout the region; produced a cadre of trained manpower in all areas covered by the project; identified the expertise available in the region; and developed in the region, a unique network of people and institutions involved with the utilization of isotope and radiation technology. A Phase II of the project, which cover all but one of the sub-projects under Phase I, was approved in early 1987 for another five years until 1991. (Nogami, K.)

77 FR 28602 - Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposed Collection; Comment Request; Early Food Safety...

Science.gov (United States)

2012-05-15

... appropriate, and other forms of information technology. Early Food Safety Evaluation of New Non-Pesticidal... Evaluation of New Non-Pesticidal Proteins Produced by New Plant Varieties Intended for Food Use AGENCY: Food... for early food safety evaluation of new non-pesticidal proteins produced by new plant varieties...

Early Memories as a Guide to Client Movement through Life.

Science.gov (United States)

Slavik, Steve

1991-01-01

Outlines the theory of the significance of early memories used as a projective tool by Adlerian psychologists. Describes a procedure for elicitation and interpretation of early memories and provides several examples of their use in an encouraging therapeutic context. Attempts to show effectiveness of this technique in assessing client issues and…

Comparative Effectiveness of 5 Treatment Strategies for Early-Stage Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer in the Elderly

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Shirvani, Shervin M. [Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas (United States); Jiang, Jing [Department of Biostatistics and Applied Mathematics, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas (United States); Chang, Joe Y.; Welsh, James W.; Gomez, Daniel R. [Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas (United States); Swisher, Stephen [Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas (United States); Buchholz, Thomas A. [Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas (United States); Smith, Benjamin D., E-mail: bsmith3@mdanderson.org [Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas (United States)

2012-12-01

Purpose: The incidence of early-stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) among older adults is expected to increase because of demographic trends and computed tomography-based screening; yet, optimal treatment in the elderly remains controversial. Using the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER)-Medicare cohort spanning 2001-2007, we compared survival outcomes associated with 5 strategies used in contemporary practice: lobectomy, sublobar resection, conventional radiation therapy, stereotactic ablative radiation therapy (SABR), and observation. Methods and Materials: Treatment strategy and covariates were determined in 10,923 patients aged {>=}66 years with stage IA-IB NSCLC. Cox regression, adjusted for patient and tumor factors, compared overall and disease-specific survival for the 5 strategies. In a second exploratory analysis, propensity-score matching was used for comparison of SABR with other options. Results: The median age was 75 years, and 29% had moderate to severe comorbidities. Treatment distribution was lobectomy (59%), sublobar resection (11.7%), conventional radiation (14.8%), observation (12.6%), and SABR (1.1%). In Cox regression analysis with a median follow-up time of 3.2 years, SABR was associated with the lowest risk of death within 6 months of diagnosis (hazard ratio [HR] 0.48; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.38-0.63; referent is lobectomy). After 6 months, lobectomy was associated with the best overall and disease-specific survival. In the propensity-score matched analysis, survival after SABR was similar to that after lobectomy (HR 0.71; 95% CI 0.45-1.12; referent is SABR). Conventional radiation and observation were associated with poor outcomes in all analyses. Conclusions: In this population-based experience, lobectomy was associated with the best long-term outcomes in fit elderly patients with early-stage NSCLC. Exploratory analysis of SABR early adopters suggests efficacy comparable with that of surgery in select populations

Disconnecting the autopilot in urban water projects