Overall survival in lower IPSS risk MDS by receipt of iron chelation therapy, adjusting for patient-related factors and measuring from time of first red blood cell transfusion dependence: an MDS-CAN analysis.

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Leitch, Heather A; Parmar, Ambica; Wells, Richard A; Chodirker, Lisa; Zhu, Nancy; Nevill, Thomas J; Yee, Karen W L; Leber, Brian; Keating, Mary-Margaret; Sabloff, Mitchell; St Hilaire, Eve; Kumar, Rajat; Delage, Robert; Geddes, Michelle; Storring, John M; Kew, Andrea; Shamy, April; Elemary, Mohamed; Lenis, Martha; Mamedov, Alexandre; Ivo, Jessica; Francis, Janika; Zhang, Liying; Buckstein, Rena

2017-10-01

Analyses suggest iron overload in red blood cell (RBC) transfusion-dependent (TD) patients with myleodysplastic syndrome (MDS) portends inferior overall survival (OS) that is attenuated by iron chelation therapy (ICT) but may be biassed by unbalanced patient-related factors. The Canadian MDS Registry prospectively measures frailty, comorbidity and disability. We analysed OS by receipt of ICT, adjusting for these patient-related factors. TD International Prognostic Scoring System (IPSS) low and intermediate-1 risk MDS, at RBC TD, were included. Predictive factors for OS were determined. A matched pair analysis considering age, revised IPSS, TD severity, time from MDS diagnosis to TD, and receipt of disease-modifying agents was conducted. Of 239 patients, 83 received ICT; frailty, comorbidity and disability did not differ from non-ICT patients. Median OS from TD was superior in ICT patients (5·2 vs. 2·1 years; P MDS, adjusting for age, frailty, comorbidity, disability, revised IPSS, TD severity, time to TD and receiving disease-modifying agents. This provides additional evidence that ICT may confer clinical benefit. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Enumerating bone marrow blasts from nonerythroid cellularity improves outcome prediction in myelodysplastic syndromes and permits a better definition of the intermediate risk category of the Revised International Prognostic Scoring System (IPSS-R).

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Calvo, Xavier; Arenillas, Leonor; Luño, Elisa; Senent, Leonor; Arnan, Montserrat; Ramos, Fernando; Pedro, Carme; Tormo, Mar; Montoro, Julia; Díez-Campelo, María; Blanco, María Laura; Arrizabalaga, Beatriz; Xicoy, Blanca; Bonanad, Santiago; Jerez, Andrés; Nomdedeu, Meritxell; Ferrer, Ana; Sanz, Guillermo F; Florensa, Lourdes

2017-07-01

The Revised International Prognostic Scoring System (IPSS-R) has been recognized as the score with the best outcome prediction capability in MDS, but this brought new concerns about the accurate prognostication of patients classified into the intermediate risk category. The correct enumeration of blasts is essential in prognostication of MDS. Recent data evidenced that considering blasts from nonerythroid cellularity (NECs) improves outcome prediction in the context of IPSS and WHO classification. We assessed the percentage of blasts from total nucleated cells (TNCs) and NECs in 3924 MDS patients from the GESMD, 498 of whom were MDS with erythroid predominance (MDS-E). We assessed if calculating IPSS-R by enumerating blasts from NECs improves prognostication of MDS. Twenty-four percent of patients classified into the intermediate category were reclassified into higher-risk categories and showed shorter overall survival (OS) and time to AML evolution than those who remained into the intermediate one. Likewise, a better distribution of patients was observed, since lower-risk patients showed longer survivals than previously whereas higher-risk ones maintained the outcome expected in this poor prognostic group (median OS < 20 months). Furthermore, our approach was particularly useful for detecting patients at risk of dying with AML. Regarding MDS-E, 51% patients classified into the intermediate category were reclassified into higher-risk ones and showed shorter OS and time to AML. In this subgroup of MDS, IPSS-R was capable of splitting our series in five groups with significant differences in OS only when blasts were assessed from NECs. In conclusion, our easy-applicable approach improves prognostic assessment of MDS patients. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Comparison of Prophylactic Naftopidil, Tamsulosin, and Silodosin for 125I Brachytherapy–Induced Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms in Patients With Prostate Cancer: Randomized Controlled Trial

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Tsumura, Hideyasu; Satoh, Takefumi; Ishiyama, Hiromichi; Tabata, Ken-ichi; Kotani, Shouko; Minamida, Satoru; Kimura, Masaki; Fujita, Tetsuo; Matsumoto, Kazumasa; Kitano, Masashi; Hayakawa, Kazushige; Baba, Shiro

2011-01-01

Purpose: To compare the efficacy of three α 1A /α 1D -adrenoceptor (AR) antagonists—naftopidil, tamsulosin, and silodosin—that have differing affinities for the α 1 -AR subtypes in treating urinary morbidities in Japanese men with 125 I prostate implantation (PI) for prostate cancer. Methods and Materials: This single-institution prospective randomized controlled trial compared naftopidil, tamsulosin, and silodosin in patients undergoing PI. Patients were randomized and received either naftopidil, tamsulosin, or silodosin. Treatment began 1 day after PI and continued for 1 year. The primary efficacy variables were the changes in total International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) and postvoid residual urine (PVR). The secondary efficacy variables were changes in IPSS storage score and IPSS voiding score from baseline to set points during the study (1, 3, 6, and 12 months). Results: Two hundred twelve patients were evaluated in this study between June 2006 and February 2009: 71, 70, and 71 patients in the naftopidil, tamsulosin, and silodosin groups, respectively. With respect to the primary efficacy variables, the mean changes in the total IPSS at 1 month after PI in the naftopidil, tamsulosin, and silodosin groups were +10.3, +8.9, and +7.5, respectively. There were significantly greater decreases with silodosin than naftopidil at 1 month in the total IPSS. The mean changes in the PVR at 6 months were +14.6, +23.7, and +5.7 mL in the naftopidil, tamsulosin, and silodosin groups, respectively; silodosin showed a significant improvement in the PVR at 6 months vs. tamsulosin. With respect to the secondary efficacy variables, the mean changes in the IPSS voiding score at 1 month in the naftopidil, tamsulosin, and silodosin groups were +6.5, +5.6, and +4.5, respectively; silodosin showed a significant improvement in the IPSS voiding score at 1 month vs. naftopidil. Conclusions: Silodosin has a greater impact on improving PI-induced lower urinary tract symptoms

Comparison of Prophylactic Naftopidil, Tamsulosin, and Silodosin for {sup 125}I Brachytherapy-Induced Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms in Patients With Prostate Cancer: Randomized Controlled Trial

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Tsumura, Hideyasu, E-mail: sugan@pd5.so-net.ne.jp [Department of Urology, Kitasato University School of Medicine, Sagamihara, Kanagawa (Japan); Satoh, Takefumi [Department of Urology, Kitasato University School of Medicine, Sagamihara, Kanagawa (Japan); Ishiyama, Hiromichi [Department of Radiation Oncology, Kitasato University School of Medicine, Sagamihara, Kanagawa (Japan); Tabata, Ken-ichi [Department of Urology, Kitasato University School of Medicine, Sagamihara, Kanagawa (Japan); Kotani, Shouko [Department of Radiation Oncology, Kitasato University School of Medicine, Sagamihara, Kanagawa (Japan); Minamida, Satoru; Kimura, Masaki; Fujita, Tetsuo; Matsumoto, Kazumasa [Department of Urology, Kitasato University School of Medicine, Sagamihara, Kanagawa (Japan); Kitano, Masashi; Hayakawa, Kazushige [Department of Radiation Oncology, Kitasato University School of Medicine, Sagamihara, Kanagawa (Japan); Baba, Shiro [Department of Urology, Kitasato University School of Medicine, Sagamihara, Kanagawa (Japan)

2011-11-15

Purpose: To compare the efficacy of three {alpha}{sub 1A}/{alpha}{sub 1D}-adrenoceptor (AR) antagonists-naftopidil, tamsulosin, and silodosin-that have differing affinities for the {alpha}{sub 1}-AR subtypes in treating urinary morbidities in Japanese men with {sup 125}I prostate implantation (PI) for prostate cancer. Methods and Materials: This single-institution prospective randomized controlled trial compared naftopidil, tamsulosin, and silodosin in patients undergoing PI. Patients were randomized and received either naftopidil, tamsulosin, or silodosin. Treatment began 1 day after PI and continued for 1 year. The primary efficacy variables were the changes in total International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) and postvoid residual urine (PVR). The secondary efficacy variables were changes in IPSS storage score and IPSS voiding score from baseline to set points during the study (1, 3, 6, and 12 months). Results: Two hundred twelve patients were evaluated in this study between June 2006 and February 2009: 71, 70, and 71 patients in the naftopidil, tamsulosin, and silodosin groups, respectively. With respect to the primary efficacy variables, the mean changes in the total IPSS at 1 month after PI in the naftopidil, tamsulosin, and silodosin groups were +10.3, +8.9, and +7.5, respectively. There were significantly greater decreases with silodosin than naftopidil at 1 month in the total IPSS. The mean changes in the PVR at 6 months were +14.6, +23.7, and +5.7 mL in the naftopidil, tamsulosin, and silodosin groups, respectively; silodosin showed a significant improvement in the PVR at 6 months vs. tamsulosin. With respect to the secondary efficacy variables, the mean changes in the IPSS voiding score at 1 month in the naftopidil, tamsulosin, and silodosin groups were +6.5, +5.6, and +4.5, respectively; silodosin showed a significant improvement in the IPSS voiding score at 1 month vs. naftopidil. Conclusions: Silodosin has a greater impact on improving PI

Effect of silodosin on specific urinary symptoms associated with benign prostatic hyperplasia: analysis of international prostate symptom scores in 2 phase III clinical studies

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Lawrence A Hill

2010-12-01

Full Text Available Marc C Gittelman1, Leonard S Marks2, Lawrence A Hill3, Weining Volinn3, Gary Hoel31South Florida Medical Research, Aventura, Florida, USA; 2University of California at Los Angeles and Urological Sciences Research Foundation, Los Angeles, California, USA; 3Watson Laboratories, Salt Lake City, Utah, USAPurpose: Pooled results from 2 randomized, placebo-controlled, US phase III studies (NCT00224107, NCT00224120 showed that silodosin, a uroselective α-blocker, significantly improved International Prostate Symptom Scores (IPSS in men with symptomatic benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH. This analysis evaluated the effect of silodosin on each symptom assessed by IPSS questionnaire.Materials and methods: Study participants (N = 923 were men aged ≥50 years with IPSS ≥13 and Qmax 4–15 mL/s. They received silodosin 8 mg or placebo once daily for 12 weeks. Patient responses to 7 IPSS questions were collected at weeks 0 (baseline, 0.5, 1, 2, 4, and 12 and scored on a 6-point scale. Efficacy of silodosin versus placebo was assessed by analysis of covariance.Results: For each symptom, the 2 treatment groups had similar mean baseline scores. Decrease in score from baseline (mean ± standard deviation to last observation was significantly greater with silodosin than with placebo for all symptoms (P < 0.005; symptom improvement with silodosin (versus placebo was greatest for weak stream (silodosin, -1.1 ± 1.4 versus placebo, -0.5 ± 1.2; P < 0.0001 and smallest for nocturia (silodosin, -0.6 ± 1.1 versus placebo, -0.4 ± 1.2; P = 0.0037. Compared with placebo, silodosin significantly improved nocturia within 1 week (silodosin, -0.5 ± 1.07 versus placebo, -0.3 ± 1.05; P = 0.009 and all other symptoms within 3 to 4 days (P < 0.01.Conclusions: Silodosin significantly improved all BPH-associated symptoms assessed by IPSS questionnaire within the first week of treatment. All improvements were maintained over the 12-week study period.Keywords: BPH, symptoms

Sexual, irritative, and voiding outcomes, following stereotactic body radiation therapy for prostate cancer

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Rana, Zaker; Hong, Robert L.; Abugideiri, Mustafa; McRae, Donald; Cernica, George; Mordkin, Robert; Joel, Andrew B.; Bernstein, Gregory; Nasr, Nadim M.

2015-01-01

Urinary symptoms and sexual dysfunction are the two most common complaints following prostate radiotherapy. The impact of hypofractionated treatment on sexual function, irritative symptoms, and voiding symptoms has not been determined within the same patient population. Here we present our institutional data on sexual function, voiding function, irritative symptoms, and treatment response following SBRT. This retrospective analysis includes 102 non-metastatic patients treated with SBRT at a single institution between May 2008 and September 2014. The course of radiotherapy consisted of 36.25 Gy (range 35–40) over five daily fractions. International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS), Sexual Health Inventory for Men (SHIM), and PSA were recorded at baseline, 1, 3, 6, 9, 12, 18, 24, and 36 months after treatment. Median patient age was 72 years old with a median follow-up of 4.3 years. Pretreatment IPSS-I score was 5.21, increasing to 6.97 (p < .001) after 1 month. The mean IPSS-I score returned close to baseline after 3 months to 5.86 and decreased to below baseline after 2 years to 5.09. At 3 months, 9 months, and 2 years, 47.5, 76.2, and 91.1 % of patients had reached IPSS-I resolution. The mean IPSS-O score prior to treatment was 5.31 and there was an increase in the score to 6.45 (p = 0.344) at 1 month. The score remained close to baseline and decreased to 4.00 at 2 years and significantly decreased to 3.74 (p = 0.035) at 3 years. 64.4, 82.1, and 96.0 % of patients had IPSS-O resolution by 3 months, 9 months, and 2 years. The mean SHIM score prior to treatment was 13.52 and continually decreased to below baseline a year after treatment to 10.56 (p < .001). SHIM score began to improve at 18 months, but was still significantly less than baseline at 12.12 (p = .01). While an increase in AUA/IPSS score initially occurred, all patients resume normal activities immediately following treatment and the AUA/IPSS symptoms improved from baseline. Irittative symptoms take

The influence of isotope and prostate volume on urinary morbidity after prostate brachytherapy

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Niehaus, Angela; Merrick, Gregory S.; Butler, Wayne M.; Wallner, Kent E.; Allen, Zachariah A.; Galbreath, Robert W.; Adamovich, Edward

2006-01-01

Purpose: To evaluate the influence of isotope and prostate size on International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) normalization, catheter dependency, and the need for surgical intervention secondary to bladder outlet obstruction after prostate brachytherapy. Methods and Materials: Between January 1998 and June 2003, 976 consecutive patients underwent brachytherapy for clinical stage T1b-T3a (2002 American Joint Committee on Cancer) prostate cancer. Seven hundred eighty-nine (80.8%) were implanted with 103 Pd and 187 (19.2%) with 125 I. The median follow-up was 41.2 months. Patients were stratified into size cohorts ≤25 cm 3 , 25.1-35 cm 3 , 35.1-45 cm 3 , and >45 cm 3 . Four hundred eighteen patients (42.8%) received androgen deprivation therapy (ADT). Four hundred eighty-six patients (49.7%) received supplemental external-beam radiation therapy (XRT). In all patients, an alpha blocker was initiated before implantation and continued at least until the IPSS returned to baseline. IPSS resolution was defined as a return to within one point of baseline. The median number of IPSS determinations per patient was 21. Clinical, treatment, and dosimetric parameters evaluated included patient age, pretreatment PSA, Gleason score, clinical T stage, percent positive biopsies, preimplant IPSS, ultrasound volume, planning volume, isotope, V 100/150/20 , D 9 , urethral dose (average and maximum), supplemental XRT, ADT, and the duration of ADT (≤6 months vs. >6 months). Catheter dependency and the need for postsurgical intervention were also evaluated. Results: For both isotopes and all prostate size cohorts, IPSS peaked 1 month after implantation and returned to baseline at a mean of 1.9 months. Stratification of prostate size cohorts by isotope demonstrated no significant differences in prolonged catheter dependency (≥5 days), IPSS resolution, or postimplant surgical intervention. In Cox regression analysis, IPSS normalization was best predicted by preimplant IPSS, XRT, and

Impact of baseline cytogenetic findings and cytogenetic response on outcome of high-risk myelodysplastic syndromes and low blast count AML treated with azacitidine.

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Sébert, Marie; Komrokji, Rami S; Sekeres, Mikkael A; Prebet, Thomas; Cluzeau, Thomas; Santini, Valeria; Gyan, Emmanuel; Sanna, Alessandro; Ali, Najla HAl; Hobson, Sean; Eclache, Virginie; List, Alan; Fenaux, Pierre; Adès, Lionel

2017-12-01

Karyotype according to the revised IPSS is a strong independent prognostic factor for overall survival (OS) in myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS), however established in untreated patients. The prognostic impact of cytogenetics and cytogenetic response (CyR) in MDS patients receiving azacitidine (AZA) remains uncertain. We examined the prognostic value of baseline cytogenetics and CyR for overall response rate (ORR) and OS in 702 AZA-treated higher risk MDS and low blast count acute myeloid leukemia (AML), including 493 (70%) with abnormal karyotype. None of the cytogenetic abnormalities had significant impact on ORR (43.9%) or complete response (15.35%), except 3q abnormalities and complex karyotypes, which were associated with a lower ORR. OS differed significantly across all R-IPSS cytogenetic subgroups (pcytogenetics. CyR was achieved in 32% of the 281 evaluable patients with abnormal cytogenetics, was complete (CCyR) in 71 (25.3%) patients. We found no correlation between hematological response and cytogenetic response and 21% of the patients with CCyR did not achieve morphological response. In the 281 patients, we found no impact of CyR on survival, but when restricting to MDS (ie: <20% marrow blasts) achievement of CCyR was associated with better OS. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The role of inferior petrosal sinus sampling in ACTH-dependent Cushing's syndrome: review and joint opinion statement by members of the Italian Society for Endocrinology, Italian Society for Neurosurgery, and Italian Society for Neuroradiology.

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Pecori Giraldi, Francesca; Cavallo, Luigi Maria; Tortora, Fabio; Pivonello, Rosario; Colao, Annamaria; Cappabianca, Paolo; Mantero, Franco

2015-02-01

In the management of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH)-dependent Cushing's syndrome, inferior petrosal sinus sampling (IPSS) provides information for the endocrinologist, the neurosurgeon, and the neuroradiologist. To the endocrinologist who performs the etiological diagnosis, results of IPSS confirm or exclude the diagnosis of Cushing's disease with 80%-100% sensitivity and over 95% specificity. Baseline central-peripheral gradients have suboptimal accuracy, and stimulation with corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH), possibly desmopressin, has to be performed. The rationale for the use of IPSS in this context depends on other diagnostic means, taking availability of CRH and reliability of dynamic testing and pituitary imaging into account. As regards the other specialists, the neuroradiologist may collate results of IPSS with findings at imaging, while IPSS may prove useful to the neurosurgeon to chart a surgical course. The present review illustrates the current standpoint of these 3 specialists on the role of IPSS.

Should modest elevations in prostate-specific antigen, International Prostate Symptom Score, or their rates of increase over time be used as surrogate measures of incident benign prostatic hyperplasia?

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Schenk, Jeannette M; Hunter-Merrill, Rachel; Zheng, Yingye; Etzioni, Ruth; Gulati, Roman; Tangen, Catherine; Thompson, Ian M; Kristal, Alan R

2013-09-01

Although surrogate measures of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) are often used in epidemiologic studies, their performance characteristics are unknown. Using data from the Prostate Cancer Prevention Trial (n = 5,986), we evaluated prostate-specific antigen (PSA), International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS), and their rates of change as predictors of incident BPH. BPH (n = 842 cases) was defined as medical or surgical treatment or at least 2 IPSS of 15 or higher. Proportional hazards models were used to measure the associations of baseline PSA, IPSS, and their velocities over 2 years with BPH risk, and time-dependent receiver-operating characteristic curves were used to measure their discriminatory performance. Unit increases in PSA, IPSS, and IPSS velocity were associated with 34%, 35%, and 29% (all P specificity were both above 75%. We concluded that moderate elevations in PSA, IPSS, or their rates of change should not be used as surrogate measures of incident BPH.

Efficacy and safety of a fixed-dose combination of dutasteride and tamsulosin treatment (Duodart(®) ) compared with watchful waiting with initiation of tamsulosin therapy if symptoms do not improve, both provided with lifestyle advice, in the management of treatment-naïve men with moderately symptomatic benign prostatic hyperplasia: 2-year CONDUCT study results.

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Roehrborn, Claus G; Oyarzabal Perez, Igor; Roos, Erik P M; Calomfirescu, Nicolae; Brotherton, Betsy; Wang, Fang; Palacios, Juan Manuel; Vasylyev, Averyan; Manyak, Michael J

2015-09-01

To investigate whether a fixed-dose combination (FDC) of 0.5 mg dutasteride and 0.4 mg tamsulosin is more effective than watchful waiting with protocol-defined initiation of tamsulosin therapy if symptoms did not improve (WW-All) in treatment-naïve men with moderately symptomatic benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) at risk of progression. This was a multicentre, randomised, open-label, parallel-group study (NCT01294592) in 742 men with an International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) of 8-19, prostate volume ≥30 mL and total serum PSA level of ≥1.5 ng/mL. Patients were randomised to FDC (369 patients) or WW-All (373) and followed for 24 months. All patients were given lifestyle advice. The primary endpoint was symptomatic improvement from baseline to 24 months, measured by the IPSS. Secondary outcomes included BPH clinical progression, impact on quality of life (QoL), and safety. The change in IPSS at 24 months was significantly greater for FDC than WW-All (-5.4 vs -3.6 points, P tamsulosin. FDC therapy with dutasteride and tamsulosin, plus lifestyle advice, resulted in rapid and sustained improvements in men with moderate BPH symptoms at risk of progression with significantly greater symptom and QoL improvements and a significantly reduced risk of BPH progression compared with WW plus initiation of tamsulosin as per protocol. © 2015 The Authors. BJU International © 2015 BJU International Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Alpha-Blocker Treatment Response in Men With Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms Based on Sympathetic Activity: Prospective, Multicenter, Open-Labeled, Observational Study

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Sung Gon Park

2015-06-01

Full Text Available Purpose: In this study, we compared the treatment outcomes for an α-blocker between 2 groups of men, one with high sympathetic activity (HSA and another with low sympathetic activity (LSA or normal sympathetic activity. Methods: A total of 159 men (≥50 years of age with lower urinary tract symptoms resulting from benign prostatic hyperplasia were analyzed. We assigned patients to groups according to their sympathetic activity, which was evaluated by heart ratevariability measurements. HSA was defined as a low frequency/high frequency ratio greater than 1.6. All patients received 10mg of alfuzosin once a day for 12 weeks. The primary end point was a change in the total International Prostate SymptomScore (IPSS at 12 weeks from baseline. Results: Sixty-seven men were assigned to the HSA group and 92 men were assigned to the LSA group. The baseline characteristics were not significantly different between the 2 groups, and the response to alfuzosin was good in both groups. Themean total IPSS change was not different between the groups. Both groups were not significantly different with respect to the changes in maximal flow rate, IPSS voiding or storage symptom subscores, quality of life, and rates of adverse drug events. TheHSA group showed a similar willingness to continue treatment compared to the LSA group, although their treatment satisfaction rating was lower. Conclusions: The therapeutic effects of alfuzosin did not differ in regards to the differences in sympathetic activity, but treatment satisfaction ratings were lower in the HSA group.

VENOUS SAMPLING FOR CUSHING DISEASE: COMPARISON OF INTERNAL JUGULAR VEIN AND INFERIOR PETROSAL SINUS SAMPLING.

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Radvany, Martin G; Quinones-Hinojosa, Alfredo; Gallia, Gary L; Wand, Gary S; Salvatori, Roberto

2016-09-01

Because magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) fails to detect many adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH)-secreting pituitary adenomas, inferior petrosal sinus sampling (IPSS) is considered the gold standard to differentiate Cushing disease (CD) from ectopic ACTH secretion syndrome (EAS). Some authors have suggested internal jugular vein sampling (IJVS) as an alternative to IPSS. We simultaneously compared IJVS to IPSS in 30 consecutive patients referred for ACTH-dependent Cushing syndrome and equivocal MRI exams. Five sites were simultaneously sampled in each patient (right and left IPS, right and left IJV, and femoral vein) before and after the administration of corticotrophin-releasing hormone or desmopressin. The test was considered consistent with CD when the IPS to peripheral ratio was >2 at baseline or >3 after stimulus and the IJV to peripheral ratio was >1.7 at baseline or >2 after stimulus. In 27 of 30 patients, IPSS results were consistent with a central source of ACTH. Two of the other 3 patients had EAS (one lung carcinoid and one occult), and 1 patient had pathology-proven CD. The sensitivity of IPSS was 96.4%. Only 64.2% of these patients had results meeting criteria for a central source of ACTH by IJVS criteria. Twenty patients with centralizing IPPS have undergone pituitary surgery. Of these, the central origin of excessive ACTH was confirmed with certainty in 16 patients. Among these 16 patients, the IPSS sensitivity was 93.8%, whereas 5 patients had false-negative IJVS (68.7% sensitivity). These results do not support the routine use of IJVS in establishing if the pituitary is the source of excessive ACTH. ACTH = adrenocorticotropic hormone CD = Cushing disease CRH = corticotrophin-releasing hormone CS = Cushing syndrome DDAVP = desmopressin EAS = ectopic ACTH secretion IJVS = internal jugular vein sampling IPSS = inferior petrosal sinus sampling JVS = jugular venous sampling MRI = magnetic resonance imaging.

Lower baseline performance but greater plasticity of working memory for carriers of the val allele of the COMT Val¹⁵⁸Met polymorphism.

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Bellander, Martin; Bäckman, Lars; Liu, Tian; Schjeide, Brit-Maren M; Bertram, Lars; Schmiedek, Florian; Lindenberger, Ulman; Lövdén, Martin

2015-03-01

Little is known about genetic contributions to individual differences in cognitive plasticity. Given that the neurotransmitter dopamine is critical for cognition and associated with cognitive plasticity, we investigated the effects of 3 polymorphisms of dopamine-related genes (LMX1A, DRD2, COMT) on baseline performance and plasticity of working memory (WM), perceptual speed, and reasoning. One hundred one younger and 103 older adults underwent approximately 100 days of cognitive training, and extensive testing before and after training. We analyzed the baseline and posttest data using latent change score models. For working memory, carriers of the val allele of the COMT polymorphism had lower baseline performance and larger performance gains from training than carriers of the met allele. There was no significant effect of the other genes or on other cognitive domains. We relate this result to available evidence indicating that met carriers perform better than val carriers in WM tasks taxing maintenance, whereas val carriers perform better at updating tasks. We suggest that val carriers may show larger training gains because updating operations carry greater potential for plasticity than maintenance operations. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved.

Does combination therapy with tamsulosin and trospium chloride improve lower urinary tract symptoms after SEEDS brachytherapy for prostate cancer compared with tamsulosin alone? : A prospective, randomized, controlled trial.

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Yan, Miao; Xue, Peng; Wang, Kunpeng; Gao, Guojun; Zhang, Wei; Sun, Fanghu

2017-09-01

To compare the efficacy of combination therapy with an alpha-blocker and an anticholinergic to monotherapy with an alpha blocker on lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) following brachytherapy in prostate cancer patients. A total of 124 patients that had been clinically diagnosed with localized prostate cancer and underwent prostate brachytherapy were enrolled in the present study. Patients were randomized and allocated to two groups, including 60 to the combination group (tamsulosin 0.2 mg/day and trospium chloride 20 mg twice daily) and 64 to the monotherapy group (tamsulosin 0.2 mg/day). Treatment began 1 day after brachytherapy and continued for 6 months. LUTS were compared between the two groups using the total International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS), storage and voiding IPSS subscores, quality of life (QoL) scores, maximum flow rate (Qmax), and postvoid residual (PVR) urine volume at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months after implantation. In all, 111 patients were ultimately analyzed in the study. Compared with pretreatment scores, a significant increase in total IPSS was found at 1, 3, and 6 months in both groups, but no statistically significant differences were observed between the two groups. The combination therapy group showed a greater decrease in the IPSS storage score compared with the monotherapy group at 1, 3, and 6 months (p = 0.031, 0.030 and 0.042, respectively). Patients receiving tamsulosin plus trospium chloride also showed significant improvements in QoL at 1 and 3 months compared with tamsulosin alone (P = 0.039, P = 0.047). Between the two groups, there was no significant difference in IPSS voiding score, Qmax, and PVR from baseline to each point of the study period. Combination therapy with tamsulosin and trospium chloride helped to improve IPSS storage symptoms and Qol scores in prostate brachytherapy patients with LUTS compared with tamsulosin monotherapy.

Efficacy and safety of solifenacin plus tamsulosin OCAS in men with voiding and storage lower urinary tract symptoms: results from a phase 2, dose-finding study (SATURN).

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Van Kerrebroeck, Philip; Haab, François; Angulo, Javier C; Vik, Viktor; Katona, Ferenc; Garcia-Hernandez, Alberto; Klaver, Monique; Traudtner, Klaudia; Oelke, Matthias

2013-09-01

Storage symptoms are often undertreated in men with lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS). To evaluate the combination of an antimuscarinic (solifenacin) with an α-blocker (tamsulosin) versus tamsulosin alone in the treatment of men with LUTS. A double-blind, 12-wk, phase 2 study in 937 men with LUTS (≥ 3 mo, total International Prostate Symptom Score [IPSS] ≥ 13, and maximum urinary flow rate 4.0-15.0 ml/s). Eight treatment groups: tamsulosin oral controlled absorption system (OCAS) 0.4 mg; solifenacin 3, 6, or 9 mg; solifenacin 3, 6 or 9 mg plus tamsulosin OCAS 0.4 mg; or placebo. The primary efficacy end point was change from baseline in total IPSS. Secondary end points included micturition diary and quality-of-life (QoL) parameters. Post hoc subgroup analyses were performed by severity of baseline storage symptoms, with statistical comparisons presented only for tamsulosin OCAS alone versus combination therapy, due to the small sample size of the solifenacin monotherapy and placebo subgroups. Combination therapy was associated with significant improvements in micturition frequency and voided volume versus tamsulosin OCAS alone in the total study population; improvements in total IPSS were not significant. Statistically significant improvements in urgency episodes, micturition frequency, total urgency score, voided volume, IPSS storage subscore, IPSS-QoL index, and Patient Perception of Bladder Condition were observed in a subpopulation of men with two or more urgency episodes per 24h (Patient Perception of Intensity of Urgency Scale grade 3 or 4) and eight or more micturitions per 24h at baseline (storage symptoms subgroup) with combination therapy versus tamsulosin OCAS alone (p ≤ 0.05 for the dose-response slope, all variables). Combination therapy was well tolerated, and adverse events were consistent with the safety profiles of both compounds. Solifenacin plus tamsulosin OCAS did not significantly improve IPSS in the total study population but offered

[Efficacy and safety of Saw Palmetto Extract Capsules in the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia].

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Ju, Xiao-bing; Gu, Xiao-jian; Zhang, Zheng-yu; Wei, Zhong-qing; Xu, Zhuo-qun; Miao, Hui-dong; Zhou, Wei-min; Xu, Ren-fang; Cheng, Bin; Ma, Jian-guo; Niu, Tian-li; Qu, Ping; Xue, Bo-xin; Zhang, Wei

2015-12-01

To assess the efficacy and safety of Saw Palmetto Extract Capsules in the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). We conducted a multi-centered open clinical study on 165 BPH patients treated with Saw Palmetto Extract Capsules at a dose of 160 mg qd for 12 weeks. At the baseline and after 6 and 12 weeks of medication, we compared the International Prostate Symptom Scores (IPSS), prostate volume, postvoid residual urine volume, urinary flow rate, quality of life scores (QOL), and adverse events between the two groups of patients. Compared with the baseline, both IPSS and QOL were improved after 6 weeks of medication, and at 12 weeks, significant improvement was found in IPSS, QOL, urinary flow rate, and postvoid residual urine. Mild stomachache occurred in 1 case, which necessitated no treatment. Saw Palmetto Extract Capsules were safe and effective for the treatment of BPH.

A Gestão da Qualidade nas IPSS_Uma reflexão sobre a sua compreensão em Organizações com respostas sociais direcionadas para idosos

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Matos, Maria Esperança

2016-01-01

O estudo que aqui se apresenta, tem por objetivos compreender as Perceções de Gestão da Qualidade nas IPSS e Caraterizar as Práticas de Gestão da Qualidade nessas Organizações. Participaram neste estudo 13 organizações de diferentes dimensões e formas jurídicas. A metodologia utilizada é a qualitativa, tendo sido recolhidos os dados através da entrevista semiestruturada, entre os meses de Fevereiro e Abril. Os nossos interlocutores são gestores, por entendermos que estes sujeit...

General effect of low-dose tamsulosin (0.2 mg) as a first-line treatment for lower urinary tract symptoms associated with benign prostatic hyperplasia: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

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Shim, Sung Ryul; Kim, Jae Heon; Choi, Hoon; Lee, Won Jin; Kim, Hae Joon; Bae, Min Young; Hwang, Sung Dong; Kim, Khae Hwan; Bae, Jae Hyun; Yoon, Sang Jin

2015-02-01

In Asian countries, low-dose tamsulosin (0.2 mg) is used widely but this dose has been less popular than 0.4 mg tamsulosin or other types of alpha blockers. The aim of this study was to investigate the efficacy and safety of low-dose tamsulosin by systematic review and meta-analysis. We conducted a meta-analysis of improvements of lower urinary tract symptoms using International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS), maximal urinary flow rate (Qmax), post-voided residual volume (PVR), and quality of life (QOL). Relevant studies were found using MEDLINE, Embase, and the Cochrane library. Final inclusion was determined by randomized controlled trials (RCT) and performance of IPSS. A total of fourteen studies were included, with a total sample size of 2147 subjects (1044 experimental and 1103 controls). Study durations ranged from 4 to 52 weeks. The mean change of IPSS improvement from baseline for tamsulosin was -7.18 (95% CI: -7.83, -6.54). The mean change of QOL improvement from baseline was -1.34 (95% CI: -1.46, -1.22). The overall Qmax improvement from baseline was 2.32 ml/sec (95% CI: 1.95, 2.70). The mean change of PVR improvement from baseline was -11.12 ml (95% CI: -17.61, -4.64). Regarding safety, four studies did not report any adverse events while others reported that adverse events were all tolerated. Although this study did not consider placebo effect and has high IPSS baseline scores, this study clarifies that low-dose tamsulosin has generally positive effect and safety in treatment of LUTS and could be a suitable option as an initial treatment, especially for patients with low body mass index, as is typical of Asian people.

Urethra-Sparing, Intraoperative, Real-Time Planned, Permanent-Seed Prostate Brachytherapy: Toxicity Analysis

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Zilli, Thomas [Department of Radiation Oncology, Centre hospitalier de l' Universite de Montreal-Hopital Notre-Dame, Montreal, QC (Canada); Taussky, Daniel, E-mail: daniel.taussky.chum@ssss.gouv.qc.ca [Department of Radiation Oncology, Centre hospitalier de l' Universite de Montreal-Hopital Notre-Dame, Montreal, QC (Canada); Donath, David; Le, Hoa Phong; Larouche, Renee-Xaviere; Beliveau-Nadeau, Dominique; Hervieux, Yannick; Delouya, Guila [Department of Radiation Oncology, Centre hospitalier de l' Universite de Montreal-Hopital Notre-Dame, Montreal, QC (Canada)

2011-11-15

Purpose: To report the toxicity outcome in patients with localized prostate cancer undergoing {sup 125}I permanent-seed brachytherapy (BT) according to a urethra-sparing, intraoperative (IO), real-time planned conformal technique. Methods and Materials: Data were analyzed on 250 patients treated consecutively for low- or intermediate-risk prostate cancer between 2005 and 2009. The planned goal was urethral V{sub 150} = 0. Acute and late genitourinary (GU), gastrointestinal (GI), and erectile toxicities were scored with the International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) questionnaire and Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (version 3.0). Median follow-up time for patients with at least 2 years of follow-up (n = 130) was 34.4 months (range, 24-56.9 months). Results: Mean IO urethra V{sub 150} was 0.018% {+-} 0.08%. Mean prostate D{sub 90} and V{sub 100} on day-30 computed tomography scan were 158.0 {+-} 27.0 Gy and 92.1% {+-} 7.2%, respectively. Mean IPSS peak was 9.5 {+-} 6.3 1 month after BT (mean difference from baseline IPSS, 5.3). No acute GI toxicity was observed in 86.8% of patients. The 3-year probability of Grade {>=}2 late GU toxicity-free survival was 77.4% {+-} 4.0%, with Grade 3 late GU toxicity encountered in only 3 patients. Three-year Grade 1 late GI toxicity-free survival was 86.1% {+-} 3.2%. No patient presented Grade {>=}2 late GI toxicity. Of patients with normal sexual status at baseline, 20.7% manifested Grade {>=}2 erectile dysfunction after BT. On multivariate analysis, elevated baseline IPSS (p = 0.016) and high-activity sources (median 0.61 mCi) (p = 0.033) predicted increased Grade {>=}2 late GU toxicity. Conclusions: Urethra-sparing IO BT results in low acute and late GU toxicity compared with the literature. High seed activity and elevated IPSS at baseline increased long-term GU toxicity.

Changes in autonomic nervous system activity after treatment with alpha-blocker in men with lower urinary tract symptoms

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Kang Hee Shim

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Purpose: To determine changes in autonomic nervous system activity after treatment in men with lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS, we evaluated changes in patients' symptoms, uroflowmetry, and heart rate variability (HRV after treatment with alpha-blockers for 12 weeks. Materials and Methods: Ninety-five men who had LUTS (International Prostate Symptom Score [IPSS] ≥8 were included in this study. We divided them into two groups on the basis of a low frequency/high frequency (LF/HF ratio of 1.6. After treatment with Xatral XL (Handok Inc., Korea 10 mg for 3 months, we rechecked their IPSS, uroflowmetry, HRV and compared these with the baseline measurements. Results: Fifty-four men were assigned to the low LF/HF group (group A: LF/HF ≤1.6 and 41 men to the high LF/HF group (group B: LF/HF >1.6. At baseline and 12 weeks, none of the parameters differed significantly between the groups except for HF, which is one of the parameters of HRV. IPSS, the IPSS-voiding subscore, and the IPSS-storage subscore decreased and maximal uroflow increased significantly after 12 weeks of treatment. Whereas the baseline LF/HF ratio increased from 0.89±0.407 to 1.80±1.804 after treatment in group A, it decreased from 3.93±5.471 to 1.79±1.153 in group B. Conclusions: The efficacies of Xatral XL were clear in both groups. We found that the LF/HF ratio in the two groups merged to a value of approximately 1.79 after treatment. We suggest that this could be a clue to the importance of balance in autonomic nervous system activity in men with LUTS.

Evaluation of silodosin in comparison to tamsulosin in benign prostatic hyperplasia: a randomized controlled trial.

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Pande, Satabdi; Hazra, Avijit; Kundu, Anup Kumar

2014-01-01

Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is the most common cause of lower urinary tract symptoms in elderly men. Selective alfa1-adrenergic antagonists are now first-line drugs in the medical management of BPH. We conducted a single-blind, parallel group, randomized, controlled trial to compare the effectiveness and safety of the new alfa1-blocker silodosin versus the established drug tamsulosin in symptomatic BPH. Ambulatory male BPH patients, aged above 50 years, were recruited on the basis of International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS). Subjects were randomized in 1:1 ratio to receive either tamsulosin 0.4 mg controlled release or silodosin 8 mg once daily after dinner for 12 weeks. Primary outcome measure was reduction in IPSS. Proportion of subjects who achieved IPSS tamsulosin were analyzed. Final IPSS at 12-week was significantly less than baseline for both groups. However, groups remained comparable in terms of IPSS at all visits. There was a significant impact on sexual function (assessed by IPSS sexual function score) in silodosin arm compared with tamsulosin. Prostate size and uroflowmetry parameters did not change. Both treatments were well-tolerated. Retrograde ejaculation was encountered only with silodosin and postural hypotension only with tamsulosin. Silodosin is comparable to tamsulosin in the treatment of BPH in Indian men. However, retrograde ejaculation may be troublesome for sexually active patients.

Increased serum C-reactive protein level is associated with increased storage lower urinary tract symptoms in men with benign prostatic hyperplasia.

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Shun-Fa Hung

Full Text Available OBJECTIVE: Chronic inflammation is considered as one of the contributing mechanisms of lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS. Serum C-reactive protein (CRP level is the widely used biomarker of inflammatory status. This study investigated the association between serum CRP level in men with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH and lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS before and after medical treatment. METHODS: A total of 853 men with BPH and LUTS were enrolled. All patients completed the International Prostate Symptoms Score (IPSS questionnaire and urological examinations. The parameters of uroflowmetry (maximum flow rate, Qmax; voided volume, VV, post-void residual (PVR, total prostate volume (TPV and transition zone index (TZI, serum prostate specific antigen (PSA, and serum CRP levels were obtained. All patients were treated with alpha-blocker or antimuscarinic agent based on the IPSS voiding to storage subscore ratio (IPSS-V/S. Correlation analyses were performed between serum CRP levels with age, IPSS, TPV, TZI, Qmax, PVR, VV, PSA and between baseline and post treatment. RESULTS: The mean age was 66.9 ± 11.6 years old and the mean serum CRP levels were 0.31 ± 0.43 mg/dL. Univariate analyses revealed serum CRP levels were significantly associated with age (p<0.001, PSA levels (p = 0.005 and VV (p = 0.017, but not significantly associated with TPV (p = 0.854 or PVR (p = 0.068. CRP levels were positively associated with urgency (p<0.001 and nocturia (p<0.001 subscore of IPSS, total IPSS (p = 0.008 and storage IPSS (p<0.001 and negatively associated with IPSS- V/S ratio (p = 0.014. Multivariate analyses revealed that serum CRP levels were significantly associated with age (p = 0.004 and storage IPSS subscore p<0.001. Patients with IPSS-V/S<1 and treated with tolterodine for 3 months had significant decrease of CRP levels after treatment. CONCLUSION: Serum CRP levels are associated with storage LUTS and sensory bladder disorders, suggesting chronic

Comparison of the Effect of Naftopidil 75 mg and Tamsulosin 0.2 mg on the Bladder Storage Symptom With Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia: Prospective, Multi-institutional Study.

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Kwon, Se Yun; Lee, Kyung Seop; Yoo, Tag Keun; Chung, Jae Il; Lee, Ji Youl; Hong, Jun Hyuk; Seo, Seong Il; Jung, Tae Young; Kwak, Cheol; Kang, Taek Won; Yun, Seok-Joong

2018-01-01

To compare the efficacies of naftopidil and tamsulosin in terms of reducing storage symptoms in patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia. This prospective randomized study was performed at 10 centers. Ninety-four patients that had been taking tamsulosin for more than 8 weeks, but had an Overactive Bladder Symptom Score (OABSS) of greater than 3 points, were initially enrolled. After a 1-week washout period, patients were divided into 2 groups. Forty-five patients were treated with tamsulosin 0.2 mg daily, and 49 patients were treated with naftopidil 75 mg daily for 8 weeks. Total International Prostate Symptoms Score (IPSS), storage symptom scores, nocturia times, OABSS, maximal flow rates (Q max ), and postvoid residual volumes were checked before and after the 8-week treatment period. Mean patient ages in the tamsulosin and naftopidil groups were 64.8 and 66.0 years, respectively. Baseline characteristics were not significantly different. In the tamsulosin group, mean total IPSS decreased from 19.1 to 15.1 after the 8-week treated period (P = .001), and in the naftopidil group, mean total IPSS decreased from 16.9 to 13.1 (P = .001). Mean storage symptom scores were reduced in the tamsulosin and naftopidil groups from 8.0 to 6.6 (P = .002) and from 7.6 to 6.1 (P = .001), respectively. Mean nocturia times in the naftopidil groups decreased significantly from 2.5 to 1.9 (P = .001), and mean OABSSs were reduced from 7.7 to 6.0 (P = .001) and from 7.4 to 6.0 (P = .001), respectively. Total IPSS, storage symptom scores, nocturia times, and OABSS were significantly reduced by naftopidil and tamsulosin. Moreover, the naftopidil group showed better improvements in nocturia than the tamsulosin group. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Long-term outcome of trans urethral prostatectomy in benign prostatic hyperplasia patients with and without diabetes mellitus

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Soleimani, M.; Hoseini, S.Y.; Dadkhah, F.

2010-01-01

To compare the different aspects of the postoperative outcomes in diabetics and non diabetics of transurethral prostatectomy in patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia. From December 2000 to December 2003, a total of 138 men with BPH, who were candidates for transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP), were selected for this study, of these 20 were diabetics. The International Prostate Symptom Score (I-PSS) and the erectile function were assessed preoperatively and during an average follow-up period of 63 months postoperatively. Combined conditions and all surgical complications during the follow-up were recorded. No significant differences were detected between the baseline IPSS and the prostate volume in diabetic and nondiabetic patients. Both groups showed significant reductions in IPSS, and greater reductions were detected in nondiabetic patients 6 months after their operations that were not statistically significant (23.5+-8.0 versus 20.9+-7.6 respectively, p = 0.169). There were no significant differences in the perioperative complications. The incidence of a second TURP was higher in diabetics (25% vs.7.8%, p = 0.033). Although not statistically significant, a higher incidence of postoperative erectile dysfunction (ED) in diabetic patients (37.5% vs. 11.5%, p = 0.073) was observed. TURP is a beneficial and safe procedure in diabetic patients with BPH and is not associated with a higher incidence of perioperative or postoperative complications except for the possible postoperative ED and the retreatment rate that seems to be higher (JPMA 60:109; 2010). (author)

Prospective comparison of a new visual prostate symptom score versus the international prostate symptom score in men with lower urinary tract symptoms.

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van der Walt, Chris L E; Heyns, Chris F; Groeneveld, Adam E; Edlin, Rachel S; van Vuuren, Stephan P J

2011-07-01

To evaluate the correlation between the International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) and a new Visual Prostate Symptom Score (VPSS) using pictures rather than words to assess lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS). Four IPSS questions related to frequency, nocturia, weak stream, and quality of life (QoL) were represented by pictograms in the VPSS. Men with LUTS were given the IPSS and VPSS to complete. Peak (Qmax.) and average (Qave.) urinary flow rates were measured. Statistical analysis was performed using Student's t, Fisher's exact, and Spearman's correlation tests. The educational level of the 96 men (mean age 64, range 33-85 years) evaluated August 2009 to August 2010 was school grade 8-12 (62%), grade 1-7 (28%), university education (6%), and no schooling (4%). The IPSS was completed without assistance by 51 of 96 men (53%) and the VPSS by 79 of 96 men (82%) (Pvs grade>10 groups, the IPSS required assistance in 27 of 31 men (87%) vs 9 of 38 men (24%) (Pvs 3 of 38 men (8%) (P=.014). There were statistically significant correlations between total VPSS, Qmax. and Qave., total VPSS and IPSS, and individual VPSS parameters (frequency, nocturia, weak stream and QoL) vs their IPSS counterparts. The VPSS correlates significantly with the IPSS, Qmax. and Qave., and can be completed without assistance by a greater proportion of men with limited education, indicating that it may be more useful than the IPSS in patients who are illiterate or have limited education. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Clinical evaluation of embolization of the superior vesical prostatic artery for treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia: a single-center retrospective study.

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Qiu, Zhilei; Zhang, Changcun; Wang, Xinsheng; Cheng, Kai; Liang, Xin; Wang, Dawen; Hou, Sichuan; Wang, Xinsheng

2017-12-01

Non-surgical minimally invasive treatments are greatly needed for patients with symptomatic benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), for whom medical treatment has failed and surgery is contraindicated. This study retrospectively evaluated the efficacy and safety of super-selective prostatic artery embolization (PAE) for BPH, relative to transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP). To clinically evaluate the efficacy and safety of super-selective PAE for BPH, relative to TURP. From February 2012 to March 2015, patients with BPH underwent selective PAE (n = 17) or TURP (control group; n = 40). Prostate volume, maximum urinary flow rate (Qmax), International Prostate Symptoms Score (IPSS), and quality of life (QoL) score were evaluated at baseline and postoperative 3, 6, and 12 months. Complications were also recorded. All the procedures were technically successfully. At postoperative 1 year, patients given PAE had significantly greater prostate volume (64.6 ±10.2 ml), IPSS (23.9 ±4.9), and QoL (4.1 ±0.7) compared with the control patients (42.0 ±7.5 ml, 13.1 ±3.5, and 2.1 ±0.7, respectively). The Qmax of the PAE group (9.5 ±3.7 ml/s) was significantly lower than that of the control (21.8 ±4.2 ml/s). The changes in parameters of the TURP patients relative to the preoperative baseline were significantly greater than those of the PAE group. No severe complications occurred. Prostatic artery embolization was demonstrated as safe and effective and may be considered an alternative treatment for BPH patients, especially for those who are not candidates for or refuse surgery.

[Efficacy of combination therapy of tamsulosin and solifenacin for mild and moderate benign prostatic hyperplasia with overactive bladder].

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Gao, Zhong-Wei; Xin, Shi-Yong; Zhang, Jian-Guo; Ren, Xiao-Qiang; Shang, Ya-Feng; Zhang, Wei; Li, Hui-Bing; Xiao, Fei; Shao, Chang-Shuai

2014-03-01

To evaluate the efficacy and safety of the combination therapy of tamsulosin and solifenacin for mild and moderate benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) with overactive bladder (OAB). We randomly divided 166 patients with BPH and concomitant OAB into a mild obstruction symptom group (n = 88) and a moderate obstruction symptom group (n =78), 48 of the former group treated with 0. 2 mg tamsulosin + 5 mg solifenacin and the other 40 with 0. 2 mg tamsulosin; 36 of the latter group treated with 0. 2 mg tamsulosin + 5 mg solifenacin and the other 42 with 0. 2 mg tamsulosin, all administered once daily for 12 weeks. We obtained the International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS), urine storage period symptom score (USPSS), voiding symptom score (VSS), Qmax, residual urine volume, OAB symptom score (OABSS) and adverse reactions, and compared them among different Among the patients with mild obstruction symptoms, the combination of tamsulosin and solifenacin achieved remark-groups. able improvement in IPSS, USPSS, Qmax and OABSS as compared with the baseline (P 0. 05) , while tamsulosin improved IPSS only (P tamsulosin alone in improving IPSS (9.7 micro 3.0 vs 15.8 micro 3.3), USPSS (8. 1 micro 1.7 vs 12.3 micro 3.1), Qmax ([18.6 micro 2.3] ml/s vs [14.2 micro 2.3] ml/s ), and OABSS (5.3micro 1.3 vs 9.7 micro 2.7) (P 0. 05). In those with moderate obstruction symptoms, the combination therapy significantly improved IPSS, VSS, Qmax and OABSS (P 0. 05) in comparison with the baseline. The tamsulosin therapy achieved obvious improvement in IPSS, VSS, Qmax, OABSS and residual urine. The combination therapy showed a better effect than tamsulosin only in OABSS (4. 8 +/-1.5 vs 6.5 +/-2.5, P tamsulosin and solifenacin is obviously safe and efficacious in the treatment (P > 0.05). events of both mild and moderate BPH with concomitant OAB, and it is superior to tamsulosin alone.

Detailed urethral dosimetry in the evaluation of prostate brachytherapy-related urinary morbidity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Allen, Zachariah A.; Merrick, Gregory S.; Butler, Wayne M.; Wallner, Kent E.; Kurko, Brian; Anderson, Richard L.; Murray, Brian C.; Galbreath, Robert W.

2005-01-01

Purpose: To evaluate the relationship between urinary morbidity after prostate brachytherapy and urethral doses calculated at the base, midprostate, apex, and urogenital diaphragm. Methods and Materials: From February 1998 through July 2002, 186 consecutive patients without a prior history of a transurethral resection underwent monotherapeutic brachytherapy (no supplemental external beam radiation therapy or androgen deprivation therapy) with urethral-sparing techniques (average urethral dose 100%-140% minimum peripheral dose) for clinical T1c-T2b (2002 AJCC) prostate cancer. The median follow-up was 45.5 months. Urinary morbidity was defined by time to International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) resolution, maximum increase in IPSS, catheter dependency, and the need for postimplant surgical intervention. An alpha blocker was initiated approximately 2 weeks before implantation and continued at least until the IPSS returned to baseline. Evaluated parameters included overall urethral dose (average and maximum), doses to the base, midprostate, apex, and urogenital diaphragm, patient age, clinical T stage, preimplant IPSS, ultrasound volume, isotope, and D90 and V100/150/200. Results: Of the 186 patients, 176 (94.6%) had the urinary catheter permanently removed on the day of implantation with only 1 patient requiring a urinary catheter >5 days. No patient had a urethral stricture and only 2 patients (1.1%) required a postbrachytherapy transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP). For the entire cohort, IPSS on average peaked 2 weeks after implantation with a mean and median time to IPSS resolution of 14 and 3 weeks, respectively. For the entire cohort, only isotope predicted for IPSS resolution, while neither overall average prostatic urethra nor segmental urethral dose predicted for IPSS resolution. The maximum postimplant IPSS increase was best predicted by preimplant IPSS and the maximum apical urethral dose. Conclusions: With the routine use of prophylactic alpha

The efficacy and safety of oral Tamsulosin controlled absorption system (OCAS for the treatment of lower urinary tract symptoms due to bladder outlet obstruction associated with benign prostatic hyperplasia: an open-label preliminary study

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Bannakij Lojanapiwat

2011-08-01

Full Text Available AIMS: Tamsulosin, a superselective subtype alpha 1a and 1d blocker, is used for the treatment of male lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS commonly caused by benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH. This prospective study evaluated the efficacy and safety of a new formulation, Tamsulosin OCAS® (Oral Controlled Absorption System, for LUTS associated with BPH in Thai patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fifty one patients over 40 years old with complaints of LUTS associated with BPH were recruited. Patients received an 8 week course of once daily 0.4 mg tamsulosin OCAS®, and were followed up at 2 (visit 3, 4 (visit 4 and 8 (visit 5 weeks post-treatment. At each visit, patients were assessed using the International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS, Nocturia Quality of Life (N-QoL Questionnaire, QoL Assessment Index (IPSS-QoL, and International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF. The primary outcome was efficacy of Tamsulosin. The secondary outcomes included change in the mean number of nocturia episodes, hours of undisturbed sleep (HUS and uroflowmetry measurements. RESULTS: Total IPSS significantly decreased at week 8 from baseline (from 19.52 to 6.08; p < 0.001. Similarly, the voiding and storage subscores of IPSS also continued to improve significantly starting from the second and third visits, respectively (p < 0.001 versus baseline. The IPSS-QoL and N-QoL scores significantly improved at visit 3 through end of study. In addition, we observed significant nocturia and HUS improvement in their last clinic visit. Uroflowmetry parameters, Qmax and Qave, improved significantly at 3rd clinic visit . Three patients experienced mild dizziness. CONCLUSION: Tamsulosin OCAS® treatment led to significant improvements in LUTS, HUS and QoL in Thai patients with bladder outlet obstruction from BPH with few side effects.

Effect of tadalafil 5mg daily treatment on the ejaculatory times, lower urinary tract symptoms and erectile function in patients with erectile dysfunction.

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Karabakan, Mehmet; Keskin, Ercument; Akdemir, Serkan; Bozkurt, Aliseydi

2017-01-01

To investigate the effect of a 5mg daily tadalafil treatment on the ejaculation time, erectile function and lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) in patients with erectile dysfunction. A total of 60 patients diagnosed with erectile dysfunction were retrospectively evaluated using the international index of erectile function questionnaire-5 (IIEF-5), intravaginal ejaculatory latency time (IELT) and international prostate symptoms scores (IPSS). After the patients were treated with 5mg tadalafil once a day for three months, their erection, ejaculation and LUTS were assessed again. The fasting levels of blood glucose, total testosterone, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, highdensity lipoprotein cholesterol and total cholesterol were measured. The independentsamples t-test was used to compare the pre- and post-treatment scores of the patients. The mean age of the 60 participants was 50.4±7.9 and the mean baseline serum total testosterone, total cholesterol, and fasting blood sugar were 444.6±178.6ng dL-1, 188.7±29.6mg/dL-1,104 (80-360) mg dL-1, respectively. The mean baseline scores were 2.2±1.4 min for IELT, 9.5±3.7 for IIEF-5 and 14.1±4.5 for IPSS. Following the three-month daily 5mg tadalafil treatment, the scores were found to be 3.4±1.9 min, 16.1±4.7, and 10.4±3.8 for IELT, IIEF and IPSS, respectively. When the baseline and post-treatment scores were compared, a statistically significant increase was observed in the IELTs and IIEF-5 values whereas there was a significant decrease in IPSS (p<0.01). A daily dose of 5mg tadalafil can be safely used in the treatment of erectile dysfunction and LUTS, that prolongs the ejaculatory latency time. Copyright® by the International Brazilian Journal of Urology.

Effect of tamsulosin on ejaculatory function in BPH/LUTS

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Song, Sang Hoon; Son, Hwancheol; Kim, Kwang Taek; Kim, Sae Woong; Moon, Du Geon; Moon, Ki Hak; Park, Kwangsung; Park, Jong Kwan; Lee, Sung-Won; Hyun, Jae Seog; Park, Nam Cheol

2011-01-01

This study was undertaken to determine the impact on ejaculatory function of tamsulosin (0.2 mg) given once daily (OD) for 12 weeks and to identify risk factors for ejaculatory dysfunction in patients undergoing this treatment. Males with an International Prostatic Symptom Score (IPSS) ≥8 were enrolled in this study. All participants completed questionnaires, including the IPSS and the Male Sexual Health Questionnaire (MSHQ), and serum prostate-specific antigen, transrectal ultrasound and uroflowmetry with post-void residual were measured. After initiating 0.2 mg OD tamsulosin, patients were re-evaluated on the fourth and twelfth weeks of medication. The chi-squared test, the independent t-test and one-way ANOVA were used to compare means. Binary logistic regression analysis was used to calculate the odds ratio for all risk factors. A total of 177 men constituted the study cohort. No significant difference was observed between baseline and follow-up for the erectile function, ejaculatory function, satisfaction, sexual activity and desire domains (EFD, EjFD, SDA and ADD) or for erectile or ejaculatory bother mean scores. After 12 weeks, the overall incidence of ejaculatory dysfunction (EjD) was 13.4%. Incidences of the seven different types of EjD (decreased frequency, delay, dryness, decreased strength/force, decreased volume, decreased pleasure and pain at ejaculation) were 2.4%, 3.1%, 3.9%, 3.9%, 6.3%, 7.1% and 3.1%, respectively. Baseline EjFD scores were higher for IPSS responders than for non-responders (26.09 vs. 24.06, P=0.03). An EjFD score reduction was more frequent in IPSS responders. The incidence of EjD was small, but not negligible and was more frequent in patients with less lower urinary tract symptoms, a smaller prostate, higher baseline MSHQ totals and higher EjFD scores. PMID:21785445

PSA predicts development of incident lower urinary tract symptoms: results from the REDUCE study.

Science.gov (United States)

Patel, Devin N; Feng, Tom; Simon, Ross M; Howard, Lauren E; Vidal, Adriana C; Moreira, Daniel M; Castro-Santamaria, Ramiro; Roehrborn, Claus; Andriole, Gerald L; Freedland, Stephen J

2018-05-23

The relationship between baseline prostate-specific antigen (PSA) and development of lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) in asymptomatic and mildly symptomatic men is unclear. We sought to determine if PSA predicts incident LUTS in these men. A post-hoc analysis of the 4-year REDUCE study was performed to assess for incident LUTS in 1534 men with mild to no LUTS at baseline. The primary aim was to determine whether PSA independently predicted incident LUTS after adjusting for the key clinical variables of age, prostate size, and baseline International prostate symptom score (IPSS). Incident LUTS was defined as the first report of medical treatment, surgery, or sustained clinically significant symptoms (two IPSS >14). Cox proportional hazards, cumulative incidence curves, and the log-rank test were used to test our hypothesis. A total of 1534 men with baseline IPSS PSA 2.5-4 ng/mL, 589 with PSA 4.1-6 ng/mL, and 610 with PSA 6-10 ng/mL. During the 4-year study, 196 men progressed to incident LUTS (50.5% medical treatment, 9% surgery, and 40.5% new symptoms). As a continuous variable, higher PSA was associated with increased incident LUTS on univariable (HR 1.09, p = 0.019) and multivariable (HR 1.08, p = 0.040) analysis. Likewise, baseline PSA 6-10 ng/mL was associated with increased incident LUTS vs. PSA 2.5-4 ng/mL in adjusted models (HR 1.68, p = 0.016). This association was also observed in men with PSA 4.1-6 ng/mL vs. PSA 2.5-4 ng/mL (HR 1.60, p = 0.032). Men with mild to no LUTS but increased baseline PSA are at increased risk of developing incident LUTS presumed due to benign prostatic hyperplasia.

Prostate Zonal Volumetry as a Predictor of Clinical Outcomes for Prostate Artery Embolization

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Assis, André Moreira de, E-mail: andre.assis@criep.com.br, E-mail: andre.maa@gmail.com; Maciel, Macello Sampaio, E-mail: macielmjs@gmail.com; Moreira, Airton Mota, E-mail: airton.mota@criep.com.br; Paula Rodrigues, Vanessa Cristina de, E-mail: vanessapaular@yahoo.com.br [University of Sao Paulo Medical School, Vascular and Interventional Radiology Unit, Radiology Institute (Brazil); Antunes, Alberto Azoubel, E-mail: antunesuro@uol.com.br; Srougi, Miguel, E-mail: srougi@uol.com.br [University of Sao Paulo Medical School, Urology Department (Brazil); Cerri, Giovanni Guido, E-mail: giovanni-cerri@uol.com.br [University of Sao Paulo Medical School, Radiology Institute (Brazil); Carnevale, Francisco Cesar, E-mail: francisco.carnevale@criep.com.br [University of Sao Paulo Medical School, Vascular and Interventional Radiology Unit, Radiology Institute (Brazil)

2017-02-15

PurposeTo determine prostate baseline zonal volumetry and correlate these findings with clinical outcomes for patients who underwent prostate artery embolization (PAE) for lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) due to benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH).Materials and MethodsThis is a retrospective study that included patients treated by PAE from 2010 to 2014. Baseline and 6-month follow-up evaluations included prostate MRI with whole prostate (WP) and central gland (CG) volume measurements—as well as prostate zonal volumetry index (ZVi) calculation, defined as the CG/WP volumes relation—the International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS), and the Quality of life (QoL) index. Baseline WP, CG, and ZVi were statistical compared to IPSS and QoL values at 6 months.ResultsA total of 93 consecutive patients were included, with mean age of 63.4 years (range, 51–86). Clinical failure, defined as IPSS > 7 or QoL > 2, was seen in four cases (4.3%). Mean reductions in prostate volumes after PAE were of 30.6% and 31.2% for WP and CG, respectively (p < 0.0001). Clinical parameters had mean decrease from 21 to 3.3 points for IPSS, and from 4.7 to 1.2 points for QoL (p < 0.0001). Baseline WP, CG, and ZVi correlated to the degree of clinical improvement (p < 0.05 for all). The baseline ZVi cut-off calculated for better clinical outcomes was > 0.45, with 85% sensitivity and 75% specificity.ConclusionsBaseline CG and WP volumes as well as ZVi presented strong correlation with clinical outcomes in patients undergoing PAE, and its assessment should be considered in pre-treatment evaluation whenever possible. Both patients and medical team should be aware of the possibility of less favorable outcomes when ZVi < 0.45.

Prostate Zonal Volumetry as a Predictor of Clinical Outcomes for Prostate Artery Embolization

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Assis, André Moreira de; Maciel, Macello Sampaio; Moreira, Airton Mota; Paula Rodrigues, Vanessa Cristina de; Antunes, Alberto Azoubel; Srougi, Miguel; Cerri, Giovanni Guido; Carnevale, Francisco Cesar

2017-01-01

PurposeTo determine prostate baseline zonal volumetry and correlate these findings with clinical outcomes for patients who underwent prostate artery embolization (PAE) for lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) due to benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH).Materials and MethodsThis is a retrospective study that included patients treated by PAE from 2010 to 2014. Baseline and 6-month follow-up evaluations included prostate MRI with whole prostate (WP) and central gland (CG) volume measurements—as well as prostate zonal volumetry index (ZVi) calculation, defined as the CG/WP volumes relation—the International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS), and the Quality of life (QoL) index. Baseline WP, CG, and ZVi were statistical compared to IPSS and QoL values at 6 months.ResultsA total of 93 consecutive patients were included, with mean age of 63.4 years (range, 51–86). Clinical failure, defined as IPSS > 7 or QoL > 2, was seen in four cases (4.3%). Mean reductions in prostate volumes after PAE were of 30.6% and 31.2% for WP and CG, respectively (p < 0.0001). Clinical parameters had mean decrease from 21 to 3.3 points for IPSS, and from 4.7 to 1.2 points for QoL (p < 0.0001). Baseline WP, CG, and ZVi correlated to the degree of clinical improvement (p < 0.05 for all). The baseline ZVi cut-off calculated for better clinical outcomes was > 0.45, with 85% sensitivity and 75% specificity.ConclusionsBaseline CG and WP volumes as well as ZVi presented strong correlation with clinical outcomes in patients undergoing PAE, and its assessment should be considered in pre-treatment evaluation whenever possible. Both patients and medical team should be aware of the possibility of less favorable outcomes when ZVi < 0.45.

Participant characteristics associated with greater reductions in waist circumference during a four-month, pedometer-based, workplace health program.

Science.gov (United States)

Freak-Poli, Rosanne L A; Wolfe, Rory; Walls, Helen; Backholer, Kathryn; Peeters, Anna

2011-10-25

Workplace health programs have demonstrated improvements in a number of risk factors for chronic disease. However, there has been little investigation of participant characteristics that may be associated with change in risk factors during such programs. The aim of this paper is to identify participant characteristics associated with improved waist circumference (WC) following participation in a four-month, pedometer-based, physical activity, workplace health program. 762 adults employed in primarily sedentary occupations and voluntarily enrolled in a four-month workplace program aimed at increasing physical activity were recruited from ten Australian worksites in 2008. Seventy-nine percent returned at the end of the health program. Data included demographic, behavioural, anthropometric and biomedical measurements. WC change (before versus after) was assessed by multivariable linear and logistic regression analyses. Seven groupings of potential associated variables from baseline were sequentially added to build progressively larger regression models. Greater improvement in WC during the program was associated with having completed tertiary education, consuming two or less standard alcoholic beverages in one occasion in the twelve months prior to baseline, undertaking less baseline weekend sitting time and lower baseline total cholesterol. A greater WC at baseline was strongly associated with a greater improvement in WC. A sub-analysis in participants with a 'high-risk' baseline WC revealed that younger age, enrolling for reasons other than appearance, undertaking less weekend sitting time at baseline, eating two or more pieces of fruit per day at baseline, higher baseline physical functioning and lower baseline body mass index were associated with greater odds of moving to 'low risk' WC at the end of the program. While employees with 'high-risk' WC at baseline experienced the greatest improvements in WC, the other variables associated with greater WC improvement

THE US LONG BASELINE NEUTRINO EXPERIMENT STUDY.

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BISHAI,M.

2007-08-06

The US Long Baseline Neutrino Experiment Study was commissioned jointly by Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL)and Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory (FNAL) to investigate the potential for future U.S. based long baseline neutrino oscillation experiments using MW class conventional neutrino beams that can be produced at FNAL. The experimental baselines are based on two possible detector locations: (1) off-axis to the existing FNAL NuMI beamline at baselines of 700 to 810 km and (2) NSF's proposed future Deep Underground Science and Engineering Laboratory (DUSEL) at baselines greater than 1000km. Two detector technologies are considered: a megaton class Water Cherenkov detector deployed deep underground at a DUSEL site, or a 100kT Liquid Argon Time-Projection Chamber (TPC) deployed on the surface at any of the proposed sites. The physics sensitivities of the proposed experiments are summarized. We find that conventional horn focused wide-band neutrino beam options from FNAL aimed at a massive detector with a baseline of > 1000km have the best sensitivity to CP violation and the neutrino mass hierarchy for values of the mixing angle {theta}{sub 13} down to 2{sup o}.

Sleep Problems are Associated with Development and Progression of Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms: Results from REDUCE.

Science.gov (United States)

Branche, Brandee L; Howard, Lauren E; Moreira, Daniel M; Roehrborn, Claus; Castro-Santamaria, Ramiro; Andriole, Gerald L; Hopp, Martin L; Freedland, Stephen J

2018-02-01

Although lower urinary tract symptoms and sleep problems often develop together, to our knowledge it is unknown whether sleep disturbances are linked to lower urinary tract symptoms development and progression. As measured by the 6-item MOS-Sleep (Medical Outcomes Study Sleep Scale) survey we examined the relationship between sleep problems, and the development and progression of lower urinary tract symptoms in the REDUCE (Reduction by Dutasteride of Prostate Cancer Events) study. REDUCE was a randomized trial testing prostate cancer chemoprevention with dutasteride in men with prostate specific antigen 2.5 to 10 ng/ml and a negative biopsy. At baseline men completed MOS-Sleep and a scaled average was used to calculate the sleep score. Men were followed for 4 years and I-PSS (International Prostate Symptom Score) was completed at baseline and every 6 months. Asymptomatic men had I-PSS less than 8 while symptomatic men had I-PSS 8 or greater. In the placebo arm of 2,588 men not receiving α-blockers or 5α-reductase inhibitors at baseline we tested the association between sleep problems and lower urinary tract symptom development and progression using Cox models. During followup lower urinary tract symptoms developed in 209 of 1,452 asymptomatic men (14%) and 580 of 1,136 (51%) with lower urinary tract symptoms demonstrated progression. On multivariable analysis higher sleep scores were suggestively associated with increased lower urinary tract symptoms in asymptomatic men (quartile 4 vs 1 HR 1.41, 95% CI 0.92-2.17, p = 0.12) and with lower urinary tract symptom progression in symptomatic men (per 10 points of sleep score HR 1.06, 95% CI 1.01-1.12, p = 0.029). Among men with lower urinary tract symptoms worse sleep scores were associated with the progression of lower urinary tract symptoms and among asymptomatic men worse sleep scores were suggestively associated with the development of lower urinary tract symptoms. If confirmed, these data suggest that sleep

Late Urinary Side Effects 10 Years After Low-Dose-Rate Prostate Brachytherapy: Population-Based Results From a Multiphysician Practice Treating With a Standardized Protocol and Uniform Dosimetric Goals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Keyes, Mira; Miller, Stacy; Pickles, Tom; Halperin, Ross; Kwan, Winkle; Lapointe, Vincent; McKenzie, Michael; Spadinger, Ingrid; Pai, Howard; Chan, Elisa K.; Morris, W. James

2014-01-01

Purpose: To determine late urinary toxicity (>12 months) in a large cohort of uniformly treated low-dose-rate prostate brachytherapy patients. Methods and Materials: From 1998 to 2009, 2709 patients with National Comprehensive Cancer Network–defined low-risk and low-tier intermediate-risk prostate cancer were treated with Iodine 125 ( 125 I) low-dose-rate prostate brachytherapy; 2011 patients with a minimum of 25 months of follow-up were included in the study. Baseline patients, treatment, implant factors, and late urinary toxicity (Radiation Therapy Oncology Group [RTOG] grading system and International Prostate Symptom Score [IPSS]) were recorded prospectively. Time to IPSS resolution, late RTOG genitourinary toxicity was examined with Kaplan-Meier and log-rank tests. Cox proportional hazards regression was done for individual covariates and multivariable models. Results: Median follow-up was 54.5 months (range, 2-13 years). Actuarial toxicity rates reached 27% and 10% (RTOG ≥2 and ≥3, respectively) at 9-13 years. Symptoms resolved quickly in the majority of patients (88% in 6-12 months). The prevalence of RTOG 0, 1, 2, 3, and 4 toxicity with a minimum of 7 years' follow-up was 70%, 21%, 6.4%, 2.3%, and 0.08%, respectively. Patients with a larger prostate volume, higher baseline IPSS, higher D90, acute toxicity, and age >70 years had more late RTOG ≥2 toxicity (all P≤.02). The IPSS resolved slower in patients with lower baseline IPSS and larger ultrasound prostate volume, those not receiving androgen deprivation therapy, and those with higher D90. The crude rate of RTOG 3 toxicity was 6%. Overall the rate of transurethral resection of the prostate was 1.9%; strictures, 2%; incontinence, 1.3%; severe symptoms, 1.8%; late catheterization, 1.3%; and hematuria, 0.8%. The majority (80%) resolved their symptoms in 6-12 months. Conclusion: Long-term urinary toxicity after brachytherapy is low. Although actuarial rates increase with longer follow

Late Urinary Side Effects 10 Years After Low-Dose-Rate Prostate Brachytherapy: Population-Based Results From a Multiphysician Practice Treating With a Standardized Protocol and Uniform Dosimetric Goals

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Keyes, Mira, E-mail: mkeyes@bccancer.bc.ca; Miller, Stacy; Pickles, Tom; Halperin, Ross; Kwan, Winkle; Lapointe, Vincent; McKenzie, Michael; Spadinger, Ingrid; Pai, Howard; Chan, Elisa K.; Morris, W. James

2014-11-01

Purpose: To determine late urinary toxicity (>12 months) in a large cohort of uniformly treated low-dose-rate prostate brachytherapy patients. Methods and Materials: From 1998 to 2009, 2709 patients with National Comprehensive Cancer Network–defined low-risk and low-tier intermediate-risk prostate cancer were treated with Iodine 125 ({sup 125}I) low-dose-rate prostate brachytherapy; 2011 patients with a minimum of 25 months of follow-up were included in the study. Baseline patients, treatment, implant factors, and late urinary toxicity (Radiation Therapy Oncology Group [RTOG] grading system and International Prostate Symptom Score [IPSS]) were recorded prospectively. Time to IPSS resolution, late RTOG genitourinary toxicity was examined with Kaplan-Meier and log-rank tests. Cox proportional hazards regression was done for individual covariates and multivariable models. Results: Median follow-up was 54.5 months (range, 2-13 years). Actuarial toxicity rates reached 27% and 10% (RTOG ≥2 and ≥3, respectively) at 9-13 years. Symptoms resolved quickly in the majority of patients (88% in 6-12 months). The prevalence of RTOG 0, 1, 2, 3, and 4 toxicity with a minimum of 7 years' follow-up was 70%, 21%, 6.4%, 2.3%, and 0.08%, respectively. Patients with a larger prostate volume, higher baseline IPSS, higher D90, acute toxicity, and age >70 years had more late RTOG ≥2 toxicity (all P≤.02). The IPSS resolved slower in patients with lower baseline IPSS and larger ultrasound prostate volume, those not receiving androgen deprivation therapy, and those with higher D90. The crude rate of RTOG 3 toxicity was 6%. Overall the rate of transurethral resection of the prostate was 1.9%; strictures, 2%; incontinence, 1.3%; severe symptoms, 1.8%; late catheterization, 1.3%; and hematuria, 0.8%. The majority (80%) resolved their symptoms in 6-12 months. Conclusion: Long-term urinary toxicity after brachytherapy is low. Although actuarial rates increase with longer

Efficacy and safety of tamsulosin 0.4 mg single pills for treatment of Asian patients with symptomatic benign prostatic hyperplasia with lower urinary tract symptoms: a randomized, double-blind, phase 3 trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Chung, Jae Hoon; Oh, Cheol Young; Kim, Jae Heon; Ha, U-Syn; Kim, Tae Hyo; Lee, Seung Hwan; Han, Jun Hyun; Bae, Jae Hyun; Chang, In Ho; Han, Deok Hyun; Yoo, Tag Keun; Chung, Jae Il; Kim, Sae Woong; Jung, Jina; Kim, Yong-Il; Lee, Seung Wook

2018-04-12

To verify the efficacy and safety of tamsulosin 0.4 mg and tamsulosin 0.2 mg compared with those of placebo in patients with lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) associated with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). A total of 494 patients from multiple centers participated in this double-blind, randomized, phase 3 trial. Eligible patients were randomly assigned to the tamsulosin 0.4 mg group, tamsulosin 0.2 mg group or placebo group. The International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS), maximum flow rate (Qmax), post-void residual (PVR) urine volume, blood pressure, heart rate and adverse events were compared among the three groups at 4, 8 and 12 weeks. A total of 494 BPH patients were analyzed. There were no differences in the baseline characteristics among the three groups. After 12 weeks of treatment, total IPSS was improved in the 0.2 mg and 0.4 mg tamsulosin groups; however, the extent of improvement was greater in the 0.4 mg group than in the 0.2 mg group (0.4 mg: -9.59 vs. 0.2 mg: -5.61; least-squares mean difference [95% confidence interval]: -3.95 [-5.01, -2.89], p Tamsulosin 0.4 mg and 0.2 mg appear to be superior to placebo treatment, and tamsulosin 0.4 mg is more effective than 0.2 mg in terms of total IPSS improvement. Tamsulosin 0.4 mg has favorable efficacy and tolerability in Asian men with symptomatic BPH. ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02390882.

Treatment satisfaction with tadalafil or tamsulosin vs placebo in men with lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) suggestive of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH): results from a randomised, placebo-controlled study.

Science.gov (United States)

Oelke, Matthias; Giuliano, François; Baygani, Simin K; Melby, Thomas; Sontag, Angelina

2014-10-01

To assess treatment satisfaction with tadalafil or tamsulosin vs placebo in a 12-week, randomised, double-blind study of men with lower urinary tract symptoms suggestive of benign prostatic hyperplasia (LUTS/BPH). After a 4-week placebo lead-in period, men aged ≥45 years with an International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) of ≥13 and a maximum urinary flow rate of ≥4 to ≤15 mL/s received placebo (172 men), tadalafil 5 mg (171), or tamsulosin 0.4 mg (168) once daily for 12 weeks. Treatment Satisfaction Scale-BPH (TSS-BPH) responses were assessed based on median treatment differences using the van Elteren test. Overall treatment satisfaction was greater for tadalafil vs placebo (P = 0.005), based on greater satisfaction with efficacy (P = 0.003); neither overall treatment satisfaction nor satisfaction with efficacy was greater for tamsulosin vs placebo (P ≥ 0.409). For individual questions, 66.5% of men rated tadalafil treatment as 'effective/very effective' (Question 1, Q1) vs placebo (P = 0.011), 72.6% would 'definitely/probably recommend their treatment' (Q3; P = 0.043), 71.8% were generally 'very satisfied/satisfied with their medication' (Q8; P BPH by baseline age (≤65/>65 years), history of erectile dysfunction (yes/no), LUTS/BPH severity (IPSSgreater treatment satisfaction with tadalafil vs placebo, with only borderline difference for men without prior therapy. Treatment satisfaction was greater with tadalafil vs placebo, with no significant difference between tamsulosin and placebo. © 2014 The Authors. BJU International © 2014 BJU International.

The impact of metabolic syndrome on the responsiveness to α1-blocker in men with BPH/LUTS.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Y-C; Liu, C-C; Juan, Y-S; Wu, W-J; Li, W-M; Yeh, H-C; Wang, C-J; Huang, C-N; Huang, C-H; Huang, S-P

2013-04-01

Increasing evidence has proposed the components of metabolic syndrome (MtS) as risk factors for the development of benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH); therefore, it is thought that MtS may play a role in lower urinary tract symptoms related to BPH (BPH/LUTS) aetiology. Considering the closed relationships between MtS and BPH/LUTS, it is possible that patients with MtS might have different drug responsiveness in men with BPH/LUTS. We prospectively investigated the impact of MtS on responsiveness to α1-blocker in men with BPH/LUTS. We enrolled a total of 109 patients with a mean (SD) age of 59.8 (9.0) years, having a prostate volume of 20 cm(3) or greater with moderate to severe LUTS. All patients received doxazosin GITS (gastrointestinal therapeutic system) 4 mg once daily for a 12-week period of treatment. The efficacy measurement was assessed by the changes from baseline in the total IPSS, maximum urinary flow rate and postvoid residual urine volume. The drug responders were defined as those who had a total IPSS decrease of more than 4 points from baseline after 12 weeks of treatment. Using multiple logistic regression analysis, our results showed that MtS was an independent factor for drug non-responder (OR = 4.26, p = 0.002). The rate of drug responder and total IPSS improvements in patients with MtS significantly decreased as the number of MtS components increased (p = 0.012 and p = 0.026). Among the MtS components, abnormal fasting blood glucose (FBG) was the most significantly independent factor for drug non-responder (OR = 3.17, p = 0.020). This study suggested that the presence of MtS had a significantly negative impact on the responsiveness to α1-blocker in men with BPH/LUTS. Our results are important for BPH/LUTS patients who did not initially respond to α1-blocker or who strive to reduce these metabolic risk factors. © 2013 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Participant characteristics associated with greater reductions in waist circumference during a four-month, pedometer-based, workplace health program

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Freak-Poli Rosanne LA

2011-10-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Workplace health programs have demonstrated improvements in a number of risk factors for chronic disease. However, there has been little investigation of participant characteristics that may be associated with change in risk factors during such programs. The aim of this paper is to identify participant characteristics associated with improved waist circumference (WC following participation in a four-month, pedometer-based, physical activity, workplace health program. Methods 762 adults employed in primarily sedentary occupations and voluntarily enrolled in a four-month workplace program aimed at increasing physical activity were recruited from ten Australian worksites in 2008. Seventy-nine percent returned at the end of the health program. Data included demographic, behavioural, anthropometric and biomedical measurements. WC change (before versus after was assessed by multivariable linear and logistic regression analyses. Seven groupings of potential associated variables from baseline were sequentially added to build progressively larger regression models. Results Greater improvement in WC during the program was associated with having completed tertiary education, consuming two or less standard alcoholic beverages in one occasion in the twelve months prior to baseline, undertaking less baseline weekend sitting time and lower baseline total cholesterol. A greater WC at baseline was strongly associated with a greater improvement in WC. A sub-analysis in participants with a 'high-risk' baseline WC revealed that younger age, enrolling for reasons other than appearance, undertaking less weekend sitting time at baseline, eating two or more pieces of fruit per day at baseline, higher baseline physical functioning and lower baseline body mass index were associated with greater odds of moving to 'low risk' WC at the end of the program. Conclusions While employees with 'high-risk' WC at baseline experienced the greatest improvements in

[Silodosin therapy for lower urinary tract symptoms in men with suspected benign prostatic hyperplasia: results of an international, randomized, double-blind, placebo- and active-controlled clinical trial performed in Europe].

Science.gov (United States)

Chapple, Ch R; Montorsi, F; Tammela, T L J; Wirth, M; Koldewijn, E; Fernandez Fernandez, E

2012-01-01

Silodosin is a new selective therapy with a high pharmacologic selectivity for the a (1A)-adrenoreceptor. Our aim was to test silodosin's superiority to placebo and noninferiority to tamsulosin and discuss the findings in the context of a comprehensive literature review of the new compound silodosin. We conducted a multicenter double-blind, placebo-and active-controlled parallel group study. A total of 1228 men > or = 50 yr of age with an International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) 4 and silodosin 8 mg (n = 381), tamsulosin 0.4 mg (n = 384), or placebo (n = 190) once daily for 12 wk. We calculated the change from baseline in IPSS total score (primary), storage and voiding subscores, quality of life (QoL) due to urinary symptoms, and Q(max). Responders were defined on the basis of IPSS and Q(max) by a decrease of > or = 25% and an increase of > or = 30% from baseline, respectively. The change from baseline in the IPSS total score with silodosin and tamsulosin was significantly superior to that with placebo (p silodosin and -2.0 (95% CI, -2.9, -1.1) with tamsulosin. Responder rates according to total IPSS were significantly higher (p silodosin (66.8%) and tamsulosin (65.4%) than with placebo (50.8%). Active treatments were also superior to placebo in the IPSS storage and voiding subscore analyses, as well as in QoL due to urinary symptoms. Of note, only silodosin significantly reduced nocturia versus placebo (the change from baseline was -0.9, -0.8, and -0.7 for silodosin, tamsulosin, and placebo, respectively; p = 0.013 for silodosin vs placebo). An increase in Q(max) was observed in all groups. The adjusted mean change from baseline to end point was 3.77 ml/s for silodosin, 3.53 ml/s for tamsulosin, and 2.93 ml/s for placebo, but the change for silodosin and tamsulosin was not statistically significant versus placebo because of a particularly high placebo response (silodosin vs placebo: p = 0.089; tamsulosin vs placebo: p = 0.221). At end point, the percentage of

Effect of tadalafil 5mg daily treatment on the ejaculatory times, lower urinary tract symptoms and erectile function in patients with erectile dysfunction

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mehmet Karabakan

Full Text Available ABSTRACT Objective To investigate the effect of a 5mg daily tadalafil treatment on the ejaculation time, erectile function and lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS in patients with erectile dysfunction. Materials and Methods A total of 60 patients diagnosed with erectile dysfunction were retrospectively evaluated using the international index of erectile function questionnaire-5 (IIEF-5, intravaginal ejaculatory latency time (IELT and international prostate symptoms scores (IPSS. After the patients were treated with 5mg tadalafil once a day for three months, their erection, ejaculation and LUTS were assessed again. The fasting levels of blood glucose, total testosterone, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and total cholesterol were measured. The independent-samples t-test was used to compare the pre- and post-treatment scores of the patients. Results The mean age of the 60 participants was 50.4±7.9 and the mean baseline serum total testosterone, total cholesterol, and fasting blood sugar were 444.6±178.6ng dL-1, 188.7±29.6mg/dL-1,104 (80-360 mg dL-1, respectively. The mean baseline scores were 2.2±1.4 min for IELT, 9.5±3.7 for IIEF-5 and 14.1±4.5 for IPSS. Following the three-month daily 5mg tadalafil treatment, the scores were found to be 3.4±1.9 min, 16.1±4.7, and 10.4±3.8 for IELT, IIEF and IPSS, respectively. When the baseline and post-treatment scores were compared, a statistically significant increase was observed in the IELTs and IIEF-5 values whereas there was a significant decrease in IPSS (p<0.01. Conclusion A daily dose of 5mg tadalafil can be safely used in the treatment of erectile dysfunction and LUTS, that prolongs the ejaculatory latency time.

Problem solving in nuclear engineering using supercomputers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schmidt, F.; Scheuermann, W.; Schatz, A.

1987-01-01

The availability of supercomputers enables the engineer to formulate new strategies for problem solving. One such strategy is the Integrated Planning and Simulation System (IPSS). With the integrated systems, simulation models with greater consistency and good agreement with actual plant data can be effectively realized. In the present work some of the basic ideas of IPSS are described as well as some of the conditions necessary to build such systems. Hardware and software characteristics as realized are outlined. (orig.) [de

Nocturia improvement in the combination of Avodart(®) and tamsulosin (CombAT) study.

Science.gov (United States)

Oelke, Matthias; Roehrborn, Claus G; D'Ancona, Carlos; Wilson, Timothy H; Castro, Ramiro; Manyak, Michael

2014-10-01

The purpose of the study was to assess the impact of dutasteride plus tamsulosin combination therapy, compared with dutasteride or tamsulosin monotherapy, on nocturia in men with lower urinary tract symptoms suggestive of benign prostatic hyperplasia (LUTS/BPH) using data from the 4-year CombAT study. Nocturia was assessed using Question 7 of the International Prostate Symptom Score questionnaire. Efficacy measures included as follows: mean change in nocturia at 3-month intervals up to 48 months; proportion of patients with improvement/worsening in nocturia; nocturnal voiding frequency at baseline and study end, overall and by baseline subgroups; and nocturnal voiding frequency tamsulosin -0.3). Reduction in nocturia score with combination therapy was significantly (p ≤ 0.01) better than tamsulosin monotherapy across all baseline subgroups tested, except for men with previous 5ARI use. Among those with a baseline IPSS Q7 score ≥ 2, more patients with combination therapy had a score tamsulosin (26 %, p tamsulosin monotherapies. These analyses are the first to show greater improvement with a 5ARI/α-blocker combination versus either agent alone for the management of nocturia in patients with LUTS/BPH.

Commercial Integrated Heat Pump with Thermal Storage --Demonstrate Greater than 50% Average Annual Energy Savings, Compared with Baseline Heat Pump and Water Heater (Go/No-Go) FY16 4th Quarter Milestone Report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Shen, Bo [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Baxter, Van D. [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Rice, C. Keith [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Abu-Heiba, Ahmad [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)

2017-03-01

For this study, we authored a new air source integrated heat pump (AS-IHP) model in EnergyPlus, and conducted building energy simulations to demonstrate greater than 50% average energy savings, in comparison to a baseline heat pump with electric water heater, over 10 US cities, based on the EnergyPlus quick-service restaurant template building. We also assessed water heating energy saving potentials using ASIHP versus gas heating, and pointed out climate zones where AS-IHPs are promising.

Use of Structural Equation Modeling to Demonstrate the Differential Impact of Storage and Voiding Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms on Symptom Bother and Quality of Life during Treatment for Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms Associated with Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia.

Science.gov (United States)

McVary, Kevin T; Peterson, Andrew; Donatucci, Craig F; Baygani, Simin; Henneges, Carsten; Clouth, Johannes; Wong, David; Oelke, Matthias

2016-09-01

Lower urinary tract symptoms associated with benign prostatic hyperplasia typically respond well to medical therapy. While changes in total I-PSS (International Prostate Symptom Score) are generally accepted as measurement for treatment response, I-PSS storage and voiding subscores may not accurately reflect the influence of symptom improvement on patient bother and quality of life. Structural equation modeling was done to evaluate physiological interrelationships measured by I-PSS storage vs voiding subscore questions and measure the magnitude of effects on bother using BII (Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia Impact Index) and quality of life on I-PSS quality of life questions. Pooled data from 4 randomized, controlled trials of tadalafil and placebo in 1,462 men with lower urinary tract symptoms/benign prostatic hyperplasia were used to investigate the relationship of storage vs voiding lower urinary tract symptoms on BII and quality of life. The final structural equation model demonstrated a sufficient fit to model interdependence of storage, voiding, bother and quality of life (probability for test of close fit <0.0001). Storage aspects had a twofold greater effect on voiding vs voiding aspects on storage (0.61 vs 0.28, each p <0.0001). The direct effect of storage on bother was twofold greater than voiding on bother (0.64 vs 0.29, each p <0.0001). Bother directly impacted quality of life by the largest magnitude of (-0.83), largely driven by storage lower urinary tract symptoms (p <0.0001). Total I-PSS is a reliable instrument to assess the therapeutic response in lower urinary tract symptoms/benign prostatic hyperplasia cases. However, an improvement in storage lower urinary tract symptoms is mainly responsible for improved bother and quality of life during treatment. Care should be taken when evaluating the accuracy of I-PSS subscores as indicators of the response to medical therapy. Copyright © 2016 American Urological Association Education and Research, Inc

Erectile dysfunction and lower urinary tract symptoms associated with benign prostatic hyperplasia (LUTS/BPH) combined responders to tadalafil after 12 weeks of treatment.

Science.gov (United States)

Roehrborn, Claus G; Egan, Kathryn B; Miner, Martin M; Ni, Xiao; Wong, David G; Rosen, Raymond C

2016-07-01

To analyse the proportion of men taking tadalafil 5 mg once daily who experience a combined improvement in symptoms of both erectile dysfunction (ED) and lower urinary tract symptoms associated with benign prostatic hyperplasia (LUTS/BPH). The data from men aged ≥45 years randomized to tadalafil 5 mg once daily or placebo enrolled in one of four randomized, placebo-controlled LUTS/BPH clinical trials were analysed (N = 927). A novel classification of 'combined responders' to ED and LUTS/BPH treatment was defined, based on published criteria for men who showed improvement in both International Index of Erectile Function - Erectile Function domain (IIEF-EF) score and total International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS). Descriptive analyses assessed the covariate distribution by responder status. Unadjusted and adjusted logistic regressions provided odds ratios with 95% confidence intervals comparing combined responders with all others (partial and non-responders). Among men randomized to tadalafil 5 mg, 40.5% were combined responders (n = 189). Among placebo randomized men, 18.3% were combined responders (n = 84). Combined responders, in the total population, had the highest baseline IPSS and lowest baseline IIEF-EF scores, corresponding to the highest level of dysfunction. The majority of men were aged ≤65 years, white, non-obese, non-smokers, and regular alcohol consumers. Only treatment, baseline IPSS, baseline IIEF-EF, obesity and psychoactive medication use were significantly associated with responder status (P ≤ 0.05). Tadalafil-treated men had 2.8 times significantly increased adjusted odds of being combined responders vs non-responders (P BPH after treatment with tadalafil 5 mg once daily vs placebo. This combined responder measure may be useful in future assessment of treatment benefits across patient groups after various types of treatment intervention (e.g. surgical vs pharmacotherapy vs non-pharmacological intervention). © 2016 The Authors BJU

A preliminary analysis of health-related quality of life in the first year after permanent source interstitial brachytherapy (PIB) for clinically localized prostate cancer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, W. Robert; McQuellon, Richard P.; Harris-Henderson, Kesha; Case, L. Doug; McCullough, David L.

2000-01-01

Purpose: To prospectively assess the health-related quality of life (HRQOL) and changes in HRQOL during the first year after permanent source interstitial brachytherapy (PIB). Methods and Materials: Thirty-one men treated with PIB between September 1997 and March 1998 completed a quality of life (functional assessment of cancer therapy-prostate: FACT-P) and a urinary symptom questionnaire (international prostate symptom score: IPSS) prior to treatment (T0), 1 month (T1), 3 months (T3), 6 months (T6), and 12 months (T12) following PIB. All participants were treated with 125 I alone. Repeated measures analyses of variance (ANOVA) were conducted on all quality of life and urinary outcome measures for all 31 patients at all time points. Results: The median age of the study population was 66 (range 51-80). All men had clinical T1c-T2b prostate cancer. The Gleason score was ≤ 6 in 27/31 (87%). Median pretreatment PSA was 7.8 ng/ml (range 1.1-20.6). The mean score (and standard deviation) at T0, T1, T3, T6, and T12 for the FACT-P questionnaire are as follows: 140.5 (13.5), 132.7 (15.3), 137.2 (17.4), 140.1 (16.0), and 142.4 (15.3). For the global test across time, statistically significant differences were observed for the cumulative scores of FACT-P (p < 0.0012). The decrease in HRQOL was most marked 1 month following PIB. Examination of the subscales within the FACT-P instrument demonstrated statistically significant changes over time for the following: physical well-being (PWB), functional well-being (FWB), and prostate cancer (PCS). By 3 months, all HRQOL measures had returned to near baseline. The mean score (and standard deviation) at T0, T1, T3, T6, and T12 for the IPSS questionnaire are as follows: 8.3 (5.5), 18.4 (8.0), 15.7 (7.4), 13.7 (7.4), and 10.2 (5.7). For the global test across time, statistically significant differences were observed for the IPSS scores (p < 0.0001). The maximum increase in IPSS occurred 1 month following PIB. Conclusion: The results

Silodosin therapy for lower urinary tract symptoms in men with suspected benign prostatic hyperplasia: results of an international, randomized, double-blind, placebo- and active-controlled clinical trial performed in Europe.

Science.gov (United States)

Chapple, Christopher R; Montorsi, Francesco; Tammela, Teuvo L J; Wirth, Manfred; Koldewijn, Evert; Fernández Fernández, Eldiberto

2011-03-01

Silodosin is a new selective therapy with a high pharmacologic selectivity for the α(1A)-adrenoreceptor. Our aim was to test silodosin's superiority to placebo and noninferiority to tamsulosin and discuss the findings in the context of a comprehensive literature review of the new compound silodosin. We conducted a multicenter double-blind, placebo- and active-controlled parallel group study. A total of 1228 men ≥50 yr of age with an International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) ≥13 and a urine maximum flow rate (Q(max)) >4 and ≤15 ml/s were selected at 72 sites in 11 European countries. The patients were entered into a 2-wk wash-out and a 4-wk placebo run-in period. A total of 955 patients were randomized (2:2:1) to silodosin 8 mg (n=381), tamsulosin 0.4 mg (n=384), or placebo (n=190) once daily for 12 wk. We calculated the change from baseline in IPSS total score (primary), storage and voiding subscores, quality of life (QoL) due to urinary symptoms, and Q(max). Responders were defined on the basis of IPSS and Q(max) by a decrease of ≥25% and an increase of ≥30% from baseline, respectively. The change from baseline in the IPSS total score with silodosin and tamsulosin was significantly superior to that with placebo (psilodosin and -2.0 (95% CI,-2.9, -1.1) with tamsulosin. Responder rates according to total IPSS were significantly higher (psilodosin (66.8%) and tamsulosin (65.4%) than with placebo (50.8%). Active treatments were also superior to placebo in the IPSS storage and voiding subscore analyses, as well as in QoL due to urinary symptoms. Of note, only silodosin significantly reduced nocturia versus placebo (the change from baseline was -0.9, -0.8, and -0.7 for silodosin, tamsulosin, and placebo, respectively; p=0.013 for silodosin vs placebo). An increase in Q(max) was observed in all groups. The adjusted mean change from baseline to end point was 3.77 ml/s for silodosin, 3.53 ml/s for tamsulosin, and 2.93 ml/s for placebo, but the change for

STATUS OF THE US LONG BASELINE NEUTRINO EXPERIMENT STUDY.

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BISHAI,M.

2006-09-21

The US Long Baseline Neutrino Experiment Study was commissioned jointly by Brookhaven National Laboratory and Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory to investigate the potential for future U.S. based long baseline neutrino oscillation experiments beyond the currently planned program. The Study focused on MW class convention at neutrino beams that can be produced at Fermilab or BNL. The experimental baselines are based on two possible detector locations: (1) off-axis to the existing Fermilab NuMI beamline at baselines of 700 to 810 km and (2) NSF's proposed future Deep Underground Science and Engineering Laboratory (DUSEL) at baselines greater than 1000 km. Two detector technologies are considered: a megaton class Water Cherenkov detector deployed deep underground at a DUSEL site, or a 100kT Liquid Argon Time-Projection Chamber (TPC) deployed on the surface at any of the proposed sites. The physics sensitivities of the proposed experiments are summarized. We find that conventional horn focused wide-band neutrino beam options from Fermilab or BNL aimed at a massive detector with a baseline of > 1000 km have the best sensitivity to CP violation and the neutrino mass hierarchy for values of the mixing angle {theta}{sub 13} down to 2.2{sup o}.

5α-Reductase inhibitor is less effective in men with small prostate volume and low serum prostatic specific antigen level.

Science.gov (United States)

Lin, Victor C; Liao, Chun-Hou; Wang, Chung-Cheng; Kuo, Hann-Chorng

2015-09-01

Large total prostate volumes (TPVs) or high serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels indicate high-risk clinical progression of benign prostatic hyperplasia. This prospective study investigated the treatment outcome of combined 5α-reductase inhibitor and α-blocker in patients with and without large TPVs or high PSA levels. Men aged ≥ 45 years with International Prostate Symptom scores (IPSS) ≥ 8, TPV ≥ 20 mL, and maximum flow rate ≤ 15 mL/s received a combination therapy (dutasteride plus doxaben) for 2 years. Patients with baseline PSA ≥ 4 ng/mL underwent prostatic biopsy for excluding malignancy. The changes in the parameters from baseline to 24 months after combination therapy were compared in those with and without TPV ≥ 40 mL or PSA levels ≥ 1.5 ng/mL. A total of 285 patients (mean age 72 ± 9 years) completed the study. Combination therapy resulted in significant continuous improvement in IPSS, quality of life index, maximum flow rate, and postvoid residual (all p < 0.0001) regardless of baseline TPV or PSA levels. However, only patients with baseline TPV ≥ 40 mL had significant improvements in IPSS-storage subscore, voided volume, reduction in TPV, transitional zone index, and PSA levels. In addition, patients with baseline TPV < 40 mL and PSA < 1.5 ng/mL had neither a reduction in TPV nor a decrease in serum PSA level. A high TPV indicates more outlet resistance, whereas elevated serum PSA level reflects glandular proliferation. Thus, patients with TPV<40 mL and low PSA levels has less benefit from 5α-reductase inhibitor therapy. The therapeutic effect of combined treatment may arise mainly from the α-blocker in these patients. Copyright © 2013. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Efficacy of holmium laser enucleation of the prostate (HoLEP) in men with bladder outlet obstruction (BOO) and non-neurogenic bladder dysfunction.

Science.gov (United States)

Pyun, Jong Hyun; Kang, Sung Gu; Kang, Seok Ho; Cheon, Jun; Kim, Je Jong; Lee, Jeong Gu

2017-09-01

We aimed to compare the short-term outcomes of men who had urodynamic evidence of detrusor underactivity (DU) or detrusor overactivity (DO) of a non-neurogenic etiology as well as bladder outlet obstruction (BOO) and who underwent Holmium Laser Enucleation of the prostate (HoLEP). A database of 322 patients who underwent HoLEP between 2010 and 2014 was analyzed. Patients were classified into three groups according to the results of a preoperative urodynamic study. Preoperative parameters such as International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS), Quality of Life (QoL) index, IPSS grade, uroflowmetry were compared with postoperative parameters measured at 6 months. There were 138 patients with BOO-only and 89 patients with BOO and detrusor dysfunction including 56 with DO and 33 with DU. The degree of improvement in IPSS-total (BOO: 10.7, DO: 8.3, DU: 7.0; p = 0.023) was greater in the BOO-only group than in the DU group. There were more patients whose IPSS grade improved in the BOO-only group (71%) than in the detrusor dysfunction group (DO: 53.6% and DU: 45.5%). Postoperative IPSS-voiding (4.5 vs 7.0), and Qmax (18 vs 13.7) in the BOO-only group were significantly better than those in the DU group. Additionally, postoperative IPSS-storage (4.7 vs 6.7), and IPSS-total (9.1 vs 12.3) in the BOO-only group were significantly better than in the DO group (all p < 0.05). In conclusion, early surgical management for men with severe LUTS and associated BPH before secondary degeneration occurs may be beneficial for preserving detrusor function and yield better treatment outcomes. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Taiwan.

The Correlation between Body Mass Index and Routine Parameters in Men Over Fifty

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Deok Ha Seo

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the relationships between body mass index (BMI and prostate-specific antigen (PSA levels, international prostate symptom score (IPSS, quality of life (QoL, and prostate volume (PV. Materials and Methods: Height, weight, PSA levels, PV, and IPSS were analyzed in 15,435 patients who underwent a prostate examination between 2001 and 2014. Patients aged ＜50 years or with a PSA level ≥10 ng/mL were excluded. The relationships between BMI and PSA, IPSS, QoL, and PV were analyzed by a scatter plot, one-way analysis of variance, and the Pearson correlation coefficient. Results: The mean age was 71.95±7.63 years, the mean BMI was 23.59±3.08 kg/m2, the mean PSA level was 1.45±1.45 ng/mL, the mean IPSS was 15.53±8.31, the mean QoL score was 3.48±1.25, and the mean PV was 29.72±14.02 mL. PSA, IPSS, and QoL showed a tendency to decrease with increasing BMI, and there were statistically significant differences for each parameter (p≤0.001. PV showed a significant tendency to increase with BMI (p＜0.001. In the correlation analysis, BMI showed a statistically significant correlation (p＜0.001 with PSA, IPSS, and QoL, although the correlations were very weak. In contrast, BMI showed a significant correlation with PV (p＜0.001, with a meaningful Pearson correlation coefficient of 0.124. Conclusions: Higher BMI was associated with lower PSA levels and higher IPSS and QoL scores. Meanwhile, PV increased with BMI. Although obese individuals had a greater PV, obesity did not aggravate lower urinary tract symptoms.

Dec 2011 NJS for Prof Anyanwu

African Journals Online (AJOL)

was obtained, biodata, medical history as well as full physical examination findings documented. The serum PSA level was measured at this enrolment. This was followed by titration phase of 2 weeks, when IPSS and bother score were assessed and baseline uroflowmetry performed. Branded. Doxazosin (Cadura) 1mg was ...

Assessment of lower urinary tract symptoms in men by international prostate symptom score and core lower urinary tract symptom score.

Science.gov (United States)

Fujimura, Tetsuya; Kume, Haruki; Nishimatsu, Hiroaki; Sugihara, Toru; Nomiya, Akira; Tsurumaki, Yuzuri; Miyazaki, Hideyo; Suzuki, Motofumi; Fukuhara, Hiroshi; Enomoto, Yutaka; Homma, Yukio

2012-05-01

Study Type - Therapy (symptom prevalence). Level of Evidence 2a. What's known on the subject? and What does the study add? The International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) has been most commonly used for the symptom assessment of men with lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS). However, LUTS in men are so variable that they may not be fully captured by the IPSS questionnaire alone. This study has demonstrated that the Core Lower Urinary Tract Symptom Score (CLSS) questionnaire, which addresses 10 important symptoms, is an appropriate initial assessment tool for LUTS in men with various diseases/conditions. International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) has been commonly used to assess lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS). We have recently developed Core Lower Urinary Tract Symptom Score (CLSS). The aim of this study is to compare IPSS and CLSS for assessing LUTS in men.  Consecutive 515 men fulfilled IPSS and CLSS questionnaires. IPSS QOL Index was used as the QOL surrogate. The clinical diagnoses were BPH (n = 116), BPH with OAB wet (n =80), prostate cancer (n = 128), prostatitis (n = 68), underactive bladder (n = 8), others (n = 72), and controls (e.g., occult blood) (n = 42). Simple statistics and predictability of poor QOL (QOL Index 4 or greater) were examined. All symptom scores were significantly increased in symptomatic men compared with controls. Scores of corresponding symptoms of two questionnaires were significantly correlated (r = 0.58-0.85, all P incontinence, slow stream, straining, incomplete emptying, bladder pain and urethral pain) as independent factors. The hazard ratios for bladder pain (2.2) and urgency incontinence (2.0) were among the highest. All the nine symptoms are addressed in CLSS, while three symptoms (urgency incontinence, bladder, and urethral pain) are dismissed in IPSS. CLSS questionnaire is more comprehensive than IPSS questionnaire for symptom assessment of men with various diseases/conditions, although both questionnaires can capture

Improved irritative voiding symptoms three years after stereotactic body radiation therapy for prostate cancer.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zakie eRana

2014-10-01

Full Text Available Background: Irritative voiding symptoms are common in elderly men and following prostate radiotherapy. The impact of hypofractionated treatment on irritative voiding symptoms has not been determined. This study sought to evaluate urgency, frequency and nocturia following SBRT for prostate cancer. Methods: Patients treated with SBRT monotherapy for localized prostate cancer from August 2007 to July 2011 at Georgetown University Hospital were included in this study. Treatment was delivered using the CyberKnife® with doses of 35 Gy-36.25 Gy in 5 fractions. Patient-reported urinary symptoms were assessed using the International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS before treatment and at 1, 3, 6, 9, 12 months post-treatment and every 6 months thereafter.Results: 204 patients at a median age of 69 years received SBRT with a median follow-up of 4.8 years. Prior to treatment, 50.0% of patients reported moderate to severe lower urinary track symptoms and 17.7% felt that urinary frequency was a moderate to big problem. The mean prostate volume was 39 cc and 8% had prior procedures for benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH. A mean baseline IPSS-irritative score of 4.8 significantly increased to 6.5 at 1 month (p 8 at baseline, the mean IPSS-I decreased from a baseline score of 6.8 to 4.9 at three years post-SBRT. This decrease was both statistically (p < 0.0001 and clinically significant (MID = 1.45. Only 14.6% of patients felt that urinary frequency was a moderate to big problem at three years post-SBRT (p = 0.23.Conclusions: Treatment of prostate cancer

Prostatic disorders in acromegalic patients experience of a Brazilian center

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Livia L. Correa

2013-06-01

Full Text Available Introduction Published data suggest that patients with acromegaly have an increased prevalence of prostate disorders. Objective To evaluate prostatic disorders in acromegalic patients comparing these results after one year of treatment of acromegaly and with a group of healthy men. Materials and Methods This study was composed of two parts: sectional study comparing patients with healthy controls (baseline and prospective, longitudinal study (at baseline and after one year of treatment. Forty acromegalic patients were enrolled and evaluated at baseline and after one year with the application of international prostatic symptoms score (IPSS, digital rectal examination, measurements of growth hormone (GH, insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I, insulin-like growth factor-binding protein-3 (IGFBP-3, sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG, prolactin, luteinizing hormone (LH, follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH, total testosterone, total and free prostate-specific antigen (PSA levels and prostate ultrasonography (US. Thirty healthy men were selected as control group. Results We stratified patients and controls according to age, considering 40 years-old as cut off. Healthy controls under 40 had IPSS values lower than acromegalic patients. When considering only older patients and controls prostate hyperplasia and structural abnormalities were more frequent in acromegalics. After one year of treatment there was significant decrease in GH, IGF-I and prostate volume in acromegalics over 40 years-old. Conclusions Acromegalics under 40 have more urinary symptoms according to IPSS and above 40 years-old higher frequency of structural changes and increased prostate volume than healthy men. Significant reduction of GH and IGF-I levels during treatment of acromegaly leads to decrease in the prostate volume.

Prospective longitudinal comparative study of health-related quality of life in patients treated with radical prostatectomy or permanent brachytherapy for prostate cancer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kobuke, Makoto; Saika, Takashi; Nakanishi, Yoshiko

2009-01-01

To determine health-related quality of life (HRQOL) after radical retropubic prostatectomy (RRP) or permanent prostate brachytherapy (BT), third party-conducted QOL surveys were prospectively compared. Between 2004 and 2005, 37 patients underwent RRP and 36 were treated with BT. A QOL survey consisting of the Medical Outcomes Study 36-Item Short Form (SF-36), the University of California, Los Angeles, Prostate Cancer Index (UCLA-PCI) and the International Prostate Symptoms Score (IPSS) was completed prospectively by a research coordinator at baseline, and at 1, 3, 6 and 12 months after treatment. The RRP patients scored well in general QOL except at 1 month after surgery, with their mental health better than at baseline by 6 months after surgery. Disease-specific QOL in RRP patients received a low score at 1 month for both urinary and sexual function, though urinary function rapidly recovered to baseline levels. BT patient QOL was not affected by the therapy except in the IPSS score. However, general and mental health scores in BT patients were inferior to those in RRP patients. This prospective study revealed differences in QOL after RRP and BT. These results will be helpful in making treatment decisions. (author)

Baseline response rates affect resistance to change.

Science.gov (United States)

Kuroda, Toshikazu; Cook, James E; Lattal, Kennon A

2018-01-01

The effect of response rates on resistance to change, measured as resistance to extinction, was examined in two experiments. In Experiment 1, responding in transition from a variable-ratio schedule and its yoked-interval counterpart to extinction was compared with pigeons. Following training on a multiple variable-ratio yoked-interval schedule of reinforcement, in which response rates were higher in the former component, reinforcement was removed from both components during a single extended extinction session. Resistance to extinction in the yoked-interval component was always either greater or equal to that in the variable-ratio component. In Experiment 2, resistance to extinction was compared for two groups of rats that exhibited either high or low response rates when maintained on identical variable-interval schedules. Resistance to extinction was greater for the lower-response-rate group. These results suggest that baseline response rate can contribute to resistance to change. Such effects, however, can only be revealed when baseline response rate and reinforcement rate are disentangled (Experiments 1 and 2) from the more usual circumstance where the two covary. Furthermore, they are more cleanly revealed when the programmed contingencies controlling high and low response rates are identical, as in Experiment 2. © 2017 Society for the Experimental Analysis of Behavior.

Greater hunger and less restraint predict weight loss success with phentermine treatment.

Science.gov (United States)

Thomas, Elizabeth A; Mcnair, Bryan; Bechtell, Jamie L; Ferland, Annie; Cornier, Marc-Andre; Eckel, Robert H

2016-01-01

Phentermine is thought to cause weight loss through a reduction in hunger. It was hypothesized that higher hunger ratings would predict greater weight loss with phentermine. This is an observational pilot study in which all subjects were treated with phentermine for 8 weeks and appetite and eating behaviors were measured at baseline and week 8. Outcomes were compared in subjects with ≥5% vs. hunger (P = 0.017), desire to eat (P =0.003), and prospective food consumption (0.006) and lower baseline cognitive restraint (P = 0.01). In addition, higher baseline home prospective food consumption (P = 0.002) and lower baseline cognitive restraint (P hunger and less restraint are more likely to achieve significant weight loss with phentermine. This information can be used clinically to determine who might benefit most from phentermine treatment. © 2015 The Obesity Society.

Effect of doxazosin gastrointestinal therapeutic system 4 mg vs tamsulosin 0.2 mg on nocturia in Chinese men with lower urinary tract symptoms: a prospective, multicenter, randomized, open, parallel study.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Kai; Yu, Wei; Jin, Jie; Ye, Haiyun; Wang, Xiaofeng; Zhang, Ning; Yang, Yong; Zhong, Chenyang; Wan, Ben

2011-09-01

To compare the efficacy of the doxazosin gastrointestinal therapeutic system (doxazosin-GITS) 4 mg and tamsulosin 0.2 mg on nocturia in Chinese men with lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) suggestive of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). Data were analyzed from a prospective, multicenter, randomized, open, parallel study of Chinese men aged 50-84 years with LUTS/BPH. Two hundred patients were randomized to receive daily treatment with 4 mg doxazosin-GITS (n=100) or 0.2 mg tamsulosin (n=100) for 8 weeks. Nocturia was assessed by question 7 of the International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS-question 7) and a frequency-volume chart (FVC) at weeks 4 and 8. Self-reported quality of sleep and quality of life by the last question of the IPSS questionnaire were also evaluated. A total of 189 patients (94 receiving doxazosin-GITS, 95 tamsulosin) completed the study. The reduction from baseline in mean nocturia was greater with doxazosin-GITS than tamsulosin by the FVC (1.7 vs 1.3 at week 4; 2.1 vs 1.7 at week 8, both P=.001) and by the IPSS-question 7 (1.5 vs 1.1 at 4 weeks, P=.001; 2.0 vs 1.6 at 8 weeks, Psleep was significantly more with doxazosin-GITS than tamsulosin (43.6% vs 27.4% at 4 weeks, P=.020; 81.9% vs 67.4% at 8 weeks, P=.022), and quality of life was better with doxazosin-GITS (2.5 vs 2.8 at 4 weeks, P=.001; 2.1 vs 2.5 at 8 weeks, P<.001). In Chinese patients with LUTS/BPH, doxazosin-GITS is slightly better than tamsulosin in reducing the frequency of nocturia. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Association Between Baseline LDL-C Level and Total and Cardiovascular Mortality After LDL-C Lowering: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Navarese, Eliano P; Robinson, Jennifer G; Kowalewski, Mariusz; Kolodziejczak, Michalina; Andreotti, Felicita; Bliden, Kevin; Tantry, Udaya; Kubica, Jacek; Raggi, Paolo; Gurbel, Paul A

2018-04-17

Effects on specific fatal and nonfatal end points appear to vary for low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C)-lowering drug trials. To evaluate whether baseline LDL-C level is associated with total and cardiovascular mortality risk reductions. Electronic databases (Cochrane, MEDLINE, EMBASE, TCTMD, ClinicalTrials.gov, major congress proceedings) were searched through February 2, 2018, to identify randomized clinical trials of statins, ezetimibe, and PCSK9-inhibiting monoclonal antibodies. Two investigators abstracted data and appraised risks of bias. Intervention groups were categorized as "more intensive" (more potent pharmacologic intervention) or "less intensive" (less potent, placebo, or control group). The coprimary end points were total mortality and cardiovascular mortality. Random-effects meta-regression and meta-analyses evaluated associations between baseline LDL-C level and reductions in mortality end points and secondary end points including major adverse cardiac events (MACE). In 34 trials, 136 299 patients received more intensive and 133 989 received less intensive LDL-C lowering. All-cause mortality was lower for more vs less intensive therapy (7.08% vs 7.70%; rate ratio [RR], 0.92 [95% CI, 0.88 to 0.96]), but varied by baseline LDL-C level. Meta-regression showed more intensive LDL-C lowering was associated with greater reductions in all-cause mortality with higher baseline LDL-C levels (change in RRs per 40-mg/dL increase in baseline LDL-C, 0.91 [95% CI, 0.86 to 0.96]; P = .001; absolute risk difference [ARD], -1.05 incident cases per 1000 person-years [95% CI, -1.59 to -0.51]), but only when baseline LDL-C levels were 100 mg/dL or greater (P baseline LDL-C level. Meta-regression showed more intensive LDL-C lowering was associated with a greater reduction in cardiovascular mortality with higher baseline LDL-C levels (change in RRs per 40-mg/dL increase in baseline LDL-C, 0.86 [95% CI, 0.80 to 0.94]; P baseline LDL-C levels were 100

Effects of pumpkin seed in men with lower urinary tract symptoms due to benign prostatic hyperplasia in the one-year, randomized, placebo-controlled GRANU study.

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Vahlensieck, Winfried; Theurer, Christoph; Pfitzer, Edith; Patz, Brigitte; Banik, Norbert; Engelmann, Udo

2015-01-01

The German Research Activities on Natural Urologicals (GRANU) study was a randomized, partially blinded, placebo-controlled, parallel-group trial that investigated the efficacy of pumpkin seed in men with lower urinary tract symptoms suggestive of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH/LUTS). A total of 1,431 men (50-80 years) with BPH/LUTS were randomly assigned to either pumpkin seed (5 g b.i.d.), capsules with pumpkin seed extract (500 mg b.i.d.) or matching placebo. The primary response criterion was a decrease in International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) of ≥5 points from baseline after 12 months. Secondary outcome measures included IPSS-related quality of life, IPSS single items and diary-recorded nocturia. After 12 months, the response rate (intention-to-treat/last-observation-carried-forward approach) did not differ between pumpkin seed extract and placebo. In the case of pumpkin seed (responders: 58.5%), the difference compared with placebo (responders: 47.3%) was descriptively significant. The study products were well tolerated. Overall, in men with BPH, 12 months of treatment with pumpkin seed led to a clinically relevant reduction in IPSS compared with placebo. In order to fully justify a recommendation for the use of pumpkin seed to treat moderate LUTS, these findings need to be substantiated in a confirmatory study or systematic review. 2014 S. Karger AG, Basel

Observational study: daily treatment with a new compound “tradamixina” plus serenoa repens for two months improved the lower urinary tract symptoms

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2012-01-01

Background Lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) are associated with great emotional costs to individuals and substantial economic costs to society. This study seeks to evaluate the effect of a new natural compound “Tradamixina plus Serenoa Repens” in order to improve lower urinary tract symptoms. Methods 100 patients (≥45years) who had had LUTS/BPH for >6 mo at screening and with IPSS -The international Prostate symptom scores- ≥13 and maximum urinary flow rate (Qmax) ≥4 to ≤15 ml/s. were recruited. The compound “Tradamixina plus Serenoa Repens” (80 mg of Alga Ecklonia Bicyclis, 100 mg of Tribulus Terrestris and 100 mg of D-Glucosamine and N-Acetyl-D-Glucosamine plus 320 mg of Serenoa Repens) was administered daily for 2 months. At visit and after 60 days of treatment patients were evaluated by means of detailed medical urological history, clinical examination, laboratory investigations (total PSA), and instrumental examination like urolfowmetry. Efficacy measures included IPSS-International Prostate Sympto, BPH Impact Index (BII), Quality-of-Life (QoL) Index. Measures were assessed at baseline and end point (12 wk or end of therapy) and also at screening, 1 and 4 wk for IPSS, and 4 wk for BII. Statistical significance was interpreted only if the results of the preceding analysis were significant at the 0.05 level. Results After 2 months of treatment the change from baseline to week 12 relative to “Tradamixina plus Seronea Repens” in total IPSS and Qol was statistically significant. Differences from baseline in BII were statistically significant for “Tradamixina plus Seronea Repens” above all differences in BII were also significant at 4 wk (LSmean ± SE: -0.8 ± 0.2). In the distribution of subjects over the PGI-I and CGI-I response categories were significant for”Tradamixina plus Seronea Repens” (PGI-I: p = 0.001; CGI-I). We also observed a decrease of total PSA. Conclusion The daily treatment with a new compound “Tradamixina plus

Association of Circulating 25(OHD and Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms: A Four-Year Prospective Study among Elderly Chinese Men

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Zhao-Min Liu

2016-05-01

Full Text Available The role of vitamin D in relation to lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS remains inconclusive. This four-year longitudinal study aims to explore the association of circulating 25(OHD and LUTS in elderly Chinese men. Two thousand Chinese men aged 65 and older were recruited from a local community, of which 1998 (99.9% at baseline and 1564 (78.2% at four-year follow-up reported data on LUTS, and 988 of the randomly chosen subpopulation were assayed for serum 25(OHD by radioimmunoassay at baseline. LUTS were evaluated by a validated International Prostate Symptoms Scale (IPSS. Data on demographic characteristics, lifestyle factors, health, and medications were collected. Serum parathyroid and sex steroid hormones and genotypes of vitamin D receptors were assayed. The association of serum 25(OHD and LUTS was examined by using multivariable regression models. Serum 25(OHD was not significantly associated with the changes of IPSS or the risk of LUTS in overall participants. However, among men with 25(OHD ≤ 60 nmol/L, each 10 nmol/L increase of 25(OHD over 0 nmol/L was significantly associated with 1.3 lower points of IPSS or a 51.6% decreased risk for moderate/severe LUTS four years later. Adjustment for serum androstenedione (p = 0.019 and dehydropiandrosterone (p = 0.037 attenuated the associations. Our study suggested that among individuals with low vitamin D status, the increase of the 25(OHD level may be associated with a lowered risk of LUTS.

40 CFR 74.20 - Data for baseline and alternative baseline.

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2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 16 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Data for baseline and alternative baseline. 74.20 Section 74.20 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) AIR... baseline and alternative baseline. (a) Acceptable data. (1) The designated representative of a combustion...

Patient expectations predict greater pain relief with joint arthroplasty.

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Gandhi, Rajiv; Davey, John Roderick; Mahomed, Nizar

2009-08-01

We examined the relationship between patient expectations of total joint arthroplasty and functional outcomes. We surveyed 1799 patients undergoing primary hip or knee arthroplasty for demographic data and Western Ontario McMaster University Osteoarthritis Index scores at baseline, 3 months, and 1 year of follow-up. Patient expectations were determined with 3 survey questions. The patients with the greatest expectations of surgery were younger, male, and had a lower body mass index. Linear regression modeling showed that a greater expectation of pain relief with surgery independently predicted greater reported pain relief at 1 year of follow-up, adjusted for all relevant covariates (P relief after joint arthroplasty is an important predictor of outcomes at 1 year.

Segmental Urethral Dosimetry and Urinary Toxicity in Patients With No Urinary Symptoms Before Permanent Prostate Brachytherapy

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Thomas, Carys; Keyes, Mira; Liu, Mitchell; Moravan, Veronika

2008-01-01

Purpose: To determine whether segmental urethral dosimetry is predictive for the degree of urinary morbidity after prostate brachytherapy in patients with no urinary symptoms before prostate brachytherapy. Methods and Materials: Between May 2000 and November 2005, 1,107 patients underwent iodine-125 monotherapy with urethral sparing techniques. A total of 166 patients fulfilled the selection criteria: baseline (International Prostate Symptom Score) IPSS ≤5, no androgen deprivation therapy, and prostate ultrasound planning volumes (PUTV) <45 mL. The median follow-up was 44 months. Urinary morbidity was defined by maximum increase in IPSS, time to IPSS resolution, maximum Radiation Therapy Oncology Group (RTOG) score, time to RTOG resolution, and urinary retention. Surrogate deviated urethra was contoured and doses calculated at the base, mid-prostate, apex, and urogenital diaphragm. Univariate and multivariate analysis was used to evaluate urethral and prostate dosimetry, age, PUTV, and number of needles for their association with urinary morbidity. Results: Urethral dose was fairly constant in all urethra segments except prostate base, where the variation in does was large. On multivariate analysis, higher urethral base D50, V100, and larger PUTV were predictive for higher maximum increase in IPSS. Higher urethral base V100 and larger PUTV predicted for prolonged IPSS resolution. Higher urethral base D50 and larger needle number predicted for longer RTOG resolution. Higher urethral base V100 predicted for RTOG ≥2 toxicity. Conclusions: Radiation dose to the urethral base, larger PUTV, and needle number, predicted for increased urinary toxicity after prostate brachytherapy. Correlation between urinary morbidity and urethral base dosimetry may reflect a large variation in urethral dose observed at the prostate base

Efficacy of Anticholinergics for Chronic Prostatitis/Chronic Pelvic Pain Syndrome in Young and Middle-Aged Patients: A Single-Blinded, Prospective, Multi-Center Study

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Doo Sang Kim

2011-09-01

Full Text Available Purpose Chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CP/CPPS exhibits variable lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS. The aim of this study was to evaluate the incidence of LUTS and the efficacy of an anticholinergic agent in young and middle-aged CP/CPPS patients. Methods Ninety-six men with CP/CPPS were randomly assigned in a single-blind fashion and received either ciprofloxacin (group 1, 49 patients or ciprofloxacin and solifenacin (5 mg/day; group 2, 47 patients for 8 weeks. The National Institutes of Health chronic prostatitis symptom index (NIH-CPSI, the International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS, and the International Index of Erectile Function-5 (IIEF-5 were used to grade the patients' symptoms and the quality of life impact at the start of the study, and at 4 and 8 weeks from the initiation of the study. Results There was no significant difference between groups 1 and 2 with respect to age, duration of disease, or sub-domains of the IPSS, NIH-CPSI, or IIEF-5 at baseline. Of these patients, 67.4% had LUTS. Statistically significant differences were determined via the NIH-CPSI for total score and the pain and urinary domain scores. Statistically significant differences were determined via the IPSS for total score and the storage domain score. The total score of the IIEF-5 increased, but the change was not significant. There was no statistically significant difference in residual urine. Conclusions Many CP/CPPS patients had LUTS. Solifenacin in CP/CPPS demonstrated improvements in the NIH-CPSI and the IPSS total score and storage score. Storage factors significantly improved via the NIH-CPSI and IPSS assessments in the solifenacin treatment group.

Efficacy and safety of tamsulosin hydrochloride 0.2 mg and combination of tamsulosin hydrochloride 0.2 mg plus solifenacin succinate 5 mg after transurethral resection of the prostate: a prospective, randomized controlled trial

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Shin, Yu Seob; Zhang, Li Tao; You, Jae Hyung; Choi, In Sung; Zhao, Chen; Park, Jong Kwan

2016-01-01

Objective The objective of this study was to evaluate the safety and efficacy of tamsulosin hydrochloride 0.2 mg (TAM) and its combination with solifenacin succinate 5 mg (SOL) after transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP). Patients and methods The patients were randomized into three groups: TURP (group 1), TURP plus TAM (group 2), and TURP plus TAM + SOL (group 3). Patients in group 2 and group 3 received medication for 4 weeks. The primary efficacy end points were the mean change in total International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) and IPSS subscores. The secondary end points included quality-of-life score, Overactive Bladder Symptom Score, and short-form voiding and storage score of International Continence Society. Results In total, 37 men (31.8%) in group 1, 37 men (31.8%) in group 2, and 42 men (36.2%) in group 3 completed the study. In total IPSS, no significant improvement was seen from baseline to the end of treatment in groups 2 and 3 compared with group 1. However, in group 2, the decrement in the IPSS storage score was smaller than group 1 (P=0.02), and in group 3, the decrement in the IPSS voiding score was smaller than group 1 (P=0.05). In groups 2 and 3 compared with group 1, improvements in the quality of life score, total score of Overactive Bladder Symptom Score, and short-form voiding score and storage score of International Continence Society were not statistically significant. Conclusion Treatment with TAM and combination of TAM and SOL did not have significant additional benefits for lower urinary tract symptoms during the early recovery period after TURP. PMID:27698559

Three-dimensional analysis of the respiratory interplay effect in helical tomotherapy: Baseline variations cause the greater part of dose inhomogeneities seen.

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Tudor, G Samuel J; Harden, Susan V; Thomas, Simon J

2014-03-01

-trace combination for peak-to-peak amplitudes of up to 2.5 cm ranged from 4.5% to 51.6% (mean: 23.8%) of the dose delivered in the absence of respiratory motion. For cyclic motion only, the maximum dose differences in each combination ranged from 2.1% to 26.2% (mean: 9.2%). There is reasonable correspondence between an example of the phantom plan simulations and radiochromic film measurement. The filtered trace simulations revealed that frequencies close to the characteristic frequency of the jaw motion across the target were found to generate greater interplay effect than frequencies close to the gantry frequency or MLC motion. There was evidence of interplay between respiratory motion and MLC modulation, but this is small compared with the interplay between respiratory motion and jaw motion. For patient-plan simulations, dose discrepancies are seen of up to 9.0% for a patient with 0.3 cm peak-to-peak respiratory amplitude and up to 17.7% for a patient with 0.9 cm peak-to-peak amplitude. These values reduced to 1.3% and 6.5%, respectively, when only cyclic motion was considered. Software has been developed to simulate craniocaudal respiratory motion in phantom and patient plans using real patient respiratory traces. Decomposition of the traces into baseline andcyclic components reveals that the large majority of the interplay effect seen with the full trace is due to baseline variation during treatment.

Safety and Effectiveness of Once-Daily Tadalafil (5 mg Therapy in Korean Men with Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia/Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms in a Real-World Clinical Setting: Results from a Post- Marketing Surveillance Study

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Ji Eon Won

2018-05-01

Full Text Available Purpose: The aim of this study was to investigate the safety and effectiveness of tadalafil 5 mg once daily (quaque die [everyday], QD among Korean men with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH/lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS in a real-world clinical setting. Materials and Methods: This was a single-country, prospective, observational cohort study in which patients newly prescribed tadalafil 5 mg QD for the treatment of BPH/LUTS were followed-up for 12±2 or 24±2 weeks, or to the last treatment, during post-marketing surveillance. Safety was evaluated in terms of the frequency of treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs and serious adverse events (SAEs. Effectiveness was assessed by changes in the International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS from baseline to each endpoint. Results: All patients receiving ≥1 dose of tadalafil 5 mg QD (N=637 were included in the safety population. Two percent of patients (n=13 experienced 15 TEAEs of mild (n=10; 66.7% or moderate (n=5; 33.3% severity. No severe TEAEs and no SAEs were reported. Effectiveness evaluations included all patients receiving tadalafil who had both baseline and endpoint observations (12-week, N=265; 24-week, N=44. Compared with baseline, the mean IPSS total score (±standard error significantly improved by 4.7±0.3 and 6.4±0.7 points at the 12- and 24-week endpoints, respectively (p<0.0001, with significant improvements also observed on the storage, voiding, and quality of life subscores. In total, 69.1% of the patients had a clinically meaningful ≥3-point improvement in the IPSS total score. Conclusions: Tadalafil 5 mg QD was well tolerated and effective in Korean men with BPH/LUTS in a real-world clinical setting.

Comparison of patient-reported acute urinary and sexual toxicity scores in a 6- versus 2-fraction course of high-dose-rate prostate brachytherapy monotherapy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ragab, Omar; Park, Sang-June; Zhang, Mingle; Wang, Jason; Velez, Maria; Demanes, David J.; Banerjee, Robyn; Patel, Shyamal; Kamrave, Mitchell

2018-01-01

To identify differences in acute urinary and sexual toxicity between a 6-fraction and 2-fraction high-dose-rate brachytherapy monotherapy regimen and correlate dosimetric constraints to short-term toxicity. A single institution retrospective study of 116 men with prostate cancer treated with HDR monotherapy from 2010 to 2015 was conducted. Eighty-one men had 7.25 Gy × 6-fractions and 35 men had 13.5 Gy × 2-fractions. Patients had two CT-planned implants spaced 1–2 weeks apart. Patient baseline characteristics, International Prostate Symptom Scores (IPSS) and Sexual Health Inventory for Men (SHIM) scores were collected pre-treatment and 3, 6 and 12 months post-implantation. Mixed effect modelling was undertaken to compare baseline, 1–6 month and 7–12 month scores between groups. Poisson regression analysis was performed to correlate dosimetric constraints with acute toxicity. There was no difference between baseline and post-implantation IPSS scores between 6-fraction and 2-fraction groups. SHIM scores for men treated with 6-fractions had a steeper decline at 1–6 months, but resolved at 7–12 months. Pre-treatment alpha-blocker use correlated with worse short-term acute urinary toxicity. Worsened SHIM score correlated with increasing age, diabetes mellitus and androgen-deprivation therapy. In a dosimetric analysis of outcomes, prostate V150 dose and bladder wall (D01.cc, D1cc, D2cc) dose correlated with increased IPSS score. No increased acute genitourinary or sexual dysfunction has been observed in men when transitioning from 6-fraction to 2-fraction HDR monotherapy. A dosimetric correlation was found between the V150 and bladder wall doses for acute urinary toxicity. Future research should continue to standardize and validate dose constraints for prostate HDR monotherapy patients.

A long baseline global stereo matching based upon short baseline estimation

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Li, Jing; Zhao, Hong; Li, Zigang; Gu, Feifei; Zhao, Zixin; Ma, Yueyang; Fang, Meiqi

2018-05-01

In global stereo vision, balancing the matching efficiency and computing accuracy seems to be impossible because they contradict each other. In the case of a long baseline, this contradiction becomes more prominent. In order to solve this difficult problem, this paper proposes a novel idea to improve both the efficiency and accuracy in global stereo matching for a long baseline. In this way, the reference images located between the long baseline image pairs are firstly chosen to form the new image pairs with short baselines. The relationship between the disparities of pixels in the image pairs with different baselines is revealed by considering the quantized error so that the disparity search range under the long baseline can be reduced by guidance of the short baseline to gain matching efficiency. Then, the novel idea is integrated into the graph cuts (GCs) to form a multi-step GC algorithm based on the short baseline estimation, by which the disparity map under the long baseline can be calculated iteratively on the basis of the previous matching. Furthermore, the image information from the pixels that are non-occluded under the short baseline but are occluded for the long baseline can be employed to improve the matching accuracy. Although the time complexity of the proposed method depends on the locations of the chosen reference images, it is usually much lower for a long baseline stereo matching than when using the traditional GC algorithm. Finally, the validity of the proposed method is examined by experiments based on benchmark datasets. The results show that the proposed method is superior to the traditional GC method in terms of efficiency and accuracy, and thus it is suitable for long baseline stereo matching.

Hypertension Treatment and Concern About Falling: Baseline Data from the Systolic Blood Pressure Intervention Trial.

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Berlowitz, Dan R; Breaux-Shropshire, Tonya; Foy, Capri G; Gren, Lisa H; Kazis, Lewis; Lerner, Alan J; Newman, Jill C; Powell, James R; Riley, William T; Rosman, Robert; Wadley, Virginia G; Williams, Julie A

2016-11-01

To determine the extent of concern about falling in older adults with hypertension, whether lower blood pressure (BP) and greater use of antihypertensive medications are associated with greater concern about falling, and whether lower BP has a greater effect on concern about falling in older and more functionally impaired individuals. Secondary analysis involving cross-sectional study of baseline characteristics of participants enrolled in the Systolic Blood Pressure Intervention Trial (SPRINT). Approximately 100 outpatient sites. SPRINT enrollees aged 50 and older (mean age 69) diagnosed with hypertension (N = 2,299). Concern about falling was determined using the shortened version of the Falls Efficacy Scale International as measured at the baseline examination. Mild concern about falling was present in 29.3% of participants and moderate to severe concern in 17.9%. Neither low BP (systolic BPconcern about falling (P > .10). Participants with moderate to severe concern about falling were taking significantly more antihypertensive medications than those with mild or no concern. After adjusting for baseline characteristics, no associations were evident between BP, medications, and concern about falling. Results were similar in older and younger participants; interactions between BP and age and functional status were not significantly associated with concern about falling. Although concern about falling is common in older adults with hypertension, it was not found to be associated with low BP or use of more antihypertensive medications in baseline data from SPRINT. © 2016, Copyright the Authors Journal compilation © 2016, The American Geriatrics Society.

Serenoa repens, lycopene and selenium versus tamsulosin for the treatment of LUTS/BPH. An Italian multicenter double-blinded randomized study between single or combination therapy (PROCOMB trial).

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Morgia, Giuseppe; Russo, Giorgio I; Voce, Salvatore; Palmieri, Fabiano; Gentile, Marcello; Giannantoni, Antonella; Blefari, Franco; Carini, Marco; Minervini, Andrea; Ginepri, Andrea; Salvia, Giuseppe; Vespasiani, Giuseppe; Santelli, Giorgio; Cimino, Sebastiano; Allegro, Rosalinda; Collura, Zaira; Fragalà, Eugenia; Arnone, Salvatore; Pareo, Rosaria M

2014-11-01

Phytotherapy has been used to treat patients with lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS). We evaluated the efficacy and tolerability of combination therapy between Serenoa Repens (SeR), Lycopene (Ly), and Selenium (Se) + tamsulosin versus single therapies. PROCOMB trial (ISRCTN78639965) was a randomized double-blinded, double-dummy multicenter study of 225 patients between 55 and 80 years old, PSA ≤ 4 ng/ml, IPSS ≥12, prostate volume ≤60 cc, Qmax ≤15 ml/sec, postvoid residual urine (PVR) tamsulosin 0.4 mg), group C (SeR-Se-Ly + tamsulosin 0.4 mg). The primary endpoints of the study were the reduction of IPSS, PVR, and increase of Qmax in group C versus monotherapy groups. The decrease for combination therapy was significantly greater versus group A (P tamsulosin therapy is more effective than single therapies in improving IPSS and increasing Qmax in patients with LUTS. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

cExternal beam radiation results in minimal changes in post void residual urine volumes during the treatment of clinically localized prostate cancer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Orio, Peter F III; Merrick, Gregory S; Allen, Zachariah A; Butler, Wayne M; Wallner, Kent E; Kurko, Brian S; Galbreath, Robert W

2009-01-01

To evaluate the impact of external beam radiation therapy (XRT) on weekly ultrasound determined post-void residual (PVR) urine volumes in patients with prostate cancer. 125 patients received XRT for clinically localized prostate cancer. XRT was delivered to the prostate only (n = 66) or if the risk of lymph node involvement was greater than 10% to the whole pelvis followed by a prostate boost (n = 59). All patients were irradiated in the prone position in a custom hip-fix mobilization device with an empty bladder and rectum. PVR was obtained at baseline and weekly. Multiple clinical and treatment parameters were evaluated as predictors for weekly PVR changes. The mean patient age was 73.9 years with a mean pre-treatment prostate volume of 53.3 cc, a mean IPSS of 11.3 and a mean baseline PVR of 57.6 cc. During treatment, PVR decreased from baseline in both cohorts with the absolute difference within the limits of accuracy of the bladder scanner. Alpha-blockers did not predict for a lower PVR during treatment. There was no significant difference in mean PVR urine volumes or differences from baseline in either the prostate only or pelvic radiation groups (p = 0.664 and p = 0.458, respectively). Patients with a larger baseline PVR (>40 cc) had a greater reduction in PVR, although the greatest reduction was seen between weeks one and three. Patients with a small PVR (<40 cc) had no demonstrable change throughout treatment. Prostate XRT results in clinically insignificant changes in weekly PVR volumes, suggesting that radiation induced bladder irritation does not substantially influence bladder residual urine volumes

cExternal beam radiation results in minimal changes in post void residual urine volumes during the treatment of clinically localized prostate cancer

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Wallner Kent E

2009-07-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background To evaluate the impact of external beam radiation therapy (XRT on weekly ultrasound determined post-void residual (PVR urine volumes in patients with prostate cancer. Methods 125 patients received XRT for clinically localized prostate cancer. XRT was delivered to the prostate only (n = 66 or if the risk of lymph node involvement was greater than 10% to the whole pelvis followed by a prostate boost (n = 59. All patients were irradiated in the prone position in a custom hip-fix mobilization device with an empty bladder and rectum. PVR was obtained at baseline and weekly. Multiple clinical and treatment parameters were evaluated as predictors for weekly PVR changes. Results The mean patient age was 73.9 years with a mean pre-treatment prostate volume of 53.3 cc, a mean IPSS of 11.3 and a mean baseline PVR of 57.6 cc. During treatment, PVR decreased from baseline in both cohorts with the absolute difference within the limits of accuracy of the bladder scanner. Alpha-blockers did not predict for a lower PVR during treatment. There was no significant difference in mean PVR urine volumes or differences from baseline in either the prostate only or pelvic radiation groups (p = 0.664 and p = 0.458, respectively. Patients with a larger baseline PVR (>40 cc had a greater reduction in PVR, although the greatest reduction was seen between weeks one and three. Patients with a small PVR ( Conclusion Prostate XRT results in clinically insignificant changes in weekly PVR volumes, suggesting that radiation induced bladder irritation does not substantially influence bladder residual urine volumes.

Efficacy and Safety of Initial Combination Treatment of an Alpha Blocker with an Anticholinergic Medication in Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia Patients with Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms: Updated Meta-Analysis.

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Hyun Jung Kim

Full Text Available There is still controversy as to whether initial combination treatment is superior to serial addition of anticholinergics after maintenance or induction of alpha blockers in benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH/lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS.The objective of this study was to determine the benefits and safety of initial combination treatment of an alpha blocker with anticholinergic medication in BPH/LUTS through a systematic review and meta-analysis.We conducted a meta-analysis of improvement in LUTS using International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS, maximal urinary flow rate (Qmax, post-voided residual volume (PVR, and quality of life (QoL.In total, 16 studies were included in our analysis, with a total sample size of 3,548 subjects (2,195 experimental subjects and 1,353 controls. The mean change in total IPSS improvement from baseline in the combination group versus the alpha blocker monotherapy group was -0.03 (95% CI: -0.14-0.08. The pooled overall SMD change of storage IPSS improvement from baseline was -0.28 (95% CI: -0.40 - -0.17. The pooled overall SMD changes of QoL, Qmax, and PVR were -0.29 (95% CI: -0.50 - -0.07, 0.00 (95% CI: -0.08-0.08, and 0.56 (95% CI: 0.23-0.89, respectively. There was no significant difference in the number of acute urinary retention (AUR events or PVR.Initial combination treatment of an alpha blocker with anticholinergic medication is efficacious for in BPH/ LUTS with improved measures such as storage symptoms and QoL without causing significant deterioration of voiding function.

Is Tamsulosin 0.2 mg Effective and Safe as a First-Line Treatment Compared with Other Alpha Blockers?: A Meta-Analysis and a Moderator Focused Study.

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Shim, Sung Ryul; Kim, Jae Heon; Chang, In Ho; Shin, In Soo; Hwang, Sung Dong; Kim, Khae Hwan; Yoon, Sang Jin; Song, Yun Seob

2016-03-01

Tamsulosin 0.2 mg is used widely in Asian people, but the low dose has been studied less than tamsulosin 0.4 mg or other alpha blockers of standard dose. This study investigated the efficacy and safety of tamsulosin 0.2 mg by a meta-analysis and meta-regression. We conducted a meta-analysis of efficacy of tamsulosin 0.2 mg using International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS), maximal urinary flow rate (Qmax), post-voided residual volume (PVR), and quality of life (QoL). Safety was analyzed using adverse events. Relevant studies were searched using MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Cochrane library from January 1980 to June 2013. Ten studies were included with a total sample size of 1418 subjects [722 tamsulosin 0.2 mg group and 696 other alpha-blockers (terazosin, doxazosin, naftopidil, silodosin) group]. Study duration ranged from 4 to 24 weeks. The pooled overall standardized mean differences (SMD) in the mean change of IPSS from baseline for the tamsulosin group versus the control group was 0.02 [95% confidence interval (CI); -0.20, 0.25]. The pooled overall SMD in the mean change of QoL from baseline for the tamsulosin group versus the control group was 0.16 (95% CI; -0.16, 0.48). The regression analysis with the continuous variables (number of patients, study duration) revealed no significance in all outcomes as IPSS, QoL, and Qmax. This study clarifies that tamsulosin 0.2 mg has similar efficacy and fewer adverse events compared with other alpha-blockers as an initial treatment strategy for men with lower urinary tract symptoms.

Greater general startle reflex is associated with greater anxiety levels: a correlational study on 111 young women

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Eleonora ePoli

2015-02-01

Full Text Available Startle eyeblink reflex is a valid non-invasive tool for studying attention, emotion and psychiatric disorders. In the absence of any experimental manipulation, the general (or baseline startle reflex shows a high inter-individual variability, which is often considered task-irrelevant and therefore normalized across participants. Unlike the above view, we hypothesized that greater general startle magnitude is related to participants’ higher anxiety level. 111 healthy young women, after completing the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, were randomly administered 10 acoustic white noise probes (50 ms, 100 dBA acoustic level while integrated EMG from left and right orbicularis oculi was recorded. Results showed that participants with greater state anxiety levels exhibited larger startle reflex magnitude from the left eye (r109=0.23, p<0.05. Furthermore, individuals who perceived the acoustic probe as more aversive reported the largest anxiety scores (r109=0.28, p<0.05 and had the largest eyeblinks, especially in the left eye (r109 = 0.34, p<0.001. Results suggest that general startle may represent a valid tool for studying the neural excitability underlying anxiety and emotional dysfunction in neurological and mental disorders.

Developing RESRAD-BASELINE for environmental baseline risk assessment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cheng, Jing-Jy.

1995-01-01

RESRAD-BASELINE is a computer code developed at Argonne developed at Argonne National Laboratory for the US Department of Energy (DOE) to perform both radiological and chemical risk assessments. The code implements the baseline risk assessment guidance of the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA 1989). The computer code calculates (1) radiation doses and cancer risks from exposure to radioactive materials, and (2) hazard indexes and cancer risks from exposure to noncarcinogenic and carcinogenic chemicals, respectively. The user can enter measured or predicted environmental media concentrations from the graphic interface and can simulate different exposure scenarios by selecting the appropriate pathways and modifying the exposure parameters. The database used by PESRAD-BASELINE includes dose conversion factors and slope factors for radionuclides and toxicity information and properties for chemicals. The user can modify the database for use in the calculation. Sensitivity analysis can be performed while running the computer code to examine the influence of the input parameters. Use of RESRAD-BASELINE for risk analysis is easy, fast, and cost-saving. Furthermore, it ensures in consistency in methodology for both radiological and chemical risk analyses

Evaluation of the accuracy of estimated baseline serum creatinine for acute kidney injury diagnosis.

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Hatakeyama, Yutaka; Horino, Taro; Nagata, Keitaro; Kataoka, Hiromi; Matsumoto, Tatsuki; Terada, Yoshio; Okuhara, Yoshiyasu

2018-04-01

Modern epidemiologic studies of acute kidney injury (AKI) have been facilitated by the increasing availability of electronic medical records. However, pre-morbid reference serum creatinine (SCr) data are often unavailable in such records. Investigators substitute estimated baseline SCr with the eGFR 75 approach, instead of using actually measured baseline SCr. Here, we evaluated the accuracy of estimated baseline SCr for AKI diagnosis in the Japanese population. Inpatients and outpatients aged 18-80 years were retrospectively enrolled. AKI was diagnosed according to the Kidney Disease Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) criteria, using SCr levels. The non-AKI and AKI groups were selected using the following criteria: increase 1.5 times greater than baseline SCr ("baseline SCr") or increase 0.3 mg/dL greater than baseline SCr in 48 h ("increase in 48 h"). AKI accuracy defined by the estimated reference SCr, the average SCr value of the non-AKI population (eb-GFR-A approach), or the back-calculated SCr from fixed eGFR = 75 mL/min/1.73 m 2 (eGFR 75 approach, or, eb-GFR-B approach in this study), was evaluated. We analyzed data from 131,358 Japanese patients. The number of patients with reference baseline SCr in the non-AKI and AKI patients were 29,834 and 8952, respectively. For AKI patients diagnosed using "baseline SCr", the AKI diagnostic accuracy rates as defined by eb-GFR-A and eb-GFR-B were 63.5 and 57.7%, respectively, while in AKI diagnosed using "increase in 48 h", the AKI diagnostic accuracy rates as defined by eb-GFR-A and eb-GFR-B were 78.7 and 75.1%, respectively. In non-AKI patients, false-positive rates of AKI misdiagnosed via eb-GFR-A and eb-GFR-B were 7.4 and 6.8%, respectively. AKI diagnosis using the average SCr value of the general population may yield more accurate results than diagnosis using the eGFR 75 approach when the reference SCr is unavailable.

Tadalafil once daily in the treatment of lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) suggestive of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) in men without erectile dysfunction.

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Brock, Gerald; Broderick, Gregory; Roehrborn, Claus G; Xu, Lei; Wong, David; Viktrup, Lars

2013-11-01

To assess the safety and efficacy of tadalafil once daily on lower urinary tract symptoms suggestive of clinical benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH-LUTS) in men without erectile dysfunction (ED). To compare these with effects in men with ED. After a 4-week washout period and 4-week placebo run-in period, 1089 men without ED (n = 338) and with ED (n = 751) were randomly assigned to placebo or tadalafil 5 mg once daily for 12 weeks in three global clinical studies with similar designs. In the pooled dataset, post hoc analyses of covariance assessed the impact and severity of BPH-LUTS using the International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) and the BPH Impact Index (BII) and IPSS quality-of-life (IPSS-QoL) subscores. Safety was assessed using treatment-emergent adverse events. The treatment-by-ED-status interaction was used to assess efficacy differences between the with/without ED subgroups. Men without ED were similar in BPH-LUTS severity/previous therapy to men with ED. Tadalafil significantly reduced BPH-LUTS from baseline when compared with placebo in men without ED (IPSS -5.4 vs -3.3, P  0.68). Tadalafil was safe and well tolerated. Tadalafil 5 mg once daily improved BPH-LUTS in men without ED by a magnitude similar to that observed in men with ED. The adverse event profile in men without ED was consistent with that observed in men with ED. © 2013 The Authors. BJU International © 2013 BJU International.

Near-Infrared Spectroscopy of the Urinary Bladder during Voiding in Men with Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms: A Preliminary Study

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Fawzy F. Farag

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Objectives. To determine the difference in response of NIRS of the bladder during voiding between men with and without BOO.LUTS. Methods. A prospective, case series, study included 36 men with LUTS. Patients completed the IPSS questionnaire; prostate volumes were measured sonographically. Patients underwent pressure flow study (PFS with simultaneous NIRS of the bladder. Amplitudes of HHb, O2Hb, and were calculated at , relative to baseline. Patients were urodynamically classified as obstructed and unobstructed. Recursive partition analysis (RPA was performed to reclassify patients using NIRS amplitudes, followed by combined data of NIRS amplitudes, prostate volume, IPSS, and to determine the best predictor(s of BOO. Results. PFS classified 28 patients as obstructed and 8 as unobstructed. The median HHb amplitude was significantly higher in obstructed group. RPA of NIRS amplitudes correctly reclassified 89% of patients [AUC: 0.91]. RPA of the combined IPSS, prostate volume, PVR, and correctly reclassified 72% of patients [AUC: 0.84]. When NIRS amplitudes were added to this combination, RPA revealed a significantly ( higher rate of correct reclassification in 89% of patients with 89.3% sensitivity and 88% specificity for obstruction [AUC: 0.96]. Conclusion. NIRS data can be of diagnostic value for BOO in men with LUTS.

Antiepileptic drug behavioral side effects and baseline hyperactivity in children and adolescents with new onset epilepsy.

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Guilfoyle, Shanna M; Follansbee-Junger, Katherine; Smith, Aimee W; Combs, Angela; Ollier, Shannon; Hater, Brooke; Modi, Avani C

2018-01-01

To examine baseline psychological functioning and antiepileptic drug (AED) behavioral side effects in new onset epilepsy and determine, by age, whether baseline psychological functioning predicts AED behavioral side effects 1 month following AED initiation. A retrospective chart review was conducted between July 2011 and December 2014 that included youths with new onset epilepsy. As part of routine interdisciplinary care, caregivers completed the Behavior Assessment System for Children, 2nd Edition: Parent Rating Scale to report on baseline psychological functioning at the diagnostic visit and the Pediatric Epilepsy Side Effects Questionnaire to identify AED behavioral side effects at the 1-month follow-up clinic visit following AED initiation. Children (age = 2-11 years) and adolescents (age = 12-18 years) were examined separately. A total of 380 youths with new onset epilepsy (M age  = 8.9 ± 4.3 years; 83.4% Caucasian; 34.8% focal epilepsy, 41.1% generalized epilepsy, 23.7% unclassified epilepsy) were included. Seventy percent of youths had at-risk or clinically elevated baseline psychological symptoms. Children had significantly greater AED behavioral side effects (M = 25.08 ± 26.36) compared to adolescents (M = 12.36 ± 17.73), regardless of AED. Valproic acid demonstrated significantly greater behavioral side effects compared to all other AEDs, with the exception of levetiracetam. Higher hyperactivity/impulsivity at baseline significantly predicted higher AED behavioral side effects 1 month after AED initiation in both age groups. Younger children seem to be more prone to experience behavioral side effects, and these are likely to be higher if youths with epilepsy have baseline hyperactivity/impulsivity. Baseline psychological screening, specifically hyperactivity, can be used as a precision medicine tool for AED selection. Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2017 International League Against Epilepsy.

Eveningness and Later Sleep Timing Are Associated with Greater Risk for Alcohol and Marijuana Use in Adolescence: Initial Findings from the National Consortium on Alcohol and Neurodevelopment in Adolescence Study.

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Hasler, Brant P; Franzen, Peter L; de Zambotti, Massimiliano; Prouty, Devin; Brown, Sandra A; Tapert, Susan F; Pfefferbaum, Adolf; Pohl, Kilian M; Sullivan, Edith V; De Bellis, Michael D; Nagel, Bonnie J; Baker, Fiona C; Colrain, Ian M; Clark, Duncan B

2017-06-01

Abundant cross-sectional evidence links eveningness (a preference for later sleep-wake timing) and increased alcohol and drug use among adolescents and young adults. However, longitudinal studies are needed to examine whether eveningness is a risk factor for subsequent alcohol and drug use, particularly during adolescence, which is marked by parallel peaks in eveningness and risk for the onset of alcohol use disorders. This study examined whether eveningness and other sleep characteristics were associated with concurrent or subsequent substance involvement in a longitudinal study of adolescents. Participants were 729 adolescents (368 females; age 12 to 21 years) in the National Consortium on Alcohol and Neurodevelopment in Adolescence study. Associations between the sleep variables (circadian preference, sleep quality, daytime sleepiness, sleep timing, and sleep duration) and 3 categorical substance variables (at-risk alcohol use, alcohol bingeing, and past-year marijuana use [y/n]) were examined using ordinal and logistic regression with baseline age, sex, race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and psychiatric problems as covariates. At baseline, greater eveningness was associated with greater at-risk alcohol use, greater bingeing, and past-year use of marijuana. Later weekday and weekend bedtimes, but not weekday or weekend sleep duration, showed similar associations across the 3 substance outcomes at baseline. Greater baseline eveningness was also prospectively associated with greater bingeing and past-year use of marijuana at the 1-year follow-up, after covarying for baseline bingeing and marijuana use. Later baseline weekday and weekend bedtimes, and shorter baseline weekday sleep duration, were similarly associated with greater bingeing and past-year use of marijuana at the 1-year follow-up after covarying for baseline values. Findings suggest that eveningness and sleep timing may be under recognized risk factors and future areas of intervention for

After low and high dose-rate interstitial brachytherapy followed by IMRT radiotherapy for intermediate and high risk prostate cancer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nakamura, Satoshi; Murakami, Naoya; Inaba, Koji; Wakita, Akihisa; Kobayashi, Kazuma; Takahashi, Kana; Okamoto, Hiroyuki; Umezawa, Rei; Morota, Madoka; Sumi, Minako; Igaki, Hiroshi; Ito, Yoshinori; Itami, Jun

2016-01-01

The study aimed to compare urinary symptoms in patients with clinically localized prostate cancer after a combination of either low-dose-rate or high-dose-rate interstitial brachytherapy along with intensity-modulated radiation therapy (LDR-ISBT + IMRT or HDR-ISBT + IMRT). From June 2009 to April 2014, 16 and 22 patients were treated with LDR-ISBT + IMRT and HDR-ISBT + IMRT, respectively. No patient from these groups was excluded from this study. The prescribed dose of LDR-ISBT, HDR-ISBT, and IMRT was 115 Gy, 20 Gy in 2 fractions, and 46 Gy in 23 fractions, respectively. Obstructive and irritative urinary symptoms were assessed by the International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) examined before and after treatments. After ISBT, IPSS was evaluated in the 1st and 4th weeks, then every 2–3 months for the 1st year, and every 6 months thereafter. The median follow-up of the patients treated with LDR-ISBT + IMRT and HDR-ISBT + IMRT was 1070.5 days and 1048.5 days, respectively (p = 0.321). The IPSS-increment in the LDR-ISBT + IMRT group was greater than that in the HDR-ISBT + IMRT between 91 and 180 days after ISBT (p = 0.015). In the LDR-ISBT + IMRT group, the IPSS took longer time to return to the initial level than in the HDR-ISBT + IMRT group (in LDR-ISBT + IMRT group, the recovery time was 90 days later). The dose to urethra showed a statistically significant association with the IPSS-increment in the irritative urinary symptoms (p = 0.011). Clinical outcomes were comparable between both the groups. Both therapeutic modalities are safe and well suited for patients with clinically localized prostate cancer; however, it took patients longer to recover from LDR-ISBT + IMRT than from HDR-ISBT + IMRT. It is possible that fast dose delivery induced early symptoms and early recovery, while gradual dose delivery induced late symptoms and late recovery. Urethral dose reductions were associated with small increments in IPSS

The Effect of Pretest Exercise on Baseline Computerized Neurocognitive Test Scores.

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Pawlukiewicz, Alec; Yengo-Kahn, Aaron M; Solomon, Gary

2017-10-01

Baseline neurocognitive assessment plays a critical role in return-to-play decision making following sport-related concussions. Prior studies have assessed the effect of a variety of modifying factors on neurocognitive baseline test scores. However, relatively little investigation has been conducted regarding the effect of pretest exercise on baseline testing. The aim of our investigation was to determine the effect of pretest exercise on baseline Immediate Post-Concussion Assessment and Cognitive Testing (ImPACT) scores in adolescent and young adult athletes. We hypothesized that athletes undergoing self-reported strenuous exercise within 3 hours of baseline testing would perform more poorly on neurocognitive metrics and would report a greater number of symptoms than those who had not completed such exercise. Cross-sectional study; Level of evidence, 3. The ImPACT records of 18,245 adolescent and young adult athletes were retrospectively analyzed. After application of inclusion and exclusion criteria, participants were dichotomized into groups based on a positive (n = 664) or negative (n = 6609) self-reported history of strenuous exercise within 3 hours of the baseline test. Participants with a positive history of exercise were then randomly matched, based on age, sex, education level, concussion history, and hours of sleep prior to testing, on a 1:2 basis with individuals who had reported no pretest exercise. The baseline ImPACT composite scores of the 2 groups were then compared. Significant differences were observed for the ImPACT composite scores of verbal memory, visual memory, reaction time, and impulse control as well as for the total symptom score. No significant between-group difference was detected for the visual motor composite score. Furthermore, pretest exercise was associated with a significant increase in the overall frequency of invalid test results. Our results suggest a statistically significant difference in ImPACT composite scores between

Greater Trochanteric Pain Syndrome: Percutaneous Tendon Fenestration Versus Platelet-Rich Plasma Injection for Treatment of Gluteal Tendinosis.

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Jacobson, Jon A; Yablon, Corrie M; Henning, P Troy; Kazmers, Irene S; Urquhart, Andrew; Hallstrom, Brian; Bedi, Asheesh; Parameswaran, Aishwarya

2016-11-01

The purpose of this study was to compare ultrasound-guided percutaneous tendon fenestration to platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injection for treatment of greater trochanteric pain syndrome. After Institutional Review Board approval was obtained, patients with symptoms of greater trochanteric pain syndrome and ultrasound findings of gluteal tendinosis or a partial tear (Pain scores were recorded at baseline, week 1, and week 2 after treatment. Retrospective clinic record review assessed patient symptoms. The study group consisted of 30 patients (24 female), of whom 50% were treated with fenestration and 50% were treated with PRP. The gluteus medius was treated in 73% and 67% in the fenestration and PRP groups, respectively. Tendinosis was present in all patients. In the fenestration group, mean pain scores were 32.4 at baseline, 16.8 at time point 1, and 15.2 at time point 2. In the PRP group, mean pain scores were 31.4 at baseline, 25.5 at time point 1, and 19.4 at time point 2. Retrospective follow-up showed significant pain score improvement from baseline to time points 1 and 2 (P.99). Our study shows that both ultrasound-guided tendon fenestration and PRP injection are effective for treatment of gluteal tendinosis, showing symptom improvement in both treatment groups. © 2016 by the American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine.

Twelve-week, prospective, open-label, randomized trial on the effects of an anticholinergic agent or antidiuretic agent as add-on therapy to an alpha-blocker for lower urinary tract symptoms

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Shin YS

2014-07-01

Full Text Available Yu Seob Shin,1 Li Tao Zhang,1 Chen Zhao,2 Young Gon Kim,1 Jong Kwan Park1 1Department of Urology, Chonbuk National University Medical School, and Institute for Medical Sciences, Chonbuk National University and Biomedical Research Institute and Clinical Trial Center of Medical Device of Chonbuk National University Hospital, Jeonju, South Korea; 2Department of Urology, Renji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, and Shanghai Institute of Andrology, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China Purpose: The effects of an anticholinergic or antidiuretic agent as add-on therapy to an ­alpha-blocker for lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS according to a voiding diary in 3 days are unknown. We prospectively investigated the efficacy of an anticholinergic or antidiuretic agent as add-on therapy for nocturia in men previously treated with an alpha-blocker for LUTS.Subjects and methods: Patients were randomly subdivided into two groups. All patients had a 4-week washout. Group A had alpha-blocker for 4 weeks, then an alpha-blocker plus an anticholinergic agent for 4 weeks, and, finally, 4 weeks of an alpha-blocker plus an antidiuretic agent. Group B had an alpha-blocker for 4 weeks, then an alpha-blocker plus an antidiuretic agent for 4 weeks, and, finally, 4 weeks of an alpha-blocker plus an anticholinergic agent. In both groups, patients were subdivided into nocturnal polyuria, decreased nocturnal bladder capacity (NBC, or nocturia by both causes subgroups. A 3-day voiding diary, total International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS, IPSS sub-scores, Overactive Bladder Symptom Score, uroflowmetry, and post-void residual urine volume, were assessed at baseline, and at 4, 8, and 12 weeks.Results: A total of 405 patients completed the study. During treatment, the changes from baseline in total IPSS and IPSS sub-scores were significantly decreased at 4 weeks and were maintained for 12 weeks. In the nocturnal polyuria subgroup of Groups A and B

Temporal resolution of urinary morbidity following prostate brachytherapy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Merrick, Gregory S.; Butler, Wayne M.; Lief, Jonathan H.; Dorsey, Anthony T.

2000-01-01

Purpose: To report the short-term urinary morbidity for prostate brachytherapy patients without a preimplant history of a transurethral resection of the prostate gland and who received prophylactic and prolonged α-blockers. α-blockers may decrease radiation-induced urethritis and increase urinary flow. Multiple clinical and treatment parameters were evaluated to identify factors associated with increased acute urinary morbidity. Materials and Methods: One hundred seventy consecutive patients without a prior history of a transurethral resection of the prostate gland underwent transperineal ultrasound guided prostate brachytherapy for clinical T1c-T3a carcinoma of the prostate gland. For all patients, an α-blocker was initiated prior to implantation and continued at least until the international prostate symptom score (IPSS) returned to baseline levels. Clinical parameters evaluated for short-term urinary morbidity included patient age, clinical T stage, preimplant IPSS (obtained within 3 weeks of implantation), and prostate ultrasound volume. Treatment parameters included the utilization of neoadjuvant hormonal manipulation, the utilization of moderate dose external beam radiation therapy before implantation, the choice of isotope, the urethral dose, the total implant activity in millicuries, and a variety of dosimetric quality indicators (D 90 and V 100 /V 150 /V 200 ). Catheter dependency and the duration of α-blocker dependency was also evaluated. On average, 11.2 IPSS surveys were obtained for each patient. Results: One hundred fifty of the 170 patients (88.2%) had the urinary catheter permanently removed on day 0. Only one patient required an urinary catheter for > 5 days. Two patients (1.2%) required a subsequent transurethral resection of the prostate gland because of prolonged obstructive/irritative symptoms. To date, no patient has developed an urinary stricture or urinary incontinence. The IPS score on average peaked at 2 weeks following implantation

A randomized, comparative, open-label study of efficacy and tolerability of alfuzosin, tamsulosin and silodosin in benign prostatic hyperplasia.

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Manjunatha, R; Pundarikaksha, H P; Madhusudhana, H R; Amarkumar, J; Hanumantharaju, B K

2016-01-01

Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is a common and progressive disease affecting elderly males, often associated with lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS). α1-blockers are the mainstay in symptomatic therapy of BPH. Because of their greater uroselectivity and minimal hemodynamic effects, alfuzosin, tamsulosin, and silodosin are generally preferred. The aim of this study was to compare the efficacy and tolerability of alfuzosin, tamsulosin, and silodosin in patients with BPH and LUTS. Ninety subjects with BPH and LUTS were randomized into three groups of thirty in each, to receive alfuzosin sustained release (SR) 10 mg, tamsulosin 0.4 mg, or silodosin 8 mg for 12 weeks. The primary outcome measure was a change in the International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS), and the secondary outcome measures were changes in individual subjective symptom scores, quality of life score (QLS), and peak flow rate (Qmax) from baseline. The treatment response was monitored at 2, 4, 8, and 12 weeks. IPSS improved by 88.18%, 72.12%, and 82.23% in alfuzosin SR, tamsulosin and silodosin groups (P 75% in all the three groups (P tamsulosin (P = 0.025 and P tamsulosin (three subjects). Alfuzosin, tamsulosin, and silodosin showed similar efficacy in improvement of LUTS secondary to BPH, with good tolerability, acceptability, and minimum hemodynamic adverse effects. Alfuzosin, tamsulosin, and silodosin are comparable in efficacy in symptomatic management of BPH. The occurrence of QTc prolongation in three subjects with tamsulosin in the present study is an unexpected adverse event as there are no reports of QTc prolongation with tamsulosin in any of the previous studies.

The effect of tracking network configuration on GPS baseline estimates for the CASA Uno experiment

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Wolf, S. Kornreich; Dixon, T. H.; Freymueller, J. T.

1990-01-01

The effect of the tracking network on long (greater than 100 km) GPS baseline estimates was estimated using various subsets of the global tracking network initiated by the first Central and South America (CASA Uno) experiment. It was found that best results could be obtained with a global tacking network consisting of three U.S. stations, two sites in the southwestern Pacific, and two sites in Europe. In comparison with smaller subsets, this global network improved the baseline repeatability, the resolution of carrier phase cycle ambiguities, and formal errors of the orbit estimates.

Analysis of Seasonal Signal in GPS Short-Baseline Time Series

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Wang, Kaihua; Jiang, Weiping; Chen, Hua; An, Xiangdong; Zhou, Xiaohui; Yuan, Peng; Chen, Qusen

2018-04-01

Proper modeling of seasonal signals and their quantitative analysis are of interest in geoscience applications, which are based on position time series of permanent GPS stations. Seasonal signals in GPS short-baseline (paper, to better understand the seasonal signal in GPS short-baseline time series, we adopted and processed six different short-baselines with data span that varies from 2 to 14 years and baseline length that varies from 6 to 1100 m. To avoid seasonal signals that are overwhelmed by noise, each of the station pairs is chosen with significant differences in their height (> 5 m) or type of the monument. For comparison, we also processed an approximately zero baseline with a distance of pass-filtered (BP) noise is valid for approximately 40% of the baseline components, and another 20% of the components can be best modeled by a combination of the first-order Gauss-Markov (FOGM) process plus white noise (WN). The TEM displacements are then modeled by considering the monument height of the building structure beneath the GPS antenna. The median contributions of TEM to the annual amplitude in the vertical direction are 84% and 46% with and without additional parts of the monument, respectively. Obvious annual signals with amplitude > 0.4 mm in the horizontal direction are observed in five short-baselines, and the amplitudes exceed 1 mm in four of them. These horizontal seasonal signals are likely related to the propagation of daily/sub-daily TEM displacement or other signals related to the site environment. Mismodeling of the tropospheric delay may also introduce spurious seasonal signals with annual amplitudes of 5 and 2 mm, respectively, for two short-baselines with elevation differences greater than 100 m. The results suggest that the monument height of the additional part of a typical GPS station should be considered when estimating the TEM displacement and that the tropospheric delay should be modeled cautiously, especially with station pairs with

Baseline glucocorticoids are drivers of body mass gain in a diving seabird.

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Hennin, Holly L; Wells-Berlin, Alicia M; Love, Oliver P

2016-03-01

Life-history trade-offs are influenced by variation in individual state, with individuals in better condition often completing life-history stages with greater success. Although resource accrual significantly impacts key life-history decisions such as the timing of reproduction, little is known about the underlying mechanisms driving resource accumulation. Baseline corticosterone (CORT, the primary avian glucocorticoid) mediates daily and seasonal energetics, responds to changes in food availability, and has been linked to foraging behavior, making it a strong potential driver of individual variation in resource accrual and deposition. Working with a captive colony of white-winged scoters (Melanitta fusca deglandi), we aimed to causally determine whether variation in baseline CORT drives individual body mass gains mediated through fattening rate (plasma triglycerides corrected for body mass). We implanted individuals with each of three treatment pellets to elevate CORT within a baseline range in a randomized order: control, low dose of CORT, high dose of CORT, then blood sampled and recorded body mass over a two-week period to track changes in baseline CORT, body mass, and fattening rates. The high CORT treatment significantly elevated levels of plasma hormone for a short period of time within the biologically relevant, baseline range for this species, but importantly did not inhibit the function of the HPA (hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal) axis. Furthermore, an elevation in baseline CORT resulted in a consistent increase in body mass throughout the trial period compared to controls. This is some of the first empirical evidence demonstrating that elevations of baseline CORT within a biologically relevant range have a causal, direct, and positive influence on changes in body mass.

Baseline glucocorticoids are drivers of body mass gain in a diving seabird

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Hennin, Holly; Berlin, Alicia; Love, Oliver P.

2016-01-01

Life-history trade-offs are influenced by variation in individual state, with individuals in better condition often completing life-history stages with greater success. Although resource accrual significantly impacts key life-history decisions such as the timing of reproduction, little is known about the underlying mechanisms driving resource accumulation. Baseline corticosterone (CORT, the primary avian glucocorticoid) mediates daily and seasonal energetics, responds to changes in food availability, and has been linked to foraging behavior, making it a strong potential driver of individual variation in resource accrual and deposition. Working with a captive colony of white-winged scoters (Melanitta fusca deglandi), we aimed to causally determine whether variation in baseline CORT drives individual body mass gains mediated through fattening rate (plasma triglycerides corrected for body mass). We implanted individuals with each of three treatment pellets to elevate CORT within a baseline range in a randomized order: control, low dose of CORT, high dose of CORT, then blood sampled and recorded body mass over a two-week period to track changes in baseline CORT, body mass, and fattening rates. The high CORT treatment significantly elevated levels of plasma hormone for a short period of time within the biologically relevant, baseline range for this species, but importantly did not inhibit the function of the HPA (hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal) axis. Furthermore, an elevation in baseline CORT resulted in a consistent increase in body mass throughout the trial period compared to controls. This is some of the first empirical evidence demonstrating that elevations of baseline CORT within a biologically relevant range have a causal, direct, and positive influence on changes in body mass.

The deterioration of signal to noise ratio due to baseline restoration

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Henein, K.L.

1976-02-01

The deterioration of signal to noise ratio due to baseline restoration is theoretically studied. This study brings to the conclusion that a restorer has negligible influence on the signal to noise ratio when its time constant is ten times greater than that of the main amplifier filter, and that the rapid restorers prevail over the slow ones when the time constant of the filter is increased by at least 50% of its optimal value [fr

Lower-energy radiofrequency thermotherapy for benign prostatic hyperplasia. Prediction of a favorable treatment outcome

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yanagisawa, Ryozo

2007-01-01

We evaluated short- and long-term results of lower-energy radiofrequency transurethral thermotherapy (TURT) for the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia and we investigated the predictors for a favorable treatment outcome. A total of 106 patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia underwent TURT, with TP10 used on 65 patients and Thermex I used on 41 patients. The assessment protocol consisted of international prostate symptom score (IPSS), quality of life (QOL) index, urodynamic study, dates of additional treatments and prostate examinations using transrectal ultrasonography and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Kaplan Meier survival analyses and logrank tests were used to assess an additional treatment-free period. At 3 months, the mean IPSS and QOL index had significantly decreased from 14.9 to 8.5 and from 4.2 to 2.5, respectively. Mean maximum flow rate had slightly but significantly increased from 11.4 to 11.9 ml per second. In accordance with guidelines proposed by the Japanese Urological Association, the overall clinical efficacy rate was 26.4%, including excellent, 7.5% and good, 18.9%. The efficacy rate was maintained for up to three years (29%) after the treatments in 31 patients who were able to be completely reevaluated. High IPSS and QOL index score were the predictors for short-term treatment outcome. Of the 106 patients, 76 were assessed by MRI before and 10 to 14 days after the treatment. The ranges of post-treatment-increased T2 signal were inversely associated with prostate volume. Kaplan Meier analysis indicated that 55% of the patients remained on TURT monotherapy five years after the treatment. Additional treatment-free periods were significantly longer in patients with an IPSS of 15 or less, with a QOL index of 4 or less, with a maximum flow rate of 10 ml per second or more, with a transition zone ratio of less than 0.4, or with a Schaefer obstruction grade of II or less at baseline. In conclusion, lower-energy radiofrequency

An open-label, prospective interventional study of the tolerability and efficacy of 0.4 mg oral tamsulosin oral controlled absorption system in men with lower urinary tract symptoms associated with benign prostatic hyperplasia who are unsatisfied with treatment with 0.2 mg tamsulosin.

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Yang, Pei-Shan; Chen, Chien-Lun; Hou, Chen-Pang; Lin, Yu-Hsiang; Tsui, Ke-Hung

2018-01-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the efficacy and tolerability of switching from 0.2 mg tamsulosin to 0.4 mg tamsulosin oral controlled absorption system (OCAS) over a 12-week period in Taiwanese men with lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) associated with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). Taiwanese male patients who were dissatisfied with treatment with 0.2 mg tamsulosin were enrolled in this clinical study and switched to 0.4 mg tamsulosin OCAS. Efficacy was assessed over a 12-week period by an International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) questionnaire and analysis of urinary flow by uroflowmetry. A statistically significant improvement was observed in total IPSS scores from baseline (14.94±7.41, moderate) to 12 weeks (7.36±5.77, mild) in 81 patients who were switched from 0.2 to 0.4 mg tamsulosin OCAS ( P tamsulosin OCAS dose was well tolerated, with only mild dizziness (five patients) and headache (two patients) as the most frequent adverse events. No clinically significant reduction was observed in blood pressure or vital signs. Treatment with 0.4 mg tamsulosin OCAS in Taiwanese men with LUTS associated with BPH who were dissatisfied with 0.2 mg tamsulosin significantly improved IPSS scores, urinary flow, and QOL and was well tolerated, suggesting that this should be the recommended dose offered to Taiwanese male patients.

Efficacy and safety of prostate artery embolization for benign prostatic hyperplasia: an observational study and propensity-matched comparison with transurethral resection of the prostate (the UK-ROPE study).

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Ray, Alistair F; Powell, John; Speakman, Mark J; Longford, Nicholas T; DasGupta, Ranan; Bryant, Timothy; Modi, Sachin; Dyer, Jonathan; Harris, Mark; Carolan-Rees, Grace; Hacking, Nigel

2018-04-12

To assess the efficacy and safety of prostate artery embolization (PAE) for lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) secondary to benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and to conduct an indirect comparison of PAE with transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP). As a joint initiative between the British Society of Interventional Radiologists, the British Association of Urological Surgeons and the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, we conducted the UK Register of Prostate Embolization (UK-ROPE) study, which recruited 305 patients across 17 UK urological/interventional radiology centres, 216 of whom underwent PAE and 89 of whom underwent TURP. The primary outcomes were International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) improvement in the PAE group at 12 months post-procedure, and complication data post-PAE. We also aimed to compare IPSS score improvements between the PAE and TURP groups, using non-inferiority analysis on propensity-score-matched patient pairs. The clinical results and urological measurements were performed at clinical sites. IPSS and other questionnaire-based results were mailed by patients directly to the trial unit managing the study. All data were uploaded centrally to the UK-ROPE study database. The results showed that PAE was clinically effective, producing a median 10-point IPSS improvement from baseline at 12 months post-procedure. PAE did not appear to be as effective as TURP, which produced a median 15-point IPSS score improvement at 12 months post-procedure. These findings are further supported by the propensity score analysis, in which we formed 65 closely matched pairs of patients who underwent PAE and patients who underwent TURP. In terms of IPSS and quality-of-life (QoL) improvement, there was no evidence of PAE being non-inferior to TURP. Patients in the PAE group had a statistically significant improvement in maximum urinary flow rate and prostate volume reduction at 12 months post-procedure. PAE had a reoperation rate of 5

Program Baseline Change Control Procedure

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1993-02-01

This procedure establishes the responsibilities and process for approving initial issues of and changes to the technical, cost, and schedule baselines, and selected management documents developed by the Office of Civilian Radioactive Waste Management (OCRWM) for the Civilian Radioactive Waste Management System. This procedure implements the OCRWM Baseline Management Plan and DOE Order 4700.1, Chg 1. It streamlines the change control process to enhance integration, accountability, and traceability of Level 0 and Level I decisions through standardized Baseline Change Proposal (BCP) forms to be used by the Level 0, 1, 2, and 3 Baseline Change Control Boards (BCCBs) and to be tracked in the OCRWM-wide Configuration Information System (CIS) Database.This procedure applies to all technical, cost, and schedule baselines controlled by the Energy System Acquisition Advisory Board (ESAAB) BCCB (Level 0) and, OCRWM Program Baseline Control Board (PBCCB) (Level 1). All baseline BCPs initiated by Level 2 or lower BCCBs, which require approval from ESAAB or PBCCB, shall be processed in accordance with this procedure. This procedure also applies to all Program-level management documents controlled by the OCRWM PBCCB

Impact of alfuzosin on sexual function in Taiwanese men with benign prostatic hyperplasia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Thomas I.S. Hwang

2012-08-01

Full Text Available To assess the effect of alfuzosin (XATRAL 10 mg once daily on sexual function in men with moderate to severe lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS associated with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH, patients with suggestive symptomatic BPH, an International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS >8 (range of scores, 0–35, and sexual attempts at least once per month were enrolled. All patients received alfuzosin 10 mg once daily for 24 weeks and were asked to complete the IPSS test and Male Sexual Health Questionnaire at weeks 0 (baseline, 1, 4, 12, and 24. Other assessments included the International Index of Erectile Function—five-item version (range of scores: 5–25, as well as onset of action and peak urinary flow rate (Qmax. From September 2006 to May 2008, 279 patients were enrolled from nine centers in Taiwan. At 24 weeks, alfuzosin effectively improved LUTS and quality of life, as demonstrated by a reduction in the IPSS total score (17.3 vs. 9.9, p < 0.001 and the IPSS bother score (3.8 vs. 2.5, p < 0.001. The majority (85% of patients perceived an improvement of urinary symptoms within 1 month of administration. In patients with an International Index of Erectile Function—five-item version score of ≤16, alfuzosin significantly improved erectile disorder and satisfaction subscores at each time point (p ≤ 0.02. Prolonged-release alfuzosin effectively improved LUTS, quality of life, erectile function, and sexual satisfaction in men with BPH and mild to severe erectile dysfunction. Alfuzosin is an effective treatment option for the management of patients with BPH/LUTS and concomitant sexual dysfunction.

Clinical significance of prostatic-urethral angulation on the treatment outcome of patients with symptomatic benign prostatic hyperplasia treated with tamsulosin hydrochloride

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hassan El-Tatawy

2015-09-01

Full Text Available Objectives: To evaluate the impact of the prostatic-urethral angulation (PUA on the treatment efficacy of selective alpha-1A receptor blocker in male patients with lower urinary tract symptoms secondary to benign prostatic hyperplasia (LUTS/BPH. Materials and methods: A total of 80 patients with LUTS/BPH and with mean age 53.3 ± 6.3 (range 47-70 were included in our prospective comparative study. The patients were classified into 2 groups as a consecutive cases 40 in each one depending on the PUA either ≤ 35° (group A or > 35° (group B. PUA and different prostatic parameters were measured using transrectal ultrasound. Prostate-specific antigen (PSA, the International Prostate Symptom Score and quality of life score (IPSS/QoL score, maximum flow rate (Qmax, and postvoid residual (PVR volume were compared between the groups. The clinical significance of PUA was evaluated after 8 weeks of medical treatment with tamsulosin hydrochloride 0.4 mg daily. Results: Baseline evaluation (pre-treatment for both groups were comparable to each other with no clinically significant difference regarding age, PSA, IPSS/QoL score, Qmax and PVR volume (P-value > 0.05. Comparison of parameters after 8 weeks showed that tamsulosin hydrochloride improved the total IPSS and all subscores (P < 0.001, QoL (P = 0.001, Qmax (P = 0.002, and PVR (P = 0.04 in group A (Table 1. Conclusion: Tamsulosin hydrochloride appears to be less effective in improving IPSS/Qol score, Qmax and PVR in patients with lager PUA. The PUA might be a predictor for the treatment efficacy of α-blockers and more studies are warranted in the future before the final conclusion.

Program reference schedule baseline

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1986-07-01

This Program Reference Schedule Baseline (PRSB) provides the baseline Program-level milestones and associated schedules for the Civilian Radioactive Waste Management Program. It integrates all Program-level schedule-related activities. This schedule baseline will be used by the Director, Office of Civilian Radioactive Waste Management (OCRWM), and his staff to monitor compliance with Program objectives. Chapter 1 includes brief discussions concerning the relationship of the PRSB to the Program Reference Cost Baseline (PRCB), the Mission Plan, the Project Decision Schedule, the Total System Life Cycle Cost report, the Program Management Information System report, the Program Milestone Review, annual budget preparation, and system element plans. Chapter 2 includes the identification of all Level 0, or Program-level, milestones, while Chapter 3 presents and discusses the critical path schedules that correspond to those Level 0 milestones

Association of baseline knee sagittal dynamic joint stiffness during gait and 2-year patellofemoral cartilage damage worsening in knee osteoarthritis.

Science.gov (United States)

Chang, A H; Chmiel, J S; Almagor, O; Guermazi, A; Prasad, P V; Moisio, K C; Belisle, L; Zhang, Y; Hayes, K; Sharma, L

2017-02-01

Knee sagittal dynamic joint stiffness (DJS) describes the biomechanical interaction between change in external knee flexion moment and flexion angular excursion during gait. In theory, greater DJS may particularly stress the patellofemoral (PF) compartment and thereby contribute to PF osteoarthritis (OA) worsening. We hypothesized that greater baseline knee sagittal DJS is associated with PF cartilage damage worsening 2 years later. Participants all had OA in at least one knee. Knee kinematics and kinetics during gait were recorded using motion capture systems and force plates. Knee sagittal DJS was computed as the slope of the linear regression line for knee flexion moments vs angles during the loading response phase. Knee magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans were obtained at baseline and 2 years later. We assessed the association between baseline DJS and baseline-to-2-year PF cartilage damage worsening using logistic regression with generalized estimating equations (GEE). Our sample had 391 knees (204 persons): mean age 64.2 years (SD 10.0); body mass index (BMI) 28.4 kg/m 2 (5.7); 76.5% women. Baseline knee sagittal DJS was associated with baseline-to-2-year cartilage damage worsening in the lateral (OR = 5.35, 95% CI: 2.37-12.05) and any PF (OR = 2.99, 95% CI: 1.27-7.04) compartment. Individual components of baseline DJS (i.e., change in knee moment or angle) were not associated with subsequent PF disease worsening. Capturing the concomitant effect of knee kinetics and kinematics during gait, knee sagittal DJS is a potentially modifiable risk factor for PF disease worsening. Copyright © 2016 Osteoarthritis Research Society International. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

CryoSat SAR/SARin Level1b products: assessment of BaselineC and improvements towards BaselineD

Science.gov (United States)

Scagliola, Michele; Fornari, Marco; Bouffard, Jerome; Parrinello, Tommaso

2017-04-01

CryoSat was launched on the 8th April 2010 and is the first European ice mission dedicated to the monitoring of precise changes in the thickness of polar ice sheets and floating sea ice. Cryosat carries an innovative radar altimeter called the Synthetic Aperture Interferometric Altimeter (SIRAL), that transmits pulses at a high pulse repetition frequency thus making the received echoes phase coherent and suitable for azimuth processing. This allows to reach a significantly improved along track resolution with respect to traditional pulse-width limited altimeters. CryoSat is the first altimetry mission operating in SAR mode and continuous improvements in the Level1 Instrument Processing Facility (IPF1) are being identified, tested and validated in order to improve the quality of the Level1b products. The current IPF, Baseline C, was released in operation in April 2015 and the second CryoSat reprocessing campaign was jointly initiated, taking benefit of the upgrade implemented in the IPF1 processing chain but also of some specific configurations for the calibration corrections. In particular, the CryoSat Level1b BaselineC products generated in the framework of the second reprocessing campaign include refined information for what concerns the mispointing angles and the calibration corrections. This poster will thus detail thus the evolutions that are currently planned for the CryoSat BaselineD SAR/SARin Level1b products and the corresponding quality improvements that are expected.

Effect of once-weekly dulaglutide on glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) and fasting blood glucose in patient subpopulations by gender, duration of diabetes and baseline HbA1c.

Science.gov (United States)

Gallwitz, Baptist; Dagogo-Jack, Samuel; Thieu, Vivian; Garcia-Perez, Luis-Emilio; Pavo, Imre; Yu, Maria; Robertson, Kenneth E; Zhang, Nan; Giorgino, Francesco

2018-02-01

To evaluate the efficacy and safety of dulaglutide 1.5 and 0.75 mg in patients with type 2 diabetes by subgroups of gender, duration of diabetes and baseline glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) in the dulaglutide clinical development programme (AWARD-1 to -6 and -8 clinical trials). Change in HbA1c was analysed by gender, duration of diabetes (baseline HbA1c (baseline in weight, hypoglycaemia and gastrointestinal adverse events were evaluated for individual trials. In the pooled analysis of patients treated with dulaglutide 1.5 mg at 6 months, the reductions in HbA1c from baseline were similar across gender (men: least squares [LS] mean -1.26% [95% confidence interval {CI} -1.36, -1.16]; women: LS mean -1.33% [95% CI -1.43, -1.24]) and among duration of diabetes subgroups (baseline HbA1c ≥8.5% had greater HbA1c reductions than patients with baseline HbA1c baseline HbA1c subgroups, respectively; women had a numerically greater weight loss or less weight gain than men with both dulaglutide doses. There was no clinically meaningful difference in hypoglycaemia trends by gender or duration of diabetes. Hypoglycaemia incidence and rate were generally lower in patients with baseline HbA1c ≥8.5% than in those with baseline HbA1c, with greater HbA1c and FBG reductions in patients with a higher baseline HbA1c. Dulaglutide was well tolerated, with a safety profile similar to other glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Weight change by baseline BMI from three-year observational data: findings from the Worldwide Schizophrenia Outpatient Health Outcomes Database.

Science.gov (United States)

Bushe, Chris J; Slooff, Cees J; Haddad, Peter M; Karagianis, Jamie L

2013-04-01

The aim was to explore weight and body mass index (BMI) changes by baseline BMI in patients completing three years of monotherapy with various first- and second-generation antipsychotics in a large cohort in a post hoc analysis of three-year observational data. Data were analyzed by antipsychotic and three baseline BMI bands: underweight/normal weight (BMI 30 kg/m²). Baseline BMI was associated with subsequent weight change irrespective of the antipsychotic given. Specifically, a smaller proportion of patients gained ≥7% baseline bodyweight, and a greater proportion of patients lost ≥7% baseline bodyweight with increasing baseline BMI. For olanzapine (the antipsychotic associated with highest mean weight gain in the total drug cohort), the percentage of patients gaining ≥7% baseline weight was 45% (95% CI: 43-48) in the underweight/normal weight BMI cohort and 20% (95% CI: 15-27) in the obese BMI cohort; 7% (95% CI: 6-8) of the underweight/normal cohort and 19% (95% CI: 13-27) of the obese cohort lost ≥7% baseline weight. BMI has an association with the likelihood of weight gain or loss and should be considered in analyses of antipsychotic weight change.

Safety and Effectiveness of Once-Daily Tadalafil (5 mg) Therapy in Korean Men with Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia/Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms in a Real-World Clinical Setting: Results from a Post-Marketing Surveillance Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Won, Ji Eon; Chu, Ji Yeon; Choi, Hyunah Caroline; Chen, Yun; Park, Hyun Jun; Dueñas, Héctor José

2018-05-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the safety and effectiveness of tadalafil 5 mg once daily (quaque die [everyday], QD) among Korean men with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH)/lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) in a real-world clinical setting. This was a single-country, prospective, observational cohort study in which patients newly prescribed tadalafil 5 mg QD for the treatment of BPH/LUTS were followed-up for 12±2 or 24±2 weeks, or to the last treatment, during post-marketing surveillance. Safety was evaluated in terms of the frequency of treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs) and serious adverse events (SAEs). Effectiveness was assessed by changes in the International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) from baseline to each endpoint. All patients receiving ≥1 dose of tadalafil 5 mg QD (N=637) were included in the safety population. Two percent of patients (n=13) experienced 15 TEAEs of mild (n=10; 66.7%) or moderate (n=5; 33.3%) severity. No severe TEAEs and no SAEs were reported. Effectiveness evaluations included all patients receiving tadalafil who had both baseline and endpoint observations (12-week, N=265; 24-week, N=44). Compared with baseline, the mean IPSS total score (±standard error) significantly improved by 4.7±0.3 and 6.4±0.7 points at the 12- and 24-week endpoints, respectively (peffective in Korean men with BPH/LUTS in a real-world clinical setting. Copyright © 2018 Korean Society for Sexual Medicine and Andrology.

A Direct Method for Mapping the Center of Pressure Measured by an Insole Pressure Sensor System to the Shoe's Local Coordinate System.

Science.gov (United States)

Weaver, Brian T; Braman, Jerrod E; Haut, Roger C

2016-06-01

A direct method to express the center of pressure (CoP) measured by an insole pressure sensor system (IPSS) into a known coordinate system measured by motion tracking equipment is presented. A custom probe was constructed with reflective markers to allow its tip to be precisely tracked with motion tracking equipment. This probe was utilized to activate individual sensors on an IPSS that was placed in a shoe fitted with reflective markers used to establish a local shoe coordinate system. When pressed onto the IPSS the location of the probe's tip was coincident with the CoP measured by the IPSS (IPSS-CoP). Two separate pushes (i.e., data points) were used to develop vectors in each respective coordinate system. Simple vector mathematics determined the rotational and translational components of the transformation matrix needed to express the IPSS-CoP into the local shoe coordinate system. Validation was performed by comparing IPSS-CoP with an embedded force plate measured CoP (FP-CoP) from data gathered during kinematic trials. Six male subjects stood on an embedded FP and performed anterior/posterior (AP) sway, internal rotation, and external rotation of the body relative to a firmly planted foot. The IPSS-CoP was highly correlated with the FP-CoP for all motions, root mean square errors (RMSRRs) were comparable to other research, and there were no statistical differences between the displacement of the IPSS-CoP and FP-CoP for both the AP and medial/lateral (ML) axes, respectively. The results demonstrated that this methodology could be utilized to determine the transformation variables need to express IPSS-CoP into a known coordinate system measured by motion tracking equipment and that these variables can be determined outside the laboratory anywhere motion tracking equipment is available.

Benefits of combination of insulin degludec and liraglutide are independent of baseline glycated haemoglobin level and duration of type 2 diabetes

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rodbard, Helena W; Buse, John B; Woo, Vincent C

2016-01-01

liraglutide, irrespective of baseline HbA1c. In DUAL II, insulin dose and hypoglycaemia rate were similar with IDegLira and IDeg (maximum dose limited to 50 U) independent of baseline HbA1c. The reduction in HbA1c with IDegLira was independent of disease duration and previous insulin dose but varied depending...... of disease progression stage including baseline glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c), disease duration and previous insulin dose. RESULTS: Across four categories of baseline HbA1c (≤7.5-9.0%), HbA1c reductions were significantly greater with IDegLira (1.1-2.5%) compared with IDeg or liraglutide alone in DUAL I...

DairyBISS Baseline report

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Buizer, N.N.; Berhanu, Tinsae; Murutse, Girmay; Vugt, van S.M.

2015-01-01

This baseline report of the Dairy Business Information Service and Support (DairyBISS) project presents the findings of a baseline survey among 103 commercial farms and 31 firms and advisors working in the dairy value chain. Additional results from the survey among commercial dairy farms are

Validation and Reliability of a Smartphone Application for the International Prostate Symptom Score Questionnaire: A Randomized Repeated Measures Crossover Study

Science.gov (United States)

Shim, Sung Ryul; Sun, Hwa Yeon; Ko, Young Myoung; Chun, Dong-Il; Yang, Won Jae

2014-01-01

Background Smartphone-based assessment may be a useful diagnostic and monitoring tool for patients. There have been many attempts to create a smartphone diagnostic tool for clinical use in various medical fields but few have demonstrated scientific validity. Objective The purpose of this study was to develop a smartphone application of the International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) and to demonstrate its validity and reliability. Methods From June 2012 to May 2013, a total of 1581 male participants (≥40 years old), with or without lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS), visited our urology clinic via the health improvement center at Soonchunhyang University Hospital (Republic of Korea) and were enrolled in this study. A randomized repeated measures crossover design was employed using a smartphone application of the IPSS and the conventional paper form of the IPSS. Paired t test under a hypothesis of non-inferior trial was conducted. For the reliability test, the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) was measured. Results The total score of the IPSS (P=.289) and each item of the IPSS (P=.157-1.000) showed no differences between the paper version and the smartphone version of the IPSS. The mild, moderate, and severe LUTS groups showed no differences between the two versions of the IPSS. A significant correlation was noted in the total group (ICC=.935, Psmartphones could participate. Conclusions The validity and reliability of the smartphone application version were comparable to the conventional paper version of the IPSS. The smartphone application of the IPSS could be an effective method for measuring lower urinary tract symptoms. PMID:24513507

Baseline rationing

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hougaard, Jens Leth; Moreno-Ternero, Juan D.; Østerdal, Lars Peter Raahave

The standard problem of adjudicating conflicting claims describes a situation in which a given amount of a divisible good has to be allocated among agents who hold claims against it exceeding the available amount. This paper considers more general rationing problems in which, in addition to claims...... to international protocols for the reduction of greenhouse emissions, or water distribution in drought periods. We define a family of allocation methods for such general rationing problems - called baseline rationing rules - and provide an axiomatic characterization for it. Any baseline rationing rule within...... the family is associated with a standard rule and we show that if the latter obeys some properties reflecting principles of impartiality, priority and solidarity, the former obeys them too....

Perceived Family Functioning Predicts Baseline Psychosocial Characteristics in U.S. Participants of a Family Focused Grief Therapy Trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Schuler, Tammy A; Zaider, Talia I; Li, Yuelin; Masterson, Melissa; McDonnell, Glynnis A; Hichenberg, Shira; Loeb, Rebecca; Kissane, David W

2017-07-01

Screening and baseline data on 170 American families (620 individuals), selected by screening from a palliative care population for inclusion in a randomized controlled trial of family-focused grief therapy, were examined to determine whether family dysfunction conferred higher levels of psychosocial morbidity. We hypothesized that greater family dysfunction would, indeed, be associated with poorer psychosocial outcomes among palliative care patients and their family members. Screened families were classified according to their functioning on the Family Relationships Index (FRI) and consented families completed baseline assessments. Mixed-effects modeling with post hoc tests compared individuals' baseline psychosocial outcomes (psychological distress, social functioning, and family functioning on a different measure) according to the classification of their family on the FRI. Covariates were included in all models as appropriate. For those who completed baseline measures, 191 (30.0%) individuals were in low-communicating families, 313 (50.5%) in uninvolved families, and 116 (18.7%) in conflictual families. Family class was significantly associated (at ps ≤ 0.05) with increased psychological distress (Beck Depression Inventory and Brief Symptom Inventory) and poorer social adjustment (Social Adjustment Scale) for individual family members. The family assessment device supported the concurrent accuracy of the FRI. As predicted, significantly greater levels of individual psychosocial morbidity were present in American families whose functioning as a group was poorer. Support was generated for a clinical approach that screens families to identify those at high risk. Overall, these baseline data point to the importance of a family-centered model of care. Copyright © 2017 American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Baseline restoration using current conveyors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Morgado, A.M.L.S.; Simoes, J.B.; Correia, C.M.

1996-01-01

A good performance of high resolution nuclear spectrometry systems, at high pulse rates, demands restoration of baseline between pulses, in order to remove rate dependent baseline shifts. This restoration is performed by circuits named baseline restorers (BLRs) which also remove low frequency noise, such as power supply hum and detector microphonics. This paper presents simple circuits for baseline restoration based on a commercial current conveyor (CCII01). Tests were performed, on two circuits, with periodic trapezoidal shaped pulses in order to measure the baseline restoration for several pulse rates and restorer duty cycles. For the current conveyor based Robinson restorer, the peak shift was less than 10 mV, for duty cycles up to 60%, at high pulse rates. Duty cycles up to 80% were also tested, being the maximum peak shift 21 mV. The peak shift for the current conveyor based Grubic restorer was also measured. The maximum value found was 30 mV at 82% duty cycle. Keeping the duty cycle below 60% improves greatly the restorer performance. The ability of both baseline restorer architectures to reject low frequency modulation is also measured, with good results on both circuits

The Female Athlete Body (FAB) study: Rationale, design, and baseline characteristics.

Science.gov (United States)

Stewart, Tiffany M; Pollard, Tarryn; Hildebrandt, Tom; Beyl, Robbie; Wesley, Nicole; Kilpela, Lisa Smith; Becker, Carolyn Black

2017-09-01

Eating Disorders (EDs) are serious psychiatric illnesses marked by psychiatric comorbidity, medical complications, and functional impairment. Research indicates that female athletes are often at greater risk for developing ED pathology versus non-athlete females. The Female Athlete Body (FAB) study is a three-site, randomized controlled trial (RCT) designed to assess the efficacy of a behavioral ED prevention program for female collegiate athletes when implemented by community providers. This paper describes the design, intervention, and participant baseline characteristics. Future papers will discuss outcomes. Female collegiate athletes (N=481) aged 17-21 were randomized by site, team, and sport type to either FAB or a waitlist control group. FAB consisted of three sessions (1.3h each) of a behavioral ED prevention program. Assessments were conducted at baseline (pre-intervention), post-intervention (3weeks), and six-, 12-, and 18-month follow-ups. This study achieved 96% (N=481) of target recruitment (N=500). Few group differences emerged at baseline. Total sample analyses revealed moderately low baseline instances of ED symptoms and clinical cases. Health risks associated with EDs necessitate interventions for female athletes. The FAB study is the largest existing RCT for female athletes aimed at both reduction of ED risk factors and ED prevention. The methods presented and population recruited for this study represent an ideal intervention for assessing the effects of FAB on both the aforementioned outcomes. We anticipate that findings of this study (reported in future papers) will make a significant contribution to the ED risk factor reduction and prevention literature. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Post-menopausal Women Exhibit Greater Interleukin-6 Responses to Mental Stress Than Older Men.

Science.gov (United States)

Endrighi, Romano; Hamer, Mark; Steptoe, Andrew

2016-08-01

Acute stress triggers innate immune responses and elevation in circulating cytokines including interleukin-6 (IL-6). The effect of sex on IL-6 responses remains unclear due to important limitations of previous studies. The purpose of this study was to examine sex differences in IL-6 responses to mental stress in a healthy, older (post-menopausal) sample accounting for several moderating factors. Five hundred six participants (62.9 ± 5.60 years, 55 % male) underwent 10 min of mental stress consisting of mirror tracing and Stroop task. Blood was sampled at baseline, after stress, and 45 and 75 min post-stress, and assayed using a high sensitivity kit. IL-6 reactivity was computed as the mean difference between baseline and 45 min and between baseline and 75 min post-stress. Main effects and interactions were examined using ANCOVA models. There was a main effect of time for the IL-6 response (F 3,1512 = 201.57, p = stress compared to males. Results were independent of age, adiposity, socioeconomic position, depression, smoking and alcohol consumption, physical activity, statin use, testing time, task appraisals, hormone replacement, and baseline IL-6. Other significant predictors of IL-6 reactivity were lower household wealth, afternoon testing, and baseline IL-6. Healthy, post-menopausal females exhibit substantially greater IL-6 responses to acute stress. Inflammatory responses if sustained over time may have clinical implications for the development and maintenance of inflammatory-related conditions prevalent in older women.

Large short-baseline νμ disappearance

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Giunti, Carlo; Laveder, Marco

2011-01-01

We analyze the LSND, KARMEN, and MiniBooNE data on short-baseline ν μ →ν e oscillations and the data on short-baseline ν e disappearance obtained in the Bugey-3 and CHOOZ reactor experiments in the framework of 3+1 antineutrino mixing, taking into account the MINOS observation of long-baseline ν μ disappearance and the KamLAND observation of very-long-baseline ν e disappearance. We show that the fit of the data implies that the short-baseline disappearance of ν μ is relatively large. We obtain a prediction of an effective amplitude sin 2 2θ μμ > or approx. 0.1 for short-baseline ν μ disappearance generated by 0.2 2 2 , which could be measured in future experiments.

Baseline prevalence and longitudinal evolution of non-motor symptoms in early Parkinson's disease: the PPMI cohort.

Science.gov (United States)

Simuni, Tanya; Caspell-Garcia, Chelsea; Coffey, Christopher S; Weintraub, Daniel; Mollenhauer, Brit; Lasch, Shirley; Tanner, Caroline M; Jennings, Danna; Kieburtz, Karl; Chahine, Lana M; Marek, Kenneth

2018-01-01

To examine the baseline prevalence and longitudinal evolution in non-motor symptoms (NMS) in a prospective cohort of, at baseline, patients with de novo Parkinson's disease (PD) compared with healthy controls (HC). Parkinson's Progression Markers Initiative (PPMI) is a longitudinal, ongoing, controlled study of de novo PD participants and HC. NMS were rated using the Movement Disorder Society Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (MDS-UPDRS) Part I score and other validated NMS scales at baseline and after 2 years. Biological variables included cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) markers and dopamine transporter imaging. 423 PD subjects and 196 HC were enrolled and followed for 2 years. MDS-UPDRS Part I total mean (SD) scores increased from baseline 5.6 (4.1) to 7.7 (5.0) at year 2 in PD subjects (pbaseline NMS score was associated with female sex (p=0.008), higher baseline MDS-UPDRS Part II scores (pbaseline. There was no association with the dose or class of dopaminergic therapy. This study of NMS in early PD identified clinical and biological variables associated with both baseline burden and predictors of progression. The association of a greater longitudinal increase in NMS with lower baseline Aβ1-42 level is an important finding that will have to be replicated in other cohorts. ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT01141023. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2018. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

TAPIR--Finnish national geochemical baseline database.

Science.gov (United States)

Jarva, Jaana; Tarvainen, Timo; Reinikainen, Jussi; Eklund, Mikael

2010-09-15

In Finland, a Government Decree on the Assessment of Soil Contamination and Remediation Needs has generated a need for reliable and readily accessible data on geochemical baseline concentrations in Finnish soils. According to the Decree, baseline concentrations, referring both to the natural geological background concentrations and the diffuse anthropogenic input of substances, shall be taken into account in the soil contamination assessment process. This baseline information is provided in a national geochemical baseline database, TAPIR, that is publicly available via the Internet. Geochemical provinces with elevated baseline concentrations were delineated to provide regional geochemical baseline values. The nationwide geochemical datasets were used to divide Finland into geochemical provinces. Several metals (Co, Cr, Cu, Ni, V, and Zn) showed anomalous concentrations in seven regions that were defined as metal provinces. Arsenic did not follow a similar distribution to any other elements, and four arsenic provinces were separately determined. Nationwide geochemical datasets were not available for some other important elements such as Cd and Pb. Although these elements are included in the TAPIR system, their distribution does not necessarily follow the ones pre-defined for metal and arsenic provinces. Regional geochemical baseline values, presented as upper limit of geochemical variation within the region, can be used as trigger values to assess potential soil contamination. Baseline values have also been used to determine upper and lower guideline values that must be taken into account as a tool in basic risk assessment. If regional geochemical baseline values are available, the national guideline values prescribed in the Decree based on ecological risks can be modified accordingly. The national geochemical baseline database provides scientifically sound, easily accessible and generally accepted information on the baseline values, and it can be used in various

Relationship of Baseline Hemoglobin Level with Serum Ferritin, Postphlebotomy Hemoglobin Changes, and Phlebotomy Requirements among HFE C282Y Homozygotes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Seyed Ali Mousavi

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Objectives. We aimed to examine whether baseline hemoglobin levels in C282Y-homozygous patients are related to the degree of serum ferritin (SF elevation and whether patients with different baseline hemoglobin have different phlebotomy requirements. Methods. A total of 196 patients (124 males and 72 females who had undergone therapeutic phlebotomy and had SF and both pre- and posttreatment hemoglobin values were included in the study. Results. Bivariate correlation analysis suggested that baseline SF explains approximately 6 to 7% of the variation in baseline hemoglobin. The results also showed that males who had higher (≥150 g/L baseline hemoglobin levels had a significantly greater reduction in their posttreatment hemoglobin despite requiring fewer phlebotomies to achieve iron depletion than those who had lower (<150 g/L baseline hemoglobin, regardless of whether baseline SF was below or above 1000 µg/L. There were no significant differences between hemoglobin subgroups regarding baseline and treatment characteristics, except for transferrin saturation between male subgroups with SF above 1000 µg/L. Similar differences were observed when females with higher (≥138 g/L baseline hemoglobin were compared with those with lower (<138 g/L baseline hemoglobin. Conclusion. Dividing C282Y-homozygous patients into just two subgroups according to the degree of baseline SF elevation may obscure important subgroup variations.

Relationship of Baseline Hemoglobin Level with Serum Ferritin, Postphlebotomy Hemoglobin Changes, and Phlebotomy Requirements among HFE C282Y Homozygotes

Science.gov (United States)

Mousavi, Seyed Ali; Mahmood, Faiza; Aandahl, Astrid; Knutsen, Teresa Risopatron; Llohn, Abid Hussain

2015-01-01

Objectives. We aimed to examine whether baseline hemoglobin levels in C282Y-homozygous patients are related to the degree of serum ferritin (SF) elevation and whether patients with different baseline hemoglobin have different phlebotomy requirements. Methods. A total of 196 patients (124 males and 72 females) who had undergone therapeutic phlebotomy and had SF and both pre- and posttreatment hemoglobin values were included in the study. Results. Bivariate correlation analysis suggested that baseline SF explains approximately 6 to 7% of the variation in baseline hemoglobin. The results also showed that males who had higher (≥150 g/L) baseline hemoglobin levels had a significantly greater reduction in their posttreatment hemoglobin despite requiring fewer phlebotomies to achieve iron depletion than those who had lower (baseline hemoglobin, regardless of whether baseline SF was below or above 1000 µg/L. There were no significant differences between hemoglobin subgroups regarding baseline and treatment characteristics, except for transferrin saturation between male subgroups with SF above 1000 µg/L. Similar differences were observed when females with higher (≥138 g/L) baseline hemoglobin were compared with those with lower (baseline hemoglobin. Conclusion. Dividing C282Y-homozygous patients into just two subgroups according to the degree of baseline SF elevation may obscure important subgroup variations. PMID:26380265

FLEXIBILITY OF INDUSTRIAL “PRODUCT-SERVICE” SYSTEM: IMPLEMENTATION AND MEANS OF MEASUREMENT

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S. Panteleev

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Article is devoted to the analysis of the flexibility of industrial “product-service” systems (hereafter IPSS, meaning provision of adaptability to the changing needs of users along the life-cycle of IPSS. Flexibility of the system gives company-producer of the industrial equipment competitive advantages on the b-to-b market. Due to this reason development and improvement of the means of valuation of flexibility is an important field of study. Aim of the article is IPSS flexibility analysis and development of efficient means of flexibility valuation.Article tasks. Research the advantages of the IPSS flexibility; analyze problems that arise as the result of flexibility implementation; propose ways to solve these problems.Methodology. Methodological base of the article are the following scientific methods: deduction, comparative and individual analysis, methods of systematization and generalization of theoretical materials.Results. Conclusions / importance. Article proposes to use IPSS concept model that takes into consideration IPSS resources, actions and functions. With the help of this model switching options, that reflect the flexibility of IPSS, can be defi ned. Economic and technological aspects of changes should be taken into consideration with the help of integrated, iterative approach, that compares supplier costs on flexibility implementation and the clients desire to pay for it. At the same time supplier can calculate the potential profi t from provision of fl exibility. Thus, the basis for efficient decision making when the IPSS is structures is made.

Saw palmetto (Serenoa repens) in men with lower urinary tract symptoms: effects on urodynamic parameters and voiding symptoms.

Science.gov (United States)

Gerber, G S; Zagaja, G P; Bales, G T; Chodak, G W; Contreras, B A

1998-06-01

To assess the effects of saw palmetto on voiding symptoms and urodynamic parameters in men with lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) presumed secondary to benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). Fifty men with previously untreated LUTS and a minimum International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) of 10 or greater were treated with a commercially available form of saw palmetto (160 mg twice per day) for 6 months. The initial evaluation included measurement of peak urinary flow rate, postvoid residual urine volume, pressure-flow study, and serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA) level. Patients completed an IPSS, serum PSA was determined, and flow rate was measured every 2 months during the course of the study. A urodynamic evaluation was repeated at the completion of the 6-month trial. The mean IPSS (+/-SD) improved from 19.5+/-5.5 to 12.5+/-7.0 (P saw palmetto for 2 months. An improvement in symptom score of 50% or greater after treatment with saw palmetto for 2, 4, and 6 months was noted in 21% (10 of 48), 30% (14 of 47), and 46% (21 of 46) of patients, respectively. There was no significant change in peak urinary flow rate, postvoid residual urine volume, or detrusor pressure at peak flow among patients completing the study. No significant change in mean serum PSA level was noted. Saw palmetto is a well-tolerated agent that may significantly improve lower urinary tract symptoms in men with BPH. However, we were unable to demonstrate any significant improvement in objective measures of bladder outlet obstruction. Placebo-controlled trials of saw palmetto are needed to evaluate the true effectiveness of this compound.

Radioactivity concentrations and their radiological significance in sediments of the Tema Harbour (Greater Accra, Ghana)

OpenAIRE

Benjamin O. Botwe; Antonio Schirone; Ivana Delbono; Mattia Barsanti; Roberta Delfanti; Peter Kelderman; Elvis Nyarko; Piet N.L. Lens

2017-01-01

Studies on environmental radioactivity in tropical Africa are scarce. Therefore, a baseline study of natural (238U, 210Pb, 226Ra, 232Th, 228Ra, 228Th, 40K) and anthropogenic (137Cs) radionuclides was carried out on Tema Harbour (Greater Accra, Ghana) surface sediments and on their radiological significance. Grab surface sediment samples were collected from 21 stations within the Tema Harbour and their radioactivity concentrations measured by gamma spectrometry. The mean sediment radioactivity...

Baseline Plasma C-Reactive Protein Concentrations and Motor Prognosis in Parkinson Disease.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Atsushi Umemura

Full Text Available C-reactive protein (CRP, a blood inflammatory biomarker, is associated with the development of Alzheimer disease. In animal models of Parkinson disease (PD, systemic inflammatory stimuli can promote neuroinflammation and accelerate dopaminergic neurodegeneration. However, the association between long-term systemic inflammations and neurodegeneration has not been assessed in PD patients.To investigate the longitudinal effects of baseline CRP concentrations on motor prognosis in PD.Retrospective analysis of 375 patients (mean age, 69.3 years; mean PD duration, 6.6 years. Plasma concentrations of high-sensitivity CRP were measured in the absence of infections, and the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale Part III (UPDRS-III scores were measured at five follow-up intervals (Days 1-90, 91-270, 271-450, 451-630, and 631-900.Change of UPDRS-III scores from baseline to each of the five follow-up periods.Change in UPDRS-III scores was significantly greater in PD patients with CRP concentrations ≥0.7 mg/L than in those with CRP concentrations <0.7 mg/L, as determined by a generalized estimation equation model (P = 0.021 for the entire follow-up period and by a generalized regression model (P = 0.030 for the last follow-up interval (Days 631-900. The regression coefficients of baseline CRP for the two periods were 1.41 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.21-2.61 and 2.62 (95% CI 0.25-4.98, respectively, after adjusting for sex, age, baseline UPDRS-III score, dementia, and incremental L-dopa equivalent dose.Baseline plasma CRP levels were associated with motor deterioration and predicted motor prognosis in patients with PD. These associations were independent of sex, age, PD severity, dementia, and anti-Parkinsonian agents, suggesting that subclinical systemic inflammations could accelerate neurodegeneration in PD.

40 CFR 1042.825 - Baseline determination.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 32 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Baseline determination. 1042.825... Provisions for Remanufactured Marine Engines § 1042.825 Baseline determination. (a) For the purpose of this... not valid. (f) Use good engineering judgment for all aspects of the baseline determination. We may...

Oscillation Baselining and Analysis Tool

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

2017-03-27

PNNL developed a new tool for oscillation analysis and baselining. This tool has been developed under a new DOE Grid Modernization Laboratory Consortium (GMLC) Project (GM0072 - “Suite of open-source applications and models for advanced synchrophasor analysis”) and it is based on the open platform for PMU analysis. The Oscillation Baselining and Analysis Tool (OBAT) performs the oscillation analysis and identifies modes of oscillations (frequency, damping, energy, and shape). The tool also does oscillation event baselining (fining correlation between oscillations characteristics and system operating conditions).

Correlation between international prostate symptom score and uroflowmetry in patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia.

Science.gov (United States)

Oranusi, C K; Nwofor, A E; Mbonu, O

2017-04-01

To determine the correlation between severity of symptoms using the International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) and uroflowmetry in patients with lower urinary tract symptoms-benign prostatic hyperplasia (LUTS-BPH). We prospectively collected data from 51 consecutive men, who presented with LUTS-BPH at the Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital, Nnewi, Nigeria, from January 2012 through December, 2014. Symptom severity was assessed using the self-administered IPSS questionnaire. We also performed uroflowmetry using the Urodyn 1000 (Dantec, serial no. 5534). The mean age of the patients was 67.2 ± 9.7 years (range 40-89 years). The most common presenting IPSS-LUTS was nocturia (100%) followed by urinary frequency (98%), straining (92.0%), weak stream (84.3%), urgency (41.2%), incomplete voiding (39.2%), and intermittency (35.3%) Most of the patients had moderate symptoms (58.8%) on IPSS with a mean value of 13.5 ± 3.0. The mean Qmax was 15.6 ± 18.7 mL/s and the mean voided volume was 193.0 ± 79.2 mL. About one-third of the patients (39.2%) had an unobstructed flow pattern based on Qmax. Correlation analysis showed a weak correlation between IPSS and voiding time (r = 0.220, P > 0.05), flow time (r = 0.128, P > 0.05), and time to maximum flow (r = 0.246, P > 0.05). These correlations were not significant (P > 0.05). IPSS showed a negative correlation with maximum flow rate (r = 0.368; P 0.05), and voided volume (r = -0.164, P > 0.05). This negative correlation was significant for maximum flow rate. Correlation between IPSS and Qmax was negative but statistically significant. This implies that an inverse relationship exists between IPSS and Qmax, and remains the only important parameter in uroflowmetry. There was no statistically significant correlation between IPSS and the other variables of uroflowmetry.

33 CFR 2.20 - Territorial sea baseline.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 33 Navigation and Navigable Waters 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Territorial sea baseline. 2.20... JURISDICTION Jurisdictional Terms § 2.20 Territorial sea baseline. Territorial sea baseline means the line.... Normally, the territorial sea baseline is the mean low water line along the coast of the United States...

Program Baseline Change Control Board charter

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1993-02-01

The purpose of this Charter is to establish the Program Baseline Change Control Board (PBCCB) for the Office of Civilian Radioactive Waste Management (OCRWM) Program, and to describe its organization, responsibilities, and basic methods of operation. Guidance for implementing this Charter is provided by the OCRWM Baseline Management Plan (BMP) and OCRWM Program Baseline Change Control Procedure

Charactering baseline shift with 4th polynomial function for portable biomedical near-infrared spectroscopy device

Science.gov (United States)

Zhao, Ke; Ji, Yaoyao; Pan, Boan; Li, Ting

2018-02-01

The continuous-wave Near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) devices have been highlighted for its clinical and health care applications in noninvasive hemodynamic measurements. The baseline shift of the deviation measurement attracts lots of attentions for its clinical importance. Nonetheless current published methods have low reliability or high variability. In this study, we found a perfect polynomial fitting function for baseline removal, using NIRS. Unlike previous studies on baseline correction for near-infrared spectroscopy evaluation of non-hemodynamic particles, we focused on baseline fitting and corresponding correction method for NIRS and found that the polynomial fitting function at 4th order is greater than the function at 2nd order reported in previous research. Through experimental tests of hemodynamic parameters of the solid phantom, we compared the fitting effect between the 4th order polynomial and the 2nd order polynomial, by recording and analyzing the R values and the SSE (the sum of squares due to error) values. The R values of the 4th order polynomial function fitting are all higher than 0.99, which are significantly higher than the corresponding ones of 2nd order, while the SSE values of the 4th order are significantly smaller than the corresponding ones of the 2nd order. By using the high-reliable and low-variable 4th order polynomial fitting function, we are able to remove the baseline online to obtain more accurate NIRS measurements.

Establishing a store baseline during interim storage of waste packages and a review of potential technologies for base-lining

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

McTeer, Jennifer; Morris, Jenny; Wickham, Stephen [Galson Sciences Ltd. Oakham, Rutland (United Kingdom); Bolton, Gary [National Nuclear Laboratory Risley, Warrington (United Kingdom); McKinney, James; Morris, Darrell [Nuclear Decommissioning Authority Moor Row, Cumbria (United Kingdom); Angus, Mike [National Nuclear Laboratory Risley, Warrington (United Kingdom); Cann, Gavin; Binks, Tracey [National Nuclear Laboratory Sellafield (United Kingdom)

2013-07-01

Interim storage is an essential component of the waste management lifecycle, providing a safe, secure environment for waste packages awaiting final disposal. In order to be able to monitor and detect change or degradation of the waste packages, storage building or equipment, it is necessary to know the original condition of these components (the 'waste storage system'). This paper presents an approach to establishing the baseline for a waste-storage system, and provides guidance on the selection and implementation of potential base-lining technologies. The approach is made up of two sections; assessment of base-lining needs and definition of base-lining approach. During the assessment of base-lining needs a review of available monitoring data and store/package records should be undertaken (if the store is operational). Evolutionary processes (affecting safety functions), and their corresponding indicators, that can be measured to provide a baseline for the waste-storage system should then be identified in order for the most suitable indicators to be selected for base-lining. In defining the approach, identification of opportunities to collect data and constraints is undertaken before selecting the techniques for base-lining and developing a base-lining plan. Base-lining data may be used to establish that the state of the packages is consistent with the waste acceptance criteria for the storage facility and to support the interpretation of monitoring and inspection data collected during store operations. Opportunities and constraints are identified for different store and package types. Technologies that could potentially be used to measure baseline indicators are also reviewed. (authors)

Efficacy and safety of a hexanic extract of Serenoa repens (Permixon® ) for the treatment of lower urinary tract symptoms associated with benign prostatic hyperplasia (LUTS/BPH): Systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials and observational studies.

Science.gov (United States)

Vela-Navarrete, Remigio; Alcaraz, Antonio; Rodríguez-Antolín, Alfredo; Miñana López, Bernardino; Fernández-Gómez, Jesús M; Angulo, Javier C; Castro Díaz, David; Romero-Otero, Javier; Brenes, Francisco J; Carballido, Joaquín; Molero García, José M; Fernández-Pro Ledesma, Antonio; Cózar Olmos, José Manuel; Manasanch Dalmau, José; Subirana Cachinero, Isaac; Herdman, Michael; Ficarra, Vincenzo

2018-04-25

To comprehensively evaluate the efficacy and safety of the hexanic extract of Serenoa repens (HESr, Permixon), at a dose of 320 mg daily, as monotherapy for the treatment of LUTS/BPH. Systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized and observational studies in patients with LUTS/BPH identified through searches in Medline, Web of Knowledge [ISI], Scopus, the Cochrane Library, and bibliographic references up to March 2017. Articles studying S. repens extracts other than Permixon were excluded. Data was collected on IPSS score, peak urinary flow (Qmax), nocturia, quality of life, prostate volume, sexual function, and adverse drug reactions (ADR). Data obtained from randomized controlled trials (RCT) and observational studies (OS) were analysed jointly and separately using a random effects model. A sub-group analysis was performed of studies which included patients on longer-term treatment (≥one year). Data from 27 studies (15 RCTs and 12 OS) were included for meta-analysis (total N=5,800). Compared with placebo, the HESr was associated with 0.64 (95% CI -0.98 to -0.31) fewer voids per night (p=0.0001) and an additional mean increase in Qmax of 2.75 mL/s (95% CI 0.57 to 4.93; p=0.01). When compared with alpha-blockers, the HESr showed similar improvements on IPSS (WMD 0.57; 95%CI, -0.27 to 1.42; p=0.18) and a comparable increase in Qmax to tamsulosin (WMD -0.02; 95%CI, -0.71 to 0.66; p=0.95). Efficacy assessed using the IPSS was similar after 6 months of treatment between the HESr and 5ARIs. Analysis of all available published data for the HESr showed a mean improvement in IPSS score from baseline of -5.73 points (95% CI -6.91 to -4.54; pBPH. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Does Peak Urine Flow Rate Predict the Development of Incident Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms in Men with Mild to No Current Symptoms? Results from REDUCE.

Science.gov (United States)

Simon, Ross M; Howard, Lauren E; Moreira, Daniel M; Roehrborn, Claus; Vidal, Adriana; Castro-Santamaria, Ramiro; Freedland, Stephen J

2017-09-01

We determined whether decreased peak urine flow is associated with future incident lower urinary tract symptoms in men with mild to no lower urinary tract symptoms. Our population consisted of 3,140 men from the REDUCE (Reduction by Dutasteride of Prostate Cancer Events) trial with mild to no lower urinary tract symptoms, defined as I-PSS (International Prostate Symptom Score) less than 8. REDUCE was a randomized trial of dutasteride vs placebo for prostate cancer prevention in men with elevated prostate specific antigen and negative biopsy. I-PSS measures were obtained every 6 months throughout the 4-year study. The association between peak urine flow rate and progression to incident lower urinary tract symptoms, defined as the first of medical treatment, surgery or sustained and clinically significant lower urinary tract symptoms, was tested by multivariable Cox models, adjusting for various baseline characteristics and treatment arm. On multivariable analysis as a continuous variable, decreased peak urine flow rate was significantly associated with an increased risk of incident lower urinary tract symptoms (p = 0.002). Results were similar in the dutasteride and placebo arms. On univariable analysis when peak flow was categorized as 15 or greater, 10 to 14.9 and less than 10 ml per second, flow rates of 10 to 14.9 and less than 10 ml per second were associated with a significantly increased risk of incident lower urinary tract symptoms (HR 1.39, p = 0.011 and 1.67, p urinary tract symptoms a decreased peak urine flow rate is independently associated with incident lower urinary tract symptoms. If confirmed, these men should be followed closer for incident lower urinary tract symptoms. Copyright © 2017 American Urological Association Education and Research, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Efficacy and safety of tamsulosin hydrochloride 0.2 mg and combination of tamsulosin hydrochloride 0.2 mg plus solifenacin succinate 5 mg after transurethral resection of the prostate: a prospective, randomized controlled trial

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shin YS

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Yu Seob Shin,1,* Li Tao Zhang,1,* Jae Hyung You,1 In Sung Choi,1 Chen Zhao,2 Jong Kwan Park1 1Department of Urology, Chonbuk National University and Research Institute of Clinical Medicine of Chonbuk National University-Biomedical Research Institute and Medical Device Clinical Trial Center of Chonbuk National University, Jeonju, Republic of Korea; 2Department of Urology, Renji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, and Shanghai Institute of Andrology, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China *These authors contributed equally to this work Objective: The objective of this study was to evaluate the safety and efficacy of tamsulosin hydrochloride 0.2 mg (TAM and its combination with solifenacin succinate 5 mg (SOL after transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP.Patients and methods: The patients were randomized into three groups: TURP (group 1, TURP plus TAM (group 2, and TURP plus TAM + SOL (group 3. Patients in group 2 and group 3 received medication for 4 weeks. The primary efficacy end points were the mean change in total International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS and IPSS subscores. The secondary end points included quality-of-life score, Overactive Bladder Symptom Score, and short-form voiding and storage score of International Continence Society.Results: In total, 37 men (31.8% in group 1, 37 men (31.8% in group 2, and 42 men (36.2% in group 3 completed the study. In total IPSS, no significant improvement was seen from baseline to the end of treatment in groups 2 and 3 compared with group 1. However, in group 2, the decrement in the IPSS storage score was smaller than group 1 (P=0.02, and in group 3, the decrement in the IPSS voiding score was smaller than group 1 (P=0.05. In groups 2 and 3 compared with group 1, improvements in the quality of life score, total score of Overactive Bladder Symptom Score, and short-form voiding score and storage score of International Continence Society were not statistically

Effects of prostatic inflammation on LUTS and alpha blocker treatment outcomes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ha Na Lee

2014-06-01

Full Text Available Purpose To evaluate the association between prostatic inflammation and lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS, and to identify the effects of prostatic inflammation on the treatment with an alpha blocker. Materials and Methods 111 Participants who were aged ≥ 50 years, the presence of LUTS (maximal flow rate < 20 m/s, IPSS ≥ 11, and an elevated PSA level (3-20ng/mL were treated with tamsulosin 0.2mg once daily for 3 months after prostate biopsies. Prostatic inflammation was scored as none (0, mild (I, moderate (II, or marked (III. LUTS parameters including urine flow rates, IPSS, PSA, and prostate volume were evaluated. Results Inflammation grading resulted in 25, 60, and 26 patients that were grade 0, I, and II, respectively. Lower grade inflammation was related to higher urine flow rate at baseline. Patients with higher inflammation grades had larger prostate volumes, larger total and transitional zone volumes, and higher PSA levels. Overall, urine flow rates and residual urine volume were improved after 3 months of alpha blocker therapy. Eighty percent of patients with grade 0 inflammation, 73% of patients with grade I inflammation, and 92.3% of patients with grade II inflammation showed improvement of LUTS after treatment. Longer duration of treatment was related to a decreased chance of improvement of LUTS. Patients with increased IPSS voiding subscales could be predictive of improvement of LUTS. Conclusions Patients with high grade inflammation had lower flow rates and higher prostatic volumes than patients with low grade inflammation. Inflammation grade did not affect the outcomes of alpha blocker treatment.

A Randomized, Open-Label, Comparative Study of Efficacy and Safety of Tolterodine Combined with Tamsulosin or Doxazosin in Patients with Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia

Science.gov (United States)

Cao, Yanwei; Wang, Yonghua; Guo, Lei; Yang, Xuecheng; Chen, Tao; Niu, Haitao

2016-01-01

Background Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), a common disease in men over age 50 years, often causes bladder outlet obstruction and lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS). Alpha blockers in combination with muscarinic receptor antagonists may have the potential to improve symptoms. This study aimed to assess the efficacy and safety of doxazosin or tamsulosin combined with tolterodine extend release (ER) in patients with BPH and LUTS. Material/Methods In a prospective, randomized, open-label study (ChiCTR-IPR-15005763), 220 consecutive men with BPH and LUTS were allocated to receive doxazosin 4 mg and tolterodine ER 4 mg per day (doxazosin group) or tamsulosin 0.2 mg and tolterodine ER 4 mg per day (tamsulosin group). Treatment lasted 12 weeks. The primary endpoint was the international prostatic symptom score (IPSS). Secondary endpoints were quality of life (QoL) and maximum flow rate (Qmax), which were evaluated at 0, 6, and 12 weeks, and urodynamic parameters assessed at 0 and 12 weeks. Results A total of 192 patients completed the trial. Baseline measurements showed no differences between the groups. After 6 weeks, IPSS improved in both groups and QoL was significantly better in the doxazosin group (P=0.01). After 12 weeks, Qmax, IPSS, QoL, intravesical pressure (Pves), and bladder compliance (BC) in the doxazosin group were significantly better than in the tamsulosin group (P=0.03, P<0.001, P<0.001, P=0.027, and P=0.044, respectively). Conclusions Administration of alpha blockers combined with muscarinic receptor blocker for 12 weeks improved LUTS in men with BPH. PMID:27260129

Urodynamic changes at 18 months post-therapy in patients treated with external beam radiotherapy for prostate carcinoma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Choo, Richard; Do, Viet; Herschorn, Sender; DeBoer, Gerrit; Danjoux, Cyril; Morton, Gerard; Cheng, Chun Hung; Barak, Inna; Preiner, John

2002-01-01

Purpose: To quantify the effect of radiotherapy (RT) on urodynamics at 18 months post-therapy, using urodynamic study, in prostate cancer patients undergoing definitive external beam RT. Methods and Materials: A total of 17 patients with clinically localized prostate cancer were accrued into a single-arm prospective study. Fifteen of 17 patients completed scheduled multichannel video-urodynamic study at baseline as well as 3 and 18 months after RT. Baseline quantitative urodynamic parameters were compared with those at 18 months post-RT to assess the nature and extent of urodynamic change brought about by RT. These quantitative changes were further correlated to the change in self-assessed qualitative urinary function measured by International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS), Quality of Life assessment index (QoL), and urinary functional inquiry. Results: The statistically significant quantitative changes detected by the urodynamic study at 18 months post-RT were decrease in bladder capacity and bladder volume at first sensation in both the supine and upright position, and reduction in bladder volume at desire to void in the supine position. In our cohort, the mean reduction in bladder capacity was 100 mL in the supine position and 54 mL in the upright position. No statistically significant change was observed with regard to pressure, maximum flow rate, voided volume, or postvoid residual volume. Furthermore, there was no statistically significant change in bladder compliance, bladder instability, or bladder outlet obstruction. No statistically significant change in self-assessed qualitative urological function was observed between baseline and 18 months post-RT, measured by the 3 parameters (IPSS, QoL, and urinary frequency over 24 h). Conclusions: This is the first quantitative study that prospectively evaluated the effect of RT on urodynamics in prostate cancer patients receiving definitive RT. The statistically significant changes at 18 months post-RT were

Hazard Baseline Downgrade Effluent Treatment Facility

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Blanchard, A.

1998-01-01

This Hazard Baseline Downgrade reviews the Effluent Treatment Facility, in accordance with Department of Energy Order 5480.23, WSRC11Q Facility Safety Document Manual, DOE-STD-1027-92, and DOE-EM-STD-5502-94. It provides a baseline grouping based on the chemical and radiological hazards associated with the facility. The Determination of the baseline grouping for ETF will aid in establishing the appropriate set of standards for the facility

Effects of adjunctive N-acetylcysteine on depressive symptoms: Modulation by baseline high-sensitivity C-reactive protein.

Science.gov (United States)

Porcu, Mauro; Urbano, Mariana Ragassi; Verri, Waldiceu A; Barbosa, Decio Sabbatini; Baracat, Marcela; Vargas, Heber Odebrecht; Machado, Regina Célia Bueno Rezende; Pescim, Rodrigo Rossetto; Nunes, Sandra Odebrecht Vargas

2018-05-01

Outcomes in a RCTs of 12 weeks of theclinical efficacy of N-acetylcysteine (NAC) as an adjunctive treatment on depression and anxiety symptoms and its effects on high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) levels. A wide array of measures were made. The 17-item version of the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS17); the Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAM-A); Sheehan Disability Scale; Quality of Life; Clinical Global Impression (CGI); anthropometrics measures; and vital signs and biochemical laboratory. There were no significant differences among the groups regarding demographic, clinical features, use of medication, metabolic syndrome and comorbidities. From baseline to week 12, individuals receiving NAC, versus placebo, had a statistically significant reduction in depressive symptoms on HDRS 17 (p  3 mg/L at baseline. Individuals receiving NAC with baseline levels of hs-CRP > 3 mg/L, had more significant reduction in uric acid levels compared to individuals with baseline levels of hs-CRP ≤ 3 mg/L on week 12. Participants receiving placebogained significantly more weight during the 12 weeks for baseline levels of hs-CRP ≤ 3 mg/L and hs-CRP > 3 mg/L, and individuals receiving NAC in both groups did not have significant weight change during the 12 weeks. No individuals were withdrawn from the study because of adverse event. NAC group exhibited significantly greater reduction on hs-CRP levels than placebo group from baseline to week 12. clinicaltrials.gov Identifier; NCT02252341. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A substantial and confusing variation exists in handling of baseline covariates in randomized controlled trials: a review of trials published in leading medical journals.

Science.gov (United States)

Austin, Peter C; Manca, Andrea; Zwarenstein, Merrick; Juurlink, David N; Stanbrook, Matthew B

2010-02-01

Statisticians have criticized the use of significance testing to compare the distribution of baseline covariates between treatment groups in randomized controlled trials (RCTs). Furthermore, some have advocated for the use of regression adjustment to estimate the effect of treatment after adjusting for potential imbalances in prognostically important baseline covariates between treatment groups. We examined 114 RCTs published in the New England Journal of Medicine, the Journal of the American Medical Association, The Lancet, and the British Medical Journal between January 1, 2007 and June 30, 2007. Significance testing was used to compare baseline characteristics between treatment arms in 38% of the studies. The practice was very rare in British journals and more common in the U.S. journals. In 29% of the studies, the primary outcome was continuous, whereas in 65% of the studies, the primary outcome was either dichotomous or time-to-event in nature. Adjustment for baseline covariates was reported when estimating the treatment effect in 34% of the studies. Our findings suggest the need for greater editorial consistency across journals in the reporting of RCTs. Furthermore, there is a need for greater debate about the relative merits of unadjusted vs. adjusted estimates of treatment effect. Copyright 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

10 CFR 850.20 - Baseline beryllium inventory.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... 10 Energy 4 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Baseline beryllium inventory. 850.20 Section 850.20 Energy... Baseline beryllium inventory. (a) The responsible employer must develop a baseline inventory of the... inventory, the responsible employer must: (1) Review current and historical records; (2) Interview workers...

40 CFR 80.92 - Baseline auditor requirements.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 16 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Baseline auditor requirements. 80.92... (CONTINUED) REGULATION OF FUELS AND FUEL ADDITIVES Anti-Dumping § 80.92 Baseline auditor requirements. (a... determination methodology, resulting baseline fuel parameter, volume and emissions values verified by an auditor...

Decreasing food fussiness in children with obesity leads to greater weight loss in family-based treatment.

Science.gov (United States)

Hayes, Jacqueline F; Altman, Myra; Kolko, Rachel P; Balantekin, Katherine N; Holland, Jodi Cahill; Stein, Richard I; Saelens, Brian E; Welch, R Robinson; Perri, Michael G; Schechtman, Kenneth B; Epstein, Leonard H; Wilfley, Denise E

2016-10-01

Food fussiness (FF), or the frequent rejection of both familiar and unfamiliar foods, is common among children and, given its link to poor diet quality, may contribute to the onset and/or maintenance of childhood obesity. This study examined child FF in association with anthropometric variables and diet in children with overweight/obesity participating in family-based behavioral weight loss treatment (FBT). Change in FF was assessed in relation to FBT outcome, including whether change in diet quality mediated the relation between change in FF and change in child weight. Child (N = 170; age = 9.41 ± 1.23) height and weight were measured, and parents completed FF questionnaires and three 24-h recalls of child diet at baseline and post-treatment. Healthy Eating Index-2005 scores were calculated. At baseline, child FF was related to lower vegetable intake. Average child FF decreased from start to end of FBT. Greater decreases in FF were associated with greater reductions in child body mass index and improved overall diet quality. Overall, diet quality change through FBT mediated the relation between child FF change and child body mass index change. Children with high FF can benefit from FBT, and addressing FF may be important in childhood obesity treatment to maximize weight outcomes. © 2016 The Obesity Society.

Integrated planning: A baseline development perspective

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Clauss, L.; Chang, D.

1994-01-01

The FEMP Baseline establishes the basis for integrating environmental activity technical requirements with their cost and schedule elements. The result is a path forward to successfully achieving the FERMCO mission. Specific to cost management, the FEMP Baseline has been incorporate into the FERMCO Project Control System (PCS) to provide a time-phased budget plan against which contractor performance is measured with an earned value management system. The result is the Performance Measurement Baseline (PMB), an important tool for keeping cost under control

Greater happiness for a greater number: Is that possible in Austria?

NARCIS (Netherlands)

R. Veenhoven (Ruut)

2011-01-01

textabstractWhat is the final goal of public policy? Jeremy Bentham (1789) would say: greater happiness for a greater number. He thought of happiness as subjective enjoyment of life; in his words as “the sum of pleasures and pains”. In his time the happiness of the great number could not be measured

Greater happiness for a greater number: Is that possible in Germany?

NARCIS (Netherlands)

R. Veenhoven (Ruut)

2009-01-01

textabstractWhat is the final goal of public policy? Jeremy Bentham (1789) would say: greater happiness for a greater number. He thought of happiness as subjective enjoyment of life; in his words as “the sum of pleasures and pains”. In his time the Happiness of the great number could not be measured

The dark side of creativity: biological vulnerability and negative emotions lead to greater artistic creativity.

Science.gov (United States)

Akinola, Modupe; Mendes, Wendy Berry

2008-12-01

Historical and empirical data have linked artistic creativity to depression and other affective disorders. This study examined how vulnerability to experiencing negative affect, measured with biological products, and intense negative emotions influenced artistic creativity. The authors assessed participants' baseline levels of an adrenal steroid (dehydroepiandrosterone-sulfate, or DHEAS), previously linked to depression, as a measure of affective vulnerability. They then manipulated emotional responses by randomly assigning participants to receive social rejection or social approval or to a nonsocial situation. Participants then completed artistic collages, which were later evaluated by artists. Results confirmed a person-by-situation interaction. Social rejection was associated with greater artistic creativity; however, the interaction between affective vulnerability (lower baseline DHEAS) and condition was significant, suggesting that situational triggers of negative affect were especially influential among those lower in DHEAS, which resulted in the most creative products. These data provide evidence of possible biological and social pathways to artistic creativity.

The Dark Side of Creativity: Biological Vulnerability and Negative Emotions Lead to Greater Artistic Creativity

Science.gov (United States)

Akinola, Modupe; Mendes, Wendy Berry

2009-01-01

Historical and empirical data have linked artistic creativity to depression and other affective disorders. This study examined how vulnerability to experiencing negative affect, measured with biological products, and intense negative emotions influenced artistic creativity. The authors assessed participants' baseline levels of an adrenal steroid (dehydroepiandrosterone-sulfate, or DHEAS), previously linked to depression, as a measure of affective vulnerability. They then manipulated emotional responses by randomly assigning participants to receive social rejection or social approval or to a nonsocial situation. Participants then completed artistic collages, which were later evaluated by artists. Results confirmed a person-by-situation interaction. Social rejection was associated with greater artistic creativity; however, the interaction between affective vulnerability (lower baseline DHEAS) and condition was significant, suggesting that situational triggers of negative affect were especially influential among those lower in DHEAS, which resulted in the most creative products. These data provide evidence of possible biological and social pathways to artistic creativity. PMID:18832338

The relationship between self-estimated intravaginal ejaculatory latency time and International Prostate Symptom Score in middle-aged men complaining of ejaculating prematurely in China.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Xiansheng; Tang, Dongdong; Xu, Chuan; Gao, Pan; Hao, Zongyao; Zhou, Jun; Liang, Chaozhao

2015-03-01

Some factors associated with the four premature ejaculation (PE) syndromes have been studied, but the association between International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) and the four PE syndromes has not been investigated. We performed this study to evaluate the association between IPSS and intravaginal ejaculatory latency time (IELT) in men with the four PE syndromes. From June 2012 to January 2014, a total of 690 men aged 40-59 years complaining of ejaculating prematurely and another 452 male healthy subjects of the same age without these complaints were included in this study. Men with the complaints of ejaculating prematurely were classified as one of the four PE syndromes: lifelong PE, acquired PE (APE), variable PE, and subjective PE. Each of them completed a detailed questionnaire including information on demographics, medical and sexual history (e.g., self-estimated IELT), IPSS, and International Index of Erectile Function-5. Associations between IPSS and self-estimated IELT in middle-aged men with the four PE syndromes. Men complaining of ejaculating prematurely reported higher IPSS (11.2 ± 6.0 vs. 5.5 ± 3.3 ) and shorter self-estimated IELT (2.1 ± 1.6 minutes vs. 4.8 ± 3.3) than men without complaints (P men with the four PE syndromes showed significant correlations with IPSS (P men with PE complaints (adjusted r = -0.378, P men with APE (adjusted r = -0.502, P Men complaining of ejaculating prematurely reported worse IPSS than men without these complaints. Self-estimated IELT was negatively associated with IPSS in men complaining of ejaculating prematurely, and the correlation was the strongest in men with APE. © 2015 International Society for Sexual Medicine.

Conceptual Design Report Cask Loadout Sys and Cask Drop Redesign for the Immersion Pail Support Structure and Operator Interface Platform at 105 K West

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

LANGEVIN, A.S.

1999-07-12

This conceptual design report documents the redesign of the IPSS and the OIP in the 105 KW Basin south loadout pit due to a postulated cask drop accident, as part of Project A.5/A.6, Canister Transfer Facility Modifications. Project A.5/A.6 involves facility modifications needed to transfer fuel from the basin into the cask-MCO. The function of the IPSS is to suspend, guide, and position the immersion pail. The immersion pail protects the cask-MCO from contamination by basin water and acts as a lifting device for the cask-MCO. The OIP provides operator access to the south loadout pit. Previous analyses studied the effects of a cask-MCO drop on the south loadout pit concrete structure and on the IPSS. The most recent analysis considered the resulting loads at the pit slab/wall joint (Kanjilal, 1999). This area had not been modeled previously, and the analysis results indicate that the demand capacity exceeds the allowable at the slab/wall joint. The energy induced on the south loadout pit must be limited such that the safety class function of the basin is maintained. The solution presented in this CDR redesigns the IPSS and the OIP to include impact-absorbing features that will reduce the induced energy. The impact absorbing features of the new design include: Impact-absorbing material at the IPSS base and at the upper portion of the IPSS legs. A sleeve which provides a hydraulic means of absorbing energy. Designing the OIP to act as an impact absorber. The existing IPSS structure in 105 KW will be removed. This conceptual design considers only loads resulting from drops directly over the IPSS and south loadout pit area. Drops in other areas of the basin are not considered, and will be covered as part of a future revision to this CDR.

Physics with a very long neutrino factory baseline

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gandhi, Raj; Winter, Walter

2007-01-01

We discuss the neutrino oscillation physics of a very long neutrino factory baseline over a broad range of lengths (between 6000 km and 9000 km), centered on the 'magic baseline' (∼7500 km) where correlations with the leptonic CP phase are suppressed by matter effects. Since the magic baseline depends only on the density, we study the impact of matter density profile effects and density uncertainties over this range, and the impact of detector locations off the optimal baseline. We find that the optimal constant density describing the physics over this entire baseline range is about 5% higher than the average matter density. This implies that the magic baseline is significantly shorter than previously inferred. However, while a single detector optimization requires fine-tuning of the (very long) baseline length, its combination with a near detector at a shorter baseline is much less sensitive to the far detector location and to uncertainties in the matter density. In addition, we point out different applications of this baseline which go beyond its excellent correlation and degeneracy resolution potential. We demonstrate that such a long baseline assists in the improvement of the θ 13 precision and in the resolution of the octant degeneracy. Moreover, we show that the neutrino data from such a baseline could be used to extract the matter density along the profile up to 0.24% at 1σ for large sin 2 2θ 13 , providing a useful discriminator between different geophysical models

The prognostic value of monosomal karyotype (MK) in higher-risk patients with myelodysplastic syndromes treated with 5-Azacitidine. A retrospective analysis of the Hellenic (Greek) MDS Study Group.

Science.gov (United States)

Papageorgiou, Sotirios G; Vasilatou, Diamantina; Kontos, Christos K; Kotsianidis, Ioannis; Symeonidis, Argiris; Galanopoulos, Athanasios G; Hatzimichael, Eleftheria; Megalakaki, Aekaterini; Poulakidas, Elias; Diamantopoulos, Panagiotis; Vassilakopoulos, Theodoros; Zikos, Panagiotis; Papadaki, Helen; Mparmparousi, Despoina; Bouronikou, Eleni; Panayiotidis, Panayiotis; Viniou, Nora-Athina; Pappa, Vassiliki

2018-04-16

In this study, we investigated the incidence and prognostic impact of monosomal karyotype (MK) in 405 higher-risk MDS patients treated with 5-AZA. The MK was present in 66 out of 405 (16.3%) patients, most of whom had complex karyotype (CK). MK was strongly associated with CK and the cytogenetic risk defined according to IPSS-R, as well as with high-risk disease, according to IPSS (P=0.029), IPSS-R (PMDS treated with 5-AZA. Furthermore, we showed that in MDS with high or very-high IPSS-R risk score, MK can further distinguish patients with worse outcome. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

A comparison of different ways of including baseline counts in negative binomial models for data from falls prevention trials.

Science.gov (United States)

Zheng, Han; Kimber, Alan; Goodwin, Victoria A; Pickering, Ruth M

2018-01-01

A common design for a falls prevention trial is to assess falling at baseline, randomize participants into an intervention or control group, and ask them to record the number of falls they experience during a follow-up period of time. This paper addresses how best to include the baseline count in the analysis of the follow-up count of falls in negative binomial (NB) regression. We examine the performance of various approaches in simulated datasets where both counts are generated from a mixed Poisson distribution with shared random subject effect. Including the baseline count after log-transformation as a regressor in NB regression (NB-logged) or as an offset (NB-offset) resulted in greater power than including the untransformed baseline count (NB-unlogged). Cook and Wei's conditional negative binomial (CNB) model replicates the underlying process generating the data. In our motivating dataset, a statistically significant intervention effect resulted from the NB-logged, NB-offset, and CNB models, but not from NB-unlogged, and large, outlying baseline counts were overly influential in NB-unlogged but not in NB-logged. We conclude that there is little to lose by including the log-transformed baseline count in standard NB regression compared to CNB for moderate to larger sized datasets. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Comparison of clinical outcomes and prognostic utility of risk stratification tools in patients with therapy-related vs de novo myelodysplastic syndromes: a report on behalf of the MDS Clinical Research Consortium.

Science.gov (United States)

Zeidan, A M; Al Ali, N; Barnard, J; Padron, E; Lancet, J E; Sekeres, M A; Steensma, D P; DeZern, A; Roboz, G; Jabbour, E; Garcia-Manero, G; List, A; Komrokji, R

2017-06-01

While therapy-related (t)-myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) have worse outcomes than de novo MDS (d-MDS), some t-MDS patients have an indolent course. Most MDS prognostic models excluded t-MDS patients during development. The performances of the International Prognostic Scoring System (IPSS), revised IPSS (IPSS-R), MD Anderson Global Prognostic System (MPSS), WHO Prognostic Scoring System (WPSS) and t-MDS Prognostic System (TPSS) were compared among patients with t-MDS. Akaike information criteria (AIC) assessed the relative goodness of fit of the models. We identified 370 t-MDS patients (19%) among 1950 MDS patients. Prior therapy included chemotherapy alone (48%), chemoradiation (31%), and radiation alone in 21%. Median survival for t-MDS patients was significantly shorter than for d-MDS (19 vs 46 months, PMDS (PMDS had a significantly higher hazard of death relative to d-MDS in every risk model, and had inferior survival compared to patients with d-MDS within all risk group categories. AIC Scores (lower is better) were 2316 (MPSS), 2343 (TPSS), 2343 (IPSS-R), 2361 (WPSS) and 2364 (IPSS). In conclusion, subsets of t-MDS patients with varying clinical outcomes can be identified using conventional risk stratification models. The MPSS, TPSS and IPSS-R provide the best predictive power.

Safety and Effectiveness of Mirabegron in Patients with Overactive Bladder in a Real-World Clinical Setting: A Japanese Post-Marketing Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Nozawa, Yumiko; Kato, Daisuke; Tabuchi, Hiromi; Kuroishi, Kentarou

2018-05-01

To provide real-world data on Japanese patients with overactive bladder (OAB) initiating treatment with the β 3 -adrenoceptor agonist, mirabegron. This study examined prescribing patterns, adverse drug reaction (ADR) incidence, and treatment effectiveness. Full medical histories, including prior/concomitant drug use, were collected before initiating mirabegron treatment. After 12 weeks mirabegron, physicians assessed ADR incidence and treatment effectiveness. Residual urine volume was assessed and patients completed the Overactive Bladder Symptom Score (OABSS) and International Prostate Symptom Score-Quality of Life (I-PSS QoL) surveys at Baseline and 12 weeks. Data were collected between April 2012 and July 2014. Of 9795 OAB patients (46.8% male; 80.8% ≥65 years), 71.7% had coexisting disease [notably benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH, 32.4%), hypertension (31.9%), and diabetes mellitus (9.4%)] and 53.4% reported concomitant drug use (27.8% α 1 -antagonists, 6.3% anticholinergics). The incidence of total ADRs was 6.07% [including constipation (0.97%), thirst (0.47%), and dysuria (0.44%)], of serious ADRs, 0.21%, of cardiovascular ADRs, 0.48% and of urinary retention, 0.31%. Incidence of total ADRs in patients with concomitant cardiovascular disease was 10.09% and of those related to urinary retention in men with untreated BPH, 0.88%. After 12 weeks treatment, physicians judged mirabegron as "effective" in 80.7% of patients, 63.6% of patients achieved the three-point minimal clinically important change from Baseline in the mean OABSS, and the I-PSS QoL decreased significantly from Baseline (-2.1 ± 1.77; P effective treatment for Japanese patients with OAB. © 2016 Astellas Pharma Inc. LUTS: Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms published by John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.

A Phase III Randomized Trial of the Timing of Meloxicam With Iodine-125 Prostate Brachytherapy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Crook, Juanita; Patil, Nikhilesh; Wallace, Kris; Borg, Jette; Zhou, David; Ma, Clement; Pond, Greg

2010-01-01

Purpose: Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medication is used to reduce prostate edema and urinary symptoms following prostate brachytherapy. We hypothesized that a cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) inhibitor regimen started 1 week prior to seed implant might diminish the inflammatory response, thus reducing edema, retention rates, and symptom severity. Methods and Materials: From March 2004 to February 2008, 316 men consented to an institutional review board-approved randomized study of a 4-week course of meloxicam, 7.5 mg orally twice per day, starting either on the day of implant or 1 week prior to implant. Brachytherapy was performed using iodine-125 seeds and was preplanned and performed under transrectal ultrasound (TRUS) and fluoroscopic guidance. Prostate volume obtained by MR imaging at 1 month was compared to baseline prostate volume obtained by TRUS planimetry and expressed as an edema factor. The trial endpoints were prostate edema at 1 month, International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) questionnaire results at 1 and 3 months, and any need for catheterization. Results: Results for 300 men were analyzed. Median age was 61 (range, 45-79 years), and median TRUS prostate volume was 35.7 cc (range, 18.1-69.5 cc). Median IPSS at baseline was 5 (range, 0-24) and was 15 at 1 month, 16 at 3 months, and 10 at 6 months. Catheterization was required for 7% of patients (6.2% day 0 arm vs. 7.9% day -7 arm; p = 0.65). The median edema factor at 1 month was 1.02 (range, 0.73-1.7). 1.01 day 0 arm vs. 1.05 day -7 arm. Baseline prostate volume remained the primary predictor of postimplant urinary retention. Conclusions: Starting meloxicam 1 week prior to brachytherapy compared to starting immediately after the procedure did not reduce 1-month edema, improve IPSSs at 1 or 3 months, or reduce the need for catheterization.

Baseline Characteristics of Fall from Height Victims Presenting to Emergency Department; a Brief Report

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hamidreza Hatamabadi

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Trauma due to accidents or fall from height is a major cause of disability and mortality. The present study was designed aiming to evaluate the baseline characteristics of fall from height victims presenting to emergency department (ED.Methods: This prospective cross-sectional study evaluates the baseline characteristics of fall from height cases presenting to EDs of three educational Hospitals, Tehran, Iran, during one year. Data were analyzed using SPSS 21 and presented using descriptive statistics.Results: 460 patients with the mean age of 27.89 ± 20.95 years were evaluated (76.5% male. 191 (41.5% falls occurred when working, 27 (5.9% during play, and 242 (52.6% in other times. Among construction workers, 166 (81.4% had not used any safety equipment. Fracture and dislocation with 180 (39.1% cases and soft tissue injury with 166 (36.1% were the most common injuries inflicted. Mean height of falling was 3.41 ± 0.34 (range: 0.5 – 20 meters. Finally, 8 (1.7% of the patients died (50% intentional and 63% were discharged from ED. A significant correlation was detected between mortality and the falls being intentional (p < 0.0001 as well as greater height of fall (p < 0.0001.Conclusion: Based on the findings, most fall from height victims in the present study were young men, single, construction workers, with less than high school diploma education level. Intentional fall and greater height of falling significantly correlated with mortality.

Large-baseline InSAR for precise topographic mapping: a framework for TanDEM-X large-baseline data

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M. Pinheiro

2017-09-01

Full Text Available The global Digital Elevation Model (DEM resulting from the TanDEM-X mission provides information about the world topography with outstanding precision. In fact, performance analysis carried out with the already available data have shown that the global product is well within the requirements of 10 m absolute vertical accuracy and 2 m relative vertical accuracy for flat to moderate terrain. The mission's science phase took place from October 2014 to December 2015. During this phase, bistatic acquisitions with across-track separation between the two satellites up to 3.6 km at the equator were commanded. Since the relative vertical accuracy of InSAR derived elevation models is, in principle, inversely proportional to the system baseline, the TanDEM-X science phase opened the doors for the generation of elevation models with improved quality with respect to the standard product. However, the interferometric processing of the large-baseline data is troublesome due to the increased volume decorrelation and very high frequency of the phase variations. Hence, in order to fully profit from the increased baseline, sophisticated algorithms for the interferometric processing, and, in particular, for the phase unwrapping have to be considered. This paper proposes a novel dual-baseline region-growing framework for the phase unwrapping of the large-baseline interferograms. Results from two experiments with data from the TanDEM-X science phase are discussed, corroborating the expected increased level of detail of the large-baseline DEMs.

Baseline requirements for assessment of mining impact using biological monitoring

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Humphrey, C.L.; Dostine, P.L.

1995-01-01

Biological monitoring programmes for environmental protection should provide for both early detection of possible adverse effects, and assessment of the ecological significance of these effects. Monitoring techniques are required that include responses sensitive to the impact, that can be subjected to rigorous statistical analysis and for which statistical power is high. Such issues in baseline research of 'what and how to measure?' and 'for how long?' have been the focus of a programme being developed to monitor and assess effects of mining operations on the essentially pristine, freshwater ecosystems of the Alligator Rivers Region (ARR) in tropical northern Australia. Application of the BACIP (Before, After, Control, Impact, Paired differences) design, utilizing a form of temporal replication, to univariate (single species) and multivariate (community) data is described. The BACIP design incorporates data from single control and impact sites. We argue for modification of the design for particular studies conducted in streams, to incorporate additional independent control sites from adjacent catchment. Inferential power, by way of (i) more confidently attributing cause to an observed change and (ii) providing information about the ecological significance of the change, will be enhanced using a modified BACIP design. In highly valued environments such as the ARR, monitoring programmes require application of statistical tests with high power to guarantee that an impact no greater than a prescribed amount has gone undetected. A minimum number of baseline years using the BACIP approach would therefore be required in order to achieve some desired level of statistical power. This paper describes the results of power analyses conducted on 2-5 years (depending upon the technique) of baseline data from streams of the ARR and discuss the implications of these results for management. 44 refs., 1 tab., 3 figs

The TDAQ Baseline Architecture

CERN Multimedia

Wickens, F J

The Trigger-DAQ community is currently busy preparing material for the DAQ, HLT and DCS TDR. Over the last few weeks a very important step has been a series of meetings to complete agreement on the baseline architecture. An overview of the architecture indicating some of the main parameters is shown in figure 1. As reported at the ATLAS Plenary during the February ATLAS week, the main area where the baseline had not yet been agreed was around the Read-Out System (ROS) and details in the DataFlow. The agreed architecture has: Read-Out Links (ROLs) from the RODs using S-Link; Read-Out Buffers (ROB) sited near the RODs, mounted in a chassis - today assumed to be a PC, using PCI bus at least for configuration, control and monitoring. The baseline assumes data aggregation, in the ROB and/or at the output (which could either be over a bus or in the network). Optimization of the data aggregation will be made in the coming months, but the current model has each ROB card receiving input from 4 ROLs, and 3 such c...

Baseline risk factors for incidence of blindness in a South Indian population: the chennai eye disease incidence study.

Science.gov (United States)

Vijaya, Lingam; Asokan, Rashima; Panday, Manish; Choudhari, Nikhil S; Ramesh, Sathyamangalam Ve; Velumuri, Lokapavani; Boddupalli, Sachi Devi; Sunil, Govindan T; George, Ronnie

2014-08-07

To report the baseline risk factors and causes for incident blindness. Six years after the baseline study, 4419 subjects from the cohort underwent a detailed examination at the base hospital. Incident blindness was defined by World Health Organization criteria as visual acuity of less than 6/120 (3/60) and/or a visual field of less than 10° in the better-seeing eye at the 6-year follow-up, provided that the eye had a visual acuity of better than or equal to 6/120 (3/60) and visual field greater than 10° at baseline. For incident monocular blindness, both eyes should have visual acuity of more than 6/120 (3/60) at baseline and developed visual acuity of less than 6/120 (3/60) in one eye at 6-year follow-up. For incident blindness, 21 participants (0.48%, 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.3-0.7) became blind; significant baseline risk factors were increasing age (P = 0.001), smokeless tobacco use (P blindness was found in 132 participants (3.8%, 95% CI, 3.7-3.8); it was significantly more (P blindness and monocular blindness. No history of cataract surgery was a risk factor for blindness and a protective factor for monocular blindness. Copyright 2014 The Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology, Inc.

Impact of baseline Diabetic Retinopathy Severity Scale scores on visual outcomes in the VIVID-DME and VISTA-DME studies.

Science.gov (United States)

Staurenghi, Giovanni; Feltgen, Nicolas; Arnold, Jennifer J; Katz, Todd A; Metzig, Carola; Lu, Chengxing; Holz, Frank G

2017-10-19

To evaluate intravitreal aflibercept versus laser in subgroups of patients with baseline Diabetic Retinopathy Severity Scale (DRSS) scores ≤43, 47, and ≥53 in VIVID-DME and VISTA-DME. Patients with diabetic macular oedema were randomised to receive intravitreal aflibercept 2 mg every 4 weeks (2q4), intravitreal aflibercept 2 mg every 8 weeks after five initial monthly doses (2q8), or macular laser photocoagulation at baseline with sham injections at every visit. These post hoc analyses evaluate outcomes based on baseline DRSS scores in patients in the integrated dataset. The 2q4 and 2q8 treatment groups were also pooled. 748 patients had a baseline DRSS score based on fundus photographs (≤43, n=301; 47, n=153; ≥53, n=294). At week 100, the least squares mean difference between treatment groups (effect of intravitreal aflibercept above that of laser, adjusting for baseline best-corrected visual acuity) was 8.9 (95% CI 5.99 to 11.81), 9.7 (95% CI 5.54 to 13.91), and 11.0 (95% CI 7.96 to 14.1) letters in those with baseline DRSS scores ≤43, 47, and ≥53, respectively. The proportions of patients with ≥2 step DRSS score improvement were greater in the intravitreal aflibercept group versus laser, respectively, for those with baseline DRSS scores of ≤43 (13% vs 5.9%), 47 (25.8% vs 4.5%), and ≥53 (64.5% vs 28.4%). Regardless of baseline DRSS score, functional outcomes were superior in intravitreal aflibercept-treated patients, demonstrating consistent treatment benefit across various baseline levels of retinopathy. NCT01331681 and NCT01363440, Post-results. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

Relationships between Participants' International Prostate Symptom Score and BPH Impact Index Changes and Global Ratings of Change in a Trial of Phytotherapy for Men with Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms

Science.gov (United States)

Barry, Michael J.; Cantor, Alan; Roehrborn, Claus G.

2014-01-01

Purpose To relate changes in AUA Symptom Index (AUASI) scores with bother measures and global ratings of change among men with lower urinary tract symptoms enrolled in a trial of saw palmetto. Materials and Methods To be eligible, men were ≥45 years old, had ajpeak uroflow ≥4 ml/sec, and an AUASI score ≥ 8 and ≤ 24. Participants self-administered the AUASI, IPSS quality of life item (IPSS QoL), BPH Impact Index (BII) and two global change questions at baseline and 24, 48, and 72 weeks. Results Among 357 participants, global ratings of “a little better” were associated with mean decreases in AUASI scores from 2.8 to 4.1 points, across three time points. The analogous range for mean decreases in BII scores was 1.0 to 1.7 points, and for the IPSS QoL item 0.5 to 0.8 points. At 72 weeks, for the first global change question, each change measure could discriminate between participants rating themselves at least a little better versus unchanged or worse 70-72% of the time. A multivariable model increased discrimination to 77%. For the second global change question, each change measure correctly discriminated ratings of at least a little better versus unchanged or worse 69-74% of the time, and a multivariable model increased discrimination to 79%. Conclusions Changes in AUASI scores could discriminate between participants rating themselves at least a little better versus unchanged or worse. Our findings support the practice of powering studies to detect group mean differences in AUASI scores of at least 3 points. PMID:23017510

Tadalafil - a therapeutic option in the management of BPH-LUTS.

Science.gov (United States)

Carson, C C; Rosenberg, M; Kissel, J; Wong, D G

2014-01-01

Men with signs of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) may experience lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) such as urinary frequency, urgency, intermittence, nocturia, straining, incomplete emptying or a weak urinary stream. The effective management of LUTS suggestive of BPH (BPH-LUTS) requires careful consideration of several factors, including the severity of a patient's symptoms, concurrent or other coexisting medical conditions, the ability to improve symptoms and impact quality of life (QOL), as well as the potential side effects of available treatment options. Several clinical studies have assessed phosphodiesterase type 5 (PDE5) inhibitors in reducing LUTS; however, tadalafil is the only PDE5 inhibitor approved for the treatment of signs and symptoms of BPH, as well as in men with both erectile dysfunction (ED) and the signs and symptoms of BPH. This review examined articles that assessed tadalafil in patients with signs and symptoms of BPH, with or without erectile dysfunction (ED), which led to regulatory approval in the United States and Europe. In dose-ranging and confirmatory studies, results demonstrate that tadalafil significantly improved total International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) following 12 weeks of treatment with once daily tadalafil 5 mg. Statistically significant improvements in Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia Impact Index (BII), IPSS subscores, IPSS QOL and International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF) were also observed. Improvement in urinary symptoms occurred regardless of age, previous treatment with an α1 -adrenergic blocker, BPH-LUTS severity at baseline or ED status. While tadalafil is most frequently recognised as a standard treatment option for men with ED, it also represents a well-tolerated and effective treatment option in men with moderate to severe BPH-LUTS. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Iodine-125 seed brachytherapy for early stage prostate cancer: a single-institution review

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zuber, Simon; Weiß, Susan; Baaske, Dieter; Schöpe, Michael; Stevens, Simon; Bodis, Stephan; Zwahlen, Daniel R

2015-01-01

We are reporting the five-year biochemical control, toxicity profile and dosimetric parameters using iodine-125 low dose rate brachytherapy (BT) as monotherapy for early stage prostate cancer at a single institution. Between April 2006 and December 2010, 169 men with early stage prostate cancer were treated with BT. Biochemical failure was defined using the Phoenix definition (nadir + 2 ng/mL). Treatment-related morbidities, including urinary, rectal and sexual function, were measured, applying the International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS), the 7-grade Quality of Life Scale (QoL) and medical status, the International Consultation on Incontinence Modular Questionnaire (ICIQ), the International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF-5) and the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE v4.03). Seed migration and loss, dosimetric parameters and learning effects were also analyzed. Medium follow-up time was 50 months (range, 1–85 months). The five-year biochemical failure rate was 7%. Acute proctitis rates were 19% (grade 1) and 1% (grade 2), respectively. The overall incidence of incontinence was 19% (mild), 16% (moderate) and < 1% (severe). An increase in IPSS ≥ 5 points was detected in 59% of patients, with 38% regaining their baseline. Seed dislocation was found in 24% of patients and correlated with D90 and V100. A learning curve was found for seed migration, D90 and V100. QoL correlated with the general health condition of patient, incontinence symptoms and IPSS. BT for early stage prostate cancer offers excellent five-year biochemical control with low toxicities. QoL aspects are favorable. A learning curve was detected for procedural aspects but its impact on patient relevant endpoints remains inconclusive

Comparison of toxicity of class-based organic chemicals to algae and fish based on discrimination of excess toxicity from baseline level.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Jin J; Tai, Hong W; Yu, Yang; Wen, Yang; Wang, Xiao H; Zhao, Yuan H

2015-07-01

Toxicity data to fish and algae were used to investigate excess toxicity between species. Results show that chemicals exhibiting excess toxicity to fish also show excess toxicity to algae for most of the compounds. This indicates that they share the same mode of action between species. Similar relationships between logKOW and toxicities to fish and algae for baseline and less inert compounds suggest that they have similar critical body residues in the two species. Differences in excess toxicity for some compounds suggest that there is a difference of physiological structure and metabolism between fish and algae. Some reactive compounds (e.g. polyamines) exhibit greater toxic effects for algae than those for fish because of relatively low bio-uptake potential of these hydrophilic compounds in fish as compared with that in algae. Esters exhibiting greater toxicity in fish than that in algae indicate that metabolism can affect the discrimination of excess toxicity from baseline level. Algae growth inhibition is a very good surrogate for fish lethality. This is not only because overall toxicity sensitivity to algae is greater than that to fish, but also the excess toxicity calculated from algal toxicity can better reflect reactivity of compounds with target molecules than fish toxicity. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Aerobic Interval Exercise Training Induces Greater Reduction in Cardiac Workload in the Recovery Period in Rats

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Borges, Juliana Pereira; Masson, Gustavo Santos; Tibiriçá, Eduardo; Lessa, Marcos Adriano

2014-01-01

Aerobic interval exercise training has greater benefits on cardiovascular function as compared with aerobic continuous exercise training. The present study aimed at analyzing the effects of both exercise modalities on acute and subacute hemodynamic responses of healthy rats. Thirty male rats were randomly assigned into three groups as follows: continuous exercise (CE, n = 10); interval exercise (IE, n = 10); and control (C, n = 10). Both IE and CE groups performed a 30-minute exercise session. The IE group session consisted of three successive 4-minute periods at 60% of maximal velocity (Max Vel), with 4-minute recovery intervals at 40% of Max Vel. The CE group ran continuously at 50% of Max Vel. Heart rate (HR), blood pressure(BP), and rate pressure product (RPP) were measured before, during and after the exercise session. The CE and IE groups showed an increase in systolic BP and RPP during exercise as compared with the baseline values. After the end of exercise, the CE group showed a lower response of systolic BP and RPP as compared with the baseline values, while the IE group showed lower systolic BP and mean BP values. However, only the IE group had a lower response of HR and RPP during recovery. In healthy rats, one interval exercise session, as compared with continuous exercise, induced similar hemodynamic responses during exercise. However, during recovery, the interval exercise caused greater reductions in cardiac workload than the continuous exercise

Aerobic Interval Exercise Training Induces Greater Reduction in Cardiac Workload in the Recovery Period in Rats

Science.gov (United States)

Borges, Juliana Pereira; Masson, Gustavo Santos; Tibiriçá, Eduardo; Lessa, Marcos Adriano

2014-01-01

Background Aerobic interval exercise training has greater benefits on cardiovascular function as compared with aerobic continuous exercise training. Objective The present study aimed at analyzing the effects of both exercise modalities on acute and subacute hemodynamic responses of healthy rats. Methods Thirty male rats were randomly assigned into three groups as follows: continuous exercise (CE, n = 10); interval exercise (IE, n = 10); and control (C, n = 10). Both IE and CE groups performed a 30-minute exercise session. The IE group session consisted of three successive 4-minute periods at 60% of maximal velocity (Max Vel), with 4-minute recovery intervals at 40% of Max Vel. The CE group ran continuously at 50% of Max Vel. Heart rate (HR), blood pressure(BP), and rate pressure product (RPP) were measured before, during and after the exercise session. Results The CE and IE groups showed an increase in systolic BP and RPP during exercise as compared with the baseline values. After the end of exercise, the CE group showed a lower response of systolic BP and RPP as compared with the baseline values, while the IE group showed lower systolic BP and mean BP values. However, only the IE group had a lower response of HR and RPP during recovery. Conclusion In healthy rats, one interval exercise session, as compared with continuous exercise, induced similar hemodynamic responses during exercise. However, during recovery, the interval exercise caused greater reductions in cardiac workload than the continuous exercise. PMID:24270864

Aerobic Interval Exercise Training Induces Greater Reduction in Cardiac Workload in the Recovery Period in Rats

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Borges, Juliana Pereira, E-mail: julipborges@gmail.com; Masson, Gustavo Santos; Tibiriçá, Eduardo; Lessa, Marcos Adriano [Instituto Oswaldo Cruz - FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil)

2014-01-15

Aerobic interval exercise training has greater benefits on cardiovascular function as compared with aerobic continuous exercise training. The present study aimed at analyzing the effects of both exercise modalities on acute and subacute hemodynamic responses of healthy rats. Thirty male rats were randomly assigned into three groups as follows: continuous exercise (CE, n = 10); interval exercise (IE, n = 10); and control (C, n = 10). Both IE and CE groups performed a 30-minute exercise session. The IE group session consisted of three successive 4-minute periods at 60% of maximal velocity (Max Vel), with 4-minute recovery intervals at 40% of Max Vel. The CE group ran continuously at 50% of Max Vel. Heart rate (HR), blood pressure(BP), and rate pressure product (RPP) were measured before, during and after the exercise session. The CE and IE groups showed an increase in systolic BP and RPP during exercise as compared with the baseline values. After the end of exercise, the CE group showed a lower response of systolic BP and RPP as compared with the baseline values, while the IE group showed lower systolic BP and mean BP values. However, only the IE group had a lower response of HR and RPP during recovery. In healthy rats, one interval exercise session, as compared with continuous exercise, induced similar hemodynamic responses during exercise. However, during recovery, the interval exercise caused greater reductions in cardiac workload than the continuous exercise.

Serum lutein response is greater from free lutein than from esterified lutein during 4 weeks of supplementation in healthy adults.

Science.gov (United States)

Norkus, Edward P; Norkus, Katherine L; Dharmarajan, T S; Schierle, Joseph; Schalch, Wolfgang

2010-12-01

Current data suggest great variability in serum response following lutein ingestion from various sources. To compare the relative serum response during supplementation with free lutein (fL) and lutein esters (Le). 72 volunteers (23-52 years; body mass index [BMI] >20 and lutein lutein or 27 mg of lutein ester (equivalent to 13.5 mg free lutein), respectively. Fasting blood was obtained at baseline and after 7, 14, 21, and 28 days of supplementation. Supplements were consumed with standard portions of dry, ready-to-eat cereal and 2% cow's milk. Absolute changes in serum lutein, per mg daily dose, were significantly greater in fL vs. Le after 21 days (p  =  0.0012) and remained so after 28 days (p  =  0.0011) of supplementation. Serum lutein Area Under the Curve [AUC((day 0-28))] response was 17% greater for fL vs. Le (p  =  0.0187). Regression models were used and determined that (1) baseline serum lutein levels and (2) the form of lutein ingested (fL > Le) influence the serum lutein response during supplementation, while subject age, gender, BMI, and serum lipids do not affect serum response. These results suggest that the relative serum lutein response will be significantly greater from supplements containing free lutein than from supplements containing lutein esters. These findings should be useful for future clinical trials exploring the effectiveness of lutein supplementation in the prevention of or protection against age-related macular degeneration and/or cataracts.

The effect of a motivational intervention on weight loss is moderated by level of baseline controlled motivation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tate Deborah F

2010-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Clinic-based behavioral weight loss programs are effective in producing significant weight loss. A one-size-fits-all approach is often taken with these programs. It may be beneficial to tailor programs based on participants' baseline characteristics. Type and level of motivation may be an important factor to consider. Previous research has found that, in general, higher levels of controlled motivation are detrimental to behavior change while higher levels of autonomous motivation improve the likelihood of behavior modification. Methods This study assessed the outcomes of two internet behavioral weight loss interventions and assessed the effect of baseline motivation levels on program success. Eighty females (M (SD age 48.7 (10.6 years; BMI 32.0 (3.7 kg/m2; 91% Caucasian were randomized to one of two groups, a standard group or a motivation-enhanced group. Both received a 16-week internet behavioral weight loss program and attended an initial and a four-week group session. Weight and motivation were measured at baseline, four and 16 weeks. Hierarchical regression analysis was conducted to test for moderation. Results There was significant weight loss at 16-weeks in both groups (p p = 0.57 (standard group 3.4 (3.6 kg; motivation-enhanced group 3.9 (3.4 kg. Further analysis was conducted to examine predictors of weight loss. Baseline controlled motivation level was negatively correlated with weight loss in the entire sample (r = -0.30; p = 0.01. Statistical analysis revealed an interaction between study group assignment and baseline level of controlled motivation. Weight loss was not predicted by baseline level of controlled motivation in the motivation-enhanced group, but was significantly predicted by controlled motivation in the standard group. Baseline autonomous motivation did not predict weight change in either group. Conclusions This research found that, in participants with high levels of baseline controlled motivation

The Ahmed Versus Baerveldt study: design, baseline patient characteristics, and intraoperative complications.

Science.gov (United States)

Christakis, Panos G; Tsai, James C; Zurakowski, David; Kalenak, Jeffrey W; Cantor, Louis B; Ahmed, Iqbal I K

2011-11-01

To report the design, baseline patient characteristics, and intraoperative complications of the Ahmed Versus Baerveldt (AVB) Study. Multicenter, randomized, clinical trial. Patients were recruited from 7 international clinical sites and treated by 10 surgeons between 2005 and 2009. Inclusion criteria required that patients be at least 18 years of age and have uncontrolled glaucoma refractory to medicinal, laser, and surgical therapy. Eligible patients were randomized to undergo implantation of an Ahmed-FP7 valve (New World Medical, Inc., Rancho Cucamonga, CA) or a Baerveldt-350 implant (Abbott Medical Optics, Inc., Santa Ana, CA) using standardized surgical technique, to be followed for 5 years. The primary outcome measure was failure, defined as intraocular pressure (IOP) out of target range (5-18 mmHg with ≥ 20% reduction from baseline) for 2 consecutive visits after 3 months, vision-threatening complications, additional glaucoma procedures, or loss of light perception. Secondary outcome measures included IOP, medication use, visual acuity, complications, and interventions. A total of 238 patients were enrolled in the study; 124 received the Ahmed-FP7 valve implant and 114 received the Baerveldt-350 implant. The 2 treatment groups did not differ in any baseline characteristics with the exception of sex. The mean age of the study group was 66 ± 16 years, and 55% were women, with a greater proportion in the Baerveldt group (P=0.01). The mean baseline IOP of the study group was 31.4 ± 10.8 on a mean of 3.1 ± 1.0 glaucoma medications. The median Snellen visual acuity was 20/100, mean number of previous laser therapies was 0.9 ± 1.1, and mean number of previous surgeries was 1.7 ± 1.2. Five (4%) patients in the Ahmed group and 4 (4%) patients in the Baerveldt group experienced significant intraoperative complications. Aqueous drainage devices are being increasingly used for glaucoma refractory to conventional treatment, and the AVB Study compares the 2 most

Report on outcomes of hypomethylating therapy for analyzing prognostic value of Revised International Prognostic Scoring System for patients with lower-risk myelodysplastic syndromes.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Yoo Jin; Park, Sung Woo; Lee, In Hee; Ahn, Jae Sook; Kim, Hyeoung Joon; Chung, Joo Seop; Shin, Ho Jin; Lee, Won Sik; Lee, Sang Min; Joo, Young Don; Kim, Hawk; Lee, Ho Sup; Kim, Yang Soo; Cho, Yoon Young; Moon, Joon Ho; Sohn, Sang Kyun

2016-10-01

The outcomes for patients with lower-risk myelodysplastic syndromes (LR-MDS) by the International Prognostic Scoring System (IPSS) vary widely. For more precise prognostication, this study evaluates the prognostic value of revised IPSS with the response to hypomethylating therapy (HMT). Using the Korean MDS Working Party database, treatment outcomes for 236 patients with HMT were retrospectively evaluated. The patients were then reclassified into very low/low (VL/L), intermediate (INT), and high (H) risk groups according to IPSS-R. According to the HMT response, the 3-year overall survival (OS) did not differ between the response group (37.9 ± 9.1 %) and the stable group (52.9 ± 6.6 %, p = 0. 782). When reclassifying according to IPSS-R, 42 patients (20.8 %) were reclassified into the H risk group. Most of them did not have benefit from continued HMT and progressed to secondary failure. The median OS was 59.0 months (range, 40.0-77.9 months) for the VL/L risk group, 31 months (range, 22.7-439.3 months) for the INT risk group, and 20.0 months (range, 15.9-24.1 months) for the H risk group (p risk group according to IPSS-R (HR = 3.054, p risk according to IPSS-R (HR = 4.912, p = 0.003), and transformation to AML (HR = 2.158, p = 0.002). If IPSS-R reclassifies LR-MDS patients as H risk, these patients should be considered for early allo-HCT, regardless of the current benefits from HMT.

Long Baseline Observatory (LBO)

Data.gov (United States)

Federal Laboratory Consortium — The Long Baseline Observatory (LBO) comprises ten radio telescopes spanning 5,351 miles. It's the world's largest, sharpest, dedicated telescope array. With an eye...

A multistate model of cognitive dynamics in relation to resistance training: the contribution of baseline function.

Science.gov (United States)

Fallah, Nader; Hsu, Chun L; Bolandzadeh, Niousha; Davis, Jennifer; Beattie, B Lynn; Graf, Peter; Liu-Ambrose, Teresa

2013-08-01

We investigated: (1) the effect of different targeted exercise training on an individual's overall probability for cognitive improvement, maintenance, or decline; and (2) the simultaneous effect of targeted exercise training and baseline function on the dynamics of executive functions when a multistate transition model is used. Analyses are based on a 12-month randomized clinical trial including 155 community-dwelling women 65-75 years of age who were randomly allocated to once-weekly resistance training (1x RT; n = 54), twice-weekly resistance training (2x RT; n = 52), or twice-weekly balance and tone training (BAT; n = 49). The primary outcome measure was performance on the Stroop test, an executive cognitive test of selective attention and conflict resolution. Secondary outcomes of executive functions were set shifting and working memory. Individuals in the 1x RT or 2x RT group demonstrated a significantly greater probability for improved performance on the Stroop Test (0.49; 95% confidence interval, 0.41-0.57) compared with those in the BAT group (0.25; 95% confidence interval, 0.25-0.40). Resistance training had significant effects on transitions in selective attention and conflict resolution. Resistance training is efficacious in improving a measure of selective attention and conflict resolution in older women, probably more so among those with greater baseline cognitive function. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Hanford Site technical baseline database. Revision 1

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Porter, P.E.

1995-01-01

This report lists the Hanford specific files (Table 1) that make up the Hanford Site Technical Baseline Database. Table 2 includes the delta files that delineate the differences between this revision and revision 0 of the Hanford Site Technical Baseline Database. This information is being managed and maintained on the Hanford RDD-100 System, which uses the capabilities of RDD-100, a systems engineering software system of Ascent Logic Corporation (ALC). This revision of the Hanford Site Technical Baseline Database uses RDD-100 version 3.0.2.2 (see Table 3). Directories reflect those controlled by the Hanford RDD-100 System Administrator. Table 4 provides information regarding the platform. A cassette tape containing the Hanford Site Technical Baseline Database is available

75 FR 66748 - Notice of Baseline Filings

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-29

...- 000] Notice of Baseline Filings October 22, 2010. ONEOK Gas Transportation, L.L.C Docket No. PR11-68... above submitted a revised baseline filing of their Statement of Operating Conditions for services...

Comparison the Efficacy of Four Different Alpha Blockers in the Treatment of Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fatih Fırat

2011-05-01

Full Text Available Aim: Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH also known as nodular hyperplasia, benign enlargement of the prostate refers to the increase in size of the prostate in middle aged and elderly men. Although four different types of specific alpha blocker have been used in the treatment of BPH it remains controversial that which alpha adrenergic blocker is effective than others. The aim of this study is to compare the efficacy of 4 different alpha blockers agents on the treatment of BPH. Material and Methods: Between June 2005 and December 2008 a total of 135 consecutive patients with diagnosed of BPH were evaluated in our clinic. Patients were randomized into four groups according to alpha blocker types as fallows: group I, doxazosin 4 mg; group II, tamsulosin 0.4 mg; group III, terazosin 5 mg; and group IV, alfuzosin 10 mg. All patients were followed up with International Prostatic Symptom Score (IPSS, maximal urinary flow rates (Qmax and adverse effects were determined at baseline and again at least 3 months as efficacy parameters. Results: The mean age of the patients were 59.8±5.4 years, 58.9±6.4 years, 58.7±5.1 years, and 59.2±5.5 years in group I, group II, group III, and group IV, respectively (p>0.05. After 3 months treatment with alpha blockers the improvements in IPSS were found as 2.73, 3.73, 3.55 and 4.44 in group I, group II, group III, and group IV, respectively. Maximum urine flow rates increased as 2.81 ml/sec, 3.24 ml/sec, 3.88 ml/sec and 4.49 ml/sec in group I, group II, group III, and group IV, respectively. However, among 4 alpha blockers statistically significant difference was found only between doxazosin and alfuzosin groups according to uroflowmetry and IPSS results. According to these results, when compared adverse effect, the significant difference was observed only in tamsulosine group. Conclusions: As a result we can say that except retrograde ejaculation in tamsulosine group, adverse effects are not different between the

Baseline psychophysiological and cortisol reactivity as a predictor of PTSD treatment outcome in virtual reality exposure therapy.

Science.gov (United States)

Norrholm, Seth Davin; Jovanovic, Tanja; Gerardi, Maryrose; Breazeale, Kathryn G; Price, Matthew; Davis, Michael; Duncan, Erica; Ressler, Kerry J; Bradley, Bekh; Rizzo, Albert; Tuerk, Peter W; Rothbaum, Barbara O

2016-07-01

Baseline cue-dependent physiological reactivity may serve as an objective measure of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms. Additionally, prior animal model and psychological studies would suggest that subjects with greatest symptoms at baseline may have the greatest violation of expectancy to danger when undergoing exposure based psychotherapy; thus treatment approaches which enhanced the learning under these conditions would be optimal for those with maximal baseline cue-dependent reactivity. However methods to study this hypothesis objectively are lacking. Virtual reality (VR) methodologies have been successfully employed as an enhanced form of imaginal prolonged exposure therapy for the treatment of PTSD. Our goal was to examine the predictive nature of initial psychophysiological (e.g., startle, skin conductance, heart rate) and stress hormone responses (e.g., cortisol) during presentation of VR-based combat-related stimuli on PTSD treatment outcome. Combat veterans with PTSD underwent 6 weeks of VR exposure therapy combined with either d-cycloserine (DCS), alprazolam (ALP), or placebo (PBO). In the DCS group, startle response to VR scenes prior to initiation of treatment accounted for 76% of the variance in CAPS change scores, p < 0.001, in that higher responses predicted greater changes in symptom severity over time. Additionally, baseline cortisol reactivity was inversely associated with treatment response in the ALP group, p = 0.04. We propose that baseline cue-activated physiological measures will be sensitive to predicting patients' level of response to exposure therapy, in particular in the presence of enhancement (e.g., DCS). Published by Elsevier Ltd.

2016 Annual Technology Baseline (ATB) - Webinar Presentation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cole, Wesley; Kurup, Parthiv; Hand, Maureen; Feldman, David; Sigrin, Benjamin; Lantz, Eric; Stehly, Tyler; Augustine, Chad; Turchi, Craig; Porro, Gian; O' Connor, Patrick; Waldoch, Connor

2016-09-13

This deck was presented for the 2016 Annual Technology Baseline Webinar. The presentation describes the Annual Technology Baseline, which is a compilation of current and future cost and performance data for electricity generation technologies.

Satellite-Surface Perspectives of Air Quality and Aerosol-Cloud Effects on the Environment: An Overview of 7-SEAS BASELInE

Science.gov (United States)

Tsay, Si-Chee; Maring, Hal B.; Lin, Neng-Huei; Buntoung, Sumaman; Chantara, Somporn; Chuang, Hsiao-Chi; Gabriel, Philip M.; Goodloe, Colby S.; Holben, Brent N.; Hsiao, Ta-Chih;

Associations between baseline allergens and polysensitization

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Carlsen, B.C.; Menne, T.; Johansen, J.D.

2008-01-01

Background: Identification of patients at risk of developing polysensitization is not possible at present. An association between weak sensitizers and polysensitization has been hypothesized. Objectives: To examine associations of 21 allergens in the European baseline series to polysensitization....... Patients/Methods: From a database-based study with 14 998 patients patch tested with the European baseline series between 1985 and 2005, a group of 759 (5.1%) patients were polysensitized. Odds ratios were calculated to determine the relative contribution of each allergen to polysensitization. Results...... denominator for the association between the allergens and the polysensitization was apparent, and any association, whether positive or negative, was relatively low. Based on these results, sensitization to specific baseline allergens cannot be used as risk indicators for polysensitization Udgivelsesdato: 2008...

Associations between baseline allergens and polysensitization

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Carlsen, Berit Christina; Menné, Torkil; Johansen, Jeanne Duus

2008-01-01

BACKGROUND: Identification of patients at risk of developing polysensitization is not possible at present. An association between weak sensitizers and polysensitization has been hypothesized. OBJECTIVES: To examine associations of 21 allergens in the European baseline series to polysensitization....... PATIENTS/METHODS: From a database-based study with 14 998 patients patch tested with the European baseline series between 1985 and 2005, a group of 759 (5.1%) patients were polysensitized. Odds ratios were calculated to determine the relative contribution of each allergen to polysensitization. RESULTS...... denominator for the association between the allergens and the polysensitization was apparent, and any association, whether positive or negative, was relatively low. Based on these results, sensitization to specific baseline allergens cannot be used as risk indicators for polysensitization....

TWRS technical baseline database manager definition document

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Acree, C.D.

1997-01-01

This document serves as a guide for using the TWRS Technical Baseline Database Management Systems Engineering (SE) support tool in performing SE activities for the Tank Waste Remediation System (TWRS). This document will provide a consistent interpretation of the relationships between the TWRS Technical Baseline Database Management software and the present TWRS SE practices. The Database Manager currently utilized is the RDD-1000 System manufactured by the Ascent Logic Corporation. In other documents, the term RDD-1000 may be used interchangeably with TWRS Technical Baseline Database Manager

Business-as-Unusual: Existing policies in energy model baselines

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Strachan, Neil

2011-01-01

Baselines are generally accepted as a key input assumption in long-term energy modelling, but energy models have traditionally been poor on identifying baselines assumptions. Notably, transparency on the current policy content of model baselines is now especially critical as long-term climate mitigation policies have been underway for a number of years. This paper argues that the range of existing energy and emissions policies are an integral part of any long-term baseline, and hence already represent a 'with-policy' baseline, termed here a Business-as-Unusual (BAuU). Crucially, existing energy policies are not a sunk effort; as impacts of existing policy initiatives are targeted at future years, they may be revised through iterative policy making, and their quantitative effectiveness requires ex-post verification. To assess the long-term role of existing policies in energy modelling, currently identified UK policies are explicitly stripped out of the UK MARKAL Elastic Demand (MED) optimisation energy system model, to generate a BAuU (with-policy) and a REF (without policy) baseline. In terms of long-term mitigation costs, policy-baseline assumptions are comparable to another key exogenous modelling assumption - that of global fossil fuel prices. Therefore, best practice in energy modelling would be to have both a no-policy reference baseline, and a current policy reference baseline (BAuU). At a minimum, energy modelling studies should have a transparent assessment of the current policy contained within the baseline. Clearly identifying and comparing policy-baseline assumptions are required for cost effective and objective policy making, otherwise energy models will underestimate the true cost of long-term emissions reductions.

The Gambian Bone and Muscle Ageing Study: Baseline Data from a Prospective Observational African Sub-Saharan Study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ayse Zengin

2017-08-01

Full Text Available The Gambian Bone and Muscle Ageing Study is a prospective observational study investigating bone and muscle ageing in men and women from a poor, subsistence farming community of The Gambia, West Africa. Musculoskeletal diseases, including osteoporosis and sarcopenia, form a major part of the current global non-communicable disease burden. By 2050, the vast majority of the world’s ageing population will live in low- and middle-income countries with an estimated two-fold rise in osteoporotic fracture. The study design was to characterise change in bone and muscle outcomes and to identify possible preventative strategies for fracture and sarcopenia in the increasing ageing population. Men and women aged ≥40 years from the Kiang West region of The Gambia were recruited with stratified sampling by sex and age. Baseline measurements were completed in 488 participants in 2012 who were randomly assigned to follow-up between 1.5 and 2 years later. Follow-up measurements were performed on 465 participants approximately 1.7 years after baseline measurements. The data set comprises a wide range of measurements on bone, muscle strength, anthropometry, biochemistry, and dietary intake. Questionnaires were used to obtain information on health, lifestyle, musculoskeletal pain, and reproductive status. Baseline cross-sectional data show preliminary evidence for bone mineral density and muscle loss with age. Men had greater negative differences in total body lean mass with age than women following adjustments for body size. From peripheral quantitative computed tomography scans, greater negative associations between bone outcomes and age at the radius and tibia were shown in women than in men. Ultimately, the findings from The Gambian Bone and Muscle Ageing Study will contribute to the understanding of musculoskeletal health in a transitioning population and better characterise fracture and sarcopenia incidence in The Gambia with an aim to the

Pakistan, Sindh Province - Baseline Indicators System : Baseline Procurement Performance Assessment Report

OpenAIRE

World Bank

2009-01-01

This document provides an assessment of the public procurement system in Sindh province using the baseline indicators system developed by the Development Assistance Committee of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD-DAC). This assessment, interviews and discussions were held with stakeholders from the public and private sectors as well as civil society. Developing...

Life Support Baseline Values and Assumptions Document

Science.gov (United States)

Anderson, Molly S.; Ewert, Michael K.; Keener, John F.

2018-01-01

The Baseline Values and Assumptions Document (BVAD) provides analysts, modelers, and other life support researchers with a common set of values and assumptions which can be used as a baseline in their studies. This baseline, in turn, provides a common point of origin from which many studies in the community may depart, making research results easier to compare and providing researchers with reasonable values to assume for areas outside their experience. This document identifies many specific physical quantities that define life support systems, serving as a general reference for spacecraft life support system technology developers.

Adjusting Pulse Amplitude During Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation Does Not Provide Greater Hypoalgesia.

Science.gov (United States)

Bergeron-Vézina, Kayla; Filion, Camille; Couture, Chantal; Vallée, Élisabeth; Laroche, Sarah; Léonard, Guillaume

2018-03-01

Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) is an electrotherapeutic modality commonly used in rehabilitation to relieve pain. Adjusting pulse amplitude (intensity) during TENS treatment has been suggested to overcome nerve habituation. However, it is still unclear if this procedure leads to greater hypoalgesia. The aim of this study was to determine if the hypoalgesic effect of TENS is greater when pulse amplitude is adjusted throughout the TENS treatment session in chronic low-back pain patients. Randomized double-blind crossover study. Recruitment and assessment were conducted at the Clinique universitaire de réadaptation de l'Estrie (CURE) of the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences of the Université de Sherbrooke. Twenty-one volunteers with chronic low-back pain were enrolled and completed this investigation. Each patient received two high-frequency TENS treatments on two separate sessions: (1) with adjustment of pulse amplitude and (2) without pulse amplitude adjustment. Pain intensity and unpleasantness were assessed before, during, and after TENS application with a 10 cm visual analog scale. Both TENS conditions (with and without adjustment of intensity) decreased pain intensity and unpleasantness when compared with baseline. No difference was observed between the two stimulation conditions for both pain intensity and unpleasantness. The current results suggest that adjustment of pulse amplitude during TENS application does not provide greater hypoalgesia in individuals with chronic low-back pain. Future studies are needed to confirm these findings in other pain populations.

Early weight loss predicts the reduction of obesity in men with erectile dysfunction and hypogonadism undergoing long-term testosterone replacement therapy.

Science.gov (United States)

Salman, Mahmoud; Yassin, Dany-Jan; Shoukfeh, Huda; Nettleship, Joanne Elisabeth; Yassin, Aksam

2017-03-01

We and others have previously shown that testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) results in sustained weight loss in the majority of middle-aged hypogonadal men. Previously, however, a small proportion failed to lose at least 5% of their baseline weight. The reason for this is not yet understood. In the present study, we sought to identify early indicators that may predict successful long-term weight loss, defined as a reduction of at least 5% of total body weight relative to baseline weight (T0), in men with hypogonadism undergoing TRT. Eight parameters measured were assessed as potential predictors of sustained weight loss: loss of 3% or more of baseline weight after 1 year of TU treatment, severe hypogonadism, BMI, waist circumference, International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS), glycated hemoglobin (HbA 1C ), age and use of vardenafil. Among the eight measured parameters, three factors were significantly associated with sustained weight loss over the entire period of TU treatment: (1) a loss of 3% of the baseline body weight after 1 year of TRT; (2) baseline BMI over 30; and (3) a waist circumference >102 cm. Age was not a predictor of weight loss.

Greater happiness for a greater number: Is that possible? If so how? (Arabic)

NARCIS (Netherlands)

R. Veenhoven (Ruut); E. Samuel (Emad)

2012-01-01

textabstractWhat is the final goal of public policy? Jeremy Bentham (1789) would say: greater happiness for a greater number. He thought of happiness as subjective enjoyment of life; in his words as “the sum of pleasures and pains”. In his time, the happiness of the great number could not be

FAQs about Baseline Testing among Young Athletes

Science.gov (United States)

... a similar exam conducted by a health care professional during the season if an athlete has a suspected concussion. Baseline testing generally takes place during the pre-season—ideally prior to the first practice. It is important to note that some baseline ...

75 FR 74706 - Notice of Baseline Filings

Science.gov (United States)

2010-12-01

... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Notice of Baseline Filings November 24, 2010. Centana Intrastate Pipeline, LLC. Docket No. PR10-84-001. Centana Intrastate Pipeline, LLC... applicants listed above submitted a revised baseline filing of their Statement of Operating Conditions for...

Geochemical baseline studies of soil in Finland

Science.gov (United States)

Pihlaja, Jouni

2017-04-01

The soil element concentrations regionally vary a lot in Finland. Mostly this is caused by the different bedrock types, which are reflected in the soil qualities. Geological Survey of Finland (GTK) is carrying out geochemical baseline studies in Finland. In the previous phase, the research is focusing on urban areas and mine environments. The information can, for example, be used to determine the need for soil remediation, to assess environmental impacts or to measure the natural state of soil in industrial areas or mine districts. The field work is done by taking soil samples, typically at depth between 0-10 cm. Sampling sites are chosen to represent the most vulnerable areas when thinking of human impacts by possible toxic soil element contents: playgrounds, day-care centers, schools, parks and residential areas. In the mine districts the samples are taken from the areas locating outside the airborne dust effected areas. Element contents of the soil samples are then analyzed with ICP-AES and ICP-MS, Hg with CV-AAS. The results of the geochemical baseline studies are published in the Finnish national geochemical baseline database (TAPIR). The geochemical baseline map service is free for all users via internet browser. Through this map service it is possible to calculate regional soil baseline values using geochemical data stored in the map service database. Baseline data for 17 elements in total is provided in the map service and it can be viewed on the GTK's web pages (http://gtkdata.gtk.fi/Tapir/indexEN.html).

Intrafractional baseline drift during free breathing breast cancer radiation therapy.

Science.gov (United States)

Jensen, Christer Andre; Acosta Roa, Ana María; Lund, Jo-Åsmund; Frengen, Jomar

2017-06-01

Intrafraction motion in breast cancer radiation therapy (BCRT) has not yet been thoroughly described in the literature. It has been observed that baseline drift occurs as part of the intrafraction motion. This study aims to measure baseline drift and its incidence in free-breathing BCRT patients using an in-house developed laser system for tracking the position of the sternum. Baseline drift was monitored in 20 right-sided breast cancer patients receiving free breathing 3D-conformal RT by using an in-house developed laser system which measures one-dimensional distance in the AP direction. A total of 357 patient respiratory traces from treatment sessions were logged and analysed. Baseline drift was compared to patient positioning error measured from in-field portal imaging. The mean overall baseline drift at end of treatment sessions was -1.3 mm for the patient population. Relatively small baseline drift was observed during the first fraction; however it was clearly detected already at the second fraction. Over 90% of the baseline drift occurs during the first 3 min of each treatment session. The baseline drift rate for the population was -0.5 ± 0.2 mm/min in the posterior direction the first minute after localization. Only 4% of the treatment sessions had a 5 mm or larger baseline drift at 5 min, all towards the posterior direction. Mean baseline drift in the posterior direction in free breathing BCRT was observed in 18 of 20 patients over all treatment sessions. This study shows that there is a substantial baseline drift in free breathing BCRT patients. No clear baseline drift was observed during the first treatment session; however, baseline drift was markedly present at the rest of the sessions. Intrafraction motion due to baseline drift should be accounted for in margin calculations.

Rate and associated factors of solifenacin add-on after tamsulosin monotherapy in men with voiding and storage lower urinary tract symptoms.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, H N; Lee, K-S; Kim, J C; Chung, B H; Kim, C-S; Lee, J G; Kim, D K; Park, C H; Park, J K; Hong, S J

2015-04-01

To explore the rate of add-on therapy with solifenacin in men with voiding and storage lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) after tamsulosin monotherapy and to explore predictive factors for starting solifenacin add-on therapy. Men aged ≥ 45 years with IPSS ≥ 12 and symptoms of OAB (OAB-V8 ≥ 8, micturition ≥ 8/24 h, urgency ≥ 2/24 h) were enrolled to receive tamsulosin 0.2 mg once daily. After 4 weeks, men with residual symptoms of OAB and reported 'dissatisfied' or 'a little satisfied' were received solifenacin 5 mg in combination with tamsulosin monotherapy. Subjects completed an IPSS, a Quality of life (QoL) index, OAB V8, and an International Consultation of Incontinence Questionnaire (ICIQ)-Male LUTS, and patient perception of bladder condition (PPBC) at baseline and week 4. Of a total of 305 patients, 254 patients completed 4 weeks of tamsulosin treatment. For 176 patients, solifenacin was added (69.3%). Significant predictive factors of solifenacin add-on therapy included long LUTS duration, high IPSS, number of micturitions per 24 h, more urgency episodes, high urgency severity score in a voiding diary and high OAB V8 score. Based on multivariable analysis, potential predictive factors of solifenacin add-on therapy included long LUTS duration (OR = 1.008, 95% CI: 1.001-1.014), high serum PSA (OR = 1.543, 95% CI: 1.136-2.095) and small prostate size (OR = 0.970, 95% CI: 0.947-0.994) (p tamsulosin monotherapy. Two thirds of men with voiding and storage LUTS needed to add anticholinergics after 4 weeks of tamsulosin monotherapy. Patients with longer lasting symptoms and storage symptoms with small prostate volume may require the anticholinergic add-on. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Extracting Baseline Electricity Usage Using Gradient Tree Boosting

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kim, Taehoon [Ulsan Nat. Inst. of Sci. & Tech., Ulsan (South Korea); Lee, Dongeun [Ulsan Nat. Inst. of Sci. & Tech., Ulsan (South Korea); Choi, Jaesik [Ulsan Nat. Inst. of Sci. & Tech., Ulsan (South Korea); Spurlock, Anna [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States); Sim, Alex [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States); Todd, Annika [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States); Wu, Kesheng [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States)

2016-05-05

To understand how specific interventions affect a process observed over time, we need to control for the other factors that influence outcomes. Such a model that captures all factors other than the one of interest is generally known as a baseline. In our study of how different pricing schemes affect residential electricity consumption, the baseline would need to capture the impact of outdoor temperature along with many other factors. In this work, we examine a number of different data mining techniques and demonstrate Gradient Tree Boosting (GTB) to be an effective method to build the baseline. We train GTB on data prior to the introduction of new pricing schemes, and apply the known temperature following the introduction of new pricing schemes to predict electricity usage with the expected temperature correction. Our experiments and analyses show that the baseline models generated by GTB capture the core characteristics over the two years with the new pricing schemes. In contrast to the majority of regression based techniques which fail to capture the lag between the peak of daily temperature and the peak of electricity usage, the GTB generated baselines are able to correctly capture the delay between the temperature peak and the electricity peak. Furthermore, subtracting this temperature-adjusted baseline from the observed electricity usage, we find that the resulting values are more amenable to interpretation, which demonstrates that the temperature-adjusted baseline is indeed effective.

75 FR 57268 - Notice of Baseline Filings

Science.gov (United States)

2010-09-20

... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [Docket No. PR10-103-000; Docket No. PR10-104-000; Docket No. PR10-105- 000 (Not Consolidated)] Notice of Baseline Filings September 13..., 2010, and September 10, 2010, respectively the applicants listed above submitted their baseline filing...

Treating nicotine dependence by targeting attention-deficit/ hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) with OROS methylphenidate: the role of baseline ADHD severity and treatment response.

Science.gov (United States)

Nunes, Edward V; Covey, Lirio S; Brigham, Gregory; Hu, Mei-Chen; Levin, Frances R; Somoza, Eugene C; Winhusen, Theresa M

2013-10-01

To determine whether treatment of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) with osmotic-release oral system (OROS) methylphenidate promotes abstinence from smoking among smokers with ADHD who have greater severity of ADHD symptoms at baseline or greater improvement in ADHD during treatment. This is a secondary analysis of data from a randomized, double-blind, 11-week trial conducted between December 2005 and January 2008 at 6 clinical sites; the original trial was sponsored by the National Drug Abuse Clinical Trials Network. Adult cigarette smokers (aged 18-55 years) who met DSM-IV criteria for ADHD were randomly assigned to OROS methylphenidate (72 mg/d) (n = 127) or matching placebo (n = 128). All participants received nicotine patches (21 mg/d) and weekly individual smoking cessation counseling. Logistic regression was used to model prolonged abstinence from smoking (ascertained by self-report and breath carbon monoxide testing) as a function of treatment, baseline ADHD Rating Scale-IV (ADHD-RS) score, change in ADHD-RS score during treatment, and their interactions. Treatment interacted with both ADHD-RS score at baseline (P = .01) and change in ADHD-RS score during treatment (P = .008). Among patients with higher ADHD-RS scores (> 36) at baseline and the most improvement in ADHD during treatment (ADHD-RS change score ≥ 24), 70.0% of those who took OROS methylphenidate achieved abstinence from smoking compared to 36.8% of those who took placebo (P = .02). In contrast, among patients with the lowest ADHD-RS baseline scores (≤ 30), 30.3% of those who took OROS methylphenidate achieved abstinence from smoking compared to 60.7% of those who took placebo (P = .02). OROS methylphenidate, in combination with nicotine patch, may be an effective treatment for nicotine dependence among smokers with more severe ADHD and more robust response of ADHD symptoms to medication. OROS methylphenidate may be counterproductive among smokers with lower severity of ADHD

75 FR 65010 - Notice of Baseline Filings

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-21

... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [Docket No. PR11-1-000; Docket No. PR11-2-000; Docket No. PR11-3-000] Notice of Baseline Filings October 14, 2010. Cranberry Pipeline Docket..., 2010, respectively the applicants listed above submitted their baseline filing of its Statement of...

THE 2014 ALMA LONG BASELINE CAMPAIGN: AN OVERVIEW

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Partnership, ALMA [Astrophysics Research Institute, Liverpool John Moores University, IC2, Liverpool Science Park, 146 Brownlow Hill, Liverpool L3 5RF (United Kingdom); Fomalont, E. B.; Vlahakis, C.; Corder, S.; Remijan, A.; Barkats, D.; Dent, W. R. F.; Phillips, N.; Cox, P.; Hales, A. S. [Joint ALMA Observatory, Alonso de Córdova 3107, Vitacura, Santiago (Chile); Lucas, R. [Institut de Planétologie et d’Astrophysique de Grenoble (UMR 5274), BP 53, F-38041 Grenoble Cedex 9 (France); Hunter, T. R.; Brogan, C. L.; Amestica, R.; Cotton, W. [National Radio Astronomy Observatory, 520 Edgemont Road, Charlottesville, VA 22903 (United States); Asaki, Y. [National Astronomical Observatory of Japan, 2-21-1 Osawa, Mitaka, Tokyo 181-8588 (Japan); Matsushita, S. [Institute of Astronomy and Astrophysics, Academia Sinica, P.O. Box 23-141, Taipei 106, Taiwan (China); Hills, R. E. [Astrophysics Group, Cavendish Laboratory, JJ Thomson Avenue, Cambridge CB3 0HE (United Kingdom); Richards, A. M. S. [Jodrell Bank Centre for Astrophysics, School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9PL (United Kingdom); Broguiere, D., E-mail: efomalon@nrao.edu [Institut de Radioastronomie Millime´trique (IRAM), 300 rue de la Piscine, Domaine Universitaire, F-38406 Saint Martin d’Hères (France); and others

2015-07-20

A major goal of the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) is to make accurate images with resolutions of tens of milliarcseconds, which at submillimeter (submm) wavelengths requires baselines up to ∼15 km. To develop and test this capability, a Long Baseline Campaign (LBC) was carried out from 2014 September to late November, culminating in end-to-end observations, calibrations, and imaging of selected Science Verification (SV) targets. This paper presents an overview of the campaign and its main results, including an investigation of the short-term coherence properties and systematic phase errors over the long baselines at the ALMA site, a summary of the SV targets and observations, and recommendations for science observing strategies at long baselines. Deep ALMA images of the quasar 3C 138 at 97 and 241 GHz are also compared to VLA 43 GHz results, demonstrating an agreement at a level of a few percent. As a result of the extensive program of LBC testing, the highly successful SV imaging at long baselines achieved angular resolutions as fine as 19 mas at ∼350 GHz. Observing with ALMA on baselines of up to 15 km is now possible, and opens up new parameter space for submm astronomy.

THE 2014 ALMA LONG BASELINE CAMPAIGN: AN OVERVIEW

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Partnership, ALMA; Fomalont, E. B.; Vlahakis, C.; Corder, S.; Remijan, A.; Barkats, D.; Dent, W. R. F.; Phillips, N.; Cox, P.; Hales, A. S.; Lucas, R.; Hunter, T. R.; Brogan, C. L.; Amestica, R.; Cotton, W.; Asaki, Y.; Matsushita, S.; Hills, R. E.; Richards, A. M. S.; Broguiere, D.

2015-01-01

A major goal of the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) is to make accurate images with resolutions of tens of milliarcseconds, which at submillimeter (submm) wavelengths requires baselines up to ∼15 km. To develop and test this capability, a Long Baseline Campaign (LBC) was carried out from 2014 September to late November, culminating in end-to-end observations, calibrations, and imaging of selected Science Verification (SV) targets. This paper presents an overview of the campaign and its main results, including an investigation of the short-term coherence properties and systematic phase errors over the long baselines at the ALMA site, a summary of the SV targets and observations, and recommendations for science observing strategies at long baselines. Deep ALMA images of the quasar 3C 138 at 97 and 241 GHz are also compared to VLA 43 GHz results, demonstrating an agreement at a level of a few percent. As a result of the extensive program of LBC testing, the highly successful SV imaging at long baselines achieved angular resolutions as fine as 19 mas at ∼350 GHz. Observing with ALMA on baselines of up to 15 km is now possible, and opens up new parameter space for submm astronomy

Role of the greater sciatic notch of the hip bone in sexual dimorphism: a morphometric study of the north Indian population.

Science.gov (United States)

G, Kalsey; R K, Singla; K, Sachdeva

2011-04-01

The distinctive morphology and sexual dimorphism of the human hip bone makes it of interest from the anatomical, anthropological and forensic points of view. The shape of the greater sciatic notch has attracted great attention in the past. In the current investigation, an attempt has been made to find the baseline data of various parameters pertaining to the greater sciatic notch of 100 hip bones of known sex (male:female = 80:20) and side (right:left = 50:50), obtained from the Department of Anatomy, Government Medical College, Amritsar, Punjab, India, during the period 2007-2009. Seven parameters of the notch, viz. width, depth, posterior segment width, total angle, posterior segment angle, index I and index II of the greater sciatic notch were studied. The results thus obtained were compiled, tabulated, statistically analysed and were compared with the accessible literature. Out of all the parameters studied, width of the notch, posterior segment width, total angle, posterior segment angle and index II of notch were found to be significantly greater in women as compared with men. Thus the greater sciatic notch can serve as a reliable sex indicator even when the complete hip bone has not been well preserved.

76 FR 8725 - Notice of Baseline Filings

Science.gov (United States)

2011-02-15

... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Notice of Baseline Filings Enstor Grama Ridge Storage and Docket No. PR10-97-002. Transportation, L.L.C.. EasTrans, LLC Docket No. PR10-30-001... revised baseline filing of their Statement of Operating Conditions for services provided under section 311...

76 FR 5797 - Notice of Baseline Filings

Science.gov (United States)

2011-02-02

... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [Docket No. PR10-114-001; Docket No. PR10-129-001; Docket No. PR10-131- 001; Docket No. PR10-68-002 Not Consolidated] Notice of Baseline... applicants listed above submitted a revised baseline filing of their Statement of Operating Conditions for...

Office of Geologic Repositories program baseline procedures notebook (OGR/B-1)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1986-06-01

Baseline management is typically applied to aid in the internal control of a program by providing consistent programmatic direction, control, and surveillance to an evolving system development. This fundamental concept of internal program control involves the establishment of a baseline to serve as a point of departure for consistent technical program coordination and to control subsequent changes from that baseline. The existence of a program-authorized baseline ensures that all participants are working to the same ground rules. Baseline management also ensures that, once the baseline is defined, changes are assessed and approved by a process which ensures adequate consideration of overall program impact. Baseline management also includes the consideration of examptions from the baseline. The process of baseline management continues through all the phases of an evolving system development program. As the Program proceeds, there will be a progressive increase in the data contained in the baseline documentation. Baseline management has been selected as a management technique to aid in the internal control of the Office of Geologic Repositories (OGR) program. Specifically, an OGR Program Baseline, including technical and programmatic requirements, is used for program control of the four Mined Geologic Disposal System field projects, i.e., Basalt Waste Isolation Project, Nevada Nuclear Waste Storage Investigation, Salt Repository Project and Crystalline Repository Project. This OGR Program Baseline Procedures Notebook provides a description of the baseline mwanagement concept, establishes the OGR Program baseline itself, and provides procedures to be followed for controlling changes to that baseline. The notebook has a controlled distribution and will be updated as required

Effectiveness and Safety of Electroacupuncture on Poststroke Urinary Incontinence: Study Protocol of a Pilot Multicentered, Randomized, Parallel, Sham-Controlled Trial

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Seungwon Shin

2016-01-01

Full Text Available This pilot multicentered, randomized, parallel, sham-controlled trial is intended to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of electroacupuncture therapy for poststroke patients with urinary incontinence. Forty stroke survivors aged >19 years will be recruited in 2 hospitals in the Republic of Korea. Patients who experienced stroke within 2 years and satisfy criteria of urinary frequencies ≥2 with either 3 to 4 points on the Patient Perception of Intensity of Urgency Scale or 13 points or more on the Korean version of the International Prostate Symptom Scale (K-IPSS will be identified, along with other eligibility criteria. Patients will be randomly allocated to either a treatment or control group to receive 10 sessions of electroacupuncture or sham therapies, respectively. Patients and outcome assessors will be blinded. The primary outcome is the change of Total Urgency and Frequency Score between the baseline and the trial endpoint. The K-IPSS, the International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire for Urinary Incontinence Short Form, and the Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms Outcome Score will be evaluated for effectiveness assessment. Adverse events will be reported after every session. The Blinding Index will also be calculated. Data will be statistically analyzed with 0.05 significance levels by 2-sided testing.

Accelerated Best Basis Inventory Baselining Task

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

SASAKI, L.M.

2001-01-01

The baselining effort was recently proposed to bring the Best-Basis Inventory (BBI) and Question No.8 of the Tank Interpretive Report (TIR) for all 177 tanks to the current standards and protocols and to prepare a TIR Question No.8 if one is not already available. This plan outlines the objectives and methodology of the accelerated BBI baselining task. BBI baselining meetings held during December 2000 resulted in a revised BBI methodology and an initial set of BBI creation rules to be used in the baselining effort. The objectives of the BBI baselining effort are to: (1) Provide inventories that are consistent with the revised BBI methodology and new BBI creation rules. (2) Split the total tank waste in each tank into six waste phases, as appropriate (Supernatant, saltcake solids, saltcake liquid, sludge solids, sludge liquid, and retained gas). In some tanks, the solids and liquid portions of the sludge and/or saltcake may be combined into a single sludge or saltcake phase. (3) Identify sampling events that are to be used for calculating the BBIs. (4) Update waste volumes for subsequent reconciliation with the Hanlon (2001) waste tank summary. (5) Implement new waste type templates. (6) Include any sample data that might have been unintentionally omitted in the previous BBI and remove any sample data that should not have been included. Sample data to be used in the BBI must be available on TWINS. (7) Ensure that an inventory value for each standard BBI analyte is provided for each waste component. Sample based inventories for supplemental BBI analytes will be included when available. (8) Provide new means and confidence interval reports if one is not already available and include uncertainties in reporting inventory values

75 FR 70732 - Notice of Baseline Filings

Science.gov (United States)

2010-11-18

... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [Docket No. PR11-71-000; Docket No. PR11-72-000; Docket No. PR11-73- 000] Notice of Baseline Filings November 10, 2010. Docket No. PR11-71-000..., 2010, the applicants listed above submitted their baseline filing of their Statement of Operating...

MALDI-TOF Baseline Drift Removal Using Stochastic Bernstein Approximation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Howard Daniel

2006-01-01

Full Text Available Stochastic Bernstein (SB approximation can tackle the problem of baseline drift correction of instrumentation data. This is demonstrated for spectral data: matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF data. Two SB schemes for removing the baseline drift are presented: iterative and direct. Following an explanation of the origin of the MALDI-TOF baseline drift that sheds light on the inherent difficulty of its removal by chemical means, SB baseline drift removal is illustrated for both proteomics and genomics MALDI-TOF data sets. SB is an elegant signal processing method to obtain a numerically straightforward baseline shift removal method as it includes a free parameter that can be optimized for different baseline drift removal applications. Therefore, research that determines putative biomarkers from the spectral data might benefit from a sensitivity analysis to the underlying spectral measurement that is made possible by varying the SB free parameter. This can be manually tuned (for constant or tuned with evolutionary computation (for .

Physics Potential of Long-Baseline Experiments

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sanjib Kumar Agarwalla

2014-01-01

Full Text Available The discovery of neutrino mixing and oscillations over the past decade provides firm evidence for new physics beyond the Standard Model. Recently, θ13 has been determined to be moderately large, quite close to its previous upper bound. This represents a significant milestone in establishing the three-flavor oscillation picture of neutrinos. It has opened up exciting prospects for current and future long-baseline neutrino oscillation experiments towards addressing the remaining fundamental questions, in particular the type of the neutrino mass hierarchy and the possible presence of a CP-violating phase. Another recent and crucial development is the indication of non-maximal 2-3 mixing angle, causing the octant ambiguity of θ23. In this paper, I will review the phenomenology of long-baseline neutrino oscillations with a special emphasis on sub-leading three-flavor effects, which will play a crucial role in resolving these unknowns. First, I will give a brief description of neutrino oscillation phenomenon. Then, I will discuss our present global understanding of the neutrino mass-mixing parameters and will identify the major unknowns in this sector. After that, I will present the physics reach of current generation long-baseline experiments. Finally, I will conclude with a discussion on the physics capabilities of accelerator-driven possible future long-baseline precision oscillation facilities.

Precise baseline determination for the TanDEM-X mission

Science.gov (United States)

Koenig, Rolf; Moon, Yongjin; Neumayer, Hans; Wermuth, Martin; Montenbruck, Oliver; Jäggi, Adrian

The TanDEM-X mission will strive for generating a global precise Digital Elevation Model (DEM) by way of bi-static SAR in a close formation of the TerraSAR-X satellite, already launched on June 15, 2007, and the TanDEM-X satellite to be launched in May 2010. Both satellites carry the Tracking, Occultation and Ranging (TOR) payload supplied by the GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences. The TOR consists of a high-precision dual-frequency GPS receiver, called Integrated GPS Occultation Receiver (IGOR), and a Laser retro-reflector (LRR) for precise orbit determination (POD) and atmospheric sounding. The IGOR is of vital importance for the TanDEM-X mission objectives as the millimeter level determination of the baseline or distance between the two spacecrafts is needed to derive meter level accurate DEMs. Within the TanDEM-X ground segment GFZ is responsible for the operational provision of precise baselines. For this GFZ uses two software chains, first its Earth Parameter and Orbit System (EPOS) software and second the BERNESE software, for backup purposes and quality control. In a concerted effort also the German Aerospace Center (DLR) generates precise baselines independently with a dedicated Kalman filter approach realized in its FRNS software. By the example of GRACE the generation of baselines with millimeter accuracy from on-board GPS data can be validated directly by way of comparing them to the intersatellite K-band range measurements. The K-band ranges are accurate down to the micrometer-level and therefore may be considered as truth. Both TanDEM-X baseline providers are able to generate GRACE baselines with sub-millimeter accuracy. By merging the independent baselines by GFZ and DLR, the accuracy can even be increased. The K-band validation however covers solely the along-track component as the K-band data measure just the distance between the two GRACE satellites. In addition they inhibit an un-known bias which must be modelled in the comparison, so the

Baseline Response Levels Are a Nuisance in Infant Contingency Learning

Science.gov (United States)

Millar, W. S.; Weir, Catherine

2015-01-01

The impact of differences in level of baseline responding on contingency learning in the first year was examined by considering the response acquisition of infants classified into baseline response quartiles. Whereas the three lower baseline groups showed the predicted increment in responding to a contingency, the highest baseline responders did…

[Factor structure validity of the social capital scale used at baseline in the ELSA-Brasil study].

Science.gov (United States)

Souto, Ester Paiva; Vasconcelos, Ana Glória Godoi; Chor, Dora; Reichenheim, Michael E; Griep, Rosane Härter

2016-07-21

This study aims to analyze the factor structure of the Brazilian version of the Resource Generator (RG) scale, using baseline data from the Brazilian Longitudinal Health Study in Adults (ELSA-Brasil). Cross-validation was performed in three random subsamples. Exploratory factor analysis using exploratory structural equation models was conducted in the first two subsamples to diagnose the factor structure, and confirmatory factor analysis was used in the third to corroborate the model defined by the exploratory analyses. Based on the 31 initial items, the model with the best fit included 25 items distributed across three dimensions. They all presented satisfactory convergent validity (values greater than 0.50 for the extracted variance) and precision (values greater than 0.70 for compound reliability). All factor correlations were below 0.85, indicating full discriminative factor validity. The RG scale presents acceptable psychometric properties and can be used in populations with similar characteristics.

Baseline hematology and serum biochemistry results for Indian leopards (Panthera pardus fusca

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Arun Attur Shanmugam

2017-07-01

Full Text Available Aim: The aim of the study was to establish the baseline hematology and serum biochemistry values for Indian leopards (Panthera pardus fusca, and to assess the possible variations in these parameters based on age and gender. Materials and Methods: Hemato-biochemical test reports from a total of 83 healthy leopards, carried out as part of routine health evaluation in Bannerghatta Biological Park and Manikdoh Leopard Rescue Center, were used to establish baseline hematology and serum biochemistry parameters for the subspecies. The hematological parameters considered for the analysis included hemoglobin (Hb, packed cell volume, total erythrocyte count (TEC, total leukocyte count (TLC, mean corpuscular volume (MCV, mean corpuscular Hb (MCH, and MCH concentration. The serum biochemistry parameters considered included total protein (TP, albumin, globulin, aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase (ALT, blood urea nitrogen, creatinine, triglycerides, calcium, and phosphorus. Results: Even though few differences were observed in hematologic and biochemistry values between male and female Indian leopards, the differences were statistically not significant. Effects of age, however, were evident in relation to many hematologic and biochemical parameters. Sub-adults had significantly greater values for Hb, TEC, and TLC compared to adults and geriatric group, whereas they had significantly lower MCV and MCH compared to adults and geriatric group. Among, serum biochemistry parameters the sub-adult age group was observed to have significantly lower values for TP and ALT than adult and geriatric leopards. Conclusion: The study provides a comprehensive analysis of hematologic and biochemical parameters for Indian leopards. Baselines established here will permit better captive management of the subspecies, serve as a guide to assess the health and physiological status of the free ranging leopards, and may contribute valuable information for making

Baseline hematology and serum biochemistry results for Indian leopards (Panthera pardus fusca)

Science.gov (United States)

Shanmugam, Arun Attur; Muliya, Sanath Krishna; Deshmukh, Ajay; Suresh, Sujay; Nath, Anukul; Kalaignan, Pa; Venkataravanappa, Manjunath; Jose, Lyju

2017-01-01

Aim: The aim of the study was to establish the baseline hematology and serum biochemistry values for Indian leopards (Panthera pardus fusca), and to assess the possible variations in these parameters based on age and gender. Materials and Methods: Hemato-biochemical test reports from a total of 83 healthy leopards, carried out as part of routine health evaluation in Bannerghatta Biological Park and Manikdoh Leopard Rescue Center, were used to establish baseline hematology and serum biochemistry parameters for the subspecies. The hematological parameters considered for the analysis included hemoglobin (Hb), packed cell volume, total erythrocyte count (TEC), total leukocyte count (TLC), mean corpuscular volume (MCV), mean corpuscular Hb (MCH), and MCH concentration. The serum biochemistry parameters considered included total protein (TP), albumin, globulin, aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase (ALT), blood urea nitrogen, creatinine, triglycerides, calcium, and phosphorus. Results: Even though few differences were observed in hematologic and biochemistry values between male and female Indian leopards, the differences were statistically not significant. Effects of age, however, were evident in relation to many hematologic and biochemical parameters. Sub-adults had significantly greater values for Hb, TEC, and TLC compared to adults and geriatric group, whereas they had significantly lower MCV and MCH compared to adults and geriatric group. Among, serum biochemistry parameters the sub-adult age group was observed to have significantly lower values for TP and ALT than adult and geriatric leopards. Conclusion: The study provides a comprehensive analysis of hematologic and biochemical parameters for Indian leopards. Baselines established here will permit better captive management of the subspecies, serve as a guide to assess the health and physiological status of the free ranging leopards, and may contribute valuable information for making effective

IPCC Socio-Economic Baseline Dataset

Data.gov (United States)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration — The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Socio-Economic Baseline Dataset consists of population, human development, economic, water resources, land...

Baseline methodologies for clean development mechanism projects

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lee, M.K. (ed.); Shrestha, R.M.; Sharma, S.; Timilsina, G.R.; Kumar, S.

2005-11-15

The Kyoto Protocol and the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) came into force on 16th February 2005 with its ratification by Russia. The increasing momentum of this process is reflected in more than 100 projects having been submitted to the CDM Executive Board (CDM-EB) for approval of the baselines and monitoring methodologies, which is the first step in developing and implementing CDM projects. A CDM project should result in a net decrease of GHG emissions below any level that would have resulted from other activities implemented in the absence of that CDM project. The 'baseline' defines the GHG emissions of activities that would have been implemented in the absence of a CDM project. The baseline methodology is the process/algorithm for establishing that baseline. The baseline, along with the baseline methodology, are thus the most critical element of any CDM project towards meeting the important criteria of CDM, which are that a CDM should result in 'real, measurable, and long term benefits related to the mitigation of climate change'. This guidebook is produced within the frame work of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) facilitated 'Capacity Development for the Clean Development Mechanism (CD4CDM)' Project. This document is published as part of the projects effort to develop guidebooks that cover important issues such as project finance, sustainability impacts, legal framework and institutional framework. These materials are aimed to help stakeholders better understand the CDM and are believed to eventually contribute to maximize the effect of the CDM in achieving the ultimate goal of UNFCCC and its Kyoto Protocol. This Guidebook should be read in conjunction with the information provided in the two other guidebooks entitled, 'Clean Development Mechanism: Introduction to the CDM' and 'CDM Information and Guidebook' developed under the CD4CDM project. (BA)

Baseline methodologies for clean development mechanism projects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, M.K.; Shrestha, R.M.; Sharma, S.; Timilsina, G.R.; Kumar, S.

2005-11-01

The Kyoto Protocol and the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) came into force on 16th February 2005 with its ratification by Russia. The increasing momentum of this process is reflected in more than 100 projects having been submitted to the CDM Executive Board (CDM-EB) for approval of the baselines and monitoring methodologies, which is the first step in developing and implementing CDM projects. A CDM project should result in a net decrease of GHG emissions below any level that would have resulted from other activities implemented in the absence of that CDM project. The 'baseline' defines the GHG emissions of activities that would have been implemented in the absence of a CDM project. The baseline methodology is the process/algorithm for establishing that baseline. The baseline, along with the baseline methodology, are thus the most critical element of any CDM project towards meeting the important criteria of CDM, which are that a CDM should result in 'real, measurable, and long term benefits related to the mitigation of climate change'. This guidebook is produced within the frame work of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) facilitated 'Capacity Development for the Clean Development Mechanism (CD4CDM)' Project. This document is published as part of the projects effort to develop guidebooks that cover important issues such as project finance, sustainability impacts, legal framework and institutional framework. These materials are aimed to help stakeholders better understand the CDM and are believed to eventually contribute to maximize the effect of the CDM in achieving the ultimate goal of UNFCCC and its Kyoto Protocol. This Guidebook should be read in conjunction with the information provided in the two other guidebooks entitled, 'Clean Development Mechanism: Introduction to the CDM' and 'CDM Information and Guidebook' developed under the CD4CDM project. (BA)

Baseline budgeting for continuous improvement.

Science.gov (United States)

Kilty, G L

1999-05-01

This article is designed to introduce the techniques used to convert traditionally maintained department budgets to baseline budgets. This entails identifying key activities, evaluating for value-added, and implementing continuous improvement opportunities. Baseline Budgeting for Continuous Improvement was created as a result of a newly named company president's request to implement zero-based budgeting. The president was frustrated with the mind-set of the organization, namely, "Next year's budget should be 10 to 15 percent more than this year's spending." Zero-based budgeting was not the answer, but combining the principles of activity-based costing and the Just-in-Time philosophy of eliminating waste and continuous improvement did provide a solution to the problem.

Safe and sensible preprocessing and baseline correction of pupil-size data.

Science.gov (United States)

Mathôt, Sebastiaan; Fabius, Jasper; Van Heusden, Elle; Van der Stigchel, Stefan

2018-02-01

Measurement of pupil size (pupillometry) has recently gained renewed interest from psychologists, but there is little agreement on how pupil-size data is best analyzed. Here we focus on one aspect of pupillometric analyses: baseline correction, i.e., analyzing changes in pupil size relative to a baseline period. Baseline correction is useful in experiments that investigate the effect of some experimental manipulation on pupil size. In such experiments, baseline correction improves statistical power by taking into account random fluctuations in pupil size over time. However, we show that baseline correction can also distort data if unrealistically small pupil sizes are recorded during the baseline period, which can easily occur due to eye blinks, data loss, or other distortions. Divisive baseline correction (corrected pupil size = pupil size/baseline) is affected more strongly by such distortions than subtractive baseline correction (corrected pupil size = pupil size - baseline). We discuss the role of baseline correction as a part of preprocessing of pupillometric data, and make five recommendations: (1) before baseline correction, perform data preprocessing to mark missing and invalid data, but assume that some distortions will remain in the data; (2) use subtractive baseline correction; (3) visually compare your corrected and uncorrected data; (4) be wary of pupil-size effects that emerge faster than the latency of the pupillary response allows (within ±220 ms after the manipulation that induces the effect); and (5) remove trials on which baseline pupil size is unrealistically small (indicative of blinks and other distortions).

Performance Measurement Baseline Change Request

Data.gov (United States)

Social Security Administration — The Performance Measurement Baseline Change Request template is used to document changes to scope, cost, schedule, or operational performance metrics for SSA's Major...

Baseline Body Mass Index and the Efficacy of Hypoglycemic Treatment in Type 2 Diabetes: A Meta-Analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Cai, Xiaoling; Yang, Wenjia; Gao, Xueying; Zhou, Lingli; Han, Xueyao; Ji, Linong

2016-01-01

Aim The aim of this study is to compare the effects of hypoglycemic treatments in groups of patients categorized according to the mean baseline body mass indexes (BMIs). Methods Studies were identified by a literature search and all the studies were double blind, placebo-controlled randomized trials in type 2 diabetes patients; study length of ≥12 weeks with the efficacy evaluated by changes in HbA1c from baseline in groups. The electronic search was first conducted in January 2015 and repeated in June 2015. Results 227 studies were included. Treatment with sulfonylureas was compared with placebo in overweight patients and resulted in a significantly greater change in the HbA1c levels (weighted mean difference (WMD), −1.39%) compared to obese patients (WMD, −0.77%)(p0.05). Treatment with alpha glucosidase inhibitors in normal weight patients was associated with a HbA1c change (WMD, −0.94%) that was comparable that in overweight (WMD, −0.72%) and obese patients (WMD, −0.56%)(p>0.05). Treatment with thiazolidinediones in normal weight patients was associated with a HbA1c change (WMD, −1.04%) that was comparable with that in overweight (WMD, −1.02%) and obese patients (WMD, −0.88%)(p>0.05). Treatment with DPP-4 inhibitors in normal weight patients was associated with a HbA1c change (WMD, −0.93%) that was comparable with that in overweight (WMD, −0.66%) and obese patients (WMD, −0.61%)(p>0.05). In total, of the seven hypoglycemic agents, regression analysis indicated that the mean baseline BMI was not associated with the mean HbA1c changes from baseline. Conclusion In each kind of hypoglycemic therapy in type 2 diabetes, the baseline BMI was not associated with the efficacy of HbA1c changes from baseline. PMID:27935975

An Automated Baseline Correction Method Based on Iterative Morphological Operations.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Yunliang; Dai, Liankui

2018-05-01

Raman spectra usually suffer from baseline drift caused by fluorescence or other reasons. Therefore, baseline correction is a necessary and crucial step that must be performed before subsequent processing and analysis of Raman spectra. An automated baseline correction method based on iterative morphological operations is proposed in this work. The method can adaptively determine the structuring element first and then gradually remove the spectral peaks during iteration to get an estimated baseline. Experiments on simulated data and real-world Raman data show that the proposed method is accurate, fast, and flexible for handling different kinds of baselines in various practical situations. The comparison of the proposed method with some state-of-the-art baseline correction methods demonstrates its advantages over the existing methods in terms of accuracy, adaptability, and flexibility. Although only Raman spectra are investigated in this paper, the proposed method is hopefully to be used for the baseline correction of other analytical instrumental signals, such as IR spectra and chromatograms.

Rationing with baselines

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hougaard, Jens Leth; Moreno-Ternero, Juan D.; Østerdal, Lars Peter Raahave

2013-01-01

We introduce a new operator for general rationing problems in which, besides conflicting claims, individual baselines play an important role in the rationing process. The operator builds onto ideas of composition, which are not only frequent in rationing, but also in related problems...... such as bargaining, choice, and queuing. We characterize the operator and show how it preserves some standard axioms in the literature on rationing. We also relate it to recent contributions in such literature....

Why some people discount more than others: Baseline activation in the dorsal PFC mediates the link between COMT genotype and impatient choice

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lorena R. R. Gianotti

2012-05-01

Full Text Available Individuals differ widely in how steeply they discount future rewards. The sources of these stable individual differences in delay discounting (DD are largely unknown. One candidate is the COMT Val158Met polymorphism, known to modulate prefrontal dopamine levels and affect DD. To identify possible neural mechanisms by which this polymorphism may contribute to stable individual DD differences, we measured 73 participants’ neural baseline activation using resting electroencephalogram (EEG. Such neural baseline activation measures are highly heritable and stable over time, thus an ideal endophenotype candidate to explain how genes may influence behavior via individual differences in neural function. After EEG-recording, participants made a series of incentive-compatible intertemporal choices to determine the steepness of their DD. We found that COMT significantly affected DD and that this effect was mediated by baseline activation level in the left dorsal prefrontal cortex (DPFC: (i COMT had a significant effect on DD such that the number of Val alleles was positively correlated with steeper DD (higher numbers of Val alleles means greater COMT activity and thus lower dopamine levels. (ii A whole-brain search identified a cluster in left DPFC where baseline activation was correlated with DD; lower activation was associated with steeper DD. (iii COMT had a significant effect on the baseline activation level in this left DPFC cluster such that a higher number of Val alleles was associated with lower baseline activation. (iv The effect of COMT on DD was explained by the mediating effect of neural baseline activation in the left DPFC cluster. Our study thus establishes baseline activation level in left DPFC as salient neural signature in the form of an endophenotype that mediates the link between COMT and DD.

Atmospheric, long baseline, and reactor neutrino data constraints on theta_{13}.

Science.gov (United States)

Roa, J E; Latimer, D C; Ernst, D J

2009-08-07

An atmospheric neutrino oscillation tool that uses full three-neutrino oscillation probabilities and a full three-neutrino treatment of the Mikheyev-Smirnov-Wolfenstein effect, together with an analysis of the K2K, MINOS, and CHOOZ data, is used to examine the bounds on theta_{13}. The recent, more finely binned, Super-K atmospheric data are employed. For L/E_{nu} greater, similar 10;{4} km/GeV, we previously found significant linear in theta_{13} terms. This analysis finds theta_{13} bounded from above by the atmospheric data while bounded from below by CHOOZ. The origin of this result arises from data in the previously mentioned very long baseline region; here, matter effects conspire with terms linear in theta_{13} to produce asymmetric bounds on theta_{13}. Assuming CP conservation, we find theta_{13} = -0.07_{-0.11};{+0.18} (90% C.L.).

Mercury baseline levels in Flemish soils (Belgium)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tack, Filip M.G.; Vanhaesebroeck, Thomas; Verloo, Marc G.; Van Rompaey, Kurt; Ranst, Eric van

2005-01-01

It is important to establish contaminant levels that are normally present in soils to provide baseline data for pollution studies. Mercury is a toxic element of concern. This study was aimed at assessing baseline mercury levels in soils in Flanders. In a previous study, mercury contents in soils in Oost-Vlaanderen were found to be significantly above levels reported elsewhere. For the current study, observations were extended over two more provinces, West-Vlaanderen and Antwerpen. Ranges of soil Hg contents were distinctly higher in the province Oost-Vlaanderen (interquartile range from 0.09 to 0.43 mg/kg) than in the other provinces (interquartile ranges from 0.7 to 0.13 and 0.7 to 0.15 mg/kg for West-Vlaanderen and Antwerpen, respectively). The standard threshold method was applied to separate soils containing baseline levels of Hg from the data. Baseline concentrations for Hg were characterised by a median of 0.10 mg Hg/kg dry soil, an interquartile range from 0.07 to 0.14 mg/kg and a 90% percentile value of 0.30 mg/kg. The influence of soil properties such as clay and organic carbon contents, and pH on baseline Hg concentrations was not important. Maps of the spatial distribution of Hg levels showed that the province Oost-Vlaanderen exhibited zones with systematically higher Hg soil contents. This may be related to the former presence of many small-scale industries employing mercury in that region. - Increased mercury levels may reflect human activity

Tank waste remediation system technical baseline summary description

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Raymond, R.E.

1998-01-01

This document is one of the tools used to develop and control the mission work as depicted in the included figure. This Technical Baseline Summary Description document is the top-level tool for management of the Technical Baseline for waste storage operations

Influences of Mental Illness, Current Psychological State, and Concussion History on Baseline Concussion Assessment Performance.

Science.gov (United States)

Weber, Michelle L; Dean, John-Henry L; Hoffman, Nicole L; Broglio, Steven P; McCrea, Michael; McAllister, Thomas W; Schmidt, Julianne D; Hoy, April Reed; Hazzard, Joseph B; Kelly, Louise A; Ortega, Justus D; Port, Nicholas; Putukian, Margot; Langford, T Dianne; Tierney, Ryan; Campbell, Darren E; McGinty, Gerald; O'Donnell, Patrick; Svoboda, Steven J; DiFiori, John P; Giza, Christopher C; Benjamin, Holly J; Buckley, Thomas; Kaminski, Thomas W; Clugston, James R; Feigenbaum, Luis A; Eckner, James T; Guskiewicz, Kevin; Mihalik, Jason P; Miles, Jessica Dysart; Anderson, Scott; Master, Christina L; Collins, Micky; Kontos, Anthony P; Bazarian, Jeffrey J; Chrisman, Sara P D; Brooks, Allison; Duma, Stefan; Bullers, Christopher Todd; Miles, Christopher M; Dykhuizen, Brian H

2018-04-01

depression, 3.8 ± 4.2; no anxiety/depression, 0.8 ± 1.8), depression (anxiety, 2.4 ± 4.0; depression, 3.2 ± 4.5; anxiety with depression, 3.8 ± 4.8; no anxiety/depression, 0.8 ± 1.8), and somatization (anxiety, 2.3 ± 2.9; depression, 1.8 ± 2.8; anxiety with depression, 2.2 ± 2.4; no anxiety/depression, 0.9 ± 1.7). A moderate positive relationship existed between all BSI-18 subscores and total symptom number (n = 8377; anxiety: r s = 0.43, P baseline. Individuals with extensive concussion history may experience greater state anxiety, depression, and somatization.

Carbon tetrachloride ERA soil-gas baseline monitoring

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fancher, J.D.

1994-01-01

From December 1991 through December 1993, Westinghouse Hanford Company performed routine baseline monitoring of selected wells ad soil-gas points twice weekly in the 200 West Area of the Hanford Site. This work supported the carbon Tetrachloride Expedited Response Action (ERA) and provided a solid baseline of volatile organic compound (VOC) concentrations in wells and in the subsurface at the ERA site. As site remediation continues, comparisons to this baseline can be one means of measuring the success of carbon tetrachloride vapor extraction. This report contains observations of the patterns and trends associated with data obtained during soil-gas monitoring at the 200 West Area: Monitoring performed since late 1991 includes monitoring soil-gas probes ad wellheads for volatile organic compounds (VOCs). This report reflects monitoring data collected from December 1991 through December 1993

324 Building Baseline Radiological Characterization

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

R.J. Reeder, J.C. Cooper

2010-06-24

This report documents the analysis of radiological data collected as part of the characterization study performed in 1998. The study was performed to create a baseline of the radiological conditions in the 324 Building.

Digital baseline estimation method for multi-channel pulse height analyzing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xiao Wuyun; Wei Yixiang; Ai Xianyun

2005-01-01

The basic features of digital baseline estimation for multi-channel pulse height analysis are introduced. The weight-function of minimum-noise baseline filter is deduced with functional variational calculus. The frequency response of this filter is also deduced with Fourier transformation, and the influence of parameters on amplitude frequency response characteristics is discussed. With MATLAB software, the noise voltage signal from the charge sensitive preamplifier is simulated, and the processing effect of minimum-noise digital baseline estimation is verified. According to the results of this research, digital baseline estimation method can estimate baseline optimally, and it is very suitable to be used in digital multi-channel pulse height analysis. (authors)

First Grade Baseline Evaluation

Science.gov (United States)

Center for Innovation in Assessment (NJ1), 2013

2013-01-01

The First Grade Baseline Evaluation is an optional tool that can be used at the beginning of the school year to help teachers get to know the reading and language skills of each student. The evaluation is composed of seven screenings. Teachers may use the entire evaluation or choose to use those individual screenings that they find most beneficial…

[Establishment of Primary Adult MDS Nested Case-Control Study Cohort and Study of Risk Factors Associated with MDS Evolution to Leukemia].

Science.gov (United States)

Ma, Yan; Chen, Bo-Bin; Wang, Xiao-Qin; Xu, Xiao-Ping; Lin, Guo-Wei

2015-12-01

To establish a nested case-control study cohort in myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) patients and investigate the clinical characteristics, WHO subtype and risk factors associated with MDS evolution to leukemia of this cohort. All patients, ≥18 years of age, provided by 24 Shanghai hospitals with initial clinical findings consistent with a hematopoietic abnormality between June 2003 and April 2007, were the candidates for inclusion in this study. The blood and bone marrow samples of every patient should be provided at baseline. Diagnosis was made by incorporating morphologic, immunophenotypic, cytogenetic and molecular features according to WHO classification criteria. Cytogenetic analysis was performed using conventional G-banding karyotyping and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) techniques. Cumulative risk of evolution was estimated by Kaplan-Meier method. Prognostic factors were evaluated by univariate Log-rank method and multivariate Cox proportional hazard models. A total of 435 patients were diagnosed as MDS. The median age of MDS onset was 58(18-90) years, with 248 male patients and 187 female patients (male: female 1.33: 1). The percentage of cases with refractory cytopenia with multilineage dysplasia (RCMD) was the highest (65.5%), while that of refraetory anemia (RA) (2.3%), refractory anenia with ring sideroblast (RARS) (1.1%) and 5q-syndrome (0.5%) was lower. Trisomy 8 (+8) was the most common chromosome abnormalities (71 cases, 12.7%). The mean follow-up time was 20.3 (4.2-57.1) months. Cases were patients with evolution by the end of follow-up, while controls were patients without evolution by that time. Case group included 41 patients and control group included 342 patients. Univariate analysis showed that the age, sex, WHO subtype, WBC count, absolute neutrophil count (ANC), IPSS cytogenetic subgroup, IPSS group and bone marrow blast percentage were significant risk factors for leukemia-free survival (LFS). Multivariate analysis of COX model

Esophageal acid exposure decreases intraluminal baseline impedance levels

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kessing, Boudewijn F.; Bredenoord, Albert J.; Weijenborg, Pim W.; Hemmink, Gerrit J. M.; Loots, Clara M.; Smout, A. J. P. M.

2011-01-01

Intraluminal baseline impedance levels are determined by the conductivity of the esophageal wall and can be decreased in gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) patients. The aim of this study was to investigate the baseline impedance in GERD patients, on and off proton pump inhibitor (PPI), and in

Distinct mutation profile and prognostic relevance in patients with hypoplastic myelodysplastic syndromes (h-MDS).

Science.gov (United States)

Yao, Chi-Yuan; Hou, Hsin-An; Lin, Tzung-Yi; Lin, Chien-Chin; Chou, Wen-Chien; Tseng, Mei-Hsuan; Chiang, Ying-Chieh; Liu, Ming-Chih; Liu, Chia-Wen; Kuo, Yuan-Yeh; Wu, Shang-Ju; Liao, Xiu-Wen; Lin, Chien-Ting; Ko, Bor-Shen; Chen, Chien-Yuan; Hsu, Szu-Chun; Li, Chi-Cheng; Huang, Shang-Yi; Yao, Ming; Tang, Jih-Luh; Tsay, Woei; Liu, Chieh-Yu; Tien, Hwei-Fang

2016-09-27

Myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) are a heterogeneous group of hematologic malignancies. Although most MDS patients have normal or increased BM cellularity (NH-MDS), some have hypocellular BM (h-MDS). The reports concerning the differences in genetic alterations between h-MDS and NH-MDS patients are limited. In this study, 369 MDS patients diagnosed according to the WHO 2008 criteria were recruited. h-MDS patients had lower PB white blood cell and blast counts, and lower BM blast percentages, than those with NH-MDS. h-MDS was closely associated with lower-risk MDS, defined by the International Prognostic Scoring System (IPSS) and revised IPSS (IPSS-R). IPSS-R could properly predict the prognosis in h-MDS (PMDS patients. The h-MDS patients had lower incidences of RUNX1, ASXL1, DNMT3A, EZH2 and TP53 mutations than NH-MDS patients. The cumulated incidence of acute leukemic transformation at 5 years was 19.3% for h-MDS and 40.4% for NH-MDS patients (P= 0.001). Further, the patients with h-MDS had longer overall survival (OS) than those with NH-MDS (P= 0.001), and BM hypocellularity remains an independent favorable prognostic factor for OS irrespective of age, IPSS-R, and gene mutations. Our findings provide evidence that h-MDS indeed represent a distinct clinico-biological subgroup of MDS and can predict better leukemia-free survival and OS.

Measuring cognitive change with ImPACT: the aggregate baseline approach.

Science.gov (United States)

Bruce, Jared M; Echemendia, Ruben J; Meeuwisse, Willem; Hutchison, Michael G; Aubry, Mark; Comper, Paul

2017-11-01

The Immediate Post-Concussion Assessment and Cognitive Test (ImPACT) is commonly used to assess baseline and post-injury cognition among athletes in North America. Despite this, several studies have questioned the reliability of ImPACT when given at intervals employed in clinical practice. Poor test-retest reliability reduces test sensitivity to cognitive decline, increasing the likelihood that concussed athletes will be returned to play prematurely. We recently showed that the reliability of ImPACT can be increased when using a new composite structure and the aggregate of two baselines to predict subsequent performance. The purpose of the present study was to confirm our previous findings and determine whether the addition of a third baseline would further increase the test-retest reliability of ImPACT. Data from 97 English speaking professional hockey players who had received at least 4 ImPACT baseline evaluations were extracted from a National Hockey League Concussion Program database. Linear regression was used to determine whether each of the first three testing sessions accounted for unique variance in the fourth testing session. Results confirmed that the aggregate baseline approach improves the psychometric properties of ImPACT, with most indices demonstrating adequate or better test-retest reliability for clinical use. The aggregate baseline approach provides a modest clinical benefit when recent baselines are available - and a more substantial benefit when compared to approaches that obtain baseline measures only once during the course of a multi-year playing career. Pending confirmation in diverse samples, neuropsychologists are encouraged to use the aggregate baseline approach to best quantify cognitive change following sports concussion.

Study on the calibration and optimization of double theodolites baseline

Science.gov (United States)

Ma, Jing-yi; Ni, Jin-ping; Wu, Zhi-chao

2018-01-01

For the double theodolites measurement system baseline as the benchmark of the scale of the measurement system and affect the accuracy of the system, this paper puts forward a method for calibration and optimization of the double theodolites baseline. Using double theodolites to measure the known length of the reference ruler, and then reverse the baseline formula. Based on the error propagation law, the analyses show that the baseline error function is an important index to measure the accuracy of the system, and the reference ruler position, posture and so on have an impact on the baseline error. The optimization model is established and the baseline error function is used as the objective function, and optimizes the position and posture of the reference ruler. The simulation results show that the height of the reference ruler has no effect on the baseline error; the posture is not uniform; when the reference ruler is placed at x=500mm and y=1000mm in the measurement space, the baseline error is the smallest. The experimental results show that the experimental results are consistent with the theoretical analyses in the measurement space. In this paper, based on the study of the placement of the reference ruler, for improving the accuracy of the double theodolites measurement system has a reference value.

Postremediation monitoring program baseline assessment report, Lower East Fork Poplar Creek, Oak Ridge Y-12 Plant, Oak Ridge, Tennessee

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Greeley, M.S. Jr.; Ashwood, T.L.; Kszos, L.A.; Peterson, M.J.; Rash, C.D.; Southworth, G.R.; Phipps, T.L.

1998-04-01

Lower East Fork Poplar Creek (LEFPC) and its floodplain are contaminated with mercury (Hg) from ongoing and historical releases from the US Department of Energy (DOE) Oak Ridge Y-12 Plant. A remedial investigation and feasibility study of LEFPC resulted in the signing of a Record of Decision (ROD) in August 1995. In response to the ROD, soil contaminated with mercury above 400 mg/kg was removed from two sites in LEFPC and the floodplain during a recently completed remedial action (RA). The Postremediation Monitoring Program (PMP) outlined in the LEFPC Monitoring Plan was envisioned to occur in two phases: (1) a baseline assessment prior to remediation and (2) postremediation monitoring. The current report summarizes the results of the baseline assessment of soil, water, biota, and groundwater usage in LEFPC and its floodplain conducted in 1995 and 1996 by personnel of the Oak Ridge National Laboratory Biological Monitoring and Abatement Program (BMAP). This report also includes some 1997 data from contaminated sites that did not undergo remediation during the RA (i.e., sites where mercury is greater than 200 mg/kg but less than 400 mg/kg). The baseline assessment described in this document is distinct and separate from both the remedial investigation/feasibility study the confirmatory sampling conducted by SAIC during the RA. The purpose of the current assessment was to provide preremediation baseline data for the LEFPC PMP outlined in the LEFPC Monitoring Plan, using common approaches and techniques, as specified in that plan

Postremediation monitoring program baseline assessment report, Lower East Fork Poplar Creek, Oak Ridge Y-12 Plant, Oak Ridge, Tennessee

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Greeley, M.S. Jr.; Ashwood, T.L.; Kszos, L.A.; Peterson, M.J.; Rash, C.D.; Southworth, G.R. [Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (United States); Phipps, T.L. [CKY, Inc. (United States)

1998-04-01

Lower East Fork Poplar Creek (LEFPC) and its floodplain are contaminated with mercury (Hg) from ongoing and historical releases from the US Department of Energy (DOE) Oak Ridge Y-12 Plant. A remedial investigation and feasibility study of LEFPC resulted in the signing of a Record of Decision (ROD) in August 1995. In response to the ROD, soil contaminated with mercury above 400 mg/kg was removed from two sites in LEFPC and the floodplain during a recently completed remedial action (RA). The Postremediation Monitoring Program (PMP) outlined in the LEFPC Monitoring Plan was envisioned to occur in two phases: (1) a baseline assessment prior to remediation and (2) postremediation monitoring. The current report summarizes the results of the baseline assessment of soil, water, biota, and groundwater usage in LEFPC and its floodplain conducted in 1995 and 1996 by personnel of the Oak Ridge National Laboratory Biological Monitoring and Abatement Program (BMAP). This report also includes some 1997 data from contaminated sites that did not undergo remediation during the RA (i.e., sites where mercury is greater than 200 mg/kg but less than 400 mg/kg). The baseline assessment described in this document is distinct and separate from both the remedial investigation/feasibility study the confirmatory sampling conducted by SAIC during the RA. The purpose of the current assessment was to provide preremediation baseline data for the LEFPC PMP outlined in the LEFPC Monitoring Plan, using common approaches and techniques, as specified in that plan.

Greater-confinement disposal

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Trevorrow, L.E.; Schubert, J.P.

1989-01-01

Greater-confinement disposal (GCD) is a general term for low-level waste (LLW) disposal technologies that employ natural and/or engineered barriers and provide a degree of confinement greater than that of shallow-land burial (SLB) but possibly less than that of a geologic repository. Thus GCD is associated with lower risk/hazard ratios than SLB. Although any number of disposal technologies might satisfy the definition of GCD, eight have been selected for consideration in this discussion. These technologies include: (1) earth-covered tumuli, (2) concrete structures, both above and below grade, (3) deep trenches, (4) augered shafts, (5) rock cavities, (6) abandoned mines, (7) high-integrity containers, and (8) hydrofracture. Each of these technologies employ several operations that are mature,however, some are at more advanced stages of development and demonstration than others. Each is defined and further described by information on design, advantages and disadvantages, special equipment requirements, and characteristic operations such as construction, waste emplacement, and closure

Placental baseline conditions modulate the hyperoxic BOLD-MRI response.

Science.gov (United States)

Sinding, Marianne; Peters, David A; Poulsen, Sofie S; Frøkjær, Jens B; Christiansen, Ole B; Petersen, Astrid; Uldbjerg, Niels; Sørensen, Anne

2018-01-01

Human pregnancies complicated by placental dysfunction may be characterized by a high hyperoxic Blood oxygen level-dependent (BOLD) MRI response. The pathophysiology behind this phenomenon remains to be established. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether it is associated with altered placental baseline conditions, including a lower oxygenation and altered tissue morphology, as estimated by the placental transverse relaxation time (T2*). We included 49 normal pregnancies (controls) and 13 pregnancies complicated by placental dysfunction (cases), defined by a birth weight baseline BOLD)/baseline BOLD) from a dynamic single-echo gradient-recalled echo (GRE) MRI sequence and the absolute ΔT2* (hyperoxic T2*- baseline T2*) from breath-hold multi-echo GRE sequences. In the control group, the relative ΔBOLD response increased during gestation from 5% in gestational week 20 to 20% in week 40. In the case group, the relative ΔBOLD response was significantly higher (mean Z-score 4.94; 95% CI 2.41, 7.47). The absolute ΔT2*, however, did not differ between controls and cases (p = 0.37), whereas the baseline T2* was lower among cases (mean Z-score -3.13; 95% CI -3.94, -2.32). Furthermore, we demonstrated a strong negative linear correlation between the Log 10 ΔBOLD response and the baseline T2* (r = -0.88, p baseline conditions, as the absolute increase in placental oxygenation (ΔT2*) does not differ between groups. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Baseline Characteristics of fall from Height Victims Presenting to Emergency Department; a Brief Report.

Science.gov (United States)

Hatamabadi, Hamidreza; Arhami Dolatabadi, Ali; Atighinasab, Batoul; Safari, Saeed

2017-01-01

Trauma due to accidents or fall from height is a major cause of disability and mortality. The present study was designed aiming to evaluate the baseline characteristics of fall from height victims presenting to emergency department (ED). This prospective cross-sectional study evaluates the baseline characteristics of fall from height cases presenting to EDs of three educational Hospitals, Tehran, Iran, during one year. Data were analyzed using SPSS 21 and presented using descriptive statistics. 460 patients with the mean age of 27.89 ± 20.95 years were evaluated (76.5% male). 191 (41.5%) falls occurred when working, 27 (5.9%) during play, and 242 (52.6%) in other times. Among construction workers, 166 (81.4%) had not used any safety equipment. Fracture and dislocation with 180 (39.1%) cases and soft tissue injury with 166 (36.1%) were the most common injuries inflicted. Mean height of falling was 3.41 ± 0.34 (range: 0.5 - 20) meters. Finally, 8 (1.7%) of the patients died (50% intentional) and 63% were discharged from ED. A significant correlation was detected between mortality and the falls being intentional (p construction workers, with less than high school diploma education level. Intentional fall and greater height of falling significantly correlated with mortality.

The chemistry of Magela Creek. A baseline for assessing change downstream of Ranger. Supervising Scientist report 151

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Klessa, D.A.

2000-01-01

The compositions of waters in Magela Creek upstream and downstream of Ranger uranium mine were reviewed. The water quality parameters examined were pH, electrical conductivity (EC) and turbidity, and dissolved calcium, magnesium, sodium, potassium, chloride, sulphate, ammonium, nitrate, copper, lead, manganese, zinc, uranium and radium-226. The frequency distributions of each of these parameters in waters upstream of the mine were characterised and statistically described to provide a baseline which allows a change in water chemistry downstream of the mine to be assessed. With the exception of pH, EC, turbidity, magnesium, calcium, sodium and manganese, data that comprise the baseline are not normally distributed. The frequency distributions of copper, lead, zinc, uranium and radium-226 forming the baseline are characterised by a large proportion of values at or near analytical detection limits and contamination in a relatively large proportion of the remainder. A comparison of upstream and downstream data shows that there is good conformity in pH, EC, turbidity, sodium, potassium and chloride. For calcium, nitrate, ammonium, lead, uranium, radium and zinc less than 40% of the downstream data fall outside the 20th and 80th baseline percentiles but in the ease of U, data are biased towards relatively high values. More than 40% of downstream magnesium and sulphate data are outside these percentile boundaries and are skewed towards relatively high concentrations. Copper, lead and zinc in mine waters (characterised by the composition of waters contained in the former RP4) do not appear to pose a risk as contaminants based upon the results of toxicity testing and water quality guideline trigger levels with risk minimised for greater than 1 in 20 dilution

A longitudinal study of the relationship between receptivity to e-cigarette advertisements and e-cigarette use among baseline non-users of cigarettes and e-cigarettes, United States.

Science.gov (United States)

Agaku, Israel T; Davis, Kevin; Patel, Deesha; Shafer, Paul; Cox, Shanna; Ridgeway, William; King, Brian A

2017-01-01

We investigated the relationship between receptivity to electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) advertisements at baseline and e-cigarette use at follow-up among adult baseline non-users of cigarettes and e-cigarettes. A nationally representative online panel was used to survey non-users of cigarettes and e-cigarettes ( n  = 2191) at baseline and 5-month follow-up. At baseline, respondents were shown an e-cigarette advertisement and asked if they were aware of it (exposure). Among those exposed, receptivity was self-rated for each ad using a validated scale of 1 to 5 for agreement with each of six items: "worth remembering," "grabbed my attention," "powerful," "informative," "meaningful," and "convincing." Logistic regression was used to measure the relationship between receptivity at baseline and e-cigarette use at follow-up. Among baseline non-users of cigarettes and e-cigarettes, 16.6% reported exposure to e-cigarette advertisements at baseline; overall mean receptivity score was 2.77. Among baseline non-users who reported exposure to e-cigarette advertisements, incidence of e-cigarette use at follow-up was 2.7%; among baseline non-users who reported not being exposed to e-cigarette advertisements, incidence of e-cigarette use at follow-up was 1.3%. The attributable risk percentage for e-cigarette initiation from e-cigarette advertisement exposure was 59.3%; the population attributable risk percentage from e-cigarette advertisement exposure was 22.6%. Receptivity at baseline was associated with e-cigarette use at follow-up (aOR = 1.57; 95% CI = 1.04-2.37). Receptivity to e-cigarette advertisements at baseline was associated with greater odds of e-cigarette use at follow-up among baseline non-users of cigarettes and e-cigarettes. Understanding the role of advertising in e-cigarette initiation could help inform public health policy.

Baseline restoration technique based on symmetrical zero-area trapezoidal pulse shaper

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zeng, Guoqiang, E-mail: 24829500@qq.com [Key Laboratory of Applied Nuclear Techniques in Geosciences Sichuan, Chengdu University of Technology, Chengdu 610059 (China); Yang, Jian, E-mail: 22105653@qq.com [Key Laboratory of Applied Nuclear Techniques in Geosciences Sichuan, Chengdu University of Technology, Chengdu 610059 (China); Hu, Tianyu; Ge, Liangquan [Key Laboratory of Applied Nuclear Techniques in Geosciences Sichuan, Chengdu University of Technology, Chengdu 610059 (China); Ouyang, Xiaoping [Northwest Institute of Nuclear Technology, Xi’an 710024,China (China); Zhang, Qingxian; Gu, Yi [Key Laboratory of Applied Nuclear Techniques in Geosciences Sichuan, Chengdu University of Technology, Chengdu 610059 (China)

2017-06-21

Since the baseline of the unipolar pulse shaper have the direct-current (DC) offset and drift, an additional baseline estimator is need to obtain baseline values in real-time. The bipolar zero-area (BZA) pulse shapers can be used for baseline restoration, but they cannot restrain the baseline drift due to their asymmetrical shape. In this study, three trapezoids are synthesized as a symmetrical zero-area (SZA) shape, which can remove the DC offset and restrain the baseline drift. This baseline restoration technique can be easily implemented in digital pulse processing (DPP) systems base on the recursive algorithm. To strengthen our approach, the iron's characteristic x-ray was detected using a Si-PIN diode detector. Compared with traditional trapezoidal pulse shapers, the SZA trapezoidal pulse shaper improved the energy resolution from 237 eV to 216 eV for the 6.403 keV Kα peak.

Multidimensional assessment of patient condition and mutational analysis in peripheral blood, as tools to improve outcome prediction in myelodysplastic syndromes: A prospective study of the Spanish MDS group.

Science.gov (United States)

Ramos, Fernando; Robledo, Cristina; Pereira, Arturo; Pedro, Carmen; Benito, Rocío; de Paz, Raquel; Del Rey, Mónica; Insunza, Andrés; Tormo, Mar; Díez-Campelo, María; Xicoy, Blanca; Salido, Eduardo; Sánchez-Del-Real, Javier; Arenillas, Leonor; Florensa, Lourdes; Luño, Elisa; Del Cañizo, Consuelo; Sanz, Guillermo F; María Hernández-Rivas, Jesús

2017-09-01

The International Prognostic Scoring System and its revised form (IPSS-R) are the most widely used indices for prognostic assessment of patients with myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS), but can only partially account for the observed variation in patient outcomes. This study aimed to evaluate the relative contribution of patient condition and mutational status in peripheral blood when added to the IPSS-R, for estimating overall survival and the risk of leukemic transformation in patients with MDS. A prospective cohort (2006-2015) of 200 consecutive patients with MDS were included in the study series and categorized according to the IPSS-R. Patients were further stratified according to patient condition (assessed using the multidimensional Lee index for older adults) and genetic mutations (peripheral blood samples screened using next-generation sequencing). The change in likelihood-ratio was tested in Cox models after adding individual covariates. The addition of the Lee index to the IPSS-R significantly improved prediction of overall survival [hazard ratio (HR) 3.02, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.96-4.66, P < 0.001), and mutational analysis significantly improved prediction of leukemic evolution (HR 2.64, 1.56-4.46, P < 0.001). Non-leukemic death was strongly linked to patient condition (HR 2.71, 1.72-4.25, P < 0.001), but not to IPSS-R score (P = 0.35) or mutational status (P = 0.75). Adjustment for exposure to disease-modifying therapy, evaluated as a time-dependent covariate, had no effect on the proposed model's predictive ability. In conclusion, patient condition, assessed by the multidimensional Lee index and patient mutational status can improve the prediction of clinical outcomes of patients with MDS already stratified by IPSS-R. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

A Fully Customized Baseline Removal Framework for Spectroscopic Applications.

Science.gov (United States)

Giguere, Stephen; Boucher, Thomas; Carey, C J; Mahadevan, Sridhar; Dyar, M Darby

2017-07-01

The task of proper baseline or continuum removal is common to nearly all types of spectroscopy. Its goal is to remove any portion of a signal that is irrelevant to features of interest while preserving any predictive information. Despite the importance of baseline removal, median or guessed default parameters are commonly employed, often using commercially available software supplied with instruments. Several published baseline removal algorithms have been shown to be useful for particular spectroscopic applications but their generalizability is ambiguous. The new Custom Baseline Removal (Custom BLR) method presented here generalizes the problem of baseline removal by combining operations from previously proposed methods to synthesize new correction algorithms. It creates novel methods for each technique, application, and training set, discovering new algorithms that maximize the predictive accuracy of the resulting spectroscopic models. In most cases, these learned methods either match or improve on the performance of the best alternative. Examples of these advantages are shown for three different scenarios: quantification of components in near-infrared spectra of corn and laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy data of rocks, and classification/matching of minerals using Raman spectroscopy. Software to implement this optimization is available from the authors. By removing subjectivity from this commonly encountered task, Custom BLR is a significant step toward completely automatic and general baseline removal in spectroscopic and other applications.

High Baseline Postconcussion Symptom Scores and Concussion Outcomes in Athletes.

Science.gov (United States)

Custer, Aimee; Sufrinko, Alicia; Elbin, R J; Covassin, Tracey; Collins, Micky; Kontos, Anthony

2016-02-01

Some healthy athletes report high levels of baseline concussion symptoms, which may be attributable to several factors (eg, illness, personality, somaticizing). However, the role of baseline symptoms in outcomes after sport-related concussion (SRC) has not been empirically examined. To determine if athletes with high symptom scores at baseline performed worse than athletes without baseline symptoms on neurocognitive testing after SRC. Cohort study. High school and collegiate athletic programs. A total of 670 high school and collegiate athletes participated in the study. Participants were divided into groups with either no baseline symptoms (Postconcussion Symptom Scale [PCSS] score = 0, n = 247) or a high level of baseline symptoms (PCSS score > 18 [top 10% of sample], n = 68). Participants were evaluated at baseline and 2 to 7 days after SRC with the Immediate Post-concussion Assessment and Cognitive Test and PCSS. Outcome measures were Immediate Post-concussion Assessment and Cognitive Test composite scores (verbal memory, visual memory, visual motor processing speed, and reaction time) and total symptom score on the PCSS. The groups were compared using repeated-measures analyses of variance with Bonferroni correction to assess interactions between group and time for symptoms and neurocognitive impairment. The no-symptoms group represented 38% of the original sample, whereas the high-symptoms group represented 11% of the sample. The high-symptoms group experienced a larger decline from preinjury to postinjury than the no-symptoms group in verbal (P = .03) and visual memory (P = .05). However, total concussion-symptom scores increased from preinjury to postinjury for the no-symptoms group (P = .001) but remained stable for the high-symptoms group. Reported baseline symptoms may help identify athletes at risk for worse outcomes after SRC. Clinicians should examine baseline symptom levels to better identify patients for earlier referral and treatment for their

Baseline effects on carbon footprints of biofuels: The case of wood

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Johnson, Eric, E-mail: johnsonatlantic@gmail.com [Atlantic Consulting, 8136 Gattikon (Switzerland); Tschudi, Daniel [ETH, Berghaldenstrasse 46, 8800 Thalwil (Switzerland)

2012-11-15

As biofuel usage has boomed over the past decade, so has research and regulatory interest in its carbon accounting. This paper examines one aspect of that carbon accounting: the baseline, i.e. the reference case against which other conditions or changes can be compared. A literature search and analysis identified four baseline types: no baseline; reference point; marginal fossil fuel; and biomass opportunity cost. The fourth one, biomass opportunity cost, is defined in more detail, because this is not done elsewhere in the literature. The four baselines are then applied to the carbon footprint of a wood-fired power plant. The footprint of the resulting wood-fired electricity varies dramatically, according to the type of baseline. Baseline type is also found to be the footprint's most significant sensitivity. Other significant sensitivities are: efficiency of the power plant; the growth (or re-growth) rate of the forest that supplies the wood; and the residue fraction of the wood. Length of the policy horizon is also an important factor in determining the footprint. The paper concludes that because of their significance and variability, baseline choices should be made very explicit in biofuel carbon footprints. - Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Four baseline types for biofuel footprinting are identified. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer One type, 'biomass opportunity cost', is defined mathematically and graphically. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Choice of baseline can dramatically affect the footprint result. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The 'no baseline' approach is not acceptable. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Choice between the other three baselines depends on the question being addressed.

Simultaneous bilateral isolated greater trochanter fracture

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maruti Kambali

2013-01-01

Full Text Available A 48-year-old woman sustained simultaneous isolated bilateral greater trochanteric fracture, following a road traffic accident. The patient presented to us 1 month after the injury. She presented with complaints of pain in the left hip and inability to walk. Roentgenograms revealed displaced comminuted bilateral greater trochanter fractures. The fracture of the left greater trochanter was reduced and fixed internally using the tension band wiring technique. The greater trochanter fracture on the right side was asymptomatic and was managed conservatively. The patient regained full range of motion and use of her hips after a postoperative follow-up of 6 months. Isolated fractures of the greater trochanter are unusual injuries. Because of their relative rarity and the unsettled controversy regarding their etiology and pathogenesis, several methods of treatment have been advocated. Furthermore, the reports of this particular type of injury are not plentiful and the average textbook coverage afforded to this entity is limited. In our study we discuss the mechanism of injury and the various treatment options available.

Automated baseline change detection phase I. Final report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1995-12-01

The Automated Baseline Change Detection (ABCD) project is supported by the DOE Morgantown Energy Technology Center (METC) as part of its ER&WM cross-cutting technology program in robotics. Phase 1 of the Automated Baseline Change Detection project is summarized in this topical report. The primary objective of this project is to apply robotic and optical sensor technology to the operational inspection of mixed toxic and radioactive waste stored in barrels, using Automated Baseline Change Detection (ABCD), based on image subtraction. Absolute change detection is based on detecting any visible physical changes, regardless of cause, between a current inspection image of a barrel and an archived baseline image of the same barrel. Thus, in addition to rust, the ABCD system can also detect corrosion, leaks, dents, and bulges. The ABCD approach and method rely on precise camera positioning and repositioning relative to the barrel and on feature recognition in images. In support of this primary objective, there are secondary objectives to determine DOE operational inspection requirements and DOE system fielding requirements.

Automated baseline change detection phase I. Final report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1995-12-01

The Automated Baseline Change Detection (ABCD) project is supported by the DOE Morgantown Energy Technology Center (METC) as part of its ER ampersand WM cross-cutting technology program in robotics. Phase 1 of the Automated Baseline Change Detection project is summarized in this topical report. The primary objective of this project is to apply robotic and optical sensor technology to the operational inspection of mixed toxic and radioactive waste stored in barrels, using Automated Baseline Change Detection (ABCD), based on image subtraction. Absolute change detection is based on detecting any visible physical changes, regardless of cause, between a current inspection image of a barrel and an archived baseline image of the same barrel. Thus, in addition to rust, the ABCD system can also detect corrosion, leaks, dents, and bulges. The ABCD approach and method rely on precise camera positioning and repositioning relative to the barrel and on feature recognition in images. In support of this primary objective, there are secondary objectives to determine DOE operational inspection requirements and DOE system fielding requirements

Vegetation Parameter Extraction Using Dual Baseline Polarimetric SAR Interferometry Data

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, H.; Wang, C.; Chen, X.; Tang, Y.

2009-04-01

For vegetation parameter inversion, the single baseline polarimetric SAR interferometry (POLinSAR) technique, such as the three-stage method and the ESPRIT algorithm, is limited by the observed data with the minimum ground to volume amplitude ration, which effects the estimation of the effective phase center for the vegetation canopy or the surface, and thus results in the underestimated vegetation height. In order to remove this effect of the single baseline inversion techniques in some extend, another baseline POLinSAR data is added on vegetation parameter estimation in this paper, and a dual baseline POLinSAR technique for the extraction of the vegetation parameter is investigated and improved to reduce the dynamic bias for the vegetation parameter estimation. Finally, the simulated data and real data are used to validate this dual baseline technique.

Seasonal Habitat Use by Greater Sage-Grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) on a Landscape with Low Density Oil and Gas Development.

Science.gov (United States)

Rice, Mindy B; Rossi, Liza G; Apa, Anthony D

2016-01-01

Fragmentation of the sagebrush (Artemisia spp.) ecosystem has led to concern about a variety of sagebrush obligates including the greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus). Given the increase of energy development within greater sage-grouse habitats, mapping seasonal habitats in pre-development populations is critical. The North Park population in Colorado is one of the largest and most stable in the state and provides a unique case study for investigating resource selection at a relatively low level of energy development compared to other populations both within and outside the state. We used locations from 117 radio-marked female greater sage-grouse in North Park, Colorado to develop seasonal resource selection models. We then added energy development variables to the base models at both a landscape and local scale to determine if energy variables improved the fit of the seasonal models. The base models for breeding and winter resource selection predicted greater use in large expanses of sagebrush whereas the base summer model predicted greater use along the edge of riparian areas. Energy development variables did not improve the winter or the summer models at either scale of analysis, but distance to oil/gas roads slightly improved model fit at both scales in the breeding season, albeit in opposite ways. At the landscape scale, greater sage-grouse were closer to oil/gas roads whereas they were further from oil/gas roads at the local scale during the breeding season. Although we found limited effects from low level energy development in the breeding season, the scale of analysis can influence the interpretation of effects. The lack of strong effects from energy development may be indicative that energy development at current levels are not impacting greater sage-grouse in North Park. Our baseline seasonal resource selection maps can be used for conservation to help identify ways of minimizing the effects of energy development.

Information architecture. Volume 2, Part 1: Baseline analysis summary

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1996-12-01

The Department of Energy (DOE) Information Architecture, Volume 2, Baseline Analysis, is a collaborative and logical next-step effort in the processes required to produce a Departmentwide information architecture. The baseline analysis serves a diverse audience of program management and technical personnel and provides an organized way to examine the Department`s existing or de facto information architecture. A companion document to Volume 1, The Foundations, it furnishes the rationale for establishing a Departmentwide information architecture. This volume, consisting of the Baseline Analysis Summary (part 1), Baseline Analysis (part 2), and Reference Data (part 3), is of interest to readers who wish to understand how the Department`s current information architecture technologies are employed. The analysis identifies how and where current technologies support business areas, programs, sites, and corporate systems.

Cortisol levels at baseline and under stress in adolescent males with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, with or without comorbid conduct disorder.

Science.gov (United States)

Northover, Clare; Thapar, Anita; Langley, Kate; Fairchild, Graeme; van Goozen, Stephanie H M

2016-08-30

Reported findings on cortisol reactivity to stress in young people with ADHD are very variable. This inconsistency may be explained by high rates of comorbidity with Conduct Disorder (CD). The present study examined cortisol responses to a psychosocial stressor in a large sample of adolescent males with ADHD (n=202), with or without a comorbid diagnosis of Conduct Disorder (CD). Associations between stress reactivity and callous-unemotional traits and internalizing symptoms were also assessed. The ADHD only (n=95) and ADHD+CD (n=107) groups did not differ in baseline cortisol, but the ADHD+CD group showed significantly reduced cortisol stress reactivity relative to the ADHD only group. Regression analyses indicated that ADHD symptom severity predicted reduced baseline cortisol, whereas CD symptom severity predicted increased baseline cortisol (ADHD β=-0.24, CD β=0.16, R=0.26) and reduced cortisol stress reactivity (β=-0.17, R=0.17). Callous-unemotional traits and internalizing symptoms were not significantly related to baseline or stress-induced cortisol. Impaired cortisol reactivity is hypothesised to reflect fearlessness and is associated with deficient emotion regulation and inhibition of aggressive and antisocial behaviour. Consequently, it may partly explain the greater severity of problems seen in those with comorbid ADHD and CD. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Bias, precision and statistical power of analysis of covariance in the analysis of randomized trials with baseline imbalance: a simulation study

Science.gov (United States)

2014-01-01

Background Analysis of variance (ANOVA), change-score analysis (CSA) and analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) respond differently to baseline imbalance in randomized controlled trials. However, no empirical studies appear to have quantified the differential bias and precision of estimates derived from these methods of analysis, and their relative statistical power, in relation to combinations of levels of key trial characteristics. This simulation study therefore examined the relative bias, precision and statistical power of these three analyses using simulated trial data. Methods 126 hypothetical trial scenarios were evaluated (126 000 datasets), each with continuous data simulated by using a combination of levels of: treatment effect; pretest-posttest correlation; direction and magnitude of baseline imbalance. The bias, precision and power of each method of analysis were calculated for each scenario. Results Compared to the unbiased estimates produced by ANCOVA, both ANOVA and CSA are subject to bias, in relation to pretest-posttest correlation and the direction of baseline imbalance. Additionally, ANOVA and CSA are less precise than ANCOVA, especially when pretest-posttest correlation ≥ 0.3. When groups are balanced at baseline, ANCOVA is at least as powerful as the other analyses. Apparently greater power of ANOVA and CSA at certain imbalances is achieved in respect of a biased treatment effect. Conclusions Across a range of correlations between pre- and post-treatment scores and at varying levels and direction of baseline imbalance, ANCOVA remains the optimum statistical method for the analysis of continuous outcomes in RCTs, in terms of bias, precision and statistical power. PMID:24712304

A study of man made radioactivity baseline in dietary materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

de la Paz, L.; Estacio, J.; Palattao, M.V.; Anden, A.

1986-01-01

This paper describes the radioactivity baseline from literature data coming from various countries where data are available. 1979-1985 were chosen as the baseline years for the following: milk (fresh and powdered), meat and meat products, cereals, fruits, coffee and tea, fish and vegetables. Pre- and post-Chernobyl baseline data are given. (ELC). 21 figs; 17 refs

Validity and Reliability of Baseline Testing in a Standardized Environment.

Science.gov (United States)

Higgins, Kathryn L; Caze, Todd; Maerlender, Arthur

2017-08-11

The Immediate Postconcussion Assessment and Cognitive Testing (ImPACT) is a computerized neuropsychological test battery commonly used to determine cognitive recovery from concussion based on comparing post-injury scores to baseline scores. This model is based on the premise that ImPACT baseline test scores are a valid and reliable measure of optimal cognitive function at baseline. Growing evidence suggests that this premise may not be accurate and a large contributor to invalid and unreliable baseline test scores may be the protocol and environment in which baseline tests are administered. This study examined the effects of a standardized environment and administration protocol on the reliability and performance validity of athletes' baseline test scores on ImPACT by comparing scores obtained in two different group-testing settings. Three hundred-sixty one Division 1 cohort-matched collegiate athletes' baseline data were assessed using a variety of indicators of potential performance invalidity; internal reliability was also examined. Thirty-one to thirty-nine percent of the baseline cases had at least one indicator of low performance validity, but there were no significant differences in validity indicators based on environment in which the testing was conducted. Internal consistency reliability scores were in the acceptable to good range, with no significant differences between administration conditions. These results suggest that athletes may be reliably performing at levels lower than their best effort would produce. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Higher Intake of Fruit, but Not Vegetables or Fiber, at Baseline Is Associated with Lower Risk of Becoming Overweight or Obese in Middle-Aged and Older Women of Normal BMI at Baseline.

Science.gov (United States)

Rautiainen, Susanne; Wang, Lu; Lee, I-Min; Manson, JoAnn E; Buring, Julie E; Sesso, Howard D

2015-05-01

Fruit, vegetable, and dietary fiber intake have been associated with lower risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD); however, little is known about their role in obesity prevention. Our goal was to investigate whether intake of fruits, vegetables, and dietary fiber is associated with weight change and the risk of becoming overweight and obese. We studied 18,146 women aged ≥45 y from the Women's Health Study free of CVD and cancer with an initial body mass index (BMI) of 18.5 to Fruit, vegetable, and dietary fiber intakes were assessed at baseline through a 131-item food-frequency questionnaire, along with obesity-related risk factors. Women self-reported body weight on annual questionnaires. During a mean follow-up of 15.9 y, 8125 women became overweight or obese (BMI ≥25 kg/m²). Intakes of total fruits and vegetables, fruits, and dietary fiber were not associated with the longitudinal changes in body weight, whereas higher vegetable intake was associated with greater weight gain (P-trend: 0.02). In multivariable analyses, controlling for total energy intake and physical activity along with other lifestyle, clinical, and dietary factors, women in the highest vs. lowest quintile of fruit intake had an HR of 0.87 (95% CI: 0.80, 0.94; P-trend: 0.01) of becoming overweight or obese. No association was observed for vegetable or dietary fiber intake. The association between fruit intake and risk of becoming overweight or obese was modified by baseline BMI (P-interaction: fruit, but not vegetables or fiber, by middle-aged and older women with a normal BMI at baseline is associated with lower risk of becoming overweight or obese. © 2015 American Society for Nutrition.

Baseline effects on carbon footprints of biofuels: The case of wood

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Johnson, Eric; Tschudi, Daniel

2012-01-01

As biofuel usage has boomed over the past decade, so has research and regulatory interest in its carbon accounting. This paper examines one aspect of that carbon accounting: the baseline, i.e. the reference case against which other conditions or changes can be compared. A literature search and analysis identified four baseline types: no baseline; reference point; marginal fossil fuel; and biomass opportunity cost. The fourth one, biomass opportunity cost, is defined in more detail, because this is not done elsewhere in the literature. The four baselines are then applied to the carbon footprint of a wood-fired power plant. The footprint of the resulting wood-fired electricity varies dramatically, according to the type of baseline. Baseline type is also found to be the footprint's most significant sensitivity. Other significant sensitivities are: efficiency of the power plant; the growth (or re-growth) rate of the forest that supplies the wood; and the residue fraction of the wood. Length of the policy horizon is also an important factor in determining the footprint. The paper concludes that because of their significance and variability, baseline choices should be made very explicit in biofuel carbon footprints. - Highlights: ► Four baseline types for biofuel footprinting are identified. ► One type, ‘biomass opportunity cost’, is defined mathematically and graphically. ► Choice of baseline can dramatically affect the footprint result. ► The ‘no baseline’ approach is not acceptable. ► Choice between the other three baselines depends on the question being addressed.

Long baseline neutrino oscillation experiments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gallagher, H.

2006-01-01

In this paper I will review briefly the experimental results which established the existence of neutrino mixing, the current generation of long baseline accelerator experiments, and the prospects for the future. In particular I will focus on the recent analysis of the MINOS experiment. (author)

Baseline composition of solar energetic particles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Meyer, J.

1985-01-01

We analyze all existing spacecraft observations of the highly variable heavy element composition of solar energetic particles (SEP) during non- 3 He-rich events. All data show the imprint of an ever-present basic composition pattern (dubbed ''mass-unbiased baseline'' SEP composition) that differs from the photospheric composition by a simple bias related to first ionization potential (FIP). In each particular observation, this mass-unbiased baseline composition is being distorted by an additional bias, which is always a monotonic function of mass (or Z). This latter bias varies in amplitude and even sign from observation to observation. To first order, it seems related to differences in the A/Z* ratio between elements (Z* = mean effective charge)

Magical properties of a 2540 km baseline superbeam experiment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Raut, Sushant K.; Singh, Ravi Shanker; Uma Sankar, S.

2011-01-01

Lack of any information on the CP violating phase δ CP weakens our ability to determine neutrino mass hierarchy. Magic baseline of 7500 km was proposed to overcome this problem. However, to obtain large enough fluxes, at this very long baseline, one needs new techniques of generating high intensity neutrino beams. In this Letter, we highlight the magical properties of a 2540 km baseline. At such a baseline, using a narrow band neutrino superbeam whose no oscillation event rate peaks around the energy 3.5 GeV, we can determine neutrino mass hierarchy independently of the CP phase. For sin 2 2θ 13 ≥0.05, a very modest exposure of 10 Kiloton-years is sufficient to determine the hierarchy. For 0.02≤sin 2 2θ 13 ≤0.05, an exposure of about 100 Kiloton-years is needed.

Dynamic baseline detection method for power data network service

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Wei

2017-08-01

This paper proposes a dynamic baseline Traffic detection Method which is based on the historical traffic data for the Power data network. The method uses Cisco's NetFlow acquisition tool to collect the original historical traffic data from network element at fixed intervals. This method uses three dimensions information including the communication port, time, traffic (number of bytes or number of packets) t. By filtering, removing the deviation value, calculating the dynamic baseline value, comparing the actual value with the baseline value, the method can detect whether the current network traffic is abnormal.

A comparative randomized prospective study to evaluate efficacy and safety of combination of tamsulosin and tadalafil vs. tamsulosin or tadalafil alone in patients with lower urinary tract symptoms due to benign prostatic hyperplasia.

Science.gov (United States)

Singh, Dig Vijay; Mete, Uttam Kumar; Mandal, Arup Kumar; Singh, Shrawan Kumar

2014-01-01

Lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) associated with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and erectile dysfunction are common disorders of advancing age. To evaluate the efficacy and safety of tamsulosin and tadalafil in patients with LUTS due to BPH. In this prospective randomized study, 133 men complaining of LUTS due to BPH were included. Forty-five patients received tamsulosin 0.4 mg/day alone (Group A), 44 patients received tadalafil 10 mg/day (Group B), and combination therapy (tamsulosin and tadalafil both) was instituted in 44 patients (Group C). After a 2-week medication free run-in period, they were evaluated for International Prostatic Symptom Score (IPSS), International Index of Erectile Function score (IIEF5), quality of life (IPSS QoL), maximum urinary flow rate (Qmax), post-void residual urine (PVR) volume, and safety parameters before and at 3 months of treatment. There were primary (IPSS, IPSS QoL index, Qmax, and PVR) and secondary (erectile function [EF] domain scores from IIEF5) efficacy end points. Safety assessment included laboratory tests and patient's reporting of adverse event. A significant improvement in IPSS score was observed in all the 3 groups A, B, and C (-50.90%, P tamsulosin and tadalafil alone or in combination cause a significant improvement in patients with LUTS. Their EF also improves with these medications. The improvement is better with combination therapy compared with single agent alone. © 2013 International Society for Sexual Medicine.

Forecasting Sensorimotor Adaptability from Baseline Inter-Trial Correlations

Science.gov (United States)

Beaton, K. H.; Bloomberg, J. J.

2014-01-01

One of the greatest challenges surrounding adaptation to the spaceflight environment is the large variability in symptoms, and corresponding functional impairments, from one crewmember to the next. This renders preflight training and countermeasure development difficult, as a "one-size-fits-all" approach is inappropriate. Therefore, it would be highly advantageous to know ahead of time which crewmembers might have more difficulty adjusting to the novel g-levels inherent to spaceflight. Such knowledge could guide individually customized countermeasures, which would enable more efficient use of crew time, both preflight and inflight, and provide better outcomes. The primary goal of this project is to look for a baseline performance metric that can forecast sensorimotor adaptability without exposure to an adaptive stimulus. We propose a novel hypothesis that considers baseline inter-trial correlations, the trial-to-trial fluctuations in motor performance, as a predictor of individual sensorimotor adaptive capabilities. To-date, a strong relationship has been found between baseline inter-trial correlations and adaptability in two oculomotor systems. For this project, we will explore an analogous predictive mechanism in the locomotion system. METHODS: Baseline Inter-trial Correlations: Inter-trial correlations specify the relationships among repeated trials of a given task that transpire as a consequence of correcting for previous performance errors over multiple timescales. We can quantify the strength of inter-trial correlations by measuring the decay of the autocorrelation function (ACF), which describes how rapidly information from past trials is "forgotten." Processes whose ACFs decay more slowly exhibit longer-term inter-trial correlations (longer memory processes), while processes whose ACFs decay more rapidly exhibit shorterterm inter-trial correlations (shorter memory processes). Longer-term correlations reflect low-frequency activity, which is more easily

The London low emission zone baseline study.

Science.gov (United States)

Kelly, Frank; Armstrong, Ben; Atkinson, Richard; Anderson, H Ross; Barratt, Ben; Beevers, Sean; Cook, Derek; Green, Dave; Derwent, Dick; Mudway, Ian; Wilkinson, Paul

2011-11-01

On February 4, 2008, the world's largest low emission zone (LEZ) was established. At 2644 km2, the zone encompasses most of Greater London. It restricts the entry of the oldest and most polluting diesel vehicles, including heavy-goods vehicles (haulage trucks), buses and coaches, larger vans, and minibuses. It does not apply to cars or motorcycles. The LEZ scheme will introduce increasingly stringent Euro emissions standards over time. The creation of this zone presented a unique opportunity to estimate the effects of a stepwise reduction in vehicle emissions on air quality and health. Before undertaking such an investigation, robust baseline data were gathered on air quality and the oxidative activity and metal content of particulate matter (PM) from air pollution monitors located in Greater London. In addition, methods were developed for using databases of electronic primary-care records in order to evaluate the zone's health effects. Our study began in 2007, using information about the planned restrictions in an agreed-upon LEZ scenario and year-on-year changes in the vehicle fleet in models to predict air pollution concentrations in London for the years 2005, 2008, and 2010. Based on this detailed emissions and air pollution modeling, the areas in London were then identified that were expected to show the greatest changes in air pollution concentrations and population exposures after the implementation of the LEZ. Using these predictions, the best placement of a pollution monitoring network was determined and the feasibility of evaluating the health effects using electronic primary-care records was assessed. To measure baseline pollutant concentrations before the implementation of the LEZ, a comprehensive monitoring network was established close to major roadways and intersections. Output-difference plots from statistical modeling for 2010 indicated seven key areas likely to experience the greatest change in concentrations of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) (at least 3

Acute alcohol effects on set-shifting and its moderation by baseline individual differences: a latent variable analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Korucuoglu, Ozlem; Sher, Kenneth J; Wood, Phillip K; Saults, John Scott; Altamirano, Lee; Miyake, Akira; Bartholow, Bruce D

2017-03-01

To compare the acute effects of alcohol on set-shifting task performance (relative to sober baseline performance) during ascending and descending limb breath alcohol concentration (BrAC), as well as possible moderation of these effects by baseline individual differences. Shifting performance was tested during an initial baseline and a subsequent drinking session, during which participants were assigned randomly to one of three beverage conditions (alcohol, placebo or control) and one of two BrAC limb conditions [ascending and descending (A/D) or descending-only (D-only)]. A human experimental laboratory on the University of Missouri campus in Columbia, MO, USA. A total of 222 moderate-drinking adults (ages 21-30 years) recruited from Columbia, MO and tested between 2010 and 2013. The outcome measure was performance on set-shifting tasks under the different beverage and limb conditions. Shifting performance assessed at baseline was a key moderator. Although performance improved across sessions, this improvement was reduced in the alcohol compared with no-alcohol groups (post-drink latent mean comparison across groups, all Ps ≤ 0.05), and this effect was more pronounced in individuals with lower pre-drink performance (comparison of pre- to post-drink path coefficients across groups, all Ps ≤ 0.05). In the alcohol group, performance was better on descending compared with ascending limb (P ≤ 0.001), but descending limb performance did not differ across the A/D and D-only groups. Practising tasks before drinking moderates the acute effects of alcohol on the ability to switch between tasks. Greater impairment in shifting ability on descending compared with ascending breath alcohol concentration is not related to task practice. © 2016 Society for the Study of Addiction.

Right hemisphere dominance directly predicts both baseline V1 cortical excitability and the degree of top-down modulation exerted over low-level brain structures.

Science.gov (United States)

Arshad, Q; Siddiqui, S; Ramachandran, S; Goga, U; Bonsu, A; Patel, M; Roberts, R E; Nigmatullina, Y; Malhotra, P; Bronstein, A M

2015-12-17

Right hemisphere dominance for visuo-spatial attention is characteristically observed in most right-handed individuals. This dominance has been attributed to both an anatomically larger right fronto-parietal network and the existence of asymmetric parietal interhemispheric connections. Previously it has been demonstrated that interhemispheric conflict, which induces left hemisphere inhibition, results in the modulation of both (i) the excitability of the early visual cortex (V1) and (ii) the brainstem-mediated vestibular-ocular reflex (VOR) via top-down control mechanisms. However to date, it remains unknown whether the degree of an individual's right hemisphere dominance for visuospatial function can influence, (i) the baseline excitability of the visual cortex and (ii) the extent to which the right hemisphere can exert top-down modulation. We directly tested this by correlating line bisection error (or pseudoneglect), taken as a measure of right hemisphere dominance, with both (i) visual cortical excitability measured using phosphene perception elicited via single-pulse occipital trans-cranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) and (ii) the degree of trans-cranial direct current stimulation (tDCS)-mediated VOR suppression, following left hemisphere inhibition. We found that those individuals with greater right hemisphere dominance had a less excitable early visual cortex at baseline and demonstrated a greater degree of vestibular nystagmus suppression following left hemisphere cathodal tDCS. To conclude, our results provide the first demonstration that individual differences in right hemisphere dominance can directly predict both the baseline excitability of low-level brain structures and the degree of top-down modulation exerted over them. Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Higher Intake of Fruit, but Not Vegetables or Fiber, at Baseline Is Associated with Lower Risk of Becoming Overweight or Obese in Middle-Aged and Older Women of Normal BMI at Baseline123

Science.gov (United States)

Rautiainen, Susanne; Wang, Lu; Lee, I-Min; Manson, JoAnn E; Buring, Julie E; Sesso, Howard D

2015-01-01

Background: Fruit, vegetable, and dietary fiber intake have been associated with lower risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD); however, little is known about their role in obesity prevention. Objective: Our goal was to investigate whether intake of fruits, vegetables, and dietary fiber is associated with weight change and the risk of becoming overweight and obese. Methods: We studied 18,146 women aged ≥45 y from the Women’s Health Study free of CVD and cancer with an initial body mass index (BMI) of 18.5 to Fruit, vegetable, and dietary fiber intakes were assessed at baseline through a 131-item food-frequency questionnaire, along with obesity-related risk factors. Women self-reported body weight on annual questionnaires. Results: During a mean follow-up of 15.9 y, 8125 women became overweight or obese (BMI ≥25 kg/m2). Intakes of total fruits and vegetables, fruits, and dietary fiber were not associated with the longitudinal changes in body weight, whereas higher vegetable intake was associated with greater weight gain (P-trend: 0.02). In multivariable analyses, controlling for total energy intake and physical activity along with other lifestyle, clinical, and dietary factors, women in the highest vs. lowest quintile of fruit intake had an HR of 0.87 (95% CI: 0.80, 0.94; P-trend: 0.01) of becoming overweight or obese. No association was observed for vegetable or dietary fiber intake. The association between fruit intake and risk of becoming overweight or obese was modified by baseline BMI (P-interaction: fruit, but not vegetables or fiber, by middle-aged and older women with a normal BMI at baseline is associated with lower risk of becoming overweight or obese. PMID:25934663

Probing neutrino oscillations jointly in long and very long baseline experiments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, Y.F.; Whisnant, K.; Young Binglin; Xiong Zhaohua; Yang Jinmin

2002-01-01

We examine the prospects of making a joint analysis of neutrino oscillations at two baselines with neutrino superbeams. Assuming narrow band superbeams and a 100 kiloton water Cherenkov calorimeter, we calculate the event rates and sensitivities to the matter effect, the signs of the neutrino mass differences, the CP phase, and the mixing angle θ 13 . Taking into account all possible experimental errors under general consideration, we explore the optimum cases of a narrow band beam to measure the matter effect and the CP violation effect at all baselines up to 3000 km. We then focus on two specific baselines, a long baseline of 300 km and a very long baseline of 2100 km, and analyze their joint capabilities. We find that the joint analysis can offer extra leverage to resolve some of the ambiguities that are associated with the measurement at a single baseline

Despite worse baseline status depressed patients achieved outcomes similar to those in nondepressed patients after surgery for cervical deformity.

Science.gov (United States)

Poorman, Gregory W; Passias, Peter G; Horn, Samantha R; Frangella, Nicholas J; Daniels, Alan H; Hamilton, D Kojo; Kim, Hanjo; Sciubba, Daniel; Diebo, Bassel G; Bortz, Cole A; Segreto, Frank A; Kelly, Michael P; Smith, Justin S; Neuman, Brian J; Shaffrey, Christopher I; LaFage, Virginie; LaFage, Renaud; Ames, Christopher P; Hart, Robert; Mundis, Gregory M; Eastlack, Robert

2017-12-01

OBJECTIVE Depression and anxiety have been demonstrated to have negative impacts on outcomes after spine surgery. In patients with cervical deformity (CD), the psychological and physiological burdens of the disease may overlap without clear boundaries. While surgery has a proven record of bringing about significant pain relief and decreased disability, the impact of depression and anxiety on recovery from cervical deformity corrective surgery has not been previously reported on in the literature. The purpose of the present study was to determine the effect of depression and anxiety on patients' recovery from and improvement after CD surgery. METHODS The authors conducted a retrospective review of a prospective, multicenter CD database. Patients with a history of clinical depression, in addition to those with current self-reported anxiety or depression, were defined as depressed (D group). The D group was compared with nondepressed patients (ND group) with a similar baseline deformity determined by propensity score matching of the cervical sagittal vertical axis (cSVA). Baseline demographic, comorbidity, clinical, and radiographic data were compared among patients using t-tests. Improvement of symptoms was recorded at 3 months, 6 months, and 1 year postoperatively. All health-related quality of life (HRQOL) scores collected at these follow-up time points were compared using t-tests. RESULTS Sixty-six patients were matched for baseline radiographic parameters: 33 with a history of depression and/or current depression, and 33 without. Depressed patients had similar age, sex, race, and radiographic alignment: cSVA, T-1 slope minus C2-7 lordosis, SVA, and T-1 pelvic angle (p > 0.05). Compared with nondepressed individuals, depressed patients had a higher incidence of osteoporosis (21.2% vs 3.2%, p = 0.028), rheumatoid arthritis (18.2% vs 3.2%, p = 0.012), and connective tissue disorders (18.2% vs 3.2%, p = 0.012). At baseline, the D group had greater neck pain (7.9 of

A baseline-free procedure for transformation models under interval censorship.

Science.gov (United States)

Gu, Ming Gao; Sun, Liuquan; Zuo, Guoxin

2005-12-01

An important property of Cox regression model is that the estimation of regression parameters using the partial likelihood procedure does not depend on its baseline survival function. We call such a procedure baseline-free. Using marginal likelihood, we show that an baseline-free procedure can be derived for a class of general transformation models under interval censoring framework. The baseline-free procedure results a simplified and stable computation algorithm for some complicated and important semiparametric models, such as frailty models and heteroscedastic hazard/rank regression models, where the estimation procedures so far available involve estimation of the infinite dimensional baseline function. A detailed computational algorithm using Markov Chain Monte Carlo stochastic approximation is presented. The proposed procedure is demonstrated through extensive simulation studies, showing the validity of asymptotic consistency and normality. We also illustrate the procedure with a real data set from a study of breast cancer. A heuristic argument showing that the score function is a mean zero martingale is provided.

Baseline cerebral oximetry values depend on non-modifiable patient characteristics.

Science.gov (United States)

Valencia, Lucía; Rodríguez-Pérez, Aurelio; Ojeda, Nazario; Santana, Romen Yone; Morales, Laura; Padrón, Oto

2015-12-01

The aim of the present study was to evaluate baseline regional cerebral oxygen saturation (rSO2) values and identify factors influencing preoperative rSO2 in elective minor surgery. Observational analysis post-hoc. Observational post-hoc analysis of data for the patient sample (n=50) of a previously conducted clinical trial in patients undergoing tumourectomy for breast cancer or inguinal hernia repair. Exclusion criteria included pre-existing cerebrovascular diseases, anaemia, baseline pulse oximetry values were recorded while the patient breathed room air, using the INVOS 5100C monitor™ (Covidien, Dublin, Ireland). Thirty-seven women (72%) and 13 men (28%) 48 ± 13 years of age were enrolled in this study. Baseline rSO2 was 62.01 ± 10.38%. Baseline rSO2 was significantly different between men (67.6 ± 11.2%) and women (60 ± 9.4%), (P=0.023). There were also differences between baseline rSO2 and ASA physical status (ASA I: 67.6 ± 10.7%, ASA II: 61.6 ± 8.4%, ASA III: 55.8 ± 13.9%, P=0.045). Baseline rSO2 had a positive correlation with body weight (r=0.347, P=0.014) and height (r=0.345, P=0.014). We also found significant differences in baseline rSO2 among patients with and without chronic renal failure (P=0.005). No differences were found in any other studied variables. Non-modifiable patient characteristics (ASA physical status, sex, chronic renal failure, body weight and height) influence baseline rSO2. Copyright © 2015 Société française d’anesthésie et de réanimation (Sfar). Published by Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Comparative randomized study on the efficaciousness of treatment of BOO due to BPH in patients with prostate up to 100 gr by endoscopic gyrus prostate resection versus open prostatectomy. Preliminary data.

Science.gov (United States)

Giulianelli, Roberto; Brunori, Stefano; Gentile, Barbara Cristina; Vincenti, Giorgio; Nardoni, Stefano; Pisanti, Francesco; Shestani, Teuta; Mavilla, Luca; Albanesi, Luca; Attisani, Francesco; Mirabile, Gabriella; Schettini, Manlio

2011-06-01

With the advent of medical management and minimally techniques for benign prostate hypeplasia (BPH), invasive surgical procedures such open prostatectomy (OPSU) have become less common, although selected patients may still benefit from open prostatectomy. Aim of this study was to evaluate efficacy and safety of Bipolar TURP (Gyrus electro surgical system) versus standard open prostatectomy in patients with lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) due to bladder outlet obstruction (BOO) with markedly enlarged glands refractory to medical therapy. From January 2003 to January 2004, 140 patients affected by mild-severe LUTS, secondary to BOO from BPH, refractory to medical therapy, with markedly enlarged glands, were randomized in two groups (1:1), and subjected to open prostatectomy (OPSU) carried out with traditional method (Bracci Thechnique) versus transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) utilizing the bipolar methodology. Preoperative work-up included IPSS, IIEF-5 and Qol questionnaires. All patients were submitted to uroflowmetry, transrectal ultrasound (TRUS), measurament of postvoidal residual urine and PSA determination. IPSS, IIEF-5 and Qol, uroflowmetry, TRUS, measurement of post-voidal residual urine, PSA determination and number of reoperations were evaluated at 1, 3, 6, 12, 18, 24, 30 and 36 months. Operative time, resected tissue weight and perioperative complications were also registered. Total post-operative catheter time, total postoperative hospital stay, haemoglobin loss were recorded in the 2 groups. Comparative data on IPSS symptom score, IIEF-5 and Qol, PSA, peak urinary flow rates and post-void residual urine volume in the 2 groups were similar but showed a significative improvement with respect to baseline value. Postoperative haemoglobin levels, postoperative catheterization, hospital stay and 3-yr overall surgical re-treatment-free rate were significantly better in the Bipolar group. In the treatment of LUTS due to bladder outlet

Effects of Baseline Selection on Magnetocardiography: P-Q and T-P Intervals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lim, Hyun Kyoon; Kwon, Hyuk Chan; Kim, Tae En; Lee, Yong Ho; Kim, Jin Mok; Kim, In Seon; Kim, Ki Woong; Park, Yong Ki

2007-01-01

The baseline selection is the first and important step to analyze magnetocardiography (MCG) parameters. There are no difficulties to select the baseline between P- and Q-wave peak (P-Q interval) of MCG wave recorded from healthy subjects because the P-Q intervals of the healthy subjects do not much vary. However, patients with ischemic heart disease often show an unstable P-Q interval which does not seem to be appropriate for the baseline. In this case, T-P interval is alternatively recommended for the baseline. However, there has been no study on the difference made by the baseline selection. In this study, we studied the effect of the different baseline selection. MCG data were analyzed from twenty healthy subjects and twenty one patients whose baselines were alternatively selected in the T-P interval for their inappropriate P-Q interval. Paired T-test was used to compare two set of data. Fifteen parameters derived from the R-wave peak, the T-wave peak, and the period, T max/3 ∼ T max were compared for the different baseline selection. As a result, most parameters did not show significant differences (p>0.05) except few parameters. Therefore, there will be no significant differences if anyone of two intervals were selected for the MCG baseline. However, for the consistent analysis, P-Q interval is strongly recommended for the baseline correction.

Perceived hunger is lower and weight loss is greater in overweight premenopausal women consuming a low-carbohydrate/high-protein vs high-carbohydrate/low-fat diet.

Science.gov (United States)

Nickols-Richardson, Sharon M; Coleman, Mary Dean; Volpe, Joanne J; Hosig, Kathy W

2005-09-01

The impact of a low-carbohydrate/high-protein diet compared with a high-carbohydrate/low-fat diet on ratings of hunger and cognitive eating restraint were examined. Overweight premenopausal women consumed a low-carbohydrate/high-protein (n=13) or high-carbohydrate/low-fat diet (n=15) for 6 weeks. Fasting body weight (BW) was measured and the Eating Inventory was completed at baseline, weeks 1 to 4, and week 6. All women experienced a reduction in BW (Plow-carbohydrate/high-protein vs high-carbohydrate/low-fat group at week 6 (Plow-carbohydrate/high-protein but not in the high-carbohydrate/low-fat group from baseline to week 6. In both groups, self-rated cognitive eating restraint increased (Plow-carbohydrate/high-protein group may have contributed to a greater percentage of BW loss.

40 CFR 80.915 - How are the baseline toxics value and baseline toxics volume determined?

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... baseline toxics value if it can determine an applicable toxics value for every batch of gasoline produced... of gasoline batch i produced or imported between January 1, 1998 and December 31, 2000, inclusive. i = Individual batch of gasoline produced or imported between January 1, 1998 and December 31, 2000, inclusive. n...

Shifted Baselines Reduce Willingness to Pay for Conservation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Loren McClenachan

2018-02-01

Full Text Available A loss of memory of past environmental degradation has resulted in shifted baselines, which may result in conservation and restoration goals that are less ambitious than if stakeholders had a full knowledge of ecosystem potential. However, the link between perception of baseline states and support for conservation planning has not been tested empirically. Here, we investigate how perceptions of change in coral reef ecosystems affect stakeholders' willingness to pay (WTP for the establishment of protected areas. Coral reefs are experiencing rapid, global change that is observable by the public, and therefore provide an ideal ecosystem to test links between beliefs about baseline states and willingness to support conservation. Our survey respondents perceived change to coral reef communities across six variables: coral abundance, fish abundance, fish diversity, fish size, sedimentation, and water pollution. Respondants who accurately perceived declines in reef health had significantly higher WTP for protected areas (US $256.80 vs. $102.50 per year, suggesting that shifted baselines may reduce engagement with conservation efforts. If WTP translates to engagement, this suggests that goals for restoration and recovery are likely to be more ambitious if the public is aware of long term change. Therefore, communicating the scope and depth of environmental problems is essential in engaging the public in conservation.

Baseline Projection Data Book: GRI baseline projection of U.S. Energy Supply and Demand to 2010. 1992 Edition. Volume 1 and Volume 2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Holtberg, P.D.; Woods, T.J.; Lihn, M.L.; Koklauner, A.K.

1992-01-01

The 1992 Baseline Projection Data Book provides backup data in tabular form for the 1992 GRI Baseline Projection of U.S. Energy Supply and Demand to 2010. Summary tables and data for the residential, commercial, industrial, electric utility, and transportation sectors are presented in the volume

Baseline for the cumulants of net-proton distributions at STAR

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Luo, Xiaofeng; Mohanty, Bedangadas; Xu, Nu

2014-01-01

We present a systematic comparison between the recently measured cumulants of the net-proton distributions by STAR for 0–5% central Au + Au collisions at √(s NN )=7.7–200 GeV and two kinds of possible baseline measure, the Poisson and Binomial baselines. These baseline measures are assuming that the proton and anti-proton distributions independently follow Poisson statistics or Binomial statistics. The higher order cumulant net-proton data are observed to deviate from all the baseline measures studied at 19.6 and 27 GeV. We also compare the net-proton with net-baryon fluctuations in UrQMD and AMPT model, and convert the net-proton fluctuations to net-baryon fluctuations in AMPT model by using a set of formula

Parametric estimation of time varying baselines in airborne interferometric SAR

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mohr, Johan Jacob; Madsen, Søren Nørvang

1996-01-01

A method for estimation of time varying spatial baselines in airborne interferometric synthetic aperture radar (SAR) is described. The range and azimuth distortions between two images acquired with a non-linear baseline are derived. A parametric model of the baseline is then, in a least square...... sense, estimated from image shifts obtained by cross correlation of numerous small patches throughout the image. The method has been applied to airborne EMISAR imagery from the 1995 campaign over the Storstrommen Glacier in North East Greenland conducted by the Danish Center for Remote Sensing. This has...... reduced the baseline uncertainties from several meters to the centimeter level in a 36 km scene. Though developed for airborne SAR the method can easily be adopted to satellite data...

FED baseline engineering studies report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sager, P.H.

1983-04-01

Studies were carried out on the FED Baseline to improve design definition, establish feasibility, and reduce cost. Emphasis was placed on cost reduction, but significant feasibility concerns existed in several areas, and better design definition was required to establish feasibility and provide a better basis for cost estimates. Design definition and feasibility studies included the development of a labyrinth shield ring concept to prevent radiation streaming between the torus spool and the TF coil cryostat. The labyrinth shield concept which was developed reduced radiation streaming sufficiently to permit contact maintenance of the inboard EF coils. Various concepts of preventing arcing between adjacent shield sectors were also explored. It was concluded that installation of copper straps with molybdenum thermal radiation shields would provide the most reliable means of preventing arcing. Other design studies included torus spool electrical/structural concepts, test module shielding, torus seismic response, poloidal conditions in the magnets, disruption characteristics, and eddy current effects. These additional studies had no significant impact on cost but did confirm the feasibility of the basic FED Baseline concept.

FED baseline engineering studies report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sager, P.H.

1983-04-01

Studies were carried out on the FED Baseline to improve design definition, establish feasibility, and reduce cost. Emphasis was placed on cost reduction, but significant feasibility concerns existed in several areas, and better design definition was required to establish feasibility and provide a better basis for cost estimates. Design definition and feasibility studies included the development of a labyrinth shield ring concept to prevent radiation streaming between the torus spool and the TF coil cryostat. The labyrinth shield concept which was developed reduced radiation streaming sufficiently to permit contact maintenance of the inboard EF coils. Various concepts of preventing arcing between adjacent shield sectors were also explored. It was concluded that installation of copper straps with molybdenum thermal radiation shields would provide the most reliable means of preventing arcing. Other design studies included torus spool electrical/structural concepts, test module shielding, torus seismic response, poloidal conditions in the magnets, disruption characteristics, and eddy current effects. These additional studies had no significant impact on cost but did confirm the feasibility of the basic FED Baseline concept

Inferior petrosal sinus sampling in the diagnosis of adrenocorticotropin dependent Cushing syndrome with unknown origin

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shen Xuefeng; Yuan Dequan; Yue Ming; Feng Juanjuan

2011-01-01

Objective: To evaluate the value of inferior petrosal sinus sampling (IPSS) in the diagnosis of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) dependent Cushing syndrome (CS) with unknown origin. Methods: IPSS was carried out for the diagnosis of 16 cases with ACTH dependent CS who had not been identified after a series of dexamethasone suppression tests and radiological examinations. The ratio of inferior petrosal sinus/peripheral ACTH was assayed. The sensitivity and specificity of diagnosis of the Cushing disease were estimated. Results: The inferior petrosal sinus/peripheral ACTH ratio was over 2.0 in 13 cases. Twelve cases underwent surgery with pathological diagnosis of pituitary ACTH adenoma, 1 patient relieved after γ knife treatment. The ratio was < 2.0 in 3 cases including 2 pulmonary carcinoid and one pituitary ACTH adenoma. The sensitivity and specify of IPSS for the diagnosis of Cushing disease were 13/14 and 2/2 respectively. Conclusion: IPSS was a safe technique with high sensitivity, specify and infrequent complications in the diagnosis of ACTH dependent Cushing disease. It had great clinical value in the differential diagnosis of ACTH dependent Cushing disease with unknown origin. (authors)

PAS positivity of erythroid precursor cells is associated with a poor prognosis in newly diagnosed myelodysplastic syndrome patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Masuda, Kenta; Shiga, Shuichi; Kawabata, Hiroshi; Takaori-Kondo, Akifumi; Ichiyama, Satoshi; Kamikubo, Yasuhiko

2018-07-01

Myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) is a group of clonal stem cell disorders characterized by hematopoietic insufficiency. The accurate risk stratification of patients with MDS is essential for selection of appropriate therapies. We herein conducted a retrospective cohort study to examine the prognostic value of periodic acid-Schiff (PAS) reaction-positive erythroblasts in MDS patients. We examined the PAS positivity of the bone marrow erythroblasts of 144 patients newly diagnosed with MDS; 26 (18.1%) of them had PAS-positive erythroblasts, whereas 118 (81.9%) did not. The PAS-positive group showed significantly poorer karyotypes as defined in the revised International Prognostic Scoring System (IPSS-R) and higher scores in age-adjusted IPSS-R (IPSS-RA) than the PAS-negative group. Overall survival (OS) and leukemia-free survival (LFS) were also significantly shorter in the PAS-positive group than in the PAS-negative group. Similar results were obtained when only high- and very high risk groups were analyzed using IPSS-RA. This retrospective study suggested that the PAS positivity of erythroblasts is an additional prognostic factor combined with other risk scores for OS and LFS in MDS, and our results may contribute to improved clinical decision-making and rapid risk stratification.

Baseline development, economic risk, and schedule risk: An integrated approach

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tonkinson, J.A.

1994-01-01

The economic and schedule risks of Environmental Restoration (ER) projects are commonly analyzed toward the end of the baseline development process. Risk analysis is usually performed as the final element of the scheduling or estimating processes for the purpose of establishing cost and schedule contingency. However, there is an opportunity for earlier assessment of risks, during development of the technical scope and Work Breakdown Structure (WBS). Integrating the processes of risk management and baselining provides for early incorporation of feedback regarding schedule and cost risk into the proposed scope of work. Much of the information necessary to perform risk analysis becomes available during development of the technical baseline, as the scope of work and WBS are being defined. The analysis of risk can actually be initiated early on during development of the technical baseline and continue throughout development of the complete project baseline. Indeed, best business practices suggest that information crucial to the success of a project be analyzed and incorporated into project planning as soon as it is available and usable

Performance Analysis for Airborne Interferometric SAR Affected by Flexible Baseline Oscillation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Liu Zhong-sheng

2014-04-01

Full Text Available The airborne interferometric SAR platform suffers from instability factors, such as air turbulence and mechanical vibrations during flight. Such factors cause the oscillation of the flexible baseline, which leads to significant degradation of the performance of the interferometric SAR system. This study is concerned with the baseline oscillation. First, the error of the slant range model under baseline oscillation conditions is formulated. Then, the SAR complex image signal and dual-channel correlation coefficient are modeled based on the first-order, second-order, and generic slant range error. Subsequently, the impact of the baseline oscillation on the imaging and interferometric performance of the SAR system is analyzed. Finally, simulations of the echo data are used to validate the theoretical analysis of the baseline oscillation in the airborne interferometric SAR.

Real-world Clinical Outcomes Among Patients With Type 2 Diabetes Receiving Canagliflozin at a Specialty Diabetes Clinic: Subgroup Analysis by Baseline HbA1c and Age.

Science.gov (United States)

Johnson, June Felice; Parsa, Rahul; Bailey, Robert A

2017-06-01

Canagliflozin, a sodium glucose co-transporter 2 inhibitor developed for the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), has demonstrated effectiveness in patients with T2DM receiving care at a specialty diabetes clinic. We report the outcomes in these patients in subgroups classified by baseline hemoglobin A 1c (HbA 1c ) and age. This subgroup analysis was based on a review of data from the electronic health records of adults with T2DM who were prescribed canagliflozin at a specialty diabetes clinic and who returned for ≥1 follow-up office visit. Mean changes from baseline to the first and second follow-up office visits in HbA 1c , body weight, and systolic and diastolic blood pressure (BP) were calculated in each subgroup classified by baseline HbA 1c (≥7.0%, ≥8.0%, and >9.0%) and age (baseline HbA 1c ≥7.0%, ≥8.0%, and >9.0%, respectively; 396 and 66 patients were aged baseline HbA 1c and age experienced clinically and statistically significant reductions from baseline in HbA 1c , body weight, and systolic BP that were sustained over 2 office visits; diastolic BP was also reduced across baseline HbA 1c and age subgroups. Greater reductions in HbA 1c were seen among the canagliflozin-treated patients with higher baseline HbA 1c and among younger versus older patients. These findings from clinical practice demonstrate real-world effectiveness of canagliflozin in lowering HbA 1c , body weight, and systolic BP among patients with T2DM, regardless of baseline HbA 1c levels or age. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier HS Journals, Inc. All rights reserved.

Influence of Baseline Psychological Health on Muscle Pain During Atorvastatin Treatment.

Science.gov (United States)

Zaleski, Amanda L; Taylor, Beth A; Pescatello, Linda S; Dornelas, Ellen A; White, Charles Michael; Thompson, Paul D

3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase reductase inhibitors (statins) are generally well tolerated, with statin-associated muscle symptoms (SAMS) the most common side effect (~10%) seen in statin users. However, studies and clinical observations indicate that many of the self-reported SAMS appear to be nonspecific (ie, potentially not attributable to statins). Mental health and well-being influence self-perception of pain, so we sought to assess the effect of baseline well-being and depression on the development of muscle pain with 6 months of atorvastatin 80 mg/d (ATORVA) or placebo in healthy, statin-naive adults. The Psychological General Well-being Index (n = 83) and Beck Depression Inventory (n = 55) questionnaires were administered at baseline in participants (aged 59.5 ± 1.2 years) from the effect of Statins on Skeletal Muscle Function and Performance (STOMP) trial (NCT00609063). Muscle pain (Short-Form McGill Pain Questionnaire [SF-MPQ]), pain that interferes with daily life (Brief Pain Inventory [BPI]), and pain severity (BPI) were then measured before, throughout, and after treatment. At baseline, there were no differences in well-being (Psychological General Well-being Index), depression (Beck Depression Inventory), or pain measures (SF-MPQ and BPI) (P values ≥ .05) between the placebo and ATORVA groups. Baseline well-being correlated negatively with baseline BPI pain severity (r = -0.290, P = .008). Baseline depression correlated with baseline pain (SF-MPQ; r = 0.314, P = .020). Baseline well-being and depression did not predict the change in pain severity or interference after 6 months among the total sample or between groups (P values ≥ .05). Baseline well-being and depression were not significant predictors of pain after 6 months of ATORVA (P values ≥ .05). Thus, they do not appear to increase the risk of SAMS in otherwise healthy adults.

Baseline Report on HB2320

Science.gov (United States)

State Council of Higher Education for Virginia, 2015

2015-01-01

Staff provides this baseline report as a summary of its preliminary considerations and initial research in fulfillment of the requirements of HB2320 from the 2015 session of the General Assembly. Codified as § 23-7.4:7, this legislation compels the Education Secretary and the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV) Director, in…

Conditional survival is greater than overall survival at diagnosis in patients with osteosarcoma and Ewing's sarcoma.

Science.gov (United States)

Miller, Benjamin J; Lynch, Charles F; Buckwalter, Joseph A

2013-11-01

Conditional survival is a measure of the risk of mortality given that a patient has survived a defined period of time. These estimates are clinically helpful, but have not been reported previously for osteosarcoma or Ewing's sarcoma. We determined the conditional survival of patients with osteosarcoma and Ewing's sarcoma given survival of 1 or more years. We used the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) Program database to investigate cases of osteosarcoma and Ewing's sarcoma in patients younger than 40 years from 1973 to 2009. The SEER Program is managed by the National Cancer Institute and provides survival data gathered from population-based cancer registries. We used an actuarial life table analysis to determine any cancer cause-specific 5-year survival estimates conditional on 1 to 5 years of survival after diagnosis. We performed a similar analysis to determine 20-year survival from the time of diagnosis. The estimated 5-year survival improved each year after diagnosis. For local/regional osteosarcoma, the 5-year survival improved from 74.8% at baseline to 91.4% at 5 years-meaning that if a patient with localized osteosarcoma lives for 5 years, the chance of living for another 5 years is 91.4%. Similarly, the 5-year survivals for local/regional Ewing's sarcoma improved from 72.9% at baseline to 92.5% at 5 years, for metastatic osteosarcoma 35.5% at baseline to 85.4% at 5 years, and for metastatic Ewing's sarcoma 31.7% at baseline to 83.6% at 5 years. The likelihood of 20-year cause-specific survival from the time of diagnosis in osteosarcoma and Ewing's sarcoma was almost 90% or greater after 10 years of survival, suggesting that while most patients will remain disease-free indefinitely, some experience cancer-related complications years after presumed eradication. The 5-year survival estimates of osteosarcoma and Ewing's sarcoma improve with each additional year of patient survival. Knowledge of a changing risk profile is useful in counseling

Pediatric Heart Transplantation: Transitioning to Adult Care (TRANSIT): Baseline Findings.

Science.gov (United States)

Grady, Kathleen L; Hof, Kathleen Van't; Andrei, Adin-Cristian; Shankel, Tamara; Chinnock, Richard; Miyamoto, Shelley; Ambardekar, Amrut V; Anderson, Allen; Addonizio, Linda; Latif, Farhana; Lefkowitz, Debra; Goldberg, Lee; Hollander, Seth A; Pham, Michael; Weissberg-Benchell, Jill; Cool, Nichole; Yancy, Clyde; Pahl, Elfriede

2018-02-01

Young adult solid organ transplant recipients who transfer from pediatric to adult care experience poor outcomes related to decreased adherence to the medical regimen. Our pilot trial for young adults who had heart transplant (HT) who transfer to adult care tests an intervention focused on increasing HT knowledge, self-management and self-advocacy skills, and enhancing support, as compared to usual care. We report baseline findings between groups regarding (1) patient-level outcomes and (2) components of the intervention. From 3/14 to 9/16, 88 subjects enrolled and randomized to intervention (n = 43) or usual care (n = 45) at six pediatric HT centers. Patient self-report questionnaires and medical records data were collected at baseline, and 3 and 6 months after transfer. For this report, baseline findings (at enrollment and prior to transfer to adult care) were analyzed using Chi-square and t-tests. Level of significance was p Baseline demographics were similar in the intervention and usual care arms: age 21.3 ± 3.2 vs 21.5 ± 3.3 years and female 44% vs 49%, respectively. At baseline, there were no differences between intervention and usual care for use of tacrolimus (70 vs 62%); tacrolimus level (mean ± SD = 6.5 ± 2.3 ng/ml vs 5.6 ± 2.3 ng/ml); average of the within patient standard deviation of the baseline mean tacrolimus levels (1.6 vs 1.3); and adherence to the medical regimen [3.6 ± 0.4 vs 3.5 ± 0.5 (1 = hardly ever to 4 = all of the time)], respectively. At baseline, both groups had a modest amount of HT knowledge, were learning self-management and self-advocacy, and perceived they were adequately supported. Baseline findings indicate that transitioning HT recipients lack essential knowledge about HT and have incomplete self-management and self-advocacy skills.

Elucidation of the Pattern of the Onset of Male Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms Using Cluster Analysis: Efficacy of Tamsulosin in Each Symptom Group.

Science.gov (United States)

Aikawa, Ken; Kataoka, Masao; Ogawa, Soichiro; Akaihata, Hidenori; Sato, Yuichi; Yabe, Michihiro; Hata, Junya; Koguchi, Tomoyuki; Kojima, Yoshiyuki; Shiragasawa, Chihaya; Kobayashi, Toshimitsu; Yamaguchi, Osamu

2015-08-01

To present a new grouping of male patients with lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) based on symptom patterns and clarify whether the therapeutic effect of α1-blocker differs among the groups. We performed secondary analysis of anonymous data from 4815 patients enrolled in a postmarketing surveillance study of tamsulosin in Japan. Data on 7 International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) items at the initial visit were used in the cluster analysis. IPSS and quality of life (QOL) scores before and after tamsulosin treatment for 12 weeks were assessed in each cluster. Partial correlation coefficients were also obtained for IPSS and QOL scores based on changes before and after treatment. Five symptom groups were identified by cluster analysis of IPSS. On their symptom profile, each cluster was labeled as minimal type (cluster 1), multiple severe type (cluster 2), weak stream type (cluster 3), storage type (cluster 4), and voiding type (cluster 5). Prevalence and the mean symptom score were significantly improved in almost all symptoms in all clusters by tamsulosin treatment. Nocturia and weak stream had the strongest effect on QOL in clusters 1, 2, and 4 and clusters 3 and 5, respectively. The study clarified that 5 characteristic symptom patterns exist by cluster analysis of IPSS in male patients with LUTS. Tamsulosin improved various symptoms and QOL in each symptom group. The study reports many male patients with LUTS being satisfied with monotherapy using tamsulosin and suggests the usefulness of α1-blockers as a drug of first choice. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Adenomatous-Dominant Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (AdBPH) as a Predictor for Clinical Success Following Prostate Artery Embolization: An Age-Matched Case–Control Study

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Little, M. W., E-mail: m.little@doctors.org.uk; Boardman, P.; Macdonald, A. C.; Taylor, N.; Macpherson, R. [Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Department of Radiology, Churchill Hospital (United Kingdom); Crew, J. [Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Department of Urology, Churchill Hospital (United Kingdom); Tapping, C. R., E-mail: crtapping@doctors.org.uk [Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Department of Radiology, Churchill Hospital (United Kingdom)

2017-05-15

PurposeTo investigate the clinical impact of performing prostate artery embolization (PAE) on patients with adenomatous-dominant benign prostatic hyperplasia (AdBPH).Materials and MethodsTwelve patients from the ongoing proSTatic aRtery EmbolizAtion for the treatMent of benign prostatic hyperplasia (STREAM) trial were identified as having AdBPH; defined as two or more adenomas within the central gland of ≥1 cm diameter on multi-parametric MRI (MP-MRI). These patients were age-matched with patients from the STREAM cohort, without AdBPH. Patients were followed up with repeat MP-MRI at 3 months and 1 year. International prostate symptom score (IPSS), international index for erectile function (IIEF), and quality of life assessment from the IPSS and EQ-5D-5S questionnaires were recorded pre-PAE and at 6 weeks, 3 months, and 1 year.ResultsThe mean age of patients was 68 (61–76). All patients had PAE as a day-case procedure. The technical success in the cohort was 23/24 (96%). There was a significant reduction in prostate volume following embolization with a median reduction of 34% (30–55) in the AdBPH group, compared to a mean volume reduction of 22% (9–44) in the non-AdBPH group (p = 0.04). There was a significant reduction in IPSS in the AdBPH group following PAE when compared with the control group [AdBPH median IPSS 8 (3–15) vs. non-AdBPH median IPSS 13 (8–18), p = 0.01]. IPSS QOL scores significantly improved in the AdBPH group (p = 0.007). There was no deterioration in sexual function in either group post-PAE.ConclusionsThis is the first time that AdBPH has been identified as being a predictor of clinical success following PAE.

Adenomatous-Dominant Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (AdBPH) as a Predictor for Clinical Success Following Prostate Artery Embolization: An Age-Matched Case–Control Study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Little, M. W.; Boardman, P.; Macdonald, A. C.; Taylor, N.; Macpherson, R.; Crew, J.; Tapping, C. R.

2017-01-01

PurposeTo investigate the clinical impact of performing prostate artery embolization (PAE) on patients with adenomatous-dominant benign prostatic hyperplasia (AdBPH).Materials and MethodsTwelve patients from the ongoing proSTatic aRtery EmbolizAtion for the treatMent of benign prostatic hyperplasia (STREAM) trial were identified as having AdBPH; defined as two or more adenomas within the central gland of ≥1 cm diameter on multi-parametric MRI (MP-MRI). These patients were age-matched with patients from the STREAM cohort, without AdBPH. Patients were followed up with repeat MP-MRI at 3 months and 1 year. International prostate symptom score (IPSS), international index for erectile function (IIEF), and quality of life assessment from the IPSS and EQ-5D-5S questionnaires were recorded pre-PAE and at 6 weeks, 3 months, and 1 year.ResultsThe mean age of patients was 68 (61–76). All patients had PAE as a day-case procedure. The technical success in the cohort was 23/24 (96%). There was a significant reduction in prostate volume following embolization with a median reduction of 34% (30–55) in the AdBPH group, compared to a mean volume reduction of 22% (9–44) in the non-AdBPH group (p = 0.04). There was a significant reduction in IPSS in the AdBPH group following PAE when compared with the control group [AdBPH median IPSS 8 (3–15) vs. non-AdBPH median IPSS 13 (8–18), p = 0.01]. IPSS QOL scores significantly improved in the AdBPH group (p = 0.007). There was no deterioration in sexual function in either group post-PAE.ConclusionsThis is the first time that AdBPH has been identified as being a predictor of clinical success following PAE.

Impact of benign prostatic hyperplasia surgical treatment on voiding and urinary bladder filling symptoms

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Milićević Snježana

2010-01-01

Full Text Available Background/Aim. Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BHP is one of the most common diseases of elderly men. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of surgical treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia to voiding and urinary bladder filling symptoms. Quantification of voiding and filling symptoms was done with the International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS. Method. The study included 80 patients with BHP, of whom 40 were treated with open prostatectomy (group A, and other 40 with transurethral resection of prostate gland (group B. All the patients were under 80 years old (average age in the group A was 70.23 years with a variation interval of 21 years, and in the group B 69.37 years with a variation interval of 22 years, with a value of IPSS > 19 points, quantity of residual urine higher than 150 mL, the weight of benign prostatic gland hyperplasia tissue over 30 grams for the method of prostate transurethral resection, and over 80 grams for the method of open prostatectomy. To all patients, for two times, the value of IPSS was determined, and then in a postoperative period in time intervals of 4 and 12 weeks. Results. Arithmetic mean of IPSS preoperatively was 32.05 points in the group A and 31.75 points in the group B. During the postoperative check-ups in time intervals of 4 and 12 weeks, arithmetic means of IPSS in the group A were 5.4 and 1.85 points, respectively, and in the group B 11.425 and 9.025 points, respectively. Surgical treatment had better effect on voiding symptoms than on urinary bladder filling ones. Conclusion. After the mentioned surgical procedures a significant reduction of the lower urinary tract symptoms quantified by the IPSS was observed. Surgical treatment of BHP had a more pronounced effect on the voiding symptoms in relation to filling ones.

Baseline Optimization for the Measurement of CP Violation, Mass Hierarchy, and $\\theta_{23}$ Octant in a Long-Baseline Neutrino Oscillation Experiment

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bass, M. [Colorado State U.; Bishai, M. [Brookhaven; Cherdack, D. [Colorado State U.; Diwan, M. [Brookhaven; Djurcic, Z. [Argonne; Hernandez, J. [Houston U.; Lundberg, B. [Fermilab; Paolone, V. [Pittsburgh U.; Qian, X. [Brookhaven; Rameika, R. [Fermilab; Whitehead, L. [Houston U.; Wilson, R. J. [Colorado State U.; Worcester, E. [Brookhaven; Zeller, G. [Fermilab

2015-03-19

Next-generation long-baseline electron neutrino appearance experiments will seek to discover CP violation, determine the mass hierarchy and resolve the θ23 octant. In light of the recent precision measurements of θ13, we consider the sensitivity of these measurements in a study to determine the optimal baseline, including practical considerations regarding beam and detector performance. We conclude that a detector at a baseline of at least 1000 km in a wide-band muon neutrino beam is the optimal configuration.

Should Studies of Diabetes Treatment Stratification Correct for Baseline HbA1c?

Science.gov (United States)

Jones, Angus G.; Lonergan, Mike; Henley, William E.; Pearson, Ewan R.; Hattersley, Andrew T.; Shields, Beverley M.

2016-01-01

Aims Baseline HbA1c is a major predictor of response to glucose lowering therapy and therefore a potential confounder in studies aiming to identify other predictors. However, baseline adjustment may introduce error if the association between baseline HbA1c and response is substantially due to measurement error and regression to the mean. We aimed to determine whether studies of predictors of response should adjust for baseline HbA1c. Methods We assessed the relationship between baseline HbA1c and glycaemic response in 257 participants treated with GLP-1R agonists and assessed whether it reflected measurement error and regression to the mean using duplicate ‘pre-baseline’ HbA1c measurements not included in the response variable. In this cohort and an additional 2659 participants treated with sulfonylureas we assessed the relationship between covariates associated with baseline HbA1c and treatment response with and without baseline adjustment, and with a bias correction using pre-baseline HbA1c to adjust for the effects of error in baseline HbA1c. Results Baseline HbA1c was a major predictor of response (R2 = 0.19,β = -0.44,pHbA1c were associated with response, however these associations were weak or absent after adjustment for baseline HbA1c. Bias correction did not substantially alter associations. Conclusions Adjustment for the baseline HbA1c measurement is a simple and effective way to reduce bias in studies of predictors of response to glucose lowering therapy. PMID:27050911

Baseline series fragrance markers fail to predict contact allergy.

Science.gov (United States)

Mann, Jack; McFadden, John P; White, Jonathan M L; White, Ian R; Banerjee, Piu

2014-05-01

Negative patch test results with fragrance allergy markers in the European baseline series do not always predict a negative reaction to individual fragrance substances. To determine the frequencies of positive test reactions to the 26 fragrance substances for which labelling is mandatory in the EU, and how effectively reactions to fragrance markers in the baseline series predict positive reactions to the fragrance substances that are labelled. The records of 1951 eczema patients, routinely tested with the labelled fragrance substances and with an extended European baseline series in 2011 and 2012, were retrospectively reviewed. Two hundred and eighty-one (14.4%) (71.2% females) reacted to one or more allergens from the labelled-fragrance substance series and/or a fragrance marker from the European baseline series. The allergens that were positive with the greatest frequencies were cinnamyl alcohol (48; 2.46%), Evernia furfuracea (44; 2.26%), and isoeugenol (40; 2.05%). Of the 203 patients who reacted to any of the 26 fragrances in the labelled-fragrance substance series, only 117 (57.6%) also reacted to a fragrance marker in the baseline series. One hundred and seven (52.7%) reacted to either fragrance mix I or fragrance mix II, 28 (13.8%) reacted to Myroxylon pereirae, and 13 (6.4%) reacted to hydroxyisohexyl 3-cyclohexene carboxaldehyde. These findings confirm that the standard fragrance markers fail to identify patients with contact allergies to the 26 fragrances. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Bluetooth Indoor Positioning System using Fingerprinting

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Frost, Christian; Jensen, Casper Svenning; Luckow, Kasper Søe

2011-01-01

Indoor Positioning has been an active research area in the last decade, but so far, commercial Indoor Positioning Systems (IPSs) have been sparse. The main obstacle towards widely available IPSs has been the lack of appropriate, low cost technologies, that enable indoor positioning. While Wi-Fi...... infrastructures are ubiquitous, consumer-oriented Wi-Fi enabled mobile phones have been missing. Conversely, while Bluetooth technology is present in the vast majority of consumer mobile phones, Bluetooth infrastructures have been missing. Bluetooth infrastructures have typically been installed as part...... of complete hardware/software IPSs that often incur a substantial hardware cost. Furthermore, Bluetooth has low power consumption compared to Wi-Fi devices, which promotes longer battery life-time on mobile phones. In this paper, we present a Bluetooth IPS based entirely on commodity-grade products...

Increased Risk of Progression of Coronary Artery Calcification in Male Subjects with High Baseline Waist-to-Height Ratio: The Kangbuk Samsung Health Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Oh, Hyung Geun; Nallamshetty, Shriram; Rhee, Eun Jung

2016-02-01

The waist-to-height ratio (WHtR) is an easy and inexpensive adiposity index that reflects central obesity. In this study, we examined the association of baseline WHtR and progression of coronary artery calcification (CAC) over 4 years of follow-up in apparently healthy Korean men. A total of 1,048 male participants (mean age, 40.9 years) in a health-screening program in Kangbuk Samsung Hospital, Seoul, Korea who repeated a medical check-up in 2010 and 2014 were recruited. Baseline WHtR was calculated using the value for the waist in 2010 divided by the value for height in 2010. The CAC score (CACS) of each subject was measured by multi-detector computed tomography in both 2010 and 2014. Progression of CAC was defined as a CACS change over 4 years greater than 0. During the follow-up period, progression of CAC occurred in 278 subjects (26.5%). The subjects with CAC progression had slightly higher but significant baseline WHtR compared to those who did not show CAC progression (0.51±0.04 vs. 0.50±0.04, P<0.01). The proportion of subjects with CAC progression significantly increased as the baseline WHtR increased from the 1st quartile to 4th quartile groups (18.3%, 18.7%, 28.8%, and 34.2%; P<0.01). The risk for CAC progression was elevated with an odds ratio of 1.602 in the 4th quartile group of baseline WHtR even after adjustment for confounding variables (95% confidence interval, 1.040 to 2.466). Increased baseline WHtR was associated with increased risk for CAC progression. WHtR might be a useful screening tool to identify individuals at high risk for subclinical atherosclerosis.

A publication database for optical long baseline interferometry

Science.gov (United States)

Malbet, Fabien; Mella, Guillaume; Lawson, Peter; Taillifet, Esther; Lafrasse, Sylvain

2010-07-01

Optical long baseline interferometry is a technique that has generated almost 850 refereed papers to date. The targets span a large variety of objects from planetary systems to extragalactic studies and all branches of stellar physics. We have created a database hosted by the JMMC and connected to the Optical Long Baseline Interferometry Newsletter (OLBIN) web site using MySQL and a collection of XML or PHP scripts in order to store and classify these publications. Each entry is defined by its ADS bibcode, includes basic ADS informations and metadata. The metadata are specified by tags sorted in categories: interferometric facilities, instrumentation, wavelength of operation, spectral resolution, type of measurement, target type, and paper category, for example. The whole OLBIN publication list has been processed and we present how the database is organized and can be accessed. We use this tool to generate statistical plots of interest for the community in optical long baseline interferometry.

Greater autonomy at work

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Houtman, I.L.D.

2004-01-01

In the past 10 years, workers in the Netherlands increasingly report more decision-making power in their work. This is important for an economy in recession and where workers face greater work demands. It makes work more interesting, creates a healthier work environment, and provides opportunities

Back-calculating baseline creatinine overestimates prevalence of acute kidney injury with poor sensitivity.

Science.gov (United States)

Kork, F; Balzer, F; Krannich, A; Bernardi, M H; Eltzschig, H K; Jankowski, J; Spies, C

2017-03-01

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is diagnosed by a 50% increase in creatinine. For patients without a baseline creatinine measurement, guidelines suggest estimating baseline creatinine by back-calculation. The aim of this study was to evaluate different glomerular filtration rate (GFR) equations and different GFR assumptions for back-calculating baseline creatinine as well as the effect on the diagnosis of AKI. The Modification of Diet in Renal Disease, the Chronic Kidney Disease Epidemiology (CKD-EPI) and the Mayo quadratic (MQ) equation were evaluated to estimate baseline creatinine, each under the assumption of either a fixed GFR of 75 mL min -1  1.73 m -2 or an age-adjusted GFR. Estimated baseline creatinine, diagnoses and severity stages of AKI based on estimated baseline creatinine were compared to measured baseline creatinine and corresponding diagnoses and severity stages of AKI. The data of 34 690 surgical patients were analysed. Estimating baseline creatinine overestimated baseline creatinine. Diagnosing AKI based on estimated baseline creatinine had only substantial agreement with AKI diagnoses based on measured baseline creatinine [Cohen's κ ranging from 0.66 (95% CI 0.65-0.68) to 0.77 (95% CI 0.76-0.79)] and overestimated AKI prevalence with fair sensitivity [ranging from 74.3% (95% CI 72.3-76.2) to 90.1% (95% CI 88.6-92.1)]. Staging AKI severity based on estimated baseline creatinine had moderate agreement with AKI severity based on measured baseline creatinine [Cohen's κ ranging from 0.43 (95% CI 0.42-0.44) to 0.53 (95% CI 0.51-0.55)]. Diagnosing AKI and staging AKI severity on the basis of estimated baseline creatinine in surgical patients is not feasible. Patients at risk for post-operative AKI should have a pre-operative creatinine measurement to adequately assess post-operative AKI. © 2016 Scandinavian Physiological Society. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Solid Waste Program technical baseline description

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Carlson, A.B.

1994-07-01

The system engineering approach has been taken to describe the technical baseline under which the Solid Waste Program is currently operating. The document contains a mission analysis, function analysis, system definition, documentation requirements, facility and project bases, and uncertainties facing the program.

Geodesy by radio interferometry - Determinations of baseline vector, earth rotation, and solid earth tide parameters with the Mark I very long baseline radio interferometery system

Science.gov (United States)

Ryan, J. W.; Clark, T. A.; Coates, R. J.; Ma, C.; Wildes, W. T.

1986-01-01

Thirty-seven very long baseline radio interferometry experiments performed between 1972 and 1978 are analyzed and estimates of baseline vectors between six sites, five in the continental United States and one in Europe are derived. No evidence of significant changes in baseline length is found. For example, with a statistical level of confidence of approximately 85 percent, upper bounds on such changes within the United States ranged from a low of 10 mm/yr for the 850 km baseline between Westford, Massachusetts, and Green Bank, West Virginia, to a high of 90 mm/yr for the nearly 4000 km baseline between Westford and Goldstone, California. Estimates for universal time and for the x component of the position of the earth's pole are obtained. For the last 15 experiments, the only ones employing wideband receivers, the root-mean-square differences between the derived values and the corresponding ones published by the Bureau International de l'Heure are 0.0012 s and 0.018 arc sec respectively. The average value obtained for the radial Love number for the solid earth is 0.62 + or - 0.02 (estimated standard error).

A comparative study of fixed dose of Tamsulosin with finasteride vs Tamsulosin with dutasteride in the management of benign prostatic hyperplasia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

N K Mohanty

2006-01-01

Full Text Available OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to compare the efficacy, safety and tolerability of Dutasteride vs Finasteride in a fixed dose combination, with a uro-selective a-blocker Tamsulosin, in the management of symptomatic BPH associated with LUTS. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 105 males between 40-80 years, clinically diagnosed as Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH having a baseline evaluation of their IPSS, UFR, PSA, LFT, KFT, sex health, ultrasound of prostate and PVUV, were randomized to receive a fixed dose combination therapy of Tamsulosin (0.4 mg with Finasteride (5 mg, vs Tamsulosin (0.4 mg with Dutasteride (0.5 mg, daily for six consecutive months. Follow- up at the end of the 2nd, 4th, 8th, 12th and 24th week was done with IPSS, UFR, PSA, ultrasound of Prostate, PVUV and sex health. RESULTS: There were five dropouts, three from the Finasteride arm and two from Dutasteride arm, leaving a total of 100 patients for the final evaluation. Patients in both the groups showed improvement in their symptoms score and urine flow rate from the baseline, but those with the Dutasteride combination not only showed much better improvement in their symptoms score and urine flow, but were also relieved of their obstructive symptoms earlier (10-14 days than seen in the Finasteride group (24-35 days. None of the patients had acute retention of urine (AUR during the trial. The post void urine volume was decreased more in the Dutasteride group, than in patients with Finasteride. Sexual dysfunction incidence was same in both the groups. Approximately 50% reduction in the PSA level was seen in both the groups, while LFT did not show significant difference from the baseline, in either group. Both the drugs were well tolerated, with the patient′s good compliance and with no drop-out due to adverse effects. CONCLUSION : A combination of a-adrenergic blocker and 5-ARI is the best therapeutic option for medical management of BPH as it is safe, effective and well tolerated

Long-baseline neutrino oscillation experiments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Crane, D.; Goodman, M.

1994-01-01

There is no unambiguous definition for long baseline neutrino oscillation experiments. The term is generally used for accelerator neutrino oscillation experiments which are sensitive to Δm 2 2 , and for which the detector is not on the accelerator site. The Snowmass N2L working group met to discuss the issues facing such experiments. The Fermilab Program Advisory Committee adopted several recommendations concerning the Fermilab neutrino program at their Aspen meeting immediately prior to the Snowmass Workshop. This heightened the attention for the proposals to use Fermilab for a long-baseline neutrino experiment at the workshop. The plan for a neutrino oscillation program at Brookhaven was also thoroughly discussed. Opportunities at CERN were considered, particularly the use of detectors at the Gran Sasso laboratory. The idea to build a neutrino beam from KEK towards Superkamiokande was not discussed at the Snowmass meeting, but there has been considerable development of this idea since then. Brookhaven and KEK would use low energy neutrino beams, while FNAL and CERN would plan have medium energy beams. This report will summarize a few topics common to LBL proposals and attempt to give a snapshot of where things stand in this fast developing field

40 CFR 80.1285 - How does a refiner apply for a benzene baseline?

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... baseline? 80.1285 Section 80.1285 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) AIR... (abt) Program § 80.1285 How does a refiner apply for a benzene baseline? (a) A benzene baseline... credits. (b) For U.S. Postal delivery, the benzene baseline application shall be sent to: Attn: MSAT2...

IEA Wind Task 26: Offshore Wind Farm Baseline Documentation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Smart, Gavin [Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult, Blyth, Northumberland (United Kingdom); Smith, Aaron [National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Warner, Ethan [National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Sperstad, Iver Bakken [SINTEF Energy Research, Trondheim (Norway); Prinsen, Bob [Ecofys, Utrecht (Netherlands). TKI Wind Op Zee; Lacal-Arantegui, Roberto [European Commission Joint Research Centre (JRC), Brussels (Belgium)

2016-06-02

This document has been produced to provide the definition and rationale for the Baseline Offshore Wind Farm established within IEA Wind Task 26--Cost of Wind Energy. The Baseline has been developed to provide a common starting point for country comparisons and sensitivity analysis on key offshore wind cost and value drivers. The baseline project reflects an approximate average of the characteristics of projects installed between 2012 and 2014, with the project life assumed to be 20 years. The baseline wind farm is located 40 kilometres (km) from construction and operations and maintenance (O&M) ports and from export cable landfall. The wind farm consists of 100 4-megawatt (MW) wind turbines mounted on monopile foundations in an average water depth of 25 metres (m), connected by 33-kilovolt (kV) inter-array cables. The arrays are connected to a single offshore substation (33kV/220kV) mounted on a jacket foundation, with the substation connected via a single 220kV export cable to an onshore substation, 10km from landfall. The wind farm employs a port-based O&M strategy using crew-transfer vessels.

Consideration of the baseline environment in examples of voluntary SEAs from Scotland

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wright, Fiona

2007-01-01

Evidence from analysing and evaluating examples of three voluntary SEAs prepared in Scotland in the mid-late 1990s showed that different spatial and temporal scales were used when providing a baseline environment description. The SEAs analysed were prepared for: a wind farm siting programme that looked at national and short-term impacts; a land use plan that looked at regional and short-term impacts; and a transport plan that examined local and medium-term impacts. It was found that the two SEAs prepared by local government only considered impacts on the baseline environment within their jurisdictional boundaries whilst the SEA prepared by the private business considered impacts on the national baseline. A mixture of baseline data about planning, economic, environmental and social issues were included in the SEAs, however, evidence suggested that each SEA only focussed on those baseline features that might be significantly affected by the proposal. Each SEA also made extensive use of existing baseline information available from a variety of sources including local, and central government records and information from statutory bodies. All of the SEAs acknowledged that baseline data deficiencies existed and in certain cases steps were taken to obtain primary field data to help address these, however, it was also acknowledged that resource restrictions and decision-making deadlines limited the amount of primary baseline data that could be collected

Baselining PMU Data to Find Patterns and Anomalies

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Amidan, Brett G.; Follum, James D.; Freeman, Kimberly A.; Dagle, Jeffery E.

2016-10-25

This paper looks at the application of situational awareness methodologies with respect to power grid data. These methodologies establish baselines that look for typical patterns and atypical behavior in the data. The objectives of the baselining analyses are to provide: real-time analytics, the capability to look at historical trends and events, and reliable predictions of the near future state of the grid. Multivariate algorithms were created to establish normal baseline behavior and then score each moment in time according to its variance from the baseline. Detailed multivariate analytical techniques are described in this paper that produced ways to identify typical patterns and atypical behavior. In this case, atypical behavior is behavior that is unenvisioned. Visualizations were also produced to help explain the behavior that was identified mathematically. Examples are shown to help describe how to read and interpret the analyses and visualizations. Preliminary work has been performed on PMU data sets from BPA (Bonneville Power Administration) and EI (Eastern Interconnect). Actual results are not fully shown here because of confidentiality issues. Comparisons between atypical events found mathematically and actual events showed that many of the actual events are also atypical events; however there are many atypical events that do not correlate to any actual events. Additional work needs to be done to help classify the atypical events into actual events, so that the importance of the events can be better understood.

200-BP-5 operable unit Technical Baseline report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jacques, I.D.; Kent, S.K.

1991-10-01

This report supports development of a remedial investigation/feasibility study work plan for the 200-BP-5 operable unit. The report summarizes baseline information for waste sites and unplanned release sites located in the 200-BP-5 operable unit. The sites were investigated by the Technical Baseline Section of the Environmental Engineering Group, Westinghouse Hanford Company (Westinghouse Hanford). The investigation consisted of review and evaluation of current and historical Hanford Site reports, drawings, and photographs, and was supplemented with recent inspections of the Hanford Site and employee interviews. No field investigations or sampling were conducted

Environmental baselines: preparing for shale gas in the UK

Science.gov (United States)

Bloomfield, John; Manamsa, Katya; Bell, Rachel; Darling, George; Dochartaigh, Brighid O.; Stuart, Marianne; Ward, Rob

2014-05-01

Groundwater is a vital source of freshwater in the UK. It provides almost 30% of public water supply on average, but locally, for example in south-east England, it is constitutes nearly 90% of public supply. In addition to public supply, groundwater has a number of other uses including agriculture, industry, and food and drink production. It is also vital for maintaining river flows especially during dry periods and so is essential for maintaining ecosystem health. Recently, there have been concerns expressed about the potential impacts of shale gas development on groundwater. The UK has abundant shales and clays which are currently the focus of considerable interest and there is active research into their characterisation, resource evaluation and exploitation risks. The British Geological Survey (BGS) is undertaking research to provide information to address some of the environmental concerns related to the potential impacts of shale gas development on groundwater resources and quality. The aim of much of this initial work is to establish environmental baselines, such as a baseline survey of methane occurrence in groundwater (National methane baseline study) and the spatial relationships between potential sources and groundwater receptors (iHydrogeology project), prior to any shale gas exploration and development. The poster describes these two baseline studies and presents preliminary findings. BGS are currently undertaking a national survey of baseline methane concentrations in groundwater across the UK. This work will enable any potential future changes in methane in groundwater associated with shale gas development to be assessed. Measurements of methane in potable water from the Cretaceous, Jurassic and Triassic carbonate and sandstone aquifers are variable and reveal methane concentrations of up to 500 micrograms per litre, but the mean value is relatively low at documented in the range 2km. The geological modelling process will be presented and discussed

Evidence of the shifting baseline syndrome in ethnobotanical research.

Science.gov (United States)

Hanazaki, Natalia; Herbst, Dannieli Firme; Marques, Mel Simionato; Vandebroek, Ina

2013-11-14

The shifting baseline syndrome is a concept from ecology that can be analyzed in the context of ethnobotanical research. Evidence of shifting baseline syndrome can be found in studies dealing with intracultural variation of knowledge, when knowledge from different generations is compared and combined with information about changes in the environment and/or natural resources. We reviewed 84 studies published between 1993 and 2012 that made comparisons of ethnobotanical knowledge according to different age classes. After analyzing these studies for evidence of the shifting baseline syndrome (lower knowledge levels in younger generations and mention of declining abundance of local natural resources), we searched within these studies for the use of the expressions "cultural erosion", "loss of knowledge", or "acculturation". The studies focused on different groups of plants (e.g. medicinal plants, foods, plants used for general purposes, or the uses of specific important species). More than half of all 84 studies (57%) mentioned a concern towards cultural erosion or knowledge loss; 54% of the studies showed evidence of the shifting baseline syndrome; and 37% of the studies did not provide any evidence of shifting baselines (intergenerational knowledge differences but no information available about the abundance of natural resources). The general perception of knowledge loss among young people when comparing ethnobotanical repertoires among different age groups should be analyzed with caution. Changes in the landscape or in the abundance of plant resources may be associated with changes in ethnobotanical repertoires held by people of different age groups. Also, the relationship between the availability of resources and current plant use practices rely on a complexity of factors. Fluctuations in these variables can cause changes in the reference (baseline) of different generations and consequently be responsible for differences in intergenerational knowledge. Unraveling

A proposal to create an extension to the European baseline series.

Science.gov (United States)

Wilkinson, Mark; Gallo, Rosella; Goossens, An; Johansen, Jeanne D; Rustemeyer, Thomas; Sánchez-Pérez, Javier; Schuttelaar, Marie L; Uter, Wolfgang

2018-02-01

The current European baseline series consists of 30 allergens, and was last updated in 2015. To use data from the European Surveillance System on Contact Allergies (ESSCA) to propose an extension to the European baseline series in response to changes in environmental exposures. Data from departmental and national extensions to the baseline series, together with some temporary additions from departments contributing to the ESSCA, were collated during 2013-2014. In total, 31689 patients were patch tested in 46 European departments. Many departments and national groups already consider the current European baseline series to be a suboptimal screen, and use their own extensions to it. The haptens tested are heterogeneous, although there are some consistent themes. Potential haptens to include in an extension to the European baseline series comprise sodium metabisulfite, formaldehyde-releasing preservatives, additional markers of fragrance allergy, propolis, Compositae mix, and 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate. In combination with other published work from the ESSCA, changes to the current European baseline series are proposed for discussion. As well as addition of the allergens listed above, it is suggested that primin and clioquinol should be deleted from the series, owing to reduced environmental exposure. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

41 CFR 109-1.5202 - Establishment of a personal property holdings baseline.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... personal property holdings baseline. 109-1.5202 Section 109-1.5202 Public Contracts and Property Management...-1.5202 Establishment of a personal property holdings baseline. (a) If the contractor is a new... baseline or may perform a complete physical inventory of all personal property. This physical inventory is...

The preventive effect of tamsulosin on voiding dysfunction after prostate biopsy: a prospective, open-label, observational study.

Science.gov (United States)

Chung, Seung Jun; Jung, Seung Il; Ryu, Ji Won; Hwang, Eu Chang; Kwon, Dong Deuk; Park, Kwangsung; Kim, Jin Woong

2015-05-01

To evaluate the association of prostate biopsy with voiding impairment and to investigate whether tamsulosin treatment given before prostate biopsy could improve voiding dysfunction after the procedure. The study included 88 consecutive patients who underwent transrectal ultrasound-guided prostate biopsy without prior BPH medication and were prospectively randomized. Of these 88 patients, 44 patients underwent prostate biopsy only without tamsulosin treatment and served as the control group. The remaining 44 patients were treated with tamsulosin (0.2 mg daily) beginning the day before the biopsy procedure for 7 days. The International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) was recorded in all patients before the procedure and on postbiopsy day 7. Maximal flow rate (Q(max)) and postvoid residual urine volume were recorded in all patients before the procedure and on postbiopsy days 1 and 7. No difference was found in baseline characteristics between the two groups. The IPSS (total, storage, and voiding symptom) was not significantly changed after biopsy in both groups. In the control group, the postvoid residual urine volume was increased on postbiopsy days 1 (P tamsulosin group, Q(max) was significantly increased on postbiopsy days 1 and 7 (P tamsulosin group, but it developed in two patients (4.5%) of the control group. The results of our study show that prostate biopsy leads to objective voiding impairment. Therefore, the use of alpha-1 blocker tamsulosin before biopsy in patients without prior BPH medication may decrease this morbidity.

Functional outcomes and complications following B-TURP versus HoLEP for the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia: a review of the literature and Meta-analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Qian, Xiaoqiang; Liu, Hailong; Xu, Ding; Xu, Le; Huang, Fang; He, Wei; Qi, Jun; Zhu, Yu; Xu, Danfeng

2017-09-01

To conduct a systematic review and Meta-analysis of the literature on the efficacy and safety of B-TURP versus HoLEP for the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) in terms of demographic and clinical baseline characteristics, peri-operative variables, and postoperative outcomes and complications. Trials comparing B-TURP and HoLEP were identified systematically using Pubmed, Embase, CNKI, Web of Science and the Cochrane Library. Primary outcomes were the peak urinary flow rate (Q max ), post-void residual volume (PVR) and international prostate symptom score (IPSS). Secondary outcomes were operation time, irrigation duration, catheterization duration, resected tissue and complications. Four trials assessing B-TURP and HoLEP were considered eligible for Meta-analysis, including three randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and one retrospective study. There was no statistically significant difference between B-TURP and HoLEP in terms of Q max , IPSS, PVR at 3-6 months follow-up, operation duration, catheterization duration, resected tissue and complications (p > 0.05). HoLEP was associated with a significantly shorter irrigation time as compared with B-TURP (p B-TURP and HoLEP are safe and minimally invasive techniques that are similar in terms of symptomatic relief, although these findings need further validation in larger RCTs involving larger numbers of patients and over a longer follow-up duration for B-TURP or HoLEP before a new gold standard procedure emerges for surgical treatment of BPH.

75 FR 30014 - Consumers Energy Company; Notice of Baseline Filing

Science.gov (United States)

2010-05-28

... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [Docket No. PR10-25-000] Consumers Energy Company; Notice of Baseline Filing May 21, 2010. Take notice that on May 17, 2010, Consumers Energy Company (Consumers) submitted a baseline filing of its Statement of Operating Conditions for the...

[Analysis of changes in lower urinary tract symptoms with aging].

Science.gov (United States)

Soga, Norihito; Sugimura, Yoshiki

2004-09-01

Urination disorders start to appear in an age-dependent fashion, which contribute to the degradation of quality of life (QOL) in erderly persons. This study focused on elucidating changes of the lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) and changing of voiding condition with aging in the subjects, who offered the health checks. We evaluated urinary function in 225 Japanese males (age 20-79), estimated International prostate symptom score (IPSS), QOL score, uroflowmetry, prostate volume and residual urine (estimated from transabdominal ultrasonography). In addition, 539 females (age 20-89) were assigned IPSS and QOL scores. The distribution of severity of symptoms significantly changed with age in both sexes. QOL scores tended to increase in males, IPSS, prostate volume and residual urine were significantly increasing related to age, and advanced age was associated with a decline of voiding volume and Qmax. Comparison of QOL scores and IPSS criteria demonstrated a significantly positive correlation with incomplete emptying and a weak stream. A significant negative correlation was found between the QOL score and Qmax. The distribution of middle level of symptom, divided by clinical guideline for benign prostatic hyperplasia, significantly increased with age. On the other hand, in females, the QOL score seemed to be stable whilst there was a slight increase of IPSS. In contrast, frequency and incomplete emptying were significantly related to QOL scores. These investigations supported changing of lower urinary tract disorder with aging in both sexes. Since the approximate 50% of sixth and seventh decade males, classified to the middle level of symtom, which need treatment, the high incident of degradation of the LUTS with age, should predict for the future.

A pilot study evaluating a new questionnaire for prostatic symptom scoring, the SPSS, and its sensitivity as constructed to objective measures of outflow obstruction.

Science.gov (United States)

Yano, Masataka; Kitahara, Satoshi; Yasuda, Kosaku; Yamanishi, Tomonori; Nakai, Hideo; Yanagisawa, Ryouzo; Morozumi, Makoto; Homma, Yukio

2004-05-01

To evaluate the extent to which our newly developed questionnaire, the Saitama Prostate Symptom Score (SPSS), for prostatic symptom scoring reflects objective findings in benign prostatic hyperplasia (clinical BPH) and to compare it with the International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) with regard to diagnostic sensitivity in clinical BPH. In this study, both the SPSS and the IPSS were self-administered by patients. Free uroflowmetry, a pressure-flow study and the measurement of prostatic volume were carried out. There was no significant correlation between the results of the IPSS questionnaire and the urethral obstruction grade estimated by Schaefer or Abrams-Griffiths nomograms. The total score of the SPSS was correlated with these nomograms (P = 0.0487 and P = 0.0413, respectively). There was no significant correlation between the results of the IPSS questionnaire and the total volume or transition zone volume of the prostate, whereas the total score of the SPSS correlated with the total volume of the gland and transition zone volume (P = 0.0044 and P= 0.0051, respectively). This study revealed the SPSS to correlate with objective findings satisfactorily. However, there are still several aspects of the SPSS which need to be improved upon, and the questionnaire should be studied in larger numbers of patients suffering from lower urinary tract symptoms.

Randomized Controlled Trial to Compare the Safety and Efficacy of Tamsulosin, Solifenacin, and Combination of Both in Treatment of Double-J Stent-Related Lower Urinary Symptoms

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Essam Shalaby

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Purpose. We evaluated the effectiveness and safety of tamsulosin, solifenacin, and combination of both in reducing double-J stent-related lower urinary symptoms. Materials and Methods. A total of 338 patients with double-J ureteral stenting were randomly divided, postoperatively, into 4 groups. In group I (, no treatment was given (control group, group II ( received tamsulosin 0.4 mg daily, group III ( received solifenacin 10 mg daily, and group IV ( received a combination of both medications. Before insertion and 2 weeks after, all patients completed the International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS, quality of life component of the IPSS (IPSS/Qol, Overactive Bladder Questionnaire (OAB-q, and Visual Analogue Pain Scale (VAPS questionnaire. Results. The demographics and preoperative questionnaires scores of all groups were comparable. There were statistically significant differences in all scores in favour of groups II, III, and IV as compared to control group ( value < 0.005. Group IV showed statistically significant differences in total IPSS, QoL score, and OAB-q score as compared to groups II and III ( value < 0.001. Conclusions. Combined therapy of tamsulosin and solifenacin significantly alleviated lower urinary symptoms associated with double-J stents as compared to either medication alone.

Waste management project technical baseline description

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sederburg, J.P.

1997-01-01

A systems engineering approach has been taken to describe the technical baseline under which the Waste Management Project is currently operating. The document contains a mission analysis, function analysis, requirement analysis, interface definitions, alternative analysis, system definition, documentation requirements, implementation definitions, and discussion of uncertainties facing the Project

Historical baselines of coral cover on tropical reefs as estimated by expert opinion

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tyler D. Eddy

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Coral reefs are important habitats that represent global marine biodiversity hotspots and provide important benefits to people in many tropical regions. However, coral reefs are becoming increasingly threatened by climate change, overfishing, habitat destruction, and pollution. Historical baselines of coral cover are important to understand how much coral cover has been lost, e.g., to avoid the ‘shifting baseline syndrome’. There are few quantitative observations of coral reef cover prior to the industrial revolution, and therefore baselines of coral reef cover are difficult to estimate. Here, we use expert and ocean-user opinion surveys to estimate baselines of global coral reef cover. The overall mean estimated baseline coral cover was 59% (±19% standard deviation, compared to an average of 58% (±18% standard deviation estimated by professional scientists. We did not find evidence of the shifting baseline syndrome, whereby respondents who first observed coral reefs more recently report lower estimates of baseline coral cover. These estimates of historical coral reef baseline cover are important for scientists, policy makers, and managers to understand the extent to which coral reefs have become depleted and to set appropriate recovery targets.

Historical baselines of coral cover on tropical reefs as estimated by expert opinion.

Science.gov (United States)

Eddy, Tyler D; Cheung, William W L; Bruno, John F

2018-01-01

Coral reefs are important habitats that represent global marine biodiversity hotspots and provide important benefits to people in many tropical regions. However, coral reefs are becoming increasingly threatened by climate change, overfishing, habitat destruction, and pollution. Historical baselines of coral cover are important to understand how much coral cover has been lost, e.g., to avoid the 'shifting baseline syndrome'. There are few quantitative observations of coral reef cover prior to the industrial revolution, and therefore baselines of coral reef cover are difficult to estimate. Here, we use expert and ocean-user opinion surveys to estimate baselines of global coral reef cover. The overall mean estimated baseline coral cover was 59% (±19% standard deviation), compared to an average of 58% (±18% standard deviation) estimated by professional scientists. We did not find evidence of the shifting baseline syndrome, whereby respondents who first observed coral reefs more recently report lower estimates of baseline coral cover. These estimates of historical coral reef baseline cover are important for scientists, policy makers, and managers to understand the extent to which coral reefs have become depleted and to set appropriate recovery targets.

Exploring non standard physics in long-baseline neutrino oscillation experiments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chatterjee, Sabya Sachi

2015-01-01

After the recent discovery of large th ( 13), the focus has been shifted to address the remaining fundamental issues like neutrino mass ordering and CP-violation in leptonic sector. Future proposed Long-Baseline facilities like DUNE (1300 km baseline from FNAL to Homestake) and LBNO (2290 km baseline from CERN to Pyhasalmi) are well suited to address these issues at high confidence level. Not only to the standard framework, these experiments are highly capable to look for some new physics beyond the Standard Model scenario. In this work, we explore whether these high precision future facilities are sensitive to new U(1) global symmetries and upto which confidence level. (author)

Way to increase the user access at the LCLS baseline

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Geloni, Gianluca [European XFEL GmbH, Hamburg; Kocharyan, Vitali; Saldin, Evgeni [Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron (DESY), Hamburg (Germany)

2010-10-15

Although the LCLS photon beam is meant for a single user, the baseline undulator is long enough to serve two users simultaneously. To this end, we propose a setup composed of two simple elements: an X-ray mirror pair for X-ray beam deflection, and a short (4 m-long) magnetic chicane, which creates an offset for mirror pair installation in the middle of the baseline undulator. The insertable mirror pair can be used for spatial separation of the X-ray beams generated in the first and in the second half of the baseline undulator. The method of deactivating one half and activating another half of the undulator is based on the rapid switching of the FEL amplification process. As proposed elsewhere, using a kicker installed upstream of the LCLS baseline undulator and an already existing corrector in the first half of the undulator, it is possible to rapidly switch the X-ray beam from one user to another, thus providing two active beamlines at any time. We present simulation results dealing with the LCLS baseline, and show that it is possible to generate two saturated SASE X-ray beams in the whole 0.8-8 keV photon energy range in the same baseline undulator. These can be exploited to serve two users. Implementation of the proposed technique does not perturb the baseline mode of operation of the LCLS undulator. Moreover, the magnetic chicane setup is very flexible, and can be used as a self-seeding setup too. We present simulation results for the LCLS baseline undulator with SHAB (second harmonic afterburner) and show that one can produce monochromatic radiation at the 2nd harmonic as well as at the 1st. We describe an efficient way for obtaining multi-user operation at the LCLS hard X-ray FEL. To this end, a photon beam distribution system based on the use of crystals in the Bragg reflection geometry is proposed. The reflectivity of crystal deflectors can be switched fast enough by flipping the crystals with piezoelectric devices similar to those for X-ray phase retarders

Mechanical Thrombectomy in Elderly Stroke Patients with Mild-to-Moderate Baseline Disability.

Science.gov (United States)

Slawski, Diana E; Salahuddin, Hisham; Shawver, Julie; Kenmuir, Cynthia L; Tietjen, Gretchen E; Korsnack, Andrea; Zaidi, Syed F; Jumaa, Mouhammad A

2018-04-01

The number of elderly patients suffering from ischemic stroke is rising. Randomized trials of mechanical thrombectomy (MT) generally exclude patients over the age of 80 years with baseline disability. The aim of this study was to understand the efficacy and safety of MT in elderly patients, many of whom may have baseline impairment. Between January 2015 and April 2017, 96 patients ≥80 years old who underwent MT for stroke were selected for a chart review. The data included baseline characteristics, time to treatment, the rate of revascularization, procedural complications, mortality, and 90-day good outcome defined as a modified Rankin Scale (mRS) score of 0-2 or return to baseline. Of the 96 patients, 50 had mild baseline disability (mRS score 0-1) and 46 had moderate disability (mRS score 2-4). Recanalization was achieved in 84% of the patients, and the rate of symptomatic hemorrhage was 6%. At 90 days, 34% of the patients had a good outcome. There were no significant differences in good outcome between those with mild and those with moderate baseline disability (43 vs. 24%, p = 0.08), between those aged ≤85 and those aged > 85 years (40.8 vs. 26.1%, p = 0.19), and between those treated within and those treated beyond 8 h (39 vs. 20%, p = 0.1). The mortality rate was 38.5% at 90 days. The Alberta Stroke Program Early CT Score (ASPECTS) and the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) predicted good outcome regardless of baseline disability ( p baseline disability, and delayed treatment are associated with sub-optimal outcomes after MT. However, redefining good outcome to include return to baseline functioning demonstrates that one-third of this patient population benefits from MT, suggesting the real-life utility of this treatment.

77 FR 31841 - Hope Gas, Inc.; Notice of Baseline Filing

Science.gov (United States)

2012-05-30

... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [Docket No. PR12-23-001] Hope Gas, Inc.; Notice of Baseline Filing Take notice that on May 16, 2012, Hope Gas, Inc. (Hope Gas) submitted a revised baseline filing of their Statement of Operating Conditions for services provided under Section 311 of the...

77 FR 26535 - Hope Gas, Inc.; Notice of Baseline Filing

Science.gov (United States)

2012-05-04

... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [Docket No. PR12-23-000] Hope Gas, Inc.; Notice of Baseline Filing Take notice that on April 26, 2012, Hope Gas, Inc. (Hope Gas) submitted a baseline filing of their Statement of Operating Conditions for services provided under Section 311 of the...

75 FR 33799 - EasTrans, LLC; Notice of Baseline Filing

Science.gov (United States)

2010-06-15

... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [Docket No. PR10-30-000] EasTrans, LLC; Notice of Baseline Filing June 8, 2010. Take notice that on June 4, 2010, EasTrans, LLC submitted a baseline filing of its Statement of Operating Conditions for services provided under section 311 of the...

A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Baseline Ohip-Edent Scores.

Science.gov (United States)

Duale, J M J; Patel, Y A; Wu, J; Hyde, T P

2018-03-01

OHIP-EDENT is widely used in the literature to assess Oral-Health-Related-Quality-of-Life (OHRQoL) for edentulous patients. However the normal variance and mean of the baseline OHIP scores has not been reported. It would facilitate critical appraisal of studies if we had knowledge of the normal variation and mean of baseline OHIP-EDENT scores. An established figure for baseline OHIP-EDENT, obtained from a meta-analysis, would simplify comparisons of studies and quantify variations in initial OHRQoL of the trial participants. The aim of this study is to quantify a normal baseline value for pre-operative OHIP-EDENT scores by a systematic review and meta-analysis of the available literature. A systematic literature review was carried. 83 papers were identified that included OHIP-EDENT values. After screening and eligibility assessment, 7 papers were selected and included in the meta-analysis. A meta-analysis for the 7 papers by a random-effect model yielded a mean baseline OHIP-EDENT score of 28.63 with a 95% Confidence intervals from 21.93 to 35.34. A pre-operative baseline OHIP-EDENT has been established by meta-analysis of published papers. This will facilitate the comparison of the initial OHRQoL of one study population to that found elsewhere in the published literature. Copyright© 2018 Dennis Barber Ltd.

Base-line studies for DAE establishments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Puranik, V.D.

2012-01-01

The Department of Atomic Energy has establishments located in various regions of the country and they include front-end fuel cycle facilities, nuclear power stations, back-end fuel cycle facilities and facilities for research and societal applications. These facilities handle naturally occurring radionuclides such as uranium, thorium and a variety of man-made radionuclides. These radionuclides are handled with utmost care so that they do not affect adversely the occupational workers or the members of public residing nearby. There is safety culture of the highest standard existing in all DAE establishments and it matches with the international standards. In addition, there is a perpetual environmental monitoring program carried out by the Environmental Survey Laboratories (ESLs) located at all DAE establishments. The environmental data generated by such program is studied regularly by experts to ensure compliance with the regulatory requirements. The regulatory requirements in the country are of international standards and ensure adequate protection of workers and members of public. In addition to such continued monitoring program and studies being carried out for the ongoing projects, base-line studies are carried out for all the new projects of the DAE. The purpose of the base-line studies is to establish a detailed base-line data set for a new DAE location well before the foundation stone is laid, so that the data collected when there is no departmental activity can be compared with the data generated later by the ESL. The data so generated is site specific and it varies from place to place depending upon the location of the site, e.g., inland or coastal, the presence of water bodies and pattern of irrigation, the geological characteristics of the location, the local culture and habits of the people, population density and urban or rural background. The data to be recorded as base-line data is generated over a period of at least one year covering all the seasons

Conservation of forest birds: evidence of a shifting baseline in community structure.

Science.gov (United States)

Rittenhouse, Chadwick D; Pidgeon, Anna M; Albright, Thomas P; Culbert, Patrick D; Clayton, Murray K; Flather, Curtis H; Huang, Chengquan; Masek, Jeffrey G; Stewart, Susan I; Radeloff, Volker C

2010-08-02

Quantifying changes in forest bird diversity is an essential task for developing effective conservation actions. When subtle changes in diversity accumulate over time, annual comparisons may offer an incomplete perspective of changes in diversity. In this case, progressive change, the comparison of changes in diversity from a baseline condition, may offer greater insight because changes in diversity are assessed over longer periods of times. Our objectives were to determine how forest bird diversity has changed over time and whether those changes were associated with forest disturbance. We used North American Breeding Bird Survey data, a time series of Landsat images classified with respect to land cover change, and mixed-effects models to associate changes in forest bird community structure with forest disturbance, latitude, and longitude in the conterminous United States for the years 1985 to 2006. We document a significant divergence from the baseline structure for all birds of similar migratory habit and nest location, and all forest birds as a group from 1985 to 2006. Unexpectedly, decreases in progressive similarity resulted from small changes in richness (<1 species per route for the 22-year study period) and modest losses in abundance (-28.7 - -10.2 individuals per route) that varied by migratory habit and nest location. Forest disturbance increased progressive similarity for Neotropical migrants, permanent residents, ground nesting, and cavity nesting species. We also documented highest progressive similarity in the eastern United States. Contemporary forest bird community structure is changing rapidly over a relatively short period of time (e.g., approximately 22 years). Forest disturbance and forest regeneration are primary factors associated with contemporary forest bird community structure, longitude and latitude are secondary factors, and forest loss is a tertiary factor. Importantly, these findings suggest some regions of the United States may

Socio-economic considerations of cleaning Greater Vancouver's air

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2005-08-01

Socio-economic considerations of better air quality on the Greater Vancouver population and economy were discussed. The purpose of the study was to provide socio-economic information to staff and stakeholders of the Greater Vancouver Regional District (GVRD) who are participating in an Air Quality Management Plan (AQMP) development process and the Sustainable Region Initiative (SRI) process. The study incorporated the following methodologies: identification and review of Canadian, American, and European quantitative socio-economic, cost-benefit, cost effectiveness, competitiveness and health analyses of changes in air quality and measures to improve air quality; interviews with industry representatives in Greater Vancouver on competitiveness impacts of air quality changes and ways to improve air quality; and a qualitative analysis and discussion of secondary quantitative information that identifies and evaluates socio-economic impacts arising from changes in Greater Vancouver air quality. The study concluded that for the Greater Vancouver area, the qualitative analysis of an improvement in Greater Vancouver air quality shows positive socio-economic outcomes, as high positive economic efficiency impacts are expected along with good social quality of life impacts. 149 refs., 30 tabs., 6 appendices

National Cyberethics, Cybersafety, Cybersecurity Baseline Study

Science.gov (United States)

Education Digest: Essential Readings Condensed for Quick Review, 2009

2009-01-01

This article presents findings from a study that explores the nature of the Cyberethics, Cybersafety, and Cybersecurity (C3) educational awareness policies, initiatives, curriculum, and practices currently taking place in the U.S. public and private K-12 educational settings. The study establishes baseline data on C3 awareness, which can be used…

Linear MALDI-ToF simultaneous spectrum deconvolution and baseline removal.

Science.gov (United States)

Picaud, Vincent; Giovannelli, Jean-Francois; Truntzer, Caroline; Charrier, Jean-Philippe; Giremus, Audrey; Grangeat, Pierre; Mercier, Catherine

2018-04-05

Thanks to a reasonable cost and simple sample preparation procedure, linear MALDI-ToF spectrometry is a growing technology for clinical microbiology. With appropriate spectrum databases, this technology can be used for early identification of pathogens in body fluids. However, due to the low resolution of linear MALDI-ToF instruments, robust and accurate peak picking remains a challenging task. In this context we propose a new peak extraction algorithm from raw spectrum. With this method the spectrum baseline and spectrum peaks are processed jointly. The approach relies on an additive model constituted by a smooth baseline part plus a sparse peak list convolved with a known peak shape. The model is then fitted under a Gaussian noise model. The proposed method is well suited to process low resolution spectra with important baseline and unresolved peaks. We developed a new peak deconvolution procedure. The paper describes the method derivation and discusses some of its interpretations. The algorithm is then described in a pseudo-code form where the required optimization procedure is detailed. For synthetic data the method is compared to a more conventional approach. The new method reduces artifacts caused by the usual two-steps procedure, baseline removal then peak extraction. Finally some results on real linear MALDI-ToF spectra are provided. We introduced a new method for peak picking, where peak deconvolution and baseline computation are performed jointly. On simulated data we showed that this global approach performs better than a classical one where baseline and peaks are processed sequentially. A dedicated experiment has been conducted on real spectra. In this study a collection of spectra of spiked proteins were acquired and then analyzed. Better performances of the proposed method, in term of accuracy and reproductibility, have been observed and validated by an extended statistical analysis.

Sex matters: females in proestrus show greater diazepam anxiolysis and brain-derived neurotrophin factor- and parvalbumin-positive neurons than males.

Science.gov (United States)

Ravenelle, Rebecca; Berman, Ariel K; La, Jeffrey; Mason, Briana; Asumadu, Evans; Yelleswarapu, Chandra; Donaldson, S Tiffany

2018-04-01

In humans and animal models, sex differences are reported for anxiety-like behavior and response to anxiogenic stimuli. In the current work, we studied anxiety-like behavior and response to the prototypical anti-anxiety drug, diazepam. We used 6th generation outbred lines of adult Long Evans rats with high and low anxiety-like behavior phenotypes to investigate the impact of proestrus on the baseline and diazepam-induced behavior. At three doses of diazepam (0, 0.1, and 1.0 mg/kg, i.p.), we measured anxiogenic responses on the elevated plus maze of adult male and female rats. We assessed parvalbumin and brain-derived neurotrophin protein levels in forebrain and limbic structures implicated in anxiety/stress using immunohistochemistry. At baseline, we saw significant differences between anxiety lines, with high anxiety lines displaying less time on the open arms of the elevated plus maze, and less open arm entries, regardless of sex. During proestrus, high anxiety females showed less anxiety-like behavior at 0.1 mg/kg, while low anxiety females displayed less anxiety-like behavior at 0.1 and 1.0 doses, relative to males. Brain-derived neurotrophin protein was elevated in females in the medial prefrontal cortex and central amygdala, while parvalbumin-immunoreactive cells were greater in males in the medial prefrontal cortex. Parvalbumin-positive cells in high anxiety females were higher in CA2 and dentate gyrus relative to males from the same line. In sum, when tested in proestrus, females showed greater anxiolytic effects of diazepam relative to males, and this correlated with increases in neurotrophin and parvalbumin neuron density in corticolimbic structures. © 2018 Federation of European Neuroscience Societies and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Effect of lower urinary tract symptoms on the quality of life and sexual function of males in China, Taiwan, and South Korea: Subgroup analysis of a cross-sectional, population-based study.

Science.gov (United States)

Liao, Limin; Chuang, Yao-Chi; Liu, Shih-Ping; Lee, Kyu-Sung; Yoo, Tag Keun; Chu, Romeo; Sumarsono, Budiwan; Wang, Jian-Ye

2018-03-11

Lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) in males can reduce patients' quality of life (QoL) and affect sexual function and satisfaction. Although this has been documented in the US, Canada, Germany, Italy, UK, and Sweden, data are limited on the effects of LUTS on QoL and sexual function in Asian men. The present subgroup analysis of an Internet-based survey correlated the incidence of male LUTS by severity and category with self-assessed QoL and sexual function and satisfaction measures. Males aged ≥40 years were randomly selected from consumer survey panels in China, Taiwan, and South Korea. LUTS were defined using the International Continence Society (ICS) 2002 symptom definitions; symptom severity was assessed by the International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS). The effect of LUTS on QoL was assessed using Patient Perception of Bladder Condition (PPBC) and IPSS QoL scores. Sexual function and satisfaction were assessed using the International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF). Men with moderate-to-severe LUTS and overlap of voiding, storage, and post-micturition symptom categories reported dissatisfaction with their QoL and sexual function. LUTS severity was negatively correlated with IIEF scores. Overlap of LUTS categories had a greater effect on QoL and sexual satisfaction than the incidence of just 1 LUTS. The findings of the present study suggest that LUTS is prevalent in >60% of Asian males aged ≥40 years and is associated with reduced QoL and sexual function, particularly in those with overlap of LUTS categories and greater symptom severity. © 2018 The Authors. LUTS: Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms published by John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.

Atmospheric pressure loading parameters from very long baseline interferometry observations

Science.gov (United States)

Macmillan, D. S.; Gipson, John M.

1994-01-01

Atmospheric mass loading produces a primarily vertical displacement of the Earth's crust. This displacement is correlated with surface pressure and is large enough to be detected by very long baseline interferometry (VLBI) measurements. Using the measured surface pressure at VLBI stations, we have estimated the atmospheric loading term for each station location directly from VLBI data acquired from 1979 to 1992. Our estimates of the vertical sensitivity to change in pressure range from 0 to -0.6 mm/mbar depending on the station. These estimates agree with inverted barometer model calculations (Manabe et al., 1991; vanDam and Herring, 1994) of the vertical displacement sensitivity computed by convolving actual pressure distributions with loading Green's functions. The pressure sensitivity tends to be smaller for stations near the coast, which is consistent with the inverted barometer hypothesis. Applying this estimated pressure loading correction in standard VLBI geodetic analysis improves the repeatability of estimated lengths of 25 out of 37 baselines that were measured at least 50 times. In a root-sum-square (rss) sense, the improvement generally increases with baseline length at a rate of about 0.3 to 0.6 ppb depending on whether the baseline stations are close to the coast. For the 5998-km baseline from Westford, Massachusetts, to Wettzell, Germany, the rss improvement is about 3.6 mm out of 11.0 mm. The average rss reduction of the vertical scatter for inland stations ranges from 2.7 to 5.4 mm.

Greater trochanteric pain syndrome diagnosis and treatment.

Science.gov (United States)

Mallow, Michael; Nazarian, Levon N

2014-05-01

Lateral hip pain, or greater trochanteric pain syndrome, is a commonly seen condition; in this article, the relevant anatomy, epidemiology, and evaluation strategies of greater trochanteric pain syndrome are reviewed. Specific attention is focused on imaging of this syndrome and treatment techniques, including ultrasound-guided interventions. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Safety Evaluation of the ESP Sludge Washing Baselines Runs. Revision 1

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gupta, M.K.

1994-08-01

The purpose is to provide the technical basis for the evaluation of Unreviewed Safety Question for the Extended Sludge Processing (ESP) Sludge Washing Baseline Runs. The Baseline runs are necessary: to ascertain the mechanical fitness of the equipment and modifications not operated since 1988 and to resolve technical questions associated with process control; i.e., sludge suspension, sludge settling, heat transfer, and temperature control. These issues need to be resolved prior to resumption of normal ESP operations. The equipment used for the Baseline runs are Tanks 42H and 51H and their associated equipment

Prostatic urethral angle might be a predictor of treatment efficacy of α-blockers in men with lower urinary tract symptoms

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hou CP

2014-07-01

Full Text Available Chen-Pang Hou,1 Chien-Lun Chen,1 Yu-Hsiang Lin,1 Yu-Lun Tsai,1 Phei-Lang Chang,1 Horng-Heng Juang,2 Ke-Hung Tsui11Department of Urology, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, 2Department of Anatomy, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan, Republic of ChinaPurpose: We investigated the association of the prostatic urethral angle (PUA with peak urinary flow rate (Qmax and the severity of lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS on the aging male. We also evaluated the effect of the PUA on the treatment efficacy of tamsulosin on men with LUTS.Materials and methods: The records were obtained from a prospective database for first-visit male patients with LUTS in the outpatient department of our institution. These patients underwent a detailed physical examination and taking of medical history. A transrectal ultrasound was performed on these patients. The prostate size, length of intravesical prostatic protrusion (IPP, PUA, and International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS of the patients were evaluated. Uroflowmetry and a bladder scan for residual urine were also performed on every patient. Tamsulosin 0.2 mg per day was prescribed. The IPSS and uroflowmetry were reevaluated after they had received treatment for 3 months.Results: A total of 178 patients were included, and 149 of them completed this cohort study. The mean PUA was 48.32°±13.74°. The mean prostate volume was 39.19±20.87 mL, and the mean IPP was 5.67±7.85 mm. On multivariate linear regression analysis, the PUA was independently associated with the IPSS (P<0.001, Qmax (P=0.004, post-treatment IPSS change (P=0.032, and post-treatment Qmax change (P<0.001. However, the prostate volume and IPP were not associated with these clinical items.Conclusion: The PUA is significantly associated with Qmax and IPSS in men with LUTS. The PUA is also inversely correlated with changes in Qmax and IPSS after tamsulosin treatment. Namely, the PUA might be a

Network meta-analysis of disconnected networks: How dangerous are random baseline treatment effects?

Science.gov (United States)

Béliveau, Audrey; Goring, Sarah; Platt, Robert W; Gustafson, Paul

2017-12-01

In network meta-analysis, the use of fixed baseline treatment effects (a priori independent) in a contrast-based approach is regularly preferred to the use of random baseline treatment effects (a priori dependent). That is because, often, there is not a need to model baseline treatment effects, which carry the risk of model misspecification. However, in disconnected networks, fixed baseline treatment effects do not work (unless extra assumptions are made), as there is not enough information in the data to update the prior distribution on the contrasts between disconnected treatments. In this paper, we investigate to what extent the use of random baseline treatment effects is dangerous in disconnected networks. We take 2 publicly available datasets of connected networks and disconnect them in multiple ways. We then compare the results of treatment comparisons obtained from a Bayesian contrast-based analysis of each disconnected network using random normally distributed and exchangeable baseline treatment effects to those obtained from a Bayesian contrast-based analysis of their initial connected network using fixed baseline treatment effects. For the 2 datasets considered, we found that the use of random baseline treatment effects in disconnected networks was appropriate. Because those datasets were not cherry-picked, there should be other disconnected networks that would benefit from being analyzed using random baseline treatment effects. However, there is also a risk for the normality and exchangeability assumption to be inappropriate in other datasets even though we have not observed this situation in our case study. We provide code, so other datasets can be investigated. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Impact of baseline PR interval on cardiac resynchronization therapy outcomes in patients with narrow QRS complexes: an analysis of the ReThinQ Trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Joshi, Nikhil P; Stopper, Matthew M; Li, Jianqing; Beshai, John F; Pavri, Behzad B

2015-08-01

Heart failure (HF) is a major cause of morbidity and mortality, and ventricular dyssynchrony is an important contributor. The ReThinQ trial reported no improvement with cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) in HF patients with left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) PR interval. We retrospectivelyanalyzed the 87 patients from ReThinQ who were randomized to CRT. Patients were divided into two groups: baseline PR interval PR interval ≥180 ms. The primary outcome was change in VO2 max at 6 months; secondary outcomes were change in LVEF, 6-min walk distance, and change in NYHA class. Forty-six patients had PR PR ≥ 180 ms. The baseline characteristics were similar in the two groups. As compared to patients with a short PR interval, at 6 months, only patients with PR ≥ 180 ms showed a statistically significant increase in VO2 max from 12.2 to 13.6 mL/kg min (P = 0.045). Similarly, LVEF was significantly improved only in the long PR group (0.26 to 0.28, P = 0.038). A greater percentage of patients in the long PR group showed improvement by at least one NYHA class (59 vs. 35%, P = 0.033). A longer baseline PR interval may allow more efficacious delivery of CRT by allowing programming of physiologic AV delays. A short baseline PR interval may contribute to LV under-filling and CRT non-response.

Spent Nuclear Fuel Project technical baseline document. Fiscal year 1995: Volume 1, Baseline description

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Womack, J.C.; Cramond, R.; Paedon, R.J.

1995-01-01

This document is a revision to WHC-SD-SNF-SD-002, and is issued to support the individual projects that make up the Spent Nuclear Fuel Project in the lower-tier functions, requirements, interfaces, and technical baseline items. It presents results of engineering analyses since Sept. 1994. The mission of the SNFP on the Hanford site is to provide safety, economic, environmentally sound management of Hanford SNF in a manner that stages it to final disposition. This particularly involves K Basin fuel, although other SNF is involved also

Operational technology for greater confinement disposal

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dickman, P.T.; Vollmer, A.T.; Hunter, P.H.

1984-12-01

Procedures and methods for the design and operation of a greater confinement disposal facility using large-diameter boreholes are discussed. It is assumed that the facility would be located at an operating low-level waste disposal site and that only a small portion of the wastes received at the site would require greater confinement disposal. The document is organized into sections addressing: facility planning process; facility construction; waste loading and handling; radiological safety planning; operations procedures; and engineering cost studies. While primarily written for low-level waste management site operators and managers, a detailed economic assessment section is included that should assist planners in performing cost analyses. Economic assessments for both commercial and US government greater confinement disposal facilities are included. The estimated disposal costs range from $27 to $104 per cubic foot for a commercial facility and from $17 to $60 per cubic foot for a government facility. These costs are based on average site preparation, construction, and waste loading costs for both contact- and remote-handled wastes. 14 figures, 22 tables

Mass hierarchy sensitivity of medium baseline reactor neutrino experiments with multiple detectors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wang, Hong-Xin, E-mail: hxwang@iphy.me [Department of Physics, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093 (China); Zhan, Liang; Li, Yu-Feng; Cao, Guo-Fu [Institute of High Energy Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049 (China); Chen, Shen-Jian [Department of Physics, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093 (China)

2017-05-15

We report the neutrino mass hierarchy (MH) determination of medium baseline reactor neutrino experiments with multiple detectors, where the sensitivity of measuring the MH can be significantly improved by adding a near detector. Then the impact of the baseline and target mass of the near detector on the combined MH sensitivity has been studied thoroughly. The optimal selections of the baseline and target mass of the near detector are ∼12.5 km and ∼4 kton respectively for a far detector with the target mass of 20 kton and the baseline of 52.5 km. As typical examples of future medium baseline reactor neutrino experiments, the optimal location and target mass of the near detector are selected for the specific configurations of JUNO and RENO-50. Finally, we discuss distinct effects of the reactor antineutrino energy spectrum uncertainty for setups of a single detector and double detectors, which indicate that the spectrum uncertainty can be well constrained in the presence of the near detector.

Dependence of optimum baseline setting on scatter fraction and detector response function

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Atkins, F.B.; Beck, R.N.; Hoffer, P.B.; Palmer, D.

1977-01-01

A theoretical and experimental investigation has been undertaken to determine the dependence of an optimum baseline setting on the amount of scattered radiation recorded in a spectrum, and on the energy resolution of the detector. In particular, baseline settings were established for clinical examinations which differed greatly in the amount of scattered radiation, namely, liver and brain scans, for which individual variations were found to produce only minimal fluctuations in the optimum baseline settings. This analysis resulted in an optimum baseline setting of 125.0 keV for brain scans and 127.2 keV for liver scans for the scintillation camera used in these studies. The criterion that was used is based on statistical considerations of the measurement of an unscattered component in the presence of a background due to scattered photons. The limitations of such a criterion are discussed, and phantom images are presented to illustrate these effects at various baseline settings. (author)

A comparison of baseline methodologies for 'Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation'

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kok Kasper

2009-07-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background A mechanism for emission reductions from deforestation and degradation (REDD is very likely to be included in a future climate agreement. The choice of REDD baseline methodologies will crucially influence the environmental and economic effectiveness of the climate regime. We compare three different historical baseline methods and one innovative dynamic model baseline approach to appraise their applicability under a future REDD policy framework using a weighted multi-criteria analysis. Results The results show that each baseline method has its specific strengths and weaknesses. Although the dynamic model allows for the best environmental and for comparatively good economic performance, its high demand for data and technical capacity limit the current applicability in many developing countries. Conclusion The adoption of a multi-tier approach will allow countries to select the baseline method best suiting their specific capabilities and data availability while simultaneously ensuring scientific transparency, environmental effectiveness and broad political support.

An Automatic Baseline Regulation in a Highly Integrated Receiver Chip for JUNO

Science.gov (United States)

Muralidharan, P.; Zambanini, A.; Karagounis, M.; Grewing, C.; Liebau, D.; Nielinger, D.; Robens, M.; Kruth, A.; Peters, C.; Parkalian, N.; Yegin, U.; van Waasen, S.

2017-09-01

This paper describes the data processing unit and an automatic baseline regulation of a highly integrated readout chip (Vulcan) for JUNO. The chip collects data continuously at 1 Gsamples/sec. The Primary data processing which is performed in the integrated circuit can aid to reduce the memory and data processing efforts in the subsequent stages. In addition, a baseline regulator compensating a shift in the baseline is described.

Stability analysis of geomagnetic baseline data obtained at Cheongyang observatory in Korea

Science.gov (United States)

Amran, Shakirah M.; Kim, Wan-Seop; Cho, Heh Ree; Park, Po Gyu

2017-07-01

The stability of baselines produced by Cheongyang (CYG) observatory from the period of 2014 to 2016 is analysed. Step heights of higher than 5 nT were found in H and Z components in 2014 and 2015 due to magnetic noise in the absolute-measurement hut. In addition, a periodic modulation behaviour observed in the H and Z baseline curves was related to annual temperature variation of about 20 °C in the fluxgate magnetometer hut. Improvement in data quality was evidenced by a small dispersion between successive measurements from June 2015 to the end of 2016. Moreover, the baseline was also improved by correcting the discontinuity in the H and Z baselines.

Stability analysis of geomagnetic baseline data obtained at Cheongyang observatory in Korea

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S. M. Amran

2017-07-01

Full Text Available The stability of baselines produced by Cheongyang (CYG observatory from the period of 2014 to 2016 is analysed. Step heights of higher than 5 nT were found in H and Z components in 2014 and 2015 due to magnetic noise in the absolute-measurement hut. In addition, a periodic modulation behaviour observed in the H and Z baseline curves was related to annual temperature variation of about 20 °C in the fluxgate magnetometer hut. Improvement in data quality was evidenced by a small dispersion between successive measurements from June 2015 to the end of 2016. Moreover, the baseline was also improved by correcting the discontinuity in the H and Z baselines.

Comparison of tamsulosin plus serenoa repens with tamsulosin in the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia in Korean men: 1-year randomized open label study.

Science.gov (United States)

Ryu, Young Woo; Lim, Song Won; Kim, Jung Hoon; Ahn, Seung Hyun; Choi, Jae Duck

2015-01-01

In Korea, increasing attention has recently been given to the use of phytotherapeutic agents to alleviate the symptoms of BPH. Serenoa repens has been shown to have an equivalent efficacy to Finasteride or Tamsulosin in the treatment of BPH in previous studies. The present study was designed to compare the efficacy and safety of Serenoa repens plus tamsulosin with tamsulosin only over 12 months in men with LUTS secondary to BPH. One hundred forty men with symptomatic BPH (IPSS≥10) were recruited in our hospital for a 12-month, open-label, randomized trial. Patients were randomly assigned to either tamsulosin 0.2 mg/day plus Serenoa repens 320 mg/day (n=60) or tamsulosin 0.2 mg/day only (n=60). Prostate volume and PSA were measured at baseline and at end-point, whereas total IPSS, and its storage and voiding subscores, LUTS-related QoL, Qmax, and PVR were evaluated at baseline and later every 6 months. Total 103 patients were finally available: 50 in the TAM+SR group and 53 in the TAM group. At 12 months, total IPSS decreased by 5.8 with TAM+SR and 5.5 with TAM (p=0.693); the storage symptoms improved significantly more with TAM+SR (-1.7 vs. -0.8 with TAM, p=0.024). This benefit with regard to storage symptom in the TAM+SR group lasts at 12 months (-1.9 vs. -0.9, p=0.024). The changes of voiding subscore, LUTS-related QoL, Qmax, PVR, PSA, and prostate volume showed no significant differences between the TAM+SR and TAM groups. During the treatment period, 8 patients (16.9%) with TAM and 10 (20%) with TAM+SR had drug-related adverse reactions, which included ejaculatory disorders, postural hypotension, dizziness, headache, gastro-intestinal disorders, rhinitis, fatigue and asthenia. The combination treatment of Serenoa repens and tamsulosin was shown to be more effective than tamsulosin monotherapy in reducing storage symptoms in BPH patients after 6 months and up to 12 months of treatment. © 2015 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Corrective action baseline report for underground storage tank 2331-U Building 9201-1

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1994-01-01

The purpose of this report is to provide baseline geochemical and hydrogeologic data relative to corrective action for underground storage tank (UST) 2331-U at the Building 9201-1 Site. Progress in support of the Building 9201-1 Site has included monitoring well installation and baseline groundwater sampling and analysis. This document represents the baseline report for corrective action at the Building 9201-1 site and is organized into three sections. Section 1 presents introductory information relative to the site, including the regulatory initiative, site description, and progress to date. Section 2 includes the summary of additional monitoring well installation activities and the results of baseline groundwater sampling. Section 3 presents the baseline hydrogeology and planned zone of influence for groundwater remediation

The COPE healthy lifestyles TEEN randomized controlled trial with culturally diverse high school adolescents: Baseline characteristics and methods

Science.gov (United States)

Melnyk, Bernadette Mazurek; Kelly, Stephanie; Jacobson, Diana; Belyea, Michael; Shaibi, Gabriel; Small, Leigh; O’Haver, Judith; Marsiglia, Flavio Francisco

2014-01-01

Obesity and mental health disorders remain significant public health problems in adolescents. Substantial health disparities exist with minority youth experiencing higher rates of these problems. Schools are an outstanding venue to provide teens with skills needed to improve their physical and mental health, and academic performance. In this paper, the authors describe the design, intervention, methods and baseline data for a randomized controlled trial with 779 culturally diverse high-school adolescents in the southwest United States. Aims for this prevention study include testing the efficacy of the COPE TEEN program versus an attention control program on the adolescents’ healthy lifestyle behaviors, Body Mass Index (BMI) and BMI%, mental health, social skills and academic performance immediately following the intervention programs, and at six and 12 months post interventions. Baseline findings indicate that greater than 40% of the sample is either overweight (n = 148, 19.00%) or obese (n = 182, 23.36%). The predominant ethnicity represented is Hispanic (n = 526, 67.52%). At baseline, 15.79%(n = 123) of the students had above average scores on the Beck Youth Inventory Depression subscale indicating mildly (n = 52, 6.68%), moderately (n = 47, 6.03%), or extremely (n = 24, 3.08%) elevated scores (see 1). Anxiety scores were slightly higher with 21.56% (n = 168) reporting responses suggesting mildly (n = 81, 10.40%), moderately (n = 58, 7.45%) or extremely (n = 29, 3.72%) elevated scores. If the efficacy of the COPE TEEN program is supported, it will offer schools a curriculum that can be easily incorporated into high school health courses to improve adolescent healthy lifestyle behaviors, psychosocial outcomes and academic performance. PMID:23748156

77 FR 28373 - Liberty Energy (Midstates) Corp.; Notice of Baseline Filing

Science.gov (United States)

2012-05-14

... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [Docket No. PR12-24-000] Liberty Energy (Midstates) Corp.; Notice of Baseline Filing Take notice that on April 30, 2012, Liberty Energy (Midstates) Corp. submitted a baseline filing of their Statement of Operating Conditions for services provided...

Change Analysis in Structural Laser Scanning Point Clouds: The Baseline Method.

Science.gov (United States)

Shen, Yueqian; Lindenbergh, Roderik; Wang, Jinhu

2016-12-24

A method is introduced for detecting changes from point clouds that avoids registration. For many applications, changes are detected between two scans of the same scene obtained at different times. Traditionally, these scans are aligned to a common coordinate system having the disadvantage that this registration step introduces additional errors. In addition, registration requires stable targets or features. To avoid these issues, we propose a change detection method based on so-called baselines. Baselines connect feature points within one scan. To analyze changes, baselines connecting corresponding points in two scans are compared. As feature points either targets or virtual points corresponding to some reconstructable feature in the scene are used. The new method is implemented on two scans sampling a masonry laboratory building before and after seismic testing, that resulted in damages in the order of several centimeters. The centres of the bricks of the laboratory building are automatically extracted to serve as virtual points. Baselines connecting virtual points and/or target points are extracted and compared with respect to a suitable structural coordinate system. Changes detected from the baseline analysis are compared to a traditional cloud to cloud change analysis demonstrating the potential of the new method for structural analysis.

Change Analysis in Structural Laser Scanning Point Clouds: The Baseline Method

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yueqian Shen

2016-12-01

Full Text Available A method is introduced for detecting changes from point clouds that avoids registration. For many applications, changes are detected between two scans of the same scene obtained at different times. Traditionally, these scans are aligned to a common coordinate system having the disadvantage that this registration step introduces additional errors. In addition, registration requires stable targets or features. To avoid these issues, we propose a change detection method based on so-called baselines. Baselines connect feature points within one scan. To analyze changes, baselines connecting corresponding points in two scans are compared. As feature points either targets or virtual points corresponding to some reconstructable feature in the scene are used. The new method is implemented on two scans sampling a masonry laboratory building before and after seismic testing, that resulted in damages in the order of several centimeters. The centres of the bricks of the laboratory building are automatically extracted to serve as virtual points. Baselines connecting virtual points and/or target points are extracted and compared with respect to a suitable structural coordinate system. Changes detected from the baseline analysis are compared to a traditional cloud to cloud change analysis demonstrating the potential of the new method for structural analysis.

Adults with Greater Weight Satisfaction Report More Positive Health Behaviors and Have Better Health Status Regardless of BMI

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Christine E. Blake

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Background. Prior studies suggest that weight satisfaction may preclude changes in behavior that lead to healthier weight among individuals who are overweight or obese. Objective. To gain a better understanding of complex relationships between weight satisfaction, weight-related health behaviors, and health outcomes. Design. Cross-sectional analysis of data from the Aerobics Center Longitudinal Study (ACLS. Participants. Large mixed-gender cohort of primarily white, middle-to-upper socioeconomic status (SES adults with baseline examination between 1987 and 2002 (n=19,003. Main Outcome Variables. Weight satisfaction, weight-related health behaviors, chronic health conditions, and clinical health indicators. Statistical Analyses Performed. Chi-square test, t-tests, and linear and multivariate logistic regression. Results. Compared to men, women were more likely to be dieting (32% women; 18% men and had higher weight dissatisfaction. Men and women with greater weight dissatisfaction reported more dieting, yo-yo dieting, and snacking and consuming fewer meals, being less active, and having to eat either more or less than desired to maintain weight regardless of weight status. Those who were overweight or obese and dissatisfied with their weight had the poorest health. Conclusion. Greater satisfaction with one’s weight was associated with positive health behaviors and health outcomes in both men and women and across weight status groups.

Greater trochanteric fracture with occult intertrochanteric extension.

Science.gov (United States)

Reiter, Michael; O'Brien, Seth D; Bui-Mansfield, Liem T; Alderete, Joseph

2013-10-01

Proximal femoral fractures are frequently encountered in the emergency department (ED). Prompt diagnosis is paramount as delay will exacerbate the already poor outcomes associated with these injuries. In cases where radiography is negative but clinical suspicion remains high, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is the study of choice as it has the capability to depict fractures which are occult on other imaging modalities. Awareness of a particular subset of proximal femoral fractures, namely greater trochanteric fractures, is vital for both radiologists and clinicians since it has been well documented that they invariably have an intertrochanteric component which may require surgical management. The detection of intertrochanteric or cervical extension of greater trochanteric fractures has been described utilizing MRI but is underestimated with both computed tomography (CT) and bone scan. Therefore, if MRI is unavailable or contraindicated, the diagnosis of an isolated greater trochanteric fracture should be met with caution. The importance of avoiding this potential pitfall is demonstrated in the following case of an elderly woman with hip pain and CT demonstrating an isolated greater trochanteric fracture who subsequently returned to the ED with a displaced intertrochanteric fracture.

U-10Mo Baseline Fuel Fabrication Process Description

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hubbard, Lance R. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Arendt, Christina L. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Dye, Daniel F. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Clayton, Christopher K. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Lerchen, Megan E. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Lombardo, Nicholas J. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Lavender, Curt A. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Zacher, Alan H. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)

2017-09-27

This document provides a description of the U.S. High Power Research Reactor (USHPRR) low-enriched uranium (LEU) fuel fabrication process. This document is intended to be used in conjunction with the baseline process flow diagram (PFD) presented in Appendix A. The baseline PFD is used to document the fabrication process, communicate gaps in technology or manufacturing capabilities, convey alternatives under consideration, and as the basis for a dynamic simulation model of the fabrication process. The simulation model allows for the assessment of production rates, costs, and manufacturing requirements (manpower, fabrication space, numbers and types of equipment, etc.) throughout the lifecycle of the USHPRR program. This document, along with the accompanying PFD, is updated regularly

The Add-On Effect of Solifenacin for Patients with Remaining Overactive Bladder after Treatment with Tamsulosin for Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms Suggestive of Benign Prostatic Obstruction

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Naoya Masumori

2010-01-01

Full Text Available Objectives. To investigate the add-on effect of solifenacin for Japanese men with remaining overactive bladder (OAB symptoms after tamsulosin monotherapy for lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS suggestive of benign prostatic obstruction (BPO in real-life clinical practice. Methods. Patients aged ≥ 50 having remaining OAB symptoms (≥ 3 of OAB symptom score (OABSS with ≥2 of urgency score after at least 4 weeks treatment by 0.2 mg of tamsulosin for BPO/LUTS received 2.5 or 5.0 mg of solifenacin for 12 weeks. The International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS, QOL index and OABSS, maximum flow rate (Qmax and postvoid residual urine volume (PVR were determined. Results. A total of 48 patients (mean age 72.5 years completed the study. There were significant improvement in IPSS (15.1 to 11.2 and QOL index (4.2 to 3.0 by add-on of solifenacin. Although the IPSS storage symptom score was significantly improved, there were no changes observed in the IPSS voiding symptom score. The OABSS showed significant improvement (8.0 to 4.8. No changes were observed in Qmax and PVR. Conclusions. Under the supervision of an experienced urologist, the additional administration of solifenacin to patients with BPO/LUTS treated with tamsulosin, is effective in controlling remaining OAB symptoms.

Spent nuclear fuel technical baseline description, Fiscal Year 1996: Volume II, supporting data

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Womack, J.C.

1995-11-01

The Technical Baseline Description documents the Project-Level functions and requirements, along with associated enabling assumptions, issues, trade studies, interfaces, and products. It is a snapshot in time of the baseline at the beginning of September 1995. It supports the individual subprojects in the development of lower-tier functions, requirements, and specifications in FY 1996. It also supports the need for Hanford site planning to be based on an integrated Hanford site systems engineering technical baseline; and is traceable to that baseline. This document replaces and supercedes WHC-SD-SNF-SD-003

75 FR 70732 - Enterprise Texas Pipeline LLC; Notice of Baseline Filing

Science.gov (United States)

2010-11-18

... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [Docket No. PR10-92-001] Enterprise Texas Pipeline LLC; Notice of Baseline Filing November 10, 2010. Take notice that on November 9, 2010, Enterprise Texas Pipeline LLC submitted a revised baseline filing of its Statement of Operating Conditions...

System maintenance test plan for the TWRS controlled baseline database system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Spencer, S.G.

1998-01-01

TWRS [Tank Waste Remediation System] Controlled Baseline Database, formally known as the Performance Measurement Control System, is used to track and monitor TWRS project management baseline information. This document contains the maintenance testing approach for software testing of the TCBD system once SCR/PRs are implemented

40 CFR 80.290 - How does a refiner apply for a sulfur baseline?

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... baseline? 80.290 Section 80.290 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) AIR... (abt) Program-General Information § 80.290 How does a refiner apply for a sulfur baseline? (a) The... accordance with § 80.217. (b) The sulfur baseline request must be sent to: U.S. EPA, Attn: Sulfur Program...

Baseline inventory data recommendations for National Wildlife Refuges

Data.gov (United States)

Department of the Interior — The Baseline Inventory Team recommends that each refuge have available abiotic “data layers” for topography, aerial photography, hydrography, soils, boundaries, and...

Baseline for trust: defining 'new and additional' climate funding

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Stadelmann, Martin [University of Zurich (Switzerland); Roberts, J. Timmons [Brown University (United States); Huq, Saleemul

2010-06-15

Climate finance is becoming a dark curve on the road from Copenhagen to Cancún. Poorer nations fear that richer ones will fulfil the US$30 billion 'fast-start' climate finance promises made in the non-binding Copenhagen Accord by relabelling or diverting basic development aid, or by simply delivering on past climate finance pledges. The problem is simple: contributor countries are operating with no clear baseline against which their promise of 'new and additional' funding can be counted – and they do not accept the baselines put forth by developing countries. A viable solution for the short term is to use projections of business-as-usual development assistance as baselines. The longer-term benchmark could be the provision of truly 'new' funds from new funding sources. Substantial up-front negotiations may be required, but seizing this opportunity to define baselines will build confidence on both sides and create predictability for future finance.

Office of Civilian Radioactive Waste Management Program Cost and Schedule Baseline

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1992-09-01

The purpose of this document is to establish quantitative expressions of proposed costs and schedule to serve as a basis for measurement of program performance. It identifies the components of the Program Cost and Schedule Baseline (PCSB) that will be subject to change control by the Executive (Level 0) and Program (Level 1) Change Control Boards (CCBS) and establishes their baseline values. This document also details PCSB reporting, monitoring, and corrective action requirements. The Program technical baseline contained in the Waste Management System Description (WMSD), the Waste Management System Requirements (WMSR), and the Physical System Requirements documents provide the technical basis for the PCSB. Changes to the PCSB will be approved by the Pregrain Change Control Board (PCCB)In addition to the PCCB, the Energy System Acquisition Advisory Board Baseline CCB (ESAAB BCCB) will perform control functions relating to Total Project Cost (TPC) and major schedule milestones for the Yucca Mountain Site Characterization Project and the Monitored Retrievable Storage (MRS) Project

Predicting Baseline for Analysis of Electricity Pricing

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kim, T. [Ulsan National Inst. of Science and Technology (Korea, Republic of); Lee, D. [Ulsan National Inst. of Science and Technology (Korea, Republic of); Choi, J. [Ulsan National Inst. of Science and Technology (Korea, Republic of); Spurlock, A. [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States); Sim, A. [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States); Todd, A. [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States); Wu, K. [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States)

2016-05-03

To understand the impact of new pricing structure on residential electricity demands, we need a baseline model that captures every factor other than the new price. The standard baseline is a randomized control group, however, a good control group is hard to design. This motivates us to devlop data-driven approaches. We explored many techniques and designed a strategy, named LTAP, that could predict the hourly usage years ahead. The key challenge in this process is that the daily cycle of electricity demand peaks a few hours after the temperature reaching its peak. Existing methods rely on the lagged variables of recent past usages to enforce this daily cycle. These methods have trouble making predictions years ahead. LTAP avoids this trouble by assuming the daily usage profile is determined by temperature and other factors. In a comparison against a well-designed control group, LTAP is found to produce accurate predictions.

CASA Uno GPS orbit and baseline experiments

Science.gov (United States)

Schutz, B. E.; Ho, C. S.; Abusali, P. A. M.; Tapley, B. D.

1990-01-01

CASA Uno data from sites distributed in longitude from Australia to Europe have been used to determine orbits of the GPS satellites. The characteristics of the orbits determined from double difference phase have been evaluated through comparisons of two-week solutions with one-week solutions and by comparisons of predicted and estimated orbits. Evidence of unmodeled effects is demonstrated, particularly associated with the orbit planes that experience solar eclipse. The orbit accuracy has been assessed through the repeatability of unconstrained estimated baseline vectors ranging from 245 km to 5400 km. Both the baseline repeatability and the comparison with independent space geodetic methods give results at the level of 1-2 parts in 100,000,000. In addition, the Mojave/Owens Valley (245 km) and Kokee Park/Ft. Davis (5409 km) estimates agree with VLBI and SLR to better than 1 part in 100,000,000.

Development Of Regional Climate Mitigation Baseline For A DominantAgro-Ecological Zone Of Karnataka, India

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sudha, P.; Shubhashree, D.; Khan, H.; Hedge, G.T.; Murthy, I.K.; Shreedhara, V.; Ravindranath, N.H.

2007-06-01

Setting a baseline for carbon stock changes in forest andland use sector mitigation projects is an essential step for assessingadditionality of the project. There are two approaches for settingbaselines namely, project-specific and regional baseline. This paperpresents the methodology adopted for estimating the land available formitigation, for developing a regional baseline, transaction cost involvedand a comparison of project-specific and regional baseline. The studyshowed that it is possible to estimate the potential land and itssuitability for afforestation and reforestation mitigation projects,using existing maps and data, in the dry zone of Karnataka, southernIndia. The study adopted a three-step approach for developing a regionalbaseline, namely: i) identification of likely baseline options for landuse, ii) estimation of baseline rates of land-use change, and iii)quantification of baseline carbon profile over time. The analysis showedthat carbon stock estimates made for wastelands and fallow lands forproject-specific as well as the regional baseline are comparable. Theratio of wasteland Carbon stocks of a project to regional baseline is1.02, and that of fallow lands in the project to regional baseline is0.97. The cost of conducting field studies for determination of regionalbaseline is about a quarter of the cost of developing a project-specificbaseline on a per hectare basis. The study has shown the reliability,feasibility and cost-effectiveness of adopting regional baseline forforestry sectormitigation projects.

75 FR 38802 - DCP Raptor Pipeline, LLC; Notice of Baseline Filing

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-06

... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [Docket No. PR10-42-000] DCP Raptor Pipeline, LLC; Notice of Baseline Filing June 28, 2010. Take notice that on June 22, 2010, DCP Raptor Pipeline, LLC submitted a baseline filing of its Statement of Operating Conditions for services provided...

Mass hierarchy sensitivity of medium baseline reactor neutrino experiments with multiple detectors

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hong-Xin Wang

2017-05-01

Full Text Available We report the neutrino mass hierarchy (MH determination of medium baseline reactor neutrino experiments with multiple detectors, where the sensitivity of measuring the MH can be significantly improved by adding a near detector. Then the impact of the baseline and target mass of the near detector on the combined MH sensitivity has been studied thoroughly. The optimal selections of the baseline and target mass of the near detector are ∼12.5 km and ∼4 kton respectively for a far detector with the target mass of 20 kton and the baseline of 52.5 km. As typical examples of future medium baseline reactor neutrino experiments, the optimal location and target mass of the near detector are selected for the specific configurations of JUNO and RENO-50. Finally, we discuss distinct effects of the reactor antineutrino energy spectrum uncertainty for setups of a single detector and double detectors, which indicate that the spectrum uncertainty can be well constrained in the presence of the near detector.

The Greater Sekhukhune-CAPABILITY outreach project.

Science.gov (United States)

Gregersen, Nerine; Lampret, Julie; Lane, Tony; Christianson, Arnold

2013-07-01

The Greater Sekhukhune-CAPABILITY Outreach Project was undertaken in a rural district in Limpopo, South Africa, as part of the European Union-funded CAPABILITY programme to investigate approaches for capacity building for the translation of genetic knowledge into care and prevention of congenital disorders. Based on previous experience of a clinical genetic outreach programme in Limpopo, it aimed to initiate a district clinical genetic service in Greater Sekhukhune to gain knowledge and experience to assist in the implementation and development of medical genetic services in South Africa. Implementing the service in Greater Sekhukhune was impeded by a developing staff shortage in the province and pressure on the health service from the existing HIV/AIDS and TB epidemics. This situation underscores the need for health needs assessment for developing services for the care and prevention of congenital disorders in middle- and low-income countries. However, these impediments stimulated the pioneering of innovate ways to offer medical genetic services in these circumstances, including tele-teaching of nurses and doctors, using cellular phones to enhance clinical care and adapting and assessing the clinical utility of a laboratory test, QF-PCR, for use in the local circumstances.

Guidance on Port Biological Baseline Surveys (PBBS)

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Awad, A.; Haag, F.; Anil, A.C.; Abdulla, A.

This publication has been prepared by GBP, IOI, CSIR-NIO and IUCN in order to serve as guidance to those who are planning to carry out a port biological baseline survey, in particular in the context of Ballast Water Management. It has been drafted...

Baseline and Multimodal UAV GCS Interface Design

Science.gov (United States)

2013-07-01

complete a computerized version of the NASA - TLX assessment of perceived mental workload. 2.3 Results The baseline condition ran smoothly and with...System MALE Medium-altitude, Long-endurance NASA - TLX NASA Task Load Index SA Situation Awareness TDT Tucker Davis Technologies UAV Uninhabited Aerial

48 CFR 34.202 - Integrated Baseline Reviews.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... or contractor, and the Government, of the— (1) Ability of the project's technical plan to achieve the... successfully achieve the project schedule objectives; (3) Ability of the Performance Measurement Baseline (PMB... SPECIAL CATEGORIES OF CONTRACTING MAJOR SYSTEM ACQUISITION Earned Value Management System 34.202...

Difference between observed and predicted glycated hemoglobin at baseline and treatment response to vildagliptin-based dual oral therapy in patients with type 2 diabetes.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Jun-Sing; Hung, Yi-Jen; Lu, Yung-Chuan; Tsai, Cheng-Lin; Yang, Wei-Shiung; Lee, Ting-I; Hsiao, Ya-Chun; Sheu, Wayne Huey-Herng

2018-04-01

We aimed to investigate the association of difference between observed and predicted glycated hemoglobin (dopHbA1c) and HbA1c reduction after vildagliptin-based oral therapy in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D). This was a prospective observational study. Adults ≥ 20 years old with T2D and HbA1c ≧7% treated with oral anti-diabetic drugs (OADs) were eligible if their OADs were shifted to vildagliptin-based dual oral therapy. Fasting plasma glucose (FPG) and HbA1c were recorded at baseline, week 12, and week 24. To determine baseline dopHbA1c, a predicted HbA1c was calculated by inserting baseline FPG into a regression equation (HbA1c = FPG ∗ 0.0225 + 4.3806) developed from linear relationship between HbA1c and FPG in an independent cohort of 3239 outpatients with T2D (dopHbA1c = observed HbA1c - predicted HbA1c). Patients were assigned to low (≦0) or high (>0) dopHbA1c group according to their baseline dopHbA1c levels. The study endpoint was changes from baseline to week 24 in HbA1c levels. A total of 1224 patients were enrolled. Patients with a dopHbA1c >0 had a greater HbA1c reduction after vildagliptin-based dual oral therapy than those with a dopHbA1c ≦0 (-1.5 ± 2.0 vs. -0.4 ± 1.0%, p vildagliptin-based dual oral therapy. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Item response theory analysis of the mechanics baseline test

Science.gov (United States)

Cardamone, Caroline N.; Abbott, Jonathan E.; Rayyan, Saif; Seaton, Daniel T.; Pawl, Andrew; Pritchard, David E.

2012-02-01

Item response theory is useful in both the development and evaluation of assessments and in computing standardized measures of student performance. In item response theory, individual parameters (difficulty, discrimination) for each item or question are fit by item response models. These parameters provide a means for evaluating a test and offer a better measure of student skill than a raw test score, because each skill calculation considers not only the number of questions answered correctly, but the individual properties of all questions answered. Here, we present the results from an analysis of the Mechanics Baseline Test given at MIT during 2005-2010. Using the item parameters, we identify questions on the Mechanics Baseline Test that are not effective in discriminating between MIT students of different abilities. We show that a limited subset of the highest quality questions on the Mechanics Baseline Test returns accurate measures of student skill. We compare student skills as determined by item response theory to the more traditional measurement of the raw score and show that a comparable measure of learning gain can be computed.

Information Technology Sector Baseline Risk Assessment

Science.gov (United States)

2009-08-01

alternative root be economically advantageous , an actor’s ability to exploit market forces and create an alternative root would be significantly improved...conduct their operations. Therefore, a loss or disruption to Internet services would not be advantageous for the desired outcomes of these syndicates.26... eCommerce Service loss or disruption [C] Traffic Redirection [C] = Undesired consequence Information Technology Sector Baseline Risk Assessment

The prognostic utility of baseline alpha-fetoprotein for hepatocellular carcinoma patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Silva, Jack P; Gorman, Richard A; Berger, Nicholas G; Tsai, Susan; Christians, Kathleen K; Clarke, Callisia N; Mogal, Harveshp; Gamblin, T Clark

2017-12-01

Alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) has a valuable role in postoperative surveillance for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) recurrence. The utility of pretreatment or baseline AFP remains controversial. The present study hypothesized that elevated baseline AFP levels are associated with worse overall survival in HCC patients. Adult HCC patients were identified using the National Cancer Database (2004-2013). Patients were stratified according to baseline AFP measurements into the following groups: Negative (2000). The primary outcome was overall survival (OS), which was analyzed by log-rank test and graphed using Kaplan-Meier method. Multivariate regression modeling was used to determine hazard ratios (HR) for OS. Of 41 107 patients identified, 15 809 (33.6%) were Negative. Median overall survival was highest in the Negative group, followed by Borderline, Elevated, and Highly Elevated (28.7 vs 18.9 vs 8.8 vs 3.2 months; P < 0.001). On multivariate analysis, overall survival hazard ratios for the Borderline, Elevated, and Highly Elevated groups were 1.18 (P = 0.267), 1.94 (P < 0.001), and 1.77 (P = 0.007), respectively (reference Negative). Baseline AFP independently predicted overall survival in HCC patients regardless of treatment plan. A baseline AFP value is a simple and effective method to assist in expected survival for HCC patients. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Effect of computer game playing on baseline laparoscopic simulator skills.

Science.gov (United States)

Halvorsen, Fredrik H; Cvancarova, Milada; Fosse, Erik; Mjåland, Odd

2013-08-01

Studies examining the possible association between computer game playing and laparoscopic performance in general have yielded conflicting results and neither has a relationship between computer game playing and baseline performance on laparoscopic simulators been established. The aim of this study was to examine the possible association between previous and present computer game playing and baseline performance on a virtual reality laparoscopic performance in a sample of potential future medical students. The participating students completed a questionnaire covering the weekly amount and type of computer game playing activity during the previous year and 3 years ago. They then performed 2 repetitions of 2 tasks ("gallbladder dissection" and "traverse tube") on a virtual reality laparoscopic simulator. Performance on the simulator were then analyzed for association to their computer game experience. Local high school, Norway. Forty-eight students from 2 high school classes volunteered to participate in the study. No association between prior and present computer game playing and baseline performance was found. The results were similar both for prior and present action game playing and prior and present computer game playing in general. Our results indicate that prior and present computer game playing may not affect baseline performance in a virtual reality simulator.

Investigating the baselines of Bismuth, Optical Fiber and LED calibrated photomultiplier tubes

CERN Document Server

Evans, Hywel Turner

2016-01-01

LUCID is a detector that is the luminosity monitor for the ATLAS experiment, and its aim is to determine luminosity with an uncertainty of a few percent. The main purpose of this work is the study of the baseline stability of the LUCID readout channels during calibration runs. This study represents the first systematic approach of this problem performed by the LUCID group. By replacing the mean baseline with the minimum baseline of each event, an upper limit of 2.85% was placed upon possible improvement in determining the LED amplitude. It is therefore better to use a fixed baseline for LED, as pollution has been observed when calculating event by event. For Bismuth and Fiber, the improvement cannot be more than the gain stability of 1%, therefore the existing method is verified as optimal.

On the feasibility of routine baseline improvement in processing of geomagnetic observatory data

Science.gov (United States)

Soloviev, Anatoly; Lesur, Vincent; Kudin, Dmitry

2018-02-01

We propose a new approach to the calculation of regular baselines at magnetic observatories. The proposed approach is based on the simultaneous analysis of the irregular absolute observations and the continuous time-series deltaF, widely used for estimating the data quality. The systematic deltaF analysis allows to take into account all available information about the operation of observatory instruments (i.e., continuous records of the field variations and its modulus) in the intervals between the times of absolute observations, as compared to the traditional baseline calculation where only spot values are considered. To establish a connection with the observed spot baseline values, we introduce a function for approximate evaluation of the intermediate baseline values. An important feature of the algorithm is its quantitative estimation of the resulting data precision and thus determination of the problematic fragments in raw data. We analyze the robustness of the algorithm operation using synthetic data sets. We also compare baselines and definitive data derived by the proposed algorithm with those derived by the traditional approach using Saint Petersburg observatory data, recorded in 2015 and accepted by INTERMAGNET. It is shown that the proposed method allows to essentially improve the resulting data quality when baseline data are not good enough. The obtained results prove that the baseline variability in time might be quite rapid.[Figure not available: see fulltext.

Baseline Screening Mammography: Performance of Full-Field Digital Mammography Versus Digital Breast Tomosynthesis.

Science.gov (United States)

McDonald, Elizabeth S; McCarthy, Anne Marie; Akhtar, Amana L; Synnestvedt, Marie B; Schnall, Mitchell; Conant, Emily F

2015-11-01

Baseline mammography studies have significantly higher recall rates than mammography studies with available comparison examinations. Digital breast tomosynthesis reduces recalls when compared with digital mammographic screening alone, but many sites operate in a hybrid environment. To maximize the effect of screening digital breast tomosynthesis with limited resources, choosing which patient populations will benefit most is critical. This study evaluates digital breast tomosynthesis in the baseline screening population. Outcomes were compared for 10,728 women who underwent digital mammography screening, including 1204 (11.2%) baseline studies, and 15,571 women who underwent digital breast tomosynthesis screening, including 1859 (11.9%) baseline studies. Recall rates, cancer detection rates, and positive predictive values were calculated. Logistic regression estimated the odds ratios of recall for digital mammography versus digital breast tomosynthesis for patients undergoing baseline screening and previously screened patients, adjusted for age, race, and breast density. In the baseline subgroup, recall rates for digital mammography and digital breast tomosynthesis screening were 20.5% and 16.0%, respectively (p = 0.002); digital breast tomosynthesis screening in the baseline subgroup resulted in a 22% reduction in recall compared with digital mammography, or 45 fewer patients recalled per 1000 patients screened. Digital breast tomosynthesis screening in the previously screened patients resulted in recall reduction of 14.3% (p tomosynthesis than from digital mammography alone.

Functional Testing Protocols for Commercial Building Efficiency Baseline Modeling Software

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jump, David; Price, Phillip N.; Granderson, Jessica; Sohn, Michael

2013-09-06

This document describes procedures for testing and validating proprietary baseline energy modeling software accuracy in predicting energy use over the period of interest, such as a month or a year. The procedures are designed according to the methodology used for public domain baselining software in another LBNL report that was (like the present report) prepared for Pacific Gas and Electric Company: ?Commercial Building Energy Baseline Modeling Software: Performance Metrics and Method Testing with Open Source Models and Implications for Proprietary Software Testing Protocols? (referred to here as the ?Model Analysis Report?). The test procedure focuses on the quality of the software?s predictions rather than on the specific algorithms used to predict energy use. In this way the software vendor is not required to divulge or share proprietary information about how their software works, while enabling stakeholders to assess its performance.

Is CP violation observable in long baseline neutrino oscillation experiments?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tanimoto, M.

1997-01-01

We have studied CP violation originating from the phase of the neutrino-mixing matrix in the long baseline neutrino oscillation experiments. The direct measurement of CP violation is the difference of the transition probabilities between CP-conjugate channels. In those experiments, the CP-violating effect is not suppressed if the highest neutrino mass scale is taken to be 1 endash 5 eV, which is appropriate for the cosmological hot dark matter. Assuming the hierarchy for the neutrino masses, the upper bounds of CP violation have been calculated for three cases, in which mixings are constrained by the recent short baseline ones. The calculated upper bounds are larger than 10 -2 , which will be observable in the long baseline accelerator experiments. The matter effect, which is not CP invariant, has been also estimated in those experiments. copyright 1997 The American Physical Society

Integrated Baseline Review (IBR) Handbook

Science.gov (United States)

Fleming, Jon F.; Terrell, Stefanie M.

2018-01-01

The purpose of this handbook is intended to be a how-to guide to prepare for, conduct, and close-out an Integrated Baseline Review (IBR). It discusses the steps that should be considered, describes roles and responsibilities, tips for tailoring the IBR based on risk, cost, and need for management insight, and provides lessons learned from past IBRs. Appendices contain example documentation typically used in connection with an IBR. Note that these appendices are examples only, and should be tailored to meet the needs of individual projects and contracts.

Environmental Baseline File National Transportation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Harris, M.

1999-01-01

This Environmental Baseline File summarizes and consolidates information related to the national-level transportation of commercial spent nuclear fuel. Topics addressed include: shipments of commercial spent nuclear fuel based on mostly truck and mostly rail shipping scenarios; transportation routing for commercial spent nuclear fuel sites and DOE sites; radionuclide inventories for various shipping container capacities; transportation routing; populations along transportation routes; urbanized area population densities; the impacts of historical, reasonably foreseeable, and general transportation; state-level food transfer factors; Federal Guidance Report No. 11 and 12 radionuclide dose conversion factors; and national average atmospheric conditions

Single nucleotide polymorphism array karyotyping: a diagnostic and prognostic tool in myelodysplastic syndromes with unsuccessful conventional cytogenetic testing.

Science.gov (United States)

Arenillas, Leonor; Mallo, Mar; Ramos, Fernando; Guinta, Kathryn; Barragán, Eva; Lumbreras, Eva; Larráyoz, María-José; De Paz, Raquel; Tormo, Mar; Abáigar, María; Pedro, Carme; Cervera, José; Such, Esperanza; José Calasanz, María; Díez-Campelo, María; Sanz, Guillermo F; Hernández, Jesús María; Luño, Elisa; Saumell, Sílvia; Maciejewski, Jaroslaw; Florensa, Lourdes; Solé, Francesc

2013-12-01

Cytogenetic aberrations identified by metaphase cytogenetics (MC) have diagnostic, prognostic, and therapeutic implications in myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS). However, in some MDS patients MC study is unsuccesful. Single nucleotide polymorphism array (SNP-A) based karyotyping could be helpful in these cases. We performed SNP-A in 62 samples from bone marrow or peripheral blood of primary MDS with an unsuccessful MC study. SNP-A analysis enabled the detection of aberrations in 31 (50%) patients. We used the copy number alteration information to apply the International Prognostic Scoring System (IPSS) and we observed differences in survival between the low/intermediate-1 and intermediate-2/high risk patients. We also saw differences in survival between very low/low/intermediate and the high/very high patients when we applied the revised IPSS (IPSS-R). In conclusion, SNP-A can be used successfully in PB samples and the identification of CNA by SNP-A improve the diagnostic and prognostic evaluation of this group of MDS patients. Copyright © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

The Relationship of Histologically Diagnosed Chronic Prostatic Inflammation and Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sebahattin Albayrak

2014-03-01

Full Text Available Aim: To evaluate the relationship between pre-biopsy PSA levels, International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS, maximum urinary flow rate (Qmax, prostate volume and positive core numbers of histologically proved chronic prostatitis in the patients whom underwent transrectal ultrasound guided biopsy for elevated prostate specific antigen (PSA levels. Material and Method: Between January 2012 and 2014, 152 patients underwent TRUS biopsy. Their medical records are examined retrospectively. The mean age of the patients were 62 (45-75. The pathologic specimens were evaluated for the number of cores with chronic prostatitis and percentage of prostatitis. Pre-biopsy levels of PSA, IPSS, maximum urinary flow rate, prostate volume are compared with the number positive cores for chronic prostatitis and their percentages. These variables also compared in the non-chronic prostatitis patients. Results: There was no statistically significant correlation between the positive number of cores for chronic prostatitis and age (P=0.5, r=0.055, a positive correlation was observed between IPSS (P

The value of appropriate assessment prior to specialist referral in men with prostatic symptoms.

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

Quinlan, M R

2012-02-01

BACKGROUND: Referrals to Urology OPD of men with a likely diagnosis of BPH are common. AIMS: To review referrals to OPD of men with lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) to establish how many could have been managed without specialist assessment. METHODS: We reviewed records of 200 male patients referred to OPD with LUTS. We assessed whether the referral source had performed digital rectal examination (DRE), International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS), Bother Score or PSA level. RESULTS: 74% of patients were referred by GPs. In 31.5% of cases DRE was performed prior to referral. One GP had completed an IPSS, none a Bother Score. 96% had a PSA checked before OPD. Ultimately, 88.5% of our patients were diagnosed with BPH. CONCLUSIONS: With better pre-assessment in the form of DRE, IPSS and Bother Score, allied to a PSA check, many patients with LUTS could be managed in a primary care setting.

Idaho National Engineering Laboratory (INEL) Environmental Restoration (ER) Program Baseline Safety Analysis File (BSAF)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1995-09-01

The Baseline Safety Analysis File (BSAF) is a facility safety reference document for the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory (INEL) environmental restoration activities. The BSAF contains information and guidance for safety analysis documentation required by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) for environmental restoration (ER) activities, including: Characterization of potentially contaminated sites. Remedial investigations to identify and remedial actions to clean up existing and potential releases from inactive waste sites Decontamination and dismantlement of surplus facilities. The information is INEL-specific and is in the format required by DOE-EM-STD-3009-94, Preparation Guide for U.S. Department of Energy Nonreactor Nuclear Facility Safety Analysis Reports. An author of safety analysis documentation need only write information concerning that activity and refer to BSAF for further information or copy applicable chapters and sections. The information and guidance provided are suitable for: sm-bullet Nuclear facilities (DOE Order 5480-23, Nuclear Safety Analysis Reports) with hazards that meet the Category 3 threshold (DOE-STD-1027-92, Hazard Categorization and Accident Analysis Techniques for Compliance with DOE Order 5480.23, Nuclear Safety Analysis Reports) sm-bullet Radiological facilities (DOE-EM-STD-5502-94, Hazard Baseline Documentation) Nonnuclear facilities (DOE-EM-STD-5502-94) that are classified as open-quotes lowclose quotes hazard facilities (DOE Order 5481.1B, Safety Analysis and Review System). Additionally, the BSAF could be used as an information source for Health and Safety Plans and for Safety Analysis Reports (SARs) for nuclear facilities with hazards equal to or greater than the Category 2 thresholds, or for nonnuclear facilities with open-quotes moderateclose quotes or open-quotes highclose quotes hazard classifications

Idaho National Engineering Laboratory (INEL) Environmental Restoration (ER) Program Baseline Safety Analysis File (BSAF)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1995-09-01

The Baseline Safety Analysis File (BSAF) is a facility safety reference document for the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory (INEL) environmental restoration activities. The BSAF contains information and guidance for safety analysis documentation required by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) for environmental restoration (ER) activities, including: Characterization of potentially contaminated sites. Remedial investigations to identify and remedial actions to clean up existing and potential releases from inactive waste sites Decontamination and dismantlement of surplus facilities. The information is INEL-specific and is in the format required by DOE-EM-STD-3009-94, Preparation Guide for U.S. Department of Energy Nonreactor Nuclear Facility Safety Analysis Reports. An author of safety analysis documentation need only write information concerning that activity and refer to BSAF for further information or copy applicable chapters and sections. The information and guidance provided are suitable for: {sm_bullet} Nuclear facilities (DOE Order 5480-23, Nuclear Safety Analysis Reports) with hazards that meet the Category 3 threshold (DOE-STD-1027-92, Hazard Categorization and Accident Analysis Techniques for Compliance with DOE Order 5480.23, Nuclear Safety Analysis Reports) {sm_bullet} Radiological facilities (DOE-EM-STD-5502-94, Hazard Baseline Documentation) Nonnuclear facilities (DOE-EM-STD-5502-94) that are classified as {open_quotes}low{close_quotes} hazard facilities (DOE Order 5481.1B, Safety Analysis and Review System). Additionally, the BSAF could be used as an information source for Health and Safety Plans and for Safety Analysis Reports (SARs) for nuclear facilities with hazards equal to or greater than the Category 2 thresholds, or for nonnuclear facilities with {open_quotes}moderate{close_quotes} or {open_quotes}high{close_quotes} hazard classifications.

The optimized baseline project: Reinventing environmental restoration at Hanford

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Goodenough, J.D.; Janaskie, M.T.; Kleinen, P.J.

1994-01-01

The U.S. Department of Energy Richland Operations Office (DOE-RL) is using a strategic planning effort (termed the Optimized Baseline Project) to develop a new approach to the Hanford Environmental Restoration program. This effort seeks to achieve a quantum leap improvement in performance through results oriented prioritization of activities. This effort was conducted in parallel with the renegotiation of the Tri-Party Agreement and provided DOE with an opportunity to propose innovative initiatives to promote cost effectiveness, accelerate progress in the Hanford Environmental Restoration Program and involve stakeholders in the decision-making process. The Optimized Baseline project is an innovative approach to program planning and decision-making in several respects. First, the process is a top down, value driven effort that responds to values held by DOE, the regulatory community and the public. Second, planning is conducted in a way that reinforces the technical management process at Richland, involves the regulatory community in substantive decisions, and includes the public. Third, the Optimized Baseline Project is being conducted as part of a sitewide Hanford initiative to reinvent Government. The planning process used for the Optimized Baseline Project has many potential applications at other sites and in other programs where there is a need to build consensus among diverse, independent groups of stakeholders and decisionmakers. The project has successfully developed and demonstrated an innovative approach to program planning that accelerates the pace of cleanup, involves the regulators as partners with DOE in priority setting, and builds public understanding and support for the program through meaningful opportunities for involvement

Greater body mass independently predicts less radiographic progression on X-ray and MRI over 1-2 years

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Baker, Joshua F; Østergaard, Mikkel; George, Michael

2014-01-01

of radiographic progression for each BMI category (30 kg/m(2)). Within GO-BEFORE, piecewise, robust generalised estimating equations marginal models assessed the probability of MRI erosion progression for each BMI category. Multivariable linear regression models assessed baseline associations between......INTRODUCTION: Greater body mass index (BMI) has been associated with less radiographic progression in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). We evaluated the association between BMI and joint damage progression as measured by X-ray and MRI. METHODS: 1068 subjects with RA from two clinical trials of golimumab...... (GO-BEFORE and GO-FORWARD) had radiographs performed at weeks 0, 52 and 104 and evaluated using the van der Heijde-Sharp (vdHS) scoring system. Contrast-enhanced MRIs of the dominant wrist and hand were obtained at weeks 0, 12, 24, 52 and 104. Multivariable logistic regression evaluated the risk...

Professional Rugby Union players have a 60% greater risk of time loss injury after concussion: a 2-season prospective study of clinical outcomes

Science.gov (United States)

Cross, Matthew; Kemp, Simon; Smith, Andrew; Trewartha, Grant; Stokes, Keith

2016-01-01

Aim To investigate incidence of concussion, clinical outcomes and subsequent injury risk following concussion. Methods In a two-season (2012/2013, 2013/2014) prospective cohort study, incidence of diagnosed match concussions (injuries/1000 h), median time interval to subsequent injury of any type (survival time) and time spent at each stage of the graduated return to play pathway were determined in 810 professional Rugby Union players (1176 player seasons). Results Match concussion incidence was 8.9/1000 h with over 50% occurring in the tackle. Subsequent incidence of any injury for players who returned to play in the same season following a diagnosed concussion (122/1000 h, 95% CI 106 to 141) was 60% higher (IRR 1.6, 95% CI 1.4 to 1.8) than for those who did not sustain a concussion (76/1000 h, 95% CI 72 to 80). Median time to next injury following return to play was shorter following concussion (53 days, 95% CI 41 to 64) than following non-concussive injuries (114 days, 95% CI 85 to 143). 38% of players reported recurrence of symptoms or failed to match their baseline neurocognitive test during the graduated return to play protocol. Summary and conclusions Players who returned to play in the same season after a diagnosed concussion had a 60% greater risk of time-loss injury than players without concussion. A substantial proportion of players reported recurrence of symptoms or failed to match baseline neurocognitive test scores during graduated return to play. These data pave the way for trials of more conservative and comprehensive graduated return to play protocols, with a greater focus on active rehabilitation. PMID:26626266

A baseline metabolomic signature is associated with immunological CD4+ T-cell recovery after 36 months of antiretroviral therapy in HIV-infected patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Rodríguez-Gallego, Esther; Gómez, Josep; Pacheco, Yolanda M; Peraire, Joaquim; Viladés, Consuelo; Beltrán-Debón, Raúl; Mallol, Roger; López-Dupla, Miguel; Veloso, Sergi; Alba, Verónica; Blanco, Julià; Cañellas, Nicolau; Rull, Anna; Leal, Manuel; Correig, Xavier; Domingo, Pere; Vidal, Francesc

2018-03-13

Poor immunological recovery in treated HIV-infected patients is associated with greater morbidity and mortality. To date, predictive biomarkers of this incomplete immune reconstitution have not been established. We aimed to identify a baseline metabolomic signature associated with a poor immunological recovery after antiretroviral therapy (ART) to envisage the underlying mechanistic pathways that influence the treatment response. This was a multicentre, prospective cohort study in ART-naive and a pre-ART low nadir (Immunological recovery was defined as reaching CD4 T-cell count at least 250 cells/μl after 36 months of virologically successful ART. We used univariate comparisons, Random Forest test and receiver-operating characteristic curves to identify and evaluate the predictive factors of immunological recovery after treatment. HIV-infected patients with a baseline metabolic pattern characterized by high levels of large high density lipoprotein (HDL) particles, HDL cholesterol and larger sizes of low density lipoprotein particles had a better immunological recovery after treatment. Conversely, patients with high ratios of non-HDL lipoprotein particles did not experience this full recovery. Medium very-low-density lipoprotein particles and glucose increased the classification power of the multivariate model despite not showing any significant differences between the two groups. In HIV-infected patients, a baseline healthier metabolomic profile is related to a better response to ART where the lipoprotein profile, mainly large HDL particles, may play a key role.

Baseline neurocognitive testing in sports-related concussions: the importance of a prior night's sleep.

Science.gov (United States)

McClure, D Jake; Zuckerman, Scott L; Kutscher, Scott J; Gregory, Andrew J; Solomon, Gary S

2014-02-01

The management of sports-related concussions (SRCs) utilizes serial neurocognitive assessments and self-reported symptom inventories to assess recovery and safety for return to play (RTP). Because postconcussive RTP goals include symptom resolution and a return to neurocognitive baseline levels, clinical decisions rest in part on understanding modifiers of this baseline. Several studies have reported age and sex to influence baseline neurocognitive performance, but few have assessed the potential effect of sleep. We chose to investigate the effect of reported sleep duration on baseline Immediate Post-Concussion Assessment and Cognitive Testing (ImPACT) performance and the number of patient-reported symptoms. We hypothesized that athletes receiving less sleep before baseline testing would perform worse on neurocognitive metrics and report more symptoms. Cross-sectional study; Level of evidence, 3. We retrospectively reviewed 3686 nonconcussed athletes (2371 male, 1315 female; 3305 high school, 381 college) with baseline symptom and ImPACT neurocognitive scores. Patients were stratified into 3 groups based on self-reported sleep duration the night before testing: (1) short, sleep duration on baseline ImPACT performance. A univariate ANCOVA was performed to investigate the influence of sleep on total self-reported symptoms. When controlling for age and sex as covariates, the MANCOVA revealed significant group differences on ImPACT reaction time, verbal memory, and visual memory scores but not visual-motor (processing) speed scores. An ANCOVA also revealed significant group differences in total reported symptoms. For baseline symptoms and ImPACT scores, subsequent pairwise comparisons revealed these associations to be most significant when comparing the short and intermediate sleep groups. Our results indicate that athletes sleeping fewer than 7 hours before baseline testing perform worse on 3 of 4 ImPACT scores and report more symptoms. Because SRC management and RTP

Carbon intensity of electricity generation and CDM baseline: case studies of three Chinese provinces

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang Chi; Heller, T.C.; May, M.M.

2005-01-01

A difficult and persistent issue in the discussion of Clean Development Mechanism is estimating a carbon emissions baseline, against which tradable permits may be certified. This paper examines the proposition of adopting sectoral, as opposed to project level, baselines by conducting case studies of the electricity industry in three Chinese provinces. We find that complicated central planning, financial and institutional factors have been behind the declining trend of carbon intensity in electricity generation and its provincial variations. Government planned electricity development which incorporates many of these factors and the associated industry carbon intensity may serve as a second best baseline. However, the limitation of the baseline we examine in this study plus difficulties numerous studies have revealed in baseline setting suggests that using baselines based on counterfactuals of what would happen will in the end either miss good emission reduction opportunities, or compromise the integrity of the regime

Toward Baseline Software Anomalies in NASA Missions

Science.gov (United States)

Layman, Lucas; Zelkowitz, Marvin; Basili, Victor; Nikora, Allen P.

2012-01-01

In this fast abstract, we provide preliminary findings an analysis of 14,500 spacecraft anomalies from unmanned NASA missions. We provide some baselines for the distributions of software vs. non-software anomalies in spaceflight systems, the risk ratings of software anomalies, and the corrective actions associated with software anomalies.

Detecting CP violation in a single neutrino oscillation channel at very long baselines

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Latimer, D. C.; Escamilla, J.; Ernst, D. J.

2007-01-01

We propose a way of detecting CP violation in a single neutrino oscillation channel at very long baselines (on the order of several thousands of kilometers), given precise knowledge of the smallest mass-squared difference. It is shown that CP violation can be characterized by a shift in L/E of the peak oscillation in the ν e -ν μ appearance channel, both in vacuum and in matter. In fact, matter effects enhance the shift at a fixed energy. We consider the case in which sub-GeV neutrinos are measured with varying baseline and also the case of a fixed baseline. For the varied baseline, accurate knowledge of the absolute neutrino flux would not be necessary; however, neutrinos must be distinguishable from antineutrinos. For the fixed baseline, it is shown that CP violation can be distinguished if the mixing angle θ 13 were known

The post-orgasmic prolactin increase following intercourse is greater than following masturbation and suggests greater satiety.

Science.gov (United States)

Brody, Stuart; Krüger, Tillmann H C

2006-03-01

Research indicates that prolactin increases following orgasm are involved in a feedback loop that serves to decrease arousal through inhibitory central dopaminergic and probably peripheral processes. The magnitude of post-orgasmic prolactin increase is thus a neurohormonal index of sexual satiety. Using data from three studies of men and women engaging in masturbation or penile-vaginal intercourse to orgasm in the laboratory, we report that for both sexes (adjusted for prolactin changes in a non-sexual control condition), the magnitude of prolactin increase following intercourse is 400% greater than that following masturbation. The results are interpreted as an indication of intercourse being more physiologically satisfying than masturbation, and discussed in light of prior research reporting greater physiological and psychological benefits associated with coitus than with any other sexual activities.

Pipeline integrity: ILI baseline data for QRA

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Porter, Todd R. [Tuboscope Pipeline Services, Houston, TX (United States)]. E-mail: tporter@varco.com; Silva, Jose Augusto Pereira da [Pipeway Engenharia, Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil)]. E-mail: guto@pipeway.com; Marr, James [MARR and Associates, Calgary, AB (Canada)]. E-mail: jmarr@marr-associates.com

2003-07-01

The initial phase of a pipeline integrity management program (IMP) is conducting a baseline assessment of the pipeline system and segments as part of Quantitative Risk Assessment (QRA). This gives the operator's integrity team the opportunity to identify critical areas and deficiencies in the protection, maintenance, and mitigation strategies. As a part of data gathering and integration of a wide variety of sources, in-line inspection (ILI) data is a key element. In order to move forward in the integrity program development and execution, the baseline geometry of the pipeline must be determined with accuracy and confidence. From this, all subsequent analysis and conclusions will be derived. Tuboscope Pipeline Services (TPS), in conjunction with Pipeway Engenharia of Brazil, operate ILI inertial navigation system (INS) and Caliper geometry tools, to address this integrity requirement. This INS and Caliper ILI tool data provides pipeline trajectory at centimeter level resolution and sub-metre 3D position accuracy along with internal geometry - ovality, dents, misalignment, and wrinkle/buckle characterization. Global strain can be derived from precise INS curvature measurements and departure from the initial pipeline state. Accurate pipeline elevation profile data is essential in the identification of sag/over bend sections for fluid dynamic and hydrostatic calculations. This data, along with pipeline construction, operations, direct assessment and maintenance data is integrated in LinaViewPRO{sup TM}, a pipeline data management system for decision support functions, and subsequent QRA operations. This technology provides the baseline for an informed, accurate and confident integrity management program. This paper/presentation will detail these aspects of an effective IMP, and experience will be presented, showing the benefits for liquid and gas pipeline systems. (author)

Capabilities of long-baseline experiments in the presence of a sterile neutrino

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dutta, Debajyoti; Gandhi, Raj; Kayser, Boris; Masud, Mehedi; Prakash, Suprabh

2016-01-01

Assuming that there is a sterile neutrino, we ask what then is the ability of long-baseline experiments to i) establish that neutrino oscillation violates CP, ii) determine the three-neutrino mass ordering, and iii) determine which CP-violating phase or phases are the cause of any CP violation that may be observed. We find that the ability to establish CP violation and to determine the mass ordering could be very substantial. However, the effects of the sterile neutrino could be quite large, and it might prove very difficult to determine which phase is responsible for an observed CP violation. We explain why a sterile neutrino changes the long-baseline sensitivities to CP violation and to the mass ordering in the ways that it does. We note that long-baseline experiments can probe the presence of sterile neutrinos in a way that is different from, and complementary to, the probes of short-baseline experiments. We explore the question of how large sterile-active mixing angles need to be before long-baseline experiments can detect their effects, or how small they need to be before the interpretation of these experiments can safely disregard the possible existence of sterile neutrinos.

Baseline recommendations for greenhouse gas mitigation projects in the electric power sector

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kartha, Sivan; Lazarus, Michael [Stockholm Environment Institute/Tellus Institute, Boston, MA (United States); Bosi, Martina [International Energy Agency, Paris, 75 (France)

2004-03-01

The success of the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) and other credit-based emission trading regimes depends on effective methodologies for quantifying a project's emissions reductions. The key methodological challenge lies in estimating project's counterfactual emission baseline, through balancing the need for accuracy, transparency, and practicality. Baseline standardisation (e.g. methodology, parameters and/or emission rate) can be a means to achieve these goals. This paper compares specific options for developing standardised baselines for the electricity sector - a natural starting point for baseline standardisation given the magnitude of the emissions reductions opportunities. The authors review fundamental assumptions that baseline studies have made with respect to estimating the generation sources avoided by CDM or other emission-reducing projects. Typically, studies have assumed that such projects affect either the operation of existing power plants (the operating margin) or the construction of new generation facilities (the build margin). The authors show that both effects are important to consider and thus recommend a combined margin approach for most projects, based on grid-specific data. They propose a three-category framework, according to projects' relative scale and environmental risk. (Author)

SCAT3 changes from baseline and associations with X2 Patch measured head acceleration in amateur Australian football players.

Science.gov (United States)

Willmott, Catherine; McIntosh, Andrew S; Howard, Teresa; Mitra, Biswadev; Dimech-Betancourt, Bleydy; Donovan, Jarrod; Rosenfeld, Jeffrey V

2018-05-01

To investigate changes from baseline on SCAT3 as a result of football game exposure, and association with X2 Patch measured head acceleration events in amateur Australian footballers. Prospective cohort. Peak linear acceleration (PLA) of the head (>10 g) was measured by wearable head acceleration sensor X2 Biosystems X-Patch in male (n=34) and female (n=19) Australian footballers. SCAT3 was administered at baseline (B) and post-game (PG). 1394 head acceleration events (HEA) >10 g were measured. Mean and median HEA PLA were recorded as 15.2 g (SD=9.2, range=10.0-115.8) and 12.4 g (IQR=11.0-15.6) respectively. No significant difference in median HEA PLA (g) was detected across gender (p=0.55), however, more HEAs were recorded in males (p=0.03). A greater number (p=0.004) and severity (p0.05 for all), was identified for either gender. Increase in symptom severity post game was not associated with X2 measured HEA. Males sustained more HEA, however HEA PLA magnitude did not differ across gender. Further work on the validation of head acceleration sensors is required and their role in sports concussion research and medical management. Copyright © 2017 Sports Medicine Australia. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Study on judgement baseline for XRF on-line detection system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang Quanshi; Bao Min

2000-01-01

Based on the Signal Detection Theory (SDT) and the statistics principle, the choice method of judgement baseline was studied. According to the characteristics of X-ray Fluorescence (XRF) spectra in the on-line detection system, the calculation methods for the characteristic peak of the element-tagged and background were carried out. The complex judgement baseline were rationally selected after a lot of experiments and analyzing. The operating results of near one year show that it is available

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory Emergency Response Capability Baseline Needs Assessment Requirement Document

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sharry, J A

2009-12-30

performance criteria may not be the level of performance desired Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory or Sandia/CA. Performance at levels greater than those established by this document will provide a higher level of fire safety, fire protection, or loss control and is encouraged. In Section 7, Determination of Baseline Needs, a standard template was used to describe the process used that involves separating basic emergency response needs into nine separate services. Each service being evaluated contains a determination of minimum requirements, an analysis of the requirements, a statement of minimum performance, and finally a summary of the minimum performance. The requirement documents, listed in Section 5, are those laws, regulations, DOE Directives, contractual obligations, or LLNL policies that establish service levels. The determination of minimum requirements section explains the rationale or method used to determine the minimum requirements.

Baseline Evaluations to Support Control Room Modernization at Nuclear Power Plants

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Boring, Ronald L.; Joe, Jeffrey C.

2015-02-01

For any major control room modernization activity at a commercial nuclear power plant (NPP) in the U.S., a utility should carefully follow the four phases prescribed by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission in NUREG-0711, Human Factors Engineering Program Review Model. These four phases include Planning and Analysis, Design, Verification and Validation, and Implementation and Operation. While NUREG-0711 is a useful guideline, it is written primarily from the perspective of regulatory review, and it therefore does not provide a nuanced account of many of the steps the utility might undertake as part of control room modernization. The guideline is largely summative—intended to catalog final products—rather than formative—intended to guide the overall modernization process. In this paper, we highlight two crucial formative sub-elements of the Planning and Analysis phase specific to control room modernization that are not covered in NUREG-0711. These two sub-elements are the usability and ergonomics baseline evaluations. A baseline evaluation entails evaluating the system as-built and currently in use. The usability baseline evaluation provides key insights into operator performance using the control system currently in place. The ergonomics baseline evaluation identifies possible deficiencies in the physical configuration of the control system. Both baseline evaluations feed into the design of the replacement system and subsequent summative benchmarking activities that help ensure that control room modernization represents a successful evolution of the control system.

Baseline Evaluations to Support Control Room Modernization at Nuclear Power Plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Boring, Ronald L.; Joe, Jeffrey C.

2015-01-01

For any major control room modernization activity at a commercial nuclear power plant (NPP) in the U.S., a utility should carefully follow the four phases prescribed by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission in NUREG-0711, Human Factors Engineering Program Review Model. These four phases include Planning and Analysis, Design, Verification and Validation, and Implementation and Operation. While NUREG-0711 is a useful guideline, it is written primarily from the perspective of regulatory review, and it therefore does not provide a nuanced account of many of the steps the utility might undertake as part of control room modernization. The guideline is largely summative–intended to catalog final products–rather than formative–intended to guide the overall modernization process. In this paper, we highlight two crucial formative sub-elements of the Planning and Analysis phase specific to control room modernization that are not covered in NUREG-0711. These two sub-elements are the usability and ergonomics baseline evaluations. A baseline evaluation entails evaluating the system as-built and currently in use. The usability baseline evaluation provides key insights into operator performance using the control system currently in place. The ergonomics baseline evaluation identifies possible deficiencies in the physical configuration of the control system. Both baseline evaluations feed into the design of the replacement system and subsequent summative benchmarking activities that help ensure that control room modernization represents a successful evolution of the control system.

Effect of Enamel Caries Lesion Baseline Severity on Fluoride Dose-Response

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Frank Lippert

2017-01-01

Full Text Available This study aimed to investigate the effect of enamel caries lesion baseline severity on fluoride dose-response under pH cycling conditions. Early caries lesions were created in human enamel specimens at four different severities (8, 16, 24, and 36 h. Lesions were allocated to treatment groups (0, 83, and 367 ppm fluoride as sodium fluoride based on Vickers surface microhardness (VHN and pH cycled for 5 d. The cycling model comprised 3 × 1 min fluoride treatments sandwiched between 2 × 60 min demineralization challenges with specimens stored in artificial saliva in between. VHN was measured again and changes versus lesion baseline were calculated (ΔVHN. Data were analyzed using two-way ANOVA (p<0.05. Increased demineralization times led to increased surface softening. The lesion severity×fluoride concentration interaction was significant (p<0.001. Fluoride dose-response was observed in all groups. Lesions initially demineralized for 16 and 8 h showed similar overall rehardening (ΔVHN and more than 24 and 36 h lesions, which were similar. The 8 h lesions showed the greatest fluoride response differential (367 versus 0 ppm F which diminished with increasing lesion baseline severity. The extent of rehardening as a result of the 0 ppm F treatment increased with increasing lesion baseline severity, whereas it decreased for the fluoride treatments. In conclusion, lesion baseline severity impacts the extent of the fluoride dose-response.

Technical concept for a greater-confinement-disposal test facility

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hunter, P.H.

1982-01-01

Greater confinement disposal (GCO) has been defined by the National Low-Level Waste Program as the disposal of low-level waste in such a manner as to provide greater containment of radiation, reduce potential for migration or dispersion or radionuclides, and provide greater protection from inadvertent human and biological intrusions in order to protect the public health and safety. This paper discusses: the need for GCD; definition of GCD; advantages and disadvantages of GCD; relative dose impacts of GCD versus shallow land disposal; types of waste compatible with GCD; objectives of GCD borehole demonstration test; engineering and technical issues; and factors affecting performance of the greater confinement disposal facility

GNSS Single Frequency, Single Epoch Reliable Attitude Determination Method with Baseline Vector Constraint

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ang Gong

2015-12-01

Full Text Available For Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS single frequency, single epoch attitude determination, this paper proposes a new reliable method with baseline vector constraint. First, prior knowledge of baseline length, heading, and pitch obtained from other navigation equipment or sensors are used to reconstruct objective function rigorously. Then, searching strategy is improved. It substitutes gradually Enlarged ellipsoidal search space for non-ellipsoidal search space to ensure correct ambiguity candidates are within it and make the searching process directly be carried out by least squares ambiguity decorrelation algorithm (LAMBDA method. For all vector candidates, some ones are further eliminated by derived approximate inequality, which accelerates the searching process. Experimental results show that compared to traditional method with only baseline length constraint, this new method can utilize a priori baseline three-dimensional knowledge to fix ambiguity reliably and achieve a high success rate. Experimental tests also verify it is not very sensitive to baseline vector error and can perform robustly when angular error is not great.

Site Outcomes Baseline Multi Year Work Plan Volume 1, River Corridor Restoration Baseline

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wintczak, T.M.

2001-01-01

The River Corridor Restoration volume is a compilation of Hanford Site scope, which excludes the approximately 194 km 2 Central Plateau. The River Corridor scope is currently contractually assigned to Fluor Hanford, Bechtel Hanford, inc., DynCorp, and Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, and others. The purpose of this project specification is to provide an overall scoping document for the River Corridor Restoration volume, and to provide a link with the overall Hanford Site River Corridor scope. Additionally, this specification provides an integrated and consolidated source of information for the various scopes, by current contract, for the River Corridor Restoration Baseline. It identifies the vision, mission, and goals, as well as the operational history of the Hanford Site, along with environmental setting and hazards

Classification of baseline toxicants for QSAR predictions to replace fish acute toxicity studies.

Science.gov (United States)

Nendza, Monika; Müller, Martin; Wenzel, Andrea

2017-03-22

Fish acute toxicity studies are required for environmental hazard and risk assessment of chemicals by national and international legislations such as REACH, the regulations of plant protection products and biocidal products, or the GHS (globally harmonised system) for classification and labelling of chemicals. Alternative methods like QSARs (quantitative structure-activity relationships) can replace many ecotoxicity tests. However, complete substitution of in vivo animal tests by in silico methods may not be realistic. For the so-called baseline toxicants, it is possible to predict the fish acute toxicity with sufficient accuracy from log K ow and, hence, valid QSARs can replace in vivo testing. In contrast, excess toxicants and chemicals not reliably classified as baseline toxicants require further in silico, in vitro or in vivo assessments. Thus, the critical task is to discriminate between baseline and excess toxicants. For fish acute toxicity, we derived a scheme based on structural alerts and physicochemical property thresholds to classify chemicals as either baseline toxicants (=predictable by QSARs) or as potential excess toxicants (=not predictable by baseline QSARs). The step-wise approach identifies baseline toxicants (true negatives) in a precautionary way to avoid false negative predictions. Therefore, a certain fraction of false positives can be tolerated, i.e. baseline toxicants without specific effects that may be tested instead of predicted. Application of the classification scheme to a new heterogeneous dataset for diverse fish species results in 40% baseline toxicants, 24% excess toxicants and 36% compounds not classified. Thus, we can conclude that replacing about half of the fish acute toxicity tests by QSAR predictions is realistic to be achieved in the short-term. The long-term goals are classification criteria also for further groups of toxicants and to replace as many in vivo fish acute toxicity tests as possible with valid QSAR

Conservation of forest birds: evidence of a shifting baseline in community structure.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chadwick D Rittenhouse

2010-08-01

Full Text Available Quantifying changes in forest bird diversity is an essential task for developing effective conservation actions. When subtle changes in diversity accumulate over time, annual comparisons may offer an incomplete perspective of changes in diversity. In this case, progressive change, the comparison of changes in diversity from a baseline condition, may offer greater insight because changes in diversity are assessed over longer periods of times. Our objectives were to determine how forest bird diversity has changed over time and whether those changes were associated with forest disturbance.We used North American Breeding Bird Survey data, a time series of Landsat images classified with respect to land cover change, and mixed-effects models to associate changes in forest bird community structure with forest disturbance, latitude, and longitude in the conterminous United States for the years 1985 to 2006. We document a significant divergence from the baseline structure for all birds of similar migratory habit and nest location, and all forest birds as a group from 1985 to 2006. Unexpectedly, decreases in progressive similarity resulted from small changes in richness (<1 species per route for the 22-year study period and modest losses in abundance (-28.7 - -10.2 individuals per route that varied by migratory habit and nest location. Forest disturbance increased progressive similarity for Neotropical migrants, permanent residents, ground nesting, and cavity nesting species. We also documented highest progressive similarity in the eastern United States.Contemporary forest bird community structure is changing rapidly over a relatively short period of time (e.g., approximately 22 years. Forest disturbance and forest regeneration are primary factors associated with contemporary forest bird community structure, longitude and latitude are secondary factors, and forest loss is a tertiary factor. Importantly, these findings suggest some regions of the United

Greater stroke severity predominates over all other factors for the worse outcome of cardioembolic stroke.

Science.gov (United States)

Hong, Keun-Sik; Lee, Juneyoung; Bae, Hee-Joon; Lee, Ji Sung; Kang, Dong-Wha; Yu, Kyung-Ho; Han, Moon-Ku; Cho, Yong-Jin; Song, Pamela; Park, Jong-Moo; Oh, Mi-Sun; Koo, Jaseong; Lee, Byung-Chul

2013-11-01

Cardioembolic (CE) strokes are more disabling and more fatal than non-CE strokes. Multiple prognostic factors have been recognized, but the magnitude of their relative contributions has not been well explored. Using a prospective stroke outcome database, we compared the 3-month outcomes of CE and non-CE strokes. We assessed the relative contribution of each prognostic factor of initial stroke severity, poststroke complications, and baseline characteristics with multivariable analyses and model fitness improvement using -2 log-likelihood and Nagelkerke R2. This study included 1233 patients with acute ischemic stroke: 193 CE strokes and 1040 non-CE strokes. Compared with the non-CE group, CE group had less modified Rankin Scale (mRS) 0-2 outcomes (47.2% versus 68.5%; odds ratio [95% confidence interval], .41 [.30-.56]), less mRS 0-1 outcomes (33.7% versus 53.5%; .44 [.32-.61]), more mRS 5-6 outcomes (32.1% versus 10.9%; 3.88 [2.71-5.56]), and higher mortality (19.2% versus 5.2%; 4.33 [2.76-6.80]) at 3 months. When adjusting either baseline characteristics or poststroke complications, the outcome differences between the 2 groups remained significant. However, adjusting initial National Institute of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score alone abolished all outcome differences except for mortality. For mRS 0-2 outcomes, the decrement of -2 log-likelihood and the Nagelkerke R2 of the model adjusting initial NIHSS score alone approached 70.2% and 76.7% of the fully adjusting model. Greater stroke severity predominates over all other factors for the worse outcome of CE stroke. Primary prevention and more efficient acute therapy for stroke victims should be given top priorities to reduce the burden of CE strokes. Copyright © 2013 National Stroke Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Baseline frontostriatal-limbic connectivity predicts reward-based memory formation.

Science.gov (United States)

Hamann, Janne M; Dayan, Eran; Hummel, Friedhelm C; Cohen, Leonardo G

2014-12-01

Reward mediates the acquisition and long-term retention of procedural skills in humans. Yet, learning under rewarded conditions is highly variable across individuals and the mechanisms that determine interindividual variability in rewarded learning are not known. We postulated that baseline functional connectivity in a large-scale frontostriatal-limbic network could predict subsequent interindividual variability in rewarded learning. Resting-state functional MRI was acquired in two groups of subjects (n = 30) who then trained on a visuomotor procedural learning task with or without reward feedback. We then tested whether baseline functional connectivity within the frontostriatal-limbic network predicted memory strength measured immediately, 24 h and 1 month after training in both groups. We found that connectivity in the frontostriatal-limbic network predicted interindividual variability in the rewarded but not in the unrewarded learning group. Prediction was strongest for long-term memory. Similar links between connectivity and reward-based memory were absent in two control networks, a fronto-parieto-temporal language network and the dorsal attention network. The results indicate that baseline functional connectivity within the frontostriatal-limbic network successfully predicts long-term retention of rewarded learning. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Localizing gravitational wave sources with single-baseline atom interferometers

Science.gov (United States)

Graham, Peter W.; Jung, Sunghoon

2018-02-01

Localizing sources on the sky is crucial for realizing the full potential of gravitational waves for astronomy, astrophysics, and cosmology. We show that the midfrequency band, roughly 0.03 to 10 Hz, has significant potential for angular localization. The angular location is measured through the changing Doppler shift as the detector orbits the Sun. This band maximizes the effect since these are the highest frequencies in which sources live for several months. Atom interferometer detectors can observe in the midfrequency band, and even with just a single baseline they can exploit this effect for sensitive angular localization. The single-baseline orbits around the Earth and the Sun, causing it to reorient and change position significantly during the lifetime of the source, and making it similar to having multiple baselines/detectors. For example, atomic detectors could predict the location of upcoming black hole or neutron star merger events with sufficient accuracy to allow optical and other electromagnetic telescopes to observe these events simultaneously. Thus, midband atomic detectors are complementary to other gravitational wave detectors and will help complete the observation of a broad range of the gravitational spectrum.

Leveraging probabilistic peak detection to estimate baseline drift in complex chromatographic samples

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Lopatka, M.; Barcaru, A.; Sjerps, M.J.; Vivó-Truyols, G.

2016-01-01

Accurate analysis of chromatographic data often requires the removal of baseline drift. A frequently employed strategy strives to determine asymmetric weights in order to fit a baseline model by regression. Unfortunately, chromatograms characterized by a very high peak saturation pose a significant

Socioeconomic position and participation in baseline and follow-up visits

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bender, Anne M; Jørgensen, Torben; Hansen, Bodil Helbech

2012-01-01

Background:The aim of this paper was to identify the extent of socioeconomic inequality in participation at baseline and follow-up visits.Design:The Inter99 study is a randomized intervention with the aim of investigating the effects of an individualized lifestyle consultation on ischaemic heart ...... inequality in participation at baseline and follow-up visits. Effort should be made to increase participation in individualized lifestyle interventions among persons of low socioeconomic position. Otherwise, the consequence may be increased socioeconomic inequality in IHD....

Investigation of Baseline Antioxidant Enzyme Expression in Pocillopora damicornis

Science.gov (United States)

Murphy, J.; Richmond, R. H.

2016-02-01

Coral reefs are some of the most diverse and valuable ecosystems in the world. Vital for maintaining ecological balance in coastal tropical environments, they also stand as the foundation for enormous cultural and economic resources. However, the continued degradation of coral reefs around the world, particularly within NOAA's Hawaii Marine Sanctuary, is an alarming call for action towards the identification of stressors and subsequent rehabilitation of these national treasures. Aligned with the goals of NOAA's National Marine Sanctuary to protect areas of the marine environment that are of special national significance to cultural, scientific, educational, and ecological values, this research targets addressing and standardizing antioxidant enzyme stress levels in Hawaiian coral over reproductive cycles in order to increase management aptitude and efficiency. By developing a greater understanding for biochemical biomarkers of stress in corals, specifically through the study of superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase, and glutathione reductase activity and expression, my research will aid in the adaptation and further development of biochemical tests to understand baseline thresholds of stress on coral reefs within Sanctuary waters. Slight, but significant variations in enzyme expression over reproductive time points alert us to modifications that must be made to consider fluctuating levels of coral susceptibility when sampling corals under stress. These findings will be applied to diagnostic tests describing the effect of different chemical pollutants on coral health in order to identify ecological issues and expand the knowledge of local communities and NOAA, so that steps can be taken to mitigate human Sanctuary impacts.

Baseline study of radiology services for the purpose of PACS evaluation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mun, S.K.; Benson, H.; Welsh, C.; Elliott, L.P.; Davros, W.

1988-01-01

This paper reports initial results of a radiology department baseline study of workload and data flow patterns for image generation, film library activities, report generation reporting activities at the film alternators and report transcription and validation. The authors analyze the film based operations prior to full implementation of the image management and communication system. The baseline study topics are examined

Baseline LAW Glass Formulation Testing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kruger, Albert A.; Mooers, Cavin; Bazemore, Gina; Pegg, Ian L.; Hight, Kenneth; Lai, Shan Tao; Buechele, Andrew; Rielley, Elizabeth; Gan, Hao; Muller, Isabelle S.; Cecil, Richard

2013-01-01

The major objective of the baseline glass formulation work was to develop and select glass formulations that are compliant with contractual and processing requirements for each of the LAW waste streams. Other objectives of the work included preparation and characterization of glasses with respect to the properties of interest, optimization of sulfate loading in the glasses, evaluation of ability to achieve waste loading limits, testing to demonstrate compatibility of glass melts with melter materials of construction, development of glass formulations to support ILAW qualification activities, and identification of glass formulation issues with respect to contract specifications and processing requirements

Baseline atmospheric program Australia 1993

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Francey, R.J.; Dick, A.L.; Derek, N.

1996-01-01

This publication reports activities, program summaries and data from the Cape Grim Baseline Air Pollution Station in Tasmania, during the calendar year 1993. These activities represent Australia's main contribution to the Background Air Pollution Monitoring Network (BAPMoN), part of the World Meteorological Organization's Global Atmosphere Watch (GAW). The report includes 5 research reports covering trace gas sampling, ozone and radon interdependence, analysis of atmospheric dimethylsulfide and carbon-disulfide, sampling of trace gas composition of the troposphere, and sulfur aerosol/CCN relationship in marine air. Summaries of program reports for the calendar year 1993 are also included. Tabs., figs., refs

MERI: an ultra-long-baseline Moon-Earth radio interferometer.

Science.gov (United States)

Burns, J. O.

Radiofrequency aperture synthesis, pioneered by Ryle and his colleagues at Cambridge in the 1960's, has evolved to ever longer baselines and larger arrays in recent years. The limiting resolution at a given frequency for modern ground-based very-long-baseline interferometry is simply determined by the physical diameter of the Earth. A second-generation, totally space-based VLB network was proposed recently by a group at the Naval Research Laboratory. The next logical extension of space-based VLBI would be a station or stations on the Moon. The Moon could serve as an outpost or even the primary correlator station for an extended array of space-based antennas.

Comparing the effects of meal replacements with an isocaloric reduced-fat diet on nutrient intake and lower urinary tract symptoms in obese men.

Science.gov (United States)

Khoo, J; Ling, P-S; Chen, R Y-T; Ng, K-K; Tay, T-L; Tan, E; Cho, L-W; Cheong, M

2014-06-01

Lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) in men are associated with obesity, particularly central obesity as measured by waist circumference (WC), and may improve with weight loss. We aimed to compare effects of a meal-replacement based diet with isocaloric reduced-fat plan on LUTS and nutrient intake in obese Asian men. Obese Asian [mean (range) body mass index of 32.9 (30.5-42.3) kg m(-2) ] men [mean (range) age 40.2 (30-61) years] were randomised to a reduced-fat (meal-replacement-based plan [meal replacement (MR) group; n = 23], to reduce daily intake by 2000 kJ for 12 weeks. CD and MR groups had statistically significant and similar reductions in weight (-2.6 ± 1.9 kg versus -4.2 ± 3.8 kg), overall LUTS severity measured with International Prostate Symptom Scale (IPSS) scores (-1.71 ± 1.93 points versus -2.42 ± 2.12 points) and insulin resistance [homeostasis model assessment (HOMA) calculated from plasma glucose and insulin]. The MR group had significantly greater decreases in WC (-4.8 ± 3.3 cm versus -2.5 ± 2.3 cm), fat mass (-2.47 ± 3.63 kg versus -1.59 ± 2.32 kg), fat intake, plasma C-reactive protein, and in storage LUTS score (-1.59 ± 1.33 points versus -1.00 ± 0.87 points), which was associated with a decreased fat intake (r = 0.48, P = 0.03). A decrease in overall IPSS score was associated with reductions in weight, WC and HOMA. Weight loss as a result of CD or MR had similar efficacy in relieving LUTS. MR produced greater reductions in fat intake, adiposity and storage LUTS. © 2013 The British Dietetic Association Ltd.

Comparative Study Using 100–300 Versus 300–500 μm Microspheres for Symptomatic Patients Due to Enlarged-BPH Prostates

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gonçalves, Octavio Meneghelli, E-mail: octaviogalvao@hotmail.com; Carnevale, Francisco Cesar, E-mail: francisco.carnevale@criep.com.br; Moreira, Airton Mota, E-mail: motamoreira@gmail.com [University of Sao Paulo Medical School, Interventional Radiology Unit (Brazil); Antunes, Alberto Azoubel, E-mail: antunesuro@uol.com.br [University of Sao Paulo Medical School, Division of Urology (Brazil); Rodrigues, Vanessa Cristina, E-mail: vanessapaular@yahoo.com.br [University of Sao Paulo Medical School, Interventional Radiology Unit (Brazil); Srougi, Miguel, E-mail: srougi@terra.com.br [University of Sao Paulo Medical School, Division of Urology (Brazil)

2016-10-15

PurposeThe purpose of the study was to compare safety and efficacy outcomes following prostate artery embolization (PAE) for the treatment of lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) due to benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) with 100–300 versus 300–500 μm tris-acryl gelatin microspheres.Materials and MethodsPatients were prospectively treated between August 2011 and June 2013 to receive PAE with 100–300 μm (group A) or 300–500 μm (group B) tris-acryl gelatin microspheres. Patients were followed for a minimum of 12 months and were assessed for changes in International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS), quality of life (QoL) index, prostate volume determined by magnetic resonance imaging, serum prostate specific antigen (PSA), and maximum urine flow rate (Q{sub max}), as well as any treatment-related adverse events.ResultsFifteen patients were included in each group, and PAE was technically successful in all cases. Both groups experienced significant improvement in mean IPSS, QoL, prostate volume, PSA, and Q{sub max} (p < 0.05 for all). The differences observed between the two groups included a marginally insignificant more adverse events (p = 0.066) and greater mean serum PSA reduction at 3 months of follow-up (p = 0.056) in group A.ConclusionsBoth 100–300 and 300–500 μm microspheres are safe and effective embolic agents for PAE to treat LUTS-related to BPH. Although functional and imaging outcomes did not differ significantly following use of the two embolic sizes, the greater incidence of adverse events with 100–300 μm microspheres suggests that 300–500 μm embolic materials may be more appropriate.

Comparative Study Using 100–300 Versus 300–500 μm Microspheres for Symptomatic Patients Due to Enlarged-BPH Prostates

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gonçalves, Octavio Meneghelli; Carnevale, Francisco Cesar; Moreira, Airton Mota; Antunes, Alberto Azoubel; Rodrigues, Vanessa Cristina; Srougi, Miguel

2016-01-01

PurposeThe purpose of the study was to compare safety and efficacy outcomes following prostate artery embolization (PAE) for the treatment of lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) due to benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) with 100–300 versus 300–500 μm tris-acryl gelatin microspheres.Materials and MethodsPatients were prospectively treated between August 2011 and June 2013 to receive PAE with 100–300 μm (group A) or 300–500 μm (group B) tris-acryl gelatin microspheres. Patients were followed for a minimum of 12 months and were assessed for changes in International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS), quality of life (QoL) index, prostate volume determined by magnetic resonance imaging, serum prostate specific antigen (PSA), and maximum urine flow rate (Q_m_a_x), as well as any treatment-related adverse events.ResultsFifteen patients were included in each group, and PAE was technically successful in all cases. Both groups experienced significant improvement in mean IPSS, QoL, prostate volume, PSA, and Q_m_a_x (p < 0.05 for all). The differences observed between the two groups included a marginally insignificant more adverse events (p = 0.066) and greater mean serum PSA reduction at 3 months of follow-up (p = 0.056) in group A.ConclusionsBoth 100–300 and 300–500 μm microspheres are safe and effective embolic agents for PAE to treat LUTS-related to BPH. Although functional and imaging outcomes did not differ significantly following use of the two embolic sizes, the greater incidence of adverse events with 100–300 μm microspheres suggests that 300–500 μm embolic materials may be more appropriate.

Wide-Baseline Stereo-Based Obstacle Mapping for Unmanned Surface Vehicles

Science.gov (United States)

Mou, Xiaozheng; Wang, Han

2018-01-01

This paper proposes a wide-baseline stereo-based static obstacle mapping approach for unmanned surface vehicles (USVs). The proposed approach eliminates the complicated calibration work and the bulky rig in our previous binocular stereo system, and raises the ranging ability from 500 to 1000 m with a even larger baseline obtained from the motion of USVs. Integrating a monocular camera with GPS and compass information in this proposed system, the world locations of the detected static obstacles are reconstructed while the USV is traveling, and an obstacle map is then built. To achieve more accurate and robust performance, multiple pairs of frames are leveraged to synthesize the final reconstruction results in a weighting model. Experimental results based on our own dataset demonstrate the high efficiency of our system. To the best of our knowledge, we are the first to address the task of wide-baseline stereo-based obstacle mapping in a maritime environment. PMID:29617293

2017 Annual Technology Baseline

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cole, Wesley J [National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Hand, M. M [National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Eberle, Annika [National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Beiter, Philipp C [National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Kurup, Parthiv [National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Turchi, Craig S [National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Feldman, David J [National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Margolis, Robert M [National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Augustine, Chad R [National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Maness, Michael [Formerly NREL; O' Connor, Patrick [Oak Ridge National Laboratory

2018-03-26

Consistent cost and performance data for various electricity generation technologies can be difficult to find and may change frequently for certain technologies. With the Annual Technology Baseline (ATB), the National Renewable Energy Laboratory annually provides an organized and centralized set of such cost and performance data. The ATB uses the best information from the Department of Energy national laboratories' renewable energy analysts as well as information from the Energy Information Administration for fuel-based technologies. The ATB has been reviewed by experts and it includes the following electricity generation technologies: land-based wind, offshore wind, utility-scale solar photovoltaics (PV), commercial-scale solar PV, residential-scale solar PV, concentrating solar power, geothermal power, hydropower, coal, natural gas, nuclear, and conventional biopower. This webinar presentation introduces the 2017 ATB.

Baseline Vascular Cognitive Impairment Predicts the Course of Apathetic Symptoms After Stroke: The CASPER Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Douven, Elles; Köhler, Sebastian; Schievink, Syenna H J; van Oostenbrugge, Robert J; Staals, Julie; Verhey, Frans R J; Aalten, Pauline

2018-03-01

To examine the influence of vascular cognitive impairment (VCI) on the course of poststroke depression (PSD) and poststroke apathy (PSA). Included were 250 stroke patients who underwent neuropsychological and neuropsychiatric assessment 3 months after stroke (baseline) and at a 6- and 12-month follow-up after baseline. Linear mixed models tested the influence of VCI in at least one cognitive domain (any VCI) or multidomain VCI (VCI in multiple cognitive domains) at baseline and domain-specific VCI at baseline on levels of depression and apathy over time, with random effects for intercept and slope. Almost half of the patients showed any VCI at baseline, and any VCI was associated with increasing apathy levels from baseline to the 12-month follow-up. Patients with multidomain VCI had higher apathy scores at the 6- and 12-month follow-up compared with patients with VCI in a single cognitive domain. Domain-specific analyses showed that impaired executive function and slowed information processing speed went together with increasing apathy levels from baseline to 6- and 12-month follow-up. None of the cognitive variables predicted the course of depressive symptoms. Baseline VCI is associated with increasing apathy levels from baseline to the chronic stroke phase, whereas no association was found between baseline VCI and the course of depressive symptoms. Health professionals should be aware that apathy might be absent early after stroke but may evolve over time in patients with VCI. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Twenty-month follow-up of occlusal caries lesions deemed questionable at baseline

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Makhija, Sonia K; Gilbert, Gregg H; Funkhouser, Ellen

2014-01-01

-three clinicians from The National Dental Practice-Based Research Network participated in this study, recording lesion characteristics at baseline and lesion status at 20 months. RESULTS: At baseline, 1,341 QOC lesions were examined; the treatment that was planned for 1,033 of those at baseline was monitoring...... (oral hygiene instruction, applying or prescribing fluoride or varnish, or both), and the remaining 308 received a sealant (n = 192) or invasive therapy (n = 116). At the 20-month visit, clinicians continued to monitor 927 (90 percent) of the 1,033 monitored lesions. Clinicians decided to seal 61 (6...

40 CFR 80.245 - How does a small refiner apply for a sulfur baseline?

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... sulfur baseline? 80.245 Section 80.245 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY... Provisions § 80.245 How does a small refiner apply for a sulfur baseline? (a) Any refiner seeking small refiner status must apply for a refinery sulfur baseline by the deadline under § 80.235 for each of the...

The steroids for corneal ulcers trial: study design and baseline characteristics.

Science.gov (United States)

Srinivasan, Muthiah; Mascarenhas, Jeena; Rajaraman, Revathi; Ravindran, Meenakshi; Lalitha, Prajna; Glidden, David V; Ray, Kathryn J; Hong, Kevin C; Oldenburg, Catherine E; Lee, Salena M; Zegans, Michael E; McLeod, Stephen D; Lietman, Thomas M; Acharya, Nisha R

2012-02-01

To provide comprehensive trial methods and baseline data for the Steroids for Corneal Ulcers Trial and to present epidemiological characteristics such as risk factors, causative organisms, and ulcer severity. Baseline data from a 1:1 randomized, placebo-controlled, double-masked clinical trial comparing prednisolone phosphate, 1%, with placebo as adjunctive therapy for the treatment of bacterial corneal ulcers. Eligible patients had a culture-positive bacterial corneal ulcer and had been taking moxifloxacin for 48 hours. The primary outcome for the trial is best spectacle-corrected visual acuity at 3 months from enrollment. This report provides comprehensive baseline data, including best spectacle-corrected visual acuity, infiltrate size, microbiological results, and patient demographics, for patients enrolled in the trial. Of 500 patients enrolled, 97% were in India. Two hundred twenty patients (44%) were agricultural workers. Median baseline visual acuity was 0.84 logMAR (Snellen, 20/125) (interquartile range, 0.36-1.7; Snellen, 20/50 to counting fingers). Baseline visual acuity was not significantly different between the United States and India. Ulcers in India had larger infiltrate/scar sizes (P = .04) and deeper infiltrates (P = .04) and were more likely to be localized centrally (P = .002) than ulcers enrolled in the United States. Gram-positive bacteria were the most common organisms isolated from the ulcers (n = 366, 72%). The Steroids for Corneal Ulcers Trial will compare the use of a topical corticosteroid with placebo as adjunctive therapy for bacterial corneal ulcers. Patients enrolled in this trial had diverse ulcer severity and on average significantly reduced visual acuity at presentation. clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT00324168.

77 FR 21760 - Atmos Energy Colorado/Kansas Division; Notice of Baseline Filing

Science.gov (United States)