XY sex chromosome complement, compared with XX, in the CNS confers greater neurodegeneration during experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis.

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Du, Sienmi; Itoh, Noriko; Askarinam, Sahar; Hill, Haley; Arnold, Arthur P; Voskuhl, Rhonda R

2014-02-18

Women are more susceptible to multiple sclerosis (MS) and have more robust immune responses than men. However, men with MS tend to demonstrate a more progressive disease course than women, suggesting a disconnect between the severity of an immune attack and the CNS response to a given immune attack. We have previously shown in an MS model, experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis, that autoantigen-sensitized XX lymph node cells, compared with XY, are more encephalitogenic. These studies demonstrated an effect of sex chromosomes in the induction of immune responses, but did not address a potential role of sex chromosomes in the CNS response to immune-mediated injury. Here, we examined this possibility using XX versus XY bone marrow chimeras reconstituted with a common immune system of one sex chromosomal type. We found that experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis mice with an XY sex chromosome complement in the CNS, compared with XX, demonstrated greater clinical disease severity with more neuropathology in the spinal cord, cerebellum, and cerebral cortex. A candidate gene on the X chromosome, toll-like receptor 7, was then examined. Toll-like receptor 7 expression in cortical neurons was higher in mice with XY compared with mice with XX CNS, consistent with the known neurodegenerative role for toll-like receptor 7 in neurons. These results suggest that sex chromosome effects on neurodegeneration in the CNS run counter to effects on immune responses, and may bear relevance to the clinical enigma of greater MS susceptibility in women but faster disability progression in men. This is a demonstration of a direct effect of sex chromosome complement on neurodegeneration in a neurological disease.

Human activities on the deep seafloor in the North East Atlantic: an assessment of spatial extent.

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Angela R Benn

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Environmental impacts of human activities on the deep seafloor are of increasing concern. While activities within waters shallower than 200 m have been the focus of previous assessments of anthropogenic impacts, no study has quantified the extent of individual activities or determined the relative severity of each type of impact in the deep sea. METHODOLOGY: The OSPAR maritime area of the North East Atlantic was chosen for the study because it is considered to be one of the most heavily impacted by human activities. In addition, it was assumed data would be accessible and comprehensive. Using the available data we map and estimate the spatial extent of five major human activities in the North East Atlantic that impact the deep seafloor: submarine communication cables, marine scientific research, oil and gas industry, bottom trawling and the historical dumping of radioactive waste, munitions and chemical weapons. It was not possible to map military activities. The extent of each activity has been quantified for a single year, 2005. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Human activities on the deep seafloor of the OSPAR area of the North Atlantic are significant but their footprints vary. Some activities have an immediate impact after which seafloor communities could re-establish, while others can continue to make an impact for many years and the impact could extend far beyond the physical disturbance. The spatial extent of waste disposal, telecommunication cables, the hydrocarbon industry and marine research activities is relatively small. The extent of bottom trawling is very significant and, even on the lowest possible estimates, is an order of magnitude greater than the total extent of all the other activities. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: To meet future ecosystem-based management and governance objectives for the deep sea significant improvements are required in data collection and availability as well as a greater awareness of the relative impact of

Greater fruit selection following an appearance-based compared with a health-based health promotion poster

Science.gov (United States)

2016-01-01

Abstract Background This study investigated the impact of an appearance-based compared with a traditional health-based public health message for healthy eating. Methods A total of 166 British University students (41 males; aged 20.6 ± 1.9 years) were randomized to view either an appearance-based (n = 82) or a health-based (n = 84) fruit promotion poster. Intentions to consume fruit and immediate fruit selection (laboratory observation) were assessed immediately after poster viewing, and subsequent self-report fruit consumption was assessed 3 days later. Results Intentions to consume fruit were not predicted by poster type (largest β = 0.03, P = 0.68) but were associated with fruit-based liking, past consumption, attitudes and social norms (smallest β = 0.16, P = 0.04). Immediate fruit selection was greater following the appearance-based compared with the health-based poster (β = −0.24, P poster (β = −0.22, P = 0.03), but this effect became non-significant on consideration of participant characteristics (β = −0.15, P = 0.13), and was instead associated with fruit-based liking and past consumption (smallest β = 0.24, P = 0.03). Conclusions These findings demonstrate the clear value of an appearance-based compared with a health-based health promotion poster for increasing fruit selection. A distinction between outcome measures and the value of a behavioural measure is also demonstrated. PMID:28158693

Latest Rate, Extent, and Temporal Evolution of Growth Faulting over Greater Houston Region Revealed by Multi- Band InSAR Time-Series Analysis

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Qu, F.; Lu, Z.; Kim, J. W.

2017-12-01

Growth faults are common and continue to evolve throughout the unconsolidated sediments of Greater Houston (GH) region in Texas. Presence of faults can induce localized surface displacements, aggravate localized subsidence, and discontinue the integrity of ground water flow. Property damages due to fault creep have become more evident during the past few years over the GH area, portraying the necessity of further study of these faults. Interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR) has been proven to be effective in mapping creep along and/or across faults. However, extracting a short wavelength, as well as small amplitude of the creep signal (about 10-20 mm/year) from long time span interferograms is extremely difficult, especially in agricultural or vegetated areas. This paper aims to map and monitor the latest rate, extent, and temporal evolution of faulting at a highest spatial density over GH region using an improved Multi-temporal InSAR (MTI) technique. The method, with maximized usable signal and correlation, has the ability to identify and monitor the active faults to provide an accurate and elaborate image of the faults. In this study, two neighboring ALOS tracks and Sentinel-1A datasets are used. Many zones of steep phase gradients and/or discontinuities have been recognized from the long term velocity maps by both ALOS (2007-2011) and Sentinei-1A (2015-2017) imagery. Not only those previously known faults position but also the new fault traces that have not been mapped by other techniques are imaged by our MTI technique. Fault damage and visible cracking of ground were evident at most locations through our field survey. The discovery of new fault activation, or faults moved from earlier locations is a part of the Big Barn Fault and Conroe fault system, trending from southwest to northeast between Hockley and Conroe. The location of area of subsidence over GH is also shrinking and migrating toward the northeast (Montgomery County) after 2000. The

Does enhanced heat resistance of irradiated insects represent greater ability to adapt

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ducoff, H.S.; MacDuff, R.A.

1985-01-01

Previous work from this lab demonstrated that irradiated flour beetles (Tribolium) develop resistance to oxygen with similar kinetics: greater sensitivity for about 1 week, increasing resistance over the next week, and resistance persisting for 3-6 months. This is in contrast to the rapid development of heat resistance in yeast exposed to UV or ionizing radiation and to rapid induction of heat-stress proteins in E. coli exposed to UV or nalidixic acid. The authors' early work did not distinguish between intrinsic heat resistance and enhanced ability to adapt. They tried to resolve this problem by comparing response of irradiated and of control beetles to challenge at 45 0 C with or without brief exposure to 41 0 C just prior to challenge. Mean lethal exposure time at 45 0 C was increased to about the same extent in both populations after 15 min at 41 0 C, suggesting that irradiation increases insectors' intrinsic resistance to stress rather than their ability to adapt

Extent and characteristics of self-reported pain in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus.

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Waldheim, E; Elkan, A-C; Bergman, S; Frostegård, J; van Vollenhoven, R; Henriksson, E Welin

2013-02-01

Patients' own experiences of subjective symptoms are scarcely covered, and the objective of this study was to investigate the extent and characteristics of self-reported pain in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). This study comprised a cross-sectional design where 84 patients with SLE were asked to complete self-assessments: visual analogue scale of pain and the Short-Form McGill Pain Questionnaire. Medical assessments, including ESR, SLAM, SLEDAI, and SLICC, were also performed. Of the study population, 24% reported higher levels of SLE-related pain (≥40 mm on VAS). This group had a significantly shorter disease duration, higher ESR, and higher disease activity, according to the SLAM and SLEDAI, compared to the rest of the study population. This group mainly used the words "tender," "aching," and "burning" to describe moderate and severe pain, and they used a greater number of words to describe their pain. Of the patients with higher levels of pain, 70% reported their present pain as "distressing." The most common pain location for the whole patient population was the joints. Patients rated their disease activity significantly higher than physicians did. These findings expand the current knowledge of the extent of SLE-related pain and how patients perceive this pain. The results can contribute to affirmative, supportive and caring communication and especially highlight SLE-related pain in patients with a short disease duration and high disease activity.

Greater healthcare utilization and costs among Black persons compared to White persons with aphasia in the North Carolina stroke belt.

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Ellis, Charles; Hardy, Rose Y; Lindrooth, Richard C

2017-05-15

To examine racial differences in healthcare utilization and costs for persons with aphasia (PWA) being treated in acute care hospitals in North Carolina (NC). NC Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project State Inpatient Database (HCUP-SID) data from 2011-2012 were analyzed to examine healthcare utilization and costs of care for stroke patients with aphasia. Analyses emphasized length of stay, charges and cost of general hospital services. Generalized linear models (GLM) were constructed to determine the impact of demographic characteristics, stroke/illness severity, and observed hospital characteristics on utilization and costs. Hospital fixed effects were included to yield within-hospital estimates of disparities. GLM models demonstrated that Blacks with aphasia experienced 1.9days longer lengths of stay compared to Whites with aphasia after controlling for demographic characteristics, 1.4days controlling for stroke/illness severity, 1.2days controlling for observed hospital characteristics, and ~1 extra day controlling for unobserved hospital characteristics. Similarly, Blacks accrued ~$2047 greater total costs compared to Whites after controlling for demographic characteristics, $1659 controlling for stroke/illness severity, $1338 controlling for observed hospital characteristics, and ~$1311 greater total costs after controlling for unobserved hospital characteristics. In the acute hospital setting, Blacks with aphasia utilize greater hospital services during longer hospitalizations and at substantially higher costs in the state of NC. A substantial portion of the adjusted difference was related to the hospital treating the patient. However, even after controlling for the hospital, the differences remained clinically and statistically significant. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Capturing heterogeneity: The role of a study area's extent for estimating mean throughfall

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Zimmermann, Alexander; Voss, Sebastian; Metzger, Johanna Clara; Hildebrandt, Anke; Zimmermann, Beate

2016-11-01

The selection of an appropriate spatial extent of a sampling plot is one among several important decisions involved in planning a throughfall sampling scheme. In fact, the choice of the extent may determine whether or not a study can adequately characterize the hydrological fluxes of the studied ecosystem. Previous attempts to optimize throughfall sampling schemes focused on the selection of an appropriate sample size, support, and sampling design, while comparatively little attention has been given to the role of the extent. In this contribution, we investigated the influence of the extent on the representativeness of mean throughfall estimates for three forest ecosystems of varying stand structure. Our study is based on virtual sampling of simulated throughfall fields. We derived these fields from throughfall data sampled in a simply structured forest (young tropical forest) and two heterogeneous forests (old tropical forest, unmanaged mixed European beech forest). We then sampled the simulated throughfall fields with three common extents and various sample sizes for a range of events and for accumulated data. Our findings suggest that the size of the study area should be carefully adapted to the complexity of the system under study and to the required temporal resolution of the throughfall data (i.e. event-based versus accumulated). Generally, event-based sampling in complex structured forests (conditions that favor comparatively long autocorrelations in throughfall) requires the largest extents. For event-based sampling, the choice of an appropriate extent can be as important as using an adequate sample size.

Extent of colorectal peritoneal carcinomatosis: attempt to define a threshold above which HIPEC does not offer survival benefit: a comparative study.

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Goéré, Diane; Souadka, Amine; Faron, Matthieu; Cloutier, Alexis S; Viana, Benjamin; Honoré, Charles; Dumont, Frédéric; Elias, Dominique

2015-09-01

The main prognostic factors after complete cytoreductive surgery (CCRS) of colorectal peritoneal carcinomatosis (PC) followed by intraperitoneal chemotherapy (IPC) are completeness of the resection and extent of the disease. This study aimed to determine a threshold value above which CCRS plus IPC may not offer survival benefit compared with systemic chemotherapy. Between March 2000 and May 2010, 180 patients underwent surgery for PC from colorectal cancer with intended performance of CCRS plus IPC. Among the 180 patients, CCRS plus IPC could be performed for 139 patients (curative group, 77 %), whereas it could not be performed for 41 patients (palliative group, 23 %). The two groups were comparable in terms of age, gender, primary tumor characteristics, and pre- and postoperative systemic chemotherapy. The mean peritoneal cancer index (PCI) was lower in the curative group (11 ± 7) than in the palliative group (23 ± 7) (p offer any survival benefit.

To What Extent is Drinking Water Tested in Sub-Saharan Africa? A Comparative Analysis of Regulated Water Quality Monitoring.

Science.gov (United States)

Peletz, Rachel; Kumpel, Emily; Bonham, Mateyo; Rahman, Zarah; Khush, Ranjiv

2016-03-02

Water quality information is important for guiding water safety management and preventing water-related diseases. To assess the current status of regulated water quality monitoring in sub-Saharan Africa, we evaluated testing programs for fecal contamination in 72 institutions (water suppliers and public health agencies) across 10 countries. Data were collected through written surveys, in-person interviews, and analysis of microbial water quality testing levels. Though most institutions did not achieve the testing levels specified by applicable standards or World Health Organization (WHO) Guidelines, 85% of institutions had conducted some microbial water testing in the previous year. Institutions were more likely to meet testing targets if they were suppliers (as compared to surveillance agencies), served larger populations, operated in urban settings, and had higher water quality budgets (all p water providers and rural public health offices will require greater attention and additional resources to achieve regulatory compliance for water quality monitoring in sub-Saharan Africa. The cost-effectiveness of water quality monitoring should be improved by the application of risk-based water management approaches. Efforts to strengthen monitoring capacity should pay greater attention to program sustainability and institutional commitment to water safety.

The true extent of agriculture's contribution to national greenhouse gas emissions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bell, M.J.; Cloy, J.M.; Rees, R.M.

2014-01-01

Highlights: • Quantification of agricultural GHG emissions is required under legislation. • Alternative approaches to calculating agricultural GHG inventories were compared. • The Scottish Government and IPCC attribute different emissions to the agricultural sector. • High emissions from agriculture are calculated when land-use change is included. • Agriculture is a greater source of emissions using the Scottish Government approach. - Abstract: The agricultural sector is a significant contributor to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and a growing global population means that agricultural production will remain high if food demands are to be met. Mitigation methods to reduce emissions from this sector are thus required, along with identification and quantification of emission sources, so that the agricultural community can act and measure its progress. International legislation requires the submission of annual reports quantifying GHG emissions from agriculture. The importance of attributing the correct sources of emissions to the agricultural sector is clear; however the current approach taken by the IPCC, and reported to the UNFCCC, omits emissions from soils during agricultural land-use change from its agricultural inventory. This paper questions the IPCC approach, and the attribution of agricultural land-use change emissions to a separate category: ‘Land-use, Land-use change and Forestry’. Here a new approach adopted by the Scottish Government is examined, and compared to IPCC guidelines and national communications submitted to the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) and the UNFCCC. The new Scottish Government approach attributes emissions from both land-use conversion and agricultural land under continuous use to the agricultural sector, in addition to those emissions from livestock and energy use on farms. The extent of emissions attributed to the agricultural sector using the Scottish Government approach is much greater than that using

Evolutionary history, immigration history, and the extent of diversification in community assembly.

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Knope, Matthew L; Forde, Samantha E; Fukami, Tadashi

2011-01-01

During community assembly, species may accumulate not only by immigration, but also by in situ diversification. Diversification has intrigued biologists because its extent varies even among closely related lineages under similar ecological conditions. Recent research has suggested that some of this puzzling variation may be caused by stochastic differences in the history of immigration (relative timing and order of immigration by founding populations), indicating that immigration and diversification may affect community assembly interactively. However, the conditions under which immigration history affects diversification remain unclear. Here we propose the hypothesis that whether or not immigration history influences the extent of diversification depends on the founding populations' prior evolutionary history, using evidence from a bacterial experiment. To create genotypes with different evolutionary histories, replicate populations of Pseudomonas fluorescens were allowed to adapt to a novel environment for a short or long period of time (approximately 10 or 100 bacterial generations) with or without exploiters (viral parasites). Each evolved genotype was then introduced to a new habitat either before or after a standard competitor genotype. Most genotypes diversified to a greater extent when introduced before, rather than after, the competitor. However, introduction order did not affect the extent of diversification when the evolved genotype had previously adapted to the environment for a long period of time without exploiters. Diversification of these populations was low regardless of introduction order. These results suggest that the importance of immigration history in diversification can be predicted by the immigrants' evolutionary past. The hypothesis proposed here may be generally applicable in both micro- and macro-organisms.

Efficacy of helical CT in evaluating local tumor extent of breast cancer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ozaki, Yutaka

2001-01-01

The purpose of this study is to clarify the diagnostic accuracy of helical CT (HCT) in the determination of local tumor extent of breast cancer. One hundred forty consecutive patients with breast cancer, including 87 invasive ductal carcinomas without extensive intraductal components (EIC), 44 invasive ductal carcinomas with EIC, 2 non-invasive ductal carcinomas, and 7 invasive lobular carcinomas, were included in the study. Three-dimensional tumor diameter including whole extent was measured on HCT, and the amount of invasion to fat tissue, skin, pectoral muscle, and chest wall was estimated using a three-step scale. These results were then compared with the pathological findings. Breast cancers appeared as areas of high attenuation compared with the surrounding breast tissue in all patients. Tumor extent was correctly diagnosed by HCT to within a maximum difference of 1 cm in 88 patients (63%) and within 2 cm in 122 patients (87%). Sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy in diagnosing muscular invasion of breast cancer using HCT were 100%, 99%, and 99%, respectively. Sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy in diagnosing skin invasion of breast cancer using HCT were 84%, 93%, and 91%, respectively. HCT was able to visualize all of the tumors and detect the correct tumor extent in most patients. (author)

Efficacy of helical CT in evaluating local tumor extent of breast cancer

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ozaki, Yutaka [Juntendo Univ., Chiba (Japan). Urayasu Hospital

2001-04-01

The purpose of this study is to clarify the diagnostic accuracy of helical CT (HCT) in the determination of local tumor extent of breast cancer. One hundred forty consecutive patients with breast cancer, including 87 invasive ductal carcinomas without extensive intraductal components (EIC), 44 invasive ductal carcinomas with EIC, 2 non-invasive ductal carcinomas, and 7 invasive lobular carcinomas, were included in the study. Three-dimensional tumor diameter including whole extent was measured on HCT, and the amount of invasion to fat tissue, skin, pectoral muscle, and chest wall was estimated using a three-step scale. These results were then compared with the pathological findings. Breast cancers appeared as areas of high attenuation compared with the surrounding breast tissue in all patients. Tumor extent was correctly diagnosed by HCT to within a maximum difference of 1 cm in 88 patients (63%) and within 2 cm in 122 patients (87%). Sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy in diagnosing muscular invasion of breast cancer using HCT were 100%, 99%, and 99%, respectively. Sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy in diagnosing skin invasion of breast cancer using HCT were 84%, 93%, and 91%, respectively. HCT was able to visualize all of the tumors and detect the correct tumor extent in most patients. (author)

Spatial extent in demographic research - approach and problems

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Knežević Aleksandar

2015-01-01

Full Text Available One of the starting methodological problems in demographic research is the definition of spatial extent, which mostly doesn’t correspond to spatial extent already defined by different levels of administrative-territorial unitsthat are used for distribution of usable statistical data. That’s why determining the spatial extent of a demographic research is closely tied with administrative-territorial division of the territory that is being researched, wherein the fact that differentiation of demographic phenomena and processes cannot be the only basis of setting the principles of regionalization must be strictly acknowledged. This problem is particularly common in historical demographic analyses of geographically determined wholes, which are in administratively-territorial sense represented by one or more smaller territorial units, with their borders changing through the history, which directly affects comparability of the statistical data, and makes it considerably more difficult to track demographic change through longer time intervals. The result of these efforts is usually a solution based on a compromise which enables us to examine the dynamics of population change with little deviation from already defined borders of regional geographic wholes. For that reason in this paper the problem of defining spatial extent in demographic research is examined trough several different approaches in case of Eastern Serbia, as a geographically determined region, a historic area, a spatially functioning whole and as a statistical unit for demographic research, with no judgment calls in regard to any of the regionalization principles. [Projekat Ministarstva nauke Republike Srbije, br. III 47006

Forest extent and deforestation in tropical Africa since 1900.

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Aleman, Julie C; Jarzyna, Marta A; Staver, A Carla

2018-01-01

Accurate estimates of historical forest extent and associated deforestation rates are crucial for quantifying tropical carbon cycles and formulating conservation policy. In Africa, data-driven estimates of historical closed-canopy forest extent and deforestation at the continental scale are lacking, and existing modelled estimates diverge substantially. Here, we synthesize available palaeo-proxies and historical maps to reconstruct forest extent in tropical Africa around 1900, when European colonization accelerated markedly, and compare these historical estimates with modern forest extent to estimate deforestation. We find that forests were less extensive in 1900 than bioclimatic models predict. Resultantly, across tropical Africa, ~ 21.7% of forests have been deforested, yielding substantially slower deforestation than previous estimates (35-55%). However, deforestation was heterogeneous: West and East African forests have undergone almost complete decline (~ 83.3 and 93.0%, respectively), while Central African forests have expanded at the expense of savannahs (~ 1.4% net forest expansion, with ~ 135,270 km 2 of savannahs encroached). These results suggest that climate alone does not determine savannah and forest distributions and that many savannahs hitherto considered to be degraded forests are instead relatively old. These data-driven reconstructions of historical biome distributions will inform tropical carbon cycle estimates, carbon mitigation initiatives and conservation planning in both forest and savannah systems.

Prognostic value of medulloblastoma extent of resection after accounting for molecular subgroup: a retrospective integrated clinical and molecular analysis.

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Thompson, Eric M; Hielscher, Thomas; Bouffet, Eric; Remke, Marc; Luu, Betty; Gururangan, Sridharan; McLendon, Roger E; Bigner, Darell D; Lipp, Eric S; Perreault, Sebastien; Cho, Yoon-Jae; Grant, Gerald; Kim, Seung-Ki; Lee, Ji Yeoun; Rao, Amulya A Nageswara; Giannini, Caterina; Li, Kay Ka Wai; Ng, Ho-Keung; Yao, Yu; Kumabe, Toshihiro; Tominaga, Teiji; Grajkowska, Wieslawa A; Perek-Polnik, Marta; Low, David C Y; Seow, Wan Tew; Chang, Kenneth T E; Mora, Jaume; Pollack, Ian F; Hamilton, Ronald L; Leary, Sarah; Moore, Andrew S; Ingram, Wendy J; Hallahan, Andrew R; Jouvet, Anne; Fèvre-Montange, Michelle; Vasiljevic, Alexandre; Faure-Conter, Cecile; Shofuda, Tomoko; Kagawa, Naoki; Hashimoto, Naoya; Jabado, Nada; Weil, Alexander G; Gayden, Tenzin; Wataya, Takafumi; Shalaby, Tarek; Grotzer, Michael; Zitterbart, Karel; Sterba, Jaroslav; Kren, Leos; Hortobágyi, Tibor; Klekner, Almos; László, Bognár; Pócza, Tímea; Hauser, Peter; Schüller, Ulrich; Jung, Shin; Jang, Woo-Youl; French, Pim J; Kros, Johan M; van Veelen, Marie-Lise C; Massimi, Luca; Leonard, Jeffrey R; Rubin, Joshua B; Vibhakar, Rajeev; Chambless, Lola B; Cooper, Michael K; Thompson, Reid C; Faria, Claudia C; Carvalho, Alice; Nunes, Sofia; Pimentel, José; Fan, Xing; Muraszko, Karin M; López-Aguilar, Enrique; Lyden, David; Garzia, Livia; Shih, David J H; Kijima, Noriyuki; Schneider, Christian; Adamski, Jennifer; Northcott, Paul A; Kool, Marcel; Jones, David T W; Chan, Jennifer A; Nikolic, Ana; Garre, Maria Luisa; Van Meir, Erwin G; Osuka, Satoru; Olson, Jeffrey J; Jahangiri, Arman; Castro, Brandyn A; Gupta, Nalin; Weiss, William A; Moxon-Emre, Iska; Mabbott, Donald J; Lassaletta, Alvaro; Hawkins, Cynthia E; Tabori, Uri; Drake, James; Kulkarni, Abhaya; Dirks, Peter; Rutka, James T; Korshunov, Andrey; Pfister, Stefan M; Packer, Roger J; Ramaswamy, Vijay; Taylor, Michael D

2016-04-01

benefit for gross total resection compared with near-total resection (HR 1·05, 0·71-1·53, p=0·8158 for progression-free survival and HR 1·14, 0·75-1·72, p=0·55 for overall survival). No significant survival benefit existed for greater extent of resection for patients with WNT, SHH, or group 3 tumours (HR 1·03, 0·67-1·58, p=0·89 for sub-total resection vs gross total resection). For patients with group 4 tumours, gross total resection conferred a benefit to progression-free survival compared with sub-total resection (HR 1·97, 1·22-3·17, p=0·0056), especially for those with metastatic disease (HR 2·22, 1·00-4·93, p=0·050). However, gross total resection had no effect on overall survival compared with sub-total resection in patients with group 4 tumours (HR 1·67, 0·93-2·99, p=0·084). The prognostic benefit of increased extent of resection for patients with medulloblastoma is attenuated after molecular subgroup affiliation is taken into account. Although maximum safe surgical resection should remain the standard of care, surgical removal of small residual portions of medulloblastoma is not recommended when the likelihood of neurological morbidity is high because there is no definitive benefit to gross total resection compared with near-total resection. Canadian Cancer Society Research Institute, Terry Fox Research Institute, Canadian Institutes of Health Research, National Institutes of Health, Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation, and the Garron Family Chair in Childhood Cancer Research. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

[Toxocara canis: frequency of detection and extent of infection in bitches of various breeds and husbandry and their litters in South Germany].

Science.gov (United States)

Gothe, R; Reichler, I

1990-06-01

Epidemiological investigations of 100 randomly selected dog families in Southern Germany revealed eggs of Toxocara canis in 67% of the litters and in 45% of the bitches. Eggs were isolated from litters at the earliest on the 16th day and at the latest on the 55th day post partum, in bitches on the 19th and 60th day respectively after giving birth. With regard to the coproscopically detected frequency of T. canis eggs in separate analyses of the dog breeds, only slight differences were found; very large breeds, however, revealed substantially a greater excretion extent. An evaluation exclusively concerned with the way the dog families were kept showed a higher percentage of 76.2% for litters from kennels than among those kept indoors, which amounted only to 51.4%. Relating the excretion extent to the number of additionally kept fully grown dogs/breeder, evident correlations were found, as the number of positive litters increased together with the number of additionally kept adult dogs/dog family. In comparison with dog families exclusively kept indoors, kennel dogs had a higher extent of excretion. Regarding the number of litters born per year/stock compared with excretion extent a positive correlation could be drawn for dog families up to 5 litters/year only. The number of litters born per bitch had no influence on the excretion extent of the litters. Correlations between the number of anthelminthic treatments of litters or bitches during and following pregnancy and the excretion extent of T. canis could not be deduced. The litters remained positive even after 5-8 treatments during the investigation period of 9 weeks and positive results continued after the puppies had been sold.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

To What Extent is Drinking Water Tested in Sub-Saharan Africa? A Comparative Analysis of Regulated Water Quality Monitoring

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rachel Peletz

2016-03-01

Full Text Available Water quality information is important for guiding water safety management and preventing water-related diseases. To assess the current status of regulated water quality monitoring in sub-Saharan Africa, we evaluated testing programs for fecal contamination in 72 institutions (water suppliers and public health agencies across 10 countries. Data were collected through written surveys, in-person interviews, and analysis of microbial water quality testing levels. Though most institutions did not achieve the testing levels specified by applicable standards or World Health Organization (WHO Guidelines, 85% of institutions had conducted some microbial water testing in the previous year. Institutions were more likely to meet testing targets if they were suppliers (as compared to surveillance agencies, served larger populations, operated in urban settings, and had higher water quality budgets (all p < 0.05. Our results indicate that smaller water providers and rural public health offices will require greater attention and additional resources to achieve regulatory compliance for water quality monitoring in sub-Saharan Africa. The cost-effectiveness of water quality monitoring should be improved by the application of risk-based water management approaches. Efforts to strengthen monitoring capacity should pay greater attention to program sustainability and institutional commitment to water safety.

Race and the Metropolitan Origins of Postsecondary Access to Four Year Colleges: The Case of Greater Boston

Science.gov (United States)

Berger, Joseph B.; Smith, Suzanne M.; Coelen, Stephen P.

2004-01-01

The inequities of residential segregation and their impact on educational opportunity are a national problem, but greater metropolitan Boston has a particularly problematic history in terms of the extent to which racial segregation has deeply divided the city into separate and unequal systems of opportunity. Despite decades of policy efforts to…

Type 2 diabetes after gestational diabetes: greater than fourfold risk among Indigenous compared with non-Indigenous Australian women.

Science.gov (United States)

Chamberlain, Catherine R; Oldenburg, Brian; Wilson, Alyce N; Eades, Sandra J; O'Dea, Kerin; Oats, Jeremy J N; Wolfe, Rory

2016-02-01

Gestational diabetes is associated with a high risk of type 2 diabetes. However, progression rates among Indigenous women in Australia who experience high prevalence of gestational diabetes are unknown. This retrospective cohort study includes all births to women at a regional hospital in Far North Queensland, Australia, coded as having 'gestational diabetes' from 1 January 2004 to 31 December 2010 (1098 births) and receiving laboratory postpartum screening from 1 January 2004 to 31 December 2011 (n = 483 births). Women who did not receive postpartum screening were excluded from the denominator. Data were linked between hospital electronic records, routinely collected birth data and laboratories, with sample validation by reviews of medical records. Analysis was conducted using Cox-proportional regression models. Indigenous women had a greater than fourfold risk of developing type 2 diabetes within 8 years of having gestational diabetes, compared with non-Indigenous women (hazards ratio 4.55, 95% confidence interval 2.63-7.88, p Australian women have a greater than fourfold risk of developing type 2 diabetes after gestational diabetes. Strategies are urgently needed to reduce rates of type 2 diabetes by supporting a healthy weight and breastfeeding and to improve postpartum screening among Indigenous women with gestational diabetes. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

27 CFR 4.2 - Territorial extent.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... 27 Alcohol, Tobacco Products and Firearms 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Territorial extent. 4.2 Section 4.2 Alcohol, Tobacco Products and Firearms ALCOHOL AND TOBACCO TAX AND TRADE BUREAU, DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY LIQUORS LABELING AND ADVERTISING OF WINE Scope § 4.2 Territorial extent. This part...

Exploring the Origin, Extent, and Future of Life

Science.gov (United States)

Bertka, Constance M.

2009-09-01

1. Astrobiology in societal context Constance Bertka; Part I. Origin of Life: 2. Emergence and the experimental pursuit of the origin of life Robert Hazen; 3. From Aristotle to Darwin, to Freeman Dyson: changing definitions of life viewed in historical context James Strick; 4. Philosophical aspects of the origin-of-life problem: the emergence of life and the nature of science Iris Fry; 5. The origin of terrestrial life: a Christian perspective Ernan McMullin; 6. The alpha and the omega: reflections on the origin and future of life from the perspective of Christian theology and ethics Celia Deane-Drummond; Part II. Extent of Life: 7. A biologist's guide to the Solar System Lynn Rothschild; 8. The quest for habitable worlds and life beyond the Solar System Carl Pilcher; 9. A historical perspective on the extent and search for life Steven J. Dick; 10. The search for extraterrestrial life: epistemology, ethics, and worldviews Mark Lupisella; 11. The implications of discovering extraterrestrial life: different searches, different issues Margaret S. Race; 12. God, evolution, and astrobiology Cynthia S. W. Crysdale; Part III. Future of Life: 13. Planetary ecosynthesis on Mars: restoration ecology and environmental ethics Christopher P. McKay; 14. The trouble with intrinsic value: an ethical primer for astrobiology Kelly C. Smith; 15. God's preferential option for life: a Christian perspective on astrobiology Richard O. Randolph; 16. Comparing stories about the origin, extent, and future of life: an Asian religious perspective Francisca Cho; Index.

Fractures of the greater trochanter following total hip replacement.

Science.gov (United States)

Brun, Ole-Christian L; Maansson, Lukas

2013-01-01

We studied the incidence of greater trochanteric fractures at our department following THR. In all we examined 911 patients retrospectively and found the occurance of a greater trochanteric fracture to be 3%. Patients with fractures had significantly poorer outcome on Oxford Hip score, Pain VAS, Satisfaction VAS and EQ-5D compared to THR without fractures. Greater trochanteric fracture following THR is one of the most common complications following THR. It has previously been thought to have little impact on the overall outcome following THR, but our study suggests otherwise.

a research tool for analysing and monitoring the Extent to which ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

practice at the majority of under-resourced rural schools in the country. ... into the extent to which they integrate natural resource management issues. ... education is promoted as the best educational strategy to deal with the ... environmental sustainability and human wellbeing. ..... Comparative Education, 38(2), 171–187.

Comparing statistical tests for detecting soil contamination greater than background

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hardin, J.W.; Gilbert, R.O.

1993-12-01

The Washington State Department of Ecology (WSDE) recently issued a report that provides guidance on statistical issues regarding investigation and cleanup of soil and groundwater contamination under the Model Toxics Control Act Cleanup Regulation. Included in the report are procedures for determining a background-based cleanup standard and for conducting a 3-step statistical test procedure to decide if a site is contaminated greater than the background standard. The guidance specifies that the State test should only be used if the background and site data are lognormally distributed. The guidance in WSDE allows for using alternative tests on a site-specific basis if prior approval is obtained from WSDE. This report presents the results of a Monte Carlo computer simulation study conducted to evaluate the performance of the State test and several alternative tests for various contamination scenarios (background and site data distributions). The primary test performance criteria are (1) the probability the test will indicate that a contaminated site is indeed contaminated, and (2) the probability that the test will indicate an uncontaminated site is contaminated. The simulation study was conducted assuming the background concentrations were from lognormal or Weibull distributions. The site data were drawn from distributions selected to represent various contamination scenarios. The statistical tests studied are the State test, t test, Satterthwaite's t test, five distribution-free tests, and several tandem tests (wherein two or more tests are conducted using the same data set)

Perceptions of clients regarding family planning service delivery in a clinic of the Greater Johannesburg Metropolitan Council

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. Kellner

2010-09-01

Full Text Available Unwanted pregnancies with their negative impact on both women and children occur on an ongoing basis in Gauteng, South Africa. One way to prevent unwanted pregnancies is to use a reliable contraceptive method available free of charge from primary health care clinics providing family planning services throughout Gauteng Province. A literature review was completed on women and access to family planning services and an interview schedule (questionnaire was developed. The purpose of this study was to describe guidelines to meet the expectations of clients accessing family planning services provided by a clinic in Region F, Area 28 of the Greater Johannesburg metropolitan council. This quantitative, exploratory, descriptive and comparative study measured the gaps between the expectations of participants on service delivery and the extent to which these expectations were met. A convenience sample was conducted and consisted of 50 women of reproductive age (ages 15 to 49 attending the family planning clinic. Pre-testing of the instrument was conducted. Structured interviews with a interview schedule were conducted before and after women attended a family planning service. Inferential statistics indicated that there was a significant gap between the client expectations of family planning service delivery and the extent to which these expectations were met. Of the sixty-four items where women indicated the extent of their expectations the findings on only three items were not statistically significant. These gaps were addressed by proposing managerial guidelines to be implemented by the nurse manager in charge of the facility, on which this article will focus. Validity and reliability principles were ensured in the study. Ethical principles were adhered to during the research process.

Performance assessment of the Greater Confinement Disposal facility on the Nevada Test Site: Comparing the performance of two conceptual site models

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Baer, T.A.; Price, L.L.; Gallegos, D.P.

1993-01-01

A small amount of transuranic (TRU) waste has been disposed of at the Greater Confinement Disposal (GCD) site located on the Nevada Test Site's (NTS) Radioactive Waste Management Site (RWMS). The waste has been buried in several deep (37 m) boreholes dug into the floor of an alluvial basin. For the waste to remain in its current configuration, the DOE must demonstrate compliance of the site with the TRU disposal requirements, 40 CFR 191. Sandia's approach to process modelling in performance assessment is to use demonstrably conservative models of the site. Choosing the most conservative model, however, can be uncertain. As an example, diffusion of contaminants upward from the buried waste in the vadose zone water is the primary mechanism of release. This process can be modelled as straight upward planar diffusion or as spherical diffusion in all directions. The former has high fluxes but low release areas, the latter has lower fluxes but is spread over a greater area. We have developed analytic solutions to a simple test problem for both models and compared the total integrated discharges. The spherical diffusion conceptual model results in at least five times greater release to the accessible environment than the planar model at all diffusivities. Modifying the planar model to allow for a larger release, however, compensated for the smaller original planar discharge and resulted in a new planar model that was more conservative that the spherical model except at low diffusivities

Chromosphere of K giant stars. Geometrical extent and spatial structure detection

Science.gov (United States)

Berio, P.; Merle, T.; Thévenin, F.; Bonneau, D.; Mourard, D.; Chesneau, O.; Delaa, O.; Ligi, R.; Nardetto, N.; Perraut, K.; Pichon, B.; Stee, P.; Tallon-Bosc, I.; Clausse, J. M.; Spang, A.; McAlister, H.; ten Brummelaar, T.; Sturmann, J.; Sturmann, L.; Turner, N.; Farrington, C.; Goldfinger, P. J.

2011-11-01

Context. Interferometers provide accurate diameter measurements of stars by analyzing both the continuum and the lines formed in photospheres and chromospheres. Tests of the geometrical extent of the chromospheres are therefore possible by comparing the estimated radius in the continuum of the photosphere and the estimated radii in chromospheric lines. Aims: We aim to constrain the geometrical extent of the chromosphere of non-binary K giant stars and detect any spatial structures in the chromosphere. Methods: We performed observations with the CHARA interferometer and the VEGA beam combiner at optical wavelengths. We observed seven non-binary K giant stars (β and η Cet, δ Crt, ρ Boo, β Oph, 109 Her, and ι Cep). We measured the ratio of the radii of the photosphere to the chromosphere using the interferometric measurements in the Hα and the Ca II infrared triplet line cores. For β Cet, spectro-interferometric observations are compared to a non-local thermal equilibrium (NLTE) semi-empirical model atmosphere including a chromosphere. The NLTE computations provide line intensities and contribution functions that indicate the relative locations where the line cores are formed and can constrain the size of the limb-darkened disk of the stars with chromospheres. We measured the angular diameter of seven K giant stars and deduced their fundamental parameters: effective temperatures, radii, luminosities, and masses. We determined the geometrical extent of the chromosphere for four giant stars (β and η Cet, δ Crt and ρ Boo). Results: The chromosphere extents obtained range between 16% to 47% of the stellar radius. The NLTE computations confirm that the Ca II/849 nm line core is deeper in the chromosphere of β Cet than either of the Ca II/854 nm and Ca II/866 nm line cores. We present a modified version of a semi-empirical model atmosphere derived by fitting the Ca II triplet line cores of this star. In four of our targets, we also detect the signature of a

Assessing the extent of bone degradation using glutamine deamidation in collagen.

Science.gov (United States)

Wilson, Julie; van Doorn, Nienke L; Collins, Matthew J

2012-11-06

Collagen peptides are analyzed using a low-cost, high-throughput method for assessing deamidation using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry (MALDI-MS). For each chosen peptide, the theoretical distribution is calculated and the measured distribution for each sample compared with this to determine the extent of glutamine deamidation. The deamidation of glutamine (Q) to glutamic acid (E) results in a mass shift of +0.984 Da. Thus, from the resolution of our data, the second peak in the isotope distribution for a peptide containing one glutamine residue coincides with the first peak of the isotope distribution for the peptide in which the residue is deamidated. A genetic algorithm is used to determine the extent of deamidation that gives the best fit to the measured distribution. The method can be extended to peptides containing more than one glutamine residue. The extent of protein degradation assessed in this way could be used, for example, to assess the damage of collagen, and screen samples for radiocarbon dating and DNA analysis.

Measures of extents of laterality for high-frequency ``transposed'' stimuli under conditions of binaural interference

Science.gov (United States)

Bernstein, Leslie R.; Trahiotis, Constantine

2005-09-01

Our purpose in this study was to determine whether across-frequency binaural interference would occur if ITD-based extents of laterality were measured using high-frequency transposed stimuli as targets. The results of an earlier study [L. R. Bernstein and C. Trahiotis, J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 116, 3062-3069 (2004)], which focused on threshold-ITDs, rather than extents of laterality, suggested that high-frequency transposed stimuli might be ``immune'' to binaural interference effects resulting from the addition of a spectrally remote, low-frequency interferer. In contrast to the earlier findings, the data from this study indicate that high-frequency transposed targets are susceptible to binaural interference. Nevertheless, high-frequency transposed targets, even when presented along with an interferer, yielded greater extents of ITD-based laterality than did high-frequency Gaussian noise targets presented in isolation. That is, the ``enhanced potency'' of ITDs conveyed by transposed stimuli persisted, even in the presence of a low-frequency interferer. Predictions made using an extension of the model of Heller and Trahiotis [L. M. Heller and C. Trahiotis, J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 99, 3632-3637 (1996)] accounted well for across-frequency binaural interference obtained with conventional Gaussian noise targets but, in all but one case, overpredicted the amounts of interference found with the transposed targets.

Saccharin and aspartame, compared with sucrose, induce greater weight gain in adult Wistar rats, at similar total caloric intake levels.

Science.gov (United States)

Feijó, Fernanda de Matos; Ballard, Cíntia Reis; Foletto, Kelly Carraro; Batista, Bruna Aparecida Melo; Neves, Alice Magagnin; Ribeiro, Maria Flávia Marques; Bertoluci, Marcello Casaccia

2013-01-01

It has been suggested that the use of nonnutritive sweeteners (NNSs) can lead to weight gain, but evidence regarding their real effect in body weight and satiety is still inconclusive. Using a rat model, the present study compares the effect of saccharin and aspartame to sucrose in body weight gain and in caloric intake. Twenty-nine male Wistar rats received plain yogurt sweetened with 20% sucrose, 0.3% sodium saccharin or 0.4% aspartame, in addition to chow and water ad libitum, while physical activity was restrained. Measurements of cumulative body weight gain, total caloric intake, caloric intake of chow and caloric intake of sweetened yogurt were performed weekly for 12 weeks. Results showed that addition of either saccharin or aspartame to yogurt resulted in increased weight gain compared to addition of sucrose, however total caloric intake was similar among groups. In conclusion, greater weight gain was promoted by the use of saccharin or aspartame, compared with sucrose, and this weight gain was unrelated to caloric intake. We speculate that a decrease in energy expenditure or increase in fluid retention might be involved. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Butyrate Inhibits Cancerous HCT116 Colon Cell Proliferation but to a Lesser Extent in Noncancerous NCM460 Colon Cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Zeng, Huawei; Taussig, David P; Cheng, Wen-Hsing; Johnson, LuAnn K; Hakkak, Reza

2017-01-01

Butyrate, an intestinal microbiota metabolite of dietary fiber, exhibits chemoprevention effects on colon cancer development. However, the mechanistic action of butyrate remains to be determined. We hypothesize that butyrate inhibits cancerous cell proliferation but to a lesser extent in noncancerous cells through regulating apoptosis and cellular-signaling pathways. We tested this hypothesis by exposing cancerous HCT116 or non-cancerous NCM460 colon cells to physiologically relevant doses of butyrate. Cellular responses to butyrate were characterized by Western analysis, fluorescent microscopy, acetylation, and DNA fragmentation analyses. Butyrate inhibited cell proliferation, and led to an induction of apoptosis, genomic DNA fragmentation in HCT116 cells, but to a lesser extent in NCM460 cells. Although butyrate increased H3 histone deacetylation and p21 tumor suppressor expression in both cell types, p21 protein level was greater with intense expression around the nuclei in HCT116 cells when compared with that in NCM460 cells. Furthermore, butyrate treatment increased the phosphorylation of extracellular-regulated kinase 1/2 (p-ERK1/2), a survival signal, in NCM460 cells while it decreased p-ERK1/2 in HCT116 cells. Taken together, the activation of survival signaling in NCM460 cells and apoptotic potential in HCT116 cells may confer the increased sensitivity of cancerous colon cells to butyrate in comparison with noncancerous colon cells.

Mapping US Urban Extents from MODIS Data Using One-Class Classification Method

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bo Wan

2015-08-01

Full Text Available Urban areas are one of the most important components of human society. Their extents have been continuously growing during the last few decades. Accurate and timely measurements of the extents of urban areas can help in analyzing population densities and urban sprawls and in studying environmental issues related to urbanization. Urban extents detected from remotely sensed data are usually a by-product of land use classification results, and their interpretation requires a full understanding of land cover types. In this study, for the first time, we mapped urban extents in the continental United States using a novel one-class classification method, i.e., positive and unlabeled learning (PUL, with multi-temporal Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS data for the year 2010. The Defense Meteorological Satellite Program Operational Linescan System (DMSP-OLS night stable light data were used to calibrate the urban extents obtained from the one-class classification scheme. Our results demonstrated the effectiveness of the use of the PUL algorithm in mapping large-scale urban areas from coarse remote-sensing images, for the first time. The total accuracy of mapped urban areas was 92.9% and the kappa coefficient was 0.85. The use of DMSP-OLS night stable light data can significantly reduce false detection rates from bare land and cropland far from cities. Compared with traditional supervised classification methods, the one-class classification scheme can greatly reduce the effort involved in collecting training datasets, without losing predictive accuracy.

Monitoring the Extent of Forests on National to Global Scales

Science.gov (United States)

Townshend, J.; Townshend, J.; Hansen, M.; DeFries, R.; DeFries, R.; Sohlberg, R.; Desch, A.; White, B.

2001-05-01

Information on forest extent and change is important for many purposes, including understanding the global carbon cycle and managing natural resources. International statistics on forest extent are generated using many different sources often producing inconsistent results spatially and through time. Results will be presented comparing forest extent derived from the recent global Food and Agricultural Organization's (FAO) FRA 2000 report with products derived using wall-to-wall Landsat, AVHRR and MODIS data sets. The remotely sensed data sets provide consistent results in terms of total area despite considerable differences in spatial resolution. Although the location of change can be satisfactorily detected with all three remotely sensed data sets, reliable measurement of change can only be achieved through use of Landsat-resolution data. Contrary to the FRA 2000 results we find evidence of an increase in deforestation rates in the late 1990s in several countries. Also we have found evidence of considerable changes in some countries for which little or no change is reported by FAO. The results indicate the benefits of globally consistent analyses of forest cover based on multiscale remotely sensed data sets rather than a reliance on statistics generated by individual countries with very different definitions of forest and methods used to derive them.

Greater glucose uptake heterogeneity in knee muscles of old compared to young men during isometric contractions detected by [18F]-FDG PET/CT

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Thorsten eRudroff

2014-05-01

Full Text Available We used positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT and [18F]-FDG to test the hypothesis that glucose uptake (GU heterogeneity in skeletal muscles as a measure of heterogeneity in muscle activity is greater in old than young men when they perform isometric contractions. Six young (26 ± 6 yrs and six old (77 ± 6 yrs men performed two types of submaximal isometric contractions that required either force or position control. [18F]-FDG was injected during the task and PET/CT scans were performed immediately after the task. Within-muscle heterogeneity of knee muscles was determined by calculating the coefficient of variation (CV of GU in PET image voxels within the muscles of interest. The average GU heterogeneity (mean ± SD for knee extensors and flexors was greater for the old (35.3 ± 3.3 % than the young (28.6 ± 2.4 % (P = 0.006. Muscle volume of the knee extensors were greater for the young compared to the old men (1016 ± 163 vs. 598 ± 70 cm3, P= 0.004. In a multiple regression model, knee extensor muscle volume was a predictor (partial r = - 0.87; P = 0.001 of GU heterogeneity for old men (R2 = 0.78; P < 0.001, and MVC force predicted GU heterogeneity for young men (partial r = - 0.95, P < 0.001. The findings demonstrate that glucose uptake is more spatially variable for old than young men and especially so for old men who exhibit greater muscle atrophy.

Comparative assessment of disposal of TRU waste in a greater-confinement disposal facility

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cohn, J.J.; Smith, C.F.; Ciminesi, F.J.; Dickman, P.T.; O'Neal, D.A.

1982-11-01

This study reviewed previous work that established generic limits for shallow land burial of TRU contaminated wastes and extended previous methodology to estimate approximate appropriate burial limits for TRU wastes in an arid zone greater confinement disposal facility (GCDF). An erosion scenario provided the limiting pathway in the previous determination of generic shallow land burial limits. Erosion removed the cover soil, exposing the waste mass to habitation and agriculture. For the deep burial concept (that is, burial at a depth greater than 10 m [33 ft]), the aquifer transport scenario was controlling. In both cases, the assumed site conditions were characteristic of a humid zone in which groundwater flows immediately below the waste deposit. In deriving limits for an arid site GCDF, either the erosion/reclaimer or the aquifer transport scenario could provide the controlling pathway, depending on the nuclide and the assumed burial depth. The derived limits were higher for the arid sited GCDF than those of the generic humid study. The physical processes that increase limits relative to the generic study include increased time during which radioactive decay occurs prior to release and increased dilution. Some nuclides were effectively unlimited in an arid zone GCDF, while others (notably Pu-239) were affected on a much smaller scale, primarily due to very long half-lives. As a final comment, the limit values derived in this report represent adjustments to the calculations of the Healy and Rodgers report (LA-UR-79-100). Those original calculations were very conservative, utilizing a worst case approach, but nevertheless involving significant levels of uncertainty in key assumptions. Consequently, the results are assumption dependent. Other approaches to such an analysis could, and should be used to develop site specific concentration limits for TRU wastes

Determining the ice seasons severity during 1982-2015 using the ice extents sum as a new characteristic

Science.gov (United States)

Rjazin, Jevgeni; Pärn, Ove

2016-04-01

Sea ice is a key climate factor and it restricts considerably the winter navigation in sever seasons on the Baltic Sea. So determining ice conditions severity and describing ice cover behaviour at severe seasons interests scientists, engineers and navigation managers. The present study is carried out to determine the ice seasons severity degree basing on the ice seasons 1982 to 2015. A new integrative characteristic is introduced to describe the ice season severity. It is the sum of ice extents of the ice season id est the daily ice extents of the season are summed. The commonly used procedure to determine the ice season severity degree by the maximal ice extent is in this research compared to the new characteristic values. The remote sensing data on the ice concentrations on the Baltic Sea published in the European Copernicus Programme are used to obtain the severity characteristic values. The ice extents are calculated on these ice concentration data. Both the maximal ice extent of the season and a newly introduced characteristic - the ice extents sum are used to classify the winters with respect of severity. The most severe winter of the reviewed period is 1986/87. Also the ice seasons 1981/82, 1984/85, 1985/86, 1995/96 and 2002/03 are classified as severe. Only three seasons of this list are severe by both the criteria. They are 1984/85, 1985/86 and 1986/87. We interpret this coincidence as the evidence of enough-during extensive ice cover in these three seasons. In several winters, for example 2010/11 ice cover extended enough for some time, but did not endure. At few other ice seasons as 2002/03 the Baltic Sea was ice-covered in moderate extent, but the ice cover stayed long time. At 11 winters the ice extents sum differed considerably (> 10%) from the maximal ice extent. These winters yield one third of the studied ice seasons. The maximal ice extent of the season is simple to use and enables to reconstruct the ice cover history and to predict maximal ice

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

Extent of linkage disequilibrium in the domestic cat, Felis silvestris catus, and its breeds.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hasan Alhaddad

Full Text Available Domestic cats have a unique breeding history and can be used as models for human hereditary and infectious diseases. In the current era of genome-wide association studies, insights regarding linkage disequilibrium (LD are essential for efficient association studies. The objective of this study is to investigate the extent of LD in the domestic cat, Felis silvestris catus, particularly within its breeds. A custom illumina GoldenGate Assay consisting of 1536 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs equally divided over ten 1 Mb chromosomal regions was developed, and genotyped across 18 globally recognized cat breeds and two distinct random bred populations. The pair-wise LD descriptive measure (r(2 was calculated between the SNPs in each region and within each population independently. LD decay was estimated by determining the non-linear least-squares of all pair-wise estimates as a function of distance using established models. The point of 50% decay of r(2 was used to compare the extent of LD between breeds. The longest extent of LD was observed in the Burmese breed, where the distance at which r(2 ≈ 0.25 was ∼380 kb, comparable to several horse and dog breeds. The shortest extent of LD was found in the Siberian breed, with an r(2 ≈ 0.25 at approximately 17 kb, comparable to random bred cats and human populations. A comprehensive haplotype analysis was also conducted. The haplotype structure of each region within each breed mirrored the LD estimates. The LD of cat breeds largely reflects the breeds' population history and breeding strategies. Understanding LD in diverse populations will contribute to an efficient use of the newly developed SNP array for the cat in the design of genome-wide association studies, as well as to the interpretation of results for the fine mapping of disease and phenotypic traits.

Determination of extent of surgical intervention for endometrial carcinoma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Smakhtina, O.L.; Nugmanova, M.I.; Nigaj, S.V.

1986-01-01

Clinical, cytologic, histologic and X-ray procedures were used in examining 120 patients with endometrial carcinoma. The results of pre- and intraoperative determination of clinical stage were compared in 65 cases of uterine extirpation with appendages and lymphadenectomy. Errors in preoperative identification of the extent of tumor expansion were made in 9 cases (13.8+-4.3%). It was found that determinations of the site and expansion of tumor make the case for hysterocervico-angiolymphography whereas identification of tumor pattern and degree of cell differentiation-for cytologic and histologic assays

Planning for greater-confinement disposal

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gilbert, T.L.; Luner, C.; Meshkov, N.K.; Trevorrow, L.E.; Yu, C.

1984-01-01

This contribution is a progress report for preparation of a document that will summarize procedures and technical information needed to plan for and implement greater-confinement disposal (GCD) of low-level radioactive waste. Selection of a site and a facility design (Phase I), and construction, operation, and extended care (Phase II) will be covered in the document. This progress report is limited to Phase I. Phase I includes determination of the need for GCD, design alternatives, and selection of a site and facility design. Alternative designs considered are augered shafts, deep trenches, engineered structures, high-integrity containers, hydrofracture, and improved waste form. Design considerations and specifications, performance elements, cost elements, and comparative advantages and disadvantages of the different designs are covered. Procedures are discussed for establishing overall performance objectives and waste-acceptance criteria, and for comparative assessment of the performance and cost of the different alternatives. 16 references

Planning for greater-confinement disposal

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gilbert, T.L.; Luner, C.; Meshkov, N.K.; Trevorrow, L.E.; Yu, C.

1984-01-01

This contribution is a progress report for preparation of a document that will summarize procedures and technical information needed to plan for and implement greater-confinement disposal (GCD) of low-level radioactive waste. Selection of a site and a facility design (Phase I), and construction, operation, and extended care (Phase II) will be covered in the document. This progress report is limited to Phase I. Phase I includes determination of the need for GCD, design alternatives, and selection of a site and facility design. Alternative designs considered are augered shafts, deep trenches, engineered structures, high-integrity containers, hydrofracture, and improved waste form. Design considerations and specifications, performance elements, cost elements, and comparative advantages and disadvantages of the different designs are covered. Procedures are discussed for establishing overall performance objecties and waste-acceptance criteria, and for comparative assessment of the performance and cost of the different alternatives. 16 refs

Extent and severity of myocardial hypoperfusion as predictors of prognosis in patients with suspected coronary artery disease

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ladenheim, M.L.; Pollock, B.H.; Rozanski, A.; Berman, D.S.; Staniloff, H.M.; Forrester, J.S.; Diamond, G.A.

1986-01-01

The ability of exercise-induced myocardial hypoperfusion on thallium scintigraphy to predict coronary events was assessed in 1,689 patients with symptoms suggestive of coronary artery disease but without prior myocardial infarction or coronary artery bypass surgery. A total of 74 patients had a coronary event in the year after testing (12 cardiac deaths, 20 nonfatal infarctions and 42 referrals for bypass surgery more than 60 days after testing). Stepwise logistic regression identified only three independent predictors: the number of myocardial regions with reversible hypoperfusion (an index of the extent of hypoperfusion), the maximal magnitude of hypoperfusion (an index of the severity of hypoperfusion) and the achieved heart rate (an index of exercise performance). Both extent and severity were exponentially correlated with event rate (r greater than 0.97 and p less than 0.01 for each), whereas achieved heart rate was linearly correlated with event rate (r = 0.79 and p less than 0.05). On the basis of these data, a prognostic model was defined that employs extent and severity as stress-dependent orthogonal variables. Using this model, the predicted coronary event rate ranged over two orders of magnitude--from a low of 0.4% in patients able to exercise adequately without developing severe and extensive hypoperfusion at a low heart rate (less than 85% of their maximal predicted heart rate). Extent and severity of myocardial hypoperfusion, therefore, are important independent variables of prognosis in patients with suspected coronary artery disease

Does oxygen exposure time control the extent of organic matter decomposition in peatlands?

Science.gov (United States)

Philben, Michael; Kaiser, Karl; Benner, Ronald

2014-05-01

The extent of peat decomposition was investigated in four cores collected along a latitudinal gradient from 56°N to 66°N in the West Siberian Lowland. The acid:aldehyde ratios of lignin phenols were significantly higher in the two northern cores compared with the two southern cores, indicating peats at the northern sites were more highly decomposed. Yields of hydroxyproline, an amino acid found in plant structural glycoproteins, were also significantly higher in northern cores compared with southern cores. Hydroxyproline-rich glycoproteins are not synthesized by microbes and are generally less reactive than bulk plant carbon, so elevated yields indicated that northern cores were more extensively decomposed than the southern cores. The southern cores experienced warmer temperatures, but were less decomposed, indicating that temperature was not the primary control of peat decomposition. The plant community oscillated between Sphagnum and vascular plant dominance in the southern cores, but vegetation type did not appear to affect the extent of decomposition. Oxygen exposure time appeared to be the strongest control of the extent of peat decomposition. The northern cores had lower accumulation rates and drier conditions, so these peats were exposed to oxic conditions for a longer time before burial in the catotelm, where anoxic conditions prevail and rates of decomposition are generally lower by an order of magnitude.

Velocity Drives Greater Power Observed During Back Squat Using Cluster Sets.

Science.gov (United States)

Oliver, Jonathan M; Kreutzer, Andreas; Jenke, Shane C; Phillips, Melody D; Mitchell, Joel B; Jones, Margaret T

2016-01-01

This investigation compared the kinetics and kinematics of cluster sets (CLU) and traditional sets (TRD) during back squat in trained (RT) and untrained (UT) men. Twenty-four participants (RT = 12, 25 ± 1 year, 179.1 ± 2.2 cm, 84.6 ± 2.1 kg; UT = 12, 25 ± 1 year, 180.1 ± 1.8 cm, 85.4 ± 3.8 kg) performed TRD (4 × 10, 120-second rest) and CLU (4 × (2 × 5) 30 seconds between clusters; 90 seconds between sets) with 70% one repetition maximum, randomly. Kinematics and kinetics were sampled through force plate and linear position transducers. Resistance-trained produced greater overall force, velocity, and power; however, similar patterns were observed in all variables when comparing conditions. Cluster sets produced significantly greater force in isolated repetitions in sets 1-3, while consistently producing greater force due to a required reduction in load during set 4 resulting in greater total volume load (CLU, 3302.4 ± 102.7 kg; TRD, 3274.8 ± 102.8 kg). Velocity loss was lessened in CLU resulting in significantly higher velocities in sets 2 through 4. Furthermore, higher velocities were produced by CLU during later repetitions of each set. Cluster sets produced greater power output for an increasing number of repetitions in each set (set 1, 5 repetitions; sets 2 and 3, 6 repetitions; set 4, 8 repetitions), and the difference between conditions increased over subsequent sets. Time under tension increased over each set and was greater in TRD. This study demonstrates greater power output is driven by greater velocity when back squatting during CLU; therefore, velocity may be a useful measure by which to assess power.

Psychological disturbance in atopic eczema: the extent of the problem in school-aged children.

Science.gov (United States)

Absolon, C M; Cottrell, D; Eldridge, S M; Glover, M T

1997-08-01

Although psychological factors are widely considered to be important in atopic eczema, there have been few controlled studies to assess the extent of disturbance in affected children and the problems experienced by their parents. This study was designed to find out the degree of psychological difficulty experienced by children with atopic eczema, whether their mothers show higher levels of mental distress than a comparison group, and whether the families of children with atopic eczema have less social support than the comparison group. We investigated 30 school-aged children with atopic eczema for psychological problems using the Rutter parent scale and compared them with 30 children with relatively minor skin lesions such as viral warts. Mental distress in mothers was assessed using the General Health Questionnaire. The Family Support Scale was used to get a measure of the social support experienced by the families. We found twice the rate of psychological disturbance in children in the eczema group compared with the control group. This difference was statistically significant for children with moderately severe eczema and severe eczema, but not for children with very mild eczema. Levels of mental distress were no greater in mothers of children with eczema than in parents of the control group and there was no difference in the degree of social support experienced by their families. These findings indicate that school-aged children with moderate and severe atopic eczema are at high risk of developing psychological difficulties, which may have implications for their academic and social development.

Species With Greater Aerial Maneuverability Have Higher Frequency of Collisions With Aircraft: A Comparative Study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Esteban Fernández-Juricic

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Antipredator responses may appear unsuccessful when animals are exposed to approaching vehicles, often resulting in mortality. Recent studies have addressed whether certain biological traits are associated with variation in collision risk with cars, but not with higher speed-vehicles like aircraft. Our goal was to establish the association between different species traits (i.e., body mass, eye size, brain size, wing loading, wing aspect ratio and the frequency of bird collisions with aircraft (hereafter, bird strikes using a comparative approach controlling for the effects of shared ancestry. We proposed directional predictions as to how each of the species traits would affect the frequency of bird strikes. Considering 39 bird species with all traits represented, the model containing wing loading had the best fit to account for the variance in bird strikes across species. In another model with 54 species exploring the fit to different polynomial models but considering only wing loading, we found that wing loading was negatively and linearly associated with the frequency of bird strikes. Counterintuitively, species with lower wing loading (hence, greater maneuverability had a higher frequency of bird strikes. We discuss potential non-mutually exclusive explanations (e.g., high wing loading species fly faster, thus gaining some extra time to avoid the aircraft flight path; high wing loading species are hazed more intensively at airports, which could lower collisions, etc.. Ultimately, our findings uncovered that species with low wing loading get struck at a higher rate at airports, which reduces the safety risk for humans because these species tend not to cause damaging strikes, but the ecological consequences of their potentially higher local mortality are unknown.

Usefulness of exercise electrocardiography and thallium scintigraphy in unstable angina pectoris in predicting the extent and severity of coronary artery disease

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Freeman, M.R.; Chisholm, R.J.; Armstrong, P.W.

1988-01-01

The safety and efficacy of exercise electrocardiography and thallium scintigraphy early in the course of unstable angina pectoris were assessed 4.6 +/- 1.6 days after admission in 67 patients with unstable angina that stabilized after medical therapy. Coronary arteriography was performed in all patients 5.4 +/- 2.4 days after admission. There was no difference in clinical, exercise or scintigraphic variables between patients with stenoses less than 50% and patients with 1-vessel coronary artery disease (CAD) defined as a diameter stenosis greater than or equal to 50%. Patients with 3-vessel CAD had a significantly shorter exercise duration than patients with less than 50%-diameter narrowing (5.5 +/- 2.2 vs 8.3 +/- 3.3 minutes, respectively), lower exercise heart rate (119 +/- 20 vs 149 +/- 22 beats/min) and systolic blood pressure (156 +/- 29 vs 166 +/- 33 mm Hg), more frequent chest pain (76 vs 20%) and more pronounced ST depression (-1.48 +/- 1.37 vs -0.33 +/- 0.72 mm). In addition, thallium defect size on exercise was greater in the patients with 2-vessel CAD (159 +/- 132 degrees) and 3-vessel CAD (255 +/- 132 degrees) than in patients with no CAD (28 +/- 319 degrees) or 1-vessel CAD (73 +/- 78 degrees), p greater than or equal to 0.05. Multiple regression analysis demonstrated that thallium defect size was the best predictor of extent of CAD, with exercise heart rate and presence of chest pain during exercise also predictive of extent of CAD

Association between the extent of sigmoid sinus dehiscence and an occurrence of pulsatile tinnitus: a retrospective imaging study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dong, C.; Zhao, P.; Liu, Z.; Xu, W.; Lv, H.; Pang, S.; Wang, Z.

2016-01-01

Aim: To assess the extent of sigmoid sinus dehiscence (SSD) on high-resolution computed tomography venography (HRCTV) or high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) images in pulsatile tinnitus (PT) and non-PT groups to determine whether there is an association between the extent of SSD and occurrence of PT. Materials and methods: Twenty-eight SSD patients with ipsilateral PT and 28 age- and gender-matched SSD patients without PT who underwent HRCTV or HRCT were enrolled in this study and categorised into two groups: “PT group” and “non-PT group”. The extent of SSD in each group was calculated and compared. Results: The largest transverse diameter and largest vertical diameter of SSD in the PT group were 6.21±1.7 and 6.15±2.19 mm, respectively. The largest transverse diameter and largest vertical diameter of SSD in the non-PT group were 3.06±1.38 and 2.51±1.03 mm, respectively. The extent of SSD was statistically different between the two groups (p<0.001; p<0.001). Conclusions: As a cause of PT, SSD can also occur in individuals without PT symptoms. Preliminary findings suggest that there may be a potential correlation between the extent of SSD and an occurrence of PT. - Highlights: • We compared the extent of sigmoid sinus dehiscence in pulsatile tinnitus and non-pulsatile tinnitus groups. • The sigmoid sinus dehiscence in the pulsatile tinnitus patients was larger than those in non-pulsatile tinnitus patients. • There may be a potential correlation between the extent of sigmoid sinus dehiscence and an occurrence of pulsatile tinnitus.

Flood extent and water level estimation from SAR using data-model integration

Science.gov (United States)

Ajadi, O. A.; Meyer, F. J.

2017-12-01

Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) images have long been recognized as a valuable data source for flood mapping. Compared to other sources, SAR's weather and illumination independence and large area coverage at high spatial resolution supports reliable, frequent, and detailed observations of developing flood events. Accordingly, SAR has the potential to greatly aid in the near real-time monitoring of natural hazards, such as flood detection, if combined with automated image processing. This research works towards increasing the reliability and temporal sampling of SAR-derived flood hazard information by integrating information from multiple SAR sensors and SAR modalities (images and Interferometric SAR (InSAR) coherence) and by combining SAR-derived change detection information with hydrologic and hydraulic flood forecast models. First, the combination of multi-temporal SAR intensity images and coherence information for generating flood extent maps is introduced. The application of least-squares estimation integrates flood information from multiple SAR sensors, thus increasing the temporal sampling. SAR-based flood extent information will be combined with a Digital Elevation Model (DEM) to reduce false alarms and to estimate water depth and flood volume. The SAR-based flood extent map is assimilated into the Hydrologic Engineering Center River Analysis System (Hec-RAS) model to aid in hydraulic model calibration. The developed technology is improving the accuracy of flood information by exploiting information from data and models. It also provides enhanced flood information to decision-makers supporting the response to flood extent and improving emergency relief efforts.

The regional extent of suppression: strabismics versus nonstrabismics.

Science.gov (United States)

Babu, Raiju Jacob; Clavagnier, Simon R; Bobier, William; Thompson, Benjamin; Hess, Robert F

2013-10-09

Evidence is accumulating that suppression may be the cause of amblyopia rather than a secondary consequence of mismatched retinal images. For example, treatment interventions that target suppression may lead to better binocular and monocular outcomes. Furthermore, it has recently been demonstrated that the measurement of suppression may have prognostic value for patching therapy. For these reasons, the measurement of suppression in the clinic needs to be improved beyond the methods that are currently available, which provide a binary outcome. We describe a novel quantitative method for measuring the regional extent of suppression that is suitable for clinical use. The method involves a dichoptic perceptual matching procedure at multiple visual field locations. We compare a group of normal controls (mean age: 28 ± 5 years); a group with strabismic amblyopia (four with microesotropia, five with esotropia, and one with exotropia; mean age: 35 ± 10 years); and a group with nonstrabismic anisometropic amblyopia (mean age: 33 ± 12 years). The extent and magnitude of suppression was similar for observers with strabismic and nonstrabismic amblyopia. Suppression was strongest within the central field and extended throughout the 20° field that we measured. Suppression extends throughout the central visual field in both strabismic and anisometropic forms of amblyopia. The strongest suppression occurs within the region of the visual field corresponding to the fovea of the fixing eye.

A low-fat vegan diet elicits greater macronutrient changes, but is comparable in adherence and acceptability, compared with a more conventional diabetes diet among individuals with type 2 diabetes.

Science.gov (United States)

Barnard, Neal D; Gloede, Lise; Cohen, Joshua; Jenkins, David J A; Turner-McGrievy, Gabrielle; Green, Amber A; Ferdowsian, Hope

2009-02-01

Although therapeutic diets are critical to diabetes management, their acceptability to patients is largely unstudied. To quantify adherence and acceptability for two types of diets for diabetes. Controlled trial conducted between 2004 and 2006. Individuals with type 2 diabetes (n=99) at a community-based research facility. Participants were randomly assigned to a diet following 2003 American Diabetes Association guidelines or a low-fat, vegan diet for 74 weeks. Attrition, adherence, dietary behavior, diet acceptability, and cravings. For nutrient intake and questionnaire scores, t tests determined between-group differences. For diet-acceptability measures, the related samples Wilcoxon sum rank test assessed within-group changes; the independent samples Mann-Whitney U test compared the diet groups. Changes in reported symptoms among the groups was compared using chi(2) for independent samples. All participants completed the initial 22 weeks; 90% (45/50) of American Diabetes Association guidelines diet group and 86% (42/49) of the vegan diet group participants completed 74 weeks. Fat and cholesterol intake fell more and carbohydrate and fiber intake increased more in the vegan group. At 22 weeks, group-specific diet adherence criteria were met by 44% (22/50) of members of the American Diabetes Association diet group and 67% (33/49) of vegan-group participants (P=0.019); the American Diabetes Association guidelines diet group reported a greater increase in dietary restraint; this difference was not significant at 74 weeks. Both groups reported reduced hunger and reduced disinhibition. Questionnaire responses rated both diets as satisfactory, with no significant differences between groups, except for ease of preparation, for which the 22-week ratings marginally favored the American Diabetes Association guideline group. Cravings for fatty foods diminished more in the vegan group at 22 weeks, with no significant difference at 74 weeks. Despite its greater influence on

Global mobility orientation and the success of self-initiated expatriates in greater China

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lauring, Jakob; Selmer, Jan

2014-01-01

We investigated 640 self-initiated expatriate academics residing in Greater China. We examined whether their inherent demographic characteristics (age/gender) and acquired demographic characteristics (marital status/seniority) differentiated their work outcomes regarding job adjustment, time...... to proficiency, performance and satisfaction. We also explored the associations between global mobility orientation and these four work outcomes and examined to what extent the demographic characteristics differentiated the relationships. Results support most hypothesized differences. We found that a global...... mobility orientation was associated with all the work outcomes, except satisfaction. For inherent demographic characteristics, we found support for our hypotheses that for individuals with less successful demographics (younger, male), there was a stronger relationship between global mobility orientation...

A review of surface energy balance models for estimating actual evapotranspiration with remote sensing at high spatiotemporal resolution over large extents

Science.gov (United States)

McShane, Ryan R.; Driscoll, Katelyn P.; Sando, Roy

2017-09-27

Many approaches have been developed for measuring or estimating actual evapotranspiration (ETa), and research over many years has led to the development of remote sensing methods that are reliably reproducible and effective in estimating ETa. Several remote sensing methods can be used to estimate ETa at the high spatial resolution of agricultural fields and the large extent of river basins. More complex remote sensing methods apply an analytical approach to ETa estimation using physically based models of varied complexity that require a combination of ground-based and remote sensing data, and are grounded in the theory behind the surface energy balance model. This report, funded through cooperation with the International Joint Commission, provides an overview of selected remote sensing methods used for estimating water consumed through ETa and focuses on Mapping Evapotranspiration at High Resolution with Internalized Calibration (METRIC) and Operational Simplified Surface Energy Balance (SSEBop), two energy balance models for estimating ETa that are currently applied successfully in the United States. The METRIC model can produce maps of ETa at high spatial resolution (30 meters using Landsat data) for specific areas smaller than several hundred square kilometers in extent, an improvement in practice over methods used more generally at larger scales. Many studies validating METRIC estimates of ETa against measurements from lysimeters have shown model accuracies on daily to seasonal time scales ranging from 85 to 95 percent. The METRIC model is accurate, but the greater complexity of METRIC results in greater data requirements, and the internalized calibration of METRIC leads to greater skill required for implementation. In contrast, SSEBop is a simpler model, having reduced data requirements and greater ease of implementation without a substantial loss of accuracy in estimating ETa. The SSEBop model has been used to produce maps of ETa over very large extents (the

Integrating remotely sensed surface water extent into continental scale hydrology.

Science.gov (United States)

Revilla-Romero, Beatriz; Wanders, Niko; Burek, Peter; Salamon, Peter; de Roo, Ad

2016-12-01

In hydrological forecasting, data assimilation techniques are employed to improve estimates of initial conditions to update incorrect model states with observational data. However, the limited availability of continuous and up-to-date ground streamflow data is one of the main constraints for large-scale flood forecasting models. This is the first study that assess the impact of assimilating daily remotely sensed surface water extent at a 0.1° × 0.1° spatial resolution derived from the Global Flood Detection System (GFDS) into a global rainfall-runoff including large ungauged areas at the continental spatial scale in Africa and South America. Surface water extent is observed using a range of passive microwave remote sensors. The methodology uses the brightness temperature as water bodies have a lower emissivity. In a time series, the satellite signal is expected to vary with changes in water surface, and anomalies can be correlated with flood events. The Ensemble Kalman Filter (EnKF) is a Monte-Carlo implementation of data assimilation and used here by applying random sampling perturbations to the precipitation inputs to account for uncertainty obtaining ensemble streamflow simulations from the LISFLOOD model. Results of the updated streamflow simulation are compared to baseline simulations, without assimilation of the satellite-derived surface water extent. Validation is done in over 100 in situ river gauges using daily streamflow observations in the African and South American continent over a one year period. Some of the more commonly used metrics in hydrology were calculated: KGE', NSE, PBIAS%, R 2 , RMSE, and VE. Results show that, for example, NSE score improved on 61 out of 101 stations obtaining significant improvements in both the timing and volume of the flow peaks. Whereas the validation at gauges located in lowland jungle obtained poorest performance mainly due to the closed forest influence on the satellite signal retrieval. The conclusion is that

Small cities face greater impact from automation

OpenAIRE

Frank, Morgan R.; Sun, Lijun; Cebrian, Manuel; Youn, Hyejin; Rahwan, Iyad

2017-01-01

The city has proven to be the most successful form of human agglomeration and provides wide employment opportunities for its dwellers. As advances in robotics and artificial intelligence revive concerns about the impact of automation on jobs, a question looms: How will automation affect employment in cities? Here, we provide a comparative picture of the impact of automation across U.S. urban areas. Small cities will undertake greater adjustments, such as worker displacement and job content su...

Enhancing interaural-delay-based extents of laterality at high frequencies by using ``transposed stimuli''

Science.gov (United States)

Bernstein, Leslie R.; Trahiotis, Constantine

2003-06-01

An acoustic pointing task was used to determine whether interaural temporal disparities (ITDs) conveyed by high-frequency ``transposed'' stimuli would produce larger extents of laterality than ITDs conveyed by bands of high-frequency Gaussian noise. The envelopes of transposed stimuli are designed to provide high-frequency channels with information similar to that conveyed by the waveforms of low-frequency stimuli. Lateralization was measured for low-frequency Gaussian noises, the same noises transposed to 4 kHz, and high-frequency Gaussian bands of noise centered at 4 kHz. Extents of laterality obtained with the transposed stimuli were greater than those obtained with bands of Gaussian noise centered at 4 kHz and, in some cases, were equivalent to those obtained with low-frequency stimuli. In a second experiment, the general effects on lateral position produced by imposed combinations of bandwidth, ITD, and interaural phase disparities (IPDs) on low-frequency stimuli remained when those stimuli were transposed to 4 kHz. Overall, the data were fairly well accounted for by a model that computes the cross-correlation subsequent to known stages of peripheral auditory processing augmented by low-pass filtering of the envelopes within the high-frequency channels of each ear.

Multisensor Analyzed Sea Ice Extent - Northern Hemisphere (MASIE-NH)

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — The Multisensor Analyzed Sea Ice Extent Northern Hemisphere (MASIE-NH) products provide measurements of daily sea ice extent and sea ice edge boundary for the...

Comparative experimental evaluation of the efficacy of Prostamol Uno and Samprost on rat model of chronic aseptic prostate inflammation.

Science.gov (United States)

Pahomova, A V; Borovskaja, T G; Fomina, T I; Ermolaeva, L A; Vychuzhanina, A V; Rumpel, O A; Granstrem, O K; Baranova, O V

2011-11-01

Comparative experimental evaluation of the efficiency of prostatotropic drugs Prostamol Uno and Samprost on the model of the chronic aseptic prostate inflammation in rats was performed. It was established that peptide drug Samprost decelerates sclerotic processes in the prostate gland to a greater extent than herbal preparation Prostamol Uno. Both products equally stimulate secretory activity of the gland. Prostamol Uno, unlike Samprost, prevents the development of reduced sexual motivation, one of the complications of chronic prostatitis.

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

Assessment of the depth and extent of myometrial invasion in uterine adenomyosis using MRI

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yi, Mi Gyung; Cho, Jae Ho; Chang, Jay Chun; Park, Bok Hwan

2000-01-01

To determine the detection rate of MRI in the diagnosis of adenomyosis and ascertain the accuracy of MRI in assessing the extent and depth of the myometrial invasion. By retrospective analysis of MR images of the pelvis in 65 pathologically proven cases of uterine adenomyosis, we investigated the detection rate and differences of in the detection rate when this was based on (a) the extent, and (b) the depth of myometrial invasion. The condition was classified as diffuse or focal according to the extent of invasion, and mild, moderate, or severe according to its depth. Pathologically, there were 35 cases of focal adenomyosis (53.8%), and 30 of diffuse adenomyosis (46.2%). Among patients with the focal variety of this condition, 12 cases were mild, 14 were mild, 14 were moderate, and nine were severe, while among those with the diffuse variety, two were mild, ten were moderate and 18 were severe. A total of 48 cases (73.8%) were detected on MR images; the detection rate of focal adenomyosis was 60.0% (21/35) and that of diffuse adenomyosis was 90.0% (27/30). The detection rates of mild, moderate, and severe adenomyosis were 42.9% (6/14), 79.2% (19/24), and 85.2% (23/27), respectively. Among the 48 cases detected on MR images, the pathologic and MR findings were consistent with regard to both the extent and depth of myometrial invasion in 26 (54.2%). For diffuse adenomyosis, the consistency rate was higher than for the focal variety (81.5%, 22/27; compared with 19%, 4/21). The extent of myometrial invasion was correctly evaluated in 32 cases (66.7%); the consistency rate for the diffuse form was higher than for the focal form (96.3%(26/27), compared with 28.6% (6/21)). In 42 cases (87.5%), the depth of invasion was correctly evaluated, though differences in this depth were not significant. MR imaging was a useful imaging modality in the diagnosis of uterine adenomyosis. With regard to the extent of myometrial invasion, the detection rate was higher among cases of the

Exploration of the Energy Efficiency of the Greater London Authority ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

GLA Building/City Hall) ... Journal Home > Vol 11, No 2 (2007) > ... The Greater London Authority building was acclaimed as being energy efficient, with claims of 75 % reduction in its annual energy consumption compared to a high specification ...

Higher motivation - greater control? The effect of arousal on judgement.

Science.gov (United States)

Riemer, Hila; Viswanathan, Madhu

2013-01-01

This research examines control over the effect of arousal, a dimension of affect, on judgement. Past research shows that high processing motivation enhances control over the effects of affect on judgement. Isolating and studying arousal as opposed to valence, the other dimension of affect, and its effect on judgement, we identify boundary conditions for past findings. Drawing from the literature on processes by which arousal influences judgement, we demonstrate that the role of motivation is contingent upon the type of judgement task (i.e., memory- versus stimulus-based judgement). In stimulus-based judgement, individuals exert greater control over the effect of arousal on judgement under low compared to high motivation. In contrast, in memory-based judgement individuals exert greater control over the effect of arousal under high compared to low motivation. Theoretical implications and avenues for future research are discussed.

Peripapillary Retinal Nerve Fiber Layer Thickness Corresponds to Drusen Location and Extent of Visual Field Defects in Superficial and Buried Optic Disc Drusen

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Malmqvist, Lasse; Wegener, Marianne; Sander, Birgit A

2016-01-01

(P = 0.002) than eyes with buried ODD. There was a correlation between mean peripapillary RNFL thinning and visual field defects as measured by perimetric mean deviation (R-0.66; P = 0.0001). The most frequent visual field abnormalities were arcuate and partial arcuate defects. CONCLUSIONS...... of patients with ODD and to compare the peripapillary RNFL thickness to the extent of visual field defects and anatomic location (superficial or buried) of ODD. METHODS: Retrospective, cross sectional study. RESULTS: A total of 149 eyes of 84 ODD patients were evaluated. Sixty-five percent were female and 76......% had bilateral ODD. Of 149 eyes, 109 had superficial ODD and 40 had buried ODD. Peripapillary RNFL thinning was seen in 83.6% of eyes, where optical coherence tomography was performed (n = 61). Eyes with superficial ODD had greater mean peripapillary RNFL thinning (P ≤ 0.0001) and visual field defects...

Wolverine in Greater Yellowstone

Science.gov (United States)

Kerry Murphy; Jason Wilmot; Jeff Copeland; Dan Tyers; John. Squires

2011-01-01

The wolverine is one of the least studied carnivores in North America, particularly in the contiguous United States where it occurs at the southern extent of its range. This project documented the distribution of wolverines in the eastern portion of Yellowstone National Park and adjoining areas of national forest and their population characteristics, habitat...

Peripapillary Retinal Nerve Fiber Layer Thickness Corresponds to Drusen Location and Extent of Visual Field Defects in Superficial and Buried Optic Disc Drusen.

Science.gov (United States)

Malmqvist, Lasse; Wegener, Marianne; Sander, Birgit A; Hamann, Steffen

2016-03-01

Optic disc drusen (ODD) are hyaline deposits located within the optic nerve head. Peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thinning is associated with the high prevalence of visual field defects seen in ODD patients. The goal of this study was to investigate the characteristics of patients with ODD and to compare the peripapillary RNFL thickness to the extent of visual field defects and anatomic location (superficial or buried) of ODD. Retrospective, cross sectional study. A total of 149 eyes of 84 ODD patients were evaluated. Sixty-five percent were female and 76% had bilateral ODD. Of 149 eyes, 109 had superficial ODD and 40 had buried ODD. Peripapillary RNFL thinning was seen in 83.6% of eyes, where optical coherence tomography was performed (n = 61). Eyes with superficial ODD had greater mean peripapillary RNFL thinning (P ≤ 0.0001) and visual field defects (P = 0.002) than eyes with buried ODD. There was a correlation between mean peripapillary RNFL thinning and visual field defects as measured by perimetric mean deviation (R-0.66; P = 0.0001). The most frequent visual field abnormalities were arcuate and partial arcuate defects. Peripapillary RNFL thickness correlates with anatomic location (superficial or buried) of ODD. Frequency and extent of visual field defects corresponded with anatomic location of ODD and peripapillary RNFL thickness, suggesting increased axonal damage in patients with superficial ODD.

Real-time flood extent maps based on social media

Science.gov (United States)

Eilander, Dirk; van Loenen, Arnejan; Roskam, Ruud; Wagemaker, Jurjen

2015-04-01

During a flood event it is often difficult to get accurate information about the flood extent and the people affected. This information is very important for disaster risk reduction management and crisis relief organizations. In the post flood phase, information about the flood extent is needed for damage estimation and calibrating hydrodynamic models. Currently, flood extent maps are derived from a few sources such as satellite images, areal images and post-flooding flood marks. However, getting accurate real-time or maximum flood extent maps remains difficult. With the rise of social media, we now have a new source of information with large numbers of observations. In the city of Jakarta, Indonesia, the intensity of unique flood related tweets during a flood event, peaked at 8 tweets per second during floods in early 2014. A fair amount of these tweets also contains observations of water depth and location. Our hypothesis is that based on the large numbers of tweets it is possible to generate real-time flood extent maps. In this study we use tweets from the city of Jakarta, Indonesia, to generate these flood extent maps. The data-mining procedure looks for tweets with a mention of 'banjir', the Bahasa Indonesia word for flood. It then removes modified and retweeted messages in order to keep unique tweets only. Since tweets are not always sent directly from the location of observation, the geotag in the tweets is unreliable. We therefore extract location information using mentions of names of neighborhoods and points of interest. Finally, where encountered, a mention of a length measure is extracted as water depth. These tweets containing a location reference and a water level are considered to be flood observations. The strength of this method is that it can easily be extended to other regions and languages. Based on the intensity of tweets in Jakarta during a flood event we can provide a rough estimate of the flood extent. To provide more accurate flood extend

Combined high-field intraoperative magnetic resonance imaging and endoscopy increase extent of resection and progression-free survival for pituitary adenomas

Science.gov (United States)

Sylvester, Peter T.; Evans, John A.; Zipfel, Gregory J.; Chole, Richard A.; Uppaluri, Ravindra; Haughey, Bruce H.; Getz, Anne E.; Silverstein, Julie; Rich, Keith M.; Kim, Albert H.; Dacey, Ralph G.

2014-01-01

Purpose The clinical benefit of combined intraoperative magnetic resonance imaging (iMRI) and endoscopy for transsphenoidal pituitary adenoma resection has not been completely characterized. This study assessed the impact of microscopy, endoscopy, and/or iMRI on progression-free survival, extent of resection status (gross-, near-, and subtotal resection), and operative complications. Methods Retrospective analyses were performed on 446 transsphenoidal pituitary adenoma surgeries at a single institution between 1998 and 2012. Multivariate analyses were used to control for baseline characteristics, differences during extent of resection status, and progression-free survival analysis. Results Additional surgery was performed after iMRI in 56/156 cases (35.9 %), which led to increased extent of resection status in 15/156 cases (9.6 %). Multivariate ordinal logistic regression revealed no increase in extent of resection status following iMRI or endoscopy alone; however, combining these modalities increased extent of resection status (odds ratio 2.05, 95 % CI 1.21–3.46) compared to conventional transsphenoidal microsurgery. Multivariate Cox regression revealed that reduced extent of resection status shortened progression-free survival for near- versus gross-total resection [hazard ratio (HR) 2.87, 95 % CI 1.24–6.65] and sub- versus near-total resection (HR 2.10; 95 % CI 1.00–4.40). Complication comparisons between microscopy, endoscopy, and iMRI revealed increased perioperative deaths for endoscopy versus microscopy (4/209 and 0/237, respectively), but this difference was non-significant considering multiple post hoc comparisons (Fisher exact, p = 0.24). Conclusions Combined use of endoscopy and iMRI increased pituitary adenoma extent of resection status compared to conventional transsphenoidal microsurgery, and increased extent of resection status was associated with longer progression-free survival. Treatment modality combination did not significantly impact

The rate and extent of improvement with therapy from the different types of aphasia in the first year after stroke.

Science.gov (United States)

Bakheit, A M O; Shaw, S; Carrington, S; Griffiths, S

2007-10-01

To examine the rate and extent of improvement from the different types of aphasia in the first year after stroke. A prospective longitudinal study. A specialist stroke unit. Seventy-five aphasic patients with first-ever stroke. The type of aphasia was classified according to the criteria of the Western Aphasia Battery. The Western Aphasia Battery aphasia quotient was used to measure the initial severity and the rate and extent of improvement from aphasia. Assessments were made at baseline and 4, 8, 12 and 24 weeks later. The median percentage increase in the Western Aphasia Battery aphasia quotient was statistically higher in patients with Broca's aphasia than in the other groups at all weeks. Patients with Wernicke's aphasia had a significantly greater median percentage increase in their aphasia quotient than those with conduction and anomic aphasia at weeks 12 and 24, but less than patients with global aphasia at week 24. Patients with Broca's aphasia appear to have the best prognosis for improvement of language function in the first year of stroke. The extent of improvement in patients with global aphasia is better than that of patients with Wernicke's aphasia.

Acute hamstring injury in football players: Association between anatomical location and extent of injury-A large single-center MRI report.

Science.gov (United States)

Crema, Michel D; Guermazi, Ali; Tol, Johannes L; Niu, Jingbo; Hamilton, Bruce; Roemer, Frank W

2016-04-01

To describe in detail the anatomic distribution of acute hamstring injuries in football players, and to assess the relationship between location and extent of edema and tears, all based on findings from MRI. Retrospective observational study. We included 275 consecutive male football players who had sustained acute hamstring injuries and had positive findings on MRI. For each subject, lesions were recorded at specific locations of the hamstring muscles, which were divided into proximal or distal: free tendon, myotendinous junction, muscle belly, and myofascial junction locations. For each lesion, we assessed the largest cross-sectional area of edema and/or tears. We calculated the prevalence of injuries by location. The relationships between locations and extent of edema and tears were assessed using a one-sample t-test, with significance set at pinjuries were most common in the myotendinous junction and in proximal locations. The proximal myotendinous junction was associated with a greater extent of edema in the LHBF and semitendinosus (ST) muscles (phamstring muscle injury. Distal locations (ST muscle), however, seem to be more commonly associated with larger tears. Copyright © 2015 Sports Medicine Australia. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Improving greater trochanteric reattachment with a novel cable plate system.

Science.gov (United States)

Baril, Yannick; Bourgeois, Yan; Brailovski, Vladimir; Duke, Kajsa; Laflamme, G Yves; Petit, Yvan

2013-03-01

Cable-grip systems are commonly used for greater trochanteric reattachment because they have provided the best fixation performance to date, even though they have a rather high complication rate. A novel reattachment system is proposed with the aim of improving fixation stability. It consists of a Y-shaped fixation plate combined with locking screws and superelastic cables to reduce cable loosening and limit greater trochanter movement. The novel system is compared with a commercially available reattachment system in terms of greater trochanter movement and cable tensions under different greater trochanteric abductor application angles. A factorial design of experiments was used including four independent variables: plate system, cable type, abductor application angle, and femur model. The test procedure included 50 cycles of simultaneous application of an abductor force on the greater trochanter and a hip force on the femoral head. The novel plate reduces the movements of a greater trochanter fragment within a single loading cycle up to 26%. Permanent degradation of the fixation (accumulated movement based on 50-cycle testing) is reduced up to 46%. The use of superelastic cables reduces tension loosening up to 24%. However this last improvement did not result in a significant reduction of the grater trochanter movement. The novel plate and cables present advantages over the commercially available greater trochanter reattachment system. The plate reduces movements generated by the hip abductor. The superelastic cables reduce cable loosening during cycling. Both of these positive effects could decrease the risks related to grater trochanter non-union. Copyright © 2012 IPEM. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Planning for greater confinement disposal

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gilbert, T.L.; Luner, C.; Meshkov, N.K.; Trevorrow, L.E.; Yu, C.

1985-01-01

A report that provides guidance for planning for greater-confinement disposal (GCD) of low-level radioactive waste is being prepared. The report addresses procedures for selecting a GCD technology and provides information for implementing these procedures. The focus is on GCD; planning aspects common to GCD and shallow-land burial are covered by reference. Planning procedure topics covered include regulatory requirements, waste characterization, benefit-cost-risk assessment and pathway analysis methodologies, determination of need, waste-acceptance criteria, performance objectives, and comparative assessment of attributes that support these objectives. The major technologies covered include augered shafts, deep trenches, engineered structures, hydrofracture, improved waste forms, and high-integrity containers. Descriptive information is provided, and attributes that are relevant for risk assessment and operational requirements are given. 10 refs., 3 figs., 2 tabs

Extent and Morbidity of Lateralization of a Trochanteric Fixation Nail Blade.

Science.gov (United States)

Sandifer, Phillip A; Hulick, Robert M; Graves, Matthew L; Spitler, Clay A; Russell, George V; Hydrick, Josie M; Jones, LaRita C; Bergin, Patrick F

2017-09-01

This study examined the incidence and risk factors associated with lateral helical blade migration and trochanteric pain with the trochanteric fixation nail. A retrospective review was performed of 141 cases of pertrochanteric femur fracture treated with a trochanteric fixation nail at a level I trauma center over a period of 42 months. Exclusion criteria included follow-up of less than 60 days, preexisting osteonecrosis of the femoral head, and prophylactic trochanteric fixation nail treatment. Patient demographics, operative findings, and radiographic findings were recorded. Medical records were reviewed to identify symptomatic hardware. Overall, 27 patients (19.1%) were symptomatic, and 3 (2.1%) required revision surgery for blade prominence. Of the patients, 42 (30%) had lateralization of greater than 1 cm, and 16 of these (38.1%) were symptomatic (Pfractures showing lateralization of greater than 1 cm. The quality of calcar reduction nearly reached statistical significance, and 44.8% of patients who had inadequate reduction had lateralization of greater than 1 cm compared with 26.4% of patients who had adequate reduction (P=.054). Lateralization of greater than 1 cm was directly associated with the presence of symptoms (Ptrochanteric pain (P=.007). Multivariate analysis showed that increasing tip-apex distance, inadequate calcar reduction, and greater fracture severity were predictive of excessive lateralization of greater than 1 cm. Nearly 20% of patients had lateral hip pain associated with cephalomedullary fixation. Final lateralization of the helical blade of greater than 1 cm was a very strong predictor of symptoms. During preoperative counseling, surgeons should caution patients about this relatively frequent and likely underreported complication. [Orthopedics. 2017; 40(5):e886-e891.]. Copyright 2017, SLACK Incorporated.

Detection of vascularity in wrist tenosynovitis: power doppler ultrasound compared with contrast-enhanced grey-scale ultrasound.

Science.gov (United States)

Klauser, Andrea S; Franz, Magdalena; Arora, Rohit; Feuchtner, Gudrun M; Gruber, Johann; Schirmer, Michael; Jaschke, Werner R; Gabl, Markus F

2010-01-01

We sought to assess vascularity in wrist tenosynovitis by using power Doppler ultrasound (PDUS) and to compare detection of intra- and peritendinous vascularity with that of contrast-enhanced grey-scale ultrasound (CEUS). Twenty-six tendons of 24 patients (nine men, 15 women; mean age ± SD, 54.4 ± 11.8 years) with a clinical diagnosis of tenosynovitis were examined with B-mode ultrasonography, PDUS, and CEUS by using a second-generation contrast agent, SonoVue (Bracco Diagnostics, Milan, Italy) and a low-mechanical-index ultrasound technique. Thickness of synovitis, extent of vascularized pannus, intensity of peritendinous vascularisation, and detection of intratendinous vessels was incorporated in a 3-score grading system (grade 0 to 2). Interobserver variability was calculated. With CEUS, a significantly greater extent of vascularity could be detected than by using PDUS (P < 0.001). In terms of peri- and intratendinous vessels, CEUS was significantly more sensitive in the detection of vascularization compared with PDUS (P < 0.001). No significant correlation between synovial thickening and extent of vascularity could be found (P = 0.089 to 0.097). Interobserver reliability was calculated to be excellent when evaluating the grading score (κ = 0.811 to 1.00). CEUS is a promising tool to detect tendon vascularity with higher sensitivity than PDUS by improved detection of intra- and peritendinous vascularity.

Limited risk assessment and some cost/benefit considerations for greater confinement disposal compared to shallow land burial

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hunter, P.H.; Lester, D.H.; Robertson, L.D.; Spaeth, M.E.; Stoddard, J.A.; Dickman, P.T.

1984-09-01

A limited risk assessment and some cost/benefit considerations of greater confinement disposal (GCD) compared to shallow land burial (SLB) are presented. This study is limited to an analysis of the postclosure phase of hypothetical GCD and SLB facilities. Selected release scenarios are used which bound the range of risks to a maximally exposed individual and a hypothetical population. Based on the scenario assessments, GCD had a significant risk advantage over SLB for normal exposure pathways at both humid and arid sites, particularly for the human intrusion scenario. Since GCD costs are somewhat higher than SLB, it is necessary to weigh the higher costs of GCD against the higher risks of SLB. In this regard, GCD should be pursued as an alternative to SLB for certain types of low-level waste, and as an alternative to processing for wastes requiring improved stabilization or higher integrity packaging to be compatible with SLB. There are two reasons for this conclusion. First, GCD might diminish public apprehension regarding the disposal of wastes perceived to be too hazardous for SLB. Second, GCD may be a relatively cost-effective alternative to various stabilization and packaging schemes required to meet 10 CFR 61 near-surface requirements as well as being a cost-effective alternative to deep geologic disposal. Radionuclide transport through the biosphere and resultant dose consequences were determined using the RADTRAN radionuclide transport code. 19 references, 4 figures, 5 tables

The deep chlorophyll layer in Lake Ontario: Extent, mechanisms of formation, and abiotic predictors

Science.gov (United States)

Scofield, Anne E.; Watkins, James M.; Weidel, Brian C.; Luckey, Frederick J.; Rudstam, Lars G.

2017-01-01

Epilimnetic production has declined in Lake Ontario, but increased production in metalimnetic deep chlorophyll layers (DCLs) may compensate for these losses. We investigated the spatial and temporal extent of DCLs, the mechanisms driving DCL formation, and the use of physical variables for predicting the depth and concentration of the deep chlorophyll maximum (DCM) during April–September 2013. A DCL with DCM concentrations 2 to 3 times greater than those in the epilimnion was present when the euphotic depth extended below the epilimnion, which occurred primarily from late June through mid-August. In situ growth was important for DCL formation in June and July, but settling and photoadaptation likely also contributed to the later-season DCL. Supporting evidence includes: phytoplankton biovolume was 2.4 × greater in the DCL than in the epilimnion during July, the DCL phytoplankton community of July was different from that of May and the July epilimnion (p = 0.004), and there were concurrences of DCM with maxima in fine particle concentration and dissolved oxygen saturation. Higher nutrient levels in the metalimnion may also be a necessary condition for DCL formation because July metalimnetic concentrations were 1.5 × (nitrate) and 3.5 × (silica) greater than in the epilimnion. Thermal structure variables including epilimnion depth, thermocline depth, and thermocline steepness were useful for predicting DCM depth; the inclusion of euphotic depth only marginally improved these predictions. However, euphotic depth was critical for predicting DCM concentrations. The DCL is a productive and predictable feature of the Lake Ontario ecosystem during the stratified period.

Effects of ruminal protein degradability and frequency of supplementation on site and extent of digestion and ruminal fermentation characteristics in lambs fed low-quality forage.

Science.gov (United States)

Atkinson, R L; Toone, C D; Ludden, P A

2010-02-01

Four ruminally and duodenally cannulated Suffolk wether lambs (34.5 +/- 2.0 kg initial BW) were used in a 4 x 4 Latin square-designed experiment to examine the effects of ruminal protein degradability and supplementation frequency on site and extent of digestion in lambs consuming a low-quality forage diet. Wethers were fed a basal diet of mature crested wheatgrass hay (4.2% CP) for ad libitum consumption plus 1 of 4 supplements: 1) a high RDP supplement provided daily (RDP-D), 2) the high RDP supplement provided on alternate days (RDP-A), 3) a high RUP supplement provided on alternate days (RUP-A), or 4) a 50:50 mixture of the RDP and RUP supplements, provided on alternate days (MIX-A). Forage OM, N, NDF, or ADF intakes were not affected by treatment. True ruminal OM digestibility was greater (P RUP-A lambs compared with other treatments. Ruminal digestibilities of NDF and ADF were greater (P RUP had less (P RUP-A lambs exhibiting the least concentrations and least variation over time. Ruminal urease activity was not affected by treatment. Microbial N flow was not affected by treatment; however, there was an increase (P = 0.004) in microbial efficiency for RDP-D lambs. Alternate day protein supplementation with a mixture of RDP and RUP may improve digestibility in lambs consuming low-quality forage, which may be related to decreased fluctuation in ruminal ammonia concentrations as a result of greater endogenous N recycling.

Automated flood extent identification using WorldView imagery for the insurance industry

Science.gov (United States)

Geller, Christina

2017-10-01

Flooding is the most common and costly natural disaster around the world, causing the loss of human life and billions in economic and insured losses each year. In 2016, pluvial and fluvial floods caused an estimated 5.69 billion USD in losses worldwide with the most severe events occurring in Germany, France, China, and the United States. While catastrophe modeling has begun to help bridge the knowledge gap about the risk of fluvial flooding, understanding the extent of a flood - pluvial and fluvial - in near real-time allows insurance companies around the world to quantify the loss of property that their clients face during a flooding event and proactively respond. To develop this real-time, global analysis of flooded areas and the associated losses, a new methodology utilizing optical multi-spectral imagery from DigitalGlobe (DGI) WorldView satellite suite is proposed for the extraction of pluvial and fluvial flood extents. This methodology involves identifying flooded areas visible to the sensor, filling in the gaps left by the built environment (i.e. buildings, trees) with a nearest neighbor calculation, and comparing the footprint against an Industry Exposure Database (IE) to calculate a loss estimate. Full-automation of the methodology allows production of flood extents and associated losses anywhere around the world as required. The methodology has been tested and proven effective for the 2016 flood in Louisiana, USA.

Updated Vertical Extent of Collision Damage

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Tagg, R.; Bartzis, P.; Papanikolaou, P.

2002-01-01

The probabilistic distribution of the vertical extent of collision damage is an important and somewhat controversial component of the proposed IMO harmonized damage stability regulations for cargo and passenger ships. The only pre-existing vertical distribution, currently used in the international...

Influence of Arctic Sea Ice Extent on Polar Cloud Fraction and Vertical Structure and Implications for Regional Climate

Science.gov (United States)

Palm, Stephen P.; Strey, Sara T.; Spinhirne, James; Markus, Thorsten

2010-01-01

Recent satellite lidar measurements of cloud properties spanning a period of 5 years are used to examine a possible connection between Arctic sea ice amount and polar cloud fraction and vertical distribution. We find an anticorrelation between sea ice extent and cloud fraction with maximum cloudiness occurring over areas with little or no sea ice. We also find that over ice!free regions, there is greater low cloud frequency and average optical depth. Most of the optical depth increase is due to the presence of geometrically thicker clouds over water. In addition, our analysis indicates that over the last 5 years, October and March average polar cloud fraction has increased by about 7% and 10%, respectively, as year average sea ice extent has decreased by 5% 7%. The observed cloud changes are likely due to a number of effects including, but not limited to, the observed decrease in sea ice extent and thickness. Increasing cloud amount and changes in vertical distribution and optical properties have the potential to affect the radiative balance of the Arctic region by decreasing both the upwelling terrestrial longwave radiation and the downward shortwave solar radiation. Because longwave radiation dominates in the long polar winter, the overall effect of increasing low cloud cover is likely a warming of the Arctic and thus a positive climate feedback, possibly accelerating the melting of Arctic sea ice.

The perceptions of inquiry held by greater Houston area science supervisors

Science.gov (United States)

Aoki, Jon Michael

The purpose of this study was to describe the perceptions of inquiry held by responding greater Houston area science supervisors. Leading science organizations proposed that students might be better served if students are mentally and physically engaged in the process of finding out about natural phenomena rather than by didactic modes of teaching and learning. During the past fifty years, inquiry-based instruction has become a significant theme of new science programs. Students are more likely to make connections between classroom exercises and their personal lives through the use of inquiry-based instruction. Learning becomes relevant to students. Conversely, traditional science instruction often has little or no connection to students' everyday lives (Papert, 1980). In short, inquiry-based instruction empowers students to become independent thinkers. The utilization of inquiry-based instruction is essential to a successful reform in science education. However, a reform's success is partly determined by the extent to which science supervisors know and understand inquiry and consequently promote its integration in the district's science curricula. Science supervisors have the role of providing curriculum and instructional support to science teachers and for implementing science programs. There is a fundamental need to assess the perceptions of inquiry held by greater Houston area science supervisors. Science supervisor refers to a class of job titles that include department chairperson, science specialist, science consultant, and science coordinator. The target population was greater Houston area science supervisors in Texas. This study suggests that there are three major implications for educational practice. First, there is the implication that responding greater Houston area science supervisors need an inclusive perception of inquiry. Second, responding greater Houston area science supervisors' perception of inquiry may affect the perceptions and understandings

The Extent of Myocardial Injury During Prolonged Targeted Temperature Management After Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Grejs, Anders Morten; Gjedsted, Jakob; Thygesen, Kristian

2017-01-01

AIM: The aim of this study is to evaluate the extent of myocardial injury by cardiac biomarkers during prolonged targeted temperature management of 24 hours vs 48 hours after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. METHODS: This randomized Scandinavian multicenter study compares the extent of myocardial...... injury estimated by hs-cTnTAUC of prolonged targeted temperature management of 48 hours vs 24 hours, although the CK-MBAUC was significantly higher during 48 hours vs 24 hours. Hence, it seems unlikely that the duration of targeted temperature management has a beneficial effect on the extent...... injury quantified by area under the curve (AUC) of cardiac biomarkers during prolonged targeted temperature management at 33°C ± 1°C of 24 hours and 48 hours, respectively. Through a period of 2.5 years, 161 comatose out-of-hospital cardiac arrest patients were randomized to targeted temperature...

Stress and Subjective Age: Those With Greater Financial Stress Look Older.

Science.gov (United States)

Agrigoroaei, Stefan; Lee-Attardo, Angela; Lachman, Margie E

2017-12-01

Subjective indicators of age add to our understanding of the aging process beyond the role of chronological age. We examined whether financial stress contributes to subjective age as rated by others and the self. The participants ( N = 228), aged 26-75, were from a Boston area satellite of the Midlife in the United States (MIDUS) longitudinal study. Participants reported how old they felt and how old they thought they looked, and observers assessed the participants' age based on photographs (other-look age), at two occasions, an average of 10 years apart. Financial stress was measured at Time 1. Controlling for income, general stress, health, and attractiveness, participants who reported higher levels of financial stress were perceived as older than their actual age to a greater extent and showed larger increases in other-look age over time. We consider the results on accelerated aging of appearance with regard to their implications for interpersonal interactions and in relation to health.

Quantifying Forest Spatial Pattern Trends at Multiple Extents: An Approach to Detect Significant Changes at Different Scales

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ludovico Frate

2014-09-01

Full Text Available We propose a procedure to detect significant changes in forest spatial patterns and relevant scales. Our approach consists of four sequential steps. First, based on a series of multi-temporal forest maps, a set of geographic windows of increasing extents are extracted. Second, for each extent and date, specific stochastic simulations that replicate real-world spatial pattern characteristics are run. Third, by computing pattern metrics on both simulated and real maps, their empirical distributions and confidence intervals are derived. Finally, multi-temporal scalograms are built for each metric. Based on cover maps (1954, 2011 with a resolution of 10 m we analyze forest pattern changes in a central Apennines (Italy reserve at multiple spatial extents (128, 256 and 512 pixels. We identify three types of multi-temporal scalograms, depending on pattern metric behaviors, describing different dynamics of natural reforestation process. The statistical distribution and variability of pattern metrics at multiple extents offers a new and powerful tool to detect forest variations over time. Similar procedures can (i help to identify significant changes in spatial patterns and provide the bases to relate them to landscape processes; (ii minimize the bias when comparing pattern metrics at a single extent and (iii be extended to other landscapes and scales.

Do right-ventricular trabeculae gain energetic advantage from having a greater velocity of shortening?

Science.gov (United States)

Pham, Toan; Han, June-Chiew; Taberner, Andrew; Loiselle, Denis

2017-10-15

We designed a study to test whether velocity of shortening in right-ventricular tissue preparations is greater than that of the left side under conditions mimicking those encountered by the heart in vivo. Our experiments allowed us to explore whether greater velocity of shortening results in any energetic advantage. We found that velocity of shortening was higher in the rat right-ventricular trabeculae. These results at the tissue level seem paradoxical to the velocity of ventricular ejection at the organ level, and are not always in accord with shortening of unloaded cells. Despite greater velocity of shortening in right-ventricular trabeculae, they neither gained nor lost advantage with respect to both mechanical efficiency and the heat generated during shortening. Our study aimed to ascertain whether the interventricular difference of shortening velocity, reported for isolated cardiac tissues in vitro, affects interventricular mechano-energetic performance when tested under physiological conditions using a shortening protocol designed to mimic those in vivo. We isolated trabeculae from both ventricles of the rat, mounted them in a calorimeter, and performed experiments at 37°C and 5 Hz stimulus frequency to emulate conditions of the rat heart in vivo. Each trabecula was subjected to two experimental protocols: (i) isotonic work-loop contractions at a variety of afterloads, and (ii) isometric contractions at a variety of preloads. Velocity of shortening was calculated from the former protocol during the isotonic shortening phase of the contraction. Simultaneous measurements of force-length work and heat output allowed calculation of mechanical efficiency. The shortening-dependent thermal component was quantified from the difference in heat output between the two protocols. Our results show that both extent of shortening and velocity of shortening were higher in trabeculae from the right ventricle. Despite these differences, trabeculae from both ventricles

Quantifying edge effect extent and its impacts on carbon stocks across a degraded landscape in the Amazon using airborne lidar.

Science.gov (United States)

dos-Santos, M. N.; Keller, M.; Morton, D. C.; Longo, M.; Scaranello, M. A., Sr.; Pinagé, E. R.; Correa Pabon, R.

2017-12-01

Ongoing tropical forest degradation and forest fragmentation increases forest edge area. Forest edges experience hotter, drier, and windier conditions and greater exposure to fires compared to interior areas, which elevate rates of tree mortality. Previous studies have suggested that forests within 100 m from the edge may lose 36% of biomass during the first two decades following fragmentation, although such estimates are based on a limited number of experimental plots. Degraded forests behave differently from intact forests and quantifying edge effect extension in a degraded forest landscape is more challenging compared to experimental studies. To overcome these limitations, we used airborne lidar data to quantify changes in forest structure near 91 edges in a heavily degraded tropical forest in Paragominas Municipality, eastern Brazilian Amazon. Paragominas was a center of timber production in the 1990s. Today, the landscape is a mosaic of different agricultural uses, degraded, secondary and unmanaged forests. A total of 3000 ha of high density (mean density of 17.9 points/m2) lidar data were acquired in August/September 2013 and June/July 2014 over 30 transects (200 x 5000m), systematically distributed over the study area, using the Optech Orion M-200 laser scanning system. We adopted lidar-measured forest heights as the edge effect criteria and found that mean extent of edge effect was highly variable across degraded forests (150 ± 354m) and secondary forest fragments (265 ± 365m). We related the extent of forest edges to the historical disturbances identified in Landsat imagery since 1984. Contrary to previous studies, we found that carbon stocks along forest edges were not significantly lower than forest core biomass when edges were defined by previously estimated range of 100 and 300m. In frontier forests, ecological edge effect may be masked by the cumulative impact of historic forest degradation - an anthropogenic edge effect that extends beyond the

Rowing increases stroke volume and cardiac output to a greater extent than cycling

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Horn, P.; Ošťádal, P.; Ošťádal, Bohuslav

2015-01-01

Roč. 64, č. 2 (2015), s. 203-207 ISSN 0862-8408 Institutional support: RVO:67985823 Keywords : cardiac output * cycling * heart rate * stroke volume Subject RIV: FA - Cardiovascular Diseases incl. Cardiotharic Surgery Impact factor: 1.643, year: 2015

Extent of linkage disequilibrium and effective population size in four South African Sanga cattle breeds

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sithembile Olga Makina

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Knowledge on the extent of linkage disequilibrium (LD in livestock populations is essential to determine the minimum distance between markers required for effective coverage when conducting genome-wide association studies. This study evaluated the extent of LD, persistence of allelic phase and effective population size (Ne for four Sanga cattle breeds in South Africa including the Afrikaner (n=44, Nguni (n=54, Drakensberger (n=47 and Bonsmara breeds (n=46, using Angus (n=31 and Holstein (n=29 as reference populations. We found that moderate LD extends up to inter-marker distances of 40-60 kb in Angus (0.21 and Holstein (0.21 and up to 100 kb in Afrikaner (0.20. This suggests that genomic selection and association studies performed within these breeds using an average inter-marker r2 ≥ 0.20 would require about 30,000 -50,000 SNPs. However, r2 ≥ 0.20 extended only up to 10-20 kb in the Nguni and Drakensberger and 20-40 kb in the Bonsmara indicating that 75,000 to 150,000 SNPs would be necessary for genome-wide association studies in these breeds. Correlation between alleles at contiguous loci indicated that phase was not strongly preserved between breeds. This suggests the need for breed-specific reference populations in which a much greater density of markers should be scored to identify breed specific haplotypes which may then be imputed into multi-breed commercial populations. Analysis of effective population size based on the extent of LD, revealed Ne=95 (Nguni, Ne=87 (Drakensberger, Ne=77 (Bonsmara and Ne=41 (Afrikaner. Results of this study form the basis for implementation of genomic selection programs in the Sanga breeds of South Africa.

Significance of microscopic extention from 1162 esophageal carcinoma specimens

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang Jun; Zhu Shuchai; Han Chun; Zhang Xin; Xiao Aiqin; Ma Guoxin

2007-01-01

Objective: To examine the subclinical microscopic tumor extention along the long axis in 1162 specimens of esophageal carcinoma so as to help define the clinical target volume(CTV) according to the degree of microscopic extention(ME) for radiotherapy for esophageal carcinoma. Methods: 1162 resected esophageal carcinoma specimens originally located in the neck and thorax were studied with special reference to the correlation between upper and lower resection length from the tumor and positive microscopic margin. Another 52 resected esophageal carcinoma specimens were made into pathological giant sections: the actual resection length of upper and para-esophageal normal tissues was compared with that of the lower nor- mal tissues from the tumor, there by, the ratio of shrinkage was obtained and compared. Results: After fixation, microscopic positive margin ratio of the upper resection border in length ≤0.5 cm group was higher than that in length > 0.5 cm group (16.4% vs 4.1%, P=0.000). Microscopic positive margin ratio of the lower resection border in length ≤1.5 cm group was higher than that in length > 1.5 cm group( 8.1% vs 0.4%, P = 0.000). This showed that the positive margin ratio of the upper border was higher than that of the lower border in resection length > 1.5 cm group(3.5% vs 0.4%, P=0. 000). The actual length of upper and lower normal esophageal tissue after having been made into pathological giant sections in 52 patients, was 30% ± 14% and 44% ± 19% of that measured in the operation. Conclusions: Considering the shrinkage of the normal esophagus during fixation, a CTV margin of 2.0 cm along the upper long axis and 3.5 cm along the lower long axis should be chosen for radiotherapy for esophageal carcinoma, according to the ratio of shrinkage. Ascending invasion proportion is higher than the descending invasion in that tumor. (authors)

Reconstructed North American Snow Extent, 1900-1993

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — This data set contains reconstructed monthly North American snow extent values for November through March, 1900-1993. Investigators used a combination of satellite...

Lymphadenectomy in bladder cancer: What should be the extent?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

K Muruganandham

2010-01-01

Full Text Available The extent of Lymh node dissection (LND during radical cystectomy is a subject of increasing importance with several studies suggesting that an extended LND may improve staging accuracy and outcome. Significant numbers of patients have lymph node metastasis above the boundaries of standard LND. Extended LND yields higher number of lymph nodes which may result in better staging. Various retrospective studies have reported better oncological outcomes with extended LND compared to limited LND. No difference in the mortality and the incidence of lymphocele formation has been found between ′standard′ and ′extended′ LND. Till we have a well-designed randomized controlled trial to address these issues for level 1 evidence, it is not justified to deny our patients the advantages of ′extended′ lymphadenectomy based on the current level of evidence.

Gene expression patterns in peripheral blood correlate with the extent of coronary artery disease.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Peter R Sinnaeve

Full Text Available Systemic and local inflammation plays a prominent role in the pathogenesis of atherosclerotic coronary artery disease, but the relationship of whole blood gene expression changes with coronary disease remains unclear. We have investigated whether gene expression patterns in peripheral blood correlate with the severity of coronary disease and whether these patterns correlate with the extent of atherosclerosis in the vascular wall. Patients were selected according to their coronary artery disease index (CADi, a validated angiographical measure of the extent of coronary atherosclerosis that correlates with outcome. RNA was extracted from blood of 120 patients with at least a stenosis greater than 50% (CADi > or = 23 and from 121 controls without evidence of coronary stenosis (CADi = 0. 160 individual genes were found to correlate with CADi (rho > 0.2, P<0.003. Prominent differential expression was observed especially in genes involved in cell growth, apoptosis and inflammation. Using these 160 genes, a partial least squares multivariate regression model resulted in a highly predictive model (r(2 = 0.776, P<0.0001. The expression pattern of these 160 genes in aortic tissue also predicted the severity of atherosclerosis in human aortas, showing that peripheral blood gene expression associated with coronary atherosclerosis mirrors gene expression changes in atherosclerotic arteries. In conclusion, the simultaneous expression pattern of 160 genes in whole blood correlates with the severity of coronary artery disease and mirrors expression changes in the atherosclerotic vascular wall.

Mixture model to assess the extent of cross-transmission of multidrug-resistant pathogens in hospitals.

Science.gov (United States)

Mikolajczyk, Rafael T; Kauermann, Göran; Sagel, Ulrich; Kretzschmar, Mirjam

2009-08-01

Creation of a mixture model based on Poisson processes for assessment of the extent of cross-transmission of multidrug-resistant pathogens in the hospital. We propose a 2-component mixture of Poisson processes to describe the time series of detected cases of colonization. The first component describes the admission process of patients with colonization, and the second describes the cross-transmission. The data set used to illustrate the method consists of the routinely collected records for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), imipenem-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii over a period of 3 years in a German tertiary care hospital. For MRSA and multidrug-resistant A. baumannii, cross-transmission was estimated to be responsible for more than 80% of cases; for imipenem-resistant P. aeruginosa, cross-transmission was estimated to be responsible for 59% of cases. For new cases observed within a window of less than 28 days for MRSA and multidrug-resistant A. baumannii or 40 days for imipenem-resistant P. aeruginosa, there was a 50% or greater probability that the cause was cross-transmission. The proposed method offers a solution to assessing of the extent of cross-transmission, which can be of clinical use. The method can be applied using freely available software (the package FlexMix in R) and it requires relatively little data.

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

Comparative uptake of gamma-emitting fission product nuclides by plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

D'souza, T.J.; Mistry, K.B.

1974-01-01

The comparative uptake of long-lived gamma-emitting fission product nuclides 106 Ru, 125 Sb, 137 Cs and 144 Ce, present in global fallout from nuclear explosions, by maize (Zea mays L) plants was examined in water culture experiments. Over identical duration of plant growth, the extent of accumulation of the radionuclides in aerial tissues was in the following decreasing order: 137 Cs >, 125 Sb >, 106 Ru > and 144 Ce. In roots, however, the retention of 144 Ce and 106 Ru was greater than that of 137 Cs and 125 Sb. Complementary studies with maize and rice (Oryza sativa L) grown on two contrasting soil types, namely, laterite and black clay loam indicated that 137 Cs uptake by plants was markedly greater than that of the other radionuclides in both soil types. Plant uptake of 106 Ru and 125 Sb was significantly higher than that of 144 Ce in the black soil. In the laterite, however, 144 Ce uptake far exceeded that of 106 Ru and 125 Sb. In general, maize removed higher amounts of the radionuclides than rice from both soil types. (author)

Versatility of cooperative transcriptional activation: a thermodynamical modeling analysis for greater-than-additive and less-than-additive effects.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Till D Frank

Full Text Available We derive a statistical model of transcriptional activation using equilibrium thermodynamics of chemical reactions. We examine to what extent this statistical model predicts synergy effects of cooperative activation of gene expression. We determine parameter domains in which greater-than-additive and less-than-additive effects are predicted for cooperative regulation by two activators. We show that the statistical approach can be used to identify different causes of synergistic greater-than-additive effects: nonlinearities of the thermostatistical transcriptional machinery and three-body interactions between RNA polymerase and two activators. In particular, our model-based analysis suggests that at low transcription factor concentrations cooperative activation cannot yield synergistic greater-than-additive effects, i.e., DNA transcription can only exhibit less-than-additive effects. Accordingly, transcriptional activity turns from synergistic greater-than-additive responses at relatively high transcription factor concentrations into less-than-additive responses at relatively low concentrations. In addition, two types of re-entrant phenomena are predicted. First, our analysis predicts that under particular circumstances transcriptional activity will feature a sequence of less-than-additive, greater-than-additive, and eventually less-than-additive effects when for fixed activator concentrations the regulatory impact of activators on the binding of RNA polymerase to the promoter increases from weak, to moderate, to strong. Second, for appropriate promoter conditions when activator concentrations are increased then the aforementioned re-entrant sequence of less-than-additive, greater-than-additive, and less-than-additive effects is predicted as well. Finally, our model-based analysis suggests that even for weak activators that individually induce only negligible increases in promoter activity, promoter activity can exhibit greater

Comparative evaluation of men's depilatory composition versus razor in black men.

Science.gov (United States)

Kindred, Chesahna; Oresajo, Christian O; Yatskayer, Margarita; Halder, Rebat M

2011-08-01

Shaving with razors often is problematic for men with sensitive skin, especially black individuals who are generally prone to developing pseudofolliculitis barbae (PFB). For patients with PFB, physicians often recommend shaving with depilatory creams that chemically remove hair from the skin surface by dissolving keratin. This 1-week, controlled, single-center, split-faced, randomized trial compared shaving with 3 different depilatory compositions to shaving with a manual razor in black men. One depilatory composition was withdrawn during the study because of the high incidence of adverse events. The depilatory compositions produced fewer papules and more irritation immediately after use and to a greater extent than the manual razor; the irritation was transient and more often subjective than objective. In this preliminary study, the result of using depilatory compositions was that the skin looked and felt smoother compared to shaving with a razor. Depilatory products are recommended for patients who develop PFB or are unsatisfied with the results of shaving with a manual razor.

Extent of reaction in open systems with multiple heterogeneous reactions

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Friedly, John C.

1991-01-01

The familiar batch concept of extent of reaction is reexamined for systems of reactions occurring in open systems. Because species concentrations change as a result of transport processes as well as reactions in open systems, the extent of reaction has been less useful in practice in these applications. It is shown that by defining the extent of the equivalent batch reaction and a second contribution to the extent of reaction due to the transport processes, it is possible to treat the description of the dynamics of flow through porous media accompanied by many chemical reactions in a uniform, concise manner. This approach tends to isolate the reaction terms among themselves and away from the model partial differential equations, thereby enabling treatment of large problems involving both equilibrium and kinetically controlled reactions. Implications on the number of coupled partial differential equations necessary to be solved and on numerical algorithms for solving such problems are discussed. Examples provided illustrate the theory applied to solute transport in groundwater flow.

Simultaneous bilateral isolated greater trochanter fracture

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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.

Taino and African maternal heritage in the Greater Antilles.

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Bukhari, Areej; Luis, Javier Rodriguez; Alfonso-Sanchez, Miguel A; Garcia-Bertrand, Ralph; Herrera, Rene J

2017-12-30

Notwithstanding the general interest and the geopolitical importance of the island countries in the Greater Antilles, little is known about the specific ancestral Native American and African populations that settled them. In an effort to alleviate this lacuna of information on the genetic constituents of the Greater Antilles, we comprehensively compared the mtDNA compositions of Cuba, Dominican Republic, Haiti, Jamaica and Puerto Rico. To accomplish this, the mtDNA HVRI and HVRII regions, as well as coding diagnostic sites, were assessed in the Haitian general population and compared to data from reference populations. The Taino maternal DNA is prominent in the ex-Spanish colonies (61.3%-22.0%) while it is basically non-existent in the ex-French and ex-English colonies of Haiti (0.0%) and Jamaica (0.5%), respectively. The most abundant Native American mtDNA haplogroups in the Greater Antilles are A2, B2 and C1. The African mtDNA component is almost fixed in Haiti (98.2%) and Jamaica (98.5%), and the frequencies of specific African haplogroups vary considerably among the five island nations. The strong persistence of Taino mtDNA in the ex-Spanish colonies (and especially in Puerto Rico), and its absence in the French and English excolonies is likely the result of different social norms regarding mixed marriages with Taino women during the early years after the first contact with Europeans. In addition, this article reports on the results of an integrative approach based on mtDNA analysis and demographic data that tests the hypothesis of a southward shift in raiding zones along the African west coast during the period encompassing the Transatlantic Slave Trade. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Moderate Baseline Vagal Tone Predicts Greater Prosociality in Children

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Miller, Jonas G.; Kahle, Sarah; Hastings, Paul D.

2016-01-01

Vagal tone is widely believed to be an important physiological aspect of emotion regulation and associated positive behaviors. However, there is inconsistent evidence for relations between children’s baseline vagal tone and their helpful or prosocial responses to others (Hastings & Miller, 2014). Recent work in adults suggests a quadratic association (inverted U-shape curve) between baseline vagal tone and prosociality (Kogan et al., 2014). The present research examined whether this nonlinear association was evident in children. We found consistent evidence for a quadratic relation between vagal tone and prosociality across 3 samples of children using 6 different measures. Compared to low and high vagal tone, moderate vagal tone in early childhood concurrently predicted greater self-reported prosociality (Study 1), observed empathic concern in response to the distress of others and greater generosity toward less fortunate peers (Study 2), and longitudinally predicted greater self-, mother-, and teacher-reported prosociality 5.5 years later in middle childhood (Study 3). Taken together, our findings suggest that moderate vagal tone at rest represents a physiological preparedness or tendency to engage in different forms of prosociality across different contexts. Early moderate vagal tone may reflect an optimal balance of regulation and arousal that helps prepare children to sympathize, comfort, and share with others. PMID:27819463

Is Eurasian October snow cover extent increasing?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brown, R D; Derksen, C

2013-01-01

A number of recent studies present evidence of an increasing trend in Eurasian snow cover extent (SCE) in the October snow onset period based on analysis of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) historical satellite record. These increases are inconsistent with fall season surface temperature warming trends across the region. Using four independent snow cover data sources (surface observations, two reanalyses, satellite passive microwave retrievals) we show that the increasing SCE is attributable to an internal trend in the NOAA CDR dataset to chart relatively more October snow cover extent over the dataset overlap period (1982–2005). Adjusting the series for this shift results in closer agreement with other independent datasets, stronger correlation with continentally-averaged air temperature anomalies, and a decrease in SCE over 1982–2011 consistent with surface air temperature warming trends over the same period. (letter)

Identification of Biokinetic Models Using the Concept of Extents.

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Mašić, Alma; Srinivasan, Sriniketh; Billeter, Julien; Bonvin, Dominique; Villez, Kris

2017-07-05

The development of a wide array of process technologies to enable the shift from conventional biological wastewater treatment processes to resource recovery systems is matched by an increasing demand for predictive capabilities. Mathematical models are excellent tools to meet this demand. However, obtaining reliable and fit-for-purpose models remains a cumbersome task due to the inherent complexity of biological wastewater treatment processes. In this work, we present a first study in the context of environmental biotechnology that adopts and explores the use of extents as a way to simplify and streamline the dynamic process modeling task. In addition, the extent-based modeling strategy is enhanced by optimal accounting for nonlinear algebraic equilibria and nonlinear measurement equations. Finally, a thorough discussion of our results explains the benefits of extent-based modeling and its potential to turn environmental process modeling into a highly automated task.

A novel method to calculate the extent and amount of drug transported into CSF after intranasal administration.

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Shi, Zhenqi; Zhang, Qizhi; Jiang, Xinguo

2005-01-31

The aim of this paper is to establish a novel method to calculate the extent and amount of drug transported to brain after administration. The cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) was chosen as the target region. The intranasal administration of meptazinol hydrochloride (MEP) was chosen as the model administration and intravenous administration was selected as reference. According to formula transform, the extent was measured by the equation of X(A)CSF, infinity/X0 = Cl(CSF) AUC(0-->infinity)CSF/X0 and the drug amount was calculated by multiplying the dose with the extent. The drug clearance in CSF (Cl(CSF)) was calculated by a method, in which a certain volume of MEP solution was injected directly into rat cistern magna and then clearance was assessed as the reciprocal of the zeroth moment of a CSF level-time curve normalized for dose. In order to testify the accurateness of the method, 14C-sucrose was chosen as reference because of its impermeable characteristic across blood-brain barrier (BBB). It was found out that the MEP concentrations in plasma and CSF after intranasal administration did not show significant difference with those after intravenous administration. However, the extent and amount of MEP transported to CSF was significantly lower compared with those to plasma after these two administrations. In conclusion, the method can be applied to measure the extent and amount of drug transported to CSF, which would be useful to evaluate brain-targeting drug delivery.

Jejunal feeding is followed by a greater rise in plasma cholecystokinin, peptide YY, glucagon-like peptide 1, and glucagon-like peptide 2 concentrations compared with gastric feeding in vivo in humans

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Luttikhold, Joanna; van Norren, Klaske; Rijna, Herman

2016-01-01

and the associated endocrine response in vivo in humans remains largely unexplored. OBJECTIVE: We compared the impact of administering enteral nutrition as either gastric feeding or jejunal feeding on endocrine responses in vivo in humans. DESIGN: In a randomized, crossover study design, 12 healthy young men (mean...... and a greater postprandial incremental AUC for GLP-1 and cholecystokinin (all P young men results in similar postprandial plasma amino acid and glucose concentrations....... However, the endocrine response differs substantially, with higher peak plasma cholecystokinin, PYY, GLP-1, and GLP-2 concentrations being attained after jejunal feeding. This effect may result in an improved anabolic response, greater insulin sensitivity, and an improved intestinotropic effect...

The Influence of Arctic Sea Ice Extent on Polar Cloud Fraction and Vertical Structure and Implications for Regional Climate

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Palm, Stephen P.; Strey, Sara T.; Spinhirne, James; Markus, Thorsten

2010-01-01

Recent satellite lidar measurements of cloud properties spanning a period of five years are used to examine a possible connection between Arctic sea ice amount and polar cloud fraction and vertical distribution. We find an anti-correlation between sea ice extent and cloud fraction with maximum cloudiness occurring over areas with little or no sea ice. We also find that over ice free regions, there is greater low cloud frequency and average optical depth. Most of the optical depth increase is due to the presence of geometrically thicker clouds over water. In addition, our analysis indicates that over the last 5 years, October and March average polar cloud fraction has increased by about 7 and 10 percent, respectively, as year average sea ice extent has decreased by 5 to 7 percent. The observed cloud changes are likely due to a number of effects including, but not limited to, the observed decrease in sea ice extent and thickness. Increasing cloud amount and changes in vertical distribution and optical properties have the potential to affect the radiative balance of the Arctic region by decreasing both the upwelling terrestrial longwave radiation and the downward shortwave solar radiation. Since longwave radiation dominates in the long polar winter, the overall effect of increasing low cloud cover is likely a warming of the Arctic and thus a positive climate feedback, possibly accelerating the melting of Arctic sea ice.

Male Astronauts Have Greater Bone Loss and Risk of Hip Fracture Following Long Duration Spaceflights than Females

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Ellman, Rachel; Sibonga, Jean; Bouxsein, Mary

2010-01-01

This slide presentation reviews bone loss in males and compares it to female bone loss during long duration spaceflight. The study indicates that males suffer greater bone loss than females and have a greater risk of hip fracture. Two possible reason for the greater male bone loss are that the pre-menopausal females have the estrogen protection and the greater strength of men max out the exercise equipment that provide a limited resistance to 135 kg.

The Geographic Extent of Global Supply Chains

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Machikita, Tomohiro; Ueki, Yasushi

2012-01-01

We study the extent to which inter-firm relationships are locally concentrated and what determines firm differences in geographic proximity to domestic or foreign suppliers and customers. From micro-data on selfreported customer and supplier data of firms in Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand, ...

Comparative cytotoxicity of gold-doxorubicin and InP-doxorubicin conjugates.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Xuan; Chibli, Hicham; Kong, Dekun; Nadeau, Jay

2012-07-11

Direct comparisons of different types of nanoparticles for drug delivery have seldom been performed. In this study we compare the physical properties and cellular activity of doxorubicin (Dox) conjugates to gold nanoparticles (Au) and InP quantum dots of comparable diameter. Although the Au particles alone are non-toxic and InP is moderately toxic, Au-Dox is more effective than InP-Dox against the Dox-resistant B16 melanoma cell line. Light exposure does not augment the efficacy of InP-Dox, suggesting that conjugates are breaking down. Electron and confocal microscopy and atomic absorption spectroscopy reveal that over 60% of the Au-Dox conjugates reach the cell nucleus. In contrast, InP-Dox enters cell nuclei to a very limited extent, although liberated Dox from the conjugates does eventually reach the nucleus. These observations are attributed to faster Dox release from Au conjugates under endosomal conditions, greater aggregation of InP-Dox with cytoplasmic proteins, and adherence of InP to membranes. These findings have important implications for design of active drug-nanoparticle conjugates.

Interrelation of ST-segment depression during bicycle ergometry and extent of myocardial ischaemia by myocardial perfusion SPECT

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Muzzarelli, Stefano; Pfisterer, Matthias Emil; Zellweger, Michael Johannes; Mueller-Brand, Jan

2009-01-01

The aim of this study was to compare ST-segment depression (STD) during bicycle ergometry and extent of myocardial ischaemia assessed by myocardial perfusion SPECT (MPS) in a large patient cohort. Consecutive patients (n = 955) referred for MPS with bicycle ergometry and interpretable stress ECG were evaluated with respect to ECG and MPS findings of ischaemia. The maximal STD was recorded and exercise ECG was considered ischaemic if STD was horizontal or downsloping (≥1 mm). MPS was interpreted using a 20-segment model with a scale of 0 to 4. A summed stress (SSS), summed rest (SRS) and summed difference score (SDS = SSS-SRS, e.g. extent of ischaemia) were derived. Ischaemia was defined as an SDS ≥ 2. An exercise-induced STD was present in 215 patients (22%) and myocardial ischaemia on MPS was present in 366 patients (38%). The extent of ST-segment depression and the number of ECG leads with significant STD were each strongly and significantly associated with increasing severity of ischaemia and the number of coronary territories involved (p < 0.01 for all correlations). These data demonstrate a strong correlation between the extent of STD, number of ischaemic leads and severity of myocardial ischaemia as assessed by MPS during bicycle ergometry. (orig.)

Interrelation of ST-segment depression during bicycle ergometry and extent of myocardial ischaemia by myocardial perfusion SPECT

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Muzzarelli, Stefano; Pfisterer, Matthias Emil; Zellweger, Michael Johannes [University Hospital Basel, Cardiology Department, Basel (Switzerland); Mueller-Brand, Jan [University Hospital Basel, Nuclear Medicine Department, Basel (Switzerland)

2009-11-15

The aim of this study was to compare ST-segment depression (STD) during bicycle ergometry and extent of myocardial ischaemia assessed by myocardial perfusion SPECT (MPS) in a large patient cohort. Consecutive patients (n = 955) referred for MPS with bicycle ergometry and interpretable stress ECG were evaluated with respect to ECG and MPS findings of ischaemia. The maximal STD was recorded and exercise ECG was considered ischaemic if STD was horizontal or downsloping ({>=}1 mm). MPS was interpreted using a 20-segment model with a scale of 0 to 4. A summed stress (SSS), summed rest (SRS) and summed difference score (SDS = SSS-SRS, e.g. extent of ischaemia) were derived. Ischaemia was defined as an SDS {>=} 2. An exercise-induced STD was present in 215 patients (22%) and myocardial ischaemia on MPS was present in 366 patients (38%). The extent of ST-segment depression and the number of ECG leads with significant STD were each strongly and significantly associated with increasing severity of ischaemia and the number of coronary territories involved (p < 0.01 for all correlations). These data demonstrate a strong correlation between the extent of STD, number of ischaemic leads and severity of myocardial ischaemia as assessed by MPS during bicycle ergometry. (orig.)

[Clinical Results of Endoscopic Treatment of Greater Trochanteric Pain Syndrome].

Science.gov (United States)

Zeman, P; Rafi, M; Skala, P; Zeman, J; Matějka, J; Pavelka, T

2017-01-01

PURPOSE OF THE STUDY This retrospective study aims to present short-term clinical outcomes of endoscopic treatment of patients with greater trochanteric pain syndrome (GTPS). MATERIAL AND METHODS The evaluated study population was composed of a total of 19 patients (16 women, 3 men) with the mean age of 47 years (19-63 years). In twelve cases the right hip joint was affected, in the remaining seven cases it was the left side. The retrospective evaluation was carried out only in patients with greater trochanteric pain syndrome caused by independent chronic trochanteric bursitis without the presence of m. gluteus medius tear not responding to at least 3 months of conservative treatment. In patients from the followed-up study population, endoscopic trochanteric bursectomy was performed alone or in combination with iliotibial band release. The clinical results were evaluated preoperatively and with a minimum follow-up period of 1 year after the surgery (mean 16 months). The Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) for assessment of pain and WOMAC (Western Ontario MacMaster) score were used. In both the evaluated criteria (VAS and WOMAC score) preoperative and postoperative results were compared. Moreover, duration of surgery and presence of postoperative complications were assessed. Statistical evaluation of clinical results was carried out by an independent statistician. In order to compare the parameter of WOMAC score and VAS pre- and post-operatively the Mann-Whitney Exact Test was used. The statistical significance was set at 0.05. RESULTS The preoperative VAS score ranged 5-9 (mean 7.6) and the postoperative VAS ranged 0-5 (mean 2.3). The WOMAC score ranged 56.3-69.7 (mean 64.2) preoperatively and 79.8-98.3 (mean 89.7) postoperatively. When both the evaluated parameters of VAS and WOMAC score were compared in time, a statistically significant improvement (ppain syndrome yields statistically significant improvement of clinical results with the concurrent minimum incidence of

Assessing the extent of altruism in the valuation of community drinking water quality improvements

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Zhang, Jing; Adamowicz, Wiktor; Dupont, Diane P.; Krupnick, Alan

2013-10-01

Improvements in publically provided goods and services, like community drinking water treatment, have values to people arising from their self-interest, but may as well have value from their altruistic concerns. The extent to which the value is altruistic versus self-interested is an important empirical issue for policy analysis because the benefits to improving drinking water quality may be larger than previously thought. We conducted an internet survey across Canada to identify both self-interested willingness-to-pay and altruistic willingness-to-pay obtained through hypothetical responses to a series of stated choice tasks and actual self-protection data against health risks from tap water. We use the information on self-protection to identify altruistic WTP. We find significant differences between self-interested and altruistic WTP: the latter can be three times greater than the former. Whether benefits of water protection are actually larger, however, depends on whether the altruism is paternalistic or nonpaternalistic.

The extent of emphysema in patients with COPD.

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Shaker, Saher Burhan; Stavngaard, Trine; Hestad, Marianne; Bach, Karen Skjoelstrup; Tonnesen, Philip; Dirksen, Asger

2009-01-01

The global initiative for COPD (GOLD) adopted the degree of airway obstruction as a measure of the severity of the disease. The objective of this study was to apply CT to assess the extent of emphysema in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and relate this extent to the GOLD stage of airway obstruction. We included 209 patients with COPD. COPD was defined as FEV(1)/FVC or=20 pack-years. Patients were assessed by lung function measurement and visual and quantitative assessment of CT, from which the relative area of emphysema below -910 Hounsfield units (RA-910) was extracted. Mean RA-910 was 7.4% (n = 5) in patients with GOLD stage I, 17.0% (n = 119) in stage II, 24.2% (n = 79) in stage III and 33.9% (n = 6) in stage IV. Regression analysis showed a change in RA-910 of 7.8% with increasing severity according to GOLD stage (P < 0.001). Combined visual and quantitative assessment of CT showed that 184 patients had radiological evidence of emphysema, whereas 25 patients had no emphysema. The extent of emphysema increases with increasing severity of COPD and most patients with COPD have emphysema. Tissue destruction by emphysema is therefore an important determinant of disease severity in COPD.

Extent of Spine Deformity Predicts Lung Growth and Function in Rabbit Model of Early Onset Scoliosis.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

J Casey Olson

Full Text Available Early onset deformity of the spine and chest wall (initiated <8 years of age is associated with increased morbidity at adulthood relative to adolescent onset deformity of comparable severity. Presumably, inhibition of thoracic growth during late stage alveolarization leads to an irreversible loss of pulmonary growth and thoracic function; however the natural history of this disease from onset to adulthood has not been well characterized. In this study we establish a rabbit model of early onset scoliosis to establish the extent that thoracic deformity affects structural and functional respiratory development. Using a surgical right unilateral rib-tethering procedure, rib fusion with early onset scoliosis was induced in 10 young New Zealand white rabbits (3 weeks old. Progression of spine deformity, functional residual capacity, total lung capacity, and lung mass was tracked through longitudinal breath-hold computed tomography imaging up to skeletal maturity (28 weeks old. Additionally at maturity forced vital capacity and regional specific volume were calculated as functional measurements and histo-morphometry performed with the radial alveolar count as a measure of acinar complexity. Data from tethered rib rabbits were compared to age matched healthy control rabbits (N = 8. Results show unilateral rib-tethering created a progressive spinal deformity ranging from 30° to 120° curvature, the severity of which was strongly associated with pulmonary growth and functional outcomes. At maturity rabbits with deformity greater than the median (55° had decreased body weight (89%, right (59% and left (86% lung mass, right (74% and left (69% radial alveolar count, right lung volume at total lung capacity (60%, and forced vital capacity (75%. Early treatment of spinal deformity in children may prevent pulmonary complications in adulthood and these results provide a basis for the prediction of pulmonary development from thoracic structure. This model may

Comparative evaluation of RetCam vs. gonioscopy images in congenital glaucoma.

Science.gov (United States)

Azad, Raj V; Chandra, Parijat; Chandra, Anuradha; Gupta, Aparna; Gupta, Viney; Sihota, Ramanjit

2014-02-01

To compare clarity, exposure and quality of anterior chamber angle visualization in congenital glaucoma patients, using RetCam and indirect gonioscopy images. Cross-sectional study Participants. Congenital glaucoma patients over age of 5 years. A prospective consecutive pilot study was done in congenital glaucoma patients who were older than 5 years. Methods used are indirect gonioscopy and RetCam imaging. Clarity of the image, extent of angle visible and details of angle structures seen were graded for both methods, on digitally recorded images, in each eye, by two masked observers. Image clarity, interobserver agreement. 40 eyes of 25 congenital glaucoma patients were studied. RetCam image had excellent clarity in 77.5% of patients versus 47.5% by gonioscopy. The extent of angle seen was similar by both methods. Agreement between RetCam and gonioscopy images regarding details of angle structures was 72.50% by observer 1 and 65.00% by observer 2. There was good agreement between RetCam and indirect gonioscopy images in detecting angle structures of congenital glaucoma patients. However, RetCam provided greater clarity, with better quality, and higher magnification images. RetCam can be a useful alternative to gonioscopy in infants and small children without the need for general anesthesia.

Ultrasonic scalpel causes greater depth of soft tissue necrosis compared to monopolar electrocautery at standard power level settings in a pig model

Science.gov (United States)

2012-01-01

Background Ultrasonic scalpel (UC) and monopolar electrocautery (ME) are common tools for soft tissue dissection. However, morphological data on the related tissue alteration are discordant. We developed an automatic device for standardized sample excision and compared quality and depth of morphological changes caused by UC and ME in a pig model. Methods 100 tissue samples (5 × 3 cm) of the abdominal wall were excised in 16 pigs. Excisions were randomly performed manually or by using the self-constructed automatic device at standard power levels (60 W cutting in ME, level 5 in UC) for abdominal surgery. Quality of tissue alteration and depth of coagulation necrosis were examined histopathologically. Device (UC vs. ME) and mode (manually vs. automatic) effects were studied by two-way analysis of variance at a significance level of 5%. Results At the investigated power level settings UC and ME induced qualitatively similar coagulation necroses. Mean depth of necrosis was 450.4 ± 457.8 μm for manual UC and 553.5 ± 326.9 μm for automatic UC versus 149.0 ± 74.3 μm for manual ME and 257.6 ± 119.4 μm for automatic ME. Coagulation necrosis was significantly deeper (p < 0.01) when UC was used compared to ME. The mode of excision (manual versus automatic) did not influence the depth of necrosis (p = 0.85). There was no significant interaction between dissection tool and mode of excision (p = 0.93). Conclusions Thermal injury caused by UC and ME results in qualitatively similar coagulation necrosis. The depth of necrosis is significantly greater in UC compared to ME at investigated standard power levels. PMID:22361346

Affordability Assessment to Implement Light Rail Transit (LRT for Greater Yogyakarta

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Anjang Nugroho

2015-06-01

Full Text Available The high population density and the increasing visitors in Yogyakarta aggravate the traffic congestion problem. BRT (Bus Rapid Transit services, Trans Jogja has not managed to solve this problem yet. Introducing Light Rail Transit (LRT has been considered as one of the solutions to restrain the congestion in Greater Yogyakarta. As the first indication that the LRT can be built in Greater Yogyakarta, the transportation affordability index was used to understand whether the LRT tariff was affordable. That tariff was calculated based on government policy in determining railway tariff. The forecasted potential passengers and LRT route have been analyzed as the previous steps to get LRT tariff. Potential passenger was forecasted from gravity mode, and the proposed LRT route was chosen using Multi Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA. The existing transportation affordability index was calculated for comparison analysis using the percentage of the expenditures for transportation made by monthly income of each household. The result showed that the LRT for Greater Yogyakarta was the most affordable transport mode compared to the Trans Jogja Bus and motorcycle. The affordability index of Tram Jogja for people having average income was 10.66% while another people with bottom quartile income was 13.56%. Keywords: Greater Yogyakarta, LRT, affordability.

Effects of geographical extent on the determinants of woody plant diversity

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Wang, Zhiheng; Rahbek, Carsten; Fang, Jingyun

2012-01-01

the quantitative effects of geographical extent are rarely tested. Here, using distribution maps of 11,405 woody species found in China and associated environmental data to the domain, we investigated the influence of geographical extent on the determinants of species richness patterns. Our results revealed...

Re-examining the Role of Transport Infrastructure in Trade, Regional Growth and Governance: Comparing the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS and Central Eastern Europe (CEE

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François Bafoil

2010-01-01

Full Text Available The main objective of this article is to question the hypothesis of the role of transport infrastructures in regional economic growth by comparing Central Eastern Europe (supported by the EU structural and cohesion funds and the Greater Mekong Subregion (mainly supported by the “economic corridors” of the ADB. Three main components of trade efficiency are scrutinized and compared: (1 the historical development of trade agreements, (2 the supra-national (regional capacity of trade regulation, and (3 the micro level of governance between the different actors involved in trade. The comparison between CEE and the GMS is all the more warranted because of two paradoxes that need to be explained: The first one results from the existing link between transport and growth in the case of the GMS, and the lack of a link in the case of CEE. The second paradox insists on the fact that despite their very different institutional frameworks, both subregions continue to face similar challenges concerning the implementation of trade agreements and the exchange of facilities at the local level – pointing towards the issue of governance.

A study on the strength of leg extention and leg curl exercise measured with the "Tremax System" and the "ADR" (Aero Dynamic Resistance System)

OpenAIRE

安藤, 勝英

1995-01-01

This is a study on the nature of the extensor and flexor muscles by the leg extention and leg curl exercise. The strength of the static muscles were measured with the "Tremax system" and for the strength of the dynamic muscles the "ADR" was used. Measuring the strength of the extensor muscles at bar no.1 to 4 of the Tremax System，it comes to a maximum at bar no.2 (extention 60°) but it declines radically when approaching extention 0°. Compared to the extensor muscles, the flexor muscules show...

Efficacy of prophylactic splenectomy for proximal advanced gastric cancer invading greater curvature.

Science.gov (United States)

Ohkura, Yu; Haruta, Shusuke; Shindoh, Junichi; Tanaka, Tsuyoshi; Ueno, Masaki; Udagawa, Harushi

2017-05-25

For proximal gastric cancer invading the greater curvature, concomitant splenectomy is frequently performed to secure the clearance of lymph node metastases. However, prognostic impact of prophylactic splenectomy remains unclear. The aim of this study was to clarify the oncological significance of prophylactic splenectomy for advanced proximal gastric cancer invading the greater curvature. Retrospective review of 108 patients who underwent total or subtotal gastrectomy for advanced proximal gastric cancer involving the greater curvature was performed. Short-term and long-term outcomes were compared between the patients who underwent splenectomy (n = 63) and those who did not (n = 45). Patients who underwent splenectomy showed higher amount of blood loss (538 vs. 450 mL, p = 0.016) and morbidity rate (30.2 vs. 13.3, p = 0.041) compared with those who did not undergo splenectomy. In particular, pancreas-related complications were frequently observed among patients who received splenectomy (17.4 vs. 0%, p = 0.003). However, no significant improvement of long-term outcomes were confirmed in the cases with splenectomy (5-year recurrence-free rate, 60.2 vs. 67.3%; p = 0.609 and 5-year overall survival rates, 63.7 vs. 73.6%; p = 0.769). On the other hand, splenectomy was correlated with marginally better survival in patients with Borrmann type 1 or 2 gastric cancer (p = 0.072). For advanced proximal gastric cancer involving the greater curvature, prophylactic splenectomy may have no significant prognostic impact despite the increased morbidity rate after surgery. Such surgical procedure should be avoided as long as lymph node involvement is not evident.

Regional Mapping of Plantation Extent Using Multisensor Imagery

Science.gov (United States)

Torbick, N.; Ledoux, L.; Hagen, S.; Salas, W.

2016-12-01

Industrial forest plantations are expanding rapidly across the tropics and monitoring extent is critical for understanding environmental and socioeconomic impacts. In this study, new, multisensor imagery were evaluated and integrated to extract the strengths of each sensor for mapping plantation extent at regional scales. Three distinctly different landscapes with multiple plantation types were chosen to consider scalability and transferability. These were Tanintharyi, Myanmar, West Kalimantan, Indonesia, and southern Ghana. Landsat-8 Operational Land Imager (OLI), Phased Array L-band Synthetic Aperture Radar-2 (PALSAR-2), and Sentinel-1A images were fused within a Classification and Regression Tree (CART) framework using random forest and high-resolution surveys. Multi-criteria evaluations showed both L-and C-band gamma nought γ° backscatter decibel (dB), Landsat reflectance ρλ, and texture indices were useful for distinguishing oil palm and rubber plantations from other land types. The classification approach identified 750,822 ha or 23% of the Taninathryi, Myanmar, and 216,086 ha or 25% of western West Kalimantan as plantation with very high cross validation accuracy. The mapping approach was scalable and transferred well across the different geographies and plantation types. As archives for Sentinel-1, Landsat-8, and PALSAR-2 continue to grow, mapping plantation extent and dynamics at moderate resolution over large regions should be feasible.

34 CFR 600.10 - Date, extent, duration, and consequence of eligibility.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 34 Education 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Date, extent, duration, and consequence of eligibility... EDUCATION ACT OF 1965, AS AMENDED General § 600.10 Date, extent, duration, and consequence of eligibility... statutory and regulatory requirements governing its eligibility. (e) Consequence of eligibility. (1) If, as...

Role of 5-ALA in improving extent of tumour resection in patients with Glioblastoma Multiforme.

Science.gov (United States)

Waqas, Muhammad; Khan, Inamullah; Shamim, Muhammad Shahzad

2017-10-01

Goal of surgery for patients with Glioblastoma Multiforme (GBM) is gross total resection with no new neurological deficits. Surgical resection is often restricted due the difficulty in differentiating the tumour from surrounding normal brain using either naked eye, or standard intra-operative white light microscopy. GBM uptakes orally administered 5-ALA becomes fluorescent when viewed by a special light, and this property has been used to improve intra-operative tumour identification. This technique should therefore allow better extent of tumour resection. The hypothesis has been tested through several studies and even though most studies are of low quality, they strongly favour the use of 5- ALA in improving the extent of resection when compared to white light microscopy. A systematic review on the topic had a similar conclusion. Few studies have also hinted on a high false negative rate with the use of this technique..

Assimilation of flood extent data with 2D flood inundation models for localised intense rainfall events

Science.gov (United States)

Neal, J. C.; Wood, M.; Bermúdez, M.; Hostache, R.; Freer, J. E.; Bates, P. D.; Coxon, G.

2017-12-01

Remote sensing of flood inundation extent has long been a potential source of data for constraining and correcting simulations of floodplain inundation. Hydrodynamic models and the computing resources to run them have developed to the extent that simulation of flood inundation in two-dimensional space is now feasible over large river basins in near real-time. However, despite substantial evidence that there is useful information content within inundation extent data, even from low resolution SAR such as that gathered by Envisat ASAR in wide swath mode, making use of the information in a data assimilation system has proved difficult. He we review recent applications of the Ensemble Kalman Filter (EnKF) and Particle Filter for assimilating SAR data, with a focus on the River Severn UK and compare these with complementary research that has looked at the internal error sources and boundary condition errors using detailed terrestrial data that is not available in most locations. Previous applications of the EnKF to this reach have focused on upstream boundary conditions as the source of flow error, however this description of errors was too simplistic for the simulation of summer flood events where localised intense rainfall can be substantial. Therefore, we evaluate the introduction of uncertain lateral inflows to the ensemble. A further limitation of the existing EnKF based methods is the need to convert flood extent to water surface elevations by intersecting the shoreline location with a high quality digital elevation model (e.g. LiDAR). To simplify this data processing step, we evaluate a method to directly assimilate inundation extent as a EnKF model state rather than assimilating water heights, potentially allowing the scheme to be used where high-quality terrain data are sparse.

Measuring the extent of overlaps in protected area designations.

Science.gov (United States)

Deguignet, Marine; Arnell, Andy; Juffe-Bignoli, Diego; Shi, Yichuan; Bingham, Heather; MacSharry, Brian; Kingston, Naomi

2017-01-01

Over the past decades, a number of national policies and international conventions have been implemented to promote the expansion of the world's protected area network, leading to a diversification of protected area strategies, types and designations. As a result, many areas are protected by more than one convention, legal instrument, or other effective means which may result in a lack of clarity around the governance and management regimes of particular locations. We assess the degree to which different designations overlap at global, regional and national levels to understand the extent of this phenomenon at different scales. We then compare the distribution and coverage of these multi-designated areas in the terrestrial and marine realms at the global level and among different regions, and we present the percentage of each county's protected area extent that is under more than one designation. Our findings show that almost a quarter of the world's protected area network is protected through more than one designation. In fact, we have documented up to eight overlapping designations. These overlaps in protected area designations occur in every region of the world, both in the terrestrial and marine realms, but are more common in the terrestrial realm and in some regions, notably Europe. In the terrestrial realm, the most common overlap is between one national and one international designation. In the marine realm, the most common overlap is between any two national designations. Multi-designations are therefore a widespread phenomenon but its implications are not well understood. This analysis identifies, for the first time, multi-designated areas across all designation types. This is a key step to understand how these areas are managed and governed to then move towards integrated and collaborative approaches that consider the different management and conservation objectives of each designation.

Disparate stakeholder management: the case of elk and bison feeding in southern Greater Yellowstone

Science.gov (United States)

Koontz, Lynne; Hoag, Dana; DeLong, Don

2012-01-01

For resource decisions to make the most possible progress toward achieving agency mandates, managers must work with stakeholders and may need to at least partially accommodate some of their key underlying interests. To accommodate stakeholder interests, while also substantively working toward fulfilling legal mandates, managers must understand the sociopolitical factors that influence the decision-making process. We coin the phrase disparate stakeholder management (DSM) to describe situations with disparate stakeholders and disparate management solutions. A DSM approach (DSMA) requires decision makers to combine concepts from many sciences, thus releasing them from disciplinary bonds that often constrain innovation and effectiveness. We combined three distinct approaches to develop a DSMA that assisted in developing a comprehensive range of elk and bison management alternatives in the Southern Greater Yellowstone Area. The DSMA illustrated the extent of compromise between meeting legal agency mandates and accommodating the preferences of certain stakeholder groups.

Comparative inner ear transcriptome analysis between the Rickett's big-footed bats (Myotis ricketti) and the greater short-nosed fruit bats (Cynopterus sphinx).

Science.gov (United States)

Dong, Dong; Lei, Ming; Liu, Yang; Zhang, Shuyi

2013-12-23

Bats have aroused great interests of researchers for the sake of their advanced echolocation system. However, this highly specialized trait is not characteristic of Old World fruit bats. To comprehensively explore the underlying molecular basis between echolocating and non-echolocating bats, we employed a sequence-based approach to compare the inner ear expression difference between the Rickett's big-footed bat (Myotis ricketti, echolocating bat) and the Greater short-nosed fruit bat (Cynopterus sphinx, non-echolocating bat). De novo sequence assemblies were developed for both species. The results showed that the biological implications of up-regulated genes in M. ricketti were significantly over-represented in biological process categories such as 'cochlea morphogenesis', 'inner ear morphogenesis' and 'sensory perception of sound', which are consistent with the inner ear morphological and physiological differentiation between the two bat species. Moreover, the expression of TMC1 gene confirmed its important function in echolocating bats. Our work presents the first transcriptome comparison between echolocating and non-echolocating bats, and provides information about the genetic basis of their distinct hearing traits.

Correlation between left ventricular filling and ischemic extent during exercise-induced myocardial ischemia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ando, Akitada; Yokota, Mitsuhiro; Iwase, Mitsunori

1993-01-01

The aim of this study was to determine how the extent of exercise-induced myocardial ischemia influence left ventricular filling. Twenty-two consecutive patients with effort angina, consisting of 16 with single vessel disease and 6 with double vessel disease, underwent exercise studies in lying and sitting positions. Extent score (ES) and severity score (SS) were calculated on polar map prepared from early exercise Tl-201 myocardial SPECT images to determine ischemic extent. Pulmonary arterial wedge pressure (PAWP), as obtained at exercise in lying position, correlated significantly well with both ES (r=0.75, p<0.001) and SS (r=0.61, p<0.01). There was, however, no significant correlation between the other hemodynamic parameters, such as heart rate, systolic pressure, rate-pressure product, cardiac index and stroke index, and both ES and SS. Either increased PAWP or ischemic extent was not dependent on the number of diseased vessels. In conclusion, the extent of increased left ventricular filling did not correlate with the number of diseased vessels, but correlated positively with ischemic extent. (N.K.)

Is Industry Funding Associated with Greater Scholarly Impact Among Academic Neurosurgeons?

Science.gov (United States)

Eloy, Jean Anderson; Kilic, Suat; Yoo, Nicholas G; Mcleod, Thomas; Svider, Peter F; Baredes, Soly; Folbe, Adam J; Couldwell, William T; Liu, James K

2017-07-01

To determine the relationship between industry payments and scholarly impact among academic neurosurgeons. Faculty names and academic rank data were obtained from department websites, bibliometric data were obtained from the Scopus database, and industry payment data were obtained from the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services open payments database (openpayments.cms.gov). The h-index was used to estimate scholarly impact. Payments were classified as "general," "associated research," and "research payments." Subgroup analyses were done for academic rank, fellowship training, and sex. Among 1008 academic neurosurgeons, scholarly impact was greater among individuals receiving associated research industry support compared with those not receiving it. Scholarly impact also was greater among individuals who received more than $10,000 of any type of industry support compared with individuals who received less than that or no payment. This association also was seen in fellowship-trained surgeons. Female neurosurgeons were less likely than male neurosurgeons to get industry funding and were likely to get less funding. There is a strong association between associated research funding from industry and scholarly impact among academic neurosurgeons. It's unclear whether this association is a result of funding facilitating more research projects that eventually lead to more high-impact publications, if industry is providing more funding to academic neurosurgeons with greater scholarly impact, or whether it represents intrinsic academic activity among a group of neurosurgeons who are more likely to be academically productive and procure funding from all potential sources to increase this activity. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Single versus double row suture anchor fixation for greater tuberosity fractures - a biomechanical study.

Science.gov (United States)

Seppel, Gernot; Saier, Tim; Martetschläger, Frank; Plath, Johannes E; Guevara-Alvarez, Alberto; Henschel, Julia; Winkler, Martin; Augat, Peter; Imhoff, Andreas B; Buchmann, Stefan

2017-12-01

Fractures of the humeral greater tuberosity (GT) are a frequent injury progressively treated with arthroscopic suture anchor repair. Yet, no biomechanical study has been performed comparing fixation strength of arthroscopic single- (SR) vs. double row (DR) fixation. Standardized fractures of the greater tuberosity were created in 12 fresh frozen proximal humeri. After random assignation to the SR or DR group the fixed humeri were tested applying cyclic loading to the supraspinatus and infraspinatus tendon. Load to failure and fragment displacement were assessed by means of an electrodynamic material testing machine using an optical tracking system. Load to failure values were higher in the DR group (649 N; ±176) than in the SR group (490 N; ±145) however without statistical significance (p = .12). In greater tuberosity displacement of 3-5 mm surgical treatment is recommended. The fixing constructs in this study did not reach displacement landmarks of 3 or 5 mm before construct failure as shown in previous studies. Thus the applied traction force (N) at 1 mm displacement was analyzed. In the SR group the load at 1 mm displacement was 277 N; ±46 compared to 260 N; ±62 in the DR group (p = .65). The results suggest that both techniques are viable options for refixation of greater tuberosity fractures. Laboratory study.

Evaluation of multiple hydraulic models in generating design/near-real time flood inundation extents under various geophysical settings

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Z.; Rajib, M. A.; Jafarzadegan, K.; Merwade, V.

2015-12-01

Application of land surface/hydrologic models within an operational flood forecasting system can provide probable time of occurrence and magnitude of streamflow at specific locations along a stream. Creating time-varying spatial extent of flood inundation and depth requires the use of a hydraulic or hydrodynamic model. Models differ in representing river geometry and surface roughness which can lead to different output depending on the particular model being used. The result from a single hydraulic model provides just one possible realization of the flood extent without capturing the uncertainty associated with the input or the model parameters. The objective of this study is to compare multiple hydraulic models toward generating ensemble flood inundation extents. Specifically, relative performances of four hydraulic models, including AutoRoute, HEC-RAS, HEC-RAS 2D, and LISFLOOD are evaluated under different geophysical conditions in several locations across the United States. By using streamflow output from the same hydrologic model (SWAT in this case), hydraulic simulations are conducted for three configurations: (i) hindcasting mode by using past observed weather data at daily time scale in which models are being calibrated against USGS streamflow observations, (ii) validation mode using near real-time weather data at sub-daily time scale, and (iii) design mode with extreme streamflow data having specific return periods. Model generated inundation maps for observed flood events both from hindcasting and validation modes are compared with remotely sensed images, whereas the design mode outcomes are compared with corresponding FEMA generated flood hazard maps. The comparisons presented here will give insights on probable model-specific nature of biases and their relative advantages/disadvantages as components of an operational flood forecasting system.

27 CFR 24.158 - Extent of relief.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... 27 Alcohol, Tobacco Products and Firearms 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Extent of relief. 24.158 Section 24.158 Alcohol, Tobacco Products and Firearms ALCOHOL AND TOBACCO TAX AND TRADE BUREAU, DEPARTMENT..., until all tax is fully paid. (d) Wine vinegar plant bond. The surety will be relieved of liability for...

PET/CT colonography: a novel non-invasive technique for assessment of extent and activity of ulcerative colitis

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Das, Chandan J.; Sharma, Raju [All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Department of Radiodiagnosis, New Delhi (India); Makharia, Govind K.; Tiwari, Rajeew P. [All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Department of Gastroenterology and Human Nutrition, New Delhi (India); Kumar, Rakesh; Kumar, Rajender; Malhotra, Arun [All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Department of Nuclear Medicine, New Delhi (India)

2010-04-15

Extent of involvement and activity of ulcerative colitis (UC) is best evaluated by colonoscopy. Colonoscopy however carries risk during acute exacerbation. We investigated the utility of PET/CT colonography for assessment of extent and activity of UC. Within a 1-week window, 15 patients with mild to moderately active UC underwent colonoscopy and PET/CT colonography 60 min after injection of 10 mCi of {sup 18}F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG). PET activity score based on the amount of FDG uptake and endoscopic mucosal activity in seven colonic segments of each patient was recorded. The mean maximum standardized uptake value (SUV{sub max}) of seven segments was compared with activity in liver. A PET activity grade of 0, 1, 2 or 3 was assigned to each region depending upon their SUV{sub max} ratio (colon segment to liver). The extent of disease was left-sided colitis in five and pancolitis in ten. The mean Ulcerative Colitis Disease Activity Index (UCDAI) was 7.6. The number of segments involved as per colonoscopic evaluation and PET/CT colonography was 67 and 66, respectively. There was a good correlation for extent evaluation between the two modalities (kappa 55.3%, p = 0.02). One patient had grade 0 PET activity, nine had grade 2 and five had grade 3 PET activity. In six patients, there was one to one correlation between PET activity grades with that of endoscopic grade. One patient showed activity in the sacroiliac joint suggesting active sacroiliitis. PET/CT colonography is a novel non-invasive technique for the assessment of extent and activity of the disease in patients with UC. (orig.)

Clinical evidence of parietal cortex dysfunction and correlation with extent of allodynia in CRPS type 1.

Science.gov (United States)

Cohen, H; McCabe, C; Harris, N; Hall, J; Lewis, J; Blake, D R

2013-04-01

Unusual symptoms such as digit misidentification and neglect-like phenomena have been reported in complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS), which we hypothesized could be explained by parietal lobe dysfunction. Twenty-two patients with chronic CRPS attending an in-patient rehabilitation programme underwent standard neurological examination followed by clinical assessment of parietal lobe function and detailed sensory testing. Fifteen (68%) patients had evidence of parietal lobe dysfunction. Six (27%) subjects failed six or more test categories and demonstrated new clinical signs consistent with their parietal testing impairments, which were impacting significantly on activities of daily living. A higher incidence was noted in subjects with >1 limb involvement, CRPS affecting the dominant side and in left-handed subjects. Eighteen patients (82%) had mechanical allodynia covering 3-57.5% of the body surface area. Allochiria (unilateral tactile stimulation perceived only in the analogous location on the opposite limb), sensory extinction (concurrent bilateral tactile stimulation perceived only in one limb), referred sensations (unilateral tactile stimulation perceived concurrently in another discrete body area) and dysynchiria (unilateral non-noxious tactile stimulation perceived bilaterally as noxious) were present in some patients. Greater extent of body surface allodynia was correlated with worse parietal function (Spearman's rho = -0.674, p = 0.001). In patients with chronic CRPS, detailed clinical examination may reveal parietal dysfunction, with severity relating to the extent of allodynia. © 2012 European Federation of International Association for the Study of Pain Chapters.

Extent, accuracy, and credibility of breastfeeding information on the Internet.

Science.gov (United States)

Shaikh, Ulfat; Scott, Barbara J

2005-05-01

Our objective was to test and describe a model for evaluating Websites related to breastfeeding. Forty Websites most likely to be accessed by the public were evaluated for extent, accuracy, credibility, presentation, ease of use, and adherence to ethical and medical Internet publishing standards. Extent and accuracy of Website content were determined by a checklist of critical information. The majority of Websites reviewed provided accurate information and complied with the International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes. Approximately half the Websites complied with standards of medical Internet publishing. While much information on breastfeeding on the Internet is accurate, there is wide variability in the extent of information, usability of Websites, and compliance with standards of medical Internet publishing. Results of this study may be helpful to health care professionals as a model for evaluating breastfeeding-related Websites and to highlight considerations when recommending or designing Websites.

32 CFR 728.12 - Extent of care.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... § 728.12 Extent of care. Members who are away from their duty stations or are on duty where there is no... providing authorization for non-Federal care at DHHS expense. (b) Maternity episode for active duty female... facilities (once the mother has been admitted to the USMTF) from funds available for care of active duty...

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

The extent of emphysema in patients with COPD

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Shaker, Saher Burhan; Stavngaard, Trine; Hestad, Marianne

2009-01-01

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: The global initiative for COPD (GOLD) adopted the degree of airway obstruction as a measure of the severity of the disease. The objective of this study was to apply CT to assess the extent of emphysema in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and relate...... measurement and visual and quantitative assessment of CT, from which the relative area of emphysema below -910 Hounsfield units (RA-910) was extracted. RESULTS: Mean RA-910 was 7.4% (n = 5) in patients with GOLD stage I, 17.0% (n = 119) in stage II, 24.2% (n = 79) in stage III and 33.9% (n = 6) in stage IV....... Regression analysis showed a change in RA-910 of 7.8% with increasing severity according to GOLD stage (P emphysema, whereas 25 patients had no emphysema. CONCLUSION: The extent of emphysema...

Research Misconduct—Definitions, Manifestations and Extent

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lutz Bornmann

2013-10-01

Full Text Available In recent years, the international scientific community has been rocked by a number of serious cases of research misconduct. In one of these, Woo Suk Hwang, a Korean stem cell researcher published two articles on research with ground-breaking results in Science in 2004 and 2005. Both articles were later revealed to be fakes. This paper provides an overview of what research misconduct is generally understood to be, its manifestations and the extent to which they are thought to exist.

Data requirements of GREAT-ER: Modelling and validation using LAS in four UK catchments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Price, Oliver R.; Munday, Dawn K.; Whelan, Mick J.; Holt, Martin S.; Fox, Katharine K.; Morris, Gerard; Young, Andrew R.

2009-01-01

Higher-tier environmental risk assessments on 'down-the-drain' chemicals in river networks can be conducted using models such as GREAT-ER (Geography-referenced Regional Exposure Assessment Tool for European Rivers). It is important these models are evaluated and their sensitivities to input variables understood. This study had two primary objectives: evaluate GREAT-ER model performance, comparing simulated modelled predictions for LAS (linear alkylbenzene sulphonate) with measured concentrations, for four rivers in the UK, and investigate model sensitivity to input variables. We demonstrate that the GREAT-ER model is very sensitive to variability in river discharges. However it is insensitive to the form of distributions used to describe chemical usage and removal rate in sewage treatment plants (STPs). It is concluded that more effort should be directed towards improving empirical estimates of effluent load and reducing uncertainty associated with usage and removal rates in STPs. Simulations could be improved by incorporating the effect of river depth on dissipation rates. - Validation of GREAT-ER.

Data requirements of GREAT-ER: Modelling and validation using LAS in four UK catchments

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Price, Oliver R., E-mail: oliver.price@unilever.co [Safety and Environmental Assurance Centre, Unilever, Colworth Science Park, Sharnbrook, Bedfordshire MK44 1LQ (United Kingdom); Munday, Dawn K. [Safety and Environmental Assurance Centre, Unilever, Colworth Science Park, Sharnbrook, Bedfordshire MK44 1LQ (United Kingdom); Whelan, Mick J. [Department of Natural Resources, School of Applied Sciences, Cranfield University, College Road, Cranfield, Bedfordshire MK43 0AL (United Kingdom); Holt, Martin S. [ECETOC, Ave van Nieuwenhuyse 4, Box 6, B-1160 Brussels (Belgium); Fox, Katharine K. [85 Park Road West, Birkenhead, Merseyside CH43 8SQ (United Kingdom); Morris, Gerard [Environment Agency, Phoenix House, Global Avenue, Leeds LS11 8PG (United Kingdom); Young, Andrew R. [Wallingford HydroSolutions Ltd, Maclean building, Crowmarsh Gifford, Wallingford, Oxon OX10 8BB (United Kingdom)

2009-10-15

Higher-tier environmental risk assessments on 'down-the-drain' chemicals in river networks can be conducted using models such as GREAT-ER (Geography-referenced Regional Exposure Assessment Tool for European Rivers). It is important these models are evaluated and their sensitivities to input variables understood. This study had two primary objectives: evaluate GREAT-ER model performance, comparing simulated modelled predictions for LAS (linear alkylbenzene sulphonate) with measured concentrations, for four rivers in the UK, and investigate model sensitivity to input variables. We demonstrate that the GREAT-ER model is very sensitive to variability in river discharges. However it is insensitive to the form of distributions used to describe chemical usage and removal rate in sewage treatment plants (STPs). It is concluded that more effort should be directed towards improving empirical estimates of effluent load and reducing uncertainty associated with usage and removal rates in STPs. Simulations could be improved by incorporating the effect of river depth on dissipation rates. - Validation of GREAT-ER.

CABG Versus PCI: Greater Benefit in Long-Term Outcomes With Multiple Arterial Bypass Grafting.

Science.gov (United States)

Habib, Robert H; Dimitrova, Kamellia R; Badour, Sanaa A; Yammine, Maroun B; El-Hage-Sleiman, Abdul-Karim M; Hoffman, Darryl M; Geller, Charles M; Schwann, Thomas A; Tranbaugh, Robert F

2015-09-29

Treatment of multivessel coronary artery disease with traditional single-arterial coronary artery bypass graft (SA-CABG) has been associated with superior intermediate-term survival and reintervention compared with percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) using either bare-metal stents (BMS) or drug-eluting stents (DES). This study sought to investigate longer-term outcomes including the potential added advantage of multiarterial coronary artery bypass graft (MA-CABG). We studied 8,402 single-institution, primary revascularization, multivessel coronary artery disease patients: 2,207 BMS-PCI (age 66.6 ± 11.9 years); 2,381 DES-PCI (age 65.9 ± 11.7 years); 2,289 SA-CABG (age 69.3 ± 9.0 years); and 1,525 MA-CABG (age 58.3 ± 8.7 years). Patients with myocardial infarction within 24 h, shock, or left main stents were excluded. Kaplan-Meier analysis and Cox regression were used to separately compare 9-year all-cause mortality and unplanned reintervention for BMS-PCI and DES-PCI to respective propensity-matched SA-CABG and MA-CABG cohorts. BMS-PCI was associated with worse survival than SA-CABG, especially from 0 to 7 years (p = 0.015) and to a greater extent than MA-CABG was (9-year follow-up: 76.3% vs. 86.9%; p PCI hazard ratios (HR) were as follows: versus SA-CABG, HR: 0.87; and versus MA-CABG, HR: 0.38. DES-PCI showed similar survival to SA-CABG except for a modest 0 to 3 years surgery advantage (HR: 1.06; p = 0.615). Compared with MA-CABG, DES-PCI exhibited worse survival at 5 (86.3% vs. 95.6%) and 9 (82.8% vs. 89.8%) years (HR: 0.45; p PCI for all comparisons (all p PCI or DES-PCI, resulted in substantially enhanced death and reintervention-free survival. Accordingly, MA-CABG represents the optimal therapy for multivessel coronary artery disease and should be enthusiastically adopted by multidisciplinary heart teams as the best evidence-based therapy. Copyright © 2015 American College of Cardiology Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Extent and agenda of emission reduction policies in front of climate risks: lessons learned from integrated models

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ambrosi, Ph.

2004-05-01

After having highlighted the main difficulties met when trying to take decisions on emission reductions (i.e. disequilibrium between short term action and long term dynamics, series of uncertainties, lack of a clear information on threats), this research aims at studying the extent and the agenda of CO 2 emission reduction efforts at a global scale. First, the author explores under various perspectives the relationship between the extent of climate change and the extent of its impacts and modes of analysis of climate policies. Then, he examines how different attitudes towards the climate risk are translated into recommendations for action which are obtained by always more complex models. In order to compare results, simulations are performed, based on optimal control models belonging to the RESPONSE family. Three different options or attitudes are then studied and assessed with RESPONSE: firstly, the uncertainty on impact and damage assessment is still too important to have confidence in present assessments; secondly, while being sceptical on damage assessment, more confidence is given to climate model results, and thirdly, an explicit representation of climate damages is used to introduce rationality issues in the debate on risks

OPTION(5) versus OPTION(12) instruments to appreciate the extent to which healthcare providers involve patients in decision-making

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Stubenrouch, Fabienne E.; Pieterse, Arwen H.; Falkenberg, Rijan; Santema, T. Katrien B.; Stiggelbout, Anne M.; van der Weijden, Trudy; Aarts, J. Annemijn W. M.; Ubbink, Dirk T.

2016-01-01

The 12-item "observing patient involvement" (OPTION(12))-instrument is commonly used to assess the extent to which healthcare providers involve patients in health-related decision-making. The five-item version (OPTION(5)) claims to be a more efficient measure. In this study we compared the Dutch

OPTION(5) versus OPTION(12) instruments to appreciate the extent to which healthcare providers involve patients in decision-making

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Stubenrouch, F.E.; Pieterse, A.H.; Falkenberg, R.; Santema, T.K.; Stiggelbout, A.M.; Weijden, G.D.E.M. van der; Aarts, J.W.M.; Ubbink, D.T.

2016-01-01

OBJECTIVE: The 12-item "observing patient involvement" (OPTION(12))-instrument is commonly used to assess the extent to which healthcare providers involve patients in health-related decision-making. The five-item version (OPTION(5)) claims to be a more efficient measure. In this study we compared

LIS-HYMAP coupled Hydrological Modeling in the Nile River Basin and the Greater Horn of Africa

Science.gov (United States)

Jung, H. C.; Getirana, A.; Policelli, F. S.

2015-12-01

Water scarcity and resources in Africa have been exacerbated by periodic droughts and floods. However, few studies show the quantitative analysis of water balance or basin-scale hydrological modeling in Northeast Africa. The NASA Land Information System (LIS) is implemented to simulate land surface processes in the Nile River Basin and the Greater Horn of Africa. In this context, the Noah land surface model (LSM) and the Hydrological Modeling and Analysis Platform (HYMAP) are used to reproduce the water budget and surface water (rivers and floodplains) dynamics in that region. The Global Data Assimilation System (GDAS) meteorological dataset is used to force the system . Due to the unavailability of recent ground-based observations, satellite data are considered to evaluate first model outputs. Water levels at 10 Envisat virtual stations and water discharges at a gauging station are used to provide model performance coefficients (e.g. Nash-Sutcliffe, delay index, relative error). We also compare the spatial and temporal variations of flooded areas from the model with the Global Inundation Extent from Multi-Satellites (GIEMS) and the Alaska Satellite Facility (ASF)'s MEaSUREs Wetland data. Finally, we estimate surface water storage variations using a hypsographic curve approach with Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) topographic data and evaluate the model-derived water storage changes in both river and floodplain. This study demonstrates the feasibility of using LIS-HYMAP coupled modeling to support seasonal forecast methods for prediction of decision-relevant metrics of hydrologic extremes.

Human Impacts on the Hydrologic Cycle: Comparing Global Climate Change and Local Water Management

Science.gov (United States)

Ferguson, I. M.; Maxwell, R. M.

2010-12-01

Anthropogenic climate change is significantly altering the hydrologic cycle at global and regional scales, with potentially devastating impacts on water resources. Recent studies demonstrate that hydrologic response to climate change will depend on local-scale feedbacks between groundwater, surface water, and land surface processes. These studies suggest that local water management practices that alter the quantity and distribution of water in the terrestrial system—e.g., groundwater pumping and irrigation—may also feed back across the hydrologic cycle, with impacts on land-atmosphere fluxes and thus weather and climate. Here we use an integrated hydrologic model to compare the impacts of large-scale climate change and local water management practices on water and energy budgets at local and watershed scales. We consider three climate scenarios (hot, hot+wet, and hot+dry) and three management scenarios (pumping only, irrigation only, and pumping+irrigation). Results demonstrate that impacts of local water management on basin-integrated groundwater storage, evapotranspiration, and stream discharge are comparable to those of changing climate conditions. However, impacts of climate change are shown to have a smaller magnitude and greater spatial extent, while impacts of pumping and irrigation are shown to have a greater magnitude but are local to areas where pumping and irrigation occur. These results have important implications regarding the scales of human impacts on both water resources and climate and the sustainability of water resources.

Comparative evaluation of RetCam vs. gonioscopy images in congenital glaucoma

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Raj V Azad

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Purpose: To compare clarity, exposure and quality of anterior chamber angle visualization in congenital glaucoma patients, using RetCam and indirect gonioscopy images. Design: Cross-sectional study Participants. Congenital glaucoma patients over age of 5 years. Materials and Methods: A prospective consecutive pilot study was done in congenital glaucoma patients who were older than 5 years. Methods used are indirect gonioscopy and RetCam imaging. Clarity of the image, extent of angle visible and details of angle structures seen were graded for both methods, on digitally recorded images, in each eye, by two masked observers. Outcome Measures: Image clarity, interobserver agreement. Results: 40 eyes of 25 congenital glaucoma patients were studied. RetCam image had excellent clarity in 77.5% of patients versus 47.5% by gonioscopy. The extent of angle seen was similar by both methods. Agreement between RetCam and gonioscopy images regarding details of angle structures was 72.50% by observer 1 and 65.00% by observer 2. Conclusions: There was good agreement between RetCam and indirect gonioscopy images in detecting angle structures of congenital glaucoma patients. However, RetCam provided greater clarity, with better quality, and higher magnification images. RetCam can be a useful alternative to gonioscopy in infants and small children without the need for general anesthesia.

Evaluation of The Surface Ozone Concentrations In Greater Cairo Area With Emphasis On Helwan, Egypt

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ramadan, A.; Kandil, A.T.; Abd Elmaged, S.M.; Mubarak, I.

2011-01-01

Various biogenic and anthropogenic sources emit huge quantities of surface ozone. The main purpose of this study is to evaluate the surface ozone levels present at Helwan area in order to improve the knowledge and understanding troposphere processes. Surface Ozone has been measured at 2 sites at Helwan; these sites cover the most populated area in Helwan. Ozone concentration is continuously monitored by UV absorption photometry using the equipment O 3 41 M UV Photometric Ozone Analyzer. The daily maximum values of the ozone concentration in the greater Cairo area have approached but did not exceeded the critical levels during the year 2008. Higher ozone concentrations at Helwan are mainly due to the transport of ozone from regions further to the north of greater Cairo and to a lesser extent of ozone locally generated by photochemical smog process. The summer season has the largest diurnal variation, with the tendency of the daily ozone maxima occur in the late afternoon. The night time concentration of ozone was significantly higher at Helwan because there are no fast acting sinks, destroying ozone since the average night time concentration of ozone is maintained at 40 ppb at the site. No correlation between the diurnal total suspended particulate (TSP) matter and the diurnal cumulative ozone concentration was observed during the Khamasin period

The Extent of Reversibility of Polychlorinated Biphenyl Adsorption

Science.gov (United States)

The extent of reversibility of PCB bonding to sediments has been characterized in studies on the partitioning behavior of a hexachlorobiphenyl isomer. Linear non-singular isotherms have been observed for the adsorption and desorption of 2.4.5.2?,4?,5? hexachlorobiphenyl (HCBP) to...

Greater tactile sensitivity and less use of immature psychological defense mechanisms predict women's penile-vaginal intercourse orgasm.

Science.gov (United States)

Brody, Stuart; Houde, Stephanie; Hess, Ursula

2010-09-01

Previous research has suggested that diminished tactile sensitivity might be associated with reduced sexual activity and function. Research has also demonstrated significant physiological and psychological differences between sexual behaviors, including immature psychological defense mechanisms (associated with various psychopathologies) impairing specifically women's orgasm from penile-vaginal intercourse (PVI). To examine the extent to which orgasm triggered by PVI (distinguished from other sexual activities) is associated with both greater tactile sensitivity and lesser use of immature psychological defenses. Seventy French-Canadian female university students (aged 18-30) had their finger sensitivity measured with von Frey type microfilaments, completed the Defense Style Questionnaire and a short form of the Marlowe-Crowne social desirability scale, and provided details of the 1 month (and ever) frequencies of engaging in, and having an orgasm from, PVI, masturbation, anal intercourse, partner masturbation, and cunnilingus. Logistic and linear regression prediction of orgasm triggered by PVI from tactile sensitivity, age, social desirability responding, and immature psychological defenses. Having a PVI orgasm in the past month was associated with greater tactile sensitivity (odds ratio=4.0 for each filament point) and less use of immature defense mechanisms (odds ratio=5.1 for each scale point). Lifetime PVI orgasm was associated only with less use of immature defense mechanisms (and lower social desirability responding score). Orgasms triggered by other activities were not associated with either tactile sensitivity or immature defense mechanisms. Tactile sensitivity was also associated with greater past month PVI frequency (inclusion of PVI frequency in a logistic regression model displaced tactile sensitivity), and lesser use of immature defenses was associated with greater past month PVI and PVI orgasm frequencies. Both diminished physical sensitivity and the

The extent of forest in dryland biomes

Science.gov (United States)

Jean-Francois Bastin; Nora Berrahmouni; Alan Grainger; Danae Maniatis; Danilo Mollicone; Rebecca Moore; Chiara Patriarca; Nicolas Picard; Ben Sparrow; Elena Maria Abraham; Kamel Aloui; Ayhan Atesoglu; Fabio Attore; Caglar Bassullu; Adia Bey; Monica Garzuglia; Luis G. GarcÌa-Montero; Nikee Groot; Greg Guerin; Lars Laestadius; Andrew J. Lowe; Bako Mamane; Giulio Marchi; Paul Patterson; Marcelo Rezende; Stefano Ricci; Ignacio Salcedo; Alfonso Sanchez-Paus Diaz; Fred Stolle; Venera Surappaeva; Rene Castro

2017-01-01

Dryland biomes cover two-fifths of Earth’s land surface, but their forest area is poorly known. Here, we report an estimate of global forest extent in dryland biomes, based on analyzing more than 210,000 0.5-hectare sample plots through a photo-interpretation approach using large databases of satellite imagery at (i) very high spatial resolution and (ii) very high...

Palmoplantar psoriasis is associated with greater impairment of health-related quality of life compared to moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis

Science.gov (United States)

Chung, Jina; Duffin, Kristina Callis; Takeshita, Junko; Shin, Daniel B.; Krueger, Gerald G.; Robertson, Andrew D.; Troxel, Andrea B.; Van Voorhees, Abby S.; Edson-Heredia, Emily; Gelfand, Joel M.

2014-01-01

Background The impact of palmoplantar psoriasis on health-related quality of life (QoL) is largely unknown. Objective To compare clinical characteristics and patient-reported outcomes between patients with palmoplantar psoriasis and moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis. Methods We conducted a cross-sectional study of patients with plaque psoriasis (N=1,153) and palmoplantar psoriasis (N=66) currently receiving systemic or light treatment for psoriasis. Results Patients with palmoplantar psoriasis were more likely to report Dermatology Life Quality Index scores that correspond to at least a moderate impact on QoL (odds ratio [OR] 2.08; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.20-3.61); problems with mobility (OR 1.98; 95% CI, 1.10-3.58), self-care (OR 3.12; 95% CI, 1.24-7.86), and usual activities (OR 2.47; 95% CI, 1.44-4.22) on the European Quality of Life-5 Dimensions questionnaire; and heavy topical prescription use of at least twice daily in the preceding week (OR 2.81; 95% CI, 1.63-4.85) than those with plaque psoriasis. Limitations Our assessment tools may not account for all dimensions of health-related QoL affected by palmoplantar disease, and these results may not be generalizable to patients with milder forms of psoriasis. Conclusion Patients with palmoplantar psoriasis suffer from greater health-related QoL impairment and are more likely to report heavy use of topical prescriptions than those with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis. PMID:24894455

Ion ratios and tritium extents as markers of salinization in the Bacolod City basin

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Castaneda, Soledad S.; Almoneda, Rosalina V.; Mendoza, Norman DS; Sucgang, Raymond J.

2009-01-01

Tritium statistics were used in tandem with geochemical information for the characterization of recharge to the Bacolod city basin. Waters were sampled from selected production wells,domestic wells, and surface water sources. The average tritium in the groundwater appeared to be 0.52 TU while surface and rain waters have an average of 0.86 and 0.89 TU, respectively. Physico-chemical properties (pH, conductivity, temperature) of the water were determined on site. Chemical characterization was focused on the determination of major ionic composition Na, K, Mg, Ca, as well as the major anions. Sulfate, (SO4), Chloride (Cl) by ion chromatography and bicarbonate ion by titration. Two portions of the basin displayed salient conductivity and chloride ion values which were strikingly greater than the rest f the other sampling points in the 3 year monitoring period. Tritium extents indicate that wells near the coasts receive potential contribution from modern recharge. Ion mass balance calculations and Br/Cl ratios corroborate tritium results to further validate that sea water intrusion may account for the high conductivities. The salinization and high conductivity of groundwater at points far from the coasts were attributed to connate formation at the deeper layer aquifers. Tritium extents indicated insignificant, sluggish recharge from precipitation before the 1950's, while ion mass balance do not indicate sea water intrusion. Establishment of geochemical data, in tandem with tritium, isotopic and other techniques, help in the identification of the origin and mechanism of recharge to the tapped aquifers which may aid local government units to properly delineate the areas that shall need concerted effort for protection, forest cover preservation and restoration within or outside the reservation area of the watershed. (author)

Cultural differences in clinical leadership: a qualitative study comparing the attitudes of general dental practitioners from Greater Manchester and Tokyo.

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Brocklehurst, P; Nomura, M; Ozaki, T; Ferguson, J; Matsuda, R

2013-11-01

Leadership has been argued to be a key component in the transformation of services in the United Kingdom and in Japan. In the UK, local professional networks have developed to provide clinician led care in dentistry; working to develop local plans to deliver improvements in the quality of care for patients. In Japan, the remuneration model for dental care has been revised with the aim to improve the service and tackle the current challenges of population health there. The aim of this study was to use semi-structured interviews and thematic analysis to explore general dental practitioners' (GDPs) understanding of the term 'leadership' and determine whether its meaning is culturally bound. Twelve participants were sampled purposively by the research team; identifying GDPs involved in leadership roles from across Greater Manchester and Tokyo. A set of open-ended questions was developed for semi-structured interviews a priori and the interviews continued until saturation. Interviews were recorded, transcribed verbatim and codes were developed into a coding frame for thematic analysis. Representative quotations are provided in the results. Fourteen codes were identified according to the aims of the study and organised into five overarching themes. 'Leadership as the relationship' was more pronounced among Japanese GDPs, while 'leadership as the individual' was common in GDPs from Greater Manchester. Differences were also found in respect of education and training in leadership. Training was also considered to be important by the GDPs from Japan, while UK GDPs felt leaders were more likely to be influenced by innate qualities. The interdependence of leadership and entrepreneurship was raised by both sets of GDPs. The concept of leadership was considered to be important by GDPs from both Greater Manchester and Tokyo; leadership was seen as providing strategy and direction for a clinical team. However, cultural influences were evident in how this was conceptualised.

A Comparative Study of Hooks in the Ya Rns Produced by Different Spinning Technologies

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Ghosh Anindya

2015-12-01

Full Text Available This article presents a comparative study of hooks’ characteristics of ring, rotor, air-jet and open-end friction spun yarns. Hook types and their extent, spinning in-coefficient and mean fibre extent in the yarns produced on different spinning technologies are investigated. The results show that the hook extents for open-end friction spun yarn are the highest followed by rotor, ring and air-jet spun yarns. Ring and air-jet spun yarns have higher percentage and extent of trailing hook as compared with leading hook, whereas, rotor and friction spun yarns show the reverse trend.

Life-stage-specific physiology defines invasion extent of a riverine fish

Science.gov (United States)

Lawrence, David J.; Beauchamp, David A.; Olden, Julian D.

2015-01-01

Many ecologists have called for mechanism-based investigations to identify the underlying controls on species distributions. Understanding these controls can be especially useful to construct robust predictions of how a species range may change in response to climate change or the extent to which a non-native species may spread in novel environments.Here, we link spatially intensive observations with mechanistic models to illustrate how physiology determines the upstream extent of the aquatic ectotherm smallmouth bass (Micropterus dolomieu) in two headwater rivers.Our results demonstrate that as temperatures become increasingly cold across a downstream to upstream gradient, food consumption in age 0 bass becomes increasingly constrained, and as a result, these fish become growth limited. Sufficient first summer growth of age 0 bass is essential for overwinter survival because young bass must persist from energy reserves accumulated during the summer, and those reserves are determined by body size.Our field data reveal the upstream extent of adult bass reproduction corresponds to a point in the downstream/upstream gradient where cold temperatures impair growth opportunities in young bass. This pattern was repeated in both study streams and explained why bass positioned nests twice as far upstream in the warm compared to the cold stream in the same basin. Placement of spawning nests by adult bass is likely subject to strong evolutionary selection in temperate systems: if bass spawn too far upstream, their young are unlikely to grow large enough to survive the winter. Consumption and growth in older bass (age 3–4) was far less sensitive to temperature. Based on these data, we suggest that temperature-sensitive age 0 bass constrain the upstream distribution limits of bass within temperate streams.In this study, we investigated how temperature-dependent physiology changed through the life history of a species and, in doing so, identified a climate-sensitive life

Accuracy of determining preoperative cancer extent measured by automated breast ultrasonography.

Science.gov (United States)

Tozaki, Mitsuhiro; Fukuma, Eisuke

2010-12-01

The aim of this study was to determine the accuracy of measuring preoperative cancer extent using automated breast ultrasonography (US). This retrospective study consisted of 40 patients with histopathologically confirmed breast cancer. All of the patients underwent automated breast US (ABVS; Siemens Medical Solutions, Mountain View, CA, USA) on the day before the surgery. The sizes of the lesions on US were measured on coronal multiplanar reconstruction images using the ABVS workstation. Histopathological measurement of tumor size included not only the invasive foci but also any in situ component and was used as the gold standard. The discrepancy of the tumor extent between automated breast US and the histological examination was calculated. Automated breast US enabled visualization of the breast carcinomas in all patients. The mean size of the lesions on US was 12 mm (range 4-62 mm). The histopathological diagnosis was ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) in seven patients and invasive ductal carcinoma in 33 patients (18 without an intraductal component, 15 with an intraductal component). Lesions ranged in diameter from 4 to 65 mm (mean 16 mm). The accuracy of determination of the tumor extent with a deviation in length of <2 cm was 98% (39/40). Automated breast US is thought to be useful for evaluating tumor extent preoperatively.

Northern Alaskan land surface response to reduced Arctic sea ice extent

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Higgins, Matthew E. [University of Colorado, Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences, Boulder, CO (United States); Cassano, John J. [University of Colorado, Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences, Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences, Boulder, CO (United States)

2012-05-15

With Arctic sea ice extent at near-record lows, an improved understanding of the relationship between sea ice and the land surface is warranted. We examine the land surface response to changing sea ice by first conducting a simulation using the Community Atmospheric Model version 3.1 with end of the twenty-first century sea ice extent. This future atmospheric response is then used to force the Weather and Research Forecasting Model version 3.1 to examine the terrestrial land surface response at high resolution over the North Slope of Alaska. Similar control simulations with twentieth century sea ice projections are also performed, and in both simulations only sea ice extent is altered. In the future sea ice extent experiment, atmospheric temperature increases significantly due to increases in latent and sensible heat flux, particularly in the winter season. Precipitation and snow pack increase significantly, and the increased snow pack contributes to warmer soil temperatures for most seasons by insulating the land surface. In the summer, however, soil temperatures are reduced due to increased albedo. Despite warmer near-surface atmospheric temperatures, it is found that spring melt is delayed throughout much of the North Slope due to the increased snow pack, and the growing season length is shortened. (orig.)

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

Factors influencing the spatial extent of mobile source air pollution impacts: a meta-analysis

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Levy Jonathan I

2007-05-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background There has been growing interest among exposure assessors, epidemiologists, and policymakers in the concept of "hot spots", or more broadly, the "spatial extent" of impacts from traffic-related air pollutants. This review attempts to quantitatively synthesize findings about the spatial extent under various circumstances. Methods We include both the peer-reviewed literature and government reports, and focus on four significant air pollutants: carbon monoxide, benzene, nitrogen oxides, and particulate matter (including both ultrafine particle counts and fine particle mass. From the identified studies, we extracted information about significant factors that would be hypothesized to influence the spatial extent within the study, such as the study type (e.g., monitoring, air dispersion modeling, GIS-based epidemiological studies, focus on concentrations or health risks, pollutant under study, background concentration, emission rate, and meteorological factors, as well as the study's implicit or explicit definition of spatial extent. We supplement this meta-analysis with results from some illustrative atmospheric dispersion modeling. Results We found that pollutant characteristics and background concentrations best explained variability in previously published spatial extent estimates, with a modifying influence of local meteorology, once some extreme values based on health risk estimates were removed from the analysis. As hypothesized, inert pollutants with high background concentrations had the largest spatial extent (often demonstrating no significant gradient, and pollutants formed in near-source chemical reactions (e.g., nitrogen dioxide had a larger spatial extent than pollutants depleted in near-source chemical reactions or removed through coagulation processes (e.g., nitrogen oxide and ultrafine particles. Our illustrative dispersion model illustrated the complex interplay of spatial extent definitions, emission rates

Transphyseal ACL Reconstruction in Skeletally Immature Patients: Does Independent Femoral Tunnel Drilling Place the Physis at Greater Risk Compared With Transtibial Drilling?

Science.gov (United States)

Cruz, Aristides I; Lakomkin, Nikita; Fabricant, Peter D; Lawrence, J Todd R

2016-06-01

Most studies examining the safety and efficacy of transphyseal anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction for skeletally immature patients utilize transtibial drilling. Independent femoral tunnel drilling may impart a different pattern of distal femoral physeal involvement. To radiographically assess differences in distal femoral physeal disruption between transtibial and independent femoral tunnel drilling. We hypothesized that more oblique tunnels associated with independent drilling involve a significantly larger area of physeal disruption compared with vertically oriented tunnels. Cross-sectional study; Level of evidence, 3. We analyzed skeletally immature patients aged between 10 and 15 years who underwent transphyseal ACL reconstruction utilizing an independent femoral tunnel drilling technique between January 1, 2008, and March 31, 2011. These patients were matched with a transtibial technique cohort based on age and sex. Radiographic measurements were recorded from preoperative magnetic resonance imaging and postoperative radiographs. Ten patients in each group were analyzed. There were significant differences between independent drilling and transtibial drilling cohorts in the estimated area of physeal disruption (1.64 vs 0.74 cm(2); P drilling technique disrupt a larger area of the distal femoral physis and create more eccentric tunnels compared with a transtibial technique. As most studies noting the safety of transphyseal ACL reconstruction have utilized a central, vertical femoral tunnel, surgeons should be aware that if an independent femoral tunnel technique is utilized during transphyseal ACL reconstruction, more physeal tissue is at risk and tunnels are more eccentrically placed across the physis when drilling at more horizontal angles. Prior studies have shown that greater physeal involvement and eccentric tunnels may increase the risk of growth disturbance.

Statin eligibility and cardiovascular risk burden assessed by coronary artery calcium score: comparing the two guidelines in a large Korean cohort.

Science.gov (United States)

Rhee, Eun-Jung; Park, Se Eun; Oh, Hyung Geun; Park, Cheol-Young; Oh, Ki-Won; Park, Sung-Woo; Blankstein, Ron; Plutzky, Jorge; Lee, Won-Young

2015-05-01

To investigate the statin eligibility and the predictabilities for cardiovascular disease between AHA/ACC and ATPIII guidelines, comparing those results to concomitant coronary artery calcium scores (CACS) in a large cohort of Korean individuals who met statin-eligibility criteria. Among 19,920 participants in a health screening program, eligibility for statin treatment was assessed by the two guidelines. The presence and extent of coronary artery calcification (CAC) was measured by multi-detector computed tomography and compared among the various groups defined by the two guidelines. Applying the new ACC/AHA guideline to the health screening cohort increased the statin-eligible population from 18.7% (as defined by ATP III) to 21.7%. Statin-eligible subjects as defined only by ACC/AHA guideline manifested a higher proportion of subjects with CAC compared with those meeting only ATP-III criteria even after adjustment for age and sex (47.1 vs. 33.8%, pguideline showed higher odds ratio for the presence of CACS>0 compared with those meeting ATP-III criteria {3.493 (3.245∼3.759) vs. 2.865 (2.653∼3.094)}, which was attenuated after adjusted for age and sex. In this large Korean cohort, more subjects would have qualified for statin initiation under the new ACC/AHA guideline as compared with the proportion recommended for statin treatment by ATP III guideline. Among statin-eligible Korean health screening subjects, the new ACC/AHA guideline identified a greater extent of atherosclerosis as assessed by CACS as compared to ATP III guideline assessment. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effect of electronic spatial extents (ESE) of ions on overpotential of lithium ion capacitors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xu, Fan; Lee, Chung ho; Koo, Chong Min; Jung, Cheolsoo

2014-01-01

Highlights: •Electronic spatial extent (ESE) of ion characterizes its electron density volume. •The ESE of ion proposes to assess overpotential of nanoporous capacitor. •Anion with low ESE shows low overpotential of the capacitor. •The ESE is more realistic to assess overpotential than conductivity or ion size. -- Abstract: The electronic spatial extent (ESE) of ions was defined as a major concept for assessing the cause of overpotential in the charging and discharging processes of a nanoporous activated carbon (AC) electrode. The performance degradation of AC/Li half-cells was caused by the overpotential, which was in discord with the electrolyte conductivity and ion size. Compared to the overpotential with the salt concentration, the AC/Li half-cell with a high concentration had a smaller overpotential, and its discharge patterns were similar to the curves obtained from the half-cells with a smaller ESE of BF 4 − ion. The ESE is a more realistic solution for determining the overpotential of the nanoporous capacitor, such as supercapacitor and Li ion capacitor, because its capacity is dependent on the electron density at the electric double layer of the capacitor electrode

Aerobic fitness is associated with greater white matter integrity in children

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Laura eChaddock-Heyman

2014-08-01

Full Text Available Aerobic fitness has been found to play a positive role in brain and cognitive health of children. Yet, many of the neural biomarkers related to aerobic fitness remain unknown. Here, using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI, we demonstrated that higher aerobic fitness was related to greater estimates of white matter microstructure in children. Higher fit 9- and 10-year-old children showed greater fractional anisotropy (FA in sections of the corpus callosum, corona radiata, and superior longitudinal fasciculus, compared to lower fit children. The FA effects were primarily characterized by aerobic fitness differences in radial diffusivity (RD, thereby raising the possibility that estimates of myelination may vary as a function of individual differences in fitness during childhood. White matter structure may be another potential neural mechanism of aerobic fitness that assists in efficient communication between gray matter regions as well as the integration of regions into networks.

Extent of implementation of Collection Development Policies (CDP ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The study was on the extent of implementation of collection development policies by public University libraries in the Niger Delta Area, Nigeria. Descriptive survey design was employed. Population for the study consisted of all the 16 Colle ction Development Librarians in the Area studied. No sample was used because the ...

Extent of implementation of collection development policies in ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The study is a survey research on the extent of implementation of collection development policies in academic libraries in Imo state. The population of the study comprises five (5) academic libraries in the area of study. The academic libraries understudy are: Imo State University Owerri (IMSU), Federal University of ...

Extent of lymph node dissection for adenocarcinoma of the stomach.

Science.gov (United States)

Mocellin, Simone; McCulloch, Peter; Kazi, Hussain; Gama-Rodrigues, Joaquin J; Yuan, Yuhong; Nitti, Donato

2015-08-12

The impact of lymphadenectomy extent on the survival of patients with primary resectable gastric carcinoma is debated. We aimed to systematically review and meta-analyze the evidence on the impact of the three main types of progressively more extended lymph node dissection (that is, D1, D2 and D3 lymphadenectomy) on the clinical outcome of patients with primary resectable carcinoma of the stomach. The primary objective was to assess the impact of lymphadenectomy extent on survival (overall survival [OS], disease specific survival [DSS] and disease free survival [DFS]). The secondary aim was to assess the impact of lymphadenectomy on post-operative mortality. We searched CENTRAL, MEDLINE and EMBASE until 2001, including references from relevant articles and conference proceedings. We also contacted known researchers in the field. For the updated review, CENTRAL, MEDLINE and EMBASE were searched from 2001 to February 2015. We considered randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing the three main types of lymph node dissection (i.e., D1, D2 and D3 lymphadenectomy) in patients with primary non-metastatic resectable carcinoma of the stomach. Two authors independently extracted data from the included studies. Hazard ratios (HR) and relative risks (RR) along with their 95% confidence intervals (CI) were used to measure differences in survival and mortality rates between trial arms, respectively. Potential sources of between-study heterogeneity were investigated by means of subgroup and sensitivity analyses. The same two authors independently assessed the risk of bias of eligible studies according to the standards of the Cochrane Collaboration and the quality of the overall evidence based on the GRADE (Grades of Recommendation, Assessment, Development and Evaluation) criteria. Eight RCTs (enrolling 2515 patients) met the inclusion criteria. Three RCTs (all performed in Asian countries) compared D3 with D2 lymphadenectomy: data suggested no significant difference in OS

The use of remote sensing to estimate changes of seagrass extent and biomass in Cockburn Sound, Western Australia

Science.gov (United States)

Vidyan, S.

2018-05-01

The extent of seagrasses in Cockburn Sound was examined using Nearmap images of year 2010, 2012, 2014, and 2016 to be compared to the last assessment in 1999. It was identified that the seagrass coverage has increased by 231 Ha since 1999, with most of the growth occurred in the southern part. While the water quality in Cockburn Sound has improved, it is believed that there are other pressures affecting the slow growth rate of the seagrasses. Seagrass biomass was also evaluated using Landsat images of year 1994, 1999, 2010, 2012, 2014, and 2016 in addition to a field survey data of leaf biomass in 2016. Despite its increasing extent, seagrass in Cockburn Sound indicated a declining biomass since 1994, which is believed due to the changing nutrient content.

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.

Dissolution of two NWCF calcines: Extent of dissolution and characterization of undissolved solids

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brewer, K.N.; Herbst, R.S.; Tranter, T.J.

1995-01-01

A study was undertaken to determine the dissolution characteristics of two NWCF calcine types. A two-way blended calcine made from 4 parts nonradioactive aluminum nitrate and one part WM-102 was studied to determine the extent of dissolution for aluminum-type calcines. A two-way blend of 3.5 parts fluorinel waste from WM-187 and 1 part sodium waste from WM-185 was used to determine the extent of dissolution for zirconium-type calcines. This study was necessary to develop suitable aqueous separation flowsheets for the partitioning of actinides and fission products from ICPP calcines and to determine the disposition of the resulting undissolved solids (UDS). The dissolution flowsheet developed by Herbst was used to dissolve these two NWCF calcine types. Results show that greater than 95 wt% of aluminum and zirconium calcine types were dissolved after a single batch contact with 5 M HNO 3 . A characterization of the UDS indicates that the weight percent of TRU elements in the UDS resulting from both calcine type dissolutions increases by approximately an order of magnitude from their concentrations prior to dissolution. Substantial activities of cesium and strontium are also present in the UDS resulting from the dissolution of both calcine types. Multiple TRU, Cs, and Sr analyses of both UDS types show that these solids are relatively homogeneous. From this study, it is estimated that between 63.5 and 635 cubic meters of UDS will be generated from the dissolution of 3800 M 3 of calcine. The significant actinide and fission product activities in these UDS will preclude their disposal as low-level waste. If the actinide and fission activity resulting from the UDS is the only considered source in the dissolved calcine solutions, an estimated 99.9 to 99.99 percent of the solids must be removed from this solution for it to meet non-TRU Class A low-level waste

Greater Cortical Thickness in Elderly Female Yoga Practitioners—A Cross-Sectional Study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rui F. Afonso

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Yoga, a mind-body activity that requires attentional engagement, has been associated with positive changes in brain structure and function, especially in areas related to awareness, attention, executive functions and memory. Normal aging, on the other hand, has also been associated with structural and functional brain changes, but these generally involve decreased cognitive functions. The aim of this cross-sectional study was to compare brain cortical thickness (CT in elderly yoga practitioners and a group of age-matched healthy non-practitioners. We tested 21 older women who had practiced hatha yoga for at least 8 years and 21 women naive to yoga, meditation or any mind-body interventions who were matched to the first group in age, years of formal education and physical activity level. A T1-weighted MPRAGE sequence was acquired for each participant. Yoga practitioners showed significantly greater CT in a left prefrontal lobe cluster, which included portions of the lateral middle frontal gyrus, anterior superior frontal gyrus and dorsal superior frontal gyrus. We found greater CT in the left prefrontal cortex of healthy elderly women who trained yoga for a minimum of 8 years compared with women in the control group.

Absorption spectrum of DNA for wavelengths greater than 300 nm

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sutherland, J.C.; Griffin, K.P.

1981-01-01

Although DNA absorption at wavelengths greater than 300 nm is much weaker than that at shorter wavelengths, this absorption seems to be responsible for much of the biological damage caused by solar radiation of wavelengths less than 320 nm. Accurate measurement of the absorption spectrum of DNA above 300 nm is complicated by turbidity characteristic of concentrated solutions of DNA. We have measured the absorption spectra of DNA from calf thymus, Clostridium perfringens, Escherichia coli, Micrococcus luteus, salmon testis, and human placenta using procedures which separate optical density due to true absorption from that due to turbidity. Above 300 nm, the relative absorption of DNA increases as a function of guanine-cytosine content, presumably because the absorption of guanine is much greater than the absorption of adenine at these wavelengths. This result suggests that the photophysical processes which follow absorption of a long-wavelength photon may, on the average, differ from those induced by shorter-wavelength photons. It may also explain the lower quantum yield for the killing of cells by wavelengths above 300 nm compared to that by shorter wavelengths

Quantifying high resolution transitional breaks in plant and mammal distributions at regional extent and their association with climate, topography and geology.

Science.gov (United States)

Di Virgilio, Giovanni; Laffan, Shawn W; Ebach, Malte C

2013-01-01

We quantify spatial turnover in communities of 1939 plant and 59 mammal species at 2.5 km resolution across a topographically heterogeneous region in south-eastern Australia to identify distributional breaks and low turnover zones where multiple species distributions overlap. Environmental turnover is measured to determine how climate, topography and geology influence biotic turnover differently across a variety of biogeographic breaks and overlaps. We identify the genera driving turnover and confirm the versatility of this approach across spatial scales and locations. Directional moving window analyses, rotated through 360°, were used to measure spatial turnover variation in different directions between gridded cells containing georeferenced plant and mammal occurrences and environmental variables. Generalised linear models were used to compare taxic turnover results with equivalent analyses for geology, regolith weathering, elevation, slope, solar radiation, annual precipitation and annual mean temperature, both uniformly across the entire study area and by stratifying it into zones of high and low turnover. Identified breaks and transitions were compared to a conservation bioregionalisation framework widely used in Australia. Detailed delineations of plant and mammal turnover zones with gradational boundaries denoted subtle variation in species assemblages. Turnover patterns often diverged from bioregion boundaries, though plant turnover adhered most closely. A prominent break zone contained either comparable or greater numbers of unique genera than adjacent overlaps, but these were concentrated in a small subsection relatively under-protected by conservation reserves. The environmental correlates of biotic turnover varied for different turnover zones in different subsections of the study area. Topography and temperature showed much stronger relationships with plant turnover in a topographically complex overlap, relative to a lowland overlap where weathering

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

Extent of resection and timing of surgery in adult low grade glioma.

Science.gov (United States)

A Mirza, Farhan; Shamim, Muhammad Shahzad

2017-06-01

Low grade glioma is a group of WHO grade II tumours including diffuse astrocytoma, oligodendroglioma, and oligoastrocytoma. Strong evidence exists in literature now to support early surgery and higher extent of safe resection in improving outcomes. In this review, we are highlighting some of the important studies done in the last few years specifically addressing timing of surgery and extent of resection.

Greater-Than-Class C low-level radioactive waste treatment technology evaluation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Garrison, T.W.; Fischer, D.K.

1993-01-01

This report was developed to provide the Greater-Than-Class C Low-Level Radioactive Waste Management Program with criteria and a methodology to select candidate treatment technologies for Greater-Than-Class C low-level radioactive waste (GTCC LLW) destined for dedicated storage and ultimately disposal. The technology selection criteria are provided in a Lotus spreadsheet format to allow the methodology to evolve as the GTCC LLW Program evolves. It is recognized that the final disposal facility is not yet defined; thus, the waste acceptance criteria and other facility-specific features are subject to change. The spreadsheet format will allow for these changes a they occur. As additional treatment information becomes available, it can be factored into the analysis. The technology selection criteria were established from program goals, draft waste acceptance criteria for dedicated storage (including applicable regulations), and accepted remedial investigation methods utilized under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act. Kepner-Tregoe decisionmaking techniques are used to compare and rank technologies against the criteria

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.

Hypermetabolism in ALS is associated with greater functional decline and shorter survival.

Science.gov (United States)

Steyn, Frederik J; Ioannides, Zara A; van Eijk, Ruben P A; Heggie, Susan; Thorpe, Kathryn A; Ceslis, Amelia; Heshmat, Saman; Henders, Anjali K; Wray, Naomi R; van den Berg, Leonard H; Henderson, Robert D; McCombe, Pamela A; Ngo, Shyuan T

2018-04-29

To determine the prevalence of hypermetabolism, relative to body composition, in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and its relationship with clinical features of disease and survival. Fifty-eight patients with clinically definite or probable ALS as defined by El Escorial criteria, and 58 age and sex-matched control participants underwent assessment of energy expenditure. Our primary outcome was the prevalence of hypermetabolism in cases and controls. Longitudinal changes in clinical parameters between hypermetabolic and normometabolic patients with ALS were determined for up to 12 months following metabolic assessment. Survival was monitored over a 30-month period following metabolic assessment. Hypermetabolism was more prevalent in patients with ALS than controls (41% vs 12%, adjusted OR=5.4; pALS. Mean lower motor neuron score (SD) was greater in hypermetabolic patients when compared with normometabolic patients (4 (0.3) vs 3 (0.7); p=0.04). In the 12 months following metabolic assessment, there was a greater change in Revised ALS Functional Rating Scale score in hypermetabolic patients when compared with normometabolic patients (-0.68 points/month vs -0.39 points/month; p=0.01). Hypermetabolism was inversely associated with survival. Overall, hypermetabolism increased the risk of death during follow-up to 220% (HR 3.2, 95% CI 1.1 to 9.4, p=0.03). Hypermetabolic patients with ALS have a greater level of lower motor neuron involvement, faster rate of functional decline and shorter survival. The metabolic index could be important for informing prognosis in ALS. © 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.

Internet-based Modeling, Mapping, and Analysis for the Greater Everglades (IMMAGE; Version 1.0): web-based tools to assess the impact of sea level rise in south Florida

Science.gov (United States)

Hearn, Paul; Strong, David; Swain, Eric; Decker, Jeremy

2013-01-01

South Florida's Greater Everglades area is particularly vulnerable to sea level rise, due to its rich endowment of animal and plant species and its heavily populated urban areas along the coast. Rising sea levels are expected to have substantial impacts on inland flooding, the depth and extent of surge from coastal storms, the degradation of water supplies by saltwater intrusion, and the integrity of plant and animal habitats. Planners and managers responsible for mitigating these impacts require advanced tools to help them more effectively identify areas at risk. The U.S. Geological Survey's (USGS) Internet-based Modeling, Mapping, and Analysis for the Greater Everglades (IMMAGE) Web site has been developed to address these needs by providing more convenient access to projections from models that forecast the effects of sea level rise on surface water and groundwater, the extent of surge and resulting economic losses from coastal storms, and the distribution of habitats. IMMAGE not only provides an advanced geographic information system (GIS) interface to support decision making, but also includes topic-based modules that explain and illustrate key concepts for nontechnical users. The purpose of this report is to familiarize both technical and nontechnical users with the IMMAGE Web site and its various applications.

Successes and challenges from formation to implementation of eleven broad-extent conservation programs.

Science.gov (United States)

Beever, Erik A; Mattsson, Brady J; Germino, Matthew J; Burg, Max Post Van Der; Bradford, John B; Brunson, Mark W

2014-04-01

Integration of conservation partnerships across geographic, biological, and administrative boundaries is increasingly relevant because drivers of change, such as climate shifts, transcend these boundaries. We explored successes and challenges of established conservation programs that span multiple watersheds and consider both social and ecological concerns. We asked representatives from a diverse set of 11 broad-extent conservation partnerships in 29 countries 17 questions that pertained to launching and maintaining partnerships for broad-extent conservation, specifying ultimate management objectives, and implementation and learning. Partnerships invested more funds in implementing conservation actions than any other aspect of conservation, and a program's context (geographic extent, United States vs. other countries, developed vs. developing nation) appeared to substantially affect program approach. Despite early successes of these organizations and benefits of broad-extent conservation, specific challenges related to uncertainties in scaling up information and to coordination in the face of diverse partner governance structures, conflicting objectives, and vast uncertainties regarding future system dynamics hindered long-term success, as demonstrated by the focal organizations. Engaging stakeholders, developing conservation measures, and implementing adaptive management were dominant challenges. To inform future research on broad-extent conservation, we considered several challenges when we developed detailed questions, such as what qualities of broad-extent partnerships ensure they complement, integrate, and strengthen, rather than replace, local conservation efforts and which adaptive management processes yield actionable conservation strategies that account explicitly for dynamics and uncertainties regarding multiscale governance, environmental conditions, and knowledge of the system? © 2014 Society for Conservation Biology.

Awake Craniotomy vs Craniotomy Under General Anesthesia for Perirolandic Gliomas: Evaluating Perioperative Complications and Extent of Resection.

Science.gov (United States)

Eseonu, Chikezie I; Rincon-Torroella, Jordina; ReFaey, Karim; Lee, Young M; Nangiana, Jasvinder; Vivas-Buitrago, Tito; Quiñones-Hinojosa, Alfredo

2017-09-01

A craniotomy with direct cortical/subcortical stimulation either awake or under general anesthesia (GA) present 2 approaches for removing eloquent region tumors. With a reported higher prevalence of intraoperative seizures occurring during awake resections of perirolandic lesions, oftentimes, surgery under GA is chosen for these lesions. To evaluate a single-surgeon's experience with awake craniotomies (AC) vs surgery under GA for resecting perirolandic, eloquent, motor-region gliomas. Between 2005 and 2015, a retrospective analysis of 27 patients with perirolandic, eloquent, motor-area gliomas that underwent an AC were case-control matched with 31 patients who underwent surgery under GA for gliomas in the same location. All patients underwent direct brain stimulation with neuromonitoring and perioperative risk factors, extent of resection, complications, and discharge status were assessed. The postoperative Karnofsky Performance Score (KPS) was significantly lower for the GA patients at 81.1 compared to the AC patients at 93.3 ( P = .040). The extent of resection for GA patients was 79.6% while the AC patients had an 86.3% resection ( P = .136). There were significantly more 100% total resections in the AC patients 25.9% compared to the GA group (6.5%; P = .041). Patients in the GA group had a longer mean length of hospitalization of 7.9 days compared to the AC group at 4.2 days ( P = .049). We show that AC can be performed with more frequent total resections, better postoperative KPS, shorter hospitalizations, as well as similar perioperative complication rates compared to surgery under GA for perirolandic, eloquent motor-region glioma. Copyright © 2017 by the Congress of Neurological Surgeons

Small cities face greater impact from automation

Science.gov (United States)

Sun, Lijun; Cebrian, Manuel; Rahwan, Iyad

2018-01-01

The city has proved to be the most successful form of human agglomeration and provides wide employment opportunities for its dwellers. As advances in robotics and artificial intelligence revive concerns about the impact of automation on jobs, a question looms: how will automation affect employment in cities? Here, we provide a comparative picture of the impact of automation across US urban areas. Small cities will undertake greater adjustments, such as worker displacement and job content substitutions. We demonstrate that large cities exhibit increased occupational and skill specialization due to increased abundance of managerial and technical professions. These occupations are not easily automatable, and, thus, reduce the potential impact of automation in large cities. Our results pass several robustness checks including potential errors in the estimation of occupational automation and subsampling of occupations. Our study provides the first empirical law connecting two societal forces: urban agglomeration and automation's impact on employment. PMID:29436514

Small cities face greater impact from automation.

Science.gov (United States)

Frank, Morgan R; Sun, Lijun; Cebrian, Manuel; Youn, Hyejin; Rahwan, Iyad

2018-02-01

The city has proved to be the most successful form of human agglomeration and provides wide employment opportunities for its dwellers. As advances in robotics and artificial intelligence revive concerns about the impact of automation on jobs, a question looms: how will automation affect employment in cities? Here, we provide a comparative picture of the impact of automation across US urban areas. Small cities will undertake greater adjustments, such as worker displacement and job content substitutions. We demonstrate that large cities exhibit increased occupational and skill specialization due to increased abundance of managerial and technical professions. These occupations are not easily automatable, and, thus, reduce the potential impact of automation in large cities. Our results pass several robustness checks including potential errors in the estimation of occupational automation and subsampling of occupations. Our study provides the first empirical law connecting two societal forces: urban agglomeration and automation's impact on employment. © 2018 The Authors.

Biofuels and the Greater Mekong Subregion: Assessing the impact on prices, production and trade

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yang, Jun; Huang, Jikun; Qiu, Huanguang [Center for Chinese Agricultural Policy, Chinese Academy of Sciences and Institute of Geographical Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Jia 11, Datun Road, Beijing 100101 (China); Rozelle, Scott [Freeman Spogli Institute of International Studies, Stanford University, East Encina Hall, Stanford, CA 94305 (United States); Sombilla, Mercy A. [Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture, College, Laguna 4031 (Philippines)

2009-11-15

Similar to many other countries, all nations in the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) have planned or are planning to develop strong national biofuel programs. The overall goal of this paper is to better understand the impacts of global and regional biofuels on agriculture and the rest of the economy, with a specific focus on the GMS. Based on a modified multi-country, multi-sector computable general equilibrium model, this study reveals that global biofuel development will significantly increase agricultural prices and production and change trade in agricultural commodities in the GMS and the rest of world. While biofuel in the GMS will have little impacts on global prices, it will have significant effects on domestic agricultural production, land use, trade, and food security. The results also show that the extent of impacts from biofuel is highly dependent on international oil prices and the degree of substitution between biofuel and gasoline. The findings of this study have important policy implications for the GMS countries and the rest of world. (author)

Biofuels and the Greater Mekong Subregion: Assessing the impact on prices, production and trade

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yang, Jun; Huang, Jikun; Qiu, Huanguang; Rozelle, Scott; Sombilla, Mercy A.

2009-01-01

Similar to many other countries, all nations in the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) have planned or are planning to develop strong national biofuel programs. The overall goal of this paper is to better understand the impacts of global and regional biofuels on agriculture and the rest of the economy, with a specific focus on the GMS. Based on a modified multi-country, multi-sector computable general equilibrium model, this study reveals that global biofuel development will significantly increase agricultural prices and production and change trade in agricultural commodities in the GMS and the rest of world. While biofuel in the GMS will have little impacts on global prices, it will have significant effects on domestic agricultural production, land use, trade, and food security. The results also show that the extent of impacts from biofuel is highly dependent on international oil prices and the degree of substitution between biofuel and gasoline. The findings of this study have important policy implications for the GMS countries and the rest of world. (author)

[The Herceptin® case : A case of falsification of medicinal products to a greater extent].

Science.gov (United States)

Streit, Renz

2017-11-01

Falsified medicines are a raising problem for the German drug market. The complex distribution channels across the European market facilitates the introduction of falsified and stolen medicines into the legal supply chain and may pose a risk for patients. The "Herceptin® case" from 2014 of falsified medicines of Italian origin demonstrates how complex distribution systems have been misused by criminal organizations in order to introduce stolen and thus falsified medicines via the parallel trade into the market, and which measures the authorities and the parallel-traders in the national and European network have taken to ensure patient safety. Falsified medicines will continue to be a problem in the future, so new monitoring systems have to be established and effectively used for prevention. The introduction of the EU-wide serialisation system in February 2019 is therefore intended to identify falsified drugs and to prevent the further trade as well as the expenditure to the patient. Furthermore, the maintenance and intensification of the cooperation between all EU authorities involved remains indispensable to close gateways in the distribution system for falsified medicines and to minimise the risk to the population.

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.

Greater Confinement Disposal Program at the Savannah River Plant

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Towler, O.A.; Cook, J.R.; Peterson, D.L.

1983-01-01

Plans for improved LLW disposal at the Savannah River Plant include Greater Confinement Disposal (GCD) for the higher activity fractions of this waste. GCD practices will include waste segregation, packaging, emplacement below the root zone, and stabilizing the emplacement with cement. Statistical review of SRP burial records showed that about 95% of the radioactivity is associated with only 5% of the waste volume. Trigger values determined in this study were compared with actual burials in 1982 to determine what GCD facilities would be needed for a demonstration to begin in Fall 1983. Facilities selected include 8-feet-diameter x 30-feet-deep boreholes to contain reactor scrap, tritiated waste, and selected wastes from offsite

Prevalence, intensity and extent of Oral Impacts on Daily Performances associated with self-perceived malocclusion in 11-12-year-old children

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Flores-Mir Carlos

2007-05-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background To determine the prevalence, intensity and extent of the Oral Impacts on Daily Performances associated with self-perceived malocclusion among Peruvian schoolchildren. Methods Eight hundred and five children aged 11 to 12 years attending 4 of 7 randomly selected schools linked to a Health Centre in Lima, Peru, participated in the study. The Spanish (PeruChild-OIDP was used to assess the prevalence, intensity and extent of oral impacts on 8 daily performances (eating, speaking, teeth cleaning, sleeping, smiling, studying, emotion and social contact. Self-perceived malocclusion included complaints about position of teeth, spacing of teeth and deformity of mouth or face. The prevalence of oral impacts was compared by covariables using the Chi-square test, whereas the intensity and extent of oral impacts were compared by covariables through the Mann-Whitney test. Results Only 15.5% of children reported impacts associated with self-perceived malocclusion during the last 3 months. Of them, 18.4% reported impacts of severe or very severe intensity and 76.0% reported impacts on only one daily performance. Psychosocial activities such as smiling, emotion and social contact were the most frequently and severely impacted everyday activities. Conclusion Impacts of self-perceived malocclusion primarily affected psychological and social everyday activities. These findings provide further evidence to support the importance of psychological and social components of oral health on children's lives.

A method for determining the extent of thermal burns in elephants

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. Shakespeare

2006-06-01

Full Text Available A practical method was developed to assess the extent of burns suffered by elephants caught in bush fires. In developing this method, the surface areas of the different body parts of juvenile, subadult and adult elephants were first determined using standard equations, and then expressed as a percentage of the total body surface area. When viewed from a distance, the burnt proportion of all body segments is estimated, converted to percentages of total body surface area, and then summed to determine the extent of burns suffered.

The association of ABO blood groups with extent of coronary atherosclerosis in Croatian patients suffering from chronic coronary artery disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Karabuva, Svjetlana; Carević, Vedran; Radić, Mislav; Fabijanić, Damir

2013-01-01

The aim of study was to: 1) examine the relationship between ABO blood groups and extent of coronary atherosclerosis in patients with chronic coronary artery disease (CAD), 2) compare ABO blood groups distribution in CAD patients and general population, 3) examine possible differences in traditional risk factors frequency in CAD patients with different ABO blood groups. In the 646 chronic CAD patients (72.4% males) coronary angiograms were scored by quantitative assessment using multiple angiographic scoring system, Traditional risk factors were self reported or measured by standard methods. ABO blood distribution of patients was compared with group of 651 healthy blood donors (74.6% males). Among all ABO blood group patients there was no significant difference between the extent of coronary atherosclerosis with regard to all the three scoring systems: number of affected coronary arteries (P = 0.857), Gensini score (P = 0.818), and number of segments narrowed > 50% (P = 0.781). There was no significant difference in ABO blood group distribution between CAD patients and healthy blood donors. Among CAD patients, men with blood group AB were significantly younger than their pairs with non-AB blood groups (P = 0.008). Among CAD patients with AB blood group, males groups (P = 0.003). No association between ABO blood groups and the extent of coronary atherosclerosis in Croatian CAD patients is observed. Observation that AB blood group might possibly identify Croatian males at risk to develop the premature CAD has to be tested in larger cohort of patients.

THE USE OF LIDAR AND VOLUNTEERED GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION TO MAP FLOOD EXTENTS AND INUNDATION

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

K. McDougall

2012-07-01

Full Text Available Floods are one of the most destructive natural disasters that threaten communities and properties. In recent decades, flooding has claimed more lives, destroyed more houses and ruined more agricultural land than any other natural hazard. The accurate prediction of the areas of inundation from flooding is critical to saving lives and property, but relies heavily on accurate digital elevation and hydrologic models. The 2011 Brisbane floods provided a unique opportunity to capture high resolution digital aerial imagery as the floods neared their peak, allowing the capture of areas of inundation over the various city suburbs. This high quality imagery, together with accurate LiDAR data over the area and publically available volunteered geographic imagery through repositories such as Flickr, enabled the reconstruction of flood extents and the assessment of both area and depth of inundation for the assessment of damage. In this study, approximately 20 images of flood damaged properties were utilised to identify the peak of the flood. Accurate position and height values were determined through the use of RTK GPS and conventional survey methods. This information was then utilised in conjunction with river gauge information to generate a digital flood surface. The LiDAR generated DEM was then intersected with the flood surface to reconstruct the area of inundation. The model determined areas of inundation were then compared to the mapped flood extent from the high resolution digital imagery to assess the accuracy of the process. The paper concludes that accurate flood extent prediction or mapping is possible through this method, although its accuracy is dependent on the number and location of sampled points. The utilisation of LiDAR generated DEMs and DSMs can also provide an excellent mechanism to estimate depths of inundation and hence flood damage

The Use of LIDAR and Volunteered Geographic Information to Map Flood Extents and Inundation

Science.gov (United States)

McDougall, K.; Temple-Watts, P.

2012-07-01

Floods are one of the most destructive natural disasters that threaten communities and properties. In recent decades, flooding has claimed more lives, destroyed more houses and ruined more agricultural land than any other natural hazard. The accurate prediction of the areas of inundation from flooding is critical to saving lives and property, but relies heavily on accurate digital elevation and hydrologic models. The 2011 Brisbane floods provided a unique opportunity to capture high resolution digital aerial imagery as the floods neared their peak, allowing the capture of areas of inundation over the various city suburbs. This high quality imagery, together with accurate LiDAR data over the area and publically available volunteered geographic imagery through repositories such as Flickr, enabled the reconstruction of flood extents and the assessment of both area and depth of inundation for the assessment of damage. In this study, approximately 20 images of flood damaged properties were utilised to identify the peak of the flood. Accurate position and height values were determined through the use of RTK GPS and conventional survey methods. This information was then utilised in conjunction with river gauge information to generate a digital flood surface. The LiDAR generated DEM was then intersected with the flood surface to reconstruct the area of inundation. The model determined areas of inundation were then compared to the mapped flood extent from the high resolution digital imagery to assess the accuracy of the process. The paper concludes that accurate flood extent prediction or mapping is possible through this method, although its accuracy is dependent on the number and location of sampled points. The utilisation of LiDAR generated DEMs and DSMs can also provide an excellent mechanism to estimate depths of inundation and hence flood damage

Investigating impacts of oil and gas development on greater sage-grouse

Science.gov (United States)

Green, Adam; Aldridge, Cameron L.; O'Donnell, Michael

2017-01-01

The sagebrush (Artemisia spp.) ecosystem is one of the largest ecosystems in western North America providing habitat for species found nowhere else. Sagebrush habitats have experienced dramatic declines since the 1950s, mostly due to anthropogenic disturbances. The greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) is a sagebrush-obligate species that has experienced population declines over the last several decades, which are attributed to a variety of disturbances including the more recent threat of oil and gas development. We developed a hierarchical, Bayesian state-space model to investigate the impacts of 2 measures of oil and gas development, and environmental and habitat conditions, on sage-grouse populations in Wyoming, USA using male lek counts from 1984 to 2008. Lek attendance of male sage-grouse declined by approximately 2.5%/year and was negatively related to oil and gas well density. We found little support for the influence of sagebrush cover and precipitation on changes in lek counts. Our results support those of other studies reporting negative impacts of oil and gas development on sage-grouse populations and our modeling approach allowed us to make inference to a longer time scale and larger spatial extent than in previous studies. In addition to sage-grouse, development may also negatively affect other sagebrush-obligate species, and active management of sagebrush habitats may be necessary to maintain some species. 

To what extent does wind power deployment affect vested interests? A case study of the Northeast China Grid

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhao, Xiaoli; Zhang, Sufang; Zou, Yasheng; Yao, Jin

2013-01-01

China's wind power is in an embarrassing state. Along with its dramatic development since 2005, its curtailment ratio has been rising. Although this could be attributed to both physical and institutional factors, it is the institutional obstacles, mainly resulting from the adjustment difficulties of interests distribution, that have exercised a greater impact. The stakeholders relating to wind power integration are thermal power companies, grid companies and local governments. The extent to which wind power deployment affects these vested interests determines the core institutional obstacles to be addressed. Mainly based on quantitative and case analyses, we argue that currently wind deployment in China has a little impact on the interests of thermal companies, moderate impact on the interests of grid companies and great impact on local governments. We recommend that it is crucial to elevate the role of environmental protection and renewable energy increase while de-emphasize the role of economic growth in the evaluation of local governments’ performance, as well as provide incentives for grid companies to attend more to their social responsibilities rather than their scale expansion and revenue growth. - highlights: • China's wind deployment has little impact on the interests of thermal plants. • Wind deployment has limited impact on the interests of grid companies. • The taxation per year from a thermal plant is higher than from a wind farm. • Local economic growth is comparatively greatly affected by wind power. • It is crucial to induce local governments to be concerned about renewable energy increase

IceMap250—Automatic 250 m Sea Ice Extent Mapping Using MODIS Data

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Charles Gignac

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The sea ice cover in the North evolves at a rapid rate. To adequately monitor this evolution, tools with high temporal and spatial resolution are needed. This paper presents IceMap250, an automatic sea ice extent mapping algorithm using MODIS reflective/emissive bands. Hybrid cloud-masking using both the MOD35 mask and a visibility mask, combined with downscaling of Bands 3–7 to 250 m, are utilized to delineate sea ice extent using a decision tree approach. IceMap250 was tested on scenes from the freeze-up, stable cover, and melt seasons in the Hudson Bay complex, in Northeastern Canada. IceMap250 first product is a daily composite sea ice presence map at 250 m. Validation based on comparisons with photo-interpreted ground-truth show the ability of the algorithm to achieve high classification accuracy, with kappa values systematically over 90%. IceMap250 second product is a weekly clear sky map that provides a synthesis of 7 days of daily composite maps. This map, produced using a majority filter, makes the sea ice presence map even more accurate by filtering out the effects of isolated classification errors. The synthesis maps show spatial consistency through time when compared to passive microwave and national ice services maps.

Use of well points to determine the thickness and extent of floating product atop the water table

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liikala, T.L.; Lewis, R.; Gilmore, T.; Hoffmann, H.

1994-01-01

The release of petroleum products to the ground water is a widespread problem. Conventional plume tracking techniques are to drill wells and measure product thickness and extent. In this study, well points were installed to rapidly and inexpensively determine the thickness and extent of floating product atop the water table. Spills and leaks of JP-4 have produced a discrete full layer atop the water table at one site at Eielson Air Force Base near Fairbanks, Alaska. The 0.2- to 1.3-foot-thick layer was identified in two ground water monitoring wells at a depth of approximately 10 feet. The layer is contained within unconsolidated glaciofluvial sands and gravels. A comprehensive assessment of the product thickness and extent was necessary for the site remedial investigation/feasibility study. The emplacement of additional monitoring wells was discouraged because of time and budget constraints. The fuel layer was delineated with 18 screened well points. The points consist of 2-inch-diameter galvanized steel pipe. The points were driven into the floating products with a hollow-stem auger rig sampling hammer. The product thickness was measured with an interface probe. The presence of floating product could be measured immediately after emplacement; the product thickness measurements typically stabilized within three days. The product thickness compared favorably with those measured in adjacent monitoring wells

Total petroleum systems of the Paleozoic and Jurassic, Greater Ghawar Uplift and adjoining provinces of central Saudi Arabia and northern Arabian-Persian Gulf

Science.gov (United States)

Pollastro, Richard M.

2003-01-01

The greater Paleozoic and Jurassic petroleum systems of the Arabian Peninsula form two of the most prolific petroleum-producing systems in the world. Source rocks of these systems extend throughout the eastern Arabian Peninsula and Arabian-Persian Gulf. Primary elements of these Paleozoic and Jurassic petroleum systems - source, reservoir, and seal rocks - are of great areal extent and exceptional quality. The combination of these regionally extensive, exceptional petroleum-system elements, and the formation of large subtle structural closures prior to, or coincident with, peak oil generation and migration, have produced oil and gas fields with reserve volumes second to none.

Addressing overuse in emergency medicine: evidence of a role for greater patient engagement.

Science.gov (United States)

Newton, Erika H

2017-12-01

Overuse of health care refers to tests, treatments, and even health care settings when used in circumstances where they are unlikely to help. Overuse is not only wasteful, it threatens patient safety by exposing patients to a greater chance of harm than benefit. It is a widespread problem and has proved resistant to change. Overuse of diagnostic testing is a particular problem in emergency medicine. Emergency physicians cite fear of missing a diagnosis, fear of law suits, and perceived patient expectations as key contributors. However, physicians' assumptions about what patients expect are often wrong, and overlook two of patients' most consistently voiced priorities: communication and empathy. Evidence indicates that patients who are more fully informed and engaged in their care often opt for less aggressive approaches. Shared decision making refers to (1) providing balanced information so that patients understand their options and the trade-offs involved, (2) encouraging them to voice their preferences and values, and (3) engaging them-to the extent appropriate or desired-in decision making. By adopting this approach to discretionary decision making, physicians are better positioned to address patients' concerns without the use of tests and treatments patients neither need nor value.

Extent of pyrolysis impacts on fast pyrolysis biochar properties.

Science.gov (United States)

Brewer, Catherine E; Hu, Yan-Yan; Schmidt-Rohr, Klaus; Loynachan, Thomas E; Laird, David A; Brown, Robert C

2012-01-01

A potential concern about the use of fast pyrolysis rather than slow pyrolysis biochars as soil amendments is that they may contain high levels of bioavailable C due to short particle residence times in the reactors, which could reduce the stability of biochar C and cause nutrient immobilization in soils. To investigate this concern, three corn ( L.) stover fast pyrolysis biochars prepared using different reactor conditions were chemically and physically characterized to determine their extent of pyrolysis. These biochars were also incubated in soil to assess their impact on soil CO emissions, nutrient availability, microorganism population growth, and water retention capacity. Elemental analysis and quantitative solid-state C nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy showed variation in O functional groups (associated primarily with carbohydrates) and aromatic C, which could be used to define extent of pyrolysis. A 24-wk incubation performed using a sandy soil amended with 0.5 wt% of corn stover biochar showed a small but significant decrease in soil CO emissions and a decrease in the bacteria:fungi ratios with extent of pyrolysis. Relative to the control soil, biochar-amended soils had small increases in CO emissions and extractable nutrients, but similar microorganism populations, extractable NO levels, and water retention capacities. Corn stover amendments, by contrast, significantly increased soil CO emissions and microbial populations, and reduced extractable NO. These results indicate that C in fast pyrolysis biochar is stable in soil environments and will not appreciably contribute to nutrient immobilization. Copyright © by the American Society of Agronomy, Crop Science Society of America, and Soil Science Society of America, Inc.

Accelerated decay rates drive soil organic matter persistence and storage in temperate forests via greater mineral stabilization of microbial residues.

Science.gov (United States)

Phillips, R.; Craig, M.; Turner, B. L.; Liang, C.

2017-12-01

Climate predicts soil organic matter (SOM) stocks at the global scale, yet controls on SOM stocks at finer spatial scales are still debated. A current hypothesis predicts that carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) storage in soils should be greater when decomposition is slow owing to microbial competition for nutrients or the recalcitrance of organic substrates (hereafter the `slow decay' hypothesis). An alternative hypothesis predicts that soil C and N storage should be greater in soils with rapid decomposition, owing to the accelerated production of microbial residues and their stabilization on soil minerals (hereafter the `stabilization hypothesis'). To test these alternative hypotheses, we quantified soil C and N to 1-m depth in temperate forests across the Eastern and Midwestern US that varied in their biotic, climatic, and edaphic properties. At each site, we sampled (1) soils dominated by arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) tree species, which typically have fast decay rates and accelerated N cycling, (2) soils dominated by ectomycorrhizal (ECM) tree species, which generally have slow decay rates and slow N cycling, and (3) soils supporting both AM and ECM trees. To the extent that trees and theor associated microbes reflect and reinforce soil conditions, support for the slow decay hypothesis would be greater SOM storage in ECM soils, whereas support for the stabilization hypothesis would be greater SOM storage in AM soils. We found support for both hypotheses, as slow decomposition in ECM soils increased C and N storage in topsoil, whereas fast decomposition in AM soils increased C and N storage in subsoil. However, at all sites we found 57% greater total C and N storage in the entire profile in AM- soils (P stabilization hypothesis. Amino sugar biomarkers (an indicator of microbial necromass) and particle size fractionation revealed that the greater SOM storage in AM soils was driven by an accumulation of microbial residues on clay minerals and metal oxides. Taken together

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.

Estimating the Spatial Extent of Unsaturated Zones in Heterogeneous River-Aquifer Systems

Science.gov (United States)

Schilling, Oliver S.; Irvine, Dylan J.; Hendricks Franssen, Harrie-Jan; Brunner, Philip

2017-12-01

The presence of unsaturated zones at the river-aquifer interface has large implications on numerous hydraulic and chemical processes. However, the hydrological and geological controls that influence the development of unsaturated zones have so far only been analyzed with simplified conceptualizations of flow processes, or homogeneous conceptualizations of the hydraulic conductivity in either the aquifer or the riverbed. We systematically investigated the influence of heterogeneous structures in both the riverbed and the aquifer on the development of unsaturated zones. A stochastic 1-D criterion that takes both riverbed and aquifer heterogeneity into account was developed using a Monte Carlo sampling technique. The approach allows the reliable estimation of the upper bound of the spatial extent of unsaturated areas underneath a riverbed. Through systematic numerical modeling experiments, we furthermore show that horizontal capillary forces can reduce the spatial extent of unsaturated zones under clogged areas. This analysis shows how the spatial structure of clogging layers and aquifers influence the propensity for unsaturated zones to develop: In riverbeds where clogged areas are made up of many small, spatially disconnected patches with a diameter in the order of 1 m, unsaturated areas are less likely to develop compared to riverbeds where large clogged areas exist adjacent to unclogged areas. A combination of the stochastic 1-D criterion with an analysis of the spatial structure of the clogging layers and the potential for resaturation can help develop an appropriate conceptual model and inform the choice of a suitable numerical simulator for river-aquifer systems.

A systematic review of the extent and measurement of healthcare provider racism.

Science.gov (United States)

Paradies, Yin; Truong, Mandy; Priest, Naomi

2014-02-01

Although considered a key driver of racial disparities in healthcare, relatively little is known about the extent of interpersonal racism perpetrated by healthcare providers, nor is there a good understanding of how best to measure such racism. This paper reviews worldwide evidence (from 1995 onwards) for racism among healthcare providers; as well as comparing existing measurement approaches to emerging best practice, it focuses on the assessment of interpersonal racism, rather than internalized or systemic/institutional racism. The following databases and electronic journal collections were searched for articles published between 1995 and 2012: Medline, CINAHL, PsycInfo, Sociological Abstracts. Included studies were published empirical studies of any design measuring and/or reporting on healthcare provider racism in the English language. Data on study design and objectives; method of measurement, constructs measured, type of tool; study population and healthcare setting; country and language of study; and study outcomes were extracted from each study. The 37 studies included in this review were almost solely conducted in the U.S. and with physicians. Statistically significant evidence of racist beliefs, emotions or practices among healthcare providers in relation to minority groups was evident in 26 of these studies. Although a number of measurement approaches were utilized, a limited range of constructs was assessed. Despite burgeoning interest in racism as a contributor to racial disparities in healthcare, we still know little about the extent of healthcare provider racism or how best to measure it. Studies using more sophisticated approaches to assess healthcare provider racism are required to inform interventions aimed at reducing racial disparities in health.

Extent of hippocampal atrophy predicts degree of deficit in recall.

Science.gov (United States)

Patai, Eva Zita; Gadian, David G; Cooper, Janine M; Dzieciol, Anna M; Mishkin, Mortimer; Vargha-Khadem, Faraneh

2015-10-13

Which specific memory functions are dependent on the hippocampus is still debated. The availability of a large cohort of patients who had sustained relatively selective hippocampal damage early in life enabled us to determine which type of mnemonic deficit showed a correlation with extent of hippocampal injury. We assessed our patient cohort on a test that provides measures of recognition and recall that are equated for difficulty and found that the patients' performance on the recall tests correlated significantly with their hippocampal volumes, whereas their performance on the equally difficult recognition tests did not and, indeed, was largely unaffected regardless of extent of hippocampal atrophy. The results provide new evidence in favor of the view that the hippocampus is essential for recall but not for recognition.

Circumpolar variation in morphological characteristics of Greater White-fronted Geese Anser albifrons

Science.gov (United States)

Ely, Craig R.; Fox, A.D.; Alisauskas, R.T.; Andreev, A.; Bromley, R.G.; Degtyarev, Andrei G.; Ebbinge, B.; Gurtovaya, E.N.; Kerbes, R.; Kondratyev, Alexander V.; Kostin, I.; Krechmar, A.V.; Litvin, K.E.; Miyabayashi, Y.; Moou, J.H.; Oates, R.M.; Orthmeyer, D.L.; Sabano, Yutaka; Simpson, S.G.; Solovieva, D.V.; Spindler, Michael A.; Syroechkovsky, Y.V.; Takekawa, John Y.; Walsh, A.

2005-01-01

Capsule: Greater White-fronted Geese show significant variation in body size from sampling locations throughout their circumpolar breeding range. Aims: To determine the degree of geographical variation in body size of Greater White-fronted Geese and identify factors contributing to any apparent patterns in variation. Methods: Structural measures of >3000 geese from 16 breeding areas throughout the Holarctic breeding range of the species were compared statistically. Results: Palearctic forms varied clinally, and increased in size from the smallest forms on the Kanin and Taimyr peninsulas in western Eurasia to the largest forms breeding in the Anadyr Lowlands of eastern Chukotka. Clinal variation was less apparent in the Nearctic, as both the smallest form in the Nearctic and the largest form overall (the Tule Goose) were from different breeding areas in Alaska. The Tule Goose was 25% larger than the smallest form. Birds from Greenland (A. a. flavirostris) were the second largest, although only slightly larger than geese from several North American populations. Body size was not correlated with breeding latitude but was positively correlated with temperature on the breeding grounds, breeding habitat, and migration distance. Body mass of Greater White-fronted Geese from all populations remained relatively constant during the period of wing moult. Morphological distinctness of eastern and western Palearctic forms concurs with earlier findings of complete range disjunction. Conclusions: Patterns of morphological variation in Greater White-fronted Geese across the Holarctic can be generally attributed to adaptation to variable breeding environments, migration requirements, and phylo-geographical histories. 

An essay on the extent and significance of the Greek athletic culture in the classical period

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nielsen, Thomas Heine

2014-01-01

This article discusses the extent of the Greek athletic culture in the classical period. It is demonstrated that the athletic culture had a surprising extent, and the article goes on the discuss the historical significance of this fact.......This article discusses the extent of the Greek athletic culture in the classical period. It is demonstrated that the athletic culture had a surprising extent, and the article goes on the discuss the historical significance of this fact....

Automatic quantification of defect size using normal templates: a comparative clinical study of three commercially available algorithms

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sutter, J. de; Wiele, C. van de; Bondt, P. de; Dierckx, R.; D'Asseler, Y.; Backer, G. de; Rigo, P.

2000-01-01

Infarct size assessed by myocardial single-photon emission tomography (SPET) imaging is an important prognostic parameter after myocardial infarction (MI). We compared three commercially available automatic quantification algorithms that make use of normal templates for the evaluation of infarct extent and severity in a large population of patients with remote MI. We studied 100 consecutive patients (80 men, mean age 63±11 years, mean LVEF 47%±15%) with a remote MI who underwent resting technetium-99m tetrofosmin gated SPET study for infarct extent and severity quantification. The quantification algorithms used for comparison were a short-axis algorithm (Cedars-Emory quantitative analysis software, CEqual), a vertical long-axis algorithm (VLAX) and a three-dimensional fitting algorithm (Perfit). Semiquantitative visual infarct extent and severity assessment using a 20-segment model with a 5-point score and the relation of infarct extent and severity with rest LVEF determined by quantitative gated SPET (QGS) were used as standards to compare the different algorithms. Mean infarct extent was similar for visual analysis (30%±21%) and the VLAX algorithm (25%±17%), but CEqual (15%±11%) and Perfit (5%±6%) mean infarct extents were significantly lower compared with visual analysis and the VLAX algorithm. Moreover, infarct extent determined by Perfit was significantly lower than infarct extent determined by CEqual. Correlations between automatic and visual infarct extent and severity evaluations were moderate (r=0.47, P 2 , n=32) compared with anterior infarctions and non-obese patients for all three algorithms. In this large series of post-MI patients, results of infarct extent and severity determination by automatic quantification algorithms that make use of normal templates were not interchangeable and correlated only moderately with semiquantitative visual analysis and LVEF. (orig.)

Revisiting Darwin's hypothesis: Does greater intraspecific variability increase species' ecological breadth?

Science.gov (United States)

Sides, Colby B; Enquist, Brian J; Ebersole, James J; Smith, Marielle N; Henderson, Amanda N; Sloat, Lindsey L

2014-01-01

Darwin first proposed that species with larger ecological breadth have greater phenotypic variation. We tested this hypothesis by comparing intraspecific variation in specific leaf area (SLA) to species' local elevational range and by assessing how external (abiotic) filters may influence observed differences in ecological breadth among species. Understanding the patterns of individual variation within and between populations will help evaluate differing hypotheses for structuring of communities and distribution of species. We selected 21 species with varying elevational ranges and compared the coefficient of variation of SLA for each species against its local elevational range. We examined the influence of external filters on local trait composition by determining if intraspecific changes in SLA with elevation have the same direction and similar rates of change as the change in community mean SLA value. In support of Darwin's hypothesis, we found a positive relationship between species' coefficient of variation for SLA with species' local elevational range. Intraspecific changes in SLA had the same sign, but generally lower magnitude than the community mean SLA. The results indicate that wide-ranging species are indeed characterized by greater intraspecific variation and that species' phenotypes shift along environmental gradients in the same direction as the community phenotypes. However, across species, the rate of intraspecific trait change, reflecting plastic and/or adaptive changes across populations, is limited and prevents species from adjusting to environmental gradients as quickly as interspecific changes resulting from community assembly.

Black breast cancer survivors experience greater upper extremity disability.

Science.gov (United States)

Dean, Lorraine T; DeMichele, Angela; LeBlanc, Mously; Stephens-Shields, Alisa; Li, Susan Q; Colameco, Chris; Coursey, Morgan; Mao, Jun J

2015-11-01

Over one-third of breast cancer survivors experience upper extremity disability. Black women present with factors associated with greater upper extremity disability, including: increased body mass index (BMI), more advanced disease stage at diagnosis, and varying treatment type compared with Whites. No prior research has evaluated the relationship between race and upper extremity disability using validated tools and controlling for these factors. Data were drawn from a survey study among 610 women with stage I-III hormone receptor positive breast cancer. The disabilities of the arm, shoulder and hand (QuickDASH) is an 11-item self-administered questionnaire that has been validated for breast cancer survivors to assess global upper extremity function over the past 7 days. Linear regression and mediation analysis estimated the relationships between race, BMI and QuickDASH score, adjusting for demographics and treatment types. Black women (n = 98) had 7.3 points higher average QuickDASH scores than White (n = 512) women (p disability by 40 %. Even several years post-treatment, Black breast cancer survivors had greater upper extremity disability, which was partially mediated by higher BMIs. Close monitoring of high BMI Black women may be an important step in reducing disparities in cancer survivorship. More research is needed on the relationship between race, BMI, and upper extremity disability.

Mapping Daily and Maximum Flood Extents at 90-m Resolution During Hurricanes Harvey and Irma Using Passive Microwave Remote Sensing

Science.gov (United States)

Galantowicz, J. F.; Picton, J.; Root, B.

2017-12-01

Passive microwave remote sensing can provided a distinct perspective on flood events by virtue of wide sensor fields of view, frequent observations from multiple satellites, and sensitivity through clouds and vegetation. During Hurricanes Harvey and Irma, we used AMSR2 (Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer 2, JAXA) data to map flood extents starting from the first post-storm rain-free sensor passes. Our standard flood mapping algorithm (FloodScan) derives flooded fraction from 22-km microwave data (AMSR2 or NASA's GMI) in near real time and downscales it to 90-m resolution using a database built from topography, hydrology, and Global Surface Water Explorer data and normalized to microwave data footprint shapes. During Harvey and Irma we tested experimental versions of the algorithm designed to map the maximum post-storm flood extent rapidly and made a variety of map products available immediately for use in storm monitoring and response. The maps have several unique features including spanning the entire storm-affected area and providing multiple post-storm updates as flood water shifted and receded. From the daily maps we derived secondary products such as flood duration, maximum flood extent (Figure 1), and flood depth. In this presentation, we describe flood extent evolution, maximum extent, and local details as detected by the FloodScan algorithm in the wake of Harvey and Irma. We compare FloodScan results to other available flood mapping resources, note observed shortcomings, and describe improvements made in response. We also discuss how best-estimate maps could be updated in near real time by merging FloodScan products and data from other remote sensing systems and hydrological models.

Multispectroscopic and Theoretical Exploration of the Comparative Binding Aspects of Bioflavonoid Fisetin with Triple- and Double-Helical Forms of RNA.

Science.gov (United States)

Bhuiya, Sutanwi; Haque, Lucy; Goswami, Rapti; Das, Suman

2017-12-14

The interactions of RNA triplex (U.A*U) and duplex (A.U) with naturally occurring flavonoid fisetin (FTN) have been examined at pH 7.0 using various spectroscopic, viscometric, and theoretical studies. Experimental observations showed that the ligand binds with both double- and triple-helical forms of RNA, although the binding affinity is greater for the triplex structure (5.94 × 10 6 M -1 ) compared to that for the duplex counterpart (1.0 × 10 5 M -1 ). Thermal melting experiments revealed that the Hoogsteen base-paired third strand of triplex was stabilized to a greater extent (∼14 °C) compared with the Watson-Crick base-paired second strand (∼4 °C) in the presence of FTN. From fluorimetric study, we observed that U.A*U and A.U primarily bind to the photoproduced tautomer of FTN in the excited state. Steady-state and time-resolved anisotropy measurements illustrate considerable modulations of the spectroscopic properties of the tautomeric FTN within the RNA environment. Viscometric, fluorescence quenching, and thermal melting studies all together support the mode of binding to be intercalation. Theoretical study explains the experimental absorption and emission (dual fluorescence) behavior of FTN along with the excited-state intramolecular proton transfer process.

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

To what extent can the nuclear public relations be effective?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ohnishi, Teruaki

1996-01-01

The effect of public relations (PRs) on the public's attitude to nuclear energy was assessed using a model developed under the assumption that the extent of attitude change of the public by the PRs activity is essentially the same as that by the nuclear information released by the newsmedia. The attitude change of the public was quantitatively estimated by setting variables explicitly manifesting the activities such as the circulation of exclusive publicity and the area of advertising messages in the newspaper as parameters. The public's attitude became clear to have a nonlinear dependence on the amount of activity, the extent of its change being varied considerably with demographic classes. Under a given financial condition, the offer of PRs information to the people, as many as possible in a target region, in spite of its little force of appeal, was found to be more effective for the amelioration of public attitude than the repeated offer of the information to a limited member of the public. It also became clear that there exists the most effective media mix for the activity depending on the extent of target region and on the target class of demography, therefore, it is quite significant to determine beforehand the proper conditions for the activity to be executed, such a situation indicating the need for the introduction of nuclear PRs management. (Author)

To what extent can the nuclear public relations be effective?

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ohnishi, Teruaki [CRC Research Institute, Tokyo (Japan)

1996-06-01

The effect of public relations (PRs) on the public`s attitude to nuclear energy was assessed using a model developed under the assumption that the extent of attitude change of the public by the PRs activity is essentially the same as that by the nuclear information released by the newsmedia. The attitude change of the public was quantitatively estimated by setting variables explicitly manifesting the activities such as the circulation of exclusive publicity and the area of advertising messages in the newspaper as parameters. The public`s attitude became clear to have a nonlinear dependence on the amount of activity, the extent of its change being varied considerably with demographic classes. Under a given financial condition, the offer of PRs information to the people, as many as possible in a target region, in spite of its little force of appeal, was found to be more effective for the amelioration of public attitude than the repeated offer of the information to a limited member of the public. It also became clear that there exists the most effective media mix for the activity depending on the extent of target region and on the target class of demography, therefore, it is quite significant to determine beforehand the proper conditions for the activity to be executed, such a situation indicating the need for the introduction of nuclear PRs management. (Author).

Does Trust Influence the Extent of Inter-Organizational Barter?

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sudzina, Frantisek

2014-01-01

The 1999 World Business Environment Survey investigated, among many other things, the extent of inter-organizational barter in various countries. Reported values differed a lot, e.g. it was less than 1% in Hungary but more than 30% in neighboring Croatia. Since in many such contracts goods and...

An investigation into Nigerian teacher's attitude towards and extent ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The attitude of Biology teachers towards and their extent of improvisation, were investigated 80 teachers from 50 randomly selected secondary schools in Oyo state of Nigeria participated in the study. Analysis of the twenty item questionnaire administered to the teachers revealed that though many of them exhibited positive ...

Extent and Distribution of Groundwater Resources in Parts of ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The extent and distribution of groundwater resources in parts of Anambra State, Nigeria has been investigated. The results show that the study area is directly underlain by four different geological formations including, Alluvial Plain Sands, Ogwashi-Asaba Formation, Ameki/Nanka Sands and Imo Shale, with varying water ...

Determining wetland spatial extent and seasonal variations of the ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

This study, done in the Witbank Dam Catchment in Mpumalanga Province of South Africa, explores a remote-sensing technique to delineate wetland extent and assesses the seasonal variations of the inundated area. The objective was to monitor the spatio-temporal changes of wetlands over time through remote sensing ...

The Extent of computerization in big companies of the Spanish hotel sector

OpenAIRE

Infante Moro, Alfonso; Martínez López, Francisco José; Infante Moro, Juan Carlos

2015-01-01

This is the first study of the hotel sector regarding the extent of computerization in its big companies. This study examines the extent of computerization in big companies of the Spanish hotel sector with the aim of confirming the viability and sustainability of this sector relative to changes in ICT, a stage which is defined by the extensive use of the Internet and online social networks, and the handling of large quantities of information generated within these new env...

Detecting spatial structures in throughfall data: The effect of extent, sample size, sampling design, and variogram estimation method

Science.gov (United States)

Voss, Sebastian; Zimmermann, Beate; Zimmermann, Alexander

2016-09-01

In the last decades, an increasing number of studies analyzed spatial patterns in throughfall by means of variograms. The estimation of the variogram from sample data requires an appropriate sampling scheme: most importantly, a large sample and a layout of sampling locations that often has to serve both variogram estimation and geostatistical prediction. While some recommendations on these aspects exist, they focus on Gaussian data and high ratios of the variogram range to the extent of the study area. However, many hydrological data, and throughfall data in particular, do not follow a Gaussian distribution. In this study, we examined the effect of extent, sample size, sampling design, and calculation method on variogram estimation of throughfall data. For our investigation, we first generated non-Gaussian random fields based on throughfall data with large outliers. Subsequently, we sampled the fields with three extents (plots with edge lengths of 25 m, 50 m, and 100 m), four common sampling designs (two grid-based layouts, transect and random sampling) and five sample sizes (50, 100, 150, 200, 400). We then estimated the variogram parameters by method-of-moments (non-robust and robust estimators) and residual maximum likelihood. Our key findings are threefold. First, the choice of the extent has a substantial influence on the estimation of the variogram. A comparatively small ratio of the extent to the correlation length is beneficial for variogram estimation. Second, a combination of a minimum sample size of 150, a design that ensures the sampling of small distances and variogram estimation by residual maximum likelihood offers a good compromise between accuracy and efficiency. Third, studies relying on method-of-moments based variogram estimation may have to employ at least 200 sampling points for reliable variogram estimates. These suggested sample sizes exceed the number recommended by studies dealing with Gaussian data by up to 100 %. Given that most previous

MR Neurography of Greater Occipital Nerve Neuropathy: Initial Experience in Patients with Migraine.

Science.gov (United States)

Hwang, L; Dessouky, R; Xi, Y; Amirlak, B; Chhabra, A

2017-11-01

MR imaging of peripheral nerves (MR neurography) allows improved assessment of nerve anatomy and pathology. The objective of this study was to evaluate patients with unilateral occipital neuralgia using MR neurography and to assess the differences in greater occipital nerve signal and size between the symptomatic and asymptomatic sides. In this case-control evaluation using MR neurography, bilateral greater occipital nerve caliber, signal intensity, signal-to-noise ratios, and contrast-to-noise ratios were determined by 2 observers. Among 18 subjects with unilateral occipital migraines, the average greater occipital nerve diameter for the symptomatic side was significantly greater at 1.77 ± 0.4 mm than for the asymptomatic side at 1.29 ± 0.25 mm ( P = .001). The difference in nerve signal intensity between the symptomatic and asymptomatic sides was statistically significant at 269.06 ± 170.93 and 222.44 ± 170.46, respectively ( P = .043). The signal-to-noise ratios on the symptomatic side were higher at 15.79 ± 4.59 compared with the asymptomatic nerve at 14.02 ± 5.23 ( P = .009). Contrast-to-noise ratios were significantly higher on the symptomatic side than on the asymptomatic side at 2.57 ± 4.89 and -1.26 ± 5.02, respectively ( P = .004). Intraobserver performance was good to excellent (intraclass coefficient correlation, 0.68-0.93), and interobserver performance was fair to excellent (intraclass coefficient correlation, 0.54-0.81). MR neurography can be reliably used for the diagnosis of greater occipital nerve neuropathy in patients with unilateral occipital migraines with a good correlation of imaging findings to the clinical presentation. © 2017 by American Journal of Neuroradiology.

Automated Snow Extent Mapping Based on Orthophoto Images from Unmanned Aerial Vehicles

Science.gov (United States)

Niedzielski, Tomasz; Spallek, Waldemar; Witek-Kasprzak, Matylda

2018-04-01

The paper presents the application of the k-means clustering in the process of automated snow extent mapping using orthophoto images generated using the Structure-from-Motion (SfM) algorithm from oblique aerial photographs taken by unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). A simple classification approach has been implemented to discriminate between snow-free and snow-covered terrain. The procedure uses the k-means clustering and classifies orthophoto images based on the three-dimensional space of red-green-blue (RGB) or near-infrared-red-green (NIRRG) or near-infrared-green-blue (NIRGB) bands. To test the method, several field experiments have been carried out, both in situations when snow cover was continuous and when it was patchy. The experiments have been conducted using three fixed-wing UAVs (swinglet CAM by senseFly, eBee by senseFly, and Birdie by FlyTech UAV) on 10/04/2015, 23/03/2016, and 16/03/2017 within three test sites in the Izerskie Mountains in southwestern Poland. The resulting snow extent maps, produced automatically using the classification method, have been validated against real snow extents delineated through a visual analysis and interpretation offered by human analysts. For the simplest classification setup, which assumes two classes in the k-means clustering, the extent of snow patches was estimated accurately, with areal underestimation of 4.6% (RGB) and overestimation of 5.5% (NIRGB). For continuous snow cover with sparse discontinuities at places where trees or bushes protruded from snow, the agreement between automatically produced snow extent maps and observations was better, i.e. 1.5% (underestimation with RGB) and 0.7-0.9% (overestimation, either with RGB or with NIRRG). Shadows on snow were found to be mainly responsible for the misclassification.

Extent and reasons for nonadherence to antihypertensive, cholesterol, and diabetes medications: the association with depressive symptom burden in a sample of American veterans

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Weidenbacher HJ

2015-02-01

Full Text Available Hollis J Weidenbacher,1 Christopher A Beadles,1,2 Matthew L Maciejewski,1,3 Bryce B Reeve,2 Corrine I Voils1,3 1Center for Health Services Research in Primary Care, Durham Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA; 2Department of Health Policy and Management, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, NC, USA; 3Division of General Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA Objective: Persons with depressive symptoms generally have higher rates of medication nonadherence than persons without depressive symptoms. However, little is known about whether this association differs by comorbid medical condition or whether reasons for nonadherence differ by depressive symptoms or comorbid medical condition. Methods: Self-reported extent of nonadherence, reasons for nonadherence, and depressive symptoms among 1,026 veterans prescribed medications for hypertension, dyslipidemia, and/or type 2 diabetes were assessed. Results: In multivariable logistic regression adjusted for clinical and demographic factors, the odds of nonadherence were higher among participants with high depressive symptom burden for dyslipidemia (n=848; odds ratio [OR]: 1.42, P=0.03 but not hypertension (n=916; OR: 1.24, P=0.15, or type 2 diabetes (n=447; OR: 1.15, P=0.51. Among participants reporting nonadherence to antihypertensive and antilipemic medications, those with greater depressive symptom burden had greater odds of endorsing medication nonadherence reasons related to negative expectations and excessive economic burden. Neither extent of nonadherence nor reasons for nonadherence differed by depressive symptom burden among patients with diabetes. Conclusion: These findings suggest that clinicians may consider tailoring interventions to improve adherence to antihypertensive and antilipemic medications to specific medication concerns of participants with depressive symptoms

Demystifying the Clinical Diagnosis of Greater Trochanteric Pain Syndrome in Women.

Science.gov (United States)

Ganderton, Charlotte; Semciw, Adam; Cook, Jill; Pizzari, Tania

2017-06-01

To evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of 10 clinical tests that can be used in the diagnosis of greater trochanteric pain syndrome (GTPS) in women, and to compare these clinical tests to magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings. Twenty-eight participants with GTPS (49.5 ± 22.0 years) and 18 asymptomatic participants (mean age ± standard deviation [SD], 52.5 ± 22.8 years) were included. A blinded physiotherapist performed 10 pain provocation tests potentially diagnostic for GTPS-palpation of the greater trochanter, resisted external derotation test, modified resisted external derotation test, standard and modified Ober's tests, Patrick's or FABER test, resisted hip abduction, single-leg stance test, and the resisted hip internal rotation test. A sample of 16 symptomatic and 17 asymptomatic women undertook a hip MRI scan. Gluteal tendons were evaluated and categorized as no pathology, mild tendinosis, moderate tendinosis/partial tear, or full-thickness tear. Clinical test analyses show high specificity, high positive predictive value, low to moderate sensitivity, and negative predictive value for most clinical tests. All symptomatic and 88% of asymptomatic participants had pathological gluteal tendon changes on MRI, from mild tendinosis to full-thickness tear. The study found the Patrick's or FABER test, palpation of the greater trochanter, resisted hip abduction, and the resisted external derotation test to have the highest diagnostic test accuracy for GTPS. Tendon pathology on MRI is seen in both symptomatic and asymptomatic women.

Radioactivity levels in well water supplies within the greater Chicago area

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kristoff, L.M.; Lordi, D.T.; Lue-Hing, C.

1976-01-01

The radiological analysis of well water supplies within the geographical boundaries of the Metropolitan Sanitary District of Greater Chicago was prompted by the relatively high total alpha levels encountered in wastewaters of a MSDGC water reclamation plant as compared to the wastewaters of the other waste treatment plants. Consequently, 87 wells constituting 42 water supplies were sampled and analyzed for total alpha and beta radioactivity. The wells were grouped according to depth. In general, both total alpha and total beta radioactivity concentrations were found to be a function of well depth. The relatively higher total alpha and beta activities in the wastewaters to one of the treatment plants was attributed to the higher levels found in the well water supply. Comparison with the USEPA's Drinking Water Regulations for Radionuclides (July 9, 1976) showed the maximum total alpha level of 15 pCi/liter was exceeded in 3 wells and 32 of the deep well waters had total alpha level greater than 5 pCi/liter. The total beta level of 50 pCi/liter was exceeded in 8 wells

Successes and challenges from formation to implementation of eleven broad-extent conservation programs

Science.gov (United States)

Beever, Erik A.; Bradford, John B.; Germino, Matthew J.; Mattsson, Brady J.; Post van der Burg, Max; Brunson, Mark

2014-01-01

Integration of conservation partnerships across geographic, biological, and administrative boundaries is increasingly relevant because drivers of change, such as climate shifts, transcend these boundaries. We explored successes and challenges of established conservation programs that span multiple watersheds and consider both social and ecological concerns. We asked representatives from a diverse set of 11 broadextent conservation partnerships in 29 countries 17 questions that pertained to launching and maintaining partnerships for broad-extent conservation, specifying ultimate management objectives, and implementation and learning. Partnerships invested more funds in implementing conservation actions than any other aspect of conservation, and a program’s context (geographic extent, United States vs. other countries, developed vs. developing nation) appeared to substantially affect program approach. Despite early successes of these organizations and benefits of broad-extent conservation, specific challenges related to uncertainties in scaling up information and to coordination in the face of diverse partner governance structures, conflicting objectives, and vast uncertainties regarding future system dynamics hindered long-term success, as demonstrated by the focal organizations. Engaging stakeholders, developing conservation measures, and implementing adaptive management were dominant challenges. To inform future research on broad-extent conservation, we considered several challenges when we developed detailed questions, such as what qualities of broad-extent partnerships ensure they complement, integrate, and strengthen, rather than replace, local conservation efforts and which adaptive management processes yield actionable conservation strategies that account explicitly for dynamics and uncertainties regarding multiscale governance, environmental conditions, and knowledge of the system?

Detecting the Extent of Eutectoid Transformation in U-10Mo

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Devaraj, Arun; Jana, Saumyadeep; McInnis, Colleen A.; Lombardo, Nicholas J.; Joshi, Vineet V.; Sweet, Lucas E.; Manandhar, Sandeep; Lavender, Curt A.

2016-01-01

During eutectoid transformation of U-10Mo alloy, uniform metastable ? UMo phase is expected to transform to a mixture of ?-U and ?'-U_2Mo phase. The presence of transformation products in final U-10Mo fuel, especially the ? phase is considered detrimental for fuel irradiation performance, so it is critical to accurately evaluate the extent of transformation in the final U-10Mo alloy. This phase transformation can cause a volume change that induces a density change in final alloy. To understand this density and volume change, we developed a theoretical model to calculate the volume expansion and resultant density change of U-10Mo alloy as a function of the extent of eutectoid transformation. Based on the theoretically calculated density change for 0 to 100% transformation, we conclude that an experimental density measurement system will be challenging to employ to reliably detect and quantify the extent of transformation. Subsequently, to assess the ability of various methods to detect the transformation in U-10Mo, we annealed U-10Mo alloy samples at 500°C for various times to achieve in low, medium, and high extent of transformation. After the heat treatment at 500°C, the samples were metallographically polished and subjected to optical microscopy and x-ray diffraction (XRD) methods. Based on our assessment, optical microscopy and image processing can be used to determine the transformed area fraction, which can then be correlated with the ? phase volume fraction measured by XRD analysis. XRD analysis of U-10Mo aged at 500°C detected only ? phase and no ?' was detected. To further validate the XRD results, atom probe tomography (APT) was used to understand the composition of transformed regions in U-10Mo alloys aged at 500°C for 10 hours. Based on the APT results, the lamellar transformation product was found to comprise ? phase with close to 0 at% Mo and ? phase with 28-32 at% Mo, and the Mo concentration was highest at the ?/? interface.

Greater Glycaemic Response to an Oral Glucose Load in Healthy, Lean, Active and Young Chinese Adults Compared to Matched Caucasians

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Trevor Simper

2018-04-01

Full Text Available There are ethnic differences recorded in glycaemic response and rates of type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM between Chinese and Caucasian populations. Whether these differences are evident in matched healthy, lean, active, young adults is unclear. This study compares the postprandial glycaemic response of a group of Chinese participants (n = 49 with a group of similar Caucasians, (n = 48 aged 23.8 (±4.35 years, body mass index (BMI 22.7 (±2.6 kg/m2, healthy (free from non-communicable disease, and lean (body fat % 23.28% (±5.04. Participants undertook an oral glucose tolerance test to identify any significant differences in postprandial blood glucose response. Body fat percentage, body mass, age, physical activity, baseline glucose and HbA1c did not significantly differ between groups. Data from food frequency questionnaires indicated that the Chinese participants consumed less starchy foods, candy and “other” sweets and sugary drinks, and more rice than the Caucasians (all p ≤ 0.001, but not a greater overall intake of carbohydrates or any other macronutrient (all p > 0.05. The two groups’ postprandial blood glucose responses and 2-h incremental area under the curve values (iAUC—156.67 (74.12 mmol/L 120 min for Caucasians versus 214.03 (77.49 mmol/L 120 min for Chinese—indicate significant differences (p = 0.003 and p < 0.001 respectively between groups. Findings suggest that the difference between the two groups’ iAUC values do not relate to obvious lifestyle factors. The Chinese group were eating the least sugary and starchy food but had the highest iAUC. It is argued that the Chinese group in this investigation have the most favourable BMI, body fat percentage, and body mass, yet “poorest” glycaemic response.

Comparing International and American Students: Involvement in College Life and Overall Satisfaction

Science.gov (United States)

Zhou, Ji; Cole, Darnell

2017-01-01

Using longitudinal survey data, this study compares 191 international and 409 American students' involvement in college life, the extent to which the involvement is influenced by race/ethnicity, gender, and language background, and the extent to which the involvement influences overall satisfaction. Major findings include: International and…

Prevalence, Vascular Distribution, and Multiterritorial Extent of Subclinical Atherosclerosis in a Middle-Aged Cohort

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Fernández-Friera, Leticia; Peñalvo, José L; Fernández-Ortiz, Antonio

2015-01-01

age, 45.8 years; 63% male) to evaluate the systemic extent of atherosclerosis in the carotid, abdominal aortic, and iliofemoral territories by 2-/3-dimensional ultrasound and coronary artery calcification by computed tomography. The extent of subclinical atherosclerosis, defined as presence of plaque...

Estimation of steam-chamber extent using 4D seismic

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tanaka, M. [Waseda Univ., Waseda (Japan); Endo, K. [Japan Canada Oil Sands Ltd., Calgary, AB (Canada); Onozuka, S. [Japan Oil, Gas and Metals National Corp., Tokyo (Japan)

2009-07-01

The steam-assisted gravity drainage (SAGD) technique is among the most effective steam injection methods and is widely applied in Canadian oil-sand reservoirs. The SAGD technology uses hot steam to decrease bitumen viscosity and allow it to flow. Japan Canada Oil Sands Limited (JACOS) has been developing an oil-sand reservoir in the Alberta's Hangingstone area since 1997. This paper focused on the western area of the reservoir and reported on a study that estimated the steam-chamber extent generated by horizontal well pairs. It listed steam injection start time for each well of the western area. Steam-chamber distribution was determined by distinguishing high temperature and high pore-pressure zones from low temperature and high pore-pressure zones. The bitumen recovery volume in the steam-chamber zone was estimated and compared with the actual cumulative production. This paper provided details of the methodology and interpretation procedures for the quantitative method to interpret 4D-seismic data for a SAGD process. A procedure to apply a petrophysical model was demonstrated first by scaling laboratory measurements to field-scale applications, and then by decoupling pressure and temperature effects. The first 3D seismic data in this study were already affected by higher pressures and temperatures. 11 refs., 3 tabs., 12 figs.

An Approach to Monitoring Mangrove Extents Through Time-Series Comparison of JERS-1 SAR and ALOS PALSAR Data

Science.gov (United States)

Thomas, Nathan; Lucas, Richard; Itoh, Takuya; Simard, Marc; Fatoyinbo, Lucas; Bunting, Peter; Rosenqvist, Ake

2014-01-01

Between 2007 and 2010, Japan's Advanced Land Observing Satellite (ALOS) Phased Arrayed L-band Synthetic Aperture Radar (PALSAR) captured dual polarization HH and HV data across the tropics and sub-tropics. A pan tropical dataset of Japanese Earth Resources Satellite (JERS-1) SAR (HH) data was also acquired between 1995 and 1998. The provision of these comparable cloud-free datasets provided an opportunity for observing changes in the extent of coastal mangroves over more than a decade. Focusing on nine sites distributed through the tropics, this paper demonstrates how these data can be used to backdate and update existing baseline maps of mangrove extent. The benefits of integrating dense timeseries of Landsat sensor data for both validating assessments of change and determining the causes of change are outlined. The approach is evaluated for wider application across the geographical range of mangroves in order to advance the development of JAXA's Global Mangrove Watch (GMW) program.

Extent and distribution of skeletal muscle necrosis after graded periods of complete ischemia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Labbe, R.; Lindsay, T.; Walker, P.M.

1987-01-01

The management of an acutely ischemic extremity requires knowledge of the response of skeletal muscle (the largest component of the lower limb) to prolonged periods of complete normothermic ischemia. We have used the canine gracilis muscle model to evaluate the extent and distribution of ischemic necrosis after 3 and 5 hours of ischemia and 48 hours of reperfusion. Each muscle was cut into six slices, and the extent and distribution of postischemic necrosis identified by means of nitroblue tetrazolium staining and 99mTc pyrophosphate uptake. After 3, 4, and 5 hours of ischemia the extent of necrosis was 2.0% +/- 0.9%, 30.3% +/- 6.0%, and 90.1% +/- 3.5% (mean +/- SEM), respectively. A statistically significant correlation exists between the extent of necrosis and the uptake of 99mTc pyrophosphate uptake per gram of tissue (y = 1574.9x - 8.4, r = 0.84, p less than 0.001). Most necrosis was centrally located and found in the thickest portion of the muscle. We conclude that there is a graded response in the extent of skeletal muscle necrosis related to the length of ischemic stress rather than an ''all-or-none'' phenomenon. This central distribution of necrosis makes the usual external evaluation of ischemic damage clinically unreliable. In addition, since there was no enveloping fascia in this model, a compartment release alone may not prevent the development of skeletal muscle necrosis. This knowledge of the response of skeletal muscle to ischemia may lead to an improved clinical approach to an extremity suffering a prolonged ischemic insult

Exploring the extent to which ELT students utilise smartphones for ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Zehra

2015-11-09

Nov 9, 2015 ... aimed to explore the extent to which English Language Teaching (ELT) students utilise ... Given the fact that almost all students have a personal smartphone, and use it ..... ears as a disadvantage for smartphones (Kétyi,.

Filling the gap: Using fishers' knowledge to map the extent and intensity of fishing activity.

Science.gov (United States)

Szostek, Claire L; Murray, Lee G; Bell, Ewen; Kaiser, Michel J

2017-08-01

Knowledge of the extent and intensity of fishing activities is critical to inform management in relation to fishing impacts on marine conservation features. Such information can also provide insight into the potential socio-economic impacts of closures (or other restrictions) of fishing grounds that could occur through the future designation of Marine Conservation Zones (MCZs). We assessed the accuracy and validity of fishing effort data (spatial extent and relative effort) obtained from Fishers' Local Knowledge (LK) data compared to that derived from Vessel Monitoring System (VMS) data for a high-value shellfish fishery, the king scallop (Pecten maximus L.) dredge fishery in the English Channel. The spatial distribution of fishing effort from LK significantly correlated with VMS data and the correlation increased with increasing grid cell resolution. Using a larger grid cell size for data aggregation increases the estimation of the total area of seabed impacted by the fishery. In the absence of historical VMS data for vessels ≤15 m LOA (Length Overall), LK data for the inshore fleet provided important insights into the relative effort of the inshore (<6 NM from land) king scallop fishing fleet in the English Channel. The LK data provided a good representation of the spatial extent of inshore fishing activity, whereas representation of the offshore fishery was more precautionary in terms of defining total impact. Significantly, the data highlighted frequently fished areas of particular importance to the inshore fleet. In the absence of independent sources of geospatial information, the use of LK can inform the development of marine planning in relation to both sustainable fishing and conservation objectives, and has application in both developed and developing countries where VMS technology is not utilised in fisheries management. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

To what extent Fair Value is Fair, an Analysis of Reliability and Relevance of the Fair Value Accounting Paradigm.

OpenAIRE

Dugarte, Rafael

2006-01-01

To what extent Fair Value is Fair, an Analysis of Reliability and Relevance of the Fair Value Accounting Paradigm. Rafael Dugarte Escalante September, 2006 Fair value accounting is fair and important for financial reporting in providing relevant, reliable, comparable and understandable information to the users depending on what kind of information is expected from it, and the way in which fair value is actually found. This study complemen...

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.

To what extent does banks' credit stimulate economic growth ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

This study examines the extent to which banks' credit affects economic growth in Nigeria. The data used was collected from the Central Bank of Nigeria statistical bulletin for a period of 24 years from 1990 to 2013. We used credit to the private sector, credit to the public sector and inflation to proxy commercial bank credit ...

Increased radiosensitivity of cerebral capillaries in neonatal Gunn rats as compared to Sprague-Dawley rats

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Landolt, R.; Arn, D.

1979-01-01

The extent of petechial haemorrhages of the cerebral cortex examined between 14 hours and 4 days after X-irradiation to the head was compared in Sprague-Dawley and homozygous Gunn rats with congenital hyperbilirubinaemia. Animals 1 to 2 days old received single doses of either 250, 500 or 750 rad. By means of a special scoring scale the degree of the damage to the micro vasculature was semi-quantitatively estimated. In both strains a significant difference in effect was obtained between 250 and 500 rad, but not between 500 and 750 rad. The shape of the dose-effect curve in Gunn rats was similar to that of Sprague-Dawley rats, but displaced upwards. In Gunn rats the effect of 250 rad was greater that that of 750 rad in Sprague-Dawley rats. Possible radiosensitizing mechanisms are discussed with reference to the literature and these results. (author)

Assessment of extent of skin involvement in scleroderma using shear wave elastography

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anupam Wakhlu

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Scleroderma (systemic sclerosis [SSc] is a rare autoimmune disease which manifests as fibrosis in the skin and other internal organs. Conventionally, the modified Rodnan skin score (MRSS has been used to quantify the extent of skin fibrosis (resulting in skin tightness in SSc. This technique, although widely validated, is limited by the requirement of a trained, experienced assessor. Recent literature suggests that utilization of the objective ultrasound-based assessment of skin fibrosis utilizing shear wave elastography (SWE may be a more robust technique to detect early skin tightness in SSc. Methods: We evaluated the use of SWE (assessed by an experienced radiologist in 24 patients with SSc compared with 16 healthy controls. Results: Our patients were predominantly females, with median disease duration of 1.5 years and median MRSS of 17. There was minimal intraobserver variation in the assessment of SWE. Patients with SSc had higher SWE values (mean elasticity [Emean] compared to healthy controls at most assessed sites for the MRSS. The Emeancorrelated significantly at all sites with the MRSS scores. At the sites where MRSS was scored as 0 (normal, the Emeanin patients with SSc was higher when compared with similarly clinical normal skin in patients with SSc, suggesting potential early involvement of these areas of the skin with fibrosis. Conclusion: SWE is a promising tool to objectively assess skin fibrosis in SSc and may be useful in detecting early, subclinical skin involvement in this disease.

Detecting the Extent of Eutectoid Transformation in U-10Mo

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Devaraj, Arun [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Jana, Saumyadeep [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); McInnis, Colleen A. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Lombardo, Nicholas J. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Joshi, Vineet V. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Sweet, Lucas E. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Manandhar, Sandeep [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Lavender, Curt A. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)

2016-08-31

During eutectoid transformation of U-10Mo alloy, uniform metastable γ UMo phase is expected to transform to a mixture of α-U and γ’-U₂Mo phase. The presence of transformation products in final U-10Mo fuel, especially the α phase is considered detrimental for fuel irradiation performance, so it is critical to accurately evaluate the extent of transformation in the final U-10Mo alloy. This phase transformation can cause a volume change that induces a density change in final alloy. To understand this density and volume change, we developed a theoretical model to calculate the volume expansion and resultant density change of U-10Mo alloy as a function of the extent of eutectoid transformation. Based on the theoretically calculated density change for 0 to 100% transformation, we conclude that an experimental density measurement system will be challenging to employ to reliably detect and quantify the extent of transformation. Subsequently, to assess the ability of various methods to detect the transformation in U-10Mo, we annealed U-10Mo alloy samples at 500°C for various times to achieve in low, medium, and high extent of transformation. After the heat treatment at 500°C, the samples were metallographically polished and subjected to optical microscopy and x-ray diffraction (XRD) methods. Based on our assessment, optical microscopy and image processing can be used to determine the transformed area fraction, which can then be correlated with the α phase volume fraction measured by XRD analysis. XRD analysis of U-10Mo aged at 500°C detected only α phase and no γ’ was detected. To further validate the XRD results, atom probe tomography (APT) was used to understand the composition of transformed regions in U-10Mo alloys aged at 500°C for 10 hours. Based on the APT results, the lamellar transformation product was found to comprise α phase with close to 0 at% Mo and γ phase with 28–32 at% Mo, and the Mo concentration was highest at the �

Urinary incontinence persisting after childbirth: extent, delivery history, and effects in a 12-year longitudinal cohort study.

Science.gov (United States)

MacArthur, C; Wilson, D; Herbison, P; Lancashire, R J; Hagen, S; Toozs-Hobson, P; Dean, N; Glazener, C

2016-05-01

To investigate the extent of persistent urinary incontinence (UI) 12 years after birth, and association with delivery-mode history and other factors. Twelve-year longitudinal cohort study. Maternity units in Aberdeen, Birmingham, and Dunedin. Women who returned questionnaires 3 months and 12 years after index birth. Data on all births over a period of 12 months were obtained from the units and then women were contacted by post. Persistent UI reported at 12 years, with one or more previous contact. Of 7879 women recruited at 3 months, 3763 (48%) responded at 12 years, with 2944 also having responded at 6 years; non-responders had similar obstetric characteristics. The prevalence of persistent UI was 37.9% (1429/3763). Among those who had reported UI at 3 months, 76.4% reported it at 12 years. Women with persistent UI had lower SF12 quality of life scores. Compared with having only spontaneous vaginal deliveries (SVDs), women who delivered exclusively by caesarean section were less likely to have persistent UI (odds ratio, OR 0.42, 95% CI 0.33-0.54). This was not the case in women who had a combination of caesarean section and SVD births (OR 1.01, 95% CI 0.78-1.30). Older age at first birth, greater parity, and overweight/obesity were associated with persistent UI. Of 54 index primiparae with UI before pregnancy, 46 (85.2%) had persistent UI. This study, demonstrating that UI persists to 12 years in about three-quarters of women, and that risk was only reduced with caesarean section if women had no other delivery mode, has practice implications. A longitudinal study of 3763 women showed a prevalence of persistent UI 12 years after birth of 37.9%. © 2015 Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists.

Assessing the extent and nature of wildlife trade on the dark web.

Science.gov (United States)

Harrison, Joseph R; Roberts, David L; Hernandez-Castro, Julio

2016-08-01

Use of the internet as a trade platform has resulted in a shift in the illegal wildlife trade. Increased scrutiny of illegal wildlife trade has led to concerns that online trade of wildlife will move onto the dark web. To provide a baseline of illegal wildlife trade on the dark web, we downloaded and archived 9852 items (individual posts) from the dark web, then searched these based on a list of 121 keywords associated with illegal online wildlife trade, including 30 keywords associated with illegally traded elephant ivory on the surface web. Results were compared with items known to be illegally traded on the dark web, specifically cannabis, cocaine, and heroin, to compare the extent of the trade. Of these 121 keywords, 4 resulted in hits, of which only one was potentially linked to illegal wildlife trade. This sole case was the sale and discussion of Echinopsis pachanoi (San Pedro cactus), which has hallucinogenic properties. This negligible level of activity related to the illegal trade of wildlife on the dark web relative to the open and increasing trade on the surface web may indicate a lack of successful enforcement against illegal wildlife trade on the surface web. © 2016 Society for Conservation Biology.

Extent and impact of industry sponsorship conflicts of interest in dermatology research.

Science.gov (United States)

Perlis, Clifford S; Harwood, Michael; Perlis, Roy H

2005-06-01

Many published clinical trials are authored by investigators with financial conflicts of interest. The general medical literature documents the pervasive extent and sometimes problematic impact of these conflicts. Accordingly, there is renewed discussion about author disclosure and clinical trial registry to minimize publication bias from financial conflicts of interest. Despite this evolving discussion in the general medical literature, little is known about the extent or role of financial conflicts of interest in dermatology research. Our purpose was to determine the extent and impact of industry sponsorship conflicts of interest in dermatology research. We recorded potential financial conflicts of interest, study design, and study outcome in 179 clinical trials published between Oct 1, 2000 and Oct 1, 2003 in four leading dermatology journals. Forty-three percent of analyzed studies included at least one author with a reported conflict of interest. These studies were more likely to report a positive result, demonstrate higher methodological quality, and include a larger sample size. Conflict of interest in clinical investigations in dermatology appears to be prevalent and associated with potentially significant differences in study methodology and reporting.

Acid mine drainage in Australia: its extent and potential future liability. Supervising Scientist Report 125

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Harries, J.

1997-01-01

In order to better understand the impact of acid drainage in Australia and to provide a basis for assessing long-term management options, the Office of the Supervising Scientist (OSS) and the Australian Centre for Minesite Rehabilitation Research (ACMRR) initiated this study to prepare a status report on acid mine drainage in Australia. The study is supported by the Minerals Council of Australia. The coverage of this study includes all mine sites where sulphidic oxidation in mine wastes or mine workings leads to the release of contaminated drainage with off-site impacts. The objectives of the study were: 1. to quantify and characterise the generation of contaminated drainage by sulphidic oxidation from historic and current mining activities in Australia; 2. to develop a classification scheme to characterise the potential for off-site impacts from sulphidic oxidation in mine wastes; 3. to compare the cost at the national level of managing sulphidic oxidation in mine wastes and any resulting contaminated drainage with other mining and environmental costs; 4. to make recommendations based on the information received to improve the understanding and management of acid mine drainage in Australia. Information was collected on the extent and management of sulphidic oxidation and acid drainage at operating, historic and derelict mines in Australia. Mining operators, environmental officers, industry representatives, state government departments and others were asked about their experience with acid mine drainage and how it is currently managed at operating and historic mine sites. Based on the information collected, the additional cost of managing potentially acid generating wastes at operating mine sites is estimated to be about AUD 60 million per year. Potentially, the financial risk could be much greater if sulphide oxidation and release of pollutants is discovered after mine closure, as was the case for historic sites like Mt Lyell, Rum Jungle or Mt Morgan. The

Comparative uptake of thorium-230, radium-226, lead-210 and polonium-210 by plants

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

D' Souza, T J; Mistry, K B

1970-01-01

The entry and translocation of /sup 230/thorium, /sup 226/radium, /sup 210/lead, and /sup 210/polonium were examined in nutrient culture experiments. Strontium-89 was included for comparison. Red kidney beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) were treated for a period of 15 days. Results indicate that accumulation of /sup 230/thorium, /sup 210/lead and /sup 210/polonium occurs predominantly in roots and only very small amounts of these nuclides are translocated to shoots. Over comparable periods, the accumulation of /sup 226/radium in roots is 2-3 times lower than that of the other nuclides of uranium series. However, the most significant difference between /sup 226/radium and other nuclides is in the extent of their upward transport which for radium is 50-200 times greater. The amount of radium translocated to shoots is comparable to that of strontium. The present evidence of rapid transfer of /sup 226/radium to shoots suggests that among the nuclides examined, /sup 226/radium is likely to make the major contribution to radioactivity in aerial tissues of plants grown under conditions where root absorption is the principal route of entry of the nuclides.

Flexible ureteroscopy versus percutaneous nephrolithotomy as primary treatment for renal stones 2 cm or greater

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Akar EC

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Erin Akar, Bodo E KnudsenDepartment of Urology, Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH, USAAbstract: The purpose of this review, based on the current evidence in the literature, is whether ureteroscopy (URS is a comparable primary treatment option to the current gold standard of percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL for the treatment of large kidney stones 2 cm or greater. The lack of prospective randomized trials directly comparing URS and PCNL makes comparison challenging. The numerous studies are not standardized in terms of their definition of stone-free or how stone size is reported. In order to standardize comparison of results, we used a stone-free definition of <4 mm after one procedure per imaging of the author’s choice, since how each patient was imaged postoperatively was not reported. The results from the literature show that moderately large stones from 2 to 3 cm treated ureteroscopically have similar outcomes to PCNL. Stone-free rates with URS decrease when stone size is above 3 cm. Our interpretation of the literature suggests that a current limitation of URS is that multiple procedures for URS would be required to achieve comparable stone-free rates to PCNL, particularly for stones greater than 4 cm.Keywords: ureteroscopy, percutaneous nephrolithotomy, lithotripsy, urinary calculi

Greater temperature sensitivity of plant phenology at colder sites

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Prevey, Janet; Vellend, Mark; Ruger, Nadja

2017-01-01

Warmer temperatures are accelerating the phenology of organisms around the world. Temperature sensitivity of phenology might be greater in colder, higher latitude sites than in warmer regions, in part because small changes in temperature constitute greater relative changes in thermal balance...

Quantifying emphysema extent from weakly labeled CT scans of the lungs using label proportions learning

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ørting, Silas Nyboe; Petersen, Jens; Wille, Mathilde

2016-01-01

Quantification of emphysema extent is important in diagnosing and monitoring patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Several studies have shown that emphysema quantification by supervised texture classification is more robust and accurate than traditional densitometry. Current...... techniques require highly time consuming manual annotations of patches or use only weak labels indicating overall disease status (e.g, COPD or healthy). We show how visual scoring of regional emphysema extent can be exploited in a learning with label proportions (LLP) framework to both predict presence...... of emphysema in smaller patches and estimate regional extent. We evaluate performance on 195 visually scored CT scans and achieve an intraclass correlation of 0.72 (0.65–0.78) between predicted region extent and expert raters. To our knowledge this is the first time that LLP methods have been applied...

The effects of ionizing radiation on food, compared to the effects of conventional food treatment: A literature study. Pt. 1

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Leister, W.; Boegl, K.W.

1987-08-01

The extent and quality of changes due to irradiation is described and compared with conventional methods. Effects of radiation treatment on vegetable products as well as pork, beef, any type of fish and poultry product are compared with conventional thermic, micro-wave or smoke treatments, drying processes, ethylene oxide gas treatment, as well as effects from storage, temperature and sealed packaging. In this context the influences of the different treatment methods on various food components and on sensory, physical-chemical or biochemical characteristics were compared. The following tendencies were observed: conventional treatment methods produce partly more pronounced changes than irradiation with standard doses. Heat treatment, for instance, results in a greater weight loss, in altered sugar content, and in higher content of carbonyl and aldehyde releasing compounds. Gas treatment will cut the volatile oil content in half, while it remains nearly constant after irradiation. However, in some cases, an irradiation with standard doses may cause changes which should not be disregarded. In onions, for instance, irradiation is causing a stronger decomposition during storage than only cold storage. (orig./MG) [de

Greater Somalia, the never-ending dream?

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Zoppi, Marco

2015-01-01

This paper provides an historical analysis of the concept of Greater Somalia, the nationalist project that advocates the political union of all Somali-speaking people, including those inhabiting areas in current Djibouti, Ethiopia and Kenya. The Somali territorial unification project of “lost...

Arterial Stiffness and its Correlation with the Extent of Coronary Artery Disease

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hourak Poorzand

2018-06-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Coronary artery disease secondary to atherosclerosis is the most common cause of mortality. Coronary angiography is the most precise method for determining the extent of disease in the coronary vascular bed. Arterial stiffness has been proposed as a marker of atherosclerosis in some studies. One of the noninvasive methods for the determination of arterial stiffness is Doppler echocardiography. In this study, we aimed to find the correlation between arterial stiffness as measured by echocardiography and the extent of coronary artery disease as evaluated through angiography. Materials and Methods: Aortic pulse wave velocity (APWV was measured by using the Doppler method in 70 patients, who were candidates for coronary angiography. The extent of coronary artery disease was determined quantitatively in terms of Friesinger index and semi-quantitatively as the number of vessels with stenosis of over 50%. Then, the correlation between arterial stiffness and these factors was evaluated. Results: The mean APWV was 9.1±5 m/s. There was a direct relationship between APWV and Friesinger index, which was not statistically significant (P=0.67. The mean APWV for patients with one-vessel disease was 4.4±1.8 m/s, while it was 9.9±3.6 m/s in patients with two and 7.9±4 m/s in three-vessel disease which did not show statistically significant difference. Conclusion: Doppler echocardiography to measure APWV was not considered as a promising tool to predict the extent of coronary artery disease.

Copenhagen commitments and implications: A comparative analysis of India and China

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vazhayil, Joy P.; Balasubramanian, R.

2010-01-01

Dynamic targets have been long advocated as a participatory tool for developing countries in climate change mitigation. Copenhagen commitments of India and China resume this trend after the unsuccessful attempt of Argentina a decade ago. However, linear intensity targets are prone to 'hot air' problems or non-compliance risks. Intensity targets of India and China are analyzed using their elasticity parameters. The relationship of these parameters to the structural nature of emissions and GDP profiles has been demonstrated and a method of comparing the probability indices of target achievement has been formulated in this paper, showing a lower probability for China compared to India. Similarly, a method of defining stringency factor for linear targets has been suggested and stringency factors evaluated for India (40%) and China (90%), which shows the relative stability of India's targets. This paper evaluates an energy-GDP-emissions index (EYE index) to indicate the extent of coupling/decoupling of economic growth from emissions. The three indices developed in this paper, namely, elasticity parameter, stringency factor and EYE index can be effectively used to analyze the economy-emissions relationships for policy making and target setting. - Research Highlights: → Copenhagen targets' stringency lower for India compared to China. → Probability of achieving linear intensity target depends on elasticity of emissions. → Estimated GDP elasticity of emissions higher for India indicating higher probability. →Energy-GDP-Emissions index shows greater decoupling of growth and emissions in China. →Indexed intensity target more suitable for China.

Veterinary drug prescriptions: to what extent do pet owners comply ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Separate questionnaires were designed for pet owners (clients) and veterinarians to ascertain the existence and extent of noncompliance in veterinary practice in lbadan and to elucidate the influence of such factors as logistics, education, economy, attitudes and veterinarian/client relationship on non-compliance. Analyses ...

Does the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus with the DPP-4 inhibitor vildagliptin reduce HbA1c to a greater extent in Japanese patients than in Caucasian patients?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Foley JE

2016-01-01

Full Text Available James E Foley,1 Vaishali Bhosekar,2 Ryuzo Kawamori3 1Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation, East Hanover, NJ, USA; 2Novartis Healthcare Pvt Ltd, Hyderabad, Telangana, India; 3Sportology Center, Juntendo University Graduate School of Medicine, Juntendo University, Tokyo, Japan Background: Previous work suggests that Japanese patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM may respond more favorably to a DPP-4 (dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitor than Caucasians. We aimed to compare the efficacy of the DPP-4 inhibitor vildagliptin (50 mg twice daily [bid] between Japanese and Caucasian populations. Methods: This analysis pooled data from 19 studies of drug-naïve patients with T2DM who were treated for 12 weeks with vildagliptin 50 mg bid as monotherapy. The pool comprised Japanese patients (n=338 who had been treated in Japan and Caucasian patients (n=1,275 who were treated elsewhere. Change from baseline (Δ in glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c at 12 weeks (in millimoles per mole versus baseline HbA1c (both in percentage National Glycohemoglobin Standardization Program units [NGSP%] and millimoles per mole for each population was reported. Universal HbA1c in millimoles per mole was calculated from either the Japanese Diabetes Society or the NGSP% HbA1c standards. Results: At baseline, mean values for Japanese and Caucasian patients, respectively, were as follows: age, 59 years and 56 years; % male, 69% and 57%. The average HbA1c was reduced from 7.90% to 6.96% (Japanese Diabetes Society and from 8.57% to 7.50% (United States National Glycohemoglobin Standardization Program, while HbA1c was reduced from 63 mmol/mol to 53 mmol/mol and from 70 mmol/mol to 58 mmol/mol in Japanese and Caucasians, respectively. ΔHbA1c increased with increasing baseline in both populations. The slopes were the same (0.41, r2=0.36; and 0.41, r2=0.15, and the intercepts were 15.4 mmol/mol and 17.2 mmol/mol, respectively. In Japanese patients, mean ΔHbA1c was greater by 1.7 mmol

Assessing Human Impacts on the Greater Akaki River, Ethiopia ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

We assessed the impacts of human activities on the Greater Akaki River using physicochemical parameters and macroinvertebrate metrics. Physicochemical samples and macroinvertebrates were collected bimonthly from eight sites established on the Greater Akaki River from February 2006 to April 2006. Eleven metrics ...

Molecular insights into the biology of Greater Sage-Grouse

Science.gov (United States)

Oyler-McCance, Sara J.; Quinn, Thomas W.

2011-01-01

Recent research on Greater Sage-Grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) genetics has revealed some important findings. First, multiple paternity in broods is more prevalent than previously thought, and leks do not comprise kin groups. Second, the Greater Sage-Grouse is genetically distinct from the congeneric Gunnison sage-grouse (C. minimus). Third, the Lyon-Mono population in the Mono Basin, spanning the border between Nevada and California, has unique genetic characteristics. Fourth, the previous delineation of western (C. u. phaios) and eastern Greater Sage-Grouse (C. u. urophasianus) is not supported genetically. Fifth, two isolated populations in Washington show indications that genetic diversity has been lost due to population declines and isolation. This chapter examines the use of molecular genetics to understand the biology of Greater Sage-Grouse for the conservation and management of this species and put it into the context of avian ecology based on selected molecular studies.

Drugs Cleared Through The FDA's Expedited Review Offer Greater Gains Than Drugs Approved By Conventional Process.

Science.gov (United States)

Chambers, James D; Thorat, Teja; Wilkinson, Colby L; Neumann, Peter J

2017-08-01

We investigated whether drugs approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) through expedited review have offered larger health gains, compared to drugs approved through conventional review processes. We identified published estimates of additional health gains (measured in quality-adjusted life-years, or QALYs) associated with drugs approved in the period 1999-2012 through expedited (seventy-six drugs) versus conventional (fifty-nine) review processes. We found that drugs in at least one expedited review program offered greater gains than drugs reviewed through conventional processes (0.182 versus 0.003 QALYs). We also found that, compared to drugs not included in the same program, greater gains were provided by drugs in the priority review (0.175 versus 0.007 QALYs), accelerated approval (0.370 versus 0.031 QALYs), and fast track (0.254 versus 0.014 QALYs) programs. Our analysis suggests that the FDA has prioritized drugs that offer the largest health gains. Project HOPE—The People-to-People Health Foundation, Inc.

241-AY-101 Tank Construction Extent of Condition Review for Tank Integrity

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Barnes, Travis J.; Gunter, Jason R.

2013-08-26

This report provides the results of an extent of condition construction history review for tank 241-AY-101. The construction history of tank 241-AY-101 has been reviewed to identify issues similar to those experienced during tank AY-102 construction. Those issues and others impacting integrity are discussed based on information found in available construction records, using tank AY-102 as the comparison benchmark. In tank 241-AY-101, the second double-shell tank constructed, similar issues as those with tank 241-AY-102 construction reoccurred. The overall extent of similary and affect on tank 241-AY-101 integrity is described herein.

How does the interaction of presumed timing, location and extent of the underlying brain lesion relate to upper limb function in children with unilateral cerebral palsy?

Science.gov (United States)

Mailleux, Lisa; Klingels, Katrijn; Fiori, Simona; Simon-Martinez, Cristina; Demaerel, Philippe; Locus, Marlies; Fosseprez, Eva; Boyd, Roslyn N; Guzzetta, Andrea; Ortibus, Els; Feys, Hilde

2017-09-01

Upper limb (UL) function in children with unilateral cerebral palsy (CP) vary largely depending on presumed timing, location and extent of brain lesions. These factors might exhibit a complex interaction and the combined prognostic value warrants further investigation. This study aimed to map lesion location and extent and assessed whether these differ according to presumed lesion timing and to determine the impact of structural brain damage on UL function within different lesion timing groups. Seventy-three children with unilateral CP (mean age 10 years 2 months) were classified according to lesion timing: malformations (N = 2), periventricular white matter (PWM, N = 42) and cortical and deep grey matter (CDGM, N = 29) lesions. Neuroanatomical damage was scored using a semi-quantitative MRI scale. UL function was assessed at body function and activity level. CDGM lesions were more pronounced compared to PWM lesions (p = 0.0003). Neuroanatomical scores were correlated with a higher degree to UL function in the CDGM group (r s  = -0.39 to r s  = -0.84) compared to the PWM group (r rb  = -0.42 to r s  = -0.61). Regression analysis found lesion location and extent to explain 75% and 65% (p < 0.02) respectively, of the variance in AHA performance in the CDGM group, but only 24% and 12% (p < 0.03) in the PWM group. In the CDGM group, lesion location and extent seems to impact more on UL function compared to the PWM group. In children with PWM lesions, other factors like corticospinal tract (re)organization and structural connectivity may play an additional role. Copyright © 2017 European Paediatric Neurology Society. All rights reserved.

The role of infarct transmural extent in infarct extension: A computational study.

Science.gov (United States)

Leong, Chin-Neng; Lim, Einly; Andriyana, Andri; Al Abed, Amr; Lovell, Nigel Hamilton; Hayward, Christopher; Hamilton-Craig, Christian; Dokos, Socrates

2017-02-01

Infarct extension, a process involving progressive extension of the infarct zone (IZ) into the normally perfused border zone (BZ), leads to continuous degradation of the myocardial function and adverse remodelling. Despite carrying a high risk of mortality, detailed understanding of the mechanisms leading to BZ hypoxia and infarct extension remains unexplored. In the present study, we developed a 3D truncated ellipsoidal left ventricular model incorporating realistic electromechanical properties and fibre orientation to examine the mechanical interaction among the remote, infarct and BZs in the presence of varying infarct transmural extent (TME). Localized highly abnormal systolic fibre stress was observed at the BZ, owing to the simultaneous presence of moderately increased stiffness and fibre strain at this region, caused by the mechanical tethering effect imposed by the overstretched IZ. Our simulations also demonstrated the greatest tethering effect and stress in BZ regions with fibre direction tangential to the BZ-remote zone boundary. This can be explained by the lower stiffness in the cross-fibre direction, which gave rise to a greater stretching of the IZ in this direction. The average fibre strain of the IZ, as well as the maximum stress in the sub-endocardial layer, increased steeply from 10% to 50% infarct TME, and slower thereafter. Based on our stress-strain loop analysis, we found impairment in the myocardial energy efficiency and elevated energy expenditure with increasing infarct TME, which we believe to place the BZ at further risk of hypoxia. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Situating Disability within Comparative Education: A Review of the Literature

Science.gov (United States)

Brown, Alisha M. B.

2014-01-01

This paper is an inquiry into where the topic of disability falls within the vast field of comparative education research. It explores the extent to which disability is present in comparative education literature, and in what ways it is represented. A review of literature across the core comparative education peer-reviewed journals was conducted.…

INDUSTRIAL LAND DEVELOPMENT AND MANUFACTURING DECONCENTRATION IN GREATER JAKARTA

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hudalah, Delik; Viantari, Dimitra; Firman, Tommy; Woltjer, Johan

2013-01-01

Industrial land development has become a key feature of urbanization in Greater Jakarta, one of the largest metropolitan areas in Southeast Asia. Following Suharto's market-oriented policy measures in the late 1980s, private developers have dominated the land development projects in Greater Jakarta.

Accurate and reproducible invasive breast cancer detection in whole-slide images: A Deep Learning approach for quantifying tumor extent

Science.gov (United States)

Cruz-Roa, Angel; Gilmore, Hannah; Basavanhally, Ajay; Feldman, Michael; Ganesan, Shridar; Shih, Natalie N. C.; Tomaszewski, John; González, Fabio A.; Madabhushi, Anant

2017-04-01

With the increasing ability to routinely and rapidly digitize whole slide images with slide scanners, there has been interest in developing computerized image analysis algorithms for automated detection of disease extent from digital pathology images. The manual identification of presence and extent of breast cancer by a pathologist is critical for patient management for tumor staging and assessing treatment response. However, this process is tedious and subject to inter- and intra-reader variability. For computerized methods to be useful as decision support tools, they need to be resilient to data acquired from different sources, different staining and cutting protocols and different scanners. The objective of this study was to evaluate the accuracy and robustness of a deep learning-based method to automatically identify the extent of invasive tumor on digitized images. Here, we present a new method that employs a convolutional neural network for detecting presence of invasive tumor on whole slide images. Our approach involves training the classifier on nearly 400 exemplars from multiple different sites, and scanners, and then independently validating on almost 200 cases from The Cancer Genome Atlas. Our approach yielded a Dice coefficient of 75.86%, a positive predictive value of 71.62% and a negative predictive value of 96.77% in terms of pixel-by-pixel evaluation compared to manually annotated regions of invasive ductal carcinoma.

Reassessing the extent of the Q classification for containment paint

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Spires, G.

1995-01-01

A mounting number of site-specific paint debris transport and screen clogging analyses submitted to justify substandard containment paint work have been deemed persuasive by virtue of favorable U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission safety evaluation report (SER) findings. These lay a strong foundation for a standardized approach to redefining the extent to which paint in containment needs to be considered open-quotes Q.close quotes This information justifies an initiative by licensees to roll back paint work quality commitments made at the design phase. This paper questions the validity of the basic premise that all primary containment paint can significantly compromise core and containment cooling [emergency core cooling system/engineered safeguard feature (ECCS/ESF)]. It is posited that the physical extent of painted containment surfaces for which extant material qualification and quality control (QC) structures need apply can be limited to zones relatively proximate to ECCS/ESF suction points. For other painted containment surfaces, simplified criteria should be allowed

Comparing methods of targeting obesity interventions in populations: An agent-based simulation.

Science.gov (United States)

Beheshti, Rahmatollah; Jalalpour, Mehdi; Glass, Thomas A

2017-12-01

Social networks as well as neighborhood environments have been shown to effect obesity-related behaviors including energy intake and physical activity. Accordingly, harnessing social networks to improve targeting of obesity interventions may be promising to the extent this leads to social multiplier effects and wider diffusion of intervention impact on populations. However, the literature evaluating network-based interventions has been inconsistent. Computational methods like agent-based models (ABM) provide researchers with tools to experiment in a simulated environment. We develop an ABM to compare conventional targeting methods (random selection, based on individual obesity risk, and vulnerable areas) with network-based targeting methods. We adapt a previously published and validated model of network diffusion of obesity-related behavior. We then build social networks among agents using a more realistic approach. We calibrate our model first against national-level data. Our results show that network-based targeting may lead to greater population impact. We also present a new targeting method that outperforms other methods in terms of intervention effectiveness at the population level.

LEVEL AND EXTENT OF MERCURY CONTAMINATION IN OREGON LOTIC FISH

Science.gov (United States)

As part of the U.S. EPA's EMAP Oregon Pilot project, we conducted a probability survey of 154 Oregon streams and rivers to assess the spatial extent of mercury (Hg) contamination in fish tissue across the state. Samples consisted of whole fish analyses of both small (< 120 mm) a...

Global Human Built-up And Settlement Extent (HBASE) Dataset From Landsat

Data.gov (United States)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration — The Global Human Built-up And Settlement Extent (HBASE) Dataset from Landsat is a global map of HBASE derived from the Global Land Survey (GLS) Landsat dataset for...

Corticocortical feedback increases the spatial extent of normalization.

Science.gov (United States)

Nassi, Jonathan J; Gómez-Laberge, Camille; Kreiman, Gabriel; Born, Richard T

2014-01-01

Normalization has been proposed as a canonical computation operating across different brain regions, sensory modalities, and species. It provides a good phenomenological description of non-linear response properties in primary visual cortex (V1), including the contrast response function and surround suppression. Despite its widespread application throughout the visual system, the underlying neural mechanisms remain largely unknown. We recently observed that corticocortical feedback contributes to surround suppression in V1, raising the possibility that feedback acts through normalization. To test this idea, we characterized area summation and contrast response properties in V1 with and without feedback from V2 and V3 in alert macaques and applied a standard normalization model to the data. Area summation properties were well explained by a form of divisive normalization, which computes the ratio between a neuron's driving input and the spatially integrated activity of a "normalization pool." Feedback inactivation reduced surround suppression by shrinking the spatial extent of the normalization pool. This effect was independent of the gain modulation thought to mediate the influence of contrast on area summation, which remained intact during feedback inactivation. Contrast sensitivity within the receptive field center was also unaffected by feedback inactivation, providing further evidence that feedback participates in normalization independent of the circuit mechanisms involved in modulating contrast gain and saturation. These results suggest that corticocortical feedback contributes to surround suppression by increasing the visuotopic extent of normalization and, via this mechanism, feedback can play a critical role in contextual information processing.

Consumption of whole eggs promotes greater stimulation of postexercise muscle protein synthesis than consumption of isonitrogenous amounts of egg whites in young men.

Science.gov (United States)

van Vliet, Stephan; Shy, Evan L; Abou Sawan, Sidney; Beals, Joseph W; West, Daniel Wd; Skinner, Sarah K; Ulanov, Alexander V; Li, Zhong; Paluska, Scott A; Parsons, Carl M; Moore, Daniel R; Burd, Nicholas A

2017-12-01

Background: Protein in the diet is commonly ingested from whole foods that contain various macro- and micronutrients. However, the effect of consuming protein within its natural whole-food matrix on postprandial protein metabolism remains understudied in humans. Objective: We aimed to compare the whole-body and muscle protein metabolic responses after the consumption of whole eggs with egg whites during exercise recovery in young men. Design: In crossover trials, 10 resistance-trained men [aged 21 ± 1 y; 88 ± 3 kg; body fat: 16% ± 1% (means ± SEMs)] received primed continuous l-[ ring - 2 H 5 ]phenylalanine and l-[1- 13 C]leucine infusions and performed a single bout of resistance exercise. After exercise, participants consumed intrinsically l-[5,5,5- 2 H 3 ]leucine-labeled whole eggs (18 g protein, 17 g fat) or egg whites (18 g protein, 0 g fat). Repeated blood and muscle biopsy samples were collected to assess whole-body leucine kinetics, intramuscular signaling, and myofibrillar protein synthesis. Results: Plasma appearance rates of protein-derived leucine were more rapid after the consumption of egg whites than after whole eggs ( P = 0.01). Total plasma availability of leucine over the 300-min postprandial period was similar ( P = 0.75) between the ingestion of whole eggs (68% ± 1%) and egg whites (66% ± 2%), with no difference in whole-body net leucine balance ( P = 0.27). Both whole-egg and egg white conditions increased the phosphorylation of mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1, ribosomal protein S6 kinase 1, and eukaryotic translation initiation factor 4E-binding protein 1 during postexercise recovery (all P egg ingestion increased the postexercise myofibrillar protein synthetic response to a greater extent than did the ingestion of egg whites ( P = 0.04). Conclusions: We show that the ingestion of whole eggs immediately after resistance exercise resulted in greater stimulation of myofibrillar protein synthesis than did the ingestion of egg whites

Evaluation of the genetic distinctiveness of Greater Sage-grouse in the Bi-State Planning Area

Science.gov (United States)

Oyler-McCance, Sara J.; Casazza, Michael L.

2011-01-01

The purpose of this study was to further characterize a distinct population of Greater Sage-grouse: the population located along the border between Nevada and California (Bi-State Planning Area) and centered around the Mono Basin. This population was previously determined to be genetically distinct from other Greater Sage-grouse populations across their range. Previous genetic work focused on characterizing genetic variation across the species' range and thereby used a coarse sampling approach for species characterization. The goal of this study was to investigate this population further by obtaining samples from breeding locations within the population and analyzing those samples with the same mitochondrial and microsatellite loci used in previous studies. Blood samples were collected in six locations within the Bi-State Planning Area. Genetic data from subpopulations were then compared with each other and also with two populations outside of the Bi-State Planning Area. Particular attention was paid to subpopulation boundaries and internal dynamics by drawing comparisons among particular regions within the Bi-State Planning Area and regions proximal to it. All newly sampled subpopulations contained mitochondrial haplotypes and allele frequencies that were consistent with the genetically unique Bi-State (Mono Basin) Greater Sage-grouse described previously. This reinforces the fact that this group of Greater Sage-grouse is genetically unique and warrants special attention. Maintaining the genetic integrity of this population could protect the evolutionary potential of this population of Greater Sage-grouse. Additionally, the White Mountains subpopulation was found to be significantly distinct from all other Bi-State subpopulations.

Strategies for Talent Management: Greater Philadelphia Companies in Action

Science.gov (United States)

Council for Adult and Experiential Learning (NJ1), 2008

2008-01-01

Human capital is one of the critical issues that impacts the Greater Philadelphia region's ability to grow and prosper. The CEO Council for Growth (CEO Council) is committed to ensuring a steady and talented supply of quality workers for this region. "Strategies for Talent Management: Greater Philadelphia Companies in Action" provides…

Greater oil investment opportunities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Arenas, Ismael Enrique

1997-01-01

Geologically speaking, Colombia is a very attractive country for the world oil community. According to this philosophy new and important steps are being taken to reinforce the oil sector: Expansion of the exploratory frontier by including a larger number of sedimentary areas, and the adoption of innovative contracting instruments. Colombia has to offer, Greater economic incentives for the exploration of new areas to expand the exploratory frontier, stimulation of exploration in areas with prospectivity for small fields. Companies may offer Ecopetrol a participation in production over and above royalties, without it's participating in the investments and costs of these fields, more favorable conditions for natural gas seeking projects, in comparison with those governing the terms for oil

241-AW Tank Farm Construction Extent of Condition Review for Tank Integrity

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Barnes, Travis J.; Gunter, Jason R.; Reeploeg, Gretchen E.

2013-11-19

This report provides the results of an extent of condition construction history review for the 241-AW tank farm. The construction history of the 241-AW tank farm has been reviewed to identify issues similar to those experienced during tank AY-102 construction. Those issues and others impacting integrity are discussed based on information found in available construction records, using tank AY-102 as the comparison benchmark. In the 241-AW tank farm, the fourth double-shell tank farm constructed, similar issues as those with tank 241-AY-102 construction occured. The overall extent of similary and affect on 241-AW tank farm integrity is described herein.

Inability to determine tissue health is main indication of allograft use in intermediate extent burns.

Science.gov (United States)

Fletcher, John L; Cancio, Leopoldo C; Sinha, Indranil; Leung, Kai P; Renz, Evan M; Chan, Rodney K

2015-12-01

Cutaneous allograft is commonly used in the early coverage of excised burns when autograft is unavailable. However, allograft is also applied in intermediate-extent burns (25-50%), during cases in which it is possible to autograft. In this population, there is a paucity of data on the indications for allograft use. This study explores the indications for allograft usage in moderate size burns. Under an IRB-approved protocol, patients admitted to our burn unit between March 2003 and December 2010 were identified through a review of the burn registry. Data on allograft use, total burn surface area, operation performed, operative intent, number of operations, intensive care unit length of stay, and overall length of stay were collected and analyzed. Data are presented as means±standard deviations, except where noted. In the study period, 146 patients received allograft during their acute hospitalization. Twenty-five percent of allograft recipients sustained intermediate-extent burns. Patients with intermediate-extent burns received allograft later in their hospitalization than those with large-extent (50-75% TBSA) burns (6.8 days vs. 3.4 days, p=0.01). Allografted patients with intermediate-extent burns underwent more operations (10.8 vs. 6.1, p=0.002) and had longer hospitalizations (78.3 days vs. 40.9 days, ppatients, when controlled for TBSA. Clinical rationale for placement of allograft in this population included autograft failure, uncertain depth of excision, lack of autograft donor site, and wound complexity. When uncertain depth of excision was the indication, allograft was universally applied onto the face. In half of allografted intermediate-extent burn patients the inability to identify a viable recipient bed was the ultimate reason for allograft use. Unlike large body surface area burns, allograft skin use in intermediate-extent injury occurs later in the hospitalization and is driven by the inability to determine wound bed suitability for autograft

Pitavastatin 4 mg Provides Significantly Greater Reduction in Remnant Lipoprotein Cholesterol Compared With Pravastatin 40 mg: Results from the Short-term Phase IV PREVAIL US Trial in Patients With Primary Hyperlipidemia or Mixed Dyslipidemia.

Science.gov (United States)

Miller, P Elliott; Martin, Seth S; Joshi, Parag H; Jones, Steven R; Massaro, Joseph M; D'Agostino, Ralph B; Sponseller, Craig A; Toth, Peter P

2016-03-01

Remnants are partially hydrolyzed, triglyceride-rich lipoproteins that are implicated in atherosclerosis. We assessed the adequacy of pitavastatin 4 mg and pravastatin 40 mg in reducing atherogenic lipid parameters beyond LDL-C, in particular remnant lipoprotein cholesterol (RLP-C). From the Phase IV, multicenter, randomized, double-blind PREVAIL US (A Study of Pitavastatin 4 mg Vs. Pravastatin 40 mg in Patients With Primary Hyperlipidemia or Mixed Dyslipidemia) trial, we examined lipoprotein cholesterol subfractions using Vertical Auto Profile testing and apolipoproteins B and A-I at baseline and 12 weeks. Participants with primary hyperlipidemia or mixed dyslipidemia had LDL-C levels of 130 to 220 mg/dL and triglyceride levels ≤ 400 mg/dL. In this post hoc analysis, changes in lipid parameters were compared by using ANCOVA. Lipoprotein subfraction data were available in 312 patients (pitavastatin, n = 157; pravastatin, n = 155). Pitavastatin promoted a greater reduction in RLP-C than pravastatin (-13.6 [8.7] vs -9.3 [9.5] mg/dL). Furthermore, the pitavastatin group reported greater reductions in both components of RLP-C (both, P < 0.001): intermediate-density lipoprotein cholesterol (-9.5 [6.3] vs -6.4 [6.6] mg/dL) and very low-density lipoprotein cholesterol subfraction 3 (-4.1 [3.5] vs -2.9 [3.8] mg/dL). There were also greater reductions in the major ratios of risk (apolipoprotein B/apolipoprotein A-I and total cholesterol/HDL-C) (both, P < 0.001). There were no significant changes in HDL-C, its subfractions, or natural log lipoprotein(a)-cholesterol. The mean age was 58.8 ± 8.9 years in the pitavastatin group and 57.0 ± 10.2 years in the pravastatin group. Compared with pravastatin 40 mg daily, pitavastatin 4 mg provided superior reductions in atherogenic lipid parameters beyond LDL-C, including RLP-C. Future studies are needed investigate the clinical implications of lowering directly measured RLP-C as the principal target. ClinicalTrials.gov identifier

Comment on ''Canonical formalism for Lagrangians with nonlocality of finite extent''

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Llosa, Josep

2003-01-01

The paper by Woodward [Phys. Rev. A 62, 052105 (2000)] claimed to have proved that Lagrangian theories with a nonlocality of finite extent are necessarily unstable. In this Comment we propose that this conclusion is false

Cook Inlet and Kenai Peninsula, Alaska ESI: ICE (Ice Extent Lines)

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — This data set contains locations of ice extent in Cook Inlet, Alaska. Vector lines in the data set represent 50 percent ice coverage. Location-specific type and...

The value and extent of religious participation of members of the ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

2013-01-14

Jan 14, 2013 ... ... of Human. Resource Management, .... This is why employees of the SAPS, as human beings, to a large extent ... everywhere, supporting us in the workplace, at home and in hospitals. ..... such as diversity interventions).

Greater efficacy of chemotherapy plus bevacizumab compared to chemo- and targeted therapy alone on non-small cell lung cancer patients with brain metastasis.

Science.gov (United States)

Tang, Ning; Guo, Jun; Zhang, Qianqian; Wang, Yali; Wang, Zhehai

2016-01-19

Control of non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with brain metastasis is clinically challenging. This study retrospectively evaluated the efficacy of different adjuvant therapies for 776 cases of advanced NSCLCs with brain metastasis who treated with chemotherapy, chemotherapy plus bevacizumab, tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) alone, or supportive care. The median progression-free survival (mPFS) and median overall survival (mOS) of patients treated with chemotherapy plus bevacizumab were 8.5 and 10.5 months, respectively, which were better than those of patients treated with other three therapies(P chemotherapy plus bevacizumab but was significantly better than that of other therapies. Moreover, for patients with EGFR wild-type NSCLC, the mPFS and mOS after chemotherapy plus bevacizumab were greater than those with other two therapies (P Chemotherapy plus bevacizumab was more effective for NSCLC patients with brain metastasis. Further studies will investigate the benefit of TKI alone for patients with EGFR-mutated. For patients with EGFR wild-type, chemotherapy plus bevacizumab did improve PFS and OS. Furthermore, regimens including pemetrexed led to a greater RR.

Transregionalism: Underlying Concept of EAEU-ASEAN Cooperation and Greater Eurasian Partnership

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anna A. Garmash

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Nowadays the EAEU seeks to integrate itself into the global economy as one of its regional economic centers. Developing ties with other regional integration groups corresponds the EAEU’s interests and facilitates the polycentric structure of the emerging world order. In this respect, in 2016 on the sidelines of the third Russia-ASEAN Summit Russian President Vladimir Putin proposed to develop stronger relations between the EAEU and ASEAN as well as to form a greater Eurasian partnership encompassing the EAEU, the SCO and ASEAN. While geographically vast, these projects lack conceptual underpinning. It is deemed that transregionalism – an international phenomenon which is insuffi ciently explored by both Western and Russian scholars, can provide a crucial theoretical foundation for these initiatives. The author compares the mechanisms which ASEAN employs to promote transregional cooperation with the EU, MERCOSUR and the GCC as well as within the frameworks of such dialogue platforms as ASEM and FEALAC. The author suggests that EAEU-ASEAN relations should be analyzed from the viewpoint of a classic transregionalism, while a greater Eurasian partnership seen as an example of a broader one. The results of the analysis are instrumental in laying out practical recommendations for the EAEU in carrying out its transregional agenda.

The effect of river fluctuation frequencies and amplitudes on the extent of the river-aquifer mixing zone and on the dilution of substances

Science.gov (United States)

Derx, Julia; Blaschke, Alfred Paul

2010-05-01

The river-aquifer mixing zone has been identified in the past by both observations in the field and by applying coupled groundwater models. Its implications are important e.g. for macrozoobenthos or fish eggs, which react sensitively to changes in flow velocities. The groundwater quality is also strongly affected due to the transport of substances from the river into the aquifer and can be altered due to these mixing processes. At a field site east of Vienna, we recently found that the Danube River surface level fluctuations induce circular flow patterns within the mixing zone and cause a greater dispersion of substances dissolved in groundwater. This has possibly important implications for river management, for example, in the case of anthropogenic river level fluctuations. In this paper, we investigate these findings more generally for groundwater-river interaction with different river fluctuation amplitudes and frequencies. We apply an unsaturated-saturated groundwater model and perform an extensive systematic model analysis to identify the effects of river fluctuation frequencies and amplitudes on the extent and location of the mixing zone. Thereby we investigate the influence of the river bank slopes, the hydraulic aquifer properties and the exchange conditions (infiltration and groundwater exfiltration). The estimated extents and locations of the mixing zone are presented for a range of river fluctuation frequencies and amplitudes, for aquifers of high to low permeabilities, for flat and steep riverbanks and for infiltration and groundwater exfiltration. These parameters demonstrate the significant correlation to the extent of the mixing zone and can help to give an estimate for management strategies. Furthermore, we give an overview of how much a non-reactive substance dissolved in groundwater is diluted, due to dispersion within the mixing zone, for the full set of scenarios performed during our systematic model analysis.

The extent of problematic alcohol and other drug use within selected ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Objective. To describe the nature and extent of AOD problems in selected workplace ... compiled by an Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) service provider in SA. As part of an EAP risk audit, assessments for AOD-related problems were ...

The extent of man from Vitruvius to Marfan.

Science.gov (United States)

Schott, G D

It is frequently stated that patients with Marfan's syndrome have an arm span greater than height. This implies a characteristic different from the proportions in normal adult man, in whom span and height are often thought to be equal. Such equality of span and height, which allows man to be portrayed within a square, has been a widely held concept, immortalised by Leonardo da Vinci, that dates from the Roman Vitruvius. However, in the past two hundred years, anthropometry has shown that span exceeds height in 59-78% of normal adult white men. Thus not only is the classic concept of equality of span and height generally incorrect, but also a span greater than height cannot be considered characteristic of Marfan's syndrome. Paradoxically, in some affected individuals, Vitruvian equality of height and span may occur.

A Global Geospatial Database of 5000+ Historic Flood Event Extents

Science.gov (United States)

Tellman, B.; Sullivan, J.; Doyle, C.; Kettner, A.; Brakenridge, G. R.; Erickson, T.; Slayback, D. A.

2017-12-01

A key dataset that is missing for global flood model validation and understanding historic spatial flood vulnerability is a global historical geo-database of flood event extents. Decades of earth observing satellites and cloud computing now make it possible to not only detect floods in near real time, but to run these water detection algorithms back in time to capture the spatial extent of large numbers of specific events. This talk will show results from the largest global historical flood database developed to date. We use the Dartmouth Flood Observatory flood catalogue to map over 5000 floods (from 1985-2017) using MODIS, Landsat, and Sentinel-1 Satellites. All events are available for public download via the Earth Engine Catalogue and via a website that allows the user to query floods by area or date, assess population exposure trends over time, and download flood extents in geospatial format.In this talk, we will highlight major trends in global flood exposure per continent, land use type, and eco-region. We will also make suggestions how to use this dataset in conjunction with other global sets to i) validate global flood models, ii) assess the potential role of climatic change in flood exposure iii) understand how urbanization and other land change processes may influence spatial flood exposure iv) assess how innovative flood interventions (e.g. wetland restoration) influence flood patterns v) control for event magnitude to assess the role of social vulnerability and damage assessment vi) aid in rapid probabilistic risk assessment to enable microinsurance markets. Authors on this paper are already using the database for the later three applications and will show examples of wetland intervention analysis in Argentina, social vulnerability analysis in the USA, and micro insurance in India.

The extent of groundwater use for domestic and irrigation activities ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

AKMENSAH

2015-06-04

Jun 4, 2015 ... Albert Kobina Mensah1*, Evans Appiah Kissi2, Kwabena Krah3 and Okoree D. Mireku4. 1Department of Geography, Kenyatta University, Nairobi. 2Department of .... catchment in Kiambu County in Kenya had limited themselves to the assessment of water quality. Little work has been done on the extent to ...

The extent and impact of outsourcing: evidence from Germany

OpenAIRE

Craig P. Aubuchon; Subhayu Bandyopadhyay; Sumon Bhaumik

2012-01-01

The authors use data from several sources, including plant-level data from the manufacturing sector in Germany, to expand the literature on outsourcing. They find that, in Germany, the extent of outsourcing among manufacturing industries is higher than among service industries and that the outsourcing intensity of these industries did not change much between 1995 and 2005. They also find a statistically significantly positive impact of industry-level outsourcing intensity on German plant-leve...

Robotic-Arm Assisted Total Knee Arthroplasty Demonstrated Greater Accuracy and Precision to Plan Compared with Manual Techniques.

Science.gov (United States)

Hampp, Emily L; Chughtai, Morad; Scholl, Laura Y; Sodhi, Nipun; Bhowmik-Stoker, Manoshi; Jacofsky, David J; Mont, Michael A

2018-05-01

This study determined if robotic-arm assisted total knee arthroplasty (RATKA) allows for more accurate and precise bone cuts and component position to plan compared with manual total knee arthroplasty (MTKA). Specifically, we assessed the following: (1) final bone cuts, (2) final component position, and (3) a potential learning curve for RATKA. On six cadaver specimens (12 knees), a MTKA and RATKA were performed on the left and right knees, respectively. Bone-cut and final-component positioning errors relative to preoperative plans were compared. Median errors and standard deviations (SDs) in the sagittal, coronal, and axial planes were compared. Median values of the absolute deviation from plan defined the accuracy to plan. SDs described the precision to plan. RATKA bone cuts were as or more accurate to plan based on nominal median values in 11 out of 12 measurements. RATKA bone cuts were more precise to plan in 8 out of 12 measurements ( p  ≤ 0.05). RATKA final component positions were as or more accurate to plan based on median values in five out of five measurements. RATKA final component positions were more precise to plan in four out of five measurements ( p  ≤ 0.05). Stacked error results from all cuts and implant positions for each specimen in procedural order showed that RATKA error was less than MTKA error. Although this study analyzed a small number of cadaver specimens, there were clear differences that separated these two groups. When compared with MTKA, RATKA demonstrated more accurate and precise bone cuts and implant positioning to plan. Thieme Medical Publishers 333 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10001, USA.

Corticocortical feedback increases the spatial extent of normalization

Science.gov (United States)

Nassi, Jonathan J.; Gómez-Laberge, Camille; Kreiman, Gabriel; Born, Richard T.

2014-01-01

Normalization has been proposed as a canonical computation operating across different brain regions, sensory modalities, and species. It provides a good phenomenological description of non-linear response properties in primary visual cortex (V1), including the contrast response function and surround suppression. Despite its widespread application throughout the visual system, the underlying neural mechanisms remain largely unknown. We recently observed that corticocortical feedback contributes to surround suppression in V1, raising the possibility that feedback acts through normalization. To test this idea, we characterized area summation and contrast response properties in V1 with and without feedback from V2 and V3 in alert macaques and applied a standard normalization model to the data. Area summation properties were well explained by a form of divisive normalization, which computes the ratio between a neuron's driving input and the spatially integrated activity of a “normalization pool.” Feedback inactivation reduced surround suppression by shrinking the spatial extent of the normalization pool. This effect was independent of the gain modulation thought to mediate the influence of contrast on area summation, which remained intact during feedback inactivation. Contrast sensitivity within the receptive field center was also unaffected by feedback inactivation, providing further evidence that feedback participates in normalization independent of the circuit mechanisms involved in modulating contrast gain and saturation. These results suggest that corticocortical feedback contributes to surround suppression by increasing the visuotopic extent of normalization and, via this mechanism, feedback can play a critical role in contextual information processing. PMID:24910596

The Greater Caucasus Glacier Inventory (Russia, Georgia and Azerbaijan)

Science.gov (United States)

Tielidze, Levan G.; Wheate, Roger D.

2018-01-01

There have been numerous studies of glaciers in the Greater Caucasus, but none that have generated a modern glacier database across the whole mountain range. Here, we present an updated and expanded glacier inventory at three time periods (1960, 1986, 2014) covering the entire Greater Caucasus. Large-scale topographic maps and satellite imagery (Corona, Landsat 5, Landsat 8 and ASTER) were used to conduct a remote-sensing survey of glacier change, and the 30 m resolution Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer Global Digital Elevation Model (ASTER GDEM; 17 November 2011) was used to determine the aspect, slope and height distribution of glaciers. Glacier margins were mapped manually and reveal that in 1960 the mountains contained 2349 glaciers with a total glacier surface area of 1674.9 ± 70.4 km2. By 1986, glacier surface area had decreased to 1482.1 ± 64.4 km2 (2209 glaciers), and by 2014 to 1193.2 ± 54.0 km2 (2020 glaciers). This represents a 28.8 ± 4.4 % (481 ± 21.2 km2) or 0.53 % yr-1 reduction in total glacier surface area between 1960 and 2014 and an increase in the rate of area loss since 1986 (0.69 % yr-1) compared to 1960-1986 (0.44 % yr-1). Glacier mean size decreased from 0.70 km2 in 1960 to 0.66 km2 in 1986 and to 0.57 km2 in 2014. This new glacier inventory has been submitted to the Global Land Ice Measurements from Space (GLIMS) database and can be used as a basis data set for future studies.

Estimating the seaward extent of sea breeze from QuickSCAT scatterometry

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Aparna, M.; Shetye, S.R.; Shankar, D.; Shenoi, S.S.C.; Mehra, P.; Desai, R.G.P.

An objective method for quantifying the seaward extent of the sea breeze is presented. The underlying assumption is that the offshore decay in the strength of the sea breeze results in an offshore decay of the vector correlation between the wind...

A method for predicting the extent of petroleum hydrocarbon biodegradation in contaminated soils

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Huesemann, M.H.

1994-01-01

A series of solid- and slurry-phase soil bioremediation experiments involving different crude oils and refined petroleum products were performed to investigate the factors which affect the maximum extent of total petroleum hydrocarbon (TPH) biodegradation. The authors used a comprehensive petroleum hydrocarbon characterization procedure involving group-type separation analyses, boiling-point distributions, and hydrocarbon typing by field ionization mass spectroscopy. Initial and final concentrations of specified hydrocarbon classes were determined in each of seven different bioremediation treatments. Generally, they found that the degree of TPH biodegradation was affected mainly by the type of hydrocarbons in the contaminant matrix. In contrast, the influence of experimental variables such as soil type, fertilizer concentrations, microbial plate counts, and treatment type (slurry versus landfarming) on the overall extent of TPH biodegradation was insignificant. Based on these findings, a predictive algorithm was developed to estimate the extent of TPH biodegradation from the average reduction of 86 individual hydrocarbon classes and their respective initial concentrations. Model predictions for gravimetric TPH removals were in close agreement with analytical results from two independent laboratories

The Extent of Immature Fish Harvesting by the Commercial Fishery ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The sustainability of a given fishery is a function of the number of sexually matured fish present in water. If there is intensive immature fishing, the population of fish reaching the stage of recruitment will decrease, which in turn results in lower yield and biomass. The present study was conducted to estimate the extent of ...

Extent and application of patient diaries in Austria

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Heindl, Patrik; Bachlechner, Adelbert; Nydahl, Peter

2017-01-01

Background: Diaries written for patients in the intensive care unit (ICU) are offered in many European countries. In Austria, ICU diaries have been relatively unknown, but since 2012, they have started to emerge. Aim: The aim of this study was to explore the extent and application of ICU diaries...... in Austria in 2015. Method: The study had a prospective multiple methods design of survey and interviews. All ICUs in Austria were surveyed in 2015 to identify which ICUs used diaries. ICUs using diaries were selected for semi-structured key-informant telephone interviews on the application of ICU diaries...

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.

Comparative Pharmacokinetic Analysis of Thiamine and Its Phosphorylated Metabolites Administered as Multivitamin Preparations.

Science.gov (United States)

Park, Wan-Su; Lee, Jongtae; Hong, Taegon; Park, Gabjin; Youn, Sunil; Seo, Youngwhan; Lee, Sanghun; Han, Seunghoon

2016-10-01

Fursultiamine and benfotiamine are lipophilic thiamine derivatives used as oral sources of thiamine. Although there are many publications on the pharmacokinetic (PK) properties of thiamine-containing products, no direct comparisons between these agents . We aimed to compare the PK profiles of these lipophilic thiamine derivatives and to compare the extent of the increase in bioavailability to that of naïve thiamine. Two randomized, single-dose, 2-way crossover, full PK studies were conducted in healthy Korean male subjects (n = 24 per group). Among the test compounds, fursultiamine was compared with benfotiamine (reference A in study A) and thiamine nitrate (reference B in study B). All formulations were multivitamin preparations containing the test or reference formulation as the major thiamine source. In study A, the plasma and hemolysate concentrations of thiamine and its metabolites were measured, while only the plasma thiamine concentration was assayed in study B. The systemic thiamine exposure of the test compound was slightly greater than that of reference A, based on the geometric mean ratio (%) of the AUC last value for plasma (116.6%) and hemolysate (137.5%). The thiamine diphosphate (TDP) distribution between plasma and hemolysate showed clear differences according to the formulations, in that more TDP was present in the hemolysate when thiamine was given as the test formulation. The AUC last value of plasma thiamine showed a >300% increase when thiamine was given as the test formulation in study B. The summed total exposure to thiamine (thiamine + TDP in both plasma and hemolysate) observed as a point estimate after the administration of fursultiamine was slightly greater than that with benfotiamine; however, the 90% CI was within the conventional bioequivalence range. These findings support clear benefits of lipophilic thiamine derivatives in the absorption of thiamine in healthy volunteers. Clinical Research Information Service identifiers: KCT

Association of aortic valve calcification to the presence, extent, and composition of coronary artery plaque burden: from the Rule Out Myocardial Infarction using Computer Assisted Tomography (ROMICAT) trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Mahabadi, Amir A; Bamberg, Fabian; Toepker, Michael; Schlett, Christopher L; Rogers, Ian S; Nagurney, John T; Brady, Thomas J; Hoffmann, Udo; Truong, Quynh A

2009-10-01

Aortic valve calcification (AVC) is associated with cardiovascular risk factors and coronary artery calcification. We sought to determine whether AVC is associated with the presence and extent of overall plaque burden, as well as to plaque composition (calcified, mixed, and noncalcified). We examined 357 subjects (mean age 53 +/- 12 years, 61% male) who underwent contrast-enhanced electrocardiogram-gated 64-slice multidetector computed tomography from the ROMICAT trial for the assessment of presence and extent of coronary plaque burden according to the 17-coronary segment model and presence of AVC. Patients with AVC (n = 37, 10%) were more likely than those without AVC (n = 320, 90%) to have coexisting presence of any coronary plaque (89% vs 46%, P AVC had >3-fold increase odds of having any plaque (adjusted odds ratio [OR] 3.6, P = .047) and an increase of 2.5 segments of plaque (P AVC. When stratified by plaque composition, AVC was associated most with calcified plaque (OR 5.2, P = .004), then mixed plaque (OR 3.2, P = .02), but not with noncalcified plaque (P = .96). Aortic valve calcification is associated with the presence and greater extent of coronary artery plaque burden and may be part of the later stages of the atherosclerosis process, as its relation is strongest with calcified plaque, less with mixed plaque, and nonsignificant with noncalcified plaque. If AVC is present, consideration for aggressive medical therapy may be warranted.

Rapid Estimates of Rupture Extent for Large Earthquakes Using Aftershocks

Science.gov (United States)

Polet, J.; Thio, H. K.; Kremer, M.

2009-12-01

The spatial distribution of aftershocks is closely linked to the rupture extent of the mainshock that preceded them and a rapid analysis of aftershock patterns therefore has potential for use in near real-time estimates of earthquake impact. The correlation between aftershocks and slip distribution has frequently been used to estimate the fault dimensions of large historic earthquakes for which no, or insufficient, waveform data is available. With the advent of earthquake inversions that use seismic waveforms and geodetic data to constrain the slip distribution, the study of aftershocks has recently been largely focused on enhancing our understanding of the underlying mechanisms in a broader earthquake mechanics/dynamics framework. However, in a near real-time earthquake monitoring environment, in which aftershocks of large earthquakes are routinely detected and located, these data may also be effective in determining a fast estimate of the mainshock rupture area, which would aid in the rapid assessment of the impact of the earthquake. We have analyzed a considerable number of large recent earthquakes and their aftershock sequences and have developed an effective algorithm that determines the rupture extent of a mainshock from its aftershock distribution, in a fully automatic manner. The algorithm automatically removes outliers by spatial binning, and subsequently determines the best fitting “strike” of the rupture and its length by projecting the aftershock epicenters onto a set of lines that cross the mainshock epicenter with incremental azimuths. For strike-slip or large dip-slip events, for which the surface projection of the rupture is recti-linear, the calculated strike correlates well with the strike of the fault and the corresponding length, determined from the distribution of aftershocks projected onto the line, agrees well with the rupture length. In the case of a smaller dip-slip rupture with an aspect ratio closer to 1, the procedure gives a measure

Spatial pattern of groundwater arsenic occurrence and association with bedrock geology in greater augusta, maine

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Q.; Jung, H.B.; Culbertson, C.W.; Marvinney, R.G.; Loiselle, M.C.; Locke, D.B.; Cheek, H.; Thibodeau, H.; Zheng, Yen

2009-01-01

In New England, groundwater arsenic occurrence has been linked to bedrock geology on regional scales. To ascertain and quantify this linkage at intermediate (100-101 km) scales, 790 groundwater samples from fractured bedrock aquifers in the greater Augusta, Maine area are analyzed, and 31% of the sampled wells have arsenic concentrations >10 ??g/L. The probability of [As] exceeding 10 ??g/L mapped by indicator kriging is highest in Silurian pelite-sandstone and pelite-limestone units (???40%). This probability differs significantly (p bedrock map. Thus, bedrock geology is associated with arsenic occurrence in fractured bedrock aquifers of the study area at intermediate scales relevant to water resources planning. The arsenic exceedance rate for each rock unit is considered robust because low, medium, and high arsenic occurrences in four cluster areas (3-20 km2) with a low sampling density of 1-6 wells per km2 are comparable to those with a greater density of 5-42 wells per km2. About 12,000 people (21% of the population) in the greater Augusta area (???1135 km2) are at risk of exposure to >10 ??g/L arsenic in groundwater. ?? 2009 American Chemical Society.

GREATER OMENTUM: MORPHOFUNCTIONAL CHARACTERISTICS AND CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE IN PEDIATRICS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A.V. Nekrutov

2007-01-01

Full Text Available The review analyzes the structure organization and pathophysiological age specificities of the greater omentum, which determine its uniqueness and functional diversity in a child's organism. the article discusses protective functions of the organ, its role in the development of post operative complications of children, and the usage in children's reconstructive plastic surgery.Key words: greater omentum, omentitis, of post operative complications, children.

More features, greater connectivity.

Science.gov (United States)

Hunt, Sarah

2015-09-01

Changes in our political infrastructure, the continuing frailties of our economy, and a stark growth in population, have greatly impacted upon the perceived stability of the NHS. Healthcare teams have had to adapt to these changes, and so too have the technologies upon which they rely to deliver first-class patient care. Here Sarah Hunt, marketing co-ordinator at Aid Call, assesses how the changing healthcare environment has affected one of its fundamental technologies - the nurse call system, argues the case for wireless such systems in terms of what the company claims is greater adaptability to changing needs, and considers the ever-wider range of features and functions available from today's nurse call equipment, particularly via connectivity with both mobile devices, and ancillaries ranging from enuresis sensors to staff attack alert 'badges'.

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.

The relationship between age, rotator cuff integrity, and osseous microarchitecture of greater tuberosity: Where should we put anchor?

Science.gov (United States)

Kholinne, Erica; Lee, Hyun Joo; Kim, Sung Jung; Park, So Hyun; Jeon, In-Ho

2018-01-01

The aim of this study was to compare the microarchitecture of the greater tuberosity with or without rotator cuff tear and to obtain optimum location for anchor screw insertion for rotator cuff repair. Twenty-five humeral heads were harvested from 13 male cadavers of mean age 58.4 years, including 6 humeri with rotator cuff tear and 19 intact humeri. Six regions of interest (proximal, intermediate, and distal zones of the superficial and deep regions) were divided into the anterior (G1), middle (G2), and posterior (G3) areas of the greater tuberosity. Trabecular bone volume and cortical thickness were evaluated. Total trabecular bone volume was greater in subjects 50 years old but did not differ significantly in subjects with and without rotator cuff tear. Cortical thickness in both intact and torn rotator cuff groups was significantly greater in the proximal and intermediate zones than in the distal zone. Cortical thickness was related to anatomic location rather than age or cuff tear. The optimal location for anchor screw insertion during rotator cuff repair is either the proximal or intermediate region of the greater tuberosity. Age has more influence in terms of trabecular bone volume loss than rotator cuff integrity. Copyright © 2017. Production and hosting by Elsevier B.V.

The Extent of Educational Technology's Influence on Contemporary Educational Practices

OpenAIRE

Kim, Bradford-Watts

2005-01-01

This paper investigates how advances in educational technologies have influenced contemporary educational practices.It discusses the nature of educational technology, the limitations imposed by the digital divide and other factors of uptake, and the factors leading to successful implementation of educational technologies.The extent of influence is then discussed,together with the probable implications for educational sites for the future.

Greater Sudbury fuel efficient driving handbook

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2009-12-15

Reducing the amount of fuel that people use for personal driving saves money, improves local air quality, and reduces personal contributions to climate change. This handbook was developed to be used as a tool for a fuel efficient driving pilot program in Greater Sudbury in 2009-2010. Specifically, the purpose of the handbook was to provide greater Sudbury drivers with information on how to drive and maintain their personal vehicles in order to maximize fuel efficiency. The handbook also provides tips for purchasing fuel efficient vehicles. It outlines the benefits of fuel maximization, with particular reference to reducing contributions to climate change; reducing emissions of air pollutants; safe driving; and money savings. Some tips for efficient driving are to avoid aggressive driving; use cruise control; plan trips; and remove excess weight. Tips for efficient winter driving are to avoid idling to warm up the engine; use a block heater; remove snow and ice; use snow tires; and check tire pressure. The importance of car maintenance and tire pressure was emphasized. The handbook also explains how fuel consumption ratings are developed by vehicle manufacturers. refs., figs.

Regional decline of coral cover in the Indo-Pacific: timing, extent, and subregional comparisons.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

John F Bruno

2007-08-01

Full Text Available A number of factors have recently caused mass coral mortality events in all of the world's tropical oceans. However, little is known about the timing, rate or spatial variability of the loss of reef-building corals, especially in the Indo-Pacific, which contains 75% of the world's coral reefs.We compiled and analyzed a coral cover database of 6001 quantitative surveys of 2667 Indo-Pacific coral reefs performed between 1968 and 2004. Surveys conducted during 2003 indicated that coral cover averaged only 22.1% (95% CI: 20.7, 23.4 and just 7 of 390 reefs surveyed that year had coral cover >60%. Estimated yearly coral cover loss based on annually pooled survey data was approximately 1% over the last twenty years and 2% between 1997 and 2003 (or 3,168 km(2 per year. The annual loss based on repeated measures regression analysis of a subset of reefs that were monitored for multiple years from 1997 to 2004 was 0.72 % (n = 476 reefs, 95% CI: 0.36, 1.08.The rate and extent of coral loss in the Indo-Pacific are greater than expected. Coral cover was also surprisingly uniform among subregions and declined decades earlier than previously assumed, even on some of the Pacific's most intensely managed reefs. These results have significant implications for policy makers and resource managers as they search for successful models to reverse coral loss.

Obesity and extent of emphysema depicted at CT

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gu, S.; Li, R.; Leader, J.K.; Zheng, B.; Bon, J.; Gur, D.; Sciurba, F.; Jin, C.; Pu, J.

2015-01-01

Aim: To investigate the underlying relationship between obesity and the extent of emphysema depicted at CT. Methods and materials: A dataset of 477 CT examinations was retrospectively collected from a study of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The low attenuation areas (LAAs; ≤950 HU) of the lungs were identified. The extent of emphysema (denoted as %LAA) was defined as the percentage of LAA divided by the lung volume. The association between log-transformed %LAA and body mass index (BMI) adjusted for age, sex, the forced expiratory volume in one second as percent predicted value (FEV1% predicted), and smoking history (pack years) was assessed using multiple linear regression analysis. Results: After adjusting for age, gender, smoking history, and FEV1% predicted, BMI was negatively associated with severe emphysema in patients with COPD. Specifically, one unit increase in BMI is associated with a 0.93-fold change (95% CI: 0.91–0.96, p < 0.001) in %LAA; the estimated %LAA for males was 1.75 (95% CI: 1.36–2.26, p < 0.001) times that of females; per 10% increase in FEV1% predicated is associated with a 0.72-fold change (95% CI: 0.69–0.76, p < 0.001) in %LAA. Conclusion: Increasing obesity is negatively associated with severity of emphysema independent of gender, age, and smoking history. - Highlights: • BMI is inversely associated with emphysema depicted on CT. • Emphysema severity in men was higher than that in women. • ∼50% of the subjects with COPD in our dataset were either overweight or obese. • Age and smoking status are not significantly associated with %LAA

Greater absolute risk for all subtypes of breast cancer in the US than Malaysia.

Science.gov (United States)

Horne, Hisani N; Beena Devi, C R; Sung, Hyuna; Tang, Tieng Swee; Rosenberg, Philip S; Hewitt, Stephen M; Sherman, Mark E; Anderson, William F; Yang, Xiaohong R

2015-01-01

Hormone receptor (HR) negative breast cancers are relatively more common in low-risk than high-risk countries and/or populations. However, the absolute variations between these different populations are not well established given the limited number of cancer registries with incidence rate data by breast cancer subtype. We, therefore, used two unique population-based resources with molecular data to compare incidence rates for the 'intrinsic' breast cancer subtypes between a low-risk Asian population in Malaysia and high-risk non-Hispanic white population in the National Cancer Institute's surveillance, epidemiology, and end results 18 registries database (SEER 18). The intrinsic breast cancer subtypes were recapitulated with the joint expression of the HRs (estrogen receptor and progesterone receptor) and human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 (HER2). Invasive breast cancer incidence rates overall were fivefold greater in SEER 18 than in Malaysia. The majority of breast cancers were HR-positive in SEER 18 and HR-negative in Malaysia. Notwithstanding the greater relative distribution for HR-negative cancers in Malaysia, there was a greater absolute risk for all subtypes in SEER 18; incidence rates were nearly 7-fold higher for HR-positive and 2-fold higher for HR-negative cancers in SEER 18. Despite the well-established relative breast cancer differences between low-risk and high-risk countries and/or populations, there was a greater absolute risk for HR-positive and HR-negative subtypes in the US than Malaysia. Additional analytical studies are sorely needed to determine the factors responsible for the elevated risk of all subtypes of breast cancer in high-risk countries like the United States.

More frequent vaginal orgasm is associated with experiencing greater excitement from deep vaginal stimulation.

Science.gov (United States)

Brody, Stuart; Klapilova, Katerina; Krejčová, Lucie

2013-07-01

Research indicated that: (i) vaginal orgasm (induced by penile-vaginal intercourse [PVI] without concurrent clitoral masturbation) consistency (vaginal orgasm consistency [VOC]; percentage of PVI occasions resulting in vaginal orgasm) is associated with mental attention to vaginal sensations during PVI, preference for a longer penis, and indices of psychological and physiological functioning, and (ii) clitoral, distal vaginal, and deep vaginal/cervical stimulation project via different peripheral nerves to different brain regions. The aim of this study is to examine the association of VOC with: (i) sexual arousability perceived from deep vaginal stimulation (compared with middle and shallow vaginal stimulation and clitoral stimulation), and (ii) whether vaginal stimulation was present during the woman's first masturbation. A sample of 75 Czech women (aged 18-36), provided details of recent VOC, site of genital stimulation during first masturbation, and their recent sexual arousability from the four genital sites. The association of VOC with: (i) sexual arousability perceived from the four genital sites and (ii) involvement of vaginal stimulation in first-ever masturbation. VOC was associated with greater sexual arousability from deep vaginal stimulation but not with sexual arousability from other genital sites. VOC was also associated with women's first masturbation incorporating (or being exclusively) vaginal stimulation. The findings suggest (i) stimulating the vagina during early life masturbation might indicate individual readiness for developing greater vaginal responsiveness, leading to adult greater VOC, and (ii) current sensitivity of deep vaginal and cervical regions is associated with VOC, which might be due to some combination of different neurophysiological projections of the deep regions and their greater responsiveness to penile stimulation. © 2013 International Society for Sexual Medicine.

Status of whitebarkpine in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem: A step-trend analysis comparing 2004-2007 to 2008-2011

Science.gov (United States)

Shanahan, Erin; Irvine, Kathryn M.; Roberts, Dave; Litt, Andrea R.; Legg, Kristin; Daley, Rob; Chambers, Nina

2014-01-01

Whitebark pine (Pinus albicaulis) is a foundation and keystone species in upper subalpine environments of the northern Rocky Mountains that strongly influences the biodiversity and productivity of high-elevation ecosystems (Tomback et al. 2001, Ellison et al. 2005). Throughout its historic range, whitebark pine has decreased significantly as a major component of high-elevation forests. As a result, it is critical to understand the challenges to whitebark pine—not only at the tree and stand level, but also as these factors influence the distribution of whitebark pine across the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem (GYE). In 2003, the National Park Service (NPS) Greater Yellowstone Inventory & Monitoring Network identified whitebark pine as one of twelve significant natural resource indicators or vital signs to monitor (Jean et al. 2005, Fancy et al. 2009) and initiated a long-term, collaborative monitoring program. Partners in this effort include the U.S. Geological Survey, U.S. Forest Service, and Montana State University with representatives from each comprising the Greater Yellowstone Whitebark Pine Monitoring Working Group. The objectives of the monitoring program are to assess trends in (1) the proportion of live, whitebark pine trees (>1.4-m tall) infected with white pine blister rust (blister rust); (2) to document blister rust infection severity by the occurrence and location of persisting and new infections; (3) to determine mortality of whitebark pine trees and describe potential factors contributing to the death of trees; and (4) to assess the multiple components of the recruitment of understory whitebark pine into the reproductive population. In this report we summarize the past eight years (2004-2011) of whitebark pine status and trend monitoring in the GYE. Our study area encompasses six national forests (NF), two national parks (NP), as well as state and private lands in portions of Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho; this area is collectively described as the

The Role of Deposition in Limiting the Hazard Extent of Dense-Gas Plumes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dillon, M B

2008-01-29

Accidents involving release of large (multi-ton) quantities of toxic industrial chemicals often yield far fewer fatalities and causalities than standard, widely-used assessment and emergency response models predict. While recent work has suggested that models should incorporate the protection provided by buildings, more refined health effect methodologies, and more detailed consideration of the release process; investigations into the role of deposition onto outdoor surfaces has been lacking. In this paper, we examine the conditions under which dry deposition may significantly reduce the extent of the downwind hazard zone. We provide theoretical arguments that in congested environments (e.g. suburbs, forests), deposition to vertical surfaces (such as building walls) may play a significant role in reducing the hazard zone extent--particularly under low-wind, stable atmospheric conditions which are often considered to be the worst-case scenario for these types of releases. Our analysis suggests that in these urban or suburban environments, the amount of toxic chemicals lost to earth's surface is typically a small fraction of overall depositional losses. For isothermal gases such as chlorine, the degree to which the chemicals stick to (or react with) surfaces (i.e. surface resistance) is demonstrated to be a key parameter controlling hazard extent (the maximum distance from the release at which hazards to human health are expected). This analysis does not consider the depositional effects associated with particulate matter or gases that undergo significant thermal change in the atmosphere. While no controlled experiments were available to validate our hypothesis, our analysis results are qualitatively consistent with the observed downwind extent of vegetation damage in two chlorine accidents.

Assessing Greater Sage-Grouse Selection of Brood-Rearing Habitat Using Remotely-Sensed Imagery: Can Readily Available High-Resolution Imagery Be Used to Identify Brood-Rearing Habitat Across a Broad Landscape?

Science.gov (United States)

Westover, Matthew; Baxter, Jared; Baxter, Rick; Day, Casey; Jensen, Ryan; Petersen, Steve; Larsen, Randy

2016-01-01

Greater sage-grouse populations have decreased steadily since European settlement in western North America. Reduced availability of brood-rearing habitat has been identified as a limiting factor for many populations. We used radio-telemetry to acquire locations of sage-grouse broods from 1998 to 2012 in Strawberry Valley, Utah. Using these locations and remotely-sensed NAIP (National Agricultural Imagery Program) imagery, we 1) determined which characteristics of brood-rearing habitat could be used in widely available, high resolution imagery 2) assessed the spatial extent at which sage-grouse selected brood-rearing habitat, and 3) created a predictive habitat model to identify areas of preferred brood-rearing habitat. We used AIC model selection to evaluate support for a list of variables derived from remotely-sensed imagery. We examined the relationship of these explanatory variables at three spatial extents (45, 200, and 795 meter radii). Our top model included 10 variables (percent shrub, percent grass, percent tree, percent paved road, percent riparian, meters of sage/tree edge, meters of riparian/tree edge, distance to tree, distance to transmission lines, and distance to permanent structures). Variables from each spatial extent were represented in our top model with the majority being associated with the larger (795 meter) spatial extent. When applied to our study area, our top model predicted 75% of naïve brood locations suggesting reasonable success using this method and widely available NAIP imagery. We encourage application of our methodology to other sage-grouse populations and species of conservation concern.

Effect of Chromatin Structure on the Extent and Distribution of DNA Double Strand Breaks Produced by Ionizing Radiation; Comparative Study of hESC and Differentiated Cells Lines.

Science.gov (United States)

Venkatesh, Priyanka; Panyutin, Irina V; Remeeva, Evgenia; Neumann, Ronald D; Panyutin, Igor G

2016-01-02

Chromatin structure affects the extent of DNA damage and repair. Thus, it has been shown that heterochromatin is more protective against DNA double strand breaks (DSB) formation by ionizing radiation (IR); and that DNA DSB repair may proceed differently in hetero- and euchromatin regions. Human embryonic stem cells (hESC) have a more open chromatin structure than differentiated cells. Here, we study the effect of chromatin structure in hESC on initial DSB formation and subsequent DSB repair. DSB were scored by comet assay; and DSB repair was assessed by repair foci formation via 53BP1 antibody staining. We found that in hESC, heterochromatin is confined to distinct regions, while in differentiated cells it is distributed more evenly within the nuclei. The same dose of ionizing radiation produced considerably more DSB in hESC than in differentiated derivatives, normal human fibroblasts; and one cancer cell line. At the same time, the number of DNA repair foci were not statistically different among these cells. We showed that in hESC, DNA repair foci localized almost exclusively outside the heterochromatin regions. We also noticed that exposure to ionizing radiation resulted in an increase in heterochromatin marker H3K9me3 in cancer HT1080 cells, and to a lesser extent in IMR90 normal fibroblasts, but not in hESCs. These results demonstrate the importance of chromatin conformation for DNA protection and DNA damage repair; and indicate the difference of these processes in hESC.

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

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

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.

Capacity of US Forests to Maintain Existing Carbon Sequestration will be affected by Changes in Forest Disturbances and to a greater extent, the Economic and Societal Influences on Forest Management and Land Use

Science.gov (United States)

Joyce, L. A.; Running, S. W.; Breshears, D. D.; Dale, V.; Malmsheimer, R. W.; Sampson, N.; Sohngen, B.; Woodall, C. W.

2012-12-01

Increasingly the value of US forest carbon dynamics and carbon sequestration is being recognized in discussions of adaptation and mitigation to climate change. Past exploitation of forestlands in the United States for timber, fuelwood, and conversion to agriculture resulted in large swings in forestland area and terrestrial carbon dynamics. The National Climate Assessment explored the implications of current and future stressors, including climate change, to the future of forest carbon dynamics in the United States. While U.S forests and associated harvested wood products sequestered roughly 13 percent of all carbon dioxide emitted in the United States in 2010, the capacity of forests to maintain this amount of carbon sequestration will be affected by the effects of climate change on forest disturbances, tree growth and mortality, changes in species composition, and to a greater extent, the economic and societal influences on forest management and forestland use. Carbon mitigation through forest management includes three strategies: 1) land management to increase forest area (afforestation) and/or avoid deforestation; 2) carbon management in existing forests; and 3) use of wood in place of materials that require more carbon emissions to produce, in place of fossil fuels to produce energy or in wood products for carbon storage. A significant financial incentive facing many private forest owners is the value of their forest lands for conversion to urban or developed uses. In addition, consequences of large scale die-off and wildfire disturbance events from climate change pose major challenges to forestland area and forest management with potential impacts occurring up to regional scales for timber, flooding and erosion risks, other changes in water budgets, and biogeochemical changes including carbon storage. Options for carbon management on existing forests include practices that increase forest growth such as fertilization, irrigation, switch to fast

LBA-ECO LC-07 Wetland Extent, Vegetation, and Inundation: Lowland Amazon Basin

Data.gov (United States)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration — This data set provides a map of wetland extent, vegetation type, and dual-season flooding state of the entire lowland Amazon basin. The map was derived from mosaics...

Not Extent of Telecommuting, But Job Characteristics as Proximal Predictors of Work-Related Well-Being.

Science.gov (United States)

Vander Elst, Tinne; Verhoogen, Ronny; Sercu, Maarten; Van den Broeck, Anja; Baillien, Elfi; Godderis, Lode

2017-10-01

This study aimed to investigate the curvilinear relationship between extent of telecommuting and work-related well-being (ie, burnout, work engagement, and cognitive stress complaints), as well as to test whether job characteristics act as explanatory mechanisms underlying this relationship. A sample of 878 employees from an international telecommunication company with a long history of telecommuting participated in a survey on psychosocial risk factors and well-being at work. Mediation path analyses were conducted to test the hypotheses. Social support from colleagues, participation in decision-making, task autonomy, and work-to-family conflict, but not extent of telecommuting, were directly related to work-related well-being. Extent of telecommuting was indirectly related to well-being via social support. Employers should invest in creating good work environments in general, among both telecommuters and nontelecommuters.

Does Wyoming's Core Area Policy Protect Winter Habitats for Greater Sage-Grouse?

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, Kurt T.; Beck, Jeffrey L.; Pratt, Aaron C.

2016-10-01

Conservation reserves established to protect important habitat for wildlife species are used world-wide as a wildlife conservation measure. Effective reserves must adequately protect year-round habitats to maintain wildlife populations. Wyoming's Sage-Grouse Core Area policy was established to protect breeding habitats for greater sage-grouse ( Centrocercus urophasianus). Protecting only one important seasonal habitat could result in loss or degradation of other important habitats and potential declines in local populations. The purpose of our study was to identify the timing of winter habitat use, the extent which individuals breeding in Core Areas used winter habitats, and develop resource selection functions to assess effectiveness of Core Areas in conserving sage-grouse winter habitats in portions of 5 Core Areas in central and north-central Wyoming during winters 2011-2015. We found that use of winter habitats occured over a longer period than current Core Area winter timing stipulations and a substantial amount of winter habitat outside of Core Areas was used by individuals that bred in Core Areas, particularly in smaller Core Areas. Resource selection functions for each study area indicated that sage-grouse were selecting habitats in response to landscapes dominated by big sagebrush and flatter topography similar to other research on sage-grouse winter habitat selection. The substantial portion of sage-grouse locations and predicted probability of selection during winter outside small Core Areas illustrate that winter requirements for sage-grouse are not adequately met by existing Core Areas. Consequently, further considerations for identifying and managing important winter sage-grouse habitats under Wyoming's Core Area Policy are warranted.

Extent of reference services to users in Ebonyi State Public Libraary ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Users are very satisfied with the extent of reference services provided to them by the public library studied. Findings further show that the reference section of Ebonyi State Public Library, Abakiliki is faced with the problems of inadequate reading space, equipment and furniture, reference information sources, unconducive ...

Interseasonal movements of greater sage-grouse, migratory behavior, and an assessment of the core regions concept in Wyoming

Science.gov (United States)

Fedy, Bradley C.; Aldridge, Cameron L.; Doherty, Kevin E.; O'Donnell, Michael S.; Beck, Jeffrey L.; Bedrosian, Bryan; Holloran, Matthew J.; Johnson, Gregory D.; Kaczor, Nicholas W.; Kirol, Christopher P.; Mandich, Cheryl A.; Marshall, David; McKee, Gwyn; Olson, Chad; Swanson, Christopher C.; Walker, Brett L.

2012-01-01

Animals can require different habitat types throughout their annual cycles. When considering habitat prioritization, we need to explicitly consider habitat requirements throughout the annual cycle, particularly for species of conservation concern. Understanding annual habitat requirements begins with quantifying how far individuals move across landscapes between key life stages to access required habitats. We quantified individual interseasonal movements for greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus; hereafter sage-grouse) using radio-telemetry spanning the majority of the species distribution in Wyoming. Sage-grouse are currently a candidate for listing under the United States Endangered Species Act and Wyoming is predicted to remain a stronghold for the species. Sage-grouse use distinct seasonal habitats throughout their annual cycle for breeding, brood rearing, and wintering. Average movement distances in Wyoming from nest sites to summer-late brood-rearing locations were 8.1 km (SE = 0.3 km; n = 828 individuals) and the average subsequent distances moved from summer sites to winter locations were 17.3 km (SE = 0.5 km; n = 607 individuals). Average nest-to-winter movements were 14.4 km (SE = 0.6 km; n = 434 individuals). We documented remarkable variation in the extent of movement distances both within and among sites across Wyoming, with some individuals remaining year-round in the same vicinity and others moving over 50 km between life stages. Our results suggest defining any of our populations as migratory or non-migratory is innappropriate as individual strategies vary widely. We compared movement distances of birds marked using Global Positioning System (GPS) and very high frequency (VHF) radio marking techniques and found no evidence that the heavier GPS radios limited movement. Furthermore, we examined the capacity of the sage-grouse core regions concept to capture seasonal locations. As expected, we found the core regions approach, which was

Tracking fine-scale seasonal evolution of surface water extent in Central Alaska and the Canadian Shield

Science.gov (United States)

Cooley, S. W.; Smith, L. C.; Pitcher, L. H.; Pavelsky, T.; Topp, S.

2017-12-01

Quantifying spatial and temporal variability in surface water storage at high latitudes is critical for assessing environmental sensitivity to climate change. Traditionally the tradeoff between high spatial and high temporal resolution space-borne optical imagery has limited the ability to track fine-scale changes in surface water extent. However, the recent launch of hundreds of earth-imaging CubeSats by commercial satellite companies such as Planet opens up new possibilities for monitoring surface water from space. In this study we present a comparison of seasonal evolution of surface water extent in two study areas with differing geologic, hydrologic and permafrost regimes, namely, the Yukon Flats in Central Alaska and the Canadian Shield north of Yellowknife, N.W.T. Using near-daily 3m Planet CubeSat imagery, we track individual lake surface area from break-up to freeze-up during summer 2017 and quantify the spatial and temporal variability in inundation extent. We validate our water delineation method and inundation extent time series using WorldView imagery, coincident in situ lake shoreline mapping and pressure transducer data for 19 lakes in the Northwest Territories and Alaska collected during the NASA Arctic Boreal Vulnerability Experiment (ABoVE) 2017 field campaign. The results of this analysis demonstrate the value of CubeSat imagery for dynamic surface water research particularly at high latitudes and illuminate fine-scale drivers of cold regions surface water extent.

Active convergence between the Lesser and Greater Caucasus in Georgia: Constraints on the tectonic evolution of the Lesser-Greater Caucasus continental collision

Science.gov (United States)

Sokhadze, G.; Floyd, M.; Godoladze, T.; King, R.; Cowgill, E. S.; Javakhishvili, Z.; Hahubia, G.; Reilinger, R.

2018-01-01

We present and interpret newly determined site motions derived from GPS observations made from 2008 through 2016 in the Republic of Georgia, which constrain the rate and locus of active shortening in the Lesser-Greater Caucasus continental collision zone. Observation sites are located along two ∼160 km-long profiles crossing the Lesser-Greater Caucasus boundary zone: one crossing the Rioni Basin in western Georgia and the other crossing further east near the longitude of Tbilisi. Convergence across the Rioni Basin Profile occurs along the southern margin of the Greater Caucasus, near the surface trace of the north-dipping Main Caucasus Thrust Fault (MCTF) system, and is consistent with strain accumulation on the fault that generated the 1991 MW6.9 Racha earthquake. In contrast, convergence along the Tbilisi Profile occurs near Tbilisi and the northern boundary of the Lesser Caucasus (near the south-dipping Lesser Caucasus Thrust Fault), approximately 50-70 km south of the MCTF, which is inactive within the resolution of geodetic observations (< ± 0.5 mm/yr) at the location of the Tbilisi Profile. We suggest that the southward offset of convergence along strike of the range is related to the incipient collision of the Lesser-Greater Caucasus, and closing of the intervening Kura Basin, which is most advanced along this segment of the collision zone. The identification of active shortening near Tbilisi requires a reevaluation of seismic hazards in this area.

Measurement of extent of intense ion beam charge neutralization

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Engelko, V [Efremov Institute of Electrophysical Apparatus, St. Petersburg (Russian Federation); Giese, H; Schalk, S [Forschungszentrum Karlsruhe (Germany). INR

1997-12-31

Various diagnostic tools were employed to study and optimize the extent of space charge neutralization in the pulsed intense proton beam facility PROFA, comprising Langmuir probes, capacitive probes, and a novel type of the three electrode collector. The latter does not only allow us to measure ion and electron beam current densities in a high magnetic field environment, but also to deduce the density spectrum of the beam electrons. Appropriate operating conditions were identified to attain a complete space charge neutralisation. (author). 5 figs., 4 refs.

Crystal growth vs. conventional acid etching: A comparative evaluation of etch patterns, penetration depths, and bond strengths

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Devanna Raghu

2008-01-01

Full Text Available The present study was undertaken to investigate the effect on enamel surface, penetration depth, and bond strength produced by 37% phosphoric acid and 20% sulfated polyacrylic acid as etching agents for direct bonding. Eighty teeth were used to study the efficacy of the etching agents on the enamel surface, penetration depth, and tensile bond strength. It was determined from the present study that a 30 sec application of 20% sulfated polyacrylic acid produced comparable etching topography with that of 37% phosphoric acid applied for 30 sec. The 37% phosphoric acid dissolves enamel to a greater extent than does the 20% sulfated polyacrylic acid. Instron Universal testing machine was used to evaluate the bond strengths of the two etching agents. Twenty percent sulfated polyacrylic acid provided adequate tensile bond strength. It was ascertained that crystal growth can be an alternative to conventional phosphoric acid etching as it dissolves lesser enamel and provides adequate tensile bond strength.

Comparison of the extent and pattern of cognitive impairment among predialysis, dialysis and transplant patients: A cross-sectional study from Australia.

Science.gov (United States)

Lambert, Kelly; Mullan, Judy; Mansfield, Kylie; Lonergan, Maureen

2017-11-01

The aim of this study was to compare the extent of cogntive impairment and the types of cognitive deficits in an Australian cohort of four patient groups with end stage kidney disease. Characteristics predicting the presence of cognitive impairment were also evaluated. Observational cross-sectional study of 155 patients with end stage kidney disease are recruited from a regional Australian renal unit. Eligible participants included those whose estimated Glomerular Filtration Rate was Cognitive Assessment tool was used to screen the study participants for cognitive impairment and evaluate cognitive deficits. Cognitive impairment was defined as a total Montreal Cognitive Assessment tool score ≤24/30. The extent of cognitive impairment varied between the four groups with end stage kidney disease. Factors predicting the presence of cognitive impairment included undertaking dialysis, age ≥65, male gender and the presence of diabetes or cerebrovascular disease. Deficits in executive function, attention, language, visuospatial skills, memory and orientation were common among the study participants, and the extent of these deficits varied between groups. Limitations to the study included the cross-sectional design, and that the presence of confounders like depression were not recorded. The impact of disparities in the cognitive capabilities identified in this study are likely to be far reaching. Tailoring of education and self-management programmes to the cognitive deficits of individuals is required. © 2016 Asian Pacific Society of Nephrology.

Extent of Surgery Does Not Influence 30-Day Mortality in Surgery for Metastatic Bone Disease

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sørensen, Michala Skovlund; Hindsø, Klaus; Hovgaard, Thea Bechmann

2016-01-01

describing the extent of the surgical trauma were found to be associated with 30-day mortality. The 30-day mortality in patients undergoing surgery for MBD is highly dependent on the general health status of the patients as measured by the ASA score and the Karnofsky performance status. The extent of surgery......, measured as duration of surgery, blood loss, and degree of bone resection were not associated with 30-day mortality....

Comparative Analysis Of Agricultural News Covered By Federal ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

This study investigated the frequency of agricultural news coverage in three Nigerians newspapers. The three papers were the Federal Government Daily Times, the Rivers State Government Tide, and a Privately owned and well read The Guardian. The objective of the study was to compare the extent of agricultural news ...

Temporal Changes in Forest Contexts at Multiple Extents: Three Decades of Fragmentation in the Gran Chaco (1979-2010), Central Argentina

Science.gov (United States)

Frate, Ludovico; Acosta, Alicia T. R.; Cabido, Marcelo; Hoyos, Laura; Carranza, Maria Laura

2015-01-01

The context in which a forest exists strongly influences its function and sustainability. Unveiling the multi-scale nature of forest fragmentation context is crucial to understand how human activities affect the spatial patterns of forests across a range of scales. However, this issue remains almost unexplored in subtropical ecosystems. In this study, we analyzed temporal changes (1979–2010) in forest contexts in the Argentinean dry Chaco at multiple extents. We classified forests over the last three decades based on forest context amount (P f) and structural connectivity (P ff), which were measured using a moving window approach fixed at eight different extents (from local, ~ 6 ha, to regional, ~ 8300 ha). Specific multi-scale forest context profiles (for the years 1979 and 2010) were defined by projecting P f vs. P ff mean values and were compared across spatial extents. The distributions of P f across scales were described by scalograms and their shapes over time were compared. The amount of agricultural land and rangelands across the scales were also analyzed. The dry Chaco has undergone an intensive process of fragmentation, resulting in a shift from landscapes dominated by forests with gaps of rangelands to landscapes where small forest patches are embedded in agricultural lands. Multi-scale fragmentation analysis depicted landscapes in which local exploitation, which perforates forest cover, occurs alongside extensive forest clearings, reducing forests to small and isolated patches surrounded by agricultural lands. In addition, the temporal diminution of P f’s variability along with the increment of the mean slope of the P f ‘s scalograms, indicate a simplification of the spatial pattern of forest over time. The observed changes have most likely been the result of the interplay between human activities and environmental constraints, which have shaped the spatial patterns of forests across scales. Based on our results, strategies for the conservation

On carrots and curiosity: eating fruit and vegetables is associated with greater flourishing in daily life.

Science.gov (United States)

Conner, Tamlin S; Brookie, Kate L; Richardson, Aimee C; Polak, Maria A

2015-05-01

Our aim was to determine whether eating fruit and vegetables (FV) is associated with other markers of well-being beyond happiness and life satisfaction. Towards this aim, we tested whether FV consumption is associated with greater eudaemonic well-being - a state of flourishing characterized by feelings of engagement, meaning, and purpose in life. We also tested associations with two eudaemonic behaviours - curiosity and creativity. Daily diary study across 13 days (micro-longitudinal, correlational design). A sample of 405 young adults (67% women; mean age 19.9 [SD 1.6] years) completed an Internet daily diary for 13 consecutive days. Each day, participants reported on their consumption of fruit, vegetables, sweets, and chips, as well as their eudaemonic well-being, curiosity, creativity, positive affect (PA), and negative affect. Between-person associations were analysed on aggregated data. Within-person associations were analysed using multilevel models controlling for weekday and weekend patterns. Fruit and vegetables consumption predicted greater eudaemonic well-being, curiosity, and creativity at the between- and within-person levels. Young adults who ate more FV reported higher average eudaemonic well-being, more intense feelings of curiosity, and greater creativity compared with young adults who ate less FV. On days when young adults ate more FV, they reported greater eudaemonic well-being, curiosity, and creativity compared with days when they ate less FV. FV consumption also predicted higher PA, which mostly did not account for the associations between FV and the other well-being variables. Few unhealthy foods (sweets, chips) were related to well-being except that consumption of sweets was associated with greater curiosity and PA at the within-person level. Lagged data analyses showed no carry-over effects of FV consumption onto next-day well-being (or vice versa). Although these patterns are strictly correlational, this study provides the first evidence

Reconstructed North American, Eurasian, and Northern Hemisphere Snow Cover Extent, 1915-1997

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — This data set contains time series of monthly snow cover extent (SCE) for North America, Eurasia, and the Northern Hemisphere from 1915 to 1997, based on snow cover...

Sea Ice Edge Location and Extent in the Russian Arctic, 1933-2006

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — The Sea Ice Edge Location and Extent in the Russian Arctic, 1933-2006 data are derived from sea ice charts from the Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute (AARI),...

Breeding of Greater and Lesser Flamingos at Sua Pan, Botswana ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

to fledging was unknown owing to the rapid drying of the pan in late March 1999. No Greater Flamingo breeding was seen that season. Exceptional flooding during 1999–2000 produced highly favourable breeding conditions, with numbers of Greater and Lesser Flamingos breeding estimated to be 23 869 and 64 287 pairs, ...

Surgical anatomy of greater occipital nerve and its relation to ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Introduction: The knowledge of the anatomy of greater occipital nerve and its relation to occipital artery is important for the surgeon. Blockage or surgical release of greater occipital nerve is clinically effective in reducing or eliminating chronic migraine symptoms. Aim: The aim of this research was to study the anatomy of ...

Surgical anatomy of greater occipital nerve and its relation to ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Nancy Mohamed El Sekily

2014-08-19

Aug 19, 2014 ... Abstract Introduction: The knowledge of the anatomy of greater occipital nerve and its relation to occipital artery is important for the surgeon. Blockage or surgical release of greater occipital nerve is clinically effective in reducing or eliminating chronic migraine symptoms. Aim: The aim of this research was to ...

Obese Hypertensive Men Have Lower Circulating Proatrial Natriuretic Peptide Concentrations Despite Greater Left Atrial Size

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Asferg, Camilla L; Andersen, Ulrik B; Linneberg, Allan

2018-01-01

BACKGROUND: Obese persons have lower circulating natriuretic peptide (NP) concentrations. It has been proposed that this natriuretic handicap plays a role in obesity-related hypertension. In contrast, hypertensive patients with left atrial enlargement have higher circulating NP concentrations....... On this background, we investigated whether obese hypertensive men could have lower circulating NP concentrations despite evidence of pressure-induced greater left atrial size. METHODS: We examined 98 obese men (body mass index [BMI] ≥ 30.0 kg/m2) and 27 lean normotensive men (BMI 20.0-24.9 kg/m2). All men were...... using echocardiography, and we measured fasting serum concentrations of midregional proatrial NP (MR-proANP). RESULTS: Of the 98 obese men, 62 had hypertension and 36 were normotensive. The obese hypertensive men had greater left atrial size (mean ± SD: 28.7 ± 6.0 ml/m2) compared with the lean...

The correlation between the dilated extent of bile duct and gallbladder and low bile duct obstructive jaundice diseases

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang Zhongqiu; Lu Guangming; Li Jieshou; Li Weiqin

2005-01-01

Objective: To evaluate the diagnostic value about the dilated extent of bile duct and gallbladder in low biliary obstructive diseases. Methods: CT and ERCP findings of 105 patients with low biliary obstructive disease were retrospectively analyzed. The dilated extent of intrahepatic and extra- hepatic bile duct and gallbladder were classified into seven types: Type I: severe dilatation of intrahepatic and extrahepatic bile duct and gallbladder; Type II: severe dilatation of extrahepatic bile duct and gallbladder and slight dilated intrahapetic bile duct; Type III: severe dilatation of intrahepatic and extrahepatic bile duct without or slight dilatation of gallbladder; Type IV: severe extrahepatic bile duct dilatation without or slight dilatation of intrahepatic bile duct and gallbladder; Type V: severe intrahepatic bile duct dilatation without or with slight dilatation of extrahepatic bile duct and gallbladder; Type VI: severe gallbladder dilatation without or with slight intrahepatic and extra- hepatic bile duct dilatation; Type VII: without or with slight dilatation of intrahepatic and extrahepatic bile duct and gallbladder. The biliary system dilated extent of low biliary obstructive disease on CT and ERCP were compared with results of clinical, operation, and pathology. Results: Thirty-three cases of tumor and 72 cases of non-tumor were proved by clinical and operation in 105 patients with low biliary obstructive disease. In 33 tumor patients, 16 patients were identified as Type I, 10 patients Type II, 4 patients Type III, 1 patient Type IV, 2 patients Type VII. In 72 non-tumor patients, 4 patients were identified as Type I, 4 patients Type II, 9 patients Type III, 33 patients Type IV, 2 patients Type V, 11 patients Type VI, 19 patients Type VII. A large difference between I, II type and III-VII type biliary dilatation existed in tumor and non-tumor group (χ 2 =47.33, P<0.01). Conclusion:Low obstructive biliary diseases are closely correlated with the dilated

To what extent do science ESP learning materials fit the purpose for ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

To what extent do science ESP learning materials fit the purpose for which they have been devised? An evaluation in terms of Cronje's (1993) criteria. ... Journal for Language Teaching. Journal Home · ABOUT THIS JOURNAL · Advanced ...

Global extent and determinants of savanna and forest as alternative biome states

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Staver, C

2011-10-01

Full Text Available Theoretically, fire–tree cover feedbacks can maintain savanna and forest as alternative stable states. However, the global extent of fire- driven discontinuities in tree cover is unknown, especially accounting for seasonality and soils. The authors...

The Extent to which the Chemistry Textbook of Grade 11 is ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The purpose of this study was to identify the extent to which the chemistry textbook of grade 11 in Ethiopian schools is appropriate for learner-centered approach. The content of the new chemistry textbook for grade 11 was analyzed vis-à-vis the suggested evidence of learnercentered techniques. The analysis covered the ...

Technical concept for a Greater Confinement Disposal test facility

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hunter, P.H.

1982-01-01

For the past two years, Ford, Bacon and Davis has been performing technical services for the Department of Energy at the Nevada Test Site in specific development of defense low-level waste management concepts for greater confinement disposal concept with particular application to arid sites. The investigations have included the development of Criteria for Greater Confinement Disposal, NVO-234, which was published in May of 1981 and the draft of the technical concept for Greater Confinement Disposal, with the latest draft published in November 1981. The final draft of the technical concept and design specifications are expected to be published imminently. The document is prerequisite to the actual construction and implementation of the demonstration facility this fiscal year. The GCD Criteria Document, NVO-234 is considered to contain information complimentary and compatible with that being developed for the reserved section 10 CFR 61.51b of the NRCs proposed licensing rule for low level waste disposal facilities

Enclosed nests may provide greater thermal than nest predation benefits compared with open nests across latitudes

Science.gov (United States)

Martin, Thomas E.; Boyce, Andy J.; Fierro-Calderon, Karolina; Mitchell, Adam E.; Armstad, Connor E.; Mouton, James C.; Bin Soudi, Evertius E.

2017-01-01

Nest structure is thought to provide benefits that have fitness consequences for several taxa. Traditionally, reduced nest predation has been considered the primary benefit underlying evolution of nest structure, whereas thermal benefits have been considered a secondary or even non-existent factor. Yet, the relative roles of these factors on nest structures remain largely unexplored.Enclosed nests have a constructed or natural roof connected to sides that allow a restricted opening or tube entrance that provides cover in all directions except the entrance, whereas open nests are cups or platforms that are open above. We show that construction of enclosed nests is more common among songbirds (Passeriformes) in tropical and southern hemisphere regions than in north temperate regions. This geographic pattern may reflect selection from predation risk, under long-standing assumptions that nest predation rates are higher in southern regions and that enclosed nests reduce predation risk compared with open cup nests. We therefore compared nest predation rates between enclosed vs. open nests in 114 songbird species that do not nest in tree holes among five communities of coexisting birds, and for 205 non-hole-nesting species from the literature, across northern temperate, tropical, and southern hemisphere regions.Among coexisting species, enclosed nests had lower nest predation rates than open nests in two south temperate sites, but not in either of two tropical sites or a north temperate site. Nest predation did not differ between nest types at any latitude based on literature data. Among 319 species from both our field studies and the literature, enclosed nests did not show consistent benefits of reduced predation and, in fact, predation was not consistently higher in the tropics, contrary to long-standing perspectives.Thermal benefits of enclosed nests were indicated based on three indirect results. First, species that built enclosed nests were smaller than species using

Spatial Pattern of Groundwater Arsenic Occurrence and Association with Bedrock Geology in Greater Augusta, Maine, USA

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Qiang; Jung, Hun Bok; Culbertson, Charles W.; Marvinney, Robert G.; Loiselle, Marc C.; Locke, Daniel B.; Cheek, Heidi; Thibodeau, Hilary; Zheng, Yan

2009-01-01

In New England, groundwater arsenic occurrence has been linked to bedrock geology on regional scales. To ascertain and quantify this linkage at intermediate (100-101 km) scales, 790 groundwater samples from fractured bedrock aquifers in the greater Augusta, Maine area are analyzed. 31% of the sampled wells have arsenic >10 μg/L. The probability of [As] exceeding 10 μg/L mapped by indicator kriging is highest in Silurian pelite-sandstone and pelite-limestone units (~40%). This probability differs significantly (pbedrock map. Thus, bedrock geology is associated with arsenic occurrence in fractured bedrock aquifers of the study area at intermediate scales relevant to water resources planning. The arsenic exceedance rate for each rock unit is considered robust because low, medium and high arsenic occurrences in 4 cluster areas (3-20 km2) with a low sampling density of 1-6 wells per km2 are comparable to those with a greater density of 5-42 wells per km2. About 12,000 people (21% of the population) in the greater Augusta area (~1135 km2) are at risk of exposure to >10 μg/L arsenic in groundwater. PMID:19475939

Extent of Drug Coverage across Generic Drug Discount Programs offered by Community Pharmacies: A look at five Chronic Conditions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Harshali K. Patel, MS

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Background: Chronic conditions are expensive to treat because of the ongoing prescription cost burden. Generic drug discount programs (GDDPs that offer generics at discounted price may prove beneficial to reduce pharmacy costs for the same.Objective: The objective of this study was to assess the extent to which GDDPs provide drug coverage for five common chronic conditions.Methods: A content analyses of preexisting information was conducted. Extent of coverage based on top 200 generic drugs prescribed during 2008 for the treatment of chronic conditions such as hypertension, mental disorders, arthritis, pulmonary/respiratory conditions, and diabetes were identified. Commonly prescribed medications for these diseases were identified using published peer reviewed clinical guidelines. List of drugs covered under a GDDP for stores, Wal-Mart, Walgreens, CVS, Kroger, HEB, Target, and Randalls were obtained and compared to assess drug coverage by retail dollar sales and sales volume. Descriptive statistics and frequency/percentage of coverage were reported using SAS 9.2.Results: GDDPs covered the highest number of drugs for hypertension (21-27 across different GDDPs and the least (3-5 across different GDDPs for pulmonary/respiratory conditions. Arthritis (5-11, mental disorders (6-11 and diabetes (5-7 had similar coverage. When compared to the top 200 drugs by retail dollars spent during 2008, hypertension (68%-87% and diabetes (63%-88% had the highest coverage followed by respiratory conditions (30%-50%, arthritis (22%-48%, and mental disorders (21%-38%. Similar result was obtained when GDDP coverage was compared with the top 200 generic drugs by sales volume, where diabetes (63-88% and hypertension (57%-74% had the highest coverage and mental disorders remained the lowest (23%-37%.Conclusion/Implications: Drug coverage in GDDPs varied by pharmacies across the five common chronic conditions evaluated which may limit accessibility of these programs for

Total Quality Management in Secondary Schools in Kenya: Extent of Practice

Science.gov (United States)

Ngware, Moses Waithanji; Wamukuru, David Kuria; Odebero, Stephen Onyango

2006-01-01

Purpose: To investigate the extent to which secondary schools practiced aspects of total quality management (TQM). Design/methodology/approach: A cross-sectional research design was used in this study. A sample of 300 teachers in a residential session during a school holiday provided their perceptions on the practice of TQM in their schools. Data…

Pharmaceutical consumption and residuals potentially relevant to nutrient cycling in Greater Accra, Ghana

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Evren Sinar

2010-04-01

Full Text Available Recycling nutrients form sanitary wastes back into agricultural ecosystems offers an option to alleviate soil depletion in regions where the use of mineral fertiliser is limited. Exemplary nutrient and water cycling approaches, including collection, treatment and use of human urine, are established at Valley View University (VVU in Greater Accra, Ghana.Concerns have been recently raised in regard to fate and impact of pharmaceutical residues in soils and interlinked environment. To evaluate in how far emerging knowledge can be transposed onto VVU, urban and rural environments in Greater Accra, spatial disease occurrence and drug consumption patterns were studied. Malaria has been found to represent the most severe health burden in Ghana, but there is also a high prevalence of infectious diseases. Drugs consumed in great quantities and in respect to their residual loads potentially problematic in the environment belong to therapeutic groups of: antibiotics, analgesics, drugs for diabetes, antimalarials, cardiovascular drugs and anthelmintics. Drug consumption revealed to be highest in urban and lowest in rural areas. At VVU the range of consumed drugs is comparable to urban areas except for the negligible use of diabetes and cardiovascular medication as well as contraceptives.

Butterfly valves: greater use in power plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McCoy, M.

1975-01-01

Improvements in butterfly valves, particularly in the areas of automatic control and leak tightness are described. The use of butterfly valves in nuclear power plants is discussed. These uses include service in component cooling, containment cooling, and containment isolation. The outlook for further improvements and greater uses is examined. (U.S.)

CSR Strategies in Greater China: Global, East Asian, American, European Style?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Heiduk Guenter

2014-10-01

Full Text Available The concept of Corporate Social Responsibility emerged in the United States and spread to Europe and Asia while being adapted to national/local characteristics. Since borders between markets and societies are blurring and globalization is promoting MNCs which find themselves acting in hybrid societies, international institutions put efforts into the development and moral acceptance of global CSR standards. The scientific interest in CSR focused on the conflicts between company returns and benefits for society. The resulting concepts of performance-oriented, awareness-oriented and welfare-oriented CSR should facilitate the evaluation of CSR strategies implemented by MNCs. In research on the cultural dimensions of economies, it might be possible to allocate geographically the three concepts. Regarding the newly emerging Chinese MNCs, the paper aims to shed light on which concept they follow. On the one hand, CSR concepts of American and/or European MNCs that are present in China might serve as a role model; on the other hand, by learning from Taiwanese/ Hong Kong MNCs, a “greater China CSR approach” might emerge. Empirical studies and own field research suggest that compared to American and European companies, CSR is less deeply rooted in Chinese companies. Furthermore, significant differences between Mainland China, Hong Kong and Taiwanese companies indicate that a Greater Chinese CSR approach does not yet exist. Therefore, it cannot be assumed that American and European CSR concepts will experience a Chinese influence in the near future.

Expatriate job performance in Greater China: Does age matter?

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Selmer, Jan; Lauring, Jakob; Feng, Yunxia

to expatriates in Chinese societies. It is possible that older business expatriates will receive more respect and be treated with more deference in a Chinese cultural context than their apparently younger colleagues. This may have a positive impact on expatriates’ job performance. To empirically test...... this presumption, business expatriates in Greater Chine were targeted by a survey. Controlling for the potential bias of a number of background variables, results indicate that contextual/managerial performance, including general managerial functions applied to the subsidiary in Greater China, had a positive...

Absenteeism movement in Greater Poland in 1840–1902

OpenAIRE

Izabela Krasińska

2013-01-01

The article presents the origins and development of the idea of absenteeism in Greater Poland in the 19th century. The start date for the research is 1840, which is considered to be a breakthrough year in the history of an organized absenteeism movement in Greater Poland. It was due to the Association for the Suppression of the Use of Vodka (Towarzystwo ku Przytłumieniu Używania Wódki) in the Great Duchy of Posen that was then established in Kórnik. It was a secular organization that came int...

Gender differences in commuting behavior: Women's greater sensitivity

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Olmo Sanchez, M.I.; Maeso Gonzalez, E.

2016-07-01

Women's greater sensitivity to changes in their environment is one of the most distinguishing features between both genders. This article raises women's greater sensitivity to the different variables which influence their commuting modal choice. In order to do this, gender gaps detected in the choice of means of transport in commuting trips with respect to the decision factors such as age, education level, driver's license, private transport access; location, household size and net income, are quantified.The results show a greater female sensitivity to the different variables that affect their modal choice, which helps to better understand the different mobility patterns and it is useful for planning measures favoring sustainable mobility policies and equity. (Author)

[Autoerotic fatalities in Greater Dusseldorf].

Science.gov (United States)

Hartung, Benno; Hellen, Florence; Borchard, Nora; Huckenbeck, Wolfgang

2011-01-01

Autoerotic fatalities in the Greater Dusseldorf area correspond to the relevant medicolegal literature. Our results included exclusively young to middle-aged, usually single men who were found dead in their city apartments. Clothing and devices used showed a great variety. Women's or fetish clothing and complex shackling or hanging devices were disproportionately frequent. In most cases, death occurred due to hanging or ligature strangulation. There was no increased incidence of underlying psychiatric disorders. In most of the deceased no or at least no remarkable alcohol intoxication was found. Occasionally, it may be difficult to reliably differentiate autoerotic accidents, accidents occurring in connection with practices of bondage & discipline, dominance & submission (BDSM) from natural death, suicide or homicide.

Radiographic features of tuberculous osteitis in greater trochanter and lschium

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hahm, So Hee; Lee, Ye Ri; Kim, Dong Jin; Sung, Ki Jun; Lim, Jong Nam

1996-01-01

To evaluate, if possible, the radiographic features of tuberculous osteitis in the greater trochanter and ischium, and to determine the cause of the lesions. We reterospectively reviewed the plain radiographic findings of 14 ptients with histologically proven tuberculous osteitis involving the greater trochanter and ischium. In each case, the following were analyzed:morphology of bone destruction, including cortical erosion;periosteal reaction;presence or abscence of calcific shadows in adjacent soft tissue. On the basis of an analysis of radiographic features and correlation of the anatomy with adjacent structures we attempted to determine causes. Of the 14 cases evaluated, 12 showed varrious degrees of extrinsic erosion on the outer cortical bone of the greater trochanter and ischium ; in two cases, bone destruction was so severe that the radiographic features of advanced perforated osteomyelitis were simulated. In addition to findings of bone destruction, in these twelve cases, the presence of sequestrum or calcific shadows was seen in adjacent soft tissue. Tuberculous osteitis in the greater trochanter and ischium showed the characteristic findings of chronic extrinsic erosion. On the basis of these findings we can suggest that these lesions result from an extrinsic pathophysiologic cause such as adjacent bursitis

Radiographic features of tuberculous osteitis in greater trochanter and lschium

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hahm, So Hee; Lee, Ye Ri [Hanil Hospital Affiliated to KEPCO, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Dong Jin; Sung, Ki Jun [Yonsei Univ. Wonju College of Medicine, Wonju (Korea, Republic of); Lim, Jong Nam [Konkuk Univ. College of Medicine, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

1996-11-01

To evaluate, if possible, the radiographic features of tuberculous osteitis in the greater trochanter and ischium, and to determine the cause of the lesions. We reterospectively reviewed the plain radiographic findings of 14 ptients with histologically proven tuberculous osteitis involving the greater trochanter and ischium. In each case, the following were analyzed:morphology of bone destruction, including cortical erosion;periosteal reaction;presence or abscence of calcific shadows in adjacent soft tissue. On the basis of an analysis of radiographic features and correlation of the anatomy with adjacent structures we attempted to determine causes. Of the 14 cases evaluated, 12 showed varrious degrees of extrinsic erosion on the outer cortical bone of the greater trochanter and ischium ; in two cases, bone destruction was so severe that the radiographic features of advanced perforated osteomyelitis were simulated. In addition to findings of bone destruction, in these twelve cases, the presence of sequestrum or calcific shadows was seen in adjacent soft tissue. Tuberculous osteitis in the greater trochanter and ischium showed the characteristic findings of chronic extrinsic erosion. On the basis of these findings we can suggest that these lesions result from an extrinsic pathophysiologic cause such as adjacent bursitis.

Hilar cholangiocarcinoma: controversies on the extent of surgical resection aiming at cure.

Science.gov (United States)

Xiang, Shuai; Lau, Wan Yee; Chen, Xiao-ping

2015-02-01

Hilar cholangiocarcinoma is the most common malignant tumor affecting the extrahepatic bile duct. Surgical treatment offers the only possibility of cure, and it requires removal of all tumoral tissues with adequate resection margins. The aims of this review are to summarize the findings and to discuss the controversies on the extent of surgical resection aiming at cure for hilar cholangiocarcinoma. The English medical literatures on hilar cholangiocarcinoma were studied to review on the relevance of adequate resection margins, routine caudate lobe resection, extent of liver resection, and combined vascular resection on perioperative and long-term survival outcomes of patients with resectable hilar cholangiocarcinoma. Complete resection of tumor represents the most important prognostic factor of long-term survival for hilar cholangiocarcinoma. The primary aim of surgery is to achieve R0 resection. When R1 resection is shown intraoperatively, further resection is recommended. Combined hepatic resection is now generally accepted as a standard procedure even for Bismuth type I/II tumors. Routine caudate lobe resection is also advocated for cure. The extent of hepatic resection remains controversial. Most surgeons recommend major hepatic resection. However, minor hepatic resection has also been advocated in most patients. The decision to carry out right- or left-sided hepatectomy is made according to the predominant site of the lesion. Portal vein resection should be considered when its involvement by tumor is suspected. The curative treatment of hilar cholangiocarcinoma remains challenging. Advances in hepatobiliary techniques have improved the perioperative and long-term survival outcomes of this tumor.

Habitat prioritization across large landscapes, multiple seasons, and novel areas: an example using greater sage-grouse in Wyoming

Science.gov (United States)

Fedy, Bradley C.; Doherty, Kevin E.; Aldridge, Cameron L.; O'Donnell, Michael S.; Beck, Jeffrey L.; Bedrosian, Bryan; Gummer, David; Holloran, Matthew J.; Johnson, Gregory D.; Kaczor, Nicholas W.; Kirol, Christopher P.; Mandich, Cheryl A.; Marshall, David; McKee, Gwyn; Olson, Chad; Pratt, Aaron C.; Swanson, Christopher C.; Walker, Brett L.

2014-01-01

Animal habitat selection is an important and expansive area of research in ecology. In particular, the study of habitat selection is critical in habitat prioritization efforts for species of conservation concern. Landscape planning for species is happening at ever-increasing extents because of the appreciation for the role of landscape-scale patterns in species persistence coupled to improved datasets for species and habitats, and the expanding and intensifying footprint of human land uses on the landscape. We present a large-scale collaborative effort to develop habitat selection models across large landscapes and multiple seasons for prioritizing habitat for a species of conservation concern. Greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus, hereafter sage-grouse) occur in western semi-arid landscapes in North America. Range-wide population declines of this species have been documented, and it is currently considered as “warranted but precluded” from listing under the United States Endangered Species Act. Wyoming is predicted to remain a stronghold for sage-grouse populations and contains approximately 37% of remaining birds. We compiled location data from 14 unique radiotelemetry studies (data collected 1994–2010) and habitat data from high-quality, biologically relevant, geographic information system (GIS) layers across Wyoming. We developed habitat selection models for greater sage-grouse across Wyoming for 3 distinct life stages: 1) nesting, 2) summer, and 3) winter. We developed patch and landscape models across 4 extents, producing statewide and regional (southwest, central, northeast) models for Wyoming. Habitat selection varied among regions and seasons, yet preferred habitat attributes generally matched the extensive literature on sage-grouse seasonal habitat requirements. Across seasons and regions, birds preferred areas with greater percentage sagebrush cover and avoided paved roads, agriculture, and forested areas. Birds consistently preferred

Search for greater stability in nuclear regulation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Asselstine, J.K.

1985-01-01

The need for greater stability in nuclear regulation is discussed. Two possible approaches for dealing with the problems of new and rapidly changing regulatory requirements are discussed. The first approach relies on the more traditional licensing reform initiatives that have been considered off and on for the past decade. The second approach considers a new regulator philosophy aimed at the root causes of the proliferation of new safety requirements that have been imposed in recent years. For the past few years, the concepts of deregulation and regulatory reform have been in fashion in Washington, and the commercial nuclear power program has not remained unaffected. Many look to these concepts to provide greater stability in the regulatory program. The NRC, the nuclear industry and the administration have all been avidly pursuing regulatory reform initiatives, which take the form of both legislative and administrative proposals. Many of these proposals look to the future, and, if adopted, would have little impact on currently operating nuclear power plants or plants now under construction

THE MITIGATION OF SCIENTIFIC CLAIMS IN RESEARCH PAPERS: A COMPARATIVE STUDY

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pedro Martín Martín

2008-12-01

Full Text Available In the context of academic writing, authors tend to mitigate the force of their scientific claims by means of hedging devices in order to reduce the risk of opposition and minimise the face threatening acts that are involved in the making of claims. This study explores the phenomenon of hedging in the research article (RA from a cross-cultural perspective. To this end, a total of 40 RAs written in English and Spanish in the field of Clinical and Health Psychology were analysed in terms of the frequency of occurrence and distribution of the various strategies and the linguistic devices associated to each strategy which perform a hedging function in the different structural units of the articles. The results of the comparative quantitative analyses revealed that there are similarities between the two languages regarding the distribution of hedges across the structural units of the RAs, although a certain degree of rhetorical variation was also found mainly in terms of the frequency of use of the strategy of indetermination (i.e. modality devices and approximators which occurs to a much greater extent in the English texts. This suggests that the English RAs in the field of Clinical and Health Psychology, as a whole, involve more protection to the author’s face.

Comparative analysis of morphological and topometric parameters of lumbar spine in normal state and in degenerative-dystrophic changes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anisimova Е.А.

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Objective: to carry out comparative analysis and identify patterns of topographic variation patterns of lumbar spine in normal and degenerative changes. Material and methods. CT- and MRT-grams for men and women I (M1-22-35 years; W — 21-35 years and II (M2-36-60 years; W2-36-55 years periods of mature age with no signs of trauma, scoliosis and systemic diseases of the spine (n=140 and CT- and MRT-grams in patients with revealed degenerative changes in the lumbar spine degree II-III (n=120. The pictures with digital PACS system measure the height of the vertebral body, intervertebral disc height, vertical, horizontal diameter and the area of intervertebral foramen. Results. The height of the lumbar vertebral bodies normally increased from27,90±0,38mmatthe level of L, to 29,93±0,33 mm Lm, and then decreased to 24,35±0,27 mm at level L^, in osteochondrosis it is statistically significantly lower at all levels on average by 20%. The height of the intervertebral disc with osteochondrosis below at all levels by an average of 25% of its value in the range 5,27±0,19 to 6,13±0,17mm, while the normal disc height varies from 6,88±030 to 9,36±0,28mm. The area of intervertebral holes normally ranging from 103,29±5,78 to 127,99±5,92mm2, with osteochondrosis aperture area is reduced to a greater extent by decreasing the vertical diameter in comparison with the horizontal. Conclusion. For the studied parameters characteristic topographic variability has been determined. The maximum values parameters are marked at the top of the lumbar lordosis, at chest height, lumbar and lumbosacral junctions sizes are reduced. In osteochondrosis the intervertebral disc height and the height of lumbar vertebral bodies are reduced; intervertebral foramina area is also reduced to a greater extent by reducing the vertical diameter than the horizontal one.

The relative importance of intrinsic and extrinsic drivers to population growth vary among local populations of Greater Sage-Grouse: An integrated population modeling approach

Science.gov (United States)

Coates, Peter S.; Prochazka, Brian G.; Ricca, Mark A.; Halstead, Brian J.; Casazza, Michael L.; Blomberg, Erik J.; Brussee, Brianne E.; Wiechman, Lief; Tebbenkamp, Joel; Gardner, Scott C.; Reese, Kerry P.

2018-01-01

Consideration of ecological scale is fundamental to understanding and managing avian population growth and decline. Empirically driven models for population dynamics and demographic processes across multiple spatial scales can be powerful tools to help guide conservation actions. Integrated population models (IPMs) provide a framework for better parameter estimation by unifying multiple sources of data (e.g., count and demographic data). Hierarchical structure within such models that include random effects allow for varying degrees of data sharing across different spatiotemporal scales. We developed an IPM to investigate Greater Sage-Grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) on the border of California and Nevada, known as the Bi-State Distinct Population Segment. Our analysis integrated 13 years of lek count data (n > 2,000) and intensive telemetry (VHF and GPS; n > 350 individuals) data across 6 subpopulations. Specifically, we identified the most parsimonious models among varying random effects and density-dependent terms for each population vital rate (e.g., nest survival). Using a joint likelihood process, we integrated the lek count data with the demographic models to estimate apparent abundance and refine vital rate parameter estimates. To investigate effects of climatic conditions, we extended the model to fit a precipitation covariate for instantaneous rate of change (r). At a metapopulation extent (i.e. Bi-State), annual population rate of change λ (er) did not favor an overall increasing or decreasing trend through the time series. However, annual changes in λ were driven by changes in precipitation (one-year lag effect). At subpopulation extents, we identified substantial variation in λ and demographic rates. One subpopulation clearly decoupled from the trend at the metapopulation extent and exhibited relatively high risk of extinction as a result of low egg fertility. These findings can inform localized, targeted management actions for specific areas

Statistics of Radial Ship Extent as Seen by a Seeker

Science.gov (United States)

2014-06-01

Auckland in pure and applied mathematics and physics, and a Master of Science in physics from the same university with a thesis in applied accelerator...does not demand contributions from two angle bins to one extent bin, unlike the rectangle; this is a very big advantage of the ellipse model. However...waveform that mimics the full length of a ship. This allows more economical use to be made of available false-target generation resources. I wish to

Methane emissions from global wetlands: An assessment of the uncertainty associated with various wetland extent data sets

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Bowen; Tian, Hanqin; Lu, Chaoqun; Chen, Guangsheng; Pan, Shufen; Anderson, Christopher; Poulter, Benjamin

2017-09-01

A wide range of estimates on global wetland methane (CH4) fluxes has been reported during the recent two decades. This gives rise to urgent needs to clarify and identify the uncertainty sources, and conclude a reconciled estimate for global CH4 fluxes from wetlands. Most estimates by using bottom-up approach rely on wetland data sets, but these data sets show largely inconsistent in terms of both wetland extent and spatiotemporal distribution. A quantitative assessment of uncertainties associated with these discrepancies among wetland data sets has not been well investigated yet. By comparing the five widely used global wetland data sets (GISS, GLWD, Kaplan, GIEMS and SWAMPS-GLWD), it this study, we found large differences in the wetland extent, ranging from 5.3 to 10.2 million km2, as well as their spatial and temporal distributions among the five data sets. These discrepancies in wetland data sets resulted in large bias in model-estimated global wetland CH4 emissions as simulated by using the Dynamic Land Ecosystem Model (DLEM). The model simulations indicated that the mean global wetland CH4 emissions during 2000-2007 were 177.2 ± 49.7 Tg CH4 yr-1, based on the five different data sets. The tropical regions contributed the largest portion of estimated CH4 emissions from global wetlands, but also had the largest discrepancy. Among six continents, the largest uncertainty was found in South America. Thus, the improved estimates of wetland extent and CH4 emissions in the tropical regions and South America would be a critical step toward an accurate estimate of global CH4 emissions. This uncertainty analysis also reveals an important need for our scientific community to generate a global scale wetland data set with higher spatial resolution and shorter time interval, by integrating multiple sources of field and satellite data with modeling approaches, for cross-scale extrapolation.

Evaluation of Green-LiDAR Data for Mapping Extent, Density and Height of Aquatic Reed Beds at Lake Chiemsee, Bavaria—Germany

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Nicolás Corti Meneses

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Aquatic reed is an important indicator for the ecological assessment of freshwater lakes. Monitoring is essential to document its expansion or deterioration and decline. The applicability of Green-LiDAR data for the status assessment of aquatic reed beds of Bavarian freshwater lakes was investigated. The study focused on mapping diagnostic structural parameters of aquatic reed beds by exploring 3D data provided by the Green-LiDAR system. Field observations were conducted over 14 different areas of interest along 152 cross-sections. The data indicated the morphologic and phenologic traits of aquatic reed, which were used for validation purposes. For the automatic classification of aquatic reed bed spatial extent, density and height, a rule-based algorithm was developed. LiDAR data allowed for the delimitating of the aquatic reed frontline, as well as shoreline, and therefore an accurate quantification of extents (Hausdorff distance = 5.74 m and RMSE of cross-sections length 0.69 m. The overall accuracy measured for aquatic reed bed density compared to the simultaneously recorded aerial imagery was 96% with a Kappa coefficient of 0.91 and 72% (Kappa = 0.5 compared to field measurements. Digital Surface Models (DSM, calculated from point clouds, similarly showed a high level of agreement in derived heights of flat surfaces (RMSE = 0.1 m and showed an adequate agreement of aquatic reed heights with evenly distributed errors (RMSE = 0.8 m. Compared to field measurements, aerial laser scanning delivered valuable information with no disturbance of the habitat. Analysing data with our classification procedure improved the efficiency, reproducibility, and accuracy of the quantification and monitoring of aquatic reed beds.

Marked variability in the extent of protein disorder within and between viral families.

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Ravindra Pushker

Full Text Available Intrinsically disordered regions in eukaryotic proteomes contain key signaling and regulatory modules and mediate interactions with many proteins. Many viral proteomes encode disordered proteins and modulate host factors through the use of short linear motifs (SLiMs embedded within disordered regions. However, the degree of viral protein disorder across different viruses is not well understood, so we set out to establish the constraints acting on viruses, in terms of their use of disordered protein regions. We surveyed predicted disorder across 2,278 available viral genomes in 41 families, and correlated the extent of disorder with genome size and other factors. Protein disorder varies strikingly between viral families (from 2.9% to 23.1% of residues, and also within families. However, this substantial variation did not follow the established trend among their hosts, with increasing disorder seen across eubacterial, archaebacterial, protists, and multicellular eukaryotes. For example, among large mammalian viruses, poxviruses and herpesviruses showed markedly differing disorder (5.6% and 17.9%, respectively. Viral families with smaller genome sizes have more disorder within each of five main viral types (ssDNA, dsDNA, ssRNA+, dsRNA, retroviruses, except for negative single-stranded RNA viruses, where disorder increased with genome size. However, surveying over all viruses, which compares tiny and enormous viruses over a much bigger range of genome sizes, there is no strong association of genome size with protein disorder. We conclude that there is extensive variation in the disorder content of viral proteomes. While a proportion of this may relate to base composition, to extent of gene overlap, and to genome size within viral types, there remain important additional family and virus-specific effects. Differing disorder strategies are likely to impact on how different viruses modulate host factors, and on how rapidly viruses can evolve novel

Dynamic and thermodynamic impacts of the winter Arctic Oscillation on summer sea ice extent.

Science.gov (United States)

Park, H. S.; Stewart, A.

2017-12-01

Arctic summer sea ice extent exhibits substantial interannual variability, as is highlighted by the remarkable recovery in sea ice extent in 2013 following the record minimum in the summer of 2012. Here, we explore the mechanism via which Arctic Oscillation (AO)-induced ice thickness changes impact summer sea ice, using observations and reanalysis data. A positive AO weakens the basin-scale anticyclonic sea ice drift and decreases the winter ice thickness by 15cm and 10cm in the Eurasian and the Pacific sectors of the Arctic respectively. Three reanalysis datasets show that the (upward) surface heat fluxes are reduced over wide areas of the Arctic, suppressing the ice growth during the positive AO winters. The winter dynamic and thermodynamic thinning preconditions the ice for enhanced radiative forcing via the ice-albedo feedback in late spring-summer, leading to an additional 8-10 cm of thinning over the Pacific sector of the Arctic. Because of these winter AO-induced dynamic and thermodynamics effects, the winter AO explains about 22% (r = -0.48) of the interannual variance of September sea ice extent from year 1980 to 2015.

Northward extent of East Asian monsoon covaries with intensity on orbital and millennial timescales

Science.gov (United States)

Goldsmith, Yonaton; Broecker, Wallace S.; Xu, Hai; Polissar, Pratigya J.; deMenocal, Peter B.; Porat, Naomi; Lan, Jianghu; Cheng, Peng; Zhou, Weijian; An, Zhisheng

2017-02-01

The magnitude, rate, and extent of past and future East Asian monsoon (EAM) rainfall fluctuations remain unresolved. Here, late Pleistocene-Holocene EAM rainfall intensity is reconstructed using a well-dated northeastern China closed-basin lake area record located at the modern northwestern fringe of the EAM. The EAM intensity and northern extent alternated rapidly between wet and dry periods on time scales of centuries. Lake levels were 60 m higher than present during the early and middle Holocene, requiring a twofold increase in annual rainfall, which, based on modern rainfall distribution, requires a ˜400 km northward expansion/migration of the EAM. The lake record is highly correlated with both northern and southern Chinese cave deposit isotope records, supporting rainfall “intensity based” interpretations of these deposits as opposed to an alternative “water vapor sourcing” interpretation. These results indicate that EAM intensity and the northward extent covary on orbital and millennial timescales. The termination of wet conditions at 5.5 ka BP (˜35 m lake drop) triggered a large cultural collapse of Early Neolithic cultures in north China, and possibly promoted the emergence of complex societies of the Late Neolithic.

Northward extent of East Asian monsoon covaries with intensity on orbital and millennial timescales.

Science.gov (United States)

Goldsmith, Yonaton; Broecker, Wallace S; Xu, Hai; Polissar, Pratigya J; deMenocal, Peter B; Porat, Naomi; Lan, Jianghu; Cheng, Peng; Zhou, Weijian; An, Zhisheng

2017-02-21

The magnitude, rate, and extent of past and future East Asian monsoon (EAM) rainfall fluctuations remain unresolved. Here, late Pleistocene-Holocene EAM rainfall intensity is reconstructed using a well-dated northeastern China closed-basin lake area record located at the modern northwestern fringe of the EAM. The EAM intensity and northern extent alternated rapidly between wet and dry periods on time scales of centuries. Lake levels were 60 m higher than present during the early and middle Holocene, requiring a twofold increase in annual rainfall, which, based on modern rainfall distribution, requires a ∼400 km northward expansion/migration of the EAM. The lake record is highly correlated with both northern and southern Chinese cave deposit isotope records, supporting rainfall "intensity based" interpretations of these deposits as opposed to an alternative "water vapor sourcing" interpretation. These results indicate that EAM intensity and the northward extent covary on orbital and millennial timescales. The termination of wet conditions at 5.5 ka BP (∼35 m lake drop) triggered a large cultural collapse of Early Neolithic cultures in north China, and possibly promoted the emergence of complex societies of the Late Neolithic.

Comparative spring mechanics in mantis shrimp.

Science.gov (United States)

Patek, S N; Rosario, M V; Taylor, J R A

2013-04-01

Elastic mechanisms are fundamental to fast and efficient movements. Mantis shrimp power their fast raptorial appendages using a conserved network of exoskeletal springs, linkages and latches. Their appendages are fantastically diverse, ranging from spears to hammers. We measured the spring mechanics of 12 mantis shrimp species from five different families exhibiting hammer-shaped, spear-shaped and undifferentiated appendages. Across species, spring force and work increase with size of the appendage and spring constant is not correlated with size. Species that hammer their prey exhibit significantly greater spring resilience compared with species that impale evasive prey ('spearers'); mixed statistical results show that species that hammer prey also produce greater work relative to size during spring loading compared with spearers. Disabling part of the spring mechanism, the 'saddle', significantly decreases spring force and work in three smasher species; cross-species analyses show a greater effect of cutting the saddle on the spring force and spring constant in species without hammers compared with species with hammers. Overall, the study shows a more potent spring mechanism in the faster and more powerful hammering species compared with spearing species while also highlighting the challenges of reconciling within-species and cross-species mechanical analyses when different processes may be acting at these two different levels of analysis. The observed mechanical variation in spring mechanics provides insights into the evolutionary history, morphological components and mechanical behavior, which were not discernible in prior single-species studies. The results also suggest that, even with a conserved spring mechanism, spring behavior, potency and component structures can be varied within a clade with implications for the behavioral functions of power-amplified devices.

Monitoring changes in Greater Yellowstone Lake water quality following the 1988 wildfires

Science.gov (United States)

Lathrop, Richard G., Jr.; Vande Castle, John D.; Brass, James A.

1994-01-01

The fires that burned the Greater Yellowstone Area (GYA) during the summer of 1988 were the largest ever recorded for the region. Wildfire can have profound indirect effects on associated aquatic ecosystems by increased nutrient loading, sediment, erosion, and runoff. Satellite remote sensing and water quality sampling were used to compare pre- versus post-fire conditions in the GYA's large oliotrophic (high transparency, low productivity) lakes. Inputs of suspended sediment to Jackson Lake appear to have increased. Yellowstone Lake has not shown any discernable shift in water quality. The insights gained separately from the Landsat Thematic and NOAA Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) remote sensing systems, along with conventional in-situ sampling, can be combined into a useful water quality monitoring tool.

Comparative Study of Accuracy in E Speed Intra Oral Films, PSP Intra Oral Digital System and Panoramic Digital Systems (PSP&CCD for Identifying the Extent of Alveolar Bone Loss in Patients with Chronic Periodontitis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

J. Moradi Haghgoo

2014-04-01

Full Text Available Introduction & Objective: Diagnosis of periodontal osseous lesions is very important in deter-mining prognosis, treatment plan and maintenance in the long term. This diagnosis can be achieved by using radiography. The aim of this study is to compare accuracy of E speed films, bitewing PSP, panoramic PSP and CCD for identifying the extent of destruction of al-veolar bone in chronic periodontitis. Materials & Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 272 interproximal surfaces were evaluated by 4 radiographic techniques after clinical examination by a periodontist and indication of flap surgery. The distance between CEJ and the alveolar crest was measured by Williams probe during the surgery and before osseous recontouring. These measures were considered as gold standard. This distance was measured using all 4 radiography techniques by 2 radi-ologists at standard conditions after calibration. Results: There was no significant difference between the 4 techniques. The mean distances from CEJ to alveolar crest in all techniques had no significant difference with gold standard, the least difference was in digital BW PSP and the greatest difference was in panoramic PSP. The non-measurable surfaces by E speed BW and panoramic PSP were the fewest and the most, respectively. Conclusion: Better relative accuracy with regard to variation range, mean difference of meas-ures based on gold standard and number of shown surfaces was observed in digital and conventional BW compared to digital panoramic images. (Sci J Hamadan Univ Med Sci 2014; 21 (1:41-48

Fascin expression in cholesteatoma: correlation with destruction of the ossicular chain and extent of disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Binnetoglu, A; Sari, M; Baglam, T; Erbarut Seven, I; Yumusakhuylu, A C; Topuz, M F; Batman, C

2015-08-01

Fascin is an actin-bundling protein found in cell membrane protrusions and increases cell motility. The expression of fascin in epithelial neoplasms has been described only recently. No data are available concerning the role of this protein in invasive cholesteatoma. Thus, we investigated the expression of fascin in cholesteatoma tissue and the relationship between fascin expression and intraoperative evaluation of the destruction of the ossicular chain and extent of disease. Cholesteatoma specimens of 28 patients and external auditory canal (EAC) skin specimens of the same patients (as the control group) were collected from mastoidectomies. Immunohistochemical technique was used to investigate the fascin expression in all cholesteatoma tissues and EAC skin specimens. Immunohistochemical staining was assessed semiquantitatively based on the thickness of epithelium. SPSS software version 16.0 (SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL, USA) was performed to statistically analyse the relationships between fascin expression and intraoperative evaluation destruction of ossicular chain and extent of the disease. Immunohistochemically, there was no or very low fascin expression observed in normal epithelial cells of EAC skin, while expressed in cholesteatoma tissue. Also, fascin expression in cholesteatoma tissues was significantly correlated with destruction of ossicular chain and extent of the disease. Fascin expression is usually found in cholesteatoma epithelium and is correlated with destruction of the ossicular chain and extent of disease. Considering all of the correlations between the clinical and histopathological findings, 'fascin immunoexpression scoring' may be used for histological grading of cholesteatoma. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Comparing micro-evidence on rent sharing from three different approaches

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Dobbelaere, S.; Mairesse, J.

2015-01-01

Empirical labor economists have resorted to estimating the responsiveness of workers' wages on firms' ability to pay to assess the extent to which employers share rents with their employees. This paper compares this labor economics approach with two other approaches that rely on standard micro

Evaluation of the extent of ground-glass opacity on high-resolution CT in patients with interstitial pneumonia associated with systemic sclerosis: Comparison between quantitative and qualitative analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yabuuchi, H.; Matsuo, Y.; Tsukamoto, H.; Horiuchi, T.; Sunami, S.; Kamitani, T.; Jinnouchi, M.; Nagao, M.; Akashi, K.; Honda, H.

2014-01-01

Aim: To verify whether quantitative analysis of the extent of ground-glass opacity (GGO) on high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) could show a stronger correlation with the therapeutic response of interstitial pneumonia (IP) associated with systemic sclerosis (SSc) compared with qualitative analysis. Materials and methods: Seventeen patients with IP associated with SSc received autologous peripheral blood stem cell transplantation (auto-PBSCT) and were followed up using HRCT and pulmonary function tests. Two thoracic radiologists assessed the extent of GGO on HRCT using a workstation. Therapeutic effect was assessed using the change of vital capacity (VC) and diffusing capacity of the lung for carbon monoxide (DLco) before and 12 months after PBSCT. Interobserver agreement was assessed using Spearman's rank correlation coefficient and the Bland–Altman method. Correlation with the therapeutic response between quantitative and qualitative analysis was assessed with Pearson's correlation coefficients. Results: Spearman's rank correlation coefficient showed good agreement, but Bland–Altman plots showed that proportional error could be suspected. Quantitative analysis showed stronger correlation than the qualitative analysis based on the relationships between the change in extent of GGO and VC, and change in extent of GGO and DLco. Conclusion: Quantitative analysis of the change in extent of GGO showed stronger correlation with the therapeutic response of IP with SSc after auto-PBSCT than with the qualitative analysis. - Highlights: • Quantitative analysis of GGO in IP showed strong correlation with therapeutic effect. • Qualitative analysis might be limited by interobserver variance. • Other parameters including reticular opacities remain in a future investigation

A report on the extent of radioisotope usage in Malaysia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1983-04-01

A market survey was carried out to study the extent of radioisotope usage in Malaysia. From the survey, the radioisotopes and their activities/quantities that are used in Industry, Medicine and Research were identified. The radioisotopes that are frequently needed or routinely used were also determined and this formed the basis of the recommendations put forward in this report. It is proposed that PUSPATI adopt the concept of a Distribution Centre in order to provide a service to the Malaysian community. (author)

Explaining foreign ownership by comparative and competitive advantage. Empirical evidence.

OpenAIRE

Bellak, Christian

1999-01-01

This paper provides empirical evidence on the determinants of foreign ownership in manufacturing industries. Foreign ownership, according to the theory of international production, is the result of the combination of comparative and competitive advantage. An adequate examination of the ownership structure of an industry requires the ability to establish empirically the extent to which international competitiveness of firms rests on comparative and competitive advantage. Analysis is based on a...

Hospitals with greater diversities of physiologically complex procedures do not achieve greater surgical growth in a market with stable numbers of such procedures.

Science.gov (United States)

Dexter, Franklin; Epstein, Richard H; Lubarsky, David A

2018-05-01

Although having a large diversity of types of procedures has a substantial operational impact on the surgical suites of hospitals, the strategic importance is unknown. In the current study, we used longitudinal data for all hospitals and patient ages in the State of Florida to evaluate whether hospitals with greater diversity of types of physiologically complex major therapeutic procedures (PCMTP) also had greater rates of surgical growth. Observational cohort study. 1479 combinations of hospitals in the State of Florida and fiscal years, 2008-2015. The types of International Classification of Diseases, Ninth revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-9-CM) procedures studied were PCMT, defined as: a) major therapeutic procedure; b) >7 American Society of Anesthesiologists base units; and c) performed during a hospitalization with a Diagnosis Related Group with a mean length of stay ≥4.0days. The number of procedures of each type of PCMTP commonly performed at each hospital was calculated by taking 1/Herfindahl index (i.e., sum of the squares of the proportions of all procedures of each type of PCMTP). Over the 8 successive years studied, there was no change in the number of PCMTP being performed (Kendall's τ b =-0.014±0.017 [standard error], P=0.44; N=1479 hospital×years). Busier and larger hospitals commonly performed more types of PCMTP, respectively categorized based on performed PCMTP (τ=0.606±0.017, P<0.0001) or hospital beds (τ=0.524±0.017, P<0.0001). There was no association between greater diversity of types of PCMTP commonly performed and greater annual growth in numbers of PCMTP (τ=0.002±0.019, P=0.91; N=1295 hospital×years). Conclusions were the same with multiple sensitivity analyses. Post hoc, it was recognized that hospitals performing a greater diversity of PCMTP were more similar to the aggregate of other hospitals within the same health district (τ=0.550±0.017, P<0.0001). During a period with no overall growth in PCMTP, hospitals with

Greater weight loss and hormonal changes after 6 months diet with carbohydrates eaten mostly at dinner.

Science.gov (United States)

Sofer, Sigal; Eliraz, Abraham; Kaplan, Sara; Voet, Hillary; Fink, Gershon; Kima, Tzadok; Madar, Zecharia

2011-10-01

This study was designed to investigate the effect of a low-calorie diet with carbohydrates eaten mostly at dinner on anthropometric, hunger/satiety, biochemical, and inflammatory parameters. Hormonal secretions were also evaluated. Seventy-eight police officers (BMI >30) were randomly assigned to experimental (carbohydrates eaten mostly at dinner) or control weight loss diets for 6 months. On day 0, 7, 90, and 180 blood samples and hunger scores were collected every 4 h from 0800 to 2000 hours. Anthropometric measurements were collected throughout the study. Greater weight loss, abdominal circumference, and body fat mass reductions were observed in the experimental diet in comparison to controls. Hunger scores were lower and greater improvements in fasting glucose, average daily insulin concentrations, and homeostasis model assessment for insulin resistance (HOMA(IR)), T-cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, C-reactive protein (CRP), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), and interleukin-6 (IL-6) levels were observed in comparison to controls. The experimental diet modified daily leptin and adiponectin concentrations compared to those observed at baseline and to a control diet. A simple dietary manipulation of carbohydrate distribution appears to have additional benefits when compared to a conventional weight loss diet in individuals suffering from obesity. It might also be beneficial for individuals suffering from insulin resistance and the metabolic syndrome. Further research is required to confirm and clarify the mechanisms by which this relatively simple diet approach enhances satiety, leads to better anthropometric outcomes, and achieves improved metabolic response, compared to a more conventional dietary approach.

The relation between pain extent and quality-of-life, psychological factors and neck funktion in patients with chronic neck pain

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ris Hansen, Inge; Barbero, Marco; Falla, Deborah

factors and/or decreased function of the involved body parts. Purpose: To study the relation between pain extent with 1) quality of life, 2) kinesiophobia, depression, 3) cervical muscle function and mobility and additionally the relation of pain extent with the origin of pain being traumatic or non...... of Kinesiophobia (TSK), Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-ll), Neck Disability Index (NDI) and clinical tests: Craniocervical Flexion Test (CCFT), Cervical Extension Test (CE), and Cervical Range of Motion (CROM). Results: Significant positive correlations were observed between pain extent and NDI (r = 0.33; p... to the origin being traumatic or non-traumatic. Conclusion: Pain extent extracted from pain drawings are moderately correlated with patient-reported neck function, and weakly correlated with depression, kinesiophobia and cervical clinical tests. In clinical decision-making, pain extent may indicate reduced neck...

Nitrogen speciation and trends, and prediction of denitrification extent, in shallow US groundwater

Science.gov (United States)

Hinkle, Stephen R.; Tesoriero, Anthony J.

2014-01-01

Uncertainties surrounding nitrogen cycling complicate assessments of the environmental effects of nitrogen use and our understanding of the global carbon–nitrogen cycle. In this paper, we synthesize data from 877 ambient-monitoring wells across the US to frame broad patterns of nitrogen speciation and trends. At these sites, groundwater frequently contains substantial co-occurring NO3− and XSN2 (N2 from denitrification), reflecting active/ongoing denitrification and/or a mixture of undenitrified and denitrified groundwater. NO3− and NH4+ essentially do not co-occur, indicating that the dominant source of NH4+ at these sites likely is not dissimilatory reduction of NO3− to NH4+. Positive correlations of NH4+ with apparent age, CH4, dissolved organic carbon, and indicators of reduced conditions are consistent with NH4+ mobilization from degradation of aquifer organic matter and contraindicate an anthropogenic source of NH4+ for most sites. Glacial aquifers and eastern sand and gravel aquifers generally have lower proportions of NO3− and greater proportions of XSN2 than do fractured rock and karst aquifers and western sand and gravel aquifers. NO3− dominates in the youngest groundwater, but XSN2 increases as residence time increases. Temporal patterns of nitrogen speciation and concentration reflect (1) changing NO3− loads over time, (2) groundwater residence-time controls on NH4+ mobilization from solid phases, and (3) groundwater residence-time controls on denitrification. A simple classification tree using readily available variables (a national coverage of soil water depth, generalized geology) or variables reasonably estimated in many aquifers (residence time) identifies categorical denitrification extent (50%) with 79% accuracy in an independent testing set, demonstrating a predictive application based on the interconnected effects of redox, geology, and residence time.

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.

Extent of the Immirzi ambiguity in quantum general relativity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Marugan, Guillermo A Mena

2002-01-01

The Ashtekar-Barbero formulation of general relativity admits a one-parameter family of canonical transformations that preserves the expressions of the Gauss and diffeomorphism constraints. The loop quantization of the connection formalism based on each of these canonical sets leads to different predictions. This phenomenon is called the Immirzi ambiguity. It has been recently argued that this ambiguity could be generalized to the extent of a spatially dependent function instead of a parameter. This would ruin the predictability of loop quantum gravity. We prove that such expectations are not realized, so that the Immirzi ambiguity introduces exclusively a freedom in the choice of a real number. (letter to the editor)

Cold Water Mediates Greater Reductions in Limb Blood Flow than Whole Body Cryotherapy.

Science.gov (United States)

Mawhinney, Chris; Low, David A; Jones, Helen; Green, Daniel J; Costello, Joseph T; Gregson, Warren

2017-06-01

Cold-water immersion (CWI) and whole body cryotherapy (WBC) are widely used recovery methods in an attempt to limit exercise-induced muscle damage, soreness, and functional deficits after strenuous exercise. The aim of this study was to compare the effects of ecologically valid CWI and WBC protocols on postexercise lower limb thermoregulatory, femoral artery, and cutaneous blood flow responses. Ten males completed a continuous cycle exercise protocol at 70% maximal oxygen uptake until a rectal temperature of 38°C was attained. Participants were then exposed to lower-body CWI (8°C) for 10 min, or WBC (-110°C) for 2 min, in a randomized crossover design. Rectal and thigh skin, deep, and superficial muscle temperatures, thigh, and calf skin blood flow (laser Doppler flowmetry), superficial femoral artery blood flow (duplex ultrasound), and arterial blood pressure were measured before, and for 40 min post, cooling interventions. Greater reductions in thigh skin (CWI, -5.9°C ± 1.8°C; WBC, 0.2°C ± 0.5°C; P < 0.001) and superficial (CWI, -4.4°C ± 1.3°C; WBC, -1.8°C ± 1.1°C; P < 0.001) and deep (CWI, -2.9°C ± 0.8°C; WBC, -1.3°C ± 0.6°C; P < 0.001) muscle temperatures occurred immediately after CWI. Decreases in femoral artery conductance were greater after CWI (CWI, -84% ± 11%; WBC, -59% ± 21%, P < 0.02) and thigh (CWI, -80% ± 5%; WBC, -59% ± 14%, P < 0.001), and calf (CWI, -73% ± 13%; WBC, -45% ± 17%, P < 0.001) cutaneous vasoconstriction was greater after CWI. Reductions in rectal temperature were similar between conditions after cooling (CWI, -0.6°C ± 0.4°C; WBC, -0.6°C ± 0.3°C; P = 0.98). Greater reductions in blood flow and tissue temperature were observed after CWI in comparison with WBC. These novel findings have practical and clinical implications for the use of cooling in the recovery from exercise and injury.

Extent of availability and utilization of law reports by law students in ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

This study investigates the extent of availability and utilization of law reports by final year lawstudents in the Universities of Uyo and Calabar law libraries. Survey research design was adopted for the study. A total of 450 under graduate final year Law students projects were examined to determine thefrequencyofcitations of ...

The visual extent of an object: suppose we know the object locations

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Uijlings, J.R.R.; Smeulders, A.W.M.; Scha, R.J.H.

2012-01-01

The visual extent of an object reaches beyond the object itself. This is a long standing fact in psychology and is reflected in image retrieval techniques which aggregate statistics from the whole image in order to identify the object within. However, it is unclear to what degree and how the visual

Sonography of greater trochanteric pain syndrome and the rarity of primary bursitis.

Science.gov (United States)

Long, Suzanne S; Surrey, David E; Nazarian, Levon N

2013-11-01

Greater trochanteric pain syndrome is a common condition with clinical features of pain and tenderness at the lateral aspect of the hip. Diagnosing the origin of greater trochanteric pain is important because the treatment varies depending on the cause. We hypothesized that sonographic evaluation of sources for greater trochanteric pain syndrome would show that bursitis was not the most commonly encountered abnormality. We performed a retrospective review of musculoskeletal sonographic examinations performed at our institution over a 6-year period for greater trochanteric pain syndrome; completed a tabulation of the sonographic findings; and assessed the prevalence of trochanteric bursitis, gluteal tendon abnormalities, iliotibial band abnormalities, or a combination of findings. Prevalence of abnormal findings, associations of bursitis, gluteal tendinosis, gluteal tendon tears, and iliotibial band abnormalities were calculated. The final study population consisted of 877 unique patients: 602 women, 275 men; average age, 54 years; and age range, 15-87 years). Of the 877 patients with greater trochanteric pain, 700 (79.8%) did not have bursitis on ultrasound. A minority of patients (177, 20.2%) had trochanteric bursitis. Of the 877 patients with greater trochanteric pain, 438 (49.9%) had gluteal tendinosis, four (0.5%) had gluteal tendon tears, and 250 (28.5%) had a thickened iliotibial band. The cause of greater trochanteric pain syndrome is usually some combination of pathology involving the gluteus medius and gluteus minimus tendons as well as the iliotibial band. Bursitis is present in only the minority of patients. These findings have implications for treatment of this common condition.

Use of Processed Nerve Allografts to Repair Nerve Injuries Greater Than 25 mm in the Hand.

Science.gov (United States)

Rinker, Brian; Zoldos, Jozef; Weber, Renata V; Ko, Jason; Thayer, Wesley; Greenberg, Jeffrey; Leversedge, Fraser J; Safa, Bauback; Buncke, Gregory

2017-06-01

Processed nerve allografts (PNAs) have been demonstrated to have improved clinical results compared with hollow conduits for reconstruction of digital nerve gaps less than 25 mm; however, the use of PNAs for longer gaps warrants further clinical investigation. Long nerve gaps have been traditionally hard to study because of low incidence. The advent of the RANGER registry, a large, institutional review board-approved, active database for PNA (Avance Nerve Graft; AxoGen, Inc, Alachua, FL) has allowed evaluation of lower incidence subsets. The RANGER database was queried for digital nerve repairs of 25 mm or greater. Demographics, injury, treatment, and functional outcomes were recorded on standardized forms. Patients younger than 18 and those lacking quantitative follow-up data were excluded. Recovery was graded according to the Medical Research Council Classification for sensory function, with meaningful recovery defined as S3 or greater level. Fifty digital nerve injuries in 28 subjects were included. There were 22 male and 6 female subjects, and the mean age was 45. Three patients gave a previous history of diabetes, and there were 6 active smokers. The most commonly reported mechanisms of injury were saw injuries (n = 13), crushing injuries (n = 9), resection of neuroma (n = 9), amputation/avulsions (n = 8), sharp lacerations (n = 7), and blast/gunshots (n = 4). The average gap length was 35 ± 8 mm (range, 25-50 mm). Recovery to the S3 or greater level was reported in 86% of repairs. Static 2-point discrimination (s2PD) and Semmes-Weinstein monofilament (SWF) were the most common completed assessments. Mean s2PD in 24 repairs reporting 2PD data was 9 ± 4 mm. For the 38 repairs with SWF data, protective sensation was reported in 33 repairs, deep pressure in 2, and no recovery in 3. These data compared favorably with historical data for nerve autograft repairs, with reported levels of meaningful recovery of 60% to 88%. There were no reported adverse effects

Greater saphenous vein anomaly and aneurysm with subsequent pulmonary embolism

OpenAIRE

Ma, Truong; Kornbau, Craig

2017-01-01

Abstract Venous aneurysms often present as painful masses. They can present either in the deep or superficial venous system. Deep venous system aneurysms have a greater risk of thromboembolism. Though rare, there have been case reports of superficial aneurysms and thrombus causing significant morbidity such as pulmonary embolism. We present a case of an anomalous greater saphenous vein connection with an aneurysm and thrombus resulting in a pulmonary embolism. This is the only reported case o...

Geo-information for sustainable urban development of Greater Dhaka City, Bangladesh

Science.gov (United States)

Günther, Andreas; Asaduzzaman, Atm; Bahls, Rebecca; Ludwig, Rüdiger; Ashraful Kamal, Mohammad; Nahar Faruqa, Nurun

2015-04-01

Greater Dhaka City (including Dhaka and five adjacent municipal areas) is one of the fastest developing urban regions in the world. Densely build-up areas in the developed metropolitan area of Dhaka City are subject to extensive restructuring as common six-storied buildings are replaced by higher and heavier constructions. Additional stories are built on existing houses, frequently exceeding the allowable bearing pressure on the subsoil as supported by the foundations. In turn, newly developing areas are projected in marshy areas modified by extensive, largely unengineered landfills. In many areas, these terrains bear unfavorable building ground conditions, and reliable geospatial information is a major prerequisite for risk-sensitive urban planning. Within a collaborative technical cooperation project between Bangladesh and Germany, BGR supports GSB in the provision of geo-information for the Capital Development authority (RAJUK). For general urban planning, RAJUK successively develops a detailed area plan (DAP) at scale 1 : 50000 for the whole Greater Dhaka City area. Geospatial information have not been considered in the present DAP. Within the project, GSB prepared a detailed geomorphologic map matching the DAP both in areal extent and scale. The geomorphological setting can be used as an important spatial proxy for the characterization of the subsurface since highly segmented, elevated terraces consisting of consolidated sandy Pliocene deposits overlain by stiff Plio-Pleistocene sediments are sharply bordered by low lying-areas. The floodplain and marsh areas are consisting of thick, mechanically weak Holocene fluvial sandy-silty sediments that are sometimes alternated by organic layers. A first expert-based engineering geological reclassification of the geomorphological map resulting in five building ground suitability classes is highly supported by the spatial analysis of extensive archive borehole information consisting of depth-continuous standard

Pd-nanoparticles cause increased toxicity to kiwifruit pollen compared to soluble Pd(II)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Speranza, Anna; Leopold, Kerstin; Maier, Marina; Taddei, Anna Rita; Scoccianti, Valeria

2010-01-01

In the present study, endpoints including in vitro pollen performance (i.e., germination and tube growth) and lethality were used as assessments of nanotoxicity. Pollen was treated with 5-10 nm-sized Pd particles, similar to those released into the environment by catalytic car exhaust converters. Results showed Pd-nanoparticles altered kiwifruit pollen morphology and entered the grains more rapidly and to a greater extent than soluble Pd(II). At particulate Pd concentrations well below those of soluble Pd(II), pollen grains experienced rapid losses in endogenous calcium and pollen plasma membrane damage was induced. This resulted in severe inhibition and subsequent cessation of pollen tube emergence and elongation at particulate Pd concentrations as low as 0.4 mg L -1 . Particulate Pd emissions related to automobile traffic have been increasing and are accumulating in the environment. This could seriously jeopardize in vivo pollen function, with impacts at an ecosystem level. - Nanoparticulate Pd - which resembles emissions from automobile catalysts - affects pollen to a higher extent than soluble Pd.

Pd-nanoparticles cause increased toxicity to kiwifruit pollen compared to soluble Pd(II)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Speranza, Anna, E-mail: anna.speranza@unibo.i [Dipartimento di Biologia, Universita di Bologna, via Irnerio 42, 40126 Bologna (Italy); Leopold, Kerstin, E-mail: kerstin.leopold@lrz.tu-muenchen.d [Arbeitsgruppe fuer Analytische Chemie, Technische Universitaet Muenchen, Garching (Germany); Maier, Marina, E-mail: marina.maier@ch.tum.d [Arbeitsgruppe fuer Analytische Chemie, Technische Universitaet Muenchen, Garching (Germany); Taddei, Anna Rita, E-mail: artaddei@unitus.i [CIME, Universita della Tuscia, Viterbo (Italy); Scoccianti, Valeria, E-mail: valeria.scoccianti@uniurb.i [Dipartimento di Scienze dell' Uomo, dell' Ambiente e della Natura, Universita di Urbino ' Carlo Bo' , Urbino (Italy)

2010-03-15

In the present study, endpoints including in vitro pollen performance (i.e., germination and tube growth) and lethality were used as assessments of nanotoxicity. Pollen was treated with 5-10 nm-sized Pd particles, similar to those released into the environment by catalytic car exhaust converters. Results showed Pd-nanoparticles altered kiwifruit pollen morphology and entered the grains more rapidly and to a greater extent than soluble Pd(II). At particulate Pd concentrations well below those of soluble Pd(II), pollen grains experienced rapid losses in endogenous calcium and pollen plasma membrane damage was induced. This resulted in severe inhibition and subsequent cessation of pollen tube emergence and elongation at particulate Pd concentrations as low as 0.4 mg L{sup -1}. Particulate Pd emissions related to automobile traffic have been increasing and are accumulating in the environment. This could seriously jeopardize in vivo pollen function, with impacts at an ecosystem level. - Nanoparticulate Pd - which resembles emissions from automobile catalysts - affects pollen to a higher extent than soluble Pd.

The Role of Deposition in Limiting the Hazard Extent of Dense-Gas Plumes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dillon, M B

2008-05-11

Accidents that involve large (multi-ton) releases of toxic industrial chemicals and form dense-gas clouds often yield far fewer fatalities, casualties and environmental effects than standard assessment and emergency response models predict. This modeling study, which considers both dense-gas turbulence suppression and deposition to environmental objects (e.g. buildings), demonstrates that dry deposition to environmental objects may play a significant role in reducing the distance at which adverse impacts occur - particularly under low-wind, stable atmospheric conditions which are often considered to be the worst-case scenario for these types of releases. The degree to which the released chemical sticks to (or reacts with) environmental surfaces is likely a key parameter controlling hazard extents. In all modeled cases, the deposition to vertical surfaces of environmental objects (e.g. building walls) was more efficient in reducing atmospheric chemical concentrations than deposition to the earth's surface. This study suggests that (1) hazard extents may vary widely by release environment (e.g. grasslands vs. suburbia) and release conditions (e.g. sunlight or humidity may change the rate at which chemicals react with a surface) and (2) greenbelts (or similar structures) may dramatically reduce the impacts of large-scale releases. While these results are demonstrated to be qualitatively consistent with the downwind extent of vegetation damage in two chlorine releases, critical knowledge gaps exist and this study provides recommendations for additional experimental studies.

Ecology of greater sage-grouse in the Dakotas

Science.gov (United States)

Christopher C. Swanson

2009-01-01

Greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) populations and the sagebrush (Artemisia spp.) communities that they rely on have dramatically declined from historic levels. Moreover, information regarding sage-grouse annual life-history requirements at the eastern-most extension of sagebrush steppe communities is lacking....

Nesting success and resource selection of Greater Sage-Grouse [chapter 8

Science.gov (United States)

Nicholas W. Kaczor; Kent C. Jensen; Robert W. Klaver; Mark A. Rumble; Katie M. Herman-Brunson; Christopher C. Swanson

2011-01-01

Declines of Greater Sage-Grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) in South Dakota are a concern because further population declines may lead to isolation from populations in Wyoming and Montana. Furthermore, little information exists about reproductive ecology and resource selection of sage grouse on the eastern edge of their distribution. We investigated Greater Sage-Grouse...

Resource selection during brood-rearing by Greater Sage-Grouse [chapter 12

Science.gov (United States)

Nicholas W. Kaczor; Katie M. Herman-Brunson; Kent C. Jensen; Mark A. Rumble; Robert W. Klaver; Christopher C. Swanson

2011-01-01

Understanding population dynamics and resource selection is crucial in developing wildlife resource management plans for sensitive species such as Greater Sage-Grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus). Little is known about sage grouse habitats on the eastern edge of their range. We investigated resource selection of Greater Sage-Grouse during brood- rearing in North and...

Strategic environmental assessment in tourism planning - Extent of application and quality of documentation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Carvalho Lemos, Clara, E-mail: clara@sc.usp.br [Environmental Engineering Science, Engineering School of Sao Carlos, University of Sao Paulo, Av. Trabalhador Saocarlense, 400, Caixa Postal 292, Sao Carlos, Sao Paulo, 13566-590 (Brazil); Fischer, Thomas B., E-mail: fischer@liverpool.ac.uk [Department of Civic Design, University of Liverpool, 74 Bedford Street South, Liverpool, L69 7ZQ (United Kingdom); Pereira Souza, Marcelo, E-mail: mps@usp.br [Environmental Engineering Science, Engineering School of Sao Carlos, University of Sao Paulo, Av. Trabalhador Saocarlense, 400, Caixa Postal 292, Sao Carlos, Sao Paulo, 13566-590 (Brazil)

2012-07-15

Strategic environmental assessment (SEA) has been applied throughout the world in different sectors and in various ways. This paper reports on results of a PhD research on SEA applied to tourism development planning, reflecting the situation in mid-2010. First, the extent of tourism specific SEA application world-wide is established. Then, based on a review of the quality of 10 selected SEA reports, good practice, as well as challenges, trends and opportunities for tourism specific SEA are identified. Shortcomings of SEA in tourism planning are established and implications for future research are outlined. - Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The extent of tourism specific SEA practice is identified. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Selected SEA/Tourism reports are evaluated. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer SEA application to tourism planning is still limited. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer A number of shortcomings can be pointed out.

Factors affecting the extent of utilization of physiotherapy services by physicians in Saudi Arabia

Science.gov (United States)

Alshehri, Mansour Abdullah; Alhasan, Hammad; Alayat, Mohamed; Al-subahi, Moayad; Yaseen, Khalid; Ismail, Ayah; Tobaigy, Abdullah; Almalki, Obaid; Alqahtani, Abdulfattah; Fallata, Basmah

2018-01-01

[Purpose] To investigate physicians’ attitudes, opinions and experiences towards physiotherapy services as well as to identify the potential factors that may affect the extent of utilization of physiotherapy services (based on physicians’ beliefs) in Saudi Arabia (SA). [Subjects and Methods] A cross-sectional study was conducted. [Results] A total of 108 respondents met the inclusion criteria. The respondents’ attitude towards physiotherapy was slightly low (53.5%), while their opinions and experiences of physiotherapy indicated some important issues. For example, 50% of them believed that physiotherapists did not create a good awareness about physiotherapy services and 55.5% admitted that they did not have enough information about physiotherapy services. The most potential factor reported by physicians that may affect the extent of utilization of physiotherapy services was the lack of physiotherapist’s skills and knowledge to assess and treat patients (55.3%), followed by the limited knowledge of physicians regarding the types of physiotherapy services (44.5%) and the lack of cooperation between physicians and physiotherapists (40.7%). [Conclusion] There were some factors that limited the extent of utilization of physiotherapy services in SA. Physiotherapy academics and clinicians should attempt to change physicians’ negative attitudes, promoting awareness to provide them with a better understanding of physiotherapy services. PMID:29545681

Effect of dietary molasses on the site and extent of digestion of ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The aim of this experiment was to determine the site and extent of digestion of nutrients in sheep fed broiler litter alone (100% litter treatment), broiler litter plus 7.5% sugarcane molasses (92.5% litter treatment) and broiler litter plus 15% molasses (85% litter treatment). Voluntary intake was increased by molasses, ...

Efficacy of perfusion cooling of the epidural space and cerebrospinal fluid drainage during repair of extent I and II thoracoabdominal aneurysm.

Science.gov (United States)

Tabayashi, K; Motoyoshi, N; Saiki, Y; Kokubo, H; Takahashi, G; Masuda, S; Shibuya, T; Akasaka, J; Oda, K; Kamata, M; Iguti, A

2008-12-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate spinal cord injury and mortality resulting from repair of extent I and II thoracoabdominal aneurysm. The authors compared patients operated under mild hypothermia with or without epidural perfusion cooling (EPC) and cerebrospinal fluid drainage (CSFD). From 1988 to 2007, 116 patients underwent replacement of the thoracoabdominal aorta; the procedure was performed in 38 patients with the aid of mild hypothermia alone (group A), and in 78 patients with the aid of EPC, mild hypothermia and CSFD (group B). Two catheters for epidural perfusion cooling were inserted in group B, in which one catheter was inserted into the epidural space to infuse chilled saline, and the other was inserted into the subdural space to drain the cerebrospinal fluid and to measure temperature and pressure. There were no significant differences in mean age, etiology of aortic disease, and aneurysm extent between the two groups. There were no significant differences in cardiopulmonary bypass time, the lowest nasopharyngeal temperature and operation time between the two study groups. The incidence of spinal cord injury in group A (16.2%) was significantly higher than in group B (3.8%, P=0.03). Hospital mortality in groups A and B was 10.5% and 2.6%, respectively (P=0.08). There was no significant difference in postoperative complications between the two study groups. The combination of EPC and CSFD was effective in lowering the incidence of postoperative spinal cord injury in the repair of extent I and II thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysm.

Genetic Dissection of the Canq1 Locus Governing Variation in Extent of the Collateral Circulation

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Shiliang; Zhang, Hua; Wiltshire, Tim; Sealock, Robert; Faber, James E.

2012-01-01

Background Native (pre-existing) collaterals are arteriole-to-arteriole anastomoses that interconnect adjacent arterial trees and serve as endogenous bypass vessels that limit tissue injury in ischemic stroke, myocardial infarction, coronary and peripheral artery disease. Their extent (number and diameter) varies widely among mouse strains and healthy humans. We previously identified a major quantitative trait locus on chromosome 7 (Canq1, LOD = 29) responsible for 37% of the heritable variation in collateral extent between C57BL/6 and BALB/c mice. We sought to identify candidate genes in Canq1 responsible for collateral variation in the cerebral pial circulation, a tissue whose strain-dependent variation is shared by similar variation in other tissues. Methods and Findings Collateral extent was intermediate in a recombinant inbred line that splits Canq1 between the C57BL/6 and BALB/c strains. Phenotyping and SNP-mapping of an expanded panel of twenty-one informative inbred strains narrowed the Canq1 locus, and genome-wide linkage analysis of a SWRxSJL-F2 cross confirmed its haplotype structure. Collateral extent, infarct volume after cerebral artery occlusion, bleeding time, and re-bleeding time did not differ in knockout mice for two vascular-related genes located in Canq1, IL4ra and Itgal. Transcript abundance of 6 out of 116 genes within the 95% confidence interval of Canq1 were differentially expressed >2-fold (p-valuecollateral formation. Conclusions These findings refine the Canq1 locus and identify several genes as high-priority candidates important in specifying native collateral formation and its wide variation. PMID:22412848

Postoperative malrotation of humeral shaft fracture after plating compared with intramedullary nailing.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Ying; Wang, Cheng; Wang, Manyi; Huang, Lei; Huang, Qiang

2011-09-01

We supposed difference of rotation alignment of postoperative humeral shaft fracutres between open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF) and intramedullay nailing (IMN) could be identified and the difference might influence the involved shoulder. This study evaluated and compared the extent of malrotation and shoulder function after humeral shaft fractures treated operatively with IMN or ORIF. Fifty humeral shaft fractures were randomly allocated into 2 groups. Group I underwent antegrade IMN and group II underwent ORIF. Malrotation was measured postoperatively by computed tomography scan (CT). Fracture union and functional outcomes were recorded at 12 months. The final analysis comprised 45 patients. Group I had lower functional scores than group II (P shaft fracture. The study can provide baseline data for larger series and longer follow-up periods. Patients who underwent IMN had lower functional scores and a decreased range of motion postoperatively and also had a greater degree of malrotation than the ORIF group, which had none. The degree of malrotation correlated with a decreased range of motion and may possibly be a reason for degenerative arthritis at long-term follow-up. Copyright © 2011 Journal of Shoulder and Elbow Surgery Board of Trustees. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

A randomized, crossover, head-to-head comparison of eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid supplementation to reduce inflammation markers in men and women: the Comparing EPA to DHA (ComparED) Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Allaire, Janie; Couture, Patrick; Leclerc, Myriam; Charest, Amélie; Marin, Johanne; Lépine, Marie-Claude; Talbot, Denis; Tchernof, André; Lamarche, Benoît

2016-08-01

To date, most studies on the anti-inflammatory effects of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) in humans have used a mixture of the 2 fatty acids in various forms and proportions. We compared the effects of EPA supplementation with those of DHA supplementation (re-esterified triacylglycerol; 90% pure) on inflammation markers (primary outcome) and blood lipids (secondary outcome) in men and women at risk of cardiovascular disease. In a double-blind, randomized, crossover, controlled study, healthy men (n = 48) and women (n = 106) with abdominal obesity and low-grade systemic inflammation consumed 3 g/d of the following supplements for periods of 10 wk: 1) EPA (2.7 g/d), 2) DHA (2.7 g/d), and 3) corn oil as a control with each supplementation separated by a 9-wk washout period. Primary analyses assessed the difference in cardiometabolic outcomes between EPA and DHA. Supplementation with DHA compared with supplementation with EPA led to a greater reduction in interleukin-18 (IL-18) (-7.0% ± 2.8% compared with -0.5% ± 3.0%, respectively; P = 0.01) and a greater increase in adiponectin (3.1% ± 1.6% compared with -1.2% ± 1.7%, respectively; P DHA and EPA, changes in CRP (-7.9% ± 5.0% compared with -1.8% ± 6.5%, respectively; P = 0.25), IL-6 (-12.0% ± 7.0% compared with -13.4% ± 7.0%, respectively; P = 0.86), and tumor necrosis factor-α (-14.8% ± 5.1% compared with -7.6% ± 10.2%, respectively; P = 0.63) were NS. DHA compared with EPA led to more pronounced reductions in triglycerides (-13.3% ± 2.3% compared with -11.9% ± 2.2%, respectively; P = 0.005) and the cholesterol:HDL-cholesterol ratio (-2.5% ± 1.3% compared with 0.3% ± 1.1%, respectively; P = 0.006) and greater increases in HDL cholesterol (7.6% ± 1.4% compared with -0.7% ± 1.1%, respectively; P DHA compared with EPA was significant in men but not in women (P-treatment × sex interaction = 0.046). DHA is more effective than EPA in modulating specific markers of inflammation

Patient expectations predict greater pain relief with joint arthroplasty.

Science.gov (United States)

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.

River reach classification for the Greater Mekong Region at high spatial resolution

Science.gov (United States)

Ouellet Dallaire, C.; Lehner, B.

2014-12-01

River classifications have been used in river health and ecological assessments as coarse proxies to represent aquatic biodiversity when comprehensive biological and/or species data is unavailable. Currently there are no river classifications or biological data available in a consistent format for the extent of the Greater Mekong Region (GMR; including the Irrawaddy, the Salween, the Chao Praya, the Mekong and the Red River basins). The current project proposes a new river habitat classification for the region, facilitated by the HydroSHEDS (HYDROlogical SHuttle Elevation Derivatives at multiple Scales) database at 500m pixel resolution. The classification project is based on the Global River Classification framework relying on the creation of multiple sub-classifications based on different disciplines. The resulting classes from the sub-classification are later combined into final classes to create a holistic river reach classification. For the GMR, a final habitat classification was created based on three sub-classifications: a hydrological sub-classification based only on discharge indices (river size and flow variability); a physio-climatic sub-classification based on large scale indices of climate and elevation (biomes, ecoregions and elevation); and a geomorphological sub-classification based on local morphology (presence of floodplains, reach gradient and sand transport). Key variables and thresholds were identified in collaboration with local experts to ensure that regional knowledge was included. The final classification is composed 54 unique final classes based on 3 sub-classifications with less than 15 classes each. The resulting classifications are driven by abiotic variables and do not include biological data, but they represent a state-of-the art product based on best available data (mostly global data). The most common river habitat type is the "dry broadleaf, low gradient, very small river". These classifications could be applied in a wide range of

Comparison of the TIMI and the GRACE risk scores with the extent of coronary artery disease in patients with non-ST-elevation acute coronary syndrome

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mahmood, M.; Achakzai, A.S.; Akhtar, P.; Zaman, K.S.

2013-01-01

Objective: To compare the accuracy of the Global Registry of Acute Coronary Events risk score and the Thrombolysis In Myocardial Infarction risk score in predicting the extent of coronary artery disease in patients with non-ST segment elevation acute coronary syndrome. Methods: The cross-sectional study comprising 406 consecutive patients was conducted at the National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases, Karachi, from August 2010 to March 2011. For all patients, the GRACE and TIMI RS's relevant scores on the two indices were calculated on admission using specified variables. The patients underwent coronary angiography to determine the extent of the disease. A significant level was defined as >70% stenosis in any major epicardial artery or >50% stenosis in the left main coronary artery. SPSS 19 was used for statistical analysis. Results: Both the indices showed good predictive value in identifying the extent of the disease. A Thrombolysis In Myocardial Infarction score >4 and Global Registry of Acute Coronary Events score >133 was significantly associated with 3vessel disease and left main disease, while for the former score <4 and latter score <133 was associated with normal or non-obstructive coronary disease (p<0.01). On comparison of the two risk scores, the discriminatory accuracy of the latter was significantly superior to the former in predicting 2vessel, 3vessel and left main diseases (p<0.05). Conclusion: Although both the indices were helpful in predicting the extent of the disease, the Global Registry showed better performance and was more strongly associated with multi-vessel and left main coronary artery disease. (author)

An Attempt To Estimate The Contribution Of Variability Of Wetland Extent On The Variability Of The Atmospheric Methane Growth Rate In The Years 1993-2000.

Science.gov (United States)

Ringeval, B.; de Noblet-Ducoudre, N.; Prigent, C.; Bousquet, P.

2006-12-01

The atmospheric methane growth rate presents lots of seasonal and year-to-year variations. Large uncertainties still exist in the relative part of differents sources and sinks on these variations. We have considered, in this study, the main natural sources of methane and the supposed main variable source, i.e. wetlands, and tried to simulate the variations of their emissions considering the variability of the wetland extent and of the climate. For this study, we use the methane emission model of Walter et al. (2001) and the quantification of the flooded areas for the years 1993-2000 obtained with a suite of satellite observations by Prigent et al. (2001). The data necessary to the Walter's model are obtained with simulation of a dynamic global vegetation model ORCHIDEE (Krinner et al. (2005)) constrained by the NCC climate data (Ngo-Duc et al. (2005)) and after imposing a water-saturated soil to approach productivity of wetlands. We calculate global annual methane emissions from wetlands to be 400 Tg per year, that is higher than previous results obtained with fixed wetland extent. Simulations are realised to estimate the part of variability in the emissions explained by the variability of the wetland extent. It seems that the year-to-year emission variability is mainly explained by the interannual variability of wetland extent. The seasonnal variability is explained for 75% in the tropics and only for 40% in the north of 30°N by variability of wetlands extend. Finally, we compare results with a top-down approach of Bousquet et al.(2006).

Estimating Global Cropland Extent with Multi-year MODIS Data

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Christopher O. Justice

2010-07-01

Full Text Available This study examines the suitability of 250 m MODIS (MODerate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer data for mapping global cropland extent. A set of 39 multi-year MODIS metrics incorporating four MODIS land bands, NDVI (Normalized Difference Vegetation Index and thermal data was employed to depict cropland phenology over the study period. Sub-pixel training datasets were used to generate a set of global classification tree models using a bagging methodology, resulting in a global per-pixel cropland probability layer. This product was subsequently thresholded to create a discrete cropland/non-cropland indicator map using data from the USDA-FAS (Foreign Agricultural Service Production, Supply and Distribution (PSD database describing per-country acreage of production field crops. Five global land cover products, four of which attempted to map croplands in the context of multiclass land cover classifications, were subsequently used to perform regional evaluations of the global MODIS cropland extent map. The global probability layer was further examined with reference to four principle global food crops: corn, soybeans, wheat and rice. Overall results indicate that the MODIS layer best depicts regions of intensive broadleaf crop production (corn and soybean, both in correspondence with existing maps and in associated high probability matching thresholds. Probability thresholds for wheat-growing regions were lower, while areas of rice production had the lowest associated confidence. Regions absent of agricultural intensification, such as Africa, are poorly characterized regardless of crop type. The results reflect the value of MODIS as a generic global cropland indicator for intensive agriculture production regions, but with little sensitivity in areas of low agricultural intensification. Variability in mapping accuracies between areas dominated by different crop types also points to the desirability of a crop-specific approach rather than attempting

Non-target effects on songbirds from habitat manipulation for Greater Sage-Grouse: Implications for the umbrella species concept

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Carlisle, Jason D.; Chalfoun, Anna D.; Smith, Kurt T.; Beck, Jeffery L.

2018-01-01

The “umbrella species” concept is a conservation strategy in which creating and managing reserve areas to meet the needs of one species is thought to benefit other species indirectly. Broad-scale habitat protections on behalf of an umbrella species are assumed to benefit co-occurring taxa, but targeted management actions to improve local habitat suitability for the umbrella species may produce unintended effects on other species. Our objective was to quantify the effects of a common habitat treatment (mowing of big sagebrush [Artemisia tridentata]) intended to benefit a high-profile umbrella species (Greater Sage-Grouse [Centrocercus urophasianus]) on 3 sympatric songbird species of concern. We used a before–after control-impact experimental design spanning 3 yr in Wyoming, USA, to quantify the effect of mowing on the abundance, nest-site selection, nestling condition, and nest survival of 2 sagebrush-obligate songbirds (Brewer's Sparrow [Spizella breweri] and Sage Thrasher [Oreoscoptes montanus]) and one open-habitat generalist songbird (Vesper Sparrow [Pooecetes gramineus]). Mowing was associated with lower abundance of Brewer's Sparrows and Sage Thrashers but higher abundance of Vesper Sparrows. We found no Brewer's Sparrows or Sage Thrashers nesting in the mowed footprint posttreatment, which suggests complete loss of nesting habitat for these species. Mowing was associated with higher nestling condition and nest survival for Vesper Sparrows but not for the sagebrush-obligate species. Management prescriptions that remove woody biomass within a mosaic of intact habitat may be tolerated by sagebrush-obligate songbirds but are likely more beneficial for open-habitat generalist species. By definition, umbrella species conservation entails habitat protections at broad spatial scales. We caution that habitat manipulations to benefit Greater Sage-Grouse could negatively affect nontarget species of conservation concern if implemented across large spatial extents.

Trans-eyebrow supraorbital approach in large suprasellar craniopharyngioma surgery in adults: analysis of optic nerve length and extent of tumor resection. Original article.

Science.gov (United States)

Prat, Ricardo; Galeano, Inma; Evangelista, Rocío; Pancucci, Giovanni; Guarín, Juliana; Ayuso, Angel; Misra, Mukesh

2017-05-01

One of the main drawbacks in the surgery of large craniopharyngiomas is the presence of a prefixed optic chiasm. Our main objective in this study is to compare the predictive value of the optic nerve length and optic chiasm location on large craniopharyngiomas' extent of resection. We retrospectively studied 21 consecutive patients with large craniopharyngiomas who underwent tumor resection through the trans-eyebrow supraorbital approach. Clinical and radiological findings on preoperative MRI were recorded, including the optic chiasm location classified as prefixed, postfixed or normal. We registered the optic nerve length measured intraoperatively prior to tumor removal and confirmed the measurements on preoperative MRI. Using a linear regression model, we calculated a prediction formula of the percentage of the extent of resection as a function of optic nerve length. On preoperative MRI, 15 patients were considered to have an optic chiasm in a normal location, 3 cases had a prefixed chiasm, and the remaining 3 had a postfixed chiasm. In the group with normal optic chiasm location, a wide range of percentage of extent of resection was observed (75-100%). The percentage of extent of resection of large craniopharyngiomas was observed to be dependent on the optic nerve length in a linear regression model (p < 0.0001). According to this model in the normal optic chiasm location group, we obtained an 87% resection in 9-mm optic nerve length patients, a 90.5% resection in 10-mm optic nerve length patients and 100% resection in 11-mm optic nerve length patients. Optic chiasm location provides useful information to predict the percentage of resection in both prefixed and postfixed chiasm patients but not in the normal optic chiasm location group. Optic nerve length was proven to provide a more accurate way to predict the percentage of resection than the optic chiasm location in the normal optic chiasm location group.

Defining greater-than-class-C low-level radioactive waste

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Knecht, M.A.; Oztunali, O.I.

1986-01-01

The Low-Level Radioactive Waste Policy Amendments Act of 1985 (LLRWPAA) was signed by President Reagan on January 15, 1986. This act requires the federal government to be responsible for the disposal of greater-than-class-C low-level radioactive waste (LLRW) that is generated commercially by state agencies and by federal entities (other than waste generated by atomic weapons research, development, or testing, or by decommissioning of vessels of the nuclear navy). To plan for disposal, the federal government will require estimates of the volume of waste involved and characterization of this waste. A clear definition of greater-than-class-C LLRW is the first step in determining what wastes will be included in the waste to be received by the federal government. This definition will influence major policy decisions to be made for management of such waste. The purpose of this paper is to examine the existing information on greater-than-class-C LLRW in view of the current definition of such waste and potential changes in this definition - for example, an upper limit on the concentrations of radionuclides in LLRW. The paper identifies further information needs to develop a clear definition of such waste for use in federal planning for acceptance of responsibility for disposal of such waste

Job-Sharing at the Greater Victoria Public Library.

Science.gov (United States)

Miller, Don

1978-01-01

Describes the problems associated with the management of part-time library employees and some solutions afforded by a job sharing arrangement in use at the Greater Victoria Public Library. This is a voluntary work arrangement, changing formerly full-time positions into multiple part-time positions. (JVP)

Equating spatial summation in visual field testing reveals greater loss in optic nerve disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Kalloniatis, Michael; Khuu, Sieu K

2016-07-01

To test the hypothesis that visual field assessment in ocular disease measured with target stimuli within or close to complete spatial summation results in larger threshold elevation compared to when measured with the standard Goldmann III target size. The hypothesis predicts a greater loss will be identified in ocular disease. Additionally, we sought to develop a theoretical framework that would allow comparisons of thresholds with disease progression when using different Goldmann targets. The Humphrey Field Analyser (HFA) 30-2 grid was used in 13 patients with early/established optic nerve disease using the current Goldmann III target size or a combination of the three smallest stimuli (target size I, II and III). We used data from control subjects at each of the visual field locations for the different target sizes to establish the number of failed points (events) for the patients with optic nerve disease, as well as global indices for mean deviation (MD) and pattern standard deviation (PSD). The 30-2 visual field testing using alternate target size stimuli showed that all 13 patients displayed more defects (events) compared to the standard Goldmann III target size. The median increase for events was seven additional failed points: (range 1-26). The global indices also increased when the new testing approach was used (MD -3.47 to -6.25 dB and PSD 4.32 to 6.63 dB). Spatial summation mapping showed an increase in critical area (Ac) in disease and overall increase in thresholds when smaller target stimuli were used. When compared to the current Goldmann III paradigm, the use of alternate sized targets within the 30-2 testing protocol revealed a greater loss in patients with optic nerve disease for both event analysis and global indices (MD and PSD). We therefore provide evidence in a clinical setting that target size is important in visual field testing. © 2016 The Authors Ophthalmic & Physiological Optics © 2016 The College of Optometrists.

Bacterial profiling of White Plague Disease in a comparative coral species framework.

KAUST Repository

Roder, Cornelia; Arif, Chatchanit; Bayer, Till; Aranda, Manuel; Daniels, Camille Arian; Shibl, Ahmed A.; Chavanich, Suchana; Voolstra, Christian R.

2014-01-01

agents, hosts and vectors. It is known that compromised health in corals is correlated with shifts in bacterial assemblages colonizing coral mucus and tissue. However, general disease patterns remain, to a large extent, ambiguous as comparative studies

Assessment of water quality for the determination of extent of pollution in Malir river

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bano, F.; Rizvi, S.N.; Farooq, S.

2009-01-01

Karachi is the most industrially developed and populous city of Pakistan. A big part of its basin is occupied by alluvial of Malir River which is basically a seasonal river but becomes perennial within the limits of Karachi due to the continuous flow of untreated sewage and industrial effluents through its basin into the Arabian Sea. The data obtained during this study shows that the most down stream parts of the river are grossly polluted due to the inclusion of sewage and industrial wastes. Present data shows that pollution has not only deteriorated the pristine conditions of this river but it is also causing pollution in Arabian Sea where river finally falls. The data shows increasing trend of nutrients concentration and turbidity from 1994 to 1996. This study provides the base line data and reflects the quality of water in Malir River in middle 1990's. This data can be used to study the extent of pollution in Malir river by comparing it to the recent data (if available) on Malir river. (author)

Serum ox-LDL Level is Reduced with the Extent of Stenosis in Coronary Arteries

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mohammad Najafi

2013-05-01

Full Text Available Oxidized LDL (ox-LDL lipoproteins are proposed as important modified particles triggering pro-inflammatory events through receptor-mediated pathways. We evaluated the circulating ox-LDL level on the concept that the chronic immune events may affect ox-LDL clearance as the vessel stenosis develops in coronary arteries. One hundred sixty five subjects underwent coronary angiography and then, subdivided into four subgroups controls (n=85; SVD, 2VD and 3VD (n=80. The serum ox-LDL level and other biochemical parameters were measured using ELISA method and routine laboratory techniques, respectively. The serum ox-LDL level in the control group (4.81±1.41 mU/mg was significantly higher than patients (4.28±1.73 mU/mg, P<0.05. The ox-LDL/LDL ratio was conversely reduced with the extent of stenosis as compared with the controls (P<0.05. Furthermore, no difference was observed in the ox-LDL/LDL ratio between the 2VD and 3VD patients. We suggested the atherosclerosis process increases the total clearing capacities of the circulating ox-LDL particles.

Antimicrobial Peptide Potency is Facilitated by Greater Conformational Flexibility when Binding to Gram-negative Bacterial Inner Membranes

Science.gov (United States)

Amos, Sarah-Beth T. A.; Vermeer, Louic S.; Ferguson, Philip M.; Kozlowska, Justyna; Davy, Matthew; Bui, Tam T.; Drake, Alex F.; Lorenz, Christian D.; Mason, A. James

2016-11-01

The interaction of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) with the inner membrane of Gram-negative bacteria is a key determinant of their abilities to exert diverse bactericidal effects. Here we present a molecular level understanding of the initial target membrane interaction for two cationic α-helical AMPs that share structural similarities but have a ten-fold difference in antibacterial potency towards Gram-negative bacteria. The binding and insertion from solution of pleurocidin or magainin 2 to membranes representing the inner membrane of Gram-negative bacteria, comprising a mixture of 128 anionic and 384 zwitterionic lipids, is monitored over 100 ns in all atom molecular dynamics simulations. The effects of the membrane interaction on both the peptide and lipid constituents are considered and compared with new and published experimental data obtained in the steady state. While both magainin 2 and pleurocidin are capable of disrupting bacterial membranes, the greater potency of pleurocidin is linked to its ability to penetrate within the bacterial cell. We show that pleurocidin displays much greater conformational flexibility when compared with magainin 2, resists self-association at the membrane surface and penetrates further into the hydrophobic core of the lipid bilayer. Conformational flexibility is therefore revealed as a key feature required of apparently α-helical cationic AMPs for enhanced antibacterial potency.

Hamstring Injuries in Professional Soccer Players: Extent of MRI-Detected Edema and the Time to Return to Play.

Science.gov (United States)

Crema, Michel D; Godoy, Ivan R B; Abdalla, Rene J; de Aquino, Jose Sanchez; Ingham, Sheila J McNeill; Skaf, Abdalla Y

Discrepancies exist in the literature regarding the association of the extent of injuries assessed on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with recovery times. MRI-detected edema in grade 1 hamstring injuries does not affect the return to play (RTP). Retrospective cohort study. Level 4. Grade 1 hamstring injuries from 22 professional soccer players were retrospectively reviewed. The extent of edema-like changes on fluid-sensitive sequences from 1.5-T MRI were evaluated using craniocaudal length, percentage of cross-sectional area, and volume. The time needed to RTP was the outcome. Negative binomial regression analysis tested the measurements of MRI-detected edema-like changes as prognostic factors. The mean craniocaudal length was 7.6 cm (SD, 4.9 cm; range, 0.9-19.1 cm), the mean percentage of cross-sectional area was 23.6% (SD, 20%; range, 4.4%-89.6%), and the mean volume was 33.1 cm 3 (SD, 42.6 cm 3 ; range, 1.1-161.3 cm 3 ). The mean time needed to RTP was 13.6 days (SD, 8.9 days; range, 3-32 days). None of the parameters of extent was associated with RTP. The extent of MRI edema in hamstring injuries does not have prognostic value. Measuring the extent of edema in hamstring injuries using MRI does not add prognostic value in clinical practice.

The extent of permafrost in China during the local Last Glacial Maximum (LLGM)

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Zhao, L.; Jin, H.; Li, C.; Cui, Z.; Chang, X.; Marchenko, S.S.; Vandenberghe, J.; Zhang, T.; Luo, D.; Liu, G.; Yi, C.

2014-01-01

Recent investigations into relict periglacial phenomena in northern and western China and on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau provide information for delineating the extent of permafrost in China during the Late Pleistocene. Polygonal and wedge-shaped structures indicate that, during the local Last Glacial

Landscape characteristics influencing the genetic structure of greater sage-grouse within the stronghold of their range: a holistic modeling approach

Science.gov (United States)

Row, Jeff R; Oyler-McCance, Sara J.; Fike, Jennifer; O'Donnell, Michael; Doherty, Kevin E.; Aldridge, Cameron L.; Bowen, Zachary H.; Fedy, Brad C.

2015-01-01

Given the significance of animal dispersal to population dynamics and geographic variability, understanding how dispersal is impacted by landscape patterns has major ecological and conservation importance. Speaking to the importance of dispersal, the use of linear mixed models to compare genetic differentiation with pairwise resistance derived from landscape resistance surfaces has presented new opportunities to disentangle the menagerie of factors behind effective dispersal across a given landscape. Here, we combine these approaches with novel resistance surface parameterization to determine how the distribution of high- and low-quality seasonal habitat and individual landscape components shape patterns of gene flow for the greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) across Wyoming. We found that pairwise resistance derived from the distribution of low-quality nesting and winter, but not summer, seasonal habitat had the strongest correlation with genetic differentiation. Although the patterns were not as strong as with habitat distribution, multivariate models with sagebrush cover and landscape ruggedness or forest cover and ruggedness similarly had a much stronger fit with genetic differentiation than an undifferentiated landscape. In most cases, landscape resistance surfaces transformed with 17.33-km-diameter moving windows were preferred, suggesting small-scale differences in habitat were unimportant at this large spatial extent. Despite the emergence of these overall patterns, there were differences in the selection of top models depending on the model selection criteria, suggesting research into the most appropriate criteria for landscape genetics is required. Overall, our results highlight the importance of differences in seasonal habitat preferences to patterns of gene flow and suggest the combination of habitat suitability modeling and linear mixed models with our resistance parameterization is a powerful approach to discerning the effects of landscape

Women at greater risk of HIV infection.

Science.gov (United States)

Mahathir, M

1997-04-01

Although many people believe that mainly men get infected with HIV/AIDS, women are actually getting infected at a faster rate than men, especially in developing countries, and suffer more from the adverse impact of AIDS. As of mid-1996, the Joint UN Program on AIDS estimated that more than 10 million of the 25 million adults infected with HIV since the beginning of the epidemic are women. The proportion of HIV-positive women is growing, with almost half of the 7500 new infections daily occurring among women. 90% of HIV-positive women live in a developing country. In Asia-Pacific, 1.4 million women have been infected with HIV out of an estimated total 3.08 million adults from the late 1970s until late 1994. Biologically, women are more vulnerable than men to infection because of the greater mucus area exposed to HIV during penile penetration. Women under age 17 years are at even greater risk because they have an underdeveloped cervix and low vaginal mucus production. Concurrent sexually transmitted diseases increase the risk of HIV transmission. Women's risk is also related to their exposure to gender inequalities in society. The social and economic pressures of poverty exacerbate women's risk. Prevention programs are discussed.

The effect of dosing regimen on the pharmacokinetics of risedronate

Science.gov (United States)

Mitchell, David Y; Heise, Mark A; Pallone, Karen A; Clay, Marian E; Nesbitt, John D; Russell, Darrell A; Melson, Chad W

1999-01-01

Aims To examine the effect of timing of a risedronate dose relative to food intake on the rate and extent of risedronate absorption following single-dose, oral administration to healthy male and female volunteers. Methods A single-dose, randomized, parallel study design was conducted with volunteers assigned to four treatment groups (31 or 32 subjects per group, 127 subjects total). Each subject was orally administered 30 mg risedronate. Group 1 was fasted for 10 h prior to and 4 h after dosing (fasted group); Groups 2 and 3 were fasted for 10 h and were dosed 1 and 0.5 h, respectively, before a high-fat breakfast; and Group 4 was dosed 2 h after a standard dinner. Blood and urine samples were collected for 168 h after dosing. Pharmacokinetic parameters were estimated by simultaneous analysis of risedronate serum concentration and urinary excretion rate-time data. Results Extent of risedronate absorption (AUC and Ae) was comparable (P = 0.4) in subjects dosed 2 h after dinner and 0.5 h before breakfast; however, a significantly greater extent of absorption occurred when risedronate was given 1 or 4 h prior to a meal (1.4- to 2.3-fold greater). Administration 0.5, 1, or 4 h prior to a meal resulted in a significantly greater rate of absorption (Cmax 2.8-, 3.5-, and 4.1-fold greater, respectively) when compared with 2 h after dinner. Conclusions The comparable extent of risedronate absorption when administered either 0.5–1 h before breakfast or 2 h after an evening meal support previous clinical studies where risedronate was found to have similar effectiveness using these dosing regimens. This flexibility in the timing of risedronate administration may provide patients an alternative means to achieve the desired efficacy while maintaining their normal daily routine. PMID:10583024

A statistical intercomparison between "urban" and "rural" precipitation chemistry data from greater Manchester and two nearby secondary national network sites in the United Kingdom

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, David S.; Longhurst, James W. S.

Precipitation chemistry data from a dense urban monitoring network in Greater Manchester, northwest England, were compared with interpolated values from the U.K. secondary national acid deposition monitoring network for the year 1988. Differences were found to be small. However, when data from individual sites from the Greater Manchester network were compared with data from the two nearest secondary national network sites, significant differences were found using simple and complex statistical analyses. Precipitation chemistry at rural sites could be similar to that at urban sites, but the sources of some ions were thought to be different. The synoptic-scale gradients of precipitation chemistry, as shown by the secondary national network, also accounted for some of the differences.

Modelling the emerging pollutant diclofenac with the GREAT-ER model: Application to the Llobregat River Basin

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aldekoa, Joana; Medici, Chiara; Osorio, Victoria; Pérez, Sandra; Marcé, Rafael; Barceló, Damià; Francés, Félix

2013-01-01

Highlights: • Diclofenac levels were measured in 14 sampling sites of the Llobregat River (Spain). • GREAT-ER model was used to simulate diclofenac concentrations in the Llobregat River. • Deterministic and stochastic modelling approaches were contrasted. • Diclofenac discharge into the basin was estimated for the studied period. • Consistent degradation rates were predicted and compared with literature values. -- Abstract: The present research aims at giving an insight into the increasingly important issue of water pollution due to emerging contaminants. In particular, the source and fate of the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug diclofenac have been analyzed at catchment scale for the Llobregat River in Catalonia (Spain). In fact, water from the Llobregat River is used to supply a significant part of the Metropolitan Area of Barcelona. At the same time, 59 wastewater treatment plants discharge into this basin. GREAT-ER model has been implemented in this basin in order to reproduce a static balance for this pollutant for two field campaigns data set. The results highlighted the ability of GREAT-ER to simulate the diclofenac concentrations in the Llobregat Catchment; however, this study also pointed out the urgent need for longer time series of observed data and a better knowledge of wastewater plants outputs and their parameterization in order to obtain more reliable results

Modelling the emerging pollutant diclofenac with the GREAT-ER model: Application to the Llobregat River Basin

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Aldekoa, Joana, E-mail: joaalma2@cam.upv.es [Universitat Politècnica de València, Camino de Vera s/n, 46022 Valencia (Spain); Medici, Chiara [Universitat Politècnica de València, Camino de Vera s/n, 46022 Valencia (Spain); Osorio, Victoria; Pérez, Sandra [Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Research, Jordi Girona 18-26, 08034 Barcelona (Spain); Marcé, Rafael [Catalan Institute for Water Research, Emili Grahit 101, 17003 Girona (Spain); Barceló, Damià [Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Research, Jordi Girona 18-26, 08034 Barcelona (Spain); Francés, Félix [Universitat Politècnica de València, Camino de Vera s/n, 46022 Valencia (Spain)

2013-12-15

Highlights: • Diclofenac levels were measured in 14 sampling sites of the Llobregat River (Spain). • GREAT-ER model was used to simulate diclofenac concentrations in the Llobregat River. • Deterministic and stochastic modelling approaches were contrasted. • Diclofenac discharge into the basin was estimated for the studied period. • Consistent degradation rates were predicted and compared with literature values. -- Abstract: The present research aims at giving an insight into the increasingly important issue of water pollution due to emerging contaminants. In particular, the source and fate of the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug diclofenac have been analyzed at catchment scale for the Llobregat River in Catalonia (Spain). In fact, water from the Llobregat River is used to supply a significant part of the Metropolitan Area of Barcelona. At the same time, 59 wastewater treatment plants discharge into this basin. GREAT-ER model has been implemented in this basin in order to reproduce a static balance for this pollutant for two field campaigns data set. The results highlighted the ability of GREAT-ER to simulate the diclofenac concentrations in the Llobregat Catchment; however, this study also pointed out the urgent need for longer time series of observed data and a better knowledge of wastewater plants outputs and their parameterization in order to obtain more reliable results.

Extent of Head Teachers' Utilization of Innovative Sources of Funding Primary Schools in Enugu State of Nigeria

Science.gov (United States)

Amogechukwu, Eze Thecla; Unoma, Chidobi Roseline

2017-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the extent Head teachers utilize innovative sources of funding primary schools in Enugu State of Nigeria. Descriptive survey design was employed to examine the extent head teachers utilize innovative sources of funding primary schools in Enugu State. Data were collected through a 14-item questionnaire…

Overview of Milestone E activities, greater confinement than shallow land burial

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mezga, L.J.

1981-01-01

In summary, the objective of Milestone E is to provide the technology and documentation needed to open a site providing greater confinement than shallow land burial. To that end, ORNL has prepared a technical position paper defining greater confinement disposal, options for achieving it, and the need for this disposal technology. In order to meet the objective of the milestones, the LLWMP evaluated the full range of options to shallow land burial and decided to focus on a combination of greater depth solidification containment and engineered barriers. The program identified a series of research needs and then focused program efforts on resolving those needs. These tasks are proceeding on schedule at this time but budget reductions may have an impact on our ability to maintain the schedule

RANGELAND DEGRADATION: EXTENT, IMPACTS, AND ALTERNATIVE RESTORATION TECHNIQUES IN THE RANGELANDS OF ETHIOPIA

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mohammed Mussa Abdulahi

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Rangeland degradation remains a serious impediment to improve pastoral livelihoods in the lowlands of Ethiopia. This review paper presents an overview of the extent of rangeland degradation, explores its drivers, discusses the potential impacts of rangeland degradation and also suggests alternative rangeland restoration techniques. It is intended to serve as an exploratory tool for ensuing more detailed quantitative analyses to support policy and investment programs to address rangeland degradation in Ethiopia. The extent of rangeland degradation increases with time, and the productivity of rangelands are losing if not given due attention. The major drivers leading to rangeland degradation includes climate change, overgrazing, bush encroachment, population pressure, drought, and government policy, encroachment of rain fed agriculture and decline of traditional resource management institution. Degradation of rangeland has resulted in substantial declines in rangeland condition, water potential, soil status, and animal performance, livestock holding at the household level and community become destitute. Another consequence of rangeland degradation is linked to food insecurity, poverty to the extent of food aid, expansion of aridity and the need for alternative livelihood and income diversification. Moreover, it has increasingly become a threat to the pastoral production systems, and has contributed towards increases in poverty and tribal conflicts over grazing land and water resources. In spite of these impacts, the adoption of alternative restoration techniques in the country is highly insufficient. To address rangeland degradation problems, there is a strong need to substantially increase the investments and strengthen the policy support for sustainable land management.

Comparing micro-evidence on rent sharing from two different econometric models

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Dobbelaere, Sabien; Mairesse, Jacques

The extent to which employers share rents with their employees is typically assessed by estimating the responsiveness of workers’ wages on firms’ ability to pay. This paper compares rent-sharing estimates using such a wage determination regression with estimates based on a productivity regression

A curve fitting approach to estimate the extent of fermentation of indigestible carbohydrates

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Wang, H.; Weening, D.; Jonkers, E.; Boer, T.; Stellaard, F.; Small, A. C.; Preston, T.; Vonk, R. J.; Priebe, M. G.

Background Information about the extent of carbohydrate digestion and fermentation is critical to our ability to explore the metabolic effects of carbohydrate fermentation in vivo. We used cooked (13)C-labelled barley kernels, which are rich in indigestible carbohydrates, to develop a method which

A curve fitting approach to estimate the extent of fermentation of indigestible carbohydrates

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Wang, H.; Weening, D.; Jonkers, E.; Boer, T.; Stellaard, F.; Small, A. C.; Preston, T.; Vonk, R. J.; Priebe, M. G.

2008-01-01

Background Information about the extent of carbohydrate digestion and fermentation is critical to our ability to explore the metabolic effects of carbohydrate fermentation in vivo. We used cooked (13)C-labelled barley kernels, which are rich in indigestible carbohydrates, to develop a method which

Type and extent of trans-disciplinary co-operation to improve food security, health and household environment in low and middle income countries: systematic review

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Santosh Gaihre

2016-10-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Although linkages have been found between agricultural interventions and nutritional health, and the development of clean fuels and improved solid fuel stoves in reducing household air pollution and adverse health effects, the extent of the potential of combined household interventions to improve health, nutrition and the environment has not been investigated. A systematic review was conducted to identify the extent and type of community-based agricultural and household interventions aimed at improving food security, health and the household environment in low and middle income countries. Methods A systematic search of Ovid MEDLINE, PUBMED, EMBASE and SCOPUS databases was performed. Key search words were generated reflecting the “participants, interventions, comparators, outcomes and study design” approach and a comprehensive search strategy was developed following “Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses” recommendations. Any community-based agricultural and/or household interventions were eligible for inclusion if the focus was to improve at least one of the outcome measures of interest. All relevant study designs employing any of these interventions (alone/in combination were included if conducted in Low and middle income countries. Review articles, and clinical and occupational studies were excluded. Results A total of 123 studies were included and grouped into four intervention domains; agricultural (n = 27, air quality (n = 34, water quality (n = 32, and nutritional (n = 30. Most studies were conducted in Asia (39.2 % or Africa (34.6 % with the remaining 26.1 % in Latin America. Very few studies (n = 11 combined interventions across more than one domain. The majority of agricultural and nutritional studies were conducted in Africa and Asia, whereas the majority of interventions to improve household air quality were conducted in Latin America. Conclusions It is

The accuracy of computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging in evaluating the extent of endometrial carcinoma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Takahashi, Koichi; Yoshioka, Masuo; Kosuge, Hiroaki; Iizuka, Yoshihiro; Musha, Terunaga; Yamauchi, Itaru; Yoshimura, Yasunori; Nakamura, Yukio

1995-01-01

The present study was designed to determine the accuracy of Computed Tomography (CT) and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) in evaluating the extent of the tumor in 36 patients with endometrial carcinoma. The CT and MRI findings were compared with the microscopic pathologic characteristics in all cases. Linear regression analysis for measurements of residual normal myometrium revealed significant positive correlations (p<0.001) between MRI (r=0.861) and CT (r=0.826) findings and pathologic evaluation. Thirty-six patients were divided into two groups according to our previous CT and MRI criteria: the superficial myometrial invasion group and advanced tumor group. In MRI findings, higher incidences of deep (≥1/2) myometrial invasion (p<0.001), vessel permeation (p<0.05) and cervical involvement (p<0.05) were observed in the advanced group. In CT findings, deep myometrial invasion (p<0.001) was observed in the advanced group. The incidence of extrauterine extension of the tumor did not differ significantly between CT and MRI findings. The accuracy figures for cervical involvement evaluated by CT and MRI were 83%, and 86%, respectively. In four of 6 patients, in whom an intact Junctional zone (j-zone) was detected by MRI, the tumor was localized in the endometrium. The remaining 2 patients had only superficial myometrial invasion histologically. In all 16 patients, in whom the j-zone was interrupted in MRI findings, myometrial invasion was confirmed pathologically. In conclusion, the present study demonstrates that the overall accuracy of MRI staging in patients with endometrial carcinoma is 61.1%, and CT, as well as MRI, is effective preoperatively in evaluating the extent of the tumor. (author)

Distinct pharmacology and metabolism of K2 synthetic cannabinoids compared to Δ9-THC: Mechanism underlying greater toxicity?

Science.gov (United States)

Fantegrossi, William E.; Moran, Jeffery H.; Radominska-Pandya, Anna; Prather, Paul L.

2013-01-01

K2 or Spice products are emerging drugs of abuse that contain synthetic cannabinoids (SCBs). Although assumed by many teens and first time drug users to be a “safe” and “legal” alternative to marijuana, many recent reports indicate that SCBs present in K2 produce toxicity not associated with the primary psychoactive component of marijuana, Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ9-THC). This mini-review will summarize recent evidence that use of K2 products poses greater health risks relative to marijuana, and suggest that distinct pharmacological properties and metabolism of SCBs relative to Δ9-THC may contribute to the observed toxicity. Studies reviewed will indicate that in contrast to partial agonist properties of Δ9-THC typically observed in vitro, SCBs in K2 products act as full cannabinoid receptor type 1 (CB1R) and type 2 (CB2R) agonists in both cellular assays and animal studies. Furthermore, unlike Δ9-THC metabolism, several SCB metabolites retain high affinity for, and exhibit a range of intrinsic activities at, CB1 and CB2Rs. Finally, several reports indicate that although quasi-legal SCBs initially evaded detection and legal consequences, these presumed “advantages” have been limited by new legislation and development of product and human testing capabilities. Collectively, evidence reported in this mini-review suggests that K2 products are neither safe nor legal alternatives to marijuana. Instead, enhanced toxicity of K2 products relative to marijuana, perhaps resulting from the combined actions of a complex mixture of different SCBs present and their active metabolites that retain high affinity for CB1 and CB2Rs, highlights the inherent danger that may accompany use of these substances. PMID:24084047

Distinct pharmacology and metabolism of K2 synthetic cannabinoids compared to Δ(9)-THC: mechanism underlying greater toxicity?

Science.gov (United States)

Fantegrossi, William E; Moran, Jeffery H; Radominska-Pandya, Anna; Prather, Paul L

2014-02-27

K2 or Spice products are emerging drugs of abuse that contain synthetic cannabinoids (SCBs). Although assumed by many teens and first time drug users to be a "safe" and "legal" alternative to marijuana, many recent reports indicate that SCBs present in K2 produce toxicity not associated with the primary psychoactive component of marijuana, ∆(9)-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ(9)-THC). This mini-review will summarize recent evidence that use of K2 products poses greater health risks relative to marijuana, and suggest that distinct pharmacological properties and metabolism of SCBs relative to Δ(9)-THC may contribute to the observed toxicity. Studies reviewed will indicate that in contrast to partial agonist properties of Δ(9)-THC typically observed in vitro, SCBs in K2 products act as full cannabinoid receptor type 1 (CB1R) and type 2 (CB2R) agonists in both cellular assays and animal studies. Furthermore, unlike Δ(9)-THC metabolism, several SCB metabolites retain high affinity for, and exhibit a range of intrinsic activities at, CB1 and CB2Rs. Finally, several reports indicate that although quasi-legal SCBs initially evaded detection and legal consequences, these presumed "advantages" have been limited by new legislation and development of product and human testing capabilities. Collectively, evidence reported in this mini-review suggests that K2 products are neither safe nor legal alternatives to marijuana. Instead, enhanced toxicity of K2 products relative to marijuana, perhaps resulting from the combined actions of a complex mixture of different SCBs present and their active metabolites that retain high affinity for CB1 and CB2Rs, highlights the inherent danger that may accompany use of these substances. © 2013.

Optical coherence tomography to evaluate variance in the extent of carious lesions in depth.

Science.gov (United States)

Park, Kyung-Jin; Schneider, Hartmut; Ziebolz, Dirk; Krause, Felix; Haak, Rainer

2018-05-03

Evaluation of variance in the extent of carious lesions in depth at smooth surfaces within the same ICDAS code group using optical coherence tomography (OCT) in vitro and in vivo. (1) Verification/validation of OCT to assess non-cavitated caries: 13 human molars with ICDAS code 2 at smooth surfaces were imaged using OCT and light microscopy. Regions of interest (ROI) were categorized according to the depth of carious lesions. Agreement between histology and OCT was determined by unweighted Cohen's Kappa and Wilcoxon test. (2) Assessment of 133 smooth surfaces using ICDAS and OCT in vitro, 49 surfaces in vivo. ROI were categorized according to the caries extent (ICDAS: codes 0-4, OCT: scoring based on lesion depth). A frequency distribution of the OCT scores for each ICDAS code was determined. (1) Histology and OCT agreed moderately (κ = 0.54, p ≤ 0.001) with no significant difference between both methods (p = 0.25). The lesions (76.9% (10 of 13)) _were equally scored. (2) In vitro, OCT revealed caries in 42% of ROI clinically assessed as sound. OCT detected dentin-caries in 40% of ROIs visually assessed as enamel-caries. In vivo, large differences between ICDAS and OCT were observed. Carious lesions of ICDAS codes 1 and 2 vary largely in their extent in depth.

Role of extent of resection on quality of life in patients with newly diagnosed GBM.

Science.gov (United States)

Choudry, Usama Khalid; Shaikh, Huzaifa Ismail; Nisar, Areeba; Khan, Saad Akhtar; Shamim, Muhammad Shahzad

2018-01-01

Glioblastomas known for their adverse outcomes are most reportedly managed by surgical resection. Studies on the impact of (Extent of Resection) EOR against Quality of Life (QOL) are very limited. We have collected data from recent studies in this review to extract a general consensus among the neurosurgeons regarding the EOR. Key parameters like functional independence, neurocognitive improvements and global health status have been explored in the context of QOL. The currently available data suggests that an increased EOR may help improve QOL in GBM patients. With the help of recent advancements it may be possible to attain a better extent of resection while operating on GBMs.

Faster N Release, but Not C Loss, From Leaf Litter of Invasives Compared to Native Species in Mediterranean Ecosystems

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Guido Incerti

2018-04-01

Full Text Available Plant invasions can have relevant impacts on biogeochemical cycles, whose extent, in Mediterranean ecosystems, have not yet been systematically assessed comparing litter carbon (C and nitrogen (N dynamics between invasive plants and native communities. We carried out a 1-year litterbag experiment in 4 different plant communities (grassland, sand dune, riparian and mixed forests on 8 invasives and 24 autochthonous plant species, used as control. Plant litter was characterized for mass loss, N release, proximate lignin and litter chemistry by 13C CPMAS NMR. Native and invasive species showed significant differences in litter chemical traits, with invaders generally showing higher N concentration and lower lignin/N ratio. Mass loss data revealed no consistent differences between native and invasive species, although some woody and vine invaders showed exceptionally high decomposition rate. In contrast, N release rate from litter was faster for invasive plants compared to native species. N concentration, lignin content and relative abundance of methoxyl and N-alkyl C region from 13C CPMAS NMR spectra were the parameters that better explained mass loss and N mineralization rates. Our findings demonstrate that during litter decomposition invasive species litter has no different decomposition rates but greater N release rate compared to natives. Accordingly, invasives are expected to affect N cycle in Mediterranean plant communities, possibly promoting a shift of plant assemblages.

Predicting Greater Prairie-Chicken Lek Site Suitability to Inform Conservation Actions.

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Torre J Hovick

Full Text Available The demands of a growing human population dictates that expansion of energy infrastructure, roads, and other development frequently takes place in native rangelands. Particularly, transmission lines and roads commonly divide rural landscapes and increase fragmentation. This has direct and indirect consequences on native wildlife that can be mitigated through thoughtful planning and proactive approaches to identifying areas of high conservation priority. We used nine years (2003-2011 of Greater Prairie-Chicken (Tympanuchus cupido lek locations totaling 870 unique leks sites in Kansas and seven geographic information system (GIS layers describing land cover, topography, and anthropogenic structures to model habitat suitability across the state. The models obtained had low omission rates (0.81, indicating high model performance and reliability of predicted habitat suitability for Greater Prairie-Chickens. We found that elevation was the most influential in predicting lek locations, contributing three times more predictive power than any other variable. However, models were improved by the addition of land cover and anthropogenic features (transmission lines, roads, and oil and gas structures. Overall, our analysis provides a hierarchal understanding of Greater Prairie-Chicken habitat suitability that is broadly based on geomorphological features followed by land cover suitability. We found that when land features and vegetation cover are suitable for Greater Prairie-Chickens, fragmentation by anthropogenic sources such as roadways and transmission lines are a concern. Therefore, it is our recommendation that future human development in Kansas avoid areas that our models identified as highly suitable for Greater Prairie-Chickens and focus development on land cover types that are of lower conservation concern.

Intramedullary femoral nailing through the trochanteric fossa versus greater trochanter tip : a randomized controlled study with in-depth functional outcome results

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Moein, C. M. Ansari; ten Duis, H. J.; Oey, P. L.; de Kort, G. A. P.; van der Meulen, W.; van der Werken, Chr

2011-01-01

In a level 1 university trauma center, an explorative randomized controlled study was performed to compare soft tissue damage and functional outcome after antegrade femoral nailing through a trochanteric fossa (also known as piriform fossa) entry point to a greater trochanter entry point in patients

Comparing PETS and GEPT in China and Taiwan

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Mei

2012-01-01

This paper compares the Public English Test System (PETS) administered in mainland, China and the General English Proficiency Test (GEPT) administered in Taiwan, from the aspects of test levels, test contents and scoring weight. Compared with the PETS, the GEPT is found to value the English productive skills more, and have a greater ability to…

Extent of late gadolinium enhancement at right ventricular insertion points in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy: relation with diastolic dysfunction

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhu, Yinsu [Seoul National University Hospital, Department of Radiology, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Department of Radiology, Nanjing, Jiangsu (China); Park, Eun-Ah; Lee, Whal; Chu, Ajung; Chung, Jin Wook; Park, Jae Hyung [Seoul National University Hospital, Department of Radiology, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Hyung-Kwan [Seoul National University Hospital, Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

2015-04-01

Our aim was to examine the association between the extent of late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) at right ventricular insertion points (RVIP) and left ventricular (LV) functional parameters in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). Sixty-one HCM patients underwent echocardiography and cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) within one week. Mitral annular velocities (E/E') were obtained from echocardiography; LV ejection fraction (EF), LV mass index, LV wall maximal thickness, and left atrial volume index (LAVI) were obtained from MR. LGE extent was quantified (proportion of total LV myocardial mass) according to location: % RVIP-LGE and % non-RVIP-LGE. Although LGE was commonly present in both apical (74 %) and non-apical HCMs (88 %) (p = 0.163), RVIP-LGE was more frequent (86 % vs. 47 %, p = 0.002) in non-apical HCMs in which E/E' was significantly higher (19.23 ± 8.40 vs. 13.13 ± 5.06, p = 0.009). In addition, RVIP-LGE extent was associated with LV diastolic dysfunction (r = 0.45, p < 0.001 for E/E'; r = 0.53, p < 0.001 for LAVI) and lower LVEF (r = -0.42, p = 0.001). There was no correlation between non-RVIP-LGE extent and other parameters. Multiple linear regression analysis revealed RVIP-LGE extent as an independent predictor of E/E' (β = 0.45, p < 0.001) and LAVI in HCM patients (β = 0.53, p < 0.001). The extent of LGE at RVIPs in HCM patients is associated with increased estimated LV filling pressure and chronic diastolic burden. (orig.)

The Reticulospinal Pathway Does Not Increase Its Contribution to the Strength of Contralesional Muscles in Stroke Survivors as Compared to Ipsilesional Side or Healthy Controls

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Sheng Li

2017-11-01

Full Text Available ObjectiveStartling acoustic stimulation (SAS, via activation of reticulospinal (RS pathways, has shown to increase muscle strength in healthy subjects. We hypothesized that, given RS hyperexcitability in stroke survivors, SAS could increase muscle strength in stroke survivors. The objective was to quantify the effect of SAS on maximal and sub-maximal voluntary elbow flexion on the contralesional (impaired side in stroke survivors as compared to ipsilesional (non-impaired side and healthy controls.DesignThirteen hemiparetic stroke survivors and 12 healthy subjects volunteered for this investigation. Acoustic stimulation was given at rest, during ballistic maximal and sustained sub-maximal isometric elbow contractions using low (80 dB and high intensity sound (105 dB. The effect of acoustic stimuli was evaluated from EMG and force recordings.ResultsPrevalence of acoustic startle reflex with shorter latency in the impaired biceps was greater as compared to the response in the non-impaired side of stroke subjects and in healthy subjects. Delivery of SAS resulted in earlier initiation of elbow flexion and greater peak torque in healthy subjects and in stroke subjects with spastic hemiplegia during maximal voluntary elbow flexion tasks. During sub-maximal elbow flexion tasks, SAS-induced force responses were slightly greater on the impaired side than the non-impaired side. However, no statistically significant difference was found in SAS-induced responses between impaired and non-impaired sides at maximal and sub-maximal elbow flexion tasks.ConclusionThe findings suggest RS hyperexcitability in stroke survivors with spastic hemiplegia. The results of similar SAS-induced responses between healthy and stroke subjects indicate that RS projections via acoustic stimulation are not likely to contribute to muscle strength for stroke survivors to a significant extent.

Comparing New School Effects in Charter and Traditional Public Schools

Science.gov (United States)

Kelly, Andrew P.; Loveless, Tom

2012-01-01

This study investigates whether student achievement varies during the institutional life span of charter schools by comparing them to new public schools. The results show that there is little evidence that new public schools struggle with initial start-up issues to the same extent as new charter schools. Even after controlling for school…

Ecological specialization and morphological diversification in Greater Antillean boas.

Science.gov (United States)

Reynolds, R Graham; Collar, David C; Pasachnik, Stesha A; Niemiller, Matthew L; Puente-Rolón, Alberto R; Revell, Liam J

2016-08-01

Colonization of islands can dramatically influence the evolutionary trajectories of organisms, with both deterministic and stochastic processes driving adaptation and diversification. Some island colonists evolve extremely large or small body sizes, presumably in response to unique ecological circumstances present on islands. One example of this phenomenon, the Greater Antillean boas, includes both small (<90 cm) and large (4 m) species occurring on the Greater Antilles and Bahamas, with some islands supporting pairs or trios of body-size divergent species. These boas have been shown to comprise a monophyletic radiation arising from a Miocene dispersal event to the Greater Antilles, though it is not known whether co-occurrence of small and large species is a result of dispersal or in situ evolution. Here, we provide the first comprehensive species phylogeny for this clade combined with morphometric and ecological data to show that small body size evolved repeatedly on separate islands in association with specialization in substrate use. Our results further suggest that microhabitat specialization is linked to increased rates of head shape diversification among specialists. Our findings show that ecological specialization following island colonization promotes morphological diversity through deterministic body size evolution and cranial morphological diversification that is contingent on island- and species-specific factors. © 2016 The Author(s). Evolution © 2016 The Society for the Study of Evolution.

extent of use of ict by fish farmers in isoko agricultural zone of delta

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Mr. TONY A

Abstract. The study examined the extent of use of ICTs by fish farmers in Isoko .... TABLE 1: Percentage distribution of respondents selected socioeconomics ... fish breeds, feeds and management), and made inquiries about market predictions.

The Educational Afterlife of Greater Britain, 1903-1914

Science.gov (United States)

Gardner, Philip

2012-01-01

Following its late nineteenth-century emergence as an important element within federalist thinking across the British Empire, the idea of Greater Britain lost much of its political force in the years following the Boer War. The concept however continued to retain considerable residual currency in other fields of Imperial debate, including those…

Utilization of wind energy in greater Hanover

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sahling, U.

1993-01-01

Since the beginning of the Eighties, the association of communities of Greater Hanover has dealt intensively with energy and ecopolitical questions in the scope of regional planning. Renewable energy sources play a dominant role in this context. This brochure is the third contribution to the subject ''Energy policy and environmental protection''. Experts as well as possibly interested parties are addressed especially. For all 8 contributions contained, separate entries have been recorded in this database. (BWI) [de

LiveDiverse: Case study area, Greater Kruger South Africa

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Nortje, Karen

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Livelihoods and Biodiversity in Developing Countries Case study area: Greater Kruger, South Africa January 2011 Kolhapur, India Where are we? HARDSHIP LIVELIHOODS NATURE & BIODIVERSITY BELIEFS & CULTURAL PRACTISE threesansinv foursansinv onesansinv...

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.

Strategic environmental assessment in tourism planning — Extent of application and quality of documentation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Carvalho Lemos, Clara; Fischer, Thomas B.; Pereira Souza, Marcelo

2012-01-01

Strategic environmental assessment (SEA) has been applied throughout the world in different sectors and in various ways. This paper reports on results of a PhD research on SEA applied to tourism development planning, reflecting the situation in mid-2010. First, the extent of tourism specific SEA application world-wide is established. Then, based on a review of the quality of 10 selected SEA reports, good practice, as well as challenges, trends and opportunities for tourism specific SEA are identified. Shortcomings of SEA in tourism planning are established and implications for future research are outlined. - Highlights: ► The extent of tourism specific SEA practice is identified. ► Selected SEA/Tourism reports are evaluated. ► SEA application to tourism planning is still limited. ► A number of shortcomings can be pointed out.

Gas, Oil, and Water Production from Jonah, Pinedale, Greater Wamsutter, and Stagecoach Draw Fields in the Greater Green River Basin, Wyoming

Science.gov (United States)

Nelson, Philip H.; Ewald, Shauna M.; Santus, Stephen L.; Trainor, Patrick K.

2010-01-01

Gas, oil, and water production data were compiled from selected wells in four gas fields in rocks of Late Cretaceous age in southwestern Wyoming. This study is one of a series of reports examining fluid production from tight-gas reservoirs, which are characterized by low permeability, low porosity, and the presence of clay minerals in pore space. Production from each well is represented by two samples spaced five years apart, the first sample typically taken two years after commencement of production. For each producing interval, summary diagrams of oil versus gas and water versus gas production show fluid production rates, the change in rates during five years, the water-gas and oil-gas ratios, and the fluid type. These diagrams permit well-to-well and field-to-field comparisons. Fields producing water at low rates (water dissolved in gas in the reservoir) can be distinguished from fields producing water at moderate or high rates, and the water-gas ratios are quantified. The ranges of first-sample gas rates in Pinedale field and Jonah field are quite similar, and the average gas production rate for the second sample, taken five years later, is about one-half that of the first sample for both fields. Water rates are generally substantially higher in Pinedale than in Jonah, and water-gas ratios in Pinedale are roughly a factor of ten greater in Pinedale than in Jonah. Gas and water production rates from each field are fairly well grouped, indicating that Pinedale and Jonah fields are fairly cohesive gas-water systems. Pinedale field appears to be remarkably uniform in its flow behavior with time. Jonah field, which is internally faulted, exhibits a small spread in first-sample production rates. In the Greater Wamsutter field, gas production from the upper part of the Almond Formation is greater than from the main part of the Almond. Some wells in the main and the combined (upper and main parts) Almond show increases in water production with time, whereas increases

Absenteeism movement in Greater Poland in 1840–1902

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Izabela Krasińska

2013-12-01

Full Text Available The article presents the origins and development of the idea of absenteeism in Greater Poland in the 19th century. The start date for the research is 1840, which is considered to be a breakthrough year in the history of an organized absenteeism movement in Greater Poland. It was due to the Association for the Suppression of the Use of Vodka (Towarzystwo ku Przytłumieniu Używania Wódki in the Great Duchy of Posen that was then established in Kórnik. It was a secular organization that came into being on an initiative of doctor De La Roch, who was a German surgeon of a French origin. However, as early as 1844, the idea of absenteeism raised an interest of catholic clergymen of Greater Poland with high ranking clergy such as Rev. Leon Michał Przyłuski, Archbishop of Gniezno and Rev. Jan Kanty Dąbrowski, Archbishop of Posen, and later on Archbishops Rev. Mieczysław Halka Ledóchowski and Rev. Florian Oksza Stablewski. They were fascinated with activities of Rev. Jan Nepomucen Fick, Parish Priest of Piekary Śląskie and several other priests on whose initiative a lot of church brotherhoods of so called holy continence were set up in Upper Silesia as early as the first half-year of 1844. It was due to Bishop Dąbrowski that 100 000 people took vows of absenteeism in 1844–1845, becoming members of brotherhoods of absenteeism. In turn, it was an initiative of Archbishop Przyłuski that Jesuit missionaries – Rev. Karol Bołoz Antoniewicz, Rev. Teofil Baczyński and Rev. Kamil Praszałowicz, arrived in Greater Poland from Galicia in 1852 to promote the idea of absenteeism. Starting from 1848, they were helping Silesian clergymen to spread absenteeism. Clergymen of Greater Poland were also active in secular absenteeism associations. They became involved in the workings of the Association for the Promotion of Absenteeism that was set up by Zygmunt Celichowski in Kórnik in 1887, and especially in the Jutrzenka Absenteeism Association

Associations of Drug Lipophilicity and Extent of Metabolism with Drug-Induced Liver Injury.

Science.gov (United States)

McEuen, Kristin; Borlak, Jürgen; Tong, Weida; Chen, Minjun

2017-06-22

Drug-induced liver injury (DILI), although rare, is a frequent cause of adverse drug reactions resulting in warnings and withdrawals of numerous medications. Despite the research community's best efforts, current testing strategies aimed at identifying hepatotoxic drugs prior to human trials are not sufficiently powered to predict the complex mechanisms leading to DILI. In our previous studies, we demonstrated lipophilicity and dose to be associated with increased DILI risk and, and in our latest work, we factored reactive metabolites into the algorithm to predict DILI. Given the inconsistency in determining the potential for drugs to cause DILI, the present study comprehensively assesses the relationship between DILI risk and lipophilicity and the extent of metabolism using a large published dataset of 1036 Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved drugs by considering five independent DILI annotations. We found that lipophilicity and the extent of metabolism alone were associated with increased risk for DILI. Moreover, when analyzed in combination with high daily dose (≥100 mg), lipophilicity was statistically significantly associated with the risk of DILI across all datasets ( p < 0.05). Similarly, the combination of extensive hepatic metabolism (≥50%) and high daily dose (≥100 mg) was also strongly associated with an increased risk of DILI among all datasets analyzed ( p < 0.05). Our results suggest that both lipophilicity and the extent of hepatic metabolism can be considered important risk factors for DILI in humans, and that this relationship to DILI risk is much stronger when considered in combination with dose. The proposed paradigm allows the convergence of different published annotations to a more uniform assessment.

Group therapy compared with individual desensitization for dental anxiety

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Moore, R.; Brødsgaard, I.

1994-01-01

Results of group therapy (GT) for extreme dental anxiety were compared with individual treatment (IT). Scales used measured dental anxiety, beliefs or trust in dentists, and fear of the next dentist after specialist treatment which showed reduced dental anxiety and improved dental beliefs compared...... with a static control group of 45 patients. The 30 GT patients showed no significant difference in dropouts during training compared with the 68 IT patients, but for patients who completed treatment, GT (n = 24) had greater dental anxiety reduction than IT subjects (n = 60). GT patients required fewer therapist...... hours per patients than did either of the two IT methods, but time saved in GT did not reach significance over clinical rehearsal IT. Results at 1- yr follow-up after specialist treatment indicated that dropouts were significantly greater in group therapy. Rehearsal IT performed best for sustained...

Greater Confinement Disposal trench and borehole operations status

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Harley, J.P. Jr.; Wilhite, E.L.; Jaegge, W.J.

1987-01-01

Greater Confinement Disposal (GCD) facilities have been constructed within the operating burial ground at the Savannah River Plant (SRP) to dispose of the higher activity fraction of SRP low-level waste. GCD practices of waste segregation, packaging, emplacement below the root zone, and waste stabilization are being used in the demonstration. 2 refs., 2 figs., 2 tabs

A global assessment of Holistic Planned Grazing™ compared with ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Previous reviews have found similar or greater plant and animal production in continuous (season-long) compared with rotational grazing. Here season-long continuous grazing is compared with HPG alone to explore the evidence for animal impact. Three quantitative meta-analysis models were used to assess data sets ...

Prostate cancer cell lines under hypoxia exhibit greater stem-like properties.

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Yuanyuan Ma

Full Text Available Hypoxia is an important environmental change in many cancers. Hypoxic niches can be occupied by cancer stem/progenitor-like cells that are associated with tumor progression and resistance to radiotherapy and chemotherapy. However, it has not yet been fully elucidated how hypoxia influences the stem-like properties of prostate cancer cells. In this report, we investigated the effects of hypoxia on human prostate cancer cell lines, PC-3 and DU145. In comparison to normoxia (20% O(2, 7% O(2 induced higher expressions of HIF-1α and HIF-2α, which were associated with upregulation of Oct3/4 and Nanog; 1% O(2 induced even greater levels of these factors. The upregulated NANOG mRNA expression in hypoxia was confirmed to be predominantly retrogene NANOGP8. Similar growth rates were observed for cells cultivated under hypoxic and normoxic conditions for 48 hours; however, the colony formation assay revealed that 48 hours of hypoxic pretreatment resulted in the formation of more colonies. Treatment with 1% O(2 also extended the G(0/G(1 stage, resulting in more side population cells, and induced CD44 and ABCG2 expressions. Hypoxia also increased the number of cells positive for ABCG2 expression, which were predominantly found to be CD44(bright cells. Correspondingly, the sorted CD44(bright cells expressed higher levels of ABCG2, Oct3/4, and Nanog than CD44(dim cells, and hypoxic pretreatment significantly increased the expressions of these factors. CD44(bright cells under normoxia formed significantly more colonies and spheres compared with the CD44(dim cells, and hypoxic pretreatment even increased this effect. Our data indicate that prostate cancer cells under hypoxia possess greater stem-like properties.

Assessment of trends in inundation extent in the Barotse Floodplain, upper Zambezi River Basin: A remote sensing-based approach

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Henry Zimba

2018-02-01

New hydrological insights for the region: The results revealed that there is observable inter-annual variability in inundation extent in the Barotse Floodplain with prominent differences demonstrated in both the flood ascending/peak and receding period. For the period 2003–2013 the results indicated a rising trend in inundation extent with a Mann–Kendall Z statistic of 1.71 and increase in magnitude of 33.1 km2 at significance level alpha of 0.05. Strong correlations between inundation extent and water level and between inundation extent and discharge with correlation coefficients of determination of 0.86 and 0.89 respectively were observed. For the period 2000–2011 water level time series showed a rising trend with the Mann–Kendall Z statistic of 2.97 and increase in magnitude of 0.1 m at significance level alpha of 0.05. Overall, during the period 1952–2004 discharge in the floodplain showed a declining trend with Mann–Kendall Z statistics of −2.88 and −3.38 at the inlet and outlet of the floodplain respectively. By correlation inference, the overall inundation extent trend in the floodplain was in a downward movement. Rainfall and discharge variability, high evapotranspiration and the changes in the land cover-use in the catchment of the floodplain are largely the factors affecting the observed variability and trends in inundation extent in the floodplain. The presented remote sensing based approach significantly reduces the need for the expensive and time limiting traditional physical field based wetland inundation mapping methods that form a limitation for achieving progress in wetland monitoring especially in open and sparsely gauged floodplains such as the Barotse.

A container closure system that allows for greater recovery of radiolabeled peptide compared to the standard borosilicate glass system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Leece, Alicia K.; Heidari, Pedram; Yokell, Daniel L.; Mahmood, Umar

2013-01-01

Objectives: Often peptides used in synthesis of radiopharmaceutical PET tracers are lipophilic and adhere to the walls of container closure systems (CCS) such that costly peptide and product are not fully recoverable after synthesis occurs. This investigation compares a standard United States Pharmacopeia (USP) Type I borosilicate glass CCS to a cyclic polyolefin copolymer Crystal Zenith ® (CZ) CCS, for 68 Ga-chloride and 68 Ga-DOTATOC ([ 68 Ga] Ga-DOTA-D-Phe1-Tyr3-octreotide) retention in the reaction vial after labeling. Methods: 68 Gallium labeling of DOTATOC was conducted by adding 68 Ga-chloride, 2 M HEPES (4-(2-hydroxyethyl)piperazine-1-ethanesulfonic acid) or 0.75 M sodium acetate, and 1–30 µg of DOTATOC into the CZ or glass CCS. The reaction mixture was heated for 15 min and cooled to room temperature. The crude reaction mixture was then withdrawn via syringe, for final processing. The CCS was then assayed using a dose calibrator to determine the amount of retained 68 Ga-DOTATOC. Statistical significance was assessed using an unpaired Student's t-test. Results: In all experiments (n=72) with various amounts of peptide and different buffering systems, the CZ CCS retained less activity than the glass CCS. Using 2 M HEPES and 15 µg or 30 µg of DOTATOC, the CZ CCS retained approximately 10% less of the labeled DOTATOC compared to the glass CCS (p 68 Ga-chloride. Conclusion: For applications involving the labeling of peptides such as 68 Ga-DOTATOC, the CZ CCS compared to the glass CCS, results in an improved recovery of product. - Highlights: • We examined the adhesion of 68 Ga-DOTATOC to glass and CZ CCS. • The adhesion of the 68 Ga-DOTATOC was 10% less in CZ CCS compared to glass CCS. • Overall recovery of 68 Ga-DOTATOC reaction solution is higher in CZ CCS than glass CCS. • Adhesion to the CCS is due to 68 Ga-DOTATOC, not 68 Ga-chloride

Use of a modified GreenScreen tool to conduct a screening-level comparative hazard assessment of conventional silver and two forms of nanosilver

OpenAIRE

Sass, Jennifer; Heine, Lauren; Hwang, Nina

2016-01-01

Background Increased concern for potential health and environmental impacts of chemicals, including nanomaterials, in consumer products is driving demand for greater transparency regarding potential risks. Chemical hazard assessment is a powerful tool to inform product design, development and procurement and has been integrated into alternative assessment frameworks. The extent to which assessment methods originally designed for conventionally-sized materials can be used for nanomaterials, wh...

A Systematic Review of Ebola Treatment Trials to Assess the Extent to Which They Adhere to Ethical Guidelines.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Thomas Richardson

Full Text Available Objective: To determine to what extent each trial met criteria specified in three research frameworks for ethical trial conduct. Design: Systematic review and narrative analysis.Data sources: MEDBASE and EMBASE databases were searched using a specific search strategy. The Cochrane database for systematic reviews, the PROSPERO database and trial registries were examined. A grey literature search and citation search were also carried out. Eligibility criteria for selecting studies: Studies were included where the intervention was being used to treat Ebola in human subjects regardless of study design, comparator or outcome measured. Studies were eligible if they had taken place after the 21st March 2014. Unpublished as well as published studies were included. Included studies: Sixteen studies were included in the data synthesis. Data was extracted on study characteristics as well as any information relating to ten ethical areas of interest specified in the three research frameworks for ethical trial conduct and an additional criterion of whether the study received ethics approval from a research ethics committee. Synthesis of results: Eight studies were judged to fully comply with all eleven criteria. The other eight studies all had at least one criteria where there was not enough information available to draw any conclusions. In two studies there were ethical concerns regarding the information provided in relation to at least one ethical criteria. Description of the effect: One study did not receive ethical approval as the authors argued that treating approximately one hundred patients consecutively for compassionate reasons did not constitute a clinical trial. Furthermore, after the patients were treated, physicians in Sierra Leone did not release reports of treatment results and so study conclusions had to be made based on unpublished observations. In another study the risk-benefit ratio of the trial drug does not appear to be favourable and the

Greater physician involvement improves coding outcomes in endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration procedures.

Science.gov (United States)

Pillai, Anilkumar; Medford, Andrew R L

2013-01-01

Correct coding is essential for accurate reimbursement for clinical activity. Published data confirm that significant aberrations in coding occur, leading to considerable financial inaccuracies especially in interventional procedures such as endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA). Previous data reported a 15% coding error for EBUS-TBNA in a U.K. service. We hypothesised that greater physician involvement with coders would reduce EBUS-TBNA coding errors and financial disparity. The study was done as a prospective cohort study in the tertiary EBUS-TBNA service in Bristol. 165 consecutive patients between October 2009 and March 2012 underwent EBUS-TBNA for evaluation of unexplained mediastinal adenopathy on computed tomography. The chief coder was prospectively electronically informed of all procedures and cross-checked on a prospective database and by Trust Informatics. Cost and coding analysis was performed using the 2010-2011 tariffs. All 165 procedures (100%) were coded correctly as verified by Trust Informatics. This compares favourably with the 14.4% coding inaccuracy rate for EBUS-TBNA in a previous U.K. prospective cohort study [odds ratio 201.1 (1.1-357.5), p = 0.006]. Projected income loss was GBP 40,000 per year in the previous study, compared to a GBP 492,195 income here with no coding-attributable loss in revenue. Greater physician engagement with coders prevents coding errors and financial losses which can be significant especially in interventional specialties. The intervention can be as cheap, quick and simple as a prospective email to the coding team with cross-checks by Trust Informatics and against a procedural database. We suggest that all specialties should engage more with their coders using such a simple intervention to prevent revenue losses. Copyright © 2013 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Greater decision-making competence is associated with greater expected-value sensitivity, but not overall risk taking: an examination of concurrent validity.

Science.gov (United States)

Parker, Andrew M; Weller, Joshua A

2015-01-01

Decision-making competence reflects individual differences in the susceptibility to committing decision-making errors, measured using tasks common from behavioral decision research (e.g., framing effects, under/overconfidence, following decision rules). Prior research demonstrates that those with higher decision-making competence report lower incidence of health-risking and antisocial behaviors, but there has been less focus on intermediate processes that may impact real-world decisions, and, in particular, those implicated by normative models. Here we test the associations between measures of youth decision-making competence (Y-DMC) and one such process, the degree to which individuals make choices consistent with maximizing expected value (EV). Using a task involving hypothetical gambles, we find that greater EV sensitivity is associated with greater Y-DMC. Higher Y-DMC scores are associated with (a) choosing risky options when EV favors those options and (b) avoiding risky options when EV favors a certain option. This relationship is stronger for gambles that involved potential losses. The results suggest that Y-DMC captures decision processes consistent with standard normative evaluations of risky decisions.

Greater decision-making competence is associated with greater expected-value sensitivity, but not overall risk taking: An examination of concurrent validity

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Andrew M Parker

2015-05-01

Full Text Available Decision-making competence reflects individual differences in the susceptibility to decision-making errors, measured using tasks common from behavioral decision research (e.g., framing effects, under/overconfidence, following decision rules. Prior research demonstrates that those with higher decision-making competence report lower incidence of health-risking and antisocial behaviors, but there has been less focus on intermediate mechanisms that may impact real-world decisions, and, in particular, those implicated by normative models. Here we test the associations between measures of youth decision-making competence (Y-DMC and one such mechanism, the degree to which individuals make choices consistent with maximizing expected value (EV. Using a task involving hypothetical gambles, we find that greater EV sensitivity is associated with greater Y-DMC. Higher Y-DMC scores are associated with (a choosing risky options when expected value favors those options and (b avoiding risky options when expected value favors a certain option. This relationship is stronger for gambles that involved potential losses. The results suggest that Y-DMC captures decision processes consistent with standard normative evaluations of risky decisions.

Measuring the relative extent of pulmonary infiltrates by hierarchical classification of patient-specific image features

Science.gov (United States)

Tsevas, S.; Iakovidis, D. K.

2011-11-01

Pulmonary infiltrates are common radiological findings indicating the filling of airspaces with fluid, inflammatory exudates, or cells. They are most common in cases of pneumonia, acute respiratory syndrome, atelectasis, pulmonary oedema and haemorrhage, whereas their extent is usually correlated with the extent or the severity of the underlying disease. In this paper we propose a novel pattern recognition framework for the measurement of the extent of pulmonary infiltrates in routine chest radiographs. The proposed framework follows a hierarchical approach to the assessment of image content. It includes the following: (a) sampling of the lung fields; (b) extraction of patient-specific grey-level histogram signatures from each sample; (c) classification of the extracted signatures into classes representing normal lung parenchyma and pulmonary infiltrates; (d) the samples for which the probability of belonging to one of the two classes does not reach an acceptable level are rejected and classified according to their textural content; (e) merging of the classification results of the two classification stages. The proposed framework has been evaluated on real radiographic images with pulmonary infiltrates caused by bacterial infections. The results show that accurate measurements of the infiltration areas can be obtained with respect to each lung field area. The average measurement error rate on the considered dataset reached 9.7% ± 1.0%.

Constraints facing the implementation of the greater New Orleans urban water plan

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Visschedijk, A.; Van de Ven, F.H.M.

2015-01-01

On September 6th of last year the Greater New Orleans Urban Water Plan (UWP) was presented. A comprehensive plan which addresses flooding caused by heavy rainfall and soil subsidence caused by excessive drainage. Every year parts of the Greater New Orleans Area flood due to severe rainfall events in

Why shorter half-times of repair lead to greater damage in pulsed brachytherapy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fowler, J.F.

1993-01-01

Pulsed brachytherapy consists of replacing continuous irradiation at low dose-rate with a series of medium dose-rate fractions in the same overall time and to the same total dose. For example, pulses of 1 Gy given every 2 hr or 2 Gy given every 4 hr would deliver the same 70 Gy in 140 hr as continuous irradiation at 0.5 Gy/hr. If higher dose-rates are used, even with gaps between the pulses, the biological effects are always greater. Provided that dose rates in the pulse do not exceed 3 Gy/hr, and provided that pulses are given as often as every 2 hr, the inevitable increases of biological effect are no larger than a few percent (of biologically effective dose or extrapolated response dose). However, these increases are more likely to exceed 10% (and thus become clinically significant) if the half-time of repair of sublethal damage is short (less than 1 hr) rather than long. This somewhat unexpected finding is explained in detail here. The rise and fall of Biologically Effective Dose (and hence of Relative Effectiveness, for a constant dose in each pulse) is calculated during and after single pulses, assuming a range of values of T 1/2 , the half-time of sublethal damage repair. The area under each curve is proportional to Biologically Effective Dose and therefore to log cell kill. Pulses at 3 Gy/hr do yield greater biological effect (dose x integrated Relative Effectiveness) than lower dose-rate pulses or continuous irradiation at 0.5 Gy/hr. The contrast is greater for the short T 1/2 of 0.5 hr than for the longer T 1/2 of 1.5 hr. More biological damage will be done (compared with traditional low dose rate brachytherapy) in tissues with short T 1/2 (0.1-1 hr) than in tissues with longer T 1/2 values. 8 refs., 3 figs

Sagebrush, greater sage-grouse, and the occurrence and importance of forbs

Science.gov (United States)

Pennington, Victoria E.; Schlaepfer, Daniel R.; Beck, Jeffrey L.; Bradford, John B.; Palmquist, Kyle A.; Lauenroth, William K.

2016-01-01

Big sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata Nutt.) ecosystems provide habitat for sagebrush-obligate wildlife species such as the Greater Sage-Grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus). The understory of big sagebrush plant communities is composed of grasses and forbs that are important sources of cover and food for wildlife. The grass component is well described in the literature, but the composition, abundance, and habitat role of forbs in these communities is largely unknown. Our objective was to synthesize information about forbs and their importance to Greater Sage-Grouse diets and habitats, how rangeland management practices affect forbs, and how forbs respond to changes in temperature and precipitation. We also sought to identify research gaps and needs concerning forbs in big sagebrush plant communities. We searched for relevant literature including journal articles and state and federal agency reports. Our results indicated that in the spring and summer, Greater Sage-Grouse diets consist of forbs (particularly species in the Asteraceae family), arthropods, and lesser amounts of sagebrush. The diets transition to sagebrush in fall and winter. Forbs provide cover for Greater Sage-Grouse individuals at their lekking, nesting, and brood-rearing sites, and the species has a positive relationship with arthropod presence. The effect of grazing on native forbs may be compounded by invasion of nonnative species and differs depending on grazing intensity. The effect of fire on forbs varies greatly and may depend on time elapsed since burning. In addition, chemical and mechanical treatments affect annual and perennial forbs differently. Temperature and precipitation influence forb phenology, biomass, and abundance differently among species. Our review identified several uncertainties and research needs about forbs in big sagebrush ecosystems. First, in many cases the literature about forbs is reported only at the genus or functional type level. Second, information about forb

Entropy as a measure of the noise extent in a two-level quantum feedback controlled system

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

Wang Tao-Bo; Fang Mao-Fa; Hu Yao-Hua

2007-01-01

By introducing the von Neumann entropy as a measure of the extent of noise, this paper discusses the entropy evolution in a two-level quantum feedback controlled system. The results show that the feedback control can induce the reduction of the degree of noise, and different control schemes exhibit different noise controlling ability, the extent of the reduction also related with the position of the target state on the Bloch sphere. It is shown that the evolution of entropy can provide a real time noise observation and a systematic guideline to make reasonable choice of control strategy.

Diabetes and male sex are key risk factor correlates of the extent of coronary artery calcification

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nicoll, Rachel; Zhao, Ying; Wiklund, Urban

2017-01-01

for CAC scoring. RESULTS: Among all patients, male sex (OR = 4.85, pdyslipidemia and smoking also showing a relationship. Among patients with CAC, age, diabetes, hypertension...... and dyslipidemia were associated with an increasing CAC score in males and females, with diabetes being the strongest dichotomous risk factor (p... males and females. To a lesser extent, hypertension and dyslipidemia were also associated in the high CAC quantiles and the low CAC quantiles respectively. CONCLUSION: In addition to age and male sex in the total population, diabetes is the most important correlate of CAC extent in both sexes....

Well-Being and Functioning at Work Following Thefts and Robberies: A Comparative Study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ilaria Setti

2018-02-01

Full Text Available Thefts and robberies may be traumatizing experiences for employees. The aim of this study is to explore to what extent experiencing robberies and/or thefts at work affect workers' mental health, coping-self-efficacy, social support seeking, workload and job satisfaction. Drawing on Conservation of Resources theory, this research contributes to our understanding of the psychological sequelae of robbery and theft for employees working in small businesses. The few studies on the effects of robberies and thefts in the past have predominantly focused on bank employees. A sample of Italian tobacconists and jewelers completed an anonymous self-report questionnaire examining the experience of robbery and/or theft, social support seeking (Coping Orientation to Problem Experienced scale, COPE-IV, psycho-somatic well-being (General Health Questionnaire, GHQ-12, job satisfaction (a single item. Victims of thefts and/or robberies reported their PTSD symptoms (Impact of Event- Revised 6, IES-R-6 and trauma-related coping self-efficacy (Coping Self-Efficacy scale, CSE-7, based on the last event (N = 319. Descriptive analyses, ANOVA, ANCOVA and multiple regressions analyses have been carried out. The results indicated that victims of thefts and robberies experienced greater workload, higher psycho-physical complaints and greater tendency to seek social support in comparison with their non-affected counterparts. They additionally experienced more post-traumatic symptomatology and perceived lower coping self-efficacy, when compared to those who experienced thefts “only.” Multiple regression analyses revealed that CSE was positively related to job satisfaction, although the presence of psycho-physical symptoms was the main predictor of job satisfaction among both non-affected and affected employees. PTSD was not an independent predictor of job satisfaction. In sum, robberies and/or thefts exposure undermines differently workers' well-being.

Critical Mechanisms for the Formation of Extreme Arctic Sea-Ice Extent in the Summers of 2007 and 1996

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dong, Xiquan [Beijing Normal Univ. (China); Univ. of North Dakota, Grand Forks, ND (United States); Zib, Benjamin J. [Univ. of North Dakota, Grand Forks, ND (United States); Xi, Baike [Univ. of North Dakota, Grand Forks, ND (United States); Stanfield, Ryan [Univ. of North Dakota, Grand Forks, ND (United States); Deng, Yi [Georgia Inst. of Technology, Atlanta, GA (United States); Zhang, Xiangdong [Univ. of Alaska, Fairbanks, AK (United States); Lin, B. [NASA Langley Research Center, Hampton, VA (United States); Long, Charles N. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)

2013-08-29

A warming Arctic climate is undergoing significant e 21 nvironmental change, most evidenced by the reduction of Arctic sea-ice extent during the summer. In this study, we examine two extreme anomalies of September sea-ice extent in 2007 and 1996, and investigate the impacts of cloud fraction (CF), atmospheric precipitable water vapor (PWV), downwelling longwave flux (DLF), surface air temperature (SAT), pressure and winds on the sea-ice variation in 2007 and 1996 using both satellite-derived sea-ice products and MERRA reanalysis. The area of the Laptev, East Siberian and West Chukchi seas (70-90oN, 90-180oE) has experienced the largest variation in sea-ice extent from year-to-year and defined here as the Area Of Focus (AOF). The record low September sea-ice extent in 2007 was associated with positive anomalies 30 of CF, PWV, DLF, and SAT over the AOF. Persistent anti-cyclone positioned over the Beaufort Sea coupled with low pressure over Eurasia induced easterly zonal and southerly meridional winds. In contrast, negative CF, PWV, DLF and SAT anomalies, as well as opposite wind patterns to those in 2007, characterized the 1996 high September sea-ice extent. Through this study, we hypothesize the following positive feedbacks of clouds, water vapor, radiation and atmospheric variables on the sea-ice retreat during the summer 2007. The record low sea-ice extent during the summer 2007 is initially triggered by the atmospheric circulation anomaly. The southerly winds across the Chukchi and East Siberian seas transport warm, moist air from the north Pacific, which is not only enhancing sea-ice melt across the AOF, but also increasing clouds. The positive cloud feedback results in higher SAT and more sea-ice melt. Therefore, 40 more water vapor could be evaporated from open seas and higher SAT to form more clouds, which will enhance positive cloud feedback. This enhanced positive cloud feedback will then further increase SAT and accelerate the sea-ice retreat during the

Systemic Oxidative Stress Is Increased to a Greater Degree in Young, Obese Women Following Consumption of a High Fat Meal

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Richard J. Bloomer

2009-01-01

Full Text Available High fat meals induce oxidative stress, which is associated with the pathogenesis of disease. Obese individuals have elevated resting biomarkers of oxidative stress compared to non-obese. We compared blood oxidative stress biomarkers in obese (n = 14; 30 ± 2 years; BMI 35 ± 1 kg•m−2 and non-obese (n = 16; 24 ± 2 years; BMI 23 ± 1 kg•m−2 women, in response to a high fat meal. Blood samples were collected pre-meal (fasted, and at 1, 2, 4 and 6 hours post meal, and assayed for trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC, xanthine oxidase activity (XO, hydrogen peroxide (H2O2, malondialdehyde (MDA, triglycerides (TAG, and glucose. An obesity status effect was noted for all variables (p 0.05, contrasts revealed greater values in obese compared to non-obese women for XO, H2O2, MDA, TAG and glucose, and lower values for TEAC at times from 1–6 hours post feeding (p ≤ 0.03. We conclude that young, obese women experience a similar pattern of increase in blood oxidative stress biomarkers in response to a high fat meal, as compared to non-obese women. However, the overall oxidative stress is greater in obese women, and values appear to remain elevated for longer periods of time post feeding. These data provide insight into another potential mechanism related to obesity-mediated morbidity.

Vliv klasických postupů při nácviku dovednosti psaní na rozsah slovní zásoby ve srovnání s metodou psaní tvůrčího : The Influence of Classical Practices in Writing Skills Training on Vocabulary’s Extent Compared to the Creative Writing Method

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zuzana Stárková

2017-12-01

Full Text Available The paper deals with influence of creative writing on vocabulary’s extent in the written manifest of non-native speakers in compare with classical methods used in foreign language didactics. There are presented results of qualitative action research, probe, which was backed by Grant Agency of Charles University. Its respondents were 30 students of Czech as a foreign/second language levelled A2–B2 according to CEFR, from Charles University, Institute of Czech Studies. The respondents were divided into both two control and experimental groups. For analyzing the vocabulary extent, the Mistrík’s formula of repeated words Index was used and applied to the written works of the respondents. Next, the knowledge synonyms and antonyms was observed, on the entrance and final subtests. Probe’s result showed, that after using two different methods within one semester there was a comparable decrease of word’s rep, only half of the respondents, in both control and experimental groups I. In control group II, there was a slight decrease in rep, but experimental group II has a slight increase. The compare knowledge of synonyms and antonyms results that after using two different methods in both control and experimental groups causes increase, the growth was only in the control and experimental group I comparable, however. Due to similar research’s absence for Czech as a foreign/second language, there are briefly presented other researches on creative writing in foreign language tuition.