Intelligent Test Mechanism Design of Worn Big Gear

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hong-Yu LIU

2014-10-01

Full Text Available With the continuous development of national economy, big gear was widely applied in metallurgy and mine domains. So, big gear plays an important role in above domains. In practical production, big gear abrasion and breach take place often. It affects normal production and causes unnecessary economic loss. A kind of intelligent test method was put forward on worn big gear mainly aimed at the big gear restriction conditions of high production cost, long production cycle and high- intensity artificial repair welding work. The measure equations transformations were made on involute straight gear. Original polar coordinate equations were transformed into rectangular coordinate equations. Big gear abrasion measure principle was introduced. Detection principle diagram was given. Detection route realization method was introduced. OADM12 laser sensor was selected. Detection on big gear abrasion area was realized by detection mechanism. Tested data of unworn gear and worn gear were led in designed calculation program written by Visual Basic language. Big gear abrasion quantity can be obtained. It provides a feasible method for intelligent test and intelligent repair welding on worn big gear.

A solution to the worn tooth conundrum in primate functional anatomy.

Science.gov (United States)

Ungar, Peter S; M'Kirera, Francis

2003-04-01

Worn teeth are a bane to paleobiologists interested in the diets of human ancestors and other fossil primates. Although worn teeth dominate fossil assemblages, their shapes are usually not used to reconstruct the diets of extinct species. The problem is that traditional studies of primate dental functional anatomy have focused on unworn morphology. This has limited most functional analyses to only a few well-represented fossil species. This paper introduces a method to characterize and compare worn occlusal morphology in primates using laser scanning and geographic information systems technologies. A study of variably worn chimpanzee and gorilla molars indicates that differences between these species in tooth shape remain consistent at given stages of wear. Although cusp slope decreases with wear in both taxa, angularity values remain unchanged. These results indicate that African ape teeth wear in a manner that keeps them mechanically efficient for fracturing specific foods. Studies of changes in tooth shape with wear add a new dimension to dental functional anatomy, and offer a more complete picture of dental-dietary adaptations. Also, given how rare unworn teeth are in the fossil record, the ability to include worn specimens in analyses opens the door to reconstructing the diets of many more extinct primate groups, allowing us to better understand the adaptive radiation of our order.

Head ballistocardiogram based on wireless multi-location sensors.

Science.gov (United States)

Onizuka, Kohei; Sodini, Charles G

2015-08-01

Recently a wearable BCG monitoring technique based on an accelerometer worn at the ear was demonstrated to replace a conventional bulky BCG acquisition system. In this work, a multi-location wireless vital signs monitor was developed, and at least two common acceleration vectors correlating to sitting-BCG were found in the supine position by using head PPG signal as a reference for eight healthy human subjects. The head side amplitude in the supine position is roughly proportional to the sitting amplitude that is in turn proportional to the stroke volume. Signal processing techniques to identify J-waves in a subject having small amplitude was also developed based on the two common vectors at the head side and top.

Convolutional Neural Networks for Human Activity Recognition Using Body-Worn Sensors

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fernando Moya Rueda

2018-05-01

Full Text Available Human activity recognition (HAR is a classification task for recognizing human movements. Methods of HAR are of great interest as they have become tools for measuring occurrences and durations of human actions, which are the basis of smart assistive technologies and manual processes analysis. Recently, deep neural networks have been deployed for HAR in the context of activities of daily living using multichannel time-series. These time-series are acquired from body-worn devices, which are composed of different types of sensors. The deep architectures process these measurements for finding basic and complex features in human corporal movements, and for classifying them into a set of human actions. As the devices are worn at different parts of the human body, we propose a novel deep neural network for HAR. This network handles sequence measurements from different body-worn devices separately. An evaluation of the architecture is performed on three datasets, the Oportunity, Pamap2, and an industrial dataset, outperforming the state-of-the-art. In addition, different network configurations will also be evaluated. We find that applying convolutions per sensor channel and per body-worn device improves the capabilities of convolutional neural network (CNNs.

Improving Hip-Worn Accelerometer Estimates of Sitting Using Machine Learning Methods.

Science.gov (United States)

Kerr, Jacqueline; Carlson, Jordan; Godbole, Suneeta; Cadmus-Bertram, Lisa; Bellettiere, John; Hartman, Sheri

2018-02-13

To improve estimates of sitting time from hip worn accelerometers used in large cohort studies by employing machine learning methods developed on free living activPAL data. Thirty breast cancer survivors concurrently wore a hip worn accelerometer and a thigh worn activPAL for 7 days. A random forest classifier, trained on the activPAL data, was employed to detect sitting, standing and sit-stand transitions in 5 second windows in the hip worn accelerometer. The classifier estimates were compared to the standard accelerometer cut point and significant differences across different bout lengths were investigated using mixed effect models. Overall, the algorithm predicted the postures with moderate accuracy (stepping 77%, standing 63%, sitting 67%, sit to stand 52% and stand to sit 51%). Daily level analyses indicated that errors in transition estimates were only occurring during sitting bouts of 2 minutes or less. The standard cut point was significantly different from the activPAL across all bout lengths, overestimating short bouts and underestimating long bouts. This is among the first algorithms for sitting and standing for hip worn accelerometer data to be trained from entirely free living activPAL data. The new algorithm detected prolonged sitting which has been shown to be most detrimental to health. Further validation and training in larger cohorts is warranted.This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License 4.0 (CCBY), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Effective wavefront aberration measurement of spectacle lenses in as-worn status

Science.gov (United States)

Jia, Zhigang; Xu, Kai; Fang, Fengzhou

2018-04-01

An effective wavefront aberration analysis method for measuring spectacle lenses in as-worn status was proposed and verified using an experimental apparatus based on an eye rotation model. Two strategies were employed to improve the accuracy of measurement of the effective wavefront aberrations on the corneal sphere. The influences of three as-worn parameters, the vertex distance, pantoscopic angle, and face form angle, together with the eye rotation and corresponding incident beams, were objectively and quantitatively obtained. The experimental measurements of spherical single vision and freeform progressive addition lenses demonstrate the accuracy and validity of the proposed method and experimental apparatus, which provide a potential means of achieving supernormal vision correction with customization and personalization in optimizing the as-worn status-based design of spectacle lenses and evaluating their manufacturing and imaging qualities.

A Feasibility Study on the Worn Area Estimation by Measuring a Contact Resistance (I)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Young-Ho; Kim, Hyung-Kyu

2007-01-01

In order to improve the fretting wear resistance of the nuclear fuel rod with considering the effect of the contacting spring shape, it is necessary to examine the formation procedure of the worn area during the fretting wear experiments with including its shape, size and the debris removal path. This is because the wear volume and the maximum wear depth are dominantly affected by the worn area and the wear resistance of the nuclear fuel rod was dominantly affected by the spring shape rather than the test environment and the contact mode (i.e. impact, sliding, rubbing, etc.). Unfortunately, it is almost impossible to archive the size and shape of the worn area on real-time basis because the contact surfaces are always hidden. If we could measure the worn area properties during fretting wear tests, it enables us to promptly estimate the wear resistance or behavior with various contacting spring shapes. Generally, fretting wear degradation is generated by the localized plastic deformation, fracture and finally detachment of wear debris. Generally, wear debris easily oxidized by frictional heat, test environment, etc. From the previous studies, most of the wear debris was detached from the worn surface in the distilled water condition while the wear debris in the dry condition remained on or adhered to the worn surface. At this time, it is reasonable that the accumulated wear debris on the worn surface is existed in the form of oxide. If small amount of electric current was applied between the contacting surfaces, wear debris could be an obstacle to flow the electric current. This means that the variation of the contact resistance under constant electric current during the fretting wear tests has much information on the formation of the worn area even though the applying current could accelerate the oxidation of the generated wear debris. So, in this study, fretting wear tests have been performed with applying an electric current in room temperature air in order to

Effects of support masses on seismic response of piping and supports

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Iotti, R.C.; Dinkevich, S.

1985-01-01

A special methodology is presented for quantitatively predicting when the effect of piping restraint masses is significant and should be explicitly considered in piping seismic analyses which use the response spectrum method. It is concluded that the effect of support mass in the unrestrained direction is to increase piping and support responses by a percentage no larger than twice the ratio of the support to the pipe-supported span mass. In the restrained direction the mass of the support significantly reduces its dynamic stiffness so that for low support stiffnesses and relatively large mass the support can act as an amplifier of vibration. The dynamic effect, however, is negligible for very stiff supports. (orig.)

Applying rotary jet heads for mixing and mass transfer in a forced recirculation tank reactor system

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nordkvist, Mikkel; Grotkjær, Thomas; Hummer, J.S.

2003-01-01

or an external loop.In this study, we determine mixing times in water and CMC solutions and oxygen mass transfer coefficients in water for a tank reactor system where a small fraction of the total liquid volume is rapidly circulated through an external loop and injected through the nozzles of rotary jet heads....... The system has a very simple design with no internal baffles or heat exchange area, and between batches the rotary jet heads are used for cleaning in place.Mixing time decreases and mass transfer increases with increasing circulation flow rate. For nozzle diameters between 5.5 and 10 mm and with one or two...... rotary jet heads, it is shown that a remarkable saving in power input for a fixed mixing time or mass transfer coefficient can be obtained by using a large nozzle diameter and two rather than one rotary jet heads.At the experimental conditions of the study the system is scaleable by simple formulas...

A solution to the worn tooth conundrum in primate functional anatomy

OpenAIRE

Ungar, Peter S.; M'Kirera, Francis

2003-01-01

Worn teeth are a bane to paleobiologists interested in the diets of human ancestors and other fossil primates. Although worn teeth dominate fossil assemblages, their shapes are usually not used to reconstruct the diets of extinct species. The problem is that traditional studies of primate dental functional anatomy have focused on unworn morphology. This has limited most functional analyses to only a few well-represented fossil species. This paper introduces a method to characterize and compar...

32 CFR 765.13 - Insignia to be worn on uniform by persons not in the service.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... President, wear the uniform duly prescribed by such societies to be worn by the members thereof. (b) The law... 32 National Defense 5 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Insignia to be worn on uniform by persons not in... THE NAVY MISCELLANEOUS RULES RULES APPLICABLE TO THE PUBLIC § 765.13 Insignia to be worn on uniform by...

A Model of Equilibrium Conditions of Roof Rock Mass Giving Consideration to the Yielding Capacity of Powered Supports

Science.gov (United States)

Jaszczuk, Marek; Pawlikowski, Arkadiusz

2017-12-01

The work presents the model of interactions between the powered roof support units and the rock mass, while giving consideration to the yielding capacity of the supports - a value used for the analysis of equilibrium conditions of roof rock mass strata in geological and mining conditions of a given longwall. In the model, the roof rock mass is kept in equilibrium by: support units, the seam, goafs, and caving rocks (Fig. 1). In the assumed model of external load on the powered roof support units it is a new development - in relation to the model applied in selection of supports based on the allowable deflection of roof theory - that the load bearing capacity is dependent on the increment of the inclination of the roof rock mass and on the properties of the working medium, while giving consideration to the air pockets in the hydraulic systems, the load of the caving rocks on the caving shield, introducing the RA support value of the roof rock mass by the coal seam as a closed-form expression and while giving consideration to the additional support provided by the rocks of the goaf as a horizontal component R01H of the goaf reaction. To determine the roof maintenance conditions it is necessary to know the characteristics linking the yielding capacity of the support units with the heading convergence, which may be measured as the inclination angle of the roof rock mass. In worldwide mining, Ground Reaction Curves are used, which allow to determine the required yielding capacity of support units based on the relation between the load exerted on the unit and the convergence of the heading ensuring the equilibrium of the roof rock mass. (Figs. 4 and 8). The equilibrium of the roof rock mass in given conditions is determined at the displacement of the rock mass by the α angle, which impacts the following values: yielding capacity of units FN, vertical component of goaf reaction R01V and the horizontal component of goaf reaction R01H. In the model of load on the support

Supporting Child-Headed Households in South Africa: Whose Best Interests?

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Dijk, D.A. van; Driel, F.T.M. van

2009-01-01

This article examines assumptions about the provision of support for children and young people in child-headed households in sub-Saharan Africa. The South African example is used to assess appropriate family- and community-based support and assistance. The South African Children's Act proposes that

Wrist-worn pervasive gaze interaction

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hansen, John Paulin; Lund, Haakon; Biermann, Florian

2016-01-01

This paper addresses gaze interaction for smart home control, conducted from a wrist-worn unit. First we asked ten people to enact the gaze movements they would propose for e.g. opening a door or adjusting the room temperature. On basis of their suggestions we built and tested different versions...... selection. Their subjective evaluations were positive with regard to the speed of the interaction. We conclude that gaze gesture input seems feasible for fast and brief remote control of smart home technology provided that robustness of tracking is improved....

The mechanics of head-supported load carriage by Nepalese porters.

Science.gov (United States)

Bastien, G J; Willems, P A; Schepens, B; Heglund, N C

2016-11-15

In the Everest valley of Nepal, because of the rugged mountain terrain, roads are nothing more than dirt paths and all material must be conveyed on foot. The Nepalese porters routinely carry head-supported loads, which often exceed their body mass, over long distances up and down the steep mountain footpaths. In Africa, women transport their loads economically thanks to an energy-saving gait adaptation. We hypothesized that the Nepalese porters may have developed a corresponding mechanism. To investigate this proposition, we measured the mechanical work done during level walking in Nepalese porters while carrying different loads at several speeds. Our results show that the Nepalese porters do not use an equivalent mechanism as the African women to reduce work. In contrast, the Nepalese porters develop an equal amount of total mechanical work as Western control subjects while carrying loads of 0 to 120% of their body mass at all speeds measured (0.5-1.7 m s -1 ), making even more impressive their ability to carry loads without any apparent mechanically determined tricks. Nevertheless, our results show that the Nepalese porters have a higher efficiency, at least at slow speeds and high loads. © 2016. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.

Evolution of low-profile and lightweight electrical connectors for soldier-worn applications

Science.gov (United States)

Gans, Eric; Lee, Kang; Jannson, Tomasz; Walter, Kevin

2011-06-01

In addition to military radios, modern warfighters carry cell phones, GPS devices, computers, and night-vision aids, all of which require electrical cables and connectors for data and power transmission. Currently each electrical device operates via independent cables using conventional cable and connector technology. Conventional cables are stiff and difficult to integrate into a soldier-worn garment. Conventional connectors are tall and heavy, as they were designed to ensure secure connections to bulkhead-type panels, and being tall, represent significant snag-hazards in soldier-worn applications. Physical Optics Corporation has designed a new, lightweight and low-profile electrical connector that is more suitable for body-worn applications and operates much like a standard garment snap. When these connectors are mated, the combined height is <0.3 in. - a significant reduction from the 2.5 in. average height of conventional connectors. Electrical connections can be made with one hand (gloved or bare) and blindly (without looking). Furthermore, POC's connectors are integrated into systems that distribute data or power from a central location on the soldier's vest, reducing the length and weight of the cables necessary to interconnect various mission-critical electronic systems. The result is a lightweight power/data distribution system offering significant advantages over conventional electrical connectors in soldier-worn applications.

Predicting energy expenditure of physical activity using hip- and wrist-worn accelerometers.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Kong Y; Acra, Sari A; Majchrzak, Karen; Donahue, Candice L; Baker, Lemont; Clemens, Linda; Sun, Ming; Buchowski, Maciej S

2003-01-01

To investigate the association between physical activity and health, we need accurate and detailed free-living physical activity measurements. The determination of energy expenditure of activity (EEACT) may also be useful in the treatment and maintenance of nutritional diseases such as diabetes mellitus. Minute-to-minute energy expenditure during a 24-h period was measured in 60 sedentary normal female volunteers (35.4 +/- 9.0 years, body mass index 30.0 +/- 5.9 kg/m2), using a state-of-the-art whole-room indirect calorimeter. The activities ranged from sedentary deskwork to walking and stepping at different intensities. Body movements were simultaneously measured using a hip-worn triaxial accelerometer (Tritrac-R3D, Hemokentics, Inc., Madison, Wisconsin) and a wrist-worn uniaxial accelerometer (ActiWatch AW64, MiniMitter Co., Sunriver, Oregon) on the dominant arm. Movement data from the accelerometers were used to develop nonlinear prediction models (separately and combined) to estimate EEACT and compared for accuracy. In a subgroup (n=12), a second 24-h study period was repeated for cross-validation of the combined model. The combined model, using Tritrac-R3D and ActiWatch, accurately estimated total EEACT (97.7 +/- 3.2% of the measured values, p=0.781), as compared with using ActiWatch (86.0 +/- 4.7%, ptypes and intensity of activities. This concept can be extended to develop valid models for the accurate measurement of free-living energy metabolism in clinical populations.

Fundamental examinations for the mechanisation of the support work in headings by blasting and by using selective cut heading machines

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Stoecker, H.M.; Luerig, H.J.

1982-01-01

Starting from the results of a stock-taking of the support methods used up to now and from exact analyses of the situation in the heading field, a concept will be elaborated with the aim, in addition to the reduction of the well-known high physical strain by the setting of the support, of rationalization of this partial procedure in case of conventional heading. The principal item is a floor-connected transportation and erection-vehicle with electro-hydraulic drive and an adjustable erection deck, which permits a fully mechanised setting of the support inclusive the side sections. By a transversible novel drilling equipment hung up at the roof of a drift a parallelization of different procedures and therewith a rationalization effect can be reached at the same time. The concept of this realizability will be demonstrated at a volume - right and power - right heading model on a scale 1:5. The developed equipment consist of operationally approved single aggregates and for the test they can also be used separately. Therewith a gradual introduction of the system is possible. At the beginning a provisional safety equipment for the direct at the face area will be introduced for the selective cut heading machine driving. According to the actual stage of the first considerations the main disadvantage of the safety equipment is the insufficient stock safety and its outrigger at the support already set.

Body-Worn Sensors in Parkinson's Disease: Evaluating Their Acceptability to Patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Fisher, James M; Hammerla, Nils Y; Rochester, Lynn; Andras, Peter; Walker, Richard W

2016-01-01

Remote monitoring of symptoms in Parkinson's disease (PD) using body-worn sensors would assist treatment decisions and evaluation of new treatments. To date, a rigorous, systematic evaluation of the acceptability of body-worn sensors in PD has not been undertaken. Thirty-four participants wore bilateral wrist-worn sensors for 4 h in a research facility and then for 1 week at home. Participants' experiences of wearing the sensors were evaluated using a Likert-style questionnaire after each phase. Qualitative data were collected through free-text responses. Differences in responses between phases were assessed by using the Wilcoxon rank-sum test. Content analysis of qualitative data was undertaken. "Non-wear time" was estimated via analysis of accelerometer data for periods when sensors were stationary. After prolonged wearing there was a negative shift in participants' views on the comfort of the sensor; problems with the sensor's strap were highlighted. However, accelerometer data demonstrated high patient concordance with wearing of the sensors. There was no evidence that participants were less likely to wear the sensors in public. Most participants preferred wearing the sensors to completing symptom diaries. The finding that participants were not less likely to wear the sensors in public provides reassurance regarding the ecological validity of the data captured. The validity of our findings was strengthened by "triangulation" of data sources, enabling patients to express their agenda and repeated assessment after prolonged wearing. Long-term monitoring with wrist-worn sensors is acceptable to this cohort of PD patients. Evaluation of the wearer's experience is critical to the development of remote monitoring technology.

Assessment of a head support system to prevent pediatric out-of-position: an observational study.

Science.gov (United States)

Lopez-Valdes, Francisco J; Forman, Jason L; Ash, Joseph H; Kent, Richard; Alba, Juan J; Segui-Gomez, Maria

Head injuries are the most common severe injuries sustained by pediatric occupants in road traffic crashes. Preventing children from adopting positions that can result in an increased injury risk due to unfavorable interactions with the restraints is fundamental. The objective of this paper was to assess the effect of a head support system (SS) on the lateral position of the head, the vertical position of the sternum and the shoulder belt fit. Thirty pediatric rear-seat passengers were exposed to two 75-minute trials. Volunteers were restrained by a three-point belt and, if needed, used the appropriate child restraint system for their anthropometry (high-back booster, low-back booster, no booster). A case crossover study was designed in which the volunteers used the head support system (SS) during one of the trials, acting as their own controls (No SS) in the other. Compared to the control group, the head support reduced significantly the 90(th) percentile value of the absolute value of the relative lateral motion of the head, regardless of the restraint used. The system also reduced the maximum downward position of the sternal notch within the low-back booster group. As for the belt fit, the use of the head support improved significantly the position of the shoulder belt on the occupant in the low-back booster and in the no booster groups.

Accuracy in Wrist-Worn, Sensor-Based Measurements of Heart Rate and Energy Expenditure in a Diverse Cohort.

Science.gov (United States)

Shcherbina, Anna; Mattsson, C Mikael; Waggott, Daryl; Salisbury, Heidi; Christle, Jeffrey W; Hastie, Trevor; Wheeler, Matthew T; Ashley, Euan A

2017-05-24

The ability to measure physical activity through wrist-worn devices provides an opportunity for cardiovascular medicine. However, the accuracy of commercial devices is largely unknown. The aim of this work is to assess the accuracy of seven commercially available wrist-worn devices in estimating heart rate (HR) and energy expenditure (EE) and to propose a wearable sensor evaluation framework. We evaluated the Apple Watch, Basis Peak, Fitbit Surge, Microsoft Band, Mio Alpha 2, PulseOn, and Samsung Gear S2. Participants wore devices while being simultaneously assessed with continuous telemetry and indirect calorimetry while sitting, walking, running, and cycling. Sixty volunteers (29 male, 31 female, age 38 ± 11 years) of diverse age, height, weight, skin tone, and fitness level were selected. Error in HR and EE was computed for each subject/device/activity combination. Devices reported the lowest error for cycling and the highest for walking. Device error was higher for males, greater body mass index, darker skin tone, and walking. Six of the devices achieved a median error for HR below 5% during cycling. No device achieved an error in EE below 20 percent. The Apple Watch achieved the lowest overall error in both HR and EE, while the Samsung Gear S2 reported the highest. In conclusion, most wrist-worn devices adequately measure HR in laboratory-based activities, but poorly estimate EE, suggesting caution in the use of EE measurements as part of health improvement programs. We propose reference standards for the validation of consumer health devices (http://precision.stanford.edu/).

Accessible or Inaccessible? Diagnostic Efficacy of CT-Guided Core Biopsies of Head and Neck Masses

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cunningham, Jane D., E-mail: janecunningham0708@gmail.com; McCusker, Mark W.; Power, Sarah; PearlyTi, Joanna; Thornton, John; Brennan, Paul; Lee, Michael J.; O’Hare, Alan; Looby, Seamus [Beaumont Hospital, Department of Radiology (Ireland)

2015-04-15

PurposeTissue sampling of lesions in the head and neck is challenging due to complex regional anatomy and sometimes necessitates open surgical biopsy. However, many patients are poor surgical candidates due to comorbidity. Thus, we evaluated the use of CT guidance for establishing histopathological diagnosis of head and neck masses.MethodsAll consecutive patients (n = 22) who underwent CT-guided core biopsy of head or neck masses between April 2009 and August 2012 were retrospectively reviewed using the departmental CT interventional procedures database. The indication for each biopsy performed was to establish or exclude a diagnosis of neoplasia in patients with suspicious head or neck lesions found on clinical examination or imaging studies. Patients received conscious sedation and 18 G, semiautomated core needle biopsies were performed by experienced neuroradiologists using 16-slice multidetector row CT imaging guidance (Somatom Definition Siemens Medical Solutions, Germany). Histopathology results of each biopsy were analysed.ResultsSixteen of 22 biopsies that were performed (73 %) yielded a pathological diagnosis. Anatomic locations biopsied included: masticator (n = 7), parapharyngeal (n = 3), parotid (n = 3), carotid (n = 3), perivertebral (n = 3), pharyngeal (n = 2), and retropharyngeal (n = 1) spaces. Six biopsies (27 %) were nondiagnostic due to inadequate tissue sampling, particularly small biopsy sample size and failure to biopsy the true sampling site due to extensive necrosis. No major complications were encountered.ConclusionsThe use of CT guidance to perform core biopsies of head and neck masses is an effective means of establishing histopathological diagnosis and reduces the need for diagnostic open surgical biopsy and general anaesthesia.

Reuse of worn-out medicaments with adsorbent properties for the removal of manganese

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Millan C, E.

2005-01-01

The current investigations on the treatment of worn-out medicaments in Mexico, reveal that most of these treatments are carried out with the purpose to reduce the packing and diminish the toxic level that presents each one of those medicaments. That it reach to reuse of them is their packing material and/or their cover. Once treated, the worn-out medicaments move to a sanitary filler. With relationship to the investigation works that have been carried out for the manganese removal in solution, they show a great number of materials that they are used for this end, as well as the parameters that influence in the process, such as the concentration of the element, the solution type in that is content and the pH. However, it is not mentioned in none of them the reuse of the worn-out medicaments (Talcid and Melox), as adsorbent materials for the removal of metals from the water. To carry out the present investigation they were selected therefore, to the one Talcid and the Melox because its present adsorbent properties, with the purpose to remove the manganese like water pollutant. Once that the worn-out medicaments were obtained, they put on in contact with different organic solvents, to obtain the active principle, due to the pharmaceutical presentation of the two medicaments that was obtained was in suspension. The active principles of the two medicaments were characterized by means of high vacuum scanning electron microscopy (SEM), elementary microanalysis (EDS) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The experimental part consisted in putting in contact manganese solutions with the active principles of the worn-out medicaments, varying the time of contact and the concentration. The manganese quantification in the liquid phase carried out by means of atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS). It was found that the kinetic model that better describes the sorption process of manganese in both worn-out medicaments (Talcid and Melox) it is that of pseudo second order. Those results of

Racial variations in interfacial behavior of lipids extracted from worn soft contact lenses

OpenAIRE

Svitova, TF; Lin, MC

2013-01-01

PURPOSE: To explore interfacial behaviors and effects of temperature and dilatation on dynamic properties of multilayered human tear lipids extracted from silicone hydrogel (SiH) lenses worn by asymptomatic Asian and white subjects. METHODS: Interfacial properties of lipids extracted from Focus NandD lenses worn by 14 subjects continuously for 1 month were studied. The lipids were deposited on an air bubble immersed in a model tear electrolyte (MTE) solution to form 100 ± 20-nm-thick films. S...

Fall detection with body-worn sensors : A systematic review

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Schwickert, L.; Becker, C.; Lindemann, U.; Marechal, C.; Bourke, A.; Chiari, L.; Helbostad, J. L.; Zijlstra, Wiebren; Aminian, K.; Todd, C.; Bandinelli, S.; Klenk, J.

2013-01-01

Background and aims. Falls among older people remain a major public health challenge. Body-worn sensors are needed to improve the understanding of the underlying mechanisms and kinematics of falls. The aim of this systematic review is to assemble, extract and critically discuss the information

Daily physical activity patterns from hip- and wrist-worn accelerometers

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Shiroma, Eric J; Schepps, M A; Harezlak, J

2016-01-01

Accelerometer wear location may influence physical activity estimates. This study investigates this relationship through the examination of activity patterns throughout the day. Participants from the aging research evaluating accelerometry (AREA) study (n men = 37, n women = 47, mean age (SD) = 78...... activity accrual provide support that each location is capable of estimating total physical activity volume. The examination of activity patterns over time may provide a more detailed way to examine differences in wear location and different subpopulations. © 2016 Institute of Physics and Engineering.......9 (5.5) years) were asked to wear accelerometers in a free-living environment for 7 d at three different wear locations; one on each wrist and one on the right hip. During waking hours, wrist-worn accelerometers consistently produced higher median activity counts, about 5 × higher, as well as wider...

Role of Body-Worn Movement Monitor Technology for Balance and Gait Rehabilitation

Science.gov (United States)

King, Laurie; Mancini, Martina

2015-01-01

This perspective article will discuss the potential role of body-worn movement monitors for balance and gait assessment and treatment in rehabilitation. Recent advances in inexpensive, wireless sensor technology and smart devices are resulting in an explosion of miniature, portable sensors that can quickly and accurately quantify body motion. Practical and useful movement monitoring systems are now becoming available. It is critical that therapists understand the potential advantages and limitations of such emerging technology. One important advantage of obtaining objective measures of balance and gait from body-worn sensors is impairment-level metrics characterizing how and why functional performance of balance and gait activities are impaired. Therapy can then be focused on the specific physiological reasons for difficulty in walking or balancing during specific tasks. A second advantage of using technology to measure balance and gait behavior is the increased sensitivity of the balance and gait measures to document mild disability and change with rehabilitation. A third advantage of measuring movement, such as postural sway and gait characteristics, with body-worn sensors is the opportunity for immediate biofeedback provided to patients that can focus attention and enhance performance. In the future, body-worn sensors may allow therapists to perform telerehabilitation to monitor compliance with home exercise programs and the quality of their natural mobility in the community. Therapists need technological systems that are quick to use and provide actionable information and useful reports for their patients and referring physicians. Therapists should look for systems that provide measures that have been validated with respect to gold standard accuracy and to clinically relevant outcomes such as fall risk and severity of disability. PMID:25504484

Morphologic changes in the body of the pancreas secondary to a mass in the pancreatic head

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Muranaka, Toru

1990-01-01

CT scans of 279 normal subjects and 78 patients with a pancreatic head mass were reviewed. The mean width of the pancreatic body in normal subjects was 15.8±2.9 mm, but the width decreased with age. The pancreatic head to body width ratio (H/B ratio) was constant (1.45±0.03). In 56 patients with carcinoma, the pancreatic body width decreased as tumor size increased and uniform atrophy with continuous beading duct was common in large carcinomas. The H/B ratio in small carcinomas (<2 cm), however, was significantly smaller than normal (p<0.05) and an enlarged pancreatic body was seen in 55 percent of these cases. The pancreatic body width in focal inflammatory masses was large compared to that in carcinomas of comparable size; the H/B ratio (1.57) was close to normal and the duct caliber to gland width ratio was low (0.16), even with large lesions. Non-uniform pancreatic body with discontinuous duct was most commonly associated with pseudocyst. Characterization of the CT appearance of secondary changes in the pancreatic body may help to improve the diagnosis of pancreatic head mass. (orig.)

Evaluation of protection provided by air purifying half and full-face masks as worn

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Murata, Mikio; Ikezawa, Yoshio; Yoshida, Yoshikazu

1979-01-01

For selecting good-performing masks and estimating the protection provided by the masks, the leakage has been measured for six types of half mask and three types of full-face mask as worn. The cloud of submicron sodium chloride particles was generated within a test hood in which the subject wore his mask. The air sampled from inside the mask with a miniature pump was assessed by a flame photometer. The leakage was measured under four simulated working conditions such as normal breathing, smiling, moving head, and talking. The measured protection factors (defined as the ratio of the concentration of the test cloud outside the mask to that inside the mask) widely distributed from 10 to 3,300 for the half masks and from 100 to 3,300 for the full-face masks, depending on the persons and the working conditions. The values characterising the distribution of the protection factor for each mask are summarized. Based on these values, the performance of each mask and the effects of working conditions on the protection are discussed. (author)

Head impacts in a junior rugby league team measured with a wireless head impact sensor: an exploratory analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

King, Doug; Hume, Patria; Gissane, Conor; Clark, Trevor

2017-01-01

OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to investigate the frequency, magnitude, and distribution of head impacts sustained by players in a junior rugby league over a season of matches. METHODS The authors performed a prospective cohort analysis of impact magnitude, frequency, and distribution on data collected with instrumented XPatches worn behind the ear of players in an "under-11" junior rugby league team (players under 11 years old). RESULTS A total of 1977 impacts were recorded. Over the course of the study, players sustained an average of 116 impacts (average of 13 impacts per player per match). The measured linear acceleration ranged from 10g to 123g (mean 22g, median 16g, and 95th percentile 57g). The rotational acceleration ranged from 89 rad/sec 2 to 22,928 rad/sec 2 (mean 4041 rad/sec 2 , median 2773 rad/sec 2 , and 95th percentile 11,384 rad/sec 2 ). CONCLUSIONS The level of impact severity based on the magnitude of impacts for linear and rotational accelerations recorded was similar to the impacts reported in studies of American junior and high school football, collegiate football, and youth ice hockey players, but the players in the rugby league cohort were younger, had less body mass, and played at a slower speed than the American players. Junior rugby league players are required to tackle the player to the ground and use a different tackle technique than that used in American football, likely increasing the rotational accelerations recorded at the head.

Supportive care for head and neck cancer patients receiving radiotherapy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zenda, Sadamoto

2015-01-01

Recently (chemo-)radiotherapy has been widely used in head and neck cancer with definite evidence. As long survivor has increased, social problems associated with late toxicity have become more. Late toxicities induced by radiotherapy for head and neck lesion are often severe. Xerostomia is one of the severe late toxicities conventionally and dysphagia after chemoradiotherapy is a new topic. Some industrial development (ex. Intensity Modulated Radiotherapy: IMRT) play a great role in toxicity management. Multidisciplinary approach (cooperation between not only physicians but also nurses and dentists) is necessary to control toxicities. The research of supportive care will be needed same as definitive treatment in the future. (author)

A Literature Review of Musculoskeletal Injuries to the Human Neck and the Effects of Head-Supported Mass Worn by Soldier

Science.gov (United States)

2005-10-01

International IRCOBI Conference on the Biomechanics of Impacts: 251-264. Bowman, B.M., and Robbins , D.H. (1972) Parameter Study of Biomechanical Quantities in...International IRCOBI Conference on the Biomechanics of Impacts: 109-125. 45 Jones, J.A., Hart, S.F., Baskin , D.S., Effenhauser, R., Johnson, S.L

Assessing Doses to Interventional Radiologists Using a Personal Dosimeter Worn Over a Protective Apron

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Stranden, E.; Widmark, A.; Sekse, T. (Buskerud Univ. College, Drammen (Norway))

2008-05-15

Background: Interventional radiologists receive significant radiation doses, and it is important to have simple methods for routine monitoring of their exposure. Purpose: To evaluate the usefulness of a dosimeter worn outside the protective apron for assessments of dose to interventional radiologists. Material and Methods: Assessments of effective dose versus dose to dosimeters worn outside the protective apron were achieved by phantom measurements. Doses outside and under the apron were assessed by phantom measurements and measurements on eight radiologists wearing two routine dosimeters for a 2-month period during ordinary working conditions. Finger doses for the same radiologists were recorded using thermoluminescent dosimeters (TLD; DXT-RAD Extremity dosimeters). Results: Typical values for the ratio between effective dose and dosimeter dose were found to be about 0.02 when the radiologist used a thyroid shield and about 0.03 without. The ratio between the dose to the dosimeter under and outside a protective apron was found to be less than 0.04. There was very good correlation between finger dose and dosimeter dose. Conclusion: A personal dosimeter worn outside a protective apron is a good screening device for dose to the eyes and fingers as well as for effective dose, even though the effective dose is grossly overestimated. Relatively high dose to the fingers and eyes remains undetected by a dosimeter worn under the apron

Assessing Doses to Interventional Radiologists Using a Personal Dosimeter Worn Over a Protective Apron

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stranden, E.; Widmark, A.; Sekse, T.

2008-01-01

Background: Interventional radiologists receive significant radiation doses, and it is important to have simple methods for routine monitoring of their exposure. Purpose: To evaluate the usefulness of a dosimeter worn outside the protective apron for assessments of dose to interventional radiologists. Material and Methods: Assessments of effective dose versus dose to dosimeters worn outside the protective apron were achieved by phantom measurements. Doses outside and under the apron were assessed by phantom measurements and measurements on eight radiologists wearing two routine dosimeters for a 2-month period during ordinary working conditions. Finger doses for the same radiologists were recorded using thermoluminescent dosimeters (TLD; DXT-RAD Extremity dosimeters). Results: Typical values for the ratio between effective dose and dosimeter dose were found to be about 0.02 when the radiologist used a thyroid shield and about 0.03 without. The ratio between the dose to the dosimeter under and outside a protective apron was found to be less than 0.04. There was very good correlation between finger dose and dosimeter dose. Conclusion: A personal dosimeter worn outside a protective apron is a good screening device for dose to the eyes and fingers as well as for effective dose, even though the effective dose is grossly overestimated. Relatively high dose to the fingers and eyes remains undetected by a dosimeter worn under the apron

INCREASING OF ECOLOGICAL EFFICIENCY OF WORN EQUIPMENT BY PARTIAL UPDATES. ANALYTICAL AND CONTROL ASPECT

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S. Voinova

2017-12-01

Full Text Available The current state of worn industrial equipment and the resulting low performance indicators of its functioning, in particular, low environmental friendliness, are considered. It is shown that the normalization of the complex situation that has developed in production is an acute problem, the solution of which should begin with the implementation of a program for the partial renewal of worn equipment. It is pointed out that there is a high potential for improving the technological, including ecological, efficiency of functioning of the upgraded equipment. It is pointed out that the partial renewal is highly efficient, because of the small specific investments in it. The significant influence of the quality of control of the setting and implementation of the renewal program on its effectiveness was noted. It is shown that the process of renewal of worn-out equipment, ultimately, has an environmental focus, increases the environmental friendliness of the updated technical facility.

CT differentiation of masses in the head of the pancreas area

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Neufang, K.F.R.; Moedder, U.; Heuser, L.

1985-01-01

Masses in the head of the pancreas area may be caused by neoplastic, inflammatory and a variety of other processes originating within the pancreas or in adjacent structures and organs. CT following intraveneous bolus injection of the contrast agent and oral staining of the small bowel allows the precise anatomic localization of the lesion and helps to evaluate its dignity and pathology. Nevertheless, frequently the final can be established only at open surgery and by histopathologic examination of the resected specimen. (orig.) [de

Body-Worn Spiral Monopole Antenna for Body-Centric Communications (invited)

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kammersgaard, Nikolaj Peter Iversen; Kvist, Søren Helstrup; Thaysen, Jesper

2016-01-01

A novel body-worn spiral monopole antenna is presented. The antenna consists of a ground plane and a spiral monopole. The antenna is designed for Ear-to-Ear (E2E) communication between In-the-Ear (ITE) Hearing Instruments (HIs) at 2.45 GHz and has been simulated, prototyped and measured. The ante...

The Protocol of Fixed Reconstruction for Severely Worn Teeth Combined with Anterior Deep Bite

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ya-Wen Zhao

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Full mouth reconstruction is one of the most effective methods to restore severe worn teeth that have suffered reduced vertical dimension. Although the use of the overlay splint restoration for a trial period allowing the patient to adapt to an increased vertical dimension is the recognized method, the specific protocol from the transitional splint to the fixed reconstruction is yet to be established. This case report describes a 50-year-old female patient who has severely worn teeth combined with an anterior deep bite and chewing pain. The protocol of the treatment process is described.

Bottom head assembly

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fife, A.B.

1998-01-01

A bottom head dome assembly is described which includes, in one embodiment, a bottom head dome and a liner configured to be positioned proximate the bottom head dome. The bottom head dome has a plurality of openings extending there through. The liner also has a plurality of openings extending there through, and each liner opening aligns with a respective bottom head dome opening. A seal is formed, such as by welding, between the liner and the bottom head dome to resist entry of water between the liner and the bottom head dome at the edge of the liner. In the one embodiment, a plurality of stub tubes are secured to the liner. Each stub tube has a bore extending there through, and each stub tube bore is coaxially aligned with a respective liner opening. A seat portion is formed by each liner opening for receiving a portion of the respective stub tube. The assembly also includes a plurality of support shims positioned between the bottom head dome and the liner for supporting the liner. In one embodiment, each support shim includes a support stub having a bore there through, and each support stub bore aligns with a respective bottom head dome opening. 2 figs

Policy, design and use of police-worn bodycameras in the Netherlands.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Timan, Tjerk

2016-01-01

Police-worn bodycameras have been tested and deployed since 2009 in the Netherlands. They have been introduced after what were seen as positive results concerning bodycamera practices in the United Kingdom (UK). After a looming, almost silent introduction in the Netherlands, recent events have led

Optical detections from worn and unworn titanium compound surfaces

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rasmussen, Inge Lise; Guibert, M.; Martin, J.-M.

2010-01-01

of a titanium nitride (TiN) layer we obtain an increase in the reflected light as a result of wear. The relative change of reflectance of light from the tribological TiAlN coated surface to the underlying layer of TiN is similar for non-worn surfaces and for surfaces exposed to an abrasive wear process...... of a residual thickness of realistic tribological coatings prior to complete wear....

Maintenance management of Holke milling machine's universal dividing head

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bambang L; Dewanto; Tony R; Subroto

2013-01-01

Management in general can be interpreted as a rule for controlling the number of people to achieve the goals desired. Management of maintenance activities can be developed from the above definition by describing the activities of the universal dividing head treatment at Holke milling machine. The equipment is a major tool in the milling machine used to manufacture a wide range of very precise grooves, the hole and diameter should have the same distance, and the even and uneven distribution. The tool was damaged and cannot be functioned. The bearing of fulcrum axle was crushed and the screw shaft was worn out due to aging. Therefore, maintenance activity was carried out by replacing of bearing. Function test was then made, and the result shows that the universal dividing head can function well. (author)

Withholding and withdrawing of life support from patients with severe head injury.

Science.gov (United States)

O'Callahan, J G; Fink, C; Pitts, L H; Luce, J M

1995-09-01

To characterize the withholding or withdrawing of life support from patients with severe head injury. San Francisco General Hospital, a city and county hospital with a Level I trauma center. A standardized questionnaire was used to collect data on demographics and functional outcome of severely head-injured (Glasgow Coma Score of family members. Forty-seven patients who were admitted to a medical-surgical intensive care unit over a 1-yr period. Twenty-four patients had life support withheld or withdrawn, and 23 patients did not. Physician and family separately assessed patient's probable functional outcome, degree of communication between them, reasons important in recommending or deciding on discontinuation of life support, and the result of action taken. Six months later, the families reviewed the process of their decision, how well physician(s) had communicated, and what might have improved communication. Of 24 patients with life support discontinued, 22 died; two were discharged from the hospital. Twenty-three of the 24 patients had a poor prognosis on admission. Of the 23 patients who were continued on life support for the duration of their hospitalization, ten had a poor (p Family's assessment of prognosis agreed with physician's assessment in 22 of the 24 patients from whom life support was discontinued (p families' assessments. Physicians' considerations in recommending limitation of care and families' considerations in making decisions were the same, primarily an inevitably poor prognosis. Neither physician nor families cited cost or availability of care as a deciding factor. Two families disagreed with the recommendation to limit care after initial agreement because the patients' prognosis improved from "likely death" to "vegetative." Care was therefore continued, and both patients remained vegetative 6 months after admission to the hospital and discharge to chronic care facilities. Life support is commonly withheld or withdrawn from patients with severe

A Wrist-Worn Thermohaptic Device for Graceful Interruption

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bolton, Frank; Jalaliniya, Shahram; Pederson, Thomas

2015-01-01

Thermal haptics is a potential system output modality for wearable devices that promises to function at the periphery of human attention. When adequately combined with existing attention-governing mechanisms of the human mind, it could be used for interrupting the human agent at a time when......-worn thermohaptic actuator for self-mitigating interruption. We then develop a prototype and perform an insightful pilot study. We frame our empirical thermohaptic experimental work in terms of Peripheral Interaction concepts and show how this new approach to Human-Computer Interaction relates to the Context...

A finger-free wrist-worn pulse oximeter for the monitoring of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Science.gov (United States)

Chu, Chang-Sheng; Chuang, Shuang-Chao; Lee, Yeh Wen; Fan, Chih-Hsun; Chung, Lung Pin; Li, Yu-Tang; Chen, Jyh-Chern

2016-03-01

Herein, a finger-free wrist-worn pulse oximeter is presented. This device allows patients to measure blood oxygen level and pulse rate without hindering their normal finger movement. This wrist-worn pulse oximeter is built with a reflectance oximetry sensor, which consists of light emitting diodes and photodiode light detectors located side by side. This reflectance oximetry sensor is covered with an optical element with micro structured surface. This micro structured optical element is designed to modulate photon propagation beneath the skin tissue so that the photoplethysmogram signals of reflected lights or backscattered lights detected by the photodetector are therefore enhanced.

Separating bedtime rest from activity using waist or wrist-worn accelerometers in youth.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dustin J Tracy

Full Text Available Recent interest in sedentary behavior and technological advances expanded use of watch-size accelerometers for continuous monitoring of physical activity (PA over extended periods (e.g., 24 h/day for 1 week in studies conducted in natural living environment. This approach necessitates the development of new methods separating bedtime rest and activity periods from the accelerometer recordings. The goal of this study was to develop a decision tree with acceptable accuracy for separating bedtime rest from activity in youth using accelerometer placed on waist or wrist. Minute-by-minute accelerometry data were collected from 81 youth (10-18 years old, 47 females during a monitored 24-h stay in a whole-room indirect calorimeter equipped with a force platform covering the floor to detect movement. Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC curve analysis was used to determine the accelerometer cut points for rest and activity. To examine the classification differences, the accelerometer bedtime rest and activity classified by the algorithm in the development group (n = 41 were compared with actual bedtime rest and activity classification obtained from the room calorimeter-measured metabolic rate and movement data. The selected optimal bedtime rest cut points were 20 and 250 counts/min for the waist- and the wrist-worn accelerometer, respectively. The selected optimal activity cut points were 500 and 3,000 counts/min for waist and wrist-worn accelerometers, respectively. Bedtime rest and activity were correctly classified by the algorithm in the validation group (n = 40 by both waist- (sensitivity: 0.983, specificity: 0.946, area under ROC curve: 0. 872 and wrist-worn (0.999, 0.980 and 0.943 accelerometers. The decision tree classified bedtime rest correctly with higher accuracy than commonly used automated algorithm for both waist- and wrist-warn accelerometer (all p<0.001. We concluded that cut points developed and validated for waist- and wrist-worn

Benefits of Compression Garments Worn During Handball-Specific Circuit on Short-Term Fatigue in Professional Players.

Science.gov (United States)

Ravier, Gilles; Bouzigon, Romain; Beliard, Samuel; Tordi, Nicolas; Grappe, Frederic

2018-04-04

Ravier, G, Bouzigon, R, Beliard, S, Tordi, N, and Grappe, F. Benefits of compression garments worn during handball-specific circuit on short-term fatigue in professional players. J Strength Cond Res XX(X): 000-000, 2016-The purpose of this study was to investigate the benefits of full-leg length compression garments (CGs) worn during a handball-specific circuit exercises on athletic performance and acute fatigue-induced changes in strength and muscle soreness in professional handball players. Eighteen men (mean ± SD: age 23.22 ± 4.97 years; body mass: 82.06 ± 9.69 kg; height: 184.61 ± 4.78 cm) completed 2 identical sessions either wearing regular gym short or CGs in a randomized crossover design. Exercise circuits of explosive activities included 3 periods of 12 minutes of sprints, jumps, and agility drills every 25 seconds. Before, immediately after and 24 hours postexercise, maximal voluntary knee extension (maximal voluntary contraction, MVC), rate of force development (RFD), and muscle soreness were assessed. During the handball-specific circuit sprint and jump performances were unchanged in both conditions. Immediately after performing the circuit exercises MVC, RFD, and PPT decreased significantly compared with preexercise with CGs and noncompression clothes. Decrement was similar in both conditions for RFD (effect size, ES = 0.40) and PPT for the soleus (ES = 0.86). However, wearing CGs attenuated decrement in MVC (p handball-specific circuit provides benefits on the impairment of the maximal muscle force characteristics and is likely to be worthwhile for handball players involved in activities such as tackles.

Development of heading/ripping systems and immediate roadway support (Report on ECSC contract 6220-62/8/801)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1977-01-01

The development of a combined heading and ripping system to enable the heading to be advanced while the coal and dirt were taken and discharged separately is discussed. A rotary head ripping machine fitted with cutting picks, dirt stowing machinery and ancillary equipment were developed. Work on the design and testing of powered roadway supports around roadheading machines showed that the problems arising may outweigh any of the possible advantages.

Architectures for wrist-worn energy harvesting

Science.gov (United States)

Rantz, R.; Halim, M. A.; Xue, T.; Zhang, Q.; Gu, L.; Yang, K.; Roundy, S.

2018-04-01

This paper reports the simulation-based analysis of six dynamical structures with respect to their wrist-worn vibration energy harvesting capability. This work approaches the problem of maximizing energy harvesting potential at the wrist by considering multiple mechanical substructures; rotational and linear motion-based architectures are examined. Mathematical models are developed and experimentally corroborated. An optimization routine is applied to the proposed architectures to maximize average power output and allow for comparison. The addition of a linear spring element to the structures has the potential to improve power output; for example, in the case of rotational structures, a 211% improvement in power output was estimated under real walking excitation. The analysis concludes that a sprung rotational harvester architecture outperforms a sprung linear architecture by 66% when real walking data is used as input to the simulations.

Comparison of wrist-worn Fitbit Flex and waist-worn ActiGraph for measuring steps in free-living adults.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anne H Y Chu

Full Text Available Accelerometers are commonly used to assess physical activity. Consumer activity trackers have become increasingly popular today, such as the Fitbit. This study aimed to compare the average number of steps per day using the wrist-worn Fitbit Flex and waist-worn ActiGraph (wGT3X-BT in free-living conditions.104 adult participants (n = 35 males; n = 69 females were asked to wear a Fitbit Flex and an ActiGraph concurrently for 7 days. Daily step counts were used to classify inactive (<10,000 steps and active (≥10,000 steps days, which is one of the commonly used physical activity guidelines to maintain health. Proportion of agreement between physical activity categorizations from ActiGraph and Fitbit Flex was assessed. Statistical analyses included Spearman's rho, intraclass correlation (ICC, median absolute percentage error (MAPE, Kappa statistics, and Bland-Altman plots. Analyses were performed among all participants, by each step-defined daily physical activity category and gender.The median average steps/day recorded by Fitbit Flex and ActiGraph were 10193 and 8812, respectively. Strong positive correlations and agreement were found for all participants, both genders, as well as daily physical activity categories (Spearman's rho: 0.76-0.91; ICC: 0.73-0.87. The MAPE was: 15.5% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 5.8-28.1% for overall steps, 16.9% (6.8-30.3% vs. 15.1% (4.5-27.3% in males and females, and 20.4% (8.7-35.9% vs. 9.6% (1.0-18.4% during inactive days and active days. Bland-Altman plot indicated a median overestimation of 1300 steps/day by the Fitbit Flex in all participants. Fitbit Flex and ActiGraph respectively classified 51.5% and 37.5% of the days as active (Kappa: 0.66.There were high correlations and agreement in steps between Fitbit Flex and ActiGraph. However, findings suggested discrepancies in steps between devices. This imposed a challenge that needs to be considered when using Fibit Flex in research and health promotion

Effect of lumped mass and support stiffness on pipe seismic response

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chang, P.S.Y.

1986-01-01

In performing pipe stress analysis, generic support stiffness values are typically used to predict the response of the piping systems. Consistent design of every support to match the generic stiffness value is difficult. The difference between the actual and generic stiffness may affect the results of pipe stresses and support reactions. The objective of this study is to develop an acceptance criteria for the actual support stiffness and to avoid unnecessary reanalysis. The support mass in the restraint direction and mass within the pipe span can also affect the piping system behavior and this study will discuss this mass effect as well. Added mass and change in support stiffness will cause the piping system to shift frequency

Physical activity and sedentary behavior during pregnancy and postpartum, measured using hip and wrist-worn accelerometers

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kathryn R. Hesketh

2018-06-01

Full Text Available Background: Physical activity in pregnancy and postpartum is beneficial to mothers and infants. To advance knowledge of objective physical activity measurement during these periods, this study compares hip to wrist accelerometer compliance; assesses convergent validity (correlation between hip- and wrist-worn accelerometry; and assesses change in physical activity from pregnancy to postpartum. Methods: We recruited women during pregnancy (n = 100; 2014–2015, asking them to wear hip and wrist accelerometers for 7 days during Trimester 2 (T2, Trimester 3 (T3, and 3-, 6-, 9- and 12-months postpartum. We assessed average wear-time and correlations (axis-specific counts/minute, vector magnitude counts/day and step counts/day at T2, T3, and postpartum. Results: Compliance was higher for wrist-worn accelerometers. Hip and wrist accelerometers showed moderate to high correlations (Pearson's r 0.59 to 0.84. Hip-measured sedentary and active time differed little between T2 and T3. Moderate-to-vigorous physical activity decreased at T3 and remained low postpartum. Light physical activity increased and sedentary time decreased throughout the postpartum period. Conclusions: Wrist accelerometers may be preferable during pregnancy and appear comparable to hip accelerometers. As physical activity declines during later pregnancy and may not rebound post birth, support for re-engaging in physical activity earlier in the postpartum period may benefit women. Keywords: Physical activity, Pregnancy, Postpartum, Sedentary behavior, Measurement

3D surface reconstruction and FIB microscopy of worn alumina hip prostheses

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zeng, P; Inkson, B J; Rainforth, W M [Department of Engineering Materials, Mappin St., University of Sheffield, Sheffield, S1 3JD (United Kingdom); Stewart, T [School of Mechanical Engineering, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JT (United Kingdom)], E-mail: m.rainforth@sheffield.ac.uk

2008-08-15

Interest in alumina-on-alumina total hip replacements (THR) continues to grow for the young and active patient due to their superior wear performance and biocompatibility compared to the alternative traditional polymer/metal prostheses. While alumina on alumina bearings offer an excellent solution, a region of high wear, known as stripe wear, is commonly observed on retrieved alumina hip components that poses concern. These in-vivo stripe wear mechanisms can be replicated in vitro by the introduction of micro-separation during the simulated walking cycle in hip joint simulation. However, the understanding of the mechanisms behind the stripe wear processes is relatively poor. 3D topographic reconstructions of titled SEM stereo pairs from different zones have been obtained to determine the local worn surface topography. Focused ion beam (FIB) microscopy was applied to examine the subsurface damage across the stripe wear. The paper presents novel images of sub-surface microcracks in alumina along with 3D reconstructions of the worn ceramic surfaces and a classification of four distinct wear zones following microseparation in hip prostheses.

Predicting superdeformed rotational band-head spin in A ∼ 190 mass region using variable moment of inertia model

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Uma, V.S.; Goel, Alpana; Yadav, Archana; Jain, A.K.

2016-01-01

The band-head spin (I 0 ) of superdeformed (SD) rotational bands in A ∼ 190 mass region is predicted using the variable moment of inertia (VMI) model for 66 SD rotational bands. The superdeformed rotational bands exhibited considerably good rotational property and rigid behaviour. The transition energies were dependent on the prescribed band-head spins. The ratio of transition energies over spin Eγ/ 2 I (RTEOS) vs. angular momentum (I) have confirmed the rigid behaviour, provided the band-head spin value is assigned correctly. There is a good agreement between the calculated and the observed transition energies. This method gives a very comprehensive interpretation for spin assignment of SD rotational bands which could help in designing future experiments for SD bands. (author)

SCDAP/RELAP5 modeling of movement of melted material through porous debris in lower head

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Siefken, L. J.; Harvego, E. A.

2000-01-01

A model is described for the movement of melted metallic material through a ceramic porous debris bed. The model is designed for the analysis of severe accidents in LWRs, wherein melted core plate material may slump onto the top of a porous bed of relocated core material supported by the lower head. The permeation of the melted core plate material into the porous debris bed influences the heatup of the debris bed and the heatup of the lower head supporting the debris. A model for mass transport of melted metallic material is applied that includes terms for viscosity and turbulence but neglects inertial and capillary terms because of their small value relative to gravity and viscous terms in the momentum equation. The relative permeability and passability of the porous debris are calculated as functions of debris porosity, particle size, and effective saturation. An iterative numerical solution is used to solve the set of nonlinear equations for mass transport. The effective thermal conductivity of the debris is calculated as a function of porosity, particle size, and saturation. The model integrates the equations for mass transport with a model for the two-dimensional conduction of heat through porous debris. The integrated model has been implemented into the SCDAP/RELAP5 code for the analysis of the integrity of LWR lower heads during severe accidents. The results of the model indicate that melted core plate material may permeate to near the bottom of a 1m deep hot porous debris bed supported by the lower head. The presence of the relocated core plate material was calculated to cause a 12% increase in the heat flux on the external surface of the lower head

Perceived Parental Barriers to and Strategies for Supporting Physical Activity and Healthy Eating among Head Start Children.

Science.gov (United States)

Ling, Jiying; B Robbins, Lorraine; Hines-Martin, Vicki

2016-06-01

Despite the need for parents to support their children's healthy behaviors, knowledge of factors preventing parents from doing so is still rudimentary. This study primarily aimed to explore perceived parental barriers to and strategies for supporting physical activity and healthy eating among Head Start children. A semi-structured interview format was used with four focus groups conducted at two urban Head Start centers in the Midwestern U.S. A qualitative content analysis of audio-recorded sessions was facilitated using ATLAS.ti7. A convenience sample of 32 parents (Mage = 34.97 years) participated. Over half were female (78.1 %), African Americans (65.6 %), and single (65.6 %). About 61.3 % reported an annual family income parent): lack of time and cooking skills and a tight family budget; and (3) environmental: inaccessible programs, lack of age-appropriate education, electronic media use, and unsafe environment. Parents across all groups expressed high interest in enrolling in a program with their children. Recommendations included: parents' support team; family outings at parks; taking a walk or enrolling in a class with children; and planting a garden. Many parents showed their preference for face-to-face meetings and a support group, but repulsion of counseling. To promote parental support in future interventions with Head Start children, their perceived intrapersonal, interpersonal, and environmental barriers should be considered as intervention targets. Involving parents through a support group and face-to-face meetings is recommended.

Measuring cues for stand-off deception detection based on full-body nonverbal features in body-worn cameras

Science.gov (United States)

Bouma, Henri; Burghouts, Gertjan; den Hollander, Richard; van der Zee, Sophie; Baan, Jan; ten Hove, Johan-Martijn; van Diepen, Sjaak; van den Haak, Paul; van Rest, Jeroen

2016-10-01

Deception detection is valuable in the security domain to distinguish truth from lies. It is desirable in many security applications, such as suspect and witness interviews and airport passenger screening. Interviewers are constantly trying to assess the credibility of a statement, usually based on intuition without objective technical support. However, psychological research has shown that humans can hardly perform better than random guessing. Deception detection is a multi-disciplinary research area with an interest from different fields, such as psychology and computer science. In the last decade, several developments have helped to improve the accuracy of lie detection (e.g., with a concealed information test, increasing the cognitive load, or measurements with motion capture suits) and relevant cues have been discovered (e.g., eye blinking or fiddling with the fingers). With an increasing presence of mobile phones and bodycams in society, a mobile, stand-off, automatic deception detection methodology based on various cues from the whole body would create new application opportunities. In this paper, we study the feasibility of measuring these visual cues automatically on different parts of the body, laying the groundwork for stand-off deception detection in more flexible and mobile deployable sensors, such as body-worn cameras. We give an extensive overview of recent developments in two communities: in the behavioral-science community the developments that improve deception detection with a special attention to the observed relevant non-verbal cues, and in the computer-vision community the recent methods that are able to measure these cues. The cues are extracted from several body parts: the eyes, the mouth, the head and the fullbody pose. We performed an experiment using several state-of-the-art video-content-analysis (VCA) techniques to assess the quality of robustly measuring these visual cues.

Flued head replacement alternatives

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Smetters, J.L.

1987-01-01

This paper discusses flued head replacement options. Section 2 discusses complete flued head replacement with a design that eliminates the inaccessible welds. Section 3 discusses alternate flued head support designs that can drastically reduce flued head installation costs. Section 4 describes partial flued head replacement designs. Finally, Section 5 discusses flued head analysis methods. (orig./GL)

Using Collar worn Sensors to Forecast Thermal Strain in Military Working Dogs

Science.gov (United States)

2016-04-22

Using Collar-worn Sensors to Forecast Thermal Strain in Military Working Dogs James R. Williamson, Austin R. Hess, Christopher J. Smalt, Delsey M...these estimates for forecasting and monitoring thermal strain is assessed based on performance in out of sample prediction of core temperature (Tc...time step (100 Hz) from the magnitude of the three- dimensional acceleration vector, ai , which is independent of sensor orientation. Next, the

Transbiliary intravascular ultrasound-guided diagnostic biopsy of an inaccessible pancreatic head mass

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jeffrey Forris Beecham Chick, MD, MPH, DABR

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Percutaneous image-guided biopsies of pancreatic malignancies may prove challenging and nondiagnostic due to a variety of anatomic considerations. For patients with complex post-surgical anatomy, such as a Roux-en-Y gastric bypass, diagnosis via endoscopic ultrasound with fine-needle aspiration may not be possible because of an inability to reach the proximal duodenum. This report describes the first diagnostic case of transbiliary intravascular ultrasound-guided biopsy of a pancreatic head mass in a patient with prior Roux-en-Y gastric bypass for which a diagnosis could not be achieved via percutaneous and endoscopic approaches. Transbiliary intravascular ultrasound-guided biopsy resulted in a diagnosis of pancreatic adenocarcinoma, allowing the initiation of chemotherapy.

A Man with Pancreatic Head Mass Lesion on Endoscopic Ultrasound and Granuloma on Cytopathology

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Neda Rad

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Primary pancreatic lymphoma is an unlikely malignancy accounting for less than 0.5% of pancreatic tumors. Clinical presentation is often nonspecific and may be clinically misdiagnosed as pancreatic adenocarcinoma. Here we present an Iranian case of primary pancreatic lymphoma in a 47-year-old male suffering from jaundice and 20% weight loss. Endoscopic ultrasound revealed a mixed echoic mass lesion at the head of pancreas. The patient underwent endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration of solid pancreatic mass and histopathologic diagnosis revealed granuloma. Computed tomography-guided core needle biopsy was performed and eventually histological examination showed granuloma that was coherent with the diagnosis of primary pancreatic lymphoma. Primary pancreatic lymphoma is a rare entity presenting with nonspecific symptoms, laboratory and radiological findings. Computed tomography results in combination with clinical and radiological studies generally provide guidance for appropriate investigation.

A Man with Pancreatic Head Mass Lesion on Endoscopic Ultrasound and Granuloma on Cytopathology.

Science.gov (United States)

Rad, Neda; Heidarnezhad, Arash; Soheili, Setareh; Mohammad-Alizadeh, Amir Houshang; Nikmanesh, Arash

2016-01-01

Primary pancreatic lymphoma is an unlikely malignancy accounting for less than 0.5% of pancreatic tumors. Clinical presentation is often nonspecific and may be clinically misdiagnosed as pancreatic adenocarcinoma. Here we present an Iranian case of primary pancreatic lymphoma in a 47-year-old male suffering from jaundice and 20% weight loss. Endoscopic ultrasound revealed a mixed echoic mass lesion at the head of pancreas. The patient underwent endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration of solid pancreatic mass and histopathologic diagnosis revealed granuloma. Computed tomography-guided core needle biopsy was performed and eventually histological examination showed granuloma that was coherent with the diagnosis of primary pancreatic lymphoma. Primary pancreatic lymphoma is a rare entity presenting with nonspecific symptoms, laboratory and radiological findings. Computed tomography results in combination with clinical and radiological studies generally provide guidance for appropriate investigation.

Colombian reference growth curves for height, weight, body mass index and head circumference.

Science.gov (United States)

Durán, Paola; Merker, Andrea; Briceño, Germán; Colón, Eugenia; Line, Dionne; Abad, Verónica; Del Toro, Kenny; Chahín, Silvia; Matallana, Audrey Mary; Lema, Adriana; Llano, Mauricio; Céspedes, Jaime; Hagenäs, Lars

2016-03-01

Published Growth studies from Latin America are limited to growth references from Argentina and Venezuela. The aim of this study was to construct reference growth curves for height, weight, body mass index (BMI) and head circumference of Colombian children in a format that is useful for following the growth of the individual child and as a tool for public health. Prospective measurements from 27 209 Colombian children from middle and upper socio-economic level families were processed using the generalised additive models for location, scale and shape (GAMLSS). Descriptive statistics for length and height, weight, BMI and head circumference for age are given as raw and smoothed values. Final height was 172.3 cm for boys and 159.4 cm for girls. Weight at 18 years of age was 64.0 kg for boys and 54 kg for girls. Growth curves are presented in a ± 3 SD format using logarithmic axes. The constructed reference growth curves are a start for following secular trends in Colombia and are also in the presented layout an optimal clinical tool for health care. ©2015 Foundation Acta Paediatrica. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

MASS TRANSFER IN PORE STRUCTURES OF SUPPORTED CATALYSTS

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F.R.C. Silva

1997-09-01

Full Text Available The effects of gas-solid interaction and mass transfer in fixed-bed systems of supported catalysts were analyzed for g -Al2O3 (support and Cu/g -Al2O3 (catalyst systems. Evaluations of the mass transfer coefficients in the macropores and of the diffusivity in the micropores, as formed by the crystallite agglomerates of the metallic phases, were obtained. Dynamic experiments with gaseous tracers permitted the quantification of the parameters based on models for these two pore structures. With a flow in a range of 18 cm3 s-1 to 39.98 cm3 s-1 at 45oC, 65oC and 100oC, mass transfer coefficients km =4.33x10-4 m s-1 to 7.38x10-4 m s-1 for macropore structures and diffusivities Dm =1.29x10-11 m2 s-1 to 5.35x10-11 m2 s-1 for micropore structures were estimated

Effects of independently altering body weight and body mass on the metabolic cost of running.

Science.gov (United States)

Teunissen, Lennart P J; Grabowski, Alena; Kram, Rodger

2007-12-01

The metabolic cost of running is substantial, despite the savings from elastic energy storage and return. Previous studies suggest that generating vertical force to support body weight and horizontal forces to brake and propel body mass are the major determinants of the metabolic cost of running. In the present study, we investigated how independently altering body weight and body mass affects the metabolic cost of running. Based on previous studies, we hypothesized that reducing body weight would decrease metabolic rate proportionally, and adding mass and weight would increase metabolic rate proportionally. Further, because previous studies show that adding mass alone does not affect the forces generated on the ground, we hypothesized that adding mass alone would have no substantial effect on metabolic rate. We manipulated the body weight and body mass of 10 recreational human runners and measured their metabolic rates while they ran at 3 m s(-1). We reduced weight using a harness system, increased mass and weight using lead worn about the waist, and increased mass alone using a combination of weight support and added load. We found that net metabolic rate decreased in less than direct proportion to reduced body weight, increased in slightly more than direct proportion to added load (added mass and weight), and was not substantially different from normal running with added mass alone. Adding mass alone was not an effective method for determining the metabolic cost attributable to braking/propelling body mass. Runners loaded with mass alone did not generate greater vertical or horizontal impulses and their metabolic costs did not substantially differ from those of normal running. Our results show that generating force to support body weight is the primary determinant of the metabolic cost of running. Extrapolating our reduced weight data to zero weight suggests that supporting body weight comprises at most 74% of the net cost of running. However, 74% is probably an

Challenges in the management of support and care programmes for child-headed households in South Africa.

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Human, Sarie P; van Rensburg, Gisela H

2011-10-01

The present study reports on data collected in a larger study on 'A situational analysis of child-headed households in South Africa'. The purpose of this study was to explore the management and control of available and required services, resources and safety nets for children in child-headed households. The significance of having a better understanding of the challenges, limitations but importance for government structures to manage and control programmes will enhance the implementation and maintenance of focused and sustainable support structures and programmes which will effectively address the needs of child-headed households. An exploratory and descriptive, quantitative survey was conducted to provide information on government structures at a national level and the nine provinces in South Africa. The population consisted of the Departments of Social Development, Education, Health and Agriculture, at both national and provincial levels. The main findings included a lack of clarity regarding the concept and definition of a child-headed household, lack of empirical data, a diversity of needs and challenges in terms of location and geographical distribution of available infrastructure and support systems; programmes that are not inclusive and integrated; and contradictions in the stipulations and implementation of existing policies and capacity and human resources shortages. It was concluded that the magnitude, uniqueness and complexity of the phenomenon necessitate effective and sound scientific management principles. This is achieved by providing legal clarity of the concept; developing relevant policies and ensuring effective implementation thereof; rigorous monitoring and evaluation based on comprehensive empirical data; and protecting the rights and safety of these children and ensuring an enabling environment for all stakeholders to address needs and challenges. The role of the nurse manager is to ensure a holistic approach to children living in child-headed

Supporting Head Start Parents: Impact of a Text Message Intervention on Parent-Child Activity Engagement

Science.gov (United States)

Hurwitz, Lisa B.; Lauricella, Alexis R.; Hanson, Ann; Raden, Anthony; Wartella, Ellen

2015-01-01

Head Start emphasises parent engagement as a critical strategy in promoting children's long-term learning. Parents can support children's positive development by engaging them in stimulating activities. The following study assessed whether a service that delivered parenting tips via text message could prompt parents of children enrolled in Head…

Body-Worn Spiral Monopole Antenna for On-Body Communications (Invited Paper)

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kammersgaard, Nikolaj Peter Iversen; Kvist, Søren Helstrup; Thaysen, Jesper

2015-01-01

A novel body-worn spiral monopole antenna is presented. The antenna consists of a ground plane and a spiral monopole. The antenna was designed for Ear-to-Ear (E2E) communication between In-the-Ear (ITE) hearing instruments at 2.45 GHz and has been simulated, prototyped, and measured. The antenna ...... yielded a measured and simulated E2E path gain at 2.45 GHz of –82.1 dB and –85.9 dB, respectively. The radiation pattern of the antenna when mounted in the ear is presented and discussed....

Cytological Findings of Malignant and Benign Head and Neck Masses in Somalia.

Science.gov (United States)

Baş, Yılmaz

2018-04-11

There are no up-to-date records on head and neck masses (HNMs) in Somalia. This cytological study is the first to demonstrate the benefits and findings of fine-needle aspiration cytology in evaluating HNMs in the adult population of Somalia. A total of 116 aspiration samples were taken from different levels of the neck region, except for the thyroid. Cases were classified as salivary gland, lymph node, or soft tissue/cystic lesions. They were classified according to age, gender, and cytological diagnosis. Patients included 54 (46.6%) males and 62 (53.4%) females, with a mean age of 40.6 years. Seventy-two patients (62.1%) had benign lesions, while 44 (37.9%) had malignant lesions. Necrotizing granulomatous lymphadenitis (n = 51, 70.8% of the benign findings) and lymph node metastasis of squamous cell carcinoma (n = 13, 29.5% of the malignant findings) were the most frequent findings. Fine-needle aspiration is a useful procedure in the diagnosis of neck masses. It is a cheap and easy guiding method for diagnosing granulomatous lymphadenitis and advanced-stage metastatic cancers, which are common in this country. © 2018 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Comparison of Compliance and Intervention Outcomes Between Hip- and Wrist-Worn Accelerometers During a Randomized Crossover Trial of an Active Video Games Intervention in Children.

Science.gov (United States)

Howie, Erin K; McVeigh, Joanne A; Straker, Leon M

2016-09-01

There are several practical issues when considering the use of hip-worn or wrist-worn accelerometers. This study compared compliance and outcomes between hip- and wrist-worn accelerometers worn simultaneously by children during an active video games intervention. As part of a larger randomized crossover trial, participants (n = 73, age 10 to 12 years) wore 2 Actical accelerometers simultaneously during waking hours for 7 days, on the hip and wrist. Measurements were repeated at 4 timepoints: 1) at baseline, 2) during traditional video games condition, 3) during active video games condition, 4) during no video games condition. Compliance and intervention effects were compared between hip and wrist. There were no statistically significant differences at any timepoint in percentage compliance between hip (77% to 87%) and wrist (79% to 89%). Wrist-measured counts (difference of 64.3 counts per minute, 95% CI 4.4-124.3) and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) (12 min/day, 95% CI 0.3-23.7) were higher during the no video games condition compared with the traditional video games condition. There were no differences in hip-measured counts per minute or MVPA between conditions or sedentary time for hip or wrist. There were no differences in compliance between hip- and wrist-worn accelerometers during an intervention trial, however, intervention findings differed between hip and wrist.

Mass transport in thin supported silica membranes

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Benes, Nieck Edwin

2000-01-01

In this thesis multi-component mass transport in thin supported amorphous silica membranes is discussed. These membranes are micro-porous, with pore diameters smaller than 4Å and show high fluxes for small molecules (such as hydrogen) combined with high selectivities for these molecules with respect

A Comparison of underground opening support design methods in jointed rock mass

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gharavi, M.; Shafiezadeh, N.

2008-01-01

It is of great importance to consider long-term stability of rock mass around the openings of underground structure. during design, construction and operation of the said structures in rock. In this context. three methods namely. empirical. analytical and numerical have been applied to design and analyze the stability of underground infrastructure at the Siah Bisheh Pumping Storage Hydro-Electric Power Project in Iran. The geological and geotechnical data utilized in this article were selected and based on the preliminary studies of this project. In the initial stages of design. it was recommended that, two methods of rock mass classification Q and rock mass rating should be utilized for the support system of the underground cavern. Next, based on the structural instability, the support system was adjusted by the analytical method. The performance of the recommended support system was reviewed by the comparison of the ground response curve and rock support interactions with surrounding rock mass, using FEST03 software. Moreover, for further assessment of the realistic rock mass behavior and support system, the numerical modeling was performed utilizing FEST03 software. Finally both the analytical and numerical methods were compared, to obtain satisfactory results complimenting each other

Head-on collisions of binary white dwarf-neutron stars: Simulations in full general relativity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Paschalidis, Vasileios; Etienne, Zachariah; Liu, Yuk Tung; Shapiro, Stuart L.

2011-01-01

We simulate head-on collisions from rest at large separation of binary white dwarf-neutron stars (WDNSs) in full general relativity. Our study serves as a prelude to our analysis of the circular binary WDNS problem. We focus on compact binaries whose total mass exceeds the maximum mass that a cold-degenerate star can support, and our goal is to determine the fate of such systems. A fully general relativistic hydrodynamic computation of a realistic WDNS head-on collision is prohibitive due to the large range of dynamical time scales and length scales involved. For this reason, we construct an equation of state (EOS) which captures the main physical features of neutron stars (NSs) while, at the same time, scales down the size of white dwarfs (WDs). We call these scaled-down WD models 'pseudo-WDs (pWDs)'. Using pWDs, we can study these systems via a sequence of simulations where the size of the pWD gradually increases toward the realistic case. We perform two sets of simulations; One set studies the effects of the NS mass on the final outcome, when the pWD is kept fixed. The other set studies the effect of the pWD compaction on the final outcome, when the pWD mass and the NS are kept fixed. All simulations show that after the collision, 14%-18% of the initial total rest mass escapes to infinity. All remnant masses still exceed the maximum rest mass that our cold EOS can support (1.92M · ), but no case leads to prompt collapse to a black hole. This outcome arises because the final configurations are hot. All cases settle into spherical, quasiequilibrium configurations consisting of a cold NS core surrounded by a hot mantle, resembling Thorne-Zytkow objects. Extrapolating our results to realistic WD compactions, we predict that the likely outcome of a head-on collision of a realistic, massive WDNS system will be the formation of a quasiequilibrium Thorne-Zytkow-like object.

Eight-Week Remote Monitoring Using a Freely Worn Device Reveals Unstable Gait Patterns in Older Fallers.

Science.gov (United States)

Brodie, Matthew A; Lord, Stephen R; Coppens, Milou J; Annegarn, Janneke; Delbaere, Kim

2015-11-01

Develop algorithms to detect gait impairments remotely using data from freely worn devices during long-term monitoring. Identify statistical models that describe how gait performances are distributed over several weeks. Determine the data window required to reliably assess an increased propensity for falling. 1085 days of walking data were collected from eighteen independent-living older people (mean age 83 years) using a freely worn pendant sensor (housing a triaxial accelerometer and pressure sensor). Statistical distributions from several accelerometer-derived gait features (encompassing quantity, exposure, intensity, and quality) were compared for those with and without a history of falling. Participants completed more short walks relative to long walks, as approximated by a power law. Walks less than 13.1 s comprised 50% of exposure to walking-related falls. Daily-life cadence was bimodal and step-time variability followed a log-normal distribution. Fallers took significantly fewer steps per walk and had relatively more exposure from short walks and greater mode of step-time variability. Using a freely worn device and wavelet-based analysis tools allowed long-term monitoring of walks greater than or equal to three steps. In older people, short walks constitute a large proportion of exposure to falls. To identify fallers, mode of variability may be a better measure of central tendency than mean of variability. A week's monitoring is sufficient to reliably assess the long-term propensity for falling. Statistical distributions of gait performances provide a reference for future wearable device development and research into the complex relationships between daily-life walking patterns, morbidity, and falls.

Incompletely characterized incidental renal masses: emerging data support conservative management.

Science.gov (United States)

Silverman, Stuart G; Israel, Gary M; Trinh, Quoc-Dien

2015-04-01

With imaging, most incidental renal masses can be diagnosed promptly and with confidence as being either benign or malignant. For those that cannot, management recommendations can be devised on the basis of a thorough evaluation of imaging features. However, most renal masses are either too small to characterize completely or are detected initially in imaging examinations that are not designed for full evaluation of them. These masses constitute a group of masses that are considered incompletely characterized. On the basis of current published guidelines, many masses warrant additional imaging. However, while the diagnosis of renal cancer at a curable stage remains the first priority, there is the additional need to reduce unnecessary healthcare costs and radiation exposure. As such, emerging data now support foregoing additional imaging for many incompletely characterized renal masses. These data include the low risk of progression to metastases or death for small renal masses that have undergone active surveillance (including biopsy-proven cancers) and a better understanding of how specific imaging features can be used to diagnose their origins. These developments support (a) avoidance of imaging entirely for those incompletely characterized renal masses that are highly likely to be benign cysts and (b) delay of further imaging of small solid masses in selected patients. Although more evidence-based data are needed and comprehensive management algorithms have yet to be defined, these recommendations are medically appropriate and practical, while limiting the imaging of many incompletely characterized incidental renal masses.

Nutritional support as an obligatory component of accompanying therapy for head and neck tumors during radiotherapy and chemoradiotherapy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. V. Boyko

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The article considers supportive therapy in patients with head and neck tumors during radiotherapy and chemoradiotherapy. Special attention is given to nutritional support on every stage of patient care. The main methods of evaluation of nutritional status and risks are presented, as well as principles of clinical nutrition selection.

Head-positioning scintillation camera and head holder therefor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kay, T.D.

1976-01-01

A holder for immobilizing the head of a patient undergoing a vertex brain scan by a Gamma Scintillation Camera is described. The holder has a uniquely designed shape capable of comfortably supporting the head. In addition, this holder can be both adjustably and removably utilized in combination with the scintillation camera so as to enable the brain scan operation to take place while the patient is in the seated position

Non-consent to a wrist-worn accelerometer in older adults: the role of socio-demographic, behavioural and health factors.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maliheh Hassani

Full Text Available Accelerometers, initially waist-worn but increasingly wrist-worn, are used to assess physical activity free from reporting-bias. However, its acceptability by study participants is unclear. Our objective is to assess factors associated with non-consent to a wrist-mounted accelerometer in older adults.Data are from 4880 Whitehall II study participants (1328 women, age range = 60-83, requested to wear a wrist-worn accelerometer 24 h every day for 9 days in 2012/13. Sociodemographic, behavioral, and health-related factors were assessed by questionnaire and weight, height, blood pressure, cognitive and motor function were measured during a clinical examination.210 participants had contraindications and 388 (8.3% of the remaining 4670 participants did not consent. Women, participants reporting less physical activity and less favorable general health were more likely not to consent. Among the clinical measures, cognitive impairment (Odds Ratio = 2.21, 95% confidence interval: 1.22-4.00 and slow walking speed (Odds Ratio = 1.38, 95% confidence interval: 1.02-1.86 were associated with higher odds of non-consent.The rate of non-consent in our study of older adults was low. However, key markers of poor health at older ages were associated with non-consent, suggesting some selection bias in the accelerometer data.

Head of detector for multi-element analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Frynta, Z.

1983-01-01

The detector head mounted on the scintillation counter consists of a hollow hexagonal rotary support axially arranged with the photomultiplier of the scintillation counter. In the walls of the hexagonal rotary support there are openings in which are inserted absorption filters. The mounting of the absorption filters on the rotary support allows the analysis of a greater number of elements without the dismantling of the head and the replacement of filters. The suitable geometry of the head is retained so that it is possible to insert the head into the hollows similarly as the scintillation counter. (J.P.)

Rehabilitation of the worn dentition.

Science.gov (United States)

Johansson, A; Johansson, A-K; Omar, R; Carlsson, G E

2008-07-01

The purpose of this review was to evaluate the literature on the rehabilitation of tooth wear, with some pertinent historical, epidemiological and aetiological aspects of tooth wear provided as background information. In historical skull material, extensive tooth wear, assumed to be the result of coarser diets, was found even in relatively young individuals. Such wear is seldom seen in current populations. Although many of the factors associated with extensive tooth wear in historical material are no longer present or prevalent, new risk factors have emerged. In the young individual, the literature points to a global rise in soft drink consumption as the most significant factor in the development of tooth wear through dental erosion. Among older individuals, lifestyle changes and chronic diseases that are controlled with medications that may, in turn, result in regurgitation and/or dry mouth, are possible reasons amongst others for the widespread clinical impression of an increasing prevalence of tooth wear. The aetiology of tooth wear is multifactorial and the role of bruxism is not known. Clinical controlled trials of restorative and prosthodontic approaches for the range of clinical conditions that wear can give rise to, are limited in number and quality. Equally, the striking lack of evidence regarding the long-term outcomes of treatment methods and materials calls for caution in clinical decision-making. Notwithstanding these observations, clinicians have provided and continue to provide rehabilitative strategies for managing their patients' worn dentitions that range traditionally from extensive prosthodontics to an increasing reliance on adhesive techniques.

Gender differences in head-neck segment dynamic stabilization during head acceleration.

Science.gov (United States)

Tierney, Ryan T; Sitler, Michael R; Swanik, C Buz; Swanik, Kathleen A; Higgins, Michael; Torg, Joseph

2005-02-01

Recent epidemiological research has revealed that gender differences exist in concussion incidence but no study has investigated why females may be at greater risk of concussion. Our purpose was to determine whether gender differences existed in head-neck segment kinematic and neuromuscular control variables responses to an external force application with and without neck muscle preactivation. Forty (20 females and 20 males) physically active volunteers participated in the study. The independent variables were gender, force application (known vs unknown), and force direction (forced flexion vs forced extension). The dependent variables were kinematic and EMG variables, head-neck segment stiffness, and head-neck segment flexor and extensor isometric strength. Statistical analyses consisted of multiple multivariate and univariate analyses of variance, follow-up univariate analyses of variance, and t-tests (P Gender differences existed in head-neck segment dynamic stabilization during head angular acceleration. Females exhibited significantly greater head-neck segment peak angular acceleration (50%) and displacement (39%) than males despite initiating muscle activity significantly earlier (SCM only) and using a greater percentage of their maximum head-neck segment muscle activity (79% peak activity and 117% muscle activity area). The head-neck segment angular acceleration differences may be because females exhibited significantly less isometric strength (49%), neck girth (30%), and head mass (43%), resulting in lower levels of head-neck segment stiffness (29%). For our subject demographic, the results revealed gender differences in head-neck segment dynamic stabilization during head acceleration in response to an external force application. Females exhibited significantly greater head-neck segment peak angular acceleration and displacement than males despite initiating muscle activity earlier (SCM only) and using a greater percentage of their maximum head-neck segment

Effectiveness of differing levels of support for family meals on obesity prevention among head start preschoolers: the simply dinner study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Holly E. Brophy-Herb

2017-02-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Despite slight decreases in obesity prevalence in children, nearly 25% of preschool-aged children are overweight or obese. Most interventions focused on promoting family meals as an obesity-prevention strategy target meal planning skills, knowledge and modeling of healthy eating without addressing the practical resources that enable implementation of family meals. There is a striking lack of evidence about what level of resources low-income parents need to implement family meals. This study will identify resources most effective in promoting family meals and, subsequently, test associations among the frequency of family meals, dietary quality and children’s adiposity indices among children enrolled in Head Start. Methods The Multiphase Optimization Strategy, employed in this study, is a cutting-edge approach to maximizing resources in behavioral interventions by identifying the most effective intervention components. We are currently testing the main, additive and interactive effects of 6 intervention components, thought to support family meals, on family meal frequency and dietary quality (Primary Outcomes as compared to Usual Head Start Exposure in a Screening Phase (N = 512 low-income families. Components yielding the most robust effects will be bundled and evaluated in a two-group randomized controlled trial (intervention and Usual Head Start Exposure in the Confirming Phase (N = 250, testing the effects of the bundled intervention on children’s adiposity indices (Primary Outcomes; body mass index and skinfolds. The current intervention components include: (1 home delivery of pre-made healthy family meals; (2 home delivery of healthy meal ingredients; (3 community kitchens in which parents make healthy meals to cook at home; (4 healthy eating classes; (5 cooking demonstrations; and (6 cookware/flatware delivery. Secondary outcomes include cooking self-efficacy and family mealtime barriers. Moderators of the

Effectiveness of differing levels of support for family meals on obesity prevention among head start preschoolers: the simply dinner study.

Science.gov (United States)

Brophy-Herb, Holly E; Horodynski, Mildred; Contreras, Dawn; Kerver, Jean; Kaciroti, Niko; Stein, Mara; Lee, Hannah Jong; Motz, Brittany; Hebert, Sheilah; Prine, Erika; Gardiner, Candace; Van Egeren, Laurie A; Lumeng, Julie C

2017-02-10

Despite slight decreases in obesity prevalence in children, nearly 25% of preschool-aged children are overweight or obese. Most interventions focused on promoting family meals as an obesity-prevention strategy target meal planning skills, knowledge and modeling of healthy eating without addressing the practical resources that enable implementation of family meals. There is a striking lack of evidence about what level of resources low-income parents need to implement family meals. This study will identify resources most effective in promoting family meals and, subsequently, test associations among the frequency of family meals, dietary quality and children's adiposity indices among children enrolled in Head Start. The Multiphase Optimization Strategy, employed in this study, is a cutting-edge approach to maximizing resources in behavioral interventions by identifying the most effective intervention components. We are currently testing the main, additive and interactive effects of 6 intervention components, thought to support family meals, on family meal frequency and dietary quality (Primary Outcomes) as compared to Usual Head Start Exposure in a Screening Phase (N = 512 low-income families). Components yielding the most robust effects will be bundled and evaluated in a two-group randomized controlled trial (intervention and Usual Head Start Exposure) in the Confirming Phase (N = 250), testing the effects of the bundled intervention on children's adiposity indices (Primary Outcomes; body mass index and skinfolds). The current intervention components include: (1) home delivery of pre-made healthy family meals; (2) home delivery of healthy meal ingredients; (3) community kitchens in which parents make healthy meals to cook at home; (4) healthy eating classes; (5) cooking demonstrations; and (6) cookware/flatware delivery. Secondary outcomes include cooking self-efficacy and family mealtime barriers. Moderators of the intervention include family functioning and

Impact of Pretreatment Body Mass Index on Patients With Head-and-Neck Cancer Treated With Radiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pai, Ping-Ching; Chuang, Chi-Cheng; Tseng, Chen-Kan; Tsang, Ngan-Ming; Chang, Kai-Ping; Yen, Tzu-Chen; Liao, Chun-Ta; Hong, Ji-Hong; Chang, Joseph Tung-Chieh

2012-01-01

Purpose: To investigate the association of pretreatment body mass index (preT BMI) with outcomes of head-and-neck cancer in patients treated with radiotherapy (RT). Methods and Materials: All 1,562 patients diagnosed with head-and-neck cancer and treated with curative-intent RT to a dose of 60 Gy or higher were retrospectively studied. Body weight was measured both at entry and at the end of RT. Cancer-specific survival (CSS), overall survival (OS), locoregional control (LRC), and distant metastasis (DM) were analyzed by preT BMI ( 2 vs. ≥25 kg/m 2 ). The median follow-up was 8.6 years. Results: Patients with lower preT BMI were statistically significantly associated with poorer CSS and OS than those with higher preT BMI. There was no significant difference between preT BMI groups in terms of LRC and DM. Body weight loss (BWL) during radiation did not influence survival outcomes. However, in the group with higher preT BMI, CSS, OS, and DM-free survival of patients with less BWL during radiation were statistically longer when compared with greater BWL. Conclusion: This study demonstrates that higher preT BMI positively influenced survival outcomes for patients with head-and-neck cancer. Patients with higher preT BMI who were able to maintain their weight during radiation had significantly better survival than patients with greater BWL.

Turning semicircular canal function on its head: dinosaurs and a novel vestibular analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Georgi, Justin A; Sipla, Justin S; Forster, Catherine A

2013-01-01

Previous investigations have correlated vestibular function to locomotion in vertebrates by scaling semicircular duct radius of curvature to body mass. However, this method fails to discriminate bipedal from quadrupedal non-avian dinosaurs. Because they exhibit a broad range of relative head sizes, we use dinosaurs to test the hypothesis that semicircular ducts scale more closely with head size. Comparing the area enclosed by each semicircular canal to estimated body mass and to two different measures of head size, skull length and estimated head mass, reveals significant patterns that corroborate a connection between physical parameters of the head and semicircular canal morphology. Head mass more strongly correlates with anterior semicircular canal size than does body mass and statistically separates bipedal from quadrupedal taxa, with bipeds exhibiting relatively larger canals. This morphologic dichotomy likely reflects adaptations of the vestibular system to stability demands associated with terrestrial locomotion on two, versus four, feet. This new method has implications for reinterpreting previous studies and informing future studies on the connection between locomotion type and vestibular function.

Turning semicircular canal function on its head: dinosaurs and a novel vestibular analysis.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Justin A Georgi

Full Text Available Previous investigations have correlated vestibular function to locomotion in vertebrates by scaling semicircular duct radius of curvature to body mass. However, this method fails to discriminate bipedal from quadrupedal non-avian dinosaurs. Because they exhibit a broad range of relative head sizes, we use dinosaurs to test the hypothesis that semicircular ducts scale more closely with head size. Comparing the area enclosed by each semicircular canal to estimated body mass and to two different measures of head size, skull length and estimated head mass, reveals significant patterns that corroborate a connection between physical parameters of the head and semicircular canal morphology. Head mass more strongly correlates with anterior semicircular canal size than does body mass and statistically separates bipedal from quadrupedal taxa, with bipeds exhibiting relatively larger canals. This morphologic dichotomy likely reflects adaptations of the vestibular system to stability demands associated with terrestrial locomotion on two, versus four, feet. This new method has implications for reinterpreting previous studies and informing future studies on the connection between locomotion type and vestibular function.

Avinash-Shukla mass limit for the maximum dust mass supported against gravity by electric fields

Science.gov (United States)

Avinash, K.

2010-08-01

The existence of a new class of astrophysical objects, where gravity is balanced by the shielded electric fields associated with the electric charge on the dust, is shown. Further, a mass limit MA for the maximum dust mass that can be supported against gravitational collapse by these fields is obtained. If the total mass of the dust in the interstellar cloud MD > MA, the dust collapses, while if MD < MA, stable equilibrium may be achieved. Heuristic arguments are given to show that the physics of the mass limit is similar to the Chandrasekar's mass limit for compact objects and the similarity of these dust configurations with neutron and white dwarfs is pointed out. The effect of grain size distribution on the mass limit and strong correlation effects in the core of such objects is discussed. Possible location of these dust configurations inside interstellar clouds is pointed out.

Formulations and algorithms for problems on rock mass and support deformation during mining

Science.gov (United States)

Seryakov, VM

2018-03-01

The analysis of problem formulations to calculate stress-strain state of mine support and surrounding rocks mass in rock mechanics shows that such formulations incompletely describe the mechanical features of joint deformation in the rock mass–support system. The present paper proposes an algorithm to take into account the actual conditions of rock mass and support interaction and the algorithm implementation method to ensure efficient calculation of stresses in rocks and support.

Associations between neighbourhood support and financial burden with unmet needs of head and neck cancer survivors.

Science.gov (United States)

O'Brien, Katie M; Timmons, Aileen; Butow, Phyllis; Gooberman-Hill, Rachael; O'Sullivan, Eleanor; Balfe, Myles; Sharp, Linda

2017-02-01

To assess the unmet needs of head and neck cancer survivors and investigate associated factors. In particular, to explore whether social support (family/friends and neighbours) and financial burden are associated with unmet needs of head and neck cancer (HNC) survivors. This was a cross-sectional study of HNC survivors, with 583 respondents included in the analysis. Information was collected on unmet supportive care needs as measured by the Supportive Care Needs Survey (SCNS-SF34). Poisson regression with robust standard errors was used to examine factors associated with having one or more needs in each of the five domains (physical; psychological; sexuality; patient care and support; and health system and information). The mean age of respondents was 62.9years (standard deviation 11.3years) and one third of respondents were female. The top ten unmet needs was composed exclusively of items from the physical and psychological domains. Financial strain due to cancer and finding it difficult to obtain practical help from a neighbour were both associated with unmet needs in each of the five domains, in the adjusted analyses. Whilst in each domain, a minority of respondents have unmet needs, approximately half of respondents reported at least one unmet need, with the commonest unmet needs in the psychological domain. Providing services to people with these needs should be a priority for healthcare providers. We suggest that studies, which identify risk factors for unmet needs, could be used to develop screening tools or aid in the targeting of support. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Lean body mass and muscle function in head and neck cancer patients and healthy individuals - results from the DAHANCA 25 study

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lønbro, Simon; Dalgas, Ulrik; Primdahl, Hanne

2013-01-01

Abstract Introduction. Loss of lean body mass is common following radiotherapy in patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) and may reduce maximal muscle strength and functional performance. However, the associations between lean body mass, muscle strength and functional...... m max gait speed, 30 s chair rise, 30 s arm curl, stair climb) from HNSCC patients from the DAHANCA 25 trials and data from 24 healthy individuals were included. Results. Lean body mass and maximal muscle strength were significantly associated according to the gender and age-adjusted linear...... regression model (p regression analyses showed that HNSCC patients expressed significant lower levels of the investigated variables after radiotherapy...

Dawestrema cycloancistrium (Monogenea) from the head pores of arapaimas.

Science.gov (United States)

Portes Santos, Cláudia; da Silva, Maralina Torres; Moravec, Franti Ek

2017-07-24

Arapaima gigas is one of the main cultured fish species in South America, and monogenean parasites of this species cause large economic losses to fish farmers. During surveys of the parasites of cultured arapaimas from Mexiana Island in the Amazon River Delta, Rio Branco, in northwestern Brazilian Amazonia, and Yurimaguas, Peru, the monogenean Dawestrema cycloancistrium was found in the gills of A. gigas as well as in previously unreported sites, i.e. the head pores and chambers. The aim of this study was to investigate the transmission route of this parasite and its geographical distribution as well as to describe its morphology as observed by light and confocal imaging. Phalloidin labeling confirmed the presence of 2 prostatic reservoirs and showed muscular branches of fibers supporting haptoral sclerites. In arapaimas, the head connects to the gill chambers via 2 perforated scales located at the dorsolateral sides of the distal part of the head. The scales connect to thin channels and chambers situated in the proximal part of the head. These chambers are filled with cephalic mucus, which flows out to the environment through terminal pores. Adults and egg masses of monogeneans were found on the gills and inside the head pores and cavities of fish along with cephalic mucus. This indicates a specialized method of parasite transmission from adult fish to fingerlings during parental care (holding offspring in the mouth) or via head secretions, providing evidence of a new adapted mechanism of dispersion.

Using Fitness Trackers and Smartwatches to Measure Physical Activity in Research: Analysis of Consumer Wrist-Worn Wearables

Science.gov (United States)

Haugen Mikalsen, Martin; Woldaregay, Ashenafi Zebene; Muzny, Miroslav; Hartvigsen, Gunnar; Hopstock, Laila Arnesdatter; Grimsgaard, Sameline

2018-01-01

Background New fitness trackers and smartwatches are released to the consumer market every year. These devices are equipped with different sensors, algorithms, and accompanying mobile apps. With recent advances in mobile sensor technology, privately collected physical activity data can be used as an addition to existing methods for health data collection in research. Furthermore, data collected from these devices have possible applications in patient diagnostics and treatment. With an increasing number of diverse brands, there is a need for an overview of device sensor support, as well as device applicability in research projects. Objective The objective of this study was to examine the availability of wrist-worn fitness wearables and analyze availability of relevant fitness sensors from 2011 to 2017. Furthermore, the study was designed to assess brand usage in research projects, compare common brands in terms of developer access to collected health data, and features to consider when deciding which brand to use in future research. Methods We searched for devices and brand names in six wearable device databases. For each brand, we identified additional devices on official brand websites. The search was limited to wrist-worn fitness wearables with accelerometers, for which we mapped brand, release year, and supported sensors relevant for fitness tracking. In addition, we conducted a Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System Online (MEDLINE) and ClinicalTrials search to determine brand usage in research projects. Finally, we investigated developer accessibility to the health data collected by identified brands. Results We identified 423 unique devices from 132 different brands. Forty-seven percent of brands released only one device. Introduction of new brands peaked in 2014, and the highest number of new devices was introduced in 2015. Sensor support increased every year, and in addition to the accelerometer, a photoplethysmograph, for estimating heart rate

Miniaturization of body worn antenna using nano magneto-dielectric composite as substrate in C-band

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gogoi, Pragyan Jyoti; Rabha, Mun Mun [Microwave Engineering Laboratory, Department of Physics, Tezpur University, Napaam, Tezpur, Assam 784028 (India); Bhattacharyya, Satyajib [Microwave Engineering Laboratory, Department of Physics, Tezpur University, Napaam, Tezpur, Assam 784028 (India); Department of Electronics and Communication Engineering, Tezpur University, Napaam, Tezpur, Assam 784028 (India); Bhattacharyya, Nidhi S., E-mail: nidhisbhatta@gmail.com [Microwave Engineering Laboratory, Department of Physics, Tezpur University, Napaam, Tezpur, Assam 784028 (India)

2016-09-15

It is preferable to have small size conformal microstrip patch antenna for body worn applications. Size reduction is generally carried out by using magneto-dielectric material. Nanosized Ni{sub 1−x}Zn{sub x}Fe{sub 2}O{sub 4} (x=0.25, 0.50 and 0.75) of crystallite size ~32 nm is synthesized as magnetic filler and dispersed in flexible linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE) matrix. The filler concentrations are varied as 1, 3, 5 and 7 wt% in the composite. The developed composite is tested for suitability to be used as substrate for microstrip antenna by determining its permittivity, permeability and losses in the C-band (4–8 GHz). Other relevant parameters like, tensile strength, water absorbance and decomposition temperature of the composite are also determined. The real part of complex permittivity of the composite varies from 2.23 to 2.38 and complex permeability from 1.25 to 1.46 for different filler concentrations. Verification of the composites as potential substrates for body worn antenna is carried out by fabricating simple rectangular patch antenna at 6 GHz on it using transmission line model. Rectangular patch for x=0.50 for 7 wt% shows S{sub 11} of −30.44 dB and −10 dB bandwidth of 8.30% at 6.02 GHz. Directivity of 10.14 dBi and negligible side lobe level for both E and H plane radiation pattern is observed. A size reduction of 27.09% as compared to patch on LLDPE and tensile strength of 50 MPa is observed. - Highlights: • Nickel zinc ferrite-LLDPE composite is developed as substrate for body worn antennas. • Its suitability is determined by physical, thermal and microwave characterization. • S{sub 11} of -31.44 dB and -10 dB BW of 8.30% is observed for 7 wt% NZF-LLDPE composite.

A cold mass support system based on the use of oriented fiberglass epoxy rods in bending

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Green, Michael A.; Corradi, Carol A.; LaMantia, Roberto F.; Zbasnik, Jon P.

2002-01-01

This report describes a cold mass support system that uses oriented fiberglass epoxy (other low heat leak oriented fiber material can also be used) rods. In the direction of the rods, where forces are carried in tension or compression, the support system is very stiff. In the other directions, the rods are subjected to bending stresses. When the support rods are put in bending the cold mass support is quite compliant. This type of support system can be used in situation where space for a cold mass support system is limited and where compliance can be tolerated in at least one direction. Break test data for 15.9-mm and 19.1-mm diameter oriented fiberglass rods is presented in this report. The cold mass supports for the DFBX distribution boxes are presented as an example of this type of cold mass support system

Reactor head shielding apparatus

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schukei, G.E.; Roebelen, G.J.

1992-01-01

This patent describes a nuclear reactor head shielding apparatus for mounting on spaced reactor head lifting members radially inwardly of the head bolts. It comprises a frame of sections for mounting on the lifting members and extending around the top central area of the head, mounting means for so mounting the frame sections, including downwardly projecting members on the frame sections and complementary upwardly open recessed members for fastening to the lifting members for receiving the downwardly projecting members when the frame sections are lowered thereto with lead shielding supported thereby on means for hanging lead shielding on the frame to minimize radiation exposure or personnel working with the head bolts or in the vicinity thereof

Low skeletal muscle mass is a predictive factor for chemotherapy dose-limiting toxicity in patients with locally advanced head and neck cancer

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Wendrich, Anne W; Swartz, Justin E; Bril, Sandra I; Wegner, Inge; de Graeff, Alexander; Smid, Ernst J; de Bree, Remco; Pothen, Ajit J

OBJECTIVES: Low skeletal muscle mass (SMM) or sarcopenia is emerging as an adverse prognostic factor for chemotherapy dose-limiting toxicity (CLDT) and survival in cancer patients. Our aim was to determine the impact of low SMM on CDLT in patients with locally advanced head and neck squamous cell

Predicting brain acceleration during heading of soccer ball

Science.gov (United States)

Taha, Zahari; Hasnun Arif Hassan, Mohd; Azri Aris, Mohd; Anuar, Zulfika

2013-12-01

There has been a long debate whether purposeful heading could cause harm to the brain. Studies have shown that repetitive heading could lead to degeneration of brain cells, which is similarly found in patients with mild traumatic brain injury. A two-degree of freedom linear mathematical model was developed to study the impact of soccer ball to the brain during ball-to-head impact in soccer. From the model, the acceleration of the brain upon impact can be obtained. The model is a mass-spring-damper system, in which the skull is modelled as a mass and the neck is modelled as a spring-damper system. The brain is a mass with suspension characteristics that are also defined by a spring and a damper. The model was validated by experiment, in which a ball was dropped from different heights onto an instrumented dummy skull. The validation shows that the results obtained from the model are in a good agreement with the brain acceleration measured from the experiment. This findings show that a simple linear mathematical model can be useful in giving a preliminary insight on what human brain endures during a ball-to-head impact.

Basic Perception in Head-worn Augmented Reality Displays

Science.gov (United States)

2012-01-01

clinical evaluations for cataracts and diabetic retinopathy . The standard minimum for contrast in optometric examinations is 0.8, although it is unclear how...observer’s visual acuity score; at higher levels of contrast, the human eye is capable of detecting smaller details. Snellen charts, sine-wave...across the circle rather than follow the circumference. The advantage of this method is that any color deficiency can be detected , rather than the

User-centered virtual environment design for virtual rehabilitation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rizzo Albert A

2010-02-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background As physical and cognitive rehabilitation protocols utilizing virtual environments transition from single applications to comprehensive rehabilitation programs there is a need for a new design cycle methodology. Current human-computer interaction designs focus on usability without benchmarking technology within a user-in-the-loop design cycle. The field of virtual rehabilitation is unique in that determining the efficacy of this genre of computer-aided therapies requires prior knowledge of technology issues that may confound patient outcome measures. Benchmarking the technology (e.g., displays or data gloves using healthy controls may provide a means of characterizing the "normal" performance range of the virtual rehabilitation system. This standard not only allows therapists to select appropriate technology for use with their patient populations, it also allows them to account for technology limitations when assessing treatment efficacy. Methods An overview of the proposed user-centered design cycle is given. Comparisons of two optical see-through head-worn displays provide an example of benchmarking techniques. Benchmarks were obtained using a novel vision test capable of measuring a user's stereoacuity while wearing different types of head-worn displays. Results from healthy participants who performed both virtual and real-world versions of the stereoacuity test are discussed with respect to virtual rehabilitation design. Results The user-centered design cycle argues for benchmarking to precede virtual environment construction, especially for therapeutic applications. Results from real-world testing illustrate the general limitations in stereoacuity attained when viewing content using a head-worn display. Further, the stereoacuity vision benchmark test highlights differences in user performance when utilizing a similar style of head-worn display. These results support the need for including benchmarks as a means of better

User-centered virtual environment design for virtual rehabilitation.

Science.gov (United States)

Fidopiastis, Cali M; Rizzo, Albert A; Rolland, Jannick P

2010-02-19

As physical and cognitive rehabilitation protocols utilizing virtual environments transition from single applications to comprehensive rehabilitation programs there is a need for a new design cycle methodology. Current human-computer interaction designs focus on usability without benchmarking technology within a user-in-the-loop design cycle. The field of virtual rehabilitation is unique in that determining the efficacy of this genre of computer-aided therapies requires prior knowledge of technology issues that may confound patient outcome measures. Benchmarking the technology (e.g., displays or data gloves) using healthy controls may provide a means of characterizing the "normal" performance range of the virtual rehabilitation system. This standard not only allows therapists to select appropriate technology for use with their patient populations, it also allows them to account for technology limitations when assessing treatment efficacy. An overview of the proposed user-centered design cycle is given. Comparisons of two optical see-through head-worn displays provide an example of benchmarking techniques. Benchmarks were obtained using a novel vision test capable of measuring a user's stereoacuity while wearing different types of head-worn displays. Results from healthy participants who performed both virtual and real-world versions of the stereoacuity test are discussed with respect to virtual rehabilitation design. The user-centered design cycle argues for benchmarking to precede virtual environment construction, especially for therapeutic applications. Results from real-world testing illustrate the general limitations in stereoacuity attained when viewing content using a head-worn display. Further, the stereoacuity vision benchmark test highlights differences in user performance when utilizing a similar style of head-worn display. These results support the need for including benchmarks as a means of better understanding user outcomes, especially for patient

Concurrent validity and reliability of torso-worn inertial measurement unit for jump power and height estimation.

Science.gov (United States)

Rantalainen, Timo; Gastin, Paul B; Spangler, Rhys; Wundersitz, Daniel

2018-09-01

The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the concurrent validity and test-retest repeatability of torso-worn IMU-derived power and jump height in a counter-movement jump test. Twenty-seven healthy recreationally active males (age, 21.9 [SD 2.0] y, height, 1.76 [0.7] m, mass, 73.7 [10.3] kg) wore an IMU and completed three counter-movement jumps a week apart. A force platform and a 3D motion analysis system were used to concurrently measure the jumps and subsequently derive power and jump height (based on take-off velocity and flight time). The IMU significantly overestimated power (mean difference = 7.3 W/kg; P jump heights exhibited poorer concurrent validity (ICC = 0.72 to 0.78) and repeatability (ICC = 0.68) than flight-time-derived jump heights, which exhibited excellent validity (ICC = 0.93 to 0.96) and reliability (ICC = 0.91). Since jump height and power are closely related, and flight-time-derived jump height exhibits excellent concurrent validity and reliability, flight-time-derived jump height could provide a more desirable measure compared to power when assessing athletic performance in a counter-movement jump with IMUs.

Effectiveness of rugby headgear in preventing soft tissue injuries to the head: a case-control and video cohort study.

Science.gov (United States)

Jones, S J; Lyons, R A; Evans, R; Newcombe, R G; Nash, P; McCabe, M; Palmer, S R

2004-04-01

To determine if headgear use by rugby players was associated with a reduced risk of head or facial laceration, abrasion, or fracture. An emergency department based case-control study in South Wales, UK, with cases being rugby players treated for superficial head and facial injuries and controls being their matched opponents during the game. A review of videos of the 41 games in the 1999 Rugby World Cup was also carried out to compare with the case-control study. Odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) were used to measure association between exposure (headgear wearing) and outcome (head and facial injuries). In the case-control study, 164 pairs were analysed, with headgear worn by 12.8% of cases and 21.3% of controls. Headgear use was associated with substantial but non-significant reductions in superficial head (OR = 0.43, 95% CI 0.13 to 1.19) and facial (OR = 0.57, 95% CI 0.21 to 1.46) injuries. The video study followed 547 players over 41 games, during which there were 47 bleeding injuries to the head. Headgear use significantly reduced the risk of bleeding head injury in forwards (OR = 0.14, 95% CI 0.01 to 0.99, p = 0.02), but not in backs. There was also a higher risk of facial injury among forwards, but this was not significant. The combined results suggest that headgear can prevent certain types of superficial head injuries in players at all levels of the game, but the evidence is strongest for superficial head injury in elite forwards. A randomised controlled trial would be the best way to study this further.

Supporting Optimal Child Development through Early Head Start and Head Start Programs: Reflections on Secondary Data Analyses of FACES and EHSREP

Science.gov (United States)

Chazan-Cohen, Rachel; Halle, Tamara G.; Barton, Lauren R.; Winsler, Adam

2012-01-01

We are delighted to reflect on the 10 papers highlighted in this important special issue of "Early Childhood Research Quarterly" devoted to recent secondary data analyses of the FACES and EHSREP datasets. First, we provide some background on Head Start research and give an overview of the large-scale Head Start and Early Head Start…

Supplemental protein in support of muscle mass and health: advantage whey.

Science.gov (United States)

Devries, Michaela C; Phillips, Stuart M

2015-03-01

Skeletal muscle is an integral body tissue playing key roles in strength, performance, physical function, and metabolic regulation. It is essential for athletes to ensure that they have optimal amounts of muscle mass to ensure peak performance in their given sport. However, the role of maintaining muscle mass during weight loss and as we age is an emerging concept, having implications in chronic disease prevention, functional capacity, and quality of life. Higher-protein diets have been shown to: (1) promote gains in muscle mass, especially when paired with resistance training; (2) spare muscle mass loss during caloric restriction; and (3) attenuate the natural loss of muscle mass that accompanies aging. Protein quality is important to the gain and maintenance of muscle mass. Protein quality is a function of protein digestibility, amino acid content, and the resulting amino acid availability to support metabolic function. Whey protein is one of the highest-quality proteins given its amino acid content (high essential, branched-chain, and leucine amino acid content) and rapid digestibility. Consumption of whey protein has a robust ability to stimulate muscle protein synthesis. In fact, whey protein has been found to stimulate muscle protein synthesis to a greater degree than other proteins such as casein and soy. This review examines the existing data supporting the role for protein consumption, with an emphasis on whey protein, in the regulation of muscle mass and body composition in response to resistance training, caloric restriction, and aging. © 2015 Institute of Food Technologists®

Heat and mass transfer in the mushroom-shaped head of mantle plume

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kirdyashkin Anatoly

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The results of experimental and theoretical modeling of free-convection flows in the melt of the plume conduit and in the mushroom-shaped head are presented. It was shown that the plumes with the mushroom-shaped heads can be responsible for the batholith formation. The main parameters of such plumes are estimated.

Video Analysis Verification of Head Impact Events Measured by Wearable Sensors.

Science.gov (United States)

Cortes, Nelson; Lincoln, Andrew E; Myer, Gregory D; Hepburn, Lisa; Higgins, Michael; Putukian, Margot; Caswell, Shane V

2017-08-01

Wearable sensors are increasingly used to quantify the frequency and magnitude of head impact events in multiple sports. There is a paucity of evidence that verifies head impact events recorded by wearable sensors. To utilize video analysis to verify head impact events recorded by wearable sensors and describe the respective frequency and magnitude. Cohort study (diagnosis); Level of evidence, 2. Thirty male (mean age, 16.6 ± 1.2 years; mean height, 1.77 ± 0.06 m; mean weight, 73.4 ± 12.2 kg) and 35 female (mean age, 16.2 ± 1.3 years; mean height, 1.66 ± 0.05 m; mean weight, 61.2 ± 6.4 kg) players volunteered to participate in this study during the 2014 and 2015 lacrosse seasons. Participants were instrumented with GForceTracker (GFT; boys) and X-Patch sensors (girls). Simultaneous game video was recorded by a trained videographer using a single camera located at the highest midfield location. One-third of the field was framed and panned to follow the ball during games. Videographic and accelerometer data were time synchronized. Head impact counts were compared with video recordings and were deemed valid if (1) the linear acceleration was ≥20 g, (2) the player was identified on the field, (3) the player was in camera view, and (4) the head impact mechanism could be clearly identified. Descriptive statistics of peak linear acceleration (PLA) and peak rotational velocity (PRV) for all verified head impacts ≥20 g were calculated. For the boys, a total recorded 1063 impacts (2014: n = 545; 2015: n = 518) were logged by the GFT between game start and end times (mean PLA, 46 ± 31 g; mean PRV, 1093 ± 661 deg/s) during 368 player-games. Of these impacts, 690 were verified via video analysis (65%; mean PLA, 48 ± 34 g; mean PRV, 1242 ± 617 deg/s). The X-Patch sensors, worn by the girls, recorded a total 180 impacts during the course of the games, and 58 (2014: n = 33; 2015: n = 25) were verified via video analysis (32%; mean PLA, 39 ± 21 g; mean PRV, 1664 �

A NOVEL SUPPORT DEVICE FOR HEAD IMMOBILIZATION DURING RADIATION THERAPY THAT IS APPLICABLE TO BOTH CATS AND DOGS.

Science.gov (United States)

Nemoto, Yuki; Maruo, Takuya; Fukuyama, Yasuhiro; Kawarai, Shinpei; Shida, Takuo; Nakayama, Tomohiro

2015-01-01

Repeatable head immobilization is important for minimizing positioning error during radiation therapy for veterinary patients with head neoplasms. The purpose of this retrospective cross-sectional study was to describe a novel technique for head immobilization (Device II) and compare this technique with a previously described technique (Device I). Device II provided additional support by incorporating three teeth (vs. two teeth with Device I). Between 2011 and 2013, both devices were applied in clinically affected cats (Device I, n = 17; Device II, n = 11) and dogs (Device I, n = 85; Device II, n = 22) of various breeds and sizes. The following data were recorded for each included patient: variability in the angle of the skull (roll, yaw, and pitch), coordinates of the isocenter, and distance from the reference mark to the tumor. Devices I and II differed for skull angle variability during the treatment of dogs (roll, P = 0.0007; yaw, P = 0.0018; pitch, P = 0.0384) and for yaw of during the treatment of cats (P patients. © 2015 American College of Veterinary Radiology.

Full Mouth Reconstruction of a Patient with Severely Worn Dentition: A Clinical Report

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ramin Negahdari

2016-01-01

Full Text Available If remained untreated, progressive dental wear can lead to pulpal pathology, occlusal disharmony, and impaired function and esthetics. This case report describes prosthetic rehabilitation of a 53 year-old man with the loss of anterior guidance, severe wear of dentition and vertical dimension loss. Oral rehabilitation was performed by reconstruction of vertical dimension, crown lengthening, conventional implants, and custom cast gold post and cores as well as porcelain fused to metal restorations. Full mouth reconstruction of the patient with severely worn dentition was found to be successful after 4 years of follow up.   Keywords: mouth rehabilitation, tooth wear, vertical dimension

Emergency Medicine Myths: Computed Tomography of the Head Prior to Lumbar Puncture in Adults with Suspected Bacterial Meningitis - Due Diligence or Antiquated Practice?

Science.gov (United States)

April, Michael D; Long, Brit; Koyfman, Alex

2017-09-01

Various sources purport an association between lumbar puncture and brainstem herniation in patients with intracranial mass effect lesions. Several organizations and texts recommend head computed tomography (CT) prior to lumbar puncture in selected patients. To review the evidence regarding the utility of obtaining head CT prior to lumbar puncture in adults with suspected bacterial meningitis. Observational studies report a risk of post-lumbar puncture brainstem herniation in the presence of intracranial mass effect (1.5%) that is significantly lower than that reported among all patients with bacterial meningitis (up to 13.3%). It is unclear from existing literature whether identifying patients with intracranial mass effect decreases herniation risk. Up to 80% of patients with bacterial meningitis experiencing herniation have no CT abnormalities, and approximately half of patients with intracranial mass effect not undergoing lumbar puncture herniate. Decision rules to selectively perform CT on only those individuals most likely to have intracranial mass effect lesions have not undergone validation. Despite recommendations for immediate antimicrobial therapy prior to imaging, data indicate an association between pre-lumbar puncture CT and antibiotic delays. Recent data demonstrate shortened door-to-antibiotic times and lower mortality from bacterial meningitis after implementation of new national guidelines, which restricted generally accepted CT indications by removing impaired mental status as imaging criterion. Data supporting routine head CT prior to lumbar puncture are limited. Physicians should consider selective CT for those patients at risk for intracranial mass effect lesions based on decision rules or clinical gestalt. Patients undergoing head CT must receive immediate antibiotic therapy. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Life Support Goals Including High Closure and Low Mass Should Be Reconsidered Using Systems Analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Jones, Harry W.

2017-01-01

Recycling space life support systems have been built and tested since the 1960s and have operated on the International Space Station (ISS) since the mid 2000s. The development of space life support has been guided by a general consensus focused on two important related goals, increasing system closure and reducing launch mass. High closure is achieved by recycling crew waste products such as carbon dioxide and condensed humidity. Recycling directly reduces the mass of oxygen and water for the crew that must be launched from Earth. The launch mass of life support can be further reduced by developing recycling systems with lower hardware mass and reduced power. The life support consensus has also favored using biological systems. The goal of increasing closure using biological systems suggests that food should be grown in space and that biological processors be used for air, water, and waste recycling. The goal of reducing launch mass led to use of Equivalent System Mass (ESM) in life support advocacy and technology selection. The recent consensus assumes that the recycling systems architecture developed in the 1960s and implemented on ISS will be used on all future long missions. NASA and other project organizations use the standard systems engineering process to guide hardware development. The systems process was used to develop ISS life support, but it has been less emphasized in planning future systems for the moon and Mars. Since such missions are far in the future, there has been less immediate need for systems engineering analysis to consider trade-offs, reliability, and Life Cycle Cost (LCC). Preliminary systems analysis suggests that the life support consensus concepts should be revised to reflect systems engineering requirements.

Similar head impact acceleration measured using instrumented ear patches in a junior rugby union team during matches in comparison with other sports.

Science.gov (United States)

King, Doug A; Hume, Patria A; Gissane, Conor; Clark, Trevor N

2016-07-01

OBJECTIVE Direct impact with the head and the inertial loading of the head have been postulated as major mechanisms of head-related injuries, such as concussion. METHODS This descriptive observational study was conducted to quantify the head impact acceleration characteristics in under-9-year-old junior rugby union players in New Zealand. The impact magnitude, frequency, and location were collected with a wireless head impact sensor that was worn by 14 junior rugby players who participated in 4 matches. RESULTS A total of 721 impacts > 10g were recorded. The median (interquartile range [IQR]) number of impacts per player was 46 (IQR 37-58), resulting in 10 (IQR 4-18) impacts to the head per player per match. The median impact magnitudes recorded were 15g (IQR 12g-21g) for linear acceleration and 2296 rad/sec(2) (IQR 1352-4152 rad/sec(2)) for rotational acceleration. CONCLUSIONS There were 121 impacts (16.8%) above the rotational injury risk limit and 1 (0.1%) impact above the linear injury risk limit. The acceleration magnitude and number of head impacts in junior rugby union players were higher than those previously reported in similar age-group sports participants. The median linear acceleration for the under-9-year-old rugby players were similar to 7- to 8-year-old American football players, but lower than 9- to 12-year-old youth American football players. The median rotational accelerations measured were higher than the median and 95th percentiles in youth, high school, and collegiate American football players.

Translational Research in Enteral and Parenteral Nutrition Support for Patients with Severe Head Injury

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fa-liang LIN

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Abstract Objective: To explore the key points of the translational research in enteral and pareenteral nutrition support for patients with severe head injury (SHI, and to analyze the influence of different nutritional support routes on the prognosis of SHI patients. Methods: Totally 141 patients with severe craniocerebral injury were selected as study subjects, 47 cases for each group, and were given early enteral nutrition (EEN, delayed enteral nutrition (DEN, and parenteral nutrition (PN, respectively. The effect of different nutritional support routes on SHI patients was observed. Results: After 14 d of treatment, Glasgow coma scale (GCS scores of 3 groups were higher than treatment before (P<0.01, and with statistical differences among groups (P<0.05, or P<0.01. The levels of serum albumin, total serum protein and hemoglobin were higher in EEN group than the other groups (P<0.01. The level of serum albumin was lower in PN group than in DEN group (P<0.05. There were statistical differences in the incidence of complications among three groups (χ2=9.2487, P=0.0098. Conclusion: EEN support is more conductive to the improvement of the nutrition status, reduction of the incidence of complications, and promotion of the prognosis of SHI patients than DEN and PN.

Variation in body mass dynamics among sites in Black Brant Branta bernicla nigricans supports adaptivity of mass loss during moult

Science.gov (United States)

Fondell, Thomas F.; Flint, Paul L.; Schmutz, Joel A.; Schamber, Jason L.; Nicolai, Christopher A.

2013-01-01

Birds employ varying strategies to accommodate the energetic demands of moult, one important example being changes in body mass. To understand better their physiological and ecological significance, we tested three hypotheses concerning body mass dynamics during moult. We studied Black Brant in 2006 and 2007 moulting at three sites in Alaska which varied in food availability, breeding status and whether geese undertook a moult migration. First we predicted that if mass loss during moult were simply the result of inadequate food resources then mass loss would be highest where food was least available. Secondly, we predicted that if mass loss during moult were adaptive, allowing birds to reduce activity during moult, then birds would gain mass prior to moult where feeding conditions allowed and mass loss would be positively related to mass at moult initiation. Thirdly, we predicted that if mass loss during moult were adaptive, allowing birds to regain flight sooner, then across sites and groups, mass at the end of the flightless period would converge on a theoretical optimum, i.e. the mass that permits the earliest possible return to flight. Mass loss was greatest where food was most available and thus our results did not support the prediction that mass loss resulted from inadequate food availability. Mass at moult initiation was positively related to both food availability and mass loss. In addition, among sites and years, variation in mass was high at moult initiation but greatly reduced at the end of the flightless period, appearing to converge. Thus, our results supported multiple predictions that mass loss during moult was adaptive and that the optimal moulting strategy was to gain mass prior to the flightless period, then through behavioural modifications use these body reserves to reduce activity and in so doing also reduce wing loading. Geese that undertook a moult migration initiated moult at the highest mass, indicating that they were more than able to

Biomechanics of Heading a Soccer Ball: Implications for Player Safety

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Charles F. Babbs

2001-01-01

Full Text Available To better understand the risk and safety of heading a soccer ball, the author created a set of simple mathematical models based upon Newton�s second law of motion to describe the physics of heading. These models describe the player, the ball, the flight of the ball before impact, the motion of the head and ball during impact, and the effects of all of these upon the intensity and the duration of acceleration of the head. The calculated head accelerations were compared to those during presumably safe daily activities of jumping, dancing, and head nodding and also were related to established criteria for serious head injury from the motor vehicle crash literature. The results suggest heading is usually safe but occasionally dangerous, depending on key characteristics of both the player and the ball. Safety is greatly improved when players head the ball with greater effective body mass, which is determined by a player�s size, strength, and technique. Smaller youth players, because of their lesser body mass, are more at risk of potentially dangerous headers than are adults, even when using current youth size balls. Lower ball inflation pressure reduces risk of dangerous head accelerations. Lower pressure balls also have greater “touch” and “playability”, measured in terms of contact time and contact area between foot and ball during a kick. Focus on teaching proper technique, the re-design of age-appropriate balls for young players with reduced weight and inflation pressure, and avoidance of head contact with fast, rising balls kicked at close range can substantially reduce risk of subtle brain injury in players who head soccer balls.

Supportive Management of Mucositis and Metabolic Derangements in Head and Neck Cancer Patients

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bonomi, Marcelo, E-mail: mbonomi@wakehealth.edu; Batt, Katharine [Section of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Medical Center Boulevard, Winston-Salem, NC 27157 (United States)

2015-09-03

Oral mucositis (OM) is among the most undesirable, painful, and expensive toxicities of cytotoxic cancer therapy, and is disheartening for patients and frustrating for caregivers. Accurate assessment of the incidence of OM has been elusive, but accumulating data suggests that reported OM frequency is significantly less than its actual occurrence. It has been suggested that over 90% of head and neck cancer (HNC) patients receiving radiotherapy (RT) with concurrent cisplatin experience severe OM with symptoms of extreme pain, mucosal ulceration and consequent limitations in swallowing and achieving adequate nutritional intake. This panoply of symptoms inevitably impacts a patients’ quality of life and their willingness to continue treatment. In spite of all the advances made in understanding the pathophysiology of OM, there is still no prophylactic therapy with proven efficacy. Strategies to limit the extent of OM and to manage its symptomatology include basic oral care, supportive medications, nutritional support and targeting aggressive treatments to high-risk patients. This review focuses on OM recognition, preventive measurements, and symptom-management strategies.

Supportive Management of Mucositis and Metabolic Derangements in Head and Neck Cancer Patients

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bonomi, Marcelo; Batt, Katharine

2015-01-01

Oral mucositis (OM) is among the most undesirable, painful, and expensive toxicities of cytotoxic cancer therapy, and is disheartening for patients and frustrating for caregivers. Accurate assessment of the incidence of OM has been elusive, but accumulating data suggests that reported OM frequency is significantly less than its actual occurrence. It has been suggested that over 90% of head and neck cancer (HNC) patients receiving radiotherapy (RT) with concurrent cisplatin experience severe OM with symptoms of extreme pain, mucosal ulceration and consequent limitations in swallowing and achieving adequate nutritional intake. This panoply of symptoms inevitably impacts a patients’ quality of life and their willingness to continue treatment. In spite of all the advances made in understanding the pathophysiology of OM, there is still no prophylactic therapy with proven efficacy. Strategies to limit the extent of OM and to manage its symptomatology include basic oral care, supportive medications, nutritional support and targeting aggressive treatments to high-risk patients. This review focuses on OM recognition, preventive measurements, and symptom-management strategies

Racial Variations in Interfacial Behavior of Lipids Extracted from Worn Soft Contact Lenses

Science.gov (United States)

Svitova, Tatyana F.; Lin, Meng C.

2014-01-01

Purpose To explore interfacial behaviors and effect of temperature and dilatation on dynamic properties of multilayered human tear lipids extracted from silicone hydrogel (SiH) lenses worn by asymptomatic Asian and Caucasian subjects. Methods Interfacial properties of lipids extracted from Focus® N&D lenses worn by 14 subjects continuously for 1 month were studied. The lipids were deposited on an air bubble immersed in a model tear electrolytes (MTE) solution to form 100 ± 20 nm-thick films. Surface pressure was recorded during slow expansion/contraction cycles to evaluate compressibility and hysteresis of lipid films. Films were also subjected to fast step-strain dilatations at temperatures 22°–45° C for their visco-elastic properties assessment. Results Iso-cycles for Asian and Caucasian lipids were similar at low surface pressures, but had distinctly different compressibility and hysteresis at dynamic pressures exceeding 30 mN/m. Rheological parameters of reconstituted lipids were also dissimilar between Asian and Caucasian. The elastic modulusE∞ for Caucasian lipids was 1.5 times higher than that for Asian lipids, whereas relaxation time (t) was on average 1.3 times higher for Asian. No significant changes were observed in rheological properties of both Asian and Caucasian lipids when temperature increased from 22.0° to 36.5° C. However, for Caucasian lipids, E∞ reduced considerably at temperatures above 42.0° C, while t remained unchanged. For Asian lipids, both E∞ and t started to decline as temperature increased to 38° C and higher. Conclusions Higher elastic modulus of Caucasian lipids and elasticity threshold at certain deformations indicate stronger structure and intermolecular interactions as compared with more viscous Asian lipids. The differences in interfacial behaviors between Asian and Caucasian lipids may be associated with the differences in their chemical compositions. PMID:24270592

Racial variations in interfacial behavior of lipids extracted from worn soft contact lenses.

Science.gov (United States)

Svitova, Tatyana F; Lin, Meng C

2013-12-01

To explore interfacial behaviors and effects of temperature and dilatation on dynamic properties of multilayered human tear lipids extracted from silicone hydrogel (SiH) lenses worn by asymptomatic Asian and white subjects. Interfacial properties of lipids extracted from Focus N&D lenses worn by 14 subjects continuously for 1 month were studied. The lipids were deposited on an air bubble immersed in a model tear electrolyte (MTE) solution to form 100 ± 20-nm-thick films. Surface pressure was recorded during slow expansion/contraction cycles to evaluate compressibility and hysteresis of lipid films. Films were also subjected to fast step-strain dilatations at temperatures of 22 to 45°C for their viscoelastic property assessment. Isocycles for Asian and white lipids were similar at low surface pressures but had distinctly different compressibility and hysteresis at dynamic pressures exceeding 30 mN/m. Rheological parameters of reconstituted lipids were also dissimilar between Asian and white. The elastic modulus E∞ for white lipids was 1.5 times higher than that for Asian lipids, whereas relaxation time (t) was on average 1.3 times higher for Asian. No significant changes were observed in rheological properties of both Asian and white lipids when temperature increased from 22.0 to 36.5°C. However, for white lipids, E∞ reduced considerably at temperatures higher than 42.0°C, whereas t remained unchanged. For Asian lipids, both E∞ and t started to decline as temperature increased to 38°C and higher. Higher elastic modulus of white lipids and elasticity threshold at certain deformations indicate stronger structure and intermolecular interactions as compared with more viscous Asian lipids. The differences in interfacial behaviors between Asian and white lipids may be associated with the differences in their chemical compositions.

Intrathoracic deplacement of the fractured humerus head mimicking lung mass

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Incedayi, M.; Sivrioglu, A.; Candas, F.

2012-01-01

Full text: 79-year-old woman was admitted to emergency department because she had a trauma to her right shoulder. In chest X ray film and CT orientated to her right shoulder; fragmented proximal humeral fracture and right 3. rib fracture, hemopneumothorax, subcutaneous emphysema related to rib fracture were detected. In CT exam which is performed at one month after the trauma was viewed that a well defined, 3.5 cm in diameter, spheric, sharp in medial contour, osseous structure in right hemithorax. The intrathoracic osseous lesion was the fragmented and dislocated humeral head. if we see a bone structure in the lung while we reporting a chest-X-ray in a trauma patient, we have to retain that this structure might be the fractured and dislocated humerus head

Flight Deck Display Technologies for 4DT and Surface Equivalent Visual Operations

Science.gov (United States)

Prinzel, Lawrence J., III; Jones, Denis R.; Shelton, Kevin J.; Arthur, Jarvis J., III; Bailey, Randall E.; Allamandola, Angela S.; Foyle, David C.; Hooey, Becky L.

2009-01-01

NASA research is focused on flight deck display technologies that may significantly enhance situation awareness, enable new operating concepts, and reduce the potential for incidents/accidents for terminal area and surface operations. The display technologies include surface map, head-up, and head-worn displays; 4DT guidance algorithms; synthetic and enhanced vision technologies; and terminal maneuvering area traffic conflict detection and alerting systems. This work is critical to ensure that the flight deck interface technologies and the role of the human participants can support the full realization of the Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen) and its novel operating concepts.

Body mass reconstruction on the basis of selected skeletal traits.

Science.gov (United States)

Myszka, Anna; Piontek, Janusz; Vancata, Vaclav

2012-07-01

The objective of this paper is: to estimate the body mass of the skeletons with the mechanical method (femoral head body mass estimation method--FH) and non-mechanical method (stature/living bi-iliac breadth body mass estimation method--ST/LBIB); to compare the reliability and potential use of results obtained with both methods. The material (46 skeletons, 26 males, 20 females) used in the study came from the medieval burial ground in Cedynia, Poland. Body mass reconstruction according to non-mechanical method was made using equations proposed by Ruff et al. (2005). Body mass estimation based on the mechanical method was calculated using formulas proposed by Ruff et al. (1995). In the mechanical body mass reconstruction method, femoral superoinferior breadth was used. Reconstruction of body weight using the non-mechanical method was based on maximum pelvic breadth and reconstructed body height. The correlation between bi-iliac breadth and femoral head measurements and the correlation between femoral head and reconstructed body height were also calculated. The significance of differences between the body mass of male and female individuals was tested with the Mann-Whitney U-test. The significance of differences between body mass values obtained with the mechanical (FH) and the non-mechanical method (ST/ LBIB) was tested using Pearson's correlation. The same test was used for the calculation of the relationship between bi-iliac breadth and femoral head measurements and between femoral head and reconstructed body height. In contrast to females, in males there is no statistically significant correlation between body mass estimated with the mechanical method (FH) and the non-mechanical method (ST/LBIB). In both sexes there was not statistically significant correlation between bi-iliac breadth and femoral head measurements. Only in the females group the correlation between femoral head and reconstructed body height was statistically significant. It is worth to continue

Experiments on the evaluation of protection provided by full-face masks as worn

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kinouchi, Nobuyuki; Ikezawa, Yoshio; Izumi, Yukio.

1991-01-01

The performance of a dust respirator is affected mostly by the leakage through the interstice between mask and face. Mask man-test using NaCl aerosols has been developed to evaluate protection provided by worn masks. However, there were some problems in application of man-test to field test. The sampling method of the NaCl aerosols inside the mask was discussed. The tool for sampling operated easily was selected, and the best sampling position at the mask was decided. The correction of the measured values was also discussed. Because of NaCl aerosols deposition in the respiratory tract and sampling lines, the leakage might be underestimated. The correction coefficient was experimentally measured and discussed. (author)

Mechanical properties of ASTM A508 Class 4 steel used in the LWBR closure head and support flange (LWBR Development Program)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Allen, R.M.; Hall, J.F.

1978-07-01

The LWBR closure head and support flange are manufactured from forgings of ASTM A508 Class 4 steel rather than the ASTM A508 Class 2 forging material more commonly used in reactor vessels and closure heads. Forgings involved were approximately 300,000 pounds and 46,000 pounds. The extensive material test program conducted on ASTM A508 Class 4 LWBR forgings is described. The results of the tests confirm that the A508 Class 4 material used for the LWBR forgings has been quite good through thickness, fracture toughness, and strength properties and fully meet all specified requirements

A clinical audit of the nutritional status and need for nutrition support amongst head and neck cancer patients treated with radiotherapy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

E Jeffery

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Radiotherapy is an effective treatment for head and neck cancers but patients often experience side effects which lead to weight loss. Nutrition intervention in the form of counselling or oral nutrition support (ONS is frequently needed for these patients. For some patients, tube feeding is required to minimise weight loss during treatment.MethodData was collected on 48 patients who received radiotherapy to the head and neck region over a nine-month period (June 2009–March 2010. Retrospective data collection was commenced in July 2010. Each patient’s Diet Therapy Department record was reviewed. Main outcome measures were: 1 type of nutrition support; 2 percentage weight change during treatment; and 3 Patient-Generated Subjective Global Assessment Global (PG-SGA rating.ResultsOn initial assessment 28 (77.8% patients were classified as well nourished using the PG-SGA. Mean weight loss during radiotherapy was 5.74%. Risk factors for the need for ONS and enteral nutrition support (ENS were older age, presence of nutrition impact symptoms, high-risk tumour sites, advanced disease and chemotherapy. No significant difference was shown in weight loss between ONS and ENS groups.ConclusionThis study identified the need for early dietetic intervention for high nutritional risk groups of head and neck cancer patients to prevent significant weight loss. Pre-treatment nutritional status did not influence weight loss during treatment. ONS alone cannot prevent significant weight loss in patients with multiple nutrition impact symptoms. Early enteral feeding should be considered in this group of patients.

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and organochlorines in melon-headed whales, Peponocephala electra, mass stranded along the Japanese coasts: Maternal transfer and temporal trend

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kajiwara, Natsuko; Kamikawa, Satoko; Amano, Masao; Hayano, Azusa; Yamada, Tadasu K.; Miyazaki, Nobuyuki; Tanabe, Shinsuke

2008-01-01

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and organochlorine compounds (OCs) were determined in the blubber of 55 melon-headed whales (Peponocephala electra) mass stranded along the Japanese coasts since 1982. DDTs and PCBs were predominant in all the specimens investigated. In whales that died during the latest event in 2006, concentrations of PBDEs (190-510 ng/g lipid wt) were approximately two orders of magnitude lower than DDTs and PCBs, but comparable with HCHs and HCB. Maternal transfer of PBDEs to offspring through the whole reproductive process was estimated to be 85% of the mother's body burden, while that occurring during gestation was much lower (2.6-3.5%). Concentrations of PCBs, DDTs, and HCB were lower in melon-headed whales stranded after the year 2000 than those stranded in 1982, whereas PBDE and CHL levels showed a temporal increase during the past 20 years, suggesting that the peak of their usage and contamination occurred after the year 1982. - PBDE levels in melon-headed whales increased during the past two decades

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and organochlorines in melon-headed whales, Peponocephala electra, mass stranded along the Japanese coasts: Maternal transfer and temporal trend

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kajiwara, Natsuko; Kamikawa, Satoko [Center for Marine Environmental Studies (CMES), Ehime University, 2-5 Bunkyo-cho, Matsuyama 790-8577 (Japan); Amano, Masao [Department of Animal Sciences, Teikyo University of Science and Technology, 2525 Yatsusawa, Uenohara, Yamanashi 409-0193 (Japan); Hayano, Azusa [Graduate School of Science, Kyoto University, Sakyo, Kyoto 606-8502 (Japan); Yamada, Tadasu K. [National Museum of Nature and Science, 3-23-1 Hyakunin-cho, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 169-0073 (Japan); Miyazaki, Nobuyuki [Center for International Cooperation, Ocean Research Institute, University of Tokyo, Minamidai 1-15-1, Nakano-ku, Tokyo 164-8639 (Japan); Tanabe, Shinsuke [Center for Marine Environmental Studies (CMES), Ehime University, 2-5 Bunkyo-cho, Matsuyama 790-8577 (Japan)], E-mail: shinsuke@agr.ehime-u.ac.jp

2008-11-15

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and organochlorine compounds (OCs) were determined in the blubber of 55 melon-headed whales (Peponocephala electra) mass stranded along the Japanese coasts since 1982. DDTs and PCBs were predominant in all the specimens investigated. In whales that died during the latest event in 2006, concentrations of PBDEs (190-510 ng/g lipid wt) were approximately two orders of magnitude lower than DDTs and PCBs, but comparable with HCHs and HCB. Maternal transfer of PBDEs to offspring through the whole reproductive process was estimated to be 85% of the mother's body burden, while that occurring during gestation was much lower (2.6-3.5%). Concentrations of PCBs, DDTs, and HCB were lower in melon-headed whales stranded after the year 2000 than those stranded in 1982, whereas PBDE and CHL levels showed a temporal increase during the past 20 years, suggesting that the peak of their usage and contamination occurred after the year 1982. - PBDE levels in melon-headed whales increased during the past two decades.

Head Start Impact Study. Technical Report

Science.gov (United States)

Puma, Michael; Bell, Stephen; Cook, Ronna; Heid, Camilla; Shapiro, Gary; Broene, Pam; Jenkins, Frank; Fletcher, Philip; Quinn, Liz; Friedman, Janet; Ciarico, Janet; Rohacek, Monica; Adams, Gina; Spier, Elizabeth

2010-01-01

This Technical Report is designed to provide technical detail to support the analysis and findings presented in the "Head Start Impact Study Final Report" (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, January 2010). Chapter 1 provides an overview of the Head Start Impact Study and its findings. Chapter 2 provides technical information on the…

Low temperature growth of ultra-high mass density carbon nanotube forests on conductive supports

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sugime, Hisashi; Esconjauregui, Santiago; Yang, Junwei; D'Arsié, Lorenzo; Robertson, John; Oliver, Rachel A.; Bhardwaj, Sunil; Cepek, Cinzia

2013-01-01

We grow ultra-high mass density carbon nanotube forests at 450 °C on Ti-coated Cu supports using Co-Mo co-catalyst. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy shows Mo strongly interacts with Ti and Co, suppressing both aggregation and lifting off of Co particles and, thus, promoting the root growth mechanism. The forests average a height of 0.38 μm and a mass density of 1.6 g cm −3 . This mass density is the highest reported so far, even at higher temperatures or on insulators. The forests and Cu supports show ohmic conductivity (lowest resistance ∼22 kΩ), suggesting Co-Mo is useful for applications requiring forest growth on conductors

Squeeze-film Lubrication of the Human Ankle Joint with Synovial Fluid Filtrated by Articular Cartilage with the Superficial Zone Worn out

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Hlaváček, Miroslav

2000-01-01

Roč. 33, č. 11 (2000), s. 1415-1422 ISSN 0021-9290 R&D Projects: GA ČR GA103/00/0008 Keywords : human ankle joint * squeeze-film lubrication * synovial fluid filtration * worn-out cartilage superficial zone Subject RIV: BK - Fluid Dynamics Impact factor: 1.474, year: 2000

Chemical effects head-loss research in support of generic safety issue 191.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Park, J. H.; Kasza, K.; Fisher, B.; Oras, J.; Natesan, K.; Shack, W. J.; Nuclear Engineering Division

2006-10-31

This summary report describes studies conducted at Argonne National Laboratory on the potential for chemical effects on head loss across sump screens. Three different buffering solutions were used for these tests: trisodium phosphate (TSP), sodium hydroxide, and sodium tetraborate. These pH control agents used following a LOCA at a nuclear power plant show various degrees of interaction with the insulating materials Cal-Sil and NUKON. Results for Cal-Sil dissolution tests in TSP solutions, settling rate tests of calcium phosphate precipitates, and benchmark tests in chemically inactive environments are also presented. The dissolution tests were intended to identify important environmental variables governing both calcium dissolution and subsequent calcium phosphate formation over a range of simulated sump pool conditions. The results from the dissolution testing were used to inform both the head loss and settling test series. The objective of the head loss tests was to assess the head loss produced by debris beds created by Cal-Sil, fibrous debris, and calcium phosphate precipitates. The effects of both the relative arrival time of the precipitates and insulation debris and the calcium phosphate formation process were specifically evaluated. The debris loadings, test loop flow rates, and test temperature were chosen to be reasonably representative of those expected in plants with updated sump screen configurations, although the approach velocity of 0.1 ft/s used for most of the tests is 3-10 times that expected in plants with large screens . Other variables were selected with the intent to reasonably bound the head loss variability due to arrival time and calcium phosphate formation uncertainty. Settling tests were conducted to measure the settling rates of calcium phosphate precipitates (formed by adding dissolved Ca to boric acid and TSP solutions) in water columns having no bulk directional flow. For PWRs where NaOH and sodium tetraborate are used to control

Head trauma in female professional wrestlers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nomoto, Jun; Seiki, Yoshikatsu; Nemoto, Masaaki

2007-01-01

The clinical characteristics of head trauma were evaluated in 18 wrestlers belonging to a female professional wrestling organization, 13 regular members and five trainees aged 15-34 years. Medical examinations for head trauma were performed in all wrestlers, and wrestlers treated at our emergency outpatient department were clinically evaluated. In addition, the relationships of head trauma with duration of the wrestling career of 1-16 years (mean 8 years) in the regular members, and less than 1 year in the five trainees, and body mass index (BMI) of 21.0-32.0 in the 16 subjects, excluding two trainees, was evaluated. Chronic symptoms were noted in four of the 18 wrestlers with long wrestling careers (16 years in 1, 13 years in 1, and 5 years in 2). Three wrestlers with symptoms immediately after head trauma showed recurrent retrograde amnesia and had low BMI (21.6, 21.6, and 23.1). Five wrestlers were treated at our emergency outpatient clinic, three required hospitalization and two showed intracranial traumatic changes on computed tomography (acute subdural hematoma in 1 and diffuse brain swelling in 1). Head trauma in female professional wrestlers is associated with longer wrestling career and low BMI. Periodic medical examinations are recommended to monitor for signs of head trauma. (author)

Cochlear implants: 100 pediatric case conversions from the body worn to the nucleus esprit 22 ear level speech processor.

Science.gov (United States)

Dodd, M C; Nikolopoulos, T P; Totten, C; Cope, Y; O'Donoghue, G M

2005-07-01

To assess performance of Nucleus 22 mini system pediatric users converted from the Spectra 22 body-worn to the ESPrit 22 ear-level speech processor using aided thresholds and speech discrimination measures before and after the conversion. Spectra 22 body-worn speech processor users were chosen using preselection criteria (stable map, ability to report on the quality of the signal, no device problems). The subjects underwent tuning, map conversion, fitting of the ESPrit 22, and aided soundfield threshold and speech discrimination testing. The first 100 consecutive conversions are analyzed in this study. Fifty children (50%) were female, and 50 (50%) were male. The average age at implantation was 4.6 years (median 4.3 years, range 1.7 to 11 years). The average age of fitting the ear level speech processor was 11.1 years (median 11 years, range 6.2 to 18.2 years). Tertiary referral pediatric cochlear implant center in the United Kingdom. Of the 100 fittings attempted, all Spectra 22 maps could to be converted for use in the ESPrit 22. Of these 100 fittings, 44 were straightforward with no adjustment to map parameters being required, and 56 needed rate reductions and other map adjustments to achieve the conversion. The difference of the mean thresholds before and after the conversion did not exceed 2 dB across the frequencies studied (0.5-4 kHz). In 95% of the cases, the differences were less than 9 dB(A). With regard to speech discrimination testing, the mean threshold before the conversion was 53.4 dB and after the conversion 52.7 dB. Of the 100 conversions, only five children stopped using the ESPrit 22 despite fitting being achieved. Conversion from the Spectra 22 body worn to the ESPrit 22 ear level speech processor was found to be feasible in all the 100 cases studied. Only a minority (5%) of children chose not to use the ear level speech processor suggesting that children and parents were satisfied from the conversion.

Instrumented mouthguard acceleration analyses for head impacts in amateur rugby union players over a season of matches.

Science.gov (United States)

King, Doug; Hume, Patria A; Brughelli, Matt; Gissane, Conor

2015-03-01

Direct impacts with the head (linear acceleration or pressure) and inertial loading of the head (rotational acceleration or strain) have been postulated as the 2 major mechanisms of head-related injuries such as concussion. Although data are accumulating for soccer and American football, there are no published data for nonhelmeted collision sports such as rugby union. To quantify head impacts via instrumented mouthguard acceleration analyses for rugby union players over a season of matches. Descriptive epidemiology study. Data on impact magnitude and frequency were collected with molded instrumented mouthguards worn by 38 premier amateur senior rugby players participating in the 2013 domestic season of matches. A total of 20,687 impacts >10g (range, 10.0-164.9g) were recorded over the duration of the study. The mean ± SD number of impacts per player over the duration of the season of matches was 564 ± 618, resulting in a mean ± SD of 95 ± 133 impacts to the head per player, per match over the duration of the season of matches. The impact magnitudes for linear accelerations were skewed to the lower values (Sp = 3.7 ± 0.02; P rugby union players over a season of matches, measured via instrumented mouthguard accelerations, were higher than for most sports previously reported. Mean linear acceleration measured over a season of matches was similar to the mean linear accelerations previously reported for youth, high school, and collegiate American football players but lower than that for female youth soccer players. Mean rotational acceleration measured over a season of matches was similar to mean rotational accelerations for youth, high school, and collegiate American football players but less than those for female youth soccer players, concussed American collegiate players, collegiate American football players, and professional American football players. © 2014 The Author(s).

NUMERICAL ANALYSIS OF INFLUENCE OF EXOGENOUS FIRE IN DOG HEADING ON PARAMETERS OF THE AIR STREAM FLOWING THROUGH THIS HEADING

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Magdalena TUTAK

2014-04-01

Full Text Available Flow of ventilation air stream through the dog heading with a fire centre is the flow with complex character, during which as a result of emission of fire gases into the mining atmosphere, there occur to disturbances of its flow. In the paper there is presented a numerical analysis of an influence of exogenous fire in a dog heading, on the parameters of the ventilation air stream flowing through this heading. Modeling tests were carried out with a use of ANSYS software, basing on the Finite Volume Method. For the made assumptions, there were determined physical parameters of air stream flowing through the heading with a fire centre, and also changes in mass fraction of gases in this stream during its flow through the analyzed heading: oxygen, carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide. As a result of performed analysis over the fire centre, the local increase of velocity and temperature and violent decrease of static pressure were recorded. Model of heading presented in the paper gives possibilities for development, and then the analysis of more complicated problems in a range of ventilation of mining headings.

An evaluation of seasonal variations in footwear worn by adults with inflammatory arthritis: a cross-sectional observational study using a web-based survey.

Science.gov (United States)

Brenton-Rule, Angela; Hendry, Gordon J; Barr, Georgina; Rome, Keith

2014-01-01

Foot problems are common in adults with inflammatory arthritis and therapeutic footwear can be effective in managing arthritic foot problems. Accessing appropriate footwear has been identified as a major barrier, resulting in poor adherence to treatment plans involving footwear. Indeed, previous New Zealand based studies found that many people with rheumatoid arthritis and gout wore inappropriate footwear. However, these studies were conducted in a single teaching hospital during the New Zealand summer therefore the findings may not be representative of footwear styles worn elsewhere in New Zealand, or reflect the potential influence of seasonal climate changes. The aim of the study was to evaluate seasonal variations in footwear habits of people with inflammatory arthritic conditions in New Zealand. A cross-sectional study design using a web-based survey. The survey questions were designed to elicit demographic and clinical information, features of importance when choosing footwear and seasonal footwear habits, including questions related to the provision of therapeutic footwear/orthoses and footwear experiences. One-hundred and ninety-seven participants responded who were predominantly women of European descent, aged between 46-65 years old, from the North Island of New Zealand. The majority of participants identified with having either rheumatoid arthritis (35%) and/or osteoarthritis (57%) and 68% reported established disease (>5 years duration). 18% of participants had been issued with therapeutic footwear. Walking and athletic shoes were the most frequently reported footwear type worn regardless of the time of year. In the summer, 42% reported wearing sandals most often. Comfort, fit and support were reported most frequently as the footwear features of greatest importance. Many participants reported difficulties with footwear (63%), getting hot feet in the summer (63%) and the need for a sandal which could accommodate a supportive insole (73%). Athletic and

Fat-free mass mediates the association between birth weight and aerobic fitness in youth

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ridgway, C L; Andresen, Brage Storstein; Anderssen, S

2011-01-01

Abstract Objective. To investigate whether birth weight acts as a biological determinant of later aerobic fitness, and whether fat-free mass may mediate this association. Methods. The European Youth Heart Study (EYHS) is a population-based cohort of two age groups (9 and 15 years) from Denmark...... test. Physical activity was collected in a subset (n = 1 505) using a hip-worn accelerometer and defined as total activity counts/wear time, all children with >600 minutes/day for ≥3 days of wear were included. Results. Lower birth weight was associated with lower aerobic fitness, after adjusting...... may have long-term influences on fat-free mass and differences in fat-free mass mediate the observed association between birth weight and aerobic fitness....

Head Start Participants, Programs, Families and Staff in 2013

Science.gov (United States)

Walker, Christina

2014-01-01

Head Start programs provide poor children and their families with comprehensive early education and support services. Each year, programs are required to submit a Program Information Report (PIR) to the Office of Head Start on participating children, pregnant women, and families, as well as the staff serving the Head Start population. In 2013, the…

Human body mass estimation: a comparison of "morphometric" and "mechanical" methods.

Science.gov (United States)

Auerbach, Benjamin M; Ruff, Christopher B

2004-12-01

In the past, body mass was reconstructed from hominin skeletal remains using both "mechanical" methods which rely on the support of body mass by weight-bearing skeletal elements, and "morphometric" methods which reconstruct body mass through direct assessment of body size and shape. A previous comparison of two such techniques, using femoral head breadth (mechanical) and stature and bi-iliac breadth (morphometric), indicated a good general correspondence between them (Ruff et al. [1997] Nature 387:173-176). However, the two techniques were never systematically compared across a large group of modern humans of diverse body form. This study incorporates skeletal measures taken from 1,173 Holocene adult individuals, representing diverse geographic origins, body sizes, and body shapes. Femoral head breadth, bi-iliac breadth (after pelvic rearticulation), and long bone lengths were measured on each individual. Statures were estimated from long bone lengths using appropriate reference samples. Body masses were calculated using three available femoral head breadth (FH) formulae and the stature/bi-iliac breadth (STBIB) formula, and compared. All methods yielded similar results. Correlations between FH estimates and STBIB estimates are 0.74-0.81. Slight differences in results between the three FH estimates can be attributed to sampling differences in the original reference samples, and in particular, the body-size ranges included in those samples. There is no evidence for systematic differences in results due to differences in body proportions. Since the STBIB method was validated on other samples, and the FH methods produced similar estimates, this argues that either may be applied to skeletal remains with some confidence. 2004 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Fundamental Drop Dynamics and Mass Transfer Experiments to Support Solvent Extraction Modeling Efforts

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Christensen, Kristi; Rutledge, Veronica; Garn, Troy

2011-01-01

In support of the Nuclear Energy Advanced Modeling Simulation Safeguards and Separations (NEAMS SafeSep) program, the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) worked in collaboration with Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) to further a modeling effort designed to predict mass transfer behavior for selected metal species between individual dispersed drops and a continuous phase in a two phase liquid-liquid extraction (LLE) system. The purpose of the model is to understand the fundamental processes of mass transfer that occur at the drop interface. This fundamental understanding can be extended to support modeling of larger LLE equipment such as mixer settlers, pulse columns, and centrifugal contactors. The work performed at the INL involved gathering the necessary experimental data to support the modeling effort. A custom experimental apparatus was designed and built for performing drop contact experiments to measure mass transfer coefficients as a function of contact time. A high speed digital camera was used in conjunction with the apparatus to measure size, shape, and velocity of the drops. In addition to drop data, the physical properties of the experimental fluids were measured to be used as input data for the model. Physical properties measurements included density, viscosity, surface tension and interfacial tension. Additionally, self diffusion coefficients for the selected metal species in each experimental solution were measured, and the distribution coefficient for the metal partitioning between phases was determined. At the completion of this work, the INL has determined the mass transfer coefficient and a velocity profile for drops rising by buoyancy through a continuous medium under a specific set of experimental conditions. Additionally, a complete set of experimentally determined fluid properties has been obtained. All data will be provided to LANL to support the modeling effort.

Modeling of heat and mass transfer processes during core melt discharge from a reactor pressure vessel

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dinh, T.N.; Bui, V.A.; Nourgaliev, R.R. [Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm (Sweden)] [and others

1995-09-01

The objective of the paper is to study heat and mass transfer processes related to core melt discharge from a reactor vessel is a severe light water reactor accident. The phenomenology of the issue includes (1) melt convection in and heat transfer from the melt pool in contact with the vessel lower head wall; (2) fluid dynamics and heat transfer of the melt flow in the growing discharge hole; and (3) multi-dimensional heat conduction in the ablating lower head wall. A program of model development, validation and application is underway (i) to analyse the dominant physical mechanisms determining characteristics of the lower head ablation process; (ii) to develop and validate efficient analytic/computational methods for estimating heat and mass transfer under phase-change conditions in irregular moving-boundary domains; and (iii) to investigate numerically the melt discharge phenomena in a reactor-scale situation, and, in particular, the sensitivity of the melt discharge transient to structural differences and various in-vessel melt progression scenarios. The paper presents recent results of the analysis and model development work supporting the simulant melt-structure interaction experiments.

Association of equipment worn and concussion injury rates in National Collegiate Athletic Association football practices: 2004-2005 to 2008-2009 academic years.

Science.gov (United States)

Kerr, Zachary Y; Hayden, Ross; Dompier, Thomas P; Cohen, Randy

2015-05-01

The epidemiology of football-related concussions has been extensively examined. However, although football players experience more at-risk exposure time during practices than competitions, there is a dearth of literature examining the nature of the activities or equipment worn during practice. In particular, varying levels of equipment worn during practices may place players at varying levels of risk for concussion. To describe the epidemiology of NCAA men's football concussions that occurred during practices from the 2004-2005 to 2008-2009 academic years by amount of equipment worn. Descriptive epidemiology study. Men's collegiate football data from the National Collegiate Athletic Association Injury Surveillance System (NCAA ISS) during the 5-year study period were analyzed. Injury rates and injury rate ratios (RRs) were reported with 95% confidence intervals. During the study period, 795 concussions were reported during practices, resulting in an injury rate of 0.39 per 1000 athlete-exposures (AEs) (95% CI, 0.36-0.42). Among NCAA divisions, Division III had the highest concussion rate (0.54/1000 AEs), followed by Division I (0.34/1000 AEs) and Division II (0.24/1000 AEs) (all P values for RRs comparing divisionsconcussions in practice occurred when players were fully padded (69.9%), followed by wearing shells (23.5%) and helmets only (1.9%). The practice concussion rate was higher in fully padded practices (0.66/1000 AEs) compared with practices when shells were worn (0.33/1000 AEs; RR=1.99 [95% CI, 1.69-2.35]; Pconcussion rate of the preseason (0.76/1000 AEs) was higher than that of the regular season (0.18/1000 AEs; RR=4.14 [95% CI, 3.55-4.83]; Pconcussion rate were scrimmages (1.55/1000 AEs). Although only 3 concussions were sustained during scrimmage practices in which players wore shells, the concussion rate (2.84/1000 AEs) was higher than all other reported rates. Practice concussion rates are highest during fully padded practices, preseason practices, and

Heading and head injuries in soccer.

Science.gov (United States)

Kirkendall, D T; Jordan, S E; Garrett, W E

2001-01-01

In the world of sports, soccer is unique because of the purposeful use of the unprotected head for controlling and advancing the ball. This skill obviously places the player at risk of head injury and the game does carry some risk. Head injury can be a result of contact of the head with another head (or other body parts), ground, goal post, other unknown objects or even the ball. Such impacts can lead to contusions, fractures, eye injuries, concussions or even, in rare cases, death. Coaches, players, parents and physicians are rightly concerned about the risk of head injury in soccer. Current research shows that selected soccer players have some degree of cognitive dysfunction. It is important to determine the reasons behind such deficits. Purposeful heading has been blamed, but a closer look at the studies that focus on heading has revealed methodological concerns that question the validity of blaming purposeful heading of the ball. The player's history and age (did they play when the ball was leather and could absorb significant amounts of water), alcohol intake, drug intake, learning disabilities, concussion definition and control group use/composition are all factors that cloud the ability to blame purposeful heading. What does seem clear is that a player's history of concussive episodes is a more likely explanation for cognitive deficits. While it is likely that the subconcussive impact of purposeful heading is a doubtful factor in the noted deficits, it is unknown whether multiple subconcussive impacts might have some lingering effects. In addition, it is unknown whether the noted deficits have any affect on daily life. Proper instruction in the technique is critical because if the ball contacts an unprepared head (as in accidental head-ball contacts), the potential for serious injury is possible. To further our understanding of the relationship of heading, head injury and cognitive deficits, we need to: learn more about the actual impact of a ball on the

Characterization of the Head Stabilization Response to a Lateral Perturbation During Walking in Older Adults

Science.gov (United States)

Buccello-Stout, Regina R.; Cromwell, Ronita L.; Bloomberg, Jacob J.

2009-01-01

A main contributor of fractures in older adults is from a lateral fall. The decline in sensory systems results in difficulty maintaining balance stability. Head stabilization contributes to postural control by serving as a stable platform for the sensory systems. The purpose of this study was to characterize the head stabilization response to a lateral perturbation while walking. A total of 16 healthy older adults, aged 66-81 years, walked across a foam pathway 6 times. One piece of the foam pathway covered a movable platform that translated to the left when the subject stepped on the foam. Three trials were randomized in which the platform shifted. Angular rate sensors placed on the center of mass of the head and trunk collected head and trunk movement in all three planes of motion. The roll plane was analyzed to examine motion in the plane of the perturbation. Subjects stepped onto the platform with the right foot. Recovery step time and distance were recorded. The first trial was analyzed to capture the novelty of the perturbation. Results indicate a significant difference in footfall distance t=0.004, pOlder adults place their recovery foot down faster when perturbed to re-establish their base of support. Head and trunk segments are less stable and move with greater velocities to reestablish stability when perturbed.

Multi-sector thermophysiological head simulator for headgear research

OpenAIRE

Martínez Guillamón, Natividad

2016-01-01

[EN] Predicting thermal comfort perceived during wearing protective clothing is important especially for the head as it is one of the most sensitive body parts to heat. Since helmets typically induce an additional thermal insulation that impairs the heat dissipation from the head, a special attention should be drawn to a heat strain leading to a decrease of the cognitive performance and to adverse health effects. Thermal manikins allow systematic analysis of the heat and mass transfer prop...

Life-cycle-Based (LCB) online acquisition framework for supporting Mass Customisation (MC) in practice.

OpenAIRE

Tang, S. J.; Tjahjono, Benny; Kay, John M.

2006-01-01

Mass Customisation (MC) has been perceived in many articles as a strategy of choice for any company. However, Mass Customisation (MC) can be easily discussed at a strategic level; but it is rather more complicated to undertake it organisationally and operationally. The aim of this paper is to explore an effective framework that can support the development of Mass Customisation approaches. Two main contributions are addressed in this paper. One is to prove the insufficiency o...

[Prevalence of helmet use in children and adolescents in Germany and preventable bicycle-related head injuries].

Science.gov (United States)

Gutsche, J; Hintzpeter, B; Neuhauser, H; Schlaud, M

2011-08-01

Head injuries are the main cause of death in bicycle-related accidents among children and adolescents. According to a Cochrane Review, the risk of head injury (OR 0.31; 95% CI 0.26-0.37) or brain injury (OR 0.31; 95% CI 0.23-0.42) decreases by 69% if a helmet is worn. This study presents the prevalence of helmet use in cycling children and adolescents in Germany and the proportion of head injuries that could be prevented by wearing helmets. The potential effects of increased helmet wearing rates on the population attributable risk percentage for head injuries (PAR%) are demonstrated. The prevalence of helmet use in children aged 3-17 years was analysed using data from the German Health Interview and Examination Survey for Children and Adolescents (KiGGS). The percentage of head injuries preventable by helmet use in this group is estimated by calculating PAR%. Prevalence rates of helmet use and odds ratios from a Cochrane Review about the effectiveness of bicycle helmets for the prevention of head injuries were used for analysis. The potential effect of increased helmet use is shown in 3 scenarios by means of differences of PAR% values in the most relevant age groups. The older the children, the less likely they are to wear a helmet: 89.5% (95% CI 88.0%-90.8%) of the 3- to 6-year-old children wear a helmet when cycling but only 11.0% (95% CI 9.3%-12.9%) of 14- to 17-year-old adolescents do. In the youngest group (3-6 years) 19% of bicycle-related head injuries are attributable to the non-use of helmets, but this proportion rises to 67% in the oldest group (14-17 years). The PAR% of head injuries associated with not wearing a helmet may be reduced by more than a third by increasing the helmet wearing rate to 67% (2 out of 3) among adolescents, and may be reduced to half if 75% of adolescents wore a helmet. Particularly older children and adolescents hardly use bicycle helmets, hence the rate of preventable head injury is high. Efforts towards increasing helmet use

Advances in otolaryngology-Head and neck surgery. Volume 1

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Myers, E.N.; Bluestone, C.D.

1987-01-01

This book consists of 14 sections. The section titles are: The impact of AIDS on otolaryngology--head and neck surgery; The management of sleep apneas and snoring; Antimicrobial agents for infections in the ear, nose, and throat--head and neck; Nasal allergy: Medical and surgical treatment; Uses of computerized tomography and magnetic resonance imaging in temporal bone imaging; Surgical management of otitis media with effusion; middle ear reconstruction: Current status; Cochlear implants: an overview; Diagnosis and management of acute facial paralysis; The use of the laser in head and neck surgery; The management and prevention of subglottic stenosis in infants and children; Management of the mass in the thyroid; Suction-assisted lipectomy of the head and neck area; and Ambulatory surgery

Advances in otolaryngology-Head and neck surgery. Volume 1

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Myers, E.N. (Univ. of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA (US)); Bluestone, C.D. (Univ. of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA (US))

1987-01-01

This book consists of 14 sections. The section titles are: The impact of AIDS on otolaryngology--head and neck surgery; The management of sleep apneas and snoring; Antimicrobial agents for infections in the ear, nose, and throat--head and neck; Nasal allergy: Medical and surgical treatment; Uses of computerized tomography and magnetic resonance imaging in temporal bone imaging; Surgical management of otitis media with effusion; middle ear reconstruction: Current status; Cochlear implants: an overview; Diagnosis and management of acute facial paralysis; The use of the laser in head and neck surgery; The management and prevention of subglottic stenosis in infants and children; Management of the mass in the thyroid; Suction-assisted lipectomy of the head and neck area; and Ambulatory surgery.

Periodic cycle of stretching and breaking of the head of gravity currents

Science.gov (United States)

Nogueira, H. I. S.; Adduce, C.; Alves, E.; Franca, M. J.

2012-04-01

interface layer. Entrainment follows a decaying trend along the current development whereas periodic division of the head seems to be kept. The division of the head is related to mass ejections directing upstream with a clear signature in the current-depth time and spatial evolution maps. Initial density of the released saline current seems to be related to the period of the cyclic division of the head and the amplitude of the mentioned mass ejections; averaged periods of the occurrence of the divisions are 3.40, 1.63, 1.07 and 0.91 s respectively for initial densities of the salt-water mixture corresponding to 1015, 1030, 1045 and 1060 kg/m3. Research supported by Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology through the research project PTDC/ECM/099752/2008 and the PhD grant SFRH/BD/48705/2008.

Liquid metal reactor head designs in the USA - heat and mass transfer considerations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Burke, T.M.

1986-01-01

Development of liquid metal reactor plants in the United States over the past 30 years has resulted in an evolution of reactor head designs as reflected in the SRE, Hallam, EBR-II and FFTF plants. This evolution has probably been affected to some extent by the fact that, in contrast to most other countries, there is no single organization in the United States which has been responsible for the design of liquid metal reactor plants. The current U.S. LMR design efforts involve two innovative design consortiums (guided by the US Department of Energy) and a joint industry venture on the Large Scale Prototype Breeder. It is therefore somewhat difficult to provide a statement on the philosophy of the reactor head design in the U.S. This paper however briefly describes the existing and proposed U.S. liquid metal reactor head designs and in the process, attempt to provide some insight on the basis for those designs

Failure modes observed on worn surfaces of W-C-Co sputtered coatings

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ramalho, A.; Cavaleiro, A.; Miranda, A.S.; Vieira, M.T.

1993-01-01

During scratch testing, the indenter gives rise to a distribution of stresses similar to that observed in tribocontacts. In this work, r.f.-sputtered W-C-Co coatings deposited from sintered WC + Co (6, 10 and 15 wt.% Co) at various substrate biases were scratched and tested tribologically and the morphology of the damaged surfaces was analysed. The cobalt content of the coatings is the main factor determining their tribological characteristics. The failure modes observed on the worn pin-on-disc tested surfaces are explained and compared with those obtained by scratch testing. In spite of it not being possible to establish quantitative results for the wear resistance of W-C-Co coatings from scratch testing, an estimation can be performed based on the observation of the failure modes in the scratch track. Thus scratch testing can be used to predict the tribological behaviour of coated surfaces. This possibility can reduce the number and cost of tribological tests. (orig.)

High-magnitude head impact exposure in youth football

Science.gov (United States)

Campolettano, Eamon T.; Gellner, Ryan A.; Rowson, Steven

2018-01-01

OBJECTIVE Even in the absence of a clinically diagnosed concussion, research suggests that neurocognitive changes may develop in football players as a result of frequent head impacts that occur during football games and practices. The objectives of this study were to determine the specific situations in which high-magnitude impacts (accelerations exceeding 40g) occur in youth football games and practices and to assess how representative practice activities are of games with regard to high-magnitude head impact exposure. METHODS A total of 45 players (mean age 10.7 ± 1.1 years) on 2 youth teams (Juniors [mean age 9.9 ± 0.6 years; mean body mass 38.9 ± 9.9 kg] and Seniors [mean age 11.9 ± 0.6 years; mean body mass 51.4 ± 11.8 kg]) wore helmets instrumented with accelerometer arrays to record head impact accelerations for all practices and games. Video recordings from practices and games were used to verify all high-magnitude head impacts, identify specific impact characteristics, and determine the amount of time spent in each activity. RESULTS A total of 7590 impacts were recorded, of which 571 resulted in high-magnitude head impact accelerations exceeding 40g (8%). Impacts were characterized based on the position played by the team member who received the impact, the part of the field where the impact occurred, whether the impact occurred during a game or practice play, and the cause of the impact. High-magnitude impacts occurred most frequently in the open field in both games (59.4%) and practices (67.5%). “Back” position players experienced a greater proportion of high-magnitude head impacts than players at other positions. The 2 teams in this study structured their practice sessions similarly with respect to time spent in each drill, but impact rates differed for each drill between the teams. CONCLUSIONS High-magnitude head impact exposure in games and practice drills was quantified and used as the basis for comparison of exposure in the 2 settings. In

The Continuation Study of the Measurement of Residual Monomer from theDenture Base After Three Month Worn by Gas Chromatography on the Radiationand Non Radiation Worker

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Isyuniarto; Winoto

2000-01-01

Residual monomer measurement on the radiation and non radiation workerafter three month worn the denture has been done. The aim of the research isto investigated residual monomer concentration on after three month worn. Thedenture base material, made of resin acrylic, sometimes is cause mucosairritation in the mouth, and dental irritation or allergic reaction, becauseof residual monomer that left on the mouth cavity. In this research two groupwere needed there are the radiation and non radiation worker, the level ofthe residual monomer count by gas chromatography analysis. The result of thisresearch showed that the level of residual monomer of two group are same orthere have same level of the limit value. The measurement result is in therange of 0.1783 ± 0.011 mg/l to 0.1790 ± 0.004 mg/l. (author)

Vertical Jump Height Estimation Algorithm Based on Takeoff and Landing Identification Via Foot-Worn Inertial Sensing.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Jianren; Xu, Junkai; Shull, Peter B

2018-03-01

Vertical jump height is widely used for assessing motor development, functional ability, and motor capacity. Traditional methods for estimating vertical jump height rely on force plates or optical marker-based motion capture systems limiting assessment to people with access to specialized laboratories. Current wearable designs need to be attached to the skin or strapped to an appendage which can potentially be uncomfortable and inconvenient to use. This paper presents a novel algorithm for estimating vertical jump height based on foot-worn inertial sensors. Twenty healthy subjects performed countermovement jumping trials and maximum jump height was determined via inertial sensors located above the toe and under the heel and was compared with the gold standard maximum jump height estimation via optical marker-based motion capture. Average vertical jump height estimation errors from inertial sensing at the toe and heel were -2.2±2.1 cm and -0.4±3.8 cm, respectively. Vertical jump height estimation with the presented algorithm via inertial sensing showed excellent reliability at the toe (ICC(2,1)=0.98) and heel (ICC(2,1)=0.97). There was no significant bias in the inertial sensing at the toe, but proportional bias (b=1.22) and fixed bias (a=-10.23cm) were detected in inertial sensing at the heel. These results indicate that the presented algorithm could be applied to foot-worn inertial sensors to estimate maximum jump height enabling assessment outside of traditional laboratory settings, and to avoid bias errors, the toe may be a more suitable location for inertial sensor placement than the heel.

A Multi-Band Body-Worn Distributed Radio-Frequency Exposure Meter: Design, On-Body Calibration and Study of Body Morphology

Science.gov (United States)

Thielens, Arno; Agneessens, Sam; Van Torre, Patrick; Van den Bossche, Matthias; Eeftens, Marloes; Huss, Anke; Vermeulen, Roel; de Seze, René; Mazet, Paul; Cardis, Elisabeth; Röösli, Martin; Martens, Luc; Joseph, Wout

2018-01-01

A multi-band Body-Worn Distributed exposure Meter (BWDM) calibrated for simultaneous measurement of the incident power density in 11 telecommunication frequency bands, is proposed. The BDWM consists of 22 textile antennas integrated in a garment and is calibrated on six human subjects in an anechoic chamber to assess its measurement uncertainty in terms of 68% confidence interval of the on-body antenna aperture. It is shown that by using multiple antennas in each frequency band, the uncertainty of the BWDM is 22 dB improved with respect to single nodes on the front and back of the torso and variations are decreased to maximum 8.8 dB. Moreover, deploying single antennas for different body morphologies results in a variation up to 9.3 dB, which is reduced to 3.6 dB using multiple antennas for six subjects with various body mass index values. The designed BWDM, has an improved uncertainty of up to 9.6 dB in comparison to commercially available personal exposure meters calibrated on body. As an application, an average incident power density in the range of 26.7–90.8 μW·m−2 is measured in Ghent, Belgium. The measurements show that commercial personal exposure meters underestimate the actual exposure by a factor of up to 20.6. PMID:29346280

A Multi-Band Body-Worn Distributed Radio-Frequency Exposure Meter: Design, On-Body Calibration and Study of Body Morphology

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Reza Aminzadeh

2018-01-01

Full Text Available A multi-band Body-Worn Distributed exposure Meter (BWDM calibrated for simultaneous measurement of the incident power density in 11 telecommunication frequency bands, is proposed. The BDWM consists of 22 textile antennas integrated in a garment and is calibrated on six human subjects in an anechoic chamber to assess its measurement uncertainty in terms of 68% confidence interval of the on-body antenna aperture. It is shown that by using multiple antennas in each frequency band, the uncertainty of the BWDM is 22 dB improved with respect to single nodes on the front and back of the torso and variations are decreased to maximum 8.8 dB. Moreover, deploying single antennas for different body morphologies results in a variation up to 9.3 dB, which is reduced to 3.6 dB using multiple antennas for six subjects with various body mass index values. The designed BWDM, has an improved uncertainty of up to 9.6 dB in comparison to commercially available personal exposure meters calibrated on body. As an application, an average incident power density in the range of 26.7–90.8 μW·m − 2 is measured in Ghent, Belgium. The measurements show that commercial personal exposure meters underestimate the actual exposure by a factor of up to 20.6.

Surgical Face Masks Worn by Patients with Multidrug-Resistant Tuberculosis

Science.gov (United States)

Mphahlele, Matsie; Stoltz, Anton; Venter, Kobus; Mathebula, Rirhandzu; Masotla, Thabiso; Lubbe, Willem; Pagano, Marcello; First, Melvin; Jensen, Paul A.; van der Walt, Martie; Nardell, Edward A.

2012-01-01

Rationale: Drug-resistant tuberculosis transmission in hospitals threatens staff and patient health. Surgical face masks used by patients with tuberculosis (TB) are believed to reduce transmission but have not been rigorously tested. Objectives: We sought to quantify the efficacy of surgical face masks when worn by patients with multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB). Methods: Over 3 months, 17 patients with pulmonary MDR-TB occupied an MDR-TB ward in South Africa and wore face masks on alternate days. Ward air was exhausted to two identical chambers, each housing 90 pathogen-free guinea pigs that breathed ward air either when patients wore surgical face masks (intervention group) or when patients did not wear masks (control group). Efficacy was based on differences in guinea pig infections in each chamber. Measurements and Main Results: Sixty-nine of 90 control guinea pigs (76.6%; 95% confidence interval [CI], 68–85%) became infected, compared with 36 of 90 intervention guinea pigs (40%; 95% CI, 31–51%), representing a 56% (95% CI, 33–70.5%) decreased risk of TB transmission when patients used masks. Conclusions: Surgical face masks on patients with MDR-TB significantly reduced transmission and offer an adjunct measure for reducing TB transmission from infectious patients. PMID:22323300

Solar powered wrist worn acquisition system for continuous photoplethysmogram monitoring.

Science.gov (United States)

Dieffenderfer, James P; Beppler, Eric; Novak, Tristan; Whitmire, Eric; Jayakumar, Rochana; Randall, Clive; Qu, Weiguo; Rajagopalan, Ramakrishnan; Bozkurt, Alper

2014-01-01

We present a solar-powered, wireless, wrist-worn platform for continuous monitoring of physiological and environmental parameters during the activities of daily life. In this study, we demonstrate the capability to produce photoplethysmogram (PPG) signals using this platform. To adhere to a low power budget for solar-powering, a 574 nm green light source is used where the PPG from the radial artery would be obtained with minimal signal conditioning. The system incorporates two monocrystalline solar cells to charge the onboard 20 mAh lithium polymer battery. Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) is used to tether the device to a smartphone that makes the phone an access point to a dedicated server for long term continuous storage of data. Two power management schemes have been proposed depending on the availability of solar energy. In low light situations, if the battery is low, the device obtains a 5-second PPG waveform every minute to consume an average power of 0.57 mW. In scenarios where the battery is at a sustainable voltage, the device is set to enter its normal 30 Hz acquisition mode, consuming around 13.7 mW. We also present our efforts towards improving the charge storage capacity of our on-board super-capacitor.

Dynamical Mass Measurements of Contaminated Galaxy Clusters Using Support Distribution Machines

Science.gov (United States)

Ntampaka, Michelle; Trac, Hy; Sutherland, Dougal; Fromenteau, Sebastien; Poczos, Barnabas; Schneider, Jeff

2018-01-01

We study dynamical mass measurements of galaxy clusters contaminated by interlopers and show that a modern machine learning (ML) algorithm can predict masses by better than a factor of two compared to a standard scaling relation approach. We create two mock catalogs from Multidark’s publicly available N-body MDPL1 simulation, one with perfect galaxy cluster membership infor- mation and the other where a simple cylindrical cut around the cluster center allows interlopers to contaminate the clusters. In the standard approach, we use a power-law scaling relation to infer cluster mass from galaxy line-of-sight (LOS) velocity dispersion. Assuming perfect membership knowledge, this unrealistic case produces a wide fractional mass error distribution, with a width E=0.87. Interlopers introduce additional scatter, significantly widening the error distribution further (E=2.13). We employ the support distribution machine (SDM) class of algorithms to learn from distributions of data to predict single values. Applied to distributions of galaxy observables such as LOS velocity and projected distance from the cluster center, SDM yields better than a factor-of-two improvement (E=0.67) for the contaminated case. Remarkably, SDM applied to contaminated clusters is better able to recover masses than even the scaling relation approach applied to uncon- taminated clusters. We show that the SDM method more accurately reproduces the cluster mass function, making it a valuable tool for employing cluster observations to evaluate cosmological models.

Classification of masses on mammograms using support vector machine

Science.gov (United States)

Chu, Yong; Li, Lihua; Goldgof, Dmitry B.; Qui, Yan; Clark, Robert A.

2003-05-01

Mammography is the most effective method for early detection of breast cancer. However, the positive predictive value for classification of malignant and benign lesion from mammographic images is not very high. Clinical studies have shown that most biopsies for cancer are very low, between 15% and 30%. It is important to increase the diagnostic accuracy by improving the positive predictive value to reduce the number of unnecessary biopsies. In this paper, a new classification method was proposed to distinguish malignant from benign masses in mammography by Support Vector Machine (SVM) method. Thirteen features were selected based on receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis of classification using individual feature. These features include four shape features, two gradient features and seven Laws features. With these features, SVM was used to classify the masses into two categories, benign and malignant, in which a Gaussian kernel and sequential minimal optimization learning technique are performed. The data set used in this study consists of 193 cases, in which there are 96 benign cases and 97 malignant cases. The leave-one-out evaluation of SVM classifier was taken. The results show that the positive predict value of the presented method is 81.6% with the sensitivity of 83.7% and the false-positive rate of 30.2%. It demonstrated that the SVM-based classifier is effective in mass classification.

Bacterial adhesion to unworn and worn silicone hydrogel lenses.

Science.gov (United States)

Vijay, Ajay Kumar; Zhu, Hua; Ozkan, Jerome; Wu, Duojia; Masoudi, Simin; Bandara, Rani; Borazjani, Roya N; Willcox, Mark D P

2012-08-01

The objective of this study was to determine the bacterial adhesion to various silicone hydrogel lens materials and to determine whether lens wear modulated adhesion. Bacterial adhesion (total and viable cells) of Staphylococcus aureus (31, 38, and ATCC 6538) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (6294, 6206, and GSU-3) to 10 commercially available different unworn and worn silicone hydrogel lenses was measured. Results of adhesion were correlated to polymer and surface properties of contact lenses. S. aureus adhesion to unworn lenses ranged from 2.8 × 10 to 4.4 × 10 colony forming units per lens. The highest adhesion was to lotrafilcon A lenses, and the lowest adhesion was to asmofilcon A lenses. P. aeruginosa adhesion to unworn lenses ranged from 8.9 × 10 to 3.2 × 10 colony forming units per lens. The highest adhesion was to comfilcon A lenses, and the lowest adhesion was to asmofilcon A and balafilcon A lenses. Lens wear altered bacterial adhesion, but the effect was specific to lens and strain type. Adhesion of bacteria, regardless of genera/species or lens wear, was generally correlated with the hydrophobicity of the lens; the less hydrophobic the lens surface, the greater the adhesion. P. aeruginosa adhered in higher numbers to lenses in comparison with S. aureus strains, regardless of the lens type or lens wear. The effect of lens wear was specific to strain and lens. Hydrophobicity of the silicone hydrogel lens surface influenced the adhesion of bacterial cells.

SU-E-I-57: Estimating the Occupational Eye Lens Dose in Interventional Radiology Using Active Personal Dosimeters Worn On the Chest

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Omar, A; Marteinsdottir, M; Kadesjo, N; Fransson, A [Dept. of Medical Physics, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm (Sweden)

2015-06-15

Purpose: To provide a general formalism for determination of occupational eye lens dose based on the response of an active personal dosimeter (APD) worn at chest level above the radiation protection apron. Methods: The formalism consists of three factors: (1) APD conversion factor converting the reading at chest level (APDchest) to the corresponding personal dose equivalent at eye level, (2) Dose conversion factor transferring the measured dose quantity, Hp(10), into a dose quantity relevant for the eye lens dose, (3) Correction factor accounting for differences in exposure of the eye(s) compared to the exposure at chest level (e.g., due to protective lead glasses).The different factors were investigated and evaluated based on phantom and clinical measurements performed in an x-ray angiography suite for interventional cardiology. Results: The eye lens dose can be conservatively estimated by assigning an appropriate numerical value to each factor entering the formalism that in most circumstances overestimates the dose. Doing so, the eye lens dose to the primary operator and assisting staff was estimated in this work as D-eye,primary = 2.0 APDchest and D-eye,assisting = 1.0 APDchest, respectively.The annual eye lens dose to three nurses and one cardiologist was estimated to be 2, 2, 2, and 13 mSv (Hp(0.07)), respectively, using a TLD dosimeter worn at eye level. In comparison, using the formalism and APDchest measurements, the respective doses were 2, 2, 2, and 16 mSv (Hp(3)). Conclusion: The formalism outlined in this work can be used to estimate the occupational eye lens dose from the response of an APD worn on the chest. The formalism is general and could be applied also to other types of dosimeters. However, the numerical value of the different factors may differ from those obtained with the APD’s used in this work due to differences in dosimeter properties.

SU-E-I-57: Estimating the Occupational Eye Lens Dose in Interventional Radiology Using Active Personal Dosimeters Worn On the Chest

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Omar, A; Marteinsdottir, M; Kadesjo, N; Fransson, A

2015-01-01

Purpose: To provide a general formalism for determination of occupational eye lens dose based on the response of an active personal dosimeter (APD) worn at chest level above the radiation protection apron. Methods: The formalism consists of three factors: (1) APD conversion factor converting the reading at chest level (APDchest) to the corresponding personal dose equivalent at eye level, (2) Dose conversion factor transferring the measured dose quantity, Hp(10), into a dose quantity relevant for the eye lens dose, (3) Correction factor accounting for differences in exposure of the eye(s) compared to the exposure at chest level (e.g., due to protective lead glasses).The different factors were investigated and evaluated based on phantom and clinical measurements performed in an x-ray angiography suite for interventional cardiology. Results: The eye lens dose can be conservatively estimated by assigning an appropriate numerical value to each factor entering the formalism that in most circumstances overestimates the dose. Doing so, the eye lens dose to the primary operator and assisting staff was estimated in this work as D-eye,primary = 2.0 APDchest and D-eye,assisting = 1.0 APDchest, respectively.The annual eye lens dose to three nurses and one cardiologist was estimated to be 2, 2, 2, and 13 mSv (Hp(0.07)), respectively, using a TLD dosimeter worn at eye level. In comparison, using the formalism and APDchest measurements, the respective doses were 2, 2, 2, and 16 mSv (Hp(3)). Conclusion: The formalism outlined in this work can be used to estimate the occupational eye lens dose from the response of an APD worn on the chest. The formalism is general and could be applied also to other types of dosimeters. However, the numerical value of the different factors may differ from those obtained with the APD’s used in this work due to differences in dosimeter properties

Rate of driving a ventilation tunnel by means of the GPK heading machine using roof bolting and steel supports. [USSR

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cheremnov, V.I.; Kruglyak, A.S.; Miroshnikova, L.A.; Sharov, V.N.

1983-05-01

The paper discusses a method for strata control during mine drivage tested in the im. Voroshilov coal mine in 1982. A ventilation tunnel with a crosscut of 16.4 m/sup 2/ was driven in coal with compression strength coefficient from 0.8 to 1.0, argillites and aleurites in the floor and the roof with compression strength coefficient from 4 to 6. Mining depth was 150 m, water influx was low. The tunnel was driven by means of the GPK heading machine with a 1PNB-2 loader. The AMK support system which consisted of arched steel supports, steel beams for joining steel arches and of roof bolts was used. Arched supports were installed each 0.8 m. The roof between the arches was supported by a system of roof bolts and junction beams. Support design is shown in a scheme. Increasing support spacing to 0.8 m (instead of 0.5 m) and roof bolting permitted drivage rate to be increased and steel consumption to be significantly reduced (by 244 kg/m). (3 refs.)

Head Start Impact Study. Final Report. Executive Summary

Science.gov (United States)

Puma, Michael; Bell, Stephen; Cook, Ronna; Heid, Camilla; Shapiro, Gary; Broene, Pam; Jenkins, Frank; Fletcher, Philip; Quinn, Liz; Friedman, Janet; Ciarico, Janet; Rohacek, Monica; Adams, Gina; Spier, Elizabeth

2010-01-01

This report summarizes the findings from a study on the impacts of Head Start on children and families during the children's preschool, kindergarten, and 1st grade years. Its study goals were to: (1) Determine the impact of Head Start on children's school readiness, and on parental practices that support children's development; and to (2)…

Analysis of rock mass dynamic impact influence on the operation of a powered roof support control system

Science.gov (United States)

Szurgacz, Dawid; Brodny, Jaroław

2018-01-01

A powered roof support is a machine responsible for protection of an underground excavation against deformation generated by rock mass. In the case of dynamic impact of rock mass, the proper level of protection is hard to achieve. Therefore, the units of the roof support and its components are subject to detailed tests aimed at acquiring greater reliability, efficiency and efficacy. In the course of such test, however, it is not always possible to foresee values of load that may occur in actual conditions. The article presents a case of a dynamic load impacting the powered roof support during a high-energy tremor in an underground hard coal mine. The authors discuss the method for selecting powered roof support units proper for specific forecasted load conditions. The method takes into account the construction of the support and mining and geological conditions of an excavation. Moreover, the paper includes tests carried out on hydraulic legs and yield valves which were responsible for additional yielding of the support. Real loads impacting the support unit during tremors are analysed. The results indicated that the real registered values of the load were significantly greater than the forecasted values. The analysis results of roof support operation during dynamic impact generated by the rock mass (real life conditions) prompted the authors to develop a set of recommendations for manufacturers and users of powered roof supports. These include, inter alia, the need for innovative solutions for testing hydraulic section systems.

Thermal effects of whole head submersion in cold water on nonshivering humans.

Science.gov (United States)

Pretorius, Thea; Bristow, Gerald K; Steinman, Alan M; Giesbrecht, Gordon G

2006-08-01

This study isolated the effect of whole head submersion in cold water, on surface heat loss and body core cooling, when the confounding effect of shivering heat production was pharmacologically eliminated. Eight healthy male subjects were studied in 17 degrees C water under four conditions: the body was either insulated or uninsulated, with the head either above the water or completely submersed in each body-insulation subcondition. Shivering was abolished with buspirone (30 mg) and meperidine (2.5 mg/kg), and subjects breathed compressed air throughout all trials. Over the first 30 min of immersion, exposure of the head increased core cooling both in the body-insulated conditions (head out: 0.47 +/- 0.2 degrees C, head in: 0.77 +/- 0.2 degrees C; P body-exposed conditions (head out: 0.84 +/- 0.2 degrees C and head in: 1.17 +/- 0.5 degrees C; P body surface area) in the body-exposed conditions increased total heat loss by only 10%. In both body-exposed and body-insulated conditions, head submersion increased core cooling rate much more (average of 42%) than it increased total heat loss. This may be explained by a redistribution of blood flow in response to stimulation of thermosensitive and/or trigeminal receptors in the scalp, neck and face, where a given amount of heat loss would have a greater cooling effect on a smaller perfused body mass. In 17 degrees C water, the head does not contribute relatively more than the rest of the body to surface heat loss; however, a cold-induced reduction of perfused body mass may allow this small increase in heat loss to cause a relatively larger cooling of the body core.

Texture-Based Analysis of 100 MR Examinations of Head and Neck Tumors - Is It Possible to Discriminate Between Benign and Malignant Masses in a Multicenter Trial?

Science.gov (United States)

Fruehwald-Pallamar, J; Hesselink, J R; Mafee, M F; Holzer-Fruehwald, L; Czerny, C; Mayerhoefer, M E

2016-02-01

To evaluate whether texture-based analysis of standard MRI sequences can help in the discrimination between benign and malignant head and neck tumors. The MR images of 100 patients with a histologically clarified head or neck mass, from two different institutions, were analyzed. Texture-based analysis was performed using texture analysis software, with region of interest measurements for 2 D and 3 D evaluation independently for all axial sequences. COC, RUN, GRA, ARM, and WAV features were calculated for all ROIs. 10 texture feature subsets were used for a linear discriminant analysis, in combination with k-nearest-neighbor classification. Benign and malignant tumors were compared with regard to texture-based values. There were differences in the images from different field-strength scanners, as well as from different vendors. For the differentiation of benign and malignant tumors, we found differences on STIR and T2-weighted images for 2 D, and on contrast-enhanced T1-TSE with fat saturation for 3 D evaluation. In a separate analysis of the subgroups 1.5 and 3 Tesla, more discriminating features were found. Texture-based analysis is a useful tool in the discrimination of benign and malignant tumors when performed on one scanner with the same protocol. We cannot recommend this technique for the use of multicenter studies with clinical data. 2 D/3 D texture-based analysis can be performed in head and neck tumors. Texture-based analysis can differentiate between benign and malignant masses. Analyzed MR images should originate from one scanner with an identical protocol. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Spent fuel critical masses and supportive measurements

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Toffer, H.; Wells, A.H.

1987-01-01

Critical masses for spent fuel are larger than for green fuel and therefore use of the increased masses could result in improved handling, storage, and transport of such materials. To apply spent fuel critical masses requires an assessment of fuel exposure and the corresponding isotopic compositions. The paper discusses several approaches at the Hanford N Reactor in establishing fuel exposure, including a direct measurement of spent to green fuel critical masses. The benefits derived from the use of spent fuel critical masses are illustrated for cask designs at the Nuclear Assurance Corporation. (author)

Optimal Design of a Center Support Quadruple Mass Gyroscope (CSQMG

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tian Zhang

2016-04-01

Full Text Available This paper reports a more complete description of the design process of the Center Support Quadruple Mass Gyroscope (CSQMG, a gyro expected to provide breakthrough performance for flat structures. The operation of the CSQMG is based on four lumped masses in a circumferential symmetric distribution, oscillating in anti-phase motion, and providing differential signal extraction. With its 4-fold symmetrical axes pattern, the CSQMG achieves a similar operation mode to Hemispherical Resonant Gyroscopes (HRGs. Compared to the conventional flat design, four Y-shaped coupling beams are used in this new pattern in order to adjust mode distribution and enhance the synchronization mechanism of operation modes. For the purpose of obtaining the optimal design of the CSQMG, a kind of applicative optimization flow is developed with a comprehensive derivation of the operation mode coordination, the pseudo mode inhibition, and the lumped mass twisting motion elimination. The experimental characterization of the CSQMG was performed at room temperature, and the center operation frequency is 6.8 kHz after tuning. Experiments show an Allan variance stability 0.12°/h (@100 s and a white noise level about 0.72°/h/√Hz, which means that the CSQMG possesses great potential to achieve navigation grade performance.

Sheep head frame validation for CT and MRI studies

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

marco trovatelli

2017-05-01

Full Text Available Abstract   Introductions Aim of EDEN 2020 project’s Milestone 5 is the development of a steerable catheter for CED system in glioblastoma therapy. The VET group is involved in realization and validation of the proper animal model. Materials and methods In this part of the study two fresh sheep’s head from the local slaughter were used. The heads were located into an ad hoc Frame system based on anatomical measures and CT images, producted by Renishaw plc partner in this project. The frame was adapted and every components were checked for the ex vivo validation tests. CT imaging was taken in Lodi at Università degli studi di Milano, Facoltà di Medicina Veterinaria, with CT scanner and MRI imaging was taken in La Cittadina, Cremona Results System validation was approved by the ex vivo trial. The frame system doesn’t compromise the imaging acquisition in MRI and CT systems. Every system components are functional to their aims. Discussion The Frame system is adapted to the sheep head. It is composed by elements able to lock the head during the imaging acquisition. Frame system is characterized by a support base helpings the animals to keep the head straight forward during imaging time, under general anesthesia. The design of these device support the airways anatomy, avoiding damaging or obstruction of airflows during anesthesia period. The role of elements like mouth bar and ovine head pins is to lock the head in a stable position during imaging acquisition; fixing is guaranteed by V shape head pins, that are arranged against the zygomatic arches. Lateral compression forces to the cranium, and the V shape pins avoid the vertical shifting of the head and any kind of rotations. (fig. 1

"Head up and eyes out" advances in head mounted displays capabilities

Science.gov (United States)

Cameron, Alex

2013-06-01

There are a host of helmet and head mounted displays, flooding the market place with displays which provide what is essentially a mobile computer display. What sets aviators HMDs apart is that they provide the user with accurate conformal information embedded in the pilots real world view (see through display) where the information presented is intuitive and easy to use because it overlays the real world (mix of sensor imagery, symbolic information and synthetic imagery) and enables them to stay head up, eyes out, - improving their effectiveness, reducing workload and improving safety. Such systems are an enabling technology in the provision of enhanced Situation Awareness (SA) and reducing user workload in high intensity situations. Safety Is Key; so the addition of these HMD functions cannot detract from the aircrew protection functions of conventional aircrew helmets which also include life support and audio communications. These capabilities are finding much wider application in new types of compact man mounted audio/visual products enabled by the emergence of new families of micro displays, novel optical concepts and ultra-compact low power processing solutions. This papers attempts to capture the key drivers and needs for future head mounted systems for aviation applications.

Actors with Multi-Headed Message Receive Patterns

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sulzmann, Martin; Lam, Edmund Soon Lee; Van Weert, Peter

2008-01-01

style actors with receive clauses containing multi-headed message patterns. Patterns may be non-linear and constrained by guards. We provide a number of examples to show the usefulness of the extension. We also explore the design space for multi-headed message matching semantics, for example first-match......The actor model provides high-level concurrency abstractions to coordinate simultaneous computations by message passing. Languages implementing the actor model such as Erlang commonly only support single-headed pattern matching over received messages. We propose and design an extension of Erlang...... and rule priority-match semantics. The various semantics are inspired by the multi-set constraint matching semantics found in Constraint Handling Rules. This provides us with a formal model to study actors with multi-headed message receive patterns. The system can be implemented efficiently and we have...

Heads Up

Science.gov (United States)

... Connect with Us HEADS UP Apps Reshaping the Culture Around Concussion in Sports Get HEADS UP on Your Web Site Concussion ... HEADS UP on your web site! Create a culture of safety for young athletes Officials, learn how you can ... UP to Providers HEADS UP to Youth Sports HEADS UP to School Sports HEADS UP to ...

Set-up improvement in head and neck radiotherapy using a 3D off-line EPID-based correction protocol and a customised head and neck support

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lin, Emile N.J. Th. van; Vight, Lisette van der; Huizenga, Henk; Kaanders, Johannes H.A.M.; Visser, Andries G.

2003-01-01

Purpose: First, to investigate the set-up improvement resulting from the introduction of a customised head and neck (HN) support system in combination with a technologist-driven off-line correction protocol in HN radiotherapy. Second, to define margins for planning target volume definition, accounting for systematic and random set-up uncertainties. Methods and materials: In 63 patients 498 treatment fractions were evaluated to develop and implement a 3D shrinking action level correction protocol. In the comparative study two different HN-supports were compared: a flexible 'standard HN-support' and a 'customised HN-support'. For all three directions (x, y and z) random and systematic set-up deviations (1 S.D.) were measured. Results: The customised HN-support improves the patient positioning compared to the standard HN-support. The 1D systematic errors in the x, y and z directions were reduced from 2.2-2.3 mm to 1.2-2.0 mm (1 S.D.). The 1D random errors for the y and z directions were reduced from 1.6 and 1.6 mm to 1.1 and 1.0 mm (1 S.D.). The correction protocol reduced the 1D systematic errors further to 0.8-1.1 mm (1 S.D.) and all deviations in any direction were within 5 mm. Treatment time per measured fraction was increased from 10 to 13 min. The total time required per patient, for the complete correction procedure, was approximately 40 min. Conclusions: Portal imaging is a powerful tool in the evaluation of the department specific patient positioning procedures. The introduction of a comfortable customised HN-support, in combination with an electronic portal imaging device-based correction protocol, executed by technologists, led to an improvement of overall patient set-up. As a result, application of proposed recipes for CTV-PTV margins indicates that these can be reduced to 3-4 mm

Digital subtraction angiography in head and neck radiology

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Carmody, R F; Seeger, J F; Smith, R L; Horsley, W W; Miller, R W

1984-07-01

Intravenous digital subtraction angiography (IVDSA) was used to evaluate 44 patients with suspected otolaryngologic abnormalities. Sixteen had IVDSA for pulsatile tinnitus or suspected glomus tumor of the petrous bone. Nine patients were evaluated because of pulsatile neck masses, and 12 others had suspected tumors of the neck, face, and paranasal sinuses. Seven had IVDSA following head and neck trauma. The technique of examination is described. The current indications of IVDSA in head and neck radiology are discussed. It is concluded that IVDSA is a suitable substitute for conventional angiography for many otolaryngologic conditions and, because of its safety, can be used more liberally.

Radiology apron having a waist support means

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hoffman, R.B.; Po, J.B.

1985-01-01

A radiology apron having a radiation protective material such as lead incorporated therein has means for supporting part of the weight of the apron at the user's waist on a belt or the waist of trousers worn by such user. Such means may include a bracket which mounts on the belt or trousers with a hook onto which an eyelet attached to the apron is placed, may include a notched portion formed on the bracket onto which a bolt attached to the apron is placed or may include such a hook member integrally attached to the apron

Radiology apron having a waist support means

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hoffman, R.B.; Po, J.B.

1985-07-09

A radiology apron having a radiation protective material such as lead incorporated therein has means for supporting part of the weight of the apron at the user's waist on a belt or the waist of trousers worn by such user. Such means may include a bracket which mounts on the belt or trousers with a hook onto which an eyelet attached to the apron is placed, may include a notched portion formed on the bracket onto which a bolt attached to the apron is placed or may include such a hook member integrally attached to the apron.

Design verification for reactor head replacement

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dwivedy, K.K.; Whitt, M.S.; Lee, R.

2005-01-01

This paper outlines the challenges of design verification for reactor head replacement for PWR plants and the program for qualification from the prospective of the utility design engineering group. This paper is based on the experience with the design confirmation of four reactor head replacements for two plants, and their interfacing components, parts, appurtenances, and support structures. The reactor head replacement falls under the jurisdiction of the applicable edition of the ASME Section XI code, with particular reference to repair/replacement activities. Under any repair/replacement activities, demands may be encountered in the development of program and plan for replacement due to the vintage of the original design/construction Code and the design reports governing the component qualifications. Because of the obvious importance of the reactor vessel, these challenges take on an added significance. Additional complexities are introduced to the project, when the replacement components are fabricated by vendors different from the original vendor. Specific attention is needed with respect to compatibility with the original design and construction of the part and interfacing components. The program for reactor head replacement requires evaluation of welding procedures, applicable examination, test, and acceptance criteria for material, welds, and the components. Also, the design needs to take into consideration the life of the replacement components with respect to the extended period of operation of the plant after license renewal and other plant improvements. Thus, the verification of acceptability of reactor head replacement provides challenges for development and maintenance of a program and plan, design specification, design report, manufacturer's data report and material certification, and a report of reconciliation. The technical need may also be compounded by other challenges such as widely scattered global activities and organizational barriers, which

Head Impact Biomechanics in Women's College Soccer.

Science.gov (United States)

Lynall, Robert C; Clark, Michael D; Grand, Erin E; Stucker, Jaclyn C; Littleton, Ashley C; Aguilar, Alain J; Petschauer, Meredith A; Teel, Elizabeth F; Mihalik, Jason P

2016-09-01

There are limited nonlaboratory soccer head impact biomechanics data. This is surprising given soccer's global popularity. Epidemiological data suggest that female college soccer players are at a greater concussion injury risk than their male counterparts. Therefore, the purposes of our study were to quantify head impact frequency and magnitude during women's soccer practices and games in the National Collegiate Athletic Association and to characterize these data across event type, playing position, year on the team, and segment of game (first and second halves). Head impact biomechanics were collected from female college soccer players (n = 22; mean ± SD age = 19.1 ± 0.1 yr, height = 168.0 ± 3.5 cm, mass = 63.7 ± 6.0 kg). We employed a helmetless head impact measurement device (X2 Biosystems xPatch) before each competition and practice across a single season. Peak linear and rotational accelerations were categorized based on impact magnitude and subsequently analyzed using appropriate nonparametric analyses. Overall, women's college soccer players experience approximately seven impacts per 90 min of game play. The overwhelming majority (~90%) of all head impacts were categorized into our mildest linear acceleration impact classification (10g-20g). Interestingly, a higher percentage of practice impacts in the 20g-40g range compared with games (11% vs 7%) was observed. Head impact biomechanics studies have provided valuable insights into understanding collision sports and for informing evidence-based rule and policy changes. These have included changing the football kickoff, ice hockey body checking ages, and head-to-head hits in both sports. Given soccer's global popularity, and the growing public concern for the potential long-term neurological implications of collision and contact sports, studying soccer has the potential to impact many athletes and the sports medicine professionals caring for them.

Thermoregulatory and Perceptual Effects of a Percooling Garment Worn Underneath an American Football Uniform.

Science.gov (United States)

Keen, Megan L; Miller, Kevin C; Zuhl, Micah N

2017-11-01

Keen, ML, Miller, KC, and Zuhl, MN. Thermoregulatory and perceptual effects of a percooling garment worn underneath an American football uniform. J Strength Cond Res 31(11): 2983-2991, 2017-American football athletes are at the highest risk of developing exertional heat illness (EHI). We investigated whether percooling (i.e., cooling during exercise) garments affected perceptual or physiological variables in individuals exercising in the heat while wearing football uniforms. Twelve male participants (age = 24 ± 4 year, mass = 80.1 ± 8.5 kg, height = 182.5 ± 10.4 cm) completed this cross-over, counterbalanced study. On day 1, we measured peak oxygen consumption (V[Combining Dot Above]O2). On days 2 and 3, participants wore percooling garments with (ICE) or without (CON) ice packs over the femoral and brachial arteries. They donned a football uniform and completed 3, 20-minute bouts of treadmill exercise at ∼50% of peak V[Combining Dot Above]O2 (∼33° C, ∼42% relative humidity) followed by a 10-minute rest period. Ice packs were replaced every 20 minutes. Rating of perceived exertion (RPE), thermal sensation, and thirst sensation were measured before and after each exercise bout. Environmental symptoms questionnaire (ESQ) responses and urine specific gravity (Usg) were measured pretesting and after the last exercise bout. V[Combining Dot Above]O2, change in heart rate (ΔHR), and change in rectal temperature (ΔTrec) were measured every 5 minutes. Sweat rate, sweat volume, and percent hypohydration were calculated. No interactions (F17,187 ≤ 1.6, p ≥ 0.1) or main effect of cooling condition (F1,11 ≤ 1.4, p ≥ 0.26) occurred for ΔTrec, ΔHR, thermal sensation, thirst, RPE, ESQ, or Usg. No differences between conditions occurred for sweat volume, sweat rate, or percent hypohydration (t11 ≤ 0.7, p ≥ 0.25). V[Combining Dot Above]O2 differed between conditions over time (F15,165 = 3.3, p football athletes.

Mass Casualty Response of a Modern Deployed Head and Neck Surgical Team

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

tures (maxilla, mandible, frontal sinus), and miscellaneous injuries such as a parotid duct injury. Based on review of the operative log, 6 patients...trained to consider subtle head and neck injuries such as facial nerve or parotid duct transection. The flexibility to operate alongside other trauma

Complex Human Activity Recognition Using Smartphone and Wrist-Worn Motion Sensors.

Science.gov (United States)

Shoaib, Muhammad; Bosch, Stephan; Incel, Ozlem Durmaz; Scholten, Hans; Havinga, Paul J M

2016-03-24

The position of on-body motion sensors plays an important role in human activity recognition. Most often, mobile phone sensors at the trouser pocket or an equivalent position are used for this purpose. However, this position is not suitable for recognizing activities that involve hand gestures, such as smoking, eating, drinking coffee and giving a talk. To recognize such activities, wrist-worn motion sensors are used. However, these two positions are mainly used in isolation. To use richer context information, we evaluate three motion sensors (accelerometer, gyroscope and linear acceleration sensor) at both wrist and pocket positions. Using three classifiers, we show that the combination of these two positions outperforms the wrist position alone, mainly at smaller segmentation windows. Another problem is that less-repetitive activities, such as smoking, eating, giving a talk and drinking coffee, cannot be recognized easily at smaller segmentation windows unlike repetitive activities, like walking, jogging and biking. For this purpose, we evaluate the effect of seven window sizes (2-30 s) on thirteen activities and show how increasing window size affects these various activities in different ways. We also propose various optimizations to further improve the recognition of these activities. For reproducibility, we make our dataset publicly available.

Nonsurgical treatment of aggressive fibromatosis in the head and neck

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

West, C.B. Jr.; Shagets, F.W.; Mansfield, M.J.

1989-01-01

Aggressive fibromatosis is a poorly defined, locally aggressive, yet histologically benign fibroblastic proliferative lesion that may occur in the head and neck. The lesion is highly cellular and locally infiltrative and has a propensity to invade and erode bone, compromising vital structures within the head and neck. However, it is not a true malignancy because it does not have malignant cytologic characteristics nor does it metastasize. We present two cases of aggressive fibromatosis occurring in young adult men. The first case involved a rapidly enlarging mass of the anterior maxilla that involved the upper lip, nasal alae, nasal septum, inferior turbinates, and hard palate. The patient underwent incisional biopsy to confirm the diagnosis. Because of difficulty in determining the actual margins of this extensive lesion and the significant morbidity that would have resulted from surgical resection, we elected to treat this patient with chemotherapy and radiation therapy. The second case was an extensive lesion involving the right temporal bone, pterygomaxillary space, and infratemporal, temporal, and middle cranial fossae. Incisional biopsy confirmed the diagnosis. Because of the lack of functional and cosmetic deficits and the unavoidable morbidity of a surgical resection, this patient was treated with radiation therapy. Although wide field resection is the most satisfactory form of treatment, in situations in which this modality would result in unacceptable morbidity or if surgical margins are positive, then radiation therapy and chemotherapy should be considered. Support for these therapeutic modalities is found in larger series of cases outside the head and neck

Mass loss from Wolf-Rayet stars

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Willis, A.J.

1982-01-01

Recent results relating to the stellar winds and mass loss rates of the WR stars are reviewed, emphasising new data and their interpretation acquired at UV, IR and Radio wavelengths. The subject is discussed under the headings: physical and chemical properties of WR stars (effective temperatures and radiative luminosities; masses; chemical abundances); velocity, ionisation and excitation structure of WR winds; mass loss rates of WR stars; mass loss properties of WR stars in the LMC; comparisons with theoretical models of mass loss; ring nebulae around WR stars; conclusions. (author)

MU head echo observations of the 2010 Geminids: radiant, orbit, and meteor flux observing biases

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

J. Kero

2013-03-01

Full Text Available We report Geminid meteor head echo observations with the high-power large-aperture (HPLA Shigaraki middle and upper atmosphere (MU radar in Japan (34.85° N, 136.10° E. The MU radar observation campaign was conducted from 13 December 2010, 08:00 UTC to 15 December, 20:00 UTC and resulted in 48 h of radar data. A total of ~ 270 Geminids were observed among ~ 8800 meteor head echoes with precisely determined orbits. The Geminid head echo activity is consistent with an earlier peak than the visual Geminid activity determined by the International Meteor Organization (IMO. The observed flux of Geminids is a factor of ~ 3 lower than the previously reported flux of the 2009 Orionids measured with an identical MU~radar setup. We use the observed flux ratio to discuss the relation between the head echo mass–velocity selection effect, the mass distribution indices of meteor showers and the mass threshold of the MU radar.

Usability Comparisons of Head-Mounted vs. Stereoscopic Desktop Displays in a Virtual Reality Environment with Pain Patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Tong, Xin; Gromala, Diane; Gupta, Dimple; Squire, Pam

2016-01-01

Researchers have shown that immersive Virtual Reality (VR) can serve as an unusually powerful pain control technique. However, research assessing the reported symptoms and negative effects of VR systems indicate that it is important to ascertain if these symptoms arise from the use of particular VR display devices, particularly for users who are deemed "at risk," such as chronic pain patients Moreover, these patients have specific and often complex needs and requirements, and because basic issues such as 'comfort' may trigger anxiety or panic attacks, it is important to examine basic questions of the feasibility of using VR displays. Therefore, this repeated-measured experiment was conducted with two VR displays: the Oculus Rift's head-mounted display (HMD) and Firsthand Technologies' immersive desktop display, DeepStream3D. The characteristics of these immersive desktop displays differ: one is worn, enabling patients to move their heads, while the other is peered into, allowing less head movement. To assess the severity of physical discomforts, 20 chronic pain patients tried both displays while watching a VR pain management demo in clinical settings. Results indicated that participants experienced higher levels of Simulator Sickness using the Oculus Rift HMD. However, results also indicated other preferences of the two VR displays among patients, including physical comfort levels and a sense of immersion. Few studies have been conducted that compare usability of specific VR devices specifically with chronic pain patients using a therapeutic virtual environment in pain clinics. Thus, the results may help clinicians and researchers to choose the most appropriate VR displays for chronic pain patients and guide VR designers to enhance the usability of VR displays for long-term pain management interventions.

Watch-Dog: Detecting Self-Harming Activities From Wrist Worn Accelerometers.

Science.gov (United States)

Bharti, Pratool; Panwar, Anurag; Gopalakrishna, Ganesh; Chellappan, Sriram

2018-05-01

In a 2012 survey, in the United States alone, there were more than 35 000 reported suicides with approximately 1800 of being psychiatric inpatients. Recent Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports indicate an upward trend in these numbers. In psychiatric facilities, staff perform intermittent or continuous observation of patients manually in order to prevent such tragedies, but studies show that they are insufficient, and also consume staff time and resources. In this paper, we present the Watch-Dog system, to address the problem of detecting self-harming activities when attempted by in-patients in clinical settings. Watch-Dog comprises of three key components-Data sensed by tiny accelerometer sensors worn on wrists of subjects; an efficient algorithm to classify whether a user is active versus dormant (i.e., performing a physical activity versus not performing any activity); and a novel decision selection algorithm based on random forests and continuity indices for fine grained activity classification. With data acquired from 11 subjects performing a series of activities (both self-harming and otherwise), Watch-Dog achieves a classification accuracy of , , and for same-user 10-fold cross-validation, cross-user 10-fold cross-validation, and cross-user leave-one-out evaluation, respectively. We believe that the problem addressed in this paper is practical, important, and timely. We also believe that our proposed system is practically deployable, and related discussions are provided in this paper.

Digital subtraction angiography in head and neck radiology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Carmody, R.F.; Seeger, J.F.; Smith, R.L.; Horsley, W.W.; Miller, R.W.

1984-01-01

Intravenous digital subtraction angiography (IVDSA) was used to evaluate 44 patients with suspected otolaryngologic abnormalities. Sixteen had IVDSA for pulsatile tinnitus or suspected glomus tumor of the petrous bone. Nine patients were evaluated because of pulsatile neck masses, and 12 others had suspected tumors of the neck, face, and paranasal sinuses. Seven had IVDSA following head and neck trauma. The technique of examination is described. The current indications of IVDSA in head and neck radiology are discussed. It is concluded that IVDSA is a suitable substitute for conventional angiography for many otolaryngologic conditions and, because of its safety, can be used more liberally. (orig.)

Restricting carbohydrates to fight head and neck cancer—is this realistic?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Klement, Rainer J.

2014-01-01

Head and neck cancers (HNCs) are aggressive tumors that typically demonstrate a high glycolytic rate, which results in resistance to cytotoxic therapy and poor prognosis. Due to their location these tumors specifically impair food intake and quality of life, so that prevention of weight loss through nutrition support becomes an important treatment goal. Dietary restriction of carbohydrates (CHOs) and their replacement with fat, mostly in form of a ketogenic diet (KD), have been suggested to accommodate for both the altered tumor cell metabolism and cancer-associated weight loss. In this review, I present three specific rationales for CHO restriction and nutritional ketosis as supportive treatment options for the HNC patient. These are (1) targeting the origin and specific aspects of tumor glycolysis; (2) protecting normal tissue from but sensitizing tumor tissue to radiation- and chemotherapy induced cell kill; (3) supporting body and muscle mass maintenance. While most of these benefits of CHO restriction apply to cancer in general, specific aspects of implementation are discussed in relation to HNC patients. While CHO restriction seems feasible in HNC patients the available evidence indicates that its role may extend beyond fighting malnutrition to fighting HNC itself

A Pilot Study of Randomized, Head-to-Head of Metformin Versus Topiramate in Obese People With Schizophrenia.

Science.gov (United States)

Peng, Po-Jui; Ho, Pei-Shen; Tsai, Chia-Kuang; Huang, San-Yuan; Liang, Chih-Sung

A number of research studies support the weight loss effects of metformin and topiramate for obese people with schizophrenia. However, only a few studies have addressed the sustainability of the body weight reduction after discontinuation of these drugs. Moreover, head-to-head studies are still lacking. The study aims to evaluate and compare the efficacy of metformin and topiramate in weight reduction and weight maintenance after discontinuation of these drugs in obese people with schizophrenia. Twenty-two obese inpatients with schizophrenia were recruited and randomized into the metformin group (n = 11; daily dose, 1000 mg) and the topiramate group (n = 11; daily dose, 100 mg). A head-to-head, fixed-dose, and single-blinded design was used. Ten obese patients with schizophrenia of similar sex as that of the treated group were included as the control group. After a 4-month treatment, the metformin group showed a body weight reduction of 3.8 kg, and the topiramate group showed a reduction of 2.7 kg. However, the reduction could be sustained only in the metformin group at 3 and 9 months after metformin discontinuation. Interestingly, 3 months after treatment discontinuation, leptin levels showed a reduction in both metformin (baseline, 25.3 ± 14.7, week 7: 5.7 ± 3.7 ng/mL) and topiramate (baseline: 28.4 ± 16.1, week 7: 9.2 ± 15.5 ng/mL) groups. The trend of weight changes supports the superiority of metformin at 1000 mg/d over topiramate at 100 mg/d in weight reduction and weight maintenance.

Practical aspects and trends in analytical organic mass spectrometry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schlunegger, U.P.

1981-01-01

Proceeding from the fundamentals of mass spectrometry (MS), some more recent developments of analytical organic MS are shown in comparison with conventional MS. Sections are headed: the vacuum, production of ions in the mass spectrometer, ions in the analyzer of a mass spectrometer, general considerations, practice of modern MS: selected examples

On the effects of straight metallic jewellery on the specific absorption rates resulting from face-illuminating radio communication devices at popular cellular frequencies

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Whittow, W G; Panagamuwa, C J; Edwards, R M; Vardaxoglou, J C [Electronic and Electrical Engineering, Department of Loughborough University, Leicestershire (United Kingdom)], E-mail: w.g.whittow@lboro.ac.uk, E-mail: c.j.panagamuwa@lboro.ac.uk, E-mail: r.m.edwards@lboro.ac.uk, E-mail: j.c.vardaxoglou@lboro.ac.uk

2008-03-07

This paper presents simulated and measured phantom results for the possible effects that head worn jewellery may have on the relative levels of energy absorbed in the human head with cellular enabled mobile communication devices. The FDTD electromagnetic code used with simple and complex anatomical mathematical phantoms was used to consider the interactions of metallic jewellery, heads and representative sources at 900 and 1800 MHz. Illuminated metallic pins of different lengths were positioned in front of the face. Initially, a homogenous phantom was used to understand the relative enhancement mechanisms. This geometry allowed the results to be validated with the industry standard DASY4 robot SAR measurement system related to the CENELEC head. Jewellery pins were then added to an anatomically realistic head. The relative increase in the 1 g and 10 g SAR, due to a pin with a length 0.4{lambda} near the eyebrows of a complex, anatomically realistic head was approximately three times at 1800 MHz. Such pins increased the SAR averaged over a 1 g or 10 g mass by redistributing the energy absorbed inside the head and focusing this energy towards the area of the head nearest to the centre of the pin. Although, the pins increased the SAR, the SAR standards were not breached and the jewellery produced lower values than those of previous studies when the source was positioned close to the ear.

On the effects of straight metallic jewellery on the specific absorption rates resulting from face-illuminating radio communication devices at popular cellular frequencies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Whittow, W G; Panagamuwa, C J; Edwards, R M; Vardaxoglou, J C

2008-01-01

This paper presents simulated and measured phantom results for the possible effects that head worn jewellery may have on the relative levels of energy absorbed in the human head with cellular enabled mobile communication devices. The FDTD electromagnetic code used with simple and complex anatomical mathematical phantoms was used to consider the interactions of metallic jewellery, heads and representative sources at 900 and 1800 MHz. Illuminated metallic pins of different lengths were positioned in front of the face. Initially, a homogenous phantom was used to understand the relative enhancement mechanisms. This geometry allowed the results to be validated with the industry standard DASY4 robot SAR measurement system related to the CENELEC head. Jewellery pins were then added to an anatomically realistic head. The relative increase in the 1 g and 10 g SAR, due to a pin with a length 0.4λ near the eyebrows of a complex, anatomically realistic head was approximately three times at 1800 MHz. Such pins increased the SAR averaged over a 1 g or 10 g mass by redistributing the energy absorbed inside the head and focusing this energy towards the area of the head nearest to the centre of the pin. Although, the pins increased the SAR, the SAR standards were not breached and the jewellery produced lower values than those of previous studies when the source was positioned close to the ear

Head movement as an artefact of optimal solutions to linearization

African Journals Online (AJOL)

IT

fact that a language invariably will lack a morph to spell out such a mega feature bundle15. Another likely constraint on bundling of features which has wide empirical support is the Head. Movement Constraint (HMC; Travis 1984). As noted previously (cf. section 2), the HMC was originally formulated as a restriction on head ...

Low skeletal muscle mass is a predictive factor for chemotherapy dose-limiting toxicity in patients with locally advanced head and neck cancer.

Science.gov (United States)

Wendrich, Anne W; Swartz, Justin E; Bril, Sandra I; Wegner, Inge; de Graeff, Alexander; Smid, Ernst J; de Bree, Remco; Pothen, Ajit J

2017-08-01

Low skeletal muscle mass (SMM) or sarcopenia is emerging as an adverse prognostic factor for chemotherapy dose-limiting toxicity (CLDT) and survival in cancer patients. Our aim was to determine the impact of low SMM on CDLT in patients with locally advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (LA-HNSCC) treated with primary radiochemotherapy (RCT). Consecutive patients diagnosed with LA-HNSCC and treated with primary RCT between 2007 and 2011 in our center were included. Clinical variables were retrospectively retrieved and SMM was measured at the level of the third cervical vertebra using pre-treatment head and neck CT-scans. After determining a cut-off value for low SMM, multivariate analysis was performed to identify prognostic factors for CDLT. Of 112 patients included, 30.4% experienced CDLT. The optimal cut-off value for low SMM as a predictor of CDLT was ≤43.2cm 2 /m 2 . Using this cut-off, 54.5% patients had low SMM. Patients with low SMM experienced CDLT more frequently than patients with normal SMM (44.3% vs. 13.7%, pSMM, p=0.044). At multivariate analysis, low SMM was independently inversely associated with CDLT (OR 0.93, 95%CI: 0.88-0.98). Patients experiencing CDLT had a lower overall survival than patients who did not (mean 36.6vs. 54.2months, p=0.038). Low SMM is an independent risk factor for CDLT in LA-HNSCC patients treated with primary RCT. Pre-therapeutic estimation of SMM using routine CT-scans of the head and neck region may identify patients at risk of CDLT. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Nuclear technology: katulong sa pag-unlad ng masa [support for the progress of the masses

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1999-01-01

The topics discussed during the convention is the usefulness of nuclear science and technology in national development and to promote the beneficial uses of nuclear science and technology to support for the progress of the masses

Proteomic analysis of honeybee (Apis mellifera L. pupae head development.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Aijuan Zheng

Full Text Available The honeybee pupae development influences its future adult condition as well as honey and royal jelly productions. However, the molecular mechanism that regulates honeybee pupae head metamorphosis is still poorly understood. To further our understand of the associated molecular mechanism, we investigated the protein change of the honeybee pupae head at 5 time-points using 2-D electrophoresis, mass spectrometry, bioinformatics, quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction and Western blot analysis. Accordingly, 58 protein spots altered their expression across the 5 time points (13-20 days, of which 36 proteins involved in the head organogenesis were upregulated during early stages (13-17 days. However, 22 proteins involved in regulating the pupae head neuron and gland development were upregulated at later developmental stages (19-20 days. Also, the functional enrichment analysis further suggests that proteins related to carbohydrate metabolism and energy production, development, cytoskeleton and protein folding were highly involved in the generation of organs and development of honeybee pupal head. Furthermore, the constructed protein interaction network predicted 33 proteins acting as key nodes of honeybee pupae head growth of which 9 and 4 proteins were validated at gene and protein levels, respectively. In this study, we uncovered potential protein species involved in the formation of honeybee pupae head development along with their specific temporal requirements. This first proteomic result allows deeper understanding of the proteome profile changes during honeybee pupae head development and provides important potential candidate proteins for future reverse genetic research on honeybee pupae head development to improve the performance of related organs.

A situational analysis of child-headed households in South Africa

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S. M. Mogotlane

2010-06-01

Full Text Available The aftermath of the HIV and AIDS pandemic has resulted in great suffering in terms of loss of income, poor quality of life, morbidity and mortality, with children being destitute and orphaned at an alarming rapid rate. Families and communities are currently unable to cope with the effects of HIV and AIDS with special emphasis on the care and support of the affected orphans and vulnerable children, who as a result have been compelled to look after themselves giving rise to a new type of family, the child-headed household. The emergence of this type of family requires government’s response in terms of care and support. The purpose of this study was to provide a broad picture of the location, prevalence, composition, functions, needs and challenges of child-headed households in South Africa, and explore available and required services, resources and safety nets for children in child-headed households. An exploratory and descriptive design was used for the purpose. The sample consisted of children heading households and those living in the households that are headed by children; government departments responsible for child welfare, such as, the Departments of Social Development, Health, Education and Agriculture; non-profit organisations and communities where these households are predominant. From the data collected, it was found that the rights of the affected children were compromised. Those heading the households were often not at school and were responsible for domestic chores. The households needed food, clothes, money, shelter, and education. Government in attempting to address these needs required clear policies which will provide a distinction between orphaned and vulnerable children and child-headed households.The study recommended a collaborative approach as it was shown that there was no single model of best practice to appropriately and effectively address the needs of child-headed households.

A situational analysis of child-headed households in South Africa.

Science.gov (United States)

Mogotlane, S M; Chauke, M E; van Rensburg, G H; Human, S P; Kganakga, C M

2010-09-01

The aftermath of the HIV and AIDS pandemic has resulted in great suffering in terms of loss of income, poor quality of life, morbidity and mortality, with children being destitute and orphaned at an alarming rapid rate. Families and communities are currently unable to cope with the effects of HIV and AIDS with special emphasis on the care and support of the affected orphans and vulnerable children, who as a result have been compelled to look after themselves giving rise to a new type of family, the child-headed household. The emergence of this type of family requires government's response in terms of care and support. The purpose of this study was to provide a broad picture of the location, prevalence, composition, functions, needs and challenges of child-headed households in South Africa, and explore available and required services, resources and safety nets for children in child-headed households. An exploratory and descriptive design was used for the purpose. The sample consisted of children heading households and those living in the households that are headed by children; government departments responsible for child welfare, such as, the Departments of Social Development, Health, Education and Agriculture; non-profit organisations and communities where these households are predominant. From the data collected, it was found that the rights of the affected children were compromised. Those heading the households were often not at school and were responsible for domestic chores. The households needed food, clothes, money, shelter, and education. Government in attempting to address these needs required clear policies which will provide a distinction between orphaned and vulnerable children and child-headed households. The study recommended a collaborative approach as it was shown that there was no single model of best practice to appropriately and effectively address the needs of child-headed households.

A situational analysis of child-headed households in South Africa

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S.M. Mogotlane

2009-09-01

Full Text Available The aftermath of the HIV and AIDS pandemic has resulted in great suffering in terms of loss of income, poor quality of life, morbidity and mortality, with children being destitute and orphaned at an alarming rapid rate. Families and communities are currently unable to cope with the effects of HIV and AIDS with special emphasis on the care and support of the affected orphans and vulnerable children, who as a result have been compelled to look after themselves giving rise to a new type of family, the child-headed household. The emergence of this type of family requires government’s response in terms of care and support. The purpose of this study was to provide a broad picture of the location, prevalence, composition, functions, needs and challenges of child-headed households in South Africa, and explore available and required services, resources and safety nets for children in child-headed households. An exploratory and descriptive design was used for the purpose. The sample consisted of children heading households and those living in the households that are headed by children; government departments responsible for child welfare, such as, the Departments of Social Development, Health, Education and Agriculture; non-profit organisations and communities where these households are predominant.From the data collected, it was found that the rights of the affected children were compromised. Those heading the households were often not at school and were responsible for domestic chores. The households needed food, clothes, money, shelter, and education. Government in attempting to address these needs required clear policies which will provide a distinction between orphaned and vulnerable children and child-headed households.The study recommended a collaborative approach as it was shown that there was no single model of best practice to appropriately and effectively address the needs of child-headed households.

Supportive use of megestrol acetate (Megace) with head/neck and lung cancer patients receiving radiation therapy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McQuellon, Richard P.; Moose, Dawn B.; Russell, Gregory B.; Case, L. Douglas; Greven, Katherine; Stevens, Michael; Shaw, Edward G.

2002-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to measure the effect of megestrol acetate (MA) on weight loss and quality of life (QOL) in patients with cancer of the lung or head and neck undergoing curative radiation therapy. Methods and Materials: This was a Phase III, placebo-controlled, double-blind randomized study. Patients received either 800 mg/day of MA (20 milliliters po qAM) or placebo over a 12-week period. Patients received radiation of the head and neck or thorax using a dose of at least 50 Gy, either alone or with chemotherapy. Weight was assessed weekly, whereas QOL was assessed at baseline and at 4, 8, and 12 weeks. Results: Patient characteristics on the MA arm (16 lung, 12 head/neck; mean age: 60 years) were similar to those on the placebo arm (17 lung, 11 head/neck; mean age: 65.8 years). Patients in the MA group had a mean weight loss over 12 weeks of 2.7 pounds, whereas the placebo group had a mean weight loss of 10.6 pounds. There was a significant time by treatment interaction (p=0.001), with the difference in weight between treatment groups being most pronounced after 6 weeks. Although overall QOL was similar in both arms of the study, several QOL subscale items did differ significantly. Compared to the placebo-treated patients, head-and-neck cancer patients in the MA arm reported the ability to eat as much as they liked (p=0.02 at 12 weeks), and lung cancer patients in the MA arm reported significantly better appetite at 4 weeks (p=0.03) and 8 weeks (p=0.001). Conclusion: MA used prophylactically is useful as an appetite stimulant; it can help patients maintain weight over the course of curative radiotherapy of the head and neck or lung and can improve specific aspects of QOL

Estimation of daily energy expenditure in pregnant and non-pregnant women using a wrist-worn tri-axial accelerometer.

Science.gov (United States)

van Hees, Vincent T; Renström, Frida; Wright, Antony; Gradmark, Anna; Catt, Michael; Chen, Kong Y; Löf, Marie; Bluck, Les; Pomeroy, Jeremy; Wareham, Nicholas J; Ekelund, Ulf; Brage, Søren; Franks, Paul W

2011-01-01

Few studies have compared the validity of objective measures of physical activity energy expenditure (PAEE) in pregnant and non-pregnant women. PAEE is commonly estimated with accelerometers attached to the hip or waist, but little is known about the validity and participant acceptability of wrist attachment. The objectives of the current study were to assess the validity of a simple summary measure derived from a wrist-worn accelerometer (GENEA, Unilever Discover, UK) to estimate PAEE in pregnant and non-pregnant women, and to evaluate participant acceptability. Non-pregnant (N = 73) and pregnant (N = 35) Swedish women (aged 20-35 yrs) wore the accelerometer on their wrist for 10 days during which total energy expenditure (TEE) was assessed using doubly-labelled water. PAEE was calculated as 0.9×TEE-REE. British participants (N = 99; aged 22-65 yrs) wore accelerometers on their non-dominant wrist and hip for seven days and were asked to score the acceptability of monitor placement (scored 1 [least] through 10 [most] acceptable). There was no significant correlation between body weight and PAEE. In non-pregnant women, acceleration explained 24% of the variation in PAEE, which decreased to 19% in leave-one-out cross-validation. In pregnant women, acceleration explained 11% of the variation in PAEE, which was not significant in leave-one-out cross-validation. Median (IQR) acceptability of wrist and hip placement was 9(8-10) and 9(7-10), respectively; there was a within-individual difference of 0.47 (p<.001). A simple summary measure derived from a wrist-worn tri-axial accelerometer adds significantly to the prediction of energy expenditure in non-pregnant women and is scored acceptable by participants.

Estimation of daily energy expenditure in pregnant and non-pregnant women using a wrist-worn tri-axial accelerometer.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vincent T van Hees

Full Text Available Few studies have compared the validity of objective measures of physical activity energy expenditure (PAEE in pregnant and non-pregnant women. PAEE is commonly estimated with accelerometers attached to the hip or waist, but little is known about the validity and participant acceptability of wrist attachment. The objectives of the current study were to assess the validity of a simple summary measure derived from a wrist-worn accelerometer (GENEA, Unilever Discover, UK to estimate PAEE in pregnant and non-pregnant women, and to evaluate participant acceptability.Non-pregnant (N = 73 and pregnant (N = 35 Swedish women (aged 20-35 yrs wore the accelerometer on their wrist for 10 days during which total energy expenditure (TEE was assessed using doubly-labelled water. PAEE was calculated as 0.9×TEE-REE. British participants (N = 99; aged 22-65 yrs wore accelerometers on their non-dominant wrist and hip for seven days and were asked to score the acceptability of monitor placement (scored 1 [least] through 10 [most] acceptable.There was no significant correlation between body weight and PAEE. In non-pregnant women, acceleration explained 24% of the variation in PAEE, which decreased to 19% in leave-one-out cross-validation. In pregnant women, acceleration explained 11% of the variation in PAEE, which was not significant in leave-one-out cross-validation. Median (IQR acceptability of wrist and hip placement was 9(8-10 and 9(7-10, respectively; there was a within-individual difference of 0.47 (p<.001.A simple summary measure derived from a wrist-worn tri-axial accelerometer adds significantly to the prediction of energy expenditure in non-pregnant women and is scored acceptable by participants.

The role of radiology in head and neck tumours in children

Science.gov (United States)

McHugh, Kieran

2010-01-01

Abstract Head and neck malignancy is rare in children. However, distinguishing malignant tumours from the more common and numerous benign causes of neck masses in childhood is crucial as many malignant conditions have an excellent prognosis with appropriate oncological management. Ultrasound, computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging all have crucial roles in the diagnosis of head and neck malignancy in children and there is an emerging role for positron emission tomography, particularly in the management and follow-up of lymphoma. We describe the imaging appearances of the common malignant tumours arising in the extracranial head and neck in children, focusing on lymphoma, rhabdomyosarcoma and nasopharyngeal carcinoma. The clinical presentation and radiological appearances of benign tumours in the head and neck in children may overlap with those seen in malignant disease. We describe the imaging appearances of juvenile angiofibroma, vascular abnormalities involving the extracranial head and neck and cervical teratomas. Advances in both imaging techniques and cancer staging systems, many of the latter aimed at avoiding over-treatment and treatment-related complications, will lead to an increasingly central role for imaging in childhood head and neck cancer. PMID:20199940

Functional synergies underlying control of upright posture during changes in head orientation.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Eunse Park

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Studies of human upright posture typically have stressed the need to control ankle and hip joints to achieve postural stability. Recent studies, however, suggest that postural stability involves multi degree-of-freedom (DOF coordination, especially when performing supra-postural tasks. This study investigated kinematic synergies related to control of the body's position in space (two, four and six DOF models and changes in the head's orientation (six DOF model. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Subjects either tracked a vertically moving target with a head-mounted laser pointer or fixated a stationary point during 4-min trials. Uncontrolled manifold (UCM analysis was performed across tracking cycles at each point in time to determine the structure of joint configuration variance related to postural stability or tracking consistency. The effect of simulated removal of covariance among joints on that structure was investigated to further determine the role of multijoint coordination. Results indicated that cervical joint motion was poorly coordinated with other joints to stabilize the position of the body center of mass (CM. However, cervical joints were coordinated in a flexible manner with more caudal joints to achieve consistent changes in head orientation. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: An understanding of multijoint coordination requires reference to the stability/control of important performance variables. The nature of that coordination differs depending on the reference variable. Stability of upright posture primarily involved multijoint coordination of lower extremity and lower trunk joints. Consistent changes in the orientation of the head, however, required flexible coordination of those joints with motion of the cervical spine. A two-segment model of postural control was unable to account for the observed stability of the CM position during the tracking task, further supporting the need to consider multijoint coordination to

DEVELOPING MEASURES TO IMPROVE STRENGTH INDICES OF SUPPORTING STRUCTURES FOR HEAD CARS OF DIESEL TRAINS DR1A ON THE BASIS OF EXPERIMENTAL-AND-THEORETICAL WORKS

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O. M. Bondarev

2014-11-01

Full Text Available Purpose. The objective is to determine the stress-strain state of supporting structures of the head car body and the traction transmission unit, which can be created in the operation of emergency situations, and to develop the measures aimed at improving the stress-strain state of these elements. Methodology. In order to achieve this objective, in performing the work an experimental determination of efforts and stress levels in the most loaded elements of supporting structures as well as the traction transmission units was conducted; design models for the theoretical determination of stress and effort levels were developed. Findings. Based on the analysis of the calculation results the best options for the upgrades, which have been put into the basis of proposals aimed at improving the strength indices, were revealed. Originality. Based on the experimental and theoretical studies, scientific monitoring of development works on modernization and improvement of strength indices of supporting structures of head cars of diesel trains DR1A was performed. Practical value. The technical solution to the measures, which are to be carried out beyond the limits of assigned operation lifetime for diesel train of the series specified was developed and transferred to the Ukrzaliznytsia experts to introduce the proposed measures on improving the strength indices.

Implant-supported mandibular removable partial dentures; patient-based outcome measures in relation to implant position.

Science.gov (United States)

Jensen, Charlotte; Raghoebar, Gerry M; Kerdijk, Wouter; Meijer, Henny J A; Cune, Marco S

2016-12-01

To assess the benefits of implant support to Removable Partial Dentures (RPD) in patients with a bilateral free-ending situation in the mandible and to determine the most favorable implant position: the premolar (PM) or the molar (M) region. Thirty subjects with a bilateral unbounded posterior saddle received 2 PM and 2M implants. A new RPD was placed. Implant support was provided 3 months later. Two PM implants supported the RPD. After 3 months the 2M implants were used or vice versa. Outcome measures included oral health related quality of life (OHIP-NL49), general health status (SF-36), contentment assessed on a Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) and the number of hours that the RPD was worn. Data were collected prior to treatment, 3 months after having functioned with a new RPD and after 3 and 6 months with implant support. Finally, patients expressed their preferred implant position. The general health status (SF-36) was not influenced. OHIP-NL49 values and mean wearing-time were statistical significantly more favorable for ISRPD's, regardless of the implant position. Per day, the ISRPD's were worn 2-3h more than the unsupported new RPD. Patients' expectations were met as the VAS-scores of anticipated and realized contentment did not reach a statistical significant level (p>0.05). VAS scores for ISRPD's with M implant support were higher than for PM implant support. Finally, 56.7% of subjects preferred the M implant support, 13.3% expressed no preference and 30% opted for PM implant support. Mandibular implant support favorably influences oral health related patient-based outcome measures in patients with a bilateral free-ending situation. The majority of patients prefer the implant support to be in the molar region. Patients with a bilateral free-ending situation in the mandible opposed by a maxillary denture benefit from implant support to their mandibular removable partial denture. Most patients prefer this support to be in the molar region. Copyright © 2016

Lateral head turning affects temporal memory.

Science.gov (United States)

Vicario, Carmelo Mario; Martino, Davide; Pavone, Enea Francesco; Fuggetta, Giorgio

2011-08-01

Spatial attention is a key factor in the exploration and processing of the surrounding environment, and plays a role in linking magnitudes such as space, time, and numbers. The present work evaluates whether shifting the coordinates of spatial attention through rotational head movements may affect the ability to estimate the duration of different time intervals. A computer-based implicit timing task was employed, in which participants were asked to concentrate and report verbally on colour changes of sequential stimuli displayed on a computer screen; subsequently, they were required to reproduce the temporal duration (ranging between 5 and 80 sec.) of the perceived stimuli using the computer keyboard. There was statistically significant overestimation of the 80-sec. intervals exclusively on the rightward rotation head posture, whereas head posture did not affect timing performances on shorter intervals. These findings support the hypothesis that the coordinates of spatial attention influence the ability to process time, consistent with the existence of common cortical metrics of space and time in healthy humans.

Experimental test of spatial updating models for monkey eye-head gaze shifts.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tom J Van Grootel

Full Text Available How the brain maintains an accurate and stable representation of visual target locations despite the occurrence of saccadic gaze shifts is a classical problem in oculomotor research. Here we test and dissociate the predictions of different conceptual models for head-unrestrained gaze-localization behavior of macaque monkeys. We adopted the double-step paradigm with rapid eye-head gaze shifts to measure localization accuracy in response to flashed visual stimuli in darkness. We presented the second target flash either before (static, or during (dynamic the first gaze displacement. In the dynamic case the brief visual flash induced a small retinal streak of up to about 20 deg at an unpredictable moment and retinal location during the eye-head gaze shift, which provides serious challenges for the gaze-control system. However, for both stimulus conditions, monkeys localized the flashed targets with accurate gaze shifts, which rules out several models of visuomotor control. First, these findings exclude the possibility that gaze-shift programming relies on retinal inputs only. Instead, they support the notion that accurate eye-head motor feedback updates the gaze-saccade coordinates. Second, in dynamic trials the visuomotor system cannot rely on the coordinates of the planned first eye-head saccade either, which rules out remapping on the basis of a predictive corollary gaze-displacement signal. Finally, because gaze-related head movements were also goal-directed, requiring continuous access to eye-in-head position, we propose that our results best support a dynamic feedback scheme for spatial updating in which visuomotor control incorporates accurate signals about instantaneous eye- and head positions rather than relative eye- and head displacements.

Full Mouth Reconstruction of a Bruxer with Severely Worn Dentition: A Clinical Report

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Somayeh Zeighami

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Tooth wear is attributed to several factors many of which often remain unidentified. Management of tooth wear is challenging in preventive and restorative dentistry. Correct assessment of occlusal vertical dimension, interocclusal rest space, and centric relation records are critical for successful treatment. In order to evaluate different treatment modalities and select the treatment of choice some information can be obtained from study casts and diagnostic wax-up. In order to achieve a predictable and desirable result, a systematic approach may be helpful. This paper describes the full mouth rehabilitation of a 36-year-old bruxer with severely worn dentition and other dental problems such as unfavorable restorations. A diagnostic work-up was performed and provisional restorations were made; then, they were clinically evaluated and adjusted based on the criteria dictating esthetics, phonetics, and vertical dimension. After endodontic therapy, clinical crown lengthening was performed. Two short implants were inserted in the posterior mandible. Custom-cast dowel cores and metal-ceramic restorations were fabricated and a full occlusal splint was used to protect the restorations. We ensured stable contacts on all teeth with equal intensity in centric relation and anterior guidance in accord with functional jaw movements.

Kinematics of the AM-50 heading machine cutting head

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Sikora, W; Bak, K; Klich, R [Politechnika Slaska, Gliwice (Poland). Instytut Mechanizacji Gornictwa

1987-01-01

Analyzes motion of the cutter head of the AM-50 heading machine. Two types of head motion are comparatively evaluated: planar motion and spatial motion. The spatial motion consists of the head rotational motion and horizontal or vertical feed motion, while planar motion consists of rotational motion and vertical feed motion. Equations that describe head motion under conditions of cutter vertical or horizontal feed motion are derived. The angle between the cutting speed direction and working speed direction is defined. On the basis of these formulae variations of cutting speed depending on the cutting tool position on a cutter head are calculated. Calculations made for 2 extreme cutting tools show that the cutting speed ranges from 1,205 m/s to 3,512 m/s. 4 refs.

An informatics supported web-based data annotation and query tool to expedite translational research for head and neck malignancies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Amin, Waqas; Kang, Hyunseok P; Egloff, Ann Marie; Singh, Harpreet; Trent, Kerry; Ridge-Hetrick, Jennifer; Seethala, Raja R; Grandis, Jennifer; Parwani, Anil V

2009-01-01

The Specialized Program of Research Excellence (SPORE) in Head and Neck Cancer neoplasm virtual biorepository is a bioinformatics-supported system to incorporate data from various clinical, pathological, and molecular systems into a single architecture based on a set of common data elements (CDEs) that provides semantic and syntactic interoperability of data sets. The various components of this annotation tool include the Development of Common Data Elements (CDEs) that are derived from College of American Pathologists (CAP) Checklist and North American Association of Central Cancer Registries (NAACR) standards. The Data Entry Tool is a portable and flexible Oracle-based data entry device, which is an easily mastered web-based tool. The Data Query Tool helps investigators and researchers to search de-identified information within the warehouse/resource through a 'point and click' interface, thus enabling only the selected data elements to be essentially copied into a data mart using a multi dimensional model from the warehouse's relational structure. The SPORE Head and Neck Neoplasm Database contains multimodal datasets that are accessible to investigators via an easy to use query tool. The database currently holds 6553 cases and 10607 tumor accessions. Among these, there are 965 metastatic, 4227 primary, 1369 recurrent, and 483 new primary cases. The data disclosure is strictly regulated by user's authorization. The SPORE Head and Neck Neoplasm Virtual Biorepository is a robust translational biomedical informatics tool that can facilitate basic science, clinical, and translational research. The Data Query Tool acts as a central source providing a mechanism for researchers to efficiently find clinically annotated datasets and biospecimens that are relevant to their research areas. The tool protects patient privacy by revealing only de-identified data in accordance with regulations and approvals of the IRB and scientific review committee

The head problem. The organizational significance of segmentation in head development.

Science.gov (United States)

Horder, Tim J; Presley, Robert; Slípka, Jaroslav

2010-01-01

This review argues for the segmental basis of chordate head organization which, like somite-based segmental organization in the trunk, takes its origin from early mesodermal development. The review builds on, and brings up to date, Goodrich's well-known scheme of head organization. It surveys recent data in support of this scheme and shows how evidence and arguments supposedly in conflict with it can be accommodated. Many of the arguments revolve around matters of methodology; the limitations of older LM, SEM (on which the concept of "somitomeres" is based) and recent molecular evidence (which has sometimes been seen as allocating the central role in head organization to the CNS and the neural crest) are highlighted and shown to explain a number of claims contrary to Goodrich's. We provide (in Part 2) a new, comparative survey of the best available evidence most directly relevant to the Goodrich Bauplan, with a special emphasis on stem chordates. The postotic region has commonly been seen as segmentally organized: the critical issues concern the preotic region. There are many reasons why Goodrich's three preotic segments may become specialized during evolution and why the underlying initial segmental organization may be overridden in later stages during embryonic development; we refer to a number of these. We conclude that the preotic segmental Bauplan is remarkably conserved and most explicitly demonstrated among stem forms, but we also suggest that the concept of the prechordal plate requires careful reexamination. Central to our overall analysis is the importance of the epigenetic nature of embryogenesis; its implications are made clear. Finally we speculate on evolutionary implications for the origin of the head and its specialized features. The review is intended to serve as a resource giving access to references to a wealth of now neglected, older data on anamniote embryology.

Critical stresses in pintle, weldment and top head of nuclear waste container

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ladkany, S.G.; Kniss, B.R.

1992-01-01

Critical stresses in the pintle, the weldment, and the top heads (flat and curved), of a high level nuclear waste container are evaluated under an annular loading. This loading is three times larger than the expected normal operating load. Results show that the shape and the thickness of the pintle and the top head, along with the thickness of the weldment, substantially affect the magnitude of the critical stresses and distortions in the various components (i.e. pintle, shell, and heads) when they are supporting a load. Stiffer top heads and pintles and larger weldment sizes reduce the critical stresses in all welded joints. Various shapes of curved top heads were investigated. In this paper an ASME flanged and dished top head, which has the same thickness as the canister, is analyzed

Progressive resistance training rebuilds lean body mass in head and neck cancer patients after radiotherapy – Results from the randomized DAHANCA 25B trial

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lønbro, Simon; Dalgas, Ulrik; Primdahl, Hanne; Johansen, Jørgen; Nielsen, Jakob Lindberg; Aagaard, Per; Hermann, Anne Pernille; Overgaard, Jens; Overgaard, Kristian

2013-01-01

Purpose: The critical weight loss observed in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) patients following radiotherapy is mainly due to loss of lean body mass. This is associated with decreases in muscle strength, functional performance and Quality of Life (QoL). The present study investigated the effect of progressive resistance training (PRT) on lean body mass, muscle strength and functional performance in HNSCC patients following radiotherapy. Patients and methods: Following radiotherapy HNSCC patients were randomized into two groups: Early Exercise (EE, n = 20) initiated 12 weeks of PRT followed by 12 weeks of self-chosen physical activity. Delayed Exercise (DE, n = 21) initiated 12 weeks of self-chosen physical activity followed by 12 weeks of PRT. Lean body mass, muscle strength, functional performance and QoL were evaluated at baseline and after week 12 and 24. Results: In the first 12 weeks lean body mass increased by 4.3% in EE after PRT and in the last 12 weeks by 4.2% in DE after PRT. These increases were significantly larger than the changes after self-chosen physical activity (p ⩽ 0.005). Regardless of PRT start-up time, the odds ratio of increasing lean body mass by more than 4% after PRT was 6.26 (p < 0.05). PRT significantly increased muscle strength, whereas functional performance increased significantly more than after self-chosen physical activity only after delayed onset of PRT. Overall QoL improved significantly more in EE than DE from baseline to week 12. Conclusion: PRT effectively increased lean body mass and muscle strength in HNSCC patients following radiotherapy, irrespectively of early or delayed start-up

Impact of bearing plates dimensions on interaction of mine workings support and rock mass

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marek Rotkegel

2015-01-01

Full Text Available The aim of the research presented in this article is to assess the impact of bearing plates dimensions on the interaction of steel arch support and rock mass. The analysis of the bearing plates was based on laboratory tests and numerical calculations using the FLAC3D program (a finite difference method and the strain-hardening/softening model based on prescribed variations of Mohr–Coulomb properties. The article presents the results of laboratory tests on selected bearing plates and the results of numerical analysis of the interaction between the bearing plates and rock mass with coal, clay stone and sandstone properties.

Basic Disaster Life Support (BDLS) Training Improves First Responder Confidence to Face Mass-Casualty Incidents in Thailand.

Science.gov (United States)

Kuhls, Deborah A; Chestovich, Paul J; Coule, Phillip; Carrison, Dale M; Chua, Charleston M; Wora-Urai, Nopadol; Kanchanarin, Tavatchai

2017-10-01

Medical response to mass-casualty incidents (MCIs) requires specialized training and preparation. Basic Disaster Life Support (BDLS) is a course designed to prepare health care workers for a MCI. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the confidence of health care professionals in Thailand to face a MCI after participating in a BDLS course. Basic Disaster Life Support was taught to health care professionals in Thailand in July 2008. Demographics and medical experience were recorded, and participants rated their confidence before and after the course using a five-point Likert scale in 11 pertinent MCI categories. Survey results were compiled and compared with PBasic Disaster Life Support significantly improves confidence to respond to MCI situations, but nurses and active duty military benefit the most from the course. Future courses should focus on these groups to prepare for MCIs. Kuhls DA , Chestovich PJ , Coule P , Carrison DM , Chua CM , Wora-Urai N , Kanchanarin T . Basic Disaster Life Support (BDLS) training improves first responder confidence to face mass-casualty incidents in Thailand. Prehosp Disaster Med. 2017;32(5):492-500 .

Physical activity derived from questionnaires and wrist-worn accelerometers: comparability and the role of demographic, lifestyle, and health factors among a population-based sample of older adults

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Koolhaas CM

2017-12-01

healthier counterparts.Conclusion: We observed large differences in PA time derived from the LASA Physical Activity Questionnaire and the wrist-worn accelerometer. Differences between the methods were related to body-mass index, level of disability, and presence of depressive symptoms. Future studies using questionnaires and/or accelerometers should account for these differences. Keywords: physical activity, questionnaire, accelerometer, disagreement, elderly

A five year record of high-frequency in situ measurements of non-methane hydrocarbons at Mace Head, Ireland

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A. Grant

2011-05-01

Full Text Available Continuous high-frequency in situ measurements of a range of non-methane hydrocarbons have been made at Mace Head since January 2005. Mace Head is a background Northern Hemispheric site situated on the eastern edge of the Atlantic. Five year measurements (2005–2009 of six C₂–C₅ non-methane hydrocarbons have been separated into baseline Northern Hemispheric and European polluted air masses, among other sectors. Seasonal cycles in baseline Northern Hemispheric air masses and European polluted air masses arriving at Mace Head have been studied. Baseline air masses show a broad summer minima between June and September for shorter lived species, longer lived species show summer minima in July/August. All species displayed a winter maxima in February. European air masses showed baseline elevated mole fractions for all non-methane hydrocarbons. Largest elevations (of up to 360 ppt for ethane maxima from baseline data were observed in winter maxima, with smaller elevations observed during the summer. Analysis of temporal trends using the Mann-Kendall test showed small (<6 % yr⁻¹ but statistically significant decreases in the butanes and i-pentane between 2005 and 2009 in European air. No significant trends were found for any species in baseline air.

A pre-Hispanic head.

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Raffaella Bianucci

Full Text Available This report on a male head revealed biologic rhythms, as gleaned from hydrogen isotope ratios in hair, consistent with a South-American origin and Atomic Mass Spectrometry radiocarbon dating (AMS compatible with the last pre-Hispanic period (1418-1491 AD, 95.4% probability. Biopsies showed exceptionally well-preserved tissues. The hair contained high levels of toxic elements (lead, arsenic and mercury incompatible with life. There was no evidence for lead deposition in bone consistent with post-mortem accumulation of this toxic element in the hair. We propose that the high content of metals in hair was the result of metabolic activity of bacteria leading to metal complexation in extra cellular polymeric substances (EPS. This is a recognized protective mechanism for bacteria that thrive in toxic environments. This mechanism may account for the tissues preservation and gives a hint at soil composition where the head was presumably buried. Our results have implications for forensic toxicology which has, hitherto, relied on hair analyses as one means to reconstruct pre-mortem metabolism and for detecting toxic elements accumulated during life. Our finding also has implications for other archaeological specimens where similar circumstances may distort the results of toxicological studies.

A pre-Hispanic head.

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Bianucci, Raffaella; Jeziorska, Maria; Lallo, Rudy; Mattutino, Grazia; Massimelli, Massimo; Phillips, Genevieve; Appenzeller, Otto

2008-04-30

This report on a male head revealed biologic rhythms, as gleaned from hydrogen isotope ratios in hair, consistent with a South-American origin and Atomic Mass Spectrometry radiocarbon dating (AMS) compatible with the last pre-Hispanic period (1418-1491 AD, 95.4% probability). Biopsies showed exceptionally well-preserved tissues. The hair contained high levels of toxic elements (lead, arsenic and mercury) incompatible with life. There was no evidence for lead deposition in bone consistent with post-mortem accumulation of this toxic element in the hair. We propose that the high content of metals in hair was the result of metabolic activity of bacteria leading to metal complexation in extra cellular polymeric substances (EPS). This is a recognized protective mechanism for bacteria that thrive in toxic environments. This mechanism may account for the tissues preservation and gives a hint at soil composition where the head was presumably buried. Our results have implications for forensic toxicology which has, hitherto, relied on hair analyses as one means to reconstruct pre-mortem metabolism and for detecting toxic elements accumulated during life. Our finding also has implications for other archaeological specimens where similar circumstances may distort the results of toxicological studies.

Burden and happiness in head and neck cancer carers: the role of supportive care needs.

Science.gov (United States)

Hanly, Paul; Maguire, Rebecca; Balfe, Myles; Hyland, Philip; Timmons, Aileen; O'Sullivan, Eleanor; Butow, Phyllis; Sharp, Linda

2016-10-01

Our study aimed to investigate the relationship between unmet supportive care needs and carer burden and happiness, in head and neck cancer (HNC). Two hundred eighty-five HNC informal carers were sent a postal questionnaire between January and June 2014, which included the supportive care needs survey for partners and caregivers of cancer survivors (SCNS-P&C) and the CarerQol, which assesses burden and happiness. Multiple regression analysis was conducted to examine the association of (i) carer characteristics, (ii) carer situation, and (iii) unmet supportive care needs, with carer burden and happiness One hundred ninety-seven carers completed the questionnaire (response rate = 69 %), 180 of whom were included in the analysis. The majority were female (76 %), not in paid employment (68 %) and caring for their spouse (67 %). On average, carers reported relatively low levels of burden and relatively high levels of happiness. Carer factors explained 42 % of variance in levels of burden and 24 % of variance in levels of happiness. Healthcare service needs were associated with carer burden (β = .28, p = .04), while psychological needs (β = -.38, p = .028), health care service needs (β = -.30, p = .049), information needs (β = .29, p = .028), carer comorbidity (β = -.18, p = .030), and gender (β = -.16, p = .045) were associated with happiness. Our results indicate that different aspects of carer characteristics and unmet needs are associated with carer burden and happiness. Efforts directed at reducing unmet healthcare service needs in particular are merited given their associations with both aspects of carer quality of life.

Comparison of Theoretical and Experimental Mass Transfer Coefficients of Gases in Supported Ionic Liquid Membranes

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Kárászová, Magda; Šimčík, Miroslav; Friess, K.; Randová, A.; Jansen, J. C.; Růžička, Marek; Sedláková, Zuzana; Izák, Pavel

2013-01-01

Roč. 118, 30 OCT (2013), s. 255-263 ISSN 1383-5866 R&D Projects: GA ČR GAP106/10/1194; GA MŠk(CZ) 7C11009 Grant - others:RFCS(XE) RFCR-CT-2010-00009; INP(IT) PON01_01840; HA MŠk(CZ) CZ.1.05/2.1.00/03.0071 Institutional support: RVO:67985858 Keywords : biogas purification * supported ionic liquid membranes * mass transfer coefficients Subject RIV: CI - Industrial Chemistry, Chemical Engineering Impact factor: 3.065, year: 2013

Contamination levels of mercury and cadmium in melon-headed whales (Peponocephala electra) from a mass stranding on the Japanese coast

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Endo, Tetsuya [Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Health Sciences University of Hokkaido, 1757 Ishikari-Tobetsu, Hokkaido 061-0293 (Japan)], E-mail: endotty@hoku-iryo-u.ac.jp; Hisamichi, Yohsuke; Kimura, Osamu [Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Health Sciences University of Hokkaido, 1757 Ishikari-Tobetsu, Hokkaido 061-0293 (Japan); Haraguchi, Koichi [Daiichi College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, 22-1 Tamagawa-Cho, Minami-Ku, Fukuoka 815-8511 (Japan); Baker, C. Scott [Marine Mammal Institute and Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Oregon State University, Newport, Oregon 97365 (United States)

2008-08-15

Total mercury (T-Hg), methyl mercury (M-Hg), cadmium (Cd), selenium (Se), zinc (Zn) and copper (Cu) concentrations in the organs of melon-headed whales from a mass stranding on the Japanese coast were analyzed. The mean concentration of T-Hg in the liver (126 {+-} 97 {mu}g/wet g, n = 13) was markedly higher than those in kidney (6.34 {+-} 2.36 {mu}g/wet g, n = 12) and muscle (4.90 {+-} 2.33 {mu}g/wet g, n = 15). In contrast, the mean concentration of M-Hg in the liver (9.08 {+-} 2.24 {mu}g/wet g) was similar to those in the kidney (3.47 {+-} 0.91 {mu}g/wet g) and muscle (3.78 {+-} 1.53 {mu}g/wet g). The mean percentage of M-Hg in the T-Hg found in the liver (13.1 {+-} 10.3) was significantly lower than those in the kidney (58.3 {+-} 15.0) and muscle (78.9 {+-} 8.4). The molar ratio of T-Hg to Se in the liver was effectively 1.0, but those in the kidney and muscle were markedly lower. Conversely, the mean concentration of Cd was markedly higher in the kidney (24.4 {+-} 7.4 {mu}g/wet g) than in the liver (7.24 {+-} 2.08 {mu}g/wet g) and muscle (less than 0.05 {mu}g/wet g). These results suggest that the formation of Hg-Se compounds mainly occurs in the liver after the demethylation of M-Hg, and Cd preferentially accumulates in the kidney of melon-headed whales.

Is there a relationship between head posture and craniomandibular pain?

Science.gov (United States)

Visscher, C M; De Boer, W; Lobbezoo, F; Habets, L L M H; Naeije, M

2002-11-01

An often-suggested factor in the aetiology of craniomandibular disorders (CMD) is an anteroposition of the head. However, the results of clinical studies to the relationship between CMD and head posture are contradictory. Therefore, the first aim of this study was to determine differences in head posture between well-defined CMD pain patients with or without a painful cervical spine disorder and healthy controls. The second aim was to determine differences in head posture between myogenous and arthrogenous CMD pain patients and controls. Two hundred and fifty persons entered the study. From each person, a standardized oral history was taken and blind physical examinations of the masticatory system and of the neck were performed. The participants were only included into one of the subgroups when the presence or absence of their symptoms was confirmed by the results of the physical examination. Head posture was quantified using lateral photographs and a lateral radiograph of the head and the cervical spine. After correction for age and gender effects, no difference in head posture was found between any of the patient and non-patient groups (P > 0.27). Therefore, this study does not support the suggestion that painful craniomandibular disorders, with or without a painful cervical spine disorder, are related to head posture.

Nutrition in Patients with Head Trauma

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Burcu Totur

2013-01-01

Full Text Available The need of energy increases by 40% in patients with a head trauma, when compared to people who are living a normal life. This ratio reaches to 200% in some cases. It is important to give a nutrition support which can satisfy the energy need resulted from the hypermetabolic and hypercatabolic states and that is enough to help to fix the immunologic state and achieve a better result in healing the injury. When oral nutrition is not possible in the patient with a head trauma, their energy need is satisfied through enteral and parenteral nutrition. Though parenteral nutrition had held an important role in feeding patients with head trauma, enteral nutrition is applied much more widely today. Enteral and parenteral nutrition both has their own advantages and disadvantages. In the clinical and laboratory studies that had been held, it was found that enteral nutrition improved the systemic immunity, decreased the incidence of the major infectious complications, decreased the metabolic response to trauma, protected the intestinal mucosa, and protected the ecologic balance of the microflora. In this article, it is investigated through the importance of the feeding in patients with a head trauma and reasons to chose enteral nutrition

Effect of nutritional support in children with spastic quadriplegia.

Science.gov (United States)

Soylu, Ozlem Bekem; Unalp, Aycan; Uran, Nedret; Dizdarer, Gülsen; Ozgonul, Figen Oksel; Conku, Aliye; Ataman, Hamide; Ozturk, Aysel Aydogan

2008-11-01

Malnutrition is a common problem in patients with cerebral palsy. We evaluated the effect of nutritional support on clinical findings in children with spastic quadriplegia. Feeding history, numbers of lower respiratory tract infections, and gastrointestinal and neurologic findings were evaluated via questionnaire. Weight, height, head circumference, midarm circumference, and triceps skinfold thickness were measured. Height for age, weight for age, weight for height, body mass index, and weight and height z-scores were calculated. Clinical findings and anthropometric parameters were re-evaluated after nutritional support for 6 months. Forty-five patients were enrolled. No difference was evident between the first and the last height z-scores of 31 patients who completed the follow-up. Weight, height, weight z-scores, weight for age, weight for height, body mass index, midarm circumference, and triceps skinfold thickness exhibited improvement. Moreover, a significant decrease in number of infections was evident. Frequency of seizures and Gross Motor Function Classification System status did not change. Constipation decreased significantly. Nutritional therapy revealed improvements in some anthropometric findings and a decrease in number of infections. Although there was no difference regarding motor development or seizure frequency, further studies with a longer follow-up are required.

Experimental support at proton--proton colliding beam facilities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Potter, K.

1977-01-01

Proton--proton colliding beam facilities have a number of special features which increase the importance of support for experiments when compared to fixed target accelerators: (1) the laboratory system is very close to the center-of-mass system; this affects the geometry and general size of the experiments; (2) the primary p--p interaction is inaccessible, that is, it takes place in an ultrahigh vacuum chamber; and (3) the experiment detection system is necessarily inside the machine structure and becomes very closely linked to it in many respects. An overall picture is given of experimental support based on experience at the CERN ISR under the following headings: Experimental Areas, Scheduling, Intersection Vacuum Chambers, Machine Background, and Magnets for Experiments. The first two of these topics concern the requirements in space and time of an experiment, while the last three are all related to the close interaction between experiment and machine

LEAD SLOWING DOWN SPECTROSCOPY FOR DIRECT Pu MASS MEASUREMENTS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ressler, Jennifer J.; Smith, Leon E.; Anderson, Kevin K.

2008-01-01

The direct measurement of Pu in previously irradiated fuel assemblies is a recognized need in the international safeguards community. A suitable technology could support more timely and independent material control and accounting (MC and A) measurements at nuclear fuel storage areas, the head-end of reprocessing facilities, and at the product-end of recycled fuel fabrication. Lead slowing down spectroscopy (LSDS) may be a viable solution for directly measuring not only the mass of 239Pu in fuel assemblies, but also the masses of other fissile isotopes such as 235U and 241Pu. To assess the potential viability of LSDS, an LSDS spectrometer was modeled in MCNP5 and 'virtual assays' of nominal PWR assemblies ranging from 0 to 60 GWd/MTU burnup were completed. Signal extraction methods, including the incorporation of nonlinear fitting to account for self-shielding effects in strong resonance regions, are described. Quantitative estimates of Pu uncertainty are given for simplistic and more realistic fuel isotopic inventories calculated using ORIGEN. A discussion of additional signal-perturbing effects that will be addressed in future work, and potential signal extraction approaches that could improve Pu mass uncertainties, are also discussed

Characterizing head motion in three planes during combined visual and base of support disturbances in healthy and visually sensitive subjects.

Science.gov (United States)

Keshner, E A; Dhaher, Y

2008-07-01

Multiplanar environmental motion could generate head instability, particularly if the visual surround moves in planes orthogonal to a physical disturbance. We combined sagittal plane surface translations with visual field disturbances in 12 healthy (29-31 years) and 3 visually sensitive (27-57 years) adults. Center of pressure (COP), peak head angles, and RMS values of head motion were calculated and a three-dimensional model of joint motion was developed to examine gross head motion in three planes. We found that subjects standing quietly in front of a visual scene translating in the sagittal plane produced significantly greater (pplane of platform motion significantly increased (phistory of vestibular disorder produced large, delayed compensatory head motion. Orthogonal head motions were significantly greater in visually sensitive than in healthy subjects in the dark (pplanes orthogonal to the direction of a physical perturbation. These results suggest that the mechanisms controlling head orientation in space are distinct from those that control trunk orientation in space. These behaviors would have been missed if only COP data were considered. Data suggest that rehabilitation training can be enhanced by combining visual and mechanical perturbation paradigms.

Solid-supported enzymatic synthesis of pectic oligogalacturonides and their analysis by MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Guillaumie, Fanny; Sterling, J.D.; Jensen, K.J.

2003-01-01

Solid-phase biosynthetic reactions, followed by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry analysis (MALDI-TOF), was used to gain insight into the biosynthesis of pectin oligomers. Sepharose supports bearing long pectic oligogalacturonides (OGAs) anchored through...... into the liquid phases by MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry. In time course studies conducted with an immobilized (alpha-D-GalA)(14) and limiting amounts of the glycosyl donor, the predominant product was an OGA extended by one GalA residue at the non-reducing end (i.e., (GalA)(15)). When UDP-GalA was added...

Stress on Cold Mass Due to the Supporting System of the CMS Coil in the Vacuum Tank

CERN Document Server

Farinon, S

2000-01-01

This report contains a verification analysis of the stress on cold mass coming from the supporting system of the CMS coil in the vacuum tank. The need to carry out this analysis is related to the high mechanical requirements for $9 Al-alloy mandrels (218 MPa yield at cryogenic temperature), demanding accurate analysis of the impact of supporting system on cylinder stress.

Effects of news media messages about mass shootings on attitudes toward persons with serious mental illness and public support for gun control policies.

Science.gov (United States)

McGinty, Emma E; Webster, Daniel W; Barry, Colleen L

2013-05-01

In recent years, mass shootings by persons with serious mental illness have received extensive news media coverage. The authors test the effects of news stories about mass shootings on public attitudes toward persons with serious mental illness and support for gun control policies. They also examine whether news coverage of proposals to prevent persons with serious mental illness from having guns exacerbates the public's negative attitudes toward this group. The authors conducted a survey-embedded randomized experiment using a national sample (N=1,797) from an online panel. Respondents were randomly assigned to groups instructed to read one of three news stories or to a no-exposure control group. The news stories described, respectively, a mass shooting by a person with serious mental illness, the same mass shooting and a proposal for gun restrictions for persons with serious mental illness, and the same mass shooting and a proposal to ban large-capacity magazines. Outcome measures included attitudes toward working with or living near a person with serious mental illness, perceived dangerousness of persons with serious mental illness, and support for gun restrictions for persons with serious mental illness and for a ban on large-capacity magazines. Compared with the control group, the story about a mass shooting heightened respondents' negative attitudes toward persons with serious mental illness and raised support for gun restrictions for this group and for a ban on large-capacity magazines. Including information about the gun restriction policy in a story about a mass shooting did not heighten negative attitudes toward persons with serious mental illness or raise support for the restrictions. The aftermath of mass shootings is often viewed as a window of opportunity to garner support for gun control policies, but it also exacerbates negative attitudes toward persons with serious mental illness.

Penguin head movement detected using small accelerometers: a proxy of prey encounter rate.

Science.gov (United States)

Kokubun, Nobuo; Kim, Jeong-Hoon; Shin, Hyoung-Chul; Naito, Yasuhiko; Takahashi, Akinori

2011-11-15

Determining temporal and spatial variation in feeding rates is essential for understanding the relationship between habitat features and the foraging behavior of top predators. In this study we examined the utility of head movement as a proxy of prey encounter rates in medium-sized Antarctic penguins, under the presumption that the birds should move their heads actively when they encounter and peck prey. A field study of free-ranging chinstrap and gentoo penguins was conducted at King George Island, Antarctica. Head movement was recorded using small accelerometers attached to the head, with simultaneous monitoring for prey encounter or body angle. The main prey was Antarctic krill (>99% in wet mass) for both species. Penguin head movement coincided with a slow change in body angle during dives. Active head movements were extracted using a high-pass filter (5 Hz acceleration signals) and the remaining acceleration peaks (higher than a threshold acceleration of 1.0 g) were counted. The timing of head movements coincided well with images of prey taken from the back-mounted cameras: head movement was recorded within ±2.5 s of a prey image on 89.1±16.1% (N=7 trips) of images. The number of head movements varied largely among dive bouts, suggesting large temporal variations in prey encounter rates. Our results show that head movement is an effective proxy of prey encounter, and we suggest that the method will be widely applicable for a variety of predators.

Experimental study of head loss and filtration for LOCA debris

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rao, D.V.; Souto, F.J.

1996-02-01

A series of controlled experiments were conducted to obtain head loss and filtration characteristics of debris beds formed of NUKON trademark fibrous fragments, and obtain data to validate the semi-theoretical head loss model developed in NUREG/CR-6224. A thermally insulated closed-loop test set-up was used to conduct experiments using beds formed of fibers only and fibers intermixed with particulate debris. A total of three particulate mixes were used to simulate the particulate debris. The head loss data were obtained for theoretical fiber bed thicknesses of 0.125 inches to 4.0 inches; approach velocities of 0.15 to 1.5 ft/s; temperatures of 75 F and 125 F; and sludge-to-fiber nominal concentration ratios of 0 to 60. Concentration measurements obtained during the first flushing cycle were used to estimate the filtration efficiencies of the debris beds. For test conditions where the beds are fairly uniform, the head loss data were predictable within an acceptable accuracy range by the semi-theoretical model. The model was equally applicable for both pure fiber beds and the mixed beds. Typically the model over-predicted the head losses for very thin beds and for thin beds at high sludge-to-fiber mass ratios. This is attributable to the non-uniformity of such debris beds. In this range the correlation can be interpreted to provide upper bound estimates of head loss. This is pertinent for loss of coolant accidents in boiling water reactors

A modification to the Gill-Thomas-Cosman (GTC) head frame for stereotactic radiosurgery of head and neck and cervical spine sites

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Qian, G.; Hasala, P.; Rashid, H.; Costantino, T.; Cangiane, L.; Lombardi, E.; Arbit, E; Lederman, G.

1996-01-01

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE: Fractionated Stereotactic Radiosurgery (FSR) is used primarily to treat intracranial lesions. Many tumors which arise at or inferior to the base of skull and about the cervical spine area were not amenable to radiosurgery. Presented is a modification to the GTC head frame which permits stereotactic radiosurgery to be directed at head and neck tumors with accurate reproducible precision. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The original GTC head frame has two fixation points; an anterior individualized dental impression and a posterior occipital plate with a mold contoured to the occipital pertuberance. The height of the occipital plate is adjustable in its vertical plane. However, the position of the dental piece is fixed and, therefore, limits treatment to regions superior. Treatment of head and neck and cervical spine tumors has been accomplished with a modification of the dental apparatus. Presented is our new device; a bracket extension which attaches to the dental piece and allows the head frame to be lowered to multiple desired positions. The occipital plate is elevated accordingly to support the occipital pertuberance. The depth helmet is also modified for quality assurance. A Rando phantom was used to test the accuracy and reproducibility of the new equipment. Bracket extensions lowering the head frame by 3 cm and 8 cm, respectively, were tested for accuracy of relocation on the Rando Phantom. Each extension was tested 20 times and for each individual test 18 depth helmet positions were obtained. RESULTS: The standard deviation of the modified head frame for each depth helmet measurement ranged from 0.05 to 0.35mm (mean 0.20) as compared to the standard deviation for the original GTC head frame which was 0.13 to 0.34mm (mean 0.24). The new device maintains the accuracy and reproducibility of the original GTC head frame. CONCLUSION: The GTC relocatable head frame for FSR has been modified to treat tumors of the head and neck and cervical spine sites

Nasal mass removal in the koala (Phascolarctos cinereus).

Science.gov (United States)

Bercier, Marjorie; Wynne, Janna; Klause, Stephen; Stadler, Cynthia K; Gorow, April; Pye, Geoffrey W

2012-12-01

Nasal masses in the koala (Phascolarctos cinereus) are not uncommon and can be challenging to diagnose and treat. Differential diagnoses for nasal masses in the koala are cryptococcal granulomas, nasal polyps, nasal adenocarcinoma, and osteochondromatosis. This report describes successful surgical approaches for two adult koalas with nasal masses and includes photodocumentation and description of the anatomy of the koala nasal passages from the postmortem transverse sectioning of a normal koala head. Surgical removal of the nasal masses in these koalas resulted in a rapid resolution of clinical signs.

TMI-2 reactor-vessel head removal and damaged-core-removal planning

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Logan, J.A.; Hultman, C.W.; Lewis, T.J.

1982-01-01

A major milestone in the cleanup and recovery effort at TMI-2 will be the removal of the reactor vessel closure head, planum, and damaged core fuel material. The data collected during these operations will provide the nuclear power industry with valuable information on the effects of high-temperature-dissociated coolant on fuel cladding, fuel materials, fuel support structural materials, neutron absorber material, and other materials used in reactor structural support components and drive mechanisms. In addition, examination of these materials will also be used to determine accident time-temperature histories in various regions of the core. Procedures for removing the reactor vessel head and reactor core are presented

ASSESSMENT OF SELECTED PROPERTIES OF NORMAL CONCRETES WITH THE GRINDED RUBBER FROM WORN OUT VEHICLE TYRES

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ewa Ołdakowska

2015-07-01

Full Text Available Rubber from the worn tyres is associated with a useless material, strenuous for environment, whose most popular recovery method until recently was storage (currently forbidden by law. The adoption and dissemination of new ecological standards, created not only by the European and national legislation, but also developing as a result of expanding ecological consciousness, forces the necessity of seeking efficient methods of utilization of the vehicle tyres. The exemplary solution for the problem of tyres withdrawn from the operation, presented in the article, is using them in the grinded form as a substitute for the natural aggregate for the production of normal concrete. The article presents the results of the tests of selected properties of the modified normal concrete, upon the basis of which it has been found that the rubber causes decrease of compression strength, concrete weight, limits water absorbability, and does not influence significantly the physical and chemical phenomena accompanying the composite structure formation.

Do helmets worn for hurling fail to protect the ear? Identification of an emerging injury pattern.

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

Martin-Smith, James D

2012-12-01

Hurling is an Irish national game of stick and ball known for its ferocity, played by 190 000 players. Facial injuries were common but have been significantly reduced by legislation enforcing compulsory helmet wearing. Current standard helmets worn by hurlers do not offer protection to the external ear. Here we describe an emerging pattern of ear injuries and demonstrate the risk of external ear injuries in hurlers complying with current helmet safety standards. A 6-month retrospective analysis was carried out of patients attending Cork University Hospital (CUH) with ear lacerations sustained while hurling. Patient notes were reviewed and helmet manufacturers were interviewed. Seven patients were identified, all of whom sustained complex through ear lacerations while wearing helmets complying with current safety standards. Current helmet design fails to protect the external ear placing it at an increased risk of injury, a potential solution is to include ear protection in the helmet design.

Head-controlled laparoscopy : experiment, prototype, and preliminary results

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Voorhorst, F.A.; Meijer, D.W.; Overbeeke, C.J.

1999-01-01

Depth perception is closely linked to the ability to explore. Previously described laboratory experiments showed the advantage of linking the motions of the laparoscope directly to the head movements of the surgeon. Additionally, it was found that the laparoscope should be mechanically supported

Contamination levels of mercury and cadmium in melon-headed whales (Peponocephala electra) from a mass stranding on the Japanese coast

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Endo, Tetsuya; Hisamichi, Yohsuke; Kimura, Osamu; Haraguchi, Koichi; Baker, C. Scott

2008-01-01

Total mercury (T-Hg), methyl mercury (M-Hg), cadmium (Cd), selenium (Se), zinc (Zn) and copper (Cu) concentrations in the organs of melon-headed whales from a mass stranding on the Japanese coast were analyzed. The mean concentration of T-Hg in the liver (126 ± 97 μg/wet g, n = 13) was markedly higher than those in kidney (6.34 ± 2.36 μg/wet g, n = 12) and muscle (4.90 ± 2.33 μg/wet g, n = 15). In contrast, the mean concentration of M-Hg in the liver (9.08 ± 2.24 μg/wet g) was similar to those in the kidney (3.47 ± 0.91 μg/wet g) and muscle (3.78 ± 1.53 μg/wet g). The mean percentage of M-Hg in the T-Hg found in the liver (13.1 ± 10.3) was significantly lower than those in the kidney (58.3 ± 15.0) and muscle (78.9 ± 8.4). The molar ratio of T-Hg to Se in the liver was effectively 1.0, but those in the kidney and muscle were markedly lower. Conversely, the mean concentration of Cd was markedly higher in the kidney (24.4 ± 7.4 μg/wet g) than in the liver (7.24 ± 2.08 μg/wet g) and muscle (less than 0.05 μg/wet g). These results suggest that the formation of Hg-Se compounds mainly occurs in the liver after the demethylation of M-Hg, and Cd preferentially accumulates in the kidney of melon-headed whales

Mechanical Structural Design of a MEMS-Based Piezoresistive Accelerometer for Head Injuries Monitoring: A Computational Analysis by Increments of the Sensor Mass Moment of Inertia †

Science.gov (United States)

Messina, Marco; Njuguna, James; Palas, Chrysovalantis

2018-01-01

This work focuses on the proof-mass mechanical structural design improvement of a tri-axial piezoresistive accelerometer specifically designed for head injuries monitoring where medium-G impacts are common; for example, in sports such as racing cars or American Football. The device requires the highest sensitivity achievable with a single proof-mass approach, and a very low error (piezoresistors are located (i.e., x- and y-axis) by increasing the MMI in the x- and y-axis, will undoubtedly increase the longitudinal stresses applied in that areas for a given external acceleration, therefore increasing the piezoresistors fractional resistance change and eventually positively affecting the sensor sensitivity. The final device shows a sensitivity increase of about 80% in the z-axis and a reduction of cross-axis sensitivity of 18% respect to state-of-art sensors available in the literature from a previous work of the authors. Sensor design, modelling, and optimization are presented, concluding the work with results, discussion, and conclusion. PMID:29351221

Educational Leadership in the Era of Mass Media: State, Consequences and Repercussions

Science.gov (United States)

Gavish, Tali; Oplatka, Izhar

2012-01-01

This article examines the consequences of the relationships between school head teachers and mass media on various aspects of their role: emotional-personal, behavioural-managerial and perception. It also examines the sociocultural experience in which these head teacher-media interactions take place, that is, the adjustment of the school system,…

Starship Life Support

Science.gov (United States)

Jones, Harry W.

2009-01-01

The design and mass cost of a starship and its life support system are investigated. The mission plan for a multi generational interstellar voyage to colonize a new planet is used to describe the starship design, including the crew habitat, accommodations, and life support. Only current technology is assumed. Highly reliable life support systems can be provided with reasonably small additional mass, suggesting that they can support long duration missions. Bioregenerative life support, growing crop plants that provide food, water, and oxygen, has been thought to need less mass than providing stored food for long duration missions. The large initial mass of hydroponics systems is paid for over time by saving the mass of stored food. However, the yearly logistics mass required to support a bioregenerative system exceeds the mass of food solids it produces, so that supplying stored dehydrated food always requires less mass than bioregenerative food production. A mixed system that grows about half the food and supplies the other half dehydrated has advantages that allow it to breakeven with stored dehydrated food in about 66 years. However, moderate increases in the hydroponics system mass to achieve high reliability, such as adding spares that double the system mass and replacing the initial system every 100 years, increase the mass cost of bioregenerative life support. In this case, the high reliability half food growing, half food supplying system does not breakeven for 389 years. An even higher reliability half and half system, with three times original system mass and replacing the system every 50 years, never breaks even. Growing food for starship life support requires more mass than providing dehydrated food, even for multigeneration voyages of hundreds of years. The benefits of growing some food may justify the added mass cost. Much more efficient recycling food production is wanted but may not be possible. A single multigenerational interstellar voyage to

The Cold Mass Support System and the Helium Cooling System for the MICE Focusing Solenoid

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yang, Stephanie Q.; Green, Michael A.; Lau, Wing W.; Senanayake, Rohan S.; Witte, Holger

2006-01-01

The heart of the absorber focus coil (AFC) module for the muon ionization cooling experiment (MICE) is the two-coil superconducting solenoid that surrounds the muon absorber. The superconducting magnet focuses the muons that are cooled using ionization cooling, in order to improve the efficiency of cooling. The coils of the magnet may either be run in the solenoid mode (both coils operate at the same polarity) or the gradient (the coils operate at opposite polarity). The AFC magnet cold mass support system is designed to carry a longitudinal force up to 700 kN. The AFC module will be cooled using three pulse tube coolers that produce 1.5 W of cooling at 4.2 K. One of the coolers will be used to cool the liquid (hydrogen or helium) absorber used for ionization cooling. The other two coolers will cool the superconducting solenoid. This report will describe the MICE AFC magnet. The cold mass supports will be discussed. The reasons for using a pulsed tube cooler to cool this superconducting magnet will also be discussed

Characterizing occipital condyle loads under high-speed head rotation.

Science.gov (United States)

Pintar, Frank A; Yoganandan, Narayan; Baisden, Jamie

2005-11-01

Because of the need to evaluate anthropomorphic test device (ATD) biofidelity under high-head angular accelerations, the purpose of the present investigation was to develop appropriate instrumentation for intact post mortem human subject (PMHS) testing, validate the instrumentation, and obtain information to characterize the response of the head-neck complex under this loading scenario. A series of rigid-arm pendulum, inertially loaded ATD tests was conducted. Head and neck ATD hydraulic piston chin pull tests were conducted. Subsequently, a series of PMHS tests was conducted to derive the response of the human head-neck under high-rate chin loading. Finally, Hybrid III and THOR-NT ATD head-neck systems were evaluated under the same scenario as the PMHS. A parametric analysis for center of gravity (CG) location and accelerometer orientation determined that even small errors (+/- 3 mm or 2 degrees), produced errors in the force and moment calculations by as much as 17 %. If the moment of inertia (MOI) term was varied by 5 %, resulting moment calculations were affected by as much as 8 %. If the 5 % error in MOI was used to compute occipital condyle moments, and results compared to upper load cell derived moments, peaks differed by as much as 24 %. The head CG and mass MOI should be directly measured for each preparation to obtain accurate results. The injury run on each specimen resulted in predominantly C1-C2 separations or partial separations. The 50(th) percentile probability of AIS=2+ neck injury using tensile force was about 2400 N; for AIS=3+ neck injury the 50(th) percentile risk was about 3180 N. When inserting extension moment as the criteria, the 50(th) percentile probability of an AIS=2+ injury was 51 Nm. The AIS=3+ extension moment at the 50(th) percentile probability was 75 Nm. The new THOR-NT ATD head-neck produced more biofidelic responses with an alternate head-neck junction design compared to the Hybrid III ATD.

Vestibular ablation and a semicircular canal prosthesis affect postural stability during head turns

Science.gov (United States)

Thompson, Lara A.; Haburcakova, Csilla; Lewis, Richard F.

2016-01-01

In our study, we examined postural stability during head turns for two rhesus monkeys: one, single animal study contrasted normal and mild bilateral vestibular ablation and a second animal study contrasted severe bilateral vestibular ablation with and without prosthetic stimulation. The monkeys freely stood, unrestrained on a balance platform and made voluntary head turns between visual targets. To quantify each animals’ posture, motions of the head and trunk, as well as torque about the body’s center-of-mass, were measured. In the mildly ablated animal, we observed less foretrunk sway in comparison to the normal state. When the canal prosthesis provided electric stimulation to the severely ablated animal, it showed a decrease in trunk sway during head turns. Because the rhesus monkey with severe bilateral vestibular loss exhibited a decrease in trunk sway when receiving vestibular prosthetic stimulation, we propose that the prosthetic electrical stimulation partially restored head velocity information. Our results provide an indication that a semicircular canal prosthesis may be an effective way to improve postural stability in patients with severe peripheral vestibular dysfunction. PMID:27405997

Results of the first continuous meteor head echo survey at polar latitudes

Science.gov (United States)

Schult, Carsten; Stober, Gunter; Janches, Diego; Chau, Jorge L.

2017-11-01

We present the first quasi continuous meteor head echo measurements obtained during a period of over two years using the Middle Atmosphere ALOMAR Radar System (MAARSY). The measurements yield information on the altitude, trajectory, vector velocity, radar cross section, deceleration and dynamical mass of every single event. The large statistical amount of nearly one million meteor head detections provide an excellent overview of the elevation, altitude, velocity and daily count rate distributions during different times of the year at polar latitudes. Only 40% of the meteors were detected within the full width half maximum of the specific sporadic meteor sources. Our observation of the sporadic meteors are compared to the observations with other radar systems and a meteor input function (MIF). The best way to compare different radar systems is by comparing the radar cross section (RCS), which is the main detection criterion for each system. In this study we aim to compare our observations with a MIF, which provides information only about the meteoroid mass. Thus, we are using a statistical approach for the elevation and velocity dependent visibility and a specific mass selection. The predicted absolute count rates from the MIF are in a good agreement with the observation when it is assumed that the radar system is only sensitive to meteoroids with masses higher than one microgram. The analysis of the dynamic masses seems to be consistent with this assumption since the count rate of events with smaller masses are low and decrease even more by using events with relatively small errors.

Livelihood Diversification Sources of Female Household Heads in ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Majority (65.8%) of FHH did not have external sources of financial assistance while 21.7% were supported by their children. The study concluded that livelihoods of FHH were diversified mainly within agriculture and trading enterprises. Key words: Livelihood diversification, Female household heads, Rural communities.

A Novel Instrumented Human Head Surrogate for the Impact Evaluation of Helmets

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nicola Petrone

2018-02-01

Full Text Available A novel Human Head Surrogate was obtained from available MRI scans of a 50th percentile male human head. Addictive manufacturing was used to produce the skull, the brain and the skin. All original MRI geometries were partially smoothed and adjusted to provide the best biofidelity compatible with printing and molding technology. The skull was 3D-printed in ABS and ten pressure sensors were placed into it. The brain surrogate was cast from silicon rubber in the 3D-printed plastic molds. Nine tri-axial accelerometers (placed at the tops of the lobes, at the sides of the lobes, in the cerebellum and in the center of mass and a three-axis gyroscope (at the center of mass were inserted into the silicon brain during casting. The cranium, after assembly with brain, was filled with silicon oil mimicking the cerebral fluid. Silicon rubber was cast in additional 3D-printed molds to form the skin surrounding the cranium. The skull base was adapted to be compatible with the Hybrid-III neck and allow the exit of brain sensors cabling. Preliminary experiments were carried out proving the functionality of the surrogate. Results showed how multiple accelerometers and pressure sensors allowed a better comprehension of the head complex motion during impacts.

Retrospective review of soft tissue sarcoma of head and neck in a ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Ayotunde James Fasunla

2012-10-10

Oct 10, 2012 ... Conclusion: Head and neck sarcomas are rare in West Africa. .... sive dysphagia, change in voice and cervical lymphadenopathy. .... graphic (CT) scan and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), ... or bleeding occurring within the tumour mass. .... Irregular and inconsistent irradiation therapy received by the.

What are Head Cavities? - A History of Studies on Vertebrate Head Segmentation.

Science.gov (United States)

Kuratani, Shigeru; Adachi, Noritaka

2016-06-01

Motivated by the discovery of segmental epithelial coeloms, or "head cavities," in elasmobranch embryos toward the end of the 19th century, the debate over the presence of mesodermal segments in the vertebrate head became a central problem in comparative embryology. The classical segmental view assumed only one type of metamerism in the vertebrate head, in which each metamere was thought to contain one head somite and one pharyngeal arch, innervated by a set of cranial nerves serially homologous to dorsal and ventral roots of spinal nerves. The non-segmental view, on the other hand, rejected the somite-like properties of head cavities. A series of small mesodermal cysts in early Torpedo embryos, which were thought to represent true somite homologs, provided a third possible view on the nature of the vertebrate head. Recent molecular developmental data have shed new light on the vertebrate head problem, explaining that head mesoderm evolved, not by the modification of rostral somites of an amphioxus-like ancestor, but through the polarization of unspecified paraxial mesoderm into head mesoderm anteriorly and trunk somites posteriorly.

Testing maternal depression and attachment style as moderators of Early Head Start's effects on parenting.

Science.gov (United States)

Berlin, Lisa J; Whiteside-Mansell, Leanne; Roggman, Lori A; Green, Beth L; Robinson, JoAnn; Spieker, Susan

2011-01-01

This study examined maternal depression, attachment avoidance, and attachment anxiety as moderators of Early Head Start's effects on four parenting outcomes assessed at age three. Participants (N = 947) were drawn from six sites of the Early Head Start National Research and Evaluation Project, a multi-site randomized trial. Findings suggest more positive program effects for mothers with less initial attachment avoidance or attachment anxiety. First, baseline attachment avoidance moderated Early Head Start program effects on observed maternal supportiveness, such that program mothers with lower baseline attachment avoidance were rated as more supportive of their three-year-olds than program mothers with higher baseline attachment avoidance. Second, program effects on spanking varied depending on mothers' baseline attachment anxiety.

A Universal Velocity Dispersion Profile for Pressure Supported Systems: Evidence for MONDian Gravity across Seven Orders of Magnitude in Mass

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Durazo, R.; Hernandez, X.; Sánchez, S. F. [Instituto de Astronomía, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Apartado Postal 70-264 C.P. 04510 México D.F., México (Mexico); Sodi, B. Cervantes [Instituto de Radioastronomía y Astrofísica, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Campus Morelia, A.P. 3-72, C.P. 58089 Michoacán, México (Mexico)

2017-03-10

For any MONDian extended theory of gravity where the rotation curves of spiral galaxies are explained through a change in physics rather than the hypothesis of dark matter, a generic dynamical behavior is expected for pressure supported systems: an outer flattening of the velocity dispersion profile occurring at a characteristic radius, where both the amplitude of this flat velocity dispersion and the radius at which it appears are predicted to show distinct scalings with the total mass of the system. By carefully analyzing the dynamics of globular clusters and elliptical galaxies, we are able to significantly extend the astronomical diversity of objects in which MONDian gravity has been tested, from spiral galaxies to the much larger mass range covered by pressure supported systems. We show that a universal projected velocity dispersion profile accurately describes various classes of pressure supported systems, and further, that the expectations of extended gravity are met across seven orders of magnitude in mass. These observed scalings are not expected under dark matter cosmology, and would require particular explanations tuned at the scales of each distinct astrophysical system.

Recognizing upper limb movements with wrist worn inertial sensors using k-means clustering classification.

Science.gov (United States)

Biswas, Dwaipayan; Cranny, Andy; Gupta, Nayaab; Maharatna, Koushik; Achner, Josy; Klemke, Jasmin; Jöbges, Michael; Ortmann, Steffen

2015-04-01

In this paper we present a methodology for recognizing three fundamental movements of the human forearm (extension, flexion and rotation) using pattern recognition applied to the data from a single wrist-worn, inertial sensor. We propose that this technique could be used as a clinical tool to assess rehabilitation progress in neurodegenerative pathologies such as stroke or cerebral palsy by tracking the number of times a patient performs specific arm movements (e.g. prescribed exercises) with their paretic arm throughout the day. We demonstrate this with healthy subjects and stroke patients in a simple proof of concept study in which these arm movements are detected during an archetypal activity of daily-living (ADL) - 'making-a-cup-of-tea'. Data is collected from a tri-axial accelerometer and a tri-axial gyroscope located proximal to the wrist. In a training phase, movements are initially performed in a controlled environment which are represented by a ranked set of 30 time-domain features. Using a sequential forward selection technique, for each set of feature combinations three clusters are formed using k-means clustering followed by 10 runs of 10-fold cross validation on the training data to determine the best feature combinations. For the testing phase, movements performed during the ADL are associated with each cluster label using a minimum distance classifier in a multi-dimensional feature space, comprised of the best ranked features, using Euclidean or Mahalanobis distance as the metric. Experiments were performed with four healthy subjects and four stroke survivors and our results show that the proposed methodology can detect the three movements performed during the ADL with an overall average accuracy of 88% using the accelerometer data and 83% using the gyroscope data across all healthy subjects and arm movement types. The average accuracy across all stroke survivors was 70% using accelerometer data and 66% using gyroscope data. We also use a Linear

Radial head button holing: a cause of irreducible anterior radial head dislocation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Shin, Su-Mi; Chai, Jee Won; You, Ja Yeon; Park, Jina [Seoul National University Seoul Metropolitan Government Boramae Medical Center, Department of Radiology, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Bae, Kee Jeong [Seoul National University Seoul Metropolitan Government Boramae Medical Center, Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

2016-10-15

''Buttonholing'' of the radial head through the anterior joint capsule is a known cause of irreducible anterior radial head dislocation associated with Monteggia injuries in pediatric patients. To the best of our knowledge, no report has described an injury consisting of buttonholing of the radial head through the annular ligament and a simultaneous radial head fracture in an adolescent. In the present case, the radiographic findings were a radial head fracture with anterior dislocation and lack of the anterior fat pad sign. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) clearly demonstrated anterior dislocation of the fractured radial head through the torn annular ligament. The anterior joint capsule and proximal portion of the annular ligament were interposed between the radial head and capitellum, preventing closed reduction of the radial head. Familiarity with this condition and imaging findings will aid clinicians to make a proper diagnosis and fast decision to perform an open reduction. (orig.)

SU-E-J-122: The CBCT Dose Calculation Using a Patient Specific CBCT Number to Mass Density Conversion Curve Based On a Novel Image Registration and Organ Mapping Method in Head-And-Neck Radiation Therapy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhou, J; Lasio, G; Chen, S; Zhang, B; Langen, K; Prado, K; D’Souza, W; Yi, B; Huang, J

2015-01-01

Purpose: To develop a CBCT HU correction method using a patient specific HU to mass density conversion curve based on a novel image registration and organ mapping method for head-and-neck radiation therapy. Methods: There are three steps to generate a patient specific CBCT HU to mass density conversion curve. First, we developed a novel robust image registration method based on sparseness analysis to register the planning CT (PCT) and the CBCT. Second, a novel organ mapping method was developed to transfer the organs at risk (OAR) contours from the PCT to the CBCT and corresponding mean HU values of each OAR were measured in both the PCT and CBCT volumes. Third, a set of PCT and CBCT HU to mass density conversion curves were created based on the mean HU values of OARs and the corresponding mass density of the OAR in the PCT. Then, we compared our proposed conversion curve with the traditional Catphan phantom based CBCT HU to mass density calibration curve. Both curves were input into the treatment planning system (TPS) for dose calculation. Last, the PTV and OAR doses, DVH and dose distributions of CBCT plans are compared to the original treatment plan. Results: One head-and-neck cases which contained a pair of PCT and CBCT was used. The dose differences between the PCT and CBCT plans using the proposed method are −1.33% for the mean PTV, 0.06% for PTV D95%, and −0.56% for the left neck. The dose differences between plans of PCT and CBCT corrected using the CATPhan based method are −4.39% for mean PTV, 4.07% for PTV D95%, and −2.01% for the left neck. Conclusion: The proposed CBCT HU correction method achieves better agreement with the original treatment plan compared to the traditional CATPhan based calibration method

SU-E-J-122: The CBCT Dose Calculation Using a Patient Specific CBCT Number to Mass Density Conversion Curve Based On a Novel Image Registration and Organ Mapping Method in Head-And-Neck Radiation Therapy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhou, J [University of Maryland School of Medicine, Bel Air, MD (United States); Lasio, G; Chen, S; Zhang, B; Langen, K; Prado, K; D’Souza, W [University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD (United States); Yi, B [Univ. of Maryland School Of Medicine, Baltimore, MD (United States); Huang, J [University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, TX (United States)

2015-06-15

Purpose: To develop a CBCT HU correction method using a patient specific HU to mass density conversion curve based on a novel image registration and organ mapping method for head-and-neck radiation therapy. Methods: There are three steps to generate a patient specific CBCT HU to mass density conversion curve. First, we developed a novel robust image registration method based on sparseness analysis to register the planning CT (PCT) and the CBCT. Second, a novel organ mapping method was developed to transfer the organs at risk (OAR) contours from the PCT to the CBCT and corresponding mean HU values of each OAR were measured in both the PCT and CBCT volumes. Third, a set of PCT and CBCT HU to mass density conversion curves were created based on the mean HU values of OARs and the corresponding mass density of the OAR in the PCT. Then, we compared our proposed conversion curve with the traditional Catphan phantom based CBCT HU to mass density calibration curve. Both curves were input into the treatment planning system (TPS) for dose calculation. Last, the PTV and OAR doses, DVH and dose distributions of CBCT plans are compared to the original treatment plan. Results: One head-and-neck cases which contained a pair of PCT and CBCT was used. The dose differences between the PCT and CBCT plans using the proposed method are −1.33% for the mean PTV, 0.06% for PTV D95%, and −0.56% for the left neck. The dose differences between plans of PCT and CBCT corrected using the CATPhan based method are −4.39% for mean PTV, 4.07% for PTV D95%, and −2.01% for the left neck. Conclusion: The proposed CBCT HU correction method achieves better agreement with the original treatment plan compared to the traditional CATPhan based calibration method.

Pseudoaneurysm of the occipital artery: an unusual cause of persisting headache after minor head injury.

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

Aquilina, K

2012-02-03

Post-traumatic pseudoaneurysms of the extracranial arteries in the scalp are uncommon sequelae of head injury. We report on a patient who presented four weeks after a minor head injury with a tender, pulsating and enlarging mass in the course of the left occipital artery. There was associated headache radiating to the vertex. Computed tomographic angiography confirmed the lesion to be a pseudoaneurysm of the occipital artery. The lump was resected with complete resolution of symptoms.

Head impact exposure measured in a single youth football team during practice drills.

Science.gov (United States)

Kelley, Mireille E; Kane, Joeline M; Espeland, Mark A; Miller, Logan E; Powers, Alexander K; Stitzel, Joel D; Urban, Jillian E

2017-11-01

OBJECTIVE This study evaluated the frequency, magnitude, and location of head impacts in practice drills within a youth football team to determine how head impact exposure varies among different types of drills. METHODS On-field head impact data were collected from athletes participating in a youth football team for a single season. Each athlete wore a helmet instrumented with a Head Impact Telemetry (HIT) System head acceleration measurement device during all preseason, regular season, and playoff practices. Video was recorded for all practices, and video analysis was performed to verify head impacts and assign each head impact to a specific drill. Eleven drills were identified: dummy/sled tackling, install, special teams, Oklahoma, one-on-one, open-field tackling, passing, position skill work, multiplayer tackle, scrimmage, and tackling drill stations. Generalized linear models were fitted to log-transformed data, and Wald tests were used to assess differences in head accelerations and impact rates. RESULTS A total of 2125 impacts were measured during 30 contact practices in 9 athletes (mean age 11.1 ± 0.6 years, mean mass 44.9 ± 4.1 kg). Open-field tackling had the highest median and 95th percentile linear accelerations (24.7 g and 97.8 g, respectively) and resulted in significantly higher mean head accelerations than several other drills. The multiplayer tackle drill resulted in the highest head impact frequency, with an average of 0.59 impacts per minute per athlete, but the lowest 95th percentile linear accelerations of all drills. The front of the head was the most common impact location for all drills except dummy/sled tackling. CONCLUSIONS Head impact exposure varies significantly in youth football practice drills, with several drills exposing athletes to high-magnitude and/or high-frequency head impacts. These data suggest that further study of practice drills is an important step in developing evidence-based recommendations for modifying or eliminating

Computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging findings of peripheral primitive neuroectodermal tumors of the head and neck

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang Weidong; Chen Yanfeng; Li Chuanxing; Zhang Liang; Xu Zhibin; Zhang Fujun

2011-01-01

Purpose: We aimed to analyze the computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings of peripheral primitive neuroectodermal tumor (pPNET) of the head and neck. Methods: Eight patients with pPNET of the head and neck confirmed by histopathological examination were analyzed retrospectively. Results: The average patient age was 8 years. The tumor location in the 8 patients was as follows: maxillofacial region (right, 2; left, 1), left maxillary sinus (1), right masticator space (1), left carotid space (1), right infratemporal fossa (1), and left parotid gland (1). All 5 patients who underwent CT demonstrated ill-defined soft masses and no calcification. Three patients with tumors in the maxillofacial region showed homogeneous small masses and a mild enhancement. The patient with left maxillary sinus tumor showed a heterogeneous mass with patchy, necrotic foci and mild heterogeneous enhancement. The patient with right masticator space tumor showed a heterogeneous mass, and marked heterogeneous enhancement. The T1-weighted images of the patients with right infratemporal fossa, left carotid space, and left parotid gland tumors were isointense. The T2-weighted images were heterogeneous and mildly hyperintense in 2 patients and hyperintense in 1 patient. Heterogeneous intermediate enhancement was demonstrated in 2 patients and mild ring enhancement in 1 patient. Conclusion: The imaging features of pPNET of the head and neck are non-specific. An ill-defined, aggressive mass and variable enhancement on CT and MR images may suggest the diagnosis of pPNET. Peripheral PNET should be included in the differential diagnosis of children and adolescents' regional tumors.

Computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging findings of peripheral primitive neuroectodermal tumors of the head and neck

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhang Weidong [State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Department of Radiology, Cancer Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510060 (China); Chen Yanfeng [State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Cancer Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510060 (China); Li Chuanxing; Zhang Liang; Xu Zhibin [State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Department of Radiology, Cancer Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510060 (China); Zhang Fujun, E-mail: drzhangfj@163.com [State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Department of Radiology, Cancer Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510060 (China)

2011-11-15

Purpose: We aimed to analyze the computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings of peripheral primitive neuroectodermal tumor (pPNET) of the head and neck. Methods: Eight patients with pPNET of the head and neck confirmed by histopathological examination were analyzed retrospectively. Results: The average patient age was 8 years. The tumor location in the 8 patients was as follows: maxillofacial region (right, 2; left, 1), left maxillary sinus (1), right masticator space (1), left carotid space (1), right infratemporal fossa (1), and left parotid gland (1). All 5 patients who underwent CT demonstrated ill-defined soft masses and no calcification. Three patients with tumors in the maxillofacial region showed homogeneous small masses and a mild enhancement. The patient with left maxillary sinus tumor showed a heterogeneous mass with patchy, necrotic foci and mild heterogeneous enhancement. The patient with right masticator space tumor showed a heterogeneous mass, and marked heterogeneous enhancement. The T1-weighted images of the patients with right infratemporal fossa, left carotid space, and left parotid gland tumors were isointense. The T2-weighted images were heterogeneous and mildly hyperintense in 2 patients and hyperintense in 1 patient. Heterogeneous intermediate enhancement was demonstrated in 2 patients and mild ring enhancement in 1 patient. Conclusion: The imaging features of pPNET of the head and neck are non-specific. An ill-defined, aggressive mass and variable enhancement on CT and MR images may suggest the diagnosis of pPNET. Peripheral PNET should be included in the differential diagnosis of children and adolescents' regional tumors.

Environmental and Physiological Factors Affect Football Head Impact Biomechanics.

Science.gov (United States)

Mihalik, Jason P; Sumrall, Adam Z; Yeargin, Susan W; Guskiewicz, Kevin M; King, Kevin B; Trulock, Scott C; Shields, Edgar W

2017-10-01

Recent anecdotal trends suggest a disproportionate number of head injuries in collegiate football players occur during preseason football camp. In warmer climates, this season also represents the highest risk for heat-related illness among collegiate football players. Because concussion and heat illnesses share many common symptoms, we need 1) to understand if environmental conditions, body temperature, and hydration status affect head impact biomechanics; and 2) to determine if an in-helmet thermistor could provide a valid measure of gastrointestinal temperature. A prospective cohort of 18 Division I college football players (age, 21.1 ± 1.4 yr; height, 187.7 ± 6.6 cm; mass, 114.5 ± 23.4 kg). Data were collected during one control and three experimental sessions. During each session, the Head Impact Telemetry System recorded head impact biomechanics (linear acceleration, rotational acceleration, and severity profile) and in-helmet temperature. A wet bulb globe device recorded environmental conditions, and CorTemp™ Ingestible Core Body Temperature Sensors recorded gastrointestinal temperature. Our findings suggest that linear acceleration (P = 0.57), rotational acceleration (P = 0.16), and Head Impact Technology severity profile (P = 0.33) are not influenced by environmental or physiological conditions. We did not find any single or combination of predictors for impact severity. Rotational acceleration was approaching significance between our early experimental sessions when compared with our control session. More research should be conducted to better understand if rotational accelerations are a component of impact magnitudes that are affected due to changes in environmental conditions, body temperature, and hydration status.

Player and Game Characteristics and Head Impacts in Female Youth Ice Hockey Players.

Science.gov (United States)

Reed, Nick; Taha, Tim; Greenwald, Richard; Keightley, Michelle

2017-08-01

  Despite the growing popularity of ice hockey among female youth and interest in the biomechanics of head impacts in sport, the head impacts sustained by this population have yet to be characterized.   To describe the number of, biomechanical characteristics of, and exposure to head impacts of female youth ice hockey players during competition and to investigate the influences of player and game characteristics on head impacts.   Cohort study.   Twenty-seven female youth ice hockey players (mean age = 12.5 ± 0.52 years) wore instrumented ice hockey helmets during 66 ice hockey games over a 3-year period. Data specific to player, game, and biomechanical head impact characteristics were recorded. A multiple regression analysis identified factors most associated with head impacts of greater frequency and severity.   A total of 436 total head impacts were sustained during 6924 minutes of active ice hockey participation (0.9 ± 0.6 impacts per player per game; range, 0-2.1). A higher body mass index (BMI) significantly predicted a higher number of head impacts sustained per game (P = .008). Linear acceleration of head impacts was greater in older players and those who played the forward position, had a greater BMI, and spent more time on the ice (P = .008), whereas greater rotational acceleration was present in older players who had a greater BMI and played the forward position (P = .008). During tournament games, increased ice time predicted increased severity of head impacts (P = .03).   This study reveals for the first time that head impacts are occurring in female youth ice hockey players, albeit at a lower rate and severity than in male youth ice hockey players, despite the lack of intentional body checking.

Interferometric Meteor Head Echo Observations using the Southern Argentina Agile Meteor Radar (SAAMER)

Science.gov (United States)

Janches, D.; Hocking, W.; Pifko, S.; Hormaechea, J. L.; Fritts, D. C.; Brunini, C; Michell, R.; Samara, M.

2013-01-01

A radar meteor echo is the radar scattering signature from the free-electrons in a plasma trail generated by entry of extraterrestrial particles into the atmosphere. Three categories of scattering mechanisms exist: specular, nonspecular trails, and head-echoes. Generally, there are two types of radars utilized to detect meteors. Traditional VHF meteor radars (often called all-sky1radars) primarily detect the specular reflection of meteor trails traveling perpendicular to the line of sight of the scattering trail, while High Power and Large Aperture (HPLA) radars efficiently detect meteor head-echoes and, in some cases, non-specular trails. The fact that head-echo measurements can be performed only with HPLA radars limits these studies in several ways. HPLA radars are very sensitive instruments constraining the studies to the lower masses, and these observations cannot be performed continuously because they take place at national observatories with limited allocated observing time. These drawbacks can be addressed by developing head echo observing techniques with modified all-sky meteor radars. In addition, the fact that the simultaneous detection of all different scattering mechanisms can be made with the same instrument, rather than requiring assorted different classes of radars, can help clarify observed differences between the different methodologies. In this study, we demonstrate that such concurrent observations are now possible, enabled by the enhanced design of the Southern Argentina Agile Meteor Radar (SAAMER) deployed at the Estacion Astronomica Rio Grande (EARG) in Tierra del Fuego, Argentina. The results presented here are derived from observations performed over a period of 12 days in August 2011, and include meteoroid dynamical parameter distributions, radiants and estimated masses. Overall, the SAAMER's head echo detections appear to be produced by larger particles than those which have been studied thus far using this technique.

Heading-vector navigation based on head-direction cells and path integration.

Science.gov (United States)

Kubie, John L; Fenton, André A

2009-05-01

Insect navigation is guided by heading vectors that are computed by path integration. Mammalian navigation models, on the other hand, are typically based on map-like place representations provided by hippocampal place cells. Such models compute optimal routes as a continuous series of locations that connect the current location to a goal. We propose a "heading-vector" model in which head-direction cells or their derivatives serve both as key elements in constructing the optimal route and as the straight-line guidance during route execution. The model is based on a memory structure termed the "shortcut matrix," which is constructed during the initial exploration of an environment when a set of shortcut vectors between sequential pairs of visited waypoint locations is stored. A mechanism is proposed for calculating and storing these vectors that relies on a hypothesized cell type termed an "accumulating head-direction cell." Following exploration, shortcut vectors connecting all pairs of waypoint locations are computed by vector arithmetic and stored in the shortcut matrix. On re-entry, when local view or place representations query the shortcut matrix with a current waypoint and goal, a shortcut trajectory is retrieved. Since the trajectory direction is in head-direction compass coordinates, navigation is accomplished by tracking the firing of head-direction cells that are tuned to the heading angle. Section 1 of the manuscript describes the properties of accumulating head-direction cells. It then shows how accumulating head-direction cells can store local vectors and perform vector arithmetic to perform path-integration-based homing. Section 2 describes the construction and use of the shortcut matrix for computing direct paths between any pair of locations that have been registered in the shortcut matrix. In the discussion, we analyze the advantages of heading-based navigation over map-based navigation. Finally, we survey behavioral evidence that nonhippocampal

Head injury: audit of a clinical guideline to justify head CT

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Haydon, Nicholas B.

2013-01-01

Head injury causes significant morbidity and mortality, and there is contention about which patients to scan. The UK National Health Service Clinical Guideline (CG) 56 provides criteria for selecting patients with clinically important brain injury who may benefit from a head CT scan, while minimising the radiation and economic burden of scanning patients without significant injury. This study aims to audit the documentation of the use of these guidelines in a busy UK trauma hospital and discusses the comparison with an Australian (New South Wales (NSW) ) head injury guideline. A retrospective cohort study of 480 patients presenting with head injury to the emergency department over 2 months was performed. The patient notes were assessed for documentation of each aspect of the clinical guidelines. Criteria were established to assess the utilisation of the CG 56. A database of clinical data was amalgamated with the head CT scan results for each patient. For the UK CG 56, 73% of the criteria were documented, with the least documented being 'signs of basal skull fracture' and 'amnesia of events'. Thirty-two per cent of patients received head CT and of these, 24% (37 patients) were reported to have pathology. Twenty-four patients underwent head CT without clinical justification being documented, none of which had reported pathology on CT. The study shows that the head injury guidelines are not being fully utilised at a major UK trauma hospital, resulting in 5% of patients being exposed to ionising radiation without apparent documented clinical justification. The NSW guideline has distinct differences to the CG 56, with a more complex algorithm and an absence of specific time frames for head CT completion. The results suggest a need for further education and awareness of head injury clinical guidelines.

A Physical Activity Reference Data-Set Recorded from Older Adults Using Body-Worn Inertial Sensors and Video Technology—The ADAPT Study Data-Set

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alan Kevin Bourke

2017-03-01

Full Text Available Physical activity monitoring algorithms are often developed using conditions that do not represent real-life activities, not developed using the target population, or not labelled to a high enough resolution to capture the true detail of human movement. We have designed a semi-structured supervised laboratory-based activity protocol and an unsupervised free-living activity protocol and recorded 20 older adults performing both protocols while wearing up to 12 body-worn sensors. Subjects’ movements were recorded using synchronised cameras (≥25 fps, both deployed in a laboratory environment to capture the in-lab portion of the protocol and a body-worn camera for out-of-lab activities. Video labelling of the subjects’ movements was performed by five raters using 11 different category labels. The overall level of agreement was high (percentage of agreement >90.05%, and Cohen’s Kappa, corrected kappa, Krippendorff’s alpha and Fleiss’ kappa >0.86. A total of 43.92 h of activities were recorded, including 9.52 h of in-lab and 34.41 h of out-of-lab activities. A total of 88.37% and 152.01% of planned transitions were recorded during the in-lab and out-of-lab scenarios, respectively. This study has produced the most detailed dataset to date of inertial sensor data, synchronised with high frame-rate (≥25 fps video labelled data recorded in a free-living environment from older adults living independently. This dataset is suitable for validation of existing activity classification systems and development of new activity classification algorithms.

Edge loading in metal-on-metal hips: low clearance is a new risk factor.

Science.gov (United States)

Underwood, Richard J; Zografos, Angelos; Sayles, Ritchie S; Hart, Alister; Cann, Philippa

2012-03-01

The revision rate of large head metal-on-metal and resurfacing hips are significantly higher than conventional total hip replacements. The revision of these components has been linked to high wear caused by edge loading; which occurs when the head-cup contact patch extends over the cup rim. There are two current explanations for this; first, there is loss of entrainment of synovial fluid resulting in breakdown of the lubricating film and second, edge loading results in a large local increase in contact pressure and consequent film thickness reduction at the cup rim, which causes an increase in wear. This paper develops a method to calculate the distance between the joint reaction force vector and the cup rim--the contact patch centre to rim (CPCR) distance. However, the critical distance for the risk of edge loading is the distance from the contact patch edge to rim (CPER) distance. An analysis of explanted hip components, divided into edge worn and non-edge-worn components showed that there was no statistical difference in CPCR values, but the CPER value was significantly lower for edge worn hips. Low clearance hips, which have a more conformal contact, have a larger diameter contact patch and thus are more at risk of edge loading for similarly positioned hips.

Head Trauma: First Aid

Science.gov (United States)

First aid Head trauma: First aid Head trauma: First aid By Mayo Clinic Staff Most head trauma involves injuries that are minor and don't require ... 21, 2015 Original article: http://www.mayoclinic.org/first-aid/first-aid-head-trauma/basics/ART-20056626 . Mayo ...

Head and neck cancer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vogl, S.E.

1988-01-01

This book contains 10 chapters. Some of the titles are: Combined Surgical Resection and Irradiation for Head and Neck Cancers; Analysis of Radiation Therapy Oncology Group Head and Neck Database: Identification of Prognostic Factors and the Re-evaluation of American Joint Committee Stages; Combined Modality Approach to Head and Neck Cancer; Induction Combination Chemotherapy of Regionally Advanced Head and Neck Cancer; and Outcome after Complete Remission to Induction Chemotherapy in Head and Neck Cancer

Effect of head restraint backset on head-neck kinematics in whiplash.

Science.gov (United States)

Stemper, Brian D; Yoganandan, Narayan; Pintar, Frank A

2006-03-01

Although head restraints were introduced in the 1960s as a countermeasure for whiplash, their limited effectiveness has been attributed to incorrect positioning. The effect of backset on cervical segmental angulations, which were previously correlated with spinal injury, has not been delineated. Therefore, the practical restraint position to minimize injury remains unclear. A parametric study of increasing head restraint backset between 0 and 140mm was conducted using a comprehensively validated computational model. Head retraction values increased with increasing backset, reaching a maximum value of 53.5mm for backsets greater than 60mm. Segmental angulation magnitudes, greatest at levels C5-C6 and C6-C7, reached maximum values during the retraction phase and increased with increasing backset. Results were compared to a previously published head restraint rating system, wherein lower cervical extension magnitudes from this study exceeded mean physiologic limits for restraint positions rated good, acceptable, marginal, and poor. As head restraint contact was the limiting factor in head retraction and segmental angulations, the present study indicates that minimizing whiplash injury may be accomplished by limiting head restraint backset to less than 60mm either passively or actively after impact.

Head posture and cervicovertebral and craniofacial morphology in patients with craniomandibular dysfunction.

Science.gov (United States)

Huggare, J A; Raustia, A M

1992-07-01

A relationship between particular characteristics of dental occlusion and craniomandibular disorders (CMD) has been reported, while less attention has been focused on the possible effect of dysfunction of the masticatory system on head posture or cervicovertebral and craniofacial morphology. Natural head position roentgen-cephalograms of 16 young adults with complete dentition taken before and after stomatognathic treatment displayed an extended head posture, smaller size of the uppermost cervical vertebrae, decreased posterior to anterior face height ratio, and a flattened cranial base as compared with age- and sex-matched healthy controls. The lordosis of the cervical spine straightened after stomatognathic treatment. The results are an indication of the close interrelationship between the masticatory muscle system and the muscles supporting the head, and lead to speculation on the principles of treating craniomandibular disorders.

Off with your heads: isolated organs in early Soviet science and fiction

Science.gov (United States)

Krementsov, Nikolai

2009-01-01

In the summer of 1925, a debutant writer, Aleksandr Beliaev, published a ‘scientific-fantastic story’, which depicted the travails of a severed human head living in a laboratory, supported by special machinery. Just a few months later, a young medical researcher, Sergei Briukhonenko, succeeded in reviving the severed head of a dog, using a special apparatus he had devised to keep the head alive. This paper examines the relationship between the literary and the scientific experiments with severed heads in post-revolutionary Russia, which reflected the anxieties about death, revival, and survival in the aftermath of the 1914–1923 ‘reign of death’ in that country. It contrasts the anguished ethical questions raised by the story with the public fascination for ‘science that conquers death’. PMID:19442924

Relationship between head posture and lumbar curve in a sitting position: a biomechanical study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rozilene Maria Cota Aroeira

Full Text Available Abstract Introduction: The sitting position routinely used for a wide variety of tasks increases the potential of developing forward head posture, which can seriously compromise the health of different systems in the human body. Objective: A static equilibrium analysis was conducted, comparing the position of the head with the lumbar curve in three different sitting positions. Methods: The approximate force and flexion moment of the head extensor muscles in static equilibrium was calculated in each of the following positions: (A without a backrest; (B using a backrest with a 100° tilt angle; (C using a 100° tilted backrest associated with a cylindrical lumbar support cushion at the level of the L3 vertebra. Results: The C7-tragus angles were 43°, 50° and 52°; Frankfort horizontal plane (FH angles were 5°, 9° and 9°; force of the head extensor muscles was 53.0N, 59.7N and 43.5N and flexion moments were 2.60Nm, 2.05Nm and 1.78Nm, in positions A, B and C, respectively. Conclusion: The results revealed that the sitting position using a 100° tilted backrest and lumbar support with the smallest L3-tragus horizontal distance required less effort by the head and neck extensor muscles to retain the head in equilibrium. This study demonstrated the need to preserve the physiology of the lumbar spine, characterized by the position of the L3 vertebra, in order to ensure good head position.

EmptyHeaded: A Relational Engine for Graph Processing.

Science.gov (United States)

Aberger, Christopher R; Tu, Susan; Olukotun, Kunle; Ré, Christopher

2016-01-01

There are two types of high-performance graph processing engines: low- and high-level engines. Low-level engines (Galois, PowerGraph, Snap) provide optimized data structures and computation models but require users to write low-level imperative code, hence ensuring that efficiency is the burden of the user. In high-level engines, users write in query languages like datalog (SociaLite) or SQL (Grail). High-level engines are easier to use but are orders of magnitude slower than the low-level graph engines. We present EmptyHeaded, a high-level engine that supports a rich datalog-like query language and achieves performance comparable to that of low-level engines. At the core of EmptyHeaded's design is a new class of join algorithms that satisfy strong theoretical guarantees but have thus far not achieved performance comparable to that of specialized graph processing engines. To achieve high performance, EmptyHeaded introduces a new join engine architecture, including a novel query optimizer and data layouts that leverage single-instruction multiple data (SIMD) parallelism. With this architecture, EmptyHeaded outperforms high-level approaches by up to three orders of magnitude on graph pattern queries, PageRank, and Single-Source Shortest Paths (SSSP) and is an order of magnitude faster than many low-level baselines. We validate that EmptyHeaded competes with the best-of-breed low-level engine (Galois), achieving comparable performance on PageRank and at most 3× worse performance on SSSP.

Experimental investigation of creep behavior of reactor vessel lower head

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chu, T.Y.; Pilch, M.; Bentz, J.H.; Behbahani, A.

1998-03-01

The objective of the USNRC supported Lower Head Failure (LHF) Experiment Program at Sandia National Laboratories is to experimentally investigate and characterize the failure of the reactor pressure vessel (RPV) lower head due to the thermal and pressure loads of a severe accident. The experimental program is complemented by a modeling program focused on the development of a constitutive formulation for use in standard finite element structure mechanics codes. The problem is of importance because: lower head failure defines the initial conditions of all ex-vessel events; the inability of state-of-the-art models to simulate the result of the TMI-II accident (Stickler, et al. 1993); and TMI-II results suggest the possibility of in-vessel cooling, and creep deformation may be a precursor to water ingression leading to in-vessel cooling

Use of the GPK cutter loader to drive headings. [USSR

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Vasil' tsov, A.N.

1985-01-01

Mine drivage work is described at the Novovolynskaya mine of the Ukrzapadugol' organization with an output of 520,000 t/y, daily output 1457 t. Two seams 0.6-1.8 m thick are worked at depths of 360-380 m. There is a catagory I methane hazard and a hazard of coal dust explosions. Almost all heading drivage is performed using the GPK cutter loader. The AKP-3/9.2 yielding arch support is used in headings, with an interval of 0.8 m between arches. Local ventilation blowers provide air through 600 mm pipes. Suction dust collectors and spraying are used at the face. Details are given of work organization and maintenance procedures. No serious or fatal accidents were recorded during heading drivage between 1981 and 1984.

A novel featureless approach to mass detection in digital mammograms based on support vector machines

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Campanini, Renato [Department of Physics, University of Bologna, and INFN, Bologna (Italy); Dongiovanni, Danilo [Department of Physics, University of Bologna, and INFN, Bologna (Italy); Iampieri, Emiro [Department of Physics, University of Bologna, and INFN, Bologna (Italy); Lanconelli, Nico [Department of Physics, University of Bologna, and INFN, Bologna (Italy); Masotti, Matteo [Department of Physics, University of Bologna, and INFN, Bologna (Italy); Palermo, Giuseppe [Department of Physics, University of Bologna, and INFN, Bologna (Italy); Riccardi, Alessandro [Department of Physics, University of Bologna, and INFN, Bologna (Italy); Roffilli, Matteo [Department of Computer Science, University of Bologna, Bologna (Italy)

2004-03-21

In this work, we present a novel approach to mass detection in digital mammograms. The great variability of the appearance of masses is the main obstacle to building a mass detection method. It is indeed demanding to characterize all the varieties of masses with a reduced set of features. Hence, in our approach we have chosen not to extract any feature, for the detection of the region of interest; in contrast, we exploit all the information available on the image. A multiresolution overcomplete wavelet representation is performed, in order to codify the image with redundancy of information. The vectors of the very-large space obtained are then provided to a first support vector machine (SVM) classifier. The detection task is considered here as a two-class pattern recognition problem: crops are classified as suspect or not, by using this SVM classifier. False candidates are eliminated with a second cascaded SVM. To further reduce the number of false positives, an ensemble of experts is applied: the final suspect regions are achieved by using a voting strategy. The sensitivity of the presented system is nearly 80% with a false-positive rate of 1.1 marks per image, estimated on images coming from the USF DDSM database.

Selection, Training and Simulation

Science.gov (United States)

2000-03-01

most Neck training, Altitudetehamber, PBG, Gas nixtures, Trampoline , important in flying. In years to come we will have a Statoergometer, Raling...superagile world, are mentioned neck, more if X-tra head worn equipment is used put below. a lot of stress to this system. In addition stress will 6-6 be...acceleration Pilot selection criteria like body-type, heart-cerebral forces, mainly head to foot (Gz). The heart itself is distance, vagal and sympathetic nerve

Correcting mass shifts: A lock mass-free recalibration procedure for mass spectrometry imaging data

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Kulkarni, P.; Kaftan, F.; Kynast, P.; Svatoš, Aleš; Böcker, S.

2015-01-01

Roč. 407, č. 25 (2015), s. 7603-7613 ISSN 1618-2642 Institutional support: RVO:61388963 Keywords : mass spectrometry imaging * recalibration * mass shift correction * data processing Subject RIV: CB - Analytical Chemistry , Separation Impact factor: 3.125, year: 2015

The Clinical Role of 99mTc-(V)-DMSA Imaging in Patients with Head and Neck Cancer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bae, Sun Kun; Lee, Jae Tae; Park, June Sik

1995-01-01

99m Tc-(V)-DMSA is a tumor seeking agent that has been used to image medullary carcinoma of thyroid, soft tissue sarcoma and lung cancer. This study was designed to assess the clinical role of DMSA in the diagnosis of head and neck cancers. We has evaluated the diagnostic efficacy of planar and SPECT imaging using 99m Tc-(V)-DMSA. Sixty-eight patients with head and neck mass were included in this study. All subjects were diagnosed by biopsy or surgery. Planar and SPECT images were obtained at 2 or 3 hour after intravenous injection of 740 MBq(20 mCi) 99m Tc-(V)-DMSA. Seventeen patients also underwent SPECT imaging using dual head camera. The diagnostic sensitivity of 99m Tc-(V)-DMSA planar and SPECT imaging was 65% and 90%, and specificity was 80% and 66%, respectively. The sensitivity of planar imaging in squamous cell carcinoma was similar to overall sensitivity. Six metastatic lesion were first diagnosed by scintigraphy. But benign lesions such as Kikuchi syndrome, tuberculous lymphadenitis also revealed increased uptake. 99m Tc-(V)-DMSA imaging seems to be a promising method in the evaluation of patients with head and neck mass. We recommend SPECT imaging to delineate anatomic localization of the lesion.

Rapidly enlarging neck mass in a neonate causing airway compromise

OpenAIRE

Schmidt, Kyra; Leal, Andres; McGill, Thomas; Jacob, Roy

2016-01-01

Up to 20% of all congenital pediatric head and neck masses are branchial cleft cysts. Second branchial cleft cysts account for 95% of branchial anomalies, and fourth branchial cleft cysts are the rarest type. Their typical presentations include non–life-threatening symptoms, such as drainage, skin irritations, minor swelling, and tenderness. We describe a 5-week-old neonate with increasing stridor secondary to a rapidly growing neck mass. Imaging and surgical excision confirmed the mass to be...

48 CFR 719.271-4 - Heads of contracting activities.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... DEVELOPMENT SOCIOECONOMIC PROGRAMS SMALL BUSINESS PROGRAMS Policies 719.271-4 Heads of contracting activities. In order for the agency small business program to be effective, the active support of top management... made by SDB; (b) Consulting with SDB in establishing small business and minority business enterprise...

Steady-state flow in a rock mass intersected by permeable fracture zones

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lindbom, B.

1986-12-01

Level 1 of HYDROCOIN consists of seven well-defined test problems. This paper is concerned with Case 2, which is formulated as a generic groundwater flow situation often found in crystalline rock with highly permeable fracture zones in a less permeable rock mass. The case is two-dimensional and modelled with 8-noded, isoparametric, rectangular elements. According to the case definition, calculations of hydraulic head and particle tracking are performed. The computations are carried out with varying degree of discretisation in order to analyse possible impact on the result with respect to nodal density. Further calculations have been performed mainly devoted to mass balance deviations and how these are affected by permeability contrasts, varying degree of spatial discretisation and distortion of finite elements. The distribution of hydraulic head in the domain is less sensitive to differences in nodal density than the trajectories. The hydraulic heads show similar behaviour for three meshes with varying degrees of discretisation. The particle tracking seems to be more sensitive to the level of discretisation. The results obtained with a coarse and medium mesh indicate completely different solutions for one of the pathlines. The coarse mesh is too sparsely discretised for the specified problem. The local mass balance is evaluated for seven runs. The mass balance deviation seems to be considerably more sensitive to the level of discretisation than to both permeability contrasts and deformation of elements. The permeability contrasts between the rock mass and fracture zones vary from a factor of 1000 to 1 (homogeneous properties) with increments of a factor of 10. These calculations in fact give better mass balance with increasing permeability contrasts, contrary to what could be expected. (orig./HP)

[Clinical analysis of vocal fold firbrous mass].

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Hao; Sun, Jing Wu; Wan, Guang Lun; Hu, Yan Ming

2018-03-01

To explore the character of laryngoscopy finding, voice, and therapy of vocal fold fibrous mass. Clinical data, morphology, voice character, surgery and pathology of 15 cases with vocal fold fibrous mass were analyzed. The morbidity of vocal fold fibrous mass might be related to overuse of voice and laryngopharyngeal reflex. Laryngoscopy revealed shuttle line appearance, smoothness and decreased mucosal wave of vocal fold. These patients were invalid for voice training and might be improved by surgery, but recovery is slow. The morbidity of vocal fold fibrous mass might be related to overuse of voice and laryngopharyngeal reflex. Conservative treatment is ineffective for this disease, and surgery might improve. Copyright© by the Editorial Department of Journal of Clinical Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery.

Cultivating Leadership Development for Support Staff.

Science.gov (United States)

Russell, Sharon

1997-01-01

Describes an urban school district's focus on leadership development for support staff. The project identified and trained 500 front-line supervisors representing office managers, food service managers, head custodians, and district maintenance supervisors. This paper explains program design, objectives, participants, management support, content,…

Waste rice seed in conventional and stripper-head harvested fields in California: Implications for wintering waterfowl

Science.gov (United States)

Fleskes, Joseph P.; Halstead, Brian J.; Casazza, Michael L.; Coates, Peter S.; Kohl, Jeffrey D.; Skalos, Daniel A.

2012-01-01

Waste rice seed is an important food for wintering waterfowl and current estimates of its availability are needed to determine the carrying capacity of rice fields and guide habitat conservation. We used a line-intercept method to estimate mass-density of rice seed remaining after harvest during 2010 in the Sacramento Valley (SACV) of California and compared results with estimates from previous studies in the SACV and Mississippi Alluvial Valley (MAV). Posterior mean (95% credible interval) estimates of total waste rice seed mass-density for the SACV in 2010 were 388 (336–449) kg/ha in conventionally harvested fields and 245 (198–307) kg/ha in stripper-head harvested fields; the 2010 mass-density is nearly identical to the mid-1980s estimate for conventionally harvested fields but 36% lower than the mid-1990s estimate for stripped fields. About 18% of SACV fields were stripper-head harvested in 2010 vs. 9–15% in the mid-1990s and 0% in the mid-1980s; but due to a 50% increase in planted rice area, total mass of waste rice seed in SACV remaining after harvest in 2010 was 43% greater than in the mid-1980s. However, total mass of seed-eating waterfowl also increased 82%, and the ratio of waste rice seed to seed-eating waterfowl mass was 21% smaller in 2010 than in the mid-1980s. Mass-densities of waste rice remaining after harvest in SACV fields are within the range reported for MAV fields. However, because there is a lag between harvest and waterfowl use in the MAV but not in the SACV, seed loss is greater in the MAV and estimated waste seed mass-density available to wintering waterfowl in SACV fields is about 5–30 times recent MAV estimates. Waste rice seed remains an abundant food source for waterfowl wintering in the SACV, but increased use of stripper-head harvesters would reduce this food. To provide accurate data on carrying capacities of rice fields necessary for conservation planning, trends in planted rice area, harvest method, and postharvest field

Multiple paragangliomas of head and neck associated with hepatic paraganglioma: a case report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xiao, Zebin; She, Dejun; Cao, Dairong

2015-01-01

Paragangliomas (PGs) are neuroendocrine tumors derived embryonically from the neural crest cells of the autonomic nervous system. Approximately 3 % of all paragangliomas occur in the head and neck area. Head and neck paragangliomas (HNPGs) are rare and highly vascularized tumors, the majority of which are benign. Multiple HNPGs with hepatic paraganglioma are exceedingly rare. We report a 59-year-old male patient with a 40-year history of an enlarged mass at the right side of the neck and two months of epigastric discomfort. Neck physical examination revealed a 6 × 6 cm, ovoid, firm mass on the right side of the neck. A pre-contrast computed tomography (CT) scan of the head and neck revealed bilateral heterogeneous soft tissue masses at the bifurcation of the carotid artery with indistinct border, the size of which was 2.4 cm × 2.6 cm on the left and 5.4 cm × 4.3 cm on the right. The lesions were intensely and heterogeneously enhanced with the internal and external carotid arteries surrounded and pushed anteriorly after contrast administration. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed a hyperintense signal on T2 weighted images compared to the surrounding muscle tissue and an intense contrast enhancement on T1 weighted images. Digital subtraction angiography (DSA) exhibited a highly vascularized masses that occupied and deformed both sides of the carotid bifurcation. As for the hepatic mass, non-contrasted CT imaging of the upper abdomen showed a 6.1 cm × 5.5 cm × 5.8 cm low density mass in the liver with indistinct border. On late arterial phase, the mass showed slight enhancement with an enlarged hepatic artery pushed around the lesion. MR imaging of the lesion in the liver demonstrated low signal intensity on T1 weighted images but heterogeneous high signal intensity on T2 weighted images. On diffusion weighted images, the mass showed high signal intensity whereas low signal intensity was seen on the image of apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC). Moreover

Head Start Participants, Programs, Families and Staff in 2012

Science.gov (United States)

Schmit, Stephanie

2013-01-01

Since 1965, the Head Start program has served low-income 3- and 4-year-old children and their families with comprehensive early education and support services. Programs provide services focused on the "whole child," including early education addressing cognitive, developmental, and socio-emotional needs; medical and dental screenings and…

Head Start Participants, Programs, Families, and Staff in 2014

Science.gov (United States)

Mohan, Anitha; Walker, Christina

2016-01-01

Since 1965, the Head Start program has served low-income 3- and 4-year-old children and their families with comprehensive early education and support services. Programs provide services focused on the "whole child," including early education addressing cognitive, developmental, and socio-emotional needs; medical and dental screenings and…

The practical application of ICRP recommendations regarding dose-equivalent limits for workers to staff in diagnostic X-ray departments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gill, J.R.; Beaver, P.F.; Dennis, J.A.

1980-01-01

Members of hospital staff who work in the X-ray room with patients, wear lead aprons to protect their bodies. These aprons greatly reduce the radiation dose rate at the surface of the body underneath the apron, but do not give any protection to parts of the body not covered by the apron, especially the head, neck, arms and legs. The ICRP's system of dose limitation for non-uniform irradiation of the body has been applied to exposure of this kind and a simple formula has been derived that permits the calculation of a good approximation to the effective dose-equivalent, using two dosemeters. One dosemeter is worn at chest or waist level under the apron to monitor the dose-equivalent received by protected organs while the other is worn on the collar or forehead to monitor the head and neck. Evidence based on published data is presented that suggests that in work of this nature, contrary to earlier opinion, the limiting factor is the dose equivalent received by the organs of the head and neck. The implications of this conclusion for routine personal monitoring are discussed. (H.K.)

Social support, world assumptions, and exposure as predictors of anxiety and quality of life following a mass trauma.

Science.gov (United States)

Grills-Taquechel, Amie E; Littleton, Heather L; Axsom, Danny

2011-05-01

This study examined the influence of a mass trauma (the Virginia Tech campus shootings) on anxiety symptoms and quality of life, as well as the potential vulnerability/protective roles of world assumptions and social support. Pre-trauma adjustment data, collected in the six months prior to the shooting, was examined along with two-month post-shooting data in a sample of 298 female students enrolled at the university at the time of the shootings. Linear regression analyses revealed consistent predictive roles for world assumptions pertaining to control and self-worth as well as family support. In addition, for those more severely exposed to the shooting, greater belief in a lack of control over outcomes appeared to increase vulnerability for post-trauma physiological and emotional anxiety symptoms. Implications of the results for research and intervention following mass trauma are discussed. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Audio system using binaural synthesis for multimodal telepresence applications

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Madsen, Esben; Markovic, Milos; Olesen, Søren Krarup

2013-01-01

are implemented in a distributed manner. Body-tracking of all participants is provided through the system for the purpose of using binaural synthesis for directional sound. Head-worn microphones are used to capture sound, and the visitor is provided with directional sound through headphones. The visitor...

Modular head assembly and method of retrofitting existing nuclear reactor facilities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Malandra, L.J.; Ledue, R.J.; Hankinson, M.F.; Kowalski, E.F.

1987-01-01

A method is described of retrofitting existing nuclear reactor facilities so as to form a modular closure head assembly for a nuclear reactor pressure vessel, where the existing nuclear reactor facilities comprise control rod drive mechanism cooling systems which include vertically extending elbow air ducts inter-connecting vertically spaced upper and lower air manifolds. The elbow air ducts extend radially beyond the peripheral envelope of the closure head, comprising the steps of: removing the upper air manifold; removing the vertically extending elbow air ducts; capping the air ports of the lower air manifold which ports were previously fluidically connecting the lower air manifold to the vertically extending elbow air ducts; disposing vertically upwardly extending air exhaust ducts above the lower air manifold in such an manner that the air exhaust ducts are disposed within the peripheral envelope of the closure head; fluidically connecting exhaust fans to the upper regions of the air exhaust ducts; fluidically connecting the lower regions of the air exhaust ducts the lower air manifold; permanently securing lift rods to the closure head at positions disposed radially outwardly of the lower air manifold; attaching a seismic support platform to the lift rods; proving fluidic passage of the vertically extending air exhaust ducts through the seismic support platform; attaching a missile shield plate to the lift rods; and proving fluidic passage of the vertically extending air exhaust ducts through the missile shield plate

Radiologic head CT interpretation errors in pediatric abusive and non-abusive head trauma patients

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kralik, Stephen F.; Finke, Whitney; Wu, Isaac C.; Ho, Chang Y.; Hibbard, Roberta A.; Hicks, Ralph A.

2017-01-01

Pediatric head trauma, including abusive head trauma, is a significant cause of morbidity and mortality. The purpose of this research was to identify and evaluate radiologic interpretation errors of head CTs performed on abusive and non-abusive pediatric head trauma patients from a community setting referred for a secondary interpretation at a tertiary pediatric hospital. A retrospective search identified 184 patients <5 years of age with head CT for known or potential head trauma who had a primary interpretation performed at a referring community hospital by a board-certified radiologist. Two board-certified fellowship-trained neuroradiologists at an academic pediatric hospital independently interpreted the head CTs, compared their interpretations to determine inter-reader discrepancy rates, and resolved discrepancies to establish a consensus second interpretation. The primary interpretation was compared to the consensus second interpretation using the RADPEER trademark scoring system to determine the primary interpretation-second interpretation overall and major discrepancy rates. MRI and/or surgical findings were used to validate the primary interpretation or second interpretation when possible. The diagnosis of abusive head trauma was made using clinical and imaging data by a child abuse specialist to separate patients into abusive head trauma and non-abusive head trauma groups. Discrepancy rates were compared for both groups. Lastly, primary interpretations and second interpretations were evaluated for discussion of imaging findings concerning for abusive head trauma. There were statistically significant differences between primary interpretation-second interpretation versus inter-reader overall and major discrepancy rates (28% vs. 6%, P=0.0001; 16% vs. 1%, P=0.0001). There were significant differences in the primary interpretation-second interpretation overall and major discrepancy rates for abusive head trauma patients compared to non-abusive head trauma

Radiologic head CT interpretation errors in pediatric abusive and non-abusive head trauma patients

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kralik, Stephen F.; Finke, Whitney; Wu, Isaac C.; Ho, Chang Y. [Indiana University School of Medicine, Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Indianapolis, IN (United States); Hibbard, Roberta A.; Hicks, Ralph A. [Indiana University School of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Section of Child Protection Programs, Indianapolis, IN (United States)

2017-07-15

Pediatric head trauma, including abusive head trauma, is a significant cause of morbidity and mortality. The purpose of this research was to identify and evaluate radiologic interpretation errors of head CTs performed on abusive and non-abusive pediatric head trauma patients from a community setting referred for a secondary interpretation at a tertiary pediatric hospital. A retrospective search identified 184 patients <5 years of age with head CT for known or potential head trauma who had a primary interpretation performed at a referring community hospital by a board-certified radiologist. Two board-certified fellowship-trained neuroradiologists at an academic pediatric hospital independently interpreted the head CTs, compared their interpretations to determine inter-reader discrepancy rates, and resolved discrepancies to establish a consensus second interpretation. The primary interpretation was compared to the consensus second interpretation using the RADPEER trademark scoring system to determine the primary interpretation-second interpretation overall and major discrepancy rates. MRI and/or surgical findings were used to validate the primary interpretation or second interpretation when possible. The diagnosis of abusive head trauma was made using clinical and imaging data by a child abuse specialist to separate patients into abusive head trauma and non-abusive head trauma groups. Discrepancy rates were compared for both groups. Lastly, primary interpretations and second interpretations were evaluated for discussion of imaging findings concerning for abusive head trauma. There were statistically significant differences between primary interpretation-second interpretation versus inter-reader overall and major discrepancy rates (28% vs. 6%, P=0.0001; 16% vs. 1%, P=0.0001). There were significant differences in the primary interpretation-second interpretation overall and major discrepancy rates for abusive head trauma patients compared to non-abusive head trauma

Finger Angle-Based Hand Gesture Recognition for Smart Infrastructure Using Wearable Wrist-Worn Camera

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Feiyu Chen

2018-03-01

Full Text Available The arising of domestic robots in smart infrastructure has raised demands for intuitive and natural interaction between humans and robots. To address this problem, a wearable wrist-worn camera (WwwCam is proposed in this paper. With the capability of recognizing human hand gestures in real-time, it enables services such as controlling mopping robots, mobile manipulators, or appliances in smart-home scenarios. The recognition is based on finger segmentation and template matching. Distance transformation algorithm is adopted and adapted to robustly segment fingers from the hand. Based on fingers’ angles relative to the wrist, a finger angle prediction algorithm and a template matching metric are proposed. All possible gesture types of the captured image are first predicted, and then evaluated and compared to the template image to achieve the classification. Unlike other template matching methods relying highly on large training set, this scheme possesses high flexibility since it requires only one image as the template, and can classify gestures formed by different combinations of fingers. In the experiment, it successfully recognized ten finger gestures from number zero to nine defined by American Sign Language with an accuracy up to 99.38%. Its performance was further demonstrated by manipulating a robot arm using the implemented algorithms and WwwCam to transport and pile up wooden building blocks.

Cytogenetic support for primacy prostatic cancer in a patient presenting with a soft tissue mass in the leg

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Molenaar, WM; Stoepker, MEJ; deRuiter, AJ; Hoekstra, HJ; vandenBerg, E

A 65-year-old man presented with a soft tissue mass in the leg, clinically suspect of a sarcoma. Histologic examination suggested a metastatic adenocarcinoma of the prostate, which could not be confirmed by immunohistologic studies. However, cytogenetic analysis strongly supported this diagnosis. A

Non-invasive head fixation for external irradiation of tumors of the head and neck

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bale, R.J.; Sweeney, R.; Nevinny, M.; Auer, T.; Bluhm, A.; Lukas, P.; Vogele, M.; Thumfart, W.F.

1998-01-01

Purpose: To fully utilize the technical capabilities of radiation diagnostics and planning, a precise and reproducible method of head fixation is a prerequisite. Method: We have adapted the Vogele-Bale-Hohner (VBH) head holder (Wellhoefer Dosimetrie, Schwarzenbruck, Germany), originally designed for frameless stereotactic operations, to the requirements of external beam radiotherapy. A precise and reproducible head fixation is attained by an individualized vacuum upper-dental cast which is connected over 2 hydraulic arms to an adjustable head- and rigid base-plate. Radiation field and patient alignment lasers are marked on a relocatable clear PVC localization box. Results: The possibility of craniocaudal adjustment of the head plate on the base plate allows the system to adapt to the actucal position of the patient on the raditherapy couch granting tensionless repositioning. The VBH head holder has proven itself to be a precise yet practicable method of head fixation. Duration of mouthpiece production and daily repositioning is comparable to that of the thermoplastic mask. Conclusion: The new head holder is in routine use at our hospital and quite suitable for external beam radiation of patients with tumors of the head and neck. (orig.) [de

Head, Neck, and Oral Cancer

Medline Plus

Full Text Available ... Head and Neck Pathology Oral, Head and Neck Pathology Close to 49,750 Americans will be diagnosed ... Head and Neck Pathology Oral, Head and Neck Pathology Close to 49,750 Americans will be diagnosed ...

Plasma distributions in meteor head echoes and implications for radar cross section interpretation

Science.gov (United States)

Marshall, Robert A.; Brown, Peter; Close, Sigrid

2017-09-01

The derivation of meteoroid masses from radar measurements requires conversion of the measured radar cross section (RCS) to meteoroid mass. Typically, this conversion passes first through an estimate of the meteor plasma density derived from the RCS. However, the conversion from RCS to meteor plasma density requires assumptions on the radial electron density distribution. We use simultaneous triple-frequency measurements of the RCS for 63 large meteor head echoes to derive estimates of the meteor plasma size and density using five different possible radial electron density distributions. By fitting these distributions to the observed meteor RCS values and estimating the goodness-of-fit, we determine that the best fit to the data is a 1 /r2 plasma distribution, i.e. the electron density decays as 1 /r2 from the center of the meteor plasma. Next, we use the derived plasma distributions to estimate the electron line density q for each meteor using each of the five distributions. We show that depending on the choice of distribution, the line density can vary by a factor of three or more. We thus argue that a best estimate for the radial plasma distribution in a meteor head echo is necessary in order to have any confidence in derived meteoroid masses.

Breaking the Barriers to True Augmented Reality

OpenAIRE

Sandor, Christian; Fuchs, Martin; Cassinelli, Alvaro; Li, Hao; Newcombe, Richard; Yamamoto, Goshiro; Feiner, Steven

2015-01-01

In recent years, Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) have gained considerable commercial traction, with Facebook acquiring Oculus VR for \\$2 billion, Magic Leap attracting more than \\$500 million of funding, and Microsoft announcing their HoloLens head-worn computer. Where is humanity headed: a brave new dystopia-or a paradise come true? In this article, we present discussions, which started at the symposium "Making Augmented Reality Real", held at Nara Institute of Science and Te...

Computed Tomography (CT) -- Head

Medline Plus

Full Text Available ... Physician Resources Professions Site Index A-Z Computed Tomography (CT) - Head Computed tomography (CT) of the head uses special x-ray ... What is CT Scanning of the Head? Computed tomography, more commonly known as a CT or CAT ...

Management of radiation therapy-induced mucositis in head and neck cancer patients. Part II: supportive treatments

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wei Cheong Ngeow

2011-12-01

Full Text Available Oropharyngeal mucositis is the acute inflammatory and ulcerative reaction of the oral mucosa following radiation therapy to the head and neck region. It is such a common problem that nearly all head and neck cancer patients develop some degree of mucositis. This complication is usually transient in nature but it also represents an important clinical problem as it is a painful, debilitating, dose-dependent side effect for which there is no widely acceptable prophylaxis or effective treatment. As several authoritative groups have recently either undertaken systematic reviews or issued guidelines on the management of mucositis, it is the aim of this review instead, to provide an overview of all the remedies and pharmaceutical agents available, as well as highlighting to researchers the gaps that need to be filled.

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) -- Head

Science.gov (United States)

... News Physician Resources Professions Site Index A-Z Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) - Head Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the head uses a powerful ... the Head? What is MRI of the Head? Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a noninvasive medical test that ...

Branchial cysts: an unusual cause of a mediastinal mass: a case report.

Science.gov (United States)

Kotecha, Vihar; Muturi, Alex; Ruturi, Josiah

2015-09-29

Complex embryological processes form the head and neck of humans. It is not flawless; remnants lead to sinuses or cysts, commonly in the head and neck region. We present the a case of an 8-year-old boy, a primary school pupil, from rural Kenya with chronic cough, wheezing, difficulty in breathing and dyspnea on exertion. He was treated with antibiotics and antitubercular drugs without improvement prior to referral to our hospital. A computed tomography scan of his chest revealed a superior mediastinal mass extending into his neck. A diagnosis of a brachial cleft cyst was made and our patient underwent a successful excision of the mass through a median strenotomy and neck dissection. Branchial cysts of the neck are common, accounting for 20% of pediatric neck masses. Usually they present as a neck mass but in our case it presented as a mediastinal mass, which is a very rare clinical presentation. Surgical excision is the mainstay of treatment. To the surgeon, the embryology and anatomy should be absolutely clear as dissection may be challenging due to the close proximity and variable course of the cystic stalk to major neck vessels and nerves.

Efficiency of piezosurgery technique in miniscrew supported en-masse retraction: a single-centre, randomized controlled trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Tunçer, Nilüfer Irem; Arman-Özçirpici, Ayça; Oduncuoglu, Bahar Füsun; Göçmen, Jülide Sedef; Kantarci, Alpdogan

2017-11-30

Piezoelectric surgery is a newly introduced technique for rapid tooth movement. However, the efficiency of this technique has not been investigated on en-masse retraction cases yet. To investigate the efficiency of piezosurgery technique in accelerating miniscrew supported en-masse retraction and study the biological tissue response. In addition, to show if this technique induces a difference in dental, skeletal and soft tissue changes on lateral cephalograms, and in canine and molar rotations, besides intercanine and intermolar widths on dental casts. We conducted a randomized, single-centred, parallel-group, controlled trial, requiring upper right and left first premolar extractions on 30 patients above the minimum age of 14 years at the beginning of retraction. Piezosurgery-assisted versus conventional en-masse retraction anchored from miniscrews placed between second premolars and first molars, bilaterally. The main outcome was the en-masse retraction rate. Secondary outcomes were gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) volume and GCF content of receptor activator of nuclear factor κβ ligand (RANKL), changes regarding cephalometric and dental cast variables, and miniscrew success rates. Accomplished with opaque, sealed envelopes. Applicable for data assessment only. Commenced in February 2013 and ended in October 2014. Thirty-one patients were included in the study and divided into 2 groups of piezosurgery (n = 16) and control (n = 15). After 9.3 months of follow-up, no statistically significant difference was observed between groups for neither retraction rates (P = 0.958) nor GCF parameters (P > 0.05). Changes in lateral cephalometric and dental cast variables, and miniscrew success rates did not show significant differences either. Based on the results of this study, piezosurgery technique was found to be ineffective in accelerating en-masse retraction, and promoting a difference in the studied GCF parameters, skeletal and dental variables. The trial was not

Evaluation of twin-head electrospray nanoparticle disperser for nanotoxicity study

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Qiaoling; Budiman, Thomas; Chen, Da-Ren

2014-08-01

With the rapid development of nanotechnology, nanoparticles with various sizes and compositions have been synthesized and proposed for industrial applications. At the same time, the health effects and environmental impacts of nanoparticles become an emerging concern to be addressed. Both in vitro and in vivo studies are of importance to better understand the toxicity of nanoparticles. It is thus essential to have a nanoparticle disperser capable of dispersing individual nanoparticles for these studies. A twin-head electrospray (THES) nanoparticle disperser for animal inhalation exposure studies has recently become commercially available from TSE Systems Inc. Different from the cone-jet electrospray method used in the majority of literature, this particular disperser operates at the multi-jet mode. In this study, we reported our finding on the performance evaluation of the THES disperser with respect to its mass throughput and quality of size distribution of aerosol produced. Three different nanomaterials (TiO2, ZnO, and NiO) were used in this study. It is found that the maximal mass throughput of the studied disperser was achieved by keeping the distance between two opposite spray capillary tips at 3.0 cm, operating the primary carrier-to-capillary sheath flow rates at the ratio of 4:3, and feeding spray suspensions at a flow rate of 20 µl/min. Under the above settings and operations, the highest mass concentration for nano-ZnO was measured at 14.56 mg/m3. Nanoparticle streams with higher concentrations can be further produced by lowering the total carrier gas flow rate and spraying suspensions of higher nanomaterial concentrations. Our study also found that the particle mass throughput of the studied disperser had a good linear relationship with the mass concentration of spray suspension. In addition, the spatial uniformity of nano aerosol distribution in a TSE head-nose-only exposure chamber was investigated. An acceptable nano aerosol uniformity result was

X-ray face mask and bib device

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Forshee, D.J.; Moti, S.

1984-01-01

This invention provides an improved device for shielding and protecting a person against direct and scattered x-ray radiation to the face, head and neck to be worn on the shoulders. The device includes a radiation-shielding face mask having a lead-filled frame and a lead-containing transparent radiation-shielding lens mounted in the frame. The frame is supported upon the shoulders. A first portion of the frame extends generally inward below the chin of the person, and a second portion of the frame extends generally vertically from an inward portion of the first portion and generally rearwardly adjacent to at least one lateral side of the neck of the person

Head, Neck, and Oral Cancer

Science.gov (United States)

... find out more. Oral, Head and Neck Pathology Oral, Head and Neck Pathology Close to 49,750 Americans will be diagnosed ... find out more. Oral, Head and Neck Pathology Oral, Head and Neck Pathology Close to 49,750 Americans will be diagnosed ...

The head-mounted microscope.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Ting; Dailey, Seth H; Naze, Sawyer A; Jiang, Jack J

2012-04-01

Microsurgical equipment has greatly advanced since the inception of the microscope into the operating room. These advancements have allowed for superior surgical precision and better post-operative results. This study focuses on the use of the Leica HM500 head-mounted microscope for the operating phonosurgeon. The head-mounted microscope has an optical zoom from 2× to 9× and provides a working distance from 300 mm to 700 mm. The headpiece, with its articulated eyepieces, adjusts easily to head shape and circumference, and offers a focus function, which is either automatic or manually controlled. We performed five microlaryngoscopic operations utilizing the head-mounted microscope with successful results. By creating a more ergonomically favorable operating posture, a surgeon may be able to obtain greater precision and success in phonomicrosurgery. Phonomicrosurgery requires the precise manipulation of long-handled cantilevered instruments through the narrow bore of a laryngoscope. The head-mounted microscope shortens the working distance compared with a stand microscope, thereby increasing arm stability, which may improve surgical precision. Also, the head-mounted design permits flexibility in head position, enabling operator comfort, and delaying musculoskeletal fatigue. A head-mounted microscope decreases the working distance and provides better ergonomics in laryngoscopic microsurgery. These advances provide the potential to promote precision in phonomicrosurgery. Copyright © 2011 The American Laryngological, Rhinological, and Otological Society, Inc.

Heading Frequency Is More Strongly Related to Cognitive Performance Than Unintentional Head Impacts in Amateur Soccer Players.

Science.gov (United States)

Stewart, Walter F; Kim, Namhee; Ifrah, Chloe; Sliwinski, Martin; Zimmerman, Molly E; Kim, Mimi; Lipton, Richard B; Lipton, Michael L

2018-01-01

Compared to heading, unintentional head impacts (e.g., elbow to head, head to head, head to goalpost) in soccer are more strongly related to risk of moderate to very severe Central Nervous System (CNS) symptoms. But, most head impacts associated with CNS symptoms that occur in soccer are mild and are more strongly related to heading. We tested for a differential relation of heading and unintentional head impacts with neuropsychological (NP) test performance. Active adult amateur soccer players were recruited in New York City and the surrounding areas for this repeated measures longitudinal study of individuals who were enrolled if they had 5+ years of soccer play and were active playing soccer 6+ months/year. All participants completed a baseline validated questionnaire ("HeadCount-2w"), reporting 2-week recall of soccer activity, heading and unintentional head impacts. In addition, participants also completed NP tests of verbal learning, verbal memory, psychomotor speed, attention, and working memory. Most participants also completed one or more identical follow-up protocols (i.e., HeadCount-2w and NP tests) at 3- to 6-month intervals over a 2-year period. Repeated measures General Estimating Equations (GEE) linear models were used to determine if variation in NP tests at each visit was related to variation in either heading or unintentional head impacts in the 2-week period before testing. 308 players (78% male) completed 741 HeadCount-2w. Mean (median) heading/2-weeks was 50 (17) for men and 26 (7) for women. Heading was significantly associated with poorer performance on psychomotor speed ( p  impacts were not significantly associated with any NP test. Results did not differ after excluding 22 HeadCount-2w with reported concussive or borderline concussive symptoms. Poorer NP test performance was consistently related to frequent heading during soccer practice and competition in the 2 weeks before testing. In contrast, unintentional head impacts incurred

Texture-based analysis of 100 MR examinations of head and neck tumors. Is it possible to discriminate between benign and malignant masses in a multicenter trial?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fruehwald-Pallamar, J.; Czerny, C.; Hesselink, J.R.; Mafee, M.F.; Holzer-Fruehwald, L.; Mayerhoefer, M.E.

2016-01-01

To evaluate whether texture-based analysis of standard MRI sequences can help in the discrimination between benign and malignant head and neck tumors. The MR images of 100 patients with a histologically clarified head or neck mass, from two different institutions, were analyzed. Texture-based analysis was performed using texture analysis software, with region of interest measurements for 2D and 3D evaluation independently for all axial sequences. COC, RUN, GRA, ARM, and WAV features were calculated for all ROIs. 10 texture feature subsets were used for a linear discriminant analysis, in combination with k-nearest-neighbor classification. Benign and malignant tumors were compared with regard to texture-based values. There were differences in the images from different field-strength scanners, as well as from different vendors. For the differentiation of benign and malignant tumors, we found differences on STIR and T2-weighted images for 2D, and on contrast-enhanced T1-TSE with fat saturation for 3D evaluation. In a separate analysis of the subgroups 1.5 and 3 Tesla, more discriminating features were found. Texture-based analysis is a useful tool in the discrimination of benign and malignant tumors when performed on one scanner with the same protocol. We cannot recommend this technique for the use of multicenter studies with clinical data.

Texture-based analysis of 100 MR examinations of head and neck tumors. Is it possible to discriminate between benign and malignant masses in a multicenter trial?

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fruehwald-Pallamar, J.; Czerny, C. [Medical University of Vienna (Austria). Subdiv. of Neuroradiology and Musculoskeletal Radiology; Hesselink, J.R.; Mafee, M.F. [UCSD Medical Center, San Diego, CA (United States). Dept. of Radiology; Holzer-Fruehwald, L.; Mayerhoefer, M.E. [Medical University of Vienna (Austria). Dept. of Biomedical Imaging and Image-Guided Therapy

2016-02-15

To evaluate whether texture-based analysis of standard MRI sequences can help in the discrimination between benign and malignant head and neck tumors. The MR images of 100 patients with a histologically clarified head or neck mass, from two different institutions, were analyzed. Texture-based analysis was performed using texture analysis software, with region of interest measurements for 2D and 3D evaluation independently for all axial sequences. COC, RUN, GRA, ARM, and WAV features were calculated for all ROIs. 10 texture feature subsets were used for a linear discriminant analysis, in combination with k-nearest-neighbor classification. Benign and malignant tumors were compared with regard to texture-based values. There were differences in the images from different field-strength scanners, as well as from different vendors. For the differentiation of benign and malignant tumors, we found differences on STIR and T2-weighted images for 2D, and on contrast-enhanced T1-TSE with fat saturation for 3D evaluation. In a separate analysis of the subgroups 1.5 and 3 Tesla, more discriminating features were found. Texture-based analysis is a useful tool in the discrimination of benign and malignant tumors when performed on one scanner with the same protocol. We cannot recommend this technique for the use of multicenter studies with clinical data.

Low earth orbit radiation dose distribution in a phantom head

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Konradi, A.; Badhwar, G.D.; Cash, B.L.; Hardy, K.A.

1992-01-01

In order to compare analytical methods with data obtained during exposure to space radiation, a phantom head instrumented with a large number of radiation detectors was flown on the Space Shuttle on three occasions: 8 August 1989 (STS-28), 28 February 1990 (STS-36), and 24 April 1990 (STS-31). The objective of this experiment was to obtain a measurement of the inhomogeneity in the dose distribution within a phantom head volume. The orbits of these missions were complementary-STS-28 and STS-36 had high inclination and low altitude, while STS-31 had a low inclination and high altitude. In the cases of STS-28 and STS-36, the main contribution to the radiation dose comes from galactic cosmic rays (GCR) with a minor to negligible part supplied by the inner belt through the South Atlantic Anomaly (SAA), and for STS-28 an even smaller one from a proton enhancement during a solar flare-associated proton event. For STS-31, the inner belt protons dominate and the GCR contribution is almost negligible. The internal dose distribution is consistent with the mass distribution of the orbiter and the self-shielding and physical location of the phantom head. (author)

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) -- Head

Medline Plus

Full Text Available ... News Physician Resources Professions Site Index A-Z Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) - Head Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the head uses a powerful ... the Head? What is MRI of the Head? Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a noninvasive medical test that ...

Head, Neck, and Oral Cancer

Medline Plus

Full Text Available ... find out more. Oral, Head and Neck Pathology Oral, Head and Neck Pathology Close to 49,750 Americans will be diagnosed ... find out more. Oral, Head and Neck Pathology Oral, Head and Neck Pathology Close to 49,750 Americans will be diagnosed ...

Heading Frequency Is More Strongly Related to Cognitive Performance Than Unintentional Head Impacts in Amateur Soccer Players

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Walter F. Stewart

2018-04-01

Full Text Available ObjectiveCompared to heading, unintentional head impacts (e.g., elbow to head, head to head, head to goalpost in soccer are more strongly related to risk of moderate to very severe Central Nervous System (CNS symptoms. But, most head impacts associated with CNS symptoms that occur in soccer are mild and are more strongly related to heading. We tested for a differential relation of heading and unintentional head impacts with neuropsychological (NP test performance.MethodActive adult amateur soccer players were recruited in New York City and the surrounding areas for this repeated measures longitudinal study of individuals who were enrolled if they had 5+ years of soccer play and were active playing soccer 6+ months/year. All participants completed a baseline validated questionnaire (“HeadCount-2w”, reporting 2-week recall of soccer activity, heading and unintentional head impacts. In addition, participants also completed NP tests of verbal learning, verbal memory, psychomotor speed, attention, and working memory. Most participants also completed one or more identical follow-up protocols (i.e., HeadCount-2w and NP tests at 3- to 6-month intervals over a 2-year period. Repeated measures General Estimating Equations (GEE linear models were used to determine if variation in NP tests at each visit was related to variation in either heading or unintentional head impacts in the 2-week period before testing.Results308 players (78% male completed 741 HeadCount-2w. Mean (median heading/2-weeks was 50 (17 for men and 26 (7 for women. Heading was significantly associated with poorer performance on psychomotor speed (p < 0.001 and attention (p = 0.02 tasks and was borderline significant with poorer performance on the working memory (p = 0.06 task. Unintentional head impacts were not significantly associated with any NP test. Results did not differ after excluding 22 HeadCount-2w with reported concussive or borderline concussive symptoms

Understanding behavioral mechanisms for physical activity in head and neck cancer patients: a qualitative study

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Sealy, Martine; Stuiver, M.M.; Midtgard, Julie; van der Schans, Cees; Roodenburg, Jan L N; Jager-Wittenaar, Harriët

2017-01-01

Rationale: Head and neck cancer (HNC) patients often have adverse changes in body composition. Loss of muscle mass and strength frequently occur, even when dietary intake is adequate. Nascent evidence suggests that a healthy lifestyle, including adequate physical activity (PA) and diet, may prevent

Avascular necrosis of the femoral head in HIV infected patients

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marcos Almeida Matos

Full Text Available Avascular necrosis (AVN of the femoral head is an emerging complication in HIV infected patients. It has been suggested that the increased incidence of AVN in this population may be caused by an increased prevalence of predisposing factors for osteonecrosis, including protease inhibitors, hyperlipidemia, corticosteroid use, alcohol and intravenous drug abuse. The aim of this study was to assess the risk factors for avascular necrosis developing in the femoral head of HIV infected individuals. This study consisted of meta-analysis of the secondary data extracted from current literature. The selected articles allowed two study groups to be drawn up for comparison. Group 1 comprised 324 individuals infected by the HIV virus, who did not present femoral head AVN. Group 2 comprised 32 HIV positive patients, who presented femoral head AVN. The parameters used for analysis were as follows: age, gender, sexual preference, use of intravenous drugs, time of diagnosis, CD4+ cell count, use of antiretroviral agents and duration, serum cholesterol and serum triglycerides. The present study found a statistically significant association between hypertriglyceridemia, hypercholesterolemia, sexual preference and intravenous drug abuse. The authors concluded that femoral head osteonecrosis is associated with hyperlipidemia (hypercholesterolemia and hypertriglyceridemia and intravenous drug abuse. This study supports the hypothesis that protease inhibitors play a role in the development of osteonecrosis through a tendency to cause hyperlipidemia.

Core biopsy as a simple and effective diagnostic tool in head and neck focal myositis.

Science.gov (United States)

Tan, Chun Yee; Chong, Sheldon; Shaw, Chi-Kee Leslie

2015-12-01

Most unilateral head and neck masses are benign, although malignancy is a possibility in some cases. However, there are other rare causes of unilateral neck masses, such as focal myositis, which is a rare, benign condition belonging to the family of inflammatory pseudotumors of the skeletal muscles, with rare presentations in the head and neck region. Focal myositis presents as a rapidly enlarging neck mass that can be misdiagnosed by fine-needle aspiration biopsy and/or radiologic imaging as either an infective or a neoplastic process. To date, there are only 5 reported cases of adult focal myositis of the sternocleidomastoid muscle in the medical literature. In this article, the authors present 2 cases involving patients with focal myositis of the sternocleidomastoid muscle that were successfully diagnosed with core-needle biopsy and managed conservatively. The pros and cons of fine-needle aspiration biopsy and core-needle biopsy are discussed. Based on the authors' results, fine-needle aspiration biopsy universally fails to provide the diagnosis of focal myositis. In contrast, core-needle biopsy successfully diagnosed focal myositis in both of our patients. Both of them had complete resolution with conservative management.

Direction-Specific Impairments in Cervical Range of Motion in Women with Chronic Neck Pain: Influence of Head Posture and Gravitationally Induced Torque.

Science.gov (United States)

Rudolfsson, Thomas; Björklund, Martin; Svedmark, Åsa; Srinivasan, Divya; Djupsjöbacka, Mats

2017-01-01

Cervical range of motion (ROM) is commonly assessed in clinical practice and research. In a previous study we decomposed active cervical sagittal ROM into contributions from lower and upper levels of the cervical spine and found level- and direction-specific impairments in women with chronic non-specific neck pain. The present study aimed to validate these results and investigate if the specific impairments can be explained by the neutral posture (defining zero flexion/extension) or a movement strategy to avoid large gravitationally induced torques on the cervical spine. Kinematics of the head and thorax was assessed in sitting during maximal sagittal cervical flexion/extension (high torque condition) and maximal protraction (low torque condition) in 120 women with chronic non-specific neck pain and 40 controls. We derived the lower and upper cervical angles, and the head centre of mass (HCM), from a 3-segment kinematic model. Neutral head posture was assessed using a standardized procedure. Previous findings of level- and direction-specific impairments in neck pain were confirmed. Neutral head posture was equal between groups and did not explain the direction-specific impairments. The relative magnitude of group difference in HCM migration did not differ between high and low torques conditions, lending no support for our hypothesis that impairments in sagittal ROM are due to torque avoidance behaviour. The direction- and level-specific impairments in cervical sagittal ROM can be generalised to the population of women with non-specific neck pain. Further research is necessary to clarify if torque avoidance behaviour can explain the impairments.

Direction-Specific Impairments in Cervical Range of Motion in Women with Chronic Neck Pain: Influence of Head Posture and Gravitationally Induced Torque.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Thomas Rudolfsson

Full Text Available Cervical range of motion (ROM is commonly assessed in clinical practice and research. In a previous study we decomposed active cervical sagittal ROM into contributions from lower and upper levels of the cervical spine and found level- and direction-specific impairments in women with chronic non-specific neck pain. The present study aimed to validate these results and investigate if the specific impairments can be explained by the neutral posture (defining zero flexion/extension or a movement strategy to avoid large gravitationally induced torques on the cervical spine.Kinematics of the head and thorax was assessed in sitting during maximal sagittal cervical flexion/extension (high torque condition and maximal protraction (low torque condition in 120 women with chronic non-specific neck pain and 40 controls. We derived the lower and upper cervical angles, and the head centre of mass (HCM, from a 3-segment kinematic model. Neutral head posture was assessed using a standardized procedure.Previous findings of level- and direction-specific impairments in neck pain were confirmed. Neutral head posture was equal between groups and did not explain the direction-specific impairments. The relative magnitude of group difference in HCM migration did not differ between high and low torques conditions, lending no support for our hypothesis that impairments in sagittal ROM are due to torque avoidance behaviour.The direction- and level-specific impairments in cervical sagittal ROM can be generalised to the population of women with non-specific neck pain. Further research is necessary to clarify if torque avoidance behaviour can explain the impairments.

Superimposition, symbology, visual attention, and the head-up display

Science.gov (United States)

Martin-Emerson, R.; Wickens, C. D.

1997-01-01

In two experiments we examined a number of related factors postulated to influence head-up display (HUD) performance. We addressed the benefit of reduced scanning and the cost of increasing the number of elements in the visual field by comparing a superimposed HUD with an identical display in a head-down position in varying visibility conditions. We explored the extent to which the characteristics of HUD symbology support a division of attention by contrasting conformal symbology (which links elements of the display image to elements of the far domain) with traditional instrument landing system (ILS) symbology. Together the two experiments provide strong evidence that minimizing scanning between flight instruments and the far domain contributes substantially to the observed HUD performance advantage. Experiment 1 provides little evidence for a performance cost attributable to visual clutter. In Experiment 2 the pattern of differences in lateral tracking error between conformal and traditional ILS symbology supports the hypothesis that, to the extent that the symbology forms an object with the far domain, attention may be divided between the superimposed image and its counterpart in the far domain.

Professional and home-made face masks reduce exposure to respiratory infections among the general population.

Science.gov (United States)

van der Sande, Marianne; Teunis, Peter; Sabel, Rob

2008-07-09

Governments are preparing for a potential influenza pandemic. Therefore they need data to assess the possible impact of interventions. Face-masks worn by the general population could be an accessible and affordable intervention, if effective when worn under routine circumstances. We assessed transmission reduction potential provided by personal respirators, surgical masks and home-made masks when worn during a variety of activities by healthy volunteers and a simulated patient. All types of masks reduced aerosol exposure, relatively stable over time, unaffected by duration of wear or type of activity, but with a high degree of individual variation. Personal respirators were more efficient than surgical masks, which were more efficient than home-made masks. Regardless of mask type, children were less well protected. Outward protection (mask wearing by a mechanical head) was less effective than inward protection (mask wearing by healthy volunteers). Any type of general mask use is likely to decrease viral exposure and infection risk on a population level, in spite of imperfect fit and imperfect adherence, personal respirators providing most protection. Masks worn by patients may not offer as great a degree of protection against aerosol transmission.

Visual Information and Support Surface for Postural Control in Visual Search Task.

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Chia-Chun; Yang, Chih-Mei

2016-10-01

When standing on a reduced support surface, people increase their reliance on visual information to control posture. This assertion was tested in the current study. The effects of imposed motion and support surface on postural control during visual search were investigated. Twelve participants (aged 21 ± 1.8 years; six men and six women) stood on a reduced support surface (45% base of support). In a room that moved back and forth along the anteroposterior axis, participants performed visual search for a given letter in an article. Postural sway variability and head-room coupling were measured. The results of head-room coupling, but not postural sway, supported the assertion that people increase reliance on visual information when standing on a reduced support surface. Whether standing on a whole or reduced surface, people stabilized their posture to perform the visual search tasks. Compared to a fixed target, searching on a hand-held target showed greater head-room coupling when standing on a reduced surface. © The Author(s) 2016.

Radiation heat transfer in a pressurized water reactor lower head filled with molten corium

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Šadek, Siniša; Grgić, Davor; Debrecin, Nenad

2013-01-01

Highlights: ► We develop radiation heat exchange model for a reactor pressure vessel lower head. ► Model is used during a late in-vessel phase of severe accidents. ► View factors are calculated automatically for a time-dependent enclosure. ► Model is included in the RELAP5/SCDAPSIM computer code. ► Inclusion of heat radiation causes faster heat-up rate of RPV lower head structures. - Abstract: Following a core melt, molten material may slump to the lower head of a reactor pressure vessel (RPV). In that case, some structures like lower parts of fuel elements and a core support plate would remain intact. Since the melt is at high temperature and there are no obstacles between the melt and the supporting plate, the plate is exposed to an intense radiation heating. The radiation heat exchange model of the lower head was developed and applied to a finite element code COUPLE which is a part of the detailed mechanistic code RELAP5/SCDAPSIM. The radiation enclosure consisted of three surfaces: the upper surface of the relocated material, the inner surface of the RPV wall above the relocated material and the lower surface of the core support plate. View factors were calculated for the enclosure geometry that is changing in time because of intermittent accumulation of molten material. The enclosure surfaces were covered by mesh of polygonal areas and view factors were calculated, for each pair of the element areas, by solving the definite integrals using the algorithms for adaptive integrations by means of Gaussian quadrature. Algebraic equations for radiosity and irradiation vectors were solved by LU decomposition and the radiation model was explicitly coupled with the heat conduction model. The results show that there is a possibility of the core support plate failure after being heated up due to radiation heat exchange with the melt.

GPK heading machine

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Krmasek, J.; Novosad, K.

1981-01-01

This article evaluates performance tests of the Soviet made GPK heading machine carried out in 4 coal mines in Czechoslovakia (Ostrava-Karvina region and Kladno mines). GPK works in coal seams and rocks with compression strength of 40 to 50 MPa. Dimensions of the tunnel are height 1.8 to 3.8 m and width 2.6 to 4.7 m, tunnel gradient plus to minus 10 degrees. GPK weighs 16 t, its conical shaped cutting head equipped with RKS-1 cutting tools is driven by an electric motor with 55 kW capacity. Undercarriage of the GPK, gathering-arm loader, hydraulic system, electric system and dust supression system (water spraying or pneumatic section) are characterized. Specifications of GPK heading machines are compared with PK-3r and F8 heading machines. Reliability, number of failures, dust level, noise, productivity depending on compression strength of rocks, heading rate in coal and in rocks, energy consumption, performance in inclined tunnels, and cutting tool wear are evaluated. Tests show that GPK can be used to drive tunnels in coal with rock constituting up to 50% of the tunnel crosscut, as long as rock compression strength does not exceed 50 MPa. In rocks characterized by higher compression strength cutting tool wear sharply increases. GPK is characterized by higher productivity than that of the PK-3r heading machine. Among the weak points of the GPK are: unsatisfactory reliability and excessive wear of its elements. (4 refs.) (In Czech)

Oral complications in the head and neck radiation patient. Introduction and scope of the problem

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Specht, Lena

2002-01-01

Head and neck cancer arises in the upper aerodigestive tract, most commonly in the oral cavity, pharynx, and larynx. The anatomy and physiology of this region are uniquely complex, and the function and appearance are critical to patients' self-image and quality of life. Head and neck cancer is re...... care for these patients. New developments in radiotherapy techniques are expected to lead to even higher cure rates and fewer side effects in patients with head and neck cancer....... survival but has also increased treatment side effects. A dedicated multidisciplinary team of oncologist, head and neck surgeon, dentist, nurse, dietician, physical therapist, social worker and in some instances plastic surgeon, prosthodontist, and psychologist is needed to provide the optimal supportive...

Representation of heading direction in far and near head space

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Poljac, E.; Berg, A.V. van den

2003-01-01

Manipulation of objects around the head requires an accurate and stable internal representation of their locations in space, also during movements such as that of the eye or head. For far space, the representation of visual stimuli for goal-directed arm movements relies on retinal updating, if eye

The Mass Tracking System -- Computerized support for MC and A and operations at FCF

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Adams, C.H.; Beitel, J.C.; Birgersson, G.; Bucher, R.G.; Derstine, K.L.; Toppel, B.J.; Goin, R.W.; Keyes, R.W.; Vollmer, M.A.

1996-01-01

As part of Argonne National Laboratory's Fuel Conditioning Facility (FCF), a computer-based Mass-Tracking (MTG) System has been developed. The MTG System collects, stores, retrieves and processes data on all operations which directly affect the flow of process material through FCF and supports such activities as process modeling, compliance with operating limits (e.g., criticality safety), material control and accountability and operational information services. Its architecture is client/server, with input and output connections to operator's equipment-control stations on the floor of FCF as well as to dumb terminals and terminal emulators. Its heterogeneous database includes a relational-database manager as well as both binary and ASCII data files. The design of the database, and the software that supports it, is based on a model of discrete accountable items distributed in space and time and constitutes a complete historical record of the material processed in FCF. Although still under development, much of the MTG system has been qualified and is in production use

Burst protection for reactor pressure vessels using a hinged support bearing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Michel, E.; Maritsch, F.

1976-01-01

The invention deals with a simplification of the design and manufacture and the way of controlling a hinged support bearing used as burst protection. The pure pressure load of the, e.g., 32 hinged supports distributed along the circumference of the pressure vessel head is achieved in the braced state with little control effort by a pure rotating motion caused pneumatically or hydraulically. The hinged supports are inclined by about 45 0 upwards/outwards in the braced state and with their cap-shaped head and foot are selflocking by pivoted between a supporting structure, firmly connected with the building, and a fishing ring. (TK) [de

Reactor vessel head permanent shield

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hankinson, M.F.; Leduc, R.J.; Richard, J.W.; Malandra, L.J.

1989-01-01

A nuclear reactor is described comprising: a nuclear reactor pressure vessel closure head; control rod drive mechanisms (CRDMs) disposed within the closure head so as to project vertically above the closure head; cooling air baffle means surrounding the control rod drive mechanisms for defining cooling air paths relative to the control rod drive mechanisms; means defined within the periphery of the closure head for accommodating fastening means for securing the closure head to its associated pressure vessel; lifting lugs fixedly secured to the closure head for facilitating lifting and lowering movements of the closure head relative to the pressure vessel; lift rods respectively operatively associated with the plurality of lifting lugs for transmitting load forces, developed during the lifting and lowering movements of the closure head, to the lifting lugs; upstanding radiation shield means interposed between the cooling air baffle means and the periphery of the enclosure head of shielding maintenance personnel operatively working upon the closure head fastening means from the effects of radiation which may emanate from the control rod drive mechanisms and the cooling air baffle means; and connecting systems respectively associated with each one of the lifting lugs and each one of the lifting rods for connecting each one of the lifting rods to a respective one of each one of the lifting lugs, and for simultaneously connecting a lower end portion of the upstanding radiation shield means to each one of the respective lifting lugs

Diffuse pachymeningeal enhancement on brain MRI: spontaneous intracranial hypotension and head trauma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ryu, Chang Woo; Lee, Byung Hee; Lee, Seung Ik; Kim, Young A; Kim, Hee Jin; Ko, Young Sik

1998-01-01

We evaluated the MRI finding of pachymeningeal enhancement in patients with intracranial hypotension and head trauma with particular attention to differential findings and change in follow-up study, and in order to support the knowledge about the pathophysiology of dural enhancement. The findings of enhanced brain MRI of fifteen patients who showed diffuse pachymeningeal enhancement were retrospectively examined. Seven of fifteen patients were finally diagnosed as spontaneous intracranial hypotension (SIH). Eight of fifteen patients had a recent history of head trauma. We analyzed the shape, thickness, continuity and extent of dural enhancement, and the others concerned with positive MR findings. We also analyzed findings suggested displacement of brain parenchyma-displacement of the iter and cerebellar tonsil, and flattening of the anterior aspect of the pons-. Four of seven patients with SIH and four of eight patients with head trauma, underwent follow-up MRI. In the follow-up study, the presence of resolving pachymeningeal enhancement and symptom improvement was investigated. In all cases of SIH, the dura showed diffuse, even 3(1mm thick, global and contiguous enhancement along both cerebral convexities, both tentoria, and the falx. Displacement of the iter was noted in six cases and flattening of the anterior aspect of the pons in five. Displacement of the cerebellar tonsil was noted in one case. Five of seven cases showed small amount of subdural fluid collection. In all cases of head trauma, the dura was enhanced diffusely and asymmetrically, and showed no contiguity. Its distribution was consistent with the locations of traumatic lesions. Displacement of the iter was noted in one case. In four cases of SIH, clinical symptoms had improved, and three showed complete resolution of dural enhancement, in one patient continuously showed partial dural enhancement. Four cases of head trauma showed complete resolution of dural enhancement. Reversible diffuse

Accuracy of a Wrist-Worn Heart Rate Sensing Device during Elective Pediatric Surgical Procedures

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gloria Pelizzo

2018-03-01

Full Text Available The reliability of wearable photoplethysmography (PPG sensors to measure heart rate (HR in hospitalized patients has only been demonstrated in adults. We evaluated the accuracy of HR monitoring with a personal fitness tracker (PFT in children undergoing surgery. HR monitoring was performed using a wrist-worn PFT (Fitbit Charge HR in 30 children (8.21 ± 3.09 years undergoing laparoscopy (n = 8 or open surgery (n = 22. HR values were analyzed preoperatively and during surgery. The accuracy of HR recordings was compared with measurements recorded during continuous electrocardiographic (cECG monitoring; HRs derived from continuous monitoring with pulse oximetry (SpO2R were used as a positive control. PFT-derived HR values were in agreement with those recorded during cECG (r = 0.99 and SpO2R (r = 0.99 monitoring. PFT performance remained high in children < 8 years (r = 0.99, with a weight < 30 kg (r = 0.99 and when the HR was < 70 beats per minute (bpm (r = 0.91 or > 140 bpm (r = 0.99. PFT accuracy was similar during laparoscopy and open surgery, as well as preoperatively and during the intervention (r > 0.9. PFT–derived HR showed excellent accuracy compared with HRs measured by cECG and SpO2R during pediatric surgical procedures. Further clinical evaluation is needed to define whether PFTs can be used in different health care settings.

Axis of eye rotation changes with head-pitch orientation during head impulses about earth-vertical.

Science.gov (United States)

Migliaccio, Americo A; Schubert, Michael C; Clendaniel, Richard A; Carey, John P; Della Santina, Charles C; Minor, Lloyd B; Zee, David S

2006-06-01

The goal of this study was to assess how the axis of head rotation, Listing's law, and eye position influence the axis of eye rotation during brief, rapid head rotations. We specifically asked how the axis of eye rotation during the initial angular vestibuloocular reflex (VOR) changed when the pitch orientation of the head relative to Earth-vertical was varied, but the initial position of the eye in the orbit and the orientation of Listing's plane with respect to the head were fixed. We measured three-dimensional eye and head rotation axes in eight normal humans using the search coil technique during head-and-trunk (whole-body) and head-on-trunk (head-only) "impulses" about an Earth-vertical axis. The head was initially oriented at one of five pitch angles (30 degrees nose down, 15 degrees nose down, 0 degrees, 15 degrees nose up, 30 degrees nose up). The fixation target was always aligned with the nasooccipital axis. Whole-body impulses were passive, unpredictable, manual, rotations with peak-amplitude of approximately 20 degrees , peak-velocity of approximately 80 degrees /s, and peak-acceleration of approximately 1000 degrees /s2. Head-only impulses were also passive, unpredictable, manual, rotations with peak-amplitude of approximately 20 degrees , peak-velocity of approximately 150 degrees /s, and peak-acceleration of approximately 3000 degrees /s2. During whole-body impulses, the axis of eye rotation tilted in the same direction, and by an amount proportional (0.51 +/- 0.09), to the starting pitch head orientation (P rotation could be predicted from vectorial summation of the gains (eye velocity/head velocity) obtained for rotations about the pure yaw and roll head axes. Thus, even when the orientation of Listing's plane and eye position in the orbit are fixed, the axis of eye rotation during the VOR reflects a compromise between the requirements of Listing's law and a perfectly compensatory VOR.

Epidemiology and Molecular Biology of Head and Neck Cancer.

Science.gov (United States)

Jou, Adriana; Hess, Jochen

2017-01-01

Head and neck cancer is a common and aggressive malignancy with a high morbidity and mortality profile. Although the large majority of cases resemble head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC), the current classification based on anatomic site and tumor stage fails to capture the high level of biologic heterogeneity, and appropriate clinical management remains a major challenge. Hence, a better understanding of the molecular biology of HNSCC is urgently needed to support biomarker development and personalized care for patients. This review focuses on recent findings based on integrative genomics analysis and multi-scale modeling approaches and how they are beginning to provide more sophisticated clues as to the biological and clinical diversity of HNSCC. © 2017 S. Karger GmbH, Freiburg.

Mass transfer experiments for the heat load during in-vessel retention of core melt

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Park, Hae Kyun; Chung, Bum Jin [Dept. of Nuclear Engineering, Kyung Hee University, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

2016-08-15

We investigated the heat load imposed on the lower head of a reactor vessel by the natural convection of the oxide pool in a severe accident. Mass transfer experiments using a CuSO{sub 4}–H{sub 2}SO{sub 4} electroplating system were performed based on the analogy between heat and mass transfer. The Ra′{sub H} of 10{sup 14} order was achieved with a facility height of only 0.1 m. Three different volumetric heat sources were compared; two had identical configurations to those previously reported, and the other was designed by the authors. The measured Nu's of the lower head were about 30% lower than those previously reported. The measured angular heat flux ratios were similar to those reported in existing studies except for the peaks appearing near the top. The volumetric heat sources did not affect the Nu of the lower head but affected the Nu of the top plate by obstructing the rising flow from the bottom.

Do Transient Electrodynamic Processes Support Enhanced Neutral Mass Densities in Earth's Cusp-Region Thermosphere via Divergent Upward Winds?

Science.gov (United States)

Conde, M.; Larsen, M. F.; Troyer, R.; Gillespie, D.; Kosch, M.

2017-12-01

Satellite accelerometer measurements show that Earth's thermosphere contains two substantial and permanent regions of enhanced mass density that are located at around 400 km altitude near the footprints of the north and south geomagnetic cusps. The additional mass in these regions must be supported against gravity, which requires that similarly localized perturbations must occur in one or more of the other fields (beyond mass density) that appear in the momentum conservation equation for the thermospheric neutral fluid. However more than a decade after the density enhancements were first discovered, there are still no observations of any other corresponding perturbations to terms appearing directly in this equation that would indicate what is supporting the extra mass. To date, most candidate mechanisms involve high-altitude transient electrodynamic heating (at 250 km and above) that drives upwelling and associated horizontal divergence. Indeed, there are very few viable mechanisms that don't ultimately cause substantial localized neutral wind perturbations to occur near the density anomalies. Thus, we report here on a study to search for signatures of these localized perturbations in winds, using several data sources. These are the WATS instrument that flew aboard the DE-2 spacecraft, the C-REX-1 rocket flight through the CUSP in 2014, and two ground-based Fabry-Perot instruments that are located in Antarctica at latitudes that pass under the geomagnetic cusps - i.e. at McMurdo and South Pole stations. Using these data, we will present both climatological averages and also individual case studies to illustrate what localized signatures occur (if any) in the neutral wind fields near the cusp-region density anomalies.

Traumatic brain injuries in illustrated literature: experience from a series of over 700 head injuries in the Asterix comic books.

Science.gov (United States)

Kamp, Marcel A; Slotty, Philipp; Sarikaya-Seiwert, Sevgi; Steiger, Hans-Jakob; Hänggi, Daniel

2011-06-01

The goal of the present study was to analyze the epidemiology and specific risk factors of traumatic brain injury (TBI) in the Asterix illustrated comic books. Among the illustrated literature, TBI is a predominating injury pattern. A retrospective analysis of TBI in all 34 Asterix comic books was performed by examining the initial neurological status and signs of TBI. Clinical data were correlated to information regarding the trauma mechanism, the sociocultural background of victims and offenders, and the circumstances of the traumata, to identify specific risk factors. Seven hundred and four TBIs were identified. The majority of persons involved were adult and male. The major cause of trauma was assault (98.8%). Traumata were classified to be severe in over 50% (GCS 3-8). Different neurological deficits and signs of basal skull fractures were identified. Although over half of head-injury victims had a severe initial impairment of consciousness, no case of death or permanent neurological deficit was found. The largest group of head-injured characters was constituted by Romans (63.9%), while Gauls caused nearly 90% of the TBIs. A helmet had been worn by 70.5% of victims but had been lost in the vast majority of cases (87.7%). In 83% of cases, TBIs were caused under the influence of a doping agent called "the magic potion". Although over half of patients had an initially severe impairment of consciousness after TBI, no permanent deficit could be found. Roman nationality, hypoglossal paresis, lost helmet, and ingestion of the magic potion were significantly correlated with severe initial impairment of consciousness (p ≤ 0.05).

Neutron star mass limit at 2M{sub ⊙} supports the existence of a CEP

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Alvarez-Castillo, D. [JINR Dubna, Bogoliubov Laboratory of Theoretical Physics, Dubna (Russian Federation); Benic, S. [University of Zagreb, Department of Physics, Zagreb (Croatia); Blaschke, D. [JINR Dubna, Bogoliubov Laboratory of Theoretical Physics, Dubna (Russian Federation); National Research Nuclear University (MEPhI), Moscow (Russian Federation); University of Wroclaw, Institute of Theoretical Physics, Wroclaw (Poland); Han, Sophia [University of Tennessee, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Knoxville, TN (United States); Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Physics Division, Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Typel, S. [GSI Helmholtzzentrum fuer Schwerionenforschung GmbH, Darmstadt (Germany)

2016-08-15

We point out that the very existence of a ''horizontal branch'' in the mass-radius characteristics for neutron stars indicates a strong first-order phase transition and thus supports the existence of a critical endpoint (CEP) of first-order phase transitions in the QCD phase diagram. This branch would sample a sequence of hybrid stars with quark matter core, leading to the endpoint of stable compact star configurations with the highest possible baryon densities. Since we know of the existence of compact stars with 2M{sub ⊙}, this hypothetical branch has to lie in the vicinity of this mass value, if it exists. We report here a correlation between the maximal radius of the horizontal branch and the pressure at the onset of hadron-to-quark matter phase transition, which is likely to be a universal quantity of utmost relevance to the upcoming experiments with heavy-ion collisions at NICA and FAIR. (orig.)

Supportive use of megestrol acetate in patients with head and neck cancer during radio(chemo)therapy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fietkau, R.; Riepl, M.; Sauer, R.; Kettner, H.

1997-01-01

To study the supportive effect of megestrol acetate during intensive combined modality treatment, a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled study was performed in patients with head and neck cancer. The patients received either 160 mg of megestrol acetate daily or placebo during radio(chemo)therapy and for up to 6 weeks thereafter. The nutritional status as measured by anthropometric and biochemical parameters and the subjective quality of life were assessed prior to therapy, at weeks 1, 4 and 6 of radiotherapy and 12 and 18 weeks from the start of therapy. 61 of 64 patients were evaluable. In the control group (n = 30), the nutritional parameters deteriorated during therapy and were fully restored during follow-up. By contrast, the patients treated with megestrol acetate (n = 31) could maintain their baseline values. The difference between the groups was most pronounced in patients taking food per mouth (weight loss during treatment: control group: 4.1 kg; megestrol acetate group: 0.8 kg, P = 0.0004), but was not significant in patients fed via percutaneous endoscopically guided gastrostomy (PEG). Subjective quality of life remained constant in the megestrol acetate group while it decreased in the control group. However, differences were not statistically significant. Megestrol acetate prevents further deterioration of nutritional status during radio(chemo)therapy and may have an impact on subjective quality of life. (Author)

Supportive use of megestrol acetate in patients with head and neck cancer during radio(chemo)therapy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fietkau, R.; Riepl, M.; Sauer, R. [Erlangen-Nuernberg Univ., Erlangen (Germany); Kettner, H. [Bristol Arzneimittel GmbH, Muenchen (Germany). Medical Div.; Hinke, A. [Wissenschaftlicher Service Pharma, Monheim (Germany)

1997-01-01

To study the supportive effect of megestrol acetate during intensive combined modality treatment, a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled study was performed in patients with head and neck cancer. The patients received either 160 mg of megestrol acetate daily or placebo during radio(chemo)therapy and for up to 6 weeks thereafter. The nutritional status as measured by anthropometric and biochemical parameters and the subjective quality of life were assessed prior to therapy, at weeks 1, 4 and 6 of radiotherapy and 12 and 18 weeks from the start of therapy. 61 of 64 patients were evaluable. In the control group (n = 30), the nutritional parameters deteriorated during therapy and were fully restored during follow-up. By contrast, the patients treated with megestrol acetate (n = 31) could maintain their baseline values. The difference between the groups was most pronounced in patients taking food per mouth (weight loss during treatment: control group: 4.1 kg; megestrol acetate group: 0.8 kg, P = 0.0004), but was not significant in patients fed via percutaneous endoscopically guided gastrostomy (PEG). Subjective quality of life remained constant in the megestrol acetate group while it decreased in the control group. However, differences were not statistically significant. Megestrol acetate prevents further deterioration of nutritional status during radio(chemo)therapy and may have an impact on subjective quality of life. (Author).

The mechanical benefit of medial support screws in locking plating of proximal humerus fractures.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wen Zhang

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the biomechanical advantages of medial support screws (MSSs in the locking proximal humeral plate for treating proximal humerus fractures. METHODS: Thirty synthetic left humeri were randomly divided into 3 subgroups to establish two-part surgical neck fracture models of proximal humerus. All fractures were fixed with a locking proximal humerus plate. Group A was fixed with medial cortical support and no MSSs; Group B was fixed with 3 MSSs but without medial cortical support; Group C was fixed with neither medial cortical support nor MSSs. Axial compression, torsional stiffness, shear stiffness, and failure tests were performed. RESULTS: Constructs with medial support from cortical bone showed statistically higher axial and shear stiffness than other subgroups examined (P<0.0001. When the proximal humerus was not supported by medial cortical bone, locking plating with medial support screws exhibited higher axial and torsional stiffness than locking plating without medial support screws (P ≤ 0.0207. Specimens with medial cortical bone failed primarily by fracture of the humeral shaft or humeral head. Specimens without medial cortical bone support failed primarily by significant plate bending at the fracture site followed by humeral head collapse or humeral head fracture. CONCLUSIONS: Anatomic reduction with medial cortical support was the stiffest construct after a simulated two-part fracture. Significant biomechanical benefits of MSSs in locking plating of proximal humerus fractures were identified. The reconstruction of the medial column support for proximal humerus fractures helps to enhance mechanical stability of the humeral head and prevent implant failure.

Synovial sarcoma: a rare presentation of parapharyngeal mass.

Science.gov (United States)

Shaariyah, Mohd Mokhtar; Mazita, Ami; Masaany, Mansor; Razif, Mohd Yunus; Isa, Mohamed Rose; Asma, Abdullah

2010-06-01

Synovial sarcoma is a rare soft tissue sarcoma of the head and neck region involving the parapharyngeal space. The diagnosis of synovial sarcoma can be very challenging to the pathologists. We present a rare case of parapharyngeal synovial sarcoma in a young female patient who had a two-month history of left cervical intumescent mass at level II. The fine needle aspiration cytology of the mass was proved inconclusive. Transcervical excision of the mass was performed and the first case of parapharyngeal sarcoma was identified in our center by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) technique. Repeat imaging revealed residual tumor. The patient successfully underwent a second excision of the residual tumor and received adjuvant radiotherapy.

21 CFR 211.28 - Personnel responsibilities.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... apparel, such as head, face, hand, and arm coverings, shall be worn as necessary to protect drug products... observation) to have an apparent illness or open lesions that may adversely affect the safety or quality of... medical personnel not to jeopardize the safety or quality of drug products. All personnel shall be...

Intro to Valve Guide Reconditioning. Automotive Mechanics. Valves. Instructor's Guide [and] Student Guide.

Science.gov (United States)

Horner, W.

This instructional package, one in a series of individualized instructional units on tools and techniques for repairing worn valve guides in motor vehicles, provides practical experience for students in working on cylinder heads. Covered in the module are reaming valve guides that are oversized to match a new oversized valve, reaming valve guides…

Heatup of the TMI-2 lower head during core relocation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, S.K.; Sienicki, J.J.; Spencer, B.W.

1989-01-01

An analysis has been carried out to assess the potential of a melting attack upon the reactor vessel lower head and incore instrument nozzle penetration weldments during the TMI core relocation event at 224 minutes. Calculations were performed to determine the potential for molten corium to undergo breakup into droplets which freeze and form a debris bed versus impinging upon the lower head as one or more coherent streams. The effects of thermal-hydraulic interactions between corium streams and water inside the lower plenum, the effects of the core support assembly structure upon the corium, and the consequences of corium relocation by way of the core former region were examined. 19 refs., 24 figs

Creation of a predictive equation to estimate fat-free mass and the ratio of fat-free mass to skeletal size using morphometry in lean working farm dogs.

Science.gov (United States)

Leung, Y M; Cave, N J; Hodgson, B A S

2018-06-27

To develop an equation that accurately estimates fat-free mass (FFM) and the ratio of FFM to skeletal size or mass, using morphometric measurements in lean working farm dogs, and to examine the association between FFM derived from body condition score (BCS) and FFM measured using isotope dilution. Thirteen Huntaway and seven Heading working dogs from sheep and beef farms in the Waikato region of New Zealand were recruited based on BCS (BCS 4) using a nine-point scale. Bodyweight, BCS, and morphometric measurements (head length and circumference, body length, thoracic girth, and fore and hind limb length) were recorded for each dog, and body composition was measured using an isotopic dilution technique. A new variable using morphometric measurements, termed skeletal size, was created using principal component analysis. Models for predicting FFM, leanST (FFM minus skeletal mass) and ratios of FFM and leanST to skeletal size or mass were generated using multiple linear regression analysis. Mean FFM of the 20 dogs, measured by isotope dilution, was 22.1 (SD 4.4) kg and the percentage FFM of bodyweight was 87.0 (SD 5.0)%. Median BCS was 3.0 (min 1, max 6). Bodyweight, breed, age and skeletal size or mass were associated with measured FFM (pFFM and measured FFM (R 2 =0.96), and for the ratio of predicted FFM to skeletal size and measured values (R 2 =0.99). Correlation coefficients were higher for the ratio FFM and leanST to skeletal size than for ratios using skeletal mass. There was a positive correlation between BCS-derived fat mass as a percentage of bodyweight and fat mass percentage determined using isotope dilution (R 2 =0.65). As expected, the predictive equation was accurate in estimating FFM when tested on the same group of dogs used to develop the equation. The significance of breed, independent of skeletal size, in predicting FFM indicates that individual breed formulae may be required. Future studies that apply these equations on a greater population of

Head trauma and CT with special reference to diagnosis of complications of head trauma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Samejima, Kanji; Yoshii, Nobuo; Tobari, Chitose

1979-01-01

Cases in which CT was useful for the diagnosis of complications of head trauma were reported. First, complications of head trauma were given an outline, and then, cases of protrusion of the brain, traumatic pneumocephalus, and cerebro-vascular disorders caused by head trauma were mentioned. (Tsunoda, M.)

Navigating Motherhood and the Role of the Head Athletic Trainer in the Collegiate Setting.

Science.gov (United States)

Mazerolle, Stephanie M; Eason, Christianne M

2016-07-01

Motherhood has been identified as a barrier to the head athletic trainer (AT) position. Role models have been cited as a possible facilitator for increasing the number of women who pursue and maintain this role in the collegiate setting. To examine the experiences of female ATs balancing motherhood and head AT positions in the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division II and III and National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics settings. Qualitative study. National Collegiate Athletic Association Divisions II and III and National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics. A total of 22 female head ATs (average age = 40 ± 8 years) who were married with children completed our study. Our participants had been certified for 15.5 ± 7.5 years and in their current positions as head ATs for 9 ± 8 years. We conducted online interviews with all participants. Participants journaled their reflections on a series of open-ended questions pertaining to their experiences as head ATs. Data were analyzed following a general inductive approach. Credibility was confirmed through peer review and researcher triangulation. We identified 3 major contributors to work-life conflict. Two speak to organizational influences on conflict: work demands and time of year. The role of motherhood, which was more of a personal contributor, also precipitated conflict for our ATs. Four themes emerged as work-life balance facilitators: planning, attitude and perspective, support networks, and workplace integration. Support was defined at both the personal and professional levels. In terms of the organization, our participants juggled long work hours, travel, and administrative tasks. Individually and socioculturally, they overcame their guilt and their need to be present and an active part of the parenting process. These mothers demonstrated the ability to cope with their demanding roles as both moms and head ATs.

Evaluation of precipitates used in strainer head loss testing: Part II. Precipitates by in situ aluminum alloy corrosion

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bahn, Chi Bum; Kasza, Ken E.; Shack, William J.; Natesan, Ken; Klein, Paul

2011-01-01

Graphical abstract: Display Omitted Research highlights: → Sump strainer head loss testing to evaluate chemical effects. → Aluminum hydroxide precipitates by in situ Al alloy corrosion caused head loss. → Intermetallic particles released from Al alloy can also cause significant head loss. → When evaluating Al effect on head loss, intermetallics should be considered. - Abstract: Vertical loop head loss tests were performed with 6061 and 1100 aluminum (Al) alloy plates immersed in borated solution at pH = 9.3 at room temperature and 60 o C. The results suggest that the potential for corrosion of an Al alloy to result in increased head loss across a glass fiber bed may depend on its microstructure, i.e., the size distribution and number density of intermetallic particles that are present in Al matrix and FeSiAl ternary compounds, as well as its Al release rate. Per unit mass of Al removed from solution, the WCAP-16530 aluminum hydroxide (Al(OH) 3 ) surrogate was more effective in increasing head loss than the Al(OH) 3 precipitates formed in situ by corrosion of Al alloy. However, in choosing a representative amount of surrogate for plant specific testing, consideration should be given to the potential for additional head losses due to intermetallic particles and the apparent reduction in the effective solubility of Al(OH) 3 when intermetallic particles are present.

Calculation and mitigation of isotopic interferences in liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry/mass spectrometry assays and its application in supporting microdose absolute bioavailability studies.

Science.gov (United States)

Gu, Huidong; Wang, Jian; Aubry, Anne-Françoise; Jiang, Hao; Zeng, Jianing; Easter, John; Wang, Jun-sheng; Dockens, Randy; Bifano, Marc; Burrell, Richard; Arnold, Mark E

2012-06-05

A methodology for the accurate calculation and mitigation of isotopic interferences in liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry/mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) assays and its application in supporting microdose absolute bioavailability studies are reported for the first time. For simplicity, this calculation methodology and the strategy to minimize the isotopic interference are demonstrated using a simple molecule entity, then applied to actual development drugs. The exact isotopic interferences calculated with this methodology were often much less than the traditionally used, overestimated isotopic interferences simply based on the molecular isotope abundance. One application of the methodology is the selection of a stable isotopically labeled internal standard (SIL-IS) for an LC-MS/MS bioanalytical assay. The second application is the selection of an SIL analogue for use in intravenous (i.v.) microdosing for the determination of absolute bioavailability. In the case of microdosing, the traditional approach of calculating isotopic interferences can result in selecting a labeling scheme that overlabels the i.v.-dosed drug or leads to incorrect conclusions on the feasibility of using an SIL drug and analysis by LC-MS/MS. The methodology presented here can guide the synthesis by accurately calculating the isotopic interferences when labeling at different positions, using different selective reaction monitoring (SRM) transitions or adding more labeling positions. This methodology has been successfully applied to the selection of the labeled i.v.-dosed drugs for use in two microdose absolute bioavailability studies, before initiating the chemical synthesis. With this methodology, significant time and cost saving can be achieved in supporting microdose absolute bioavailability studies with stable labeled drugs.

Exploding head syndrome.

Science.gov (United States)

Sharpless, Brian A

2014-12-01

Exploding head syndrome is characterized by the perception of abrupt, loud noises when going to sleep or waking up. They are usually painless, but associated with fear and distress. In spite of the fact that its characteristic symptomatology was first described approximately 150 y ago, exploding head syndrome has received relatively little empirical and clinical attention. Therefore, a comprehensive review of the scientific literature using Medline, PsycINFO, Google Scholar, and PubMed was undertaken. After first discussing the history, prevalence, and associated features, the available polysomnography data and five main etiological theories for exploding head syndrome are summarized. None of these theories has yet reached dominance in the field. Next, the various methods used to assess and treat exploding head syndrome are discussed, as well as the limited outcome data. Finally, recommendations for future measure construction, treatment options, and differential diagnosis are provided. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Biased Brownian motion mechanism for processivity and directionality of single-headed myosin-VI.

Science.gov (United States)

Iwaki, Mitsuhiro; Iwane, Atsuko Hikikoshi; Ikebe, Mitsuo; Yanagida, Toshio

2008-01-01

Conventional form to function as a vesicle transporter is not a 'single molecule' but a coordinated 'two molecules'. The coordinated two molecules make it complicated to reveal its mechanism. To overcome the difficulty, we adopted a single-headed myosin-VI as a model protein. Myosin-VI is an intracellular vesicle and organelle transporter that moves along actin filaments in a direction opposite to most other known myosin classes. The myosin-VI was expected to form a dimer to move processively along actin filaments with a hand-over-hand mechanism like other myosin organelle transporters. However, wild-type myosin-VI was demonstrated to be monomer and single-headed, casting doubt on its processivity. Using single molecule techniques, we show that green fluorescent protein (GFP)-fused single-headed myosin-VI does not move processively. However, when coupled to a 200 nm polystyrene bead (comparable to an intracellular vesicle in size) at a ratio of one head per bead, single-headed myosin-VI moves processively with large (40 nm) steps. Furthermore, we found that a single-headed myosin-VI-bead complex moved more processively in a high-viscous solution (40-fold higher than water) similar to cellular environment. Because diffusion of the bead is 60-fold slower than myosin-VI heads alone in water, we propose a model in which the bead acts as a diffusional anchor for the myosin-VI, enhancing the head's rebinding following detachment and supporting processive movement of the bead-monomer complex. This investigation will help us understand how molecular motors utilize Brownian motion in cells.

Characterization of cervical neuromuscular response to head-neck perturbation in active young adults.

Science.gov (United States)

Alsalaheen, Bara; Bean, Ryan; Almeida, Andrea; Eckner, James; Lorincz, Matthew

2018-04-01

The majority of studies examining the role of cervical muscles on head-neck kinematics focused on musculoskeletal attributes (e.g. strength). Cervical neuromuscular response to perturbation may represent a divergent construct that has not been examined under various perturbation conditions. This study examined the association between cervical musculoskeletal attributes and cervical neuromuscular response of the sternocleidomastoid (SCM) to perturbation. Furthermore, this study examined the effect of anticipation and preload on the SCM neuromuscular response. Nineteen participants completed measurement of SCM muscle size, cervical flexion maximal voluntary isometric contraction, and the neuromuscular response of the SCM to cervical perturbation. Cervical perturbation was delivered by dropping a 1.59 kg mass from a loading apparatus. The impulsive load was delivered under four conditions: (1) Anticipated perturbation with no preload (A-NP), (2) Unanticipated perturbation with no preload (U-NP), (3) Anticipated perturbation with preload (A-P), and (4) Unanticipated perturbation with preload (U-P). None of the cervical musculoskeletal attributes were correlated with the SCM cervical neuromuscular response. This study demonstrated significant effect of preloading and anticipation on baseline EMG amplitude and EMG onset latency for the SCM. Furthermore, there was a significant effect of preloading on average EMG response amplitude for the SCM. The findings of this study indicate that cervical neuromuscular response of the SCM is different from musculoskeletal attributes and is influenced by perturbation conditions. These findings provide conceptual support to examine the neuromuscular response of the SCM in mitigating head-neck kinematics. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Approaching the adolescent-headed family: a review of teen parenting.

Science.gov (United States)

Savio Beers, Lee A; Hollo, Ruth E

2009-10-01

In the USA, as many as 1 in 6 women nationwide become adolescent mothers, making adolescent pregnancy and childbearing issues a frequently encountered occurrence by pediatricians and adolescent medicine health care providers. Both social and medical programs focus on prevention and management of adolescent pregnancies; however, caring for the adolescent-headed family is less well understood. For many teen parents, various environmental and behavioral risks contributed to early childbearing and parenting. Following delivery of the infant, many of these same psycho-social, environmental, and educational factors continue to play a role in the teen's ability to parent effectively. This review explores these factors in relation to teen parenting as well as describes the limited data available on outcomes of adolescent mothers and their infants. Despite negative social stereotypes regarding adolescent fathers, research suggesting that most fathers desire involvement with their infants and the impact of and factors influencing father involvement is explored. Understanding the dynamics of the coparenting relationship, an expanding field of study, will aid practitioners in strengthening and supporting teen parenting by both mothers and fathers. As most teen parents continue to reside with their families, teen parenting has an important impact on the multi-generational family structure. These relationships can serve both to support and at times to hinder the adolescent parents' development as an individual and as a parent. Successful interventions and programs to support the adolescent-headed family take on various forms but are usually comprehensive and multidisciplinary and consider the developmental status of both the parent and the child. To best care for adolescent-headed families, pediatricians and adolescent medicine providers should understand the psychosocial, developmental, educational, and relationship issues that influence adolescent parenting.

Application of head-space solid-phase microextraction for the analysis of volatile metabolites emitted by Penicillium species

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nilsson, Torben; Larsen, Thomas Ostenfeld; Montanarella, Luca

1996-01-01

Head-space solid-phase microextraction (HS-SPME) has been used to collect volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emitted from fungi of the genus Penicillium. Gas chromatography combined with mass spectrometry (GC-MS) was employed for the analysis of the profiles of volatile metabolites characteristic...

Uncertainties in effective dose estimates of adult CT head scans: The effect of head size

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gregory, Kent J.; Bibbo, Giovanni; Pattison, John E.

2009-01-01

Purpose: This study is an extension of a previous study where the uncertainties in effective dose estimates from adult CT head scans were calculated using four CT effective dose estimation methods, three of which were computer programs (CT-EXPO, CTDOSIMETRY, and IMPACTDOSE) and one that involved the dose length product (DLP). However, that study did not include the uncertainty contribution due to variations in head sizes. Methods: The uncertainties due to head size variations were estimated by first using the computer program data to calculate doses to small and large heads. These doses were then compared with doses calculated for the phantom heads used by the computer programs. An uncertainty was then assigned based on the difference between the small and large head doses and the doses of the phantom heads. Results: The uncertainties due to head size variations alone were found to be between 4% and 26% depending on the method used and the patient gender. When these uncertainties were included with the results of the previous study, the overall uncertainties in effective dose estimates (stated at the 95% confidence interval) were 20%-31% (CT-EXPO), 15%-30% (CTDOSIMETRY), 20%-36% (IMPACTDOSE), and 31%-40% (DLP). Conclusions: For the computer programs, the lower overall uncertainties were still achieved when measured values of CT dose index were used rather than tabulated values. For DLP dose estimates, head size variations made the largest (for males) and second largest (for females) contributions to effective dose uncertainty. An improvement in the uncertainty of the DLP method dose estimates will be achieved if head size variation can be taken into account.

Uncertainties in effective dose estimates of adult CT head scans: The effect of head size

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gregory, Kent J.; Bibbo, Giovanni; Pattison, John E. [Department of Medical Physics, Royal Adelaide Hospital, Adelaide, South Australia 5000 (Australia) and School of Electrical and Information Engineering (Applied Physics), University of South Australia, Mawson Lakes, South Australia 5095 (Australia); Division of Medical Imaging, Women' s and Children' s Hospital, North Adelaide, South Australia 5006 (Australia) and School of Electrical and Information Engineering (Applied Physics), University of South Australia, Mawson Lakes, South Australia 5095 (Australia); School of Electrical and Information Engineering (Applied Physics), University of South Australia, Mawson Lakes, South Australia 5095 (Australia)

2009-09-15

Purpose: This study is an extension of a previous study where the uncertainties in effective dose estimates from adult CT head scans were calculated using four CT effective dose estimation methods, three of which were computer programs (CT-EXPO, CTDOSIMETRY, and IMPACTDOSE) and one that involved the dose length product (DLP). However, that study did not include the uncertainty contribution due to variations in head sizes. Methods: The uncertainties due to head size variations were estimated by first using the computer program data to calculate doses to small and large heads. These doses were then compared with doses calculated for the phantom heads used by the computer programs. An uncertainty was then assigned based on the difference between the small and large head doses and the doses of the phantom heads. Results: The uncertainties due to head size variations alone were found to be between 4% and 26% depending on the method used and the patient gender. When these uncertainties were included with the results of the previous study, the overall uncertainties in effective dose estimates (stated at the 95% confidence interval) were 20%-31% (CT-EXPO), 15%-30% (CTDOSIMETRY), 20%-36% (IMPACTDOSE), and 31%-40% (DLP). Conclusions: For the computer programs, the lower overall uncertainties were still achieved when measured values of CT dose index were used rather than tabulated values. For DLP dose estimates, head size variations made the largest (for males) and second largest (for females) contributions to effective dose uncertainty. An improvement in the uncertainty of the DLP method dose estimates will be achieved if head size variation can be taken into account.

Head Impact Laboratory (HIL)

Data.gov (United States)

Federal Laboratory Consortium — The HIL uses testing devices to evaluate vehicle interior energy attenuating (EA) technologies for mitigating head injuries resulting from head impacts during mine/...

Utilization of head CT during injury visits to United States emergency departments: 2012-2015.

Science.gov (United States)

Yun, Brian J; Borczuk, Pierre; Zachrison, Kori S; Goldstein, Joshua N; Berlyand, Yosef; Raja, Ali S

2018-05-18

Studies have shown increasing utilization of head computed tomography (CT) imaging of emergency department (ED) patients presenting with an injury-related visit. Multiple initiatives, including the Choosing Wisely™ campaign and evidence-based clinical decision support based on validated decision rules, have targeted head CT use in patients with injuries. Therefore, we investigated national trends in the use of head CT during injury-related ED visits from 2012 to 2015. This was a secondary analysis of data from the annual United States (U.S.) National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey from 2012 to 2015. The study population was defined as injury-related ED visits, and we sought to determine the percentage in which a head CT was ordered and, secondarily, to determine both the diagnostic yield of clinically significant intracranial findings and hospital characteristics associated with increased head CT utilization. Between 2012 and 2015, 12.25% (95% confidence interval [CI] 11.48-13.02%) of injury-related visits received at least one head CT. Overall head CT utilization showed an increased trend during the study period (2012: 11.7%, 2015: 13.23%, p = 0.09), but the results were not statistically significant. The diagnostic yield of head CT for a significant intracranial injury over the period of four years was 7.4% (9.68% in 2012 vs. 7.67% in 2015, p = 0.23). Head CT use along with diagnostic yield has remained stable from 2012 to 2015 among patients presenting to the ED for an injury-related visit. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Multi-head Watson-Crick automata

OpenAIRE

Chatterjee, Kingshuk; Ray, Kumar Sankar

2015-01-01

Inspired by multi-head finite automata and Watson-Crick automata in this paper, we introduce new structure namely multi-head Watson-Crick automata where we replace the single tape of multi-head finite automaton by a DNA double strand. The content of the second tape is determined using a complementarity relation similar to Watson-Crick complementarity relation. We establish the superiority of our model over multi-head finite automata and also show that both the deterministic and non-determinis...

Questioning the use-value of social relationships: care and support ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Most research literature on this topic emphasises child-headed households' material and financial support. However, although financial support is vital, emotional support to cope with the loss of loved ones, or with loneliness and insecurity, is also much needed, as well as adult assistance in obtaining formal support, such ...

Head teacher professional networks in Italy: preliminary results of a national survey

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maurissens Isabel de

2016-06-01

Full Text Available In this article, we present the preliminary results of a national survey conducted by INDIRE on head teachers communities and professional networks. About one-fourth of the total population of Italian public school leaders participated in the survey. One of the main intents of this research is to contribute to understanding of the phenomenon of professional networks frequented by school leaders and to pave the way for a further reflection on how to use such networks for head teachers’ training so as to support their daily professional practice conducted too often in isolation.

Functional morphology of the primate head and neck.

Science.gov (United States)

Nalley, Thierra K; Grider-Potter, Neysa

2015-04-01

The vertebral column plays a key role in maintaining posture, locomotion, and transmitting loads between body components. Cervical vertebrae act as a bridge between the torso and head and play a crucial role in the maintenance of head position and the visual field. Despite its importance in positional behaviors, the functional morphology of the cervical region remains poorly understood, particularly in comparison to the thoracic and lumbar sections of the spinal column. This study tests whether morphological variation in the primate cervical vertebrae correlates with differences in postural behavior. Phylogenetic generalized least-squares analyses were performed on a taxonomically broad sample of 26 extant primate taxa to test the link between vertebral morphology and posture. Kinematic data on primate head and neck postures were used instead of behavioral categories in an effort to provide a more direct analysis of our functional hypothesis. Results provide evidence for a function-form link between cervical vertebral shape and postural behaviors. Specifically, taxa with more pronograde heads and necks and less kyphotic orbits exhibit cervical vertebrae with longer spinous processes, indicating increased mechanical advantage for deep nuchal musculature, and craniocaudally longer vertebral bodies and more coronally oriented zygapophyseal articular facets, suggesting an emphasis on curve formation and maintenance within the cervical lordosis, coupled with a greater resistance to translation and ventral displacement. These results not only document support for functional relationships in cervical vertebrae features across a wide range of primate taxa, but highlight the utility of quantitative behavioral data in functional investigations. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

45 CFR 1308.21 - Parent participation and transition of children into Head Start and from Head Start to public...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... into Head Start and from Head Start to public school. 1308.21 Section 1308.21 Public Welfare... AND HUMAN SERVICES THE ADMINISTRATION FOR CHILDREN, YOUTH AND FAMILIES, HEAD START PROGRAM HEAD START... Standards § 1308.21 Parent participation and transition of children into Head Start and from Head Start to...

Systematic review and meta-analysis of the effects of football heading.

Science.gov (United States)

Kontos, Anthony P; Braithwaite, Rock; Chrisman, Sara P D; McAllister-Deitrick, Jamie; Symington, Larissa; Reeves, Valerie L; Collins, Michael W

2017-08-01

The objective of this study was to provide a meta-analysis examining the effects of football heading. Meta-analytical review on football heading effects on neurocognitive performance, cognition and symptom reports. Combinations of the key terms were entered into the following electronic database search engines: Cochrane Libraries, PyscARTICLE, PyscINFO, PubMed, ProQuest, SPORTDiscus and Web of Science on 7 July 2016. The following inclusion criteria were used to determine eligibility for studies: (1) the study examined and reported on soccer athletes; (2) the population's age, sex and sport position was described; (3) cognitive function, symptoms, balance or other outcomes were quantitatively measured; (4) football heading exposure was quantitatively measured between at least two groups and (5) the study was written in the English language after December 1979. The literature search process identified 467 unique studies. After applying exclusion criteria, 28 studies remained. Included studies had a total of 2288 participants (female participants =933, male participants =1355), aged 13-70 years. The overall results of random effects modelling of football heading were found to be inconclusive across all outcomes, groups and time points. No moderating variables related to methodological, sample or study characteristics were supported in the analysis; age was a potential moderating variable. We provide the first meta-analytical review of football heading effects aggregated from multiple studies and extended findings from a recent systematic review of the effects of football heading. Our analysis indicates no overall effect for heading a football on adverse outcomes. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/.

Methods That Examine the Extent to Which the Quality of Children's Experiences in Elementary School Moderate the Long-Term Impacts of Head Start

Science.gov (United States)

Mashburn, Andrew J.; Downer, Jason T.

2013-01-01

The goals of the Head Start Impact Study (HSIS) are to: (1) determine the impacts of Head Start on children's school readiness and parental practices that support children's development; and (2) to determine under what circumstances Head Start achieves its greatest impacts and for which children (US Department of Health and Human Services, 2010).…

Lower head failure analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rempe, J.L.; Thinnes, G.L.; Allison, C.M.; Cronenberg, A.W.

1991-01-01

The US Nuclear Regulatory Commission is sponsoring a lower vessel head research program to investigate plausible modes of reactor vessel failure in order to determine (a) which modes have the greatest likelihood of occurrence during a severe accident and (b) the range of core debris and accident conditions that lead to these failures. This paper presents the methodology and preliminary results of an investigation of reactor designs and thermodynamic conditions using analytic closed-form approximations to assess the important governing parameters in non-dimensional form. Preliminary results illustrate the importance of vessel and tube geometrical parameters, material properties, and external boundary conditions on predicting vessel failure. Thermal analyses indicate that steady-state temperature distributions will occur in the vessel within several hours, although the exact time is dependent upon vessel thickness. In-vessel tube failure is governed by the tube-to-debris mass ratio within the lower head, where most penetrations are predicted to fail if surrounded by molten debris. Melt penetration distance is dependent upon the effective flow diameter of the tube. Molten debris is predicted to penetrate through tubes with a larger effective flow diameter, such as a boiling water reactor (BWR) drain nozzle. Ex-vessel tube failure for depressurized reactor vessels is predicted to be more likely for a BWR drain nozzle penetration because of its larger effective diameter. At high pressures (between ∼0.1 MPa and ∼12 MPa) ex-vessel tube rupture becomes a dominant failure mechanism, although tube ejection dominates control rod guide tube failure at lower temperatures. However, tube ejection and tube rupture predictions are sensitive to the vessel and tube radial gap size and material coefficients of thermal expansion

Testing the dual-route model of perceived gaze direction: Linear combination of eye and head cues.

Science.gov (United States)

Otsuka, Yumiko; Mareschal, Isabelle; Clifford, Colin W G

2016-06-01

We have recently proposed a dual-route model of the effect of head orientation on perceived gaze direction (Otsuka, Mareschal, Calder, & Clifford, 2014; Otsuka, Mareschal, & Clifford, 2015), which computes perceived gaze direction as a linear combination of eye orientation and head orientation. By parametrically manipulating eye orientation and head orientation, we tested the adequacy of a linear model to account for the effect of horizontal head orientation on perceived direction of gaze. Here, participants adjusted an on-screen pointer toward the perceived gaze direction in two image conditions: Normal condition and Wollaston condition. Images in the Normal condition included a change in the visible part of the eye along with the change in head orientation, while images in the Wollaston condition were manipulated to have identical eye regions across head orientations. Multiple regression analysis with explanatory variables of eye orientation and head orientation revealed that linear models account for most of the variance both in the Normal condition and in the Wollaston condition. Further, we found no evidence that the model with a nonlinear term explains significantly more variance. Thus, the current study supports the dual-route model that computes the perceived gaze direction as a linear combination of eye orientation and head orientation.

Eye-based head gestures

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mardanbegi, Diako; Witzner Hansen, Dan; Pederson, Thomas

2012-01-01

A novel method for video-based head gesture recognition using eye information by an eye tracker has been proposed. The method uses a combination of gaze and eye movement to infer head gestures. Compared to other gesture-based methods a major advantage of the method is that the user keeps the gaze...... mobile phone screens. The user study shows that the method detects a set of defined gestures reliably.......A novel method for video-based head gesture recognition using eye information by an eye tracker has been proposed. The method uses a combination of gaze and eye movement to infer head gestures. Compared to other gesture-based methods a major advantage of the method is that the user keeps the gaze...

Image processing of worn and unworn protective coatings of TiAlN and TiN on 100Cr6 steel

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rasmussen, Inge Lise; Guibert, M.; Martin, J.M.

by a reciprocating wear process in a linear tribo-meter with up to 105 repetitive cycles, leaving the embedded TiN signal layers uncovered at the bottom the wear scars. The worn surfaces were characterized by subsequent image processing. A color detection, by a simple optical imaging system, of the wear scar......-coating to the TiN signal layer. The two different methods, image processing and laser reflectance measurements, lead thus to identical results, showing that image processing by means of color detection or monitoring and laser reflectance are potential techniques for intelligent determination of residual thickness......A model system, consisting of a titanium aluminum nitride (TiAlN) coating on top of an ‘optical’ titanium nitride (TiN) signal layer deposited on 100Cr6 steel substrates, was exposed to an extremely abrasive wear process. The TiAlN top-coatings, of thicknesses of up to 3 µm, were removed...

Wear Fast, Die Young: More Worn Teeth and Shorter Lives in Iberian Compared to Scottish Red Deer.

Science.gov (United States)

Pérez-Barbería, F J; Carranza, J; Sánchez-Prieto, C

2015-01-01

Teeth in Cervidae are permanent structures that are not replaceable or repairable; consequently their rate of wear, due to the grinding effect of food and dental attrition, affects their duration and can determine an animal's lifespan. Tooth wear is also a useful indicator of accumulative life energy investment in intake and mastication and their interactions with diet. Little is known regarding how natural and sexual selection operate on dental structures within a species in contrasting environments and how these relate to life history traits to explain differences in population rates of tooth wear and longevity. We hypothesised that populations under harsh environmental conditions should be selected for more hypsodont teeth while sexual selection may maintain similar sex differences within different populations. We investigated the patterns of tooth wear in males and females of Iberian red deer (Cervus elaphus hispanicus) in Southern Spain and Scottish red deer (C. e. scoticus) across Scotland, that occur in very different environments, using 10343 samples from legal hunting activities. We found higher rates of both incisor and molar wear in the Spanish compared to Scottish populations. However, Scottish red deer had larger incisors at emergence than Iberian red deer, whilst molars emerged at a similar size in both populations and sexes. Iberian and Scottish males had earlier tooth depletion than females, in support of a similar sexual selection process in both populations. However, whilst average lifespan for Iberian males was 4 years shorter than that for Iberian females and Scottish males, Scottish males only showed a reduction of 1 year in average lifespan with respect to Scottish females. More worn molars were associated with larger mandibles in both populations, suggesting that higher intake and/or greater investment in food comminution may have favoured increased body growth, before later loss of tooth efficiency due to severe wear. These results

Heading for a fall? Management of head injury in infants.

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

Williamson, M

2010-09-01

Head injury is one of the commonest reasons for infants (< 1 year) to attend the Emergency Department (ED). Clinical management varies considerably and concern about non accidental injury results in a high admission rate in some hospitals. Information was obtained on 103 children under one year of age presenting to the ED with head injury in a prospective study. The average age was 6.7 months and 57% of patients were male. Twenty eight babies had skull x rays with 1 skull fracture diagnosed. None required CT brain scan. Ninety eight (94%) were discharged home from the ED. There were no unplanned returns, readmissions or adverse events. The incidence of traumatic brain injury in children under one year of age presenting with head injury is low and the majority can be safely discharged home.

Head capsule characters in the Hymenoptera and their phylogenetic implications

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lars Vilhelmsen

2011-09-01

Full Text Available The head capsule of a taxon sample of three outgroup and 86 ingroup taxa is examined for characters of possible phylogenetic significance within Hymenoptera. 21 morphological characters are illustrated and scored, and their character evolution explored by mapping them onto a phylogeny recently produced from a large morphological data set. Many of the characters are informative and display unambiguous changes. Most of the character support demonstrated is supportive at the superfamily or family level. In contrast, only few characters corroborate deeper nodes in the phylogeny of Hymenoptera.

Does winter region affect spring arrival time and body mass of king eiders in northern Alaska?

Science.gov (United States)

Powell, Abby N.; Oppel, Steffen

2009-01-01

Events during the non-breeding season may affect the body condition of migratory birds and influence performance during the following breeding season. Migratory birds nesting in the Arctic often rely on endogenous nutrients for reproductive efforts, and are thus potentially subject to such carry-over effects. We tested whether king eider (Somateria spectabilis) arrival time and body mass upon arrival at breeding grounds in northern Alaska were affected by their choice of a winter region in the Bering Sea. We captured birds shortly after arrival on breeding grounds in early June 2002–2006 at two sites in northern Alaska and determined the region in which individuals wintered using satellite telemetry or stable isotope ratios of head feathers. We used generalized linear models to assess whether winter region explained variation in arrival body mass among individuals by accounting for sex, site, annual variation, and the date a bird was captured. We found no support for our hypothesis that either arrival time or arrival body mass of king eiders differed among winter regions. We conclude that wintering in different regions in the Bering Sea is unlikely to have reproductive consequences for king eiders in our study areas.

Corticosteroid Reduces Blood Flow to Femoral Heads in Rabbits.

Science.gov (United States)

Hou, S.M.; Liu, T.K.; Kao, M.C.

1994-12-01

Avascular necrosis of the femoral head is one of the common problems in orthopedic practice in Taiwan. The subchondral bone loses its blood supply which weakens its biomechanical support. Steroid overuse is one of many possible etiologies in reducing blood flow to the femoral head. Laser Doppler velocimeter is a precise monitor of regional blood flow of bone which is expressed in perfusion units (PU). In the control group the rabbits were injected with normal saline and there were no statistical differences between blood flow to the right hip (39.26 +/- 5.64 PU) and left hip (38.58 +/- 4.35 PU). In group B a weekly injection of methylprednisolone into rabbits for 6 weeks demonstrated the reduction of blood flow of femoral head (24.74 +/- 3.13 PU) by the laser Doppler velocimeter. The flow decreased further (15.93 +/- 2.33 PU) by 12 weeks of steroid treatment. In group C after a weekly injection of steroid for 6 weeks the flow became 31.63 +/- 4.79 PU. The steroid was then discontinued for 3 weeks and the flow was 34.6 +/- 1.34 PU. In group D the blood flow was 25.89 +/- 4.01 PU after 6 weeks of steroid treatment and we stopped the steroid for 6 weeks, the blood flow became 29.86 +/- 2.59 PU. The merit of our experiment established a model of study in avascular necrosis of the femoral head in rabbits. Copyright 1994 S. Karger AG, Basel

Brush head composition, wear profile, and cleaning efficacy: an assessment of three electric brush heads using in vitro methods.

Science.gov (United States)

Kaiser, Eva; Meyners, Michael; Markgraf, Dirk; Stoerkel, Ulrich; von Koppenfels, Roxana; Adam, Ralf; Soukup, Martin; Wehrbein, Heinrich; Erbe, Christina

2014-01-01

The objective of this research was to evaluate a current store brand (SB) brush head for composition/physical characteristics, Wear Index (WI), and cleaning efficacy versus the previous SB brush head refill design (SB control) and the Oral-B Precision Clean brush head (positive control, PC). This research consisted of three parts: 1) Analytical analysis using Fourier Transform Infrared (FT-IR) spectrometry to evaluate the chemical composition of the current SB brush head bristles relative to the SB control. In addition, physical parameters such as bristle count and diameter were determined. 2) Wear Index (WI) investigation to determine the Wear Index scores of in vitro-aged brush heads at four weeks (one month) and 13 weeks (three months) by a trained investigator. To "age" the brush heads, a robot system was used as a new alternative in vitro method to simulate aging by consumer use. 3) Robot testing to determine the cleaning performance of in vitro-aged brush heads, comparing one month-aged current SB brush heads with the SB control (one and three months-aged) and the PC brush heads (three months-aged) in a standardized fashion. 1) FT-IR analysis revealed that the chemical composition of the current and control SB refill brush heads is identical. In terms of physical parameters, the current SB brush head has 12% more bristles and a slightly oval brush head compared to the round brush head of the SB control. 2) Wear Index analysis showed there was no difference in the one month-aged current SB brush head versus the one month-aged SB control (1.67 vs. 1.50, p = 0.65) or versus the three months-aged PC brush head (1.67 vs. 1.50, p = 0.65). The one month-aged current SB brush head demonstrated statistically significantly less wear than the three months-aged SB control (1.67 vs. 2.67, p = 0.01). 3) Analysis of cleaning efficacy shows that the one month-aged current SB brush head had improved cleaning performance over the one month-aged SB control brush head (p < 0

Is Heading in Youth Soccer Dangerous Play?

Science.gov (United States)

O'Kane, John W

2016-01-01

Soccer is among the most popular youth sports with over 3 million youth players registered in the U.S. Soccer is unique in that players intentionally use their head to strike the ball, leading to concerns that heading could cause acute or chronic brain injury, especially in the immature brains of children. Pub Med search without date restriction was conducted in November 2014 and August 2015 using the terms soccer and concussion, heading and concussion, and youth soccer and concussion. 310 articles were identified and reviewed for applicable content specifically relating to youth athletes, heading, and/or acute or chronic brain injury from soccer. Soccer is a low-risk sport for catastrophic head injury, but concussions are relatively common and heading often plays a role. At all levels of play, concussions are more likely to occur in the act of heading than with other facets of the game. While concussion from heading the ball without other contact to the head appears rare in adult players, some data suggests children are more susceptible to concussion from heading primarily in game situations. Contributing factors include biomechanical forces, less developed technique, and the immature brain's susceptibility to injury. There is no evidence that heading in youth soccer causes any permanent brain injury and there is limited evidence that heading in youth soccer can cause concussion. A reasonable approach based on U.S. Youth Soccer recommendations is to teach heading after age 10 in controlled settings, and heading in games should be delayed until skill acquisition and physical maturity allow the youth player to head correctly with confidence.

Process and device to set a separated helicoid thread in a large diameter tapped hole and use of this process and device

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dworaczek, J.P.; Grypczynski, D.

1992-01-01

In a PWR reactor the vessel head is fixed to the reactor vessel by the vessel flange and closure studs. If the thread machined in the vessel flange is damaged or worn out, a separate thread, rolled up on a tapped drum is screwed in the tapped opening and the thread is fixed by a pin

Continuum model for water movement in an unsaturated fractured rock mass

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Peters, R.R.; Klavetter, E.A.

1988-01-01

The movement of fluids in a fractured, porous medium has been the subject of considerable study. This paper presents a continuum model that may be used to evaluate the isothermal movement of water in an unsaturated, fractured, porous medium under slowly changing conditions. This continuum model was developed for use in evaluating the unsaturated zone at the Yucca Mountain site as a potential repository for high-level nuclear waste. Thus its development has been influenced by the conditions thought to be present at Yucca Mountain. A macroscopic approach and a microscopic approach are used to develop a continuum model to evaluate water movement in a fractured rock mass. Both approaches assume that the pressure head in the fractures and the matrix are identical in a plane perpendicular to flow. Both approaches lead to a single-flow equation for a fractured rock mass. The two approaches are used to calculate unsaturated hydrologic properties, i.e., relative permeability and saturation as a function of pressure head, for several types of tuff underlying Yucca Mountain, using the best available hydrologic data for the matrix and the fractures. Rock mass properties calculated by both approaches are similar

Head injury - first aid

Science.gov (United States)

... medlineplus.gov/ency/article/000028.htm Head injury - first aid To use the sharing features on this page, ... a concussion can range from mild to severe. First Aid Learning to recognize a serious head injury and ...

Computed Tomography (CT) -- Head

Medline Plus

Full Text Available ... the limitations of CT Scanning of the Head? What is CT Scanning of the Head? Computed tomography, ... than regular radiographs (x-rays). top of page What are some common uses of the procedure? CT ...

Computed Tomography (CT) -- Head

Medline Plus

Full Text Available ... for Brain Tumors Radiation Therapy for Head and Neck Cancer Others American Stroke Association National Stroke Association ... Computer Tomography (CT) Safety During Pregnancy Head and Neck Cancer X-ray, Interventional Radiology and Nuclear Medicine ...

Computed Tomography (CT) -- Head

Medline Plus

Full Text Available ... the head uses special x-ray equipment to help assess head injuries, severe headaches, dizziness, and other ... aneurysm, bleeding, stroke and brain tumors. It also helps your doctor to evaluate your face, sinuses, and ...

Computed Tomography (CT) -- Head

Medline Plus

Full Text Available ... When the image slices are reassembled by computer software, the result is a very detailed multidimensional view ... Safety Images related to Computed Tomography (CT) - Head Videos related to Computed Tomography (CT) - Head Sponsored by ...

Informing the design of clinical decision support services for evaluation of children with minor blunt head trauma in the emergency department: a sociotechnical analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Sheehan, Barbara; Nigrovic, Lise E; Dayan, Peter S; Kuppermann, Nathan; Ballard, Dustin W; Alessandrini, Evaline; Bajaj, Lalit; Goldberg, Howard; Hoffman, Jeffrey; Offerman, Steven R; Mark, Dustin G; Swietlik, Marguerite; Tham, Eric; Tzimenatos, Leah; Vinson, David R; Jones, Grant S; Bakken, Suzanne

2013-10-01

Integration of clinical decision support services (CDSS) into electronic health records (EHRs) may be integral to widespread dissemination and use of clinical prediction rules in the emergency department (ED). However, the best way to design such services to maximize their usefulness in such a complex setting is poorly understood. We conducted a multi-site cross-sectional qualitative study whose aim was to describe the sociotechnical environment in the ED to inform the design of a CDSS intervention to implement the Pediatric Emergency Care Applied Research Network (PECARN) clinical prediction rules for children with minor blunt head trauma. Informed by a sociotechnical model consisting of eight dimensions, we conducted focus groups, individual interviews and workflow observations in 11 EDs, of which 5 were located in academic medical centers and 6 were in community hospitals. A total of 126 ED clinicians, information technology specialists, and administrators participated. We clustered data into 19 categories of sociotechnical factors through a process of thematic analysis and subsequently organized the categories into a sociotechnical matrix consisting of three high-level sociotechnical dimensions (workflow and communication, organizational factors, human factors) and three themes (interdisciplinary assessment processes, clinical practices related to prediction rules, EHR as a decision support tool). Design challenges that emerged from the analysis included the need to use structured data fields to support data capture and re-use while maintaining efficient care processes, supporting interdisciplinary communication, and facilitating family-clinician interaction for decision-making. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Shivering heat production and core cooling during head-in and head-out immersion in 17 degrees C water.

Science.gov (United States)

Pretorius, Thea; Cahill, Farrell; Kocay, Sheila; Giesbrecht, Gordon G

2008-05-01

Many cold-water scenarios cause the head to be partially or fully immersed (e.g., ship wreck survival, scuba diving, cold-water adventure swim racing, cold-water drowning, etc.). However, the specific effects of head cold exposure are minimally understood. This study isolated the effect of whole-head submersion in cold water on surface heat loss and body core cooling when the protective shivering mechanism was intact. Eight healthy men were studied in 17 degrees C water under four conditions: the body was either insulated or exposed, with the head either out of the water or completely submersed under the water within each insulated/exposed subcondition. Submersion of the head (7% of the body surface area) in the body-exposed condition increased total heat loss by 11% (P < 0.05). After 45 min, head-submersion increased core cooling by 343% in the body-insulated subcondition (head-out: 0.13 +/- 0.2 degree C, head-in: 0.47 +/- 0.3 degree C; P < 0.05) and by 56% in the body-exposed subcondition (head-out: 0.40 +/- 0.3 degree C and head-in: 0.73 +/- 0.6 degree C; P < 0.05). In both body-exposed and body-insulated subconditions, head submersion increased the rate of core cooling disproportionally more than the relative increase in total heat loss. This exaggerated core-cooling effect is consistent with a head cooling induced reduction of the thermal core, which could be stimulated by cooling of thermosensitive and/or trigeminal receptors in the scalp, neck, and face. These cooling effects of head submersion are not prevented by shivering heat production.

Congenital pits of the optic nerve head and retinochoroidal colobomas.

Science.gov (United States)

Brown, G C; Augsburger, J J

1980-07-01

A 45-year-old man presented with bilateral retinochoroidal colobomas associated with an inferonasal congenital pit of the optic nerve head in each eye. Different theories on the origin of such pits are discussed. This case supports the theory that some congenital optic pits occur as a result of failure of closure of the superior end of the embryonic fissure.

Pigeons (C. livia Follow Their Head during Turning Flight: Head Stabilization Underlies the Visual Control of Flight

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ivo G. Ros

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Similar flight control principles operate across insect and vertebrate fliers. These principles indicate that robust solutions have evolved to meet complex behavioral challenges. Following from studies of visual and cervical feedback control of flight in insects, we investigate the role of head stabilization in providing feedback cues for controlling turning flight in pigeons. Based on previous observations that the eyes of pigeons remain at relatively fixed orientations within the head during flight, we test potential sensory control inputs derived from head and body movements during 90° aerial turns. We observe that periods of angular head stabilization alternate with rapid head repositioning movements (head saccades, and confirm that control of head motion is decoupled from aerodynamic and inertial forces acting on the bird's continuously rotating body during turning flapping flight. Visual cues inferred from head saccades correlate with changes in flight trajectory; whereas the magnitude of neck bending predicts angular changes in body position. The control of head motion to stabilize a pigeon's gaze may therefore facilitate extraction of important motion cues, in addition to offering mechanisms for controlling body and wing movements. Strong similarities between the sensory flight control of birds and insects may also inspire novel designs of robust controllers for human-engineered autonomous aerial vehicles.

Stereotactic Body Radiotherapy for Head and Neck Tumors

Science.gov (United States)

2016-04-18

Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Head and Neck; Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma; Salivary Gland Cancer; Head and Neck Sarcoma; Paraganglioma of Head and Neck; Chordoma of Head and Neck; Chondrosarcoma of Head and Neck; Angiofibroma of Head and Neck

Head and neck trauma in Iraq and Afghanistan: different war, different surgery, lessons learned.

Science.gov (United States)

Brennan, Joseph

2013-10-01

The objectives are to compare and contrast the head and neck trauma experience in Iraq and Afghanistan and to identify trauma lessons learned that are applicable to civilian practice. A retrospective review of one head and neck surgeon's operative experience in Iraq and Afghanistan was performed using operative logs and medical records. The surgeon's daily operative log book with patient demographic data and operative reports was reviewed. Also, patient medical records were examined to identify the preoperative and postoperative course of care. The head and neck trauma experiences in Iraq and Afghanistan were very different, with a higher percentage of emergent cases performed in Iraq. In Iraq, only 10% of patients were pretreated at a facility with surgical capabilities. In Afghanistan, 93% of patients were pretreated at such facilities. Emergent neck exploration for penetrating neck trauma and emergent airway surgery were more common in Iraq, which most likely accounted for the increased perioperative mortality also seen in Iraq (5.3% in Iraq vs. 1.3% in Afghanistan). Valuable lessons regarding soft tissue trauma repair, midface fracture repair, and mandible fracture repair were learned. The head and neck trauma experiences in Iraq and Afghanistan were very different, and the future training for mass casualty trauma events should reflect these differences. Furthermore, valuable head and neck trauma lessons learned in both war zones are applicable to the civilian practice of trauma. Level 4. Copyright © 2013 The American Laryngological, Rhinological and Otological Society, Inc.

The perceived perceptions of head school nurses in developing school nursing roles within schools.

Science.gov (United States)

Morberg, Siv; Lagerström, Monica; Dellve, Lotta

2009-11-01

To gain a deeper understanding of how Swedish head school nurses perceive their leadership in developing school health care. A well-functioning school health care is important for promoting the health of children and young people. Constructivist-grounded theory was used to analyse 11 individual interviews with nine head school nurses. Head school nurses strive to find a balance between what they experience as vague formal goals and strong informal goals which leads to creating local goals in order to develop school health care. The head school nurse's job is experienced as a divided and pioneering job in which there is uncertainty about the leadership role. They provide individual support to school nurses, are the link between school nurses and decision makers and highlight the importance of school nurses' work to organizational leaders. This study shows that school health care needs to be founded on evidence-based methods. Therefore, a structured plan for education and training in school health care management, based on research and in cooperation with the academic world, would develop the head school nurses' profession, strengthen the position of school health care and advance the school nurses' work.

Roger Bailey takes over as head of CAS

CERN Multimedia

Katarina Anthony

2011-01-01

Established at the beginning of 1983, the CERN Accelerator School has developed to include two courses per year offered to hundreds of students from all over the world. Following the successful management of Daniel Brandt, Roger Bailey joins the newly formed Office of the Director of Accelerators and Technology (DAT) and becomes the new Head of the CERN Accelerator School (CAS).   Roger Bailey, the new Head of the CERN Accelerator School.  After 8 years of successful growth in popularity for the School, Daniel Brandt has handed on the baton to Roger Bailey. “The success of the CERN Accelerator School has been the result of a fantastic team effort,” says Brandt. “Along with my assistant - initially Suzanne von Wartburg and then Barbara Strasser - I had help from an advisory committee to decide both on the specialist topic and the venue for each workshop, and dedicated programme committees to help find the expert lecturers for the courses. Their support has ...

Protective head of sensors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liska, K.; Anton, P.

1987-01-01

The discovery concerns the protective heads of diagnostic assemblies of nuclear power plants for conductors of the sensors from the fuel and control parts of the said assemblies. A detailed description is presented of the design of the protective head which, as compared with the previous design, allows quick and simple assembly with reduced risk of damaging the sensors. The protective head may be used for diagnostic assemblies both in power and in research reactors and it will be used for WWER reactor assemblies. (A.K.). 3 figs

Psychosocial aspects of head and neck cancer--a review of the literature.

Science.gov (United States)

Pruyn, J F; de Jong, P C; Bosman, L J; van Poppel, J W; van Den Borne, H W; Ryckman, R M; de Meij, K

1986-12-01

This study is a systematic analysis of the literature on psychosocial aspects in head and neck cancer patients. Patients with head and neck cancer experience a variety of physical as well as psychosocial problems. Physical problems include swallowing or chewing, speech and physical appearance. Psychosocial problems include anxiety, depression, loss of self-esteem and uncertainty about the future. Because of these problems, isolation from friends typically occurs, re-employment is difficult, and there are social and sexual tensions within families. Information and support by professionals, partners and/or fellow patients are related to positive rehabilitation outcomes such as the acquisition of speech, increases in constructive social functioning and decreases in depression.

Computed Tomography (CT) -- Head

Medline Plus

Full Text Available ... Computed tomography (CT) of the head uses special x-ray equipment to help assess head injuries, severe headaches, ... is a diagnostic medical test that, like traditional x-rays, produces multiple images or pictures of the inside ...

Modular reactor head shielding system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jacobson, E. B.

1985-01-01

An improved modular reactor head shielding system is provided that includes a frame which is removably assembled on a reactor head such that no structural or mechanical alteration of the head is required. The shielding system also includes hanging assemblies to mount flexible shielding pads on trolleys which can be moved along the frame. The assemblies allow individual pivoting movement of the pads. The pivoting movement along with the movement allowed by the trolleys provides ease of access to any point on the reactor head. The assemblies also facilitate safe and efficient mounting of the pads directly to and from storage containers such that workers have additional shielding throughout virtually the entire installation and removal process. The flexible shielding pads are designed to interleave with one another when assembled around the reactor head for substantially improved containment of radiation leakage

Multi-headed comparatives in Portuguese

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rui Marques

2005-06-01

Full Text Available This paper aims at offering a global picture of the subtype of comparative constructions known as ‘multi-headed comparatives’ (from the fact that they exhibit more than one comparative operator in semantic interdependence. As a prerequisite to the fulfilment of his goal, an attempt will be made to clarify the scope of the notion ‘comparative construction’ and to draw a general typology of such constructions. The boundaries of the notion ‘comparative construction’ are defined by contrasting a “genuine” class of comparative constructions with others that hold some syntactic or semantic resemblance to them. Different typologies will be taken into consideration. As for multi-headed comparatives, even though different examples of these constructions have been identified in the scarce literature on the matter, the discussion on their syntactic patterns and meaning is still embryonic. This paper suggests that the expressive power of these comparatives, which seem to provide a particular strategy of information compression, is higher than has been assumed. Four sub-kinds of multi-headed comparatives are identified, based on meaning differences, namely: multi-headed comparatives with a distributive reading, multi-headed comparatives with a cumulative reading, multi-headed comparatives with a comparison of ‘ratios’ reading, and multi-headed comparatives with a comparison of differences reading. While resorting to some classic English examples, the object language will predominantly be Portuguese.

Squamous cell carcinoma presenting with trigeminal anesthesia: An uncommon presentation of head & neck cancer with unknown primary.

Science.gov (United States)

Shah, Ameer T; Dagher, Walid I; O'Leary, Miriam A; Wein, Richard O

The differential diagnosis of facial anesthesia is vast. This may be secondary to trauma, neoplasm, both intracranial and extracranial, infection, and neurologic disease. When evaluating a patient with isolated facial anesthesia, the head and neck surgeon often thinks of adenoid cystic carcinoma, which has a propensity for perineural invasion and spread. When one thinks of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma with or without unknown primary, the typical presentation involves dysphagia, odynophagia, weight loss, hoarseness, or more commonly, a neck mass. Squamous cell carcinoma presenting as facial anesthesia and perineural spread, with no primary site is quite rare. Case presentations and review of the literature. Trigeminal anesthesia is an uncommon presentation of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma with unknown primary. We present two interesting cases of invasive squamous cell carcinoma of the trigeminal nerve, with no primary site identified. We will also review the literature of head and neck malignancies with perineural spread and the management techniques for the two different cases presented. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Navigating Motherhood and the Role of the Head Athletic Trainer in the Collegiate Setting

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Mazerolle, Stephanie M.; Eason, Christianne M.

2016-01-01

Context:  Motherhood has been identified as a barrier to the head athletic trainer (AT) position. Role models have been cited as a possible facilitator for increasing the number of women who pursue and maintain this role in the collegiate setting. Objective:  To examine the experiences of female ATs balancing motherhood and head AT positions in the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division II and III and National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics settings. Design:  Qualitative study. Setting:  National Collegiate Athletic Association Divisions II and III and National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics. Patients or Other Participants:  A total of 22 female head ATs (average age = 40 ± 8 years) who were married with children completed our study. Our participants had been certified for 15.5 ± 7.5 years and in their current positions as head ATs for 9 ± 8 years. Data Collection and Analysis:  We conducted online interviews with all participants. Participants journaled their reflections on a series of open-ended questions pertaining to their experiences as head ATs. Data were analyzed following a general inductive approach. Credibility was confirmed through peer review and researcher triangulation. Results:  We identified 3 major contributors to work-life conflict. Two speak to organizational influences on conflict: work demands and time of year. The role of motherhood, which was more of a personal contributor, also precipitated conflict for our ATs. Four themes emerged as work-life balance facilitators: planning, attitude and perspective, support networks, and workplace integration. Support was defined at both the personal and professional levels. Conclusions:  In terms of the organization, our participants juggled long work hours, travel, and administrative tasks. Individually and socioculturally, they overcame their guilt and their need to be present and an active part of the parenting process. These mothers demonstrated the

Tribology and wear of metal-on-metal hip prostheses: influence of cup angle and head position.

Science.gov (United States)

Williams, Sophie; Leslie, Ian; Isaac, Graham; Jin, Zhongmin; Ingham, Eileen; Fisher, John

2008-08-01

Clinical studies have indicated that the angular position of the acetabular cup may influence wear in metal-on-metal total hip bearings. A high cup angle in comparison to the anatomical position may lead to the head being constrained by the superior lateral surface and rim of the cup, thus potentially changing the location of the contact zone between the head and the cup. The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that both a steep cup angle and a lateralized position of the head can increase head contact on the superior rim of the cup, with the consequence of increased wear. Hip-joint simulator studies of metal-on-metal bearings were undertaken with cup angles of 45 degrees and 55 degrees . The femoral head was either aligned to the center of the cup or placed in a position of microlateralization. Wear was measured gravimetrically over 5 million cycles. A steep cup angle of 55 degrees showed significantly higher long-term steady-state wear than a standard cup angle of 45 degrees (p < 0.01). The difference was fivefold. Microlateralization of the head resulted in a fivefold increase in steady-state wear compared with a centralized head. The combination of a steep cup angle and a microlateralized head increased the steady-state wear rate by tenfold compared with a standard cup angle with a centralized head. These studies support the hypothesis that both an increased cup angle and a lateral head position increase wear in metal-on-metal hip prostheses.

[Duodenum-preserving total pancreatic head resection and pancreatic head resection with segmental duodenostomy].

Science.gov (United States)

Takada, Tadahiro; Yasuda, Hideki; Nagashima, Ikuo; Amano, Hodaka; Yoshiada, Masahiro; Toyota, Naoyuki

2003-06-01

A duodenum-preserving pancreatic head resection (DPPHR) was first reported by Beger et al. in 1980. However, its application has been limited to chronic pancreatitis because of it is a subtotal pancreatic head resection. In 1990, we reported duodenum-preserving total pancreatic head resection (DPTPHR) in 26 cases. This opened the way for total pancreatic head resection, expanding the application of this approach to tumorigenic morbidities such as intraductal papillary mucinous tumor (IMPT), other benign tumors, and small pancreatic cancers. On the other hand, Nakao et al. reported pancreatic head resection with segmental duodenectomy (PHRSD) as an alternative pylorus-preserving pancreatoduodenectomy technique in 24 cases. Hirata et al. also reported this technique as a new pylorus-preserving pancreatoduodenostomy with increased vessel preservation. When performing DPTPHR, the surgeon should ensure adequate duodenal blood supply. Avoidance of duodenal ischemia is very important in this operation, and thus it is necessary to maintain blood flow in the posterior pancreatoduodenal artery and to preserve the mesoduodenal vessels. Postoperative pancreatic functional tests reveal that DPTPHR is superior to PPPD, including PHSRD, because the entire duodenum and duodenal integrity is very important for postoperative pancreatic function.

Role of age and injury mechanism on cervical spine injury tolerance from head contact loading.

Science.gov (United States)

Yoganandan, Narayan; Chirvi, Sajal; Voo, Liming; Pintar, Frank A; Banerjee, Anjishnu

2018-02-17

The objective of this study was to determine the influence of age and injury mechanism on cervical spine tolerance to injury from head contact loading using survival analysis. This study analyzed data from previously conducted experiments using post mortem human subjects (PMHS). Group A tests used the upright intact head-cervical column experimental model. The inferior end of the specimen was fixed, the head was balanced by a mechanical system, and natural lordosis was removed. Specimens were placed on a testing device via a load cell. The piston applied loading at the vertex region. Spinal injuries were identified using medical images. Group B tests used the inverted head-cervical column experimental model. In one study, head-T1 specimens were fixed distally, and C7-T1 joints were oriented anteriorly, preserving lordosis. Torso mass of 16 kg was added to the specimen. In another inverted head-cervical column study, occiput-T2 columns were obtained, an artificial head was attached, T1-T2 was fixed, C4-C5 disc was maintained horizontal in the lordosis posture, and C7-T1 was unconstrained. The specimens were attached to the drop test carriage carrying a torso mass of 15 kg. A load cell at the inferior end measured neck loads in both studies. Axial neck force and age were used as the primary response variable and covariate to derive injury probability curves using survival analysis. Group A tests showed that age is a significant (P < .05) and negative covariate; that is, increasing age resulted in decreasing force for the same risk. Injuries were mainly vertebral body fractures and concentrated at one level, mid-to-lower cervical spine, and were attributed to compression-related mechanisms. However, age was not a significant covariate for the combined data from group B tests. Both group B tests produced many soft tissue injuries, at all levels, from C1 to T1. The injury mechanism was attributed to mainly extension. Multiple and noncontiguous injuries occurred

Characterization of changes in total body composition for patients with head and neck cancer undergoing chemoradiotherapy using dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry.

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Jackson, William; Alexander, Neil; Schipper, Matthew; Fig, Lorraine; Feng, Felix; Jolly, Shruti

2014-09-01

Patients with head and neck cancer experience significant weight loss secondary to concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT). Using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) scans, we characterize total body composition changes during and after CCRT in order to develop novel clinical care models that will improve the patient's quality of life (QOL). Sixty DEXA scans were obtained from 12 patients undergoing CCRT for locally advanced squamous cell head and neck cancer. DEXAs were performed at baseline, during treatment, completion of CCRT, and then 1 and 2 months posttreatment. Mean weight loss by treatment end was 9.5 kg (10.2%; p = .0002). On average, lean body mass (LBM) decreased 10.2% (p = .001), and fat body mass (FBM) decreased 11.1% (p = .001) during CCRT. LBM began to normalize after completion of treatment, whereas FBM continued to decline. Substantial loss of muscle and FBM occurs in patients undergoing CCRT for head and neck cancer. To prevent long-term disability and QOL decline after curative CCRT, clinical care interventions incorporating aggressive nutrition/exercise counseling are needed. Copyright © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Validation and calibration of HeadCount, a self-report measure for quantifying heading exposure in soccer players.

Science.gov (United States)

Catenaccio, E; Caccese, J; Wakschlag, N; Fleysher, R; Kim, N; Kim, M; Buckley, T A; Stewart, W F; Lipton, R B; Kaminski, T; Lipton, M L

2016-01-01

The long-term effects of repetitive head impacts due to heading are an area of increasing concern, and exposure must be accurately measured; however, the validity of self-report of cumulative soccer heading is not known. In order to validate HeadCount, a 2-week recall questionnaire, the number of player-reported headers was compared to the number of headers observed by trained raters for a men's and a women's collegiate soccer teams during an entire season of competitive play using Spearman's correlations and intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs), and calibrated using a generalized estimating equation. The average Spearman's rho was 0.85 for men and 0.79 for women. The average ICC was 0.75 in men and 0.38 in women. The calibration analysis demonstrated that men tend to report heading accurately while women tend to overestimate. HeadCount is a valid instrument for tracking heading behaviour, but may have to be calibrated in women.

Merkel cell carcinoma of the head and neck: poorer prognosis than non-head and neck sites.

Science.gov (United States)

Morand, G B; Madana, J; Da Silva, S D; Hier, M P; Mlynarek, A M; Black, M J

2016-04-01

Merkel cell carcinoma is a rare, aggressive neurocutaneous malignancy. This study investigated whether patients with Merkel cell carcinoma in the head and neck had poorer outcomes than patients with Merkel cell carcinoma located elsewhere. A retrospective study was performed of patients with Merkel cell carcinoma treated at the Jewish General Hospital in Montréal, Canada, from 1993 to 2013. Associations between clinicopathological characteristics and disease-free and disease-specific survival rates were examined according to the Kaplan-Meier method. Twenty-seven patients were identified. Although basic clinicopathological characteristics and treatments were similar between head and neck and non-head and neck Merkel cell carcinoma groups, disease-free and disease-specific survival rates were significantly lower in the head and neck Merkel cell carcinoma group (log-rank test; p = 0.043 and p = 0.001, respectively). Mortality was mainly due to distant metastasis. Patients with head and neck Merkel cell carcinoma had poorer survival rates than patients with non-head and neck Merkel cell carcinoma in our study. The tendency to obtain close margins, a less predictable metastatic pattern, and/or intrinsic tumour factors related to the head and neck may explain this discrepancy.

The trans-Himalayan flights of bar-headed geese (Anser indicus)

Science.gov (United States)

Hawkes, L.A.; Balachandran, S.; Batbayar, N.; Butler, P.J.; Frappell, P.B.; Milsom, W.K.; Tseveenmyadag, N.; Newman, S.H.; Scott, G.R.; Sathiyaselvam, P.; Takekawa, John Y.; Wikelski, M.; Bishop, C.M.

2011-01-01

Birds that fly over mountain barriers must be capable of meeting the increased energetic cost of climbing in low-density air, even though less oxygen may be available to support their metabolism. This challenge is magnified by the reduction in maximum sustained climbing rates in large birds. Bar-headed geese (Anser indicus) make one of the highest and most iconic transmountain migrations in the world. We show that those populations of geese that winter at sea level in India are capable of passing over the Himalayas in 1 d, typically climbing between 4,000 and 6,000min 7-8 h. Surprisingly, these birds do not rely on the assistance of upslope tailwinds that usually occur during the day and can support minimum climb rates of 0.8-2.2 km??h-1, even in the relative stillness of the night. They appear to strategically avoid higher speed winds during the afternoon, thus maximizing safety and control during flight. It would seem, therefore, that bar-headed geese are capable of sustained climbing flight over the passes of the Himalaya under their own aerobic power.

A Novel, Open Access Method to Assess Sleep Duration Using a Wrist-Worn Accelerometer.

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Vincent T van Hees

Full Text Available Wrist-worn accelerometers are increasingly being used for the assessment of physical activity in population studies, but little is known about their value for sleep assessment. We developed a novel method of assessing sleep duration using data from 4,094 Whitehall II Study (United Kingdom, 2012-2013 participants aged 60-83 who wore the accelerometer for 9 consecutive days, filled in a sleep log and reported sleep duration via questionnaire. Our sleep detection algorithm defined (nocturnal sleep as a period of sustained inactivity, itself detected as the absence of change in arm angle greater than 5 degrees for 5 minutes or more, during a period recorded as sleep by the participant in their sleep log. The resulting estimate of sleep duration had a moderate (but similar to previous findings agreement with questionnaire based measures for time in bed, defined as the difference between sleep onset and waking time (kappa = 0.32, 95%CI:0.29,0.34 and total sleep duration (kappa = 0.39, 0.36,0.42. This estimate was lower for time in bed for women, depressed participants, those reporting more insomnia symptoms, and on weekend days. No such group differences were found for total sleep duration. Our algorithm was validated against data from a polysomnography study on 28 persons which found a longer time window and lower angle threshold to have better sensitivity to wakefulness, while the reverse was true for sensitivity to sleep. The novelty of our method is the use of a generic algorithm that will allow comparison between studies rather than a "count" based, device specific method.

Inkjet Printed Fully-Passive Body-Worn Wireless Sensors for Smart and Connected Community (SCC

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bashir I. Morshed

2017-11-01

Full Text Available Future Smart and Connected Communities (SCC will utilize distributed sensors and embedded computing to seamlessly generate meaningful data that can assist individuals, communities, and society with interlocking physical, social, behavioral, economic, and infrastructural interaction. SCC will require newer technologies for seamless and unobtrusive sensing and computation in natural settings. This work presents a new technology for health monitoring with low-cost body-worn disposable fully passive electronic sensors, along with a scanner, smartphone app, and web-server for a complete smart sensor system framework. The novel wireless resistive analog passive (WRAP sensors are printed using an inkjet printing (IJP technique on paper with silver inks (Novacentrix Ag B40, sheet resistance of 21 mΩ/sq and incorporate a few discrete surface mounted electronic components (overall thickness of <1 mm. These zero-power flexible sensors are powered through a wireless inductive link from a low-power scanner (500 mW during scanning burst of 100 ms by amplitude modulation at the carrier signal of 13.56 MHz. While development of various WRAP sensors is ongoing, this paper describes development of a WRAP temperature sensor in detail as an illustration. The prototypes were functionally verified at various temperatures with energy consumption of as low as 50 mJ per scan. The data is analyzed with a smartphone app that computes severity (Events-of-Interest, or EoI using a real-time algorithm. The severity can then be anonymously shared with a custom web-server, and visualized either in temporal or spatial domains. This research aims to reduce ER visits of patients by enabling self-monitoring, thereby improving community health for SSC.

Surface doses under head and neck immobilisation devices

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Baveas, E.

2004-01-01

Full text: Methods using ion chambers, TLDs and film were developed to measure the skin-sparing properties of three head and neck immobilisation devices used in radiation therapy, viz. Sinmed multi-perforated and micro-perforated posicast thermoplastic masks (used with a supporting carbon fibre back support), and a Kablite vacuum-formed shell plastic mask (used with a Perspex back support). All measurements were performed with 6 MV beams from Elekta Precise linear accelerators. Two situations have been considered in this study. In the first situation, phantom surface doses under the flat unmoulded mask and back-support materials lying on the surface of a 'solid water' phantom were measured with parallel plate ion chambers and correlated with the physical properties of the materials. In the second situation a particular head and neck treatment technique was adopted and the treatment planned on an anthropomorphic tissue-equivalent phantom. The clinical setup consisted of a wedged pair to the right parotid, planned to deliver a reference dose of 63 Gy to the isocentre, plus an anterior supraclavicular field planned to deliver a reference dose of 50 Gy at a depth of 2 cm. The 3 immobilisation masks were each moulded to the anthropomorphic tissue-equivalent phantom. TLD chips were used to measure the phantom skin dose at a set of 18 locations under each of the 3 immobilisation masks and also without an immobilisation device. The results clearly demonstrate the extent to which the various immobilisation devices increase the surface dose. Results for the first situation are summarised. The averages of the doses recorded by the TLDs in three separate regions for the second situation are shown in Table 2. The combined results show that the areal density of the unmoulded mask materials correlates with the surface dose these materials produce before moulding, but this correlation is lost after moulding for the clinical situation considered. This change upon moulding is

[Reduction of pressure sores during prone positioning of ventilated intensive care patients by the prone-head support system: a pilot study].

Science.gov (United States)

Prebio, Michael; Katz-Papatheophilou, Elfriede; Heindl, Werner; Gelbmann, Herbert; Burghuber, Otto C

2005-02-01

Prone positioning in patients with adult respiratory distress syndrome is a well-known method to improve oxygenation. The aim of our study was to evaluate a new device for prone positioning, the prone-head support system (PHS system), with regard to reduction of cutaneous pressure sores. In a pilot study we randomized 8 patients with ARDS in two groups: 180 degrees standard prone positioning (group without mask) and prone positioning with the PHS system (group with mask). The PHS system consists of a facemask support, which is connected to an adapted air suspension bed. The patients of both groups were intermittently proned for several days. We evaluated the pressure sores on head and neck before turning the patients prone for the first time and after each period of prone positioning. We documented the quantity, the size, the type and the localization of the pressure sores. There was no significant difference in the mean duration of prone positioning (27.1+/-14.7 hours in the group with mask versus 24.5+/-18.7 h in the group without mask). In the group with mask there were 1.5+/-0.8 new pressure sores by each proning, whereas in the group without mask there were 2.37+/-1.6 new pressure sores, which was lower, but not significantly. The overall area of pressure sores (798 mm2 versus 3184 mm2, p=0.004), the area of pressure sores per patient (199.5+/-104.7 mm2 versus 796+/-478 mm2, p=0.03) and the increase of the area of pressure sores per proning (79.8+/-52.0 mm2 versus 398.0+/-214.3 mm2, p=0.004) were significantly lower in the group with mask in comparison to the group without mask. The lips were the most effected localization in both groups. The pressure sores in the group with mask were less severe and showed a homogenous distribution in comparison to the group without mask. Blisters dominated in the group with mask in comparison to erosions, necrosis and ulcers in the group without mask. The PHS system with its face mask is able to reduce the extent and the

AHP 47: YELLOW-HEAD HORSE

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Sangs rgyas bkra shis སངས་རྒྱས་བཀྲ་ཤིས།

2017-04-01

Full Text Available My family had a stallion we called Rta mgo ser 'Yellow-Head Horse'. Father and two of his brothers occasionally rode it. Father said that Yellow-Head was very wild when it was taken to join local horseraces. I didn't believe that because Yellow-Head was very gentle when Mother rode it to the local monastery and also when I rode it.

A ROBUST CLUSTER HEAD SELECTION BASED ON NEIGHBORHOOD CONTRIBUTION AND AVERAGE MINIMUM POWER FOR MANETs

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S.Balaji

2015-06-01

Full Text Available Mobile Adhoc network is an instantaneous wireless network that is dynamic in nature. It supports single hop and multihop communication. In this infrastructure less network, clustering is a significant model to maintain the topology of the network. The clustering process includes different phases like cluster formation, cluster head selection, cluster maintenance. Choosing cluster head is important as the stability of the network depends on well-organized and resourceful cluster head. When the node has increased number of neighbors it can act as a link between the neighbor nodes which in further reduces the number of hops in multihop communication. Promisingly the node with more number of neighbors should also be available with enough energy to provide stability in the network. Hence these aspects demand the focus. In weight based cluster head selection, closeness and average minimum power required is considered for purging the ineligible nodes. The optimal set of nodes selected after purging will compete to become cluster head. The node with maximum weight selected as cluster head. Mathematical formulation is developed to show the proposed method provides optimum result. It is also suggested that weight factor in calculating the node weight should give precise importance to energy and node stability.

Systematic biases in human heading estimation.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Luigi F Cuturi

Full Text Available Heading estimation is vital to everyday navigation and locomotion. Despite extensive behavioral and physiological research on both visual and vestibular heading estimation over more than two decades, the accuracy of heading estimation has not yet been systematically evaluated. Therefore human visual and vestibular heading estimation was assessed in the horizontal plane using a motion platform and stereo visual display. Heading angle was overestimated during forward movements and underestimated during backward movements in response to both visual and vestibular stimuli, indicating an overall multimodal bias toward lateral directions. Lateral biases are consistent with the overrepresentation of lateral preferred directions observed in neural populations that carry visual and vestibular heading information, including MSTd and otolith afferent populations. Due to this overrepresentation, population vector decoding yields patterns of bias remarkably similar to those observed behaviorally. Lateral biases are inconsistent with standard bayesian accounts which predict that estimates should be biased toward the most common straight forward heading direction. Nevertheless, lateral biases may be functionally relevant. They effectively constitute a perceptual scale expansion around straight ahead which could allow for more precise estimation and provide a high gain feedback signal to facilitate maintenance of straight-forward heading during everyday navigation and locomotion.

Computed Tomography (CT) -- Head

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Full Text Available ... Physician Resources Professions Site Index A-Z Computed Tomography (CT) - Head Computed tomography (CT) of the head uses special x-ray equipment ... story here Images × Image Gallery Patient undergoing computed tomography (CT) scan. View full size with caption Pediatric Content ...

Progressive resistance training in head and neck cancer patients during concomitant chemoradiotherapy -- design of the DAHANCA 31 randomized trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Lonkvist, Camilla K; Lønbro, Simon; Vinther, Anders; Zerahn, Bo; Rosenbom, Eva; Primdahl, Hanne; Hojman, Pernille; Gehl, Julie

2017-06-03

Head and neck cancer patients undergoing concomitant chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) frequently experience loss of muscle mass and reduced functional performance. Positive effects of exercise training are reported for many cancer types but biological mechanisms need further elucidation. This randomized study investigates whether progressive resistance training (PRT) may attenuate loss of muscle mass and functional performance. Furthermore, biochemical markers and muscle biopsies will be investigated trying to link biological mechanisms to training effects. At the Departments of Oncology at Herlev and Aarhus University Hospitals, patients with stage III/IV squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck, scheduled for CCRT are randomized 1:1 to either a 12-week PRT program or control group, both with 1 year follow-up. Planned enrollment is 72 patients, and stratification variables are study site, sex, p16-status, and body mass index. Primary endpoint is difference in change in lean body mass (LBM) after 12 weeks of PRT, assessed by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). The hypothesis is that 12 weeks of PRT can attenuate the loss of LBM by at least 25%. Secondary endpoints include training adherence, changes in body composition, muscle strength, functional performance, weight, adverse events, dietary intake, self-reported physical activity, quality of life, labor market affiliation, blood biochemistry, plasma cytokine concentrations, NK-cell frequency in blood, sarcomeric protein content in muscles, as well as muscle fiber type and fiber size in muscle biopsies. Muscle biopsies are optional. This randomized study investigates the impact of a 12-week progressive resistance training program on lean body mass and several other physiological endpoints, as well as impact on adverse events and quality of life. Furthermore, a translational approach is integrated with extensive biological sampling and exploration into cytokines and mechanisms involved. The current paper discusses

Management Head and Neck Ewing's Sarcoma Family of tumors: Experience of the National Cancer Institute, Cairo University

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Abdel Rahman, M.; El-Baradie, T.; Bahaa, Sh.; Shalan, M.; El-Baradie, M.

2010-01-01

Ewing's sarcoma accounts for 4-6% of primary malignant bone tumors and it affects the head and neck in only 1-4% of cases. The purpose of this study was to review the NCI experience with Ewing's sarcoma of the head and neck in children. Patients and Methods: A retrospective analysis of patient files with head and neck Ewing's sarcoma treated at the National Cancer Institute, Cairo University, Egypt, during the period from 1997 to 2008 was done. Files were reviewed and data for patients, tumor and treatment profile were extracted. Results: Twenty patients out of 280 with Ewing's sarcoma were identified during an 11 -year period. Patients had a median age of 11.5 years (range 5 months - 22 years) with a male to female ratio of 1:1. The most common tumor site was in the mandible (9/20, 45%) followed by a neck mass (4/20, 20%) and a clavicular mass (3/20, 15%). Six patients (30%) were metastatic at presentation. Most of the patients (19/20, 95%) received chemotherapy. Local therapy was in the form of radical radiotherapy for 8 patients (40%), 2 patients (10%) had surgery alone, while five patients (25%) had surgical resection and postoperative radiotherapy. Overall survival ranged from 1 to 128 months, with a median of 36 months. At the end of the study, 9 patients (45%) were alive in CR, 6 (30%) were lost to FU in disease progression, while 5 patients died from disease progression. Conclusion: Ewing's sarcoma of the head and neck is a disease of a rare incidence with debate about the optimum local therapy. Small non-metastatic tumors with good response to chemotherapy have abetter outcome.

Training Programmes for Heads of Academic Departments at the University of Oslo.

Science.gov (United States)

Knudsen, Lis

1989-01-01

A discussion of the University of Oslo's training programs for department heads describes their design, content, frequency, and methods. These administrators' roles are examined and the importance of higher level support of the programs is stressed. Reluctance to participate and special problems in applying content of the programs are discussed.…

Head movement during CT brain perfusion acquisition of patients with suspected acute ischemic stroke

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fahmi, F.; Beenen, L.F.M.; Streekstra, G.J.; Janssen, N.Y.; Jong, H.W. de; Riordan, A.; Roos, Y.B.; Majoie, C.B.; Bavel, E. van; Marquering, H.A.

2013-01-01

Objective: Computed Tomography Perfusion (CTP) is a promising tool to support treatment decision for acute ischemic stroke patients. However, head movement during acquisition may limit its applicability. Information of the extent of head motion is currently lacking. Our purpose is to qualitatively and quantitatively assess the extent of head movement during acquisition. Methods: From 103 consecutive patients admitted with suspicion of acute ischemic stroke, head movement in 220 CTP datasets was qualitatively categorized by experts as none, minimal, moderate, or severe. The movement was quantified using 3D registration of CTP volume data with non-contrast CT of the same patient; yielding 6 movement parameters for each time frame. The movement categorization was correlated with National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score and baseline characteristic using multinomial logistic regression and student's t-test respectively. Results: Moderate and severe head movement occurred in almost 25% (25/103) of all patients with acute ischemic stroke. The registration technique quantified head movement with mean rotation angle up to 3.6° and 14°, and mean translation up to 9.1 mm and 22.6 mm for datasets classified as moderate and severe respectively. The rotation was predominantly in the axial plane (yaw) and the main translation was in the scan direction. There was no statistically significant association between movement classification and NIHSS score and baseline characteristics. Conclusions: Moderate or severe head movement during CTP acquisition of acute stroke patients is quite common. The presented registration technique can be used to automatically quantify the movement during acquisition, which can assist identification of CTP datasets with excessive head movement

Head movement during CT brain perfusion acquisition of patients with suspected acute ischemic stroke

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fahmi, F., E-mail: f.fahmi@amc.uva.nl [Department of Biomedical Engineering and Physics, AMC, Amsterdam (Netherlands); Beenen, L.F.M., E-mail: l.f.beenen@amc.uva.nl [Department of Radiology, AMC, Amsterdam (Netherlands); Streekstra, G.J., E-mail: g.j.streekstra@amc.uva.nl [Department of Biomedical Engineering and Physics, AMC, Amsterdam (Netherlands); Janssen, N.Y., E-mail: n.n.janssen@amc.uva.nl [Department of Biomedical Engineering and Physics, AMC, Amsterdam (Netherlands); Jong, H.W. de, E-mail: H.W.A.M.deJong@umcutrecht.nl [Department of Radiology, UMC Utrecht, 3584CX, Utrecht (Netherlands); Riordan, A., E-mail: alan.riordan@gmail.com [Department of Radiology, UMC Utrecht, 3584CX, Utrecht (Netherlands); Roos, Y.B., E-mail: y.b.roos@amc.uva.nl [Department of Neurology, AMC, Amsterdam (Netherlands); Majoie, C.B., E-mail: c.b.majoie@amc.uva.nl [Department of Radiology, AMC, Amsterdam (Netherlands); Bavel, E. van, E-mail: e.vanbavel@amc.uva.nl [Department of Biomedical Engineering and Physics, AMC, Amsterdam (Netherlands); Marquering, H.A., E-mail: h.a.marquering@amc.uva.nl [Department of Biomedical Engineering and Physics, AMC, Amsterdam (Netherlands); Department of Radiology, AMC, Amsterdam (Netherlands)

2013-12-01

Objective: Computed Tomography Perfusion (CTP) is a promising tool to support treatment decision for acute ischemic stroke patients. However, head movement during acquisition may limit its applicability. Information of the extent of head motion is currently lacking. Our purpose is to qualitatively and quantitatively assess the extent of head movement during acquisition. Methods: From 103 consecutive patients admitted with suspicion of acute ischemic stroke, head movement in 220 CTP datasets was qualitatively categorized by experts as none, minimal, moderate, or severe. The movement was quantified using 3D registration of CTP volume data with non-contrast CT of the same patient; yielding 6 movement parameters for each time frame. The movement categorization was correlated with National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score and baseline characteristic using multinomial logistic regression and student's t-test respectively. Results: Moderate and severe head movement occurred in almost 25% (25/103) of all patients with acute ischemic stroke. The registration technique quantified head movement with mean rotation angle up to 3.6° and 14°, and mean translation up to 9.1 mm and 22.6 mm for datasets classified as moderate and severe respectively. The rotation was predominantly in the axial plane (yaw) and the main translation was in the scan direction. There was no statistically significant association between movement classification and NIHSS score and baseline characteristics. Conclusions: Moderate or severe head movement during CTP acquisition of acute stroke patients is quite common. The presented registration technique can be used to automatically quantify the movement during acquisition, which can assist identification of CTP datasets with excessive head movement.

[Treatment of adult congenital muscular torticollis by multiple sternocleidomastoid head amputation].

Science.gov (United States)

Fu, Ronggang; Yin, Xiuqing; Yu, Rong

2012-02-01

To investigate the therapeutic method and effectiveness of multiple sternocleidomastoid head amputation for adult congenital muscular torticollis. Between March 2009 and February 2011, 19 patients with congenital muscular torticollis were treated with multiple sternocleidomastoid head amputation. There were 13 males and 6 females, aged 16-32 years (mean, 23.5 years). The X-ray films showed that 12 cases were accompanied with some extent cervical lateral bending and wedge change. Ten patients were with ipsilateral facial bradygenesis. Four patients had received single sternocleidomastoid head amputation. All of the 19 patients were treated with multiple sternocleidomastoid head amputation, then plaster support and neck collar were used after operation for 3-6 months. The wounds of all the 19 patients healed primarily, without infection or hematoma. Sixteen patients were followed up 5 months to 2 years (mean, 8 months). The head and neck malformations were ameliorated significantly. The effectiveness was assessed 2 weeks later, in 7 patients without cervical vertebral malformation results were excellent; in 12 patients with cervical vertebral malformation, the results were excellent in 1 case, good in 7 cases, and fair in 4 cases. The length between mastoid process and sternoclavicular joints was elongated (1.88 +/- 0.30) cm significantly after operation in patients without cervical vertebral malformation (t = 6.24, P = 0.00), showing no significant difference when compared with normal value (t = 1.87, P = 0.11); the length was elongated (3.38 +/- 0.30) cm significantly (t = 11.37, P = 0.00) after operation in patients with cervical vertebral malformation, but it was significant shorter than normal value (t = 12.19, P = 0.00). Multiple sternocleidomastoid head amputation is a safe and effective method for adult congenital muscular torticollis, which can improve the neck rotation function.

Rapid Analysis of Copper Ore in Pre-Smelter Head Flow Slurry by Portable X-ray Fluorescence.

Science.gov (United States)

Burnett, Brandon J; Lawrence, Neil J; Abourahma, Jehad N; Walker, Edward B

2016-05-01

Copper laden ore is often concentrated using flotation. Before the head flow slurry can be smelted, it is important to know the concentration of copper and contaminants. The concentration of copper and other elements fluctuate significantly in the head flow, often requiring modification of the concentrations in the slurry prior to smelting. A rapid, real-time analytical method is needed to support on-site optimization of the smelter feedstock. A portable, handheld X-ray fluorescence spectrometer was utilized to determine the copper concentration in a head flow suspension at the slurry origin. The method requires only seconds and is reliable for copper concentrations of 2.0-25%, typically encountered in such slurries. © The Author(s) 2016.

Head-up and head-down displays integration in automobiles

Science.gov (United States)

Betancur, J. Alejandro; Osorio-Gómez, Gilberto; Agudelo, J. David

2014-06-01

In automotive industry, the dashboard has been ergonomically developed in order to keep the driver focused on the horizon while driving, but the possibility to access external electronic devices constraints the driver to turn away his face, generating dangerous situations in spite of the short periods of time. Therefore, this work explores the integration of Head-Up Displays and Head-Down Displays in automobiles, proposing configurations that give to drivers the facility to driving focused. In this way, some of the main ergonomic comments about those configurations are proposed; and also, some technical comments regarding the implemented arrangements are given.

A Systematic Review of the Usefulness of Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein for Predicting Acute Intracranial Lesions following Head Trauma

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Teemu M. Luoto

2017-12-01

Full Text Available BackgroundThe extensive use of computed tomography (CT after acute head injury is costly and carries potential iatrogenic risk. This systematic review examined the usefulness of blood-based glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP for predicting acute trauma-related CT-positive intracranial lesions following head trauma. The main objective was to summarize the current evidence on blood-based GFAP as a potential screening test for acute CT-positive intracranial lesions following head trauma.MethodsWe screened MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsychInfo, CINAHL, Web of Science, the Cochrane Database, Scopus, Clinical Trials, OpenGrey, ResearchGate, and the reference lists of eligible publications for original contributions published between January 1980 and January 2017. Eligibility criteria included: (i population: human head and brain injuries of all severities and ages; (ii intervention: blood-based GFAP measurement ≤24 h post-injury; and (iii outcome: acute traumatic lesion on non-contrast head CT ≤24 h post-injury. Three authors completed the publication screening, data extraction, and quality assessment of eligible articles.ResultsThe initial search identified 4,706 articles, with 51 eligible for subsequent full-text assessment. Twenty-seven articles were ultimately included. Twenty-four (89% studies reported a positive association between GFAP level and acute trauma-related intracranial lesions on head CT. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve for GFAP prediction of intracranial pathology ranged from 0.74 to 0.98 indicating good to excellent discrimination. GFAP seemed to discriminate mass lesions and diffuse injury, with mass lesions having significantly higher GFAP levels. There was considerable variability between the measured GFAP averages between studies and assays. No well-designed diagnostic studies with specific GFAP cutoff values predictive of acute traumatic intracranial lesions have been published

Experimental validation of a newly designed 6 degrees of freedom scanning laser head: Application to three-dimensional beam structure

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Di Maio, D.; Copertaro, E.

2013-01-01

A new scanning laser head is designed to use single Laser Doppler Vibrometer (LDV) for performing measurements up to 6 degrees of freedom (DOF) at a target. The scanning head is supported by a rotating hollow shaft, which allows the laser beam to travel up to the scanning head from an opposite direction where an LDV is set up. The scanning head is made of a set of two mirrors, which deflects the laser beam with an angle so that the rotation of the scanning head produces a conical scan. When measurements are performed at the focal point of the conical scan then three translational vibration components can be measured, otherwise the very small circle scan, before and after the focal point, can measure up to 6 degrees of freedom, including three translations and three rotations. This paper presents the 6DOF scanning head and the measurements of 3D operational deflection shapes of a test structure

Structural characterization of suppressor lipids by high-resolution mass spectrometry

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rovillos, Mary Joy; Pauling, Josch Konstantin; Hannibal-Bach, Hans Kristian

2016-01-01

RATIONALE: Suppressor lipids were originally identified in 1993 and reported to encompass six lipid classes that enable Saccharomyces cerevisiae to live without sphingolipids. Structural characterization, using non-mass spectrometric approaches, revealed that these suppressor lipids are very long...... chain fatty acid (VLCFA)-containing glycerophospholipids with polar head groups that are typically incorporated into sphingolipids. Here we report, for the first time, the structural characterization of the yeast suppressor lipids using high-resolution mass spectrometry. METHODS: Suppressor lipids were...... isolated by preparative chromatography and subjected to structural characterization using hybrid quadrupole time-of-flight and ion trap-orbitrap mass spectrometry. RESULTS: Our investigation recapitulates the overall structural features of the suppressor lipids and provides an in-depth characterization...

HEAD MOVEMENT DURING WALKING IN THE CAT

Science.gov (United States)

ZUBAIR, HUMZA N.; BELOOZEROVA, IRINA N.; SUN, HAI; MARLINSKI, VLADIMIR

2016-01-01

Knowledge of how the head moves during locomotion is essential for understanding how locomotion is controlled by sensory systems of the head. We have analyzed head movements of the cat walking along a straight flat pathway in the darkness and light. We found that cats' head left-right translations, and roll and yaw rotations oscillated once per stride, while fore-aft and vertical translations, and pitch rotations oscillated twice. The head reached its highest vertical positions during second half of each forelimb swing, following maxima of the shoulder/trunk by 20–90°. Nose-up rotation followed head upward translation by another 40–90° delay. The peak-to-peak amplitude of vertical translation was ~1.5 cm and amplitude of pitch rotation was ~3°. Amplitudes of lateral translation and roll rotation were ~1 cm and 1.5–3°, respectively. Overall, cats' heads were neutral in roll and 10–30° nose-down, maintaining horizontal semicircular canals and utriculi within 10° of the earth horizontal. The head longitudinal velocity was 0.5–1 m/s, maximal upward and downward linear velocities were ~0.05 and ~0.1 m/s, respectively, and maximal lateral velocity was ~0.05 m/s. Maximal velocities of head pitch rotation were 20–50 °/s. During walking in light, cats stood 0.3–0.5 cm taller and held their head 0.5–2 cm higher than in darkness. Forward acceleration was 25–100% higher and peak-to-peak amplitude of head pitch oscillations was ~20 °/s larger. We concluded that, during walking, the head of the cat is held actively. Reflexes appear to play only a partial role in determining head movement, and vision might further diminish their role. PMID:27339731

Visual perception of axes of head rotation

Science.gov (United States)

Arnoldussen, D. M.; Goossens, J.; van den Berg, A. V.

2013-01-01

Registration of ego-motion is important to accurately navigate through space. Movements of the head and eye relative to space are registered through the vestibular system and optical flow, respectively. Here, we address three questions concerning the visual registration of self-rotation. (1) Eye-in-head movements provide a link between the motion signals received by sensors in the moving eye and sensors in the moving head. How are these signals combined into an ego-rotation percept? We combined optic flow of simulated forward and rotational motion of the eye with different levels of eye-in-head rotation for a stationary head. We dissociated simulated gaze rotation and head rotation by different levels of eye-in-head pursuit. We found that perceived rotation matches simulated head- not gaze-rotation. This rejects a model for perceived self-rotation that relies on the rotation of the gaze line. Rather, eye-in-head signals serve to transform the optic flow's rotation information, that specifies rotation of the scene relative to the eye, into a rotation relative to the head. This suggests that transformed visual self-rotation signals may combine with vestibular signals. (2) Do transformed visual self-rotation signals reflect the arrangement of the semi-circular canals (SCC)? Previously, we found sub-regions within MST and V6+ that respond to the speed of the simulated head rotation. Here, we re-analyzed those Blood oxygenated level-dependent (BOLD) signals for the presence of a spatial dissociation related to the axes of visually simulated head rotation, such as have been found in sub-cortical regions of various animals. Contrary, we found a rather uniform BOLD response to simulated rotation along the three SCC axes. (3) We investigated if subject's sensitivity to the direction of the head rotation axis shows SCC axes specifcity. We found that sensitivity to head rotation is rather uniformly distributed, suggesting that in human cortex, visuo-vestibular integration is

Visual perception of axes of head rotation