Canine distemper virus DNA vaccination of mink can overcome interference by maternal antibodies.

Science.gov (United States)

Jensen, Trine Hammer; Nielsen, Line; Aasted, Bent; Pertoldi, Cino; Blixenkrone-Møller, Merete

2015-03-10

Canine distemper virus (CDV) is highly contagious and can cause severe disease against which conventional live vaccines are ineffective in the presence of maternal antibodies. Vaccination in the presences of maternal antibodies was challenged by vaccination of 5 days old and 3 weeks old mink kits with CDV DNA vaccines. Virus neutralising (VN) antibody responses were induced in mink kits vaccinated with a plasmid encoding the haemaglutinin protein (H) of CDV (n=5, pCDV-H) or a combination of the H, fusion (F) and nucleoprotein (N) of CDV (n=5, pCDV-HFN). These DNA vaccinated kits were protected against virulent experimental infection with field strains of CDV. The pCDV-H was more efficient in inducing protective immunity in the presence of maternal antibodies compared to the pCDV-HFN. The results show that DNA vaccination with the pCDV-H or pCDV-HFN (n=4) only given once at 5 days of age induces virus specific immune response in neonatal mink and protection against virulent CDV exposure later in life. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

H-Ferritin Enriches the Curcumin Uptake and Improves the Therapeutic Efficacy in Triple Negative Breast Cancer Cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Pandolfi, Laura; Bellini, Michela; Vanna, Renzo; Morasso, Carlo; Zago, Andrea; Carcano, Sofia; Avvakumova, Svetlana; Bertolini, Jessica Armida; Rizzuto, Maria Antonietta; Colombo, Miriam; Prosperi, Davide

2017-10-09

Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) is a highly aggressive, invasive, and metastatic tumor. Although it is reported to be sensitive to cytotoxic chemotherapeutics, frequent relapse and chemoresistance often result in treatment failure. In this study, we developed a biomimetic nanodrug consisting of a self-assembling variant (HFn) of human apoferritin loaded with curcumin. HFn nanocage improved the solubility, chemical stability, and bioavailability of curcumin, allowing us to reliably carry out several experiments in the attempt to establish the potential of this molecule as a therapeutic agent and elucidate the mechanism of action in TNBC. HFn biopolymer was designed to bind selectively to the TfR1 receptor overexpressed in TNBC cells. HFn-curcumin (CFn) proved to be more effective in viability assays compared to the drug alone using MDA-MB-468 and MDA-MB-231 cell lines, representative of basal and claudin-low TNBC subtypes, respectively. Cellular uptake of CFn was demonstrated by flow cytometry and label-free confocal Raman imaging. CFn could act as a chemosensitizer enhancing the cytotoxic effect of doxorubicin by interfering with the activity of multidrug resistance transporters. In addition, CFn exhibited different cell cycle effects on these two TNBC cell lines, blocking MDA-MB-231 in G0/G1 phase, whereas MDA-MB-468 accumulated in G2/M phase. CFn was able to inhibit the Akt phosphorylation, suggesting that the effect on the proliferation and cell cycle involved the alteration of PI3K/Akt pathway.

Corrosion resistant surface for vanadium nitride and hafnium nitride layers as function of grain size

Science.gov (United States)

Escobar, C. A.; Caicedo, J. C.; Aperador, W.

2014-01-01

In this research it was studied vanadium nitride (VN) and hafnium nitride (HfN) film, which were deposited onto silicon (Si (100)) and AISI 4140 steel substrates via r.f. magnetron sputtering technique in Ar/N2 atmosphere with purity at 99.99% for both V and Hf metallic targets. Both films were approximately 1.2±0.1 μm thick. The crystallography structures that were evaluated via X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD) showed preferential orientations in the Bragg planes VN (200) and HfN (111). The chemical compositions for both films were characterized by EDX. Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) was used to study the morphology; the results reveal grain sizes of 78±2 nm for VN and 58±2 nm for HfN and roughness values of 4.2±0.1 nm for VN and 1.5±0.1 nm for HfN films. The electrochemical performance in VN and HfN films deposited onto steel 4140 were studied by Tafel polarization curves and impedance spectroscopy methods (EIS) under contact with sodium chloride at 3.5 wt% solution, therefore, it was found that the corrosion rate decreased about 95% in VN and 99% for HfN films in relation to uncoated 4140 steel, thus demonstrating, the protecting effect of VN and HfN films under a corrosive environment as function of morphological characteristics (grain size). VN(grain size)=78±2.0 nm, VN(roughness)=4.2±0.1 nm, VN(corrosion rate)=40.87 μmy. HfN(grain size)=58±2.0 nm, HfN(roughness)=1.5±0.1 nm, HfN(corrosion rate)=0.205 μmy. It was possible to analyze that films with larger grain size, can be observed smaller grain boundary thus generating a higher corrosion rate, therefore, in this work it was found that the HfN layer has better corrosion resistance (low corrosion rate) in relation to VN film which presents a larger grain size, indicating that the low grain boundary in (VN films) does not restrict movement of the Cl- ion and in this way the corrosion rate increases dramatically.

High hydrostatic pressure encapsulation of doxorubicin in ferritin nanocages with enhanced efficiency.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Qi; Zhang, Chun; Liu, Liping; Li, Zenglan; Guo, Fangxia; Li, Xiunan; Luo, Jian; Zhao, Dawei; Liu, Yongdong; Su, Zhiguo

2017-07-20

Human ferritin (HFn) nanocaging is becoming an appealing platform for anticancer drugs delivery. However, protein aggregation always occurs during the encapsulation process, resulting in low production efficiency. A new approach using high hydrostatic pressure (HHP) was explored in this study to overcome the problem of loading doxorubicin (DOX) in HFn. At the pressure of 500MPa and pH 5.5, DOX molecules were found to be encapsulated into HFn. Meanwhile, combining it with an additive of 20mM arginine completely inhibited precipitation and aggregation, resulting in highly monodispersed nanoparticles with almost 100% protein recovery. Furthermore, stepwise decompression and incubation of the complex in atmospheric pressure at pH 7.4 for another period could further increase the DOX encapsulation ratio. The HFn-DOX nanoparticles (NPs) showed similar morphology and structural features to the hollow cage and no notable drug leakage occurred for HFn-DOX NPs when stored at 4°C and pH 7.4 for two weeks. HFn-DOX NPs prepared through HHP also showed significant cytotoxicity in vitro and higher antitumor bioactivity in vivo than naked DOX. Moreover, This HHP encapsulation strategy could economize on DOX that was greatly wasted during the conventional preparation process simply through a desalting column. These results indicated that HHP could offer a feasible approach with high efficiency for the production of HFn-DOX NPs. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The comparative effects of group prenatal care on psychosocial outcomes.

Science.gov (United States)

Heberlein, Emily C; Picklesimer, Amy H; Billings, Deborah L; Covington-Kolb, Sarah; Farber, Naomi; Frongillo, Edward A

2016-04-01

To compare the psychosocial outcomes of the CenteringPregnancy (CP) model of group prenatal care to individual prenatal care, we conducted a prospective cohort study of women who chose CP group (N = 124) or individual prenatal care (N = 124). Study participants completed the first survey at study recruitment (mean gestational age 12.5 weeks), with 89% completing the second survey (mean gestational age 32.7 weeks) and 84% completing the third survey (6 weeks' postpartum). Multiple linear regression models compared changes by prenatal care model in pregnancy-specific distress, prenatal planning-preparation and avoidance coping, perceived stress, affect and depressive symptoms, pregnancy-related empowerment, and postpartum maternal-infant attachment and maternal functioning. Using intention-to-treat models, group prenatal care participants demonstrated a 3.2 point greater increase (p prenatal planning-preparation coping strategies. While group participants did not demonstrate significantly greater positive outcomes in other measures, women who were at greater psychosocial risk benefitted from participation in group prenatal care. Among women reporting inadequate social support in early pregnancy, group participants demonstrated a 2.9 point greater decrease (p = 0.03) in pregnancy-specific distress in late pregnancy and 5.6 point higher mean maternal functioning scores postpartum (p = 0.03). Among women with high pregnancy-specific distress in early pregnancy, group participants had an 8.3 point greater increase (p prenatal planning-preparation coping strategies in late pregnancy and a 4.9 point greater decrease (p = 0.02) in postpartum depressive symptom scores. This study provides further evidence that group prenatal care positively impacts the psychosocial well-being of women with greater stress or lower personal coping resources. Large randomized studies are needed to establish conclusively the biological and psychosocial benefits of group

Maternal perinatal diet induces developmental programming of bone architecture.

Science.gov (United States)

Devlin, M J; Grasemann, C; Cloutier, A M; Louis, L; Alm, C; Palmert, M R; Bouxsein, M L

2013-04-01

Maternal high-fat (HF) diet can alter offspring metabolism via perinatal developmental programming. This study tests the hypothesis that maternal HF diet also induces perinatal programming of offspring bone mass and strength. We compared skeletal acquisition in pups from C57Bl/6J mice fed HF or normal diet from preconception through lactation. Three-week-old male and female pups from HF (HF-N) and normal mothers (N-N) were weaned onto normal diet. Outcomes at 14 and 26 weeks of age included body mass, body composition, whole-body bone mineral content (WBBMC) via peripheral dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, femoral cortical and trabecular architecture via microcomputed tomography, and glucose tolerance. Female HF-N had normal body mass and glucose tolerance, with lower body fat (%) but higher serum leptin at 14 weeks vs. N-N (Pbone volume fraction was 20% higher at 14 weeks in female HF-N vs. N-N (Pbone area was 6% higher at 14 weeks vs. N-N (Pbone, supporting the hypothesis that maternal diet alters postnatal skeletal homeostasis.

Assembly of fibronectin into the extracellular matrix of early and late passage human skin fibroblasts

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mann, D.M.

1987-01-01

The specific binding of soluble 125 I-human plasma fibronectin ( 125 I-HFN-P) to confluent cultures of early and late passage human skin fibroblasts was investigated. Previous studies HFN-P bound to fibroblast cell layers indicated that HNF-P was present in the cultures in two separate pools, distinguishable on the basis of their solubility in 1% deoxycholate. Examination of the kinetics of 125 I-HFN-P binding to Pool I of early and late passage cultures revealed that both cultures required 2-4 h to approach steady-state conditions. Other kinetic studies showed that the rates of low of 125 I-HFN-P from either Pool I or Pool II were similar for both cultures. Further, Scatchard analysis revealed a single class of Pool I binding sites with apparent dissociation constants (K/sub d/) of 5.3 x 10 -8 M (early passage) and 4.2 x 10 -8 M (late passage). These results indicate that early and late passage cultures of human fibroblasts exhibit differences in the number of cell surface biding sites for soluble fibronectin, and in the extent to which they incorporate soluble fibronectin into the extracellular matrix. Parameters which affect the fibronectin matrix assembly system of human skin fibroblasts were also examined. In addition, several monoclonal anti-fibronectin antibodies were characterized and developed as experimental probes for fibronectin structure and function

Attachment and growth of human keratinocytes in a serum-free environment.

Science.gov (United States)

Gilchrest, B A; Calhoun, J K; Maciag, T

1982-08-01

Using a serum-free system, we have investigated the influence of human fibronectin (HFN) and selected growth factors (GF) on the attachment and growth of normal human keratinocytes in vitro. Single-cell suspensions of keratinocytes from near-confluent primary plates, plated on 5-10 microgram/cm2 HFN, showed approximately 30-40% attachment after 2-24 hours of incubation at 37 degrees C, compared with 4-6% attachment on uncoated platic plates. Percentage of attached cells was independent of seed density, tissue donor age, in vitro culture age, or medium composition, while subsequent cellular proliferation was strongly dependent on these factors. Keratinocytes grown on an adequate HFN matrix in a previously described hormone-supplemented medium (Maciag et al., 1981a) achieved four to eight population doubling over 7-12 days at densities greater than or equal to 104 cell/cm2. Removal of most GF individually from the medium had little or no effect on growth, while removal of epidermal growth factor (EGF) alone reduced growth by 30-35% and removal of bovine brain extract (BE) alone reduced growth by approximately 90%. Conversely, EGF alone in basal medium supported approximately 10% control growth, BE alone supported 30-40% control growth, and the combination of EGF and BE approximately 70%. In addition to its major effect on proliferation in this system, BE was necessary to preserve normal keratinocyte morphology and protein production. These findings expand earlier observations that HFN facilitates keratinocyte attachment in vitro and that a brain-derived extract can exert a major positive influence on cultured keratinocytes.

A comparative study of prelinguistic vocalizations in two groups of cleft toddlers and a non-cleft group

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Willadsen, Elisabeth; Enemark, Hans

2000-01-01

. The results of this investigation were compared to results previously reported for 19 children with cleft palate and 19 noncleft children at the age of 13 months. The children with clefts in that study received a two-stage palatal surgery. This surgical procedure was formerly used at our center and included...... children in the comparison group. Both groups of subjects with clefts had significantly fewer plosives in their contoid inventory than the noncleft group, and there was no difference regarding place of articulation between the group that received delayed closure of the hard palate and the noncleft group.......Objective: This study examined the prelinguistic contoid (consonant-like) inventories of 14 children with unilateral cleft lip and palate (C-UCLP) at 13 months of age. The children had received primary veloplasty at 7 months of age and closure of the hard palate was performed at 3–5 years...

About normal distribution on SO(3) group in texture analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Savyolova, T. I.; Filatov, S. V.

2017-12-01

This article studies and compares different normal distributions (NDs) on SO(3) group, which are used in texture analysis. Those NDs are: Fisher normal distribution (FND), Bunge normal distribution (BND), central normal distribution (CND) and wrapped normal distribution (WND). All of the previously mentioned NDs are central functions on SO(3) group. CND is a subcase for normal CLT-motivated distributions on SO(3) (CLT here is Parthasarathy’s central limit theorem). WND is motivated by CLT in R 3 and mapped to SO(3) group. A Monte Carlo method for modeling normally distributed values was studied for both CND and WND. All of the NDs mentioned above are used for modeling different components of crystallites orientation distribution function in texture analysis.

Building Bivariate Tables: The compareGroups Package for R

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Isaac Subirana

2014-05-01

Full Text Available The R package compareGroups provides functions meant to facilitate the construction of bivariate tables (descriptives of several variables for comparison between groups and generates reports in several formats (LATEX, HTML or plain text CSV. Moreover, bivariate tables can be viewed directly on the R console in a nice format. A graphical user interface (GUI has been implemented to build the bivariate tables more easily for those users who are not familiar with the R software. Some new functions and methods have been incorporated in the newest version of the compareGroups package (version 1.x to deal with time-to-event variables, stratifying tables, merging several tables, and revising the statistical methods used. The GUI interface also has been improved, making it much easier and more intuitive to set the inputs for building the bivariate tables. The ?rst version (version 0.x and this version were presented at the 2010 useR! conference (Sanz, Subirana, and Vila 2010 and the 2011 useR! conference (Sanz, Subirana, and Vila 2011, respectively. Package compareGroups is available from the Comprehensive R Archive Network at http://CRAN.R-project.org/package=compareGroups.

Comparing linear probability model coefficients across groups

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Holm, Anders; Ejrnæs, Mette; Karlson, Kristian Bernt

2015-01-01

of the following three components: outcome truncation, scale parameters and distributional shape of the predictor variable. These results point to limitations in using linear probability model coefficients for group comparisons. We also provide Monte Carlo simulations and real examples to illustrate......This article offers a formal identification analysis of the problem in comparing coefficients from linear probability models between groups. We show that differences in coefficients from these models can result not only from genuine differences in effects, but also from differences in one or more...... these limitations, and we suggest a restricted approach to using linear probability model coefficients in group comparisons....

Comparing EU hospital efficiency using diagnosis-related groups

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Rhodes, G.; Wiley, M.; Tomas, R.; Casas, M.; Leidl, R.

1997-01-01

This article considers the feasibility of comparing the differences in efficiency and price in the provision of hospital products defined on the basis of diagnosis-related groups (DRGs). Two measures of resource use are compared, the length of stay and the administrative price, both independently

Group therapy compared with individual desensitization for dental anxiety

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Moore, R.; Brødsgaard, I.

1994-01-01

Results of group therapy (GT) for extreme dental anxiety were compared with individual treatment (IT). Scales used measured dental anxiety, beliefs or trust in dentists, and fear of the next dentist after specialist treatment which showed reduced dental anxiety and improved dental beliefs compared...... with a static control group of 45 patients. The 30 GT patients showed no significant difference in dropouts during training compared with the 68 IT patients, but for patients who completed treatment, GT (n = 24) had greater dental anxiety reduction than IT subjects (n = 60). GT patients required fewer therapist...

Group therapy compared with individual desensitization for dental anxiety

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Moore, R.; Brødsgaard, I.

1994-01-01

Results of group therapy (GT) for extreme dental anxiety were compared with individual treatment (IT). Scales used measured dental anxiety, beliefs or trust in dentists, and fear of the next dentist after specialist treatment which showed reduced dental anxiety and improved dental beliefs compared...... with a static control group of 45 patients. The 30 GT patients showed no significant difference in dropouts during training compared with the 68 IT patients, but for patients who completed treatment, GT (n = 24) had greater dental anxiety reduction than IT subjects (n = 60). GT patients required fewer therapist...... hours per patients than did either of the two IT methods, but time saved in GT did not reach significance over clinical rehearsal IT. Results at 1- yr follow-up after specialist treatment indicated that dropouts were significantly greater in group therapy. Rehearsal IT performed best for sustained...

Numerical Investigation into the Effect of Natural Fracture Density on Hydraulic Fracture Network Propagation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zhaohui Chong

2017-07-01

Full Text Available Hydraulic fracturing is an important method to enhance permeability in oil and gas exploitation projects and weaken hard roofs of coal seams to reduce dynamic disasters, for example, rock burst. It is necessary to fully understand the mechanism of the initiation, propagation, and coalescence of hydraulic fracture network (HFN caused by fluid flow in rock formations. In this study, a coupled hydro-mechanical model was built based on synthetic rock mass (SRM method to investigate the effects of natural fracture (NF density on HFN propagation. Firstly, the geometrical structures of NF obtained from borehole images at the field scale were applied to the model. Secondly, the micro-parameters of the proposed model were validated against the interaction between NF and hydraulic fracture (HF in physical experiments. Finally, a series of numerical simulations were performed to study the mechanism of HFN propagation. In addition, confining pressure ratio (CPR and injection rate were also taken into consideration. The results suggested that the increase of NF density drives the growth of stimulated reservoir volume (SRV, concentration area of injection pressure (CAIP, and the number of cracks caused by NF. The number of tensile cracks caused by rock matrix decrease gradually with the increase of NF density, and the number of shear cracks caused by rock matrix are almost immune to the change of NF density. The propagation orientation of HFN and the breakdown pressure in rock formations are mainly controlled by CPR. Different injection rates would result in a relatively big difference in the gradient of injection pressure, but this difference would be gradually narrowed with the increase of NF density. Natural fracture density is the key factor that influences the percentages of different crack types in HFN, regardless of the value of CPR and injection rate. The proposed model may help predict HFN propagation and optimize fracturing treatment designs in

Protein Nanoscaffolds for Delivering Toxic Inorganic Cargo to Cancer Cells

Science.gov (United States)

Cioloboc, Daniela

Targeted delivery of anticancer drugs or prodrugs to tumors can minimize systemic toxicity and side effects. This study develops platforms for targeted delivery of two potentially less systemically toxic prodrugs by exploiting the native and/or bioinorganic properties of two ferritins, both of which function naturally as iron storage proteins. Two delivery approaches were investigated. The first system was designed to serve as either an enhancement or alternative to traditional photodynamic therapy by generating hydroxyl radical in addition to singlet oxygen as the toxic reactive oxygen species. This system used Escherichia coli bacterioferritin (Bfr) loaded with 2,500 irons and multiple zinc-porphyrin (ZnP) photosensitizers. Ferrous iron was released by photoreduction of ferric iron stored within the Bfr protein shell. Hydroxyl radicals were generated via the Fenton reaction between hydrogen peroxide and the released ferrous iron. The outer surface of the Bfr protein shell was coated with peptides that specifically bind to a receptor known to be overexpressed in many tumor cells and tumor vasculature. The iron-loaded peptide-ZnP-Bfr was endocytosed by melanoma cells, where it showed photo-triggered release of iron and light-dependent cytotoxicity. The second system, built around human heavy chain ferritin (HFn), was loaded with arsenate as a less toxic "prodrug" and designed to release arsenic in its toxic, therapeutically effective reduced form, arsenic trioxide (ATO). The Hfn shell was coated with peptides targeting receptors that are hyperexpressed in triple negative breast cancers. The arsenate/iron-loaded-Hfn was endocytosed by a breast cancer cell line and showed cytotoxicity equivalent to that of free ATO on an arsenic basis, whereas the "empty" or iron-only loaded Hfn showed no cytotoxicity. Although HFn has previously been used to deliver organic drugs and imaging agents, these new results demonstrate that both Bfr and HFn can be manipulated to function

Comparing the Effects of Group and Home-based Physical Activity on Mental Health in the Elderly.

Science.gov (United States)

Mortazavi, Seyede Salehe; Shati, Mohsen; Ardebili, Hassan Eftekhar; Mohammad, Kazem; Beni, Reza Dorali; Keshteli, A H

2013-11-01

The present study focuses on comparing the effects of home-based (HB) and group-based (GB) physical activity on mental health in a sample of older adults in Shahr-e-kord. In this quasi-experimental study, a twice-weekly physical activity program for 2 months was provided either individually at home or in a group format for 181 people who were divided into two groups (HB and GB). The outcome, mental health, was measured with the 28-item General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-28). Mental health status improved after participation in the physical activity program. The decrease in GHQ-28 total score in GB group, 3 months after intervention, was 3.61 ± 2.28 (P effects of GB physical activity on mental health compared with HB physical activity, adjusted for related baseline variables, were significant. These findings reveal the probable effects of GB rather than HB physical activity on mental health among the elderly.

32 CFR 1624.3 - Age selection groups.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 32 National Defense 6 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Age selection groups. 1624.3 Section 1624.3....3 Age selection groups. Age selection groups are established as follows: (a) The age 20 selection group for each calendar year consists of registrants who have attained or will attain the age of 20 in...

9 CFR 3.7 - Compatible grouping.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... 9 Animals and Animal Products 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Compatible grouping. 3.7 Section 3.7... Cats 1 Animal Health and Husbandry Standards § 3.7 Compatible grouping. Dogs and cats that are housed...; (c) Puppies or kittens 4 months of age or less may not be housed in the same primary enclosure with...

Measurement properties of the EQ-5D-5L compared to the EQ-5D-3L across eight patient groups

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Janssen, M F; Pickard, A Simon; Golicki, Dominik

2012-01-01

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to assess the measurement properties of the 5-level classification system of the EQ-5D (5L), in comparison with the 3-level EQ-5D (3L). METHODS: Participants (n = 3,919) from six countries, including eight patient groups with chronic conditions (cardiovascular...... of the 3-level system which improves upon the measurement properties, reducing the ceiling while improving discriminatory power and establishing convergent and known-groups validity.......), redistribution properties, ceiling, discriminatory power, convergent validity, and known-groups validity. RESULTS: Missing values were on average 0.8 % for 5L and 1.3 % for 3L. In total, 2.9 % of responses were inconsistent between 5L and 3L. Redistribution from 3L to 5L using EQ dimension-specific rating scales...

Urinary incontinence during pregnancy and 1 year after delivery in primiparous women compared with a control group of nulliparous women

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hansen, Bent Brandt; Svare, Jens; Viktrup, Lars

2012-01-01

, the prevalence of any type of urinary incontinence in the primiparous group was 32.1%, compared to 13.8% in the control group. Adjusted OR¿=¿3.3 (95%CI¿=¿2.4-4.4). One year after delivery, the prevalence in the primiparous group was 29.3%, compared to 16.6% in the control group. Adjusted OR¿=¿2.5 (95%CI¿=¿1......AIMS: To investigate the impact of the first pregnancy and delivery on the prevalence and types of urinary incontinence during pregnancy and 1 year after delivery. METHODS: The study was a prospective cohort study with a control group. Primiparous women, who delivered in our department from June...... 2003 to July 2005, participated. The women filled out a questionnaire 2-3 days after the delivery and a new questionnaire after 1 year. The questionnaires comprised basic characteristics and symptoms of urinary incontinence. An attempted age-matched control group of nulliparous women was included...

Algal-fungal interactions in the marine ecosystem: Symbiosis to parasitism

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Raghukumar, C.

, 2 980). Pi5 3 --The terminal portim of the green Fig. 4 - Chehwpha mdio &ET 7 days alga mrph mdb 6how-h~ hf&n iacuWon in stede sea water L totally by Podhnm EageaWkie.s 4-1. The infa ampIewz3~dectedfromAqjuna . berrcbinGoa. 372 Recent...

Social Spirals through Everyday Group Life: Settings and Group Styles in a Comparative Perspective

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sebastiano Citroni

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Everyday group life is generally neglected in the study of the ongoing shifts affecting voluntary associations. This paper is grounded on a comparative ethnography of three Milanese associations affected by transformations in forms of voluntary participation, repertoires of action, and in their relations with public institutions. The study focuses on group styles and settings to ascertain the role played by everyday group life in shaping the implications of these transformations for the production of inclusive outcomes by the observed associations. The author introduces three different results produced by the studied associations and account for them with the same overall argument, which focus on practices and spaces shaping everyday group life. The main findings illustrate that everyday group life works both as a filter through which transformations produce consequences and also as a site of autonomous elaboration through which associations’ outcomes are made and unmade.

A 3-hydroxy β-end group in xanthophylls is preferentially oxidized to a 3-oxo ε-end group in mammals.

Science.gov (United States)

Nagao, Akihiko; Maoka, Takashi; Ono, Hiroshi; Kotake-Nara, Eiichi; Kobayashi, Miyuki; Tomita, Mie

2015-02-01

We previously found that mice fed lutein accumulated its oxidative metabolites (3'-hydroxy-ε,ε-caroten-3-one and ε,ε-carotene-3,3'-dione) as major carotenoids, suggesting that mammals can convert xanthophylls to keto-carotenoids by the oxidation of hydroxyl groups. Here we elucidated the metabolic activities of mouse liver for several xanthophylls. When lutein was incubated with liver postmitochondrial fraction in the presence of NAD(+), (3'R,6'R)-3'-hydroxy-β,ε-caroten-3-one and (6RS,3'R,6'R)-3'-hydroxy-ε,ε-caroten-3-one were produced as major oxidation products. The former accumulated only at the early stage and was assumed to be an intermediate, followed by isomerization to the latter. The configuration at the C3' and C6' of the ε-end group in lutein was retained in the two oxidation products. These results indicate that the 3-hydroxy β-end group in lutein was preferentially oxidized to a 3-oxo ε-end group via a 3-oxo β-end group. Other xanthophylls such as β-cryptoxanthin and zeaxanthin, which have a 3-hydroxy β-end group, were also oxidized in the same manner as lutein. These keto-carotenoids, derived from dietary xanthophylls, were confirmed to be present in plasma of normal human subjects, and β,ε-caroten-3'-one was significantly increased by the ingestion of β-cryptoxanthin. Thus, humans as well as mice have oxidative activity to convert the 3-hydroxy β-end group of xanthophylls to a 3-oxo ε-end group. Copyright © 2015 by the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

Automorphism group of nonabelian groups of order p{sup 3}

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sarmin, Nor Haniza [Department of Mathematical Sciences, Faculty of Science, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, 81310 UTM Johor Bahru (Malaysia); Barakat, Yasamin [Department of Mathematical Sciences, Faculty of Science, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, 81310 UTM Johor Bahru, Malaysia and Islamic Azad University-Ahvaz Branch, Ahvaz (Iran, Islamic Republic of)

2014-06-19

Let G be a nonabelian group of order p{sup 3}, where p is a prime number. Then G is a two generated group that its commutator, centre and Frattini subgroup coincide and are of order p. Hence, the quotient group of G over its centre and also Frattini quotient group of G, both are of order p{sup 2}. However, the first mentioned quotient is isomorphic to the inner group of G, which is a normal subgroup of automorphism group of G. Whereas, Frattini quotient group of G is an abelian elementary group that can be considered as a vector space of dimension two over Z{sub p}, the field of integers modulo p. In this paper, we consider to apply these properties of G to characterize the automorphism group of G.

Comparing of goal setting strategy with group education method to increase physical activity level: A randomized trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Jiryaee, Nasrin; Siadat, Zahra Dana; Zamani, Ahmadreza; Taleban, Roya

2015-10-01

Designing an intervention to increase physical activity is important to be based on the health care settings resources and be acceptable by the subject group. This study was designed to assess and compare the effect of the goal setting strategy with a group education method on increasing the physical activity of mothers of children aged 1 to 5. Mothers who had at least one child of 1-5 years were randomized into two groups. The effect of 1) goal-setting strategy and 2) group education method on increasing physical activity was assessed and compared 1 month and 3 months after the intervention. Also, the weight, height, body mass index (BMI), waist and hip circumference, and well-being were compared between the two groups before and after the intervention. Physical activity level increased significantly after the intervention in the goal-setting group and it was significantly different between the two groups after intervention (P goal-setting group after the intervention. In the group education method, only the well-being score improved significantly (P goal-setting strategy to boost physical activity, improving the state of well-being and decreasing BMI, waist, and hip circumference.

Morphological Studies of Local Influence of Implants with Coatings Based on Superhard Compounds on Bone Tissue under Conditions of Induced Trauma

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Galimzyan KABIROV

2015-07-01

Full Text Available In this paper we analyze the response of bone tissue to a transosseous introduction of implants made of copper (Cu, medical steel 12X18H9T, steel with nitrides of titanium and hafnium coatings (TiN + HfN, as well as steel coated with titanium and zirconium nitrides (TiN + ZrN into the diaphysis of the tibia of experimental rats. The obtained results showed that the restoration of the injured bone and bone marrow in groups with implants made of steel 12X18H9T occurred without the participation of the granulation and cartilaginous tissues, but with implants made of steel coated with titanium and hafnium nitrides (TiN + HfN, this bone recovery also took place in the early term. At the same time, in groups, where the implants were made of copper (Cu, implants were made of steel coated with titanium and zirconium nitrides (TiN + ZrN were used, such phenomena as necrosis, lysis and destruction of the bone were registered and the bone tissue repair went through formation of the cartilaginous tissue.

Organizational behavior of human umbilical vein endothelial cells

Science.gov (United States)

1982-01-01

Culture conditions that favor rapid multiplication of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUV-EC) also support long-term serial propagation of the cells. This is routinely achieved when HUV-EC are grown in Medium 199 (M-199) supplemented with fetal bovine serum (FBS) and endothelial cell growth factor (ECGF), on a human fibronectin (HFN) matrix. The HUV-EC can shift from a proliferative to an organized state when the in vitro conditions are changed from those favoring low density proliferation to those supporting high density survival. When ECGF and HFN are omitted, cultures fail to achieve confluence beyond the first or second passage: the preconfluent cultures organize into tubular structures after 4-6 wk. Some tubes become grossly visible and float in the culture medium, remaining tethered to the plastic dish at either end of the tube. On an ultrastructural level, the tubes consist of cells, held together by junctional complexes, arranged so as to form a lumen. The smallest lumens are formed by one cell folding over to form a junction with itself. The cells contain Weibel-Palade bodies and factor VIII-related antigen. The lumens contain granular, fibrillar and amorphous debris. Predigesting the HFN matrix with trypsin (10 min, 37 degrees C) or plasmin significantly accelerates tube formation. Thrombin and plasminogen activator had no apparent effect. Disruption of the largest tubes with trypsin/EDTA permits the cells to revert to a proliferative state if plated on HFN, in M-199, FBS, and ECGF. These observations indicate that culture conditions that do not favor proliferation permit attainment of a state of nonterminal differentiation (organization) by the endothelial cell. Furthermore, proteolytic modification of the HFN matrix may play an important role in endothelial organization. PMID:6813338

Determining the frequency of dry eye in computer users and comparing with control group

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mohammad Hossein Davari

2017-08-01

Full Text Available AIM: To determine the frequency of dry eye in computer users and to compare them with control group. METHODS: This study was a case control research conducted in 2015 in the city of Birjand. Sample size of study was estimated to be 304 subjects(152 subjects in each group, computer user group and control group. Non-randomized method of sampling was used in both groups. Schirmer test was used to evaluate dry eye of subjects. Then, subjects completed questionnaire. This questionnaire was developed based on objectives and reviewing the literature. After collecting the data, they were entered to SPSS Software and they were analyzed using Chi-square test or Fisher's test at the alpha level of 0.05.RESULTS: In total, 304 subjects(152 subjects in each groupwere included in the study. Frequency of dry eyes in the control group was 3.3%(5 subjectsand it was 61.8% in computer users group(94 subjects. Significant difference was observed between two groups in this regard(Pn=12, and it was 34.2% in computer users group(n=52, which significant difference was observed between two groups in this regard(PP=0.8. The mean working hour with computer per day in patients with dry eye was 6.65±3.52h, while it was 1.62±2.54h in healthy group(T=13.25, PCONCLUSION: This study showed a significant relationship between using computer and dry eye and ocular symptoms. Thus, it is necessary that officials need to pay particular attention to working hours with computer by employees. They should also develop appropriate plans to divide the working hours with computer among computer users. However, due to various confounding factors, it is recommended that these factors to be controlled in future studies.

Comparative emergency department resource utilisation across age groups.

Science.gov (United States)

Burkett, Ellen; Martin-Khan, Melinda G; Gray, Leonard C

2017-12-11

Objectives The aim of the present study was to assess comparative emergency department (ED) resource utilisation across age groups. Methods A retrospective analysis of data collected in the National Non-admitted Patient Emergency Department Care Database was undertaken to assess comparative ED resource utilisation across six age groups (0-14, 15-35, 36-64, 65-74, 75-84 and ≥85 years) with previously used surrogate markers of ED resource utilisation. Results Older people had significantly higher resource utilisation for their individual ED episodes of care than younger people, with the effect increasing with advancing age. Conclusion With ED care of older people demonstrated to be more resource intensive than care for younger people, the projected increase in older person presentations anticipated with population aging will have a magnified effect on ED services. These predicted changes in demand for ED care will only be able to be optimally managed if Australian health policy, ED funding instruments and ED models of care are adjusted to take into account the specific care and resource needs of older people. What is known about the topic? Current Australian ED funding models do not adjust for patient age. Several regional studies have suggested higher resource utilisation of ED patients aged ≥65 years. Anticipated rapid population aging mandates that contribution of age to ED visit resource utilisation be further explored. What does this paper add? The present study of national Australian ED presentations compared ED resource utilisation across age groups using surrogate markers of ED cost. Older people were found to have significantly higher resource utilisation in the ED, with the effect increasing further with advancing age. What are the implications for practitioners? The higher resource utilisation of older people in the ED warrants a review of current ED funding models to ensure that they will continue to meet the needs of an aging population.

The unit group of group algebra $F_qSL(2;Z_3$

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Swati Maheshwari

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Let $\\F_q$ be a finite field of characteristic $p$ having $q$ elements, where $q = p^k$ and $p\\ge 5$. Let $ SL(2,\\Z_3$ be the special linear group of $2\\times2$ matrices with determinant $1$ over $\\Z_3$. In this note we establish the structure of the unit group of $\\F_q SL(2,\\Z_3$.

A 3-hydroxy β-end group in xanthophylls is preferentially oxidized to a 3-oxo ε-end group in mammals[S

Science.gov (United States)

Nagao, Akihiko; Maoka, Takashi; Ono, Hiroshi; Kotake-Nara, Eiichi; Kobayashi, Miyuki; Tomita, Mie

2015-01-01

We previously found that mice fed lutein accumulated its oxidative metabolites (3′-hydroxy-ε,ε-caroten-3-one and ε,ε-carotene-3,3′-dione) as major carotenoids, suggesting that mammals can convert xanthophylls to keto-carotenoids by the oxidation of hydroxyl groups. Here we elucidated the metabolic activities of mouse liver for several xanthophylls. When lutein was incubated with liver postmitochondrial fraction in the presence of NAD+, (3′R,6′R)-3′-hydroxy-β,ε-caroten-3-one and (6RS,3′R,6′R)-3′-hydroxy-ε,ε-caroten-3-one were produced as major oxidation products. The former accumulated only at the early stage and was assumed to be an intermediate, followed by isomerization to the latter. The configuration at the C3′ and C6′ of the ε-end group in lutein was retained in the two oxidation products. These results indicate that the 3-hydroxy β-end group in lutein was preferentially oxidized to a 3-oxo ε-end group via a 3-oxo β-end group. Other xanthophylls such as β-cryptoxanthin and zeaxanthin, which have a 3-hydroxy β-end group, were also oxidized in the same manner as lutein. These keto-carotenoids, derived from dietary xanthophylls, were confirmed to be present in plasma of normal human subjects, and β,ε-caroten-3′-one was significantly increased by the ingestion of β-cryptoxanthin. Thus, humans as well as mice have oxidative activity to convert the 3-hydroxy β-end group of xanthophylls to a 3-oxo ε-end group. PMID:25502844

Multiqubit Clifford groups are unitary 3-designs

Science.gov (United States)

Zhu, Huangjun

2017-12-01

Unitary t -designs are a ubiquitous tool in many research areas, including randomized benchmarking, quantum process tomography, and scrambling. Despite the intensive efforts of many researchers, little is known about unitary t -designs with t ≥3 in the literature. We show that the multiqubit Clifford group in any even prime-power dimension is not only a unitary 2-design, but also a 3-design. Moreover, it is a minimal 3-design except for dimension 4. As an immediate consequence, any orbit of pure states of the multiqubit Clifford group forms a complex projective 3-design; in particular, the set of stabilizer states forms a 3-design. In addition, our study is helpful in studying higher moments of the Clifford group, which are useful in many research areas ranging from quantum information science to signal processing. Furthermore, we reveal a surprising connection between unitary 3-designs and the physics of discrete phase spaces and thereby offer a simple explanation of why no discrete Wigner function is covariant with respect to the multiqubit Clifford group, which is of intrinsic interest in studying quantum computation.

Comparing of goal setting strategy with group education method to increase physical activity level: A randomized trial

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nasrin Jiryaee

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Background: Designing an intervention to increase physical activity is important to be based on the health care settings resources and be acceptable by the subject group. This study was designed to assess and compare the effect of the goal setting strategy with a group education method on increasing the physical activity of mothers of children aged 1 to 5. Materials and Methods: Mothers who had at least one child of 1-5 years were randomized into two groups. The effect of 1 goal-setting strategy and 2 group education method on increasing physical activity was assessed and compared 1 month and 3 months after the intervention. Also, the weight, height, body mass index (BMI, waist and hip circumference, and well-being were compared between the two groups before and after the intervention. Results: Physical activity level increased significantly after the intervention in the goal-setting group and it was significantly different between the two groups after intervention (P < 0.05. BMI, waist circumference, hip circumference, and well-being score were significantly different in the goal-setting group after the intervention. In the group education method, only the well-being score improved significantly (P < 0.05. Conclusion: Our study presented the effects of using the goal-setting strategy to boost physical activity, improving the state of well-being and decreasing BMI, waist, and hip circumference.

Group- and Individual-Level Responsiveness of the 3-Point Berg Balance Scale and 3-Point Postural Assessment Scale for Stroke Patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Yi-Jing; Lin, Gong-Hong; Lee, Shih-Chieh; Chen, Yi-Miau; Huang, Sheau-Ling; Hsieh, Ching-Lin

2018-03-01

To examine both group- and individual-level responsiveness of the 3-point Berg Balance Scale (BBS-3P) and 3-point Postural Assessment Scale for Stroke Patients (PASS-3P) in patients with stroke, and to compare the responsiveness of both 3-point measures versus their original measures (Berg Balance Scale [BBS] and Postural Assessment Scale for Stroke Patients [PASS]) and their short forms (short-form Berg Balance Scale [SFBBS] and short-form Postural Assessment Scale for Stroke Patients [SFPASS]) and between the BBS-3P and PASS-3P. Data were retrieved from a previous study wherein 212 patients were assessed at 14 and 30 days after stroke with the BBS and PASS. Medical center. Patients (N=212) with first onset of stroke within 14 days before hospitalization. Not applicable. Group-level responsiveness was examined by the standardized response mean (SRM), and individual-level responsiveness was examined by the proportion of patients whose change scores exceeded the minimal detectable change of each measure. The responsiveness was compared using the bootstrap approach. The BBS-3P and PASS-3P had good group-level (SRM, .60 and SRM, .56, respectively) and individual-level (48.1% and 44.8% of the patients with significant improvement, respectively) responsiveness. Bootstrap analyses showed that the BBS-3P generally had superior responsiveness to the BBS and SFBBS, and the PASS-3P had similar responsiveness to the PASS and SFPASS. The BBS-3P and PASS-3P were equally responsive to both group and individual change. The responsiveness of the BBS-3P and PASS-3P was comparable or superior to those of the original and short-form measures. We recommend the BBS-3P and PASS-3P as responsive outcome measures of balance for individuals with stroke. Copyright © 2017 American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Functional and phenotypic heterogeneity of group 3 innate lymphoid cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Melo-Gonzalez, Felipe; Hepworth, Matthew R

2017-03-01

Group 3 innate lymphoid cells (ILC3), defined by expression of the transcription factor retinoid-related orphan receptor γt, play key roles in the regulation of inflammation and immunity in the gastrointestinal tract and associated lymphoid tissues. ILC3 consist largely of two major subsets, NCR + ILC3 and LTi-like ILC3, but also demonstrate significant plasticity and heterogeneity. Recent advances have begun to dissect the relationship between ILC3 subsets and to define distinct functional states within the intestinal tissue microenvironment. In this review we discuss the ever-expanding roles of ILC3 in the context of intestinal homeostasis, infection and inflammation - with a focus on comparing and contrasting the relative contributions of ILC3 subsets. © 2016 The Authors. Immunology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

S3T working group. Report 1: group aims

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pouey, M.

1983-04-01

The work group S3T which is aimed to designing and developing devices using unconventional holographic optics is presented. These devices find applications that are classified here in four items high resolution spectrometers, high definition imaging, high flux devices, metrology and interferometry. The problems to solve and the aims of the group in each of these cases are presented. Three synthesis of lectures are in this report. The main one concerns stigmatism conditions of concave holographic gratings used in normal incidence. This new process of focusing is very interesting for hot plasma diagnostics [fr

A permutation testing framework to compare groups of brain networks.

Science.gov (United States)

Simpson, Sean L; Lyday, Robert G; Hayasaka, Satoru; Marsh, Anthony P; Laurienti, Paul J

2013-01-01

Brain network analyses have moved to the forefront of neuroimaging research over the last decade. However, methods for statistically comparing groups of networks have lagged behind. These comparisons have great appeal for researchers interested in gaining further insight into complex brain function and how it changes across different mental states and disease conditions. Current comparison approaches generally either rely on a summary metric or on mass-univariate nodal or edge-based comparisons that ignore the inherent topological properties of the network, yielding little power and failing to make network level comparisons. Gleaning deeper insights into normal and abnormal changes in complex brain function demands methods that take advantage of the wealth of data present in an entire brain network. Here we propose a permutation testing framework that allows comparing groups of networks while incorporating topological features inherent in each individual network. We validate our approach using simulated data with known group differences. We then apply the method to functional brain networks derived from fMRI data.

A randomized, double-blind, multicenter, parallel group study to compare relative efficacies of the topical gels 3% erythromycin/5% benzoyl peroxide and 0.025% tretinoin/erythromycin 4% in the treatment of moderate acne vulgaris of the face.

Science.gov (United States)

Gupta, Aditya K; Lynde, Charles W; Kunynetz, Rod A W; Amin, Smita; Choi, Ken; Goldstein, Eric

2003-01-01

Combination treatments for acne vulgaris, such as Benzamycin (3% erythromycin/5% benzoyl peroxide) and Stievamycin (0.025% tretinoin/erythromycin 4%), reduce bacterial growth, which contributes to the inflammatory lesions typical of adolescent acne, and also decrease the epidermal cell compaction which may form the characteristic noninflammatory comedone. Both agents contain erythromycin to reduce the growth of Propionibacterium acnes in skin. Benzoyl peroxide has antibiotic activity as well as anticomedogenic properties. Tretinoin may increase the turnover of epidermal cells and loosen the cells compacted to form comedones. A combination preparation containing the two antibiotics may reduce the development of resistance; the combination preparation containing tretinoin and erythromycin will have an antibiotic effect as well as acting on differentiation. This multicenter, randomized, double-blind, parallel group study compared the effectiveness of 3% erythromycin/5% benzoyl peroxide and 0.025% tretinoin/erythromycin 4%, each applied twice daily in patients with moderate acne vulgaris. Overall physician and patient ratings of severity of acne symptoms were performed at baseline and at weeks 2, 4, 8, and 12. At baseline the two treatment groups had similar disease severity. The number of papules, pustules, and comedones was reduced in both treatment groups at week 12, and the reductions were not significantly different between the two comparators. Global physician rating of improvement was significantly higher in the 3% erythromycin/5% benzoyl peroxide group compared with the 0.025% tretinoin/erythromycin 4% group; however, there was no significant difference in global patient ratings between the two treatment groups. An aggregate score was produced, for both physician rating and patient rating, by adding up individual symptom severity ratings. Compared with 0.025% tretinoin/erythromycin 4%, 3% erythromycin/5% benzoyl peroxide provided significantly greater reduction

Hypnosis compared with group therapy and individual desensitization for dental anxiety

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Moore, Rod; Abrahamsen, Randi; Brødsgaard, I

1996-01-01

Effects of hypnotherapy (HT) and self-hypnosis training on extreme dental anxiety in adults aged 19-65 years were compared with group therapy (GT) and individual desensitization (SD) using scales of dental anxiety, dental beliefs, and fear of a next dentist (after specialist treatment). All...... experimental groups were demographically comparable and showed reduced anxiety and improved dental beliefs compared with 51 control patients. The 25 HT patients did not differ significantly in numbers of dropouts during training compared with the 30 GT patients or 68 SD patients. For patients completing...... (8/32), but not GT (15/30). Hypnotizability was found to vary from patient to patient, with a direct relationship to time saved. But hypnotizability had an inverse relationship to STAI general anxiety level for those who went on to dentists after 1 year. Transference effects were noted for most HT...

Energy policy: Comparative effects on minority population groups

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Poyer, D.A.; Henderson, L.

1995-06-01

For a number of years, analyses of minority household energy demand have been supported by the United States Department of Energy (DOE), Office of Economic Impact and Diversity (formerly the Office of Minority Economic Impact). The intention of these analyses has been to characterize patterns of energy demand by various demographic, regional and socioeconomic groups and to develop analytical tools to assess the distributive impact of energy prices and policy on these groups. The model supports strategic objectives outlined by the Department of Energy to explicitly recognize and promote equity in state public utility commission decisions and to assess the potential impact of federal and state energy policy on demographically diverse groups as reported in the Department`s Annual Energy Outlook and the upcoming National Energy Policy Plan. The legislation mandating the Office of Economic Impact and Diversity had been premised on the assumption that patterns of energy demand for minority households are different from the population as a whole. Determining the validity of this premise and its potential economic impact on different population groups has been a major objective of these analyses. Consequently, the recripriocal impacts of energy policy on demographic groups and energy consumption and expenditure dynamics on policy formulation and strategy is a central objective of these studies. Residential energy demand research has been substantial in the past twenty years. Insightful and useful research has been done in this area. However, none of this research has addressed the potential differences in the residential energy demand structure among various population groups. Recent work does compare energy and electricity demand elasticities for non-Latino Whites, with the demand elasticities for Latinos and Blacks. This research is particularly important for examination of questions related to the economic welfare implications of national energy policy.

Electrical and structural properties of group-4 transition-metal nitride (TiN, ZrN, and HfN) contacts on Ge

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yamamoto, Keisuke; Nakashima, Hiroshi, E-mail: nakasima@astec.kyushu-u.ac.jp [Art, Science and Technology Center for Cooperative Research, Kyushu University, 6-1 Kasuga-koen, Kasuga, Fukuoka 816-8580 (Japan); Noguchi, Ryutaro; Wang, Dong [Interdisciplinary Graduate School of Engineering Sciences, Kyushu University, 6-1 Kasuga-koen, Kasuga, Fukuoka 816-8580 (Japan); Mitsuhara, Masatoshi; Nishida, Minoru [Department of Engineering Sciences for Electronics and Materials, Kyushu University, 6-1 Kasuga-koen, Kasuga, Fukuoka 816-8580 (Japan); Hara, Toru [National Institute for Materials Science, 1-1 Namiki, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-0044 (Japan)

2015-09-21

Electrical and structural properties were investigated for group-4 transition-metal nitride contacts on Ge (TiN/Ge, ZrN/Ge, and HfN/Ge), which were prepared by direct sputter depositions using nitride targets. These contacts could alleviate the intrinsic Fermi-level pinning (FLP) position toward the conduction band edge. It was revealed that this phenomenon is induced by an amorphous interlayer (a-IL) containing nitrogen atoms at the nitride/Ge interfaces. The strength of FLP alleviation positively depended on the thickness of a-IL. TiN/Ge and ZrN/Ge contacts with ∼2 nm-thick a-ILs showed strong FLP alleviations with hole barrier heights (Φ{sub BP}) in the range of 0.52–56 eV, and a HfN/Ge contact with an ∼1 nm-thick a-IL showed a weaker one with a Φ{sub BP} of 0.39 eV. However, TaN/Ge contact without a-IL did not show such FLP alleviation. Based on the results of depth distributions for respective elements, we discussed the formation kinetics of a-ILs at TiN/Ge and ZrN/Ge interfaces. Finally, we proposed an interfacial dipole model to explain the FLP alleviation.

Comparing groups randomization and bootstrap methods using R

CERN Document Server

Zieffler, Andrew S; Long, Jeffrey D

2011-01-01

A hands-on guide to using R to carry out key statistical practices in educational and behavioral sciences research Computing has become an essential part of the day-to-day practice of statistical work, broadening the types of questions that can now be addressed by research scientists applying newly derived data analytic techniques. Comparing Groups: Randomization and Bootstrap Methods Using R emphasizes the direct link between scientific research questions and data analysis. Rather than relying on mathematical calculations, this book focus on conceptual explanations and

Comparing a telephone- and a group-delivered diabetes prevention program

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

S, Lim; Dunbar, James; Versace, Vin

2017-01-01

Aims To explore the acceptability of a telephone- or a group-delivered diabetes prevention program for women with previous gestational diabetes and to compare the characteristics associated with program engagement. Methods Postpartum women participated in a lifestyle modification program delivere...

Prospective, Randomized, Double-Blind, Parallel-Group, Comparative Effectiveness Clinical Trial Comparing a Powder Vehicle Compound of Vitamin D With an Oil Vehicle Compound in Adults With Cystic Fibrosis.

Science.gov (United States)

Hermes, Wendy A; Alvarez, Jessica A; Lee, Moon J; Chesdachai, Supavit; Lodin, Daud; Horst, Ron; Tangpricha, Vin

2017-08-01

There is little consensus on the most efficacious vehicle substance for vitamin D supplements. Fat malabsorption may impede the ability of patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) to absorb vitamin D in an oil vehicle. We hypothesized that vitamin D contained in a powder vehicle would be absorbed more efficiently than vitamin D contained in an oil vehicle in patients with CF. In this double-blind, randomized controlled trial, hospitalized adults with CF were given a one-time bolus dose of 100,000 IU of cholecalciferol (D 3 ) in a powder-based or oil-based vehicle. Serum D 3 , 25-hydroxyvitamin D, and parathyroid hormone concentrations were analyzed at 0, 12, 24, and 48 hours posttreatment. The area under the curve for serum D 3 and the 12-hour time point were also assessed as indicators of D 3 absorption. This trial was completed by 15 patients with CF. The median (interquartile range) age, body mass index, and forced expiratory volume in 1 second were 23.7 (19.9-33.2) years, 19.9 (18.6-22.6) kg/m 2 , and 63% (37%-80%), respectively. The increase in serum D 3 and the area under the curve was greater in the powder group ( P = .002 and P = .036, respectively). Serum D 3 was higher at 12 hours in the powder group compared with the oil group ( P = .002), although levels were similar between groups by 48 hours. In adults with CF, cholecalciferol is more efficiently absorbed in a powder compared with an oil vehicle. Physicians should consider prescribing vitamin D in a powder vehicle in patients with CF to improve the absorption of vitamin D from supplements.

Accounting for Heterogeneity in Hedging Behavior: Comparing & Evaluating Grouping Methods

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Pennings, J.M.E.; Garcia, P.; Irwin, S.H.

2011-01-01

Abstract Heterogeneity, i.e., the notion that individuals respond differently to economic stimuli, can have profound consequences for the interpretation of behavior and the formulation of agricultural policy. This paper compares and evaluates three grouping techniques that can be used to account for

Cardiovascular disease by diabetes status in five ethnic minority groups compared to ethnic Norwegians

Science.gov (United States)

2011-01-01

Background The population in Norway has become multi-ethnic due to migration from Asia and Africa over the recent decades. The aim of the present study was to explore differences in the self-reported prevalence of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and associated risk factors by diabetes status in five ethnic minority groups compared to ethnic Norwegians. Methods Pooled data from three population-based cross-sectional studies conducted in Oslo between 2000 and 2002 was used. Of 54,473 invited individuals 24,749 (45.4%) participated. The participants self-reported health status, underwent a clinical examination and blood samples were drawn. A total of 17,854 individuals aged 30 to 61 years born in Norway, Sri-Lanka, Pakistan, Iran, Vietnam or Turkey were included in the study. Chi-square tests, one-way ANOVAs, ANCOVAs, multiple and logistic regression were used. Results Age- and gender-standardized prevalence of self-reported CVD varied between 5.8% and 8.2% for the ethnic minority groups, compared to 2.9% among ethnic Norwegians (p Corresponding CVD prevalence rates among individuals with diabetes were 15.3% vs. 12.6% (p = 0.364). For individuals without diabetes, the odds ratio (OR) for CVD in the ethnic minority groups remained significantly higher (range 1.5-2.6) than ethnic Norwegians (p employment, and body height, except for Turkish individuals. Regardless of diabetes status, obesity and physical inactivity were prevalent in the majority of ethnic minority groups, whereas systolic- and diastolic- blood pressures were higher in Norwegians. In nearly all ethnic groups, individuals with diabetes had higher triglycerides, waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), and body mass index compared to individuals without diabetes. Age, diabetes, hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, and WHR were significant predictors of CVD in both ethnic Norwegians and ethnic minorities, but significant ethnic differences were found for age, diabetes, and hypercholesterolemia. Conclusions Ethnic differences

Deliverable 3.3.2 Specification of tests and test groups

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Peterson, Carrie Beth; Mitseva, Anelia; Harpur, Jill

2009-01-01

Deliverable 3.3.2: Specification of tests and test groups One of the main goals of the ISISEMD project is to offer innovative ICT services to improve the quality of life of elderly persons with cognitive problems or mild dementia and their informal and formal caregivers who provide every day care...... for them. This will be done via integrating intelligent scalable ICT services which will be tested for a period of 12 months under realistic conditions. Offering the services could not be complete without evaluating quality of life improvement, user acceptance and user satisfaction with a representative...... group of the target user groups. This document is devoted to describing important aspects of services evaluation such as: who the test participants will be, inclusion and exclusion criterion, selection standards, how the test participants will be recruited, ethical considerations, etc. Test methodology...

Effectiveness of Mindfulness-Based Group Therapy Compared to the Usual Opioid Dependence Treatment.

Science.gov (United States)

Imani, Saeed; Atef Vahid, Mohammad Kazem; Gharraee, Banafsheh; Noroozi, Alireza; Habibi, Mojtaba; Bowen, Sarah

2015-06-01

This study investigated the effectiveness of mindfulness-based group therapy (MBGT) compared to the usual opioid dependence treatment (TAU).Thirty outpatients meeting the DSM-IV-TR criteria for opioid dependence from Iranian National Center for Addiction Studies (INCAS) were randomly assigned into experimental (Mindfulness-Based Group Therapy) and control groups (the Usual Treatment).The experimental group undertook eight weeks of intervention, but the control group received the usual treatment according to the INCAS program. The Five Factor Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ) and the Addiction Sevier Index (ASI) were administered at pre-treatment and post-treatment assessment periods. Thirteen patients from the experimental group and 15 from the control group completed post-test assessments. The results of MANCOVA revealed an increase in mean scores in observing, describing, acting with awareness, non-judging, non-reacting, and decrease in mean scores of alcohol and opium in MBGT patient group. The effectiveness of MBGT, compared to the usual treatment, was discussed in this paper as a selective protocol in the health care setting for substance use disorders.

Effectiveness of Mindfulness-Based Group Therapy Compared to the Usual Opioid Dependence Treatment

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Saeed Imani

2015-11-01

Full Text Available  Objective: This study investigated the effectiveness of mindfulness-based group therapy (MBGT compared to the usual opioid dependence treatment (TAU.Thirty outpatients meeting the DSM-IV-TR criteria for opioid dependence from Iranian National Center for Addiction Studies (INCAS were randomly assigned into experimental (Mindfulness-Based Group Therapy and control groups (the Usual Treatment.The experimental group undertook eight weeks of intervention, but the control group received the usual treatment according to the INCAS program.  Methods:The Five Factor Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ and the Addiction Sevier Index (ASI were administered at pre-treatment and post-treatment assessment periods. Thirteen patients from the experimental group and 15 from the control group completed post-test assessments. Results:The results of MANCOVA revealed an increase in mean scores in observing, describing, acting with awareness, non-judging, non-reacting, and decrease in mean scores of alcohol and opium in MBGT patient group. Conclusion:The effectiveness of MBGT, compared to the usual treatment, was discussed in this paper as a selective protocol in the health care setting for substance use disorders.

Does College Matter for Emerging Adulthood? Comparing Developmental Trajectories of Educational Groups.

Science.gov (United States)

Mitchell, Lauren L; Syed, Moin

2015-11-01

Critics of emerging adulthood theory have suggested that it only applies to college students, but this assertion has largely gone untested. The purpose of the present study was to compare developmental trajectories of non-students versus college-educated youth in theoretically relevant domains of work, love, and financial independence. Using data from the Youth Development Study (N = 1139, 49.6 % female, 63.3 % White, 10.9 % Southeast Asian, 1.5 % Other Asian, 8.6 % Black, 5.3 % Mixed Race, 4.0 % Latino, 0.8 % Native American), latent growth curve models were fitted to chart each group's development, from ages 14 to 30. Different trajectories were revealed for hours worked, children, and financial dependence on parents, spouses, and government aid. No differences were found in employment rates, marriage rates, or financial dependence on own income. These results provide a clearer picture of emerging adulthood for non-students, and highlight problems with generalizing college student research to all emerging adults.

Preparation of next generation set of group cross sections. 3

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kaneko, Kunio

2002-03-01

This fiscal year, based on the examination result about the evaluation energy range of heavy element unresolved resonance cross sections, the upper energy limit of the energy range, where ultra-fine group cross sections are produced, was raised to 50 keV, and an improvement of the group cross section processing system was promoted. At the same time, reflecting the result of studies carried out till now, a function producing delayed neutron data was added to the general-purpose group cross section processing system , thus the preparation of general purpose group cross section processing system has been completed. On the other hand, the energy structure, data constitution and data contents of next generation group cross section set were determined, and the specification of a 151 groups next generation group cross section set was defined. Based on the above specification, a concrete library format of the next generation cross section set has been determined. After having carried out the above-described work, using the general-purpose group cross section processing system , which was complete in this study, with use of the JENDL-3. 2 evaluated nuclear data, the 151 groups next generation group cross section of 92 nuclides and the ultra fine group resonance cross section library for 29 nuclides have been prepared. Utilizing the 151 groups next generation group cross section set and the ultra-fine group resonance cross-section library, a bench mark test calculation of fast reactors has been performed by using an advanced lattice calculation code. It was confirmed, by comparing the calculation result with a calculation result of continuous energy Monte Carlo code, that the 151 groups next generation cross section set has sufficient accuracy. (author)

Comparing a telephone- and a group-delivered diabetes prevention program: Characteristics of engaged and non-engaged postpartum mothers with a history of gestational diabetes.

Science.gov (United States)

Lim, Siew; Dunbar, James A; Versace, Vincent L; Janus, Edward; Wildey, Carol; Skinner, Timothy; O'Reilly, Sharleen

2017-04-01

To explore the acceptability of a telephone- or a group-delivered diabetes prevention program for women with previous gestational diabetes and to compare the characteristics associated with program engagement. Postpartum women participated in a lifestyle modification program delivered by telephone (n=33) or group format (n=284). Semi-structured interviews on barriers and enablers to program engagement (defined as completing≥80% sessions) were conducted before (Group) and after (Group and Telephone) interventions. The Health Action Process Approach theory was used as the framework for inquiry. Psychological measures were compared between engagement subgroups before and after group-delivered intervention. In the telephone-delivered program 82% participants met the engagement criteria compared with 38% for the group-delivered program. Engaged participants (Group) had significantly higher risk perception, outcome expectancy, and activity self-efficacy at baseline (P<0.05). There was a greater decrease in body weight (-1.45±3.9 vs -0.26±3.5, P=0.024) and waist circumference (-3.56±5.1 vs -1.24±5.3, P=0.002) for engaged vs non-engaged participants following group program completion. Telephone delivery was associated with greater engagement in postpartum women. Engagement was associated with greater reduction in weight and waist circumference. Further studies are required to confirm the effectiveness of telephone-delivered program for diabetes prevention in postpartum women. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A comparative analysis of anorexia nervosa groups on Facebook.

Science.gov (United States)

Teufel, Martin; Hofer, Eva; Junne, Florian; Sauer, Helene; Zipfel, Stephan; Giel, Katrin Elisabeth

2013-12-01

To analyze the content and culture of anorexia nervosa (AN)-related communication on the current major social network site (SNS) Facebook. We searched for groups and sites related to AN on Facebook by means of a faux profile of a young female. Identified groups/sites were analyzed with respect to (1) category (education, self-help, professional help, pro-ana, anti pro-ana), (2) activity, (3) motivational aspects (prose, pictures), and (4) social support. Numerous relevant groups were found in all categories except that professional help was almost nonexistent. Pro-ana groups were found to be the most active, best organized, and offered the highest levels of social support. Prose motivation was distinctly offered in all categories. Motivation with pictures was particularly evident in pro-ana groups. The most functional motivation was found in self-help groups. SNS appears to be a relevant way for young females suffering from AN to communicate and exchange disease and health-related ideas. Caregivers, researchers, and institutions in the field of eating disorders should be aware of the existence, possibilities, dysfunctions, and influence of SNS. Whether SNS can help persons with AN to get therapeutic assistance as well as whether it can be integrated into psychotherapeutic strategies should be examined in future studies.

Smile attractiveness related to buccal corridor space in 3 different facial types: A perception of 3 ethnic groups of Malaysians.

Science.gov (United States)

Nimbalkar, Smita; Oh, Yih Y; Mok, Reei Y; Tioh, Jing Y; Yew, Kai J; Patil, Pravinkumar G

2018-03-16

Buccal corridor space and its variations greatly influence smile attractiveness. Facial types are different for different ethnic populations, and so is smile attractiveness. The subjective perception of smile attractiveness of different populations may vary in regard to different buccal corridor spaces and facial patterns. The purpose of this study was to determine esthetic perceptions of the Malaysian population regarding the width of buccal corridor spaces and their effect on smile esthetics in individuals with short, normal, and long faces. The image of a smiling individual with a mesofacial face was modified to create 2 different facial types (brachyfacial and dolicofacial). Each face form was further modified into 5 different buccal corridors (2%, 10%, 15%, 22%, and 28%). The images were submitted to 3 different ethnic groups of evaluators (Chinese, Malay, Indian; 100 each), ranging between 17 and 21 years of age. A visual analog scale (50 mm in length) was used for assessment. The scores given to each image were compared with the Kruskal-Wallis test, and pairwise comparison was performed using the Mann-Whitney U test (α=.05). All 3 groups of evaluators could distinguish gradations of dark spaces in the buccal corridor at 2%, 10%, and 28%. Statistically significant differences were observed among 3 groups of evaluators in esthetic perception when pairwise comparisons were performed. A 15% buccal corridor was found to score esthetically equally within 3 face types by all 3 groups of evaluators. The Indian population was more critical in evaluation than the Chinese or Malay populations. In a pairwise comparison, more significant differences were found between long and short faces and the normal face; the normal face was compared with long and short faces separately. The width of the buccal corridor space influences smile attractiveness in different facial types. A medium buccal corridor (15%) is the esthetic characteristic preferred by all groups of evaluators

Evaluation of cermet materials suitable for lithium lubricated thrust bearings for high temperature operation

Science.gov (United States)

Sinclair, J. H.; Hendrixson, W. H.

1974-01-01

Cerment materials (HfC - 10 wt% W; HfC - 10 wt% TaC - 10 wt%W; HfC - 2 wt% CbC - 8 wt% Mo;Hfn - 10 wt% W; Hfn - 10 wt% TaN - 10 wt% W; and ZrC - 17 wt% W) were evaluated for possible use as lithium-lubricated bearings in the control system of a nuclear reactor. Tests of compatibility with lithium were made in T-111 (Ta-8W-2Hf) capsules at temperatures up to 1090 C. The tendencies of HfC-TaC-W, HfC-CbC-Mo, and HfN-W to bond to themselves and to the refractory alloys T-111 and TZM when enclosed in lithium-filled capsules under a pressure of 2000 psi at 980 and 1200 C for 1933 hours were evaluated. Thermal expansion characteristics were determined for the same three materials from room temperature to 1200 C. On the basis of these tests, HfC-10 TaC-10W and HfN-10W were selected as the best and second best candidates, respectively, of the materials tested for the bearing application.

Nutrient adequacy during weight loss interventions: a randomized study in women comparing the dietary intake in a meal replacement group with a traditional food group

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bovee Vicki

2007-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Safe and effective weight control strategies are needed to stem the current obesity epidemic. The objective of this one-year study was to document and compare the macronutrient and micronutrient levels in the foods chosen by women following two different weight reduction interventions. Methods Ninety-six generally healthy overweight or obese women (ages 25–50 years; BMI 25–35 kg/m2 were randomized into a Traditional Food group (TFG or a Meal Replacement Group (MRG incorporating 1–2 meal replacement drinks or bars per day. Both groups had an energy-restricted goal of 5400 kJ/day. Dietary intake data was obtained using 3-Day Food records kept by the subjects at baseline, 6 months and one-year. For more uniform comparisons between groups, each diet intervention consisted of 18 small group sessions led by the same Registered Dietitian. Results Weight loss for the 73% (n = 70 completing this one-year study was not significantly different between the groups, but was significantly different (p ≤ .05 within each group with a mean (± standard deviation weight loss of -6.1 ± 6.7 kg (TFG, n = 35 vs -5.0 ± 4.9 kg (MRG, n = 35. Both groups had macronutrient (Carbohydrate:Protein:Fat ratios that were within the ranges recommended (50:19:31, TFG vs 55:16:29, MRG. Their reported reduced energy intake was similar (5729 ± 1424 kJ, TFG vs 5993 ± 2016 kJ, MRG. There was an improved dietary intake pattern in both groups as indicated by decreased intake of saturated fat (≤ 10%, cholesterol ( Conclusion In this one-year university-based intervention, both dietitian-led groups successfully lost weight while improving overall dietary adequacy. The group incorporating fortified meal replacements tended to have a more adequate essential nutrient intake compared to the group following a more traditional food group diet. This study supports the need to incorporate fortified foods and/or dietary supplements while following an energy

Investigation of MOZART experimental data and analysis of MOZART experiment using JFS-3-J3.2R group constant

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kaise, Yoichiro; Osada, Hiroo

2003-03-01

Various critical experiments have been analyzed and evaluated in Japan Nuclear Cycle Development Institute (JNC) to improve the accuracy of prediction for nuclear characteristics of fast breeder reactors. This report describes update of the analysis of Monju Zebra Assembly Reactor Test (MOZART) reflecting a recent development of JNC analysis scheme. The main results are as follows: (1) Compilation of spectrum measurements: Spectrum measurement data are newly compiled including energy structure and geometrical information. (2) Reevaluation of atomic number density data: Atomic number density data were reevaluated considering impurities that had been neglected in the past analysis and reflecting a JNC standard analysis scheme. The revision of the data successfully reduces core type dependence of C/E values for criticality from 0.4%dk to 0.1%dk. (3) Analyses using JFS-3-J3.2R group constant set: The base-calculation and correction factors were fully reevaluated suing JFS-3-J3.2R group constant set and the results were compared with those using JFS-3-J3.2. For criticality, C/E values become smaller by 0.1%dk, which tendency is consistent with that observed in the analysis of JUPITER experiment. Reduction of B-10 concentration dependence from 7% to 1% is observed in C/E values for control rod worth, and 10% improvement are for Na void reactivity. These improvements are attribute to the revision of the group constant set and analysis scheme. The correction factors are confirmed to be insensitive to the revision of group constant sets. (author)

Weight Loss Maintenance for 2 Years after a 6-Month Randomised Controlled Trial Comparing Education-Only and Group-Based Support in Japanese Adults

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yoshio Nakata

2014-11-01

Full Text Available Objective: Our previous study, a 6-month randomised controlled trial, demonstrated that a group-based support promoted weight loss as compared to an education-only intervention. The purpose of this study was to examine weight loss maintenance for 2 years. Methods: Originally, 188 overweight Japanese adults, aged 40-65 years, were randomly assigned to 3 groups: control, education-only or group-based support. After the 6-month intervention, 125 participants in the education-only and the group-based support groups were followed up for 2 years. The primary outcome was the amount of weight lost. The participants were retrospectively grouped into quartiles of percent weight loss for secondary analyses. Results: At the end of follow-up, the amount of weight lost in the education-only and the group-based support groups was the same (3.3 kg. Secondary analyses using data of those who completed the study (n = 100 revealed that the participants in the highest quartile of percent weight loss significantly increased their step counts and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity compared with the lowest quartile. No significant differences were observed in the energy intake among the four groups. Conclusion: The effects of group-based support disappear within 2 years. Increasing physical activity may be a crucial factor for successful maintenance of weight loss.

Outcomes of specific interpersonal problems for binge eating disorder: comparing group psychodynamic interpersonal psychotherapy and group cognitive behavioral therapy.

Science.gov (United States)

Tasca, Giorgio A; Balfour, Louise; Presniak, Michelle D; Bissada, Hany

2012-04-01

We assessed whether an attachment-based treatment, Group Psychodynamic Interpersonal Psychotherapy (GPIP) had a greater impact compared to Group Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (GCBT) on Cold/Distant and Intrusive/Needy interpersonal problems. Ninety-five individuals with Binge Eating Disorder (BED) were randomized to GPIP or GCBT and assessed at pre-, post-, and six months post-treatment. Both therapies resulted in a significant decrease in all eight interpersonal problem subscales except the Nonassertive subscale. GPIP resulted in a greater reduction in the Cold/Distant subscale compared to GCBT, but no differences were found for changes in the Intrusive/Needy subscale. GPIP may be most relevant for those with BED who have Cold/Distant interpersonal problems and attachment avoidance.

Comparative efficacy of spirituality, cognitive, and emotional support groups for treating eating disorder inpatients.

Science.gov (United States)

Richards, P Scott; Berrett, Michael E; Hardman, Randy K; Eggett, Dennis L

2006-01-01

Spiritual interventions are rarely used in contemporary treatment programs and little empirical evidence is available concerning their effectiveness. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a spiritual group intervention for eating disorder inpatients. We compared the effectiveness of a Spirituality group with Cognitive and Emotional Support groups using a randomized, control group design. Participants were 122 women receiving inpatient eating disorder treatment. Patients in the Spirituality group tended to score significantly lower on psychological disturbance and eating disorder symptoms at the conclusion of treatment compared to patients in the other groups, and higher on spiritual well-being. On weekly outcome measures, patients in the Spirituality group improved significantly more quickly during the first four weeks of treatment. This study provides preliminary evidence that attending to eating disorder patients' spiritual growth and well-being during inpatient treatment may help reduce depression and anxiety, relationship distress, social role conflict, and eating disorder symptoms.

[Comparative quality measurements part 3: funnel plots].

Science.gov (United States)

Kottner, Jan; Lahmann, Nils

2014-02-01

Comparative quality measurements between organisations or institutions are common. Quality measures need to be standardised and risk adjusted. Random error must also be taken adequately into account. Rankings without consideration of the precision lead to flawed interpretations and enhances "gaming". Application of confidence intervals is one possibility to take chance variation into account. Funnel plots are modified control charts based on Statistical Process Control (SPC) theory. The quality measures are plotted against their sample size. Warning and control limits that are 2 or 3 standard deviations from the center line are added. With increasing group size the precision increases and so the control limits are forming a funnel. Data points within the control limits are considered to show common cause variation; data points outside special cause variation without the focus of spurious rankings. Funnel plots offer data based information about how to evaluate institutional performance within quality management contexts.

Randomized clinical trial to comparing efficacy of daily, weekly and monthly administration of vitamin D3.

Science.gov (United States)

Takács, István; Tóth, Béla E; Szekeres, László; Szabó, Boglárka; Bakos, Bence; Lakatos, Péter

2017-01-01

The comparative efficacy and safety profiles of selected daily 1000 IU, weekly 7000 IU and monthly 30,000 IU vitamin D 3 -not previously investigated-will be evaluated. Here, a prospective, randomized clinical trial, comparing efficacy and safety of a daily single dose of 1000 IU (group A) to a once-weekly 7000 IU dose (group B), or monthly 30,000 IU dose (group C) of vitamin D 3 . The present study is a controlled, randomized, open-label, multicenter clinical trial, 3  months in duration. Sixty-four adult subjects with vitamin D deficiency (25OHD<20 ng/ml), were included according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Dose-responses for increases in serum vitamin 25OHD were statistically equivalent for each of the three groups: A, B and C. Outcomes were 13.0 ± 1.5; 12.6 ± 1.1 and 12.9 ± 0.9 ng/ml increases in serum 25OHD per 1000 IU, daily, weekly and monthly, respectively. The treatment of subjects with selected doses restored 25OHD values to levels above 20 ng/ml in all groups. Treatment with distinct administration frequency of vitamin D 3 did not exhibit any differences in safety parameters. The daily, weekly and monthly administrations of daily equivalent of 1000 IU of vitamin D 3 provide equal efficacy and safety profiles.

Comparative Genomics of the Bacterial Genus Streptococcus Illuminates Evolutionary Implications of Species Groups

Science.gov (United States)

Gao, Xiao-Yang; Zhi, Xiao-Yang; Li, Hong-Wei; Klenk, Hans-Peter; Li, Wen-Jun

2014-01-01

Members of the genus Streptococcus within the phylum Firmicutes are among the most diverse and significant zoonotic pathogens. This genus has gone through considerable taxonomic revision due to increasing improvements of chemotaxonomic approaches, DNA hybridization and 16S rRNA gene sequencing. It is proposed to place the majority of streptococci into “species groups”. However, the evolutionary implications of species groups are not clear presently. We use comparative genomic approaches to yield a better understanding of the evolution of Streptococcus through genome dynamics, population structure, phylogenies and virulence factor distribution of species groups. Genome dynamics analyses indicate that the pan-genome size increases with the addition of newly sequenced strains, while the core genome size decreases with sequential addition at the genus level and species group level. Population structure analysis reveals two distinct lineages, one including Pyogenic, Bovis, Mutans and Salivarius groups, and the other including Mitis, Anginosus and Unknown groups. Phylogenetic dendrograms show that species within the same species group cluster together, and infer two main clades in accordance with population structure analysis. Distribution of streptococcal virulence factors has no obvious patterns among the species groups; however, the evolution of some common virulence factors is congruous with the evolution of species groups, according to phylogenetic inference. We suggest that the proposed streptococcal species groups are reasonable from the viewpoints of comparative genomics; evolution of the genus is congruent with the individual evolutionary trajectories of different species groups. PMID:24977706

Constant round group key agreement protocols: A comparative study

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Makri, E.; Konstantinou, Elisavet

2011-01-01

The scope of this paper is to review and evaluate all constant round Group Key Agreement (GKA) protocols proposed so far in the literature. We have gathered all GKA protocols that require 1,2,3,4 and 5 rounds and examined their efficiency. In particular, we calculated each protocol’s computation and

Outcomes of Osteochondral Allograft Transplantation With and Without Concomitant Meniscus Allograft Transplantation: A Comparative Matched Group Analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Frank, Rachel M; Lee, Simon; Cotter, Eric J; Hannon, Charles P; Leroux, Timothy; Cole, Brian J

2018-03-01

Osteochondral allograft transplantation (OCA) is often performed with concomitant meniscus allograft transplantation (MAT) as a strategy for knee joint preservation, although to date, the effect of concomitant MAT on outcomes and failure rates after OCA has not been assessed. To determine clinical outcomes for patients undergoing OCA with MAT as compared with a matched cohort of patients undergoing isolated OCA. Control study; Level of evidence, 3. Patients who underwent OCA of the medial or lateral femoral condyle without concomitant MAT by a single surgeon were compared with a matched group of patients who underwent OCA with concomitant MAT (ipsilateral compartment). The patients were matched per age, sex, body mass index, and number of previous ipsilateral knee operations ±1. Patient-reported outcomes, complications, reoperations, and survival rates were compared between groups. One hundred patients undergoing OCA (50 isolated, 50 with MAT) with a mean ± SD follow-up of 4.9 ± 2.7 years (minimum, 2 years) were included (age, 31.7 ± 9.8 years; 52% male). Significantly more patients underwent OCA to the medial femoral condyle (n = 59) than the lateral femoral condyle (n = 41, P OCA. There were no significant differences between the groups regarding reoperation rate (n = 18 for OCA with MAT, n = 17 for OCA without MAT, P = .834), time to reoperation (2.2 ± 2.4 years for OCA with MAT, 3.4 ± 2.7 years for OCA without MAT, P = .149), or failure rates (n = 7 [14%] for OCA with MAT, n = 7 [14%] for OCA without MAT, P > .999). There were no significant differences in patient-reported clinical outcome scores between the groups at final follow-up. There was no significant difference in failure rates between patients undergoing medial femoral condyle OCA (n = 12, 15.3%) and lateral femoral condyle OCA (n = 5, 12.2%, P = .665). These results imply that with appropriate surgical indications to address meniscus deficiency in patients otherwise indicated for OCA and

Comparative effectiveness of Pilates and yoga group exercise interventions for chronic mechanical neck pain: quasi-randomised parallel controlled study.

Science.gov (United States)

Dunleavy, K; Kava, K; Goldberg, A; Malek, M H; Talley, S A; Tutag-Lehr, V; Hildreth, J

2016-09-01

To determine the effectiveness of Pilates and yoga group exercise interventions for individuals with chronic neck pain (CNP). Quasi-randomised parallel controlled study. Community, university and private practice settings in four locations. Fifty-six individuals with CNP scoring ≥3/10 on the numeric pain rating scale for >3 months (controls n=17, Pilates n=20, yoga n=19). Exercise participants completed 12 small-group sessions with modifications and progressions supervised by a physiotherapist. The primary outcome measure was the Neck Disability Index (NDI). Secondary outcomes were pain ratings, range of movement and postural measurements collected at baseline, 6 weeks and 12 weeks. Follow-up was performed 6 weeks after completion of the exercise classes (Week 18). NDI decreased significantly in the Pilates {baseline: 11.1 [standard deviation (SD) 4.3] vs Week 12: 6.8 (SD 4.3); mean difference -4.3 (95% confidence interval -1.64 to -6.7); PPilates and yoga group exercise interventions with appropriate modifications and supervision were safe and equally effective for decreasing disability and pain compared with the control group for individuals with mild-to-moderate CNP. Physiotherapists may consider including these approaches in a plan of care. ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01999283. Copyright © 2015 Chartered Society of Physiotherapy. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Embeddings of SU/sup c/3 in unifying gauge groups

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Slansky, R.

1978-01-01

Hypothetical models that attempt to unify electromagnetic, weak, and strong interactions into a simple, compact gauge group G are discussed. The problem of embedding the strong group SU 3 /sup c/ in any larger simple group is solved, and a complete classification of theories where the color in some representation is restricted to 1/sup c/, 3/sup c/, and anti 3/sup c/ is given

Comparative genome analysis of Bacillus cereus group genomes withBacillus subtilis

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Anderson, Iain; Sorokin, Alexei; Kapatral, Vinayak; Reznik, Gary; Bhattacharya, Anamitra; Mikhailova, Natalia; Burd, Henry; Joukov, Victor; Kaznadzey, Denis; Walunas, Theresa; D' Souza, Mark; Larsen, Niels; Pusch,Gordon; Liolios, Konstantinos; Grechkin, Yuri; Lapidus, Alla; Goltsman,Eugene; Chu, Lien; Fonstein, Michael; Ehrlich, S. Dusko; Overbeek, Ross; Kyrpides, Nikos; Ivanova, Natalia

2005-09-14

Genome features of the Bacillus cereus group genomes (representative strains of Bacillus cereus, Bacillus anthracis and Bacillus thuringiensis sub spp israelensis) were analyzed and compared with the Bacillus subtilis genome. A core set of 1,381 protein families among the four Bacillus genomes, with an additional set of 933 families common to the B. cereus group, was identified. Differences in signal transduction pathways, membrane transporters, cell surface structures, cell wall, and S-layer proteins suggesting differences in their phenotype were identified. The B. cereus group has signal transduction systems including a tyrosine kinase related to two-component system histidine kinases from B. subtilis. A model for regulation of the stress responsive sigma factor sigmaB in the B. cereus group different from the well studied regulation in B. subtilis has been proposed. Despite a high degree of chromosomal synteny among these genomes, significant differences in cell wall and spore coat proteins that contribute to the survival and adaptation in specific hosts has been identified.

3D visualization reduces operating time when compared to high-definition 2D in laparoscopic liver resection: a case-matched study.

Science.gov (United States)

Velayutham, Vimalraj; Fuks, David; Nomi, Takeo; Kawaguchi, Yoshikuni; Gayet, Brice

2016-01-01

To evaluate the effect of three-dimensional (3D) visualization on operative performance during elective laparoscopic liver resection (LLR). Major limitations of conventional laparoscopy are lack of depth perception and tactile feedback. Introduction of robotic technology, which employs 3D imaging, has removed only one of these technical obstacles. Despite the significant advantages claimed, 3D systems have not been widely accepted. In this single institutional study, 20 patients undergoing LLR by high-definition 3D laparoscope between April 2014 and August 2014 were matched to a retrospective control group of patients who underwent LLR by two-dimensional (2D) laparoscope. The number of patients who underwent major liver resection was 5 (25%) in the 3D group and 10 (25%) in the 2D group. There was no significant difference in contralateral wedge resection or combined resections between the 3D and 2D groups. There was no difference in the proportion of patients undergoing previous abdominal surgery (70 vs. 77%, p = 0.523) or previous hepatectomy (20 vs. 27.5%, p = 0.75). The operative time was significantly shorter in the 3D group when compared to 2D (225 ± 109 vs. 284 ± 71 min, p = 0.03). There was no significant difference in blood loss in the 3D group when compared to 2D group (204 ± 226 in 3D vs. 252 ± 349 ml in 2D group, p = 0.291). The major complication rates were similar, 5% (1/20) and 7.5% (3/40), respectively, (p ≥ 0.99). 3D visualization may reduce the operating time compared to high-definition 2D. Further large studies, preferably prospective randomized control trials are required to confirm this.

Outcome and safety analysis of 3D printed patient specific pedicle screw jigs for complex spinal deformities: A comparative study.

Science.gov (United States)

Garg, Bhavuk; Gupta, Manish; Singh, Menaka; Kalyanasundaram, Dinesh

2018-05-03

Spinal deformities are very challenging to treat and have a great risk of neurological complications due to hardware placement during corrective surgery. Various techniques have been introduced to ensure safe and accurate placement of pedicle screws. Patient-specific screw guides with pre-drawn and pre-validated trajectory seems to be an attractive option. We have focused on developing 3D printing technique for complex spinal deformities in India. This study also aimed to compare the placement of pedicle screw with 3D printing and free hand technique. This is a retrospective comparative clinical study at an academic institutional setting. A total of 20 patients were enrolled during the study, 10 were operated with the help of 3D printing (group 1) and 10 were operated with freehand technique (group 2). Group 1 included 6 congenital, 3 adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS), one post tubercular kyphosis and Group 2 included 5 congenital, 4 AIS and one post tubercular kyphosis patient. Primary outcomes were measured in terms of screw violation and secondary outcome were measured in terms of Surgical time, Blood loss, Radiation exposure (no. of shoots required) and complications. MIMICS v18.0 Software was used for 3D reconstruction from CT scan images of all the patients. 3-Matic software was used to create drill guide. 3-D printer from Stratasys Mojo ABS P 430 model material cartilage (a thermoplastic material) was used for printing of vertebrae model and jigs. Two sample test of proportion was used to compare correctly and wrongly pedicle screw placement with 3D printing and freehand technique. T-test with equal variance was used for operating surgical time and blood loss. This work was carried out by collaboration of Orthopaedics Department, All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi and Biomedical Engineering Department, Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi. This project received the grant of USD 60000 from Department of Biotechnology (DBT

Comparative analysis of 14-3-3 isoform expression and epigenetic alterations in colorectal cancer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Young, Gavin M.; Radhakrishnan, Vijayababu M.; Centuori, Sara M.; Gomes, Cecil J.; Martinez, Jesse D.

2015-01-01

The 14-3-3 family is a group of intracellular proteins found in all eukaryotic organisms. Humans have seven isoforms that serve as scaffolds to promote interactions of regulatory phospho-proteins involved in many vital cellular processes and previous studies have shown that disturbances in native 14-3-3 levels can contribute significantly to the development of various cancers. DNA and RNA was extracted from frozen tissue samples collected by the Human Cooperative Tissue Network. RNA samples were reverse transcribed and subjected to qRT-PCR analysis using fluorescently labelled probes. Genomic DNA was treated with bisulfite and cloned into bacterial vectors for subsequent high-resolution sequencing. Mammalian NIH3T3 cells were transformed with 14-3-3 eta and Ras expression vectors synthesized from cDNA. Colonies were counted and transforming capability assessed after 21 days of growth. Cell lysates were analyzed by western blot to verify protein expression. Here we examined normal and cancerous 14-3-3 expression levels of all seven isoforms in a cohort of sporadic colorectal adenocarcinomas and in a group of tumors and their matched normals using qRT-PCR analysis. We found a statistically significant decrease in the levels of 14-3-3 sigma, eta, and zeta observed among adenocarcinomas compared to normal tissue. A parallel analysis of microarray data from the TCGA dataset confirmed that expression of sigma and eta were down-regulated in colon tumors. To explore the mechanisms behind 14-3-3 expression changes, we examined the methylation status of the sigma, eta, and zeta gene promoters in selected samples. Our data identified novel CpG methylation sites in the eta promoter consistent with epigenetic silencing of both 14-3-3 sigma and eta isoforms during colon tumorigenesis. Because epigenetic silencing is the hallmark of a tumor suppressor we tested eta in focus formation assays and found that it is capable of suppressing ras-induced transformation of NIH3T3 cells. To

Comparing the therapeutic efficiency of aminoguanidine and 3-aminobenzamide in lung and intestine toxicity caused by nitrogen mustard in rats

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yaren, H.; Korkmaz, A.; Kunak, Z. I.; Uysal, B.; Topal, T.; Kurt, B; Kenar, L.

2009-01-01

Nitric oxide (NO) produced by inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and peroxynitrite are responsible for sulfur mustard (SM) induced toxicity. Since endogenous production of peroxynitrite is known to lead to poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) activation and sometimes ultimately cell death, in this study, it was aimed to compare the therapeutic efficiencies of aminoguanidine (iNOS inhibitor) and 3 aminobenzamide (PARP inhibitor) in lung and intestine toxicity caused by nitrogen mustard in rats. A total of 40 male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into 4 groups. Group 1 served as control and given 2 ml saline, three groups received single dose of mechlorethamine (MEC) (3.5 mg/kg subcutaneously) with the same time intervals. Group 2 received MEC only, group 3 received selective iNOS inhibitor aminoguanidine (AG) (100 mg/kg i.p.) and, group 4 received PARP inhibitor 3 aminobenzamide (3-AB) (20 mg/kg i.p.). MEC injection resulted in severe lung toxicity with strong interstitial and alveolar edema, hemorrhage, emphysematous changes, Mild inflammatory cell infiltration and septal thickening. MEC injection also caused mucosal thinning, mild inflammatory cell infiltration, ischemic changes and multifocal, superficial ulcerations (erosions) in small intestine. In AG group, interstitial and alveolar edema, hemorrhage slightly reduced in lung comparing to MEC group. Inflammatory cell infiltration was minimal, septal thickening was similar to MEC group at densely edematous and hemorrhagical areas. In 3 AB group, edematous and hemorrhagic areas were very small, inflammatory cell infiltration was minimal and there were no densly densely edematous and hemorrhagical areas in lung. The results were better than AB group. In intestine, results of AG group were better than MEC group but worse than 3 AB group. These results suggest that both iNOS and PARP inhibitors are effective but PARP inhibitors may be more promising for treatment of SM induced early lung and intestinal toxicity.(author)

Brightest group galaxies - II: the relative contribution of BGGs to the total baryon content of groups at z < 1.3

Science.gov (United States)

Gozaliasl, Ghassem; Finoguenov, Alexis; Khosroshahi, Habib G.; Henriques, Bruno M. B.; Tanaka, Masayuki; Ilbert, Olivier; Wuyts, Stijn; McCracken, Henry J.; Montanari, Francesco

2018-04-01

We performed a detailed study of the evolution of the star formation rate (SFR) and stellar mass of the brightest group galaxies (BGGs) and their relative contribution to the total baryon budget within R200 (f^{BGG}_{b,200}). The sample comprises 407 BGGs selected from X-ray groups (M200 = 1012.8-1014 M⊙) out to z ˜ 1.3 identified in the Cosmic Evolution Survey (COSMOS), XMM Large-Scale Structure survey (XMM-LSS), and the All-Wavelength Extended Groth strip International Survey (AEGIS) fields. We find that BGGs constitute two distinct populations of quiescent and star-forming galaxies and their mean SFR is ˜2 dex higher than the median SFR at z 2 dex. We take into account the halo mass growth of groups in selecting the sample of BGGs and find that the mean (median) stellar mass of BGGs has grown by 0.3 dex since z = 1.3 to the present day. We show that up to ˜ 45 per cent of the stellar mass growth in a star-forming BGG can be due to its star formation activity. With respect to f^{BGG}_{b,200}, we find it to increase with decreasing redshift by ˜0.35 dex, while decreasing with halo mass in a redshift-dependent manner. We show that the slope of the relation between f^{BGG}_{b,200} and halo mass increases negatively with decreasing redshift. This trend is driven by an insufficient star formation in BGGs, compared to the halo growth rate. We separately show the BGGs with the 20 per cent highest f^{BGG}_{b,200} are generally non-star-forming galaxies and grow in mass by processes not related to star formation (e.g. dry mergers and tidal striping). We present the M⋆-Mh and M⋆/Mh-Mh relations and compare them with semi-analytic model predictions and a number of results from the literature. We quantify the intrinsic scatter in stellar mass of BGGs at fixed halo mass (σ _{log M_{\\star}}) and find that σ _{{log }M_{\\star}} increases from 0.3 dex at z ˜ 0.2-0.5 dex at z ˜ 1.0 due to the bimodal distribution of stellar mass.

Hot carrier dynamics in plasmonic transition metal nitrides

Science.gov (United States)

Habib, Adela; Florio, Fred; Sundararaman, Ravishankar

2018-06-01

Extraction of non-equilibrium hot carriers generated by plasmon decay in metallic nano-structures is an increasingly exciting prospect for utilizing plasmonic losses, but the search for optimum plasmonic materials with long-lived carriers is ongoing. Transition metal nitrides are an exciting class of new plasmonic materials with superior thermal and mechanical properties compared to conventional noble metals, but their suitability for plasmonic hot carrier applications remains unknown. Here, we present fully first principles calculations of the plasmonic response, hot carrier generation and subsequent thermalization of all group IV, V and VI transition metal nitrides, fully accounting for direct and phonon-assisted transitions as well as electron–electron and electron–phonon scattering. We find the largest frequency ranges for plasmonic response in ZrN, HfN and WN, between those of gold and silver, while we predict strongest absorption in the visible spectrum for the VN, NbN and TaN. Hot carrier generation is dominated by direct transitions for most of the relevant energy range in all these nitrides, while phonon-assisted processes dominate only below 1 eV plasmon energies primarily for the group IV nitrides. Finally, we predict the maximum hot carrier lifetimes to be around 10 fs for group IV and VI nitrides, a factor of 3–4 smaller than noble metals, due to strong electron–phonon scattering. However, we find longer carrier lifetimes for group V nitrides, comparable to silver for NbN and TaN, while exceeding 100 fs (twice that of silver) for VN, making them promising candidates for efficient hot carrier extraction.

Generation of 3D templates of active sites of proteins with rigid prosthetic groups.

Science.gov (United States)

Nebel, Jean-Christophe

2006-05-15

With the increasing availability of protein structures, the generation of biologically meaningful 3D patterns from the simultaneous alignment of several protein structures is an exciting prospect: active sites could be better understood, protein functions and protein 3D structures could be predicted more accurately. Although patterns can already be generated at the fold and topological levels, no system produces high-resolution 3D patterns including atom and cavity positions. To address this challenge, our research focuses on generating patterns from proteins with rigid prosthetic groups. Since these groups are key elements of protein active sites, the generated 3D patterns are expected to be biologically meaningful. In this paper, we present a new approach which allows the generation of 3D patterns from proteins with rigid prosthetic groups. Using 237 protein chains representing proteins containing porphyrin rings, our method was validated by comparing 3D templates generated from homologues with the 3D structure of the proteins they model. Atom positions were predicted reliably: 93% of them had an accuracy of 1.00 A or less. Moreover, similar results were obtained regarding chemical group and cavity positions. Results also suggested our system could contribute to the validation of 3D protein models. Finally, a 3D template was generated for the active site of human cytochrome P450 CYP17, the 3D structure of which is unknown. Its analysis showed that it is biologically meaningful: our method detected the main patterns of the cytochrome P450 superfamily and the motifs linked to catalytic reactions. The 3D template also suggested the position of a residue, which could be involved in a hydrogen bond with CYP17 substrates and the shape and location of a cavity. Comparisons with independently generated 3D models comforted these hypotheses. Alignment software (Nestor3D) is available at http://www.kingston.ac.uk/~ku33185/Nestor3D.html

Final report on development evaluation of Task Group 3 pressure tubes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fleck, R.G.; Price, E.G.; Cheadle, B.A.

1983-11-01

This report describes the production and evaluation of pressure tubes manufactured to the recommendations of Task Group 3 (TG3) of the Creep Engineering Design Plan. The Zr-2.5 wt percent Nb tubes were manufactured by modified production route to change their metallurgical structure and so reduce the in-service elongation rates. Three modified routes were investigated and a total of twenty-eight tubes produced. There were no difficulties in manufacture and the tubes satisfied the quality assurance and design specifications of reactor grade tubes. Metallurgical evaluation showed that the expected changes in microstructure had occurred but not to the extent anticipated. The TG3 tubes were found to have comparable properties to current tubes when tested for: tensile strength (irradiated and unirradiated); hydride cracking; stress to reorient hydrides; hydrogen diffusion; flaw tolerance; corrosion (irradiated and unirradiated); wear; rolled joint characteristics; irradiation creep and growth. Lower in-service elongation rates are expected for tubes produced by two of the modified routes

Comparing Web, Group and Telehealth Formats of a Military Parenting Program

Science.gov (United States)

2016-06-01

materials are available upon request: • Online questionnaire for baseline data collection (9 pages) • Online parent survey for time point 1 (69 pages...web-based parenting intervention for military families with school-aged children, we expect to strengthen parenting practices in families and...AWARD NUMBER: W81XWH-14-1-0143 TITLE: Comparing Web, Group and Telehealth Formats of a Military Parenting Program PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Delinquency and Crime Prevention: Overview of Research Comparing Treatment Foster Care and Group Care

Science.gov (United States)

Osei, Gershon K.; Gorey, Kevin M.; Jozefowicz, Debra M. Hernandez

2016-01-01

Background: Evidence of treatment foster care (TFC) and group care's (GC) potential to prevent delinquency and crime has been developing. Objectives: We clarified the state of comparative knowledge with a historical overview. Then we explored the hypothesis that smaller, probably better resourced group homes with smaller staff/resident ratios have…

3D Assembly Group Analysis for Cognitive Automation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Christian Brecher

2012-01-01

Full Text Available A concept that allows the cognitive automation of robotic assembly processes is introduced. An assembly cell comprised of two robots was designed to verify the concept. For the purpose of validation a customer-defined part group consisting of Hubelino bricks is assembled. One of the key aspects for this process is the verification of the assembly group. Hence a software component was designed that utilizes the Microsoft Kinect to perceive both depth and color data in the assembly area. This information is used to determine the current state of the assembly group and is compared to a CAD model for validation purposes. In order to efficiently resolve erroneous situations, the results are interactively accessible to a human expert. The implications for an industrial application are demonstrated by transferring the developed concepts to an assembly scenario for switch-cabinet systems.

Optimizing trial design in pharmacogenetics research: comparing a fixed parallel group, group sequential, and adaptive selection design on sample size requirements.

Science.gov (United States)

Boessen, Ruud; van der Baan, Frederieke; Groenwold, Rolf; Egberts, Antoine; Klungel, Olaf; Grobbee, Diederick; Knol, Mirjam; Roes, Kit

2013-01-01

Two-stage clinical trial designs may be efficient in pharmacogenetics research when there is some but inconclusive evidence of effect modification by a genomic marker. Two-stage designs allow to stop early for efficacy or futility and can offer the additional opportunity to enrich the study population to a specific patient subgroup after an interim analysis. This study compared sample size requirements for fixed parallel group, group sequential, and adaptive selection designs with equal overall power and control of the family-wise type I error rate. The designs were evaluated across scenarios that defined the effect sizes in the marker positive and marker negative subgroups and the prevalence of marker positive patients in the overall study population. Effect sizes were chosen to reflect realistic planning scenarios, where at least some effect is present in the marker negative subgroup. In addition, scenarios were considered in which the assumed 'true' subgroup effects (i.e., the postulated effects) differed from those hypothesized at the planning stage. As expected, both two-stage designs generally required fewer patients than a fixed parallel group design, and the advantage increased as the difference between subgroups increased. The adaptive selection design added little further reduction in sample size, as compared with the group sequential design, when the postulated effect sizes were equal to those hypothesized at the planning stage. However, when the postulated effects deviated strongly in favor of enrichment, the comparative advantage of the adaptive selection design increased, which precisely reflects the adaptive nature of the design. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

The Comparative Study of Collaborative Learning and SDLC Model to develop IT Group Projects

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sorapak Pukdesree

2017-11-01

Full Text Available The main objectives of this research were to compare the attitudes of learners between applying SDLC model with collaborative learning and typical SDLC model and to develop electronic courseware as group projects. The research was a quasi-experimental research. The populations of the research were students who took Computer Organization and Architecture course in the academic year 2015. There were 38 students who participated to the research. The participants were divided voluntary into two groups including an experimental group with 28 students using SDLC model with collaborative learning and a control group with 10 students using typical SDLC model. The research instruments were attitude questionnaire, semi-structured interview and self-assessment questionnaire. The collected data was analysed by arithmetic mean, standard deviation, and independent sample t-test. The results of the questionnaire revealed that the attitudes of the learners using collaborative learning and SDLC model were statistically significant difference between the mean score for experimental group and control group at a significance level of 0.05. The independent statistical analyses were significantly different between the two groups at a significance level of 0.05. The results of the interviewing revealed that most of the learners had the corresponding opinions that collaborative learning was very useful with highest level of their attitudes comparing with the previous methodology. Learners had left some feedbacks that collaborative learning should be applied to other courses.

Lattice dynamics and electron/phonon interactions in epitaxial transition-metal nitrides

Science.gov (United States)

Mei, Antonio Rodolph Bighetti

the films are completely dense with smooth surfaces (roughness = 1.3 nm, consistent with atomic-force microscopy analyses). Based upon temperature-dependent electronic transport measurements, epitaxial ZrN/MgO(001) layers have a room-temperature resistivity rho 300K of 12.0 muO-cm, a temperature coefficient of resistivity between 100 and 300 K of 5.6x10-8 O-cm K -1, a residual resistivity rhoo below 30 K of 0.78 muO-cm (corresponding to a residual resistivity ratio rho300K/rho 15K = 15), and the layers exhibit a superconducting transition temperature Tc = 10.4 K. The relatively high residual resistivity ratio, combined with long in-plane and out-of-plane x-ray coherence lengths, xi|| = 18 nm and xi⊥ = 161 nm, indicates high crystalline quality with low mosaicity. The reflectance of ZrN(001), as determined by variable-angle spectroscopic ellipsometry, decreases slowly from 95% at 1 eV to 90% at 2 eV with a reflectance edge at 3.04 eV. Interband transitions dominate the dielectric response above 2 eV. The ZrN(001) nanoindentation hardness and modulus are 22.7+/-1.7 and 450+/-25 GPa. Transport electron/phonon coupling parameters and Eliashberg spectral functions alphatr2F(ho) are determined for Group-IV TM nitrides TiN, ZrN, and HfN, and the rare-earth (RE) nitride CeN using an inversion procedure based upon temperature-dependent (4 electron/phonon coupling parameters lambdatr vary from 1.11 for ZrN to 0.82 for HfN, 0.73 for TiN, and 0.44 for CeN. The small variation in lambda tr among the TM nitrides and the weak coupling in CeN are consistent with measured Tc values: 10.4 (ZrN), 9.18 (HfN), 5.35 (TiN), and electron/phonon coupling in conventional superconductors. Spectral peaks in alpha2F(ho), corresponding to regions in energy-space for which electrons couple to acoustic hoac and optical ho op phonon modes, are centered at ho ac = 33 and hoop = 57 meV for TiN, 25 and 60 meV for ZrN, 18 and 64 meV for HfN, and 21 and 39 meV for CeN. The acoustic modes soften with

Group cross-section processing method and common nuclear group cross-section library based on JENDL-3 nuclear data file

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hasegawa, Akira

1991-01-01

A common group cross-section library has been developed in JAERI. This system is called 'JSSTDL-295n-104γ (neutron:295 gamma:104) group constants library system', which is composed of a common 295n-104γ group cross-section library based on JENDL-3 nuclear data file and its utility codes. This system is applicable to fast and fusion reactors. In this paper, firstly outline of group cross-section processing adopted in Prof. GROUCH-G/B system is described in detail which is a common step for all group cross-section library generation. Next available group cross-section libraries developed in Japan based on JENDL-3 are briefly reviewed. Lastly newly developed JSSTDL library system is presented with some special attention to the JENDL-3 data. (author)

The comparative study of various oral contrast media in 3D display of gastric lesions in spiral CT

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wu Dong; Zhou Kangrong; Peng Weijun

2001-01-01

Objective: To optimize the oral contrast media in three-dimensional display of gastric lesions. Methods: 41 cases were randomly divided into 3 groups according to different oral contrast media administered: No. 1 air contrast group (n = 17), No. 2 fat emulsion group (n = 7) and No. 3 positive contrast group (n = 25). The 3D CT images were reconstructed using MPR, SSD, RaySum display and virtual endoscopic techniques, and compared with gastric endoscopy and/or conventional barium study. Results: The detectability of gastric lesions using fat emulsion and air contrast was 42.8%(3/7) and 80.0%(20/25), respectively, both were significantly lower than that using positive contrast (100%, 30/30) (x 2 = 19.22, P 2 = 6.60, P 2 = 17.04, P < 0.01). Conclusion: It is very important to choose the appropriate oral contrast media for 3D display of gastric lesions in spiral CT, the positive contrast agent is the optimal choice

Toxoplasma Infection in Schizophrenia Patients: A Comparative Study with Control Group

OpenAIRE

Alipour, A; Shojaee, S; Mohebali, M; Tehranidoost, M; Abdi Masoleh, F; Keshavarz, H

2011-01-01

Background: Schizophrenia is a serious, chronic, and often debilitating neuropsychiatric disor­der. Its causes are still poorly understood. Besides genetic and non-genetic (environmental) fac­tors are thought to be important as the cause of the structural and functional deficits that character­ize schizophrenia. This study aimed to compare Toxoplasma gondii infection between schizo­phrenia patients and non-schizophrenia individuals as control group.Methods: A case-control study was designed i...

Acid-base titrations of functional groups on the surface of the thermophilic bacterium Anoxybacillus flavithermus: comparing a chemical equilibrium model with ATR-IR spectroscopic data.

Science.gov (United States)

Heinrich, Hannah T M; Bremer, Phil J; Daughney, Christopher J; McQuillan, A James

2007-02-27

Acid-base functional groups at the surface of Anoxybacillus flavithermus (AF) were assigned from the modeling of batch titration data of bacterial suspensions and compared with those determined from in situ infrared spectroscopic titration analysis. The computer program FITMOD was used to generate a two-site Donnan model (site 1: pKa = 3.26, wet concn = 2.46 x 10(-4) mol g(-1); site 2: pKa = 6.12, wet concn = 6.55 x 10(-5) mol g(-1)), which was able to describe data for whole exponential phase cells from both batch acid-base titrations at 0.01 M ionic strength and electrophoretic mobility measurements over a range of different pH values and ionic strengths. In agreement with information on the composition of bacterial cell walls and a considerable body of modeling literature, site 1 of the model was assigned to carboxyl groups, and site 2 was assigned to amino groups. pH difference IR spectra acquired by in situ attenuated total reflection infrared (ATR-IR) spectroscopy confirmed the presence of carboxyl groups. The spectra appear to show a carboxyl pKa in the 3.3-4.0 range. Further peaks were assigned to phosphodiester groups, which deprotonated at slightly lower pH. The presence of amino groups could not be confirmed or discounted by IR spectroscopy, but a positively charged group corresponding to site 2 was implicated by electrophoretic mobility data. Carboxyl group speciation over a pH range of 2.3-10.3 at two different ionic strengths was further compared to modeling predictions. While model predictions were strongly influenced by the ionic strength change, pH difference IR data showed no significant change. This meant that modeling predictions agreed reasonably well with the IR data for 0.5 M ionic strength but not for 0.01 M ionic strength.

Poincare group, SU(3) and V-A in leptonic decay

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Boehm, A.

1975-07-01

From as few assumptions as possible about the relations between the Poincare group, the particle classifying SU(3) and V-A we derive properties of the K/sub l 3 / and K/sub L 2 / decays. From the assumed relation between SU(3) and the Poincare group and the first class condition it follows that the formfactor ratio Xi of K/sub l 3 / decay is Xi = --0.57, and that a value of Xi = 0 is in disagreement with very general and well accepted theoretical assumptions. Assuming universality of V-A, the Cabibbo suppression is derived from the relations between SU(3) and V-A as a consequence of the brokenness of SU(3). (U.S.)

The comparative effectiveness of a team-based versus group-based physical activity intervention for cancer survivors.

Science.gov (United States)

Carter, Cindy L; Onicescu, Georgiana; Cartmell, Kathleen B; Sterba, Katherine R; Tomsic, James; Alberg, Anthony J

2012-08-01

Physical activity benefits cancer survivors, but the comparative effectiveness of a team-based delivery approach remains unexplored. The hypothesis tested was that a team-based physical activity intervention delivery approach has added physical and psychological benefits compared to a group-based approach. A team-based sport accessible to survivors is dragon boating, which requires no previous experience and allows for diverse skill levels. In a non-randomized trial, cancer survivors chose between two similarly structured 8-week programs, a dragon boat paddling team (n = 68) or group-based walking program (n = 52). Three separate intervention rounds were carried out in 2007-2008. Pre-post testing measured physical and psychosocial outcomes. Compared to walkers, paddlers had significantly greater (all p team cohesion, program adherence/attendance, and increased upper-body strength. For quality-of-life outcomes, both interventions were associated with pre-post improvements, but with no clear-cut pattern of between-intervention differences. These hypothesis-generating findings suggest that a short-term, team-based physical activity program (dragon boat paddling) was associated with increased cohesion and adherence/attendance. Improvements in physical fitness and psychosocial benefits were comparable to a traditional, group-based walking program. Compared to a group-based intervention delivery format, the team-based intervention delivery format holds promise for promoting physical activity program adherence/attendance in cancer survivors.

A group of facial normal descriptors for recognizing 3D identical twins

KAUST Repository

Li, Huibin

2012-09-01

In this paper, to characterize and distinguish identical twins, three popular texture descriptors: i.e. local binary patterns (LBPs), gabor filters (GFs) and local gabor binary patterns (LGBPs) are employed to encode the normal components (x, y and z) of the 3D facial surfaces of identical twins respectively. A group of facial normal descriptors are thus achieved, including Normal Local Binary Patterns descriptor (N-LBPs), Normal Gabor Filters descriptor (N-GFs) and Normal Local Gabor Binary Patterns descriptor (N-LGBPs). All these normal encoding based descriptors are further fed into sparse representation classifier (SRC) for identification. Experimental results on the 3D TEC database demonstrate that these proposed normal encoding based descriptors are very discriminative and efficient, achieving comparable performance to the best of state-of-the-art algorithms. © 2012 IEEE.

Turning Failure into Success: Trials of the Heart Failure Clinical Research Network.

Science.gov (United States)

Joyce, Emer; Givertz, Michael M

2016-12-01

The Heart Failure Clinical Research Network (HFN) was established in 2008 on behalf of the NIH National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, with the primary goal of improving outcomes in heart failure (HF) by designing and conducting high-quality concurrent clinical trials testing interventions across the spectrum of HF. Completed HFN trials have answered several important and relevant clinical questions concerning the safety and efficacy of different decongestive and adjunctive vasodilator therapies in hospitalized acute HF, phosphodiesterase-5 inhibition and nitrate therapies in HF with preserved ejection fraction, and the role of xanthine oxidase inhibition in hyperuricemic HF. These successes, independent of the "positive" or "negative" result of each individual trial, have helped to shape the current clinical care of HF patients and serve as a platform to inform future research directions and trial designs.

Discrepancy between Knowledge and Perceptions of Dietary Omega-3 Fatty Acid Intake Compared with the Omega-3 Index

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sowmyanarayanan V. Thuppal

2017-08-01

Full Text Available Little is known about the relationship between perceptions of nutrient adequacy and biomarkers of nutrition status. This cross-sectional study of U.S. and German adults (n = 200; 18–80 years compared dietary practices, knowledge, and beliefs of omega-3 fatty acids (O3-FA with the omega-3 index (O3-I, an erythrocyte-based biomarker associated with cardiovascular disease (CVD risk. More than half of adults believed that O3-FAs are beneficial for heart and brain health and could correctly identify the food sources of O3-FA. However, the mean O3-I in the U.S. (4.3% and Germany (5.5% puts the majority of adults sampled (99% in intermediate or high CVD-risk categories. More Americans were considered at high CVD-risk (40% when compared with Germans (10%. In the U.S., but not Germany, women had a significantly higher O3-I than men (4.8% vs. 3.8%, p < 0.001. In the intermediate CVD-risk group, about one-third of adults in both countries (30% in the U.S. and 27% in Germany believed their diet was adequate in O3-FA. Notably, mean O3-I concentrations did not significantly differ with dietary perceptions of adequacy. More adults in Germany (26% than in the U.S. (10% believed that dietary supplements are needed to achieve a balanced diet. In spite of adequate knowledge about food sources and a consistent belief that O3-FA are important for health, very few participants had O3-I concentrations in the range for CVD protection.

Risk factors for acute stroke among South Asians compared to other racial/ethnic groups.

Science.gov (United States)

Gezmu, Tefera; Schneider, Dona; Demissie, Kitaw; Lin, Yong; Gizzi, Martin S

2014-01-01

Studies of racial/ethnic variations in stroke rarely consider the South Asian population, one of the fastest growing sub-groups in the United States. This study compared risk factors for stroke among South Asians with those for whites, African-Americans, and Hispanics. Data on 3290 stroke patients were analyzed to examine risk differences among the four racial/ethnic groups. Data on 3290 patients admitted to a regional stroke center were analyzed to examine risk differences for ischemic stroke (including subtypes of small and large vessel disease) among South Asians, whites, African Americans and Hispanics. South Asians were younger and had higher rates of diabetes mellitus, blood pressure, and fasting blood glucose levels than other race/ethnicities. Prevalence of diabetic and antiplatelet medication use, as well as the incidence of small-artery occlusion ischemic stroke was also higher among South Asians. South Asians were almost a decade younger and had comparable socioeconomic levels as whites; however, their stroke risk factors were comparable to that of African Americans and Hispanics. Observed differences in stroke may be explained by dietary and life style choices of South Asian-Americans, risk factors that are potentially modifiable. Future population and epidemiologic studies should consider growing ethnic minority groups in the examination of the nature, outcome, and medical care profiles of stroke.

Comparative evaluation of group constants from UKNDL and the BNAB-70 system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bobkov, Yu.G.; Kolesov, V.E.; Krivtsov, A.S.; Manokhin, V.N.; Solov'ev, N.A.; Usachev, L.N.

1976-01-01

The comparison is made between the 26-group constants BNAB-70 with similar constants obtained from the evaluated UNKDL data. The data are compared by the capture and fission cross-section of Pu-239, U-235, U-238, the capture cross-section of Fe-56 and absorption of B-10 within an energy range from 100 eV to 10 MeV

Comparative Genetic Variability in HIV-1 Subtype C vpu Gene in Early Age Groups of Infants.

Science.gov (United States)

Sharma, Uma; Gupta, Poonam; Gupta, Sunil; Venkatesh, S; Husain, Mohammad

2018-01-01

Identifying the genetic variability in vertically transmitted viruses in early infancy is important to understand the disease progression. Being important in HIV-1 disease pathogenesis, vpu gene, isolated from young infants was investigated to understand the viral characteristics. Blood samples were obtained from 80 HIV-1 positive infants, categorized in two age groups; acute (6-18 months). A total of 77 PCR positive samples, amplified for vpu gene, were sequenced and analyzed. 73 isolates belonged to subtype C. Analysis of heterogeneity of amino acid sequences in infant groups showed that in the sequences of acute age group both insertions and deletions were present while in the early age group only deletions were present. In the acute age group, a deletion of 3 residues (RAE) in the first alfa helix in one sequence and insertions of 1-2 residues (DM, GH, G and H) in the second alfa helix in 4 sequences were observed. In the early age group, deletion of 2 residues (VN) in the cytoplasmic tail region in 2 sequences was observed. Length of the amino terminal was observed to be gradually increasing with the increasing age of the infants. Protein Variation Effect Analyzer software showed that deleterious mutations were more in the acute than the early age group. Entropy analysis revealed that heterogeneity of the residues was comparatively higher in the sequences of acute than the early age group. Mutations observed in the helixes may affect the conformation and lose the ability to degrade CD4 receptors. Heterogeneity was decreasing with the increasing ages of the infants, indicating positive selection for robust virion survival. Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.org.

Biostatistics series module 4: Comparing groups - categorical variables

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Avijit Hazra

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Categorical variables are commonly represented as counts or frequencies. For analysis, such data are conveniently arranged in contingency tables. Conventionally, such tables are designated as r × c tables, with r denoting number of rows and c denoting number of columns. The Chi-square (χ2 probability distribution is particularly useful in analyzing categorical variables. A number of tests yield test statistics that fit, at least approximately, a χ2 distribution and hence are referred to as χ2 tests. Examples include Pearson′s χ2 test (or simply the χ2 test, McNemar′s χ2 test, Mantel-Haenszel χ2 test and others. The Pearson′s χ2 test is the most commonly used test for assessing difference in distribution of a categorical variable between two or more independent groups. If the groups are ordered in some manner, the χ2 test for trend should be used. The Fisher′s exact probability test is a test of the independence between two dichotomous categorical variables. It provides a better alternative to the χ2 statistic to assess the difference between two independent proportions when numbers are small, but cannot be applied to a contingency table larger than a two-dimensional one. The McNemar′s χ2 test assesses the difference between paired proportions. It is used when the frequencies in a 2 × 2 table represent paired samples or observations. The Cochran′s Q test is a generalization of the McNemar′s test that compares more than two related proportions. The P value from the χ2 test or its counterparts does not indicate the strength of the difference or association between the categorical variables involved. This information can be obtained from the relative risk or the odds ratio statistic which is measures of dichotomous association obtained from 2 × 2 tables.

Enhanced genetic characterization of influenza A(H3N2) viruses and vaccine effectiveness by genetic group, 2014–2015

Science.gov (United States)

Flannery, Brendan; Zimmerman, Richard K.; Gubareva, Larisa V.; Garten, Rebecca J.; Chung, Jessie R.; Nowalk, Mary Patricia; Jackson, Michael L.; Jackson, Lisa A.; Monto, Arnold S.; Ohmit, Suzanne E.; Belongia, Edward A.; McLean, Huong Q.; Gaglani, Manjusha; Piedra, Pedro A.; Mishin, Vasiliy P.; Chesnokov, Anton P.; Spencer, Sarah; Thaker, Swathi N.; Barnes, John R.; Foust, Angie; Sessions, Wendy; Xu, Xiyan; Katz, Jacqueline; Fry, Alicia M.

2018-01-01

Background During the 2014–15 US influenza season, expanded genetic characterization of circulating influenza A(H3N2) viruses was used to assess the impact of genetic variability of influenza A(H3N2) viruses on influenza vaccine effectiveness (VE). Methods A novel pyrosequencing assay was used to determine genetic group based on hemagglutinin (HA) gene sequences of influenza A(H3N2) viruses from patients enrolled US Flu Vaccine Effectiveness network sites. Vaccine effectiveness was estimated using a test-negative design comparing vaccination among patients infected with influenza A(H3N2) viruses and uninfected patients. Results Among 9710 enrollees, 1868 (19%) tested positive for influenza A(H3N2); genetic characterization of 1397 viruses showed 1134 (81%) belonged to one HA genetic group (3C.2a) of antigenically drifted H3N2 viruses. Effectiveness of 2014–15 influenza vaccination varied by A(H3N2) genetic group from 1% (95% confidence interval [CI], −14% to 14%) against illness caused by antigenically drifted A(H3N2) group 3C.2a viruses versus 44% (95% CI, 16% to 63%) against illness caused by vaccine-like A(H3N2) group 3C.3b viruses. Conclusion Effectiveness of 2014–15 influenza vaccination varied by genetic group of influenza A(H3N2) virus. Changes in hemagglutinin genes related to antigenic drift were associated with reduced vaccine effectiveness. PMID:27190176

The effects of physiotherapy for female urinary incontinence: individual compared with group treatment

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Janssen, C.C.M.; Lagro-Janssen, A.L.M.; Felling, A.J.A.

2001-01-01

OBJECTIVES: To compare, in a randomized trial, the effects of individual and group physiotherapy for urinary incontinence in women referred by their general practitioner (GP). PATIENTS AND METHODS: The study included women of all ages (mean 47.8 years) with stress, urge or mixed incontinence; 126

The effects of physiotherapy for female urinary incontinence: individual compared with group treatment.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Janssen, C.C.M.; Lagro-Janssen, A.L.M.; Felling, A.J.A.

2001-01-01

OBJECTIVES: To compare, in a randomized trial, the effects of individual and group physiotherapy for urinary incontinence in women referred by their general practitioner (GP). PATIENTS AND METHODS: The study included women of all ages (mean 47.8 years) with stress, urge or mixed incontinence; 126

Areva at March 31, 2012: 2.4% revenue growth to 2026 million euros (+1.3% on a comparable basis); Backlog growth of 12 months to 45.1 billion euros (+3.7%), down slightly over 3 months (-1.0%)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Marie, Patricia; Briand, Pauline; Michaut, Maxime; Rosso, Jerome; Scorbiac, Marie de; Repaire, Philippine du

2012-01-01

AREVA generated consolidated revenue of 2.026 billion euros in the first quarter of 2012, up 2.4% (+1.3% like for like) compared with the same period in 2011. The increase in revenue in the Mining Business Group (+11.9% reported, +6.5% like for like), the Reactors and Services Business Group (+5.8% reported, +6.0% like for like) and the Renewable Energies Business Group (+198.2% reported, +199.8% like for like) offsets the expected decrease in revenue in the Front End Business Group (-17.2% reported, -18.3% like for like). Foreign exchange had a positive impact of 29 million euros over the period, while changes in consolidation scope had a negative impact of 8 million euros. The Group had 45.1 billion euros in backlog at March 31, 2012, up 3.7% in relation to March 31, 2011 and down slightly (-1.0%) from December 31, 2011. Backlog growth in the Front End, Reactors and Services and Back End Business Groups offsets the decrease in backlog in the Mining and Renewable Energies Business Groups. Order cancellations as a result of the Fukushima accident totaled 612 million euros at March 31, 2012, compared with 464 million euros at December 31, 2011

Risk factors for acute stroke among South Asians compared to other racial/ethnic groups.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tefera Gezmu

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Studies of racial/ethnic variations in stroke rarely consider the South Asian population, one of the fastest growing sub-groups in the United States. This study compared risk factors for stroke among South Asians with those for whites, African-Americans, and Hispanics. METHODS: Data on 3290 stroke patients were analyzed to examine risk differences among the four racial/ethnic groups. Data on 3290 patients admitted to a regional stroke center were analyzed to examine risk differences for ischemic stroke (including subtypes of small and large vessel disease among South Asians, whites, African Americans and Hispanics. RESULTS: South Asians were younger and had higher rates of diabetes mellitus, blood pressure, and fasting blood glucose levels than other race/ethnicities. Prevalence of diabetic and antiplatelet medication use, as well as the incidence of small-artery occlusion ischemic stroke was also higher among South Asians. South Asians were almost a decade younger and had comparable socioeconomic levels as whites; however, their stroke risk factors were comparable to that of African Americans and Hispanics. DISCUSSION: Observed differences in stroke may be explained by dietary and life style choices of South Asian-Americans, risk factors that are potentially modifiable. Future population and epidemiologic studies should consider growing ethnic minority groups in the examination of the nature, outcome, and medical care profiles of stroke.

The 3rd Asia–Pacific Transport Working Group (APTWG) Meeting

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jhang, Hogun; Diamond, P.H.; Leconte, M.; Kwon, J.M.; Ida, K.; Tamura, N.; Kosuga, Y.

2014-01-01

This conference report summarizes the contributions to and discussions at the 3rd Asia–Pacific Transport Working Group (APTWG) meeting held in Jeju-island, Korea, on 21–24 May 2013. The main objective of the meeting is to develop a predictive understanding of transport mechanisms in magnetically confined fusion plasmas. In an effort to accomplish this objective, four technical working groups were organized under the headings: (1) transport barrier formation and confinement enhancement, (2) 3D effects and Magnetohydrodynamic–turbulence interaction, (3) momentum transport and non-locality and (4) particle/impurity transport and energetic particles. (conference report)

Conclusions from INTRAVAL working group 3: salt- and clay-related cases

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bogorinski, P.

1995-01-01

A number of countries consider sedimentary rocks to host a nuclear waste repository, the isolation potential of which relies mainly on very low permeabilities of those formations. To establish confidence in models used in future safety assessments, INTRAVAL working group 3 analysed three test cases addressing the relevant processes which govern the transport of radionuclides in the host formation as well as in the overburden. The WIPP 1 test case studied the flow of brine from a bedded salt formation into open excavations under pressure gradients. Experiments carried out at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant in New Mexico, USA, were carefully analysed and compared to numerical simulations. The Mol test case studied the main transport mechanisms for solutes through clay. Experiments with radioactive tracers were carried out for several years at the Mol underground laboratory, Belgium, and compared to numerical simulations. The Gorleben test case studied the influences of salt leached from a salt dome on the groundwater flow field by density variations. Measurements from a pumping test and of salt content with depth collected at boreholes throughout the investigation area at Gorleben, Germany, were compared with the results of analytical and numerical studies. (J.S.). 8 figs., 1 tab

COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF BLOOD GROUPING IN HEALTHY BLOOD DONOR USING GEL CARD TECHNIQUE AND TUBE METHOD

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Muhammad Usman

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Blood grouping is a vital test in pre-transfusion testing. Both tube and gel agglutination assays are used for ABO grouping. The main object of this study was to compare ABO grouping and D typing on tube and gel agglutination assay in order to assess the efficacy of each technique. A total of 100 healthy blood donors irrespective of age and sex were included in this study. Results showed that there is no significant difference between these two techniques. However, in 10 samples it was detected that the reaction strength in serum ABO grouping by gel agglutination assay is varied by only one grade when compared to tube agglutination assay. Due to numerous positive effects of gel assay it is more beneficial to implement this technique in the setups where blood banks bear heavy routine work load.

Comparative historical biogeography of three groups of Nearctic freshwater fishes across central Mexico.

Science.gov (United States)

Pérez-Rodríguez, R; Domínguez-Domínguez, O; Doadrio, I; Cuevas-García, E; Pérez-Ponce de León, G

2015-03-01

Biogeographic patterns of the three main Nearctic groups of continental fishes inhabiting river drainages in central Mexico (livebearing goodeids, southern Mexican notropins and species of Algansea, the last two representing independent lineages of cyprinids) were obtained and compared by following two approaches: an estimate of divergence times and using a well-defined biogeographic method. Three concordant biogeographic events were identified among the three groups, showing some evidence of a partially congruent evolutionary history. The analysed groups show at least three independent colonization events into central Mexico: two western routes, followed by the Goodeinae and members of Algansea, and an early Plateau route followed by southern notropins. The most recent common ancestor (MRCA) of each of the three freshwater fish groups diversified in central Mexico in the Late Miocene. The lack of a strong congruence in their biogeographic patterns, and the differences in species richness among the three clades might be evidence for distinct patterns of diversification. © 2015 The Fisheries Society of the British Isles.

Measurement properties of the EQ-5D-5L compared to the EQ-5D-3L in psoriasis patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Poór, Adrienn Katalin; Rencz, Fanni; Brodszky, Valentin; Gulácsi, László; Beretzky, Zsuzsanna; Hidvégi, Bernadett; Holló, Péter; Kárpáti, Sarolta; Péntek, Márta

2017-12-01

The purpose of this study is to assess the measurement properties of EQ-5D-5L compared to EQ-5D-3L in psoriasis patients. A cross-sectional survey was carried out at an academic dermatology clinic in Hungary. Psoriasis patients completed the EQ-5D-3L, EQ-5D-5L and Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) questionnaires, and Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) was assessed. The UK value sets were used to calculate the 3L and 5L index scores. We tested the feasibility, ceiling effect, redistribution properties, the level of inconsistency and informativity (Shannon and Shannon Evenness indices). Spearman's rank-order correlations were performed between EQ-5D, EQ VAS, DLQI and PASI scores. Known-groups validity was evaluated by comparing age groups, clinical subtypes and treatment groups. Mean age of the 238 patients was 47 years, and 36.6% of them received biological therapy. Mean EQ-5D index score was 0.77 (SD: 0.26) with the 3L and 0.84 (SD: 0.19) with the 5L. The overall ceiling effect decreased from 37.1 (3L) to 32.9% (5L). Shannon index improved significantly for most dimensions, but Shannon Evenness index improved only in three dimensions. Compared to the 3L, the 5L version confirmed a better convergent validity with PASI, but not with the DLQI. Known-groups validity was equally demonstrated both for the 5L and 3L. The EQ-5D-5L seems to improve measurement properties by reducing ceiling effects, strengthening correlations with PASI and improving informativity. Follow-up studies are needed to test responsiveness and reliability in psoriasis.

Final detailed report of the work group number 3

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1999-01-01

The objective of this work group was to propose the tools the most adapted for the evaluation of radionuclides concentration of the north Cotentin in environment, on searching to validate the model of transfer of radionuclides released by industries by comparing them to the measures realised by the different stakeholders. (N.C.)

The Higgs mass derived from the U(3) Lie group

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Trinhammer, Ole; Bohr, Henrik; Jensen, Mogens O Stibius

2015-01-01

The Higgs mass value is derived from a Hamiltonian on the Lie group U(3) where we relate strong and electroweak energy scales. The baryon states of nucleon and delta resonances originate in specific Bloch wave degrees of freedom coupled to a Higgs mechanism which also gives rise to the usual gauge...... boson masses. The derived Higgs mass is around 125 GeV. From the same Hamiltonian, we derive the relative neutron to proton mass ratio and the N and Delta mass spectra. All compare rather well with the experimental values. We predict scarce neutral flavor baryon singlets that should be visible...... in scattering cross-sections for negative pions on protons, in photoproduction on neutrons, in neutron diffraction dissociation experiments and in invariant mass spectra of protons and negative pions in B-decays. The fundamental predictions are based on just one length scale and the fine structure constant...

Comparing Linear Discriminant Function with Logistic Regression for the Two-Group Classification Problem.

Science.gov (United States)

Fan, Xitao; Wang, Lin

The Monte Carlo study compared the performance of predictive discriminant analysis (PDA) and that of logistic regression (LR) for the two-group classification problem. Prior probabilities were used for classification, but the cost of misclassification was assumed to be equal. The study used a fully crossed three-factor experimental design (with…

Comparing Executive Function and Behavioral Inhibition in Schizophrenia, Bipolar Mood Disorder Type I and Normal Groups

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marziye Khodaee

2015-11-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Cognitive performance in patients with schizophrenia and Bipolar I disorder seems to be different from the normal individuals, that these defects affect their treatment results. Therefore, this study aimed to compare executive function and behavioral inhibition within patients suffering from schizophrenia, bipolar type I as well as a normal group. Methods: In this descriptive-comparative study, out of all patients hospitalized in daily psychiatric clinic in Najafabad in 2014 due to these disorders, 20 schizophrenia and 20 bipolar type I as well as 20 normal individuals were selected via the convinience sampling. All the study participants completed the computerizing tests including Tower of London and Go-No Go. The study data were analyzed utilizing SPSS software (ver 22 via MANOVA. Results: The study findings revealed a significant difference between the two patient groups and the normal group in regard with executive function and behavioral inhibition (p<0.05, whereas no differences were detected between schizophrenics and bipolar patient groups. Furthermore, patients suffering from schizophrenia and bipolar I mood disorder demonstrated significantly poor performance in cognitive function and behavioral inhibition compared to the normal group. Conclusion: The present study results can be significantly applied in pathology and therapy of these disorders, so as recognizing the inability of such patients can be effective in developing cognitive rehabilitation programs in these patients.

Use of 3D printed models in medical education: A randomized control trial comparing 3D prints versus cadaveric materials for learning external cardiac anatomy.

Science.gov (United States)

Lim, Kah Heng Alexander; Loo, Zhou Yaw; Goldie, Stephen J; Adams, Justin W; McMenamin, Paul G

2016-05-06

Three-dimensional (3D) printing is an emerging technology capable of readily producing accurate anatomical models, however, evidence for the use of 3D prints in medical education remains limited. A study was performed to assess their effectiveness against cadaveric materials for learning external cardiac anatomy. A double blind randomized controlled trial was undertaken on undergraduate medical students without prior formal cardiac anatomy teaching. Following a pre-test examining baseline external cardiac anatomy knowledge, participants were randomly assigned to three groups who underwent self-directed learning sessions using either cadaveric materials, 3D prints, or a combination of cadaveric materials/3D prints (combined materials). Participants were then subjected to a post-test written by a third party. Fifty-two participants completed the trial; 18 using cadaveric materials, 16 using 3D models, and 18 using combined materials. Age and time since completion of high school were equally distributed between groups. Pre-test scores were not significantly different (P = 0.231), however, post-test scores were significantly higher for 3D prints group compared to the cadaveric materials or combined materials groups (mean of 60.83% vs. 44.81% and 44.62%, P = 0.010, adjusted P = 0.012). A significant improvement in test scores was detected for the 3D prints group (P = 0.003) but not for the other two groups. The finding of this pilot study suggests that use of 3D prints do not disadvantage students relative to cadaveric materials; maximally, results suggest that 3D may confer certain benefits to anatomy learning and supports their use and ongoing evaluation as supplements to cadaver-based curriculums. Anat Sci Educ 9: 213-221. © 2015 American Association of Anatomists. © 2015 American Association of Anatomists.

Radiation polymerisable compositions containing 3-sorboyloxy-2-hydroxypropyl groups

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Green, G.E.

1976-01-01

Compounds having at least three 3-sorboyloxy-2-hydroxypropyl groups directly attached to ether oxygen atoms are polymerised by exposure to actinic radiation, preferably in the presence of a sensitizer such as Michler's ketone or benzoin. The compounds may be obtained by the reaction either of sorbic acid with a substance having at least three glycidyl ether groups or of glycidyl sorbate with a substance having at least three phenolic or alcoholic hydroxyl groups: if desired, not all of the glycidyl groups may be consumed, so that, after actinically induced polymerisation, the epoxide-containing polymer may be cross-linked by reaction with a curing agent for epoxide resins. The compounds are useful in making printed circuits or printing plates for offset printing

The clinical value of 3D dynamic contrast enhanced MR angiography on haemorrhage of esophageal and gastric varices compared with endoscopy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wu Zhou; Liang Biling; Li Yong; Zhong Jinglian; Ye Ruixin; Wang Dongye; Li Chuqiang; Yuan Yuhong

2010-01-01

Objective: To investigate the clinical value of three dimensional dynamic contrast enhanced MRA (3D DCE MRA) on esophageal and gastric varices compared with endoscopy. Methods: From April 2003 to June 2008, 153 patients with portal hypertension who underwent both 3D DCE MRA and endoscopy were reviewed retrospectively. All the patients were divided into bleeding group and non-bleeding group according to the clinical symptoms. The location and degree of the esophagogastric varices on 3D DCE MRA were assessed with postprocessing images, including subtraction, MIP and thin-slab masimum intensity projection (tin-MIP), and were compared with the results of endoscopy. The maximum, minimum and mean diameters of esophagogastric varices inside and outside of the wall were measured on the reformed images. The correlation between the findings of 3D DCE MRA and endoscopy were analyzed with Spearman rank correlation coefficient test. The rates of esophagogastric varices outside of the wall in bleeding and non-bleeding group were compared by means of Chi-square test. Results: In bleeding group, severe esophageal varices were documented in 59 patients, moderate in 6 patients, mild in 5 patients; in non-bleeding group, severe esophageal varices were documented in 32 patients, moderate in 4 patients, mild in 5 patients. Severe, moderate, and mild gastric varices were documented in 28, 34 and 16 in bleeding group, while they were 7, 12 and 9 in non-bleeding group. Esophageal and gastric varices can be wholly pressnted on MIP images after subtraction, while the esophagogastric varices inside and outside of the wall can be differentiated on thin-MIP images. The location and degree of esophagogastric varices on 3D DCE MRA were correlated with the findings of the endoscopy. The range of r was from 0.544 to 0.878 (P 2 =7.199, P<0.01). In 35 patients with severe gastric varices, 22 patients showed adventitial gastric varices in bleeding group (n=28) and 4 patients showed adventitial

Computed tomography of the brain in cases with venous vasculitis compared with an age-matched reference group

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hannerz, J.; Ericson, K.; Bergstrand, G.; Berggren, B.M.; Edman, G.; Karolinska Sjukhuset, Stockholm; Karolinska Sjukhuset, Stockholm

1988-01-01

Patients with a particular, steroid-sensitive headache and often characteristic pathology at orbital phlebography, have been suggested to suffer from venous vasculitis. Fifty such patients were examined with computed tomography (CT) of the brain. The findings were compared with those of an age-matched reference group selected at random to represent normal subjects. The CT examinations were analyzed with respect to size of lateral ventricles and signs of atrophy. In both groups, there was a significant increase of atrophy with age. There was also a significantly higher degree of atrophy in the patient group as compared with the reference group. The findings indicate that the supposedly underlying venous vasculitis is related to early aging and atrophy of the brain. (orig.)

Efficacy and safety of 3% minoxidil versus combined 3% minoxidil / 0.1% finasteride in male pattern hair loss: a randomized, double-blind, comparative study.

Science.gov (United States)

Tanglertsampan, Chuchai

2012-10-01

Topical minoxidil and oral finasteride have been used to treat men with androgenetic alopecia (AGA). There are concerns about side effects of oral finasteride especially erectile dysfunction. To compare the efficacy and safety of the 24 weeks application of 3% minoxidil lotion (MNX) versus combined 3% minoxidil and 0.1% finasteride lotion (MFX) in men with AGA. Forty men with AGA were randomized treated with MNX or MFX. Efficacy was evaluated by hair counts and global photographic assessment. Safety assessment was performed by history and physical examination. At week 24, hair counts were increased from baseline in both groups. However paired t-test revealed statistical difference only in MFX group (p = 0.044). Unpaired t-test revealed no statistical difference between two groups with respect to change of hair counts at 24 weeks from baseline (p = 0.503). MFX showed significantly higher efficacy than MNX by global photographic assessment (p = 0.003). There was no significant difference in side effects between both groups. Although change of hair counts was not statistically different between two groups, global photographic assessment showed significantly greater improvement in the MFX group than the MNX group. There was no sexual side effect. MFX may be a safe and effective treatment option.

To compare the efficacy of two kinds of Zhizhu pills in the treatment of functional dyspepsia of spleen-deficiency and qi-stagnation syndrome:a randomized group sequential comparative trial

Science.gov (United States)

2011-01-01

Background In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) theory, functional dyspepsia (FD) can be divided into different syndromes according to different clinical symptoms and signs, and the most common one is spleen-deficiency and qi-stagnation syndrome that can be treated by Chinese traditional patent medicine ---- two kinds of Zhizhu pills, between which the primary difference in ingredients is that one contains immature orange fruit of Citrus aurantium L.(IFCA) and the other contains that of Citrus sinensis Osbeck (IFCS). The trial's objective was to compare the efficacy of two kinds of Zhizhu pills on symptom changes in patients with FD of spleen-deficiency and qi-stagnation syndrome. Methods A randomized, group sequential, double-blinded, multicenter trial was conducted in patients with FD of spleen-deficiency and qi-stagnation syndrome at 3 hospitals in Beijing between June 2003 and May 2005. Participants were randomly allocated into two groups (IFCA group and IFCS group) in a 1:1 ratio, and respectively took one of the two kinds of Zhizhu pills orally, 6 g each time, 3 times a day, for 4 weeks. Statistical analysis was performed with use of a group sequential method, the triangular test (TT). Results A total of 163 patients were randomized, and 3 patients were excluded from analysis because of early dropouts, leaving 160 patients (IFCA group: n = 82; IFCS group: n = 78) for statistical analysis. Three interim analyses were done after 62, 116, and 160 patients had completed their 4-week treatment, respectively. At the third interim analysis, the sample path crossed the upper boundary and the trial was stopped, the cure-markedly effective rates were 45% for IFCS group and 67% for IFCA group, respectively, the one-sided p-value was 0.0036, the median unbiased estimate of the odds ratio (OR) for the benefit of IFCA relative to IFCS was 2.91 with 95%CI: 1.40 to 6.06. No adverse events were observed in the two groups. Conclusions Zhizhu pills containing IFCA was superior

Comparative study of "1"3"7Cs distribution in broilers and pheasants and possibilities for protection

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mitrovic, Branislava M.; Vitorovic, Gordana; Lazarevic-Macanovic, Mirjana; Vicentijevic, Mihajlo; Vitorovic, Dusko; Pantelic, Gordana

2012-01-01

The aim of the present study was to investigate distribution of "1"3"7Cs in leg and breast meat of broilers and pheasants following single alimentary contamination and administration of two protectors (AFCF and clinoptilolite). The birds were administered a single dose of "1"3"7CsCl, with an activity of 750 Bq. Protectors were given via gastric tube or mixed in the forage pellets. AFCF given via gastric tube decreased the "1"3"7Cs concentration by a factor of 7.8 in broilers leg meat and 7.4 in broilers breast meat. When AFCF was mixed in pellets, the "1"3"7Cs concentration was 19.5 times lower in broilers leg meat and 22.1 times lower in broilers breast meat, than in the control group. In pheasants, AFCF administered via gastric tube decreased the "1"3"7Cs concentration by a factor of 12.4 in leg meat and by a factor of 13.7 in breast meat, respectively. In group 4, where pheasants were administered AFCF mixed in pellets, the "1"3"7Cs concentration was 3.7 times lower in leg and breast meat, than in the control group. For comparison, clinoptilolite administered via gastric tube decreased the "1"3"7Cs concentration 1.8 times in broilers leg meat and 2.0 times in breast meat, compared to the control group. In pheasants, "1"3"7Cs concentration was 2.9 times lower in leg meat and 2.6 times lower in breast meat. Clinoptilolite mixed in the feed had relatively low efficiency of protection in broilers ("1"3"7Cs concentration was 1.4 times lower in leg meat and 1.6 lower in breast meat). A similar trend was observed in pheasants ("1"3"7Cs concentration was 1.6 lower in leg and breast meat). (orig.)

Low back pain in female elite football and handball players compared with an active control group.

Science.gov (United States)

Tunås, Paula; Nilstad, Agnethe; Myklebust, Grethe

2015-09-01

The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to compare the prevalence of low back pain (LBP) among female elite football and handball players to a matched non-professional active control group. The participants were requested to answer a questionnaire based on standardized Nordic questionnaires for musculoskeletal symptoms to assess the prevalence of LBP. Included participants were elite female football (n = 277) and handball players (n = 190), and a randomly selected control group from the Norwegian population (n = 167). Fifty-seven percentage of the football players, 59 % of the handball players and 60 % of the control group had experienced LBP the previous year. There were no significant group differences in the prevalence of LBP ever (p = 0.62), the previous year (p = 0.85) or the previous 7 days (p = 0.63). For both sports, there was a significant increase in prevalence of LBP from the resting period to the competitive periods of the season (p ≤ 0.001). Seventy percent of the goalkeepers in both football and handball had experienced LBP the previous year. There were no difference in LBP among female elite football and handball players compared with the control group. However, female elite athletes in football and handball reported a high prevalence of LBP compared to previous studies. The variations in LBP and playing positions indicate that specific field positions, in football and handball, is a risk factor for developing LBP.

Vibrotactile sense in patients with different upper limb disorders compared with a control group

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Laursen, Lise Hedegaard; Jepsen, Jørgen Riis; Sjøgaard, Gisela

2006-01-01

diagnostic tools to reveal underlying mechanisms for specific diagnoses. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the possible differences in vibration perception threshold (VPT) and tolerance to suprathreshold stimulation (STS) between controls and specific diagnostic ULD patient groups with uni- and bilateral neuropathy...... patients in all diagnostic groups had significantly higher VPT (Pgroups defined with neuropathy demonstrated significantly higher VPT in the limb with diagnoses compared with the contralateral limb without...... diagnoses. The highest VPTs were found in the patient group with unilateral neuropathy and MCD, and for the radial nerve, VPT was significantly higher than that for patients with unilateral MCD alone. These findings were confirmed by almost similar findings in STS responses. CONCLUSIONS: The ULD patients...

A Comparative Study of Group Behavioral Activation and Cognitive Therapy in Reducing Subsyndromal Anxiety and Depressive Symptoms

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mehdi Soleimani

2015-10-01

Full Text Available Objective: This study compared the effectiveness of two group treatments, behavioral activation (BA and cognitive therapy (CT, in reducing subsyndromal anxiety and depressive symptoms in a sample of Iranian university students.Method: Twenty-seven Iranian university students who scored 18 or higher on the depression subscale and 16 or higher on the anxiety subscale of the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale (DASS-42 were randomly assigned into treatment groups. One group received 8 sessions of BA (n = 14, and the other received 8 sessions of group CT (n = 13.Result: Analysis of covariance revealed that the BA group had a significantly greater reduction in depressive symptoms than the CT group. However, there were no significant differences between the two groups in the levels of anxiety, stress symptoms or functional impairment after treatment.Conclusion: This study found evidence for the effectiveness of BA in reducing anxiety, depressive and stress symptoms and functional impairment compared to CT. BA was more effective than CT in improving depressive symptoms and was as effective as CT in decreasing anxiety, stress and functional impairment. BA is also a cost-effective intervention, particularly in group formats.

Image based 3D city modeling : Comparative study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S. P. Singh

2014-06-01

Full Text Available 3D city model is a digital representation of the Earth’s surface and it’s related objects such as building, tree, vegetation, and some manmade feature belonging to urban area. The demand of 3D city modeling is increasing rapidly for various engineering and non-engineering applications. Generally four main image based approaches were used for virtual 3D city models generation. In first approach, researchers were used Sketch based modeling, second method is Procedural grammar based modeling, third approach is Close range photogrammetry based modeling and fourth approach is mainly based on Computer Vision techniques. SketchUp, CityEngine, Photomodeler and Agisoft Photoscan are the main softwares to represent these approaches respectively. These softwares have different approaches & methods suitable for image based 3D city modeling. Literature study shows that till date, there is no complete such type of comparative study available to create complete 3D city model by using images. This paper gives a comparative assessment of these four image based 3D modeling approaches. This comparative study is mainly based on data acquisition methods, data processing techniques and output 3D model products. For this research work, study area is the campus of civil engineering department, Indian Institute of Technology, Roorkee (India. This 3D campus acts as a prototype for city. This study also explains various governing parameters, factors and work experiences. This research work also gives a brief introduction, strengths and weakness of these four image based techniques. Some personal comment is also given as what can do or what can’t do from these softwares. At the last, this study shows; it concluded that, each and every software has some advantages and limitations. Choice of software depends on user requirements of 3D project. For normal visualization project, SketchUp software is a good option. For 3D documentation record, Photomodeler gives good

Tetrahydro-2,1,3-boraoxazines - a new group boron heterocyclics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Piotrowska, H.; Serafin, B.; Urbanski, T.; Vasudeva, S.K.

1977-01-01

The synthesis of new group of compounds derivative of tetrahydro-2,1,3 boraoxazine(5) by condensation of aminoalcohols 3 with aryloboronic acids(4) was carried out. The properties of new compounds are presented. (B.C.)

Preparation, structure and properties of hafnium compounds in the system Hf-C-N-O

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brundiers, G.D.

1975-08-01

Highly dense, homogenous and single phase hafnium carbonitride samples (with low oxygen content) were prepared in the whole concentration range of the ternary cubic carbonitrides. Stoichiometric hafnium oxicarbides were also prepared within the range of solubility. The procedure involved the hot pressing of powders of HfC, HfN, Hf, Hf-Oxide and carbon at temperatures of 3,000 0 C and pressures up to 550 kpf/cm 2 using a novel technique. Small single crystals of slightly substoichiometric HfN were also repared. The densification of the powders was studied as a function of the non-metal concentration. Carbonitrides with N/Hf ratio of 0.37 were prepared in a high temperature autoclave operating at medium pressures by the reaction of HfC with nitrogen. All the samples were characterized by density measurements, chemical, X-ray and metallographic analysis and in some cases with the aid of quantitative metallography and microprobe analysis. Typical properties investigated were lattice parameter, thermal expansion, microhardness and electrical resistivity as function of the non-metal content. For specific concentrations extreme values in the properties are attained. With the aid of the valence electron concentration (VEC) parameter, the properties can be correlated with the density of states of electrons at the Fermi level. (orig./HK) [de

Parametric analyses of summative scores may lead to conflicting inferences when comparing groups: A simulation study.

Science.gov (United States)

Khan, Asaduzzaman; Chien, Chi-Wen; Bagraith, Karl S

2015-04-01

To investigate whether using a parametric statistic in comparing groups leads to different conclusions when using summative scores from rating scales compared with using their corresponding Rasch-based measures. A Monte Carlo simulation study was designed to examine between-group differences in the change scores derived from summative scores from rating scales, and those derived from their corresponding Rasch-based measures, using 1-way analysis of variance. The degree of inconsistency between the 2 scoring approaches (i.e. summative and Rasch-based) was examined, using varying sample sizes, scale difficulties and person ability conditions. This simulation study revealed scaling artefacts that could arise from using summative scores rather than Rasch-based measures for determining the changes between groups. The group differences in the change scores were statistically significant for summative scores under all test conditions and sample size scenarios. However, none of the group differences in the change scores were significant when using the corresponding Rasch-based measures. This study raises questions about the validity of the inference on group differences of summative score changes in parametric analyses. Moreover, it provides a rationale for the use of Rasch-based measures, which can allow valid parametric analyses of rating scale data.

3D overlapped grouping Ga for optimum 2D guillotine cutting stock problem

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maged R. Rostom

2014-09-01

Full Text Available The cutting stock problem (CSP is one of the significant optimization problems in operations research and has gained a lot of attention for increasing efficiency in industrial engineering, logistics and manufacturing. In this paper, new methodologies for optimally solving the cutting stock problem are presented. A modification is proposed to the existing heuristic methods with a hybrid new 3-D overlapped grouping Genetic Algorithm (GA for nesting of two-dimensional rectangular shapes. The objective is the minimization of the wastage of the sheet material which leads to maximizing material utilization and the minimization of the setup time. The model and its results are compared with real life case study from a steel workshop in a bus manufacturing factory. The effectiveness of the proposed approach is shown by comparing and shop testing of the optimized cutting schedules. The results reveal its superiority in terms of waste minimization comparing to the current cutting schedules. The whole procedure can be completed in a reasonable amount of time by the developed optimization program.

Interference control in working memory: comparing groups of children with atypical development.

Science.gov (United States)

Palladino, Paola; Ferrari, Marcella

2013-01-01

The study aimed to test whether working memory deficits in children at risk of Learning Disabilities (LD) and/or attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) can be attributed to deficits in interference control, thereby implicating prefrontal systems. Two groups of children known for showing poor working memory (i.e., children with poor comprehension and children with ADHD) were compared to a group of children with specific reading decoding problems (i.e., having severe problems in phonological rather than working memory) and to a control group. All children were tested with a verbal working memory task. Interference control of irrelevant items was examined by a lexical decision task presented immediately after the final recall in about half the trials, selected at random. The interference control measure was therefore directly related to working memory performance. Results confirmed deficient working memory performance in poor comprehenders and children at risk of ADHD + LD. More interestingly, this working memory deficit was associated with greater activation of irrelevant information than in the control group. Poor decoders showed more efficient interference control, in contrast to poor comprehenders and ADHD + LD children. These results indicated that interfering items were still highly accessible to working memory in children who fail the working memory task. In turn, these findings strengthen and clarify the role of interference control, one of the most critical prefrontal functions, in working memory.

Comparative Pricing Analysis of Mecca’s Religious Tourism

OpenAIRE

Ladki, Said M; Mazeh, Rayan A

2017-01-01

This study compares the costing practices of three religious tourists groups. Specifically, the study compares the costs of Islamic religious tourism to Mecca among three groups: 1) Indonesia and India, 2) Lebanon and Tunisia, 3) Dubai and Qatar. The selection of the three groups was based on the following principle: Group 1: Represents the most populated and less affluent Islamic countries. Group 2: Represents the less affluent Arab States with moderate income Group 3: Represents the richest...

Effect of omega-3 fatty acids versus 5-hydroxytryptophan as add on therapy to sertraline in controlling suicidal ideation in patients with depression: A comparative study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jyoti Prakash Sahoo

2016-04-01

Full Text Available Background: Omega-3 fatty acids and 5-hydroxytryptophan have been gaining attention as promising alternative treatment for depressive illness. These agents are given as as add on treatment to conventional antidepressant drugs. The present study was carried out to evaluate efficacy of omega-3 fatty acids versus 5-hydroxytryptophan as add on therapy in controlling suicidal ideation in depressive patients on sertraline.Methods: This was a prospective, open label, randomized, parallel group study conducted in department of Psychiatry. Ninety treatment naïve patients (18-65 years age were divided into 3 groups of 30 each. Group I: Sertraline, Group II: Sertraline plus omega-3 fatty acids, Group III: Sertraline plus 5-hydroxytryptophan. Suicidal ideations were assessed with Beck’s scale for suicidal ideation (BSI at weeks 0, 4 and 8. Data were analyzed using repeated measures ANOVA (SPSS version 20.0. Post hoc analysis was done using Bonferroni test.Results: Baseline parameters in patients of all groups were comparable. Administration of sertraline resulted in reduction of Beck’s scale for suicidal ideation scores as compared to baseline. Addition of omega-3 fatty acids and 5-hydroxytryptophan also showed reduction in BSI scores. Effect of sertraline monotherapy was more as compared to omega-3 fatty acids or 5-hydroxytryptophan as add on therapy, which was statistically significant (p value < 0.05.Conclusion: Both omega-3 fatty acids and 5-hydroxytryptophan produce significant effect in controlling suicidal ideations in patients with depression.

Quasirecognition by prime graph of finite simple groups ${}^2D_n(3$

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Behrooz Khosravi

2014-12-01

Full Text Available Let $G$ be a finite group. In [Ghasemabadi et al., characterizations of the simple group ${}^2D_n(3$ by prime graph and spectrum, Monatsh Math., 2011] it is proved that if $n$ is odd, then ${}^2D _n(3$ is recognizable by prime graph and also by element orders. In this paper we prove that if $n$ is even, then $D={}^2D_{n}(3$ is quasirecognizable by prime graph, i.e. every finite group $G$ with $Gamma(G=Gamma(D$ has a unique nonabelian composition factor and this factor is isomorphic to $D$.

Patterns of Engagement With Inflammatory Bowel Disease Online Support Groups: Comparing Posters and Lurkers.

Science.gov (United States)

Coulson, Neil

2015-01-01

Little is known about the varying patterns of member engagement within inflammatory bowel disease online support groups. The aim of the study was, therefore, to compare posters and lurkers (i.e., those who read messages but choose not to post) in terms of engagement and motives for accessing online groups as well as to explore reasons why lurkers do not make an active contribution through posting messages. The findings revealed that those who posted messages visited groups more often and spent longer periods of time accessing them. However, there was no difference between posters and lurkers in terms of length of time as a group member. Furthermore, posters were more inclined to access online support groups to both seek and provide emotional, informational, and experiential support. Finally, four main reasons were described by lurkers for not posting messages and these focused on personal factors, illness severity, being helpful, and new member. For those healthcare professionals or patient volunteers who are involved in supporting inflammatory bowel disease online support groups, there are a number of practical strategies arising from these results which can be implemented to help integrate and encourage active participation by all members.

Cervical Proprioception in a Young Population Who Spend Long Periods on Mobile Devices: A 2-Group Comparative Observational Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Portelli, Andrew; Reid, Susan A

2018-02-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate if young people with insidious-onset neck pain who spend long periods on mobile electronic devices (known as "text neck") have impaired cervical proprioception and if this is related to time on devices. A 2-group comparative observational study was conducted at an Australian university. Twenty-two participants with text neck and 22 asymptomatic controls, all of whom were 18 to 35 years old and spent ≥4 hours per day on unsupported electronic devices, were assessed using the head repositioning accuracy (HRA) test. Differences between groups were calculated using independent sample t-tests, and correlations between neck pain intensity, time on devices, and HRA test were performed using Pearson's bivariate analysis. During cervical flexion, those with text neck (n = 22, mean age ± standard deviation [SD]: 21 ± 4 years, 59% female) had a 3.9° (SD: 1.4°) repositioning error, and the control group (n = 22, 20 ± 1 years, 68% female) had a 2.9° (SD: 1.2°) error. The mean difference was 1° (95% confidence interval: 0-2, P = .02). For other cervical movements, there was no difference between groups. There was a moderately significant correlation (P ≤ .05) between time spent on electronic devices and cervical pain intensity and between cervical pain intensity and HRA during flexion. The participants with text neck had a greater proprioceptive error during cervical flexion compared with controls. This could be related to neck pain and time spent on electronic devices. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Generalization of trinification to theories with 3N SU(3) gauge groups

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Carone, Christopher D.

2005-01-01

We consider a natural generalization of trinification to theories with 3N SU(3) gauge groups. These theories have a simple moose representation and a gauge boson spectrum that can be interpreted via the deconstruction of a 5D theory with unified symmetry broken on a boundary. Although the matter and Higgs sectors of the theory have no simple extra-dimensional analog, gauge unification retains features characteristic of the 5D theory. We determine possible assignments of the matter and Higgs fields to unified multiplets and present theories that are viable alternatives to minimal trinified GUTs

Comparative analysis of countries in the peer-group based on economic potential and components of sustainable development

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sergii VOITKO

2017-10-01

Full Text Available The authors study levels of sustainable development potential and determine the positions of Ukraine and other countries in the peer-groups [4], based on individual macroeconomic indicators. The research includes a comparative analysis of absolute and relative terms of GDP, industrial production and the index of competitiveness for the countries included to the peer-groups. The authors analyse the position of countries based on the GDP per capita and components of sustainable development (Quality of Life Index and Security of Life Index. In the article, the authors suggest the methodical approach of performing the comparative analysis of peer-group countries based on their indicators values. This approach gives the possibility to investigate the country’s potential in the limits of the chosen peer-group and propose the recommendations for increase of economic potential in purpose of sustainable development achievement.

A Comparative Genotoxicity Study of a Supraphysiological Dose of Triiodothyronine (T3) in Obese Rats Subjected to Either Calorie-Restricted Diet or Hyperthyroidism

Science.gov (United States)

De Sibio, Maria Teresa; Luvizotto, Renata Azevedo Melo; Olimpio, Regiane Marques Castro; Corrêa, Camila Renata; Marino, Juliana; de Oliveira, Miriane; Conde, Sandro José; Ferreira, Ana Lúcia dos Anjos; Padovani, Carlos Roberto; Nogueira, Célia Regina

2013-01-01

This study was designed to determine the genotoxicity of a supraphysiological dose of triiodothyronine (T3) in both obese and calorie-restricted obese animals. Fifty male Wistar rats were randomly assigned to one of the two following groups: control (C; n = 10) and obese (OB; n = 40). The C group received standard food, whereas the OB group was fed a hypercaloric diet for 20 weeks. After this period, half of the OB animals (n = 20) were subjected to a 25%-calorie restriction of standard diet for 8 weeks forming thus a new group (OR), whereas the remaining OB animals were kept on the initial hypercaloric diet. During the following two weeks, 10 OR animals continued on the calorie restriction diet, whereas the remaining 10 rats of this group formed a new group (ORS) given a supraphysiological dose of T3 (25 µg/100 g body weight) along with the calorie restriction diet. Similarly, the remaining OB animals were divided into two groups, one that continued on the hypercaloric diet (OB, n = 10), and one that received the supraphysiological dose of T3 (25 µg/100 g body weight) along with the hypercaloric diet (OS, n = 10) for two weeks. The OB group showed weight gain, increased adiposity, insulin resistance, increased leptin levels and genotoxicity; T3 administration in OS animals led to an increase in genotoxicity and oxidative stress when compared with the OB group. The OR group showed weight loss and normalized levels of adiposity, insulin resistance, serum leptin and genotoxicity, thus having features similar to those of the C group. On the other hand, the ORS group, compared to OR animals, showed higher genotoxicity. Our results indicate that regardless of diet, a supraphysiological dose of T3 causes genotoxicity and potentiates oxidative stress. PMID:23468891

A comparative study of cross sections at few energy groups for thermal reactors fuel cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Claro, L.H.; Prati, A.

1992-01-01

A comparative study of nuclear constant calculated with LEOPARD and WIMSD-4 codes using a typical PWR cell was done. Few groups macroscopic cross section, spectral index burnup and power distribution were analyzed. (author)

Summary of Working Group 3: Machine Design and R and D

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ohmori, C.; Kirk, H.; Haseroth, H.

2006-01-01

Various topics on machine studies and component R and D for Neutrino Factory subsystems were discussed in Working Group 3 (WG3) at the NuFact05 Workshop. In this working group, 29 talks and 2 posters were presented. We also had special focus sessions for lively discussions on several important issues; targets, cooling, proton driver, FFAGs and acceleration, and a World Wide Design study. Joint Sessions were held with WG1 and WG4 on machine requirements

Comparing group deliberation to other forms of preference aggregation in valuing ecosystem services

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mackenzie B. Murphy

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Deliberative methods for valuing ecosystem services are hypothesized to yield group preferences that differ systematically from those that would be obtained through calculative aggregation of the preferences of participating individuals. We tested this hypothesis by comparing the group consensus results of structured deliberations against a variety of aggregation methods applied to individual participant preferences that were elicited both before and after the deliberations. Participants were also asked about their perceptions of the deliberative process, which we used to assess their ability to detect preference changes and identify the causes of any changes. For five of the seven groups tested, the group consensus results could not have been predicted from individual predeliberation preferences using any of the aggregation rules. However, individual postdeliberation preferences could be used to reconstruct the group preferences using consensual and rank-based aggregation rules. These results imply that the preferences of participants changed over the course of the deliberation and that the group preferences reflected a broad consensus on overall rankings rather than simply the pairwise preferences of the majority. Changes in individual preferences seem to have gone largely unnoticed by participants, as most stated that they did not believe their preferences had substantially changed. Most participants were satisfied with the outcome of the deliberation, and their degree of satisfaction was correlated with the feeling that their opinion was heard and that they had an influence on the outcome. Based on our results, group deliberation shows promise as a means of generating ecosystem service valuations that reflect a consensus opinion rather than simply a collection of personal preferences.

Memory and phonological awareness in children with Benign Rolandic Epilepsy compared to a matched control group.

Science.gov (United States)

Northcott, Ellen; Connolly, Anne M; Berroya, Anna; McIntyre, Jenny; Christie, Jane; Taylor, Alan; Bleasel, Andrew F; Lawson, John A; Bye, Ann M E

2007-06-01

In a previous study we demonstrated children with Benign Rolandic Epilepsy have normal intelligence and language ability. However, difficulties in verbal and visual memory and aspects of phonological awareness were found compared to normative data. To address the methodological limitations related to the use of normative data, we compared the same cohort of children with Benign Rolandic Epilepsy to a matched control group. Controls (n=40) matched on age and gender to the Benign Rolandic Epilepsy cohort underwent neuropsychological assessment. The life functioning of the control group was assessed using a modified version of the Quality of Life in Childhood Epilepsy Questionnaire (QOLCE). The study confirmed the previous findings of memory and phonological awareness difficulties. In addition, the children with Benign Rolandic Epilepsy had significantly lower IQ scores than the matched control group. Paired sample t-tests showed that on 8 of 11 QOLCE scales, children with Benign Rolandic Epilepsy were rated by parents as having poorer life functioning compared to matched controls, including lower parental ratings on the subscales of memory and language. Benign Rolandic Epilepsy has an excellent seizure prognosis, but this study further emphasizes potential cognitive difficulties. Using an age and gender matched control group, the previous findings of memory and phonological awareness difficulties were validated. These problems in cognition were also identified by parents of children with Benign Rolandic Epilepsy as problematic and impacting upon the child's quality of life.

EARLY-TYPE GALAXIES AT z = 1.3. I. THE LYNX SUPERCLUSTER: CLUSTER AND GROUPS AT z = 1.3. MORPHOLOGY AND COLOR-MAGNITUDE RELATION

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mei, Simona; Raichoor, Anand; Huertas-Company, Marc; Adam Stanford, S.; Rettura, Alessandro; Jee, Myungkook J.; Holden, Brad P.; Illingworth, Garth D.; Postman, Marc; Nakata, Fumiaki; Kodama, Tadayuki; Finoguenov, Alexis; Ford, Holland C.; Rosati, Piero; Tanaka, Masayuki; Koyama, Yusei; Shankar, Francesco; Carrasco, Eleazar R.; Demarco, Ricardo; Eisenhardt, Peter

2012-01-01

We confirm the detection of three groups in the Lynx supercluster, at z ≈ 1.3, through spectroscopic follow-up and X-ray imaging, and we give estimates for their redshifts and masses. We study the properties of the group galaxies compared to the two central clusters, RX J0849+4452 and RX J0848+4453. Using spectroscopic follow-up and multi-wavelength photometric redshifts, we select 89 galaxies in the clusters, of which 41 are spectroscopically confirmed, and 74 galaxies in the groups, of which 25 are spectroscopically confirmed. We morphologically classify galaxies by visual inspection, noting that our early-type galaxy (ETG) sample would have been contaminated at the 30%-40% level by simple automated classification methods (e.g., based on Sérsic index). In luminosity-selected samples, both clusters and groups show high fractions of bulge-dominated galaxies with a diffuse component that we visually identified as a disk and which we classified as bulge-dominated spirals, e.g., Sas. The ETG fractions never rise above ≈50% in the clusters, which is low compared to the fractions observed in other massive clusters at z ≈ 1. In the groups, ETG fractions never exceed ≈25%. However, overall bulge-dominated galaxy fractions (ETG plus Sas) are similar to those observed for ETGs in clusters at z ∼ 1. Bulge-dominated galaxies visually classified as spirals might also be ETGs with tidal features or merger remnants. They are mainly red and passive, and span a large range in luminosity. Their star formation seems to have been quenched before experiencing a morphological transformation. Because their fraction is smaller at lower redshifts, they might be the spiral population that evolves into ETGs. For mass-selected samples of galaxies with masses M > 10 10.6 M ☉ within Σ > 500 Mpc –2 , the ETG and overall bulge-dominated galaxy fractions show no significant evolution with respect to local clusters, suggesting that morphological transformations might occur at lower

L2 vs. L3 Initial State: A Comparative Study of the Acquisition of French DPs by Vietnamese Monolinguals and Cantonese-English Bilinguals

Science.gov (United States)

Leung, Yan-Kit Ingrid

2005-01-01

This paper compares the initial state of second language acquisition (L2A) and third language acquisition (L3A) from the generative linguistics perspective. We examine the acquisition of the Determiner Phrase (DP) by two groups of beginning French learners: an L2 group (native speakers of Vietnamese who do not speak any English) and an L3 group…

[Comparative study between two different sources of n-3 poliunsaturated fatty acids and it effect on thymus and lipid profile in rats].

Science.gov (United States)

Fernandez, Inés; Pallaro, Anabel N; Slobodianik, Nora H

2007-06-01

In the present paper we analyzed the effect caused by different recovery diets enriched with n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA n-3) on thymus and serum lipid pattern. Severe depleted weanling Wistar rats (D) were divided in three groups that received during 10 days a 20% casein diet supplemented with EPA+DHA (group Cas), a 20% protein milk diet prepared using a commercial reduced-fat product enriched with linolenic and linoleic acids (group L) and a 20% casein diet as control group C. Cas and L gave each other 24 mg/day of PUFA n-3 being the ratio n-6/n-3 8.1/1 and 7.6/1, respectively. Thymus was removed and weighted and cell number were determined; blood was recollected and Total cholesterol, triacylglycerol, HDL and LDL-cholesterol fractions and myristic, palmitic, stearic, oleic, linoleic, linolenic, araquidonic, EPA and DHA fatty acid concentrations were measured in serum. Statistical analysis was performed using Anova test. Cell number were higher (p<0.01) in Cas (44.48+/-8.20) and in L (56.45+/-14.72) when compared to group D (1.80+/-0.70) and group C (23.70+/-4.04). L presented lower values of cholesterol, HDL and LDL-cholesterol (p<0.01) and higher values of triacylglycerol (p<0.05) when compared to Cas, being EPA (p<0.05) and DHA (p<0.01) higher in Cas. Being PUFA n-3 contribution the same in Cas and L, both diets were able to reverse the thymic athropy presenting a different hipolipemic behavior due to the different sources of PUFA n-3 used in the diets.

Archean Age Fossils from Northwestern Australia (Approximately 3.3 to 3.5 GA, Warrawoona Group, Towers Formation)

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, Penny A. Morris

1999-01-01

Archean aged rocks from the Pilbara Block area of western Australia (Warrawoona Group, Towers Formation, -3.3-3.5 Ga) contain microfossils that are composed of various sizes of spheres and filaments. The first descriptions of these microfossils were published in the late 1970's (Dunlop, 1978; Dunlop, et. al., 1978). The authenticity of the microfossils is well established. The small size of the microfossils prevents isotope dating, at least with the present technology. Microbiologists, however, have established guidelines to determine the authenticity of the Archean aged organic remains (Schopf, Walter, 1992).

Student Teaching Abroad Inter-Group Outcomes: A Comparative, Country-Specific Analysis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Binbin Jiang

2010-11-01

Full Text Available As student diversity becomes the norm in U.S. schools, future teachers must be comprehensively prepared to work with the increasingly diverse student population through application of informed instruction that enhances general and individual student learning and outcomes. Teacher Education programs increasingly promote student teaching in international settings as a substantive step to develop teachers who embody these new competencies and instructional practices. The proposed paper presentation offers a framework and analysis highlighting similarities and differences between two groups of student teachers in Belize (2005 and 2008. Findings are comparative and relate to the type and degree of (1 cultural-, professional-, and character-development influences on student teachers, and (2 emergent common intergroup patterns.

Ethnicity and child health in northern Tanzania: Maasai pastoralists are disadvantaged compared to neighbouring ethnic groups.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

David W Lawson

Full Text Available The Maasai of northern Tanzania, a semi-nomadic ethnic group predominantly reliant on pastoralism, face a number of challenges anticipated to have negative impacts on child health, including marginalisation, vulnerabilities to drought, substandard service provision and on-going land grabbing conflicts. Yet, stemming from a lack of appropriate national survey data, no large-scale comparative study of Maasai child health has been conducted. Savannas Forever Tanzania surveyed the health of over 3500 children from 56 villages in northern Tanzania between 2009 and 2011. The major ethnic groups sampled were the Maasai, Sukuma, Rangi, and the Meru. Using multilevel regression we compare each ethnic group on the basis of (i measurements of child health, including anthropometric indicators of nutritional status and self-reported incidence of disease; and (ii important proximate determinants of child health, including food insecurity, diet, breastfeeding behaviour and vaccination coverage. We then (iii contrast households among the Maasai by the extent to which subsistence is reliant on livestock herding. Measures of both child nutritional status and disease confirm that the Maasai are substantially disadvantaged compared to neighbouring ethnic groups, Meru are relatively advantaged, and Rangi and Sukuma intermediate in most comparisons. However, Maasai children were less likely to report malaria and worm infections. Food insecurity was high throughout the study site, but particularly severe for the Maasai, and reflected in lower dietary intake of carbohydrate-rich staple foods, and fruits and vegetables. Breastfeeding was extended in the Maasai, despite higher reported consumption of cow's milk, a potential weaning food. Vaccination coverage was lowest in Maasai and Sukuma. Maasai who rely primarily on livestock herding showed signs of further disadvantage compared to Maasai relying primarily on agriculture. We discuss the potential ecological

Comparative efficiency of racemic- and meso-2,3-dimercaptosuccinic acid to mobilize mercury in rats

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Prester, Lj.; Restek Samarzija, N.; Blanusa, M.; Piasek, M.; Kostial, K.; Jones, M.M.; Singh, P.K.

1996-01-01

Two stereoisomeric forms of chelating agent 2,3-dimercaptosuccinic acid (DMSA), meso- and racemic (rac-) DMSA, were compared for mercury mobilization in rats (Experiment 1). Acute oral toxicity of both chelators (LD 50 ) was also tested (Experiment 2). Experiments were carried out on 6-7 weeks old albino Wistar female rats. In Experiment 1 three groups of 9-10 animals were given intraperitoneally 0.5 mg HgCl 2 /kg b.w. and 2.5 mCi (92.5 kBq) of radioactive mercury in the form of 203 Hg(NO 3 ) 2 .Five days after mercury, therapy with 1.0 mmol/kg/day of either meso- or rac-DMSA was started and continued for four days. Whole body radioactivity was measured during the four-day therapy, i.e. 24 hours after each chelator application. In Experiment 2, chelators were given by gastric tube. They were dissolved in 8% NaHCOP 3 with addition of NaOH in equivalent quantities to obtain soluble sodium salts. Meso-DMSA was given at doses of 6, 8 or 12 mmol/kg and rac-DMSA at doses of 12 or 18.7 mmol/kg (3 rats at each dose level). Rat mortality was recorded during 8 days. Results of Experiment 1 showed that the efficiency of rac-DMSA in reducing body retention of mercury-203 was significantly higher than of meso-DMSA. At the end of experiment, reduction of mercury -203 whole body retention was 62% of control in meso-DMSA compared to 29% of control in rac D MSA group. In Experiment 2, the approximate oral LD 50 value were estimated to be >18.7 mmol/kg for meso-DMSA and between 8 and 12 mmol/kg for rac-DMSA. In conclusion, rac-DMSA reduces more efficiently mercury body load than its meso-form. However, more studies are needed to evaluate advantage of rac-DMSA application in spite of its higher toxicity compared to meso-DMSA. (author)

Comparing sports vision among three groups of soft tennis adolescent athletes: Normal vision, refractive errors with and without correction

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shih-Tsun Chang

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Background: The effect of correcting static vision on sports vision is still not clear. Aim: To examine whether sports vision (depth perception [DP], dynamic visual acuity [DVA], eye movement [EM], peripheral vision [PV], and momentary vision [MV], were different among soft tennis adolescent athletes with normal vision (Group A, with refractive error and corrected with (Group B and without eyeglasses (Group C. Setting and Design: A cross-section study was conducted. Soft tennis athletes aged 10–13 who played softball tennis for 2–5 years, and who were without any ocular diseases and without visual training for the past 3 months were recruited. Materials and Methods: DPs were measured in an absolute deviation (mm between a moving rod and fixing rod (approaching at 25 mm/s, receding at 25 mm/s, approaching at 50 mm/s, receding at 50 mm/s using electric DP tester. A smaller deviation represented better DP. DVA, EM, PV, and MV were measured on a scale from 1 (worse to 10 (best using ATHLEVISION software. Statistical Analysis: Chi-square test and Kruskal–Wallis test was used to compare the data among the three study groups. Results: A total of 73 athletes (37 in Group A, 8 in Group B, 28 in Group C were enrolled in this study. All four items of DP showed significant difference among the three study groups (P = 0.0051, 0.0004, 0.0095, 0.0021. PV displayed significant difference among the three study groups (P = 0.0044. There was no significant difference in DVA, EM, and MV among the three study groups. Conclusions: Significant better DP and PV were seen among soft tennis adolescent athletes with normal vision than those with refractive error regardless whether they had eyeglasses corrected. On the other hand, DVA, EM, and MV were similar among the three study groups.

Operable Unit 3-13, Group 3, Other Surface Soils (Phase II) Field Sampling Plan

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

G. L. Schwendiman

2006-07-27

This Field Sampling Plan describes the Operable Unit 3-13, Group 3, Other Surface Soils, Phase II remediation field sampling activities to be performed at the Idaho Nuclear Technology and Engineering Center located within the Idaho National Laboratory Site. Sampling activities described in this plan support characterization sampling of new sites, real-time soil spectroscopy during excavation, and confirmation sampling that verifies that the remedial action objectives and remediation goals presented in the Final Record of Decision for Idaho Nuclear Technology and Engineering Center, Operable Unit 3-13 have been met.

Pulse radiolysis study on free radical scavenger edaravone (3-methyl-1-phenyl-2-pyrazolin-5-one). 2: A comparative study on edaravone derivatives

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hata, Kuniki; Katsumura, Yosuke; Lin, M.; Yamashita, Shinichi; Muroya, Yusa; Fu Haiying; Nakagawa, Hidehiko

2011-01-01

A comparative study using the pulse radiolysis technique was carried out to investigate transient absorption spectra and rate constants for the reactions of OH radical and N 3 radical with edaravone (3-methyl-1-phenyl-2-pyrazolin-5-one) and its four analogue compounds, 1,3-dimethyl-2-pyrazolin-5-one, 3-methyl-1-(pyridin-2-yl)-2-pyrazolin-5-one, 1-phenyl-3-trifluoromethyl-2-pyrazolin-5-one and 1-(4-chlorophenyl)-3-methyl-2-pyrazolin-5-one. The results showed that, unlike reaction mechanisms previously proposed, the phenyl group of edaravone played an important role in the reaction with OH radical and OH adducts to the phenyl group were formed. Quantum chemical calculations also strongly supported this attribution and suggested that the most favorable site for attacks by OH radical is the ortho position of the phenyl group. Moreover, the rate constants for the reactions of edaravone and its analogues towards OH radical and N 3 radical were about 8.0 x 10 9 , and 4.0 x 10 9 dm 3 mol -1 s -1 , respectively. Edaravone displayed higher reactivity compared to the others, in contrast to a previous report in which 3-methyl-1-(pyridin-2-yl)-2-pyrazolin-5-one showed the highest reactivity towards Hydroxyl radical OH. (author)

Omega-3 supplementation effects on body weight and depression among dieter women with co-morbidity of depression and obesity compared with the placebo: A randomized clinical trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Keshavarz, Seyed Ali; Mostafavi, Seyed-Ali; Akhondzadeh, Shahin; Mohammadi, Mohammad Reza; Hosseini, Saeed; Eshraghian, Mohammad Reza; Chamari, Maryam

2018-06-01

We aimed to evaluate the effects of the omega-3 supplementation on body weight and depression among women with co-morbidity of depression and obesity seeking weight reduction compared with the placebo. Sixty five patients with co-morbidity of depression and overweight/obesity (BMI ≥ 25) signed the informed consent form and enrolled into this 12-week double-blind, placebo-controlled randomized clinical Trial. Subsequently, participants randomly assigned into one of the two groups receiving daily 6 capsules of omega-3 (each capsule containing 180 mg EPA, and 120 mg DHA) or 6 capsules of placebo (two with each meal). We performed body composition assessments and Beck depression inventory at the baseline, and weeks 2, 4, 8, and 12 after the start of the study. One month after stopping the capsules at the follow-up visit, weight was measured to compare weight relapse between the two groups. Forty five patients finished the study. No significant differences were seen between groups regarding demographic and clinical variables at baseline. Using repeated measures ANOVA, omega-3 significantly reduced depression compared with the placebo (P = 0.05). Mean ± SD weight reduction in omega-3 group 3.07 ± 3.4 kg and in the placebo group was 1.16 ± 2.7 kg and the difference between groups was significant using independent sample t-test (p = 0.049). Patients in the omega-3 group did not show significantly more side effects compared to the placebo but they were not successful in preventing weight regain one month after the end of the study. Based on our findings omega-3 capsule as a safe over-the-counter supplement might be helpful in reducing the signs of depression and also body weight in patients with co-morbidity of depression and obesity. Copyright © 2018 European Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Synthesis of 11C labelled methyl esters: transesterification of enol esters versus BF3 catalysed esterification-a comparative study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ackermann, Uwe; Blanc, Paul; Falzon, Cheryl L.; Issa, William; White, Jonathan; Tochon-Danguy, Henri J.; Sachinidis, John I.; Scott, Andrew M.

2006-01-01

C-11 labelled methyl esters have been synthesized via the transesterification of enol esters in the presence of C-11 methanol and 1,3 dichlorodibutylstannoxane as catalyst. This method leaves functional groups intact and allows access to a wider variety of C-11 labelled methyl esters compared to the BF 3 catalysed ester formation, which uses carboxylic acids and C-11 methanol as starting materials

Group Music Training and Children's Prosocial Skills

OpenAIRE

Schellenberg, E. Glenn; Corrigall, Kathleen A.; Dys, Sebastian P.; Malti, Tina

2015-01-01

We investigated if group music training in childhood is associated with prosocial skills. Children in 3rd or 4th grade who attended 10 months of music lessons taught in groups were compared to a control group of children matched for socio-economic status. All children were administered tests of prosocial skills near the beginning and end of the 10-month period. Compared to the control group, children in the music group had larger increases in sympathy and prosocial behavior, but this effect w...

Comparative study of the parameters of thyroid function TSH, PB131J, T3, T4 in healthy persons and patients after thyroid surgery

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rueffer, W.

1979-01-01

Goals of the investigation were: 1. Study of the parameters TSH, PB 131 I, T 4 , T 3 in strumectomized patients with different functional states of the thyroid after surgery, and comparison with a normal collective. 2. Study of the correlation between pituitary and thyroid behaviour of strumectomized patients by comparing PB 131 I and TSH, T 4 and TSH, and T 3 and TSH. 3. Comparison of in-vivo- and in-vitro tests (TRH, T 4 , T 3 ) in order to assess the thyroid function after strumectomy and for early detection of impending relapses. 466 patients have been grouped according to the functional state of their thyroids. The mean values obtained for each group were compared with those of a normal collective. (orig./MG) [de

P3-10: Crossmodal Perceptual Grouping Modulates Subjective Causality between Action and Outcome

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Takahiro Kawabe

2012-10-01

Full Text Available Agents have to determine which external events their action has causally produced. A sensation of causal relation between action and outcome is called subjective causality. Subjective causality has been linked to the comparator model. This model assumes that the brain compares an internal prediction for action outcome with an actual sensory outcome, distinguishing between self and externally produced outcomes depending on spatiotemporal congruency. However, recent studies have expressed some doubt about the idea that subjective causality arises depending solely on the spatiotemporal congruency, suggesting instead that other perceptual/cognitive factors play a critical role in determining subjective causality. We hypothesized that crossmodal grouping between action and outcome contributed to subjective causality. Crossmodal temporal grouping is an essential factor for crossmodal simultaneity judgments with ungrouped crossmodal signals likely to be judged as non-simultaneous. We predicted that subjective causality would decrease when an agent's action was not temporally grouped with action outcome. In the experiment, observers were asked to press a key in order to trigger a display change with some temporal delay. To disrupt temporal grouping between action and outcome, a task-irrelevant visual flash or tone was sometimes presented synchronously with the button press and/or the display change. Subjective causality was decreased when the flash or the tone was coincided with the button press. This demonstrates that perceptual grouping has a key role in determination of subjective causality, a result that is not accounted for by the standard comparator model.

Efecto del estrés social agudo sobre impulsividad, toma de riesgos y sesgos atencionales en jóvenes con y sin historia familiar de abuso de alcohol

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Angelina Pilatti

2017-07-01

Full Text Available Este trabajo analizó el efecto del estrés social —inducido experimentalmente— en jóvenes con historia familiar positiva (HFP o negativa (HFN de abuso de alcohol. Se midieron los niveles de cortisol en saliva, la percepción subjetiva del estado emocional y el desempeño en pruebas que miden atención hacia estímulos que señalizan al alcohol, impulsividad y conductas de riesgo. Los participantes expuestos al estrés tuvieron niveles más altos de cortisol en saliva y una percepción subjetiva de mayor malestar y de menor bienestar comparados con los controles. Los HFP reportaron un nivel significativamente menor de bienestar y de mayor malestar que sus pares HFN. No se encontraron efectos significativos de tratamiento, ni interacciones significativas entre tratamiento e historia familiar, en las pruebas de medir impulsividad, conductas riesgosas y sesgos atencionales.

Incidence of fetal distress in 6 hourly vaginally administered 3 doses, of misoprostol versus dinoprostone for labour induction: a comparative study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rashid, N.; Hanif, A.

2013-01-01

Background: Artificial labor pain always poses the risk of fetal distress and is more painful than spontaneous labour. The pharmacological agents that are involved in stimulating uterine contraction may initiate a chain of processes that may lead the baby to suffocate, being deficient of essential oxygen and suffer from distress. The accelerated efforts to adapt safe and advanced measures are inevitable to make the labour induction easier and more secure for both lives involved. Objective: The objective of this study was to compare the incidence of fetal distress in 6 hourly vaginally administered 3 doses, of misoprostol versus dinoprostone for labour induction. Methods: This observational type of comparative study was conducted in Obstetrics Ward Lady Aitchison Hospital Lahore. A total of 200 postdate primigravidas undergoing induction of labour at 41 weeks were selected for this study. They were randomly divided into misoprostol and dinoprostone group, each containing 100 patients. The dose of misoprostol was 50 microgram each time up to a maximum of 150 microgram (3 doses) and dose of dinoprostone was 2 mg and only 2 doses of dinoprostone were used with an interval of 6 hours. Continuous fetal heart rate monitoring was done after induction. Signs of fetal distress like meconium staining of liquor after rupture of membranes and CTG changes were noted. After delivery of baby Apgar score at 5 minutes was taken and any resuscitation required or need for keeping the baby in nursery was noted. Results: The mean age of the patients in misoprostol group was 25.4+-4.5 years and in dinoprostone group was 23.3+-3.4 years. The mean duration of induction to delivery interval in misoprostol group was 16.4+-6.4 hours and in dinoprostone group was 13.1+-4.6 hours. In misoprostol group, 40 (40%) patients delivered with LSCS and 60 (60%) patients delivered with spontaneous vaginal delivery. In dinoprostone group, 36 (36%) patients delivered with LSCS and 64 (64%) patients

Disparities in abnormal mammogram follow-up time for Asian women compared to non-Hispanic Whites and between Asian ethnic groups

Science.gov (United States)

Nguyen, KH; Pasick, RJ; Stewart, SL; Kerlikowske, K; Karliner, LS

2017-01-01

Background Delays in abnormal mammogram follow-up contribute to poor outcomes. We examined abnormal screening mammogram follow-up differences for non-Hispanic Whites (NHW) and Asian women. Methods Prospective cohort of NHW and Asian women with a Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System abnormal result of 0 or 3+ in the San Francisco Mammography Registry between 2000–2010. We performed Kaplan-Meier estimation for median-days to follow-up with a diagnostic radiologic test, and compared proportion with follow-up at 30, 60 and 90 days, and no follow-up at one-year for Asians overall (and Asian ethnic groups) and NHWs. We additionally assessed the relationship between race/ethnicity and time-to-follow-up with adjusted Cox proportional hazards models. Results Among Asian women, Vietnamese and Filipinas had the longest, and Japanese the shortest, median follow-up time (32, 28, 19 days, respectively) compared to NHWs (15 days). The proportion of women receiving follow-up at 30 days was lower for Asians vs NHWs (57% vs 77%, pAsian ethnic groups except Japanese. Asians had a reduced hazard of follow-up compared with NHWs (aHR 0.70, 95% CI 0.69–0.72). Asians also had a higher rate than NHWs of no follow-up (15% vs 10%; pAsian ethnic groups, Filipinas had the highest percentage of women with no follow-up (18.1%). Conclusion Asian, particularly Filipina and Vietnamese, women were less likely than NHWs to receive timely follow-up after an abnormal screening mammogram. Research should disaggregate Asian ethnicity to better understand and address barriers to effective cancer prevention. PMID:28603859

Phage morphology recapitulates phylogeny: the comparative genomics of a new group of myoviruses.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

André M Comeau

Full Text Available Among dsDNA tailed bacteriophages (Caudovirales, members of the Myoviridae family have the most sophisticated virion design that includes a complex contractile tail structure. The Myoviridae generally have larger genomes than the other phage families. Relatively few "dwarf" myoviruses, those with a genome size of less than 50 kb such as those of the Mu group, have been analyzed in extenso. Here we report on the genome sequencing and morphological characterization of a new group of such phages that infect a diverse range of Proteobacteria, namely Aeromonas salmonicida phage 56, Vibrio cholerae phages 138 and CP-T1, Bdellovibrio phage φ1422, and Pectobacterium carotovorum phage ZF40. This group of dwarf myoviruses shares an identical virion morphology, characterized by usually short contractile tails, and have genome sizes of approximately 45 kb. Although their genome sequences are variable in their lysogeny, replication, and host adaption modules, presumably reflecting differing lifestyles and hosts, their structural and morphogenesis modules have been evolutionarily constrained by their virion morphology. Comparative genomic analysis reveals that these phages, along with related prophage genomes, form a new coherent group within the Myoviridae. The results presented in this communication support the hypothesis that the diversity of phages may be more structured than generally believed and that the innumerable phages in the biosphere all belong to discrete lineages or families.

3D continuum phonon model for group-IV 2D materials

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Willatzen, Morten; Lew Yan Voon, Lok C.; Gandi, Appala Naidu

2017-01-01

. In this paper, we use the model to not only compare the phonon spectra among the group-IV materials but also to study whether these phonons differ from those of a compound material such as molybdenum disulfide. The origin of quadratic modes is clarified. Mode coupling for both graphene and silicene is obtained......, contrary to previous works. Our model allows us to predict the existence of confined optical phonon modes for the group-IV materials but not for molybdenum disulfide. A comparison of the long-wavelength modes to density-functional results is included....

Comparing the Effectiveness of Individual Coaching, Self-Coaching, and Group Training: How Leadership Makes the Difference

Science.gov (United States)

Losch, Sabine; Traut-Mattausch, Eva; Mühlberger, Maximilian D.; Jonas, Eva

2016-01-01

Few empirical studies have used a randomized controlled design to evaluate the impact of coaching, and there are even fewer that have compared coaching with other interventions. In the current field study, we investigated the relative effectiveness of coaching as an intervention to reduce procrastination. In a randomized controlled study, participants (N = 84) were assigned to an individual coaching, a self-coaching, a group training, or a control group condition. Results indicate that individual coaching and group training were effective in reducing procrastination and facilitating goal attainment. Individual coaching created a high degree of satisfaction and was superior in helping participants attaining their goals, whereas group training successfully promoted the acquisition of relevant knowledge. The results for the self-coaching condition show that independently performing exercises without being supported by a coach is not sufficient for high goal attainment. Moreover, mediation analysis show that a coach’s transformational and transactional leadership behavior influenced participants’ perceived autonomy support and intrinsic motivation, resulting in beneficial coaching outcomes. The results may guide the selection of appropriate human resource development methods: If there is a general need to systematically prepare employees to perform on specific tasks, group training seems appropriate due to lower costs. However, when certain aspects of working conditions or individual development goals are paramount, coaching might be indicated. However, further research is needed to compare the relative effectiveness of coaching with other interventions in different contexts. PMID:27199857

Comparing the Effectiveness of Individual Coaching, Self-Coaching, and Group Training: How Leadership Makes the Difference.

Science.gov (United States)

Losch, Sabine; Traut-Mattausch, Eva; Mühlberger, Maximilian D; Jonas, Eva

2016-01-01

Few empirical studies have used a randomized controlled design to evaluate the impact of coaching, and there are even fewer that have compared coaching with other interventions. In the current field study, we investigated the relative effectiveness of coaching as an intervention to reduce procrastination. In a randomized controlled study, participants (N = 84) were assigned to an individual coaching, a self-coaching, a group training, or a control group condition. Results indicate that individual coaching and group training were effective in reducing procrastination and facilitating goal attainment. Individual coaching created a high degree of satisfaction and was superior in helping participants attaining their goals, whereas group training successfully promoted the acquisition of relevant knowledge. The results for the self-coaching condition show that independently performing exercises without being supported by a coach is not sufficient for high goal attainment. Moreover, mediation analysis show that a coach's transformational and transactional leadership behavior influenced participants' perceived autonomy support and intrinsic motivation, resulting in beneficial coaching outcomes. The results may guide the selection of appropriate human resource development methods: If there is a general need to systematically prepare employees to perform on specific tasks, group training seems appropriate due to lower costs. However, when certain aspects of working conditions or individual development goals are paramount, coaching might be indicated. However, further research is needed to compare the relative effectiveness of coaching with other interventions in different contexts.

HEXAB-3D, 3-D Few-Group Diffusion for Hexagonal Core Geometry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Apostolov, T.G.; Ivanov, K.N.; Manolova, M.A.

2002-01-01

1 - Description of program or function: A three-dimensional few-group calculational model based on diffusion theory has been developed for calculating the basic neutron physical characteristics of power reactors which have a hexagonal core configuration with a heterogeneous region structure in axial direction. There are two versions of the model: - HEXAB-III-30 - the solution range in horizontal plane is 30 - sector of reactor core - HEXAB-III-360 - the solution range in horizontal plane is full core. 2 - Method of solution: In the HEXAB-3D code the nine-point mesh-centered finite-difference approximation of neutron diffusion equation is applied. The standard inner-outer iterative strategy is used. Inner iterations are solved using two different incomplete factorization techniques: AGA two-sweep iterative method and modified AGA two-sweep iterative method both accelerated by the double successive over-relaxation procedure. The power method, combined with two- or three-term Chebishev polynomial acceleration for outer iterations is applied in the code. To improve the accuracy of the calculated integral and local reactor parameters without significantly increasing computer time and storage an effective approach has been developed. It decreases errors due to the use of coarse mesh by means of correcting the coefficients of finite- difference scheme. 3 - Restrictions on the complexity of the problem: Maximum of 10 energy groups, 30 horizontal layers and 100 material compositions

Comparative processes in personal and group judgments : Resolving the discrepancy

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Postmes, T; Branscombe, NR; Spears, R; Young, H

The judgment mechanisms underlying personal- and group-level ratings of discrimination and privilege were investigated in high- and lour-status groups. PI consistent personal-group discrepancy is found for discrimination and privilege: but is not due to personal differentiation from the group.

Metacognition and Group Differences: A Comparative Study

Science.gov (United States)

Al-Hilawani, Yasser A.

2014-01-01

In this study, metacognition refers to performing visual analysis and discrimination of real life events and situations in naïve psychology, naïve physics, and naïve biology domains. It is used, along with measuring reaction time, to examine differences in the ability of four groups of students to select appropriate pictures that correspond with…

3D Numerical Modeling of Pile Group Responses to Excavation-Induced Stress Release in Silty Clay

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M. A. Soomro

2018-02-01

Full Text Available Development of underground transportation systems consists of tunnels, basement construction excavations and cut and cover tunnels which may encounter existing pile groups during their construction. Since many previous studies mainly focus on the effects of excavations on single piles, settlement and load transfer mechanism of a pile group subjected to excavation-induced stress release are not well investigated and understood. To address these two issues, three-dimensional coupled-consolidation numerical analysis is conducted by using a hypoplastic model which takes small-strain stiffness into account. A non-linear pile group settlement was induced. This may be attributed to reduction of shaft resistance due to excavation induced stress release, the pile had to settle substantially to further mobilise end-bearing. Compared to the Sp of the pile group, induced settlement of the single pile is larger with similar settlement characteristics. Due to the additional settlement of the pile group, factor of safety for the pile group can be regarded as decreasing from 3.0 to 1.4, based on a displacement-based failure load criterion. Owing to non-uniform stress release, pile group tilted towards the excavation with value of 0.14%. Due to excavation-induced stress release and dragload, head load of rear piles was reduced and transferred to rear piles. This load transfer can increase the axial force in front piles by 94%.

Bevacizumab compared with Diode Laser in stage 3 posterior retinopathy of prematurity: a 5 year follow-up

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

O’Keeffe, N

2016-02-01

We conducted a prospective randomized study to compare outcomes of intravitreal Bevacizumab versus diode laser in thirty eyes of fifteen premature babies with zone 1 or posterior zone 2 retinopathy of prematurity (ROP). We recorded complications, regression\\/reactivation of ROP, visual outcome, refractive error and systemic complications. The Bevacizumab-treated eyes showed rapid regression of the ROP with resolution of plus disease and flattening of the ridge at 48 hours post injection. In 3 Bevacizumab-treated eyes, reactivation occurred and were treated with laser (3 eyes) or a further Bevacizumab injection (1 eye). Of the diode laser treated eyes, one showed progression and was treated with Bevacizumab. At 5-year follow-up, good outcomes were observed in both treatment groups. However, less myopia was found in the Bevacizumab compared with the diode laser treated eyes.

Pulse radiolysis study on free radical scavenger edaravone (3-methyl-1-phenyl-2-pyrazolin-5-one). 2: A comparative study on edaravone derivatives

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hata, Kuniki; Katsumura, Yosuke [Tokyo Univ., School of Engineering, Tokyo (Japan); Lin, M; Yamashita, Shinichi [Japan Atomic Energy Agency, Advanced Science Research Center, Tokai, Ibaraki (Japan); Muroya, Yusa [Tokyo Univ., Nuclear Professional School, Tokai, Ibaraki (Japan); Haiying, Fu [Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai (China); Nakagawa, Hidehiko [Nagoya City Univ., Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Nagoya, Aichi (Japan)

2011-01-15

A comparative study using the pulse radiolysis technique was carried out to investigate transient absorption spectra and rate constants for the reactions of OH radical and N{sub 3} radical with edaravone (3-methyl-1-phenyl-2-pyrazolin-5-one) and its four analogue compounds, 1,3-dimethyl-2-pyrazolin-5-one, 3-methyl-1-(pyridin-2-yl)-2-pyrazolin-5-one, 1-phenyl-3-trifluoromethyl-2-pyrazolin-5-one and 1-(4-chlorophenyl)-3-methyl-2-pyrazolin-5-one. The results showed that, unlike reaction mechanisms previously proposed, the phenyl group of edaravone played an important role in the reaction with OH radical and OH adducts to the phenyl group were formed. Quantum chemical calculations also strongly supported this attribution and suggested that the most favorable site for attacks by OH radical is the ortho position of the phenyl group. Moreover, the rate constants for the reactions of edaravone and its analogues towards OH radical and N{sub 3} radical were about 8.0 x 10{sup 9}, and 4.0 x 10{sup 9} dm{sup 3} mol{sup -1} s{sup -1}, respectively. Edaravone displayed higher reactivity compared to the others, in contrast to a previous report in which 3-methyl-1-(pyridin-2-yl)-2-pyrazolin-5-one showed the highest reactivity towards Hydroxyl radical OH. (author)

Group 3 innate lymphoid cells (ILC3s): Origin, differentiation, and plasticity in humans and mice.

Science.gov (United States)

Montaldo, Elisa; Juelke, Kerstin; Romagnani, Chiara

2015-08-01

Since their discovery, innate lymphoid cells (ILCs) have been the subject of intense research. As their name implies, ILCs are innate cells of lymphoid origin, and can be grouped into subsets based on their cytotoxic activity, cytokine profile, and the transcriptional requirements during ILC differentiation. The main ILC groups are "killer" ILCs, comprising NK cells, and "helper-like" ILCs (including ILC1s, ILC2s, and ILC3s). This review examines the origin, differentiation stages, and plasticity of murine and human ILC3s. ILC3s express the retinoic acid receptor (RAR) related orphan receptor RORγt and the signature cytokines IL-22 and IL-17. Fetal ILC3s or lymphoid tissue inducer cells are required for lymphoid organogenesis, while postnatally developing ILC3s are important for the generation of intestinal cryptopatches and isolated lymphoid follicles as well as for the defence against pathogens and epithelial homeostasis. Here, we discuss the transcription factors and exogenous signals (including cytokines, nutrients and cell-to-cell interaction) that drive ILC3 lineage commitment and acquisition of their distinctive effector program. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Comparing multilayer brain networks between groups: Introducing graph metrics and recommendations.

Science.gov (United States)

Mandke, Kanad; Meier, Jil; Brookes, Matthew J; O'Dea, Reuben D; Van Mieghem, Piet; Stam, Cornelis J; Hillebrand, Arjan; Tewarie, Prejaas

2018-02-01

There is an increasing awareness of the advantages of multi-modal neuroimaging. Networks obtained from different modalities are usually treated in isolation, which is however contradictory to accumulating evidence that these networks show non-trivial interdependencies. Even networks obtained from a single modality, such as frequency-band specific functional networks measured from magnetoencephalography (MEG) are often treated independently. Here, we discuss how a multilayer network framework allows for integration of multiple networks into a single network description and how graph metrics can be applied to quantify multilayer network organisation for group comparison. We analyse how well-known biases for single layer networks, such as effects of group differences in link density and/or average connectivity, influence multilayer networks, and we compare four schemes that aim to correct for such biases: the minimum spanning tree (MST), effective graph resistance cost minimisation, efficiency cost optimisation (ECO) and a normalisation scheme based on singular value decomposition (SVD). These schemes can be applied to the layers independently or to the multilayer network as a whole. For correction applied to whole multilayer networks, only the SVD showed sufficient bias correction. For correction applied to individual layers, three schemes (ECO, MST, SVD) could correct for biases. By using generative models as well as empirical MEG and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data, we further demonstrated that all schemes were sensitive to identify network topology when the original networks were perturbed. In conclusion, uncorrected multilayer network analysis leads to biases. These biases may differ between centres and studies and could consequently lead to unreproducible results in a similar manner as for single layer networks. We therefore recommend using correction schemes prior to multilayer network analysis for group comparisons. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier

Virtual Team Work : Group Decision Making in 3D Virtual Environments

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Schouten, A.P.; van den Hooff, B.; Feldberg, F.

2016-01-01

This study investigates how three-dimensional virtual environments (3DVEs) support shared understanding and group decision making. Based on media synchronicity theory, we pose that the shared environment and avatar-based interaction allowed by 3DVEs aid convergence processes in teams working on a

Virtual Team Work : Group Decision Making in 3D Virtual Environments

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Schouten, Alexander P.; van den Hooff, Bart; Feldberg, Frans

This study investigates how three-dimensional virtual environments (3DVEs) support shared understanding and group decision making. Based on media synchronicity theory, we pose that the shared environment and avatar-based interaction allowed by 3DVEs aid convergence processes in teams working on a

Linear and nonlinear characteristics of heart rate time series in obesity and during weight-reduction surgery

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Alam, I; Morgan, J; Baxter, J; Lewis, M J

2009-01-01

Obesity is associated with abnormal cardiac regulation by the autonomic nervous system (ANS), this being reversed by weight loss. Bariatric (weight-reduction) surgery can induce substantial long-term weight reductions. This study compares the acute influence on ANS control of two different types of bariatric surgery involving laparascopic and open procedures. To distinguish between the cardiac influences of surgery and obesity, we perform the same analysis for laparascopic surgery in non-obese patients. Eight morbidly obese and five non-obese patients underwent surgery. Obese patients received either laparoscopic procedures (group A: n = 5, BMI = 44.3 ± 2.7 kg m 2 ) or open procedures (group B: n = 3, BMI = 55.2 ± 4.5 kg m 2 ) and non-obese patients received a laparoscopic procedure (group C: n = 5, BMI = 30.8 ± 5.8 kg m −2 ). Holter ECG was recorded and heart rate variability (HRV) was quantified together with measures of complexity (sample entropy) and structure (Hurst coefficient, scaling coefficient) of the heart rate data. Multifractal characteristics of heart rate data, not previously reported for obese patients, are also quantified and interpreted. Mixed model ANOVA was used to assess the magnitudes of each quantified variable, with surgical group and perioperative time as main factors. HRV measures were influenced only during anaesthesia (LFn increase: p = 0.009; HFn decrease: p = 0.033) and did not discriminate between patient groups. Multifractality was the only characteristic of heart rate data that discriminated between patient groups, being significantly (p < 0.001) greater in non-obese (group C) compared with obese patients (groups A and B, who had similar multifractal properties). Multifractality was also enhanced during anaesthesia (p = 0.028) but did not differ for other stages. We conclude that obesity per se rather than response to surgery is the cause of reduced multifractality. Reduced multifractality in obesity might reflect a diminished

Magnesium-enriched hydroxyapatite compared to calcium sulfate in the healing of human extraction sockets: radiographic and histomorphometric evaluation at 3 months.

Science.gov (United States)

Crespi, Roberto; Capparè, Paolo; Gherlone, Enrico

2009-02-01

Reduction of alveolar height and width after tooth extraction may present problems for implant placement, especially in the anterior maxilla where bone volume is important for biologic and esthetic reasons. Different graft materials have been proposed to minimize the reduction in ridge volume. The aim of this study was to compare radiographic and histomorphometric results of magnesium-enriched hydroxyapatite (MHA) and calcium sulfate (CS) grafts in fresh sockets after tooth extractions. Forty-five fresh extraction sockets with three bone walls were selected in 15 patients. A split-mouth design was used: 15 sockets on the right side of the jaw received MHA, 15 sockets on the left side received CS, and 15 random unfilled sockets were considered the control (C) group. Intraoral digital radiographs were taken at baseline and at 3 months after graft material placement. At 3 months, cylinder bone samples were obtained for histology and histomorphometry analysis. The difference in mean radiographic vertical bone level from baseline to 3 months was -2.48 +/- 0.65 mm in the CS group, -0.48 +/- 0.21 mm in the MHA group, and -3.75 +/- 0.63 mm in the unfilled C group. Statistically significant differences (P sockets showed 13.9% +/- 3.4% residual implant material, whereas the MHA-treated sockets showed 20.2% +/- 3.2% residual material. The difference between the groups was statistically significant (P <0.05). Radiographs revealed a greater reduction of alveolar ridge in the CS group than in the MHA group. Histologic examination showed more bone formation and faster resorption in the CS group and more residual implant material in the MHA group.

Renormalization group coupling flow of SU(3) gauge theory

OpenAIRE

QCDTARO Collaboration

1998-01-01

We present our new results on the renormalization group coupling flow obtained i n 3 dimensional coupling space $(\\beta_{11},\\beta_{12},\\beta_{twist})$. The value of $\\beta_{twist}$ turns out to be small and the coupling flow projected on $(\\beta_{11},\\beta_{12})$ plane is very similar with the previous result obtained in the 2 dimensional coupling space.

An evaluation of self-reported mobile phone use compared to billing records among a group of engineers and scientists.

Science.gov (United States)

Shum, Mona; Kelsh, Michael A; Sheppard, Asher R; Zhao, Ke

2011-01-01

Most epidemiologic studies of potential health impacts of mobile phones rely on self-reported information, which can lead to exposure misclassification. We compared self-reported questionnaire data among 60 participants, and phone billing records over a 3-year period (2002-2004). Phone usage information was compared by the calculation of the mean and median number of calls and duration of use, as well as correlation coefficients and associated P-values. Average call duration from self-reports was slightly lower than billing records (2.1 min vs. 2.8 min, P = 0.01). Participants reported a higher number of average daily calls than billing records (7.9 vs. 4.1, P = 0.002). Correlation coefficients for average minutes per day of mobile phone use and average number of calls per day were relatively high (R = 0.71 and 0.69, respectively, P correlations between self-reported mobile phone usage and billing records and substantial variability in recall are consistent with previous studies. However, the direction of over- and under-reporting was not consistent with previous research. We did not observe increased variability over longer periods of recall or a pattern of lower accuracy among older age groups compared with younger groups. Study limitations included a relatively small sample size, low participation rates, and potential limited generalizability. The variability within studies and non-uniformity across studies indicates that estimation of the frequency and duration of phone use by questionnaires should be supplemented with subscriber records whenever practical. © 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Comparative evaluation of 5 different selective media for Group B Streptococcus screening in pregnant women.

Science.gov (United States)

Joubrel, Caroline; Gendron, Nicolas; Dmytruk, Nicolas; Touak, Gérald; Verlaguet, Martine; Poyart, Claire; Réglier-Poupet, Hélène

2014-12-01

We compared the performances and the cost-effectiveness of 5 selective media for Group B Streptococcus (GBS) screening in vaginal samples from pregnant women. The usefulness of these media is unquestionable for GBS screening; the choice will depend largely on the laboratory organization. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Chronic exposure to low frequency noise at moderate levels causes impaired balance in mice.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Haruka Tamura

Full Text Available We are routinely exposed to low frequency noise (LFN; below 0.5 kHz at moderate levels of 60-70 dB sound pressure level (SPL generated from various sources in occupational and daily environments. LFN has been reported to affect balance in humans. However, there is limited information about the influence of chronic exposure to LFN at moderate levels for balance. In this study, we investigated whether chronic exposure to LFN at a moderate level of 70 dB SPL affects the vestibule, which is one of the organs responsible for balance in mice. Wild-type ICR mice were exposed for 1 month to LFN (0.1 kHz and high frequency noise (HFN; 16 kHz at 70 dB SPL at a distance of approximately 10-20 cm. Behavior analyses including rotarod, beam-crossing and footprint analyses showed impairments of balance in LFN-exposed mice but not in non-exposed mice or HFN-exposed mice. Immunohistochemical analysis showed a decreased number of vestibular hair cells and increased levels of oxidative stress in LFN-exposed mice compared to those in non-exposed mice. Our results suggest that chronic exposure to LFN at moderate levels causes impaired balance involving morphological impairments of the vestibule with enhanced levels of oxidative stress. Thus, the results of this study indicate the importance of considering the risk of chronic exposure to LFN at a moderate level for imbalance.

Comparing the Math Anxiety of Secondary School Female Students in Groups (Science and Mathematical Physics) Public Schools

Science.gov (United States)

Vakili, Khatoon; Pourrazavy, Zinat alsadat

2017-01-01

The aim of this study is comparing math anxiety of secondary school female students in groups (Science and Mathematical Physics) Public Schools, district 2, city of Sari. The purpose of the research is applied research, it is a development branch, and in terms of the nature and method, it is a causal-comparative research. The statistical…

Seroprotective antibodies to 2011 variant influenza A(H3N2v) and seasonal influenza A(H3N2) among three age groups of US Department of Defense service members.

Science.gov (United States)

Radin, Jennifer M; Hawksworth, Anthony W; Ortiguerra, Ryan G; Brice, Gary T

2015-01-01

In 2011, a new variant of influenza A(H3N2) emerged that contained a recombination of genes from swine H3N2 viruses and the matrix (M) gene of influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 virus. New combinations and variants of pre-existing influenza viruses are worrisome if there is low or nonexistent immunity in a population, which increases chances for an outbreak or pandemic. Sera collected in 2011 were obtained from US Department of Defense service members in three age groups: 19-21 years, 32-33 years, and 47-48 years. Pre- and post-vaccination samples were available for the youngest age group, and postvaccination samples for the two older groups. Specimens were tested using microneutralization assays for antibody titers against H3N2v (A/Indiana/10/2011) and seasonal H3N2 virus (A/Perth/16/2009). The youngest age group had significantly (p<0.05) higher geometric mean titers for H3N2v with 165 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 105-225) compared with the two older groups, aged 32-33 and 47-48 years, who had geometric mean titers of 68 (95% CI: 55-82) and 46 (95% CI: 24-65), respectively. Similarly, the youngest age group also had the highest geometric mean titers for seasonal H3N2. In the youngest age group, the proportion of patients who seroconverted after vaccination was 12% for H3N2v and 27% for seasonal H3N2. Our results were similar to previous studies that found highest seroprotection among young adults and decreasing titers among older adults. The proportion of 19- to 21-year-olds who seroconverted after seasonal vaccination was low and similar to previous findings. Improving our understanding of H3N2v immunity among different age groups in the United States can help inform vaccination plans if H3N2v becomes more transmissible in the future.

Development of 3D multi-group neutron diffusion code for hexagonal geometry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sun Wei; Wang Kan; Ni Dongyang; Li Qing

2013-01-01

Based on the theory of new flux expansion nodal method to solve the neutron diffusion equations, the intra-nodal fluence rate distribution was expanded in a series of analytic basic functions for each group. In order to improve the accuracy of calculation result, continuities of neutron fluence rate and current were utilized across the nodal surfaces. According to the boundary conditions, the iteration method was adopted to solve the diffusion equation, where inner iteration speedup method is Gauss-Seidel method and outer is Lyusternik-Wagner. A new speedup method (one-outer-iteration and multi-inner-iteration method) was proposed according to the characteristic that the convergence speed of multiplication factor is faster than that of neutron fluence rate and the update of inner iteration matrix is slow. Based on the proposed model, the code HANDF-D was developed and tested by 3D two-group vver440 benchmark, experiment 2 of HFETR, 3D four-group thermal reactor benchmark, and 3D seven-group fast reactor benchmark. The numerical results show that HANDF-D can predict accurately the multiplication factor and nodal powers. (authors)

Comparative analysis of the results of surgery for juvenile nasopharyngeal angiofibroma with the use of 3D reconstructions of computed tomography angiography

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

N. S. Grachev

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Rationale: The relapse rates after surgery for juvenile nasopharyngeal and/or skull base angiofibroma is in the range of 23 to 27.5%, which is mostly related to diagnostic issues. Aim: To perform a comparative analysis of the results of surgical treatment for juvenile nasopharyngeal and skull base angiofibroma based on our technique of 3D reconstructions of computed tomography angiograms in patients with primary tumors and with relapses. Materials and methods: We analyzed retrospectively the data from 32 patients with juvenile nasopharyngeal and skull base angiofibroma who had been diagnosed and treated from 2013 to 2017 (42 surgeries. Multislice computed tomography (MSCT angiography with 3D reconstruction was used for the planning of surgical approaches. At days 3 to 7 after the surgery, in 31 patients with stages II, IIIa and IIIb (according to U. Fisch classification modified by R. Andrews, 1989, we looked for residual tumor tissues by MSCT with standard analysis and with 3D MSCT angiography reconstructions, comparing them with their corresponding baseline images. The patients were divided into two groups: group 1, 17 patients with primary tumors (median age 13.5 years, group 2, 14 patients who had been previously operated (median age 14 years. Both groups were comparable in their clinical and demographic characteristics, as well as in the tumor staging (p > 0.05. Results: The relapse rates were 22.58% (7 / 31 patients, being 11.76% (2 / 17 in the group 1 and 35.71% (5 / 14 in the group 2 (p > 0.05. In each group, the maximal difference in the resected tumor volume was found in stage II patients, with more radical resection in the patients with primary tumors (p < 0.05. Contrast-enhanced MSCT showed residual tumor masses in 19 patients (8, with primary tumors and 11, with relapses. From those, 10 patients (3 with primary tumors and 7 who had underwent surgery earlier required second surgeries (4 patients were curatively operated, and 2

Variations of high frequency parameter of heart rate variability following osteopathic manipulative treatment in healthy subjects compared to control group and sham therapy: randomized controlled trial

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nuria eRuffini

2015-08-01

Full Text Available Context: Heart Rate Variability (HRV indicates how heart rate changes in response to inner and external stimuli. HRV is linked to health status and it is an indirect marker of the autonomic nervous system (ANS function. Objective: To investigate the influence of osteopathic manipulative treatment (OMT on ANS activity through changes of High Frequency, a heart rate variability index indicating the parasympathetic activity, in healthy subjects, compared with sham therapy and control group.Methods: Sixty-six healthy subjects, both male and female, were included in the present 3-armed randomized placebo controlled within subject cross-over single blinded study. Participants were asymptomatic adults, both smokers and non-smokers and not on medications. At enrollment subjects were randomized in 3 groups: A, B, C. Standardized structural evaluation followed by a patient need-based osteopathic treatment was performed in the first session of group A and in the second session of group B. Standardized evaluation followed by a protocoled sham treatment was provided in the second session of group A and in the first session of group B. No intervention was performed in the two sessions of group C, acting as a time-control. The trial was registered on clinicaltrials.gov identifier: NCT01908920.Main Outcomes Measures: HRV was calculated from electrocardiography before, during and after the intervention, for a total amount time of 25 minutes.Results: OMT engendered a statistically significant increase of parasympathetic activity, as shown by High Frequency rate (p<0.001, and decrease of sympathetic activity, as revealed by Low Frequency rate (p<0.01; results also showed a reduction of Low Frequency/High Frequency ratio (p<0.001 and Detrended fluctuation scaling exponent (p<0.05. Conclusions: Findings suggested that OMT can influence ANS activity increasing parasympathetic function and decreasing sympathetic activity, compared to sham therapy and control group.

[Serological Characteristics and Family Survey of 3 Cases of H-deficient Blood Group].

Science.gov (United States)

Geng, Wei; Gao, Huan-Huan; Zhang, Lin-Wei

2016-06-01

To investigate the serological characteristics and the genetic status of the family of H-deficient blood group in Jining area of Shandong province in China. ABO, H, and Lewis blood groups in 3 probands were screened out by the serological method, and saliva testing was performed on all the individuals. The presence of weak A or B on the RBC was confirmed by using the adsorption-elution procedure. Three cases of H-deficient blood group were identified to be para-Bombay blood group (secretor), out of 3 cases, 2 cases were Bh, 1 case was Ah, and anti-H or anti-HI antibody was detected in their serum. Three cases of H-deficerent blood group are para-Bombay phenotype, among them one proband's parents have been confirmed to be consanguineous relationship.

COMPAR: system to compare multigroup cross sections generated by NJOY, GROUPIE, FLANGE-II, ETOG-3 AND XLACS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anaf, J.; Chalhoub, E.S.

1987-11-01

A system, composed by the computer programs COMPAR and its interfaces, developed for comparing multigroup cross sections calculated by NJOY, GROUPIE, FLANGE-II, ETOG-3 and XLACS, is presented. (author)

A comparative evaluation of oral hygiene using Braille and audio instructions among institutionalized visually impaired children aged between 6 years and 20 years: A 3-monthfollow-up study.

Science.gov (United States)

Mahantesha, Taranatha; Nara, Asha; Kumari, Parveen Reddy; Halemani, Praveen Kumar Nugadoni; Buddiga, Vinutna; Mythri, Sarpangala

2015-12-01

The aim of this study is to compare the oral hygiene status among institutionalized visually impaired children of age between 6 and 20 years given with Braille and audio instructions in Raichur city of Karnataka. A total of 50 children aged between 6 to 20 years were included in this study from a residential school for visually impaired children. These children were randomly divided into two equal groups. One group was given oral hygiene instructions by audio recordings and another written in Braille and were instructed to practice the same. After three months time the oral hygiene status and dental caries experience was recorded and compared using patient performance index. Statistical analysis was done by student paired t test and multiple comparison by Tukey's HSD (honest significant difference) test. The mean PHP (Patient Hygiene Performance) score of group A at baseline was 3.88 compared to 3.90 of group B. At 7 days PHP score of group A and group B was 3.42 and 3.45 respectively. At 3 month PHP score of group A and group B was 2.47 and 2.86 respectively. Even though over a period of time the mean score of PHP index reduced the score comparison between the 2 groups were statistically non significant. In group A the mean difference of PHP score between baseline and 7 days was 0.46, between baseline and 3 months it was 1.40. The PHP score between 7 days and 3 months was 0.94. All the above values were statistically significant. Effective dental health education method has to be instituted for visually impaired children. The present study shows improvement of oral health status in both the study population by decrease in the mean plaque score. Hence continuous motivation and reinforcement in the form of Braille and audio instruction is beneficial to achieve good oral hygiene levels in visually impaired children.

[Attitudes to smoking and characteristics of the habit among a group of young asthmatics compared to a group of non-asthmatics].

Science.gov (United States)

de Granda Orive, J I; Peña Miguel, T; Reinares Ten, C; González Quijada, S; Escobar Sacristán, J; Sáez Valls, R; Herrera de la Rosa, A

2000-03-01

To compare the attitudes toward smoking and smoking patterns of young male asthmatics with the attitudes and habits of a group previously studied non-asthmatic men. Volunteers responded individually to as anonymous questionnaire. Responses were received from 488 asthmatics men (55.83%) of the sample, with 11 not responding) and 386 non-asthmatics (44.16%, with 27 not responding). The mean age of subjects was 19.91 +/- 2.76 yr. Smoking asthmatics numbered 154 (31.56%) non-asthmatic smokers numbered 207 (53.6%) (p non-smoking asthmatics. The prevalence of smoking is lower among asthmatics than among non-asthmatics and asthmatics smoke fewer cigarettes/day and have a lower level of addiction. There are no differences in age of or reasons for starting to smoke. Asthmatics have fewer smoking friends than do non-asthmatics and non-smoking asthmatics have fever still. the desire to quit smoking is high in both groups.

A comparative evaluation of cleaning efficacy (debris and smear layer removal) of hand and two NiTi rotary instrumentation systems (K3 and ProTaper): a SEM study.

Science.gov (United States)

Reddy, K Balakoti; Dash, Shreemoy; Kallepalli, Sowmya; Vallikanthan, Sangeetha; Chakrapani, N; Kalepu, Vamsi

2013-11-01

The present study was conducted to compare the cleaning efficacy (debris and smear layer removal) of hand and two NiTi rotary instrumentation systems (K3 and ProTaper). Sixty single rooted human maxillary anterior teeth decoronated at the cementoenamel junction were used. All the specimens were divided into four groups of 15 teeth each, group I--ProTaper rotary instrumentation done, group II--K3 rotary instrumentation done, group III--Stainless steel K-file instrumentation done, group IV--root canal irrigation without instrumentation. Root canal preparation was done in a crown down manner and 3% sodium hypochlorite was used as irrigant after each file followed by final rinse with 5 ml of 17% EDTA solution, then specimens were scanning electron microscopic (SEM) examination. Statistical analysis was done using one-way ANOVA followed by post hoc Tukey's HSD test. Group I showed highly statistical significant difference compared to other groups. There was no statistically significant difference considering smear layer at any levels among the groups with no smear layer formation in group IV. ProTaper rotary instrumentation showed the maximum cleaning efficacy followed by K3 rotary instrumentation in the coronal, middle and apical thirds of the root canal. ProTaper rotary instruments are more efficient than hand and K3 rotary instruments during root canal treatment.

Bifunctional silica nanospheres with 3-aminopropyl and phenyl groups. Synthesis approach and prospects of their applications

Science.gov (United States)

Kotsyuda, Sofiya S.; Tomina, Veronika V.; Zub, Yuriy L.; Furtat, Iryna M.; Lebed, Anastasia P.; Vaclavikova, Miroslava; Melnyk, Inna V.

2017-10-01

Spherical silica particles with bifunctional (tbnd Si(CH2)3NH2/tbnd SiC6H5) surface layers were synthesized by the Stöber method using ternary alkoxysilanes systems. The influence of the synthesis conditions, such as temperature and stirring time on the process of nanoparticles formation was studied. The presence of introduced functional groups was confirmed by FTIR. The composition of the surface layers examined by elemental analysis and acid-base titration was shown to be independent from the synthesis temperature. However, the size of the obtained particles depends on the synthesis temperature and, according to photon cross-correlation spectroscopy, can be varied from 50 to 846 nm. The variation of electric charges of N-functional groups was disclosed in obtained nanospheres and attributed to different surface location of these groups and their surrounding with other groups. The sorption of Cu(II) ions by functionalized silicas depends on the concentration of amino groups, which correlates with the isoelectric point values (determined to vary from 8.26 to 9.21). Bifunctional nanoparticles adsorb 99.0 mg/g of methylene blue, compared with 48.0 mg/g by silica sample with only amino groups. The nanospheres, both with and without adsorbed Cu2+, demonstrate reasonable antibacterial activity against S. aureus ATCC 25923, depending on particle concentration in water suspension.

Development of the fast reactor group constant set JFS-3-J3.2R based on the JENDL-3.2

CERN Document Server

Chiba, G

2002-01-01

It is reported that the fast reactor group constant set JFS-3-J3.2 based on the newest evaluated nuclear data library JENDL3.2 has a serious error in the process of applying the weighting function. As the error affects greatly nuclear characteristics, and a corrected version of the reactor constant set, JFS-3-J3.2R, was developed, as well as lumped FP cross sections. The use of JFS-3-J3.2R improves the results of analyses especially on sample Doppler reactivity and reaction rate in the blanket region in comparison with those obtained using the JFS-3-J3.2.

Representations of braid group obtained from quantum sl(3) enveloping algebra

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ma Zhongqi.

1989-07-01

The quantum Clebsch-Gordan coefficients for the coproduct 6x6 of the quantum sl(3) enveloping algebra are computed. Based on the representation 6, the representation of the braid group and the corresponding link polynomial are obtained. The link polynomials based on the representations of the quantum sl(3) enveloping algebra with one row Young tableau are discussed. (author). 11 refs, 3 tabs

Health Workforce Remuneration: comparing wage levels, ranking and dispersion of 16 occupational groups in 20 countries

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Tijdens, K.; de Vries, D.H.; Steinmetz, S.

2013-01-01

Background This article represents the first attempt to explore remuneration in Human Resources for Health (HRH), comparing wage levels, ranking and dispersion of 16 HRH occupational groups in 20 countries (Argentina, Belarus, Belgium, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, the Czech Republic, Finland, Germany,

Health workforce remuneration: Comparing wage levels, ranking, and dispersion of 16 occupational groups in 20 countries

NARCIS (Netherlands)

K.G. Tijdens (Kea); D.H. de Vries (Daniel); S.M. Steinmetz

2013-01-01

textabstractBackground: This article represents the first attempt to explore remuneration in Human Resources for Health (HRH), comparing wage levels, ranking and dispersion of 16 HRH occupational groups in 20 countries (Argentina, Belarus, Belgium, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, the Czech Republic,

Promoting ADL independence in vulnerable, community-dwelling older adults: a pilot RCT comparing 3-Step Workout for Life versus resistance exercise

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Liu C

2017-07-01

Full Text Available Chiung-ju Liu,1,2 Huiping Xu,3,4 NiCole R Keith,2,4,5 Daniel O Clark2,4,6 1Department of Occupational Therapy, Indiana University School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, 2Indiana University Center for Aging Research, 3Department of Biostatistics, Indiana University Richard M. Fairbanks School of Public Health, 4Regenstrief Institute, Inc., 5Department of Kinesiology, Indiana University School of Physical Education and Tourism Management, 6Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA Background: Resistance exercise is effective to increase muscle strength for older adults; however, its effect on the outcome of activities of daily living is often limited. The purpose of this study was to examine whether 3-Step Workout for Life (which combines resistance exercise, functional exercise, and activities of daily living exercise would be more beneficial than resistance exercise alone. Methods: A single-blind randomized controlled trial was conducted. Fifty-two inactive, community-dwelling older adults (mean age =73 years with muscle weakness and difficulty in activities of daily living were randomized to receive 3-Step Workout for Life or resistance exercise only. Participants in the 3-Step Workout for Life Group performed functional movements and selected activities of daily living at home in addition to resistance exercise. Participants in the Resistance Exercise Only Group performed resistance exercise only. Both groups were comparable in exercise intensity (moderate, duration (50–60 minutes each time for 10 weeks, and frequency (three times a week. Assessment of Motor and Process Skills, a standard performance test on activities of daily living, was administered at baseline, postintervention, and 6 months after intervention completion.Results: At postintervention, the 3-Step Workout for Life Group showed improvement on the outcome measure (mean change from baseline =0.29, P=0.02, but the improvement was not greater than

Learning to communicate risk information in groups

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hsuchi Ting

2008-12-01

Full Text Available Despite vigorous research on risk communication, little is known about the social forces that drive these choices. Erev, Wallsten, and Neal (1991 showed that forecasters learn to select verbal or numerical probability estimates as a function of which mode yields on average the larger group payoffs. We extend the result by investigating the effect of group size on the speed with which forecasters converge on the better communication mode. On the basis of social facilitation theory we hypothesized that small groups induce less arousal and anxiety among their members than do large groups when performing new tasks, and therefore that forecasters in small groups will learn the better communication mode more quickly. This result obtained in Experiment 1, which compared groups of size 3 to groups of size 5 or 6. To test whether social loafing rather than social facilitation was mediating the effects, Experiment 2 compared social to personal feedback holding group size constant at 3 members. Learning was faster in the personal feedback condition, suggesting that social facilitation rather than loafing underlay the results.

A comparative study of frontal bone morphology among Pleistocene hominin fossil groups.

Science.gov (United States)

Athreya, Sheela

2009-12-01

Features of the frontal bone that are conventionally used to distinguish among fossil hominin groups were quantitatively examined. Fifty-five fossil crania dating from the early to the late Pleistocene were analyzed. Using a modified pantograph, outlines of the frontal bone were collected along the midsagittal and two parasagittal planes. The profile from nasion to bregma, as well as two profiles above the medial and lateral sections of the orbit, respectively, extending from the orbital margin to the coronal suture were traced. The outlines were measured using Elliptical Fourier Function Analysis (EFFA), which enabled a quantification of aspects of the frontal bone that have historically been described primarily in nonmetric or linear terms. Four measurements were obtained: 1) overall morphology as expressed in the Fourier harmonic amplitudes; 2) maximum projection of the supraorbital torus at three points along the browridge (glabella and the medial and lateral aspects of the torus above the orbit); 3) maximum distance of the frontal squama from the frontal chord, capturing forehead curvature; and 4) nasion-bregma chord length. The results indicate that the midsagittal profile is significantly different among all Pleistocene groups in analyses that include both size and shape, as well as size-adjusted data. Homo erectus is significantly different from the late Pleistocene groups (Neandertals and early modern H. sapiens) in glabellar projection. Anatomically modern humans are significantly different from all other groups in both raw and size-standardized analyses of all three outlines that captured overall morphology, as well as forehead curvature and lateral supraorbital torus prominence, and middle Pleistocene Homo are significantly different in both medial and lateral overall parasagittal form. However, for the majority of analyses there were no significant differences among the Pleistocene archaic groups in supraorbital torus projection, frontal squama

Cardiovascular disease by diabetes status in five ethnic minority groups compared to ethnic Norwegians

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Diep Lien M

2011-07-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The population in Norway has become multi-ethnic due to migration from Asia and Africa over the recent decades. The aim of the present study was to explore differences in the self-reported prevalence of cardiovascular disease (CVD and associated risk factors by diabetes status in five ethnic minority groups compared to ethnic Norwegians. Methods Pooled data from three population-based cross-sectional studies conducted in Oslo between 2000 and 2002 was used. Of 54,473 invited individuals 24,749 (45.4% participated. The participants self-reported health status, underwent a clinical examination and blood samples were drawn. A total of 17,854 individuals aged 30 to 61 years born in Norway, Sri-Lanka, Pakistan, Iran, Vietnam or Turkey were included in the study. Chi-square tests, one-way ANOVAs, ANCOVAs, multiple and logistic regression were used. Results Age- and gender-standardized prevalence of self-reported CVD varied between 5.8% and 8.2% for the ethnic minority groups, compared to 2.9% among ethnic Norwegians (p Conclusions Ethnic differences in the prevalence of CVD were prominent for individuals without diabetes. Primary CVD prevention including identification of undiagnosed diabetes should be prioritized for ethnic minorities without known diabetes.

Effect of Group Setting on Gross Motor Performance in Children 3-5 Years Old with Motor Delays.

Science.gov (United States)

Fay, Deanne; Wilkinson, Tawna; Wagoner, Michelle; Brooks, Danna; Quinn, Lauren; Turnell, Andrea

2017-02-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate differences in gross motor performance of children 3-5 years of age with motor delays when assessed individually compared to assessment in a group setting among peers with typical development (TD). Twenty children with motor delays and 42 children with TD were recruited from a preschool program. A within-subject repeated measures design was used; each child with delay was tested both in an individual setting and in a group setting with two to four peers with TD. Testing sessions were completed 4-8 days apart. Ten different motor skills from the Peabody Developmental Motor Scales-2 were administered. Performance of each item was videotaped and scored by a blinded researcher. Overall gross motor performance was significantly different (p < .05) between the two settings, with 14 of 20 children demonstrating better performance in the group setting. In particular, children performed better on locomotion items (p < .05). The higher scores for locomotion in the group setting may be due to the influence of competition, motivation, or modeling. Assessing a child in a group setting is recommended as part of the evaluation process.

On integral representation of the Clebsh-Gordan coefficients of SU(3) group

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mal'tsev, V.M.

1985-01-01

The projection of arbitrary quark-gluon state on a singlet representation of SU(3) group is considered. It is given by an integral on the group. In this case the square of a Clebsch-Gordan coefficient is evaluated as the eight-fold integral over corresponding Eulerian angles

Validity test of the IPD-Work consortium approach for creating comparable job strain groups between Job Content Questionnaire and Demand-Control Questionnaire

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bongkyoo Choi

2015-04-01

Full Text Available Objectives: This study aims to test the validity of the IPD-Work Consortium approach for creating comparable job strain groups between the Job Content Questionnaire (JCQ and the Demand-Control Questionnaire (DCQ. Material and Methods: A random population sample (N = 682 of all middle-aged Malmö males and females was given a questionnaire with the 14-item JCQ and 11-item DCQ for the job control and job demands. The JCQ job control and job demands scores were calculated in 3 different ways: using the 14-item JCQ standard scale formulas (method 1; dropping 3 job control items and using the 11-item JCQ standard scale formulas with additional scale weights (method 2; and the approach of the IPD Group (method 3, dropping 3 job control items, but using the simple 11-item summation-based scale formulas. The high job strain was defined as a combination of high demands and low control. Results: Between the 2 questionnaires, false negatives for the high job strain were much greater than false positives (37–49% vs. 7–13%. When the method 3 was applied, the sensitivity of the JCQ for the high job strain against the DCQ was lowest (0.51 vs. 0.60–0.63 when the methods 1 and 2 were applied, although the specificity was highest (0.93 vs. 0.87–0.89 when the methods 1 and 2 were applied. The prevalence of the high job strain with the JCQ (the method 3 was applied was considerably lower (4–7% than with the JCQ (the methods 1 and 2 were applied and the DCQ. The number of congruent cases for the high job strain between the 2 questionnaires was smallest when the method 3 was applied. Conclusions: The IPD-Work Consortium approach showed 2 major weaknesses to be used for epidemiological studies on the high job strain and health outcomes as compared to the standard JCQ methods: the greater misclassification of the high job strain and lower prevalence of the high job strain.

Comparison of CASMO and NESSEL few group cross section libraries and their usage in DYN3D

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kuchin, A.; Ovdiyenko, Y.; Loetsch, T.

2007-01-01

This work presents comparative analysis of two group diffusion cross section libraries which were generated by NESSEL-4 and CASMO-4 lattice codes. Diffusion parameters were calculated for VVER-1000 fuel assemblies with stainless steel spacing grids and guiding tubes. These cross section sets were introduced into reactor core code DYN3D and tested on the base of real reactor core states. In this case operation data of the first three fuel cycles of 6-th unit of Zaporizhzhya NPP were used

The Comparative Study of Collaborative Learning and SDLC Model to develop IT Group Projects

OpenAIRE

Sorapak Pukdesree

2017-01-01

The main objectives of this research were to compare the attitudes of learners between applying SDLC model with collaborative learning and typical SDLC model and to develop electronic courseware as group projects. The research was a quasi-experimental research. The populations of the research were students who took Computer Organization and Architecture course in the academic year 2015. There were 38 students who participated to the research. The participants were divided voluntary into two g...

42 CFR 52h.3 - Establishment and operation of peer review groups.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... 42 Public Health 1 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Establishment and operation of peer review groups... GRANTS SCIENTIFIC PEER REVIEW OF RESEARCH GRANT APPLICATIONS AND RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT CONTRACT PROJECTS § 52h.3 Establishment and operation of peer review groups. (a) To the extent applicable, the...

A comparative study of olanzapine versus asenapine in acute treatment of manic episode: A 3-week prospective study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ajeet Sidana

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Treatment of bipolar disorders has evolved over the years from conventional mood stabilizers to second-generation antipsychotics. Among the atypical antipsychotics, few have been approved by Food and Drug Administration as treatment of bipolar disorders. Aim: To study the efficacy and tolerability of olanzapine and asenapine in the acute treatment of bipolar disorder-manic episode in a 3-week randomized prospective study. Materials and Methods: A 3-week randomized, prospective, comparative, flexible doses of olanzapine (5-30 mg/day and asenapine (10-20 mg/day for acute treatment of bipolar disorder-current manic episode with or without psychotic symptoms in hospitalized patients. Results: The end-point reduction in mean score of Young Mania rating scale in the olanzapine group was 15.82 in comparison to 6.88 in the asenapine group. Mean score on clinical global impression for bipolar disorder and positive and negative syndrome scale was significantly less in the olanzapine group at the end of the study. 81.81% patients in olanzapine group and 17.60% patients in asenapine group had clinical response. There was significant average weight gain in the olanzapine group - 1.9 kg in comparison to 0.87 kg in asenapine group. Conclusion: The clinical response with olanzapine is significantly higher than the asenapine in the treatment of bipolar disorder-manic episode with or without psychotic symptoms. However, there is significant weight gain in olanzapine-treated patients.

Synthesis of Thioethers by InI3-Catalyzed Substitution of Siloxy Group Using Thiosilanes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yoshihiro Nishimoto

2016-10-01

Full Text Available The substitution of a siloxy group using thiosilanes smoothly occurred in the presence of InI3 catalyst to yield the corresponding thioethers. InI3 was a specifically effective catalyst in this reaction system, while other typical Lewis acids such as BF3⋅OEt2, AlCl3, and TiCl4 were ineffective. Various silyl ethers such as primary alkyl, secondary alkyl, tertiary alkyl, allylic, benzylic, and propargylic types were applicable. In addition, bulky OSitBuMe2 and OSiiPr3 groups, other than the OSiMe3 group, were successfully substituted. The substitution reaction of enantiopure secondary benzylic silyl ether yielded the corresponding racemic thioether product, which suggested that the reaction of tertiary alkyl, secondary alkyl, benzylic, and propargylic silyl ethers would proceed via a SN1 mechanism.

Comparative evaluation of 2.3 mm locking plate system vs conventional 2.0 mm non locking plate system for mandibular condyle fracture fixation: a seven year retrospective study.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, J; Wang, X; Wu, R-H; Zhuang, Q-W; Gu, Q P; Meng, J

2015-01-01

This retrospective study evaluated the efficacy of a 2.3 mm locking plate/screw system compared with a 2.0-mm non-locking plate/screw system in fixation of isolated non comminuted mandibular condyle fractures. Surgical records of 101 patients who received either a 2.3 mm locking plate (group A, n = 51) or 2.0 mm non locking plate (group B, n = 50) were analyzed. All patients were followed up to a minimum of 6 months postoperatively and evaluated for hardware related complications, occlusal stability, need for and duration of MMF and mandibular functional results. Four complications occurred in the locking group and eighteen in the non locking group with complication rates equalling 8% and 36% respectively. When comparing the overall results according to plates used, the χ2 test showed a statistically significant difference between the locking and non locking plates (p Mandibular condyle fractures treated with a 2.3 mm locking plate exhibited stable osteosynthesis, were associated with minimal complications and resulted in acceptable mandibular range of motion compared with a 2.0 mm non locking plate.

Comparing telehealth-based and clinic-based group cognitive behavioral therapy for adults with depression and anxiety: a pilot study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Khatri N

2014-05-01

Full Text Available Nasreen Khatri, Elsa Marziali, Illia Tchernikov, Nancy ShepherdRotman Research Institute, Toronto, ON, CanadaBackground: The primary objective of this pilot study was to demonstrate reliable adherence to a group cognitive behavioral (CBT therapy protocol when delivered using on-line video conferencing as compared with face-to-face delivery of group CBT. A secondary aim was to show comparability of changes in subject depression inventory scores between on-line and face-to-face delivery of group CBT.Methods: We screened 31 individuals, 18 of whom met the criteria for a DSM-IV (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th Edition diagnosis of mood and/or anxiety disorder. All qualifying participants had the necessary equipment (computer, webcam, Internet for participation in the study, but could exercise their preference for either the on-line or face-to-face format. Eighteen completed the 13 weekly session intervention program (ten face-to-face; eight video conferencing. We coded adherence to protocol in both intervention formats and generated pre–post changes in scores on the Beck Depression Inventory Second Edition (BDI-II for each participant.Results: Application of the CBT protocol coding system showed reliable adherence to the group CBT intervention protocol in both delivery formats. Similarly, qualitative analysis of the themes in group discussion indicated that both groups addressed similar issues. Pre–post intervention scores for the BDI-II were comparable across the two delivery formats, with 60% of participants in each group showing a positive change in BDI-II severity classification (eg, from moderate to low symptoms.Conclusion: This pilot study demonstrates that group CBT could be delivered in a technology-supported environment (on-line video conferencing and can meet the same professional practice standards and outcomes as face-to-face delivery of the intervention program.Keywords: psychotherapy, gerontology, mood

Development of end group for 1.3 GHZ nine cell SCRF cavity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yedle, Ajay; Bagre, Manish; Maurya, Tilak; Yadav, Anand; Puntambekar, Avinash; Mahawar, Ashish; Mohania, Praveen; Shrivastava, Purushottam; Joshi, Satish Chandra

2013-01-01

Raja Ramanna Centre for Advanced Technology (RRCAT) is developing 1.3 GHz superconducting radio frequency (SCRF) cavities as part of SCRF technology development. The 1.3 GHz nine cell SCRF cavities comprise of multiple cells and end groups at each end. These end groups are important parts of a multi-cell cavity. They serve as interface for putting RF power to cavity, pick up the signal for various RF control and have higher order modes (HOM) coupler. The multiple parts with intricate shape, complex weld geometry and stringent RF requirements pose various challenges in their manufacturing. This paper presents the efforts on development of end groups comprising of manufacturing of various parts, their fabrication by electron beam welding process and pre-qualification including mechanical measurement, vacuum leak testing RF measurement. (author)

The effects of Internet-based exercise compared with supervised group exercise in people with type 2 diabetes: a randomized controlled study.

Science.gov (United States)

Akinci, Buket; Yeldan, Ipek; Satman, Ilhan; Dirican, Ahmet; Ozdincler, Arzu Razak

2018-06-01

To compare the effects of Internet-based exercise on glycaemic control, blood lipids, body composition, physical activity level, functional capacity, and quality of life with supervised group exercise in patients with type 2 diabetes. Single-blind, randomized controlled study. A Faculty of Health Sciences. A total of 65 patients with type 2 diabetes (47 women, 18 men). Group A ( n = 22), control group - physical activity counselling once with a brochure. Group B ( n = 22), supervised group-based exercise, three days per week for eight weeks. Group C ( n = 21), Internet-based exercise following the same programme via a website. Primary outcomes - glycosylated haemoglobin, fasting blood glucose, high-density and low-density lipoprotein, triglyceride, and cholesterol. Secondary outcomes - waist and hip circumferences, body mass index, number of steps, six-minute walking test, and Euro-Quality of Life-5 Dimension. After treatment, glycaemic control (mean change for Group B; Group C; -0.80%, -0.91%, P = 0.003), waist circumference (-4.23 cm, 5.64 cm, P = 0.006), and quality of life (0.26, 0.15, P = 0.013) significantly improved in both training groups compared with the control group. Fasting blood glucose (-46.86 mg/dL, P = 0.009) and hip circumference (-2.7 cm, P = 0.011) were significantly decreased in Group B and total cholesterol (-16.4 mg/dL, P = 0.028), six-minute walking distance (30.5 m, P = 0.01), and number of steps (1258.05, P = 0.023) significantly improved in Group C compared with control group. Group B and Group C changed with equal magnitude. In type 2 diabetes, supervised group-based and Internet-based exercise can improve equally glycaemic control, waist circumference, and quality of life, and both are better than simply counselling.

Randomized controlled trial of group cognitive behavioral therapy compared to a discussion group for co-morbid anxiety and depression in older adults.

Science.gov (United States)

Wuthrich, V M; Rapee, R M; Kangas, M; Perini, S

2016-03-01

Co-morbid anxiety and depression in older adults is associated with worse physical and mental health outcomes and poorer response to psychological and pharmacological treatments in older adults. However, there is a paucity of research focused on testing the efficacy of the co-morbid treatment of anxiety and depression in older adults using psychological interventions. Accordingly, the primary objective of the current study was to test the effects of a group cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) program in treating co-morbid anxiety and depression in a sample of older age adults. A total of 133 community-dwelling participants aged ⩾60 years (mean age = 67.35, s.d. = 5.44, male = 59) with both an anxiety disorder and unipolar mood disorder, as assessed on the Anxiety Disorder Interview Schedule (ADIS), were randomly allocated to an 11-week CBT group or discussion group. Participants with Mini-Mental State Examination scores <26 were excluded. Participants were assessed pre-treatment, post-treatment and at 6 months follow-up on the ADIS, a brief measure of well-being, Geriatric Anxiety Inventory and Geriatric Depression Scale. Both conditions resulted in significant improvements over time on all diagnostic, symptom and wellbeing measures. Significant group × time interaction effects emerged at post-treatment only for diagnostic severity of the primary disorder, mean severity of all anxiety disorders, mood disorders, and all disorders, and recovery rates on primary disorder. Group CBT produced faster and sustained improvements in anxiety and depression on diagnostic severity and recovery rates compared to an active control in older adults.

Comparative study of cerebral atrophy in various alcoholic groups, based on CT findings

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ishii, Tomoyuki (Nippon Medical School, Tokyo)

1983-02-01

The alcoholics were diagnosed and classified based on the criteria, offered at the Alcoholism Diagnostic Conference (1977) which was held under the auspices of the Ministry of Welfare, Japan. Grade of cerebral atrophy was estimated. Measurement items on the Computed Tomography (CT Scan) which contributed to discrimination among these groups were investigated simultaneously. The study consisted of seventy-five alcoholic patients and control group of ninety-four who were devoid of any evidence for alcoholism. Influential factors which were involved in cerebral atrophy of the alcoholic groups were investigated and factorial analysis was completed. There was a definite increase in cerebral atrophy during the aging process in patients with long term durations of drinking alcohol. There was a close correlation between age and duration of drinking alcohol. After the results of canonical discriminant analysis against 9 CT items, the Ventricle index definitely contributed both in the discrimination between the alcoholics and the controls and in the discrimination between alcoholic dementia and other alcoholic psychoses. Furthermore, the horizontal diameter of the third ventricle contributed to the latter discrimination, while the Evans' index contributed to the former discrimination. Therefore, the Ventricle index and the Evans' index turn out as the most valuable diagnostic criteria, as well as the CT index against cerebral atrophy in the alcoholics; however, the horizontal diameter of the third ventricle is useful in comparing among alcoholic psychoses.

Enhanced Phospholipase A2 Group 3 Expression by Oxidative Stress Decreases the Insulin-Degrading Enzyme

Science.gov (United States)

Yui, Daishi; Nishida, Yoichiro; Nishina, Tomoko; Mogushi, Kaoru; Tajiri, Mio; Ishibashi, Satoru; Ajioka, Itsuki; Ishikawa, Kinya; Mizusawa, Hidehiro; Murayama, Shigeo; Yokota, Takanori

2015-01-01

Oxidative stress has a ubiquitous role in neurodegenerative diseases and oxidative damage in specific regions of the brain is associated with selective neurodegeneration. We previously reported that Alzheimer disease (AD) model mice showed decreased insulin-degrading enzyme (IDE) levels in the cerebrum and accelerated phenotypic features of AD when crossbred with alpha-tocopherol transfer protein knockout (Ttpa -/-) mice. To further investigate the role of chronic oxidative stress in AD pathophysiology, we performed DNA microarray analysis using young and aged wild-type mice and aged Ttpa -/- mice. Among the genes whose expression changed dramatically was Phospholipase A2 group 3 (Pla2g3); Pla2g3 was identified because of its expression profile of cerebral specific up-regulation by chronic oxidative stress in silico and in aged Ttpa -/- mice. Immunohistochemical studies also demonstrated that human astrocytic Pla2g3 expression was significantly increased in human AD brains compared with control brains. Moreover, transfection of HEK293 cells with human Pla2g3 decreased endogenous IDE expression in a dose-dependent manner. Our findings show a key role of Pla2g3 on the reduction of IDE, and suggest that cerebrum specific increase of Pla2g3 is involved in the initiation and/or progression of AD. PMID:26637123

Enhanced Phospholipase A2 Group 3 Expression by Oxidative Stress Decreases the Insulin-Degrading Enzyme.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Daishi Yui

Full Text Available Oxidative stress has a ubiquitous role in neurodegenerative diseases and oxidative damage in specific regions of the brain is associated with selective neurodegeneration. We previously reported that Alzheimer disease (AD model mice showed decreased insulin-degrading enzyme (IDE levels in the cerebrum and accelerated phenotypic features of AD when crossbred with alpha-tocopherol transfer protein knockout (Ttpa-/- mice. To further investigate the role of chronic oxidative stress in AD pathophysiology, we performed DNA microarray analysis using young and aged wild-type mice and aged Ttpa-/- mice. Among the genes whose expression changed dramatically was Phospholipase A2 group 3 (Pla2g3; Pla2g3 was identified because of its expression profile of cerebral specific up-regulation by chronic oxidative stress in silico and in aged Ttpa-/- mice. Immunohistochemical studies also demonstrated that human astrocytic Pla2g3 expression was significantly increased in human AD brains compared with control brains. Moreover, transfection of HEK293 cells with human Pla2g3 decreased endogenous IDE expression in a dose-dependent manner. Our findings show a key role of Pla2g3 on the reduction of IDE, and suggest that cerebrum specific increase of Pla2g3 is involved in the initiation and/or progression of AD.

DiagTest3Grp: An R Package for Analyzing Diagnostic Tests with Three Ordinal Groups

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jingqin Luo

2012-10-01

Full Text Available Medical researchers endeavor to identify potentially useful biomarkers to develop marker-based screening assays for disease diagnosis and prevention. Useful summary measures which properly evaluate the discriminative ability of diagnostic markers are critical for this purpose. Literature and existing software, for example, R packages nicely cover summary measures for diagnostic markers used for the binary case (e.g., healthy vs. diseased. An intermediate population at an early disease stage usually exists between the healthy and the fully diseased population in many disease processes. Supporting utilities for three-group diagnostic tests are highly desired and important for identifying patients at the early disease stage for timely treatments. However, application packages which provide summary measures for three ordinal groups are currently lacking. This paper focuses on two summary measures of diagnostic accuracy—volume under the receiver operating characteristic surface and the extended Youden index, with three diagnostic groups. We provide the R package DiagTest3Grp to estimate, under both parametric and nonparametric assumptions, the two summary measures and the associated variances, as well as the optimal cut-points for disease diagnosis. An omnibus test for multiple markers and a Wald test for two markers, on independent or paired samples, are incorporated to compare diagnostic accuracy across biomarkers. Sample size calculation under the normality assumption can be performed in the R package to design future diagnostic studies. A real world application evaluating the diagnostic accuracy of neuropsychological markers for Alzheimer’s disease is used to guide readers through step-by-step implementation of DiagTest3Grp to demonstrate its utility.

Culture and group-based emotions: could group-based emotions be dialectical?

Science.gov (United States)

Lu, Minjie; Hamamura, Takeshi; Doosje, Bertjan; Suzuki, Satoko; Takemura, Kosuke

2017-08-01

Group-based emotions are experienced when individuals are engaged in emotion-provoking events that implicate the in-group. This research examines the complexity of group-based emotions, specifically a concurrence of positive and negative emotions, focusing on the role of dialecticism, or a set of folk beliefs prevalent in Asian cultures that views nature and objects as constantly changing, inherently contradictory, and fundamentally interconnected. Study 1 found that dialecticism is positively associated with the complexity of Chinese participants' group-based emotions after reading a scenario depicting a positive intergroup experience. Study 2 found that Chinese participants experienced more complex group-based emotions compared with Dutch participants in an intergroup situation and that this cultural difference was mediated by dialecticism. Study 3 manipulated dialecticism and confirmed its causal effect on complex group-based emotions. These studies also suggested the role of a balanced appraisal of an intergroup situation as a mediating factor.

Oral health status of two 12-year-old socially disadvantaged groups in South India: a comparative study.

Science.gov (United States)

Singh, Abhinav; Sequiera, Peter; Acharya, Shashidhar; Bhat, Maghashyam

2011-01-01

The aim of the present study was to compare and assess the oral health status of 12-year-old children from two socially disadvantaged groups in the Udupi district of South India. A total of 327 children were examined in Ashrama schools, and 340 children were randomly selected for comparison from other government schools. Modified WHO proforma was used for clinical examination. Oral hygiene practices, dental fluorosis, periodontal status, dentition status and dentofacial anomalies were assessed and compared. Chi square test was used for comparison between categorical variables and Mann-Whitney test for comparison between two groups for quantitative variables. P u 0.05 was considered as statistically significant. Dental fluorosis was detected in 22.9% children from Ashrama schools, whereas in the comparison group 14.4% children had dental fluorosis (P u 0.001). Mean Decayed teeth and DMFT value in Ashrama school children were 1.15 ± 1.62, and 1.15 ± 1.62, respectively. In the comparison group, the corresponding values were 0.46 ± 0.98 and 0.48 ± 1.04, respectively (P u 0.001). The mean number of sextants in the Ashrama school children with Community Periodontal Index score 2 was 2.00 ± 1.53, whereas in the comparison group it was 1.31 ± 1.53 (P u 0.001). No significant differences were noted between two groups with respect to Dental Aesthetic Index scores. The present study revealed higher levels of dental caries experience, untreated dental disease and social disadvantage of the children attending Ashrama schools, providing evidence for the need to address the health inequalities of these children.

Disparities in abnormal mammogram follow-up time for Asian women compared with non-Hispanic white women and between Asian ethnic groups.

Science.gov (United States)

Nguyen, Kim H; Pasick, Rena J; Stewart, Susan L; Kerlikowske, Karla; Karliner, Leah S

2017-09-15

Delays in abnormal mammogram follow-up contribute to poor outcomes. In the current study, the authors examined differences in abnormal screening mammogram follow-up between non-Hispanic white (NHW) and Asian women. The authors used a prospective cohort of NHW and Asian women with a Breast Imaging, Reporting and Data System (BI-RADS) abnormal result of category 0 or 3-plus in the San Francisco Mammography Registry between 2000 and 2010. Kaplan-Meier estimation for the median number of days to follow-up with a diagnostic radiologic test was performed, and the authors compared the percentage of women with follow-up at 30 days, 60 days, and 90 days and no follow-up at 1 year for Asian women overall (and Asian ethnic groups) and NHW women. In addition, the authors assessed the relationship between race/ethnicity and time to follow-up with adjusted Cox proportional hazards models. Among Asian women, Vietnamese and Filipina women had the longest, and Japanese women the shortest, median follow-up (32 days, 28 days, and 19 days, respectively) compared with NHW women (15 days). The percentage of women receiving follow-up at 30 days was lower for Asians versus NHWs (57% vs 77%; PAsian ethnic groups except Japanese. Asian women had a reduced hazard of follow-up compared with NHW women (adjusted hazard ratio, 0.70; 95% confidence interval, 0.69-0.72). Asian women also had a higher rate of receiving no follow-up compared with NHW women (15% vs 10%; PAsian ethnic groups, Filipinas were found to have the highest percentage of women with no follow-up (18.1%). Asian women, particularly Filipina and Vietnamese women, were less likely than NHW women to receive timely follow-up after an abnormal screening mammogram. Research should disaggregate Asian ethnicity to better understand and address barriers to effective cancer prevention. Cancer 2017;123:3468-75. © 2017 American Cancer Society. © 2017 American Cancer Society.

[3H]-labelling of hydroxyethyl groups - synthesis of S-(2-hydroxy [2-3H] ethyl) glutathione and of [3H]-melphalan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Verny, M.; Nicolas, C.

1988-01-01

The easy preparation of 2-bromo [1- 3 H] ethanol allows the tritium labelling of molecules bearing S- or N-hydroxyethyl groups. Thus S-(2-hydroxy [2- 3 H] ethyl) glutathione and [ 3 H]-Melphalan were synthesised with specific radioactivities of around 10 mCi/mmol (370 MBq/mmol). These values could be theoretically raised to 10 Ci/mmol (370 GBq/mmol), according to the specific activity of the labelling precursor, sodium [ 3 H] borohydride. (author)

Group Music Training and Children's Prosocial Skills.

Science.gov (United States)

Schellenberg, E Glenn; Corrigall, Kathleen A; Dys, Sebastian P; Malti, Tina

2015-01-01

We investigated if group music training in childhood is associated with prosocial skills. Children in 3rd or 4th grade who attended 10 months of music lessons taught in groups were compared to a control group of children matched for socio-economic status. All children were administered tests of prosocial skills near the beginning and end of the 10-month period. Compared to the control group, children in the music group had larger increases in sympathy and prosocial behavior, but this effect was limited to children who had poor prosocial skills before the lessons began. The effect was evident even when the lessons were compulsory, which minimized the role of self-selection. The results suggest that group music training facilitates the development of prosocial skills.

Azobenzene versus 3,3',5,5'-tetra-tert-butyl-azobenzene (TBA) at Au(111): characterizing the role of spacer groups.

Science.gov (United States)

McNellis, Erik R; Bronner, Christopher; Meyer, Jörg; Weinelt, Martin; Tegeder, Petra; Reuter, Karsten

2010-06-28

We present large-scale density-functional theory (DFT) calculations and temperature programmed desorption measurements to characterize the structural, energetic and vibrational properties of the functionalized molecular switch 3,3',5,5'-tetra-tert-butyl-azobenzene (TBA) adsorbed at Au(111). Particular emphasis is placed on exploring the accuracy of the semi-empirical dispersion correction approach to semi-local DFT (DFT-D) in accounting for the substantial van der Waals component in the surface bonding. In line with previous findings for benzene and pure azobenzene at coinage metal surfaces, DFT-D significantly overbinds the molecule, but seems to yield an accurate adsorption geometry as far as can be judged from the experimental data. Comparing the trans adsorption geometry of TBA and azobenzene at Au(111) reveals a remarkable insensitivity of the structural and vibrational properties of the -N[double bond, length as m-dash]N- moiety. This questions the established view of the role of the bulky tert-butyl-spacer groups for the switching of TBA in terms of a mere geometric decoupling of the photochemically active diazo-bridge from the gold substrate.

Unravelling the influence of mild traumatic brain injury (MTBI) on cognitive-linguistic processing: a comparative group analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Barwood, Caroline H S; Murdoch, Bruce E

2013-06-01

Cognitive-linguistic deficits often accompany traumatic brain injury (TBI) and can negatively impact communicative competency. The linguistic sequelae underpinning mild TBI (MTBI) remain largely unexplored in contemporary literature. The present research methods aim to provide group evidence pertaining to the influence of MTBI on linguistic and higher-level language processing. Extrapolating on the findings of recent case reports, it is hypothesized that performance of the MTBI patients will be significantly reduced compared to normal controls performance on the employed high-level linguistic tasks. Sixteen patients with MTBI and 16 age- and education-matched normal control participants were assessed using a comprehensive battery of cognitive-linguistic assessments. The results demonstrated statistically significant differences between MTBI and normal control group performance across a number of higher-level linguistic, general cognitive and general language tasks. MTBI group performance was significantly lower than the normal control group on tasks requiring complex lexical semantic operations and memory demands, including: Recall, organization, making inferences, naming and perception/discrimination. These outcomes confer that post-MTBI, cognitive, high-level language and isolated general language performance (e.g. naming) is significantly reduced in MTBI patients, compared to normal controls. Furthermore, the detailed cognitive-linguistic profile offered provides a necessary direction for the identification of areas of linguistic decline in MTBI and targets for therapeutic intervention of impaired cognitive-linguistic processes to ultimately improve communicative outcomes in MTBI.

Validity test of the IPD-Work consortium approach for creating comparable job strain groups between Job Content Questionnaire and Demand-Control Questionnaire.

Science.gov (United States)

Choi, Bongkyoo; Ko, Sangbaek; Ostergren, Per-Olof

2015-01-01

This study aims to test the validity of the IPD-Work Consortium approach for creating comparable job strain groups between the Job Content Questionnaire (JCQ) and the Demand-Control Questionnaire (DCQ). A random population sample (N = 682) of all middle-aged Malmö males and females was given a questionnaire with the 14-item JCQ and 11-item DCQ for the job control and job demands. The JCQ job control and job demands scores were calculated in 3 different ways: using the 14-item JCQ standard scale formulas (method 1); dropping 3 job control items and using the 11-item JCQ standard scale formulas with additional scale weights (method 2); and the approach of the IPD Group (method 3), dropping 3 job control items, but using the simple 11-item summation-based scale formulas. The high job strain was defined as a combination of high demands and low control. Between the 2 questionnaires, false negatives for the high job strain were much greater than false positives (37-49% vs. 7-13%). When the method 3 was applied, the sensitivity of the JCQ for the high job strain against the DCQ was lowest (0.51 vs. 0.60-0.63 when the methods 1 and 2 were applied), although the specificity was highest (0.93 vs. 0.87-0.89 when the methods 1 and 2 were applied). The prevalence of the high job strain with the JCQ (the method 3 was applied) was considerably lower (4-7%) than with the JCQ (the methods 1 and 2 were applied) and the DCQ. The number of congruent cases for the high job strain between the 2 questionnaires was smallest when the method 3 was applied. The IPD-Work Consortium approach showed 2 major weaknesses to be used for epidemiological studies on the high job strain and health outcomes as compared to the standard JCQ methods: the greater misclassification of the high job strain and lower prevalence of the high job strain. This work is available in Open Access model and licensed under a CC BY-NC 3.0 PL license.

Estimation of sensing characteristics for refractory nitrides based gain assisted core-shell plasmonic nanoparticles

Science.gov (United States)

Shishodia, Manmohan Singh; Pathania, Pankaj

2018-04-01

Refractory transition metal nitrides such as zirconium nitride (ZrN), hafnium nitride (HfN) and titanium nitride (TiN) have emerged as viable alternatives to coinage metals based plasmonic materials, e.g., gold (Au) and silver (Ag). The present work assesses the suitability of gain assisted ZrN-, HfN- and TiN-based conventional core-shell nanoparticles (CCSNPs) and multilayered core-shell nanoparticles (MCSNPs) for refractive index sensing. We report that the optical gain incorporation in the dielectric layer leads to multifold enhancement of the scattering efficiency (Qsca), substantial reduction of the spectral full width at half maximum, and a higher figure of merit (FOM). In comparison with CCSNPs, the MCSNP system exhibits superior sensing characteristics such as higher FOM, ˜ 45% reduction in the critical optical gain, response shift towards the biological window, and higher degree of tunability. Inherent biocompatibility, growth compatibility, chemical stability and flexible spectral tuning of refractory nitrides augmented by superior sensing properties in the present work may pave the way for refractory nitrides based low cost sensing.

Body Esteem in a Western Australian Cleft Lip and/or Palate Cohort Across 3 Age Groups.

Science.gov (United States)

Nicholls, Wendy; Harper, Craig; Selvey, Linda A; Robinson, Suzanne; Hartig, Gerald; Persson, Martin

2018-04-01

To determine if patients with cleft lip and/or palate (CL/P) from a Western Australian (WA) cohort were more dissatisfied with their body esteem than a normative non-cleft cohort, and identify demographic variables that may have significant associations with body esteem. Questionnaire study using the Body-Esteem Scale (BES) and Cleft Research Questionnaire (CRQ). Self-selected participants from a Western Australian CL/P population across 3 age groups (n=359). The BES is comprised of 3 factors: BE-Appearance, BE-Weight and BE-Attribution. Study mean BES factor scores were compared to normative non-cleft scores. Regression analysis was used to determine significant associations within each age group between BES factor scores and CRQ variables of: gender, self-reported body weight category, cleft type and importance of facial appearance rating. Study mean BE-Attribution scores were significantly lower than the normative scores and significantly lower than the mean BE-Appearance and BE-Weight factor scores within the same age groups of this study. Having a cleft type of lip and palate, being overweight, and placing a high importance on facial appearance had significant negative associations with BES scores. Maintaining a normal body weight and placing a lower level of importance on facial appearance had significant positive associations. Gender had no significant associations. In this study, the attribution aspect of body esteem had a greater negative impact on patients than their appearance and body weight. This has important implications for clinical treatment and support of patients.

Interactive affective sharing versus non-interactive affective sharing in work groups : Comparative effects of group affect on work group performance and dynamics

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Klep, Annefloor; Wisse, Barbara; Van Der Flier, Henk

This study explores whether the dynamic path to group affect, which is characterized by interactive affective sharing processes, yields different effects on task performance and group dynamics than the static path to group affect, which arises from non-interactive affective sharing. The results of

Interactive affective sharing versus non-interactive affective sharing in work groups: Comparative effects of group affect on work group performance and dynamics

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Klep, A.H.M.; Wisse, B.M.; van der Flier, H.

2011-01-01

This study explores whether the dynamic path to group affect, which is characterized by interactive affective sharing processes, yields different effects on task performance and group dynamics than the static path to group affect, which arises from non-interactive affective sharing. The results of

Patient education with or without manual therapy compared to a control group in patients with osteoarthritis of the hip. A proof-of-principle three-arm parallel group randomized clinical trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Poulsen, E; Hartvigsen, J; Christensen, H W; Roos, E M; Vach, W; Overgaard, S

2013-10-01

To investigate the effectiveness of a patient education (PE) program with or without the added effect of manual therapy (MT) compared to a minimal control intervention (MCI). In a single-center university hospital setting, a total of 118 patients with clinical and radiographic unilateral hip osteoarthritis (OA) from primary care were randomized into one of three groups: PE, PE plus MT or MCI. The PE was taught by a physiotherapist involving five sessions. The MT was delivered by a chiropractor involving 12 sessions and the MCI included a home stretching program. Primary outcome was self-reported pain severity on an 11-box numeric rating scale (NRS) immediately following a 6-week intervention period. Patients were followed for 1 year. Primary analysis included 111 patients (94%). In the combined group (PE + MT), a clinically relevant reduction in pain severity compared to the MCI of 1.90 points (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.9-2.9) was achieved. Effect size (Cohen's d) for the PE + MT minus the MCI was 0.92 (95% CI 0.41-1.42). Number needed to treat for PE + MT was 3 (95% CI 2-7). No difference was found between the PE and MCI groups, with mean difference 0.0 (95% CI -1.0 to 1.0). At 12 months, not including patients receiving hip surgery the statistically significant difference favoring PE + MT was maintained. For primary care patients with OA of the hip, a combined intervention of MT and PE was more effective than a MCI. PE alone was not superior to the MCI. clinicaltrials.govNCT01039337. Copyright © 2013 Osteoarthritis Research Society International. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

COMPARING 3D FOOT SHAPE MODELS BETWEEN TAIWANESE AND JAPANESE FEMALES.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Yu-Chi; Kouchi, Makiko; Mochimaru, Masaaki; Wang, Mao-Jiun

2015-06-01

This study compares foot shape and foot dimensions between Taiwanese and Japanese females. One hundred Taiwanese and 100 Japanese female 3D foot scanning data were used for comparison. To avoid the allometry effect, data from 23 Taiwanese and 19 Japanese with foot length between 233 to 237 mm were used for shape comparison. Homologous models created for the right feet of the 42 subjects were analyzed by Multidimensional Scaling. The results showed that there were significant differences in the forefoot shape between the two groups, and Taiwanese females had slightly wider feet with straighter big toe than Japanese females. The results of body and foot dimension comparison indicated that Taiwanese females were taller, heavier and had larger feet than Japanese females, while Japanese females had significantly larger toe 1 angle. Since some Taiwanese shoemakers adopt the Japanese shoe sizing system for making shoes, appropriateness of the shoe sizing system was also discussed. The present results provide very useful information for improving shoe last design and footwear fit for Taiwanese females.

COMPAR: A system for comparing multigroup cross-sections generated by NJOY, GROUPIE, FLANGE-II, ETOG-3 and XLACS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anaf, J.; Chalhoub, E.S.

1988-02-01

A system consisting of the COMPAR computer program and its interfaces which was developed for comparing multigroup cross-sections generated by NJOY, GROUPIE, FLANGE-II, ETOG-3 and XLACS is presented. (author). 13 refs

Comparison of natural drainage group and negative drainage groups after total thyroidectomy: prospective randomized controlled study.

Science.gov (United States)

Woo, Seung Hoon; Kim, Jin Pyeong; Park, Jung Je; Shim, Hyun Seok; Lee, Sang Ha; Lee, Ho Joong; Won, Seong Jun; Son, Hee Young; Kim, Rock Bum; Son, Young-Ik

2013-01-01

The aim of this study was to compare a negative pressure drain with a natural drain in order to determine whether a negative pressure drainage tube causes an increase in the drainage volume. Sixty-two patients who underwent total thyroidectomy for papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) were enrolled in the study between March 2010 and August 2010 at Gyeongsang National University Hospital. The patients were prospectively and randomly assigned to two groups, a negative pressure drainage group (n=32) and natural drainage group (n=30). Every 3 hours, the volume of drainage was checked in the two groups until the tube was removed. The amount of drainage during the first 24 hours postoperatively was 41.68 ± 3.93 mL in the negative drain group and 25.3 ± 2.68 mL in the natural drain group (pdrain group was 35.19 ± 4.26 mL and natural drain groups 21.53 ± 2.90 mL (pdrain may increase the amount of drainage during the first 24-48 hours postoperatively. Therefore, it is not necessary to place a closed suction drain when only a total thyroidectomy is done.

Revision of fast reactor group constant set JFS-3-J2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Takano, Hideki; Kaneko, Kunio.

1989-10-01

To improve the fast reactor group constant set JFS-3-J2 to be applicable for high burnup reactor calculations, group constants for 155 fission product nuclides and the lumped group cross sections for four mother fission isotopes of U-235, U-238, Pu-239 and Pu-241 have been generated. Furthermore, the group constants for higher actinides such as Am and Cm have been produced on the basis of the JENDL-2 nuclear data, so as to be able to use for TRU-transmutation calculations. Benchmark test of this revised set has been performed by analysing the 21 fast critical experimental assemblies. Benchmark calculation system based on one-dimensional Sn-method has been developed to investigate the accuracy of one-dimensional diffusion calculations. Significant difference between the results obtained with the diffusion and transport calculations was observed for small cores and the assemblies with iron or nickel reflector. (author)

Rubinstein-Taybi syndrome predisposing to non-WNT, non-SHH, group 3 medulloblastoma.

Science.gov (United States)

Bourdeaut, Franck; Miquel, Catherine; Richer, Wilfrid; Grill, Jacques; Zerah, Michel; Grison, Camille; Pierron, Gaelle; Amiel, Jeanne; Krucker, Clementine; Radvanyi, Francois; Brugieres, Laurence; Delattre, Olivier

2014-02-01

Medulloblastomas (MB) are classified in four subgroups: the well defined WNT and Sonic Hedgehog (SHH) subgroups, and the less defined groups 3 and 4. They occasionally occur in the context of a cancer predisposition syndrome. While germline APC mutations predispose to WNT MB, germline mutations in SUFU, PTCH1, and TP53 predispose to SHH tumors. We report on a child with a Rubinstein-Taybi syndrome (RTS) due to a germline deletion in CREBBP, who developed a MB. Biological profilings demonstrate that this tumor belongs to the group 3. RTS may therefore be the first predisposition syndrome identified for non-WNT/non-SHH MB. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Fish Oil and Microalga Omega-3 as Dietary Supplements: A Comparative Study on Cardiovascular Risk Factors in High-Fat Fed Rats.

Science.gov (United States)

Haimeur, Adil; Mimouni, Virginie; Ulmann, Lionel; Martineau, Anne-Sophie; Messaouri, Hafida; Pineau-Vincent, Fabienne; Tremblin, Gérard; Meskini, Nadia

2016-09-01

Dietary supplementation with marine omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 PUFA) can have beneficial effects on a number of risk factors for cardiovascular disease (CVD). We compared the effects of two n-3 PUFA rich food supplements (freeze-dried Odontella aurita and fish oil) on risk factors for CVD. Male rats were randomly divided into four groups of six animals each and fed with the following diets: control group (C) received a standard diet containing 7 % lipids; second group (HF high fat) was fed with a high-fat diet containing 40 % lipids; third group (HFFO high fat+fish oil) was fed with the high-fat diet supplemented with 0.5 % fish oil; and fourth group (HFOA high fat+O. aurita) received the high-fat diet supplemented with 12 % of freeze-dried O. aurita. After 8 weeks rats fed with the high-fat diet supplemented with O. aurita displayed a significantly lower bodyweight than those in the other groups. Both the microalga and the fish oil significantly reduced insulinemia and serum lipid levels. O. aurita was more effective than the fish oil in reducing hepatic triacyglycerol levels and in preventing high-fat diet-induced steatosis. O. aurita and fish oil also reduced platelet aggregation and oxidative status induced by high fat intake. After an OA supplementation, the adipocytes in the HFOA group were smaller than those in the HF group. Freeze-dried O. aurita showed similar or even greater biological effects than the fish oil. This could be explained by a potential effect of the n-3 PUFA but also other bioactive compounds of the microalgae.

Grouping like catchments: A novel means to compare 40+ watersheds in the Northeastern U.S.

Science.gov (United States)

Shaw, S. B.; Walter, M.; Marjerison, R. D.

2008-12-01

One difficulty in understanding the effect of multi-scale patterns in watersheds comes from finding a concise way to identify and compare features across many basins. Comparing raw data (i.e. discharge time series) requires one to account for highly variable climate drivers while extracting meaningful metrics from the data series. Comparing model parameters imposes model assumptions that may obscure fundamental differences, potentially making it an exercise in comparing calibration factors. As a possible middle ground, we have found that the probability of a given basin-wide runoff response can be predicted by combining rainfall frequency with 1. a curve establishing a relationship between basin storage and base flow and 2. the baseflow flow-duration curve. In addition to providing a means to predict runoff, these curves succinctly present empirical runoff-response information, allowing ready graphical comparison of multiple watersheds. From 40+ watersheds throughout the Northeastern U.S., we demonstrate the potential to group watersheds and identify critical hydrologic features, providing particular insight into the influence of land use patterns as well as basin scale.

On a non-traditional realisation of the group SO(3)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fecko, M.

1985-01-01

A representation of group SO(3) in the space of wave functions of the so-called linear top is described. The generators of rotations have a non-standard form. Functions which provide the basis of the representation are found in explicit form. Their connection with Wigner functions D km l (φ, θ, ψ) is shown. (author)

Extraction of nitrates of lanthanoids (3) of the yttrium group and yttrium (3) by trialkylbenzylammonium nitrate in toluene

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pyartman, A.K.; Kovalev, S.V.; Keskinov, V.A.; Kopyrin, A.A.

1997-01-01

A study was made on extraction of nitrates of lanthanoids (3) of the yttrium group (terbium-lutetium) and yttrium (3) by trialkylbensylammonium nitrate in toluene at T=298.15 K pH 2. Extraction isotherms are described with account of formation of compound of (R 4 N) 2 [Ln(NO 3 ) 5 ] composition in organic phase. Values of extraction constants decreasing in terbium (3)-lutetium (3) series, were calculated. Value of extraction constant for yttrium (3) is close to the value of extraction constant for ytterbium (3). 13 refs., 2 figs., 3 tabs

Process stabilization by peak current regulation in reactive high-power impulse magnetron sputtering of hafnium nitride

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shimizu, T; Villamayor, M; Helmersson, U; Lundin, D

2016-01-01

A simple and cost effective approach to stabilize the sputtering process in the transition zone during reactive high-power impulse magnetron sputtering (HiPIMS) is proposed. The method is based on real-time monitoring and control of the discharge current waveforms. To stabilize the process conditions at a given set point, a feedback control system was implemented that automatically regulates the pulse frequency, and thereby the average sputtering power, to maintain a constant maximum discharge current. In the present study, the variation of the pulse current waveforms over a wide range of reactive gas flows and pulse frequencies during a reactive HiPIMS process of Hf-N in an Ar–N 2 atmosphere illustrates that the discharge current waveform is a an excellent indicator of the process conditions. Activating the reactive HiPIMS peak current regulation, stable process conditions were maintained when varying the N 2 flow from 2.1 to 3.5 sccm by an automatic adjustment of the pulse frequency from 600 Hz to 1150 Hz and consequently an increase of the average power from 110 to 270 W. Hf–N films deposited using peak current regulation exhibited a stable stoichiometry, a nearly constant power-normalized deposition rate, and a polycrystalline cubic phase Hf-N with (1 1 1)-preferred orientation over the entire reactive gas flow range investigated. The physical reasons for the change in the current pulse waveform for different process conditions are discussed in some detail. (paper)

Comparing Mental Health of US Children of Immigrants and Non-Immigrants in 4 Racial/Ethnic Groups

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, JaHun; Nicodimos, Semret; Kushner, Siri E.; Rhew, Isaac C.; McCauley, Elizabeth; Vander Stoep, Ann

2018-01-01

Background: To compare the mental health status of children of immigrant (COI) and non-immigrant (NI) parents and to determine whether differences in mental health status between COI and NI vary across 4 racial/ethnic groups. Methods: We conducted universal mental health screening of 2374 sixth graders in an urban public school district. To…

Group Music Training and Children's Prosocial Skills.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

E Glenn Schellenberg

Full Text Available We investigated if group music training in childhood is associated with prosocial skills. Children in 3rd or 4th grade who attended 10 months of music lessons taught in groups were compared to a control group of children matched for socio-economic status. All children were administered tests of prosocial skills near the beginning and end of the 10-month period. Compared to the control group, children in the music group had larger increases in sympathy and prosocial behavior, but this effect was limited to children who had poor prosocial skills before the lessons began. The effect was evident even when the lessons were compulsory, which minimized the role of self-selection. The results suggest that group music training facilitates the development of prosocial skills.

Diabetes susceptibility in ethnic minority groups from Turkey, Vietnam, Sri Lanka and Pakistan compared with Norwegians - the association with adiposity is strongest for ethnic minority women.

Science.gov (United States)

Jenum, Anne Karen; Diep, Lien My; Holmboe-Ottesen, Gerd; Holme, Ingar Morten K; Kumar, Bernadette Nirmar; Birkeland, Kåre Inge

2012-03-01

The difference in diabetes susceptibility by ethnic background is poorly understood. The aim of this study was to assess the association between adiposity and diabetes in four ethnic minority groups compared with Norwegians, and take into account confounding by socioeconomic position. Data from questionnaires, physical examinations and serum samples were analysed for 30-to 60-year-olds from population-based cross-sectional surveys of Norwegians and four immigrant groups, comprising 4110 subjects born in Norway (n = 1871), Turkey (n = 387), Vietnam (n = 553), Sri Lanka (n = 879) and Pakistan (n = 420). Known and screening-detected diabetes cases were identified. The adiposity measures BMI, waist circumference and waist-hip ratio (WHR) were categorized into levels of adiposity. Gender-specific logistic regression models were applied to estimate the risk of diabetes for the ethnic minority groups adjusted for adiposity and income-generating work, years of education and body height used as a proxy for childhood socioeconomic position. The age standardized diabetes prevalence differed significantly between the ethnic groups (women/men): Pakistan: 26.4% (95% CI 20.1-32.7)/20.0% (14.9-25.2); Sri Lanka: 22.5% (18.1-26.9)/20.7% (17.3-24.2), Turkey: 11.9% (7.2-16.7)/12.0% (7.6-16.4), Vietnam: 8.1% (5.1-11.2)/10.4% (6.6-14.1) and Norway: 2.7% (1.8-3.7)/6.4% (4.6-8.1). The prevalence increased more in the minority groups than in Norwegians with increasing levels of BMI, WHR and waist circumference, and most for women. Highly significant ethnic differences in the age-standardized prevalence of diabetes were found for both genders in all categories of all adiposity measures (p minority groups in Oslo, with those from Sri Lanka and Pakistan at highest risk. For all levels of adiposity, a higher susceptibility for diabetes was observed for ethnic minority groups compared with Norwegians. The association persisted after adjustment for socioeconomic position for all minority women

Comparative assessment of 3.3kV/400A SiC MOSFET and Si IGBT power modules

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ionita, Claudiu; Nawaz, Muhammad; Ilves, Kalle

2017-01-01

In this paper, a comparative evaluation between a commercial 3.3 kV/400 A Si-IGBT and a 3.3 kV/400 A SiC MOSFET power module in half-bridge configuration is presented. With a constant current of 250 A, a lower forward voltage (VDS) drop of 1.6 V is obtained for SiC MOSFET at 300 K compared to Si ...... the pulse duration was increased to 4 μs, where a short-circuit energy of 9.1 J was obtained. The cause of the failure is the thermal runaway leading to a drain-source short....

[Comparative study of some clinical and laboratory indicators in a group of patients using wells as source of drinking water and a control group using safe water].

Science.gov (United States)

Vasilescu, L; Ciochină, D A

2011-01-01

In time, well water, as a source of drinking and coking water, with physical-chemical, bacteriological, and biological indicators suggestive of alteration in water potability, determines complex, sometimes irreversible, metabolic disorders. Sixty individuals residing in a rural community were divided into 2 groups: study group -30 subjects using well water, and control group--30 subjects using safe water. For the study group the selection criteria were: age, sex, use of well water as drinking and cooking water, history suggestive of chronic poisoning (pregnancy course, birth weight, susceptibility to infectious agents, and current chronic diseases). In the study group, gestosis, prematurity, and altered body mass index are more frequent as compared to the subjects in the control group. The identified laboratory changes indicate moderate anemia, hepatic cytolysis, dyslipidemia, presence of nitrites in urine, and positive urine cultures. Long-term use of water with mineral constituents in excess, absent, or inadequate, the direct biological and chemical water pollution, or most frequently the indirect pollution through the soil determine, in time, complex, sometimes irreversible, metabolic disorders.

Genetic variation in a DNA double strand break repair gene in saudi population: a comparative study with worldwide ethnic groups.

Science.gov (United States)

Areeshi, Mohammed Yahya

2013-01-01

DNA repair capacity is crucial in maintaining cellular functions and homeostasis. However, it can be altered based on DNA sequence variations in DNA repair genes and this may lead to the development of many diseases including malignancies. Identification of genetic polymorphisms responsible for reduced DNA repair capacity is necessary for better prevention. Homologous recombination (HR), a major double strand break repair pathway, plays a critical role in maintaining the genome stability. The present study was performed to determine the frequency of the HR gene XRCC3 Exon 7 (C18067T, rs861539) polymorphisms in Saudi Arabian population in comparison with epidemiological studies by "MEDLINE" search to equate with global populations. The variant allelic (T) frequency of XRCC3 (C>T) was found to be 39%. Our results suggest that frequency of XRCC3 (C>T) DNA repair gene exhibits distinctive patterns compared with the Saudi Arabian population and this might be attributed to ethnic variation. The present findings may help in high-risk screening of humans exposed to environmental carcinogens and cancer predisposition in different ethnic groups.

Group Leader Development: Effects of Personal Growth and Psychoeducational Groups

Science.gov (United States)

Ohrt, Jonathan H.; Robinson, E. H., III; Hagedorn, W. Bryce

2013-01-01

The purpose of this quasi-experimental study was to compare the effects of personal growth groups and psychoeducational groups on counselor education students' (n = 74) empathy and group leader self-efficacy. Additionally, we compared the degree to which participants in each group valued: (a) cohesion, (b) catharsis, and (c) insight. There were no…

Examining Data Processing Work as Part of the Scientific Data Lifecycle Comparing Practices Across Four Scientific Research Groups

OpenAIRE

Paine, Drew; Lee, Charlotte

2015-01-01

Slides from Charlotte P. Lee's presentation at the 2015 iConference on our paper "Examining Data Processing Work as Part of the Scientific Data Lifecycle: Comparing Practices Across Four Scientific Research Groups".

The trauma registry compared to All Patient Refined Diagnosis Groups (APR-DRG).

Science.gov (United States)

Hackworth, Jodi; Askegard-Giesmann, Johanna; Rouse, Thomas; Benneyworth, Brian

2017-05-01

Literature has shown there are significant differences between administrative databases and clinical registry data. Our objective was to compare the identification of trauma patients using All Patient Refined Diagnosis Related Groups (APR-DRG) as compared to the Trauma Registry and estimate the effects of those discrepancies on utilization. Admitted pediatric patients from 1/2012-12/2013 were abstracted from the trauma registry. The patients were linked to corresponding administrative data using the Pediatric Health Information System database at a single children's hospital. APR-DRGs referencing trauma were used to identify trauma patients. We compared variables related to utilization and diagnosis to determine the level of agreement between the two datasets. There were 1942 trauma registry patients and 980 administrative records identified with trauma-specific APR-DRG during the study period. Forty-two percent (816/1942) of registry records had an associated trauma-specific APR-DRG; 69% of registry patients requiring ICU care had trauma APR-DRGs; 73% of registry patients with head injuries had trauma APR-DRGs. Only 21% of registry patients requiring surgical management had associated trauma APR-DRGs, and 12.5% of simple fractures had associated trauma APR-DRGs. APR-DRGs appeared to only capture a fraction of the entire trauma population and it tends to be the more severely ill patients. As a result, the administrative data was not able to accurately answer hospital or operating room utilization as well as specific information on diagnosis categories regarding trauma patients. APR-DRG administrative data should not be used as the only data source for evaluating the needs of a trauma program. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Comparison of a 3D multi‐group SN particle transport code with Monte Carlo for intercavitary brachytherapy of the cervix uteri

Science.gov (United States)

Wareing, Todd A.; Failla, Gregory; Horton, John L.; Eifel, Patricia J.; Mourtada, Firas

2009-01-01

A patient dose distribution was calculated by a 3D multi‐group SN particle transport code for intracavitary brachytherapy of the cervix uteri and compared to previously published Monte Carlo results. A Cs‐137 LDR intracavitary brachytherapy CT data set was chosen from our clinical database. MCNPX version 2.5.c, was used to calculate the dose distribution. A 3D multi‐group SN particle transport code, Attila version 6.1.1 was used to simulate the same patient. Each patient applicator was built in SolidWorks, a mechanical design package, and then assembled with a coordinate transformation and rotation for the patient. The SolidWorks exported applicator geometry was imported into Attila for calculation. Dose matrices were overlaid on the patient CT data set. Dose volume histograms and point doses were compared. The MCNPX calculation required 14.8 hours, whereas the Attila calculation required 22.2 minutes on a 1.8 GHz AMD Opteron CPU. Agreement between Attila and MCNPX dose calculations at the ICRU 38 points was within ±3%. Calculated doses to the 2 cc and 5 cc volumes of highest dose differed by not more than ±1.1% between the two codes. Dose and DVH overlays agreed well qualitatively. Attila can calculate dose accurately and efficiently for this Cs‐137 CT‐based patient geometry. Our data showed that a three‐group cross‐section set is adequate for Cs‐137 computations. Future work is aimed at implementing an optimized version of Attila for radiotherapy calculations. PACS number: 87.53.Jw

3D continuum phonon model for group-IV 2D materials

KAUST Repository

Willatzen, Morten

2017-06-30

A general three-dimensional continuum model of phonons in two-dimensional materials is developed. Our first-principles derivation includes full consideration of the lattice anisotropy and flexural modes perpendicular to the layers and can thus be applied to any two-dimensional material. In this paper, we use the model to not only compare the phonon spectra among the group-IV materials but also to study whether these phonons differ from those of a compound material such as molybdenum disulfide. The origin of quadratic modes is clarified. Mode coupling for both graphene and silicene is obtained, contrary to previous works. Our model allows us to predict the existence of confined optical phonon modes for the group-IV materials but not for molybdenum disulfide. A comparison of the long-wavelength modes to density-functional results is included.

Systemic isotretinoin treatment and pregnancy: A comparative study of two groups of women: A retrospective analysis of 569 women

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Piotr Brzezinski

2017-10-01

Full Text Available Background: Oral isotretinoin is the only drug which promotes prolonged remission or cure of severe acne. The aim of our study was to estimate the isotretinoin exposure and to evaluate the effectiveness of the Polish and Romanian pregnancy prevention. This is a comparative study of two groups of women. Methods: A retrospective, comparative study of 569 women with acne vulgaris. The study included two groups of randomly selected women during treatment and follow-up. Group I with rigorous prevention of pregnancy; Group II without this rigor. Results: We did not register any pregnancies. 1.93% used oral contraceptives, 92.79% used a condom during sex, and 7.21% of women abstained from sex. The analysis showed significant differences (p <0.0001 total dose applied depending on the method of treatment. No statistically significant correlations were found between patients' age, duration of disease, location, and type of acne. Average length of therapy was 8.81 months. Isotretinoin therapy was interrupted for 27 patients from group I. Conclusion: The isotretinoin pregnancy prevention in Poland and Romania was very good during our study. Every woman in the fertile phase of life should use contraception while taking isotretinoin. The most important thing is the awareness of the patient.

Hip imaging of avascular necrosis at 7 Tesla compared with 3 Tesla

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Theysohn, J.M.; Kraff, O.; Theysohn, N.; Orzada, S.; Lauenstein, T.C.; Landgraeber, S.; Ladd, M.E.

2014-01-01

To compare ultra-high field, high-resolution bilateral magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the hips at 7 Tesla (T) with 3 T MRI in patients with avascular necrosis (AVN) of the femoral head by subjective image evaluations, contrast measurements, and evaluation of the appearance of imaging abnormalities. Thirteen subjects with avascular necrosis treated using advanced core decompression underwent MRI at both 7 T and 3 T. Sequence parameters as well as resolution were kept identical for both field strengths. All MR images (MEDIC, DESS, PD/T2w TSE, T1w TSE, and STIR) were evaluated by two radiologists with regard to subjective image quality, soft tissue contrasts, B1 homogeneity (four-point scale, higher values indicating better image quality) and depiction of imaging abnormalities of the femoral heads (three-point scale, higher values indicating the superiority of 7 T). Contrast ratios of soft tissues were calculated and compared with subjective data. 7-T imaging of the femoral joints, as well as 3-T imaging, achieved ''good'' to ''very good'' quality in all sequences. 7 T showed significantly higher soft tissue contrasts for T2w and MEDIC compared with 3 T (cartilage/fluid: 2.9 vs 2.2 and 3.6 vs 2.6), better detailed resolution for cartilage defects (PDw, T2w, T1w, MEDIC, DESS > 2.5) and better visibility of joint effusions (MEDIC 2.6; PDw/T2w 2.4; DESS 2.2). Image homogeneity compared with 3 T (3.9-4.0 for all sequences) was degraded, especially in TSE sequences at 7 T through signal variations (7 T: 2.1-2.9); to a lesser extent also GRE sequences (7 T: 2.9-3.5). Imaging findings related to untreated or treated AVN were better delineated at 3 T (≤1.8), while joint effusions (2.2-2.6) and cartilage defects (2.5-3.0) were better visualized at 7 T. STIR performed much more poorly at 7 T, generating large contrast variations (1.5). 7-T hip MRI showed comparable results in hip joint imaging compared with 3 T with slight advantages in contrast detail (cartilage defects

Providing patients with information about disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs: Individually or in groups? A pilot randomized controlled trial comparing adherence and satisfaction.

Science.gov (United States)

Homer, Dawn; Nightingale, Peter; Jobanputra, Paresh

2009-06-01

allocated individual counselling had not taken a DMARD previously: 56% (18/32) versus 20% (6/30). More patients counselled in groups were adherent (27/30; 90%) compared with patients counselled individually (22/32; 69%; p = 0.06) by pill counts. However, on self-report diaries, similar proportions were adherent (group counselling 97% (29/30) versus individual 94% (30/32); p = 1.0). All but two prescriptions were dispensed. More patients allocated to individual counselling missed at least one blood monitoring visit (25% versus 17%; p = 0.54) and at least one scheduled clinic visit (19% versus 3%; p = 0.10). SIMS scores indicated high levels of patient satisfaction and were similar for both groups. The time taken to run group and individual counselling sessions were similar (median of 35 minutes versus 33 minutes, respectively). Nursing time per individual patient in those allocated group counselling was 11.6 minutes. Drug continuation rates were higher for those counselled in groups compared with those counselled individually: at four months, 73% versus 63 %; p = 0.42; at twelve months, 47% versus 38%; p = 0.61). Our pilot study demonstrated the feasibility of providing counselling on DMARDs to groups of patients with important time savings for specialist nurses and while maintaining high levels of patient satisfaction. There was a trend for better outcomes in terms of adherence and drug continuation rates for patients counselled in groups, indicating potential benefits from group interactions. However, these findings need to be investigated further in a larger, fully powered trial. 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Group size and group income as influences on marriage patterns in Hawaii.

Science.gov (United States)

Johnson, R C

1984-01-01

This paper analyzes the association of ethnic group size and median ethnic group income with the percentages of cross-ethnic marriages and combinations of marriages of each of the 5 major racial/ethnic groups in Hawaii. The data cover marriages that took place from 1975-1977 in Hawaii's 5 major ethnic groups: 1) Caucasian, 2) Chinese, 3) Filipino, 4) Japanese, and 5) Hawaiian or part-Hawaiian. The number of Caucasians marrying in Hawaii are severely inflated by military and tourist marriages. Chinese (highest median income) and Hawaiians or part-Hawaiians (lowest median income) show the highest percentages of outmarriage. The number of persons making up given groups appears to play a role; larger groups have lower outmarriage rates. Since 19 of 20 potential marriage partners a Chinese person meets are of another racial group, as compared to 2 of 3 for Caucasians or Japanese, it is hardly surprising that the Chinese outmarry more often than other groups. Data show a tendency to an East-West split; Chinese-Japanese marriages are overrepresented, and marriages of Japanese men to Caucasian women are underrepresented. However, marriages of Caucasian males to Chinese women are also overrepresented. Also, Puerto Ricans and Filipinos tend to be more representative of the West than Caucasians are. The authors conclude that cultural attributes likely to lead to a given level of income, rather than income per se, influence the probability of persons marrying a member of a given racial/ethnic group other than their own.

Does who you know in the positional hierarchy protect or hurt? Social capital, comparative reference group, and depression in two societies.

Science.gov (United States)

Song, Lijun

2015-07-01

Does the socioeconomic status (SES) that one's (ego's) network members (alters) occupy indicate social resources or social comparison standards in the dynamics of health across culture? Using nationally representative data simultaneously collected from the United States and urban China, this study examines two competing theories-social capital and comparative reference group-in the two societies and compares their different application across the two societies using two cultural explanations, relational dependence and self-evaluation motive. Social capital theory expects absolute accessed SES and the size of higher accessed socioeconomic positions to protect health, and the size of lower accessed socioeconomic positions to harm health. But comparative reference group theory predicts the opposite. Additionally, the relational dependence explanation anticipates social capital theory to be more applicable to urban China and comparative reference group theory to be more applicable to the United States. The self-evaluation motive explanation expects the same pattern across the two societies in the examination of the size of lower accessed socioeconomic positions but the opposite pattern in the analysis of absolute accessed SES and the size of higher accessed socioeconomic positions. This study focuses on depressive symptoms and measures accessed occupational status. Results are consistent with the self-evaluation motive explanation. They support both social capital theory and comparative reference group theory in the United States but only the latter theory in urban China. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Reduction of nitro groups by ynamines; synthesis and x-ray crystal structure of n,n-diethyl-3,3a-dihydro-3-methylbenzofuro[3,2-c]isoxazole-3-carboxamide

NARCIS (Netherlands)

de Wit, A.D.; Trompenaars, W.P.; Reinhoudt, David; Harkema, Sybolt; van Hummel, G.J.

1980-01-01

3-Nitrobenzo[b]furan and 1-diethylaminopropyne react thermally at 5–10°C to give a 1:1 addition product ( ) in which one of the oxygen atoms of the nitro group is transferred to C-1 of the acetylene. The structure of the benzofuro[3,2-c]isoxazole ( ) has been determined by X-ray crystallography.

Immunohistochemical analysis of H3K27me3 demonstrates global reduction in group-A childhood posterior fossa ependymoma and is a powerful predictor of outcome.

Science.gov (United States)

Panwalkar, Pooja; Clark, Jonathan; Ramaswamy, Vijay; Hawes, Debra; Yang, Fusheng; Dunham, Christopher; Yip, Stephen; Hukin, Juliette; Sun, Yilun; Schipper, Matthew J; Chavez, Lukas; Margol, Ashley; Pekmezci, Melike; Chung, Chan; Banda, Adam; Bayliss, Jill M; Curry, Sarah J; Santi, Mariarita; Rodriguez, Fausto J; Snuderl, Matija; Karajannis, Matthias A; Saratsis, Amanda M; Horbinski, Craig M; Carret, Anne-Sophie; Wilson, Beverly; Johnston, Donna; Lafay-Cousin, Lucie; Zelcer, Shayna; Eisenstat, David; Silva, Marianna; Scheinemann, Katrin; Jabado, Nada; McNeely, P Daniel; Kool, Marcel; Pfister, Stefan M; Taylor, Michael D; Hawkins, Cynthia; Korshunov, Andrey; Judkins, Alexander R; Venneti, Sriram

2017-11-01

Posterior fossa ependymomas (EPN_PF) in children comprise two morphologically identical, but biologically distinct tumor entities. Group-A (EPN_PFA) tumors have a poor prognosis and require intensive therapy. In contrast, group-B tumors (EPN_PFB) exhibit excellent prognosis and the current consensus opinion recommends future clinical trials to test the possibility of treatment de-escalation in these patients. Therefore, distinguishing these two tumor subtypes is critical. EPN_PFA and EPN_PFB can be distinguished based on DNA methylation signatures, but these assays are not routinely available. We have previously shown that a subset of poorly prognostic childhood EPN_PF exhibits global reduction in H3K27me3. Therefore, we set out to determine whether a simple immunohistochemical assay for H3K27me3 could be used to segregate EPN_PFA from EPN_PFB tumors. We assembled a cohort of 230 childhood ependymomas and H3K27me3 immunohistochemistry was assessed as positive or negative in a blinded manner. H3K27me3 staining results were compared with DNA methylation-based subgroup information available in 112 samples [EPN_PFA (n = 72) and EPN_PFB tumors (n = 40)]. H3K27me3 staining was globally reduced in EPN_PFA tumors and immunohistochemistry showed 99% sensitivity and 100% specificity in segregating EPN_PFA from EPN_PFB tumors. Moreover, H3K27me3 immunostaining was sufficient to delineate patients with worse prognosis in two independent, non-overlapping cohorts (n = 133 and n = 97). In conclusion, immunohistochemical evaluation of H3K27me3 global reduction is an economic, easily available and readily adaptable method for defining high-risk EPN_PFA from low-risk posterior fossa EPN_PFB tumors to inform prognosis and to enable the design of future clinical trials.

Chemical Safety Vulnerability Working Group report. Volume 3

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1994-09-01

The Chemical Safety Vulnerability (CSV) Working Group was established to identify adverse conditions involving hazardous chemicals at DOE facilities that might result in fires or explosions, release of hazardous chemicals to the environment, or exposure of workers or the public to chemicals. A CSV Review was conducted in 148 facilities at 29 sites. Eight generic vulnerabilities were documented related to: abandoned chemicals and chemical residuals; past chemical spills and ground releases; characterization of legacy chemicals and wastes; disposition of legacy chemicals; storage facilities and conditions; condition of facilities and support systems; unanalyzed and unaddressed hazards; and inventory control and tracking. Weaknesses in five programmatic areas were also identified related to: management commitment and planning; chemical safety management programs; aging facilities that continue to operate; nonoperating facilities awaiting deactivation; and resource allocations. Volume 3 consists of eleven appendices containing the following: Field verification reports for Idaho National Engineering Lab., Rocky Flats Plant, Brookhaven National Lab., Los Alamos National Lab., and Sandia National Laboratories (NM); Mini-visits to small DOE sites; Working Group meeting, June 7--8, 1994; Commendable practices; Related chemical safety initiatives at DOE; Regulatory framework and industry initiatives related to chemical safety; and Chemical inventory data from field self-evaluation reports.

Chemical Safety Vulnerability Working Group report. Volume 3

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1994-09-01

The Chemical Safety Vulnerability (CSV) Working Group was established to identify adverse conditions involving hazardous chemicals at DOE facilities that might result in fires or explosions, release of hazardous chemicals to the environment, or exposure of workers or the public to chemicals. A CSV Review was conducted in 148 facilities at 29 sites. Eight generic vulnerabilities were documented related to: abandoned chemicals and chemical residuals; past chemical spills and ground releases; characterization of legacy chemicals and wastes; disposition of legacy chemicals; storage facilities and conditions; condition of facilities and support systems; unanalyzed and unaddressed hazards; and inventory control and tracking. Weaknesses in five programmatic areas were also identified related to: management commitment and planning; chemical safety management programs; aging facilities that continue to operate; nonoperating facilities awaiting deactivation; and resource allocations. Volume 3 consists of eleven appendices containing the following: Field verification reports for Idaho National Engineering Lab., Rocky Flats Plant, Brookhaven National Lab., Los Alamos National Lab., and Sandia National Laboratories (NM); Mini-visits to small DOE sites; Working Group meeting, June 7--8, 1994; Commendable practices; Related chemical safety initiatives at DOE; Regulatory framework and industry initiatives related to chemical safety; and Chemical inventory data from field self-evaluation reports

Diffusion kurtosis metrics as biomarkers of microstructural development: A comparative study of a group of children and a group of adults.

Science.gov (United States)

Grinberg, Farida; Maximov, Ivan I; Farrher, Ezequiel; Neuner, Irene; Amort, Laura; Thönneßen, Heike; Oberwelland, Eileen; Konrad, Kerstin; Shah, N Jon

2017-01-01

The most common modality of diffusion MRI used in the ageing and development studies is diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) providing two key measures, fractional anisotropy and mean diffusivity. Here, we investigated diffusional changes occurring between childhood (average age 10.3 years) and mitddle adult age (average age 54.3 years) with the help of diffusion kurtosis imaging (DKI), a recent novel extension of DTI that provides additional metrics quantifying non-Gaussianity of water diffusion in brain tissue. We performed voxelwise statistical between-group comparison of diffusion tensor and kurtosis tensor metrics using two methods, namely, the tract-based spatial statistics (TBSS) and the atlas-based regional data analysis. For the latter, fractional anisotropy, mean diffusivity, mean diffusion kurtosis, and other scalar diffusion tensor and kurtosis tensor parameters were evaluated for white matter fibres provided by the Johns-Hopkins-University Atlas in the FSL toolkit (http://fsl.fmrib.ox.ac.uk/fsl/fslwiki/Atlases). Within the same age group, all evaluated parameters varied depending on the anatomical region. TBSS analysis showed that changes in kurtosis tensor parameters beyond adolescence are more widespread along the skeleton in comparison to the changes of the diffusion tensor metrics. The regional data analysis demonstrated considerably larger between-group changes of the diffusion kurtosis metrics than of diffusion tensor metrics in all investigated regions. The effect size of the parametric changes between childhood and middle adulthood was quantified using Cohen's d. We used Cohen's d related to mean diffusion kurtosis to examine heterogeneous maturation of various fibres. The largest changes of this parameter (interpreted as reflecting the lowest level of maturation by the age of children group) were observed in the association fibres, cingulum (gyrus) and cingulum (hippocampus) followed by superior longitudinal fasciculus and inferior longitudinal

One-way functions based on the discrete logarithm problem in the groups meeting conditions C(3-T (6

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

N. V. Bezverkhniy

2014-01-01

Full Text Available In this work we are consider a possibility to create schemes of open key distribution in the groups meeting conditions C(3-T(6. Our constructions use the following algorithms.1. The algorithm that solves the membership problem for cyclic subgroups, also known as the discrete logarithm problem.2. The algorithm that solves the word problem in this class of groups.Our approach is based on the geometric methods of combinatorial group theory (the method of diagrams in groups.In a cryptographic scheme based on the open key distribution one-way functions are used, i.e. functions direct calculation of which must be much easier than that of the inverse one. Our task was to construct a one-way function using groups with small cancelation conditions C(3-T(6 and to compare the calculation complexity of this function with the calculation complexity of its inverse.P.W. Shor has shown in the paper that there exists a polynomial algorithm that can be implemented in a quantum computer to solve the discrete logarithm problem in the groups of units of finite fields and the rings of congruences mod n. This stimulated a series of investigations trying to find alternative complicated mathematical problems that can be used for construction of new asymmetric cryptosystems. For example, open key distribution systems based on the conjugacy problem in matrix groups and the braid groups were proposed.In the other papers the constructions used the discrete logarithm problem in the groups of inner automorphisms of semi-direct products of SL(2,Z and Zp and GL(2,Zp and Zp. groups. The paper of E. Sakalauskas, P. Tvarijonas, A. Raulinaitis proposed a scheme that uses a composition of two problems of group theory, namely the conjugacy problem and the discrete logarithm problem.Our results show that the scheme that we propose is of polynomial complexity. Therefore its security is not sufficient for further applications in communications. However the security can be improved

Effect of Radiofrequency Radiation Emitted from 2G and 3G Cell Phone on Developing Liver of Chick Embryo - A Comparative Study.

Science.gov (United States)

D'Silva, Mary Hydrina; Swer, Rijied Thompson; Anbalagan, J; Rajesh, Bhargavan

2017-07-01

The increasing scientific evidence of various health hazards on exposure of Radiofrequency Radiation (RFR) emitted from both the cell phones and base stations have caused significant media attention and public discussion in recent years. The mechanism of interaction of RF fields with developing tissues of children and fetuses may be different from that of adults due to their smaller physical size and variation in tissue electromagnetic properties. The present study may provide an insight into the basic mechanisms by which RF fields interact with developing tissues in an embryo. To evaluate the possible tissue and DNA damage in developing liver of chick embryo following chronic exposure to Ultra-High Frequency/Radiofrequency Radiation (UHF/RFR) emitted from 2G and 3G cell phone. Fertilized chick embryos were incubated in four groups. Group A-experimental group exposed to 2G radiation (60 eggs), Group B- experimental group exposed to 3G radiation (60 eggs), Group C- sham exposed control group (60 eggs) and Group D- control group (48 eggs). On completion of scheduled duration, the embryos were collected and processed for routine histological studies to check structural changes in liver. The nuclear diameter and karyorrhexis changes of hepatocytes were analysed using oculometer and square reticule respectively. The liver procured from one batch of eggs from all the four groups was subjected to alkaline comet assay technique to assess DNA damage. The results were compared using one-way ANOVA test. In our study, the exposure of developing chick embryos to 2G and 3G cell phone radiations caused structural changes in liver in the form of dilated sinusoidal spaces with haemorrhage, increased vacuolations in cytoplasm, increased nuclear diameter and karyorrhexis and significantly increased DNA damage. The chronic exposure of chick embryo liver to RFR emitted from 2G and 3G cell phone resulted in various structural changes and DNA damage. The changes were more pronounced in 3

[Percutaneous coronary intervention of unprotected left main coronary compared with coronary artery bypass grafting; 3 years of experience in the National Institute of Cardiology, Mexico].

Science.gov (United States)

López-Aguilar, Carlos; Abundes-Velasco, Arturo; Eid-Lidt, Guering; Piña-Reyna, Yigal; Gaspar-Hernández, Jorge

The best revascularisation method of the unprotected left main artery is a current and evolving topic. A total of 2439 percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI) were registered during a 3-year period. The study included all the patients with PCI of the unprotected left main coronary (n=48) and matched with patients who underwent coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) (n=50). Major adverse cerebral and cardiac events (MACCE) were assessed within the hospital and in outpatients during a 16 month follow up. The cardiovascular risk was greater in the PCI group; logEuroSCORE 16±21 vs. 5±6, P=.001; clinical Syntax 77±74 vs 53±39, P=.04. On admission, the PCI group of patients had a higher frequency of ST segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) and cardiogenic shock. The MACCE were similar in both groups (14% vs. 18%, P=.64). STEMI was less frequent in the PCI group (0% vs. 10%, P=.03). Cardiovascular events were lower in the PCI group (2.3% vs. 18%, P=.01), and there was a decrease in general and cardiac mortality (2.3% vs. 12%, P=.08 y 2.3% vs. 8%, P=.24), on excluding the patients with cardiogenic shock as a presentation. MACCE were similar in both groups in the out-patient phase (15% vs. 12%, P=.46). Survival without MACCE, general and cardiac death were comparable between groups (log rank, P=.38, P=.44 and P=.16, respectively). Even though the clinical and peri-procedural risk profile of the PCI patients were higher, the in-hospital and out-hospital efficacy and safety were comparable with CABG. Copyright © 2016 Instituto Nacional de Cardiología Ignacio Chávez. Publicado por Masson Doyma México S.A. All rights reserved.

Self-esteem: a comparative study of adolescents from mainstream and minority religious groups in Pakistan.

Science.gov (United States)

Iqbal, Shahid; Ahmad, Riaz; Ayub, Nadia

2013-02-01

The present study aimed to investigate the level of self-esteem among religious minority adolescents (Christians and Hindus) by making a comparison with their dominant counterparts (Muslims) in Pakistan. It was hypothesized that adolescents of religious minorities would have lower level of self-esteem than their dominant counterparts. In the present study 320 adolescents participated, in which 160 adolescents belonged to minority religious groups (i.e. 76 Christians and 84 Hindus) and 160 adolescents belonged to dominant religious group i.e. Muslims. To assess self-esteem of the participants, Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (Rosenberg in Society and the adolescent self image, Princeton University Press, Princeton, NJ, 1965) was used. One Way Analysis of Variance reveals that religious minority adolescents (Christians and Hindus) inclined to have lower self-esteem as compared to their dominant counterpart (Muslim adolescents).

Comparative study and grouping of nonstructural (NS1)proteins of influenza A viruses by the method of oligopeptide mapping

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sokolov, B.P.; Rudneva, I.A.; Zhdanov, V.M.

1983-01-01

Oligopeptide mapping of 35 S-methionine labeled non-stuctural (NS1) proteins of 23 influenza A virus strains showed the presence of both common and variable oligopeptides. Analysis of the oligopeptide maps revealed at least four groups of NS1 proteins. The first group includes NS1 proteins of several human H1N1 influenza viruses (that were designated as H0N1 according to the old classification). The second group is composed of NS1 proteins of H1N1 and H2N2 viruses. The third group includes NS1 proteins of H3N2 human influenza viruses. The fourth group is composed of NS1 proteins of five avian influenza viruses and an equine (H3N8) influenza virus. Two animal influenza viruses A/equi/Prague/56 (H7N7) and A/duck/England/56 (H11N6) contain NS1 proteins that belong to the second group. (Author)

Outcome of radioiodine therapy without, on or 3 days off carbimazole: a prospective interventional three-group comparison

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Walter, Martin A.; Christ-Crain, Mirjam; Mueller, Beat; Schindler, Christian; Mueller-Brand, Jan

2006-01-01

Carbimazole ameliorates hyperthyroidism but reduces radioiodine uptake and adversely affects the outcome of simultaneous radioiodine therapy. We explored whether withdrawal of carbimazole for 3 days can restore the outcome of radioiodine treatment without concurrent exacerbation of hyperthyroidism. By generating three groups with comparable radioiodine uptake, we also investigated whether the effect of carbimazole depends on the radioiodine uptake. Stratified by a radioiodine uptake >30%, 227 consecutive adult patients were prospectively assigned to radioiodine therapy (target dose 200 Gy) without, on or 3 days off carbimazole. Patients were clinically (Crooks-Wayne score) and biochemically (T 3 , fT 4 , TSH) followed up after 3, 6 and 12 months. Primary endpoint was outcome 12 months after radioiodine therapy. A total of 207 patients completed follow-up (toxic nodular goitre, n=117; Graves' disease, n=90). The overall success rate was 71.5%. Patients without and 3 days off carbimazole had similar biochemical (81.4% and 83.3%, respectively; p=0.82) and clinical outcomes [median (range) Crooks-Wayne score 0 (0-16) and 1 (0-10), respectively; p=0.73], which were both higher than in patients on carbimazole [42.6%, p 4 , T 3 and TSH. (orig.)

Empowerment in nurse leader groups in middle management: a quantitative comparative investigation.

Science.gov (United States)

Spencer, Caroline; McLaren, Susan

2017-01-01

The aim was to investigate structural empowerment in nurse leaders in middle management positions. Objectives were to determine levels of empowerment of nurse leaders and to compare levels of empowerment between nurse leader groups. Access to formal and informal power, opportunity, resources, information and support are determinants of structural empowerment. Empowerment of nurse leaders in middle management positions is vital given their roles in enabling nursing teams to deliver high-quality care, benefitting both patient and workforce outcomes. Quantitative component of a mixed methods study using survey principles. The Conditions of Work Effectiveness Questionnaire II was distributed to the total population (n = 517) of nurse leaders in an NHS Foundation Trust in England. Nurse leader groups comprised unit leaders (sisters, matrons) and senior staff nurses. Quantitative data entered on spss v 17/18, were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Overall, the unit response rate was 44·1% (n = 228). Levels of total and global empowerment were moderate and moderate to high respectively. Groups did not differ significantly on these parameters or on five elements of total empowerment, but significantly higher scores were found for unit leaders' access to information. Significantly higher scores were found for senior staff nurses on selected aspects of informal power and access to resources, but scores were significantly lower than unit leaders for components of support. A moderately empowered population of nurse leaders differed in relation to access to information, aspects of support, resources and informal power, reflecting differences in roles, spheres of responsibility, hierarchical position and the constraints on empowerment imposed on unit leaders by financial and resource pressures. Empowerment of nurse leaders in middle management is vital in enabling nursing teams to deliver high-quality care. Roles, spheres of responsibility, hierarchical

Bilateral Breast Reduction Without Opioid Analgesics: A Comparative Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Parsa, Fereydoun Don; Cheng, Justin; Stephan, Brad; Castel, Nikki; Kim, Leslie; Murariu, Daniel; Parsa, Alan A

2017-09-01

Breast reduction has traditionally been performed under general anesthesia with adjunct opioid use. However, opioids are associated with a wide variety of adverse effects, including nausea, vomiting, constipation, postoperative sedation, dizziness, and addiction. This study compares bilateral breast reduction using a multimodal opioid-free pain management regimen vs traditional general anesthesia with adjunct opioids. A total of 83 female patients were enrolled in this study. Group 1 includes a retrospective series of 39 patients that underwent breast reduction via general anesthesia with adjunct opioid use. This series was compared to 2 prospective groups of patients who did not receive opioids either preoperatively or intraoperatively. In group 2, twenty-six patients underwent surgery under intravenous sedation and local anesthesia. In group 3, eighteen patients underwent surgery with general anesthesia. All patients in groups 2 and 3 received preoperative gabapentin and celecoxib along with infiltration of local anesthetics during the operation and prior to discharge to the Post-Anesthesia Care Unit (PACU). Primary outcome measures included the duration of surgery, time from end of operation to discharge home, postoperative opioid and antiemetic use, and unplanned postoperative hospitalizations. When compared to group 1, groups 2 and 3 experienced a shorter time from end of operation to discharge home (P opioid use (P opioid-free bilateral breast reduction either under local or general anesthesia as an outpatient. This method resulted in significantly less morbidity, use of opioids postoperatively, as well as unplanned hospital admissions compared to "traditional" breast reduction under general anesthesia with the use of opioids. 3. © 2017 The American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, Inc. Reprints and permission: journals.permissions@oup.com

Efficacy of Varicocele Repair in Different Age Groups.

Science.gov (United States)

Yazdani, Mohammad; Hadi, Mazaher; Abbasi, Homayoun; Nourimahdavi, Kia; Khalighinejad, Pooyan; Mirsattari, Arash; Hadi, Ali

2015-08-01

To compare semen parameters and spouse pregnancy rates after varicocele repair in 2 age groups. Mean changes in spermatozoa concentration, motility, and morphology after varicocele repair in 83 patients were compared between patients aged 30 years or younger (group 1) and those older than 30 years (group 2). Spouse pregnancy rates were compared between the 2 age groups. The mean sperm concentration increased significantly in both groups (P group 1 and from 47.2% to 53.2% in group 2 one year after varicocele repair. The increase in motility was statistically significant for both groups (P groups (P = .01). The percentage of sperm with abnormal morphology decreased significantly in both groups 12 months postoperatively (from 62.7% to 59.6% in group 1 and from 61.3% to 58% in group 2; P = .03). However, there was no statistically significant difference in the improvement in sperm morphology between the 2 groups (P >.05). The pregnancy rates in the patients' spouses were 51.1% and 44.7% in groups 1 and 2, respectively. This difference was not statistically significant (P = .9). There was no statistically significant difference in semen parameter improvement and spouse pregnancy rates after varicocelectomy in the 2 age groups. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

SAVINGS BEHAVIOUR IN HOUSEHOLDS OF FARMERS AS COMPARED TO OTHER SOCIO-ECONOMIC GROUPS IN POLAND

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Agnieszka Kozera

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Savings generated by the sector of households constitute an important growth factor in every economy. They are the basic source of capital accumulation, determining investment opportunities of the economy. Financial behaviour of households in terms of the accumulation of savings is infl uenced  by numerous factors, both internal, i.e. connected directly with a given household, and external, independent of it. The aim of this paper was to analyse savings behaviour of households of farmers as compared to the other socio-economicgroups in Poland in the years 2003 and 2013. Analyses were conducted on saving propensity, savings rates, and objectives and forms of savings accumulation by households of various socio-economic groups. Analyses showed that in 2013, saving propensity and savings rates in households of farmers were relatively low in comparison to other household groups. In households of farmers the objective of savings was, more frequently than in the other socio-economic groups of households, to ensure provisions for running consumption expenditure, purchase durable goods and expand their economic activity. In contrast, in comparison to the other households, farmers less frequently saved money for recreation and physical therapy.

Comparative interactomics: analysis of arabidopsis 14-3-3 complexes reveals highly conserved 14-3-3 interactions between humans and plants.

Science.gov (United States)

Paul, Anna-Lisa; Liu, Li; McClung, Scott; Laughner, Beth; Chen, Sixue; Ferl, Robert J

2009-04-01

As a first step in the broad characterization of plant 14-3-3 multiprotein complexes in vivo, stringent and specific antibody affinity purification was used to capture 14-3-3s together with their interacting proteins from extracts of Arabidopsis cell suspension cultures. Approximately 120 proteins were identified as potential in vivo 14-3-3 interacting proteins by mass spectrometry of the recovered complexes. Comparison of the proteins in this data set with the 14-3-3 interacting proteins from a similar study in human embryonic kidney cell cultures revealed eight interacting proteins that likely represent reasonably abundant, fundamental 14-3-3 interaction complexes that are highly conserved across all eukaryotes. The Arabidopsis 14-3-3 interaction data set was also compared to a yeast in vivo 14-3-3 interaction data set. Four 14-3-3 interacting proteins are conserved in yeast, humans, and Arabidopsis. Comparisons of the data sets based on biochemical function revealed many additional similarities in the human and Arabidopsis data sets that represent conserved functional interactions, while also leaving many proteins uniquely identified in either Arabidopsis or human cells. In particular, the Arabidopsis interaction data set is enriched for proteins involved in metabolism.

Renormalization group aspects of 3-dimensional Pure U(1) lattice gauge theory

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gopfert, M.; Mack, G.

1983-01-01

A few surprises in a recent study of the 3-dimensional pure U(1) lattice gauge theory model, from the point of view of the renormalization group theory, are discussed. Since the gauge group U(1) of this model is abelian, the model is subject to KramersWannier duality transformation. One obtains a ferromagnet with a global symmetry group Z. The duality transformation shows that the surface tension alpha of the model equals the strong tension of the U(1) gauge model. A theorem to represent the true asymptotic behaviour of alpha is derived. A second theorem considers the correlation functions. Discrepiancies between the theorems result in a solution that ''is regarded as a catastrophe'' in renormalization group theory. A lesson is drawn: To choose a good block spin in a renormalization group procedure, know what the low lying excitations of the theory are, to avoid integrating some of them by mischief

Comparing single-tree selection, group selection, and clearcutting for regenerating oaks and pines in the Missouri Ozarks

Science.gov (United States)

Randy G. Jensen; John M. Kabrick

2008-01-01

In the Missouri Ozarks, there is considerable concern about the effectiveness of the uneven-aged methods of single-tree selection and group selection for oak (Quercus L.) and shortleaf pine (Pinus echinata Mill.) regeneration. We compared the changes in reproduction density of oaks and pine following harvesting by single-tree...

Comparing the effects of 3 weeks of upper-body vibration training, vibration and stretching, and stretching alone on shoulder flexibility in college-aged men.

Science.gov (United States)

Ferguson, Steven L; Kim, Eonho; Seo, Dong-Il; Bemben, Michael G

2013-12-01

This study compared the effects of 3 weeks of upper-body vibration training, vibration and stretching, and stretching alone on shoulder flexibility in college-aged men. Twenty-one men were randomly assigned to vibration-stretching (VS; n = 8), vibration only (VO; n = 6), or stretching only (SO; n = 7) groups that trained 3 times per week for 3 weeks. All 3 groups performed 9 total sets of 30-second stretches. The VS group performed four 30-second upper-body vibration exercises and five 30-second upper-body stretching exercises. The VO group performed nine 30-second upper-body vibration exercises. The SO group performed nine 30-second upper-body stretching exercises. Shoulder flexion (SF), shoulder extension (SE), and shoulder transverse extension (STE) were assessed by a Leighton Flexometer and back scratch tests bilaterally (BSR, BSL) were measured via tape measure. A 1-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) evaluated groups at baseline and a 2-way repeated-measures ANOVA evaluated the interventions over time. At baseline, there were no group differences in age, height, or weight. There was a significant (p alone or combined with stretching, is a viable alternative to a standard stretching routine when attempting to increase shoulder flexibility. Adding vibration training to a flexibility regimen may improve the likelihood of regularly performing flexibility sessions because of increased variety.

Hip imaging of avascular necrosis at 7 Tesla compared with 3 Tesla

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Theysohn, J.M.; Kraff, O.; Theysohn, N.; Orzada, S.; Lauenstein, T.C. [University Duisburg-Essen, Erwin L. Hahn Institute for Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Essen (Germany); University Hospital Essen, Institute for Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology and Neuroradiology, Essen (Germany); Landgraeber, S. [University Hospital Essen, Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Essen (Germany); Ladd, M.E. [University Duisburg-Essen, Erwin L. Hahn Institute for Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Essen (Germany); German Cancer Research Center, Department of Medical Physics in Radiology, Heidelberg (Germany)

2014-05-15

To compare ultra-high field, high-resolution bilateral magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the hips at 7 Tesla (T) with 3 T MRI in patients with avascular necrosis (AVN) of the femoral head by subjective image evaluations, contrast measurements, and evaluation of the appearance of imaging abnormalities. Thirteen subjects with avascular necrosis treated using advanced core decompression underwent MRI at both 7 T and 3 T. Sequence parameters as well as resolution were kept identical for both field strengths. All MR images (MEDIC, DESS, PD/T2w TSE, T1w TSE, and STIR) were evaluated by two radiologists with regard to subjective image quality, soft tissue contrasts, B1 homogeneity (four-point scale, higher values indicating better image quality) and depiction of imaging abnormalities of the femoral heads (three-point scale, higher values indicating the superiority of 7 T). Contrast ratios of soft tissues were calculated and compared with subjective data. 7-T imaging of the femoral joints, as well as 3-T imaging, achieved ''good'' to ''very good'' quality in all sequences. 7 T showed significantly higher soft tissue contrasts for T2w and MEDIC compared with 3 T (cartilage/fluid: 2.9 vs 2.2 and 3.6 vs 2.6), better detailed resolution for cartilage defects (PDw, T2w, T1w, MEDIC, DESS > 2.5) and better visibility of joint effusions (MEDIC 2.6; PDw/T2w 2.4; DESS 2.2). Image homogeneity compared with 3 T (3.9-4.0 for all sequences) was degraded, especially in TSE sequences at 7 T through signal variations (7 T: 2.1-2.9); to a lesser extent also GRE sequences (7 T: 2.9-3.5). Imaging findings related to untreated or treated AVN were better delineated at 3 T (≤1.8), while joint effusions (2.2-2.6) and cartilage defects (2.5-3.0) were better visualized at 7 T. STIR performed much more poorly at 7 T, generating large contrast variations (1.5). 7-T hip MRI showed comparable results in hip joint imaging compared with 3 T with slight

3D Vision Provides Shorter Operative Time and More Accurate Intraoperative Surgical Performance in Laparoscopic Hiatal Hernia Repair Compared With 2D Vision.

Science.gov (United States)

Leon, Piera; Rivellini, Roberta; Giudici, Fabiola; Sciuto, Antonio; Pirozzi, Felice; Corcione, Francesco

2017-04-01

The aim of this study is to evaluate if 3-dimensional high-definition (3D) vision in laparoscopy can prompt advantages over conventional 2D high-definition vision in hiatal hernia (HH) repair. Between September 2012 and September 2015, we randomized 36 patients affected by symptomatic HH to undergo surgery; 17 patients underwent 2D laparoscopic HH repair, whereas 19 patients underwent the same operation in 3D vision. No conversion to open surgery occurred. Overall operative time was significantly reduced in the 3D laparoscopic group compared with the 2D one (69.9 vs 90.1 minutes, P = .006). Operative time to perform laparoscopic crura closure did not differ significantly between the 2 groups. We observed a tendency to a faster crura closure in the 3D group in the subgroup of patients with mesh positioning (7.5 vs 8.9 minutes, P = .09). Nissen fundoplication was faster in the 3D group without mesh positioning ( P = .07). 3D vision in laparoscopic HH repair helps surgeon's visualization and seems to lead to operative time reduction. Advantages can result from the enhanced spatial perception of narrow spaces. Less operative time and more accurate surgery translate to benefit for patients and cost savings, compensating the high costs of the 3D technology. However, more data from larger series are needed to firmly assess the advantages of 3D over 2D vision in laparoscopic HH repair.

Beyond silence: protocol for a randomized parallel-group trial comparing two approaches to workplace mental health education for healthcare employees.

Science.gov (United States)

Moll, Sandra; Patten, Scott Burton; Stuart, Heather; Kirsh, Bonnie; MacDermid, Joy Christine

2015-04-16

Mental illness is a significant and growing problem in Canadian healthcare organizations, leading to tremendous personal, social and financial costs for individuals, their colleagues, their employers and their patients. Early and appropriate intervention is needed, but unfortunately, few workers get the help that they need in a timely way due to barriers related to poor mental health literacy, stigma, and inadequate access to mental health services. Workplace education and training is one promising approach to early identification and support for workers who are struggling. Little is known, however, about what approach is most effective, particularly in the context of healthcare work. The purpose of this study is to compare the impact of a customized, contact-based education approach with standard mental health literacy training on the mental health knowledge, stigmatized beliefs and help-seeking/help-outreach behaviors of healthcare employees. A multi-centre, randomized, two-group parallel group trial design will be adopted. Two hundred healthcare employees will be randomly assigned to one of two educational interventions: Beyond Silence, a peer-led program customized to the healthcare workplace, and Mental Health First Aid, a standardized literacy based training program. Pre, post and 3-month follow-up surveys will track changes in knowledge (mental health literacy), attitudes towards mental illness, and help-seeking/help-outreach behavior. An intent-to-treat, repeated measures analysis will be conducted to compare changes in the two groups over time in terms of the primary outcome of behavior change. Linear regression modeling will be used to explore the extent to which knowledge, and attitudes predict behavior change. Qualitative interviews with participants and leaders will also be conducted to examine process and implementation of the programs. This is one of the first experimental studies to compare outcomes of standard mental health literacy training to an

The Equivalence of the Methyl Groups in Puckered 3,3-DIMETHYL Oxetane

Science.gov (United States)

Macario, Alberto; Blanco, Susana; Lopez, Juan Carlos

2016-06-01

The spectroscopic study of molecules with large amplitude vibrations have led to reconsider the concept of molecular structure. Sometimes identifying definite bond lengths and angles is not enough to reproduce the experimental data so one must have information on the large amplitude molecular vibration potential energy function and dynamics. 3,3-dimethyloxetane (DMO) has non-planar ring equilibrium configuration and a double minimum potential function for ring-puckering with a barrier of 47 cm-1. The observation of endocyclic 13C and 18O monosubstituted isotopologues allow to conclude that the ring is puckered. However an interesting feature was observed for the 13C substitutions at the methyl carbon atoms. While two different axial and equatorial 13C-methyl groups spectra are predicted from a rigid non-planar ring DMO model, only one species was found. The observed rotational transitions appear at a frequency close to the average of the frequencies predicted for each isotopologue. The observed lines have the same intensity as that found for the 13C_α isotopomer and double that that found for the 13C_β isotopomer.^c This behaviour evidences that the two methyl groups of DMO are equivalent as could be expected for a planar ring. In this work we show how consideration of the potential function and the path for ring puckering motion to calculate the proper kinetic energy terms allow to reproduce the experimental results. Ab initio computations at the CCSD/6-311++G(d,p) level, tested on related systems, have been done for this purpose. J. A. Duckett, T. L. Smithson, and H. Wieser, J. Mol. Spectrosc. 1978, 69 , 159; J. Mol. Struct. 1979, 56, 157 J. C. López, A. G. Lesarri, R. M. Villamañán and J. L. Alonso, J. Mol. Spectrosc. 1990, 141, 231 R. Sánchez, S. Blanco, A. Lesarri, J. C. López and J. L. Alonso, Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys. 2005, 7, 1157

Complexes of groups 3,4, the lanthanides and the actinides containing neutral phophorus donor ligands

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fryzuk, M.D.; Haddad, T.S.; Berg, D.J.

1990-01-01

Of relevance to this review are complexes of the early transition elements, in particular groups 3 and 4 and the lanthanides and actinides. In this review the authors have attempted to collect all the data up to the end of 1988 for complexed of groups 3 and 4, the lanthanides and the actinides that contain phosphorus donor ligands. The 1989s have seen a renaissance of the use of phosphine donors for the early d elements (groups 3 and 4) and the f elements. Neutral phosphorus donors are defined as primary (PH 2 R), secondary (PH 2 ) or tertiary phosphines (PR 3 ), including complexes of phosphine, PH 3 . Also reviewed are complexes of PF 3 and phosphites, P(OR) 3 . Specifically excluded are phosphido derivates, PR 2 . The ability of a neutral phosphorus donor to bind the metals of groups 3 and 4, the lanthanides and the actinides is now well established. While there are still no examples of lanthanum or actinium phosphine complexes, such derivatives should be accessible at least for lanthanum. series. However, there is no obvious chemical reason to suggest that such derivatives cannot be generated. The phosphine ligands that appear to generate the most stable phosphine-metal interaction are chelating phosphines such as dmpe, trmpe and trimpsi. In addition, the use of the chelate effect in conjunction with a hard ligand such as the amide in - N(SiMe 2 CH 2 PMe 2 ) 2 , or an alkoxide as found in - OC(BU t ) 2 CH 2 PMe 2 , also appears to be effective in anchoring the phosphine donor to the metal. The majority of low oxidation state derivatives of the group 4 elements are stabilized by phosphine donors in contrast with other parts of the transition series where one finds that classic π-acceptor-type ligands such as CO or RNC are utilized. 233 refs

Molecular cloning and characterization of a group 3 LEA gene from ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Late embryogenesis-abundant (LEA) protein is one of the components involved in desiccation tolerance (DT) by maintaining cellular structures in the dry state. In this study, a member of the group 3 LEA, MwLEA1, was cloned from Mongolian wheatgrass (Agropyron mongolium Keng) based on a homologous sequence from ...

Comparative study of intrathecal hyperbaric versus isobaric ropivacaine: A randomized control trial

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rajni Gupta

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Background: Hyperbaric ropivacaine produce more reliable sensory and motor block, with faster onset, better quality of muscles relaxation than isobaric ropivacaine. So, this study was designed to compare the efficacy of hyperbaric ropivacaine with isobaric ropivacaine in patients undergoing lower abdominal surgery. Methods: A randomized controlled double blind study in two groups of patients. group A (n=35 received 3 ml of isobaric ropivacaine 6 mg/ml (18 mg. Group B (n=35 received 3 ml of hyperbaric ropivacaine 6 mg/ml (18 mg. The onset and duration of sensory block at dermatome level T10, maximum upper and lower spread of sensory block, intensity, and duration of motor block were recorded. Statistical Analysis: Block characteristics were compared using the two-tailed Mann - Whitney U-test. The proportion of side effects was compared using the Chi-square test. Results: The median time of onset of sensory block at the T10 dermatome was 4.4±1.3 min in group B and 6.0±1.03 min in group A. The median time to maximum block height was 16.7±3.7 min in group A and 12.03±1.96 min in group B. The median duration of complete motor recovery (B0 was significantly shorter in the heavy ropivacaine group (166.5±11.7 min compared with the isobaric ropivacaine group (192.9±9.6 min. Conclusions: Intrathecal hyperbaric ropivacaine provides more rapid, adequate, and good quality of sensory and motor block with rapid post-operative recovery as compare to isobaric ropivacaine.

Polymorphic Variation in Double Strand Break Repair Gene in Indian Population: A Comparative Approach with Worldwide Ethnic Group Variations.

Science.gov (United States)

Mandal, Raju Kumar; Mittal, Rama Devi

2018-04-01

DNA repair capacity is essential in maintaining cellular functions and homeostasis. Identification of genetic polymorphisms responsible for reduced DNA repair capacity may allow better cancer prevention. Double strand break repair pathway plays critical roles in maintaining genome stability. Present study was conducted to determine distribution of XRCC3 Exon 7 (C18067T, rs861539) and XRCC7 Intron 8 (G6721T, rs7003908) gene polymorphisms in North Indian population and compare with different populations globally. The genotype assays were performed in 224 normal healthy individuals of similar ethnicity using the polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP). Allelic frequencies of wild type were 79% (C) in XRCC3 Exon 7 C > T and 57% (G) in XRCC7 Intron 8 (G > T) 57% (G) observed. On the other hand, the variant allele frequency were 21% (T) in XRCC3 Exon 7 C > T and 43% (T) in XRCC7 Intron 8 G > T respectively. Major differences from other ethnic populations were observed. Our results suggest that frequency in these DNA repair genes exhibit distinctive pattern in India that could be attributed to ethnicity variation. This could assist in high-risk screening of humans exposed to environmental carcinogens and cancer predisposition in different ethnic groups.

A Comparative Study of 3-Dimensional Titanium Versus 2-Dimensional Titanium Miniplates for Open Reduction and Fixation of Mandibular Parasymphysis Fracture.

Science.gov (United States)

Mittal, Yogesh; Varghese, K George; Mohan, S; Jayakumar, N; Chhag, Somil

2016-03-01

Three dimensional titanium plating system was developed by Farmand in 1995 to meet the requirements of semi rigid fixation with lesser complication. The purpose of this in vivo prospective study was to evaluate and compare the clinical effectiveness of three dimensional and two dimensional Titanium miniplates for open reduction and fixation of mandibular parasymphysis fracture. Thirty patients with non-comminuted mandibular parasymphysis fractures were divided randomly into two equal groups and were treated with 2 mm 3D and 2D miniplate system respectively. All patients were systematically monitored at 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 6th week, 3rd and 6th month postoperatively. The outcome parameters recorded were severity of pain, infection, mobility, occlusion derangement, paresthesia and implant failure. The data so collected was analyzed using independent t test and Chi square test (α = .05). The results showed that one patient in each group had post-operative infection, occlusion derangement and mobility (p > .05). In Group A, one patient had paresthesia while in Group B, two patients had paresthesia (p > .05). None of the patients in both the groups had implant failure. There was no statistically significant difference between 3D and 2D miniplate system in all the recorded parameters at all the follow-ups (p > .05). 3D miniplates were found to be better than 2D miniplates in terms of cost, ease of surgery and operative time. However, 3D miniplates were unfavorable for cases where fracture line was oblique and in close proximity to mental foramen, where they were difficult to adapt and more chances for tooth-root damage and inadvertent injury to the mental nerve due to traction.

A comprehensive analysis about thermal conductivity of multi-layer graphene with N-doping, -CH3 group, and single vacancy

Science.gov (United States)

Si, Chao; Li, Liang; Lu, Gui; Cao, Bing-Yang; Wang, Xiao-Dong; Fan, Zhen; Feng, Zhi-Hai

2018-04-01

Graphene has received great attention due to its fascinating thermal properties. The inevitable defects in graphene, such as single vacancy, doping, and functional group, greatly affect the thermal conductivity. The sole effect of these defects on the thermal conductivity has been widely studied, while the mechanisms of the coupling effects are still open. We studied the combined effect of defects with N-doping, the -CH3 group, and single vacancy on the thermal conductivity of multi-layer graphene at various temperatures using equilibrium molecular dynamics with the Green-Kubo theory. The Taguchi orthogonal algorithm is used to evaluate the sensitivity of N-doping, the -CH3 group, and single vacancy. Sole factor analysis shows that the effect of single vacancy on thermal conductivity is always the strongest at 300 K, 700 K, and 1500 K. However, for the graphene with three defects, the single vacancy defect only plays a significant role in the thermal conductivity modification at 300 K and 700 K, while the -CH3 group dominates the thermal conductivity reduction at 1500 K. The phonon dispersion is calculated using a spectral energy density approach to explain such a temperature dependence. The combined effect of the three defects further decreases the thermal conductivity compared to any sole defect at both 300 K and 700 K. The weaker single vacancy effect is due to the stronger Umklapp scattering at 1500 K, at which the combined effect seriously covers almost all the energy gaps in the phonon dispersion relation, significantly reducing the phonon lifetimes. Therefore, the temperature dependence only appears on the multi-layer graphene with combined defects.

Virtual and Printed 3D Models for Teaching Crystal Symmetry and Point Groups

Science.gov (United States)

Casas, Lluís; Estop, Euge`nia

2015-01-01

Both, virtual and printed 3D crystal models can help students and teachers deal with chemical education topics such as symmetry and point groups. In the present paper, two freely downloadable tools (interactive PDF files and a mobile app) are presented as examples of the application of 3D design to study point-symmetry. The use of 3D printing to…

A comparative study of cerebral atrophy in various alcoholic groups, based on CT findings

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ishii, Tomoyuki

1983-01-01

The alcoholics were diagnosed and classified based on the criteria, offered at the Alcoholism Diagnostic Conference (1977) which was held under the auspices of the Ministry of Welfare, Japan. Grade of cerebral atrophy was estimated. Measurement items on the Computed Tomography (CT Scan) which contributed to discrimination among these groups were investigated simultaneously. The study consisted of seventy-five alcoholic patients and control group of ninety-four who were devoid of any evidence for alcoholism. Influential factors which were involved in cerebral atrophy of the alcoholic groups were investigated and factorial analysis was completed. There was a definite increase in cerebral atrophy during the aging process in patients with long term durations of drinking alcohol. There was a close correlation between age and duration of drinking alcohol. After the results of canonical discriminant analysis against 9 CT items, the Ventricle index definitely contributed both in the discrimination between the alcoholics and the controls and in the discrimination between alcoholic dementia and other alcoholic psychoses. Furthermore, the horizontal diameter of the third ventricle contributed to the latter discrimination, while the Evans' index contributed to the former discrimination. Therefore, the Ventricle index and the Evans' index turn out as the most valuable diagnostic criteria, as well as the CT index against cerebral atrophy in the alcoholics; however, the horizontal diameter of the third ventricle is useful in comparing among alcoholic psychoses. (J.P.N.)

High-efficiency organic solar cells based on end-functional-group-modified poly(3-hexylthiophene)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kim, Jong Soo; Lee, Ji Hwang [School of Environmental Science and Engineering Polymer Research Institute, Pohang University of Science and Engineering Pohang, 790-784 (Korea); Lee, Youngmin; Park, Jong Hwan; Kim, Jin Kon; Cho, Kilwon [Department of Chemical Engineering Polymer Research Institute, Pohang University of Science and Engineering Pohang, 790-784 (Korea)

2010-03-26

Photovoltaic devices of end-functional-group-modified poly 3-(hexylthiophene)/[6,6]-phenyl-C{sub 61} butyric acid methyl ester (P3HT:PCBM) are fabricated with thermal annealing. The surface energies between donor and acceptor were matched by varying the end group, which can be used to control vertical and horizontal phase separation in the active layer, leading mixed nanomorphology with optimized phase separation, low series resistance, and high performance for solar cell devices. (Abstract Copyright [2010], Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

A clinical study to compare between resting and stimulated whole salivary flow rate and pH before and after complete denture placement in different age groups.

Science.gov (United States)

Muddugangadhar, B C; Sangur, Rajashekar; Rudraprasad, I V; Nandeeshwar, D B; Kumar, B H Dhanya

2015-01-01

This study compared the flow rate and pH of resting (unstimulated) and stimulated whole saliva before and after complete denture placement in different age groups. Fifty healthy, non-medicated edentulous individuals of different age groups requiring complete denture prostheses were selected from the outpatient department. The resting (unstimulated) and stimulated whole saliva and pH were measured at three stages i.e., i)Before complete denture placement;ii)Immediately after complete denture placement; andiii)After 2 to 3 months of complete denture placement. Saliva production was stimulated by chewing paraffin wax. pH was determined by using a digital pH meter. Statistically significant differences were seen in resting(unstimulated) and stimulated whole salivary flow rate and pH obtained before, immediately after, and after 2 to 3 months of complete denture placement. No statistically significant differences were found between the different age groups in resting (unstimulated) as well as stimulated whole salivary flow rate and pH. Stimulated whole salivary flow rates and pH were significantly higher than resting (unstimulated) whole salivary flow rates and pH obtained before, immediately after, and after 2 to 3 months of complete denture placement. No age related variations in whole salivary flow rate and pH were observed in healthy, non-medicated individuals. The assessment of salivary flow rate, pH in different age groups is of prognostic value, which is an important aspect to be considered in the practice of removable prosthodontics.

Banded versus Single-sided bonded space maintainers: A Comparative Study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sudhir Mittal

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Background: The present study is conducted to evaluate and compare the clinical performance of conventional band and loop space maintainer and fiber reinforced composite resin (FRCR space maintainers. Materials and Methods: A total of 45 extraction sites in the age group of 6–9 years having premature loss of primary molars or indicated for extraction were selected for the study. The patients were randomly divided into three groups as Group I, in which conventional band and loop space maintainer was given, Group II and Group III (FRCR, in which FRCR (everStick CandB and impregnated glass fibers (Interlig space maintainers were given, respectively. Patients were recalled at 3, 6, and 12-month interval for evaluation of all the three types of space maintainer. Results: Overall success rate of Group I was 86.7%, for Group II was 80%, and for Group III was 73.3% at the end of the study. Patient acceptability was significantly higher in Group II and Group III (FRCR as compared to Group I (Conventional band and loop. In Group I, cement loss and fracture of loop, whereas in Group II and Group III, debonding at enamel composite was the most common failure followed by debonding at fiber composite and fiber fracture. FRCR space maintainers were found to be cost-effective as compared to Group I. More linear changes and angular changes were recorded in Group I as compared to Group II and Group III but difference was not significant (P > 0.05. Conclusion: Only single (buccal surface application of FRCR space maintainers showed almost equal clinical efficacy compared to conventional band and loop space maintainer with significantly better patient acceptability, less cost, and time taken.

An Integrated Architecture to Support Hastily Formed Network (HFN)

Science.gov (United States)

2007-12-01

range of magnitudes. In the case of the September 11 attack, the magnitude of the infrastructure devastated resulted in an economic impact that...fielded a new Command and Control (C2) system, the Atares System (developed by Future Systems). Apart from the C2 software applications, the complete...flow • Note pad – an electronic pad for note taking. • Internet – provides internet access a. Observations on LACoS and LACoFD C2 System The Atares

Convergent-beam electron diffraction study of incommensurately modulated crystals. Pt. 2. (3 + 1)-dimensional space groups

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Terauchi, Masami; Takahashi, Mariko; Tanaka, Michiyoshi

1994-01-01

The convergent-beam electron diffraction (CBED) method for determining three-dimensional space groups is extended to the determination of the (3 + 1)-dimensional space groups for one-dimensional incommensurately modulated crystals. It is clarified than an approximate dynamical extinction line appears in the CBED discs of the reflections caused by an incommensurate modulation. The extinction enables the space-group determination of the (3 + 1)-dimensional crystals or the one-dimensional incommensurately modulated crystals. An example of the dynamical extinction line is shown using an incommensurately modulated crystal of Sr 2 Nb 2 O 7 . Tables of the dynamical extinction lines appearing in CBED patterns are given for all the (3 + 1)-dimensional space groups of the incommensurately modulated crystal. (orig.)

Comparing the group theoretical approaches to the description of dipole and quadrupole collectivity in nuclei

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Georgieva, A I

2013-01-01

The comparison of the two types of collectivity in nuclear dynamics is based on the equal realizations of their basic symmetries, represented by the algebra-chain u(3) superset of su(3) superset of so(3). We illustrate this on the example of two phenomenological algebraic models: the semimicroscopic algebraic cluster model (SACM) with one of the clusters considered as a scalar and the interacting two vector boson model (IVBM). In both of them the root group structure that leads to the above chain is based on the coupling of two different U(3) representations, with different physical interpretations. These similarities allow for the use of the same mathematical tools in building the theory, but there are important differences that come from the different higher symmetries in which this equal substructures are embedded.

Sleep quality at 3 months postpartum considering maternal age: A comparative study.

Science.gov (United States)

Wen, Shih-Yi; Ko, Yi-Li; Jou, Hei-Jen; Chien, Li-Yin

2018-03-01

Poor sleep quality is related to old age among the general population, but few studies have focused on postpartum women of advanced maternal age. The present study aimed to describe and compare sleep quality between women younger or older than 35 years of age at 3 months postpartum, and to examine the related factors. A cross-sectional survey was conducted with 160 postpartum women who had given birth at a teaching hospital in Taiwan. The participants were assigned to two groups according to age (≥35 years, n=80; and 20-34 years, n=80). Sleep quality was measured using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index with a cut-off score of 5. The prevalence of poor sleep quality at 3 months postpartum was higher in older mothers (61.6%) than in younger mothers (38.4%, psleep quality was positively correlated with the severity of postpartum physical symptoms, lack of exercise, and room-sharing with infants. After adjustment for those variables, older mothers were three times more likely to have poor sleep quality than younger mothers (odds ratio=3.08; 95% confidence interval 1.52-6.23). Health care providers should pay attention to sleep problems among postpartum women, especially mothers of advanced maternal age. In particular, health care providers should evaluate sleep quality among postpartum women, instruct them not to share the bed with their infants at night, perform exercise, and manage their postpartum physical symptoms to improve the sleep quality. Copyright © 2018 Australian College of Midwives. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Comparative study of occupational performance in children with global developmental delay at 3 and 5 years old

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Patrícia Isabel Candeias Fernandes

2016-07-01

Full Text Available Objectives: This study aims to compare the occupational performance of children with global developmental delay, inserted in SNIPI, and children with typical development, at 3 and 5 years of age, and to verify what functional areas children with global developmental delay feature more difficulties. Method: This is a comparative descriptive study including a sample of 40 participants, and 20 show Typical Development with 20 presenting diagnosis of Global Development Delay. These two groups were divided into two age subgroups of 10 children (aged 3 to 5 years. Results: The Inventory Pediatric Evaluation of Disability was filled out by parents and the results show that occupational performance of children with developmental delay, inserted in SNIPI is lower than those with typical development, with 3 and 5 years old, in the areas personal, mobility and socialization autonomy. Conclusion: The publication of more studies related to the practice of occupational therapy in Portugal is crucial, thus contributing to the knowledge of professionals and students in this scientific area. In addition, more and more evidence-based practice is an approach adopted by health professionals, including occupational therapists, and to this end it is extremely important to carry out newer studies locally in Portugal.

Comparative analysis of pepper and tomato reveals euchromatin expansion of pepper genome caused by differential accumulation of Ty3/Gypsy-like elements

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ahn Jong Hwa

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Among the Solanaceae plants, the pepper genome is three times larger than that of tomato. Although the gene repertoire and gene order of both species are well conserved, the cause of the genome-size difference is not known. To determine the causes for the expansion of pepper euchromatic regions, we compared the pepper genome to that of tomato. Results For sequence-level analysis, we generated 35.6 Mb of pepper genomic sequences from euchromatin enriched 1,245 pepper BAC clones. The comparative analysis of orthologous gene-rich regions between both species revealed insertion of transposons exclusively in the pepper sequences, maintaining the gene order and content. The most common type of the transposon found was the LTR retrotransposon. Phylogenetic comparison of the LTR retrotransposons revealed that two groups of Ty3/Gypsy-like elements (Tat and Athila were overly accumulated in the pepper genome. The FISH analysis of the pepper Tat elements showed a random distribution in heterochromatic and euchromatic regions, whereas the tomato Tat elements showed heterochromatin-preferential accumulation. Conclusions Compared to tomato pepper euchromatin doubled its size by differential accumulation of a specific group of Ty3/Gypsy-like elements. Our results could provide an insight on the mechanism of genome evolution in the Solanaceae family.

Automated cognitive testing of monkeys in social groups yields results comparable to individual laboratory-based testing.

Science.gov (United States)

Gazes, Regina Paxton; Brown, Emily Kathryn; Basile, Benjamin M; Hampton, Robert R

2013-05-01

Cognitive abilities likely evolved in response to specific environmental and social challenges and are therefore expected to be specialized for the life history of each species. Specialized cognitive abilities may be most readily engaged under conditions that approximate the natural environment of the species being studied. While naturalistic environments might therefore have advantages over laboratory settings for cognitive research, it is difficult to conduct certain types of cognitive tests in these settings. We implemented methods for automated cognitive testing of monkeys (Macaca mulatta) in large social groups (Field station) and compared the performance to that of laboratory-housed monkeys (Laboratory). The Field station animals shared access to four touch-screen computers in a large naturalistic social group. Each Field station subject had an RFID chip implanted in each arm for computerized identification and individualized assignment of cognitive tests. The Laboratory group was housed and tested in a typical laboratory setting, with individual access to testing computers in their home cages. Monkeys in both groups voluntarily participated at their own pace for food rewards. We evaluated performance in two visual psychophysics tests, a perceptual classification test, a transitive inference test, and a delayed matching-to-sample memory test. Despite the differences in housing, social environment, age, and sex, monkeys in the two groups performed similarly in all tests. Semi-free ranging monkeys living in complex social environments are therefore viable subjects for cognitive testing designed to take advantage of the unique affordances of naturalistic testing environments.

Consumers' perceptions toward 3 different fermented dairy products: Insights from focus groups, word association, and projective mapping.

Science.gov (United States)

Esmerino, Erick A; Ferraz, Juliana P; Filho, Elson R Tavares; Pinto, Letícia P F; Freitas, Mônica Q; Cruz, Adriano G; Bolini, Helena M A

2017-11-01

Yogurts, fermented milk beverages, and fermented milks have great similarity and are widely accepted by Brazilian population, but the factors that influence their choice and consumption are unknown. In this sense, the present study aimed to identify the main aspects involved in consumers' perception of 3 different products, comparing the findings by using the 2 fast qualitative methods, word association and projective mapping, and a standard method, focus group. The tasks were performed by different participants through graphic stimuli (word association and projective mapping) and focus interviews (focus group). Results showed that all the 3 methodologies identified numerous intrinsic and extrinsic factors that influence the consumer choices regarding fermented dairy products. Major dimensions were closely related to the sensory aspects, emotional factors, perception of benefits, and composition, among others. It is noteworthy that the stimuli related to fermented milk beverages evoked rejecting responses, possibly due to the dissociation between information and consumers' expectation. Although minor differences were observed between the number and type of dimensions that were obtained, similar conclusions can be drawn from all 3 sensory methods, which shows the relevance of qualitative and projective methods for investigation of consumers' perception. These findings can help dairy companies to provide subsidies and guidelines for the reformulation of their products, marketing strategies, and improvement in the communication between producers and consumers from different fermented dairy products. Copyright © 2017 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Comparative study of few energy group of cross sections for fuel cells of thermal reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1991-08-01

A comparative study of nuclear constants calculated with LEOPARD and WIMSD-4 codes using a typical PWR cell was done. Few groups macroscopic cross section, spectral index, burnup and power distribution were analyzed. (author) and safety concern with the transport of radioactive materials, looking for the control of eventual exposure of radiation to men, properties and environment, that is: specification of radioactive materials to be transported; choice of loaded materials; specification of requisites of loaded materials; general specification for any way of transport (earth, water and air), and responsibilities and administrative requisites. (author)

Identification and expression analysis of four 14-3-3 genes during fruit ripening in banana (Musa acuminata L. AAA group, cv. Brazilian).

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Mei-Ying; Xu, Bi-Yu; Liu, Ju-Hua; Yang, Xiao-Liang; Zhang, Jian-Bin; Jia, Cai-Hong; Ren, Li-Cheng; Jin, Zhi-Qiang

2012-02-01

To investigate the regulation of 14-3-3 proteins in banana (Musa acuminata L. AAA group, cv. Brazilian) fruit postharvest ripening, four cDNAs encoding 14-3-3 proteins were isolated from banana and designated as Ma-14-3-3a, Ma-14-3-3c, Ma-14-3-3e, and Ma-14-3-3i, respectively. Amino acid sequence alignment showed that the four 14-3-3 proteins shared a highly conserved core structure and variable C-terminal as well as N-terminal regions with 14-3-3 proteins from other plant species. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that the four 14-3-3 genes belong to the non-ε groups. They were differentially and specifically expressed in various tissues. Real-time RT-PCR analysis indicated that these four genes function differentially during banana fruit postharvest ripening. Three genes, Ma-14-3-3a, Ma-14-3-3c, and Ma-14-3-3e, were significantly induced by exogenous ethylene treatment. However, gene function differed in naturally ripened fruits. Ethylene could induce Ma-14-3-3c expression during postharvest ripening, but expression patterns of Ma-14-3-3a and Ma-14-3-3e suggest that these two genes appear to be involved in regulating ethylene biosynthesis during fruit ripening. No obvious relationship emerged between Ma-14-3-3i expression in naturally ripened and 1-MCP (1-methylcyclopropene)-treated fruit groups during fruit ripening. These results indicate that the 14-3-3 proteins might be involved in various regulatory processes of banana fruit ripening. Further studies will mainly focus on revealing the detailed biological mechanisms of these four 14-3-3 genes in regulating banana fruit postharvest ripening.

Mobile phone text messaging and Telephone follow-up in type 2 diabetic patients for 3 months: a comparative study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zolfaghari Mirta

2012-08-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background To investigate and to compare the effectiveness of a nurse short message service (SMS by cellular phone and telephone follow-up by nurse on Glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c levels in people with type 2 diabetes. Methods Semi experimental study consisted of 77 patients with type 2 diabetes that randomly assigned to two groups: telephone follow-up (n = 39 and short message service (n = 38. Telephone interventions were applied by researcher for 3 months. SMS group that received message daily for 12 weeks. Data gathering instrument include data sheet to record HbA1c and questionnaire that consisted of demographic characteristics. Data gathering was performed at two points: initial the study and after 12 weeks. Data analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics methods with SPSS version 11.5. Results Demographic variables were compared and all of them were homogenous. Results of this study showed that both interventions had significant mean changes in HbA1c; for the telephone group (p = 0.001, with a mean change of −0.93% and for the SMS group (p = 0.001, with a mean change of −1.01%. Conclusion Finding of this research showed that intervention using SMS via cellular phone and nurse-led-telephone follow up improved HbA1c for three months in type 2 diabetic patients and it can consider as alternative methods for diabetes control.

Comparing Tactical Behaviour of Soccer Players in 3 vs. 3 and 6 vs. 6 Small-Sided Games

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Silva Bernardo

2014-07-01

Full Text Available The present study aimed to compare players’ tactical behaviour in 3 vs. 3 and 6 vs. 6 soccer small-sided games (SSGs. The sample comprised 3,482 tactical actions performed by 18 U-11 youth soccer players from a Portuguese club, in 3 vs. 3 and 6 vs. 6 SSGs. All participants played eight minutes in both situations and field size was adapted according to the number of players involved (30 m x 19.5 m for 3 vs. 3 and 60 m x 39 m for 6 vs. 6. The System of Tactical Assessment in Soccer (FUT-SAT was used for data collection and analyses. Descriptive analysis was conducted to verify frequencies and percentages of the variables assessed. The chi-squared (χ2 test was performed to compare the frequencies of the variables between 3 vs. 3 and 6 vs. 6 SSGs and Standardized Residuals (e were used to examine the influence of the frequency of one or more variables within 3 vs. 3 and 6 vs. 6 SSGs. Data treatment was performed through SPSS for Windows®, version 18.0. Results indicated that players displayed safer behaviours in 6 vs. 6 SSG and more aggressive behaviours in 3 vs. 3 SSG. Findings can aid coaches and teachers to develop different players’ tactical skills according to the chosen SSG (3 vs. 3 or 6 vs. 6 form.

A Clinical Comparative Study of 3-Dimensional Accuracy between Digital and Conventional Implant Impression Techniques.

Science.gov (United States)

Alsharbaty, Mohammed Hussein M; Alikhasi, Marzieh; Zarrati, Simindokht; Shamshiri, Ahmed Reza

2018-02-09

To evaluate the accuracy of a digital implant impression technique using a TRIOS 3Shape intraoral scanner (IOS) compared to conventional implant impression techniques (pick-up and transfer) in clinical situations. Thirty-six patients who had two implants (Implantium, internal connection) ranging in diameter between 3.8 and 4.8 mm in posterior regions participated in this study after signing a consent form. Thirty-six reference models (RM) were fabricated by attaching two impression copings intraorally, splinted with autopolymerizing acrylic resin, verified by sectioning through the middle of the index, and rejoined again with freshly mixed autopolymerizing acrylic resin pattern (Pattern Resin) with the brush bead method. After that, the splinted assemblies were attached to implant analogs (DANSE) and impressed with type III dental stone (Gypsum Microstone) in standard plastic die lock trays. Thirty-six working casts were fabricated for each conventional impression technique (i.e., pick-up and transfer). Thirty-six digital impressions were made with a TRIOS 3Shape IOS. Eight of the digitally scanned files were damaged; 28 digital scan files were retrieved to STL format. A coordinate-measuring machine (CMM) was used to record linear displacement measurements (x, y, and z-coordinates), interimplant distances, and angular displacements for the RMs and conventionally fabricated working casts. CATIA 3D evaluation software was used to assess the digital STL files for the same variables as the CMM measurements. CMM measurements made on the RMs and conventionally fabricated working casts were compared with 3D software measurements made on the digitally scanned files. Data were statistically analyzed using the generalized estimating equation (GEE) with an exchangeable correlation matrix and linear method, followed by the Bonferroni method for pairwise comparisons (α = 0.05). The results showed significant differences between the pick-up and digital groups in all of the

Comparing radio-tracking and visual detection methods to quantify group size measures

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Reiczigel Jenő

2015-12-01

Full Text Available 1. Average values of animal group sizes are prone to be overestimated in traditional field studies because small groups and singletons are easier to overlook than large ones. This kind of bias also applies for the method of locating groups by tracking previously radio-collared individuals in the wild. If the researcher randomly chooses a collared animal to locate a group to visit, a large group has higher probability to be selected than a small one, simply because it has more members.

An -OH group functionalized MOF for ratiometric Fe3+ sensing

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, Hui; Dong, Yingying; Wu, Yuhang; Ren, Wenjing; Zhao, Tao; Wang, Shunli; Gao, Junkuo

2018-02-01

Iron is one of the most important elements in the biochemical processes in all living system, both deficiency or excess of iron will lead to metabolism disorder diseases. However, Fe3+ is one of the most efficient fluorescence quenchers among the transition-metal ions because of its paramagnetic nature. The realization of Fe3+ ratiometric and self-calibrated fluorescent sensor is highly-challenging. We synthesized a novel luminescent -OH functionalized EuOHBDC (Eu2(OH-BDC)3, OH-BDC=2-hydroxyterephthalic acid) by hydrothermal reaction and in situ ligand synthesis, and used it as a rare ratiomatric luminescent sensor for Fe3+ ions. The -OH functional group facilitates both electron transfer and binding interaction between EuOHBDC and Fe3+, which lead to luminescent quenching of ligand-based emission while enhancement of a new peak emission, and thus enables ratiometric detection of Fe3+. The relative fluorescent intensity ratio (I375/I427) increased linearly with increasing Fe3+ concentration in the 10-50 μM range with 1.17 μM (65 ppb) detection limit. The EuOHBDC also shows excellent selectivity towards different metal ions, particularly can discriminate Fe3+ and Fe2+ through different luminescent responses. This result clearly demonstrates the superiority of -OH functionalized MOF for Fe3+ detection, which can contribute to develop high performance luminescent probe for detection of metal ions in environmental and biomedical applications.

The dynamical groups SO0(3.2) and SO0(4.2) as space-time groups of elementary particles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Heidenreich, W.

1981-01-01

Elementary particles are described by representations of SO 0 (4.2) and SO 0 (3.2). An S-matrix invariant under the corresponding group constrains the possible scattering channels. The simptest used representations have each one gauge freedom, the physical significance of which is discussed. 'Higher' representations can be constructed from the simplest by means of the tensor product; the same is true for the corresponding particles. The simplest objects of the SO 0 (3.2) theory, the SO 0 (3.2) theory, the Dirac singletons correspond to the states of a 2-dimensional harmonic oscillator. The basic states of this are interpreted as urs in the sense of von Weizsaecker. (orig./HSI) [de

Intake of key micronutrients and food groups in patients with late-stage age-related macular degeneration compared with age-sex-matched controls.

Science.gov (United States)

Gopinath, Bamini; Liew, Gerald; Russell, Joanna; Cosatto, Victoria; Burlutsky, George; Mitchell, Paul

2017-08-01

Knowledge of the risk factor profile of patients presenting with late-stage age-related macular degeneration (AMD) could help identify the most frequent modifiable AMD precursors among people who are referred for treatment. We aimed to assess dietary behaviours by comparing adjusted mean intakes of micronutrients and major food groups (fruits, vegetables, fish) among patients with AMD and a sample of age-sex-matched controls. Cross-sectional analysis of 480 late AMD cases and 518 population-based age-sex-matched controls with no AMD signs. AMD cases (aged 60+ years) were those presenting for treatment to a hospital eye clinic in Sydney, Australia, during 2012-2015. The comparator group were obtained from a cohort study (Blue Mountains Eye Study; Sydney, Australia) during 2002-2009. Dietary intake was assessed using a semiquantitative food-frequency questionnaire. AMD lesions were assessed from retinal photographs. After multivariable adjustment, patients with late-stage AMD compared with controls had significantly lower intakes of vitamin E (7.4 vs 9.8 mg/day; p<0.0001), beta-carotene (6232 vs 7738 μg/day; p<0.0001), vitamin C (161 vs 184 mg/day; p=0.0002) and folate (498.3 vs 602 μg/day; p<0.0001); but had higher intakes of zinc (13.0 vs 11.9 mg/day; p<0.0001). A significantly lower proportion of patients with late AMD met the recommended intake of vegetables than controls: 52.9% versus 64.5%; p=0.0002. This study showed significant differences in intakes of vitamins C and E, beta-carotene, folate and vegetables between patients with late-stage AMD and healthy controls, and thus has provided a better understanding of the nutritional intake of patients presenting with advanced AMD. 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/.

A 6-week, multicenter, randomized, double-masked, parallel-group study comparing travoprost 0.004% to latanoprost 0.005% followed by 6-week, open-label treatment with travoprost 0.004%.

Science.gov (United States)

Maul, Eugenio; Carrasco, Félix Gil; Costa, Vital Paulino; Casiraghi, Javier F; Vargas, Enrique; Sarmina, Judith S; Mayol, Renato

2007-09-01

The aim of this study was to compare the tolerability and efficacy of once-daily travoprost 0.004% versus latanoprost 0.005% for 6 weeks followed by 6 weeks of once-daily travoprost 0.004% in decreasing intraocular pressure (IOP) in patients with open-angle glaucoma (OAG) or ocular hypertension (OH). This multicenter, randomized, doublemasked, active-controlled, parallel-group trial was conducted at 32 centers across Latin America. Patients aged > or =18 years with OAG or OH were randomly assigned to receive topical travoprost 0.004% or latanoprost 0.005% 1 drop QD (9 PM) for 6 weeks (masked phase). At 6 weeks, all patients were assigned to receive open-label travoprost 0.004% 1 drop QD (9 PM) for 6 additional weeks (open-label phase). Study visits were scheduled at weeks 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, and 12. At each study visit, IOP was measured at 5 PM (+/-1 hour; approximately 20 hours after study drug administration). IOP changes from baseline were combined (pooled) from the 1-, 2-, 4-, and 6-week data to provide a comparison between the 2 treatment groups. Ocular adverse events (AEs) were monitored using slit-lamp examination. A total of 302 patients were enrolled (travoprost group, 155 patients; latanoprost group, 147 patients). The mean (SD) age of the travoprost group was 61.9 (10.6) years; 60.6% were female; and 47.1% were white. The mean (SD) age of the latanoprost group was 60.5 (12.4) years; 62.6% were female; and 49.0% were white. Mean IOP values were not significantly different between the travoprost and latanoprost groups at baseline (24.7 vs 24.2 mm Hg) or 6 weeks; however, the between-group difference in reductions from baseline in pooled IOP during the masked phase of the study was statistically significant (-8.3 vs -7.5 mm Hg; P = 0.009). At weeks 6 and 12, mean lOP levels were 16.1 and 16.2 mm Hg, respectively, in the travoprost group and 16.4 and 16.1 mm Hg in the group that was switched from latanoprost to travoprost (all, P = NS). The most common ocular AEs

ABO blood groups and psychiatric disorders: a Croatian study.

Science.gov (United States)

Pisk, Sandra Vuk; Vuk, Tomislav; Ivezić, Ena; Jukić, Irena; Bingulac-Popović, Jasna; Filipčić, Igor

2018-02-15

The prevalence of ABO alleles is different in different populations, and many studies have shown a correlation between the occurrences of some diseases and different genotypes of ABO blood groups. The aim of this study was to determine whether there is a significant association between psychiatric syndromes and ABO blood groups. This case-control study involved 156 psychiatric patients and 303 healthy, unrelated, voluntary blood donors. Genomic DNA was isolated from blood on a QIAcube device using a QIAamp DNA Blood mini QIAcube kit. ABO genotyping on five basic ABO alleles was performed using allele-specific polymerase chain reaction analysis. Compared with healthy subjects, a significantly higher proportion of psychiatric patients had AB blood group (χ 2 =9.359, df=3, p=0.025) and, accordingly, a significantly higher incidence of A1B genotype (χ 2 =8.226, df=3, p=0.042). The odds ratio showed that psychiatric disorders occur almost three times more frequently in carriers of AB group compared to other blood groups. However, no statistically significant difference was found in the distribution of ABO blood groups among patients with different psychiatric diagnoses. Likewise, no correlations were found between ABO blood groups and other characteristics of the psychiatric patients (sex, psychiatric heredity, somatic comorbidity, suicidality). The results of this study support the hypothesis of an association between psychiatric disorders and ABO blood groups. The probability is that psychiatric disorders will occur almost three times more frequently in carriers of AB group compared to other ABO blood groups in the Croatian population.

Group IV Materials for High Performance Methane Sensing in Novel Slot Optical Waveguides at 2.883 μm and 3.39 μm

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vittorio M. N. PASSARO

2012-03-01

Full Text Available In this paper a detailed investigation of novel photonic sensors based on slot waveguides has been carried out. Appropriate alloys of group IV materials, such as germanium (Ge, silicon (Si, carbon (C and tin (Sn, are applied in silicon-on-insulator (SOI technology for homogeneous optical sensing at 2.883 µm and 3.39 μm. Electronic and optical properties of group IV alloys have been investigated. In addition, we have designed novel group IV vertical slot waveguides in order to achieve ultra-high sensitivities, as well as good fabrication tolerances. All these features have been compared with well-known SOI slot waveguides for optical label-free homogeneous sensing at 1.55 µm. In conclusion, theoretical investigation of ring resonators based on these novel slot waveguides has revealed very good results in terms of ultra high sensing performance of methane gas, i.e., limit of detection ~ 3.6×10-5 RIU and wavelength sensitivity > 2×103 nm/RIU.

Collective nostalgia: A group-level emotion that confers unique benefits on the group.

Science.gov (United States)

Wildschut, Tim; Bruder, Martin; Robertson, Sara; van Tilburg, Wijnand A P; Sedikides, Constantine

2014-11-01

This research established collective nostalgia as a group-level emotion and ascertained the benefits it confers on the group. In Study 1, participants who reflected on a nostalgic event they had experienced together with ingroup members (collective nostalgia) evaluated the ingroup more positively and reported stronger intentions to approach (and not avoid) ingroup members than those who recalled a nostalgic event they had experienced individually (personal nostalgia), those who reflected on a lucky event they had experienced together with ingroup members (collective positive), and those who did not recall an event (no recall). In Study 2, collective (vs. personal) nostalgia strengthened behavioral intentions to support the ingroup more so than did recalling an ordinary collective (vs. personal) event. Increased collective self-esteem mediated this effect. In Study 3, collective nostalgia (compared with recall of an ordinary collective event) led participants to sacrifice money in order to punish a transgression perpetrated against an ingroup member. This effect of collective nostalgia was more pronounced when social identification was high (compared with low). Finally, in Study 4, collective nostalgia converged toward the group average (i.e., was socially shared) when participants thought of themselves in terms of their group membership. The findings underscore the viability of studying nostalgia at multiple levels of analysis and highlight the significance of collective nostalgia for understanding group-level attitudes, global action tendencies, specific behavioral intentions, and behavior.

ZZ MATXSLIBJ33, JENDL-3.3 based, 175 N-42 photon groups (VITAMIN-J) MATXS library for discrete ordinates multi-group

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kosako, K.; Yamano, N.; Fukahori, T.; Shibata, K.; Hasegawa, A.

2006-01-01

1 - Description of program or function: JENDL-3.3 based, 175 neutron-42 photon groups (VITAMIN-J) MATXS library for discrete ordinates multi-group transport codes. Format: MATXS. Number of groups: 175 neutron, 42 gamma-ray. Nuclides: 337 nuclides contained in JENDL-3.3: H-1, H-2, He-3, He-4, Li-6, Li-7, Be-9, B-10, B-11, C-Nat, N-14, N-15, O-16, F-19, Na-23, Mg-24, Mg-25, Mg-26, Al-27, Si-28, Si-29, Si-30, P-31, S-32, S-33, S-34, S-36, Cl-35, Cl-37, Ar-40, K-39, K-40, K-41, Ca-40, Ca-42, Ca-43, Ca-44, Ca-46, Ca-48, Sc-45, Ti-46, Ti-47, Ti-48, Ti-49, Ti-50, V-Nat, Cr-50, Cr-52, Cr-53, Cr-54, Mn-55, Fe-54, Fe-56, Fe-57, Fe-58, Co-59, Ni-58, Ni-60, Ni-61, Ni-62, Ni-64, Cu-63, Cu-65, Ga-69, Ga-71, Ge-70, Ge-72, Ge-73, Ge-74, Ge-76, As-75, Se-74, Se-76, Se-77, Se-78, Se-79, Se-80, Se-82, Br-79, Br-81, Kr-78, Kr-80, Kr-82, Kr-83, Kr-84, Kr-85, Kr-86, Rb-85, Rb-87, Sr-86, Sr-87, Sr-88, Sr-89, Sr-90, Y-89, Y-91, Zr-90, Zr-91, Zr-92, Zr-93, Zr-94, Zr-95, Zr-96, Nb-93, Nb-94, Nb-95, Mo-92, Mo-94, Mo-95, Mo-96, Mo-97, Mo-98, Mo-99, Mo-100, Tc-99, Ru-96, Ru-98, Ru-99, Ru-100, Ru-101, Ru-102, Ru-103, Ru-104, Ru-106, Rh-103, Rh-105, Pd-102, Pd-104, Pd-105, Pd-106, Pd-107, Pd-108, Pd-110, Ag-107, Ag-109, Ag-110m, Cd-106, Cd-108, Cd-110, Cd-111, Cd-112, Cd-113, Cd-114, Cd-116, In-113, In-115, Sn-112, Sn-114, Sn-115, Sn-116, Sn-117, Sn-118, Sn-119, Sn-120, Sn-122, Sn-123, Sn-124, Sn-126, Sb-121, Sb-123, Sb-124, Sb-125, Te-120, Te-122, Te-123, Te-124, Te-125, Te-126, Te-127m, Te-128, Te-129m, Te-130, I-127, I-129, I-131, Xe-124, Xe-126, Xe-128, Xe-129, Xe-130, Xe-131, Xe-132, Xe-133, Xe-134, Xe-135, Xe-136, Cs-133, Cs-134, Cs-135, Cs-136, Cs-137, Ba-130, Ba-132, Ba-134, Ba-135, Ba-136, Ba-137, Ba-138, Ba-140, La-138, La-139, Ce-140, Ce-141, Ce-142, Ce-144, Pr-141, Pr-143, Nd-142, Nd-143, Nd-144, Nd-145, Nd-146, Nd-147, Nd-148, Nd-150, Pm-147, Pm-148, Pm-148m, Pm-149, Sm-144, Sm-147, Sm-148, Sm-149, Sm-150, Sm-151, Sm-152, Sm-153, Sm-154, Eu-151, Eu-152, Eu-153, Eu-154, Eu-155, Eu

Comparing Profile of Temperament and Character Dimensions in Patients with Major Depressive Disorder and Bipolar Mood Disorder and Control Group in the Iranian Sample

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

shahram hajirezaei

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Objective: This study was conducted to compare the profile of Temperament and Character dimensions in patients with major depressive disorder and bipolar mood disorder and control group.Methods: In this causal-comparative study the population consisted of two clinical groups (major depressive disorder and bipolar mood disorder and a non-clinical group. The sample was 193 subjects (77 patients with major depressive disorder, 86 patients with bipolar mood disorder, and 30 normal people with an age range of 18-65 years and the mean age of 40.1. They were selected from Roozbeh psychiatric hospital using available sampling method. Tools used in this research included Temperament and Character Inventory-140 and General Health Questionnaire-28. Collected data were analyzed by statistical methods of independent t-test and one-way analysis of variance using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences-22 software.Result: The results of comparing the groups showed that there was a significant difference among groups in dimensions of Novelty Seeking, Harm Avoidance, Persistence, Self-Directedness and Cooperativeness (P <0.05. The results showed that only in the Novelty Seeking dimension, the mean was different in males and females (P <0.05.Conclusion: In general, our results showed that patients with major depressive disorder and bipolar mood disorder have different personality profile in some dimensions of Temperament and Character compared with control group.

A cluster randomized controlled platform trial comparing group MEmory specificity training (MEST) to group psychoeducation and supportive counselling (PSC) in the treatment of recurrent depression.

Science.gov (United States)

Werner-Seidler, Aliza; Hitchcock, Caitlin; Bevan, Anna; McKinnon, Anna; Gillard, Julia; Dahm, Theresa; Chadwick, Isobel; Panesar, Inderpal; Breakwell, Lauren; Mueller, Viola; Rodrigues, Evangeline; Rees, Catrin; Gormley, Siobhan; Schweizer, Susanne; Watson, Peter; Raes, Filip; Jobson, Laura; Dalgleish, Tim

2018-06-01

Impaired ability to recall specific autobiographical memories is characteristic of depression, which when reversed, may have therapeutic benefits. This cluster-randomized controlled pilot trial investigated efficacy and aspects of acceptability, and feasibility of MEmory Specificity Training (MEST) relative to Psychoeducation and Supportive Counselling (PSC) for Major Depressive Disorder (N = 62). A key aim of this study was to determine a range of effect size estimates to inform a later phase trial. Assessments were completed at baseline, post-treatment and 3-month follow-up. The cognitive process outcome was memory specificity. The primary clinical outcome was symptoms on the Beck Depression Inventory-II at 3-month follow-up. The MEST group demonstrated greater improvement in memory specificity relative to PSC at post-intervention (d = 0.88) and follow-up (d = 0.74), relative to PSC. Both groups experienced a reduction in depressive symptoms at 3-month follow-up (d = 0.67). However, there was no support for a greater improvement in depressive symptoms at 3 months following MEST relative to PSC (d = -0.04). Although MEST generated changes on memory specificity and improved depressive symptoms, results provide no indication that MEST is superior to PSC in the resolution of self-reported depressive symptoms. Implications for later-phase definitive trials of MEST are discussed. Copyright © 2018 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Suicidal behaviour in Indigenous compared to non-Indigenous males in urban and regional Australia: Prevalence data suggest disparities increase across age groups.

Science.gov (United States)

Armstrong, Gregory; Pirkis, Jane; Arabena, Kerry; Currier, Dianne; Spittal, Matthew J; Jorm, Anthony F

2017-12-01

We compare the prevalence of suicidal thoughts and attempts between Indigenous and non-Indigenous males in urban and regional Australia, and examine the extent to which any disparity between Indigenous and non-Indigenous males varies across age groups. We used data from the baseline wave of The Australian Longitudinal Study on Male Health (Ten to Men), a large-scale cohort study of Australian males aged 10-55 years residing in urban and regional areas. Indigenous identification was determined through participants self-reporting as Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islander or both. The survey collected data on suicidal thoughts in the preceding 2 weeks and lifetime suicide attempts. A total of 432 participants (2.7%) identified as Indigenous and 15,425 as non-Indigenous (97.3%). Indigenous males were twice as likely as non-Indigenous males to report recent suicidal thoughts (17.6% vs 9.4%; odds ratio = 2.1, p age groups, but a significant gap emerged among men aged 30-39 years and was largest among men aged 40-55 years. Similarly, the prevalence of lifetime suicide attempts did not differ between Indigenous and non-Indigenous males in the 14- to 17-years age group, but a disparity emerged in the 18- to 24-years age group and was even larger among males aged 25 years and older. Our paper presents unique data on suicidal thoughts and attempts among a broad age range of Indigenous and non-Indigenous males. The disparity in the prevalence of suicidal thoughts increased across age groups, which is in contrast to the large disparity between the Indigenous and non-Indigenous suicide rates in younger age groups.

Comparison of the Cc and R3c space groups for the superlattice phase of Pb(Zr0.52Ti0.48)O3

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ranjan, Rajeev; Singh, Akhilesh Kumar; Ragini; Pandey, Dhananjai

2005-01-01

Recent controversy about the space group of the low temperature superlattice phase of Pb(Zr 0.52 Ti 0.48 )O 3 is settled. It is shown that the R3c space group for the superlattice phase cannot correctly account for the peak positions of the superlattice reflections present in the neutron diffraction patterns. The correct space group is reconfirmed to be Cc. A comparison of the atomic coordinates of Cc and Cm space groups is also presented to show that in the absence of superlattice reflections, as is the case with x-ray diffraction data, one would land up in the Cm space group. This superlattice phase is found to coexist with another monoclinic phase of the Cm space group

A Randomized Depression Prevention Trial Comparing Interpersonal Psychotherapy--Adolescent Skills Training to Group Counseling in Schools.

Science.gov (United States)

Young, Jami F; Benas, Jessica S; Schueler, Christie M; Gallop, Robert; Gillham, Jane E; Mufson, Laura

2016-04-01

Given the rise in depression disorders in adolescence, it is important to develop and study depression prevention programs for this age group. The current study examined the efficacy of Interpersonal Psychotherapy-Adolescent Skills Training (IPT-AST), a group prevention program for adolescent depression, in comparison to group programs that are typically delivered in school settings. In this indicated prevention trial, 186 adolescents with elevated depression symptoms were randomized to receive IPT-AST delivered by research staff or group counseling (GC) delivered by school counselors. Hierarchical linear modeling examined differences in rates of change in depressive symptoms and overall functioning from baseline to the 6-month follow-up assessment. Cox regression compared rates of depression diagnoses. Adolescents in IPT-AST showed significantly greater improvements in self-reported depressive symptoms and evaluator-rated overall functioning than GC adolescents from baseline to the 6-month follow-up. However, there were no significant differences between the two conditions in onset of depression diagnoses. Although both intervention conditions demonstrated significant improvements in depressive symptoms and overall functioning, results indicate that IPT-AST has modest benefits over groups run by school counselors which were matched on frequency and duration of sessions. In particular, IPT-AST outperformed GC in reduction of depressive symptoms and improvements in overall functioning. These findings point to the clinical utility of this depression prevention program, at least in the short-term. Additional follow-up is needed to determine the long-term effects of IPT-AST, relative to GC, particularly in preventing depression onset.

A Randomized Depression Prevention Trial Comparing Interpersonal Psychotherapy—Adolescent Skills Training to Group Counseling in Schools

Science.gov (United States)

Benas, Jessica S.; Schueler, Christie M.; Gallop, Robert; Gillham, Jane E.; Mufson, Laura

2017-01-01

Given the rise in depression disorders in adolescence, it is important to develop and study depression prevention programs for this age group. The current study examined the efficacy of Interpersonal Psychotherapy-Adolescent Skills Training (IPT-AST), a group prevention program for adolescent depression, in comparison to group programs that are typically delivered in school settings. In this indicated prevention trial, 186 adolescents with elevated depression symptoms were randomized to receive IPT-AST delivered by research staff or group counseling (GC) delivered by school counselors. Hierarchical linear modeling examined differences in rates of change in depressive symptoms and overall functioning from baseline to the 6-month follow-up assessment. Cox regression compared rates of depression diagnoses. Adolescents in IPT-AST showed significantly greater improvements in self-reported depressive symptoms and evaluator-rated overall functioning than GC adolescents from baseline to the 6-month follow-up. However, there were no significant differences between the two conditions in onset of depression diagnoses. Although both intervention conditions demonstrated significant improvements in depressive symptoms and overall functioning, results indicate that IPT-AST has modest benefits over groups run by school counselors which were matched on frequency and duration of sessions. In particular, IPT-AST outperformed GC in reduction of depressive symptoms and improvements in overall functioning. These findings point to the clinical utility of this depression prevention program, at least in the short-term. Additional follow-up is needed to determine the long-term effects of IPT-AST, relative to GC, particularly in preventing depression onset. PMID:26638219

Comparative Study of 2D and 3D Optical Imaging Systems: Laparoendoscopic Single-Site Surgery in an Ex Vivo Model.

Science.gov (United States)

Vilaça, Jaime; Pinto, José Pedro; Fernandes, Sandra; Costa, Patrício; Pinto, Jorge Correia; Leão, Pedro

2017-12-01

Usually laparoscopy is performed by means of a 2-dimensional (2D) image system and multiport approach. To overcome the lack of depth perception, new 3-dimensional (3D) systems are arising with the added advantage of providing stereoscopic vision. To further reduce surgery-related trauma, there are new minimally invasive surgical techniques being developed, such as LESS (laparoendoscopic single-site) surgery. The aim of this study was to compare 2D and 3D laparoscopic systems in LESS surgical procedures. All participants were selected from different levels of experience in laparoscopic surgery-10 novices, 7 intermediates, and 10 experts were included. None of the participants had had previous experience in LESS surgery. Participants were chosen randomly to begin their experience with either the 2D or 3D laparoscopic system. The exercise consisted of performing an ex vivo pork cholecystectomy through a SILS port with the assistance of a fixed distance laparoscope. Errors, time, and participants' preference were recorded. Statistical analysis of time and errors between groups was conducted with a Student's t test (using independent samples) and the Mann-Whitney test. In all 3 groups, the average time with the 2D system was significantly reduced after having used the 3D system ( P 3D system. This study suggests that the 3D system may improve the learning curve and that learning from the 3D system is transferable to the 2D environment. Additionally, the majority of participants prefer 3D equipment.

Histamine H3 receptor ligands in the group of (homo)piperazine derivatives.

Science.gov (United States)

Szczepanska, Katarzyna; Kuder, Kamil; Kiec-Kononowicz, Katarzyna

2017-11-23

Since its' discovery in 1983, followed by gene cloning in 1999, the histamine H3 receptor served as an outstanding target for drug discovery. The wide spectrum of possible therapeutic implications make H3R's one of the most researched areas in the vast GPCR ligands field - started from imidazole containing ligands, through various successful imidazole replacements, with recent introduction of Wakix® to pharmaceutical market. One of such replacements is piperazine moiety, a significant versatile scaffold in rational drug design for most of the GPCR ligands. Therefore, herein we review ligands built on piperazine, as well as its seven membered analogue azepine, that target H3R's and their potential therapeutical applications, in order to elucidate the current state of the art in this vast field. Due to a high level of structural divergence among compounds described herein, we decided to divide them into groups, where the key division element was the position of nitrogen basicity decreasing moieties in (homo)piperazine ring. Paying attention to a number of published structures and their overall high biological activity, one can realize that the (homo)piperazine scaffold bids a versatile template also for histamine H3 receptor ligands. With two possible substitution sites and therefore a number of possible structural combinations, piperazine derivatives stand as one of the largest group of high importance among H3R ligands. Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.org.

Report on generation IV technical working group 3 : liquid metal reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lineberry, M. J.; Rosen, S. L.; Sagayama, Y.

2002-01-01

This paper reports on the first round of R and D roadmap activities of the Generation IV (Gen IV) Technical Working Group (TWG) 3, on liquid metal-cooled reactors. Liquid metal coolants give rise to fast spectrum systems, and thus the reactor systems considered in this TWG are all fast reactors. Gas-cooled fast reactors are considered in the context of TWG 2. As is noted in other Gen IV papers, this first round activity is termed ''screening for potential'', and includes collecting the most complete set of liquid metal reactor/fuel cycle system concepts possible and evaluating the concepts against the Gen IV principles and goals. Those concepts or concept groups that meet the Gen IV principles and which are deemed to have reasonable potential to meet the Gen IV goals will pass to the next round of evaluation. Although we sometimes use the terms ''reactor'' or ''reactor system'' by themselves, the scope of the investigation by TWG 3 includes not only the reactor systems, but very importantly the closed fuel recycle system inevitably required by fast reactors. The response to the DOE Request for Information (RFI) on liquid metal reactor/fuel cycle systems from principal investigators, laboratories, corporations, and other institutions, was robust and gratifying. Thirty three liquid metal concept descriptions, from eight different countries, were ultimately received. The variation in the scope, depth, and completeness of the responses created a significant challenge for the group, but the TWG made a very significant effort not to screen out concepts early in the process

A clinical study to compare between resting and stimulated whole salivary flow rate and pH before and after complete denture placement in different age groups

Science.gov (United States)

Muddugangadhar, B. C.; Sangur, Rajashekar; Rudraprasad, I. V.; Nandeeshwar, D. B.; Kumar, B. H. Dhanya

2015-01-01

Purpose: This study compared the flow rate and pH of resting (unstimulated) and stimulated whole saliva before and after complete denture placement in different age groups. Materials and Methods: Fifty healthy, non-medicated edentulous individuals of different age groups requiring complete denture prostheses were selected from the outpatient department. The resting (unstimulated) and stimulated whole saliva and pH were measured at three stages i.e., i)Before complete denture placement;ii)Immediately after complete denture placement; andiii)After 2 to 3 months of complete denture placement. Saliva production was stimulated by chewing paraffin wax. pH was determined by using a digital pH meter. Results: Statistically significant differences were seen in resting(unstimulated) and stimulated whole salivary flow rate and pH obtained before, immediately after, and after 2 to 3 months of complete denture placement. No statistically significant differences were found between the different age groups in resting (unstimulated) as well as stimulated whole salivary flow rate and pH. Conclusion: Stimulated whole salivary flow rates and pH were significantly higher than resting (unstimulated) whole salivary flow rates and pH obtained before, immediately after, and after 2 to 3 months of complete denture placement. No age related variations in whole salivary flow rate and pH were observed in healthy, non-medicated individuals. Clinical Implications: The assessment of salivary flow rate, pH in different age groups is of prognostic value, which is an important aspect to be considered in the practice of removable prosthodontics. PMID:26929540

Undergraduates with Employer-Sponsored Aid: Comparing Group Differences

Science.gov (United States)

Faulk, Dagney G.; Wang, Zhenlei

2014-01-01

Tuition assistance offered by employers is an understudied area of financial aid research. The purpose of this study is to compare the demographic, socioeconomic, academic and financial aid characteristics of college students who receive employer-sponsored financial aid with students who receive traditional financial aid (institutional, state, or…

Association of Cognitive Impairment in Patients on 3-Hydroxy-3-Methyl-Glutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors.

Science.gov (United States)

Roy, Satyajeet; Weinstock, Joshua Louis; Ishino, Allyse Sachiko; Benites, Jefferson Felix; Pop, Samantha Rachel; Perez, Christopher David; Gumbs, Edvard Adrian; Rosenbaum, Jennifer Ann; Roccato, Mary Kate; Shah, Hely; Contino, Gabriela; Hunter, Krystal

2017-07-01

Atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of death in the United States. A reduction in cholesterol with 3-hydroxy-3-methyl-glutaryl-CoA reductase inhibitors (statin) significantly reduces mortality and morbidity. Statins may be associated with cognitive impairment or dementia. Our aim was to study the association of cognitive impairment or dementia in patients who were on a statin. Electronic medical records of 3,500 adult patients in our suburban internal medicine office were reviewed. There were 720 (20.6%) patients in the statin treatment group. Dementia or cognitive impairment was an associated comorbid condition in 7.9% patients in the statin treatment group compared to 3.1% patients in the non-statin group (P impairment or dementia showed that among the age ranges of 51 years through 100 years, the patients in the statin treatment group had a higher prevalence of cognitive impairment or dementia compared to the non-statin group. In the statin treatment group, we found significantly higher prevalence of hyperlipidemia (86.3%), hypertension (69.6%), diabetes mellitus (36.0%), osteoarthritis (31.5%), coronary artery disease (26.1%), hypothyroidism (21.5%) and depression (19.3%) compared to the non-statin group (P impairment were on statin therapy compared to 18.9% patients who had no dementia or cognitive impairment and were on statin therapy (P impairment with each year increase in age (1.3 times), in women (2.2 times), African American race (2.7 times), non-consumption of moderate amount of alcohol (two times), diabetes mellitus (1.6 times), hypothyroidism (1.7 times), cerebrovascular accident (3.2 times), and other rheumatological diseases (1.8 times). The association of dementia or cognitive impairment was significantly higher in the patients who were on statin therapy compared to the patients who were not on a statin.

2006 Annual Operations Report for INTEC Operable Unit 3-13, Group 1, Tank Farm Interim Action

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

D. E. Shanklin

2007-01-01

This annual operations report describes the requirements followed and activities conducted to inspect, monitor, and maintain the items installed during performance of the Waste Area Group 3, Operable Unit 3-13, Group 1, Tank Farm Interim Action, at the Idaho Nuclear Technology and Engineering Center. This report covers the time period from January 1 through December 31, 2006, and describes inspection and monitoring activities for the surface-sealed areas within the tank farm, concrete-lined ditches and culverts in and around the tank farm, the lift station, and the lined evaporation pond. These activities are intended to assure that the interim action is functioning adequately to meet the objectives stated in the Operable Unit 3-13, Record of Decision for the Group 1, Tank Farm Interim Action (DOE/ID-10660) as described in the Group 1 Remedial Design/Remedial Action Work Plan (DOE/ID-10772)

Highly selective adsorption of organic dyes containing sulphonic groups using Cu{sub 2}(OH){sub 3}NO{sub 3} nanosheets

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jia, Jincan; Wang, Honghong; Niu, Helin, E-mail: niuhelin@ahu.edu.cn; Chen, Jingshuai; Song, Jiming; Mao, Changjie; Zhang, Shengyi [Anhui University, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering (China); Gao, Yuanhao [Xuchang University, Institute of Surface Micro and Nano Materials (China); Chen, Changle [University of Science and Technology of China, CAS Key Laboratory of Soft Matter Chemistry (China)

2016-09-15

In this study, we report a facile approach to synthesize Cu{sub 2}(OH){sub 3}NO{sub 3} nanosheets via simply sonochemical method, which showed high efficiency and selectivity towards the adsorption of organic dyes containing sulphonic groups. The structure and morphology of the nanosheets were characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, N{sub 2} adsorption–desorption isotherms, particle size and zeta potential analysis. The adsorption results indicated that the equilibrium data coincide very well with Langmuir isotherm, and the maximum adsorption capacities for Congo red, methyl blue and methyl orange were 1864, 1270 and 959 mg g{sup −1}, respectively. The kinetic data can be explained by pseudo-second-order model. The Cu{sub 2}(OH){sub 3}NO{sub 3} nanosheets also demonstrated high selectivity towards the adsorption of dyes containing sulphonic groups from mixed dye solutions. The rational mechanism of adsorption was attributed to hydrogen bonding, electrostatic attractions and ion exchanges between the dye molecules and Cu{sub 2}(OH){sub 3}NO{sub 3} in the adsorption process.

Report of study group 3.3 ''LNG and LPG peak shaving and satellite plants''; Rapport du groupe d'etude 3.3 ''usines d'ecretement de pointes et stations satellites GNL et GPL''

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Klein Nagelvoort, R.

2000-07-01

This report presents a world-wide overview of LNG and LPG Peak Shaving and Satellite Plants, compiled by the study group 3.3 of the International Gas Union. The scope of the work of the study group includes: - LPG peak shavers (LPG + air, N{sub 2}) in gas distribution networks; - LPG peak shavers for start-up and back-up fuel for LNG terminals and power stations; - LNG peak shavers for gas distribution networks; - Small-scale liquefaction plants for distribution to satellites and dedicated consumers (e.g. power generators, chemical plants, trucking companies etc.); - LNG peak shavers as back-up for large consumers; - Alternative liquefaction technologies for LNG and LPG (e.g. refrigeration cycles, supersonic expansion, thermo-acoustic designs); - Alternative storage tank designs for LNG and LPG. The report presents an overview of current installations world-wide and considers the prospects of technological developments with respect to equipment, remote operations and safety constraints. It also includes where possible a review of capital and operating costs, regulations, and an identification of opportunities and trends. The report collates the information available to the study group at the time of the writing, which may explain some heterogeneity in the document. (author)

Effect of Radiofrequency Radiation Emitted from 2G and 3G Cell Phone on Developing Liver of Chick Embryo – A Comparative Study

Science.gov (United States)

Swer, Rijied Thompson; Anbalagan, J.; Rajesh, Bhargavan

2017-01-01

Introduction The increasing scientific evidence of various health hazards on exposure of Radiofrequency Radiation (RFR) emitted from both the cell phones and base stations have caused significant media attention and public discussion in recent years. The mechanism of interaction of RF fields with developing tissues of children and fetuses may be different from that of adults due to their smaller physical size and variation in tissue electromagnetic properties. The present study may provide an insight into the basic mechanisms by which RF fields interact with developing tissues in an embryo. Aim To evaluate the possible tissue and DNA damage in developing liver of chick embryo following chronic exposure to Ultra-High Frequency/Radiofrequency Radiation (UHF/RFR) emitted from 2G and 3G cell phone. Materials and Methods Fertilized chick embryos were incubated in four groups. Group A-experimental group exposed to 2G radiation (60 eggs), Group B- experimental group exposed to 3G radiation (60 eggs), Group C- sham exposed control group (60 eggs) and Group D– control group (48 eggs). On completion of scheduled duration, the embryos were collected and processed for routine histological studies to check structural changes in liver. The nuclear diameter and karyorrhexis changes of hepatocytes were analysed using oculometer and square reticule respectively. The liver procured from one batch of eggs from all the four groups was subjected to alkaline comet assay technique to assess DNA damage. The results were compared using one-way ANOVA test. Results In our study, the exposure of developing chick embryos to 2G and 3G cell phone radiations caused structural changes in liver in the form of dilated sinusoidal spaces with haemorrhage, increased vacuolations in cytoplasm, increased nuclear diameter and karyorrhexis and significantly increased DNA damage. Conclusion The chronic exposure of chick embryo liver to RFR emitted from 2G and 3G cell phone resulted in various structural

Comparing Asian American Women's Knowledge, Self-Efficacy, and Perceived Risk of Heart Attack to Other Racial and Ethnic Groups: The mPED Trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Fukuoka, Yoshimi; Lisha, Nadra E; Vittinghoff, Eric

2017-09-01

The aim of the study was to compare knowledge and awareness of heart attacks/heart disease and perceived risk for future heart attack in Asian/Pacific Islander women, compared to other racial and ethnic groups. In this cross-sectional study, 318 women enrolled in a mobile phone-based physical activity education trial were analyzed. Heart attack knowledge, self-efficacy for recognizing and responding to heart attack symptoms, and perceived risk for a future heart attack were measured. Analyses were conducted using logistic, proportional odds, and linear regression models, depending on the outcome and adjusting for age. Pairwise differences between Asian/Pacific Islanders and the other four groups were assessed using a Bonferroni correction (p Asian/Pacific Islander women had significantly lower total scores for knowledge of heart attack and self-efficacy for heart attack recognition and care seeking behavior compared to the Caucasian women (p = 0.001 and p = 0.002, respectively). However, perceived risk did not differ among the groups. Forty-six percent of the Asian American women, compared to 25% of Caucasian women, falsely believed "breast cancer is the number one cause of death for women (p = 0.002)." In addition, Asian/Pacific Islander women were less likely to report "arm pain, numbness, tingling, or radiating" as one of the heart attack symptoms compared to the Caucasian and the multiracial group (34%, 63% [p Asian/Pacific Islander women and Caucasian women.

Outcomes of 847 childhood-onset systemic lupus erythematosus patients in three age groups.

Science.gov (United States)

Lopes, S R M; Gormezano, N W S; Gomes, R C; Aikawa, N E; Pereira, R M R; Terreri, M T; Magalhães, C S; Ferreira, J C; Okuda, E M; Sakamoto, A P; Sallum, A M E; Appenzeller, S; Ferriani, V P L; Barbosa, C M; Lotufo, S; Jesus, A A; Andrade, L E C; Campos, L M A; Bonfá, E; Silva, C A

2017-08-01

Objective The objective of this study was to assess outcomes of childhood systemic lupus erythematosus (cSLE) in three different age groups evaluated at last visit: group A early-onset disease (Lupus International Collaborating Clinics/American College of Rheumatology Damage Index (SLICC/ACR-DI) (0 (0-9) vs 0 (0-6) vs 0 (0-7), p = 0.065) was comparable in the three groups. Further analysis of organ/system damage revealed that frequencies of neuropsychiatric (21% vs 10% vs 7%, p = 0.007), skin (10% vs 1% vs 3%, p = 0.002) and peripheral vascular involvements (5% vs 3% vs 0.3%, p = 0.008) were more often observed in group A compared to groups B and C. Frequencies of severe cumulative lupus manifestations such as nephritis, thrombocytopenia, and autoimmune hemolytic anemia were similar in all groups ( p > 0.05). Mortality rate was significantly higher in group A compared to groups B and C (15% vs 10% vs 6%, p = 0.028). Out of 69 deaths, 33/69 (48%) occurred within the first two years after diagnosis. Infections accounted for 54/69 (78%) of the deaths and 38/54 (70%) had concomitant disease activity. Conclusions This large multicenter study provided evidence that early-onset cSLE group had distinct outcomes. This group was characterized by higher mortality rate and neuropsychiatric/vascular/skin organ damage in spite of comparable frequencies of severe cumulative lupus manifestations. We also identified that overall death in cSLE patients was an early event mainly attributed to infection associated with disease activity.

Nutritional intake of various groups of Flemish vegetarians

Science.gov (United States)

2011-01-01

Background The most recent national nutritional survey (2004) indicates that 1.2% of the Flemish population follows a vegetarian diet. Information on nutritional intake in vegetarians in this population is scarce. Objective The aim of the present study is to describe the nutritional intake and dietary adequacy of various groups of Flemish vegetarians. Materials and methods Nutritional intake was assessed in various vegetarian groups from different study designs: young children (aged 1 to 10 y; n = 27) (Group 1), adolescents and adults (aged 11 to 32 y; n = 50) (Group 2), college students (aged 18 to 24 y; n= 24) (Group 3), life-long vegetarians (aged 14 to 71 y; n = 36) (Group 4) and adults (aged 20 to 98; n= 106) (Group 5). Additionally, blood samples were collected and analysed in groups 3 and 4. Comparisons were made with standard references or with omnivores (Group 3). Results Nutritional intake was found to be close to the Belgian RDA. However, all groups showed a number of outliers with an intake of some nutrients above or below the RDAs. Blood biochemistry showed low cholesterol, iron and vitamin B12 levels in vegetarians when comparing respectively with omnivores pairs (Group 3) and with reference values (Group 4). Conclusions Data collected in Flemish vegetarians indicate that a vegetarian diet may be adequate. However, the outliers in all groups show that proper dietary planning is advisable.

A comparative gene analysis with rice identified orthologous group II HKT genes and their association with Na(+) concentration in bread wheat.

Science.gov (United States)

Ariyarathna, H A Chandima K; Oldach, Klaus H; Francki, Michael G

2016-01-19

Although the HKT transporter genes ascertain some of the key determinants of crop salt tolerance mechanisms, the diversity and functional role of group II HKT genes are not clearly understood in bread wheat. The advanced knowledge on rice HKT and whole genome sequence was, therefore, used in comparative gene analysis to identify orthologous wheat group II HKT genes and their role in trait variation under different saline environments. The four group II HKTs in rice identified two orthologous gene families from bread wheat, including the known TaHKT2;1 gene family and a new distinctly different gene family designated as TaHKT2;2. A single copy of TaHKT2;2 was found on each homeologous chromosome arm 7AL, 7BL and 7DL and each gene was expressed in leaf blade, sheath and root tissues under non-stressed and at 200 mM salt stressed conditions. The proteins encoded by genes of the TaHKT2;2 family revealed more than 93% amino acid sequence identity but ≤52% amino acid identity compared to the proteins encoded by TaHKT2;1 family. Specifically, variations in known critical domains predicted functional differences between the two protein families. Similar to orthologous rice genes on chromosome 6L, TaHKT2;1 and TaHKT2;2 genes were located approximately 3 kb apart on wheat chromosomes 7AL, 7BL and 7DL, forming a static syntenic block in the two species. The chromosomal region on 7AL containing TaHKT2;1 7AL-1 co-located with QTL for shoot Na(+) concentration and yield in some saline environments. The differences in copy number, genes sequences and encoded proteins between TaHKT2;2 homeologous genes and other group II HKT gene families within and across species likely reflect functional diversity for ion selectivity and transport in plants. Evidence indicated that neither TaHKT2;2 nor TaHKT2;1 were associated with primary root Na(+) uptake but TaHKT2;1 may be associated with trait variation for Na(+) exclusion and yield in some but not all saline environments.

The impact of differences between patient and general population EQ-5D-3L values on the mean tariff scores of different patient groups.

Science.gov (United States)

Little, Matthew H R; Reitmeir, Peter; Peters, Annette; Leidl, Reiner

2014-06-01

Health states can be valued by those who currently experience a health state (experienced health states [EHS]) or by the general public, who value a set of given health states (GHS) described to them. There has been debate over which method is more appropriate when making resource allocation decisions. This article informs this debate by assessing whether differences between these methods have an effect on the mean EQ-5D-3L tariff scores of different patient groups. The European tariff based on GHS valuations was compared with a German EHS tariff. Comparison was made in the context of EQ-5D-3L health states describing a number of diagnosed chronic diseases (stroke, diabetes, myocardial infarction, and cancer) taken from the Cooperative Health Research in the Augsburg Region population surveys. Comparison was made of both the difference in weighting of the dimensions of the EQ-5D-3L and differences in mean tariff scores for patient groups. Weighting of the dimensions of the EQ-5D-3L were found to be systematically different. The EHS tariff gave significantly lower mean scores for most, but not all, patient groups despite tariff scores being lower for 213 of 243 EQ-5D-3L health states using the GHS tariff. Differences were found to vary between groups, with the largest change in difference being 5.45 in the multiple stoke group. The two tariffs have systematic differences that in certain patient groups could drive the results of an economic evaluation. Therefore, the choice as to which is used may be critical when making resource allocation decisions. Copyright © 2014 International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research (ISPOR). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Laparoscopic pyloromyotomy: comparing the arthrotomy knife to the Bovie blade.

Science.gov (United States)

Thomas, Priscilla G; Sharp, Nicole E; St Peter, Shawn D

2014-07-01

Laparoscopic pyloromyotomy was performed at our institution using an arthrotomy knife until it became unavailable in 2010. Thus, we adapted the use of the blunt Bovie tip, which can be used with or without electrocautery to perform the myotomy. This study compared the outcomes between using the arthrotomy knife versus the Bovie blade in laparoscopic pyloromyotomies. Retrospective review was performed on all laparoscopic pyloromyotomy patients from October 2007 to September 2012. Arthrotomy knife pyloromyotomy patients were compared with those performed with the Bovie blade. Patient demographics, diagnostic measurements, electrolyte levels, length of stay, operative time, and complications were compared. A total of 381 patients were included, with 191 in the arthrotomy group and 190 in the Bovie blade group. No significant differences existed between groups in age, weight, gender, pyloric dimensions, electrolyte levels, or length of stay. Mean operative times were 15.8±5.6 min with knife and 16.4±5.3 min for Bovie blade (P=0.24). In the arthrotomy knife group, there was one incomplete pyloromyotomy and one omental herniation. There was one wound infection in each group. Readmission rate was greater in the arthrotomy knife group (5.7%) versus the Bovie blade group (3.1%). The Bovie blade appears to offer no objective disadvantages compared with the arthrotomy knife when performing laparoscopic pyloromyotomy. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Erythrocyte enzymes in groups of Rattus norvegicus with genetic differences in 2,3-diphosphoglycerate levels.

Science.gov (United States)

Noble, N A; Tanaka, K R

1979-01-01

1. A major locus with two alleles is responsible for large differences in erythrocyte 2,3-diphosphoglycerate (DPG) levels in Rattus norvegicus. Blood from homozygous High-DPG, homozygous Low-DPG and heterozygous animals was used to measure blood indices and red cell enzyme activities. 2. Significant differences between groups were found in DPG levels, white blood cell counts and hemoglobin levels. 3. The results suggest that none of the red cell enzymes assayed is structurally or quantitatively different in the three groups.

PLAZA 3.0: an access point for plant comparative genomics

Science.gov (United States)

Proost, Sebastian; Van Bel, Michiel; Vaneechoutte, Dries; Van de Peer, Yves; Inzé, Dirk; Mueller-Roeber, Bernd; Vandepoele, Klaas

2015-01-01

Comparative sequence analysis has significantly altered our view on the complexity of genome organization and gene functions in different kingdoms. PLAZA 3.0 is designed to make comparative genomics data for plants available through a user-friendly web interface. Structural and functional annotation, gene families, protein domains, phylogenetic trees and detailed information about genome organization can easily be queried and visualized. Compared with the first version released in 2009, which featured nine organisms, the number of integrated genomes is more than four times higher, and now covers 37 plant species. The new species provide a wider phylogenetic range as well as a more in-depth sampling of specific clades, and genomes of additional crop species are present. The functional annotation has been expanded and now comprises data from Gene Ontology, MapMan, UniProtKB/Swiss-Prot, PlnTFDB and PlantTFDB. Furthermore, we improved the algorithms to transfer functional annotation from well-characterized plant genomes to other species. The additional data and new features make PLAZA 3.0 (http://bioinformatics.psb.ugent.be/plaza/) a versatile and comprehensible resource for users wanting to explore genome information to study different aspects of plant biology, both in model and non-model organisms. PMID:25324309

Effects of policosanol on borderline to mildly elevated serum total cholesterol levels: a prospective, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group, comparative study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gladys Castaño, PhD

2003-09-01

Full Text Available Background: Hypercholesterolemia is a major risk factor for coronary heart disease. Clinical studies have shown that lowering elevated serum cholesterol levels, particularly low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C, is beneficial for patients with borderline to mildly elevated serum total cholesterol (TC levels (5.0–6.0 mmol/L. Policosanol is a cholesterol-lowering drug made from purified sugar cane wax. The therapeutic range of policosanol is 5 to 20 mg/d. Objective: This study investigated the efficacy and tolerability of policosanol 5 mg/d in patients with borderline to mildly elevated serum TC levels. Methods: This 14-week, single-center, prospective, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group, comparative study was conducted in men and women aged 25 to 75 years with a serum TC level ≥4.8 to <6.0 mmol/L. After a 6-week run-in period in which patients were placed on therapeutic lifestyle changes, in particular a cholesterol-lowering diet, patients were randomly assigned to receive policosanol 5-mg tablets or placebo tablets once daily with the evening meal for 8 weeks, and the diet was continued throughout the study. Lipid profile variables, safety indicators, adverse events (AEs, and compliance with study medications were assessed. Results: One hundred patients (71 women, 29 men; mean [SD] age, 52 [10] years entered the study after the dietary run-in period. After 8 weeks of treatment, the mean (SD serum LDL-C level decreased significantly in the policosanol group (P<0.001 vs baseline and placebo from 3.57 (0.30 mmol/L to 2.86 (0.41 mmol/L (change, −19.9%. Significantly more patients in the policosanol group (42 patients [84%] achieved a ≥15% decrease in serum LDL-C than in the placebo group (2 patients [4%] (P<0.001. Also in the policosanol group, the mean (SD serum TC level decreased significantly, from 5.20 (0.22 mmol/L to 4.56 (0.44 mmol/L (P<0.001 vs baseline and placebo (change, −12.3%; the mean (SD triglyceride (TG

A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF PERCUTANEOUS AND OPEN SURGICAL TECHNIQUESFOR PERITONEAL CATHETER PLACEMENT.

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

Medani, Samar

2012-05-01

BACKGROUND: Peritoneal dialysis (PD) is the preferred available option of renal replacement therapy for a significant number of end-stage kidney disease patients. A major limiting factor to the successful continuation of PD is the long-term viability of the PD catheter (PDC). Bedside percutaneous placement of the PDC is not commonly practiced despite published data encouraging use of this technique. Its advantages include faster recovery and avoidance of general anesthesia.♢ METHODS: We carried out a retrospective analysis of the outcomes of 313 PDC insertions at our center, comparing all percutaneous PDC insertions between July 1998 and April 2010 (group P, n = 151) with all surgical PDC insertions between January 2003 and April 2010 (group S, n = 162).♢ RESULTS: Compared with group P patients, significantly more group S patients had undergone previous abdominal surgery or PDC insertion (41.8% vs 9.3% and 33.3% vs 3.3% respectively, p = 0.00). More exit-site leaks occurred in group P than in group S (20.5% vs 6.8%, p = 0.002). The overall incidence of peritonitis was higher in group S than in group P (1 episode in 19 catheter-months vs 1 episode in 26 catheter-months, p = 0.017), but the groups showed no significant difference in the peritonitis rate within 1 month of catheter insertion (5% in group P vs 7.4% in group S, p =0.4) or in poor initial drainage or secondary drainage failure (9.9% vs 11.7%, p = 0.1, and 7.9% vs 12.3%, p = 0.38, for groups P and S respectively). Technical survival at 3 months was significantly better for group P than for group S (86.6% vs 77%, p = 0.037); at 12 months, it was 77.7% and 68.7% respectively (p = 0.126). No life-threatening complications attributable to the insertion of the PDC occurred in either group.♢ CONCLUSIONS: Our analysis demonstrates further encouraging outcomes of percutaneous PDC placement compared with open surgical placement. However, the members of the percutaneous insertion group were primarily a

A 3-Component Approach Incorporating Focus Groups in Strategic Planning for Sexual Violence Prevention.

Science.gov (United States)

Cruz, Theresa H; Hess, Julia Meredith; Woelk, Leona; Bear, Samantha

2016-01-01

Sexual violence is of special concern in New Mexico because of the presence of large priority populations in which its prevalence is high. This article describes a 3-component approach to developing a strategic plan to prevent sexual violence in the state that consisted of an advisory group, subject matter experts, and focus groups from geographically and demographically diverse communities. Both common and community-specific themes emerged from the focus groups and were included in the strategic plan. By incorporating community needs and experiences, this approach fosters increased investment in plan implementation.

Comparative Efficacies of a 3D-Printed PCL/PLGA/β-TCP Membrane and a Titanium Membrane for Guided Bone Regeneration in Beagle Dogs

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jin-Hyung Shim

2015-10-01

Full Text Available This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of a 3D-printed resorbable polycaprolactone/poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid/β-tricalcium phosphate (PCL/PLGA/β-TCP membrane on bone regeneration and osseointegration in areas surrounding implants and to compare results with those of a non-resorbable titanium mesh membrane. After preparation of PCL/PLGA/β-TCP membranes using extrusion-based 3D printing technology; mechanical tensile testing and in vitro cell proliferation testing were performed. Implant surgery and guided bone regeneration were performed randomly in three groups (a no membrane group, a titanium membrane group, and a PCL/PLGA/β-TCP membrane group (n = 8 per group. Histological and histometric analyses were conducted to evaluate effects on bone regeneration and osseointegration. Using the results of mechanical testing; a PCL/PLGA/β-TCP ratio of 2:6:2 was selected. The new bone areas (% in buccal defects around implants were highest in the PCL/PLGA/β-TCP group and significantly higher than in the control group (p < 0.05. Bone-to-implant contact ratios (% were also significantly higher in the PCL/PLGA/β-TCP and titanium groups than in the control group (p < 0.05. When the guided bone regeneration procedure was performed using the PCL/PLGA/β-TCP membrane; new bone formation around the implant and osseointegration were not inferior to those of the non-resorbable pre-formed titanium mesh membrane.

Coulomb branches for rank 2 gauge groups in 3dN=4 gauge theories

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hanany, Amihay [Theoretical Physics Group, Imperial College London,Prince Consort Road, London, SW7 2AZ (United Kingdom); Sperling, Marcus [Institut für Theoretische Physik, Leibniz Universität Hannover,Appelstraße 2, 30167 Hannover (Germany)

2016-08-02

The Coulomb branch of 3-dimensional N=4 gauge theories is the space of bare and dressed BPS monopole operators. We utilise the conformal dimension to define a fan which, upon intersection with the weight lattice of a GNO-dual group, gives rise to a collection of semi-groups. It turns out that the unique Hilbert bases of these semi-groups are a sufficient, finite set of monopole operators which generate the entire chiral ring. Moreover, the knowledge of the properties of the minimal generators is enough to compute the Hilbert series explicitly. The techniques of this paper allow an efficient evaluation of the Hilbert series for general rank gauge groups. As an application, we provide various examples for all rank two gauge groups to demonstrate the novel interpretation.

Comparing Pt/SrTiO3 to Rh/SrTiO3 for hydrogen photocatalytic production from ethanol

KAUST Repository

Wahab, A. K.; Odedairo, T.; Labis, J.; Hedhili, Mohamed N.; Delavar, A.; Idriss, H.

2013-01-01

Photocatalytic hydrogen production from ethanol as an example of biofuel is studied over 0.5 wt% Rh/SrTiO3 and 0.5 wt% Pt/SrTiO3 perovskite materials. The rate of hydrogen production, rH2, over Pt/SrTiO3 is found to be far higher than that observed over Rh/SrTiO3 (4 × 10−6 mol of H2 g catal. −1 min−1 (1.1 × 10−6 mol of H2 m catal. −2 min−1) compared to 0.7 × 10−6 mol of H2 g catal. −1 min−1 (5.5 × 10−8 mol of H2 m catal. −2 min−1), respectively, under UV excitation with a flux equivalent to that from the sun light (ca. 1 mW cm−2). Analyses of the XPS Rh3d and XPS Pt4f indicate that Rh is mainly present in its ionic form (Rh3+) while Pt is mainly present in its metallic form (Pt0). A fraction of the non-metallic state of Rh in the catalyst persisted even after argon ion sputtering. The tendency of Rh to be oxidized compared to Pt might be the reason behind the lower activity of the former compared to the later. On the contrary, a larger amount of methane are formed on the Rh containing catalyst compared to that observed on the Pt containing catalyst due to the capacity of Rh to break the carbon–carbon bond of the organic compound.

Comparing Pt/SrTiO3 to Rh/SrTiO3 for hydrogen photocatalytic production from ethanol

KAUST Repository

Wahab, A. K.

2013-08-13

Photocatalytic hydrogen production from ethanol as an example of biofuel is studied over 0.5 wt% Rh/SrTiO3 and 0.5 wt% Pt/SrTiO3 perovskite materials. The rate of hydrogen production, rH2, over Pt/SrTiO3 is found to be far higher than that observed over Rh/SrTiO3 (4 × 10−6 mol of H2 g catal. −1 min−1 (1.1 × 10−6 mol of H2 m catal. −2 min−1) compared to 0.7 × 10−6 mol of H2 g catal. −1 min−1 (5.5 × 10−8 mol of H2 m catal. −2 min−1), respectively, under UV excitation with a flux equivalent to that from the sun light (ca. 1 mW cm−2). Analyses of the XPS Rh3d and XPS Pt4f indicate that Rh is mainly present in its ionic form (Rh3+) while Pt is mainly present in its metallic form (Pt0). A fraction of the non-metallic state of Rh in the catalyst persisted even after argon ion sputtering. The tendency of Rh to be oxidized compared to Pt might be the reason behind the lower activity of the former compared to the later. On the contrary, a larger amount of methane are formed on the Rh containing catalyst compared to that observed on the Pt containing catalyst due to the capacity of Rh to break the carbon–carbon bond of the organic compound.

A Comparative Study of Clear Corneal Phacoemulsification with Rigid IOL Versus SICS; the Preferred Surgical Technique in Low Socio-economic group Patients of Rural Areas.

Science.gov (United States)

Devendra, Jaya; Agarwal, Smita; Singh, Pankaj Kumar

2014-11-01

Low socio-economic group patients from rural areas often opt for free cataract surgeries offered by charitable organisations. SICS continues to be a time tested technique for cataract removal in such patients. In recent times, camp patients are sometimes treated by clear corneal phacoemulsification with implantation of a rigid IOL, which being more cost effective is often provided for camp patients. This study was undertaken to find out which surgical technique yielded better outcomes and was more suited for high volume camp surgery. To find the better surgical option- phacoemulsification with rigid IOL or SICS, in poor patients from rural areas. A prospective randomised controlled trial of cataract patients operated by two different techniques. One hundred and twelve eyes were selected and were randomly allocated into two groups of 56 eyes each. At completion of the study, data was analysed for 52 eyes operated by clear corneal phacoemulsification and implantation of a rigid IOL, and 56 eyes operated by SICS. Unpaired t-test was used to calculate the p- value. The results were evaluated on the following criteria. The mean post-operative astigmatism at the end of four weeks - was significantly higher in phacoemulsification group as compared to SICS group The BCVA (best corrected visual acuity) at the end of four weeks - was comparable in both groups. Subjective complaints and/ or complications: In phaco group two patients required sutures and seven had striate keratitis , while none in SICS group. Complaint of irritation was similar in both groups. Surgical time- was less for SICS group as compared to phaco group. SICS by virtue of being a faster surgery with more secure wound and significantly less astigmatism is a better option in camp patients from rural areas as compared to phacoemulsification with rigid IOL.

Comparing risk factors in a group of obese children and group of athlets

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dalibor Pastucha

2010-01-01

Full Text Available Obesity is an increasing problem that more and more often affects children, thus not only the adult population. The aim of this thesis is to compare various elements and life habits of obese children with elements and habits of children practising athletics. These processes are physical activity, healthstate, eating habits, physical condition, breast-feeding period duration and the BMI of the children's parents. We have come upon an agreement with other authors that while comparing the BMI results of the parents, the two sets differed significantly. It was clearly indicated that obese children also have overweight or obese parents. Therefore it can be said that obesity is usually a problem of the whole actual family and its life-style. Regarding birth-weight, breast-feeding period duration, participation in P.E. class or a time spent watching TV or playing a computer, no major differences were noted. However, slight differences in favour to the athletes were seen in their good eating habits, their body-posture and their interest in sports in general. Here, the intensity with which active children practise sports and the time they devote to it are much higher and bigger than the energy and time spent on sports by obese children.

Comparative characteristics of the results of fractional photothermolysis used for neck skin of women in different age groups

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

L. V. Kirsanova

2014-01-01

Full Text Available The purpose of this research is scientific rationale for fractional photothermolysis usage to correct age-related changes of neck skin of women in different age groups. Materials and Methods. A comparative study of the results for fractional photothermolysis (FP treatment in order to correct involutional changes in neck skin of 60 women in different age groups has been carried out (first group - 40-49 years old, second group - 50-60 years old. Skin moisture, its smoothness (relief, the width of the mouths of the pilosebaceous unit, the severity of pigmentation, the depth and width of wrinkles before the treatment, 1 week after and 1 month after the procedure have been investigated. Main results. After a week of having FP it affected all investigated functional skin parameters more in the 2nd age group than in the 1st one. Decreasing in moisture and smoothness of the skin, increasing the width and the depth of wrinkles, pores and pigmentation width have been marked. In one month there was more significant positive dynamics in parameters of smoothness, wrinkles width in the 2nd group (p -8, p -7 than in the 1st group (p = 0.002, p -5. Hydration of the skin, the width of the mouths of the pilosebaceous unit, the depth of wrinkles and pigmentation changed more significantly among patients in group 1 (p -7, p = 0.001, p -5, p -8. Conclusion. Skin functional parameters of patients from the first group deteriorated significantly less in comparison with the second group one week after PF procedure was carried out. 1 month after the 1st group is indicated with significant improvement in moisture, the width of the pilosebaceous unit, the depth of wrinkles and pigmentation, and the 2nd group is indicated with improvement of smoothness and width of wrinkles. The differences discovered in skin condition dynamics in different age groups should be considered when planning the aesthetic outcome of FP procedure.

A Chinese medicine warm compress (Wen Jing Zhi Tong Fang), combined with WHO 3-step analgesic ladder treatment for cancer pain relief: A comparative randomized trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Cai, Peiling; Li, Liuning; Hong, Hongxi; Zhang, Liwen; He, Chunxia; Chai, Xiaoshu; Liu, Bai; Chen, Zhijian

2018-03-01

This study aimed to assess the effectiveness of Chinese medicine warm compress (CMWC) on back meridians in relieving cancer pain, reducing adjuvant analgesic doses and adverse reactions, and improving the quality of life (QOL). A total of 62 patients (age range 39-82 years) diagnosed with a malignant tumor and suffering from cancer-related pain were randomly divided into a treatment group (group A) and a control group (group B) (n = 31 for each). The patients in both groups were administered appropriate drugs for 2 cycles of 7-day treatments according to the World Health Organization (WHO) 3-step ladder for cancer pain relief in adults. In addition, a CMWC was given to patients in group A. Pain relief was assessed using the visual analogue scale (VAS) at various time points before and after interventions in each group. Alteration of analgesic doses, adverse reactions, performance status (PS), and QOL were evaluated and any differences between groups A and B evaluated. VAS scores at various time points after treatment were significantly decreased compared with the baseline level in group A. Overall response rate was significantly improved in group A compared with group B (70.97% vs 29.03%, P pain relief efficacy in various locations were found in group A after treatment vs before treatment (P pain with reduced doses, less adverse reactions, and improved QOL.

“Nomophobia”: Impact of Cell Phone Use Interfering with Symptoms and Emotions of Individuals with Panic Disorder Compared with a Control Group

Science.gov (United States)

King, Anna Lucia Spear; Valença, Alexandre Martins; Silva, Adriana Cardoso; Sancassiani, Federica; Machado, Sergio; Nardi, Antonio Egidio

2014-01-01

Panic disorder refers to the frequent and recurring acute attacks of anxiety. Objective: This study describes the routine use of mobiles phones (MPs) and investigates the appearance of possible emotional alterations or symptoms related to their use in patients with panic disorder (PD). Background: We compared patients with PD and agoraphobia being treated at the Panic and Respiration Laboratory of The Institute of Psychiatry, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, to a control group of healthy volunteers. Methods: An MP-use questionnaire was administered to a consecutive sample of 50 patients and 70 controls. Results: People with PD showed significant increases in anxiety, tachycardia, respiratory alterations, trembling, perspiration, panic, fear and depression related to the lack of an MP compared to the control group. Conclusions: Both groups exhibited dependence on and were comforted by having an MP; however, people with PD and agoraphobia showed significantly more emotional alterations as well as intense physical and psychological symptoms when they were apart from or unable to use an MP compared to healthy volunteers. PMID:24669231

[Comparative studies of personal and steady-state sampling for determining dust exposure in different job groups].

Science.gov (United States)

Cherneva, P; Lukanova, R

1994-01-01

The variability of the dust concentration in time and space, as well as the change of worker's place during the working process, define the necessity of introducing personal sampling in the hygiene control practice. However, the laboratory equipment with personal devices is still not sufficient. The aim of this work is to assess the dust exposure of the basic professional groups from the ore- and coal production in Bulgaria by personal sampling in comparative studies of the static ambient sampling used up to now. 63 full-shift investigations of the dust factor were performed on professional groups of miners of the polymetal and coal pits by static ambient devices-[Hygitest production] and personal [from firms "Casella", "Strolein" and "Gilian"] devices, after standardized methods. The results are data processed-by means of logarithmic normal distribution of the relation of the respirable dust concentrations, determined personally and by static ambient sampling. The limits of variation of this correlation are from 0.5 to 4.1 at average geometric value -0.95 and standard geometric deviation-1.8 i.e. both types of sampling are intersubstitutional for the examined groups and sites, as in the underground ores the professional risk of respirable dust is underestimated up to 4 times at static ambient sampling.

Comparative study of patellar subluxation syndrome and normal group using axial radiography and CT

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kitagawa, Mamoru; Tomonaga, Kunio; Egawa, Tadashi; Nakamura, Yasushi; Gotoh, Shoji; Mihara, Shigeru (Nagasaki Municipal Hospital (Japan))

1989-10-01

A comparative study was conducted on the 20 knees of 10 females with normal knee joints (age, 22-35 years) and on 7 knees of 7 patients with subluxation syndrome (age, 15-24 years), using axial radiography and CT. In axial radiography where the angle of knee flexion was 30 deg or 60 deg, no significant difference was recognized between the two groups with respect to tilting angle, patellofemoral angle, congruence angle and lateral shift. However, a significant difference was found using CT. Thus, CT was considered useful for diagnosis. Because of these results, all 7 cases underwent surgery for detachment of the lateral side and tightening of the medial side. Three cases underwent shifting of the tibial tuberosity to the anteromedial side, resulting in a favourable outcome. Here, we report the study. (author).

Comparative study of patellar subluxation syndrome and normal group using axial radiography and CT

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kitagawa, Mamoru; Tomonaga, Kunio; Egawa, Tadashi; Nakamura, Yasushi; Gotoh, Shoji; Mihara, Shigeru

1989-01-01

A comparative study was conducted on the 20 knees of 10 females with normal knee joints (age, 22-35 years) and on 7 knees of 7 patients with subluxation syndrome (age, 15-24 years), using axial radiography and CT. In axial radiography where the angle of knee flexion was 30 deg or 60 deg, no significant difference was recognized between the two groups with respect to tilting angle, patellofemoral angle, congruence angle and lateral shift. However, a significant difference was found using CT. Thus, CT was considered useful for diagnosis. Because of these results, all 7 cases underwent surgery for detachment of the lateral side and tightening of the medial side. Three cases underwent shifting of the tibial tuberosity to the anteromedial side, resulting in a favourable outcome. Here, we report the study. (author)

2005 Annual Operations Report for INTEC Operable Unit 3-13, Group 1, Tank Farm Interim Action

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

D. Shanklin

2006-01-01

This annual operations report describes the requirements followed and activities conducted to inspect, monitor, and maintain the items installed during performance of the Waste Area Group 3, Operable Unit 3-13, Group 1, Tank Farm Interim Action, at the Idaho Nuclear Technology and Engineering Center. This report describes inspection and monitoring activities for the surface-sealed areas within the tank farm, concrete-lined ditches and culverts in and around the tank farm, the lift station, and the lined evaporation pond. These activities are intended to assure that the interim action is functioning adequately to meet the objectives stated in the Operable Unit 3-13, Record of Decision for the Group 1, Tank Farm Interim Action, (DOE/ID-10660) and as amended by the agreement to resolve dispute, which was effective in February 2003

A comparative study of ethamsylate and mefenamic acid in dysfunctional uterine bleeding.

Science.gov (United States)

Chamberlain, G; Freeman, R; Price, F; Kennedy, A; Green, D; Eve, L

1991-07-01

The effects of ethamsylate and mefenamic acid on menstrual blood loss were compared in a double-blind trial in 34 women with menorrhagia. Both drugs produced statistically significant reductions in blood loss during the 3 months of treatment; the overall reduction was 20% in the ethamsylate group and 24% in the mefenamic acid group. Compared with pretreatment values, blood loss was significantly less in each of the 3 treatment months in the mefenamic acid group, but only in the second and third months of treatment in the ethamsylate group. However, more women had a clinically useful reduction in blood loss (greater than 40%) in the ethamsylate group. The onset of effect of mefenamic acid was rapid but ethamsylate showed a comparatively greater effect as the trial progressed. Cessation of treatment was followed by an increase in blood loss, more pronounced in mefenamic acid group who reverted to pre-treatment levels. A greater number of side-effects were reported with mefenamic acid.

Which finite simple groups are unit groups?

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Davis, Christopher James; Occhipinti, Tommy

2014-01-01

We prove that if G is a finite simple group which is the unit group of a ring, then G is isomorphic to either (a) a cyclic group of order 2; (b) a cyclic group of prime order 2^k −1 for some k; or (c) a projective special linear group PSLn(F2) for some n ≥ 3. Moreover, these groups do all occur a...

Protocol and recruitment results from a randomized controlled trial comparing group phone-based versus newsletter interventions for weight loss maintenance among rural breast cancer survivors.

Science.gov (United States)

Befort, Christie A; Klemp, Jennifer R; Fabian, Carol; Perri, Michael G; Sullivan, Debra K; Schmitz, Kathryn H; Diaz, Francisco J; Shireman, Theresa

2014-03-01

Obesity is a risk factor for breast cancer recurrence and death. Women who reside in rural areas have higher obesity prevalence and suffer from breast cancer treatment-related disparities compared to urban women. The objective of this 5-year randomized controlled trial is to compare methods for delivering extended care for weight loss maintenance among rural breast cancer survivors. Group phone-based counseling via conference calls addresses access barriers, is more cost-effective than individual phone counseling, and provides group support which may be ideal for rural breast cancer survivors who are more likely to have unmet support needs. Women (n=210) diagnosed with Stage 0 to III breast cancer in the past 10 years who are ≥ 3 months out from initial cancer treatments, have a BMI 27-45 kg/m(2), and have physician clearance were enrolled from multiple cancer centers. During Phase I (months 0 to 6), all women receive a behavioral weight loss intervention delivered through group phone sessions. Women who successfully lose 5% of weight enter Phase II (months 6 to 18) and are randomized to one of two extended care arms: continued group phone-based treatment or a mail-based newsletter. During Phase III, no contact is made (months 18 to 24). The primary outcome is weight loss maintenance from 6 to 18 months. Secondary outcomes include quality of life, serum biomarkers, and cost-effectiveness. This study will provide essential information on how to reach rural survivors in future efforts to establish weight loss support for breast cancer survivors as a standard of care. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Successful and unsuccessful cannabis quitters: Comparing group characteristics and quitting strategies

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rooke Sally E

2011-11-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background In order to improve treatments for cannabis use disorder, a better understanding of factors associated with successful quitting is required. Method This study examined differences between successful (n = 87 and unsuccessful (n = 78 cannabis quitters. Participants completed a questionnaire addressing demographic, mental health, and cannabis-related variables, as well as quitting strategies during their most recent quit attempt. Results Eighteen strategies derived from cognitive behavioral therapy were entered into a principal components analysis. The analysis yielded four components, representing (1 Stimulus Removal, (2 Motivation Enhancement, (3 (lack of Distraction, and (4 (lack of Coping. Between groups comparisons showed that unsuccessful quitters scored significantly higher on Motivation Enhancement and (lack of Coping. This may indicate that unsuccessful quitters focus on the desire to quit, but do not sufficiently plan strategies for coping. Unsuccessful quitters also had significantly more symptoms of depression and stress; less education; lower exposure to formal treatment; higher day-to-day exposure to other cannabis users; and higher cannabis dependence scores. Conclusions The findings suggest that coping, environmental modification, and co-morbid mental health problems may be important factors to emphasize in treatments for cannabis use disorder.

Imaging the Danish Chalk Group with high resolution, 3-component seismics

Science.gov (United States)

Kammann, J.; Rasmussen, S. L.; Nielsen, L.; Malehmir, A.; Stemmerik, L.

2016-12-01

The Chalk Group in the Danish Basin forms important reservoirs to hydrocarbons as well as water resources, and it has been subject to several seismic studies to determine e.g. structural elements, deposition and burial history. This study focuses on the high quality seismic response of a survey acquired with an accelerated 45 kg weight drop and 3-component MEMS-based sensors and additional wireless vertical-type sensors. The 500 m long profile was acquired during one day close to a chalk quarry and chalk cliffs of the Stevns peninsula in eastern Denmark where the well-known K-T (Cretaceous-Tertiary) boundary and different chalk lithologies are well-exposed. With this simple and fast procedure we were able to achieve deep P-wave penetration to the base of the Chalk Group at about 900 m depth. Additionally, the CMP-processed seismic image of the vertical component stands out by its high resolution. Sedimentary features are imaged in the near-surface Danian, as well as in the deeper Maastrichtian and Upper Campanian parts of the Chalk Group. Integration with borehole data suggests that changes in composition, in particular clay content, correlate with changes in reflectivity of the seismic data set. While the pure chalk in the Maastrichtian deposits shows rather low reflectivity, succession enriched in clay appear to be more reflective. The integration of the mentioned methods gives the opportunity to connect changes in facies to the elastic response of the Chalk Group in its natural environmental conditions.

Comparative Genomics and Disorder Prediction Identify Biologically Relevant SH3 Protein Interactions.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

2005-08-01

Full Text Available Protein interaction networks are an important part of the post-genomic effort to integrate a part-list view of the cell into system-level understanding. Using a set of 11 yeast genomes we show that combining comparative genomics and secondary structure information greatly increases consensus-based prediction of SH3 targets. Benchmarking of our method against positive and negative standards gave 83% accuracy with 26% coverage. The concept of an optimal divergence time for effective comparative genomics studies was analyzed, demonstrating that genomes of species that diverged very recently from Saccharomyces cerevisiae(S. mikatae, S. bayanus, and S. paradoxus, or a long time ago (Neurospora crassa and Schizosaccharomyces pombe, contain less information for accurate prediction of SH3 targets than species within the optimal divergence time proposed. We also show here that intrinsically disordered SH3 domain targets are more probable sites of interaction than equivalent sites within ordered regions. Our findings highlight several novel S. cerevisiae SH3 protein interactions, the value of selection of optimal divergence times in comparative genomics studies, and the importance of intrinsic disorder for protein interactions. Based on our results we propose novel roles for the S. cerevisiae proteins Abp1p in endocytosis and Hse1p in endosome protein sorting.

Comparative genomics and disorder prediction identify biologically relevant SH3 protein interactions.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pedro Beltrao

2005-08-01

Full Text Available Protein interaction networks are an important part of the post-genomic effort to integrate a part-list view of the cell into system-level understanding. Using a set of 11 yeast genomes we show that combining comparative genomics and secondary structure information greatly increases consensus-based prediction of SH3 targets. Benchmarking of our method against positive and negative standards gave 83% accuracy with 26% coverage. The concept of an optimal divergence time for effective comparative genomics studies was analyzed, demonstrating that genomes of species that diverged very recently from Saccharomyces cerevisiae(S. mikatae, S. bayanus, and S. paradoxus, or a long time ago (Neurospora crassa and Schizosaccharomyces pombe, contain less information for accurate prediction of SH3 targets than species within the optimal divergence time proposed. We also show here that intrinsically disordered SH3 domain targets are more probable sites of interaction than equivalent sites within ordered regions. Our findings highlight several novel S. cerevisiae SH3 protein interactions, the value of selection of optimal divergence times in comparative genomics studies, and the importance of intrinsic disorder for protein interactions. Based on our results we propose novel roles for the S. cerevisiae proteins Abp1p in endocytosis and Hse1p in endosome protein sorting.

Comparative evaluation of debris extruded apically by using, Protaper retreatment file, K3 file and H-file with solvent in endodontic retreatment

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chetna Arora

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Aim: The aim of this study was to evaluate the apical extrusion of debris comparing 2 engine driven systems and hand instrumentation technique during root canal retreatment. Materials and Methods: Forty five human permanent mandibular premolars were prepared using the step-back technique, obturated with gutta-percha/zinc oxide eugenol sealer and cold lateral condensation technique. The teeth were divided into three groups: Group A: Protaper retreatment file, Group B: K3, file Group C: H-file with tetrachloroethylene. All the canals were irrigated with 20ml distilled water during instrumentation. Debris extruded along with the irrigating solution during retreatment procedure was carefully collected in preweighed Eppendorf tubes. The tubes were stored in an incubator for 5 days, placed in a desiccator and then re-weighed. Weight of dry debris was calculated by subtracting the weight of the tube before instrumentation and from the weight of the tube after instrumentation. Data was analyzed using Two Way ANOVA and Post Hoc test. Results : There was statistically significant difference in the apical extrusion of debris between hand instrumentation and protaper retreatment file and K3 file. The amount of extruded debris caused by protaper retreatment file and K3 file instrumentation technique was not statistically significant. All the three instrumentation techniques produced apically extruded debris and irrigant. Conclusion: The best way to minimize the extrusion of debris is by adapting crown down technique therefore the use of rotary technique (Protaper retreatment file, K3 file is recommended.

Outcomes of infants undergoing robot-assisted laparoscopic pyeloplasty compared to open repair.

Science.gov (United States)

Dangle, Pankaj P; Kearns, James; Anderson, Blake; Gundeti, Mohan S

2013-12-01

Robotic surgery has evolved from simple extirpative surgery to complex reconstructions even in infants. Data are lacking comparing surgical and direct costs to open approaches. We describe the feasibility, salient tips and outcomes of robot-assisted laparoscopic pyeloplasty compared to an open approach. We evaluated patients undergoing open pyeloplasty or robot-assisted laparoscopic pyeloplasty. Ten patients in each group met inclusion criteria. Mean patient age was 3.31 months in the open group and 7.3 months in the robotic group (p=0.02). Postoperative outcomes including length of stay (2.2 vs 2.1 days), estimated blood loss (6.5 vs 7.6 ml), days to regular diet (1 vs 1.1) and days to Foley catheter removal (1.3 vs 1.3) were similar between the open and robotic groups. Total operating time (199 vs 242 minutes) was significantly longer in the robotic group. Postoperative improvement in hydronephrosis was identical in both groups. Direct costs, excluding amortization, robotic cost, maintenance and depreciation, were $4,410 in the open group and $4,979 in the robotic group (p=0.10). In our preliminary experience robotic pyeloplasty in infants is feasible and safe. The immediate outcomes are similar to those of an open approach. The robotic technique in infants currently has the benefits of improved esthetic appearance, improved pain control and similar direct costs compared to the traditional open approach. Copyright © 2013 American Urological Association Education and Research, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

PLAZA 3.0: an access point for plant comparative genomics.

Science.gov (United States)

Proost, Sebastian; Van Bel, Michiel; Vaneechoutte, Dries; Van de Peer, Yves; Inzé, Dirk; Mueller-Roeber, Bernd; Vandepoele, Klaas

2015-01-01

Comparative sequence analysis has significantly altered our view on the complexity of genome organization and gene functions in different kingdoms. PLAZA 3.0 is designed to make comparative genomics data for plants available through a user-friendly web interface. Structural and functional annotation, gene families, protein domains, phylogenetic trees and detailed information about genome organization can easily be queried and visualized. Compared with the first version released in 2009, which featured nine organisms, the number of integrated genomes is more than four times higher, and now covers 37 plant species. The new species provide a wider phylogenetic range as well as a more in-depth sampling of specific clades, and genomes of additional crop species are present. The functional annotation has been expanded and now comprises data from Gene Ontology, MapMan, UniProtKB/Swiss-Prot, PlnTFDB and PlantTFDB. Furthermore, we improved the algorithms to transfer functional annotation from well-characterized plant genomes to other species. The additional data and new features make PLAZA 3.0 (http://bioinformatics.psb.ugent.be/plaza/) a versatile and comprehensible resource for users wanting to explore genome information to study different aspects of plant biology, both in model and non-model organisms. © The Author(s) 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Nucleic Acids Research.

A comparative study of 10% KOH solution and 5% imiquimod cream for the treatment of Molluscum contagiosum in the pediatric age group.

Science.gov (United States)

Chathra, Namitha; Sukumar, D; Bhat, Ramesh M; Kishore, B Nanda; Martis, Jacintha; Kamath, Ganesh; Srinath, M K; Monteiro, Rochelle

2015-01-01

Although Molluscum contagiosum (MC) is a self-limiting condition, active therapy could prevent further spread and improve cosmesis. Most of the available treatment modalities traumatize the lesions and have to be undertaken in the hospital, therefore evoking panic in children. In the quest for an alternative therapy, this study comparing 10% potassium hydroxide (KOH) solution and 5% imiquimod cream was taken up. To compare the efficacy and tolerability of 10% KOH and 5% imiquimod in the treatment of MC. This comparative study was conducted over a period of 18 months from October 2011 to March 2013, 40 patients between the age group of 1-18 years with clinically diagnosed MC were divided into two groups (lottery method), 20 patients were treated with 5% imiquimod cream (Group A) and the other 20 were treated with 10% KOH solution (Group B). Patients were followed up on the 4(th), 8(th) and 12(th) week of treatment. At the end of 12 weeks, out of 20 patients who received 10% KOH, 17 patients showed complete disappearance, whereas out of 20 patients who received 5% imiquimod, only 10 patients showed total clearance of the lesions. Adverse events were more frequent with 10% KOH, pigmentary disturbances being the most common. With only minor adverse effects, 10% KOH is an inexpensive and efficient modality for the treatment of MC in the pediatric age group. Although 5% imiquimod was effective in clearing the lesions with minimal adverse effects, the longer duration required for its efficacy may deter its wider use.

Coronary artery calcium score using electron beam tomography in the patients with acute obstructive coronary arterial disease : comparative study within asymptomatic high-risk group of atherosclerosis and chronic obstructive coronary arterial disease group

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ryu, Seok Jong; Choi, Byoung Wook; Choe, Kyu Ok

2001-01-01

To compare, through analysis of the coronary artery calcium (CAC) score and the risk factors for atherosclerosis, the characteristics of acute coronary syndrome between an asymptomatic high-risk group of atherosclerosis patients and a chronic coronary arterial obstructive disease(CAOD) group. The CAC scores of an asymptomatic high-risk group of atherosclerosis patients (group I, n=284), a chronic CAOD croup (group II, n=39) and an acute coronary syndrome group (group III, n=21) were measured by electron beam tomography. Forty-seven patients with CAOD from groups II and III underwent coronary angiography, and we scrutinized age, sex and risk factors including diabetes mellitus, hypertension, obesity, smoking, hypercholesterolemia and low high-density lipoproteinemia. The numbers of stenotic coronary arterial branches and degree of stenosis revealed by coronary angiography were also recorded. We determined the differences between the three groups in terms of CAC score and the risk factors, the relationship between CAC score and risk factors, and the characteristic features of each type of CAOD group. The mean CA score of group III (135.1) was not statistically different from that of group I (135.7) or group II (365.8). Among patients aged below 50, the mean CAC score of group III (127.4) was significantly higher than that of group I (6.2), (p=0.0006). The mean CAC score at the sixth decade was also significantly different between group I(81.5) and group II (266.9). The mean age of group III (54.2 years) was significantly lower than that of group I (58.1 years) (p=0.047) and of group II (60.1) (p=0.022). There was significant correlation between the number of stenotic coronary arterial branches and log(CAC +1) (p<.01). The square root of the CAC score and the maximal degree of stenosis was also well correlated (p<.01). There was no difference in the mean number of risk factors among the three groups, though the incidence of smoking in group III was significantly

Coronary artery calcium score using electron beam tomography in the patients with acute obstructive coronary arterial disease : comparative study within asymptomatic high-risk group of atherosclerosis and chronic obstructive coronary arterial disease group

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ryu, Seok Jong; Choi, Byoung Wook; Choe, Kyu Ok [Yonsei Univ. College of Medicine, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

2001-04-01

To compare, through analysis of the coronary artery calcium (CAC) score and the risk factors for atherosclerosis, the characteristics of acute coronary syndrome between an asymptomatic high-risk group of atherosclerosis patients and a chronic coronary arterial obstructive disease(CAOD) group. The CAC scores of an asymptomatic high-risk group of atherosclerosis patients (group I, n=284), a chronic CAOD croup (group II, n=39) and an acute coronary syndrome group (group III, n=21) were measured by electron beam tomography. Forty-seven patients with CAOD from groups II and III underwent coronary angiography, and we scrutinized age, sex and risk factors including diabetes mellitus, hypertension, obesity, smoking, hypercholesterolemia and low high-density lipoproteinemia. The numbers of stenotic coronary arterial branches and degree of stenosis revealed by coronary angiography were also recorded. We determined the differences between the three groups in terms of CAC score and the risk factors, the relationship between CAC score and risk factors, and the characteristic features of each type of CAOD group. The mean CA score of group III (135.1) was not statistically different from that of group I (135.7) or group II (365.8). Among patients aged below 50, the mean CAC score of group III (127.4) was significantly higher than that of group I (6.2), (p=0.0006). The mean CAC score at the sixth decade was also significantly different between group I(81.5) and group II (266.9). The mean age of group III (54.2 years) was significantly lower than that of group I (58.1 years) (p=0.047) and of group II (60.1) (p=0.022). There was significant correlation between the number of stenotic coronary arterial branches and log(CAC +1) (p<.01). The square root of the CAC score and the maximal degree of stenosis was also well correlated (p<.01). There was no difference in the mean number of risk factors among the three groups, though the incidence of smoking in group III was significantly

Static postural balance in healthy individuals: Comparisons between three age groups

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)