On the reality of the conjunction fallacy.

Science.gov (United States)

Sides, Ashley; Osherson, Daniel; Bonini, Nicolao; Viale, Riccardo

2002-03-01

Attributing higher "probability" to a sentence of form p-and-q, relative to p, is a reasoning fallacy only if (1) the word probability carries its modern, technical meaning and (2) the sentence p is interpreted as a conjunct of the conjunction p-and-q. Legitimate doubts arise about both conditions in classic demonstrations of the conjunction fallacy. We used betting paradigms and unambiguously conjunctive statements to reduce these sources of ambiguity about conjunctive reasoning. Despite the precautions, conjunction fallacies were as frequent under betting instructions as under standard probability instructions.

A typology of split conjunction

OpenAIRE

Palancar , Enrique L.

2012-01-01

International audience; In this paper, I study instances of noun phrase conjunction where the conjoined noun phrase is subject and the referents of the conjuncts are human, of the type ‘John and Mary are having lunch’. More specifically, I study different, possible splits that occur in such structures, which involve the disruption of the phrasal continuity of the conjuncts, resulting in structures roughly equivalent to ‘they are having lunch with Mary’ and ‘John are having lunch with Mary’. I...

Conjunctivitis (Pink Eye) in Newborns

Science.gov (United States)

... as well as the sexually transmitted infection called gonorrhea. Women with untreated gonorrhea can pass the bacteria to her baby during ... conjunctivitis is less common than conjunctivitis caused by gonorrhea and chlamydia. Symptoms usually include red eye(s) and ...

Working memory for conjunctions relies on the medial temporal lobe.

Science.gov (United States)

Olson, Ingrid R; Page, Katie; Moore, Katherine Sledge; Chatterjee, Anjan; Verfaellie, Mieke

2006-04-26

A prominent theory of hippocampal function proposes that the hippocampus is importantly involved in relating or binding together separate pieces of information to form an episodic representation. This hypothesis has only been applied to studies of long-term memory because the paradigmatic view of the hippocampus is that it is not critical for short-term forms of memory. However, relational processing is important in many working memory tasks, especially tasks using visual stimuli. Here, we test the hypothesis that the medial temporal lobes are important for relational memory even over short delays. The task required patients with medial temporal lobe amnesia and controls to remember three objects, locations, or object-location conjunctions over 1 or 8 s delays. The results show that working memory for objects and locations was at normal levels, but that memory for conjunctions was severely impaired at 8 s delays. Additional analyses suggest that the hippocampus per se is critical for accurate conjunction working memory. We propose that the hippocampus is critically involved in memory for conjunctions at both short and long delays.

The students’ coordinating conjunction acquisition order

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Deby Irawan

2018-03-01

Full Text Available This study is aimed at uncovering the students’ acquisition order of coordinating conjunction for then to seek the possible causes of such phenomenon. Quantitative approach with implicational scaling and qualitative approach with case study were employed with test, focused-group interview, and document analysis of some related textbooks as the instruments. A test consist of 70 questions about the usage of seven coordinating conjunctions in which each word is represented by 10 questions was given to the 13 students of eleventh grade of senior high school for the data collection related to the students’ acquisition order. The documents were then analyzed through several steps as suggested by the expert. The results show that the students acquire “and”, “so”, “for”, “but”, “or”, “yet”, and “nor” as in order. The external factors which influence the order are the formal complexity of each conjunction and the lack of exposure of coordinating conjunction both in the teaching activity and textbooks. Thus, teachers are suggested to provide more explicit teaching on coordinating conjunction and necessary knowledge about the usage of each word. Also, book writers should provide ample exposure to give students more knowledge about the usage of those conjunctions in a meaningful context.

Conjunctions in Malaysian Secondary School English Language Textbooks

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Alicia Philip

2012-05-01

Full Text Available The present research aims to investigate the distribution pattern of conjunctions and their ranking in two different corpora, namely the Malaysian school English language Textbook Corpus (Textbook Corpus and the British National Corpus (BNC. An additional objective of the study was to find out how conjunctions had been presented in the Malaysian school English language textbooks (Forms 1-5. The method applied was qualitative content analysis. The findings indicated that coordinating conjunctions were the most frequent conjunctions that occurred in the five textbooks followed by subordinating and correlative conjunctions. The ranking of the different types of conjunctions in the Textbook Corpus was similar to that of the reference corpus, BNC. The results also indicated that the textbooks failed to present conjunctions effectively. The findings are expected to help textbook developers or language teachers in developing or adapting learning materials. Keywords: Conjunctions, Textbook evaluation, Distribution patterns

Categorization influences illusory conjunctions.

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Esterman, Michael; Prinzmetal, William; Robertson, Lynn

2004-08-01

Illusory conjunctions (ICs) provide evidence for a binding problem that must be resolved in vision. Objects that are perceptually grouped are more likely to have their features erroneously conjoined. We examined whether semantic grouping, determined by category membership (letter vs. number), also influences illusory conjunction rates. Participants were instructed to detect an "L" or a "7" among briefly presented character strings and to report its color. Despite high shape discrimination accuracy, participants often made color conjunction errors, reporting instead the color of a distractor character, "O". This distractor could be ambiguously interpreted as a letter or a number. The status of the "O" was determined by other noncolored flanker characters, which were either letters or numbers. When both the target and flankers were of the same category, participants made more ICs than when the target and flankers were of different categories. This finding demonstrates that alphanumeric categorization can precede and subsequently influence binding.

The role of attention in illusory conjunctions.

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Tsal, Y; Meiran, N; Lavie, N

1994-03-01

In five experiments, we investigated the effects of attention on illusory conjunctions formed between features of unrelated objects. The first three experiments used a weak manipulation of attention and found that illusory conjunctions formed either among features receiving high attentional priority or among features receiving low attentional priority were not more frequent than were conjunctions formed between mixed features of different attentional priority. The last two experiments used a strong manipulation of attention and failed to reveal any evidence of true illusory conjunctions. The results are inconsistent with the feature-integration theory, which predicts that when attention is focused on a subset of items, illusory conjunctions ought to occur within and outside of the attended subset, but not between the attended and unattended items.

Guided search for triple conjunctions.

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Nordfang, Maria; Wolfe, Jeremy M

2014-08-01

A key tenet of feature integration theory and of related theories such as guided search (GS) is that the binding of basic features requires attention. This would seem to predict that conjunctions of features of objects that have not been attended should not influence search. However, Found (1998) reported that an irrelevant feature (size) improved the efficiency of search for a Color × Orientation conjunction if it was correlated with the other two features across the display, as compared to the case in which size was not correlated with color and orientation features. We examined this issue with somewhat different stimuli. We used triple conjunctions of color, orientation, and shape (e.g., search for a red, vertical, oval-shaped item). This allowed us to manipulate the number of features that each distractor shared with the target (sharing) and it allowed us to vary the total number of distractor types (and, thus, the number of groups of identical items: grouping). We found that these triple conjunction searches were generally very efficient--producing very shallow Reaction Time × Set Size slopes, consistent with strong guidance by basic features. Nevertheless, both of the variables, sharing and grouping, modulated performance. These influences were not predicted by previous accounts of GS; however, both can be accommodated in a GS framework. Alternatively, it is possible, though not necessary, to see these effects as evidence for "preattentive binding" of conjunctions.

Taking Conjunction Search to a Higher Dimension

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Jeremy M. Wolfe

2011-05-01

Full Text Available In visual search for conjunctions, targets are defined by combinations of features. Thus, targets might be RED VERTICAL items among RED horizontal and green VERTICAL distractors. Guided Search and similar models argue that features are conjoined only once an object is attended. However, efficient conjunction search is possible because observers can guide attention toward red and toward vertical. Real-world objects may be defined by the conjunction of many features, with no one feature defining the target. Can attention be guided to higher order conjunctions? We created 6D conjunction stimuli and varied the number of features shared between targets and distractors and the number of distractor types. RT x set size slopes range from 1.4 msec/item when two distractor types each share three features with the target to 66 msec/item when six distractor types each share five features with the target. Using different 3D conjunctions, we held distributions of features constant (1/3 of each of three colors, shapes, and orientations. We varied the grouping of distractors in order to look for evidence of simultaneous guidance by multiple attributes versus sequential grouping of subsets (Find the odd orientation in this color subset. We find that guidance and grouping may both contribute to efficient conjunction search.

Topical treatment options for allergic conjunctivitis

African Journals Online (AJOL)

of allergic conjunctivitis. Classification and pathogenesis ... Table 1: The classification of allergic conjunctivitis1,2,5. Acute allergic ..... molecular structure which may be associated with a more rapid ... Resolvin E1, a proresolving lipid mediator.

The Concessive Conjunct However

OpenAIRE

Sonoda, Kenji

2003-01-01

But is a conjunction, and it cannot be placed except at the beginning of a sentence. But however, the concessive conjunct similar in meaning to but, is an adverb, and it can be placed anywhere: at the beginning, in the midst, or at the end, of a sentence. Although the placement of however largely depends upon contrast or emphasis, it would not be so troublesome for non-native speakers of English to place it at the beginning, or at the end, of a sentence. The most difficult part for them will ...

Conjunctivitis in the newborn- A comparative study

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Meenakshi Wadhwani

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Background: Conjunctivitis of the newborn is defined as hyperemia and eye discharge in the neonates and is a common infection occurring in the neonates in the first month of life. In the United States, the incidence of neonatal conjunctivitis ranges from 1-2%, in India, the prevalence is 0.5-33% and varies in the world from 0.9-21% depending on the socioeconomic status. Aim: To study the organisms causing conjunctivitis of the newborn and to correlate the etiology with the mode of delivery. Design: Single center, prospective, observational study. Materials and Methods: A total of 300 mothers and their newborns, born over a period of one year, were included in the study. Of these 200 newborns were delivered through vaginal route (Group A and 100 (Group B delivered by lower segment caesarean section (LSCS. At the time of labour, high vaginal swabs were taken from the mothers. Two conjunctival swabs each from both eyes of the newborn were collected at birth and transported to Microbiology department in a candle jar immediately. Results: Eight babies in Group A, developed conjunctivitis at birth. None of the babies in Group B developed conjunctivitis, this difference was statistically highly significant (P<0.000. The organisms found in the conjunctiva of the newborns in Group A were Coagulase negative Staphylococcus, α hemolytic Streptococcus, Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas spps. However, the commonest organism leading to conjunctivitis in the newborn in this study was Coagulase negative Staphylococcus. It was observed that the mothers of 5 out of 8 babies (60% developing conjunctivitis gave history of midwife interference and premature rupture of membranes so the presence of risk factors contribute to the occurrence of conjunctivitis in the newborn. Conclusions: It is inferred that the mode of delivery and the presence of risk factors is responsible for conjunctivitis in the newborn.

The composition of category conjunctions.

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Hutter, Russell R C; Crisp, Richard J

2005-05-01

In three experiments, the authors investigated the impression formation process resulting from the perception of familiar or unfamiliar social category combinations. In Experiment 1, participants were asked to generate attributes associated with either a familiar or unfamiliar social category conjunction. Compared to familiar combinations, the authors found that when the conjunction was unfamiliar, participants formed their impression less from the individual constituent categories and relatively more from novel emergent attributes. In Experiment 2, the authors replicated this effect using alternative experimental materials. In Experiment 3, the effect generalized to additional (orthogonally combined) gender and occupation categories. The implications of these findings for understanding the processes involved in the conjunction of social categories, and the formation of new stereotypes, are discussed.

Quantum probability and conceptual combination in conjunctions.

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Hampton, James A

2013-06-01

I consider the general problem of category conjunctions in the light of Pothos & Busemeyer (P&B)'s quantum probability (QP) account of the conjunction fallacy. I argue that their account as presented cannot capture the "guppy effect" - the case in which a class is a better member of a conjunction A^B than it is of either A or B alone.

Reasoning about conjunctive probabilistic concepts in childhood.

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Fisk, John E; Slattery, Rachel

2005-09-01

While adults are known to exhibit biases when making conjunctive probability judgments, little is known about childhood competencies in this area. Participants (aged between four and five years, eight and ten years, and a group of young adults) attempted to select the more likely of two events, a single event, and a conjunctive event containing, as one of its components, the single event. The problems were such that the objective probabilities of the component events were potentially available. Children in both age groups were generally successful when the single event was likely. However, when it was unlikely, a majority of children rejected it, choosing the conjunctive event instead, thereby committing the conjunction fallacy. A substantial minority of adults also committed the fallacy under equivalent conditions. It is concluded that under certain conditions children are capable of normative conjunctive judgments but that the mechanisms underpinning this capacity remain to be fully understood.

Short-term perceptual learning in visual conjunction search.

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Su, Yuling; Lai, Yunpeng; Huang, Wanyi; Tan, Wei; Qu, Zhe; Ding, Yulong

2014-08-01

Although some studies showed that training can improve the ability of cross-dimension conjunction search, less is known about the underlying mechanism. Specifically, it remains unclear whether training of visual conjunction search can successfully bind different features of separated dimensions into a new function unit at early stages of visual processing. In the present study, we utilized stimulus specificity and generalization to provide a new approach to investigate the mechanisms underlying perceptual learning (PL) in visual conjunction search. Five experiments consistently showed that after 40 to 50 min of training of color-shape/orientation conjunction search, the ability to search for a certain conjunction target improved significantly and the learning effects did not transfer to a new target that differed from the trained target in both color and shape/orientation features. However, the learning effects were not strictly specific. In color-shape conjunction search, although the learning effect could not transfer to a same-shape different-color target, it almost completely transferred to a same-color different-shape target. In color-orientation conjunction search, the learning effect partly transferred to a new target that shared same color or same orientation with the trained target. Moreover, the sum of transfer effects for the same color target and the same orientation target in color-orientation conjunction search was algebraically equivalent to the learning effect for trained target, showing an additive transfer effect. The different transfer patterns in color-shape and color-orientation conjunction search learning might reflect the different complexity and discriminability between feature dimensions. These results suggested a feature-based attention enhancement mechanism rather than a unitization mechanism underlying the short-term PL of color-shape/orientation conjunction search.

Component-resolved diagnostics in vernal conjunctivitis.

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Armentia, Alicia; Sanchís, Eugenia; Montero, Javier A

2016-10-01

Conventional diagnostic tests in allergy are insufficient to clarify the cause of vernal conjunctivitis. Component-resolved diagnostic (CRD) by microarray allergen assay may be useful in detecting allergens that might be involved in the inflammatory process. In a recent trial in patients suffered from eosinophilic esophagitis, after 2 years of the CRD-guided exclusion diet and specific immunotherapy, significant clinical improvement was observed, and 68% of patients were discharged (cure based on negative biopsy, no symptoms, and no medication intake). Our new objective was to evaluate IgE-mediated hypersensitivity by CRD in tears and serum from patients with vernal conjunctivitis and treat patients with identified triggering allergens by specific immunotherapy. Twenty-five patients with vernal conjunctivitis were evaluated. The identified triggering allergens were n Lol p 1 (11 cases), n Cyn d 1 (eight cases), group 4 and 6 grasses (six cases) and group 5 of grasses (five cases). Prick test and pollen IgE were positive in one case. Clinical improvement was observed in 13/25 vernal conjunctivitis patients after 1-year specific immunotherapy. CRD seems to be a more sensitive diagnostic tool compared with prick test and IgE detection. Specific CRD-led immunotherapy may achieve clinical improvements in vernal conjunctivitis patients.

Learning efficient visual search for stimuli containing diagnostic spatial configurations and color-shape conjunctions.

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Reavis, Eric A; Frank, Sebastian M; Tse, Peter U

2018-04-12

Visual search is often slow and difficult for complex stimuli such as feature conjunctions. Search efficiency, however, can improve with training. Search for stimuli that can be identified by the spatial configuration of two elements (e.g., the relative position of two colored shapes) improves dramatically within a few hundred trials of practice. Several recent imaging studies have identified neural correlates of this learning, but it remains unclear what stimulus properties participants learn to use to search efficiently. Influential models, such as reverse hierarchy theory, propose two major possibilities: learning to use information contained in low-level image statistics (e.g., single features at particular retinotopic locations) or in high-level characteristics (e.g., feature conjunctions) of the task-relevant stimuli. In a series of experiments, we tested these two hypotheses, which make different predictions about the effect of various stimulus manipulations after training. We find relatively small effects of manipulating low-level properties of the stimuli (e.g., changing their retinotopic location) and some conjunctive properties (e.g., color-position), whereas the effects of manipulating other conjunctive properties (e.g., color-shape) are larger. Overall, the findings suggest conjunction learning involving such stimuli might be an emergent phenomenon that reflects multiple different learning processes, each of which capitalizes on different types of information contained in the stimuli. We also show that both targets and distractors are learned, and that reversing learned target and distractor identities impairs performance. This suggests that participants do not merely learn to discriminate target and distractor stimuli, they also learn stimulus identity mappings that contribute to performance improvements.

Differential age-related effects on conjunctive and relational visual short-term memory binding.

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Bastin, Christine

2017-12-28

An age-related associative deficit has been described in visual short-term binding memory tasks. However, separate studies have suggested that ageing disrupts relational binding (to associate distinct items or item and context) more than conjunctive binding (to integrate features within an object). The current study directly compared relational and conjunctive binding with a short-term memory task for object-colour associations in 30 young and 30 older adults. Participants studied a number of object-colour associations corresponding to their individual object span level in a relational task in which objects were associated to colour patches and a conjunctive task where colour was integrated into the object. Memory for individual items and for associations was tested with a recognition memory test. Evidence for an age-related associative deficit was observed in the relational binding task, but not in the conjunctive binding task. This differential impact of ageing on relational and conjunctive short-term binding is discussed by reference to two underlying age-related cognitive difficulties: diminished hippocampally dependent binding and attentional resources.

Human Spaceflight Conjunction Assessment: Lessons Learned

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Smith, Jason T.

2011-01-01

This viewgraph presentation reviews the process of a human space flight conjunction assessment and lessons learned from the more than twelve years of International Space Station (ISS) operations. Also, the application of these lessons learned to a recent ISS conjunction assessment with object 84180 on July 16, 2009 is also presented.

Guided Search for Triple Conjunctions

OpenAIRE

Nordfang, Maria; Wolfe, Jeremy M

2014-01-01

A key tenet of Feature Integration Theory and related theories such as Guided Search (GS) is that the binding of basic features requires attention. This would seem to predict that conjunctions of features of objects that have not been attended should not influence search. However, Found (1998) reported that an irrelevant feature (size) improved the efficiency of search for a color × orientation conjunction if it was correlated with the other two features across the display compared to the cas...

The use of conjunctions by children with typical language development.

Science.gov (United States)

Glória, Yasmin Alves Leão; Hanauer, Letícia Pessota; Wiethan, Fernanda Marafiga; Nóro, Letícia Arruda; Mota, Helena Bolli

2016-07-04

To investigate the use of conjunctions in the spontaneous speech of three years old children with typical language development, who live in Santa Maria - RS. 45 children, aged 3:0;0 - 3:11;29 (years:months;days) from the database of the Center for the Study of Language and Speech (CELF) participated of this study. The spontaneous speech of each child was transcribed and followed by analysis of the samples to identify the types of conjunctions for each age group. The samples were statistically analyzed using the R software that allowed the evaluation of the number and type of conjunctions used in each age group by comparing them with each other. The data indicated that the higher the age of the child, the greater the number of types of conjunctions used by them. The comparison between age groups showed significant differences when comparing the average number of conjunctions per age group, as well as for additive conjunctions and subordinating conjunctions. At age of three the children begin to develop the grammatical use of conjunctions, early appearing additive, adversative and explanatory coordinating conjunctions, and at 3:6 they are able to use the most complex conjunctions, as subordinating conjunctions.

Disjunction and conjunction fallacies in episodic memory.

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Nakamura, K; Brainerd, C J

2017-09-01

It has recently been found that episodic memory displays analogues of the well-known disjunction and conjunction fallacies of probability judgement. The aim of the present research was, for the first time, to study these memory fallacies together under the same conditions, and test theoretical predictions about the reasons for each. The focus was on predictions about the influence of semantic gist, target versus context recollection, and proactive versus retroactive interference. Disjunction and conjunction fallacies increased in conditions in which subjects were able to form semantic connections among list words. In addition, disjunction fallacies were increased by manipulations that minimised proactive interference, whereas conjunction fallacies were increased by manipulations that minimised retroactive interference. That pattern suggests that disjunction fallacies are more dependent on target recollection, whereas conjunction fallacies are more dependent on context recollection.

Acute hemorrhagic conjunctivitis epidemic in São Paulo State, Brazil, 2011

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Norma H. Medina

Full Text Available ABSTRACT Acute hemorrhagic conjunctivitis (AHC infection is highly contagious and can lead to explosive epidemics. In early February 2011, the Center for Epidemiologic Surveillance of the State of São Paulo Health Secretariat (SES-SP in Brazil received reports of conjunctivitis outbreaks from rural areas of the state that subsequently spread statewide. This report describes that AHC epidemic and its etiologic agent. Data from the Ministry of Health Information System for Notifiable Diseases (SinanNet and the SES-SP epidemiologic surveillance system for conjunctivitis, developed to detect outbreaks, confirm the etiologic agent, and carry out control measures, were analyzed. Eye (conjunctival swab samples were taken from patients with clinical presentation of viral conjunctivitis to perform viral laboratory diagnosis. A total of 1 067 981 conjunctivitis cases were reported to the surveillance system for 2011; there was an increase in the number of cases in epidemiologic weeks 6–26 (summer season versus previous years. Most cases occurred in the metropolitan region of Greater São Paulo. Of 93 collected samples, 57 tested positive for coxsackievirus-A24 (CV-A24, based on virus isolation in tissue-culture cell lines, reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR, and enterovirus sequencing of RT-PCR. The data analysis showed that the fast-spreading etiologic agent of the AHC epidemic that occurred in the summer of 2011 was CV-A24. The AHC epidemic was due to an enterovirus that occurred sporadically, spread rapidly and with great magnitude, and had substantial socioeconomic impact due to the high level of absenteeism at work and school.

The negations of conjunctions, conditionals, and disjunctions.

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Khemlani, Sangeet; Orenes, Isabel; Johnson-Laird, P N

2014-09-01

How do reasoners understand and formulate denials of compound assertions, such as conjunctions and disjunctions? A theory based on mental models postulates that individuals enumerate models of the various possibilities consistent with the assertions. It therefore predicts a novel interaction: in affirmations, conjunctions, A and B, which refer to one possibility, should be easier to understand than disjunctions, A or B, which refer to more than one possibility; in denials, conjunctions, not(A and B), which refer to more than one possibility, should be harder to understand than disjunctions, not(A or B), which do not. Conditionals are ambiguous and they should be of intermediate difficulty. Experiment 1 corroborated this trend with a task in which the participants selected which possibilities were consistent with assertions, such as: Bob denied that he wore a yellow shirt and he wore blue pants on Tuesday. Experiment 2 likewise showed that participants' own formulations of verbal denials yielded the same trend in which denials of conjunctions were harder than denials of conditionals, which in turn were harder than denials of disjunctions. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Evolution of ESA's SSA Conjunction Prediction Service

Science.gov (United States)

Escobar, D.; Sancho, A. Tirado, J.; Agueda, A.; Martin, L.; Luque, F.; Fletcher, E.; Navarro, V.

2013-08-01

This paper presents the recent evolution of ESA's SSA Conjunction Prediction Service (CPS) as a result of an on-going activity in the Space Surveillance and Tracking (SST) Segment of ESA's Space Situational Awareness (SSA) Programme. The CPS is one of a number of precursor services being developed as part of the SST segment. It has been implemented as a service to provide external users with web-based access to conjunction information and designed with a service-oriented architecture. The paper encompasses the following topics: service functionality enhancements, integration with a live objects catalogue, all vs. all analyses supporting an operational concept based on low and high fidelity screenings, and finally conjunction detection and probability algorithms.

[Characteristics of allergic conjunctivitis with positive skin prick test].

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, S; Jiang, Y; Jin, Y M; Zhang, J Y; Li, Y

2017-09-11

Objective: To observe the clinical characteristics of allergic conjunctivitis, and the correlations with skin prick test results. Methods: A retrospective study. Forty patients with positive skin prick test result were included. Patients underwent an ophthalmologic examination to identify their primary presenting signs and symptoms. The allergy types were divided into 5 groups. All dates were analyzed for the dependence, normality and homogeneity of variance. Chi-square test, Mann-Whitney U test, Kruskal-Wallis H test and Spearman correlation analysis were performed accordingly. Results: Among 40 patients, 18(45.0%) had a clinical diagnosis of seasonal allergic conjunctivitis, 14(35.0%) had perennial allergic conjunctivitis, 5(12.5%) had vernal keratoconjunctivitis, and 2(5.0%) had atopic keratoconjunctivits, and 1(2.5%) had giant papillary conjunctivitis. There was no significant difference in the number of symptoms and signs score among different types of allergic conjunctivitis, the score of itching and hyperemia had a positive relationship with the number of positive allergens ( r =0.74, Ptest of the allergen, the more symptoms and signs encountered in terms of severity. Conclusion: Seasonal allergic conjunctivitis was the most prevalent disorder, the most important clinical characteristics of allergic conjunctivitis are itching and conjunctival congestion, the main allergens are dust and pollens, patients may be sensitive to multiple allergens. (Chin J Ophthalmol, 2017, 53: 689-693) .

Gestalt Reasoning with Conjunctions and Disjunctions.

Science.gov (United States)

Dumitru, Magda L; Joergensen, Gitte H

2016-01-01

Reasoning, solving mathematical equations, or planning written and spoken sentences all must factor in stimuli perceptual properties. Indeed, thinking processes are inspired by and subsequently fitted to concrete objects and situations. It is therefore reasonable to expect that the mental representations evoked when people solve these seemingly abstract tasks should interact with the properties of the manipulated stimuli. Here, we investigated the mental representations evoked by conjunction and disjunction expressions in language-picture matching tasks. We hypothesised that, if these representations have been derived using key Gestalt principles, reasoners should use perceptual compatibility to gauge the goodness of fit between conjunction/disjunction descriptions (e.g., the purple and/ or the green) and corresponding binary visual displays. Indeed, the results of three experimental studies demonstrate that reasoners associate conjunction descriptions with perceptually-dependent stimuli and disjunction descriptions with perceptually-independent stimuli, where visual dependency status follows the key Gestalt principles of common fate, proximity, and similarity.

Conjunctive Coding of Complex Object Features

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Erez, Jonathan; Cusack, Rhodri; Kendall, William; Barense, Morgan D.

2016-01-01

Critical to perceiving an object is the ability to bind its constituent features into a cohesive representation, yet the manner by which the visual system integrates object features to yield a unified percept remains unknown. Here, we present a novel application of multivoxel pattern analysis of neuroimaging data that allows a direct investigation of whether neural representations integrate object features into a whole that is different from the sum of its parts. We found that patterns of activity throughout the ventral visual stream (VVS), extending anteriorly into the perirhinal cortex (PRC), discriminated between the same features combined into different objects. Despite this sensitivity to the unique conjunctions of features comprising objects, activity in regions of the VVS, again extending into the PRC, was invariant to the viewpoints from which the conjunctions were presented. These results suggest that the manner in which our visual system processes complex objects depends on the explicit coding of the conjunctions of features comprising them. PMID:25921583

Visual search for features and conjunctions in development.

Science.gov (United States)

Lobaugh, N J; Cole, S; Rovet, J F

1998-12-01

Visual search performance was examined in three groups of children 7 to 12 years of age and in young adults. Colour and orientation feature searches and a conjunction search were conducted. Reaction time (RT) showed expected improvements in processing speed with age. Comparisons of RT's on target-present and target-absent trials were consistent with parallel search on the two feature conditions and with serial search in the conjunction condition. The RT results indicated searches for feature and conjunctions were treated similarly for children and adults. However, the youngest children missed more targets at the largest array sizes, most strikingly in conjunction search. Based on an analysis of speed/accuracy trade-offs, we suggest that low target-distractor discriminability leads to an undersampling of array elements, and is responsible for the high number of misses in the youngest children.

Storage of feature conjunctions in transient auditory memory.

Science.gov (United States)

Gomes, H; Bernstein, R; Ritter, W; Vaughan, H G; Miller, J

1997-11-01

The purpose of this study was to determine whether feature conjunctions are stored in transient auditory memory. The mismatch negativity (MMN), an event-related potential that is elicited by stimuli that differ from a series of preceding stimuli, was used in this endeavour. A tone that differed from the preceding series of stimuli in the conjunction of two of its features, both present in preceding stimuli but in different combinations, was found to elicit the MMN. The data are interpreted to indicate that information about the conjunction of features is stored in the memory.

Visual search in Alzheimer's disease: a deficiency in processing conjunctions of features.

Science.gov (United States)

Tales, A; Butler, S R; Fossey, J; Gilchrist, I D; Jones, R W; Troscianko, T

2002-01-01

Human vision often needs to encode multiple characteristics of many elements of the visual field, for example their lightness and orientation. The paradigm of visual search allows a quantitative assessment of the function of the underlying mechanisms. It measures the ability to detect a target element among a set of distractor elements. We asked whether Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients are particularly affected in one type of search, where the target is defined by a conjunction of features (orientation and lightness) and where performance depends on some shifting of attention. Two non-conjunction control conditions were employed. The first was a pre-attentive, single-feature, "pop-out" task, detecting a vertical target among horizontal distractors. The second was a single-feature, partly attentive task in which the target element was slightly larger than the distractors-a "size" task. This was chosen to have a similar level of attentional load as the conjunction task (for the control group), but lacked the conjunction of two features. In an experiment, 15 AD patients were compared to age-matched controls. The results suggested that AD patients have a particular impairment in the conjunction task but not in the single-feature size or pre-attentive tasks. This may imply that AD particularly affects those mechanisms which compare across more than one feature type, and spares the other systems and is not therefore simply an 'attention-related' impairment. Additionally, these findings show a double dissociation with previous data on visual search in Parkinson's disease (PD), suggesting a different effect of these diseases on the visual pathway.

NEONATAL CONJUNCTIVITIS AND ITS DRUG SENSITIVITY PATTERN

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Kavitha Thulukkanam

2017-05-01

Full Text Available BACKGROUND Neonatal conjunctivitis is eye discharge in neonates and it is a common infection in neonates in the first month of life. Worldwide, the incidence of neonatal conjunctivitis varies from 1% to 33% depending on the socioeconomic status of the people in the region. In India, the incidence varies from region to region from 0.9 to 35%. MATERIALS AND METHODS Single center prospective study. All neonates of age 0-30 days delivered and referred from neonatal ward of Chengalpattu Medical College and Hospital with complaints of eye swelling, redness, conjunctival discharge to the eye department for treatment are included in the study. RESULTS In this study, age group from 0-7 days were most commonly affected by neonatal conjunctivitis. Both eyes were commonly affected together. Neonates born by both LSCS and normal vaginal delivery were almost equally affected. The most common organism found in culture and Gram staining was staphylococci. CONCLUSION Neonatal conjunctivitis is more likely to be acquired postnatally. It acquires during the 1 st week and responds well to local application of antibiotics, which covers common causative bacteria.

Children's Comprehension of Plural Predicate Conjunction

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Tieu, Lyn; Romoli, Jacopo; Poortman, Eva; Winter, Yoad; Crain, Stephen

2018-01-01

Previous developmental studies of conjunction have focused on the syntax of phrasal and sentential coordination (Lust, 1977; de Villiers, Tager-Flusberg & Hakuta, 1977; Bloom, Lahey, Hood, Lifter & Fiess, 1980, among others). The present study examined the flexibility of children's interpretation of conjunction. Specifically, when two…

Spatially parallel processing of within-dimension conjunctions.

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Linnell, K J; Humphreys, G W

2001-01-01

Within-dimension conjunction search for red-green targets amongst red-blue, and blue-green, nontargets is extremely inefficient (Wolfe et al, 1990 Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Perception and Performance 16 879-892). We tested whether pairs of red-green conjunction targets can nevertheless be processed spatially in parallel. Participants made speeded detection responses whenever a red-green target was present. Across trials where a second identical target was present, the distribution of detection times was compatible with the assumption that targets were processed in parallel (Miller, 1982 Cognitive Psychology 14 247-279). We show that this was not an artifact of response-competition or feature-based processing. We suggest that within-dimension conjunctions can be processed spatially in parallel. Visual search for such items may be inefficient owing to within-dimension grouping between items.

Extensional versus Intuitive Reasoning: The Conjunction Fallacy in Probability Judgment.

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Tversky, Amos; Kahneman, Daniel

1983-01-01

Judgments under uncertainty are often mediated by intuitive heuristics that are not bound by the conjunction rule of probability. Representativeness and availability heuristics can make a conjunction appear more probable than one of its constituents. Alternative interpretations of this conjunction fallacy are discussed and attempts to combat it…

Automated Spacecraft Conjunction Assessment at Mars and the Moon

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Berry, David; Guinn, Joseph; Tarzi, Zahi; Demcak, Stuart

2012-01-01

Conjunction assessment and collision avoidance are areas of current high interest in space operations. Most current conjunction assessment activity focuses on the Earth orbital environment. Several of the world's space agencies have satellites in orbit at Mars and the Moon, and avoiding collisions there is important too. Smaller number of assets than Earth, and smaller number of organizations involved, but consequences similar to Earth scenarios.This presentation will examine conjunction assessment processes implemented at JPL for spacecraft in orbit at Mars and the Moon.

Attribute conjunctions and the part configuration advantage in object category learning.

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Saiki, J; Hummel, J E

1996-07-01

Five experiments demonstrated that in object category learning people are particularly sensitive to conjunctions of part shapes and relative locations. Participants learned categories defined by a part's shape and color (part-color conjunctions) or by a part's shape and its location relative to another part (part-location conjunctions). The statistical properties of the categories were identical across these conditions, as were the salience of color and relative location. Participants were better at classifying objects defined by part-location conjunctions than objects defined by part-color conjunctions. Subsequent experiments revealed that this effect was not due to the specific color manipulation or the role of location per se. These results suggest that the shape bias in object categorization is at least partly due to sensitivity to part-location conjunctions and suggest a new processing constraint on category learning.

Association rules for rat spatial learning: the importance of the hippocampus for binding item identity with item location.

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Albasser, Mathieu M; Dumont, Julie R; Amin, Eman; Holmes, Joshua D; Horne, Murray R; Pearce, John M; Aggleton, John P

2013-12-01

Three cohorts of rats with extensive hippocampal lesions received multiple tests to examine the relationships between particular forms of associative learning and an influential account of hippocampal function (the cognitive map hypothesis). Hippocampal lesions spared both the ability to discriminate two different digging media and to discriminate two different room locations in a go/no-go task when each location was approached from a single direction. Hippocampal lesions had, however, differential effects on a more complex task (biconditional discrimination) where the correct response was signaled by the presence or absence of specific cues. For all biconditional tasks, digging in one medium (A) was rewarded in the presence of cue C, while digging in medium B was rewarded in the presences of cue D. Such biconditional tasks are "configural" as no individual cue or element predicts the solution (AC+, AD-, BD+, and BC-). When proximal context cues signaled the correct digging choice, biconditional learning was seemingly unaffected by hippocampal lesions. Severe deficits occurred, however, when the correct digging choice was signaled by distal room cues. Also, impaired was the ability to discriminate two locations when each location was approached from two directions. A task demand that predicted those tasks impaired by hippocampal damage was the need to combine specific cues with their relative spatial positions ("structural learning"). This ability makes it possible to distinguish the same cues set in different spatial arrays. Thus, the hippocampus appears necessary for configural discriminations involving structure, discriminations that potentially underlie the creation of cognitive maps. Copyright © 2013 The Authors. Hippocampus Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Conjunct rotation: Codman's paradox revisited.

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Wolf, Sebastian I; Fradet, Laetitia; Rettig, Oliver

2009-05-01

This contribution mathematically formalizes Codman's idea of conjunct rotation, a term he used in 1934 to describe a paradoxical phenomenon arising from a closed-loop arm movement. Real (axial) rotation is distinguished from conjunct rotation. For characterizing the latter, the idea of reference vector fields is developed to define the neutral axial position of the humerus for any given orientation of its long axis. This concept largely avoids typical coordinate singularities arising from decomposition of 3D joint motion and therefore can be used for postural (axial) assessment of the shoulder joint both clinically and in sports science in almost the complete accessible range of motion. The concept, even though algebraic rather complex, might help to get an easier and more intuitive understanding of axial rotation of the shoulder in complex movements present in daily life and in sports.

Illusory conjunctions are alive and well: a reply to Donk (1999).

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Prinzmetal, W; Diedrichsen, J; Ivry, R B

2001-06-01

When presented with a red T and a green O, observers occasionally make conjunction responses and indicate that they saw a green T. These errors have been interpreted as reflecting separable processing stages of feature detection and integration with the illusory conjunctions arising from a failure at the integration stage. Recently, M. Donk (1999) asserted that the phenomenon of illusory conjunctions is an artifact. Conjunction reports are actually the result of confusing a nontarget item (O in the example above) for a target item (the letter T) and (correctly) reporting the color associated with the (incorrectly) selected target. The authors demonstrate that although target-nontarget confusion errors are a potential source of conjunction reports, there is a plethora of findings that cannot be accounted for by this confusion model. A review of the literature indicates that in many studies, illusory conjunctions do result from a failure to properly integrate features.

Parallel coding of conjunctions in visual search.

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Found, A

1998-10-01

Two experiments investigated whether the conjunctive nature of nontarget items influenced search for a conjunction target. Each experiment consisted of two conditions. In both conditions, the target item was a red bar tilted to the right, among white tilted bars and vertical red bars. As well as color and orientation, display items also differed in terms of size. Size was irrelevant to search in that the size of the target varied randomly from trial to trial. In one condition, the size of items correlated with the other attributes of display items (e.g., all red items were big and all white items were small). In the other condition, the size of items varied randomly (i.e., some red items were small and some were big, and some white items were big and some were small). Search was more efficient in the size-correlated condition, consistent with the parallel coding of conjunctions in visual search.

Bottom-up guidance in visual search for conjunctions.

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Proulx, Michael J

2007-02-01

Understanding the relative role of top-down and bottom-up guidance is crucial for models of visual search. Previous studies have addressed the role of top-down and bottom-up processes in search for a conjunction of features but with inconsistent results. Here, the author used an attentional capture method to address the role of top-down and bottom-up processes in conjunction search. The role of bottom-up processing was assayed by inclusion of an irrelevant-size singleton in a search for a conjunction of color and orientation. One object was uniquely larger on each trial, with chance probability of coinciding with the target; thus, the irrelevant feature of size was not predictive of the target's location. Participants searched more efficiently for the target when it was also the size singleton, and they searched less efficiently for the target when a nontarget was the size singleton. Although a conjunction target cannot be detected on the basis of bottom-up processing alone, participants used search strategies that relied significantly on bottom-up guidance in finding the target, resulting in interference from the irrelevant-size singleton.

Discrimination of single features and conjunctions by children.

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Taylor, M J; Chevalier, H; Lobaugh, N J

2003-12-01

Stimuli that are discriminated by a conjunction of features can show more rapid early processing in adults. To determine how this facilitation effect develops, the processing of visual features and their conjunction was examined in 7-12-year-old children. The children completed a series of tasks in which they made a target-non-target judgement as a function of shape only, colour only or shape and colour features, while event-related potentials were recorded. To assess early stages of feature processing the posteriorly distributed P1 and N1 were analysed. Attentional effects were seen for both components. P1 had a shorter latency and P1 and N1 had larger amplitudes to targets than non-targets. Task effects were driven by the conjunction task. P1 amplitude was largest, while N1 amplitude was smallest for the conjunction targets. In contrast to larger left-sided N1 in adults, N1 had a symmetrical distribution in the children. N1 latency was shortest for the conjunction targets in the 9-10-year olds and 11-12-year olds, demonstrating facilitation in children, but which continued to develop over the pre-teen years. These data underline the sensitivity of early stages of processing to both top-down modulations and the parallel binding of non-spatial features in young children. Furthermore, facilitation effects, increased speed of processing when features need to be conjoined, mature in mid-childhood, arguing against a hierarchical model of visual processing, and supporting a rapid, integrated facilitative model.

OD Covariance in Conjunction Assessment: Introduction and Issues

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Hejduk, M. D.; Duncan, M.

2015-01-01

Primary and secondary covariances combined and projected into conjunction plane (plane perpendicular to relative velocity vector at TCA) Primary placed on x-axis at (miss distance, 0) and represented by circle of radius equal to sum of both spacecraft circumscribing radiiZ-axis perpendicular to x-axis in conjunction plane Pc is portion of combined error ellipsoid that falls within the hard-body radius circle

On the Determinants of the Conjunction Fallacy: Probability versus Inductive Confirmation

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Tentori, Katya; Crupi, Vincenzo; Russo, Selena

2013-01-01

Major recent interpretations of the conjunction fallacy postulate that people assess the probability of a conjunction according to (non-normative) averaging rules as applied to the constituents' probabilities or represent the conjunction fallacy as an effect of random error in the judgment process. In the present contribution, we contrast such…

Genetic Relatedness among Nontypeable Pneumococci Implicated in Sporadic Cases of Conjunctivitis

Science.gov (United States)

Barker, Jason H.; Musher, Daniel M.; Silberman, Ronald; Phan, Hoang M.; Watson, David A.

1999-01-01

Nontypeable Streptococcus pneumoniae is a common cause of epidemic conjunctivitis. A previous molecular fingerprinting study identified a clone of nontypeable pneumococcus that was responsible for a recent outbreak of conjunctivitis. In the present study, we examined the extent to which pneumococci that cause sporadic cases of conjunctivitis are related to this epidemic strain. Using arbitrarily primed BOX-PCR, we have determined that, of 10 nontypeable pneumococci causing sporadic conjunctivitis, 5 were clonal and closely related to a previous outbreak strain, whereas 5 others were genetically diverse. PMID:10565927

Attack Trees with Sequential Conjunction

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Jhawar, Ravi; Kordy, Barbara; Mauw, Sjouke; Radomirović, Sasa; Trujillo-Rasua, Rolando

2015-01-01

We provide the first formal foundation of SAND attack trees which are a popular extension of the well-known attack trees. The SAND at- tack tree formalism increases the expressivity of attack trees by intro- ducing the sequential conjunctive operator SAND. This operator enables the modeling of

Parallel search for conjunctions with stimuli in apparent motion.

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Casco, C; Ganis, G

1999-01-01

integration of feature conjunctions before they are identified by the static system; and (iii) target detectability in these stimuli relies upon a nonattentive, cooperative, directionally selective motion mechanism that responds to high-level attributes (conjunction of size and orientation).

Caudate nucleus reactivity predicts perceptual learning rate for visual feature conjunctions.

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Reavis, Eric A; Frank, Sebastian M; Tse, Peter U

2015-04-15

Useful information in the visual environment is often contained in specific conjunctions of visual features (e.g., color and shape). The ability to quickly and accurately process such conjunctions can be learned. However, the neural mechanisms responsible for such learning remain largely unknown. It has been suggested that some forms of visual learning might involve the dopaminergic neuromodulatory system (Roelfsema et al., 2010; Seitz and Watanabe, 2005), but this hypothesis has not yet been directly tested. Here we test the hypothesis that learning visual feature conjunctions involves the dopaminergic system, using functional neuroimaging, genetic assays, and behavioral testing techniques. We use a correlative approach to evaluate potential associations between individual differences in visual feature conjunction learning rate and individual differences in dopaminergic function as indexed by neuroimaging and genetic markers. We find a significant correlation between activity in the caudate nucleus (a component of the dopaminergic system connected to visual areas of the brain) and visual feature conjunction learning rate. Specifically, individuals who showed a larger difference in activity between positive and negative feedback on an unrelated cognitive task, indicative of a more reactive dopaminergic system, learned visual feature conjunctions more quickly than those who showed a smaller activity difference. This finding supports the hypothesis that the dopaminergic system is involved in visual learning, and suggests that visual feature conjunction learning could be closely related to associative learning. However, no significant, reliable correlations were found between feature conjunction learning and genotype or dopaminergic activity in any other regions of interest. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Conjunctions in ELF academic discourse: a corpus-based analysis

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Laura Centonze

2014-03-01

Full Text Available Abstract – Conjunctions as fundamental elements in the construction of discourse cohesion represent a relatively neglected research area, due to their complexity and the bewildering number of “conjunctive relations” (Halliday and Hasan 1976: 226 that they may express in context, as also highlighted in Christiansen (2011. In addition to this, there does not seem to be a shared view as far as the classification and denomination of the different kinds of conjunctions are concerned (cf. Halliday and Hasan 1976; Vande Kopple 1985; Martin and Rose 2003; Hyland 2005b. The selection of a specific type of conjunction acquires more importance because they are typically open to so many different interpretations, especially when the participants in the speech event come from diverse lingua-cultural backgrounds (cf. Guido 2007; Guido 2008; Cogo et al. 2011.Following the taxonomy provided by Halliday and Hasan (1976 for conjunctions, our study attempts to shed light on the usage of conjunctions by ELF speakers in specific contexts. We shall consider ten transcripts taken from the VOICE Corpus (Seidlhofer et. al 2013, namely five interviews and five conversations in multicultural academic contexts (approximately 4,000 words each, and analyze the number of instances for each type of conjunction (additive, adversative, clausal, temporal as well as continuatives in depth, by adopting a quantitative as well as a qualitative method and by using TextSTAT 2.9 (Huning 2012. We shall then move on to the analysis of conjunctions with respect to their internal properties/collocates and eventually see the occurrence of conjunctions by comparing them with the two different speech events which are chosen as the subject of our study, i.e. interviews and conversations. We shall see the extent to which certain conjunctions are more restricted than others in terms of usage (cf. Leung 2005 in both types of speech events, despite the great number of options available to the

Air pollution and emergency department visits for conjunctivitis: A case-crossover study

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Mieczysław Szyszkowicz

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Objectives: The purpose of this study was to examine the associations between emergency department (ED visits for conjunctivitis and ambient air pollution levels in urban regions across the province of Ontario, Canada. Material and Methods: Information from the National Ambulatory Care Reporting System was used to create time-series records, for the period of April 2004 to December 2011, on emergency department visits of patients suffering from conjunctivitis. A total of 77 439 emergency department visits for conjunctivitis were analyzed. A time-stratified case-crossover design was applied, completed with meta-analysis in order to pool inter-city results. Odds ratio (OR for an emergency department visit was calculated in different population strata per one-unit increase (one interquartile range – IQR increase in a pollutant’s daily level while controlling for the impacts of temperature and relative humidity. Results: Statistically significant positive results were observed in the female population sample, for nitrogen dioxide (NO2 exposure lagged 5–8 days, with the highest result for the 7-day lag (OR = 1.035, 95% CI: 1.018–1.052 and for fine particulate matter with a median aerodynamic diameter of less than 2.5 μm (PM2.5, for lags 6 and 7 days, with the highest result for lag 7 (OR = 1.017, 95% CI: 1.003–1.031. In the male population sample, statistically significant positive results were observed for NO2 at lag 5 days (OR = 1.024, 95% CI: 1.004–1.045 and for ozone (O3, at lags 0–3 and 7 days, with the highest result for lag 0 (OR = 1.038, 95% CI: 1.012–1.056. Also for males, statistically significant results were observed in the case of PM2.5 exposure lagged by 5 days (OR = 1.003, 95% CI: 1.000–1.038 and sulfur dioxide (SO2 exposure lagged by 1 and 2 days (OR = 1.016, 95% CI: 1.000–1.031 and OR = 1.018, 95% CI: 1.002–1.033. Conclusions: The findings of this study suggest that there are associations between levels of air

Frontal and parietal theta burst TMS impairs working memory for visual-spatial conjunctions.

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Morgan, Helen M; Jackson, Margaret C; van Koningsbruggen, Martijn G; Shapiro, Kimron L; Linden, David E J

2013-03-01

In tasks that selectively probe visual or spatial working memory (WM) frontal and posterior cortical areas show a segregation, with dorsal areas preferentially involved in spatial (e.g. location) WM and ventral areas in visual (e.g. object identity) WM. In a previous fMRI study [1], we showed that right parietal cortex (PC) was more active during WM for orientation, whereas left inferior frontal gyrus (IFG) was more active during colour WM. During WM for colour-orientation conjunctions, activity in these areas was intermediate to the level of activity for the single task preferred and non-preferred information. To examine whether these specialised areas play a critical role in coordinating visual and spatial WM to perform a conjunction task, we used theta burst transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) to induce a functional deficit. Compared to sham stimulation, TMS to right PC or left IFG selectively impaired WM for conjunctions but not single features. This is consistent with findings from visual search paradigms, in which frontal and parietal TMS selectively affects search for conjunctions compared to single features, and with combined TMS and functional imaging work suggesting that parietal and frontal regions are functionally coupled in tasks requiring integration of visual and spatial information. Our results thus elucidate mechanisms by which the brain coordinates spatially segregated processing streams and have implications beyond the field of working memory. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Decoding conjunctions of direction-of-motion and binocular disparity from human visual cortex.

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Seymour, Kiley J; Clifford, Colin W G

2012-05-01

Motion and binocular disparity are two features in our environment that share a common correspondence problem. Decades of psychophysical research dedicated to understanding stereopsis suggest that these features interact early in human visual processing to disambiguate depth. Single-unit recordings in the monkey also provide evidence for the joint encoding of motion and disparity across much of the dorsal visual stream. Here, we used functional MRI and multivariate pattern analysis to examine where in the human brain conjunctions of motion and disparity are encoded. Subjects sequentially viewed two stimuli that could be distinguished only by their conjunctions of motion and disparity. Specifically, each stimulus contained the same feature information (leftward and rightward motion and crossed and uncrossed disparity) but differed exclusively in the way these features were paired. Our results revealed that a linear classifier could accurately decode which stimulus a subject was viewing based on voxel activation patterns throughout the dorsal visual areas and as early as V2. This decoding success was conditional on some voxels being individually sensitive to the unique conjunctions comprising each stimulus, thus a classifier could not rely on independent information about motion and binocular disparity to distinguish these conjunctions. This study expands on evidence that disparity and motion interact at many levels of human visual processing, particularly within the dorsal stream. It also lends support to the idea that stereopsis is subserved by early mechanisms also tuned to direction of motion.

Prevention of ligneous conjunctivitis by topical and subconjunctival fresh frozen plasma.

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Tabbara, Khalid F

2004-08-01

To present a case of ligneous conjunctivitis where the recurrence of membranous conjunctivitis was prevented by subconjunctival and topical instillation of fresh frozen plasma. Interventional case report. A case of ligneous conjunctivitis with multiple recurrences since the age of 3 years developed recurrent membranous conjunctivitis after transconjunctival levator recession. Blood plasminogen activity was determined. The membrane was excised, and the membrane reappeared 4 days later. The patient was treated with excision of the membrane and subconjunctival injection of fresh frozen plasma and topical fresh frozen plasma. Plasminogen activity of the fresh frozen plasma was normal. Plasminogen blood functional activity was 52% (normal is 80%-120%). The patient had complete remission with no recurrences of membranous conjunctivitis after topical and subconjunctival fresh frozen plasma. Prophylactic use of topical and subconjunctival fresh frozen plasma may help in the prevention of membranes in susceptible patients with plasminogen deficiency.

If it's not there, where is it? Locating illusory conjunctions.

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Hazeltine, R E; Prinzmetal, W; Elliott, W

1997-02-01

There is evidence that complex objects are decomposed by the visual system into features, such as shape and color. Consistent with this theory is the phenomenon of illusory conjunctions, which occur when features are incorrectly combined to form an illusory object. We analyzed the perceived location of illusory conjunctions to study the roles of color and shape in the location of visual objects. In Experiments 1 and 2, participants located illusory conjunctions about halfway between the veridical locations of the component features. Experiment 3 showed that the distribution of perceived locations was not the mixture of two distributions centered at the 2 feature locations. Experiment 4 replicated these results with an identification task rather than a detection task. We concluded that the locations of illusory conjunctions were not arbitrary but were determined by both constituent shape and color.

The Analysis of Conjunction Used in the Articles of Time Magazine.

OpenAIRE

Trisnawati, Nila

2011-01-01

Kertas karya yang berjudul “The Analysis of Conjunction Used in the Articles of Time Magazine” ini membahas tentang penggunaan conjunction dalam kalimat yang terdapat pada majalah Time. Penelitian ini mengambil 6 artikel sebagai bahan penelitiannya. Tujuan dari pemilihan topik kertas karya ini adalah untuk mengetahui tentang sejauh mana para jurnalis dari majalah tersebut menggunakan conjunction dalam tulisan-tulisan yang mereka hasilkan. Dalam mengerjakan kertas karya ini, ...

The Description of Conjunction Found in the Novel The Man in The Iron Mask

OpenAIRE

Pratiwi, Florencia M

2015-01-01

This paper entiled ”The Description of Conjunction Found in the Novel The Man in The Iron Mask” is about the conjunctions used in the sentences of novel. This paper give information about how to used conjunctions when someone make a paper in writing. The writer uses the library research to collecting books and papers related to the topic also discussed and find out the types of conjunctions and the structure transformation of conjunction .They are Coordinating conjunction and Subordinating co...

Genetic Relatedness among Nontypeable Pneumococci Implicated in Sporadic Cases of Conjunctivitis

OpenAIRE

Barker, Jason H.; Musher, Daniel M.; Silberman, Ronald; Phan, Hoang M.; Watson, David A.

1999-01-01

Nontypeable Streptococcus pneumoniae is a common cause of epidemic conjunctivitis. A previous molecular fingerprinting study identified a clone of nontypeable pneumococcus that was responsible for a recent outbreak of conjunctivitis. In the present study, we examined the extent to which pneumococci that cause sporadic cases of conjunctivitis are related to this epidemic strain. Using arbitrarily primed BOX-PCR, we have determined that, of 10 nontypeable pneumococci causing sporadic conjunctiv...

The Functions of Danish Causal Conjunctions

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Rita Therkelsen

2004-01-01

Full Text Available In the article I propose an analysis of the Danish causal conjunctions fordi, siden and for based on the framework of Danish Functional Grammar. As conjunctions they relate two clauses, and their semantics have in common that it indicates a causal relationship between the clauses. The causal conjunctions are different as far as their distribution is concerned; siden conjoins a subordinate clause and a main clause, for conjoins two main clauses, and fordi is able to do both. Methodologically I have based my analysis on these distributional properties comparing siden and fordi conjoining a subordinate and a main clause, and comparing for and fordi conjoining two main clauses, following the thesis that they would establish a causal relationship between different kinds of content. My main findings are that fordi establishes a causal relationship between the events referred to by the two clauses, and the whole utterance functions as a statement of this causal relationship. Siden presupposes such a general causal relationship between the two events and puts forward the causing event as a reason for assuming or wishing or ordering the caused event, siden thus establishes a causal relationship between an event and a speech act. For equally presupposes a general causal relationship between two events and it establishes a causal relationship between speech acts, and fordi conjoining two main clauses is able to do this too, but in this position it also maintains its event-relating ability, the interpretation depending on contextual factors.

Relational and conjunctive binding functions dissociate in short-term memory.

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Parra, Mario A; Fabi, Katia; Luzzi, Simona; Cubelli, Roberto; Hernandez Valdez, Maria; Della Sala, Sergio

2015-02-01

Remembering complex events requires binding features within unified objects (conjunctions) and holding associations between objects (relations). Recent studies suggest that the two functions dissociate in long-term memory (LTM). Less is known about their functional organization in short-term memory (STM). The present study investigated this issue in patient AE affected by a stroke which caused damage to brain regions known to be relevant for relational functions both in LTM and in STM (i.e., the hippocampus). The assessment involved a battery of standard neuropsychological tasks and STM binding tasks. One STM binding task (Experiment 1) presented common objects and common colors forming either pairs (relations) or integrated objects (conjunctions). Free recall of relations or conjunctions was assessed. A second STM binding task used random polygons and non-primary colors instead (Experiment 2). Memory was assessed by selecting the features that made up the relations or the conjunctions from a set of single polygons and a set of single colors. The neuropsychological assessment revealed impaired delayed memory in AE. AE's pronounced relational STM binding deficits contrasted with his completely preserved conjunctive binding functions in both Experiments 1 and 2. Only 2.35% and 1.14% of the population were expected to have a discrepancy more extreme than that presented by AE in Experiments 1 and 2, respectively. Processing relations and conjunctions of very elementary nonspatial features in STM led to dissociating performances in AE. These findings may inform current theories of memory decline such as those linked to cognitive aging.

Unconscious analyses of visual scenes based on feature conjunctions.

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Tachibana, Ryosuke; Noguchi, Yasuki

2015-06-01

To efficiently process a cluttered scene, the visual system analyzes statistical properties or regularities of visual elements embedded in the scene. It is controversial, however, whether those scene analyses could also work for stimuli unconsciously perceived. Here we show that our brain performs the unconscious scene analyses not only using a single featural cue (e.g., orientation) but also based on conjunctions of multiple visual features (e.g., combinations of color and orientation information). Subjects foveally viewed a stimulus array (duration: 50 ms) where 4 types of bars (red-horizontal, red-vertical, green-horizontal, and green-vertical) were intermixed. Although a conscious perception of those bars was inhibited by a subsequent mask stimulus, the brain correctly analyzed the information about color, orientation, and color-orientation conjunctions of those invisible bars. The information of those features was then used for the unconscious configuration analysis (statistical processing) of the central bars, which induced a perceptual bias and illusory feature binding in visible stimuli at peripheral locations. While statistical analyses and feature binding are normally 2 key functions of the visual system to construct coherent percepts of visual scenes, our results show that a high-level analysis combining those 2 functions is correctly performed by unconscious computations in the brain. (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved).

An Analysis Of Conjunctions In The Jakarta Post Editorials

OpenAIRE

Dewi, Ika Sari

2010-01-01

Skripsi ini berjudul An Analysis of Conjunctions in the Jakarta Post Editorials, yang membahas tentang penggunaan conjunctions dalam kalimat yang terdapat pada harian Jakarta Post. Penelitian ini mengambil 6 editorial sebagai bahan penelitiannya. Skripsi ini ditulis berdasarkan keingintahuan penulis tentang sejauh mana para editor menggunakan kata sambung dalam tulisan-tulisan yang mereka hasilkan. Dalam mengerjakan skripsi ini, penulis menerapkan studi kepustakaan yakni dengan mengumpulka...

Presentation of words to separate hemispheres prevents interword illusory conjunctions.

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Liederman, J; Sohn, Y S

1999-03-01

We tested the hypothesis that division of inputs between the hemispheres could prevent interword letter migrations in the form of illusory conjunctions. The task was to decide whether a centrally-presented consonant-vowel-consonant (CVC) target word matched one of four CVC words presented to a single hemisphere or divided between the hemispheres in a subsequent test display. During half of the target-absent trials, known as conjunction trials, letters from two separate words (e.g., "tag" and "cop") in the test display could be mistaken for a target word (e.g., "top"). For the other half of the target-absent trails, the test display did not match any target consonants (Experiment 1, N = 16) or it matched one target consonant (Experiment 2, N = 29), the latter constituting true "feature" trials. Bi- as compared to unihemispheric presentation significantly reduced the number of conjunction, but not feature, errors. Illusory conjunctions did not occur when the words were presented to separate hemispheres.

Coordination and interpretation of vocal and visible resources: 'trail-off' conjunctions.

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Walker, Gareth

2012-03-01

The empirical focus of this paper is a conversational turn-taking phenomenon in which conjunctions produced immediately after a point of possible syntactic and pragmatic completion are treated by co-participants as points of possible completion and transition relevance. The data for this study are audio-video recordings of 5 unscripted face-to-face interactions involving native speakers of US English, yielding 28 'trail-off' conjunctions. Detailed sequential analysis of talk is combined with analysis of visible features (including gaze, posture, gesture and involvement with material objects) and technical phonetic analysis. A range of phonetic and visible features are shown to regularly co-occur in the production of 'trail-off' conjunctions. These features distinguish them from other conjunctions followed by the cessation of talk.

Clinical correlations of dry eye syndrome and allergic conjunctivitis in Korean children.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Tae Hyung; Moon, Nam Ju

2013-01-01

Clinical patterns in pediatric patients with dry eye syndrome and allergic conjunctivitis were investigated. Children aged 6 to 15 years with dry eye symptoms were included. Slit-lamp examinations including tear film break-up time, Schirmer's test, and fluorescent staining were performed, and subjective symptoms were investigated. Patients with allergic conjunctivitis were subjected to skin prick tests. Tear film break-up time was shorter and the number of symptoms related to dry eyes was higher in pediatric patients with allergic conjunctivitis than in those without allergic conjunctivitis. Patients with allergic conjunctivitis who had higher numbers of positive allergens on the skin prick test also had shorter tear film break-up time. Because pediatric patients with dry eye syndrome tend to complain less about their symptoms than adult patients, dry eye syndrome is commonly overlooked. This study showed that dry eyes tended to be more severe with the presence of allergic conjunctivitis; the more allergens present, the more severe the dry eyes. More attention should be paid to the treatment of pediatric patients with dry eyes accompanied by allergies. Copyright 2013, SLACK Incorporated.

Microbiological study of neonatal conjunctivitis with special reference to chlamydia trachomatis.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mohile Mukula

2002-01-01

Full Text Available PURPOSE: To study the microbial agents, chiefly Chlamydia trachomatis and other bacteria, in neonatal conjunctivitis. METHODS: Conjunctival specimens from 70 newborns with conjunctivitis were subjected to bacterial culture and sensitivity testing, monoclonal antibody based C. trachomatis antigen detection test and species-specific Chlamydia antibody detection in the sera of babies and their mothers, by micro-immunofluorescence assay. RESULTS: Bacteria were isolated from 35 (50% babies; the majority (20, 57.14% were Staphylococcus epidermidis. C. trachomatis antigen was detected in conjunctival smears of 17 (24% babies, and 6 (35.29% of them were positive for other bacteria. Six babies and their mothers tested positive for C. trachomatis Ig G antibodies. At follow-up after 14 weeks, 6 (35.29% of the Chlamydia antigen-positive babies were found to have developed recurrent conjunctivitis. CONCLUSION: C. trachomatis is responsible for almost a quarter of all cases of neonatal conjunctivitis, with recurrences in 35% of cases. Bacteria could be isolated from 50% of the patients though the exact role of Staphylococcus epidermidis, isolated from 28.65% of the neonatal conjunctivitis cases, remains unclear.

Illusory conjunctions die hard: a reply to Prinzmetal, Diedrichsen, and Ivry (2001).

Science.gov (United States)

Donk, M

2001-06-01

M. Donk (1999) showed that various data patterns that have been considered as evidence for the existence of illusory conjunctions may be due to errors of target-nontarget confusion, an account that challenges the mere existence of illusory conjunction. In a reply, W. Prinzmetal, J. Diedrichsen, and R. B. Ivry (2001) argued against this conclusion, claiming that some earlier findings can be explained only when one assumes that illusory conjunctions exist. The current article shows that Prinzmetal et al.'s claims cannot refute any of Donk's earlier conclusions, suggesting indeed that one can only conclude that "illusory conjunctions are an illusion."

Time Dependence of Collision Probabilities During Satellite Conjunctions

Science.gov (United States)

Hall, Doyle T.; Hejduk, Matthew D.; Johnson, Lauren C.

2017-01-01

The NASA Conjunction Assessment Risk Analysis (CARA) team has recently implemented updated software to calculate the probability of collision (P (sub c)) for Earth-orbiting satellites. The algorithm can employ complex dynamical models for orbital motion, and account for the effects of non-linear trajectories as well as both position and velocity uncertainties. This “3D P (sub c)” method entails computing a 3-dimensional numerical integral for each estimated probability. Our analysis indicates that the 3D method provides several new insights over the traditional “2D P (sub c)” method, even when approximating the orbital motion using the relatively simple Keplerian two-body dynamical model. First, the formulation provides the means to estimate variations in the time derivative of the collision probability, or the probability rate, R (sub c). For close-proximity satellites, such as those orbiting in formations or clusters, R (sub c) variations can show multiple peaks that repeat or blend with one another, providing insight into the ongoing temporal distribution of risk. For single, isolated conjunctions, R (sub c) analysis provides the means to identify and bound the times of peak collision risk. Additionally, analysis of multiple actual archived conjunctions demonstrates that the commonly used “2D P (sub c)” approximation can occasionally provide inaccurate estimates. These include cases in which the 2D method yields negligibly small probabilities (e.g., P (sub c)) is greater than 10 (sup -10)), but the 3D estimates are sufficiently large to prompt increased monitoring or collision mitigation (e.g., P (sub c) is greater than or equal to 10 (sup -5)). Finally, the archive analysis indicates that a relatively efficient calculation can be used to identify which conjunctions will have negligibly small probabilities. This small-P (sub c) screening test can significantly speed the overall risk analysis computation for large numbers of conjunctions.

Conjunction analysis and propositional logic in fMRI data analysis using Bayesian statistics.

Science.gov (United States)

Rudert, Thomas; Lohmann, Gabriele

2008-12-01

To evaluate logical expressions over different effects in data analyses using the general linear model (GLM) and to evaluate logical expressions over different posterior probability maps (PPMs). In functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data analysis, the GLM was applied to estimate unknown regression parameters. Based on the GLM, Bayesian statistics can be used to determine the probability of conjunction, disjunction, implication, or any other arbitrary logical expression over different effects or contrast. For second-level inferences, PPMs from individual sessions or subjects are utilized. These PPMs can be combined to a logical expression and its probability can be computed. The methods proposed in this article are applied to data from a STROOP experiment and the methods are compared to conjunction analysis approaches for test-statistics. The combination of Bayesian statistics with propositional logic provides a new approach for data analyses in fMRI. Two different methods are introduced for propositional logic: the first for analyses using the GLM and the second for common inferences about different probability maps. The methods introduced extend the idea of conjunction analysis to a full propositional logic and adapt it from test-statistics to Bayesian statistics. The new approaches allow inferences that are not possible with known standard methods in fMRI. (c) 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Covariance Manipulation for Conjunction Assessment

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Hejduk, M. D.

2016-01-01

The manipulation of space object covariances to try to provide additional or improved information to conjunction risk assessment is not an uncommon practice. Types of manipulation include fabricating a covariance when it is missing or unreliable to force the probability of collision (Pc) to a maximum value ('PcMax'), scaling a covariance to try to improve its realism or see the effect of covariance volatility on the calculated Pc, and constructing the equivalent of an epoch covariance at a convenient future point in the event ('covariance forecasting'). In bringing these methods to bear for Conjunction Assessment (CA) operations, however, some do not remain fully consistent with best practices for conducting risk management, some seem to be of relatively low utility, and some require additional information before they can contribute fully to risk analysis. This study describes some basic principles of modern risk management (following the Kaplan construct) and then examines the PcMax and covariance forecasting paradigms for alignment with these principles; it then further examines the expected utility of these methods in the modern CA framework. Both paradigms are found to be not without utility, but only in situations that are somewhat carefully circumscribed.

Clinical use of gatifloxacin ophthalmic solution for treatment of bacterial conjunctivitis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cervantes LJ

2011-04-01

Full Text Available Lorenzo J Cervantes, Francis S MahDepartment of Ophthalmology, Cornea and External Disease, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USAAbstract: Bacterial conjunctivitis is a common infectious disease of the eye, characterized by conjunctival hyperemia, eyelid edema, and purulent discharge. Although the prevalence and incidence are not well reported, bacterial conjunctivitis represents one of the most frequent causes of patient visits to both primary care physicians and ophthalmologists. Most cases of nongonococcal and nonchlamydial bacterial conjunctivitis are self-limiting and may resolve without intervention. There is a place for treatment, however, which allows for a shorter time to clinical and microbiological resolution which may decrease the mild morbidity, decrease health care costs of visits and potential complications, return patients back to school or the work force, and limit the potential spread of this communicable infection. Gatifloxacin ophthalmic solution is a broad spectrum 8-methoxyfluroroquinolone bactericidal antibiotic, with good activity against Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus species, and Gram-negative pathogens. It also has a relatively good resistance profile, making it a more than adequate choice in the treatment of bacterial conjunctivitis when therapy is warranted.Keywords: gatifloxacin, Zymar®, Zymaxid®, bacterial conjunctivitis

A Tuned Single Parameter for Representing Conjunction Risk

Science.gov (United States)

Plakaloic, D.; Hejduk, M. D.; Frigm, R. C.; Newman, L. K.

2011-01-01

Satellite conjunction assessment risk analysis is a subjective enterprise that can benefit from quantitative aids and, to this end, NASA/GSFC has developed a fuzzy logic construct - called the F-value - to attempt to provide a statement of conjunction risk that amalgamates multiple indices and yields a more stable intra-event assessment. This construct has now sustained an extended tuning procedure against heuristic analyst assessment of event risk. The tuning effort has resulted in modifications to the calculation procedure and the adjustment of tuning coefficients, producing a construct with both more predictive force and a better statement of its error.

Conjunctive interpretations of disjunctions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Robert van Rooij

2010-09-01

Full Text Available In this extended commentary I discuss the problem of how to account for "conjunctive" readings of some sentences with embedded disjunctions for globalist analyses of conversational implicatures. Following Franke (2010, 2009, I suggest that earlier proposals failed, because they did not take into account the interactive reasoning of what else the speaker could have said, and how else the hearer could have interpreted the (alternative sentence(s. I show how Franke's idea relates to more traditional pragmatic interpretation strategies. doi:10.3765/sp.3.11 BibTeX info

Are Chinese Correlative Conjunctions Psychologically Real? An Investigation of the Combination Frequency Effect.

Science.gov (United States)

Kong, Lingyue; Zhang, John X; Zhang, Yongwei

2016-08-01

The present study used an online grammaticality judgment task to examine whether Chinese discontinuous correlative conjunctions are psychologically real in mental lexicon. High- and low-frequency discontinuous correlative conjunctions were compared with random combinations differing in combination frequencies but matched for constituent word frequency. Forty graduate students participated in the study. Results showed that responses were faster and more accurate for high-frequency correlative conjunctions than low-frequency ones, but the effects were absent for random combinations. The results indicate that Chinese discontinuous correlative conjunctions have psychological reality in mental lexicon in addition to the representation of their constituent words, and that grammatical functions of correlative conjunctions may be a critical factor for the formation of such holistic representations. © The Author(s) 2016.

Primary conjunctival follicular lymphoma mimicking chronic conjunctivitis.

Science.gov (United States)

Labrador Velandia, S; García Lagarto, E; Saornil, M A; García Álvarez, C; Cuello, R; Diezhandino, P

2016-02-01

The case is presented of a 43 year-old male patient with chronic follicular conjunctivitis, negative bacterial serology, and refractory to local treatment. The incisional biopsy performed showed to be consistent with reactive lymphoid hyperplasia. A year later, a new incisional biopsy showed follicular lymphoma, with no systemic involvement, and he was treated with local radiotherapy. When a chronic follicular conjunctivitis is refractory to treatment, it is essential to perform an incisional biopsy to establish the histopathological diagnosis that can range from chronic inflammation, reactive lymphoid hyperplasia to lymphoma. Follicular lymphoma is rare among conjunctival lymphomas, and the staging is indispensable for the correct therapeutic approach. Copyright © 2014 Sociedad Española de Oftalmología. Published by Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Communications with Mars During Periods of Solar Conjunction: Initial Study Results

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Morabito, D.; Hastrup, R.

2001-07-01

During the initial phase of the human exploration of Mars, a reliable communications link to and from Earth will be required. The direct link can easily be maintained during most of the 780-day Earth-Mars synodic period. However, during periods in which the direct Earth-Mars link encounters increased intervening charged particles during superior solar conjunctions of Mars, the resultant effects are expected to corrupt the data signals to varying degrees. The purpose of this article is to explore possible strategies, provide recommendations, and identify options for communicating over this link during periods of solar conjunctions. A significant improvement in telemetry data return can be realized by using the higher frequency 32 GHz (Ka-band), which is less susceptible to solar effects. During the era of the onset of probable human exploration of Mars, six superior conjunctions were identified from 2015 to 2026. For five of these six conjunctions, where the signal source is not occulted by the disk of the Sun, continuous communications with Mars should be achievable. Only during the superior conjunction of 2023 is the signal source at Mars expected to lie behind the disk of the Sun for about one day and within two solar radii (0. 5 deg) for about three days.

Inhibitory guidance in visual search: the case of movement-form conjunctions.

Science.gov (United States)

Dent, Kevin; Allen, Harriet A; Braithwaite, Jason J; Humphreys, Glyn W

2012-02-01

We used a probe-dot procedure to examine the roles of excitatory attentional guidance and distractor suppression in search for movement-form conjunctions. Participants in Experiment 1 completed a conjunction (moving X amongst moving Os and static Xs) and two single-feature (moving X amongst moving Os, and static X amongst static Os) conditions. "Active" participants searched for the target, whereas "passive" participants viewed the displays without responding. Subsequently, both groups located (left or right) a probe dot appearing in either an occupied or an unoccupied location. In the conjunction condition, the active group located probes presented on static distractors more slowly than probes presented on moving distractors, reversing the direction of the difference found within the passive group. This disadvantage for probes on static items was much stronger in conjunction than in single-feature search. The same pattern of results was replicated in Experiment 2, which used a go/no-go procedure. Experiment 3 extended the go/no-go procedure to the case of search for a static target and revealed increased probe localisation times as a consequence of active search, primarily for probes on moving distractor items. The results demonstrated attentional guidance by inhibition of distractors in conjunction search.

Assessment, Planning, and Execution Considerations for Conjunction Risk Assessment and Mitigation Operations

Science.gov (United States)

Frigm, Ryan C.; Levi, Joshua A.; Mantziaras, Dimitrios C.

2010-01-01

An operational Conjunction Assessment Risk Analysis (CARA) concept is the real-time process of assessing risk posed by close approaches and reacting to those risks if necessary. The most effective way to completely mitigate conjunction risk is to perform an avoidance maneuver. The NASA Goddard Space Flight Center has implemented a routine CARA process since 2005. Over this period, considerable experience has been gained and many lessons have been learned. This paper identifies and presents these experiences as general concepts in the description of the Conjunction Assessment, Flight Dynamics, and Flight Operations methodologies and processes. These general concepts will be tied together and will be exemplified through a case study of an actual high risk conjunction event for the Aura mission.

Space Weather Impacts to Conjunction Assessment: A NASA Robotic Orbital Safety Perspective

Science.gov (United States)

Ghrist, Richard; Ghrist, Richard; DeHart, Russel; Newman, Lauri

2013-01-01

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) recognizes the risk of on-orbit collisions from other satellites and debris objects and has instituted a process to identify and react to close approaches. The charter of the NASA Robotic Conjunction Assessment Risk Analysis (CARA) task is to protect NASA robotic (unmanned) assets from threats posed by other space objects. Monitoring for potential collisions requires formulating close-approach predictions a week or more in the future to determine analyze, and respond to orbital conjunction events of interest. These predictions require propagation of the latest state vector and covariance assuming a predicted atmospheric density and ballistic coefficient. Any differences between the predicted drag used for propagation and the actual drag experienced by the space objects can potentially affect the conjunction event. Therefore, the space environment itself, in particular how space weather impacts atmospheric drag, is an essential element to understand in order effectively to assess the risk of conjunction events. The focus of this research is to develop a better understanding of the impact of space weather on conjunction assessment activities: both accurately determining the current risk and assessing how that risk may change under dynamic space weather conditions. We are engaged in a data-- ]mining exercise to corroborate whether or not observed changes in a conjunction event's dynamics appear consistent with space weather changes and are interested in developing a framework to respond appropriately to uncertainty in predicted space weather. In particular, we use historical conjunction event data products to search for dynamical effects on satellite orbits from changing atmospheric drag. Increased drag is expected to lower the satellite specific energy and will result in the satellite's being 'later' than expected, which can affect satellite conjunctions in a number of ways depending on the two satellites' orbits

Recent trends in chlamydial and gonococcal conjunctivitis among neonates and adults in an Irish hospital.

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

Quirke, Michael

2012-02-03

BACKGROUND: Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae are two important and frequently overlooked causes of neonatal and adult conjunctivitis. OBJECTIVES AND METHODS: In order to improve primary treatment, prevention, and control of infection caused by these organisms, an analysis of all cases presenting from July 2002 to December 2006 at a major Irish regional teaching hospital was performed. RESULTS: There were 51 cases of conjunctivitis in total. Among neonates and adults, C. trachomatis was the most common cause of conjunctivitis. Of the adult patients, 75% were men. The annual incidence of adult chlamydial conjunctivitis increased yearly from 2002 and correlated with an overall increase in genital chlamydia infection in the region. Neonatal chlamydial conjunctivitis has an overall incidence of 0.65\\/1000 live births and is continuing to rise annually. In 2006, gonococcal conjunctivitis accounted for 20% of all cases of conjunctivitis caused by sexually transmitted bacteria presenting to our hospital. CONCLUSIONS: The recent increase in the incidence of gonococcal keratitis serves to remind us that this important infection should be borne in mind when treating cases of purulent conjunctivitis. The diagnosis of chlamydial and gonococcal conjunctivitis requires a high index of suspicion and prompt treatment with systemic antibiotics.

Prelude to THEMIS tail conjunction study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. T. Y. Lui

2007-05-01

Full Text Available A close conjunction of several satellites (LANL, GOES, Polar, Geotail, and Cluster distributed from the geostationary altitude to about 16 R_E downstream in the tail occurred during substorm activity as indicated by global auroral imaging and ground-based magnetometer data. This constellation of satellites resembles what is planned for the THEMIS (Time History of Events and Macroscopic Interactions during Substorms mission to resolve the substorm controversy on the location of the substorm expansion onset region. In this article, we show in detail the dipolarization and dynamic changes seen by these satellites associated with two onsets of substorm intensification activity. In particular, we find that dipolarization at ~16 R_E downstream in the tail can occur with dawnward electric field and without plasma flow, just like some near-Earth dipolarization events reported previously. The spreading of substorm disturbances in the tail coupled with complementary ground observations indicates that the observed time sequence on the onsets of substorm disturbances favors initiation in the near-Earth region for this THEMIS-like conjunction.

The complexity of narrative interferes in the use of conjunctions in children with specific language impairment.

Science.gov (United States)

Gonzalez, Deborah Oliveira; Cáceres, Ana Manhani; Bento-Gaz, Ana Carolina Paiva; Befi-Lopes, Debora Maria

2012-01-01

To verify the use of conjunctions in narratives, and to investigate the influence of stimuli's complexity over the type of conjunctions used by children with specific language impairment (SLI) and children with typical language development. Participants were 40 children (20 with typical language development and 20 with SLI) with ages between 7 and 10 years, paired by age range. Fifteen stories with increasing of complexity were used to obtain the narratives; stories were classified into mechanical, behavioral and intentional, and each of them was represented by four scenes. Narratives were analyzed according to occurrence and classification of conjunctions. Both groups used more coordinative than subordinate conjunctions, with significant decrease in the use of conjunctions in the discourse of SLI children. The use of conjunctions varied according to the type of narrative: for coordinative conjunctions, both groups differed only between intentional and behavioral narratives, with higher occurrence in behavioral ones; for subordinate conjunctions, typically developing children's performance did not show differences between narratives, while SLI children presented fewer occurrences in intentional narratives, which was different from other narratives. Both groups used more coordinative than subordinate conjunctions; however, typically developing children presented more conjunctions than SLI children. The production of children with SLI was influenced by stimulus, since more complex narratives has less use of subordinate conjunctions.

Collision Avoidance Short Course: Conjunction Assessment Risk Analysis - NASA Robotic CARA. Part I: ; Theory

Science.gov (United States)

Hejduk, M. D.; Frigm, Ryan C.

2015-01-01

Satellite conjunction assessment is perhaps the fastest growing area in space situational awareness and protection with military, civil and commercial satellite owner-operators embracing more and more sophisticated processes to avoid the avoidable - namely collisions between high value space assets and orbital debris. NASA and Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales (CNES) have collaborated to offer an introductory short course on all the major aspects of the conjunctions assessment problem. This half-day course will cover satellite conjunction dynamics and theory. Joint Space Operations Center (JsPOC) conjunction data products, major risk assessment parameters and plots, conjunction remediation decision support, and present and future challenges. This briefing represents the NASA portion of the course.

Conjunctive Surface and Groundwater Management in Utah. Implications for Oil Shale and Oil Sands Development

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Keiter, Robert [Univ. of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT (United States); Ruple, John [Univ. of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT (United States); Tanana, Heather [Univ. of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT (United States); Holt, Rebecca [Univ. of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT (United States)

2011-12-01

Unconventional fuel development will require scarce water resources. In an environment characterized by scarcity, and where most water resources are fully allocated, prospective development will require minimizing water use and seeking to use water resources in the most efficient manner. Conjunctive use of surface and groundwater provides just such an opportunity. Conjunctive use includes two main practices: First, integrating surface water diversions and groundwater withdrawals to maximize efficiency and minimize impacts on other resource users and ecological processes. Second, conjunctive use includes capturing surplus or unused surface water and injecting or infiltrating that water into groundwater aquifers in order to increase recharge rates. Conjunctive management holds promise as a means of addressing some of the West's most intractable problems. Conjunctive management can firm up water supplies by more effectively capturing spring runoff and surplus water, and by integrating its use with groundwater withdrawals; surface and groundwater use can be further integrated with managed aquifer recharge projects. Such integration can maximize water storage and availability, while simultaneously minimizing evaporative loss, reservoir sedimentation, and surface use impacts. Any of these impacts, if left unresolved, could derail commercial-scale unconventional fuel development. Unconventional fuel developers could therefore benefit from incorporating conjunctive use into their development plans. Despite its advantages, conjunctive use is not a panacea. Conjunctive use means using resources in harmony to maximize and stabilize long-term supplies it does not mean maximizing the use of two separate but interrelated resources for unsustainable short-term gains and it cannot resolve all problems or provide water where no unappropriated water exists. Moreover, conjunctive use may pose risks to ecological values forgone when water that would otherwise remain in a stream

The Early Efficacy of Topical Levocabastine in Patients with Allergic Conjunctivitis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hiroshi Fujishima

2006-01-01

Conclusions: Although artificial tears had a positive effect in reducing symptoms of allergic conjunctivitis, by the washing out of allergens, levocabastine was more effective than artificial tears in controlling acute symptoms of allergic conjunctivitis, demonstrating that the selective H1 histamine-receptor antagonist action of levocabastine is rapidly effective in a clinical setting.

Testing Quantum Models of Conjunction Fallacy on the World Wide Web

Science.gov (United States)

Aerts, Diederik; Arguëlles, Jonito Aerts; Beltran, Lester; Beltran, Lyneth; de Bianchi, Massimiliano Sassoli; Sozzo, Sandro; Veloz, Tomas

2017-12-01

The `conjunction fallacy' has been extensively debated by scholars in cognitive science and, in recent times, the discussion has been enriched by the proposal of modeling the fallacy using the quantum formalism. Two major quantum approaches have been put forward: the first assumes that respondents use a two-step sequential reasoning and that the fallacy results from the presence of `question order effects'; the second assumes that respondents evaluate the cognitive situation as a whole and that the fallacy results from the `emergence of new meanings', as an `effect of overextension' in the conceptual conjunction. Thus, the question arises as to determine whether and to what extent conjunction fallacies would result from `order effects' or, instead, from `emergence effects'. To help clarify this situation, we propose to use the World Wide Web as an `information space' that can be interrogated both in a sequential and non-sequential way, to test these two quantum approaches. We find that `emergence effects', and not `order effects', should be considered the main cognitive mechanism producing the observed conjunction fallacies.

Nonlinear Uncertainty Propagation of Satellite State Error for Tracking and Conjunction Risk Assessment

Science.gov (United States)

2017-12-18

AFRL-RV-PS- AFRL-RV-PS- TR-2017-0177 TR-2017-0177 NONLINEAR UNCERTAINTY PROPAGATION OF SATELLITE STATE ERROR FOR TRACKING AND CONJUNCTION RISK...Uncertainty Propagation of Satellite State Error for Tracking and Conjunction Risk Assessment 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER FA9453-16-1-0084 5b. GRANT NUMBER...prediction and satellite conjunction analysis. Statistical approach utilizes novel methods to build better uncertainty state characterization in the context

Temporal resolution for the perception of features and conjunctions.

Science.gov (United States)

Bodelón, Clara; Fallah, Mazyar; Reynolds, John H

2007-01-24

The visual system decomposes stimuli into their constituent features, represented by neurons with different feature selectivities. How the signals carried by these feature-selective neurons are integrated into coherent object representations is unknown. To constrain the set of possible integrative mechanisms, we quantified the temporal resolution of perception for color, orientation, and conjunctions of these two features. We find that temporal resolution is measurably higher for each feature than for their conjunction, indicating that time is required to integrate features into a perceptual whole. This finding places temporal limits on the mechanisms that could mediate this form of perceptual integration.

[Enteroviruses responsible for acute hemorrhagic conjunctivitis].

Science.gov (United States)

Lévêque, N; Huguet, P; Norder, H; Chomel, J-J

2010-04-01

Acute hemorrhagic conjunctivitis (AHC) is an epidemic form of highly contagious conjunctivitis, characterized by conjunctival hemorrhages. The first AHC outbreak was described in 1969 in Ghana, West Africa, and was called Apollo disease, from the Apollo landing on the moon. This outbreak was caused by Enterovirus 70 (EV70) together with a Coxsackievirus A24 (CVA24v) variant, which are the major etiological agents involved in AHC outbreaks worldwide. AHC is known to be directly transmitted by close person-to-person contact or indirectly through soiled ophthalmological materials or unsafe recreational water. Recently, a possible airborne virus spread was suggested which could explain the high transmission rate of the disease. In the absence of a specific antiviral therapy, a rapid diagnosis of the causative agent is required to distinguish AHC due to enteroviruses from other ocular infectious diseases, for there are active drugs, or to quickly implement proper public health measures to limit the extension of the outbreak. However, virus identification remains difficult and time-consuming. Moreover, virological diagnosis is difficult to implement in developing countries where AHC has recently become a major problem for public health. Copyright 2009 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Effects of Increasing Drag on Conjunction Assessment

Science.gov (United States)

Frigm, Ryan Clayton; McKinley, David P.

2010-01-01

Conjunction Assessment Risk Analysis relies heavily on the computation of the Probability of Collision (Pc) and the understanding of the sensitivity of this calculation to the position errors as defined by the covariance. In Low Earth Orbit (LEO), covariance is predominantly driven by perturbations due to atmospheric drag. This paper describes the effects of increasing atmospheric drag through Solar Cycle 24 on Pc calculations. The process of determining these effects is found through analyzing solar flux predictions on Energy Dissipation Rate (EDR), historical relationship between EDR and covariance, and the sensitivity of Pc to covariance. It is discovered that while all LEO satellites will be affected by the increase in solar activity, the relative effect is more significant in the LEO regime around 700 kilometers in altitude compared to 400 kilometers. Furthermore, it is shown that higher Pc values can be expected at larger close approach miss distances. Understanding these counter-intuitive results is important to setting Owner/Operator expectations concerning conjunctions as solar maximum approaches.

Illusory conjunctions reflect the time course of the attentional blink.

Science.gov (United States)

Botella, Juan; Privado, Jesús; de Liaño, Beatriz Gil-Gómez; Suero, Manuel

2011-07-01

Illusory conjunctions in the time domain are binding errors for features from stimuli presented sequentially but in the same spatial position. A similar experimental paradigm is employed for the attentional blink (AB), an impairment of performance for the second of two targets when it is presented 200-500 msec after the first target. The analysis of errors along the time course of the AB allows the testing of models of illusory conjunctions. In an experiment, observers identified one (control condition) or two (experimental condition) letters in a specified color, so that illusory conjunctions in each response could be linked to specific positions in the series. Two items in the target colors (red and white, embedded in distractors of different colors) were employed in four conditions defined according to whether both targets were in the same or different colors. Besides the U-shaped function for hits, the errors were analyzed by calculating several response parameters reflecting characteristics such as the average position of the responses or the attentional suppression during the blink. The several error parameters cluster in two time courses, as would be expected from prevailing models of the AB. Furthermore, the results match the predictions from Botella, Barriopedro, and Suero's (Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Perception and Performance, 27, 1452-1467, 2001) model for illusory conjunctions.

Illusory conjunctions and perceptual grouping in a visual search task in schizophrenia.

Science.gov (United States)

Carr, V J; Dewis, S A; Lewin, T J

1998-07-27

This report describes part of a series of experiments, conducted within the framework of feature integration theory, to determine whether patients with schizophrenia show deficits in preattentive processing. Thirty subjects with a DSM-III-R diagnosis of schizophrenia and 30 age-, gender-, and education-matched normal control subjects completed two computerized experimental tasks, a visual search task assessing the frequency of illusory conjunctions (i.e. false perceptions) under conditions of divided attention (Experiment 3) and a task which examined the effects of perceptual grouping on illusory conjunctions (Experiment 4). We also assessed current symptomatology and its relationship to task performance. Contrary to our hypotheses, schizophrenia subjects did not show higher rates of illusory conjunctions, and the influence of perceptual grouping on the frequency of illusory conjunctions was similar for schizophrenia and control subjects. Nonetheless, specific predictions from feature integration theory about the impact of different target types (Experiment 3) and perceptual groups (Experiment 4) on the likelihood of forming an illusory conjunction were strongly supported, thereby confirming the integrity of the experimental procedures. Overall, these studies revealed no firm evidence that schizophrenia is associated with a preattentive abnormality in visual search using stimuli that differ on the basis of physical characteristics.

New data structures and algorithms for logic synthesis and verification

CERN Document Server

Amaru, Luca Gaetano

2017-01-01

This book introduces new logic primitives for electronic design automation tools. The author approaches fundamental EDA problems from a different, unconventional perspective, in order to demonstrate the key role of rethinking EDA solutions in overcoming technological limitations of present and future technologies. The author discusses techniques that improve the efficiency of logic representation, manipulation and optimization tasks by taking advantage of majority and biconditional logic primitives. Readers will be enabled to accelerate formal methods by studying core properties of logic circuits and developing new frameworks for logic reasoning engines. · Provides a comprehensive, theoretical study on majority and biconditional logic for logic synthesis; · Updates the current scenario in synthesis and verification – especially in light of emerging technologies; · Demonstrates applications to CMOS technology and emerging technologies.

A Preliminary Study of the Use of Conjunctions and the Quality of Writing

OpenAIRE

Taeko, Fujisaku

1999-01-01

This is a preliminary study that investigates the correlation between the use of conjunctions and the evaluation of writing by examining density and frequency of conjunctions used in student essay writing. Essays written by first-year university students are examined as the end product of high school English teaching in Japan. The results with the current data indicate that the quality of the written texts does not relate to mere density of the use of conjunctions or the use of complex conjun...

On the acquisition of temporal conjunctions in Finnish.

Science.gov (United States)

Atanassova, M

2001-03-01

This study concerns the acquisition of complex sentence structures in Finnish. Specifically, three simultaneous and sequential events were acted out with toys in an elicitation task, and the production of "and," "and then," "when," and "after" were observed. There were 48 children in a cross-sectional design at the age levels 3, 4, 5, and 6 years. Immediately after the complex event was presented, the child was asked the initial request "What happened?" If the child did not produce the whole event spontaneously, she or he was prompted by "What else happened?" Finally, the prompted request "When did X?" was asked (X referring to the second action component of the event). The results showed that prompting better revealed the ability of the children, especially that of the younger ones, to use temporal conjunctions in complex sentences, as well as the delicate interplay of language skills and their flexible use.

Analyzing the impact of conjunctive labeling as part of a regional wine branding strategy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tom Atkin

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Research studies have proven that place-based/regional branding methods have a positive effect on brand equity and economic benefits for companies. However, very small or specific regions may be confusing to consumers, so conjunctive labeling – or the process of advertising both a larger region and the sub-region of origin for a product – is suggested as a remedy for this situation. This study analyzes the impact of conjunctive labeling by comparing two national samples of consumers, before and two years after, conjunctive wine labeling was introduced in Sonoma County. The results show a higher awareness for both Sonoma County and its sub appellations (AVAs after conjunctive labeling was introduced than before. This demonstrates the potential benefit of associating sub-regional appellations with larger wine regions. Keywords: Regional branding, Appellations, Wine marketing, Conjunctive labeling, Place-based marketing

Besifloxacin: a novel anti-infective for the treatment of bacterial conjunctivitis

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Timothy L Comstock

2010-03-01

Full Text Available Timothy L Comstock1, Paul M Karpecki2, Timothy W Morris3, Jin-Zhong Zhang41Global Medical Affairs, Pharmaceuticals, Bausch and Lomb, Inc., Rochester, NY, USA; 2Koffler Vision Group, Lexington, KY, USA; 3Research and Development Microbiology and Sterilization Sciences, Bausch and Lomb, Inc., Rochester, NY, USA; 4Global Preclinical Development, Bausch and Lomb, Inc., Rochester, NY, USAAbstract: Bacterial conjunctivitis, commonly known as pink eye, is demographically unbiased in its prevalence and can be caused by a variety of aerobic and anaerobic bacteria. Timely empiric treatment with a broad-spectrum anti-infective, such as a topical fluoroquinolone, is critical in preventing potentially irreversible ocular damage. However, the rise in ocular methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus isolates and the patterns of fluoroquinolone resistance for patients with other ocular bacterial infections mandate the need for new agents targeted for ocular use. Besifloxacin, a novel broad-spectrum fluoroquinolone, is approved for the treatment of bacterial conjunctivitis. It has a uniquely balanced dual-targeting activity that inhibits both DNA gyrase and topoisomerase IV and is associated with a lower incidence of resistance development. Besifloxacin is not marketed in other formulations, ensuring that its exposure is limited to bacterial populations in and around the eye. This specifically precludes any bacterial exposure to besifloxacin resulting from systemic use, which further reduces the likelihood of emergence of bacterial resistance. In vitro, besifloxacin has demonstrated equivalent or superior activity compared with other commonly used topical antibiotics. In clinical trials, besifloxacin has consistently demonstrated efficacy and safety in the treatment of patients with bacterial conjunctivitis. Besifloxacin is considered safe and is well tolerated with no observed contraindications.Keywords: conjunctivitis, fluoroquinolones, besifloxacin

Neural correlates of context-dependent feature conjunction learning in visual search tasks.

Science.gov (United States)

Reavis, Eric A; Frank, Sebastian M; Greenlee, Mark W; Tse, Peter U

2016-06-01

Many perceptual learning experiments show that repeated exposure to a basic visual feature such as a specific orientation or spatial frequency can modify perception of that feature, and that those perceptual changes are associated with changes in neural tuning early in visual processing. Such perceptual learning effects thus exert a bottom-up influence on subsequent stimulus processing, independent of task-demands or endogenous influences (e.g., volitional attention). However, it is unclear whether such bottom-up changes in perception can occur as more complex stimuli such as conjunctions of visual features are learned. It is not known whether changes in the efficiency with which people learn to process feature conjunctions in a task (e.g., visual search) reflect true bottom-up perceptual learning versus top-down, task-related learning (e.g., learning better control of endogenous attention). Here we show that feature conjunction learning in visual search leads to bottom-up changes in stimulus processing. First, using fMRI, we demonstrate that conjunction learning in visual search has a distinct neural signature: an increase in target-evoked activity relative to distractor-evoked activity (i.e., a relative increase in target salience). Second, we demonstrate that after learning, this neural signature is still evident even when participants passively view learned stimuli while performing an unrelated, attention-demanding task. This suggests that conjunction learning results in altered bottom-up perceptual processing of the learned conjunction stimuli (i.e., a perceptual change independent of the task). We further show that the acquired change in target-evoked activity is contextually dependent on the presence of distractors, suggesting that search array Gestalts are learned. Hum Brain Mapp 37:2319-2330, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

When false recognition is out of control: the case of facial conjunctions.

Science.gov (United States)

Jones, Todd C; Bartlett, James C

2009-03-01

In three experiments, a dual-process approach to face recognition memory is examined, with a specific focus on the idea that a recollection process can be used to retrieve configural information of a studied face. Subjects could avoid, with confidence, a recognition error to conjunction lure faces (each a reconfiguration of features from separate studied faces) or feature lure faces (each based on a set of old features and a set of new features) by recalling a studied configuration. In Experiment 1, study repetition (one vs. eight presentations) was manipulated, and in Experiments 2 and 3, retention interval over a short number of trials (0-20) was manipulated. Different measures converged on the conclusion that subjects were unable to use a recollection process to retrieve configural information in an effort to temper recognition errors for conjunction or feature lure faces. A single process, familiarity, appears to be the sole process underlying recognition of conjunction and feature faces, and familiarity contributes, perhaps in whole, to discrimination of old from conjunction faces.

Quantum Structure of Negation and Conjunction in Human Thought

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Diederik eAerts

2015-09-01

Full Text Available We analyze in this paper the data collected in a set of experiments investigating how people combine natural concepts. We study the mutual influence of conceptual conjunction and negation by measuring the membership weights of a list of exemplars with respect to two concepts, e.g., {it Fruits} and {it Vegetables}, and their conjunction {it Fruits And Vegetables}, but also their conjunction when one or both concepts are negated, namely, {it Fruits And Not Vegetables}, {it Not Fruits And Vegetables} and {it Not Fruits And Not Vegetables}. Our findings sharpen and advance existing analysis on conceptual combinations, revealing systematic deviations from classical (fuzzy set logic and probability theory. And, more important, our results give further considerable evidence to the validity of our quantum-theoretic framework for the combination of two concepts. Indeed, the representation of conceptual negation naturally arises from the general assumptions of our two-sector Fock space model, and this representation faithfully agrees with the collected data. In addition, we find a new significant and a priori unexpected deviation from classicality, which can exactly be explained by assuming that human reasoning is the superposition of an `emergent reasoning' and a `logical reasoning', and that these two processes are represented in a Fock space algebraic structure.

Quantum structure of negation and conjunction in human thought

Science.gov (United States)

Aerts, Diederik; Sozzo, Sandro; Veloz, Tomas

2015-01-01

We analyze in this paper the data collected in a set of experiments investigating how people combine natural concepts. We study the mutual influence of conceptual conjunction and negation by measuring the membership weights of a list of exemplars with respect to two concepts, e.g., Fruits and Vegetables, and their conjunction Fruits And Vegetables, but also their conjunction when one or both concepts are negated, namely, Fruits And Not Vegetables, Not Fruits And Vegetables, and Not Fruits And Not Vegetables. Our findings sharpen and advance existing analysis on conceptual combinations, revealing systematic deviations from classical (fuzzy set) logic and probability theory. And, more important, our results give further considerable evidence to the validity of our quantum-theoretic framework for the combination of two concepts. Indeed, the representation of conceptual negation naturally arises from the general assumptions of our two-sector Fock space model, and this representation faithfully agrees with the collected data. In addition, we find a new significant and a priori unexpected deviation from classicality, which can exactly be explained by assuming that human reasoning is the superposition of an “emergent reasoning” and a “logical reasoning,” and that these two processes are represented in a Fock space algebraic structure. PMID:26483715

Distribution of conjunctive and disjunctive forms in Xitsonga*

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Kate H

approach, and the information packaging approach. ... information structure. = morphology. Examples of conjunctive and disjunctive forms in Xitsonga, isiZulu, Siswati, and Setswana are shown in (2). Descriptively speaking, the ... Updating the focus-based approach, Creissels (2014) argues for an information packaging.

Treatment of ligneous conjunctivitis with amniotic membrane transplantation and topical cyclosporine

Science.gov (United States)

Tok, Ozlem Yalcin; Kocaoglu, Fatma Akbas; Tok, Levent; Burcu, Ayse; Ornek, Firdevs

2012-01-01

Ligneous conjunctivitis (LC) is a rare form of bilateral chronic recurrent disease in which thick membranes form on the palpebral conjunctiva and other mucosal sites. We report the clinical features and describe the management of two cases. Case 1 was an 8-month-old patient with bilateral membranous conjunctivitis. Case 2 was a 5-year-old patient with unilateral membranous conjunctivitis, esotropia, mechanical ptosis and complicated cataract, and had been treated with a number of medications. Histological investigation of the membrane in both cases showed LC. Treatments with amniotic membrane transplantation and institution of topical cyclosporine have shown good response. There has been complete resolution of the membranes with no recurrence at the end of 40- and 28-month follow-ups, respectively. No treatment related side effects were seen. Thus, it appears that amniotic membrane transplantation and topical cyclosporine are effective alternatives for the treatment of LC. PMID:23202401

21 CFR 182.40 - Natural extractives (solvent-free) used in conjunction with spices, seasonings, and flavorings.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... conjunction with spices, seasonings, and flavorings. 182.40 Section 182.40 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG... in conjunction with spices, seasonings, and flavorings. Natural extractives (solvent-free) used in conjunction with spices, seasonings, and flavorings that are generally recognized as safe for their intended...

21 CFR 582.40 - Natural extractives (solvent-free) used in conjunction with spices, seasonings, and flavorings.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... conjunction with spices, seasonings, and flavorings. 582.40 Section 582.40 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG... in conjunction with spices, seasonings, and flavorings. Natural extractives (solvent-free) used in conjunction with spices, seasonings, and flavorings that are generally recognized as safe for their intended...

Assessment of Uncertainty-Based Screening Volumes for NASA Robotic LEO and GEO Conjunction Risk Assessment

Science.gov (United States)

Narvet, Steven W.; Frigm, Ryan C.; Hejduk, Matthew D.

2011-01-01

Conjunction Assessment operations require screening assets against the space object catalog by placing a pre-determined spatial volume around each asset and predicting when another object will violate that volume. The selection of the screening volume used for each spacecraft is a trade-off between observing all conjunction events that may pose a potential risk to the primary spacecraft and the ability to analyze those predicted events. If the screening volumes are larger, then more conjunctions can be observed and therefore the probability of a missed detection of a high risk conjunction event is small; however, the amount of data which needs to be analyzed increases. This paper characterizes the sensitivity of screening volume size to capturing typical orbit uncertainties and the expected number of conjunction events observed. These sensitivities are quantified in the form of a trade space that allows for selection of appropriate screen-ing volumes to fit the desired concept of operations, system limitations, and tolerable analyst workloads. This analysis will specifically highlight the screening volume determination and selection process for use in the NASA Conjunction Assessment Risk Analysis process but will also provide a general framework for other Owner / Operators faced with similar decisions.

Conjunct Use in Business News Stories and Academic Journal Articles: A Comparative Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Morrow, Phillip R.

1989-01-01

A quantitative analysis of the use of conjuncts in two genres of written English, business news stories and academic journal articles, revealed a much higher frequency of conjunct use in the journal articles. A brief discussion focuses on the pedagogical implications of this study, and suggestions for further research are presented. (26…

Analysis of the correlation between tear film changes of allergic conjunctivitis and dry eye

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yong Li

2014-07-01

Full Text Available AIM: To analyze the correlation between tear film changes of allergic conjunctivitis and dry eye, then provide clinical references for better treatment. METHODS: Fifty patients with allergic conjunctivitis were taken as the observation group, the control group was selected based on 1:1 case control theory, and we chose 50 health volunteers without ocular surface diseases, xerophthalmia and systematic diseases randomly, then fluorescein(FLstaining, break-up time(BUT, Schirner I test(SⅠt, tear meniscus high(TMHand slit-lamp examinations were performed in the two groups. RESULTS: In the observation group, FL, BUT, SIt, TMH of right eyes and left eyes were statistically significant correlated(PPPCONCLUSION: Due to inflammatory mediators participation, allergic conjunctivitis could lead to the stability changes of tear film which cause in dry eye. The stability changes of allergic conjunctivitis correlate to the damage degree of epithelium.

Allergic Conjunctivitis-induced Retinal Inflammation Promotes Myopia Progression

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chang-Ching Wei

2018-02-01

Full Text Available Myopia is a highly prevalent eye disease. There is limited information suggesting a relationship between myopia and inflammation. We found children with allergic conjunctivitis (AC had the highest adjusted odds ratio (1.75, 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.72–1.77 for myopia among the four allergic diseases. A cohort study was conducted and confirmed that children with AC had a higher incidence and subsequent risk of myopia (hazard ratio 2.35, 95%CI 2.29–2.40 compared to those without AC. Lower refractive error and longer axial length were observed in an AC animal model. Myopia progression was enhanced by tumor necrosis factor (TNF-α or interleukin (IL-6 administration, two cytokines secreted by mast cell degranulation. The TNF-α or IL-6 weakened the tight junction formed by corneal epithelial (CEP cells and inflammatory cytokines across the layer of CEP cells, which increased the levels of TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-8 secreted by retinal pigment epithelial cells. The expression levels of TNF-α, IL-6, IL-8, monocyte chemoattractant protein-1, and nuclear factor kappa B were up-regulated in eyes with AC, whereas IL-10 and the inhibitor of kappa B were down-regulated. In conclusion, the experimental findings in mice corroborate the epidemiological data showing that allergic inflammation influences the development of myopia.

Listeria monocytogenes associated kerato-conjunctivitis in four horses in Norway.

Science.gov (United States)

Revold, Tobias; Abayneh, Takele; Brun-Hansen, Hege; Kleppe, Signe L; Ropstad, Ernst-Otto; Hellings, Robert A; Sørum, Henning

2015-11-09

Listeria monocytogenes has been reported to cause various infectious diseases in both humans and animals. More rarely, ocular infections have been reported. To our knowledge, only two cases of Listeria keratitis have been described in horses. We report kerato-conjunctivitis in four Norwegian horses associated with L. monocytogenes. Clinically, all cases were presented with recurrent unilateral kerato-conjunctivitis. L. monocytogenes bacteria were isolated from swab samples from all cases, and cytology carried out in 3 cases was indicative of L. monocytogenes infection. The present report describes the first known cases in which L. monocytogenes has been isolated from keratitic lesions in horses in Norway. A potential risk factor may be feeding of silage or haylage, but other sources of infection cannot be ruled out. The phenotypic features including antimicrobial susceptibility and serotype of the isolates are described. Laboratory detection of L. monocytogenes demands extra caution since only low numbers of bacteria were detected in the eye-swabs, probably due to the low volume of sample material and the intracellular niche of the bacterium. A general poor response to treatment in all these cases indicates that clinicians should pay extra attention to intensity and duration of treatment if L. monocytogenes is identified in connection with equine kerato-conjunctivitis.

Response effects in the perception of conjunctions of colour and form.

Science.gov (United States)

Chmiel, N

1989-01-01

Two experiments addressed the question whether visual search for a target defined by a conjunction of colour and form requires a central, serial, attentional process, but detection of a single feature, such as colour, is preattentive, as proposed by the feature-integration theory of attention. Experiment 1 investigated conjunction and feature search using small array sizes of up to five elements, under conditions which precluded eye-movements, in contrast to previous studies. The results were consistent with the theory. Conjunction search showed the effect of adding distractors to the display, the slopes of the curves relating RT to array size were in the approximate ratio of 2:1, consistent with a central, serial search process, exhaustive for absence responses and self-terminating for presence responses. Feature search showed no significant effect of distractors for presence responses. Experiment 2 manipulated the response requirements in conjunction search, using vocal response in a GO-NO GO procedure, in contrast to Experiment 1, which used key-press responses in a YES-NO procedure. Strikingly, presence-response RT was not affected significantly by the number of distractors in the array. The slope relating RT to array size was 3.92. The absence RT slope was 30.56, producing a slope ratio of approximately 8:1. There was no interaction of errors with array size and the presence and absence conditions, implying that RT-error trade-offs did not produce this slope ratio. This result suggests that feature-integration theory is at least incomplete.

NASA Conjunction Assessment Organizational Approach and the Associated Determination of Screening Volume Sizes

Science.gov (United States)

Newman, Lauri K.; Hejduk, Matthew D.

2015-01-01

NASA is committed to safety of flight for all of its operational assets Performed by CARA at NASA GSFC for robotic satellites Focus of this briefing Performed by TOPO at NASA JSC for human spaceflight he Conjunction Assessment Risk Analysis (CARA) was stood up to offer this service to all NASA robotic satellites Currently provides service to 70 operational satellites NASA unmanned operational assets Other USG assets (USGS, USAF, NOAA) International partner assets Conjunction Assessment (CA) is the process of identifying close approaches between two orbiting objects; sometimes called conjunction screening The Joint Space Operations Center (JSpOC) a USAF unit at Vandenberg AFB, maintains the high accuracy catalog of space objects, screens CARA-supported assets against the catalog, performs OD tasking, and generates close approach data.

Semaphorin 3A controls allergic and inflammatory responses in experimental allergic conjunctivitis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Junmi Tanaka

2015-02-01

Full Text Available AIM: To assess the efficacy of topical Semaphorin-3A (SEMA3A in the treatment of allergic conjunctivitis. METHODS: Experimental allergic conjunctivitis (EAC mice model induced by short ragweed pollen (SRW in 4-week-old of BALB/c mice, mice were evaluated using haematoxylin and eosin (H&E staining, immunofluorescence and light microscope photographs. Early phase took the samples in 24h after instillation and late phase took the samples between 4 to 14d after the start of treatment. The study use of topical SEMA3A (10 U, 100 U, 1000 U eye drops and subconjunctival injection of SEMA3A with same concentration. For comparison, five types of allergy eyedrops were quantified using clinical characteristics. RESULTS: Clinical score of composite ocular symptoms of the mice treated with SEMA3A were significantly decreased both in the immediate phase and the late phase compared to those treated with commercial ophthalmic formulations and non-treatment mice. SEMA3A treatment attenuates infiltration of eosinophils entering into conjunctiva in EAC mice. The score of eosinophil infiltration in the conjunctiva of SEMA3A 1000 U-treated group were significantly lower than low-concentration of SEMA3A treated groups and non-treated group. SEMA3A treatment also suppressed T-cell proliferation in vitro and decreased serum total IgE levels in EAC mice. Moreover, Treatment of SEMA3A suppressed Th2-related cytokines (IL-5, IL-13 and IL-4 and pro-inflammatory cytokines (IFN-γ, IL-17 and TNF-α release, but increased regulatory cytokine IL-10 concentration in the conjunctiva of EAC mice. CONCLUSIONS: SEMA3A as a biological agent, showed the beneficial activity in ocular allergic processes with the less damage to the intraocular tissue. It is expected that SEMA3A may be contributed in patients with a more severe spectrum of refractory ocular allergic diseases including allergic conjunctivitis in the near future.

Maneuver Planning for Conjunction Risk Mitigation with Ground-track Control Requirements

Science.gov (United States)

McKinley, David

2008-01-01

The planning of conjunction Risk Mitigation Maneuvers (RMM) in the presence of ground-track control requirements is analyzed. Past RMM planning efforts on the Aqua, Aura, and Terra spacecraft have demonstrated that only small maneuvers are available when ground-track control requirements are maintained. Assuming small maneuvers, analytical expressions for the effect of a given maneuver on conjunction geometry are derived. The analytical expressions are used to generate a large trade space for initial RMM design. This trade space represents a significant improvement in initial maneuver planning over existing methods that employ high fidelity maneuver models and propagation.

Conjunctions in Argumentative Writing of Libyan Tertiary Students

Science.gov (United States)

Hamed, Muftah

2014-01-01

The aim of this study was an attempt to investigate the use of conjunctions in argumentative essays written by English as a Foreign Language fourth-year undergraduate Libyan students majoring in English at Omar Al-Mukhtar University in Libya. A corpus of 32 argumentative essays was collected from a sample of 16 students in order to be investigated…

An inexact bi-level simulation–optimization model for conjunctive regional renewable energy planning and air pollution control for electric power generation systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen, Yizhong; He, Li; Li, Jing; Cheng, Xi; Lu, Hongwei

2016-01-01

Highlights: • Detailed model developed for power generation and pollutants mitigation. • Dynamic integration of bi-level programming with uncertainty analyses. • Application of the novel bi-level model for EPS in Fengtai District. • Development of renewable energy under different probability levels. - Abstract: In this study, an IBSOM (inexact bi-level simulation–optimization model) is developed for conjunctive regional renewable energy planning and air pollution control for EPS (electric power systems) under uncertainty. The IBSOM integrates techniques of CFMTVW (combined forecasting model with time-varying weights), ILP (interval linear programming), MIP (mixed integer programming), CCP (chance-constrained programming), as well as BLP (bi-level programming) into a general framework. In the IBSOM, uncertainties expressed as interval and stochastic parameters within multi-period and multi-option contexts can be effectively tackled. In addition, a leader-follower decision strategy is incorporated into the optimization process where two non-competitive objectives are sequentially proposed, with the environmental sector dominating the upper-level objective (leader’s one) and the energy sector providing the lower-level objective (follower’s one). To solve the proposed model, an improved bi-level interactive solution algorithm based on satisfactory degree is introduced into the decision-making process for balancing to what extent the constraints are met and the objective reaches its optima. Then, the IBSOM is applied to a real-world case study of EPS in Fengtai District, Beijing, China. Interval solutions associated with renewable energy development, electricity generation, facility-expansion scheme, as well as pollutants mitigation can be obtained under different system-violation risk. Results indicate that a higher violation risk would lead to a decreased strictness of the constraints or an expanded decision space, which results in the decreased system

A Study on the Developmental Characteristics of Adverbial Conjuncts by Chinese Non-English Majors

Science.gov (United States)

Junmei, Jiang

2015-01-01

Based on the Chinese Learner English Corpus, the present study seeks to investigate the developmental characteristics of the use of adverbial conjuncts. And the results show that at different learning stages Non-English majors use all kinds of adverbial conjuncts, but their occurrence frequencies are quite different, the enumerative adverbials are…

Feature conjunctions and auditory sensory memory.

Science.gov (United States)

Sussman, E; Gomes, H; Nousak, J M; Ritter, W; Vaughan, H G

1998-05-18

This study sought to obtain additional evidence that transient auditory memory stores information about conjunctions of features on an automatic basis. The mismatch negativity of event-related potentials was employed because its operations are based on information that is stored in transient auditory memory. The mismatch negativity was found to be elicited by a tone that differed from standard tones in a combination of its perceived location and frequency. The result lends further support to the hypothesis that the system upon which the mismatch negativity relies processes stimuli in an holistic manner. Copyright 1998 Elsevier Science B.V.

Clinical Age-Specific Seasonal Conjunctivitis Patterns and Their Online Detection in Twitter, Blog, Forum, and Comment Social Media Posts

Science.gov (United States)

Deiner, Michael S.; McLeod, Stephen D.; Chodosh, James; Oldenburg, Catherine E.; Fathy, Cherie A.; Lietman, Thomas M.; Porco, Travis C.

2018-01-01

Purpose We sought to determine whether big data from social media might reveal seasonal trends of conjunctivitis, most forms of which are nonreportable. Methods Social media posts (from Twitter, and from online forums and blogs) were classified by age and by conjunctivitis type (allergic or infectious) using Boolean and machine learning methods. Based on spline smoothing, we estimated the circular mean occurrence time (a measure of central tendency for occurrence) and the circular variance (a measure of uniformity of occurrence throughout the year, providing an index of seasonality). Clinical records from a large tertiary care provider were analyzed in a similar way for comparison. Results Social media posts machine-coded as being related to infectious conjunctivitis showed similar times of occurrence and degree of seasonality to clinical infectious cases, and likewise for machine-coded allergic conjunctivitis posts compared to clinical allergic cases. Allergic conjunctivitis showed a distinctively different seasonal pattern than infectious conjunctivitis, with a mean occurrence time later in the spring. Infectious conjunctivitis for children showed markedly greater seasonality than for adults, though the occurrence times were similar; no such difference for allergic conjunctivitis was seen. Conclusions Social media posts broadly track the seasonal occurrence of allergic and infectious conjunctivitis, and may be a useful supplement for epidemiologic monitoring. PMID:29450538

Preattentive representation of feature conjunctions for concurrent spatially distributed auditory objects.

Science.gov (United States)

Takegata, Rika; Brattico, Elvira; Tervaniemi, Mari; Varyagina, Olga; Näätänen, Risto; Winkler, István

2005-09-01

The role of attention in conjoining features of an object has been a topic of much debate. Studies using the mismatch negativity (MMN), an index of detecting acoustic deviance, suggested that the conjunctions of auditory features are preattentively represented in the brain. These studies, however, used sequentially presented sounds and thus are not directly comparable with visual studies of feature integration. Therefore, the current study presented an array of spatially distributed sounds to determine whether the auditory features of concurrent sounds are correctly conjoined without focal attention directed to the sounds. Two types of sounds differing from each other in timbre and pitch were repeatedly presented together while subjects were engaged in a visual n-back working-memory task and ignored the sounds. Occasional reversals of the frequent pitch-timbre combinations elicited MMNs of a very similar amplitude and latency irrespective of the task load. This result suggested preattentive integration of auditory features. However, performance in a subsequent target-search task with the same stimuli indicated the occurrence of illusory conjunctions. The discrepancy between the results obtained with and without focal attention suggests that illusory conjunctions may occur during voluntary access to the preattentively encoded object representations.

Children's experiences of procedural pain management in conjunction with trauma wound dressings.

Science.gov (United States)

Nilsson, Stefan; Hallqvist, Carina; Sidenvall, Birgitta; Enskär, Karin

2011-07-01

This paper is a report of the experiences of children (5-10 years) of procedural pain when they underwent a trauma wound care session. Procedural pain in conjunction with trauma wound care often induces anxiety and distress in children. Children need to alleviate pain and avoid the development of fear in conjunction with examinations and treatments. The nurse could help children to reach this goal by using the comfort theory, which describes holistic nursing in four contexts: physical, psychospiritual, environmental and sociocultural. Few studies have focused on children's experiences of comforting activities in conjunction with trauma wound dressings. This study was conducted between May 2008 and January 2010. Thirty-nine participants aged 5-10 were consecutively included in this study. The wound care session was standardized for all the participants, and semi-structured qualitative interviews with open-ended questions were conducted with all the children in conjunction with the procedure. All the interviews were transcribed verbatim and analysed with qualitative content analysis. Four themes were identified: clinical competence, distraction, participation and security. The children were helped to reach comforting activities to enhance pain management. Children require more than just analgesics in wound care. They also need to experience security and participation in this context. When children feel clinical competence in wound care, they trust the nurse to carry out the wound dressing and instead can focus on the distraction that increases their positive outcomes. © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

The Temporal Dynamics of Visual Search: Evidence for Parallel Processing in Feature and Conjunction Searches

Science.gov (United States)

McElree, Brian; Carrasco, Marisa

2012-01-01

Feature and conjunction searches have been argued to delineate parallel and serial operations in visual processing. The authors evaluated this claim by examining the temporal dynamics of the detection of features and conjunctions. The 1st experiment used a reaction time (RT) task to replicate standard mean RT patterns and to examine the shapes of the RT distributions. The 2nd experiment used the response-signal speed–accuracy trade-off (SAT) procedure to measure discrimination (asymptotic detection accuracy) and detection speed (processing dynamics). Set size affected discrimination in both feature and conjunction searches but affected detection speed only in the latter. Fits of models to the SAT data that included a serial component overpredicted the magnitude of the observed dynamics differences. The authors concluded that both features and conjunctions are detected in parallel. Implications for the role of attention in visual processing are discussed. PMID:10641310

Cognitive and neuropsychological underpinnings of relational and conjunctive working memory binding across age.

Science.gov (United States)

van Geldorp, Bonnie; Parra, Mario A; Kessels, Roy P C

2015-01-01

The ability to form associations (i.e., binding) is critical for memory formation. Recent studies suggest that aging specifically affects relational binding (associating separate features) but not conjunctive binding (integrating features within an object). Possibly, this dissociation may be driven by the spatial nature of the studies so far. Alternatively, relational binding may simply require more attentional resources. We assessed relational and conjunctive binding in three age groups and we included an interfering task (i.e., an articulatory suppression task). Binding was examined in a working memory (WM) task using non-spatial features: shape and colour. Thirty-one young adults (mean age = 22.35), 30 middle-aged adults (mean age = 54.80) and 30 older adults (mean age = 70.27) performed the task. Results show an effect of type of binding and an effect of age but no interaction between type of binding and age. The interaction between type of binding and interference was significant. These results indicate that aging affects relational binding and conjunctive binding similarly. However, relational binding is more susceptible to interference than conjunctive binding, which suggests that relational binding may require more attentional resources. We suggest that a general decline in WM resources associated with frontal dysfunction underlies age-related deficits in WM binding.

Conjunction of 2D and 3D modified flow solvers for simulating spatio-temporal wind induced hydrodynamics in the Caspian Sea

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Zounemat-Kermani, Mohammad; Sabbagh-Yazdi, Saeed-Reza

2010-06-01

The main objective of this study is the simulation of flow dynamics in the deep parts of the Caspian Sea, in which the southern and middle deep regions are surrounded by considerable areas of shallow zones. To simulate spatio-temporal wind induced hydrodynamics in deep waters, a conjunctive numerical model consisting of a 2D depth average model and a 3D pseudo compressible model is proposed. The 2D model is applied to determine time dependent free surface oscillations as well as the surface velocity patterns and is conjunct to the 3D flow solver for computing three-dimensional velocity and pressure fields which coverage to steady state for the top boundary condition. The modified 2D and 3D sets of equations are conjunct considering interface shear stresses. Both sets of 2D and 3D equations are solved on unstructured triangular and tetrahedral meshes using the Galerkin Finite Volume Method. The conjunctive model is utilized to investigate the deep currents affected by wind, Coriolis forces and the river inflow conditions of the Caspian Sea. In this study, the simulation of flow field due to major winds as well as transient winds in the Caspian Sea during a period of 6 hours in the winter season has been conducted and the numerical results for water surface level are then compared to the 2D numerical results.

The Chameleon's Revenge

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gundersen, Eline Busck

2011-01-01

Response-dependence theses are usually formulated in terms of a priori true biconditionals of roughly the form ‘something, x, falls under the concept ‘F’ « x would elicit response R from subjects S under conditions C’. Such formulations are vulnerable to conditional fallacy problems; counterexamp...

Mental Ability and Mismatch Negativity: Pre-Attentive Discrimination of Abstract Feature Conjunctions in Auditory Sequences

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Houlihan, Michael; Stelmack, Robert M.

2012-01-01

The relation between mental ability and the ability to detect violations of an abstract, third-order conjunction rule was examined using event-related potential measures, specifically mismatch negativity (MMN). The primary objective was to determine whether the extraction of invariant relations based on abstract conjunctions between two…

Parietal lesions produce illusory conjunction errors in rats

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Raymond PIERRE Kesner

2012-05-01

Full Text Available When several different objects are presented, visual objects are perceived correctly only if their features are identified and then bound together. Illusory-conjunction errors result when an object is correctly identified but is combined incorrectly. The parietal cortex (PPC has been shown repeatedly to play an important role in feature binding. The present study builds on a series of recent studies that have made use of visual search paradigms to elucidate the neural system involved in feature binding. This experiment attempts to define the role the PPC plays in binding the properties of a visual object that varies on the features of color and size in rats. Rats with PPC lesions or control surgery were exposed to three blocks of 20 trials administered over a 1-week period, with each block containing ten-one feature and ten-two feature trials. The target object consisted of one color object (e.g. black and white and one size object (e.g. short and tall. Of the ten one feature trials, five of the trials were tailored specifically for size discrimination and five for color discrimination. In the two-feature condition, the animal was required to locate the targeted object among four objects with two objects differing in size and two objects differing in color. The results showed a significant decrease in learning the task for the PPC lesioned rats compared to controls, especially for the two-feature condition. Based on a subsequent error analysis for color and size, the results showed a significant increase in illusory conjunction errors for the PPC lesioned rats relative to controls for color and relative to color discrimination, suggesting that the PPC may support feature binding as it relates to color. There was an increase in illusory conjunctions errors for both the PPC lesioned and control animals for size, but this appeared to be due to a difficulty with size discrimination.

Development of an Allergic Conjunctivitis Model in Mice

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Tolga Kocatürk

2012-12-01

Full Text Available Pur po se: To develop an animal model that simulates human allergic conjunctivitis to understand the physiopathogenesis of allergic diseases and for developing novel therapeutic interventions. Ma te ri al and Met hod: BALB/c mice (12 males were divided into two groups each comprised of six mice. For sensitization, on the 1st and 8th days, a 0.2 ml mixed solution, adjusted to a concentration to 5mg/ml of ovalbumin (OVA and 15mg/ml of aluminium hydroxide, was administered intraperitoneally to the mice in Group 1 and 0.2 ml saline solution to the mice in Group 2. To induce experimental allergic conjunctivitis, an antigen challenge was made on days 15 and 18, using an OVA solution (5mg/ml instilled into both eyes of the mice in Group 1; while the mice in Group 2 received Human Balanced Salt Solution instead of OVA. For the clinical evaluation, the occurrence of conjunctival and palpebral oedema, conjunctival hyperaemia, and lacrimation were observed. For the histological examination, eyeballs, eyelids, and lacrimal glands were removed and prepared according to the routine processing method of the tissue laboratory. Immunohistochemical examination was made with mast cell tryptase using the labeled streptavidin–biotin amplification method and 3.3´-diaminobenzidine, in addition to hematoxylin-eosin (HE, and toluidine blue (TB staining. Re sults: Evident conjunctival oedema, palpebral oedema, conjunctival hyperaemia, and lacrimation were observed in Group 1. Mean mast cell density in cells/mm2, infiltrating the subconjunctival tissue was significantly high in Group 1 (allergy group, 23.17±7.46, p<0.0001 when compared to Group 2 (5.58±3.12. There was no increase in eosinophil and lymphocyte counts as well as vascular intensity in the subconjunctival tissue in any group. Dis cus si on: The murine model developed is similar to the human allergic conjunctivitis both clinically and histopathologically and can be used as a template for future studies

Total Probability of Collision as a Metric for Finite Conjunction Assessment and Collision Risk Management

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Frigm, Ryan C.; Hejduk, Matthew D.; Johnson, Lauren C.; Plakalovic, Dragan

2015-01-01

On-orbit collision risk is becoming an increasing mission risk to all operational satellites in Earth orbit. Managing this risk can be disruptive to mission and operations, present challenges for decision-makers, and is time-consuming for all parties involved. With the planned capability improvements to detecting and tracking smaller orbital debris and capacity improvements to routinely predict on-orbit conjunctions, this mission risk will continue to grow in terms of likelihood and effort. It is very real possibility that the future space environment will not allow collision risk management and mission operations to be conducted in the same manner as it is today. This paper presents the concept of a finite conjunction assessment-one where each discrete conjunction is not treated separately but, rather, as a continuous event that must be managed concurrently. The paper also introduces the Total Probability of Collision as an analogous metric for finite conjunction assessment operations and provides several options for its usage in a Concept of Operations.

Demands on attention and the role of response priming in visual discrimination of feature conjunctions.

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Fournier, Lisa R; Herbert, Rhonda J; Farris, Carrie

2004-10-01

This study examined how response mapping of features within single- and multiple-feature targets affects decision-based processing and attentional capacity demands. Observers judged the presence or absence of 1 or 2 target features within an object either presented alone or with distractors. Judging the presence of 2 features relative to the less discriminable of these features alone was faster (conjunction benefits) when the task-relevant features differed in discriminability and were consistently mapped to responses. Conjunction benefits were attributed to asynchronous decision priming across attended, task-relevant dimensions. A failure to find conjunction benefits for disjunctive conjunctions was attributed to increased memory demands and variable feature-response mapping for 2- versus single-feature targets. Further, attentional demands were similar between single- and 2-feature targets when response mapping, memory demands, and discriminability of the task-relevant features were equated between targets. Implications of the findings for recent attention models are discussed. (c) 2004 APA, all rights reserved

Hybrid-optimization algorithm for the management of a conjunctive-use project and well field design.

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Chiu, Yung-Chia; Nishikawa, Tracy; Martin, Peter

2012-01-01

Hi-Desert Water District (HDWD), the primary water-management agency in the Warren Groundwater Basin, California, plans to construct a waste water treatment plant to reduce future septic-tank effluent from reaching the groundwater system. The treated waste water will be reclaimed by recharging the groundwater basin via recharge ponds as part of a larger conjunctive-use strategy. HDWD wishes to identify the least-cost conjunctive-use strategies for managing imported surface water, reclaimed water, and local groundwater. As formulated, the mixed-integer nonlinear programming (MINLP) groundwater-management problem seeks to minimize water-delivery costs subject to constraints including potential locations of the new pumping wells, California State regulations, groundwater-level constraints, water-supply demand, available imported water, and pump/recharge capacities. In this study, a hybrid-optimization algorithm, which couples a genetic algorithm and successive-linear programming, is developed to solve the MINLP problem. The algorithm was tested by comparing results to the enumerative solution for a simplified version of the HDWD groundwater-management problem. The results indicate that the hybrid-optimization algorithm can identify the global optimum. The hybrid-optimization algorithm is then applied to solve a complex groundwater-management problem. Sensitivity analyses were also performed to assess the impact of varying the new recharge pond orientation, varying the mixing ratio of reclaimed water and pumped water, and varying the amount of imported water available. The developed conjunctive management model can provide HDWD water managers with information that will improve their ability to manage their surface water, reclaimed water, and groundwater resources. Ground Water © 2011, National Ground Water Association. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.

Operational Implementation of a Pc Uncertainty Construct for Conjunction Assessment Risk Analysis

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Newman, Lauri K.; Hejduk, Matthew D.; Johnson, Lauren C.

2016-01-01

Earlier this year the NASA Conjunction Assessment and Risk Analysis (CARA) project presented the theoretical and algorithmic aspects of a method to include the uncertainties in the calculation inputs when computing the probability of collision (Pc) between two space objects, principally uncertainties in the covariances and the hard-body radius. The output of this calculation approach is to produce rather than a single Pc value an entire probability density function that will represent the range of possible Pc values given the uncertainties in the inputs and bring CA risk analysis methodologies more in line with modern risk management theory. The present study provides results from the exercise of this method against an extended dataset of satellite conjunctions in order to determine the effect of its use on the evaluation of conjunction assessment (CA) event risk posture. The effects are found to be considerable: a good number of events are downgraded from or upgraded to a serious risk designation on the basis of consideration of the Pc uncertainty. The findings counsel the integration of the developed methods into NASA CA operations.

Is There a Conjunction Fallacy in Legal Probabilistic Decision Making?

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Bartosz W. Wojciechowski

2018-04-01

Full Text Available Classical probability theory (CPT has represented the rational standard for decision making in human cognition. Even though CPT has provided many descriptively excellent decision models, there have also been some empirical results persistently problematic for CPT accounts. The tension between the normative prescription of CPT and human behavior is particularly acute in cases where we have higher expectations for rational decisions. One such case concerns legal decision making from legal experts, such as attorneys and prosecutors and, more so, judges. In the present research we explore one of the most influential CPT decision fallacies, the conjunction fallacy (CF, in a legal decision making task, involving assessing evidence that the same suspect had committed two separate crimes. The information for the two crimes was presented consecutively. Each participant was asked to provide individual ratings for the two crimes in some cases and conjunctive probability rating for both crimes in other cases, after all information had been presented. Overall, 360 probability ratings for guilt were collected from 120 participants, comprised of 40 judges, 40 attorneys and prosecutors, and 40 individuals without legal education. Our results provide evidence for a double conjunction fallacy (in this case, a higher probability of committing both crimes than the probability of committing either crime individually, in the group of individuals without legal education. These results are discussed in terms of their applied implications and in relation to a recent framework for understanding such results, quantum probability theory (QPT.

Is There a Conjunction Fallacy in Legal Probabilistic Decision Making?

Science.gov (United States)

Wojciechowski, Bartosz W; Pothos, Emmanuel M

2018-01-01

Classical probability theory (CPT) has represented the rational standard for decision making in human cognition. Even though CPT has provided many descriptively excellent decision models, there have also been some empirical results persistently problematic for CPT accounts. The tension between the normative prescription of CPT and human behavior is particularly acute in cases where we have higher expectations for rational decisions. One such case concerns legal decision making from legal experts, such as attorneys and prosecutors and, more so, judges. In the present research we explore one of the most influential CPT decision fallacies, the conjunction fallacy (CF), in a legal decision making task, involving assessing evidence that the same suspect had committed two separate crimes. The information for the two crimes was presented consecutively. Each participant was asked to provide individual ratings for the two crimes in some cases and conjunctive probability rating for both crimes in other cases, after all information had been presented. Overall, 360 probability ratings for guilt were collected from 120 participants, comprised of 40 judges, 40 attorneys and prosecutors, and 40 individuals without legal education. Our results provide evidence for a double conjunction fallacy (in this case, a higher probability of committing both crimes than the probability of committing either crime individually), in the group of individuals without legal education. These results are discussed in terms of their applied implications and in relation to a recent framework for understanding such results, quantum probability theory (QPT).

Effect of Mandarin Orange Yogurt on Allergic Conjunctivitis Induced by Conjunctival Allergen Challenge.

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Hara, Yuko; Shiraishi, Atsushi; Sakane, Yuri; Takezawa, Yuki; Kamao, Tomoyuki; Ohashi, Yuichi; Yasunaga, Sho; Sugahara, Takuya

2017-06-01

To evaluate the effects of mandarin orange yogurt containing nobiletin and β-lactoglobulin on the allergic conjunctivitis induced by a conjunctival allergen challenge (CAC). Experiment 1 was performed on 26 asymptomatic patients (age, 25.3 ± 5.3 years) with proven seasonal allergic conjunctivitis due to cedar pollen. We compared the degree of conjunctivitis induced by CAC before and after ingesting mandarin orange yogurt for 2 weeks. Experiment 2 was a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial performed on 31 patients (age, 32.5 ± 12.2 years). A diet containing mandarin orange yogurt was compared to a diet containing yogurt lacking the mandarin orange on the conjunctivitis induced by CAC. The temperature of the inferior bulbar conjunctiva was measured before and 20 minutes after the CAC with an ocular surface thermographer (OST). The degree of conjunctival injection and chemosis was graded by slit-lamp biomicroscopy. The changes in the symptoms were evaluated by a questionnaire. In experiment 1, the scores of redness (3.07 ± 3.03 vs. 1.05 ± 1.70), chemosis (2.84 ± 2.27 vs. 0.81 ± 1.11), itching (4.34 ± 3.05 vs. 1.39 ± 2.12), and temperature (0.73 ± 0.42°C vs. 0.45 ± 0.43°C) were significantly lower (P yogurt for 2 weeks. In experiment 2, the scores of redness (1.03 ± 0.18 vs. 1.28 ± 0.52; P = 0.0156), itching (1.93 ± 1.92 vs. 2.82 ± 2.21; P = 0.0133), and surface temperature (0.54 ± 0.21°C vs. 0.31 ± 0.25°C; P yogurt group than in the control yogurt group. Mandarin orange yogurt can be an effective nutritional intervention for allergic conjunctivitis.

21 CFR 172.510 - Natural flavoring substances and natural substances used in conjunction with flavors.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 3 2010-04-01 2009-04-01 true Natural flavoring substances and natural substances used in conjunction with flavors. 172.510 Section 172.510 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION....510 Natural flavoring substances and natural substances used in conjunction with flavors. Natural...

[Outbreak of follicular conjunctivitis caused by adenovirus in a geriatric centre].

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Artieda, Juncal; Montes, Milagrosa; Vicente, Diego; Martínez, Consuelo; Piñeiro, Luis; Mendiola, Josune

2010-12-01

Adenovirus serotype 4a is a respiratory virus that occasionally causes conjunctivitis. This paper describes an outbreak of follicular conjunctivitis that occurred in a geriatric centre. Outbreak description and epidemiological research through a survey. For the microbiological study conjunctival swabs were collected using viral and bacterial transport media. Adenovirus was detected by real-time polymerase chain reaction. The serotype was determined by sequencing of a fragment of the hexon and E1 genes. In autumn 2008 an outbreak of follicular conjunctivitis caused by adenovirus serotype 4a was detected. Twenty three percent 23% (69/300) of residents and 5% (9/180) of workers in a geriatric centre in Gipuzkoa were affected. The clinical symptoms were of prolonged duration (11±5 days). The temporal association of the cases suggested transmission from person to person. The sanitary measures established (asepsis and frequent hand washing, cleaning and disinfection of objects and surfaces) were effective, interrupting the transmission of the disease within a short period of time. Rapid detection, identification of the causative agent and implementing appropriate control measures can significantly reduce the impact on both health and economic costs of these outbreaks. Copyright © 2009 Elsevier España, S.L. All rights reserved.

Wald Sequential Probability Ratio Test for Space Object Conjunction Assessment

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Carpenter, James R.; Markley, F Landis

2014-01-01

This paper shows how satellite owner/operators may use sequential estimates of collision probability, along with a prior assessment of the base risk of collision, in a compound hypothesis ratio test to inform decisions concerning collision risk mitigation maneuvers. The compound hypothesis test reduces to a simple probability ratio test, which appears to be a novel result. The test satisfies tolerances related to targeted false alarm and missed detection rates. This result is independent of the method one uses to compute the probability density that one integrates to compute collision probability. A well-established test case from the literature shows that this test yields acceptable results within the constraints of a typical operational conjunction assessment decision timeline. Another example illustrates the use of the test in a practical conjunction assessment scenario based on operations of the International Space Station.

Update and clinical utility of alcaftadine ophthalmic solution 0.25% in the treatment of allergic conjunctivitis

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Chigbu DI

2015-07-01

Full Text Available DeGaulle I Chigbu, Alissa M Coyne Pennsylvania College of Optometry Salus University, Elkins Park, PA, USA Abstract: Allergic disorders of the ocular surface are primarily characterized as IgE- and/or T-lymphocyte-mediated disorders that affect the cornea, conjunctiva, and eyelid. Approximately 40% of individuals in the developed countries have allergic conjunctivitis, and as such, it is the most common form of ocular allergy. Seasonal allergic conjunctivitis is the most prevalent type of allergic conjunctivitis that impacts the quality of life of patients. This article reviews the pharmacology, pharmacodynamics, pharmacokinetics, clinical trials, clinical efficacy, and safety of alcaftadine. Histamine and the pathological mechanism of ocular allergy will be briefly reviewed with the intent of providing a background for the detailed discussion on the clinical utility of alcaftadine in allergic conjunctivitis. The Medline PubMed, Elsevier Science Direct, and Google Scholar databases were used to search for evidence-based literature on histamine and immunopathological mechanism of allergic conjunctivitis, as well as on pharmacology, pharmacodynamics, pharmacokinetics, clinical trials, and clinical efficacy of alcaftadine. The treatment and management goals of allergic conjunctivitis are to prevent or minimize the inflammatory cascade associated with allergic response in the early stages of the pathological mechanism. It is of note that activation of histamine receptors on immune and nonimmune cells are associated with allergen-induced inflammation of the conjunctiva and its associated ocular allergic manifestations, including itching, edema, hyperemia, and tearing. Alcaftadine is an efficacious multiple action antiallergic therapeutic agent with inverse agonist activity on H1, H2, and H4 receptors, as well as anti-inflammatory and mast cell stabilizing effects that could provide therapeutic benefits to patients with allergic conjunctivitis

A Systematic Review on the Use of Psychosocial Interventions in Conjunction With Medications for the Treatment of Opioid Addiction.

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Dugosh, Karen; Abraham, Amanda; Seymour, Brittany; McLoyd, Keli; Chalk, Mady; Festinger, David

2016-01-01

Opioid use and overdose rates have risen to epidemic levels in the United States during the past decade. Fortunately, there are effective medications (ie, methadone, buprenorphine, and oral and injectable naltrexone) available for the treatment of opioid addiction. Each of these medications is approved for use in conjunction with psychosocial treatment; however, there is a dearth of empirical research on the optimal psychosocial interventions to use with these medications. In this systematic review, we outline and discuss the findings of 3 prominent prior reviews and 27 recent publications of empirical studies on this topic. The most widely studied psychosocial interventions examined in conjunction with medications for opioid addiction were contingency management and cognitive behavioral therapy, with the majority focusing on methadone treatment. The results generally support the efficacy of providing psychosocial interventions in combination with medications to treat opioid addictions, although the incremental utility varied across studies, outcomes, medications, and interventions. The review highlights significant gaps in the literature and provides areas for future research. Given the enormity of the current opioid problem in the United States, it is critical to gain a better understanding of the most effective ways to deliver psychosocial treatments in conjunction with these medications to improve the health and well-being of individuals suffering from opioid addiction.

Conjunction Errors in Recognition: Emergent Structure and Metacognitive Control

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Verde, Michael F.

2010-01-01

Pictures consisted of component halves from either the same photographic scene (SS) or different scenes (DS). SS pictures possessed the emergent property of forming a continuous scene. In Experiment 1, conjunction lures were created by rearranging halves from studied DS pictures into new DS or SS lures. Despite equally familiar components,…

Gonococcal Conjunctivitis Despite Successful Treatment of Male Urethritis Syndrome.

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Peters, Remco P H; Verweij, Stephan P; McIntyre, James A; Schaftenaar, Erik

2016-02-01

We report a case of progressive, cephalosporin-susceptible, Neisseria gonorrhoeae conjunctivitis despite successful treatment of male urethritis syndrome. We hypothesize that conjunctival infection progressed due to insufficient penetration of cefixime and azithromycin and point out that extragenital infection and male urethritis may not be cured simultaneously in settings where the syndromic approach is used.

A New Caching Technique to Support Conjunctive Queries in P2P DHT

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Kobatake, Koji; Tagashira, Shigeaki; Fujita, Satoshi

P2P DHT (Peer-to-Peer Distributed Hash Table) is one of typical techniques for realizing an efficient management of shared resources distributed over a network and a keyword search over such networks in a fully distributed manner. In this paper, we propose a new method for supporting conjunctive queries in P2P DHT. The basic idea of the proposed technique is to share a global information on past trials by conducting a local caching of search results for conjunctive queries and by registering the fact to the global DHT. Such a result caching is expected to significantly reduce the amount of transmitted data compared with conventional schemes. The effect of the proposed method is experimentally evaluated by simulation. The result of experiments indicates that by using the proposed method, the amount of returned data is reduced by 60% compared with conventional P2P DHT which does not support conjunctive queries.

Aspartame in conjunction with carbohydrate reduces insulin levels during endurance exercise

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Siegler Jason

2012-08-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background As most sport drinks contain some form of non-nutritive sweetener (e.g. aspartame, and with the variation in blood glucose regulation and insulin secretion reportedly associated with aspartame, a further understanding of the effects on insulin and blood glucose regulation during exercise is warranted. Therefore, the aim of this preliminary study was to profile the insulin and blood glucose responses in healthy individuals after aspartame and carbohydrate ingestion during rest and exercise. Findings Each participant completed four trials under the same conditions (45 min rest + 60 min self-paced intense exercise differing only in their fluid intake: 1 carbohydrate (2% maltodextrin and 5% sucrose (C; 2 0.04% aspartame with 2% maltodextrin and 5% sucrose (CA; 3 water (W; and 4 aspartame (0.04% aspartame with 2% maltodextrin (A. Insulin levels dropped significantly for CA versus C alone (43% between pre-exercise and 30 min, while W and A insulin levels did not differ between these time points. Conclusions Aspartame with carbohydrate significantly lowered insulin levels during exercise versus carbohydrate alone.

Covariance Based Pre-Filters and Screening Criteria for Conjunction Analysis

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George, E., Chan, K.

2012-09-01

Several relationships are developed relating object size, initial covariance and range at closest approach to probability of collision. These relationships address the following questions: - Given the objects' initial covariance and combined hard body size, what is the maximum possible value of the probability of collision (Pc)? - Given the objects' initial covariance, what is the maximum combined hard body radius for which the probability of collision does not exceed the tolerance limit? - Given the objects' initial covariance and the combined hard body radius, what is the minimum miss distance for which the probability of collision does not exceed the tolerance limit? - Given the objects' initial covariance and the miss distance, what is the maximum combined hard body radius for which the probability of collision does not exceed the tolerance limit? The first relationship above allows the elimination of object pairs from conjunction analysis (CA) on the basis of the initial covariance and hard-body sizes of the objects. The application of this pre-filter to present day catalogs with estimated covariance results in the elimination of approximately 35% of object pairs as unable to ever conjunct with a probability of collision exceeding 1x10-6. Because Pc is directly proportional to object size and inversely proportional to covariance size, this pre-filter will have a significantly larger impact on future catalogs, which are expected to contain a much larger fraction of small debris tracked only by a limited subset of available sensors. This relationship also provides a mathematically rigorous basis for eliminating objects from analysis entirely based on element set age or quality - a practice commonly done by rough rules of thumb today. Further, these relations can be used to determine the required geometric screening radius for all objects. This analysis reveals the screening volumes for small objects are much larger than needed, while the screening volumes for

Optimizing Reservoir-Stream-Aquifer Interactions for Conjunctive Use and Hydropower Production

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Hala Fayad

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Conjunctive management of water resources involves coordinating use of surface water and groundwater resources. Very few simulation/optimization (S-O models for stream-aquifer system management have included detailed interactions between groundwater, streams, and reservoir storage. This paper presents an S-O model doing that via artificial neural network simulators and genetic algorithm optimizer for multiobjective conjunctive water use problems. The model simultaneously addresses all significant flows including reservoir-stream-diversion-aquifer interactions in a more detailed manner than previous models. The model simultaneously maximizes total water provided and hydropower production. A penalty function implicitly poses constraints on state variables. The model effectively finds feasible optimal solutions and the Pareto optimum. Illustrated is application for planning water resource and minihydropower system development.

A measurement theory of illusory conjunctions.

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Prinzmetal, William; Ivry, Richard B; Beck, Diane; Shimizu, Naomi

2002-04-01

Illusory conjunctions refer to the incorrect perceptual combination of correctly perceived features, such as color and shape. Research on the phenomenon has been hampered by the lack of a measurement theory that accounts for guessing features, as well as the incorrect combination of correctly perceived features. Recently, several investigators have suggested using multinomial models as a tool for measuring feature integration. The authors examined the adequacy of these models in 2 experiments by testing whether model parameters reflect changes in stimulus factors. In a third experiment, confidence ratings were used as a tool for testing the model. Multinomial models accurately reflected both variations in stimulus factors and observers' trial-by-trial confidence ratings.

Storage of features, conjunctions and objects in visual working memory.

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Vogel, E K; Woodman, G F; Luck, S J

2001-02-01

Working memory can be divided into separate subsystems for verbal and visual information. Although the verbal system has been well characterized, the storage capacity of visual working memory has not yet been established for simple features or for conjunctions of features. The authors demonstrate that it is possible to retain information about only 3-4 colors or orientations in visual working memory at one time. Observers are also able to retain both the color and the orientation of 3-4 objects, indicating that visual working memory stores integrated objects rather than individual features. Indeed, objects defined by a conjunction of four features can be retained in working memory just as well as single-feature objects, allowing many individual features to be retained when distributed across a small number of objects. Thus, the capacity of visual working memory must be understood in terms of integrated objects rather than individual features.

Illusory conjunctions of pitch and duration in unfamiliar tone sequences.

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Thompson, W F; Hall, M D; Pressing, J

2001-02-01

In 3 experiments, the authors examined short-term memory for pitch and duration in unfamiliar tone sequences. Participants were presented a target sequence consisting of 2 tones (Experiment 1) or 7 tones (Experiments 2 and 3) and then a probe tone. Participants indicated whether the probe tone matched 1 of the target tones in both pitch and duration. Error rates were relatively low if the probe tone matched 1 of the target tones or if it differed from target tones in pitch, duration, or both. Error rates were remarkably high, however, if the probe tone combined the pitch of 1 target tone with the duration of a different target tone. The results suggest that illusory conjunctions of these dimensions frequently occur. A mathematical model is presented that accounts for the relative contribution of pitch errors, duration errors, and illusory conjunctions of pitch and duration.

The Conjunction Fallacy and the Many Meanings of "And"

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Hertwig, Ralph; Benz, Bjorn; Krauss, Stefan

2008-01-01

According to the conjunction rule, the probability of A "and" B cannot exceed the probability of either single event. This rule reads "and" in terms of the logical operator [inverted v], interpreting A and B as an intersection of two events. As linguists have long argued, in natural language "and" can convey a wide range of relationships between…

Conjunctive Management of Multi-Aquifer System for Saltwater Intrusion Mitigation

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Tsai, F. T. C.; Pham, H. V.

2015-12-01

Due to excessive groundwater withdrawals, many water wells in Baton Rouge, Louisiana experience undesirable chloride concentration because of saltwater intrusion. The study goal is to develop a conjunctive management framework that takes advantage of the Baton Rouge multi-aquifer system to mitigate saltwater intrusion. The conjunctive management framework utilizes several hydraulic control techniques to mitigate saltwater encroachment. These hydraulic control approaches include pumping well relocation, freshwater injection, saltwater scavenging, and their combinations. Specific objectives of the study are: (1) constructing scientific geologic architectures of the "800-foot" sand, the "1,000-foot" sand, the "1,200-foot" sand, the "1,500-foot" sand, the "1,700-foot" sand, and the "2,000-foot" sand, (2) developing scientific saltwater intrusion models for these sands. (3) using connector wells to draw native groundwater from one sand and inject to another sand to create hydraulic barriers to halt saltwater intrusion, (4) using scavenger wells or well couples to impede saltwater intrusion progress and reduce chloride concentration in pumping wells, and (5) reducing cones of depression by relocating and dispersing pumping wells to different sands. The study utilizes optimization techniques and newest LSU high performance computing (HPC) facilities to derive solutions. The conjunctive management framework serves as a scientific tool to assist policy makers to solve the urgent saltwater encroachment issue in the Baton Rouge area. The research results will help water companies as well as industries in East Baton Rouge Parish and neighboring parishes by reducing their saltwater intrusion threats, which in turn would sustain Capital Area economic development.

Conjunctive use of groundwater and surface water for irrigated agriculture: Risk aversion

Science.gov (United States)

Bredehoeft, John D.; Young, Richard A.

1983-01-01

In examining the South Platte system in Colorado where surface water and groundwater are used conjunctively for irrigation, we find the actual installed well capacity is approximately sufficient to irrigate the entire area. This would appear to be an overinvestment in well capacity. In this paper we examine to what extent groundwater is being developed as insurance against periods of low streamflow. Using a simulation model which couples the hydrology of a conjunctive stream aquifer system to a behavioral-economic model which incorporates farmer behavior in such a system, we have investigated the economics of an area patterned after a reach of the South Platte Valley in Colorado. The results suggest that under current economic conditions the most reasonable groundwater pumping capacity is a total capacity capable of irrigating the available acreage with groundwater. Installing sufficient well capacity to irrigate all available acreage has two benefits: (1) this capacity maximizes the expected net benefits and (2) this capacity also minimizes the variation in annual income: it reduces the variance to essentially zero. As pumping capacity is installed in a conjunctive use system, the value of flow forecasts is diminished. Poor forecasts are compensated for by pumping groundwater.

The Students' Error in Using Conjunction (Because, Since, As, in Case) in the Sentences

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Pangaribuan, Tagor; Haddina, Elisa; Manik, Sondang

2018-01-01

This research deals with the students' error in using conjunction (because, since, as, in case) in the sentences. Conjunction is very important for the learners to develop a skill in grammar. And grammar is the most important part of language for anyone. Should be first understood before being able to construct sentences, rules based on the…

Can attentional control settings be maintained for two color-location conjunctions? Evidence from an RSVP task.

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Irons, Jessica L; Remington, Roger W

2013-07-01

Previous investigations of the ability to maintain separate attentional control settings for different spatial locations have relied principally on a go/no-go spatial-cueing paradigm. The results have suggested that control of attention is accomplished only late in processing. However, the go/no-go task does not provide strong incentives to withhold attention from irrelevant color-location conjunctions. We used a modified version of the task in which failing to adopt multiple control settings would be detrimental to performance. Two RSVP streams of colored letters appeared to the left and right of fixation. Participants searched for targets that were a conjunction of color and location, so that the target color for one stream acted as a distractor when presented in the opposite stream. Distractors that did not match the target conjunctions nevertheless captured attention and interfered with performance. This was the case even when the target conjunctions were previewed early in the trial prior to the target (Exp. 2). However, distractor interference was reduced when the upcoming distractor was previewed early on in the trial (Exp. 3). Attentional selection of targets by color-location conjunctions may be effective if facilitative attentional sets are accompanied by the top-down inhibition of irrelevant items.

Treatment with galectin-1 eye drops regulates mast cell degranulation and attenuates the severity of conjunctivitis.

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Mello-Bosnic, Claudia; Gimenes, Alexandre Dantas; Oliani, Sonia Maria; Gil, Cristiane Damas

2018-05-31

Galectin-1 (Gal-1) is a β-galactoside-binding protein with diverse biological activities in the pathogenesis of inflammation, however the mechanisms by which Gal-1 modulates cellular responses in allergic inflammatory processes have not been fully determined. In this study, we evaluated the therapeutic potential of Gal-1 eye drops in an experimental model of conjunctivitis. Wistar rats received a topical application of compound (C)48/80 (100 mg/ml) into right eyes and a drop of vehicle into the contralateral eye. Another group of rats received Gal-1 (0.3 or 3 μg/eye) or sodium cromoglycate (SCG; 40 mg/ml) in both eyes and, after 15 min, right eye was challenged with C48/80. Conjunctivitis-induced by C48/80 was characterized by severe eyelid oedema and tearing, but clinical signs were ameliorated by eye drop doses of both Gal-1 (0.3/3 μg) and SCG. As expected, an increased proportion of degranulated mast cells (62%, P cell degranulation (31-36%), eosinophil migration and eosinophil peroxidase levels in the eyes. Gal-1 (3 μg) and SCG treatments also decreased IL-4 levels, as well as activation of mitogen activated protein kinases compared to untreated C48/80 eyes. Our findings suggest that Gal-1 eye drops represent a new therapeutic strategy for ocular allergic inflammation. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Event-related potentials and illusory conjunctions in the time domain

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Beatriz Gil-Gómez de Liaño

2008-01-01

Full Text Available (Rapid Serial Visual Presentation, RSVP can migrate forming a wrong combination or illusory conjunction. Several serial and parallel models have been proposed to explain the generation of this type of errors. The behavioral results fit better the two-stage parallel model than other serial and parallel models. However, they have not been studied the psychophysiological correlates that distinguish successful bindings from Illusory Conjunctions. The goal here is to collect electrophysiological records during this task to determine the degree to which they converge with the evidence from behavioral results. One RSVP task required to identify the only uppercase word in a stream of lowercase words at a rate of 12 items/sec. As in previous experiments, more intrusions from post-target items than from pre-target items were observed. The results from eventrelated potentials are also more supportive for the two-stage parallel model than for the serial or other parallel models, as reflected in the differential waves associated to correct and wrong combinations

Amphiphilic conjunct of methyl cellulose and well-defined polyvinyl acetate.

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Xiao, Congming; Xia, Cunping

2013-01-01

Tailor-made conjunct of methyl cellulose (MC) and polyvinyl acetate (PVAc) was synthesized through the combination of reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization and thiol-ene click reaction. MC was firstly transferred into unsaturated MC (UMC), and then covalently connected with well-defined PVAc obtained by RAFT polymerization of vinyl acetate. The structure of the conjunct polymer (MCV) was confirmed with Fourier transform infrared spectra (FTIR) and proton nuclear magnetic resonance ((1)H NMR). Well-defined MCV was amphiphilic and able to self-assemble into size controllable micelles, which was verified with transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and size distribution analysis. It was found that the mean diameters of the micelles in aqueous solution were 105.6, 96.0 and 75.9 nm when the number average molecular weights of PVAc segments of MCV were 49,300, 32,500 and 18,200, respectively. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Efficacy of topical application of 0.03% tacrolimus eye ointment in the management of allergic conjunctivitis.

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Hazarika, Ajit Kumar; Singh, Prodip Kumar

2015-08-01

Allergic conjunctivitis is commonly observed eye diseases in Sikkim, India due to the abundance of seasonal pollens, environmental pollutants, and house dust. We evaluated the efficacy of topical 0.03% tacrolimus eye ointment in the management of simple allergic conjunctivitis. A prospective observational study was designed consisting of 41 patients with refractory simple allergic conjunctivitis, whose condition responded very poorly to conventional anti-allergic eye drops (azelastine, olopatadine, chlorpheniramine maleate, sodium chromoglycate). Simple allergic conjunctivitis cases were diagnosed and followed up evaluating both subjective and objective findings (itching, photophobia, tearing, chemosis, conjunctival congestion, tarsal papilla, and eyelid edema). Existing ocular treatment was discontinued at enrolment and 0.03% tacrolimus ointment was applied into the conjunctival sac of the affected eyes twice daily for 4 weeks followed by a 2 weeks washout period. Patients were followed up at the end of 1(st) week, 4(th) week, and at 7(th) week (2 weeks washout period). Symptoms of simple allergic conjunctivitis (itching, tearing and photophobia) were significantly reduced at the end of 1(st) week. Signs such as conjunctival chemosis, congestion, tarsal papillae, and eyelid edema were effectively treated in all cases at the end of 1(st) week. At the end of 4(th) week, all cases were fully cured and none of the patient had any recurrences up to 7(th) week. Mean score at 1(st) day (9.6 ± 3.27) was significantly (P < 0.0001) reduced by 7(th) day (1.35 ± 1.19) of treatment. Topical application of tacrolimus ointment is an excellent alternative to anti-allergic and steroids eye drops for the treatment of simple allergic conjunctivitis as it significantly reduces recurrences.

Sensitivity and specificity of the AdenoPlus test for diagnosing adenoviral conjunctivitis.

Science.gov (United States)

Sambursky, Robert; Trattler, William; Tauber, Shachar; Starr, Christopher; Friedberg, Murray; Boland, Thomas; McDonald, Marguerite; DellaVecchia, Michael; Luchs, Jodi

2013-01-01

To compare the clinical sensitivity and specificity of the AdenoPlus test with those of both viral cell culture (CC) with confirmatory immunofluorescence assay (IFA) and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) at detecting the presence of adenovirus in tear fluid. A prospective, sequential, masked, multicenter clinical trial enrolled 128 patients presenting with a clinical diagnosis of acute viral conjunctivitis from a combination of 8 private ophthalmology practices and academic centers. Patients were tested with AdenoPlus, CC-IFA, and PCR to detect the presence of adenovirus. The sensitivity and specificity of AdenoPlus were assessed for identifying cases of adenoviral conjunctivitis. Of the 128 patients enrolled, 36 patients' results were found to be positive by either CC-IFA or PCR and 29 patients' results were found to be positive by both CC-IFA and PCR. When compared only with CC-IFA, AdenoPlus showed a sensitivity of 90% (28/31) and specificity of 96% (93/97). When compared only with PCR, AdenoPlus showed a sensitivity of 85% (29/34) and specificity of 98% (89/91). When compared with both CC-IFA and PCR, AdenoPlus showed a sensitivity of 93% (27/29) and specificity of 98% (88/90). When compared with PCR, CC-IFA showed a sensitivity of 85% (29/34) and specificity of 99% (90/91). AdenoPlus is sensitive and specific at detecting adenoviral conjunctivitis. An accurate and rapid in-office test can prevent the misdiagnosis of adenoviral conjunctivitis that leads to the spread of disease, unnecessary antibiotic use, and increased health care costs. Additionally, AdenoPlus may help a clinician make a more informed treatment decision regarding the use of novel therapeutics. clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT00921895.

Microspore culture of winter oilseed rape (Brassica napus L.) in conjunction with other in vitro technologies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cegielska-Taras, T.; Szala, L.; Bartkowiak-Broda, I.

2001-01-01

Microspore culture in conjunction with other technologies such as selection, mutagenesis and transformation has been used for the production of novel genotypes of Brassica napus L. for crop improvement. The example of in vitro selection of microspore - derived embryos includes: a) ploidy level, b) seed oil composition (for example: high level of erucic acid), c) genotypes with restorer gene for CMS-ogura system (by means of isozyme marker PGI-2 ), d) herbicide resistant forms. Efficiency of microspore mutagenesis has been tested by the treatment of freshly isolated microspores with UV and MNU. Direct delivery of foreign gene to the microspores (microprojectile bombardment) combined with the use of Agrobacterium tumefaciens to microspore derived embryos seems to be a promising way of oilseed rape transformation. (author)

Phase fluctuations model for EM wave propagation through solar scintillation at superior solar conjunction

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Xu, Guanjun; Song, Zhaohui

2017-04-01

Traveling solar wind disturbances have a significant influence on radio wave characteristics during the superior solar conjunction communication. This paper considers the impact of solar scintillation on phase fluctuations of electromagnetic (EM) wave propagation during the superior solar conjunction. Based on the Geometric Optics approximation, the close-form approximation model for phase fluctuations is developed. Both effects of anisotropic temporal variations function of plasma irregularities and their power spectrum are presented and analyzed numerically. It is found that phase fluctuations rapidly decrease with increasing Sun-Earth-Probe angle and decrease with increasing frequency at the rate of 1/f2. Moreover, the role of various features of the solar wind irregularities and their influence on the EM wave characteristic parameters is studied and discussed. Finally, we study the phase fluctuations of typical cases in order to better understand the impact of phase fluctuations in future deep space communication scenarios during solar conjunction periods.

A Powerful, Cost Effective, Web Based Engineering Solution Supporting Conjunction Detection and Visual Analysis

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Novak, Daniel M.; Biamonti, Davide; Gross, Jeremy; Milnes, Martin

2013-08-01

An innovative and visually appealing tool is presented for efficient all-vs-all conjunction analysis on a large catalogue of objects. The conjunction detection uses a nearest neighbour search algorithm, based on spatial binning and identification of pairs of objects in adjacent bins. This results in the fastest all vs all filtering the authors are aware of. The tool is constructed on a server-client architecture, where the server broadcasts to the client the conjunction data and ephemerides, while the client supports the user interface through a modern browser, without plug-in. In order to make the tool flexible and maintainable, Java software technologies were used on the server side, including Spring, Camel, ActiveMQ and CometD. The user interface and visualisation are based on the latest web technologies: HTML5, WebGL, THREE.js. Importance has been given on the ergonomics and visual appeal of the software. In fact certain design concepts have been borrowed from the gaming industry.

Human dorsolateral prefrontal cortex is involved in visual search for conjunctions but not features: a theta TMS study.

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Kalla, Roger; Muggleton, Neil G; Cowey, Alan; Walsh, Vincent

2009-10-01

Functional neuroimaging studies have shown that the detection of a target defined by more than one feature (for example, a conjunction of colour and orientation) amongst distractors is associated with the activation of a network of brain areas. Dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC), along with areas such as the frontal eye fields (FEF) and posterior parietal cortex (PPC), is a component of this network. While transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) had shown that both FEF and PPC are necessary for, and not just correlated with, successful conjunction search, this is not the case for DLPFC. To test the hypothesis that this area is also necessary for efficient conjunction search, TMS was applied over DLPFC and the effects on conjunction and feature (in this case colour) search performance compared with those when TMS was delivered over area MT/V5 and a vertex control stimulation condition. DLPFC TMS impaired performance on the conjunction search task but was without effect on feature search, similar to findings when TMS is delivered over PPC or FEF. Vertex TMS had no effects whereas MT/V5 TMS significantly improved performance with a time course that may indicate that this was due to modulation of V4 activity. These findings illustrate that, like FEF and PPC, DLPFC is necessary for fully effective conjunction visual search performance.

“Natural coordination” and the origin of the Lithuanian conjunction beĩ ‘and’.

OpenAIRE

Norbert Ostrowski

2018-01-01

Productivity of the Lithuanian conjunction beĩ ‘and’, marker of so called „natural coordination”, is strictly connected to the area of Lithuania Minor (former East Prussia). Lithuanian beĩ comes from conflation of the common Baltic conjunction bè ‘and’ and an additive particle ir ‘also’. The conflated form *beir has been further reduced to beĩ in accordance with Lithuanian phonotactic rules that do not tolerate group VRR (V = Vocal, R = Resonant). There are some traces that suggest that Lithu...

21 CFR 582.30 - Natural substances used in conjunction with spices and other natural seasonings and flavorings.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 6 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Natural substances used in conjunction with spices... with spices and other natural seasonings and flavorings. Natural substances used in conjunction with spices and other natural seasonings and flavorings that are generally recognized as safe for their...

The Development of Conjunction Use in Advanced L2 Speech

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Jaroszek, Marcin

2011-01-01

The article discusses the results of a longitudinal study of how the use of conjunctions, as an aspect of spoken discourse competence of 13 selected advanced students of English, developed throughout their 3-year English as a foreign language (EFL) tertiary education. The analysis was carried out in relation to a number of variables, including 2…

Allergic conjunctivitis and dry eye syndrome.

Science.gov (United States)

Hom, Milton M; Nguyen, Andrew L; Bielory, Leonard

2012-03-01

Allergic conjunctivitis (AC) and dry eye syndrome (DES) are 2 of the most common anterior inflammatory disorders of the ocular surface and one does not preclude the coexistence of the other. To examine the potential overlap between AC and DES as comorbidities. Using the validated questionnaire known as Subjective Evaluation of Symptom of Dryness, we studied self-reported itchiness, dryness, and redness. In an outpatient optometric setting, 689 patients treated from January 1, 2007, to January 1, 2011, were surveyed for their ocular history and categorized according to their reported level of discomfort of itchiness, dryness, and redness. Patients ranged in age from 5 to 90 years (median age, 25 years; 39.5% male; 60.5% female). In the studied 689 patients, clinically significant itchiness was found in 194 (28.2%), dry eyes in 247 (35.8%), and redness in 194 (28.2%). Symptom overlap was demonstrated in many of the patients. Of the 194 patients with itchiness, 112 (57.7%) had clinically significant dryness. In the 247 patients with dry eyes, 112 (45.3%) had clinically significant itch. Redness was apparent in 120 of the 194 patients with itch (61.9%) and 122 of the 247 patients with dryness (49.4%). Statistical analysis demonstrated that self-reported itchiness, dryness, and redness were not independent of each other (Peyes" also experiencing dry eyes were 2.11 times and the odds of these patients also experiencing redness were 7.34 times that of patients with nonitchy eyes. Most patients with "itchy eyes" consistent with AC also have dry eyes and redness. These results suggest that some symptomatic patients concomitantly have features of AC and DES. Copyright © 2012 American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The Language of the Internet – The Use of Concessive Conjunctions in Blogs by Companies Providing Private Tuition

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Jindřiška Kraťkova

2017-05-01

Full Text Available Concessions are said to be a key aspect of English semantics because concessive constructions create a place for contrast, i.e. contradicting relations. Several studies have been carried out on this topic (i.e. on the positioning of conjunctions, linguistic interference, etc.. The aim of this paper is to focus on the frequency of use of the most common concessive conjunctions in Internet discussions with native speakers who give private tuition. The focus is primarily on the main, most commonly used concessive conjunctions in tutoring blogs.

Paranormal belief and errors of probabilistic reasoning: The role of constituent conditional relatedness in believers' susceptibility to the conjunction fallacy.

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Rogers, Paul; Fisk, John E; Lowrie, Emma

2017-11-01

The present study examines the extent to which stronger belief in either extrasensory perception, psychokinesis or life-after-death is associated with a proneness to making conjunction errors (CEs). One hundred and sixty members of the UK public read eight hypothetical scenarios and for each estimated the likelihood that two constituent events alone plus their conjunction would occur. The impact of paranormal belief plus constituents' conditional relatedness type, estimates of the subjectively less likely and more likely constituents plus relevant interaction terms tested via three Generalized Linear Mixed Models. General qualification levels were controlled for. As expected, stronger PK beliefs and depiction of a positively conditionally related (verses conditionally unrelated) constituent pairs predicted higher CE generation. ESP and LAD beliefs had no impact with, surprisingly, higher estimates of the less likely constituent predicting fewer - not more - CEs. Theoretical implications, methodological issues and ideas for future research are discussed. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Linear Look-ahead in Conjunctive Cells: An Entorhinal Mechanism for Vector-Based Navigation

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John L Kubie

2012-04-01

Full Text Available The crisp organization of the firing bumps of entorhinal grid cells and conjunctive cells leads to the notion that the entorhinal cortex may compute linear navigation routes. Specifically, we propose a process, termed linear look-ahead, by which a stationary animal could compute a series of locations in the direction it is facing. We speculate that this computation could be achieved through learned patterns of connection strengths among entorhinal neurons. This paper has three sections. First, we describe the minimal grid cell properties that will be built into our network. Specifically, the network relies of rigid modules of neurons, where all members have identical grid scale and orientation, but differ in spatial phase. Additionally, these neurons must be densely interconnected with synapses that are modifiable early in the animal’s life. Second, we investigate whether plasticity during short bouts of locomotion could induce patterns of connections amongst grid cells or conjunctive cells. Finally, we run a simulation to test whether the learned connection patterns can exhibit linear look-ahead. Our results are straightforward. A simulated 30-minute walk produces weak strengthening of synapses between grid cells that do not support linear look-ahead. Similar training in a conjunctive-cell module produces a small subset of very strong connections between cells. These strong pairs have three properties: The pre- and post-synaptic cells have similar heading direction. The cell pairs have neighboring grid bumps. Finally, the spatial offset of firing bumps of the cell pair is in the direction of the common heading preference. Such a module can produce strong and accurate linear look ahead starting in any location and extending in any direction. We speculate that this process may: 1. compute linear paths to goals; 2. update grid cell firing during navigation; and 3. stabilize the rigid modules of grid cells and conjunctive cells.

Rapid synthesis of polyprenylated acylphloroglucinol analogs via dearomative conjunctive allylic annulation.

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Grenning, Alexander J; Boyce, Jonathan H; Porco, John A

2014-08-20

Polyprenylated acylphloroglucinols (PPAPs) are structurally complex natural products with promising biological activities. Herein, we present a biosynthesis-inspired, diversity-oriented synthesis approach for rapid construction of PPAP analogs via double decarboxylative allylation (DcA) of acylphloroglucinol scaffolds to access allyl-desoxyhumulones followed by dearomative conjunctive allylic alkylation (DCAA).

Magnetotherapy in the treatment of viral conjunctivitis and keratitis.

Science.gov (United States)

Pasek, Jarosław; Pasek, Tomasz; Herba, Ewa; Misiak, Anna; Sieroń-Stołtny, Karolina; Sieroń, Aleksander

2008-01-01

Ocular infections are one of the most frequent causes of ailments among the patients coming to ophthalmologic offices. This article presents one of the physical medicine's methods--magnetotherapy--which uses the alternating low frequency magnetic fields in the therapy of viral conjunctivitis and keratitis in a 49-year-old female patient. Basing on the obtained results it was stated that this method broadens the treatment possibilities becoming a precious supplement and support treatment method in ophthalmology.

Allergic conjunctivitis in Asia.

Science.gov (United States)

Thong, Bernard Yu-Hor

2017-04-01

Allergic conjunctivitis (AC), which may be acute or chronic, is associated with rhinitis in 30%-70% of affected individuals, hence the term allergic rhinoconjunctivitis (AR/C). Seasonal and perennial AC is generally milder than the more chronic and persistent atopic and vernal keratoconjunctivitis. Natural allergens like house dust mites (HDM), temperate and subtropical grass and tree pollen are important triggers that drive allergic inflammation in AC in the Asia-Pacific region. Climate change, environmental tobacco smoke, pollutants derived from fuel combustion, Asian dust storms originating from central/north Asia and phthalates may also exacerbate AR/C. The Allergies in Asia Pacific study and International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood provide epidemiological data on regional differences in AR/C within the region. AC significantly impacts the quality of life of both children and adults, and these can be measured by validated quality of life questionnaires on AR/C. Management guidelines for AC involve a stepped approach depending on the severity of disease, similar to that for allergic rhinitis and asthma. Topical calcineurin inhibitors are effective in certain types of persistent AC, and sublingual immunotherapy is emerging as an effective treatment option in AR/C to grass pollen and HDM. Translational research predominantly from Japan and Korea involving animal models are important for the potential development of targeted pharmacotherapies for AC.

Cognitive Mapping Based on Conjunctive Representations of Space and Movement

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Taiping Zeng

2017-11-01

Full Text Available It is a challenge to build robust simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM system in dynamical large-scale environments. Inspired by recent findings in the entorhinal–hippocampal neuronal circuits, we propose a cognitive mapping model that includes continuous attractor networks of head-direction cells and conjunctive grid cells to integrate velocity information by conjunctive encodings of space and movement. Visual inputs from the local view cells in the model provide feedback cues to correct drifting errors of the attractors caused by the noisy velocity inputs. We demonstrate the mapping performance of the proposed cognitive mapping model on an open-source dataset of 66 km car journey in a 3 km × 1.6 km urban area. Experimental results show that the proposed model is robust in building a coherent semi-metric topological map of the entire urban area using a monocular camera, even though the image inputs contain various changes caused by different light conditions and terrains. The results in this study could inspire both neuroscience and robotic research to better understand the neural computational mechanisms of spatial cognition and to build robust robotic navigation systems in large-scale environments.

Effect of rasanjana madhu ashchyotana in netra abhishyanda (mucopurulent conjunctivitis).

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Bhardwaj, Atul; Tanwar, Manoj

2011-07-01

To evaluate the comparative efficacy of Ayurvedic formulation a Rasanjana Madhu (RM) eye drops and Honey Rose (HR) water eye drops in Netra Abhishyanda in mucopurulent conjunctivitis, the current study is planned. Total of 35 patients attending the outpatient department of Shalakya Tantra at R. G. G. Postgraduate Ayurvedic College, Paprola, Distt. Kangra, Himachal Pradesh with characteristic features of Netra Abhishyanda were selected for the present study. Twenty patients were given trial drug, i.e., RM eye drops, while 15 patients were given HR eye drops. Random sampling technique was adopted for the present study. The duration of the treatment was 7 days with 1 week follow-up. Patients receiving the trial group demonstrated reduction of redness, burning sensation, lacrimation, photophobia, foreign body sensation, discharge, and congestion, which were statistically significant with 93% patients cured or markedly improved category. Signs and symptoms stated above were also statistically reduced with HR eye drops, probably because of well-documented hygroscopic and bacteriocidal properties of honey. Based on the study, it can be concluded that, RM eye drops are very effective in the management of Netra Abhishyanda viz. Infective conjunctivitis.

Coordination and Interpretation of Vocal and Visible Resources: "Trail-Off" Conjunctions

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Walker, Gareth

2012-01-01

The empirical focus of this paper is a conversational turn-taking phenomenon in which conjunctions produced immediately after a point of possible syntactic and pragmatic completion are treated by co-participants as points of possible completion and transition relevance. The data for this study are audio-video recordings of 5 unscripted…

Association Between Using Smartphone Dating Applications and Alcohol and Recreational Drug Use in Conjunction With Sexual Activities in College Students.

Science.gov (United States)

Choi, Edmond P H; Wong, Janet Y H; Lo, Herman H M; Wong, Wendy; Chio, Jasmine H M; Fong, Daniel Y T

2017-03-21

The association between using smartphone dating applications (apps) and substance use in conjunction with sexual activities was only examined in homosexual men. This association was poorly understood in heterosexual samples. To explore the association between using dating apps and alcohol, and use of recreational drug in conjunction with sexual activities in college students. 666 students from four universities in Hong Kong were recruited in this cross-sectional study in the year 2015. Outcome measures included the use of dating apps, sexual history, and drug and alcohol use. Multivariable logistic regressions were employed. The use of dating apps for more than 1 year was found to be associated with recreational drug use in conjunction with sexual activities (adjusted odds ratio: 7.23). Other risk factors of recreational drug use in conjunction with sexual activities included being bisexual/homosexual male, a smoker, and having one's first sexual intercourse at the age of less than 16 years. The use of dating apps was not a risk factor for alcohol consumption in conjunction with sexual activities. Risk factors for alcohol consumption in conjunction with sexual activities included being older, having monthly income more than HKD5,000, and a smoker. Furthermore, risk factors for alcohol consumption in conjunction with the last sexual activity included currently being in a dating relationship, a smoker, and having sex with a casual partner. Using dating apps is an emerging risk factor of drug misuse. Interventions for practising safe sex and preventing drug use should be targeted at dating app users.

Illusory conjunctions in visual short-term memory: Individual differences in corpus callosum connectivity and splitting attention between the two hemifields.

Science.gov (United States)

Qin, Shuo; Ray, Nicholas R; Ramakrishnan, Nithya; Nashiro, Kaoru; O'Connell, Margaret A; Basak, Chandramallika

2016-11-01

Overloading the capacity of visual attention can result in mistakenly combining the various features of an object, that is, illusory conjunctions. We hypothesize that if the two hemispheres separately process visual information by splitting attention, connectivity of corpus callosum-a brain structure integrating the two hemispheres-would predict the degree of illusory conjunctions. In the current study, we assessed two types of illusory conjunctions using a memory-scanning paradigm; the features were either presented across the two opposite hemifields or within the same hemifield. Four objects, each with two visual features, were briefly presented together followed by a probe-recognition and a confidence rating for the recognition accuracy. MRI scans were also obtained. Results indicated that successful recollection during probe recognition was better for across hemifields conjunctions compared to within hemifield conjunctions, lending support to the bilateral advantage of the two hemispheres in visual short-term memory. Age-related differences regarding the underlying mechanisms of the bilateral advantage indicated greater reliance on recollection-based processing in young and on familiarity-based processing in old. Moreover, the integrity of the posterior corpus callosum was more predictive of opposite hemifield illusory conjunctions compared to within hemifield illusory conjunctions, even after controlling for age. That is, individuals with lesser posterior corpus callosum connectivity had better recognition for objects when their features were recombined from the opposite hemifields than from the same hemifield. This study is the first to investigate the role of the corpus callosum in splitting attention between versus within hemifields. © 2016 Society for Psychophysiological Research.

Featural Guidance in Conjunction Search: The Contrast between Orientation and Color

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Anderson, Giles M.; Heinke, Dietmar; Humphreys, Glyn W.

2010-01-01

Four experiments examined the effects of precues on visual search for targets defined by a color-orientation conjunction. Experiment 1 showed that cueing the identity of targets enhanced the efficiency of search. Cueing effects were stronger with color than with orientation cues, but this advantage was additive across array size. Experiment 2…

About the composition of self-relevance: Conjunctions not features are bound to the self.

Science.gov (United States)

Schäfer, Sarah; Frings, Christian; Wentura, Dirk

2016-06-01

Sui and colleagues (Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Perception and Performance, 38, 1105-1117, 2012) introduced a matching paradigm to investigate prioritized processing of instructed self-relevance. They arbitrarily assigned simple geometric shapes to the participant and two other persons. Subsequently, the task was to judge whether label-shape pairings matched or not. The authors found a remarkable self-prioritization effect, that is, for matching self-related trials verification was very fast and accurate in comparison to the non-matching conditions. We analyzed whether single features or feature conjunctions are tagged to the self. In particular, we assigned colored shapes to the labels and included partial-matching trials (i.e., trials in which only one feature matched the label, whereas the other feature did not match the label). If single features are tagged to the self, partial matches would result in interference, whereas they should elicit the same data pattern as non-matching trials if only feature conjunctions are tagged to the self. Our data suggest the latter; only feature conjunctions are tagged to the self and are processed in a prioritized manner. This result emphasizes the functionality of self-relevance as a selection mechanism.

Graves’ Ophthalmopathy Misdiagnosed as Relapsing Conjunctivitis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Irini P. Chatziralli

2010-09-01

Full Text Available A 59-year-old female patient presented at the outpatients’ Department of Ophthalmology with epiphora, eyelid swelling, and a foreign body feeling in the right eye. The symptoms were present for 4 months, and the patient was treated as suffering from relapsing conjunctivitis. The slit lamp examination revealed keratitis due to exposure, related with the deficient closure of the eyelids. There was a 2 mm difference in the readings with the Hertel exophthalmometry examination between the eyes. Her medical history was clear, and she was referred for computed tomography of the orbits and brain and biochemical examinations (FT3, FT4, and TSH to investigate the presence of an intraorbital mass. FT3 was significantly increased and TSH was accordingly low, indicating the diagnosis of Graves’ disease, which presented without other signs and symptoms apart from ophthalmopathy. Computed tomography scan excluded the diagnosis of an intraorbital mass. Therefore, it is important not to underestimate the ocular manifestations of systemic diseases.

Trades Between Opposition and Conjunction Class Trajectories for Early Human Missions to Mars

Science.gov (United States)

Mattfeld, Bryan; Stromgren, Chel; Shyface, Hilary; Komar, David R.; Cirillo, William; Goodliff, Kandyce

2014-01-01

Candidate human missions to Mars, including NASA's Design Reference Architecture 5.0, have focused on conjunction-class missions with long crewed durations and minimum energy trajectories to reduce total propellant requirements and total launch mass. However, in order to progressively reduce risk and gain experience in interplanetary mission operations, it may be desirable that initial human missions to Mars, whether to the surface or to Mars orbit, have shorter total crewed durations and minimal stay times at the destination. Opposition-class missions require larger total energy requirements relative to conjunction-class missions but offer the potential for much shorter mission durations, potentially reducing risk and overall systems performance requirements. This paper will present a detailed comparison of conjunction-class and opposition-class human missions to Mars vicinity with a focus on how such missions could be integrated into the initial phases of a Mars exploration campaign. The paper will present the results of a trade study that integrates trajectory/propellant analysis, element design, logistics and sparing analysis, and risk assessment to produce a comprehensive comparison of opposition and conjunction exploration mission constructs. Included in the trade study is an assessment of the risk to the crew and the trade offs between the mission duration and element, logistics, and spares mass. The analysis of the mission trade space was conducted using four simulation and analysis tools developed by NASA. Trajectory analyses for Mars destination missions were conducted using VISITOR (Versatile ImpulSive Interplanetary Trajectory OptimizeR), an in-house tool developed by NASA Langley Research Center. Architecture elements were evaluated using EXploration Architecture Model for IN-space and Earth-to-orbit (EXAMINE), a parametric modeling tool that generates exploration architectures through an integrated systems model. Logistics analysis was conducted using

Implementation of trastuzumab in conjunction with adjuvant chemotherapy in the treatment of non-metastatic breast cancer in the Netherlands

NARCIS (Netherlands)

de Munck, L.; Schaapveld, M.; Siesling, S.; Wesseling, J.; Voogd, A. C.; Tjan-Heijnen, V. C. G.; Otter, R.; Willemse, P. H. B.

Trastuzumab in conjunction with adjuvant chemotherapy markedly improves outcome. In the Netherlands, a national guideline was released in September 2005 stating that trastuzumab should be given in conjunction with adjuvant chemotherapy in women with HER2-positive breast cancer. Aim of this study was

Implementation of trastuzumab in conjunction with adjuvant chemotherapy in the treatment of non-metastatic breast cancer in the Netherlands

NARCIS (Netherlands)

de Munck, L.; Schaapveld, M.; Siesling, Sabine; Wessling, J.; Voogd, A.C.; Tjan-Heijnen, V.C.G.; Otter, R.; Willemse, P.H.B.

2011-01-01

Trastuzumab in conjunction with adjuvant chemotherapy markedly improves outcome. In the Netherlands, a national guideline was released in September 2005 stating that trastuzumab should be given in conjunction with adjuvant chemotherapy in women with HER2-positive breast cancer. Aim of this study was

Optic Nerve Injury in a Patient with Chronic Allergic Conjunctivitis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ribhi Hazin

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Manipulation of the optic nerve can lead to irreversible vision changes. We present a patient with a past medical history of skin allergy and allergic conjunctivitis (AC who presented with insidious unexplained unilateral vision loss. Physical exam revealed significant blepharospasm, mild lid edema, bulbar conjunctival hyperemia, afferent pupillary defect, and slight papillary hypertrophy. Slit lamp examination demonstrated superior and inferior conjunctival scarring as well as superior corneal scarring but no signs of external trauma or neurological damage were noted. Conjunctival cultures and cytologic evaluation demonstrated significant eosinophilic infiltration. Subsequent ophthalmoscopic examination revealed optic nerve atrophy. Upon further questioning, the patient admitted to vigorous itching of the affected eye for many months. Given the presenting symptoms, history, and negative ophthalmological workup, it was determined that the optic nerve atrophy was likely secondary to digital pressure from vigorous itching. Although AC can be a significant source of decreased vision via corneal ulceration, no reported cases have ever described AC-induced vision loss of this degree from vigorous itching and chronic pressure leading to optic nerve damage. Despite being self-limiting in nature, allergic conjunctivitis should be properly managed as extreme cases can result in mechanical compression of the optic nerve and compromise vision.

Grade 12 Students' Conceptual Understanding and Mental Models of Galvanic Cells before and after Learning by Using Small-Scale Experiments in Conjunction with a Model Kit

Science.gov (United States)

Supasorn, Saksri

2015-01-01

This study aimed to develop the small-scale experiments involving electrochemistry and the galvanic cell model kit featuring the sub-microscopic level. The small-scale experiments in conjunction with the model kit were implemented based on the 5E inquiry learning approach to enhance students' conceptual understanding of electrochemistry. The…

Possible Mechanism of Action of the Antiallergic Effect of an Aqueous Extract of Heliotropium indicum L. in Ovalbumin-Induced Allergic Conjunctivitis

OpenAIRE

Samuel Kyei; George Asumeng Koffuor; Paul Ramkissoon; Samuel Abokyi; Osei Owusu-Afriyie; Eric Addo Wiredu

2015-01-01

Heliotropium indicum is used traditionally as a remedy for conjunctivitis in Ghana. This study therefore evaluated the antiallergic potential of an aqueous whole plant extract of Heliotropium indicum (HIE) in ovalbumin-induced allergic conjunctivitis and attempted to predict its mode of action. Clinical scores for allergic conjunctivitis induced by intraperitoneal ovalbumin sensitization (100?:?10??g OVA/Al(OH)3 in phosphate-buffered saline [PBS]) and topical conjunctival challenge (1.5?mg OV...

Estimating Household Travel Energy Consumption in Conjunction with a Travel Demand Forecasting Model

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Garikapati, Venu M. [Systems Analysis and Integration Section, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, 15013 Denver West Parkway, Golden, CO 80401; You, Daehyun [Maricopa Association of Governments, 302 North First Avenue, Suite 300, Phoenix, AZ 85003; Zhang, Wenwen [School of City and Regional Planning, Center for Geographic Information Systems, Georgia Institute of Technology, 760 Spring Street, Suite 230, Atlanta, GA 30308; Pendyala, Ram M. [School of Sustainable Engineering and the Built Environment, Arizona State University, 660 South College Avenue, Tempe, AZ 85281; Guhathakurta, Subhrajit [School of City and Regional Planning, Center for Geographic Information Systems, Georgia Institute of Technology, 760 Spring Street, Suite 230, Atlanta, GA 30308; Brown, Marilyn A. [School of Public Policy, 685 Cherry Street, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332; Dilkina, Bistra [School of Computational Science and Engineering, 266 Ferst Drive, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332

2017-01-01

This paper presents a methodology for the calculation of the consumption of household travel energy at the level of the traffic analysis zone (TAZ) in conjunction with information that is readily available from a standard four-step travel demand model system. This methodology embeds two algorithms. The first provides a means of allocating non-home-based trips to residential zones that are the source of such trips, whereas the second provides a mechanism for incorporating the effects of household vehicle fleet composition on fuel consumption. The methodology is applied to the greater Atlanta, Georgia, metropolitan region in the United States and is found to offer a robust mechanism for calculating the footprint of household travel energy at the level of the individual TAZ; this mechanism makes possible the study of variations in the energy footprint across space. The travel energy footprint is strongly correlated with the density of the built environment, although socioeconomic differences across TAZs also likely contribute to differences in travel energy footprints. The TAZ-level calculator of the footprint of household travel energy can be used to analyze alternative futures and relate differences in the energy footprint to differences in a number of contributing factors and thus enables the design of urban form, formulation of policy interventions, and implementation of awareness campaigns that may produce more-sustainable patterns of energy consumption.

Internal versus external features in triggering the brain waveforms for conjunction and feature faces in recognition.

Science.gov (United States)

Nie, Aiqing; Jiang, Jingguo; Fu, Qiao

2014-08-20

Previous research has found that conjunction faces (whose internal features, e.g. eyes, nose, and mouth, and external features, e.g. hairstyle and ears, are from separate studied faces) and feature faces (partial features of these are studied) can produce higher false alarms than both old and new faces (i.e. those that are exactly the same as the studied faces and those that have not been previously presented) in recognition. The event-related potentials (ERPs) that relate to conjunction and feature faces at recognition, however, have not been described as yet; in addition, the contributions of different facial features toward ERPs have not been differentiated. To address these issues, the present study compared the ERPs elicited by old faces, conjunction faces (the internal and the external features were from two studied faces), old internal feature faces (whose internal features were studied), and old external feature faces (whose external features were studied) with those of new faces separately. The results showed that old faces not only elicited an early familiarity-related FN400, but a more anterior distributed late old/new effect that reflected recollection. Conjunction faces evoked similar late brain waveforms as old internal feature faces, but not to old external feature faces. These results suggest that, at recognition, old faces hold higher familiarity than compound faces in the profiles of ERPs and internal facial features are more crucial than external ones in triggering the brain waveforms that are characterized as reflecting the result of familiarity.

Acute infective conjunctivitis in primary care: who needs antibiotics? An individual patient data meta-analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Jefferis, Joanna; Perera, Rafael; Everitt, Hazel; van Weert, Henk; Rietveld, Remco; Glasziou, Paul; Rose, Peter

2011-01-01

Background Acute infective conjunctivitis is a common problem in primary care, traditionally managed with topical antibiotics. A number of clinical trials have questioned the benefit of topical antibiotics for patients with acute infective conjunctivitis Aim To determine the benefit of antibiotics for the treatment of acute infective conjunctivitis in primary care and which subgroups benefit most Design An individual patient data meta-analysis Method Relevant trials were identified and individual patient data gathered for meta-analysis and subgroup analysis Results Three eligible trials were identified. Individual patient data were available from all primary care trials and data were available for analysis in 622 patients. Eighty per cent (246/308) of patients who received antibiotics and 74% (233/314) of controls were cured at day 7. There was a significant benefit of antibiotics versus control for cure at seven days in all cases combined (risk difference 0.08, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.01 to 0.14). Subgroups that showed a significant benefit from antibiotics were patients with purulent discharge (risk difference 0.09, 95% CI = 0.01 to 0.17) and patients with mild severity of red eye (risk difference 0.10, 95% CI = 0.02 to 0.18), while the type of control used (placebo drops versus nothing) showed a statistically significant interaction (P=0.03) Conclusion Acute conjunctivitis seen in primary care can be thought of as a self-limiting condition, with most patients getting better regardless of antibiotic therapy. Patients with purulent discharge or a mild severity of red eye may have a small benefit from antibiotics. Prescribing practices need to be updated, taking into account these results PMID:22152728

More than meets the eye: the role of language in binding and maintaining feature conjunctions.

Science.gov (United States)

Dessalegn, Banchiamlack; Landau, Barbara

2008-02-01

We investigated the effects of language on vision by focusing on a well-known problem: the binding and maintenance of color-location conjunctions. Four-year-olds performed a task in which they saw a target (e.g., a split square, red on the left and green on the right) followed by a brief delay and then were asked to find the target in an array including the target, its reflection (e.g., red on the right and green on the left), and a square with a different geometric split. Errors were overwhelmingly reflections. This finding shows that the children failed to maintain color-location conjunctions. Performance improved when targets were accompanied by sentences specifying color and direction (e.g., "the red is on the left"), but not when the conjunction was highlighted using a nonlinguistic cue (e.g., flashing, pointing, changes in size), nor when sentences specified a nondirectional relationship (e.g., "the red is touching the green"). The relation between children's matching performance and their long-term knowledge of directional terms suggests two distinct mechanisms by which language can temporarily bridge delays, providing more stable representations.

Hybrid-optimization algorithm for the management of a conjunctive-use project and well field design

Science.gov (United States)

Chiu, Yung-Chia; Nishikawa, Tracy; Martin, Peter

2012-01-01

Hi-Desert Water District (HDWD), the primary water-management agency in the Warren Groundwater Basin, California, plans to construct a waste water treatment plant to reduce future septic-tank effluent from reaching the groundwater system. The treated waste water will be reclaimed by recharging the groundwater basin via recharge ponds as part of a larger conjunctive-use strategy. HDWD wishes to identify the least-cost conjunctiveuse strategies for managing imported surface water, reclaimed water, and local groundwater. As formulated, the mixed-integer nonlinear programming (MINLP) groundwater-management problem seeks to minimize water delivery costs subject to constraints including potential locations of the new pumping wells, California State regulations, groundwater-level constraints, water-supply demand, available imported water, and pump/recharge capacities. In this study, a hybrid-optimization algorithm, which couples a genetic algorithm and successive-linear programming, is developed to solve the MINLP problem. The algorithm was tested by comparing results to the enumerative solution for a simplified version of the HDWD groundwater-management problem. The results indicate that the hybrid-optimization algorithm can identify the global optimum. The hybrid-optimization algorithm is then applied to solve a complex groundwater-management problem. Sensitivity analyses were also performed to assess the impact of varying the new recharge pond orientation, varying the mixing ratio of reclaimed water and pumped water, and varying the amount of imported water available. The developed conjunctive management model can provide HDWD water managers with information that will improve their ability to manage their surface water, reclaimed water, and groundwater resources.

Cognitive and neuropsychological underpinnings of relational and conjunctive working memory binding across age

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Geldorp, B. van; Parra, M.A.; Kessels, R.P.C.

2015-01-01

The ability to form associations (i.e., binding) is critical for memory formation. Recent studies suggest that aging specifically affects relational binding (associating separate features) but not conjunctive binding (integrating features within an object). Possibly, this dissociation may be driven

Deficits in visual search for conjunctions of motion and form after parietal damage but with spared hMT+/V5.

Science.gov (United States)

Dent, Kevin; Lestou, Vaia; Humphreys, Glyn W

2010-02-01

It has been argued that area hMT+/V5 in humans acts as a motion filter, enabling targets defined by a conjunction of motion and form to be efficiently selected. We present data indicating that (a) damage to parietal cortex leads to a selective problem in processing motion-form conjunctions, and (b) that the presence of a structurally and functional intact hMT+/V5 is not sufficient for efficient search for motion-form conjunctions. We suggest that, in addition to motion-processing areas (e.g., hMT+/V5), the posterior parietal cortex is necessary for efficient search with motion-form conjunctions, so that damage to either brain region may bring about deficits in search. We discuss the results in terms of the involvement of the posterior parietal cortex in the top-down guidance of search or in the binding of motion and form information.

Effects of vernal and allergic conjunctivitis on severity of keratoconus.

Science.gov (United States)

Cingu, Abdullah Kursat; Cinar, Yasin; Turkcu, Fatih Mehmet; Sahin, Alparslan; Ari, Seyhmus; Yuksel, Harun; Sahin, Muhammed; Caca, Ihsan

2013-01-01

To demonstrate the effects of two different types of allergic conjunctivitis on severity of keratoconus (KC). We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 171 KC patients referred between June 2010 and June 2011. The KC patients were divided into 3 groups as KC (group A), KC with vernal keratoconjunctivitis (VKC) (group B) and KC with allergic conjunctivitis (AC) (group C). Main outcome measures were demographic and ocular clinical features including age at presentation, gender, spherical equivalent (SE), best spectacle corrected visual acuity (BCVA), mean keratometric measurement (Km), central corneal thickness (CCT), and intraocular pressure (IOP). Groups were compared in term of study variables. The median age at presentation was significantly lower in group B (P<0.001). According to the median SE (P=0.003), BCVA (P=0.022), Km (P<0.001), CCT (P=0.015) and Amsler-Krumeich classification (P<0.001), KC was more severe in group B. There was no significant difference in terms of IOP and corrected IOP among the groups (P=0.44), however there were 4 patients who had increased corrected IOP developed after topical corticosteroid use in group B. The differences among the groups persisted even after controlling for age and gender. Our findings demonstrated a more severe KC in VKC patients despite their younger age which suggests evaluation of VKC patients as a separate group in keratoconus disease.

AN ANALYSIS OF STUDENTS’ ABILITY IN USING SUB-ORDINATE CONJUNCTION IN SENTENCE WRITING OF THE GRADE XII STUDENTS OF SMA N 2 METRO ACADEMIC YEAR 2013/2014

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bambang Eko Siagianto

2017-02-01

Full Text Available Abstracts: Sub-ordinate conjunction is very confusing to comprehend by students. In using sub-ordinate conjunction, students usually had errors. The purpose of this research to analyze whether or not the students are able to use sub-ordinate conjunction in sentence writing, to classify kinds of sub-ordinate conjunction that was often misused by students in sentence writing The research was done at the grade XII of SMA N 2 Metro in second semester of the academic year 2013/2014. The predicted research findings are; the students cannot divide or difference the type of sub-ordinate conjunction well, and they often errors using it in sentences.The result of the students test in using sub-ordinate conjunction in sentence writing proves that most of the students at the grade XII of SMA N 2 Metro used the list of words “after, then, when, because” on their sentence writing. The students found these words easier to be used as conjunction especially sub-ordinate conjunction in their sentence writing than other conjunction. While, for other list of words doesn’t used by the students because the students cannot adapted the words in their sentence writing. The most familiar sub-ordinate conjunction seems to be  “before and since” (each of them is gained by 22 students = 91,6%, but the students are unfamiliar with the other words in sub-ordinate conjunction mainly “till and unless” (each of the is gained by 13 students = 54,1%. The other sub-ordinate conjunctions are quite familiar for them.

A double-masked study to compare the efficacy and safety of topical cromolyn for the treatment of allergic conjunctivitis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yao-lin Liu

2011-11-01

Conclusion: Cromolyn 2 % ophthalmic solution was effective and safe to treat allergic conjunctivitis. A short-term use of cromolyn 2 % ophthalmic solution with 0.01% BAK would not cause any significant toxicity in patients with allergic conjunctivitis. Preservative-free cromolyn may be beneficial to the compromised eyes or eyes required of long-term medication.

Current-State Constrained Filter Bank for Wald Testing of Spacecraft Conjunctions

Science.gov (United States)

Carpenter, J. Russell; Markley, F. Landis

2012-01-01

We propose a filter bank consisting of an ordinary current-state extended Kalman filter, and two similar but constrained filters: one is constrained by a null hypothesis that the miss distance between two conjuncting spacecraft is inside their combined hard body radius at the predicted time of closest approach, and one is constrained by an alternative complementary hypothesis. The unconstrained filter is the basis of an initial screening for close approaches of interest. Once the initial screening detects a possibly risky conjunction, the unconstrained filter also governs measurement editing for all three filters, and predicts the time of closest approach. The constrained filters operate only when conjunctions of interest occur. The computed likelihoods of the innovations of the two constrained filters form a ratio for a Wald sequential probability ratio test. The Wald test guides risk mitigation maneuver decisions based on explicit false alarm and missed detection criteria. Since only current-state Kalman filtering is required to compute the innovations for the likelihood ratio, the present approach does not require the mapping of probability density forward to the time of closest approach. Instead, the hard-body constraint manifold is mapped to the filter update time by applying a sigma-point transformation to a projection function. Although many projectors are available, we choose one based on Lambert-style differential correction of the current-state velocity. We have tested our method using a scenario based on the Magnetospheric Multi-Scale mission, scheduled for launch in late 2014. This mission involves formation flight in highly elliptical orbits of four spinning spacecraft equipped with antennas extending 120 meters tip-to-tip. Eccentricities range from 0.82 to 0.91, and close approaches generally occur in the vicinity of perigee, where rapid changes in geometry may occur. Testing the method using two 12,000-case Monte Carlo simulations, we found the

Visual search for features and conjunctions following declines in the useful field of view.

Science.gov (United States)

Cosman, Joshua D; Lees, Monica N; Lee, John D; Rizzo, Matthew; Vecera, Shaun P

2012-01-01

BACKGROUND/STUDY CONTEXT: Typical measures for assessing the useful field (UFOV) of view involve many components of attention. The objective of the current experiment was to examine differences in visual search efficiency for older individuals with and without UFOV impairment. The authors used a computerized screening instrument to assess the useful field of view and to characterize participants as having an impaired or normal UFOV. Participants also performed two visual search tasks, a feature search (e.g., search for a green target among red distractors) or a conjunction search (e.g., a green target with a gap on its left or right side among red distractors with gaps on the left or right and green distractors with gaps on the top or bottom). Visual search performance did not differ between UFOV impaired and unimpaired individuals when searching for a basic feature. However, search efficiency was lower for impaired individuals than unimpaired individuals when searching for a conjunction of features. The results suggest that UFOV decline in normal aging is associated with conjunction search. This finding suggests that the underlying cause of UFOV decline may arise from an overall decline in attentional efficiency. Because the useful field of view is a reliable predictor of driving safety, the results suggest that decline in the everyday visual behavior of older adults might arise from attentional declines.

Cross-modal illusory conjunctions between vision and touch.

Science.gov (United States)

Cinel, Caterina; Humphreys, Glyn W; Poli, Riccardo

2002-10-01

Cross-modal illusory conjunctions (ICs) happen when, under conditions of divided attention, felt textures are reported as being seen or vice versa. Experiments provided evidence for these errors, demonstrated that ICs are more frequent if tactile and visual stimuli are in the same hemispace, and showed that ICs still occur under forced-choice conditions but do not occur when attention to the felt texture is increased. Cross-modal ICs were also found in a patient with parietal damage even with relatively long presentations of visual stimuli. The data are consistent with there being cross-modal integration of sensory information, with the modality of origin sometimes being misattributed when attention is constrained. The empirical conclusions from the experiments are supported by formal models.

Visual Search for Feature and Conjunction Targets with an Attention Deficit

OpenAIRE

Arguin, Martin; Joanette, Yves; Cavanagh, Patrick

1993-01-01

Brain-damaged subjects who had previously been identified as suffering from a visual attention deficit for contralesional stimulation were tested on a series of visual search tasks. The experiments examined the hypothesis that the processing of single features is preattentive but that feature integration, necessary for the correct perception of conjunctions of features, requires attention (Treisman & Gelade, 1980 Treisman & Sato, 1990). Subjects searched for a feature target (orientation or c...

Conjunctions between motion and disparity are encoded with the same spatial resolution as disparity alone.

Science.gov (United States)

Allenmark, Fredrik; Read, Jenny C A

2012-10-10

Neurons in cortical area MT respond well to transparent streaming motion in distinct depth planes, such as caused by observer self-motion, but do not contain subregions excited by opposite directions of motion. We therefore predicted that spatial resolution for transparent motion/disparity conjunctions would be limited by the size of MT receptive fields, just as spatial resolution for disparity is limited by the much smaller receptive fields found in primary visual cortex, V1. We measured this using a novel "joint motion/disparity grating," on which human observers detected motion/disparity conjunctions in transparent random-dot patterns containing dots streaming in opposite directions on two depth planes. Surprisingly, observers showed the same spatial resolution for these as for pure disparity gratings. We estimate the limiting receptive field diameter at 11 arcmin, similar to V1 and much smaller than MT. Higher internal noise for detecting joint motion/disparity produces a slightly lower high-frequency cutoff of 2.5 cycles per degree (cpd) versus 3.3 cpd for disparity. This suggests that information on motion/disparity conjunctions is available in the population activity of V1 and that this information can be decoded for perception even when it is invisible to neurons in MT.

In-beam electron spectrometer used in conjunction with a gas-filled recoil separator

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kankaanpaeae, H.; Butler, P.A.; Greenlees, P.T.; Bastin, J.E.; Herzberg, R.D.; Humphreys, R.D.; Jones, G.D.; Jones, P.; Julin, R.; Keenan, A.; Kettunen, H.; Leino, M.; Miettinen, L.; Page, T.; Rahkila, P.; Scholey, C.; Uusitalo, J.

2004-01-01

The conversion-electron spectrometer SACRED has been redesigned for use in conjunction with the RITU gas-filled recoil separator. The system allows in-beam recoil-decay-tagging (RDT) measurements of internal conversion electrons. The performance of the system using standard sources and in-beam is described

Target objects defined by a conjunction of colour and shape can be selected independently and in parallel.

Science.gov (United States)

Jenkins, Michael; Grubert, Anna; Eimer, Martin

2017-11-01

It is generally assumed that during search for targets defined by a feature conjunction, attention is allocated sequentially to individual objects. We tested this hypothesis by tracking the time course of attentional processing biases with the N2pc component in tasks where observers searched for two targets defined by a colour/shape conjunction. In Experiment 1, two displays presented in rapid succession (100 ms or 10 ms SOA) each contained a target and a colour-matching or shape-matching distractor on opposite sides. Target objects in both displays elicited N2pc components of similar size that overlapped in time when the SOA was 10 ms, suggesting that attention was allocated in parallel to both targets. Analogous results were found in Experiment 2, where targets and partially matching distractors were both accompanied by an object without target-matching features. Colour-matching and shape-matching distractors also elicited N2pc components, and the target N2pc was initially identical to the sum of the two distractor N2pcs, suggesting that the initial phase of attentional object selection was guided independently by feature templates for target colour and shape. Beyond 230 ms after display onset, the target N2pc became superadditive, indicating that attentional selection processes now started to be sensitive to the presence of feature conjunctions. Results show that independent attentional selection processes can be activated in parallel by two target objects in situations where these objects are defined by a feature conjunction.

Conjunctions of colour, luminance and orientation: the role of colour and luminance contrast on saliency and proximity grouping in texture segregation.

Science.gov (United States)

Leonards, U; Singer, W

2000-01-01

To examine whether perceptual grouping on the basis of orientation can be performed simultaneously with or only subsequently to grouping according to colour or luminance, we tested whether subjects are able to segregate arrays of texture elements that differ from surrounding elements by conjunctions of either (i) colour and orientation, or (ii) luminance contrast and orientation, or (iii) luminance contrast polarity and orientation. Subjects were able to use conjunctions between luminance and orientation for segregation but not conjunctions between colour or contrast polarity and orientation. Our results suggest that (i) in agreement with earlier findings, there seem to exist no specific conjunction detectors for colour and orientation or contrast polarity and orientation, and (ii) when orientation defined textures are to be distinguished by virtue of differences in luminance, colour, or contrast polarity, luminance provides a much stronger cue than colour or contrast polarity for saliency-based orientation grouping.

Clinical evaluation of total IgE in tears of patients with allergic conjunctivitis disease using a novel application of the immunochromatography method.

Science.gov (United States)

Inada, Noriko; Shoji, Jun; Kato, Hiroshi; Kiely, Surayah; Mulyanto; Sawa, Mitsuru

2009-12-01

The determination of total IgE in tears is useful as a diagnostic tool in allergic conjunctivitis disease (ACD). We evaluated the efficacy of this diagnostic tool for ACD, which is a clinically applicable novel immunochromagraphic method to determine total IgE in tears. The subjects comprised 4 groups: 15 patients with vernal keratoconjunctivitis (VKC group), 8 patients with atopic keratoconjunctivitis (AKC group), 18 patients with allergic conjunctivitis (AC group), and 7 normal healthy volunteers as a control (control group). Tears were sampled using filter paper, and the total IgE in tears was determined by immunochromatography assay. Semiquantitative determination was carried out by examining the intensity of the colored line using an immunochromatoreader (IgE index). The relationship between IgE indices in tears and total IgE levels in serum or between IgE indices and the clinical scores of ACD was examined. The positive ratio obtained by this novel application of the immunochromatography assay was 38 of the 41 in the patients with ACD and none in the 7 controls. IgE indices for the VKC group, AKC group and AC group were 27.5 +/- 15.6, 19.8 +/- 15.8, and 4.0 +/- 3.1 (mean +/- SD), respectively. IgE indices in tears showed significant correlation with both total IgE levels in serum (P tears is a useful clinical tool to investigate ACD.

Effects of vernal and allergic conjunctivitis on severity of keratoconus

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Muhammed Sahin

2013-06-01

Full Text Available AIM: To demonstrate the effects of two different types of allergic conjunctivitis on severity of keratoconus (KC.METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 171 KC patients referred between June 2010 and June 2011. The KC patients were divided into 3 groups as KC (group A, KC with vernal keratoconjunctivitis (VKC (group B and KC with allergic conjunctivitis (AC (group C. Main outcome measures were demographic and ocular clinical features including age at presentation, gender, spherical equivalent (SE, best spectacle corrected visual acuity (BCVA, mean keratometric measurement (Km, central corneal thickness (CCT, and intraocular pressure (IOP. Groups were compared in term of study variables. RESULTS: The median age at presentation was significantly lower in group B (P<0.001. According to the median SE (P=0.003, BCVA (P=0.022, Km (P<0.001, CCT (P=0.015 and Amsler–Krumeich classification (P<0.001, KC was more severe in group B. There was no significant difference in terms of IOP and corrected IOP among the groups (P=0.44, however there were 4 patients who had increased corrected IOP developed after topical corticosteroid use in group B. The differences among the groups persisted even after controlling for age and gender.CONCLUSION: Our findings demonstrated a more severe KC in VKC patients despite their younger age which suggests evaluation of VKC patients as a separate group in keratoconus disease.

Conjunctive patches subspace learning with side information for collaborative image retrieval.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Lining; Wang, Lipo; Lin, Weisi

2012-08-01

Content-Based Image Retrieval (CBIR) has attracted substantial attention during the past few years for its potential practical applications to image management. A variety of Relevance Feedback (RF) schemes have been designed to bridge the semantic gap between the low-level visual features and the high-level semantic concepts for an image retrieval task. Various Collaborative Image Retrieval (CIR) schemes aim to utilize the user historical feedback log data with similar and dissimilar pairwise constraints to improve the performance of a CBIR system. However, existing subspace learning approaches with explicit label information cannot be applied for a CIR task, although the subspace learning techniques play a key role in various computer vision tasks, e.g., face recognition and image classification. In this paper, we propose a novel subspace learning framework, i.e., Conjunctive Patches Subspace Learning (CPSL) with side information, for learning an effective semantic subspace by exploiting the user historical feedback log data for a CIR task. The CPSL can effectively integrate the discriminative information of labeled log images, the geometrical information of labeled log images and the weakly similar information of unlabeled images together to learn a reliable subspace. We formally formulate this problem into a constrained optimization problem and then present a new subspace learning technique to exploit the user historical feedback log data. Extensive experiments on both synthetic data sets and a real-world image database demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed scheme in improving the performance of a CBIR system by exploiting the user historical feedback log data.

Extracellular vesicles in gastrointestinal cancer in conjunction with microbiota: On the border of Kingdoms

KAUST Repository

Barteneva, Natasha S.; Baiken, Yeldar; Fasler-Kan, Elizaveta; Alibek, Kenneth; Wang, Sheng; Maltsev, Natalia; Ponomarev, Eugeny D.; Sautbayeva, Zarina; Kauanova, Sholpan; Moore, Anna; Beglinger, Christoph; Vorobjev, Ivan A.

2017-01-01

that was not previously possible due to technical limitations.This review focuses on research evaluating the role of EV production in gastrointestinal (GI) cancer development in conjunction with GI microbiota and inflammatory diseases. We also discuss recent studies

Evaluation of a novel Conjunctive Exploratory Navigation Interface for consumer health information: a crowdsourced comparative study.

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Cui, Licong; Carter, Rebecca; Zhang, Guo-Qiang

2014-02-10

Numerous consumer health information websites have been developed to provide consumers access to health information. However, lookup search is insufficient for consumers to take full advantage of these rich public information resources. Exploratory search is considered a promising complementary mechanism, but its efficacy has never before been rigorously evaluated for consumer health information retrieval interfaces. This study aims to (1) introduce a novel Conjunctive Exploratory Navigation Interface (CENI) for supporting effective consumer health information retrieval and navigation, and (2) evaluate the effectiveness of CENI through a search-interface comparative evaluation using crowdsourcing with Amazon Mechanical Turk (AMT). We collected over 60,000 consumer health questions from NetWellness, one of the first consumer health websites to provide high-quality health information. We designed and developed a novel conjunctive exploratory navigation interface to explore NetWellness health questions with health topics as dynamic and searchable menus. To investigate the effectiveness of CENI, we developed a second interface with keyword-based search only. A crowdsourcing comparative study was carefully designed to compare three search modes of interest: (A) the topic-navigation-based CENI, (B) the keyword-based lookup interface, and (C) either the most commonly available lookup search interface with Google, or the resident advanced search offered by NetWellness. To compare the effectiveness of the three search modes, 9 search tasks were designed with relevant health questions from NetWellness. Each task included a rating of difficulty level and questions for validating the quality of answers. Ninety anonymous and unique AMT workers were recruited as participants. Repeated-measures ANOVA analysis of the data showed the search modes A, B, and C had statistically significant differences among their levels of difficulty (Pconsumer health information retrieval and

Conjuntivite presumível por Acanthamoeba Conjunctivitis presumably due to Acanthamoeba

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Ana Cristina de Carvalho Ruthes

2004-12-01

Full Text Available OBJETIVO: Abordar quatro casos de conjuntivite presumível por Acanthamoeba, descrevendo o diagnóstico, considerando sinais e sintomas e o tratamento instituído. MÉTODOS: Foram estudados casos de conjuntivite presumível por Acanthamoeba diagnosticados no Hospital de Olhos do Paraná (HOP, no período de setembro/1998 a janeiro/2002. Todos os olhos estudados foram submetidos a um protocolo de investigação que incluía exame oftalmológico completo, microbiologia e cultura de secreções conjuntivais. RESULTADOS: Os exames laboratoriais de microscopia e cultura do material colhido estes pacientes revelaram o diagnóstico de Acanthamoeba. A maioria dos pacientes referia olhos vermelhos e irritação ocular de longa data. Os autores encontraram correlação entre a cultura e o exame direto, em que se evidenciou a presença de cistos e trofozoítas do protozoário. CONCLUSÃO: Este é o primeiro relato de conjuntivite provavelmente por Acanthamoeba de acordo com a literatura revisada. Pacientes selecionados e refratários ao tratamento habitual de infecção ocular externa devem ser considerados para estudo laboratorial adequado à procura etiológica da doença.PURPOSE: To describe four cases of conjunctivitis presumably due to Acanthamoeba considering diagnosis, signs, symptoms and treatment. METHODS: We reviewed the medical records of all patients who presented a clinical diagnosis of Acanthamoeba conjunctivitis between September/1998 to January/2001 at the "Hospital de Olhos do Paraná (HOP". All eyes were submitted to a protocol of investigation that included ophthalmologic examination, microscopic examination and culture exams of conjunctival smears for adequate treatment. RESULTS: The laboratorial results of conjunctival smears revealed contamination with Acanthamoeba by direct examination and thereafter, confirmed by culture. The authors observed cysts and trophozoites of Acanthamoeba. CONCLUSION: This is the first report of

COBE: A Conjunctive Ontology Browser and Explorer for Visualizing SNOMED CT Fragments.

Science.gov (United States)

Sun, Mengmeng; Zhu, Wei; Tao, Shiqiang; Cui, Licong; Zhang, Guo-Qiang

2015-01-01

Ontology search interfaces can benefit from the latest information retrieval advances. This paper introduces a Conjunctive Ontology Browser and Explorer (COBE) for searching and exploring SNOMED CT concepts and visualizing SNOMED CT fragments. COBE combines navigational exploration (NE) with direct lookup (DL) as two complementary modes for finding specific SNOMED CT concepts. The NE mode allows a user to interactively and incrementally narrow down (hence conjunctive) the search space by adding word stems, one at a time. Such word stems serve as attribute constraints, or "attributes" in Formal Concept Analysis, which allows the user to navigate to specific SNOMED CT concept clusters. The DL mode represents the common search mechanism by using a collection of key words, as well as concept identifiers. With respect to the DL mode, evaluation against manually created reference standard showed that COBE attains an example-based precision of 0.958, recall of 0.917, and F1 measure of 0.875. With respect to the NE mode, COBE leverages 28,371 concepts in non-lattice fragments to construct the stem cloud. With merely 9.37% of the total SNOMED CT stem cloud, our navigational exploration mode covers 98.97% of the entire concept collection.

The neural response in short-term visual recognition memory for perceptual conjunctions.

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Elliott, R; Dolan, R J

1998-01-01

Short-term visual memory has been widely studied in humans and animals using delayed matching paradigms. The present study used positron emission tomography (PET) to determine the neural substrates of delayed matching to sample for complex abstract patterns over a 5-s delay. More specifically, the study assessed any differential neural response associated with remembering individual perceptual properties (color only and shape only) compared to conjunction between these properties. Significant activations associated with short-term visual memory (all memory conditions compared to perceptuomotor control) were observed in extrastriate cortex, medial and lateral parietal cortex, anterior cingulate, inferior frontal gyrus, and the thalamus. Significant deactivations were observed throughout the temporal cortex. Although the requirement to remember color compared to shape was associated with subtly different patterns of blood flow, the requirement to remember perceptual conjunctions between these features was not associated with additional specific activations. These data suggest that visual memory over a delay of the order of 5 s is mainly dependent on posterior perceptual regions of the cortex, with the exact regions depending on the perceptual aspect of the stimuli to be remembered.

The Language of the Internet – The Use of Concessive Conjunctions in Blogs by Companies Providing Private Tuition

OpenAIRE

Jindřiška Kraťkova

2017-01-01

Concessions are said to be a key aspect of English semantics because concessive constructions create a place for contrast, i.e. contradicting relations. Several studies have been carried out on this topic (i.e. on the positioning of conjunctions, linguistic interference, etc.). The aim of this paper is to focus on the frequency of use of the most common concessive conjunctions in Internet discussions with native speakers who give private tuition. The focus is primarily on the main, most commo...

The Use of Conjunctions in Cognitively Simple versus Complex Oral L2 Tasks

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Michel, Marije C.

2013-01-01

The present study explores the use of conjunctions in simple versus complex argumentative tasks performed by second language (L2) learners as a specific measure for the amount of reasoning involved in task performance. The Cognition Hypothesis (Robinson, 2005) states that an increase in cognitive task complexity promotes improvements in L2…

Clinical implications of mast cell involvement in allergic conjunctivitis.

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Elieh Ali Komi, D; Rambasek, T; Bielory, L

2018-03-01

The conjunctiva is a common site for the allergic inflammatory response due to it being highly vascularized, having constant exposure to environmental pollutants and allergenic pollens and having a unique conjunctival associated lymphoid tissue. The primary morbidity of anterior surface conjunctival disorders that include allergic conjunctivitis and tear film disorders is associated with its high frequency of involvement rather than its severity, although the more chronic forms can involve the cornea and lead to sight-threatening conditions. Ocular allergy is associated with IgE-mediated mast cell activation in conjunctival tissue leading to the release of preformed mediators including histamine and proteases and subsequent de novo formation of lipid-derived mediators and cytokines that trigger a cascade of cellular and molecular events leading to extensive migration and infiltration of inflammatory cells to the ocular surface. The trafficking of neutrophils, eosinophils, and lymphocytes to the ocular surface is due to establishing various chemokine gradients (mainly CCL11, CCL24, CCL5, MCP-3, and MCP-4), cell surface expression of adhesion molecules (such as VCAM-1 the ligand for VLA-4), and leukocyte adhesion to vascular endothelium. The release of preformed mediators underlies the acute ocular surface response while the secondary influx of inflammatory cells leading to the recruitment and activation of eosinophils and the subsequent activation of Th2 and Th1 lymphocytes at the level of the conjunctiva reflects the late-phase reaction. © 2017 EAACI and John Wiley and Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley and Sons Ltd.

The role of topical moxifloxacin, a new antibacterial in Europe, in the treatment of bacterial conjunctivitis.

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Benitez-Del-Castillo, Jose; Verboven, Yves; Stroman, David; Kodjikian, Laurent

2011-01-01

This article discusses current practice in the treatment of conjunctivitis and how the use of topical moxifloxacin can increase therapeutic effectiveness, reduce treatment failures and, consequently, be cost effective and reduce the societal burden of the disorder. Current practice and effectiveness data were derived from the literature. Data on healthcare utilization as a result of treatment failure were collected by survey and the cost of treatment was defined using national costings. A decision-analytic model to assess cost effectiveness was developed and the impact on the healthcare budget was calculated to define the health economic impact. Bacterial conjunctivitis represents a significant health problem and accounts for an estimated 1-1.5% of primary-care consultations. The disorder is highly contagious and causes a substantial healthcare and societal burden. Bacterial conjunctivitis is generally self-limiting, resolving within 1-2 weeks. However, the use of antibacterials significantly improves clinical and microbiological remission, shortens symptom duration, and enables more effective use of healthcare resources, compared with placebo. From a health economic perspective this benefits the healthcare system and society, since fewer healthcare resources are needed and the adult affected, or the parent/caregiver of the child affected, can return to full work capacity sooner, reducing loss of productivity. Treatment strategies vary significantly between countries. Most patients are first seen in primary care, where 'wait-and-see', lubrification and antiseptic or antibacterial treatment is provided. In Europe, when antibacterials are prescribed most general practitioners (GPs) prescribe a broad-spectrum topical antibacterial. The most commonly used drugs are chloramphenicol and fusidic acid, with fluoroquinolones rarely reported as first-line treatment by GPs. At the specialist (ophthalmologist) level, or for second-line treatment at the GP level, topical

Attentional Selection of Feature Conjunctions Is Accomplished by Parallel and Independent Selection of Single Features.

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Andersen, Søren K; Müller, Matthias M; Hillyard, Steven A

2015-07-08

Experiments that study feature-based attention have often examined situations in which selection is based on a single feature (e.g., the color red). However, in more complex situations relevant stimuli may not be set apart from other stimuli by a single defining property but by a specific combination of features. Here, we examined sustained attentional selection of stimuli defined by conjunctions of color and orientation. Human observers attended to one out of four concurrently presented superimposed fields of randomly moving horizontal or vertical bars of red or blue color to detect brief intervals of coherent motion. Selective stimulus processing in early visual cortex was assessed by recordings of steady-state visual evoked potentials (SSVEPs) elicited by each of the flickering fields of stimuli. We directly contrasted attentional selection of single features and feature conjunctions and found that SSVEP amplitudes on conditions in which selection was based on a single feature only (color or orientation) exactly predicted the magnitude of attentional enhancement of SSVEPs when attending to a conjunction of both features. Furthermore, enhanced SSVEP amplitudes elicited by attended stimuli were accompanied by equivalent reductions of SSVEP amplitudes elicited by unattended stimuli in all cases. We conclude that attentional selection of a feature-conjunction stimulus is accomplished by the parallel and independent facilitation of its constituent feature dimensions in early visual cortex. The ability to perceive the world is limited by the brain's processing capacity. Attention affords adaptive behavior by selectively prioritizing processing of relevant stimuli based on their features (location, color, orientation, etc.). We found that attentional mechanisms for selection of different features belonging to the same object operate independently and in parallel: concurrent attentional selection of two stimulus features is simply the sum of attending to each of those

The fast detection of rare auditory feature conjunctions in the human brain as revealed by cortical gamma-band electroencephalogram.

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Ruusuvirta, T; Huotilainen, M

2005-01-01

Natural environments typically contain temporal scatters of sounds emitted from multiple sources. The sounds may often physically stand out from one another in their conjoined rather than simple features. This poses a particular challenge for the brain to detect which of these sounds are rare and, therefore, potentially important for survival. We recorded gamma-band (32-40 Hz) electroencephalographic (EEG) oscillations from the scalp of adult humans who passively listened to a repeated tone carrying frequent and rare conjunctions of its frequency and intensity. EEG oscillations that this tone induced, rather than evoked, differed in amplitude between the two conjunction types within the 56-ms analysis window from tone onset. Our finding suggests that, perhaps with the support of its non-phase-locked synchrony in the gamma band, the human brain is able to detect rare sounds as feature conjunctions very rapidly.

A method for physically based model analysis of conjunctive use in response to potential climate changes

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Hanson, R.T.; Flint, L.E.; Flint, A.L.; Dettinger, M.D.; Faunt, C.C.; Cayan, D.; Schmid, W.

2012-01-01

Potential climate change effects on aspects of conjunctive management of water resources can be evaluated by linking climate models with fully integrated groundwater-surface water models. The objective of this study is to develop a modeling system that links global climate models with regional hydrologic models, using the California Central Valley as a case study. The new method is a supply and demand modeling framework that can be used to simulate and analyze potential climate change and conjunctive use. Supply-constrained and demand-driven linkages in the water system in the Central Valley are represented with the linked climate models, precipitation-runoff models, agricultural and native vegetation water use, and hydrologic flow models to demonstrate the feasibility of this method. Simulated precipitation and temperature were used from the GFDL-A2 climate change scenario through the 21st century to drive a regional water balance mountain hydrologic watershed model (MHWM) for the surrounding watersheds in combination with a regional integrated hydrologic model of the Central Valley (CVHM). Application of this method demonstrates the potential transition from predominantly surface water to groundwater supply for agriculture with secondary effects that may limit this transition of conjunctive use. The particular scenario considered includes intermittent climatic droughts in the first half of the 21st century followed by severe persistent droughts in the second half of the 21st century. These climatic droughts do not yield a valley-wide operational drought but do cause reduced surface water deliveries and increased groundwater abstractions that may cause additional land subsidence, reduced water for riparian habitat, or changes in flows at the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta. The method developed here can be used to explore conjunctive use adaptation options and hydrologic risk assessments in regional hydrologic systems throughout the world.

Evaluation of the Kodak Surecell Chlamydia test for the laboratory diagnosis of adult inclusion conjunctivitis.

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Tantisira, J G; Kowalski, R P; Gordon, Y J

1995-07-01

The Kodak Surecell Chlamydia test, a rapid enzyme immunoassay, has been reported to be highly sensitive (93%) and specific (96%) for detecting chlamydial lipopolysaccharide antigen in conjunctival specimens from infants, but has not been evaluated previously in adult conjunctival specimens. This study was designed to determine the efficacy of the Kodak Surecell Chlamydia test for the laboratory diagnosis of adult inclusion conjunctivitis. Twenty Chlamydia culture-positive conjunctival specimens from adults (true-positives) and 20 true-negative specimens were tested with the Kodak Surecell Chlamydia test. The Kodak Surecell Chlamydia test was 40% (8/20) sensitive, 100% (20/20) specific, and 70% (28/40) efficient. This study indicates that the Kodak Surecell Chlamydia test, though highly specific, is less sensitive in its ability to diagnose chlamydial conjunctivitis in adults than has been reported previously in infants.

Diabetic foot ulcers in conjunction with lower limb lymphedema: pathophysiology and treatment procedures

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Kanapathy M

2015-08-01

Full Text Available Muholan Kanapathy,1 Mark J Portou,1,2 Janice Tsui,1,2 Toby Richards1,21Division of Surgery and Interventional Science, University College London, 2Department of Vascular Surgery, Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust Hospital, London, UKAbstract: Diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs are complex, chronic, and progressive wounds, and have a significant impact on morbidity, mortality, and quality of life. A particular aspect of DFU that has not been reviewed extensively thus far is its management in conjunction with peripheral limb edema. Peripheral limb edema is a feature of diabetes that has been identified as a significant risk factor for amputation in patients with DFU. Three major etiological factors in development of lymphedema with concurrent DFU are diabetic microangiopathy, failure of autonomic regulation, and recurrent infection. This review outlines the pathophysiology of lymphedema formation in patients with DFU and highlights the cellular and immune components of impaired wound healing in lymphedematous DFU. We then discuss the principles of management of DFU in conjunction with lymphedema.Keywords: diabetic foot ulcer, lymphedema, chronic wound, wound management

Treatment for Retinopathy of Prematurity in an Infant with Adenoviral Conjunctivitis

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Murat Gunay

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP has been a major problematic disorder during childhood. Laser photocoagulation (LPC has been proven to be effective in most of the ROP cases. Adenoviral conjunctivitis (AVC is responsible for epidemics among adult and pediatric population. It has also been reported to be a cause of outbreaks in neonatal intensive care units (NICU several times. We herein demonstrate a case with AVC who underwent LPC for ROP. And we discuss the treatment methodology in such cases.

Multi-objective analysis of the conjunctive use of surface water and groundwater in a multisource water supply system

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Vieira, João; da Conceição Cunha, Maria

2017-04-01

A multi-objective decision model has been developed to identify the Pareto-optimal set of management alternatives for the conjunctive use of surface water and groundwater of a multisource urban water supply system. A multi-objective evolutionary algorithm, Borg MOEA, is used to solve the multi-objective decision model. The multiple solutions can be shown to stakeholders allowing them to choose their own solutions depending on their preferences. The multisource urban water supply system studied here is dependent on surface water and groundwater and located in the Algarve region, southernmost province of Portugal, with a typical warm Mediterranean climate. The rainfall is low, intermittent and concentrated in a short winter, followed by a long and dry period. A base population of 450 000 inhabitants and visits by more than 13 million tourists per year, mostly in summertime, turns water management critical and challenging. Previous studies on single objective optimization after aggregating multiple objectives together have already concluded that only an integrated and interannual water resources management perspective can be efficient for water resource allocation in this drought prone region. A simulation model of the multisource urban water supply system using mathematical functions to represent the water balance in the surface reservoirs, the groundwater flow in the aquifers, and the water transport in the distribution network with explicit representation of water quality is coupled with Borg MOEA. The multi-objective problem formulation includes five objectives. Two objective evaluate separately the water quantity and the water quality supplied for the urban use in a finite time horizon, one objective calculates the operating costs, and two objectives appraise the state of the two water sources - the storage in the surface reservoir and the piezometric levels in aquifer - at the end of the time horizon. The decision variables are the volume of withdrawals from

Conjunction of color and form without attention: evidence from an orientation-contingent color aftereffect.

Science.gov (United States)

Houck, M R; Hoffman, J E

1986-05-01

According to feature-integration theory (Treisman & Gelade, 1980), separable features such as color and shape exist in separate maps in preattentive vision and can be integrated only through the use of spatial attention. Many perceptual aftereffects, however, which are also assumed to reflect the features available in preattentive vision, are sensitive to conjunctions of features. One possible resolution of these views holds that adaptation to conjunctions depends on spatial attention. We tested this proposition by presenting observers with gratings varying in color and orientation. The resulting McCollough aftereffects were independent of whether the adaptation stimuli were presented inside or outside of the focus of spatial attention. Therefore, color and shape appear to be conjoined preattentively, when perceptual aftereffects are used as the measure. These same stimuli, however, appeared to be separable in two additional experiments that required observers to search for gratings of a specified color and orientation. These results show that different experimental procedures may be tapping into different stages of preattentive vision.

AN ANALYSIS OF STUDENTS’ ABILITY IN USING SUB-ORDINATE CONJUNCTION IN SENTENCE WRITING OF THE GRADE XII STUDENTS OF SMA N 2 METRO ACADEMIC YEAR 2013/2014

OpenAIRE

Bambang Eko Siagianto

2017-01-01

Abstracts: Sub-ordinate conjunction is very confusing to comprehend by students. In using sub-ordinate conjunction, students usually had errors. The purpose of this research to analyze whether or not the students are able to use sub-ordinate conjunction in sentence writing, to classify kinds of sub-ordinate conjunction that was often misused by students in sentence writing The research was done at the grade XII of SMA N 2 Metro in second semester of the academic year 2013/2014. The predicted ...

Role of macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF in pollen-induced allergic conjunctivitis and pollen dermatitis in mice.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yuka Nagata

Full Text Available Pollen is a clinically important airborne allergen and one of the major causes of allergic conjunctivitis. A subpopulation of patients with atopic dermatitis (AD are also known to have exacerbated skin eruptions on the face, especially around the eyelids, after contact with pollen. This pollen-induced skin reaction is now known as pollen dermatitis. Macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF is a pluripotent cytokine that plays an essential role in allergic inflammation. Recent findings suggest that MIF is involved in several allergic disorders, including AD. In this study, MIF knockout (KO, MIF transgenic (Tg and WT littermate mice were immunized with ragweed (RW pollen or Japanese cedar (JC pollen and challenged via eye drops. We observed that the numbers of conjunctiva- and eyelid-infiltrating eosinophils were significantly increased in RW and JC pollen-sensitized MIF Tg compared with WT mice or MIF KO mice. The mRNA expression levels of eotaxin, interleukin (IL-5 and IL-13 were increased in pollen-sensitized eyelid skin sites of MIF Tg mice. An in vitro analysis revealed that high eotaxin expression was induced in dermal fibroblasts by MIF combined with stimulation of IL-4 or IL-13. This eotaxin expression was inhibited by the treatment with CD74 siRNA in fibroblasts. These findings indicate that MIF can induce eosinophil accumulation in the conjunctiva and eyelid dermis exposed to pollen. Therefore, targeted inhibition of MIF might result as a new option to control pollen-induced allergic conjunctivitis and pollen dermatitis.

Synthesis and high catalytic properties of mesoporous Pt nanowire array by novel conjunct template method

Science.gov (United States)

Zhong, Yi; Xu, Cai-Ling; Kong, Ling-Bin; Li, Hu-Lin

2008-12-01

A novel conjunct template method for fabricating mesoporous Pt nanowire array through direct current (DC) electrodeposition of Pt into the pores of anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) template on Ti/Si substrate from hexagonal structured lyotropic liquid crystalline phase is demonstrated in this paper. The morphology and structure of as-prepared Pt nanowire array are characterized by field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The electrocatalytic properties of Pt nanowire array for methanol are also investigated in detail. The results indicate that Pt nanowire array has the unique mesoporous structure of approximate 40-50 nm in diameter, which resulted in the high surface area and greatly improved electrocatalytic activity for methanol. The mesoporous Pt nanowire array synthesized by the new conjunct template method has a very promising application in portable fuel cell power sources.

International Comparisons through Simultaneous and Conjunct Analysis: A Search for General Relationships across Countries.

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Lietz, Petra

1996-01-01

The six chapters of this theme issue explore data collected by the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement to investigate crucial issues in reading comprehension. Simultaneous analysis and conjunct analysis are used to examine models as structured combinations of factors in the search for relationships among…

Working memory for visual features and conjunctions in schizophrenia.

Science.gov (United States)

Gold, James M; Wilk, Christopher M; McMahon, Robert P; Buchanan, Robert W; Luck, Steven J

2003-02-01

The visual working memory (WM) storage capacity of patients with schizophrenia was investigated using a change detection paradigm. Participants were presented with 2, 3, 4, or 6 colored bars with testing of both single feature (color, orientation) and feature conjunction conditions. Patients performed significantly worse than controls at all set sizes but demonstrated normal feature binding. Unlike controls, patient WM capacity declined at set size 6 relative to set size 4. Impairments with subcapacity arrays suggest a deficit in task set maintenance: Greater impairment for supercapacity set sizes suggests a deficit in the ability to selectively encode information for WM storage. Thus, the WM impairment in schizophrenia appears to be a consequence of attentional deficits rather than a reduction in storage capacity.

Harry Potter and the Upcoming Venus-Jupiter Conjunction: A Unique Outreach Opportunity

Science.gov (United States)

Larsen, K.

2008-09-01

As we prepare for the International Year of Astronomy 2009 (IYA2009), we should be on the lookout for celestial events which we can use not only to popularise the IYA2009 and practise our outreach skills, but which also have natural connections to popular culture. The Venus-Jupiter conjunction this autumn is such an opportunity, given several direct connections to the use of astronomy in J. K. Rowling's famous Harry Potter universe.

Effect of cromolyn sodium eye drop on the β2-microglobulin (β2-m) content in lachrymal fluid of patients with vernal conjunctivitis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yang Guohua; Huo Guoqing; Huang Hong; Rong Tianying; Zhang Xiaoping

2007-01-01

Objective: To explore the effect of cromolyn sodium eye drop on the β 2 -m content in lachrymal fluid of patients with acute vernal conjunctivitis. Methods: β 2 -m contents in the lachrymal fluid were measured with RIA in 72 eyes with conjunctivitis treated with cromolyn sodium eye drop for 7-10 days as well as in 50 eyes with conjunctivitis but without cromolyn sodium treatment. Results: The contents of β 2 -m in the lachrymal fluid of patients treated with cromolyn sodium eye drop for 7-10 day (10.68 ± 2. 53mg/L) were significantly lower than those in lachrymal fluid of patients without cromolyn treatment (17.70 ± 13.53mg/L, P 0.05 ). Conclusion: Cromolyn sodium eye drop treatment can lower the lachrymal fluid content of β 2 -m to normal in patients with acute vernal conjunctivitis. (authors)

Wald Sequential Probability Ratio Test for Analysis of Orbital Conjunction Data

Science.gov (United States)

Carpenter, J. Russell; Markley, F. Landis; Gold, Dara

2013-01-01

We propose a Wald Sequential Probability Ratio Test for analysis of commonly available predictions associated with spacecraft conjunctions. Such predictions generally consist of a relative state and relative state error covariance at the time of closest approach, under the assumption that prediction errors are Gaussian. We show that under these circumstances, the likelihood ratio of the Wald test reduces to an especially simple form, involving the current best estimate of collision probability, and a similar estimate of collision probability that is based on prior assumptions about the likelihood of collision.

Evolution and Implementation of the NASA Robotic Conjunction Assessment Risk Analysis Concept of Operations

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Newman, L.; Hejduk, M.; Frigm, R.; Duncan, M.

2014-09-01

On-orbit collisions pose a significant mission risk to satellites operating in the space environment. Recognizing the likelihood and consequence of on-orbit collisions, NASA has taken several proactive measures to mitigate the risk of both a catastrophic loss of mission and the increase in the space debris population. In fall 2004, NASA GSFC established an Agency-wide, institutionalized process and service for identifying and reacting to predicted close approaches. The team responsible for executing this mission is the NASA Robotic Conjunction Assessment Risk Analysis (CARA) team. By fall 2005, this process had resulted in the execution of the first collision avoidance maneuver by a NASA unmanned satellite. In February 2008, NASA adopted a policy, documented in NASA Procedural Requirement 8715.6a Process for Limiting Orbital Debris that directed maneuverable satellites to have such an on-orbit collision mitigation process. In 2009, NASA decided to require support for all operational satellites. By January 2014, the CARA team has processed nearly 500,000 close approach messages from the Joint Space Operations Center (JSpOC) and has assisted our mission customers with planning and executing over 75 collision avoidance maneuvers for unmanned satellites in LEO, GEO, and HEO orbital regimes. With the increase in number of operational missions supported; growth in the orbital debris environment due to events such as the intentional destruction of the Fengyun 1-C satellite in 2007 and collision between Iridium-33 and Cosmos-2251; and improvements to the United States Space Surveillance Network (SSN) and its ability to track, catalog, and screen against small debris objects, the demands on the CARA process have consequently required the CARA Concept of Operations (CONOPS) to evolve to manage those demands. This evolution is centered on the ability to effectively and efficiently manage JSpOC, CARA, and Mission Operations resources, applying operational and analytical

Influence of aeroallergens on the incidence of conjunctivitis in Zagreb and Zagreb County.

Science.gov (United States)

Peternel, Renata; Toth, Ivan; Hercog, Predrag; Vojniković, Bozo; Cop, Rasa; Bradić-Hammoud, Mirna

2013-04-01

The aim of this study was to determine the temporal and spatial variations of pollen spectra in the City of Zagreb and Zagreb County according to frequency of inhalation allergy and rhino-conjunctivitis in the adult population by setting allergen/patient relationship. The study was carried out at three inland sites in Croatia during four years (2003-2006). A number of 2,192 patients have been tested for allergy skin prick tests over the same period. The majority of patients allergic to pollen allergens were sensitized to allergens from the plant pollen which belong to the botanical family of grass 46.91%, ambrosia 42.07%, birch 25.66%, hazel 15.19% (with symptoms of rhinoconjunctivitis (42.5%), conjunctivitis (28.3%) and rhinitis (23.9%). Increased symptoms in patients allergic to pollen allergens in the entire study period coincided with the presence of pollen in the air. Patients sensitized to dust mites have symptoms throughout the year with a slightly increased number of cases in April and June. In patients sensitized to fungi and mold spores and animal hairs, the number of cases with worsening of symptoms is equal during the same year.

75 FR 24434 - Federal Travel Regulation (FTR); Transportation in Conjunction With Official Travel and Relocation

Science.gov (United States)

2010-05-05

...-0010, sequence 1] RIN 3090-AJ02 Federal Travel Regulation (FTR); Transportation in Conjunction With Official Travel and Relocation AGENCY: Office of Governmentwide Policy, General Services Administration (GSA). ACTION: Final rule. SUMMARY: This final rule amends the Federal Travel Regulation (FTR), by...

Uit de Cochrane Library: Marginaal grotere genezingskans door antibioticabehandeling bij acute bacteriële conjunctivitis

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hamerlynck, J. V. T. H.; Rietveld, R. P.; Hooft, L.

2007-01-01

Acute bacterial conjunctivitis is one of the most frequently encountered ocular disorders in primary care. It is frequently self-limiting, and the widespread use of broad-spectrum antibiotics has led to concerns regarding antibiotic resistance. Therefore, a Cochrane systematic review of 5 randomised

MODFLOW-OWHM v2: New Features and Improvements; The Next Generation of MODFLOW Conjunctive Use Simulation

Science.gov (United States)

Boyce, S. E.; Hanson, R. T.; Henson, W.; Ferguson, I. M.; Schmid, W.; Reimann, T.; Mehl, S.

2017-12-01

The One-Water Hydrologic Flow Model (One-Water) is a MODFLOW-based integrated hydrologic flow model designed for the analysis of a broad range of conjunctive-use and sustainability issues. It was motivated by the need to merge the multiple variants of MODFLOW-2005 to yield an enhanced unified version capable of simulating conjunctive use and management, sustainability, climate-related issues, and managing the relationships between groundwater, surface water, and land usage. One-Water links the movement and use of groundwater, surface water, and imported water for consumption by agriculture and natural vegetation on the landscape, and for potable and other uses within a supply-and-demand framework. The first version, released in 2014, was selected by The World Bank Water Resource Software Review in 2016 as one of three recommended simulation programs for conjunctive use and management modeling. One-Water is also being used as the primary simulation engine for FREEWAT, a European Union sponsored open-source water management software environment. The next version of One-Water will include a new surface-water operations module that simulates dynamic reservoir operations and a conduit-flow process for karst aquifers and leaky pipe networks. It will also include enhancements to local grid refinement, and additional features to facilitate easier model updates, faster execution, better error messages, and more integration/cross communication between the traditional MODFLOW packages. The new structure also helps facilitate the new integration into a "Self-Updating" structure of data streams, simulation, and analysis needed for modern water resource management. By retaining and tracking the water within the hydrosphere, One-Water accounts for "all of the water everywhere and all of the time." This philosophy provides more confidence in the water accounting to the scientific community and provides the public a foundation needed to address wider classes of problems. Ultimately

Efficacy of oral immunotherapy with a rice-based edible vaccine containing hypoallergenic Japanese cedar pollen allergens for treatment of established allergic conjunctivitis in mice

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ken Fukuda

2018-01-01

Conclusions: Oral administration of transgenic rice seeds expressing hypoallergenic allergens ameliorated allergic conjunctivitis in the established setting. Such a rice-based edible vaccine is potentially both safe and effective for oral immunotherapy in individuals with allergic conjunctivitis.

The control of attentional target selection in a colour/colour conjunction task

OpenAIRE

Berggren, Nick; Eimer, Martin

2016-01-01

To investigate the time course of attentional object selection processes in visual search tasks where targets are defined by a combination of features from the same dimension, we measured the N2pc component as an electrophysiological marker of attentional object selection during colour/colour conjunction search. In Experiment 1, participants searched for targets defined by a combination of two colours, while ignoring distractor objects that matched only one of these colours. Reliable N2pc com...

Clinical value of assays of multiple serum tumor markers in conjunction with 18F-FDG SPECT for discriminating malignant from benign lung disorders

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang Chunyan; Wang Linglong; Tu Liping; Yu Yuefang; Zhu Weijie; Cai Ao; Gao Shuxing

2006-01-01

Objective: To evaluate the clinical value of assays of multiple tumor markers in conjunction with 18 F-FDG SPECT for discriminating malignant from benign lung disorders. Methods: A total of 62 patients with malignant and benign lung diseases un- derwent 18 F-FDG SPECT examination and tests for serum tumor markers CEA, CA50, CA199 and CA242, alone or combined. The sensitivity, specificity, accuracy of these tests were examined. Results: The sensitivity, specificity accuracy of 18 F-FDG SPECT for the diagnosis of malignant lung tumors were 85.7 (30/35), 59.3 (16/27) and 74.2(46/62) respectively, those of each of serum CEA, CA199, CA50, CA242 levels in diagnosing malignant lung tumors were 22.9(8/35), 92.6(25/27), 59.7(33/62), 14.3(5/35), 100(27/27), 51.6 (32/62), 34.3 (12/35), 85.2 (23/27), 56.5 (35/62), 28.6 (10/35), 85.2 (23/27) and 53.2 (33/62) respectively, those of assays of multiple serum tumor markers for diagnosis of malignant lung tumors were 85.7 (30/35), 85.2 (23/27) and 85.5 (53/62) respectively, those of assays of multiple tumor markers in conjunction with 18 F-FDG SPECT for discriminating malignant from benign lung nodules were 88.6(31/35), 85.2(23/27) and 87.1 (54/62) respectively. Conclusion: Assays of multiple serum tumor markers in conjunction with 18 F-FDG SPECT for discriminating malignant from benign lung disorders can yield higher sensitivity, specialty and accuracy, making a significant contribution to clinical application. (authors)

Interpretation as Abduction

Science.gov (United States)

1992-01-01

general, axioms of the form species D genus can be converted into biconditional axioms of the form genus A differentiae - species Often as in the above...the "et cetera" predicates can be used for any kind of differentiae distinguishing a species from the rest of a genus , and not just for those related...schema axiom into a number of axioms, each expressing different stereotypical features of the situation and each having in its antecedent the

Do general practitioners adhere to the guideline on infectious conjunctivitis? Results of the Second Dutch National Survey of General Practice

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Schellevis François G

2007-09-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background In 1996 the guideline 'The Red Eye' was first published by the Dutch College of General Practitioners. The extent to which general practitioners adhere to this guideline is unclear. Recently, data on the management of infectious conjunctivitis by general practitioners became available from the Second Dutch National Survey of General Practice. We measured the age-specific incidence of infectious conjunctivitis, described its management by Dutch general practitioners, and then compared these findings with the recommendations made in the guideline. Methods In 2001, over a 12-month period, data from all patient contacts with 195 general practitioners were taken from electronic medical records. Registration was episode-oriented; all consultations dealing with the same health problem were grouped into disease episodes. Data concerning all episodes of infectious conjunctivitis (ICPC-code F70 and sub codes were analysed. Results Over one year, 5,213 new and recurrent episodes of infectious conjunctivitis were presented to general practitioners from a population of N = 375,899, resulting in an overall incidence rate of 13.9 per 1000 person-years, varying from more than 80/1000 py in children up to one-year old, to less than 12/1000 py in children over the age of 4. Topical ophthalmic ointments were prescribed in 87% of the episodes, of which 80% was antibiotic treatment. Fusidic acid gel was most frequently prescribed (69%. In most episodes general practitioners did not adhere to the guideline. Conclusion In 2001, the management of infectious conjunctivitis by Dutch general practitioners was not in accordance with the recommendations of the consensus-based guideline published five years previously, despite its wide distribution. In 2006 this guideline was revised. Its successful implementation requires more than distribution alone. Probably the most effective way to achieve this is by following a model for systemic implementation.

Influences on cocaine tolerance assessed under a multiple conjunctive schedule of reinforcement.

Science.gov (United States)

Yoon, Jin Ho; Branch, Marc N

2009-11-01

Under multiple schedules of reinforcement, previous research has generally observed tolerance to the rate-decreasing effects of cocaine that has been dependent on schedule-parameter size in the context of fixed-ratio (FR) schedules, but not under the context of fixed-interval (FI) schedules of reinforcement. The current experiment examined the effects of cocaine on key-pecking responses of White Carneau pigeons maintained under a three-component multiple conjunctive FI (10 s, 30 s, & 120 s) FR (5 responses) schedule of food presentation. Dose-effect curves representing the effects of presession cocaine on responding were assessed in the context of (1) acute administration of cocaine (2) chronic administration of cocaine and (3) daily administration of saline. Chronic administration of cocaine generally resulted in tolerance to the response-rate decreasing effects of cocaine, and that tolerance was generally independent of relative FI value, as measured by changes in ED50 values. Daily administration of saline decreased ED50 values to those observed when cocaine was administered acutely. The results show that adding a FR requirement to FI schedules is not sufficient to produce schedule-parameter-specific tolerance. Tolerance to cocaine was generally independent of FI-parameter under the present conjunctive schedules, indicating that a ratio requirement, per se, is not sufficient for tolerance to be dependent on FI parameter.

Theoretical study on the mechanics of the conjunct gnatoprothetic devices in the context of occlusive function rehabilitation.

Science.gov (United States)

Popescu, M R; Trană, F; Manolea, H; Rauten, Ane-Marie; Șurlin, Petra; Dragomir, L P

2014-01-01

The partially intercalated edentation offers the practitioner the possibility of the functional rehabilitation of the dental arcades through conjunct gnato-prosthetic devices. The functions of the dento-maxilar device, disturbed by the presence of edentation, require a treatment approach so that, without pre-planning or estimating, the result can lead most of the times to failure in terms of functionality. Clinical evaluation associated with pre- and proprosthetic treatment can also impose, in some situations the evaluation of the dental units involved in prosthetic rehabilitation. The association and implementation of the prosthetic construction in the occlusive-articular ensemble, as well as the counterbalancing of the mastication forces per dental unit and whole interarch system, linked to the distribution of the forces at the level of the pillar teeth and prosthetic construction, represent the goal of this theoretical study.

How to Explain Receptivity to Conjunction-Fallacy Inhibition Training: Evidence from the Iowa Gambling Task

Science.gov (United States)

Cassotti, Mathieu; Moutier, Sylvain

2010-01-01

Intuitive predictions and judgments under conditions of uncertainty are often mediated by judgment heuristics that sometimes lead to biases. Using the classical conjunction bias example, the present study examines the relationship between receptivity to metacognitive executive training and emotion-based learning ability indexed by Iowa Gambling…

An event-related brain potential study of visual selective attention to conjunctions of color and shape

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Smid, HGOM; Jakob, A; Heinze, HJ

What cognitive processes underlie event-related brain potential (ERP) effects related to visual multidimensional selective attention and how are these processes organized? We recorded ERPs when participants attended to one conjunction of color, global shape and local shape and ignored other

Integrated analysis of three bacterial conjunctivitis trials of besifloxacin ophthalmic suspension, 0.6%: microbiological eradication outcomes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Morris TW

2011-09-01

Full Text Available Timothy W Morris1, Lynne S Gearinger1, Dale W Usner2, Michael R Paterno2, Heleen H DeCory3, Timothy L Comstock3, Wolfgang Haas11Microbiology and Sterilization Sciences, 2Clinical Affairs, 3Global Pharmaceutical Medical Affairs, Bausch & Lomb, Rochester, NY, USAPurpose: To assess clinical antimicrobial efficacy results obtained with besifloxacin ophthalmic suspension, 0.6%, administered three times a day (TID for 5 days, integrated across three clinical trials of bacterial conjunctivitis and to investigate any microbiological eradication failures.Methods: Clinical microbiological eradication data from three randomized, double-masked, parallel group studies of patients with bacterial conjunctivitis (two vehicle controlled; one active controlled with moxifloxacin ophthalmic solution, 0.5% were integrated. All bacterial samples isolated at baseline above the species-specific threshold value were subjected to antimicrobial susceptibility testing. Samples isolated at subsequent visits were subjected to susceptibility testing and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE to investigate the cause of eradication failures and the potential for drug resistance development.Results: Visit 2 (day 4 or 5 and visit 3 (day 8 overall microbiological eradication rates were 92.2% and 88.4% for besifloxacin ophthalmic suspension compared with 61.4% and 72.5% for vehicle and 91.6% and 85.7% for moxifloxacin ophthalmic solution. Visit 2 and visit 3 microbiological eradication rates for Gram-positive and Gram-negative isolates and for individual species were consistent with the overall eradication rates. The majority of observed eradication failures in any treatment group were due to the persistence of the pathogen isolated at baseline. Eradication failures in the besifloxacin treatment group were not associated with lower antimicrobial susceptibility at baseline. PFGE data showed that the majority of bacterial strains in eyes with eradication failures were identical to

The Influence of Effortful Thought and Cognitive Proficiencies on the Conjunction Fallacy: Implications for Dual-Process Theories of Reasoning and Judgment.

Science.gov (United States)

Scherer, Laura D; Yates, J Frank; Baker, S Glenn; Valentine, Kathrene D

2017-06-01

Human judgment often violates normative standards, and virtually no judgment error has received as much attention as the conjunction fallacy. Judgment errors have historically served as evidence for dual-process theories of reasoning, insofar as these errors are assumed to arise from reliance on a fast and intuitive mental process, and are corrected via effortful deliberative reasoning. In the present research, three experiments tested the notion that conjunction errors are reduced by effortful thought. Predictions based on three different dual-process theory perspectives were tested: lax monitoring, override failure, and the Tripartite Model. Results indicated that participants higher in numeracy were less likely to make conjunction errors, but this association only emerged when participants engaged in two-sided reasoning, as opposed to one-sided or no reasoning. Confidence was higher for incorrect as opposed to correct judgments, suggesting that participants were unaware of their errors.

A comparative study of Bilvadi Yoga Ashchyotana and eye drops in Vataja Abhishyanda (Simple Allergic Conjunctivitis).

Science.gov (United States)

Udani, Jayshree; Vaghela, D B; Rajagopala, Manjusha; Matalia, P D

2012-01-01

Simple allergic conjunctivitis is the most common form of ocular allergy (prevalence 5 - 22 %). It is a hypersensitivity reaction to specific airborne antigens. The disease Vataja Abhishyanda, which is due to vitiation of Vata Pradhana Tridosha is comparable with this condition. The management of simple allergic conjunctivitis in modern ophthalmology is very expensive and it should be followed lifelong and Ayurveda can provide better relief in such manifestation. This is the first research study on Vataja Abhishyanda. Patients were selected from the Outpatient Department (OPD), Inpatient Department (IPD), of the Shalakya Tantra Department and were randomly divided into two groups. In Group-A Bilvadi Ashchyotana and in Group-B Bilvadi eye drops were instilled for three months. Total 32 patients were registered and 27 patients completed the course of treatment. Bilvadi Ashchyotana gave better results in Toda, Sangharsha, Parushya, Kandu and Ragata as compared with Bilvadi Eye Drops in Vataja Abhishyanda.

An event-related brain potential study of visual selective attention to conjunctions of color and shape.

Science.gov (United States)

Smid, H G; Jakob, A; Heinze, H J

1999-03-01

What cognitive processes underlie event-related brain potential (ERP) effects related to visual multidimensional selective attention and how are these processes organized? We recorded ERPs when participants attended to one conjunction of color, global shape and local shape and ignored other conjunctions of these attributes in three discriminability conditions. Attending to color and shape produced three ERP effects: frontal selection positivity (FSP), central negativity (N2b), and posterior selection negativity (SN). The results suggested that the processes underlying SN and N2b perform independent within-dimension selections, whereas the process underlying the FSP performs hierarchical between-dimension selections. At posterior electrodes, manipulation of discriminability changed the ERPs to the relevant but not to the irrelevant stimuli, suggesting that the SN does not concern the selection process itself but rather a cognitive process initiated after selection is finished. Other findings suggested that selection of multiple visual attributes occurs in parallel.

Conjunctive irrigation through groundwater for crop production in Eastern India

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Singh, S.S.; Singh, J.P.; Singh, S.R.; Khan, A.R.

2002-05-01

Ground water is the most reliable source for irrigation, quantum of which varies from place to place, rainfall, infiltration, geographical strata and surface ecology. The development of ground water in conjunction with surface within canal commands not only assures a reliable source of irrigation, it also helps in alleviation of water logging in the command due to excess seepage and unscientific water use by facilitating vertical drainage mechanism. The ground water resource needs to be developed in order to enhance area and timeliness of irrigation supply and overall agricultural productivity of land. In the high potential - low productivity areas in Assam, Bihar and West Bengal, A.P. and NE states, there is an immense potential to improve agricultural productivity through systematic groundwater exploitation. (author)

Complex systematic review - Perioperative antibiotics in conjunction with dental implant placement.

Science.gov (United States)

Lund, Bodil; Hultin, Margareta; Tranaeus, Sofia; Naimi-Akbar, Aron; Klinge, Björn

2015-09-01

The aim of this study was to revisit the available scientific literature regarding perioperative antibiotics in conjunction with implant placement by combining the recommended methods for systematic reviews and complex systematic reviews. A search of Medline (OVID), The Cochrane Library (Wiley), EMBASE, PubMed and Health technology assessment (HTA) organizations was performed, in addition to a complementary hand-search. Selected systematic reviews and primary studies were assessed using GRADE and AMSTAR, respectively. A meta-analysis was performed. The literature search identified 846 papers of which 10 primary studies and seven systematic reviews were included. Quality assessment of the systematic reviews revealed two studies of moderate risk of bias and five with high risk of bias. The two systematic reviews of moderate risk of bias stated divergent numbers needed to treat (NNT) to prevent one patient from implant failure. Four of the primary studies comparing antibiotic prophylaxis with placebo were estimated to be of low, or moderate, risk of bias and subjected to meta-analysis. The NNT was 50 (pooled RR 0.39, 95% CI 0.18, 0.84; P = 0.02). None of these four studies individually show a statistical significant benefit of antibiotic prophylaxis. Furthermore, narrative analysis of the studies eligible for meta-analysis reveals clinical heterogeneity regarding intervention and smoking. Antibiotic prophylaxis in conjunction with implant placement reduced the risk for implant loss by 2%. However, the sub-analysis of the primary studies suggests that there is no benefit of antibiotic prophylaxis in uncomplicated implant surgery in healthy patient. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Applications of liquid-based separation in conjunction with mass spectrometry to the analysis of forensic evidence.

Science.gov (United States)

Moini, Mehdi

2018-03-12

In the past few years, there has been a significant effort by the forensic science community to develop new scientific techniques for the analysis of forensic evidence. Forensic chemists have been spearheaded to develop information-rich confirmatory technologies and techniques and apply them to a broad array of forensic challenges. The purpose of these confirmatory techniques is to provide alternatives to presumptive techniques that rely on data such as color changes, pattern matching, or retention time alone, which are prone to more false positives. To this end, the application of separation techniques in conjunction with mass spectrometry has played an important role in the analysis of forensic evidence. Moreover, in the past few years the role of liquid separation techniques, such as liquid chromatography and capillary electrophoresis in conjunction with mass spectrometry, has gained significant tractions and have been applied to a wide range of chemicals, from small molecules such as drugs and explosives, to large molecules such as proteins. For example, proteomics and peptidomics have been used for identification of humans, organs, and bodily fluids. A wide range of HPLC techniques including reversed phase, hydrophilic interaction, mixed-mode, supercritical fluid, multidimensional chromatography, and nanoLC, as well as several modes of capillary electrophoresis mass spectrometry, including capillary zone electrophoresis, partial filling, full filling, and micellar electrokenetic chromatography have been applied to the analysis drugs, explosives, and questioned documents. In this article, we review recent (2015-2017) applications of liquid separation in conjunction with mass spectrometry to the analysis of forensic evidence. © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

The effect of ketotifen on inflammatory markers in allergic conjunctivitis: an open, uncontrolled study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gagliardi Julio

2003-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The efficacy and safety of ketotifen eye drop treatment in allergic conjunctivitis (AC management is perfectly known by several studies, but the mechanism of action at the biochemical levels is poorly understood so we decided to perform an open, uncontrolled study in order to investigate the effect of the topical administration of ketotifen fumarate 0.05% on biochemical markers of inflammation on conjunctival cells in patients with AC. Methods Nineteen patients with symptoms and signs of AC (itching, discharge, burning, redness, increase in the watery discharge, swelling and follicles and with a history of allergy were prescribed with two daily instillation of one drop of eyewash ketotifen fumarate 0,05% in both eyes during thirty days. They were studied by measuring clinical and immunologic parameters. Results Ketotifen fumarate treatment significantly reduced the total symptoms and signs score for each patient as well as each symptoms and signs at all time points compared with day 0 (p Conclusion Ketotifen besides the well-known effect in reducing signs and symptoms of AC significantly diminished production of eotaxin and expression of CD29 by epithelial cells in patients with seasonal AC.

The effect on outcome of peribulbar anaesthesia in conjunction with general anesthesia for vitreoretinal surgery.

Science.gov (United States)

Ghali, A M; El Btarny, A M

2010-03-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate peri-operative outcome after vitreoretinal surgery when peribulbar anaesthesia is combined with general anaesthesia. Sixty adult patients undergoing elective primary retinal detachment surgery with scleral buckling or an encircling procedure received either peribulbar anaesthesia in conjunction with general anaesthesia or general anaesthesia alone. For peribulbar anaesthesia a single percutaneous injection of 5-7 ml of local anaesthetic solution (0.75% ropivacaine with hyaluronidase 15 iu.ml(-1)) was used. The incidence of intra-operative oculocardiac reflex and surgical bleeding interfering with the surgical field, postoperative pain and analgesia requirements, and postoperative nausea and vomiting were recorded. In the block group there was a lower incidence of oculocardiac reflex and surgical bleeding intra-operatively. Patients in the block group also had better postoperative analgesia and a lower incidence of postoperative nausea and vomiting compared with the group without a block. The use of peribulbar anaesthesia in conjunction with general anesthesia was superior to general anaesthesia alone for vitreoretinal surgery with scleral buckling.

Visual search for conjunctions of physical and numerical size shows that they are processed independently.

Science.gov (United States)

Sobel, Kenith V; Puri, Amrita M; Faulkenberry, Thomas J; Dague, Taylor D

2017-03-01

The size congruity effect refers to the interaction between numerical magnitude and physical digit size in a symbolic comparison task. Though this effect is well established in the typical 2-item scenario, the mechanisms at the root of the interference remain unclear. Two competing explanations have emerged in the literature: an early interaction model and a late interaction model. In the present study, we used visual conjunction search to test competing predictions from these 2 models. Participants searched for targets that were defined by a conjunction of physical and numerical size. Some distractors shared the target's physical size, and the remaining distractors shared the target's numerical size. We held the total number of search items fixed and manipulated the ratio of the 2 distractor set sizes. The results from 3 experiments converge on the conclusion that numerical magnitude is not a guiding feature for visual search, and that physical and numerical magnitude are processed independently, which supports a late interaction model of the size congruity effect. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

Selective attention and error processing in an illusory conjunction task - An event-related brain potential study

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Wijers, AA; Boksem, MAS

2005-01-01

We recorded event-related potentials in an illusory conjunction task, in which subjects were cued on each trial to search for a particular colored letter in a subsequently presented test array, consisting of three different letters in three different colors. In a proportion of trials the target

Follicular Conjunctivitis due to Chlamydia felis-Case Report, Review of the Literature and Improved Molecular Diagnostics.

Science.gov (United States)

Wons, Juliana; Meiller, Ralph; Bergua, Antonio; Bogdan, Christian; Geißdörfer, Walter

2017-01-01

A 29-year-old woman presented with unilateral, chronic follicular conjunctivitis since 6 weeks. While the conjunctival swab taken from the patient's eye was negative in a Chlamydia (C.) trachomatis -specific PCR, C. felis was identified as etiological agent using a pan- Chlamydia TaqMan-PCR followed by sequence analysis. A pet kitten of the patient was found to be the source of infection, as its conjunctival and pharyngeal swabs were also positive for C. felis . The patient was successfully treated with systemic doxycycline. This report, which presents one of the few documented cases of human C. felis infection, illustrates that standard PCR tests are designed to detect the most frequently seen species of a bacterial genus but might fail to be reactive with less common species. We developed a modified pan- Chlamydia / C. felis duplex TaqMan-PCR assay that detects C. felis without the need of subsequent sequencing. The role of chlamydiae-specific serum antibody titers for the diagnosis of follicular conjunctivitis is discussed.

Conjunction of anti-parallel and component reconnection at the dayside MP: Cluster and Double Star coordinated observation on 6 April 2004

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, J.; Pu, Z. Y.; Fu, S. Y.; Wang, X. G.; Xiao, C. J.; Dunlop, M. W.; Wei, Y.; Bogdanova, Y. V.; Zong, Q. G.; Xie, L.

2011-05-01

Previous theoretical and simulation studies have suggested that the anti-parallel and component reconnection can occur simultaneously on the dayside magnetopause. Certain observations have also been reported to support global conjunct pattern of magnetic reconnection. Here, we show direct evidence for the conjunction of anti-parallel and component MR using coordinated observations of Double Star TC-1 and Cluster under the same IMF condition on 6 April, 2004. The global MR X-line configuration constructed is in good agreement with the “S-shape” model.

Many reasons or just one : How response mode affects reasoning in the conjunction problem

OpenAIRE

Hertwig, R.; Chase, V.

1998-01-01

Forty years of experimentation on class inclusion and its probabilistic relatives have led to inconsistent results and conclusions about human reasoning. Recent research on the conjunction "fallacy" recapitulates this history. In contrast to previous results, we found that a majority of participants adhere to class inclusion in the classic Linda problem. We outline a theoretical framework that attributes the contradictory results to differences in statistical sophistication and to differences...

Possible Mechanism of Action of the Antiallergic Effect of an Aqueous Extract of Heliotropium indicum L. in Ovalbumin-Induced Allergic Conjunctivitis.

Science.gov (United States)

Kyei, Samuel; Koffuor, George Asumeng; Ramkissoon, Paul; Abokyi, Samuel; Owusu-Afriyie, Osei; Wiredu, Eric Addo

2015-01-01

Heliotropium indicum is used traditionally as a remedy for conjunctivitis in Ghana. This study therefore evaluated the antiallergic potential of an aqueous whole plant extract of Heliotropium indicum (HIE) in ovalbumin-induced allergic conjunctivitis and attempted to predict its mode of action. Clinical scores for allergic conjunctivitis induced by intraperitoneal ovalbumin sensitization (100 : 10 μg OVA/Al(OH)3 in phosphate-buffered saline [PBS]) and topical conjunctival challenge (1.5 mg OVA in 10 μL PBS) in Dunkin-Hartley guinea pigs were estimated after a week's daily treatment with 30-300 mg kg(-1) HIE, 30 mg kg(-1) prednisolone, 10 mg kg(-1) chlorpheniramine, or 10 mL kg(-1) PBS. Ovalbumin-specific IgG and IgE and total IgE in serum were estimated using Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay. Histopathological assessment of the exenterated conjunctivae was also performed. The 30 and 300 mg kg(-1) HIE treatment resulted in a significantly (p ≤ 0.001) low clinical score of allergic conjunctivitis. Ovalbumin-specific IgG and IgE as well as total serum IgE also decreased significantly (p ≤ 0.01-0.001). The conjunctival tissue in HIE treated guinea pigs had mild mononuclear infiltration compared to the PBS-treated ones, which had intense conjunctival tissue inflammatory infiltration. HIE exhibited antiallergic effect possibly by immunomodulation or immunosuppression.

A nationwide low-level waste management system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1985-01-01

The National Governors' Association, in conjunction with the Department of Energy's National Low-Level Waste Management Program, invited various representatives of states, regions, and federal agencies to comment on their perceptions of what major features would constitute a nationwide low-level waste management system. Three meetings were conducted and this report summarizes results of those meetings. The Low-Level Radioactive Waste Policy Act of 1980 placed primary responsibility on the states for disposal of low-level waste. Although initial efforts of states have been directed toward establishing compacts, it is evident that a successful long term system requires significant cooperation and communication among states, regions, federal agencies, and Congress

Performance of Ductless Personalized Ventilation in Conjunction with Displacement Ventilation: Impact of Workstations Layout and Partitions

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Halvonova, Barbara; Melikov, Arsen Krikor

2010-01-01

cleaner for some of the layouts studied. The use of DPV in conjunction with DV substantially decreased the temperature of the inhaled air and increased the body cooling in comparison with use of DV alone, i.e., DPV also had potential for improving occupants' perceived air quality and thermal comfort....

Heteroscedastic Tests Statistics for One-Way Analysis of Variance: The Trimmed Means and Hall's Transformation Conjunction

Science.gov (United States)

Luh, Wei-Ming; Guo, Jiin-Huarng

2005-01-01

To deal with nonnormal and heterogeneous data for the one-way fixed effect analysis of variance model, the authors adopted a trimmed means method in conjunction with Hall's invertible transformation into a heteroscedastic test statistic (Alexander-Govern test or Welch test). The results of simulation experiments showed that the proposed technique…

Optical coherence tomography in conjunction with bronchoscopy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rodrigues, Ascedio Jose; Takimura, Celso Kiyochi; Lemos Neto, Pedro Alves; Figueiredo, Viviane Rossi

2012-01-01

To evaluate the feasibility of and the potential for using optical coherence tomography in conjunction with conventional bronchoscopy in the evaluation of the airways. Methods: This was a pilot study based on an ex vivo experimental model involving three animals: one adult New Zealand rabbit and two Landrace pigs. An optical coherence tomography imaging catheter was inserted through the working channel of a flexible bronchoscope in order to reach the distal trachea of the animals. Images of the walls of the trachea were systematically taken along its entire length, from the distal to the proximal portion. Results: The imaging catheter was easily adapted to the working channel of the bronchoscope. High-resolution images of cross sections of the trachea were taken in real time, precisely delineating microstructures, such as the epithelium, submucosa, and cartilage, as well as the adventitia of the anterior and lateral tracheal walls. The corresponding layers of the epithelium, mucosa, and cartilage were clearly differentiated. The mucosa, submucosa, and trachealis muscle were clearly identified in the posterior wall. Conclusions: It is feasible to use an optical coherence tomography imaging catheter in combination with a flexible bronchoscope. Optical coherence tomography produces high resolution images that reveal the microanatomy of the trachea, including structures that are typically seen only on images produced by conventional histology. (author)

Optical coherence tomography in conjunction with bronchoscopy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rodrigues, Ascedio Jose; Takimura, Celso Kiyochi; Lemos Neto, Pedro Alves; Figueiredo, Viviane Rossi, E-mail: ascedio@gmail.com [Servico de Endoscopia Respiratoria, Hospital das Clinicas, Universidade de Sao Paulo (FM/USP), SP (Brazil)

2012-07-01

To evaluate the feasibility of and the potential for using optical coherence tomography in conjunction with conventional bronchoscopy in the evaluation of the airways. Methods: This was a pilot study based on an ex vivo experimental model involving three animals: one adult New Zealand rabbit and two Landrace pigs. An optical coherence tomography imaging catheter was inserted through the working channel of a flexible bronchoscope in order to reach the distal trachea of the animals. Images of the walls of the trachea were systematically taken along its entire length, from the distal to the proximal portion. Results: The imaging catheter was easily adapted to the working channel of the bronchoscope. High-resolution images of cross sections of the trachea were taken in real time, precisely delineating microstructures, such as the epithelium, submucosa, and cartilage, as well as the adventitia of the anterior and lateral tracheal walls. The corresponding layers of the epithelium, mucosa, and cartilage were clearly differentiated. The mucosa, submucosa, and trachealis muscle were clearly identified in the posterior wall. Conclusions: It is feasible to use an optical coherence tomography imaging catheter in combination with a flexible bronchoscope. Optical coherence tomography produces high resolution images that reveal the microanatomy of the trachea, including structures that are typically seen only on images produced by conventional histology. (author)

People Like Logical Truth: Testing the Intuitive Detection of Logical Value in Basic Propositions.

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Hiroko Nakamura

Full Text Available Recent studies on logical reasoning have suggested that people are intuitively aware of the logical validity of syllogisms or that they intuitively detect conflict between heuristic responses and logical norms via slight changes in their feelings. According to logical intuition studies, logically valid or heuristic logic no-conflict reasoning is fluently processed and induces positive feelings without conscious awareness. One criticism states that such effects of logicality disappear when confounding factors such as the content of syllogisms are controlled. The present study used abstract propositions and tested whether people intuitively detect logical value. Experiment 1 presented four logical propositions (conjunctive, biconditional, conditional, and material implications regarding a target case and asked the participants to rate the extent to which they liked the statement. Experiment 2 tested the effects of matching bias, as well as intuitive logic, on the reasoners' feelings by manipulating whether the antecedent or consequent (or both of the conditional was affirmed or negated. The results showed that both logicality and matching bias affected the reasoners' feelings, and people preferred logically true targets over logically false ones for all forms of propositions. These results suggest that people intuitively detect what is true from what is false during abstract reasoning. Additionally, a Bayesian mixed model meta-analysis of conditionals indicated that people's intuitive interpretation of the conditional "if p then q" fits better with the conditional probability, q given p.

29 CFR 780.618 - “His own account”-“in conjunction with other farmers.”

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2010-07-01

... 29 Labor 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false âHis own accountâ-âin conjunction with other farmers.â 780... farmers.” Under the terms of section 13(b)(13), the farmer may operate a livestock auction solely for his own benefit or he may join with “other farmers” to auction livestock for their mutual benefit. (See...

Conjunctivitis associated with Chlamydia pecorum in three koalas (Phascolarctos cinereus) in the Mount Lofty Ranges, South Australia.

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Funnell, Oliver; Johnson, Lynley; Woolford, Lucy; Boardman, Wayne; Polkinghorne, Adam; McLelland, David

2013-10-01

Chlamydiosis is a significant factor contributing to the decline of koala (Phascolarctos cinereus) populations in Australia but has not previously been reported in South Australia. We describe conjunctivitis in three wild koalas from South Australia, with Chlamydia pecorum identified by quantitative PCR.

Is experiential-intuitive cognitive style more inclined to err on conjunction fallacy than analytical-rational cognitive style?

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Lu, Yong

2015-01-01

In terms of prediction by Epstein's integrative theory of personality, cognitive-experiential self-theory (CEST), those people with experiential-intuitive cognitive style are more inclined to induce errors than the other people with analytical-rational cognitive style in the conjunction fallacy (two events that can occur together are seen as more likely than at least one of the two events). We tested this prediction in a revised Linda problem. The results revealed that rational and experiential cognitive styles do not statistically influence the propensity for committing the conjunction fallacy, which is contrary to the CEST's predictions. Based on the assumption that the rational vs. experiential processing is a personality trait with comparatively stabile specialities, these findings preliminarily indicate that those people who are characterized by "rational thinking" are not more inclined to use Bayes' deduction than the other people who are labeled by "intuitive thinking" or by "poor thinking."

The formation of novel social category conjunctions in working memory: A possible role for the episodic buffer?

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Hutter, Russell R C; Allen, Richard J; Wood, Chantelle

2016-01-01

Recent research (e.g., Hutter, Crisp, Humphreys, Waters, & Moffit; Siebler) has confirmed that combining novel social categories involves two stages (e.g., Hampton; Hastie, Schroeder, & Weber). Furthermore, it is also evident that following stage 1 (constituent additivity), the second stage in these models involves cognitively effortful complex reasoning. However, while current theory and research has addressed how category conjunctions are initially represented to some degree, it is not clear precisely where we first combine or bind existing social constituent categories. For example, how and where do we compose and temporarily store a coherent representation of an individual who shares membership of "female" and "blacksmith" categories? In this article, we consider how the revised multi-component model of working memory (Baddeley) can assist in resolving the representational limitations in the extant two-stage theoretical models. This is a new approach to understanding how novel conjunctions form new bound "composite" representations.

Tracoma em pacientes com conjuntivite alérgica Trachoma in patients with allergic conjunctivitis

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Haroldo de Lucena Bezerra

2010-06-01

Chlamydia trachomatis com a conjuntivite alérgica, dada à possibilidade de alterar o prognóstico visual e os sintomas se potencializarem no caso de acometimento duplo. Desta forma faz-se necessário a realização da imunofluorescência direta para o devido diagnóstico em pacientes com conjuntivite alérgica.Purpose: The aim of this paper was to identify a possible association between allergic conjunctivitis and Chlamydia trachomatis infection. Methods: A prospective study was carried out in 104 eyes of 52 patients with diagnosis of vernal conjunctivitis and atopic keratoconjunctivitis. Conjunctival cytology was performed in all the 52 patients, once it can evidence eosinophils presence and inclusions corpuscles in the conjunctival scraping smear, as well as the direct immunofluorescence that is the choice exam for Chlamydia trachomatis infection confirmation. All procedures were approved by the Institutional Review Board Ethics Committee. Results: Of the 52 patients, 41 (78.8% presented vernal conjunctivitis and 11 (21.2% atopic keratoconjunctivitis. Forty-one patients (78.8% were male and 11 (21.2% female. The ages varied from 3 to 19 years, with an average of 9.8 years. Regarding racial distribution, 16 (30.8% patients were caucasian, 14 (26.9% were black and 22 (42.3% were brown. Regarding systemic allergic diseases, it was observed that 25 (48.1% patients presented asthma, 20 (38.5% allergic rhinitis and 5 (9.6% atopic dermatitis. The main symptoms complained by the patients were coryza (59.6%, ocular itching (98.1%, burning (61.5%, tearing (65.3% and photophobia (61.5%. The main clinical signs were: ocular hyperemia (100%, bilaterality (100%, superior tarsal papilla (92.3% and mucous secretion (82.7%. The cytology of the conjunctival scrapings found eosinophil in 86.5% of the cases. Only seven patients did not present eosinophils in the conjunctival scrapings. Three patients (5.8% presented positive immunofluorescence for Chlamydia, evidencing an association

Water banking, conjunctive administration, and drought: The interaction of water markets and prior appropriation in southeastern Idaho

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Ghosh, Sanchari; Cobourn, Kelly M.; Elbakidze, Levan

2014-08-01

Despite recognition of the potential economic benefits and increasing interest in developing marketing instruments, water markets have remained thin and slow to evolve due to high transactions costs, third party effects, and the persistence of historical institutions for water allocation. Water banks are a marketing instrument that can address these obstacles to trade, allowing irrigators within a region to exchange water in order to mitigate the short-term effects of drought. Water banks coexist with the institutions governing water allocation, which implies that rule changes, such as adoption of a system of conjunctive surface water-groundwater administration, carry implications for the economic impacts of banking. This paper assesses and compares the welfare and distributional outcomes for irrigators in the Eastern Snake River Plain of Idaho under a suite of water management and drought scenarios. We find that water banking can offset irrigators' profit losses during drought, but that its ability to do so depends on whether it facilitates trade across groundwater and surface water users. With conjunctive administration, a bank allowing trade by source realizes 22.23% of the maximum potential efficiency gains from trade during a severe drought, while a bank that allows trade across sources realizes 93.47% of the maximum potential gains. During drought, conjunctive administration redistributes welfare from groundwater to surface water producers, but banking across sources allows groundwater irrigators to recover 88.4% of the profits lost from drought at a cost of 2.2% of the profit earned by surface water irrigators.

The Nanoscale Observation of the Three-Dimensional Structures of Neurosynapses, Membranous Conjunctions Between Cultured Hippocampal Neurons and Their Significance in the Development of Epilepsy.

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Sun, Lan; Jiang, Shuang; Tang, Xianhua; Zhang, Yingge; Qin, Luye; Jiang, Xia; Yu, Albert Cheung Hoi

2016-12-01

The nanoscale three-dimensional structures of neurosynapses are unknown, and the neuroanatomical basis of epilepsy remains to be elucidated. Here, we studied the nanoscale three-dimensional synapses between hippocampal neurons, and membranous conjunctions between neurons were found with atomic force microscopy (AFM) and confirmed by transmission electron microscope (TEM), and their pathophysiological significance was primarily investigated. The neurons and dendrites were marked by MAP-2, axons by neurofilament 200, and synapses by synapsin I immunological staining. In the synapsin I-positive neurite ends of the neurons positively stained with MAP-2 and neurofilament 200, neurosynapses with various nanoscale morphology and structure could be found by AFM. The neurosynapses had typical three-dimensional structures of synaptic triplet including the presynaptic neurite end, synaptic cleft of 30 ∼ 40 in chemical synapses and 2 ∼ 6 nm in electrical ones, the postsynaptic neurite or dendrite spine, the typical neurite end button, the distinct pre- and postsynaptic membranes, and the obvious thickening of the postsynaptic membranes or neurites. Some membranous connections including membrane-like junctions (MLJ) and fiber-tube links (FTL) without triplet structures and cleft were found between neurons. The development frequencies of the two membranous conjunctions increased while those of the synaptic conjunctions decreased between the neurons from Otx1 knock-out mice in comparison with those between the neurons from normal mice. These results suggested that the neuroanatomical basis of Otx1 knock-out epilepsy is the combination of the decreased synaptic conjunctions and the increased membranous conjunctions.

Follicular Conjunctivitis due to Chlamydia felis—Case Report, Review of the Literature and Improved Molecular Diagnostics

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Juliana Wons

2017-07-01

Full Text Available A 29-year-old woman presented with unilateral, chronic follicular conjunctivitis since 6 weeks. While the conjunctival swab taken from the patient’s eye was negative in a Chlamydia (C. trachomatis-specific PCR, C. felis was identified as etiological agent using a pan-Chlamydia TaqMan-PCR followed by sequence analysis. A pet kitten of the patient was found to be the source of infection, as its conjunctival and pharyngeal swabs were also positive for C. felis. The patient was successfully treated with systemic doxycycline. This report, which presents one of the few documented cases of human C. felis infection, illustrates that standard PCR tests are designed to detect the most frequently seen species of a bacterial genus but might fail to be reactive with less common species. We developed a modified pan-Chlamydia/C. felis duplex TaqMan-PCR assay that detects C. felis without the need of subsequent sequencing. The role of chlamydiae-specific serum antibody titers for the diagnosis of follicular conjunctivitis is discussed.

Adenovirus urethritis and concurrent conjunctivitis: a case series and review of the literature.

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Liddle, Olivia Louise; Samuel, Mannampallil Itty; Sudhanva, Malur; Ellis, Joanna; Taylor, Chris

2015-03-01

We present eight cases and review the literature of concurrent urethritis and conjunctivitis where adenovirus was identified as the causative pathogen. The focus of this review concerns the identification of specific sexual practices, symptoms, signs and any serotypes that seem more commonly associated with such adenovirus infections. We discuss the seasonality of adenovirus infection and provide practical advice for clinicians to give to the patient. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

Measurements of very large deformations in potash salt in conjunction with an ongoing mining operation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sattler, A.R.; Christensen, C.L.

1980-01-01

Room and pillar deformation were measured in conjunction with a relatively new type of mining operation in a southeastern New Mexico potash mine. The extraction ration was approximately 90 percent in a first mining operation. Due to severe deformations encountered, instrumentation had to be developed/modified for these measurements. This paper concentrates on experiment design, design of special instrumentation, field installation of equipment, and presentation of the data. Measurements made include extensometers in the pillar, in the floor and ceiling in the room between pillars, absolute level measurements, floor ceiling closure, and stress (strain) measurements. Associated laboratory rock mechanics measurements of samples from the mine are being done separately. Two separate room pillar complexes were instrumented. In the first complex, floor-ceiling deformations of approximately 1 inch/day and pillar deformations around 1/2 inch/day were measured. In the second complex, instrumentation was installed while the pillar was a part of a long wall and the subsequent sequential mining (long wall-pillar with only one adjoining room on one side - pillar in the middle of room pillar complex) was observed. Data return from this operation was good

Determination of isoniazid concentration in rabbit vertebrae by isotope tracing technique in conjunction with HPLC.

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Liu, Peng; Fu, Zhaozong; Jiang, Jianming; Yuan, Liang; Lin, Zhen

2013-09-01

Medications compounded with isoniazid (INH) are usually applied to surgical sites at the completion of surgery to locally kill postoperative residual tubercle bacilli. However, the distribution and elimination of INH in the vertebrae in vivo are not known. In this study, isotope tracing was used in conjunction with high-pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) to address this. INH and technetium-99 m-labeled INH were applied to the vertebrae of rabbits. After 2 and 6 h, osseous tissues containing INH, as determined by radionuclide imaging, were collected for detection with HPLC. The results showed that INH mainly stayed around the vertebrae 6 h after its application and did not permeate widely into the blood or other organs, except for the kidneys. The standard deviations of INH concentrations in the technetium-99 m-INH group were approximately four-fold smaller than those in the INH group. This method of coupling isotope tracing and HPLC can effectively limit experimental error during sample collection, allowing accurate and reliable identification of the concentration levels of INH in osseous tissues in vivo. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Noisy probability judgment, the conjunction fallacy, and rationality: Comment on Costello and Watts (2014).

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Crupi, Vincenzo; Tentori, Katya

2016-01-01

According to Costello and Watts (2014), probability theory can account for key findings in human judgment research provided that random noise is embedded in the model. We concur with a number of Costello and Watts's remarks, but challenge the empirical adequacy of their model in one of their key illustrations (the conjunction fallacy) on the basis of recent experimental findings. We also discuss how our argument bears on heuristic and rational thinking. (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved).

Efficacy of oral immunotherapy with a rice-based edible vaccine containing hypoallergenic Japanese cedar pollen allergens for treatment of established allergic conjunctivitis in mice.

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Fukuda, Ken; Ishida, Waka; Harada, Yosuke; Wakasa, Yuhya; Takagi, Hidenori; Takaiwa, Fumio; Fukushima, Atsuki

2018-01-01

We have previously shown that prophylactic oral administration of transgenic rice seeds expressing hypoallergenic modified antigens suppressed the development of allergic conjunctivitis induced by Japanese cedar pollen. We have now investigated the efficacy of oral immunotherapy with such transgenic rice for established allergic conjunctivitis in mice. BALB/c mice were sensitized with two intraperitoneal injections of Japanese cedar pollen in alum, challenged with pollen in eyedrops, and then fed for 16 days with transgenic rice seeds expressing modified Japanese cedar pollen allergens Cry j 1 and Cry j 2 or with nontransgenic rice seeds as a control. They were then challenged twice with pollen in eyedrops, with clinical signs being evaluated at 15 min after the first challenge and the eyes, blood, spleen, and lymph nodes being isolated at 24 h after the second challenge. The number of eosinophils in the conjunctiva and the clinical score for conjunctivitis were both significantly lower in mice fed the transgenic rice than in those fed nontransgenic rice. Oral vaccination with transgenic rice seeds also resulted in a significant increase in the production of IFN-γ by splenocytes, whereas it had no effect on the number of CD4 + CD25 + Foxp3 + regulatory T cells in the spleen or submandibular or mesenteric lymph nodes. Oral administration of transgenic rice seeds expressing hypoallergenic allergens ameliorated allergic conjunctivitis in the established setting. Such a rice-based edible vaccine is potentially both safe and effective for oral immunotherapy in individuals with allergic conjunctivitis. Copyright © 2017 Japanese Society of Allergology. Production and hosting by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

NERBio: using selected word conjunctions, term normalization, and global patterns to improve biomedical named entity recognition.

Science.gov (United States)

Tsai, Richard Tzong-Han; Sung, Cheng-Lung; Dai, Hong-Jie; Hung, Hsieh-Chuan; Sung, Ting-Yi; Hsu, Wen-Lian

2006-12-18

Biomedical named entity recognition (Bio-NER) is a challenging problem because, in general, biomedical named entities of the same category (e.g., proteins and genes) do not follow one standard nomenclature. They have many irregularities and sometimes appear in ambiguous contexts. In recent years, machine-learning (ML) approaches have become increasingly common and now represent the cutting edge of Bio-NER technology. This paper addresses three problems faced by ML-based Bio-NER systems. First, most ML approaches usually employ singleton features that comprise one linguistic property (e.g., the current word is capitalized) and at least one class tag (e.g., B-protein, the beginning of a protein name). However, such features may be insufficient in cases where multiple properties must be considered. Adding conjunction features that contain multiple properties can be beneficial, but it would be infeasible to include all conjunction features in an NER model since memory resources are limited and some features are ineffective. To resolve the problem, we use a sequential forward search algorithm to select an effective set of features. Second, variations in the numerical parts of biomedical terms (e.g., "2" in the biomedical term IL2) cause data sparseness and generate many redundant features. In this case, we apply numerical normalization, which solves the problem by replacing all numerals in a term with one representative numeral to help classify named entities. Third, the assignment of NE tags does not depend solely on the target word's closest neighbors, but may depend on words outside the context window (e.g., a context window of five consists of the current word plus two preceding and two subsequent words). We use global patterns generated by the Smith-Waterman local alignment algorithm to identify such structures and modify the results of our ML-based tagger. This is called pattern-based post-processing. To develop our ML-based Bio-NER system, we employ conditional

Developing Probabilistic Operating Rules for Real-time Conjunctive Use of Surface and Groundwater Resources:Application of Support Vector Machines

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Mohammad Reza Bazargan-Lari

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Developing optimal operating policies for conjunctive use of surface and groundwater resources when different decision makers and stakeholders with conflicting objectives are involved is usually a challenging task. This problem would be more complex when objectives related to surface and groundwater quality are taken into account. In this paper, a new methodology is developed for real time conjunctive use of surface and groundwater resources. In the proposed methodology, a well-known multi-objective genetic algorithm, namely Non-dominated Sorting Genetic Algorithm II (NSGA-II is employed to develop a Pareto front among the objectives. The Young conflict resolution theory is also used for resolving the conflict of interests among decision makers. To develop the real time conjunctive use operating rules, the Probabilistic Support Vector Machines (PSVMs, which are capable of providing probability distribution functions of decision variables, are utilized. The proposed methodology is applied to Tehran Aquifer inTehran metropolitan area,Iran. Stakeholders in the study area have some conflicting interests including supplying water with acceptable quality, reducing pumping costs, improving groundwater quality and controlling the groundwater table fluctuations. In the proposed methodology, MODFLOW and MT3D groundwater quantity and quality simulation models are linked with NSGA-II optimization model to develop Pareto fronts among the objectives. The best solutions on the Pareto fronts are then selected using the Young conflict resolution theory. The selected solution (optimal monthly operating policies is used to train and verify a PSVM. The results show the significance of applying an integrated conflict resolution approach and the capability of support vector machines for the real time conjunctive use of surface and groundwater resources in the study area. It is also shown that the validation accuracy of the proposed operating rules is higher that 80

Low level liquid scintillation analysis for environmental and biomedical quantitation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kessler, M.J.

1991-01-01

Over the past five years low level liquid scintillation counting has become increasing popular because of the large number of applications which can be performed using this technique. These applications include environmental monitoring ( 3 H, 90 Sr/ 90 Y, etc.), radiocarbon dating (for age determination to 50,000 years), food adulteration studies (alcohol and beverage industries), radon monitoring (air/water), nuclear power plant monitoring (low level 3 H) and metabolism studies (pharmaceutical research). These applications can be performed with either a dedicated low level LSC or using a standard liquid scintillation counter in conjunction with the new technique of time-resolved LSC (TR-LSC). This technique when used on a standard LSC reduces the instrument background without substantially effecting the background, thus increasing the performance (E 2 /B) of the LSC. Data will be presented for each of the applications mentioned above, comparing the standard LSC and the new TR-LSC techniques. The optimization of the samples for each of these applications will be explored in detail with experimental results. In conclusion, by using the TR-LSC technique in conjunction with a standard LSC the performance of the standard LSC can be increased substantially without dedicating the LSC to doing only low level samples

Modelling uncertainty with generalized credal sets: application to conjunction and decision

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Bronevich, Andrey G.; Rozenberg, Igor N.

2018-01-01

To model conflict, non-specificity and contradiction in information, upper and lower generalized credal sets are introduced. Any upper generalized credal set is a convex subset of plausibility measures interpreted as lower probabilities whose bodies of evidence consist of singletons and a certain event. Analogously, contradiction is modelled in the theory of evidence by a belief function that is greater than zero at empty set. Based on generalized credal sets, we extend the conjunctive rule for contradictory sources of information, introduce constructions like natural extension in the theory of imprecise probabilities and show that the model of generalized credal sets coincides with the model of imprecise probabilities if the profile of a generalized credal set consists of probability measures. We give ways how the introduced model can be applied to decision problems.

Eyelid Molluscum Contagiosum Lesions in Two Patients with Unilateral Chronic Conjunctivitis

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Şule Serin

2017-08-01

Full Text Available Molluscum contagiosum (MC is a viral infection of the skin and mucosal tissues characterized by skin-colored or transparent round nodules with a dimple or pit in the center. The infection is caused by a DNA poxvirus called the MC virus. Although MC generally occurs in children, it has also been reported in immunocompromised and atopic patients. The virus is transmitted by skin contact or sexual intercourse. The lesions disappear spontaneously within several months in most cases. However, excision, cryotherapy, cauterization, topical chemical and antiviral agents, and/or oral cimetidine are used in refractory cases or to accelerate the healing process. Herein, we discussed the clinical findings and our treatment of two patients with unilateral chronic conjunctivitis associated with eyelid MC lesions in light of the literature.

[Medical practice, magic and religion - conjunction and development before and after Reformation].

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Thorvardardottir, Olina Kjerulf

2017-12-01

The conjunction between medical practice, religion and magic becomes rather visible when one peers into old scripts and ancient literature. Before the foundation and diffusion of universities of the continent, the european convents and cloisters were the centers of medical knowl-edge and -practice for centuries. Alongside the scholarly development of medical science, driven from the roots of the eldest scholarly medicial practice, the practice of folk-medicin flourished and thrived all over Europe, not least the herbal-medicine which is the original form and foundation for modern pharmacy. This article deals with the conjunction of religion, magic and medical practice in ancient Icelandic sources such as the Old-Norse literature, medical-scripts from the 12th - 15th century Iceland, and not least the Icelandic magical-scripts (galdrakver) of the 17th century. The last mentioned documents were used as evidence in several witch-trials that led convicted witches to suffer executions at the stake once the wave of European witch-persecutions had rushed ashore in 17th century Iceland. These sources indicate a decline of medical knowledge and science in the 16th and 17th century Iceland, the medical practice being rather undeveloped at the time - in Iceland as in other parts of Europe - there-fore a rather unclear margin between "the learned and the laymen". While common people and folk-healers were convicted as witches to suffer at the stake for possession of magical scripts and healing-books, some scholars of the state of Danmark were practicing healing-methods that deserve to be compared to the activities of the former ones. That comparison raises an inevitable question of where to draw the line between the learned medical man and the magician of 17th century Iceland, that is between Magic and Science.

[Midterm results of thoracic aortic dissection endovascular repair in conjunctions with the location of Adamkiewicz artery].

Science.gov (United States)

Jia, Ying-bin; Li, Jian; Su, Yong-hui; Ma, Jie-fei; Guan, Xiao-dong; Zhang, Bai-meng

2012-10-23

To evaluate the effects of using longer xenografts in conjunctions with the location of Adamkiewicz artery (AKA) on midterm outcomes of endovascular treatment for thoracic aortic dissection. From March 2005 to September 2011, 217 patients with type B dissection were recruited. There were 143 males and 74 females with a mean age of 65 ± 11 years. Among them, 43 patients were from Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University while another 174 patients from Affiliated Zhongshan Hospital of Fudan University. They were divided into 2 groups according to whether AKA was identified or not pre-operatively. Endovascular repairs were performed for all patients. Distal landing levels of xenografts were recorded. The thrombosis of false lumen and the complications of spinal cord injury and endoleak were analyzed. AKA was detected in 121 (55.8%) patients (group A) but not in 96 (44.2%) patients (group B). According to the levels of AKA, the patients of group A obtained the stabilization of affected thoracic aorta over a longer distance. And the ratio of patients with distal landing levels at T8-T10 was significantly higher than in group B (59.5% vs 12.5%, χ² = 49.85, P < 0.01). Also, during the follow-up period of 7.3 months, the ratio of patients with total thrombosis of false lumen in group A was significantly higher than that in group B (32.1% vs 19.1%, χ² = 4.34, P < 0.05). During the endovascular repair of thoracic aortic dissection, selecting a longer device may provide a better structural stability of affected aorta and promote false lumen thrombosis.

NERBio: using selected word conjunctions, term normalization, and global patterns to improve biomedical named entity recognition

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hung Hsieh-Chuan

2006-12-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Biomedical named entity recognition (Bio-NER is a challenging problem because, in general, biomedical named entities of the same category (e.g., proteins and genes do not follow one standard nomenclature. They have many irregularities and sometimes appear in ambiguous contexts. In recent years, machine-learning (ML approaches have become increasingly common and now represent the cutting edge of Bio-NER technology. This paper addresses three problems faced by ML-based Bio-NER systems. First, most ML approaches usually employ singleton features that comprise one linguistic property (e.g., the current word is capitalized and at least one class tag (e.g., B-protein, the beginning of a protein name. However, such features may be insufficient in cases where multiple properties must be considered. Adding conjunction features that contain multiple properties can be beneficial, but it would be infeasible to include all conjunction features in an NER model since memory resources are limited and some features are ineffective. To resolve the problem, we use a sequential forward search algorithm to select an effective set of features. Second, variations in the numerical parts of biomedical terms (e.g., "2" in the biomedical term IL2 cause data sparseness and generate many redundant features. In this case, we apply numerical normalization, which solves the problem by replacing all numerals in a term with one representative numeral to help classify named entities. Third, the assignment of NE tags does not depend solely on the target word's closest neighbors, but may depend on words outside the context window (e.g., a context window of five consists of the current word plus two preceding and two subsequent words. We use global patterns generated by the Smith-Waterman local alignment algorithm to identify such structures and modify the results of our ML-based tagger. This is called pattern-based post-processing. Results To develop our ML

Excimer laser phototherapeutic keratectomy in conjunction with mitomycin C in corneal macular and granular dystrophies.

Science.gov (United States)

Yuksel, Erdem; Cubuk, Mehmet Ozgur; Eroglu, Hulya Yazıcı; Bilgihan, Kamil

2016-04-01

To evaluate the visual outcomes, recurrence patterns, safety, and efficacy of excimer laser phototherapeutic keratectomy (PTK) in conjunction with mitomycin C (MMC) for corneal macular and granular diystrophies. The patients were divided into two groups. Group 1 included patients with macular corneal dystrophy (MCD) that caused superficial corneal plaque opacities, and Group 2 included patients with granular corneal dystrophy (GCD). Patients in both groups were pre-, peri-, and postoperatively evaluated. The groups were compared in terms of uncorrected visual acuity (VA), best spectacle-corrected VA, presence of mild or significant recurrence, and time of recurrence. Eighteen eyes (nine with MCD and nine with GCD) of 18 patients (10 men and eight women) were included. PTK was performed for each eye that was included in this study. The mean ablation amount was 117.8 ± 24.4 µm and 83.5 ± 45.7 µm in MCD and GCD, respectively, (p=0.18). The postoperative improvement of the mean VA was similar between the two groups before recurrences (p>0.43) and after recurrences (p>0.71). There were no statistically significant differences in the recurrence rate and the recurrence-free period for any recurrence type. PTK was an effective, safe, and minimally invasive procedure for patients with MCD and GCD. PTK in conjunction with MMC was similarly effective for both groups in terms of recurrence and visual outcomes.

Enhancing drought resilience with conjunctive use and managed aquifer recharge in California and Arizona

Science.gov (United States)

Scanlon, Bridget R.; Reedy, Robert C.; Faunt, Claudia C.; Pool, Donald; Uhlman, Kristine

2016-03-01

Projected longer-term droughts and intense floods underscore the need to store more water to manage climate extremes. Here we show how depleted aquifers have been used to store water by substituting surface water use for groundwater pumpage (conjunctive use, CU) or recharging groundwater with surface water (managed aquifer recharge, MAR). Unique multi-decadal monitoring from thousands of wells and regional modeling datasets for the California Central Valley and central Arizona were used to assess CU and MAR. In addition to natural reservoir capacity related to deep water tables, historical groundwater depletion further expanded aquifer storage by ˜44 km3 in the Central Valley and by ˜100 km3 in Arizona, similar to or exceeding current surface reservoir capacity by up to three times. Local river water and imported surface water, transported through 100s of km of canals, is substituted for groundwater (≤15 km3 yr-1, CU) or is used to recharge groundwater (MAR, ≤1.5 km3 yr-1) during wet years shifting to mostly groundwater pumpage during droughts. In the Central Valley, CU and MAR locally reversed historically declining water-level trends, which contrasts with simulated net regional groundwater depletion. In Arizona, CU and MAR also reversed historically declining groundwater level trends in active management areas. These rising trends contrast with current declining trends in irrigated areas that lack access to surface water to support CU or MAR. Use of depleted aquifers as reservoirs could expand with winter flood irrigation or capturing flood discharges to the Pacific (0-1.6 km3 yr-1, 2000-2014) with additional infrastructure in California. Because flexibility and expanded portfolio options translate to resilience, CU and MAR enhance drought resilience through multi-year storage, complementing shorter term surface reservoir storage, and facilitating water markets.

Enhancing drought resilience with conjunctive use and managed aquifer recharge in California and Arizona

Science.gov (United States)

Scanlon, Bridget R.; Reedy, Robert C.; Faunt, Claudia; Pool, Donald R.; Uhlman, Kristine;

2016-01-01

Projected longer‐term droughts and intense floods underscore the need to store more water to manage climate extremes. Here we show how depleted aquifers have been used to store water by substituting surface water use for groundwater pumpage (conjunctive use, CU) or recharging groundwater with surface water (Managed Aquifer Recharge, MAR). Unique multi‐decadal monitoring from thousands of wells and regional modeling datasets for the California Central Valley and central Arizona were used to assess CU and MAR. In addition to natural reservoir capacity related to deep water tables, historical groundwater depletion further expanded aquifer storage by ~44 km3 in the Central Valley and by ~100 km3 in Arizona, similar to or exceeding current surface reservoir capacity by up to three times. Local river water and imported surface water, transported through 100s of km of canals, is substituted for groundwater (≤15 km3/yr, CU) or is used to recharge groundwater (MAR, ≤1.5 km3/yr) during wet years shifting to mostly groundwater pumpage during droughts. In the Central Valley, CU and MAR locally reversed historically declining water‐level trends, which contrasts with simulated net regional groundwater depletion. In Arizona, CU and MAR also reversed historically declining groundwater level trends in Active Management Areas. These rising trends contrast with current declining trends in irrigated areas that lack access to surface water to support CU or MAR. Use of depleted aquifers as reservoirs could expand with winter flood irrigation or capturing flood discharges to the Pacific (0 – 1.6 km3/yr, 2000–2014) with additional infrastructure in California. Because flexibility and expanded portfolio options translate to resilience, CU and MAR enhance drought resilience through multi‐year storage, complementing shorter term surface reservoir storage, and facilitating water markets.

Multiple aspects of high school students' strategic processing on reading outcomes: The role of quantity, quality, and conjunctive strategy use.

Science.gov (United States)

Parkinson, Meghan M; Dinsmore, Daniel L

2018-03-01

While the literature on strategy use is relatively mature, measures of strategy use overwhelmingly measure only one aspect of that use, frequency, when relating that strategy use to performance outcomes. While this might be one important attribute of strategy use, there is increasing evidence that quality and conditional use of cognitive and metacognitive strategies may also be important. This study examines how multiple aspects of strategy use, namely frequency, quality, and conjunctive use of strategies, influence task performance on both well- and ill-structured task outcomes in addition to other concomitant variables that may interact with strategic processing during reading. The sample consisted of 21 high school students enrolled in an upper-level biology class in a suburban school in the north-eastern United States. These participants completed measures of prior knowledge and interest, then read either an expository or persuasive text while thinking aloud. They then completed a passage recall and open-ended response following passage completion. In general, quantity was not positively related to the study outcomes and was negatively related to one of them. Quality of strategy use, on the other hand, was consistently related to positive reading outcomes. The influence of knowledge and interest in terms of strategies is also discussed as well as six cases which illustrate the relation of aspects of strategy use and the other concomitant variables. Evaluating strategy use by solely examining the frequency of strategy use did not explain differences in task performance as well as evaluating the quality and conjunctive use of strategies. Further, important relations between prior knowledge, interest, and the task outcomes appeared to be mediated and moderated by the aspects of strategy use investigated. © 2017 The British Psychological Society.

Ventral, but not dorsal, hippocampus inactivation impairs reward memory expression and retrieval in contexts defined by proximal cues.

Science.gov (United States)

Riaz, Sadia; Schumacher, Anett; Sivagurunathan, Seyon; Van Der Meer, Matthijs; Ito, Rutsuko

2017-07-01

The hippocampus (HPC) has been widely implicated in the contextual control of appetitive and aversive conditioning. However, whole hippocampal lesions do not invariably impair all forms of contextual processing, as in the case of complex biconditional context discrimination, leading to contention over the exact nature of the contribution of the HPC in contextual processing. Moreover, the increasingly well-established functional dissociation between the dorsal (dHPC) and ventral (vHPC) subregions of the HPC has been largely overlooked in the existing literature on hippocampal-based contextual memory processing in appetitively motivated tasks. Thus, the present study sought to investigate the individual roles of the dHPC and the vHPC in contextual biconditional discrimination (CBD) performance and memory retrieval. To this end, we examined the effects of transient post-acquisition pharmacological inactivation (using a combination of GABA A and GABA B receptor agonists muscimol and baclofen) of functionally distinct subregions of the HPC (CA1/CA3 subfields of the dHPC and vHPC) on CBD memory retrieval. Additional behavioral assays including novelty preference, light-dark box and locomotor activity test were also performed to confirm that the respective sites of inactivation were functionally silent. We observed robust deficits in CBD performance and memory retrieval following inactivation of the vHPC, but not the dHPC. Our data provides novel insight into the differential roles of the ventral and dorsal HPC in reward contextual processing, under conditions in which the context is defined by proximal cues. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Besifloxacin ophthalmic suspension 0.6% in patients with bacterial conjunctivitis: A multicenter, prospective, randomized, double-masked, vehicle-controlled, 5-day efficacy and safety study.

Science.gov (United States)

Karpecki, Paul; Depaolis, Michael; Hunter, Judy A; White, Eric M; Rigel, Lee; Brunner, Lynne S; Usner, Dale W; Paterno, Michael R; Comstock, Timothy L

2009-03-01

Besifloxacin ophthalmic suspension 0.6% is a new topical fluoroquinolone for the treatment of bacterial conjunctivitis. Besifloxacin has potent in vitro activity against a broad spectrum of ocular pathogens, including drug-resistant strains. The primary objective of this study was to compare the clinical and microbiologic efficacy of besifloxacin ophthalmic suspension 0.6% with that of vehicle (the formulation without besifloxacin) in the treatment of bacterial conjunctivitis. This was a multicenter, prospective, randomized, double-masked, vehicle-controlled, parallel-group study in patients with acute bacterial conjunctivitis. Patients received either topical besifloxacin ophthalmic suspension or vehicle administered 3 times daily for 5 days. At study entry and on days 4 and 8 (visits 2 and 3), a clinical assessment of ocular signs and symptoms was performed in both eyes, as well as pinhole visual acuity testing, biomicroscopy, and culture of the infected eye(s). An ophthalmoscopic examination was performed at study entry and on day 8. The primary efficacy outcome measures were clinical resolution and eradication of the baseline bacterial infection on day 8 in culture-confirmed patients. The safety evaluation included adverse events, changes in visual acuity, and biomicroscopy and ophthalmoscopy findings in all patients who received at least 1 dose of active treatment or vehicle. The safety population consisted of 269 patients (mean [SD] age, 34.2 [22.3] years; 60.2% female; 82.5% white) with acute bacterial conjunctivitis. The culture-confirmed intent-to-treat population consisted of 118 patients (60 besifloxacin ophthalmic suspension, 58 vehicle). Significantly more patients receiving besifloxacin ophthalmic suspension than vehicle had clinical resolution of the baseline infection at visit 3 (44/60 [73.3%] vs 25/58 [43.1%], respectively; P suspension compared with vehicle at visit 3 (53/60 [88.3%] vs35/58 [60.3%]; P suspension 0.6% given 3 times daily for 5 days

Illusory conjunctions in simultanagnosia: coarse coding of visual feature location?

Science.gov (United States)

McCrea, Simon M; Buxbaum, Laurel J; Coslett, H Branch

2006-01-01

Simultanagnosia is a disorder characterized by an inability to see more than one object at a time. We report a simultanagnosic patient (ED) with bilateral posterior infarctions who produced frequent illusory conjunctions on tasks involving form and surface features (e.g., a red T) and form alone. ED also produced "blend" errors in which features of one familiar perceptual unit appeared to migrate to another familiar perceptual unit (e.g., "RO" read as "PQ"). ED often misread scrambled letter strings as a familiar word (e.g., "hmoe" read as "home"). Finally, ED's success in reporting two letters in an array was inversely related to the distance between the letters. These findings are consistent with the hypothesis that ED's illusory reflect coarse coding of visual feature location that is ameliorated in part by top-down information from object and word recognition systems; the findings are also consistent, however, with Treisman's Feature Integration Theory. Finally, the data provide additional support for the claim that the dorsal parieto-occipital cortex is implicated in the binding of visual feature information.

Development and Preliminary Feasibility Study of a Brief Behavioral Activation Mobile Application (Behavioral Apptivation) to Be Used in Conjunction With Ongoing Therapy.

Science.gov (United States)

Dahne, Jennifer; Kustanowitz, Jacob; Lejuez, C W

2018-02-01

Depressive symptoms are the most frequently treated psychiatric condition in the United States. Brief behavioral activation treatment for depression (BATD) is a popular, evidence-based psychotherapy with strong research support for the treatment of depression. In this paper, we describe the development and initial pilot feasibility testing of a BATD mobile application (Behavioral Apptivation) to be used by patients and therapists in conjunction with BATD therapy. We present information regarding the app development process as well as results from a small open-label feasibility trial of the app utilized in conjunction with individual BATD. We include a case series from the open-label trial highlighting how Behavioral Apptivation can be utilized in clinical practice.

Acquisition of Inductive Biconditional Reasoning Skills: Training of Simultaneous and Sequential Processing.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Seong-Soo

1982-01-01

Tenth-grade students (n=144) received training on one of three processing methods: coding-mapping (simultaneous), coding only, or decision tree (sequential). The induced simultaneous processing strategy worked optimally under rule learning, while the sequential strategy was difficult to induce and/or not optimal for rule-learning operations.…

Using SDP to optimize conjunctive use of surface and groundwater in China

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Davidsen, Claus; Mo, X; Liu, S.

2014-01-01

A hydro-economic modelling approach to optimize conjunctive use of scarce surface water and groundwater resources under uncertainty is presented. Stochastic dynamic programming (SDP) is used to minimize the basin-wide total costs arising from allocations of surface water, head-dependent groundwater......, which includes surface water droughts and groundwater over-pumping. The head-dependent groundwater pumping costs will enable assessment of the long-term effects of increased electricity prices on the groundwater pumping. The optimization framework is used to assess realistic alternative development...... pumping costs, water allocations from the South-North Water Transfer Project and water curtailments of the users. Each water user group (agriculture, industry, domestic) is characterized by fixed demands and fixed water allocation and water supply curtailment costs. The non-linear one step-ahead sub...

Excimer laser phototherapeutic keratectomy in conjunction with mitomycin C in corneal macular and granular dystrophies

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Erdem Yuksel

2016-04-01

Full Text Available ABSTRACT Purpose: To evaluate the visual outcomes, recurrence patterns, safety, and efficacy of excimer laser phototherapeutic keratectomy (PTK in conjunction with mitomycin C (MMC for corneal macular and granular diystrophies. Methods: The patients were divided into two groups. Group 1 included patients with macular corneal dystrophy (MCD that caused superficial corneal plaque opacities, and Group 2 included patients with granular corneal dystrophy (GCD. Patients in both groups were pre-, peri-, and postoperatively evaluated. The groups were compared in terms of uncorrected visual acuity (VA, best spectacle-corrected VA, presence of mild or significant recurrence, and time of recurrence. Results: Eighteen eyes (nine with MCD and nine with GCD of 18 patients (10 men and eight women were included. PTK was performed for each eye that was included in this study. The mean ablation amount was 117.8 ± 24.4 µm and 83.5 ± 45.7 µm in MCD and GCD, respectively, (p=0.18. The postoperative improvement of the mean VA was similar between the two groups before recurrences (p>0.43 and after recurrences (p>0.71. There were no statistically significant differences in the recurrence rate and the recurrence-free period for any recurrence type. Conclusion: PTK was an effective, safe, and minimally invasive procedure for patients with MCD and GCD. PTK in conjunction with MMC was similarly effective for both groups in terms of recurrence and visual outcomes.

Visual Search for Motion-Form Conjunctions: Selective Attention to Movement Direction.

Science.gov (United States)

Von Mühlenen, Adrian; Müller, Hermann J

1999-07-01

In 2 experiments requiring visual search for conjunctions of motion and form, the authors reinvestigated whether motion-based filtering (e.g., P. McLeod, J. Driver, Z. Dienes, & J. Crisp, 1991) is direction selective and whether cuing of the target direction promotes efficient search performance. In both experiments, the authors varied the number of movement directions in the display and the predictability of the target direction. Search was less efficient when items moved in multiple (2, 3, and 4) directions as compared with just 1 direction. Furthermore, precuing of the target direction facilitated the search, even with "wrap-around" displays, relatively more when items moved in multiple directions. The authors proposed 2 principles to explain that pattern of effects: (a) interference on direction computation between items moving in different directions (e.g., N. Qian & R. A. Andersen, 1994) and (b) selective direction tuning of motion detectors involving a receptive-field contraction (cf. J. Moran & R. Desimone, 1985; S. Treue & J. H. R. Maunsell, 1996).

On the Conjunction Fallacy and the Meaning of "and", yet Again: A Reply to Hertwig, Benz, and Krauss (2008)

Science.gov (United States)

Tentori, Katya; Crupi, Vincenzo

2012-01-01

In this paper we question the theoretical tenability of Hertwig, Benz, and Krauss's (2008) (HBK) argument that responses commonly taken as manifestations of the conjunction fallacy should be instead considered as reflecting "reasonable pragmatic and semantic inferences" because the meaning of and does not always coincide with that of the logical…

The effect of proficiency level on the rate of receptive and productive vocabulary acquisition

OpenAIRE

Şener, Murat

2010-01-01

Ankara : The Department of Teaching English as a Foreign Language, Bilkent University, 2010. Thesis (Master's) -- Bilkent University, 2010. Includes bibliographical references leaves 99-104. This study investigated the effect of proficiency level on the rate of receptive and productive vocabulary acquisition, in conjunction with an examination of materials and instruction. The study was conducted with the participation of 68 beginner and elementary level students, and their ...

Levocabastine eye drops are effective and well tolerated for the treatment of allergic conjunctivitis in children

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Brunello Wüthrich

1995-01-01

Full Text Available This open-label, prospective, multicentre, 4-week trial was undertaken to assess the efficacy and tolerability of twice daily levocabastine eye drops (0.5 mg/ml, with sodium cromoglycate nasal spray for the relief of concurrent nasal symptoms if required, in a total of 233 children with seasonal allergic conjunctivitis. No correlation between efficacy, tolerability and age was found. Investigator assessments revealed that the total severity of ocular symptoms decreased by 84 ± 34% in patients < 12 years and 85 ± 30% in those ≥ 12 years, with corresponding reductions in the total severity of ocular findings of 84% in both patient groups over the 4-week treatment period. Global assessments of therapeutic efficacy revealed the effect of therapy on ocular symptoms to be excellent or good in 81% of patients < 12 years and 82% of those ≥ 12 years after 2 weeks of treatment, with corresponding values at the end of the trial of 88% and 82% in the two groups, respectively. Treatment tolerability was considered to be excellent or good by 94% of patients overall. Application site reactions were the most common adverse event associated with ocular levocabastine, occurring in 13% of patients < 12 years and 9% of those ≥ 12 years. Twice daily levocabastine eye drops therefore appear to be effective and well tolerated for the treatment of seasonal allergic conjunctivitis in children.

Effect of 30-Gy irradiation in conjunction with leukocyte reduction filter on platelet and transfusion efficiency

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shimojima, Hiromi; Sawada, Umihiko; Horie, Takashi; Itoh, Takeyoshi

2001-01-01

To evaluate the effect of 30-Gy irradiation in conjunction with leukocyte reduction filter on platelet and transfusion efficiency, we studied platelet recovery, leukocyte reduction rate, content of platelet factor 4 and β-thromboglobulin in platelet products, platelet functions, and positive rates of platelet surface membranes CD42 and CD62, prior to and after treatment. We also evaluated the efficiency of platelet transfusion by estimating post- transfusion (1 and 24 hour) corrected count increment (CCI), and transfusion side effects. Recovery of platelets was 91.8±6.5% and depletion rate of leukocytes was 1.7±1.1 log. There was no significant difference in platelet activation markers or function tests prior to and after the procedure. The mean post-transfusion CCI and 1 and 24 hours were 16,550 (n=114) and 13,310 (n=93), respectively, with 30-Gy irradiation and leukocyte reduction filter. Those treated solely with leukocyte reduction filter were 14,970 (n=114) and 10,880 (n=118), respectively. There was no increase in transfusion side effects after the treatment of platelet concentrate with 30-Gy irradiation combined with leukocyte reduction filter compared with treatment by leukocyte reduction filter alone. These results indicate that treatment with 30 Gy irradiation in conjunction with leukocyte reduction filter is safe and effective in platelet transfusion. (author)

A causal role for V5/MT neurons coding motion-disparity conjunctions in resolving perceptual ambiguity.

Science.gov (United States)

Krug, Kristine; Cicmil, Nela; Parker, Andrew J; Cumming, Bruce G

2013-08-05

Judgments about the perceptual appearance of visual objects require the combination of multiple parameters, like location, direction, color, speed, and depth. Our understanding of perceptual judgments has been greatly informed by studies of ambiguous figures, which take on different appearances depending upon the brain state of the observer. Here we probe the neural mechanisms hypothesized as responsible for judging the apparent direction of rotation of ambiguous structure from motion (SFM) stimuli. Resolving the rotation direction of SFM cylinders requires the conjoint decoding of direction of motion and binocular depth signals [1, 2]. Within cortical visual area V5/MT of two macaque monkeys, we applied electrical stimulation at sites with consistent multiunit tuning to combinations of binocular depth and direction of motion, while the monkey made perceptual decisions about the rotation of SFM stimuli. For both ambiguous and unambiguous SFM figures, rotation judgments shifted as if we had added a specific conjunction of disparity and motion signals to the stimulus elements. This is the first causal demonstration that the activity of neurons in V5/MT contributes directly to the perception of SFM stimuli and by implication to decoding the specific conjunction of disparity and motion, the two different visual cues whose combination drives the perceptual judgment. Copyright © 2013 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Speeded induction under uncertainty: the influence of multiple categories and feature conjunctions.

Science.gov (United States)

Newell, Ben R; Paton, Helen; Hayes, Brett K; Griffiths, Oren

2010-12-01

When people are uncertain about the category membership of an item (e.g., Is it a dog or a dingo?), research shows that they tend to rely only on the dominant or most likely category when making inductions (e.g., How likely is it to befriend me?). An exception has been reported using speeded induction judgments where participants appeared to use information from multiple categories to make inductions (Verde, Murphy, & Ross, 2005). In two speeded induction studies, we found that participants tended to rely on the frequency with which features co-occurred when making feature predictions, independently of category membership. This pattern held whether categories were considered implicitly (Experiment 1) or explicitly (Experiment 2) prior to feature induction. The results converge with other recent work suggesting that people often rely on feature conjunction information, rather than category boundaries, when making inductions under uncertainty.

Melting of metallic intermediate level waste

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Huutoniemi, Tommi; Larsson, Arne; Blank, Eva [Studsvik Nuclear AB, Nykoeping (Sweden)

2013-08-15

This report presents a feasibility study of a melting facility for core components and reactor internals. An overview is given of how such a facility for treatment of intermediate level waste might be designed, constructed and operated and highlights both the possibilities and challenges. A cost estimate and a risk analysis are presented in order to make a conclusion of the technical feasibility of such a facility. Based on the authors' experience in operating a low level waste melting facility, their conclusion is that without technical improvements such a facility is not feasible today. This is based on the cost of constructing and operating such a facility, in conjunction with the radiological risks associated with operation and the uncertain benefits to disposal and long term safety.

Melting of metallic intermediate level waste

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Huutoniemi, Tommi; Larsson, Arne; Blank, Eva

2013-08-01

This report presents a feasibility study of a melting facility for core components and reactor internals. An overview is given of how such a facility for treatment of intermediate level waste might be designed, constructed and operated and highlights both the possibilities and challenges. A cost estimate and a risk analysis are presented in order to make a conclusion of the technical feasibility of such a facility. Based on the authors' experience in operating a low level waste melting facility, their conclusion is that without technical improvements such a facility is not feasible today. This is based on the cost of constructing and operating such a facility, in conjunction with the radiological risks associated with operation and the uncertain benefits to disposal and long term safety

Conjunct action of gamma radiation and casiopeinas in two cellular types

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ramos V, N.I.

2006-01-01

In Mexico the cancer occupies the second place in the causes of death and although already there are diverse useful treatments to attack this suffering, the search of new pharmaceuticals that present positive effect in the treatment of the cancer there is taken to the development of a group of substances called Casiopeinas. Its are coordination compounds constituted by a central atom of copper (Cu II) joined to organic ligands, with general condensed formula [Cu (NN)(ON)]NO 3 , or [Cu(NN)(OO)]NO 3 . Its present different cytotoxicity levels, as well as in vitro antineoplastic activity in diverse tissues derived of tumors. Even its ignore the mechanisms of it action, but one of them, it could be by generation of reactive species of oxygen (ERO), mediated by the metallic center that contain. Thinking of this possibility was carried out in vitro experiments, exposing lymphocytes or HeLa cells, to ionizing radiation, at two casiopeinas (Casiopeina llgly and the Casiopeina Ill-e-a) or the combination of both agents, in order to determine if the antineoplastic capacity of both types of treatments increase in conjunct action. To determine it its were carried out cytotoxicity tests by means of the differential dyeing of fluorescein diacetate and etidio bromide, in these the cells alive fluorescein in green color while the dead ones only the nucleus of red tinged. The genotoxicity was evaluated by means of the comet essay. The results hurtled that as much the casiopeinas as the radiation by separate don't present difference among both cellular types, probably due to the used method that only quantifies the damages at the moment and not to long term. And according to those treatments on the whole only to the concentrations and the doses more high it favors the additive effect due to an overproduction of free radicals that not can be neutralized. According to the genotoxicity, only proven for the radiation indicates that the HeLa cells presents a major number of cells with

The evaluation of central corneal thickness and intraocular pressure in conjunction with tear IGF-1 levels in patients with acromegaly.

Science.gov (United States)

Kan, Emrah; Kan, Elif K; Okuyucu, Ali

2017-08-30

To compare the central corneal thickness (CCT), intraocular pressure (IOP), and tear insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) levels between patients with acromegaly and a control group and to evaluate the possible effect of tear IGF-1 and duration of the disease on CCT and IOP. We included 31 patients with acromegaly (study group) and 40 age- and sex-matched controls in the study. Patients with acromegaly were divided into 2 subgroups based on disease status (active/inactive). All participants underwent complete ophthalmologic evaluation including CCT and IOP values. Basal tear samples were collected from both groups and tear IGF-1 levels were measured. The CCT, IOP, and tear IGF-1 levels were compared between groups and subgroups and the association between tear IGF-I levels and ocular parameters (CCT, IOP) and disease duration were also evaluated. Central corneal thickness, IOP, and tear IGF-1 levels did not show a significant difference between study and control groups. We also did not find a significant difference in terms of CCT, IOP, or tear IGF-1 levels between subgroups of patients. Correlation analysis did not show an association between the duration of disease and tear IGF-1 levels with CCT or IOP. There was no significant difference in tear IGF-1 levels between patients with acromegaly and controls. Additionally, there was no correlation between disease duration and tear IGF-1 levels with CCT or IOP levels. This lack of association may suggest that tear IGF-1 levels might not have an effect on CCT or IOP findings in patients with acromegaly.

Functional MRI mapping of visual function and selective attention for performance assessment and presurgical planning using conjunctive visual search.

Science.gov (United States)

Parker, Jason G; Zalusky, Eric J; Kirbas, Cemil

2014-03-01

Accurate mapping of visual function and selective attention using fMRI is important in the study of human performance as well as in presurgical treatment planning of lesions in or near visual centers of the brain. Conjunctive visual search (CVS) is a useful tool for mapping visual function during fMRI because of its greater activation extent compared with high-capacity parallel search processes. The purpose of this work was to develop and evaluate a CVS that was capable of generating consistent activation in the basic and higher level visual areas of the brain by using a high number of distractors as well as an optimized contrast condition. Images from 10 healthy volunteers were analyzed and brain regions of greatest activation and deactivation were determined using a nonbiased decomposition of the results at the hemisphere, lobe, and gyrus levels. The results were quantified in terms of activation and deactivation extent and mean z-statistic. The proposed CVS was found to generate robust activation of the occipital lobe, as well as regions in the middle frontal gyrus associated with coordinating eye movements and in regions of the insula associated with task-level control and focal attention. As expected, the task demonstrated deactivation patterns commonly implicated in the default-mode network. Further deactivation was noted in the posterior region of the cerebellum, most likely associated with the formation of optimal search strategy. We believe the task will be useful in studies of visual and selective attention in the neuroscience community as well as in mapping visual function in clinical fMRI.

Eosinophilic plasmacytic conjunctivitis concurrent with gingival fistula caused by Schizophyllum commune in a captive cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus).

Science.gov (United States)

Yoshizawa, Madoka; Kawarai, Shinpei; Torii, Yoshiko; Ota, Kaori; Tasaka, Kiyoshi; Nishimura, Kazuko; Fujii, Chieko; Kanemaki, Nobuyuki

2017-12-01

We describe for the first time the diagnosis of Schizophyllum commune infection in a captive cheetah. Eosinophilic plasmacytic conjunctivitis was detected histopathologically in a biopsy specimen. Both a second surgical specimen and drainage fluid from a gingival mass and fistula contained fungal hyphae in giant cells with granulomatous inflammation. Allergic S. commune mycosis was suspected at this point. A monokaryotic isolate was characterized morphologically, and then identified genetically. Treatment with itraconazole and pimaricin was effective.

Spec Rekindled-A Simple Torque Correction Mechanics for Transposed Teeth in Conjunction with Pre-adjusted Edgewise Appliance System.

Science.gov (United States)

Singh, Harpreet; Maurya, Raj Kumar; Thakkar, Surbhi

2016-12-01

Complete transposition of teeth is a rather rare phenomenon. After correction of transposed and malaligned lateral incisor and canine, attainment of appropriate individual antagonistic tooth torque is indispensable, which many orthodontists consider to be a herculean task. Here, a novel method is proposed which demonstrates the use of Spec reverse torquing auxillary as an effective adjunctive aid in conjunction with pre-adjusted edgewise brackets.

Participation of CD11b and F4/80 molecules in the conjunctival eosinophilia of experimental allergic conjunctivitis.

Science.gov (United States)

Fukushima, Atsuki; Ishida, Waka; Ojima, Ayako; Kajisako, Mina; Sumi, Tamaki; Yamada, Jun; Tsuru, Emi; Miyazaki, Jun-ichi; Tominaga, Akira; Yagita, Hideo

2010-01-01

CD11b and F4/80 are macrophage surface markers. How these molecules participate in allergic eosinophil infiltration remains unclear. We examined the roles CD11b and F4/80 play in the conjunctival eosinophil infiltration associated with experimental allergic conjunctivitis. Ragweed-immunized BALB/c mice were challenged with ragweed in eye drops to induce conjunctival eosinophil infiltration. The effect of challenge on conjunctival CD11b+ and F4/80+ cell numbers was determined by immunohistochemistry. In the same model, blocking anti-CD11b and anti-F4/80 Abs were injected intraperitoneally during the induction or the effector phase, or subconjunctivally 2 h before challenge, to determine their effect on challenge-induced conjunctival eosinophilia. To examine whether eosinophils express CD11b and F4/80 molecules, splenocytes from IL-5 gene-electroporated mice were subjected to flow cytometric analysis. To clarify the involvement of CD11b and F4/80 in conjunctival eosinophil infiltration, mice were intraperitoneally injected with anti-CD11b and anti-F4/80 Abs and then subconjunctivally injected with eotaxin to induce conjunctival eosinophilia. Ragweed challenge elevated conjunctival CD11b+ and F4/80+ cell numbers. Systemic anti-CD11b and anti-F4/80 Ab treatments during the effector phase, but not in either the induction phase or the local injection of Ab, suppressed conjunctival eosinophil infiltration in ragweed-induced conjunctivitis. Most splenic eosinophils from IL-5 gene-introduced mice expressed CD11b and F4/80. Systemic anti-CD11b and anti-F4/80 Ab treatment suppressed conjunctival eosinophilia induced by subconjunctival eotaxin injection. CD11b and F4/80 appear to participate in conjunctival eosinophil infiltration in allergic conjunctivitis. Their involvement in conjunctival eosinophilia appears to be due to their expression on eosinophils rather than on macrophages. 2009 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Ligneous conjunctivitis in a patient of juvenile colloid milia: A rare association

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shubhangi Sudhir Bhave

2015-01-01

Full Text Available We present to you, case of a 10-year-old female with h/o redness, watering since 8 months. Her vision was 20/30 in right eye and 20/70 in left eye. Conjunctiva had plenty of purulent discharge and palpebral conjunctiva was studded with membranous lesions. She was found to have multiple hyperpigmented papulopustular lesions over face, palms and legs. She was started with topical moxifloxacin and lubricating drops. Patient was followed-up after 15 days. At that time her conjunctiva had formation of a woody pseudomembrane. Excision of the lesions and skin biopsy was done and sent for hislopathological examination. Findings of histopathological examination were suggestive of ligneous conjunctivitis and juvenile colloid milia. We have started this patient with long-term cyclosporine drops and tear supplements. In next visit, the membrane was resolved. Hence, we continued with the same treatment, but again the woody membrane recurred.

The late posterior negativity in ERP studies of episodic memory: action monitoring and retrieval of attribute conjunctions.

Science.gov (United States)

Johansson, Mikael; Mecklinger, Axel

2003-10-01

The focus of the present paper is a late posterior negative slow wave (LPN) that has frequently been reported in event-related potential (ERP) studies of memory. An overview of these studies suggests that two broad classes of experimental conditions tend to elicit this component: (a) item recognition tasks associated with enhanced action monitoring demands arising from response conflict and (b) memory tasks that require the binding of items with contextual information specifying the study episode. A combined stimulus- and response-locked analysis of data from two studies mapping onto these classes allowed a temporal and functional decomposition of the LPN. While only the LPN observed in the item recognition task could be attributed to the involvement of a posteriorly distributed response-locked error-related negativity (or error negativity; ERN/Ne) occurring immediately after the response, the source-memory task was associated with a stimulus-locked negative slow wave occurring prior and during response execution that was evident when data were matched for response latencies. We argue that the presence of the former reflects action monitoring due to high levels of response conflict, whereas the latter reflects retrieval processes that may act to reconstruct the prior study episode when task-relevant attribute conjunctions are not readily recovered or need continued evaluation.

Use of the NetBeans Platform for NASA Robotic Conjunction Assessment Risk Analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Sabey, Nickolas J.

2014-01-01

The latest Java and JavaFX technologies are very attractive software platforms for customers involved in space mission operations such as those of NASA and the US Air Force. For NASA Robotic Conjunction Assessment Risk Analysis (CARA), the NetBeans platform provided an environment in which scalable software solutions could be developed quickly and efficiently. Both Java 8 and the NetBeans platform are in the process of simplifying CARA development in secure environments by providing a significant amount of capability in a single accredited package, where accreditation alone can account for 6-8 months for each library or software application. Capabilities either in use or being investigated by CARA include: 2D and 3D displays with JavaFX, parallelization with the new Streams API, and scalability through the NetBeans plugin architecture.

Is experiential-intuitive cognitive style more inclined to err on conjunction fallacy than analytical-rational cognitive style?

OpenAIRE

Lu, Yong

2015-01-01

In terms of prediction by Epstein’s integrative theory of personality, cognitive-experiential self-theory (CEST), those people with experiential-intuitive cognitive style are more inclined to induce errors than the other people with analytical-rational cognitive style in the conjunction fallacy (two events that can occur together are seen as more likely than at least one of the two events). We tested this prediction in a revised Linda problem. The results revealed that rational and experienti...

The Department of Energy's National Disposition Strategy for the Treatment and Disposal of Low Level and Mixed Low Level Waste

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Peterson, G.R.; Tonkay, D.W.

2006-01-01

The U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Environmental Management (EM) program is committed to the environmental remediation of DOE sites. This cleanup mission will continue to produce large amounts of Low Level Waste (LLW) and Mixed Low-Level Waste (MLLW). This paper reports on the development of the DOE LLW/MLLW National Disposition Strategy that maps the Department's long-range strategy to manage LLW and MLLW. Existing corporate LLW and MLLW data proved insufficient to develop this strategy. Therefore, new data requirements were developed in conjunction with waste managers. The paper will report on the results of this data collection effort, which will result in development of DOE LLW/MLLW disposition maps. (authors)

A model of the formation of illusory conjunctions in the time domain.

Science.gov (United States)

Botella, J; Suero, M; Barriopedro, M I

2001-12-01

The authors present a model to account for the miscombination of features when stimuli are presented using the rapid serial visual presentation (RSVP) technique (illusory conjunctions in the time domain). It explains the distributions of responses through a mixture of trial outcomes. In some trials, attention is successfully focused on the target, whereas in others, the responses are based on partial information. Two experiments are presented that manipulated the mean processing time of the target-defining dimension and of the to-be-reported dimension, respectively. As predicted, the average origin of the responses is delayed when lengthening the target-defining dimension, whereas it is earlier when lengthening the to-be-reported dimension; in the first case the number of correct responses is dramatically reduced, whereas in the second it does not change. The results, a review of other research, and simulations carried out with a formal version of the model are all in close accordance with the predictions.

[Simultaneous determination of eight kinds of conjunct bile acids in human bile by R-HPLC].

Science.gov (United States)

Dai, Z; Tan, G; Qian, K; Chen, X

1997-01-01

A method for the simultaneous determination of eight kinds of conjunct bile acids in human bile was developed by HPLC. They were separated on a YWG-C18 (3 microns) column at 30 degrees C, with methanol/water (65/35, V/V, pH3.0) as mobile phase, and detection wavelength at UV 210 nm. The linear ranges were 50-1,000 microns.ml-1, the recoveries were 91.2%-108.6%. The biles of 30 cases with cholelithiasis cholecystolithiasis and 20 cases without gallstone were detected by HPLC. The results showed that the constitution of bile acids was different between patients with cholelithiasis cholecystolithiasis and patients without gallstone.

Eosinophilic plasmacytic conjunctivitis concurrent with gingival fistula caused by Schizophyllum commune in a captive cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus

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Madoka Yoshizawa

2017-12-01

Full Text Available We describe for the first time the diagnosis of Schizophyllum commune infection in a captive cheetah. Eosinophilic plasmacytic conjunctivitis was detected histopathologically in a biopsy specimen. Both a second surgical specimen and drainage fluid from a gingival mass and fistula contained fungal hyphae in giant cells with granulomatous inflammation. Allergic S. commune mycosis was suspected at this point. A monokaryotic isolate was characterized morphologically, and then identified genetically. Treatment with itraconazole and pimaricin was effective. Keywords: Allergic mycosis, Basidiomycosis, Granulomatous inflammation, Felidae, Schizophyllum commune

Handling and storage of conditioned high-level wastes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Heafield, W.

1984-01-01

This paper deals with certain aspects of the management of one of the most important radioactive wastes arising from the nuclear fuel cycle, i.e. the handling and storage of conditioned high-level wastes. The paper is based on an IAEA report of the same title published during 1983 in the Technical Reports Series. The paper provides illustrative background material on the characteristics of high-level wastes and, qualitatively, their requirements for conditioning. The principles important in the storage of high-level wastes are reviewed in conjunction with the radiological and socio-political considerations involved. Four fundamentally different storage concepts are described with reference to published information and the safety aspects of particular storage concepts are discussed. Finally, overall conclusions are presented which confirm the availability of technology for constructing and operating conditioned high-level waste storage facilities for periods of at least several decades. (author)

Preattentive extraction of abstract feature conjunctions from auditory stimulation as reflected by the mismatch negativity (MMN).

Science.gov (United States)

Paavilainen, P; Simola, J; Jaramillo, M; Näätänen, R; Winkler, I

2001-03-01

Brain mechanisms extracting invariant information from varying auditory inputs were studied using the mismatch-negativity (MMN) brain response. We wished to determine whether the preattentive sound-analysis mechanisms, reflected by MMN, are capable of extracting invariant relationships based on abstract conjunctions between two sound features. The standard stimuli varied over a large range in frequency and intensity dimensions following the rule that the higher the frequency, the louder the intensity. The occasional deviant stimuli violated this frequency-intensity relationship and elicited an MMN. The results demonstrate that preattentive processing of auditory stimuli extends to unexpectedly complex relationships between the stimulus features.

Low-level radiation waste management system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kubofcik, K.W.

1990-01-01

This patent describes a low-level radiation waste container set for use in conjunction with an open-topped receptacle. It comprises: a receptacle liner having a closed end and an open end, the receptacle liner sized for deployment as an inserted liner in an open-topped receptacle for collecting low-level radiation waste material within the receptacle liner within the open-topped receptacle; a cover sized and shaped to fit over the open top of the open-topped receptacle and the receptacle liner therein with the cover is in a closed position. The cover having a depending skirt which, when the cover is in the closed position, extends downwardly to overlap the open-topped receptacle adjacent the open top thereof and a portion of the receptacle liner received therein; and the receptacle liner and cover being fabricated of flexible radiation shielding material

The economic and quality of life impact of seasonal allergic conjunctivitis in a Spanish setting.

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, Andrew F; Pitt, Andrew D; Rodruiguez, Alejandra E; Alio, Jorge L; Marti, Nicolas; Teus, Miguel; Guillen, Santiago; Bataille, Laurent; Barnes, J Rod

2005-08-01

Seasonal allergic conjunctivitis (SAC) is a highly prevalent condition that exacts a range of costs from its sufferers. The aim of this study was to examine quality of life (QoL) and economic consequences of SAC amongst private health care patients in Spain. 201 sufferers of SAC and 200 controls were recruited from four private eye clinics and one public hospital in five Spanish cities: Alicante, Madrid, Albacete, Las Palmas de Gran Canarias and Valladolid. Participants were between 10 and 80 years of age and Spanish speaking. All potential participants were asked selected questions and sorted into one of the two groups or excluded. Sufferers were administered a set of four questionnaires by researchers consisting of the EQ-5D Health Questionnaire, the National Eye Institute (US) Visual Functioning Questionnaire 25 (VFQ-25), the Rhinoconjunctivitis Quality of Life Questionnaire (RQLQ) and a Health Economic and Demographic Questionnaire (HEDQ). Control participants self-administered the full EQ-5D and VFQ-25 and abbreviated versions of the RQLQ and HEDQ. The groups were comparable in terms of age and sex, but sufferers had a significantly higher hourly income than controls (p = 0.02). Sufferers exhibited a significantly higher incidence of asthma, nasal symptoms, perennial allergic conjunctivitis, food allergies and other allergies (p aspects of vision as a result of their SAC. In relative terms, the per-capita economic cost of the condition was higher than in a previous public health care study. This was ascribed to sufferers' willingness-to-pay for symptom alleviation. The unexpectedly high expenditure of the proportion of SAC sufferers who receive private health care serves to highlight the importance of SAC as a costly condition. It also illustrates the need to account for both private and public heath care modalities when attempting to ascribe a total cost to a medical condition.

Hybrid-optimization algorithm for the management of a conjunctive-use project and well field design

Science.gov (United States)

Chiu, Yung-Chia; Nishikawa, Tracy; Martin, Peter

2012-01-01

Hi‐Desert Water District (HDWD), the primary water‐management agency in the Warren Groundwater Basin, California, plans to construct a waste water treatment plant to reduce future septic‐tank effluent from reaching the groundwater system. The treated waste water will be reclaimed by recharging the groundwater basin via recharge ponds as part of a larger conjunctive‐use strategy. HDWD wishes to identify the least‐cost conjunctive‐use strategies for managing imported surface water, reclaimed water, and local groundwater. As formulated, the mixed‐integer nonlinear programming (MINLP) groundwater‐management problem seeks to minimize water‐delivery costs subject to constraints including potential locations of the new pumping wells, California State regulations, groundwater‐level constraints, water‐supply demand, available imported water, and pump/recharge capacities. In this study, a hybrid‐optimization algorithm, which couples a genetic algorithm and successive‐linear programming, is developed to solve the MINLP problem. The algorithm was tested by comparing results to the enumerative solution for a simplified version of the HDWD groundwater‐management problem. The results indicate that the hybrid‐optimization algorithm can identify the global optimum. The hybrid‐optimization algorithm is then applied to solve a complex groundwater‐management problem. Sensitivity analyses were also performed to assess the impact of varying the new recharge pond orientation, varying the mixing ratio of reclaimed water and pumped water, and varying the amount of imported water available. The developed conjunctive management model can provide HDWD water managers with information that will improve their ability to manage their surface water, reclaimed water, and groundwater resources.

Neoarchean history of the conjunction zone between the Belomorian mobile belt and the Karelian craton, Baltic shield: new isotopic data

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Alekseev, N.L.; Balaganskij, V.V.; Zinger, T.F.; Levchenkov, O.A.; Glebovitskij, V.A.; Makeev, A.F.; Yakovleva, S.Z.

2004-01-01

To study the neoarchean magmatism history of the conjunction zone between the Belomorian mobile belt and the Karelian craton one carried out U-Pb-isotope dating of volcanic zircons of the Kukas lake region. At the mentioned region one detected two pulses of the neoarchean volcanism that took place about 2877±45-2680.7±3.6 million years ago [ru

Quantitative Classification of Quartz by Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy in Conjunction with Discriminant Function Analysis

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A. Ali

2016-01-01

Full Text Available A responsive laser induced breakdown spectroscopic system was developed and improved for utilizing it as a sensor for the classification of quartz samples on the basis of trace elements present in the acquired samples. Laser induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS in conjunction with discriminant function analysis (DFA was applied for the classification of five different types of quartz samples. The quartz plasmas were produced at ambient pressure using Nd:YAG laser at fundamental harmonic mode (1064 nm. We optimized the detection system by finding the suitable delay time of the laser excitation. This is the first study, where the developed technique (LIBS+DFA was successfully employed to probe and confirm the elemental composition of quartz samples.

Visual search for motion-form conjunctions: is form discriminated within the motion system?

Science.gov (United States)

von Mühlenen, A; Müller, H J

2001-06-01

Motion-form conjunction search can be more efficient when the target is moving (a moving 45 degrees tilted line among moving vertical and stationary 45 degrees tilted lines) rather than stationary. This asymmetry may be due to aspects of form being discriminated within a motion system representing only moving items, whereas discrimination of stationary items relies on a static form system (J. Driver & P. McLeod, 1992). Alternatively, it may be due to search exploiting differential motion velocity and direction signals generated by the moving-target and distractor lines. To decide between these alternatives, 4 experiments systematically varied the motion-signal information conveyed by the moving target and distractors while keeping their form difference salient. Moving-target search was found to be facilitated only when differential motion-signal information was available. Thus, there is no need to assume that form is discriminated within the motion system.

Evaluation of the Limulus amoebocyte lysate test in conjunction with a gram negative bacterial plate count for detecting irradiation of chicken

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Scotter, S.L.; Wood, R.; McWeeny, D.J.

1990-01-01

A study to evaluate the potential of the Limulus amoebocyte lysate (LAL) test in conjunction with a Gram negative bacterial (GNB) plate count for detecting the irradiation of chicken is described. Preliminary studies demonstrated that chickens irradiated at an absorbed dose of 2.5 kGy could be differentiated from unirradiated birds by measuring levels of endotoxin and of numbers of GNB on chicken skin. Irradiated birds were found to have endotoxin levels similar to those found in unirradiated birds but significantly lower numbers of GNB. In a limited study the test was found to be applicable to birds from different processors. The effect of temperature abuse on the microbiological profile, and thus the efficacy of the test, was also investigated. After temperature abuse, the irradiated birds were identifiable at worst up to 3 days after irradiation treatment at the 2.5 kGy level and at best some 13 days after irradiation. Temperature abuse at 15 0 C resulted in rapid recovery of surviving micro-organisms which made differentiation of irradiated and unirradiated birds using this test unreliable. The microbiological quality of the bird prior to irradiation treatment also affected the test as large numbers of GNB present on the bird prior to irradiation treatment resulted in larger numbers of survivors. In addition, monitoring the developing flora after irradiation treatment amd during subsequent chilled storage also aided differentiation of irradiated and unirradiated birds. Large numbers of yeast and Gram positive cocci were isolated from irradiated carcasses whereas Gram negative oxidative rods were the predominant spoilage flora on unirradiated birds. (author)

Evaluation of the Limulus amoebocyte lysate test in conjunction with a gram negative bacterial plate count for detecting irradiation of chicken

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Scotter, S L; Wood, R; McWeeny, D J [Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Norwich (UK). Food Science Lab.

1990-01-01

A study to evaluate the potential of the Limulus amoebocyte lysate (LAL) test in conjunction with a Gram negative bacterial (GNB) plate count for detecting the irradiation of chicken is described. Preliminary studies demonstrated that chickens irradiated at an absorbed dose of 2.5 kGy could be differentiated from unirradiated birds by measuring levels of endotoxin and of numbers of GNB on chicken skin. Irradiated birds were found to have endotoxin levels similar to those found in unirradiated birds but significantly lower numbers of GNB. In a limited study the test was found to be applicable to birds from different processors. The effect of temperature abuse on the microbiological profile, and thus the efficacy of the test, was also investigated. After temperature abuse, the irradiated birds were identifiable at worst up to 3 days after irradiation treatment at the 2.5 kGy level and at best some 13 days after irradiation. Temperature abuse at 15{sup 0}C resulted in rapid recovery of surviving micro-organisms which made differentiation of irradiated and unirradiated birds using this test unreliable. The microbiological quality of the bird prior to irradiation treatment also affected the test as large numbers of GNB present on the bird prior to irradiation treatment resulted in larger numbers of survivors. In addition, monitoring the developing flora after irradiation treatment amd during subsequent chilled storage also aided differentiation of irradiated and unirradiated birds. Large numbers of yeast and Gram positive cocci were isolated from irradiated carcasses whereas Gram negative oxidative rods were the predominant spoilage flora on unirradiated birds. (author).

The conjunction of factors that lead to formation of giant gold provinces and deposits in non-arc settings

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David I. Groves

2016-05-01

In contrast to their province scale similarities, the different giant gold deposit styles show contrasting critical controls at the district to deposit scale. For orogenic gold deposits, the giants appear to have formed by conjunction of a greater number of parameters to those that control smaller deposits, with resultant geometrical and lithostratigraphic complexity as a guide to their location. There are few giant IRGS due to their inferior fluid-flux systems relative to orogenic gold deposits, and those few giants are essentially preservational exceptions. Many Carlin-type deposits are giants due to the exceptional conjunction of both structural and lithological parameters that caused reactive and permeable rocks, enriched in syngenetic gold, to be located below an impermeable cap along antiformal “trends”. Hydrocarbons probably played an important role in concentrating metal. The supergiant Post-Betze deposit has additional ore zones in strain heterogeneities surrounding the pre-gold Goldstrike stock. All unequivocal IOCG deposits are giant or near-giant deposits in terms of gold-equivalent resources, partly due to economic factors for this relatively poorly understood, low Cu-Au grade deposit type. The supergiant Olympic Dam deposit, the most shallowly formed deposit among the larger IOCGs, probably owes its origin to eruption of volatile-rich hybrid magma at surface, with formation of a large maar and intense and widespread brecciation, alteration and Cu-Au-U deposition in a huge rock volume.

Integration of Distinct Objects in Visual Working Memory Depends on Strong Objecthood Cues Even for Different-Dimension Conjunctions.

Science.gov (United States)

Balaban, Halely; Luria, Roy

2016-05-01

What makes an integrated object in visual working memory (WM)? Past evidence suggested that WM holds all features of multidimensional objects together, but struggles to integrate color-color conjunctions. This difficulty was previously attributed to a challenge in same-dimension integration, but here we argue that it arises from the integration of 2 distinct objects. To test this, we examined the integration of distinct different-dimension features (a colored square and a tilted bar). We monitored the contralateral delay activity, an event-related potential component sensitive to the number of objects in WM. The results indicated that color and orientation belonging to distinct objects in a shared location were not integrated in WM (Experiment 1), even following a common fate Gestalt cue (Experiment 2). These conjunctions were better integrated in a less demanding task (Experiment 3), and in the original WM task, but with a less individuating version of the original stimuli (Experiment 4). Our results identify the critical factor in WM integration at same- versus separate-objects, rather than at same- versus different-dimensions. Compared with the perfect integration of an object's features, the integration of several objects is demanding, and depends on an interaction between the grouping cues and task demands, among other factors. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Common Graphics Library (CGL). Volume 2: Low-level user's guide

Science.gov (United States)

Taylor, Nancy L.; Hammond, Dana P.; Theophilos, Pauline M.

1989-01-01

The intent is to instruct the users of the Low-Level routines of the Common Graphics Library (CGL). The Low-Level routines form an application-independent graphics package enabling the user community to construct and design scientific charts conforming to the publication and/or viewgraph process. The Low-Level routines allow the user to design unique or unusual report-quality charts from a set of graphics utilities. The features of these routines can be used stand-alone or in conjunction with other packages to enhance or augment their capabilities. This library is written in ANSI FORTRAN 77, and currently uses a CORE-based underlying graphics package, and is therefore machine-independent, providing support for centralized and/or distributed computer systems.

Evaluation of novel scoring system named 5-5-5 exacerbation grading scale for allergic conjunctivitis disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Shoji, Jun; Inada, Noriko; Sawa, Mitsuru

2009-12-01

The objective of this study is to evaluate the practical usefulness of a scoring system using the 5-5-5 exacerbation grading scale for allergic conjunctivitis disease (ACD). Subjects were 103 patients with ACD including 40 patients with vernal keratoconjunctivitis (VKC), 20 patients with atopic keratoconjunctivitis (AKC), and 43 patients with allergic conjunctivitis (AC). The 5-5-5 exacerbation grading scale consists of the following 3 graded groups of clinical observations: the 100-point-grade group (100 points for each observation) includes active giant papillae, gelatinous infiltrates of the limbus, exfoliative epithelial keratopathy, shield ulcer and papillary proliferation at lower palpebral conjunctiva; the 10-point-grade group (10 points for each observation) includes blepharitis, papillary proliferation with velvety appearance, Horner-Trantas spots, edema of bulbal conjunctiva, and superficial punctate keratopathy; and the 1-point-grade group (1 point for each observation) includes papillae at upper palpebral conjunctiva, follicular lesion at lower palpebral conjunctiva, hyperemia of palpebral conjunctiva, hyperemia of bulbal conjunctiva, and lacrimal effusion. The total points in each grade group were determined as the severity score of the 5-5-5 exacerbation grading scale. The median severity scores of the 5-5-5 exacerbation grading scale in VKC, AKC and AC were 243 (range: 12-444), 32.5 (11-344), and 13 (2-33), respectively. The severity score of each ACD disease type was significantly different (P Kruskal-Wallis test). The severity of each type of ACD was classified as severe, moderate, or mild according to the severity score. The 5-5-5 exacerbation grading scale is a useful clinical tool for grading the severity of each type of ACD.

The prelimbic cortex uses higher-order cues to modulate both the acquisition and expression of conditioned fear.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Melissa Judith Sharpe

2015-01-01

Full Text Available The prelimbic (PL cortex allows rodents to adapt their responding under changing experimental circumstances. In line with this, the PL cortex has been implicated in strategy set shifting, attentional set shifting, the resolution of response conflict, and the modulation of attention towards predictive stimuli. One interpretation of this research is that the PL cortex is involved in using information garnered from higher-order cues in the environment to modulate how an animal responds to environmental stimuli. However, data supporting this view of PL function in the aversive domain are lacking. In the following experiments, we attempted to answer two questions. Firstly, we wanted to investigate whether the role of the PL cortex in using higher-order cues to influence responding generalizes across appetitive and aversive domains. Secondly, as much of the research has focused on a role for the PL cortex in performance, we wanted to assess whether this region is also involved in the acquisition of hierarchal associations which facilitate an ability to use higher-order cues to modulate responding. In order to answer these questions, we assessed the impact of PL inactivation during both the acquisition and expression of a contextual bi-conditional discrimination. A contextual bi-conditional discrimination involves presenting two stimuli. In one context, one stimulus is paired with shock while the other is presented without shock. In another context, these contingencies are reversed. Thus, animals have to use the present contextual cues to disambiguate the significance of the stimulus and respond appropriately. We found that PL inactivation disrupted both the encoding and expression of these context-dependent associations. This supports a role for the PL cortex in allowing higher-order cues to modulate both learning about, and responding towards, different cues. We discuss these findings in the broader context of functioning in the medial prefrontal

Feedback of land subsidence on the movement and conjunctive use of water resources

Science.gov (United States)

Schmid, Wolfgang; Hanson, Randall T.; Leake, Stanley A.; Hughes, Joseph D.; Niswonger, Richard G.

2014-01-01

The dependency of surface- or groundwater flows and aquifer hydraulic properties on dewatering-induced layer deformation is not available in the USGS's groundwater model MODFLOW. A new integrated hydrologic model, MODFLOW-OWHM, formulates this dependency by coupling mesh deformation with aquifer transmissivity and storage and by linking land subsidence/uplift with deformation-dependent flows that also depend on aquifer head and other flow terms. In a test example, flows most affected were stream seepage and evapotranspiration from groundwater (ETgw). Deformation feedback also had an indirect effect on conjunctive surface- and groundwater use components: Changed stream seepage and streamflows influenced surface-water deliveries and returnflows. Changed ETgw affected irrigation demand, which jointly with altered surface-water supplies resulted in changed supplemental groundwater requirements and pumping and changed return runoff. This modeling feature will improve the impact assessment of dewatering-induced land subsidence/uplift (following irrigation pumping or coal-seam gas extraction) on surface receptors, inter-basin transfers, and surface-infrastructure integrity.

MESSENGER Spacecraft Phase Scintillation due to Plasma ductting effect on RF beam propagation at Superior Solar Conjunction

Science.gov (United States)

Mosavi, N.; Sequeira, H.; Copeland, D.; Menyuk, C.

2017-12-01

We investigate the evolution of a radio frequency (RF) X-band signal as it propagates through the solar corona turbulence in superior solar conjunction at low Sun-Earth-Probe (SEP) angles.Data that was obtained during several MESSENGER (MErcury Surface, Space ENivornment, GEochmeisty, and Ranging) conjunctions reveal a short-term and long-term effect. Amplitude scintillation is evident on a short time scale. Phase scintillations are stronger, but occur over a longer time scale. We examine different possible phenomena in the solar plasma that could be the source of the different time scales of the amplitude and phase scintillations. We propose a theoretical model in which the amplitude scintillations are due to local fluctuations of the index of refraction that scatter the RF signal. These rapidly varying fluctuations randomly attenuate the signal without affecting its phase. By contrast, we propose a model in which phase fluctuations are due to long ducts in the solar plasma, streaming from the sun, that trap some parts of the RF signal. These ducts act as waveguides, changing the phase velocity of the RF beam as it travels a zigzag path inside a duct. When the radiated wave exits from a duct, its phase is changed with respect to the signal that did not pass through the duct, which can lead to destructive interference and carrier suppression. The trapping of the wave is random in nature and can be either a fast or slow process. The predictions of this model are consistent with observations.

Geosciences Information for Teachers (GIFT) Workshops held in Conjunction with Alexander von Humboldt (AvH) EGU Conferences

Science.gov (United States)

Laj, Carlo; Cifelli, Francesca

2015-04-01

The Alexander von Humboldt Conference Series of the European Geosciences Union are a series of meetings held outside of Europe, in particular in South America, Africa or Asia, on selected topics of geosciences with a socio-economic impact for regions on these continents, jointly organised with the scientists and their institutes and the institutions of these regions. Given the increasing success of the GIFT workshops held in conjunction with the General Assemblies, since 2010 EGU has also developed a series of GIFT workshops held in conjunction with AvH conferences. Associated GIFT workshops were held in Merida, Yucatan, on the theme of Climate Change, Natural Hazards and Societies (March 2010), then in Penang, Malaysia (June 2011) on the theme of Ocean Acidification, in November 2012 in Cusco (Peru) on the theme of Natural Disasters, Global Change and the Preservation of World Heritage Sites, finally in Istanbul (March 2014) on "High Impact Natural Hazards Related to the Euro-Mediterranean Region. The next GIFT workshop is already planned for October 2015 in Adis Ababa (Ethiopia) on the theme "Water". In each case, the GIFT workshop was held on the last two days of the AvH conference and reunited 40-45 teachers from the nation where the AvH was held. Keynote speakers from AvH were speakers to the GIFT workshops which also included hands-on activities animated by sciences educators. These GIFT workshops represented the first workshops specifically aimed at teachers held in the country, and therefore represents a significant Earth Sciences contribution to secondary education in non European countries.

Re-assessment of seismic loads in conjunction with periodic safety review

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jonczyk, Josef

2002-01-01

The objective of this paper is the fundamental consideration of a safeguard-aim-oriented approach for use in the re-assessment of seismic events with regard to the periodic safety review (PSR) of nuclear power plants (NPP). The re-assessment aspects of site-specific design earthquakes (DEQ), specially the procedure for seismic hazard analysis, will not, however, be considered in detail here. The proposed assessment concept clearly presents a general approach for safety assessments. The approach is based on a successive screening review of components that are considered sufficiently earthquake-resistant. In this respect, the principle of maximum practical application of the design documentation has been considered in the re-assessment process. On the other hand, the safeguard-aim-oriented evaluation will also be applied with regard to whether the requirements of the safety regulations are fulfilled with respect to the safety goals. The review in conjunction with PSR does not, however, attempt to perform this under all technical aspects. Moreover, it is possible to make extensive use of experimental knowledge and engineering judgement with regard to the structural capacity behaviour in case of a seismic event. Compared with design procedures, however, this proposed approach differs from the one applied in licensing procedures, in which such assessment freedom will not usually be exhausted. (author)

Investigation of multiple visualisation techniques and dynamic queries in conjunction with direct sonification to support the browsing of audio resources

OpenAIRE

Brazil, Eoin

2003-01-01

non-peer-reviewed In this thesis, a prototype system for the browsing of audio resources was developed and an initial evaluation of this system was performed. The main contributions of this thesis are dynamic queries and multiple visualisation techniques in conjunction with direct sonification. Dynamic queries are queries that provide immediate feedback while maintaining consistency between the queries themselves and the graphical/auditory display. The multiple visualisation techniques are...

Properties of V1 neurons tuned to conjunctions of visual features: application of the V1 saliency hypothesis to visual search behavior.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Li Zhaoping

Full Text Available From a computational theory of V1, we formulate an optimization problem to investigate neural properties in the primary visual cortex (V1 from human reaction times (RTs in visual search. The theory is the V1 saliency hypothesis that the bottom-up saliency of any visual location is represented by the highest V1 response to it relative to the background responses. The neural properties probed are those associated with the less known V1 neurons tuned simultaneously or conjunctively in two feature dimensions. The visual search is to find a target bar unique in color (C, orientation (O, motion direction (M, or redundantly in combinations of these features (e.g., CO, MO, or CM among uniform background bars. A feature singleton target is salient because its evoked V1 response largely escapes the iso-feature suppression on responses to the background bars. The responses of the conjunctively tuned cells are manifested in the shortening of the RT for a redundant feature target (e.g., a CO target from that predicted by a race between the RTs for the two corresponding single feature targets (e.g., C and O targets. Our investigation enables the following testable predictions. Contextual suppression on the response of a CO-tuned or MO-tuned conjunctive cell is weaker when the contextual inputs differ from the direct inputs in both feature dimensions, rather than just one. Additionally, CO-tuned cells and MO-tuned cells are often more active than the single feature tuned cells in response to the redundant feature targets, and this occurs more frequently for the MO-tuned cells such that the MO-tuned cells are no less likely than either the M-tuned or O-tuned neurons to be the most responsive neuron to dictate saliency for an MO target.

Properties of V1 neurons tuned to conjunctions of visual features: application of the V1 saliency hypothesis to visual search behavior.

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Zhaoping, Li; Zhe, Li

2012-01-01

From a computational theory of V1, we formulate an optimization problem to investigate neural properties in the primary visual cortex (V1) from human reaction times (RTs) in visual search. The theory is the V1 saliency hypothesis that the bottom-up saliency of any visual location is represented by the highest V1 response to it relative to the background responses. The neural properties probed are those associated with the less known V1 neurons tuned simultaneously or conjunctively in two feature dimensions. The visual search is to find a target bar unique in color (C), orientation (O), motion direction (M), or redundantly in combinations of these features (e.g., CO, MO, or CM) among uniform background bars. A feature singleton target is salient because its evoked V1 response largely escapes the iso-feature suppression on responses to the background bars. The responses of the conjunctively tuned cells are manifested in the shortening of the RT for a redundant feature target (e.g., a CO target) from that predicted by a race between the RTs for the two corresponding single feature targets (e.g., C and O targets). Our investigation enables the following testable predictions. Contextual suppression on the response of a CO-tuned or MO-tuned conjunctive cell is weaker when the contextual inputs differ from the direct inputs in both feature dimensions, rather than just one. Additionally, CO-tuned cells and MO-tuned cells are often more active than the single feature tuned cells in response to the redundant feature targets, and this occurs more frequently for the MO-tuned cells such that the MO-tuned cells are no less likely than either the M-tuned or O-tuned neurons to be the most responsive neuron to dictate saliency for an MO target.

Bepotastine besilate ophthalmic solution 1.5% for alleviating nasal symptoms in patients with allergic conjunctivitis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cavet ME

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Megan E Cavet,1 Paul J Gomes,2 Warner W Carr,3 Jon I Williams4 1Bausch + Lomb, Rochester, NY, 2Ora, Andover, MA, 3Allergy and Asthma Associates of Southern California, Mission Viejo, CA, 4Bausch + Lomb, Irvine, CA, USA Background: Bepotastine besilate ophthalmic solution (BBOS 1.5% is a topical antihistamine for the treatment of ocular itching associated with allergic conjunctivitis (AC. Allergic rhinitis and AC are common comorbid conditions. We explored the efficacy of BBOS 1.5% in alleviating nasal symptoms in an integrated analysis of two Phase III conjunctival allergen challenge (CAC studies and a Phase IV environmental allergen study. Methods: In the Phase III trials, a CAC was performed 15 minutes, 8 hours, and 16 hours following ocular instillation of BBOS 1.5% (n=78 or placebo (n=79, and subjects evaluated nasal symptoms. In the environmental study, subjects instilled BBOS 1.5% (n=123 or placebo (n=122 twice daily and nasal symptoms were evaluated over 2 weeks. Results: In the Phase III trials, BBOS 1.5% had reduced CAC-induced nasal congestion and pruritus at 15 minutes and 8 hours postdosing and rhinorrhea and a non-ocular composite-symptom score (sum of nasal scores plus ear or palate pruritus at all time points postdosing (all P≤0.01 vs placebo. In the Phase IV environmental study, BBOS 1.5% reduced sneezing and nasal pruritus over 2 weeks and median number of days to improvement of nasal pruritus and total nasal symptom score (sum for rhinorrhea, sneezing, nasal pruritus, and nasal congestion; P≤0.04 vs placebo. Additionally, investigator-reported improvement in overall ocular (pruritus, hyperemia, tearing and nasal symptoms was greater with BBOS 1.5% vs placebo (P≤0.03. Conclusion: Results of these exploratory analyses indicate that topical ocular BBOS 1.5% reduced nasal symptoms, supporting its use for alleviating rhinitis symptoms associated with AC. Keywords: bepotastine besilate, nasal symptoms, allergic rhinitis

Surface disposal of low-level and medium-level short-lived waste. How safe is the disposal facility in Dessel in the long term?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2014-01-01

A disposal facility for the disposal of low-level and medium-level short-lived waste is planned to be built on a site located in the community of Dessel (Belgium). The facility will consist of 34 modules, corresponding to a storage volume capacity of approximately 70,000 m3. The disposal concept includes waste containers that are encapsulated in a concrete box which is filled with mortar. Approximately 900 of these blocks, or monoliths, fit inside each module. The article discusses the Research and Development programme that has been conducted at the Belgian Nuclear Research Center SCK-CEN in conjunction with the development of this facility. Main emphasis is on the models that have been developed for predicting the long-term containment of the disposal facility.

Thickening and enhancement of multiple cranial nerves in conjunction with cystic white matter lesions in early infantile Krabbe disease

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Beslow, Lauren A.; Boennemann, Carsten G. [Children' s Hospital of Philadelphia, Division of Neurology, Philadelphia, PA (United States); Schwartz, Erin S. [Children' s Hospital of Philadelphia, Division of Neuroradiology, Philadelphia, PA (United States)

2008-06-15

We present serial MR findings in a child ultimately diagnosed with the early infantile form of Krabbe disease. MR showed typical features of Krabbe disease including cerebellar and brainstem hyperintensity, periventricular and deep white matter hyperintensity, and cerebral atrophy. In addition, the combination of both enlargement and enhancement of multiple cranial nerves in conjunction with unusual cystic lesions adjacent to the frontal horns of the lateral ventricles was previously unreported and expands the spectrum of imaging findings in early Krabbe disease. (orig.)

Feature Selection with Conjunctions of Decision Stumps and Learning from Microarray Data.

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Shah, M; Marchand, M; Corbeil, J

2012-01-01

One of the objectives of designing feature selection learning algorithms is to obtain classifiers that depend on a small number of attributes and have verifiable future performance guarantees. There are few, if any, approaches that successfully address the two goals simultaneously. To the best of our knowledge, such algorithms that give theoretical bounds on the future performance have not been proposed so far in the context of the classification of gene expression data. In this work, we investigate the premise of learning a conjunction (or disjunction) of decision stumps in Occam's Razor, Sample Compression, and PAC-Bayes learning settings for identifying a small subset of attributes that can be used to perform reliable classification tasks. We apply the proposed approaches for gene identification from DNA microarray data and compare our results to those of the well-known successful approaches proposed for the task. We show that our algorithm not only finds hypotheses with a much smaller number of genes while giving competitive classification accuracy but also having tight risk guarantees on future performance, unlike other approaches. The proposed approaches are general and extensible in terms of both designing novel algorithms and application to other domains.

Elevated systemic galectin-1 levels characterize HELLP syndrome.

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Schnabel, Annegret; Blois, Sandra M; Meint, Peter; Freitag, Nancy; Ernst, Wolfgang; Barrientos, Gabriela; Conrad, Melanie L; Rose, Matthias; Seelbach-Göbel, Birgit

2016-04-01

Galectin-1 (gal-1), a member of a family of conserved β-galactoside-binding proteins, has been shown to exert a key role during gestation. Though gal-1 is expressed at higher levels in the placenta from HELLP patients, it is still poorly understood whether systemic gal-1 levels also differ in HELLP patients. In the present study, we evaluated the systemic expression of gal-1, together with the angiogenic factors, placental growth factor (PlGF) and soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase 1 (sFlt-1) in conjunction with HELLP syndrome severity. Systemic levels of gal-1 and sFlt-1 were elevated in patients with both early- and late-onset HELLP syndrome as compared to healthy controls. In contrast, peripheral PlGF levels were decreased in early- and late-onset HELLP. A positive correlation between systemic gal-1 levels and sFlt-1/PlGF ratios was found in early onset HELLP patients. Our results show that HELLP syndrome is associated with increased circulating levels of gal-1; integrating systemic gal-1 measurements into the diagnostic analyses of pregnant women may provide more effective prediction of HELLP syndrome development. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Task relevance modulates the cortical representation of feature conjunctions in the target template.

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Reeder, Reshanne R; Hanke, Michael; Pollmann, Stefan

2017-07-03

Little is known about the cortical regions involved in representing task-related content in preparation for visual task performance. Here we used representational similarity analysis (RSA) to investigate the BOLD response pattern similarity between task relevant and task irrelevant feature dimensions during conjunction viewing and target template maintenance prior to visual search. Subjects were cued to search for a spatial frequency (SF) or orientation of a Gabor grating and we measured BOLD signal during cue and delay periods before the onset of a search display. RSA of delay period activity revealed that widespread regions in frontal, posterior parietal, and occipitotemporal cortices showed general representational differences between task relevant and task irrelevant dimensions (e.g., orientation vs. SF). In contrast, RSA of cue period activity revealed sensory-related representational differences between cue images (regardless of task) at the occipital pole and additionally in the frontal pole. Our data show that task and sensory information are represented differently during viewing and during target template maintenance, and that task relevance modulates the representation of visual information across the cortex.

Discriminability and dimensionality effects in visual search for featural conjunctions: a functional pop-out.

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Dehaene, S

1989-07-01

Treisman and Gelade's (1980) feature-integration theory of attention states that a scene must be serially scanned before the objects in it can be accurately perceived. Is serial scanning compatible with the speed observed in the perception of real-world scenes? Most real scenes consist of many more dimensions (color, size, shape, depth, etc.) than those generally found in search paradigms. Furthermore, real objects differ from each other along many of these dimensions. The present experiment assessed the influence of the total number of dimensions and target/distractor discriminability (the number of dimensions that suffice to separate a target from distractors) on search times for a conjunction of features. Search was always found to be serial. However, for the most discriminable targets, search rate was so fast that search times were in the same range as pop-out detection times. Apparently, greater discriminability enables subjects to direct attention at a faster rate and at only a fraction of the items in a scene.

Ocular sporotrichosis: A frequently misdiagnosed cause of granulomatous conjunctivitis in epidemic areas.

Science.gov (United States)

Yamagata, João Paulo M; Rudolph, Fabiana B; Nobre, Maria Clara L; Nascimento, Leninha V; Sampaio, Felipe Maurício S; Arinelli, Andrea; Freitas, Dayvison F

2017-12-01

Sporotrichosis is a subcutaneous mycosis caused by Sporothrix sp., a dimorphic fungus. Although the cutaneous form is the most frequent form, the ocular presentation has been increasingly diagnosed in epidemic areas. We describe three cases of ocular sporotrichosis with the involvement of the ocular adnexa due to autoinoculation without trauma with successful antifungal treatment. Patient 1: A 68-year-old woman presented with granulomatous conjunctivitis of the right eye with an ulcerated nodule on the right temporal region for 5 months. Patient 2: A 46-year-old woman with conjunctival hyperemia of the left eye with associated periorbital edema and erythema for the past 4 months was referred to the Dermatology Department due to an ulcerated nodule on the left malar region. Patient 3: A 14-year-old boy presented to the emergency department with inferior palpebral edema with a 5-day evolution. Specimens were obtained from the lesions of the three patients, and the cultures were positive for Sporothrix sp. The three cases were diagnosed as ocular sporotrichosis and were successfully treated with itraconazole (200-400 mg/d). Two of the three patients developed sequelae such as conjunctival fibrosis and symblepharon. We emphasize the importance of the ophthalmologist being familiar with the diagnosis and management of this rare and frequently misdiagnosed form of sporotrichosis.

Auroral zone electric fields from DE 1 and 2 at magnetic conjunctions

Science.gov (United States)

Weimer, D. R.; Goertz, C. K.; Gurnett, D. A.; Maynard, N. C.; Burch, J. L.

1985-01-01

Nearly simultaneous measurements of auroral zone electric fields are obtained by the Dynamics Explorer spacecraft at altitudes below 900 km and above 4,500 km during magnetic conjunctions. The measured electric fields are usually perpendicular to the magnetic field lines. The north-south meridional electric fields are projected to a common altitude by a mapping function which accounts for the convergence of the magnetic field lines. When plotted as a function of invariant latitude, graphs of the projected electric fields measured by both DE-1 and DE-2 show that the large-scale electric field is the same at both altitudes, as expected. Superimposed on the large-scale fields, however, are small-scale features with wavelengths less than 100 km which are larger in magnitude at the higher altitude. Fourier transforms of the electric fields show that the magnitudes depend on wavelength. Outside of the auroral zone the electric field spectrums are nearly identical. But within the auroral zone the high and low altitude electric fields have a ratio which increases with the reciprocal of the wavelength. The small-scale electric field variations are associated with field-aligned currents. These currents are measured with both a plasma instrument and magnetometer on DE-1.

Low-level radioactive waste: the Pennsylvania situation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Krett, R.E.; Dornsife, W.P.

1987-01-01

In December 1985, the Pennsylvania legislature adopted and Governor Thornburgh signed into law the Appalachian States Low-Level Radioactive Waste Compact. The Appalachian Compact provides for the establishment and operation of facilities for regional disposal of low-level radioactive waste (LLRW) to eligible states. Pennsylvania is designated as the initial host state to develop a regional LLRW disposal facility. The Compact legislation did not grant Pennsylvania the authority to license, permit, regulate, inspect or otherwise initiate the processes necessary to establish a LLRW disposal facility. The burden for implementing the Compact is placed on the state of Pennsylvania. The implementing legislation needed to proceed is currently in Pennsylvania's legislative process. Area Screening and Technology Performance/Design Criteria are currently being developed by D.E.R. staff in conjunction with a sixteen member public advisory committee. Upon enactment of the implementing legislation, Pennsylvania will proceed with all processes necessary to develop a regional LLRW disposal facility for the Appalachian Compact. 1 figure, 1 table

Galileo PPR at Io: High Resolution Scans Taken in Conjunction with SSA and NIMS Data

Science.gov (United States)

Rathbun, J. A.; Spencer, J. R.; Tamppari, L. K.; Martin, T. Z.; Barnard, L.; Travis, L. D.

2003-01-01

The Galileo Photopolarimeter-Radiometer (PPR), when used in the radiometry mode which is most often used at Io, is a long-wavelength infrared single-aperture photometer. It is sensitive to temperatures from about 60 to several hundred K, and is thus useful for studying the volcanoes and background temperatures on Io. PPR can take raster scan images when it is the primary instrument being used (these data were discussed last year, see Rathbun et al., 2002). It can also take data in ride-along mode in conjunction with another remote sensing instrument (either SSI or NIMS) producing one-dimensional temperature scans. The best data of this type were taken during the close approach flybys during orbits I24, I25, I27, I31, I32, and I33 and include measurements of the volcanoes Pele, Prometheus, Pillan, Zamama, Tvashtar, Daedalus, Amarani, Gish Bar, Isum, Emakong, Tupan, and Tohil.

A new hydrostatic leveling system developed for the Advanced Photon Source

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kivioja, L. A.

1998-01-01

As a result of the calibration tests performed with the first prototype units using the new measurement principle, we believe that the described leveling method is stable and accurate to the micron level with a sufficiently large range for the expected elevation changes of the support girders used in the Advanced Photon Source (APS) storage ring. Although long-term studies with this system have not been conducted, we believe that after installation this system requires little or no servicing for long periods of time. The methods described in this paper cover only the elevation changes of individual vessels. However, changes in the tilt of a girder must also be known. Therefore, a combination of tiltmeters in conjunction with this hydrostatic level system (HLS) would be most suitable for measuring the tilt and elevation changes of the APS girders

SU-E-P-41: Imaging Coordination of Cone Beam CT, On-Board Image Conjunction with Optical Image Guidance for SBRT Treatment with Respiratory Motion Management

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu, Y; Campbell, J

2015-01-01

Purpose: To spare normal tissue for SBRT lung/liver patients, especially for patients with significant tumor motion, image guided respiratory motion management has been widely implemented in clinical practice. The purpose of this study was to evaluate imaging coordination of cone beam CT, on-board X-ray image conjunction with optical image guidance for SBRT treatment with motion management. Methods: Currently in our clinic a Varian Novlis Tx was utilized for treating SBRT patients implementing CBCT. A BrainLAB X-ray ExacTrac imaging system in conjunction with optical guidance was primarily used for SRS patients. CBCT and X-ray imaging system were independently calibrated with 1.0 mm tolerance. For SBRT lung/liver patients, the magnitude of tumor motion was measured based-on 4DCT and the measurement was analyzed to determine if patients would be beneficial with respiratory motion management. For patients eligible for motion management, an additional CT with breath holding would be scanned and used as primary planning CT and as reference images for Cone beam CT. During the SBRT treatment, a CBCT with pause and continuing technology would be performed with patients holding breath, which may require 3–4 partially scanned CBCT to combine as a whole CBCT depending on how long patients capable of holding breath. After patients being setup by CBCT images, the ExactTrac X-ray imaging system was implemented with patients’ on-board X-ray images compared to breath holding CT-based DRR. Results: For breath holding patients SBRT treatment, after initially localizing patients with CBCT, we then position patients with ExacTrac X-ray and optical imaging system. The observed deviations of real-time optical guided position average at 3.0, 2.5 and 1.5 mm in longitudinal, vertical and lateral respectively based on 35 treatments. Conclusion: The respiratory motion management clinical practice improved our physician confidence level to give tighter tumor margin for sparing normal

How do we select multiple features? Transient costs for selecting two colors rather than one, persistent costs for color-location conjunctions.

Science.gov (United States)

Lo, Shih-Yu; Holcombe, Alex O

2014-02-01

In a previous study Lo, Howard, & Holcombe (Vision Research 63:20-33, 2012), selecting two colors did not induce a performance cost, relative to selecting one color. For example, requiring possible report of both a green and a red target did not yield a worse performance than when both targets were green. Yet a cost of selecting multiple colors was observed when selection needed be contingent on both color and location. When selecting a red target to the left and a green target to the right, superimposing a green distractor to the left and a red distractor to the right impeded performance. Possibly, participants cannot confine attention to a color at a particular location. As a result, distractors that share the target colors disrupt attentional selection of the targets. The attempt to select the targets must then be repeated, which increases the likelihood that the trial terminates when selection is not effective, even for long trials. Consistent with this, here we find a persistent cost of selecting two colors when the conjunction of color and location is needed, but the cost is confined to short exposure durations when the observer just has to monitor red and green stimuli without the need to use the location information. These results suggest that selecting two colors is time-consuming but effective, whereas selection of simultaneous conjunctions is never entirely successful.

Environmental radioactivity levels, Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant. Annual report, 1985 (TVA/NUC SVS/RH)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1986-04-01

The preoperational environmental radiological monitoring program established a baseline of data on the distribution of natural and manmade radioactivity in the environment near the plant site. However, seasonal, yearly, and random variations in the data were observed. In order to determine the potential increases in environmental radioactivity levels caused by the plant, comparisons were made between data for indicator stations (those near the plant) and control stations (those remote from the plant) in conjunction with comparisons with preoperational data

Modulation of neuronal responses during covert search for visual feature conjunctions.

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Buracas, Giedrius T; Albright, Thomas D

2009-09-29

While searching for an object in a visual scene, an observer's attentional focus and eye movements are often guided by information about object features and spatial locations. Both spatial and feature-specific attention are known to modulate neuronal responses in visual cortex, but little is known of the dynamics and interplay of these mechanisms as visual search progresses. To address this issue, we recorded from directionally selective cells in visual area MT of monkeys trained to covertly search for targets defined by a unique conjunction of color and motion features and to signal target detection with an eye movement to the putative target. Two patterns of response modulation were observed. One pattern consisted of enhanced responses to targets presented in the receptive field (RF). These modulations occurred at the end-stage of search and were more potent during correct target identification than during erroneous saccades to a distractor in RF, thus suggesting that this modulation is not a mere presaccadic enhancement. A second pattern of modulation was observed when RF stimuli were nontargets that shared a feature with the target. The latter effect was observed during early stages of search and is consistent with a global feature-specific mechanism. This effect often terminated before target identification, thus suggesting that it interacts with spatial attention. This modulation was exhibited not only for motion but also for color cue, although MT neurons are known to be insensitive to color. Such cue-invariant attentional effects may contribute to a feature binding mechanism acting across visual dimensions.

Achieving uniform dose with the use of a custom tissue compensator and a leveled beam for tangential breast fields

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Asbury, L.; Luttrell, L.; Lake, D.

1989-01-01

In order to achieve uniform dose distribution in intact breast treatments, wedges can be employed. This paper will describe a custom compensator made from brass chips used in conjunction with a leveled beam and a custom cast to treat breast shapes that are less suited to a standard wedge set up. Materials and design, dosimetry, criteria, efficacy and results will be described

New evidence for "far-field" Holocene sea level oscillations and links to global climate records

Science.gov (United States)

Leonard, N. D.; Welsh, K. J.; Clark, T. R.; Feng, Y.-x.; Pandolfi, J. M.; Zhao, J.-x.

2018-04-01

Rising sea level in the coming century is of significant concern, yet predicting relative sea level change in response to eustatic sea level variability is complex. Potential analogues are provided by the recent geological past but, until recently, many sea level reconstructions have been limited to millennial scale interpretations due to age uncertainties and paucity in proxy derived records. Here we present a sea level history for the tectonically stable "far-field" Great Barrier Reef, Australia, derived from 94 high precision uranium-thorium dates of sub-fossil coral microatolls. Our results provide evidence for at least two periods of relative sea level instability during the Holocene. These sea level oscillations are broadly synchronous with Indo-Pacific negative sea surface temperature anomalies, rapid global cooling events and glacial advances. We propose that the pace and magnitude of these oscillations are suggestive of eustatic/thermosteric processes operating in conjunction with regional climatic controls.

New approach to K-electron-capture probabilities to the 437 and 384 keV levels in the decay of /sup 133/Ba

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Singh, K; Sahota, H S [Punjabi Univ., Patiala (India). Dept. of Physics

1983-12-01

The K-electron-capture probabilities to the 437 and 384 keV levels in the decay of /sup 133/Ba have been determined from a measurement of gamma-ray intensities in conjunction with an analysis of the K x-ray-gamma-ray sum peaks. The results are independent of fluorescence yield and detector efficiency.

Examples of deformation-dependent flow simulations of conjunctive use with MF-OWHM

Science.gov (United States)

Hanson, Randall T.; Traum, Jonathan A.; Boyce, Scott E.; Schmid, Wolfgang; Hughes, Joseph D.

2015-01-01

The dependency of surface- and groundwater flows and aquifer hydraulic properties on deformation induced by changes in aquifer head is not accounted for in the standard version of MODFLOW. A new USGS integrated hydrologic model, MODFLOW-OWHM, incorporates this dependency by linking subsidence and mesh deformation with changes in aquifer transmissivity and storage coefficient, and with flows that also depend on aquifer characteristics and land-surface geometry. This new deformation-dependent approach is being used for the further development of the integrated Central Valley hydrologic model (CVHM) in California. Preliminary results from this application and from hypothetical test cases of similar systems show that changes in canal flows, stream seepage, and evapotranspiration from groundwater (ETgw) are sensitive to deformation. Deformation feedback has been shown to also have an indirect effect on conjunctive surface- and groundwater use components with increased stream seepage and streamflows influencing surface-water deliveries and return flows. In the Central Valley model, land subsidence may significantly degrade the ability of the major canals to deliver surface water from the Delta to the San Joaquin and Tulare basins. Subsidence can also affect irrigation demand and ETgw, which, along with altered surface-water supplies, causes a feedback response resulting in changed estimates of groundwater pumping for irrigation. This modeling feature also may improve the impact assessment of dewatering-induced land subsidence/uplift (following irrigation pumping or coal-seam gas extraction) on surface receptors, inter-basin transfers, and surface infrastructure integrity.

Examples of deformation-dependent flow simulations of conjunctive use with MF-OWHM

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

R. T. Hanson

2015-11-01

Full Text Available The dependency of surface- and groundwater flows and aquifer hydraulic properties on deformation induced by changes in aquifer head is not accounted for in the standard version of MODFLOW. A new USGS integrated hydrologic model, MODFLOW-OWHM, incorporates this dependency by linking subsidence and mesh deformation with changes in aquifer transmissivity and storage coefficient, and with flows that also depend on aquifer characteristics and land-surface geometry. This new deformation-dependent approach is being used for the further development of the integrated Central Valley hydrologic model (CVHM in California. Preliminary results from this application and from hypothetical test cases of similar systems show that changes in canal flows, stream seepage, and evapotranspiration from groundwater (ETgw are sensitive to deformation. Deformation feedback has been shown to also have an indirect effect on conjunctive surface- and groundwater use components with increased stream seepage and streamflows influencing surface-water deliveries and return flows. In the Central Valley model, land subsidence may significantly degrade the ability of the major canals to deliver surface water from the Delta to the San Joaquin and Tulare basins. Subsidence can also affect irrigation demand and ETgw, which, along with altered surface-water supplies, causes a feedback response resulting in changed estimates of groundwater pumping for irrigation. This modeling feature also may improve the impact assessment of dewatering-induced land subsidence/uplift (following irrigation pumping or coal-seam gas extraction on surface receptors, inter-basin transfers, and surface infrastructure integrity.

Development of an Architecture of Sun-Synchronous Orbital Slots to Minimize Conjunctions

Science.gov (United States)

Weeden, B.

Sun-synchronous orbit (SSO) satellites serve many important functions, primarily in the areas of Earth reconnaissance and weather. The orbital parameters of altitude, inclination and right ascension which allow for the unique utility of Sun-sync orbit limit these satellites to a very specific region of space. The popularity of these satellite missions combined with the use of similar engineering solutions has resulted in the majority of current Sun-sync satellites within this region having very similar inclinations and altitudes while also spaced around the Equator in right ascension, creating the opportunity for conjunctions at the polar crossing points and a serious safety issue that could endanger long-term sustainability of SSO. This paper outlines the development of a new architecture of SSO zoning to create specific slots separating SSO satellites in altitude, right ascension and time at all orbital intersections while minimizing the limitations on utility. A methodical approach for the development of the system is presented along with the work-to-date and a software tool for calculating repeating ground track orbits. The slot system is intended to allow for continued utility of and safe operation within SSO while greatly decreasing the chance of collisions at orbital intersections. This architecture is put forward as one possible element of a new Space Traffic Management (STM) system with the overall goal of maintaining the safe and continued used of space by all actors.

Outbreak of acute hemorrhagic conjunctivitis in Yunnan, People's Republic of China, 2007

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Xu Wenbo

2010-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract An outbreak of acute hemorrhagic conjunctivitis (AHC occurred in Yunnan Province, China between August and September in 2007. A total of 3,597 cases were officially reported and the incidence rate reached 1390.94/100,000. Descriptive epidemiological analysis of the outbreak was conducted using the data from National Disease Supervision Information Management System (NDSIMS. To determine the causative agent for this outbreak and to analyze their genetic features, 30 conjunctival swabs and 19 paired serum specimens of acute and convalescent phase were collected from 30 patients with AHC, and viral isolation, molecular typing, antibody assay and phylogenetic analysis were performed. 11 virus strains were isolated from 30 conjunctival swabs. Amplification and sequencing of the VP4 region of these strains identified that coxsackievirus A24 variant (CA24v could be the causative agent of the AHC outbreak and this was further confirmed by subsequent virus neutralizing antibody test on 19 paired serum specimens. Phylogenetic analysis based on the 3C regions showed that the Yunnan CA24v strains belonged to Group 3 and clustered with the strains isolated from worldwide AHC outbreaks after 2002. Phylogenetic analysis based on the partial VP1 revealed that the Yunnan strains differed from the strains isolated from AHC outbreak in Guangdong of China in 2007 with 2.8 - 3.0% nucleotide divergence, suggesting that two different lineages of CA24v caused the independent AHC outbreaks in Yunnan and Guangdong, respectively.

The control of attentional target selection in a colour/colour conjunction task.

Science.gov (United States)

Berggren, Nick; Eimer, Martin

2016-11-01

To investigate the time course of attentional object selection processes in visual search tasks where targets are defined by a combination of features from the same dimension, we measured the N2pc component as an electrophysiological marker of attentional object selection during colour/colour conjunction search. In Experiment 1, participants searched for targets defined by a combination of two colours, while ignoring distractor objects that matched only one of these colours. Reliable N2pc components were triggered by targets and also by partially matching distractors, even when these distractors were accompanied by a target in the same display. The target N2pc was initially equal in size to the sum of the two N2pc components to the two different types of partially matching distractors and became superadditive from approximately 250 ms after search display onset. Experiment 2 demonstrated that the superadditivity of the target N2pc was not due to a selective disengagement of attention from task-irrelevant partially matching distractors. These results indicate that attention was initially deployed separately and in parallel to all target-matching colours, before attentional allocation processes became sensitive to the presence of both matching colours within the same object. They suggest that attention can be controlled simultaneously and independently by multiple features from the same dimension and that feature-guided attentional selection processes operate in parallel for different target-matching objects in the visual field.

Changes in air quality caused by reduced emission levels in Saxony-Anhalt. Results derived from a modern East German immission measuring system

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zimmermann, U. [Saxony-Anhalt State Environmental Protection Agency, Magdeburg (Germany); Roemermann, D.; Begert, V. [Saxony-Anhalt Ministry of Environment, Magdeburg (Germany). Nature Conservation and Regional Planning

1995-12-31

Specific features and main fields of construction of a telemetric immission measuring system in the East German federal state of Saxony-Anhalt are shown as a result of a very rapid development in the last three years. Immission levels and resultant enormous changes in the recent years in conjunction with the drastically changed emission situation are analysed. (author)

Changes in air quality caused by reduced emission levels in Saxony-Anhalt. Results derived from a modern East German immission measuring system

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zimmermann, U [Saxony-Anhalt State Environmental Protection Agency, Magdeburg (Germany); Roemermann, D; Begert, V [Saxony-Anhalt Ministry of Environment, Magdeburg (Germany). Nature Conservation and Regional Planning

1996-12-31

Specific features and main fields of construction of a telemetric immission measuring system in the East German federal state of Saxony-Anhalt are shown as a result of a very rapid development in the last three years. Immission levels and resultant enormous changes in the recent years in conjunction with the drastically changed emission situation are analysed. (author)

Long-range active retroreflector to measure the rotational orientation in conjunction with a laser tracker

Science.gov (United States)

Hofherr, O.; Wachten, Christian; Müller, C.; Reinecke, H.

2014-11-01

High precision optical non-contact position measurement is a key technology in modern engineering. Laser trackers (LT) accurately determine x-y-z coordinates of passive retroreflectors. Next-generation systems answer the need to measure an object`s rotational orientation (pitch, yaw, roll). So far, these devices are based either on photogrammetry or on enhanced retroreflectors. Here we present a new method to measure all six degrees of freedom in conjunction with a LT. The basic principle is to analyze the orientation to the LT's beam path by coupling-out laser radiation. The optical design is inspired by a cat's eye retroreflector equipped with an integrated beam splitter layer. The optical spherical aberration is compensated, which reduces the divergence angle for the reflected beam by one order of magnitude compared to an uncompensated standard system of the same size. The wave front distortion is reduced to less than 0.1 λ @ 633 nm for beam diameters up to 8 mm. Our active retroreflector is suitable for long-range measurements for a distance > 10 m.

Multiobjective genetic algorithm conjunctive use optimization for production, cost, and energy with dynamic return flow

Science.gov (United States)

Peralta, Richard C.; Forghani, Ali; Fayad, Hala

2014-04-01

Many real water resources optimization problems involve conflicting objectives for which the main goal is to find a set of optimal solutions on, or near to the Pareto front. E-constraint and weighting multiobjective optimization techniques have shortcomings, especially as the number of objectives increases. Multiobjective Genetic Algorithms (MGA) have been previously proposed to overcome these difficulties. Here, an MGA derives a set of optimal solutions for multiobjective multiuser conjunctive use of reservoir, stream, and (un)confined groundwater resources. The proposed methodology is applied to a hydraulically and economically nonlinear system in which all significant flows, including stream-aquifer-reservoir-diversion-return flow interactions, are simulated and optimized simultaneously for multiple periods. Neural networks represent constrained state variables. The addressed objectives that can be optimized simultaneously in the coupled simulation-optimization model are: (1) maximizing water provided from sources, (2) maximizing hydropower production, and (3) minimizing operation costs of transporting water from sources to destinations. Results show the efficiency of multiobjective genetic algorithms for generating Pareto optimal sets for complex nonlinear multiobjective optimization problems.

A survey of urban noise annoyance in a large Brazilian city: the importance of a subjective analysis in conjunction with an objective analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zannin, Paulo H.T.; Calixto, Alfredo; Diniz, Fabiano B.; Ferreira, Jose A.C.

2003-01-01

This study describes the reaction to environmental noise of the population of Curitiba (∼1.6 million inhabitants). Out of 1000 distributed forms, 860 were returned. The main isolated noise sources revealed by the survey as disturbing were traffic (73%) and neighbors (38%). As a class, neighborhood noise was pointed out as the most disturbing type of noise as 100% of the surveyed people indicated at least one of the items belonging to this class: neighbors, animals, sirens, civil construction, religion temples, night clubs, toys and domestic electric appliances. The main outcomes of exposure to noise were: irritability (58%), difficulty to concentrate (42%), sleeping disorders (20%) and headaches (20%). In this survey, the importance of the realization of objective surveys, in other words, noise emission measurements in conjunction with the subjective evaluation of the reaction of the urban population to the environmental noise, is also discussed. The present survey shows that in the subjective evaluation performed in the city of Curitiba, the perception of the population is that the urban noise has increased. On the other hand, another study conducted in the same city, where only the noise emission levels were evaluated, has showed a decrease on the urban noise

Serum B/sub 12/ levels in iron definiency anemia

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sagan, L A; Ohki, Keiichi

1964-04-23

As part of its research program to study the late effects of radiation in survivors of the atomic bombs, the Atomic Bomb Casualty Commission (ABCC) in conjunction with the Japanese National Institute of Health (JNIH), conducts biennial medical examinations on the selected population which comprises the ABCC-JHIN Adult Health Study sample. The patients herein described as Groups 1 and 2 were selected from among those examined in Nagasaki who had had a hemoglobin value of less than 11.0 g/100 ml at examination 2 years previously and who had responded to iron therapy sufficiently to justify a diagnosis of iron deficiency anemia. Almost all were women of child bearing age. The effect of iron therapy on the level of serum B/sub 12/ was investigated. Of 58 patients so studied, 46 showed some rise in post-treatment levels of B/sub 12/. This is evaluated as indicating that gastric secretion of intrinsic factor is depressed in the majority of iron deficient patients.

Effectiveness of Origanum vulgare L. and Origanum majorana L. essential oils in inhibiting the growth of bacterial strains isolated from the patients with conjunctivitis

OpenAIRE

Oliveira, Jana Luíza Toscano Mendes de; Diniz, Margareth de Fátima Melo; Lima, Edeltrudes de Oliveira; Souza, Evandro Leite de; Trajano, Vinícius Nogueira; Santos, Bernadete Helena Cavalcante

2009-01-01

This study aimed to evaluate the antibacterial activity of Origanum vulgare L. and O. majorana L. essential oils on Staphylococcus aureus, S. coagulase negative, Enterobacter spp., Proteus spp., Acinetobacter spp., Klebsiella spp. isolated from the patients with conjunctivitis. The results showed a prominent inhibitory effect of both the essential oils on all the bacterial strains, noted by the large bacterial growth inhibition zones (15-32mm). The Minimum Inhibitory Concentrations (MIC) valu...

Risk of allergic conjunctivitis in patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus: a population-based retrospective cohort study.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Yin-Huei; Lin, Cheng-Li; Bau, Da-Tian; Hung, Yi-Chih

2017-06-19

In accordance with the dichotomy between T helper type 1(Th1) and T helper type 2 (Th2) responses, the occurrence of allergic conjunctivitis (AC) and type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) is, in theory, inversely related in the individual. However, recent studies investigating the association between the two diseases are controversial. Population-based cohort study. We used claims data of the National Health Insurance Research Database of Taiwan. We identified 4160 patients aged 1-30 years with newly diagnosed T1DM and no history of AC at baseline. For each patient with T1DM, four non-T1DM controls (n=16,640) were matched by sex. The mean follow-up time was 6 years. Multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression analysis was used to evaluate the risk of AC. We additionally evaluated the association between risk of AC and T1DM progression by examining Diabetes Complications Severity Index (aDCSI) changes from the date of diagnosis until the end of follow-up. The overall incidence of allergic conjunctivitis (AC) was higher in the type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) cohort than in the control cohort (23.0 vs 13.5 per 1000 person-years, adjusted incidence rate ratio (aIRR): 1.59, 95% CI 1.47 to 1.71). Relative to that in patients with mildly progressive T1DM, the risk of AC increased as the adapted Diabetes Complications Severity Index (aDCSI) increased (aIRR: 1.68, 3.78 and 18.8, with yearly changes in aDCSI score: 0.51 to 1.00, 1.01 to 2.00, and >2.00 vs 1, respectively; for trend 1). Patients with T1DM are at an elevated risk of developing AC; this risk increases with T1DM progression. The T helper type 1/T helper type 2 hypothesis is an overly simplistic explanation for this association. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

Visual search for feature conjunctions: an fMRI study comparing alcohol-related neurodevelopmental disorder (ARND) to ADHD.

Science.gov (United States)

O'Conaill, Carrie R; Malisza, Krisztina L; Buss, Joan L; Bolster, R Bruce; Clancy, Christine; de Gervai, Patricia Dreessen; Chudley, Albert E; Longstaffe, Sally

2015-01-01

Alcohol-related neurodevelopmental disorder (ARND) falls under the umbrella of fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD). Diagnosis of ARND is difficult because individuals do not demonstrate the characteristic facial features associated with fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS). While attentional problems in ARND are similar to those found in attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), the underlying impairment in attention pathways may be different. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) was conducted at 3 T. Sixty-three children aged 10 to 14 years diagnosed with ARND, ADHD, and typically developing (TD) controls performed a single-feature and a feature-conjunction visual search task. Dorsal and ventral attention pathways were activated during both attention tasks in all groups. Significantly greater activation was observed in ARND subjects during a single-feature search as compared to TD and ADHD groups, suggesting ARND subjects require greater neural recruitment to perform this simple task. ARND subjects appear unable to effectively use the very efficient automatic perceptual 'pop-out' mechanism employed by TD and ADHD groups during presentation of the disjunction array. By comparison, activation was lower in ARND compared to TD and ADHD subjects during the more difficult conjunction search task as compared to the single-feature search. Analysis of DTI data using tract-based spatial statistics (TBSS) showed areas of significantly lower fractional anisotropy (FA) and higher mean diffusivity (MD) in the right inferior longitudinal fasciculus (ILF) in ARND compared to TD subjects. Damage to the white matter of the ILF may compromise the ventral attention pathway and may require subjects to use the dorsal attention pathway, which is associated with effortful top-down processing, for tasks that should be automatic. Decreased functional activity in the right temporoparietal junction (TPJ) of ARND subjects may be due to a

Category-based guidance of spatial attention during visual search for feature conjunctions.

Science.gov (United States)

Nako, Rebecca; Grubert, Anna; Eimer, Martin

2016-10-01

The question whether alphanumerical category is involved in the control of attentional target selection during visual search remains a contentious issue. We tested whether category-based attentional mechanisms would guide the allocation of attention under conditions where targets were defined by a combination of alphanumerical category and a basic visual feature, and search displays could contain both targets and partially matching distractor objects. The N2pc component was used as an electrophysiological marker of attentional object selection in tasks where target objects were defined by a conjunction of color and category (Experiment 1) or shape and category (Experiment 2). Some search displays contained the target or a nontarget object that matched either the target color/shape or its category among 3 nonmatching distractors. In other displays, the target and a partially matching nontarget object appeared together. N2pc components were elicited not only by targets and by color- or shape-matching nontargets, but also by category-matching nontarget objects, even on trials where a target was present in the same display. On these trials, the summed N2pc components to the 2 types of partially matching nontargets were initially equal in size to the target N2pc, suggesting that attention was allocated simultaneously and independently to all objects with target-matching features during the early phase of attentional processing. Results demonstrate that alphanumerical category is a genuine guiding feature that can operate in parallel with color or shape information to control the deployment of attention during visual search. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

Conditions for the test emplacement of intermediate-level radioactive wastes in chamber 8a of the 511 m level of the Asse Salt Mine

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1984-01-01

The Gesellschaft fuer Strahlen- und Umweltforschung mbH (GSF) emplaces intermediate-level radioactive wastes which accumulate in an activity involving the use of radioactive materials that is licensed or reported in the Federal Republic of Germany or which are stored on an interim basis by the appropriate licensing or inspection agencies in chamber 8a of the 511 m level of the Asse Salt Mine in Remlingen near Wolfenbuettel in conjunction with an engineering test program. The type and form of the intermediate-level wastes must conform to certain conditions so that there are no hazards to personnel and the repository during transfer and subsequent storage. It is therefore necessary for the radioactive wastes to be treated and packaged before delivery in such a way that they satisfy the conditions presented in this document. The GSF shall inform the companies and organizations delivering wastes about its experiences with emplacement operations. The Conditions for the Test Emplacement of Intermediate-Level Radioactive Wastes in Chamber 8a of the 511 m Level of the Asse Salt Mine must be adapted to conform to the latest state of science and the art. The GSF must therefore reserve the right to modify the conditions, allowing for an appropriate transition period

Conjuntivite por Achromobacter xylosoxidans: relato de caso Conjunctivitis due to Achromobacter xylosoxidans: case report

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Juliana Faggion Lucatelli

2009-04-01

Full Text Available Relatamos um caso de conjuntivite ocasionada por Achromobacter xylosoxidans em paciente imunocompetente usuária de lentes de contato rígidas. A bactéria foi isolada da solução utilizada para a desinfecção das lentes bem como do raspado conjuntival. A. xylosoxidans tem sido descrita em infecções oportunistas em pacientes imunodeprimidos, contudo pode ser confundida com outros bacilos gram-negativos, principalmente Pseudomonas aeruginosa, isoladas de infecções oculares em pacientes imunocompetentes. Devido ao reduzido perfil de sensibilidade aos antimicrobianos demonstrado pelo A. xylosoxidans, torna-se importante a identificação deste agente etiológico em quadros de conjuntivite.We report here a case of conjunctivitis in an immunocompetent patient due to Achromobacter xylosoxidans, which was associated with the use of rigid contact lenses. The bacteria were isolated from the scraped conjunctival swab as well as from the lens cleaning fluid. A. xylosoxidans is an opportunistic pathogen, especially in immunocompromised patients; however, in isolates of ocular infections, from immunocompetent patients, it may be confused with other gram-negative organisms, particularly Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Due to an increased resistance against different antimicrobial agents, A. xylosoxidans must be fully identified and differentiated from other gram-negative isolates from ocular infections.

Health behavior of elderly people engaged in agriculture in conjunction with information communication technology.

Science.gov (United States)

Fujii, Chieko; Okahisa, Reiko; Matsushita, Yasuko; Tada, Toshiko

2012-01-01

The aim of this study is to clarify the health behavior of elderly people engaged in agriculture and information communication technology (ICT). The participants were 61 people engaged in agriculture in conjunction with ICT systems (group A), and 49 people not engaged in this (group B) from among the people aged 65 years or over in village C, both living located in a mountain areas. Data were collected from August 2009 to June 2011 in two stages: interviews to members of group A through home visits, and a group survey of groups A and B through questionnaires. The results of the study were as follows: 1) members of group A lived with feelings of attachment to the land to which they were accustomed and showed gratitude to their ancestors; 2) in group A, the desire of participants to continue their life was sufficient motivation to look after their own health and maintain independence; and 3) they provided a new challenge and a sense of achievement. The results suggest that the health behavior in group A was behavior adopted voluntarily in order to maintain an independent lifestyle supported by working, and it is likely to be linked to the preservation of health.

In vitro inhibitory effects on α-glucosidase and α-amylase level and antioxidant potential of seeds of Phoenix dactylifera L.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shah Alam Khan

2016-04-01

Conclusions: The present study confirms that disposed waste of Omani dates is a rich source of dietary antioxidant because of its high TPC. The pits due to their inhibitory effects on α-glucosidase and α-amylase level could be used as a monotherapy along with an appropriate diabetic diet and exercise or might be in conjunction with antidiabetic therapy to manage and prevent progression of diabetes.

A contribution to severe accident monitoring: Level measurement of the Incontainment Refueling Water Storage Tank (IRWST), design and qualification

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Schumilov, A.; Weber, P.; Esteves, S.

2012-07-01

A level measurement sensor for monitoring the water level in the in-containment refueling water storage tank (IRWST) of the EPRTM (generation 3+ pressurized water reactor) during leakage and severe accidents has been developed by AREVA. The development has been accompanied by many functional and material analyses as well as tests to assure the resistivity under extreme conditions, such as high irradiation dose of 5 MGy, increased temperature up to 160 degree centigrade in conjunction with saturated steam conditions. Moreover, the sensor has been designed and experimentally verified to resist the impact of seismic events and airplane crashes as well.

Prostaglandin E1 in conjunction with high doses of vitamin B12 improves nerve conduction velocity of patients with diabetic peripheral neuropathy

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

Jilai Li; Zhirong Wan

2008-01-01

BACKGROUND: Prostaglandin E1 improves diabetic peripheral neuropathy in symptoms and sensory threshold. Vitamin B1 and methyl-vitamin B12 improve microcirculation to peripheral nerve tissue and promote neurotrophy.OBJECTIVE: To observe motor nerve and sensory nerve conduction velocity in patients with diabetic peripheral neuropathy, prior to and after treatment with prostaglandin E1, vitamin B1 and different doses of vitamin B12.DESIGN, TIME AND SETTING: Randomized, controlled experiment, performed at the Department of Neurology. Beijing Hantian Central Hospital, between February 2002 and September 2007.PARTICIPANTS: A total of 122 patients with type 2 diabetic peripheral neuropathy; 73 males and 49 females were included. All patients met the diagnostic criteria of diabetes mellitus, as determined by the World Health Organization in 1999 and 2006, and also the diagnostic criteria of diabetic peripheral neuropathy. For each subject, conduction disorders in the median nerve and in the common peroneal nerve were observed using electromyogram. Also, after diet and drug treatment, the blood glucose level of subjects was observed to be at a satisfactory level for more than two weeks, and the symptoms of diabetic peripheral neuropathy were not alleviated.METHODS: All patients were randomly divided into the following three groups. A control group (n=40), in which, 100mg vitamin B1 and 500μg vitamin B12 were intramuscularly injected. A vitamin B12 low-dose treated group (n=42), in which 10μg prostaglandin E1 in 250mL physiological saline was intravenously injected once a day and 100mg vitamin B1 and 500μg vitamin B12 was intramuscularly injected once a day. Lastly, a vitamin B12 high-dose treated group (n=40), in which administration was the same as in the vitamin B12 low-dose treated group, except that 500μg vitamin B12 was replaced by 1mg vitamin B12. Administration was performed for four weeks for each group.MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The motor nerve and sensory nerve

Exploring the level sets of quantum control landscapes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rothman, Adam; Ho, Tak-San; Rabitz, Herschel

2006-01-01

A quantum control landscape is defined by the value of a physical observable as a functional of the time-dependent control field E(t) for a given quantum-mechanical system. Level sets through this landscape are prescribed by a particular value of the target observable at the final dynamical time T, regardless of the intervening dynamics. We present a technique for exploring a landscape level set, where a scalar variable s is introduced to characterize trajectories along these level sets. The control fields E(s,t) accomplishing this exploration (i.e., that produce the same value of the target observable for a given system) are determined by solving a differential equation over s in conjunction with the time-dependent Schroedinger equation. There is full freedom to traverse a level set, and a particular trajectory is realized by making an a priori choice for a continuous function f(s,t) that appears in the differential equation for the control field. The continuous function f(s,t) can assume an arbitrary form, and thus a level set generally contains a family of controls, where each control takes the quantum system to the same final target value, but produces a distinct control mechanism. In addition, although the observable value remains invariant over the level set, other dynamical properties (e.g., the degree of robustness to control noise) are not specifically preserved and can vary greatly. Examples are presented to illustrate the continuous nature of level-set controls and their associated induced dynamical features, including continuously morphing mechanisms for population control in model quantum systems

Modified SARME (Surgically Assisted Rapid Maxillary Expansion) in Conjunction with Orthodontic Treatment-A Case Report.

Science.gov (United States)

Dahiya, Sagar; Chitra, Prasad; Rao, Sadam Srinivas; Bindra, Sukhvinder

2015-10-01

Transverse maxillary hypoplasia or maxillary constriction in conjunction with unilateral or bilateral posterior cross bites is a common finding in cleft palate patients. These situations are also commonly encountered in adults who have not had recourse to orthodontic treatment in childhood. In adults, after ossification of the mid palatal suture is complete, the accepted means of correcting transverse skeletal discrepancies is by Surgically Assisted Rapid Maxillary Expansion (SARME). The disadvantage of this technique in the Indian scenario is reduced patient acceptance and increased treatment costs. Le Fort-I down fracture and mid palatal suture sectioning requires hospitalization and increases morbidity. A case of a 21-year-old non-cleft male who presented with Class I malocclusion with transverse skeletal discrepancy and bilateral posterior cross bites is presented. A modified SAARME technique was performed without pterygomaxillary disjunction, as an outpatient procedure. The results obtained were satisfactory and the desired amount of transverse skeletal correction was achieved. The patient was discharged the same day. The technique can be used to successfully treat a large number of patients in India with maxillary skeletal transverse problems with increased predictability, reduced costs and morbidity and higher rates of acceptance.

The application of a selection of decision-making techniques by employees in a transport work environment in conjunction with their perceived decision-making success and practice

OpenAIRE

Theuns F.J. Oosthuizen

2014-01-01

A lack of optimum selection and application of decision-making techniques, in conjunction with suitable decision-making practice and perception of employees in a transport work environment demands attention to improve overall performance. Although multiple decision-making techniques exist, five prevalent techniques were considered in this article, namely the Kepner-Tregoe, Delphi, stepladder, nominal group and brainstorming techniques. A descriptive research design was followed, using an empi...

Multi-level reputation signals in service industries in Latin America

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

William Newburry

2011-03-01

Full Text Available This study uses signaling theory to investigate industry -firm- and individual-level determinants of individual-level corporate reputation assessments in the context of Latin America. In a hierarchical linear model, we test our theory using 76,419 individual evaluations of 80 companies in five Latin American countries collected by the Reputation Institute in conjunction with the Foro de Reputación Corporativa. Results show that across our Latin American sample, reputations of firms in the telecom and energy industries are significantly lower than those of manufacturing firms. Additionally, we find consistent evidence across marginalized groups (e.g., women, lower social class, education and income that they assess telecom industry reputations relatively higher than their less marginalized counterparts do. Results are mixed with regards to marginalized group assessments of firms from other service industries. Additionally, counter to expectations, we do not find evidence that firm size or financial performance impact reputation assessments.

[Requests for compensation for immaterial damage: child and adolescent psychiatric legal assessment in conjunction with the revised legislation].

Science.gov (United States)

Martinius, J

1995-03-01

Child and adolescent psychiatry is concerned with many forensic questions. Among these, expert testimony about immaterial injury (pain, suffering) in conjunction with claims for compensation is being requested with increasing frequency. Until recently German law took the position that in cases of severe brain damage compensation (smart money) had to be granted only as a symbolic payment because the loss of cognition and lack of suffering excluded a feeling of satisfaction resulting from compensation. The highest court in Germany has now revised its position by introducing a new category of immaterial injury. This additional category refers to cases of severe brain damage where the "loss of personal quality" in itself creates the basis for a claim for compensation. As a result, related medical examinations and evaluations require as careful a description as possible and the use of scales to assess quality of life.

Treating bulimia with hypnosis and low-level light therapy: a case report

Science.gov (United States)

Laser, Eleanor; Sassack, Michael

2012-03-01

This case report describes an effort to control bulimia nervosa by combining low-level laser therapy (LLLT)-the application of red and near-infrared light to specific body points-and hypnosis. A 29-year old female with a 14-year history of bulimia received one session of LLLT combined with hypnosis. Two weeks later, following a measurable decrease in bulimic episodes (purging), a session of psychotherapy and hypnosis was administered. Six months post-treatment, the patient has experienced a complete cessation of purging activities without recurrence. LLLT, when used in conjunction with hypnosis and psychotherapy, was effective in managing bulimia and may prove useful in treating other eating disorders.

Scanning ion deep level transient spectroscopy: I. Theory

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Laird, J S; Jagadish, C; Jamieson, D N; Legge, G J F

2006-01-01

Theoretical aspects of a new technique for the MeV ion microbeam are described in detail for the first time. The basis of the technique, termed scanning ion deep level transient spectroscopy (SIDLTS), is the imaging of defect distributions within semiconductor devices. The principles of SIDLTS are similar to those behind other deep level transient spectroscopy (DLTS) techniques with the main difference stemming from the injection of carriers into traps using the localized energy-loss of a focused MeV ion beam. Energy-loss of an MeV ion generates an electron-hole pair plasma, providing the equivalent of a DLTS trap filling pulse with a duration which depends on space-charge screening of the applied electric field and ambipolar erosion of the plasma for short ranging ions. Some nanoseconds later, the detrapping current transient is monitored as a charge transient. Scanning the beam in conjunction with transient analysis allows the imaging of defect levels. As with DLTS, the temperature dependence of the transient can be used to extract trap activation levels. In this, the first of a two-part paper, we introduce the various stages of corner capture and derive a simple expression for the observed charge transient. The second paper will illustrate the technique on a MeV ion implanted Au-Si Schottky junction

Core-level XPS studies of Ce and La intermetallic compounds and their implications for the 4f levels of Ce compounds

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Freiburg, C.; Fuggle, J.C.; Hillebrecht, F.U.; Zolnierek, Z.; Laesser, R.

1983-01-01

The 3d core hole X-ray photoelectron spectra (XPS) of approximately 30 intermetallic compounds of La and Ce are reported. Transitions to final states with approximately f 0 , f 1 and f 2 character are observed in some Ce compounds (f 0 and f 1 for La compounds). The results are discussed in terms of the current ideas of the influence of f-counts and f-levels hybridization on core level lineshapes. We cannot find an explanatoin of the observed spectra consisted with the ''promotial model'' where the 4f-count varies and 4f electron was thought to be entirely promoted to the Ce 5d6s valence bands in some compounds. There may be some small charge transfer from the f level, however. In conjunction with ideas on screening processes in XPS the observed lineshapes suggest coupling of the 4f electrons to other states is strongest in those compounds previously thought to have f 0 character. This coupling increases despite a large increase in the Ce-Ce distance when Ce is diluted with Ni or Pd. Thus it cannot be due to direct f-f interaction and must be attributed to coupling with the other valence electrons; possibly those centred on the partner sites. (orig./EZ) [de

Levels of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) in dust from personal automobiles in conjunction with studies on the photochemical degradation of decabromodiphenyl ether (BDE-209).

Science.gov (United States)

Lagalante, Anthony F; Shedden, Courtney S; Greenbacker, Peter W

2011-07-01

The levels of 21 PBDE congeners were detemined in the dust sampled from 66 personal automobiles. The dominant congener in automobile dust was BDE-209 with a median level of 8.12 μg g⁻¹. Personal vehicle dust samples contained the characteristic profile of the PBDE congeners that comprise the PentaBDE and DecaBDE commercial formulations. Levels of PBDEs in personal automobiles are generally reduced in comparison to our previously reported levels in resale vehicles on dealership lots presumably due to a dilution effect introduced by dust or debris that does not originate from the vehicle. Laboratory photochemical studies were conducted on both automobile dust collected from personal vehicles as well as BDE-209 adsorbed to sodium sulfate. No significant degradation occurred in the personal vehicle dust after 56 days of constant UVA irradiation while significant degradation did occur with BDE-209 adsorbed to sodium sulfate. PBDEs from the degradation of BDE-209 were identified and potential degradation pathways elucidated. Human exposure potential to PBDEs from automobile dust ingestion remains a serious concern in the U.S. population. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Explaining efficient search for conjunctions of motion and form: evidence from negative color effects.

Science.gov (United States)

Dent, Kevin

2014-05-01

Dent, Humphreys, and Braithwaite (2011) showed substantial costs to search when a moving target shared its color with a group of ignored static distractors. The present study further explored the conditions under which such costs to performance occur. Experiment 1 tested whether the negative color-sharing effect was specific to cases in which search showed a highly serial pattern. The results showed that the negative color-sharing effect persisted in the case of a target defined as a conjunction of movement and form, even when search was highly efficient. In Experiment 2, the ease with which participants could find an odd-colored target amongst a moving group was examined. Participants searched for a moving target amongst moving and stationary distractors. In Experiment 2A, participants performed a highly serial search through a group of similarly shaped moving letters. Performance was much slower when the target shared its color with a set of ignored static distractors. The exact same displays were used in Experiment 2B; however, participants now responded "present" for targets that shared the color of the static distractors. The same targets that had previously been difficult to find were now found efficiently. The results are interpreted in a flexible framework for attentional control. Targets that are linked with irrelevant distractors by color tend to be ignored. However, this cost can be overridden by top-down control settings.

Ethylene Regulates Levels of Ethylene Receptor/CTR1 Signaling Complexes in Arabidopsis thaliana*

Science.gov (United States)

Shakeel, Samina N.; Gao, Zhiyong; Amir, Madiha; Chen, Yi-Feng; Rai, Muneeza Iqbal; Haq, Noor Ul; Schaller, G. Eric

2015-01-01

The plant hormone ethylene is perceived by a five-member family of receptors in Arabidopsis thaliana. The receptors function in conjunction with the Raf-like kinase CTR1 to negatively regulate ethylene signal transduction. CTR1 interacts with multiple members of the receptor family based on co-purification analysis, interacting more strongly with receptors containing a receiver domain. Levels of membrane-associated CTR1 vary in response to ethylene, doing so in a post-transcriptional manner that correlates with ethylene-mediated changes in levels of the ethylene receptors ERS1, ERS2, EIN4, and ETR2. Interactions between CTR1 and the receptor ETR1 protect ETR1 from ethylene-induced turnover. Kinetic and dose-response analyses support a model in which two opposing factors control levels of the ethylene receptor/CTR1 complexes. Ethylene stimulates the production of new complexes largely through transcriptional induction of the receptors. However, ethylene also induces turnover of receptors, such that levels of ethylene receptor/CTR1 complexes decrease at higher ethylene concentrations. Implications of this model for ethylene signaling are discussed. PMID:25814663

Coherence across consciousness levels: Symmetric visual displays spare working memory resources.

Science.gov (United States)

Dumitru, Magda L

2015-12-15

Two studies demonstrate that the need for coherence could nudge individuals to use structural similarities between binary visual displays and two concurrent cognitive tasks to unduly solve the latter in similar fashion. In an overt truth-judgement task, participants decided whether symmetric colourful displays matched conjunction or disjunction descriptions (e.g., "the black and/or the orange"). In the simultaneous covert categorisation task, they decided whether a colour name (e.g., "black") described a two-colour object or half of a single-colour object. Two response patterns emerged as follows. Participants either acknowledged or rejected matches between disjunction descriptions and two visual stimuli and, similarly, either acknowledged or rejected matches between single colour names and two-colour objects or between single colour names and half of single-colour objects. These findings confirm the coherence hypothesis, highlight the role of coherence in preserving working-memory resources, and demonstrate an interaction between high-level and low-level consciousness. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Hippocampal damage equally impairs memory for single items and memory for conjunctions.

Science.gov (United States)

Stark, Craig E L; Squire, Larry R

2003-01-01

In a prior study of continuous recognition performance, data were reported in support of the hypothesis that the hippocampus is not needed to remember the individual components of a stimulus but is important for remembering associations between its components (Kroll et al. 1996. J Mem Lang 35:176-196). Patients with left hippocampal damage were able to endorse recently encountered words and to reject novel words, as well as disyllabic words in which one of the syllables had been previously encountered. However, they failed to reject words in which both syllables had been encountered independently in different words. We present data from five experiments designed to examine this finding in more detail. In each experiment, five patients with bilateral hippocampal damage and eight controls were tested using the same protocol as Kroll et al. (1996). On each trial, a two-component stimulus was presented. Stimuli could be entirely novel, novel with one previously encountered (repeated) component, novel but with both components repeated, or a true repetition. The first experiment was a direct replication using the same disyllabic words as Kroll et al. (1996). The second experiment used pseudo-words, constructed of two monosyllabic words (e.g., jambark). The third experiment used the same pairs of monosyllabic words, but presented separately on the screen to encourage participants to treat each component independently. The fourth experiment used pairs of objects, and the fifth experiment used face-house pairs. In all five experiments, patients with hippocampal damage exhibited impaired recognition memory. The impairment extended across all trial types with no evidence that hippocampal damage selectively (or disproportionately) impaired the associative or conjunctive component of memory. We discuss our findings in the light of the work by Kroll et al. (1996) and other recent neuropsychological, electrophysiological, and neuroimaging studies of hippocampal function and

Remediation of saline soils contaminated with crude oil using the halophyte Salicornia persica in conjunction with hydrocarbon-degrading bacteria.

Science.gov (United States)

Ebadi, Ali; Khoshkholgh Sima, Nayer Azam; Olamaee, Mohsen; Hashemi, Maryam; Ghorbani Nasrabadi, Reza

2018-05-08

The negative impact of salinity on plant growth and the survival of rhizosphere biota complicates the application of bioremediation to crude oil-contaminated saline soils. Here, a comparison was made between the remedial effect of treating the soil with Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a salinity tolerant hydrocarbon-degrading consortium in conjunction with either the halophyte Salicornia persica or the non-halophyte Festuca arundinacea. The effect of the various treatments on salinized soils was measured by assessing the extent of total petroleum hydrocarbon (TPH) degradation, the soil's dehydrogenase activity, the abundance of the bacteria and the level of phytotoxicity as measured by a bioassay. When a non-salinized soil was assessed after a treatment period of 120 days, the ranking for effectiveness with respect to TPH removal was F. arundinacea > P. aeruginosa > S. persica > no treatment control, while in the presence of salinity, the ranking changed to S. persica > P. aeruginosa > F. arundinacea > no treatment control. Combining the planting of S. persica or F. arundinacea with P. aeruginosa inoculation ("bioaugmentation") boosted the degradation of TPH up to 5-17%. Analyses of the residual oil contamination revealed that long chain alkanes (above C20) were particularly strongly degraded following the bioaugmentation treatments. The induced increase in dehydrogenase activity and the abundance of the bacteria (3.5 and 10 fold respectively) achieved in the bioaugmentation/S. persica treatment resulted in 46-76% reduction in soil phytotoxicity in a saline soil. The indication was that bioaugmentation of halophyte can help to mitigate the adverse effects on the effectiveness of bioremediation in a crude oil-contaminated saline soil. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Design features of a reverse osmosis demonstration plant for treatment of low level radioactive waste

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Shekhar, P; Nath, Sudesh; Gandhi, P M; Mishra, S D [Waste Management Projects Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai (India)

1994-06-01

Reverse osmosis, a novel process in the field of nuclear waste management, is under evaluation globally. Its application is basically considered for the treatment of low level waste; yet references are found for its possible use to treat specific intermediate level waste streams, if segregated at source. The process of reverse osmosis (RO) is proposed for use in conjunction with other conventional processes like chemical treatment, ion exchange and evaporation. Flow sheets have been developed wherein RO can come as a replacement of one of these processes or is used as a pre or post treatment stage. The emphasis is on reducing the secondary wastes so as to realize an optimum levelised cost of treatment. This paper outlines the design basis for an RO plant for treating low level radioactive wastes based on the studies carried out on laboratory as well as bench scale. (author). 3 figs., 3 tabs.

Design features of a reverse osmosis demonstration plant for treatment of low level radioactive waste

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shekhar, P.; Sudesh Nath; Gandhi, P.M.; Mishra, S.D.

1994-01-01

Reverse osmosis, a novel process in the field of nuclear waste management, is under evaluation globally. Its application is basically considered for the treatment of low level waste; yet references are found for its possible use to treat specific intermediate level waste streams, if segregated at source. The process of reverse osmosis (RO) is proposed for use in conjunction with other conventional processes like chemical treatment, ion exchange and evaporation. Flow sheets have been developed wherein RO can come as a replacement of one of these processes or is used as a pre or post treatment stage. The emphasis is on reducing the secondary wastes so as to realize an optimum levelised cost of treatment. This paper outlines the design basis for an RO plant for treating low level radioactive wastes based on the studies carried out on laboratory as well as bench scale. (author)

Raman hyperspectral imaging in conjunction with independent component analysis as a forensic tool for explosive analysis: The case of an ATM explosion.

Science.gov (United States)

Almeida, Mariana Ramos; Logrado, Lucio Paulo Lima; Zacca, Jorge Jardim; Correa, Deleon Nascimento; Poppi, Ronei Jesus

2017-11-01

In this work, Raman hyperspectral imaging, in conjunction with independent component analysis, was employed as an analytical methodology to detect an ammonium nitrate fuel oil (ANFO) explosive in banknotes after an ATM explosion experiment. The proposed methodology allows for the identification of the ANFO explosive without sample preparation or destroying the sample, at quantities as small as 70μgcm -2 . The explosive was identified following ICA data decomposition by the characteristic nitrate band at 1044cm -1 . The use of Raman hyperspectral imaging and independent component analysis shows great potential for identifying forensic samples by providing chemical and spatial information. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

An fMRI investigation of empathic processing in boys with conduct problems and varying levels of callous-unemotional traits.

Science.gov (United States)

Sethi, Arjun; O'Nions, Elizabeth; McCrory, Eamon; Bird, Geoffrey; Viding, Essi

2018-01-01

The ability to empathise relies in part on using one's own affective experience to simulate the affective experience of others. This process is supported by a number of brain areas including the anterior insula (AI), anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), and the amygdala. Children with conduct problems (CP), and in particular those with high levels of callous-unemotional traits (CP/HCU) present with less empathy than their peers. They also show reduced neural response in areas supporting empathic processing when viewing other people in distress. The current study focused on identifying brain areas co-activated during affective introspection of: i) One's own emotions ('Own emotion'); ii) Others' emotions ('Other emotion'); and iii) One's feelings about others' emotions ('Feel for other') during fearful vs neutral scenarios in typically developing boys (TD; n  = 31), boys with CP/HCU ( n  = 31), and boys with CP and low levels of CU (CP/LCU; n  = 33). The conjunction analysis across conditions within the TD group revealed significant clusters of activation in the AI, ACC/mPFC, and occipital cortex. Conjunction analyses across conditions in the CP/HCU and CP/LCU groups did not identify these areas as significantly activated. However, follow-up analyses were not able to confirm statistically significant differences between groups across the whole network, and Bayes-factor analyses did not provide substantial support for either the null or alternate hypotheses. Post-hoc comparisons indicated that the lack of conjunction effects in the CP/HCU group may reflect reduced affective introspection in the 'Other emotion' and 'Feel for other' conditions, and by reduced affective introspection in the 'Own emotion' condition in the CP/LCU group. These findings provide limited and ultimately equivocal evidence for altered affective introspection regarding others in CP/HCU, and altered affective introspection for own emotions in CP/LCU, and

Single-particle resonance levels in {sup 14}O examined by N13+p elastic resonance scattering

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Teranishi, T. [Dept. of Physics, Kyushu Univ., 6-10-1 Hakozaki, Higashi-ku, Fukuoka 812-8581 (Japan)]. E-mail: teranishi@nucl.phys.kyushu-u.ac.jp; Kubono, S. [Center for Nuclear Study (CNS), Univ. of Tokyo, Wako Branch at RIKEN, 2-1 Hirosawa, Wako, Saitama 351-0198 (Japan); Yamaguchi, H. [Center for Nuclear Study (CNS), Univ. of Tokyo, Wako Branch at RIKEN, 2-1 Hirosawa, Wako, Saitama 351-0198 (Japan); He, J.J. [Center for Nuclear Study (CNS), Univ. of Tokyo, Wako Branch at RIKEN, 2-1 Hirosawa, Wako, Saitama 351-0198 (Japan); Saito, A. [Center for Nuclear Study (CNS), Univ. of Tokyo, Wako Branch at RIKEN, 2-1 Hirosawa, Wako, Saitama 351-0198 (Japan); Fujikawa, H. [Center for Nuclear Study (CNS), Univ. of Tokyo, Wako Branch at RIKEN, 2-1 Hirosawa, Wako, Saitama 351-0198 (Japan); Amadio, G. [Center for Nuclear Study (CNS), Univ. of Tokyo, Wako Branch at RIKEN, 2-1 Hirosawa, Wako, Saitama 351-0198 (Japan); Niikura, M.; Shimoura, S. [Center for Nuclear Study (CNS), Univ. of Tokyo, Wako Branch at RIKEN, 2-1 Hirosawa, Wako, Saitama 351-0198 (Japan); Wakabayashi, Y. [Dept. of Physics, Kyushu Univ., 6-10-1 Hakozaki, Higashi-ku, Fukuoka 812-8581 (Japan)]|[Center for Nuclear Study (CNS), Univ. of Tokyo, Wako Branch at RIKEN, 2-1 Hirosawa, Wako, Saitama 351-0198 (Japan); Nishimura, S.; Nishimura, M. [RIKEN Nishina Center for Accelerator-Based Science, 2-1 Hirosawa, Wako, Saitama 351-0198 (Japan); Moon, J.Y.; Lee, C.S. [Dept. of Physics, Chung-Ang Univ., Seoul 156-756 (Korea, Republic of); Odahara, A. [Nishinippon Inst. of Technology, Kanda, Fukuoka 800-0394 (Japan); Sohler, D. [Inst. of Nuclear Research (ATOMKI), H-4001 Debrecen, P.O. Box 51 (Hungary); Khiem, L.H. [Inst. of Physics and Electronics (IOP), Vietnamese Academy for Science and Technology (VAST), 10 Daotan, Congvi, Badinh, P.O. Box 429-BOHO, Hanoi 10000 (Viet Nam); Li, Z.H.; Lian, G.; Liu, W.P. [China Inst. of Atomic Energy, P.O. Box 275(46), Beijing 102413 (China)

2007-06-28

Single-particle properties of low-lying resonance levels in {sup 14}O have been studied efficiently by utilizing a technique of proton elastic resonance scattering with a {sup 13}N secondary beam and a thick proton target. The excitation functions for the N13+p elastic scattering were measured over a wide energy range of E{sub CM}=0.4-3.3 MeV and fitted with an R-matrix calculation. A clear assignment of J{sup {pi}}=2{sup -} has been made for the level at E{sub x}=6.767(11) MeV in {sup 14}O for the first time. The excitation functions show a signature of a new 0{sup -} level at E{sub x}=5.71(2) MeV with {gamma}=400(100) keV. The excitation energies and widths of the {sup 14}O levels are discussed in conjunction with the spectroscopic structure of A=14 nuclei with T=1.

Proceedings of the International Workshop on High-Level Language Computer Architecture, May 26-28, 1980, Fort Lauderdale, Florida

Science.gov (United States)

1980-06-01

primitive, speed languages, all of which contribute negatively to increases approaching that of a ’truly’ high-level the economics of data processing...for the direct dlude vector tunctiona. it was indicated that the processor, it was shoam that 2816 speed gain over maximum MPU per formance is 22 "eA...strictly ’ local. economical way of changing access lists, since it 147 .. . ..".’ ’. .".". . I, rv -’ M WJ, 11 1 P is done at zero cost in conjunction

No evidence for visual context-dependency of olfactory learning in Drosophila

Science.gov (United States)

Yarali, Ayse; Mayerle, Moritz; Nawroth, Christian; Gerber, Bertram

2008-08-01

How is behaviour organised across sensory modalities? Specifically, we ask concerning the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster how visual context affects olfactory learning and recall and whether information about visual context is getting integrated into olfactory memory. We find that changing visual context between training and test does not deteriorate olfactory memory scores, suggesting that these olfactory memories can drive behaviour despite a mismatch of visual context between training and test. Rather, both the establishment and the recall of olfactory memory are generally facilitated by light. In a follow-up experiment, we find no evidence for learning about combinations of odours and visual context as predictors for reinforcement even after explicit training in a so-called biconditional discrimination task. Thus, a ‘true’ interaction between visual and olfactory modalities is not evident; instead, light seems to influence olfactory learning and recall unspecifically, for example by altering motor activity, alertness or olfactory acuity.

Resolution of conflict between goal-directed actions: outcome encoding and neural control processes.

Science.gov (United States)

de Wit, Sanne; Ostlund, Sean B; Balleine, Bernard W; Dickinson, Anthony

2009-07-01

According to O-R theory of instrumental learning, incongruent biconditional discriminations should be impossible to solve in a goal-directed manner because the event acting as the outcome of one response also acts as a discriminative stimulus for an opposite response. Each event should therefore be associated with two competing responses. However, Dickinson and de Wit (2003) have presented evidence that rats can learn incongruent discriminations. The present study investigated whether rats were able to engage additional processes to solve incongruent discriminations in a goal-directed manner. Experiment 1 provides evidence that rats resolve the response conflict that arises in the incongruent discrimination by differentially encoding events in their roles as discriminative stimulus and as outcome. Furthermore, Experiment 2 shows that once goal-directed control has been established the dorsomedial prefrontal cortex is not directly involved in its maintenance but rather plays a central role in conflict resolution processes.

[A preliminary study on the role of substance P in histamine-nasal-spray-induced allergic conjunctivitis in guinea pigs].

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Tong; Zhao, Changqing

2015-10-01

To investigate the effect of the non adrenergic non cholinergic nerve (NANC) and substance P (SP) in allergic rhinoconjunctivitis by observing histamine nasal provocation induced conjunctivitis in guinea pigs. Forty male guinea pigs were randomly divided into five groups with each group consisting of eight guinea pigs. All anesthetized guinea pigs were exposed either to histamine (0.2%, 5 µl) (group B~E) or saline (5 µl, group A) via unilateral nostril. No pretreatment was done in group A and B while pretreatment was done in groups C~E through injection into the unilateral common carotid artery with cholinergic nerve inhibitor (atropine, 1 mg/kg, group C), cholinergic nerve inhibitor plus adrenergic nerve inhibitors (atropine, 1 mg/kg, phentolamine, 1 mg/kg plus Esmolol, 1 mg/kg, group D) and cholinergic nerve inhibitor, adrenergic nerve inhibitors plus SP receptor antagonist (the same treatment with group D plus D-SP 10(-6) mol/L, 1 µl/g, group E), respectively. To assess the ipsilateral conjunctival inflammatory reaction, conjunctiva leakage with Evans blue dye assessments and HE staining of conjunctival tissues were performed. The SP expression in ipsilateral conjunctival tissue in different groups of guinea pigs were assessed by immunofluorescence and RT-PCR. The activity of eosinophils was assessed by eosinophil major basic protein 1 (MBP1) with RT-PCR, meanwhile, the activity of mast cells was assessed by tryptase with RT-PCR. SPSS 17.0 software was used to analyze the data. At 30 min after nasal application of histamine, ipsilateral conjunctivitis was successfully induced as shown by the change of conjunctiva leakage and histology. The content of Evans blue in ipsilateral conjunctival tissue of group A~E was (13.78 ± 2.48), (29.62 ± 3.31), (19.03 ± 1.47), (18.42 ± 2.52), (14.83 ± 2.14) µg/ml, respectively. There was statistically significant difference between group A and B (t = -10.66, P 0.05). Histamine nasal provocation induced allergic

Key Challenges and Opportunities for Conjunctive Management of Surface and Groundwater in Mega-Irrigation Systems: Lower Indus, Pakistan

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Frank van Steenbergen

2015-11-01

Full Text Available This paper focuses on the scope of conjunctive management in the Lower Indus part of the Indus Basin Irrigation System (IBIS, and the contribution this could make towards food security and socio-economic development. The total Gross Command Area (GCA of the Lower Indus is 5.92 Mha, with a cultivable command area (CCA of 5.43 Mha, most of which is in Sindh Province. There is a limited use of groundwater in Sindh (about 4.3 Billion Cubic Meter (BCM for two reasons: first, there is a large area where groundwater is saline; and second, there is a high surface irrigation supply to most of the canal commands, e.g., average annual supply to rice command is 1723 mm, close to the annual reference crop evapotranspiration for the area, while there is an additional annual rainfall of about 200 mm. These high irrigation allocations, even in areas where groundwater is fresh, create strong disincentives for farmers to use groundwater. Consequently, areas are waterlogged to the extent of 50% and 70% before and after the monsoon, respectively, which contributes to surface salinity through capillary rise. In Sindh, about 74%–80% of the available groundwater recharge is lost in the form of non-beneficial evaporation. This gives rise to low cropping intensities and yields compared to fresh groundwater areas elsewhere in the IBIS. The drought of 1999–2002 has demonstrated a reduction in waterlogging without any corresponding reduction in crop yields. Therefore, in order to efficiently meet current water requirements of all the sectors, i.e., agriculture, domestic and industrial, an ab initio level of water reallocation and efficient water management, with consideration to groundwater quality and its safe yield, in various areas are recommended. This might systematically reduce the waterlogged areas, support greater cropping intensity than is currently being practiced, and free up water for horizontal expansion, such as in the Thar Desert.

Secondary particle background levels and effects on detectors at future hadron colliders

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pal, T.

1993-01-01

The next generation of hadron colliders, the Superconducting Super Collider (SSC) and the Large Hadron Collider (LHC), will operate at high center-of-mass energies and luminosities. Namely, for the SSC(LHC) √s=40TeV (√s=16TeV) and L=10 33 cm -2 s -1 (L=3x10 34 cm -2 s -1 ). These conditions will result in the production of large backgrounds as well as radiation environments. Ascertaining the backgrounds, in terms of the production of secondary charged and neutral particles, and the radiation environments are important considerations for the detectors proposed for these colliders. An initial investigation of the radiation levels in the SSC detectors was undertaken by D. Groom and colleagues, in the context of the open-quotes task force on radiation levels in the SSC interaction regions.close quotes The method consisted essentially of an analytic approach, using standard descriptions of average events in conjunction with simulations of secondary processes

Association of high post-transplant soluble CD30 serum levels with chronic allograft nephropathy.

Science.gov (United States)

Grenzi, Patricia C; Campos, Érika F; Tedesco-Silva, Hélio; Felipe, Claudia R; Franco, Marcello F; Soares, Maria Fernanda; Medina-Pestana, José Osmar; Gerbase-Delima, Maria

2013-12-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the association of post-transplant soluble CD30 (sCD30) levels, isolated or in combination with of anti-HLA class II antibodies and of serum creatinine levels, with kidney graft loss due to chronic allograft nephropathy (CAN), and type of lesions in graft biopsies for cause. The study comprised 511 first kidney graft recipients, transplanted at a single center, with a graft functioning for at least 2.8 years. A single blood sample was collected from each patient. sCD30 levels were determined by ELISA, and HLA antibodies by Luminex assay. The minimum follow-up after testing was 9.3 years. High sCD30 levels, set at sCD30 ≥ 34.15 ng/mL, the presence of HLA class II antibodies, and serum creatinine ≥ 1.9 mg/dL were independently associated with CAN-graft loss (P values sCD30 levels and creatinine were independently associated with interstitial lesions. Post-transplant sCD30 serum levels, especially in conjunction with information regarding HLA class II antibodies and serum creatinine levels, provide valuable information regarding graft outcome and could be useful for the management of kidney transplant recipients. © 2013.

SDS-PAGE in conjunction with match lane statistical analysis for the detection of meat adulteration

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hegazy, R.A.; Nassef, A.E.

2003-01-01

Sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) of seven meat types and two component mixtures of them were made. Banding patterns of resulting denstograms in conjunction with cluster analysi and match lane statistical analysis were used for the detection of meat adulteration. The use of beef as a reference meat have resulted in a clear distinction from goat, pork, chicken, turkey, camel meats and their mixture and camel meat. The use of pork meat as a reference was more assurate because of the low degrees of matching with all meats and their mixtures and consequently high abilities of differentiations. The purpose of identification. the purpose of identification of meat species arises from the desire of human, in general, to confirm what he eat ? for moslems the establisment that meat is free from pork type is most important. Another economic purpose is the detection of adulteration of valuable meat by less valuable types. Several attempts in different laboratories were done to serve this object but most of analytical techniques. Barbieri and formi (1999) were able to detect 5% of meat type in mixtures by isolelectric focusing and 1% of meat type by PCR technique in beef, pork, chicken and turkey meats. By crossover immunoelectrophoresis technique, zanon and vianello (1998) were also to detect a limit of 5% of specific meat in mixuters of beef, pork, mutton/lamb, horse and chicken meats

Illusory conjunctions in the time domain and the resulting time-course of the attentional blink.

Science.gov (United States)

Botella, Juan; Arend, Isabel; Suero, Manuel

2004-05-01

Illusory conjunctions in the time domain are errors made in binding stimulus features presented In the same spatial position in Rapid Serial Visual Presentation (RSVP) conditions. Botella, Barriopedro, and Suero (2001) devised a model to explain how the distribution of responses originating from stimuli around the target in the series is generated. They proposed two routes consisting of two sequential attempts to make a response. The second attempt (sophisticated guessing) is only employed if the first one (focal attention) fails in producing an integrated perception. This general outline enables specific predictions to be made and tested related to the efficiency of focal attention in generating responses in the first attempt. Participants had to report the single letter in an RSVP stream of letters that was presented in a previously specified color (first target, T1) and then report whether an X (second target, T2) was or was not presented. Performance on T2 showed the typical U-shaped function across the T1-T2 lag that reflects the attentional blink phenomenon. However, as was predicted by Botella, Barriopedro, and Suero's model, the time-course of the interference was shorter for trials with a correct response to T1 than for trials with a T1 error. Furthermore, longer time-courses of interference associated with pre-target and post-target errors to the first target were indistinguishable.

Unitary Transformations in the Quantum Model for Conceptual Conjunctions and Its Application to Data Representation.

Science.gov (United States)

Veloz, Tomas; Desjardins, Sylvie

2015-01-01

Quantum models of concept combinations have been successful in representing various experimental situations that cannot be accommodated by traditional models based on classical probability or fuzzy set theory. In many cases, the focus has been on producing a representation that fits experimental results to validate quantum models. However, these representations are not always consistent with the cognitive modeling principles. Moreover, some important issues related to the representation of concepts such as the dimensionality of the realization space, the uniqueness of solutions, and the compatibility of measurements, have been overlooked. In this paper, we provide a dimensional analysis of the realization space for the two-sector Fock space model for conjunction of concepts focusing on the first and second sectors separately. We then introduce various representation of concepts that arise from the use of unitary operators in the realization space. In these concrete representations, a pair of concepts and their combination are modeled by a single conceptual state, and by a collection of exemplar-dependent operators. Therefore, they are consistent with cognitive modeling principles. This framework not only provides a uniform approach to model an entire data set, but, because all measurement operators are expressed in the same basis, allows us to address the question of compatibility of measurements. In particular, we present evidence that it may be possible to predict non-commutative effects from partial measurements of conceptual combinations.

Word-level recognition of multifont Arabic text using a feature vector matching approach

Science.gov (United States)

Erlandson, Erik J.; Trenkle, John M.; Vogt, Robert C., III

1996-03-01

Many text recognition systems recognize text imagery at the character level and assemble words from the recognized characters. An alternative approach is to recognize text imagery at the word level, without analyzing individual characters. This approach avoids the problem of individual character segmentation, and can overcome local errors in character recognition. A word-level recognition system for machine-printed Arabic text has been implemented. Arabic is a script language, and is therefore difficult to segment at the character level. Character segmentation has been avoided by recognizing text imagery of complete words. The Arabic recognition system computes a vector of image-morphological features on a query word image. This vector is matched against a precomputed database of vectors from a lexicon of Arabic words. Vectors from the database with the highest match score are returned as hypotheses for the unknown image. Several feature vectors may be stored for each word in the database. Database feature vectors generated using multiple fonts and noise models allow the system to be tuned to its input stream. Used in conjunction with database pruning techniques, this Arabic recognition system has obtained promising word recognition rates on low-quality multifont text imagery.

Advantages of preoperative ultrasound in conjunction with lymphoscintigraphy in detecting malignant melanoma metastases in sentinel lymph nodes: a retrospective analysis in 221 patients with malignant melanoma AJCC Stages I and II.

Science.gov (United States)

Stoffels, I; Dissemond, J; Poeppel, T; Klötgen, K; Hillen, U; Körber, A; Schadendorf, D; Klode, J

2012-01-01

Sentinel lymph node excision (SLNE) for the detection of regional nodal metastases and staging of malignant melanoma has resulted in some controversies in international discussions as it is a surgical intervention with potential morbidity. The present retrospective study seeks to clarify the reliability of preoperative ultrasonography (US) in direct comparison to the result of SLNE and seeks to identify potential advantages of preoperative ultrasound if performed in conjunction with lymphoscintigraphy in detecting malignant melanoma metastases in sentinel lymph node (SLN). We retrospectively analysed data from 221 patients with primary malignant melanoma with a Breslow index of ≥ 1.0 mm. Of the 221 patients, 77.4% (n = 171) had a negative SLN. In 50 patients (22.6%), the histopathological investigation of 71 excised lymph nodes resulted in a positive SLN. The US examination demonstrated a sensitivity of 13.6%, a specificity of 96.9%, a positive predictive value of 97.2% and a negative predictive value of 12.6%. SLNE alone shows a sensitivity of 94%, a specificity of 98.6%, a positive predictive value of 100% and a negative predictive value of 98.3%. Preoperative US in conjunction with dynamic lymphoscintigraphy, followed by SLNE, demonstrated a detecting ratio of 100% (n = 28) for micrometastases and 98.6% (n = 42/43) for macrometastases. In conclusion, this study confirms that preoperative US alone cannot replace the vital information obtained during dynamic lymphoscintigraphy. But preoperative US is an important component of the staging procedure in melanoma patients and has clear advantages when performed in conjunction with dynamic lymphoscintigraphy. Therefore, we recommend preoperative US before every SLNE. © 2011 The Authors. Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology © 2011 European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology.

Multi-Level Sensor Fusion Algorithm Approach for BMD Interceptor Applications

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Allen, Doug

1998-01-01

... through fabrication and testing of advanced sensor hardware concepts and advanced sensor fusion algorithms. Advanced sensor concepts include onboard LADAR in conjunction with a multi-color passive IR sensor...

Allergic Conjunctivitis

African Journals Online (AJOL)

condition include itching, excessive lacrimation, ophthalmic ... allergens with the surface of the eye in a person who is allergic .... Vernal keratoconjunctivitis: more severe disorder, which usually affects boys living in warm, dry climates.

Utilization of manual therapy to the lumbar spine in conjunction with traditional conservative care for individuals with bilateral lower extremity complex regional pain syndrome: A case series.

Science.gov (United States)

Walston, Zachary; Hernandez, Luis; Yake, Dale

2018-06-06

Conservative therapies for complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) have traditionally focused on exercise and desensitization techniques targeted at the involved extremity. The primary purpose of this case series is to report on the potential benefit of utilizing manual therapy to the lumbar spine in conjunction with traditional conservative care when treating patients with lower extremity CRPS. Two patients with the diagnosis of lower extremity CRPS were treated with manual therapy to the lumbar spine in conjunction with education, exercise, desensitization, and soft tissue techniques for the extremity. Patient 1 received 13 sessions over 6 weeks resulting in a 34-point improvement in oswestry disability index (ODI) and 35-point improvement in lower extremity functional scale (LEFS). Patient 2 received 21 sessions over 12 weeks resulting in a 28-point improvement in ODI and a 41-point improvement in LEFS. Both patients exhibited reductions in pain and clinically meaningful improvements in function. Manual therapies when applied to the lumbar spine in these patients as part of a comprehensive treatment plan resulted in improved spinal mobility, decreased pain, and reduction is distal referred symptoms. Although one cannot infer a cause and effect relationship from a case series, this report identifies meaningful clinical outcomes potentially associated with manual physical therapy to the lumbar spine for two patients with complex regional pain syndrome type 1.

Mineralisation of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid by acoustic or hydrodynamic cavitation in conjunction with the advanced Fenton process.

Science.gov (United States)

Bremner, David H; Carlo, Stefano Di; Chakinala, Anand G; Cravotto, Giancarlo

2008-04-01

The mineralisation of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) in the presence of zero-valent iron and hydrogen peroxide (the advanced Fenton process--AFP) whilst being subjected to acoustic or hydrodynamic cavitation is reported. If the reaction is merely stirred then there is 57% removal of TOC whilst on irradiation the figure is 64% although the latter reaction is more rapid. Use of ultrasound alone results in only 11% TOC removal in 60 min of treatment time. Addition of iron powder marginally enhances the extent of degradation but an appreciable increase is observed in the presence of hydrogen peroxide which acts as a source for hydroxyl radicals by Fenton chemistry as well as by dissociation in the presence of ultrasound. The use of hydrodynamic cavitation in conjunction with the advanced Fenton process has also been found to be a useful tool for continuous remediation of water contaminated with 2,4-D. After 20 min of treatment the residual TOC is reduced to 30% and this probably represents the remaining highly recalcitrant small organic molecules.

Intracellular distribution and stability of a luminescent rhenium(I) tricarbonyl tetrazolato complex using epifluorescence microscopy in conjunction with X-ray fluorescence imaging

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wedding, Jason L.; Harris, Hugh H.; Bader, Christie A.; Plush, Sally E.; Mak, Rachel

2016-01-01

Optical fluorescence microscopy was used in conjunction with X-ray fluorescence microscopy to monitor the stability and intracellular distribution of the luminescent rhenium(I) complex fac-[Re(CO) 3 (phen)L], where phen = 1,10-phenathroline and L = 5-(4-iodophenyl)tetrazolato, in 22Rv1 cells. The rhenium complex showed no signs of ancillary ligand dissociation, a conclusion based on data obtained via X-ray fluorescence imaging aligning iodine and rhenium distributions. A diffuse reticular localisation was detected for the complex, in the nuclear/perinuclear region of cells, by either optical or X-ray fluorescence techniques. Furthermore, X-ray fluorescence also showed that the Re-I complex disrupted the homeostasis of some biologically relevant elements, such as chlorine, potassium and zinc.

Evaluation of alcaftadine 0.25% ophthalmic solution in acute allergic conjunctivitis at 15 minutes and 16 hours after instillation versus placebo and olopatadine 0.1%

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jack V Greiner

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Jack V Greiner1,2, Kimberly Edwards-Swanson3, Avner Ingerman41Schepens Eye Research Institute, Boston, MA; 2Department of Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA; 3Johnson & Johnson Consumer and Personal Products Worldwide, Skillman, NJ; 4Ora Inc, Andover, MA, USAPurpose: To evaluate the effectiveness of alcaftadine 0.05%, 0.1%, and 0.25% ophthalmic solutions in treating the signs and symptoms of allergic conjunctivitis when compared with olopatadine hydrochloride 0.1% and placebo using the conjunctival allergen challenge (CAC model.Methods: One hundred and seventy subjects were randomized and 164 subjects completed all visits. CAC was performed to determine and confirm subjects’ eligibility at visits 1 and 2, respectively. The CAC was repeated at visit 3 (day 0 ± 3, 16 hours after study medication instillation, and at visit 4 (day 14 ± 3, 15 minutes after instillation. Ocular itching and conjunctival redness were evaluated after an allergen challenge, along with several secondary endpoints.Results: Alcaftadine 0.25% and olopatadine 0.1% treatments exhibited significantly lower mean scores compared with placebo for ocular itching and conjunctival redness at visits 3 and 4. Most adverse events were self-limiting and mild in severity. No serious treatment-related adverse events occurred.Conclusion: Treatment with alcaftadine 0.25% ophthalmic solution resulted in mean differences of >1 unit (ocular itching and approximately >1 unit (conjunctival redness, which was significant (P < 0.001 compared with placebo treatment. All doses of alcaftadine were safe and well tolerated in the population studied.Keywords: alcaftadine, allergic conjunctivitis, conjunctival allergen challenge

Safety of sublingual immunotherapy Timothy grass tablet in subjects with allergic rhinitis with or without conjunctivitis and history of asthma

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Maloney, J; Durham, S; Skoner, D

2015-01-01

BACKGROUND: Patients with asthma may be more susceptible to adverse events (AEs) with sublingual immunotherapy tablet (SLIT-tablet) treatment, such as severe systemic reactions and asthma-related events. Using data from eight trials of grass SLIT-tablet in subjects with allergic rhinitis with....../without conjunctivitis (AR/C), AE frequencies were determined in adults and children with and without reported asthma. METHODS: Data from randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trials of Timothy grass SLIT-tablet MK-7243 (2800 BAU/75 000 SQ-T, Merck/ALK-Abelló) were pooled for post hoc analyses. Subjects...... with asthma treated with grass SLIT-tablet versus subjects without asthma in or outside of pollen season. There were 6/120 asthma-related TRAEs assessed as severe with grass SLIT-tablet and 2/60 with placebo, without a consistent trend among subjects with and without asthma (5 and 3 events, respectively...

Unitary Transformations in the Quantum Model for Conceptual Conjunctions and its Application to Data Representation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tomas eVeloz

2015-11-01

Full Text Available Quantum models of concept combinations have been successful in representing various experimental situations that cannot be accommodated by traditional models based on classical probability or fuzzy set theory. In many cases, the focus has been on producing a representation that fits experimental results to validate quantum models. However, these representations are not always consistent with the cognitive modeling principles. Moreover, some important issues related to the representation of concepts such as the dimensionality of the realization space, the uniqueness of solutions, and the compatibility of measurements, have been overlooked.In this paper, we provide a dimensional analysis of the realization space for the two-sector Fock space model for conjunction of concepts focusing on the first and second sectors separately. We then introduce various representation of concepts that arise from the use of unitary operators in the realization space. In these concrete representations, a pair of concepts and their combination are modeled by a single conceptual state, and by a collection of exemplar-dependent operators. Therefore, they are consistent with cognitive modeling principles. %Moreover, we show that each representation is unique up to change of basis. This framework not only provides a uniform approach to model an entire data set, but, because all measurement operators are expressed in the same basis, allows us to address the question of compatibility of measurements. In particular, we present evidence that it may be possible to predict non-commutative effects from partial measurements of conceptual combinations.

An event candidate for the production of a top quark and top anti-quark pair in conjunction with a Higgs Boson in the CMS detector.

CERN Multimedia

CMS Collaboration

2018-01-01

An event candidate for the production of a top quark and top anti-quark pair in conjunction with a Higgs Boson in the CMS detector. The Higgs decays into a tau+ lepton and a tau- lepton; the tau+ in turn decays into hadrons and the tau- decays into an electron. The decay product symbols are in blue. The top quark decays into three jets (sprays of lighter particles) whose names are given in purple. One of these is initiated by a b-quark. The top anti-quark decays into a muon and b-jet, whose names appear in red.

An fMRI investigation of empathic processing in boys with conduct problems and varying levels of callous-unemotional traits

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Arjun Sethi

Full Text Available The ability to empathise relies in part on using one's own affective experience to simulate the affective experience of others. This process is supported by a number of brain areas including the anterior insula (AI, anterior cingulate cortex (ACC, medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC, and the amygdala. Children with conduct problems (CP, and in particular those with high levels of callous-unemotional traits (CP/HCU present with less empathy than their peers. They also show reduced neural response in areas supporting empathic processing when viewing other people in distress. The current study focused on identifying brain areas co-activated during affective introspection of: i One's own emotions (‘Own emotion’; ii Others' emotions (‘Other emotion’; and iii One's feelings about others' emotions (‘Feel for other’ during fearful vs neutral scenarios in typically developing boys (TD; n = 31, boys with CP/HCU (n = 31, and boys with CP and low levels of CU (CP/LCU; n = 33. The conjunction analysis across conditions within the TD group revealed significant clusters of activation in the AI, ACC/mPFC, and occipital cortex. Conjunction analyses across conditions in the CP/HCU and CP/LCU groups did not identify these areas as significantly activated. However, follow-up analyses were not able to confirm statistically significant differences between groups across the whole network, and Bayes-factor analyses did not provide substantial support for either the null or alternate hypotheses. Post-hoc comparisons indicated that the lack of conjunction effects in the CP/HCU group may reflect reduced affective introspection in the ‘Other emotion’ and ‘Feel for other’ conditions, and by reduced affective introspection in the ‘Own emotion’ condition in the CP/LCU group. These findings provide limited and ultimately equivocal evidence for altered affective introspection regarding others in CP/HCU, and altered affective introspection for own

Extracellular vesicles in gastrointestinal cancer in conjunction with microbiota: On the border of Kingdoms

KAUST Repository

Barteneva, Natasha S.

2017-06-29

Extracellular vesicle (EV) production is a universal feature of metazoan cells as well as prokaryotes (bMVs - bacterial microvesicls). They are small vesicles with phospholipid membrane carrying proteins, DNA and different classes of RNAs and are heavily involved in intercellular communication acting as vectors of information to target cells. For the last decade, the interest in EV research has exponentially increased though thorough studies of their roles in various pathologies that was not previously possible due to technical limitations.This review focuses on research evaluating the role of EV production in gastrointestinal (GI) cancer development in conjunction with GI microbiota and inflammatory diseases. We also discuss recent studies on the promising role of EVs and their content as biomarkers for early diagnosis of GI cancers. The bMVs have also been implicated in the pathogenesis of GI chronic inflammatory diseases, however, possible role of bMVs in tumorigenesis remains underestimated. We propose that EVs from eukaryotic cells as well as from different microbial, fungi, parasitic species and edible plants in GI tract act as mediators of intracellular and inter-species communication, particularly facilitating tumour cell survival and multi-drug resistance. In conclusion, we suggest that matching sequences from EV proteomes (available from public databases) with known protein sequences of microbiome gut bacteria will be useful in identification of antigen mimicry between evolutionary conservative protein sequences. Using this approach we identified Bacteroides spp. pseudokinase with activation loop and homology to PDGFRα, providing a proof-of-concept strategy. We speculate that existence of microbial pseudokinase that ‘mimic” PDGFRα may be related to PDGFRα and Bacteroides spp. roles in colorectal carcinogenesis that require further investigation.

Studies examining the efficacy of ankle foot orthoses should report activity level and mechanical evidence.

Science.gov (United States)

Harlaar, Jaap; Brehm, Merel; Becher, Jules G; Bregman, Daan J J; Buurke, Jaap; Holtkamp, Fred; De Groot, Vincent; Nollet, Frans

2010-09-01

Ankle Foot Orthoses (AFOs) to promote walking ability are a common treatment in patients with neurological or muscular diseases. However, guidelines on the prescription of AFOs are currently based on a low level of evidence regarding their efficacy. Recent studies aiming to demonstrate the efficacy of wearing an AFO in respect to walking ability are not always conclusive. In this paper it is argued to recognize two levels of evidence related to the ICF levels. Activity level evidence expresses the gain in walking ability for the patient, while mechanical evidence expresses the correct functioning of the AFO. Used in combination for the purpose of evaluating the efficacy of orthotic treatment, a conjunct improvement at both levels reinforces the treatment algorithm that is used. Conversely, conflicting outcomes will challenge current treatment algorithms and the supposed working mechanism of the AFO. A treatment algorithm must use relevant information as an input, derived from measurements with a high precision. Its result will be a specific AFO that matches the patient's needs, specified by the mechanical characterization of the AFO footwear combination. It is concluded that research on the efficacy of AFOs should use parameters from two levels of evidence, to prove the efficacy of a treatment algorithm, i.e., how to prescribe a well-matched AFO.

MiYA, an efficient machine-learning workflow in conjunction with the YeastFab assembly strategy for combinatorial optimization of heterologous metabolic pathways in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhou, Yikang; Li, Gang; Dong, Junkai; Xing, Xin-Hui; Dai, Junbiao; Zhang, Chong

2018-05-01

Facing boosting ability to construct combinatorial metabolic pathways, how to search the metabolic sweet spot has become the rate-limiting step. We here reported an efficient Machine-learning workflow in conjunction with YeastFab Assembly strategy (MiYA) for combinatorial optimizing the large biosynthetic genotypic space of heterologous metabolic pathways in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Using β-carotene biosynthetic pathway as example, we first demonstrated that MiYA has the power to search only a small fraction (2-5%) of combinatorial space to precisely tune the expression level of each gene with a machine-learning algorithm of an artificial neural network (ANN) ensemble to avoid over-fitting problem when dealing with a small number of training samples. We then applied MiYA to improve the biosynthesis of violacein. Feed with initial data from a colorimetric plate-based, pre-screened pool of 24 strains producing violacein, MiYA successfully predicted, and verified experimentally, the existence of a strain that showed a 2.42-fold titer improvement in violacein production among 3125 possible designs. Furthermore, MiYA was able to largely avoid the branch pathway of violacein biosynthesis that makes deoxyviolacein, and produces very pure violacein. Together, MiYA combines the advantages of standardized building blocks and machine learning to accelerate the Design-Build-Test-Learn (DBTL) cycle for combinatorial optimization of metabolic pathways, which could significantly accelerate the development of microbial cell factories. Copyright © 2018 International Metabolic Engineering Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Special features of sleep disorders and depressive disturbances in patients with isolated gastroesophageal reflux disease and in conjunction with coronary artery disease

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Галина Дмитриевна Фадеенко

2015-10-01

Full Text Available Aim – to study the special features of sleep disorders and depression intensity in patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD and GERD in conjunction with coronary artery disease (CAD by the method of questionnaire and to compare results with clinical and functional manifestations of comorbidity.Methods. There were examined 65 patients with GERD and CAD (group 1 and 29 patients with GERD (group 2. Sleep disorders and depression were studied using questionnaires: subjective sleep characteristics (SSC, (Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS,Beck scale for depression (BSD.Results. Sleep disorders took place in 41 (61,54 % patients from group 1 and 13 (44,83 % patients from group 2. The mean point of SSC was 17,75±1,98 in group 1 opposite to18,59±1,12 in group 2 (p= 0,043. The mean point of ESS was 9,75±1,59 in group 1opposite to 9,24±1,18 in group 2, p=0,103. The mean point of BDS was 11,89±4,38 in group 1opposite to 8,86±1,30 in group 2, p= 0,004. In the group 1 it was established a correlation between SSC and patient’s age (r=- 0320; p=0,0075, BSD and age (r=0,371; p=0,0024, ESS and body mass index(r=0,291; p=0,0188. There were established correlations between duration of CAD and SSC (r=-0,315; p=0,011, CAD and ESS (r=0,273; p=0,0280, CAD and BSD (r=0,379; p=0,0018, GERD heaviness and SSC (p=0,0498, BSD and SSC (r= - 0,676; p=0,000 and between BSD and ESS (r=0,583; p=0,000 in group 1. In group 2 ESS correlated with age (r=0,379; p=0,0426.Conclusions. The conjunction of GERD and CAD can be considered as two mutually potential pathological processes that have a negative effect on such indicators as sleep and psycho-emotional status of patient

Laser-Driven Very High Energy Electron/Photon Beam Radiation Therapy in Conjunction with a Robotic System

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kazuhisa Nakajima

2014-12-01

Full Text Available We present a new external-beam radiation therapy system using very-high-energy (VHE electron/photon beams generated by a centimeter-scale laser plasma accelerator built in a robotic system. Most types of external-beam radiation therapy are delivered using a machine called a medical linear accelerator driven by radio frequency (RF power amplifiers, producing electron beams with an energy range of 6–20 MeV, in conjunction with modern radiation therapy technologies for effective shaping of three-dimensional dose distributions and spatially accurate dose delivery with imaging verification. However, the limited penetration depth and low quality of the transverse penumbra at such electron beams delivered from the present RF linear accelerators prevent the implementation of advanced modalities in current cancer treatments. These drawbacks can be overcome if the electron energy is increased to above 50 MeV. To overcome the disadvantages of the present RF-based medical accelerators, harnessing recent advancement of laser-driven plasma accelerators capable of producing 1-GeV electron beams in a 1-cm gas cell, we propose a new embodiment of the external-beam radiation therapy robotic system delivering very high-energy electron/photon beams with an energy of 50–250 MeV; it is more compact, less expensive, and has a simpler operation and higher performance in comparison with the current radiation therapy system.

The analysis of SCS return momentum effects on the RCS water level during mid-loop operations

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

swang Seo, J.; Young Yang, J.; Tack Hwang, S. [Seoul National Univ. (Korea, Republic of)

1995-09-01

An accurate prediction of Reactor Coolant System (RCS) water levels is of importance in the determination of allowable operating range to ensure the safety during the mid-loop operations. However, complex hydraulic phenomena induced by Shutdown Cooling System (SCS) return momentum cause different water levels from those in the loop where the water level indicators are located. This was apparantly observed at the pre-core cold hydro test of the Younggwang Nuclear Unit 3 (YGN 3) in Korea. In this study, in order to analytically understand the effect of the SCS return momentum on the RCS water level and its general trend, a model using one-dimensional momentum equation, hydraulic jump, Bernoulli equation, flow resistance coefficient, and total water volume conservation has been developed to predict the RCS water levels at various RCS locations during the mid-loop conditions and the simulation results were compared with the test data. The analysis shows that the hydraulic jump in the operating cold legs in conjunction with the momentum loss throughout the RCS is the main cause creating the water level differences at various RCS locations. The prediction results provide good explanations for the test data and show the significant effect of the SCS return momentum on the RCS water levels.

The analysis of SCS return momentum effects on the RCS water level during mid-loop operations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

swang Seo, J.; Young Yang, J.; Tack Hwang, S.

1995-01-01

An accurate prediction of Reactor Coolant System (RCS) water levels is of importance in the determination of allowable operating range to ensure the safety during the mid-loop operations. However, complex hydraulic phenomena induced by Shutdown Cooling System (SCS) return momentum cause different water levels from those in the loop where the water level indicators are located. This was apparantly observed at the pre-core cold hydro test of the Younggwang Nuclear Unit 3 (YGN 3) in Korea. In this study, in order to analytically understand the effect of the SCS return momentum on the RCS water level and its general trend, a model using one-dimensional momentum equation, hydraulic jump, Bernoulli equation, flow resistance coefficient, and total water volume conservation has been developed to predict the RCS water levels at various RCS locations during the mid-loop conditions and the simulation results were compared with the test data. The analysis shows that the hydraulic jump in the operating cold legs in conjunction with the momentum loss throughout the RCS is the main cause creating the water level differences at various RCS locations. The prediction results provide good explanations for the test data and show the significant effect of the SCS return momentum on the RCS water levels

Trade-off analysis of discharge-desiltation-turbidity and ANN analysis on sedimentation of a combined reservoir-reach system under multi-phase and multi-layer conjunctive releasing operation

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Chien-Lin; Hsu, Nien-Sheng; Wei, Chih-Chiang; Yao, Chun-Hao

2017-10-01

Multi-objective reservoir operation considering the trade-off of discharge-desiltation-turbidity during typhoons and sediment concentration (SC) simulation modeling are the vital components for sustainable reservoir management. The purposes of this study were (1) to analyze the multi-layer release trade-offs between reservoir desiltation and intake turbidity of downstream purification plants and thus propose a superior conjunctive operation strategy and (2) to develop ANFIS-based (adaptive network-based fuzzy inference system) and RTRLNN-based (real-time recurrent learning neural networks) substitute SC simulation models. To this end, this study proposed a methodology to develop (1) a series of multi-phase and multi-layer sediment-flood conjunctive release modes and (2) a specialized SC numerical model for a combined reservoir-reach system. The conjunctive release modes involve (1) an optimization model where the decision variables are multi-phase reduction/scaling ratios and the timings to generate a superior total release hydrograph for flood control (Phase I: phase prior to flood arrival, Phase II/III: phase prior to/subsequent to peak flow) and (2) a combination method with physical limitations regarding separation of the singular hydrograph into multi-layer release hydrographs for sediment control. This study employed the featured signals obtained from statistical quartiles/sediment duration curve in mesh segmentation, and an iterative optimization model with a sediment unit response matrix and corresponding geophysical-based acceleration factors, for efficient parameter calibration. This research applied the developed methodology to the Shihmen Reservoir basin in Taiwan. The trade-off analytical results using Typhoons Sinlaku and Jangmi as case examples revealed that owing to gravity current and re-suspension effects, Phase I + II can de-silt safely without violating the intake's turbidity limitation before reservoir discharge reaches 2238 m3/s; however

An estimation of the height system bias parameter N (0) using least squares collocation from observed gravity and GPS-levelling data

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sadiq, Muhammad; Tscherning, Carl C.; Ahmad, Zulfiqar

2009-01-01

This paper deals with the analysis of gravity anomaly and precise levelling in conjunction with GPS-Levelling data for the computation of a gravimetric geoid and an estimate of the height system bias parameter N-o for the vertical datum in Pakistan by means of least squares collocation technique...... covariance parameters has facilitated to achieve gravimetric height anomalies in a global geocentric datum. Residual terrain modeling (RTM) technique has been used in combination with the EGM96 for the reduction and smoothing of the gravity data. A value for the bias parameter N-o has been estimated...... with reference to the local GPS-Levelling datum that appears to be 0.705 m with 0.07 m mean square error. The gravimetric height anomalies were compared with height anomalies obtained from GPS-Levelling stations using least square collocation with and without bias adjustment. The bias adjustment minimizes...

BOREAS RSS-16 Level-3b DC-8 AIRSAR SY Images

Data.gov (United States)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration — ABSTRACT: Satellite and aircraft SAR data used in conjunction with various ground measurements to determine the moisture regime of the boreal forest. The NASA JPL...

BOREAS RSS-16 Level-3b DC-8 AIRSAR CM Images

Data.gov (United States)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration — ABSTRACT: Satellite and aircraft SAR data used in conjunction with various ground measurements to determine the moisture regime of the boreal forest. The NASA JPL...

A 3-day regimen with azithromycin 1.5% eyedrops for the treatment of purulent bacterial conjunctivitis in children: efficacy on clinical signs and impact on the burden of illness

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bremond-Gignac D

2015-04-01

Full Text Available Dominique Bremond-Gignac,1,2 Riadh Messaoud,3 Sihem Lazreg,4 Claude Speeg-Schatz,5 Didier Renault,6 Frédéric Chiambaretta7,8 On behalf of the Azithromycin Pediatric Study Group 1Ophthalmology Department, Centre St Victor, University Hospital of Amiens, Picardie Jules Verne University, Amiens, France; 2CNRS FR3636, Paris V University, France; 3Ophthalmology Department, Tahar Sfar University Hospital, Mahdia, Tunisia; 4Dar El Beida, Blida, Algeria; 5Ophthalmology Department, University Hospital of Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France; 6Laboratoires THÉA, Clermont-Ferrand, France; 7Ophthalmology Department, University Hospital of Clermont-Ferrand, Gabriel Montpied Hospital, Clermont-Ferrand, France; 8EA 7281 R2D2, Auvergne University, Clermont-Ferrand, France Purpose: To compare the efficacy of azithromycin 1.5% versus tobramycin 0.3% eyedrops on clinical ocular signs and symptoms of bacterial conjunctivitis in children and to assess the parents’ satisfaction regarding the dosing regimen.Patients and methods: An international, multicenter, randomized, investigator-masked, controlled clinical trial conducted in children (1 day to 18 years old with bulbar conjunctival hyperemia and purulent discharge. Azithromycin 1.5% was administered as 1 drop twice daily for 3 days, and tobramycin 0.3% as 1 drop every 2 hours for 2 days, then 4 times daily for 5 days.Results: A total of 286 patients (mean age: 3.2 years were enrolled. In children with bacteriologically positive cultures (N=203, azithromycin produced a significantly greater improvement in conjunctival discharge (P<0.01 and a trend (P=0.054 toward improvement in conjunctival hyperemia at day 7 than did tobramycin. Complete resolution of conjunctival discharge was significantly more frequent at day 3 on azithromycin than tobramycin (P=0.005. More parents found azithromycin easier to use (in terms of treatment duration, total number of instillations, instilling drops during the day, and difficulty in

Active retroreflector with in situ beam analysis to measure the rotational orientation in conjunction with a laser tracker

Science.gov (United States)

Hofherr, O.; Wachten, C.; Müller, C.; Reinecke, H.

2013-04-01

High precision optical non-contact position measurement is a key technology in modern engineering. Laser trackers (LT) can determine accurately x-y-z coordinates of passive retroreflectors. Next-generation systems answer the additional need to measure an object`s rotational orientation (pitch, yaw, roll). These devices are based either on photogrammetry or on enhanced retroreflectors. However, photogrammetry relies on costly camera systems and time-consuming image processing. Enhanced retroreflectors analyze the LT`s beam but are restricted in roll angle measurements. In the past we have presented a new method [1][2] to measure all six degrees of freedom in conjunction with a LT. Now we dramatically optimized the method and designed a new prototype, e.g. taking into consideration optical alignment, reduced power loss, highly optimized measuring signals and higher resolution. A method is described that allows compensating the influence of the LT's beam offset during tracking the active retroreflector. We prove the functionality of the active retroreflector with the LT and, furthermore, demonstrate the capability of the system to characterize the tracking behavior of a LT. The measurement range for the incident laser beam is +/-12° with a resolution of 0.6".

Life cycle evaluation of an intercooled gas turbine plant used in conjunction with renewable energy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Thank-God Isaiah

2016-09-01

Full Text Available The life cycle estimation of power plants is important for gas turbine operators. With the introduction of wind energy into the grid, gas turbine operators now operate their plants in Load–Following modes as back-ups to the renewable energy sources which include wind, solar, etc. The motive behind this study is to look at how much life is consumed when an intercooled power plant with 100 MW power output is used in conjunction with wind energy. This operation causes fluctuations because the wind energy is unpredictable and overtime causes adverse effects on the life of the plant – The High Pressure Turbine Blades. Such fluctuations give rise to low cycle fatigue and creep failure of the blades depending on the operating regime used. A performance based model that is capable of estimating the life consumed of an intercooled power plant has been developed. The model has the capability of estimating the life consumed based on seasonal power demands and operations. An in-depth comparison was undertaken on the life consumed during the seasons of operation and arrives at the conclusion that during summer, the creep and low cycle life is consumed higher than the rest periods. A comparison was also made to determine the life consumed between Load–Following and stop/start operating scenarios. It was also observed that daily creep life consumption in summer was higher than the winter period in-spite of having lower average daily operating hours in a Start–Stop operating scenario.

BOREAS RSS-16 Level-3b DC-8 AIRSAR SY Images

Data.gov (United States)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration — Satellite and aircraft SAR data used in conjunction with various ground measurements to determine the moisture regime of the boreal forest. The NASA JPL AIRSAR is a...

BOREAS RSS-16 Level-3b DC-8 AIRSAR CM Images

Data.gov (United States)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration — Satellite and aircraft SAR data used in conjunction with various ground measurements to determine the moisture regime of the boreal forest. The NASA JPL AIRSAR is a...

Experience and improved techniques in radiological environmental monitoring at major DOE low-level waste disposal sites

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1986-09-01

A summary of routine radiological environmental surveillance programs conducted at major active US Department of Energy (DOE) solid low-level waste (LLW) disposal sites is provided. The DOE disposal sites at which monitoring programs were reviewed include those located at Hanford, Idaho National Engineering Laboratory (INEL), Nevada Test Site (NTS), Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) and Savannah River Plant (SRP). The review is limited to activities conducted for the purpose of monitoring disposal site performance. Areas of environmental monitoring reviewed include air monitoring for particulates and gases, monitoring of surface water runoff, surface water bodies, ground water, monitoring of surface soils and the vadose zone, and monitoring of ambient penetrating radiation. Routine environmental surveillance is conducted at major LLW disposal sites at various levels of effort for specific environmental media. In summary, all sites implement a routine monitoring program for penetrating radiation. Four sites (INEL, NTS, LANL, and SRP) monitor particulates in air specifically at LLW disposal sites. Hanford monitors particulates at LLW sites in conjunction with monitoring of other site operations. Particulates are monitored on a reservationwide network at ORNL. Gases are monitored specifically at active LLW sites operated at NTS, LANL, and SRP. Ground water is monitored specifically at LLW sites at INEL, LANL, and SRP, in conjunction with other operations at Hanford, and as part of a reservationwide program at NTS and ORNL. Surface water is monitored at INEL, LANL, and SRP LLW sites. Surface soil is sampled and analyzed on a routine basis at INEL and LANL. Routine monitoring of the vadose zone is conducted at the INEL and SRP. Techniques and equipment in use are described and other aspects of environmental monitoring programs, such as quality assurance and data base management, are reviewed

Comprehension and Motivation Levels in Conjunction with the Use of eBooks with Audio: A Quasi-Experimental Study of Post-Secondary Remedial Reading Students

Science.gov (United States)

Wheeler, Kimberly W.

2014-01-01

This quasi-experimental pretest, posttest nonequivalent control group study investigated the comprehension scores and motivation levels of post-secondary remedial reading students in a two-year technical college in Northwest Georgia using an eBook, an eBook with audio, and a print book. After reading a module on Purpose and Tone in the three book…

Brief strategic therapy in first myocardial infarction patients with increased levels of stress: a randomized clinical trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Rakowska, Jadwiga Małgorzata

2015-01-01

Little is known about the impact of interventions targeting chronic stress levels on clinical outcomes among myocardial infarction (MI) patients with increased levels of stress. To examine the impact of the addition of brief strategic therapy (BST) to usual care (UC) on clinical outcomes in first MI patients with increased levels of stress. Eighty-one patients were randomly assigned to BST in conjunction with UC (medical treatment, risk factor information, and guidance on unhealthy behavior change) or to UC. The outcome measures were scores on the Perceived Stress Scale, reinfarction and cardiac mortality rates, and scores on the Health Survey. Measures were taken before, post-treatment, and at two follow-ups. Patients subjected to BST showed reduced perceived stress at post-treatment and maintained decreased levels at follow-ups. At 1-year follow-up, they had a lower rate of non-fatal reinfarction, and at 2.5-year follow-up, they had a lower rate of fatal reinfarction. Their mental and physical health was improved at post-treatment and this was sustained at follow-ups. The addition of BST to UC favorably influences the disease course after MI in patients with increased levels of stress.

An integrative view of storage of low- and high-level visual dimensions in visual short-term memory.

Science.gov (United States)

Magen, Hagit

2017-03-01

Efficient performance in an environment filled with complex objects is often achieved through the temporal maintenance of conjunctions of features from multiple dimensions. The most striking finding in the study of binding in visual short-term memory (VSTM) is equal memory performance for single features and for integrated multi-feature objects, a finding that has been central to several theories of VSTM. Nevertheless, research on binding in VSTM focused almost exclusively on low-level features, and little is known about how items from low- and high-level visual dimensions (e.g., colored manmade objects) are maintained simultaneously in VSTM. The present study tested memory for combinations of low-level features and high-level representations. In agreement with previous findings, Experiments 1 and 2 showed decrements in memory performance when non-integrated low- and high-level stimuli were maintained simultaneously compared to maintaining each dimension in isolation. However, contrary to previous findings the results of Experiments 3 and 4 showed decrements in memory performance even when integrated objects of low- and high-level stimuli were maintained in memory, compared to maintaining single-dimension objects. Overall, the results demonstrate that low- and high-level visual dimensions compete for the same limited memory capacity, and offer a more comprehensive view of VSTM.

Experiences with High-Level Programming Directives for Porting Applications to GPUs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ding, Wei; Chapman, Barbara; Sankaran, Ramanan; Graham, Richard L.

2012-01-01

HPC systems now exploit GPUs within their compute nodes to accelerate program performance. As a result, high-end application development has become extremely complex at the node level. In addition to restructuring the node code to exploit the cores and specialized devices, the programmer may need to choose a programming model such as OpenMP or CPU threads in conjunction with an accelerator programming model to share and manage the difference node resources. This comes at a time when programmer productivity and the ability to produce portable code has been recognized as a major concern. In order to offset the high development cost of creating CUDA or OpenCL kernels, directives have been proposed for programming accelerator devices, but their implications are not well known. In this paper, we evaluate the state of the art accelerator directives to program several applications kernels, explore transformations to achieve good performance, and examine the expressiveness and performance penalty of using high-level directives versus CUDA. We also compare our results to OpenMP implementations to understand the benefits of running the kernels in the accelerator versus CPU cores.

Simulation Experiment Description Markup Language (SED-ML) Level 1 Version 2.

Science.gov (United States)

Bergmann, Frank T; Cooper, Jonathan; Le Novère, Nicolas; Nickerson, David; Waltemath, Dagmar

2015-09-04

The number, size and complexity of computational models of biological systems are growing at an ever increasing pace. It is imperative to build on existing studies by reusing and adapting existing models and parts thereof. The description of the structure of models is not sufficient to enable the reproduction of simulation results. One also needs to describe the procedures the models are subjected to, as recommended by the Minimum Information About a Simulation Experiment (MIASE) guidelines. This document presents Level 1 Version 2 of the Simulation Experiment Description Markup Language (SED-ML), a computer-readable format for encoding simulation and analysis experiments to apply to computational models. SED-ML files are encoded in the Extensible Markup Language (XML) and can be used in conjunction with any XML-based model encoding format, such as CellML or SBML. A SED-ML file includes details of which models to use, how to modify them prior to executing a simulation, which simulation and analysis procedures to apply, which results to extract and how to present them. Level 1 Version 2 extends the format by allowing the encoding of repeated and chained procedures.

Ensemble empirical model decomposition and neuro-fuzzy conjunction model for middle and long-term runoff forecast

Science.gov (United States)

Tan, Q.

2017-12-01

Forecasting the runoff over longer periods, such as months and years, is one of the important tasks for hydrologists and water resource managers to maximize the potential of the limited water. However, due to the nonlinear and nonstationary characteristic of the natural runoff, it is hard to forecast the middle and long-term runoff with a satisfactory accuracy. It has been proven that the forecast performance can be improved by using signal decomposition techniques to product more cleaner signals as model inputs. In this study, a new conjunction model (EEMD-neuro-fuzzy) with adaptive ability is proposed. The ensemble empirical model decomposition (EEMD) is used to decompose the runoff time series into several components, which are with different frequencies and more cleaner than the original time series. Then the neuro-fuzzy model is developed for each component. The final forecast results can be obtained by summing the outputs of all neuro-fuzzy models. Unlike the conventional forecast model, the decomposition and forecast models in this study are adjusted adaptively as long as new runoff information is added. The proposed models are applied to forecast the monthly runoff of Yichang station, located in Yangtze River of China. The results show that the performance of adaptive forecast model we proposed outperforms than the conventional forecast model, the Nash-Sutcliffe efficiency coefficient can reach to 0.9392. Due to its ability to process the nonstationary data, the forecast accuracy, especially in flood season, is improved significantly.

Achieving local support for a low-level radioactive waste disposal facility in Illinois

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kerr, T.A.; Seidler, P.E.

1989-01-01

This paper discusses how Illinois is progressing toward the goal of having a new low-level radioactive waste (LLW) disposal facility in operation by the federally mandated milestone of January 1, 1993. To accomplish this task, Illinois has adopted a voluntary siting process. The voluntary siting process will be successful by definition only if a high level of local support can be achieved and sustained. A strong public participation program in conjunction with a comprehensive information and education program is essential to fostering the necessary local support. Many other elements are also needed throughout this process. The Illinois Department of Nuclear Safety (IDNS) has found that making grants to local governments, awarding scholarships for area students, enacting a comprehensive system of legislation and regulations, explaining the site identification and characterization program, describing facility design features, practicing a strong policy of buying and hiring locally, maintaining good relationships with local news media and building trust through personal relationships have all greatly contributed to support for the LLW program in the potential host communities

Improving extraction technology of level seams. Sovershenstvovanie tekhnologii razrabotki pologikh plastov

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Shetser, M G; Spitsyn, Yu G

1985-01-01

This report deals with conditions and prospects for intensifying extraction of level and inclined seams and improving extraction technology. Reviews mechanization of excavation of stables with automatic cutter-loaders (KA80 in conjunction with KD80); coal extraction using two cutter-loaders in seams 0.9 - 1.9 m thick and up to 20 degrees inclination (pillar mining); reciprocating method of coal cutting; one-sided method of coal extraction (KMK97 cutter loaders). Discusses strengthening of junctions of faces with gate roads (KSU and KSU3M props); improved types of props (hydraulic props SUG-30, SUG-V and GVD); roof control methods (induced caving, advance torpedoing or using KM87UMP and KMT power supports). Deals in detail with introduction of new extraction technology and strengthening of unstable rock by injecting polyurethene compounds, extraction of seams with wide-web cutter-loaders (Kirovets, IK101) and plowing. (3 refs.)

Alternative Approach to Traumatic Stensen’s Duct Injuries Accompanied by Glandular Involvement: Botulinum Toxin Injection to the Gland in Conjunction with Microsurgical Repair of the Duct in an Acute Setting

OpenAIRE

Mert Çalış; Zeynep Öz; Hakan Uzun; Burçe Özgen; Alp Çetin3; Ali Emre Aksu

2017-01-01

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the long-term results of a simultaneous application of botulinum toxin to the parotid gland in conjunction with the microsurgical repair of the duct in an acute setting and to encourage using botulinum toxin as a first-line option to prevent future complications associated with glandular involvement. Material and Methods: Three patients who were referred to the Plastic Surgery Clinic by the emergency room of the Hacettepe University Hospita...

Bioprocessing of low-level radioactive and mixed hazard wastes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stoner, D.L.

1990-01-01

Biologically-based treatment technologies are currently being developed at the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory (INEL) to aid in volume reduction and/or reclassification of low-level radioactive and mixed hazardous wastes prior to processing for disposal. The approaches taken to treat low-level radioactive and mixed wastes will reflect the physical (e.g., liquid, solid, slurry) and chemical (inorganic and/or organic) nature of the waste material being processed. Bioprocessing utilizes the diverse metabolic and biochemical characteristics of microorganisms. The application of bioadsorption and bioflocculation to reduce the volume of low-level radioactive waste are strategies comparable to the use of ion-exchange resins and coagulants that are currently used in waste reduction processes. Mixed hazardous waste would require organic as well as radionuclide treatment processes. Biodegradation of organic wastes or bioemulsification could be used in conjunction with radioisotope bioadsorption methods to treat mixed hazardous radioactive wastes. The degradation of the organic constituents of mixed wastes can be considered an alternative to incineration, while the use of bioemulsification may simply be used as a means to separate inorganic and organics to enable reclassification of wastes. The proposed technology base for the biological treatment of low-level radioactive and mixed hazardous waste has been established. Biodegradation of a variety of organic compounds that are typically found in mixed hazardous wastes has been demonstrated, degradative pathways determined and the nutritional requirements of the microorganisms are understood. Accumulation, adsorption and concentration of heavy and transition metal species and transuranics by microorganisms is widely recognized. Work at the INEL focuses on the application of demonstrated microbial transformations to process development

Genome sequencing of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis in conjunction with a medical school human anatomy course.

Science.gov (United States)

Kumar, Akash; Dougherty, Max; Findlay, Gregory M; Geisheker, Madeleine; Klein, Jason; Lazar, John; Machkovech, Heather; Resnick, Jesse; Resnick, Rebecca; Salter, Alexander I; Talebi-Liasi, Faezeh; Arakawa, Christopher; Baudin, Jacob; Bogaard, Andrew; Salesky, Rebecca; Zhou, Qian; Smith, Kelly; Clark, John I; Shendure, Jay; Horwitz, Marshall S

2014-01-01

Even in cases where there is no obvious family history of disease, genome sequencing may contribute to clinical diagnosis and management. Clinical application of the genome has not yet become routine, however, in part because physicians are still learning how best to utilize such information. As an educational research exercise performed in conjunction with our medical school human anatomy course, we explored the potential utility of determining the whole genome sequence of a patient who had died following a clinical diagnosis of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). Medical students performed dissection and whole genome sequencing of the cadaver. Gross and microscopic findings were more consistent with the fibrosing variant of nonspecific interstitial pneumonia (NSIP), as opposed to IPF per se. Variants in genes causing Mendelian disorders predisposing to IPF were not detected. However, whole genome sequencing identified several common variants associated with IPF, including a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP), rs35705950, located in the promoter region of the gene encoding mucin glycoprotein MUC5B. The MUC5B promoter polymorphism was recently found to markedly elevate risk for IPF, though a particular association with NSIP has not been previously reported, nor has its contribution to disease risk previously been evaluated in the genome-wide context of all genetic variants. We did not identify additional predicted functional variants in a region of linkage disequilibrium (LD) adjacent to MUC5B, nor did we discover other likely risk-contributing variants elsewhere in the genome. Whole genome sequencing thus corroborates the association of rs35705950 with MUC5B dysregulation and interstitial lung disease. This novel exercise additionally served a unique mission in bridging clinical and basic science education.

Genome sequencing of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis in conjunction with a medical school human anatomy course.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Akash Kumar

Full Text Available Even in cases where there is no obvious family history of disease, genome sequencing may contribute to clinical diagnosis and management. Clinical application of the genome has not yet become routine, however, in part because physicians are still learning how best to utilize such information. As an educational research exercise performed in conjunction with our medical school human anatomy course, we explored the potential utility of determining the whole genome sequence of a patient who had died following a clinical diagnosis of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF. Medical students performed dissection and whole genome sequencing of the cadaver. Gross and microscopic findings were more consistent with the fibrosing variant of nonspecific interstitial pneumonia (NSIP, as opposed to IPF per se. Variants in genes causing Mendelian disorders predisposing to IPF were not detected. However, whole genome sequencing identified several common variants associated with IPF, including a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP, rs35705950, located in the promoter region of the gene encoding mucin glycoprotein MUC5B. The MUC5B promoter polymorphism was recently found to markedly elevate risk for IPF, though a particular association with NSIP has not been previously reported, nor has its contribution to disease risk previously been evaluated in the genome-wide context of all genetic variants. We did not identify additional predicted functional variants in a region of linkage disequilibrium (LD adjacent to MUC5B, nor did we discover other likely risk-contributing variants elsewhere in the genome. Whole genome sequencing thus corroborates the association of rs35705950 with MUC5B dysregulation and interstitial lung disease. This novel exercise additionally served a unique mission in bridging clinical and basic science education.

Theoretical comparison, equivalent transformation, and conjunction operations of electromagnetic induction generator and triboelectric nanogenerator for harvesting mechanical energy.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Chi; Tang, Wei; Han, Changbao; Fan, Fengru; Wang, Zhong Lin

2014-06-11

Triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) is a newly invented technology that is effective using conventional organic materials with functionalized surfaces for converting mechanical energy into electricity, which is light weight, cost-effective and easy scalable. Here, we present the first systematic analysis and comparison of EMIG and TENG from their working mechanisms, governing equations and output characteristics, aiming at establishing complementary applications of the two technologies for harvesting various mechanical energies. The equivalent transformation and conjunction operations of the two power sources for the external circuit are also explored, which provide appropriate evidences that the TENG can be considered as a current source with a large internal resistance, while the EMIG is equivalent to a voltage source with a small internal resistance. The theoretical comparison and experimental validations presented in this paper establish the basis of using the TENG as a new energy technology that could be parallel or possibly equivalently important as the EMIG for general power application at large-scale. It opens a field of organic nanogenerator for chemists and materials scientists who can be first time using conventional organic materials for converting mechanical energy into electricity at a high efficiency. © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Tutorial: Junction spectroscopy techniques and deep-level defects in semiconductors

Science.gov (United States)

Peaker, A. R.; Markevich, V. P.; Coutinho, J.

2018-04-01

The term junction spectroscopy embraces a wide range of techniques used to explore the properties of semiconductor materials and semiconductor devices. In this tutorial review, we describe the most widely used junction spectroscopy approaches for characterizing deep-level defects in semiconductors and present some of the early work on which the principles of today's methodology are based. We outline ab-initio calculations of defect properties and give examples of how density functional theory in conjunction with formation energy and marker methods can be used to guide the interpretation of experimental results. We review recombination, generation, and trapping of charge carriers associated with defects. We consider thermally driven emission and capture and describe the techniques of Deep Level Transient Spectroscopy (DLTS), high resolution Laplace DLTS, admittance spectroscopy, and scanning DLTS. For the study of minority carrier related processes and wide gap materials, we consider Minority Carrier Transient Spectroscopy (MCTS), Optical DLTS, and deep level optical transient spectroscopy together with some of their many variants. Capacitance, current, and conductance measurements enable carrier exchange processes associated with the defects to be detected. We explain how these methods are used in order to understand the behaviour of point defects and the determination of charge states and negative-U (Hubbard correlation energy) behaviour. We provide, or reference, examples from a wide range of materials including Si, SiGe, GaAs, GaP, GaN, InGaN, InAlN, and ZnO.

Storage of intermediate level waste at UKAEA sites

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Goodill, D.R.; Tymons, B.J.

1985-08-01

This report describes the storage of wastes at UKAEA sites and accordingly contributes to the investigations conducted by the Department of the Environment into the Best Practicable Environmental Option (BPEO) for radioactive waste storage and/or disposal. This report on the storage of ILW should be read in conjunction with a similar NII funded CTS study for Licensed Sites in the UK. (author)

Revised guidance of the principles for establishing intervention levels for the protection of the public in the event of a nuclear accident or radiological emergency

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1988-07-01

An IAEA Advisory Group met in February 1987 to: i) review existing Agency guidance on intervention levels of dose and whether, and if so, what, revision is required; ii) consider whether, and if so, what additional guidance is required on limiting the stochastic risk and collective dose equivalent, and; iii) consider whether, and if so, what, additional guidance should be developed on derived intervention levels. The purpose of this Interim Report is to present to a broader audience the initial conclusions and recommendations of the Advisory Group in order that they may be used in conjunction with the guidance currently presented in Safety Series No. 72, pending publication of the revised Safety Series, scheduled for late 1989. 14 refs

Adult Kawasaki's disease with myocarditis, splenomegaly, and highly elevated serum ferritin levels.

Science.gov (United States)

Cunha, Burke A; Pherez, Francisco M; Alexiadis, Varvara; Gagos, Marios; Strollo, Stephanie

2010-01-01

Kawasaki's disease is a disease of unknown cause. The characteristic clinical features of Kawasaki's disease are fever> or =102 degrees F for> or =5 days accompanied by a bilateral bulbar conjunctivitis/conjunctival suffusion, erythematous rash, cervical adenopathy, pharyngeal erythema, and swelling of the dorsum of the hands/feet. Kawasaki's disease primarily affects children and is rare in adults. In children, Kawasaki's disease is more likely to be associated with aseptic meningitis, coronary artery aneurysms, and thrombocytosis. In adult Kawasaki's disease, unilateral cervical adenopathy, arthritis, conjunctival suffusion/conjunctivitis, and elevated serum transaminases (serum glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase [SGOT]/serum glutamate pyruvate transaminase [SGPT]) are more likely. Kawasaki's disease in adults may be mimicked by other acute infections with fever and rash, that is, group A streptococcal scarlet fever, toxic shock syndrome (TSS), and Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever (RMSF). Because there are no specific tests for Kawasaki's disease, diagnosis is based on clinical criteria and the syndromic approach. In addition to rash and fever, scarlet fever is characterized by circumoral pallor, oropharyngeal edema, Pastia's lines, and peripheral eosinophilia, but not conjunctival suffusion, splenomegaly, swelling of the dorsum of the hands/feet, thrombocytosis, or an elevated SGOT/SGPT. In TSS, in addition to rash and fever, there is conjunctival suffusion, oropharyngeal erythema, and edema of the dorsum of the hands/feet, an elevated SGOT/SGPT, and thrombocytopenia. Patients with TSS do not have cervical adenopathy or splenomegaly. RMSF presents with fever and a maculopapular rash that becomes petechial, first appearing on the wrists/ankles after 3 to 5 days. RMSF is accompanied by a prominent headache, periorbital edema, conjunctival suffusion, splenomegaly, thrombocytopenia, an elevated SGOT/SGPT, swelling of the dorsum of the hands/feet, but not oropharyngeal

Levels of heavy metals and essential minerals in hair samples of children with autism in Oman: a case-control study.

Science.gov (United States)

Al-Farsi, Yahya M; Waly, Mostafa I; Al-Sharbati, Marwan M; Al-Shafaee, Mohammed A; Al-Farsi, Omar A; Al-Khaduri, Maha M; Gupta, Ishita; Ouhtit, Allal; Al-Adawi, Samir; Al-Said, Mona F; Deth, Richard C

2013-02-01

Toxic levels of heavy metals and low levels of essential minerals have been suggested to play a critical role in the pathogenesis of autism spectrum disorders (ASD). This study documents the levels of heavy metals and essential minerals in hair samples of children with ASD in Muscat, the urbanized capital of Oman, Muscat. The study included 27 children with ASD and 27 matched non-ASD controls. Parental interviews were held and dietary intake questionnaires completed in conjunction with the collection of hair samples. Analysis of heavy metals and essential minerals was carried out by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Chi-square analysis and non-parametric Fisher's exact tests were used to assess statistical significance. Children with ASD had significantly higher levels of all 11 analyzed heavy metals in their hair samples (P minerals sulfur, sodium, magnesium, potassium, zinc, and iron, but lower levels of calcium and copper in their hair samples. This study corroborates data from previous studies in different parts of the world indicating the presence of elevated levels of heavy metals and selective depletion of essential minerals in the hair of children with ASD.

Pathogenesis, Transmissibility, and Tropism of a Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza A(H7N7) Virus Associated With Human Conjunctivitis in Italy, 2013.

Science.gov (United States)

Belser, Jessica A; Creager, Hannah M; Zeng, Hui; Maines, Taronna R; Tumpey, Terrence M

2017-09-15

H7 subtype influenza viruses represent a persistent public health threat because of their continued detection in poultry and ability to cause human infection. An outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza H7N7 virus in Italy during 2013 resulted in 3 cases of human conjunctivitis. We determined the pathogenicity and transmissibility of influenza A/Italy/3/2013 virus in mouse and ferret models and examined the replication kinetics of this virus in several human epithelial cell types. The moderate virulence observed in mammalian models and the capacity for transmission in a direct contact model underscore the need for continued study of H7 subtype viruses. Published by Oxford University Press for the Infectious Diseases Society of America 2017. This work is written by (a) US Government employee(s) and is in the public domain in the US.

How Conjunctive Use of Surface and Ground Water could Increase Resiliency in US?

Science.gov (United States)

Josset, L.; Rising, J. A.; Russo, T. A.; Troy, T. J.; Lall, U.; Allaire, M.

2016-12-01

Optimized management practices are crucial to ensuring water availability in the future. However this presents a tremendous challenge due to the many functions of water: water is not only central for our survival as drinking water or for irrigation, but it is also valued for industrial and recreational use. Sources of water meeting these needs range from rain water harvesting to reservoirs, water reuse, groundwater abstraction and desalination. A global conjunctive management approach is thus necessary to develop sustainable practices as all sectors are strongly coupled. Policy-makers and researchers have identified pluralism in water sources as a key solution to reach water security. We propose a novel approach to sustainable water management that accounts for multiple sources of water in an integrated manner. We formulate this challenge as an optimization problem where the choice of water sources is driven both by the availability of the sources and their relative cost. The results determine the optimal operational decisions for each sources (e.g. reservoirs releases, surface water withdrawals, groundwater abstraction and/or desalination water use) at each time step for a given time horizon. The physical surface and ground water systems are simulated inside the optimization by setting state equations as constraints. Additional constraints may be added to the model to represent the influence of policy decisions. To account for uncertainty in weather conditions and its impact on availability, the optimization is performed for an ensemble of climate scenarios. While many sectors and their interactions are represented, the computational cost is limited as the problem remains linear and thus enables large-scale applications and the propagation of uncertainty. The formulation is implemented within the model "America's Water Analysis, Synthesis and Heuristic", an integrated model for the conterminous US discretized at the county-scale. This enables a systematic

The impact of a standardized consultation form for facial trauma on billing and evaluation and management levels.

Science.gov (United States)

Levesque, Andre Y; Tauber, David M; Lee, Johnson C; Rodriguez-Feliz, Jose R; Chao, Jerome D

2014-02-01

Facial trauma is among the most frequent consultations encountered by plastic surgeons. Unfortunately, the reimbursement from these consultations can be low, and qualified plastic surgeons may exclude facial trauma from their practice. An audit of our records found insufficient documentation to justify higher evaluation and management (EM) levels of service resulting in lower reimbursement. Utilizing a standardized consultation form can improve documentation resulting in higher billing and EM levels. A facial trauma consultation form was developed in conjunction with the billing department. Three plastic surgery residents completed 30 consultations without the aid of the consult form followed by 30 consultations with the aid of the form. The EM levels and billing data for each consultation were obtained from the billing department for analysis. The 2 groups were compared using χ2 analysis and t tests to determine statistical significance. Using our standardized consultation form, the mean EM level increased from 2.97 to 3.60 (P = 0.002). In addition, the mean billed amount increased from $391 to $501 per consult (P = 0.051) representing a 28% increase in billing. In our institution, the development and implementation of a facial trauma consultation form has resulted in more complete documentation and a subsequent increase in EM level and billed services.

The multi-faceted outcomes of conjunct diabetes and cardiovascular familial history in type 2 diabetes.

Science.gov (United States)

Hermans, Michel P; Ahn, Sylvie A; Rousseau, Michel F

2012-01-01

Familial history of early-onset CHD (EOCHD) is a major risk factor for CHD. Familial diabetes history (FDH) impacts β-cell function. Some transmissible, accretional gradient of CHD risk may exist when diabetes and EOCHD familial histories combine. We investigated whether the impact of such combination is neutral, additive, or potentiating in T2DM descendants, as regards cardiometabolic phenotype, glucose homeostasis and micro-/macroangiopathies. Cross-sectional retrospective cohort study of 796 T2DM divided according to presence (Diab[+]) or absence (Diab[-]) of 1st-degree diabetes familial history and/or EOCHD (CVD(+) and (-)). Four subgroups: (i) [Diab(-)CVD(-)] (n=355); (ii) [Diab(+)CVD(-)] (n=338); (iii) [Diab(-)CVD(+)] (n=47); and (iv) [Diab(+)CVD(+)] (n=56). No interaction on subgroup distribution between presence of both familial histories, the combination of which translated into additive detrimental outcomes and higher rates of fat mass, sarcopenia, (hs)CRP and retinopathy. FDH(+) had lower insulinemia, insulin secretion, hyperbolic product, and accelerated hyperbolic product loss. An EOCHD family history affected neither insulin secretion nor sensitivity. There were significant differences regarding macroangiopathy/CAD, more prevalent in [Diab(-)CVD(+)] and [Diab(+)CVD(+)]. Among CVD(+), the highest macroangiopathy prevalence was observed in [Diab(-)CVD(+)], who had 66% macroangiopathy, and 57% CAD, rates higher (absolute-relative) by 23%-53% (overall) and 21%-58% (CAD) than [Diab(+)CVD(+)], who inherited the direst cardiometabolic familial history (p 0.0288 and 0.0310). A parental history for diabetes markedly affects residual insulin secretion and secretory loss rate in T2DM offspring without worsening insulin resistance. It paradoxically translated into lower macroangiopathy with concurrent familial EOCHD. Conjunct diabetes and CV familial histories generate multi-faceted vascular outcomes in offspring, including lesser macroangiopathy/CAD. Copyright

The association between high levels of cumulative life stress and aberrant resting state EEG dynamics in old age.

Science.gov (United States)

Marshall, Amanda C; Cooper, Nicholas R

2017-07-01

Cumulative experienced stress produces shortcomings in old adults' cognitive performance. These are reflected in electrophysiological changes tied to task execution. This study explored whether stress-related aberrations in older adults' electroencephalographic (EEG) activity were also apparent in the system at rest. To this effect, the amount of stressful life events experienced by 60 young and 60 elderly participants were assessed in conjunction with resting state power changes in the delta, theta, alpha, and beta frequencies during a resting EEG recording. Findings revealed elevated levels of delta power among elderly individuals reporting high levels of cumulative life stress. These differed significantly from young high and low stress individuals and old adults with low levels of stress. Increases of delta activity have been linked to the emergence of conditions such as Alzheimer's Disease and Mild Cognitive Impairment. Thus, a potential interpretation of our findings associates large amounts of cumulative stress with an increased risk of developing age-related cognitive pathologies in later life. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Total IgE and eotaxin (CCL11) contents in tears of patients suffering from seasonal allergic conjunctivitis.

Science.gov (United States)

Eperon, Simone; Berguiga, Marouen; Ballabeni, Pierluigi; Guex-Crosier, Catherine; Guex-Crosier, Yan

2014-09-01

To prospectively investigate patients with seasonal allergic conjunctivitis (SAC) during the pollen season and test associations between tears total IgE, eotaxin concentrations, and SAC severity. Enrolled patients presented ocular symptoms and clinical signs of SAC at the time of presentation. Ocular itching, hyperaemia, chemosis, eyelid swelling, and tearing were scored, and the sum of these scores was defined as the clinical score. Conjunctival papillae were separately graded. We measured eotaxin concentration in tears by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and total tear IgE by Lacrytest strip. Among thirty patients (30 eyes), 11 showed neither tear IgE nor tear eotaxin, while 15 out of 19 patients with positive IgE values presented a positive amount of eotaxin in their tears (Fisher's test: p tear IgE, we observed a lower conjunctival papilla grade than in patients whose tears contained some amount of IgE (trend test: p = 0.032). In the 15 patients whose tear eotaxin concentration was null, tear IgE concentration was 5.3 ± 3.5 arbitrary units; in the other 15 patients whose eotaxin was positive, IgE reached 21 ± 4.3 arbitrary U (Mann-Whitney: p tear IgE concentrations of both groups did not differ statistically significantly (p = 0.947). If IgE and eotaxin secreted in tears are major contributors in SAC pathogenesis, they however act at different steps of the process.

Computer simulation in conjunction with medical thermography as an adjunct tool for early detection of breast cancer

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sudharsan NM

2004-04-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Mathematical modelling and analysis is now accepted in the engineering design on par with experimental approaches. Computer simulations enable one to perform several 'what-if' analyses cost effectively. High speed computers and low cost of memory has helped in simulating large-scale models in a relatively shorter time frame. The possibility of extending numerical modelling in the area of breast cancer detection in conjunction with medical thermography is considered in this work. Methods Thermography enables one to see the temperature pattern and look for abnormality. In a thermogram there is no radiation risk as it only captures the infrared radiation from the skin and is totally painless. But, a thermogram is only a test of physiology, whereas a mammogram is a test of anatomy. It is hoped that a thermogram along with numerical modelling will serve as an adjunct tool. Presently mammogram is the 'gold-standard' in breast cancer detection. But the interpretation of a mammogram is largely dependent on the radiologist. Therefore, a thermogram that looks into the physiological changes in combination with numerical simulation performing 'what-if' analysis could act as an adjunct tool to mammography. Results The proposed framework suggested that it could reduce the occurrence of false-negative/positive cases. Conclusion A numerical bioheat model of a female breast is developed and simulated. The results are compared with experimental results. The possibility of this method as an early detection tool is discussed.

Computer simulation in conjunction with medical thermography as an adjunct tool for early detection of breast cancer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ng, Eddie Y-K; Sudharsan, NM

2004-01-01

Mathematical modelling and analysis is now accepted in the engineering design on par with experimental approaches. Computer simulations enable one to perform several 'what-if' analyses cost effectively. High speed computers and low cost of memory has helped in simulating large-scale models in a relatively shorter time frame. The possibility of extending numerical modelling in the area of breast cancer detection in conjunction with medical thermography is considered in this work. Thermography enables one to see the temperature pattern and look for abnormality. In a thermogram there is no radiation risk as it only captures the infrared radiation from the skin and is totally painless. But, a thermogram is only a test of physiology, whereas a mammogram is a test of anatomy. It is hoped that a thermogram along with numerical modelling will serve as an adjunct tool. Presently mammogram is the 'gold-standard' in breast cancer detection. But the interpretation of a mammogram is largely dependent on the radiologist. Therefore, a thermogram that looks into the physiological changes in combination with numerical simulation performing 'what-if' analysis could act as an adjunct tool to mammography. The proposed framework suggested that it could reduce the occurrence of false-negative/positive cases. A numerical bioheat model of a female breast is developed and simulated. The results are compared with experimental results. The possibility of this method as an early detection tool is discussed

Occupational exposure to beryllium in French enterprises: a survey of airborne exposure and surface levels.

Science.gov (United States)

Vincent, Raymond; Catani, Jacques; Créau, Yvon; Frocaut, Anne-Marie; Good, Andrée; Goutet, Pierre; Hou, Alain; Leray, Fabrice; André-Lesage, Marie-Ange; Soyez, Alain

2009-06-01

An assessment survey of occupational exposure to beryllium (Be) was conducted in France between late 2004 and the end of 2006. Exposure estimates were based on the analytical results of samples collected from workplace air and from work surfaces in 95 facilities belonging to 37 sectors of activity. The results of this study indicated airborne Be concentrations in excess of the occupational exposure limit value of 2 microg m(-3) recommended in France. Metallurgy and electronic component manufacturing represented the activities and occupations where workers had the highest arithmetic mean exposures to Be. Surface contamination levels were also high and frequently exceeded thresholds recommended by different bodies. These results should prompt the development of prevention programmes that include Be substitution, process control and surface decontamination, in conjunction with suitable medical surveillance.

Pink Eye (Conjunctivitis)

Science.gov (United States)

... or child care if you're not able to take time off — just stay consistent in practicing good hygiene. Preventing pink eye in newborns Newborns' eyes are susceptible to bacteria normally present in the mother's birth canal. ...

Application of Electron Accelerators in Conjunction with Microwave Sources in Medical Studies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Martin, D.; Craciun, G.; Manaila, E.; Ighigeanu, D.; Margaritescu, I.; Chirita, D.; Neagu, M.

2009-01-01

Electron beams (EB) are presently used, in addition to the routine conventional radiotherapy techniques, for cancer specialized therapies (intensity modulated radiation therapy [1] and total body electron irradiation [2]), the irradiation of blood and blood components, vaccine preparation, and other. Microwaves (MW) are presently used for therapeutic applications in cardiology, urology, surgery, ophthalmology, cancer therapy, and others, and for diagnostic applications such as cancer detection, organ imaging, and more [3]. The reported data show that low dose-all body irradiation with ionizing as well as with nonionizing irradiation may enhance the tumoricidal effects of radiation or chemotherapy, overcome acquired drug resistance and can stimulate certain components of the immune system that may aid in destroying cancer cells. These data suggested that application of low-dose total body EB + MW irradiation in conjunction with chemotherapy could contribute by novel effects to the cancer therapies. In view of this argument two specifically designed radiation exposure devices (REDs) were carried out for separate, successive and simultaneous irradiation with EB of 6.23 MeV and MW of 2.45 GHz in vivo (RED-vivo) and in vitro (RED-vitro) for the following medical studies: 1) The effects of low-dose EB + MW total body irradiation without/with drugs administration on the C57 BL/6 mice bearing malignant melanoma (MM); 2) The effects of separate and simultaneous MW and EB irradiation on MM cells culture without/with drugs incubation and on human blood components (proteins and cells) irradiated in samples of integral blood from healthy donors and from donors with MM. Both REDs consist of the following units: 1) An accelerated EB source: ALIN-10 electron linear accelerator of 6.23 MeV and adjustable absorbed dose rate from 0.002 Gy s-1 up to 70 Gy s-1 (built in the NILPRP, Bucharest, Romania); 2) A special designed exposure chamber that permits inside separate, successive or

Daily water level forecasting using wavelet decomposition and artificial intelligence techniques

Science.gov (United States)

Seo, Youngmin; Kim, Sungwon; Kisi, Ozgur; Singh, Vijay P.

2015-01-01

Reliable water level forecasting for reservoir inflow is essential for reservoir operation. The objective of this paper is to develop and apply two hybrid models for daily water level forecasting and investigate their accuracy. These two hybrid models are wavelet-based artificial neural network (WANN) and wavelet-based adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system (WANFIS). Wavelet decomposition is employed to decompose an input time series into approximation and detail components. The decomposed time series are used as inputs to artificial neural networks (ANN) and adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system (ANFIS) for WANN and WANFIS models, respectively. Based on statistical performance indexes, the WANN and WANFIS models are found to produce better efficiency than the ANN and ANFIS models. WANFIS7-sym10 yields the best performance among all other models. It is found that wavelet decomposition improves the accuracy of ANN and ANFIS. This study evaluates the accuracy of the WANN and WANFIS models for different mother wavelets, including Daubechies, Symmlet and Coiflet wavelets. It is found that the model performance is dependent on input sets and mother wavelets, and the wavelet decomposition using mother wavelet, db10, can further improve the efficiency of ANN and ANFIS models. Results obtained from this study indicate that the conjunction of wavelet decomposition and artificial intelligence models can be a useful tool for accurate forecasting daily water level and can yield better efficiency than the conventional forecasting models.

Development of a decision support system for precision management of conjunctive use of treated wastewater for irrigation in Oman

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hemanatha P. W. Jayasuriya

2018-01-01

Full Text Available This research aimed at finding alternative options for conjunctive use of treated wastewater (TW with groundwater (GW minimizing the irrigation water from aquifers in the Al-Batinah region with the assistance of a Decision Support System (DSS. Oman is facing a three-facet problem of lowering of GW table, wastewater over-production and excess TW. Approved guidelines for use of TW with tertiary treatments are of two classes: class-A (for vegetables consumed raw, class-B (after cooking. The developed DSS is comprised of four management subsystems: (1 data management in Excel, (2 model and knowledge management by macro programming in Excel, (3 with linear programming (LP optimization models including transportation algorithms, and (4 user interface with Excel or Visual Basic (VB. The results are based on two extreme scenarios: zero TW excess, and zero GW used for irrigation. The DSS could predict water balance for number of crop rotations, and based on adjustable cost variables farmer profit margins could be created. Crop selections and rotation could be done using LP optimizations while transportation algorithm could organize best locations and capacities for treatment plants and the wastewater collection and transportation to farming areas via treatment plants. The developed DSS will be very useful as a water management, optimization and planning tool.

Acute episodes of predator exposure in conjunction with chronic social instability as an animal model of post-traumatic stress disorder.

Science.gov (United States)

Zoladz, Phillip R; Conrad, Cheryl D; Fleshner, Monika; Diamond, David M

2008-07-01

People who are exposed to horrific, life-threatening experiences are at risk for developing post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Some of the symptoms of PTSD include persistent anxiety, exaggerated startle, cognitive impairments and increased sensitivity to yohimbine, an alpha(2)-adrenergic receptor antagonist. We have taken into account the conditions known to induce PTSD, as well as factors responsible for long-term maintenance of the disorder, to develop an animal model of PTSD. Adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were administered a total of 31 days of psychosocial stress, composed of acute and chronic components. The acute component was a 1-h stress session (immobilization during cat exposure), which occurred on Days 1 and 11. The chronic component was that on all 31 days the rats were given unstable housing conditions. We found that psychosocially stressed rats had reduced growth rate, reduced thymus weight, increased adrenal gland weight, increased anxiety, an exaggerated startle response, cognitive impairments, greater cardiovascular and corticosterone reactivity to an acute stressor and heightened responsivity to yohimbine. This work demonstrates the effectiveness of acute inescapable episodes of predator exposure administered in conjunction with daily social instability as an animal model of PTSD.

Recommending a minimum English proficiency standard for entry-level nursing.

Science.gov (United States)

O'Neill, Thomas R; Tannenbaum, Richard J; Tiffen, Jennifer

2005-01-01

When nurses who are educated internationally immigrate to the United States, they are expected to have English language proficiency in order to function as a competent nurse. The purpose of this research was to provide sufficient information to the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) to make a defensible recommended passing standard for English proficiency. This standard was based upon the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). A large panel of nurses and nurse regulators (N = 25) was convened to determine how much English proficiency is required to be minimally competent as an entry-level nurse. Two standard setting procedures, the Simulated Minimally Competent Candidate (SMCC) procedure and the Examinee Paper Selection Method, were combined to produce recommendations for each panelist. In conjunction with collateral information, these recommendations were reviewed by the NCSBN Examination Committee, which decided upon an NCSBN recommended standard, a TOEFL score of 220. Because the adoption of this standard rests entirely with the individual state, NCSBN has little more to do with implementing the standard, other than answering questions and providing documentation about the standard.

Conjunct action of gamma radiation and casiopeinas in two cellular types; Accion conjunta de radiacion gamma y casiopeinas en dos tipos celulares

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ramos V, N.I

2006-07-01

In Mexico the cancer occupies the second place in the causes of death and although already there are diverse useful treatments to attack this suffering, the search of new pharmaceuticals that present positive effect in the treatment of the cancer there is taken to the development of a group of substances called Casiopeinas. Its are coordination compounds constituted by a central atom of copper (Cu II) joined to organic ligands, with general condensed formula [Cu (NN)(ON)]NO{sub 3}, or [Cu(NN)(OO)]NO{sub 3}. Its present different cytotoxicity levels, as well as in vitro antineoplastic activity in diverse tissues derived of tumors. Even its ignore the mechanisms of it action, but one of them, it could be by generation of reactive species of oxygen (ERO), mediated by the metallic center that contain. Thinking of this possibility was carried out in vitro experiments, exposing lymphocytes or HeLa cells, to ionizing radiation, at two casiopeinas (Casiopeina llgly and the Casiopeina Ill-e-a) or the combination of both agents, in order to determine if the antineoplastic capacity of both types of treatments increase in conjunct action. To determine it its were carried out cytotoxicity tests by means of the differential dyeing of fluorescein diacetate and etidio bromide, in these the cells alive fluorescein in green color while the dead ones only the nucleus of red tinged. The genotoxicity was evaluated by means of the comet essay. The results hurtled that as much the casiopeinas as the radiation by separate don't present difference among both cellular types, probably due to the used method that only quantifies the damages at the moment and not to long term. And according to those treatments on the whole only to the concentrations and the doses more high it favors the additive effect due to an overproduction of free radicals that not can be neutralized. According to the genotoxicity, only proven for the radiation indicates that the HeLa cells presents a major number of

Conjunct action of gamma radiation and casiopeinas in two cellular types; Accion conjunta de radiacion gamma y casiopeinas en dos tipos celulares

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ramos V, N I

2006-07-01

In Mexico the cancer occupies the second place in the causes of death and although already there are diverse useful treatments to attack this suffering, the search of new pharmaceuticals that present positive effect in the treatment of the cancer there is taken to the development of a group of substances called Casiopeinas. Its are coordination compounds constituted by a central atom of copper (Cu II) joined to organic ligands, with general condensed formula [Cu (NN)(ON)]NO{sub 3}, or [Cu(NN)(OO)]NO{sub 3}. Its present different cytotoxicity levels, as well as in vitro antineoplastic activity in diverse tissues derived of tumors. Even its ignore the mechanisms of it action, but one of them, it could be by generation of reactive species of oxygen (ERO), mediated by the metallic center that contain. Thinking of this possibility was carried out in vitro experiments, exposing lymphocytes or HeLa cells, to ionizing radiation, at two casiopeinas (Casiopeina llgly and the Casiopeina Ill-e-a) or the combination of both agents, in order to determine if the antineoplastic capacity of both types of treatments increase in conjunct action. To determine it its were carried out cytotoxicity tests by means of the differential dyeing of fluorescein diacetate and etidio bromide, in these the cells alive fluorescein in green color while the dead ones only the nucleus of red tinged. The genotoxicity was evaluated by means of the comet essay. The results hurtled that as much the casiopeinas as the radiation by separate don't present difference among both cellular types, probably due to the used method that only quantifies the damages at the moment and not to long term. And according to those treatments on the whole only to the concentrations and the doses more high it favors the additive effect due to an overproduction of free radicals that not can be neutralized. According to the genotoxicity, only proven for the radiation indicates that the HeLa cells presents a major number of cells