Radioprotection by caffeine pre-treatment and post-treatment in the bone marrow chromosomes of mice given whole-body γ-irradiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Farooqi, Z.; Kesavan, P.C.

1992-01-01

The effect of caffeine given as pre- and post-treatment in mice exposed to whole-body γ-irradiation (1.5 Gy 60 Co γ-rays) was studied. The pre-treatment was either acute or chronic. The acute dose (5 mg/kg and 15 mg/kg body weight) was in the form of an injection given intraperitoneally, 30 min before irradiation. The chronic administration was in the form of caffeine solution (4.208x10 -3 M and 7.72x10 -4 M) contained in drinking water for 5 weeks prior to radiation exposure. The acute pre-treatment with caffeine reduced the radiation-induced frequency of chromosomal aberrations discernibly, whereas chronic pre-treatment afforded a much more significant degree of radioprotection. The caffeine post-treatment (5 mg/kg and 15 mg/kg body weight) was given in the form of an intraperitoneal injection to the mice immediately following whole-body γ-irradiation. It is noted that both post-treatment concentrations of caffeine also significantly reduced the frequency of chromosomal aberrations induced by γ-rays. These data are briefly discussed in terms of possible mechanistic considerations. (author). 33 refs.; 3 tabs

Radioprotection by caffeine pre-treatment and post-treatment in the bone marrow chromosomes of mice given whole-body [gamma]-irradiation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Farooqi, Z.; Kesavan, P.C. (Jawaharlal Nehru Univ., New Delhi (India). School of Life Sciences)

1992-10-01

The effect of caffeine given as pre- and post-treatment in mice exposed to whole-body [gamma]-irradiation (1.5 Gy [sup 60]Co [gamma]-rays) was studied. The pre-treatment was either acute or chronic. The acute dose (5 mg/kg and 15 mg/kg body weight) was in the form of an injection given intraperitoneally, 30 min before irradiation. The chronic administration was in the form of caffeine solution (4.208x10[sup -3] M and 7.72x10[sup -4] M) contained in drinking water for 5 weeks prior to radiation exposure. The acute pre-treatment with caffeine reduced the radiation-induced frequency of chromosomal aberrations discernibly, whereas chronic pre-treatment afforded a much more significant degree of radioprotection. The caffeine post-treatment (5 mg/kg and 15 mg/kg body weight) was given in the form of an intraperitoneal injection to the mice immediately following whole-body [gamma]-irradiation. It is noted that both post-treatment concentrations of caffeine also significantly reduced the frequency of chromosomal aberrations induced by [gamma]-rays. These data are briefly discussed in terms of possible mechanistic considerations. (author). 33 refs.; 3 tabs.

Pre-migration Trauma Exposure and Psychological Distress for Asian American Immigrants: Linking the Pre- and Post-migration Contexts.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Miao; Anderson, James G

2016-08-01

Drawing on the life course perspective and the assumptive world theory, this paper examines whether pre-migration trauma exposure is associated with psychological distress through post-migration perceived discrimination for Asian American immigrants. The study is based on cross-sectional data from the National Latino and Asian American Study (N = 1639). Structural equation model is used to estimate the relationship between pre-migration trauma, post-migration perceived discrimination, and psychological distress. Additional models are estimated to explore possible variations across ethnic groups as well as across different types of pre-migration trauma experience. Pre-migration trauma exposure is associated with higher levels of psychological distress, both directly and indirectly through higher level of perceived discrimination, even after controlling for demographic/acculturative factors and post-migration trauma exposure. This pattern holds for the following sub-types of pre-migration trauma: political trauma, crime victimization, physical violence, accidental trauma, and relational trauma. Multi-group analyses show that this pattern holds for all Asian immigrant subgroups except the Vietnamese. Studies of immigrant mental health primarily focus on post-migration stressors. Few studies have considered the link between pre- and post-migration contexts in assessing mental health outcomes. The study illustrates the usefulness of bridging the pre- and post-migration context in identifying the mental health risks along the immigrant life course.

Probing contextuality with pre- and post-selection

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tollaksen, Jeff

2007-01-01

By analyzing the concept of contextuality (Bell-Kochen-Specker) in terms of pre-and-post-selection (PPS), it is possible to assign definite values to observables in a new way. Physical reasons are presented for restrictions on these assignments. When measurements are performed which do not disturb the pre- and post-selection (i.e. weak measurements), then novel experimental aspects of contextuality can be demonstrated including a proof that every PPS-paradox with definite predictions implies contextuality. Certain results of these measurements (eccentric weak values with e.g. negative values outside the spectrum), however, cannot be explained by a 'classical-like' hidden variable theory. Surprising theoretical implications are discussed

Decentralized Planning for Pre-Conflict and Post-Conflict ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

2012-10-02

Oct 2, 2012 ... Such processes are 'sine qua non' to pre-conflict and post-conflict prevention. .... A Basic Approach to Pre-Conflict Management Planning ... and also factor in an evaluation of perception variables that help us to understand ...

Clinical target volume delineation in glioblastomas: pre-operative versus post-operative/pre-radiotherapy MRI

Science.gov (United States)

Farace, P; Giri, M G; Meliadò, G; Amelio, D; Widesott, L; Ricciardi, G K; Dall'Oglio, S; Rizzotti, A; Sbarbati, A; Beltramello, A; Maluta, S; Amichetti, M

2011-01-01

Objectives Delineation of clinical target volume (CTV) is still controversial in glioblastomas. In order to assess the differences in volume and shape of the radiotherapy target, the use of pre-operative vs post-operative/pre-radiotherapy T1 and T2 weighted MRI was compared. Methods 4 CTVs were delineated in 24 patients pre-operatively and post-operatively using T1 contrast-enhanced (T1PRECTV and T1POSTCTV) and T2 weighted images (T2PRECTV and T2POSTCTV). Pre-operative MRI examinations were performed the day before surgery, whereas post-operative examinations were acquired 1 month after surgery and before chemoradiation. A concordance index (CI) was defined as the ratio between the overlapping and composite volumes. Results The volumes of T1PRECTV and T1POSTCTV were not statistically different (248 ± 88 vs 254 ± 101), although volume differences >100 cm3 were observed in 6 out of 24 patients. A marked increase due to tumour progression was shown in three patients. Three patients showed a decrease because of a reduced mass effect. A significant reduction occurred between pre-operative and post-operative T2 volumes (139 ± 68 vs 78 ± 59). Lack of concordance was observed between T1PRECTV and T1POSTCTV (CI = 0.67 ± 0.09), T2PRECTV and T2POSTCTV (CI = 0.39 ± 0.20) and comparing the portion of the T1PRECTV and T1POSTCTV not covered by that defined on T2PRECTV images (CI = 0.45 ± 0.16 and 0.44 ± 0.17, respectively). Conclusion Using T2 MRI, huge variations can be observed in peritumoural oedema, which are probably due to steroid treatment. Using T1 MRI, brain shifts after surgery and possible progressive enhancing lesions produce substantial differences in CTVs. Our data support the use of post-operative/pre-radiotherapy T1 weighted MRI for planning purposes. PMID:21045069

Unemployment in Iraqi Refugees: The Interaction of Pre and Post-Displacement Trauma

Science.gov (United States)

Wright, A. Michelle; Dhalimi, Abir; Lumley, Mark A.; Jamil, Hikmet; Pole, Nnamdi; Arnetz, Judith E.; Arnetz, Bengt B.

2016-01-01

Previous refugee research has been unable to link pre-displacement trauma with unemployment in the host country. The current study assessed the role of pre-displacement trauma, post-displacement trauma, and the interaction of both trauma types to prospectively examine unemployment in a random sample of newly-arrived Iraqi refugees. Participants (N=286) were interviewed three times over the first two years post-arrival. Refugees were assessed for pre-displacement trauma exposure, post-displacement trauma exposure, a history of unemployment in the country of origin and host country, and symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression. Analyses found that neither pre-displacement nor post-displacement trauma independently predicted unemployment 2 years post-arrival; however, the interaction of pre and post-displacement trauma predicted 2-year unemployment. Refugees with high levels of both pre and post-displacement trauma had a 91% predicted probability of unemployment, whereas those with low levels of both traumas had a 20% predicted probability. This interaction remained significant after controlling for sociodemographic variables and mental health upon arrival to the U.S. Resettlement agencies and community organizations should consider the interactive effect of encountering additional trauma after escaping the hardships of the refugee's country of origin. PMID:27535348

Post-Malthusian Dynamics in Pre-Industrial Scandinavia

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Klemp, Marc; Møller, Niels Framroze

2016-01-01

that England was characterized by post-Malthusian dynamics preceding the Industrial Revolution. However, given England's special position as the forerunner of the Industrial Revolution, it is unclear if a transitory post-Malthusian period is a general phenomenon. Using data from Denmark, Norway and Sweden......Theories of economic growth hypothesize that the transition from pre-industrial stagnation to sustained growth is associated with a post-Malthusian phase in which technological progress raises income and spurs population growth while offsetting diminishing returns to labor. Evidence suggests...

Embedding Evidence-based Practice Education into a Post-graduate Physiotherapy Program: Eight Years of pre-Post Course Evaluations.

Science.gov (United States)

Perraton, L; Machotka, Z; Grimmer, K; Gibbs, C; Mahar, C; Kennedy, K

2017-04-01

Little has been published about the effectiveness of training postgraduate physiotherapy coursework students in research methods and evidence-based practice (EBP) theory. Graduate qualities in most universities include lifelong learning. Inclusion of EBP in post-graduate coursework students' training is one way for students to develop the knowledge and skills needed to implement current best evidence in their clinical practice after graduation, thereby facilitating lifelong learning. This paper reports on change in confidence and anxiety in knowledge of statistical terminology and concepts related to research design and EBP in eight consecutive years of post-graduate physiotherapy students at one Australian university. Pre-survey/post-survey instruments were administered to students in an intensive 3-week post-graduate course, which taught health research methods, biostatistics and EBP. This course was embedded into a post-graduate physiotherapy programme from 2007 to 2014. The organization and delivery of the course was based on best pedagogical evidence for effectively teaching adult physiotherapists. The course was first delivered each year in the programme, and no other course was delivered concurrently. There were significant improvements in confidence, significantly decreased anxiety and improvements in knowledge of statistical terminology and concepts related to research design and EBP, at course completion. Age, gender and country of origin were not confounders on learning outcomes, although there was a (non-significant) trend that years of practice negatively impacted on learning outcomes (p = 0.09). There was a greater improvement in confidence in statistical terminology than in concepts related to research design and EBP. An intensive teaching programme in health research methods and biostatistics and EBP, based on best practice adult physiotherapy learning principles, is effective immediately post-course, in decreasing anxiety and increasing

CT measurement of fat in pre- and post-menopausal women with breast cancer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sato, Masanori; Ogura, Toshihiro

2011-01-01

Since breast cancer is the most common cancer among Japanese women, research leading to its prevention and early detection is important, and many studies have reported a relationship between this cancer and obesity. In addition, it has been reported that the risk of breast cancer posed by obesity differs between pre- and post-menopausal patients. In this study, we investigated the difference in the amount of body fat between pre- and post-menopausal breast cancer patients by measuring the areas of total, visceral, and subcutaneous fat on CT images acquired at the level of the umbilicus. The subjects were 136 women, comprising 63 with breast cancer (21 pre- and 42 post-menopausal) and 73 with other diseases (31 pre- and 42 post menopausal). We found that post-menopausal women with breast cancer had a significantly greater amount of fat than their pre-menopausal counterparts, presumably attributable to the action of estrogen. These results suggest that fat accumulation in post-menopausal women increases the risk of breast cancer. (author)

[Pre- and post-surgical orthodontic treatment of mandibular asymmetry and prognathism].

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Song; Chen, Yang-xi; Hu, Jing

2005-01-01

The purpose of this study was to analyze the pre- and post surgical orthodontic treatment of mandibular asymmetry and prognathism in our hospital, and to summarize some helpful experiences for future clinical work. The data were derived from 21 adults aged from 19 - 28 years who had severe mandibular asymmetry and prognathism. The ANB angle of all patients is from -3 degrees to -8 degrees. The value of wits of all patients is from -7 mm to -14 mm. The deviation of chin point of all patients is from 3 mm to 7 mm. The duration of pre- and post-surgical orthodontic treatment was 10-20 months (mean 18 months) and 5-10 months (mean 7.5 months), respectively. The keys in pre-surgical orthodontic treatment include (1) three dimensional dental decompensation; (2) arch form and transverse discrepancy correction; (3) model surgery and the splint making. The main objective of post surgical orthodontic treatment is to detail the occlusion. Pre- and post surgical orthodontic treatment is essential for the orthognathic treatment of patients with mandibular asymmetry and prognathism.

PET measures of pre- and post-synaptic cardiac beta adrenergic function

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Link, Jeanne M.; Stratton, John R.; Levy, Wayne; Poole, Jeanne E.; Shoner, Steven C.; Stuetzle, Werner; Caldwell, James H. E-mail: jcald@u.washington.edu

2003-11-01

Positron Emission Tomography was used to measure global and regional cardiac {beta}-adrenergic function in 19 normal subjects and 9 congestive heart failure patients. [{sup 11}C]-meta-hydroxyephedrine was used to image norepinephrine transporter function as an indicator of pre-synaptic function and [{sup 11}C]-CGP12177 was used to measure cell surface {beta}-receptor density as an indicator of post-synaptic function. Pre-synaptic, but not post-synaptic, function was significantly different between normals and CHF patients. Pre-synaptic function was well matched to post-synaptic function in the normal hearts but significantly different and poorly matched in the CHF patients studied. This imaging technique can help us understand regional sympathetic function in cardiac disease.

Pre-liver transplant psychosocial evaluation predicts post-transplantation outcomes.

Science.gov (United States)

Benson, Ariel A; Rowe, Mina; Eid, Ahmad; Bluth, Keren; Merhav, Hadar; Khalaileh, Abed; Safadi, Rifaat

2018-08-01

Psychosocial factors greatly impact the course of patients throughout the liver transplantation process. A retrospective chart review was performed of patients who underwent liver transplantation at Hadassah-Hebrew University Medical Center between 2002 and 2012. A composite psychosocial score was computed based on the patient's pre-transplant evaluation. Patients were divided into two groups based on compliance, support and insight: Optimal psychosocial score and Non-optimal psychosocial score. Post-liver transplantation survival and complication rates were evaluated. Out of 100 patients who underwent liver transplantation at the Hadassah-Hebrew University Medical Center between 2002 and 2012, 93% had a complete pre-liver transplant psychosocial evaluation in the medical record performed by professional psychologists and social workers. Post-liver transplantation survival was significantly higher in the Optimal group (85%) as compared to the Non-optimal group (56%, p = .002). Post-liver transplantation rate of renal failure was significantly lower in the Optimal group. No significant differences were observed between the groups in other post-transplant complications. A patient's psychosocial status may impact outcomes following transplantation as inferior psychosocial grades were associated with lower overall survival and increased rates of complications. Pre-liver transplant psychosocial evaluations are an important tool to help predict survival following transplantation.

Pre/post-closure assessment of groundwater pharmaceutical fate in a wastewater‑facility-impacted stream reach

Science.gov (United States)

Bradley, Paul M.; Barber, Larry B.; Clark, Jimmy M.; Duris, Joseph W.; Foreman, William T.; Furlong, Edward T.; Givens, Carrie E.; Hubbard, Laura E.; Hutchinson, Kasey J.; Journey, Celeste A.; Keefe, Steffanie H.; Kolpin, Dana W.

2016-01-01

Pharmaceutical contamination of contiguous groundwater is a substantial concern in wastewater-impacted streams, due to ubiquity in effluent, high aqueous mobility, designed bioactivity, and to effluent-driven hydraulic gradients. Wastewater treatment facility (WWTF) closures are rare environmental remediation events; offering unique insights into contaminant persistence, long-term wastewater impacts, and ecosystem recovery processes. The USGS conducted a combined pre/post-closure groundwater assessment adjacent to an effluent-impacted reach of Fourmile Creek, Ankeny, Iowa, USA. Higher surface-water concentrations, consistent surface-water to groundwater concentration gradients, and sustained groundwater detections tens of meters from the stream bank demonstrated the importance of WWTF effluent as the source of groundwater pharmaceuticals as well as the persistence of these contaminants under effluent-driven, pre-closure conditions. The number of analytes (110 total) detected in surface water decreased from 69 prior to closure down to 8 in the first post-closure sampling event approximately 30 d later, with a corresponding 2 order of magnitude decrease in the cumulative concentration of detected analytes. Post-closure cumulative concentrations of detected analytes were approximately 5 times higher in proximal groundwater than in surface water. About 40% of the 21 contaminants detected in a downstream groundwater transect immediately before WWTF closure exhibited rapid attenuation with estimated half-lives on the order of a few days; however, a comparable number exhibited no consistent attenuation during the year-long post-closure assessment. The results demonstrate the potential for effluent-impacted shallow groundwater systems to accumulate pharmaceutical contaminants and serve as long-term residual sources, further increasing the risk of adverse ecological effects in groundwater and the near-stream ecosystem.

Differential genetic basis for pre-menopausal and post-menopausal salt-sensitive hypertension.

Science.gov (United States)

Herrera, Victoria L M; Pasion, Khristine A; Moran, Ann Marie; Ruiz-Opazo, Nelson

2012-01-01

Essential hypertension affects 75% of post-menopausal women in the United States causing greater cardiovascular complications compared with age-matched men and pre-menopausal women. Hormone replacement and current anti-hypertensive therapies do not correct this post-menopausal increased risk suggesting a distinct pathogenic framework. We investigated the hypothesis that distinct genetic determinants might underlie susceptibility to salt sensitive hypertension in pre-menopausal and post-menopausal states. To determine whether distinct genetic loci contribute to post-menopausal salt-sensitive hypertension, we performed a genome-wide scan for quantitative trait loci (QTLs) affecting blood pressure (BP) in 16-month old post-menopausal F2 (Dahl S×R)-intercross female rats characterized for blood pressure by radiotelemetry. Given identical environments and high salt challenge, post-menopausal BP levels were significantly higher than observed in pre-menopausal (post-menopausal versus pre-menopausal SBP, P<0.0001) and ovariectomized (post-menopausal versus ovariectomized SBP, P<0.001) F2-intercross female rats. We detected four significant to highly significant BP-QTLs (BP-pm1 on chromosome 13, LOD 3.78; BP-pm2 on chromosome 11, LOD 2.76; BP-pm3 on chromosome 2, LOD 2.61; BP-pm4 on chromosome 4, LOD 2.50) and two suggestive BP-QTLs (BP-pm5 on chromosome 15, LOD 2.37; BP-f1 on chromosome 5, LOD 1.65), four of which (BP-pm2, BP-pm3, BP-pm4, BP-pm5) were unique to this post-menopausal cohort. These data demonstrate distinct polygenic susceptibility underlying post-menopausal salt-sensitive hypertension providing a pathway towards the identification of mechanism-based therapy for post-menopausal hypertension and ensuing target-organ complications.

Lung volume and expiratory flow rates from pre- to post-puberty.

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, Joshua R; Emerson, Sam R; Kurti, Stephanie P; Gandhi, Kirti; Harms, Craig A

2015-08-01

The purpose was to determine if the airways and lungs grow disproportionately from pre- to post-puberty in boys and girls. We hypothesized that the airways grow at a slower rate than lung volume (i.e. dysanapsis growth) during puberty and boys would exhibit more dysanaptic growth compared to girls. Twenty-one pre-pubescent children [11 boys (pre 10.1 ± 0.5 years, post 15.3 ± 0.5 years); 10 girls (pre 9.4 ± 1.0 years, post 14.1 ± 1.0 years)] performed pulmonary function tests (PFTs) ~5 years ago from an original cohort of 40 children. These 21 children performed PFTs, which included forced vital capacity (FVC) and forced expiratory flow at 50 % FVC (FEF50). Static pressure at 50 % of FVC [Pst(L)50 %] was estimated based on age. Dysanapsis ratio (DR) was calculated [FEF50 × FVC(-1) × Pst(L) 50 % (-1) ]. Maturation status was determined via Tanner stages. Stage of maturation was not different (p > 0.05) between boys and girls (4.2 ± 0.6 stage vs. 3.7 ± 0.7 stage, respectively). FVC and FEF50 increased (p 0.05) from pre- to post-puberty. FEF50 and FVC significantly increased and DR decreased (p puberty for both sexes. Post-puberty, boys had a significantly larger FVC, but FEF50, DR, and FEF50/FVC were not different (p > 0.05) compared to girls. These data suggest that dysanaptic growth occurs during puberty and that it is not different between boys and girls.

[Pre- and post-surgical orthodontic treatment for skeletal open bite].

Science.gov (United States)

Zhou, Y; Hu, W; Sun, Y

2001-05-01

To Study the principles and rules of pre- and post-surgical orthodontic treatment for skeletal open bite patients. Thirty-two surgically treated open bite cases were analyzed, of which 9 were males, and 23 were females, aged from 16 to 38. Open bite was from 1 to 8.5 mm, average was 4 mm. 31 patients were Class III malocclusion, while 1 patient was Class II malocclusion. 1. Totally 21 patients were treated with orthodontics before and after orthognathic surgery, while 8 patients had pre-surgical orthodontics only, and other 3 had post-surgical orthodontics only. The duration for pre-surgical orthodontics was from 4 to 33 months, average was 12 months. The duration for post-surgical orthodontics was from 3 to 17 months, average was 8.5 months. 2. Presurgical orthodontic treatment included: Alignment of arches, decompensation of incisors, avoiding extrusion of incisors, and slight expansion of arches for coordination of arches. 3. Post-surgical orthodontic treatment included: Closure of residual spaces in the arches, realignment of arches, vertical elastics and Class II or III intermaxillary elastics. Skeletal open bites require combined orthodontic-orthognathic surgery for optimal and esthetical pleasing results.

Pre- and post-selection, weak values and contextuality

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tollaksen, Jeff

2007-01-01

By analysing the concept of contextuality (Bell-Kochen-Specker) in terms of pre- and post-selection, it is possible to assign definite values to observables in a new and surprising way. Physical reasons are presented for restrictions on these assignments. When measurements are performed which do not disturb the pre- and post-selection (i.e. weak measurements), then novel experimental aspects of contextuality can be demonstrated. We also prove that every PPS-paradox with definite predictions directly implies 'quantum contextuality' which is introduced as the analogue of contextuality at the level of quantum mechanics rather than at the level of hidden variable theories. Finally, we argue that certain results of these measurements (e.g. eccentric weak values outside the eigenvalue spectrum) cannot be explained by a 'classical-like' hidden variable theory

Differential genetic basis for pre-menopausal and post-menopausal salt-sensitive hypertension.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Victoria L M Herrera

Full Text Available Essential hypertension affects 75% of post-menopausal women in the United States causing greater cardiovascular complications compared with age-matched men and pre-menopausal women. Hormone replacement and current anti-hypertensive therapies do not correct this post-menopausal increased risk suggesting a distinct pathogenic framework. We investigated the hypothesis that distinct genetic determinants might underlie susceptibility to salt sensitive hypertension in pre-menopausal and post-menopausal states. To determine whether distinct genetic loci contribute to post-menopausal salt-sensitive hypertension, we performed a genome-wide scan for quantitative trait loci (QTLs affecting blood pressure (BP in 16-month old post-menopausal F2 (Dahl S×R-intercross female rats characterized for blood pressure by radiotelemetry. Given identical environments and high salt challenge, post-menopausal BP levels were significantly higher than observed in pre-menopausal (post-menopausal versus pre-menopausal SBP, P<0.0001 and ovariectomized (post-menopausal versus ovariectomized SBP, P<0.001 F2-intercross female rats. We detected four significant to highly significant BP-QTLs (BP-pm1 on chromosome 13, LOD 3.78; BP-pm2 on chromosome 11, LOD 2.76; BP-pm3 on chromosome 2, LOD 2.61; BP-pm4 on chromosome 4, LOD 2.50 and two suggestive BP-QTLs (BP-pm5 on chromosome 15, LOD 2.37; BP-f1 on chromosome 5, LOD 1.65, four of which (BP-pm2, BP-pm3, BP-pm4, BP-pm5 were unique to this post-menopausal cohort. These data demonstrate distinct polygenic susceptibility underlying post-menopausal salt-sensitive hypertension providing a pathway towards the identification of mechanism-based therapy for post-menopausal hypertension and ensuing target-organ complications.

Evaluating FDG uptake changes between pre and post therapy respiratory gated PET scans

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aristophanous, Michalis; Yong, Yue; Yap, Jeffrey T.; Killoran, Joseph H.; Allen, Aaron M.; Berbeco, Ross I.; Chen, Aileen B.

2012-01-01

Purpose: Whole body (3D) and respiratory gated (4D) FDG-PET/CT scans performed pre-radiotherapy (pre-RT) and post-radiotherapy (post-RT) were analyzed to investigate the impact of 4D PET in evaluating 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) uptake changes due to therapy, relative to traditional 3D PET. Methods and materials: 3D and 4D sequential FDG-PET/CT scans were acquired pre-RT and approximately one month post-RT for patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The lesions of high uptake targeted with radiotherapy were identified on the pre-RT scan of each patient. Each lesion on the 3D and each of the five phases of the 4D scan were analyzed using a region of interest (ROI). For each patient the ROIs of the pre-RT scans were used to locate the areas of initial FDG uptake on the post-RT scans following rigid registration. Post-RT ROIs were drawn and the FDG uptake was compared with that of the pre-RT scans. Results: Sixteen distinct lesions from 12 patients were identified and analyzed. Standardized uptake value (SUV) maxima were significantly higher (p-value <0.005) for the lesions as measured on the 4D compared to 3D PET. Comparison of serial pre and post-RT scans showed a mean 62% decrease in SUV with the 3D PET scan (range 36–89%), and a 67% decrease with the 4D PET scan (range 30–89%). The mean absolute difference in SUV change on 3D versus 4D scans was 4.9%, with a range 0–15% (p-value = 0.07). Conclusions: Signal recovery with 4D PET results in higher SUVs when compared to standard 3D PET. Consequently, differences in the evaluation of SUV changes between pre and post-RT plans were observed. Such difference can have a significant impact in PET-based response assessment.

Pre- and post-radiotherapy computed tomography in laryngeal cancer: imaging-based prediction of local failure

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pameijer, Frank A.; Hermans, Robert; Mancuso, Anthony A.; Mendenhall, William M.; Parsons, James T.; Stringer, Scott P.; Kubilis, Paul S.; Tinteren, Harm van

1999-01-01

Purpose: To determine if pre-radiotherapy (RT) and/or post-radiotherapy computed tomography (CT) can predict local failure in patients with laryngeal carcinoma treated with definitive RT. Methods and Materials: The pre- and post-RT CT examinations of 59 patients (T3 glottic carcinoma [n = 30] and T1-T4 supraglottic carcinoma [n = 29]) were reviewed. For each patient, the first post-RT CT study between 1 and 6 months after irradiation was used. All patients were treated with definitive hyperfractionated twice-daily continuous-course irradiation to a total dose of 6,720-7,920 cGy, and followed-up clinically for at least 2 years after completion of RT. Local control was defined as absence of primary tumor recurrence and a functioning larynx. On the pre-treatment CT study, each tumor was assigned a high-or low-risk profile for local failure after RT. The post-RT CT examinations were evaluated for post-treatment changes using a three-point post-RT CT-score: 1 = expected post-RT changes; 2 = focal mass with a maximal diameter of 1 cm, or < 50% estimated tumor volume reduction. Results: The local control rates at 2 years post-RT based on pre-treatment CT evaluation were 88% for low pre-treatment risk profile patients (95% CI: 66-96%) and 34% (95% CI: 19-50%) for high pre-treatment risk profile patients (risk ratio 6.583; 95% CI: 2.265-9.129; p = 0.0001). Based on post-treatment CT, the local control rates at 2 years post-RT were 94% for score 1, 67% for score 2, and 10% for score 3 (risk ratio 4.760; 95% CI: 2.278-9.950 p 0.0001). Post-RT CT scores added significant information to the pre-treatment risk profiles on prognosis. Conclusions: Pre-treatment CT risk profiles, as well as post-RT CT evaluation can identify patients, irradiated for laryngeal carcinomas, at high risk for developing local failure. When the post-RT CT score is available, it proves to be an even better prognosticator than the pre-treatment CT-risk profile

Diffusion-weighted imaging properties of uterine fibroids pre- and post-uterine fibroid embolisation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kirpalani, Anish, E-mail: kirpalania@smh.ca [Department of Medical Imaging, University of Toronto, St. Michael’s Hospital, 30 Bond Street, 3CC, Toronto, ON M5B 1W8 (Canada); Chong, Jennifer [Department of Medical Imaging, University of Toronto, St. Michael’s Hospital, 30 Bond Street, 3CC, Toronto, ON M5B 1W8 (Canada); Yang, Natalie [Department of Radiology, Austin Health, Heidelberg, Victoria 3084 (Australia); Jenkins, Sarah J. [Department of Radiology, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John’s, NL A1B 3V6 (Canada); Nisenbaum, Rosane [Centre for Research on Inner City Health, the Keenan Research Centre in the Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute of St. Michael’s Hospital, Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, 30 Bond Street, Toronto, ON M5B 1W8 (Canada); Prabhudesai, Vikramaditya; Anthwal, Shalini; Colak, Errol [Department of Medical Imaging, University of Toronto, St. Michael’s Hospital, 30 Bond Street, 3CC, Toronto, ON M5B 1W8 (Canada)

2014-09-15

Highlights: • Change in ADC and contrast enhancement of uterine fibroids following UFE was studied. • ADC of fibroids rises post-UFE. Previous studies assessing this change have conflicting results. • ADC rise post-UFE is associated with degree of loss of contrast enhancement. • ADC measurement using DWI is not yet a proven replacement for GBCA-enhanced MRI. - Abstract: Objective: To determine the change in apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) of uterine fibroids following uterine fibroid embolisation (UFE), and if the ADC change correlates with either volume loss or degree of contrast enhancement post-UFE. Materials and methods: This study was approved by our institutional review board with waiver of consent. The pelvic MRI examinations, including diffusion-weighted MRI (DWI) using 4 b-values, of 50 consecutive patients prior to and 6 months post-UFE were analyzed. The volume, ADC and amount of enhancement were calculated for each fibroid both pre- and post-UFE. The percent residual enhancement for each fibroid was categorized as either: no (0–1%) residual enhancement or residual (>1%) enhancement. Statistical analysis compared ADC, enhancement and volume for each fibroid pre- and post-UFE using paired t-tests and Pearson correlation coefficients. Results: The mean ADC of all (n = 88) fibroids pre-UFE was 1.30 ± 0.20 × 10{sup −3} mm{sup 2}/s, and increased to 1.68 ± 0.24 × 10{sup −3} mm{sup 2}/s post-UFE (p < 0.0001). Lower pre-UFE ADC correlated with greater ADC change post-UFE (r = −0.50; p < 0.0001). There was no correlation between ADC change and volume change post-UFE (r = 0.07; p = 0.59). However, fibroids with no residual enhancement post-UFE had larger ADC change than those with residual enhancement (p = 0.003). Conclusion: The ADC of fibroids rises post-UFE. ADC change post-UFE is associated with the degree of loss of enhancement and may therefore be valuable in predicting response to treatment in pre-procedural counseling.

Effect of disinfecting teats post-milking or pre- and post-milking on intramammary infection and somatic cell count.

Science.gov (United States)

Williamson, J H; Lacy-Hulbert, S J

2013-09-01

To determine the effects of (a) post-milking teat disinfection compared with no disinfection and (b) pre- and post-milking teat disinfection compared with post-milking disinfection alone, on the incidence of new intramammary infection (IMI), somatic cell count (SCC) and teat skin abnormalities in dairy cows. In Experiment 1, dairy cows in five dairy herds were randomly allocated to a post-milking teat disinfection group (n=230), that was sprayed with an iodine-based disinfectant (TeatguardPlus) for a complete lactation, or to a non-disinfected group (n=239). In Experiment 2, cows were randomly allocated to post-milking teat disinfection (n=239) or both pre- and post-milking teat disinfection (n=235), using a chloramine-T-based disinfectant (Teatsweet) for both treatments, from calving to 118-127 days in milk. The incidence of new IMI was determined by aseptic sampling of all quarters at calving, during lactation, and at trial end or at drying-off, with clinical mastitis cases sampled on detection. SCC and teat skin abnormalities were measured at 2-monthly intervals during lactation. In both experiments, disinfectant was applied by spray application. Cows that received post-milking teat disinfection had a lower incidence of new IMI caused by Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus uberis, Corynebacterium spp and coagulase negative staphylococci, had lower bulk milk SCC during lactation, and had fewer teat skin abnormalities compared with the non-disinfected cows (p disinfection, in addition to post-milking teat disinfection, did not reduce the incidence of new IMI for any pathogens and did not reduce SCC (p> 0.05). Post-milking teat disinfection applied as a spray is a key component in mastitis control in New Zealand. There was no benefit from the addition of pre-milking disinfection. This study confirms previous findings of the effectiveness of post-milking teat disinfection in reducing the incidence of IMI caused by the common mastitis-causing pathogens in New

Critical Challenges of Pre and Post Service Extension Education ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Critical Challenges of Pre and Post Service Extension Education and ... poor policy decision and implementation, rapid development in science and ... problems associated with information/communication echnologies access and utilization.

The effect of colostrum on pigs pre-natally or post-natally exposed to Schistosoma japonicum

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Techau, M.E.; Johansen, M.V.; Lind, Peter

2004-01-01

Pre-natal infection of Schistosoma japonicum in pigs may prove to be a useful model in shedding light on human pre-natal schistosomiasis. This study describes the effects of immune colostrum on worm burdens, tissue egg counts, liver pathology and crude worm or egg antigen-specific IgG and Ig......A responses, in groups of pigs pre-natally, pre-natally + post-natally or post-natally exposed to S. japonicum. Results suggest that pre-natal exposure and immune colostrum did not affect the establishment of a post-natal challenge infection. However, immune colostrum seemed to increase the levels of septal...

Pre-deployment dissociation and personality as risk factors for post-deployment post-traumatic stress disorder in Danish soldiers deployed to Afghanistan

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ponce de León, Beatriz; Andersen, Søren; Karstoft, Karen Inge

2018-01-01

Objective: This study investigated whether pre-deployment dissociation was associated with previously identified post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptom trajectories from before to 2.5 years after military deployment. Furthermore, it examined whether the tendency to dissociate, pre-deployme......Objective: This study investigated whether pre-deployment dissociation was associated with previously identified post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptom trajectories from before to 2.5 years after military deployment. Furthermore, it examined whether the tendency to dissociate, pre...

Pre-operative assessment and post-operative care in elective shoulder surgery.

Science.gov (United States)

Akhtar, Ahsan; Macfarlane, Robert J; Waseem, Mohammad

2013-01-01

Pre-operative assessment is required prior to the majority of elective surgical procedures, primarily to ensure that the patient is fit to undergo surgery, whilst identifying issues that may need to be dealt with by the surgical or anaesthetic teams. The post-operative management of elective surgical patients begins during the peri-operative period and involves several health professionals. Appropriate monitoring and repeated clinical assessments are required in order for the signs of surgical complications to be recognised swiftly and adequately. This article examines the literature regarding pre-operative assessment in elective orthopaedic surgery and shoulder surgery, whilst also reviewing the essentials of peri- and post-operative care. The need to recognise common post-operative complications early and promptly is also evaluated, along with discussing thromboprophylaxis and post-operative analgesia following shoulder surgery.

Community Awareness on Rabies Prevention and Control in Bicol, Philippines: Pre- and Post-Project Implementation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Toni Rose M. Barroga

2018-02-01

Full Text Available Rabies is endemic in the Philippines. To support the rabies campaign in the Bicol region at the southeastern part of Luzon, the BAI-OIE Stop Transboundary Animal Diseases and Zoonoses (STANDZ Rabies project was implemented in the pilot provinces of Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Albay, and Masbate. A community awareness survey was conducted with the residents of these provinces to determine their knowledge, attitude, and practices (KAP on rabies during the start and end of the project. Qualitative, descriptive research was done with a structured KAP questionnaire. Pet owners in the pilot provinces were chosen as respondents. Results showed that respondents know that they can acquire rabies in animals through the bite of a rabid dog (pre-project implementation (PRI: 19.6%, post-project implementation (POI: 38.0%. Vaccination was the top rabies preventive measure (PRI: 61.8%, POI: 92.8%. Biting incidents were noted in some respondents, and observing the dog and killing it immediately were some of the actions taken by bite victims. If a supposed rabid dog was seen, respondents would either: immediately kill the dog (PRI: 20.3%, POI: 13.7%, report it to authorities (PRI: 26.3%, POI: 63.1%, and capture and observe the dog concerned (PRI: 13.5%, POI: 6.0%. Pet owners increased their KAP about rabies prevention and control as compared to the pre-implementation study. However, certain gaps in their KAP need to be given attention; thus continuous education of pet owners must be done.

A comparison of pre- and post-remediation water quality, Mineral Creek, Colorado

Science.gov (United States)

Runkel, R.L.; Bencala, K.E.; Kimball, B.A.; Walton-Day, K.; Verplanck, P.L.

2009-01-01

Pre- and post-remediation data sets are used herein to assess the effectiveness of remedial measures implemented in the headwaters of the Mineral Creek watershed, where contamination from hard rock mining has led to elevated metal concentrations and acidic pH. Collection of pre- and post-remediation data sets generally followed the synoptic mass balance approach, in which numerous stream and inflow locations are sampled for the constituents of interest and estimates of streamflow are determined by tracer dilution. The comparison of pre- and post-remediation data sets is confounded by hydrologic effects and the effects of temporal variation. Hydrologic effects arise due to the relatively wet conditions that preceded the collection of pre-remediation data, and the relatively dry conditions associated with the post-remediation data set. This difference leads to a dilution effect in the upper part of the study reach, where pre-remediation concentrations were diluted by rainfall, and a source area effect in the lower part of the study reach, where a smaller portion of the watershed may have been contributing constituent mass during the drier post-remediation period. A second confounding factor, temporal variability, violates the steady-state assumption that underlies the synoptic mass balance approach, leading to false identification of constituent sources and sinks. Despite these complications, remedial actions completed in the Mineral Creek headwaters appear to have led to improvements in stream water quality, as post-remediation profiles of instream load are consistently lower than the pre-remediation profiles over the entire study reach for six of the eight constituents considered (aluminium, arsenic, cadmium, copper, iron, and zinc). Concentrations of aluminium, cadmium, copper, lead, and zinc remain above chronic aquatic-life standards, however, and additional remedial actions may be needed. Future implementations of the synoptic mass balance approach should be

SUPPLEMENTAL CARDIOPLEGIA IMMEDIATELY BEFORE GRAFT IMPLANTATION MAY IMPROVE EARLY POST-TRANSPLANTATION OUTCOME

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Hendrik eTevaearai Stahel

2014-11-01

Full Text Available Background: Preservation of cardiac grafts for transplantation is not standardized and most centers use a single administration of crystalloid solution at the time of harvesting. We investigated possible benefits of an additional dose of cardioplegia dispensed immediately before implantation.Methods: Consecutive adult cardiac transplantations (2005-2012 were reviewed. Hearts were harvested following a standard protocol (Celsior 2L, 4-8oC. In 2008, 100mL crystalloid cardioplegic solution was added and administered immediately before implantation. Univariate and logistic regression analyses were used to investigate risk factors for post-operative graft failure and mid-term outcome. Results: A total of 81 patients, 44 standard (Cardio - versus 37 with additional cardioplegia (Cardio + were analyzed. Recipients and donors were comparable in both groups. Cardio + patients demonstrated a reduced need for defibrillation (24% vs. 48%, p=0.03, post-operative ratio of CK-MB/CK (10.1±3.9% vs. 13.3±4.2%, p=0.001, intubation time (2.0±1.6 vs. 7.2±11.5 days, p=0.05 and ICU stay (3.9±2.1 vs. 8.5±7.8 days, p=0.001. Actuarial survival was reduced when graft ischemic time was >180 minutes in Cardio – but not in Cardio + patients (p=0.033. Organ ischemic time >180 minutes (OR:5.48, CI:1.08-27.75, donor female gender (OR:5.84, CI:1.13-33.01 and recipient/donor age >60 (OR:6.33, CI:0.86-46.75, but not the additional cardioplegia nor the observation period appeared independent predictors of post-operative acute graft failure.Conclusion: An additional dose of cardioplegia administered immediately before implantation may be a simple way to improve early and late outcome of cardiac transplantation, especially in situations of prolonged graft ischemia. A large, ideally multicentric, randomized study is desirable to verify this preliminary observation.

Effects of a pre-and post-workout protein-carbohydrate supplement in trained crossfit individuals.

Science.gov (United States)

Outlaw, Jordan J; Wilborn, Colin D; Smith-Ryan, Abbie E; Hayward, Sara E; Urbina, Stacie L; Taylor, Lem W; Foster, Cliffa A

2014-01-01

The purpose was to assess effects of a pre- and a post-workout protein-carbohydrate supplement on CrossFit-specific performance and body composition. In an open label randomized study, 13 male and 16 female trained Crossfit participants (mean ± SD; age: 31.87 ± 7.61 yrs, weight: 78.68 ± 16.45 kg, percent body fat: 21.97 ± 9.02) were assessed at 0 and 6 weeks for body composition, VO2max, Wingate peak (WPP) and mean power (WMP), in addition to sport-specific workouts (WOD1: 500 m row, 40 wall balls, 30 push-ups, 20 box jumps, 10 thrusters for time; WOD2: 15 minutes to complete an 800 m run "buy in", followed by as many rounds as possible (AMRAP) of 5 burpees, 10 Kettlebell swings, 15 air squats). The supplement (SUP) group consisted of 19 g of a pre-workout drink (extracts of pomegranate, tart cherry, green and black tea) taken 30 minutes before and a post-workout protein (females: 20 g; males: 40 g) and carbohydrate (females: 40 g; males: 80 g) supplement consumed immediately after each workout. The control (CTL) group consumed only water one hour before or after workouts. Participants completed three (minimum) varied workouts per week at a CrossFit gym as typical to habitual training throughout the six week study. Data were analyzed by repeated measures ANOVA (p CrossFit athletes but not others.

Combination laser treatment for immediate post-surgical scars: a retrospective analysis of 33 immature scars.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Yongsoo; Kim, Wooram

2017-07-01

The application of laser treatments beginning on the day of stitch removal has been demonstrated to improve scar quality. However, there are few guidelines for the treatment of immature scars (ISs), which are defined as "scars whose features are not yet expressed." The purpose of this study was to extract information about early combination laser treatment (CLT) beyond what is currently known by analyzing 33 pairs of pre-treatment and post-treatment photographs of ISs. Two hundred fifty medical records of patients with scars were reviewed, and 33 scars were included in the study. The included scars were treated with vascular lasers (585 or 532 nm) followed by 1550-nm fractional lasers from May 2014 to July 2015 (fewer than 52 days after stitch removal, Fitzpatrick's skin types III-IV, mean age = 16.0 years). Blinded evaluators (one plastic surgeon and two dermatologists) evaluated the pre-treatment and post-treatment photographs. The pre-treatment photographs were scored on a spectrum from "0," when no difference with the surrounding unaffected skin was observed, to "100," when the worst scarring was present. The pre-treatment and post-treatment photographs were compared, and the results were graded on a spectrum from 0, when no difference between the pre-treatment and post-treatment photographs was observed, to 100, when no difference was observed between the post-treatment skin and the surrounding unaffected skin. Statistical analyses were performed with PASW 17.0, SPSS Korea, Seoul, Korea (p laser groups. Patient age and Wtd score were negatively correlated, and a significant difference was observed in the Wtd scores between the age groups (≥15 and lasers are equally effective for CLT of ISs.

Cytogenetic and genetic studies of radiation-induced chromosome damage in mouse oocytes. Part 1. Numerical and structural chromosome anomalies in metaphase II oocytes, pre- and post-implantation embryos

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tease, Charles; Fisher, Graham

1996-01-01

The incidences of X-ray induced numerical and structural chromosome anomalies were screened in a range of developmental stages from metaphase II oocytes through to post-implantation embryos. Following 1 Gy of acute X-rays to immediately preovulatory stage oocytes, the rate of hyperploidy (chromosome gain) was found to be elevated over levels in unirradiated controls, at metaphase II, in 1-cell and 3.5 day pre-implantation embryos but not in 8.5 day post-implantation foetuses. In the latter, however, the frequency of mosaicism was significantly increased. A similar response of an increase in mosaicism but not in hyperploidy in 8.5 day post-implantation embryos was also found after irradiation of dictyate stage oocytes with 4 Gy of acute X-rays. Significantly elevated frequencies of structural chromosome anomalies were present in metaphase II oocytes and pre-implantation embryonic stages, but could not be detected in block-stained chromosome preparations from 8.5 day post-implantation foetuses. However, analysis of chromosome preparations after G-banding showed that almost 14% of 14.5 day foetuses carried a chromosome rearrangement after 1 Gy of X-rays to immediately preovulatory stage oocytes. Overall, our data indicate that the presence of radiation-induced chromosome gains are incompatible with embryonic survival but that a proportion of embryos with structural chromosome damage develop past mid-gestation. These latter embryos are therefore potentially capable of contributing to the genetic burden of the next generation

Population Level Effects of a Mass Media Alcohol and Breast Cancer Campaign: A Cross-Sectional Pre-Intervention and Post-Intervention Evaluation.

Science.gov (United States)

Martin, Neil; Buykx, Penny; Shevills, Colin; Sullivan, Claire; Clark, Lynsey; Newbury-Birch, Dorothy

2018-01-01

To examine the relationship between a TV-led breast cancer mass-media campaign in the North East of England (conducted in two waves: Jul/2015 and Nov/2015), awareness of the link between alcohol and cancer, intention to reduce alcohol consumption and support for alcohol related policies. Three cross-sectional surveys were conducted; one over the 2 weeks pre-campaign (n = 572); one immediately following campaign wave 1 (n = 576); and another immediately following campaign wave 2 (n = 552). Survey questions assessed; campaign exposure; awareness of the links between alcohol and related cancers; intention to change alcohol consumption; and support for alcohol related policies. The proportion of respondents indicating awareness of alcohol as a cancer risk factor was larger post-campaign compared to pre-campaign. The largest increase was seen for breast cancer with 45% aware of the links post-campaign wave 2 compared to 33% pre-campaign. The proportion of respondents indicating 'strong support' of the seven alcohol related policies significantly increased between surveys. The proportion of respondents both aware of alcohol as a cancer risk factor and supportive of the seven alcohol related policies significantly increased between surveys. There was no significant change in self-reported intention to reduce alcohol consumption amongst increasing/higher risk drinkers. These findings indicate that a mass-media campaign raising awareness of the links between alcohol and breast cancer is associated with increased awareness and alcohol related policy support at a population level. However, there was no association found with a change in short-term drinking intentions. A mass-media campaign raising awareness of the links between alcohol and breast cancer is associated with increased awareness and alcohol policy support at a population level but does not appear to be associated with a change in short term drinking intentions. © The Author 2017. Medical Council on Alcohol and

GPM Ground Validation: Pre to Post-Launch Era

Science.gov (United States)

Petersen, Walt; Skofronick-Jackson, Gail; Huffman, George

2015-04-01

NASA GPM Ground Validation (GV) activities have transitioned from the pre to post-launch era. Prior to launch direct validation networks and associated partner institutions were identified world-wide, covering a plethora of precipitation regimes. In the U.S. direct GV efforts focused on use of new operational products such as the NOAA Multi-Radar Multi-Sensor suite (MRMS) for TRMM validation and GPM radiometer algorithm database development. In the post-launch, MRMS products including precipitation rate, accumulation, types and data quality are being routinely generated to facilitate statistical GV of instantaneous (e.g., Level II orbit) and merged (e.g., IMERG) GPM products. Toward assessing precipitation column impacts on product uncertainties, range-gate to pixel-level validation of both Dual-Frequency Precipitation Radar (DPR) and GPM microwave imager data are performed using GPM Validation Network (VN) ground radar and satellite data processing software. VN software ingests quality-controlled volumetric radar datasets and geo-matches those data to coincident DPR and radiometer level-II data. When combined MRMS and VN datasets enable more comprehensive interpretation of both ground and satellite-based estimation uncertainties. To support physical validation efforts eight (one) field campaigns have been conducted in the pre (post) launch era. The campaigns span regimes from northern latitude cold-season snow to warm tropical rain. Most recently the Integrated Precipitation and Hydrology Experiment (IPHEx) took place in the mountains of North Carolina and involved combined airborne and ground-based measurements of orographic precipitation and hydrologic processes underneath the GPM Core satellite. One more U.S. GV field campaign (OLYMPEX) is planned for late 2015 and will address cold-season precipitation estimation, process and hydrology in the orographic and oceanic domains of western Washington State. Finally, continuous direct and physical validation

Evaluation of human health risk from in situ recovery uranium mining, pre-and post-mining, and post-restoration

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ruedig, E.; Bhattacharyya, A.; Borch, T.; Johnson, T. [Colorado State University (United States); Till, J. [Risk Assessment Corporation (United States)

2014-07-01

In the United States, the restoration of in situ recovery (ISR) uranium mines is aimed at returning sites to pre-mining conditions. While this may seem an appropriate goal, little or no scientific information is available to justify utilizing baseline conditions for regulatory compliance. The chemical and radiological contaminants monitored for restoration compliance have not been evaluated to ensure they are proper indicators of the mitigation of risk. Pre-mining aquifers do not meet minimum United States drinking water standards, and must have an aquifer exemption in place prior to mining. Under these conditions, returning groundwater to near the original concentrations of contaminants may be unnecessary. Post-mining groundwater is also unlikely to meet standards for drinking water, but may be depleted in at least some toxic species as a result of the mining process. Here, we examine the risk to representative person from the personal use of groundwater sourced from an Uranium ISR mine. Water samples were collected from Cameco Resource's Smith Ranch-Highlands ISR Uranium mine near Casper, Wyoming, USA. Samples were acquired pre-mining, post-mining, and post-restoration. Concentrations of heavy metals and radionuclides were assessed by appropriate analytical techniques (e.g., mass spectroscopy or alpha spectroscopy) and these concentrations were used to estimate human health risk for three exposure scenarios: a scenario with high exposure, a scenario with medium exposure, and a scenario with low exposure. A simple biosphere transport model was constructed for each scenario to estimate the risk to humans from the use of contaminated waters for subsistence-related activities. Chemical and radiological risks were harmonized according to the United States Environmental Protection Agency's guidance for superfund sites. Each exposure scenario and its subsequent risk were evaluated individually for pre-mining, post-mining, and post-restoration aquifer waters

Muslims in Pre- and Post-9/11 Contexts

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Md Abu Shahid Abdullah

2015-07-01

Full Text Available Muslims have never ceased to be important for the West and have been depicted in vilifying and stereotypical manners in western literature and films. However, after the tragic event of 9/11, a dramatic change has been observed in the world’s focus towards Muslims. Although stereotypes and discriminatory actions were nothing new to Muslims, the post-9/11 backlash was absolutely terrible and heartbreaking. People have started to consider Muslims either terrorists or sympathetic to terrorists, and they have been suspected and distrusted. Lots of books, articles and films have depicted Muslims in a derogatory and extreme manner. Pre-9/11 Hollywood movies True Lies and The Siege explicitly show the stereotypical attitude of the West to Muslims while post-9/11 novels like The Reluctant Fundamentalist by Mohsin Hamid and Once in a Promised Land by Laila Halaby depict the plight and predicament of Muslims in America. The article aims to depict the stereotypical, vilifying and antagonistic attitudes of the West to Arabs and Muslims in both pre- and post- 9/11 era. It also aims to prove that the depiction is highly motivated by the media, western authorities and the West’s desire for social, cultural and political dominance over the East. Keywords: Orientalism, Others, Terrorism, Media

Pre- and Post-displacement Stressors and Body Weight Development in Iraqi Refugees in Michigan.

Science.gov (United States)

Jen, K-L Catherine; Zhou, Kequan; Arnetz, Bengt; Jamil, Hikmet

2015-10-01

Refugees have typically experienced stress and trauma before entering the US. Stressors and mental health disorders may contribute to obesity. The aim of this study was to investigate changes in the body mass index (BMI) in Iraqi refugees settled in Michigan in relationship to pre- and post-migration stressors and mental health. Anthropometric and demographic data were collected from 290 Iraqi refugees immediately after they arrived in Michigan and one year after settlement. Significant increases were observed in BMI (+0.46 ± 0.09 kg/m(2), p refugees suffering from hypertension (from 9.6 to 13.1%, p migration trauma and social support, were also observed. Linear regression analyses failed to link stressors, well-being, and mental health to changes in BMI. It is likely that acculturation to a new lifestyle, including dietary patterns and physical activity levels, may have contributed to these changes.

Pre- and post-operative values of serum CRP in patients undergoing surgery for brain tumour

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Syeda, T.; Rizvi, H.A.; Hashim, A.S.

2014-01-01

Objective: To determine the concentration of C-reactive protein in pre- and post-operative serum samples of brain tumour patients in order to detect the potential risks of post-operative infections. Methods: Serum C-reactive protein was measured on pre- and post-operative Day 1, Day 2 and Day 7 in 18 patients who underwent surgery for brain tumours. The study was performed at the Neurosurgical Ward, Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre, Karachi, from May 2007 to April 2008. Mean pre-operative patients and control values were compared using Mann-Whitney or Wilcoxon tests for comparing between pre- and post-operative values. P-value was considered significant at 5.0mg/L but no statistically significant difference was found when compared with healthy controls, with mean 4.4+-6.6 and 0.9+-0.7, respectively. Significantly raised serum concentrations were observed in all post-operative samples when compared with pre-operative samples. Serum CRP concentrations significantly increased post-operatively on Day 1, with mean value of 102.9+-82.0mg/L (p<0.0005), and further increased on Day 2 with mean value of 166.9+-128.1mg/L (p<0.0005), but declined on Day 7, with mean value of 42.7+-63.6mg/L (p<0.005). Conclusion: Pre-operative serum C-reactive protein concentrations of 28% of the patients were elevated, suggesting an association with brain tumours. Post-operative serum concentrations were significantly higher than those noted before the surgery. Absence of a fall of concentration from peak value on post-operative Day 2 or a secondary rise from post-operative Day 7 could be alarming for inter-current infection. (author)

Esophageal motor disorders are frequent during pre and post lung transplantation. Can they influence lung rejection?

Science.gov (United States)

Ciriza de Los Ríos, Constanza; Canga Rodríguez-Valcárcel, Fernando; de Pablo Gafas, Alicia; Castel de Lucas, Isabel; Lora Pablos, David; Castellano Tortajada, Gregorio

2018-06-01

lung transplantation (LTx) is a viable option for most patients with end-stage lung diseases. Esophageal motor disorders (EMD) are frequent in candidates for LTx, but there is very little data about changes in esophageal motility post-LTx. the aim of our study was to assess esophageal motor disorders by high resolution manometry (HRM) both pre-LTx and six months post-LTx in patients with and without organ rejection. HRM (Manoscan®) was performed in 57 patients both pre-LTx and six months post-LTx. HRM plots were analyzed according to the Chicago classification 3.0. EMD were found in 33.3% and in 49.1% of patients pre-LTx and post-LTx, respectively, and abnormal peristalsis was more frequently found post-LTx (p = 0.018). Hypercontractile esophagus was frequently found post-LTx (1.8% and 19.3% pre-LTx and post-LTx, respectively). Esophagogastric junction (EGJ) morphology changed significantly pre-LTx and post-LTx; type I (normal) was more frequent post-LTx (63-2% and 82.5% respectively, p = 0.007). EMD were more frequent post-LTx in both the non-rejection and rejection group, although particularly in the rejection group (43.2% and 69.2% respectively, p = 0.09). EMD such as distal spasm, hypercontractile esophagus and EGJ outflow obstruction were also observed more frequently post-LTx in the rejection group. significant changes in esophageal motility were observed pre-LTx and particularly post-LTx; hypercontractile esophagus was a frequent EMD found post-LTx. EMD were more frequent in the group of patients that experienced organ rejection compared to the non-rejection group. EMD leading to an impaired esophageal clearance should be considered as an additional factor that contributes to LTx failure.

Immediate post-partum haemorrhage: Epidemiological aspects and maternal prognosis at South N’djamena District Hospital (Chad

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gabkika Bray Madoue

2015-05-01

Full Text Available Background: Post-partum haemorrhage defined as blood loss after delivery over 500mls, affects all countries and is the commonest cause of maternal mortality. It is a frequent obstetric emergency in developing countries. Objective: To identify the causes of post-partum haemorrhage and identify adequate management of immediate post-partum haemorrhage and thus reduce maternal mortality. Patients and methods: This was a prospective and descriptive study of one year from 1st January 2014 to 31stDecember 2014 conducted at South N’Djamena district hospital. Before including a patient in our survey her consent was obtained after explaining to her the need for the survey. All consenting patients with post-partum haemorrhage were included. Data were analyzed using SPSS17.0. Results: We recorded 100 cases of post-partum haemorrhage among 6815 deliveries giving an incidence of 1.47%. The average age of the women was 25.0 years. The majority of deliveries (90% were vaginal. The main cause of immediate post-partum haemorrhage was a third stage of labour bleeding (66% followed by genital lesions (32%. The management was medical (uterotonic drug, fluid replacement and blood transfusion, obstetric (manual removal of placenta or clot, and surgical (suture of lesions, vascular ligature and hysterectomy. There were two maternal deaths (2%. Conclusion: Post-partum haemorrhage is often fatal in our region. Preventive measures and efficient management can help to improve maternal prognosis.

Comparative Study on Pre and Post Caeserean Section ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Results showed significant differences (p<0.05) in the red cell count and some related RBC indices (hematocrit, hemoglobin concentration), platelet count and granulocyte values of the pre-and-post CS blood samples. Based on the findings of this study, it is obvious that stress during CS may cause some alterations in ...

The role of post-earthquake structural safety in pre-earthquake retrof in decision: guidelines and applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bazzurro, P.; Telleen, K.; Maffei, J.; Yin, J.; Cornell, C.A.

2009-01-01

Critical structures such as hospitals, police stations, local administrative office buildings, and critical lifeline facilities, are expected to be operational immediately after earthquakes. Any rational decision about whether these structures are strong enough to meet this goal or whether pre-empitive retrofitting is needed cannot be made without an explicit consideration of post-earthquake safety and functionality with respect to aftershocks. Advanced Seismic Assessment Guidelines offer improvement over previous methods for seismic evaluation of buildings where post-earthquake safety and usability is a concern. This new method allows engineers to evaluate the like hood that a structure may have restricted access or no access after an earthquake. The building performance is measured in terms of the post-earthquake occupancy classifications Green Tag, Yellow Tag, and Red Tag, defining these performance levels quantitatively, based on the structure's remaining capacity to withstand aftershocks. These color-coded placards that constitute an established practice in US could be replaced by the standard results of inspections (A to E) performed by the Italian Dept. of Civil Protection after an event. The article also shows some applications of these Guidelines to buildings of the largest utility company in California, Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PGE). [it

Association between elevated pre-operative glycosylated hemoglobin and post-operative infections after non-emergent surgery

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Joseph M. Blankush

2016-09-01

Conclusions: The risk factors of post-operative infection are multiple and likely synergistic. While pre-operative HbA1c level is not independently associated with risk of post-operative infection, there are scenarios and patient subgroups where pre-operative HbA1c is useful in predicting an increased risk of infectious complications in the post-operative period.

Gene expression analysis to identify molecular correlates of pre- and post-conditioning derived neuroprotection.

Science.gov (United States)

Prasad, Shiv S; Russell, Marsha; Nowakowska, Margeryta; Williams, Andrew; Yauk, Carole

2012-06-01

Mild ischaemic exposures before or after severe injurious ischaemia that elicit neuroprotective responses are referred to as preconditioning and post-conditioning. The corresponding molecular mechanisms of neuroprotection are not completely understood. Identification of the genes and associated pathways of corresponding neuroprotection would provide insight into neuronal survival, potential therapeutic approaches and assessments of therapies for stroke. The objectives of this study were to use global gene expression approach to infer the molecular mechanisms in pre- and post-conditioning-derived neuroprotection in cortical neurons following oxygen and glucose deprivation (OGD) in vitro and then to apply these findings to predict corresponding functional pathways. To this end, microarray analysis was applied to rat cortical neurons with or without the pre- and post-conditioning treatments at 3-h post-reperfusion, and differentially expressed transcripts were subjected to statistical, hierarchical clustering and pathway analyses. The expression patterns of 3,431 genes altered under all conditions of ischaemia (with and without pre- or post-conditioning). We identified 1,595 genes that were commonly regulated within both the pre- and post-conditioning treatments. Cluster analysis revealed that transcription profiles clustered tightly within controls, non-conditioned OGD and neuroprotected groups. Two clusters defining neuroprotective conditions associated with up- and downregulated genes were evident. The five most upregulated genes within the neuroprotective clusters were Tagln, Nes, Ptrf, Vim and Adamts9, and the five most downregulated genes were Slc7a3, Bex1, Brunol4, Nrxn3 and Cpne4. Pathway analysis revealed that the intracellular and second messenger signalling pathways in addition to cell death were predominantly associated with downregulated pre- and post-conditioning associated genes, suggesting that modulation of cell death and signal transduction pathways

Comparative Analysis of Torque and Acceleration of Pre- and Post-Transmission Parallel Hybrid Drivetrains

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zulkifli Saiful A.

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Parallel hybrid electric vehicles (HEV can be classified according to the location of the electric motor with respect to the transmission unit for the internal combustion engine (ICE: they can be pre-transmission or posttransmission parallel hybrid. A split-axle parallel HEV – in which the ICE and electric motor provide propulsion power to different axles – is a sub-type of the post-transmission hybrid, since addition of torque and power from the two power sources occurs after the vehicle’s transmission. The term ‘through-the-road’ (TTR hybrid is also used for the split-parallel HEV, since power coupling between the ICE and electric motor is not through some mechanical device but through the vehicle itself, its wheels and the road on which it moves. The present work presents torquespeed relationship of the split-parallel hybrid and analyses simulation results of torque profiles and acceleration performance of pre-transmission and post-transmission hybrid configurations, using three different sizes of electric motor. Different operating regions of the pre-trans and post-trans motors are observed, leading to different speed and torque profiles. Although ICE average efficiency in the post-trans hybrid is slightly lower than in the pre-trans hybrid, the post-trans hybrid vehicle has better fuel economy and acceleration performance than the pre-trans hybrid vehicle.

Pre- and post-bronchodilator lung function as predictors of mortality in the Lung Health Study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Diaz-Guzman Enrique

2011-10-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD is supposed to be classified on the basis of post-bronchodilator lung function. Most longitudinal studies of COPD, though, do not have post-bronchodilator lung function available. We used pre-and post bronchodilator lung function data from the Lung Health Study to determine whether these measures differ in their ability to predict mortality. Methods We limited our analysis to subjects who were of black or white race, on whom we had complete data, and who participated at either the 1 year or the 5 year follow-up visit. We classified subjects based on their baseline lung function, according to COPD Classification criteria using both pre- and post-bronchodilator lung function. We conducted a survival analysis and logistic regression predicting death and controlling for age, sex, race, treatment group, smoking status, and measures of lung function (either pre- or post-bronchodilator. We calculated hazard ratios (HR with 95% confidence intervals (CI and also calculated area under the curve for the logistic regression models. Results By year 15 of the study, 721 of the original 5,887 study subjects had died. In the year 1 sample survival models, a higher FEV1 % predicted lower mortality in both the pre-bronchodilator (HR 0.87, 95% CI 0.81, 0.94 per 10% increase and post-bronchodilator (HR 0.84, 95% CI 0.77, 0.90 models. The area under the curve for the respective models was 69.2% and 69.4%. Similarly, using categories, when compared to people with "normal" lung function, subjects with Stage 3 or 4 disease had similar mortality in both the pre- (HR 1.51, 95% CI 0.75, 3.03 and post-bronchodilator (HR 1.45, 95% CI 0.41, 5.15 models. In the year 5 sample, when a larger proportion of subjects had Stage 3 or 4 disease (6.4% in the pre-bronchodilator group, mortality was significantly increased in both the pre- (HR 2.68, 95% CI 1.51, 4.75 and post-bronchodilator (HR 2.46, 95% CI 1.63, 3

The accuracy of MRI-determined synovial membrane and joint effusion volumes in arthritis. A comparison of pre- and post-aspiration volumes

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Østergaard, Mikkel; Stoltenberg, M; Henriksen, O

1995-01-01

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of 18 knees of patients with arthritis was performed before and immediately after arthrocentesis. Pre- and post-aspiration volumes were calculated by adding the outlined areas of synovium/effusion from a continuous series of gadolinium-DTPA-enhanced 5 mm transversal...... T1-weighted MR-images. The difference between MRI-determined and syringe-determined volumes of aspirated joint fluid was 0-7 ml, median 2 ml, corresponding to 0-18%, median 7%, of the pre-aspiration effusion volume. Synovial membrane volumes, determined before and after arthrocentesis varied 0-10 ml......, median 3 ml (0-17%, median 7%). No significant systematic misinterpretation of the borderline between joint fluid and synovium was found. We conclude that effusion volumes and in all probability also synovial membrane volumes, can be determined by MRI with a maximal analytical error of approximately 20...

Technical Education in Pre and Post Independent India

Science.gov (United States)

Janardhana, G.; Rajasekhar, M.

2012-01-01

This paper deals with technical education growth, policies in pre and post independent India. The world is moving forward rapidly and positively, into an era where societies and economies are incrementally based on knowledge. The importance of nations in the 21st Century shall be judged not by their economic strength alone, but also by their power…

Survival and Injury Outcome After TBI: Influence of Pre- and Post-Exposure to Caffeine

Science.gov (United States)

2012-10-01

10-1-0757 TITLE: Survival and Injury Outcome After TBI: Influence of Pre- and Post- Exposure to Caffeine PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR...Lusardi, Ph.D. Survival and Injury Outcome After TBI: Influence of Pre- and Post- Exposure to Caffeine 33 Legacy Emanual Hospital & Health Center...Phase 1: Study the prophylactic effects of caffeine exposure prior to FPI

Variations between post- and pre-harvest seasons in stunting ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Minimum meal frequency, minimum acceptable diet and poor dietary diversity increased considerably in pre-harvest compared to post-harvest season in the lowland zone. Feeding practices and maternal age were predictors of wasting, while women's dietary diversity and children age was predictor of child dietary diversity ...

Stage of readiness of patients with behavioral dysphonia in pre and post-group voice therapy assessments.

Science.gov (United States)

Costa, Bianca Oliveira Ismael da; Silva, Priscila Oliveira Costa; Pinheiro, Renata Serrano de Andrade; Silva, Hêmmylly Farias da; Almeida, Anna Alice Figueirêdo de

2017-08-10

To verify the efficacy of group voice therapy in the stage of readiness and identify which items of the URICA-Voice range are more sensitive to post-therapy change in patients with behavioral dysphonia. An intervention study was conducted on 49 patients with behavioral dysphonia. An eclectic approach to group therapy was implemented over eight sessions, the first and last sessions consisting of assessments. The URICA-Voice range was used to evaluate the stage of readiness at pre- and post-therapy assessments. A descriptive and inferential statistical analysis was implemented for the results. Most participants were female, did not make professional use of voice, and had membranous vocal fold lesions. Most of them were in the Contemplation stage at in both moments, pre- and post-therapy. There was no significant change in the comparison of pre- and post-therapy scores. The majority of patients showed a reduction in the stage of readiness and some advanced to a higher stage. In the comparison of URICA-V range items, seven questions had equal or inferior responses in the post-therapy assessment. There was no statistical difference when comparing the pre- and post-therapy total average score of the URICA-Voice range. There were significant changes in the stage of readiness of patients in pre- and post-group speech therapy assessments.

Pre-typhoon socioeconomic status factors predict post-typhoon psychiatric symptoms in a Vietnamese sample.

Science.gov (United States)

Brown, Ruth C; Trapp, Stephen K; Berenz, Erin C; Bigdeli, Tim Bernard; Acierno, Ron; Tran, Trinh Luong; Trung, Lam Tu; Tam, Nguyen Thanh; Tuan, Tran; Buoi, La Thi; Ha, Tran Thu; Thach, Tran Duc; Amstadter, Ananda B

2013-11-01

Exposure to natural disasters has been associated with increased risk for various forms of psychopathology. Evidence indicates that socioeconomic status (SES) may be important for understanding post-disaster psychiatric distress; however, studies of SES-relevant factors in non-Western, disaster-exposed samples are lacking. The primary aim of the current study was to examine the role of pre-typhoon SES-relevant factors in relation to post-typhoon psychiatric symptoms among Vietnamese individuals exposed to Typhoon Xangsane. In 2006, Typhoon Xangsane disrupted a mental health needs assessment in Vietnam in which the Self Reporting Questionnaire-20 (SRQ-20), and the Demographic and Health Surveys Wealth Index, a measure of SES created for use in low-income countries, were administered pre-typhoon. The SRQ-20 was re-administered post-typhoon. Results of a linear mixed model indicated that the covariates of older age, female sex, and higher levels of pre-typhoon psychiatric symptoms were associated with higher levels of post-typhoon psychiatric symptoms. Analysis of SES indicators revealed that owning fewer consumer goods, having lower quality of household services, and having attained less education were associated with higher levels of post-typhoon symptoms, above and beyond the covariates, whereas quality of the household build, employment status, and insurance status were not related to post-typhoon psychiatric symptoms. Even after controlling for demographic characteristics and pre-typhoon psychiatric symptoms, certain SES factors uniquely predicted post-typhoon psychiatric distress. These SES characteristics may be useful for identifying individuals in developing countries who are in need of early intervention following disaster exposure.

T2 values of femoral cartilage of the knee joint: Comparison between pre-contrast and post-contrast images

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yoon, Hyun Jung; Yoon, Young Cheol; Choe, Bong Keun

2014-01-01

To retrospectively evaluate the relationship between T2 values of pre- and post-contrast magnetic resonance (MR) images of femoral cartilage in patients with varying degrees of osteoarthritis. A total of 19 patients underwent delayed gadolinium-enhanced MRI of cartilage. Six regions of interest for T2 value measurement were obtained from pre- and post-contrast T2-weighted, sagittal, multi-slice, multi-echo, source images in each subject. Regions with modified Noyes classification grade 2B and 3 were excluded. Comparison of T2 values between pre- and post-contrast images and T2 values among regions with the grade 0, 1 and 2A groups were statistically analyzed. Of a total of 114 regions, 79 regions showing grade 0 (n = 46), 1 (n = 18), or 2A (n = 15) were analyzed. The overall and individual T2 values of post-contrast images were significantly lower than those of pre-contrast images (overall, 35.3 ± 9.2 [mean ± SD] vs. 29.9 ± 8.2, p < 0.01; range of individual, 28.9-37.6 vs. 27.1-36.4, p < 0.01). Pearson correlation coefficients showed a strong positive correlation between pre- and post-contrast images (rho-Pearson = 0.712-0.905). T2 values of pre- and post-contrast images of the grade 0 group were significantly lower than those of the grade 1/2A group (pre T2, p = 0.003; post T2, p = 0.006). T2 values of the femoral cartilage of the knee joint are significantly lower on post-contrast images than on pre-contrast images. Furthermore, these T2 values have a strong positive correlation between pre- and post-contrast images.

T2 values of femoral cartilage of the knee joint: Comparison between pre-contrast and post-contrast images

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yoon, Hyun Jung; Yoon, Young Cheol [Department of Radiology, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Choe, Bong Keun [Department of Preventive Medicine, Kyung Hee University School of Medicine, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

2014-02-15

To retrospectively evaluate the relationship between T2 values of pre- and post-contrast magnetic resonance (MR) images of femoral cartilage in patients with varying degrees of osteoarthritis. A total of 19 patients underwent delayed gadolinium-enhanced MRI of cartilage. Six regions of interest for T2 value measurement were obtained from pre- and post-contrast T2-weighted, sagittal, multi-slice, multi-echo, source images in each subject. Regions with modified Noyes classification grade 2B and 3 were excluded. Comparison of T2 values between pre- and post-contrast images and T2 values among regions with the grade 0, 1 and 2A groups were statistically analyzed. Of a total of 114 regions, 79 regions showing grade 0 (n = 46), 1 (n = 18), or 2A (n = 15) were analyzed. The overall and individual T2 values of post-contrast images were significantly lower than those of pre-contrast images (overall, 35.3 ± 9.2 [mean ± SD] vs. 29.9 ± 8.2, p < 0.01; range of individual, 28.9-37.6 vs. 27.1-36.4, p < 0.01). Pearson correlation coefficients showed a strong positive correlation between pre- and post-contrast images (rho-Pearson = 0.712-0.905). T2 values of pre- and post-contrast images of the grade 0 group were significantly lower than those of the grade 1/2A group (pre T2, p = 0.003; post T2, p = 0.006). T2 values of the femoral cartilage of the knee joint are significantly lower on post-contrast images than on pre-contrast images. Furthermore, these T2 values have a strong positive correlation between pre- and post-contrast images.

Changes in Inmates’ Substance Use and Dependence From Pre-Incarceration to One Year Post-Release

Science.gov (United States)

Tangney, June P.; Folk, Johanna B.; Graham, David M.; Stuewig, Jeffrey B.; Blalock, Daniel V.; Salatino, Andrew; Blasko, Brandy B.; Moore, Kelly E.

2016-01-01

Purpose To assess changes in inmates’ misuse of substances from pre- to post-incarceration. Methods In Study 1, professionals (n = 162) and laypersons (n = 50) predicted how jail inmates’ substance misuse would change from pre-incarceration to post-release. In Study 2, a longitudinal study of 305 jail inmates, we examined actual changes in substance use and dependence from pre-incarceration to the first year post-incarceration, as well as whether changes varied as a function of demographic, criminal justice, treatment, and personality factors. Results Professionals and laypersons predicted little change in substance misuse whereas, in fact, inmates’ frequency of substance use and dependence decreased substantially from pre-incarceration to post-release. Sharper decreases were observed for inmates who were female, younger, more educated, serving longer sentences, enrolled in substance abuse treatment, high in shame-proneness, and low in criminogenic thinking. Race, first time incarceration, transfer to other correctional facilities, mandated community supervision (probation), and guilt-proneness did not predict changes in substance use or dependence. Conclusions Although substance misuse decreased, this remains a population high in need of substance abuse treatment both upon arrest and at one year post-incarceration; 60% of former inmates met at least one DSM-IV criterion for substance dependence at one year post-release. PMID:27458324

Tenderness of pre- and post rigor lamb longissimus muscle.

Science.gov (United States)

Geesink, Geert; Sujang, Sadi; Koohmaraie, Mohammad

2011-08-01

Lamb longissimus muscle (n=6) sections were cooked at different times post mortem (prerigor, at rigor, 1dayp.m., and 7 days p.m.) using two cooking methods. Using a boiling waterbath, samples were either cooked to a core temperature of 70 °C or boiled for 3h. The latter method was meant to reflect the traditional cooking method employed in countries where preparation of prerigor meat is practiced. The time postmortem at which the meat was prepared had a large effect on the tenderness (shear force) of the meat (PCooking prerigor and at rigor meat to 70 °C resulted in higher shear force values than their post rigor counterparts at 1 and 7 days p.m. (9.4 and 9.6 vs. 7.2 and 3.7 kg, respectively). The differences in tenderness between the treatment groups could be largely explained by a difference in contraction status of the meat after cooking and the effect of ageing on tenderness. Cooking pre and at rigor meat resulted in severe muscle contraction as evidenced by the differences in sarcomere length of the cooked samples. Mean sarcomere lengths in the pre and at rigor samples ranged from 1.05 to 1.20 μm. The mean sarcomere length in the post rigor samples was 1.44 μm. Cooking for 3 h at 100 °C did improve the tenderness of pre and at rigor prepared meat as compared to cooking to 70 °C, but not to the extent that ageing did. It is concluded that additional intervention methods are needed to improve the tenderness of prerigor cooked meat. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The GPM Ground Validation Program: Pre to Post-Launch

Science.gov (United States)

Petersen, W. A.

2014-12-01

NASA GPM Ground Validation (GV) activities have transitioned from the pre to post-launch era. Prior to launch direct validation networks and associated partner institutions were identified world-wide, covering a plethora of precipitation regimes. In the U.S. direct GV efforts focused on use of new operational products such as the NOAA Multi-Radar Multi-Sensor suite (MRMS) for TRMM validation and GPM radiometer algorithm database development. In the post-launch, MRMS products including precipitation rate, types and data quality are being routinely generated to facilitate statistical GV of instantaneous and merged GPM products. To assess precipitation column impacts on product uncertainties, range-gate to pixel-level validation of both Dual-Frequency Precipitation Radar (DPR) and GPM microwave imager data are performed using GPM Validation Network (VN) ground radar and satellite data processing software. VN software ingests quality-controlled volumetric radar datasets and geo-matches those data to coincident DPR and radiometer level-II data. When combined MRMS and VN datasets enable more comprehensive interpretation of ground-satellite estimation uncertainties. To support physical validation efforts eight (one) field campaigns have been conducted in the pre (post) launch era. The campaigns span regimes from northern latitude cold-season snow to warm tropical rain. Most recently the Integrated Precipitation and Hydrology Experiment (IPHEx) took place in the mountains of North Carolina and involved combined airborne and ground-based measurements of orographic precipitation and hydrologic processes underneath the GPM Core satellite. One more U.S. GV field campaign (OLYMPEX) is planned for late 2015 and will address cold-season precipitation estimation, process and hydrology in the orographic and oceanic domains of western Washington State. Finally, continuous direct and physical validation measurements are also being conducted at the NASA Wallops Flight Facility multi

Who Cares? Pre and Post Abortion Experiences among Young ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Abstract. Issues of abortion are critical in Ghana largely due to its consequences on sexual and reproductive health. The negative perception society attaches to it makes it difficult for young females to access services and share their experiences. This paper examines the pre and post abortion experiences of young females; ...

Association between elevated pre-operative glycosylated hemoglobin and post-operative infections after non-emergent surgery.

Science.gov (United States)

Blankush, Joseph M; Leitman, I Michael; Soleiman, Aron; Tran, Trung

2016-09-01

A chronic state of impaired glucose metabolism affects multiple components of the immune system, possibly leading to an increased incidence of post-operative infections. Such infections increase morbidity, length of stay, and overall cost. This study evaluates the correlation between elevated pre-operative glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) and post-operative infections. Adult patients undergoing non-emergent procedures across all surgical subspecialties from January 2010 to July 2014 had a preoperative HbA1c measured as part of their routine pre-surgical assessment. 2200 patient charts (1100 operative infection (superficial surgical site infection, deep wound/surgical space abscess, pneumonia, and/or urinary tract infection as defined by Centers for Disease Control criteria) within 30 days of surgery. Patients with HbA1c infection rate (3.8% in the HbA1c infection. Elevated HbA1c was, however, predictive of significantly increased risk of post-operative infection when associated with increased age (≥81 years of age) or dirty wounds. The risk factors of post-operative infection are multiple and likely synergistic. While pre-operative HbA1c level is not independently associated with risk of post-operative infection, there are scenarios and patient subgroups where pre-operative HbA1c is useful in predicting an increased risk of infectious complications in the post-operative period.

Blood donors’ physical characteristics are associated with pre- and post-donation symptoms - Donor InSight

Science.gov (United States)

van den Hurk, Katja; Peffer, Karlijn; Habets, Karin; Atsma, Femke; Pasker-de Jong, Pieternel C.M.; van Noord, Paulus A.H.; Veldhuizen, Ingrid J.T.; de Kort, Wim L.A.M.

2017-01-01

Background Observational data suggest that some donors might benefit from donating while others may be harmed. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence and potential, routinely measured, determinants of pre- and post-donation symptoms. Materials and methods In Donor InSight, questionnaire data from 23,064 whole blood donors (53% female) were linked to routinely measured data on donors’ physical characteristics (haemoglobin, blood pressure, body mass index and estimated blood volume) from the Dutch donor database. Absolute and relative associations between donors’ physical donor and the presence of pre- and post-donation symptoms were studied using multivariable logistic regression. Results Pre-donation symptoms (lack of energy, headaches) were reported by 3% of men and 3% of women. Five percent of men and 4% of women reported positive post-donation symptoms (feeling fit, fewer headaches). Negative symptoms (fatigue, dizziness) were more common, occurring in 8% of men and 19% of women. All the studied donors’ physical characteristics were positively associated with pre- and positive post-donation symptoms and negatively associated with negative symptoms. Body mass index was most consistently and independently associated with symptoms. Discussion Donors’ physical characteristics, in particular body mass index, were consistently associated with pre- and post-donation symptoms. This indicates that subgroups of donors more and less tolerant to donation might be identifiable using routinely measured data. Further research is warranted to study underlying mechanisms and potential strategies to predict and prevent donor reactions. PMID:27416579

Comparison of pre-treatment and post-treatment use of selenium in retinal ischemia reperfusion injury

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alper Yazici

2015-04-01

Full Text Available AIM: To investigate the effects of selenium in rat retinal ischemia reperfusion (IR model and compare pre-treatment and post-treatment use. METHODS: Selenium pre-treatment group (n=8 was treated with intraperitoneal (i.p. selenium 0.5 mg/kg for 7d and terminated 24h after the IR injury. Selenium post-treatment group (n=8 was treated with i.p. selenium 0.5 mg/kg for 7d after the IR injury with termination at the end of the 7d period. Sham group (n=8 received i.p. saline injections identical to the selenium volume for 7d with termination 24h after the IR injury. Control group (n=8 received no intervention. Main outcome measures were retina superoxide dismutase (SOD, glutathione (GSH, total antioxidant status (TAS, malondialdehyde (MDA, DNA fragmentation levels, and immunohistological apoptosis evaluation. RESULTS: Compared to the Sham group, selenium pre-treatment had a statistical difference in all parameters except SOD. Post-treatment selenium also resulted in statistical differences in all parameters except the MDA levels. When comparing selenium groups, the pre-treatment selenium group had a statistically higher success in reduction of markers of cell damage such as MDA and DNA fragmentation. In contrast, the post-selenium treatment group had resulted in statistically higher levels of GSH. Histologically both selenium groups succeeded to limit retinal thickening and apoptosis. Pre-treatment use was statistically more successful in decreasing apoptosis in ganglion cell layer compared to post-treatment use. CONCLUSION: Selenium was successful in retinal protection in IR injuries. Pre-treatment efficacy was superior in terms of prevention of tissue damage and apoptosis.

Methodological issues in assessing changes in costs pre- and post-medication switch: a schizophrenia study example

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Nyhuis Allen W

2009-05-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Schizophrenia is a severe, chronic, and costly illness that adversely impacts patients' lives and health care payer budgets. Cost comparisons of treatment regimens are, therefore, important to health care payers and researchers. Pre-Post analyses ("mirror-image", where outcomes prior to a medication switch are compared to outcomes post-switch, are commonly used in such research. However, medication changes often occur during a costly crisis event. Patients may relapse, be hospitalized, have a medication change, and then spend a period of time with intense use of costly resources (post-medication switch. While many advantages and disadvantages of Pre-Post methodology have been discussed, issues regarding the attributability of costs incurred around the time of medication switching have not been fully investigated. Methods Medical resource use data, including medications and acute-care services (hospitalizations, partial hospitalizations, emergency department were collected for patients with schizophrenia who switched antipsychotics (n = 105 during a 1-year randomized, naturalistic, antipsychotic cost-effectiveness schizophrenia trial. Within-patient changes in total costs per day were computed during the pre- and post-medication change periods. In addition to the standard Pre-Post analysis comparing costs pre- and post-medication change, we investigated the sensitivity of results to varying assumptions regarding the attributability of acute care service costs occurring just after a medication switch that were likely due to initial medication failure. Results Fifty-six percent of all costs incurred during the first week on the newly initiated antipsychotic were likely due to treatment failure with the previous antipsychotic. Standard analyses suggested an average increase in cost-per-day for each patient of $2.40 after switching medications. However, sensitivity analyses removing costs incurred post-switch that were potentially

Biomarkers of vascular function in pre- and recent post-menopausal women of similar age

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nyberg, Michael Permin; Seidelin, Kåre; Rostgaard Andersen, Thomas

2014-01-01

Menopause is associated with an accelerated decline in vascular function, however, whether this is an effect of age and/or menopause and how exercise training may affect this decline remains unclear. We examined a range of molecular measures related to vascular function in matched pre- and post-menopausal...... women before and after 12 weeks of exercise training. Thirteen pre-menopausal and ten recently post-menopausal (1.6±0.3 (mean±SEM) years after final menstrual period) women only separated by three years (48±1 vs. 51±1 years) were included. Before training, diastolic blood pressure, soluble intercellular...... adhesion molecule-1 (sICAM-1) and skeletal muscle expression of thromboxane A synthase were higher in the post-menopausal women compared to the pre-menopausal women, all indicative of impaired vascular function. In both groups, exercise training lowered diastolic blood pressure, the levels of sICAM-1...

Pediatric dentistry clinical education venues evaluation by pre and post-doctoral students.

Science.gov (United States)

Bimstein, E; Mayes, A; Mittal, Hc

2014-01-01

To evaluate dental students' perspectives about pre- and post-doctoral pediatric dentistry education venues. Surveys with visual analog scales (from 0 to 100) measuring the educational contribution of pediatric dentistry venues were conducted. The pre-doctoral venues included a 3rd year university twilight clinic (UTC), a 3rd year urban community based clinic (CBC) and 4th year mobile clinics (MCs). The post-doctoral venues included treatment of children under general anesthesia, oral sedations, a regular clinic (no sedations), seminars, journal club, case conferences and studding for the American Board of Pediatric Dentistry. Analyses of variance between the scores indicated that the 3rd year CBC score (68.2 ± 4.5) was statistically significant higher (p= .007) than the one for the 3rd year UTC score (44.9 ± 6.1). The 4th year students' MCs score (61.4 ± 4.0) was statistically significant higher than their retrospective scores for the 3rd year CBC (56.4 ± 4.4) or UTC (42.2 ± 4.9) scores (p= .03 and .004 respectively). Among the didactic or clinical post-doctoral venues, the regular clinic and the seminars received the highest scores (84.3 ± 1.7 and 71.6 ± 2.8 respectively). pre-doctoral community-based clinical education and post-doctoral regular university based clinic are considered by students to provide the main contribution to pediatric dental education.

Influence of physical fitness on some selected blood lipids in pre ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Exercise may reduce the immediate symptoms of menopause, and it decreases the long-term risk of cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, depression and obesity. Data were gathered from 250 pre-menopausal (35-49 years) and 107 post-menopausal women (50-64 years) who formed part of a comprehensive community ...

Analysis of stress intensity factors for surface cracks in pre/post penetration

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Miyoshi, Toshiro; Yoshida, Yuichiro

1988-01-01

It is important to evaluate the penetration of surface cracks in a Leak-Before-Break analysis. Because the stress intensity factors for surface cracks in pre/post penetration had not yet been analyzed, the authors carried three-dimensional boundary element analyses in order to obtain them. First, the authors developed the technique of nodal breakdown appropriate for cracks with short ligament length in a two-dimensional boundary element analysis. Next, analyses of stress intensity factor for surface cracks in pre/post penetration were carried out using the technique of nodal breakdown for cracks with short ligament length and the three-dimensional boundary element code BEM 3 D which was designed for a supercomputer. (author)

Prospective pre- and post-race evaluation of biochemical, electrophysiologic, and echocardiographic indices in 30 racing thoroughbred horses that received furosemide.

Science.gov (United States)

Gunther-Harrington, Catherine T; Arthur, Rick; Estell, Krista; Martinez Lopez, Beatriz; Sinnott, Alexandra; Ontiveros, Eric; Varga, Anita; Stern, Joshua A

2018-01-18

Exercise induced cardiac fatigue (EICF) and cardiac dysrhythmias are well described conditions identified in high-level human athletes that increase in frequency with intensity and duration of exercise. Identification of these conditions requires an understanding of normal pre- and post-race cardiac assessment values. The objectives of this study were to (1) characterize selected indices of cardiac function, electrophysiologic parameters, and biochemical markers of heart dysfunction prior to and immediately after high level racing in Thoroughbred horses receiving furosemide; and (2) create pre- and post-race reference values in order to make recommendations on possible screening practices for this population in the future. Thirty Thoroughbred horses were enrolled in the study with an age range of 3-6 years. All horses received furosemide prior to racing. Physical exams, ECGs, and echocardiograms were performed prior to racing (T0) and within 30-60 min following the race (T1). Blood samples were obtained at T0, T1, 4 h post-race (T4) and 24 h after the race (T24). Electrolytes, hematocrit, cardiac troponin I, and partial pressure CO2 values were obtained at all time points. Heart rate was significantly increased post-race compared to baseline value with a median difference of 49 bpm, 95% CI [31,58],(P horses demonstrating regurgitation through the aorta and AV valves was noted. Systolic function measured by fractional shortening increased significantly with a mean difference of 7.9%, 95% CI [4.8, 10.9], (P horse served as its own control, as such the possible effect of regression to the mean cannot be ruled out. The reference intervals generated in this study may be used to identify selected echocardiographic and electrocardiographic abnormalities in racing horses receiving furosemide.

Efficiency of Calatonia on clinical parameters in the immediate post-surgery period: a clinical study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Elaine Ferreira Lasaponari

2013-09-01

Full Text Available OBJECTIVE: to assess the efficiency of the Calatonia technique about clinical parameters and pain in the immediate post-surgical phase. METHOD: a randomised study was carried out with 116 patients subjected to a cholecystectomy, by laparoscopy, divided into an experimental group (58 patients and a placebo group (58 patients. The experimental group received the Calatonia technique, while the placebo was only subjected to non-intentional touches. RESULTS: The placebo group and the experimental group were considered homogeneous in terms of the variables: sex, age, physical status classification, duration of surgical procedures and also the time spent recovering in the Post-Anaesthetic Recovery Room. The only variable to show a statistically significant difference was the axillary temperature of the body. In relation to pain, the experimental group showed significant results, and hence it is possible to deduce that the relaxation caused by the Calatonia technique brought some relief of the general situation of pain. CONCLUSION: The application of Calatonia can take up the function of a resource complementary to assistance in the period immediately after surgery. Brazilian Register of Clinical Trials, UTN U1111-1129-9629.

Quantifying Fire's Impacts on Total and Pyrogenic Carbon Stocks in Mixed-Conifer Forests: Results from Pre- and Post-Fire Measurements in Active Wildfire Incidents

Science.gov (United States)

Miesel, J. R.; Reiner, A. L.; Ewell, C. M.; Sanderman, J.; Maestrini, B.; Adkins, J.

2016-12-01

Widespread US fire suppression policy has contributed to an accumulation of vegetation in many western forests relative to historic conditions, and these changes can exacerbate wildfire severity and carbon (C) emissions. Serious concern exists about positive feedbacks between wildfire emissions and global climate; however, fires not only release C from terrestrial to atmospheric pools, they also create "black" or pyrogenic C (PyC) which contributes to longer-term C stability. Our objective was to quantify wildfire impacts on aboveground and belowground total C and PyC stocks in California mixed-conifer forests. We worked with incident management teams to access five active wildfires to establish and measure plots within days before and after fire. We measured pre- and post-fire aboveground forest structure and woody fuels to calculate aboveground biomass, biomass C, and PyC, and we collected pre- and post-fire forest floor and 0-5 cm mineral soil samples to measure belowground C and PyC stocks. Our preliminary results show that fire had minimal impact on the number of trees per hectare, whereas C losses from the tree layer occurred via consumption of foliage, and PyC gain occurred in tree bark. Fire released 54% to 100% of surface fuel C. In the forest floor layer, we observed 33 to 100% C loss, whereas changes in PyC stocks ranged from 100% loss to 186% gain relative to pre-fire samples. In general, fire had minimal to no impact on 0-5 cm mineral soil C. We will present relationships between total C, PyC and post-fire C and N dynamics in one of the five wildfire sites. Our data are unique because they represent nearly immediate pre- and post-fire measurements in major wildfires in a widespread western U.S. forest type. This research advances understanding of the role of fire on forest C fluxes and C sequestration potential as PyC.

Adolescent cortical thickness pre- and post marijuana and alcohol initiation.

Science.gov (United States)

Jacobus, Joanna; Castro, Norma; Squeglia, Lindsay M; Meloy, M J; Brumback, Ty; Huestis, Marilyn A; Tapert, Susan F

Cortical thickness abnormalities have been identified in youth using both alcohol and marijuana. However, limited studies have followed individuals pre- and post initiation of alcohol and marijuana use to help identify to what extent discrepancies in structural brain integrity are pre-existing or substance-related. Adolescents (N=69) were followed from ages 13 (pre-initiation of substance use, baseline) to ages 19 (post-initiation, follow-up). Three subgroups were identified, participants that initiated alcohol use (ALC, n=23, >20 alcohol use episodes), those that initiated both alcohol and marijuana use (ALC+MJ, n=23, >50 marijuana use episodes) and individuals that did not initiate either substance regularly by follow-up (CON, n=23, marijuana use episodes). All adolescents underwent neurocognitive testing, neuroimaging, and substance use and mental health interviews. Significant group by time interactions and main effects on cortical thickness estimates were identified for 18 cortical regions spanning the left and right hemisphere (pseffect, in cortical thickness by follow-up for individuals who have not initiated regular substance use or alcohol use only by age 19; modest between-group differences were identified at baseline in several cortical regions (ALC and CON>ALC+MJ). Minimal neurocognitive differences were observed in this sample. Findings suggest pre-existing neural differences prior to marijuana use may contribute to initiation of use and observed neural outcomes. Marijuana use may also interfere with thinning trajectories that contribute to morphological differences in young adulthood that are often observed in cross-sectional studies of heavy marijuana users. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Assessment of 99Tcm-ethylenedicysteine diuretic renography in pre-and post-operative pediatric congenital hydronephrosis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ye Zhiyi; Wang Hui; Li Jianing; Fu Hongliang; Wu Jingchuan

2010-01-01

Objective: To investigate the clinical value of 99 Tc m -ethylenedicysteine (EC) diuretic renography (DR) in pre-and post-operative pediatric congenital hydronephrosis. Methods: The DR with injection of Furosemide at 15 min of forty children with hydronephrosis was retrospectively studied. The preoperative renal blood perfusion rate (BPR), effective renal plasma flow (ERPF), grade of hydronephrosis,renogram and renal dynamic imaging of pre- and post-operative kidneys were compared. The t-test and Mann-Whitney test were used for data analysis. Results: (1) Of 40 pathological kidneys, the BPR increased 5.99% (t=-5.13, P<0.01) from pre-operative to post-operative: (34.05 ± 11.07)% to (40.04 ± 8.56)%. The ERPF increased 12.48 ml/min (t=-4.35, P<0.01) from pre-operative to post-operative: (57.81 ± 34.32) ml/min to (70.29 ± 5.37) ml/min. (2) The grade of hydronephrosis of 40 pathological kidneys improved significantly(Z=-2.64, P<0.01) with the mean sum of ranks of 47.21 pre-operatively to 33.79 post-operatively.(3) As the hydronephrosis worsened, the collecting system became bigger, the renal parenchyma became thinner, the extent of intrarenal parenchymal photopenia became larger and the response to diuretic challenge in pathological kidneys decreased or became totally irresponsive. (4)Thirty-seven cases of obstruction at ureteropelvic junction (UPJO) and 3 cases at ureterovesical junction (UVJO) were diagnosed by DR, which were all confirmed by surgery. Conclusions: DR is a reliable method to evaluate pediatric congenital hydronephrosis.It can accurately reflect the grade and (or) severity of the disease, guide therapy and assess the therapeutic success of operation. (authors)

Assessment of bone mineral density with dual energy X-ray absorptiometry in pre-and post-menopausal women

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Salamat, M. R.; Rostampour, N.; Shanehsazzadeh, S.; Tavakoli, M. B.; Siavash, M.; Almasi, T.

2008-01-01

Osteoporosis is a chronic disease that contributes substantially to decrease physical activity and decline in the quality of life. Osteoporosis can be diagnosed easily with the use of dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry equipment. The aim of this study was to investigate the magnitude of bone loss on proximal femur and lumbar spine in pre-and post-menopausal women from Isfahan Osteoporosis Diagnosis Center since 2005. Materials and Methods: Bone mineral density measurements using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry have been performed at Isfahan Osteoporosis Diagnosis Center. 185 pre-menopausal and 174 early post-menopausal women were selected randomly. A Norland XR46 system was used for the investigations. The student t-lest was done to find the difference between the T-scores of the femoral neck and lumbar spine in pre-and post-menopausal women. Results: Mean Bone mineral density for the femoral neck and lumbar spine in pre-menopausal women were 0.859 ± 0.136 and 1.012 ± 0.161 and in post-menopausal women were 0.816 ± 0.119 and 0.919 ± 0.140, respectively. Long-term Bone mineral density CVs of 1.0% and 1.2% for the lumbar spine and femoral neck were found, respectively. The differences between the femoral neck and lumbar spine for pre-and post-menopausal women were t = -9.02, P < 0.05 and t = -3.50, P < 0.05, respectively. Conclusion: In spite of, the reported lower Bone mineral density T-scores for the lumbar spine compared With the femoral neck for women, we found that the femoral neck had significantly lower T-score than lumbar spine for both pre-and post-menopausal women.

Effects of low-dye taping on plantar pressure pre and post exercise: an exploratory study.

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

Nolan, Damien

2009-01-01

BACKGROUND: Low-Dye taping is used for excessive pronation at the subtalar joint of the foot. Previous research has focused on the tape\\'s immediate effect on plantar pressure. Its effectiveness following exercise has not been investigated. Peak plantar pressure distribution provides an indirect representation of subtalar joint kinematics. The objectives of the study were 1) To determine the effects of Low-Dye taping on peak plantar pressure immediately post-application. 2) To determine whether any initial effects are maintained following exercise. METHODS: 12 asymptomatic subjects participated; each being screened for excessive pronation (navicular drop > 10 mm). Plantar pressure data was recorded, using the F-scan, at four intervals during the testing session: un-taped, baseline-taped, post-exercise session 1, and post-exercise session 2. Each exercise session consisted of a 10-minute walk at a normal pace. The foot was divided into 6 regions during data analysis. Repeated-measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to assess regional pressure variations across the four testing conditions. RESULTS: Reduced lateral forefoot peak plantar pressure was the only significant difference immediately post tape application (p = 0.039). This effect was lost after 10 minutes of exercise (p = 0.036). Each exercise session resulted in significantly higher medial forefoot peak pressure compared to un-taped; (p = 0.015) and (p = 0.014) respectively, and baseline-taped; (p = 0.036) and (p = 0.015) respectively. Medial and lateral rearfoot values had also increased after the second session (p = 0.004), following their non-significant reduction at baseline-taped. A trend towards a medial-to-lateral shift in pressure present in the midfoot immediately following tape application was still present after 20 minutes of exercise. CONCLUSION: Low-Dye tape\\'s initial effect of reduced lateral forefoot peak plantar pressure was lost after a 10-minute walk. However, the tape continued

Monitoring Hydration Status Pre- and Post-Training among University Athletes Using Urine Color and Weight Loss Indicators

Science.gov (United States)

Webb, Marquitta C.; Salandy, Sinead T.; Beckford, Safiya E.

2016-01-01

Objective: To investigate the hydration status pre- and post-training among university athletes using urine color and weight loss as indicators. Participants: Participants were 52 university athletes training for campus games in a developing country. Methods: Pre- and post-training urine specimens were compared with a standard urine color scale.…

Singing emotionally: A study of pre-production, production, and post-production facial expressions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lena Rachel Quinto

2014-04-01

Full Text Available Singing involves vocal production accompanied by a dynamic and meaningful use of facial expressions, which may serve as ancillary gestures that complement, disambiguate, or reinforce the acoustic signal. In this investigation, we examined the use of facial movements to communicate emotion, focusing on movements arising in three epochs: before vocalisation (pre-production, during vocalisation (production, and immediately after vocalisation (post-production. The stimuli were recordings of seven vocalists’ facial movements as they sang short (14 syllable melodic phrases with the intention of communicating happiness, sadness, irritation, or no emotion. Facial movements were presented as point-light displays to 16 observers who judged the emotion conveyed. Experiment 1 revealed that the accuracy of emotional judgement varied with singer, emotion and epoch. Accuracy was highest in the production epoch, however, happiness was well communicated in the pre-production epoch. In Experiment 2, observers judged point-light displays of exaggerated movements. The ratings suggested that the extent of facial and head movements is largely perceived as a gauge of emotional arousal. In Experiment 3, observers rated point-light displays of scrambled movements. Configural information was removed in these stimuli but velocity and acceleration were retained. Exaggerated scrambled movements were likely to be associated with happiness or irritation whereas unexaggerated scrambled movements were more likely to be identified as neutral. An analysis of the motions of singers revealed systematic changes in facial movement as a function of the emotional intentions of singers. The findings confirm the central role of facial expressions in vocal emotional communication, and highlight individual differences between singers in the amount and intelligibility of facial movements made before, during, and after vocalization.

HIV risk and awareness and interest in pre-exposure and post-exposure prophylaxis among sheltered women in Miami.

Science.gov (United States)

Doblecki-Lewis, Susanne; Lester, Larissa; Schwartz, Bryanna; Collins, Constance; Johnson, Rai; Kobetz, Erin

2016-09-01

Pre- and non-occupational post-exposure prophylaxis for the prevention of HIV infection are recommended for adults at substantial risk of HIV. Women experiencing homelessness have increased risk of HIV infection compared with stably-housed women. We conducted a survey of 74 sheltered women at Lotus House Women's Shelter (Lotus House) in Miami to assess risk behaviour as well as knowledge and perception of pre- and non-occupational post-exposure prophylaxis in this population. Of surveyed women, 58.1% engaged in vaginal and/or anal sex while sheltered, and of sexually-active women 55.4% reported inconsistent condom use. 83.8% of women reported no concern regarding HIV acquisition due to their behaviour. Few women surveyed (20.8%) had previously heard of pre- or non-occupational post-exposure prophylaxis. The majority (58.3%) of respondents indicated receptiveness to these prevention methods when introduced. Those indicating that they would consider pre- or non-occupational post-exposure prophylaxis were significantly younger than those indicating that they would not consider these prevention strategies (p = 0.004). Education and referral for pre- and non-occupational post-exposure prophylaxis should be considered for sheltered women at risk of HIV infection. Additional research to optimise implementation of biomedical prevention strategies in this population is needed. © The Author(s) 2015.

Pre-migration persecution, post-migration stressors and resources, and post-migration mental health: A study of severely traumatized U.S. Arab immigrant women

Science.gov (United States)

Norris, Anne E.; Aroian, Karen J.; Nickerson, David

2015-01-01

Background Competing theories exist regarding the importance of pre-migration trauma as compared to post-migration stressors and resources with respect to the risk to immigrant mental health. Objective To examine how type of pre-migration trauma, post-migration stressors, and post-migration resources differentially predict PTSD and MDD symptomatology in Arab immigrant women who have been exposed to pre-migration trauma. Design Descriptive; using multinomial logistic regression to explain membership in one of four groups: (a) PTSD only (n = 14); (b) major depressive disorder (MDD) (n = 162), (c) Co-Morbid PTSD-MDD (n = 148), (d) Subclinical Symptoms (n = 209). Results Post-immigration related stressors (as measured by the Demands of Immigration (DI)) had the strongest effect: Parameter estimates indicated that a unit increase in DI scores was associated with a nearly 17 fold increase in the likelihood of being in the Co-morbid relative to the Subclinical group, and a nearly 2.5 increase in the likelihood of being in the Co-Morbid relative to the MDD only group (p Arab immigrant women for depression and PTSD is important given high levels observed in this community based sample. PMID:21835819

Pre and Post-monsoon Seasonal Variation of some Heavy Metal ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

ADOWIE PERE

ABSTRACT: The concentration of heavy metals (Fe, As and Cu) was examine in riverbed sediments of Gomti river, Lucknow at selected sites in pre and post monsoon season for three consecutive years (2009-11). The concentration was ranged between (As: 0.07-0.7, Fe: 7462.00-7977.00, Cu: 10.98-36.73 μg g-1) in ...

A pre- and post-processor for the ICOOL muon transport code

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fawley, W.M.

2001-01-01

ICOOL[1] is a Fortran77 macroparticle transport code widely used by researchers to study the front end of a neutrino factory/muon collider[2]. In part due to the desire that ICOOL be usable over multiple computer platforms and operating systems, the code uses simple text files for input/output services. This choice together with user-driven requests for greater and greater choice of lattice element type and configuration has led to ICOOL input decks becoming rather difficult to compose and modify easily. Moreover, the lack of a standard graphical post-processor has prevented many ICOOL users from extracting all but the most simple results from the output files. Here I present two attempts to improve this situation: First, a simple but quite general graphical pre-processor (NIME) written in the Tcl/TK[3] to permit users to write and maintain ASCII-formatted input files by use of simple macro definitions and expansions. Second, an interactive post-processor written in Fortran90 and NCAR graphics, which allows users to define, extract, and then examine the behavior of various particle subsets. In this paper I show some examples of use of both the pre- and post-processor for a standard ICOOL run

Comparison of pre-filter and post-filter ionised calcium monitoring in continuous veno-venous hemodiafiltration (CVVHD-F with citrate anti-coagulation.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Matthew J Brain

Full Text Available It is widespread practice during citrate anticoagulated renal replacement therapy to monitor circuit ionised calcium (iCa2+ to evaluate the effectiveness of anticoagulation. Whether the optimal site to sample the blood path is before or after the haemofilter is a common question.Using a prospectively collected observational dataset from intensive care patients receiving pre-dilution continuous veno-venous haemodiafiltration (CVVHD-F with integrated citrate anticoagulation we compared paired samples of pre and post filter iCa2+ where the target range was 0.3-0.5 mmol.L-1 as well as concurrently collected arterial iCa2+. Two nested mixed methods linear models were fitted to the data describing post vs pre filter iCa2+, and the relationship of pre, post and arterial samples.An 11 bed general intensive care unit.450 grouped samples from 152 time periods in seven patients on CRRT with citrate anticoagulation.The relationship of post to pre-filter iCa2+ was not 1:1 with post = 0.082 + 0.751 x pre-filter iCa2+ (95% CI intercept: 0.015-0.152, slope 0.558-0.942. Variation was greatest between patients rather than between circuits within the same patient or citrate dose. Compared to arterial iCa2+ there was no significant difference between pre and post-filter sampling sites (F-value 0.047, p = 0.827.These results demonstrate that there is minimal difference between pre and post filter samples for iCa2+ monitoring of circuit anticoagulation in citrate patients relative to the arterial iCa2+ in CVVHD-F however compared to pre-filter sampling, post filter sampling has a flatter response and greater variation.

A pre-post test evaluation of the impact of the PELICAN MDT-TME Development Programme on the working lives of colorectal cancer team members.

Science.gov (United States)

Taylor, Cath; Sippitt, Joanna M; Collins, Gary; McManus, Chris; Richardson, Alison; Dawson, Jeremy; Richards, Michael; Ramirez, Amanda J

2010-06-29

The PELICAN Multidisciplinary Team Total Mesorectal Excision (MDT-TME) Development Programme aimed to improve clinical outcomes for rectal cancer by educating colorectal cancer teams in precision surgery and related aspects of multidisciplinary care. The Programme reached almost all colorectal cancer teams across England. We took the opportunity to assess the impact of participating in this novel team-based Development Programme on the working lives of colorectal cancer team members. The impact of participating in the programme on team members' self-reported job stress, job satisfaction and team performance was assessed in a pre-post course study. 333/568 (59%) team members, from the 75 multidisciplinary teams who attended the final year of the Programme, completed questionnaires pre-course, and 6-8 weeks post-course. Across all team members, the main sources of job satisfaction related to working in multidisciplinary teams; whilst feeling overloaded was the main source of job stress. Surgeons and clinical nurse specialists reported higher levels of job satisfaction than team members who do not provide direct patient care, whilst MDT coordinators reported the lowest levels of job satisfaction and job stress. Both job stress and satisfaction decreased after participating in the Programme for all team members. There was a small improvement in team performance. Participation in the Development Programme had a mixed impact on the working lives of team members in the immediate aftermath of attending. The decrease in team members' job stress may reflect the improved knowledge and skills conferred by the Programme. The decrease in job satisfaction may be the consequence of being unable to apply these skills immediately in clinical practice because of a lack of required infrastructure and/or equipment. In addition, whilst the Programme raised awareness of the challenges of teamworking, a greater focus on tackling these issues may have improved working lives further.

Diversity of endophytic fungi of Myricaria laxiflora grown under pre- and post-flooding conditions.

Science.gov (United States)

Tian, W; Bi, Y H; Zeng, W; Jiang, W; Xue, Y H; Wang, G X; Liu, S P

2015-09-09

Myricaria laxiflora is distributed along the riverbanks of the Yangtze River valley. The Three Gorges Dam has dramatically changed the habitat of M. laxiflora, which has evolved to develop increased resistance to flooding stress. In order to elucidate the relationship between plant endophytic fungi and flooding stress, we isolated and taxonomically characterized the endophytic fungi of M. laxiflora. One hundred and sixty-three fungi were isolated from healthy stems, leaves and roots of M. laxiflora grown under pre- and post-flooding conditions. Culture and isolation were carried out under aerobic and anaerobic conditions. Based on internal transcribed spacer sequence analysis and morphological characteristics, the isolates exhibited abundant biodiversity; they were classified into 5 subphyla, 7 classes, 12 orders, 17 families, and 26 genera. Dominant endophytes varied between pre- and post-flooding plants, among different plant tissues, and between aerobic and anaerobic culture conditions. Aspergillus and Alternaria accounted for more than 55% of all isolates. Although the number of isolates from post-flooding plants was greater, endophytes from pre-flooding plants were more diverse and abundant. Endophytes were distributed preferentially in particular tissues; this affinity was constrained by both the host habitat and the oxygen availability of the host.

[Maternal care after vaginal delivery and management of complications in immediate post-partum--Guidelines for clinical practice].

Science.gov (United States)

Simon, E-G; Laffon, M

2015-12-01

To provide recommendations on maternal care after vaginal delivery, and management of complications in immediate post-partum period. Bibliographic research from the Pubmed database and recommendations issued by the main scientific societies, and assignment of a level of evidence and a recommendation grade. After a vaginal delivery, monitoring of blood pressure, heart rate, bleeding, uterine involution, genital pain, urination, temperature, transit and signs of phlebitis is recommended (professional consensus). Post-partum Anemia is defined by a hemoglobinpost-partum hypertension or de novo preeclampsia, the prescription rules for antihypertensive treatments and magnesium sulfate are the same as in prenatal period (professional consensus). Oral NSAIDs are effective for perineal pain and uterine involution (EL2). In case of broken down perineal wounds following childbirth, there is no argument in favor of suturing or not suturing, however the suturing is to be preferred for large dehisced perineal wounds (professional consensus). Infection of perineal scar justifies an oral broad-spectrum antibiotics, in addition to local nursing (professional consensus). In case of obstetric anal sphincter injuries, an antibiotic prophylaxis is recommended (grade B). Hygiene advice should be given to all women who had an episiotomy or a perineal tear (professional consensus). The only etiological treatment of post-dural puncture headache is the blood patch (EL2). It must not be carried out before 48 hours (professional consensus). Thromboembolic risk after a vaginal birth is about 1‰ (EL2). The prescription of thromboprophylaxis with LMWH and graduated compression stockings should be based on risk factors (professional consensus). During the immediate post-partum period, complications may be unrecognized or confused with the natural post-partum evolution, which implies a strong vigilance from practitioners. This vigilance is all the more necessary that the maternal residence

Pavement Pre- and Post-Treatment Performance Models Using LTPP Data

OpenAIRE

Lu, Pan; Tolliver, Denver

2012-01-01

This paper determines that pavement performance in International Roughness Index (IRI) is affected by exogenous interventions such as pavement age, precipitation level, freeze-thaw level, and lower level preservation maintenance strategies. An exponential function of pavement age was used to represent pavement IRI performance curves. Moreover, this paper demonstrates a method which calculates short-term post-pavement performance models from maintenance effect models and pre-treatment performa...

Evaluation of Pre-marketing Factors to Predict Post-marketing Boxed Warnings and Safety Withdrawals.

Science.gov (United States)

Schick, Andreas; Miller, Kathleen L; Lanthier, Michael; Dal Pan, Gerald; Nardinelli, Clark

2017-06-01

An important goal in drug regulation is understanding serious safety issues with new drugs as soon as possible. Achieving this goal requires us to understand whether information provided during the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) drug review can predict serious safety issues that are usually identified after the product is approved. However, research on this topic remains understudied. In this paper, we examine whether any pre-marketing drug characteristics are associated with serious post-marketing safety actions. We study this question using an internal FDA database containing every new small molecule drug submitted to the FDA's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER) on or after November 21, 1997, and approved and commercially launched before December 31, 2009. Serious post-marketing safety actions include whether these drugs ever experienced either a post-marketing boxed warning or a withdrawal from the market due to safety concerns. A random effects logistic regression model was used to test whether any pre-marketing characteristics were associated with either post-marketing safety action. A total of 219 new molecular entities were analyzed. Among these drugs, 11 experienced a safety withdrawal and 30 received boxed warnings by July 31, 2016. Contrary to prevailing hypotheses, we find that neither clinical trial sample sizes nor review time windows are associated with the addition of a post-marketing boxed warning or safety withdrawal. However, we do find that new drugs approved with either a boxed warning or priority review are more likely to experience post-marketing boxed warnings. Furthermore, drugs approved with boxed warnings tend to receive post-marketing boxed warnings resulting from new safety information that are unrelated to the original warning. Drugs approved with a boxed warning are 3.88 times more likely to receive a post-marketing boxed warning, while drugs approved with a priority review are 3.51 times more likely to receive a post

Ibuprofen versus acetaminophen as a post-partum analgesic for women with severe pre-eclampsia: randomized clinical study.

Science.gov (United States)

Vigil-De Gracia, Paulino; Solis, Valentin; Ortega, Nelson

2017-06-01

To compare differences in blood pressure levels between patients with severe post-partum pre-eclampsia using ibuprofen or acetaminophen. A randomized controlled trial was made in women with severe pre-eclampsia or superimposed pre-eclampsia after vaginal birth. The patient was randomly selected to receive either 400 mg of ibuprofen every 8 h or 1 g of acetaminophen every 6 h during the post-partum. The primary variable was systolic hypertension ≥150 mmHg and/or diastolic hypertension ≥100 mmHg after the first 24 h post-partum. Secondary variables were the arterial blood pressure readings at 24, 48, 72, and 96 h post-partum and maternal complications. A total of 113 patients were studied: 56 in the acetaminophen group and 57 in the ibuprofen group. With regard to the primary outcome, more cases were significantly hypertensive in the ibuprofen group (36/57; 63.1%) than in the acetaminophen group (16/56; 28.6%). Severe hypertension (≥160/110 mmHg) was not significantly different between the groups, 14.5% (acetaminophen) and 24.5% (ibuprofen). The levels of arterial blood pressure show a hammock-shaped curve independent of the drug used, however, is more noticeable with ibuprofen. This study shows that ibuprofen significantly elevates blood pressure in women with severe pre-eclampsia during the post-partum period.

Non-School Influences and Educational Disadvantage: Pre and Post-natal Nutritional Deprivation

Science.gov (United States)

Doll, Russell C.

1973-01-01

Deals with pre and post-natal malnutrition and its possible influence on the child, focusing on these points: How wide-spread and severe is the malnutrition? What might be the effects of the malnutrition at certain critical points in development? (Author/JM)

Mapping the recovery of the burnt vegetation by classifying pre- and post-fire spectral indices

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M. A Peña

2017-12-01

Full Text Available This study analyzed the state of recovery of the burnt vegetation in the National Park of Torres del Paine between December, 2011 and March, 2012. The calculation and comparison of the NVDI (normalized difference vegetation index of the burnt area throughout a time series of 24 Landsat images acquired before, during and after the fire (2009- 2015, showed the temporal variation in the biomass levels of the burnt vegetation. The subsequent classification and comparison of the spectral indices: NDVI, NBR (normalized burnt ratio and NDWI (normalized difference water index on a full-data available and phenologically matched pre- and post-fire image pair (acquired in October 2009 and 2014, enabled to analyze and mapping the state of recovery of the burnt vegetation. The results show that the area of the lowest classes of all the spectral indices of the pre-fire date became the most dominant on the post-fire date. The pre- and post- fire NDVI class crossing by a confusion matrix showed that the highest and most prevailing pre-fire NDVI classes, mostly corresponding to hydromorphic forests and Andean scrubs, turned into the lowest class in 2014. The remaining area, comprising Patagonian steppe, reestablished its biomass levels in 2014, mostly exhibiting the same pre-fire NDVI classes. These results may provide guidelines to monitor and manage the regeneration of the vegetation impacted by this fire.

Comparison of myocardial function between post-menopausal and pre-menopausal women: evaluation by gated myocardial SPECT

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hwang, K. H.; Choa, Won Sick; Yoon, Min Ki

2005-01-01

In addition to inhibiting coronary atherosclerosis, estrogen is expected to have protective effects on cardiac myocytes. We investigated the difference in myocardial functional parameters evaluated by gated myocardial SPECT after adenosine-stress between post-menopausal and pre-menopausal healthy women. This study included 22 healthy post-menopausal women (mean age: 53.0 yr) and 20 pre-menopausal women (mean age: 43.0 yr) who performed Tc-99m tetrofosmin gated myocardial SPECT after adenosine-stress. Measured hemodynamic parameters, EDV, ESV, stroke volume, EF, cardiac output and cardiac index were compared between the two groups. For comparison, similar-aged two male groups with matched numbers were also studied. There was no significant difference in hemodynamic parameters. EDV, ESV, stroke volume, EF, or cardiac output between the post-menopausal and pre-menopausal women. However, post-menopausal women have a smaller cardiac index (mean: 1.95 L/min/m2 vs 2.20 L/min/m2; p=0.045) and adenosine-induced HR increase (mean : 80.5/min vs 89.7/min ; p=0.03), compared to the pre-menopausal women. On the contrary, the two male groups of the same age range and numbers with the women groups showed no significant difference in any myocardial parameters. These results suggest that menopause may be correlated with reduced increase in cardiac index and HR increase after adenosine-stress

Comparison of myocardial function between post-menopausal and pre-menopausal women: evaluation by gated myocardial SPECT

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hwang, K. H.; Choa, Won Sick; Yoon, Min Ki [Gachon Medical School, Gil Hospital, Incheon (Korea, Republic of)

2005-07-01

In addition to inhibiting coronary atherosclerosis, estrogen is expected to have protective effects on cardiac myocytes. We investigated the difference in myocardial functional parameters evaluated by gated myocardial SPECT after adenosine-stress between post-menopausal and pre-menopausal healthy women. This study included 22 healthy post-menopausal women (mean age: 53.0 yr) and 20 pre-menopausal women (mean age: 43.0 yr) who performed Tc-99m tetrofosmin gated myocardial SPECT after adenosine-stress. Measured hemodynamic parameters, EDV, ESV, stroke volume, EF, cardiac output and cardiac index were compared between the two groups. For comparison, similar-aged two male groups with matched numbers were also studied. There was no significant difference in hemodynamic parameters. EDV, ESV, stroke volume, EF, or cardiac output between the post-menopausal and pre-menopausal women. However, post-menopausal women have a smaller cardiac index (mean: 1.95 L/min/m2 vs 2.20 L/min/m2; p=0.045) and adenosine-induced HR increase (mean : 80.5/min vs 89.7/min ; p=0.03), compared to the pre-menopausal women. On the contrary, the two male groups of the same age range and numbers with the women groups showed no significant difference in any myocardial parameters. These results suggest that menopause may be correlated with reduced increase in cardiac index and HR increase after adenosine-stress.

Changes in Pre- and Post-Exercise Gene Expression among Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease and Kidney Transplant Recipients.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dawn K Coletta

Full Text Available Decreased insulin sensitivity blunts the normal increase in gene expression from skeletal muscle after exercise. In addition, chronic inflammation decreases insulin sensitivity. Chronic kidney disease (CKD is an inflammatory state. How CKD and, subsequently, kidney transplantation affects skeletal muscle gene expression after exercise are unknown.Study cohort: non-diabetic male/female 4/1, age 52±2 years, with end-stage CKD who underwent successful kidney transplantation. The following were measured both pre-transplant and post-transplant and compared to normals: Inflammatory markers, euglycemic insulin clamp studies determine insulin sensitivity, and skeletal muscle biopsies performed before and within 30 minutes after an acute exercise protocol. Microarray analyses were performed on the skeletal muscle using the 4x44K Whole Human Genome Microarrays. Since nuclear factor of activated T cells (NFAT plays an important role in T cell activation and calcineurin inhibitors are mainstay immunosuppression, calcineurin/NFAT pathway gene expression was compared at rest and after exercise. Log transformation was performed to prevent skewing of data and regression analyses comparing measures pre- and post-transplant performed.Markers of inflammation significantly improved post-transplantation. Insulin infusion raised glucose disposal slightly lower post-transplant compared to pre-transplant, but not significantly, thus concluding differences in insulin sensitivity were similar. The overall pattern of gene expression in response to exercise was reduced both pre-and post-transplant compared to healthy volunteers. Although significant changes were observed among NFAT/Calcineurin gene at rest and after exercise in normal cohort, there were no significant differences comparing NFAT/calcineurin pathway gene expression pre- and post-transplant.Despite an improvement in serum inflammatory markers, no significant differences in glucose disposal were observed post

Pre and post garter spring repositioning ultrasonic inspection of pressure tubes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Desimone, C.; Katchadjian, P.; Tacchia, Mauricio

1997-01-01

This paper present a description of the ultrasonic cracked hydride blister detections system used for pre and post inspection of pressure tubes during garter spring repositioning in CNE (Embalse Nuclear Power Station). Ultrasonic system setup configuration, transducers characteristics, blister detection head, calibration of parameters, operating procedure, records of ultrasonic inspections and evaluation. (author) [es

Goal disturbance changes pre/post-renal transplantation are related to changes in distress.

Science.gov (United States)

de Vries, Alicia M; Schulz, Torben; Westerhuis, Ralf; Navis, Gerjan J; Niesing, Jan; Ranchor, Adelita V; Schroevers, Maya J

2017-09-01

Renal transplantation (RTx) is considered the treatment of choice for end-stage renal disease (ESRD) given its association with lower mortality, and improved overall quality of life and psychological functioning compared to dialysis. However, much less is known about which factors underlie these psychological improvements across RTx. Goal theory suggests that experienced disturbances in important goals are related to lower psychological functioning. This study aimed to (1) identify the most disturbed and most important goals for patients before RTx, (2) to examine changes in goal disturbance and goal importance pre/post-RTx, and (3) to examine whether changes in goal disturbance are associated with changes in psychological distress over time, and whether this relationship is mediated by changes in perceived control. In this longitudinal study, 220 patients completed questionnaires before and after RTx, including questionnaires to assess goals (GOALS questionnaire), psychological distress (GHQ-12), and perceived control (Mastery scale). End-stage renal disease affected both general and disease-specific goals. Approximately 30% of the patients indicated to experience high or very high disturbance before transplantation. Goal disturbance generally decreased significantly pre- to post-RTx, whereas goal importance did not change significantly pre- to post-RTx. No mediation effect of perceived control was found. Instead, both changes in goal disturbance and perceived control showed independent effects on changes in distress. Intervention strategies targeting attainable and realistic goal setting, and perceived control in RTx recipients who do not benefit optimally from RTx, might enhance psychological functioning in this population. Statement of contribution What is already known on this subject? Kidney transplantation improves patients' psychological functioning. Experienced disturbances in important life goals are related to lower psychological functioning in chronic

Comparison of the effect of pre- and post-operative physical therapy versus post-operative physical therapy alone on pain and recovery of function after total knee arthroplasty

OpenAIRE

Alghadir, Ahmad; Iqbal, Zaheen Ahmed; Anwer, Shahnawaz

2016-01-01

[Purpose] The aim of the present study was to compare the effect of pre-operative and post-operative physical therapy versus post-operative physical therapy alone on pain and recovery of function after total knee arthroplasty. [Subjects and Methods] Fifty patients (18 males and 32 females) ranging in age from 48 to 80?years (mean 63.28, SD 9.44) participated in a 6-week two-arm randomized rater-blinded trial. One group received pre- and post-operative physical therapy whereas the other group ...

Professional Identity and Burnout among Pre-School, Elementary, and Post-Elementary School Teachers in Israel

Science.gov (United States)

Fisherman, Shraga

2015-01-01

The novelty of the present study is its attempt to distinguish between pre-school, elementary, and post-elementary school teachers, regarding the relationship between professional identity and burnout. Two hundred and forty teachers responded to two questionnaires: professional identity and teacher burnout scales. Pre-school teachers were found to…

Pre- and Peri-/Post-Compaction Follistatin Treatment Increases In Vitro Production of Cattle Embryos.

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Guo Zhenhua

Full Text Available Our previous studies demonstrated that maternal (oocyte derived follistatin (FST expression is positively associated with bovine oocyte competence and exogenous follistatin treatment during the pre-compaction period of development (d 1-3 post insemination is stimulatory to bovine early embryogenesis in vitro [blastocyst rates and cell numbers/allocation to trophectoderm (TE]. In the present study, bovine embryos were treated with exogenous follistatin during d 1-3, d 4-7 and d 1-7 post insemination to test the hypothesis that embryotropic effects of exogenous follistatin are specific to the pre-compaction period (d 1-3 of early embryogenesis. Follistatin treatment during d 4-7 (peri-/post-compaction period of embryo culture increased proportion of embryos reaching blastocyst and expanded blastocyst stage and total cell numbers compared to controls, but blastocyst rates and total cell numbers were lower than observed following d 1-3 (pre-compaction follistatin treatment. Follistatin supplementation during d 1-7 of embryo culture increased development to blastocyst and expanded blastocyst stages and blastocyst total cell numbers compared to d 1-3 and d 4-7 follistatin treatment and untreated controls. A similar increase in blastocyst CDX2 mRNA and protein (TE cell marker was observed in response to d 1-3, d 4-7 and d 1-7 follistatin treatment. However, an elevation in blastocyst BMP4 protein (TE cell regulator was observed in response to d 1-3 and d 1-7, but not d 4-7 (peri-/post-compaction follistatin treatment. In summary, our study revealed the potential utility of follistatin treatment for increasing the success rate of in vitro embryo production in cattle. Such results also expand our understanding of the embryotropic actions of follistatin and demonstrate that follistatin actions on blastocyst development and cell allocation to the TE layer are not specific to the pre-compaction period.

Hemodiafiltración en línea pre-dilucional, frente a post-dilucional: estudio comparativo de eficacia dialítica y tolerancia hemodinámica Pre-dilution versus post-dilution on-line haemodiafiltration: a comparative study of dialytic efficacy and haemodynamic tolerance

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Raquel Menezo Viadero

2012-06-01

Full Text Available La hemodiafiltración en línea es una técnica de diálisis que combina las ventajas de la hemodiálisis de alto flujo (transporte difusivo y la hemofiltración (transporte convectivo. Esta técnica permite varias alternativas según se incorpore el líquido de reinfusión: pre-dilucional (antes del dializador y post-dilucional (después del dializador, presentando cada una de ellas ventajas e inconvenientes. El objetivo de este estudio fue comparar distintos parámetros dialíticos y hemodinámicos entre los modos de hemodiafiltración pre y postdilucional. Se realizó un estudio prospectivo transversal en una población en diálisis que ya se trataba con hemodiafiltración en línea, sometiéndose durante 4 semanas a cada una de las modalidades (pre y post-dilucional. Se registraron los valores de: tensión arterial sistólica, diastólica y frecuencia cardiaca pre y post sesión, flujo de sangre, presión venosa, volumen de sangre dializado y volumen de sustitución. La dosis de diálisis se midió mediante dialisancia iónica. Se estudiaron 26 pacientes: 30% mujeres y 70% hombres, con una edad media de 61±13 años. El tiempo medio en tratamiento renal sustitutivo fue de 117±124,45 meses, tiempo medio en hemodiálisis fue de 50±54,38 meses. Los parámetros hemodinámicos no han presentado diferencias significativas entre las dos modalidades estudiadas (pre y post-dilucional. Se obtiene un mayor valor de KT estadísticamente significativo en la técnica de hemodiafiltración post-dilucional precisando ésta un volumen de sustitución de la mitad, en comparación con la modalidad pre-dilucional. Conclusiones: La técnica de hemodiafiltración en línea es bien tolerada en las dos modalidades de infusión. Ante un mismo flujo de sangre, presión venosa y volumen de sangre dializado se consigue una mejor dosis de diálisis en el modo post-dilucional. La hemodiafiltración post-dilucional parece ser una mejor alternativa respecto a la pre

Optimization Of The Efficiency Of A Pre And Post Apodized Piaa Coronagraph Using A Numerical Propagator.

Science.gov (United States)

Carlotti, Alexis; Pueyo, L.; Kasdin, N. J.

2011-01-01

Using a numerical propagator based on the Huygens integral, we study the apodization profiles (and PSFs) provided by a set of two PIAA mirrors that follow a square geometry. This choice is made as deformable mirrors could potentially be used as pupil mappers. A pre-apodizer and a post-apodizer are needed to improve the contrast and relax the manufacturing constraints of the mirrors. The stroke, minimum radius of curvature and diameter of the mirrors altogether with the parameters that define the pre and post apodizers’ properties are connected to the performances of the coronagraph in term of contrast, throughput and inner working angle. Characterizing these relations allows us to invert some of them. For example, we are able to set a specific value for the final throughput and to find out, for a particular mirror's diameter and stroke, the distance between the mirrors as well as the characteristics of the pre and post apodizers that need to be used. Contrast maps are given as functions of the stroke, the diameter, the radius of curvature and the throughput. All these numerical tools help us to understand the trade-offs that exist behind the design of a PIAA system. There is a direct relation between the diameter, stroke, maximum radius of curvature of the mirrors and the strength of the post-apodizer. Increasing the diameter improves the contrast but asks for a higher stroke and bigger distance. For a given set of mirrors, a better contrast can then be obtained by strengthening the pre and post apodizers at the expense of the throughput and the inner working angle. The post-apodizer could either be a transmittive, continuous apodizer or a binary apodizer. The latter case is explored and optimized binary apodizers are found for several PIAA cases. This work is supported by a NASA APRA grant.

Three-year post-transplant medicare payments in kidney transplant recipients: Associations with pre-transplant comorbidities

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Gerardo Machnicki

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Little is known about the influence of pre-transplant comorbidities on post-transplant expenditures. We estimated the associations between pre-transplant comorbidities and post-transplant Medicare costs, using several comorbidity classification systems. We included recipients of first-kidney deceased donor transplants from 1995 through 2002 for whom Medicare was the primary payer for at least one year pre-transplant (N = 25,175. We examined pre-transplant comorbidities as classified by International Classification of Diseases (ICD-9-CM codes from Medicare claims with the Clinical Cla-ssifications Software (CCS and Charlson and Elixhauser algorithms. Post-transplant costs were calcu-lated from payments on Medicare claims. We developed models considering Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN variables plus: 1 CCS categories, 2 Charlson, 3 Elixhauser, 4 num-ber of Charlson and 5 number of Elixhauser comorbidities, independently. We applied a novel regression methodology to account for censoring. Costs were estimated at individual and population levels. The comorbidities with the largest impact on mean Medicare payments included cardiovascular disease, ma-lignancies, cerebrovascular disease, mental conditions and functional limitations. Skin ulcers and infec-tions, rheumatic and other connective tissue disease and liver disease also contributed to payments and have not been considered or described previously. A positive graded relationship was found between costs and the number of pre-transplant comorbidities. In conclusion, we showed that expansion beyond the usually considered pre-transplant comorbidities with inclusion of CCS and Charlson or Elixhauser comorbidities increased the knowledge about comorbidities related to augmented Medicare payments. Our expanded methodology can be used by others to assess more accurately the financial implications of renal transplantation to Medicare and individual transplant centers.

Risk Behaviors of Youth Living With HIV: Pre- and Post-HAART

Science.gov (United States)

Lightfoot, Marguerita; Swendeman, Dallas; Rotheram-Borus, Mary Jane; Comulada, W. Scott; Weiss, Robert

2005-01-01

Objective: To examine the transmission behavior among youth living with HIV (YLH), pre- and post-HAART. Methods: Two cohorts were recruited: (1) 349 YLH during 1994 to 1996 and (2) 175 YLH during 1999 to 2000, after the wide availability of HAART. Differences in sexual and substance-use risk acts and quality of life were examined. Results:…

SU-E-T-12: A Comparative Dosimetric Study of Pre and Post Prostate Iodine-125 Permanent Seed Implants

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Liu, X; Rahimian, J; Goy, B; Cosmatos, H; Qian, Y [Kaiser Permanente, Los Angeles, CA (United States)

2015-06-15

Purpose: Post-implant dosimetry has become the gold standard for prostate implant evaluation. The goal of this research is to compare the dosimetry between pre-plan and post-plan in permanent prostate seed implant brachytherapy. Methods: A retrospective study of 91 patients treated with Iodine-125 prostate seed implant between year 2012∼2014 were performed. All plans were created using a VariSeed 8.0 planning system. Pre-plan ultrasound images were acquired using 0.5 cm slice thickness. Post-plan CT images acquired about 1–4 weeks after implant, fused with the preplan ultrasound images. The prostate and urethra contours were generated using the fusion of ultrasound and CT images. Iodine-125 seed source activities varied between 0.382 to 0.414 mCi per seed. The loading patterns varied slightly between patients depending on the prostate size. Statistical analysis of pre and post plans for prostate and urethra volumes, V100%, V150% and D90, and urethra D10 were performed and reported. Results: The pre and post implant average prostate size was 36.90cc vs. 38.58cc; V100% was 98.33% vs. 96.89%; V150% was 47.09% vs. 56.95%; D90 was 116.35Gy vs. 116.12Gy, urethra volume was 1.72cc vs. 1.85cc, urethra D10% was 122.0% vs. 135.35%, respectively. There was no statistically significant difference between the pre and post-plan values for D90(p-value=0.43). However, there are significant differences between other parameters most likely due to post surgical edema; prostate size (p-value= 0.00015); V100% (p-value=3.7803E-07); V150% (p-value=1.49E-09); urethra volume (p-value= 2.77E-06); Urethra D10 (p-value=7.37E-11). Conclusion: The post-plan dosimetry using CT image set showed similar D90 dose coverage to the pre-plan using the ultrasound image dataset. The study showed that our prostate seed implants have consistently delivered adequate therapeutic dose to the prostate while sparing urethra. Future studies to correlate dose versus biochemical response using patients’ PSA

Corporate governance and performance of Turkish banks in the pre- and post-crisis periods

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

F. Dilvin Taşkin

2012-11-01

Full Text Available This paper aims to analyze the relationship between corporate governance and bank performance. Return on asset (ROA, return on equity (ROE and net interest margin (NIM is considered as the measures of bank performance. Corporate governance is determined through the measures of internal governance mechanism which is measured by CEO duality and external governance mechanisms which are proxied by discipline exerted by shareholders, creditors and educated personnel and bank ownership. The analysis covers the period 1990-2000 and 2002-2011 which are the pre and post periods of the severe 2001 banking crisis. The results show that different governance characteristics are important in the pre and post crisis periods.

Diagnostic value of radiological imaging pre- and post-drainage of pleural effusions.

Science.gov (United States)

Corcoran, John P; Acton, Louise; Ahmed, Asia; Hallifax, Robert J; Psallidas, Ioannis; Wrightson, John M; Rahman, Najib M; Gleeson, Fergus V

2016-02-01

Patients with an unexplained pleural effusion often require urgent investigation. Clinical practice varies due to uncertainty as to whether an effusion should be drained completely before diagnostic imaging. We performed a retrospective study of patients undergoing medical thoracoscopy for an unexplained effusion. In 110 patients with paired (pre- and post-drainage) chest X-rays and 32 patients with paired computed tomography scans, post-drainage imaging did not provide additional information that would have influenced the clinical decision-making process. © 2015 Asian Pacific Society of Respirology.

Immediate effects of the semi-occluded vocal tract exercise with LaxVox® tube in singers.

Science.gov (United States)

Fadel, Congeta Bruniere Xavier; Dassie-Leite, Ana Paula; Santos, Rosane Sampaio; Santos, Celso Gonçalves Dos; Dias, Cláudio Antônio Sorondo; Sartori, Denise Jussara

The purpose of this study was to analyze the immediate effects of the semi-occluded vocal tract exercise (SOVTE) using the LaxVox® tube in singers. Participants were 23 singers, classical singing students, aged 18 to 47 years (mean age = 27.2 years). First, data was collected through the application of a demographic questionnaire and the recording of sustained emission - vowel /ε/, counting 1-10, and a music section from the participants' current repertoire. After that, the participants were instructed and performed the SOVTE using the LaxVox® tube for three minutes. Finally, the same vocal samples were collected immediately after SOVTE performance and the singers responded to a questionnaire on their perception regarding vocal changes after the exercise. The vocal samples were analyzed by referees (speech-language pathologists and singing teachers) and by means of acoustic analysis. Most of the singers reported improved voice post-exercise in both tasks - speech and singing. Regarding the perceptual assessment (sustained vowel, speech, and singing), the referees found no difference between pre- and post-exercise emissions. The acoustic analysis of the sustained vowel showed increased Fundamental Frequency (F0) and reduction of the Glottal to Noise Excitation (GNE) ratio post-exercise. The semi-occluded vocal tract exercise with LaxVox® tube promotes immediate positive effects on the self-assessment and acoustic analysis of voice in professional singers without vocal complains. No immediate significant changes were observed with respect to auditory-perceptual evaluation of speech and singing.

Age-related changes in pre- and post-conization HPV genotype distribution among women with high-grade cervical intraepithelial neoplasia.

Science.gov (United States)

Giannella, Luca; Fodero, Cristina; Boselli, Fausto; Rubino, Teresa; Mfuta, Kabala; Prandi, Sonia

2017-04-01

To assess the effect of age on pre- and post-conization HPV genotype distribution. The present retrospective observational study included consecutive women with high-grade cervical intraepithelial neoplasia who underwent conization at the Cervical Cancer Screening Centre of Reggio Emilia, Italy, and University Hospital of Modena, Italy, between February 1, 2012, and October 31, 2014. Pre-conization and 6-month post-conization HPV genotyping results were compared between four age groups (<30, 30-39, 40-49, and ≥50 years) and age-related changes in the HPV genotypes present were evaluated. There were 162 patients included. The lowest occurrence of pre-conization high-risk and probable high-risk HPV genotypes was observed among patients aged at least 50 years when compared with younger patients (P=0.017). Conversely, women aged at least 50 years exhibited the highest level of post-conization high-risk and probable high-risk HPV genotypes (P=0.043). Additionally, an increasing incidence of recording identical pre- and post-conization HPV genotypes was associated with increasing age (P=0.024), as was increasing post-treatment recurrence of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia grade 2+ (P=0.030). The presence of high-risk and probable high-risk HPV genotypes was lowest among older patients before conization and was highest among these patients post-conization; post-treatment HPV clearance decreased with age and increasing age could be a risk factor for post-conization recurrence. © 2017 International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics.

Pre- and post-season dietary intake, body composition, and performance indices of NCAA division I female soccer players.

Science.gov (United States)

Clark, Mandy; Reed, Debra B; Crouse, Stephen F; Armstrong, Robert B

2003-09-01

Little published data describe the dietary and physiological profiles of intercollegiate female soccer players; therefore, the purpose of this investigation was to report baseline dietary data, anthropometrics, and performance indices of soccer women during rigorous pre-season training (2 sessions/day) and then during the post-competitive season. Members of a NCAA Division I women's soccer squad completed 3-day diet records, anthropometrics, and physical tests, including VO2peak. Average body mass was 62 kg with 16% body fat, and no significant pre to post differences were observed. Total energy, carbohydrate (CHO), protein, and fat intakes were significantly greater during the pre-season. Pre-season energy intake met the DRI for females with an "active" lifestyle (37 kcal/kg). While CHO intake failed to meet minimum recommendations to promote glycogen repletion (7-10 g/kg), protein and fat intakes were above minimum recommendations. Pre- and post-season intakes of several micronutrients were marginal (failed to meet minimum CHO and micronutrient recommendations. Foods higher in protein and fat displaced more CHO-rich and nutrient-dense foods within athletes' energy requirements and satiety limits.

Mental health of newly arrived Burmese refugees in Australia: contributions of pre-migration and post-migration experience.

Science.gov (United States)

Schweitzer, Robert D; Brough, Mark; Vromans, Lyn; Asic-Kobe, Mary

2011-04-01

This study documents the mental health status of people from Burmese refugee backgrounds recently arrived in Australia, then examines the contributions of gender, pre-migration and post-migration factors in predicting mental health. Structured interviews, including a demographic questionnaire, the Harvard Trauma Questionnaire, the Post-migration Living Difficulties Checklist and Hopkins Symptom Checklist assessed pre-migration trauma, post-migration living difficulties, depression, anxiety, somatization and traumatization symptoms in a sample of 70 adults across five Burmese ethnic groups. Substantial proportions of participants reported psychological distress in symptomatic ranges including: post-traumatic stress disorder (9%), anxiety (20%) and depression (36%), as well as significant symptoms of somatization (37%). Participants reported multiple and severe pre-migration traumas. Post-migration living difficulties of greatest concern included communication problems and worry about family not in Australia. Gender did not predict mental health. Level of exposure to traumatic events and post-migration living difficulties each made unique and relatively equal contributions to traumatization symptoms. Post-migration living difficulties made unique contributions to depression, anxiety and somatization symptoms. While exposure to traumatic events impacted on participants' mental well-being, post-migration living difficulties had greater salience in predicting mental health outcomes of people from Burmese refugee backgrounds. Reported rates of post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms were consistent with a large review of adults across seven western countries. High levels of somatization point to a nuanced expression of distress. Findings have implications for service provision in terms of implementing appropriate interventions to effectively meet the needs of this newly arrived group in Australia.

Post-fire hydrologic behavior and recovery: Advancing spatial and temporal prediction with an emphasis on remote sensing

OpenAIRE

Kinoshita, Alicia

2012-01-01

This work has investigated the policy of wildfires, modeling techniques for post-fire assessment, and the influence of controlling variables on post-fire recovery. Post-fire mitigation and management require reliable predictions of immediate hydrologic consequences and long-term recovery to pre-fire conditions. This research shows that models used by agencies are not adaptable to all geographical and climatological conditions. Results show inconsistencies between model predictions for peak di...

Nonperturbative theory of weak pre- and post-selected measurements

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kofman, Abraham G., E-mail: kofmana@gmail.com; Ashhab, Sahel; Nori, Franco

2012-11-01

This paper starts with a brief review of the topic of strong and weak pre- and post-selected (PPS) quantum measurements, as well as weak values, and afterwards presents original work. In particular, we develop a nonperturbative theory of weak PPS measurements of an arbitrary system with an arbitrary meter, for arbitrary initial states of the system and the meter. New and simple analytical formulas are obtained for the average and the distribution of the meter pointer variable. These formulas hold to all orders in the weak value. In the case of a mixed preselected state, in addition to the standard weak value, an associated weak value is required to describe weak PPS measurements. In the linear regime, the theory provides the generalized Aharonov–Albert–Vaidman formula. Moreover, we reveal two new regimes of weak PPS measurements: the strongly-nonlinear regime and the inverted region (the regime with a very large weak value), where the system-dependent contribution to the pointer deflection decreases with increasing the measurement strength. The optimal conditions for weak PPS measurements are obtained in the strongly-nonlinear regime, where the magnitude of the average pointer deflection is equal or close to the maximum. This maximum is independent of the measurement strength, being typically of the order of the pointer uncertainty. In the optimal regime, the small parameter of the theory is comparable to the overlap of the pre- and post-selected states. We show that the amplification coefficient in the weak PPS measurements is generally a product of two qualitatively different factors. The effects of the free system and meter Hamiltonians are discussed. We also estimate the size of the ensemble required for a measurement and identify optimal and efficient meters for weak measurements. Exact solutions are obtained for a certain class of the measured observables. These solutions are used for numerical calculations, the results of which agree with the theory

Nonperturbative theory of weak pre- and post-selected measurements

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kofman, Abraham G.; Ashhab, Sahel; Nori, Franco

2012-01-01

This paper starts with a brief review of the topic of strong and weak pre- and post-selected (PPS) quantum measurements, as well as weak values, and afterwards presents original work. In particular, we develop a nonperturbative theory of weak PPS measurements of an arbitrary system with an arbitrary meter, for arbitrary initial states of the system and the meter. New and simple analytical formulas are obtained for the average and the distribution of the meter pointer variable. These formulas hold to all orders in the weak value. In the case of a mixed preselected state, in addition to the standard weak value, an associated weak value is required to describe weak PPS measurements. In the linear regime, the theory provides the generalized Aharonov–Albert–Vaidman formula. Moreover, we reveal two new regimes of weak PPS measurements: the strongly-nonlinear regime and the inverted region (the regime with a very large weak value), where the system-dependent contribution to the pointer deflection decreases with increasing the measurement strength. The optimal conditions for weak PPS measurements are obtained in the strongly-nonlinear regime, where the magnitude of the average pointer deflection is equal or close to the maximum. This maximum is independent of the measurement strength, being typically of the order of the pointer uncertainty. In the optimal regime, the small parameter of the theory is comparable to the overlap of the pre- and post-selected states. We show that the amplification coefficient in the weak PPS measurements is generally a product of two qualitatively different factors. The effects of the free system and meter Hamiltonians are discussed. We also estimate the size of the ensemble required for a measurement and identify optimal and efficient meters for weak measurements. Exact solutions are obtained for a certain class of the measured observables. These solutions are used for numerical calculations, the results of which agree with the theory

Short-term pre- and post-operative stress prolongs incision-induced pain hypersensitivity without changing basal pain perception

OpenAIRE

Cao, Jing; Wang, Po-Kai; Tiwari, Vinod; Liang, Lingli; Lutz, Brianna Marie; Shieh, Kun-Ruey; Zang, Wei-Dong; Kaufman, Andrew G.; Bekker, Alex; Gao, Xiao-Qun; Tao, Yuan-Xiang

2015-01-01

Background Chronic stress has been reported to increase basal pain sensitivity and/or exacerbate existing persistent pain. However, most surgical patients have normal physiological and psychological health status such as normal pain perception before surgery although they do experience short-term stress during pre- and post-operative periods. Whether or not this short-term stress affects persistent postsurgical pain is unclear. Results In this study, we showed that pre- or post-surgical expos...

The role of pre-operative and post-operative glucose control in surgical-site infections and mortality.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Christie Y Jeon

Full Text Available The impact of glucose control on surgical-site infection (SSI and death remains unclear. We examined how pre- and post-operative glucose levels and their variability are associated with the risk of SSI or in-hospital death.This retrospective cohort study employed data on 13,800 hospitalized patients who underwent a surgical procedure at a large referral hospital in New York between 2006 and 2008. Over 20 different sources of electronic data were used to analyze how thirty-day risk of SSI and in-hospital death varies by glucose levels and variability. Maximum pre- and post-operative glucose levels were determined for 72 hours before and after the operation and glucose variability was defined as the coefficient of variation of the glucose measurements. We employed logistic regression to model the risk of SSI or death against glucose variables and the following potential confounders: age, sex, body mass index, duration of operation, diabetes status, procedure classification, physical status, emergency status, and blood transfusion.While association of pre- and post-operative hyperglycemia with SSI were apparent in the crude analysis, multivariate results showed that SSI risk did not vary significantly with glucose levels. On the other hand, in-hospital deaths were associated with pre-operative hypoglycemia (OR = 5.09, 95% CI (1.80, 14.4 and glucose variability (OR = 1.14, 95% CI (1.03, 1.27 for 10% increase in coefficient of variation.In-hospital deaths occurred more often among those with pre-operative hypoglycemia and higher glucose variability. These findings warrant further investigation to determine whether stabilization of glucose and prevention of hypoglycemia could reduce post-operative deaths.

The role of pre-operative and post-operative glucose control in surgical-site infections and mortality.

Science.gov (United States)

Jeon, Christie Y; Furuya, E Yoko; Berman, Mitchell F; Larson, Elaine L

2012-01-01

The impact of glucose control on surgical-site infection (SSI) and death remains unclear. We examined how pre- and post-operative glucose levels and their variability are associated with the risk of SSI or in-hospital death. This retrospective cohort study employed data on 13,800 hospitalized patients who underwent a surgical procedure at a large referral hospital in New York between 2006 and 2008. Over 20 different sources of electronic data were used to analyze how thirty-day risk of SSI and in-hospital death varies by glucose levels and variability. Maximum pre- and post-operative glucose levels were determined for 72 hours before and after the operation and glucose variability was defined as the coefficient of variation of the glucose measurements. We employed logistic regression to model the risk of SSI or death against glucose variables and the following potential confounders: age, sex, body mass index, duration of operation, diabetes status, procedure classification, physical status, emergency status, and blood transfusion. While association of pre- and post-operative hyperglycemia with SSI were apparent in the crude analysis, multivariate results showed that SSI risk did not vary significantly with glucose levels. On the other hand, in-hospital deaths were associated with pre-operative hypoglycemia (OR = 5.09, 95% CI (1.80, 14.4)) and glucose variability (OR = 1.14, 95% CI (1.03, 1.27) for 10% increase in coefficient of variation). In-hospital deaths occurred more often among those with pre-operative hypoglycemia and higher glucose variability. These findings warrant further investigation to determine whether stabilization of glucose and prevention of hypoglycemia could reduce post-operative deaths.

The pre, post brachytherapy and postoperative CEA serum concentration of 53 rectal cancer patients

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nguyen Thanh Danh; Nguyen Kim Luu; Phan Van Dan

2008-01-01

CEA serum concentration level of 53 rectal cancer patients was measured at moments pre, post brachytherapy (45 Gy), post surgery one week, 6 months and 12 months. Response to radiation with reduce CEA serum concentration was achieved in 20/53 patients (37,7%), mainly at staging Dukes B, C. Postoperative CEA level of patients significantly decreased, especially in resection group. (author)

TMS effects on subjective and objective measures of vision: stimulation intensity and pre- versus post-stimulus masking.

Science.gov (United States)

de Graaf, Tom A; Cornelsen, Sonja; Jacobs, Christianne; Sack, Alexander T

2011-12-01

Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) can be used to mask visual stimuli, disrupting visual task performance or preventing visual awareness. While TMS masking studies generally fix stimulation intensity, we hypothesized that varying the intensity of TMS pulses in a masking paradigm might inform several ongoing debates concerning TMS disruption of vision as measured subjectively versus objectively, and pre-stimulus (forward) versus post-stimulus (backward) TMS masking. We here show that both pre-stimulus TMS pulses and post-stimulus TMS pulses could strongly mask visual stimuli. We found no dissociations between TMS effects on the subjective and objective measures of vision for any masking window or intensity, ruling out the option that TMS intensity levels determine whether dissociations between subjective and objective vision are obtained. For the post-stimulus time window particularly, we suggest that these data provide new constraints for (e.g. recurrent) models of vision and visual awareness. Finally, our data are in line with the idea that pre-stimulus masking operates differently from conventional post-stimulus masking. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

How far can developing country commitments go in an immediate post-2012 climate regime?

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhang, ZhongXiang [Research Program, East-West Center, 1601 East-West Road, Honolulu, HI 96848-1601 (United States); Center for Energy Economics and Strategy Studies, Fudan University, Shanghai (China); China Centre for Regional Economic Research, Peking University, Beijing (China); Institute of Policy and Management, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing (China)

2009-05-15

To point out the direction and focus of future international climate negotiations, this paper discusses how far developing country commitments can go in an immediate post-2012 climate regime. The paper argues that developing country commitments are most unlikely to go beyond the defined polices and measures in this timeframe. On this basis, the paper suggests that, rather than attempting the unrealistic goal, international climate negotiations may instead need to initially frame the post-2012 developing country participation in terms of certain policies and policies that I envisioned a decade ago. This conclusion does not change, as Barack Obama becomes the US President and the Democrats have regained control over both US House of Representatives and Senate. However, it should be emphasized that his stance on climate issues and how ambitious US commitments would be under his administration are going to be critical for developing countries to take bold steps themselves and to even agree to reflect those national commitments in a global deal. (author)

How far can developing country commitments go in an immediate post-2012 climate regime?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang, ZhongXiang

2009-01-01

To point out the direction and focus of future international climate negotiations, this paper discusses how far developing country commitments can go in an immediate post-2012 climate regime. The paper argues that developing country commitments are most unlikely to go beyond the defined polices and measures in this timeframe. On this basis, the paper suggests that, rather than attempting the unrealistic goal, international climate negotiations may instead need to initially frame the post-2012 developing country participation in terms of certain policies and policies that I envisioned a decade ago. This conclusion does not change, as Barack Obama becomes the US President and the Democrats have regained control over both US House of Representatives and Senate. However, it should be emphasized that his stance on climate issues and how ambitious US commitments would be under his administration are going to be critical for developing countries to take bold steps themselves and to even agree to reflect those national commitments in a global deal. (author)

How far can developing country commitments go in an immediate post-2012 climate regime?

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhang Zhongxiang [Research Program, East-West Center, 1601 East-West Road, Honolulu, HI 96848-1601 (United States); Center for Energy Economics and Strategy Studies, Fudan University, Shanghai (China); China Centre for Regional Economic Research, Peking University, Beijing (China); Institute of Policy and Management, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing (China)], E-mail: ZhangZ@EastWestCenter.org

2009-05-15

To point out the direction and focus of future international climate negotiations, this paper discusses how far developing country commitments can go in an immediate post-2012 climate regime. The paper argues that developing country commitments are most unlikely to go beyond the defined polices and measures in this timeframe. On this basis, the paper suggests that, rather than attempting the unrealistic goal, international climate negotiations may instead need to initially frame the post-2012 developing country participation in terms of certain policies and policies that I envisioned a decade ago. This conclusion does not change, as Barack Obama becomes the US President and the Democrats have regained control over both US House of Representatives and Senate. However, it should be emphasized that his stance on climate issues and how ambitious US commitments would be under his administration are going to be critical for developing countries to take bold steps themselves and to even agree to reflect those national commitments in a global deal.

Pre-Service Post Graduate Teachers' First Time Experience with Constructivist Learning Environment (CLE) Using MOODLE

Science.gov (United States)

Boopathiraj, C.; Chellamani, K.

2015-01-01

The aim of this study is to enlighten and discuss Post Graduate student teachers' first time experiences and their level of satisfaction with the use of Moodle Learning Management System (LMS) during their "Research Methods in Education" course offered online. This study investigated 30 pre-service Post Graduate student teachers' to…

Pre- and post-remediation characterization of acid-generating fluvial tailings material

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, Kathleen S.; Walton-Day, Katherine; Hoal, Karin O.; Driscoll, Rhonda L.; Pietersen, K.

2012-01-01

The upper Arkansas River south of Leadville, Colorado, USA, contains deposits of fluvial tailings from historical mining operations in the Leadville area. These deposits are potential non-point sources of acid and metal contamination to surface- and groundwater systems. We are investigating a site that recently underwent in situ remediation treatment with lime, fertilizer, and compost. Pre- and post-remediation fluvial tailings material was collected from a variety of depths to examine changes in mineralogy, acid generation, and extractable nutrients. Results indicate sufficient nutrient availability in the post-remediation near-surface material, but pyrite and acid generation persist below the depth of lime and fertilizer addition. Mineralogical characterization performed using semi-quantitative X-ray diffraction and quantitative SEM-based micro-mineralogy (Mineral Liberation Analysis, MLA) reveal formation of gypsum, jarosite, and complex coatings surrounding mineral grains in post-remediation samples.

Reducing recurrence in non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer using photodynamic diagnosis and immediate post-transurethral resection of the bladder chemoprophylaxis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Risager, Malene Bøg; Nielsen, Tommy Kjærgaard; Zieger, Karsten Egbert Arnold

2015-01-01

Abstract Objective. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of fluorescence cystoscopy and immediate post-transurethral resection of the bladder (TURB) chemoprophylaxis on the risk of recurrence of non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) under routine clinical conditions. Materials...

Metabolic alteration of urinary steroids in pre- and post-menopausal women, and men with papillary thyroid carcinoma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Choi, Man Ho; Moon, Ju-Yeon; Cho, Sung-Hee; Chung, Bong Chul; Lee, Eun Jig

2011-01-01

To evaluate the metabolic changes in urinary steroids in pre- and post-menopausal women and men with papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC). Quantitative steroid profiling combined with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry was used to measure the urinary concentrations of 84 steroids in both pre- (n = 21, age: 36.95 ± 7.19 yr) and post-menopausal female (n = 19, age: 52.79 ± 7.66 yr), and male (n = 16, age: 41.88 ± 8.48 yr) patients with PTC. After comparing the quantitative data of the patients with their corresponding controls (pre-menopause women: n = 24, age: 33.21 ± 10.48 yr, post-menopause women: n = 16, age: 49.67 ± 8.94 yr, male: n = 20, age: 42.75 ± 4.22 yr), the levels of steroids in the patients were normalized to the mean concentration of the controls to exclude gender and menopausal variations. Many urinary steroids were up-regulated in all PTC patients compared to the controls. Among them, the levels of three active androgens, androstenedione, androstenediol and 16α-hydroxy DHEA, were significantly higher in the pre-menopausal women and men with PTC. The corticoid levels were increased slightly in the PTC men, while progestins were not altered in the post-menopausal PTC women. Estrogens were up-regulated in all PTC patients but 2-hydroxyestrone and 2-hydroxy-17β-estradiol were remarkably changed in both pre-menopausal women and men with PTC. For both menopausal and gender differences, the 2-hydroxylation, 4-hydroxylation, 2-methoxylation, and 4-methoxylation of estrogens and 16α-hydroxylation of DHEA were differentiated between pre- and post-menopausal PTC women (P < 0.001). In particular, the metabolic ratio of 2-hydroxyestrone to 2-hydroxy-17β-estradiol, which could reveal the enzyme activity of 17β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase, showed gender differences in PTC patients (P < 1 × 10 -7 ). These results are expected be helpful for better understanding the pathogenic differences in PTC according to gender and menopausal conditions

Turmeric improves post-prandial working memory in pre-diabetes independent of insulin.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Meei-Shyuan; Wahlqvist, Mark L; Chou, Yu-Ching; Fang, Wen-Hui; Lee, Jiunn-Tay; Kuan, Jen-Chun; Liu, Hsiao-Yu; Lu, Ting-Mei; Xiu, Lili; Hsu, Chih-Cheng; Andrews, Zane B; Pan, Wen-Harn

2014-01-01

Cognitive impairment develops with pre-diabetes and dementia is a complication of diabetes. Natural products like turmeric and cinnamon may ameliorate the underlying pathogenesis. People ≥ 60 years (n=48) with newly-recognised untreated pre-diabetes were randomised to a double-blind metabolic study of placebo, turmeric (1 g), cinnamon (2 g) or both (1 g & 2 g respectively), ingested at a white bread (119 g) breakfast. Observations were made over 6 hours for pre- and post-working memory (WM), glycaemic and insulin responses and biomarkers of Alzheimer's disease (AD)(0, 2, 4 and 6 hours): amyloid precursor protein (APP), γ-secretase subunits presenilin-1 (PS1), presenilin-2 (PS2), and glycogen synthase kinase (GSK-3β). Differences between natural product users and non-users were determined by Students t and chi square tests; and between pre-test and post-test WM by Wilcoxon signed rank tests. Interaction between turmeric and cinnamon was tested by 2-way ANOVA. Multivariable linear regression (MLR) took account of BMI, glycaemia, insulin and AD biomarkers in the WM responses to turmeric and cinnamon. No interaction between turmeric and cinnamon was detected. WM increased from 2.6 to 2.9 out of 3.0 (p=0.05) with turmeric, but was unchanged with cinnamon. WM improvement was inversely associated with insulin resistance (r=-0.418, pturmeric were best predicted with an R2 of 34.5%; and with significant turmeric, BMI and insulin/glucose AUC beta-coefficients. Co-ingestion of turmeric with white bread increases working memory independent of body fatness, glycaemia, insulin, or AD biomarkers.

Pre-transplant and post-transplant soluble CD30 for prediction and diagnosis of acute kidney allograft rejection.

Science.gov (United States)

Nafar, Mohsen; Farrokhi, Farhat; Vaezi, Mohammad; Entezari, Amir-Ebrahim; Pour-Reza-Gholi, Fatemeh; Firoozan, Ahmad; Eniollahi, Behzad

2009-01-01

Serum levels of soluble CD30 (sCD30) have been considered as a predictor of acute kidney allograft rejection. We have evaluated the pre-transplant and post-transplant levels of sCD30 with the aim of determining its value in predicting and diagnosing kidney rejection. We measured sCD30 serum levels before kidney transplantation, 5 days post-operatively, and at creatinine elevation episodes. The predictive value of sCD30 for diagnosing acute rejection (AR) within the first 6 post-operative months was assessed in 203 kidney recipients from living donors. Pre-transplant and post-operative levels of serum sCD30 were 58.10 +/- 52.55 and 51.55 +/- 49.65 U/ml, respectively (P = 0.12). Twenty-three patients experienced biopsy-proven acute rejection, and 28 had acute allograft dysfunction due to non-immunologic diseases. The pre-transplant sCD30 level was not different between patients with and without AR. However, post-transplant sCD30 was higher in the AR group. The median serum level of post-transplant sCD30 was 52 U/ml in the AR group and 26.3 U/ml in a control group (P sCD30 on day 5 were higher in patients with AR (P = 0.003). Based on post-transplant sCD30 levels, we were able to differentiate between kidney recipients who experienced an AR within 6 months post-surgery and those without an AR (cutoff value 41 U/ml; sensitivity 70%; specificity 71.7%). The level of sCD30 during periods of elevated serum creatinine was not independently associated with the diagnosis of AR. Post-transplant sCD30 levels and their relative changes are higher in patients experiencing AR. We propose further studies on the post-transplant trend of this marker for the prediction of AR.

Accelerated aging of adhesive-mediated fiber post-resin composite bonds: A modeling approach.

Science.gov (United States)

Radovic, Ivana; Monticelli, Francesca; Papacchini, Federica; Magni, Elisa; Cury, Alvaro Hafiz; Vulicevic, Zoran R; Ferrari, Marco

2007-08-01

Although fiber posts luted in root canals are not directly exposed to oral fluids, water storage is considered as in vitro accelerated aging test for bonded interfaces. The aim of the study was to evaluate the influence of accelerated water aging on fiber post-resin composite adhesion. Forty fiber posts (DT Light Post, RTD) were randomly divided into two main groups, according to the surface treatment performed. Group I: XPBond adhesive (Dentsply Caulk); Group II: sandblasting (Rocatec-Pre, 3M ESPE) and XPBond. Dual-cured resin cement (Calibra, Dentsply Caulk) and flowable composite (X-Flow, Dentsply Caulk) were applied on the posts to produce cylindrical specimens. The bond strength at the interface between post and cement/composite was measured with the microtensile test according to the non-trimming technique. Half of the sticks were tested immediately for bond strength, while in the other half testing was performed after 1 month of water storage at 37 degrees C. Post-cement/composite interfaces were evaluated under SEM prior and after water aging. Statistical analysis was performed using the Kruskal-Wallis ANOVA followed by Dunn's multiple range test (p<0.05). Immediate bond strength was higher on sandblasted posts. After water aging the two post surface treatments resulted comparable in bond strength. Resin cement achieved higher bond strength to fiber posts than flowable composite. Water aging significantly reduced bond strength. Sandblasting followed by adhesive coating may improve immediate post-resin bond strength in comparison to adhesive alone. However, fiber post-resin bond strength mediated by hydrophilic adhesive tends to decrease after water aging.

Impulsive Choice, Alcohol Consumption, and Pre-Exposure to Delayed Rewards: II. Potential Mechanisms

Science.gov (United States)

Stein, Jeffrey S.; Renda, C. Renee; Hinnenkamp, Jay E.; Madden, Gregory J.

2014-01-01

In a prior study (Stein et al., 2013), we reported that rats pre-exposed to delayed rewards made fewer impulsive choices, but consumed more alcohol (12% wt/vol), than rats pre-exposed to immediate rewards. To understand the mechanisms that produced these findings, we again pre-exposed rats to either delayed (17.5 s; n = 32) or immediate (n = 30) rewards. In post-tests, delay-exposed rats made significantly fewer impulsive choices at both 15- and 30-s delays to a larger, later food reward than the immediacy-exposed comparison group. Behavior in an open-field test provided little evidence of differential stress exposure between groups. Further, consumption of either 12% alcohol or isocaloric sucrose in subsequent tests did not differ between groups. Because Stein et al. introduced alcohol concentration gradually (3–12%), we speculate that their group differences in 12% alcohol consumption were not determined by alcohol’s pharmacological effects, but by another variable (e.g., taste) that was preserved as an artifact from lower concentrations. We conclude that pre-exposure to delayed rewards generalizes beyond the pre-exposure delay; however, this same experimental variable does not robustly influence alcohol consumption. PMID:25418607

Basic life support: evaluation of learning using simulation and immediate feedback devices1.

Science.gov (United States)

Tobase, Lucia; Peres, Heloisa Helena Ciqueto; Tomazini, Edenir Aparecida Sartorelli; Teodoro, Simone Valentim; Ramos, Meire Bruna; Polastri, Thatiane Facholi

2017-10-30

to evaluate students' learning in an online course on basic life support with immediate feedback devices, during a simulation of care during cardiorespiratory arrest. a quasi-experimental study, using a before-and-after design. An online course on basic life support was developed and administered to participants, as an educational intervention. Theoretical learning was evaluated by means of a pre- and post-test and, to verify the practice, simulation with immediate feedback devices was used. there were 62 participants, 87% female, 90% in the first and second year of college, with a mean age of 21.47 (standard deviation 2.39). With a 95% confidence level, the mean scores in the pre-test were 6.4 (standard deviation 1.61), and 9.3 in the post-test (standard deviation 0.82, p basic cardiopulmonary resuscitation, according to the feedback device; 43.7 (standard deviation 26.86) mean duration of the compression cycle by second of 20.5 (standard deviation 9.47); number of compressions 167.2 (standard deviation 57.06); depth of compressions of 48.1 millimeter (standard deviation 10.49); volume of ventilation 742.7 (standard deviation 301.12); flow fraction percentage of 40.3 (standard deviation 10.03). the online course contributed to learning of basic life support. In view of the need for technological innovations in teaching and systematization of cardiopulmonary resuscitation, simulation and feedback devices are resources that favor learning and performance awareness in performing the maneuvers.

Effect of pre operative heart rate on post spinal hypotension in obsteric patients

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Khan, S.; Zahoor, M.U.; Zaid, A.Y.; Buland, K.

2010-01-01

The purpose of the study was to determine the association between of preoperative heart rate and post spinal hypotension in women undergoing cesarean section, Two hundred patients undergoing caesarean were included in the study selected on non probability convenience sampling technique, The patients were divided into two groups depending upon their pre operative heart rate. Spinal anesthesia was administered and number of patients developing hypotension was noted. Among 200 patients, who were included in the study; 112 were placed in group A and 88 were placed in group B depending on mean heart rate of 90 beats per minute or less or 91 beats per minute or more respectively. In group A 14 (11.86%) patients developed hypotension where as in group B 28 (31,82%) patients developed hypotension. Pre operative heart rate is significantly associated with post spinal hypotension in obstetric patients undergoing cesarean section. (author)

Pre and post PET-CT impact on oesophageal cancer management: a retrospective analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Azmi, NA; Razak, HRA; Vinjamuri, S.

2017-05-01

Assessment of the retrospective cancer incidence, prevalence and crude survival rates of oesophageal cancer to allow comparison between pre and post PET-CT introduction are part of 4 phase cost effectiveness research. It will provide baseline data for to assess PET or PET-CT cost effective potential for staging. A total of 849 patient’s data received from NWCIS databases with various stages of oesophageal cancer between 2001 and 2008. The fundamental activities are retrospective analysis of patient data. In most cases where appropriate, results are presented with 95 percent confidence intervals (CI). Variances between patient groups and variables are assessed using chi-square test. In cases where it deems vital, multiple logistic regression are used to modify for potential confounder such as age and sex. All p-values are two-sided and any value lower than 0.05 were considered to suggest a statistically significant result. Retrospective analysis were categorised into two categories, patients from 2001-2003 considered as pre PET and post PET for 2004-2008. This categorisation allows better comparison of patients’ survival trend to be made between both groups. Rates are presented in percentages and being grouped by tumour characteristics and other variables associated with demographic profile, diagnosis, staging and treatment. Results allowed comparison of oesophageal cancer trends between the pre and post PET-CT introduction such as changes in incidence rate or changes in survival. These data were used to normalise the decision tree model so that cost-effectiveness analysis can be performed across the whole population.

Pre and post PET-CT impact on oesophageal cancer management: a retrospective analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Azmi, NA; Razak, HRA; Vinjamuri, S

2017-01-01

Assessment of the retrospective cancer incidence, prevalence and crude survival rates of oesophageal cancer to allow comparison between pre and post PET-CT introduction are part of 4 phase cost effectiveness research. It will provide baseline data for to assess PET or PET-CT cost effective potential for staging. A total of 849 patient’s data received from NWCIS databases with various stages of oesophageal cancer between 2001 and 2008. The fundamental activities are retrospective analysis of patient data. In most cases where appropriate, results are presented with 95 percent confidence intervals (CI). Variances between patient groups and variables are assessed using chi-square test. In cases where it deems vital, multiple logistic regression are used to modify for potential confounder such as age and sex. All p-values are two-sided and any value lower than 0.05 were considered to suggest a statistically significant result. Retrospective analysis were categorised into two categories, patients from 2001-2003 considered as pre PET and post PET for 2004-2008. This categorisation allows better comparison of patients’ survival trend to be made between both groups. Rates are presented in percentages and being grouped by tumour characteristics and other variables associated with demographic profile, diagnosis, staging and treatment. Results allowed comparison of oesophageal cancer trends between the pre and post PET-CT introduction such as changes in incidence rate or changes in survival. These data were used to normalise the decision tree model so that cost-effectiveness analysis can be performed across the whole population. (paper)

Visual long-term memory and change blindness: Different effects of pre- and post-change information on one-shot change detection using meaningless geometric objects.

Science.gov (United States)

Nishiyama, Megumi; Kawaguchi, Jun

2014-11-01

To clarify the relationship between visual long-term memory (VLTM) and online visual processing, we investigated whether and how VLTM involuntarily affects the performance of a one-shot change detection task using images consisting of six meaningless geometric objects. In the study phase, participants observed pre-change (Experiment 1), post-change (Experiment 2), or both pre- and post-change (Experiment 3) images appearing in the subsequent change detection phase. In the change detection phase, one object always changed between pre- and post-change images and participants reported which object was changed. Results showed that VLTM of pre-change images enhanced the performance of change detection, while that of post-change images decreased accuracy. Prior exposure to both pre- and post-change images did not influence performance. These results indicate that pre-change information plays an important role in change detection, and that information in VLTM related to the current task does not always have a positive effect on performance. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

EFFECT OF IMMEDIATE AND DELAYED COLD WATER IMMERSION AFTER A HIGH INTENSITY EXERCISE SESSION ON SUBSEQUENT RUN PERFORMANCE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ned Brophy-Williams

2011-12-01

Full Text Available The purpose of the study was to determine the effects of cold water immersion (CWI performed immediately or 3 h after a high intensity interval exercise session (HIIS on next-day exercise performance. Eight male athletes performed three HIIS at 90%VO2max velocity followed by either a passive recovery (CON, CWI performed immediately post-exercise (CWI(0 or CWI performed 3 h post-exercise (CWI(3. Recovery trials were performed in a counter balanced manner. Participants then returned 24 h later and completed a muscle soreness and a totally quality recovery perception (TQRP questionnaire, which was then followed by the Yoyo Intermittent Recovery Test [level 1] (YRT. Venous blood samples were collected pre-HIIS and pre-YRT to determine C-Reactive Protein (CRP levels. Significantly more shuttles were performed during the YRT following CWI(0 compared to the CON trial (p=0.017, ES = 0. 8, while differences between the CWI(3 and the CON trials approached significance (p = 0.058, ES = 0.5. Performance on the YRT between the CWI(0 and CWI(3 trials were similar (p = 0.147, ES = 0. 3. Qualitative analyses demonstrated a 98% and 92% likely beneficial effect of CWI(0 and CWI(3 on next day performance, compared to CON, respectively, while CWI(0 resulted in a 79% likely benefit when compared to CWI(3. CRP values were significantly lower pre-YRT, compared to baseline, following CWI(0 (p = 0.0.36 and CWI(3 (p = 0.045, but were similar for CON (p = 0.157. Muscle soreness scores were similar between trials (p = 1.10, while TQRP scores were significantly lower for CON compared to CWI(0 (p = 0.002 and CWI(3 (p = 0.024. Immediate CWI resulted in superior next-day YRT performance compared to CON, while delayed (3 h CWI was also likely to be beneficial. Qualitative analyses suggested that CWI(0 resulted in better performance than CWI(3. These results are important for athletes who do not have immediate access to CWI following exercise

Automatic joint alignment measurements from pre- and post-operative long leg standing radiographs

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Goossen, A.; Weber, G.M.; Dries, S.P.M.

2012-01-01

Objectives: For diagnosis or treatment assessment of knee joint osteoarthritis it is required to measure bone morphometry from radiographic images. We propose a method for automatic measurement of joint alignment from pre-operative as well as post-operative radiographs.Methods: In a two step

Human risk contributions in process industry: Guides for their pre-identification in well-structured activities and for post-incident analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pedersen, O.M.

1985-05-01

The report should be considered a guide for the treating of human errors: for identifying their possibilities of occurrence when designing well-structured human tasks and for their improvement when they occur in reality. For these purposes a strong coupling between predictive and retrospective analysis is emphasized: In order to control human errors, post-incident analysis of cases with human errors in a given industrial plant should be performed as means of feedback from reality for the verification of results of predictive analysis and also as general means of identifying and improving such human errors which cannot be expected covered by predictive analysis. Primarily, the guide addresses people with a knowledge of the technical plant in question and involved in the safety-oriented design and improvement of human activities and without a particular human factors background. The main report describes the procedures for post-incident analysis and for Work Analysis, which is a search strategy developed for well-defined activities, e.g. test and calibration, and constitutes a formalized procedure for the pre-identification of relevant human errors leading to a lack of task result and/or to immediate effects not covered by the lack of task result itself. Work Analysis and the post-incident analysis procedure are based on a common description system for human malfunctions. This system is explained in appendix and so are its underlying models and way of reasoning. Finally, a word index is provided for supporting the reader. (author)

Evaluation of pre and post-emergence herbicides for weed management in lentil (lens culinaris medik.)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ali, A.; Malik, S.R.; Munawwar, H.; Tahir, M.

2014-01-01

The weeds in lentil are one of the major constraints in obtaining maximum yield. The manual weed control is simply not feasible because it is time consuming and costly. The chemical weed control is the effective method of weed management.A field study was conducted to evaluate pre and post-emergence herbicides for weed control in lentil. The experiment comprised eight treatments including three herbicides, manual weeding and check (no weeding). The yield was higher in manual weeding but in herbicide treatments Isoproturon as pre-emergence at the rate 2kg/sup -1/ha produced statistically at par grain yield to that of manual weeding followed by Isoproturon after one month of planting at the rate 2kg ha. Both the treatments showed 193.9% and 109.2% yield increase, respectively, over the check. It indicates that Isoproturon at the rate 2 kg ha can be used pre or post-emergence in lentil fields to control the weeds without causing injury to lentil plants. (author)

Static stretching does not alter pre and post-landing muscle activation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Moss Wesley R

2011-05-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Static stretching may result in various strength and power deficiencies. Prior research has not determined, however, if static stretching causes a change in muscle activation during a functional task requiring dynamic stability. The purpose of this study was to determine if static stretching has an effect on mean pre and postlanding muscle (vastus medialis VM, vastus lateralis VL, medial hamstring MH, and biceps femoris BF activity. Methods 26 healthy, physically active subjects were recruited, from which 13 completed a 14-day static stretching regimen for the quadriceps and hamstrings. Using the data from the force plate and EMG readings, a mean of EMG amplitude was calculated for 150 msec before and after landing. Each trial was normalized to an isometric reference position. Means were calculated for the VM, VL, MH, and BF from 5 trials in each session. Measures were collected pre, immediately following the 1st stretching session, and following 2 weeks of stretching. Results A 14-day static stretching regimen resulted in no significant differences in pre or postlanding mean EMG amplitude during a drop landing either acutely or over a 14-day period. Conclusions Static stretching, done acutely or over a 14-day period does not result in measurable differences of mean EMG amplitude during a drop landing. Static stretching may not impede dynamic stability of joints about which stretched muscles cross.

Basic life support: evaluation of learning using simulation and immediate feedback devices

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lucia Tobase

2017-10-01

Full Text Available ABSTRACT Objective: to evaluate students’ learning in an online course on basic life support with immediate feedback devices, during a simulation of care during cardiorespiratory arrest. Method: a quasi-experimental study, using a before-and-after design. An online course on basic life support was developed and administered to participants, as an educational intervention. Theoretical learning was evaluated by means of a pre- and post-test and, to verify the practice, simulation with immediate feedback devices was used. Results: there were 62 participants, 87% female, 90% in the first and second year of college, with a mean age of 21.47 (standard deviation 2.39. With a 95% confidence level, the mean scores in the pre-test were 6.4 (standard deviation 1.61, and 9.3 in the post-test (standard deviation 0.82, p <0.001; in practice, 9.1 (standard deviation 0.95 with performance equivalent to basic cardiopulmonary resuscitation, according to the feedback device; 43.7 (standard deviation 26.86 mean duration of the compression cycle by second of 20.5 (standard deviation 9.47; number of compressions 167.2 (standard deviation 57.06; depth of compressions of 48.1 millimeter (standard deviation 10.49; volume of ventilation 742.7 (standard deviation 301.12; flow fraction percentage of 40.3 (standard deviation 10.03. Conclusion: the online course contributed to learning of basic life support. In view of the need for technological innovations in teaching and systematization of cardiopulmonary resuscitation, simulation and feedback devices are resources that favor learning and performance awareness in performing the maneuvers.

Effects of Pre and Post-Rigor Marinade Injection on Some Quality Parameters of Longissimus Dorsi Muscles

Science.gov (United States)

Fadıloğlu, Eylem Ezgi; Serdaroğlu, Meltem

2018-01-01

Abstract This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of pre and post-rigor marinade injections on some quality parameters of Longissimus dorsi (LD) muscles. Three marinade formulations were prepared with 2% NaCl, 2% NaCl+0.5 M lactic acid and 2% NaCl+0.5 M sodium lactate. In this study marinade uptake, pH, free water, cooking loss, drip loss and color properties were analyzed. Injection time had significant effect on marinade uptake levels of samples. Regardless of marinate formulation, marinade uptake of pre-rigor samples injected with marinade solutions were higher than post rigor samples. Injection of sodium lactate increased pH values of samples whereas lactic acid injection decreased pH. Marinade treatment and storage period had significant effect on cooking loss. At each evaluation period interaction between marinade treatment and injection time showed different effect on free water content. Storage period and marinade application had significant effect on drip loss values. Drip loss in all samples increased during the storage. During all storage days, lowest CIE L* value was found in pre-rigor samples injected with sodium lactate. Lactic acid injection caused color fade in pre-rigor and post-rigor samples. Interaction between marinade treatment and storage period was found statistically significant (p<0.05). At day 0 and 3, the lowest CIE b* values obtained pre-rigor samples injected with sodium lactate and there were no differences were found in other samples. At day 6, no significant differences were found in CIE b* values of all samples. PMID:29805282

Herbal product use by the cancer patients in both the pre and post ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Conclusion: Analysis of the results indicates that health professionals need to obtain information regarding the use of herbal products by cancer patients during both pre- and post- surgery periods, as well as during chemotherapy. Patients should be provided with information and guidance about the advantages and ...

Pre-training evaluation and feedback improved skills retention of basic life support in medical students.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Qi; Zhou, Rong-hua; Liu, Jin; Lin, Jing; Ma, Er-Li; Liang, Peng; Shi, Ting-wei; Fang, Li-qun; Xiao, Hong

2013-09-01

Pre-training evaluation and feedback have been shown to improve medical students' skills acquisition of basic life support (BLS) immediately following training. The impact of such training on BLS skills retention is unknown. This study was conducted to investigate effects of pre-training evaluation and feedback on BLS skills retention in medical students. Three hundred and thirty 3rd year medical students were randomized to two groups, the control group (C group) and pre-training evaluation and feedback group (EF group). Each group was subdivided into four subgroups according to the time of retention-test (at 1-, 3-, 6-, 12-month following the initial training). After a 45-min BLS lecture, BLS skills were assessed (pre-training evaluation) in both groups before training. Following this, the C group received 45 min training. 15 min of group feedback corresponding to students' performance in pre-training evaluation was given only in the EF group that was followed by 30 min of BLS training. BLS skills were assessed immediately after training (post-test) and at follow up (retention-test). No skills difference was observed between the two groups in pre-training evaluation. Better skills acquisition was observed in the EF group (85.3 ± 7.3 vs. 68.1 ± 12.2 in C group) at post-test (p<0.001). In all retention-test, better skills retention was observed in each EF subgroup, compared with its paired C subgroup. Pre-training evaluation and feedback improved skills retention in the EF group for 12 months after the initial training, compared with the control group. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Survey of Recipients of WAP Services Assessment of Household Budget and Energy Behaviors Pre to Post Weatherization DOE

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tonn, Bruce Edward [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Rose, Erin M. [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Hawkins, Beth A. [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)

2015-10-01

This report presents results from the national survey of weatherization recipients. This research was one component of the retrospective and Recovery Act evaluations of the U.S. Department of Energy s Weatherization Assistance Program. Survey respondents were randomly selected from a nationally representative sample of weatherization recipients. The respondents and a comparison group were surveyed just prior to receiving their energy audits and then again approximately 18 months post-weatherization. This report focuses on budget issues faced by WAP households pre- and post-weatherization, whether household energy behaviors changed from pre- to post, the effectiveness of approaches to client energy education, and use and knowledge about thermostats.

Value of Nonrigid Registration of Pre-Procedure MR with Post-Procedure CT After Radiofrequency Ablation for Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Park, Juil; Lee, Jeong Min, E-mail: jmlshy2000@gmail.com, E-mail: jmsh@snu.ac.kr; Lee, Dong Ho; Joo, Ijin; Yoon, Jeong Hee [Seoul National University Hospital, Department of Radiology (Korea, Republic of); Park, Jin Young [Dongnam Institute of Radiological and Medical Sciences, Department of Radiology (Korea, Republic of); Klotz, Ernst [Siemens Healthineers, Computed Tomography (Germany)

2017-06-15

PurposeTo evaluate the value of pre-radiofrequency ablation (RFA) MR and post-RFA CT registration for the assessment of the therapeutic response of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).Materials and MethodsA total of 178 patients with single HCC who received RFA as an initial treatment and had available pre-RFA MR and post-RFA CT images were included in this retrospective study. Two independent readers (one experienced radiologist, one inexperienced radiologist) scored the ablative margin (AM) of treated tumors on a four-point scale (1, residual tumor; 2, incomplete AM; 3, borderline AM; 4, sufficient AM), in two separate sessions: (1) visual comparison between pre-and post-RFA images; (2) with addition of nonrigid registration for pre- and post-RFA images. Local tumor progression (LTP) rates between low-risk (response score, 3–4) and high-risk groups (1–2) were analyzed using the Kaplan–Meier method at each interpretation session.ResultsThe patients’ reassignments after using the registered images were statistically significant for inexperienced reader (p < 0.001). In the inexperienced reader, LTP rates of low- and high-risk groups were significantly different with addition of registered images (session 2) (p < 0.001), but not significantly different in session 1 (p = 0.101). However, in the experienced reader, LTP rates of low- and high-risk groups were significantly different in both interpretation sessions (p < 0.001). Using the registered images, the cumulative incidence of LTP at 2 years was 3.0–6.6%, for the low-risk group, and 18.6–27.8% for the high-risk group.ConclusionRegistration between pre-RFA MR and post-RFA CT images may allow better assessment of the therapeutic response of HCC after RFA, especially for inexperienced radiologists, helping in the risk stratification for LTP.

Pre- and post-processing of hydro-meteorological ensembles for the Norwegian flood forecasting system in 145 basins.

Science.gov (United States)

Jahr Hegdahl, Trine; Steinsland, Ingelin; Merete Tallaksen, Lena; Engeland, Kolbjørn

2016-04-01

Probabilistic flood forecasting has an added value for decision making. The Norwegian flood forecasting service is based on a flood forecasting model that run for 145 basins. Covering all of Norway the basins differ in both size and hydrological regime. Currently the flood forecasting is based on deterministic meteorological forecasts, and an auto-regressive procedure is used to achieve probabilistic forecasts. An alternative approach is to use meteorological and hydrological ensemble forecasts to quantify the uncertainty in forecasted streamflow. The hydrological ensembles are based on forcing a hydrological model with meteorological ensemble forecasts of precipitation and temperature. However, the ensembles of precipitation are often biased and the spread is too small, especially for the shortest lead times, i.e. they are not calibrated. These properties will, to some extent, propagate to hydrological ensembles, that most likely will be uncalibrated as well. Pre- and post-processing methods are commonly used to obtain calibrated meteorological and hydrological ensembles respectively. Quantitative studies showing the effect of the combined processing of the meteorological (pre-processing) and the hydrological (post-processing) ensembles are however few. The aim of this study is to evaluate the influence of pre- and post-processing on the skill of streamflow predictions, and we will especially investigate if the forecasting skill depends on lead-time, basin size and hydrological regime. This aim is achieved by applying the 51 medium-range ensemble forecast of precipitation and temperature provided by the European Center of Medium-Range Weather Forecast (ECMWF). These ensembles are used as input to the operational Norwegian flood forecasting model, both raw and pre-processed. Precipitation ensembles are calibrated using a zero-adjusted gamma distribution. Temperature ensembles are calibrated using a Gaussian distribution and altitude corrected by a constant gradient

Alcohol expectancies pre-and post-alcohol use disorder treatment: Clinical implications.

Science.gov (United States)

Coates, Jason M; Gullo, Matthew J; Feeney, Gerald F X; Young, Ross McD; Dingle, Genevieve A; Connor, Jason P

2018-05-01

Modification of elevated positive expectations of alcohol consumption (alcohol outcome expectancies; AOEs) is a key feature of Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) approaches to Alcohol Use Disorders (AUDs). Despite extensive research supporting the efficacy of CBT for AUD, few studies have examined AOE change. This study aimed to assess AOE change following completion of CBT for AUD and its association with drinking behaviour. One-hundred and seventy-five patients who completed a 12-week CBT program for AUD were administered the Drinking Expectancy Questionnaire (DEQ) at pre-treatment assessment and upon completion of treatment. Abstinence was achieved by 108 (61.7%) of completing patients. For patients who lapsed, the mean proportion of abstinent days was 93%. DEQ scales assessing expectations of positive alcohol effects on tension reduction, assertiveness, and cognitive enhancement were significantly lower post-treatment (pscale. Greater percentage of abstinent days over treatment was associated with lower pre-and post-treatment tension reduction expectancy scores (p<0.05). Drinking during treatment was associated with smaller changes in expectations of negative effects of alcohol on mood (p<0.05). Individuals who completed CBT treatment for AUD showed significant AOE change. Tension reduction and affective change expectancies may be particularly important for abstinence and useful markers of lapse risk. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Factors influencing pre-stroke and post-stroke quality of life among stroke survivors in a lower middle-income country.

Science.gov (United States)

Mahesh, P K B; Gunathunga, M W; Jayasinghe, S; Arnold, S M; Liyanage, S N

2018-02-01

Quality of life (QOL) reflects the individual's perception of the position within living contexts. This study was done to describe pre- and post-stroke QOLs of stroke survivors. A prospective longitudinal study was done among stroke survivors admitted to 13 hospitals in the western province of Sri Lanka. The calculated sample size was 260. The pre-stroke and post-discharge one-month QOL was gathered using short form-36 (SF-36) QOL tool. SF-36 includes questions on eight domains: general health, physical functioning, pain, role limitation due to physical problems, social functioning, vitality, role limitations due to emotional problems, and mental health. Univariate analysis was followed by determining the independent risk factors through multivariate analysis. The response rate was 81%. The disability was measured by the modified Rankin scale which ranges from 0 (no symptoms) to 6 (fatal outcome). The median (IQR) disability score was 4 (3 to 5). The post-discharge QOL scores were significantly lower than pre-stroke values (p role limitation-physical domains), female gender (for physical functioning and pain domains), lower health infrastructure (for general health, vitality, and mental health domains), lower education (for pain domain), higher disability (for general health, physical functioning, vitality, social functioning, and mental health domains), and hypercholesterolemia (for role limitation-emotional domain). Stroke survivors have not regained their pre-stroke QOL at 1 month following the hospital discharge irrespective of income level and pre-stroke QOL. Higher pre- and post-stroke QOLs are associated with better statuses of social determinants of health.

Effect of dentin biomodifiers on the immediate and long-term bond strengths of a simplified etch and rinse adhesive to dentin.

Science.gov (United States)

Singh, Payal; Nagpal, Rajni; Singh, Udai Pratap

2017-08-01

This in vitro study evaluated the effect of dentin biomodifiers on the immediate and long-term bond strengths of a simplified etch and rinse adhesive to dentin. Flat coronal dentin surfaces were prepared in 120 extracted human molars. Teeth were randomly divided into 5 groups ( n = 24) according to 5 different surface pre-treatments: No pre-treatment (control); 1M carbodiimide (EDC); 0.1% epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG); 2% minocycline (MI); 10% sodium ascorbate (SA). After surface pre-treatment, adhesive (Adper Single Bond 2 [SB], 3M ESPE) was applied. Composite was applied into transparent plastic tubes (2.5 mm in diameter), which was placed over the bonded dentin surface. From each group, 10 samples were subjected to shear bond strength (SBS) evaluation at 24 hours (immediate) and remaining 10 samples were tested after 6 months (delayed). Additionally, 4 samples per group were subjected to scanning electron microscopic analysis for observation of resin-dentin interface. The data were statistically analysed with Shaperio‑Wilk W test, 2-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), and post hoc Tukey's test. At 24 hours, SBS of all surface pre-treatment groups were comparable with the control group, with significant differences found between EDC and SA groups only ( p = 0.009). After 6 months storage, EDC, EGCG, and MI pre-treatments preserved the resin-dentin bond strength with no significant fall. Dentin pre-treatment with all the dentin biomodifiers except SA resulted in significant preservation of resin-dentin bond over 6 months storage period, without negatively affecting the immediate bond strength of the etch and rinse adhesive tested.

A comparison of pre- and post-operational hydrographic data of a coastal waters near a nuclear power plant

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Satpathy, K.K.; Nair, K.V.K.

1998-01-01

Data gathered on air and water temperature, salinity, DO, suspended matter (SM) and water transparency over a period of 11 years (1980-90) from the coastal waters in the vicinity of a nuclear power plant were analysed to assess the impact of power plant operation on the physico-chemical properties of coastal waters. The major change observed in water temperature from pre-operational to the post-operational was a slight flatterning of the monthly average curve showing a more even distribution during the latter period. Salinity data did not show any change between the pre- and post-operational periods. Monthly variations in DO values during the post-operational period were larger as compared to the pre-operational period. Post-operational period showed a marginal increase in SM content and a decrease in water transparency as compared to the pre-operational period. Results of ANOVA indicated the existence of a significant difference between seasons for air and water temperature, salinity, DO, SM and water transparency. An increasing trend for atmospheric temperature (0.0036 deg C/ year), SM content (1.54 mg/l/year) and decreasing trend for surface water temperature (0.0184 deg C/year), salinity (0.094 x10 -3 /year), DO (0.0052 mg/l/year) and Secchi disc depth (0.037 m/year) from 1980 was observed. (author)

Socioeconomic Factors Associated with Post-Mastectomy Immediate Reconstruction in a Contemporary Cohort of Breast Cancer Survivors.

Science.gov (United States)

Schumacher, Jessica R; Taylor, Lauren J; Tucholka, Jennifer L; Poore, Samuel; Eggen, Amanda; Steiman, Jennifer; Wilke, Lee G; Greenberg, Caprice C; Neuman, Heather B

2017-10-01

Post-mastectomy reconstruction is a critical component of high-quality breast cancer care. Prior studies demonstrate socioeconomic disparity in receipt of reconstruction. Our objective was to evaluate trends in receipt of immediate reconstruction and examine socioeconomic factors associated with reconstruction in a contemporary cohort. Using the National Cancer Database, we identified women rates (2004-2013) for the overall cohort and stratified by socioeconomic factors were examined using Join-point regression analysis, and annual percentage change (APC) was calculated. We then restricted our sample to a contemporary cohort (2010-2013, n = 145,577). Multivariable logistic regression identified socioeconomic factors associated with immediate reconstruction. Average adjusted predicted probabilities of receiving reconstruction were calculated. Immediate reconstruction rates increased from 27 to 48%. Although absolute rates of reconstruction for each stratification group increased, similar APCs across strata led to persistent gaps in receipt of reconstruction. On multivariable logistic regression using our contemporary cohort, race, income, education, and insurance type were all strongly associated with immediate reconstruction. Patients with the lowest predicted probability of receiving reconstruction were patients with Medicaid who lived in areas with the lowest rates of high-school graduation (Black 42.4% [95% CI 40.5-44.3], White 45.7% [95% CI 43.9-47.4]). Although reconstruction rates have increased dramatically over the past decade, lower rates persist for disadvantaged patients. Understanding how socioeconomic factors influence receipt of reconstruction, and identifying modifiable factors, are critical next steps towards identifying interventions to reduce disparities in breast cancer surgical care.

Early multicentre experience of pre-pectoral implant based immediate breast reconstruction using Braxon®.

Science.gov (United States)

Jafferbhoy, Sadaf; Chandarana, Mihir; Houlihan, Maria; Parmeshwar, Rishikesh; Narayanan, Sankaran; Soumian, Soni; Harries, Simon; Jones, Lucie; Clarke, Dayalan

2017-12-01

The last two decades have seen significant changes in surgical management of breast cancer. The offer of immediate breast reconstruction (IBR) following mastectomy is currently standard practice. Skin sparing and nipple sparing mastectomy with implant-based IBR have emerged as oncologically safe treatment options. Prepectoral implant placement and complete coverage of implant with acellular dermal matrix (ADM) eliminates the need to detach the muscle from underlying chest wall in contrast to the subpectoral technique. We report short-term outcomes of a multicentre study from the United Kingdom (UK) using Braxon ® in women having an IBR. A prospective study was conducted from December 2015 to October 2016 and included all patients from three breast units in the UK who underwent a mastectomy and an implant-based IBR using Braxon ® . The demographic details, co-morbidities, operative details, immediate and delayed complications were recorded. Specific complications recorded were infection, seroma, unplanned readmission and loss of implant. A comparison was made with complications reported in the National Mastectomy and Reconstruction Audit. Seventy-eight IBRs were included in the analysis with a median follow-up of 9.98 months. Mean age of the cohort was 50 years with a mean body mass index of 25.7 kg/m 2 . Mean implant volume was 365 cc. The inpatient hospital stay was 1.48 days. About 23% of patients had a seroma, 30% had erythema requiring antibiotics and the explant rate was 10.2 percent. Bilateral reconstructions were significantly associated with implant loss and peri-operative complications on univariate analysis. Our early experience with this novel prepectoral technique using Braxon ® has shown it to be an effective technique with complication rates comparable to subpectoral IBR. The advantages of prepectoral implant-based IBR are quicker postoperative recovery and short post-operative hospital stay. Long-term studies are required to assess rippling, post

Pre- and post-transplant monitoring of soluble CD30 levels as predictor of acute renal allograft rejection.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Dong; Wu, Guo-Jun; Wu, Wei-Zhen; Yang, Shun-Liang; Chen, Jin-Hua; Wang, He; Lin, Wen-Hong; Wang, Qing-Hua; Zeng, Zhang-Xin; Tan, Jian-Ming

2007-06-01

Identification of renal graft candidates at high risk of impending acute rejection (AR) and graft loss may be helpful for patient-tailored immunosuppressive regimens and renal graft survival. To investigate the feasibility with soluble CD30 (sCD30) as predictor of AR, sCD30 levels of 70 patients were detected on day 0 pre-transplant and day 1, 3, 5, 7, 10, 14, 21, and 30 post-transplant. AR episodes in 6 months were recorded and then patients were divided into Group AR (n=11) and Group UC (n=59). Results showed that the patients had higher pre-transplant sCD30 levels than healthy people. A significant decrease of sCD30 was observed on the first day post-transplant and continued until day 14 post-transplant. Soluble CD30 presented a stable level from day 14 to 30 post-transplant. Pre-transplant sCD30 levels of Group AR were much higher than those of Group UC (PsCD30 levels than those of Group UC on day 1, 3, 5, 7, 10 and 14 (PsCD30 level presented a significantly delayed decrease in the patients of Group AR. Statistical results showed that the highest value of area under ROC curve (0.95) was obtained on day 5 post-transplant, suggesting that sCD30 levels on day 5 are of high predictive value. Therefore, sCD30 level may be a good marker of increased alloreactivity and of significant predictive value. It's necessary to monitor the variation of sCD30 in the early period post-transplant.

Pre- and post-bronchodilator airway obstruction are associated with similar clinical characteristics but different prognosis – report from a population-based study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sawalha S

2017-04-01

Full Text Available Sami Sawalha,1 Linnea Hedman,2 Eva Rönmark,2 Bo Lundbäck,3 Anne Lindberg1 1Department of Public Health and Clinical Medicine, Division of Medicine, 2Department of Public Health and Clinical Medicine, The OLIN Unit, Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Umeå University, Umeå, 3Krefting Research Center, Institution of Medicine, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden Introduction: According to guidelines, the diagnosis of COPD should be confirmed by post-bronchodilator (post-BD airway obstruction on spirometry; however, in clinical practice, this is not always performed. The aim of this population-based study was to compare clinical characteristics and prognosis, assessed as mortality, between subjects with airway obstruction divided into pre- but not post-BD obstruction, post-BD airway obstruction (COPD, and subjects without airway obstruction.Materials and methods: In 2002–2004, four adult population-based cohorts were reexamined with spirometry and structured interview. Subjects with airway obstruction, with a ratio of forced expiratory volume in 1 s to (forced vital capacity <0.70 (n=993, were identified together with sex- and age-matched referents (n=993. These subjects were further divided into subjects with pre- but not post-BD airway obstruction (pre- not post-BD obstruction and subjects with post-BD airway obstruction (COPD. Mortality data were collected until December 31, 2014.Results: Out of 993 subjects with airway obstruction, 736 (74% had COPD and 257 (26% pre- not post-BD obstruction. Any respiratory symptoms, allergic rhinitis, asthma, exacerbations, and comorbidities were equally common among subjects with COPD and pre- not post-BD obstruction, but less common among nonobstructive subjects. Mortality was highest among subjects with COPD and higher in men than in women. In both sexes, COPD, but not pre- not post-BD obstruction, was associated with an increased risk for death compared to those without

Prevalence of Airflow Limitation Defined by Pre- and Post-Bronchodilator Spirometry in a Community-Based Health Checkup: The Hisayama Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Fukuyama, Satoru; Matsumoto, Koichiro; Kaneko, Yasuko; Kan-o, Keiko; Noda, Naotaka; Tajiri-Asai, Yukari; Nakano, Takako; Ishii, Yumiko; Kiyohara, Yutaka; Nakanishi, Yoichi; Inoue, Hiromasa

2016-02-01

Spirometry in health checkup may contribute to early diagnosis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and asthma. Although post-bronchodilator airflow limitation is essential for definite diagnosis of COPD and post-bronchodilator normalization of airflow is suggestive of asthma, this test has not been prevailed in health checkup. The objective of this study was to estimate the prevalence of airflow limitation defined by pre- and post-bronchodilator spirometry in health checkup. Post-bronchodilator spirometry was conducted for participants with airflow limitation in a town-wide health checkup for residents aged 40 years and older in Hisayama, a town in the western part of Japan. The prevalence of pre- and post-bronchodilator airway limitation defined by FEV1/FVC spirometry. In males, the age of current smokers was significantly younger than those of never smokers and former smokers. In females, the ages of current- and former smokers were significantly younger than never smokers. The values of %FEV1 and %FVC in current smokers were significantly lower than those in former smokers and never smokers. Two hundred sixty nine subjects, 85% of total subjects with a pre-bronchodilator FEV1/FVC spirometry. The prevalence of pre-bronchodilator airflow limitation was 14.6% in males and 13.7% in females, and the prevalence of post-bronchodilator airway limitation was 8.7% and 8.7%, respectively. Post-bronchodilator spirometry in health checkup would reduce the number of subjects with probable COPD to two-third. Recommendation for those examinees to take further evaluations may pave the way for early intervention.

Pre-anthesis high-temperature acclimation alleviates damage to the flag leaf caused by post-anthesis heat stress in wheat

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Wang, Xiao; Cai, Jian; Jian, Dong

2011-01-01

and enhanced cell membrane peroxidation, as exemplified by increased O2-• production rate and reduction in activities of antioxiditave enzymes. However, under post-anthesis heat stress, plants with pre-anthesis hightemperature acclimation (HH)showedmuchhigher photosynthetic rates than those without pre...... all up-regulated under HH, whereas a gene encoding a major chlorophyll a/b-binding protein (Cab) was up-regulated by post-anthesis heat stress at 10 DAA, but was down-regulated at 13 DAA. The changes in the expression levels of the HH plants were more pronounced than those for the CH. Collectively......, the results indicated that pre-anthesis high-temperature acclimation could effectively alleviate the photosynthetic and oxidative damage caused by post-anthesis heat stress in wheat flag leaves, which was partially attributable to modifications in the expression of the photosythesis-responsive and antioxidant...

The effect of pre-emptive intravenous Dexketoprofen + thoracal epidural analgesia on the chronic post-thoracotomy pain.

Science.gov (United States)

Comez, Mehmet; Celik, Mine; Dostbil, Aysenur; Aksoy, Mehmet; Ahiskalioglu, Ali; Erdem, Ali Fuat; Aydin, Yener; İnce, İlker

2015-01-01

Post thoracotomy chronic pain is a severe problem that affects the majority of patients and decreases the quality of life. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the long-term effects of thoracal epidural levobupivacaine and intravenous dexketoprofen analgesia formed pre-emptively on the wound site pain after major thoracotomy operations. This randomised, prospective and double-blind study was performed with 60 patients undergoing thoracic surgery. Patients were divided into three groups; Control Group (Group C), Pre-emptive Epidural Group (Group PE) and Pre-emptive Dexketoprofen + Epidural Group (Group PED). Patients in the Group C did not receive epidural analgesics and i.v. dexketoprofen before and during the operation. 10-15 ml 0.125% levobupivacaine was given to cases in Group PE pre-emptively through epidural catheter before the anesthesia induction. The cases in Group PED were given 10-15 ml 0.125% epidural levobupivacaine and 50 mg dexketoprofen with i.v. infusion pre-emptively. The VAS score was found to be lower in Group PED during postoperative 24 and 48 hours and before the discharge (P0.05). A statistically significant decrease was determined in the VAS score in Group PED during the sixth month, compared to the other groups (Pdexketoprofen and thoracal epidural analgesia reduce the chronic post-thoracotomy pain.

Pre- and post-transplant minimal residual disease predicts relapse occurrence in children with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia.

Science.gov (United States)

Lovisa, Federica; Zecca, Marco; Rossi, Bartolomeo; Campeggio, Mimma; Magrin, Elisa; Giarin, Emanuela; Buldini, Barbara; Songia, Simona; Cazzaniga, Giovanni; Mina, Tommaso; Acquafredda, Gloria; Quarello, Paola; Locatelli, Franco; Fagioli, Franca; Basso, Giuseppe

2018-03-01

Relapse remains the leading cause of treatment failure in children with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) undergoing allogeneic haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). We retrospectively investigated the prognostic role of minimal residual disease (MRD) before and after HSCT in 119 children transplanted in complete remission (CR). MRD was measured by polymerase chain reaction in bone marrow samples collected pre-HSCT and during the first and third trimesters after HSCT (post-HSCT1 and post-HSCT3). The overall event-free survival (EFS) was 50%. The cumulative incidence of relapse and non-relapse mortality was 41% and 9%. Any degree of detectable pre-HSCT MRD was associated with poor outcome: EFS was 39% and 18% in patients with MRD positivity <1 × 10 -3 and ≥1 × 10 -3 , respectively, versus 73% in MRD-negative patients (P < 0·001). This effect was maintained in different disease remissions, but low-level MRD had a very strong negative impact only in patients transplanted in second or further CR. Also, MRD after HSCT enabled patients to be stratified, with increasing MRD between post-HSCT1 and post-HSCT3 clearly defining cohorts with a different outcome. MRD is an important prognostic factor both before and after transplantation. Given that MRD persistence after HSCT is associated with dismal outcome, these patients could benefit from early discontinuation of immunosuppression, or pre-emptive immuno-therapy. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Association between elevated pre-operative glycosylated hemoglobin and post-operative infections after non-emergent surgery

OpenAIRE

Blankush, Joseph M.; Leitman, I. Michael; Soleiman, Aron; Tran, Trung

2016-01-01

Background: A chronic state of impaired glucose metabolism affects multiple components of the immune system, possibly leading to an increased incidence of post-operative infections. Such infections increase morbidity, length of stay, and overall cost. This study evaluates the correlation between elevated pre-operative glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) and post-operative infections. Study design: Adult patients undergoing non-emergent procedures across all surgical subspecialties from January...

IMMEDIATE EFFECT OF KINESIO VERSUS MCCONNELL TAPING ON PATELLOFEMORAL PAIN SYNDROME DURING FUNCTIONAL ACTIVITIES- A COMPARATIVE STUDY

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sai Kumar. N

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Background: Patellofemoral pain syndrome (PFPS is a condition presenting with anterior knee pain or pain behind the patella (retro-patellar pain. The purpose of the study is to find the immediate effect of Kinesio taping versus McConnell taping in patellofemoral pain syndrome subjects during functional activities- stair ascent, stair descent and squat lift. Methods: An experimental study design with three groups, 45 subjects with patellofemoral pain syndrome was randomized. 15 subjects into each Kinesiotaping group, McConnell group and Sham group. Kinesiotaping group received patellofemoral kinesio taping technique, McConnell group received McConnell taping technique and Sham group received sham taping technique. Outcome measure pain was measured using visual analogue scale during pre and post taping pain levels that were measured during three functional activities: stair ascent, stair descent and squat lift. Results: When analysed within the group using paired ‘t’ test and wilcoxon signed rank test, there is statistically significant improvement in post pain levels in KT, MT and Sham group during stair climbing, stair descent and squat lift. When compared measuring of pre and post pain levels between three groups, there is no significant change in pain level between Kinesio taping and McConnell taping as also compared to sham taping. Conclusion: The study concluded that Kinesio taping, McConnell taping and sham taping shown immediate effect on reducing pain during functional activities such as stair climbing, stair descent and squat lift with greater percentage of pain reduction was found following Kinesiotaping and McConnell taping.

Study of the quality characteristics in cold-smoked salmon (Salmo salar) originating from pre- or post-rigor raw material.

Science.gov (United States)

Birkeland, S; Akse, L

2010-01-01

Improved slaughtering procedures in the salmon industry have caused a delayed onset of rigor mortis and, thus, a potential for pre-rigor secondary processing. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of rigor status at time of processing on quality traits color, texture, sensory, microbiological, in injection salted, and cold-smoked Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar). Injection of pre-rigor fillets caused a significant (Prigor processed fillets; however, post-rigor (1477 ± 38 g) fillets had a significant (P>0.05) higher fracturability than pre-rigor fillets (1369 ± 71 g). Pre-rigor fillets were significantly (Prigor fillets (37.8 ± 0.8) and had significantly lower (Prigor processed fillets. This study showed that similar quality characteristics can be obtained in cold-smoked products processed either pre- or post-rigor when using suitable injection salting protocols and smoking techniques. © 2010 Institute of Food Technologists®

Wind Energy and Wildlife Pre- and Post-Construction Project at Pantex Plant

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Matlack, Raymond S. [Texas A & M Univ., College Station, TX (United States)

2018-01-03

From 2009-2017, we conducted pre- and post-construction monitoring of wildlife at the Pantex Plant before and after construction of five wind turbines on the plant in 2014-2015. Pre-construction acoustic monitoring for bats was conducted at five sites on Pantex. Acoustic (here after Anabat) files were downloaded 30 times with Anabat files recorded from 6/21/2010 through 1/17/2014. The resulting data include over 3,000,000 files and we hope to analyze them in the future. We were never successful recording acoustic data after 2014 (post-construction). This is despite numerous attempts to trouble shoot our acoustic monitors. Wind damage to cables going from the body of the monitor to their microphones could not be repaired or replaced while towers were standing. Sampling of breeding birds was accomplished through point counts conducted at sites selected for turbine construction and others selected as control sites. Precipitation varied greatly over the course of the study, from a low of 17.81 cm (7.01 inches) during 2011 to a high of 87.96 cm (34.63 inches) during 2015. The pre-construction portion of the project was characterized by fairly extreme drought starting in 2011. Total precipitation for 2011 and 2012 was just 49.12 cm (19.34 inches), less than 50% of the average for a two-year period. The impact of this drought on nesting grassland birds manifest as low nesting species richness and abundance. In 2011 and 2012, 20 and 17 species were documented during point counts, respectively. Post-construction sampling followed the wet year of 2015 (87.96 cm, 34.63 inches). Species richness of nesting birds in 2016 and 2017 was considerably higher than during the drought, 40 and 37 species, respectively. We suspect changes in resource availability associated with relief from drought starting after 2015 was responsible for the recovery/increase in species detected during the breeding season; less importantly any changes from installation of turbines or changes in surface

Pre/post evaluation of a pilot prevention with positives training program for healthcare providers in North West Province, Republic of South Africa.

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Kemp, Christopher G; de Kadt, Julia; Pillay, Erushka; Gilvydis, Jennifer M; Naidoo, Evasen; Grignon, Jessica; Weaver, Marcia R

2017-05-02

Prevention interventions for people living with HIV/AIDS are an important component of HIV programs. We report the results of a pilot evaluation of a four-hour, clinic-based training for healthcare providers in South Africa on HIV prevention assessments and messages. This pre/post pilot evaluation examined whether the training was associated with providers delivering more prevention messages. Seventy providers were trained at four public primary care clinics with a high volume of HIV patients. Pre- and post-training patient exit surveys were conducted using Audio-Computer Assisted Structured Interviews. Seven provider appropriate messaging outcomes and one summary provider outcome were compared pre- and post-training using Poisson regression. Four hundred fifty-nine patients pre-training and 405 post-training with known HIV status were interviewed, including 175 and 176 HIV positive patients respectively. Among HIV positive patients, delivery of all appropriate messages by providers declined post-training. The summary outcome decreased from 56 to 50%; adjusted rate ratio 0.92 (95% CI = 0.87-0.97). Sensitivity analyses adjusting for training coverage and time since training detected fewer declines. Among HIV negative patients the summary score was stable at 32% pre- and post-training; adjusted rate ratio 1.05 (95% CI = 0.98-1.12). Surprisingly, this training was associated with a decrease in prevention messages delivered to HIV positive patients by providers. Limited training coverage and delays between training and post-training survey may partially account for this apparent decrease. A more targeted approach to prevention messages may be more effective.

The Evaluation of Yellow vs. Blue Color Contrast Sensitivity pre and Post LASIK

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S. Heydarian

2007-06-01

Full Text Available Introduction: contrast sensitivity is one of the most important psychophysical tests that may be used for the evaluation of refractive state of eye and retinal image quality. Yellow vs. blue color contrast sensitivity may be more suitable in this regard. Materials and Methods: thirty myopic eyes were considered in this study. Yellow vs. blue color contrast sensitivity was evaluated under the same environment and conditions in these individuals pre and post LASIK. Results: The comparison of yellow vs. blue color contrast sensitivity with glasses pr e and post LASIK shows a significant improvement (p

Improving Robustness of Hydrologic Ensemble Predictions Through Probabilistic Pre- and Post-Processing in Sequential Data Assimilation

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Wang, S.; Ancell, B. C.; Huang, G. H.; Baetz, B. W.

2018-03-01

Data assimilation using the ensemble Kalman filter (EnKF) has been increasingly recognized as a promising tool for probabilistic hydrologic predictions. However, little effort has been made to conduct the pre- and post-processing of assimilation experiments, posing a significant challenge in achieving the best performance of hydrologic predictions. This paper presents a unified data assimilation framework for improving the robustness of hydrologic ensemble predictions. Statistical pre-processing of assimilation experiments is conducted through the factorial design and analysis to identify the best EnKF settings with maximized performance. After the data assimilation operation, statistical post-processing analysis is also performed through the factorial polynomial chaos expansion to efficiently address uncertainties in hydrologic predictions, as well as to explicitly reveal potential interactions among model parameters and their contributions to the predictive accuracy. In addition, the Gaussian anamorphosis is used to establish a seamless bridge between data assimilation and uncertainty quantification of hydrologic predictions. Both synthetic and real data assimilation experiments are carried out to demonstrate feasibility and applicability of the proposed methodology in the Guadalupe River basin, Texas. Results suggest that statistical pre- and post-processing of data assimilation experiments provide meaningful insights into the dynamic behavior of hydrologic systems and enhance robustness of hydrologic ensemble predictions.

The effect of pre-operative optimization on post-operative outcome in Crohn's disease resections

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

El-Hussuna, Alaa; Iesalnieks, Igors; Horesh, Nir

2017-01-01

BACKGROUND: The timing of surgical intervention in Crohn's disease (CD) may depend on pre-operative optimization (PO) which includes different interventions to decrease the risk for unfavourable post-operative outcome. The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of multi-model PO on...

Changes in Sprint and Jump Performances After Traditional, Plyometric, and Combined Resistance Training in Male Youth Pre- and Post-Peak Height Velocity.

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Lloyd, Rhodri S; Radnor, John M; De Ste Croix, Mark B A; Cronin, John B; Oliver, Jon L

2016-05-01

The purpose of this study was to compare the effectiveness of 6-week training interventions using different modes of resistance (traditional strength, plyometric, and combined training) on sprinting and jumping performances in boys before and after peak height velocity (PHV). Eighty school-aged boys were categorized into 2 maturity groups (pre- or post-PHV) and then randomly assigned to (a) plyometric training, (b) traditional strength training, (c) combined training, or (d) a control group. Experimental groups participated in twice-weekly training programs for 6 weeks. Acceleration, maximal running velocity, squat jump height, and reactive strength index data were collected pre- and postintervention. All training groups made significant gains in measures of sprinting and jumping irrespective of the mode of resistance training and maturity. Plyometric training elicited the greatest gains across all performance variables in pre-PHV children, whereas combined training was the most effective in eliciting change in all performance variables for the post-PHV cohort. Statistical analysis indicated that plyometric training produced greater changes in squat jump and acceleration performances in the pre-PHV group compared with the post-PHV cohort. All other training responses between pre- and post-PHV cohorts were not significant and not clinically meaningful. The study indicates that plyometric training might be more effective in eliciting short-term gains in jumping and sprinting in boys who are pre-PHV, whereas those who are post-PHV may benefit from the additive stimulus of combined training.

Efficacy of various pre and post-emergence herbicides to control weeds in wheat

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Din, G.M.N.U.

2011-01-01

The efficacy of various pre and post-emergence herbicides viz. pyroxasulfone at the rate 0.15 kg a.i. ha/sup -1/, terbutryn + triasulfuron at the rate 0.18 kg a.i. ha/sup -1/ and flufenacet + pyroxasulfone at the rate 0.24 + 0.15 kg a.i. ha-1 as pre-emergence while flufenacet at the rate 0.24 kg a.i. ha/sup -1/, carfentrazone ethyl + isoproturon at the rate 0.018 kg a.i. ha/sup -1/, bromoxynil + MCPA at the rate 0.49 kg a.i. ha/sup -/ as post-emergence and hand weeding at (20 and 40 DAS) with a weedy check were tested against narrow and broad leaved weeds in wheat during Rabi season 2008-09. The results revealed that Fumaria indica, Melilotus indica and Rumex dentatus density significantly decreased by all the herbicides compared with control. Bromoxynil + MCPA at the rate 0.49 kg a.i. ha/sup -1/ as post-emergence application was most effective in controlling F. indica, M. indica and R. dentatus with maximum mortality at both (30 and 60 DAS) without being phytotoxic to wheat. Bromoxynil + MCPA at the rate 0.49 kg a.i. ha/sup -1/ as post-emergence spray proved significantly better than other herbicide treatments as it severely reduced the weeds biomass as compared to weedy check. Spike bearing tillers (355.75), spike length (15.07 cm), number of grains spike-1 (52.00) and 1000-grain weight (54.00 g) were maximum in bromoxynil + MCPA at the rate 0.49 kg a.i. ha/sup -1/ as post-emergence treated plots, which ultimately enhanced the yield up to 39.13% over control. Bromoxynil + MCPA at the rate 0.49 kg a.i. ha/sup -1/ as post-emergence gave the maximum net income of Rs. 97345 ha/sup -1/. However, maximum MRR (%) of 191730 was obtained with the use of bromoxynil + MCPA followed by flufenacet with the MRR (%) of 67590. (author)

FATTY MUSCLE INFILTRATION IN CUFF TEAR: PRE AND POST OPERATIVE EVALUATION BY MRI.

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Miyazaki, Alberto Naoki; Santos, Pedro Doneux; da Silva, Luciana Andrade; Sella, Guilherme do Val; Miranda, Eduardo Régis de Alencar Bona; Zampieri, Rodrigo

2015-01-01

To evaluate the fatty infiltration and atrophy of the supraespinatus in the pre- and postoperative of a rotator cuff lesion (RCL), by MRI. Ten patients with full-thickness rotator cuff tears who had undergone surgical arthroscopic rotator cuff repair between September and December 2011 were included. This is a prospective study, with analysis and comparison of fatty infiltration and atrophy of the supraespinatus. The occupation ratio was measured using the magic selection tool in Adobe Photoshop CS3((r)) on T1 oblique sagittal Y-view MRI. Through Photoshop, the proportion occupied by the muscle belly regarding its fossae was calculated. There was a statistically significant increase in the muscle ratio (p=0.013) comparing images pre and postoperative, analyzed by the Wilcoxon T test. The proportion of the supraspinal muscle above the pit increases in the immediate postoperative period, probably due to the traction exerted on the tendon at the time of repair. Level of Evidence II, Cohort Study.

Reducing child abuse amongst adolescents in low- and middle-income countries: A pre-post trial in South Africa.

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Cluver, Lucie; Meinck, Franziska; Yakubovich, Alexa; Doubt, Jenny; Redfern, Alice; Ward, Catherine; Salah, Nasteha; De Stone, Sachin; Petersen, Tshiamo; Mpimpilashe, Phelisa; Romero, Rocio Herrero; Ncobo, Lulu; Lachman, Jamie; Tsoanyane, Sibongile; Shenderovich, Yulia; Loening, Heidi; Byrne, Jasmina; Sherr, Lorraine; Kaplan, Lauren; Gardner, Frances

2016-07-13

No known studies have tested the effectiveness of child abuse prevention programmes for adolescents in low- or middle-income countries. 'Parenting for Lifelong Health' ( http://tiny.cc/whoPLH ) is a collaborative project to develop and rigorously test abuse-prevention parenting programmes for free use in low-resource contexts. Research aims of this first pre-post trial in South Africa were: i) to identify indicative effects of the programme on child abuse and related outcomes; ii) to investigate programme safety for testing in a future randomised trial, and iii) to identify potential adaptations. Two hundred thirty participants (adolescents and their primary caregivers) were recruited from schools, welfare services and community-sampling in rural, high-poverty South Africa (no exclusion criteria). All participated in a 12-week parenting programme, implemented by local NGO childcare workers to ensure real-world external validity. Standardised pre-post measures with adolescents and caregivers were used, and paired t-tests were conducted for primary outcomes: abuse (physical, emotional abuse and neglect), adolescent behaviour problems and parenting (positive and involved parenting, poor monitoring and inconsistent discipline), and secondary outcomes: mental health, social support and substance use. Participants reported high levels of socio-economic deprivation, e.g. 60 % of adolescents had either an HIV-positive caregiver or were orphaned by AIDS, and 50 % of caregivers experienced intimate partner violence. i) indicative effects: Primary outcomes comparing pre-test and post-test assessments showed reductions reported by adolescents and caregivers in child abuse (adolescent report 63.0 % pre-test to 29.5 % post-test, caregiver report 75.5 % pre-test to 36.5 % post-test, both p child abuse and improved caregiver and adolescent outcomes. It showed high acceptability and unexpected community-level diffusion. Findings indicate needs for adaptations, and

Effect of pre- and post-marination aging on meat quality attributes of early deboned (2 h postmortem) broiler breast fillets.

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Kuttappan, V A; Gunsaulis, V B; Mauromoustakos, A; Meullenet, J F; Owens, C M

2016-11-01

Marination is an effective method that can be used to improve the tenderness of early deboned breast fillets. The present study was designed to evaluate the effect of pre- and post-marination aging of 2 h postmortem (PM) deboned chicken fillets to get optimum meat quality. In this study, a total of 300 broilers (43 to 46 d of age) were processed using an in-line system and deboned at 2 h PM. Fillets were marinated, at either 2.5, 4, 6, 8 or 24 h PM, using vacuum tumbling (20 min) with a 15% marinade (final concentration of 0.5% salt and 0.45% phosphate). A non-marinated control (CON) was included. The left (HOLD) fillets were aged (held at 4°C for 24 h) prior to freezing post-marination while the right (NO HOLD) fillets were frozen immediately after marination to simulate various commercial practices. Marination pickup (MPU), total marinade retained after thawing (TMR), total purge loss after thawing (TPL), cook loss (CL), and Meullenet-Owens Razor Shear energy (MORSE) values were measured. Both in HOLD and NO HOLD fillets, there was an increase (P water holding capacity. However, both in HOLD and NO HOLD groups, the MORSE values for the marinated fillets decreased (P retention as well as tenderness (or lower shear values). © 2016 Poultry Science Association Inc.

Comparison of immediate effects between two medical stretching techniques on Hamstrings flexibility.

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Aye, Thanda; Kuramoto-Ahuja, Tsugumi; Han, Heonsoo; Maruyama, Hitoshi

2017-09-01

[Purpose] The aim of this study was to compare immediate effects between new medical stretching (NMS) and conventional medical stretching (CMS) techniques on Hamstrings flexibility. [Subjects and Methods] Thirteen healthy adult males, with finger floor distance (FFD) less than zero centimeter, without known musculoskeletal and neurological impairment in spine or lower extremities, were included. The subjects were randomly allocated to two groups. The subjects were instructed to perform NMS and CMS (hold for 30 seconds once, twice for each side of lower extremity) for both sides (total two minutes, only one session for one day). The interval between the two techniques was one week. FFD was measured with digital standing trunk flexion meter at the pre-intervention and post-intervention of both techniques. [Results] The mean values of FFD improved at the post-interventions of both techniques. The tests of within subject effects indicated that the main effect of treatment was not significant but the main effect of time was significant and the interaction of treatment and time was also significant. [Conclusion] The results of this study indicated that both medical stretching techniques were effective on Hamstrings flexibility immediately after the intervention and NMS technique was more effective on improving flexibility.

Ovulation order mediates a trade-off between pre-hatching and post-hatching viability in an altricial bird.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Keith W Sockman

2008-03-01

Full Text Available Simultaneously dependent siblings often compete for parentally provided resources. This competition may lead to mortality, the probability of which may be a function, in part, of the individual offspring's production order. In birds, serial ovulation followed by hatching asynchrony of simultaneous dependents leads to differences in post-hatching survival that largely depend on ovulation (laying order. This has led to the widespread assumption that early-laid eggs are of greater value and therefore should possess different maternally manipulated characteristics than later-laid eggs. However, this perspective ignores the potential effect of laying order on pre-hatching viability, an effect which some studies suggest should offset the effect of laying order on post-hatching viability. I examined the relationship between laying order and hatching and fledging probability in wild, free-living Lincoln's sparrows (Melospiza lincolnii. In broods with complete hatching success, first-laid and therefore first-hatched offspring had the highest probability of fledging, and fledging probability declined with increasing laying order. However, first-laid eggs were less likely than later-laid eggs to hatch. This effect of laying order on pre-hatching viability seemed to offset that on post-hatching viability, and, consistently, maternal investment in egg size varied little if at all with respect to laying order. These results suggest that ovulation order mediates a trade-off between pre-hatching and post-hatching viability and should encourage a re-evaluation of the solitary role post-embryonic survival often plays when researchers make assumptions about the value of propagules based on the order in which they are produced.

Influence of pre-cooking protein paste gelation conditions and post-cooking gel storage conditions on gel texture.

Science.gov (United States)

Paker, Ilgin; Matak, Kristen E

2016-01-15

Gelation conditions affect the setting of myofibrillar fish protein gels. Therefore the impact of widely applied pre-cooking gelation time/temperature strategies and post-cooking period on the texture and color of final protein gels was determined. Four pre-cooking gelation strategies (no setting time, 30 min at 25 °C, 1 h at 40 °C or 24 h at 4 °C) were applied to protein pastes (fish protein concentrate and standard functional additives). After cooking, texture and color were analyzed either directly or after 24 h at 4 °C on gels adjusted to 25 °C. No-set gels were harder, gummier and chewier (P cooking. Gel-setting conditions had a greater (P cooking stored gels in texture and color, depending on the pre-cooking gelation strategy. Pre-cooking gelation conditions will affect final protein gel texture and color, with gel stability benefiting from a gel-setting period. However, post-cooking storage may have a greater impact on final gels, with textural attributes becoming more consistent between all samples. © 2015 Society of Chemical Industry.

Pre-operative and early post-operative factors associated with surgical site infection after laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy.

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Ruiz-Tovar, Jaime; Oller, Inmaculada; Llavero, Carolina; Arroyo, Antonio; Muñoz, Jose Luis; Calero, Alicia; Diez, María; Zubiaga, Lorea; Calpena, Rafael

2013-08-01

Surgical procedures on obese patients are expected to have a high incidence of surgical site infection (SSI). The identification of pre-operative or early post-operative risk factors for SSI may help the surgeon to identify subjects in risk and adequately optimize their status. We conducted a study of the association of comorbidities and pre- and post-operative analytical variables with SSI following laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy for the treatment of morbid obesity. We performed a prospective study of all morbidly obese patients undergoing laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy as a bariatric procedure between 2007 and 2011. An association of clinical and analytical variables with SSI was investigated. The study included 40 patients with a mean pre-operative body mass index (BMI) of 51.2±7.9 kg/m(2). Surgical site infections appeared in three patients (7.5%), of whom two had an intra-abdominal abscess located in the left hypochondrium and the third had a superficial incisional SSI. Pre-operatively, a BMI >45 kg/m(2) (OR 8.7; p=0.008), restrictive disorders identified by pulmonary function tests (OR 10.0; p=0.012), a serum total protein concentration 30 mcg/dL (OR 13.0; p=0.003), and a mean corpuscular volume (MCV) operative SSI. Post-operatively, a serum glucose >128 mg/dL (OR 4.7; p=0.012) and hemoglobin operative anemia and hyperglycemia as risk factors for SSI. In these situations, the surgeon must be aware of and seek to control these risk factors.

Effect of dentin biomodifiers on the immediate and long-term bond strengths of a simplified etch and rinse adhesive to dentin

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Payal Singh

2017-07-01

Full Text Available Objectives This in vitro study evaluated the effect of dentin biomodifiers on the immediate and long-term bond strengths of a simplified etch and rinse adhesive to dentin. Materials and Methods Flat coronal dentin surfaces were prepared in 120 extracted human molars. Teeth were randomly divided into 5 groups (n = 24 according to 5 different surface pre-treatments: No pre-treatment (control; 1M carbodiimide (EDC; 0.1% epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG; 2% minocycline (MI; 10% sodium ascorbate (SA. After surface pre-treatment, adhesive (Adper Single Bond 2 [SB], 3M ESPE was applied. Composite was applied into transparent plastic tubes (2.5 mm in diameter, which was placed over the bonded dentin surface. From each group, 10 samples were subjected to shear bond strength (SBS evaluation at 24 hours (immediate and remaining 10 samples were tested after 6 months (delayed. Additionally, 4 samples per group were subjected to scanning electron microscopic analysis for observation of resin-dentin interface. The data were statistically analysed with Shaperio‑Wilk W test, 2-way analysis of variance (ANOVA, and post hoc Tukey's test. Results At 24 hours, SBS of all surface pre-treatment groups were comparable with the control group, with significant differences found between EDC and SA groups only (p = 0.009. After 6 months storage, EDC, EGCG, and MI pre-treatments preserved the resin-dentin bond strength with no significant fall. Conclusions Dentin pre-treatment with all the dentin biomodifiers except SA resulted in significant preservation of resin-dentin bond over 6 months storage period, without negatively affecting the immediate bond strength of the etch and rinse adhesive tested.

Psychological distress in torture survivors: pre- and post-migration risk factors in a US sample.

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Song, Suzan J; Kaplan, Charles; Tol, Wietse A; Subica, Andrew; de Jong, Joop

2015-04-01

To investigate the relationships between sociodemographic, pre- and post-migration variables with prevalence of psychological distress and global functioning in a heterogeneous sample of torture survivors. Clients referred from resettlement agencies via the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) to a community clinic in the United States (N = 278) were interviewed with structured, translated questionnaires. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses determined the associations of sociodemographic, pre-, and post-migration risk factors with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, anxiety, and global functioning. Regression data indicate that length of time between arrival in US and clinical services was significantly associated with PTSD and depression; participants receiving services after 1 year of resettlement were more likely to experience PTSD (adjusted OR = 3.29) and depression (adjusted OR = 4.50) than participants receiving services within 1 year. Anxiety was predicted by female gender (adjusted OR = 3.43), age over 40 years (adjusted OR = 3.12), Muslim religion (adjusted OR = 2.64), and receiving medical services (AOR 3.1). Severely impaired global functioning was associated with female gender (adjusted OR = 2.75) and unstable housing status (adjusted OR = 2.21). Findings highlight the importance of examining post-migration variables such as length of time in country prior to receiving services in addition to pre-migration torture history upon relocated torture survivors. Clinicians and policy-makers should be aware of the importance of early mental health screening and intervention on reducing the psychiatric burden associated with torture and forced relocation.

Assimilation approach to measuring organizational change from pre- to post-intervention.

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Moore, Scott C; Osatuke, Katerine; Howe, Steven R

2014-03-22

To present a conceptual and measurement strategy that allows to objectively, sensitively evaluate intervention progress based on data of participants' perceptions of presenting problems. We used as an example an organization development intervention at a United States Veterans Affairs medical center. Within a year, the intervention addressed the hospital's initially serious problems and multiple stakeholders (employees, management, union representatives) reported satisfaction with progress made. Traditional quantitative outcome measures, however, failed to capture the strong positive impact consistently reported by several types of stakeholders in qualitative interviews. To address the paradox, full interview data describing the medical center pre- and post- intervention were examined applying a validated theoretical framework from another discipline: Psychotherapy research. The Assimilation model is a clinical-developmental theory that describes empirically grounded change levels in problematic experiences, e.g., problems reported by participants. The model, measure Assimilation of Problematic Experiences Scale (APES), and rating procedure have been previously applied across various populations and problem types, mainly in clinical but also in non-clinical settings. We applied the APES to the transcribed qualitative data of intervention participants' interviews, using the method closely replicating prior assimilation research (the process whereby trained clinicians familiar with the Assimilation model work with full, transcribed interview data to assign the APES ratings). The APES ratings summarized levels of progress which was defined as participants' assimilation level of problematic experiences, and compared from pre- to post-intervention. The results were consistent with participants' own reported perceptions of the intervention impact. Increase in APES levels from pre- to post-intervention suggested improvement, missed in the previous quantitative measures

Quality properties of pre- and post-rigor beef muscle after interventions with high frequency ultrasound.

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Sikes, Anita L; Mawson, Raymond; Stark, Janet; Warner, Robyn

2014-11-01

The delivery of a consistent quality product to the consumer is vitally important for the food industry. The aim of this study was to investigate the potential for using high frequency ultrasound applied to pre- and post-rigor beef muscle on the metabolism and subsequent quality. High frequency ultrasound (600kHz at 48kPa and 65kPa acoustic pressure) applied to post-rigor beef striploin steaks resulted in no significant effect on the texture (peak force value) of cooked steaks as measured by a Tenderometer. There was no added benefit of ultrasound treatment above that of the normal ageing process after ageing of the steaks for 7days at 4°C. Ultrasound treatment of post-rigor beef steaks resulted in a darkening of fresh steaks but after ageing for 7days at 4°C, the ultrasound-treated steaks were similar in colour to that of the aged, untreated steaks. High frequency ultrasound (2MHz at 48kPa acoustic pressure) applied to pre-rigor beef neck muscle had no effect on the pH, but the calculated exhaustion factor suggested that there was some effect on metabolism and actin-myosin interaction. However, the resultant texture of cooked, ultrasound-treated muscle was lower in tenderness compared to the control sample. After ageing for 3weeks at 0°C, the ultrasound-treated samples had the same peak force value as the control. High frequency ultrasound had no significant effect on the colour parameters of pre-rigor beef neck muscle. This proof-of-concept study showed no effect of ultrasound on quality but did indicate that the application of high frequency ultrasound to pre-rigor beef muscle shows potential for modifying ATP turnover and further investigation is warranted. Crown Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Paving the Road for Student Success: Building a Case for Integrated Strategic Planning from Pre-K to Post-Doc

Science.gov (United States)

Kealey, Jarrett; Peterson, Renee; Thompson, Angela; Waters, Kristin

2015-01-01

The road from prekindergarten (pre-K) to post-doctoral (post-doc) work is riddled with potholes, detours, u-turns, and construction zones. National education initiatives such as No Child Left Behind, the Common Core, Race to the Top, Performance-Based Funding, College Readiness and Completion Acts, and Post-Graduate Gainful Employment Reports…

Pre- and post-fire pollutant loads in an urban fringe watershed in Southern California.

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Burke, M P; Hogue, T S; Kinoshita, A M; Barco, J; Wessel, C; Stein, E D

2013-12-01

Post-fire runoff has the potential to be a large source of contaminants to downstream areas. However, the magnitude of this effect in urban fringe watersheds adjacent to large sources of airborne contaminants is not well documented. The current study investigates the impacts of wildfire on stormwater contaminant loading from the upper Arroyo Seco watershed, burned in 2009. This watershed is adjacent to the Greater Los Angeles, CA, USA area and has not burned in over 60 years. Consequently, it acts as a sink for regional urban pollutants and presents an opportunity to study the impacts of wildfire. Pre- and post-fire storm samples were collected and analyzed for basic cations, trace metals, and total suspended solids. The loss of vegetation and changes in soil properties from the fire greatly increased the magnitude of storm runoff, resulting in sediment-laden floods carrying high concentrations of particulate-bound constituents. Post-fire concentrations and loads were up to three orders of magnitude greater than pre-fire values for many trace metals, including lead and cadmium. A shift was also observed in the timing of chemical delivery, where maximum suspended sediment, trace metal, and cation concentrations coincided with, rather than preceded, peak discharge in the post-fire runoff, amplifying the fire's impacts on mass loading. The results emphasize the importance of sediment delivery as a primary mechanism for post-fire contaminant transport and suggest that traditional management practices that focus on treating only the early portion of storm runoff may be less effective following wildfire. We also advocate that watersheds impacted by regional urban pollutants have the potential to pose significant risk for downstream communities and ecosystems after fire.

Candidate gene expression in Bos indicus ovarian tissues: pre-pubertal and post-pubertal heifers in diestrus

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mayara Morena Del Cambre Amaral Weller

2016-10-01

Full Text Available Growth factors such as bone morphogenetic proteins 6, 7, 15 and two isoforms of transforming growth factor-beta (BMP6, BMP7, BMP15, TGFB1 and TGFB2 and insulin-like growth factor system act as local regulators of ovarian follicular development. To elucidate if these factors as well as others candidate genes such as estrogen receptor 1 (ESR1, growth differentiation factor 9 (GDF9, follicle stimulating hormone receptor (FSHR, luteinizing hormone receptor (LHR, bone morphogenetic protein receptor, type 2 (BMPR2, type 1 insulin-like growth factor receptor (IGFR1, and key steroidogenic enzymes cytochrome P450 aromatase and 3-β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (CYP19A1 and HSD3B1 could modulate or influence diestrus on the onset of puberty in Brahman heifers, their ovarian mRNA expression was measured before and after puberty (luteal phase. Six post-pubertal (POST heifers were euthanized on the luteal phase of their second cycle, confirmed by corpus luteum observation, and six pre-pubertal (PRE heifers were euthanized in the same day. Quantitative real-time PCR analysis showed that the expression of FSHR, BMP7, CYP19A1, IGF1 and IGFR1 mRNA was greater in PRE heifers, when contrasted to POST heifers. The expression of LHR and HSD3B1 was lower in PRE heifers. Differential expression of ovarian genes could be associated with changes in follicular dynamics and different cell populations that have emerged as consequence of puberty and the luteal phase. The emerging hypothesis is that BMP7 and IGF1 are co-expressed and may modulate the expression of FSHR, LHR and IGFR1 and CYP19A1. BMP7 could influence the down-regulation of LHR and up-regulation of FSHR and CYP19A1, which mediates the follicular dynamics in heifer ovaries. Up-regulation of IGF1 expression pre-puberty, compared to post-puberty diestrus, correlates with increased levels FSHR and CYP19A1. Thus, BMP7 and IGF1 may play synergic roles and were predicted to interact, from the expression data (P = 0

Comparative Evaluation of Immediate Post-Operative Sequelae after Surgical Removal of Impacted Mandibular Third Molar with or without Tube Drain - Split-Mouth Study.

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Kumar, Barun; Bhate, Kalyani; Dolas, R S; Kumar, Sn Santhosh; Waknis, Pushkar

2016-12-01

Third molar surgery is one of the most common surgical procedures performed in general dentistry. Post-operative variables such as pain, swelling and trismus are major concerns after impacted mandibular third molar surgery. Use of passive tube drain is supposed to help reduce these immediate post-operative sequelae. The current study was designed to compare the effect of tube drain on immediate post-operative sequelae following impacted mandibular third molar surgery. To compare the post-operative sequelae after surgical removal of impacted mandibular third molar surgery with or without tube drain. Thirty patients with bilateral impacted mandibular third molars were divided into two groups: Test (with tube drain) and control (without tube drain) group. In the test group, a tube drain was inserted through the releasing incision, and kept in place for three days. The control group was left without a tube drain. The post-operative variables like, pain, swelling, and trismus were calculated after 24 hours, 72 hours, 7 days, and 15 days in both the groups and analyzed statistically using chi-square and t-test analysis. The test group showed lesser swelling as compared to control group, with the swelling variable showing statistically significant difference at post-operative day 3 and 7 (p≤ 0.05) in both groups. There were no statistically significant differences in pain and trismus variables in both the groups. The use of tube drain helps to control swelling following impacted mandibular third molar surgery. However, it does not have much effect on pain or trismus.

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Prevalence and Correlates Pre- and Post-Bariatric Surgery: A Comparative Cross-Sectional Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Nielsen, Friedrich; Georgiadou, Ekaterini; Bartsch, Merle; Langenberg, Svenja; Müller, Astrid; de Zwaan, Martina

2017-01-01

Previous research shows an association between obesity and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The present study compares pre- and post-bariatric surgery patients using the internationally used Conners' Adult ADHD Rating Scale (CAARS™) to screen for ADHD. Matched samples pre- (N = 120) and post-bariatric surgery (N = 128) were compared using self-rating instruments to assess ADHD-relevant symptomatology, depression, eating-related psychopathology, and BMI. Prevalence of probable ADHD did not differ between groups using the CAARS Index Scale T-scores; however, CAARS subscales Inattention/Memory and Self-Concept showed significantly lower scores in post-surgery patients. All CAARS subscales correlated significantly with each other, with depression and eating-related psychopathology. There was no correlation between ADHD and excess BMI loss in post-surgery patients. The findings suggest that a considerable number of patients before and after bariatric surgery screened positive for ADHD. It can be hypothesized that some core ADHD symptoms improve after surgery. Future studies are warranted to investigate the influence of ADHD on long-term surgery outcomes. © 2017 The Author(s) Published by S. Karger GmbH, Freiburg.

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Prevalence and Correlates Pre- and Post-Bariatric Surgery: A Comparative Cross-Sectional Study

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Friedrich Nielsen

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Objective: Previous research shows an association between obesity and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD. The present study compares pre- and post-bariatric surgery patients using the internationally used Conners' Adult ADHD Rating Scale (CAARS™ to screen for ADHD. Methods: Matched samples pre- (N = 120 and post-bariatric surgery (N = 128 were compared using self-rating instruments to assess ADHD-relevant symptomatology, depression, eating-related psychopathology, and BMI. Results: Prevalence of probable ADHD did not differ between groups using the CAARS Index Scale T-scores; however, CAARS subscales Inattention/Memory and Self-Concept showed significantly lower scores in post-surgery patients. All CAARS subscales correlated significantly with each other, with depression and eating-related psychopathology. There was no correlation between ADHD and excess BMI loss in post-surgery patients. Conclusion: The findings suggest that a considerable number of patients before and after bariatric surgery screened positive for ADHD. It can be hypothesized that some core ADHD symptoms improve after surgery. Future studies are warranted to investigate the influence of ADHD on long-term surgery outcomes.

ENDOCRINE RESPONSE TO AN ULTRA-MARATHON IN PRE- AND POST-MENOPAUSAL WOMEN

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J.L. Copeland

2014-07-01

Full Text Available Ultra-endurance competitions are becoming increasingly popular but there is limited research on female participants. The purpose of this study was to examine changes in estrogen and the IGF-I system in women after an ultra-marathon. Six pairs of pre- and post- menopausal women were matched for race finish times;mean finish time was 20 hours. Blood samples were drawn 24 hours before the race, at the finish, and 24 hours into recovery. Samples were analysed for estradiol, total IGF-I, IGFBP-1, and intact IGFBP-3. There was a significant increase in estradiol following the race in both groups (P<0.05. Total IGF-I decreased after the race (P<0.01 and remained lower in recovery. IGFBP-1 increased after the race (P<0.001 but returned to pre-race levels after 24 hours, while intact IGFBP-3 was significantly lower post-race and in recovery (P<0.001. Postmenopausal women had significantly lower estradiol at baseline, but there were no other group differences. These results demonstrate that among recreational female runners, an ultra-marathon is associated with IGF system changes that are consistent with an energy-deficient, catabolic state. Further research is needed to confirm the effect of these endocrine changes on health and performance

The Possible Pre- and Post-UVA Radiation Protective Effect of Amaranth Oil on Human Skin Fibroblast Cells.

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Wolosik, Katarzyna; Zareba, Ilona; Surazynski, Arkadiusz; Markowska, Agnieszka

2017-07-01

The health effects of Amaranth Oil (AO) are attributed to its specific chemical composition. That makes it an outstanding natural product for the prevention and treatment of ultraviolet (UV) irradiation-related pathologies such as sunburn, photoaging, photoimmunosuppression, and photocarcinogenesis. Most of the studies are taken on animal model, and there is a lack of research on the endogenous effect of AO on fibroblast level, where UVA takes it harmful place. The aim of this study was evaluation if AO can protect or abolish UVA exposure effect on human skin fibroblast. The 0.1% AO, 0.25% AO, and 0.5% AO concentration and irradiation for 15 min under UVA-emitting lamp were studied in various condition. In all experiments, the mean values for six assays ± standard deviations were calculated. Pretreatment with various concentrations of AO was tested. The highest concentration of AO where cell survival was observed was 0.5%. Cytotoxicity assays provided evidence for pre- and post-UVA protective effect of 0.1% AO among three tested concentrations. The results also provide evidence that UVA has inhibitory effect on collagen biosynthesis in confluent skin fibroblast, but presence of 0.1% AO abolishes pre- and post-UVA effect comparing to other used AO concentration. The assessment results on DNA biosynthesis show the significant abolished post-UVA effect when 0.1% and 0.5% of AO were added. AO gives pre- and post-UVA protection in low concentration. This provides the evidence for using it not as a main protective factor against UV but as one of the combined components in cosmetic formulation. The recommended Amaranth Oil (AO) concentration in cosmetic formulation is between 0.1 and 5%Pretreatment with various concentrations of AO suggests to use the highest 0.5% concentration of AO in human skin fibroblast culturesThe 0.1% of AO in fibroblast cultures, protects and abolishes effect of ultraviolet A (UVA) exposureUVA has inhibitory effect on collagen biosynthesis in

Consequences of pre-natal radiation exposure for post-natal development

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mole, R.H.

1982-01-01

A review of revised observations on Japanese bomb survivors suggests that 10-18 weeks of pregnancy is the period of greatest sensitivity for foetal brain damage leading to severe mental retardation. Severe food deficiencies suggest a cause for the apparently high frequency of severe mental retardation in the unexposed control population and may also have contributed to the dose-dependent increase in those irradiated in utero. The author concludes that there is no confirmed evidence to suggest that the pre-implantation stage of mammalian development is unusually radiosensitive. In the human, the succeeding period of major organogenesis seems to be less sensitive and important than the following 10-18 week period of pregnancy. It is suggested that malformation (teratogenesis) should be distinguished from maldevelopment. Malformations are the result of failure of embryonic organization and ionizing radiation is not an efficient teratogen in this sense. Maldevelopment after exposure to radiation is the consequence of cell depletion of sufficient degree randomly distributed throughout an irradiated tissue. It is concluded that dose thresholds for maldevelopments are to be expected after irradiation both in pre-implantation and post-implantation stages, and that somatic mutation has a possible role as a mechanism without threshold for development damage by pre-natal irradiation, but not likely to be of practical significance. (U.K.)

EVALUATION OF PRE AND POST TRAINING PRACTICES REGARDING MANAGEMENT OF DIABETES

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M Mohanty

1995-09-01

Full Text Available The study was conducted on 112 diabetic patients in S.S. Hospital.Varanasi to evaluate the pre- and post- training practices regarding management of Diabetes mellitus. A pre-tested structured respondent schedule urn used to collect information regarding the socio-economic status and some of the managerial aspects of the disease by questionaire cum interview method. Education cum training was imparted to all the respondents in the first three months and in the fourth month evaluation programme was carried out and their level ofpractive regarding different aspects of diabetic management were assessed by using seven point score method. It was found that training was proved effective for the aspect "Physical exer­cise" and "Restricted diet" but slight improvement in the practive score was seen in "Precaution in Special Hygienic Condition" aspects. So. con­tinuous education programme was needed to improve their practice rate.

The Effects of Pre- Versus Post-Presentation Input Flooding via Reading on the Young Iranian EFL Learners' Acquisition of Simple Past Tense

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Rikhtegar, Omid; Gholami, Javad

2015-01-01

The purpose of this study was to find out the possible effects of pre-versus post-presentation input flooding via reading on simple past tense acquisition among young Iranian EFL learners. Sixty one elementary EFL learners were divided into two experimental and one control group. The experimental groups were exposed to pre and post presentation…

Pre- to post-immigration sexual risk behaviour and alcohol use among recent Latino immigrants in Miami.

Science.gov (United States)

Berger Cardoso, Jodi; Ren, Yi; Swank, Paul; Sanchez, Mariana; De La Rosa, Mario

2016-10-01

Retrospective pre-immigration data on sexual risk and alcohol use behaviours was collected from 527 recent Latino immigrants to the USA, aged 18-34. Two follow-up assessments (12 months apart) reported on post-immigration behaviours. Using a mixed model growth curve analysis, a six-level sexual risk change variable was constructed combining measures of sexual partners and condom use. The mixed model growth curve was also used to examine associations between changes in sexual risk behaviour and changes in alcohol use and for testing interaction effects of gender and documentation status. Results suggest that individuals with high sexual risk behaviour at pre-immigration converge to low/moderate risk post-immigration, and that those who were sexually inactive or had low sexual risk at pre-immigration increased their risk post-immigration. Individuals with moderately higher initial but decreasing sexual risk behaviour showed the steepest decline in alcohol use, but their drinking at Time 3 was still higher than individuals reporting low sexual risk at Time 1. On average, men drank more than women, except women in one of the highest sexual risk categories at Time 1 - who seemed to drink as much, if not more, than men. Undocumented men reported more frequent drinking than documented men. In contrast, undocumented women reported lower alcohol use than documented women.

Has India's national rural health mission reduced inequities in maternal health services? A pre-post repeated cross-sectional study.

Science.gov (United States)

Vellakkal, Sukumar; Gupta, Adyya; Khan, Zaky; Stuckler, David; Reeves, Aaron; Ebrahim, Shah; Bowling, Ann; Doyle, Pat

2017-02-01

In 2005, India launched the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) to strengthen the primary healthcare system. NRHM also aims to encourage pregnant women, particularly of low socioeconomic backgrounds, to use institutional maternal healthcare. We evaluated the impacts of NRHM on socioeconomic inequities in the uptake of institutional delivery and antenatal care (ANC) across high-focus (deprived) Indian states. Data from District Level Household and Facility Surveys (DLHS) Rounds 1 (1995-99) and 2 (2000-04) from the pre-NRHM period, and Round 3 (2007-08), Round 4 and Annual Health Survey (2011-12) from post-NRHM period were used. Wealth-related and education-related relative indexes of inequality, and pre-post difference-in-differences models for wealth and education tertiles, adjusted for maternal age, rural-urban, caste, parity and state-level fixed effects, were estimated. Inequities in institutional delivery declined between pre-NRHM Period 1 (1995-99) and pre-NRHM Period 2 (2000-04), but thereafter demonstrated steeper decline in post-NRHM periods. Uptake of institutional delivery increased among all socioeconomic groups, with (1) greater effects among the lowest and middle wealth and education tertiles than highest tertile, and (2) larger equity impacts in the late post-NRHM period 2011-12 than in the early post-NRHM period 2007-08. No positive impact on the uptake of ANC was found in the early post-NRHM period 2007-08; however, there was considerable increase in the uptake of, and decline in inequity, in uptake of ANC in most states in the late post-NRHM period 2011-12. In high-focus states, NRHM resulted in increased uptake of maternal healthcare, and decline in its socioeconomic inequity. Our study suggests that public health programs in developing country settings will have larger equity impacts after its almost full implementation and widest outreach. Targeting deprived populations and designing public health programs by linking maternal and child

Short-term pre- and post-operative stress prolongs incision-induced pain hypersensitivity without changing basal pain perception.

Science.gov (United States)

Cao, Jing; Wang, Po-Kai; Tiwari, Vinod; Liang, Lingli; Lutz, Brianna Marie; Shieh, Kun-Ruey; Zang, Wei-Dong; Kaufman, Andrew G; Bekker, Alex; Gao, Xiao-Qun; Tao, Yuan-Xiang

2015-12-02

Chronic stress has been reported to increase basal pain sensitivity and/or exacerbate existing persistent pain. However, most surgical patients have normal physiological and psychological health status such as normal pain perception before surgery although they do experience short-term stress during pre- and post-operative periods. Whether or not this short-term stress affects persistent postsurgical pain is unclear. In this study, we showed that pre- or post-surgical exposure to immobilization 6 h daily for three consecutive days did not change basal responses to mechanical, thermal, or cold stimuli or peak levels of incision-induced hypersensitivity to these stimuli; however, immobilization did prolong the duration of incision-induced hypersensitivity in both male and female rats. These phenomena were also observed in post-surgical exposure to forced swimming 25 min daily for 3 consecutive days. Short-term stress induced by immobilization was demonstrated by an elevation in the level of serum corticosterone, an increase in swim immobility, and a decrease in sucrose consumption. Blocking this short-term stress via intrathecal administration of a selective glucocorticoid receptor antagonist, RU38486, or bilateral adrenalectomy significantly attenuated the prolongation of incision-induced hypersensitivity to mechanical, thermal, and cold stimuli. Our results indicate that short-term stress during the pre- or post-operative period delays postoperative pain recovery although it does not affect basal pain perception. Prevention of short-term stress may facilitate patients' recovery from postoperative pain.

Evaluation of a metal artifact reduction algorithm applied to post-interventional flat detector CT in comparison to pre-treatment CT in patients with acute subarachnoid haemorrhage

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mennecke, Angelika; Svergun, Stanislav; Doerfler, Arnd; Struffert, Tobias; Scholz, Bernhard; Royalty, Kevin

2017-01-01

Metal artefacts can impair accurate diagnosis of haemorrhage using flat detector CT (FD-CT), especially after aneurysm coiling. Within this work we evaluate a prototype metal artefact reduction algorithm by comparison of the artefact-reduced and the non-artefact-reduced FD-CT images to pre-treatment FD-CT and multi-slice CT images. Twenty-five patients with acute aneurysmal subarachnoid haemorrhage (SAH) were selected retrospectively. FD-CT and multi-slice CT before endovascular treatment as well as FD-CT data sets after treatment were available for all patients. The algorithm was applied to post-treatment FD-CT. The effect of the algorithm was evaluated utilizing the pre-post concordance of a modified Fisher score, a subjective image quality assessment, the range of the Hounsfield units within three ROIs, and the pre-post slice-wise Pearson correlation. The pre-post concordance of the modified Fisher score, the subjective image quality, and the pre-post correlation of the ranges of the Hounsfield units were significantly higher for artefact-reduced than for non-artefact-reduced images. Within the metal-affected slices, the pre-post slice-wise Pearson correlation coefficient was higher for artefact-reduced than for non-artefact-reduced images. The overall diagnostic quality of the artefact-reduced images was improved and reached the level of the pre-interventional FD-CT images. The metal-unaffected parts of the image were not modified. (orig.)

Evaluation of a metal artifact reduction algorithm applied to post-interventional flat detector CT in comparison to pre-treatment CT in patients with acute subarachnoid haemorrhage

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mennecke, Angelika; Svergun, Stanislav; Doerfler, Arnd; Struffert, Tobias [University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, Department of Neuroradiology, Erlangen (Germany); Scholz, Bernhard [Siemens Healthcare GmbH, Forchheim (Germany); Royalty, Kevin [Siemens Medical Solutions, USA, Inc., Hoffman Estates, IL (United States)

2017-01-15

Metal artefacts can impair accurate diagnosis of haemorrhage using flat detector CT (FD-CT), especially after aneurysm coiling. Within this work we evaluate a prototype metal artefact reduction algorithm by comparison of the artefact-reduced and the non-artefact-reduced FD-CT images to pre-treatment FD-CT and multi-slice CT images. Twenty-five patients with acute aneurysmal subarachnoid haemorrhage (SAH) were selected retrospectively. FD-CT and multi-slice CT before endovascular treatment as well as FD-CT data sets after treatment were available for all patients. The algorithm was applied to post-treatment FD-CT. The effect of the algorithm was evaluated utilizing the pre-post concordance of a modified Fisher score, a subjective image quality assessment, the range of the Hounsfield units within three ROIs, and the pre-post slice-wise Pearson correlation. The pre-post concordance of the modified Fisher score, the subjective image quality, and the pre-post correlation of the ranges of the Hounsfield units were significantly higher for artefact-reduced than for non-artefact-reduced images. Within the metal-affected slices, the pre-post slice-wise Pearson correlation coefficient was higher for artefact-reduced than for non-artefact-reduced images. The overall diagnostic quality of the artefact-reduced images was improved and reached the level of the pre-interventional FD-CT images. The metal-unaffected parts of the image were not modified. (orig.)

Pre-operative radiotherapy in soft tissue tumors: Assessment of response by static post-contrast MR imaging compared to histopathology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Einarsdottir, H.; Wejde, J.; Bauer, H.C.F.

2000-01-01

To evaluate if static post-contrast MR imaging was adequate to assess tumor viability after pre-operative radiotherapy in soft tissue sarcoma. Post-contrast MR imaging of 36 soft tissue sarcomas performed 0 - 54 days (median 13 days) after pre-operative radiotherapy, were retrospectively reviewed and compared to post-operative histopathology reports. The contrast enhancement of the tumor was visually graded as minor, moderate or extensive. From the post-operative histopathology reports, three types of tumor response to radiotherapy were defined: Poor, intermediate or good. The size of the tumors before and after radiation was compared. Even if most viable tumors enhanced more than non-viable tumors, there was major overlapping and significant contrast enhancement could be seen in tumors where histopathological examination revealed no viable tumor tissue. Based on histopathology, there were 12 good responders; 8 of these showed minor, 3 moderate and 1 extensive contrast enhancement on MR imaging. Sixteen tumors had an intermediate response; 3 showed minor, 8 moderate and 5 extensive enhancement. Eight tumors had poor response; none showed minor enhancement, 3 moderate and 5 extensive enhancement. Both increase and Decrease in tumor size was seen in lesions with a good therapy response. Static post-contrast MR imaging cannot reliably assess tumor viability after pre-operative radiotherapy in soft tissue sarcoma. In tumors with no viable tumor tissue, moderate and extensive contrast enhancement can be seen

Correlation between serum VEGF level and CT perfusion imaging in patients with primary liver cancer pre-and post TACE

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jia Zhongzhi; Huang Yuanquan; Feng Yaoliang; Shi Haibin

2010-01-01

Objective: To investigate the correlation between serum vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF) level and CT perfusion parameters in patients with primary liver cancer (PLC) pre-and post-transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) treatment. Methods: Serum VEGF level was measured and CT perfusion imaging was performed 1 day before and 6 ∼ 8, 32 ∼ 40 days after TACE in 18 patients with PLC. Before and after TACE, the serum VEGF level, the tumor's artery liver perfusion (ALP), the portal vein perfusion (PVP) and the hepatic artery perfusion index (HPI) were measured pre-and post-TACE. The pre-TACE and post-TACE results were compared and statistically analyzed. Results: Based on the therapeutic results, the patients were divided into complete response (CR) group and partial response or stable disease(PR+SD) group. Although no significant difference in serum VEGF level, tumor's ALP, PVP and HPI existed between two groups pre-TACE, there was significant difference in ALP, HPI 6-8 days after TACE (P<0.05). Significant difference in serum VEGF level also existed in CR group (P<0.05), but not in (PR+SD) group, at (32-40) days post-TACE (P=0.221). The serum VEGF level carried a positive correlation with the tumor's ALP and HPI. Conclusion: The serum VEGF level can indirectly reflect the neovascularization of the tumor, while the CTPI can directly and quantitatively reflect the hemodynamic changes of the tumor post-TACE. Moreover, a positive correlation exists between serum VEGF level and ALP, HPI. Therefore, the determination of serum VEGF level together with CTPI is very useful in both evaluating TACE efficacy and making therapeutic schedule. (authors)

An Effort to Improve Teacher Perceptions and Knowledge of Cyberbullying: A Pre-Post Assessment

Science.gov (United States)

Nesshengel-Hopp, Marleny T.

2017-01-01

Cyberbullying is a growing concern, confounded by the limited training resources available for teachers. The problem undertaken in this study was determining the most effective way to teach teachers about cyberbullying given the limited 1-hour time constraint of a typical school in-service activity. Using a pre-test, post-test experimental…

Ozone-induced growth suppression in radish plants in relation to pre- and post-fumigation temperatures. [Raphanus sativus L

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Adedipe, N.O.; Ormrod, D.P.

1974-01-01

Two cultivars of Raphanus sativus L. (radish) were fumigated with ozone at a concentration of 25 parts per hundred million (pphm) for 3 h, before or after subjecting the plants to two growth temperature regimes. In the cultivar ''Cavalier'' ozone decreased leaf weight at the lower pre-fumigation day/night growth temperature regime of 20/15/sup 0/, but had no significant effect when the plants were either pre- or post-fumigation conditioned at the high temperatures of 30/25/sup 0/. In the cultivar ''Cherry Belle'', ozone decreased the leaf weight of only low temperature post-fumigation conditioned plants. Ozone had no significant effect on the total soluble carbohydrate concentration of ''Cherry Belle'', while it increased that of pre-fumigation conditioned ''Cavalier'' plants.

The Use of Keywords for Delivering Immediate Performance Feedback on Teacher Competence Development

Science.gov (United States)

Coninx, Nele; Kreijns, Karel; Jochems, Wim

2013-01-01

Literature shows that feedback that is specific, immediate and goal-oriented is effective on (pre-service) teachers' performance. Synchronous coaching gives this kind of feedback. Due to immediateness of feedback, pre-service teachers can suffer from cognitive load. We propose a set of standardised keywords through which this performance feedback…

Comparison of pre- and post-levothyroxine high-sensitivity c-reactive protein and fetuin-a levels in subclinical hypothyroidism

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Oktay Bilgir

2015-02-01

Full Text Available OBJECTIVE: The objective of this trial was to determine the levels of inflammatory markers, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein and fetuin-A pre- and post-levothyroxine treatment in cases of subclinical hypothyroidism. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 32 patients with a diagnosis of subclinical hypothyroidism and a control group of 30 healthy individuals were tested for high-sensitivity C-reactive protein and fetuin-A, followed by the administration of 50 µg of levothyroxine in the patient group for 3 months. During the post-treatment stage, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein and fetuin-A levels in the patient group were re-assessed and compared with pre-treatment values. RESULTS: Pre-treatment levels of both high-sensitivity C-reactive protein and fetuin-A were observed to be higher in the patient group than in the control group. The decrease in high-sensitivity C-reactive protein levels during the post-treatment stage was not statistically significant. However, the decrease observed in post-treatment fetuin-A levels was found to be statistically significant. CONCLUSION: The decrease in fetuin-A levels in subclinical hypothyroidism cases indicates that levothyroxine treatment exerts anti-inflammatory and anti-apoptotic effects. Although the decrease in high-sensitivity C-reactive protein levels was statistically non-significant, it is predicted to reach significance with sustained treatment.

Pre and Post Merger Valuation- A Study of Tata Corus Merger Deal

OpenAIRE

Sumeet Gupta

2009-01-01

Indian Economy being characterized as Global Economy leading to inorganic growth through Mergers, Acquisitions, Takeovers and Joint Ventures. Mergers would affect the company’s inflow and outflow of various variables like sales, expenses and cash position etc. It becomes imperative to evaluate the pre merger and post merger conditions of the firms so that successful deal can be carried out. The deal would also affect the shareholders wealth. The prediction of future forecasted sales and other...

How does confirmation of motivations influence on the pre- and post-visit change of image of a destination?

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Asunción Beerli-Palacio

2017-07-01

Full Text Available Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to analyse the influence of the confirmation of the motivations of tourists in changing image of a tourist destination pre- and post-visit. That is, considering whether once the tourist has made the trip, depending on whether their expectations have been met and confirmed motivations, will have a more or less image gap. Design/methodology/approach - The authors conducted an empirical study with a representative sample of leisure tourists to Tenerife (Canary Islands, Spain of both sexes, 16 or more years of age, and visiting the island of Tenerife for the first time from abroad and from the rest of Spain. The final sample was 411 participants. Findings - The results verify that the confirmation of the intellectual and escape motivations influences directly and positively change cognitive image pre- and post-visit. The fact that the affiliation motivations do not influence the cognitive image gap may be due to that tourists who visit a destination stay with friends or family and for this they interact less with the destination, which will imply that the cognitive image pre- and post-visit do not vary. Originality/value - This research has sought to contribute towards a better understanding of the area, which is concerned, with the image of destinations and, more specifically, the concept of how the image changes after a visit to the destination. In this sense, and given the of lack empirical evidence about how confirmation of motivations influences on destination image gap, this research aims to contribute to the improvement of knowledge about the personal factors that influence the change of the pre- and post-visit destination image.

Delineation of spall zone from pre/post shot reflections studies: Preliminary results from BEXAR. Los Alamos Source Region Project

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Taylor, S.R.; Cogbill, A.H.; Weaver, T.A. [Los Alamos National Lab., NM (United States); Miller, R.; Steeples, D. [Kansas Univ., Lawrence, KS (United States)

1992-12-31

In order to delineate the lateral and depth extent of spall from a buried nuclear explosion, we have performed a high-resolution pre- and post-shot seismic reflection survey from BEXAR. Although the data quality were marginal due to poor wave propagation through the volcanic tuffs of Pahute Mesa, a number of interesting differences are observed on the pre- and post-shot surveys. On the pre-shot survey, a reflector (reflector `` 1 ``) is observed at 250 ms (or about 150 m depth) using a stacking velocity of 1300 m/s. On the post-shot survey two reflectors are observed and a stacking velocity of 1150 m/s was used representing a 12% reduction in compressional velocity. With this stacking velocity, reflector `` 1 `` is recorded at 290 ms (still at about 150 m depth) and a new reflector ``2`` is observed at 210 ms (or about 100 m depth). These stacking velocities correspond well with available uphole travel times collected in U19ba and nearby U19ax (BEXAR and KEARSARGE emplacement holes, respectively). The cause for the differences observed in the pre- and post-shot surveys may be due to one of two reasons. First, it is possible that the near-surface rocks were damaged as part of the spallation process (thus reducing the in situ velocities) and reflector ``2`` represents a spall detachment surface. However, analysis of acceleration data collected close to the reflection line suggests that the ground motions were probably inadequate to damage the tuffs. Also, no evidence of actual spallation was actually observed. The second hypothesis is that the near-surface velocities of the tuffs were altered by the change in saturation state due to extensive rains occurring between the pre- and postshot surveys. Although the dependence of seismic velocity on saturation state is controlled by a number of complex factors, it cannot be ruled out.

Pre-, intra- and post-operative imaging of cochlear implants

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Vogl, T.J.; Naguib, N.N.N.; Burck, I. [University Hospital Frankfurt (Germany). Inst. of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology; Tawfik, A. [Mansoura Univ. (Egypt). Dept. of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology; Emam, A. [University Hospital Alexandria (Egypt). Dept. of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology; Nour-Eldin, A. [University Hospital Cairo (Egypt). Dept. of Radiology; Stoever, T. [University Hospital of Frankfurt (Germany). Dept. of Otolaryngology

2015-11-15

The purpose of this review is to present essential imaging aspects in patients who are candidates for a possible cochlear implant as well as in postsurgical follow-up. Imaging plays a major role in providing information on preinterventional topography, variations and possible infections. Preoperative imaging using DVT, CT, MRI or CT and MRI together is essential for candidate selection, planning of surgical approach and exclusion of contraindications like the complete absence of the cochlea or cochlear nerve, or infection. Relative contraindications are variations of the cochlea and vestibulum. Intraoperative imaging can be performed by fluoroscopy, mobile radiography or DVT. Postoperative imaging is regularly performed by conventional X-ray, DVT, or CT. In summary, radiological imaging has its essential role in the pre- and post-interventional period for patients who are candidates for cochlear implants.

Enhancement of tumor cell killing in vitro by pre- and post-irradiation exposure to aclacinomycin A

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bill, C.A.; Mendoza, A.; Vrdoljak, E.; Tofilon, P.J.

1993-01-01

Aclacinomycin A (ACM), a potent inducer of leukemic cell differentiation, significantly enhances the radiosensitivity of a human colon tumor cell line (Clone A) when cultures are exposed to 15-nM concentrations for 3 days before irradiation. We now demonstrate that incubation with ACM after irradiation can also enhance Clone A cell killing. The maximum increase in cell killing, based on colony-forming ability, occurred when Clone A cells were exposed for 1 h to 5 μM ACM model added 1 or 2 h after irradiation. The post-irradiation ACM protocol reduced the terminal slope (as reflected by D o ) of the radiation cell survival curve with no change in the low-dose, shoulder region of the curve (D q value). In contrast, for pre-irradiation treatment with ACM (15 nM, 3 days), the shoulder region of the curve was reduced with no change in the terminal slope. For pre- and post-irradiation ACM treatment the dose enhancement factors at 0.10 survival were 1.22 and 1.28, respectively. When ACM was given both before and after irradiation both the shoulder and terminal slope values decreased to produce a dose enhancement factor at a surviving fraction of 0.10 of 1.50. These data suggest that the enhanced cell killing produced by pre- and post-irradiation treatment with ACM is achieved through different mechanisms. (author) 26 refs., 3 tabs., 2 figs

Radiocaesium in lake fishes - pre and post Chernobyl evaluation of transfer factors from deposition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dominici, G.; Malvicini, A.

1991-01-01

The amounts and concentration of radiocaesium in fishes and in lake water, taken from major lakes in the Varese region for the periods pre and post Chernobyl are reported. Some relationships are obtained which permit to forecast the intake on behalf of the fishes knowing the quantity of radioactivity entering into the lake bed. (15 tabs; 18 figs)

Effectiveness of training to promote routine enquiry for domestic violence by midwives and nurses: A pre-post evaluation study.

Science.gov (United States)

Baird, Kathleen M; Saito, Amornrat S; Eustace, Jennifer; Creedy, Debra K

2017-11-01

Asking women about experiences of domestic violence in the perinatal period is accepted best practice. However, midwives and nurses may be reluctant to engage with, or effectively respond to disclosures of domestic violence due a lack of knowledge and skills. To evaluate the impact of training on knowledge and preparedness of midwives and nurses to conduct routine enquiry about domestic violence with women during the perinatal period. A pre-post intervention design was used. Midwives and nurses (n=154) attended a full day workshop. Of these, 149 completed pre-post workshop measures of knowledge and preparedness. Additional questions at post-training explored participants' perceptions of organisational barriers to routine enquiry, as well as anticipated impact of training on their practice. Training occurred between July 2015 and October 2016. Using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test, all post intervention scores were significantly higher than pre intervention scores. Knowledge scores increased from a pre-training mean of 21.5-25.6 (Z=-9.56, pworkplace allowed adequate time to respond to disclosures of DV. Brief training can improve knowledge, preparedness, and confidence of midwives and nurses to conduct routine enquiry and support women during the perinatal period. Training can assist midwives and nurses to recognise signs of DV, ask women about what would be helpful to them, and address perceived organisational barriers to routine enquiry. Practice guidelines and clear referral pathways following DV disclosure need to be implemented to support gains made through training. Crown Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Introducing evidence based medicine to the journal club, using a structured pre and post test: a cohort study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mahoney Martin C

2001-11-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Journal Club at a University-based residency program was restructured to introduce, reinforce and evaluate residents understanding of the concepts of Evidence Based Medicine. Methods Over the course of a year structured pre and post-tests were developed for use during each Journal Club. Questions were derived from the articles being reviewed. Performance with the key concepts of Evidence Based Medicine was assessed. Study subjects were 35 PGY2 and PGY3 residents in a University based Family Practice Program. Results Performance on the pre-test demonstrated a significant improvement from a median of 54.5 % to 78.9 % over the course of the year (F 89.17, p Conclusions Following organizational revision, the introduction of a pre-test/post-test instrument supported achievement of the learning objectives with a better understanding and utilization of the concepts of Evidence Based Medicine.

Cheat sensitive quantum bit commitment via pre- and post-selected quantum states

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Yan-Bing; Wen, Qiao-Yan; Li, Zi-Chen; Qin, Su-Juan; Yang, Ya-Tao

2014-01-01

Cheat sensitive quantum bit commitment is a most important and realizable quantum bit commitment (QBC) protocol. By taking advantage of quantum mechanism, it can achieve higher security than classical bit commitment. In this paper, we propose a QBC schemes based on pre- and post-selected quantum states. The analysis indicates that both of the two participants' cheat strategies will be detected with non-zero probability. And the protocol can be implemented with today's technology as a long-term quantum memory is not needed.

Pre-operative use of anti-TNF-alpha agents and the risk of post-operative complications in patients with Crohn's disease--a nationwide cohort study

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nørgård, Bente Mertz; Nielsen, J.; Qvist, N.

2013-01-01

BACKGROUND: A possible negative role of pre-operative use of antitumour necrosis factor-alpha (anti-TNF-alpha) agents on post-operative outcomes in Crohn's disease (CD) patients is still debated. AIM: To examine the impact of pre-operative anti-TNF-alpha agents on post-operative outcomes 30 and 6...

Pre-Stroke Weight Loss is Associated with Post-Stroke Mortality among Men in the Honolulu-Asia Aging Study

Science.gov (United States)

Bell, Christina L.; Rantanen, Taina; Chen, Randi; Davis, James; Petrovitch, Helen; Ross, G. Webster; Masaki, Kamal

2013-01-01

Objective To examine baseline pre-stroke weight loss and post-stroke mortality among men. Design Longitudinal study of late-life pre-stroke body mass index (BMI), weight loss and BMI change (midlife to late-life), with up to 8-year incident stroke and mortality follow-up. Setting Honolulu Heart Program/Honolulu-Asia Aging Study. Participants 3,581 Japanese-American men aged 71–93 years and stroke-free at baseline. Main Outcome Measure Post-stroke Mortality: 30-day post-stroke, analyzed with stepwise multivariable logistic regression and long-term post-stroke (up to 8-year), analyzed with stepwise multivariable Cox regression. Results Weight loss (10-pound decrements) was associated with increased 30-day post-stroke mortality (aOR=1.48, 95%CI 1.14–1.92), long-term mortality after incident stroke (all types n=225, aHR=1.25, 95%CI=1.09–1.44) and long-term mortality after incident thromboembolic stroke (n=153, aHR 1.19, 95%CI-1.01–1.40). Men with overweight/obese late-life BMI (≥25kg/m2, compared to normal/underweight BMI) had increased long-term mortality after incident hemorrhagic stroke (n=54, aHR=2.27, 95%CI=1.07–4.82). Neither desirable nor excessive BMI reductions (vs. no change/increased BMI) were associated with post-stroke mortality. In the overall sample (n=3,581), nutrition factors associated with increased long-term mortality included 1) weight loss (10-pound decrements, aHR=1.15, 1.09–1.21); 2) underweight BMI (vs. normal BMI, aHR=1.76, 1.40–2.20); and 3) both desirable and excessive BMI reductions (vs. no change or gain, separate model from weight loss and BMI, aHRs=1.36–1.97, pstroke incidence, pre-stroke weight loss was associated with increased post-stroke (all types and thromboembolic) mortality. Overweight/obese late-life BMI was associated with increased post-hemorrhagic stroke mortality. Desirable and excessive BMI reductions were not associated with post-stroke mortality. Weight loss, underweight late-life BMI and any BMI

A cost-outcome approach to pre and post-implementation of national sports injury prevention programmes.

Science.gov (United States)

Gianotti, Simon; Hume, Patria A

2007-12-01

In New Zealand (NZ), the Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC) has developed a pre and post-implementation cost-outcome formulae for sport injury prevention to provide information regarding the success of a prevention programme. The ACC provides for the cost of all personal injuries in NZ and invests in prevention programmes to offset 1.6 million annual claims that cost $NZD 1.9 billion. The ACC invests in nine national community sport injury prevention programmes that represent 40% of sport claims and costs. Pre-implementation is used to determine the decision whether to invest in implementation and to determine the level of such investment for the injury prevention programme. Post-implementation is calculated two ways: unadjusted, assuming ceteris paribus; and adjusted assuming no prevention programme was in place. Post-implementation formulae provide a return on investment (ROI) for each dollar invested in the programme and cost-savings. The cost-outcome formulae approach allows ACC to manage expectations of the prevention programme as well as when it will provide a ROI, allowing it to take a long-term view for investment in sport injury prevention. Originally developed for its sport injury prevention programmes, the cost-outcome formulae have now been applied to the other prevention programmes ACC invests in such as home, road and workplace injury prevention.

Pre- and post-diagnosis costs of tuberculosis to patients on Directly Observed Treatment Short course in districts of southwestern Ethiopia: a longitudinal study.

Science.gov (United States)

Asres, Abyot; Jerene, Degu; Deressa, Wakgari

2018-05-21

Financial burden on tuberculosis (TB) patients results in delayed treatment and poor compliance. We assessed pre- and post-diagnosis costs to TB patients. A longitudinal study among 735 new TB cases was conducted from January 2015 through June 2016 in 10 woredas (districts) of southwestern Ethiopia. Direct out-of-pocket, payments, and lost income (indirect cost) were solicited from patients during the first 2 months and at the end of treatment. Thus, we ascertained direct medical, nonmedical, and indirect costs incurred by patients during pre- and post-diagnosis periods. We categorized costs incurred from onset of illness until TB diagnosis as pre-diagnosis and that incurred after diagnosis through treatment completion as post-diagnosis. Pre- and post-diagnosis costs constitute total cost incurred by the patients. We fitted linear regression model to identify predictors of cost. Between onset of illness and anti-TB treatment course, patients incurred a median (inter-quartile range (IQR)) of US$201.48 (136.7-318.94). Of the total cost, the indirect and direct costs respectively constituted 70.6 and 29.4%. TB patients incurred a median (IQR) of US$97.62 (6.43-184.22) and US$93.75 (56.91-141.54) during the pre- and post-diagnosis periods, respectively. Thus, patients incurred 53.6% of the total cost during the pre-diagnosis period. Direct out-of-pocket expenses during the pre- and post-diagnosis periods respectively amount to median (IQR) of US$21.64 (10.23-48.31) and US$35.02 (0-70.04). Patient delay days (p < 0.001), provider delay days (p < 0.001), number of healthcare facilities visited until TB diagnosis (p < 0.001), and TB diagnosis at private facilities (p = 0.02) independently predicted increased pre-diagnosis cost. Similarly, rural residence (p < 0.001), hospitalization during anti-TB treatment (p < 0.001), patient delay days (p < 0.001), and provider delay days (p < 0.001) predicted increased post-diagnosis costs. TB patients

Prediction of chronic post-operative pain: pre-operative DNIC testing identifies patients at risk.

Science.gov (United States)

Yarnitsky, David; Crispel, Yonathan; Eisenberg, Elon; Granovsky, Yelena; Ben-Nun, Alon; Sprecher, Elliot; Best, Lael-Anson; Granot, Michal

2008-08-15

Surgical and medical procedures, mainly those associated with nerve injuries, may lead to chronic persistent pain. Currently, one cannot predict which patients undergoing such procedures are 'at risk' to develop chronic pain. We hypothesized that the endogenous analgesia system is key to determining the pattern of handling noxious events, and therefore testing diffuse noxious inhibitory control (DNIC) will predict susceptibility to develop chronic post-thoracotomy pain (CPTP). Pre-operative psychophysical tests, including DNIC assessment (pain reduction during exposure to another noxious stimulus at remote body area), were conducted in 62 patients, who were followed 29.0+/-16.9 weeks after thoracotomy. Logistic regression revealed that pre-operatively assessed DNIC efficiency and acute post-operative pain intensity were two independent predictors for CPTP. Efficient DNIC predicted lower risk of CPTP, with OR 0.52 (0.33-0.77 95% CI, p=0.0024), i.e., a 10-point numerical pain scale (NPS) reduction halves the chance to develop chronic pain. Higher acute pain intensity indicated OR of 1.80 (1.28-2.77, p=0.0024) predicting nearly a double chance to develop chronic pain for each 10-point increase. The other psychophysical measures, pain thresholds and supra-threshold pain magnitudes, did not predict CPTP. For prediction of acute post-operative pain intensity, DNIC efficiency was not found significant. Effectiveness of the endogenous analgesia system obtained at a pain-free state, therefore, seems to reflect the individual's ability to tackle noxious events, identifying patients 'at risk' to develop post-intervention chronic pain. Applying this diagnostic approach before procedures that might generate pain may allow individually tailored pain prevention and management, which may substantially reduce suffering.

Automation of ORIGEN2 calculations for the transuranic waste baseline inventory database using a pre-processor and a post-processor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liscum-Powell, J.

1997-06-01

The purpose of the work described in this report was to automate ORIGEN2 calculations for the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) Transuranic Waste Baseline Inventory Database (WTWBID); this was done by developing a pre-processor to generate ORIGEN2 input files from WWBID inventory files and a post-processor to remove excess information from the ORIGEN2 output files. The calculations performed with ORIGEN2 estimate the radioactive decay and buildup of various radionuclides in the waste streams identified in the WTWBID. The resulting radionuclide inventories are needed for performance assessment calculations for the WIPP site. The work resulted in the development of PreORG, which requires interaction with the user to generate ORIGEN2 input files on a site-by-site basis, and PostORG, which processes ORIGEN2 output into more manageable files. Both programs are written in the FORTRAN 77 computer language. After running PreORG, the user will run ORIGEN2 to generate the desired data; upon completion of ORIGEN2 calculations, the user can run PostORG to process the output to make it more manageable. All the programs run on a 386 PC or higher with a math co-processor or a computer platform running under VMS operating system. The pre- and post-processors for ORIGEN2 were generated for use with Rev. 1 data of the WTWBID and can also be used with Rev. 2 and 3 data of the TWBID (Transuranic Waste Baseline Inventory Database)

Flow visualization study of post critical heat flux region for inverted bubbly, slug and annular flow regimes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Denten, J.G.; Ishii, M.

1988-11-01

A visual study of film boiling using still photographic and high- speed motion picture methods was carried out in order to analyze the post-CHF hydrodynamics for steady-state inlet pre-CHF two-phase flow regimes. Pre-CHF two-phase flow regimes were established by introducing Freon 113 liquid and nitrogen gas into a jet core injection nozzle. An idealized, post-CHF two-phase core initial flow geometry (cylindrical multiphase jet core surrounded by a coaxial annulus of gas) was established at the nozzle exit by introducing nitrogen gas into the annular gap between the jet nozzle two-phase effluent and the heated test section inlet. For the present study three basic post-CHF flow regimes have been observed: the rough wavy regime (inverted annular flow preliminary break down), the agitated regime (transition between inverted annular and dispersed droplet flow), and the dispersed ligament/droplet regime. For pre-CHF bubbly flow in the jet nozzle, the post-CHF flow (beginning from jet nozzle exit/heated test section inlet) consists of the rough wavy regime, followed by the agitated and then the dispersed ligament/droplet regime. In the same way, for pre-CHF slug flow in the jet core, the post-CHF flow is comprised of the agitated regime at the nozzle exit, followed by the dispersed regime. Pre-CHF annular jet core flow results in a small, depleted post-CHF agitated flow regime at the nozzle exit, immediately followed by the dispersed ligament/droplet regime. Observed post dryout hydrodynamic behavior is reported, with particular attention given to the transition flow pattern between inverted annular and dispersed droplet flow. 43 refs., 20 figs., 5 tabs

A Taxonomy of Pre/Post Performance Behaviors for Speakers and Audiences in the Basic Course.

Science.gov (United States)

Alexander, Bryant Keith

Noting that introductory public speaking and performance studies classes are often met with great anxiety and trepidation, this paper describes and categorizes the necessary student and audience behaviors at three levels of involvement: 1) pre-performance, 2) post-performance, and 3) audience participation. Teachers can show students how to apply…

Estimating the U.S. prevalence of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease using pre- and post-bronchodilator spirometry: the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2007–2010

Science.gov (United States)

2013-01-01

Background During 2007–2010, the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) conducted a spirometry component which obtained pre-bronchodilator pulmonary lung function data on a nationally representative sample of US adults aged 6–79 years and post-bronchodilator pulmonary lung function data for the subset of adults with airflow limitation. The goals of this study were to 1) compute prevalence estimates of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) using pre-bronchodilator and post-bronchodilator spirometry measurements and fixed ratio and lower limit of normal (LLN) diagnostic criteria and 2) examine the potential impact of nonresponse on the estimates. Methods This analysis was limited to those aged 40–79 years who were eligible for NHANES pre-bronchodilator spirometry (n=7,104). Examinees with likely airflow limitation were further eligible for post-bronchodilator testing (n=1,110). Persons were classified as having COPD based on FEV1/FVC spirometry but self-reporting both daytime supplemental oxygen therapy plus emphysema and/or current chronic bronchitis were also classified as having COPD. The final analytic samples for pre-bronchodilator and post-bronchodilator analyses were 77.1% (n=5,477) and 50.8% (n=564) of those eligible, respectively. To account for non-response, NHANES examination weights were adjusted to the eligible pre-bronchodilator and post-bronchodilator subpopulations. Results In 2007–2010, using the fixed ratio criterion and pre-bronchodilator test results, COPD prevalence was 20.9% (SE 1.1) among US adults aged 40–79 years. Applying the same criterion to post-bronchodilator test results, prevalence was 14.0% (SE 1.0). Using the LLN criterion and pre-bronchodilator test results, the COPD prevalence was 15.4% (SE 0.8), while applying the same criterion to post-bronchodilator test results, prevalence was 10.2% (SE 0.8). Conclusions The overall COPD prevalence among US adults aged 40–79 years varied from 10.2% to 20

ENDOCRINE RESPONSE TO AN ULTRA-MARATHON IN PRE- AND POST-MENOPAUSAL WOMEN

OpenAIRE

J.L. Copeland; M.L.S. Verzosa

2014-01-01

Ultra-endurance competitions are becoming increasingly popular but there is limited research on female participants. The purpose of this study was to examine changes in estrogen and the IGF-I system in women after an ultra-marathon. Six pairs of pre- and post- menopausal women were matched for race finish times;mean finish time was 20 hours. Blood samples were drawn 24 hours before the race, at the finish, and 24 hours into recovery. Samples were analysed for estradiol, total IGF-I, IGFBP-1, ...

Pre-operative use of anti-TNF-α agents and the risk of post-operative complications in patients with ulcerative colitis - a nationwide cohort study

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nørgård, B M; Nielsen, J; Qvist, N

2012-01-01

It is still controversial whether pre-operative anti-tumour necrosis factor-alpha (anti-TNF-α) agents increase post-operative complications in patients with ulcerative colitis (UC).......It is still controversial whether pre-operative anti-tumour necrosis factor-alpha (anti-TNF-α) agents increase post-operative complications in patients with ulcerative colitis (UC)....

Pre-genomic, genomic and post-genomic study of microbial communities involved in bioenergy.

Science.gov (United States)

Rittmann, Bruce E; Krajmalnik-Brown, Rosa; Halden, Rolf U

2008-08-01

Microorganisms can produce renewable energy in large quantities and without damaging the environment or disrupting food supply. The microbial communities must be robust and self-stabilizing, and their essential syntrophies must be managed. Pre-genomic, genomic and post-genomic tools can provide crucial information about the structure and function of these microbial communities. Applying these tools will help accelerate the rate at which microbial bioenergy processes move from intriguing science to real-world practice.

Ranging behavior relates to welfare indicators pre- and post-range access in commercial free-range broilers.

Science.gov (United States)

Taylor, Peta S; Hemsworth, Paul H; Groves, Peter J; Gebhardt-Henrich, Sabine G; Rault, Jean-Loup

2018-06-01

Little is known about the effect of accessing an outdoor range on chicken welfare. We tracked individual ranging behavior of 538 mixed-sex Ross 308 chickens on a commercial farm across 4 flocks in winter and summer. Before range access, at 17 to 19 d of age, and post-range access, at 30 to 33 and 42 to 46 d of age in winter and summer flocks respectively, welfare indicators were measured on chickens (pre-range: winter N = 292; summer N = 280; post-range: winter N = 131; summer N = 140), including weight, gait score, dermatitis and plumage condition. Post-ranging autopsies were performed (winter: N = 170; summer: N = 60) to assess breast burn, leg health, and ascites. Fewer chickens accessed the range in winter flocks (32.5%) than summer flocks (82.1%). Few relationships between welfare and ranging were identified in winter, likely due to minimal ranging and the earlier age of post-ranging data collection compared to summer flocks. In summer flocks prior to range access, chickens that accessed the range weighed 4.9% less (P = 0.03) than chickens that did not access the range. Pre-ranging weight, gait score, and overall plumage cover predicted the amount of range use by ranging chickens in summer flocks (P ranging behavior. In summer flocks post-range access, ranging chickens weighed 12.8% less than non-ranging chickens (P range visits were associated with lower weight (P range was associated with lower weight (P range in summer is partly related to changes in broiler chicken welfare. Further investigations are required to determine causation.

Pre-Activity and Post-Activity Stretching Perceptions and Practices in NCAA Division I Volleyball Programs

Science.gov (United States)

Judge, Lawrence W.; Bodey, Kimberly J.; Bellar, David; Bottone, Adam; Wanless, Elizabeth

2010-01-01

The purpose of this study was to determine if NCAA Division I women's volleyball programs were in compliance with suggested current pre- and post-activity stretching protocols. Questionnaires were sent to NCAA division I women's volleyball programs in the United States. Fifty six coaches (23 males & 33 females) participated in the study. Some…

Using MODIS-NDVI for the Modeling of Post-Wildfire Vegetation Response as a Function of Environmental Conditions and Pre-Fire Restoration Treatments

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Grant M. Casady

2012-03-01

Full Text Available Post-fire vegetation response is influenced by the interaction of natural and anthropogenic factors such as topography, climate, vegetation type and restoration practices. Previous research has analyzed the relationship of some of these factors to vegetation response, but few have taken into account the effects of pre-fire restoration practices. We selected three wildfires that occurred in Bandelier National Monument (New Mexico, USA between 1999 and 2007 and three adjacent unburned control areas. We used interannual trends in the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI time series data derived from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS to assess vegetation response, which we define as the average potential photosynthetic activity through the summer monsoon. Topography, fire severity and restoration treatment were obtained and used to explain post-fire vegetation response. We applied parametric (Multiple Linear Regressions-MLR and non-parametric tests (Classification and Regression Trees-CART to analyze effects of fire severity, terrain and pre-fire restoration treatments (variable used in CART on post-fire vegetation response. MLR results showed strong relationships between vegetation response and environmental factors (p < 0.1, however the explanatory factors changed among treatments. CART results showed that beside fire severity and topography, pre-fire treatments strongly impact post-fire vegetation response. Results for these three fires show that pre-fire restoration conditions along with local environmental factors constitute key processes that modify post-fire vegetation response.

SU-E-T-222: Investigation of Pre and Post Irradiation Fading of the TLD100 Thermoluminescence Dosimetry for Photon Beams

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sina, S [Radiation Research Center, Shiraz University, Shiraz (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Sadeghi, M [Nuclear Engineering department, Shiraz university, Shiraz (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Faghihi, R [Radiation Research Center, Shiraz University, Shiraz (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Nuclear Engineering department, Shiraz university, Shiraz (Iran, Islamic Republic of)

2014-06-01

Purpose: The pre-irradiation and post-irradiation fading of the Thermoluminescense dosimeter signals were investigated in this study. Methods: Two groups of TLD chips with pre-determined ECC values were used in this study. The two groups were divided into 6 series, each composing of 5 TLD chips.The first group was used for pre-irradiation fading. 5 TLDs were exposed to a known amount of radiation from Cs-137 source, and were read out the next day. After seven days, the other 5 TLDs were exposed to the same amount of radiation and were read out after a day. The other series of 5 TLDs were also exposed after 7,19,28, 59, and 90 days, and were read out a day after irradiation. The loss in TLD signal were obtained for all the above cases. The second group, was used for postirradiation fading. All the TLDs of this group were exposed to a known amount of radiation from Cs-137 source. The 6 series composed of 5 TLDs were read out after 1,7,19,28,59, and 90 days. The above-mentioned procedures for obtaining pre-irradiation, and post-irradiation fading were performed for three storage temperatures (25°C, 4°C, and −18°C). Results: According to the results obtained in this study, in case of pre-irradiation fading study, the signal losses after 90 days are 12%, 24%, and 17% for 25°C, 4°C, and −18°C respectively. In case of post-irradiation fading study, the sensitivity losses after 90 days are 25%, 216%, and 20% for 25°C, 4°C, and −18°C respectively. Conclusion: The results indicate that the optimized time between exposing and reading out, and also the optimized time between annealing and exposing is 1 day.The reduction of Storage temperature will reduce the post-irradiation fading, While temperature reduction does not have any effect on pre-irradiation fading.

SU-E-T-222: Investigation of Pre and Post Irradiation Fading of the TLD100 Thermoluminescence Dosimetry for Photon Beams

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sina, S; Sadeghi, M; Faghihi, R

2014-01-01

Purpose: The pre-irradiation and post-irradiation fading of the Thermoluminescense dosimeter signals were investigated in this study. Methods: Two groups of TLD chips with pre-determined ECC values were used in this study. The two groups were divided into 6 series, each composing of 5 TLD chips.The first group was used for pre-irradiation fading. 5 TLDs were exposed to a known amount of radiation from Cs-137 source, and were read out the next day. After seven days, the other 5 TLDs were exposed to the same amount of radiation and were read out after a day. The other series of 5 TLDs were also exposed after 7,19,28, 59, and 90 days, and were read out a day after irradiation. The loss in TLD signal were obtained for all the above cases. The second group, was used for postirradiation fading. All the TLDs of this group were exposed to a known amount of radiation from Cs-137 source. The 6 series composed of 5 TLDs were read out after 1,7,19,28,59, and 90 days. The above-mentioned procedures for obtaining pre-irradiation, and post-irradiation fading were performed for three storage temperatures (25°C, 4°C, and −18°C). Results: According to the results obtained in this study, in case of pre-irradiation fading study, the signal losses after 90 days are 12%, 24%, and 17% for 25°C, 4°C, and −18°C respectively. In case of post-irradiation fading study, the sensitivity losses after 90 days are 25%, 216%, and 20% for 25°C, 4°C, and −18°C respectively. Conclusion: The results indicate that the optimized time between exposing and reading out, and also the optimized time between annealing and exposing is 1 day.The reduction of Storage temperature will reduce the post-irradiation fading, While temperature reduction does not have any effect on pre-irradiation fading

Clinical characteristics, risk factors and pre-surgical evaluation of post-infectious epilepsy.

Science.gov (United States)

Sellner, J; Trinka, E

2013-03-01

Epilepsy is a frequent complication of central nervous system (CNS) infections. Post-infectious epilepsy is commonly refractory to medical treatment and plays a pivotal role for the poor long-term outcome of CNS infections. To provide an overview of clinical characteristics and risk factors of seizures associated with CNS infections. In addition, to summarize the state of the art of anticonvulsive treatment and the pre-surgical evaluation process in refractory cases. A comprehensive literature search for articles published between January 1970 and December 2011 was carried out. The occurrence of seizures during the acute course of meningitis, encephalitis and brain abscess is the main risk factor for the development of post-infectious epilepsy. There is a shortage of trials evaluating the efficacy of prophylactic and symptomatic treatment during the course of acute infection. Moreover, there are no randomized-controlled trials studying anticonvulsive drugs and their combinations for the management of post-infectious epilepsy. In a selected group of patients, however, medically refractory focal epilepsy is potentially curable by surgery. Further studies are required to improve the pathogenetic understanding of post-infectious epilepsy in order to develop preventive measures as well as to evaluate additional medical and surgical treatment strategies for the patients currently not considered for surgery. © 2012 The Author(s) European Journal of Neurology © 2012 EFNS.

Assessments of whole body scan images (PCI) obtained in patients undergoing treatment of radioiodine (pre and post-treatment)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Costa, Fernanda Karolina Mendonca da; Lopes Filho, Ferdinand de Jesus; Vieira, Jose Wilson; Souza, Milena Thays Barbosa de

2014-01-01

Nuclear medicine is a medical specialty used for diagnosis and therapy of some diseases. For the treatment of differentiated thyroid carcinoma (papillary and follicular) Radioiodine therapy is employed, in order to eliminate the rest of thyroid tissue after removal of the thyroid (thyroidectomy). In radioiodine therapy is used radioisotope iodine-131 ( 131 I) as Sodium Iodide (NaI). The amount of the activity (dose) of 131 I administered is generally the responsibility of nuclear medicine, which is based on an image Research Length of the patient (pre-dose therapy PCI). PCI is also used after treatment (post-PCI therapeutic dose) to evaluate possible metastasis. The purpose of this study was to investigate the distribution of biokinetic 131 I at length and in some organs of the patient, in order to note any similarity. Exams PCI pre-dose and post-dose were analyzed, the anterior and posterior projections of ten patients. Contours in these images (ROI - Region Of Interest) were made in the whole body and in areas with high uptake of 131 I. The total score was used in the calculation to obtain the percentage distribution of 13I in the organs of the patient. The results showed that there similarity on the biodistribution of 131 I between pre-dose and post-dose PCI. Therefore, it was found that it is valuable images of PCI pre-dose therapy as a way to assist the nuclear medicine physician in choosing the best activity to be administered to the patient in order to minimize the dose to adjacent organs. (author)

Modal analysis of pre and post impacted nano composite laminates

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

R. Velmurugan

Full Text Available Modal analysis is carried out on pre and post impacted nano composite laminates. The laminates are prepared using 3, 5 and 8 layers of 610gsm glass woven roving mats(WRM with epoxy resin and montmorillonite(MMT clay content is varied from 1% to 5%. Impulse hammer technique is used to find natural frequency and damping factor of laminates. Medium velocity impact tests are conducted by using a gas gun. The vibration responses of natural frequency and damping factor are obtained and are studied for laminates with all edges clamped boundary conditions. Results show considerable improvement in natural frequency and damping factor due to nano clay addition. It is also seen that the nano clay controls the delamination due to impact loading.

Reliability of fully automated versus visually controlled pre- and post-processing of resting-state EEG.

Science.gov (United States)

Hatz, F; Hardmeier, M; Bousleiman, H; Rüegg, S; Schindler, C; Fuhr, P

2015-02-01

To compare the reliability of a newly developed Matlab® toolbox for the fully automated, pre- and post-processing of resting state EEG (automated analysis, AA) with the reliability of analysis involving visually controlled pre- and post-processing (VA). 34 healthy volunteers (age: median 38.2 (20-49), 82% female) had three consecutive 256-channel resting-state EEG at one year intervals. Results of frequency analysis of AA and VA were compared with Pearson correlation coefficients, and reliability over time was assessed with intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC). Mean correlation coefficient between AA and VA was 0.94±0.07, mean ICC for AA 0.83±0.05 and for VA 0.84±0.07. AA and VA yield very similar results for spectral EEG analysis and are equally reliable. AA is less time-consuming, completely standardized, and independent of raters and their training. Automated processing of EEG facilitates workflow in quantitative EEG analysis. Copyright © 2014 International Federation of Clinical Neurophysiology. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effect of a new fluorochrome on pre- and post-UV treatment of Taphrina maculans Butler

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Singh, U.P.; Nagai, S.

1977-01-01

Taphrina maculans Butler incites leaf spots disease in turmeric (Curcuma longa L.) plants. The patogen forms two types of colonies namely, salmon-red and creamy-white in the artifical medium when isolated from a single infection spot. Both strains resemble yeasts in morphology. The two strains were subjected to UV irradiation. The salmon-red one showed higher resistance to UV than the white one, presumably due to the presence of a red pigment in the former. When spores of the salmon-red strain were pre-treated with a new fluorochrome Hoechst 33258 the survival decreased. Decreased survival of the salmon-red strain was also oberved during post-treatment which is probably due to the combined effect of UV and dye. The creamy-white strain differs from the salmon-red one in UV sensitivity, and also during combined treatment with UV and dye. During pre-treatment the organism shows more survival than during post-treatment with the fluorochrome. This differential response is discussed in the light of repair mechanisms involved in the organism. (author)

Pre- and Post-Migration Determinants of Socio-Cultural Integration of African Immigrants in Italy and Spain

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Fokkema, T.; de Haas, H.

2015-01-01

Using a unique dataset (N=2,014), we examine the pre- and post-migration determinants of socio-cultural integration among first-generation immigrant groups in southern Europe: Moroccan and Senegalese migrants in Spain, and Egyptian and Ghanaian migrants in Italy. The results of the pooled and

Short-Term High- and Moderate-Intensity Training Modifies Inflammatory and Metabolic Factors in Response to Acute Exercise

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fabio Santos Lira

2017-10-01

Full Text Available Purpose: To compare the acute and chronic effects of high intensity intermittent training (HIIT and steady state training (SST on the metabolic profile and inflammatory response in physically active men.Methods: Thirty recreationally active men were randomly allocated to a control group (n = 10, HIIT group (n = 10, or SST group (n = 10. For 5 weeks, three times per week, subjects performed HIIT (5 km 1-min at 100% of maximal aerobic speed interspersed by 1-min passive recovery or SST (5 km at 70% of maximal aerobic speed while the control group did not perform training. Blood samples were collected at fasting (~12 h, pre-exercise, immediately post, and 60 min post-acute exercise session (pre- and post-5 weeks training. Blood samples were analyzed for glucose, non-ester fatty acid (NEFA, and cytokine (IL-6, IL-10, and TNF-α levels through a three-way analysis (group, period, and moment of measurement with repeated measures in the second and third factors.Results: The results showed an effect of moment of measurement (acute session with greater values to TNF-α and glucose immediately post the exercise when compared to pre exercise session, independently of group or training period. For IL-6 there was an interaction effect for group and moment of measurement (acute session the increase occurred immediately post-exercise session and post-60 min in the HIIT group while in the SST the increase was observed only 60 min post, independently of training period. For IL-10, there was an interaction for training period (pre- and post-training and moment of measurement (acute session, in which in pre-training, pre-exercise values were lower than immediately and 60 min post-exercise, in post-training period pre-exercise values were lower than immediately post-exercise and immediately post-exercise lower than 60 min post, it was also observed that values immediately post-exercise were lower pre- than post-training, being all results independently of intensity

The pre- and post-accretion irradiation history of cometary ices

Science.gov (United States)

Chyba, Christopher; Sagan, Carl

1989-01-01

Comets Halley and Wilson exhibited similar 3.4 micron emission features at approx. 1 AU from the Sun. A simple model of thermal emission from organic grains fits the feature, provides optical depths in good agreement with spacecraft measurements, and explains the absence of longer-wavelength organic features as due to spectral heliocentric evolution (Chyba and Sagan, 1987). The model utilizes transmission spectra of organics synthesized in the laboratory by irradiation of candidate cometary ices; the authors have long noted that related gas-phase syntheses yield polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, among other organic residues (Sagan et al., 1967). The authors previously concluded (Chyba and Sagan, 1987) that Halley's loss of several meters' depth with each perihelion passage, combined with the good fit of the Halley 3.4 micron feature to that of comet Wilson (Allen and Wickramasinghe, 1987), argues for the primordial - but not necessarily interstellar - origin of cometary organics. The authors examine the relative importance to the formation of organics of the variety of radiation environments experienced by comets. They conclude that there is at present no compelling reason to choose any of three contributing mechanisms (pre-accretion UV, pre-accretion cosmic ray, and post-accretion radionuclide processing) as the most important.

The association between retrospective outcome evaluations and pre-post-treatment changes in psychodynamic group-psychotherapy

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jensen, Hans Henrik; Mortensen, Erik Lykke; Lotz, Martin

2008-01-01

In the present study of 203 patients in psychodynamic group psychotherapy, we explore associations between patient and therapist global retrospective outcome evaluations (ROE), and pre-post-treatment changes on the Symptom Check List 90 Revised (SCL-90-R) and non-symptomatic focus of therapy. The......, and associated with personality factors or domains not captured by standard questionnaires....

Assessing pre- and post-zygotic barriers between North Atlantic eels (Anguilla anguilla and A. rostrata)

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jacobsen, M. W.; Smedegaard, L.; Sørensen, Sune Riis

2017-01-01

Elucidating barriers to gene flow is important for understanding the dynamics of speciation. Here we investigate pre- and post-zygotic mechanisms acting between the two hybridizing species of Atlantic eels: Anguilla anguilla and A. rostrata. Temporally varying hybridization was examined by analyz...... in natural hybrids.Heredity advance online publication, 9 November 2016; doi:10.1038/hdy.2016.96....

Comparison of Postoperative Pain Relief by Intercostal Block Between Pre-rib Harvest and Post-rib Harvest Groups

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bashir, M. M.; Shahzad, M. A.; Yousaf, M. N.; Khan, B. A.; Khan, F. A.

2014-01-01

Objective: To compare intercostal nerve block before and after rib harvest in terms of mean postoperative pain score and mean postoperative tramadol usage. Study Design: Randomized controlled trial. Place and Duration of Study: Department of Plastic Surgery, Mayo Hospital, KEMU, Lahore, from January 2011 to July 2012. Methodology: Patients (n = 120) of either gender with ASA class-I and II requiring autogenous costal cartilage graft were inducted. Patients having history of local anaesthetic hypersensitivity and age 60 years were excluded. Subjects were randomly assigned to pre-rib harvest (group-1) and post-rib harvest (group-2). Local anaesthetic mixture was prepared by adding 10 milliliters 2% lidocaine to 10 milliliters 0.5% bupivacaine to obtain a total 20 ml solution. Group-1 received local anaesthetic infiltration along the proposed incision lines and intercostals block before the rib harvest. Group-2 received the infiltration and block after rib harvest. Postoperative consumption of tramadol and pain scores were measured at 6 and 12 hours postoperatively using VAS. Results: Mean age was 31.43 A +- 10.78 years. The mean pain scores at 6 hours postoperatively were 1.033 A +- 0.609 and 2.4667 A +- 0.812 in pre-rib harvest and post-rib harvest groups respectively (p < 0.0001). The mean pain scores at 12 hours postoperatively were 1.45 A +- 0.565 and 3.65 A +- 0.633 in pre-rib harvest and post-rib harvest groups respectively (p < 0.0001). The mean tramadol used postoperatively in first 24 hours was 169 A +- 29.24 mg and 255 A +- 17.70 mg in prerib harvest and post-rib harvest groups respectively (p < 0.0001). Conclusion: Intercostal block administered before rib harvest as preemptive strategy result in decreased postoperative pain scores and narcotic use. (author)

Modeling the vacuolar storage of malate shed lights on pre- and post-harvest fruit acidity.

Science.gov (United States)

Etienne, Audrey; Génard, Michel; Lobit, Philippe; Bugaud, Christophe

2014-11-18

Malate is one of the most important organic acids in many fruits and its concentration plays a critical role in organoleptic properties. Several studies suggest that malate accumulation in fruit cells is controlled at the level of vacuolar storage. However, the regulation of vacuolar malate storage throughout fruit development, and the origins of the phenotypic variability of the malate concentration within fruit species remain to be clarified. In the present study, we adapted the mechanistic model of vacuolar storage proposed by Lobit et al. in order to study the accumulation of malate in pre and postharvest fruits. The main adaptation concerned the variation of the free energy of ATP hydrolysis during fruit development. Banana fruit was taken as a reference because it has the particularity of having separate growth and post-harvest ripening stages, during which malate concentration undergoes substantial changes. Moreover, the concentration of malate in banana pulp varies greatly among cultivars which make possible to use the model as a tool to analyze the genotypic variability. The model was calibrated and validated using data sets from three cultivars with contrasting malate accumulation, grown under different fruit loads and potassium supplies, and harvested at different stages. The model predicted the pre and post-harvest dynamics of malate concentration with fairly good accuracy for the three cultivars (mean RRMSE = 0.25-0.42). The sensitivity of the model to parameters and input variables was analyzed. According to the model, vacuolar composition, in particular potassium and organic acid concentrations, had an important effect on malate accumulation. The model suggested that rising temperatures depressed malate accumulation. The model also helped distinguish differences in malate concentration among the three cultivars and between the pre and post-harvest stages by highlighting the probable importance of proton pump activity and particularly of the free

A Teaching Method on Basic Chemistry for Freshman : Teaching Method with Pre-test and Post-test

OpenAIRE

立木, 次郎; 武井, 庚二

2003-01-01

This report deals with a teaching method on basic chemistry for freshman. This teaching method contains guidance and instruction to how to understand basic chemistry. Pre-test and post-test have been put into practice each time. Each test was returned to students at class in the following weeks.

Music therapy for early cognitive rehabilitation post-childhood TBI: an intrinsic mixed methods case study.

Science.gov (United States)

Bower, Janeen; Catroppa, Cathy; Grocke, Denise; Shoemark, Helen

2014-10-01

The primary aim of this case study was to explore the behavioural changes of a paediatric patient in post-traumatic amnesia (PTA) during a music therapy session. A secondary objective was to measure the effect of the music therapy intervention on agitation. Video data from pre, during and post-music therapy sessions were collected and analysed using video micro-analysis and the Agitated Behaviour Scale. The participant displayed four discrete categories of behaviours: Neutral, Acceptance, Recruitment and Rejection. Further analysis revealed brief but consistent and repeated periods of awareness and responsiveness to the live singing of familiar songs, which were classified as Islands of Awareness. Song offered an Environment of Potential to maximise these periods of emerging consciousness. The quantitative data analysis yielded inconclusive results in determining if music therapy was effective in reducing agitation during and immediately post the music therapy sessions. The process of micro-analysis illuminated four discrete participant behaviours not apparent in the immediate clinical setting. The results of this case suggest that the use of familiar song as a music therapy intervention may harness early patient responsiveness to foster cognitive rehabilitation in the early acute phase post-TBI.

Discrimination and distress among Afghan refugees in northern California: The moderating role of pre- and post-migration factors

Science.gov (United States)

2018-01-01

This study investigates the effect of perceived discrimination on the mental health of Afghan refugees, and secondly, tests the distress moderating effects of pre-migration traumatic experiences and post-resettlement adjustment factors. In a cross-sectional design, 259 Afghans completed surveys assessing perceived discrimination and a number of other factors using scales developed through inductive techniques. Multivariable analyses consisted of a series of hierarchical regressions testing the effect of perceived discrimination on distress, followed by a sequential analysis of moderator variables. Perceived discrimination was significantly associated with higher distress, and this relationship was stronger among those with a strong intra-ethnic identity and high pre-resettlement traumatic experiences. The expected buffering effects of civic engagement, ethnic orientation (e.g. integration), and social support were not significant. Discrimination is a significant source of stress for Afghan refugees, which may exacerbate stresses associated with other pre- and post-migration stressors. Future research is needed to tailor interventions that can help mitigate the stress associated with discrimination among this highly vulnerable group. PMID:29782531

Influence of pre- and post-usage flushing frequencies on bacterial water quality of non-touch water fittings.

Science.gov (United States)

Suchomel, Miranda; Diab-Elschahawi, Magda; Kundi, Michael; Assadian, Ojan

2013-08-30

Non-touch fittings have been reported to be susceptible for Pseudomonas aeruginosa accumulation. A number of factors may contribute to this, including the frequency of usage, duration of water stagnation, or presence of plastic materials. Programmable non-touch fittings are appearing which allow regular automated post-flushing with cold water to prevent water stagnation. However, the ideal duration of post-flushing is unknown as well as the effect of pre-rinsing with cold water before use. Eight non-touch fittings with brass valve blocks were mounted on a mobile test sink and connected to the same central water pipe source, differing only in presence or absence of water connection pipes, length of connection pipe, frequency of usage, and time intervals for pre- and post-usage water flush. The total bacteria colony-forming unit (cfu) counts were obtained by the spread plate technique. Low frequency of water use in combination with a long stagnating water column resulted in high bacterial cfu counts. Post-usage flushing for 2 seconds did not differ from no flushing. Flushing for 10 seconds with cold water after use or 30 seconds flush before use were both the most effective measures to prevent non-touch fittings from biofilm formation over a period of 20 weeks. Further improvements in water fitting technology could possibly solve the problem of bacterial water contamination in health care settings.

Intra-fraction prostate displacement in radiotherapy estimated from pre- and post-treatment imaging of patients with implanted fiducial markers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kron, Tomas; Thomas, Jessica; Fox, Chris; Thompson, Ann; Owen, Rebecca; Herschtal, Alan; Haworth, Annette; Tai, Keen-Hun; Foroudi, Farshad

2010-01-01

Purpose: To determine intra-fraction displacement of the prostate gland from imaging pre- and post-radiotherapy delivery of prostate cancer patients with three implanted fiducial markers. Methods and materials: Data were collected from 184 patients who had two orthogonal X-rays pre- and post-delivery on at least 20 occasions using a Varian On Board kV Imaging system. A total of 5778 image pairs covering time intervals between 3 and 30 min between pre- and post-imaging were evaluated for intra-fraction prostate displacement. Results: The mean three dimensional vector shift between images was 1.7 mm ranging from 0 to 25 mm. No preferential direction of displacement was found; however, there was an increase of prostate displacement with time between images. There was a large variation in typical shifts between patients (range 1 ± 1 to 6 ± 2 mm) with no apparent trends throughout the treatment course. Images acquired in the first five fractions of treatment could be used to predict displacement patterns for individual patients. Conclusion: Intra-fraction motion of the prostate gland appears to be a limiting factor when considering margins for radiotherapy. Given the variation between patients, a uniform set of margins for all patients may not be satisfactory when high target doses are to be delivered.

[Determinant factors and conduct in post-accident with biological material among pre-hospital professionals].

Science.gov (United States)

Paiva, Maria Henriqueta Rocha Siqueira; Oliveira, Adriana Cristina

2011-01-01

This transversal study was carried out with a multiprofessional team in the pre-hospital care in Minas Gerais, Brazil. It aimed to estimate the incidence of occupational accidents by exposure to biological material and post-accidents conductsta. Descriptive analysis and logistic regression were used. Incidence of accidents was 19.8%: 39,1% perforating-cutting materials and 56.5% body fluids. Doctors (33.3%) and drivers (24.0%) were most involved. Inadequate subsequent measures were highly prevalent: no medical assessment (69.6%), no work accident communication issued (91.3%), no measures (52.2%) and no serological follow-up (52.2%). Variables associated with accidents were: age >31 years old (OR = 3,02; IC95%: 1,25 - 7,33; p = 0,014) and working in basic support units (OR = 5,36; IC95%: 1,51 19,08; p = 0,010). The implementation of post-accidents protocols is suggested in order to reduce accidents and under-notification, and increase post-accident follow-up.

Pre-operative Predictive Factors of Post-operative Pain in Patients With Hip or Knee Arthroplasty: A Systematic Review.

Science.gov (United States)

Hernández, Clara; Díaz-Heredia, Jorge; Berraquero, María Luisa; Crespo, Pablo; Loza, Estíbaliz; Ruiz Ibán, Miguel Ángel

2015-01-01

To analyze pre-surgical predictive factors of post-surgical pain in patients undergoing hip or knee arthoplasty. A systematic literature review was performed. We defined a sensitive strategy on Medline, Embase and Cochrane Library up to May 2013. The inclusion criteria were: patients undertaking knee and/or hip arthroplasty, adults with moderate or severe pain (≥4 on a Visual Analog Scale) in whom predictive factors of post-surgical pain were evaluated before surgery. Systematic reviews, meta-analyses, controlled trials and observational studies were selected. We excluded animals and basic science articles, reviews of prosthesis, prosthesis due to fractures, patients with rheumatic diseases or studies with mixed population in which disaggregated data was not possible to obtain. A total 37 articles of moderate quality were selected. The articles included representative patients undergoing a knee or hip arthroplasty in our country; most of them were aged 60 years or above, with osteoarthritis, and with a high rate of obesity and comorbidities. We found great variability regarding the type of studies and predictive factors. There was a strong association between post-surgical pain and the following pre-surgical factors: female gender, low socio-economic status, higher pain, comorbidities, low back pain, poor functional status, and psychological factors (depression, anxiety or catastrophic pain). There are pre-surgical factors that might influence post-surgical pain in patients undergoing a knee or hip arthroplasty. Therefore, they should be taken into account when considering an arthroplasty. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier España, S.L.U. y Sociedad Española de Reumatología y Colegio Mexicano de Reumatología. All rights reserved.

Comparison of pre and post-combustion CO{sub 2} adsorbent technologies

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

T.C. Drage; A. Arenillas; K. Smith; C.E. Snape [University of Nottingham, Nottingham (United Kingdom). Nottingham Fuel and Energy Centre, School of Chemical, Environmental and Mining Engineering

2006-07-01

Adsorption is considered to be one of the most promising techniques for the capture of CO{sub 2} from flue gases. The application of adsorption to both post-combustion capture at pressures close to ambient and for high pressure pre-combustion capture applications, for example IGCC, are explored. Adsorption capacities as a function of adsorbent properties as well as strategies for regeneration, both thermal swing and pressure swing are described. Adsorption at both low and high pressures requires chemical and physical adsorbents respectively. Adsorption at high pressure has the advantage of potential temperature swing regeneration whilst maintaining CO{sub 2} pressure, reducing the overall costs associated with re-compression of the gas for transportation.

Developmental post-natal stress can alter the effects of pre-natal stress on the adult redox balance.

Science.gov (United States)

Marasco, Valeria; Spencer, Karen A; Robinson, Jane; Herzyk, Pawel; Costantini, David

2013-09-15

Across diverse vertebrate taxa, stressful environmental conditions during development can shape phenotypic trajectories of developing individuals, which, while adaptive in the short-term, may impair health and survival in adulthood. Regardless, the long-lasting benefits or costs of early life stress are likely to depend on the conditions experienced across differing stages of development. Here, we used the Japanese quail (Coturnix coturnix japonica) to experimentally manipulate exposure to stress hormones in developing individuals. We tested the hypothesis that interactions occurring between pre- and post-natal developmental periods can induce long-term shifts on the adult oxidant phenotype in non-breeding sexually mature individuals. We showed that early life stress can induce long-term alterations in the basal antioxidant defences. The magnitude of these effects depended upon the timing of glucocorticoid exposure and upon interactions between the pre- and post-natal stressful stimuli. We also found differences among tissues with stronger effects in the erythrocytes than in the brain in which the long-term effects of glucocorticoids on antioxidant biomarkers appeared to be region-specific. Recent experimental work has demonstrated that early life exposure to stress hormones can markedly reduce adult survival (Monaghan et al., 2012). Our results suggest that long-term shifts in basal antioxidant defences might be one of the potential mechanisms driving such accelerated ageing processes and that post-natal interventions during development may be a potential tool to shape the effects induced by pre-natally glucococorticoid-exposed phenotypes. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Risk Factors for Immediate and Delayed-Onset Fever After Percutaneous Transhepatic Biliary Drainage

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lucatelli, Pierleone, E-mail: pierleone.lucatelli@gmail.com [Sapienza University of Rome, Vascular and Interventional Radiology Unit, Department of Radiological, Oncological and Anatomo-pathological Sciences (Italy); Corradini, Stefano Ginanni, E-mail: stefano.corradini@uniroma1.it [Sapienza University of Rome, Gastroenterology Division, Department of Clinical Medicine (Italy); Corona, Mario, E-mail: mario.corona@uniroma1.it; Corradini, Luca Ginanni, E-mail: lucagino@hotmail.it; Cirelli, Carlo, E-mail: dottcirelli@gmail.com [Sapienza University of Rome, Vascular and Interventional Radiology Unit, Department of Radiological, Oncological and Anatomo-pathological Sciences (Italy); Saba, Luca, E-mail: lucasabamd@gmail.com [Azienda Ospedaliero Universitaria (A.O.U.) of Cagliari-Polo di Monserrato, Department of Medical Imaging (Italy); Poli, Edoardo, E-mail: edoardo.poli88@gmail.com [Sapienza University of Rome, Gastroenterology Division, Department of Clinical Medicine (Italy); Fanelli, Fabrizio, E-mail: fabrizio.fanelli@uniroma1.it [Sapienza University of Rome, Vascular and Interventional Radiology Unit, Department of Radiological, Oncological and Anatomo-pathological Sciences (Italy); Wang, Haofan, E-mail: wanghaof@mail.sysu.edu.cn [Department of Vascular Interventional Radiology of the 3rd Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University (China); Bezzi, Mario, E-mail: mario.bezzi@uniroma1.it; Catalano, Carlo, E-mail: carlo.catalano@uniroma1.it [Sapienza University of Rome, Vascular and Interventional Radiology Unit, Department of Radiological, Oncological and Anatomo-pathological Sciences (Italy)

2016-05-15

ObjectivesTo prospectively investigate the pre and intra-procedural risk factors for immediate (IF) and delayed-onset (DOF) fever development after percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage (PTBD).MethodsInstitutional review board approval and informed patient consent were obtained. Between February 2013 and February 2014, 97 afebrile patients (77 at the Sapienza University of Rome, Italy and 20 at the Sun Yat-sen University of Guangzhou, China) with benign (n = 31) and malignant (n = 66) indications for a first PTBD were prospectively enrolled. Thirty pre- and intra-procedural clinical/radiological characteristics, including the amount of contrast media injected prior to PTBD placement, were collected in relation to the development of IF (within 24 h) or DOF (after 24 h). Fever was defined as ≥37.5 °C. Binary logistic regression analysis was used to assess independent associations with IF and DOF.ResultsFourteen (14.4 %) patients developed IF and 17 (17.5 %) developed DOF. At multivariable analysis, IF was associated with pre-procedural absence of intrahepatic bile duct dilatation (OR 63.359; 95 % CI 2.658–1510.055; P = 0.010) and low INR (OR 4.7 × 10{sup −4}; 95 % CI 0.000–0.376; P = 0.025), while DOF was associated with unsatisfactory biliary drainage at the end of PTBD (OR 4.571; 95 % CI 1.161–17.992; P = 0.030).ConclusionsThe amount of contrast injected is not associated with post-PTBD fever development. Unsatisfactory biliary drainage at the end of PTBD is associated with DOF, suggesting that complete biliary tree decompression should be pursued within the first PTBD. Patients with unsatisfactory drainage and those with the absence of pre-procedural intrahepatic bile duct dilatation, which is associated with IF, require tailored post-PTBD management.

Risk Factors for Immediate and Delayed-Onset Fever After Percutaneous Transhepatic Biliary Drainage

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lucatelli, Pierleone; Corradini, Stefano Ginanni; Corona, Mario; Corradini, Luca Ginanni; Cirelli, Carlo; Saba, Luca; Poli, Edoardo; Fanelli, Fabrizio; Wang, Haofan; Bezzi, Mario; Catalano, Carlo

2016-01-01

ObjectivesTo prospectively investigate the pre and intra-procedural risk factors for immediate (IF) and delayed-onset (DOF) fever development after percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage (PTBD).MethodsInstitutional review board approval and informed patient consent were obtained. Between February 2013 and February 2014, 97 afebrile patients (77 at the Sapienza University of Rome, Italy and 20 at the Sun Yat-sen University of Guangzhou, China) with benign (n = 31) and malignant (n = 66) indications for a first PTBD were prospectively enrolled. Thirty pre- and intra-procedural clinical/radiological characteristics, including the amount of contrast media injected prior to PTBD placement, were collected in relation to the development of IF (within 24 h) or DOF (after 24 h). Fever was defined as ≥37.5 °C. Binary logistic regression analysis was used to assess independent associations with IF and DOF.ResultsFourteen (14.4 %) patients developed IF and 17 (17.5 %) developed DOF. At multivariable analysis, IF was associated with pre-procedural absence of intrahepatic bile duct dilatation (OR 63.359; 95 % CI 2.658–1510.055; P = 0.010) and low INR (OR 4.7 × 10"−"4; 95 % CI 0.000–0.376; P = 0.025), while DOF was associated with unsatisfactory biliary drainage at the end of PTBD (OR 4.571; 95 % CI 1.161–17.992; P = 0.030).ConclusionsThe amount of contrast injected is not associated with post-PTBD fever development. Unsatisfactory biliary drainage at the end of PTBD is associated with DOF, suggesting that complete biliary tree decompression should be pursued within the first PTBD. Patients with unsatisfactory drainage and those with the absence of pre-procedural intrahepatic bile duct dilatation, which is associated with IF, require tailored post-PTBD management.

Experimental studies on canine terminal carotid arterial aneurysm models pre- and post-embolized with microcoil

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang Qihong; Zhou Liangfu; Gong Jianqiu; Dai Jianhua; Zhang Xiaojun; Zhang Xinyuan

2005-01-01

Objective: To establish canine terminal saccular aneurysm model of common carotid artery (CCA), and evaluate the images and hemodynamic changes of aneurysm cavities pre- and post-embolized with microcoil (MC). Methods: Seven CCA terminal saccular aneurysm models had been created by using improved microsurgical technique. Seven to fourteen days after surgery, models were undergone color Doppler, Magnetic resonance image (MRI), Magnetic resonance angiography (MRA), digital subtraction angiography (DSA), and then the analysis of computational fluid dynamics (CFD) on these animal models were conducted. Afterwards they were compactly packed with MC, and then aneurysms again were examed under these methods, and simulation of pathological changes. Results: Models were created successfully with good MC compactly pack aneurysm cavities. DSA combined with other imaging methods can improve the diagnosis of aneurysms completely. CFD models can show the imitation hemodynamics of canine carotid aneurysms. Conclusions: This kind of aneurysm model is an ideal one on the area for the research of aneurysm embolization. Non-DSA imaging examination can noninvasively, repeatedly, clearly evaluate aneurysms pre- and post-embolized with MC. The interference on the inflow zone of the aneurysm is an effective method for cure and preventing recurrence of aneurysms. (authors)

Pre-migration and post-migration factors associated with mental health in humanitarian migrants in Australia and the moderation effect of post-migration stressors: findings from the first wave data of the BNLA cohort study.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Wen; Hall, Brian J; Ling, Li; Renzaho, Andre Mn

2017-03-01

The process of becoming a humanitarian migrant is potentially damaging to mental health. We examined the association between pre-migration and post-migration potentially traumatic events and stressors and mental health, and assessed the moderating effect of post-migration stressors in humanitarian migrants in Australia. In this study, we used the first wave of data between 2013 and 2014 from the Building a New Life in Australia survey. The survey included 2399 migrants who had arrived in Australia holding a permanent humanitarian visa 3-6 months preceding the survey, with 77% and 23% of participants being granted visas through offshore and onshore humanitarian programmes, respectively. Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) was measured with the Post-traumatic Stress Disorder 8 items (PTSD-8) and severe mental illness was measured with the Kessler Screening Scale for Psychological Distress (K6). Pre-migration potentially traumatic events and post-migration stressors related to asylum process and resettlement were measured with a self-reported questionnaire. Of the 2399 participants, 762 (31%; 95% CI 29·4-33·2) had PTSD and 394 (16%; 95% CI 14·2-17·2) had severe mental illness. The mean number of pre-migration potentially traumatic events was 2·1 (SD 1·4). 64%, 59%, 49%, and 18% of participants reported poor social integration, economic problems, worrying about family or friends overseas, and loneliness as post-migration stressors. Pre-migration potentially traumatic events and post-migration stressors were positively associated with PTSD and severe mental illness. Factors significantly modifying the association between pre-migration potentially traumatic events and mental health after controlling for confounding factors were resettlement related stressors, including loneliness (odds ratio 1·17, 95% CI 1·05-1·28 for PTSD and 1·28, 1·16-1·41 for severe mental illness) and the number of social integration stressors (1·10, 1·05-1·16 for PTSD). Our data

A Process-Based Model of TCA Cycle Functioning to Analyze Citrate Accumulation in Pre- and Post-Harvest Fruits.

Science.gov (United States)

Etienne, Audrey; Génard, Michel; Bugaud, Christophe

2015-01-01

Citrate is one of the most important organic acids in many fruits and its concentration plays a critical role in organoleptic properties. The regulation of citrate accumulation throughout fruit development, and the origins of the phenotypic variability of the citrate concentration within fruit species remain to be clarified. In the present study, we developed a process-based model of citrate accumulation based on a simplified representation of the TCA cycle to predict citrate concentration in fruit pulp during the pre- and post-harvest stages. Banana fruit was taken as a reference because it has the particularity of having post-harvest ripening, during which citrate concentration undergoes substantial changes. The model was calibrated and validated on the two stages, using data sets from three contrasting cultivars in terms of citrate accumulation, and incorporated different fruit load, potassium supply, and harvest dates. The model predicted the pre and post-harvest dynamics of citrate concentration with fairly good accuracy for the three cultivars. The model suggested major differences in TCA cycle functioning among cultivars during post-harvest ripening of banana, and pointed to a potential role for NAD-malic enzyme and mitochondrial malate carriers in the genotypic variability of citrate concentration. The sensitivity of citrate accumulation to growth parameters and temperature differed among cultivars during post-harvest ripening. Finally, the model can be used as a conceptual basis to study citrate accumulation in fleshy fruits and may be a powerful tool to improve our understanding of fruit acidity.

Measuring Bank Financial Performance Between Pre and Post Acquisition of Bii Maybank in Indonesia

OpenAIRE

Sorongan, Marselly

2013-01-01

Banking institutions are one of the key sectors within the financial system. For this reason, the government opens investment opportunities on a large scale to attract foreign investors. This is evident with the increasing number of the Indonesian banking companies which have been taken over by foreign institutions; for instance the acquisition of PT. Bank Internasional Indonesia by Maybank. A Financial report is a tool for analyzing the development of the bank's performance of pre and post-a...

Pre and post crisis analysis of stock price and exchange rate: Evidence from Malaysia

OpenAIRE

Baharom, A.H.; Habibullah, M.S.; R.C., Royfaizal

2008-01-01

The furore and chaos created by the Asian financial crisis have ignited many studies on numerous subjects, and it is believed that the crisis has changed the way nations being administered and policies formed and implemented especially those regarding monetary and fiscal policies. Johansen (1991) cointegration method was used and the period was divided into two sub periods, albeit pre crisis and post crisis. The results obtained are similar with a number of past literatures pointing to no lon...

Assurance of Learning, "Closing the Loop": Utilizing a Pre and Post Test for Principles of Finance

Science.gov (United States)

Flanegin, Frank; Letterman, Denise; Racic, Stanko; Schimmel, Kurt

2010-01-01

Since there is no standard national Pre and Post Test for Principles of Finance, akin to the one for Economics, by authors created one by selecting questions from previously administered examinations. The Cronbach's Alpha of 0.851, exceeding the minimum of 0.70 for reliable pen and paper test, indicates that our Test can detect differences in…

Description of anti-diabetic drug utilization pre- and post-formulary restriction of sitagliptin: findings from a national health plan.

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Xingyue; Liu, Zhiwen; Shankar, Ravi R; Rajpathak, Swapnil

2015-08-01

Multi-tiered formularies are commonly used for controlling costs of prescription medications. Focused on type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), this database study assessed drug utilization before and after a formulary restriction (2nd-3rd tier), and compared demographic and clinical characteristics of patients affected vs not by the restriction. Formulary restriction of sitagliptin (SITA) occurred July 1, 2012. The 'pre-period' was defined from January 1-June 30, 2012, the 'grace period' from July 1-September 30, 2012, and the 'post-period' from October 1, 2012-March 31, 2013. Patients from the OptumInsight database were included if diagnosed with T2DM, ≥18 years, had continuous enrollment, and had ≥2 prescriptions of SITA in the pre-period. Those who died or were aged ≥65 years in the post-period were excluded. Patients were grouped into SITA continuer and discontinuer cohorts based on SITA use in the post-period. Descriptive analyses assessed baseline patient characteristics and anti-hyperglycemic drug utilization in the pre- and post-periods. In total, 23,477 patients met inclusion criteria. In the post-period, 36.1% (n = 8480) of patients discontinued SITA. Among SITA discontinuers, 44.1% switched to a preferred DPP-4 inhibitor, 9.2% switched to glucagon-like peptides-1 (GLP-1) or insulin, and 2.4% switched to metformin or sulfonylurea. Of the SITA discontinuers, 21.6% dropped SITA without replacement and 8.4% discontinued all diabetes medications. In the post-period, a greater proportion of SITA discontinuers used GLP-1 (12.6% vs 5.8%) and insulin (29.1% vs 20.9%) than continuers, or had some change in anti-hyperglycemic treatment (67.5% vs 22.1%). Baseline demographic and clinical characteristics were similar between SITA continuers and discontinuers, indicating a lack of an association with SITA discontinuation. This descriptive study used a non-controlled observational approach. Following formulary change, 1/3 of patients discontinued SITA and 30% of

Evaluation of post-ESWL renal sequelae using quantitative radionuclide studies

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Moustafa, H; Elhaddad, SH; Ziada, G; El-Tawil, A [Nuclear medicine (Egypt); Hegazi, A; Fawzy, K [Urology departments Faculty of medicine, Cairo university, Cairo, (Egypt)

1995-10-01

45 adult patients with single, unilateral renal stones without back pressure change attended to Cairo University Hospital during 1990 and 1991 were treated with ESWl. All cases were subjected to radionuclide renal studies using 131 I-OIH and 99 mTc-DTPA done pre-, immediate post- and 3 months post-ESWL. No significant changes of total renal ERPF and GFR could be detected. Treated kidneys GFR, GFR%, ERPE and T max showed no significant changes after ESWL except for a transient significant improvement of their T 1/2 (P<0.04); that occurred immediately after ESWL. Contralateral kidneys showed only transient statistically significant improvement of both %GFR and T 1/2 (P<0.02 and <0.04 respectively) Regional evaluation of the stone bearing zones revealed transient significant deterioration of their regional ERPF (P<0.03). We found that shocks <3500 caused transient significant improvement of treated side ERPF, whereas >3500 shocks caused the reverse (P<0.05). Moreover, power index (number of shocks X KV) >55000 caused deterioration of their GFR that persisted up to 3 months (P<0.03). Conclusion: ESWL therapy is safe method for treatment of renal stones with no significant functional changes. 6 tabs.

Effects of Unit Design on Acute Care Nurses' Walking Distances, Energy Expenditure, and Job Satisfaction: A Pre-Post Relocation Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Copeland, Darcy; Chambers, Misty

2017-07-01

The purpose of this study was to determine what differences occurred in steps taken and energy expenditure among acute care nurses when their work environment moved from a hospital with centralized nurses' stations to a hospital with decentralized nurses' stations. Additional goals were to determine design features nurses perceived as contributing to or deterring from their work activities and what changes occurred in reported job satisfaction. Since design features can also affect patient outcomes, patient falls were monitored. The construction of a replacement facility for a 224-bed Level 1 trauma center provided the opportunity to compare the effects of centralized versus decentralized nurses' stations on nurses' experiences of their work environments. A pre-post quasi-experimental design was used. RN participants completed an open-ended questionnaire and recorded pedometer data at the end of each shift, working for 3-month pre-relocation and for 3-month post-relocation. Nine months passed between the move and post-relocation data collection. There were significant reductions in nurses' energy expenditure ( p job satisfaction was high and improved post-relocation, and patient falls decreased by 55%. Post-relocation, a number of the dissatisfiers associated with the physical environment were eliminated, and nurses identified more satisfiers (in general and related to the physical environment). Patients are safer post-relocation as indicated by a decrease in falls. This decrease is even more noteworthy when considering that the numbers of patient beds on each unit is higher post-relocation.

Immediate, short-, and long-term changes in tracheal stent diameter, length, and positioning after placement in dogs with tracheal collapse syndrome.

Science.gov (United States)

Raske, Matthew; Weisse, Chick; Berent, Allyson C; McDougall, Renee; Lamb, Kenneth

2018-03-01

Intraluminal tracheal stenting is a minimally invasive procedure shown to have variable degrees of success in managing clinical signs associated with tracheal collapse syndrome (CTCS) in dogs. Identify immediate post-stent changes in tracheal diameter, determine the extent of stent migration, and stent shortening after stent placement in the immediate-, short-, and long-term periods, and evaluate inter-observer reliability of radiographic measurements. Fifty client-owned dogs. Retrospective study in which medical records were reviewed in dogs with CTCS treated with an intraluminal tracheal stent. Data collected included signalment, location, and type of collapse, stent diameter and length, and post-stent placement radiographic follow-up times. Radiographs were used to obtain pre-stent tracheal measurements and post-stent placement measurements. Immediate mean percentage change was 5.14%, 5.49%, and 21.64% for cervical, thoracic inlet, and intra-thoracic tracheal diameters, respectively. Ultimate mean follow-up time was 446 days, with mean percentage change of 2.55%, 15.09%, and 8.65% for cervical, thoracic inlet, and intra-thoracic tracheal diameters, respectively. Initial mean stent length was 26.72% higher than nominal length and ultimate long-term tracheal mean stent shortening was only 9.90%. No significant stent migration was identified in the immediate, short-, or long-term periods. Good inter-observer agreement of radiographic measurements was found among observers of variable experience level. Use of an intraluminal tracheal stent for CTCS is associated with minimal stent shortening with no clinically relevant stent migration after fluoroscopic placement. Precise stent sizing and placement techniques likely play important roles in avoiding these reported complications. Copyright © 2018 The Authors. Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine.

A screening algorithm for early detection of major depressive disorder in head and neck cancer patients post-treatment: Longitudinal study.

Science.gov (United States)

Henry, Melissa; Rosberger, Zeev; Ianovski, Lola E; Hier, Michael; Zeitouni, Anthony; Kost, Karen; Mlynarek, Alex; Black, Martin; MacDonald, Christina; Richardson, Keith; Zhang, Xun; Fuhrmann, Fabienne; Chartier, Gabrielle; Frenkiel, Saul

2018-03-13

The primary purpose of this study was to identify predictors of Major Depressive Disorder in head and neck cancer (HNC) patients in the immediate post-treatment period (ie, at 3 months post-diagnosis), with a focus on previously unexamined historical and contextual factors. Prospective longitudinal study of 223 consecutive adults (72% participation) newly diagnosed with a first occurrence of primary HNC, including validated psychometric measures, Structured Clinical Interviews for DSM Disorders, and medical chart reviews. The 3-month period prevalence of Major Depressive Disorder was 20.4%; with point prevalences of 6.8% upon HNC diagnosis, 14.2% at 3 months, and 22.6% lifetime. Patients most susceptible to developing Major Depressive Disorder in the immediate post-treatment period: were diagnosed with advanced-stage cancer rather than early-stage cancer (O.R. = 4.94, P = 0.04), received surgery only (O.R. = 8.73, P = 0.04), presented a lifetime history of Anxiety Disorder on SCID-I (O.R. = 6.62; P = 0.01), and indicated higher pre-treatment levels of anxiety on the HADS (O.R. = 0.45, P = 0.05). Our results outline the predominant role of anxiety upon diagnosis as a precursor to post-treatment Major Depressive Disorder, suggesting the need for identification and prophylactic treatment of anxiety upon diagnosis in head and neck cancer patients. Further investigation into pathways by which pre-treatment anxiety predisposes to post-treatment Major Depressive Disorder in this population is warranted. Copyright © 2018 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

EMPIRICAL ASSESSMENT OF THE GROWTH RATE OF MAIZE PRODUCTION IN THE PRE - SAP, SAP AND POST - SAP PERIODS IN NIGERIA

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Oyinbo Oyakhilomen

2012-05-01

Full Text Available This study was carried out to provide empirical evidence on the growth rates of maize production in three sub - periods in Nigeria namely pre - Structural Adjustment Programme period, Structural Adjustment Program period and post - Structural Adjustment Programme period. Secondary data on maize production in Nigeria during the Pre - Structural Adjustment Programme period (1970 to 1985, Structural Adjustment period (1986 to 1994 and post - Structural Adjustment Programme period (1995 to 2007 were employed in this study. A growth rate model was used to estimate the growth rates of maize in the three sub - periods. The results of the analysis showed that the instantaneous growth rates of maize production are - 0.1%, 5.7% and 2.4% and the compound rates of growth of maize production are - 0.001%, 0.059% and 0.024% for the pre - Structural Adjustment Programme, Structural Adjustment Programme and post - Structural Adjustment Programme periods respectively. The higher compound growth rate of maize production in the Structural Adjustment Programme period implies that the policy reforms in the period was more effective in ensuring increased growth of maize production over that of other periods in Nigeria. Therefore, despite the myriads of problems associated with the programme in Nigeria, it was beneficial to maize production in Nigeria.

mtDNA copy number in oocytes of different sizes from individual pre- and post-pubertal pigs

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pedersen, Hanne Skovsgaard; Løvendahl, Peter; Larsen, Knud Erik

2014-01-01

from ovaries of 10 pre- and 10 post-pubertal pigs. Cumulus cells were removed and the oocytes were measured (inside-ZP-diameter). Oocytes were transferred to DNAase-free tubes, snap-frozen, and stored at –80°C. The genes ND1 and COX1 were used to determine the mtDNA copy number. Plasmid preparations...... Reproduction 131, 233–245). However, the correlation between size and mtDNA copy number in single oocytes has not been determined. This study describes the relation between oocytes of defined diameters from individual pre- and postpubertal pigs and mtDNA copy number. Cumulus-oocyte complexes were aspirated...

IMMEDIATE EFFECT OF CERVICAL MANIPULATION ON PAIN AND RANGE OF MOTION IN PATIENTS WITH CHRONIC MECHANICAL NECK PAIN

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kabir Isah Mayana

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Background: Neck pain has been reported as a prevalent musculoskeletal disorder globally with more than half of the general population being affected once or more within their life span. Methods: A randomized clinical trial research design was used which investigated the immediate effect of cervical manipulation on neck pain and cervical range of motion among patients with chronic mechanical neck pain. 20 male and female participants between the ages of 26 to 60 years with chronic mechanical neck pain attending physiotherapy clinics were recruited. They were randomly assigned into two groups (A and B of 10 patients each. Group A received soft tissue massage, and cervical manipulation and group B served as the control group, and they received only soft tissue massage. There were two outcomes measured; Pain intensity was rated using visual analog scale (VAS before and immediately after the intervention. Pre and Post intervention measurements of cervical spine range of motion using Goniometer were also taken. Results: Findings of the study revealed significant immediate improvement of pain and Cervical Range of Motions (p<0.05 in all dimensions in the experimental group while Pain, flexion and right side Cervical flexion significantly improved in the control group. It was also found out after comparing the outcomes between the two groups that, the experimental group had significantly (p<0.05 better improvement than the control group in post-intervention pain, cervical flexion, cervical extension and cervical (right and left lateral rotations. Conclusion: Cervical manipulation is effective in immediate pain relief and improvement in cervical range of motion in patients with mechanical neck pain

Radiopaque marker motion during pre-treatment CBCT as a predictor of intra-fractional prostate movement

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bernchou, Uffe; Brink, Carsten; Agergaard, Soeren N.

2013-01-01

The intra-fractional movement of the prostate constitutes a hindrance for the reduction of the planning target volume margin for prostate cancer patients. Monitoring the movement of the prostate during treatment is a promising but in most centres not feasible solution. However, the projection images of the pre-treatment cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) provide information about the motion of the target immediately preceding the treatment. This motion information can be extracted from any standard CBCT scan which is available in many institutions. In this study we measure the motion of the prostate during the pre-treatment CBCT and investigate whether this motion is correlated with the intra-fractional movement of the prostate. Material and methods: Pre- and post-treatment CBCT scans were made during a number of the fractions (average 11 range 8-12) for 13 prostate cancer patients during the radiation treatment course. The displacement of the post-treatment CBCT scans relative to the pre-treatment position was used to assess the intra-fractional motion. Automated image analysis was used to track the 2D position of radiopaque markers in the projection images of the scans. The most probable 3D trajectory of the markers during the CBCT scan was estimated based on a probability density function which was established for each individual scan. Results: The accuracy of the tracking algorithm was found satisfactory and the motion of the markers during the CBCT scans was successfully extracted from the projection images. This motion was generally small and uncorrelated with the subsequent intra-fractional movement of the prostate. The correlation coefficients were - 0.05, 0.07, and - 0.05 in the LR, AP, and CC direction, respectively. Conclusion: It is tempting to exploit the pre-treatment CBCT to predict the intra-fractional movement of the prostate but, unfortunately, we have found no correlation between the intra-fractional movement and the motion of the prostate

Choice between delayed food and immediate oxycodone in rats.

Science.gov (United States)

Secci, Maria E; Factor, Julie A; Schindler, Charles W; Panlilio, Leigh V

2016-12-01

The choice to seek immediate drug effects instead of more meaningful but delayed rewards is a defining feature of addiction. To develop a rodent model of this behavior, we allowed rats to choose between immediate intravenous delivery of the prescription opioid oxycodone (50 μg/kg) and delayed delivery of palatable food pellets. Rats preferred food at delays up to 30 s, but they chose oxycodone and food equally at 60-s delay and preferred oxycodone over food at 120-s delay. Comparison of food-drug choice, food-only, and drug-only conditions indicated that food availability decreased drug intake, but drug availability increased food intake. In the food-only condition, food was effective as a reinforcer even when delayed by 120 s. Pre-session feeding with chow slowed acquisition of food and drug self-administration, but did not affect choice. To establish procedures for testing potential anti-addiction medications, noncontingent pre-treatment with oxycodone or naltrexone (analogous to substitution and antagonist therapies, respectively) were tested on a baseline in which oxycodone was preferred over delayed food. Naltrexone pre-treatment decreased drug intake and increased food intake. Oxycodone pre-treatment decreased drug intake, but also produced extended periods with no food or drug responding. These findings show that the contingencies that induce preference for drugs over more meaningful but less immediate rewards in humans can be modeled in rodents, and they suggest that the model could be useful for assessing the therapeutic potential of treatments and exploring the underlying behavioral and neural mechanisms involved in addiction.

Evaluation of post-ESWL renal sequelae using quantitative radionuclide studies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Moustafa, H.; Elhaddad, SH.; Ziada, G.; El-Tawil, A.; Hegazi, A.; Fawzy, K.

1995-01-01

45 adult patients with single, unilateral renal stones without back pressure change attended to Cairo University Hospital during 1990 and 1991 were treated with ESWl. All cases were subjected to radionuclide renal studies using 131 I-OIH and 99 mTc-DTPA done pre-, immediate post- and 3 months post-ESWL. No significant changes of total renal ERPF and GFR could be detected. Treated kidneys GFR, GFR%, ERPE and T max showed no significant changes after ESWL except for a transient significant improvement of their T 1/2 (P 3500 shocks caused the reverse (P 55000 caused deterioration of their GFR that persisted up to 3 months (P<0.03). Conclusion: ESWL therapy is safe method for treatment of renal stones with no significant functional changes. 6 tabs

Equivalence Checking between Pre-synthesis and Post-synthesis Programs by Using VIS

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lee, Jonghoon; Yoo, Junbeom [Konkuk Univ., Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Choi, Jonggyun; Lee, Jangsoo [Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

2013-05-15

PLC (Programmable Logic Controller)-based Software development, the design programs are translated into implementation programs, and behavioral equivalence between the design and implementation is demonstrated by formal method based technique. In FPGA-based software development, the design programs are also synthesized into implementation programs. However, in this process, testing and simulation based comparison techniques are mainly used. This paper proposes a formal method based technique to demonstrate behavioral equivalence between pre-synthesis and post-synthesis programs with VIS (Verification Interacting with Synthesis) verification system. We translated into BLIF-MV which is front-end of VIS, from Verlag and EDIF net list which synthesized from the same Verlag by an automatic synthesis tool. This paper proposes a formal method based technique to confirm correctness of synthesis by using equivalence checking of VIS verification system. In order to confirm the effectiveness of the proposed technique, we performed a case study with a part of prototype version of the RPS BP, and demonstrated a behavioral equivalence between Verlag HDL and EDIF post-synthesis net list.

Equivalence Checking between Pre-synthesis and Post-synthesis Programs by Using VIS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Jonghoon; Yoo, Junbeom; Choi, Jonggyun; Lee, Jangsoo

2013-01-01

PLC (Programmable Logic Controller)-based Software development, the design programs are translated into implementation programs, and behavioral equivalence between the design and implementation is demonstrated by formal method based technique. In FPGA-based software development, the design programs are also synthesized into implementation programs. However, in this process, testing and simulation based comparison techniques are mainly used. This paper proposes a formal method based technique to demonstrate behavioral equivalence between pre-synthesis and post-synthesis programs with VIS (Verification Interacting with Synthesis) verification system. We translated into BLIF-MV which is front-end of VIS, from Verlag and EDIF net list which synthesized from the same Verlag by an automatic synthesis tool. This paper proposes a formal method based technique to confirm correctness of synthesis by using equivalence checking of VIS verification system. In order to confirm the effectiveness of the proposed technique, we performed a case study with a part of prototype version of the RPS BP, and demonstrated a behavioral equivalence between Verlag HDL and EDIF post-synthesis net list

Implication of Abscisic Acid on Ripening and Quality in Sweet Cherries: Differential Effects during Pre- and Post-harvest

Science.gov (United States)

Tijero, Verónica; Teribia, Natalia; Muñoz, Paula; Munné-Bosch, Sergi

2016-01-01

Sweet cherry, a non-climacteric fruit, is usually cold-stored during post-harvest to prevent over-ripening. The aim of the study was to evaluate the role of abscisic acid (ABA) on fruit growth and ripening of this fruit, considering as well its putative implication in over-ripening and effects on quality. We measured the endogenous concentrations of ABA during the ripening of sweet cherries (Prunus avium L. var. Prime Giant) collected from orchard trees and in cherries exposed to 4°C and 23°C during 10 days of post-harvest. Furthermore, we examined to what extent endogenous ABA concentrations were related to quality parameters, such as fruit biomass, anthocyanin accumulation and levels of vitamins C and E. Endogenous concentrations of ABA in fruits increased progressively during fruit growth and ripening on the tree, to decrease later during post-harvest at 23°C. Cold treatment, however, increased ABA levels and led to an inhibition of over-ripening. Furthermore, ABA levels positively correlated with anthocyanin and vitamin E levels during pre-harvest, but not during post-harvest. We conclude that ABA plays a major role in sweet cherry development, stimulating its ripening process and positively influencing quality parameters during pre-harvest. The possible influence of ABA preventing over-ripening in cold-stored sweet cherries is also discussed. PMID:27200070

A comparative evaluation of semen parameters in pre- and post-Hurricane Katrina human population

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Caner Baran

2015-01-01

Full Text Available A natural disaster leading to accumulation of environmental contaminants may have substantial effects on the male reproductive system. Our aim was to compare and assess semen parameters in a normospermic population residing in the Southern Louisiana, USA area pre- and post-Hurricane Katrina. We retrospectively evaluated semen analyses data (n = 3452 of 1855 patients who attended the Tulane University Andrology/Fertility Clinic between 1999 and 2013. The study inclusion criteria were men whose semen analyses showed ≥ 1.5 ml volume; ≥15 million ml -1 sperm concentration; ≥39 million total sperm count; ≥40% motility; >30% morphology, with an abstinence interval of 2-7 days. After the inclusion criteria applied to the population, 367 normospermic patients were included in the study. Descriptive statistics and group-based analyses were performed to interpret the differences between the pre-Katrina (Group 1, 1999-2005 and the post-Katrina (Group 2, 2006-2013 populations. There were significant differences in motility, morphology, number of white blood cell, immature germ cell count, pH and presence of sperm agglutination, but surprisingly there were no significant differences in sperm count between the two populations. This long-term comparative analysis further documents that a major natural disaster with its accompanied environmental issues can influence certain semen parameters (e.g., motility and morphology and, by extension, fertility potential of the population of such areas.

EOQ model for perishable products with price-dependent demand, pre and post discounted selling price

Science.gov (United States)

Santhi, G.; Karthikeyan, K.

2017-11-01

In this article we introduce an economic order quantity model for perishable products like vegetables, fruits, milk, flowers, meat, etc.,with price-dependent demand, pre and post discounted selling price. Here we consider the demand is depending on selling price and deterioration rate is constant. Here we developed mathematical model to determine optimal discounton the unit selling price to maximize total profit. Numerical examples are given for illustrated.

A Teaching Method on Basic Chemistry for Freshman (II) : Teaching Method with Pre-test and Post-test

OpenAIRE

立木, 次郎; 武井, 庚二

2004-01-01

This report deals with review of a teaching method on basic chemistry for freshman in this first semester. We tried to review this teaching method with pre-test and post-test by means of the official and private questionnaires. Several hints and thoughts on teaching skills are obtained from this analysis.

Endoscopic third ventriculocisternostomies in the infant: Pre- and post-operative Magnetic resonance imaging evaluation elective project undergraduate prize 2000

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sharman, Anna

2000-12-01

PURPOSE: To determine whether it is possible to select patients with obstructive hydrocephalus, in the under 1 age group for endoscopic third ventriculocisternostomy (ETV) using pre-operative T2 weighted turbo spin echo (T2W-TSE) sagittal sequence Magnetic Resonance (MR) imaging; and to assess ventriculocisternostomy patency using post-operative T2W-TSE MR. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A retrospective review of MR examinations and clinical notes of 11 patients under 1 year of age who had ETV, was performed. The post-operative flow MR images were divided into the presence or absence of flow-related signal changes. RESULTS: In 6 of the 11 patients, ETV was successful (54.5%) i.e. no VP shunt or revision of the ETV was required. 9 patients had post-operative T2W-TSE MR examinations -- 8 of these 9 MR studies correlated to the clinical situation (89%). The remaining MR examination showed a CSF flow void but the ETV failed at 3 weeks. CONCLUSION: Pre-operative MR using T2W-TSE to select suitable candidates for ETV improves the success rate from < 40% to 54.5%. Post-operatively MRI is a good predictor of whether the ETV has been successful or not. Sharman, A. (2000)

A Process-Based Model of TCA Cycle Functioning to Analyze Citrate Accumulation in Pre- and Post-Harvest Fruits.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Audrey Etienne

Full Text Available Citrate is one of the most important organic acids in many fruits and its concentration plays a critical role in organoleptic properties. The regulation of citrate accumulation throughout fruit development, and the origins of the phenotypic variability of the citrate concentration within fruit species remain to be clarified. In the present study, we developed a process-based model of citrate accumulation based on a simplified representation of the TCA cycle to predict citrate concentration in fruit pulp during the pre- and post-harvest stages. Banana fruit was taken as a reference because it has the particularity of having post-harvest ripening, during which citrate concentration undergoes substantial changes. The model was calibrated and validated on the two stages, using data sets from three contrasting cultivars in terms of citrate accumulation, and incorporated different fruit load, potassium supply, and harvest dates. The model predicted the pre and post-harvest dynamics of citrate concentration with fairly good accuracy for the three cultivars. The model suggested major differences in TCA cycle functioning among cultivars during post-harvest ripening of banana, and pointed to a potential role for NAD-malic enzyme and mitochondrial malate carriers in the genotypic variability of citrate concentration. The sensitivity of citrate accumulation to growth parameters and temperature differed among cultivars during post-harvest ripening. Finally, the model can be used as a conceptual basis to study citrate accumulation in fleshy fruits and may be a powerful tool to improve our understanding of fruit acidity.

Electrochemical oxidation of zirconium alloys in pre-transition and post-transition kinetic regimes at corrosion in electrolyte solutions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Barkov, A.A.; Shavshin, V.M.

1986-01-01

With the aim of investigation on oxidation of zirconium alloys (Zr+2.5% Nb) the critical thickness of beginning of spalling of froming oxide films in HCl and NHO 3 aqueous solutions was evaluated by coulometry with accelerated procedure. Some variants of predeposition of modificated oxide coatings are proposed increase pre-transition regime time and to decrease corrosion during post-transition regime. Increase in agressivity of solutions (addition of 1 vol.% HF) and UV irradiation are found to increase 3-4 times pre-transition period

Exogenous Alpha-Synuclein Alters Pre- and Post-Synaptic Activity by Fragmenting Lipid Rafts

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marco Emanuele

2016-05-01

Full Text Available Alpha-synuclein (αSyn interferes with multiple steps of synaptic activity at pre-and post-synaptic terminals, however the mechanism/s by which αSyn alters neurotransmitter release and synaptic potentiation is unclear. By atomic force microscopy we show that human αSyn, when incubated with reconstituted membrane bilayer, induces lipid rafts' fragmentation. As a consequence, ion channels and receptors are displaced from lipid rafts with consequent changes in their activity. The enhanced calcium entry leads to acute mobilization of synaptic vesicles, and exhaustion of neurotransmission at later stages. At the post-synaptic terminal, an acute increase in glutamatergic transmission, with increased density of PSD-95 puncta, is followed by disruption of the interaction between N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor (NMDAR and PSD-95 with ensuing decrease of long term potentiation. While cholesterol loading prevents the acute effect of αSyn at the presynapse; inhibition of casein kinase 2, which appears activated by reduction of cholesterol, restores the correct localization and clustering of NMDARs.

Graphical user interface for TOUGH/TOUGH2 - development of database, pre-processor, and post-processor

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sato, Tatsuya; Okabe, Takashi; Osato, Kazumi [Geothermal Energy Research and Development Co., Ltd., Tokyo (Japan)

1995-03-01

One of the advantages of the TOUGH/TOUGH2 (Pruess, 1987 and 1991) is the modeling using {open_quotes}free shape{close_quotes} polygonal blocks. However, the treatment of three-dimensional information, particularly for TOUGH/TOUGH2 is not easy because of the {open_quotes}free shape{close_quotes} polygonal blocks. Therefore, we have developed a database named {open_quotes}GEOBASE{close_quotes} and a pre/post-processor named {open_quotes}GEOGRAPH{close_quotes} for TOUGH/TOUGH2 on engineering work station (EWS). {open_quotes}GEOGRAPH{close_quotes} is based on the ORACLE{sup *1} relational database manager system to access data sets of surface exploration (geology, geophysics, geochemistry, etc.), drilling (well trajectory, geological column, logging, etc.), well testing (production test, injection test, interference test, tracer test, etc.) and production/injection history.{open_quotes}GEOGRAPH{close_quotes} consists of {open_quotes}Pre-processor{close_quotes} that can construct the three-dimensional free shape reservoir modeling by mouse operation on X-window and {open_quotes}Post-processor{close_quotes} that can display several kinds of two/three-dimensional maps and X-Y plots to compile data on {open_quotes}GEOBASE{close_quotes} and result of TOUGH/TOUGH2 calculation. This paper shows concept of the systems and examples of utilization.

Post-exercise hypotensive responses following an acute bout of aquatic and overground treadmill walking in people post-stroke: a pilot study.

Science.gov (United States)

Lai, Byron; Jeng, Brenda; Vrongistinos, Konstantinos; Jung, Taeyou

2015-06-01

The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of a single-bout of aquatic treadmill walking (ATW) and overground treadmill walking (OTW) on the magnitude and duration of post-exercise ambulatory blood pressure (BP) in people post-stroke. Seven people post-stroke participated in a cross-sectional comparative study. BP was monitored for up to 9 hours after a 15-minute bout of ATW and OTW at approximately 70% of maximal oxygen consumption (VO2max), performed on separate days. Mean systolic and diastolic BP values were compared between both exercise conditions and a day without exercise (control). Three hours after OTW, mean SBP increased by 9% from pre-exercise baseline compared to a 3% decrease during the control day (P stroke can sustain sufficient walking intensities necessary to reduce BP following cardiovascular exercise. Also, these data suggest that ATW can elicit clinically meaningful reductions in DBP and night-time SBP. Thus, it is recommended for clinicians to consider ATW as a non-pharmaceutical means to regulate DBP and promote nighttime dipping of SBP in people post-stroke. However, caution is advised during the immediate hours after exercise, a period of possible BP inflation.

Twelve month follow-up on a randomised controlled trial of relaxation training for post-stroke anxiety.

Science.gov (United States)

Golding, Katherine; Fife-Schaw, Chris; Kneebone, Ian

2017-09-01

To follow up participants in a randomised controlled trial of relaxation training for anxiety after stroke at 12 months. Twelve month follow-up to a randomised controlled trial, in which the control group also received treatment. Community. Fifteen of twenty one original participants with post-stroke anxiety participated in a one year follow-up study. A self-help autogenic relaxation CD listened to five times a week for one month, immediately in the intervention group and after three months in the control group. Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale-Anxiety subscale and the Telephone Interview of Cognitive Status for inclusion. Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale-Anxiety subscale for outcome. All measures were administered by phone. Anxiety ratings reduced significantly between pre and post-intervention, and between pre-intervention and one year follow-up ( χ 2 (2) = 22.29, p autogenic relaxation CD appear to be maintained after one year.

Histopathological analysis of pre-implantation donor kidney biopsies: association with graft survival and function in one year post-transplantation

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Karla Lais Pêgas

2014-04-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Pre-implantation kidney biopsy is a decision-making tool when considering the use of grafts from deceased donors with expanded criteria, implanting one or two kidneys and comparing this to post-transplantation biopsies. The role of histopathological alterations in kidney compartments as a prognostic factor in graft survival and function has had conflicting results. Objective: This study evaluated the prevalence of chronic alterations in pre-implant biopsies of kidney grafts and the association of findings with graft function and survival in one year post-transplant. Methods: 110 biopsies were analyzed between 2006 and 2009 at Santa Casa de Porto Alegre, including live donors, ideal deceased donors and those with expanded criteria. The score was computed according to criteria suggested by Remuzzi. The glomerular filtration rate (GFR was calculated using the abbreviated MDRD formula. Results: No statistical difference was found in the survival of donors stratified according to Remuzzi criteria. The GFR was significantly associated with the total scores in the groups with mild and moderate alterations, and in the kidney compartments alone, by univariate analysis. The multivariate model found an association with the presence of arteriosclerosis, glomerulosclerosis, acute rejection and delayed graft function. Conclusion: Pre-transplant chronic kidney alterations did not influence the post-transplantation one-year graft survival, but arteriosclerosis and glomerulosclerosis is predictive of a worse GFR. Delayed graft function and acute rejection are independent prognostic factors.

An assessment of basic pain knowledge and impact of pain education on Indian Anaesthesiologists - a pre and post questionnaire study

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Sumitra G Bakshi

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Background and Aim: Under-treatment of pain is a global phenomenon and the basic knowledge of pain amongst health care providers continues to be deficient. The aim of this study was to determine the basic prevalent knowledge of pain among Indian anaesthesiologists and the impact of a pain educational programme on their existing knowledge. Methods: A nine lectures pain continuing medical education (CME program was conducted for 114 young anaesthesiologists. All delegates were given 21-item questionnaire in a pre and post-test design. The 69 paired responses were compared for individual questions using McNemar test and the overall improvement in knowledge was analysed using paired t-test. Results: The pre-test score for correct answers was 61.9%. The post-test score was 69.8% and this improvement was found to be statistically significant (P < 0.001. A significant improvement in perception was detected that ′opioids usage was less likely to cause addiction′ (correct responses increased from 4.2 to 77.4%, P = 0.001. Conclusion: The questionnaire study found that the current basic knowledge about pain amongst young anaesthesiologists is deficient. The physician′s major concerns were opioid addiction and respiratory depression with opioid usage. The results of pre and post-test questionnaire survey have shown that pain education can help in improving knowledge of pain management.

Prevalence of and management factors contributing to Cryptosporidium sp. infection in pre-weaned and post-weaned calves in Johor, Malaysia.

Science.gov (United States)

Muhid, Aida; Robertson, Ian; Ng, Josephine; Ryan, Una

2011-02-01

A cross-sectional study was carried out to identify species and determine the prevalence of Cryptosporidium sp. shedding in pre-weaned and post-weaned dairy calves and to identify management factors that may be contributing to disease. A total of 240 calf faecal samples were collected from 16 farms in two districts in Johor, Malaysia, and screened by PCR. The overall Cryptosporidium prevalence was 27.1%. The prevalence of Cryptosporidium species in pre-weaned calves was 32.4% for C. parvum, 26.5% for C. bovis, followed by C. andersoni (20.6%), C. ryanae (11.8%) and mixed sp. (8.8%). The prevalence of Cryptosporidium species in post-weaned calves was 35% for C. bovis followed by C. andersoni and C. ryanae (30% each) and mixed sp. (5%). Subtyping analysis of 8 of the 11 C. parvum isolates at the gp60 locus identified five isolates as IIdA15G1, one as IIa18A3R1 and two isolates as IIa17G2R1. Management factors that increased the risk of Cryptosporidium infection included having other cattle farms close by, feeding calves with saleable milk, keeping pre-weaned calves in pens with slatted floors and keeping post-weaned calves in pens with a sand floor. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Pre- and Post-Conditions Expressed in Variants of the Modal µ-Calculus

Science.gov (United States)

Tanabe, Yoshinori; Sekizawa, Toshifusa; Yuasa, Yoshifumi; Takahashi, Koichi

Properties of Kripke structures can be expressed by formulas of the modal µ-calculus. Despite its strong expressive power, the validity problem of the modal µ-calculus is decidable, and so are some of its variants enriched by inverse programs, graded modalities, and nominals. In this study, we show that the pre- and post-conditions of transformations of Kripke structures, such as addition/deletion of states and edges, can be expressed using variants of the modal µ-calculus. Combined with decision procedures we have developed for those variants, the properties of sequences of transformations on Kripke structures can be deduced. We show that these techniques can be used to verify the properties of pointer-manipulating programs.

The Role of Post-Resuscitation Electrocardiogram in Patients With ST-Segment Changes in the Immediate Post-Cardiac Arrest Period.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Youn-Jung; Min, Sun-Yang; Lee, Dong Hun; Lee, Byung Kook; Jeung, Kyung Woon; Lee, Hui Jai; Shin, Jonghwan; Ko, Byuk Sung; Ahn, Shin; Nam, Gi-Byoung; Lim, Kyoung Soo; Kim, Won Young

2017-03-13

The authors aimed to evaluate the role of post-resuscitation electrocardiogram (ECG) in patients showing significant ST-segment changes on the initial ECG and to provide useful diagnostic indicators for physicians to determine in which out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) patients brain computed tomography (CT) should be performed before emergency coronary angiography. The usefulness of immediate brain CT and ECG for all resuscitated patients with nontraumatic OHCA remains controversial. Between January 2010 and December 2014, 1,088 consecutive adult nontraumatic patients with return of spontaneous circulation who visited the emergency department of 3 tertiary care hospitals were enrolled. After excluding 245 patients with obvious extracardiac causes, 200 patients were finally included. The patients were categorized into 2 groups: those with ST-segment changes with spontaneous subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) (n = 50) and those with OHCA of suspected cardiac origin group (n = 150). The combination of 4 ECG characteristics including narrow QRS (<120 ms), atrial fibrillation, prolonged QTc interval (≥460 ms), and ≥4 ST-segment depressions had a 66.0% sensitivity, 80.0% specificity, 52.4% positive predictive value, and 87.6% negative predictive value for predicting SAH. The area under the receiver-operating characteristic curves in the post-resuscitation ECG findings was 0.816 for SAH. SAH was observed in a substantial number of OHCA survivors (25.0%) with significant ST-segment changes on post-resuscitation ECG. Resuscitated patients with narrow QRS complex and any 2 ECG findings of atrial fibrillation, QTc interval prolongation, or ≥4 ST-segment depressions may help identify patients who need brain CT as the next diagnostic work-up. Copyright © 2017 American College of Cardiology Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Reducing child abuse amongst adolescents in low- and middle-income countries: A pre-post trial in South Africa

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Lucie Cluver

2016-07-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background No known studies have tested the effectiveness of child abuse prevention programmes for adolescents in low- or middle-income countries. ‘Parenting for Lifelong Health’ ( http://tiny.cc/whoPLH is a collaborative project to develop and rigorously test abuse-prevention parenting programmes for free use in low-resource contexts. Research aims of this first pre-post trial in South Africa were: i to identify indicative effects of the programme on child abuse and related outcomes; ii to investigate programme safety for testing in a future randomised trial, and iii to identify potential adaptations. Methods Two hundred thirty participants (adolescents and their primary caregivers were recruited from schools, welfare services and community-sampling in rural, high-poverty South Africa (no exclusion criteria. All participated in a 12-week parenting programme, implemented by local NGO childcare workers to ensure real-world external validity. Standardised pre-post measures with adolescents and caregivers were used, and paired t-tests were conducted for primary outcomes: abuse (physical, emotional abuse and neglect, adolescent behaviour problems and parenting (positive and involved parenting, poor monitoring and inconsistent discipline, and secondary outcomes: mental health, social support and substance use. Results Participants reported high levels of socio-economic deprivation, e.g. 60 % of adolescents had either an HIV-positive caregiver or were orphaned by AIDS, and 50 % of caregivers experienced intimate partner violence. i indicative effects: Primary outcomes comparing pre-test and post-test assessments showed reductions reported by adolescents and caregivers in child abuse (adolescent report 63.0 % pre-test to 29.5 % post-test, caregiver report 75.5 % pre-test to 36.5 % post-test, both p < 0.001 poor monitoring/inconsistent discipline (p < .001, adolescent delinquency/aggressive behaviour (both p < .001, and

Evaluating the efficacy of pre- and post-emergence herbicides for controlling Amaranthus retroflexus L. and Chenopodium album L. in potato

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Alebrahim, M. T.; Majd, R.; Rashed Mohassel, M. H.

2012-01-01

Field studies were conducted from 2008 to 2010 to evaluate the control of Amaranthus retroflexus and Chenopodium album and tolerance of potato (Solanum tuberosum cv. Agria) to ethalfluralin, trifluralin, pendimethalin, rimsulfuron, EPTC and oxadiargyl applied pre-emergence (PRE) and post-emergenc...

Prevalence and risk factors of pre-hypertension in Congolese pre ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Prevalence and risk factors of pre-hypertension in Congolese pre and post menopausal women. M.J.S. Muchanga, F.B. Lepira, R Tozin, E.P. Mbelambela, N.R. Ngatu, E.K. Sumaili, J.R. Makulo, N Suganuma ...

Temporal variability of benzene concentration in the ambient air of Delhi: a comparative assessment of pre- and post-CNG periods.

Science.gov (United States)

Khillare, P S; Hoque, Raza Rafiqul; Shridhar, Vijay; Agarwal, Tripti; Balachandran, S

2008-06-15

CNG (compressed natural gas) was fully implemented in public transport system in Delhi in December 2002. The study assesses the benzene concentration trends at two busy traffic intersections and a background site in Delhi, India. Monitoring was done for two different time periods viz; in the year 2001-2002 (pre-CNG) and two winter months (January and February) of the year 2007 (post-CNG) to assess the impact of various policy measures adopted by the government of Delhi to improve the air quality in the city. Annual average benzene concentration for the pre-CNG period was found to be 86.47+/-53.24 microg m(-3). Average benzene concentrations for the winter months (January-February) of pre- and post-CNG periods were 116.32+/-51.65 microg m(-3) and 187.49+/-22.50 microg m(-3), respectively. Enhanced values could be solely attributed to the increase in the vehicular population from 3.5 million in the year 2001-2002 to approximately 5.1 millions in the year 2007.

Effect of therapeutic Swedish massage on anxiety level and vital signs of Intensive Care Unit patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Alves da Silva, Tatiana; Stripari Schujmann, Debora; Yamada da Silveira, Leda Tomiko; Caromano, Fátima Aparecida; Fu, Carolina

2017-07-01

To evaluate how Swedish massage affects the level of anxiety and vital signs of Intensive Care Unit (ICU) patients. Quasi-experimental study. ICU patients, 18-50 years old, cooperative, respiratory and hemodynamic stable, not under invasive mechanical ventilation. allergic to massage oil, vascular or orthopedic post-operative, skin lesions, thrombosis, fractures. A 30-min Swedish massage was applied once. arterial pressure, heart rate, respiratory rate, S-STAI questionnaire. Timing of evaluation: pre-massage, immediately post-massage, 30 min post-massage. Comparison: T-test, corrected by Bonferroni method, level of significance of 5%, confidence interval of 95%. 48 patients included, 30 (62.5%) female, mean age 55.46 (15.70) years old. Mean S-STAI pre-massage: 42.51 (9.48); immediately post-massage: 29.34 (6.37); 30 min post-massage: 32.62 (8.56), p < 0.001 for all comparison. Mean vital signs achieved statistical significance between pre-massage and immediately post-massage. Swedish massage reduced anxiety of ICU patients immediately and 30 min post-massage. Vital signs were reduced immediately post-massage. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Post-transcriptional regulation of ribosome biogenesis in yeast

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Isabelle C. Kos-Braun

2017-05-01

Full Text Available Most microorganisms are exposed to the constantly and often rapidly changing environment. As such they evolved mechanisms to balance their metabolism and energy expenditure with the resources available to them. When resources become scarce or conditions turn out to be unfavourable for growth, cells reduce their metabolism and energy usage to survive. One of the major energy consuming processes in the cell is ribosome biogenesis. Unsurprisingly, cells encountering adverse conditions immediately shut down production of new ribosomes. It is well established that nutrient depletion leads to a rapid repression of transcription of the genes encoding ribosomal proteins, ribosome biogenesis factors as well as ribosomal RNA (rRNA. However, if pre-rRNA processing and ribosome assembly are regulated post-transcriptionally remains largely unclear. We have recently uncovered that the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae rapidly switches between two alternative pre-rRNA processing pathways depending on the environmental conditions. Our findings reveal a new level of complexity in the regulation of ribosome biogenesis.

Post-exercise effects on aortic wave reflection derived from wave separation analysis in young- to middle-aged pre-hypertensives and hypertensives.

Science.gov (United States)

Millen, Aletta M E; Woodiwiss, Angela J; Norton, Gavin R

2016-07-01

Decreases in brachial blood pressure (BP) may occur for several hours following a bout of exercise. Although aortic backward waves predict cardiovascular damage independent of brachial BP, whether decreases in aortic backward waves also occur post-exercise in young-to-middle-aged hypertensives, the extent to which these changes exceed brachial BP changes, and the best method of identifying these changes is uncertain. We examined aortic function at baseline and 15-min post-exercise in 20 pre-hypertensive or hypertensive men and women (age 45 ± 7 years). Central aortic pressure, forward (Pf) and backward (Pb) wave pressures, the reflection index (RI) and augmentation pressure (AP) and index (AIx) were determined using applanation tonometry, and SphygmoCor software. Decreases in central aortic (p exercise. In addition, decreases in post-exercise (baseline versus post-exercise) Pb (19 ± 4 vs 13 ± 3 mm Hg p aged pre-hypertensive and hypertensive individuals, aortic backward waves decrease post-exercise; this change is not reflected in brachial BP measurements and is poorly indexed by measures of pressure augmentation.

Correlation of pre-and post-induction chemotherapy 18-FDG PET findings with histopathology in patients with locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chan, Andrea M.; Berlangieri, Sam; Ngai, Michael W.

2009-01-01

Full text: Objective: To correlate 18F-FDG PET metabolic response to therapy with histopathology and survival, in patients with locally advanced (stage IIl) non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) receiving induction chemotherapy. Methods: A retrospective review of all patients with stage III NSCLC planned for induction chemotherapy and surgical resection, in whom pre- and post-chemotherapy FDG-PET at Austin Health between 2004 and 2007 was performed. The staging and positive nodal stations as determined by PET was compared to histopathological findings after resection. The tumour response on serial FDG PET was also compared to overall outcome. Results: 9 patients were included. There was a 100 % correlation between pre- or post- chemotherapy nodal staging and final histopathological nodal stage. Ninety percent of all positive nodal stations (9/10) seen on histopathology were correctly localised by pre- or post-chemotherapy FDG PET. Only one patient with a metastatic lymph node at nodal station 9 R could not be localised by prior PET studies. Of the patients in whom a down-staging in tumour status was observed on the postchemotherapy FDG-PET, 83% (5/6) of patients were still alive (follow-up range of 8 to 40 months) as compared with 33% (1/3 ) (follow-up range of 9-13 months) for non-responders. Conclusion: There is good correlation between pre- and/or post- chemotherapy FDG PET and final histopathology for the nodal staging of stage III NSCLC. There is an overall trend for those patients in whom PET resulted in a down-staging of tumour to have a longer survival.

Post-partum recovery course in patients with gestational hypertension and pre-eclampsia.

Science.gov (United States)

Mikami, Yukiko; Takagi, Kenjiro; Itaya, Yukiko; Ono, Yoshihisa; Matsumura, Hideyoshi; Takai, Yasushi; Seki, Hiroyuki

2014-04-01

We examined the post-partum recovery course in patients with pre-eclampsia (PE) and gestational hypertension (GH) and evaluated the associated factors. In a retrospective review of 145 patients with GH or PE who gave birth between 1 January 2008 and 30 October 2011 at our institution, there were 125 PE and 20 GH cases. Data collected included the gestational age at initial examination and delivery, delivery mode, time for normalization of blood pressure (BP), and time until resolution of proteinuria in PE patients. Comparisons were made between singleton and multiple pregnancies, onset (early, hypertension and proteinuria, respectively. The time for BP normalization was longer in the early-onset group. The time for resolution of proteinuria was not affected by any factor examined. A post-partum observation period of 12 weeks is acceptable for differentiating PE and GH from chronic hypertension or renal disease. GH severity did not affect the recovery period, but proteinuria severity did. Onset time was a factor influencing the recovery from PE and GH. © 2014 The Authors. Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology Research © 2014 Japan Society of Obstetrics and Gynecology.

Causation analysis between stock price and exchange rate: Pre and post crisis study on Malaysia

OpenAIRE

Baharom, A.H.; Royfaizal, R. C; Habibullah, M.S.

2008-01-01

The furore and chaos created by the Asian financial crisis have ignited many studies on numerous subjects, and it is believed that the crisis has changed the way nations being administered and policies formed and implemented especially those regarding monetary and fiscal policies. Johansen (1991) cointegration method was used and the period was divided into two sub periods, albeit pre crisis and post crisis. The results obtained are similar with a number of past literatures pointing to no lon...

Elevating serotonin pre-partum alters the Holstein dairy cow hepatic adaptation to lactation

Science.gov (United States)

Weaver, Samantha R.; Prichard, Allan S.; Maerz, Noah L.; Prichard, Austin P.; Endres, Elizabeth L.; Hernández-Castellano, Lorenzo E.; Akins, Matthew S.; Bruckmaier, Rupert M.

2017-01-01

Serotonin is known to regulate energy and calcium homeostasis in several mammalian species. The objective of this study was to determine if pre-partum infusions of 5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP), the immediate precursor to serotonin synthesis, could modulate energy homeostasis at the level of the hepatocyte in post-partum Holstein and Jersey dairy cows. Twelve multiparous Holstein cows and twelve multiparous Jersey cows were intravenously infused daily for approximately 7 d pre-partum with either saline or 1 mg/kg bodyweight of 5-HTP. Blood was collected for 14 d post-partum and on d30 post-partum. Liver biopsies were taken on d1 and d7 post-partum. There were no changes in the circulating concentrations of glucose, insulin, glucagon, non-esterified fatty acids, or urea nitrogen in response to treatment, although there were decreased beta-hydroxybutyrate concentrations with 5-HTP treatment around d6 to d10 post-partum, particularly in Jersey cows. Cows infused with 5-HTP had increased hepatic serotonin content and increased mRNA expression of the serotonin 2B receptor on d1 and d7 post-partum. Minimal changes were seen in the hepatic mRNA expression of various gluconeogenic enzymes. There were no changes in the mRNA expression profile of cell-cycle progression marker cyclin-dependent kinase 4 or apoptotic marker caspase 3, although proliferating cell nuclear antigen expression tended to be increased in Holstein cows infused with 5-HTP on d1 post-partum. Immunofluorescence assays showed an increased number of CASP3- and Ki67-positive cells in Holstein cows infused with 5-HTP on d1 post-partum. Given the elevated hepatic serotonin content and increased mRNA abundance of 5HTR2B, 5-HTP infusions may be stimulating an autocrine-paracrine adaptation to lactation in the Holstein cow liver. PMID:28922379

Elevating serotonin pre-partum alters the Holstein dairy cow hepatic adaptation to lactation.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Samantha R Weaver

Full Text Available Serotonin is known to regulate energy and calcium homeostasis in several mammalian species. The objective of this study was to determine if pre-partum infusions of 5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP, the immediate precursor to serotonin synthesis, could modulate energy homeostasis at the level of the hepatocyte in post-partum Holstein and Jersey dairy cows. Twelve multiparous Holstein cows and twelve multiparous Jersey cows were intravenously infused daily for approximately 7 d pre-partum with either saline or 1 mg/kg bodyweight of 5-HTP. Blood was collected for 14 d post-partum and on d30 post-partum. Liver biopsies were taken on d1 and d7 post-partum. There were no changes in the circulating concentrations of glucose, insulin, glucagon, non-esterified fatty acids, or urea nitrogen in response to treatment, although there were decreased beta-hydroxybutyrate concentrations with 5-HTP treatment around d6 to d10 post-partum, particularly in Jersey cows. Cows infused with 5-HTP had increased hepatic serotonin content and increased mRNA expression of the serotonin 2B receptor on d1 and d7 post-partum. Minimal changes were seen in the hepatic mRNA expression of various gluconeogenic enzymes. There were no changes in the mRNA expression profile of cell-cycle progression marker cyclin-dependent kinase 4 or apoptotic marker caspase 3, although proliferating cell nuclear antigen expression tended to be increased in Holstein cows infused with 5-HTP on d1 post-partum. Immunofluorescence assays showed an increased number of CASP3- and Ki67-positive cells in Holstein cows infused with 5-HTP on d1 post-partum. Given the elevated hepatic serotonin content and increased mRNA abundance of 5HTR2B, 5-HTP infusions may be stimulating an autocrine-paracrine adaptation to lactation in the Holstein cow liver.

Pre- and post-weaning diet alters the faecal metagenome in the cat with differences vitamin and carbohydrate metabolism gene abundances

Science.gov (United States)

Young, Wayne; Moon, Christina D.; Thomas, David G.; Cave, Nick J.; Bermingham, Emma N.

2016-01-01

Dietary format, and its role in pet nutrition, is of interest to pet food manufacturers and pet owners alike. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of pre- and post-weaning diets (kibbled or canned) on the composition and function of faecal microbiota in the domestic cat by shotgun metagenomic sequencing and gene taxonomic and functional assignment using MG-RAST. Post-weaning diet had a dramatic effect on community composition; 147 of the 195 bacterial species identified had significantly different mean relative abundances between kittens fed kibbled and canned diets. The kittens fed kibbled diets had relatively higher abundances of Lactobacillus (>100-fold), Bifidobacterium (>100-fold), and Collinsella (>9-fold) than kittens fed canned diets. There were relatively few differences in the predicted microbiome functions associated with the pre-weaning diet. Post-weaning diet affected the abundance of functional gene groups. Genes involved in vitamin biosynthesis, metabolism, and transport, were significantly enriched in the metagenomes of kittens fed the canned diet. The impact of post-weaning diet on the metagenome in terms of vitamin biosynthesis functions suggests that modulation of the microbiome function through diet may be an important avenue for improving the nutrition of companion animals. PMID:27876765

Health worker and policy-maker perspectives on use of intramuscular artesunate for pre-referral and definitive treatment of severe malaria at health posts in Ethiopia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Takele Kefyalew

2016-10-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The World Health Organization (WHO recommends injectable artesunate given either intravenously or by the intramuscular route for definitive treatment for severe malaria and recommends a single intramuscular dose of intramuscular artesunate or intramuscular artemether or intramuscular quinine, in that order of preference as pre-referral treatment when definitive treatment is not possible. Where intramuscular injections are not available, children under 6 years may be administered a single dose of rectal artesunate. Although the current malaria treatment guidelines in Ethiopia recommend intra-rectal artesunate or alternatively intramuscular artemether or intramuscular quinine as pre-referral treatment for severe malaria at the health posts, there are currently no WHO prequalified suppliers of intra-rectal artesunate and when available, its use is limited to children under 6 years of age leaving a gap for the older age groups. Intramuscular artesunate is not part of the drugs recommended for pre-referral treatment in Ethiopia. This study assessed the perspectives of health workers, and policy-makers on the use of intramuscular artesunate as a pre-referral and definitive treatment for severe malaria at the health post level. Methods In-depth interviews were held with 101 individuals including health workers, malaria focal persons, and Regional Health Bureaus from Oromia and southern nations, nationalities, and peoples’ region, as well as participants from the Federal Ministry of Health and development partners. An interview guide was used in the data collection and thematic content analysis was employed for analysis. Results Key findings from this study are: (1 provision of intramuscular artesunate as pre-referral and definitive treatment for severe malaria at health posts could be lifesaving; (2 with adequate training, and provision of facilities including beds, health posts can provide definitive treatment for severe

Earnings management behavior of the initial public offering (IPO) firms during pre-IPO, IPO, and post-IPO years

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Farooq, Omar; Benali, Meryem

2012-01-01

This paper examines the pattern of earnings management around the IPO year in Morocco during the period between 2001 and 2007. Our results show that earnings management reaches its maximum level during the year of an IPO followed earnings management during the pre-IPO years and the post-IPO years...

Pre- and post-test analyses of a KKL turbine trip test at 109% power using RETRAN-3D

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Coddington, P

2001-03-01

As part of the PSI/HSK STARS project, pre-test calculations have been performed for a KKL turbine trip test at 109% power using the RETRAN-3D code. In this paper, we first present the results of these calculations, together with a description of the test and a comparison of the results with the measured plant data, and then discuss in more detail the differences between the pre-test results and the plant measurements, including the differences in the initial and boundary conditions, and how these differences influenced the calculated results. Finally, we comment on a series of post-test and sensitivity analyses, which were performed to resolve some of the discrepancies. The results of the pre-test (blind) calculations show good overall agreement with the experimental data, particularly for the maximum in the steam-line mass flow rate following the opening of the turbine bypass valves. This is of critical importance, since the steam-line flow has the least margin to the reactor scram limit. The agreement is especially good since the control rod banks used for the selected rod insertion were changed from those given in the test specification. Following a review of the comparison of the pre-test calculations with the measured data, several deficiencies in the RETRAN-3D model for KKL were identified and corrected as part of the post-test analysis. This allowed for both an improvement in the calculated results, and a deeper understanding of the behaviour of the turbine trip transient. (author)

Pre- and post-test analyses of a KKL turbine trip test at 109% power using RETRAN-3D

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Coddington, P.

2001-01-01

As part of the PSI/HSK STARS project, pre-test calculations have been performed for a KKL turbine trip test at 109% power using the RETRAN-3D code. In this paper, we first present the results of these calculations, together with a description of the test and a comparison of the results with the measured plant data, and then discuss in more detail the differences between the pre-test results and the plant measurements, including the differences in the initial and boundary conditions, and how these differences influenced the calculated results. Finally, we comment on a series of post-test and sensitivity analyses, which were performed to resolve some of the discrepancies. The results of the pre-test (blind) calculations show good overall agreement with the experimental data, particularly for the maximum in the steam-line mass flow rate following the opening of the turbine bypass valves. This is of critical importance, since the steam-line flow has the least margin to the reactor scram limit. The agreement is especially good since the control rod banks used for the selected rod insertion were changed from those given in the test specification. Following a review of the comparison of the pre-test calculations with the measured data, several deficiencies in the RETRAN-3D model for KKL were identified and corrected as part of the post-test analysis. This allowed for both an improvement in the calculated results, and a deeper understanding of the behaviour of the turbine trip transient. (author)

Nursing care system development for patients with cleft lip-palate and craniofacial deformities in Srinagarind Hospital: pre-post operation.

Science.gov (United States)

Augsornwan, Darawan; Pattangtanang, Pantamanas; Pikhunthod, Kritsana

2011-12-01

Cleft lip and palate are the most common craniofacial anomalies. Srinagarind Hospital has 150-200 cases each year. The operating process of care requires continuity of care involving a multidisciplinary team. When the patients go to hospital to have operation, pain, limited activity and food are very different from normal life. During pre and post operative care nurses who work continuously and closely with the patients should have knowledge, experience and ability to take excellent care of their patients and families. This can prevent complications and help their decision process, decrease parents stress and encourage better co-operation. To develop a nursing care system for patients with cleft lip-palate undergoing operation. This is an action research divided into 3 phases. Phase 1, situation review: review of nursing care process by interview, focus group, observation and nursing documents. Phase 2, nursing system management: developing guidelines, composing nursing manual, handbook for parents, VCD for patients and family and story telling. Following that announcement and implementation. Phase 3: evaluation. The authors found that guidelines, nursing manual, handbook for parents, VCD for patients and family and story telling are appropriate and have good utilization, but the pictures in handbook for parents and storytelling were not clear, too small and not attractive. Nursing manual for giving information about pre-post operative care, handbook for parents, story telling and VCD about pre-post operative care provide optimal care for patients and family with cleft lip and palate, but need to evaluate further the nursing outcome after this nursing system development.

A pre-and-post study of an urban renewal program in a socially disadvantaged neighbourhood in Sydney, Australia

Science.gov (United States)

2012-01-01

Background Urban renewal programs aim to target both the physical and social environments to improve the social capital, social connectedness, sense of community and economic conditions of residents of the neighbourhoods. We evaluated the impact of an urban renewal program on the health and well-being of residents of a socially disadvantaged community in south-western Sydney, Australia. Methods Pre- and post-urban renewal program surveys were conducted with householders by trained interviewers. The urban renewal program was conducted over 16 months and consisted of internal upgrades (including internal painting; replacement of kitchens, bathrooms and carpets; general maintenance), external upgrades (including property painting; new fencing, carports, letterboxes, concrete driveways, drainage and landscaping), general external maintenance, and social interventions such as community engagement activities, employment initiatives, and building a community meeting place. The questionnaire asked about demographic characteristics, self-reported physical activity, psychological distress, self-rated health, and perceptions of aesthetics, safety and walkability in the neighbourhood. We used the paired chi-square test (McNemars test) to compare paired proportions. A Bonferroni corrected p-value of aesthetics, safety and walkability in the neighbourhood. However, post-urban renewal, more householders reported there were attractive buildings and homes in their neighbourhood (18% vs 64%), felt that they belonged to the neighbourhood (48% vs 70%), that their area had a reputation for being a safe place (8% vs 27%), that they felt safe walking down their street after dark (52% vs 85%), and that people who came to live in the neighbourhood would be more likely to stay rather than move elsewhere (13% vs 54%). Changes in psychological distress and self-rated health were not statistically significant. Conclusions We found an increase, in the short-term, in the proportion of

How well can post-traumatic stress disorder be predicted from pre-trauma risk factors? An exploratory study in the WHO World Mental Health Surveys

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kessler, Ronald C.; Rose, Sherri; Koenen, Karestan C.; Karam, Elie G.; Stang, Paul E.; Stein, Dan J.; Heeringa, Steven G.; Hill, Eric D.; Liberzon, Israel; McLaughlin, Katie A.; McLean, Samuel A.; Pennell, Beth E.; Petukhova, Maria; Rosellini, Anthony J.; Ruscio, Ayelet M.; Shahly, Victoria; Shalev, Arieh Y.; Silove, Derrick; Zaslavsky, Alan M.; Angermeyer, Matthias C.; Bromet, Evelyn J.; Caldas de Almeida, Jose Miguel; de Girolamo, Giovanni; de Jonge, Peter; Demyttenaere, Koen; Florescu, Silvia E.; Gureje, Oye; Haro, Josep Maria; Hinkov, Hristo; Kawakami, Norito; Kovess-Masfety, Viviane; Lee, Sing; Medina-Mora, Maria Elena; Murphy, Samuel D.; Navarro-Mateu, Fernando; Piazza, Marina; Posada-Villa, Jose; Scott, Kate; Torres, Yolanda; Viana, Maria Carmen

2014-01-01

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) should be one of the most preventable mental disorders, since many people exposed to traumatic experiences (TEs) could be targeted in first response settings in the immediate aftermath of exposure for preventive intervention. However, these interventions are

FUMEX cases 1, 2, and 3 calculated pre-test and post-test results

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Stefanova, S; Vitkova, M; Passage, G; Manolova, M; Simeonova, V [Bylgarska Akademiya na Naukite, Sofia (Bulgaria). Inst. za Yadrena Izsledvaniya i Yadrena Energetika; Scheglov, A; Proselkov, V [Russian Research Centre Kurchatov Inst., Moscow (Russian Federation); Kharalampieva, Ts [Kombinat Atomna Energetika, Kozloduj (Bulgaria)

1994-12-31

Two versions (modified pre-test and modified post-test) of PIN-micro code were used to analyse the fuel rod behaviour of three FUMEX experiments. The experience of applying PIN-micro code with its simple structure and old conception of the steady-state operation shows significant difficulties in treating the complex processes like those in FUMEX experiments. These difficulties were partially overcame through different model modifications and corrections based on special engineering estimations and the results obtained as a whole do not seem unreasonable. The calculations have been performed by a group from two Bulgarian institutions in collaboration with specialists from the Kurchatov Research Center. 1 tab., 14 figs., 8 refs.

Cholinesterase reactivators and bioscavengers for pre- and post-exposure treatments of organophosphorus poisoning.

Science.gov (United States)

Masson, Patrick; Nachon, Florian

2017-08-01

Organophosphorus agents (OPs) irreversibly inhibit acetylcholinesterase (AChE) causing a major cholinergic syndrome. The medical counter-measures of OP poisoning have not evolved for the last 30 years with carbamates for pretreatment, pyridinium oximes-based AChE reactivators, antimuscarinic drugs and neuroprotective benzodiazepines for post-exposure treatment. These drugs ensure protection of peripheral nervous system and mitigate acute effects of OP lethal doses. However, they have significant limitations. Pyridostigmine and oximes do not protect/reactivate central AChE. Oximes poorly reactivate AChE inhibited by phosphoramidates. In addition, current neuroprotectants do not protect the central nervous system shortly after the onset of seizures when brain damage becomes irreversible. New therapeutic approaches for pre- and post-exposure treatments involve detoxification of OP molecules before they reach their molecular targets by administrating catalytic bioscavengers, among them phosphotriesterases are the most promising. Novel generation of broad spectrum reactivators are designed for crossing the blood-brain barrier and reactivate central AChE. This is an article for the special issue XVth International Symposium on Cholinergic Mechanisms. © 2017 International Society for Neurochemistry.

Sediment Chemistry and Toxicity in Barnegat Bay, New Jersey: Pre- and Post- Hurricane Sandy, 2012-2013.

Science.gov (United States)

Romanok, Kristin M.; Szabo, Zoltan; Reilly, Timothy J.; Defne, Zafer; Ganju, Neil K.

2016-01-01

Hurricane Sandy made landfall in Barnegat Bay, October, 29, 2012, damaging shorelines and infrastructure. Estuarine sediment chemistry and toxicity were investigated before and after to evaluate potential environmental health impacts and to establish post-event baseline sediment-quality conditions. Trace element concentrations increased throughout Barnegat Bay up to two orders of magnitude, especially north of Barnegat Inlet, consistent with northward redistribution of silt. Loss of organic compounds, clay, and organic carbon is consistent with sediment winnowing and transport through the inlets and sediment transport modeling results. The number of sites exceeding sediment quality guidance levels for trace elements tripled post-Sandy. Sediment toxicity post-Sandy was mostly unaffected relative to pre-Sandy conditions, but at the site with the greatest relative increase for trace elements, survival rate of the test amphipod decreased (indicating degradation). This study would not have been possible without comprehensive baseline data enabling the evaluation of storm-derived changes in sediment quality.

Effectiveness of a Multimodal Therapy for Patients with Chronic Low Back Pain Regarding Pre-Admission Healthcare Utilization

Science.gov (United States)

Borys, Constanze; Lutz, Johannes; Strauss, Bernhard; Altmann, Uwe

2015-01-01

Objective The aim of the study was to examine the effectiveness of an intensive inpatient three-week multimodal therapy. We focused especially on the impact on the multimodal therapy outcome of the pre-admission number of treatment types patients had received and of medical specialist groups patients had consulted. Methods 155 patients with chronic low back pain and indication for multimodal therapy were evaluated with respect to pain intensity, depression, anxiety, well-being, and pre-admission health care utilization. In our controlled clinical trial we compared N = 66 patients on the waiting list with N = 89 patients who received immediate treatment. The waiting list patients likewise attended multimodal therapy after the waiting period. Longitudinal post-treatment data for both were collected at three- and twelve-month follow-ups. The impact of pre-admission health care utilization on multimodal therapy outcome (post) was analysed by structural equation model. Results Compared to the control group, multimodal therapy patients’ pain intensity and psychological variables were significantly reduced. Longitudinal effects with respect to pre-measures were significant at three-month follow-up for pain intensity (ES = -0.48), well-being (ES = 0.78), anxiety (ES = -0.33), and depression (ES = -0.30). Effect sizes at twelve-month follow-up were small for anxiety (ES = -0.22), and moderate for general well-being (ES = 0.61). Structural equation model revealed that a higher number of pre-admission treatment types was associated with poorer post-treatment outcomes in pain intensity, well-being, and depression. Conclusion Multimodal therapy proved to be effective with regard to improvements in pain intensity, depression, anxiety, and well-being. The association between treatment effect and number of pre-admission pain treatment types suggests that patients would benefit more from attending multimodal therapy in an earlier stage of health care. PMID:26599232

USE OF HYDROALCOHOLIC EXTRACT OF Schinus terebinthifolius Raddi IN PRE- AND POST-MILKING ANTISEPSIS OF THE TEAT IN DAIRY COWS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ângela Faccin

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Medicinal plants have been used for centuries as an alternative treatment for health problems. Schinus terebinthifolius Raddi is a median tree that belongs to the Anacardiaceae family. The antibacterial effect of leaves extract of this plant has already been demonstrated. The objective of this study was to test a substance derived from this plant to be used in pre- and post-milking teat antisepsis. The hydroalcoholic extract of Brazilian pepper tree was used in opposite quarters for twelve consecutive weeks, and commercial iodine was used as control. None of the indices analyzed – black background mug, CMT, intramammary infections, skin health, and teat health – showed a statistical difference between the treatments, suggesting that the plant extract can be used in pre- and post-milking teat antisepsis, as a substitute for conventional products for herds in an agroecological production system.

Knowledge of thromboprophylaxis guidelines pre- and post-didactic lectures during a venous thromboembolism awareness day at a tertiary-care hospital.

Science.gov (United States)

Al-Dorzi, Hasan M; Cherfan, Antoine; Al-Harbi, Shmylan; Al-Askar, Ahmad; Al-Azzam, Saleh; Hroub, Ahmad; Olivier, Joan; Al-Hameed, Fahad; Al-Moamary, Mohamed; Abdelaal, Mohamed; Poff, Gregory A; Arabi, Yaseen M

2013-07-01

Didactic lectures are frequently used to improve compliance with practice guidelines. This study assessed the knowledge of health-care providers (HCPs) at a tertiary-care hospital of its evidence-based thromboprophylaxis guidelines and the impact of didactic lectures on their knowledge. The hospital launched a multifaceted approach to improve thromboprophylaxis practices, which included posters, a pocket-size guidelines summary and didactic lectures during the annual thromboprophylaxis awareness days. A self-administered questionnaire was distributed to HCPs before and after lectures on thromboprophylaxis guidelines (June 2010). The questionnaire, formulated and validated by two physicians, two nurses and a clinical pharmacist, covered various subjects such as risk stratification, anticoagulant dosing and the choice of anticoagulants in specific clinical situations. Seventy-two and 63 HCPs submitted the pre- and post-test, respectively (62% physicians, 28% nurses, from different clinical disciplines). The mean scores were 7.8 ± 2.1 (median = 8.0, range = 2-12, maximum possible score = 15) for the pre-test and 8.4 ± 1.8 for the post-test, P = 0.053. There was no significant difference in the pre-test scores of nurses and physicians (7.9 ± 1.7 and 8.2 ± 2.4, respectively, P = 0.67). For the 35 HCPs who completed the pre- and post-tests, their scores were 7.7 ± 1.7 and 8.8 ± 1.6, respectively, P = 0.003. Knowledge of appropriate anticoagulant administration in specific clinical situations was frequently inadequate, with approximately two-thirds of participants failing to adjust low-molecular-weight heparin doses in patients with renal failure. Education via didactic lectures resulted in a modest improvement of HCPs' knowledge of thromboprophylaxis guidelines. This supports the need for a multifaceted approach to improve the awareness and implementation of thromboprophylaxis guidelines.

The Effects of Pre- and Post-Exercise Whey vs. Casein Protein Consumption on Body Composition and Performance Measures in Collegiate Female Athletes.

Science.gov (United States)

Wilborn, Colin D; Taylor, Lem W; Outlaw, Jordan; Williams, Laura; Campbell, Bill; Foster, Cliffa A; Smith-Ryan, Abbie; Urbina, Stacie; Hayward, Sara

2013-01-01

Two of the most popular forms of protein on the market are whey and casein. Both proteins are derived from milk but each protein differs in absorption rate and bioavailability, thus it is possible that each type of protein may contribute differently to the adaptations elicited through resistance training. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate the potential effects of ingestion of two types of protein in conjunction with a controlled resistance training program in collegiate female basketball players. Sixteen NCAA Division III female basketball players were matched according to body mass and randomly assigned in a double-blind manner to consume 24 g whey protein (WP) (N = 8, 20.0 ± 1.9 years, 1.58 ± 0.27 m, 66. 0 ± 4.9 kg, 27.0 ± 4.9 %BF) or 24 g casein protein (CP) (N = 8, 21.0 ± 2.8 years, 1.53 ± 0.29 m, 68.0 ± 2.9 kg, 25.0 ± 5.7 %BF) immediately pre- and post-exercise for eight weeks. Subjects participated in a supervised 4-day per week undulating periodized training program. At 0 and 8 weeks, subjects underwent DXA body composition analysis, and at 0 and 8 weeks underwent one repetition maximum (1RM) strength, muscle endurance, vertical jump, 5-10-5 agility run, and broad jump testing sessions. Data were analyzed using repeated measures ANOVA, and presented as mean ± SD changes from baseline after 60 days. No significant group x time interaction effects were observed among groups in changes in any variable (p > 0.05). A significant time effect was observed for body fat (WP: -2.0 ± 1.1 %BF; CP: -1.0 ± 1.6 %BF, p training program with pre- and post-exercise protein supplementation is capable of inducing significant changes in performance and body composition. There does not appear to be a difference in the performance- enhancing effects between whey and casein proteins. Key pointsFemales can experience and increase in performance makers from consuming protein after resistance training.Females can have a decreased body fat composition

Age-related Multiscale Changes in Brain Signal Variability in Pre-task versus Post-task Resting-state EEG.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Hongye; McIntosh, Anthony R; Kovacevic, Natasa; Karachalios, Maria; Protzner, Andrea B

2016-07-01

Recent empirical work suggests that, during healthy aging, the variability of network dynamics changes during task performance. Such variability appears to reflect the spontaneous formation and dissolution of different functional networks. We sought to extend these observations into resting-state dynamics. We recorded EEG in young, middle-aged, and older adults during a "rest-task-rest" design and investigated if aging modifies the interaction between resting-state activity and external stimulus-induced activity. Using multiscale entropy as our measure of variability, we found that, with increasing age, resting-state dynamics shifts from distributed to more local neural processing, especially at posterior sources. In the young group, resting-state dynamics also changed from pre- to post-task, where fine-scale entropy increased in task-positive regions and coarse-scale entropy increased in the posterior cingulate, a key region associated with the default mode network. Lastly, pre- and post-task resting-state dynamics were linked to performance on the intervening task for all age groups, but this relationship became weaker with increasing age. Our results suggest that age-related changes in resting-state dynamics occur across different spatial and temporal scales and have consequences for information processing capacity.

Principia designae pre-design, design, and post-design : social motive for the highly advanced technological society

CERN Document Server

2015-01-01

This book presents a broad design purview within the framework of “pre-design, design, and post-design” by focusing on the “motive of design,” which implies an underlying reason for the design of a product. The chapters are comprised of papers based on discussions at the “Design Research Leading Workshop” held in Nara, Japan, in 2013. This book encourages readers to enhance and expand their thinking within a widened design perspective.

Evaluation of nonmemory cognitive parameters in psychiatric patients? pre- and post-electroconvulsive therapy: An observational study

OpenAIRE

Prakash, Jyoti; Srivastava, Kalpana; Manandhar, Pradeep; Saha, Amitabh

2015-01-01

Introduction: Possibility of cognitive side effects has made electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) questionable. Variable deficits have been debated in memory cognition. Pattern of changes in nonmemory cognition pre- and post-ECT is not clear. Methodology: Forty patients undergoing ECT were studied on nonmemory cognitive parameters before ECT, after a course of ECT, and after 4 weeks of last. ECT. Results: Nonmemory cognition improved during the course of ECT and over 4 weeks of ECT. Co...

Immediate pain relief effect of low level laser therapy for sports injuries: Randomized, double-blind placebo clinical trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Takenori, A; Ikuhiro, M; Shogo, U; Hiroe, K; Junji, S; Yasutaka, T; Hiroya, K; Miki, N

2016-12-01

To determine the immediate pain relief effect of low-level laser therapy on sports injuries in athletes and degree of pain relief by the therapy. Double-blind, randomized, comparative clinical study. Participants were 32 college athletes with motion pain at a defined site. Participants were randomized into two groups in which the tested or placebo laser therapy was administered to determine pain intensity from painful action before and after laser irradiation, using the Modified Numerical Rating Scale. The post-therapeutic Modified Numerical Rating Scale score was subtracted from the pre-therapeutic Modified Numerical Rating Scale score to determine pain intensity difference, and the rate of pain intensity difference to pre-therapeutic Modified Numerical Rating Scale was calculated as pain relief rate. Low-level laser therapy was effective in 75% of the laser group, whereas it was not effective in the placebo group, indicating a significant difference in favor of the laser group (p<0.001). Pain relief rate was significantly higher in the laser group than in the placebo group (36.94% vs. 8.20%, respectively, p<0.001), with the difference in pain relief rate being 28.74%. Low-level laser therapy provided an immediate pain relief effect, reducing pain by 28.74%. It was effective for pain relief in 75% of participants. Copyright © 2016 Sports Medicine Australia. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Cardiovascular events and hospital resource utilization pre- and post-transcatheter mitral valve repair in high-surgical risk patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Vemulapalli, Sreekanth; Lippmann, Steven J; Krucoff, Mitchell; Hernandez, Adrian F; Curtis, Lesley H; Foster, Elyse; Qasim, Atif; Wang, Andrew; Glower, Donald D; Feldman, Ted; Hammill, Bradley G

2017-07-01

MitraClip is an approved therapy for mitral regurgitation (MR); however, health care resource utilization pre- and post-MitraClip remains understudied. Patients with functional and degenerative MR at high surgical risk in the EVEREST II High-Risk Registry and REALISM Continued-Access Study were linked to Medicare data. Pre- and post-MitraClip all-cause death, stroke, myocardial infarction, heart failure (HF), and bleeding hospitalizations were identified. Inpatient costs, adjusted to 2010 US dollars, were calculated, and event rate ratios and cost ratios were estimated with multivariable modeling. Among 403 linked patients, the mean age was 80 years, 60% were male, mean baseline left ventricular ejection fraction was 49.6%, 83.3% were New York Heart Association class III/IV, 78.2% were MR grade 3+/4+, and 63.3% had functional MR. All-cause hospitalization decreased from 1,854 to 1,435/1,000 person-years (Pproviders seeking to reduce HF hospitalizations and associated Medicare costs may consider MitraClip among appropriate patients likely to survive 1 year. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The role of human error in risk analysis: Application to pre- and post-maintenance procedures of process facilities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Noroozi, Alireza; Khakzad, Nima; Khan, Faisal; MacKinnon, Scott; Abbassi, Rouzbeh

2013-01-01

Human factors play an important role in the safe operation of a facility. Human factors include the systematic application of information about human characteristics and behavior to increase the safety of a process system. A significant proportion of human errors occur during the maintenance phase. However, the quantification of human error probabilities in the maintenance phase has not been given the amount of attention it deserves. This paper focuses on a human factors analysis in pre-and post- pump maintenance operations. The procedures for removing process equipment from service (pre-maintenance) and returning the equipment to service (post-maintenance) are considered for possible failure scenarios. For each scenario, human error probability is calculated for each activity using the Success Likelihood Index Method (SLIM). Consequences are also assessed in this methodology. The risk assessment is conducted for each component and the overall risk is estimated by adding individual risks. The present study is aimed at highlighting the importance of considering human error in quantitative risk analyses. The developed methodology has been applied to a case study of an offshore process facility

Waterfowl populations are resilient to immediate and lagged impacts of wildfires in the boreal forest

Science.gov (United States)

Lewis, Tyler; Schmutz, Joel A.; Amundson, Courtney L.; Lindberg, Mark S.

2016-01-01

Summary 1. Wildfires are the principal disturbance in the boreal forest, and their size and frequency are increasing as the climate warms. Impacts of fires on boreal wildlife are largely unknown, especially for the tens of millions of waterfowl that breed in the region. This knowledge gap creates significant barriers to the integrative management of fires and waterfowl, leading to fire policies that largely disregard waterfowl. 2. Waterfowl populations across the western boreal forest of North America have been monitored annually since 1955 by the Waterfowl Breeding Population and Habitat Survey (BPOP), widely considered the most extensive wildlife survey in the world. Using these data, we examined impacts of forest fires on abundance of two waterfowl guilds – dabblers and divers. We modelled waterfowl abundance in relation to fire extent (i.e. amount of survey transect burned) and time since fire, examining both immediate and lagged fire impacts. 3. From 1955 to 2014, >1100 fires in the western boreal forest intersected BPOP survey transects, and many transects burned multiple times. Nonetheless, fires had no detectable impact on waterfowl abundance; annual transect counts of dabbler and diver pairs remained stable from the pre- to post-fire period. 4. The absence of fire impacts on waterfowl abundance extended from the years immediately following the fire to those more than a decade afterwards. Likewise, the amount of transect burned did not influence waterfowl abundance, with similar pair counts from the pre- to post-fire period for small (1–20% burned), medium (21–60%) and large (>60%) burns. 5. Policy implications. Waterfowl populations appear largely resilient to forest fires, providing initial evidence that current policies of limited fire suppression, which predominate throughout much of the boreal forest, have not been detrimental to waterfowl populations. Likewise, fire-related management actions, such as prescribed burning or targeted suppression

Pre- and post-exposure safety and efficacy of attenuated rabies virus vaccines are enhanced by their expression of IFNγ

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Barkhouse, Darryll A. [Department of Cancer Biology, 1020 Locust St., Jefferson Alumni Hall, Room 454, Philadelphia, PA 19107 (United States); Center for Neurovirology 1020 Locust St., Jefferson Alumni Hall, Room 454, Philadelphia, PA 19107 (United States); Faber, Milosz [Center for Neurovirology 1020 Locust St., Jefferson Alumni Hall, Room 454, Philadelphia, PA 19107 (United States); Department of Microbiology and Immunology 1020 Locust St., Jefferson Alumni Hall, Room 465, Philadelphia, PA 19107 (United States); Hooper, D. Craig, E-mail: douglas.hooper@jefferson.edu [Department of Cancer Biology, 1020 Locust St., Jefferson Alumni Hall, Room 454, Philadelphia, PA 19107 (United States); Department of Neurological Surgery, 1020 Locust St., Jefferson Alumni Hall, Room 454, Philadelphia, PA 19107 (United States); Center for Neurovirology 1020 Locust St., Jefferson Alumni Hall, Room 454, Philadelphia, PA 19107 (United States)

2015-01-01

Consistent with evidence of a strong correlation between interferon gamma (IFNγ) production and rabies virus (RABV) clearance from the CNS, we recently demonstrated that engineering a pathogenic RABV to express IFNγ highly attenuates the virus. Reasoning that IFNγ expression by RABV vaccines would enhance their safety and efficacy, we reverse-engineered two proven vaccine vectors, GAS and GASGAS, to express murine IFNγ. Mortality and morbidity were monitored during suckling mice infection, immunize/challenge experiments and mixed intracranial infections. We demonstrate that GASγ and GASγGAS are significantly attenuated in suckling mice compared to the GASGAS vaccine. GASγ better protects mice from lethal DRV4 RABV infection in both pre- and post-exposure experiments compared to GASGAS. Finally, GASγGAS reduces post-infection neurological sequelae, compared to control, during mixed intracranial infection with DRV4. These data show IFNγ expression by a vaccine vector can enhance its safety while increasing its efficacy as pre- and post-exposure treatment. - Highlights: • IFNγ expression improves attenuated rabies virus safety and immunogenicity. • IFNγ expression is safer and more immunogenic than doubling glycoprotein expression. • Co-infection with IFNγ-expressing RABV prevents wild-type rabies virus lethality. • Vaccine safety and efficacy is additive for IFNγ and double glycoprotein expression.

Pre- and post-exposure safety and efficacy of attenuated rabies virus vaccines are enhanced by their expression of IFNγ

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Barkhouse, Darryll A.; Faber, Milosz; Hooper, D. Craig

2015-01-01

Consistent with evidence of a strong correlation between interferon gamma (IFNγ) production and rabies virus (RABV) clearance from the CNS, we recently demonstrated that engineering a pathogenic RABV to express IFNγ highly attenuates the virus. Reasoning that IFNγ expression by RABV vaccines would enhance their safety and efficacy, we reverse-engineered two proven vaccine vectors, GAS and GASGAS, to express murine IFNγ. Mortality and morbidity were monitored during suckling mice infection, immunize/challenge experiments and mixed intracranial infections. We demonstrate that GASγ and GASγGAS are significantly attenuated in suckling mice compared to the GASGAS vaccine. GASγ better protects mice from lethal DRV4 RABV infection in both pre- and post-exposure experiments compared to GASGAS. Finally, GASγGAS reduces post-infection neurological sequelae, compared to control, during mixed intracranial infection with DRV4. These data show IFNγ expression by a vaccine vector can enhance its safety while increasing its efficacy as pre- and post-exposure treatment. - Highlights: • IFNγ expression improves attenuated rabies virus safety and immunogenicity. • IFNγ expression is safer and more immunogenic than doubling glycoprotein expression. • Co-infection with IFNγ-expressing RABV prevents wild-type rabies virus lethality. • Vaccine safety and efficacy is additive for IFNγ and double glycoprotein expression

Revising acute care systems and processes to improve breastfeeding and maternal postnatal health: a pre and post intervention study in one English maternity unit

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bick Debra

2012-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Most women in the UK give birth in a hospital labour ward, following which they are transferred to a postnatal ward and discharged home within 24 to 48 hours of the birth. Despite policy and guideline recommendations to support planned, effective postnatal care, national surveys of women’s views of maternity care have consistently found in-patient postnatal care, including support for breastfeeding, is poorly rated. Methods Using a Continuous Quality Improvement approach, routine antenatal, intrapartum and postnatal care systems and processes were revised to support implementation of evidence based postnatal practice. To identify if implementation of a multi-faceted QI intervention impacted on outcomes, data on breastfeeding initiation and duration, maternal health and women’s views of care, were collected in a pre and post intervention longitudinal survey. Primary outcomes included initiation, overall duration and duration of exclusive breastfeeding. Secondary outcomes included maternal morbidity, experiences and satisfaction with care. As most outcomes of interest were measured on a nominal scale, these were compared pre and post intervention using logistic regression. Results Data were obtained on 741/1160 (64% women at 10 days post-birth and 616 (54% at 3 months post-birth pre-intervention, and 725/1153 (63% and 575 (50% respectively post-intervention. Post intervention there were statistically significant differences in the initiation (p = 0.050, duration of any breastfeeding (p = 0.020 and duration of exclusive breastfeeding to 10 days (p = 0.038 and duration of any breastfeeding to three months (p = 0.016. Post intervention, women were less likely to report physical morbidity within the first 10 days of birth, and were more positive about their in-patient care. Conclusions It is possible to improve outcomes of routine in-patient care within current resources through continuous quality

Immediate and Short-term Follow-Up of Aortic Coarctation Balloon Angioplasty and Stenting

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hasan Mottaghi Moghadam

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Background Aortic Coarcatation (CoA is one of the congenital heart diseases with the rate of 5-8% of Coronary heart diseases(CHDs. Balloon angioplasty is now one of the effective way of treatment for CoA, native or Re-coarctation (Re-CoA. We aimed to assess the immediate, and short term response to angioplasty and stenting, and also complications. Materials and Methods Balloon angioplasty with our without stenting was performed for 53 patients with native or Re-coarcatation angioplasty (39 balloon angioplasty alone, and 14 balloon and stenting. Pressure gradient across the CoA segment was measured initially by Echo and pre, and Post procedure. Echocardiography was also used for follow up assessment during 24 hours, one and 6 months afterward. Results Among 53 patients, 52.8% were male. There were 98.2% native and 3.8% Re-CoA. The mean age of patients was 8.65 ± 8.37 years, and the mean weight was 25.82±20.73 kg. The mean pressure gradient acrossthe CoA site before angioplasty was 24.88±12.32, and post procedure gradient was 4.77±6.42 (p

A survival analysis of GBM patients in the West of Scotland pre- and post-introduction of the Stupp regime.

Science.gov (United States)

Teo, Mario; Martin, Sean; Owusu-Agyemang, Kevin; Nowicki, Stefan; Clark, Brian; Mackinnon, Mairi; Stewart, Willie; Paul, James; St George, Jerome

2014-06-01

It is now accepted that the concomitant administration of temozolomide with radiotherapy (Stupp regime), in the treatment of patients with newly diagnosed glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), significantly improves survival and this practice has been adopted locally since 2004. However, survival outcomes in cancer can vary in different population groups, and outcomes can be affected by a number of local factors including socioeconomic status. In the West of Scotland, we have one of the worse socioeconomic status and overall health record for a western European country. With the ongoing reorganisation and rationalisation in the National Health Service, the addition of prolonged courses of chemotherapy to patients' management significantly adds to the financial burden of a cash stripped NHS. A survival analysis in patients with GBM was therefore performed, comparing outcomes of pre- and post-introduction of the Stupp regime, to justify the current practice. Prospectively collected clinical data were analysed in 105 consecutive patients receiving concurrent chemoradiotherapy (Stupp regime) following surgical treatment of GBM between December 2004 and February 2009. This was compared to those of 106 consecutive GBM patients who had radical radiotherapy (pre-Stupp regime) post-surgery between January 2001 and February 2006. The median overall survival for the post-Stupp cohort was 15.3 months (range, 2.83-50.5 months), with 1-year and 2-year overall survival rates of 65.7% and 19%, respectively. This was in comparison with the median overall pre-Stupp survival of 10.7 months, with 1-year and 2-year survival rates of 42.6% and 12%, respectively (log-rank test, p GBM patients in the West of Scotland.

Pre- and post-hatch trophic egg production in the subsocial burrower bug, Canthophorus niveimarginatus (Heteroptera: Cydnidae)

Science.gov (United States)

Filippi, Lisa; Baba, Narumi; Inadomi, Koichi; Yanagi, Takao; Hironaka, Mantaro; Nomakuchi, Shintaro

2009-02-01

In recent years, three terrestrial bugs, Adomerus triguttulus and Sehirus cinctus (Cydnidae) and the closely related Parastrachia japonensis (Parastrachiidae), have been the focus of several fascinating studies because of the remarkable, extensive parental care they were found to display. This care includes egg and nymph guarding, production of trophic eggs, unfertilized, low cost eggs that are used as food by newly hatched nymphs, and progressive provisioning of the host seed. In this study, we have investigated yet a third related Asian cydnid, Canthophorus niveimarginatus, with regard to the possible occurrence of some or all of these complex traits in order to assess how widespread these maternal investment patterns are in this group of insects and to better understand the implications of their manifestations from an evolutionary context. Manipulative experiments were carried out in the lab to determine whether females provision nests. Observational and egg removal studies were carried out to determine whether trophic eggs are produced, and, if they are, their possible impact on nymphal success. The findings revealed that C. niveimarginatus does, in fact, progressively provision young, and this species also displays all of the other behaviors associated with extended parental care in subsocial insects. Moreover, unlike the other two related species, which place trophic eggs on the surface of the original egg mass, C. niveimarginatus produces both pre- and post-hatch trophic eggs. Nymphs deprived of access to post-hatch trophic eggs had significantly lower body weight and survival rate than those that fed on them. To our knowledge, this is the first time the production of both pre- and post-hatch trophic eggs has been demonstrated in insects outside the Hymenoptera. In this paper, we qualitatively and quantitatively demonstrate the provisioning behavior and patterns of trophic egg production in C. niveimarginatus. When and how trophic eggs are produced and

Differences in Pre and Post Vascular Patterning of Retinas from ISS Crew Members and HDT Subjects by VESGEN Analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Murray, M. C.; Vizzeri, G.; Taibbi, G.; Mason, S. S.; Young, M. H.; Zanello, S. B.; Parsons-Wingerter, P. A.

2018-01-01

Accelerated research by NASA [1] has investigated the significant risks for visual and ocular impairments Spaceflight Associated Neuro-Ocular Syndrome /Visual Impairment/Intracranial Pressure (SANS/VIIP) incurred by microgravity spaceflight, especially long-duration missions. Our study investigates the role of blood vessels in the incidence and etiology of SANS/VIIP within the retinas of Astronaut crewmembers pre-and post-flight to the International Space Station (ISS) by NASA's VESsel GENeration Analysis (VESGEN). The response of retinal vessels in crewmembers to microgravity was compared to that of retinal vessels to Head-Down Tilt (HDT) in subjects undergoing 70-Day Bed Rest. The study tests the proposed hypothesis that cephalad fluid shifts missions, resulting in ocular and visual impairments, are necessarily mediated in part by retinal blood vessels, and are therefore accompanied by significant remodeling of retinal vasculature.Vascular patterns in the retinas of crew members and HDTBR subjects extracted from 30° infrared (IR) Heidelberg Spectralis® images collected pre/postflight and pre/post HDTBR, respectively, were analyzed by VESGEN (patent pending). a mature, automated software developed as a research discovery tool for progressive vascular diseases in the retina and other tissues [2]. The weighted, multi-parametric VESGEN analysis generates maps of branching arterial and venous trees and quantification by parameters such as the fractal dimension (Df, a modern measure of vascular space-filling capacity), vessel diameters, and densities of vessel length and number classified into specific branching generations by vascular physiological branching rules [2,3]. The retrospective study approved by NASA’s Institutional Review Board included six HDT subjects (NASA Flight Analogs Research Unit [FARU] Campaign 11; for example, [4]) and eight ISS crewmembers monitored by routine occupational surveillance who provided their study consents to NASA’s Lifetime

Evaluation of post-exercise magnetic resonance images of the rotator cuff

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cahoy, P.M.; Orwin, J.F.; Tuite, M.J.

1996-01-01

Objective. To examine the effect of strenuous exercise on the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) characteristics of the rotator cuff tendon. A second objective was to define an optimal time to image the rotator cuff and possibly eliminate exercise-induced false positives. Design and patients. Five male subjects from 24 to 38 years old with normal rotator cuffs by history, physical examination, and screening MRI underwent a rotator cuff exercise session on the Biodex System 2 (Biodex, Shirley, New York). The exercise sessions were followed by sequential MRI scans of the exercised shoulder. These were performed immediately and at 8 h and 24 h after exercise. Results and conclusions. The rotator cuff tendon and subacromial-subdeltoid bursal signal remained unchanged from the pre-exercise through the 24-h post-exercise scans. The rotator cuff muscle signal was increased in five of five subjects on the immediate post-exercise fat-suppressed T2-weighted images. This signal returned to baseline by the 8-h scan. Positive findings of rotator cuff pathology on MRI after strenuous athletic activity should not be discounted as normal exercise-induced changes. Also, diagnostic MRI scanning may take place after a practice session without an increased risk of false positives. (orig.). With 1 fig

Evaluation of post-exercise magnetic resonance images of the rotator cuff

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cahoy, P M [Division of Orthopedic Surgery G5/358, University of Wisconsin Hospital and Clinics, Madison, WI (United States); Orwin, J F [Division of Orthopedic Surgery G5/358, University of Wisconsin Hospital and Clinics, Madison, WI (United States); Tuite, M J [Department of Radiology, University of Wisconsin Hospital and Clinics, Madison, WI (United States)

1996-11-01

Objective. To examine the effect of strenuous exercise on the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) characteristics of the rotator cuff tendon. A second objective was to define an optimal time to image the rotator cuff and possibly eliminate exercise-induced false positives. Design and patients. Five male subjects from 24 to 38 years old with normal rotator cuffs by history, physical examination, and screening MRI underwent a rotator cuff exercise session on the Biodex System 2 (Biodex, Shirley, New York). The exercise sessions were followed by sequential MRI scans of the exercised shoulder. These were performed immediately and at 8 h and 24 h after exercise. Results and conclusions. The rotator cuff tendon and subacromial-subdeltoid bursal signal remained unchanged from the pre-exercise through the 24-h post-exercise scans. The rotator cuff muscle signal was increased in five of five subjects on the immediate post-exercise fat-suppressed T2-weighted images. This signal returned to baseline by the 8-h scan. Positive findings of rotator cuff pathology on MRI after strenuous athletic activity should not be discounted as normal exercise-induced changes. Also, diagnostic MRI scanning may take place after a practice session without an increased risk of false positives. (orig.). With 1 fig.

Effect of pre- and post-heading waterlogging on growth and grain yield of four millets

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Asana Matsuura

2016-07-01

Full Text Available Seeds of Panicum miliaceum, Panicum sumatrense, Setaria glauca, and Setaria italica were raised in polyvinylchloride tubes filled with soil to determine interspecific differences in waterlogging tolerance and the effect of pre- and post-heading waterlogging on growth and grain yield. Four treatments were conducted including control (no-waterlogging stress during growth. Pre-heading waterlogging treatment was initiated 17 days after sowing to heading (TC. Post-heading waterlogging treatment was initiated heading till harvest (CT. Waterlogging treatment was initiated 17 days after sowing to harvesting (TT. The grain yield of P. miliaceum, S. glauca, and S. italica decreased 16, 18, and 4%, while that of P. sumatrense increased 210% under TT treatment and this showed P. sumatrense had most waterlogging tolerance. The grain yield was more affected under TC treatment in S. italica and P. miliaceum. However, there was not significant differences the grain yield between TC and CT treatment in P. sumatrense and S. glauca. Total dry weight, total root dry weight, number of crown root, and the proportion of lysigenous aerenchyma of P. sumatrense were significantly higher than those of other millets at harvesting. Plant growth rate, total root dry weight, number of crown root, and the proportion of lysigenous aerenchyma of P. sumatrense were significantly higher than those of other millets at heading. These results suggest that P. sumatrense exhibits waterlogging tolerance by enhancing root growth characterized by a high proportion of lysigenous aerenchyma in the crown root.

Exploring the Gap between a Pre- and Post-Installation of a Corporate E-Learning Program in an Accounting Workplace

Science.gov (United States)

Cheng, Kai-Wen

2013-01-01

Although earlier concentration has addressed the use of corporate e-learning programs (CELP), the dissimilitude between pre and post installation reaction to CELP is less explored. This study adopted a two-phase investigation to survey learner intention to use CELP and actual behavior within an international accounting firm. In the…

Effects of Students' Pre- and Post-Laboratory Concept Maps on Students' Attitudes toward Chemistry Laboratory in University General Chemistry

Science.gov (United States)

Kilic, Ziya; Kaya, Osman Nafiz; Dogan, Alev

2004-01-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of scientific discussions based on student-constructed pre- and post-laboratory concept maps on students' attitudes toward chemistry laboratory in the university general chemistry. As part of instruction, during the first four laboratory sessions, students were taught how to construct and…

CT-guided cervical nerve root injections: comparing the immediate post-injection anesthetic-related effects of the transforaminal injection with a new indirect technique

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sutter, Reto; Pfirrmann, Christian W.A.; Peterson, Cynthia K.; Zanetti, Marco; Hodler, Juerg

2011-01-01

To describe an ''indirect'' cervical nerve root injection technique with a dorsal approach that should carry less inherent risk than the ''direct'' cervical transforaminal injection approach, and to compare the immediate post-injection results of the two procedures. The indirect and direct cervical nerve root injection procedures are described in detail. Fifty-three consecutive patients receiving the indirect nerve root injections during 2009-2010 were age- and gender-matched to 53 patients who underwent direct transforaminal nerve root injections performed in 2006. Pain level data were collected immediately before and 20-30 min after each procedure. The percentages of pain change in the two groups were compared using the unpaired Student's t test. Fifty-two men (mean age 49) and 54 women (mean age 55) were included. The mean percentage of pain reduction for patients receiving indirect nerve root injections was 38.4% and for those undergoing the direct nerve root injections approach it was 43.2%. This was not significantly different (P = 0.455). No immediate or late adverse effects were reported after either injection procedure. The indirect cervical nerve root injection procedure is a potentially safer alternative to direct cervical transforaminal nerve root injections. The short-term pain reduction is similar using the two injection methods. (orig.)

A parent-based intervention to promote healthy eating and active behaviours in pre-school children: evaluation of the MEND 2-4 randomized controlled trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Skouteris, H; Hill, B; McCabe, M; Swinburn, B; Busija, L

2016-02-01

There is a paucity of studies evaluating targeted obesity prevention interventions in pre-school children. We conducted a randomized controlled trial to evaluate the efficacy of a parent-based obesity prevention intervention for pre-schoolers - MEND (Mind, Exercise, Nutrition … Do It!) 2-4 on child diet, eating habits, physical activity/sedentary behaviours, and body mass index (BMI). Parent-child dyads attended 10 weekly 90-min workshops relating to nutrition, physical activity and behaviours, including guided active play and healthy snack time. Assessments were conducted at baseline, immediately post-intervention, and 6 and 12 months post-intervention; child intake of vegetables, fruit, beverages, processed snack foods, fussiness, satiety responsiveness, physical activity, sedentary behaviour and neophobia were assessed via parent proxy report. Parent and child height and weight were measured. Two hundred one parent-child dyads were randomized to intervention (n = 104) and control (n = 97). Baseline mean child age was 2.7 (standard deviation [SD] 0.6) years, and child BMI-for-age z-score (World Health Organization) was 0.66 (SD 0.88). We found significant positive group effects for vegetable (P = 0.01) and snack food (P = 0.03) intake, and satiety responsiveness (P = 0.047) immediately post-intervention. At 12 months follow-up, intervention children exhibited less neophobia (P = 0.03) than controls. Future research should focus on additional strategies to support parents to continue positive behaviour change. ACTRN12610000200088. © 2015 World Obesity.

Induction of congenital malformations in the offspring of male mice treated with X-rays at pre-meiotic and post-meiotic stages

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kirk, K.M.; Lyon, M.F.

1984-01-01

The induction of congenital malformations among the offspring of male mice treated with X-rays at pre-meiotic and post-meiotic stages has been studied in two experiments. Firstly, animals were exposed to varying doses of X-rays and mated at various time intervals, so as to sample spermatozoa, spermatids and spermatogonial stem cells. In the second experiment, only treated spermatogonial stem cells were sampled. One group of males was given a single dose, a second group a fractionated dose and a third group was left unexposed. In the first experiment, induced post-implantation dominant lethality increased with dose, and was highest in week 3, in line with the known greater radiosensitivity of the early spermatid stage. Preimplantation loss also increased with dose and was highest in week 3. There was no clear induction of either pre-implantation or post-implantation loss at spermatogonial stem cell stages. There was a clear induction of congenital malformations at post-meiotic stages. At the two highest doses the early spermatids (15-21 days) appeared more sensitive than spermatozoa, and at this stage the incidence of malformations increased with dose. Expt. 2 showed a statistically significant induction of malformations at both dose levels. The relative sensitivities of male stem cells, post-meiotic stages and mature oocytes to the induction of congenital malformations were reasonably similar to their sensitivities for specific-locus mutations, except that the expected enhancing effect of the fractionation regime used was not seen. (Auth.)

Induction of congenital malformations in the offspring of male mice treated with X-rays at pre-meiotic and post-meiotic stages

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kirk, K.M.; Lyon, M.F. (Medical Research Council, Harwell (UK). Radiobiological Research Unit)

1984-01-01

The induction of congenital malformations among the offspring of male mice treated with X-rays at pre-meiotic and post-meiotic stages has been studied in two experiments. Firstly, animals were exposed to varying doses of X-rays and mated at various time intervals, so as to sample spermatozoa, spermatids and spermatogonial stem cells. In the second experiment, only treated spermatogonial stem cells were sampled. One group of males was given a single dose, a second group a fractionated dose and a third group was left unexposed. In the first experiment, induced post-implantation dominant lethality increased with dose, and was highest in week 3, in line with the known greater radiosensitivity of the early spermatid stage. Preimplantation loss also increased with dose and was highest in week 3. There was no clear induction of either pre-implantation or post-implantation loss at spermatogonial stem cell stages. There was a clear induction of congenital malformations at post-meiotic stages. At the two highest doses the early spermatids (15-21 days) appeared more sensitive than spermatozoa, and at this stage the incidence of malformations increased with dose. Expt. 2 showed a statistically significant induction of malformations at both dose levels. The relative sensitivities of male stem cells, post-meiotic stages and mature oocytes to the induction of congenital malformations were reasonably similar to their sensitivities for specific-locus mutations, except that the expected enhancing effect of the fractionation regime used was not seen.

Nonlocal free vibration in the pre- and post-buckled states of magneto-electro-thermo elastic rectangular nanoplates with various edge conditions

Science.gov (United States)

Ansari, R.; Gholami, R.

2016-09-01

Considering the small scale effect together with the influences of transverse shear deformation, rotary inertia and the magneto-electro-thermo-mechanical coupling, the linear free vibration of magneto-electro-thermo-elastic (METE) rectangular nanoplates with various edge supports in pre- and post-buckled states is investigated herein. It is assumed that the METE nanoplate is subjected to the external in-plane compressive loads in combination with magnetic, electric and thermal loads. The Mindlin plate theory, von Kármán hypothesis and the nonlocal theory are utilized to develop a size-dependent geometrically nonlinear plate model for describing the size-dependent linear and nonlinear mechanical characteristics of moderately thick METE rectangular nanoplates. The nonlinear governing equations and the corresponding boundary conditions are derived using Hamilton’s principle which are then discretized via the generalized differential quadrature method. The pseudo-arc length continuation approach is used to obtain the equilibrium postbuckling path of METE nanoplates. By the obtained postbuckling response, and taking a time-dependent small disturbance around the buckled configuration, and inserting them into the nonlinear governing equations, an eigenvalue problem is achieved from which the frequencies of pre- and post-buckled METE nanoplates can be calculated. The effects of nonlocal parameter, electric, magnetic and thermal loadings, length-to-thickness ratio and different boundary conditions on the free vibration response of METE rectangular nanoplates in the pre- and post-buckled states are highlighted.

Designing the User Interface COBRET under Windows to Carry out Pre- and Post-Processing for the Programs COBRA-RERTR and PARET

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ghazi, N.; Monther, A.; Hainoun, A.

2004-01-01

In the frame work of testing, evaluation and application of computer codes in the design and safety analysis of research reactors, the dynamic code PARET and the thermal hydraulic code COBRA-RERTR have been adopted. In order to run the codes under windows and to support the user by pre- and post processing, the user interface program COBRET has been developed in the programming language Visual Basic 6 and the data used by it are organized and stored in a relational database in MS Access, an integral part of the software package, MS Office. The interface works in the environment of the Windows operating system and utilizes its graphics as well as other possibilities. It consists of Pre and Post processor. The pre processor deals with the interactive preparation of the input files for PARET and COBRA codes. It supports the user with an automatic check in routine for detecting logical input errors in addition to many direct helps during the multi mode input process. This process includes an automatic branching according to the selected control parameters that depends on the simulation modes of the considered physical problem. The post processor supports the user with graphical tool to present the time and axial distribution of the system variables that consist of many neutronics and thermal hydraulic parameters of the reactor system like neutron flux, reactivity, temperatures, flow rate, pressure and void distribution. (authors)

Designing the user interface COBRET under windows to carry out pre- and post-processing for the programs COBRA-RERTR and PARET

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hainoun, A.; Monther, A.; Ghazi, N.

2004-01-01

In this framework of testing, evaluation and application of computer codes in the design studies and safety analysis of research reactors, the dynamic code PARET and the thermal hydraulic code COBRA-RERTR have been adopted. In order to run the codes under windows and to support the user by pre- and post processing. The user interface program COBRET has been developed in the programming language visual basic 6 and the data used by it are organized and stored in a relational database in MS Access, and integral port of the software package, MS Office. The interface works in the environment of the Windows operating system and utilizes its graphics as well as other possibilities. It consists of Pre and Post processor. The pre processor deals with the interactive preparation of the input files for PARET and COBRA codes. it supports the user with an automatic check in routine for detecting logical input errors in addition to many direct helps during the multi mode input process. This process includes an automatic branching according to the selected control parameters that depends on the simulation modes of the considered physical problem. The post processor supports the user with graphical tool to present the time and axial distribution of the system variables that consist of many neutronics and thermal hydraulic parameters o the reactor system like neutron flux, reactivity, temperatures, flow rate, pressure and void distribution (author)

Holocarboxylase synthetase deficiency pre and post newborn screening

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Taraka R. Donti

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Holocarboxylase synthetase deficiency is an autosomal recessive disorder of biotin metabolism resulting in multiple carboxylase deficiency. The typical presentation described in the medical literature is of neonatal onset within hours to weeks of birth with emesis, hypotonia, lethargy, seizures, metabolic ketolactic acidosis, hyperammonemia, developmental delay, skin rash and alopecia. The condition is screened for by newborn screening (NBS tandem mass spectroscopy by elevated hydroxypentanoylcarnitine on dried blood spots. Urine organic acid profile may demonstrate elevated lactic, 3-OH isovaleric, 3-OH propionic, 3-MCC, methylcitric acids, and tiglylglycine consistent with loss of function of the above carboxylases. Here we describe a cohort of patients, 2 diagnosed pre-NBS and 3 post-NBS with broad differences in initial presentation and phenotype. In addition, prior to the advent of NBS, there are isolated reports of late-onset holocarboxylase synthetase deficiency in the medical literature, which describe patients diagnosed between 1 and 8 years of life, however to our knowledge there are no reports of late-onset HCLS being missed by NBS. Also we report two cases, each with novel pathogenic variants HCLS, diagnosed at age 3 years and 21 months respectively. The first patient had a normal newborn screen whilst the second had an abnormal newborn screen but was misdiagnosed as 3-methylcrotonylcarboxylase (3-MCC deficiency and subsequently lost to follow-up until they presented again with severe metabolic acidosis.

Contrasting germination responses to vegetative canopies experienced in pre- vs. post-dispersal environments

Science.gov (United States)

Leverett, Lindsay D.; Auge, Gabriela A.; Bali, Aman; Donohue, Kathleen

2016-01-01

Background Seeds adjust their germination based on conditions experienced before and after dispersal. Post-dispersal cues are expected to be more accurate predictors of offspring environments, and thus offspring success, than pre-dispersal cues. Therefore, germination responses to conditions experienced during seed maturation may be expected to be superseded by responses to conditions experienced during seed imbibition. In taxa of disturbed habitats, neighbours frequently reduce the performance of germinants. This leads to the hypotheses that a vegetative canopy will reduce germination in such taxa, and that a vegetative canopy experienced during seed imbibition will over-ride germination responses to a canopy experienced during seed maturation, since it is a more proximal cue of immediate competition. These hypotheses were tested here in Arabidopsis thaliana. Methods Seeds were matured under a simulated canopy (green filter) or white light. Fresh (dormant) seeds were imbibed in the dark, white light or canopy at two temperatures (10 or 22 °C), and germination proportions were recorded. Germination was also recorded in after-ripened (less dormant) seeds that were induced into secondary dormancy and imbibed in the dark at each temperature, either with or without brief exposure to red and far-red light. Key Results Unexpectedly, a maturation canopy expanded the conditions that elicited germination, even as seeds lost and regained dormancy. In contrast, an imbibition canopy impeded or had no effect on germination. Maturation under a canopy did not modify germination responses to red and far-red light. Seed maturation under a canopy masked genetic variation in germination. Conclusions The results challenge the hypothesis that offspring will respond more strongly to their own environment than to that of their parents. The observed relaxation of germination requirements caused by a maturation canopy could be maladaptive for offspring by disrupting germination responses

Effect of Pre-Hospital Ticagrelor During the First 24 h After Primary Percutaneous Coronary Intervention in Patients With ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Montalescot, Gilles; van 't Hof, Arnoud W; Bolognese, Leonardo

2016-01-01

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this landmark exploratory analysis, ATLANTIC-H(24), was to evaluate the effects of pre-hospital ticagrelor during the first 24 h after primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in the ATLANTIC (Administration of Ticagrelor in the cath Lab or in the Ambulance for New ST...... hypothesized that the effect of pre-hospital ticagrelor may not have manifested until after PCI due to the rapid transfer time (31 min). METHODS: The ATLANTIC-H(24) analysis included 1,629 patients who underwent PCI, evaluating platelet reactivity, Thrombolysis In Myocardial Infarction flow grade 3, ≥ 70% ST...... except death (1.1% vs. 0.2%; p = 0.048) favored pre-hospital ticagrelor, with no differences in bleeding events. CONCLUSIONS: The effects of pre-hospital ticagrelor became apparent after PCI, with numerical differences in platelet reactivity and immediate post-PCI reperfusion, associated with reductions...

Effect of safe environmental pre and post harvest treatments and irradiation on handling of some fruits

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nawito, M.A.A.

2008-01-01

The present study was carried out during two successive seasons of 2005 and 2006 seasons on M ontakhab El-Kanater g uavas and H achiya p ersimmons.two different experiments were studied, the first one for pre harvest and second post harvest. Regarding pre harvest experiment,hand or chemical flower thinning by urea or ethrel and date of fruit picking (maturity) were evaluated on both guavas and persimmons.All flower thinning treatments increased fruit set,total yield,average fruit weight and decreased fruit abscission.However,a great effect on fruit quality and chemical compositions were also found with flower thinning treatments. Chemical flower thinning was more effective than hand thinning in improving yield and quality in M ontakhab El-Kanater g uavas and H achiya p ersimmons. However,early maturation(120 and 150 days for guava and persimmon respect.) produced poor fruit quality.Whereas, medium maturity(130 and 180 days for guava and persimmon respect.) produced fruit with high quality.However,late picking(140 and 210 days for guava and persimmon respect.) produced fruits with less marketability. On the other side, post harvest treatments including irradiation of fruits with or without pre-cooling process at 0.2,0.4,and 0.8 K.Gy for guavas and 1.5, 2.5 and 3.5 K.Gy for persimmons. Also,hot water at 45 degree C, fungicide at 0.5 and 1.0 g/L.and ethanol vapor at 25 and 50% were evaluated on both fruits. The obtained data were evaluated on discarded fruits %, weight loss %, fruit firmness,fruit marketability, total soluble solids,acidity,L-ascorbic acid (guava), tannins (persimmon), total sugars and fruit respiration. All supplementary refrigeration treatments improved fruit quality during cold storage but ethanol vapor either 25 or 50 % were more effective than other treatments

Effect of safe environmental pre and post harvest treatments and irradiation on handling of some fruits

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nawito, M A.A. [National Center for Radiation Research and Technology, Atomic Energy Authority, Cairo (Egypt)

2008-07-01

The present study was carried out during two successive seasons of 2005 and 2006 seasons on{sup M}ontakhab El-Kanater{sup g}uavas and{sup H}achiya{sup p}ersimmons.two different experiments were studied, the first one for pre harvest and second post harvest. Regarding pre harvest experiment,hand or chemical flower thinning by urea or ethrel and date of fruit picking (maturity) were evaluated on both guavas and persimmons.All flower thinning treatments increased fruit set,total yield,average fruit weight and decreased fruit abscission.However,a great effect on fruit quality and chemical compositions were also found with flower thinning treatments. Chemical flower thinning was more effective than hand thinning in improving yield and quality in {sup M}ontakhab El-Kanater{sup g}uavas and {sup H}achiya{sup p}ersimmons. However,early maturation(120 and 150 days for guava and persimmon respect.) produced poor fruit quality.Whereas, medium maturity(130 and 180 days for guava and persimmon respect.) produced fruit with high quality.However,late picking(140 and 210 days for guava and persimmon respect.) produced fruits with less marketability. On the other side, post harvest treatments including irradiation of fruits with or without pre-cooling process at 0.2,0.4,and 0.8 K.Gy for guavas and 1.5, 2.5 and 3.5 K.Gy for persimmons. Also,hot water at 45 degree C, fungicide at 0.5 and 1.0 g/L.and ethanol vapor at 25 and 50% were evaluated on both fruits. The obtained data were evaluated on discarded fruits %, weight loss %, fruit firmness,fruit marketability, total soluble solids,acidity,L-ascorbic acid (guava), tannins (persimmon), total sugars and fruit respiration. All supplementary refrigeration treatments improved fruit quality during cold storage but ethanol vapor either 25 or 50 % were more effective than other treatments.

Short-term effects of splenectomy on serum fibrosis indexes in liver cirrhosis patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Kong, Degang; Chen, Xiuli; Lu, Shichun; Guo, Qingliang; Lai, Wei; Wu, Jushan; Lin, Dongdong; Zeng, Daobing; Duan, Binwei; Jiang, Tao; Cao, Jilei

2015-01-01

To determine the changing patterns of 4 liver fibrosis markers pre and post splenectomy (combined with pericardial devascularization [PCDV]) and to examine the short-term effects of splenectomy on liver fibrosis. Four liver fibrosis markers of 39 liver cirrhosis patients were examined pre, immediately post, 2 days post, and 1 week post (15 cases) splenectomy (combined with PCDV). The laminin (LN) level decreased immediately post surgery compared with the preoperative LN level (P splenectomy showed characteristic changes, splenectomy may transiently initiate the degradation process of liver fibrosis.

The Role of Pre-Operative and Post-Operative Glucose Control in Surgical-Site Infections and Mortality

OpenAIRE

Jeon, Christie Y.; Furuya, E. Yoko; Berman, Mitchell F.; Larson, Elaine L.

2012-01-01

Background and Objective The impact of glucose control on surgical-site infection (SSI) and death remains unclear. We examined how pre- and post-operative glucose levels and their variability are associated with the risk of SSI or in-hospital death. Methods This retrospective cohort study employed data on 13,800 hospitalized patients who underwent a surgical procedure at a large referral hospital in New York between 2006 and 2008. Over 20 different sources of electronic data were used to anal...

Pre- and post-synaptic sympathetic function in human hibernating myocardium

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

John, Anna S.; Pepper, John R.; Dreyfus, Gilles D.; Pennell, Dudley J.; Mongillo, Marco; Khan, Muhammad T.; Depre, Christophe; Rimoldi, Ornella E.; Camici, Paolo G.

2007-01-01

Impaired pre-synaptic noradrenaline uptake-1 mechanism has been reported in a swine model of hibernating myocardium (HM). To ascertain whether adrenergic neuroeffector abnormalities are present in human HM, we combined functional measurements in vivo using cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) and positron emission tomography (PET) to assess pre- and post-synaptic sympathetic function. Twelve patients with coronary artery disease and chronic left ventricular (LV) dysfunction underwent CMR at baseline and 6 months after bypass for assessment of regional and global LV function and identification of segments with reversible dysfunction. Before surgery, myocardial noradrenaline uptake-1 ([ 11 C]meta-hydroxy-ephedrine; HED) and β-adrenoceptor (β-AR) density ([ 11 C]CGP-12177) were measured with PET. Patient PET data were compared with those in 18 healthy controls. The volume of distribution (V d ) of HED in HM (47.95±28.05 ml/g) and infarcted myocardium (42.69±25.76 ml/g) was significantly reduced compared with controls (66.09±14.48 ml/g). The V d of HED in normal myocardium (49.93±20.48 ml/g) of patients was also lower than that in controls and the difference was close to statistical significance (p=0.06). Myocardial β-AR density was significantly lower in HM (5.49±2.35 pmol/g), infarcted (4.82±2.61 pmol/g) and normal (5.86±1.81 pmol/g) segments of patients compared with healthy controls (8.61±1.32 pmol/g). Noradrenaline uptake-1 mechanism and β-AR density are reduced in the myocardium of patients with chronic LV dysfunction and evidence of HM. The increased sympathetic activity to the heart in these patients is a generalised rather than regional phenomenon which is likely to contribute to the remodelling process of the whole LV rather than playing a causative role in HM. (orig.)

Pre- and post-synaptic sympathetic function in human hibernating myocardium

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

John, Anna S.; Pepper, John R.; Dreyfus, Gilles D.; Pennell, Dudley J. [Imperial College, Hammersmith Hospital, National Heart and Lung Institute, London (United Kingdom); Mongillo, Marco; Khan, Muhammad T. [Imperial College, Hammersmith Hospital, Medical Research Council Clinical Sciences Centre, London (United Kingdom); Depre, Christophe [University of Medicine and Dentistry New Jersey, Cardiovascular Research Institute, Department of Cell Biology and Molecular Medicine, New Jersey, NJ (United States); University of Medicine and Dentistry New Jersey, Cardiovascular Research Institute, Department of Medicine, New Jersey, NJ (United States); Rimoldi, Ornella E. [Imperial College, Hammersmith Hospital, National Heart and Lung Institute, London (United Kingdom); Imperial College, Hammersmith Hospital, Medical Research Council Clinical Sciences Centre, London (United Kingdom); New York Medical College, Cardiovascular Research Institute, Department of Medicine, Valhalla, NY (United States); Camici, Paolo G. [Imperial College, Hammersmith Hospital, National Heart and Lung Institute, London (United Kingdom); Imperial College, Hammersmith Hospital, Medical Research Council Clinical Sciences Centre, London (United Kingdom)

2007-12-15

Impaired pre-synaptic noradrenaline uptake-1 mechanism has been reported in a swine model of hibernating myocardium (HM). To ascertain whether adrenergic neuroeffector abnormalities are present in human HM, we combined functional measurements in vivo using cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) and positron emission tomography (PET) to assess pre- and post-synaptic sympathetic function. Twelve patients with coronary artery disease and chronic left ventricular (LV) dysfunction underwent CMR at baseline and 6 months after bypass for assessment of regional and global LV function and identification of segments with reversible dysfunction. Before surgery, myocardial noradrenaline uptake-1 ([{sup 11}C]meta-hydroxy-ephedrine; HED) and {beta}-adrenoceptor ({beta}-AR) density ([{sup 11}C]CGP-12177) were measured with PET. Patient PET data were compared with those in 18 healthy controls. The volume of distribution (V{sub d}) of HED in HM (47.95{+-}28.05 ml/g) and infarcted myocardium (42.69{+-}25.76 ml/g) was significantly reduced compared with controls (66.09{+-}14.48 ml/g). The V{sub d} of HED in normal myocardium (49.93{+-}20.48 ml/g) of patients was also lower than that in controls and the difference was close to statistical significance (p=0.06). Myocardial {beta}-AR density was significantly lower in HM (5.49{+-}2.35 pmol/g), infarcted (4.82{+-}2.61 pmol/g) and normal (5.86{+-}1.81 pmol/g) segments of patients compared with healthy controls (8.61{+-}1.32 pmol/g). Noradrenaline uptake-1 mechanism and {beta}-AR density are reduced in the myocardium of patients with chronic LV dysfunction and evidence of HM. The increased sympathetic activity to the heart in these patients is a generalised rather than regional phenomenon which is likely to contribute to the remodelling process of the whole LV rather than playing a causative role in HM. (orig.)

Pre and post emergence use of herbicides in maize crop

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ahmad, M.; Chaudhry, M.H.; Amjed, M.T.

2008-01-01

This experiment was conducted at Maize and Millets Research institute, Yusafwala, Sahiwal, to find out the effective and economical weedicide to control weeds in maize crop during spring 200/ and 2002. Seven treatments including control (weedy Check) were studied in this trail. The results showed that Primextra (Metolachlor + Atrazine) 500 FW sprayed as pre-emergence at the rate 3.7/ liter per hectare, controlled broad-leaved weeds and grasses better as compared to other treatments in both the years. The control was 98.11% and 99.7% of broad-leaved weeds while in case of grasses it was 88.3% and 99.45% during spring 200/ and 2002, respectively Maximum grain weight per cob (143 and 186 g), 1000-grain weight (260.67 and 279 g) and grain yield (4471 and 6193 Kg ha-1) was obtained with the above treatment during spring 2001 and 2002, respectively and minimum in weedy check i.e grain weight per cob (102 and 141 g), 1000-grain weight (202.67 and 2/6.33 g) and grain yield (2769 and 4598, kg. ha/sup -I/) during spring 2001 and 2002, respectively. It was also observed from the study that all the weedicides performed better when used asp re-emergence while same used as post-emergence at 3-4 leave stage of weeds controlled only broadleaved weeds and showed poor performance against grasses. Thus keeping in view the above given result. It is concluded that Primextra (Metolacltlor + Atrazine) 500 FW at the rate 3.7 L/ha proved better weedicide for maize crop when used as pre-emergence giving effective control of broad leaved weeds and grasses in both the years along with maximum grain yield. (author)

Implementation of transdiagnostic treatment for emotional disorders in residential eating disorder programs: A preliminary pre-post evaluation.

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Thompson-Brenner, Heather; Boswell, James F; Espel-Huynh, Hallie; Brooks, Gayle; Lowe, Michael R

2018-03-19

Data are lacking from empirically supported therapies implemented in residential programs for eating disorders (EDs). Common elements treatments may be well-suited to address the complex implementation and treatment challenges that characterize these settings. This study assessed the preliminary effect of implementing a common elements therapy on clinician treatment delivery and patient (N = 616) symptom outcomes in two residential ED programs. The Unified Protocol for Transdiagnostic Treatment of Emotional Disorders was adapted to address ED and co-occurring psychopathology and implemented across sites. Therapists' treatment fidelity was rated independently to assess implementation success. Additionally, longitudinal (pre-post) design compared treatment outcomes among patients treated before and after implementation. Patient outcomes included ED and depressive symptoms, experiential avoidance, anxiety sensitivity, and mindfulness. Following training and implementation, clinicians demonstrated adequate to good fidelity. Relative to pre-implementation, post-implementation patients showed significantly greater improvements in experiential avoidance, anxiety sensitivity, and mindfulness at discharge (ps ≤ .04) and more favorable outcomes on ED symptom severity, depression, and experiential avoidance at 6-month follow up (ps ≤ .0001). Preliminary pilot data support the feasibility of implementing transdiagnostic common elements therapy in residential ED treatment, and suggest that implementation may benefit transdiagnostic outcomes for patients.

OUTPUT-PRICE DYNAMICS IN THE ASEAN-5 COUNTRIES: Evidence from The Pre- and Post-1997 Financial Turmoil

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Salina Hj. Kassim

2008-06-01

Full Text Available We analyze the cyclical behavior between outputs and prices in major ASEAN economies, namely Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Singapore and the Philippines over two sample periods: the pre-crisis period (1990 to 1996 and the post-crisis period (2000 to 2006. Specifically, the study aims to shed the light on two issues: (i the possibility that there is a change in the patterns of the correlations between real activities and prices in a particular country in the pre-crisis period compared to the post-crisis period; and (ii the synchronization of real activity and price relationships or the business cycles across the major ASEAN countries. In order to analyze the output-price relationship across the countries and time periods, we adopt several tests including the Pearson correlation analysis, Auto-Regressive Distributed Lag (ARDL model and Vector Error-Correction Model (VECM. The study documents that the output-price relationship has changed in several countries following the crisis in 1997/1998. While there is a clear business cycles synchronization between the ASEAN-5 countries in the short-run, results have been mixed in the long run. Results of this study contribute towards further enriching the policy recommendations to help ensuring the viability and effectiveness of the economic cooperation between the ASEAN nations.

Endocrine response to an ultra-marathon in pre- and post-menopausal women.

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Copeland, J L; Verzosa, M L S

2014-06-01

Ultra-endurance competitions are becoming increasingly popular but there is limited research on female participants. The purpose of this study was to examine changes in estrogen and the IGF-I system in women after an ultra-marathon. Six pairs of pre- and post- menopausal women were matched for race finish times;mean finish time was 20 hours. Blood samples were drawn 24 hours before the race, at the finish, and 24 hours into recovery. Samples were analysed for estradiol, total IGF-I, IGFBP-1, and intact IGFBP-3. There was a significant increase in estradiol following the race in both groups (P recreational female runners, an ultra-marathon is associated with IGF system changes that are consistent with an energy-deficient, catabolic state. Further research is needed to confirm the effect of these endocrine changes on health and performance.

R + C Factors and Sacro Occipital Technique Orthopedic Blocking: a pilot study using pre and post VAS assessment

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Blum, Charles L.

2015-01-01

Introduction: The concept of a systematic or predictive relationship between distant vertebral levels distinct from accumulative functional compensatory mechanisms, such as in scoliosis, has been perpetuated within chiropractic technique systems based on clinical observation and experience. This study seeks to investigate this relationship between the cervical and lumbar vertebrae. Methods: Patients (experimental group n=26 and control group n=12) were selected from the patient base of one office, and were limited to patients that had sensitivity at specific cervical reflex points. Using a pre and post outcome measurement and sacro occipital technique R + C protocols, the related lumbar vertebra was adjusted in the direction indicated by the cervical vertebral sensitivity. Results: Statistical analysis revealed there was a statistically significant difference between pre- and post-VAS measurements and found that the notable difference in mean change in VAS scores were statistically significantly different between the experimental and control groups (p < .001). Conclusion: The findings of this study suggest that further research into cervical and lumbar vertebra interrelationships, and the efficacy of orthopedic block treatment, may be warranted. Further studies are needed to confirm whether a causal relationship exists between lumbar manipulation and decreased cervical spine sensitivity. PMID:26136605

Comparison of the variability of the annual rates of change in FEV1 determined from serial measurements of the pre- versus post-bronchodilator FEV1 over 5 years in mild to moderate COPD: Results of the lung health study

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Tashkin Donald P

2012-08-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The impact of interventions on the progressive course of COPD is currently assessed by the slope of the annual decline in FEV1 determined from serial measurements of the post-, in preference to the pre-, bronchodilator FEV1. We therefore compared the yearly slope and the variability of the slope of the pre- versus the post-bronchodilator FEV1 in men and women with mild to moderate COPD who participated in the 5-year Lung Health Study (LHS. Methods Data were analyzed from 4484 of the 5887 LHS participants who had measurements of pre- and post-bronchodilator FEV1 at baseline (screening visit 2 and all five annual visits. The annual rate of decline in FEV1 (±SE measured pre- and post-bronchodilator from the first to the fifth annual visit was estimated separately using a random coefficient model adjusted for relevant covariates. Analyses were performed separately within each of the three randomized intervention groups. In addition, individual rates of decline in pre- and post-bronchodilator FEV1 were also determined for each participant. Furthermore, sample sizes were estimated for determining the significance of differences in slopes of decline between different interventions using pre- versus post-bronchodilator measurements. Results Within each intervention group, mean adjusted and unadjusted slope estimates were slightly higher for the pre- than the post-bronchodilator FEV1 (range of differences 2.6-5.2 ml/yr and the standard errors around these estimates were only minimally higher for the pre- versus the post-bronchodilator FEV1 (range 0.05-0.11 ml/yr. Conversely, the standard deviations of the mean FEV1 determined at each annual visit were consistently slightly higher (range of differences 0.011 to 0.035 L for the post- compared to the pre-bronchodilator FEV1. Within each group, the proportion of individual participants with a statistically significant slope was similar (varying by only 1.4 to 2.7% comparing the estimates

Immediate Postoperative Bell's Palsy: Viral Etiology or Post-Traumatic Phenomena?

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Mohammad Ghasem Shams

2010-12-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Bell’s palsy is a sudden unilateral paralysis of the facial nerve. Postoperative Bell’s palsy following surgery is rare. It occurs in less than 1% of operations. The hypothesis: We premise that the main cause of immediate postoperative Bell's palsy is latent herpes viruses (herpes simplex virus type 1 and herpes zoster virus, which are reactivated from cranial nerve ganglia. Inflammation of the nerve initially results in a reversible neurapraxia, but ultimately Wallerian degeneration ensues. The palsy is often sudden in onset and evolves rapidly, with maximal facial weakness developing within two days. Associated symptoms of-ten seen in idiopathic Bell’s palsy are tearing problems, hyperacusis and altered taste.Evaluation of the hypothesis: Facial paralysis presenting postoperatively is distressing and poses a diagnostic chal-lenge. A complete interruption of the facial nerve at the sty-lomastoid foramen paralyzes all the muscles of facial expression. Taste sensation may be lost unilaterally and hye-racusis may be present. Idiopathic Bell’s palsy is due to inflammation of the facial nerve in the facial canal. Bell’s palsy may also occur from lesions that invade the temporal bone (carotid body, cholesteatoma, dermoid cyst, acoustic neu-romas. Although traumatic Bell’s palsy cannot be ruled out, it seems logic to postulate that the main cause of immediate postoperative Bell's palsy is latent herpes viruses.

Change apparent diffusion coefficient immediately after recanalization through intra-arterial revascularization therapy in acute ischemic stroke

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Roh, Ji Eun; Yeom, Joeng A; Kim, Young Soo; Yoon, Chang Hyo; Park, Min Gyu; Park, Kyung Pil; Baik, Seung Kug

2016-01-01

Intra-arterial revascularization therapy (IART) for acute ischemic stroke has become increasingly popular recently. However, early change in apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values after full recanalization in human stroke has not received much attention. The aim of this study was to evaluate ADC changes immediately after interventional full-recanalization in patients with acute ischemic stroke. ADC values of 25 lesions from 18 acute ischemic stroke patients were recorded with both pre- and post-recanalization ADC maps. Measurement was done by placing region of interests over the representative images of the lesion. For analysis, lesions were divided into territorial infarction (TI) and watershed infarction (WI). Mean ADC values of the overall 25 lesions before IART were 415.12 × 10-6 mm 2 /sec, and increased to 619.08 × 10-6 mm 2 /sec after the IART. Average relative ADC (rADC) value for 22 TI increased from 0.59 to 0.92 (p < 0.000), whereas, average rADC value for 3 WI did not change significantly. There was a conspicuous increase of ADC values immediately after full-recanalization in TI lesions. On the other hand, WI lesions did not show significant change in ADC values after recanalization

Role of transglutaminase 2 in A1 adenosine receptor- and β2-adrenoceptor-mediated pharmacological pre- and post-conditioning against hypoxia-reoxygenation-induced cell death in H9c2 cells.

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Vyas, Falguni S; Nelson, Carl P; Dickenson, John M

2018-01-15

Pharmacologically-induced pre- and post-conditioning represent attractive therapeutic strategies to reduce ischaemia/reperfusion injury during cardiac surgery and following myocardial infarction. We have previously reported that transglutaminase 2 (TG2) activity is modulated by the A 1 adenosine receptor and β 2 -adrenoceptor in H9c2 cardiomyoblasts. The primary aim of this study was to determine the role of TG2 in A 1 adenosine receptor and β 2 -adrenoceptor-induced pharmacological pre- and post-conditioning in the H9c2 cells. H9c2 cells were exposed to 8h hypoxia (1% O 2 ) followed by 18h reoxygenation, after which cell viability was assessed by monitoring mitochondrial reduction of MTT, lactate dehydrogenase release and caspase-3 activation. N 6 -cyclopentyladenosine (CPA; A 1 adenosine receptor agonist), formoterol (β 2 -adrenoceptor agonist) or isoprenaline (non-selective β-adrenoceptor agonist) were added before hypoxia/reoxygenation (pre-conditioning) or at the start of reoxygenation following hypoxia (post-conditioning). Pharmacological pre- and post-conditioning with CPA and isoprenaline significantly reduced hypoxia/reoxygenation-induced cell death. In contrast, formoterol did not elicit protection. Pre-treatment with pertussis toxin (G i/o -protein inhibitor), DPCPX (A 1 adenosine receptor antagonist) or TG2 inhibitors (Z-DON and R283) attenuated the A 1 adenosine receptor-induced pharmacological pre- and post-conditioning. Similarly, pertussis toxin, ICI 118,551 (β 2 -adrenoceptor antagonist) or TG2 inhibition attenuated the isoprenaline-induced cell survival. Knockdown of TG2 using small interfering RNA (siRNA) attenuated CPA and isoprenaline-induced pharmacological pre- and post-conditioning. Finally, proteomic analysis following isoprenaline treatment identified known (e.g. protein S100-A6) and novel (e.g. adenine phosphoribosyltransferase) protein substrates for TG2. These results have shown that A 1 adenosine receptor and β 2 -adrenoceptor

Children's Fears: A Pre-9/11 and Post-9/11 Comparison Using the American Fear Survey Schedule for Children

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Burnham, Joy J.

2007-01-01

Children are influenced by the salient events surrounding them (e.g., 9/11 terrorist attacks, Hurricane Katrina, massacre at Virginia Tech). In this study, the author examined fears of children and adolescents in Grades 2-12 in a pre-and post-September 11, 2001, comparison using the American Fear Survey Schedule for Children (FSSC-AM; J. J.…

A prospective study of pre-trauma risk factors for post-traumatic stress disorder and depression.

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Wild, J; Smith, K V; Thompson, E; Béar, F; Lommen, M J J; Ehlers, A

2016-09-01

It is unclear which potentially modifiable risk factors best predict post-trauma psychiatric disorders. We aimed to identify pre-trauma risk factors for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or major depression (MD) that could be targeted with resilience interventions. Newly recruited paramedics (n = 453) were assessed for history of mental disorders with structured clinical interviews within the first week of their paramedic training and completed self-report measures to assess hypothesized predictors. Participants were assessed every 4 months for 2 years to identify any episodes of PTSD and MD; 386 paramedics (85.2%) participated in the follow-up interviews. In all, 32 participants (8.3%) developed an episode of PTSD and 41 (10.6%) an episode of MD during follow-up. In all but nine cases (2.3%), episodes had remitted by the next assessment 4 months later. At 2 years, those with episodes of PTSD or MD during follow-up reported more days off work, poorer sleep, poorer quality of life, greater burn-out; and greater weight-gain for those with PTSD. In line with theories of PTSD and depression, analyses controlling for psychiatric and trauma history identified several pre-trauma predictors (cognitive styles, coping styles and psychological traits). Logistic regressions showed that rumination about memories of stressful events at the start of training uniquely predicted an episode of PTSD. Perceived resilience uniquely predicted an episode of MD. Participants at risk of developing episodes of PTSD or depression could be identified within the first week of paramedic training. Cognitive predictors of episodes of PTSD and MD are promising targets for resilience interventions.

Selective post-training time window for memory consolidation interference of cannabidiol into the prefrontal cortex: Reduced dopaminergic modulation and immediate gene expression in limbic circuits.

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Rossignoli, Matheus Teixeira; Lopes-Aguiar, Cleiton; Ruggiero, Rafael Naime; Do Val da Silva, Raquel Araujo; Bueno-Junior, Lezio Soares; Kandratavicius, Ludmyla; Peixoto-Santos, José Eduardo; Crippa, José Alexandre; Cecilio Hallak, Jaime Eduardo; Zuardi, Antonio Waldo; Szawka, Raphael Escorsim; Anselmo-Franci, Janete; Leite, João Pereira; Romcy-Pereira, Rodrigo Neves

2017-05-14

The prefrontal cortex (PFC), amygdala and hippocampus display a coordinated activity during acquisition of associative fear memories. Evidence indicates that PFC engagement in aversive memory formation does not progress linearly as previously thought. Instead, it seems to be recruited at specific time windows after memory acquisition, which has implications for the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorders. Cannabidiol (CBD), the major non-psychotomimetic phytocannabinoid of the Cannabis sativa plant, is known to modulate contextual fear memory acquisition in rodents. However, it is still not clear how CBD interferes with PFC-dependent processes during post-training memory consolidation. Here, we tested whether intra-PFC infusions of CBD immediately after or 5h following contextual fear conditioning was able to interfere with memory consolidation. Neurochemical and cellular correlates of the CBD treatment were evaluated by the quantification of extracellular levels of dopamine (DA), serotonin, and their metabolites in the PFC and by measuring the cellular expression of activity-dependent transcription factors in cortical and limbic regions. Our results indicate that bilateral intra-PFC CBD infusion impaired contextual fear memory consolidation when applied 5h after conditioning, but had no effect when applied immediately after it. This effect was associated with a reduction in DA turnover in the PFC following retrieval 5days after training. We also observed that post-conditioning infusion of CBD reduced c-fos and zif-268 protein expression in the hippocampus, PFC, and thalamus. Our findings support that CBD interferes with contextual fear memory consolidation by reducing PFC influence on cortico-limbic circuits. Copyright © 2017 IBRO. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of nonmemory cognitive parameters in psychiatric patients' pre- and post-electroconvulsive therapy: An observational study

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Jyoti Prakash

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Possibility of cognitive side effects has made electroconvulsive therapy (ECT questionable. Variable deficits have been debated in memory cognition. Pattern of changes in nonmemory cognition pre- and post-ECT is not clear. Methodology: Forty patients undergoing ECT were studied on nonmemory cognitive parameters before ECT, after a course of ECT, and after 4 weeks of last. ECT. Results: Nonmemory cognition improved during the course of ECT and over 4 weeks of ECT. Conclusions: ECT does not affect the nonmemory cognition adversely.

Soil Microbial Activity Responses to Fire in a Semi-arid Savannah Ecosystem Pre- and Post-Monsoon Season

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Jimenez, J. R.; Raub, H. D.; Jong, E. L.; Muscarella, C. R.; Smith, W. K.; Gallery, R. E.

2017-12-01

Extracellular enzyme activities (EEA) of soil microorganisms can act as important proxies for nutrient limitation and turnover in soil and provide insight into the biochemical requirements of microbes in terrestrial ecosystems. In semi-arid ecosystems, microbial activity is influenced by topography, disturbances such as fire, and seasonality from monsoon rains. Previous studies from forest ecosystems show that microbial communities shift to similar compositions after severe fires despite different initial conditions. In semi-arid ecosystems with high spatial heterogeniety, we ask does fire lead to patch intensification or patch homogenization and how do monsoon rains influence the successional trajectories of microbial responses? We analyzed microbial activity and soil biogeochemistry throughout the monsoon season in paired burned and unburned sites in the Santa Rita Experimental Range, AZ. Surface soil (5cm) from bare-ground patches, bole, canopy drip line, and nearby grass patches for 5 mesquite trees per site allowed tests of spatiotemporal responses to fire and monsoon rain. Microbial activity was low during the pre-monsoon season and did not differ between the burned and unburned sites. We found greater activity near mesquite trees that reflects soil water and nutrient availability. Fire increased soil alkalinity, though soils near mesquite trees were less affected. Soil water content was significantly higher in the burned sites post-monsoon, potentially reflecting greater hydrophobicity of burned soils. Considering the effects of fire in these semi-arid ecosystems is especially important in the context of the projected changing climate regime in this region. Assessing microbial community recovery pre-, during, and post-monsoon is important for testing predictions about whether successional pathways post-fire lead to recovery or novel trajectories of communities and ecosystem function.

The influence of pre-deployment cognitive ability on post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms and trajectories

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sørensen, Holger J; Andersen, Søren B; Karstoft, Karen-Inge

2016-01-01

(based on logical, verbal, numerical and spatial reasoning) were converted to a mean of 100 and with a standard deviation of 15. Results Higher pre-deployment cognitive ability scores were associated with lower risk of PTSD symptoms as assessed by the Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Checklist......-Civilian Version (PCL-C) 2.5 years post-deployment (OR=0.97; 95% CI 0.95-1.00) after adjustment for educational length, baseline PCL-C score and perceived war-zone stress. Compared to a resilient trajectory, a non-resilient relieved-worsening trajectory (high baseline mental symptoms, being symptom free during...

Comparison of Pre and Post-Treatment Orexin A Levels in Patients with Subclinical Hypothyroidism

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Muhammed Erdal

2010-01-01

Full Text Available Aim: Subclinical hypothyroidism is a clinical condition mostly observed in women, the prevalence of which increases by age. Sleepiness and appetite problems are observed in subclinical hypothyroidism. Orexins play a role in the physiological regulations like the stabilization of cardiovascular functions and the sleep-alert cycle. Similarities in the physiological regulation areas of orexins and the clinical findings of hypothyroidism were influential in the planning of this research. Additionally, homosisteine, which is influential on the cardiovascular system and the plasma level of which changes by eating (as is the case with orexins, was also analyzed. Besides, the change in the lipid profiles of the patients was also observed. Material and Methods: Nineteen pre-menopausal female patients (mean age=39.58±12.58, mean BMI= 26.7±4.9 included in this study. Following 12 hours fasting blood samples were taken from brachial vein. All patients were given 50µg/day L-T4 TSH levels were examined in every 4-6 weeks to adjust the L-T4 doses. When euthyroidism was ensured, a re-evaluation was made 4 months later. Results:  Pre-treatment plasma orexin A levels of 19 patients with pre-menopausal subclinical hypothyroidism increased significantly following a treatment of l-tiroxin for 4 months (pre-treatment orexin level median=1.20 mg/dl (mean: 1.33±0.28 post-treatment median=1.82 mg/dl (mean: 1.70±0.42 p=0.007. A significant change in the level of plasma total homosisteine and lipid profile was not detected. Conclusions: Advanced studies are needed to study the physiological effects of orexin levels in cases with subclinical hypothyroidism and the possible benefits in treatment.

Enhancing self-directed learning among Italian nursing students: A pre- and post-intervention study.

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Cadorin, L; Rei, A; Dante, A; Bulfone, T; Viera, G; Palese, A

2015-06-01

In accordance with Knowles's theory, self-directed learning (SDL) may be improved with tutorial strategies focused on guided reflection and critical analysis of the learning process. No evidence on effects on SDL abilities of different tutorial strategies offered to nursing students during the 1st clinical experience is available. To evaluate the effect of different tutorial strategies offered to nursing students on their SDL abilities. A pre-post intervention non-equivalent control group design was adopted in 2013. For the treatment group, structured and intensive tutorial interventions including different strategies such as briefing, debriefing, peer support, Socratic questioning, performed by university tutors were offered during the 1st clinical experience; for the control group, unstructured and non-intensive tutorial strategies were instead offered. Two Bachelor of Nursing Degree. Students awaiting their clinical experience (n=238) were the target sample. Those students who have completed the pre- and the post-intervention evaluation (201; 84.4%) were included in the analysis. SDL abilities were measured with the SRSSDL_ITA (Self Rating Scale of Self Directed Learning-Italian Version). A multiple linear regression analysis was developed to explore the predictive effect of individual, contextual and intervention variables. Three main factors explained the 36.8% of the adjusted variance in SDL scores have emerged: a) having received a lower clinical nurse-to-student supervision (B 9.086, β 2.874), b) having received higher level and structured tutorial intervention by university tutors (B 8.011, β 2.741), and c) having reported higher SDL scores at the baseline (B .550, β .556). A lower clinical nurse-to-student ratio (1:4), accompanied by unstructured and non-intensive tutorial intervention adopted by university tutors, seemed to be equivalent to an intensive clinical supervision (1:1) accompanied by higher level and structured tutorial strategies activated

Immediate implants in extraction sockets with periapical lesions: an illustrated review

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Arthur B. Novaes Jr.

2013-10-01

Full Text Available Aim Immediate implantation has gained great attention since first proposed. Immediate implants in replacement of teeth with periapical lesion is, to date, an issue of discussion. The aim of this study is to perform an illustrated literature review of immediate implants in sockets exhibiting previous periapical lesions.Materials and methods A search on medline/EMBASE database was done for the literature review which is presented together with two case reports illustrating the state of the art of immediate implants on sockets with periapical lesions. Both cases are presented in areas with great aesthetic demands and a periapical lesion of considerable size. The two cases were conducted following strict granulation tissue removal and careful rinsing and pre-operative antibiotics, followed by good primary stability of the dental implant.Results and conclusion Both cases represented successes in aesthetics and function, describing a successful protocol for immediate implant installation in areas exhibiting periapical lesions.

On-line ethics education for occupational therapy clinician-educators: a single-group pre-/post-test study.

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VanderKaay, Sandra; Letts, Lori; Jung, Bonny; Moll, Sandra E

2018-05-20

Ethics education is a critical component of training rehabilitation practitioners. There is a need for capacity-building among ethics educators regarding facilitating ethical decision-making among students. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the utility of an on-line ethics education module for occupational therapy clinician-educators (problem-based learning tutors/clinical placement preceptors/evidence-based practice facilitators). The Knowledge-to-Action Process informed development and evaluation of the module. Clinician-educators (n = 33) viewed the module and reported on its impact on knowledge and facilitation practices via pre, post, and follow-up questionnaires. Pre- and post-test data indicated improvement in self-reported ethics knowledge (t = 8.275, p ethics education module for clinician-educators. Future recommendations include broader consideration of context, adding supplemental knowledge translation components, and further research exploring outcomes with larger samples, longer follow-up and randomized trial methodology. Implications for Rehabilitation The on-line ethics module has potential to improve rehabilitation practice by addressing the noted gap in knowledge among clinician-educators. Viewing an on-line module regarding approaches to ethics education may not be sufficient to change clinician-educators' teaching practices. More time and opportunities to discuss ethics with student occupational therapists may be required to effect practice change among clinician-educators. Developing ethics education tools for clinician-educators requires ongoing and iterative input from knowledge users to optimize translation of ideas to practice.

Values of Prostaglandin during Pre and Post-Partum and at parturition in buffaloes

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R.M. Khattab

2010-02-01

Full Text Available This study was carried out at Mehallet Mousa Animal production Research station, Animal production Research institute- ministry of agriculture, Egypt. This work was carried out on ten late pregnant buffaloes for studying prostaglandin (PG F2α during pre and post partum periods. Blood samples were collected five days prepartum and one week postpartum. Prostaglandin was determined by Elisa (Enzyme-Limked immunosorbant Assay. The results, showed that the plasma prostaglandin levels on day three, two and one prepartum was higher than on day five prepartum. On The day of delivery (0 day a sudden sharp increase in PGF2& con concentration occurred (180.83±4.23 pg/ml followed by a gradual decrease in the plasma concentration. Of PGF2α on day four, five, six and seven postpartum, small respectively.

Is the Time of administration of misoprostol of value? The uterotonic effect of misoprostol given pre- and post-operative after elective cesarean section

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Ahmed H. Abd-Ellah

2014-03-01

Conclusion: Pre-operative rectally administrated misoprostol appears to be more effective than post-operative rectally administrated misoprostol in reducing blood loss, and in decreasing the need for other uterotonic drugs in cesarean section delivery.

Post-transplant increased levels of serum sCD30 is a marker for prediction of kidney allograft loss in a 5-year prospective study.

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Delgado, Julio C; Pavlov, Igor Y; Shihab, Fuad S

2009-12-01

Levels of sCD30 represent a biomarker for early outcome in kidney transplantation. The purpose of this study was to determine the role of sCD30 levels for prediction of graft loss in the late post-transplant period. Sera were collected immediately pre-transplant and yearly thereafter for up to 5-year post-transplant in 37 primary renal transplant recipients. Levels of serum sCD30 were tested using a fluorescent microsphere assay. Levels of sCD30 significantly decreased after transplantation and remained normal in 34 patients without graft loss up to 5-year post-transplant. Elevated levels of serum sCD30 preceded the increase of serum creatinine in patients with subsequent graft loss. Elevated levels of serum sCD30 post-transplant might be a marker for predicting subsequent graft loss in the post-transplant period.

Assessing the immediate impact of botulinum toxin injection on impedance of spastic muscle.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Xiaoyan; Shin, Henry; Li, Le; Magat, Elaine; Li, Sheng; Zhou, Ping

2017-05-01

This study aimed to investigate the immediate impacts of Botulinum Toxin A (BoNT-A) injections on the inherent electrical properties of spastic muscles using a newly developed electrical impedance myography (EIM) technique. Impedance measures were performed before and after a BoNT-A injection in biceps brachii muscles of 14 subjects with spasticity. Three major impedance variables, resistance (R), reactance (X) and phase angle (θ) were obtained from three different configurations, and were evaluated using the conventional EIM frequency at 50kHz as well as multiple frequency analysis. Statistical analysis demonstrated a significant decrease of resistance in the injected muscles (Multiple-frequency: R pre =25.17±1.94Ohm, R post =23.65±1.63Ohm, ptoxin effects on the muscle. This study demonstrated high sensitivity of the EIM technique in the detection of alterations to muscle composition. Copyright © 2017 IPEM. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Pre-transplant history of mental health concerns, non-adherence, and post-transplant outcomes in kidney transplant recipients.

Science.gov (United States)

Gumabay, Franz Marie; Novak, Marta; Bansal, Aarushi; Mitchell, Margot; Famure, Olusegun; Kim, S Joseph; Mucsi, Istvan

2018-02-01

The association between pre-transplant mental health concerns and non-adherence and post-transplant outcomes after kidney transplantation is not fully established. We examined the relationship between a pre-transplant history of mental health concerns and non-adherence and post-transplant outcomes among kidney transplant recipients. In this retrospective single center cohort study of adult kidney transplant recipients (n=955) the associations between the history of mental health concerns or non-adherence and the time from kidney transplant to biopsy proven acute rejection; death-censored graft failure and total graft failure were examined using Cox proportional hazards models. Mean (SD) age was 51 (13) years, 61% were male and 27% had a history of diabetes. Twenty-two and 11% of patients had mental health concerns and non-adherence, respectively. Fifteen percent of the patients had acute rejection, 5.6% had death-censored graft failure and 13.0% had total graft failure. The history of mental health concerns was not associated with acute rejection, death-censored graft failure or total graft failure. Patients with versus without a history of non-adherence tended to have higher cumulative incidence of acute rejection (23.3% [95% CI: 16.1, 33.2] vs. 13.6% [95% CI: 11.4, 16.2]) and death-censored graft failure (15.0% [95% CI: 6.9, 30.8] vs. 6.4% [95% CI: 4.7, 8.7]) (log rank p=0.052 and p=0.086, respectively). These trends were not significant after multivariable adjustment. In summary, a history of pre-transplant mental health concerns or non-adherence is not associated with adverse outcomes in patients who completed transplant workup and received a kidney transplant. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Scintigraphic scoring system for grading severity of gastro-esophageal reflux on 99mTc sulfur colloid gastro-esophageal reflux scintigraphy: A prospective study of 39 cases with pre and post treatment assessment.

Science.gov (United States)

Puranik, Ameya D; Nair, Gopinathan; Aggarwal, Rajiv; Bandyopadhyay, Abhijit; Shinto, Ajit; Zade, Anand

2013-04-01

The study aimed at developing a scoring system for scintigraphic grading of gastro-esophageal reflux (GER), on gastro-esophageal reflux scintigraphy (GERS) and comparison of clinical and scintigraphic scores, pre- and post-treatment. A total of 39 cases with clinically symptomatic GER underwent 99mTc sulfur colloid GERS; scores were assigned based on the clinical and scintigraphic parameters. Post domperidone GERS was performed after completion of treatment. Follow up GERS was performed and clinical and scintigraphic parameters were compared with baseline parameters. Paired t-test on pre and post domperidone treatment clinical scores showed that the decline in post-treatment scores was highly significant, with P value reflux and also for following children post-treatment.

Pre- and post construction radon measurements in a new housing development

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rydock, J.P.; Naess-Rolstad, A.; Brunsell, J.T.

2001-01-01

Results from pre- and post construction radon measurements in a new housing development are presented. The houses were built in an area that had not been previously associated with elevated indoor radon concentrations. Exhalation measurements of gravel and stone from the site and soil gas measurements under several houses did not indicate an elevated radon potential. However, 4 of 21 finished houses (or 19%) exhibited annual average indoor radon concentrations over 200 Bq.m -3 (5.4 pCi/l). The highest concentrations were observed in the first house built in 1 of the 6 houses built differently than the original designs, with the elements of a sub floor ventilation system included for possible radon control if necessary. These results suggest that site investigations can be of limited value in determining where not to include radon protection measures in new housing. Also, that care must be taken to adequately inform everyone involved in the building process of the importance of maintaining a tight seal against the ground to prevent possible radon gas entry into a house. (author)

Persuasive technology in teaching acute pain assessment in nursing: Results in learning based on pre and post-testing.

Science.gov (United States)

Alvarez, Ana Graziela; Dal Sasso, Grace T Marcon; Iyengar, M Sriram

2017-03-01

Thousands of patients seek health services every day with complaints of pain. However, adequate pain assessment is still flawed, a fact that is partly related to gaps in professional learning on this topic. Innovative strategies such as the use of a virtual learning object mediated by persuasive technology in the learning of undergraduate nursing students can help to fill these gaps and to provide different ways of learning to learn. To evaluate the results in learning among undergraduate nursing students about assessment of acute pain in adults and newborns, before and after an online educational intervention. This is a quasi-experimental, non-equivalent study using pre-and post-testing. Federal University of Santa Catarina, Brazil. 75 undergraduate nursing students. Our study was conducted in three steps (pre-test, education intervention, post-test). Data were collected from November 2013 to February 2014. The educational intervention was performed using online access to virtual learning object about acute pain assessment, which students accessed on their mobile devices. A significant difference was seen in student learning (ptechnology and method applied. The use of persuasive technology such as small mobile devices as mediators of online educational interventions broadens learning spaces in an innovative, flexible, motivational, and promising manner. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The immediate effect of vibration therapy on flexibility in female ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The immediate effect of vibration therapy on flexibility in female junior elite gymnasts. ... Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the acute effects of vibration therapy on the flexibility of female gymnasts. A pre-test ... Keywords: Static stretching, vibration training, vibration therapy, acute effect, artistic gymnastics.

Premedication with gabapentin, alprazolam or a placebo for abdominal hysterectomy: Effect on pre-operative anxiety, post-operative pain and morphine consumption

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tim Thomas Joseph

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Background and Aims : Utility of gabapentin for pre-operative anxiolysis as compared to commonly administered alprazolam is not evident. The aim of the present study was to compare the effects of pre-operative oral gabapentin 600 mg, alprazolam 0.5 mg or a placebo on pre-operative anxiety along with post-operative pain and morphine consumption. Methods: Seventy five patients scheduled for abdominal hysterectomy under general anaesthesia were included. Groups gabapentin, alprazolam and placebo, received oral gabapentin 600 mg, alprazolam 0.5 mg and one capsule of oral B-complex forte with Vitamin C respectively, on the night prior to surgery and 2 h prior to surgery. Visual analogue scale (VAS was used to measure the anxiety and post-operative pain. All patients received patient-controlled analgesia. Statistical tests used were Kruskal-Wallis test, Wilcoxon signed rank test and one-way ANOVA. Results: Alprazolam provided significant anxiolysis (median [interquartile range] baseline VAS score 35 [15.5, 52] to 20 [6.5, 34.5] after drug administration; P = 0.007. Gabapentin did not provide significant decrease in anxiety (median [interquartile range] VAS score 21 [7.5, 41] to 20 [6.5, 34.5]; P = 0.782. First analgesic request time (median [interquartile range in minutes] was longer in group gabapentin (17.5 [10, 41.25] compared to group placebo (10 [5, 15] (P = 0.019 but comparable to that in group alprazolam (15 [10, 30]. Cumulative morphine consumption at different time periods and total morphine consumption (mean [standard deviation] at the end of study period (38.65 [18.04], 39.91 [15.73], 44.29 [16.02] mg in group gabapentin, alprazolam and placebo respectively were comparable. Conclusion: Gabapentin 600 mg does not have significant anxiolytic effect compared to alprazolam 0.5 mg. Alprazolam 0.5 mg was found to be an effective anxiolytic in the pre-operative period. Neither alprazolam nor gabapentin, when compared to placebo showed any opioid

A single pre-operative antibiotic dose is as effective as continued antibiotic prophylaxis in implant-based breast reconstruction: A matched cohort study.

Science.gov (United States)

Townley, William A; Baluch, Narges; Bagher, Shaghayegh; Maass, Saskia W M C; O'Neill, Anne; Zhong, Toni; Hofer, Stefan O P

2015-05-01

Infections following implant-based breast reconstruction can lead to devastating consequences. There is currently no consensus on the need for post-operative antibiotics in preventing immediate infection. This study compared two different methods of infection prevention in this group of patients. A retrospective matched cohort study was performed on consecutive women undergoing implant-based breast reconstruction at University Health Network, Toronto (November 2008-December 2012). All patients received a single pre-operative intravenous antibiotic dose. Group A received minimal interventions and Group B underwent maximal prophylactic measures. Patient (age, smoking, diabetes, co-morbidities), oncologic and procedural variables (timing and laterality) were collected. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression were performed to compare outcomes between the two groups. Two hundred and eight patients underwent 647 implant procedures. After matching the two treatment groups by BMI, 94 patients in each treatment group yielding a total of 605 implant procedures were selected for analysis. The two groups were comparable in terms of patient and disease variables. Post-operative wound infection was similar in Group A (n = 11, 12%) compared with Group B (n = 9, 10%; p = 0.8). Univariate analysis revealed only pre-operative radiotherapy to be associated with the development of infection (0.004). Controlling for the effect of radiotherapy, multivariate analysis demonstrated that there was no statistically significant difference between the two methods for infection prevention. Our findings suggest that a single pre-operative dose of intravenous antibiotics is equally as effective as continued antibiotic prophylaxis in preventing immediate infection in patients undergoing implant-based breast reconstructions. Copyright © 2015 British Association of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of seed coating formulations of Trichoderma harzianum on cucumber seeds against pre- and post-emergence damping-off caused by Pythium ultimum

Science.gov (United States)

Seed coating formulations of Trichoderma harzianum were evaluated on cucumber seeds to control pre- and post-emergence damping-off caused by Pythium ultimum in greenhouse studies. Results showed that coating formulation H reduced the disease incidence significantly, and had the potential for commer...

The effectiveness of virtual simulation in improving student nurses' knowledge and performance during patient deterioration: A pre and post test design.

Science.gov (United States)

Borg Sapiano, Alexis; Sammut, Roberta; Trapani, Josef

2018-03-01

Preparing nursing students to perform competently in complex emergency situations, such as during rapid patient deterioration, is challenging. Students' active engagement in such scenarios cannot be ensured, due to the unexpected nature of such infrequent events. Many students may consequently not experience and integrate the management of patient deterioration into their knowledge and practical competency by the end of their studies, making them unprepared to manage such situations as practicing nurses. This study investigated the effectiveness of virtual simulation in improving performance during rapid patient deterioration. To investigate the effectiveness of virtual simulation in improving student nurses' knowledge and performance during rapid patient deterioration. A pre- and post-test design was used. Nursing students at a university in Malta were invited to participate in a virtual simulation program named FIRST 2 ACTWeb™, using their own computer devices. A total of 166 (response rate=50%) second and third year diploma and degree nursing students participated in the study. The simulation included three scenarios (Cardiac-Shock-Respiratory) portraying deteriorating patients. Performance feedback was provided at the end of each scenario. Students completed pre- and post-scenario knowledge tests and performance during each scenario was recorded automatically on a database. Findings showed a significant improvement in the students' post-scenario knowledge (z=-6.506, psimulation as an effective learning tool for pre-registration nursing students in different programs. Simulation improves both knowledge about and performance during patient deterioration. Virtual simulation of rare events should be a key component of undergraduate nurse education, to prepare students to manage complex situations as practicing nurses. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Overview of Pre-Flight Physical Training, In-Flight Exercise Countermeasures and the Post-Flight Reconditioning Program for International Space Station Astronauts

Science.gov (United States)

Kerstman, Eric

2011-01-01

International Space Station (ISS) astronauts receive supervised physical training pre-flight, utilize exercise countermeasures in-flight, and participate in a structured reconditioning program post-flight. Despite recent advances in exercise hardware and prescribed exercise countermeasures, ISS crewmembers are still found to have variable levels of deconditioning post-flight. This presentation provides an overview of the astronaut medical certification requirements, pre-flight physical training, in-flight exercise countermeasures, and the post-flight reconditioning program. Astronauts must meet medical certification requirements on selection, annually, and prior to ISS missions. In addition, extensive physical fitness testing and standardized medical assessments are performed on long duration crewmembers pre-flight. Limited physical fitness assessments and medical examinations are performed in-flight to develop exercise countermeasure prescriptions, ensure that the crewmembers are physically capable of performing mission tasks, and monitor astronaut health. Upon mission completion, long duration astronauts must re-adapt to the 1 G environment, and be certified as fit to return to space flight training and active duty. A structured, supervised postflight reconditioning program has been developed to prevent injuries, facilitate re-adaptation to the 1 G environment, and subsequently return astronauts to training and space flight. The NASA reconditioning program is implemented by the Astronaut Strength, Conditioning, and Rehabilitation (ASCR) team and supervised by NASA flight surgeons. This program has evolved over the past 10 years of the International Space Station (ISS) program and has been successful in ensuring that long duration astronauts safely re-adapt to the 1 g environment and return to active duty. Lessons learned from this approach to managing deconditioning can be applied to terrestrial medicine and future exploration space flight missions.

Evaluation of alternatives to cautery disbudding of dairy goat kids using physiological measures of immediate and longer-term pain.

Science.gov (United States)

Hempstead, Melissa N; Waas, Joseph R; Stewart, Mairi; Cave, Vanessa M; Sutherland, Mhairi A

2018-06-01

We evaluated alternatives to cautery disbudding of goat kids using physiological measures of immediate and longer-term pain. Fifty Saanen doe kids were randomly assigned to 1 of 5 treatments (n = 10/treatment): (1) cautery disbudding (CAUT), (2) caustic paste disbudding (CASP), (3) liquid nitrogen disbudding (CRYO), (4) clove oil injected into the horn bud (CLOV), or (5) sham disbudding (SHAM). Serum cortisol and haptoglobin concentrations were measured from blood samples collected immediately before treatment (baseline) and at 15, 30, 60, and 120 min and then again at 6 and 24 h post-treatment. An infrared thermography camera was used to take images of the horn buds 24 h pre- and 24, 48, and 72 h post-treatment to measure skin temperature. Body weight was measured daily for 1 wk to assess weight change post-treatment. Images of the horn buds were taken at d 1, 2, and 7 and at 6 wk post-treatment to assess tissue damage and wound healing. Mean cortisol concentrations were elevated in CASP kids 1 h post-treatment relative to CAUT kids. Cortisol concentrations of CRYO kids were higher than those of CAUT kids 30 min post-treatment; concentrations for CLOV kids were similar to CAUT kids post-treatment. Mean haptoglobin concentrations were similar across treatments over time; however, CLOV kids had higher concentrations at 24 h post-treatment than all other treatments. Skin temperatures of CASP and CLOV kids were elevated relative to CAUT kids at all time points post-treatment, and all disbudded kids had skin temperatures above those of SHAM kids at 72 h post-treatment. Treatment did not influence weight gain. The CAUT kids had large, open wounds exposing bone; small scabs were still evident 6 wk post-treatment. The CASP kids had red and open, raw wounds that generated large eschars, apparent for up to 6 wk. The CRYO kids had closed, dry wounds initially, but over time lesions appeared that caused open wounds; small scabs were present 6 wk post-treatment. The CLOV kids

Immediate and delayed cochlear neuropathy after noise exposure in pubescent mice

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jensen, Jane Bjerg; Lysaght, Andrew C; Liberman, M Charles

2015-01-01

Moderate acoustic overexposure in adult rodents is known to cause acute loss of synapses on sensory inner hair cells (IHCs) and delayed degeneration of the auditory nerve, despite the completely reversible temporary threshold shift (TTS) and morphologically intact hair cells. Our objective...... to 16 months post exposure. Mice exposed to neuropathic noise demonstrated immediate cochlear synaptopathy by 24 hours post exposure, and delayed neurodegeneration characterized by axonal retraction at 8 months, and spiral ganglion cell loss at 8-16 months post exposure. Although the damage...

Immediate and short-term effects of the combination of dry needling and percutaneous TENS on post-needling soreness in patients with chronic myofascial neck pain

Science.gov (United States)

León-Hernández, Jose V.; Martín-Pintado-Zugasti, Aitor; Frutos, Laura G.; Alguacil-Diego, Isabel M.; de la Llave-Rincón, Ana I.; Fernandez-Carnero, Josue

2016-01-01

ABSTRACT Background Dry needling (DN) and percutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (PENS) are widely used techniques in the treatment of myofascial pain. Objective To investigate the immediate and short-term effects of the combination of DN and PENS compared to DN alone on the upper trapezius muscle. Method This is a 72-hour follow-up single-blinded randomized controlled trial. Sixty-two volunteer patients with chronic myofascial neck pain with active Myofascial Trigger Points (MTrPs) in the upper trapezius muscle were recruited. Randomization was performed, and 31 patients received DN treatment (DN group) and 31 received DN and PENS (DN+PENS group). The primary outcomes were neck disability index (NDI) and visual analog scale for pain for both post-needling soreness (PNS) and neck pain intensity (NPI). Pressure pain threshold (PPT) and cervical range of motion (CROM) were the secondary outcomes. Results We detected between-group differences in NPI and PNS in favor of the DN+PENS group immediately after treatment. No between-group differences in NDI were observed. Conclusion PENS application after dry needling treatment is more effective than dry needling alone for decreasing soreness in the short term and improving neck pain intensity immediately in patients with myofascial chronic neck pain. PMID:27410163

Clinical significance of atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance in detecting preinvasive cervical lesions in post- menopausal Turkish women.

Science.gov (United States)

Tokmak, Aytekin; Guzel, Ali Irfan; Ozgu, Emre; Oz, Murat; Akbay, Serap; Erkaya, Salim; Gungor, Tayfun

2014-01-01

To evaluate the clinical significance of atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance (ASCUS) in PAP test in post-menopausal women and compare with reproductive age women. A total of 367 patients who referred to our gynecologic oncology clinic were included to the study between September 2012 and August 2013. Data for 164 post-menopausal (group 1) and 203 pre-menopausal (group 2) women with ASCUS cytology were evaluated retrospectively. Immediate colposcopy and endocervical curettage was performed for both groups and conization for all women with a result suggestive of CIN2-3. Histopathological results and demographic features of patients were compared between the two groups. Mean age of the patients was 54.6±6.5 years in group 1 and 38±6.6 years in group 2. Some 14 (8.5%) of post- menopausal women and 36 (17.7%) of pre-menopausal women were current smokers (p=011). Totals of 38 (23.2%) post-menopausal and 64 (31.5%) pre-menopausal women were assessed for HPV-DNA. High risk HPV was detected in 7 (4.3%) and 21 (10.3%), respectively (p=0.029). Final histopathological results recorded were normal cervix, low grade cervical intra-epithelial neoplasia (CIN 1), and high grade cervical intra-epithelial neoplasia (CIN2-3). In group 1 results were 84.8%, 12.2% and 1.8%, respectively, and in group 2 were 71.9%, 23.2% and 4.9%. There were no cases of micro invasive or invasive cervical carcinoma in either group. Two cases were detected as endometrial carcinoma in the menopausal group (1.2%). In current study we found that preinvasive lesions were statistically significantly higher in pre-menopausal women than post- menopausal women with ASCUS. Cervicitis was more common in menopausal women. Therefore, we think that in case of ASCUS in a post-menopausal woman there is no need for radical management.

Post-thaw non-cultured and post-thaw cultured equine cord blood mesenchymal stromal cells equally suppress lymphocyte proliferation in vitro.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lynn B Williams

Full Text Available Multipotent mesenchymal stromal cells (MSC are receiving increased attention for their non-progenitor immunomodulatory potential. Cryopreservation is commonly used for long-term storage of MSC. Post-thaw MSC proliferation is associated with a lag-phase in vitro. How this lag-phase affect MSC immunomodulatory properties is unknown. We hypothesized that in vitro there is no difference in lymphocyte suppression potential between quick-thawed cryopreserved equine cord blood (CB MSC immediately included in mixed lymphocyte reaction (MLR and same MSC allowed post-thaw culture time prior to inclusion in MLR. Cryopreserved CB-MSC from five unrelated foals were compared using two-way MLR. For each of the five unrelated MSC cultures, paired MLR assays of MSC allowed five days of post-thaw culture and MSC included in MLR assay immediately post-thawing were evaluated. We report no difference in the suppression of lymphocyte proliferation by CB-MSC that had undergone post-thaw culture and MSC not cultured post-thaw (p<0.0001. Also, there was no inter-donor variability between the lymphocyte suppressive properties of MSC harvested from the five different donors (p = 0.13. These findings suggest that cryopreserved CB-MSC may have clinical utility immediately upon thawing. One implication hereof is the possibility of using cryopreserved CB-MSC at third party locations without the need for cell culture equipment or competencies.

Close coupling of pre- and post-processing vision stations using inexact algorithms

Science.gov (United States)

Shih, Chi-Hsien V.; Sherkat, Nasser; Thomas, Peter D.

1996-02-01

Work has been reported using lasers to cut deformable materials. Although the use of laser reduces material deformation, distortion due to mechanical feed misalignment persists. Changes in the lace patten are also caused by the release of tension in the lace structure as it is cut. To tackle the problem of distortion due to material flexibility, the 2VMethod together with the Piecewise Error Compensation Algorithm incorporating the inexact algorithms, i.e., fuzzy logic, neural networks and neural fuzzy technique, are developed. A spring mounted pen is used to emulate the distortion of the lace pattern caused by tactile cutting and feed misalignment. Using pre- and post-processing vision systems, it is possible to monitor the scalloping process and generate on-line information for the artificial intelligence engines. This overcomes the problems of lace distortion due to the trimming process. Applying the algorithms developed, the system can produce excellent results, much better than a human operator.

Neuropsychological functioning among individuals infected with hepatitis C: a comparison of pre- and post-transplant performance

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maiko Sakamoto

2015-04-01

Full Text Available t is well established that patients with end stage liver disease (ESLD experience cognitive and mood problems; however, little is known about changes in cognitive and emotional functioning following liver transplantation, especially over the past decade with the epidemic of hepatitis C virus (HCV infection taking over as the leading indication for liver transplantation. Seventeen patients with ESLD secondary to chronic HCV were assessed pre- and post-liver transplantation using a comprehensive neuropsychological battery. After an average of four years post-transplant, patients demonstrated significant improvements in most cognitive functioning and depressive symptoms. However, 18% of liver recipients continued to exhibit mild cognitive impairment mainly in areas of attention/executive functioning, motor speed, and learning. Liver transplantation is a life-extending surgery that reverses most, but not all, cognitive and mood difficulties. It is crucial to evaluate cognition after liver transplantation, especially in these three domains, and to consider the effect on daily functioning.

Pre/post-strike atmospheric assessment system (PAAS)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Peglow, S. G.; Molitoris, J. D.

1997-01-01

The Pre/Post-Strike Atmospheric Assessment System was proposed to show the importance of local meteorological conditions in the vicinity of a site suspected of storing or producing toxic agents and demonstrate a technology to measure these conditions, specifically wind fields. The ability to predict the collateral effects resulting from an attack on a facility containing hazardous materials is crucial to conducting effective military operations. Our study approach utilized a combination of field measurements with dispersion modeling to better understand which variables in terrain and weather were most important to collateral damage predictions. To develop the PAAS wind-sensing technology, we utilized a combination of emergent and available technology from micro-Doppler and highly coherent laser systems. The method used for wind sensing is to probe the atmosphere with a highly coherent laser beam. As the beam probes, light is back-scattered from particles entrained in the air to the lidar transceiver and detected by the instrument. Any motion of the aerosols with a component along the beam axis leads to a Doppler shift of the received light. Scanning in a conical fashion about the zenith results in a more accurate and two-dimensional measurement of the wind velocity. The major milestones in the benchtop system development were to verify the design by demonstrating the technique in the laboratory, then scale the design down to a size consistent with a demonstrator unit which could be built to take data in the field. The micro-Doppler heterodyne system we developed determines absolute motion by optically mixing a reference beam with the return signal and has shown motion sensitivity to better than 1 cm/s. This report describes the rationale, technical approach and laboratory testing undertaken to demonstrate the feasibility and utility of a system to provide local meteorological data and predict atmospheric particulate motion. The work described herein was funded by

Sex and drug risk behavior pre- and post-emigration among Latino migrant men in post-Hurricane Katrina New Orleans

Science.gov (United States)

Mills, Jennifer; Burton, Nicole; Schmidt, Norine; Salinas, Oscar; Hembling, John; Aran, Alberto; Shedlin, Michele; Kissinger, Patricia

2012-01-01

High rates of sex and drug risk behaviors have been documented among Latino migrant men in the U.S. Whether these behaviors were established in the migrants’ home countries or were adopted in the U.S. has not been described and has implications for prevention strategies. Quarterly surveys were conducted to gather information on selected sex and drug risk practices of Latino migrant men who arrived in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina seeking work. Both kappa scores and McNemar’s tests were performed to determine if practice of these behaviors in home country was similar to practice post-emigration to the U.S. Female sex worker (FSW) patronage, same sex encounters (MSM), and crack cocaine use was more likely to occur post-rather than pre-emigration. Of those who ever engaged in these selected behaviors, most adopted the behavior in the U.S. (i.e. 75.8% of FSW patrons, 72.7% of MSM participants, and 85.7% of crack cocaine users), with the exception of binge drinking (26.8%). Men who were living with a family member were less likely to adopt FSW patronage OR=0.27, CI=0.10-0.76, whereas men who earned >$465 per week were more likely to adopt crack cocaine use OR=6.29 CI=1.29, 30.57. Interventions that facilitate the maintenance of family cohesion and provide strategies for financial management may be useful for reducing sex and drug risk among newly arrived migrants. PMID:22669638

Immediate delivery compared with expectant management after preterm pre-labour rupture of the membranes close to term (PPROMT trial): a randomised controlled trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Morris, Jonathan M; Roberts, Christine L; Bowen, Jennifer R; Patterson, Jillian A; Bond, Diana M; Algert, Charles S; Thornton, Jim G; Crowther, Caroline A

2016-01-30

Preterm pre-labour ruptured membranes close to term is associated with increased risk of neonatal infection, but immediate delivery is associated with risks of prematurity. The balance of risks is unclear. We aimed to establish whether immediate birth in singleton pregnancies with ruptured membranes close to term reduces neonatal infection without increasing other morbidity. The PPROMT trial was a multicentre randomised controlled trial done at 65 centres across 11 countries. Women aged over 16 years with singleton pregnancies and ruptured membranes before the onset of labour between 34 weeks and 36 weeks and 6 days weeks who had no signs of infection were included. Women were randomly assigned (1:1) by a computer-generated randomisation schedule with variable block sizes, stratified by centre, to immediate delivery or expectant management. The primary outcome was the incidence of neonatal sepsis. Secondary infant outcomes included a composite neonatal morbidity and mortality indicator (ie, sepsis, mechanical ventilation ≥24 h, stillbirth, or neonatal death); respiratory distress syndrome; any mechanical ventilation; and duration of stay in a neonatal intensive or special care unit. Secondary maternal outcomes included antepartum or intrapartum haemorrhage, intrapartum fever, postpartum treatment with antibiotics, and mode of delivery. Women and caregivers could not be masked, but those adjudicating on the primary outcome were masked to group allocation. Analyses were by intention to treat. This trial is registered with the International Clinical Trials Registry, number ISRCTN44485060. Between May 28, 2004, and June 30, 2013, 1839 women were recruited and randomly assigned: 924 to the immediate birth group and 915 to the expectant management group. One woman in the immediate birth group and three in the expectant group were excluded from the primary analyses. Neonatal sepsis occurred in 23 (2%) of 923 neonates whose mothers were assigned to immediate birth and 29

Changes in infant disposable diaper weights at selected intervals post-wetting.

Science.gov (United States)

Carlisle, Joan; Moore, Amanda; Cooper, Alyssa; Henderson, Terri; Mayfield, Debbie; Taylor, Randa; Thomas, Jennifer; Van Fleet, Laduska; Askanazi, David; Fineberg, Naomi; Sun, Yanhui

2012-01-01

Pediatric acute care nurses questioned the practice of weighing disposable infant diapers immediately after voiding. This study asked the research question, "Does volume of saline, diaper configuration, and/or size of diaper statistically effect changes in diaper weights over time?" The method was an experimental, laboratory model. Pre-set volumes of saline were added to disposable diapers that were then left folded or unfolded. Each diaper was weighed immediately post-wetting and re-weighed at hourly intervals for seven hours. Data were analyzed using a repeated measures analysis of variance (RMANOVA) with balanced data (F-test). Diaper weight changes over time were statistically significant for all time points and for all volumes regardless of diaper size; however, the changes in weight were small and without clinical significance. It is appropriate to weigh diapers at the end of eight hours without risk of altering subsequent fluid management of patients in open-air, non-humidified environments. This practice has led to more efficient use of nurses' time with fewer interruptions for patients and families.

Role of physical processes in the distribution of chlorophyll a in the northwest Bay of Bengal during pre and post-monsoon seasons

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Sarma, V.V.; Sadhuram, Y.; Sravanthi, N.A.; Tripathy, S.C.

Gopalpur ? Visakhapatnam coast which could be due to the influx of waters from the adjacent Rushikulya estuary and Chilka Lake. The high co n- centr a tions observed during post - monsoon se a son compared to pre - monsoon may be du e to combined...

Revisiting Stock Market Integration Pre-Post Subprime Mortgage Crisis: Insight From BRIC Countries

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chin-Hong Puah

2015-07-01

Full Text Available This study revisits the long-run relationships and short-run dynamic causal linkages among BRIC stock market, with the particular attention to the 2008 subprime mortgage crisis. Extending related empirical studies, comparative analyses of pre-crisis, and post-crisis periods were conducted to comprehensively evaluate how stock market integration was affected by financial crises. In general, after employing cointegration test and VAR test, the results reveal the increase of stock market integration in BRICs after the subprime crisis. The evidence also found that China stock market is the most influential among the BRICs, in which China stock market has the ability to Granger cause the other three BRICs member countries. An important implication of our findings is that the degree of integration among countries tends to change over time, especially around periods marked by financial crises.

High resolution measurement of earthquake impacts on rock slope stability and damage using pre- and post-earthquake terrestrial laser scans

Science.gov (United States)

Hutchinson, Lauren; Stead, Doug; Rosser, Nick

2017-04-01

Understanding the behaviour of rock slopes in response to earthquake shaking is instrumental in response and relief efforts following large earthquakes as well as to ongoing risk management in earthquake affected areas. Assessment of the effects of seismic shaking on rock slope kinematics requires detailed surveys of the pre- and post-earthquake condition of the slope; however, at present, there is a lack of high resolution monitoring data from pre- and post-earthquake to facilitate characterization of seismically induced slope damage and validate models used to back-analyze rock slope behaviour during and following earthquake shaking. Therefore, there is a need for additional research where pre- and post- earthquake monitoring data is available. This paper presents the results of a direct comparison between terrestrial laser scans (TLS) collected in 2014, the year prior to the 2015 earthquake sequence, with that collected 18 months after the earthquakes and two monsoon cycles. The two datasets were collected using Riegl VZ-1000 and VZ-4000 full waveform laser scanners with high resolution (c. 0.1 m point spacing as a minimum). The scans cover the full landslide affected slope from the toe to the crest. The slope is located in Sindhupalchok District, Central Nepal which experienced some of the highest co-seismic and post-seismic landslide intensities across Nepal due to the proximity to the epicenters (<20 km) of both of the main aftershocks on April 26, 2015 (M 6.7) and May 12, 2015 (M7.3). During the 2015 earthquakes and subsequent 2015 and 2016 monsoons, the slope experienced rockfall and debris flows which are evident in satellite imagery and field photographs. Fracturing of the rock mass associated with the seismic shaking is also evident at scales not accessible through satellite and field observations. The results of change detection between the TLS datasets with an emphasis on quantification of seismically-induced slope damage is presented. Patterns in the

What changes upon resettlement: understanding difference in pre- and post-resettlement dietary habits among South-Asian refugees.

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Dharod, Jigna M

2015-01-01

This study was conducted with the Montagnard refugee women (n = 42) to understand their pre-resettlement living conditions and estimate pre- and post-resettlement differences in their intake of major food groups. In-depth interviews were conducted with the participants in their homes by multilingual Montagnard women fluent in English and their tribal languages. Most of the participants did not receive education and 39% reported household incomes of $500 or less per month. Participants had a very limited or no experience in weekly food shopping and budgeting before moving to the United States. In comparison of food habits, intake of different types of meat increased upon resettlement (P experience and receiving ≥ $500 in SNAP increased the odds of high meat intake. Due to a significant shift in food choices and environment, refugees are at a higher risk of experiencing poor health after moving to the United States.

Hypertrophic Pyloric stenosis: Pre- and post-operative sonographic findings

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Park, Joung Suk; Han, Douk Sub; Oh, Jong Sub; Kim, Min Jung; Gi, Joo Yun; Park, Byung Ran; Kim, Se Jong; Koh, Kang Suk; Kim, Byung Kun

1993-01-01

The authors retrospectively analysed the ultrasonographic findings of 43 cases of surgically confirmed hypertrophic pyloric stenosis and their postoperative findings of sonograms taken at 1 month(n=40) or 3 month(n=5) after pyloromyotomy. In preoperative study, the thickened pyloric muscle was isoechoic or slight hypoechoic relative to liver on the midline longitudinal view and appeared as a 'nonuniform acoustic ring' on the transverse view. The results of measurement in the all cases with hypertrophic pyloric stenosis were the pyloric muscle thickness ≥ 3.8 mm, the pyloric diameter ≥ 14 mm, the pyloric channel length ≥ 16 mm, the pyloric muscle volume ≥ 2.21 cm 3 and the pyloric muscle index ≥ 0.57, respectively. It usually required 1 month after operation for the hypertrophied muscle to resolve in 36 of 41 patients. The normalized pyloric muscle appeared more hypoechoic than that of adjacent parenchyma, and the nonuniform echogenicity of the pyloric muscle disappeared. Five patients whose hypertrophied muscle did not return to normal range on 1 month's follow-up sonogram were follow-up 3 months later again, and we have ascertained their resolution in all of them. In conclusion, the pre-operative sonographic findings of infantile hypertrophic pyloric stenosis were different quantitatively and qualitatively from of those of post-operative follow-up ultrasound exam. High-resolution real time sonography is a safe and accurate method for the diagnosis of hypertrophic pyloric stenosis and useful in postpyloromyotomy follow-up

Effect of Drought Stress at Pre and Post-anthesis on Dry Matter Accumulation of Grains in Irrigated Winter Wheat

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Sh. Elyasi

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Investigating assimilate contribution and grain filling pattern in winter wheat is importance under drought stress condition. This study was conducted to evaluate the relationship between drought stress on grain filling and yield of 4 cultivars including MV17 (dwarf, Alvand, Shahryar (semi-dwarf and Toos (tall. Experimental design was randomized complete block with three replications. Drought stress assigned to main plots and cultivars to sub plots. Growth curve sampling started at 7 days after anthesis with 4 days interval. In pre-anthesis drought stress Alvand produced highest yield, while it was 29.14% less than control treatment. The yield of Toos cultivar was lowest at pre-anthesis drought stress. Rate of grain filling of Toos cultivar did not change at pre-anthesis drought stress. Drought stress treatment at post-anthesis decreased rate of grain filling in all cultivars as compared to control, but it was significant only Toos c.v. In pre-anthesis drought stress grain filling duration increased in Alvand but decreased in Toos. Alvand with higher rate of grain filling produced highest grain yield (3850 kg/ha. It can be concluded that, drought stress decreases grain filling duration and rate of grain filling.

Preliminary application of a novel algorithm to monitor changes in pre-flight total peripheral resistance for prediction of post-flight orthostatic intolerance in astronauts

Science.gov (United States)

Arai, Tatsuya; Lee, Kichang; Stenger, Michael B.; Platts, Steven H.; Meck, Janice V.; Cohen, Richard J.

2011-04-01

Orthostatic intolerance (OI) is a significant challenge for astronauts after long-duration spaceflight. Depending on flight duration, 20-80% of astronauts suffer from post-flight OI, which is associated with reduced vascular resistance. This paper introduces a novel algorithm for continuously monitoring changes in total peripheral resistance (TPR) by processing the peripheral arterial blood pressure (ABP). To validate, we applied our novel mathematical algorithm to the pre-flight ABP data previously recorded from twelve astronauts ten days before launch. The TPR changes were calculated by our algorithm and compared with the TPR value estimated using cardiac output/heart rate before and after phenylephrine administration. The astronauts in the post-flight presyncopal group had lower pre-flight TPR changes (1.66 times) than those in the non-presyncopal group (2.15 times). The trend in TPR changes calculated with our algorithm agreed with the TPR trend calculated using measured cardiac output in the previous study. Further data collection and algorithm refinement are needed for pre-flight detection of OI and monitoring of continuous TPR by analysis of peripheral arterial blood pressure.

Pre- and post- test calculation for the parameter-SF1 experiment with ATHLET-CD

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Erdmann, W.; Trambauer, K.; Stuckert, J. [Gesellschaft fuer Anlagen- und Reaktorsicherheit mbH (GRS), Koln (Germany)