Layered Electrical Product Application Protocol (AP). Draft: Initial Graphics Exchange Specification (IGES)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1994-09-01

An application protocol is an information systems engineering view of a specific product. The view represents an agreement on the generic activities needed to design and fabricate the product, the agreement on the information needed to support those activities, and the specific constructs of a product data standard for use in transfering some or all of the information required. This applications protocol describes the data for electrical and electronic products in terms of a product description standard called the Initial Graphics Exchange Specification (IGES). More specifically, the Layered Electrical Product IGES Application Protocol (AP) specifies the mechanisms for defining and exchanging computer-models and their associated data for those products which have been designed in two dimensional geometry so as to be produced as a series of layers in IGES format. The AP defines the appropriateness of the data items for describing the geometry of the various parts of a product (shape and location), the connectivity, and the processing and material characteristics. Excluded is the behavioral requirements which the product was intended to satisfy, except as those requirements have been recorded as design rules or product testing requirements.

Low Birth Weight, Very Low Birth Weight Rates and Gestational Age-Specific Birth Weight Distribution of Korean Newborn Infants

OpenAIRE

Shin, Son-Moon; Chang, Young-Pyo; Lee, Eun-Sil; Lee, Young-Ah; Son, Dong-Woo; Kim, Min-Hee; Choi, Young-Ryoon

2005-01-01

To obtain the low birth weight (LBW) rate, the very low birth weight (VLBW) rate, and gestational age (GA)-specific birth weight distribution based on a large population in Korea, we collected and analyzed the birth data of 108,486 live births with GA greater than 23 weeks for 1 yr from 1 January to 31 December 2001, from 75 hospitals and clinics located in Korea. These data included birth weight, GA, gender of the infants, delivery type, maternal age, and the presence of multiple pregnancy. ...

Total and Trimester-Specific Gestational Weight Gain and Offspring Birth and Early Childhood Weight

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Scheers Andersson, Elina; Silventoinen, Karri; Tynelius, Per

2016-01-01

Gestational weight gain (GWG) has in numerous studies been associated with offspring birth weight (BW) and childhood weight. However, these associations might be explained by genetic confounding as offspring inherit their mother's genetic potential to gain weight. Furthermore, little is known about...... whether particular periods of pregnancy could influence offspring body weight differently. We therefore aimed to explore total and trimester-specific effects of GWG in monozygotic (MZ) twin mother-pairs on their offspring's BW, weight at 1 year and body mass index (BMI) at 5 and 10 years. MZ twin mothers...... statistically weak, suggested no associations between GWG and offspring weight or BMI during infancy or childhood. Our study suggests that total, and possibly also second and third trimester, GWG are associated with offspring BW when taking shared genetic and environmental factors within twin pairs into account...

Low birth weight,very low birth weight rates and gestational age-specific birth weight distribution of korean newborn infants.

Science.gov (United States)

Shin, Son-Moon; Chang, Young-Pyo; Lee, Eun-Sil; Lee, Young-Ah; Son, Dong-Woo; Kim, Min-Hee; Choi, Young-Ryoon

2005-04-01

To obtain the low birth weight (LBW) rate, the very low birth weight (VLBW) rate, and gestational age (GA)-specific birth weight distribution based on a large population in Korea, we collected and analyzed the birth data of 108,486 live births with GA greater than 23 weeks for 1 yr from 1 January to 31 December 2001, from 75 hospitals and clinics located in Korea. These data included birth weight, GA, gender of the infants, delivery type, maternal age, and the presence of multiple pregnancy. The mean birth weight and GA of a crude population are 3,188 +/-518 g and 38.7+/-2.1 weeks, respectively. The LBW and the VLBW rates are 7.2% and 1.4%, respectively. The preterm birth rate (less than 37 completed weeks of gestation) is 8.4% and the very preterm birth rate (less than 32 completed weeks of gestation) is 0.7%. The mean birth weights for female infants, multiple births, and births delivered by cesarean section were lower than those for male, singletons, and births delivered vaginally. The risk of delivering LBW or VLBW infant was higher for the teenagers and the older women (aged 35 yr and more). We have also obtained the percentile distribution of GA-specific birth weight in infants over 23 weeks of gestation.

A Challenge-Based Approach to Body Weight-Supported Treadmill Training Poststroke: Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Naidu, Avantika; Brown, David; Roth, Elliot

2018-05-03

Body weight support treadmill training protocols in conjunction with other modalities are commonly used to improve poststroke balance and walking function. However, typical body weight support paradigms tend to use consistently stable balance conditions, often with handrail support and or manual assistance. In this paper, we describe our study protocol, which involved 2 unique body weight support treadmill training paradigms of similar training intensity that integrated dynamic balance challenges to help improve ambulatory function post stroke. The first paradigm emphasized walking without any handrails or manual assistance, that is, hands-free walking, and served as the control group, whereas the second paradigm incorporated practicing 9 essential challenging mobility skills, akin to environmental barriers encountered during community ambulation along with hands-free walking (ie hands-free + challenge walking). We recruited individuals with chronic poststroke hemiparesis and randomized them to either group. Participants trained for 6 weeks on a self-driven, robotic treadmill interface that provided body weight support and a safe gait-training environment. We assessed participants at pre-, mid- and post 6 weeks of intervention-training, with a 6-month follow-up. We hypothesized greater walking improvements in the hands-free + challenge walking group following training because of increased practice opportunity of essential mobility skills along with hands-free walking. We assessed 77 individuals with chronic hemiparesis, and enrolled and randomized 30 individuals poststroke for our study (hands-free group=19 and hands-free + challenge walking group=20) from June 2012 to January 2015. Data collection along with 6-month follow-up continued until January 2016. Our primary outcome measure is change in comfortable walking speed from pre to post intervention for each group. We will also assess feasibility, adherence, postintervention efficacy, and changes in various

A Prospective Examination of Weight Gain in Hospitalized Adolescents With Anorexia Nervosa on a Recommended Refeeding Protocol

Science.gov (United States)

Garber, Andrea K.; Michihata, Nobuaki; Hetnal, Katherine; Shafer, Mary-Ann; Moscicki, Anna-Barbara

2015-01-01

Purpose Current refeeding recommendations for adolescents hospitalized with anorexia nervosa (AN) are conservative, starting with low calories and advancing slowly to avoid refeeding syndrome. The purpose of this study was to examine weight change and clinical outcomes in hospitalized adolescents with AN on a recommended refeeding protocol. Methods Adolescents aged 13.1–20.5 years were followed during hospitalization for AN. Weight, vital signs, electrolytes, and 24-hour fluid balance were measured daily. Percent median body mass index (%MBMI) was calculated as 50th percentile BMI for age and gender. Calories were prescribed on admission and were increased every other day. Results Thirty-five subjects with a mean (SD) age of 16.2 (1.9) years participated over 16.7 (6.4) days. Calories increased from 1,205 (289) to 2,668 (387). No subjects had refeeding syndrome; 20% had low serum phosphorus. Percent MBMI increased from 80.1 (11.5) to 84.5 (9.6); overall gain was 2.10 (1.98) kg. However, 83% of subjects initially lost weight. Mean %MBMI did not increase significantly until day 8. Higher calories prescribed at baseline were significantly associated with faster weight gain (p = .003) and shorter hospital stay (p = .030) in multivariate regression models adjusted for %MBMI and lowest heart rate on admission. Conclusions Hospitalized adolescents with AN demonstrated initial weight loss and slow weight gain on a recommended refeeding protocol. Higher calorie diets instituted at admission predicted faster weight gain and shorter hospital stay. These findings support the development of more aggressive feeding strategies in adolescents hospitalized with AN. Further research is needed to identify caloric and supplementation regimens to maximize weight gain safely while avoiding refeeding syndrome. PMID:22188830

Unhealthy weight control behaviors mediate the association between weight status and weight-specific health-related quality of life in treatment-seeking youth who are obese.

Science.gov (United States)

Lim, Crystal S; Gowey, Marissa A; Cohen, Megan J; Silverstein, Janet; Janicke, David M

2017-03-01

Examine whether unhealthy and extreme weight control behaviors (WCBs) mediate the relationship between youth weight status and disease-specific health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in treatment-seeking youth who are overweight and obese (OV/OB). 82 youth 10-17 years of age who were OV/OB and attending an outpatient obesity-related medical appointment completed measures assessing unhealthy and extreme WCBs and disease-specific HRQOL. Parents completed a demographic questionnaire and medical staff measured youth height and weight. Regression analyses revealed that unhealthy WCBs mediated the associations between youth weight status and emotional and social avoidance disease-specific HRQOL, such that higher body mass index (BMI) predicted unhealthy WCBs, which were ultimately associated with poorer emotional and social HRQOL. Mediation analyses were not significant for total, physical, teasing/marginalization, and positive attributes disease-specific HRQOL. In addition, extreme WCBs did not mediate the association between youth weight status and any subscales of the disease-specific HRQOL measure. Weight status is an important predictor of disease-specific HRQOL in OV/OB youth; however, the association with emotional and social HRQOL is partially accounted for by youth engagement in unhealthy WCBs. Clinicians and researchers should assess WCBs and further research should explore and evaluate appropriate intervention strategies to address unhealthy WCBs in pediatric weight management prevention and treatment efforts.

Declarative Specification of Fault Tolerant Auction Protocols: The English Auction Case Study

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Dragoni, Nicola; Gaspari, Mauro

2012-01-01

Auction mechanisms are nowadays widely used in electronic commerce Web sites for buying and selling items among different users. The increasing importance of auction protocols in the negotiation phase is not limited to online marketplaces. In fact, the wide applicability of auctions as resource‐a...... about the specification of an English Auction protocol which tolerate crashes of bidding agents and we discuss its properties....

A calibration protocol for population-specific accelerometer cut-points in children.

Science.gov (United States)

Mackintosh, Kelly A; Fairclough, Stuart J; Stratton, Gareth; Ridgers, Nicola D

2012-01-01

To test a field-based protocol using intermittent activities representative of children's physical activity behaviours, to generate behaviourally valid, population-specific accelerometer cut-points for sedentary behaviour, moderate, and vigorous physical activity. Twenty-eight children (46% boys) aged 10-11 years wore a hip-mounted uniaxial GT1M ActiGraph and engaged in 6 activities representative of children's play. A validated direct observation protocol was used as the criterion measure of physical activity. Receiver Operating Characteristics (ROC) curve analyses were conducted with four semi-structured activities to determine the accelerometer cut-points. To examine classification differences, cut-points were cross-validated with free-play and DVD viewing activities. Cut-points of ≤ 372, >2160 and >4806 counts • min(-1) representing sedentary, moderate and vigorous intensity thresholds, respectively, provided the optimal balance between the related needs for sensitivity (accurately detecting activity) and specificity (limiting misclassification of the activity). Cross-validation data demonstrated that these values yielded the best overall kappa scores (0.97; 0.71; 0.62), and a high classification agreement (98.6%; 89.0%; 87.2%), respectively. Specificity values of 96-97% showed that the developed cut-points accurately detected physical activity, and sensitivity values (89-99%) indicated that minutes of activity were seldom incorrectly classified as inactivity. The development of an inexpensive and replicable field-based protocol to generate behaviourally valid and population-specific accelerometer cut-points may improve the classification of physical activity levels in children, which could enhance subsequent intervention and observational studies.

A calibration protocol for population-specific accelerometer cut-points in children.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kelly A Mackintosh

Full Text Available To test a field-based protocol using intermittent activities representative of children's physical activity behaviours, to generate behaviourally valid, population-specific accelerometer cut-points for sedentary behaviour, moderate, and vigorous physical activity.Twenty-eight children (46% boys aged 10-11 years wore a hip-mounted uniaxial GT1M ActiGraph and engaged in 6 activities representative of children's play. A validated direct observation protocol was used as the criterion measure of physical activity. Receiver Operating Characteristics (ROC curve analyses were conducted with four semi-structured activities to determine the accelerometer cut-points. To examine classification differences, cut-points were cross-validated with free-play and DVD viewing activities.Cut-points of ≤ 372, >2160 and >4806 counts • min(-1 representing sedentary, moderate and vigorous intensity thresholds, respectively, provided the optimal balance between the related needs for sensitivity (accurately detecting activity and specificity (limiting misclassification of the activity. Cross-validation data demonstrated that these values yielded the best overall kappa scores (0.97; 0.71; 0.62, and a high classification agreement (98.6%; 89.0%; 87.2%, respectively. Specificity values of 96-97% showed that the developed cut-points accurately detected physical activity, and sensitivity values (89-99% indicated that minutes of activity were seldom incorrectly classified as inactivity.The development of an inexpensive and replicable field-based protocol to generate behaviourally valid and population-specific accelerometer cut-points may improve the classification of physical activity levels in children, which could enhance subsequent intervention and observational studies.

Security Analysis of DTN Architecture and Bundle Protocol Specification for Space-Based Networks

Science.gov (United States)

Ivancic, William D.

2009-01-01

A Delay-Tolerant Network (DTN) Architecture (Request for Comment, RFC-4838) and Bundle Protocol Specification, RFC-5050, have been proposed for space and terrestrial networks. Additional security specifications have been provided via the Bundle Security Specification (currently a work in progress as an Internet Research Task Force internet-draft) and, for link-layer protocols applicable to Space networks, the Licklider Transport Protocol Security Extensions. This document provides a security analysis of the current DTN RFCs and proposed security related internet drafts with a focus on space-based communication networks, which is a rather restricted subset of DTN networks. Note, the original focus and motivation of DTN work was for the Interplanetary Internet . This document does not address general store-and-forward network overlays, just the current work being done by the Internet Research Task Force (IRTF) and the Consultative Committee for Space Data Systems (CCSDS) Space Internetworking Services Area (SIS) - DTN working group under the DTN and Bundle umbrellas. However, much of the analysis is relevant to general store-and-forward overlays.

Linking actions and objects: Context-specific learning of novel weight priors.

Science.gov (United States)

Trewartha, Kevin M; Flanagan, J Randall

2017-06-01

Distinct explicit and implicit memory processes support weight predictions used when lifting objects and making perceptual judgments about weight, respectively. The first time that an object is encountered weight is predicted on the basis of learned associations, or priors, linking size and material to weight. A fundamental question is whether the brain maintains a single, global representation of priors, or multiple representations that can be updated in a context specific way. A second key question is whether the updating of priors, or the ability to scale lifting forces when repeatedly lifting unusually weighted objects requires focused attention. To investigate these questions we compared the adaptability of weight predictions used when lifting objects and judging their weights in different groups of participants who experienced size-weight inverted objects passively (with the objects placed on the hands) or actively (where participants lift the objects) under full or divided attention. To assess weight judgments we measured the size-weight illusion after every 20 trials of experience with the inverted objects both passively and actively. The attenuation of the illusion that arises when lifting inverted object was found to be context-specific such that the attenuation was larger when the mode of interaction with the inverted objects matched the method of assessment of the illusion. Dividing attention during interaction with the inverted objects had no effect on attenuation of the illusion, but did slow the rate at which lifting forces were scaled to the weight inverted objects. These findings suggest that the brain stores multiple representations of priors that are context specific, and that focused attention is important for scaling lifting forces, but not for updating weight predictions used when judging object weight. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Specification and Validation of an Edge Router Discovery Protocol for Mobile Ad Hoc Networks

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kristensen, Lars Michael; Jensen, Kurt

2004-01-01

We present an industrial project at Ericsson Telebit A/S where Coloured Petri Nets (CP-nets or CPNs) have been used for the design and specification of an edge router discovery protocol for mobile ad-hoc networks. The Edge Router Discovery Protocol (ERDP) supports an edge router in a stationary...

Use of limited MR protocol (coronal STIR) in the evaluation of patients with hip pain

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Khoury, N.J.; Birjawi, G.A.; Hourani, M.H.; Chaaya, M.

2003-01-01

To assess the role of a limited MR protocol (coronal STIR) as the initial part of the MR examination in patients with hip pain. Eighty-five patients presenting with hip pain, and normal radiographs of the pelvis, and who underwent our full MR protocol for hips were included retrospectively in the study. The full protocol consists of coronal T1-weighted and short tau inversion-recovery (STIR), and axial T2-weighted sequences. Ninety-three MR examinations were performed. Two radiologists interpreted the STIR (limited) examinations and the full studies separately, masked to each other's findings and to the final diagnosis. Comparison between the two protocols was then undertaken. For both readers, all normal MR examinations on the coronal STIR limited protocol were normal on the full protocol, with an interobserver reliability of 0.96. The STIR protocol was able to detect the presence or absence of an abnormality in 100% of cases (sensitivity). The STIR-only protocol provided a specific diagnosis in only 65% of cases (specificity). A normal coronal STIR study of the hips in patients with hip pain and normal radiographs precludes the need for further pelvic MR sequences. Any abnormality detected on this limited protocol should be further assessed by additional MR sequences. (orig.)

Weight-loss intervention using implementation intentions and mental imagery: a randomised control trial study protocol

OpenAIRE

Hattar, Anne; Hagger, Martin S; Pal, Sebely

2015-01-01

Background Overweight and obesity are major health problems worldwide. This protocol describes the HEALTHI (Healthy Eating and Active LifesTyle Health Intervention) Program, a 12-week randomised-controlled weight-loss intervention that adopts two theory-based intervention techniques, mental imagery and implementation intentions, a behaviour-change technique based on planning that have been shown to be effective in promoting health-behaviour change in previous research. The effectiveness of go...

Sensory-specific satiety in obese and normal-weight women

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Snoek, H.M.; Huntjens, L.; Gemert, L.J. van; Graaf, C. de; Weenen, H.

2004-01-01

Background: Sensory-specific satiety has been found to play an important role in food choice and meal termination, and it might be a factor contributing to obesity. Objective: We hypothesized that obese and normal-weight people have different sensitivities to sensory-specific satiety for high-fat

Graded Exercise Testing in a Pediatric Weight Management Center: The DeVos Protocol.

Science.gov (United States)

Eisenmann, Joey C; Guseman, Emily Hill; Morrison, Kyle; Tucker, Jared; Smith, Lucie; Stratbucker, William

2015-12-01

In this article, we describe a protocol used to test the functional capacity of the obese pediatric patient and describe the peak oxygen consumption (VO2peak) of patients seeking treatment at a pediatric weight management center. One hundred eleven (mean age, 12.5 ± 3.0 years) patients performed a multistage exercise test on a treadmill, of which 90 (81%) met end-test criteria and provided valid VO2peak data. Peak VO2 was expressed: (1) in absolute terms (L·min(-1)); (2) as the ratio of the volume of oxygen consumed per minute relative to total body mass (mL·kg(-1)·min(-1)); and (3) as the ratio of the volume of oxygen consumed per minute relative to fat-free mass (mL·FFM·kg(-1)·min(-1)). Mean BMI z-score was 2.4 ± 0.3 and the mean percent body fat was 36.5 ± 9.7%. Absolute VO2peak (L·min(-1)) was significantly different between sexes; however, relative values were similar between sexes. Mean VO2peak was 25.7 ± 4.8 mL·kg(-1)·min(-1) with a range of 13.5-36.7 mL·kg(-1)·min(-1). Obese youth seeking treatment at a stage 3 pediatric weight management center exhibit low VO2peak. The protocol outlined here should serve as a model for similar programs interested in the submaximal and peak responses to exercise in obese pediatric patients.

Variation in extracellular matrix genes is associated with weight regain after weight loss in a sex-specific manner

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Roumans, Nadia J T; Vink, Roel G; Gielen, Marij

2015-01-01

The extracellular matrix (ECM) of adipocytes is important for body weight regulation. Here, we investigated whether genetic variation in ECM-related genes is associated with weight regain among participants of the European DiOGenes study. Overweight and obese subjects (n = 469, 310 females, 159 m.......40-5.63). Concluding, variants of ECM genes are associated with weight regain after weight loss in a sex-specific manner....

Acute Effects of Three Different Circuit Weight Training Protocols on Blood Lactate, Heart Rate, and Rating of Perceived Exertion in Recreationally Active Women

OpenAIRE

Skidmore, Brook L.; Jones, Margaret T.; Blegen, Mark; Matthews, Tracey D.

2012-01-01

Interval and circuit weight training are popular training methods for maximizing time-efficiency, and are purported to deliver greater physiological benefits faster than traditional training methods. Adding interval training into a circuit weight-training workout may further enhance the benefits of circuit weight training by placing increased demands upon the cardiovascular system. Our purpose was to compare acute effects of three circuit weight training protocols 1) traditional circuit weigh...

Security Protocols: Specification, Verification, Implementation, and Composition

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Almousa, Omar

An important aspect of Internet security is the security of cryptographic protocols that it deploys. We need to make sure that such protocols achieve their goals, whether in isolation or in composition, i.e., security protocols must not suffer from any aw that enables hostile intruders to break...... results. The most important generalization is the support for all security properties of the geometric fragment proposed by [Gut14]....... their security. Among others, tools like OFMC [MV09b] and Proverif [Bla01] are quite efficient for the automatic formal verification of a large class of protocols. These tools use different approaches such as symbolic model checking or static analysis. Either approach has its own pros and cons, and therefore, we...

Performance Effects of Repetition Specific Gluteal Activation Protocols on Acceleration in Male Rugby Union Players

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Barry Lorna

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Warm-up protocols have the potential to cause an acute enhancement of dynamic sprinting performance. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of three repetition specific gluteal activation warm-up protocols on acceleration performance in male rugby union players. Forty male academy rugby union players were randomly assigned to one of 4 groups (control, 5, 10 or 15 repetition gluteal activation group and performed 10 m sprints at baseline and 30 s, 2, 4, 6 and 8 min after their specific intervention protocol. Five and ten meter sprint times were the dependent variable and dual-beam timing gates were used to record all sprint times. Repeated measures analysis of variance found no significant improvement in 5 and 10 m sprint times between baseline and post warm-up scores (p ≥ 0.05 for all groups. There were no reported significant differences between groups at any of the rest interval time points (p ≥ 0.05. However, when individual responses to the warm-up protocols were analyzed, the 15 repetition gluteal activation group had faster 10 m times post-intervention and this improvement was significant (p = 0.021. These results would indicate that there is no specific rest interval for any of the gluteal interventions that results in a potentiation effect on acceleration performance. However, the individual response analysis would seem to indicate that a 15 repetition gluteal activation warm-up protocol has a potentiating effect on acceleration performance provided that the rest interval is adequately and individually determined.

Body Composition Changes after Weight-Loss Interventions among Obese Females: A Comparison of Three Protocols

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nayera E. Hassan

2014-12-01

Full Text Available AIM: To evaluate body composition changes after use of three different types of obesity management protocols: dietary measures and physical activity; acupuncture or laser acupuncture with healthy diet; aiming at achieving stable weight loss among obese Egyptian females. METHODS:  A randomized longitudinal prospective study included 76 obese adult females; aged 26 up to 55 years. Anthropometric, body composition, ultrasonographic and biochemical assessments were done. RESULTS: The three types of obesity management protocols showed significant improvement in body composition (decrease in fat% and increases in FFM and TBW and visceral fat by US. However, nutritional intervention showed highly significant improvement in the skin fold thickness at triceps and biceps sites and peripheral adiposity index.  Acupuncture intervention showed highly significant improvement in fasting blood glucose (decreased and lipid profile (decreased triglycerides, total cholesterol and LDL, and increased HDL. Laser intervention showed highly significant improvement in all the skin fold thickness and some parameters of lipid profile (decreased total cholesterol and LDL. CONCLUSIONS: The three obesity management protocols have significant effect on body composition, but acupuncture has the best effect in improving the lipid profile and fasting blood sugar. In addition, Laser intervention was recommended to improve skin fold thickness and subcutaneous fat.

Optimizing Gestational Weight Gain With the Eating4Two Smartphone App: Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Davis, Deborah; Davey, Rachel; Williams, Lauren T; Foureur, Maralyn; Nohr, Ellen; Knight-Agarwal, Catherine; Lawlis, Tanya; Oats, Jeremy; Skouteris, Helen; Fuller-Tyszkiewicz, Matthew

2018-05-30

Approximately 50% of women gain excessive weight in pregnancy. Optimizing gestational weight gain is important for the short- and long-term health of the childbearing woman and her baby. Despite this, there is no recommendation for routine weighing in pregnancy, and weight is a topic that many maternity care providers avoid. Resource-intensive interventions have mainly targeted overweight and obese women with variable results. Few studies have examined the way that socioeconomic status might influence the effectiveness or acceptability of an intervention to participants. Given the scale of the problem of maternal weight gain, maternity services will be unlikely to sustain resource intensive interventions; therefore, innovative strategies are required to assist women to manage weight gain in pregnancy. The primary aim of the trial was to examine the effectiveness of the Eating4Two smartphone app in assisting women of all body mass index categories to optimize gestational weight gain. Secondary aims include comparing childbirth outcomes and satisfaction with antenatal care and examining the way that relative advantage and disadvantage might influence engagement with and acceptability of the intervention. This randomized controlled trial will randomize 1330 women to control or intervention groups in 3 regions of different socioeconomic status. Women will be recruited from clinical and social media sites. The intervention group will be provided with access to the Eating4Two mobile phone app which provides nutrition and dietary information specifically tailored for pregnancy, advice on food serving sizes, and a graph that illustrates women's weight change in relation to the range recommended by the Institute of Medicine. Women will be encouraged to use the app to prompt conversations with their maternity care providers about weight gain in pregnancy. The control group will receive routine antenatal care. Recruitment has commenced though the recruitment rate is slower

Protocols for 16S rDNA Array Analyses of Microbial Communities by Sequence-Specific Labeling of DNA Probes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Knut Rudi

2003-01-01

Full Text Available Analyses of complex microbial communities are becoming increasingly important. Bottlenecks in these analyses, however, are the tools to actually describe the biodiversity. Novel protocols for DNA array-based analyses of microbial communities are presented. In these protocols, the specificity obtained by sequence-specific labeling of DNA probes is combined with the possibility of detecting several different probes simultaneously by DNA array hybridization. The gene encoding 16S ribosomal RNA was chosen as the target in these analyses. This gene contains both universally conserved regions and regions with relatively high variability. The universally conserved regions are used for PCR amplification primers, while the variable regions are used for the specific probes. Protocols are presented for DNA purification, probe construction, probe labeling, and DNA array hybridizations.

Formal Specification and Description Language and Message Sequence Chart to Model and Validate Session Initiation Protocol Services

OpenAIRE

Sa'ed Abed; Mohammad H. Al Shayeji; Ovais Ahmed; Sahel Alouneh

2016-01-01

Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) is a signaling layer protocol for building, adjusting and ending sessions among participants including Internet conferences, telephone calls and multimedia distribution. SIP facilitates user movement by proxying and forwarding requests to the present location of the user. In this paper, we provide a formal Specification and Description Language (SDL) and Message Sequence Chart (MSC) to model and define the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) SIP protocol a...

Using OAI and other light-weight protocols to facilitate scholarly communication

CERN Multimedia

CERN. Geneva

2005-01-01

This presentation describes how we share and harvest sets of various OAI metadata, repurpose it through the Ockham Library Network, and demonstrate an alternative to traditional scholarly communication. The Ockham Library Network is a sponsored National Science Foundation Digital Library grant with co-PI's at Emory University, Virginia Tech, Oregon State University, and the University of Notre Dame. One of the purposes of Ockham is to exploit modular, light-weight protocols (such as OAI-PMH and SRW/U) into systems for learning, teaching, and scholarship. To date we have implemented a number of such services: * Ockham Digital Library Services Registry - A distributed directory of digital library services, collections, and agents. The contents of the Registry are described using the same XML schema articulated by the Information Environment Service Registry (IESR), and the records are shared among participating institutions on a peer-to-peer network utilizing OAI to propagate registry records amongst the distri...

Post discharge formula fortification of maternal human milk of very low birth weight preterm infants: an introduction of a feeding protocol in a University Hospital

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Abeer El Sakka

2016-10-01

Full Text Available The objective of this study is to determine the growth parameters and nutritional biochemical markers and complications of fortification of human milk by post discharge formula of preterm very low birth weight newborns (VLBW. Fifty preterm infants less than 37 weeks with weight less than 1500 g were enrolled in the study. They received parental nutrition and feeding according to our protocol. When enteral feeding reached 100 cc/kg/day, infants were randomized into two groups: group I, Cases, n=25, where post discharge formula (PDF was used for fortification, group II, Controls, n=25 with no fortification. Infants of both groups were given 50% of required enteral feeding as premature formula. This protocol was used until infants’ weight reached 1800 g. Daily weight, weekly length and head circumference were recorded. Hemoglobin, albumin (Alb, electrolytes, blood urea nitrogen (BUN and clinical complications were documented. Human milk fortification with PDF resulted in better growth with increase in weight 16.8 and 13.78 g/kg/day (P=0.0430, length 0.76 and 0.58 cm/week (P=0.0027, and head circumference of 0.59 and 0.5 cm/week (P=0.0217 in cases and controls respectively. Duration of hospital stay was less in cases (22.76 versus 28.52 days in Controls, P=0.02. No significant changes were found in serum electrolytes, BUN, or Alb between both groups. Hemoglobin was significantly higher in Cases, P=0.04. There were no significant clinical complications. Our feeding protocol of fortification of human milk with PDF in preterm very low birth weight newborns resulted in better growth and decrease in length of hospital stay. The use of PDF could be an alternative option for fortification of mothers’ milk for preterm VLBW infants in developing countries with low resources.

Prostate MR imaging for patients with elevated serum PSA levels. The clinical value of diffusion-weighted and dynamic MR imaging in cancer screening

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tanimoto, Akihiro; Shinmoto, Hiroshi; Kuribayasi, Sachio; Nakashima, Jun; Kohno, Hidaka; Murai, Masaru

2006-01-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the clinical value of diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) and dynamic magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in combination with T 2 -weighted imaging (T 2 W) for the detection of prostate cancer. Eighty-three patients with elevated serum levels of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) (>4.0 ng/mL) were evaluated by T 2 W, DWI, and dynamic MRI at 1.5T prior to needle biopsy. The data from the results of the T 2 W alone (protocol A), combination of T 2 W and DWI (protocol B), and combination of T 2 W+DWI and dynamic MRI (protocol C) were entered into a receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis. Prostate cancer was detected by pathology in 44 of 83 patients. The sensitivity, respective specificity, accuracy, and Az (the area under the ROC curve) for the detection of prostate cancer were 73%, 54%, 64%, and 0.71 in protocol A; 84%, 85%, 84%, and 0.90 in protocol B; and 95%, 74%, 86%, and 0.97 in protocol C. The sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy were significantly different among the 3 protocols (p 2 W, DWI, and dynamic MRI may be valuable for detecting prostate cancer and avoiding unnecessary biopsy. (author)

Comparison of sensory-specific satiety between normal weight and overweight children.

Science.gov (United States)

Rischel, Helene Egebjerg; Nielsen, Louise Aas; Gamborg, Michael; Møller, Per; Holm, Jens-Christian

2016-12-01

Sensory properties of some foods may be of importance to energy consumption and thus the development and maintenance of childhood obesity. This study compares selected food related qualities in overweight and normal weight children. Ninety-two participants were included; 55 were overweight with a mean age of 11.6 years (range 6-18 years) and a mean BMI z-score of 2.71 (range 1.29-4.60). The 37 normal weight children had a mean age of 13.0 years (range 6-19 years) and a mean BMI z-score of 0.16 (range -1.71 to 1.24). All children completed a half-hour long meal test consisting of alternation between consumption of foods and answering of questionnaires. Compared to the normal weight, the overweight children displayed lower self-reported intake paces (χ 2 (2) = 6.3, p = 0.04), higher changes in liking for mozzarella (F(1,63) = 9.55, p = 0.003) and pretzels (F(1,87) = 5.27, p = 0.024), and declines in wanting for something fat, of which the normal weight children displayed an increase (F(1,83) = 4,10, p = 0.046). No differences were found for sensory-specific satiety, wanting for the main food yoghurt, hunger, or satiety. In conclusion, overweight children did not differ from normal weight children in terms of sensory-specific satiety, hunger, or satiety. However, overweight children had lower intake paces and appeared to differ from normal weight children regarding foods with a fatty taste. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Occupational-Specific Strength Predicts Astronaut-Related Task Performance in a Weighted Suit.

Science.gov (United States)

Taylor, Andrew; Kotarsky, Christopher J; Bond, Colin W; Hackney, Kyle J

2018-01-01

Future space missions beyond low Earth orbit will require deconditioned astronauts to perform occupationally relevant tasks within a planetary spacesuit. The prediction of time-to-completion (TTC) of astronaut tasks will be critical for crew safety, autonomous operations, and mission success. This exploratory study determined if the addition of task-specific strength testing to current standard lower body testing would enhance the prediction of TTC in a 1-G test battery. Eight healthy participants completed NASA lower body strength tests, occupationally specific strength tests, and performed six task simulations (hand drilling, construction wrenching, incline walking, collecting weighted samples, and dragging an unresponsive crewmember to safety) in a 48-kg weighted suit. The TTC for each task was recorded and summed to obtain a total TTC for the test battery. Linear regression was used to predict total TTC with two models: 1) NASA lower body strength tests; and 2) NASA lower body strength tests + occupationally specific strength tests. Total TTC of the test battery ranged from 20.2-44.5 min. The lower body strength test alone accounted for 61% of the variability in total TTC. The addition of hand drilling and wrenching strength tests accounted for 99% of the variability in total TTC. Adding occupationally specific strength tests (hand drilling and wrenching) to standard lower body strength tests successfully predicted total TTC in a performance test battery within a weighted suit. Future research should couple these strength tests with higher fidelity task simulations to determine the utility and efficacy of task performance prediction.Taylor A, Kotarsky CJ, Bond CW, Hackney KJ. Occupational-specific strength predicts astronaut-related task performance in a weighted suit. Aerosp Med Hum Perform. 2018; 89(1):58-62.

Trends in birth weight-specific and -adjusted infant mortality rates in Taiwan between 2004 and 2011.

Science.gov (United States)

Liang, Fu-Wen; Chou, Hung-Chieh; Chiou, Shu-Ti; Chen, Li-Hua; Wu, Mei-Hwan; Lue, Hung-Chi; Chiang, Tung-Liang; Lu, Tsung-Hsueh

2018-06-01

A yearly increase in the proportion of very low birth weight (VLBW) live births has resulted in the slowdown of decreasing trends in crude infant mortality rates (IMRs). In this study, we examined the trends in birth weight-specific as well as birth weight-adjusted IMRs in Taiwan. We linked three nationwide datasets, namely the National Birth Reporting Database, National Birth Certification Registry, and National Death Certification Registry databases, to calculate the IMRs according to the birth weight category. Trend tests and mortality rate ratios in the periods 2010-2011 and 2004-2005 were used to examine the extent of reduction in birth weight-specific and birth weight-adjusted IMRs. The proportion of VLBW (births increased from 0.78% in 2004-2005 to 0.89% in 2010-2011, thus exhibiting a 15% increase. The extents of the decreases in birth weight-specific IMRs in the 500-999, 1000-1499, 1500-1999, 2000-2499, and 2500-2999 g birth weight categories were 15%, 33%, 43%, 30%, and 28%, respectively, from 2004-2005 to 2010-2011. The reduction in IMR in each birth weight category was larger than the reduction in the crude IMR (13%). By contrast, the IMR in the birth weight category exhibited a 56% increase during the study period. The IMRs were calculated by excluding all live births with a birth weight of birth weight-adjusted IMRs, which were calculated using a standard birth weight distribution structure for adjustment, exhibited similar extent reductions. In countries with an increasing proportion of VLBW live births, birth weight-specific or -adjusted IMRs are more appropriate than other indices for accurately assessing the real extent of reduction in IMRs. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Estimating inverse probability weights using super learner when weight-model specification is unknown in a marginal structural Cox model context.

Science.gov (United States)

Karim, Mohammad Ehsanul; Platt, Robert W

2017-06-15

Correct specification of the inverse probability weighting (IPW) model is necessary for consistent inference from a marginal structural Cox model (MSCM). In practical applications, researchers are typically unaware of the true specification of the weight model. Nonetheless, IPWs are commonly estimated using parametric models, such as the main-effects logistic regression model. In practice, assumptions underlying such models may not hold and data-adaptive statistical learning methods may provide an alternative. Many candidate statistical learning approaches are available in the literature. However, the optimal approach for a given dataset is impossible to predict. Super learner (SL) has been proposed as a tool for selecting an optimal learner from a set of candidates using cross-validation. In this study, we evaluate the usefulness of a SL in estimating IPW in four different MSCM simulation scenarios, in which we varied the specification of the true weight model specification (linear and/or additive). Our simulations show that, in the presence of weight model misspecification, with a rich and diverse set of candidate algorithms, SL can generally offer a better alternative to the commonly used statistical learning approaches in terms of MSE as well as the coverage probabilities of the estimated effect in an MSCM. The findings from the simulation studies guided the application of the MSCM in a multiple sclerosis cohort from British Columbia, Canada (1995-2008), to estimate the impact of beta-interferon treatment in delaying disability progression. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Meal replacements as a weight loss tool in a population with severe mental illness.

Science.gov (United States)

Gelberg, Hollie A; Kwan, Crystal L; Mena, Shirley J; Erickson, Zachary D; Baker, Matthew R; Chamberlin, Valery; Nguyen, Charles; Rosen, Jennifer A; Shah, Chandresh; Ames, Donna

2015-12-01

Weight gain and worsening metabolic parameters are often side effects of antipsychotic medications used by individuals with severe mental illness. To address this, a randomized, controlled research study of a behavioral weight management program for individuals with severe mental illness was undertaken to assess its efficacy. Patients unable to meet weight loss goals during the first portion of the year-long study were given the option of using meal replacement shakes in an effort to assist with weight loss. Specific requirements for use of meal replacement shakes were specified in the study protocol; only five patients were able to use the shakes in accordance with the protocol and lose weight while improving metabolic parameters. Case studies of two subjects are presented, illustrating the challenges and obstacles they faced, as well as their successes. Taking responsibility for their own weight loss, remaining motivated through the end of the study, and incorporating the meal replacement shakes into a daily routine were factors found in common with these patients. Use of meal replacements shakes with this population may be effective. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

SU-F-I-16: Short Breast MRI with High-Resolution T2-Weighted and Dynamic Contrast Enhanced T1-Weighted Images

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ma, J; Son, J; Arun, B; Hazle, J; Hwang, K; Madewell, J; Yang, W; Dogan, B; Wang, K; Bayram, E

2016-01-01

Purpose: To develop and demonstrate a short breast (sb) MRI protocol that acquires both T2-weighted and dynamic contrast-enhanced T1-weighted images in approximately ten minutes. Methods: The sb-MRI protocol consists of two novel pulse sequences. The first is a flexible fast spin-echo triple-echo Dixon (FTED) sequence for high-resolution fat-suppressed T2-weighted imaging, and the second is a 3D fast dual-echo spoiled gradient sequence (FLEX) for volumetric fat-suppressed T1-weighted imaging before and post contrast agent injection. The flexible FTED sequence replaces each single readout during every echo-spacing period of FSE with three fast-switching bipolar readouts to produce three raw images in a single acquisition. These three raw images are then post-processed using a Dixon algorithm to generate separate water-only and fat-only images. The FLEX sequence acquires two echoes using dual-echo readout after each RF excitation and the corresponding images are post-processed using a similar Dixon algorithm to yield water-only and fat-only images. The sb-MRI protocol was implemented on a 3T MRI scanner and used for patients who had undergone concurrent clinical MRI for breast cancer screening. Results: With the same scan parameters (eg, spatial coverage, field of view, spatial and temporal resolution) as the clinical protocol, the total scan-time of the sb-MRI protocol (including the localizer, bilateral T2-weighted, and dynamic contrast-enhanced T1-weighted images) was 11 minutes. In comparison, the clinical breast MRI protocol took 43 minutes. Uniform fat suppression and high image quality were consistently achieved by sb-MRI. Conclusion: We demonstrated a sb-MRI protocol comprising both T2-weighted and dynamic contrast-enhanced T1-weighted images can be performed in approximately ten minutes. The spatial and temporal resolution of the images easily satisfies the current breast MRI accreditation guidelines by the American College of Radiology. The protocol has the

SU-F-I-16: Short Breast MRI with High-Resolution T2-Weighted and Dynamic Contrast Enhanced T1-Weighted Images

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ma, J; Son, J; Arun, B; Hazle, J; Hwang, K; Madewell, J; Yang, W; Dogan, B [UT MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX (United States); Wang, K; Bayram, E [GE Healthcare Technologies, Waukesha, Wisconsin (United States)

2016-06-15

Purpose: To develop and demonstrate a short breast (sb) MRI protocol that acquires both T2-weighted and dynamic contrast-enhanced T1-weighted images in approximately ten minutes. Methods: The sb-MRI protocol consists of two novel pulse sequences. The first is a flexible fast spin-echo triple-echo Dixon (FTED) sequence for high-resolution fat-suppressed T2-weighted imaging, and the second is a 3D fast dual-echo spoiled gradient sequence (FLEX) for volumetric fat-suppressed T1-weighted imaging before and post contrast agent injection. The flexible FTED sequence replaces each single readout during every echo-spacing period of FSE with three fast-switching bipolar readouts to produce three raw images in a single acquisition. These three raw images are then post-processed using a Dixon algorithm to generate separate water-only and fat-only images. The FLEX sequence acquires two echoes using dual-echo readout after each RF excitation and the corresponding images are post-processed using a similar Dixon algorithm to yield water-only and fat-only images. The sb-MRI protocol was implemented on a 3T MRI scanner and used for patients who had undergone concurrent clinical MRI for breast cancer screening. Results: With the same scan parameters (eg, spatial coverage, field of view, spatial and temporal resolution) as the clinical protocol, the total scan-time of the sb-MRI protocol (including the localizer, bilateral T2-weighted, and dynamic contrast-enhanced T1-weighted images) was 11 minutes. In comparison, the clinical breast MRI protocol took 43 minutes. Uniform fat suppression and high image quality were consistently achieved by sb-MRI. Conclusion: We demonstrated a sb-MRI protocol comprising both T2-weighted and dynamic contrast-enhanced T1-weighted images can be performed in approximately ten minutes. The spatial and temporal resolution of the images easily satisfies the current breast MRI accreditation guidelines by the American College of Radiology. The protocol has the

Delivery room management of very low birth weight infants in Germany, Austria and Switzerland - a comparison of protocols

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Roehr CC

2010-11-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Surveys from the USA, Australia and Spain have shown significant inter-institutional variation in delivery room (DR management of very low birth weight infants (VLBWI, Objective To investigate protocols for DR management of VLBWI in Germany, Austria and Switzerland and to compare these with the 2005 ILCOR guidelines. Methods DR management protocols were surveyed in a prospective, questionnaire-based survey in 2008. Results were compared between countries and between academic and non-academic units. Protocols were compared to the 2005 ILCOR guidelines. Results In total, 190/249 units (76% replied. Protocols for DR management existed in 94% of units. Statistically significant differences between countries were found regarding provision of 24 hr in house neonatal service; presence of a designated resuscitation area; devices for respiratory support; use of pressure-controlled manual ventilation devices; volume control by respirator; and dosage of Surfactant. There were no statistically significant differences regarding application and monitoring of supplementary oxygen, or targeted saturation levels, or for the use of sustained inflations. Comparison of academic and non-academic hospitals showed no significant differences, apart from the targeted saturation levels (SpO2 at 10 min. of life. Comparison with ILCOR guidelines showed good adherence to the 2005 recommendations. Summary Delivery room management in German, Austrian and Swiss neonatal units was commonly based on written protocols. Only minor differences were found regarding the DR setup, devices used and the targeted ranges for SpO2 and FiO2. DR management was in good accordance with 2005 ILCOR guidelines, some units already incorporated evidence beyond the ILCOR statement into their routine practice.

A RFID grouping proof protocol for medication safety of inpatient.

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Hsieh-Hong; Ku, Cheng-Yuan

2009-12-01

In order to provide enhanced medication safety for inpatients, the medical mechanism which adopts the modified grouping proof protocol is proposed in this paper. By using the grouping proof protocol, the medical staffs could confirm the authentication and integrity of a group of Radio-Frequency Identification (RFID) tags which are embedded on inpatient bracelets and the containers of drugs. This mechanism is designed to be compatible with EPCglobal Class-1 Generation-2 standard which is the most popular specification of RFID tags. Due to the light-weight computational capacity of passive tags, only the pseudo-random number generator (PRNG) and cyclic redundancy code (CRC) are allowed to be used in the communication protocol. Furthermore, a practical scenario of using this proposed mechanism in hospital to examine the medication safety is also presented.

Q-ball imaging models: comparison between high and low angular resolution diffusion-weighted MRI protocols for investigation of brain white matter integrity

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Caiazzo, Giuseppina; Trojsi, Francesca; Cirillo, Mario; Tedeschi, Gioacchino [MRI Research Center SUN-FISM-Neurological Institute for Diagnosis and Care ' ' Hermitage Capodimonte' ' , Naples (Italy); Second University of Naples, Department of Medical, Surgical, Neurological, Metabolic and Aging Sciences, Naples (Italy); Esposito, Fabrizio [University of Salerno, Department of Medicine and Surgery, Baronissi (Salerno) (Italy); Maastricht University, Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Maastricht (Netherlands)

2016-02-15

Q-ball imaging (QBI) is one of the typical data models for quantifying white matter (WM) anisotropy in diffusion-weighted MRI (DwMRI) studies. Brain and spinal investigation by high angular resolution DwMRI (high angular resolution imaging (HARDI)) protocols exhibits higher angular resolution in diffusion imaging compared to low angular resolution models, although with longer acquisition times. We aimed to assess the difference between QBI-derived anisotropy values from high and low angular resolution DwMRI protocols and their potential advantages or shortcomings in neuroradiology. Brain DwMRI data sets were acquired in seven healthy volunteers using both HARDI (b = 3000 s/mm{sup 2}, 54 gradient directions) and low angular resolution (b = 1000 s/mm{sup 2}, 32 gradient directions) acquisition schemes. For both sequences, tract of interest tractography and generalized fractional anisotropy (GFA) measures were extracted by using QBI model and were compared between the two data sets. QBI tractography and voxel-wise analyses showed that some WM tracts, such as corpus callosum, inferior longitudinal, and uncinate fasciculi, were reconstructed as one-dominant-direction fiber bundles with both acquisition schemes. In these WM tracts, mean percent different difference in GFA between the two data sets was less than 5 %. Contrariwise, multidirectional fiber bundles, such as corticospinal tract and superior longitudinal fasciculus, were more accurately depicted by HARDI acquisition scheme. Our results suggest that the design of optimal DwMRI acquisition protocols for clinical investigation of WM anisotropy by QBI models should consider the specific brain target regions to be explored, inducing researchers to a trade-off choice between angular resolution and acquisition time. (orig.)

Comparison of sensory-specific satiety between normal weight and overweight children

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rischel, Helene Egebjerg; Nielsen, Louise Aas; Gamborg, Michael Orland

2016-01-01

.024), and declines in wanting for something fat, of which the normal weight children displayed an increase (F(1,83) = 4,10, p = 0.046). No differences were found for sensory-specific satiety, wanting for the main food yoghurt, hunger, or satiety. In conclusion, overweight children did not differ from normal weight......Sensory properties of some foods may be of importance to energy consumption and thus the development and maintenance of childhood obesity. This study compares selected food related qualities in overweight and normal weight children. Ninety-two participants were included; 55 were overweight...... with a mean age of 11.6 years (range 6-18 years) and a mean BMI z-score of 2.71 (range 1.29-4.60). The 37 normal weight children had a mean age of 13.0 years (range 6-19 years) and a mean BMI z-score of 0.16 (range -1.71 to 1.24). All children completed a half-hour long meal test consisting of alternation...

Effects of different circuit training protocols on body mass, fat mass and blood parameters in overweight adults

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Valentina Contrò

2017-02-01

Full Text Available Benefits of exercise are known for a long time, but mechanisms underlying the exercise mode recommendations for specific chronic cardiovascular diseases remain unclear. The aim of this study was to compare the effects of different circuit training protocols in order to determine which is the best for weight loss and for specific overweight- related disorders. Forty-five female sedentary overweight participants from 20 to 50 years (average 31.8±11.2 were enrolled and assigned to three different groups; each group was compared with a control normal-weight group. Three different circuit protocols were randomly assigned to each overweight group: aerobictone- aerobic (ATA, aerobic-circuit-aerobic (ACA and mini-trampoline circuit (MTC, while control group performed a classic circuit weight training (CWT. Every group trained three times per week, for 12 weeks. The results show that ATA group reduced body fat and total body mass more than other groups (P<0.001; P=0.007. ACA group reduced total body mass in significant statistical way (P=0.032, as well as body fat (P<0.001 and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (P=0.013. In MTC group there was a significant reduction in every parameter we analyzed (total body mass, body fat and lipid profile: P<0.001. CWT group has shown a significant loss only in body fat (P<0.001. Every circuit protocol is optimal for reducing body fat and total body mass: however, MTC protocol has shown the best results on lipid profile.

Patient profiling for success after weight loss surgery (GO Bypass study: An interdisciplinary study protocol

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bodil Just Christensen

2018-06-01

Full Text Available Despite substantial research efforts, the mechanisms proposed to explain weight loss after gastric bypass (RYGB and sleeve gastrectomy (SL do not explain the large individual variation seen after these treatments. A complex set of factors are involved in the onset and development of obesity and these may also be relevant for the understanding of why success with treatments vary considerably between individuals. This calls for explanatory models that take into account not only biological determinants but also behavioral, affective and contextual factors. In this prospective study, we recruited 47 women and 8 men, aged 25–56 years old, with a BMI of 45.8 ± 7.1 kg/m2 from the waiting list for RYGB and SL at Køge hospital, Denmark. Pre-surgery and 1.5, 6 and 18 months after surgery we assessed various endpoints spanning multiple domains. Endpoints were selected on basis of previous studies and include: physiological measures: anthropometrics, vital signs, biochemical measures and appetite hormones, genetics, gut microbiota, appetite sensation, food and taste preferences, neural sensitivity, sensory perception and movement behaviors; psychological measures: general psychiatric symptom-load, depression, eating disorders, ADHD, personality disorder, impulsivity, emotion regulation, attachment pattern, general self-efficacy, alexithymia, internalization of weight bias, addiction, quality of life and trauma; and sociological and anthropological measures: sociodemographic measures, eating behavior, weight control practices and psycho-social factors.Joining these many endpoints and methodologies from different scientific disciplines and creating a multi-dimensional predictive model has not previously been attempted. Data on the primary endpoint are expected to be published in 2018. Trial registration: Clinicaltrials. gov ID NCT02070081. Keywords: Gastric bypass (RYGB, Sleeve gastrectomy, Weight loss, Interdisciplinary, Study protocol

Protocol for chromosome-specific probe construction using PRINS, micromanipulation and DOP-PCR techniques

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PAULO Z. PASSAMANI

2017-12-01

Full Text Available ABSTRACT Chromosome-specific probes have been widely used in molecular cytogenetics, being obtained with different methods. In this study, a reproducible protocol for construction of chromosome-specific probes is proposed which associates in situ amplification (PRINS, micromanipulation and degenerate oligonucleotide-primed PCR (DOP-PCR. Human lymphocyte cultures were used to obtain metaphases from male and female individuals. The chromosomes were amplified via PRINS, and subcentromeric fragments of the X chromosome were microdissected using microneedles coupled to a phase contrast microscope. The fragments were amplified by DOP-PCR and labeled with tetramethyl-rhodamine-5-dUTP. The probes were used in fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH procedure to highlight these specific regions in the metaphases. The results show one fluorescent red spot in male and two in female X chromosomes and interphase nuclei.

Average radiation weighting factors for specific distributed neutron spectra

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ninkovic, M.M.; Raicevic, J.J.

1993-01-01

Spectrum averaged radiation weighting factors for 6 specific neutron fields in the environment of 3 categories of the neutron sources (fission, spontaneous fission and (α,n)) are determined in this paper. Obtained values of these factors are greater 1.5 to 2 times than the corresponding quality factors used for the same purpose until a few years ago. This fact is very important to have in mind in the conversion of the neutron fluence into the neutron dose equivalent. (author)

Weight bearing or non-weight bearing after surgically fixed ankle fractures, the WOW! Study: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Briet, Jan Paul; Houwert, Roderick M; Smeeing, Diederik P J; Pawiroredjo, Janity S; Kelder, Johannes C; Lansink, Koen W; Leenen, Luke P H; van der Zwaal, Peer; van Zutphen, Stephan W A M; Hoogendoorn, Jochem M; van Heijl, Mark; Verleisdonk, Egbert J M M; van Lammeren, Guus W; Segers, Michiel J; Hietbrink, Falco

2015-04-18

The optimal post-operative care regimen after surgically fixed Lauge Hansen supination exorotation injuries remains to be established. This study compares whether unprotected weight bearing as tolerated is superior to protected weight bearing and unprotected non-weight bearing in terms of functional outcome and safety. The WOW! Study is a prospective multicenter clinical trial. Patients between 18 and 65 years of age with a Lauge Hansen supination exorotation type 2, 3 or 4 ankle fractures requiring surgical treatment are eligible for inclusion. An expert panel validates the classification and inclusion eligibility. After surgery, patients are randomized to either the 1) unprotected non-weight-bearing, 2) protected weight-bearing, or 3) unprotected weight-bearing group. The primary outcome measure is ankle-specific disability measured by the Olerud-Molander ankle score. Secondary outcomes are 1) quality of life (e.g., return to work and resumption of sport), 2) complications, 3) range of motion, 4) calf wasting, and 5) maximum pressure load after 3 months and 1 year. This trial is designed to compare the effectiveness and safety of unprotected weight bearing with two commonly used post-operative treatment regimens after internal fixation of specified, intrinsically stable but displaced ankle fractures. An expert panel has been established to evaluate every potential subject, which ensures that every patient is strictly screened according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria and that there is a clear indication for surgical fixation. The WOW! Study is registered in the Dutch Trial Register ( NTR3727 ). Date of registration: 28-11-2012.

Longitudinal social networks impacts on weight and weight-related behaviors assessed using mobile-based ecological momentary assessments: Study Protocols for the SPARC study

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Meg Bruening

2016-08-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The transition from the home to college is a phase in which emerging adults shift toward more unhealthy eating and physical activity patterns, higher body mass indices, thus increasing risk of overweight/obesity. Currently, little is understood about how changing friendship networks shape weight gain behaviors. This paper describes the recruitment, data collection, and data analytic protocols for the SPARC (Social impact of Physical Activity and nutRition in College study, a longitudinal examination of the mechanisms by which friends and friendship networks influence nutrition and physical activity behaviors and weight gain in the transition to college life. Methods The SPARC study aims to follow 1450 university freshmen from a large university over an academic year, collecting data on multiple aspects of friends and friendship networks. Integrating multiple types of data related to student lives, ecological momentary assessments (EMAs are administered via a cell phone application, devilSPARC. EMAs collected in four 1-week periods (a total of 4 EMA waves are integrated with linked data from web-based surveys and anthropometric measurements conducted at four times points (for a total of eight data collection periods including EMAs, separated by ~1 month. University databases will provide student card data, allowing integration of both time-dated data on food purchasing, use of physical activity venues, and geographical information system (GIS locations of these activities relative to other students in their social networks. Discussion Findings are intended to guide the development of more effective interventions to enhance behaviors among college students that protect against weight gain during college.

Longitudinal social networks impacts on weight and weight-related behaviors assessed using mobile-based ecological momentary assessments: Study Protocols for the SPARC study.

Science.gov (United States)

Bruening, Meg; Ohri-Vachaspati, Punam; Brewis, Alexandra; Laska, Melissa; Todd, Michael; Hruschka, Daniel; Schaefer, David R; Whisner, Corrie M; Dunton, Genevieve

2016-08-30

The transition from the home to college is a phase in which emerging adults shift toward more unhealthy eating and physical activity patterns, higher body mass indices, thus increasing risk of overweight/obesity. Currently, little is understood about how changing friendship networks shape weight gain behaviors. This paper describes the recruitment, data collection, and data analytic protocols for the SPARC (Social impact of Physical Activity and nutRition in College) study, a longitudinal examination of the mechanisms by which friends and friendship networks influence nutrition and physical activity behaviors and weight gain in the transition to college life. The SPARC study aims to follow 1450 university freshmen from a large university over an academic year, collecting data on multiple aspects of friends and friendship networks. Integrating multiple types of data related to student lives, ecological momentary assessments (EMAs) are administered via a cell phone application, devilSPARC. EMAs collected in four 1-week periods (a total of 4 EMA waves) are integrated with linked data from web-based surveys and anthropometric measurements conducted at four times points (for a total of eight data collection periods including EMAs, separated by ~1 month). University databases will provide student card data, allowing integration of both time-dated data on food purchasing, use of physical activity venues, and geographical information system (GIS) locations of these activities relative to other students in their social networks. Findings are intended to guide the development of more effective interventions to enhance behaviors among college students that protect against weight gain during college.

Normalization of cortical thickness measurements across different T1 magnetic resonance imaging protocols by novel W-Score standardization.

Science.gov (United States)

Chung, Jinyong; Yoo, Kwangsun; Lee, Peter; Kim, Chan Mi; Roh, Jee Hoon; Park, Ji Eun; Kim, Sang Joon; Seo, Sang Won; Shin, Jeong-Hyeon; Seong, Joon-Kyung; Jeong, Yong

2017-10-01

The use of different 3D T1-weighted magnetic resonance (T1 MR) imaging protocols induces image incompatibility across multicenter studies, negating the many advantages of multicenter studies. A few methods have been developed to address this problem, but significant image incompatibility still remains. Thus, we developed a novel and convenient method to improve image compatibility. W-score standardization creates quality reference values by using a healthy group to obtain normalized disease values. We developed a protocol-specific w-score standardization to control the protocol effect, which is applied to each protocol separately. We used three data sets. In dataset 1, brain T1 MR images of normal controls (NC) and patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) from two centers, acquired with different T1 MR protocols, were used (Protocol 1 and 2, n = 45/group). In dataset 2, data from six subjects, who underwent MRI with two different protocols (Protocol 1 and 2), were used with different repetition times, echo times, and slice thicknesses. In dataset 3, T1 MR images from a large number of healthy normal controls (Protocol 1: n = 148, Protocol 2: n = 343) were collected for w-score standardization. The protocol effect and disease effect on subjects' cortical thickness were analyzed before and after the application of protocol-specific w-score standardization. As expected, different protocols resulted in differing cortical thickness measurements in both NC and AD subjects. Different measurements were obtained for the same subject when imaged with different protocols. Multivariate pattern difference between measurements was observed between the protocols. Classification accuracy between two protocols was nearly 90%. After applying protocol-specific w-score standardization, the differences between the protocols substantially decreased. Most importantly, protocol-specific w-score standardization reduced both univariate and multivariate differences in the images while

Optimizing Staining Protocols for Laser Microdissection of Specific Cell Types from the Testis Including Carcinoma In Situ

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sonne, Si Brask; Dalgaard, Marlene D; Nielsen, John Erik

2009-01-01

Microarray and RT-PCR based methods are important tools for analysis of gene expression; however, in tissues containing many different cells types, such as the testis, characterization of gene expression in specific cell types can be severely hampered by noise from other cells. The laser microdis......Microarray and RT-PCR based methods are important tools for analysis of gene expression; however, in tissues containing many different cells types, such as the testis, characterization of gene expression in specific cell types can be severely hampered by noise from other cells. The laser...... protocols, and present two staining protocols for frozen sections, one for fast and specific staining of fetal germ cells, testicular carcinoma in situ cells, and other cells with embryonic stem cell-like properties that express the alkaline phosphatase, and one for specific staining of lipid droplet...

Gestational age, gender and parity specific centile charts for placental weight for singleton deliveries in Aberdeen, UK.

Science.gov (United States)

Wallace, J M; Bhattacharya, S; Horgan, G W

2013-03-01

The weight of the placenta is a crude but useful proxy for its function in vivo. Accordingly extremes of placental weight are associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes while even normal variations in placental size may impact lifelong health. Centile charts of placental weight for gestational age and gender are used to identify placental weight extremes but none report the effect of parity. Thus the objective was to produce gender and gestational age specific centile charts for placental weight in nulliparous and multiparous women. Data was extracted from the Aberdeen Maternity and Neonatal Databank for all women delivering singleton babies in Aberdeen city and district after 24 weeks gestation. Gestational age specific centile charts for placental weight by gender and parity grouping (n = 88,649 deliveries over a 30 year period) were constructed using the LMS method after exclusion of outliers (0.63% of deliveries meeting study inclusion criteria). Tables and figures are presented for placental weight centiles according to gestational age, gender and parity grouping. Tables are additionally presented for the birth weight to placental weight ratio by gender. Placental weight and the fetal:placental weight ratio were higher in male versus female deliveries. Placental weight was greater in multiparous compared with nulliparous women. We present strong evidence that both gender and parity grouping influence placental weight centiles. The differences at any given gestational age are small and the effects of parity are greater overall than those of gender. In contrast the birth weight to placental weight ratio differs by gender only. These UK population specific centile charts may be useful in studies investigating the role of the placenta in mediating pregnancy outcome and lifelong health. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Introduction of a standardized multimodality image protocol for navigation-guided surgery of suspected low-grade gliomas.

Science.gov (United States)

Mert, Aygül; Kiesel, Barbara; Wöhrer, Adelheid; Martínez-Moreno, Mauricio; Minchev, Georgi; Furtner, Julia; Knosp, Engelbert; Wolfsberger, Stefan; Widhalm, Georg

2015-01-01

OBJECT Surgery of suspected low-grade gliomas (LGGs) poses a special challenge for neurosurgeons due to their diffusely infiltrative growth and histopathological heterogeneity. Consequently, neuronavigation with multimodality imaging data, such as structural and metabolic data, fiber tracking, and 3D brain visualization, has been proposed to optimize surgery. However, currently no standardized protocol has been established for multimodality imaging data in modern glioma surgery. The aim of this study was therefore to define a specific protocol for multimodality imaging and navigation for suspected LGG. METHODS Fifty-one patients who underwent surgery for a diffusely infiltrating glioma with nonsignificant contrast enhancement on MRI and available multimodality imaging data were included. In the first 40 patients with glioma, the authors retrospectively reviewed the imaging data, including structural MRI (contrast-enhanced T1-weighted, T2-weighted, and FLAIR sequences), metabolic images derived from PET, or MR spectroscopy chemical shift imaging, fiber tracking, and 3D brain surface/vessel visualization, to define standardized image settings and specific indications for each imaging modality. The feasibility and surgical relevance of this new protocol was subsequently prospectively investigated during surgery with the assistance of an advanced electromagnetic navigation system in the remaining 11 patients. Furthermore, specific surgical outcome parameters, including the extent of resection, histological analysis of the metabolic hotspot, presence of a new postoperative neurological deficit, and intraoperative accuracy of 3D brain visualization models, were assessed in each of these patients. RESULTS After reviewing these first 40 cases of glioma, the authors defined a specific protocol with standardized image settings and specific indications that allows for optimal and simultaneous visualization of structural and metabolic data, fiber tracking, and 3D brain

30 CFR 15.32 - Tolerances for weight of explosive, sheath, wrapper, and specific gravity.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

..., wrapper, and specific gravity. 15.32 Section 15.32 Mineral Resources MINE SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION... explosive, sheath, wrapper, and specific gravity. (a) The weight of the explosive, the sheath, and the outer.... (c) The specific gravity of the explosive and sheath shall be within ±7.5 percent of that specified...

Decision-model estimation of the age-specific disability weight for schistosomiasis japonica: a systematic review of the literature.

Science.gov (United States)

Finkelstein, Julia L; Schleinitz, Mark D; Carabin, Hélène; McGarvey, Stephen T

2008-03-05

Schistosomiasis is among the most prevalent parasitic infections worldwide. However, current Global Burden of Disease (GBD) disability-adjusted life year estimates indicate that its population-level impact is negligible. Recent studies suggest that GBD methodologies may significantly underestimate the burden of parasitic diseases, including schistosomiasis. Furthermore, strain-specific disability weights have not been established for schistosomiasis, and the magnitude of human disease burden due to Schistosoma japonicum remains controversial. We used a decision model to quantify an alternative disability weight estimate of the burden of human disease due to S. japonicum. We reviewed S. japonicum morbidity data, and constructed decision trees for all infected persons and two age-specific strata, or =15 y. We conducted stochastic and probabilistic sensitivity analyses for each model. Infection with S. japonicum was associated with an average disability weight of 0.132, with age-specific disability weights of 0.098 ( or =15 y). Re-estimated disability weights were seven to 46 times greater than current GBD measures; no simulations produced disability weight estimates lower than 0.009. Nutritional morbidities had the greatest contribution to the S. japonicum disability weight in the disability weights for schistosomiasis urgently need to be revised, and species-specific disability weights should be established. Even a marginal increase in current estimates would result in a substantial rise in the estimated global burden of schistosomiasis, and have considerable implications for public health prioritization and resource allocation for schistosomiasis research, monitoring, and control.

Gender-Specific Combination HIV Prevention for Youth in High-Burden Settings: The MP3 Youth Observational Pilot Study Protocol.

Science.gov (United States)

Buttolph, Jasmine; Inwani, Irene; Agot, Kawango; Cleland, Charles M; Cherutich, Peter; Kiarie, James N; Osoti, Alfred; Celum, Connie L; Baeten, Jared M; Nduati, Ruth; Kinuthia, John; Hallett, Timothy B; Alsallaq, Ramzi; Kurth, Ann E

2017-03-08

Nearly three decades into the epidemic, sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) remains the region most heavily affected by human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), with nearly 70% of the 34 million people living with HIV globally residing in the region. In SSA, female and male youth (15 to 24 years) are at a disproportionately high risk of HIV infection compared to adults. As such, there is a need to target HIV prevention strategies to youth and to tailor them to a gender-specific context. This protocol describes the process for the multi-staged approach in the design of the MP3 Youth pilot study, a gender-specific, combination, HIV prevention intervention for youth in Kenya. The objective of this multi-method protocol is to outline a rigorous and replicable methodology for a gender-specific combination HIV prevention pilot study for youth in high-burden settings, illustrating the triangulated methods undertaken to ensure that age, sex, and context are integral in the design of the intervention. The mixed-methods, cross-sectional, longitudinal cohort pilot study protocol was developed by first conducting a systematic review of the literature, which shaped focus group discussions around prevention package and delivery options, and that also informed age- and sex- stratified mathematical modeling. The review, qualitative data, and mathematical modeling created a triangulated evidence base of interventions to be included in the pilot study protocol. To design the pilot study protocol, we convened an expert panel to select HIV prevention interventions effective for youth in SSA, which will be offered in a mobile health setting. The goal of the pilot study implementation and evaluation is to apply lessons learned to more effective HIV prevention evidence and programming. The combination HIV prevention package in this protocol includes (1) offering HIV testing and counseling for all youth; (2) voluntary medical circumcision and condoms for males; (3) pre-exposure prophylaxis (Pr

International Veterinary Epilepsy Task Force recommendations for a veterinary epilepsy-specific MRI protocol.

Science.gov (United States)

Rusbridge, Clare; Long, Sam; Jovanovik, Jelena; Milne, Marjorie; Berendt, Mette; Bhatti, Sofie F M; De Risio, Luisa; Farqhuar, Robyn G; Fischer, Andrea; Matiasek, Kaspar; Muñana, Karen; Patterson, Edward E; Pakozdy, Akos; Penderis, Jacques; Platt, Simon; Podell, Michael; Potschka, Heidrun; Stein, Veronika M; Tipold, Andrea; Volk, Holger A

2015-08-28

Epilepsy is one of the most common chronic neurological diseases in veterinary practice. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is regarded as an important diagnostic test to reach the diagnosis of idiopathic epilepsy. However, given that the diagnosis requires the exclusion of other differentials for seizures, the parameters for MRI examination should allow the detection of subtle lesions which may not be obvious with existing techniques. In addition, there are several differentials for idiopathic epilepsy in humans, for example some focal cortical dysplasias, which may only apparent with special sequences, imaging planes and/or particular techniques used in performing the MRI scan. As a result, there is a need to standardize MRI examination in veterinary patients with techniques that reliably diagnose subtle lesions, identify post-seizure changes, and which will allow for future identification of underlying causes of seizures not yet apparent in the veterinary literature.There is a need for a standardized veterinary epilepsy-specific MRI protocol which will facilitate more detailed examination of areas susceptible to generating and perpetuating seizures, is cost efficient, simple to perform and can be adapted for both low and high field scanners. Standardisation of imaging will improve clinical communication and uniformity of case definition between research studies. A 6-7 sequence epilepsy-specific MRI protocol for veterinary patients is proposed and further advanced MR and functional imaging is reviewed.

Quality and Variability of Online Available Physical Therapy Protocols From Academic Orthopaedic Surgery Programs for Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction.

Science.gov (United States)

Makhni, Eric C; Crump, Erica K; Steinhaus, Michael E; Verma, Nikhil N; Ahmad, Christopher S; Cole, Brian J; Bach, Bernard R

2016-08-01

To assess the quality and variability found across anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) rehabilitation protocols published online by academic orthopaedic programs. Web-based ACL physical therapy protocols from United States academic orthopaedic programs available online were included for review. Main exclusion criteria included concomitant meniscus repair, protocols aimed at pediatric patients, and failure to provide time points for the commencement or recommended completion of any protocol components. A comprehensive, custom scoring rubric was created that was used to assess each protocol for the presence or absence of various rehabilitation components, as well as when those activities were allowed to be initiated in each protocol. Forty-two protocols were included for review from 155 U.S. academic orthopaedic programs. Only 13 protocols (31%) recommended a prehabilitation program. Five protocols (12%) recommended continuous passive motion postoperatively. Eleven protocols (26%) recommended routine partial or non-weight bearing immediately postoperatively. Ten protocols (24%) mentioned utilization of a secondary/functional brace. There was considerable variation in range of desired full-weight-bearing initiation (9 weeks), as well as in the types of strength and proprioception exercises specifically recommended. Only 8 different protocols (19%) recommended return to sport after achieving certain strength and activity criteria. Many ACL rehabilitation protocols recommend treatment modalities not supported by current reports. Moreover, high variability in the composition and time ranges of rehabilitation components may lead to confusion among patients and therapists. Level II. Copyright © 2016 Arthroscopy Association of North America. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Decision-model estimation of the age-specific disability weight for schistosomiasis japonica: a systematic review of the literature.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Julia L Finkelstein

2008-03-01

Full Text Available Schistosomiasis is among the most prevalent parasitic infections worldwide. However, current Global Burden of Disease (GBD disability-adjusted life year estimates indicate that its population-level impact is negligible. Recent studies suggest that GBD methodologies may significantly underestimate the burden of parasitic diseases, including schistosomiasis. Furthermore, strain-specific disability weights have not been established for schistosomiasis, and the magnitude of human disease burden due to Schistosoma japonicum remains controversial. We used a decision model to quantify an alternative disability weight estimate of the burden of human disease due to S. japonicum. We reviewed S. japonicum morbidity data, and constructed decision trees for all infected persons and two age-specific strata, or =15 y. We conducted stochastic and probabilistic sensitivity analyses for each model. Infection with S. japonicum was associated with an average disability weight of 0.132, with age-specific disability weights of 0.098 ( or =15 y. Re-estimated disability weights were seven to 46 times greater than current GBD measures; no simulations produced disability weight estimates lower than 0.009. Nutritional morbidities had the greatest contribution to the S. japonicum disability weight in the <15 y model, whereas major organ pathologies were the most critical variables in the older age group. GBD disability weights for schistosomiasis urgently need to be revised, and species-specific disability weights should be established. Even a marginal increase in current estimates would result in a substantial rise in the estimated global burden of schistosomiasis, and have considerable implications for public health prioritization and resource allocation for schistosomiasis research, monitoring, and control.

ACUTE EFFECTS OF A RESISTED DYNAMIC WARM-UP PROTOCOL ON JUMPING PERFORMANCE

Science.gov (United States)

Cilli, M; Yildiz, S; Saglam, T; Camur, MH

2014-01-01

This study aimed to investigate the kinematic and kinetic changes when resistance is applied in horizontal and vertical directions, produced by using different percentages of body weight, caused by jumping movements during a dynamic warm-up. The group of subjects consisted of 35 voluntary male athletes (19 basketball and 16 volleyball players; age: 23.4 ± 1.4 years, training experience: 9.6 ± 2.7 years; height: 177.2 ± 5.7 cm, body weight: 69.9 ± 6.9 kg) studying Physical Education, who had a jump training background and who were training for 2 hours, on 4 days in a week. A dynamic warm-up protocol containing seven specific resistance movements with specific resistance corresponding to different percentages of body weight (2%, 4%, 6%, 8%, 10%) was applied randomly on non consecutive days. Effects of different warm-up protocols were assessed by pre-/post- exercise changes in jump height in the countermovement jump (CMJ) and the squat jump (SJ) measured using a force platform and changes in hip and knee joint angles at the end of the eccentric phase measured using a video camera. A significant increase in jump height was observed in the dynamic resistance warm-up conducted with different percentages of body weight (p 0.05). In jump movements before and after the warm-up, while no significant difference between the vertical ground reaction forces applied by athletes was observed (p > 0.05), in some cases of resistance, a significant reduction was observed in hip and knee joint angles (p jumping movements, as well as an increase in jump height values. As a result, dynamic warm-up exercises could be applicable in cases of resistance corresponding to 6-10% of body weight applied in horizontal and vertical directions in order to increase the jump performance acutely. PMID:25435670

Clusters of week-specific maternal gestational weight gain pattern and their association with birthweight: an observational cohort study.

Science.gov (United States)

Liang, Huan; Yin, Chuanmin; Dong, Xinran; Acharya, Ganesh; Li, Xiaotian

2017-10-01

Gestational weight gain varies widely among different populations, and an inappropriate gestational weight gain is associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes. We aimed to investigate week-specific serial changes in gestational weight gain in an urban Chinese population to derive clusters of gestational weight gain patterns and explore the impact of gestational weight gain patterns on birthweight. This was an observational cohort study of 6130 women delivered at a university hospital in Shanghai, China. Pre-pregnancy bodyweight, height, week-specific and total gestational weight gain, pregnancy outcome and birthweight were extracted using electronic medical records. The association between gestational weight gain and gestational age was tested using linear regression, and week-specific reference percentiles for gestational weight gain were calculated. Hierarchical clustering was used to derive gestational weight gain clusters. Mean birthweight among the clusters was compared using Dunnet's test. We found a significant linear association between gestational weight gain and gestational age (r = 0.56; p gain pattern were identified. The birthweight significantly correlated with gestational weight gain (r = 0.28; p gain throughout the pregnancy, the mean birthweight among the clusters that had abnormal gestational weight gain (inadequate or excessive) in the third trimester was significantly different (p gain (between 5 and 95 percentile) in the third-trimester had similar mean birthweight. Women with abnormal gestational weight gain before the third-trimester still had a fair chance of delivering a normal birthweight baby if their gestational weight gain was normal in the third-trimester, suggesting that interventions started even late in pregnancy may have a positive effect on fetal growth. © 2017 Nordic Federation of Societies of Obstetrics and Gynecology.

Desensitization Protocol in Recipients of Deceased Kidney Donor With Donor-Specific Antibody-Low Titers.

Science.gov (United States)

Kanter Berga, J; Sancho Calabuig, A; Gavela Martinez, E; Puig Alcaraz, N; Avila Bernabeu, A; Crespo Albiach, J; Molina Vila, P; Beltrán Catalan, S; Pallardó Mateu, L

2016-11-01

Kidney transplantation is the better option for end-stage renal disease (ESRD), but for patients with human leukocyte antigen (HLA) sensitization, the wait times are significantly longer than for patients without antibodies. Many desensitization protocols have been described involving strong immunosuppression, the use of apheresis, and B-cell-modulating therapies. We have designed a desensitization protocol from day 0 for deceased donor kidney transplantation. Our aim was to present our initial experience with five kidney transplant patients. All patients had a negative complement-dependent cytotoxicity cross-match. The desensitization protocol included five to seven doses of thymoglobulin (1.25 mg/kg) and three sessions of plasmapheresis (PP) within the first week after transplantation, with intravenous immunoglobulin (500 mg/kg) after each PP session and one dose of rituximab on day 8. The presence of donor-specific antibodies (DSA) was analyzed by use of Luminex technology; levels between 1000 and 3000 mean fluorescence intensity were considered for desensitization. The median age was 44 years and median renal replacement therapy time was 9 years. All recipients presented 1 to 3 DSA specificities. There were no severe side effects related to PP, infusion of intravenous immunoglobulin, or rituximab. The median follow-up period was 19.3 months. Median serum creatinine level at last follow-up was 1.7 mg/dL. A kidney biopsy was performed in all patients. Graft and patient survival was 100%. Until now, few data are available concerning whether HLA-incompatible kidney transplantation after desensitization would benefit patients with ERSD. The desensitization strategy using the combination of PP, low doses of intravenous immunoglobulin, and rituximab at our center resulted in a satisfactory clinical outcome. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Integrating Iris and Signature Traits for Personal Authentication Using User-SpecificWeighting

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Serestina Viriri

2012-03-01

Full Text Available Biometric systems based on uni-modal traits are characterized by noisy sensor data, restricted degrees of freedom, non-universality and are susceptible to spoof attacks. Multi-modal biometric systems seek to alleviate some of these drawbacks by providing multiple evidences of the same identity. In this paper, a user-score-based weighting technique for integrating the iris and signature traits is presented. This user-specific weighting technique has proved to be an efficient and effective fusion scheme which increases the authentication accuracy rate of multi-modal biometric systems. The weights are used to indicate the importance of matching scores output by each biometrics trait. The experimental results show that our biometric system based on the integration of iris and signature traits achieve a false rejection rate (FRR of 0.08% and a false acceptance rate (FAR of 0.01%.

Weight Care Project: Health professionals' attitudes and ability to assess body weight status - Study protocol

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

Moorhead, Anne

2011-03-31

Abstract Background Health professionals working in primary care and public health have opportunities to address body weight status issues with their patients through face-to-face contact. The objectives of this all-Ireland project are: 1. to assess the attitudes, current practices\\/behaviours and knowledge of key health professional groups on body weight status; 2. to assess the health professional groups\\' ability to identify body weight status in both adults and children. The health professional groups are: (a) community related public health nurses; (b) school public health nurses; (c) GPs and practice nurses (primary care); and (d) occupational health nurses (workplace) from both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. Methods\\/Design This all-Ireland multi-disciplinary project follows a mixed methods approach using both quantitative and qualitative methodologies, and consists of four components: 1. Literature review - to explore the role of health professionals in managing obesity through spontaneous intervention in a variety of health promotion settings. 2. Telephone interviews and focus groups - to gain an in-depth insight into the views of health professionals in assessing body weight status. 3. Survey (primarily online but also paper-based) - to determine the attitudes, current practices\\/behaviours and knowledge of health professionals in assessing body weight status. 4. Online evaluation study - an online interactive programme will be developed to assess health professionals\\' ability to identify the body weight status of adults and children. Discussion This project will assess and report the attitudes, current practices\\/behaviours and knowledge of key health professional groups within Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland on body weight status, and their ability to identify body weight status in both adults and children. The results of this project will generate recommendations for clinical practice in managing obesity, which may

Weight Care Project: Health professionals' attitudes and ability to assess body weight status - Study protocol

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Murphy Kathy

2011-03-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Health professionals working in primary care and public health have opportunities to address body weight status issues with their patients through face-to-face contact. The objectives of this all-Ireland project are: 1. to assess the attitudes, current practices/behaviours and knowledge of key health professional groups on body weight status; 2. to assess the health professional groups' ability to identify body weight status in both adults and children. The health professional groups are: (a community related public health nurses; (b school public health nurses; (c GPs and practice nurses (primary care; and (d occupational health nurses (workplace from both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. Methods/Design This all-Ireland multi-disciplinary project follows a mixed methods approach using both quantitative and qualitative methodologies, and consists of four components: 1. Literature review - to explore the role of health professionals in managing obesity through spontaneous intervention in a variety of health promotion settings. 2. Telephone interviews and focus groups - to gain an in-depth insight into the views of health professionals in assessing body weight status. 3. Survey (primarily online but also paper-based - to determine the attitudes, current practices/behaviours and knowledge of health professionals in assessing body weight status. 4. Online evaluation study - an online interactive programme will be developed to assess health professionals' ability to identify the body weight status of adults and children. Discussion This project will assess and report the attitudes, current practices/behaviours and knowledge of key health professional groups within Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland on body weight status, and their ability to identify body weight status in both adults and children. The results of this project will generate recommendations for clinical practice in managing obesity, which may

WMAXC: a weighted maximum clique method for identifying condition-specific sub-network.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bayarbaatar Amgalan

Full Text Available Sub-networks can expose complex patterns in an entire bio-molecular network by extracting interactions that depend on temporal or condition-specific contexts. When genes interact with each other during cellular processes, they may form differential co-expression patterns with other genes across different cell states. The identification of condition-specific sub-networks is of great importance in investigating how a living cell adapts to environmental changes. In this work, we propose the weighted MAXimum clique (WMAXC method to identify a condition-specific sub-network. WMAXC first proposes scoring functions that jointly measure condition-specific changes to both individual genes and gene-gene co-expressions. It then employs a weaker formula of a general maximum clique problem and relates the maximum scored clique of a weighted graph to the optimization of a quadratic objective function under sparsity constraints. We combine a continuous genetic algorithm and a projection procedure to obtain a single optimal sub-network that maximizes the objective function (scoring function over the standard simplex (sparsity constraints. We applied the WMAXC method to both simulated data and real data sets of ovarian and prostate cancer. Compared with previous methods, WMAXC selected a large fraction of cancer-related genes, which were enriched in cancer-related pathways. The results demonstrated that our method efficiently captured a subset of genes relevant under the investigated condition.

Abbreviated MRI protocols for detecting breast cancer in women with dense breasts

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chen, Shung Qing; Huang, Min; Shen, Yu Ying; Liu, Chen Lu; Xu, Chuan Xiao [The Affiliated Suzhou Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Suzhou (China)

2017-06-15

To evaluate the validity of two abbreviated protocols (AP) of MRI in breast cancer screening of dense breast tissue. This was a retrospective study in 356 participants with dense breast tissue and negative mammography results. The study was approved by the Nanjing Medical University Ethics Committee. Patients were imaged with a full diagnostic protocol (FDP) of MRI. Two APs (AP-1 consisting of the first post-contrast subtracted [FAST] and maximum-intensity projection [MIP] images, and AP-2 consisting of AP-1 combined with diffusion-weighted imaging [DWI]) and FDP images were analyzed separately, and the sensitivities and specificities of breast cancer detection were calculated. Of the 356 women, 67 lesions were detected in 67 women (18.8%) by standard MR protocol, and histological examination revealed 14 malignant lesions and 53 benign lesions. The average interpretation time of AP-1 and AP-2 were 37 seconds and 54 seconds, respectively, while the average interpretation time of the FDP was 3 minutes and 25 seconds. The sensitivities of the AP-1, AP-2, and FDP were 92.9, 100, and 100%, respectively, and the specificities of the three MR protocols were 86.5, 95.0, and 96.8%, respectively. There was no significant difference among the three MR protocols in the diagnosis of breast cancer (p > 0.05). However, the specificity of AP-1 was significantly lower than that of AP-2 (p = 0.031) and FDP (p = 0.035), while there was no difference between AP-2 and FDP (p > 0.05). The AP may be efficient in the breast cancer screening of dense breast tissue. FAST and MIP images combined with DWI of MRI are helpful to improve the specificity of breast cancer detection.

Effect of endorsed body weight on specific absorption rate during magnetic resonance imaging

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Singh, Harish K.; Gupta, R.K.; Gujral, R.B.; Shukla, A.K.

2001-01-01

As a routine safety of the patients undergoing magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), the limits of radiofrequency (RF) specific absorption rate (SAR) are set by the manufacturers of all MRI systems because RF causes thermo genesis of the RF exposed tissue. It has been mandatory practice to endorse body weight and age of the patients required by the MRI systems for the SAR check. The problems arise on those patients who are critically ill, and consequently body weight could not be measured. In such cases, approximate body weight has to be endorsed. In case of underweight and overweight patients, sometimes SAR check does not permit to run the MRI pulse sequences. Also, in such cases, body weight remains the parameter which is being changed to get the MRI done. The purpose of this study is to assess the change of SAR with endorsed body weight. The change of SAR was recorded with the endorsed weight using phantoms and most commonly used T1 and T2 weighted pulse sequence on clinical MRI system. At true endorsed weight, using respective coils and the head and spine coil phantoms, the body averaged and localised SAR were found to be within limits while this was not the case with body coil phantom. Unrealistic endorsed weights are permissible for the adult age cases in all coils while using the routine T1 and T2 weighted pulse sequences. This finding is absolutely new in the field and certainly, will be of great applicability to develop a uniform and standard system of SAR checks in the patient interest. (author)

The effect of weight management interventions that include a diet component on weight-related outcomes in pregnant and postpartum women: a systematic review protocol.

Science.gov (United States)

Spencer, Lisa; Rollo, Megan; Hauck, Yvonne; MacDonald-Wicks, Lesley; Wood, Lisa; Hutchesson, Melinda; Giglia, Roslyn; Smith, Roger; Collins, Clare

2015-01-01

interventions for GWG, much is still unknown about the effectiveness of differing diet interventions over the antenatal and postpartum period. Specifically, the impact of differing diet intervention strategies on maternal weight gain is not known. Firstly, this systematic review will focus on whether weight management interventions which include a dietary component are effective in pregnant and postpartum women. In addition to this, this review will investigate the different intervention strategies utilized and their effectiveness in maternal weight management. A search of systematic review protocol databases has shown that there is no current review underway for this topic.

Using new technologies to promote weight management: a randomised controlled trial study protocol.

Science.gov (United States)

Jane, Monica; Foster, Jonathan; Hagger, Martin; Pal, Sebely

2015-05-27

Over the last three decades, overweight and obesity and the associated health consequences have become global public health priorities. Methods that have been tried to address this problem have not had the desired impact, suggesting that other approaches need to be considered. One of the lessons learned throughout these attempts is that permanent weight loss requires sustained dietary and lifestyle changes, yet adherence to weight management programs has often been noted as one of the biggest challenges. This trial aims to address this issue by examining whether social media, as a potential health promotion tool, will improve adherence to a weight management program. To test the effectiveness of this measure, the designated program will be delivered via the popular social networking site Facebook, and compared to a standard delivery method that provides exactly the same content but which is communicated through a pamphlet. The trial will be conducted over a period of twelve weeks, with a twelve week follow-up. Although weight loss is expected, this study will specifically investigate the effectiveness of social media as a program delivery method. The program utilised will be one that has already been proven to achieve weight loss, namely The CSIRO Total Wellbeing Diet. This project will be conducted as a 3-arm randomised controlled trial. One hundred and twenty participants will be recruited from the Perth community, and will be randomly assigned to one of the following three groups: the Facebook group, the pamphlet group, or a control group. The Facebook Group will receive the weight management program delivered via a closed group in Facebook, the Pamphlet Group will be given the same weight management program presented in a booklet, and the Control Group will follow the Australian Dietary Guidelines and the National Physical Activity Guidelines for Adults as usual care. Change in weight, body composition and waist circumference will be initial indicators of

Phase Transition in Protocols Minimizing Work Fluctuations

Science.gov (United States)

Solon, Alexandre P.; Horowitz, Jordan M.

2018-05-01

For two canonical examples of driven mesoscopic systems—a harmonically trapped Brownian particle and a quantum dot—we numerically determine the finite-time protocols that optimize the compromise between the standard deviation and the mean of the dissipated work. In the case of the oscillator, we observe a collection of protocols that smoothly trade off between average work and its fluctuations. However, for the quantum dot, we find that as we shift the weight of our optimization objective from average work to work standard deviation, there is an analog of a first-order phase transition in protocol space: two distinct protocols exchange global optimality with mixed protocols akin to phase coexistence. As a result, the two types of protocols possess qualitatively different properties and remain distinct even in the infinite duration limit: optimal-work-fluctuation protocols never coalesce with the minimal-work protocols, which therefore never become quasistatic.

Network, system, and status software enhancements for the autonomously managed electrical power system breadboard. Volume 2: Protocol specification

Science.gov (United States)

Mckee, James W.

1990-01-01

This volume (2 of 4) contains the specification, structured flow charts, and code listing for the protocol. The purpose of an autonomous power system on a spacecraft is to relieve humans from having to continuously monitor and control the generation, storage, and distribution of power in the craft. This implies that algorithms will have been developed to monitor and control the power system. The power system will contain computers on which the algorithms run. There should be one control computer system that makes the high level decisions and sends commands to and receive data from the other distributed computers. This will require a communications network and an efficient protocol by which the computers will communicate. One of the major requirements on the protocol is that it be real time because of the need to control the power elements.

Importance of T2*-weighted gradient-echo MRI for diagnosis of cortical vein thrombosis

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fellner, Franz A. [Institut fuer Radiologie, Landes-Nervenklinik Wagner Jauregg, Linz (Austria) and Zentrales Radiologie Institut, Allgemeines Krankenhaus der Stadt Linz, Krankenhausstr. 9, 4020 Linz (Austria)]. E-mail: franz.fellner@akh.linz.at; Fellner, Claudia [Institut fuer Radiologie, Landes-Nervenklinik Wagner Jauregg, Linz (Austria); Aichner, Franz T. [Abteilung fuer Neurologie, Landes-Nervenklinik Wagner-Jauregg, Linz (Austria); Moelzer, Guenther [Institut fuer Radiologie, Landes-Nervenklinik Wagner Jauregg, Linz (Austria)

2005-11-01

We examined six patients with isolated venous thrombosis (n = 2), or venous thrombosis combined with sinus thrombosis (n = 4) (CVT). The clinical symptoms were non-specific (acute cephalea, paresis, epileptic seizure, progressive speech disorder). All examinations were performed on a 1.5 T system (Magnetom Symphony, Siemens, Erlangen, Germany), maximum gradient field strength 30 mT/m, minimal gradient rise time 450 {mu}s, according to the following protocol: Transverse T2-weighted turbo spin-echo (TSE), fluid attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR), T1-weighted spin-echo (SE), before and after administration of contrast medium, T2*-weighted conventional gradient-echo (GRE), T2*-weighted spin-echo echo planar imaging (SE EPI), both without and with diffusion weighting as well as two-dimensional (2D) venous time-of-flight (TOF) MRA. The venous thromboses were best detectable in the T2*-weighted conventional GRE sequence in all patients. In two patients, the CVT was discernible only in this sequence. The sinus thrombosis was well discernible only in the T2*-weighted GRE sequence in only one case; in the remaining cases it was detectable only with difficulty. For these cases, other sequences such as SE, diffusion-weighted, or 2D-TOF-MRA sequence were superior. The T2*-weighted conventional GRE sequence was superior to the T2*-weighted SE EPI sequence in all patients. To sum up, it can be concluded, that T2*-weighted conventional GRE sequences are possibly the best method of detection of acute cortical vein thromboses. Therefore, it seems to be of benefit to integrate a T2*-weighted conventional GRE sequence into the MR-protocol for the diagnosis of isolated cortical vein thrombosis.

Importance of T2*-weighted gradient-echo MRI for diagnosis of cortical vein thrombosis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fellner, Franz A.; Fellner, Claudia; Aichner, Franz T.; Moelzer, Guenther

2005-01-01

We examined six patients with isolated venous thrombosis (n = 2), or venous thrombosis combined with sinus thrombosis (n = 4) (CVT). The clinical symptoms were non-specific (acute cephalea, paresis, epileptic seizure, progressive speech disorder). All examinations were performed on a 1.5 T system (Magnetom Symphony, Siemens, Erlangen, Germany), maximum gradient field strength 30 mT/m, minimal gradient rise time 450 μs, according to the following protocol: Transverse T2-weighted turbo spin-echo (TSE), fluid attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR), T1-weighted spin-echo (SE), before and after administration of contrast medium, T2*-weighted conventional gradient-echo (GRE), T2*-weighted spin-echo echo planar imaging (SE EPI), both without and with diffusion weighting as well as two-dimensional (2D) venous time-of-flight (TOF) MRA. The venous thromboses were best detectable in the T2*-weighted conventional GRE sequence in all patients. In two patients, the CVT was discernible only in this sequence. The sinus thrombosis was well discernible only in the T2*-weighted GRE sequence in only one case; in the remaining cases it was detectable only with difficulty. For these cases, other sequences such as SE, diffusion-weighted, or 2D-TOF-MRA sequence were superior. The T2*-weighted conventional GRE sequence was superior to the T2*-weighted SE EPI sequence in all patients. To sum up, it can be concluded, that T2*-weighted conventional GRE sequences are possibly the best method of detection of acute cortical vein thromboses. Therefore, it seems to be of benefit to integrate a T2*-weighted conventional GRE sequence into the MR-protocol for the diagnosis of isolated cortical vein thrombosis

Multimode Communication Protocols Enabling Reconfigurable Radios

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Berlemann Lars

2005-01-01

Full Text Available This paper focuses on the realization and application of a generic protocol stack for reconfigurable wireless communication systems. This focus extends the field of software-defined radios which usually concentrates on the physical layer. The generic protocol stack comprises common protocol functionality and behavior which are extended through specific parts of the targeted radio access technology. This paper considers parameterizable modules of basic protocol functions residing in the data link layer of the ISO/OSI model. System-specific functionality of the protocol software is realized through adequate parameterization and composition of the generic modules. The generic protocol stack allows an efficient realization of reconfigurable protocol software and enables a completely reconfigurable wireless communication system. It is a first step from side-by-side realized, preinstalled modes in a terminal towards a dynamic reconfigurable anymode terminal. The presented modules of the generic protocol stack can also be regarded as a toolbox for the accelerated and cost-efficient development of future communication protocols.

Comparison of Different Sample Preparation Protocols Reveals Lysis Buffer-Specific Extraction Biases in Gram-Negative Bacteria and Human Cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Glatter, Timo; Ahrné, Erik; Schmidt, Alexander

2015-11-06

We evaluated different in-solution and FASP-based sample preparation strategies for absolute protein quantification. Label-free quantification (LFQ) was employed to compare different sample preparation strategies in the bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa and human embryonic kidney cells (HEK), and organismal-specific differences in general performance and enrichment of specific protein classes were noted. The original FASP protocol globally enriched for most proteins in the bacterial sample, whereas the sodium deoxycholate in-solution strategy was more efficient with HEK cells. Although detergents were found to be highly suited for global proteome analysis, higher intensities were obtained for high-abundant nucleic acid-associated protein complexes, like the ribosome and histone proteins, using guanidine hydrochloride. Importantly, we show for the first time that the observable total proteome mass of a sample strongly depends on the sample preparation protocol, with some protocols resulting in a significant underestimation of protein mass due to incomplete protein extraction of biased protein groups. Furthermore, we demonstrate that some of the observed abundance biases can be overcome by incorporating a nuclease treatment step or, alternatively, a correction factor for complementary sample preparation approaches.

MRI in acute subarachnoid haemorrhage; findings with a standardised stroke protocol

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fiebach, J.B.; Wilde, P.; Meyer, M.; Sartor, K.; Schellinger, P.D.; Hacke, W.; Geletneky, K.

2004-01-01

There is doubt as to whether acute haemorrhage is visible on MRI. We carried out MRI within 6 h of symptom onset on five patients with minor (low Hunt and Hess grades 1 or 2) subarachnoid haemorrhage (SAH) diagnosed by CT to search for any specific pattern. We used our standard stroke MRI protocol, including multiecho proton density (PD)- and T2-weighted images, echoplanar (EPI) diffusion- (DWI) and perfusion- (PWI) weighted imaging, and MRA. In all cases SAH was clearly visible on PD-weighted images with a short TE. In four patients it caused a low-signal rim on the T2*-weighted source images of PWI, and DWI revealed high signal in SAH. In the fifth patient SAH was perimesencephalic; susceptibility effects from the skull base made it impossible to detect SAH on EPI DWI and T2*-weighted images. Perfusion maps were normal in all cases. MRA and conventional angiography revealed an aneurysm in only one patient. Stroke MRI within 6 h of SAH thus shows a characteristic pattern. (orig.)

Protocols for pressure ulcer prevention: are they evidence-based?

Science.gov (United States)

Chaves, Lidice M; Grypdonck, Mieke H F; Defloor, Tom

2010-03-01

This study is a report of a study to determine the quality of protocols for pressure ulcer prevention in home care in the Netherlands. If pressure ulcer prevention protocols are evidence-based and practitioners use them correctly in practice, this will result a reduction in pressure ulcers. Very little is known about the evidence-based content and quality of the pressure ulcer prevention protocols. In 2008, current pressure ulcer prevention protocols from 24 home-care agencies in the Netherlands were evaluated. A checklist developed and validated by two pressure ulcer prevention experts was used to assess the quality of the protocols, and weighted and unweighted quality scores were computed and analysed using descriptive statistics. The 24 pressure ulcer prevention protocols had a mean weighted quality score of 63.38 points out of a maximum of 100 (sd 5). The importance of observing the skin at the pressure points at least once a day was emphasized in 75% of the protocols. Only 42% correctly warned against the use of materials that were 'less effective or that could potentially cause harm'. Pressure ulcer prevention commands a reasonable amount of attention in home care, but the incidence of pressure ulcers and lack of a consistent, standardized document for use in actual practice indicate a need for systematic implementation of national pressure ulcer prevention standards in the Netherlands to ensure adherence to the established protocols.

Light-weight Mutual Authentication with Non-repudiation

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V. Clupek

2018-04-01

Full Text Available In this paper, we focused on a problem of authentication on low-cost devices. We have proposed a new light-weight protocol for mutual authentication of communication entities with non-repudiation of realized events. The protocol is simple and suitable for implementation on low-cost devices. Non-repudiation of realized events is achieved by involving a Trusted Third Party (TTP to the communication. The proposed protocol uses only an appropriate lightweight hash function and pre-shared secret data. Security of the proposed protocol was verified by the BAN (Burrows-Abadi-Needham logic.

Protocol of specific health monitoring: ionizing radiation, 11 years later; Protocolo de vigilancia sanitaria especifica: radiaciones ionizantes, 11 anos despues

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Castillejo Puertas, F. M.

2016-08-01

Since the approval on November 11{sup t}h 2003 of the Protocol of Specific Health Monitoring for Workers Exposed to Ionizing Radiation a study has been carried out to discover its effectiveness. These areas were examined: the daily practice od accupational medicine and, in particular, its specific task in the application of the different clinical/labour criteria for workers exposed to ionizing radiation or at risk of radioactive contamination; the degree of its uses as well as the updates and improvements. For that purpose, a descriptive bibliographic revision has been used for the last 11 years. The results revealed the lack of updates of the Protocol as well as the few usable objective criteria, when the clinical/labour aptitudes are reflected upon. (Author)

Neonatal and Infant Mortality in Korea, Japan, and the U.S.: Effect of Birth Weight Distribution and Birth Weight-Specific Mortality Rates

OpenAIRE

Kim, Do-Hyun; Jeon, Jihyun; Park, Chang Gi; Sriram, Sudhir; Lee, Kwang-sun

2016-01-01

Difference in crude neonatal and infant mortality rates (NMR and IMR) among different countries is due to the differences in its two determinants: birth weight distribution (BWD) and birth weight-specific mortality rates (BW-SMRs). We aimed to determine impact of BWD and BW-SMRs on differences in crude NMR and IMR among Korea, Japan, and the U.S. Our study used the live birth data of the period 2009 through 2010. Crude NMR/IMR are the lowest in Japan, 1.1/2.1, compared to 1.8/3.2, in Korea, a...

Sex-specific weight loss mediates sexual size dimorphism in Drosophila melanogaster.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nicholas D Testa

Full Text Available The selective pressures leading to the evolution of Sexual Size Dimorphism (SSD have been well studied in many organisms, yet, the underlying developmental mechanisms are poorly understood. By generating a complete growth profile by sex in Drosophila melanogaster, we describe the sex-specific pattern of growth responsible for SSD. Growth rate and critical size for pupariation significantly contributed to adult SSD, whereas duration of growth did not. Surprisingly, SSD at peak larval mass was twice that of the uneclosed adult SSD with weight loss between peak larval mass and pupariation playing an important role in generating the final SSD. Our finding that weight loss is an important regulator of SSD adds additional complexity to our understanding of how body size is regulated in different sexes. Collectively, these data allow for the elucidation of the molecular-genetic mechanisms that generate SSD, an important component of understanding how SSD evolves.

EFFECTS OF DYNAMIC AND STATIC STRETCHING WITHIN GENERAL AND ACTIVITY SPECIFIC WARM-UP PROTOCOLS

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Michael Samson

2012-06-01

Full Text Available The purpose of the study was to determine the effects of static and dynamic stretching protocols within general and activity specific warm-ups. Nine male and ten female subjects were tested under four warm-up conditions including a 1 general aerobic warm-up with static stretching, 2 general aerobic warm-up with dynamic stretching, 3 general and specific warm-up with static stretching and 4 general and specific warm-up with dynamic stretching. Following all conditions, subjects were tested for movement time (kicking movement of leg over 0.5 m distance, countermovement jump height, sit and reach flexibility and 6 repetitions of 20 metre sprints. Results indicated that when a sport specific warm-up was included, there was an 0.94% improvement (p = 0.0013 in 20 meter sprint time with both the dynamic and static stretch groups. No such difference in sprint performance between dynamic and static stretch groups existed in the absence of the sport specific warm-up. The static stretch condition increased sit and reach range of motion (ROM by 2.8% more (p = 0.0083 than the dynamic condition. These results would support the use of static stretching within an activity specific warm-up to ensure maximal ROM along with an enhancement in sprint performance

Use of a mobile social networking intervention for weight management: a mixed-methods study protocol.

Science.gov (United States)

Laranjo, Liliana; Lau, Annie Y S; Martin, Paige; Tong, Huong Ly; Coiera, Enrico

2017-07-12

Obesity and physical inactivity are major societal challenges and significant contributors to the global burden of disease and healthcare costs. Information and communication technologies are increasingly being used in interventions to promote behaviour change in diet and physical activity. In particular, social networking platforms seem promising for the delivery of weight control interventions.We intend to pilot test an intervention involving the use of a social networking mobile application and tracking devices ( Fitbit Flex 2 and Fitbit Aria scale) to promote the social comparison of weight and physical activity, in order to evaluate whether mechanisms of social influence lead to changes in those outcomes over the course of the study. Mixed-methods study involving semi-structured interviews and a pre-post quasi-experimental pilot with one arm, where healthy participants in different body mass index (BMI) categories, aged between 19 and 35 years old, will be subjected to a social networking intervention over a 6-month period. The primary outcome is the average difference in weight before and after the intervention. Secondary outcomes include BMI, number of steps per day, engagement with the intervention, social support and system usability. Semi-structured interviews will assess participants' expectations and perceptions regarding the intervention. Ethics approval was granted by Macquarie University's Human Research Ethics Committee for Medical Sciences on 3 November 2016 (ethics reference number 5201600716).The social network will be moderated by a researcher with clinical expertise, who will monitor and respond to concerns raised by participants. Monitoring will involve daily observation of measures collected by the fitness tracker and the wireless scale, as well as continuous supervision of forum interactions and posts. Additionally, a protocol is in place to monitor for participant misbehaviour and direct participants-in-need to appropriate sources of help

Chapter 22: Compressed Air Evaluation Protocol. The Uniform Methods Project: Methods for Determining Energy Efficiency Savings for Specific Measures

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kurnik, Charles W [National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Benton, Nathanael [Nexant, Inc., San Francisco, CA (United States); Burns, Patrick [Nexant, Inc., San Francisco, CA (United States)

2017-10-18

Compressed-air systems are used widely throughout industry for many operations, including pneumatic tools, packaging and automation equipment, conveyors, and other industrial process operations. Compressed-air systems are defined as a group of subsystems composed of air compressors, air treatment equipment, controls, piping, pneumatic tools, pneumatically powered machinery, and process applications using compressed air. A compressed-air system has three primary functional subsystems: supply, distribution, and demand. Air compressors are the primary energy consumers in a compressed-air system and are the primary focus of this protocol. The two compressed-air energy efficiency measures specifically addressed in this protocol are: High-efficiency/variable speed drive (VSD) compressor replacing modulating, load/unload, or constant-speed compressor; and Compressed-air leak survey and repairs. This protocol provides direction on how to reliably verify savings from these two measures using a consistent approach for each.

Epistemic Protocols for Distributed Gossiping

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Krzysztof R. Apt

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Gossip protocols aim at arriving, by means of point-to-point or group communications, at a situation in which all the agents know each other's secrets. We consider distributed gossip protocols which are expressed by means of epistemic logic. We provide an operational semantics of such protocols and set up an appropriate framework to argue about their correctness. Then we analyze specific protocols for complete graphs and for directed rings.

Data on the weights, specific gravities and chemical compositions of potato (Solanum tuberosum) tubers for food processing from different areas of Hokkaido, Japan.

Science.gov (United States)

Sato, Hiroaki; Koizumi, Ryosuke; Nakazawa, Yozo; Yamazaki, Masao; Itoyama, Ryuichi; Ichisawa, Megumi; Negichi, Junko; Sakuma, Rui; Furusho, Tadasu; Sagane, Yoshimasa; Takano, Katsumi

2017-04-01

This data article provides the weights, specific gravities and chemical compositions (moisture, protein, fat, ash, and carbohydrate) of potato tubers, for food processing use, from the Tokachi, Kamikawa and Abashiri areas of Hokkaido, Japan. Potato tubers of four cultivars ('Toyoshiro', 'Kitahime', 'Snowden' and 'Poroshiri') were employed in the current study. The weights and specific gravities of potato tubers from each cultivar, harvested from three areas, were measured, and those of near average weight and specific gravity from each group were analyzed for their chemical composition. In this article, weight, specific gravity, and chemical composition data are provided in tables.

Analysis of 213 currently used rehabilitation protocols in foot and ankle fractures.

Science.gov (United States)

Pfeifer, Christian G; Grechenig, Stephan; Frankewycz, Borys; Ernstberger, Antonio; Nerlich, Michael; Krutsch, Werner

2015-10-01

Fractures of the ankle, hind- and midfoot are amongst the five most common fractures. Besides initial operative or non-operative treatment, rehabilitation of the patients plays a crucial role for fracture union and long term functional outcome. Limited evidence is available with regard to what a rehabilitation regimen should include and what guidelines should be in place for the initial clinical course of these patients. This study therefore investigated the current rehabilitation concepts after fractures of the ankle, hind- and midfoot. Written rehabilitation protocols provided by orthopedic and trauma surgery institutions in terms of recommendations for weight bearing, range of motion (ROM), physiotherapy and choice of orthosis were screened and analysed. All protocols for lateral ankle fractures type AO 44A1, AO 44B1 and AO 44C1, for calcaneal fractures and fractures of the metatarsal as well as other not specific were included. Descriptive analysis was carried out and statistical analysis applied where appropriate. 209 rehabilitation protocols for ankle fractures type AO 44B1 and AO 44C1, 98 for AO 44A1, 193 for metatarsal fractures, 142 for calcaneal fractures, 107 for 5(th) metatarsal base fractures and 70 for 5(th) metatarsal Jones fractures were evaluated. The mean time recommended for orthosis treatment was 6.04 (SD 0.04) weeks. While the majority of protocols showed a trend towards increased weight bearing and increased ROM over time, the best consensus was noted for weight bearing recommendations. Our study shows that there exists a huge variability in rehabilitation of fractures of the ankle-, hind- and midfoot. This may be contributed to a lack of consensus (e.g. missing publication of guidelines), individualized patient care (e.g. in fragility fractures) or lack of specialization. This study might serve as basis for prospective randomized controlled trials in order to optimize rehabilitation for these common fractures. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd

Effective dose comparison between stitched and single FOV in CBCT protocols for complete dental arcade

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Soares, Maria Rosangela; Batista, Wilson Otto; Antonio, Patricia Lara de; Caldas, Linda V.E.; Maia, Ana F.

2015-01-01

Objective: The objective of this study was to assess and compare protocols with a single field of view and multiple stitched field of view with a similar clinical purpose by means of effective dose value. Materials and methods: Measurements of absorbed dose were performed with thermoluminescent dosemeters inserted in the position of organs/tissues of a female anthropomorphic phantom and from these values the effective dose was calculated, utilizing weighting factor tissue-ICRP 103 (2007). Results: The results obtained in this study for effective dose are within the range of 43.1 µSv and 111.5 µSv for equipment using protocols with single FOV and in the range of 44.5 µSv and 236.2 µSv for equipments that using protocols with stitched field of view. Conclusions: In terms of the value of effective dose, stitched FOV protocols do not have any advantage over the single field of view protocols. This results suggest the necessity for knowledge of the exposure parameters and effective dose values associated with each image protocol. - Highlights: • The study relies on the comparison of two protocols with similar goals of CBCT: stitched protocols and single protocols. • The stitched FOV protocol is more specific and it is good option when want imaging only of some dental units. • In relation the effective dose, single FOV protocols presents advantage over the stitched FOV protocols. • Know the exposure parameters and effective dose values associated with each image protocol is necessity for request the best CBCT tomographic image

An improved primer set and amplification protocol with increased specificity and sensitivity targeting the Symbiodinium ITS2 region

KAUST Repository

Hume, Benjamin C.C.; Ziegler, Maren; Poulain, Julie; Pochon, Xavier; Romac, Sarah; Boissin, Emilie; de Vargas, Colomban; Planes, Serge; Wincker, Patrick; Voolstra, Christian R.

2018-01-01

The Internal Transcribed Spacer 2 (ITS2) rRNA gene is a commonly targeted genetic marker to assess diversity of Symbiodinium, a dinoflagellate genus of algal endosymbionts that is pervasively associated with marine invertebrates, and notably reef-building corals. Here we tested three commonly used ITS2 primer pairs (SYM_VAR_5.8S2/SYM_VAR_REV, ITSintfor2/ITSReverse, and ITS-DINO/ITS2Rev2) with regard to amplification specificity and sensitivity towards Symbiodinium, as well as sub-genera taxonomic bias. We tested these primers over a range of sample types including three coral species, coral surrounding water, reef surface water, and open ocean water to assess their suitability for use in large-scale next generation sequencing projects and to develop a standardised PCR protocol. We found the SYM_VAR_5.8S2/SYM_VAR_REV primers to perform superior to the other tested ITS2 primers. We therefore used this primer pair to develop a standardised PCR protocol. To do this, we tested the effect of PCR-to-PCR variation, annealing temperature, cycle number, and different polymerase systems on the PCR efficacy. The Symbiodinium ITS2 PCR protocol developed here delivers improved specificity and sensitivity towards Symbiodinium with apparent minimal sub-genera taxonomic bias across all sample types. In particular, the protocol’s ability to amplify Symbiodinium from a range of environmental sources will facilitate the study of Symbiodinium populations across biomes.

An improved primer set and amplification protocol with increased specificity and sensitivity targeting the Symbiodinium ITS2 region

KAUST Repository

Hume, Benjamin C.C.

2018-05-23

The Internal Transcribed Spacer 2 (ITS2) rRNA gene is a commonly targeted genetic marker to assess diversity of Symbiodinium, a dinoflagellate genus of algal endosymbionts that is pervasively associated with marine invertebrates, and notably reef-building corals. Here we tested three commonly used ITS2 primer pairs (SYM_VAR_5.8S2/SYM_VAR_REV, ITSintfor2/ITSReverse, and ITS-DINO/ITS2Rev2) with regard to amplification specificity and sensitivity towards Symbiodinium, as well as sub-genera taxonomic bias. We tested these primers over a range of sample types including three coral species, coral surrounding water, reef surface water, and open ocean water to assess their suitability for use in large-scale next generation sequencing projects and to develop a standardised PCR protocol. We found the SYM_VAR_5.8S2/SYM_VAR_REV primers to perform superior to the other tested ITS2 primers. We therefore used this primer pair to develop a standardised PCR protocol. To do this, we tested the effect of PCR-to-PCR variation, annealing temperature, cycle number, and different polymerase systems on the PCR efficacy. The Symbiodinium ITS2 PCR protocol developed here delivers improved specificity and sensitivity towards Symbiodinium with apparent minimal sub-genera taxonomic bias across all sample types. In particular, the protocol’s ability to amplify Symbiodinium from a range of environmental sources will facilitate the study of Symbiodinium populations across biomes.

[Multidisciplinary protocol for computed tomography imaging and angiographic embolization of splenic injury due to trauma: assessment of pre-protocol and post-protocol outcomes].

Science.gov (United States)

Koo, M; Sabaté, A; Magalló, P; García, M A; Domínguez, J; de Lama, M E; López, S

2011-11-01

To assess conservative treatment of splenic injury due to trauma, following a protocol for computed tomography (CT) and angiographic embolization. To quantify the predictive value of CT for detecting bleeding and need for embolization. The care protocol developed by the multidisciplinary team consisted of angiography with embolization of lesions revealed by contrast extravasation under CT as well as embolization of grade III-V injuries observed, or grade I-II injuries causing hemodynamic instability and/or need for blood transfusion. We collected data on demographic variables, injury severity score (ISS), angiographic findings, and injuries revealed by CT. Pre-protocol and post-protocol outcomes were compared. The sensitivity and specificity of CT findings were calculated for all patients who required angiographic embolization. Forty-four and 30 angiographies were performed in the pre- and post-protocol periods, respectively. The mean (SD) ISSs in the two periods were 25 (11) and 26 (12), respectively. A total of 24 (54%) embolizations were performed in the pre-protocol period and 28 (98%) after implementation of the protocol. Two and 7 embolizations involved the spleen in the 2 periods, respectively; abdominal laparotomies numbered 32 and 25, respectively, and 10 (31%) vs 4 (16%) splenectomies were performed. The specificity and sensitivity values for contrast extravasation found on CT and followed by embolization were 77.7% and 79.5%. The implementation of this multidisciplinary protocol using CT imaging and angiographic embolization led to a decrease in the number of splenectomies. The protocol allows us to take a more conservative treatment approach.

Glioblastomas vs. lymphomas. More diagnostic certainty by using susceptibility-weighted imaging (SWI)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Peters, S.; Knoess, N.; Wodarg, F.; Cnyrim, C.; Jansen, O. [Universitaetsklinikum Schleswig-Holstein, Kiel (Germany). Inst. fuer Neuroradiologie

2012-08-15

Purpose: It can be difficult to differentiate glioblastomas from lymphomas using only standard MR images. There are references suggesting that it might be possible to differentiate these tumors using susceptibility-weighted imaging (SWI). The purpose of this study is to prove the diagnostic benefit using susceptibility-weighted images. Material and Methods: Three neuroradiologists tried to differentiate 4 histologically verified lymphomas from 11 glioblastomas in retrospect. They first viewed the conventional MR images and declared a diagnosis with a grade of certainty. Afterwards they additionally reviewed the susceptibility-weighted images. Results: Glioblastomas have a clearly higher grade of susceptibility signals than lymphomas. By additionally using susceptibility-weighted images, the radiologists determined the correct diagnosis in 82.2 % of the cases. Without susceptibility-weighted images, the diagnosis was correct in 75.5 % of the cases. The subjective gain of certainty was 16.5 %. If there were no intratumoral susceptibility signals (ITSS) (grade 1), the sensitivity for diagnosing a lymphoma was 70 % and the specificity was 100 %. The sensitivity for diagnosing a glioblastoma was 90.5 % and the specificity was 100 % if there was a high rate of intratumoral susceptibility signals (grade 3). Conclusion: Susceptibility-weighted images are an additional tool in clinical practice for determining the correct diagnosis. The differentiation between glioblastomas and lymphomas and the certainty of the determined diagnosis are better. Therefore, we recommend adding susceptibility-weighted imaging to the clinical MR tumor protocol. (orig.)

Glioblastomas vs. lymphomas: more diagnostic certainty by using susceptibility-weighted imaging (SWI).

Science.gov (United States)

Peters, S; Knöß, N; Wodarg, F; Cnyrim, C; Jansen, O

2012-08-01

It can be difficult to differentiate glioblastomas from lymphomas using only standard MR images. There are references suggesting that it might be possible to differentiate these tumors using susceptibility-weighted imaging (SWI). The purpose of this study is to prove the diagnostic benefit using susceptibility-weighted images. Three neuroradiologists tried to differentiate 4 histologically verified lymphomas from 11 glioblastomas in retrospect. They first viewed the conventional MR images and declared a diagnosis with a grade of certainty. Afterwards they additionally reviewed the susceptibility-weighted images. Glioblastomas have a clearly higher grade of susceptibility signals than lymphomas. By additionally using susceptibility-weighted images, the radiologists determined the correct diagnosis in 82.2 % of the cases. Without susceptibility-weighted images, the diagnosis was correct in 75.5 % of the cases. The subjective gain of certainty was 16.5 %. If there were no intratumoral susceptibility signals (ITSS) (grade 1), the sensitivity for diagnosing a lymphoma was 70 % and the specificity was 100 %. The sensitivity for diagnosing a glioblastoma was 90.5 % and the specificity was 100 % if there was a high rate of intratumoral susceptibility signals (grade 3). Susceptibility-weighted images are an additional tool in clinical practice for determining the correct diagnosis. The differentiation between glioblastomas and lymphomas and the certainty of the determined diagnosis are better. Therefore, we recommend adding susceptibility-weighted imaging to the clinical MR tumor protocol. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Glioblastomas vs. lymphomas. More diagnostic certainty by using susceptibility-weighted imaging (SWI)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Peters, S.; Knoess, N.; Wodarg, F.; Cnyrim, C.; Jansen, O.

2012-01-01

Purpose: It can be difficult to differentiate glioblastomas from lymphomas using only standard MR images. There are references suggesting that it might be possible to differentiate these tumors using susceptibility-weighted imaging (SWI). The purpose of this study is to prove the diagnostic benefit using susceptibility-weighted images. Material and Methods: Three neuroradiologists tried to differentiate 4 histologically verified lymphomas from 11 glioblastomas in retrospect. They first viewed the conventional MR images and declared a diagnosis with a grade of certainty. Afterwards they additionally reviewed the susceptibility-weighted images. Results: Glioblastomas have a clearly higher grade of susceptibility signals than lymphomas. By additionally using susceptibility-weighted images, the radiologists determined the correct diagnosis in 82.2 % of the cases. Without susceptibility-weighted images, the diagnosis was correct in 75.5 % of the cases. The subjective gain of certainty was 16.5 %. If there were no intratumoral susceptibility signals (ITSS) (grade 1), the sensitivity for diagnosing a lymphoma was 70 % and the specificity was 100 %. The sensitivity for diagnosing a glioblastoma was 90.5 % and the specificity was 100 % if there was a high rate of intratumoral susceptibility signals (grade 3). Conclusion: Susceptibility-weighted images are an additional tool in clinical practice for determining the correct diagnosis. The differentiation between glioblastomas and lymphomas and the certainty of the determined diagnosis are better. Therefore, we recommend adding susceptibility-weighted imaging to the clinical MR tumor protocol. (orig.)

BrEPS: a flexible and automatic protocol to compute enzyme-specific sequence profiles for functional annotation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Schomburg D

2010-12-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Models for the simulation of metabolic networks require the accurate prediction of enzyme function. Based on a genomic sequence, enzymatic functions of gene products are today mainly predicted by sequence database searching and operon analysis. Other methods can support these techniques: We have developed an automatic method "BrEPS" that creates highly specific sequence patterns for the functional annotation of enzymes. Results The enzymes in the UniprotKB are identified and their sequences compared against each other with BLAST. The enzymes are then clustered into a number of trees, where each tree node is associated with a set of EC-numbers. The enzyme sequences in the tree nodes are aligned with ClustalW. The conserved columns of the resulting multiple alignments are used to construct sequence patterns. In the last step, we verify the quality of the patterns by computing their specificity. Patterns with low specificity are omitted and recomputed further down in the tree. The final high-quality patterns can be used for functional annotation. We ran our protocol on a recent Swiss-Prot release and show statistics, as well as a comparison to PRIAM, a probabilistic method that is also specialized on the functional annotation of enzymes. We determine the amount of true positive annotations for five common microorganisms with data from BRENDA and AMENDA serving as standard of truth. BrEPS is almost on par with PRIAM, a fact which we discuss in the context of five manually investigated cases. Conclusions Our protocol computes highly specific sequence patterns that can be used to support the functional annotation of enzymes. The main advantages of our method are that it is automatic and unsupervised, and quite fast once the patterns are evaluated. The results show that BrEPS can be a valuable addition to the reconstruction of metabolic networks.

Weight Loss and the Prevention of Weight Regain: Evaluation of a Treatment Model of Exercise Self-Regulation Generalizing to Controlled Eating.

Science.gov (United States)

Annesi, James J; Johnson, Ping H; Tennant, Gisèle A; Porter, Kandice J; Mcewen, Kristin L

2016-01-01

For decades, behavioral weight-loss treatments have been unsuccessful beyond the short term. Development and testing of innovative, theoretically based methods that depart from current failed practices is a priority for behavioral medicine. To evaluate a new, theory-based protocol in which exercise support methods are employed to facilitate improvements in psychosocial predictors of controlled eating and sustained weight loss. Women with obesity were randomized into either a comparison treatment that incorporated a print manual plus telephone follow-ups (n = 55) or an experimental treatment of The Coach Approach exercise-support protocol followed after 2 months by group nutrition sessions focused on generalizing self-regulatory skills from an exercise support to a controlled eating context (n = 55). Repeated-measures analysis of variance contrasted group changes in weight, physical activity, fruit and vegetable intake, mood, and exercise- and eating-related self-regulation and self-efficacy over 24 months. Regression analyses determined salient interrelations of change scores over both the weight-loss phase (baseline-month 6) and weight-loss maintenance phase (month 6-month 24). Improvements in all psychological measures, physical activity, and fruit and vegetable intake were significantly greater in the experimental group where a mean weight loss of 5.7 kg (6.1% of initial body weight) occurred at month 6, and was largely maintained at a loss of 5.1 kg (5.4%) through the full 24 months of the study. After establishing temporal intervals for changes in self-regulation, self-efficacy, and mood that best predicted improvements in physical activity and eating, a consolidated multiple mediation model suggested that change in self-regulation best predicted weight loss, whereas change in self-efficacy best predicted maintenance of lost weight. Because for most participants loss of weight remained greater than that required for health benefits, and costs for treatment

Model checking the HAVi leader election protocol

NARCIS (Netherlands)

J.M.T. Romijn (Judi)

1999-01-01

textabstractThe HAVi specification proposes an architecture for audio/video interoperability in home networks. Part of the HAVi specification is a distributed leader election protocol. We have modelled this leader election protocol in Promela and Lotos and have checked several properties with the

Intermittent Fasting: Is the Wait Worth the Weight?

Science.gov (United States)

Stockman, Mary-Catherine; Thomas, Dylan; Burke, Jacquelyn; Apovian, Caroline M

2018-06-01

We review the underlying mechanisms and potential benefits of intermittent fasting (IF) from animal models and recent clinical trials. Numerous variations of IF exist, and study protocols vary greatly in their interpretations of this weight loss trend. Most human IF studies result in minimal weight loss and marginal improvements in metabolic biomarkers, though outcomes vary. Some animal models have found that IF reduces oxidative stress, improves cognition, and delays aging. Additionally, IF has anti-inflammatory effects, promotes autophagy, and benefits the gut microbiome. The benefit-to-harm ratio varies by model, IF protocol, age at initiation, and duration. We provide an integrated perspective on potential benefits of IF as well as key areas for future investigation. In clinical trials, caloric restriction and IF result in similar degrees of weight loss and improvement in insulin sensitivity. Although these data suggest that IF may be a promising weight loss method, IF trials have been of moderate sample size and limited duration. More rigorous research is needed.

Permissive weight bearing in trauma patients with fracture of the lower extremities: prospective multicenter comparative cohort study.

Science.gov (United States)

Kalmet, Pishtiwan H S; Meys, Guido; V Horn, Yvette Y; Evers, Silvia M A A; Seelen, Henk A M; Hustinx, Paul; Janzing, Heinrich; Vd Veen, Alexander; Jaspars, Coen; Sintenie, Jan Bernard; Blokhuis, Taco J; Poeze, Martijn; Brink, Peter R G

2018-02-02

The standard aftercare treatment in surgically treated trauma patients with fractures around or in a joint, known as (peri)- or intra-articular fractures of the lower extremities, is either non-weight bearing or partial weight bearing. We have developed an early permissive weight bearing post-surgery rehabilitation protocol in surgically treated patients with fractures of the lower extremities. In this proposal we want to compare our early permissive weight bearing protocol to the existing current non-weight bearing guidelines in a prospective comparative cohort study. The study is a prospective multicenter comparative cohort study in which two rehabilitation aftercare treatments will be contrasted, i.e. permissive weight bearing and non-weight bearing according to the AO-guideline. The study population consists of patients with a surgically treated fracture of the pelvis/acetabulum or a surgically treated (peri)- or intra-articular fracture of the lower extremities. The inclusion period is 12 months. The duration of follow up is 6 months, with measurements taken at baseline, 2,6,12 and 26 weeks post-surgery. ADL with Lower Extremity Functional Scale. Outcome variables for compliance, as measured with an insole pressure measurement system, encompass peak load and step duration. This study will investigate the (cost-) effectiveness of a permissive weight bearing aftercare protocol. The results will provide evidence whether a permissive weight bearing protocol is more effective than the current non-weight bearing protocol. The study is registered in the Dutch Trial Register ( NTR6077 ). Date of registration: 01-09-2016.

Efficient secure two-party protocols

CERN Document Server

Hazay, Carmit

2010-01-01

The authors present a comprehensive study of efficient protocols and techniques for secure two-party computation -- both general constructions that can be used to securely compute any functionality, and protocols for specific problems of interest. The book focuses on techniques for constructing efficient protocols and proving them secure. In addition, the authors study different definitional paradigms and compare the efficiency of protocols achieved under these different definitions.The book opens with a general introduction to secure computation and then presents definitions of security for a

Handling Neighbor Discovery and Rendezvous Consistency with Weighted Quorum-Based Approach.

Science.gov (United States)

Own, Chung-Ming; Meng, Zhaopeng; Liu, Kehan

2015-09-03

Neighbor discovery and the power of sensors play an important role in the formation of Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs) and mobile networks. Many asynchronous protocols based on wake-up time scheduling have been proposed to enable neighbor discovery among neighboring nodes for the energy saving, especially in the difficulty of clock synchronization. However, existing researches are divided two parts with the neighbor-discovery methods, one is the quorum-based protocols and the other is co-primality based protocols. Their distinction is on the arrangements of time slots, the former uses the quorums in the matrix, the latter adopts the numerical analysis. In our study, we propose the weighted heuristic quorum system (WQS), which is based on the quorum algorithm to eliminate redundant paths of active slots. We demonstrate the specification of our system: fewer active slots are required, the referring rate is balanced, and remaining power is considered particularly when a device maintains rendezvous with discovered neighbors. The evaluation results showed that our proposed method can effectively reschedule the active slots and save the computing time of the network system.

Handling Neighbor Discovery and Rendezvous Consistency with Weighted Quorum-Based Approach

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chung-Ming Own

2015-09-01

Full Text Available Neighbor discovery and the power of sensors play an important role in the formation of Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs and mobile networks. Many asynchronous protocols based on wake-up time scheduling have been proposed to enable neighbor discovery among neighboring nodes for the energy saving, especially in the difficulty of clock synchronization. However, existing researches are divided two parts with the neighbor-discovery methods, one is the quorum-based protocols and the other is co-primality based protocols. Their distinction is on the arrangements of time slots, the former uses the quorums in the matrix, the latter adopts the numerical analysis. In our study, we propose the weighted heuristic quorum system (WQS, which is based on the quorum algorithm to eliminate redundant paths of active slots. We demonstrate the specification of our system: fewer active slots are required, the referring rate is balanced, and remaining power is considered particularly when a device maintains rendezvous with discovered neighbors. The evaluation results showed that our proposed method can effectively reschedule the active slots and save the computing time of the network system.

Indirect effects of exercise on emotional eating through psychological predictors of weight loss in women.

Science.gov (United States)

Annesi, James J; Mareno, Nicole

2015-12-01

An improved understanding of how weight-loss interventions might be tailored to improve emotional eating is required. This study aimed to assess mediation of the relationship between increased exercise and decreased emotional eating so that behavioral treatments might be optimized. After randomization, women with obesity (N = 108; mean age = 48 years) were assigned to either a previously tested treatment of manual-based self-help for nutrition and exercise plus brief phone follow-ups, or a new protocol of cognitive-behavioral methods of exercise support intended to carry-over psychological improvements to better controlled eating and weight loss. A community-based field setting was incorporated. Validated self-report measures were administered over 6 months. Significant overall improvements in exercise outputs, emotional eating, mood, and self-regulation and self-efficacy for controlled eating were found. The newly developed treatment protocol demonstrated significantly greater improvements in exercise outputs and self-regulation. In a multiple mediation analysis, changes in self-regulation, self-efficacy, and mood significantly mediated the relationship between changes in exercise and emotional eating. Changes in self-efficacy and mood were significant independent mediators. Within follow-up analyses, the substitution of emotional eating subscales that addressed specific moods, and a subscale of self-efficacy for controlled eating that addressed that factor specifically in the presence of negative emotions, yielded results generally consistent with those of the multiple mediation analysis. Results suggested a psychological pathway of exercise's association with emotional eating changes in women with obesity. Guided by the present findings, tailoring exercise support and leveraging it to induce specific psychological improvements might reduce emotional eating and improve weight-management outcomes. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Investigations of botanicals on food intake, satiety, weight loss and oxidative stress: study protocol of a double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover study.

Science.gov (United States)

Anton, Stephen D; Shuster, Jonathan; Leeuwenburgh, Christiaan

2011-11-01

Botanicals represent an important and underexplored source of potential new therapies that may facilitate caloric restriction and thereby may produce long-term weight loss. In particular, one promising botanical that may reduce food intake and body weight by affecting neuroendocrine pathways related to satiety is hydroxycitric acid (HCA) derived from Garcinia cambogia Desr. The objective of this article is to describe the protocol of a clinical trial designed to directly test the effects of Garcinia cambogia-derived HCA on food intake, satiety, weight loss and oxidative stress levels, and to serve as a model for similar trials. A total of 48 healthy, overweight or obese individuals (with a body mass index range of 25.0 to 39.9 kg/m(2)) between the ages of 50 to 70 will participate in this double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover study designed to examine the effects of two doses of Garcinia cambogia-derived HCA on food intake, satiety, weight loss, and oxidative stress levels. Food intake represents the primary outcome measure and is calculated based on the total calories consumed at breakfast, lunch, and dinner meals during each test meal day. This study can be completed with far fewer subjects than a parallel design. Of the numerous botanical compounds, the compound Garcinia cambogia-derived HCA is selected for testing in the present study because of its potential to safely reduce food intake, body weight, and oxidative stress levels. We will review potential mechanisms of action and safety parameters throughout this clinical trial. ClinicalTrials.gov (Identifier: NCT01238887).

Developing frameworks for protocol implementation

NARCIS (Netherlands)

de Barros Barbosa, C.; de barros Barbosa, C.; Ferreira Pires, Luis

1999-01-01

This paper presents a method to develop frameworks for protocol implementation. Frameworks are software structures developed for a specific application domain, which can be reused in the implementation of various different concrete systems in this domain. The use of frameworks support a protocol

Sleeping Well Trial: Increasing the effectiveness of treatment with continuous positive airway pressure using a weight management program in overweight adults with obstructive sleep apnoea-A stepped wedge randomised trial protocol.

Science.gov (United States)

Truby, Helen; Edwards, Bradley A; O'Driscoll, Denise M; Young, Alan; Ghazi, Ladan; Bristow, Claire; Roem, Kerryn; Bonham, Maxine P; Murgia, Chiara; Day, Kaitlin; Haines, Terry P; Hamilton, Garun S

2018-05-24

The majority of adults diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) are overweight or obese. Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) is the most common effective therapy for OSA. However, adherence declines over time with only 50% of patients prescribed CPAP continuing to use it long term. Furthermore, a recent prospective analysis indicated that those more adherent with CPAP therapy have enhanced weight gain trajectories which in turn may negatively impact their OSA. The Sleeping Well Trial aims to establish whether the timing of starting a lifestyle weight loss intervention impacts on weight trajectory in those with moderate-severe OSA treated at home with CPAP, while testing the potential for smart phone technology to improve adherence with lifestyle interventions. A stepped wedge design with randomisation of individuals from 1 to 6 months post-enrolment, with 5 months of additional prospective follow up after completion of the stepped wedge. This design will investigate the effect of the 6-month lifestyle intervention on people undergoing CPAP on body weight, body composition and health-related quality of life. This trial tests whether the timing of supporting the patient through a weight loss intervention is important in obtaining the maximum benefit of a lifestyle change and CPAP usage, and identify how best to support patients through this critical period. The protocol (v1) is registered prospectively with the International Clinical Trials Registry (CTR) ACTRN12616000203459 (public access). Any amendments to protocol will be documented via the CTR. Recruitment commenced in March 2016 with data collection scheduled to finish by May 2018. © 2018 Dietitians Association of Australia.

Macromolecular weight specificity in covalent binding of bromobenzene

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sun, J.D.; Dent, J.G.

1984-01-01

Bromobenzene is a hepatotoxicant that causes centrilobular necrosis. Pretreatment of animals with 3-methylcholanthrene decreases and phenobarbital pretreatment enhances the hepatotoxic action of this compound. We have investigated the macromolecular weight specificity of the covalent interactions of bromobenzene with liver macromolecules following incubation of [ 14 C]bromobenzene in isolated hepatocytes. Hepatocytes were prepared from Fischer-344 rats treated for 3 days with 3-methylcholanthrene, phenobarbital, or normal saline. After a 1-hr incubation, total covalent binding, as measured by sodium dodecyl sulfate-equilibrium dialysis, was twofold less in hepatocytes from 3-methylcholanthrene-treated rats and sixfold greater in hepatocytes from phenobarbital-treated rats, as compared to hepatocytes from control animals. Analysis of the arylated macromolecules by electrophoresis on 15% sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide disc gels indicated that in the first 1 to 3 min of incubation substantial amounts of covalently bound radiolabel were associated with macromolecules of between 20,000 and 40,000. The amount of radioactivity associated with these macromolecules rapidly diminished in hepatocytes from control and 3-methylcholanthrene-treated animals. In hepatocytes from phenobarbital-treated animals, the amount of radioactivity associated with macromolecules, 20,000, increased throughout the incubation. The amount of radiolabel associated with macromolecules, 20,000, increased in all incubations. When nontoxic doses of phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride, a specific inhibitor of serine proteases, were added to control hepatocytes incubated with [ 14 C]-bromobenzene, the decrease in radioactivity associated with larger (greater than 20,000) macromolecules was inhibited and a corresponding lack of increase in radioactivity associated with smaller macromolecules was observed

Trends in birth weight-specific and -adjusted infant mortality rates in Taiwan between 2004 and 2011

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fu-Wen Liang

2018-06-01

Conclusion: In countries with an increasing proportion of VLBW live births, birth weight-specific or -adjusted IMRs are more appropriate than other indices for accurately assessing the real extent of reduction in IMRs.

Effect of various practical warm-up protocols on acute lower-body power.

Science.gov (United States)

Buttifant, David; Hrysomallis, Con

2015-03-01

The purpose of this study was to compare the acute effect of box squats with barbell (BBSquat), box squats with elastic resistance bands (BandSquat), and static stretches (SStretch) on external power during a 20-kg weighted jump squat. Twelve male athletes performed each of the 3 warm-up protocols on separate occasions in a randomized order. Weighted jump squat power was assessed using a linear position transducer attached to the bar of a Smith machine. Jump power was measured pre-warm-up and 5 and 10 minutes post-warm-up protocol. The BBSquat protocol involved 3 sets of 3RM, BandSquat involved 3 sets of 3 repetitions using highest resistance elastic bands, and the SStretch protocol comprises two 30-second stretches for muscles of the lower limbs. Jump power significantly increased from pre-warm-up to 5 and 10 minutes post-warm-up for both the BandSquat and BBSquat protocols. There was no statistical difference in power values between BandSquat and BBSquat. Power output significantly decreased from pre-warm-up to 5 and 10 minutes post-warm-up for the SStretch protocol. The BandSquat was just as effective as BBSquat in augmenting acute jump power. The SStretch was detrimental to jump performance. A practical warm-up using relatively inexpensive and portable equipment such as elastic resistance bands was just as effective as a warm-up protocol that requires more substantial and less transportable equipment such as a squat rack and associated free weights. The BandSquat warm-up may be considered more accessible for athletes at various competition levels.

The Network Protocol Analysis Technique in Snort

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Qing-Xiu

Network protocol analysis is a network sniffer to capture data for further analysis and understanding of the technical means necessary packets. Network sniffing is intercepted by packet assembly binary format of the original message content. In order to obtain the information contained. Required based on TCP / IP protocol stack protocol specification. Again to restore the data packets at protocol format and content in each protocol layer. Actual data transferred, as well as the application tier.

Whole-Body Magnetic Resonance Angiography at 3 Tesla Using a Hybrid Protocol in Patients with Peripheral Arterial Disease

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nielsen, Yousef W.; Eiberg, Jonas P.; Logager, Vibeke B.; Schroeder, Torben V.; Just, Sven; Thomsen, Henrik S.

2009-01-01

The purpose of this study was to determine the diagnostic performance of 3T whole-body magnetic resonance angiography (WB-MRA) using a hybrid protocol in comparison with a standard protocol in patients with peripheral arterial disease (PAD). In 26 consecutive patients with PAD two different protocols were used for WB-MRA: a standard sequential protocol (n = 13) and a hybrid protocol (n = 13). WB-MRA was performed using a gradient echo sequence, body coil for signal reception, and gadoterate meglumine as contrast agent (0.3 mmol/kg body weight). Two blinded observers evaluated all WB-MRA examinations with regard to presence of stenoses, as well as diagnostic quality and degree of venous contamination in each of the four stations used in WB-MRA. Digital subtraction angiography served as the method of reference. Sensitivity for detecting significant arterial disease (luminal narrowing ≥ 50%) using standard-protocol WB-MRA for the two observers was 0.63 (95%CI: 0.51-0.73) and 0.66 (0.58-0.78). Specificities were 0.94 (0.91-0.97) and 0.96 (0.92-0.98), respectively. In the hybrid protocol WB-MRA sensitivities were 0.75 (0.64-0.84) and 0.70 (0.58-0.8), respectively. Specificities were 0.93 (0.88-0.96) and 0.95 (0.91-0.97). Interobserver agreement was good using both the standard and the hybrid protocol, with κ = 0.62 (0.44-0.67) and κ = 0.70 (0.59-0.79), respectively. WB-MRA quality scores were significantly higher in the lower leg using the hybrid protocol compared to standard protocol (p = 0.003 and p = 0.03, observers 1 and 2). Distal venous contamination scores were significantly lower with the hybrid protocol (p = 0.02 and p = 0.01, observers 1 and 2). In conclusion, hybrid-protocol WB-MRA shows a better diagnostic performance than standard protocol WB-MRA at 3 T in patients with PAD.

Chapter 16: Retrocommissioning Evaluation Protocol. The Uniform Methods Project: Methods for Determining Energy Efficiency Savings for Specific Measures

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kurnik, Charles W. [National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Tiessen, Alex [Posterity Group, Derwood, MD (United States)

2017-10-09

Retrocommissioning (RCx) is a systematic process for optimizing energy performance in existing buildings. It specifically focuses on improving the control of energy-using equipment (e.g., heating, ventilation, and air conditioning [HVAC] equipment and lighting) and typically does not involve equipment replacement. Field results have shown proper RCx can achieve energy savings ranging from 5 percent to 20 percent, with a typical payback of two years or less (Thorne 2003). The method presented in this protocol provides direction regarding: (1) how to account for each measure's specific characteristics and (2) how to choose the most appropriate savings verification approach.

A model based security testing method for protocol implementation.

Science.gov (United States)

Fu, Yu Long; Xin, Xiao Long

2014-01-01

The security of protocol implementation is important and hard to be verified. Since the penetration testing is usually based on the experience of the security tester and the specific protocol specifications, a formal and automatic verification method is always required. In this paper, we propose an extended model of IOLTS to describe the legal roles and intruders of security protocol implementations, and then combine them together to generate the suitable test cases to verify the security of protocol implementation.

International Veterinary Epilepsy Task Force recommendations for a veterinary epilepsy-specific MRI protocol

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rusbridge, Clare; Long, Sam; Jovanovik, Jelena

2015-01-01

Epilepsy is one of the most common chronic neurological diseases in veterinary practice. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is regarded as an important diagnostic test to reach the diagnosis of idiopathic epilepsy. However, given that the diagnosis requires the exclusion of other differentials...... sequences, imaging planes and/or particular techniques used in performing the MRI scan. As a result, there is a need to standardize MRI examination in veterinary patients with techniques that reliably diagnose subtle lesions, identify post-seizure changes, and which will allow for future identification...... of underlying causes of seizures not yet apparent in the veterinary literature.There is a need for a standardized veterinary epilepsy-specific MRI protocol which will facilitate more detailed examination of areas susceptible to generating and perpetuating seizures, is cost efficient, simple to perform and can...

The use of diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging in the differentiation between benign and malignant breast lesions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pereira, Fernanda Philadelpho Arantes; Martins, Gabriela; Domingues, Marisa Nassar Aidar; Domingues, Romeu Cortes; Figueiredo, Eduardo; Fonseca, Lea Mirian Barbosa da

2009-01-01

Objective: to study the utility of diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging in the differentiation between benign and malignant breast lesions. Materials and methods: forty-five women (mean age, 46.1 years) with 52 focal breast lesions underwent diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging. The calculation of apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) was based on the ADC map reflecting five b values (0, 250, 500, 750, and 1000 s/mm 2 ). The mean ADC value of each lesion was correlated with imaging findings and histopathologic results. Cutoff ADC, sensitivity and specificity of diffusion-weighted imaging in the differentiation between benign and malignant lesions were calculated. P -3 mm 2 /s) as compared with benign lesions (1.50 ± 0.34 x 10 -3 mm 2 /s) (P < 0.0001). Diffusion-weighted imaging showed high sensitivity and specificity (both, 92.3%) in the differentiation between benign and malignant lesions. Conclusion: diffusion-weighted imaging is a potential resource as an adjuvant to breast magnetic resonance imaging to differentiate benign from malignant lesions. Such sequence can be easily added to the standard breast magnetic resonance imaging protocol, without implying any significant increase in examination time. (author)

Automatic verification of a lip-synchronisation protocol using Uppaal

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bowman, H.; Faconti, G.; Katoen, J.-P.; Latella, D.; Massink, M.

1998-01-01

We present the formal specification and verification of a lip-synchronisation protocol using the real-time model checker Uppaal. A number of specifications of this protocol can be found in the literature, but this is the first automatic verification. We take a published specification of the

A Correctness Proof of the Bakery Protocol in μCRL

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Groote, J.F.; Korver, H.

1992-01-01

A specification of the bakery protocol is given in μCRL. We provide a simple correctness criterion for the protocol. Then the protocol is proven correct using a proof system that has been developed for μCRL. The proof primarily consists of algebraic manipulations based on specifications of

Diffusion-weighted imaging as part of hybrid PET/MRI protocols for whole-body cancer staging: Does it benefit lesion detection?

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Buchbender, Christian, E-mail: christian.buchbender@med.uni-duesseldorf.de [Univ Dusseldorf, Medical Faculty, Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Moorenstr. 5, D-40225 Dusseldorf (Germany); Hartung-Knemeyer, Verena, E-mail: verena.hartung@uk-essen.de [Univ Duisburg-Essen, Medical Faculty, Department of Nuclear Medicine, Hufelandstr. 55, D-45147 Essen (Germany); Beiderwellen, Karsten, E-mail: karsten.beiderwellen@uk-essen.de [Univ Duisburg-Essen, Medical Faculty, Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology and Neuroradiology, Hufelandstr. 55, D-45147 Essen (Germany); Heusch, Philipp, E-mail: philipp.heusch@med.uni-duesseldorf.de [Univ Dusseldorf, Medical Faculty, Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Moorenstr. 5, D-40225 Dusseldorf (Germany); Kühl, Hilmar, E-mail: hilmar.kuehl@uni-due.de [Univ Duisburg-Essen, Medical Faculty, Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology and Neuroradiology, Hufelandstr. 55, D-45147 Essen (Germany); Lauenstein, Thomas C., E-mail: thomas.lauenstein@uk-essen.de [Univ Duisburg-Essen, Medical Faculty, Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology and Neuroradiology, Hufelandstr. 55, D-45147 Essen (Germany); Forsting, Michael, E-mail: michael.forsting@uk-essen.de [Univ Duisburg-Essen, Medical Faculty, Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology and Neuroradiology, Hufelandstr. 55, D-45147 Essen (Germany); Antoch, Gerald, E-mail: antoch@med.uni-duesseldorf.de [Univ Dusseldorf, Medical Faculty, Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Moorenstr. 5, D-40225 Dusseldorf (Germany); Heusner, Till A., E-mail: heusner@med.uni-duesseldorf.de [Univ Dusseldorf, Medical Faculty, Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Moorenstr. 5, D-40225 Dusseldorf (Germany)

2013-05-15

Purpose: Positron emission tomography/magnetic resonance imaging (PET/MRI) requires efficient scan protocols for whole-body cancer staging. The aim of this study was to evaluate if the application of diffusion-weighted MR imaging (DWI) results in a diagnostic benefit for lesion detection in oncologic patients if added to a whole-body [18F]-fluorodesoxyglucose ([18F]-FDG) PET/MRI protocol. Methods: 25 consecutive oncologic patients (16 men, 9 women; age 57 ± 12 years) prospectively underwent whole-body [18F]-FDG-PET/MRI including DWI on a hybrid PET/MRI scanner. A team of two readers assessed [18F]-FDG PET/MRI without DWI for primary tumors and metastases. In a second session, now considering DWI, readers reassessed [18F]-FDG PET/MRI accordingly. Additionally, the lesion-to-background contrast on [18F]-FDG PET and DWI was rated qualitatively (0, invisible; 1, low; 2, intermediate; 3, high). Wilcoxon's signed-rank test was performed to test for differences in the lesion-to-background contrast. Results: 49 lesions were detected in 16 patients (5 primaries, 44 metastases). All 49 lesions were concordantly detected by [18F]-FDG PET/MRI alone and [18F]-FDG PET/MRI with DWI. The lesion-to-background contrast on DWI compared to [18F]-FDG PET was rated lower in 22 (44.9%) of 49 detected lesions resulting in a significantly higher lesion-to-background contrast on [18F]-FDG PET compared to DWI (P = 0.001). Conclusions: DWI as part of whole-body [18F]-FDG PET/MRI does not benefit lesion detection. Given the necessity to optimize imaging protocols with regard to patient comfort and efficacy, DWI has to be questioned as a standard tool for whole-body staging in oncologic PET/MRI.

Patient-Specific Internal Dosimetry Protocol for 131 treatment of differentiated thyroid cancer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Deluca, G.M.; Rojo, Ana M.; Llina Fuentes, C.S.; Cabrejas, Mariana L.; Cabrejas, R.; Fadel, A.M.

2008-01-01

Full text: The most effective treatment against Differentiated Thyroid Cancer (DTC), in its most frequently types: papillar and follicular, is the administration of radioiodine. As a result of a multidisciplinary work, a dosimetrical protocol for radiological protection purpose has been developed that suggests the standards and formalisms for the determination of absorbed doses due to the administration of 131 I activity to DTC patients. This dosimetrical protocol takes into account individual data of each patient (age, gender, the presence or absence of metastases, physiology, physiopathology, biochemical parameters) and involves clinical aspects, the equipment that should be used and the dose assessment procedure of each treatment. Based on the Medical Internal radiation Dose (MIRD) scheme and considering the major critical organs for this therapy, the dosimetrical protocol states the 'how-to' of the following procedures, in adults and paediatric cases: 1) estimation of the red marrow dose (with/without bone metastases) to avoid mielotoxicity (200 cGy); 2) Estimation of the retention / dose rate / dose in lungs after 48 hours from the administration of radioiodine to avoid lung fibrosis; 3) Estimation of the testes dose in young male patients to avoid oligospermia; 4) Estimation of the maximum activity which can be safely administered without damaging the most critical organ for each patient; and 5) Acquisition of images and retention data from patients. This dosimetrical protocol also specifies the requirements and basic steps that should be followed, the essential information, the complementary studies and the basic equipment required to perform an appropriate internal dosimetry evaluation. To be fully implemented, the dosimetrical protocol needs the constitution of a multidisciplinary team including physicians, medical physicists and technicians. Clear instructions should be provided to the patient as his full collaboration is essential. Even though empirical

High performance cone-beam spiral backprojection with voxel-specific weighting

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Steckmann, Sven; Knaup, Michael; Kachelriess, Marc

2009-01-01

Cone-beam spiral backprojection is computationally highly demanding. At first sight, the backprojection requirements are similar to those of cone-beam backprojection from circular scans such as it is performed in the widely used Feldkamp algorithm. However, there is an additional complication: the illumination of each voxel, i.e. the range of angles the voxel is seen by the x-ray cone, is a complex function of the voxel position. In general, one needs to multiply a voxel-specific weight w(x, y, z, α) prior to adding a projection from angle α to a voxel at position x, y, z. Often, the weight function has no analytically closed form and must be numerically determined. Storage of the weights is prohibitive since the amount of memory required equals the number of voxels per spiral rotation times the number of projections a voxel receives contributions and therefore is in the order of up to 10 12 floating point values for typical spiral scans. We propose a new algorithm that combines the spiral symmetry with the ability of today's 64 bit operating systems to store large amounts of precomputed weights, even above the 4 GB limit. Our trick is to backproject into slices that are rotated in the same manner as the spiral trajectory rotates. Using the spiral symmetry in this way allows one to exploit data-level paralellism and thereby to achieve a very high level of vectorization. An additional postprocessing step rotates these slices back to normal images. Our new backprojection algorithm achieves up to 17 giga voxel updates per second on our systems that are equipped with four standard Intel X7460 hexa core CPUs (Intel Xeon 7300 platform, 2.66 GHz, Intel Corporation). This equals the reconstruction of 344 images per second assuming that each slice consists of 512 x 512 pixels and receives contributions from 512 projections. Thereby, it is an order of magnitude faster than a highly optimized code that does not make use of the spiral symmetry. In its present version, the

High performance cone-beam spiral backprojection with voxel-specific weighting

Science.gov (United States)

Steckmann, Sven; Knaup, Michael; Kachelrieß, Marc

2009-06-01

Cone-beam spiral backprojection is computationally highly demanding. At first sight, the backprojection requirements are similar to those of cone-beam backprojection from circular scans such as it is performed in the widely used Feldkamp algorithm. However, there is an additional complication: the illumination of each voxel, i.e. the range of angles the voxel is seen by the x-ray cone, is a complex function of the voxel position. In general, one needs to multiply a voxel-specific weight w(x, y, z, α) prior to adding a projection from angle α to a voxel at position x, y, z. Often, the weight function has no analytically closed form and must be numerically determined. Storage of the weights is prohibitive since the amount of memory required equals the number of voxels per spiral rotation times the number of projections a voxel receives contributions and therefore is in the order of up to 1012 floating point values for typical spiral scans. We propose a new algorithm that combines the spiral symmetry with the ability of today's 64 bit operating systems to store large amounts of precomputed weights, even above the 4 GB limit. Our trick is to backproject into slices that are rotated in the same manner as the spiral trajectory rotates. Using the spiral symmetry in this way allows one to exploit data-level paralellism and thereby to achieve a very high level of vectorization. An additional postprocessing step rotates these slices back to normal images. Our new backprojection algorithm achieves up to 17 giga voxel updates per second on our systems that are equipped with four standard Intel X7460 hexa core CPUs (Intel Xeon 7300 platform, 2.66 GHz, Intel Corporation). This equals the reconstruction of 344 images per second assuming that each slice consists of 512 × 512 pixels and receives contributions from 512 projections. Thereby, it is an order of magnitude faster than a highly optimized code that does not make use of the spiral symmetry. In its present version, the

Testing of toxicity based methods to develop site specific clean up objectives - phase 1: Toxicity protocol screening and applicability

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hamilton, H.; Kerr, D.; Thorne, W.; Taylor, B.; Zadnik, M.; Goudey, S.; Birkholz, D.

1994-03-01

A study was conducted to develop a cost-effective and practical protocol for using bio-assay based toxicity assessment methods for remediation of decommissioned oil and gas production, and processing facilities. The objective was to generate site-specific remediation criteria for contaminated sites. Most companies have used the chemical-specific approach which, however, did not meet the ultimate land use goal of agricultural production. The toxicity assessment method described in this study dealt with potential impairment to agricultural crop production and natural ecosystems. Human health concerns were not specifically addressed. It was suggested that chemical-specific methods should be used when human health concerns exist. . Results showed that toxicity tests will more directly identify ecological stress caused by site contamination than chemical-specific remediation criteria, which can be unnecessarily protective. 11 refs., 7 tabs., 6 figs

A class-chest for deriving transport protocols

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Strayer, W.T.

1996-10-01

Development of new transport protocols or protocol algorithms suffers from the complexity of the environment in which they are intended to run. Modeling techniques attempt to avoid this by simulating the environment. Another approach to promoting rapid prototyping of protocols and protocol algorithms is to provide a pre-built infrastructure that is common to transport protocols, so that the focus is placed on the protocol-specific aspects. The Meta-Transport Library is a library of C++ base classes that implement or abstract out the mundane functions of a protocol, new protocol implementations are derived from base classes. The result is a fully viable user- level transport protocol implementation, with emphasis on modularity. The collection of base classes form a ``class-chest`` of tools .from which protocols can be developed and studied with as little change to a normal UNIX environment as possible.

[Effect of a multidisciplinar protocol on the clinical results obtained after bariatric surgery].

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Cánovas Gaillemin, B; Sastre Martos, J; Moreno Segura, G; Llamazares Iglesias, O; Familiar Casado, C; Abad de Castro, S; López Pardo, R; Sánchez-Cabezudo Muñoz, M A

2011-01-01

Bariatric surgery has been shown to be an effective therapy for weight loss in patients with severe obesity, and the implementation of a multidisciplinar management protocol is recommended. To assess the usefulness of the implementation of a management protocol in obesity surgery based on the Spanish Consensus Document of the SEEDO. Retrospective comparative study of the outcomes in patients previously operated (51 patients) and after the implementation of the protocol (66 patients). The following data were gathered: anthropometry, pre-and post-surgery comorbidities, post-surgical nutritional and surgical complications, validated Quality of Life questionnaire, and dietary habits. Withdrawals (l7.6%) and alcoholism (5.8%) were higher in patients pre- versus post-implementation of the protocol (4.5% vs. 3%, respectively), the differences being statistically significant. The mortality rate was 2% in the pre-protocol group and 0% in the postprotocol group. The dietary habits were better in the post-protocol group, the pre-protocol group presenting a higher percentage of feeding-behavior disorders (5.1%) although not reaching a statistical significance. The improvement in quality of life was higher in the post-protocol group for all items, but only reaching statistical significance in sexual activity (p = 0.004). In the pre-protocol group, 70.5% of the patients had more than one nutritional complication vs. 32.8% in the post-protocol group (p 50% in 81.3% in the pre-protocol group vs. 74.8% in the pos-protocol group) or the comorbidities. Bariatric surgery achieves excellent outcomes in weight loss, comorbidities, and quality of life, but presents nutritional, surgical, and psychiatric complications that require a protocol-based and multidisciplinary approach. Our protocol improves the outcomes regarding the withdrawal rates, feeding-behavior disorders, dietary habits, nutritional complications, and quality of life.

Total and Trimester-Specific Gestational Weight Gain and Offspring Birth and Early Childhood Weight: A Prospective Cohort Study on Monozygotic Twin Mothers and Their Offspring.

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Scheers Andersson, Elina; Silventoinen, Karri; Tynelius, Per; Nohr, Ellen A; Sørensen, Thorkild I A; Rasmussen, Finn

2016-08-01

Gestational weight gain (GWG) has in numerous studies been associated with offspring birth weight (BW) and childhood weight. However, these associations might be explained by genetic confounding as offspring inherit their mother's genetic potential to gain weight. Furthermore, little is known about whether particular periods of pregnancy could influence offspring body weight differently. We therefore aimed to explore total and trimester-specific effects of GWG in monozygotic (MZ) twin mother-pairs on their offspring's BW, weight at 1 year and body mass index (BMI) at 5 and 10 years. MZ twin mothers born 1962-1975 were identified in national Swedish registers, and data on exposure and outcome variables was collected from medical records. We analyzed associations within and between twin pairs. We had complete data on the mothers' GWG and offspring BW for 82 pairs. The results indicated that total, and possibly also second and third trimester GWG were associated with offspring BW within the twin pairs in the fully adjusted model (β = 0.08 z-score units, 95% CI: 0.001, 0.17; β = 1.32 z-score units, 95% CI: -0.29, 2.95; and β = 1.02 z-score units, 95% CI: -0.50, 2.54, respectively). Our findings, although statistically weak, suggested no associations between GWG and offspring weight or BMI during infancy or childhood. Our study suggests that total, and possibly also second and third trimester, GWG are associated with offspring BW when taking shared genetic and environmental factors within twin pairs into account. Larger family-based studies with long follow-up are needed to confirm our findings.

A trial of a job-specific workers' health surveillance program for construction workers: study protocol.

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Boschman, Julitta S; van der Molen, Henk F; van Duivenbooden, Cor; Sluiter, Judith K; Frings-Dresen, Monique H W

2011-09-29

Dutch construction workers are offered periodic health examinations. This care can be improved by tailoring this workers health surveillance (WHS) to the demands of the job and adjust the preventive actions to the specific health risks of a worker in a particular job. To improve the quality of the WHS for construction workers and stimulate relevant job-specific preventive actions by the occupational physician, we have developed a job-specific WHS. The job-specific WHS consists of modules assessing both physical and psychological requirements. The selected measurement instruments chosen, are based on their appropriateness to measure the workers' capacity and health requirements. They include a questionnaire and biometrical tests, and physical performance tests that measure physical functional capabilities. Furthermore, our job-specific WHS provides occupational physicians with a protocol to increase the worker-behavioural effectiveness of their counselling and to stimulate job-specific preventive actions. The objective of this paper is to describe and clarify our study to evaluate the behavioural effects of this job-specific WHS on workers and occupational physicians. The ongoing study of bricklayers and supervisors is a nonrandomised trial to compare the outcome of an intervention (job-specific WHS) group (n = 206) with that of a control (WHS) group (n = 206). The study includes a three-month follow-up. The primary outcome measure is the proportion of participants who have undertaken one or more of the preventive actions advised by their occupational physician in the three months after attending the WHS. A process evaluation will be carried out to determine context, reach, dose delivered, dose received, fidelity, and satisfaction. The present study is in accordance with the TREND Statement. This study will allow an evaluation of the behaviour of both the workers and occupational physician regarding the preventive actions undertaken by them within the scope of a job-specific

Measurement and protocol for evaluating video and still stabilization systems

Science.gov (United States)

Cormier, Etienne; Cao, Frédéric; Guichard, Frédéric; Viard, Clément

2013-01-01

This article presents a system and a protocol to characterize image stabilization systems both for still images and videos. It uses a six axes platform, three being used for camera rotation and three for camera positioning. The platform is programmable and can reproduce complex motions that have been typically recorded by a gyroscope mounted on different types of cameras in different use cases. The measurement uses a single chart for still image and videos, the texture dead leaves chart. Although the proposed implementation of the protocol uses a motion platform, the measurement itself does not rely on any specific hardware. For still images, a modulation transfer function is measured in different directions and is weighted by a contrast sensitivity function (simulating the human visual system accuracy) to obtain an acutance. The sharpness improvement due to the image stabilization system is a good measurement of performance as recommended by a CIPA standard draft. For video, four markers on the chart are detected with sub-pixel accuracy to determine a homographic deformation between the current frame and a reference position. This model describes well the apparent global motion as translations, but also rotations along the optical axis and distortion due to the electronic rolling shutter equipping most CMOS sensors. The protocol is applied to all types of cameras such as DSC, DSLR and smartphones.

IVOA Credential Delegation Protocol Version 1.0

Science.gov (United States)

Plante, Raymond; Graham, Matthew; Rixon, Guy; Taffoni, Giuliano; Plante, Raymond; Graham, Matthew

2010-02-01

The credential delegation protocol allows a client program to delegate a user's credentials to a service such that that service may make requests of other services in the name of that user. The protocol defines a REST service that works alongside other IVO services to enable such a delegation in a secure manner. In addition to defining the specifics of the service protocol, this document describes how a delegation service is registered in an IVOA registry along with the services it supports. The specification also explains how one can determine from a service registration that it requires the use of a supporting delegation service.

Compiling symbolic attacks to protocol implementation tests

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Michael Rusinowitch

2013-07-01

Full Text Available Recently efficient model-checking tools have been developed to find flaws in security protocols specifications. These flaws can be interpreted as potential attacks scenarios but the feasability of these scenarios need to be confirmed at the implementation level. However, bridging the gap between an abstract attack scenario derived from a specification and a penetration test on real implementations of a protocol is still an open issue. This work investigates an architecture for automatically generating abstract attacks and converting them to concrete tests on protocol implementations. In particular we aim to improve previously proposed blackbox testing methods in order to discover automatically new attacks and vulnerabilities. As a proof of concept we have experimented our proposed architecture to detect a renegotiation vulnerability on some implementations of SSL/TLS, a protocol widely used for securing electronic transactions.

Comparable efficiency of different extraction protocols for wheat and rye prolamins

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Peter Socha

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The identification and quantification of cereal storage proteins is of interest of many researchers. Their structural or functional properties are usually affected by the way how they are extracted. The efficiency of extraction process depends on the cereal source and working conditions. Here, we described various commonly used extraction protocols differing in the extraction conditions (pre-extraction of albumins/globulins, sequential extraction of individual protein fractions or co-extraction of gluten proteins, heating or non-heating, reducing or non-reducing conditions. The total protein content of all fractions extracted from commercially available wheat and rye flours was measured by the Bradford method. Tris-Tricine SDS-PAGE was used to determine the molecular weights of wheat gliadins, rye secalins and high-molecular weight glutelins which are the main triggering factors causing celiac disease. Moreover, we were able to distinguish individual subunits (α/β-, γ-, ω-gliadins and 40k-γ-, 75k-γ-, ω-secalins of wheat/rye prolamins. Generally, modified extraction protocols against classical Osborne procedure were more effective and yields higher protein content in all protein fractions. Bradford measurement led into underestimation of results in three extraction procedures, while all protein fractions were clearly identified on SDS-PAGE gels. Co-extraction of gluten proteins resulted in appearance of both, low-molecular weight fractions (wheat gliadins and rye secalins as well as high-molecular weight glutelins which means that is not necessary to extract gluten proteins separately. The two of three extraction protocols showed high technical reproducibility with coefficient of variation less than 20%. Carefully optimized extraction protocol can be advantageous for further analyses of cereal prolamins.  Normal 0 21 false false false SK X-NONE X-NONE

Web-based interventions for weight loss and weight maintenance among rural midlife and older women: protocol for a randomized controlled trial

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Boeckner Linda S

2011-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Weight loss is challenging and maintenance of weight loss is problematic among midlife and older rural women. Finding effective interventions using innovative delivery methods that can reach underserved and vulnerable populations of overweight and obese rural women is a public health challenge. Methods/Design This Women Weigh-In for Wellness (The WWW study randomized-controlled trial is designed to compare the effectiveness of theory-based behavior-change interventions using (1 website only, (2 website with peer-led support, or (3 website with professional email-counseling to facilitate initial weight loss (baseline to 6 months, guided continuing weight loss and maintenance (7-18 months and self-directed weight maintenance (19-30 months among rural women ages 45-69 with a BMI of 28-45. Recruitment efforts using local media will target 306 rural women who live within driving distance of a community college site where assessments will be conducted at baseline, 3, 6, 12, 18, 24 and 30 months by research nurses blinded to group assignments. Primary outcomes include changes in body weight, % weight loss, and eating and activity behavioral and biomarkers from baseline to each subsequent assessment. Secondary outcomes will be percentage of women achieving at least 5% and 10% weight loss without regain from baseline to 6, 18, and 30 months and achieving healthy eating and activity targets. Data analysis will use generalized estimating equations to analyze average change across groups and group differences in proportion of participants achieving target weight loss levels. Discussion The Women Weigh-In for Wellness study compares innovative web-based alternatives for providing lifestyle behavior-change interventions for promoting weight loss and weight maintenance among rural women. If effective, such interventions would offer potential for reducing overweight and obesity among a vulnerable, hard-to-reach, population of rural women

Independent value of image fusion in unenhanced breast MRI using diffusion-weighted and morphological T2-weighted images for lesion characterization in patients with recently detected BI-RADS 4/5 X-ray mammography findings

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bickelhaupt, Sebastian; Tesdorff, Jana; Delorme, Stefan; Schlemmer, Heinz-Peter [German Cancer Research Center (dkfz), Department of Radiology, Heidelberg (Germany); Laun, Frederik Bernd; Kuder, Tristan Anselm [German Cancer Research Center (dkfz), Medical Physics in Radiology, Heidelberg (Germany); Lederer, Wolfgang; Teiner, Susanne [Radiological Practice at the ATOS Clinic Heidelberg, Heidelberg (Germany); Maier-Hein, Klaus [German Cancer Research Center (dkfz), Junior Group Medical Image Computing, Heidelberg (Germany); Daniel, Heidi [Radiology Center Mannheim (RZM), Mannheim (Germany); Stieber, Anne [University Hospital Heidelberg, Department of Clinical and Interventional Radiology, Heidelberg (Germany)

2017-02-15

The aim of this study was to evaluate the accuracy and applicability of solitarily reading fused image series of T2-weighted and high-b-value diffusion-weighted sequences for lesion characterization as compared to sequential or combined image analysis of these unenhanced sequences and to contrast- enhanced breast MRI. This IRB-approved study included 50 female participants with suspicious breast lesions detected in screening X-ray mammograms, all of which provided written informed consent. Prior to biopsy, all women underwent MRI including diffusion-weighted imaging (DWIBS, b = 1500s/mm{sup 2}). Images were analyzed as follows: prospective image fusion of DWIBS and T2-weighted images (FU), side-by-side analysis of DWIBS and T2-weighted series (CO), combination of the first two methods (CO+FU), and full contrast-enhanced diagnostic protocol (FDP). Diagnostic indices, confidence, and image quality of the protocols were compared by two blinded readers. Reading the CO+FU (accuracy 0.92; NPV 96.1 %; PPV 87.6 %) and the CO series (0.90; 96.1 %; 83.7 %) provided a diagnostic performance similar to the FDP (0.95; 96.1 %; 91.3 %; p > 0.05). FU reading alone significantly reduced the diagnostic accuracy (0.82; 93.3 %; 73.4 %; p = 0.023). MR evaluation of suspicious BI-RADS 4 and 5 lesions detected on mammography by using a non-contrast-enhanced T2-weighted and DWIBS sequence protocol is most accurate if MR images were read using the CO+FU protocol. (orig.)

Eating and weight/shape criticism as a specific life-event related to bulimia nervosa: a case control study.

Science.gov (United States)

Gonçalves, Sonia Ferreira; Machado, Bárbara César; Martins, Carla

2014-01-01

The present study aims to evaluate the occurrence of life events preceding the onset of eating problems in bulimia nervosa patients. A case-control design was used involving the comparison of 60 female subjects who meet DSM-IV criteria for bulimia nervosa with 60 healthy control subjects and 60 subjects with other psychiatric disorders. The RFI (Fairburn et al., 1998) subset of factors that represent exposure to life events in the 12 months immediately before the development of eating problems was used. Women with bulimia nervosa reported higher rates of major stress, criticism about eating, weight and shape and also a great number of antecedent life events during the year preceding the development of eating problems than the healthy control group. However, when compared with the general psychiatric control group only the exposure to critical comments about weight, shape, or eating emerged as a specific trigger for bulimia nervosa. Our findings support the fact that eating and shape/weight criticism in the year preceding the development of eating disturbance seems to be specifically related to bulimia nervosa.

Effect of a feed/fast protocol on pH in the proximal equine stomach.

Science.gov (United States)

Husted, L; Sanchez, L C; Baptiste, K E; Olsen, S N

2009-09-01

Risk factors for the development of gastric squamous ulcers include various management procedures, such as intermittent feed deprivation that can occur during weight management regimens or stall and dry lot confinement. To investigate the effect of intermittent feed deprivation relative to continuous feed intake on proximal intragastric pH, specifically in the region of the squamous mucosa of the lesser curvature. In 6 horses, pH electrodes were placed just inside of the oesophageal sphincter in the stomach for each of two 72 h protocols (A and B) in a randomised, cross-over design. Protocol A consisted of 12 h fed, 12 h fasted, 24 h fed and 24 h fasted, in sequence. Protocol B consisted of 72 h fed. During the fed periods of each protocol, horses had ad libitum access to coastal Bermuda hay and were fed sweet feed (1 kg, b.i.d.). Horses had ad libitum access to water at all times. Proximal intragastric pH was significantly lower during protocol A, than during protocol B. However, hourly mean pH was significantly different only during the day and evening hours between protocols. During protocol B, mean proximal pH decreased significantly from 03.00 to 09.00 compared to 19.00 to 23.00 h. A moderate positive correlation of hay intake vs. proximal gastric pH could be established. Intermittent feed deprivation decreased proximal gastric pH in horses relative to those horses for which feed was not restricted. However, the effect was only significant when fasting occurred during the day and evening hours, as a nocturnal decrease in pH occurred simultaneously in the fed horses. Episodes of daytime feed deprivation should be avoided if possible, as proximal gastric acid exposure rapidly increases during such events.

Genetic test feedback with weight control advice: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial

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Meisel Susanne F

2012-12-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Genetic testing for risk of weight gain is already available over the internet despite uncertain benefits and concerns about adverse emotional or behavioral effects. Few studies have assessed the effect of adding genetic test feedback to weight control advice, even though one of the proposed applications of genetic testing is to stimulate preventive action. This study will investigate the motivational effect of adding genetic test feedback to simple weight control advice in a situation where weight gain is relatively common. Methods/design First-year university students (n = 800 will be randomized to receive either 1 their personal genetic test result for a gene (FTO related to weight gain susceptibility in addition to a leaflet with simple weight control advice (‘Feedback + Advice’ group, FA, or 2 only the leaflet containing simple weight control advice (‘Advice Only’ group, AO. Motivation to avoid weight gain and active use of weight control strategies will be assessed one month after receipt of the leaflet with or without genetic test feedback. Weight and body fat will be measured at baseline and eight months follow-up. We will also assess short-term psychological reactions to the genetic test result. In addition, we will explore interactions between feedback condition and gene test status. Discussion We hope to provide a first indication of the clinical utility of weight-related genetic test feedback in the prevention context. Trial registration Current controlled trials ISRCTN91178663

Integrative analysis of many weighted co-expression networks using tensor computation.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wenyuan Li

2011-06-01

Full Text Available The rapid accumulation of biological networks poses new challenges and calls for powerful integrative analysis tools. Most existing methods capable of simultaneously analyzing a large number of networks were primarily designed for unweighted networks, and cannot easily be extended to weighted networks. However, it is known that transforming weighted into unweighted networks by dichotomizing the edges of weighted networks with a threshold generally leads to information loss. We have developed a novel, tensor-based computational framework for mining recurrent heavy subgraphs in a large set of massive weighted networks. Specifically, we formulate the recurrent heavy subgraph identification problem as a heavy 3D subtensor discovery problem with sparse constraints. We describe an effective approach to solving this problem by designing a multi-stage, convex relaxation protocol, and a non-uniform edge sampling technique. We applied our method to 130 co-expression networks, and identified 11,394 recurrent heavy subgraphs, grouped into 2,810 families. We demonstrated that the identified subgraphs represent meaningful biological modules by validating against a large set of compiled biological knowledge bases. We also showed that the likelihood for a heavy subgraph to be meaningful increases significantly with its recurrence in multiple networks, highlighting the importance of the integrative approach to biological network analysis. Moreover, our approach based on weighted graphs detects many patterns that would be overlooked using unweighted graphs. In addition, we identified a large number of modules that occur predominately under specific phenotypes. This analysis resulted in a genome-wide mapping of gene network modules onto the phenome. Finally, by comparing module activities across many datasets, we discovered high-order dynamic cooperativeness in protein complex networks and transcriptional regulatory networks.

Weight bearing or non-weight bearing after surgically fixed ankle fractures, the WOW! Study : study protocol for a randomized controlled trial

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Briet, Jan Paul; Houwert, Roderick M; Smeeing, Diederik P J; Pawiroredjo, Janity S; Kelder, Johannes C; Lansink, Koen W; Leenen, Luke P H; van der Zwaal, Peer; van Zutphen, Stephan W A M; Hoogendoorn, Jochem M; van Heijl, Mark; Verleisdonk, Egbert J M M; van Lammeren, Guus W; Segers, Michiel J; Hietbrink, Falco

2015-01-01

BACKGROUND: The optimal post-operative care regimen after surgically fixed Lauge Hansen supination exorotation injuries remains to be established. This study compares whether unprotected weight bearing as tolerated is superior to protected weight bearing and unprotected non-weight bearing in terms

A cluster randomised trial testing an intervention to improve parents' recognition of their child's weight status: study protocol.

Science.gov (United States)

Parkinson, Kathryn N; Jones, Angela R; Tovee, Martin J; Ells, Louisa J; Pearce, Mark S; Araujo-Soares, Vera; Adamson, Ashley J

2015-06-12

Parents typically do not recognise their child's weight status accurately according to clinical criteria, and thus may not take appropriate action if their child is overweight. We developed a novel visual intervention designed to improve parental perceptions of child weight status according to clinical criteria for children aged 4-5 and 10-11 years. The Map Me intervention comprises age- and sex-specific body image scales of known body mass index and supporting information about the health risks of childhood overweight. This cluster randomised trial will test the effectiveness of the Map Me intervention. Primary schools will be randomised to: paper-based Map Me; web-based Map Me; no information (control). Parents of reception (4-5 years) and year 6 (10-11 years) children attending the schools will be recruited. The study will work with the National Child Measurement Programme which measures the height and weight of these year groups and provides feedback to parents about their child's weight status. Before receiving the feedback, parents will complete a questionnaire which includes assessment of their perception of their child's weight status and knowledge of the health consequences of childhood overweight. The control group will provide pre-intervention data with assessment soon after recruitment; the intervention groups will provide post-intervention data after access to Map Me for one month. The study will subsequently obtain the child height and weight measurements from the National Child Measurement Programme. Families will be followed-up by the study team at 12 months. The primary outcome is any difference in accuracy in parental perception of child weight status between pre-intervention and post-intervention at one month. The secondary outcomes include differences in parent knowledge, intention to change lifestyle behaviours and/or seek advice or support, perceived control, action planning, coping planning, and child weight status at 12 month follow-up. The

Patient-specific dose estimation for pediatric chest CT

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Li Xiang; Samei, Ehsan; Segars, W. Paul; Sturgeon, Gregory M.; Colsher, James G.; Frush, Donald P. [Medical Physics Graduate Program, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27705 and Department of Radiology, Duke Advanced Imaging Laboratories, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina 27705 (United States); Medical Physics Graduate Program, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27705 (United States); Department of Radiology, Duke Advanced Imaging Laboratories, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina 27705 (United States); Department of Physics, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27710 (United States); and Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708 (United States); Medical Physics Graduate Program, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27705 and Department of Radiology, Duke Advanced Imaging Laboratories, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina 27705 (United States); Department of Radiology, Duke Advanced Imaging Laboratories, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina 27705 (United States); Medical Physics Graduate Program, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27705 and Global Applied Science Laboratory, GE Healthcare, Waukesha, Wisconsin 53188 (United States); Medical Physics Graduate Program, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27705 and Department of Radiology, Division of Pediatric Radiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham North Carolina 27710 (United States)

2008-12-15

Current methods for organ and effective dose estimations in pediatric CT are largely patient generic. Physical phantoms and computer models have only been developed for standard/limited patient sizes at discrete ages (e.g., 0, 1, 5, 10, 15 years old) and do not reflect the variability of patient anatomy and body habitus within the same size/age group. In this investigation, full-body computer models of seven pediatric patients in the same size/protocol group (weight: 11.9-18.2 kg) were created based on the patients' actual multi-detector array CT (MDCT) data. Organs and structures in the scan coverage were individually segmented. Other organs and structures were created by morphing existing adult models (developed from visible human data) to match the framework defined by the segmented organs, referencing the organ volume and anthropometry data in ICRP Publication 89. Organ and effective dose of these patients from a chest MDCT scan protocol (64 slice LightSpeed VCT scanner, 120 kVp, 70 or 75 mA, 0.4 s gantry rotation period, pitch of 1.375, 20 mm beam collimation, and small body scan field-of-view) was calculated using a Monte Carlo program previously developed and validated to simulate radiation transport in the same CT system. The seven patients had normalized effective dose of 3.7-5.3 mSv/100 mAs (coefficient of variation: 10.8%). Normalized lung dose and heart dose were 10.4-12.6 mGy/100 mAs and 11.2-13.3 mGy/100 mAs, respectively. Organ dose variations across the patients were generally small for large organs in the scan coverage (<7%), but large for small organs in the scan coverage (9%-18%) and for partially or indirectly exposed organs (11%-77%). Normalized effective dose correlated weakly with body weight (correlation coefficient: r=-0.80). Normalized lung dose and heart dose correlated strongly with mid-chest equivalent diameter (lung: r=-0.99, heart: r=-0.93); these strong correlation relationships can be used to estimate patient-specific organ

Weight bearing or non-weight bearing after surgically fixed ankle fractures, the WOW! Study : Study protocol for a randomized controlled trial

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Briet, Jan Paul; Houwert, Roderick M.; Smeeing, Diederik P. J.; Pawiroredjo, Janity S.; Kelder, Johannes C.; Lansink, Koen W.; Leenen, Luke P. H.; van der Zwaal, Peer; van Zutphen, Stephan W. A. M.; Hoogendoorn, Jochem M.; van Heijl, Mark; Verleisdonk, Egbert J. M. M.; van Lammeren, Guus W.; Segers, Michiel J.; Hietbrink, Falco

2015-01-01

Background The optimal post-operative care regimen after surgically fixed Lauge Hansen supination exorotation injuries remains to be established. This study compares whether unprotected weight bearing as tolerated is superior to protected weight bearing and unprotected non-weight bearing in terms of

Development of IT-based Data Communication Protocol for Nuclear Power Plant

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jeong, K. I.; Kim, D. H.; Lee, J. C.

2009-07-01

The communication protocol, which provide overall communication rules and methods and give ways how to exchange information, is the most important part and it can affect the overall performance of communication network. Therefore, the first step of development of the communication network of an NPP is its own communication protocol design, which conforms to the requirements and characteristics of an NPP I and C. To manage the protocol development process, we establish development procedure and define detail substantive based on the procedure and we examine the adaptability of existing commercial communication protocols to the communication protocol of an NPP I and C. Existing commercial communication protocols based on Information Technology(IT) can be categorized into 3 groups: general commercial communication protocols, industrial communication protocols, military communication protocols. We analyze the design criteria and performance requirements of popular protocols in each group. And also, we examine the adaptability to the communication protocol of an NPP. Based on these results, we developed our own protocol for NPP I and C, which meet the required specifications through design overall protocol architecture and data frame format, definition of functional requirements and specifications

Trypanosoma equiperdum Low Molecular Weight Proteins As Candidates for Specific Serological Diagnosis of Dourine

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Mirella Luciani

2018-03-01

Full Text Available The diagnosis of dourine can be difficult because the clinical signs of this disease in horses are similar to those of surra, caused by Trypanosoma evansi. Moreover, T. equiperdum and T. evansi are closely related and, so far, they cannot be distinguished using serological tests. In a previous work, the T. equiperdum protein pattern recognized by antibodies from dourine-infected horses and the humoral immune response kinetics were investigated by immunoblotting assay; a total of 20 sera from naturally and experimentally infected horses and from healthy animals were tested. Immunoblotting analysis showed that antibodies from infected horses specifically bind T. equiperdum low molecular weight proteins (from 16 to 35 kDa, which are not recognized by antibodies from uninfected horses. In this work, we tested other 615 sera (7 from naturally infected horses and 608 sera from healthy horses and donkeys: results confirmed the data obtained previously. In addition, six SDS-PAGE bands with molecular weight ranging from 10 to 37 kDa were analyzed by mass spectrometry, in order to identify immunogenic proteins that could be used as biomarkers for the diagnosis of dourine. A total of 167 proteins were identified. Among them, 37 were found unique for T. equiperdum. Twenty-four of them could represent possible candidate diagnostic antigens for the development of serological tests specific for T. equiperdum.

Technical Analysis of SSP-21 Protocol

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bromberger, S. [Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)

2017-06-09

As part of the California Energy Systems for the Twenty-First Century (CES-21) program, in December 2016 San Diego Gas and Electric (SDG&E) contracted with Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) to perform an independent verification and validation (IV&V) of a white paper describing their Secure SCADA Protocol for the Twenty-First Century (SSP-21) in order to analyze the effectiveness and propriety of cryptographic protocol use within the SSP-21 specification. SSP-21 is designed to use cryptographic protocols to provide (optional) encryption, authentication, and nonrepudiation, among other capabilities. The cryptographic protocols to be used reflect current industry standards; future versions of SSP-21 will use other advanced technologies to provide a subset of security services.

Walking during body-weight-supported treadmill training and acute responses to varying walking speed and body-weight support in ambulatory patients post-stroke.

Science.gov (United States)

Aaslund, Mona Kristin; Helbostad, Jorunn Lægdheim; Moe-Nilssen, Rolf

2013-05-01

Rehabilitating walking in ambulatory patients post-stroke, with training that is safe, task-specific, intensive, and of sufficient duration, can be challenging. Some challenges can be met by using body-weight-supported treadmill training (BWSTT). However, it is not known to what degree walking characteristics are similar during BWSTT and overground walking. In addition, important questions regarding the training protocol of BWSTT remain unanswered, such as how proportion of body-weight support (BWS) and walking speed affect walking characteristics during training. The objective was therefore to investigate if and how kinematic walking characteristics are different between overground walking and treadmill walking with BWS in ambulatory patients post-stroke, and the acute response of altering walking speed and percent BWS during treadmill walking with BWS. A cross-sectional repeated-measures design was used. Ambulating patients post-stroke walked in slow, preferred, and fast walking speed overground and at comparable speeds on the treadmill with 20% and 40% BWS. Kinematic walking characteristics were obtained using a kinematic sensor attached over the lower back. Forty-four patients completed the protocol. Kinematic walking characteristics were similar during treadmill walking with BWS, compared to walking overground. During treadmill walking, choice of walking speed had greater impact on kinematic walking characteristics than proportion of BWS. Faster walking speeds tended to affect the kinematic walking characteristics positively. This implies that in order to train safely and with sufficient intensity and duration, therapists may choose to include BWSTT in walking rehabilitation also for ambulatory patients post-stroke without aggravating gait pattern during training.

A trial of a job-specific workers' health surveillance program for construction workers: study protocol

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sluiter Judith K

2011-09-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Dutch construction workers are offered periodic health examinations. This care can be improved by tailoring this workers health surveillance (WHS to the demands of the job and adjust the preventive actions to the specific health risks of a worker in a particular job. To improve the quality of the WHS for construction workers and stimulate relevant job-specific preventive actions by the occupational physician, we have developed a job-specific WHS. The job-specific WHS consists of modules assessing both physical and psychological requirements. The selected measurement instruments chosen, are based on their appropriateness to measure the workers' capacity and health requirements. They include a questionnaire and biometrical tests, and physical performance tests that measure physical functional capabilities. Furthermore, our job-specific WHS provides occupational physicians with a protocol to increase the worker-behavioural effectiveness of their counselling and to stimulate job-specific preventive actions. The objective of this paper is to describe and clarify our study to evaluate the behavioural effects of this job-specific WHS on workers and occupational physicians. Methods/Design The ongoing study of bricklayers and supervisors is a nonrandomised trial to compare the outcome of an intervention (job-specific WHS group (n = 206 with that of a control (WHS group (n = 206. The study includes a three-month follow-up. The primary outcome measure is the proportion of participants who have undertaken one or more of the preventive actions advised by their occupational physician in the three months after attending the WHS. A process evaluation will be carried out to determine context, reach, dose delivered, dose received, fidelity, and satisfaction. The present study is in accordance with the TREND Statement. Discussion This study will allow an evaluation of the behaviour of both the workers and occupational physician regarding the

Neonatal and Infant Mortality in Korea, Japan, and the U.S.: Effect of Birth Weight Distribution and Birth Weight-Specific Mortality Rates.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Do Hyun; Jeon, Jihyun; Park, Chang Gi; Sriram, Sudhir; Lee, Kwang Sun

2016-09-01

Difference in crude neonatal and infant mortality rates (NMR and IMR) among different countries is due to the differences in its two determinants: birth weight distribution (BWD) and birth weight-specific mortality rates (BW-SMRs). We aimed to determine impact of BWD and BW-SMRs on differences in crude NMR and IMR among Korea, Japan, and the U.S. Our study used the live birth data of the period 2009 through 2010. Crude NMR/IMR are the lowest in Japan, 1.1/2.1, compared to 1.8/3.2, in Korea, and 4.1/6.2, in the U.S., respectively. Japanese had the best BW-SMRs of all birth weight groups compared to the Koreans and the U.S. The U.S. BWD was unfavorable with very low birth weight (rate of 1.4%, compared to 0.6% in Korea, and 0.8% in Japan. If Koreans and Japanese had the same BWD as in the U.S., their crude NMR/IMR would be 3.9/6.1 for the Koreans and 1.5/2.5 for the Japanese. If both Koreans and Japanese had the same BW-SMRs as in the U.S., the crude NMR/IMR would be 2.0/3.8 for the Koreans and 2.7/5.0 for the Japanese. In conclusion, compared to the U.S., lower crude NMR or IMR in Japan is mainly attributable to its better BW-SMRs. Koreans had lower crude NMR and IMR, primarily from its favorable BWD. Comparing crude NMR or IMR among different countries should include further exploration of its two determinants, BW-SMRs reflecting medical care, and BWD reflecting socio-demographic conditions.

Outcomes of a rapid refeeding protocol in Adolescent Anorexia Nervosa.

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Madden, Sloane; Miskovic-Wheatley, Jane; Clarke, Simon; Touyz, Stephen; Hay, Phillipa; Kohn, Michael R

2015-01-01

The impact of severe malnutrition and medical instability in adolescent Anorexia Nervosa (AN) on immediate health and long-term development underscores the need for safe and efficient methods of refeeding. Current refeeding guidelines in AN advocate low initial caloric intake with slow increases in energy intake to avoid refeeding syndrome. This study demonstrates the potential for more rapid refeeding to promote initial weight recovery and correct medical instability in adolescent AN. Seventy-eight adolescents with AN (12-18 years), hospitalised in two specialist paediatric eating disorder units, for medical instability (bradycardia, hypotension, hypothermia, orthostatic instability and/or cardiac arrhythmia) were followed during a 2.5 week admission. Patients were refed using a standardised protocol commencing with 24-72 hours of continuous nasogastric feeds (ceased with daytime medical stability) and routine oral phosphate supplementation, followed by nocturnal feeds and a meal plan of 1200-2400 kcal/day aiming for a total caloric intake of 2400-3000 kcal/day. Along with indicators of medical stability, weight, phosphate and glucose levels were recorded. All patients gained weight in week one (M = 2.79 kg, SD = 1.27 kg) and at subsequent measurement points with an average gain of 5.12 kg (SD = 2.96) at 2.5 weeks. No patient developed hypophosphatemia, hypoglycaemia, or stigmata of the refeeding syndrome. The refeeding protocol resulted in immediate weight gain and was well tolerated with no indicators of refeeding syndrome. There were no significant differences in outcomes between the treatment sites, suggesting the protocol is replicable. Australian Clinical Trials Register number: ACTRN012607000009415.

Short Review on Quantum Key Distribution Protocols.

Science.gov (United States)

Giampouris, Dimitris

2017-01-01

Cryptographic protocols and mechanisms are widely investigated under the notion of quantum computing. Quantum cryptography offers particular advantages over classical ones, whereas in some cases established protocols have to be revisited in order to maintain their functionality. The purpose of this paper is to provide the basic definitions and review the most important theoretical advancements concerning the BB84 and E91 protocols. It also aims to offer a summary on some key developments on the field of quantum key distribution, closely related with the two aforementioned protocols. The main goal of this study is to provide the necessary background information along with a thorough review on the theoretical aspects of QKD, concentrating on specific protocols. The BB84 and E91 protocols have been chosen because most other protocols are similar to these, a fact that makes them important for the general understanding of how the QKD mechanism functions.

The experience of weight management in normal weight adults.

Science.gov (United States)

Hernandez, Cheri Ann; Hernandez, David A; Wellington, Christine M; Kidd, Art

2016-11-01

No prior research has been done with normal weight persons specific to their experience of weight management. The purpose of this research was to discover the experience of weight management in normal weight individuals. Glaserian grounded theory was used. Qualitative data (focus group) and quantitative data (food diary, study questionnaire, and anthropometric measures) were collected. Weight management was an ongoing process of trying to focus on living (family, work, and social), while maintaining their normal weight targets through five consciously and unconsciously used strategies. Despite maintaining normal weights, the nutritional composition of foods eaten was grossly inadequate. These five strategies can be used to develop new weight management strategies that could be integrated into existing weight management programs, or could be developed into novel weight management interventions. Surprisingly, normal weight individuals require dietary assessment and nutrition education to prevent future negative health consequences. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Effect of recycling protocol on mechanical strength of used mini-implants.

Science.gov (United States)

Estelita, Sérgio; Janson, Guilherme; Chiqueto, Kelly; Ferreira, Eduardo Silveira

2014-01-01

Purpose. This study evaluated the influence of recycling process on the torsional strength of mini-implants. Materials and Methods. Two hundred mini-implants were divided into 4 groups with 50 screws equally distributed in five diameters (1.3 to 1.7 mm): control group (CG): unused mini-implants, G1: mini-implants inserted in pig iliac bone and removed, G2: same protocol of group 1 followed by sonication for cleaning and autoclave sterilization, and G3: same insertion protocol of group 1 followed by sonication for cleaning before and after sandblasting (Al2O3-90 µ) and autoclave sterilization. G2 and G3 mini-implants were weighed after recycling process to evaluate weight loss (W). All the screws were broken to determine the fracture torque (FT). The influence of recycling process on FT and W was evaluated by ANOVA, Mann-Whitney, and multiple linear regression analysis. Results. FT was not influenced by recycling protocols even when sandblasting was added. Sandblasting caused weight loss due to abrasive mechanical stripping of screw surface. Screw diameter was the only variable that affected FT. Conclusions. Torsional strengths of screws that underwent the recycling protocols were not changed. Thus, screw diameter choice can be a more critical step to avoid screw fracture than recycling decision.

The use of diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging in the differentiation between benign and malignant breast lesions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pereira, Fernanda Philadelpho Arantes; Martins, Gabriela; Domingues, Marisa Nassar Aidar; Domingues, Romeu Cortes [Clinica de Diagnostico por Imagem (CDPI), Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil)], e-mail: fephila@gmail.com; Figueiredo, Eduardo [GE Healthcare, Sao Paulo, SP (Brazil); Fonseca, Lea Mirian Barbosa da [Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), RJ (Brazil). Faculdade de Medicina

2009-09-15

Objective: to study the utility of diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging in the differentiation between benign and malignant breast lesions. Materials and methods: forty-five women (mean age, 46.1 years) with 52 focal breast lesions underwent diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging. The calculation of apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) was based on the ADC map reflecting five b values (0, 250, 500, 750, and 1000 s/mm{sup 2}). The mean ADC value of each lesion was correlated with imaging findings and histopathologic results. Cutoff ADC, sensitivity and specificity of diffusion-weighted imaging in the differentiation between benign and malignant lesions were calculated. P < 0.05 was considered as statistically significant. Results: the mean ADC was significantly lower for malignant lesions (0.92 {+-} 0.26 x 10{sup -3} mm{sup 2}/s) as compared with benign lesions (1.50 {+-} 0.34 x 10{sup -3} mm{sup 2}/s) (P < 0.0001). Diffusion-weighted imaging showed high sensitivity and specificity (both, 92.3%) in the differentiation between benign and malignant lesions. Conclusion: diffusion-weighted imaging is a potential resource as an adjuvant to breast magnetic resonance imaging to differentiate benign from malignant lesions. Such sequence can be easily added to the standard breast magnetic resonance imaging protocol, without implying any significant increase in examination time. (author)

Authentication Protocols for Internet of Things: A Comprehensive Survey

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mohamed Amine Ferrag

2017-01-01

Full Text Available In this paper, a comprehensive survey of authentication protocols for Internet of Things (IoT is presented. Specifically more than forty authentication protocols developed for or applied in the context of the IoT are selected and examined in detail. These protocols are categorized based on the target environment: (1 Machine to Machine Communications (M2M, (2 Internet of Vehicles (IoV, (3 Internet of Energy (IoE, and (4 Internet of Sensors (IoS. Threat models, countermeasures, and formal security verification techniques used in authentication protocols for the IoT are presented. In addition a taxonomy and comparison of authentication protocols that are developed for the IoT in terms of network model, specific security goals, main processes, computation complexity, and communication overhead are provided. Based on the current survey, open issues are identified and future research directions are proposed.

Multiprofissional electronic protocol in ophtalmology with enfasis in strabismus

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CHRISTIE GRAF RIBEIRO

Full Text Available ABSTRACT Objective: to create and validate an electronic database in ophthalmology focused on strabismus, to computerize this database in the form of a systematic data collection software named Electronic Protocol, and to incorporate this protocol into the Integrated System of Electronic Protocols (SINPE(c. Methods: this is a descriptive study, with the methodology divided into three phases: (1 development of a theoretical ophthalmologic database with emphasis on strabismus; (2 computerization of this theoretical ophthalmologic database using SINPE(c and (3 interpretation of the information with demonstration of results to validate the protocol. We inputed data from the charts of fifty patients with known strabismus through the Electronic Protocol for testing and validation. Results: the new electronic protocol was able to store information regarding patient history, physical examination, laboratory exams, imaging results, diagnosis and treatment of patients with ophthalmologic diseases, with emphasis on strabismus. We included 2,141 items in this master protocol and created 20 new specific electronic protocols for strabismus, each with its own specifics. Validation was achieved through correlation and corroboration of the symptoms and confirmed diagnoses of the fifty included patients with the diagnostic criteria for the twenty new strabismus protocols. Conclusion: a new, validated electronic database focusing on ophthalmology, with emphasis on strabismus, was successfully created through the standardized collection of information, and computerization of the database using proprietary software. This protocol is ready for deployment to facilitate data collection, sorting and application for practitioners and researchers in numerous specialties.

Protocol for production of a chewable material for masticatory function tests (Optocal - Brazilian version

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rafael de Liz Pocztaruk

2008-12-01

Full Text Available The present article aimed to present a standardized protocol for the production of a chewable test material that has been used in masticatory efficiency and performance studies. This chewable material has advantages in respect to its physical properties when compared to other artificial and natural test foods. It is constituted by mixing condensation silicon (58.3% by weight, common plaster (10.2% by weight, alginate (12.5% by weight, solid vaseline (11.5% by weight, tooth paste (7.5% by weight, and catalyst paste (20.8 mg/g, adding also three drops of mint essence. The mixed material is then inserted into an acrylic mould with perforations of 12 mm in diameter and 5 mm in height to produce rounded tablets with those measures after polymerization. It was named "Optocal - Brazilian version". A volume of 3 cm³ is indicated for a chewing test, which corresponds to 12 tablets using the present methodology. The present protocol can make the production of this chewable material easier, helping in its standardization for studies on masticatory function.

Comparison of Different Double Immunostaining Protocols for Paraffin Embedded Liver Tissue

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alexander Schütz

1999-01-01

Full Text Available Most of the double immunostaining protocols that have been introduced so far have been developed for application on fresh frozen material or based on different species antibodies. In liver tissue, general problems of double immunostaining techniques are further complicated by tissue‐specific difficulties, such as necrosis or high intracellular protein content. To assess a reliable double immunostaining protocol for archived, paraffin embedded liver tissue, different protocols based on the use of same species primary antibodies were evaluated in terms of sensitivity, specificity and non‐specific background staining in pathological liver specimens. We compared peroxidase–anti‐peroxidase, alkaline phosphatase–anti‐alkaline phosphatase (PAP/APAP, labelled‐avidin–biotin (LAB/LAB and digoxigenin–anti‐digoxigenin (dig–a‐dig/PAP techniques using different cytokeratin antibodies and an antibody against PCNA. Comparison of the double immunostaining techniques revealed a high sensitivity and specificity in all procedures. Sections, which were stained employing PAP/APAP‐technique, displayed a higher background staining compared to sections which were treated with the LAB/LAB or dig–a‐dig/PAP protocol. In contrast to the dig–a‐dig/PAP protocol, the LAB/LAB technique provides a better time/cost relationship. Therefore, we would like to recommend a modified LAB/LAB protocol for simultaneous detection of different antigens in archived liver tissue.

An efficient protocol for incorporation of an unnatural amino acid in perdeuterated recombinant proteins using glucose-based media

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Venditti, Vincenzo; Fawzi, Nicolas L.; Clore, G. Marius, E-mail: mariusc@mail.nih.gov [National Institutes of Health, Laboratory of Chemical Physics, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (United States)

2012-03-15

The in vivo incorporation of unnatural amino acids into proteins is a well-established technique requiring an orthogonal tRNA/aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase pair specific for the unnatural amino acid that is incorporated at a position encoded by a TAG amber codon. Although this technology provides unique opportunities to engineer protein structures, poor protein yields are usually obtained in deuterated media, hampering its application in the protein NMR field. Here, we describe a novel protocol for incorporating unnatural amino acids into fully deuterated proteins using glucose-based media (which are relevant to the production, for example, of amino acid-specific methyl-labeled proteins used in the study of large molecular weight systems). The method consists of pre-induction of the pEVOL plasmid encoding the tRNA/aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase pair in a rich, H{sub 2}O-based medium prior to exchanging the culture into a D{sub 2}O-based medium. Our protocol results in high level of isotopic incorporation ({approx}95%) and retains the high expression level of the target protein observed in Luria-Bertani medium.

Mechanical verification of concurrency control and recovery protocols

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Chkliaev, D.

2001-01-01

The thesis concerns the formal specification and mechanized verification of concurrency control and recovery protocols for distributed databases. Such protocols are needed for many modern application such as banking and are often used in safety-critical applications. Therefore it is very important

Establishing treatment protocols for clinical mastitis.

Science.gov (United States)

Roberson, Jerry R

2003-03-01

Each farm has a unique mix of mastitis pathogens and management procedures that have evolved over time. The herd veterinarian should work with the manager/owner to systematically develop treatment protocols that meet the needs and management of the farm. To establish a mastitis treatment protocol, it is necessary to develop a system to routinely identify clinical mastitis cases, develop a herd-specific severity level assessment system, manage the clinical mastitis cases based on severity level and culture result (when available), avoid antibiotic residues, and monitor the success of the system and alter the protocol as necessary.

A correctness proof of the bakery protocol in $ mu $CRL

NARCIS (Netherlands)

J.F. Groote (Jan Friso); H.P. Korver

1994-01-01

textabstractA specification of a bakery protocol is given in $mu$CRL. We provide a simple correctness criterion for the protocol. Then the protocol is proven correct using a proof system that has been developed for $mu$CRL. The proof primarily consists of algebraic manipulations based on

Using semantics for representing experimental protocols.

Science.gov (United States)

Giraldo, Olga; García, Alexander; López, Federico; Corcho, Oscar

2017-11-13

An experimental protocol is a sequence of tasks and operations executed to perform experimental research in biological and biomedical areas, e.g. biology, genetics, immunology, neurosciences, virology. Protocols often include references to equipment, reagents, descriptions of critical steps, troubleshooting and tips, as well as any other information that researchers deem important for facilitating the reusability of the protocol. Although experimental protocols are central to reproducibility, the descriptions are often cursory. There is the need for a unified framework with respect to the syntactic structure and the semantics for representing experimental protocols. In this paper we present "SMART Protocols ontology", an ontology for representing experimental protocols. Our ontology represents the protocol as a workflow with domain specific knowledge embedded within a document. We also present the S ample I nstrument R eagent O bjective (SIRO) model, which represents the minimal common information shared across experimental protocols. SIRO was conceived in the same realm as the Patient Intervention Comparison Outcome (PICO) model that supports search, retrieval and classification purposes in evidence based medicine. We evaluate our approach against a set of competency questions modeled as SPARQL queries and processed against a set of published and unpublished protocols modeled with the SP Ontology and the SIRO model. Our approach makes it possible to answer queries such as Which protocols use tumor tissue as a sample. Improving reporting structures for experimental protocols requires collective efforts from authors, peer reviewers, editors and funding bodies. The SP Ontology is a contribution towards this goal. We build upon previous experiences and bringing together the view of researchers managing protocols in their laboratory work. Website: https://smartprotocols.github.io/ .

Incorporating ethical principles into clinical research protocols: a tool for protocol writers and ethics committees.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Rebecca H; Wacholtz, Mary C; Barnes, Mark; Boggs, Liam; Callery-D'Amico, Susan; Davis, Amy; Digilova, Alla; Forster, David; Heffernan, Kate; Luthin, Maeve; Lynch, Holly Fernandez; McNair, Lindsay; Miller, Jennifer E; Murphy, Jacquelyn; Van Campen, Luann; Wilenzick, Mark; Wolf, Delia; Woolston, Cris; Aldinger, Carmen; Bierer, Barbara E

2016-04-01

A novel Protocol Ethics Tool Kit ('Ethics Tool Kit') has been developed by a multi-stakeholder group of the Multi-Regional Clinical Trials Center of Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard. The purpose of the Ethics Tool Kit is to facilitate effective recognition, consideration and deliberation of critical ethical issues in clinical trial protocols. The Ethics Tool Kit may be used by investigators and sponsors to develop a dedicated Ethics Section within a protocol to improve the consistency and transparency between clinical trial protocols and research ethics committee reviews. It may also streamline ethics review and may facilitate and expedite the review process by anticipating the concerns of ethics committee reviewers. Specific attention was given to issues arising in multinational settings. With the use of this Tool Kit, researchers have the opportunity to address critical research ethics issues proactively, potentially speeding the time and easing the process to final protocol approval. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/

Physical self-concept of normal-weight and overweight adolescents: Gender specificities

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lazarević Dušanka

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Previous researchers have described the relation between physical self-concept and body mass in adolescents, but those relationships have not been clearly specified by gender. The purpose of this study is to explore physical self-concepts of normal-weight and over-weight Serbian adolescents with respect to gender. The sample consisted of 417 primary school students (229 boys and 188 girls with the average age 13.6 (SD=0.73 years who were divided into normal-weight and overweight groups according to body mass index. To assess the multidimensional physical self-concept, Physical Self-Description Questionnaire (PSDQ was administered. Results showed that overweight adolescents had significantly lower scores than normal-weight on all PSDQ scales except Health and Strength. Differences were greater among girls than boys. Discriminant analysis showed that the scales Body Fat, Endurance and Sports Competence best differentiated normal-weight boys from other students. Also, discriminant analysis showed that, besides the scale Body Fat, scales Flexibility, Self-Esteem, and Coordination best differentiated normal-weight girls from other students. Results indicate that for better understanding of the relationship between adolescent’s physical self-concept and body mass one must take gender into account. Results are potentially valuable for preventing overweight through physical education.

Validation of IT-based Data Communication Protocol for Nuclear Power Plant

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jeong, K. I.; Kim, D. H.; Lee, J. C.

2009-12-01

The communication network designed to transmit control and processing signals in digital Instrument and Control (I and C) systems in Nuclear Power Plant (NPP), should provide a high level of safety and reliability. There are different features between the communication networks of NPPs and other commercial communication networks. Safety and reliability are the most important factors in the communication networks of an NPP rather than efficiency which are important factors of a commercial communication network design. To develop Data Communication Protocol for Nuclear Power Plant, We analyze the design criteria and performance requirements of existing commercial communication protocols based on Information Technology(IT). And also, we examine the adaptability to the communication protocol of an NPP. Based on these results, we developed our own protocol(Nuclear power plant Safety Communication Protocol : NSCP) for NPP I and C, which meet the required specifications through design overall protocol architecture and data frame format, definition of functional requirements and specifications. NSCP is the communication protocol designed for a safety-grade control network in the nuclear power plant. In this report, we had specified NSCP protocol by FDT(Formal Description Technique) and established validation procedures based on the validation methodology. It was confirmed specification error, major function's validity and reachability of NSCP by performing simulation and the validation process using Telelogic Tau tool

Application Level Protocol Development for Library and Information Science Applications. Volume 1: Service Definition. Volume 2: Protocol Specification. Report No. TG.1.5; TG.50.

Science.gov (United States)

Aagaard, James S.; And Others

This two-volume document specifies a protocol that was developed using the Reference Model for Open Systems Interconnection (OSI), which provides a framework for communications within a heterogeneous network environment. The protocol implements the features necessary for bibliographic searching, record maintenance, and mail transfer between…

Introduction to Open Core Protocol Fastpath to System-on-Chip Design

CERN Document Server

Schwaderer, W David

2012-01-01

This book introduces Open Core Protocol (OCP), not as a conventional hardware communications protocol but as a meta-protocol: a means for describing and capturing the communications requirements of an IP core, and mapping them to a specific set of signals with known semantics.  Readers will learn the capabilities of OCP as a semiconductor hardware interface specification that allows different System-On-Chip (SoC) cores to communicate.  The OCP methodology presented enables intellectual property designers to design core interfaces in standard ways. This facilitates reusing OCP-compliant cores across multiple SoC designs which, in turn, drastically reduces design times, support costs, and overall cost for electronics/SoCs. Provides a comprehensive introduction to Open Core Protocol, which is more accessible than the full specification; Designed as a hands-on, how-to guide to semiconductor design; Includes numerous, real “usage examples” which are not available in the full specification; Integrates coverag...

The SHED-IT community trial study protocol: a randomised controlled trial of weight loss programs for overweight and obese men

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Young Myles D

2010-11-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Obesity is a major cause of preventable death in Australia with prevalence increasing at an alarming rate. Of particular concern is that approximately 68% of men are overweight/obese, yet are notoriously difficult to engage in weight loss programs, despite being more susceptible than women to adverse weight-related outcomes. There is a need to develop and evaluate obesity treatment programs that target and appeal to men. The primary aim of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of two relatively low intensity weight loss programs developed specifically for men. Methods and Design The study design is an assessor blinded, parallel-group randomised controlled trial that recruited 159 overweight and obese men in Newcastle, Australia. Inclusion criteria included: BMI 25-40 (kg/m2; no participation in other weight loss programs during the study; pass a health-screening questionnaire and pre-exercise risk assessment; available for assessment sessions; access to a computer with e-mail and Internet facilities; and own a mobile phone. Men were recruited to the SHED-IT (Self-Help, Exercise and Diet using Internet Technology study via the media and emails sent to male dominated workplaces. Men were stratified by BMI category (overweight, obese class I, obese class II and randomised to one of three groups: (1 SHED-IT Resources - provision of materials (DVD, handbooks, pedometer, tape measure with embedded behaviour change strategies to support weight loss; (2 SHED-IT Online - same materials as SHED-IT Resources plus access to and instruction on how to use the study website; (3 Wait-list Control. The intervention programs are three months long with outcome measures taken by assessors blinded to group allocation at baseline, and 3- and 6-months post baseline. Outcome measures include: weight (primary outcome, % body fat, waist circumference, blood pressure, resting heart rate, objectively measured physical activity, self-reported dietary

Formal Test Automation: The Conference Protocol with PHACT

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Heerink, A.W.; Ural, Hasan; Probert, Robert L.; Feenstra, J.; Tretmans, G.J.; von Bochmann, Gregor

2000-01-01

We discuss a case study of automatic test generation and test execution based on formal methods. The case is the Conference Protocol, a simple, chatbox-like protocol, for which (formal) specifications and multiple implementations are publicly available and which is also used in other case study

FUNCTIONAL OUTCOMES OF HIP ARTHROSCOPY IN AN ACTIVE DUTY MILITARY POPULATION UTILIZING A CRITERION-BASED EARLY WEIGHT BEARING PROGRESSION.

Science.gov (United States)

Shaw, K Aaron; Jacobs, Jeremy M; Evanson, J Richard; Pniewski, Josh; Dickston, Michelle L; Mueller, Terry; Bojescul, John A

2017-10-01

Hip arthroscopy allows surgeons to address intra-articular pathology of the hip while avoiding more invasive open surgical dislocation. However the post-operative rehabilitation protocols have varied greatly in the literature, with many having prolonged periods of limited motion and weight bearing. The purpose of this study was to describe a criterion-based early weight bearing protocol following hip arthroscopy and investigate functional outcomes in the subjects who were active duty military. Active duty personnel undergoing hip arthroscopy for symptomatic femoroacetabular impingement were prospectively assessed in a controlled environment for the ability to incorporate early postoperative weight-bearing with the following criteria: no increased pain complaint with weight bearing and normalized gait pattern. Modified Harris Hip (HHS) and Hip Outcome score (HOS) were performed preoperatively and at six months post-op. Participants were progressed with a standard hip arthroscopy protocol. Hip flexion was limited to not exceed 90 degrees for the first three weeks post-op, with progression back to running beginning at three months. Final discharge was dependent upon the ability to run two miles at military specified pace and do a single leg broad jump within six inches of the contralateral leg without an increase in pain. Eleven participants met inclusion criteria over the study period. Crutch use was discontinued at an average of five days following surgery based on established weight bearing criteria. Only one participant required continued crutch use at 15 days. Participants' functional outcome was improved postoperatively, as demonstrated by significant increases in HOS and HHS. At the six month follow up, eight of 11 participants were able to take and complete a full Army Physical Fitness Test. Following completion of the early weight bearing rehabilitation protocol, 81% of participants were able to progress to full weight bearing by four days post

[Protocols for the health surveillance of fisherman].

Science.gov (United States)

Soleo, Leonardo; Cannizzaro, Emanuele; Lovreglio, Piero; Basso, Antonella; D'Errico, Maria Nicolà; Pira, Enrico

2013-01-01

To define protocols for health surveillance of workers in the marine fishing sector for specific occupational risk factors, considering the latest and most advanced scientific knowledge. The specific literature was analyzed to identify the occupational risk factors to which fishermen are exposed. Then, for each risk factor a protocol for the relative health checkups and their time schedule was defined. The risk factors to which fishermen are exposed are essentially noise, vibrations, solar and ultraviolet radiation, climatic agents (heat, cold, wind, rain, damp), chemical agents, shifts, work rate, night work, physical strain, stress, manual handling of loads, upper limb repetitive tasks, incongruous postures. The health protocols stipulate the health screening investigations to be carried out in all workers of a homogeneous group, and in-depth diagnostic investigations to be carried out in symptomatic workers. Complementary health investigations must be focused on a functional exploration of the organs specifically exposed to the risk factor. For hearing impairments due to noise exposure, the medico-legal measures with which the occupational health physician must comply, in cases of occupational disease, are indicated.

A Standard Mutual Authentication Protocol for Cloud Computing Based Health Care System.

Science.gov (United States)

Mohit, Prerna; Amin, Ruhul; Karati, Arijit; Biswas, G P; Khan, Muhammad Khurram

2017-04-01

Telecare Medical Information System (TMIS) supports a standard platform to the patient for getting necessary medical treatment from the doctor(s) via Internet communication. Security protection is important for medical records (data) of the patients because of very sensitive information. Besides, patient anonymity is another most important property, which must be protected. Most recently, Chiou et al. suggested an authentication protocol for TMIS by utilizing the concept of cloud environment. They claimed that their protocol is patient anonymous and well security protected. We reviewed their protocol and found that it is completely insecure against patient anonymity. Further, the same protocol is not protected against mobile device stolen attack. In order to improve security level and complexity, we design a light weight authentication protocol for the same environment. Our security analysis ensures resilience of all possible security attacks. The performance of our protocol is relatively standard in comparison with the related previous research.

The evaluation of MRI protocols for the quantification of adiposity in the obese

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tagami, Hirotaka; Taki, Tomomi; Ueoro, Kouichi

1998-01-01

Obesity is a recognized risk factor for the development of diseases such as atherosclerosis, diabetes mellitus and hypertension. The individual risk of the obesity can not be evaluated merely by the body weight or body mass index. The fat distribution is a key to evaluate it. So far, the MRI protocols in the literature tested for the evaluation of the fat distribution were spin-echo and inversion-recovery images. We tested both protocols and couldn't get good images basically due to motion artifacts. Therefore, the field-echo (FE) protocol, a rapid scan protocol, was evaluated. The transverse fat distributions at umbilical level of 8 male obese volunteers were examined with MRI FE protocol and X-ray computed tomography (CT). The excellent images were obtained with FE protocol and correlation with CT images was also satisfactory. The FE protocols for the evaluation of the fat distribution is of use and reasonable tool for the clinical usage. (author)

WEAMR — A Weighted Energy Aware Multipath Reliable Routing Mechanism for Hotline-Based WSNs

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ki-Hyung Kim

2013-05-01

Full Text Available Reliable source to sink communication is the most important factor for an efficient routing protocol especially in domains of military, healthcare and disaster recovery applications. We present weighted energy aware multipath reliable routing (WEAMR, a novel energy aware multipath routing protocol which utilizes hotline-assisted routing to meet such requirements for mission critical applications. The protocol reduces the number of average hops from source to destination and provides unmatched reliability as compared to well known reactive ad hoc protocols i.e., AODV and AOMDV. Our protocol makes efficient use of network paths based on weighted cost calculation and intelligently selects the best possible paths for data transmissions. The path cost calculation considers end to end number of hops, latency and minimum energy node value in the path. In case of path failure path recalculation is done efficiently with minimum latency and control packets overhead. Our evaluation shows that our proposal provides better end-to-end delivery with less routing overhead and higher packet delivery success ratio compared to AODV and AOMDV. The use of multipath also increases overall life time of WSN network using optimum energy available paths between sender and receiver in WDNs.

Effect of a low fat versus a low carbohydrate weight loss dietary intervention on biomarkers of long term survival in breast cancer patients ('CHOICE'): study protocol.

Science.gov (United States)

Sedlacek, Scot M; Playdon, Mary C; Wolfe, Pamela; McGinley, John N; Wisthoff, Mark R; Daeninck, Elizabeth A; Jiang, Weiqin; Zhu, Zongjian; Thompson, Henry J

2011-07-06

Weight loss in overweight or obese breast cancer patients is associated with an improved prognosis for long term survival. However, it is not clear whether the macronutrient composition of the chosen weight loss dietary plan imparts further prognostic benefit. A study protocol is presented for a dietary intervention to investigate the effects of weight loss dietary patterns that vary markedly in fat and carbohydrate contents on biomarkers of exposure to metabolic processes that may promote tumorigenesis and that are predictive of long term survival. The study will also determine how much weight must be lost for biomarkers to change in a favorable direction. Approximately 370 overweight or obese postmenopausal breast cancer survivors (body mass index: 25.0 to 34.9 kg/m²) will be accrued and assigned to one of two weight loss intervention programs or a non-intervention control group. The dietary intervention is implemented in a free living population to test the two extremes of popular weight loss dietary patterns: a high carbohydrate, low fat diet versus a low carbohydrate, high fat diet. The effects of these dietary patterns on biomarkers for glucose homeostasis, chronic inflammation, cellular oxidation, and steroid sex hormone metabolism will be measured. Participants will attend 3 screening and dietary education visits, and 7 monthly one-on-one dietary counseling and clinical data measurement visits in addition to 5 group visits in the intervention arms. Participants in the control arm will attend two clinical data measurement visits at baseline and 6 months. The primary outcome is high sensitivity C-reactive protein. Secondary outcomes include interleukin-6, tumor necrosis factor-α, insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF), IGF binding protein-3, 8-isoprostane-F2-alpha, estrone, estradiol, progesterone, sex hormone binding globulin, adiponectin, and leptin. While clinical data indicate that excess weight for height is associated with poor prognosis for long term

Effect of a low fat versus a low carbohydrate weight loss dietary intervention on biomarkers of long term survival in breast cancer patients ('CHOICE': study protocol

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Daeninck Elizabeth A

2011-07-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Weight loss in overweight or obese breast cancer patients is associated with an improved prognosis for long term survival. However, it is not clear whether the macronutrient composition of the chosen weight loss dietary plan imparts further prognostic benefit. A study protocol is presented for a dietary intervention to investigate the effects of weight loss dietary patterns that vary markedly in fat and carbohydrate contents on biomarkers of exposure to metabolic processes that may promote tumorigenesis and that are predictive of long term survival. The study will also determine how much weight must be lost for biomarkers to change in a favorable direction. Methods/Design Approximately 370 overweight or obese postmenopausal breast cancer survivors (body mass index: 25.0 to 34.9 kg/m2 will be accrued and assigned to one of two weight loss intervention programs or a non-intervention control group. The dietary intervention is implemented in a free living population to test the two extremes of popular weight loss dietary patterns: a high carbohydrate, low fat diet versus a low carbohydrate, high fat diet. The effects of these dietary patterns on biomarkers for glucose homeostasis, chronic inflammation, cellular oxidation, and steroid sex hormone metabolism will be measured. Participants will attend 3 screening and dietary education visits, and 7 monthly one-on-one dietary counseling and clinical data measurement visits in addition to 5 group visits in the intervention arms. Participants in the control arm will attend two clinical data measurement visits at baseline and 6 months. The primary outcome is high sensitivity C-reactive protein. Secondary outcomes include interleukin-6, tumor necrosis factor-α, insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF, IGF binding protein-3, 8-isoprostane-F2-alpha, estrone, estradiol, progesterone, sex hormone binding globulin, adiponectin, and leptin. Discussion While clinical data indicate that excess weight

Verbal protocols as methodological resources: research evidence

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alessandra Baldo

2012-01-01

Full Text Available This article aims at reflecting on the use of verbal protocols as a methodological resource in qualitative research, more specifically on the aspect regarded as the main limitation of a study about lexical inferencing in L2 (BALDO; VELASQUES, 2010: its subjective trait. The article begins with a brief literature review on protocols, followed by a description of the study in which they were employed as methodological resources. Based on that, protocol subjectivity is illustrated through samples of unparalleled data classification, carried out independently by two researchers. In the final section, the path followed to minimize the problem is presented, intending to contribute to improve efficiency in the use of verbal protocols in future research.

BMI during pregnancy and its relationship with the weight of the newborn

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cristina Megías Patón

2018-03-01

Full Text Available An analysis of the literature was carried out whose main objective was to evaluate the influence of the Body Mass Index, pregestational and gestational, on the weight of newborns. We designed a systematic review of observational studies (retrospective, cross-sectional or prospective, fulfilling the guidelines of the review protocol Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA. The protocol was registered on the PROSPERO website, and it was assigned the registration number: CRD42017080707. We searched by applying the inclusion criteria in the following electronic databases; Pubmed, Scielo, Cuiden, Google Scholar and Scopus. We identified 372 articles that met the inclusion rules. We carried out a screening in duplicates, reading the title and abstract of the identified articles, and subsequently an in-depth reading of the articles, 10 articles were included in the present systematic review. Once the articles are analyzed, it is observed in the results that the BMI is positive and significantly related to the birth weight of the children. Thus, mothers who begins gestation with low weight have a greater risk of conceiving children with low birth weight for gestational age, just as obese and overweight women have a greater risk of having macrosomic children. No data have been observed that relate the weight of newborns of women with normal weight, with the weight gain of mothers.

A Logical Analysis of Quantum Voting Protocols

Science.gov (United States)

Rad, Soroush Rafiee; Shirinkalam, Elahe; Smets, Sonja

2017-12-01

In this paper we provide a logical analysis of the Quantum Voting Protocol for Anonymous Surveying as developed by Horoshko and Kilin in (Phys. Lett. A 375, 1172-1175 2011). In particular we make use of the probabilistic logic of quantum programs as developed in (Int. J. Theor. Phys. 53, 3628-3647 2014) to provide a formal specification of the protocol and to derive its correctness. Our analysis is part of a wider program on the application of quantum logics to the formal verification of protocols in quantum communication and quantum computation.

[Palliative sedation in a university hospital: experience after introducing a specific protocol].

Science.gov (United States)

Boceta Osuna, J; Nabal Vicuña, M; Martínez Peñalver, F; Blanco Picabia, A; Aguayo Canela, M; Royo Aguado, J L

2013-01-01

A descriptive prospective study of palliative sedation (PS) records during a one year period after starting the PS protocol. Patients included in the PS protocol and those who had completed the "data registry form". Registry forms included in the PS protocol as Annex 5 (included as Annex 1 in this study). Personal data, data regarding basal disease, prognosis, level of information. Refractory symptoms: type, time of evolution and treatments employed. Involvement of the patient and/or representatives in decision making. Type of sedation, continuity, depth, employed, duration and results, and readjustment of other therapeutic measures. The SPSS 14.0 was used. For qualitative variables we studied absolute frequencies and proportions. For quantitative variables with normal distribution, we used means and standard deviations, and for non-normal distribution, medians and ranges. In the study period 90 cases of PS were counted. This represented 27.6% of the patients treated in the hospital palliative care support team (PCST), and 7.03% of the total deceased patients in our hospital. Mean age of patients undergoing PS was 59.22 years old, range between 40.86 and 77.58 years, and 68.1% were men. All patients were in an advanced or terminal stage of their condition, and 49.5% in an agonal phase. In 90.4% of the cases, the main pathology was oncological. Regarding PS indication, this was jointly made between the PCST physician and the patient's usual doctor in 60 cases (66.6%). Symptoms leading to sedation were mainly dyspnea, delirium and pain. The Ethics committee was consulted in five cases. Mean time under sedation was 134.02 hours (5.5 days). In 90% of the cases, duration ranged from 50 to 218.04 hours (2-9 days). Depth of PS after induction was registered in 88.8% of the cases. Informed consent (IC) was explicit in 11.2% of the cases,and given prior to the appearance of refractory symptoms and/or agonal phase. In 88.8% of sedation cases, the IC was given by a

Breaking Megrelishvili protocol using matrix diagonalization

Science.gov (United States)

Arzaki, Muhammad; Triantoro Murdiansyah, Danang; Adi Prabowo, Satrio

2018-03-01

In this article we conduct a theoretical security analysis of Megrelishvili protocol—a linear algebra-based key agreement between two participants. We study the computational complexity of Megrelishvili vector-matrix problem (MVMP) as a mathematical problem that strongly relates to the security of Megrelishvili protocol. In particular, we investigate the asymptotic upper bounds for the running time and memory requirement of the MVMP that involves diagonalizable public matrix. Specifically, we devise a diagonalization method for solving the MVMP that is asymptotically faster than all of the previously existing algorithms. We also found an important counterintuitive result: the utilization of primitive matrix in Megrelishvili protocol makes the protocol more vulnerable to attacks.

Management of Energy Consumption on Cluster Based Routing Protocol for MANET

Science.gov (United States)

Hosseini-Seno, Seyed-Amin; Wan, Tat-Chee; Budiarto, Rahmat; Yamada, Masashi

The usage of light-weight mobile devices is increasing rapidly, leading to demand for more telecommunication services. Consequently, mobile ad hoc networks and their applications have become feasible with the proliferation of light-weight mobile devices. Many protocols have been developed to handle service discovery and routing in ad hoc networks. However, the majority of them did not consider one critical aspect of this type of network, which is the limited of available energy in each node. Cluster Based Routing Protocol (CBRP) is a robust/scalable routing protocol for Mobile Ad hoc Networks (MANETs) and superior to existing protocols such as Ad hoc On-demand Distance Vector (AODV) in terms of throughput and overhead. Therefore, based on this strength, methods to increase the efficiency of energy usage are incorporated into CBRP in this work. In order to increase the stability (in term of life-time) of the network and to decrease the energy consumption of inter-cluster gateway nodes, an Enhanced Gateway Cluster Based Routing Protocol (EGCBRP) is proposed. Three methods have been introduced by EGCBRP as enhancements to the CBRP: improving the election of cluster Heads (CHs) in CBRP which is based on the maximum available energy level, implementing load balancing for inter-cluster traffic using multiple gateways, and implementing sleep state for gateway nodes to further save the energy. Furthermore, we propose an Energy Efficient Cluster Based Routing Protocol (EECBRP) which extends the EGCBRP sleep state concept into all idle member nodes, excluding the active nodes in all clusters. The experiment results show that the EGCBRP decreases the overall energy consumption of the gateway nodes up to 10% and the EECBRP reduces the energy consumption of the member nodes up to 60%, both of which in turn contribute to stabilizing the network.

Protocols and guidelines for mobile chest radiography in Irish public hospitals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kelly, Amanda; Toomey, Rachel

2015-01-01

Background: The mobile chest radiograph is a highly variable examination, in both technique and setting. Protocols and guidelines are one method by which examinations can be standardised, and provide information when one is unsure how to proceed. This study was undertaken to investigate the existence of protocols and guidelines available for the mobile chest radiograph, to establish their nature and compare them under a variety of headings. Methodology: A postal survey was administered to the Radiography Service Managers in the public hospitals under the governance of the Health Service Executive (HSE) in Ireland. The survey contained questions regarding hospital demographics, contents of existing protocols or guidelines, and why a protocol or guideline was not in place, if this was the case. Results: The response rate to the survey was 62% (n = 24). Those that had a specific protocol in place amounted to 63% (n = 15), 71% (n = 17) had a specific guideline, and 63% (n = 15) had both. Twenty nine percent (n = 7) had no specific protocol/guideline in place. Scientific research (88%, n = 15) and radiographer experience (82%, n = 14) were the most common sources used to inform protocols and guidelines. Conclusions: There are protocols and guidelines available to radiographers for mobile chest radiography in the majority of public hospitals in Ireland. The nature of the protocols and guidelines generally coincides with the HSE guidance regarding what sources of information should be used and how often they should be updated

Dual specificity phosphatase 6 deficiency is associated with impaired systemic glucose tolerance and reversible weight retardation in mice.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Katrin Pfuhlmann

Full Text Available Here, we aimed to investigate the potential role of DUSP6, a dual specificity phosphatase, that specifically inactivates extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK, for the regulation of body weight and glucose homeostasis. We further assessed whether metabolic challenges affect Dusp6 expression in selected brain areas or white adipose tissue. Hypothalamic Dusp6 mRNA levels remained unchanged in chow-fed lean vs. high fat diet (HFD fed obese C57Bl/6J mice, and in C57Bl/6J mice undergoing prolonged fasting or refeeding with fat free diet (FFD or HFD. Similarly, Dusp6 expression levels were unchanged in selected brain regions of Lepob mice treated with 1 mg/kg of leptin for 6 days, compared to pair-fed or saline-treated Lepob controls. Dusp6 expression levels remained unaltered in vitro in primary adipocytes undergoing differentiation, but were increased in eWAT of HFD-fed obese C57Bl/6J mice, compared to chow-fed lean controls. Global chow-fed DUSP6 KO mice displayed reduced body weight and lean mass and slightly increased fat mass at a young age, which is indicative for early-age weight retardation. Subsequent exposure to HFD led to a significant increase in lean mass and body weight in DUSP6 deficient mice, compared to WT controls. Nevertheless, after 26 weeks of high-fat diet exposure, we observed comparable body weight, fat and lean mass in DUSP6 WT and KO mice, suggesting overall normal susceptibility to develop obesity. In line with the increased weight gain to compensate for early-age weight retardation, HFD-fed DUSP6 KO displayed increased expression levels of anabolic genes involved in lipid and cholesterol metabolism in the epididymal white adipose tissue (eWAT, compared to WT controls. Glucose tolerance was perturbed in both chow-fed lean or HFD-fed obese DUSP6 KO, compared to their respective WT controls. Overall, our data indicate that DUSP6 deficiency has limited impact on the regulation of energy metabolism, but impairs systemic

A Comparison of Internet Protocol (IPv6 Security Guidelines

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Steffen Hermann

2014-01-01

Full Text Available The next generation of the Internet Protocol (IPv6 is currently about to be introduced in many organizations. However, its security features are still a very novel area of expertise for many practitioners. This study evaluates guidelines for secure deployment of IPv6, published by the U.S. NIST and the German federal agency BSI, for topicality, completeness and depth. The later two are scores defined in this paper and are based on the Requests for Comments relevant for IPv6 that were categorized, weighted and ranked for importance using an expert survey. Both guides turn out to be of practical value, but have a specific focus and are directed towards different audiences. Moreover, recommendations for possible improvements are presented. Our results could also support strategic management decisions on security priorities as well as for the choice of security guidelines for IPv6 roll-outs.

Linear Logical Voting Protocols

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

DeYoung, Henry; Schürmann, Carsten

2012-01-01

Current approaches to electronic implementations of voting protocols involve translating legal text to source code of an imperative programming language. Because the gap between legal text and source code is very large, it is difficult to trust that the program meets its legal specification. In r...

Sex-specific associations between birth weight and adult primary liver cancer in a large cohort of Danish children

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Zimmermann, Esther; Berentzen, Tina L.; Gamborg, Michael

2016-01-01

Whether the prenatal period is critical for the development of adult primary liver cancer (PLC) is sparsely investigated. Recently, attention has been drawn to potential sex-differences in the early origins of adult disease. We investigated the association between birth weight and adult PLC...... separately in men and women, using a large cohort of 217,227 children (51% boys), born from 1936 to 1980, from the Copenhagen School Health Records Register, and followed them until 2010 in national registers. Hazard ratios (95% confidence intervals) of PLC (30 years or older) were estimated by Cox...... regression models stratified by birth cohort. During 5.1 million person-years of follow-up, 185 men and 65 women developed PLC. Sex modified the association between birth weight and adult PLC (p-value for interaction=0.0005). Compared with a sex-specific reference group of birth weights between 3.25-3.75 kg...

Modelling and Initial Validation of the DYMO Routing Protocol for Mobile Ad-Hoc Networks

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Espensen, Kristian Asbjørn Leth; Kjeldsen, Mads Keblov; Kristensen, Lars Michael

2008-01-01

A mobile ad-hoc network (MANET) is an infrastructureless network established by a set of mobile devices using wireless communication. The Dynamic MANET On-demand (DYMO) protocol is a routing protocol for multi-hop communication in MANETs currently under development by the Internet Engineering Task...... Force (IETF). This paper presents a Coloured Petri Net (CPN) model of the mandatory parts of the DYMO protocol, and shows how scenario-based state space exploration has been used to validate key properties of the protocol. Our CPN modelling and verification work has spanned two revisions of the DYMO...... protocol specification and have had direct impact on the most recent version of the protocol specification....

Come On! Using intervention mapping to help healthy pregnant women achieve healthy weight gain

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Astrid Merkx; Marlein Ausems; Raymond de Vries; Marianne Nieuwenhuijze

2017-01-01

Objective: Gaining too much or too little weight in pregnancy (according to Institute of Medicine (IOM) guidelines) negatively affects both mother and child, but many women find it difficult to manage their gestational weight gain (GWG). Here we describe the use of the intervention mapping protocol

Modelling and Verification of Web Services Business Activity Protocol

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ravn, Anders Peter; Srba, Jiri; Vighio, Saleem

2011-01-01

WS-Business Activity specification defines two coordination protocols in order to ensure a consistent agreement on the outcome of long-running distributed applications. We use the model checker Uppaal to analyse the Business Agreement with Coordination Completion protocol type. Our analyses show ...

Patient-specific radiation dose and cancer risk estimation in CT: Part II. Application to patients

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Li Xiang; Samei, Ehsan; Segars, W. Paul; Sturgeon, Gregory M.; Colsher, James G.; Toncheva, Greta; Yoshizumi, Terry T.; Frush, Donald P. [Medical Physics Graduate Program, Carl E. Ravin Advanced Imaging Laboratories, Department of Radiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina 27705 (United States); Carl E. Ravin Advanced Imaging Laboratories, Department of Radiology, Medical Physics Graduate Program, Department of Physics, and Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina 27705 (United States); Carl E. Ravin Advanced Imaging Laboratories, Department of Radiology, Medical Physics Graduate Program, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina 27705 (United States); Carl E. Ravin Advanced Imaging Laboratories, Department of Radiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina 27705 and Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599 (United States); Department of Radiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina 27705 (United States); Duke Radiation Dosimetry Laboratory, Department of Radiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina 27705 (United States); Duke Radiation Dosimetry Laboratory, Department of Radiology, Medical Physics Graduate Program, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina 27705 (United States); Division of Pediatric Radiology, Department of Radiology, Medical Physics Graduate Program, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina 27710 (United States)

2011-01-15

Purpose: Current methods for estimating and reporting radiation dose from CT examinations are largely patient-generic; the body size and hence dose variation from patient to patient is not reflected. Furthermore, the current protocol designs rely on dose as a surrogate for the risk of cancer incidence, neglecting the strong dependence of risk on age and gender. The purpose of this study was to develop a method for estimating patient-specific radiation dose and cancer risk from CT examinations. Methods: The study included two patients (a 5-week-old female patient and a 12-year-old male patient), who underwent 64-slice CT examinations (LightSpeed VCT, GE Healthcare) of the chest, abdomen, and pelvis at our institution in 2006. For each patient, a nonuniform rational B-spine (NURBS) based full-body computer model was created based on the patient's clinical CT data. Large organs and structures inside the image volume were individually segmented and modeled. Other organs were created by transforming an existing adult male or female full-body computer model (developed from visible human data) to match the framework defined by the segmented organs, referencing the organ volume and anthropometry data in ICRP Publication 89. A Monte Carlo program previously developed and validated for dose simulation on the LightSpeed VCT scanner was used to estimate patient-specific organ dose, from which effective dose and risks of cancer incidence were derived. Patient-specific organ dose and effective dose were compared with patient-generic CT dose quantities in current clinical use: the volume-weighted CT dose index (CTDI{sub vol}) and the effective dose derived from the dose-length product (DLP). Results: The effective dose for the CT examination of the newborn patient (5.7 mSv) was higher but comparable to that for the CT examination of the teenager patient (4.9 mSv) due to the size-based clinical CT protocols at our institution, which employ lower scan techniques for smaller

Immunocytochemical methods and protocols

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Javois, Lorette C

1999-01-01

... monoclonal antibodies to study cell differentiation during embryonic development. For a select few disciplines volumes have been published focusing on the specific application of immunocytochemical techniques to that discipline. What distinguished Immunocytochemical Methods and Protocols from earlier books when it was first published four years ago was i...

Executive function in weight loss and weight loss maintenance: a conceptual review and novel neuropsychological model of weight control.

Science.gov (United States)

Gettens, Katelyn M; Gorin, Amy A

2017-10-01

Weight loss maintenance is a complex, multifaceted process that presents a significant challenge for most individuals who lose weight. A growing body of literature indicates a strong relationship between cognitive dysfunction and excessive body weight, and suggests that a subset of high-order cognitive processes known as executive functions (EF) likely play an important role in weight management. Recent reviews cover neuropsychological correlates of weight status yet fail to address the role of executive function in the central dilemma of successful weight loss maintenance. In this paper, we provide an overview of the existing literature examining executive functions as they relate to weight status and initial weight loss. Further, we propose a novel conceptual model of the relationships between EF, initial weight loss, and weight loss maintenance, mapping specific executive functions onto strategies known to be associated with both phases of the weight control process. Implications for the development of more efficacious weight loss maintenance interventions are discussed.

The Impact of Kangaroo Care on Premature Infant Weight Gain.

Science.gov (United States)

Evereklian, Melvina; Posmontier, Bobbie

Preterm births occur among 11.4% of all live infant births. Without steady weight gain, premature infants may experience lengthy hospitalizations, neurodevelopmental deficits and hospital readmissions, which can increase the financial burden on the health care system and their families. The total U.S. health-related costs linked to preterm infant deliveries are estimated at $4.33 billion. Kangaroo care is a feasible practice that can improve preterm infant weight gain. However, this intervention is utilized less often throughout the U.S. due to numerous barriers including a lack of consistent protocols, inadequate knowledge, and decreased level of confidence in demonstrating the proper kangarooing technique. An integrative review was conducted to evaluate the impact of kangaroo care on premature infant weight gain in order to educate nurses about its efficacy among preterm infants. A literature search was conducted using CINAHL, PubMed, Cochrane Reviews, ClinicalKey and Google Scholar. Large volume searches were restricted using appropriate filters and limiters. Most of the evaluated studies determined that weight gain was greater among the kangarooing premature infants. Kangaroo care is a low-tech low-cost modality that can facilitate improved preterm infant weight gain even in low-resource settings. Despite its current efficacy, kangaroo care is not widely utilized due to several barriers including an absence of standardized protocols and a lack of knowledge about its benefits. Kangaroo care can become a widespread formalized practice after nurses and parents learn about the technique and its numerous benefits for premature infants, including its association with improved weight gain. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Anthropometric protocols for the construction of new international fetal and newborn growth standards: the INTERGROWTH-21st Project.

Science.gov (United States)

Cheikh Ismail, L; Knight, H E; Bhutta, Z; Chumlea, W C

2013-09-01

The primary aim of the INTERGROWTH-21(st) Project is to construct new, prescriptive standards describing optimal fetal and preterm postnatal growth. The anthropometric measurements include the head circumference, recumbent length and weight of the infants, and the stature and weight of the parents. In such a large, international, multicentre project, it is critical that all study sites follow standardised protocols to ensure maximal validity of the growth and nutrition indicators used. This paper describes, in detail, the selection of anthropometric personnel, equipment, and measurement and calibration protocols used to construct the new standards. Implementing these protocols at each study site ensures that the anthropometric data are of the highest quality to construct the international standards. © 2013 Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists.

A 4D digital phantom for patient-specific simulation of brain CT perfusion protocols.

Science.gov (United States)

van den Boom, Rieneke; Manniesing, Rashindra; Oei, Marcel T H; van der Woude, Willem-Jan; Smit, Ewoud J; Laue, Hendrik O A; van Ginneken, Bram; Prokop, Mathias

2014-07-01

Optimizing CT brain perfusion protocols is a challenge because of the complex interaction between image acquisition, calculation of perfusion data, and patient hemodynamics. Several digital phantoms have been developed to avoid unnecessary patient exposure or suboptimum choice of parameters. The authors expand this idea by using realistic noise patterns and measured tissue attenuation curves representing patient-specific hemodynamics. The purpose of this work is to validate that this approach can realistically simulate mean perfusion values and noise on perfusion data for individual patients. The proposed 4D digital phantom consists of three major components: (1) a definition of the spatial structure of various brain tissues within the phantom, (2) measured tissue attenuation curves, and (3) measured noise patterns. Tissue attenuation curves were measured in patient data using regions of interest in gray matter and white matter. By assigning the tissue attenuation curves to the corresponding tissue curves within the phantom, patient-specific CTP acquisitions were retrospectively simulated. Noise patterns were acquired by repeatedly scanning an anthropomorphic skull phantom at various exposure settings. The authors selected 20 consecutive patients that were scanned for suspected ischemic stroke and constructed patient-specific 4D digital phantoms using the individual patients' hemodynamics. The perfusion maps of the patient data were compared with the digital phantom data. Agreement between phantom- and patient-derived data was determined for mean perfusion values and for standard deviation in de perfusion data using intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) and a linear fit. ICCs ranged between 0.92 and 0.99 for mean perfusion values. ICCs for the standard deviation in perfusion maps were between 0.86 and 0.93. Linear fitting yielded slope values between 0.90 and 1.06. A patient-specific 4D digital phantom allows for realistic simulation of mean values and

Model-Checking Driven Design of QoS-Based Routing Protocol for Wireless Sensor Networks

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zhi Chen

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Accurate and reliable routing protocols with Quality of Service (QoS support determine the mission-critical application efficiency in WSNs. This paper proposes a model-checking design driven framework for designing the QoS-based routing protocols of WSNs, which involves the light-weight design process, the timed automata model, and the alternative QoS verification properties. The accurate feedback of continually model checking in the iterative design process effectively stimulates the parameter tuning of the protocols. We demonstrate the straightforward and modular characteristics of the proposed framework in designing a prototype QoS-based routing protocol. The prototype study shows that the model-checking design framework may complement other design methods and ensure the QoS implementation of the QoS-based routing protocol design for WSNs.

Critical weight loss is a major prognostic indicator for disease-specific survival in patients with head and neck cancer receiving radiotherapy

OpenAIRE

Langius, J.A.E.; Bakker, S.; Rietveld, D.H.F.; Kruizenga, H.M.; Langendijk, J.A.; Weijs, P.J.M.; Leemans, C.R.

2013-01-01

Background:Pre-treatment weight loss (WL) is a prognostic indicator for overall survival (OS) in head and neck cancer (HNC) patients. This study investigates the association between WL before or during radiotherapy and disease-specific survival (DSS) in HNC patients.Methods:In 1340 newly diagnosed HNC patients, weight change was collected before and during (adjuvant) radiotherapy with curative intent. Critical WL during radiotherapy was defined as >5% WL during radiotherapy or >7.5% WL until ...

Security analysis of standards-driven communication protocols for healthcare scenarios.

Science.gov (United States)

Masi, Massimiliano; Pugliese, Rosario; Tiezzi, Francesco

2012-12-01

The importance of the Electronic Health Record (EHR), that stores all healthcare-related data belonging to a patient, has been recognised in recent years by governments, institutions and industry. Initiatives like the Integrating the Healthcare Enterprise (IHE) have been developed for the definition of standard methodologies for secure and interoperable EHR exchanges among clinics and hospitals. Using the requisites specified by these initiatives, many large scale projects have been set up for enabling healthcare professionals to handle patients' EHRs. The success of applications developed in these contexts crucially depends on ensuring such security properties as confidentiality, authentication, and authorization. In this paper, we first propose a communication protocol, based on the IHE specifications, for authenticating healthcare professionals and assuring patients' safety. By means of a formal analysis carried out by using the specification language COWS and the model checker CMC, we reveal a security flaw in the protocol thus demonstrating that to simply adopt the international standards does not guarantee the absence of such type of flaws. We then propose how to emend the IHE specifications and modify the protocol accordingly. Finally, we show how to tailor our protocol for application to more critical scenarios with no assumptions on the communication channels. To demonstrate feasibility and effectiveness of our protocols we have fully implemented them.

Nutritional intake and weight z-scores in very low birth weight infants in Peru.

Science.gov (United States)

Proaño, Alvaro; Aragón, Romina Elena; Rivera, Fabiola; Zegarra, Jaime

2016-03-29

To determine the actual nutritional intake of very low birth weight infants and their growth outcome during the first month of life. Additionally, we identified factors that account for a negative neonatal outcome in this population. A case-series study was conducted in a tertiary hospital in Lima, Peru between 2011 and 2012 and the data was obtained from medical records. No feeding protocol was used during this study. Daily fluids, energy and protein intakes were documented and weekly weight z-scores were calculated. A logistic regression analysis was used to identify factors for an adverse outcome, defined as neonatal mortality or extra-uterine growth restriction, during the first 28 days of life. After applying selection criteria, 76 participants were included. The nutritional intakes were similar to standard values seen in the literature, but protein intakes were suboptimal in all of the four weeks. Birth weight z-score was associated with an adverse outcome (p=0.035). It was determined that having a birth weight z-score under -1.09 predicted a negative outcome with an area under the curve of 96.8% [93.5%, 100%] with a 95% confidence interval. Protein intakes are widely deficient in the population of this study. Nevertheless, an adverse outcome during the neonatal period is more associated with a poor birth weight z-score than nutrition-related factors.

Weight control behaviors of highly successful weight loss maintainers: the Portuguese Weight Control Registry.

Science.gov (United States)

Santos, Inês; Vieira, Paulo N; Silva, Marlene N; Sardinha, Luís B; Teixeira, Pedro J

2017-04-01

To describe key behaviors reported by participants in the Portuguese Weight Control Registry and to determine associations between these behaviors and weight loss maintenance. A total of 388 adults participated in this cross-sectional study. Assessments included demographic information, weight history, weight loss and weight maintenance strategies, dietary intake, and physical activity. Participants lost on average 18 kg, which they had maintained for ~28 months. Their average dietary intake was 2199 kcal/day, with 33 % of energy coming from fat. About 78 % of participants engaged in levels of moderate-plus-vigorous physical activity exceeding 150 min/week (51 % above 250 min/week), with men accumulating 82 more minutes than women (p breakfast. Greater weight loss maintenance was associated with higher levels of physical activity, walking, weight self-monitoring, establishing specific goals, and with reduced portion size use, reduced consumption of carbohydrates, and increased consumption of protein, (p < 0.05). Results indicate that weight loss maintenance is possible through the adoption of a nutritionally-balanced diet and regular participation in physical activity, but also suggest that adopting different (and, to a degree, individualized) set of behavioral strategies is key for achieving success.

Combined Influence of Gestational Weight Gain and Estimated Fetal Weight on Risk Assessment for Small- or Large-for-Gestational-Age Birth Weight: A Prospective Cohort Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Pugh, Sarah J; Hinkle, Stefanie N; Kim, Sungduk; Albert, Paul S; Newman, Roger; Grobman, William A; Wing, Deborah A; Grantz, Katherine L

2018-04-01

To evaluate the frequency with which gestational weight gain and estimated fetal weight do not track across gestation and to assess the risk of small-for-gestational-age (SGA) and large-for-gestational-age (LGA) birth weight as a function of tracking. This study included a pregnancy cohort (2009-2013) of 2438 women from 4 racial/ethnic groups in the United States. We calculated race- and trimester-specific gestational weight gain and estimated fetal weight z scores. The prevalence of how often gestational weight gain and estimated fetal weight did not or did directly track was examined by grouping z scores into measure-specific categories (1 SD) and then examining 2-measure combinations. Trimester-specific relative risks for SGA and LGA births were estimated with a gestational weight gain and estimated fetal weight z score interaction. We estimated coefficients for selected gestational weight gain and estimated fetal weight values (-1 SD, 0 SD, and +1 SD) compared with the referent of 0 SD for both measures. Small and large for gestational age were calculated as birth weight below the 10th and at or above the 90th percentiles, respectively. Gestational weight gain and estimated fetal weight were within 1 SD 55.5%, 51.5%, and 48.2% of the time in the first, second, and third trimesters, respectively. There was no significant interaction between gestational weight gain and estimated fetal weight on the risk of SGA in the first and second trimesters (interaction term P = .48; P = .79). In the third trimester, there was a significant interaction (P = .002), resulting in a 71% (95% confidence interval, 1.45-2.02) increased risk of SGA when estimated fetal weight was low and gestational weight gain was high. These relationships were similar for the risk of LGA. Deviations in either measure, even in the presence of average gestational weight gain or estimated fetal weight, still suggest an increased risk of SGA and LGA. © 2017 by the American Institute of

Early weight-bearing after periacetabular osteotomy leads to a high incidence of postoperative pelvic fractures.

Science.gov (United States)

Ito, Hiroshi; Tanino, Hiromasa; Sato, Tatsuya; Nishida, Yasuhiro; Matsuno, Takeo

2014-07-11

It has not been shown whether accelerated rehabilitation following periacetabular osteotomy (PAO) is effective for early recovery. The purpose of this retrospective study was to compare complication rates in patients with standard and accelerated rehabilitation protocols who underwent PAO. Between January 2002 and August 2011, patients with a lateral center-edge (CE) angle of rehabilitation protocol. In 65 patients (76 hips) with the accelerated rehabilitation protocol, postoperative strengthening of the hip, thigh and core musculature was begun on the day of surgery as tolerated. The exercise program included active hip range of motion, and gentle isometric hamstring and quadriceps muscle sets; these exercises were performed for 30 minutes in the morning and 30 minutes in the afternoon with a physical therapist every weekday for 6 weeks. Full weight-bearing with two axillary crutches started on the day of surgery as tolerated. Complications were evaluated for 2 years. The clinical results at the time of follow-up were similar in the two groups. The average periods between the osteotomy and full-weight-bearing walking without support were 4.2 months and 6.9 months in patients with the accelerated and standard rehabilitation protocols (P rehabilitation protocol could achieve earlier recovery of patients. However, postoperative fractures of the ischial ramus and posterior column of the pelvis were more frequently found in patients with the accelerated rehabilitation protocol (8/76) than in those with the standard rehabilitation protocol (1/80) (P = 0.013). The accelerated rehabilitation protocol seems to have advantages for early muscle recovery in patients undergoing PAO; however, postoperative pelvic fracture rates were unacceptably high in patients with this protocol.

Design and Implementation of a Secure Modbus Protocol

Science.gov (United States)

Fovino, Igor Nai; Carcano, Andrea; Masera, Marcelo; Trombetta, Alberto

The interconnectivity of modern and legacy supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) systems with corporate networks and the Internet has significantly increased the threats to critical infrastructure assets. Meanwhile, traditional IT security solutions such as firewalls, intrusion detection systems and antivirus software are relatively ineffective against attacks that specifically target vulnerabilities in SCADA protocols. This paper describes a secure version of the Modbus SCADA protocol that incorporates integrity, authentication, non-repudiation and anti-replay mechanisms. Experimental results using a power plant testbed indicate that the augmented protocol provides good security functionality without significant overhead.

Unenhanced breast MRI (STIR, T2-weighted TSE, DWIBS): An accurate and alternative strategy for detecting and differentiating breast lesions.

Science.gov (United States)

Telegrafo, Michele; Rella, Leonarda; Stabile Ianora, Amato Antonio; Angelelli, Giuseppe; Moschetta, Marco

2015-10-01

To assess the role of STIR, T2-weighted TSE and DWIBS sequences for detecting and characterizing breast lesions and to compare unenhanced (UE)-MRI results with contrast-enhanced (CE)-MRI and histological findings, having the latter as the reference standard. Two hundred eighty consecutive patients (age range, 27-73 years; mean age±standard deviation (SD), 48.8±9.8years) underwent MR examination with a diagnostic protocol including STIR, T2-weighted TSE, THRIVE and DWIBS sequences. Two radiologists blinded to both dynamic sequences and histological findings evaluated in consensus STIR, T2-weighted TSE and DWIBS sequences and after two weeks CE-MRI images searching for breast lesions. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV), and diagnostic accuracy for UE-MRI and CE-MRI were calculated. UE-MRI results were also compared with CE- MRI. UE-MRI sequences obtained sensitivity, specificity, diagnostic accuracy, PPV and NPV values of 94%, 79%, 86%, 79% and 94%, respectively. CE-MRI sequences obtained sensitivity, specificity, diagnostic accuracy, PPV and NPV values of 98%, 83%, 90%, 84% and 98%, respectively. No statistically significant difference between UE-MRI and CE-MRI was found. Breast UE-MRI could represent an accurate diagnostic tool and a valid alternative to CE-MRI for evaluating breast lesions. STIR and DWIBS sequences allow to detect breast lesions while T2-weighted TSE sequences and ADC values could be useful for lesion characterization. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Susceptibility weighted imaging depicts retinal hemorrhages in abusive head trauma

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zuccoli, Giulio [Children' s Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC, Department of Pediatric Radiology, Pittsburgh, PA (United States); Children' s Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC, Department of Radiology, Pittsburgh, PA (United States); Panigrahy, Ashok; Haldipur, Anshul; Willaman, Dennis [Children' s Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC, Department of Pediatric Radiology, Pittsburgh, PA (United States); Squires, Janet; Wolford, Jennifer [Children' s Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC, Division of Child Advocacy, Pittsburgh, PA (United States); Sylvester, Christin; Mitchell, Ellen; Lope, Lee Ann [Children' s Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC, Eye Center, Pittsburgh, PA (United States); Nischal, Ken K. [Children' s Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC, Eye Center, Pittsburgh, PA (United States); Children' s Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC, Division of Pediatric Ophthalmology, Strabismus, and Adult Motility, Eye Center, Pittsburgh, PA (United States); Berger, Rachel P. [Children' s Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC, Division of Child Advocacy, Pittsburgh, PA (United States); University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Safar Center for Resuscitation Research, Pittsburgh, PA (United States)

2013-07-15

This study aims to evaluate the capability of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) susceptibility weighted images (SWI) in depicting retinal hemorrhages (RH) in abusive head trauma (AHT) compared to the gold standard dilated fundus exam (DFE). This is a retrospective, single institution, observational study on 28 patients with suspected AHT, who had a DFE and also underwent brain MRI-SWI as part of routine diagnostic protocol. Main outcome measures involved evaluation of patients to determine whether the RH could be identified on standard and high-resolution SWI sequences. Of the 21 subjects with RH on DFE, 13 (62 %) were identified by using a standard SWI sequence performed as part of brain MRI protocols. Of the 15 patients who also underwent an orbits SWI protocol, 12 (80 %) were positive for RH. None of the seven patients without RH on of DFE had RH on either standard or high-resolution SWI. Compared with DFE, the MRI standard protocol showed a sensitivity of 75 % which increased to 83 % for the orbits SWI protocol. Our study suggests the usefulness of a tailored high-resolution orbits protocol to detect RH in AHT. (orig.)

Susceptibility weighted imaging depicts retinal hemorrhages in abusive head trauma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zuccoli, Giulio; Panigrahy, Ashok; Haldipur, Anshul; Willaman, Dennis; Squires, Janet; Wolford, Jennifer; Sylvester, Christin; Mitchell, Ellen; Lope, Lee Ann; Nischal, Ken K.; Berger, Rachel P.

2013-01-01

This study aims to evaluate the capability of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) susceptibility weighted images (SWI) in depicting retinal hemorrhages (RH) in abusive head trauma (AHT) compared to the gold standard dilated fundus exam (DFE). This is a retrospective, single institution, observational study on 28 patients with suspected AHT, who had a DFE and also underwent brain MRI-SWI as part of routine diagnostic protocol. Main outcome measures involved evaluation of patients to determine whether the RH could be identified on standard and high-resolution SWI sequences. Of the 21 subjects with RH on DFE, 13 (62 %) were identified by using a standard SWI sequence performed as part of brain MRI protocols. Of the 15 patients who also underwent an orbits SWI protocol, 12 (80 %) were positive for RH. None of the seven patients without RH on of DFE had RH on either standard or high-resolution SWI. Compared with DFE, the MRI standard protocol showed a sensitivity of 75 % which increased to 83 % for the orbits SWI protocol. Our study suggests the usefulness of a tailored high-resolution orbits protocol to detect RH in AHT. (orig.)

Physical Therapy Protocols for Arthroscopic Bankart Repair.

Science.gov (United States)

DeFroda, Steven F; Mehta, Nabil; Owens, Brett D

Outcomes after arthroscopic Bankart repair can be highly dependent on compliance and participation in physical therapy. Additionally, there are many variations in physician-recommended physical therapy protocols. The rehabilitation protocols of academic orthopaedic surgery departments vary widely despite the presence of consensus protocols. Descriptive epidemiology study. Level 3. Web-based arthroscopic Bankart rehabilitation protocols available online from Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME)-accredited orthopaedic surgery programs were included for review. Individual protocols were reviewed to evaluate for the presence or absence of recommended therapies, goals for completion of ranges of motion, functional milestones, exercise start times, and recommended time to return to sport. Thirty protocols from 27 (16.4%) total institutions were identified out of 164 eligible for review. Overall, 9 (30%) protocols recommended an initial period of strict immobilization. Variability existed between the recommended time periods for sling immobilization (mean, 4.8 ± 1.8 weeks). The types of exercises and their start dates were also inconsistent. Goals to full passive range of motion (mean, 9.2 ± 2.8 weeks) and full active range of motion (mean, 12.2 ± 2.8 weeks) were consistent with other published protocols; however, wide ranges existed within the reviewed protocols as a whole. Only 10 protocols (33.3%) included a timeline for return to sport, and only 3 (10%) gave an estimate for return to game competition. Variation also existed when compared with the American Society of Shoulder and Elbow Therapists' (ASSET) consensus protocol. Rehabilitation protocols after arthroscopic Bankart repair were found to be highly variable. They also varied with regard to published consensus protocols. This discrepancy may lead to confusion among therapists and patients. This study highlights the importance of attending surgeons being very clear and specific with

Authentication Protocol using Quantum Superposition States

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kanamori, Yoshito [University of Alaska; Yoo, Seong-Moo [University of Alabama, Huntsville; Gregory, Don A. [University of Alabama, Huntsville; Sheldon, Frederick T [ORNL

2009-01-01

When it became known that quantum computers could break the RSA (named for its creators - Rivest, Shamir, and Adleman) encryption algorithm within a polynomial-time, quantum cryptography began to be actively studied. Other classical cryptographic algorithms are only secure when malicious users do not have sufficient computational power to break security within a practical amount of time. Recently, many quantum authentication protocols sharing quantum entangled particles between communicators have been proposed, providing unconditional security. An issue caused by sharing quantum entangled particles is that it may not be simple to apply these protocols to authenticate a specific user in a group of many users. An authentication protocol using quantum superposition states instead of quantum entangled particles is proposed. The random number shared between a sender and a receiver can be used for classical encryption after the authentication has succeeded. The proposed protocol can be implemented with the current technologies we introduce in this paper.

Saudi Arabia and CERN sign protocol

CERN Multimedia

2008-01-01

On 9 May 2008, Mohammed I. Al Suwaiyel, President of the King Abdulaziz City of Science and Technology, representing the Government of Saudi Arabia, and CERN Director-General, Robert Aymar, signed a protocol to the 2006 cooperation agreement between CERN and Saudi Arabia. Members of the Saudi Arabian Government visit ATLAS.The purpose of the protocol is to define the operational framework needed to carry out various specific tasks provided for in the cooperation agreement in order to promote the development of a high energy particle physics community in Saudi Arabia and its ultimate visible participation as a member of the global CERN community. Signing the protocol, Mohammed I. Al-Suwaiyel said: "The Saudi Arabian Government has taken a number of initiatives to promote R&D in the interests of our country’s development and the advancement of science. Thanks to this protocol, Saudi scientists will be able to work towards this go...

Quantum deterministic key distribution protocols based on the authenticated entanglement channel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhou Nanrun; Wang Lijun; Ding Jie; Gong Lihua

2010-01-01

Based on the quantum entanglement channel, two secure quantum deterministic key distribution (QDKD) protocols are proposed. Unlike quantum random key distribution (QRKD) protocols, the proposed QDKD protocols can distribute the deterministic key securely, which is of significant importance in the field of key management. The security of the proposed QDKD protocols is analyzed in detail using information theory. It is shown that the proposed QDKD protocols can safely and effectively hand over the deterministic key to the specific receiver and their physical implementation is feasible with current technology.

Quantum deterministic key distribution protocols based on the authenticated entanglement channel

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhou Nanrun; Wang Lijun; Ding Jie; Gong Lihua [Department of Electronic Information Engineering, Nanchang University, Nanchang 330031 (China)], E-mail: znr21@163.com, E-mail: znr21@hotmail.com

2010-04-15

Based on the quantum entanglement channel, two secure quantum deterministic key distribution (QDKD) protocols are proposed. Unlike quantum random key distribution (QRKD) protocols, the proposed QDKD protocols can distribute the deterministic key securely, which is of significant importance in the field of key management. The security of the proposed QDKD protocols is analyzed in detail using information theory. It is shown that the proposed QDKD protocols can safely and effectively hand over the deterministic key to the specific receiver and their physical implementation is feasible with current technology.

Myometrial invasion in endometrial cancer: diagnostic performance of diffusion-weighted MR imaging at 1.5-T

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rechichi, Gilda; Sironi, Sandro; Galimberti, Stefania; Valsecchi, Maria Grazia; Signorelli, Mauro; Perego, Patrizia

2010-01-01

To determine the diagnostic accuracy of diffusion-weighted (DW) magnetic resonance (MR) imaging in the preoperative assessment of myometrial invasion by endometrial cancer. In this prospective study, 47 patients with histologically confirmed endometrial cancer underwent preoperative MR imaging and total hysterectomy. The MR protocol included spin-echo multishot T2-weighted, dynamic T1-weighted and DW images acquired with b-values of 0 and 500 s/mm 2 . Myometrial tumour spread was classified as superficial (<50%) or deep (≥50% myometrial thickness). Postoperative histopathological findings served as a reference standard. Indices of diagnostic performance were assessed for each sequence. At histopathological examination, superficial myometrial invasion was found in 34 patients and deep myometrial invasion in 13. In the assessment of tumour invasion, sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values of T2-weighted images were 92.3%, 76.5%, 60.0% and 96.3%, respectively. The corresponding values for dynamic images were 69.2%, 61.8%, 40.9% and 84.0%, and for DW images 84.6%, 70.6%, 52.4% and 92.3%. T2-weighted and DW imaging proved to be the most accurate techniques for tumour spread determination. DW imaging proved to be accurate in assessing myometrial invasion, and it could replace dynamic imaging as an adjunct to routine T2-weighted imaging for preoperative evaluation of endometrial cancer. (orig.)

A weight loss protocol and owners participation in the treatment of canine obesity

OpenAIRE

Carciofi,Aulus Cavalieri; Gonçalves,Karina Nogueira Venturelli; Vasconcellos,Ricardo Souza; Bazolli,Rodrigo Sousa; Brunetto,Márcio Antonio; Prada,Flávio

2005-01-01

The success of a weight loss program for pets depends on the owners collaboration. Their compliance is fundamental in establishing the correct food management. The objective of this study was to compare the effectiveness of a weight loss program in two groups of dogs, one maintained under experimental conditions and the other with their owners. The same hypocaloric food was used to feed all animals, the amount being restricted to 60% of the estimated maintenance energy requirement for a 15% r...

Dysphonia risk screening protocol

Science.gov (United States)

Nemr, Katia; Simões-Zenari, Marcia; da Trindade Duarte, João Marcos; Lobrigate, Karen Elena; Bagatini, Flavia Alves

2016-01-01

OBJECTIVE: To propose and test the applicability of a dysphonia risk screening protocol with score calculation in individuals with and without dysphonia. METHOD: This descriptive cross-sectional study included 365 individuals (41 children, 142 adult women, 91 adult men and 91 seniors) divided into a dysphonic group and a non-dysphonic group. The protocol consisted of 18 questions and a score was calculated using a 10-cm visual analog scale. The measured value on the visual analog scale was added to the overall score, along with other partial scores. Speech samples allowed for analysis/assessment of the overall degree of vocal deviation and initial definition of the respective groups and after six months, the separation of the groups was confirmed using an acoustic analysis. RESULTS: The mean total scores were different between the groups in all samples. Values ranged between 37.0 and 57.85 in the dysphonic group and between 12.95 and 19.28 in the non-dysphonic group, with overall means of 46.09 and 15.55, respectively. High sensitivity and specificity were demonstrated when discriminating between the groups with the following cut-off points: 22.50 (children), 29.25 (adult women), 22.75 (adult men), and 27.10 (seniors). CONCLUSION: The protocol demonstrated high sensitivity and specificity in differentiating groups of individuals with and without dysphonia in different sample groups and is thus an effective instrument for use in voice clinics. PMID:27074171

Dysphonia risk screening protocol

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Katia Nemr

2016-03-01

Full Text Available OBJECTIVE: To propose and test the applicability of a dysphonia risk screening protocol with score calculation in individuals with and without dysphonia. METHOD: This descriptive cross-sectional study included 365 individuals (41 children, 142 adult women, 91 adult men and 91 seniors divided into a dysphonic group and a non-dysphonic group. The protocol consisted of 18 questions and a score was calculated using a 10-cm visual analog scale. The measured value on the visual analog scale was added to the overall score, along with other partial scores. Speech samples allowed for analysis/assessment of the overall degree of vocal deviation and initial definition of the respective groups and after six months, the separation of the groups was confirmed using an acoustic analysis. RESULTS: The mean total scores were different between the groups in all samples. Values ranged between 37.0 and 57.85 in the dysphonic group and between 12.95 and 19.28 in the non-dysphonic group, with overall means of 46.09 and 15.55, respectively. High sensitivity and specificity were demonstrated when discriminating between the groups with the following cut-off points: 22.50 (children, 29.25 (adult women, 22.75 (adult men, and 27.10 (seniors. CONCLUSION: The protocol demonstrated high sensitivity and specificity in differentiating groups of individuals with and without dysphonia in different sample groups and is thus an effective instrument for use in voice clinics.

Asymmetric similarity-weighted ensembles for image segmentation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Cheplygina, V.; Van Opbroek, A.; Ikram, M. A.

2016-01-01

Supervised classification is widely used for image segmentation. To work effectively, these techniques need large amounts of labeled training data, that is representative of the test data. Different patient groups, different scanners or different scanning protocols can lead to differences between...... the images, thus representative data might not be available. Transfer learning techniques can be used to account for these differences, thus taking advantage of all the available data acquired with different protocols. We investigate the use of classifier ensembles, where each classifier is weighted...... and the direction of measurement needs to be chosen carefully. We also show that a point set similarity measure is robust across different studies, and outperforms state-of-the-art results on a multi-center brain tissue segmentation task....

Decision-model estimation of the age-specific disability weight for schistosomiasis japonica: a systematic review of the literature.

OpenAIRE

Julia L Finkelstein; Mark D Schleinitz; Hélène Carabin; Stephen T McGarvey

2008-01-01

Schistosomiasis is among the most prevalent parasitic infections worldwide. However, current Global Burden of Disease (GBD) disability-adjusted life year estimates indicate that its population-level impact is negligible. Recent studies suggest that GBD methodologies may significantly underestimate the burden of parasitic diseases, including schistosomiasis. Furthermore, strain-specific disability weights have not been established for schistosomiasis, and the magnitude of human disease burden ...

Weight loss for overweight patients with knee or hip osteoarthritis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Christensen, Robin; Hansen, Julie Bolvig; Lund, Hans

2017-01-01

This is a protocol for a Cochrane Review (Intervention). The objectives are as follows:  To determine the benefits and harms associated with weight loss in overweight individuals with knee or hip osteoarthritis in terms of pain, physical function, quality of life, and safety.  Further we will have...... an explicit focus on quality of the weight loss intervention (including magnitude and intensity) (Herbert 2005), to see whether there is a dose-response relationship at the trial (i.e. group) level....

Effect of a low fat versus a low carbohydrate weight loss dietary intervention on biomarkers of long term survival in breast cancer patients ('CHOICE'): study protocol

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sedlacek, Scot M; Playdon, Mary C; Wolfe, Pamela; McGinley, John N; Wisthoff, Mark R; Daeninck, Elizabeth A; Jiang, Weiqin; Zhu, Zongjian; Thompson, Henry J

2011-01-01

Weight loss in overweight or obese breast cancer patients is associated with an improved prognosis for long term survival. However, it is not clear whether the macronutrient composition of the chosen weight loss dietary plan imparts further prognostic benefit. A study protocol is presented for a dietary intervention to investigate the effects of weight loss dietary patterns that vary markedly in fat and carbohydrate contents on biomarkers of exposure to metabolic processes that may promote tumorigenesis and that are predictive of long term survival. The study will also determine how much weight must be lost for biomarkers to change in a favorable direction. Approximately 370 overweight or obese postmenopausal breast cancer survivors (body mass index: 25.0 to 34.9 kg/m 2 ) will be accrued and assigned to one of two weight loss intervention programs or a non-intervention control group. The dietary intervention is implemented in a free living population to test the two extremes of popular weight loss dietary patterns: a high carbohydrate, low fat diet versus a low carbohydrate, high fat diet. The effects of these dietary patterns on biomarkers for glucose homeostasis, chronic inflammation, cellular oxidation, and steroid sex hormone metabolism will be measured. Participants will attend 3 screening and dietary education visits, and 7 monthly one-on-one dietary counseling and clinical data measurement visits in addition to 5 group visits in the intervention arms. Participants in the control arm will attend two clinical data measurement visits at baseline and 6 months. The primary outcome is high sensitivity C-reactive protein. Secondary outcomes include interleukin-6, tumor necrosis factor-α, insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF), IGF binding protein-3, 8-isoprostane-F2-alpha, estrone, estradiol, progesterone, sex hormone binding globulin, adiponectin, and leptin. While clinical data indicate that excess weight for height is associated with poor prognosis for long term

Authentication protocols for internet of things: a comprehensive survey

OpenAIRE

Ferrag, Mohamed Amine; Maglaras, Leandros A.; Janicke, Helge; Jiang, Jianmin; Shu, Lei

2017-01-01

open access article In this paper, a comprehensive survey of authentication protocols for Internet of Things (IoT) is presented. Specifically more than forty authentication protocols developed for or applied in the context of the IoT are selected and examined in detail. These protocols are categorized based on the target environment: (1) Machine to Machine Communications (M2M), (2) Internet of Vehicles (IoV), (3) Internet of Energy (IoE), and (4) Internet of Sensors (IoS). Threat models, c...

A Self-Directed Mobile Intervention (WaznApp) to Promote Weight Control Among Employees at a Lebanese University: Protocol for a Feasibility Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Bardus, Marco; Hamadeh, Ghassan; Hayek, Bouchra; Al Kherfan, Rawan

2018-05-16

and waist circumference), behavioral outcomes (physical activity and diet), and cognitive factors (motivation to participate in the trial and to manage weight). WaznApp was funded in June 2017, and recruitment started in March 2018. This study will provide information as to whether the selected mobile apps offer a feasible solution for promoting weight management in an academic workplace. The results will inform a larger trial whose results might be replicated in similar workplaces in Lebanon and the Middle East and North Africa region, and will be used as a benchmark for further investigations in other settings and similar target groups. ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03321331; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03321331 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/6ys9NOLo5). RR1-10.2196/9793. ©Marco Bardus, Ghassan Hamadeh, Bouchra Hayek, Rawan Al Kherfan. Originally published in JMIR Research Protocols (http://www.researchprotocols.org), 16.05.2018.

The role of perfectionism, dichotomous thinking, shape and weight overvaluation, and conditional goal setting in eating disorders.

Science.gov (United States)

Lethbridge, Jessica; Watson, Hunna J; Egan, Sarah J; Street, Helen; Nathan, Paula R

2011-08-01

This study examined the role of perfectionism (self-oriented and socially prescribed), shape and weight overvaluation, dichotomous thinking, and conditional goal setting in eating disorder psychopathology. Perfectionism and shape and weight overvaluation have had longstanding implication in the development and maintenance of eating disorders. A leading evidence-based theory of eating disorders (Fairburn, Cooper & Shafran, 2003) outlines perfectionism as a maintaining mechanism of eating disorder psychopathology and as a proximal risk factor for the development of shape and weight overvaluation. These constructs have been linked to other cognitive processes relevant to eating disorders, specifically, dichotomous thinking and conditional goal setting. Women with DSM-IV eating disorders (N=238) were compared to women in the general community (N=248) and, as hypothesised, scores on measures of these constructs were pronounced in the clinical sample. Hierarchical regression analyses predicting eating disorder psychopathology showed that for both groups, dichotomous thinking and conditional goal setting significantly improved model fit beyond perfectionism and shape and weight overvaluation alone. Self-oriented perfectionism, but not socially prescribed perfectionism, was relevant to eating disorder psychopathology. We discuss the implications for current treatment protocols and early intervention. Crown Copyright © 2011. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

An efficient protocol for the complete incorporation of methyl-protonated alanine in perdeuterated protein

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ayala, Isabel; Sounier, Remy; Use, Nathalie; Gans, Pierre; Boisbouvier, Jerome

2009-01-01

A strategy for the introduction of ( 1 H, 13 C-methyl)-alanine into perdeuterated proteins is described. Specific protonation of alanine methyl groups to a level of 95% can be achieved by overexpressing proteins in M9/D 2 O based bacterial growth medium supplemented with 800 mg/l of 2-[ 2 H], 3-[ 13 C] l-alanine. However, though simple, this approach results in undesired, non-specific background labeling due to isotope scrambling via different amino acid metabolic pathways. Following a careful analysis of known metabolic pathways we found that co-addition of perdeuterated forms of α-ketoisovalerate-d 7 , succinate-d 4 and l-isoleucine-d 10 with labeled l-alanine, reduces undesired background labeling to <1%. When combined with recently developed methyl TROSY experiments, this methyl-specific labeling protocol permits the acquisition of excellent quality correlation spectra of alanine methyl groups in high molecular weight proteins. Our cost effective strategy offers a significant enhancement in the level of incorporation of methyl-labeled alanine in overexpressed proteins over previously reported methods

An Effective Collaborative Mobile Weighted Clustering Schemes for Energy Balancing in Wireless Sensor Networks.

Science.gov (United States)

Tang, Chengpei; Shokla, Sanesy Kumcr; Modhawar, George; Wang, Qiang

2016-02-19

Collaborative strategies for mobile sensor nodes ensure the efficiency and the robustness of data processing, while limiting the required communication bandwidth. In order to solve the problem of pipeline inspection and oil leakage monitoring, a collaborative weighted mobile sensing scheme is proposed. By adopting a weighted mobile sensing scheme, the adaptive collaborative clustering protocol can realize an even distribution of energy load among the mobile sensor nodes in each round, and make the best use of battery energy. A detailed theoretical analysis and experimental results revealed that the proposed protocol is an energy efficient collaborative strategy such that the sensor nodes can communicate with a fusion center and produce high power gain.

A markerless protocol for genetic analysis of Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans

Science.gov (United States)

Cheng, Ya-An; Jee, Jason; Hsu, Genie; Huang, Yanyan; Chen, Casey; Lin, Chun-Pin

2015-01-01

Background/Purpose The genomes of different Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans strains contain many strain-specific genes and genomic islands (defined as DNA found in some but not all strains) of unknown functions. Genetic analysis for the functions of these islands will be constrained by the limited availability of genetic markers and vectors for A. actinomycetemcomitans. In this study we tested a novel genetic approach of gene deletion and restoration in a naturally competent A. actinomycetemcomitans strain D7S-1. Methods Specific genes’ deletion mutants and mutants restored with the deleted genes were constructed by a markerless loxP/Cre system. In mutants with sequential deletion of multiple genes loxP with different spacer regions were used to avoid unwanted recombinations between loxP sites. Results Eight single-gene deletion mutants, four multiple-gene deletion mutants, and two mutants with restored genes were constructed. No unintended non-specific deletion mutants were generated by this protocol. The protocol did not negatively affect the growth and biofilm formation of A. actinomycetemcomitans. Conclusion The protocol described in this study is efficient and specific for genetic manipulation of A. actinomycetemcomitans, and will be amenable for functional analysis of multiple genes in A. actinomycetemcomitans. PMID:24530245

Computationally Developed Sham Stimulation Protocol for Multichannel Desynchronizing Stimulation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Magteld Zeitler

2018-05-01

Full Text Available A characteristic pattern of abnormal brain activity is abnormally strong neuronal synchronization, as found in several brain disorders, such as tinnitus, Parkinson's disease, and epilepsy. As observed in several diseases, different therapeutic interventions may induce a placebo effect that may be strong and hinder reliable clinical evaluations. Hence, to distinguish between specific, neuromodulation-induced effects and unspecific, placebo effects, it is important to mimic the therapeutic procedure as precisely as possibly, thereby providing controls that actually lack specific effects. Coordinated Reset (CR stimulation has been developed to specifically counteract abnormally strong synchronization by desynchronization. CR is a spatio-temporally patterned multichannel stimulation which reduces the extent of coincident neuronal activity and aims at an anti-kindling, i.e., an unlearning of both synaptic connectivity and neuronal synchrony. Apart from acute desynchronizing effects, CR may cause sustained, long-lasting desynchronizing effects, as already demonstrated in pre-clinical and clinical proof of concept studies. In this computational study, we set out to computationally develop a sham stimulation protocol for multichannel desynchronizing stimulation. To this end, we compare acute effects and long-lasting effects of six different spatio-temporally patterned stimulation protocols, including three variants of CR, using a no-stimulation condition as additional control. This is to provide an inventory of different stimulation algorithms with similar fundamental stimulation parameters (e.g., mean stimulation rates but qualitatively different acute and/or long-lasting effects. Stimulation protocols sharing basic parameters, but inducing nevertheless completely different or even no acute effects and/or after-effects, might serve as controls to validate the specific effects of particular desynchronizing protocols such as CR. In particular, based on

Pancreatic MRI for the surveillance of cystic neoplasms: Comparison of a short with a comprehensive imaging protocol

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pozzi-Mucelli, Raffaella Maria; Kartalis, Nikolaos [C1-46 Karolinska University Hospital, Division of Medical Imaging and Technology, Department of Clinical Science, Intervention and Technology (CLINTEC), Karolinska Institutet and Department of Radiology, Stockholm (Sweden); Rinta-Kiikka, Irina [Tampere University Hospital, Department of Radiology, Medical Imaging Centre of Pirkanmaa Hospital District, Tampere (Finland); Wuensche, Katharina [St. Olavs University Hospital, Department of Radiology, Trondheim (Norway); Laukkarinen, Johanna [Tampere University Hospital, Department of Gastroenterology and Alimentary Tract Surgery, Tampere (Finland); Labori, Knut Joergen [Oslo University Hospital, Department of Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Surgery, Oslo (Norway); Aanonsen, Kim [Oslo University Hospital, Department of Gastroenterology, Oslo (Norway); Verbeke, Caroline [Oslo University Hospital, Institute of Clinical Medicine, Oslo (Norway); Karolinska University Hospital, Department of Pathology, Stockholm (Sweden); Del Chiaro, Marco [Karolinska University Hospital, Division of Surgery, Department of Clinical Science, Intervention and Technology (CLINTEC), Karolinska Institutet and Center for Digestive Diseases, Stockholm (Sweden)

2017-01-15

The study aims were to evaluate: (1) whether a short-protocol (SP) MRI for the surveillance of pancreatic cystic neoplasms (PCN) provides equivalent clinical information as a comprehensive-protocol (CP), and (2) the cost reduction from substituting CP with SP for patient surveillance. This retrospective study included 154 consecutive patients (median age: 66, 52 % men) with working-diagnosis of PCN and available contrast-enhanced MRI/MRCP. Three radiologists evaluated independently two imaging sets (SP/CP) per patient. The CP included: T2-weighted (HASTE/MRCP), DWI and T1-weighted (chemical-shift/pre-/post-contrast) images [acquisition time (AT) ∼ 35 min], whereas the SP included: T2-weighted HASTE and T1-weighted pre-contrast images (AT ∼ 8 min). Mean values of largest cyst/main pancreatic duct diameter (D{sub C}/D{sub MPD}) were compared. Agreement regarding presence/absence of cystic/MPD mural nodules (MN{sub C}/MN{sub MPD}), inter-observer agreement and cost differences between SP/CP were calculated. For D{sub C} and D{sub MPD}, mean values with SP/CP were 21.4/21.7 mm and 3.52/3.58 mm, while mean differences SP-CP were 0.3 mm (p = 0.02) and 0.06 mm (p = 0.12), respectively. For presence/absence of MN{sub C} and MN{sub MPD}, SP/CP coincided in 93 % and 98 % of cases, respectively. Inter-observer agreement was strong for SP/CP. SP-cost was 25 % of CP-cost. For the surveillance of PCN, short-protocol MRI provides information equivalent to the more time-consuming and costly comprehensive-protocol. (orig.)

Pancreatic MRI for the surveillance of cystic neoplasms: Comparison of a short with a comprehensive imaging protocol

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pozzi-Mucelli, Raffaella Maria; Kartalis, Nikolaos; Rinta-Kiikka, Irina; Wuensche, Katharina; Laukkarinen, Johanna; Labori, Knut Joergen; Aanonsen, Kim; Verbeke, Caroline; Del Chiaro, Marco

2017-01-01

The study aims were to evaluate: (1) whether a short-protocol (SP) MRI for the surveillance of pancreatic cystic neoplasms (PCN) provides equivalent clinical information as a comprehensive-protocol (CP), and (2) the cost reduction from substituting CP with SP for patient surveillance. This retrospective study included 154 consecutive patients (median age: 66, 52 % men) with working-diagnosis of PCN and available contrast-enhanced MRI/MRCP. Three radiologists evaluated independently two imaging sets (SP/CP) per patient. The CP included: T2-weighted (HASTE/MRCP), DWI and T1-weighted (chemical-shift/pre-/post-contrast) images [acquisition time (AT) ∼ 35 min], whereas the SP included: T2-weighted HASTE and T1-weighted pre-contrast images (AT ∼ 8 min). Mean values of largest cyst/main pancreatic duct diameter (D_C/D_M_P_D) were compared. Agreement regarding presence/absence of cystic/MPD mural nodules (MN_C/MN_M_P_D), inter-observer agreement and cost differences between SP/CP were calculated. For D_C and D_M_P_D, mean values with SP/CP were 21.4/21.7 mm and 3.52/3.58 mm, while mean differences SP-CP were 0.3 mm (p = 0.02) and 0.06 mm (p = 0.12), respectively. For presence/absence of MN_C and MN_M_P_D, SP/CP coincided in 93 % and 98 % of cases, respectively. Inter-observer agreement was strong for SP/CP. SP-cost was 25 % of CP-cost. For the surveillance of PCN, short-protocol MRI provides information equivalent to the more time-consuming and costly comprehensive-protocol. (orig.)

Variability and Comprehensiveness of North American Online Available Physical Therapy Protocols Following Hip Arthroscopy for Femoroacetabular Impingement and Labral Repair.

Science.gov (United States)

Cvetanovich, Gregory L; Lizzio, Vincent; Meta, Fabien; Chan, Derek; Zaltz, Ira; Nho, Shane J; Makhni, Eric C

2017-11-01

To assess comprehensiveness and variability of postoperative physical therapy protocols published online following hip arthroscopy for femoroacetabular impingement (FAI) and/or labral repair. Surgeons were identified by the International Society for Hip Arthroscopy "Find a Surgeon" feature in North America (http://www.isha.net/members/, search August 10, 2016). Exclusion criteria included nonsurgeons and protocols for conditions other than hip arthroscopy for FAI and/or labral tear. Protocols were identified by review of surgeons' personal and departmental websites and evaluated for postoperative restrictions, rehabilitation components, and the time points for ending restrictions and initiating activities. Of 111 surgeons available online, 31 (27.9%) had postoperative hip arthroscopy physical therapy protocols available online. Bracing was used in 54.8% (17/31) of protocols for median 2-week duration (range, 1-6 weeks). Most protocols specified the initial postoperative weight-bearing status (29/31, 93.5%), most frequently partial weight-bearing with 20 pounds foot flat (20/29, 69.0%). The duration of weight-bearing restriction was median 3 weeks (range, 2-6) for FAI and median 6 weeks (range, 3-8) for microfracture. The majority of protocols specified initial range of motion limitations (26/31, 83.9%) for median 3 weeks (range, 1.5-12). There was substantial variation in the rehabilitation activities and time points for initiating activities. Time to return to running was specified by 20/31 (64.5%) protocols at median 12 weeks (range, 6-19), and return to sport timing was specified by 13/31 (41.9%) protocols at median 15.5 weeks (range, 9-23). There is considerable variability in postoperative physical therapy protocols available online following hip arthroscopy for FAI, including postoperative restrictions, rehabilitation activities, and time points for activities. This information offers residents, fellows, and established hip arthroscopists a centralized

FPGA based data-flow injection module at 10 Gbit/s reading data from network exported storage and using standard protocols

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lemouzy, B; Garnier, J-C; Neufeld, N

2011-01-01

The goal of the LHCb readout upgrade is to accelerate the DAQ to 40 MHz. Such a DAQ system will certainly employ 10 Gigabit or similar technologies and might also need new networking protocols such as a customized, light-weight TCP or more specialized protocols. A test module is being implemented to be integrated in the existing LHCb infrastructure. It is a multiple 10-Gigabit traffic generator, driven by a Stratix IV FPGA, and flexible enough to generate LHCb's raw data packets. Traffic data are either internally generated or read from external storage via the network. We have implemented a light-weight industry standard protocol ATA over Ethernet (AoE) and we present an outlook of using a file-system on these network-exported disk-drivers.

Automated Planning Enables Complex Protocols on Liquid-Handling Robots.

Science.gov (United States)

Whitehead, Ellis; Rudolf, Fabian; Kaltenbach, Hans-Michael; Stelling, Jörg

2018-03-16

Robotic automation in synthetic biology is especially relevant for liquid handling to facilitate complex experiments. However, research tasks that are not highly standardized are still rarely automated in practice. Two main reasons for this are the substantial investments required to translate molecular biological protocols into robot programs, and the fact that the resulting programs are often too specific to be easily reused and shared. Recent developments of standardized protocols and dedicated programming languages for liquid-handling operations addressed some aspects of ease-of-use and portability of protocols. However, either they focus on simplicity, at the expense of enabling complex protocols, or they entail detailed programming, with corresponding skills and efforts required from the users. To reconcile these trade-offs, we developed Roboliq, a software system that uses artificial intelligence (AI) methods to integrate (i) generic formal, yet intuitive, protocol descriptions, (ii) complete, but usually hidden, programming capabilities, and (iii) user-system interactions to automatically generate executable, optimized robot programs. Roboliq also enables high-level specifications of complex tasks with conditional execution. To demonstrate the system's benefits for experiments that are difficult to perform manually because of their complexity, duration, or time-critical nature, we present three proof-of-principle applications for the reproducible, quantitative characterization of GFP variants.

76 FR 28947 - Bus Testing: Calculation of Average Passenger Weight and Test Vehicle Weight, and Public Meeting...

Science.gov (United States)

2011-05-19

...-0015] RIN 2132-AB01 Bus Testing: Calculation of Average Passenger Weight and Test Vehicle Weight, and... of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) regarding the calculation of average passenger weights and test vehicle... passenger weights and actual transit vehicle loads. Specifically, FTA proposed to change the average...

Weight Training for Wheelchair Sports.

Science.gov (United States)

Practical Pointers, 1978

1978-01-01

The article examines weight lifting training procedures for persons involved in wheelchair sports. Popular myths about weight training are countered, and guidelines for a safe and sound weight or resistance training program are given. Diagrams and descriptions follow for specific weightlifting activities: regular or standing press, military press,…

The value of a rapid contrast-enhanced angio-MRI protocol in the detection of head and neck paragangliomas in SDHx mutations carriers: a retrospective study on behalf of the PGL.EVA investigators*

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gravel, Guillaume; Hernigou, Anne; Niccoli, Patricia; Rohmer, Vincent; Moulin, Guy; Borson-Chazot, Francoise; Rousset, Pascal; Pasco-Papon, Anne; Marcus, Claude; Dubrulle, Frederique; Gouya, Herve; Bidault, Francois; Dupas, Benoit; Gabrillargues, Jean; Caumont-Prim, Aurore; Gimenez-Roqueplo, Anne-Paule; Halimi, Philippe

2016-01-01

To assess the performance of a simplified MRI protocol consisting of a contrast-enhanced three-dimensional MR angiography (CE-MRA) in association with a post-contrast T1-weighted sequence (T1WIV) for the detection of HNPGLs in SDHx mutation carriers. This retrospective sub-study is based on the multicenter PGL.EVA cohort, which prospectively enrolled SDHx mutation carriers from 2005 to 2009; 157 index cases or relatives were included. CE-MRA and the T1WIV images were read solely with knowledge of the clinical data but blind to the diagnosis. Sensitivity, specificity and likelihood ratios for the simplified MRI protocol were compared to the full MRI protocol reading results and to the gold standard status obtained through the consensus of an expert committee. The sensitivity and specificity of the readings of the simplified MRI protocol were, respectively, 88.7 % (95 % CI = 78.1-95.3) and 93.7 % (95 % CI = 86.8-97.7) versus 80.7 % (95 % CI = 68.6-89.6) and 94.7 % (95 % CI = 88.1-98.3) for the readings of the full MRI protocol. The simplified post-contrast MRI with shorter duration (5 to 10 minutes) showed no performance difference compared to the lengthy standard full MRI and can be proposed for the detection of head and neck paragangliomas (HNPGLs) in SDHx mutation carriers. (orig.)

The value of a rapid contrast-enhanced angio-MRI protocol in the detection of head and neck paragangliomas in SDHx mutations carriers: a retrospective study on behalf of the PGL.EVA investigators*

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gravel, Guillaume; Hernigou, Anne [Hopital Europeen Georges Pompidou, Assistance Publique-Hopitaux de Paris, Service de Radiologie, Paris (France); Niccoli, Patricia [Centre Hospitalier Universitaire la Timone, Assistance Publique-Hopitaux de Marseille, Service d' Endocrinologie, Diabete et Maladies Metaboliques, Marseille (France); Rohmer, Vincent [Centre Hospitalier Universitaire d' Angers, Service d' Endocrinologie, Diabetologie, Nutrition, Angers (France); LUNAM Universite, INSERM, U1063, Angers (France); Moulin, Guy [Centre Hospitalier Universitaire la Timone, Assistance Publique-Hopitaux de Marseille, Service de Radiologie, Marseille (France); Borson-Chazot, Francoise [Federation d' Endocrinologie, Hospices civils de Lyon, Groupement Hospitalier Est, Lyon (France); Universite de Lyon, Faculte de Medecine Lyon-Est, Lyon (France); Cancer Research Center of Lyon, INSERM UMR1052, UMR CNRS 5286, Lyon (France); Rousset, Pascal [Hospices civils de Lyon, Groupement Hospitalier Est, Service de Radiologie, Lyon (France); Pasco-Papon, Anne [Centre Hospitalier Universitaire d' Angers, Service de Radiologie, Angers (France); Marcus, Claude [Centre Hospitalo-Universitaire de Reims, Service de Radiologie, Reims (France); Dubrulle, Frederique [Centre Hospitalo-Universitaire de Lille, Service de Radiologie, Lille (France); Gouya, Herve [Hopital Cochin, Assistance Publique-Hopitaux de Paris, Service de Radiologie, Paris (France); Bidault, Francois [Institut Gustave Roussy, Service de Radiologie, Villejuif (France); Dupas, Benoit [Centre Hospitalo-Universitaire de Nantes, Service de Radiologie, Nantes (France); Gabrillargues, Jean [Centre Hospitalo-Universitaire de Clermont-Ferrand, Service de Neuroradiologie, Clermont Ferrand (France); Caumont-Prim, Aurore [Unite d' Epidemiologie et de Recherche Clinique, Assistance Publique-Hopitaux de Paris, Hopital Europeen Georges Pompidou, Paris (France); Centre d' investigation Epidemiologique 4, INSERM, Paris (France); Gimenez-Roqueplo, Anne-Paule [Hopital Europeen Georges Pompidou, Assistance Publique-Hopitaux de Paris, Service de Genetique, Paris (France); Paris Cardiovascular Research Center, INSERM, UMR970, Paris (France); Universite Paris Descartes, Sorbonne Paris Cite, Faculte de Medecine, Paris (France); Halimi, Philippe [Hopital Europeen Georges Pompidou, Assistance Publique-Hopitaux de Paris, Service de Radiologie, Paris (France); Universite Paris Descartes, Sorbonne Paris Cite, Faculte de Medecine, Paris (France)

2016-06-15

To assess the performance of a simplified MRI protocol consisting of a contrast-enhanced three-dimensional MR angiography (CE-MRA) in association with a post-contrast T1-weighted sequence (T1WIV) for the detection of HNPGLs in SDHx mutation carriers. This retrospective sub-study is based on the multicenter PGL.EVA cohort, which prospectively enrolled SDHx mutation carriers from 2005 to 2009; 157 index cases or relatives were included. CE-MRA and the T1WIV images were read solely with knowledge of the clinical data but blind to the diagnosis. Sensitivity, specificity and likelihood ratios for the simplified MRI protocol were compared to the full MRI protocol reading results and to the gold standard status obtained through the consensus of an expert committee. The sensitivity and specificity of the readings of the simplified MRI protocol were, respectively, 88.7 % (95 % CI = 78.1-95.3) and 93.7 % (95 % CI = 86.8-97.7) versus 80.7 % (95 % CI = 68.6-89.6) and 94.7 % (95 % CI = 88.1-98.3) for the readings of the full MRI protocol. The simplified post-contrast MRI with shorter duration (5 to 10 minutes) showed no performance difference compared to the lengthy standard full MRI and can be proposed for the detection of head and neck paragangliomas (HNPGLs) in SDHx mutation carriers. (orig.)

Evaluation of an electronic health record-supported obesity management protocol implemented in a community health center: a cautionary note.

Science.gov (United States)

Steglitz, Jeremy; Sommers, Mary; Talen, Mary R; Thornton, Louise K; Spring, Bonnie

2015-07-01

Primary care clinicians are well-positioned to intervene in the obesity epidemic. We studied whether implementation of an obesity intake protocol and electronic health record (EHR) form to guide behavior modification would facilitate identification and management of adult obesity in a Federally Qualified Health Center serving low-income, Hispanic patients. In three studies, we examined clinician and patient outcomes before and after the addition of the weight management protocol and form. In the Clinician Study, 12 clinicians self-reported obesity management practices. In the Population Study, BMI and order data from 5000 patients and all 40 clinicians in the practice were extracted from the EHR preintervention and postintervention. In the Exposure Study, EHR-documented outcomes for a sub-sample of 46 patients actually exposed to the obesity management form were compared to matched controls. Clinicians reported that the intake protocol and form increased their performance of obesity-related assessments and their confidence in managing obesity. However, no improvement in obesity management practices or patient weight-loss was evident in EHR records for the overall clinic population. Further analysis revealed that only 55 patients were exposed to the form. Exposed patients were twice as likely to receive weight-loss counseling following the intervention, as compared to before, and more likely than matched controls. However, their obesity outcomes did not differ. Results suggest that an obesity intake protocol and EHR-based weight management form may facilitate clinician weight-loss counseling among those exposed to the form. Significant implementation barriers can limit exposure, however, and need to be addressed. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the American Medical Informatics Association. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Oral Lactobacillus Counts Predict Weight Gain Susceptibility

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rosing, Johanne Aviaja; Walker, Karen Christina; Jensen, Benjamin Anderschou Holbech

2017-01-01

Background: Recent studies have shown an association between weight change and the makeup of the intestinal microbiota in humans. Specifically, Lactobacillus, a part of the entire gastrointestinal tract's microbiota, has been shown to contribute to weight regulation. Aim: We examined the associat......Background: Recent studies have shown an association between weight change and the makeup of the intestinal microbiota in humans. Specifically, Lactobacillus, a part of the entire gastrointestinal tract's microbiota, has been shown to contribute to weight regulation. Aim: We examined...

Decellularization of placentas: establishing a protocol

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

L.C.P.C. Leonel

2017-11-01

Full Text Available Biological biomaterials for tissue engineering purposes can be produced through tissue and/or organ decellularization. The remaining extracellular matrix (ECM must be acellular and preserve its proteins and physical features. Placentas are organs of great interest because they are discarded after birth and present large amounts of ECM. Protocols for decellularization are tissue-specific and have not been established for canine placentas yet. This study aimed at analyzing a favorable method for decellularization of maternal and fetal portions of canine placentas. Canine placentas were subjected to ten preliminary tests to analyze the efficacy of parameters such as the type of detergents, freezing temperatures and perfusion. Two protocols were chosen for further analyses using histology, scanning electron microscopy, immunofluorescence and DNA quantification. Sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS was the most effective detergent for cell removal. Freezing placentas before decellularization required longer periods of incubation in different detergents. Both perfusion and immersion methods were capable of removing cells. Placentas decellularized using Protocol I (1% SDS, 5 mM EDTA, 50 mM TRIS, and 0.5% antibiotic preserved the ECM structure better, but Protocol I was less efficient to remove cells and DNA content from the ECM than Protocol II (1% SDS, 5 mM EDTA, 0.05% trypsin, and 0.5% antibiotic.

Radiation dose of cardiac dual-source CT: The effect of tailoring the protocol to patient-specific parameters

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Alkadhi, Hatem; Stolzmann, Paul; Scheffel, Hans; Desbiolles, Lotus; Baumueller, Stephan; Plass, Andre; Genoni, Michele; Marincek, Borut; Leschka, Sebastian

2008-01-01

Objective: To determine the radiation doses and image quality of different dual-source computed tomography coronary angiography (CTCA) protocols tailored to the heart rate (HR) and body mass index (BMI) of the patients. Materials and methods: Two hundred consecutive patients (68 women; mean age 61 ± 9 years) underwent either helical CTCA with retrospective ECG-gating or sequential CT with prospective ECG-triggering: 50 patients (any BMI, any HR) were examined with a standard, non-tailored protocol (helical CTCA, 120 kV, 330 mAs), whereas the other 150 patients were examined with a tailored protocol: 40 patients (group A, BMI ≤ 25 kg/sqm, HR ≤ 70 bpm) with sequential CTCA (100 kV, 190 mAs ref ), 43 patients (group B, BMI ≤ 25 kg/sqm, HR > 70 bpm) with helical CTCA (100 kV, 220 mAs), 28 patients (group C, BMI > 25 kg/sqm, HR ≤ 70 bpm) with sequential CTCA (120 kV, 330 mAs ref ), and 39 patients (group D, BMI > 25 kg/sqm, HR > 70 bpm) with helical CTCA (120 kV, 330 mAs). The effective radiation dose estimates were calculated from the dose-length-product for each patient. Image quality was classified as being diagnostic or non-diagnostic in each coronary segment. Results: Image quality was diagnostic in 2403/2460 (98%) and non-diagnostic in 57/2460 (2%) of all coronary segments. No significant differences in image quality were found among all five CTCA protocols (p = 0.78). The non-tailored helical CTCA protocol was associated with a radiation dose of 9.0 ± 1.0 mSv, being significantly higher compared to that using sequential CTCA (group A: 1.3 ± 0.3 mSv, p 70 bpm (group D: 8.5 ± 0.9 mSv, p = 0.51). Conclusions: Dual-source CTCA is associated with radiation doses ranging between 1.3 and 9.0 mSv, depending on the protocol used. Tailoring of the CTCA protocol to the HR and BMI of the individual patient results in dose reductions of up to 86%, while maintaining a diagnostic image quality of the examination

Neuromuscular fatigue and tibiofemoral joint biomechanics when transitioning from non-weight bearing to weight bearing.

Science.gov (United States)

Schmitz, Randy J; Kim, Hyunsoo; Shultz, Sandra J

2015-01-01

Fatigue is suggested to be a risk factor for anterior cruciate ligament injury. Fatiguing exercise can affect neuromuscular control and laxity of the knee joint, which may render the knee less able to resist externally applied loads. Few authors have examined the effects of fatiguing exercise on knee biomechanics during the in vivo transition of the knee from non-weight bearing to weight bearing, the time when anterior cruciate ligament injury likely occurs. To investigate the effect of fatiguing exercise on tibiofemoral joint biomechanics during the transition from non-weight bearing to early weight bearing. Cross-sectional study. Research laboratory. Ten participants (5 men and 5 women; age = 25.3 ± 4.0 years) with no previous history of knee-ligament injury to the dominant leg. Participants were tested before (preexercise) and after (postexercise) a protocol consisting of repeated leg presses (15 repetitions from 10°-40° of knee flexion, 10 seconds' rest) against a 60% body-weight load until they were unable to complete a full bout of repetitions. Electromagnetic sensors measured anterior tibial translation and knee-flexion excursion during the application of a 40% body-weight axial compressive load to the bottom of the foot, simulating weight acceptance. A force transducer recorded axial compressive force. The axial compressive force (351.8 ± 44.3 N versus 374.0 ± 47.9 N; P = .018), knee-flexion excursion (8.0° ± 4.0° versus 10.2° ± 3.7°; P = .046), and anterior tibial translation (6.7 ± 1.7 mm versus 8.2 ± 1.9 mm; P Neuromuscular fatigue may impair initial knee-joint stabilization during weight acceptance, leading to greater accessory motion at the knee and the potential for greater anterior cruciate ligament loading.

LHCb: FPGA based data-flow injection module at 10 Gbit/s reading data from network exported storage and using standard protocols

CERN Multimedia

Lemouzy, B; Garnier, J-C

2010-01-01

The goal of the LHCb readout upgrade is to speed up the DAQ to 40 MHz. Such a DAQ system will certainly employ 10 Gigabit or similar technologies and might also need new networking protocols such as a customized, light-weight TCP or more specialised protocols. A test module is being implemented, which integrates in the existing LHCb infrastructure. It is a multiple 10-Gigabit traffic generator, driven by a Stratix IV FPGA, which is flexibile enough to either generate LHCb's raw data packets internally or read them from external storage via the network. For reading the data we have implemented a light-weight industry standard protocol ATA over Ethernet (AoE) and we present an outlook of using a filesystem on these network-exported disk-drivers.

Changes in weight control behaviors and hedonic hunger during a 12-week commercial weight loss program.

Science.gov (United States)

O'Neil, Patrick M; Theim, Kelly R; Boeka, Abbe; Johnson, Gail; Miller-Kovach, Karen

2012-12-01

Greater use of key self-regulatory behaviors (e.g., self-monitoring of food intake and weight) is associated with greater weight loss within behavioral weight loss treatments, although this association is less established within widely-available commercial weight loss programs. Further, high hedonic hunger (i.e., susceptibility to environmental food cues) may present a barrier to successful behavior change and weight loss, although this has not yet been examined. Adult men and women (N=111, body mass index M±SD=31.5±2.7kg/m(2)) were assessed before and after participating in a 12-week commercial weight loss program. From pre- to post-treatment, reported usage of weight control behaviors improved and hedonic hunger decreased, and these changes were inversely associated. A decrease in hedonic hunger was associated with better weight loss. An improvement in reported weight control behaviors (e.g., self-regulatory behaviors) was associated with better weight loss, and this association was even stronger among individuals with high baseline hedonic hunger. Findings highlight the importance of specific self-regulatory behaviors within weight loss treatment, including a commercial weight loss program developed for widespread community implementation. Assessment of weight control behavioral skills usage and hedonic hunger may be useful to further identify mediators of weight loss within commercial weight loss programs. Future interventions might specifically target high hedonic hunger and prospectively examine changes in hedonic hunger during other types of weight loss treatment to inform its potential impact on sustained behavior change and weight control. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Variability of United States Online Rehabilitation Protocols for Proximal Hamstring Tendon Repair.

Science.gov (United States)

Lightsey, Harry M; Kantrowitz, David E; Swindell, Hasani W; Trofa, David P; Ahmad, Christopher S; Lynch, T Sean

2018-02-01

The optimal postoperative rehabilitation protocol following repair of complete proximal hamstring tendon ruptures is the subject of ongoing investigation, with a need for more standardized regimens and evidence-based modalities. To assess the variability across proximal hamstring tendon repair rehabilitation protocols published online by United States (US) orthopaedic teaching programs. Cross-sectional study. Online proximal hamstring physical therapy protocols from US academic orthopaedic programs were reviewed. A web-based search using the search term complete proximal hamstring repair rehabilitation protocol provided an additional 14 protocols. A comprehensive scoring rubric was developed after review of all protocols and was used to assess each protocol for both the presence of various rehabilitation components and the point at which those components were introduced. Of 50 rehabilitation protocols identified, 35 satisfied inclusion criteria and were analyzed. Twenty-five protocols (71%) recommended immediate postoperative bracing: 12 (34%) prescribed knee bracing, 8 (23%) prescribed hip bracing, and 5 (14%) did not specify the type of brace recommended. Fourteen protocols (40%) advised immediate nonweightbearing with crutches, while 16 protocols (46%) permitted immediate toe-touch weightbearing. Advancement to full weightbearing was allowed at a mean of 7.1 weeks (range, 4-12 weeks). Most protocols (80%) recommended gentle knee and hip passive range of motion and active range of motion, starting at a mean 1.4 weeks (range, 0-3 weeks) and 4.0 weeks (range, 0-6 weeks), respectively. However, only 6 protocols (17%) provided specific time points to initiate full hip and knee range of motion: a mean 8.0 weeks (range, 4-12 weeks) and 7.8 weeks (range, 0-12 weeks), respectively. Considerable variability was noted in the inclusion and timing of strengthening, stretching, proprioception, and cardiovascular exercises. Fifteen protocols (43%) required completion of

Ocean Optics Protocols for Satellite Ocean Color Sensor Validation, Revision 4, Volume IV: Inherent Optical Properties: Instruments, Characterizations, Field Measurements and Data Analysis Protocols

Science.gov (United States)

Mueller, J. L.; Fargion, G. S.; McClain, C. R. (Editor); Pegau, S.; Zanefeld, J. R. V.; Mitchell, B. G.; Kahru, M.; Wieland, J.; Stramska, M.

2003-01-01

This document stipulates protocols for measuring bio-optical and radiometric data for the Sensor Intercomparision and Merger for Biological and Interdisciplinary Oceanic Studies (SIMBIOS) Project activities and algorithm development. The document is organized into 6 separate volumes as Ocean Optics Protocols for Satellite Ocean Color Sensor Validation, Revision 4. Volume I: Introduction, Background, and Conventions; Volume II: Instrument Specifications, Characterization and Calibration; Volume III: Radiometric Measurements and Data Analysis Methods; Volume IV: Inherent Optical Properties: Instruments, Characterization, Field Measurements and Data Analysis Protocols; Volume V: Biogeochemical and Bio-Optical Measurements and Data Analysis Methods; Volume VI: Special Topics in Ocean Optics Protocols and Appendices. The earlier version of Ocean Optics Protocols for Satellite Ocean Color Sensor Validation, Revision 3 is entirely superseded by the six volumes of Revision 4 listed above.

Pre-pregnancy BMI-specific optimal gestational weight gain for women in Japan

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Naho Morisaki

2017-09-01

Full Text Available Background: The Institute of Medicine (IOM guidelines are the most widely used guidelines on gestational weight gain; however, accumulation of evidence that body composition in Asians differs from other races has brought concern regarding whether their direct application is appropriate. We aimed to study to what extent optimal gestational weight gain among women in Japan differs by pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI and to compare estimated optimal gestational weight gain to current Japanese and Institute of Medicine (IOM recommendations. Methods: We retrospectively studied 104,070 singleton pregnancies among nulliparous women in 2005–2011 using the Japanese national perinatal network database. In five pre-pregnancy BMI sub-groups (17.0–18.4, 18.5–19.9, 20–22.9, 23–24.9, and 25–27.4 kg/m2, we estimated the association of the rate of gestational weight gain with pregnancy outcomes (fetal growth, preterm delivery, and delivery complications using multivariate regression. Results: Weight gain rate associated with the lowest risk of adverse outcomes decreased with increasing BMI (12.2 kg, 10.9 kg, 9.9 kg, 7.7 kg, and 4.3 kg/40 weeks for the five BMI categories as described above, respectively. Current Japanese guidelines were lower than optimal gains, with the lowest risk of adverse outcomes for women with BMI below 18.5 kg/m2, and current IOM recommendations were higher than optimal gains for women with BMI over 23 kg/m2. Conclusion: Optimal weight gain during pregnancy varies largely by pre-pregnancy BMI, and defining those with BMI over 23 kg/m2 as overweight, as proposed by the World Health Organization, may be useful when applying current IOM recommendations to Japanese guidelines.

Pre-pregnancy BMI-specific optimal gestational weight gain for women in Japan.

Science.gov (United States)

Morisaki, Naho; Nagata, Chie; Jwa, Seung Chik; Sago, Haruhiko; Saito, Shigeru; Oken, Emily; Fujiwara, Takeo

2017-10-01

The Institute of Medicine (IOM) guidelines are the most widely used guidelines on gestational weight gain; however, accumulation of evidence that body composition in Asians differs from other races has brought concern regarding whether their direct application is appropriate. We aimed to study to what extent optimal gestational weight gain among women in Japan differs by pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI) and to compare estimated optimal gestational weight gain to current Japanese and Institute of Medicine (IOM) recommendations. We retrospectively studied 104,070 singleton pregnancies among nulliparous women in 2005-2011 using the Japanese national perinatal network database. In five pre-pregnancy BMI sub-groups (17.0-18.4, 18.5-19.9, 20-22.9, 23-24.9, and 25-27.4 kg/m 2 ), we estimated the association of the rate of gestational weight gain with pregnancy outcomes (fetal growth, preterm delivery, and delivery complications) using multivariate regression. Weight gain rate associated with the lowest risk of adverse outcomes decreased with increasing BMI (12.2 kg, 10.9 kg, 9.9 kg, 7.7 kg, and 4.3 kg/40 weeks) for the five BMI categories as described above, respectively. Current Japanese guidelines were lower than optimal gains, with the lowest risk of adverse outcomes for women with BMI below 18.5 kg/m 2 , and current IOM recommendations were higher than optimal gains for women with BMI over 23 kg/m 2 . Optimal weight gain during pregnancy varies largely by pre-pregnancy BMI, and defining those with BMI over 23 kg/m 2 as overweight, as proposed by the World Health Organization, may be useful when applying current IOM recommendations to Japanese guidelines. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Production and hosting by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A mechanical protocol to replicate impact in walking footwear.

Science.gov (United States)

Price, Carina; Cooper, Glen; Graham-Smith, Philip; Jones, Richard

2014-01-01

Impact testing is undertaken to quantify the shock absorption characteristics of footwear. The current widely reported mechanical testing method mimics the heel impact in running and therefore applies excessive energy to walking footwear. The purpose of this study was to modify the ASTM protocol F1614 (Procedure A) to better represent walking gait. This was achieved by collecting kinematic and kinetic data while participants walked in four different styles of walking footwear (trainer, oxford shoe, flip-flop and triple-density sandal). The quantified heel-velocity and effective mass at ground-impact were then replicated in a mechanical protocol. The kinematic data identified different impact characteristics in the footwear styles. Significantly faster heel velocity towards the floor was recorded walking in the toe-post sandals (flip-flop and triple-density sandal) compared with other conditions (e.g. flip-flop: 0.36±0.05 ms(-1) versus trainer: 0.18±0.06 ms(-1)). The mechanical protocol was adapted by altering the mass and drop height specific to the data captured for each shoe (e.g. flip-flop: drop height 7 mm, mass 16.2 kg). As expected, the adapted mechanical protocol produced significantly lower peak force and accelerometer values than the ASTM protocol (pfootwear style specific. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Chapter 2: Commercial and Industrial Lighting Evaluation Protocol. The Uniform Methods Project: Methods for Determining Energy Efficiency Savings for Specific Measures

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kurnik, Charles W [National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Gowans, Dakers [Left Fork Energy, Harrison, NY (United States); Telarico, Chad [DNV GL, Mahwah, NJ (United States)

2017-11-02

The Commercial and Industrial Lighting Evaluation Protocol (the protocol) describes methods to account for gross energy savings resulting from the programmatic installation of efficient lighting equipment in large populations of commercial, industrial, and other nonresidential facilities. This protocol does not address savings resulting from changes in codes and standards, or from education and training activities. A separate Uniform Methods Project (UMP) protocol, Chapter 3: Commercial and Industrial Lighting Controls Evaluation Protocol, addresses methods for evaluating savings resulting from lighting control measures such as adding time clocks, tuning energy management system commands, and adding occupancy sensors.

Neuroimaging in dementia and Alzheimer's disease: Current protocols and practice in the Republic of Ireland

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kelly, I.; Butler, M.-L.; Ciblis, A.; McNulty, J.P.

2016-01-01

Introduction: Neuroimaging plays an essential supportive role in the diagnosis of dementia, assisting in establishing the dementia subtype(s). This has significant value in both treatment and care decisions and has important implications for prognosis. This study aims to explore the development and nature of neuroimaging protocols currently used in the assessment of dementia and Alzheimer's disease (AD). Methods: An online questionnaire was designed and distributed to lead radiography personnel working in computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and positron emission tomography (PET) departments (n = 94) in both hospital-based and out-patient imaging centres in the Republic of Ireland. Results: Response rates for each modality ranged from 42 to 44%. CT, MRI, and PET were used to specifically diagnose dementia or AD by 43%, 40% and 50% of responding centres respectively. Of these, dementia-specific neuroimaging protocols were utilised in 33%, 50% and 100% of CT, MRI and PET centres respectively, with the remainder using either standard or other non-specific protocols. Both radiologists and clinical specialist radiographers participated in the development of the majority of protocols. The Royal College of Radiologists (RCR) guidelines were most commonly referenced as informing protocol development, however, none of the MRI respondents were able to identify any guidelines used to inform MR protocol development. Conclusion: Currently there is no consensus in Ireland on optimal dementia/AD neuroimaging protocols, particularly for PET and MRI. Similarly the use of validated and published guidelines to inform protocols is not universal. - Highlights: • We examined the nature of neuroimaging protocols for dementia and Alzheimer's disease in Ireland. • Dementia or Alzheimer's disease-specific protocols were used by between 33 and 100% of centres depending on modality. • Stated dementia-specific protocols were identical for CT whereas

Controlled Delegation Protocol in Mobile RFID Networks

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yang MingHour

2010-01-01

Full Text Available To achieve off-line delegation for mobile readers, we propose a delegation protocol for mobile RFID allowing its readers access to specific tags through back-end server. That is to say, reader-tag mutual authentication can be performed without readers being connected to back-end server. Readers are also allowed off-line access to tags' data. Compared with other delegation protocols, our scheme uniquely enables back-end server to limit each reader's reading times during delegation. Even in a multireader situation, our protocol can limit reading times and reading time periods for each of them and therefore makes back-end server's delegation more flexible. Besides, our protocol can prevent authorized readers from transferring their authority to the unauthorized, declining invalid access to tags. Our scheme is proved viable and secure with GNY logic; it is against certain security threats, such as replay attacks, denial of service (DoS attacks, Man-in-the-Middle attacks, counterfeit tags, and breaches of location and data privacy. Also, the performance analysis of our protocol proves that current tags can afford the computation load required in this scheme.

Parents as Agents of Change (PAC in pediatric weight management: The protocol for the PAC randomized clinical trial

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ball Geoff D C

2012-08-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background There is an urgent need to develop and evaluate weight management interventions to address childhood obesity. Recent research suggests that interventions designed for parents exclusively, which have been named parents as agents of change (PAC approaches, have yielded positive outcomes for managing pediatric obesity. To date, no research has combined a PAC intervention approach with cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT to examine whether these combined elements enhance intervention effectiveness. This paper describes the protocol our team is using to examine two PAC-based interventions for pediatric weight management. We hypothesize that children with obesity whose parents complete a CBT-based PAC intervention will achieve greater reductions in adiposity and improvements in cardiometabolic risk factors, lifestyle behaviours, and psychosocial outcomes than children whose parents complete a psycho-education-based PAC intervention (PEP. Methods/Design This study is a pragmatic, two-armed, parallel, single-blinded, superiority, randomized clinical trial. The primary objective is to examine the differential effects of a CBT-based PAC vs PEP-based PAC intervention on children’s BMI z-score (primary outcome. Secondary objectives are to assess intervention-mediated changes in cardiometabolic, lifestyle, and psychosocial variables in children and parents. Both interventions are similar in frequency of contact, session duration, group facilitation, lifestyle behaviour goals, and educational content. However, the interventions differ insofar as the CBT-based intervention incorporates theory-based concepts to help parents link their thoughts, feelings, and behaviours; these cognitive activities are enabled by group leaders who possess formal training in CBT. Mothers and fathers of children (8–12 years of age; BMI ≥85th percentile are eligible to participate if they are proficient in English (written and spoken and agree for at least

Towards a Light-weight Bag-of-tasks Grid Architecture

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

I. Bašičević

2015-06-01

Full Text Available The paper presents the application of SIP protocol in the context of bag-of-tasks grid architecture. The SIP protocol has been used in the realization of the execution management service. The main idea is the use of stateful SIP proxy as a request broker. The paper provides a description of the concept, and the prototype system that has been built, as well as the calculation of estimated performance level and its relation to maximum RTT of grid system. The main advantage of this light-weight grid architecture is the reuse of a mature infrastructure. A short overview of some approaches to the mathematical modeling of computer grids is included.

OPM Scheme Editor 2: A graphical editor for specifying object-protocol structures

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chen, I-Min A.; Markowitz, V.M.; Pang, F.; Ben-Shachar, O.

1993-07-01

This document describes an X-window based Schema Editor for the Object-Protocol Model (OPM). OPM is a data model that supports the specification of complex object and protocol classes. objects and protocols are qualified in OPM by attributes that are defined over (associated with) value classes. Connections of object and protocol classes are expressed in OPM via attributes. OPM supports the specification (expansion) of protocols in terms of alternative and sequences of component (sub) protocols. The OPM Schema Editor allows specifying, displaying, modifying, and browsing through OPM schemas. The OPM Schema Editor generates an output file that can be used as input to an OPM schema translation tool that maps OPM schemas into definitions for relational database management systems. The OPM Schema Editor was implemented using C++ and the X11 based Motif toolkit, on Sun SPARCstation under Sun Unix OS 4.1. This document consists of the following parts: (1) A tutorial consisting of seven introductory lessons for the OPM Schema Editor. (2) A reference manual describing all the windows and functions of the OPM Schema Editor. (3) An appendix with an overview of OPM.

Automatic Generation of Network Protocol Gateways

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bromberg, Yérom-David; Réveillère, Laurent; Lawall, Julia

2009-01-01

for describing protocol behaviors, message structures, and the gateway logic.  Z2z includes a compiler that checks essential correctness properties and produces efficient code. We have used z2z to develop a number of gateways, including SIP to RTSP, SLP to UPnP, and SMTP to SMTP via HTTP, involving a range......The emergence of networked devices in the home has made it possible to develop applications that control a variety of household functions. However, current devices communicate via a multitude of incompatible protocols, and thus gateways are needed to translate between them.  Gateway construction......, however, requires an intimate knowledge of the relevant protocols and a substantial understanding of low-level network programming, which can be a challenge for many application programmers. This paper presents a generative approach to gateway construction, z2z, based on a domain-specific language...

A 4D Digital Phantom for Patient-Specific Simulation of Brain CT Perfusion Protocols

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Boom, R. van den; Manniesing, R.; Oei, M.T.H.; Woude, W.J. van der; Smit, E.J.; Laue, H.O.A.; Ginneken, B. van; Prokop, M.

2014-01-01

Purpose Optimizing CT brain perfusion protocols is a challenge because of the complex interaction between image acquisition, calculation of perfusion data and patient hemodynamics. Several digital phantoms have been developed to avoid unnecessary patient exposure or suboptimum choice of parameters.

Fluid resuscitation for major burn patients with the TMMU protocol.

Science.gov (United States)

Luo, Gaoxing; Peng, Yizhi; Yuan, Zhiqiang; Cheng, Wenguang; Wu, Jun; Tang, Jin; Huang, Yuesheng; Fitzgerald, Mark

2009-12-01

Fluid resuscitation is one of the critical treatments for the major burn patient in the early phases after injury. We evaluated the practice of fluid resuscitation for severely burned patients with the Third Military Medical University (TMMU) protocol, which is most widely used in many regions of China. Patients with major burns (>30% total body surface area (TBSA)) presenting to Southwest Hospital, Third Military Medical University, between January 2005 and October 2007, were included in this study. Fluid resuscitation was initiated by the TMMU protocol. A total of 71 patients were (46 adults and 25 children) included in this study. All patients survived the first 48 h after injury smoothly and none developed abdominal compartment syndrome or other recognised complications associated with fluid resuscitation. The average quantity of fluid infused was 3.3-61.33% more than that calculated based on the TMMU protocol in both adult and paediatric groups. The average urine output during the first 24h after injury was about 1.2 ml per kg body weight per hour in the two groups, but reached 1.2 ml and 1.7 ml during the second 24h in adult and pediatric groups, respectively. This study indicates that the TMMU protocol for fluid resuscitation is a feasible option for burn patients. Individualised resuscitation - guided by the physiological response to fluid administration - is still important as in other protocols.

Implementation of a quality control protocol in a radiotherapy planning system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Condori, P.; Paucar, R.

2004-01-01

Due to the impossibility of each particular case analysis and taking as example the spanish protocol (Under revision), necessary tests have been performed for the verification of the calculations for the Multidata planning system, including: calculation algorithms, reconstruction of the rectangular beams, light modulators, irregular fields, fields summation, weights, normalization, prescription and calculation of UM, for the teletherapy planning

Gestational weight gain among minority adolescents predicts term birth weight.

Science.gov (United States)

Ekambaram, Maheswari; Irigoyen, Matilde; DeFreitas, Johelin; Rajbhandari, Sharina; Geaney, Jessica Lynn; Braitman, Leonard Edward

2018-03-07

In adolescents, there is limited evidence on the independent and additive effect of prepregnancy body mass index (BMI) and gestational weight gain on infant birth weight. Data also show that this effect may vary by race. We sought to examine the impact of maternal prepregnancy BMI and gestational weight gain on birth weight and risk of large for gestational age (LGA) in term newborns of minority adolescent mothers. This was a retrospective cohort study of 411 singleton live term infants born to mothers ≤ 18 years. Data were abstracted from electronic medical records. Gestational weight gain was related to infant birth weight (ρ = 0.36, P gain, gestational age and Hispanic ethnicity were independent predictors of birth weight, controlling for maternal age, BMI, parity, tobacco/drug use and preeclampsia. The probability of having an LGA infant increased with weight gain [adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 1.14, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.07-1.21] but not with BMI. Mothers who gained weight in excess of 2009 Institute of Medicine (IOM) recommendations had a greater risk of having an LGA infant compared to those who gained within recommendations (aOR 5.7, 95% CI 1.6-19.5). Minority adolescents with greater gestational weight gain had infants with higher birth weight and greater risk of LGA; BMI was not associated with either outcome. Further studies are needed to examine the applicability of the 2009 BMI-specific IOM gestational weight gain recommendations to adolescents in minority populations.

Systematic Review Protocol for the IRIS Chloroform Assessment (Inhalation) (Preliminary Assessment Materials)

Science.gov (United States)

In January 2018, EPA released the Systematic Review Protocol for the IRIS Chloroform Assessment (Inhalation). As part of developing a draft IRIS assessment, EPA presents a methods document, referred to as the protocol, for conducting a chemical-specific systematic revie...

Prediction of disease-related genes based on weighted tissue-specific networks by using DNA methylation.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Min; Zhang, Jiayi; Liu, Qing; Wang, Jianxin; Wu, Fang-Xiang

2014-01-01

Predicting disease-related genes is one of the most important tasks in bioinformatics and systems biology. With the advances in high-throughput techniques, a large number of protein-protein interactions are available, which make it possible to identify disease-related genes at the network level. However, network-based identification of disease-related genes is still a challenge as the considerable false-positives are still existed in the current available protein interaction networks (PIN). Considering the fact that the majority of genetic disorders tend to manifest only in a single or a few tissues, we constructed tissue-specific networks (TSN) by integrating PIN and tissue-specific data. We further weighed the constructed tissue-specific network (WTSN) by using DNA methylation as it plays an irreplaceable role in the development of complex diseases. A PageRank-based method was developed to identify disease-related genes from the constructed networks. To validate the effectiveness of the proposed method, we constructed PIN, weighted PIN (WPIN), TSN, WTSN for colon cancer and leukemia, respectively. The experimental results on colon cancer and leukemia show that the combination of tissue-specific data and DNA methylation can help to identify disease-related genes more accurately. Moreover, the PageRank-based method was effective to predict disease-related genes on the case studies of colon cancer and leukemia. Tissue-specific data and DNA methylation are two important factors to the study of human diseases. The same method implemented on the WTSN can achieve better results compared to those being implemented on original PIN, WPIN, or TSN. The PageRank-based method outperforms degree centrality-based method for identifying disease-related genes from WTSN.

Acoustic-noise-optimized diffusion-weighted imaging.

Science.gov (United States)

Ott, Martin; Blaimer, Martin; Grodzki, David M; Breuer, Felix A; Roesch, Julie; Dörfler, Arnd; Heismann, Björn; Jakob, Peter M

2015-12-01

This work was aimed at reducing acoustic noise in diffusion-weighted MR imaging (DWI) that might reach acoustic noise levels of over 100 dB(A) in clinical practice. A diffusion-weighted readout-segmented echo-planar imaging (EPI) sequence was optimized for acoustic noise by utilizing small readout segment widths to obtain low gradient slew rates and amplitudes instead of faster k-space coverage. In addition, all other gradients were optimized for low slew rates. Volunteer and patient imaging experiments were conducted to demonstrate the feasibility of the method. Acoustic noise measurements were performed and analyzed for four different DWI measurement protocols at 1.5T and 3T. An acoustic noise reduction of up to 20 dB(A) was achieved, which corresponds to a fourfold reduction in acoustic perception. The image quality was preserved at the level of a standard single-shot (ss)-EPI sequence, with a 27-54% increase in scan time. The diffusion-weighted imaging technique proposed in this study allowed a substantial reduction in the level of acoustic noise compared to standard single-shot diffusion-weighted EPI. This is expected to afford considerably more patient comfort, but a larger study would be necessary to fully characterize the subjective changes in patient experience.

The evaluation of an analytical protocol for the determination of substances in waste for hazard classification.

Science.gov (United States)

Hennebert, Pierre; Papin, Arnaud; Padox, Jean-Marie; Hasebrouck, Benoît

2013-07-01

The classification of waste as hazardous could soon be assessed in Europe using largely the hazard properties of its constituents, according to the the Classification, Labelling and Packaging (CLP) regulation. Comprehensive knowledge of the component constituents of a given waste will therefore be necessary. An analytical protocol for determining waste composition is proposed, which includes using inductively coupled plasma (ICP) screening methods to identify major elements and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC-MS) screening techniques to measure organic compounds. The method includes a gross or indicator measure of 'pools' of higher molecular weight organic substances that are taken to be less bioactive and less hazardous, and of unresolved 'mass' during the chromatography of volatile and semi-volatile compounds. The concentration of some elements and specific compounds that are linked to specific hazard properties and are subject to specific regulation (examples include: heavy metals, chromium(VI), cyanides, organo-halogens, and PCBs) are determined by classical quantitative analysis. To check the consistency of the analysis, the sum of the concentrations (including unresolved 'pools') should give a mass balance between 90% and 110%. Thirty-two laboratory samples comprising different industrial wastes (liquids and solids) were tested by two routine service laboratories, to give circa 7000 parameter results. Despite discrepancies in some parameters, a satisfactory sum of estimated or measured concentrations (analytical balance) of 90% was reached for 20 samples (63% of the overall total) during this first test exercise, with identified reasons for most of the unsatisfactory results. Regular use of this protocol (which is now included in the French legislation) has enabled service laboratories to reach a 90% mass balance for nearly all the solid samples tested, and most of liquid samples (difficulties were caused in some samples from polymers in solution and

Variability of United States Online Rehabilitation Protocols for Proximal Hamstring Tendon Repair

Science.gov (United States)

Lightsey, Harry M.; Kantrowitz, David E.; Swindell, Hasani W.; Trofa, David P.; Ahmad, Christopher S.; Lynch, T. Sean

2018-01-01

Background: The optimal postoperative rehabilitation protocol following repair of complete proximal hamstring tendon ruptures is the subject of ongoing investigation, with a need for more standardized regimens and evidence-based modalities. Purpose: To assess the variability across proximal hamstring tendon repair rehabilitation protocols published online by United States (US) orthopaedic teaching programs. Study Design: Cross-sectional study. Methods: Online proximal hamstring physical therapy protocols from US academic orthopaedic programs were reviewed. A web-based search using the search term complete proximal hamstring repair rehabilitation protocol provided an additional 14 protocols. A comprehensive scoring rubric was developed after review of all protocols and was used to assess each protocol for both the presence of various rehabilitation components and the point at which those components were introduced. Results: Of 50 rehabilitation protocols identified, 35 satisfied inclusion criteria and were analyzed. Twenty-five protocols (71%) recommended immediate postoperative bracing: 12 (34%) prescribed knee bracing, 8 (23%) prescribed hip bracing, and 5 (14%) did not specify the type of brace recommended. Fourteen protocols (40%) advised immediate nonweightbearing with crutches, while 16 protocols (46%) permitted immediate toe-touch weightbearing. Advancement to full weightbearing was allowed at a mean of 7.1 weeks (range, 4-12 weeks). Most protocols (80%) recommended gentle knee and hip passive range of motion and active range of motion, starting at a mean 1.4 weeks (range, 0-3 weeks) and 4.0 weeks (range, 0-6 weeks), respectively. However, only 6 protocols (17%) provided specific time points to initiate full hip and knee range of motion: a mean 8.0 weeks (range, 4-12 weeks) and 7.8 weeks (range, 0-12 weeks), respectively. Considerable variability was noted in the inclusion and timing of strengthening, stretching, proprioception, and cardiovascular exercises

A novel immuno-gold labeling protocol for nanobody-based detection of HER2 in breast cancer cells using immuno-electron microscopy.

Science.gov (United States)

Kijanka, M; van Donselaar, E G; Müller, W H; Dorresteijn, B; Popov-Čeleketić, D; El Khattabi, M; Verrips, C T; van Bergen En Henegouwen, P M P; Post, J A

2017-07-01

Immuno-electron microscopy is commonly performed with the use of antibodies. In the last decade the antibody fragment indicated as nanobody (VHH or single domain antibody) has found its way to different applications previously done with conventional antibodies. Nanobodies can be selected to bind with high affinity and specificity to different antigens. They are small (molecular weight ca. 15kDa) and are usually easy to produce in microorganisms. Here we have evaluated the feasibility of a nanobody binding to HER2 for application in immuno-electron microscopy. To obtain highest labeling efficiency combined with optimal specificity, different labeling conditions were analysed, which included nanobody concentration, fixation and blocking conditions. The obtained optimal protocol was applied for post-embedment labeling of Tokuyasu cryosections and for pre-embedment labeling of HER2 for fluorescence microscopy and both transmission and scanning electron microscopy. We show that formaldehyde fixation after incubation with the anti-HER2 nanobody, improves labeling intensity. Among all tested blocking agents the best results were obtained with a mixture of cold water fish gelatine and acetylated bovine serum albumin, which prevented a-specific interactions causing background labeling while preserving specific interactions at the same time. In conclusion, we have developed a nanobody-based protocol for immuno-gold labeling of HER2 for Tokuyasu cryosections in TEM as well as for pre-embedment gold labeling of cells for both TEM and SEM. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Model-Checking Web Services Business Activity Protocols

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Marques, Abinoam P.; Ravn, Anders Peter; Srba, Jiri

2013-01-01

Web Services Business Activity specification defines two coordination protocols BAwCC (Business Agreement with Coordination Completion) and BAwPC (Business Agreement with Participant Completion)that ensure a consistent agreement on the outcome of long-running distributed applications. In order...

Chapter 15: Commercial New Construction Evaluation Protocol. The Uniform Methods Project: Methods for Determining Energy Efficiency Savings for Specific Measures

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kurnik, Charles W. [National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Keates, Steven [ADM Associates, Inc., Atlanta, GA (United States)

2017-10-09

This protocol is intended to describe the recommended method when evaluating the whole-building performance of new construction projects in the commercial sector. The protocol focuses on energy conservation measures (ECMs) or packages of measures where evaluators can analyze impacts using building simulation. These ECMs typically require the use of calibrated building simulations under Option D of the International Performance Measurement and Verification Protocol (IPMVP).

Adoption of the children's obesity clinic's treatment (TCOCT) protocol into another Danish pediatric obesity treatment clinic

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Most, Sebastian W; Højgaard, Birgitte; Teilmann, Grete Katrine

2015-01-01

BACKGROUND: Treating severe childhood obesity has proven difficult with inconsistent treatment results. This study reports the results of the implementation of a childhood obesity chronic care treatment protocol. METHODS: Patients aged 5 to 18 years with a body mass index (BMI) above the 99th......, but independent of baseline BMI SDS, age, co-morbidity, SES, pubertal stage, place of referral, hours of treatment per year, and mean visit interval time. CONCLUSIONS: The systematic use of the TCOCT protocol reduced the degree of childhood obesity with acceptable retention rates with a modest time...... percentile for sex and age were eligible for inclusion. At baseline patients' height, weight, and tanner stages were measured, as well as parents' socioeconomic status (SES) and family structure. Parental weight and height were self-reported. An individualised treatment plan including numerous advices...

Guidelines for Inclusion of Patient-Reported Outcomes in Clinical Trial Protocols: The SPIRIT-PRO Extension.

Science.gov (United States)

Calvert, Melanie; Kyte, Derek; Mercieca-Bebber, Rebecca; Slade, Anita; Chan, An-Wen; King, Madeleine T; Hunn, Amanda; Bottomley, Andrew; Regnault, Antoine; Chan, An-Wen; Ells, Carolyn; O'Connor, Daniel; Revicki, Dennis; Patrick, Donald; Altman, Doug; Basch, Ethan; Velikova, Galina; Price, Gary; Draper, Heather; Blazeby, Jane; Scott, Jane; Coast, Joanna; Norquist, Josephine; Brown, Julia; Haywood, Kirstie; Johnson, Laura Lee; Campbell, Lisa; Frank, Lori; von Hildebrand, Maria; Brundage, Michael; Palmer, Michael; Kluetz, Paul; Stephens, Richard; Golub, Robert M; Mitchell, Sandra; Groves, Trish

2018-02-06

Patient-reported outcome (PRO) data from clinical trials can provide valuable evidence to inform shared decision making, labeling claims, clinical guidelines, and health policy; however, the PRO content of clinical trial protocols is often suboptimal. The SPIRIT (Standard Protocol Items: Recommendations for Interventional Trials) statement was published in 2013 and aims to improve the completeness of trial protocols by providing evidence-based recommendations for the minimum set of items to be addressed, but it does not provide PRO-specific guidance. To develop international, consensus-based, PRO-specific protocol guidance (the SPIRIT-PRO Extension). The SPIRIT-PRO Extension was developed following the Enhancing Quality and Transparency of Health Research (EQUATOR) Network's methodological framework for guideline development. This included (1) a systematic review of existing PRO-specific protocol guidance to generate a list of potential PRO-specific protocol items (published in 2014); (2) refinements to the list and removal of duplicate items by the International Society for Quality of Life Research (ISOQOL) Protocol Checklist Taskforce; (3) an international stakeholder survey of clinical trial research personnel, PRO methodologists, health economists, psychometricians, patient advocates, funders, industry representatives, journal editors, policy makers, ethicists, and researchers responsible for evidence synthesis (distributed by 38 international partner organizations in October 2016); (4) an international Delphi exercise (n = 137 invited; October 2016 to February 2017); and (5) consensus meeting (n = 30 invited; May 2017). Prior to voting, consensus meeting participants were informed of the results of the Delphi exercise and given data from structured reviews evaluating the PRO protocol content of 3 defined samples of trial protocols. The systematic review identified 162 PRO-specific protocol recommendations from 54 sources. The ISOQOL Taskforce (n�

Diffusion-weighted MRI of kidneys in healthy volunteers and living kidney donors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sulkowska, K.; Palczewski, P.; Duda-Zysk, A.; Szeszkowski, W.; Wojcik, D.; Kownacka-Piotrowska, D.; Gołebiowski, M.

2015-01-01

Aim: To establish the normal apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values in healthy kidneys, comparing them with the literature, and assessing the correlation between ADC values, creatinine blood level, and glomerular filtration rate (GFR). Materials and methods: Twenty-four healthy volunteers and 26 living kidney donors were examined on a 1.5 T magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) unit. Two diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) sequences were included in the study protocol (protocol 1 with 16 b-values, protocol 2 with 10 b-values) before the examination blood and urine samples were collected. The GFR was calculated using Cockcroft & Gault and MDRD (Modification of Diet In Renal Disease) formulas and the ADC values were measured separately for the cortex and medulla of each kidney by two independent observers. All statistical analyses were performed using the STATISTICA (version 10.0) software package. Data were analysed using an unpaired t-test; p<0.05 indicated a statistically significant difference. Results: The average ADC value for protocol 1 for the cortex was 2.26×10 −3  mm 2 /s, for the medulla 2.21×10 −3  mm 2 /s. In protocol 2, the respective values were 2.13×10 −3  mm 2 /s and 2.06×10 −3  mm 2 /s. Neither statistically significant interobserver differences nor correlation between ADC values, GFR, and creatinine serum level were observed. Conclusion: The reference ADC values were established. The measurements show high interobserver consistency. The differences in ADC values reported in the literature suggest dependence on the equipment and methodology and point to the necessity of obtaining ADC norms for each MRI unit. -- Highlights: •Magnetic resonance diffusion-weighted imaging of kidneys. •Apparent diffusion coefficient in healthy individuals. •Monoexponential model of diffusion

Protocol Implementation Generator

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Carvalho Quaresma, Jose Nuno; Probst, Christian W.

2010-01-01

Users expect communication systems to guarantee, amongst others, privacy and integrity of their data. These can be ensured by using well-established protocols; the best protocol, however, is useless if not all parties involved in a communication have a correct implementation of the protocol and a...... Generator framework based on the LySatool and a translator from the LySa language into C or Java....... necessary tools. In this paper, we present the Protocol Implementation Generator (PiG), a framework that can be used to add protocol generation to protocol negotiation, or to easily share and implement new protocols throughout a network. PiG enables the sharing, verification, and translation...

Smartphone Interventions for Weight Treatment and Behavioral Change in Pediatric Obesity: A Systematic Review.

Science.gov (United States)

Chaplais, Elodie; Naughton, Geraldine; Thivel, David; Courteix, Daniel; Greene, David

2015-10-01

Traditional approaches for treating or managing children and adolescents with overweight or obesity have limited effectiveness. Current advances in smartphone technology may improve the attractiveness and accessibility of weight management support for children and adolescents with overweight or obesity. This systematic review aimed to provide a comparative evaluation of the effectiveness of using smartphones in the multidisciplinary treatment of child and adolescent overweight or obesity, with a specific interest in behavior change. The databases of Medline complete, OVID, CINAHL, EMBASE, and PubMed were searched for randomized controlled trial (RCT) studies addressing behavioral change using smartphone technology, plus nutrition and/or physical activity, to treat or manage child and adolescent obesity. Only two RCTs have described the effectiveness of smartphone devices in pediatric overweight or obesity treatment. Within the limitation of the two studies, electronic contact (e-contact) appeared unsuccessful in achieving weight loss. However, smartphone usage was linked to improved engagement and reduced dropout rates during important sustainability phases of these long-term interventions. Smartphone technologies allow users to accomplish tasks anywhere and anytime and, as such, provide researchers with additional and generationally appropriate capacities to deliver health promotion. E-contact should be used for its significant capacity to prolong engagement and decrease withdrawal during sustainability phases that follow intensive intervention for weight management in young populations. Despite increasing popularity in published protocols of weight management trials, the effectiveness of the impact of smartphone technology in pediatric programs remains equivocal.

Bone mineral density and content during weight cycling in female rats: effects of dietary amylase-resistant starch

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jagpal Sugeet

2008-11-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Although there is considerable evidence for a loss of bone mass with weight loss, the few human studies on the relationship between weight cycling and bone mass or density have differing results. Further, very few studies assessed the role of dietary composition on bone mass during weight cycling. The primary objective of this study was to determine if a diet high in amylase-resistant starch (RS2, which has been shown to increase absorption and balance of dietary minerals, can prevent or reduce loss of bone mass during weight cycling. Methods Female Sprague-Dawley (SD rats (n = 84, age = 20 weeks were randomly assigned to one of 6 treatment groups with 14 rats per group using a 2 × 3 experimental design with 2 diets and 3 weight cycling protocols. Rats were fed calcium-deficient diets without RS2 (controls or diets high in RS2 (18% by weight throughout the 21-week study. The weight cycling protocols were weight maintenance/gain with no weight cycling, 1 round of weight cycling, or 2 rounds of weight cycling. After the rats were euthanized bone mineral density (BMD and bone mineral content (BMC of femur were measured by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry, and concentrations of calcium, copper, iron, magnesium, manganese, and zinc in femur and lumbar vertebrae were determined by atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Results Rats undergoing weight cycling had lower femur BMC (p 2 had higher femur BMD (p 2-fed rats also had higher femur calcium (p Conclusion Weight cycling reduces bone mass. A diet high in RS2 can minimize loss of bone mass during weight cycling and may increase bone mass in the absence of weight cycling.

Weight-related concerns and weight-control behaviors among overweight adolescents in Delhi, India: A cross-sectional study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shrivastav Radhika

2011-02-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Obesity is emerging as a public health problem among adolescents in India. The aim of this study was to describe specific weight-related concerns among school-going youth in Delhi, India and to assess the prevalence of weight control behaviors, including healthy and unhealthy ones. Differences by weight status, gender, grade level, and school-type (a proxy for SES in this setting are considered. Methods This study is cross-sectional by design. A sample of eighth and tenth graders (n = 1818 enrolled in Private (middle-high SES and Government (low SES schools (n = 8 in Delhi, India participated. All students' height and weight were measured. Students participated in a survey of weight-related concerns and weight-control behaviors, as well. Mixed-effects regression models were used to test for differences in weight-related concerns and weight-control behaviors across key factors of interest (i.e., weight status, gender, grade level, and SES. Results The combined prevalence of obesity and overweight was 16.6%, overall. Controlling one's weight was important to overweight and non-overweight youth, alike (94.2% v. 84.8%, p p Conclusions Interventions to promote healthy weight control should be pertinent to and well-received by school-going youth in India. Healthy weight control practices need to be explicitly encouraged and unhealthy practices reduced. Future interventions should address issues specific to body image, too, as body dissatisfaction was not uncommon among youth.

Estimating the month-specific effect of complementary food on weight loss occurrence rate in less than 2 years old children

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alireza Abadi

2012-09-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Weight loss in children is one of the health problems that could occur several times for achild; therefore it is categorized as a recurrent event. In this study, we investigated the weight loss riskfactors firstly by using proportional rates model and then by applying time-dependent coefficient ratesmodel.Materials and Methods: In this study, the information of 1673 babies who were born in 2006 or 2007and were visited for monthly check ups at Tehran east health centers during their first two years of life wereincluded in the analysis. We first fitted the standard proportional rates model to this data with the purposeof determining weigh loss major risk factors. After adjusting these factors, the month-specific effect ofcomplementary foods on weight loss occurrence rate was explored using time-varying coefficient ratesmodel.Results: Our findings showed that the risk of weight loss gets heightened as with the increase in theintake of complementary foods. This negative effect is likely to be the most between 9 and 11 months ofage and then tends to weaken as the baby grows older. The results of Wald-type statistic showed that theimpact of complementary food on the occurrence of weight loss is significantly different with respect to thechild ‘age (P<0.001.Conclusion: Considering the variability of the effect of complementary food on the occurrence of weightloss, time-varying coefficient rates model can give more appropriate estimation of this effect thanproportional rates model.

Patient-specific radiation dose and cancer risk for pediatric chest CT.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Xiang; Samei, Ehsan; Segars, W Paul; Sturgeon, Gregory M; Colsher, James G; Frush, Donald P

2011-06-01

To estimate patient-specific radiation dose and cancer risk for pediatric chest computed tomography (CT) and to evaluate factors affecting dose and risk, including patient size, patient age, and scanning parameters. The institutional review board approved this study and waived informed consent. This study was HIPAA compliant. The study included 30 patients (0-16 years old), for whom full-body computer models were recently created from clinical CT data. A validated Monte Carlo program was used to estimate organ dose from eight chest protocols, representing clinically relevant combinations of bow tie filter, collimation, pitch, and tube potential. Organ dose was used to calculate effective dose and risk index (an index of total cancer incidence risk). The dose and risk estimates before and after normalization by volume-weighted CT dose index (CTDI(vol)) or dose-length product (DLP) were correlated with patient size and age. The effect of each scanning parameter was studied. Organ dose normalized by tube current-time product or CTDI(vol) decreased exponentially with increasing average chest diameter. Effective dose normalized by tube current-time product or DLP decreased exponentially with increasing chest diameter. Chest diameter was a stronger predictor of dose than weight and total scan length. Risk index normalized by tube current-time product or DLP decreased exponentially with both chest diameter and age. When normalized by DLP, effective dose and risk index were independent of collimation, pitch, and tube potential (chest CT protocols. http://radiology.rsna.org/lookup/suppl/doi:10.1148/radiol.11101900/-/DC1. RSNA, 2011

Dosimetric evaluation of cone beam computed tomography scanning protocols

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Soares, Maria Rosangela

2015-01-01

It was evaluated the cone beam computed tomography, CBCT scanning protocols, that was introduced in dental radiology at the end of the 1990's, and quickly became a fundamental examination for various procedures. Its main characteristic, the difference of medical CT is the beam shape. This study aimed to calculate the absorbed dose in eight tissues / organs of the head and neck, and to estimate the effective dose in 13 protocols and two techniques (stitched FOV e single FOV) of 5 equipment of different manufacturers of cone beam CT. For that purpose, a female anthropomorphic phantom was used, representing a default woman, in which were inserted thermoluminescent dosimeters at several points, representing organs / tissues with weighting values presented in the standard ICRP 103. The results were evaluated by comparing the dose according to the purpose of the tomographic image. Among the results, there is a difference up to 325% in the effective dose in relation to protocols with the same image goal. In relation to the image acquisition technique, the stitched FOV technique resulted in an effective dose of 5.3 times greater than the single FOV technique for protocols with the same image goal. In the individual contribution, the salivary glands are responsible for 31% of the effective dose in CT exams. The remaining tissues have also a significant contribution, 36%. The results drew attention to the need of estimating the effective dose in different equipment and protocols of the market, besides the knowledge of the radiation parameters and equipment manufacturing engineering to obtain the image. (author)

Outcomes of an inpatient refeeding protocol in youth with Anorexia Nervosa and atypical Anorexia Nervosa at Children's Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota.

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, Kathryn; Lesser, Julie; Brandenburg, Beth; Lesser, Andrew; Cici, Jessica; Juenneman, Robert; Beadle, Amy; Eckhardt, Sarah; Lantz, Elin; Lock, James; Le Grange, Daniel

2016-01-01

Historically, inpatient protocols have adopted relatively conservative approaches to refeeding in Anorexia Nervosa (AN) in order to reduce the risk of refeeding syndrome, a potentially fatal constellation of symptoms. However, increasing evidence suggests that patients with AN can tolerate higher caloric prescriptions during treatment, which may result in prevention of initial weight loss, shorter hospital stays, and less exposure to the effects of severe malnutrition. Therefore the present study sought to examine the effectiveness of a more accelerated refeeding protocol in an inpatient AN and atypical AN sample. Participants were youth (ages 10-22) with AN ( n  = 113) and atypical AN ( n  = 16) who were hospitalized for medical stabilization. A retrospective chart review was conducted to assess changes in calories, weight status (percentage of median BMI, %mBMI), and indicators of refeeding syndrome, specifically hypophosphatemia, during hospitalization. Weight was assessed again approximately 4 weeks after discharge. No cases of refeeding syndrome were observed, though 47.3 % of participants evidenced hypophosphatemia during treatment. Phosphorous levels were monitored in all participants, and 77.5 % were prescribed supplemental phosphorous at the time of discharge. Higher rates of caloric changes were predictive of greater changes in %mBMI during hospitalization. Rates of caloric and weight change were not related to an increased likelihood of re-admission. Results suggest that a more accelerated approach to inpatient refeeding in youth with AN and atypical AN can be safely implemented and is not associated with refeeding syndrome, provided there is close monitoring and correction of electrolytes. These findings suggest that this approach has the potential to decrease length of stay and burden associated with inpatient hospitalization, while supporting continued progress after hospitalization.

Vertical Protocol Composition

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Groß, Thomas; Mödersheim, Sebastian Alexander

2011-01-01

The security of key exchange and secure channel protocols, such as TLS, has been studied intensively. However, only few works have considered what happens when the established keys are actually used—to run some protocol securely over the established “channel”. We call this a vertical protocol.......e., that the combination cannot introduce attacks that the individual protocols in isolation do not have. In this work, we prove a composability result in the symbolic model that allows for arbitrary vertical composition (including self-composition). It holds for protocols from any suite of channel and application...

A model-guided symbolic execution approach for network protocol implementations and vulnerability detection.

Science.gov (United States)

Wen, Shameng; Meng, Qingkun; Feng, Chao; Tang, Chaojing

2017-01-01

Formal techniques have been devoted to analyzing whether network protocol specifications violate security policies; however, these methods cannot detect vulnerabilities in the implementations of the network protocols themselves. Symbolic execution can be used to analyze the paths of the network protocol implementations, but for stateful network protocols, it is difficult to reach the deep states of the protocol. This paper proposes a novel model-guided approach to detect vulnerabilities in network protocol implementations. Our method first abstracts a finite state machine (FSM) model, then utilizes the model to guide the symbolic execution. This approach achieves high coverage of both the code and the protocol states. The proposed method is implemented and applied to test numerous real-world network protocol implementations. The experimental results indicate that the proposed method is more effective than traditional fuzzing methods such as SPIKE at detecting vulnerabilities in the deep states of network protocol implementations.

Enhancing Network Communication in NPSNET-V Virtual Environments Using XML-Described Dynamic Behavior (DBP) Protocols

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Fischer, William

2001-01-01

.... Specifically, it describes design of the NPS Dynamic-Behavior-Protocol (DBP) protocols, which are multicast / unicast capable and can be added at runtime to the distributed operating environment...

High specification starter diets improve the performance of low birth weight pigs to 10 weeks of age.

Science.gov (United States)

Douglas, S L; Wellock, I; Edwards, S A; Kyriazakis, I

2014-10-01

Piglets born with low birth weights (LBiW) are likely to be lighter at weaning. Starter regimes tailored for pigs of average BW therefore may not be optimal for LBiW nursery performance. The objective was to determine if LBiW pigs benefit from a high specification starter regime and the provision of extra feed (additional allowance of last phase diet of the starter regime) in comparison to a standard commercial regime. Additionally, the effect of starter regime on performance of normal birth weight (NBiW) pigs at weaning was determined and compared to that of LBiW pigs. Finally, the cost effectiveness of the treatments was determined. The experiment was therefore an incomplete 2 × 2 × 2 factorial design, as the provision of extra feed was given only to LBiW pigs (n = 6 replicates per treatment; 5 pigs per replicate). Treatments comprised birth weight (LBiW or NBiW), starter regime (high specification [HS] or standard starter [SS]), and extra feed 3 quantity (yes [YF] or no [NF], for LBiW pigs only; feed 3 corresponded to the last phase diet of the starter regime). At weaning (d 28), pigs were randomly assigned within each birth weight category to treatment groups. Nutritional treatments were fed ad libitum on a kilogram/head basis for approximately 3 wk followed by a common weaner diet fed ad libitum until d 70. Starter regime (P = 0.019), feed 3 amount (P = 0.010), and their interaction (P = 0.029) had an effect on ADG of LBiW pigs from d 28 to 49, with pigs on HS followed by YF (HY) performing best. An improvement in feed conversion ratio (FCR) was noted between d 28 and 49 for pigs fed the additional feed 3 (P = 0.030); between d 49 and 70, the only residual effect seen was of starter regime (P = 0.017) on ADG. In contrast, there was no significant effect of starter regime from d 28 to 70 on ADG, ADFI, or FCR of NBiW pigs. By d 49 and 70, LBiW pigs on regime HY weighed the same as NBiW pigs (d 70 BW; 30.0 vs. 30.6 kg; P = 0.413), with similar growth rates from

Protocol for Uniformly Measuring and Expressing the Performance of Energy Storage Systems

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Conover, David R.; Crawford, Aladsair J.; Viswanathan, Vilayanur V.; Ferreira, Summer; Schoenwald, David

2014-06-01

The Protocol for Uniformly Measuring and Expressing the Performance of Energy Storage Systems (PNNL-22010) was first issued in November 2012 as a first step toward providing a foundational basis for developing an initial standard for the uniform measurement and expression of energy storage system (ESS) performance. Its subsequent use in the field and review by the protocol working group and most importantly the users’ subgroup and the thermal subgroup has led to the fundamental modifications reflected in this update of the 2012 Protocol. As an update of the 2012 Protocol, this document (the June 2014 Protocol) is intended to supersede its predecessor and be used as the basis for measuring and expressing ESS performance. The foreword provides general and specific details about what additions, revisions, and enhancements have been made to the 2012 Protocol and the rationale for them in arriving at the June 2014 Protocol.

Effects of Popular Diets without Specific Calorie Targets on Weight Loss Outcomes: Systematic Review of Findings from Clinical Trials

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Stephen D. Anton

2017-07-01

Full Text Available The present review examined the evidence base for current popular diets, as listed in the 2016 U.S. News & World Report, on short-term (≤six months and long-term (≥one year weight loss outcomes in overweight and obese adults. For the present review, all diets in the 2016 U.S. News & World Report Rankings for “Best Weight-Loss Diets”, which did not involve specific calorie targets, meal replacements, supplementation with commercial products, and/or were not categorized as “low-calorie” diets were examined. Of the 38 popular diets listed in the U.S. News & World Report, 20 met our pre-defined criteria. Literature searches were conducted through PubMed, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science using preset key terms to identify all relevant clinical trials for these 20 diets. A total of 16 articles were identified which reported findings of clinical trials for seven of these 20 diets: (1 Atkins; (2 Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH; (3 Glycemic-Index; (4 Mediterranean; (5 Ornish; (6 Paleolithic; and (7 Zone. Of the diets evaluated, the Atkins Diet showed the most evidence in producing clinically meaningful short-term (≤six months and long-term (≥one-year weight loss. Other popular diets may be equally or even more effective at producing weight loss, but this is unknown at the present time since there is a paucity of studies on these diets.

Chapter 6: Residential Lighting Evaluation Protocol. The Uniform Methods Project: Methods for Determining Energy Efficiency Savings for Specific Measures

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kurnik, Charles W [National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Dimetrosky, Scott [Apex Analytics, LLC, Boulder, CO (United States); Parkinson, Katie [Apex Analytics, LLC, Boulder, CO (United States); Lieb, Noah [Apex Analytics, LLC, Boulder, CO (United States)

2017-10-19

Given new regulations, increased complexity in the market, and the general shift from CFLs to LEDs, this evaluation protocol was updated in 2017 to shift the focus of the protocols toward LEDs and away from CFLs and to resolve evaluation uncertainties affecting residential lighting incentive programs.

Evaluation of MR diffusion-weighted imaging in differentiating endometriosis infiltrating the bowel from colorectal carcinoma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Busard, M.P.H.; Pieters-van den Bos, I.C.; Mijatovic, V.; Van Kuijk, C.; Bleeker, M.C.G.; Waesberghe, J.H.T.M. van

2012-01-01

Objective: Endometriosis infiltrating the bowel may be difficult to differentiate from colorectal carcinoma in cases that present with non-specific clinical and imaging features. The aim of this study is to assess the value of MR diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) in differentiating endometriosis infiltrating the bowel from colorectal carcinoma. Methods: In 66 patients, MR DWI was added to the standard imaging protocol in patients visiting our outdoor MR clinic for the analysis of suspected or known deep infiltrating endometriosis (DIE). In patients diagnosed with DIE infiltrating the bowel on MR imaging, high b-value diffusion-weighted images were qualitatively assessed by two readers in consensus and compared to high b-value diffusion weighted images in 15 patients evaluated for colorectal carcinoma. In addition, ADC values of lesions were calculated, using b-values of 50, 400 and 800 s/mm 2 . Results: A total of 15 patients were diagnosed with DIE infiltrating the bowel on MR imaging. Endometriosis infiltrating the bowel showed low signal intensity on high b-value diffusion-weighted images in all patients, whereas colorectal carcinoma showed high signal intensity on high b-value diffusion-weighted images in all patients. Mean ADC value in endometriosis infiltrating the bowel (0.80 ± 0.06 × 10 −3 mm 2 /s) was significantly lower compared to mean ADC value in colorectal carcinoma (0.86 ± 0.06 × 10 −3 mm 2 /s), but with considerable overlap between ADC values. Conclusion: Only qualitative assessment of MR DWI may be valuable to facilitate differentiation between endometriosis infiltrating the bowel and colorectal carcinoma.

The evaluation of an analytical protocol for the determination of substances in waste for hazard classification

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hennebert, Pierre, E-mail: pierre.hennebert@ineris.fr [INERIS – Institut National de l’Environnement Industriel et des Risques, Domaine du Petit Arbois BP33, F-13545 Aix-en-Provence (France); Papin, Arnaud [INERIS, Parc Technologique ALATA, BP No. 2, 60550 Verneuil en Halatte (France); Padox, Jean-Marie [INERIS – Institut National de l’Environnement Industriel et des Risques, Domaine du Petit Arbois BP33, F-13545 Aix-en-Provence (France); Hasebrouck, Benoît [INERIS, Parc Technologique ALATA, BP No. 2, 60550 Verneuil en Halatte (France)

2013-07-15

Highlights: • Knowledge of wastes in substances will be necessary to assess HP1–HP15 hazard properties. • A new analytical protocol is proposed for this and tested by two service laboratories on 32 samples. • Sixty-three percentage of the samples have a satisfactory analytical balance between 90% and 110%. • Eighty-four percentage of the samples were classified identically (Seveso Directive) for their hazardousness by the two laboratories. • The method, in progress, is being normalized in France and is be proposed to CEN. - Abstract: The classification of waste as hazardous could soon be assessed in Europe using largely the hazard properties of its constituents, according to the the Classification, Labelling and Packaging (CLP) regulation. Comprehensive knowledge of the component constituents of a given waste will therefore be necessary. An analytical protocol for determining waste composition is proposed, which includes using inductively coupled plasma (ICP) screening methods to identify major elements and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC–MS) screening techniques to measure organic compounds. The method includes a gross or indicator measure of ‘pools’ of higher molecular weight organic substances that are taken to be less bioactive and less hazardous, and of unresolved ‘mass’ during the chromatography of volatile and semi-volatile compounds. The concentration of some elements and specific compounds that are linked to specific hazard properties and are subject to specific regulation (examples include: heavy metals, chromium(VI), cyanides, organo-halogens, and PCBs) are determined by classical quantitative analysis. To check the consistency of the analysis, the sum of the concentrations (including unresolved ‘pools’) should give a mass balance between 90% and 110%. Thirty-two laboratory samples comprising different industrial wastes (liquids and solids) were tested by two routine service laboratories, to give circa 7000 parameter

A model-guided symbolic execution approach for network protocol implementations and vulnerability detection.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shameng Wen

Full Text Available Formal techniques have been devoted to analyzing whether network protocol specifications violate security policies; however, these methods cannot detect vulnerabilities in the implementations of the network protocols themselves. Symbolic execution can be used to analyze the paths of the network protocol implementations, but for stateful network protocols, it is difficult to reach the deep states of the protocol. This paper proposes a novel model-guided approach to detect vulnerabilities in network protocol implementations. Our method first abstracts a finite state machine (FSM model, then utilizes the model to guide the symbolic execution. This approach achieves high coverage of both the code and the protocol states. The proposed method is implemented and applied to test numerous real-world network protocol implementations. The experimental results indicate that the proposed method is more effective than traditional fuzzing methods such as SPIKE at detecting vulnerabilities in the deep states of network protocol implementations.

Diffusion-weighted imaging of brain metastases: their potential to be misinterpreted as focal ischaemic lesions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Geijer, B. [Department of Radiology, University Hospital, Lund (Sweden); Holtaas, S. [Department of Diagnostic Imaging, King Fahd Hospital, Riyadh (Saudi Arabia)

2002-07-01

Small focal ischaemic brain lesions are said to be easy to identify in the acute stage and to differentiate from older lesions using diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI). Brain metastases are common and the aim of this study was to evaluate the risk of misinterpretation as ischaemic lesions in a standard MRI protocol for clinical stroke. Of 26 patients investigated with MRI for possible metastases, 12 did have metastatic brain lesions, including most of the common tumours. On a 1.5 tesla imager, we obtained DWI, plus T2- and T1-weighted images, the latter before and after triple-dose contrast medium. Well-circumscribed brain lesions with a decreased apparent diffusion coefficient and a slightly or moderately increased signal on T2-weighted images were found in patients with metastases from a small-cell bronchial carcinoma and a pulmonary adenocarcinoma. The same features were also found in metastases from a breast carcinoma but the lesions were surrounded by oedema. With a standard DWI protocol, the features of common brain metastases may overlap with those of small acute and subacute ischaemic lesions. (orig.)

Public Support for Weight-Related Antidiscrimination Laws and Policies.

Science.gov (United States)

Hilbert, Anja; Hübner, Claudia; Schmutzer, Gabriele; Danielsdottir, Sigrun; Brähler, Elmar; Puhl, Rebecca

2017-01-01

Weight-related discrimination is prevalent and associated with health impairments for those who are targeted, which underscores the need of antidiscrimination legislation. This study is the first to examine public support of weight-related antidiscrimination laws or policies in Germany, compared to the US and Iceland. In a representative German population sample (N = 2,513), public support for general and employment-specific weight-related antidiscrimination policies, weight-based victimization, and weight bias internalization were measured through established self-report questionnaires. Half of the German population sample agreed with antidiscrimination policies. General antidiscrimination laws received lower support than employment-specific laws. Support for policies considering obesity a physical disability was greatest in Germany, whereas support for employment-specific antidiscrimination laws was lower in Germany than in the US and Iceland. Total support for weight-related antidiscrimination policies was significantly predicted by lower age, female gender, obese weight status, residence in West Germany, church membership, and readiness to vote in elections. German support for weight-related antidiscrimination policies is moderate. Increasing awareness about weight-related discrimination and laws prohibiting this behavior may help to promote policy acceptance. © 2017 The Author(s) Published by S. Karger GmbH, Freiburg.

TU-H-207A-09: An Automated Technique for Estimating Patient-Specific Regional Imparted Energy and Dose From TCM CT Exams Across 13 Protocols

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sanders, J; Tian, X; Segars, P; Boone, J; Samei, E

2016-01-01

Purpose: To develop an automated technique for estimating patient-specific regional imparted energy and dose from tube current modulated (TCM) computed tomography (CT) exams across a diverse set of head and body protocols. Methods: A library of 58 adult computational anthropomorphic extended cardiac-torso (XCAT) phantoms were used to model a patient population. A validated Monte Carlo program was used to simulate TCM CT exams on the entire library of phantoms for three head and 10 body protocols. The net imparted energy to the phantoms, normalized by dose length product (DLP), and the net tissue mass in each of the scan regions were computed. A knowledgebase containing relationships between normalized imparted energy and scanned mass was established. An automated computer algorithm was written to estimate the scanned mass from actual clinical CT exams. The scanned mass estimate, DLP of the exam, and knowledgebase were used to estimate the imparted energy to the patient. The algorithm was tested on 20 chest and 20 abdominopelvic TCM CT exams. Results: The normalized imparted energy increased with increasing kV for all protocols. However, the normalized imparted energy was relatively unaffected by the strength of the TCM. The average imparted energy was 681 ± 376 mJ for abdominopelvic exams and 274 ± 141 mJ for chest exams. Overall, the method was successful in providing patientspecific estimates of imparted energy for 98% of the cases tested. Conclusion: Imparted energy normalized by DLP increased with increasing tube potential. However, the strength of the TCM did not have a significant effect on the net amount of energy deposited to tissue. The automated program can be implemented into the clinical workflow to provide estimates of regional imparted energy and dose across a diverse set of clinical protocols.

Generic and eating disorder-specific impairment in binge eating disorder with and without overvaluation of weight or shape.

Science.gov (United States)

Harrison, Carmel; Mond, Jonathan; Rieger, Elizabeth; Rodgers, Bryan

2015-09-01

We sought to elucidate the nature and extent of impairment in quality of life among individuals with binge eating disorder (BED) with and without the overvaluation of weight or shape ("overvaluation"). Subgroups of women - probable BED with overvaluation (n = 102), probable BED without overvaluation (n = 72), obese individuals reporting no binge eating ("obese control", n = 40), and "normal weight" individuals reporting no binge eating ("healthy control," n = 40) - were recruited from a community-based sample in which individuals with eating disorder symptoms were over-represented. They were compared on measures of eating disorder psychopathology and generic and disease-specific measures of quality of life. Scores on these measures among individuals with BED receiving specialist treatment were also considered. Participants with BED and overvaluation had high levels of eating disorder psychopathology and impairment in both generic and disease-specific quality of life, comparable to those of BED patients receiving specialist treatment, and significantly higher than all other subgroups, whereas participants with BED in the absence of overvaluation did not differ from obese controls on any of these measures. The findings provide further evidence for the need to consider reference to overvaluation among the diagnostic criteria for BED. The relative merits of the inclusion of overvaluation as a diagnostic criterion or as a diagnostic specifier for BED warrant greater consideration. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Control of radio degradation of natural polymers by measurement of viscosity and molecular weight determination

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nabinger Machado, Patricia; Cerchietti, Maria Luciana; Mondino, Angel V.; Smolko, Eduardo E.

2009-01-01

Applications are now being made in various fields of oligosaccharides obtained by the depolymerization of large molecules such as natural alginates, carrageenan, pectin and chitosan. Find use in various disciplines such as crop production, sanitation, pharmacy, cosmetics, etc. Given the diversity of origins of these materials, almost all of marine origin, was the need for universal methods for recognition and composition, then the possible ways to get processed. A centralized program by the IAEA is promoting the use of ionizing radiation for these changes. This paper resents the calculations used to obtain the molecular weight of polysaccharides from determinations of viscosity. It has been found the molecular weight of sodium alginate and kappa-carrageenan irradiated with cobalt-60 gamma rays at doses between 2 and 35 kGy in solid state. We used a capillary Cannon Viscometer Ubbelohde-type and a protocol for standardized calculation procedure for this purpose. Were obtained reading times for passage through the capillary Viscometer, with various concentrations of polymer solutions of virgin material and the irradiated and from there calculated the relative viscosities, specific, inherent, reduced and intrinsic and then using the ratio of Mark-Houwink-SAKURADA calculate the viscosity average molecular weight of the different polymers. The changes found in the molecular weights by radio-depolymerization reach two orders of magnitude in some cases giving oligosaccharides of 8-12 monomer units. It is considered that this depolymerization method is effective and inexpensive compared to enzymatic or chemical methods. (author)

Abbreviated Combined MR Protocol: A New Faster Strategy for Characterizing Breast Lesions.

Science.gov (United States)

Moschetta, Marco; Telegrafo, Michele; Rella, Leonarda; Stabile Ianora, Amato Antonio; Angelelli, Giuseppe

2016-06-01

The use of an abbreviated magnetic resonance (MR) protocol has been recently proposed for cancer screening. The aim of our study is to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of an abbreviated MR protocol combining short TI inversion recovery (STIR), turbo-spin-echo (TSE)-T2 sequences, a pre-contrast T1, and a single intermediate (3 minutes after contrast injection) post-contrast T1 sequence for characterizing breast lesions. A total of 470 patients underwent breast MR examination for screening, problem solving, or preoperative staging. Two experienced radiologists evaluated both standard and abbreviated protocols in consensus. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV), and diagnostic accuracy for both protocols were calculated (with the histological findings and 6-month ultrasound follow-up as the reference standard) and compared with the McNemar test. The post-processing and interpretation times for the MR images were compared with the paired t test. In 177 of 470 (38%) patients, the MR sequences detected 185 breast lesions. Standard and abbreviated protocols obtained sensitivity, specificity, diagnostic accuracy, PPV, and NPV values respectively of 92%, 92%, 92%, 68%, and 98% and of 89%, 91%, 91%, 64%, and 98% with no statistically significant difference (P < .0001). The mean post-processing and interpretation time were, respectively, 7 ± 1 minutes and 6 ± 3.2 minutes for the standard protocol and 1 ± 1.2 minutes and 2 ± 1.2 minutes for the abbreviated protocol, with a statistically significant difference (P < .01). An abbreviated combined MR protocol represents a time-saving tool for radiologists and patients with the same diagnostic potential as the standard protocol in patients undergoing breast MRI for screening, problem solving, or preoperative staging. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A modified FASP protocol for high-throughput preparation of protein samples for mass spectrometry.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jeremy Potriquet

Full Text Available To facilitate high-throughput proteomic analyses we have developed a modified FASP protocol which improves the rate at which protein samples can be processed prior to mass spectrometry. Adapting the original FASP protocol to a 96-well format necessitates extended spin times for buffer exchange due to the low centrifugation speeds tolerated by these devices. However, by using 96-well plates with a more robust polyethersulfone molecular weight cutoff membrane, instead of the cellulose membranes typically used in these devices, we could use isopropanol as a wetting agent, decreasing spin times required for buffer exchange from an hour to 30 minutes. In a typical work flow used in our laboratory this equates to a reduction of 3 hours per plate, providing processing times similar to FASP for the processing of up to 96 samples per plate. To test whether our modified protocol produced similar results to FASP and other FASP-like protocols we compared the performance of our modified protocol to the original FASP and the more recently described eFASP and MStern-blot. We show that all FASP-like methods, including our modified protocol, display similar performance in terms of proteins identified and reproducibility. Our results show that our modified FASP protocol is an efficient method for the high-throughput processing of protein samples for mass spectral analysis.

Study on Cloud Security Based on Trust Spanning Tree Protocol

Science.gov (United States)

Lai, Yingxu; Liu, Zenghui; Pan, Qiuyue; Liu, Jing

2015-09-01

Attacks executed on Spanning Tree Protocol (STP) expose the weakness of link layer protocols and put the higher layers in jeopardy. Although the problems have been studied for many years and various solutions have been proposed, many security issues remain. To enhance the security and credibility of layer-2 network, we propose a trust-based spanning tree protocol aiming at achieving a higher credibility of LAN switch with a simple and lightweight authentication mechanism. If correctly implemented in each trusted switch, the authentication of trust-based STP can guarantee the credibility of topology information that is announced to other switch in the LAN. To verify the enforcement of the trusted protocol, we present a new trust evaluation method of the STP using a specification-based state model. We implement a prototype of trust-based STP to investigate its practicality. Experiment shows that the trusted protocol can achieve security goals and effectively avoid STP attacks with a lower computation overhead and good convergence performance.

A Comparative Study of Wireless Sensor Networks and Their Routing Protocols

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Subhajit Pal

2010-11-01

Full Text Available Recent developments in the area of micro-sensor devices have accelerated advances in the sensor networks field leading to many new protocols specifically designed for wireless sensor networks (WSNs. Wireless sensor networks with hundreds to thousands of sensor nodes can gather information from an unattended location and transmit the gathered data to a particular user, depending on the application. These sensor nodes have some constraints due to their limited energy, storage capacity and computing power. Data are routed from one node to other using different routing protocols. There are a number of routing protocols for wireless sensor networks. In this review article, we discuss the architecture of wireless sensor networks. Further, we categorize the routing protocols according to some key factors and summarize their mode of operation. Finally, we provide a comparative study on these various protocols.

Carboplatin Hypersensitivity Reactions in Pediatric Low Grade Glioma Are Protocol Specific and Desensitization Shows Poor Efficacy.

Science.gov (United States)

Dodgshun, Andrew J; Hansford, Jordan R; Cole, Theresa; Choo, Sharon; Sullivan, Michael J

2016-01-01

The use of carboplatin for the treatment of pediatric low grade gliomas (PLGG) is often limited by the development of carboplatin hypersensitivity. Reported rates of carboplatin hypersensitivity reactions vary between 6% and 32% in these patients. Here we report the frequency of carboplatin hypersensitivity reactions depending on the treatment regimen used, and outcomes of carboplatin desensitization. The records of all patients in a single institution who were treated with carboplatin for PLGG were accessed and all patients receiving more than one dose of carboplatin are reported. Thirty four patients with PLGG were treated with carboplatin according to one of the two different regimens. Carboplatin hypersensitivity was documented in 47% of patients, but the frequency differed by treatment protocol. Those patients treated with 4-weekly single agent carboplatin had carboplatin allergy in 8% of cases whereas 68% of those treated with combined carboplatin and vincristine (every three weeks, according to the SIOP 2004 low grade glioma protocol) had carboplatin reactions (OR 23.6, P Desensitization was only successful in two out of 10 patients in whom it was attempted. Hypersensitivity reactions to carboplatin are more common in this cohort than previously reported and rates are protocol-dependent. Desensitization showed limited effectiveness in this cohort. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Inter-comparison of NIOSH and IMPROVE protocols for OC and EC determination: implications for inter-protocol data conversion

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Wu, Cheng; Huang, X. H. Hilda; Ng, Wai Man; Griffith, Stephen M.; Zhen Yu, Jian

2016-09-01

Organic carbon (OC) and elemental carbon (EC) are operationally defined by analytical methods. As a result, OC and EC measurements are protocol dependent, leading to uncertainties in their quantification. In this study, more than 1300 Hong Kong samples were analyzed using both National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) thermal optical transmittance (TOT) and Interagency Monitoring of Protected Visual Environment (IMPROVE) thermal optical reflectance (TOR) protocols to explore the cause of EC disagreement between the two protocols. EC discrepancy mainly (83 %) arises from a difference in peak inert mode temperature, which determines the allocation of OC4NSH, while the rest (17 %) is attributed to a difference in the optical method (transmittance vs. reflectance) applied for the charring correction. Evidence shows that the magnitude of the EC discrepancy is positively correlated with the intensity of the biomass burning signal, whereby biomass burning increases the fraction of OC4NSH and widens the disagreement in the inter-protocol EC determination. It is also found that the EC discrepancy is positively correlated with the abundance of metal oxide in the samples. Two approaches (M1 and M2) that translate NIOSH TOT OC and EC data into IMPROVE TOR OC and EC data are proposed. M1 uses direct relationship between ECNSH_TOT and ECIMP_TOR for reconstruction: M1 : ECIMP_TOR = a × ECNSH_TOT + b; while M2 deconstructs ECIMP_TOR into several terms based on analysis principles and applies regression only on the unknown terms: M2 : ECIMP_TOR = AECNSH + OC4NSH - (a × PCNSH_TOR + b), where AECNSH, apparent EC by the NIOSH protocol, is the carbon that evolves in the He-O2 analysis stage, OC4NSH is the carbon that evolves at the fourth temperature step of the pure helium analysis stage of NIOSH, and PCNSH_TOR is the pyrolyzed carbon as determined by the NIOSH protocol. The implementation of M1 to all urban site data (without considering seasonal specificity

Dry weight assessment by combined ultrasound and bioimpedance monitoring in low cardiovascular risk hemodialysis patients: a randomized controlled trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Siriopol, Dimitrie; Onofriescu, Mihai; Voroneanu, Luminita; Apetrii, Mugurel; Nistor, Ionut; Hogas, Simona; Kanbay, Mehmet; Sascau, Radu; Scripcariu, Dragos; Covic, Adrian

2017-01-01

Fluid overload is associated with adverse outcomes in hemodialysis (HD) patients. The precise assessment of hydration status in HD patients remains a major challenge for nephrologists. Our study aimed to explore whether combining two bedside methods, lung ultrasonography (LUS) and bioimpedance, may provide complementary information to guide treatment in specific HD patients. In total, 250 HD patients from two dialysis units were included in this randomized clinical trial. Patients were randomized 1:1 to have a dry weight assessment based on clinical (control) or LUS with bioimpedance in case of clinical hypovolemia (active)-guided protocol. The primary outcome was to assess the difference between the two groups on a composite of all-cause mortality and first cardiovascular event (CVE)-including death, stroke, and myocardial infarction. During a mean follow-up period was 21.3 ± 5.6 months, there were 54 (21.6%) composite events in the entire population. There was a nonsignificant 9% increase in the risk of this outcome in the active arm (HR = 1.09, 95% CI 0.64-1.86, p = 0.75). Similarly, there were no differences between the two groups when analyzing separately the all-cause mortality and CVE outcomes. However, patients in the active arm had a 19% lower relative risk of pre-dialytic dyspnea (rate ratio-0.81, 95% CI 0.68-0.96), but a 26% higher relative risk of intradialytic cramps (rate ratio-1.26, 95% CI 1.16-1.37). This study shows that a LUS-bioimpedance-guided dry weight adjustment protocol, as compared to clinical evaluation, does not reduce all-cause mortality and/or CVE in HD patients. A fluid management protocol based on bioimpedance with LUS on indication might be a better strategy.

Privacy-Preserving Data Aggregation Protocol for Fog Computing-Assisted Vehicle-to-Infrastructure Scenario

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yanan Chen

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I communication enables moving vehicles to upload real-time data about road surface situation to the Internet via fixed roadside units (RSU. Thanks to the resource restriction of mobile vehicles, fog computation-enhanced V2I communication scenario has received increasing attention recently. However, how to aggregate the sensed data from vehicles securely and efficiently still remains open to the V2I communication scenario. In this paper, a light-weight and anonymous aggregation protocol is proposed for the fog computing-based V2I communication scenario. With the proposed protocol, the data collected by the vehicles can be efficiently obtained by the RSU in a privacy-preserving manner. Particularly, we first suggest a certificateless aggregate signcryption (CL-A-SC scheme and prove its security in the random oracle model. The suggested CL-A-SC scheme, which is of independent interest, can achieve the merits of certificateless cryptography and signcryption scheme simultaneously. Then we put forward the anonymous aggregation protocol for V2I communication scenario as one extension of the suggested CL-A-SC scheme. Security analysis demonstrates that the proposed aggregation protocol achieves desirable security properties. The performance comparison shows that the proposed protocol significantly reduces the computation and communication overhead compared with the up-to-date protocols in this field.

Chapter 14: Chiller Evaluation Protocol. The Uniform Methods Project: Methods for Determining Energy Efficiency Savings for Specific Measures

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kurnik, Charles W [National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Tiessen, Alex [Posterity Group, Ottawa, ON (Canada)

2017-10-06

This protocol defines a chiller measure as a project that directly impacts equipment within the boundary of a chiller plant. A chiller plant encompasses a chiller - or multiple chillers - and associated auxiliary equipment. This protocol primarily covers electric-driven chillers and chiller plants. It does not include thermal energy storage and absorption chillers fired by natural gas or steam, although a similar methodology may be applicable to these chilled water system components.

Selection application for platforms and security protocols suitable for wireless sensor networks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Moeller, S; Newe, T; Lochmann, S

2009-01-01

There is a great number of platforms and security protocols which can be used for wireless sensor networks (WSN). All these platforms and protocols have different properties with certain advantages and disadvantages. For a good choice of platform and an associated protocol, these advantages and disadvantages should be compared and the best for the appropriate WSN chosen. To select a Security protocol and a wireless platform suitable for a specific application a software tool will be developed. That tool will enable wireless network deployment engineers to easily select a suitable wireless platform for their application based on their network needs and application security requirements.

Accuracy of prehospital triage protocols in selecting severely injured patients: A systematic review.

Science.gov (United States)

van Rein, Eveline A J; Houwert, R Marijn; Gunning, Amy C; Lichtveld, Rob A; Leenen, Luke P H; van Heijl, Mark

2017-08-01

Prehospital trauma triage ensures proper transport of patients at risk of severe injury to hospitals with an appropriate corresponding level of trauma care. Incorrect triage results in undertriage and overtriage. The American College of Surgeons Committee on Trauma recommends an undertriage rate below 5% and an overtriage rate below 50% for prehospital trauma triage protocols. To find the most accurate prehospital trauma triage protocol, a clear overview of all currently available protocols and corresponding outcomes is necessary. The aim of this systematic review was to evaluate the current literature on all available prehospital trauma triage protocols and determine accuracy of protocol-based triage quality in terms of sensitivity and specificity. A search of Pubmed, Embase, and Cochrane Library databases was performed to identify all studies describing prehospital trauma triage protocols before November 2016. The search terms included "trauma," "trauma center," or "trauma system" combined with "triage," "undertriage," or "overtriage." All studies describing protocol-based triage quality were reviewed. To assess the quality of these type of studies, a new critical appraisal tool was developed. In this review, 21 articles were included with numbers of patients ranging from 130 to over 1 million. Significant predictors for severe injury were: vital signs, suspicion of certain anatomic injuries, mechanism of injury, and age. Sensitivity ranged from 10% to 100%; specificity from 9% to 100%. Nearly all protocols had a low sensitivity, thereby failing to identify severely injured patients. Additionally, the critical appraisal showed poor quality of the majority of included studies. This systematic review shows that nearly all protocols are incapable of identifying severely injured patients. Future studies of high methodological quality should be performed to improve prehospital trauma triage protocols. Systematic review, level III.

The impact of weighted basketball balls in improving certain physical performances via wheelchair basketball players

OpenAIRE

Benzidane, Houcine; Mokrani, Djamel; Zerf, Mohammed

2018-01-01

The research aims to determine the effect of a weighted basketball balls training program on some physical performance via wheelchair basketball players. The sample was selected in an intended manner including 20 players’. Divided into two equal groups (experimental 10 players, control 10 players) for the sports season 2016/2017. As protocol experimental, our training program for the experimental group was applied under researchers’ supervision, using Weighted basketball balls in the opposite...

Parent-Adolescent Conversations about Eating, Physical Activity and Weight: Prevalence across Sociodemographic Characteristics and Associations with Adolescent Weight and Weight-Related Behaviors

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Berge, Jerica M.; MacLehose, Richard F; Loth, Katie A.; Eisenberg, Marla E.; Fulkerson, Jayne A.; Neumark-Sztainer, Dianne

2015-01-01

This paper aims to describe the prevalence of parent-adolescent conversations about eating, physical activity and weight across sociodemographic characteristics and to examine associations with adolescent BMI, dietary intake, physical activity and sedentary behaviors. Data from two linked epidemiological studies were used for cross-sectional analysis. Parents (n=3,424; 62% females) and adolescents (n=2,182; 53.2% girls) were socioeconomically and racially/ethnically diverse. Fathers reported more parent-adolescent conversations about healthful eating and physical activity with their sons and mothers reported more weight-focused conversations with their daughters. Parents of Hispanic/Latino and Asian/Hmong youth and parents from lower SES categories engaged in more conversations about weight and size. Adolescents whose mothers or fathers had weight-focused conversations with them had higher BMI percentiles. Adolescents who had two parents engaging in weight-related conversations had higher BMI percentiles. Healthcare providers may want to talk about the types of weight-related conversations parents are having with their adolescents and emphasize avoiding conversations about weight specifically. PMID:24997555

Examining Factors of Engagement With Digital Interventions for Weight Management: Rapid Review.

Science.gov (United States)

Sharpe, Emma Elizabeth; Karasouli, Eleni; Meyer, Caroline

2017-10-23

Digital interventions for weight management provide a unique opportunity to target daily lifestyle choices and eating behaviors over a sustained period of time. However, recent evidence has demonstrated a lack of user engagement with digital health interventions, impacting on the levels of intervention effectiveness. Thus, it is critical to identify the factors that may facilitate user engagement with digital health interventions to encourage behavior change and weight management. The aim of this study was to identify and synthesize the available evidence to gain insights about users' perspectives on factors that affect engagement with digital interventions for weight management. A rapid review methodology was adopted. The search strategy was executed in the following databases: Web of Science, PsycINFO, and PubMed. Studies were eligible for inclusion if they investigated users' engagement with a digital weight management intervention and were published from 2000 onwards. A narrative synthesis of data was performed on all included studies. A total of 11 studies were included in the review. The studies were qualitative, mixed-methods, or randomized controlled trials. Some of the studies explored features influencing engagement when using a Web-based digital intervention, others specifically explored engagement when accessing a mobile phone app, and some looked at engagement after text message (short message service, SMS) reminders. Factors influencing engagement with digital weight management interventions were found to be both user-related (eg, perceived health benefits) and digital intervention-related (eg, ease of use and the provision of personalized information). The findings highlight the importance of incorporating user perspectives during the digital intervention development process to encourage engagement. The review contributes to our understanding of what facilitates user engagement and points toward a coproduction approach for developing digital

Achieving sink node anonymity in tactical wireless sensor networks using a reactive routing protocol

Science.gov (United States)

2017-06-01

node anonymity, base station anonymity, Wireless Sensor Networks (WSN), Mobile Ad hoc Network (MANET), Lightweight Ad hoc On-Demand – Next Generation ... Generation (LOADng) reactive-routing protocol to achieve anonymity. This modified protocol prevents an attacker from identifying the sink node without...within the constraints of WSN communication protocols, specifically IEEE 802.15.4. We use and modify the Lightweight Ad hoc On-Demand – Next Generation

Effects of Weight Loss, Weight Cycling, and Weight Loss Maintenance on Diabetes Incidence and Change in Cardiometabolic Traits in the Diabetes Prevention Program

Science.gov (United States)

Pan, Qing; Jablonski, Kathleen A.; Aroda, Vanita R.; Watson, Karol E.; Bray, George A.; Kahn, Steven E.; Florez, Jose C.; Perreault, Leigh; Franks, Paul W.

2014-01-01

OBJECTIVE This study examined specific measures of weight loss in relation to incident diabetes and improvement in cardiometabolic risk factors. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS This prospective, observational study analyzed nine weight measures, characterizing baseline weight, short- versus long-term weight loss, short- versus long-term weight regain, and weight cycling, within the Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP) lifestyle intervention arm (n = 1,000) for predictors of incident diabetes and improvement in cardiometabolic risk factors over 2 years. RESULTS Although weight loss in the first 6 months was protective of diabetes (hazard ratio [HR] 0.94 per kg, 95% CI 0.90, 0.98; P weight loss from 0 to 2 years was the strongest predictor of reduced diabetes incidence (HR 0.90 per kg, 95% CI 0.87, 0.93; P Weight cycling (defined as number of 5-lb [2.25-kg] weight cycles) ranged 0–6 times per participant and was positively associated with incident diabetes (HR 1.33, 95% CI 1.12, 1.58; P weight, the effect of weight cycling remained statistically significant for diabetes risk (HR 1.22, 95% CI 1.02, 1.47; P = 0.03) but not for cardiometabolic traits. CONCLUSIONS Two-year weight loss was the strongest predictor of reduced diabetes risk and improvements in cardiometabolic traits. PMID:25024396

Monitoring dose-length product in computed tomography of the chest considering sex and body weight

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Inoue, Yusuke; Nagahara, Kazunori; Hayakawa, Naomichi; Hanawa, Hironori; Hata, Hirofumi

2016-01-01

Dose-length product (DLP) is widely used as an indicator of the radiation dose in computed tomography. The aim of this study was to investigate the significance of sex and body weight in DLP-based monitoring of the radiation dose. Eight hundred computed tomographies of the chest performed using four different scanners were analysed. The DLP was compared with body weight by linear regression in men and women separately. The DLP was positively correlated with body weight, and dependence on sex and weight differed among scanners. Standard DLP values adjusted for sex and weight facilitated inter-scanner comparison of the radiation dose and its dependence on sex and weight. Adjusting the DLP for sex and weight allowed one to identify examinations with possibly excessive doses independently of weight. Monitoring the DLP in relation to sex and body weight appears to aid detailed comparison of the radiation dose among imaging protocols and scanners and daily observations to find unexpected variance. (authors)

Invariant-based reasoning about parameterized security protocols

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Mooij, A.J.

2010-01-01

We explore the applicability of the programming method of Feijen and van Gasteren to the domain of security protocols. This method addresses the derivation of concurrent programs from a formal specification, and it is based on common notions like invariants and pre- and post-conditions. We show that

Muscle performance following an acute bout of plyometric training combined with low or high intensity weight exercise.

Science.gov (United States)

Beneka, Anastasia G; Malliou, Paraskevi K; Missailidou, Victoria; Chatzinikolaou, Athanasios; Fatouros, Ioannis; Gourgoulis, Vassilios; Georgiadis, Elias

2013-01-01

To determine the time course of performance responses after an acute bout of plyometric exercise combined with high and low intensity weight training, a 3-group (including a control group), repeated-measures design was employed. Changes in performance were monitored through jumping ability by measuring countermovement and squat jumping, and strength performance assessment through isometric and isokinetic testing of knee extensors (at two different velocities). Participants in both experimental groups performed a plyometric protocol consisting of 50 jumps over 50 cm hurdles and 50 drop jumps from a 50 cm plyometric box. Additionally, each group performed two basic weight exercises consisting of leg presses and leg extensions at 90-95% of maximum muscle strength for the high intensity group and 60% of maximum muscle strength for the low intensity group. The results of the study suggest that an acute bout of intense plyometric exercise combined with weight exercise induces time-dependent changes in performance, which are also dependent on the nature of exercise protocol and testing procedures. In conclusion, acute plyometric exercise with weight exercise may induce a substantial decline in jumping performance for as long as 72 hours but not in other forms of muscle strength.

Optimized workflow and imaging protocols for whole-body oncologic PET/MRI.

Science.gov (United States)

Ishii, Shirou; Hara, Takamitsu; Nanbu, Takeyuki; Suenaga, Hiroki; Sugawara, Shigeyasu; Kuroiwa, Daichi; Sekino, Hirofumi; Miyajima, Masayuki; Kubo, Hitoshi; Oriuchi, Noboru; Ito, Hiroshi

2016-11-01

Although PET/MRI has the advantages of a simultaneous acquisition of PET and MRI, high soft-tissue contrast of the MRI images, and reduction of radiation exposure, its low profitability and long acquisition time are significant problems in clinical settings. Thus, MRI protocols that meet oncological purposes need to be used in order to reduce examination time while securing detectability. Currently, half-Fourier acquisition single-shot turbo spin echo and 3D-T1 volumetric interpolated breath-hold examination may be the most commonly used sequences for whole-body imaging due to their shorter acquisition time and higher diagnostic accuracy. Although there have been several reports that adding diffusion weighted image (DWI) to PET/MRI protocol has had no effect on tumor detection to date, in cases of liver, kidney, bladder, and prostate cancer, the use of DWI may be beneficial in detecting lesions. Another possible option is to scan each region with different MRI sequences instead of scanning the whole body using one sequence continuously. We herein report a workflow and imaging protocols for whole-body oncologic PET/MRI using an integrated system in the clinical routine, designed for the detection, for example by cancer screening, of metastatic lesions, in order to help future users optimize their workflow and imaging protocols.

Toward Synthesis, Analysis, and Certification of Security Protocols

Science.gov (United States)

Schumann, Johann

2004-01-01

Implemented security protocols are basically pieces of software which are used to (a) authenticate the other communication partners, (b) establish a secure communication channel between them (using insecure communication media), and (c) transfer data between the communication partners in such a way that these data only available to the desired receiver, but not to anyone else. Such an implementation usually consists of the following components: the protocol-engine, which controls in which sequence the messages of the protocol are sent over the network, and which controls the assembly/disassembly and processing (e.g., decryption) of the data. the cryptographic routines to actually encrypt or decrypt the data (using given keys), and t,he interface to the operating system and to the application. For a correct working of such a security protocol, all of these components must work flawlessly. Many formal-methods based techniques for the analysis of a security protocols have been developed. They range from using specific logics (e.g.: BAN-logic [4], or higher order logics [12] to model checking [2] approaches. In each approach, the analysis tries to prove that no (or at least not a modeled intruder) can get access to secret data. Otherwise, a scenario illustrating the &tack may be produced. Despite the seeming simplicity of security protocols ("only" a few messages are sent between the protocol partners in order to ensure a secure communication), many flaws have been detected. Unfortunately, even a perfect protocol engine does not guarantee flawless working of a security protocol, as incidents show. Many break-ins and security vulnerabilities are caused by exploiting errors in the implementation of the protocol engine or the underlying operating system. Attacks using buffer-overflows are a very common class of such attacks. Errors in the implementation of exception or error handling can open up additional vulnerabilities. For example, on a website with a log-in screen

Aiming for a shorter rheumatoid arthritis MRI protocol: can contrast-enhanced MRI replace T2 for the detection of bone marrow oedema?

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Stomp, Wouter; Bloem, Johan L.; Reijnierse, Monique [Leiden University Medical Center, Department of Radiology, P.O. Box 9600, Leiden (Netherlands); Krabben, Annemarie; Heijde, Desiree van der; Huizinga, Tom W.J.; Helm-van Mil, Annette H.M. van der [Leiden University Medical Center, Department of Rheumatology, P.O. Box 9600, Leiden (Netherlands)

2014-10-15

To determine whether T1 post-gadolinium chelate images (T1Gd) can replace T2-weighted images (T2) for evaluating bone marrow oedema (BME), thereby allowing a shorter magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) protocol in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). In 179 early arthritis patients and 43 advanced RA patients, wrist and metacarpophalangeal joints were examined on a 1.5-T extremity MRI system with a standard protocol (coronal T1, T2 fat-saturated and coronal and axial T1 fat-saturated after Gd). BME was scored according to OMERACT RAMRIS by two observers with and without T2 images available. Agreement was assessed using intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) for semi-quantitative scores and test characteristics with T2 images as reference. Agreement between scores based on T2 and T1Gd images was excellent ICC (0.80-0.99). At bone level, sensitivity and specificity of BME on T1Gd compared to T2 were high for both patient groups and both readers (all ≥80 %). T1Gd and T2 images are equally suitable for evaluating BME. Because contrast is usually administered to assess (teno)synovitis, a short MRI protocol of T1 and T1Gd is sufficient in RA. (orig.)

Aiming for a shorter rheumatoid arthritis MRI protocol: can contrast-enhanced MRI replace T2 for the detection of bone marrow oedema?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stomp, Wouter; Bloem, Johan L.; Reijnierse, Monique; Krabben, Annemarie; Heijde, Desiree van der; Huizinga, Tom W.J.; Helm-van Mil, Annette H.M. van der

2014-01-01

To determine whether T1 post-gadolinium chelate images (T1Gd) can replace T2-weighted images (T2) for evaluating bone marrow oedema (BME), thereby allowing a shorter magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) protocol in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). In 179 early arthritis patients and 43 advanced RA patients, wrist and metacarpophalangeal joints were examined on a 1.5-T extremity MRI system with a standard protocol (coronal T1, T2 fat-saturated and coronal and axial T1 fat-saturated after Gd). BME was scored according to OMERACT RAMRIS by two observers with and without T2 images available. Agreement was assessed using intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) for semi-quantitative scores and test characteristics with T2 images as reference. Agreement between scores based on T2 and T1Gd images was excellent ICC (0.80-0.99). At bone level, sensitivity and specificity of BME on T1Gd compared to T2 were high for both patient groups and both readers (all ≥80 %). T1Gd and T2 images are equally suitable for evaluating BME. Because contrast is usually administered to assess (teno)synovitis, a short MRI protocol of T1 and T1Gd is sufficient in RA. (orig.)

A work-site weight control program using financial incentives collected through payroll deduction.

Science.gov (United States)

Forster, J L; Jeffery, R W; Sullivan, S; Snell, M K

1985-11-01

In a work-site weight control program using a self-motivational program of financial incentives implemented through payroll deduction, 131 university employees chose weight loss goals (0 to 60 lb) and incentives (+5 to +30) to be deducted from each paycheck for six months. Return of incentive money was contingent on progress toward weight goals. Participants were assigned randomly to one of four protocols, involving group educational sessions v self-instruction only and required v optional attendance at weigh-ins and sessions. Overall, dropout rates (21.4%) and mean weight loss (12.2 lb) were encouraging, especially compared with those of other work-site programs. Weight loss was positively associated with attendance at weigh-ins and educational sessions. However, requiring attendance did not increase program effectiveness and seemed also to discourage enrollment among men. The weight control program was equally effective when offered with professionally led educational sessions or when accompanied by self-instructional materials only.

ARQ Protocols in Cognitive Decode-and-Forward Relay Networks: Opportunities Gain

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zongsheng Zhang

2015-04-01

Full Text Available In this paper, two novel automatic-repeat-request (ARQ based protocols were proposed, which exploit coop- eration opportunity inherent in secondary retransmission to create access opportunities. If the signal was not decoded correctly in destination, another user can be acted as a relay to reduce retransmission rounds by relaying the signal. For comparison, we also propose a Direct ARQ Protocol. Specif- ically, we derive the exact closed-form outage probability of three protocols, which provides an effective means to evalu- ate the effects of several parameters. Moreover, we propose a new metric to evaluate the performance improvement for cognitive networks. Finally, Monte Carlo simulations were presented to validate the theory analysis, and a comparison is made among the three protocols.

A new testing protocol for zirconia dental implants.

Science.gov (United States)

Sanon, Clarisse; Chevalier, Jérôme; Douillard, Thierry; Cattani-Lorente, Maria; Scherrer, Susanne S; Gremillard, Laurent

2015-01-01

Based on the current lack of standards concerning zirconia dental implants, we aim at developing a protocol to validate their functionality and safety prior their clinical use. The protocol is designed to account for the specific brittle nature of ceramics and the specific behavior of zirconia in terms of phase transformation. Several types of zirconia dental implants with different surface textures (porous, alveolar, rough) were assessed. The implants were first characterized in their as-received state by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Focused Ion Beam (FIB), X-Ray Diffraction (XRD). Fracture tests following a method adapted from ISO 14801 were conducted to evaluate their initial mechanical properties. Accelerated aging was performed on the implants, and XRD monoclinic content measured directly at their surface instead of using polished samples as in ISO 13356. The implants were then characterized again after aging. Implants with an alveolar surface presented large defects. The protocol shows that such defects compromise the long-term mechanical properties. Implants with a porous surface exhibited sufficient strength but a significant sensitivity to aging. Even if associated to micro cracking clearly observed by FIB, aging did not decrease mechanical strength of the implants. As each dental implant company has its own process, all zirconia implants may behave differently, even if the starting powder is the same. Especially, surface modifications have a large influence on strength and aging resistance, which is not taken into account by the current standards. Protocols adapted from this work could be useful. Copyright © 2014 Academy of Dental Materials. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Extracting histones for the specific purpose of label-free MS.

Science.gov (United States)

Govaert, Elisabeth; Van Steendam, Katleen; Scheerlinck, Ellen; Vossaert, Liesbeth; Meert, Paulien; Stella, Martina; Willems, Sander; De Clerck, Laura; Dhaenens, Maarten; Deforce, Dieter

2016-12-01

Extracting histones from cells is the first step in studies that aim to characterize histones and their post-translational modifications (hPTMs) with MS. In the last decade, label-free quantification is more frequently being used for MS-based histone characterization. However, many histone extraction protocols were not specifically designed for label-free MS. While label-free quantification has its advantages, it is also very susceptible to technical variation. Here, we adjust an established histone extraction protocol according to general label-free MS guidelines with a specific focus on minimizing sample handling. These protocols are first evaluated using SDS-PAGE. Hereafter, a selection of extraction protocols was used in a complete histone workflow for label-free MS. All protocols display nearly identical relative quantification of hPTMs. We thus show that, depending on the cell type under investigation and at the cost of some additional contaminating proteins, minimizing sample handling can be done during histone isolation. This allows analyzing bigger sample batches, leads to reduced technical variation and minimizes the chance of in vitro alterations to the hPTM snapshot. Overall, these results allow researchers to determine the best protocol depending on the resources and goal of their specific study. Data are available via ProteomeXchange with identifier PXD002885. © 2016 The Authors. Proteomics Published by Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Development of high-reliable real-time communication network protocol for SMART

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Song, Ki Sang; Kim, Young Sik [Korea National University of Education, Chongwon (Korea); No, Hee Chon [Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Taejon (Korea)

1999-04-01

In this research, we first define protocol subsets for SMART(System-integrated Modular Advanced Reactor) communication network based on the requirement of SMART MMIS transmission delay and traffic requirements and OSI(Open System Interconnection) 7 layers' network protocol functions. Also, current industrial purpose LAN protocols are analyzed and the applicability of commercialized protocols are checked. For the suitability test, we have applied approximated SMART data traffic and maximum allowable transmission delay requirement. With the simulation results, we conclude that IEEE 802.5 and FDDI which is an ANSI standard, is the most suitable for SMART. We further analyzed the FDDI and token ring protocols for SMART and nuclear plant network environment including IEEE 802.4, IEEE 802.5, and ARCnet. The most suitable protocol for SMART is FDDI and FDDI MAC and RMT protocol specifications have been verified with LOTOS and the verification results show that FDDI MAC and RMT satisfy the reachability and liveness, but does not show deadlock and livelock. Therefore, we conclude that FDDI MAC and RMT is highly reliable protocol for SMART MMIS network. After that, we consider the stacking fault of IEEE 802.5 token ring protocol and propose a fault tolerant MAM(Modified Active Monitor) protocol. The simulation results show that the MAM protocol improves lower priority traffic service rate when stacking fault occurs. Therefore, proposed MAM protocol can be applied to SMART communication network for high reliability and hard real-time communication purpose in data acquisition and inter channel network. (author). 37 refs., 79 figs., 39 tabs.

Patient-reported outcome (PRO assessment in clinical trials: a systematic review of guidance for trial protocol writers.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Melanie Calvert

Full Text Available Evidence suggests there are inconsistencies in patient-reported outcome (PRO assessment and reporting in clinical trials, which may limit the use of these data to inform patient care. For trials with a PRO endpoint, routine inclusion of key PRO information in the protocol may help improve trial conduct and the reporting and appraisal of PRO results; however, it is currently unclear exactly what PRO-specific information should be included. The aim of this review was to summarize the current PRO-specific guidance for clinical trial protocol developers.We searched the MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINHAL and Cochrane Library databases (inception to February 2013 for PRO-specific guidance regarding trial protocol development. Further guidance documents were identified via Google, Google scholar, requests to members of the UK Clinical Research Collaboration registered clinical trials units and international experts. Two independent investigators undertook title/abstract screening, full text review and data extraction, with a third involved in the event of disagreement. 21,175 citations were screened and 54 met the inclusion criteria. Guidance documents were difficult to access: electronic database searches identified just 8 documents, with the remaining 46 sourced elsewhere (5 from citation tracking, 27 from hand searching, 7 from the grey literature review and 7 from experts. 162 unique PRO-specific protocol recommendations were extracted from included documents. A further 10 PRO recommendations were identified relating to supporting trial documentation. Only 5/162 (3% recommendations appeared in ≥50% of guidance documents reviewed, indicating a lack of consistency.PRO-specific protocol guidelines were difficult to access, lacked consistency and may be challenging to implement in practice. There is a need to develop easily accessible consensus-driven PRO protocol guidance. Guidance should be aimed at ensuring key PRO information is routinely included in

Montreal Protocol Benefits simulated with CCM SOCOL

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

T. Egorova

2013-04-01

Full Text Available Ozone depletion is caused by the anthropogenic increase of halogen-containing species in the atmosphere, which results in the enhancement of the concentration of reactive chlorine and bromine in the stratosphere. To reduce the influence of anthropogenic ozone-depleting substances (ODS, the Montreal Protocol was agreed by Governments in 1987, with several Amendments and Adjustments adopted later. In order to assess the benefits of the Montreal Protocol and its Amendments and Adjustments (MPA on ozone and UV radiation, two different runs of the chemistry-climate model (CCM SOCOL have been carried out. The first run was driven by the emission of ozone depleting substances (ODS prescribed according to the restrictions of the MPA. For the second run we allow the ODS to grow by 3% annually. We find that the MPA would have saved up to 80% of the global annual total ozone by the end of the 21st century. Our calculations also show substantial changes of the stratospheric circulation pattern as well as in surface temperature and precipitations that could occur in the world without MPA implementations. To illustrate the changes in UV radiation at the surface and to emphasise certain features, which can only be seen for some particular regions if the influence of the cloud cover changes is accounted for, we calculate geographical distribution of the erythemally weighted irradiance (Eery. For the no Montreal Protocol simulation Eery increases by factor of 4 to 16 between the 1970s and 2100. For the scenario including the Montreal Protocol it is found that UV radiation starts to decrease in 2000, with continuous decline of 5% to 10% at middle latitudes in the both Northern and Southern Hemispheres.

Adherence to a behavioral weight loss treatment program enhances weight loss and improvements in biomarkers

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sushama D Acharya

2009-06-01

treatment component as the intervention intensity was reduced. Adherence to multiple treatment components was associated with greater weight loss and improvements in biomarkers. Future research needs to focus on improving and maintaining adherence to all components of the treatment protocol to promote weight loss and maintenance.Keywords: adherence, obesity, diet, exercise, self-monitoring, biomarkers

Weight-specific anticipatory coding of grip force in human dorsal premotor cortex

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

van Nuenen, Bart F L; Kuhtz-Buschbeck, Johann; Schulz, Christian

2012-01-01

, using either continuous theta burst stimulation (cTBS) at 80% (inhibitory cTBS) or 30% (sham cTBS) of active motor threshold. The conditioning effects of cTBS on preparatory brain activity were assessed with functional MRI, while participants lifted a light or heavy weight in response to a go-cue (S2......). An additional pre-cue (S1) correctly predicted the weight in 75% of the trials. Participants were asked to use this prior information to prepare for the lift. In the sham condition, grip force showed a consistent undershoot, if the S1 incorrectly prompted the preparation of a light lift. Likewise, an S1...... during object lifting....

National Athletic Trainers' Association position statement: safe weight loss and maintenance practices in sport and exercise.

Science.gov (United States)

Turocy, Paula Sammarone; DePalma, Bernard F; Horswill, Craig A; Laquale, Kathleen M; Martin, Thomas J; Perry, Arlette C; Somova, Marla J; Utter, Alan C

2011-01-01

To present athletic trainers with recommendations for safe weight loss and weight maintenance practices for athletes and active clients and to provide athletes, clients, coaches, and parents with safe guidelines that will allow athletes and clients to achieve and maintain weight and body composition goals. Unsafe weight management practices can compromise athletic performance and negatively affect health. Athletes and clients often attempt to lose weight by not eating, limiting caloric or specific nutrients from the diet, engaging in pathogenic weight control behaviors, and restricting fluids. These people often respond to pressures of the sport or activity, coaches, peers, or parents by adopting negative body images and unsafe practices to maintain an ideal body composition for the activity. We provide athletic trainers with recommendations for safe weight loss and weight maintenance in sport and exercise. Although safe weight gain is also a concern for athletic trainers and their athletes and clients, that topic is outside the scope of this position statement. Athletic trainers are often the source of nutrition information for athletes and clients; therefore, they must have knowledge of proper nutrition, weight management practices, and methods to change body composition. Body composition assessments should be done in the most scientifically appropriate manner possible. Reasonable and individualized weight and body composition goals should be identified by appropriately trained health care personnel (eg, athletic trainers, registered dietitians, physicians). In keeping with the American Dietetics Association (ADA) preferred nomenclature, this document uses the terms registered dietitian or dietician when referring to a food and nutrition expert who has met the academic and professional requirements specified by the ADA's Commission on Accreditation for Dietetics Education. In some cases, a registered nutritionist may have equivalent credentials and be the

Scaling HEP to Web size with RESTful protocols: The frontier example

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dykstra, Dave

2011-01-01

The World-Wide-Web has scaled to an enormous size. The largest single contributor to its scalability is the HTTP protocol, particularly when used in conformity to REST (REpresentational State Transfer) principles. High Energy Physics (HEP) computing also has to scale to an enormous size, so it makes sense to base much of it on RESTful protocols. Frontier, which reads databases with an HTTP-based RESTful protocol, has successfully scaled to deliver production detector conditions data from both the CMS and ATLAS LHC detectors to hundreds of thousands of computer cores worldwide. Frontier is also able to re-use a large amount of standard software that runs the Web: on the clients, caches, and servers. I discuss the specific ways in which HTTP and REST enable high scalability for Frontier. I also briefly discuss another protocol used in HEP computing that is HTTP-based and RESTful, and another protocol that could benefit from it. My goal is to encourage HEP protocol designers to consider HTTP and REST whenever the same information is needed in many places.

A Secure Cluster-Based Multipath Routing Protocol for WMSNs

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jamal N. Al-Karaki

2011-04-01

Full Text Available The new characteristics of Wireless Multimedia Sensor Network (WMSN and its design issues brought by handling different traffic classes of multimedia content (video streams, audio, and still images as well as scalar data over the network, make the proposed routing protocols for typical WSNs not directly applicable for WMSNs. Handling real-time multimedia data requires both energy efficiency and QoS assurance in order to ensure efficient utility of different capabilities of sensor resources and correct delivery of collected information. In this paper, we propose a Secure Cluster-based Multipath Routing protocol for WMSNs, SCMR, to satisfy the requirements of delivering different data types and support high data rate multimedia traffic. SCMR exploits the hierarchical structure of powerful cluster heads and the optimized multiple paths to support timeliness and reliable high data rate multimedia communication with minimum energy dissipation. Also, we present a light-weight distributed security mechanism of key management in order to secure the communication between sensor nodes and protect the network against different types of attacks. Performance evaluation from simulation results demonstrates a significant performance improvement comparing with existing protocols (which do not even provide any kind of security feature in terms of average end-to-end delay, network throughput, packet delivery ratio, and energy consumption.

Maternal Cytomegalovirus-Specific Immune Responses and Symptomatic Postnatal Cytomegalovirus Transmission in Very Low-Birth-Weight Preterm Infants

Science.gov (United States)

Ehlinger, Elizabeth P.; Webster, Emily M.; Kang, Helen H.; Cangialose, Aislyn; Simmons, Adam C.; Barbas, Kimberly H.; Burchett, Sandra K.; Gregory, Mary L.; Puopolo, Karen P.

2011-01-01

Introduction. Transmission of cytomegalovirus (CMV) via breast milk can lead to severe acute illness in very low-birth-weight (VLBW) preterm infants. Although the majority of CMV-seropositive women shed CMV in milk, symptomatic postnatal infection of VLBW infants occurs infrequently, suggesting that virologic or immunologic factors in milk may be associated with the risk and severity of postnatal CMV infection. Methods. We investigated the magnitude of CMV-specific cellular and humoral immune responses in milk of 30 seropositive mothers of VLWB preterm infants and assessed their relationship to milk CMV load and symptomatic CMV transmission. Results. Milk immunoglobulin G (IgG) avidity was inversely correlated to milk CMV load (r = −0.47; P = .009). However, milk CMV load and CMV-specific cellular and humoral immune responses were similar in mothers of VLBW infants with and those without symptomatic postnatal CMV infection. Conclusions. Similar immunologic parameters in milk of CMV-seropositive mothers of VLBW infants with and without symptomatic postnatal CMV infection indicate that screening milk by these parameters may not predict disease risk. However, the inverse correlation between milk CMV IgG avidity and CMV load may suggest that enhancement of maternal CMV-specific IgG responses could aid in reduction of CMV shedding into breast milk. PMID:21984738

Optimisation of the MR protocol in pregnant women with suspected acute appendicitis

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Shin, Ilah; Chung, Yong Eun; An, Chansik; Kim, Honsoul; Lim, Joon Seok; Kim, Myeong-Jin [Yonsei University College of Medicine, Department of Radiology, Research Institute of Radiological Science, Severance Hospital, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Lee, Hye Sun [Yonsei University College of Medicine, Department of Research Affairs, Biostatistics Collaboration Unit, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

2018-02-15

To investigate the optimal magnetic resonance (MR) imaging protocol in pregnant women suspected of having acute appendicitis. One hundred and forty-six pregnant women with suspected appendicitis were included. MR images were reviewed by two radiologists in three separate sessions. In session 1, only axial single-shot turbo spin echo (SSH-TSE) T2-weighted images (WI) were included with other routine sequences. In sessions 2 and 3, coronal and sagittal T2WI were sequentially added. The visibility of the appendix and diagnostic confidence of appendicitis were evaluated in each session using a 5-point grading scale. If diseases other than appendicitis were suspected, specific diagnosis with a 5-point confidence scale was recorded. Diagnostic performance for appendicitis and other diseases were evaluated. Twenty-five patients (17.1%) were diagnosed with appendicitis. Among the patients with normal appendix, 28 were diagnosed with other disease. Diagnostic performance including sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV), and area under the curve values for diagnosing appendicitis and other diseases showed no significant difference among sets for both reviewers (p>0.05). Diagnostic performance of MR in pregnant patients with suspected appendicitis can be preserved with omission of sagittal or both coronal and sagittal SSH-T2WI. (orig.)

Optimisation of the MR protocol in pregnant women with suspected acute appendicitis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shin, Ilah; Chung, Yong Eun; An, Chansik; Kim, Honsoul; Lim, Joon Seok; Kim, Myeong-Jin; Lee, Hye Sun

2018-01-01

To investigate the optimal magnetic resonance (MR) imaging protocol in pregnant women suspected of having acute appendicitis. One hundred and forty-six pregnant women with suspected appendicitis were included. MR images were reviewed by two radiologists in three separate sessions. In session 1, only axial single-shot turbo spin echo (SSH-TSE) T2-weighted images (WI) were included with other routine sequences. In sessions 2 and 3, coronal and sagittal T2WI were sequentially added. The visibility of the appendix and diagnostic confidence of appendicitis were evaluated in each session using a 5-point grading scale. If diseases other than appendicitis were suspected, specific diagnosis with a 5-point confidence scale was recorded. Diagnostic performance for appendicitis and other diseases were evaluated. Twenty-five patients (17.1%) were diagnosed with appendicitis. Among the patients with normal appendix, 28 were diagnosed with other disease. Diagnostic performance including sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV), and area under the curve values for diagnosing appendicitis and other diseases showed no significant difference among sets for both reviewers (p>0.05). Diagnostic performance of MR in pregnant patients with suspected appendicitis can be preserved with omission of sagittal or both coronal and sagittal SSH-T2WI. (orig.)

Chapter 23: Combined Heat and Power Evaluation Protocol. The Uniform Methods Project: Methods for Determining Energy Efficiency Savings for Specific Measures

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kurnik, Charles W. [National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Simons, George [Itron, Davis, CA (United States); Barsun, Stephan [Itron, Davis, CA (United States)

2017-11-06

The main focus of most evaluations is to determine the energy-savings impacts of the installed measure. This protocol defines a combined heat and power (CHP) measure as a system that sequentially generates both electrical energy and useful thermal energy from one fuel source at a host customer's facility or residence. This protocol is aimed primarily at regulators and administrators of ratepayer-funded CHP programs; however, project developers may find the protocol useful to understand how CHP projects are evaluated.

Perceived weight discrimination, childhood maltreatment, and weight gain in U.S. adults with overweight/obesity.

Science.gov (United States)

Udo, Tomoko; Grilo, Carlos M

2016-06-01

Perceived weight discrimination and childhood maltreatment have been independently associated with physical and mental health issues, as well as weight gain. It is not known, however, whether childhood maltreatment modifies the relationship between perceived weight discrimination and weight changes. This study examined the relationship between perceived weight discrimination, childhood maltreatment, and changes in body mass index (BMI) over 3 years in 21,357 men and women with overweight and obesity from Wave 1 and Wave 2 surveys of the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions (NESARC). Reporting childhood maltreatment, regardless of the specific form of maltreatment, was associated with a significantly greater likelihood of perceived weight discrimination in women. Perceived weight discrimination was associated with a significantly greater increase in BMI in both genders. Among all women with perceived weight discrimination, those who also reported having experienced childhood maltreatment had significantly less BMI increase compared to those reporting not having experienced childhood maltreatment. Perceived weight discrimination may foster weight gain rather than encouraging weight loss in individuals with overweight/obesity and should be addressed in prevention efforts and clinical settings. Childhood maltreatment may perhaps sensitize individuals to subsequent stressors and increase vulnerability to perceived weight discrimination, particularly in women. © 2016 The Obesity Society.

Breastfeeding Trends Among Very Low Birth Weight, Low Birth Weight, and Normal Birth Weight Infants.

Science.gov (United States)

Campbell, Angela G; Miranda, Patricia Y

2018-05-18

To examine the change in breastfeeding behaviors over time, among low birth weight (LBW), very low birth weight (VLBW), and normal birth weight (NBW) infants using nationally representative US data. Univariate statistics and bivariate logistic models were examined using the Early Child Longitudinal Study-Birth Cohort (2001) and National Study of Children's Health (2007 and 2011/2012). Breastfeeding behaviors improved for infants of all birth weights from 2007 to 2011/2012. In 2011/2012, a higher percentage of VLBW infants were ever breastfed compared with LBW and NBW infants. In 2011/2012, LBW infants had a 28% lower odds (95% CI, 0.57-0.92) of ever breastfeeding and a 52% lower odds (95% CI, 0.38-0.61) of breastfeeding for ≥6 months compared with NBW infants. Among black infants, a larger percentage of VLBW infants were breastfed for ≥6 months (26.2%) compared with LBW infants (14.9%). Breastfeeding rates for VLBW and NBW infants have improved over time. Both VLBW and NBW infants are close to meeting the Healthy People 2020 ever breastfeeding goal of 81.9%. LBW infants are farther from this goal than VLBW infants. The results suggest a need for policies that encourage breastfeeding specifically among LBW infants. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Comparative Study on Various Authentication Protocols in Wireless Sensor Networks.

Science.gov (United States)

Rajeswari, S Raja; Seenivasagam, V

2016-01-01

Wireless sensor networks (WSNs) consist of lightweight devices with low cost, low power, and short-ranged wireless communication. The sensors can communicate with each other to form a network. In WSNs, broadcast transmission is widely used along with the maximum usage of wireless networks and their applications. Hence, it has become crucial to authenticate broadcast messages. Key management is also an active research topic in WSNs. Several key management schemes have been introduced, and their benefits are not recognized in a specific WSN application. Security services are vital for ensuring the integrity, authenticity, and confidentiality of the critical information. Therefore, the authentication mechanisms are required to support these security services and to be resilient to distinct attacks. Various authentication protocols such as key management protocols, lightweight authentication protocols, and broadcast authentication protocols are compared and analyzed for all secure transmission applications. The major goal of this survey is to compare and find out the appropriate protocol for further research. Moreover, the comparisons between various authentication techniques are also illustrated.

Comparative Study on Various Authentication Protocols in Wireless Sensor Networks

Science.gov (United States)

Rajeswari, S. Raja; Seenivasagam, V.

2016-01-01

Wireless sensor networks (WSNs) consist of lightweight devices with low cost, low power, and short-ranged wireless communication. The sensors can communicate with each other to form a network. In WSNs, broadcast transmission is widely used along with the maximum usage of wireless networks and their applications. Hence, it has become crucial to authenticate broadcast messages. Key management is also an active research topic in WSNs. Several key management schemes have been introduced, and their benefits are not recognized in a specific WSN application. Security services are vital for ensuring the integrity, authenticity, and confidentiality of the critical information. Therefore, the authentication mechanisms are required to support these security services and to be resilient to distinct attacks. Various authentication protocols such as key management protocols, lightweight authentication protocols, and broadcast authentication protocols are compared and analyzed for all secure transmission applications. The major goal of this survey is to compare and find out the appropriate protocol for further research. Moreover, the comparisons between various authentication techniques are also illustrated. PMID:26881272

Pancreas segmentation from 3D abdominal CT images using patient-specific weighted subspatial probabilistic atlases

Science.gov (United States)

Karasawa, Kenichi; Oda, Masahiro; Hayashi, Yuichiro; Nimura, Yukitaka; Kitasaka, Takayuki; Misawa, Kazunari; Fujiwara, Michitaka; Rueckert, Daniel; Mori, Kensaku

2015-03-01

Abdominal organ segmentations from CT volumes are now widely used in the computer-aided diagnosis and surgery assistance systems. Among abdominal organs, the pancreas is especially difficult to segment because of its large individual differences of the shape and position. In this paper, we propose a new pancreas segmentation method from 3D abdominal CT volumes using patient-specific weighted-subspatial probabilistic atlases. First of all, we perform normalization of organ shapes in training volumes and an input volume. We extract the Volume Of Interest (VOI) of the pancreas from the training volumes and an input volume. We divide each training VOI and input VOI into some cubic regions. We use a nonrigid registration method to register these cubic regions of the training VOI to corresponding regions of the input VOI. Based on the registration results, we calculate similarities between each cubic region of the training VOI and corresponding region of the input VOI. We select cubic regions of training volumes having the top N similarities in each cubic region. We subspatially construct probabilistic atlases weighted by the similarities in each cubic region. After integrating these probabilistic atlases in cubic regions into one, we perform a rough-to-precise segmentation of the pancreas using the atlas. The results of the experiments showed that utilization of the training volumes having the top N similarities in each cubic region led good results of the pancreas segmentation. The Jaccard Index and the average surface distance of the result were 58.9% and 2.04mm on average, respectively.

Protocol-Based Verification of Message-Passing Parallel Programs

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

López-Acosta, Hugo-Andrés; Eduardo R. B. Marques, Eduardo R. B.; Martins, Francisco

2015-01-01

We present ParTypes, a type-based methodology for the verification of Message Passing Interface (MPI) programs written in the C programming language. The aim is to statically verify programs against protocol specifications, enforcing properties such as fidelity and absence of deadlocks. We develo...

Enhanced just-in-time plus protocol for optical burst switching networks

Science.gov (United States)

Rodrigues, Joel J. P. C.; Gregório, José M. B.; Vasilakos, Athanasios V.

2010-07-01

We propose a new one-way resource reservation protocol for optical burst switching (OBS) networks, called Enhanced Just-in-Time Plus (E-JIT+). The protocol is described in detail, and its formal specification is presented, following an extended finite state machine approach. The performance evaluation of E-JIT+ is analyzed in comparison with other proposed OBS protocols (JIT+ and E-JIT) for the following network topologies: rings; degree-two, degree-three, and degree-four chordal rings; mesh-torus; NSFNET; ARPANET; FCCN-NET; and the European Optical Network. We evaluate and compare the performance of the different protocols in terms of burst loss probability, taking into account the most important OBS network parameters. It was shown that E-JIT+ performs better than available one-way resource reservation protocols for all the evaluated network topologies. Moreover, the scalability of E-JIT+ was observed, and when the network traffic increases, the burst loss probability also increases, leading to a worse network performance.

Study protocol: intervention in maternal perception of preschoolers' weight among Mexican and Mexican-American mothers.

Science.gov (United States)

Flores-Peña, Yolanda; He, Meizi; Sosa, Erica T; Avila-Alpirez, Hermelinda; Trejo-Ortiz, Perla M

2018-05-30

Childhood obesity is a public health issue negatively affecting children's physical and psychosocial health. Mothers are children's primary caregivers, thus key players in childhood obesity prevention. Studies have indicated that mothers underestimate their children's weight. If mothers are unaware of their children's weight problem, they are less likely to participate in activities preventing and treating excess weight. The "Healthy Change" intervention is designed to change maternal perception of child's weight (MPCW) through peer-led group health education in childcare settings. The "Healthy Change" is a multicenter two-arm randomized trial in four centers. Three centers are in Mexican States (Nuevo Leon, Tamaulipas, and Zacatecas). The fourth center is in San Antonio, Texas, USA. A total of 360 mother-child pairs (90 pairs per center) are to be randomly and evenly allocated to either the intervention or the control group. Intervention group will receive four-session group obesity prevention education. Control group will receive a four-session personal and food hygiene education. The education is delivered by trained peer-mother promotoras. Data will be collected using questionnaires and focus groups. The primary outcome is a change in proportion of mothers with accurate MPCW. Secondary outcomes include change in maternal feeding styles and practices, maternal self-efficacy and actions for managing child excessive weight gain. McNemar's Test will be used to test the primary outcome. The GLM Univariate procedure will be used to determine intervention effects on secondary outcomes. The models will include the secondary outcome measures as the dependent variables, treatment condition (intervention/control) as the fixed factor, and confounding factors (e.g., mother's education, children's gender and age) as covariates. Sub-analyses will be performed to compare intervention effects on primary and secondary outcomes between the samples from Mexico and Texas, USA

Age-specific effective doses for pediatric MSCT examinations at a large children's hospital using DLP conversion coefficients: a simple estimation method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Thomas, Karen E.; Wang, Bo

2008-01-01

There is a need for an easily accessible method for effective dose estimation in pediatric CT. To estimate effective doses for a variety of pediatric neurological and body CT examinations in five age groups using recently published age- and region-specific dose length product (DLP) to effective dose conversion coefficients. A retrospective review was performed of 1,431 consecutive CT scans over a 12-week period using age- and weight-adjusted CT protocols. Age- and region-specific DLP to effective dose conversion coefficients were applied to console-displayed DLP data. Effective dose estimates for single-phase head CT scans in neonatal, and 1-, 5-, 10- and 15-year-old age groups were 4.2, 3.6, 2.4, 2.0 and 1.4 mSv, respectively. For abdomen/pelvis CT scans the corresponding effective doses were 13.1, 11.1, 8.4, 8.9 and 5.9 mSv. The range of pediatric CT effective doses is wide, from ultralow dose protocols (<1 mSv) to extended-coverage body examinations (10-15 mSv). Age- and region-specific pediatric DLP to effective dose conversion coefficients provide an accessible and user-friendly method for estimating pediatric CT effective doses that is available to radiologists working without medical physics support. (orig.)

An efficient chronic unpredictable stress protocol to induce stress-related responses in C57BL/6 mice.

Science.gov (United States)

Monteiro, Susana; Roque, Susana; de Sá-Calçada, Daniela; Sousa, Nuno; Correia-Neves, Margarida; Cerqueira, João José

2015-01-01

Exposure to chronic stress can have broad effects on health ranging from increased predisposition for neuropsychiatric disorders to deregulation of immune responses. The chronic unpredictable stress (CUS) protocol has been widely used to study the impact of stress exposure in several animal models and consists in the random, intermittent, and unpredictable exposure to a variety of stressors during several weeks. CUS has consistently been shown to induce behavioral and immunological alterations typical of the chronic stress-response. Unfortunately C57BL/6 mice, one of the most widely used mouse strains, due to the great variety of genetically modified lines, seem to be resistant to the commonly used 4-week-long CUS protocol. The definition of an alternative CUS protocol allowing the use of C57BL/6 mice in chronic stress experiments is a need. Here, we show that by extending the CUS protocol to 8 weeks is possible to induce a chronic stress-response in C57BL/6 mice, as revealed by abrogated body weight gain, increased adrenals weight, and an overactive hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis with increased levels of serum corticosterone. Moreover, we also observed stress-associated behavioral alterations, including the potentiation of anxious-like and depressive-like behaviors and a reduction of exploratory behavior, as well as subtle stress-related changes in the cell population of the thymus and of the spleen. The present protocol for C57BL/6 mice consistently triggers the spectrum of CUS-induced changes observed in rats and, thus, will be highly useful to researchers that need to use this particular mouse strain as an animal model of neuropsychiatric disorders and/or immune deregulation related to CUS.

Addressing weight stigma in physiotherapy: Development of a theory-driven approach to (re)thinking weight-related interactions.

Science.gov (United States)

Setchell, J; Gard, M; Jones, L; Watson, B M

2017-08-01

In this article, we propose a theory-driven approach to developing interventions for reducing weight stigma in physiotherapy and discuss the design and exploratory trial of such an intervention. Weight stigma has been identified in physiotherapists in empirical investigations. However, there has been little consideration of how this stigma might be addressed. We highlight Goffman's work on stigma that provides social and embodied understandings of stigma. Goffman's approach, however, is notably apolitical, ahistorical and lacks mechanisms for understanding power. We suggest that post-structuralist perspectives can provide insight into these areas. Drawing on these theories, we critically examine the literature on weight stigma reduction, finding that trials have largely been unsuccessful. We argue that this may be due to overly passive and simplistic intervention designs. As context-specific understandings are desirable, we examine the nature of physiotherapy to determine what might be relevant to (re)thinking weight in this profession. We then discuss the development of a multifactorial, active weight stigma intervention we trialed with eight physiotherapists. Supported by theory, the outcomes of the exploratory study suggest that physiotherapy-specific factors such as fostering professional reflexivity and improving understandings of stigma need to be incorporated into an active intervention that considers the complex determinants of weight stigma.

Analyzing the effect of routing protocols on media access control protocols in radio networks

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Barrett, C. L. (Christopher L.); Drozda, M. (Martin); Marathe, A. (Achla); Marathe, M. V. (Madhav V.)

2002-01-01

We study the effect of routing protocols on the performance of media access control (MAC) protocols in wireless radio networks. Three well known MAC protocols: 802.11, CSMA, and MACA are considered. Similarly three recently proposed routing protocols: AODV, DSR and LAR scheme 1 are considered. The experimental analysis was carried out using GloMoSim: a tool for simulating wireless networks. The main focus of our experiments was to study how the routing protocols affect the performance of the MAC protocols when the underlying network and traffic parameters are varied. The performance of the protocols was measured w.r.t. five important parameters: (i) number of received packets, (ii) average latency of each packet, (iii) throughput (iv) long term fairness and (v) number of control packets at the MAC layer level. Our results show that combinations of routing and MAC protocols yield varying performance under varying network topology and traffic situations. The result has an important implication; no combination of routing protocol and MAC protocol is the best over all situations. Also, the performance analysis of protocols at a given level in the protocol stack needs to be studied not locally in isolation but as a part of the complete protocol stack. A novel aspect of our work is the use of statistical technique, ANOVA (Analysis of Variance) to characterize the effect of routing protocols on MAC protocols. This technique is of independent interest and can be utilized in several other simulation and empirical studies.

Defining robustness protocols: a method to include and evaluate robustness in clinical plans

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McGowan, S E; Albertini, F; Lomax, A J; Thomas, S J

2015-01-01

We aim to define a site-specific robustness protocol to be used during the clinical plan evaluation process. Plan robustness of 16 skull base IMPT plans to systematic range and random set-up errors have been retrospectively and systematically analysed. This was determined by calculating the error-bar dose distribution (ebDD) for all the plans and by defining some metrics used to define protocols aiding the plan assessment. Additionally, an example of how to clinically use the defined robustness database is given whereby a plan with sub-optimal brainstem robustness was identified. The advantage of using different beam arrangements to improve the plan robustness was analysed. Using the ebDD it was found range errors had a smaller effect on dose distribution than the corresponding set-up error in a single fraction, and that organs at risk were most robust to the range errors, whereas the target was more robust to set-up errors. A database was created to aid planners in terms of plan robustness aims in these volumes. This resulted in the definition of site-specific robustness protocols. The use of robustness constraints allowed for the identification of a specific patient that may have benefited from a treatment of greater individuality. A new beam arrangement showed to be preferential when balancing conformality and robustness for this case. The ebDD and error-bar volume histogram proved effective in analysing plan robustness. The process of retrospective analysis could be used to establish site-specific robustness planning protocols in proton therapy. These protocols allow the planner to determine plans that, although delivering a dosimetrically adequate dose distribution, have resulted in sub-optimal robustness to these uncertainties. For these cases the use of different beam start conditions may improve the plan robustness to set-up and range uncertainties. (paper)

Defining robustness protocols: a method to include and evaluate robustness in clinical plans

Science.gov (United States)

McGowan, S. E.; Albertini, F.; Thomas, S. J.; Lomax, A. J.

2015-04-01

We aim to define a site-specific robustness protocol to be used during the clinical plan evaluation process. Plan robustness of 16 skull base IMPT plans to systematic range and random set-up errors have been retrospectively and systematically analysed. This was determined by calculating the error-bar dose distribution (ebDD) for all the plans and by defining some metrics used to define protocols aiding the plan assessment. Additionally, an example of how to clinically use the defined robustness database is given whereby a plan with sub-optimal brainstem robustness was identified. The advantage of using different beam arrangements to improve the plan robustness was analysed. Using the ebDD it was found range errors had a smaller effect on dose distribution than the corresponding set-up error in a single fraction, and that organs at risk were most robust to the range errors, whereas the target was more robust to set-up errors. A database was created to aid planners in terms of plan robustness aims in these volumes. This resulted in the definition of site-specific robustness protocols. The use of robustness constraints allowed for the identification of a specific patient that may have benefited from a treatment of greater individuality. A new beam arrangement showed to be preferential when balancing conformality and robustness for this case. The ebDD and error-bar volume histogram proved effective in analysing plan robustness. The process of retrospective analysis could be used to establish site-specific robustness planning protocols in proton therapy. These protocols allow the planner to determine plans that, although delivering a dosimetrically adequate dose distribution, have resulted in sub-optimal robustness to these uncertainties. For these cases the use of different beam start conditions may improve the plan robustness to set-up and range uncertainties.

Security Property Validation of the Sensor Network Encryption Protocol (SNEP

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Salekul Islam

2015-07-01

Full Text Available Since wireless sensor networks (WSNs have been designed to be deployed in an unsecured, public environment, secured communication is really vital for their wide-spread use. Among all of the communication protocols developed for WSN, the Security Protocols for Sensor Networks (SPINS is exceptional, as it has been designed with security as a goal. SPINS is composed of two building blocks: Secure Network Encryption Protocol (SNEP and the “micro” version of the Timed Efficient Streaming Loss-tolerant Authentication (TESLA, named μTESLA. From the inception of SPINS, a number of efforts have been made to validate its security properties. In this paper, we have validated the security properties of SNEP by using an automated security protocol validation tool, named AVISPA. Using the protocol specification language, HLPSL, we model two combined scenarios—node to node key agreement and counter exchange protocols—followed by data transmission. Next, we validate the security properties of these combined protocols, using different AVISPA back-ends. AVISPA reports the models we have developed free from attacks. However, by analyzing the key distribution sub-protocol, we find one threat of a potential DoS attack that we have demonstrated by modeling in AVISPA. Finally, we propose a modification, and AVISPA reports this modified version free from the potential DoS attack.

Polycystic ovary syndrome and weight management.

Science.gov (United States)

Moran, Lisa J; Lombard, Catherine B; Lim, Siew; Noakes, Manny; Teede, Helena J

2010-03-01

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common condition in women of reproductive age, and has reproductive, metabolic and psychological implications. Weight gain and obesity worsen the features of PCOS, while weight loss improves the features of PCOS. While there are potential barriers to successful weight management in young women who do not suffer from PCOS, women with PCOS may experience additional barriers. Weight management strategies in younger women with or without PCOS should encompass both the prevention of excess weight gain and achieving and maintaining a reduced weight through multidisciplinary lifestyle management, comprising dietary, exercise and behavioral therapy, as well as attention to psychosocial stress and practical and physiological barriers to weight management. Further research is warranted in the examination of specific barriers to weight management in women with PCOS, as well as in the determination of optimal components of lifestyle weight management interventions in young women in order to facilitate long-term compliance.

Comparison of Diffusion MRI Acquisition Protocols for the In Vivo Characterization of the Mouse Spinal Cord: Variability Analysis and Application to an Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Model.

Science.gov (United States)

Figini, Matteo; Scotti, Alessandro; Marcuzzo, Stefania; Bonanno, Silvia; Padelli, Francesco; Moreno-Manzano, Victoria; García-Verdugo, José Manuel; Bernasconi, Pia; Mantegazza, Renato; Bruzzone, Maria Grazia; Zucca, Ileana

2016-01-01

Diffusion-weighted Magnetic Resonance Imaging (dMRI) has relevant applications in the microstructural characterization of the spinal cord, especially in neurodegenerative diseases. Animal models have a pivotal role in the study of such diseases; however, in vivo spinal dMRI of small animals entails additional challenges that require a systematical investigation of acquisition parameters. The purpose of this study is to compare three acquisition protocols and identify the scanning parameters allowing a robust estimation of the main diffusion quantities and a good sensitivity to neurodegeneration in the mouse spinal cord. For all the protocols, the signal-to-noise and contrast-to noise ratios and the mean value and variability of Diffusion Tensor metrics were evaluated in healthy controls. For the estimation of fractional anisotropy less variability was provided by protocols with more diffusion directions, for the estimation of mean, axial and radial diffusivity by protocols with fewer diffusion directions and higher diffusion weighting. Intermediate features (12 directions, b = 1200 s/mm2) provided the overall minimum inter- and intra-subject variability in most cases. In order to test the diagnostic sensitivity of the protocols, 7 G93A-SOD1 mice (model of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis) at 10 and 17 weeks of age were scanned and the derived diffusion parameters compared with those estimated in age-matched healthy animals. The protocols with an intermediate or high number of diffusion directions provided the best differentiation between the two groups at week 17, whereas only few local significant differences were highlighted at week 10. According to our results, a dMRI protocol with an intermediate number of diffusion gradient directions and a relatively high diffusion weighting is optimal for spinal cord imaging. Further work is needed to confirm these results and for a finer tuning of acquisition parameters. Nevertheless, our findings could be important for the

A Survey of MAC Protocols for Cognitive Radio Body Area Networks.

Science.gov (United States)

Bhandari, Sabin; Moh, Sangman

2015-04-20

The advancement in electronics, wireless communications and integrated circuits has enabled the development of small low-power sensors and actuators that can be placed on, in or around the human body. A wireless body area network (WBAN) can be effectively used to deliver the sensory data to a central server, where it can be monitored, stored and analyzed. For more than a decade, cognitive radio (CR) technology has been widely adopted in wireless networks, as it utilizes the available spectra of licensed, as well as unlicensed bands. A cognitive radio body area network (CRBAN) is a CR-enabled WBAN. Unlike other wireless networks, CRBANs have specific requirements, such as being able to automatically sense their environments and to utilize unused, licensed spectra without interfering with licensed users, but existing protocols cannot fulfill them. In particular, the medium access control (MAC) layer plays a key role in cognitive radio functions, such as channel sensing, resource allocation, spectrum mobility and spectrum sharing. To address various application-specific requirements in CRBANs, several MAC protocols have been proposed in the literature. In this paper, we survey MAC protocols for CRBANs. We then compare the different MAC protocols with one another and discuss challenging open issues in the relevant research.

A Survey of Automatic Protocol Reverse Engineering Approaches, Methods, and Tools on the Inputs and Outputs View

OpenAIRE

Baraka D. Sija; Young-Hoon Goo; Kyu-Seok Shim; Huru Hasanova; Myung-Sup Kim

2018-01-01

A network protocol defines rules that control communications between two or more machines on the Internet, whereas Automatic Protocol Reverse Engineering (APRE) defines the way of extracting the structure of a network protocol without accessing its specifications. Enough knowledge on undocumented protocols is essential for security purposes, network policy implementation, and management of network resources. This paper reviews and analyzes a total of 39 approaches, methods, and tools towards ...

Desensitization protocols and their outcome.

Science.gov (United States)

Marfo, Kwaku; Lu, Amy; Ling, Min; Akalin, Enver

2011-04-01

In the last decade, transplantation across previously incompatible barriers has increasingly become popular because of organ donor shortage, availability of better methods of detecting and characterizing anti-HLA antibodies, ease of diagnosis, better understanding of antibody-mediated rejection, and the availability of effective regimens. This review summarizes all manuscripts published since the first publication in 2000 on desensitized patients and discusses clinical outcomes including acute and chronic antibody-mediated rejection rate, the new agents available, kidney paired exchange programs, and the future directions in sensitized patients. There were 21 studies published between 2000 and 2010, involving 725 patients with donor-specific anti-HLA antibodies (DSAs) who underwent kidney transplantation with different desensitization protocols. All studies were single center and retrospective. The patient and graft survival were 95% and 86%, respectively, at a 2-year median follow-up. Despite acceptable short-term patient and graft survivals, acute rejection rate was 36% and acute antibody-mediated rejection rate was 28%, which is significantly higher than in nonsensitized patients. Recent studies with longer follow-up of those patients raised concerns about long-term success of desensitization protocols. The studies utilizing protocol biopsies in desensitized patients also reported higher subclinical and chronic antibody-mediated rejection. An association between the strength of DSAs determined by median fluorescence intensity values of Luminex single-antigen beads and risk of rejection was observed. Two new agents, bortezomib, a proteasome inhibitor, and eculizumab, an anti-complement C5 antibody, were recently introduced to desensitization protocols. An alternative intervention is kidney paired exchange, which should be considered first for sensitized patients. © 2011 by the American Society of Nephrology

Partial-mouth periodontal examination protocols for the determination of the prevalence and extent of gingival bleeding in adolescents.

Science.gov (United States)

Machado, Michely Ediani; Tomazoni, Fernanda; Casarin, Maísa; Ardenghi, Thiago M; Zanatta, Fabricio Batistin

2017-10-01

To compare the performance of partial-mouth periodontal examination (PMPE) protocols with different cut-off points to the full-mouth examination (FME) in the assessment of the prevalence and extent of gingival bleeding in adolescents. A cross-sectional study was conducted involving 12-year-old adolescents. Following a systematic two-stage cluster sampling process, 1134 individuals were evaluated. Different PMPE protocols were compared to the FME with six sites per tooth. Sensitivity, specificity, area under the ROC curve (AUC), intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), relative and absolute biases and the inflation factor were assessed for each PMPE protocol with different cut-off points for the severity of gingival bleeding. The highest AUC values were found for the six-site two-diagonal quadrant (2-4) (0.97), six-site random half-mouth (0.95) and Community Periodontal Index (0.95) protocols. The assessment of three sites [mesiobuccal (MB), buccal (B) and distolingual (DL)] in two diagonal quadrants and the random half-mouth protocol had higher sensitivity and lower specificity than the same protocols with distobuccal (DB) sites. However, the use of DB sites led to better specificity and improved the balance between sensitivity and specificity, except for the two-diagonal quadrant (1-3) protocol. The ≥1 cut-off point led to the most discrepant results from the FME. Six-site two-diagonal quadrant (2-4) and random half-mouth assessments perform better in the evaluation of gingival bleeding in adolescents. However, when a faster protocol is needed, a two-diagonal quadrant assessment using only MB, B and DL sites can be used with no important loss of information. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

A Passive Testing Approach for Protocols in Wireless Sensor Networks

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xiaoping Che

2015-11-01

Full Text Available Smart systems are today increasingly developed with the number of wireless sensor devices drastically increasing. They are implemented within several contexts throughout our environment. Thus, sensed data transported in ubiquitous systems are important, and the way to carry them must be efficient and reliable. For that purpose, several routing protocols have been proposed for wireless sensor networks (WSN. However, one stage that is often neglected before their deployment is the conformance testing process, a crucial and challenging step. Compared to active testing techniques commonly used in wired networks, passive approaches are more suitable to the WSN environment. While some works propose to specify the protocol with state models or to analyze them with simulators and emulators, we here propose a logic-based approach for formally specifying some functional requirements of a novel WSN routing protocol. We provide an algorithm to evaluate these properties on collected protocol execution traces. Further, we demonstrate the efficiency and suitability of our approach by its application into common WSN functional properties, as well as specific ones designed from our own routing protocol. We provide relevant testing verdicts through a real indoor testbed and the implementation of our protocol. Furthermore, the flexibility, genericity and practicability of our approach have been proven by the experimental results.

'Be active, eat right', evaluation of an overweight prevention protocol among 5-year-old children: design of a cluster randomised controlled trial

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Veldhuis Lydian

2009-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The prevalence of overweight and obesity in children has at least doubled in the past 25 years with a major impact on health. In 2005 a prevention protocol was developed applicable within Youth Health Care. This study aims to assess the effects of this protocol on prevalence of overweight and health behaviour among children. Methods and design A cluster randomised controlled trial is conducted among 5-year-old children included by 44 Youth Health Care teams randomised within 9 Municipal Health Services. The teams are randomly allocated to the intervention or control group. The teams measure the weight and height of all children. When a child in the intervention group is detected with overweight according to the international age and gender specific cut-off points of BMI, the prevention protocol is applied. According to this protocol parents of overweight children are invited for up to three counselling sessions during which they receive personal advice about a healthy lifestyle, and are motivated for and assisted in behavioural change. The primary outcome measures are Body Mass Index and waist circumference of the children. Parents will complete questionnaires to assess secondary outcome measures: levels of overweight inducing/reducing behaviours (i.e. being physically active, having breakfast, drinking sweet beverages and watching television/playing computer games, parenting styles, parenting practices, and attitudes of parents regarding these behaviours, health-related quality of life of the children, and possible negative side effects of the prevention protocol. Data will be collected at baseline (when the children are aged 5 years, and after 12 and 24 months of follow-up. Additionally, a process and a cost-effectiveness evaluation will be conducted. Discussion In this study called 'Be active, eat right' we evaluate an overweight prevention protocol for use in the setting of Youth Health Care. It is hypothesized that the

'Be active, eat right', evaluation of an overweight prevention protocol among 5-year-old children: design of a cluster randomised controlled trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Veldhuis, Lydian; Struijk, Mirjam K; Kroeze, Willemieke; Oenema, Anke; Renders, Carry M; Bulk-Bunschoten, Anneke Mw; Hirasing, Remy A; Raat, Hein

2009-06-08

The prevalence of overweight and obesity in children has at least doubled in the past 25 years with a major impact on health. In 2005 a prevention protocol was developed applicable within Youth Health Care. This study aims to assess the effects of this protocol on prevalence of overweight and health behaviour among children. A cluster randomised controlled trial is conducted among 5-year-old children included by 44 Youth Health Care teams randomised within 9 Municipal Health Services. The teams are randomly allocated to the intervention or control group. The teams measure the weight and height of all children. When a child in the intervention group is detected with overweight according to the international age and gender specific cut-off points of BMI, the prevention protocol is applied. According to this protocol parents of overweight children are invited for up to three counselling sessions during which they receive personal advice about a healthy lifestyle, and are motivated for and assisted in behavioural change.The primary outcome measures are Body Mass Index and waist circumference of the children. Parents will complete questionnaires to assess secondary outcome measures: levels of overweight inducing/reducing behaviours (i.e. being physically active, having breakfast, drinking sweet beverages and watching television/playing computer games), parenting styles, parenting practices, and attitudes of parents regarding these behaviours, health-related quality of life of the children, and possible negative side effects of the prevention protocol. Data will be collected at baseline (when the children are aged 5 years), and after 12 and 24 months of follow-up. Additionally, a process and a cost-effectiveness evaluation will be conducted. In this study called 'Be active, eat right' we evaluate an overweight prevention protocol for use in the setting of Youth Health Care. It is hypothesized that the use of this protocol will result in a healthier lifestyle of the

Doses from pediatric CT examinations in Norway: are pediatric scan protocols developed and in daily use?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Friberg, Eva G.

2008-01-01

Doses to pediatric patients from CT examinations are known to be unnecessarily high if scan protocols developed for adult patients are adopted. This overexposure is most often not recognized by the operating radiographer, due to the digital behavior of the imaging system. Use of optimized size-specific pediatric scan protocols is therefore essential to keep the doses at an appropriate level. The aim of this study was to investigate the doses to pediatric patients from CT examinations and to evaluate the level of optimization of the scan protocols. Patient data, applied scan parameters together with the dose parameters volume computed tomography dose index (CTD vol ) and dose length product (DLP) for examinations of the head, chest and abdomen were collected by means of a questionnaire from five university hospitals. The effective dose was estimated from the total DLP by use of region-specific conversion coefficients (E DLP ). Totally 136, 108 and 82 questionnaires were received for examinations of the head, chest and abdomen, respectively. Large variations in patient doses between the hospitals were observed, addressing the need for optimization of the scan protocols in general. Most of the hospitals applied successive lower mAs with decreasing patient age for all scan areas, while the use of lower tube voltage for small patients and a higher tube voltage for large patients were more rarely. This indicates the presence, to a certain level, of size specific scan protocols at some Norwegian hospitals. Focus on developing size-specific scan protocols for pediatric patients are important to reduce the doses and risks associated with pediatric CT examinations. (author)

Effect of different estrus synchronization protocols on some reproductive traits in Nubian goats

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Salim, M. A.; Abu Eissa, H. I.; Abu Nikaila, A.M.; Adam, A. A.

2009-01-01

The effect of estrus synchronization protocol on the conception rates and actual kidding percentage together with litter size, birth weight twinning rates, sex of kids and sex ratio in Nubian goats were investigated. Eighteen Nubian goats were divided into three equal groups. The animals in group one were treated with vaginal sponges (VSP) impregnated with 45 mg flurogestone acetate (FGA) for 18 days followed by a single dose of 400 i.u. of pregnant mare serum gonadotrophin (PMSG) upon removal of the VSP. The second group was subjected to a double injects of 7.5 mg prostaglandin (PGF 2 u) given eleven days apart. For the third group, a vasectomies buck was suddenly introduced and kept with goats for 15 days to initiate estrus. Intact bucks were used to detect heat and mate with goats in the the groups. Dose treated with PGF 2 u and those subjected to the buck effect showed significantly higher pregnancy rates (66.6%) than those treated with VSP + PMSG. (33.3%). However, the protocols of synchronization had on effect on the kidding rates, litter size and birth weight. The type of birth comprised both singletons and twins, but none of three groups. (Author)

SPECT/CT workflow and imaging protocols

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Beckers, Catherine [University Hospital of Liege, Division of Nuclear Medicine and Oncological Imaging, Department of Medical Physics, Liege (Belgium); Hustinx, Roland [University Hospital of Liege, Division of Nuclear Medicine and Oncological Imaging, Department of Medical Physics, Liege (Belgium); Domaine Universitaire du Sart Tilman, Service de Medecine Nucleaire et Imagerie Oncologique, CHU de Liege, Liege (Belgium)

2014-05-15

Introducing a hybrid imaging method such as single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT)/CT greatly alters the routine in the nuclear medicine department. It requires designing new workflow processes and the revision of original scheduling process and imaging protocols. In addition, the imaging protocol should be adapted for each individual patient, so that performing CT is fully justified and the CT procedure is fully tailored to address the clinical issue. Such refinements often occur before the procedure is started but may be required at some intermediate stage of the procedure. Furthermore, SPECT/CT leads in many instances to a new partnership with the radiology department. This article presents practical advice and highlights the key clinical elements which need to be considered to help understand the workflow process of SPECT/CT and optimise imaging protocols. The workflow process using SPECT/CT is complex in particular because of its bimodal character, the large spectrum of stakeholders, the multiplicity of their activities at various time points and the need for real-time decision-making. With help from analytical tools developed for quality assessment, the workflow process using SPECT/CT may be separated into related, but independent steps, each with its specific human and material resources to use as inputs or outputs. This helps identify factors that could contribute to failure in routine clinical practice. At each step of the process, practical aspects to optimise imaging procedure and protocols are developed. A decision-making algorithm for justifying each CT indication as well as the appropriateness of each CT protocol is the cornerstone of routine clinical practice using SPECT/CT. In conclusion, implementing hybrid SPECT/CT imaging requires new ways of working. It is highly rewarding from a clinical perspective, but it also proves to be a daily challenge in terms of management. (orig.)

SPECT/CT workflow and imaging protocols

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Beckers, Catherine; Hustinx, Roland

2014-01-01

Introducing a hybrid imaging method such as single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT)/CT greatly alters the routine in the nuclear medicine department. It requires designing new workflow processes and the revision of original scheduling process and imaging protocols. In addition, the imaging protocol should be adapted for each individual patient, so that performing CT is fully justified and the CT procedure is fully tailored to address the clinical issue. Such refinements often occur before the procedure is started but may be required at some intermediate stage of the procedure. Furthermore, SPECT/CT leads in many instances to a new partnership with the radiology department. This article presents practical advice and highlights the key clinical elements which need to be considered to help understand the workflow process of SPECT/CT and optimise imaging protocols. The workflow process using SPECT/CT is complex in particular because of its bimodal character, the large spectrum of stakeholders, the multiplicity of their activities at various time points and the need for real-time decision-making. With help from analytical tools developed for quality assessment, the workflow process using SPECT/CT may be separated into related, but independent steps, each with its specific human and material resources to use as inputs or outputs. This helps identify factors that could contribute to failure in routine clinical practice. At each step of the process, practical aspects to optimise imaging procedure and protocols are developed. A decision-making algorithm for justifying each CT indication as well as the appropriateness of each CT protocol is the cornerstone of routine clinical practice using SPECT/CT. In conclusion, implementing hybrid SPECT/CT imaging requires new ways of working. It is highly rewarding from a clinical perspective, but it also proves to be a daily challenge in terms of management. (orig.)

Isolation of cancer cells by "in situ" microfluidic biofunctionalization protocols

KAUST Repository

De Vitis, Stefania; Matarise, Giuseppina; Pardeo, Francesca; Catalano, Rossella; Malara, Natalia Maria; Trunzo, Valentina; Tallerico, Rossana; Gentile, Francesco T.; Candeloro, Patrizio; Coluccio, Maria Laura; Massaro, Alessandro S.; Viglietto, Giuseppe; Carbone, Ennio; Kutter, Jö rg Peter; Perozziello, Gerardo; Di Fabrizio, Enzo M.

2014-01-01

The aim of this work is the development of a microfluidic immunosensor for the immobilization of cancer cells and their separation from healthy cells by using "in situ" microfluidic biofunctionalization protocols. These protocols allow to link antibodies on microfluidic device surfaces and can be used to study the interaction between cell membrane and biomolecules. Moreover they allow to perform analysis with high processing speed, small quantity of reagents and samples, short reaction times and low production costs. In this work the developed protocols were used in microfluidic devices for the isolation of cancer cells in heterogeneous blood samples by exploiting the binding of specific antibody to an adhesion protein (EpCAM), overexpressed on the tumor cell membranes. The presented biofunctionalization protocols can be performed right before running the experiment: this allows to have a flexible platform where biomolecules of interest can be linked on the device surface according to the user's needs. © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Isolation of cancer cells by "in situ" microfluidic biofunctionalization protocols

KAUST Repository

De Vitis, Stefania

2014-07-01

The aim of this work is the development of a microfluidic immunosensor for the immobilization of cancer cells and their separation from healthy cells by using "in situ" microfluidic biofunctionalization protocols. These protocols allow to link antibodies on microfluidic device surfaces and can be used to study the interaction between cell membrane and biomolecules. Moreover they allow to perform analysis with high processing speed, small quantity of reagents and samples, short reaction times and low production costs. In this work the developed protocols were used in microfluidic devices for the isolation of cancer cells in heterogeneous blood samples by exploiting the binding of specific antibody to an adhesion protein (EpCAM), overexpressed on the tumor cell membranes. The presented biofunctionalization protocols can be performed right before running the experiment: this allows to have a flexible platform where biomolecules of interest can be linked on the device surface according to the user\\'s needs. © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Typed Multiset Rewriting Specifications of Security Protocols

Science.gov (United States)

2011-10-01

how to determine a specific set pAq of Dolev-Yao intruder roles from any given derivation A of Σ R. It does so by mapping each rule instance...occurring in A to zero or more intruder roles from Section 8.1. We then define pRq as pAq . This definition entails that the encoding of any active role...privK k,Σ3); ∆ a A k (∆, k′) with ∆′ = (∆, k′). Recall that pAq = (IPV,DUP). E0 :: · . [p∆q] IPV,DUP Σ⊕ΣDY −→ [p∆q] (·→I(k′))I,DUP Σ⊕ΣDY by rule

Effects of carbohydrate and caffeine ingestion on performance during a rugby union simulation protocol

OpenAIRE

Roberts, Simon P; Stokes, Keith A; Trewartha, Grant; Doyle, J; Hogben, P; Thompson, Dylan

2010-01-01

In this study, we investigated the effect of ingesting carbohydrate alone or with caffeine on performance of a rugby union-specific shuttle running protocol. On three occasions, at least one week apart in a counterbalanced trial order, eight male rugby union forwards ingested either placebo or carbohydrate (1.2g center dot kg-1 body mass center dot h-1) before and during a rugby union-specific protocol, with pre-exercise caffeine ingestion (4mg center dot kg-1) before one of the carbohydrate ...

Patient-specific FDG dosimetry for adult males, adult females, and very low birth weight infants

Science.gov (United States)

Niven, Erin

Fluorodeoxyglucose is the most commonly used radiopharmaceutical in Positron Emission Tomography, with applications in neurology, cardiology, and oncology. Despite its routine use worldwide, the radiation absorbed dose estimates from FDG have been based primarily on data obtained from two dogs studied in 1977 and 11 adults (most likely males) studied in 1982. In addition, the dose estimates calculated for FDG have been centered on the adult male, with little or no mention of variations in the dose estimates due to sex, age, height, weight, nationality, diet, or pathological condition. Through an extensive investigation into the Medical Internal Radiation Dose schema for calculating absorbed doses, I have developed a simple patient-specific equation; this equation incorporates the parameters necessary for alterations to the mathematical values of the human model to produce an estimate more representative of the individual under consideration. I have used this method to determine the range of absorbed doses to FDG from the collection of a large quantity of biological data obtained in adult males, adult females, and very low birth weight infants. Therefore, a more accurate quantification of the dose to humans from FDG has been completed. My results show that per unit administered activity, the absorbed dose from FDG is higher for infants compared to adults, and the dose for adult women is higher than for adult men. Given an injected activity of approximately 3.7 MBq kg-1, the doses for adult men, adult women, and full-term newborns would be on the order of 5.5, 7.1, and 2.8 mSv, respectively. These absorbed doses are comparable to the doses received from other nuclear medicine procedures.

Tissue-specific increases in 11beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 in normal weight postmenopausal women.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Therése Andersson

Full Text Available With age and menopause there is a shift in adipose distribution from gluteo-femoral to abdominal depots in women. Associated with this redistribution of fat are increased risks of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Glucocorticoids influence body composition, and 11beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 (11betaHSD1 which converts inert cortisone to active cortisol is a putative key mediator of metabolic complications in obesity. Increased 11betaHSD1 in adipose tissue may contribute to postmenopausal central obesity. We hypothesized that tissue-specific 11betaHSD1 gene expression and activity are up-regulated in the older, postmenopausal women compared to young, premenopausal women. Twenty-three pre- and 23 postmenopausal, healthy, normal weight women were recruited. The participants underwent a urine collection, a subcutaneous adipose tissue biopsy and the hepatic 11betaHSD1 activity was estimated by the serum cortisol response after an oral dose of cortisone. Urinary (5alpha-tetrahydrocortisol+5beta-tetrahydrocortisol/tetrahydrocortisone ratios were higher in postmenopausal women versus premenopausal women in luteal phase (P<0.05, indicating an increased whole-body 11betaHSD1 activity. Postmenopausal women had higher 11betaHSD1 gene expression in subcutaneous fat (P<0.05. Hepatic first pass conversion of oral cortisone to cortisol was also increased in postmenopausal women versus premenopausal women in follicular phase of the menstrual cycle (P<0.01, at 30 min post cortisone ingestion, suggesting higher hepatic 11betaHSD1 activity. In conclusion, our results indicate that postmenopausal normal weight women have increased 11betaHSD1 activity in adipose tissue and liver. This may contribute to metabolic dysfunctions with menopause and ageing in women.

The effects of culture on guideline discordant gestational weight gain: a systematic review protocol.

Science.gov (United States)

Manyanga, Taru; da Silva, Danilo F; Ferraro, Zachary M; Harvey, Alysha L J; Wilson, Shanna; Ockenden, Holly N; Adamo, Kristi B

2015-11-03

A significant proportion of women exceeds or does not meet the Institute of Medicine's gestational weight gain (GWG) guidelines. Inadequate, excessive GWG or weight loss during pregnancy is associated with an increased risk of negative maternal and fetal outcomes. Among the many determinants of GWG identified in the 2009 Institute of Medicine guidelines, culture was named as one of the few whose influence has not been fully explored. Some cultural beliefs may erroneously promote overeating as "eating for two" and discourage physical activity during pregnancy, but there is lack of empirical evidence on how culture affects GWG. The purpose of this systematic review is to examine the effects of culture on GWG. Ten electronic databases will be searched to identify studies reporting on the effects of culture on GWG. Grey literature, published conference abstracts, websites of relevant organizations and reference lists of included studies will also be searched. Studies that report on effects of culture, acculturation, ethnicity, race, nationality, ancestry and identity on GWG in adult women will be included. Quality of evidence will be evaluated using the grading of recommendations, assessment, development and evaluations (GRADE) approach to rating evidence. Study selection, data extraction and risk of bias assessment will be conducted by two independent reviewers, with disagreements being resolved by consensus or third party adjudication as needed. Formal meta-analyses will be conducted among included studies that are sufficiently statistically and clinically homogeneous. This review will provide a comprehensive assessment and synthesis of current evidence and will draw attention to potential gaps where future research on the effects of culture on guideline discordant gestational weight gain remains to be conducted. PROSPERO CRD42015023399.

Extraction of High Molecular Weight DNA from Fungal Rust Spores for Long Read Sequencing.

Science.gov (United States)

Schwessinger, Benjamin; Rathjen, John P

2017-01-01

Wheat rust fungi are complex organisms with a complete life cycle that involves two different host plants and five different spore types. During the asexual infection cycle on wheat, rusts produce massive amounts of dikaryotic urediniospores. These spores are dikaryotic (two nuclei) with each nucleus containing one haploid genome. This dikaryotic state is likely to contribute to their evolutionary success, making them some of the major wheat pathogens globally. Despite this, most published wheat rust genomes are highly fragmented and contain very little haplotype-specific sequence information. Current long-read sequencing technologies hold great promise to provide more contiguous and haplotype-phased genome assemblies. Long reads are able to span repetitive regions and phase structural differences between the haplomes. This increased genome resolution enables the identification of complex loci and the study of genome evolution beyond simple nucleotide polymorphisms. Long-read technologies require pure high molecular weight DNA as an input for sequencing. Here, we describe a DNA extraction protocol for rust spores that yields pure double-stranded DNA molecules with molecular weight of >50 kilo-base pairs (kbp). The isolated DNA is of sufficient purity for PacBio long-read sequencing, but may require additional purification for other sequencing technologies such as Nanopore and 10× Genomics.

SU-E-J-07: A Functional MR Protocol for the Pancreatic Tumor Delineation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Andreychenko, A; Heerkens, H; Meijer, G; Vulpen, M van; Lagendijk, J; Berg, C van den

2014-01-01

Purpose: Pancreatic cancer is one of the cancers with the poorest survival prognosis. At the time of diagnosis most of pancreatic cancers are unresectable and those patients can be treated by radiotherapy. Radiotherapy for pancreatic cancer is limited due to uncertainties in CT-based delineations. MRI provides an excellent soft tissue contrast. Here, an MR protocol is developed to improve delineations for radiotherapy treatment of pancreatic cancer. In a later stage this protocol can also be used for on-line visualization of the pancreas during MRI guided treatments. Methods: Nine pancreatic cancer patients were included. The MR protocol included T2 weighted(T2w), T1 weighted(T1w), diffusion weighted(DWI) and dynamic contrast enhanced(DCE) techniques. The tumor was delineated on T2w and T1w MRI by an experienced radiation oncologist. Healthy pancreas or pancreatitis (assigned by the oncologist based on T2w) areas were also delineated. Apparent diffusion coefficient(ADC), and area under the curve(AUC)/time to peak(TTP) maps were obtained from DWI and DCE scans, respectively. Results: A clear demarcation of tumor area was visible on b800 DWI images in 5 patients. ADC maps of those patients characterized tumor as an area with restricted water diffusion. Tumor delineations based on solely DCE were possible in 7 patients. In 6 of those patients AUC maps demonstrated tumor heterogeneity: a hypointense area with a hyperintense ring. TTP values clearly discriminated the tumor and the healthy pancreas but could not distinguish tumor and the pancreatitis accurately. Conclusion: MR imaging results in a more pronounced tumor contrast than contrast enhanced CT. The addition of quantitative, functional MRI provides valuable, additional information to the radiation oncologist on the spatial tumor extent by discriminating tumor from the healthy pancreas(TTP, DWI) and characterizing the tumor(ADC). Our findings indicate that tumor delineation in pancreatic cancer can greatly

SU-E-J-07: A Functional MR Protocol for the Pancreatic Tumor Delineation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Andreychenko, A; Heerkens, H; Meijer, G; Vulpen, M van; Lagendijk, J; Berg, C van den [UMC Utrecht, Utrecht, Utrecht (Netherlands)

2014-06-01

Purpose: Pancreatic cancer is one of the cancers with the poorest survival prognosis. At the time of diagnosis most of pancreatic cancers are unresectable and those patients can be treated by radiotherapy. Radiotherapy for pancreatic cancer is limited due to uncertainties in CT-based delineations. MRI provides an excellent soft tissue contrast. Here, an MR protocol is developed to improve delineations for radiotherapy treatment of pancreatic cancer. In a later stage this protocol can also be used for on-line visualization of the pancreas during MRI guided treatments. Methods: Nine pancreatic cancer patients were included. The MR protocol included T2 weighted(T2w), T1 weighted(T1w), diffusion weighted(DWI) and dynamic contrast enhanced(DCE) techniques. The tumor was delineated on T2w and T1w MRI by an experienced radiation oncologist. Healthy pancreas or pancreatitis (assigned by the oncologist based on T2w) areas were also delineated. Apparent diffusion coefficient(ADC), and area under the curve(AUC)/time to peak(TTP) maps were obtained from DWI and DCE scans, respectively. Results: A clear demarcation of tumor area was visible on b800 DWI images in 5 patients. ADC maps of those patients characterized tumor as an area with restricted water diffusion. Tumor delineations based on solely DCE were possible in 7 patients. In 6 of those patients AUC maps demonstrated tumor heterogeneity: a hypointense area with a hyperintense ring. TTP values clearly discriminated the tumor and the healthy pancreas but could not distinguish tumor and the pancreatitis accurately. Conclusion: MR imaging results in a more pronounced tumor contrast than contrast enhanced CT. The addition of quantitative, functional MRI provides valuable, additional information to the radiation oncologist on the spatial tumor extent by discriminating tumor from the healthy pancreas(TTP, DWI) and characterizing the tumor(ADC). Our findings indicate that tumor delineation in pancreatic cancer can greatly

Presence of a central vein within white matter lesions on susceptibility weighted imaging: a specific finding for multiple sclerosis?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lummel, Nina; Boeckh-Behrens, Tobias; Brueckmann, Hartmut; Linn, Jennifer; Schoepf, Veronika; Burke, Michael

2011-01-01

Susceptibility weighted imaging depicts the perivenous extent of multiple sclerosis white matter lesions (MS-WML) in vivo by directly visualizing their centrally running vein. The aim of this study was to investigate the specificity of this finding for MS. Fifteen patients with MS and 15 patients with microangiopathic white matter lesions (mWML) underwent 3T MRI, including a fluid-attenuated inversion recovery sequence (FLAIR) and a susceptibility weighted angiography (SWAN). All WMLs were identified on FLAIR and assigned to one of the following localizations: supratentorial peripheral, supratentorial periventricular, or infratentorial. Subsequently, the presence of a central vein within these lesions was assessed on SWAN. A total of 711 MS-WMLs and 1,119 m-WMLs were identified on FLAIR, all of which could also be visualized on SWAN. A central vein was detectable in 80% of the MS-WMLs and in 78% of the m-WMLs (in 73% and 76% of the peripheral, in 92% and 94% of the periventricular, and in 71% and 75% of the infratentorial MS-WMLs and m-WMLs, respectively). With regard to the supratentorial peripheral lesions, significantly more m-WMLs showed a central vein compared to the MS-WMLs. For the other localizations, there was no significant difference between the groups with regard to the percentage of lesions with central vein. Our results indicate that the detection of a central vein within a WML should not be considered a specific finding for MS; it is also found in WMLs of other etiologies. (orig.)

Presence of a central vein within white matter lesions on susceptibility weighted imaging: a specific finding for multiple sclerosis?

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lummel, Nina; Boeckh-Behrens, Tobias; Brueckmann, Hartmut; Linn, Jennifer [University of Munich, Department of Neuroradiology, Munich (Germany); Schoepf, Veronika [University of Munich, Department of Neuroradiology, Munich (Germany); Medical University of Vienna, MR Centre of Excellence, Vienna (Austria); Burke, Michael [GE Healthcare, Solingen (Germany)

2011-05-15

Susceptibility weighted imaging depicts the perivenous extent of multiple sclerosis white matter lesions (MS-WML) in vivo by directly visualizing their centrally running vein. The aim of this study was to investigate the specificity of this finding for MS. Fifteen patients with MS and 15 patients with microangiopathic white matter lesions (mWML) underwent 3T MRI, including a fluid-attenuated inversion recovery sequence (FLAIR) and a susceptibility weighted angiography (SWAN). All WMLs were identified on FLAIR and assigned to one of the following localizations: supratentorial peripheral, supratentorial periventricular, or infratentorial. Subsequently, the presence of a central vein within these lesions was assessed on SWAN. A total of 711 MS-WMLs and 1,119 m-WMLs were identified on FLAIR, all of which could also be visualized on SWAN. A central vein was detectable in 80% of the MS-WMLs and in 78% of the m-WMLs (in 73% and 76% of the peripheral, in 92% and 94% of the periventricular, and in 71% and 75% of the infratentorial MS-WMLs and m-WMLs, respectively). With regard to the supratentorial peripheral lesions, significantly more m-WMLs showed a central vein compared to the MS-WMLs. For the other localizations, there was no significant difference between the groups with regard to the percentage of lesions with central vein. Our results indicate that the detection of a central vein within a WML should not be considered a specific finding for MS; it is also found in WMLs of other etiologies. (orig.)

Comparison of a fast 5-min knee MRI protocol with a standard knee MRI protocol. A multi-institutional multi-reader study

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

FitzGerald Alaia, Erin; Beltran, Luis S.; Garwood, Elisabeth; Burke, Christopher J.; Gyftopoulos, Soterios [NYU Langone Medical Center, Department of Radiology, Musculoskeletal Division, New York, NY (United States); Benedick, Alex [Case Western Reserve University, School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH (United States); Obuchowski, Nancy A. [Cleveland Clinic, Department of Quantitative Health Sciences, Cleveland, OH (United States); Polster, Joshua M.; Schils, Jean; Subhas, Naveen [Cleveland Clinic, Department of Radiology, Musculoskeletal Division, Cleveland, OH (United States); Chang, I. Yuan Joseph [Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children, Dallas, TX (United States)

2018-01-15

To compare diagnostic performance of a 5-min knee MRI protocol to that of a standard knee MRI. One hundred 3 T (100 patients, mean 38.8 years) and 50 1.5 T (46 patients, mean 46.4 years) MRIs, consisting of 5 fast, 2D multi-planar fast-spin-echo (FSE) sequences and five standard multiplanar FSE sequences, from two academic centers (1/2015-1/2016), were retrospectively reviewed by four musculoskeletal radiologists. Agreement between fast and standard (interprotocol agreement) and between standard (intraprotocol agreement) readings for meniscal, ligamentous, chondral, and bone pathology was compared for interchangeability. Frequency of major findings, sensitivity, and specificity was also tested for each protocol. Interprotocol agreement using fast MRI was similar to intraprotocol agreement with standard MRI (83.0-99.5%), with no excess disagreement (≤ 1.2; 95% CI, -4.2 to 3.8%), across all structures. Frequency of major findings (1.1-22.4% across structures) on fast and standard MRI was not significantly different (p ≥ 0.215), except more ACL tears on fast MRI (p = 0.021) and more cartilage defects on standard MRI (p < 0.001). Sensitivities (59-100%) and specificities (73-99%) of fast and standard MRI were not significantly different for meniscal and ligament tears (95% CI for difference, -0.08-0.08). For cartilage defects, fast MRI was slightly less sensitive (95% CI for difference, -0.125 to -0.01) but slightly more specific (95% CI for difference, 0.01-0.5) than standard MRI. A fast 5-min MRI protocol is interchangeable with and has similar accuracy to a standard knee MRI for evaluating internal derangement of the knee. (orig.)

Comparison of a fast 5-min knee MRI protocol with a standard knee MRI protocol. A multi-institutional multi-reader study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

FitzGerald Alaia, Erin; Beltran, Luis S.; Garwood, Elisabeth; Burke, Christopher J.; Gyftopoulos, Soterios; Benedick, Alex; Obuchowski, Nancy A.; Polster, Joshua M.; Schils, Jean; Subhas, Naveen; Chang, I. Yuan Joseph

2018-01-01

To compare diagnostic performance of a 5-min knee MRI protocol to that of a standard knee MRI. One hundred 3 T (100 patients, mean 38.8 years) and 50 1.5 T (46 patients, mean 46.4 years) MRIs, consisting of 5 fast, 2D multi-planar fast-spin-echo (FSE) sequences and five standard multiplanar FSE sequences, from two academic centers (1/2015-1/2016), were retrospectively reviewed by four musculoskeletal radiologists. Agreement between fast and standard (interprotocol agreement) and between standard (intraprotocol agreement) readings for meniscal, ligamentous, chondral, and bone pathology was compared for interchangeability. Frequency of major findings, sensitivity, and specificity was also tested for each protocol. Interprotocol agreement using fast MRI was similar to intraprotocol agreement with standard MRI (83.0-99.5%), with no excess disagreement (≤ 1.2; 95% CI, -4.2 to 3.8%), across all structures. Frequency of major findings (1.1-22.4% across structures) on fast and standard MRI was not significantly different (p ≥ 0.215), except more ACL tears on fast MRI (p = 0.021) and more cartilage defects on standard MRI (p < 0.001). Sensitivities (59-100%) and specificities (73-99%) of fast and standard MRI were not significantly different for meniscal and ligament tears (95% CI for difference, -0.08-0.08). For cartilage defects, fast MRI was slightly less sensitive (95% CI for difference, -0.125 to -0.01) but slightly more specific (95% CI for difference, 0.01-0.5) than standard MRI. A fast 5-min MRI protocol is interchangeable with and has similar accuracy to a standard knee MRI for evaluating internal derangement of the knee. (orig.)

A Comparison Between Inter-Asterisk eXchange Protocol and Jingle Protocol: Session Time

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

H. S. Haj Aliwi

2016-08-01

Full Text Available Over the last few years, many multimedia conferencing and Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP applications have been developed due to the use of signaling protocols in providing video, audio and text chatting services between at least two participants. This paper compares between two widely common signaling protocols: InterAsterisk eXchange Protocol (IAX and the extension of the eXtensible Messaging and Presence Protocol (Jingle in terms of delay time during call setup, call teardown, and media sessions.

Combined staging at one stop using MR mammography. Evaluation of an extended protocol to screen for distant metastasis in primary breast cancer. Initial results and diagnostic accuracy in a prospective study

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Dietzel, M.; Zoubi, R.; Burmeister, H.P.; Kaiser, W.A.; Baltzer, P.A.T. [Jena Univ. (Germany). Inst. of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology; Runnebaum, I.B. [University Hospital Jena (Germany). Dept. of Gynecology and Obstetrics

2012-07-15

Purpose: Accurate staging of primary breast cancer is essential for the therapeutic approach. Modern whole-body MR scanners would allow local and distant staging during a single examination. Accordingly, we designed a dedicated protocol for this purpose and prospectively evaluated the diagnostic accuracy. Materials and Methods: 65 consecutive breast cancer patients underwent pre-therapeutic MRI (1.5 T). A bilateral breast protocol (axial: T1w/GRE dynamic contrast-enhanced, T2w/TSE; TA: 10 min) was extended to screen for distant metastasis at one stop without repositioning (coronal: T2w/HASTE, T1w/VIBE; FOV: thorax, abdomen and spine; TA: 90 sec; multichannel surface coils). The standard of reference was S3 guideline-compliant staging examinations. Global assessment regarding the presence of distant metastasis was performed independently by two experienced and blinded radiologists (five-level confidence score). Inter-rater agreement (weighted kappa) and observer scoring were analyzed (contingency tables). Results: The prevalence of synchronous metastases was 7.7 % (n = 5). The protocol enabled global assessment regarding the presence of distant metastasis with high accuracy (sensitivity: 100 %; specificity: 98.3 %) and inter-rater agreement (kappa: 0.92). Conclusion: Applying the extended MRI protocol, accurate screening for distant metastasis was possible in combination with a dedicated breast examination. (orig.)

Proficient Node Scheduling Protocol for Homogeneous and Heterogeneous Wireless Sensor Networks

OpenAIRE

R. Saravanakumar; N. Mohankumar; J. Raja

2013-01-01

Recent communications in wireless sensor networks (WSNs) have much new energy-efficient protocols specifically designed, where energy awareness is an essential consideration. In WSNs, large numbers of tiny sensor nodes are used as an effective way of data gathering in various environments. Since the sensor nodes operate on battery of limited power, it is a great challenging aim to design an energy-efficient routing protocol, which can minimize the delay while offering high-energy efficiency a...

Effective equine immunization protocol for production of potent poly-specific antisera against Calloselasma rhodostoma, Cryptelytrops albolabris and Daboia siamensis.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sompong Sapsutthipas

2015-03-01

Full Text Available Snake envenomation has been estimated to affect 1.8 million people annually with about 94,000 deaths mostly in poor tropical countries. Specific antivenoms are the only rational and effective therapy for these cases. Efforts are being made to produce effective, affordable and sufficient antivenoms for these victims. The immunization process, which has rarely been described in detail, is one step that needs to be rigorously studied and improved especially with regard to the production of polyspecific antisera. The polyspecific nature of therapeutic antivenom could obviate the need to identify the culprit snake species. The aim of this study was to produce potent polyspecific antisera against 3 medically important vipers of Thailand and its neighboring countries, namely Cryptelytrops albolabris "White lipped pit viper" (CA, Calleoselasma rhodostoma "Malayan pit viper" (CR, and Daboia siamensis "Russell's viper" (DS. Four horses were immunized with a mixture of the 3 viper venoms using the 'low dose, low volume multi-site' immunization protocol. The antisera showed rapid rise in ELISA titers against the 3 venoms and reached plateau at about the 8th week post-immunization. The in vivo neutralization potency (P of the antisera against CA, CR and DS venoms was 10.40, 2.42 and 0.76 mg/ml, respectively and was much higher than the minimal potency limits set by Queen Soavabha Memorial Institute (QSMI. The corresponding potency values for the QSMI monospecific antisera against CA, CR and DS venoms were 7.28, 3.12 and 1.50 mg/ml, respectively. The polyspecific antisera also effectively neutralized the procoagulant, hemorrhagic, necrotic and nephrotoxic activities of the viper venoms. This effective immunization protocol should be useful in the production of potent polyspecific antisera against snake venoms, and equine antisera against tetanus, diphtheria or rabies.

An efficient chronic unpredictable stress protocol to induce stress-related responses in C57BL/6 mice

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Susana eMonteiro

2015-02-01

Full Text Available Exposure to chronic stress can have broad effects on health ranging from increased predisposition for neuropsychiatric disorders to deregulation of immune responses. The chronic unpredictable stress (CUS protocol has been widely used to study the impact of stress exposure in several animal models and consists in the random, intermittent and unpredictable exposure to a variety of stressors during several weeks. CUS has consistently been shown to induce behavioral and immunological alterations typical of the chronic stress response. Unfortunately C57BL/6 mice, one of the most widely used mouse strains, due to the great variety of genetically modified lines, seem to be resistant to the commonly used 4-week-long CUS protocol. The definition of an alternative CUS protocol allowing the use of C57BL/6 mice in chronic stress experiments is a need. Here we show that by extending the CUS protocol to 8 weeks is possible to induce a chronic stress response in C57BL/6 mice, as revealed by abrogated body weight gain, increased adrenals weight and an overactive hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA axis with increased levels of serum corticosterone. Moreover, we also observed stress-associated behavioral alterations, including the potentiation of anxious-like and depressive-like behaviors and a reduction of exploratory behavior, as well as subtle stress-related changes in the cell population of the thymus and of the spleen.The present protocol for C57BL/6 mice consistently triggers the spectrum of CUS-induced changes observed in rats and, thus, will be highly useful to researchers that need to use this particular mouse strain as an animal model of neuropsychiatric disorders and/or immune deregulation related to chronic unpredictable stress.

Western blotting of high and low molecular weight proteins using heat.

Science.gov (United States)

Kurien, Biji T; Scofield, R Hal

2015-01-01

A method for the electrophoretic transfer of high and low molecular weight proteins to nitrocellulose membranes following sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) polyacrylamide gel is described here. The transfer was performed with heated (70-75 °C) normal transfer buffer from which methanol had been omitted. Complete transfer of high and low molecular weight antigens (molecular weight protein standards, a purified protein, and proteins from a human tissue extract) could be carried out in 10 min for a 7 % (0.75 mm) SDS polyacrylamide gel. For 10 and 12.5 % gels (0.75 mm) the corresponding time was 15 min. A complete transfer could be carried out in 20 min for 7, 10, and 12.5 % gels (1.5 mm gels). The permeability of the gel is increased by heat, such that the proteins trapped in the polyacrylamide gel matrix can be easily transferred to the membrane. The heat mediated transfer method was compared with a conventional transfer protocol, under similar conditions. The conventional method transferred minimal low molecular weight proteins while retaining most of the high molecular weight proteins in the gel. In summary, this procedure is particularly useful for the transfer of high molecular weight proteins, very rapid, and avoids the use of methanol.

Double-loop Learning: A Coaching Protocol for Enhancing Principal Instructional Leadership

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Gary W. Houchens

2012-10-01

Full Text Available Executive coaching has become increasingly commonplace in both the corporate and non-profit sectors as a means of improving professional effectiveness but there is a dearth of empirically-based protocols geared specifically toward the growth needs of school principals. This qualitative case study explores the implementation of a principal coaching protocol using a theories of practice framework based on concepts originally articulated by Argyris and Schön (1974 and further explicated by the authors in previous publications. This study examined the extent to which a coaching protocol based on theories of practice enhanced principals’ self-perceived capacity for reflection and effective instructional leadership. Findings suggest that principals valued the structure, feedback, and reflective dimensions of the protocol and found their confidence level about an important instructional leadership problem – how to support and assist struggling teachers improve their teaching practice – was greatly enhanced. Implications for further iterations of the coaching protocol, as well as future directions of research on principal professional growth, are discussed.

Weight-adapted iodinated contrast media administration in abdomino-pelvic CT: Can image quality be maintained?

Science.gov (United States)

Perrin, E; Jackson, M; Grant, R; Lloyd, C; Chinaka, F; Goh, V

2018-02-01

In many centres, a fixed method of contrast-media administration is used for CT regardless of patient body habitus. The aim of this trial was to assess contrast enhancement of the aorta, portal vein, liver and spleen during abdomino-pelvic CT imaging using a weight-adapted contrast media protocol compared to the current fixed dose method. Thirty-nine oncology patients, who had previously undergone CT abdomino-pelvic imaging at the institution using a fixed contrast media dose, were prospectively imaged using a weight-adapted contrast media dose (1.4 ml/kg). The two sets of images were assessed for contrast enhancement levels (HU) at locations in the liver, aorta, portal vein and spleen during portal-venous enhancement phase. The t-test was used to compare the difference in results using a non-inferiority margin of 10 HU. When the contrast dose was tailored to patient weight, contrast enhancement levels were shown to be non-inferior to the fixed dose method (liver p contrast dose reduction of 165 ml using the weight-adapted method compared to the fixed dose method, with a mean cost per patient of £6.81 and £7.19 respectively. Using a weight-adapted method of contrast media administration was shown to be non-inferior to a fixed dose method of contrast media administration. Patients weighing 76 kg, or less, received a lower contrast dose which may have associated cost savings. A weight-adapted contrast media protocol should be implemented for portal-venous phase abdomino-pelvic CT for oncology patients with adequate renal function (>70 ml/min/1.73 m 2 ). Crown Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

EMDR therapy for specific fears and phobias: the phobia protocol

NARCIS (Netherlands)

de Jongh, A.; Luber, M.

2016-01-01

This chapter illustrates how EMDR Therapy can be applied in the treatment of fears and specific phobias. These conditions are highly prevalent in the general population, and are characterized by an unreasonable and severe fear related to exposure to specific objects or situations, which tend to

The impact of a bariatric rehabilitation service on weight loss and psychological adjustment - study protocol

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Hollywood Amelia

2012-04-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Bariatric surgery is currently the most effective form of obesity management for those whose BMI is greater than 40 (or 35 with co morbidities. A minority of patients, however, either do not show the desired loss of excess weight or show weight regain by follow up. Research highlights some of the reasons for this variability, most of which centres on the absence of any psychological support with patients describing how although surgery fixes their body, psychological issues relating to dietary control, self esteem, coping and emotional eating remain neglected. The present study aims to evaluate the impact of a health psychology led bariatric rehabilitation service (BRS on patient health outcomes. The bariatric rehabilitation service will provide information, support and mentoring pre and post surgery and will address psychological issues such as dietary control, self esteem, coping and emotional eating. The package reflects the rehabilitation services now common place for patients post heart attack and stroke which have been shown to improve patient health outcomes. Methods/Design The study is a randomised control trial and patients will be allocated to receive either usual care or the bariatric rehabilitation service pre and post bariatric surgery. Follow up measures of weight loss and psychological issues will be taken at baseline (2 weeks preoperatively, 3, 6 and 12 months postoperatively. The contents of the bariatric service and the follow up measures are based on previous pilot work and have been developed further by the research team working closely with two patient support groups (BOSPA & WLSinfo. This study will take place in St Richard's Hospital in Chichester in the UK. Discussion It is predicted that a bariatric rehabilitation service will improve weight loss following surgery and will also facilitate changes in other psychological variables such as quality of life, dietary control, self esteem, coping and

Chapter 3: Commercial and Industrial Lighting Controls Evaluation Protocol. The Uniform Methods Project: Methods for Determining Energy Efficiency Savings for Specific Measures

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kurnik, Charles W. [National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Carlson, Stephen [DNV GL, Madison, WI (United States)

2017-10-04

This Commercial and Industrial Lighting Controls Evaluation Protocol (the protocol) describes methods to account for energy savings resulting from programmatic installation of lighting control equipment in large populations of commercial, industrial, government, institutional, and other nonresidential facilities. This protocol does not address savings resulting from changes in codes and standards, or from education and training activities. When lighting controls are installed in conjunction with a lighting retrofit project, the lighting control savings must be calculated parametrically with the lighting retrofit project so savings are not double counted.

Two-dimensional distributed-phase-reference protocol for quantum key distribution

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bacco, Davide; Christensen, Jesper Bjerge; Usuga Castaneda, Mario A.

2016-01-01

10 years, long-distance fiber-based DPR systems have been successfully demonstrated, although fundamental obstacles such as intrinsic channel losses limit their performance. Here, we introduce the first two-dimensional DPR-QKD protocol in which information is encoded in the time and phase of weak......Quantum key distribution (QKD) and quantum communication enable the secure exchange of information between remote parties. Currently, the distributed-phase-reference (DPR) protocols, which are based on weak coherent pulses, are among the most practical solutions for long-range QKD. During the last...... coherent pulses. The ability of extracting two bits of information per detection event, enables a higher secret key rate in specific realistic network scenarios. Moreover, despite the use of more dimensions, the proposed protocol remains simple, practical, and fully integrable....

Two-dimensional distributed-phase-reference protocol for quantum key distribution

Science.gov (United States)

Bacco, Davide; Christensen, Jesper Bjerge; Castaneda, Mario A. Usuga; Ding, Yunhong; Forchhammer, Søren; Rottwitt, Karsten; Oxenløwe, Leif Katsuo

2016-12-01

Quantum key distribution (QKD) and quantum communication enable the secure exchange of information between remote parties. Currently, the distributed-phase-reference (DPR) protocols, which are based on weak coherent pulses, are among the most practical solutions for long-range QKD. During the last 10 years, long-distance fiber-based DPR systems have been successfully demonstrated, although fundamental obstacles such as intrinsic channel losses limit their performance. Here, we introduce the first two-dimensional DPR-QKD protocol in which information is encoded in the time and phase of weak coherent pulses. The ability of extracting two bits of information per detection event, enables a higher secret key rate in specific realistic network scenarios. Moreover, despite the use of more dimensions, the proposed protocol remains simple, practical, and fully integrable.

IEEE 802.11 Wireless LANs: Performance Analysis and Protocol Refinement

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Chatzimisios P.

2005-01-01

Full Text Available The IEEE 802.11 protocol is emerging as a widely used standard and has become the most mature technology for wireless local area networks (WLANs. In this paper, we focus on the tuning of the IEEE 802.11 protocol parameters taking into consideration, in addition to throughput efficiency, performance metrics such as the average packet delay, the probability of a packet being discarded when it reaches the maximum retransmission limit, the average time to drop a packet, and the packet interarrival time. We present an analysis, which has been validated by simulation that is based on a Markov chain model commonly used in the literature. We further study the improvement on these performance metrics by employing suitable protocol parameters according to the specific communication needs of the IEEE 802.11 protocol for both basic access and RTS/CTS access schemes. We show that the use of a higher initial contention window size does not considerably degrade performance in small networks and performs significantly better in any other scenario. Moreover, we conclude that the combination of a lower maximum contention window size and a higher retry limit considerably improves performance. Results indicate that the appropriate adjustment of the protocol parameters enhances performance and improves the services that the IEEE 802.11 protocol provides to various communication applications.

A Family of ACO Routing Protocols for Mobile Ad Hoc Networks

Science.gov (United States)

Rupérez Cañas, Delfín; Sandoval Orozco, Ana Lucila; García Villalba, Luis Javier; Kim, Tai-hoon

2017-01-01

In this work, an ACO routing protocol for mobile ad hoc networks based on AntHocNet is specified. As its predecessor, this new protocol, called AntOR, is hybrid in the sense that it contains elements from both reactive and proactive routing. Specifically, it combines a reactive route setup process with a proactive route maintenance and improvement process. Key aspects of the AntOR protocol are the disjoint-link and disjoint-node routes, separation between the regular pheromone and the virtual pheromone in the diffusion process and the exploration of routes, taking into consideration the number of hops in the best routes. In this work, a family of ACO routing protocols based on AntOR is also specified. These protocols are based on protocol successive refinements. In this work, we also present a parallelized version of AntOR that we call PAntOR. Using programming multiprocessor architectures based on the shared memory protocol, PAntOR allows running tasks in parallel using threads. This parallelization is applicable in the route setup phase, route local repair process and link failure notification. In addition, a variant of PAntOR that consists of having more than one interface, which we call PAntOR-MI (PAntOR-Multiple Interface), is specified. This approach parallelizes the sending of broadcast messages by interface through threads. PMID:28531159

A Family of ACO Routing Protocols for Mobile Ad Hoc Networks.

Science.gov (United States)

Rupérez Cañas, Delfín; Sandoval Orozco, Ana Lucila; García Villalba, Luis Javier; Kim, Tai-Hoon

2017-05-22

In this work, an ACO routing protocol for mobile ad hoc networks based on AntHocNet is specified. As its predecessor, this new protocol, called AntOR, is hybrid in the sense that it contains elements from both reactive and proactive routing. Specifically, it combines a reactive route setup process with a proactive route maintenance and improvement process. Key aspects of the AntOR protocol are the disjoint-link and disjoint-node routes, separation between the regular pheromone and the virtual pheromone in the diffusion process and the exploration of routes, taking into consideration the number of hops in the best routes. In this work, a family of ACO routing protocols based on AntOR is also specified. These protocols are based on protocol successive refinements. In this work, we also present a parallelized version of AntOR that we call PAntOR. Using programming multiprocessor architectures based on the shared memory protocol, PAntOR allows running tasks in parallel using threads. This parallelization is applicable in the route setup phase, route local repair process and link failure notification. In addition, a variant of PAntOR that consists of having more than one interface, which we call PAntOR-MI (PAntOR-Multiple Interface), is specified. This approach parallelizes the sending of broadcast messages by interface through threads.

Variation in radiographic protocols in paediatric interventional cardiology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McFadden, S L; Hughes, C M; Winder, R J

2013-01-01

The aim of this work is to determine current radiographic protocols in paediatric interventional cardiology (IC) in the UK and Ireland. To do this we investigated which imaging parameters/protocols are commonly used in IC in different hospitals, to identify if a standard technique is used and illustrate any variation in practice. A questionnaire was sent to all hospitals in the UK and Ireland which perform paediatric IC to obtain information on techniques used in each clinical department and on the range of clinical examinations performed. Ethical and research governance approval was sought from the Office for Research Ethics Committees Northern Ireland and the individual trusts. A response rate of 79% was achieved, and a wide variation in technique was found between hospitals. The main differences in technique involved variations in the use of an anti-scatter grid and the use of additional filtration to the radiation beam, frame rates for digital acquisition and pre-programmed projections/paediatric specific programming in the equipment. We conclude that there is no standard protocol for carrying out paediatric IC in the UK or Ireland. Each hospital carries out the IC procedure according to its own local protocols resulting in a wide variation in radiation dose. (paper)

Variation in radiographic protocols in paediatric interventional cardiology.

Science.gov (United States)

McFadden, S L; Hughes, C M; Winder, R J

2013-06-01

The aim of this work is to determine current radiographic protocols in paediatric interventional cardiology (IC) in the UK and Ireland. To do this we investigated which imaging parameters/protocols are commonly used in IC in different hospitals, to identify if a standard technique is used and illustrate any variation in practice. A questionnaire was sent to all hospitals in the UK and Ireland which perform paediatric IC to obtain information on techniques used in each clinical department and on the range of clinical examinations performed. Ethical and research governance approval was sought from the Office for Research Ethics Committees Northern Ireland and the individual trusts. A response rate of 79% was achieved, and a wide variation in technique was found between hospitals. The main differences in technique involved variations in the use of an anti-scatter grid and the use of additional filtration to the radiation beam, frame rates for digital acquisition and pre-programmed projections/paediatric specific programming in the equipment. We conclude that there is no standard protocol for carrying out paediatric IC in the UK or Ireland. Each hospital carries out the IC procedure according to its own local protocols resulting in a wide variation in radiation dose.

The French dosimetry protocol

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dutreix, A.

1985-01-01

After a general introduction the protocol is divided in five sections dealing with: determination of the quality of X-ray, γ-ray and electron beams; the measuring instrument; calibration of the reference instrument; determination of the reference absorbed dose in the user's beams; determination of the absorbed dose in water at other points, in other conditions. The French protocol is not essentially different from the Nordic protocol and it is based on the experience gained in using both the American and the Nordic protocols. Therefore, only the main difference with the published protocols are discussed. (Auth.)

A Survey of Automatic Protocol Reverse Engineering Approaches, Methods, and Tools on the Inputs and Outputs View

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Baraka D. Sija

2018-01-01

Full Text Available A network protocol defines rules that control communications between two or more machines on the Internet, whereas Automatic Protocol Reverse Engineering (APRE defines the way of extracting the structure of a network protocol without accessing its specifications. Enough knowledge on undocumented protocols is essential for security purposes, network policy implementation, and management of network resources. This paper reviews and analyzes a total of 39 approaches, methods, and tools towards Protocol Reverse Engineering (PRE and classifies them into four divisions, approaches that reverse engineer protocol finite state machines, protocol formats, and both protocol finite state machines and protocol formats to approaches that focus directly on neither reverse engineering protocol formats nor protocol finite state machines. The efficiency of all approaches’ outputs based on their selected inputs is analyzed in general along with appropriate reverse engineering inputs format. Additionally, we present discussion and extended classification in terms of automated to manual approaches, known and novel categories of reverse engineered protocols, and a literature of reverse engineered protocols in relation to the seven layers’ OSI (Open Systems Interconnection model.

Cross-sectional associations between weight-related health behaviors and weight misperception among U.S. adolescents with overweight/obesity.

Science.gov (United States)

Hahn, Samantha L; Borton, Kelley A; Sonneville, Kendrin R

2018-04-18

Weight misperception occurs when there is a discrepancy between one's actual and perceived weight status. Among adolescents with overweight/obesity, many believe that correcting weight misperception is imperative to inspire weight-related behavior change. However, past research has shown that adolescents with overweight/obesity who misperceive their weight status gain less weight over time compared to accurate perceivers. Therefore, our objective was to examine possible mechanisms underlying this relationship. Specifically, we examined the association between weight misperception and engagement in weight-related health behaviors among adolescents with overweight/obesity. Self-reported data from the 2015 National Youth Risk Behavior Survey was used in analyses restricted to participants with overweight/obesity (n = 4383). Using multivariate logistic models correcting for sex, race/ethnicity, and grade in school, we examined the cross-sectional associations between weight misperception and engagement in weight-related health behaviors, specifically related to dietary intake, physical activity, and sleep. Adolescents with overweight/obesity who misperceived their weight status were more likely to drink 100% fruit juice two or more times per day (OR = 1.53, 95% CI: 1.20, 1.94), eat vegetables two or more times per day (OR = 1.29, 95% CI: 1.07, 1.57), be physically active for 1 hour or more per day for at least 5 days in the week prior (OR = 1.40, 95% CI: 1.15, 1.72), be on a sports team in the last year (OR = 1.55, 95% CI: 1.21, 1.97), sleep an average of at least 8 hours per school night (OR = 1.40, 95% CI: 1.15, 1.72), and less likely to be trying to lose weight (OR = 0.17, 95% CI: 0.15, 0.20). Misperceivers were more likely to consume breakfast every morning in the week prior and to drink a sports drink at least once per day, though these results were not statistically significant. We observed no difference in fruit intake, soda intake

Advanced routing protocols for wireless networks

CERN Document Server

Campista , Miguel Elias Mitre

2014-01-01

This text introduces the principles of routing protocols and metrics as they affect wireless networking environments, specifically in urban areas. Timely because of the recent rise in small city life, this topic includes the consideration of ad hoc, mesh, vehicular, sensor, and delay tolerant networks. These approaches are each unique, and author Miguel Mitre Campista provides a thorough, but accessible, explanation of their individual characteristics for engineers, computer scientists, IT professionals, and curious Internet users.