A simple, rapid and inexpensive screening method for the identification of Pythium insidiosum.

Science.gov (United States)

Tondolo, Juliana Simoni Moraes; Loreto, Erico Silva; Denardi, Laura Bedin; Mario, Débora Alves Nunes; Alves, Sydney Hartz; Santurio, Janio Morais

2013-04-01

Growth of Pythium insidiosum mycelia around minocycline disks (30μg) did not occur within 7days of incubation at 35°C when the isolates were grown on Sabouraud, corn meal, Muller-Hinton or RPMI agar. This technique offers a simple and rapid method for the differentiation of P. insidiosum from true filamentous fungi. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Determinants of outcomes in patients with simple gastroschisis.

Science.gov (United States)

Youssef, Fouad; Laberge, Jean-Martin; Puligandla, Pramod; Emil, Sherif

2017-05-01

We analyzed the determinants of outcomes in simple gastroschisis (GS) not complicated by intestinal atresia, perforation, or necrosis. All simple GS patients enrolled in a national prospective registry from 2005 to 2013 were studied. Patients below the median for total parenteral nutrition (TPN) duration (26days) and hospital stay (34days) were compared to those above. Univariate and multivariate logistic and linear regression analyses were employed using maternal, patient, postnatal, and treatment variables. Of 700 patients with simple GS, representing 76.8% of all GS patients, 690 (98.6%) survived. TPN was used in 352 (51.6%) and 330 (48.4%) patients for ≤26 and >26days, respectively. Hospital stay for 356 (51.9%) and 330 (48.1%) infants was ≤34 and >34days, respectively. Univariate analysis revealed significant differences in several patient, treatment, and postnatal factors. On multivariate analysis, prenatal sonographic bowel dilation, older age at closure, necrotizing enterocolitis, longer mechanical ventilation, and central-line associated blood stream infection (CLABSI) were independently associated with longer TPN duration and hospital stay, with CLABSI being the strongest predictor. Prenatal bowel dilation is associated with increased morbidity in simple GS. CLABSI is the strongest predictor of outcomes. Bowel matting is not an independent risk factor. 2c. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Comparison of fractional flow reserve of composite Y-grafts with saphenous vein or right internal thoracic arteries.

Science.gov (United States)

Glineur, David; Boodhwani, Munir; Poncelet, Alain; De Kerchove, Laurent; Etienne, Pierre Yves; Noirhomme, Philippe; Deceuninck, Paul; Michel, Xavier; El Khoury, Gebrine; Hanet, Claude

2010-09-01

Composite Y-grafts, using the left internal thoracic artery as the inflow, allow a more efficient use of conduits without the need to touch a diseased ascending aorta. Among other conduits, the saphenous vein graft may be an alternative to the radial artery in elderly patients. We evaluated the hemodynamic characteristics of 17 composite Y-grafts made with the left internal thoracic artery anastomosed to the left anterior descending coronary artery in all cases and with either the free right internal thoracic artery (RITA group, n = 10) or a saphenous vein graft (SVG group, n = 7) implanted proximally to the left internal thoracic artery and distally to the circumflex territory 6 months after the operation. At baseline, the pressure gradient measured with a 0.014-inch pressure wire was minimal between the aorta and the internal thoracic artery stem (2 +/- 1 mm Hg), the internal thoracic artery and left anterior descending (4 +/- 2 mm Hg), the internal thoracic artery and left circumflex (3 +/- 1 mm Hg), and the saphenous vein graft and left circumflex (2 +/- 2 mm Hg). During hyperemia induced by adenosine, the pressure gradient increased significantly to 6 +/- 2 mm Hg in the internal thoracic artery stem, 9 +/- 4 mm Hg in the internal thoracic artery and left anterior descending artery, 9 +/- 3 mm Hg in the internal thoracic artery and left circumflex, and 7 +/- 4 mm Hg in the saphenous vein graft and left circumflex. Fractional flow reserve was 0.94 +/- 0.02 in internal thoracic artery stem, 0.90 +/- 0.04 mm Hg in the internal thoracic artery and left anterior descending, 0.91 +/- 0.03 mm Hg in the internal thoracic artery and left circumflex, and 0.92 +/- 0.06 mm Hg in the saphenous vein graft and left circumflex. No difference between the two types of composite Y-grafts was observed for pressure gradients or fractional flow reserve measured in internal thoracic artery stem or in distal branches. Composite Y-grafts with saphenous vein or right internal thoracic

A simple electron-beam lithography system

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mølhave, Kristian; Madsen, Dorte Nørgaard; Bøggild, Peter

2005-01-01

A large number of applications of electron-beam lithography (EBL) systems in nanotechnology have been demonstrated in recent years. In this paper we present a simple and general-purpose EBL system constructed by insertion of an electrostatic deflector plate system at the electron-beam exit...... of the column of a scanning electron microscope (SEM). The system can easily be mounted on most standard SEM systems. The tested setup allows an area of up to about 50 x 50 pm to be scanned, if the upper limit for acceptable reduction of the SEM resolution is set to 10 run. We demonstrate how the EBL system can...... be used to write three-dimensional nanostructures by electron-beam deposition. (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved....

Chicle harvesting and extractive reserves in the Maya Biosphere b: Reserve

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dugelby, B.L.

1995-12-31

Chicle latex has been extracted from the forests of northern Guatemala for over 100 years and is a key element in the extractive reserve component of the Maya Biosphere Reserve. The carrying capacity of the reserve for chicle extraction can be estimated from a model incorporating ecological data (such as latex yields per tree and population structure of chicle trees, Manilkara zapota, Sapot.) with socio-ecological and political information concerning camp and chicle resource availability, harvester tapping behavior, and historical and present-day institutional organization. I estimate that chicle harvestors currently utilize and area larger than the multiple use zone of the reserve in a unsustainable manner. Simple reduction of harvestors numbers will not ensure sustainability; institutional reforms are also in order. Extractive reserves can play an important role in preserving tropical forests. However, their effectiveness is highly dependent on prevailing ecological, socio-economic, and political conditions. Wise planning and management of extractive reserves demands an understanding of the system`s carrying capacity. In addition, a strong institutional foundation is necessary to assure effective monitoring and enforcement of harvesting regulations.

7 CFR 1467.9 - Wetlands Reserve Enhancement Program.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

..., restoration, and enhancement objectives through agreements with States (including a political subdivision or... project. (b) Reserved Rights Pilot. (1) The Chief shall carry out a reserved rights pilot subject to the requirements established in this part. (2) Under the reserved rights pilot, a landowner may reserve grazing...

Holmium laser enucleation versus laparoscopic simple prostatectomy for large adenomas.

Science.gov (United States)

Juaneda, R; Thanigasalam, R; Rizk, J; Perrot, E; Theveniaud, P E; Baumert, H

2016-01-01

The aim of this study is to compare Holmium laser enucleation of the prostate with another minimally invasive technique, the laparoscopic simple prostatectomy. We compared outcomes of a series of 40 patients who underwent laparoscopic simple prostatectomy (n=20) with laser enucleation of the prostate (n=20) for large adenomas (>100 grams) at our institution. Study variables included operative time and catheterization time, hospital stay, pre- and post-operative International Prostate Symptom Score and maximum urinary flow rate, complications and economic evaluation. Statistical analyses were performed using the Student t test and Fisher test. There were no significant differences in patient age, preoperative prostatic size, operating time or specimen weight between the 2 groups. Duration of catheterization (P=.0008) and hospital stay (P.99). Holmium enucleation of the prostate has similar short term functional results and complication rates compared to laparoscopic simple prostatectomy performed in large glands with the advantage of less catheterization time, lower economic costs and a reduced hospital stay. Copyright © 2015 AEU. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Is it possible to protect constitutional rights through simple procedural law

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dolde, K.P.

1982-01-01

In the administration of justice and in legal literature of the Federal Republic of Germany increasingly more emphasis has been placed on the significance of procedural rights for the realization of basic civil rights, as they were defined in the constitution. Especially in the decision concerning the nuclear power plant at Muehlheim-Kaerlich, the Federal Constitutional Court has stressed the protection of constitutional rights by hearing the case in conjunction with the question of licensing of large industrial plants. Relevant to the protection of basic civil and constitutional rights are, according to the court, not only those regulations as prescribed by the constitution, but also those which, according to the will of the legislature, principally guarantee a constitutional right. The protection of basic rights is thus also guaranteed by civil rights, and not only through the constitution. In the opinion of the author, this will cause serious repercussions which should make corrections of this type of administration of justice necessary. (WBI) [de

Echocardiographic and hemodynamic determinants of right coronary artery flow reserve and phasic flow pattern in advanced non-ischemic cardiomyopathy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mady Charles

2007-09-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background In patients with advanced non-ischemic cardiomyopathy (NIC, right-sided cardiac disturbances has prognostic implications. Right coronary artery (RCA flow pattern and flow reserve (CFR are not well known in this setting. The purpose of this study was to assess, in human advanced NIC, the RCA phasic flow pattern and CFR, also under right-sided cardiac disturbances, and compare with left coronary circulation. As well as to investigate any correlation between the cardiac structural, mechanical and hemodynamic parameters with RCA phasic flow pattern or CFR. Methods Twenty four patients with dilated severe NIC were evaluated non-invasively, even by echocardiography, and also by cardiac catheterization, inclusive with Swan-Ganz catheter. Intracoronary Doppler (Flowire data was obtained in RCA and left anterior descendent coronary artery (LAD before and after adenosine. Resting RCA phasic pattern (diastolic/systolic was compared between subgroups with and without pulmonary hypertension, and with and without right ventricular (RV dysfunction; and also with LAD. RCA-CFR was compared with LAD, as well as in those subgroups. Pearson's correlation analysis was accomplished among echocardiographic (including LV fractional shortening, mass index, end systolic wall stress more hemodynamic parameters with RCA phasic flow pattern or RCA-CFR. Results LV fractional shortening and end diastolic diameter were 15.3 ± 3.5 % and 69.4 ± 12.2 mm. Resting RCA phasic pattern had no difference comparing subgroups with vs. without pulmonary hypertension (1.45 vs. 1.29, p = NS either with vs. without RV dysfunction (1.47 vs. 1.23, p = NS; RCA vs. LAD was 1.35 vs. 2.85 (p Conclusion In patients with chronic advanced NIC, RCA phasic flow pattern has a mild diastolic predominance, less marked than in LAD, with no effects from pulmonary artery hypertension or RV dysfunction. There is no significant correlation between any cardiac mechanical-structural or

When alcohol is the answer: Trapping, identifying and quantifying simple alkylating species in aqueous environments.

Science.gov (United States)

Penketh, Philip G; Shyam, Krishnamurthy; Baumann, Raymond P; Zhu, Rui; Ishiguro, Kimiko; Sartorelli, Alan C; Ratner, Elena S

2016-09-01

Alkylating agents are a significant class of environmental carcinogens as well as commonly used anticancer therapeutics. Traditional alkylating activity assays have utilized the colorimetric reagent 4-(4-nitrobenzyl)pyridine (4NBP). However, 4NBP based assays have a relatively low sensitivity towards harder, more oxophilic alkylating species and are not well suited for the identification of the trapped alkyl moiety due to adduct instability. Herein we describe a method using water as the trapping agent which permits the trapping of simple alkylating electrophiles with a comparatively wide range of softness/hardness and permits the identification of donated simple alkyl moieties. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Testicular teratoma, mimicking a simple testicular cyst, in an infant.

Science.gov (United States)

Di Renzo, Dacia; Persico, Antonello; Sindici, Giulia; Lelli Chiesa, Pierluigi

2013-09-01

Prepubertal testicular tumors are rare, and teratoma is the second most frequent histologic type. Its typical features are those of a hard and painless scrotal mass at clinical examination, and nonhomogeneous, echoic, often with calcifications at ultrasonography. Rare but reported is the atypical presentation as a transilluminating scrotal mass, due to the presence of some internal cystic areas, detectable at ultrasonography. We report the case of an infant with a transilluminating scrotal mass, mimicking at ultrasonography and surgery a simple, fully liquid cyst, which the pathologic examination revealed to be mature cystic testicular teratoma. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A simple transformation for converting CW-OSL curves to LM-OSL curves

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bulur, E.

2000-01-01

A simple mathematical transformation is introduced to convert from OSL decay curves obtained in the conventional way to those obtained using a linear modulation technique based on a linear increase of the stimulation light intensity during OSL measurement. The validity of the transformation...... was tested by the IR-stimulated luminescence curves from feldspars, recorded using both the conventional and the linear modulation techniques. The transformation was further applied to green-light-stimulated OSL from K and Na feldspars. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved....

All rights reserved

African Journals Online (AJOL)

ADOWIE PERE

ABSTRACT: The influence of weather in all aspects of human endeavours is evident in the recorded loss of lives and properties .... forecasting the rain, frost and fog formation as well as ... 2017). The trend graphs of relative humidity and the ... equation was obtained using the curve estimation .... empirical regression models.

SimpleBox 4.0: Improving the model while keeping it simple….

Science.gov (United States)

Hollander, Anne; Schoorl, Marian; van de Meent, Dik

2016-04-01

Chemical behavior in the environment is often modeled with multimedia fate models. SimpleBox is one often-used multimedia fate model, firstly developed in 1986. Since then, two updated versions were published. Based on recent scientific developments and experience with SimpleBox 3.0, a new version of SimpleBox was developed and is made public here: SimpleBox 4.0. In this new model, eight major changes were implemented: removal of the local scale and vegetation compartments, addition of lake compartments and deep ocean compartments (including the thermohaline circulation), implementation of intermittent rain instead of drizzle and of depth dependent soil concentrations, adjustment of the partitioning behavior for organic acids and bases as well as of the value for enthalpy of vaporization. In this paper, the effects of the model changes in SimpleBox 4.0 on the predicted steady-state concentrations of chemical substances were explored for different substance groups (neutral organic substances, acids, bases, metals) in a standard emission scenario. In general, the largest differences between the predicted concentrations in the new and the old model are caused by the implementation of layered ocean compartments. Undesirable high model complexity caused by vegetation compartments and a local scale were removed to enlarge the simplicity and user friendliness of the model. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The right friends in the right places: Understanding network structure as a predictor of voluntary turnover.

Science.gov (United States)

Ballinger, Gary A; Cross, Rob; Holtom, Brooks C

2016-04-01

Research examining the relationship between social networks and employee retention has focused almost exclusively on the number of direct links and generally found that having more ties decreases the likelihood of turnover. The present research moves beyond simple measures of network centrality to investigate the relationship between 2 additional, and theoretically distinct, facets of social capital and voluntary turnover. In 2 organizations, we found consistent evidence of a negative relationship between reputation, as measured by relationships with highly sought-out others (incoming eigenvector centrality) and voluntary turnover. Further, we found that the negative relationship between brokerage (structural holes) and turnover is significant, but only for higher-level employees. The theoretical and practical implications of expanding the suite of social capital measures to understand voluntary turnover are discussed. (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

Left–right coordination from simple to extreme conditions during split‐belt locomotion in the chronic spinal adult cat

Science.gov (United States)

Desrochers, Étienne; Thibaudier, Yann; Hurteau, Marie‐France; Dambreville, Charline

2016-01-01

Key points Coordination between the left and right sides is essential for dynamic stability during locomotion.The immature or neonatal mammalian spinal cord can adjust to differences in speed between the left and right sides during split‐belt locomotion by taking more steps on the fast side.We show that the adult mammalian spinal cord can also adjust its output so that the fast side can take more steps.During split‐belt locomotion, only certain parts of the cycle are modified to adjust left–right coordination, primarily those associated with swing onset.When the fast limb takes more steps than the slow limb, strong left–right interactions persist.Therefore, the adult mammalian spinal cord has a remarkable adaptive capacity for left–right coordination, from simple to extreme conditions. Abstract Although left–right coordination is essential for locomotion, its control is poorly understood, particularly in adult mammals. To investigate the spinal control of left–right coordination, a spinal transection was performed in six adult cats that were then trained to recover hindlimb locomotion. Spinal cats performed tied‐belt locomotion from 0.1 to 1.0 m s−1 and split‐belt locomotion with low to high (1:1.25–10) slow/fast speed ratios. With the left hindlimb stepping at 0.1 m s−1 and the right hindlimb stepping from 0.2 to 1.0 m s−1, 1:1, 1:2, 1:3, 1:4 and 1:5 left–right step relationships could appear. The appearance of 1:2+ relationships was not linearly dependent on the difference in speed between the slow and fast belts. The last step taken by the fast hindlimb displayed longer cycle, stance and swing durations and increased extensor activity, as the slow limb transitioned to swing. During split‐belt locomotion with 1:1, 1:2 and 1:3 relationships, the timing of stance onset of the fast limb relative to the slow limb and placement of both limbs at contact were invariant with increasing slow/fast speed ratios. In contrast, the timing of

Laparoscopic repair of perforated peptic ulcer: patch versus simple closure.

Science.gov (United States)

Abd Ellatif, M E; Salama, A F; Elezaby, A F; El-Kaffas, H F; Hassan, A; Magdy, A; Abdallah, E; El-Morsy, G

2013-01-01

Laparoscopic correction of perforated peptic ulcer (PPU) has become an accepted way of management. Patch omentoplasty stayed for decades the main method of repair. The goal of the present study was to evaluate whether laparoscopic simple repair of PPU is as safe as patch omentoplasty. Since June 2005, 179 consecutive patients of PPU were treated by laparoscopic repair at our centers. We conducted a retrospective chart review in December 2012. Group I (patch group) included patients who were treated with standard patch omentoplasty. Group II (non-patch group) included patients who received simple repair without patch. From June 2007 to Dec. 2012, 179 consecutive patients of PPU who were treated by laparoscopic repair at our centers were enrolled in this multi-center retrospective study. 108 patients belong to patch group. While 71 patients were treated with laparoscopic simple repair. Operative time was significantly shorter in group II (non patch) (p = 0.01). No patient was converted to laparotomy. There was no difference in age, gender, ASA score, surgical risk (Boey's) score, and incidence of co-morbidities. Both groups were comparable in terms of hospital stay, time to resume oral intake, postoperative complications and surgical outcomes. Laparoscopic simple repair of PPU is a safe procedure compared with the traditional patch omentoplasty in presence of certain selection criteria. Copyright © 2013 Surgical Associates Ltd. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A simple strategy for jumping straight up.

Science.gov (United States)

Hemami, Hooshang; Wyman, Bostwick F

2012-05-01

Jumping from a stationary standing position into the air is a transition from a constrained motion in contact with the ground to an unconstrained system not in contact with the ground. A simple case of the jump, as it applies to humans, robots and humanoids, is studied in this paper. The dynamics of the constrained rigid body are expanded to define a larger system that accommodates the jump. The formulation is applied to a four-link, three-dimensional system in order to articulate the ballistic motion involved. The activity of the muscular system and the role of the major sagittal muscle groups are demonstrated. The control strategy, involving state feedback and central feed forward signals, is formulated and computer simulations are presented to assess the feasibility of the formulations, the strategy and the jump. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Composition of the cellular infiltrate in patients with simple and complex appendicitis.

Science.gov (United States)

Gorter, Ramon R; Wassenaar, Emma C E; de Boer, Onno J; Bakx, Roel; Roelofs, Joris J T H; Bunders, Madeleine J; van Heurn, L W Ernst; Heij, Hugo A

2017-06-15

It is now well established that there are two types of appendicitis: simple (nonperforating) and complex (perforating). This study evaluates differences in the composition of the immune cellular infiltrate in children with simple and complex appendicitis. A total of 47 consecutive children undergoing appendectomy for acute appendicitis between January 2011 and December 2012 were included. Intraoperative criteria were used to identify patients with either simple or complex appendicitis and were confirmed histopathologically. Immune histochemical techniques were used to identify immune cell markers in the appendiceal specimens. Digital imaging analysis was performed using Image J. In the specimens of patients with complex appendicitis, significantly more myeloperoxidase positive cells (neutrophils) (8.7% versus 1.2%, P appendicitis. In contrast, fewer CD8+ T cells (0.4% versus 1.3%, P = 0.016), CD20 + cells (2.9% versus 9.0%, P = 0.027), and CD21 + cells (0.2% versus 0.6%, P = 0.028) were present in tissue from patients with complex compared to simple appendicitis. The increase in proinflammatory innate cells and decrease of adaptive cells in patients with complex appendicitis suggest potential aggravating processes in complex appendicitis. Further research into the underlying mechanisms may identify novel biomarkers to be able to differentiate simple and complex appendicitis. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Hydroxyapatite nanocrystals: simple preparation, characterization and formation mechanism.

Science.gov (United States)

Mohandes, Fatemeh; Salavati-Niasari, Masoud; Fathi, Mohammadhossein; Fereshteh, Zeinab

2014-12-01

Crystalline hydroxyapatite (HAP) nanoparticles and nanorods have been successfully synthesized via a simple precipitation method. To control the shape and particle size of HAP nanocrystals, coordination ligands derived from 2-hydroxy-1-naphthaldehyde were first prepared, characterized by Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) and proton nuclear magnetic resonance ((1)H-NMR) spectroscopies, and finally applied in the synthesis process of HAP. On the other hand, the HAP nanocrystals were also characterized by several techniques including powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). According to the FE-SEM and TEM micrographs, it was found that the morphology and crystallinity of the HAP powders depended on the coordination mode of the ligands. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A simple protocol for attenuating the auto-fluorescence of cyanobacteria for optimized fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) imaging.

Science.gov (United States)

Zeller, Perrine; Ploux, Olivier; Méjean, Annick

2016-03-01

Cyanobacteria contain pigments, which generate auto-fluorescence that interferes with fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) imaging of cyanobacteria. We describe simple chemical treatments using CuSO4 or H2O2 that significantly reduce the auto-fluorescence of Microcystis strains. These protocols were successfully applied in FISH experiments using 16S rRNA specific probes and filamentous cyanobacteria. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Trans and cis influences and effects in cobalamins and in their simple models.

Science.gov (United States)

De March, Matteo; Demitri, Nicola; Geremia, Silvano; Hickey, Neal; Randaccio, Lucio

2012-11-01

The interligand interactions in coordination compounds have been principally interpreted in terms of cis and trans influences and effects, which can be defined as the ability of a ligand X to affect the bond of another ligand, cis or trans to X, to the metal. This review analyzes these effects/influences in cobalamins (XCbl) and their simple models cobaloximes, LCo(chel)X. Important properties of these complexes, such as geometry, stability, and reactivity, can be rationalized in terms of steric and electronic factors of the ligands. Experimental evidence of normal and inverse trans influence is described in alkylcobaloximes for the first time. The study of simple B(12) models has complemented that on the more complex cobalamins, with particular emphasis on the properties of the axial L-Co-X moiety. Some of the conclusions reached for the axial fragment of simple models have also been qualitatively detected in cobalamins and have furnished new insight into the as yet unestablished mechanism for the homolytic cleavage of the Co - C bond in the AdoCbl-based enzymes. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Simple method for assembly of CRISPR synergistic activation mediator gRNA expression array.

Science.gov (United States)

Vad-Nielsen, Johan; Nielsen, Anders Lade; Luo, Yonglun

2018-05-20

When studying complex interconnected regulatory networks, effective methods for simultaneously manipulating multiple genes expression are paramount. Previously, we have developed a simple method for generation of an all-in-one CRISPR gRNA expression array. We here present a Golden Gate Assembly-based system of synergistic activation mediator (SAM) compatible CRISPR/dCas9 gRNA expression array for the simultaneous activation of multiple genes. Using this system, we demonstrated the simultaneous activation of the transcription factors, TWIST, SNAIL, SLUG, and ZEB1 a human breast cancer cell line. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

International Reserves and the Composition of Equity Capital Inflows

OpenAIRE

Xingwang Qian; Andreas Steiner

2012-01-01

We study the effect of central banks' international reserve hoardings on the composition of equity capital inflows, namely the ratio of portfolio equity investment (PEI) to foreign direct investment (FDI). Foreign investors' decisions regarding the location and the type of equity capital investment might be influenced by a country's level of international reserves. In a simple theoretical model, we show that higher reserves, thanks to their ability to lower exchange rate risk, reduce the risk...

The human rights of intersex people: addressing harmful practices and rhetoric of change.

Science.gov (United States)

Carpenter, Morgan

2016-05-01

Intersex people and bodies have been considered incapable of integration into society. Medical interventions on often healthy bodies remain the norm, addressing perceived familial and cultural demands, despite concerns about necessity, outcomes, conduct and consent. A global and decentralised intersex movement pursues simple core goals: the rights to bodily autonomy and self-determination, and an end to stigmatisation. The international human rights system is responding with an array of new policy statements from human rights institutions and a handful of national governments recognising the rights of intersex people. However, major challenges remain to implement those statements. Human rights violations of intersex individuals persist, deeply embedded in a deliberate history of silencing. Rhetoric of change to clinical practices remain unsubstantiated. Policy disjunctions arise in a framing of intersex issues as matters of sexual orientation and gender identity, rather than innate sex characteristics; this has led to a rhetoric of inclusion that is not matched by the reality. This paper provides an overview of harmful practices on intersex bodies, human rights developments, and rhetorics of change and inclusion. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

On the equivalence between small-step and big-step abstract machines: a simple application of lightweight fusion

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Danvy, Olivier; Millikin, Kevin

2008-01-01

-step specification. We illustrate this observation here with a recognizer for Dyck words, the CEK machine, and Krivine’s machine with call/cc. The need for such a simple proof is motivated by our current work on small-step abstract machines as obtained by refocusing a function implementing a reduction semantics (a...... syntactic correspondence), and big-step abstract machines as obtained by CPStransforming and then defunctionalizing a function implementing a big-step semantics (a functional correspondence). © 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved....

Sensitive detection of hydroxylamine at a simple baicalin carbon nanotubes modified electrode.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Hongfang; Zheng, Jianbin

2012-05-15

A baicalin multi-wall carbon nanotubes (BaMWCNT) modified glassy carbon electrode (GCE) for the sensitive determination of hydroxylamine was described. The BaMWCNT/GCE with dramatic stability was firstly fabricated with a simple adsorption method. And it showed excellent catalytic activity toward the electrooxidation of hydroxylamine. The amperometric response at the BaMWCNT/GCE modified electrode increased linearly to hydroxylamine concentrations in the range of 0.5 μM to 0.4mM with a detection limit of 0.1 μM. The modified electrode was applied to detection hydroxylamine in the tap water, and the average recovery for the standards added was 96.0%. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

De-novo simple partial status epilepticus presenting as Wernicke's aphasia.

Science.gov (United States)

Patil, Bhimanagouda; Oware, Agyepong

2012-04-01

Language disturbances manifesting as brief periods of speech arrest occur with seizures originating in the frontal or temporal lobes. These language disturbances are usually present with other features of seizures or may occur in an episodic fashion suggesting their likely epileptic origin. Sustained but reversible aphasia as the sole manifestation of partial status epilepticus is rare, particularly without a history of prior seizures. A few cases have been described in the literature where Broca's or mixed aphasia seems to be more common than Wernicke's aphasia. Here we describe a patient who presented with Wernicke's aphasia secondary to simple partial status epilepticus but without any other features of seizures. The diagnosis was confirmed on EEG and the aphasia reversed after antiepileptic treatment. Copyright © 2011 British Epilepsy Association. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

[Prenatal diagnosis of a right thoracic congenital ectopic kidney with a diaphragmatic hernia: a combination with a good prognosis].

Science.gov (United States)

Cessans, C; Pharamin, J; Crouzet, K; Kessler, S; Puget, C; Bouali, O; Galinier, P; Marcoux, M-O

2015-11-01

Ectopic intrathoracic kidney is a rare congenital anomaly, usually asymptomatic. This anomaly is sometimes associated with a diaphragmatic hernia. Few cases of this combination have been described, often in the absence of a prenatal diagnosis. We report on the case of a female newborn infant who was diagnosed with an ectopic intrathoracic right kidney and a diaphragmatic hernia upon 33 weeks of gestation. The patient underwent surgery on the first day of life and the respiratory and renal outcomes were simple. We review the literature and discuss the seemingly good prognosis of this combination. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

24 CFR 206.115 - [Reserved

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... MORTGAGE AND LOAN INSURANCE PROGRAMS UNDER NATIONAL HOUSING ACT AND OTHER AUTHORITIES HOME EQUITY CONVERSION MORTGAGE INSURANCE Contract Rights and Obligations Mortgage Insurance Premiums § 206.115 [Reserved] ...

A new simple and high-yield synthesis of 5α-dihydrotestosterone (DHT), a potent androgen receptor agonist.

Science.gov (United States)

Purushottamachar, Puranik; Njar, Vincent C O

2012-12-01

We have devised an efficient procedure for the synthesis of 5α-dihydrotestosterone (DHT) (1) starting from 3β-hydroxy-5α-androstan-17-one, providing the product in unprecedented 82% yield. A reported method of using toxic Jones reagent is replaced by milder oxidizing agent (NMO/TPAP) in the synthesis of a key intermediate 17β-[(tert-butyldimethylsilyl)oxy]-5α-androstan-3-one (18). This new procedure is simple, does not require special apparatus/precautions or chromatographic purification in most of the steps. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Clinical use of ultrashort-lived radionuclide krypton-81m for noninvasive analysis of right ventricular performance in normal subjects and patients with right ventricular dysfunction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nienaber, C.A.; Spielmann, R.P.; Wasmus, G.; Mathey, D.G.; Montz, R.; Bleifeld, W.H.

1985-01-01

The ultrashort-lived radionuclide krypton-81m, eluted in 5% dextrose from a bedside rubidium-81m generator, was intravenously infused for rapid imaging of the right-sided heart chambers in the right anterior oblique projection adjusted for optimal right atrioventricular separation. Left-sided heart and lung background was minimized by rapid decay and efficient exhalation of krypton-81m, requiring no algorithm for background correction. A double region of interest method decreased the variability in the assessment of ejection fraction to 5%. In 10 normal subjects, 11 patients with pulmonary hypertension, 4 patients with right ventricular outflow tract obstruction and 4 patients with right ventricular infarction, right ventricular ejection fraction determined by krypton-81m equilibrium blood pool imaging ranged from 14 to 76%. The correlation between these values and those determined by cineangiography according to Simpson's rule was close: r . 0.93 for all data points, r . 0.92 for studies at rest and r . 0.93 for exercise studies. Exercise-related changes in right ventricular function revealed a disturbed functional reserve with pulmonary hypertension and right ventricular infarction, whereas in compensated right ventricular outflow tract obstruction there was a physiologic increase in ejection fraction with exercise. Thus, equilibrium-gated right ventricular imaging using ultrashort-lived krypton-81m is a simple, accurate and reproducible method with potential for serial assessment of right ventricular ejection fraction in a variety of right ventricular anatomic and functional abnormalities, both at rest and during exercise. Advantages of this method include an extremely low radiation dose to patients and clear right atrioventricular separation without the need to correct for background activity

A lack of appetite for information and computation. Simple heuristics in food choice.

Science.gov (United States)

Schulte-Mecklenbeck, Michael; Sohn, Matthias; de Bellis, Emanuel; Martin, Nathalie; Hertwig, Ralph

2013-12-01

The predominant, but largely untested, assumption in research on food choice is that people obey the classic commandments of rational behavior: they carefully look up every piece of relevant information, weight each piece according to subjective importance, and then combine them into a judgment or choice. In real world situations, however, the available time, motivation, and computational resources may simply not suffice to keep these commandments. Indeed, there is a large body of research suggesting that human choice is often better accommodated by heuristics-simple rules that enable decision making on the basis of a few, but important, pieces of information. We investigated the prevalence of such heuristics in a computerized experiment that engaged participants in a series of choices between two lunch dishes. Employing MouselabWeb, a process-tracing technique, we found that simple heuristics described an overwhelmingly large proportion of choices, whereas strategies traditionally deemed rational were barely apparent in our data. Replicating previous findings, we also observed that visual stimulus segments received a much larger proportion of attention than any nutritional values did. Our results suggest that, consistent with human behavior in other domains, people make their food choices on the basis of simple and informationally frugal heuristics. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Data-driven outbreak forecasting with a simple nonlinear growth model.

Science.gov (United States)

Lega, Joceline; Brown, Heidi E

2016-12-01

Recent events have thrown the spotlight on infectious disease outbreak response. We developed a data-driven method, EpiGro, which can be applied to cumulative case reports to estimate the order of magnitude of the duration, peak and ultimate size of an ongoing outbreak. It is based on a surprisingly simple mathematical property of many epidemiological data sets, does not require knowledge or estimation of disease transmission parameters, is robust to noise and to small data sets, and runs quickly due to its mathematical simplicity. Using data from historic and ongoing epidemics, we present the model. We also provide modeling considerations that justify this approach and discuss its limitations. In the absence of other information or in conjunction with other models, EpiGro may be useful to public health responders. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Proton facility economics: the importance of "simple" treatments.

Science.gov (United States)

Johnstone, Peter A S; Kerstiens, John; Richard, Helsper

2012-08-01

, there would not be enough treatment slots to cover even 60% of debt service. Personnel and recurring costs and profit further reduce the business case for performing more complex patients. Debt is not variable with capacity. Absent philanthropy, financing a modern proton center requires treating a case load emphasizing simple patients even before operating costs and any profit are achieved. Copyright © 2012 American College of Radiology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Valid statistical approaches for analyzing sholl data: Mixed effects versus simple linear models.

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Wilson, Machelle D; Sethi, Sunjay; Lein, Pamela J; Keil, Kimberly P

2017-03-01

The Sholl technique is widely used to quantify dendritic morphology. Data from such studies, which typically sample multiple neurons per animal, are often analyzed using simple linear models. However, simple linear models fail to account for intra-class correlation that occurs with clustered data, which can lead to faulty inferences. Mixed effects models account for intra-class correlation that occurs with clustered data; thus, these models more accurately estimate the standard deviation of the parameter estimate, which produces more accurate p-values. While mixed models are not new, their use in neuroscience has lagged behind their use in other disciplines. A review of the published literature illustrates common mistakes in analyses of Sholl data. Analysis of Sholl data collected from Golgi-stained pyramidal neurons in the hippocampus of male and female mice using both simple linear and mixed effects models demonstrates that the p-values and standard deviations obtained using the simple linear models are biased downwards and lead to erroneous rejection of the null hypothesis in some analyses. The mixed effects approach more accurately models the true variability in the data set, which leads to correct inference. Mixed effects models avoid faulty inference in Sholl analysis of data sampled from multiple neurons per animal by accounting for intra-class correlation. Given the widespread practice in neuroscience of obtaining multiple measurements per subject, there is a critical need to apply mixed effects models more widely. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Airpower and the Reserve Components (Joint Force Quarterly, Issue 36)

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Meilinger, Phillip S

2004-01-01

.... All ARC units and personnel must meet active component standards. This simple but immutable requirement means both the Guard and Reserve are combat-ready and available to deploy worldwide within 72 hours...

Meta-analysis of mismatch negativity to simple versus complex deviants in schizophrenia.

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Avissar, Michael; Xie, Shanghong; Vail, Blair; Lopez-Calderon, Javier; Wang, Yuanjia; Javitt, Daniel C

2018-01-01

Mismatch negativity (MMN) deficits in schizophrenia (SCZ) have been studied extensively since the early 1990s, with the vast majority of studies using simple auditory oddball task deviants that vary in a single acoustic dimension such as pitch or duration. There has been a growing interest in using more complex deviants that violate more abstract rules to probe higher order cognitive deficits. It is still unclear how sensory processing deficits compare to and contribute to higher order cognitive dysfunction, which can be investigated with later attention-dependent auditory event-related potential (ERP) components such as a subcomponent of P300, P3b. In this meta-analysis, we compared MMN deficits in SCZ using simple deviants to more complex deviants. We also pooled studies that measured MMN and P3b in the same study sample and examined the relationship between MMN and P3b deficits within study samples. Our analysis reveals that, to date, studies using simple deviants demonstrate larger deficits than those using complex deviants, with effect sizes in the range of moderate to large. The difference in effect sizes between deviant types was reduced significantly when accounting for magnitude of MMN measured in healthy controls. P3b deficits, while large, were only modestly greater than MMN deficits (d=0.21). Taken together, our findings suggest that MMN to simple deviants may still be optimal as a biomarker for SCZ and that sensory processing dysfunction contributes significantly to MMN deficit and disease pathophysiology. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Utility of a simple lighting device to improve chest compressions learning.

Science.gov (United States)

González-Calvete, L; Barcala-Furelos, R; Moure-González, J D; Abelairas-Gómez, C; Rodríguez-Núñez, A

2017-11-01

The recommendations on cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) emphasize the quality of the manoeuvres, especially chest compressions (CC). Audiovisual feedback devices could improve the quality of the CC during CPR. The aim of this study was to evaluate the usefulness of a simple lighting device as a visual aid during CPR on a mannequin. Twenty-two paediatricians who attended an accredited paediatric CPR course performed, in random order, 2min of CPR on a mannequin without and with the help of a simple lighting device, which flashes at a frequency of 100 cycles per minute. The following CC variables were analyzed using a validated compression quality meter (CPRmeter ® ): depth, decompression, rate, CPR time and percentage of compressions. With the lighting device, participants increased average quality (60.23±54.50 vs. 79.24±9.80%; P=.005), percentage in target depth (48.86±42.67 vs. 72.95±20.25%; P=.036) and rate (35.82±37.54 vs. 67.09±31.95%; P=.024). A simple light device that flashes at the recommended frequency improves the quality of CC performed by paediatric residents on a mannequin. The usefulness of this CPR aid system should be assessed in real patients. Copyright © 2017 Sociedad Española de Anestesiología, Reanimación y Terapéutica del Dolor. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Simple diazonium chemistry to develop specific gene sensing platforms.

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Revenga-Parra, M; García-Mendiola, T; González-Costas, J; González-Romero, E; Marín, A García; Pau, J L; Pariente, F; Lorenzo, E

2014-02-27

A simple strategy for covalent immobilizing DNA sequences, based on the formation of stable diazonized conducting platforms, is described. The electrochemical reduction of 4-nitrobenzenediazonium salt onto screen-printed carbon electrodes (SPCE) in aqueous media gives rise to terminal grafted amino groups. The presence of primary aromatic amines allows the formation of diazonium cations capable to react with the amines present at the DNA capture probe. As a comparison a second strategy based on the binding of aminated DNA capture probes to the developed diazonized conducting platforms through a crosslinking agent was also employed. The resulting DNA sensing platforms were characterized by cyclic voltammetry, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and spectroscopic ellipsometry. The hybridization event with the complementary sequence was detected using hexaamineruthenium (III) chloride as electrochemical indicator. Finally, they were applied to the analysis of a 145-bp sequence from the human gene MRP3, reaching a detection limit of 210 pg μL(-1). Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Optimal drawdown patterns for strategic petroleum reserves

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kuenne, R E; Blankenship, J W; McCoy, P F

1979-01-01

An optimization model is described for determining optimal drawdown trajectories for strategic petroleum reserves during an embargo. Development of the model includes the derivation of a GNP response function which relates GNP (used as a measure of social welfare) and crude oil supply reductions. Two alternative forms of this function are used with the model. Simple algorithms are presented which give rapid solutions for the model. The pattern is one of saving some of the reserve to protect against a possible second embargo occurring beforee refill, and of allocating the remainder during the first embargo subperiod so as to equalize monthly marginal benefits. 6 references.

A simple spatiotemporal rabies model for skunk and bat interaction in northeast Texas.

Science.gov (United States)

Borchering, Rebecca K; Liu, Hao; Steinhaus, Mara C; Gardner, Carl L; Kuang, Yang

2012-12-07

We formulate a simple partial differential equation model in an effort to qualitatively reproduce the spread dynamics and spatial pattern of rabies in northeast Texas with overlapping reservoir species (skunks and bats). Most existing models ignore reservoir species or model them with patchy models by ordinary differential equations. In our model, we incorporate interspecies rabies infection in addition to rabid population random movement. We apply this model to the confirmed case data from northeast Texas with most parameter values obtained or computed from the literature. Results of simulations using both our skunk-only model and our skunk and bat model demonstrate that the model with overlapping reservoir species more accurately reproduces the progression of rabies spread in northeast Texas. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Simple and fast fabrication of superhydrophobic metal wire mesh for efficiently gravity-driven oil/water separation.

Science.gov (United States)

Song, Botao

2016-12-15

Superhydrophobic metal wire mesh (SMWM) has frequently been applied for the selective and efficient separation of oil/water mixture due to its porous structure and special wettability. However, current methods for the modification of metal wire mesh to be superhydrophobic suffered from problems with respect to complex experimental procedures or time-consuming process. In this study, a very simple, time-saving and single-step electrospray method was proposed to fabricate SMWM and the whole procedure required about only 2min. The morphology, surface composition and wettability of the SMWM were all evaluated, and the oil/water separation ability was further investigated. In addition, a commercial available sponge covered with SMWM was fabricated as an oil adsorbent for the purpose of oil recovery. This study demonstrated a convenient and fast method to modify the metal wire mesh to be superhydrophobic and such simple method might find practical applications in the large-scale removal of oils. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Simple adaptive sparse representation based classification schemes for EEG based brain-computer interface applications.

Science.gov (United States)

Shin, Younghak; Lee, Seungchan; Ahn, Minkyu; Cho, Hohyun; Jun, Sung Chan; Lee, Heung-No

2015-11-01

One of the main problems related to electroencephalogram (EEG) based brain-computer interface (BCI) systems is the non-stationarity of the underlying EEG signals. This results in the deterioration of the classification performance during experimental sessions. Therefore, adaptive classification techniques are required for EEG based BCI applications. In this paper, we propose simple adaptive sparse representation based classification (SRC) schemes. Supervised and unsupervised dictionary update techniques for new test data and a dictionary modification method by using the incoherence measure of the training data are investigated. The proposed methods are very simple and additional computation for the re-training of the classifier is not needed. The proposed adaptive SRC schemes are evaluated using two BCI experimental datasets. The proposed methods are assessed by comparing classification results with the conventional SRC and other adaptive classification methods. On the basis of the results, we find that the proposed adaptive schemes show relatively improved classification accuracy as compared to conventional methods without requiring additional computation. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Simple and multiple linear regression: sample size considerations.

Science.gov (United States)

Hanley, James A

2016-11-01

The suggested "two subjects per variable" (2SPV) rule of thumb in the Austin and Steyerberg article is a chance to bring out some long-established and quite intuitive sample size considerations for both simple and multiple linear regression. This article distinguishes two of the major uses of regression models that imply very different sample size considerations, neither served well by the 2SPV rule. The first is etiological research, which contrasts mean Y levels at differing "exposure" (X) values and thus tends to focus on a single regression coefficient, possibly adjusted for confounders. The second research genre guides clinical practice. It addresses Y levels for individuals with different covariate patterns or "profiles." It focuses on the profile-specific (mean) Y levels themselves, estimating them via linear compounds of regression coefficients and covariates. By drawing on long-established closed-form variance formulae that lie beneath the standard errors in multiple regression, and by rearranging them for heuristic purposes, one arrives at quite intuitive sample size considerations for both research genres. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Naturally-occurring fatigue and cardiovascular response to a simple memory challenge.

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Mlynski, Christopher; Wright, Rex A; Agtarap, Stephanie D; Rojas, Juan

2017-09-01

Participants first completed a state affect checklist that included a fatigue (energy-tiredness) index and a measure of mental sharpness. They then were presented a simple memory challenge. In the first minute of the two-minute work period, heart rate responses (1) rose with values on the fatigue index, and (2) fell with values on the measure of mental sharpness. In the second minute of the work period, the responses were unrelated to fatigue index and mental sharpness values. Follow-up analysis indicated mental sharpness mediation of fatigue influence on heart rate in Minute 1. First minute findings add substantively to the body of evidence supporting recent suggestions that fatigue can lead people to try harder and experience stronger cardiovascular responses when confronted with simple challenges. They also support the suggestion that fatigue might exert its influence on cardiovascular responses to a mental challenge by diminishing cognitive clarity, that is, by obscuring thought. Second minute findings are contrary to the fatigue suggestions, but could indicate that memorization was accomplished in the first minute. A practical implication of the first minute results is that real-world fatigue could elevate health risk by enhancing CV responses to mundane daily tasks. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The Right to Know and the Right Not to Know Revisited: Part One.

Science.gov (United States)

Brownsword, Roger; Wale, Jeff

2017-01-01

Prompted by developments in human genetics, a recurrent bioethical question concerns a person's 'right to know' and 'right not to know' about genetic information held that is intrinsically related to or linked to them. In this paper, we will revisit the claimed rights in relation to two particular test cases. One concerns the rights of the 500,000 participants in UK Biobank (UKB) whose biosamples, already having been genotyped, will now be exome sequenced, and the other concerns the rights of pregnant women (and their children) who undergo non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT)-a simple blood test that can reveal genetic information about both a foetus and its mother. This two-part paper is in four principal sections. First, we sketch the relevant features of our two test cases. Secondly, we consider the significance of recent legal jurisprudence in the UK and Singapore. Thirdly, we consider how, the jurisprudence apart, the claimed rights might be grounded. Fourthly, we consider the limits on the rights. We conclude with some short remarks about the kind of genetically aware society that we might want to be and how far there is still an opportunity meaningfully to debate the claimed rights.

Intraoperative Right Ventricular Fractional Area Change Is a Good Indicator of Right Ventricular Contractility: A Retrospective Comparison Using Two- and Three-Dimensional Echocardiography.

Science.gov (United States)

Imada, Tatsuyuki; Kamibayashi, Takahiko; Ota, Chiho; Carl Shibata, Sho; Iritakenishi, Takeshi; Sawa, Yoshiki; Fujino, Yuji

2015-08-01

Intraoperative two-dimensional echocardiography is technically challenging, given the unique geometry of the right ventricle (RV). It was hypothesized that the RV fractional area change (RVFAC) could be used as a simple method to evaluate RV function during surgery. Therefore, the correlation between the intraoperative RVFAC and the true right ventricular ejection fraction (RVEF), as measured using newly developed three-dimensional (3D) analysis software, was evaluated. Retrospective study. University hospital. Patients who underwent cardiac surgery with transesophageal echocardiography monitoring between March 2014 and June 2014. None. Sixty-two patients were included in this study. After the exclusion of poor imaging data and patients with arrhythmias, 54 data sets were analyzed. RVFAC was measured by one anesthesiologist during surgery, and full-volume 3D echocardiographic data were recorded simultaneously. The 3D data were analyzed postoperatively using off-line 3D analysis software by a second anesthesiologist, who was blinded to the RVFAC results. The mean RVFAC was 38.8% ± 8.7%, the mean RVEF was 41.4% ± 8.3%, and there was a good correlation between the RVFAC and the RVEF (r(2) = 0.638; prights reserved.

Simple Bone Cyst of Metacarpal: Rare Lesion with Unique Treatment

Science.gov (United States)

Patwardhan, Sandeep; Shah, Kunal; Shyam, Ashok; Sancheti, Parag

2014-01-01

Introduction: Simple bone cyst or unicameral bone cyst (UBC) are benign cystic lesions commonly found in femur and humerus. However hand is a very rare site of occurrence. Treatment described for UBC of hand commonly involves curettage and bone grafting. Case Report: A 7 year old right hand dominant girl presented to us with chief complaints of pain and swelling in right 4th metacarpal since 2 month. On imaging, plain radiographs of right hand showed expansile lytic lesion on Metaphyseal-diaphyseal region of 4th metacarpal with pathological fracture. MRI showed cystic lesions with internal loculations and fluid-fluid levels (Fig 2). There was minimal soft tissue extension. We performed aspiration which showed serosanguinous fluid with haemorrhagic tinge. With the diagnosis of unicameral bone cyst in mind we performed and closed intramedullary nail with k wire. The cyst healed up completely within 2 months. There was no recurrence at 18 month follow up. Conclusion: In conclusion simple bone cyst is very rare in metacarpal bone. However it should be considered as important differential since it warrants simple treatment and extensive procedures should be avoided. PMID:27298987

Virtual Resting Pd/Pa From Coronary Angiography and Blood Flow Modelling: Diagnostic Performance Against Fractional Flow Reserve.

Science.gov (United States)

Papafaklis, Michail I; Muramatsu, Takashi; Ishibashi, Yuki; Bourantas, Christos V; Fotiadis, Dimitrios I; Brilakis, Emmanouil S; Garcia-Garcia, Héctor M; Escaned, Javier; Serruys, Patrick W; Michalis, Lampros K

2018-03-01

Fractional flow reserve (FFR) has been established as a useful diagnostic tool. The distal coronary pressure to aortic pressure (Pd/Pa) ratio at rest is a simpler physiologic index but also requires the use of the pressure wire, whereas recently proposed virtual functional indices derived from coronary imaging require complex blood flow modelling and/or are time-consuming. Our aim was to test the diagnostic performance of virtual resting Pd/Pa using routine angiographic images and a simple flow model. Three-dimensional quantitative coronary angiography (3D-QCA) was performed in 139 vessels (120 patients) with intermediate lesions assessed by FFR. The resting Pd/Pa for each lesion was assessed by computational fluid dynamics. The discriminatory power of virtual resting Pd/Pa against FFR (reference: ≤0.80) was high (area under the receiver operator characteristic curve [AUC]: 90.5% [95% CI: 85.4-95.6%]). Diagnostic accuracy, sensitivity and specificity for the optimal virtual resting Pd/Pa cut-off (≤0.94) were 84.9%, 90.4% and 81.6%, respectively. Virtual resting Pd/Pa demonstrated superior performance (pvirtual resting Pd/Pa and FFR (r=0.69, pVirtual resting Pd/Pa using routine angiographic data and a simple flow model provides fast functional assessment of coronary lesions without requiring the pressure-wire and hyperaemia induction. The high diagnostic performance of virtual resting Pd/Pa for predicting FFR shows promise for using this simple/fast virtual index in clinical practice. Copyright © 2017 Australian and New Zealand Society of Cardiac and Thoracic Surgeons (ANZSCTS) and the Cardiac Society of Australia and New Zealand (CSANZ). Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Late presentation of a right Bochdalek hernia with a right intrathoracic stomach and organoaxial torsion

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Al-Shehri, Mohammed A.; Al-Binali, Ali M.; Eid, Waleed A.; Osinowo, Olu A.; Mohammed, Nabil E.

2005-01-01

A postero-lateral hernia through the foramen of Bochdalek is a rare type of congenital diaphragmatic hernia CDH. The incidence of Bochdalek hernia on the right side is 10-20% compared to the left side, and herniation of the stomach into the right pleural cavity is extremely rare. We report a case of right-sided Bochdalek hernia with a right intrathoracic stomach and organo-axial torsion misdiagnosed initially, and treated as a case of hyperactive airway disease. The child had a right thoracotomy, excision of the hernia sac that contained the stomach, greater omentum and part of the liver, reduction of the viscera into the abdominal cavity and simple closure of the diaphragmatic defect. Recovery was uneventful. This case highlights the consequences of late diagnosis and the effectiveness of surgical relief. A new clinico-anatomical classification of Bochdalek hernia is presented. (author)

Simple and non-invasive techniques to evaluate the function of CircuLite Synergy.

Science.gov (United States)

Mohite, Prashant N; Bowles, Christopher T; Sabashnikov, Anton; Popov, Aron-Frederik; Patil, Nikhil P; Sáez, Diana García; Banner, Nicholas R; Simon, André R

2014-11-01

The Synergy CircuLite micropump is a novel partial-support miniature left ventricular assist device that propels 2-3 l/min blood from the left atrium into the right subclavian artery. The ability of currently available investigative modalities to confirm Synergy pump malfunction is limited. The Synergy speed fluctuates periodically (at 10-s intervals) from the baseline to a transient decrease followed by a transient increase (alternating speed algorithm, ASA) with the purpose of changing the blood flow behaviour, thereby reducing thrombogenicity. The aim of this study was to develop a simple non-invasive monitoring technique to assess pump function based on the detection of the ASA in the peripheral microcirculation. Between February 2012 and July 2013, 10 patients with advanced chronic heart failure underwent Synergy implantation at our institution. The pump function was assessed by echocardiography and invasive monitoring according to standard protocols; additionally, the pump speed and power consumption were monitored. During the pump function assessment, the pulse oximeter waveform was recorded from the index fingers of the left and right hand with simultaneous pump auscultation using a stethoscope positioned on the pump (right infra-clavicular pocket). The pulse oximeter waveform was readily detectable from the right and left hand of all study patients. If the Synergy function was normal, there was a significant difference in the morphology of the pulse oximeter waveform from each hand: the ASA algorithm produced a more pronounced variation (giant wave) in the trace from the right hand than from the left. The giant waves invariably coincided with the sound variation associated with the ASA algorithms, which were detected regularly at 10-s intervals. We describe a simple, readily applicable, inexpensive, non-invasive technique that allows evaluation of Synergy pump function and may have diagnostic utility under conditions of suspected pump thrombus

Simple repair approach for mitral regurgitation in Barlow disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Ben Zekry, Sagit; Spiegelstein, Dan; Sternik, Leonid; Lev, Innon; Kogan, Alexander; Kuperstein, Rafael; Raanani, Ehud

2015-11-01

Mitral valve repair for myxomatous Barlow disease is a challenging procedure requiring complex surgery with less than optimal results. The use of ring-only repair has been previously reported but never analyzed or followed-up. We investigated this simple valve repair approach for patients with Barlow disease and multisegment involvement causing mainly central jet. Of 572 patients who underwent mitral valve repair for mitral regurgitation at our medical center, 24 with Barlow disease (aged 47 ± 14 years; 46% male) underwent ring-only repair. Patients were characterized by severely enlarged mitral valve annulus, multisegment prolapse involving both leaflets, and demonstrated mainly a central wide regurgitant jet. Surgical technique included only the implantation of a large mitral annuloplasty ring. Early and late outcome results were compared with those of the remaining patients who underwent conventional mitral valve repair for degenerative disease (controls). All ring-only patients presented with moderate-severe/severe mitral regurgitation (vena contracta, 0.6 ± 0.1 cm; regurgitation volume, 52 ± 17 mL), with mainly a central jet and almost preserved ejection fraction (59% ± 6%). Cardiopulmonary bypass and crossclamp times were significantly shorter compared with controls (P Barlow disease patients with multisegment involvement and mainly central regurgitant jet is both simple and reproducible with excellent late outcomes. Copyright © 2015 The American Association for Thoracic Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Sexual rights as human rights: a guide to authoritative sources and principles for applying human rights to sexuality and sexual health.

Science.gov (United States)

Miller, Alice M; Kismödi, Eszter; Cottingham, Jane; Gruskin, Sofia

2015-11-01

This Guide seeks to provide insight and resources to actors interested in the development of rights claims around sexuality and sexual health. After engaging with the vexed question of the scope of sexual rights, it explores the rules and principles governing the way in which human rights claims are developed and applied to sexuality and sexual health, and how that development is linked to law and made a matter of state obligation. This understanding is critical to policy and programming in sexual health and rights, as it supports calling on the relevant range of human rights, such as privacy, non-discrimination, health or other universally accepted human rights, as well as demanding the action of states under their international and national law obligations to support sexual health. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Biosphere reserves: Attributes for success.

Science.gov (United States)

Van Cuong, Chu; Dart, Peter; Hockings, Marc

2017-03-01

Biosphere reserves established under the UNESCO Man and the Biosphere Program aim to harmonise biodiversity conservation and sustainable development. Concerns over the extent to which the reserve network was living up to this ideal led to the development of a new strategy in 1995 (the Seville Strategy) to enhance the operation of the network of reserves. An evaluation of effectiveness of management of the biosphere reserve network was called for as part of this strategy. Expert opinion was assembled through a Delphi Process to identify successful and less successful reserves and investigate common factors influencing success or failure. Ninety biosphere reserves including sixty successful and thirty less successful reserves in 42 countries across all five Man and the Biosphere Program regions were identified. Most successful sites are the post-Seville generation while the majority of unsuccessful sites are pre-Seville that are managed as national parks and have not been amended to conform to the characteristics that are meant to define a biosphere reserve. Stakeholder participation and collaboration, governance, finance and resources, management, and awareness and communication are the most influential factors in the success or failure of the biosphere reserves. For success, the biosphere reserve concept needs to be clearly understood and applied through landscape zoning. Designated reserves then need a management system with inclusive good governance, strong participation and collaboration, adequate finance and human resource allocation and stable and responsible management and implementation. All rather obvious but it is difficult to achieve without commitment to the biosphere reserve concept by the governance authorities. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Echocardiographic Evaluation of Pulmonary Pressures and Right Ventricular Function after Pediatric Cardiac Surgery: A Simple Approach for the Intensivist

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maurice Beghetti

2017-08-01

Full Text Available Pulmonary hypertension (PH is diagnosed using cardiac catheterization and is defined as an elevation of mean pulmonary artery pressure (PAP greater than 25 mmHg. Although invasive hemodynamics remains the gold standard and is mandatory for disease confirmation, transthoracic echocardiography (TTE is an extremely useful non-invasive and widely available tool that allows for screening and follow-up, in particular, in the acute setting. TTE may be a valuable alternative, allowing for direct measurement and/or indirect assessment of PAP. Because of the complex geometric shape and pattern of contraction of the right ventricle (RV, as well as the inherent complexity of cardiac repair, no single view or measurement can provide definite information on RV function and PAP and/or pulmonary vascular resistance. In addition, specific training and expertise may be necessary to obtain the views and measurements required. Some simple measurements may be of help when rapid evaluation is mandatory and potentially life saving: the assessment of tricuspid and/or pulmonary valve regurgitant jet and the use of the Bernoulli equation allow for measurement of PAP. Measurements such as the analysis of the pulmonary Doppler wave flow, the septal curvature, or the eccentricity index, assessing ventricular interdependence, are useful for indirect assessment. A four-chamber view of the RV gives information on its size, hypertrophy, function (fractional area change, and tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion as an evaluation of the longitudinal function. Based on these simple measurements, TTE can provide detection of PH, measurement or estimation of PAP, and assessment of cardiac function. TTE is also of importance in follow up of PH as well as providing an assessment of therapeutic strategies in the postoperative setting of cardiac surgery. However, PAP may be misleading as it is dependent on cardiac output and requires accurate measurements. In the presence of

Children's rights and school psychology: children's right to participation.

Science.gov (United States)

Lansdown, Gerison; Jimerson, Shane R; Shahroozi, Reza

2014-02-01

The Convention on the Rights of the Child detailed an international imperative to fulfilling, protecting, and respecting the rights of every child. In particular, the Convention set out a clear mandate for guaranteeing opportunities for children to be heard on all matters of concern to them. The attainment of these goals involves respecting and valuing children as active participants in the educational process. If fully implemented, the right of children to express views and have them taken seriously, throughout the school environment, would represent one of the most profound transformations in moving towards a culture of respect for children's rights, for their dignity and citizenship, and for their capacities to contribute significantly towards their own well-being. These values and principles are consistent with those of the school psychology profession, thus, school psychologists are encouraged to be at the Center of the process advocating and actualizing the Convention in schools throughout the world. Copyright © 2014 Society for the Study of School Psychology. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Correlation among electronegativity, cation polarizability, optical basicity and single bond strength of simple oxides

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dimitrov, Vesselin, E-mail: vesselin@uctm.edu [Department of Silicate Technology, University of Chemical Technology and Metallurgy, 8, Kl. Ohridski Blvd., Sofia 1756 (Bulgaria); Komatsu, Takayuki, E-mail: komatsu@mst.nagaokaut.ac.jp [Department of Materials Science and Technology, Nagaoka University of Technology, 1603-1 Kamitomioka-cho, Nagaoka 940-2188 (Japan)

2012-12-15

A suitable relationship between free-cation polarizability and electronegativity of elements in different valence states and with the most common coordination numbers has been searched on the basis of the similarity in physical nature of both quantities. In general, the cation polarizability increases with decreasing element electronegativity. A systematic periodic change in the polarizability against the electronegativity has been observed in the isoelectronic series. It has been found that generally the optical basicity increases and the single bond strength of simple oxides decreases with decreasing the electronegativity. The observed trends have been discussed on the basis of electron donation ability of the oxide ions and type of chemical bonding in simple oxides. - Graphical abstract: This figure shows the single bond strength of simple oxides as a function of element electronegativity. A remarkable correlation exists between these independently obtained quantities. High values of electronegativity correspond to high values of single bond strength and vice versa. It is obvious that the observed trend in this figure is closely related to the type of chemical bonding in corresponding oxide. Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer A suitable relationship between free-cation polarizability and electronegativity of elements was searched. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The cation polarizability increases with decreasing element electronegativity. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The single bond strength of simple oxides decreases with decreasing the electronegativity. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The observed trends were discussed on the basis of type of chemical bonding in simple oxides.

Procedural abortion rights: Ireland and the European Court of Human Rights.

Science.gov (United States)

Erdman, Joanna N

2014-11-01

The Irish Protection of Life During Pregnancy Act seeks to clarify the legal ground for abortion in cases of risk to life, and to create procedures to regulate women's access to services under it. This article explores the new law as the outcome of an international human rights litigation strategy premised on state duties to implement abortion laws through clear standards and procedural safeguards. It focuses specifically on the Irish law reform and the jurisprudence of the European Court of Human Rights, including A. B. and C. v. Ireland (2010). The article examines how procedural rights at the international level can engender domestic law reform that limits or expands women's access to lawful abortion services, serving conservative or progressive ends. Copyright © 2014 Reproductive Health Matters. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The dilemma of contact: voluntary isolation and the impacts of gas exploitation on health and rights in the Kugapakori Nahua Reserve, Peruvian Amazon

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Napolitano, Dora A; Ryan, Aliya S S

2007-01-01

Many small groups of indigenous peoples in the Amazon basin avoid and resist direct encounters with outsiders. As far as we know, they do so because of appalling experiences in earlier encounters with national society. When contacted today, they are extremely vulnerable to introduced diseases and exploitation. In this paper we draw on our experience in the Kugapakori Nahua Reserve for isolated peoples in SE Peru to discuss some of the current debates about whether isolated peoples should be contacted and how best to respect their right to life, health, autonomy and territory. The remote headwater regions where isolated peoples sought refuge during the last century are increasingly sought after for resource extraction. In particular, the extraction of oil and gas is increasing throughout the Peruvian Amazon. In the second part of the paper we give some examples of how oil/gas companies and the energy sector in Peru have affected the well-being of the peoples in this reserve in the 21st century. If this trend is not reversed the impacts for isolated peoples will be irreparable

The dilemma of contact: voluntary isolation and the impacts of gas exploitation on health and rights in the Kugapakori Nahua Reserve, Peruvian Amazon

Science.gov (United States)

Napolitano, Dora A.; Ryan, Aliya S. S.

2007-10-01

Many small groups of indigenous peoples in the Amazon basin avoid and resist direct encounters with outsiders. As far as we know, they do so because of appalling experiences in earlier encounters with national society. When contacted today, they are extremely vulnerable to introduced diseases and exploitation. In this paper we draw on our experience in the Kugapakori Nahua Reserve for isolated peoples in SE Peru to discuss some of the current debates about whether isolated peoples should be contacted and how best to respect their right to life, health, autonomy and territory. The remote headwater regions where isolated peoples sought refuge during the last century are increasingly sought after for resource extraction. In particular, the extraction of oil and gas is increasing throughout the Peruvian Amazon. In the second part of the paper we give some examples of how oil/gas companies and the energy sector in Peru have affected the well-being of the peoples in this reserve in the 21st century. If this trend is not reversed the impacts for isolated peoples will be irreparable.

A simple way to obtain backscattered electron images in a scanning transmission electron microscope.

Science.gov (United States)

Tsuruta, Hiroki; Tanaka, Shigeyasu; Tanji, Takayoshi; Morita, Chiaki

2014-08-01

We have fabricated a simple detector for backscattered electrons (BSEs) and incorporated the detector into a scanning transmission electron microscope (STEM) sample holder. Our detector was made from a 4-mm(2) Si chip. The fabrication procedure was easy, and similar to a standard transmission electron microscopy (TEM) sample thinning process based on ion milling. A TEM grid containing particle objects was fixed to the detector with a silver paste. Observations were carried out using samples of Au and latex particles at 75 and 200 kV. Such a detector provides an easy way to obtain BSE images in an STEM. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Japanese Society of Microscopy. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Reserve selection with land market feedbacks.

Science.gov (United States)

Butsic, Van; Lewis, David J; Radeloff, Volker C

2013-01-15

How to best site reserves is a leading question for conservation biologists. Recently, reserve selection has emphasized efficient conservation: maximizing conservation goals given the reality of limited conservation budgets, and this work indicates that land market can potentially undermine the conservation benefits of reserves by increasing property values and development probabilities near reserves. Here we propose a reserve selection methodology which optimizes conservation given both a budget constraint and land market feedbacks by using a combination of econometric models along with stochastic dynamic programming. We show that amenity based feedbacks can be accounted for in optimal reserve selection by choosing property price and land development models which exogenously estimate the effects of reserve establishment. In our empirical example, we use previously estimated models of land development and property prices to select parcels to maximize coarse woody debris along 16 lakes in Vilas County, WI, USA. Using each lake as an independent experiment, we find that including land market feedbacks in the reserve selection algorithm has only small effects on conservation efficacy. Likewise, we find that in our setting heuristic (minloss and maxgain) algorithms perform nearly as well as the optimal selection strategy. We emphasize that land market feedbacks can be included in optimal reserve selection; the extent to which this improves reserve placement will likely vary across landscapes. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Simple electrochemical sensor for caffeine based on carbon and Nafion-modified carbon electrodes.

Science.gov (United States)

Torres, A Carolina; Barsan, Madalina M; Brett, Christopher M A

2014-04-15

A simple, economic, highly sensitive and highly selective method for the detection of caffeine has been developed at bare and Nafion-modified glassy carbon electrodes (GCE). The electrochemical behaviour of caffeine was examined in electrolyte solutions of phosphate buffer saline, sodium perchlorate, and in choline chloride plus oxalic acid, using analytical determinations by fixed potential amperometry, phosphate buffer saline being the best. Modifications of the GCE surface with poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT), Nafion, and multi-walled carbon nanotubes were tested in order to evaluate possible sensor performance enhancements, Nafion giving the most satisfactory results. The effect of interfering compounds usually found in samples containing caffeine was examined at GCE without and with Nafion coating, to exclude interferences, and the sensors were successfully applied to determine the caffeine content in commercial beverages and drugs. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Children's judgments about ownership rights and body rights: Evidence for a common basis.

Science.gov (United States)

Van de Vondervoort, Julia W; Meinz, Paul; Friedman, Ori

2017-03-01

We report two experiments supporting the theory that children's understanding of ownership rights is related to their notions of body rights. Experiment 1 investigated 4- to 7-year-olds' (N=123) developing sensitivity to physical contact in their judgments about the acceptability of behaving in relation to owned objects and body parts. Experiment 2 used a simpler design to investigate this in 3- and 4-year-olds (N=112). Findings confirmed two predictions of the theory. First, in both experiments, children's judgments about ownership and body rights were similarly affected by physical contact. Second, judgments about both kinds of rights were yoked in development; age-related changes in judgments about ownership rights were paralleled by changes in judgments about body rights. Our findings have additional import for theories of ownership rights because they suggest that physical contact may be a crucial factor in whether behaviors targeting property are judged to be permissible. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A simple and low-cost biofilm quantification method using LED and CMOS image sensor.

Science.gov (United States)

Kwak, Yeon Hwa; Lee, Junhee; Lee, Junghoon; Kwak, Soo Hwan; Oh, Sangwoo; Paek, Se-Hwan; Ha, Un-Hwan; Seo, Sungkyu

2014-12-01

A novel biofilm detection platform, which consists of a cost-effective red, green, and blue light-emitting diode (RGB LED) as a light source and a lens-free CMOS image sensor as a detector, is designed. This system can measure the diffraction patterns of cells from their shadow images, and gather light absorbance information according to the concentration of biofilms through a simple image processing procedure. Compared to a bulky and expensive commercial spectrophotometer, this platform can provide accurate and reproducible biofilm concentration detection and is simple, compact, and inexpensive. Biofilms originating from various bacterial strains, including Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa), were tested to demonstrate the efficacy of this new biofilm detection approach. The results were compared with the results obtained from a commercial spectrophotometer. To utilize a cost-effective light source (i.e., an LED) for biofilm detection, the illumination conditions were optimized. For accurate and reproducible biofilm detection, a simple, custom-coded image processing algorithm was developed and applied to a five-megapixel CMOS image sensor, which is a cost-effective detector. The concentration of biofilms formed by P. aeruginosa was detected and quantified by varying the indole concentration, and the results were compared with the results obtained from a commercial spectrophotometer. The correlation value of the results from those two systems was 0.981 (N = 9, P CMOS image-sensor platform. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

HIPAA's Individual Right of Access to Genomic Data: Reconciling Safety and Civil Rights.

Science.gov (United States)

Evans, Barbara J

2018-01-04

In 2014, the United States granted individuals a right of access to their own laboratory test results, including genomic data. Many observers feel that this right is in tension with regulatory and bioethical standards designed to protect the safety of people who undergo genomic testing. This commentary attributes this tension to growing pains within an expanding federal regulatory program for genetic and genomic testing. The Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2008 expanded the regulatory agenda to encompass civil rights and consumer safety. The individual access right, as it applies to genomic data, is best understood as a civil-rights regulation. Competing regulatory objectives-safety and civil rights-were not successfully integrated during the initial rollout of genomic civil-rights regulations after 2008. Federal law clarifies how to prioritize safety and civil rights when the two come into conflict, although with careful policy design, the two need not collide. This commentary opens a dialog about possible solutions to advance safety and civil rights together. Copyright © 2017 American Society of Human Genetics. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

American Heart Association's Life's Simple 7: Avoiding Heart Failure and Preserving Cardiac Structure and Function.

Science.gov (United States)

Folsom, Aaron R; Shah, Amil M; Lutsey, Pamela L; Roetker, Nicholas S; Alonso, Alvaro; Avery, Christy L; Miedema, Michael D; Konety, Suma; Chang, Patricia P; Solomon, Scott D

2015-09-01

Many people may underappreciate the role of lifestyle in avoiding heart failure. We estimated whether greater adherence in middle age to American Heart Association's Life's Simple 7 guidelines—on smoking, body mass, physical activity, diet, cholesterol, blood pressure, and glucose—is associated with lower lifetime risk of heart failure and greater preservation of cardiac structure and function in old age. We studied the population-based Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study cohort of 13,462 adults ages 45-64 years in 1987-1989. From the 1987-1989 risk factor measurements, we created a Life's Simple 7 score (range 0-14, giving 2 points for ideal, 1 point for intermediate, and 0 points for poor components). We identified 2218 incident heart failure events using surveillance of hospital discharge and death codes through 2011. In addition, in 4855 participants free of clinical cardiovascular disease in 2011-2013, we performed echocardiography from which we quantified left ventricular hypertrophy and diastolic dysfunction. One in four participants (25.5%) developed heart failure through age 85 years. Yet, this lifetime heart failure risk was 14.4% for those with a middle-age Life's Simple 7 score of 10-14 (optimal), 26.8% for a score of 5-9 (average), and 48.6% for a score of 0-4 (inadequate). Among those with no clinical cardiovascular event, the prevalence of left ventricular hypertrophy in late life was approximately 40% as common, and diastolic dysfunction was approximately 60% as common, among those with an optimal middle-age Life's Simple 7 score, compared with an inadequate score. Greater achievement of American Heart Association's Life's Simple 7 in middle age is associated with a lower lifetime occurrence of heart failure and greater preservation of cardiac structure and function. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Antidepressants: Selecting One That's Right for You

Science.gov (United States)

Antidepressants: Selecting one that's right for you Confused by the choice in antidepressants? With persistence, you and your doctor should find one that works so ... Foundation for Medical Education and Research (MFMER). All rights reserved.

Simple machines

CERN Document Server

Graybill, George

2007-01-01

Just how simple are simple machines? With our ready-to-use resource, they are simple to teach and easy to learn! Chocked full of information and activities, we begin with a look at force, motion and work, and examples of simple machines in daily life are given. With this background, we move on to different kinds of simple machines including: Levers, Inclined Planes, Wedges, Screws, Pulleys, and Wheels and Axles. An exploration of some compound machines follows, such as the can opener. Our resource is a real time-saver as all the reading passages, student activities are provided. Presented in s

[Elective abortions, a right to defend].

Science.gov (United States)

Zaccabri, Annie

2015-12-01

Every year in France, almost 210 000 women request a termination of an unwanted pregnancy. Two thirds of them were however using a form of contraception, hence the importance, for caregivers, of encouraging women to find the method which works best for them. The right to abortion is the fruit of a long fight for a woman's right to control her own body. It is a right which must be protected. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Is the world simple or complicated

CERN Document Server

Barrow, John D

1998-01-01

Stop some particle physicists in the street and they will soon be trying to persuade you that the world is altogether simple and symmetrical. But stop a biologist, an economist, or a social scientist and they will tell you quite the opposite: the world is a higgledy-piggledy collection of complexities that owes little to symmetry and displays precious little simplicity. So who is right : is the world really complicated or is it simple ? We shall look at the reasoning that leads to these different conclusions, show why we got different answers to our question, and look at some of the recent developments that have taken place in the study of systems from sand-piles to music on the border between order and chaos. We shall also look at some of the connections between our aesthetic sensibilities and the structure of scientific theories.

Deconvolving out indicator smearing in the right ventricle facilities left-to-right shunt quantitation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Eterovic, D.; Popovic, S.; Dujic, Z.

1994-01-01

A simple algorithm is developed to enhance the resolution of components of multimodal pulmonary radiohistogram. Based on the assessed right ventricular ejection fraction (RVEF), it deconvolves out the effect of indicator smearing in the right ventricle on the heart rate samples of the pulmonary radiohistogram, c k . The output is the ideal curve, c k =c k /RVEF-(1-EF)xC k-1 /RVEF, that would be obtained if RVEF equalled unity. Since the formula is not a recursive one it does not suffer from error propagation pertinent to numerical deconvolution. Once RVEF is known, implementation of the algorithm is trivial. If RVEF is not known accurately it may be replaced with its upper estimate, RVEF upp > RVEF, yielding a partial deconvolution of the curve. When applied to patients with left-to-right shunt the method improves the accuracy and lessens the interobserver variation of the Maltz-Treves method. (author)

A simple approach for human recombinant apolipoprotein E4 expression and purification.

Science.gov (United States)

Argyri, Letta; Skamnaki, Vassiliki; Stratikos, Efstratios; Chroni, Angeliki

2011-10-01

We report a simple expression and purification procedure for the production of recombinant apolipoprotein E4 (apoE4), an important protein for the lipid homeostasis in humans that plays critical roles in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases. Our approach is based on the expression of a thioredoxin-apoE4 fusion construct in bacterial cells and subsequent removal of the fused thioredoxin using the highly specific 3C protease, avoiding costly and laborious lipidation-delipidation steps used before. Our approach results in rapid, high-yield production of structurally and functionally competent apoE4 as evidenced by secondary structure measurements, thermal and chemical melting profiles and the kinetic profile of solubilization of dimyristoyl-phosphatidylcholine (DMPC) vesicles. This protocol is appropriate for laboratories with little experience in apolipoprotein biochemistry and will facilitate future studies on the role of apoE4 in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular disease and neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer's disease. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Easing student transition to graduate nurse: a SIMulated Professional Learning Environment (SIMPLE) for final year student nurses.

Science.gov (United States)

Liaw, Sok Ying; Koh, Yiwen; Dawood, Rabiah; Kowitlawakul, Yanika; Zhou, Wentao; Lau, Siew Tiang

2014-03-01

Preparing nursing students for making the transition to graduate nurse is crucial for entry into practice. Final year student nurses at the National University of Singapore (NUS) are required to undergo a consolidated clinical practice to prepare them for their transition to graduate nurse. To describe the development, implementation and evaluation of a simulation program known as SIMulated Professional Learning Environment (SIMPLE) in preparing the final year student nurses for their clinical practicum in transition to graduate nurse practice. A set of simulation features and best practices were used as conceptual framework to develop and implement the simulation program. 94 final year student nurses participated in the 15-hour SIMPLE program that incorporated multiple simulation scenarios based on actual ward clinical practices. Pre and post-tests were conducted to assess the students' preparedness for their clinical practice in transition to graduate nurse practice. The students also completed a satisfaction questionnaire and open questions to evaluate their simulation experiences. The student nurses demonstrated a significant improvement (t=12.06, pnurse practice. They were highly satisfied with their simulation learning. Themes emerged from the comments on the most valuable aspects of the SIMPLE program and ways to improve the program. The study provided evidences on the effectiveness of the SIMPLE program in enhancing the students' preparedness for their transition to graduate nurse practice. A key success of the SIMPLE program was the used of simulation strategy and the involvement of practicing nurses that closely linked the students with the realities of current nursing practice to prepare them for the role of staff nurses. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

[The reasonable use of right ventricular protection strategy in right ventricular outflow tract reconstruction].

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Y; Yuan, H Y; Liu, X B; Wen, S S; Xu, G; Cui, H J; Zhuang, J; Chen, J M

2018-06-01

As a result of right ventricular outflow tract reconstruction, which is the important and basic step of complex cardiac surgery, the blood flow of right ventricular outflow tract is unobstructed, while pulmonary valve regurgitation and right heart dysfunction could be happened. These problems are often ignored in early days, more and more cases of right heart dysfunction need clinical intervention, which is quite difficult and less effective. How to protect effectively the right ventricular function is the focus. At present main methods to protect the right ventricular function include trying to avoid or reduce length of right ventricular incision, reserving or rebuilding the function of the pulmonary valve, using growth potential material for surgery. The protection of the right ventricular function is a systemic project, it involves many aspects, single measures is difficult to provide complete protection, only the comprehensive use of various protection strategy, can help to improve the long-term prognosis.

Hospital preference of laparoscopic versus open appendectomy: Effects on outcomes in simple and complicated appendicitis.

Science.gov (United States)

Tashiro, Jun; Einstein, Stephanie A; Perez, Eduardo A; Bronson, Steven N; Lasko, David S; Sola, Juan E

2016-05-01

We hypothesize that laparoscopic (LA) or open appendectomy (OA) outcomes are associated with hospital procedure preference. We queried Kids' Inpatient Database (1997-2009) for simple (ICD-9-CM 540.9) and complicated (540.0, 540.1) appendicitis. On PS-matched analysis of simple appendicitis (91,118 LA vs. 97,496 OA), LA had increased transfusion (1.7) rates, but lower wound infection (0.6) and perforation/laceration (0.3) rates. LA had shorter length of stay (LOS; 1.7 vs. 2.1days), but higher total charges (TC; 19,501 vs. 13,089 USD) and cost (7121 vs. 5968) vs. OA. For complicated appendicitis (28,793 LA vs. 30,782 OA), LA had increased nausea/vomiting rates (1.9), but lower wound infection (0.5) and transfusion (0.6) rates. LA had shorter LOS (5.1 vs. 5.9), but higher TC (32,251 vs. 28,209). MVA demonstrated shorter LOS (0.9) for LA at laparoscopic-preferring hospitals vs. open-preferring hospitals for simple appendicitis. For complicated appendicitis, higher complication rates (1.1) were associated with OA at laparoscopic-preferring hospitals. Laparoscopic-preferring hospitals had higher TC in all categories. Complications and resource utilization for appendicitis are associated with surgical technique and hospital procedure preference. Laparoscopic-preferring hospitals had higher complication rates with OA for complicated appendicitis and higher charges regardless of appendectomy technique or appendicitis type. 2c, Outcomes Research. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Spatial Probability Cuing and Right Hemisphere Damage

Science.gov (United States)

Shaqiri, Albulena; Anderson, Britt

2012-01-01

In this experiment we studied statistical learning, inter-trial priming, and visual attention. We assessed healthy controls and right brain damaged (RBD) patients with and without neglect, on a simple visual discrimination task designed to measure priming effects and probability learning. All participants showed a preserved priming effect for item…

A simple synthesis of 2-keto-3-deoxy-D-erythro-hexonic acid isopropyl ester, a key sugar for the bacterial population living under metallic stress.

Science.gov (United States)

Grison, Claire M; Renard, Brice-Loïc; Grison, Claude

2014-02-01

2-Keto-3-deoxy-D-erythro-hexonic acid (KDG) is the key intermediate metabolite of the Entner Doudoroff (ED) pathway. A simple, efficient and stereoselective synthesis of KDG isopropyl ester is described in five steps from 2,3-O-isopropylidene-D-threitol with an overall yield of 47%. KDG isopropyl ester is studied as an attractive marker of a functional Entner Doudoroff pathway. KDG isopropyl ester is used to promote growth of ammonium producing bacterial strains, showing interesting features in the remediation of heavy-metal polluted soils. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

One hand or the other? Effector selection biases in right and left handers.

Science.gov (United States)

Main, Julie C; Carey, David P

2014-11-01

Much debate in the handedness literature has centred on the relative merits of questionnaire-based measures assessing hand preference versus simple movement tasks such as peg moving or finger tapping, assessing hand performance. A third paradigm has grown in popularity, which assesses choices by participants when either hand could be used to execute movements. These newer measures may be useful in predicting possible "reversed" asymmetries in proportions of non-right handed ("adextral") people. In the current studies we examine hand choice in large samples of dextral (right handed) and adextral participants. Unlike in some previous experiments on choice, we found that left handers were as biased towards their dominant hand as were right handers, for grasping during a puzzle-making task (study 1). In a second study, participants had to point to either of two suddenly appearing targets with one hand or the other. In study 2, left handers were not significantly less one handed than their right-handed counterparts as in study 1. In a final study, we used random effects meta analysis to summarise the possible differences in hand choice between left handers and right handers across all hand choice studies published to date. The meta analysis suggests that right handers use their dominant hand 12.5% more than left handers favour their dominant hand (with 95% confidence that the real difference lies between 7% and 18%). These last results suggest that our two experiments reported here may represent statistical Type 2 errors. This mean difference may be related to greater left hemispheric language and praxic laterality in right handers. Nevertheless, more data are needed regarding the precise proportions of left and right handers who favour their preferred hands for different tasks. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Simple approach to study biomolecule adsorption in polymeric microfluidic channels

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gubala, Vladimir, E-mail: V.Gubala@kent.ac.uk [Biomedical Diagnostics Institute (BDI), National Centre for Sensor Research (NCSR), Dublin City University, Dublin 9 (Ireland); Medway School of Pharmacy, University of Kent, Central Avenue, Anson 120, Chatham Maritime, Kent ME4 4TB (United Kingdom); Siegrist, Jonathan; Monaghan, Ruairi; O' Reilly, Brian; Gandhiraman, Ram Prasad [Biomedical Diagnostics Institute (BDI), National Centre for Sensor Research (NCSR), Dublin City University, Dublin 9 (Ireland); Daniels, Stephen [Biomedical Diagnostics Institute (BDI), National Centre for Sensor Research (NCSR), Dublin City University, Dublin 9 (Ireland); National Centre for Plasma Science and Technology (NCPST), Dublin City University, Dublin 9 (Ireland); Williams, David E. [Biomedical Diagnostics Institute (BDI), National Centre for Sensor Research (NCSR), Dublin City University, Dublin 9 (Ireland); MacDiarmid Institute for Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology, School of Chemical Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland 1142 (New Zealand); Ducree, Jens [Biomedical Diagnostics Institute (BDI), National Centre for Sensor Research (NCSR), Dublin City University, Dublin 9 (Ireland)

2013-01-14

Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer A simple tool to assess biomolecule adsorption onto the surfaces of microchannels. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Development for dilution by surface-adsorption based depletion of protein samples. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer It can easily be done using a readily available apparatus like a spin-coater. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The assessment tool is facile and quantitative. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Straightforward comparison of different surface chemistries. - Abstract: Herein a simple analytical method is presented for the characterization of biomolecule adsorption on cyclo olefin polymer (COP, trade name: Zeonor{sup Registered-Sign }) substrates which are widely used in microfluidic lab-on-a-chip devices. These Zeonor{sup Registered-Sign} substrates do not possess native functional groups for specific reactions with biomolecules. Therefore, depending on the application, such substrates must be functionalized by surface chemistry methods to either enhance or suppress biomolecular adsorption. This work demonstrates a microfluidic method for evaluating the adsorption of antibodies and oligonucleotides surfaces. The method uses centrifugal microfluidic flow-through chips and can easily be implemented using common equipment such as a spin coater. The working principle is very simple. The user adds 40 L of the solution containing the sample to the starting side of a microfluidic channel, where it is moved through by centrifugal force. Some molecules are adsorbed in the channel. The sample is then collected at the other end in a small reservoir and the biomolecule concentration is measured. As a pilot application, we characterized the adsorption of goat anti-human IgG and a 20-mer DNA on Zeonor{sup Registered-Sign }, and on three types of functionalized Zeonor: 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES) modified surface with mainly positive charge, negatively charged surface with immobilized bovine serum albumin (BSA), and

Disappearance of endangered turtles within China's nature reserves.

Science.gov (United States)

Gong, Shi-Ping; Shi, Hai-Tao; Jiang, Ai-Wu; Fong, Jonathan J; Gaillard, Daniel; Wang, Ji-Chao

2017-03-06

China ranks first among Northern hemisphere countries for species richness, but approximately 43% of its species are threatened [1], with harvesting being the major threat to vertebrates [2]. To protect its biodiversity, China has established about 2,700 nature reserves covering 1.46 million km 2 ( about 15% of China's territory, a percentage higher than the world average [3]). With increasing habitat destruction and harvesting, nature reserves are the final refugia for threatened species. However, many Chinese nature reserves are poorly managed, leaving them vulnerable to poaching and other human encroachment [4]. In this study, we conducted a 12-year (2002-2013) case study on turtles to illustrate the damaging impacts China's nature reserves have on wildlife conservation. We discovered that poaching occurred in all of the 56 reserves surveyed, resulting in dramatically reduced turtle populations. In a majority of the reserves, the reserve staff themselves were involved in poaching. Although nature reserves were created to protect plants and animals, they have become part of the problem due to weak enforcement of rules. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

An approach to derive some simple empirical equations to calibrate nuclear and acoustic well logging tools.

Science.gov (United States)

Mohammad Al Alfy, Ibrahim

2018-01-01

A set of three pads was constructed from primary materials (sand, gravel and cement) to calibrate the gamma-gamma density tool. A simple equation was devised to convert the qualitative cps values to quantitative g/cc values. The neutron-neutron porosity tool measures the qualitative cps porosity values. A direct equation was derived to calculate the porosity percentage from the cps porosity values. Cement-bond log illustrates the cement quantities, which surround well pipes. This log needs a difficult process due to the existence of various parameters, such as: drilling well diameter as well as internal diameter, thickness and type of well pipes. An equation was invented to calculate the cement percentage at standard conditions. This equation can be modified according to varying conditions. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

WHipple-ABACUS, a simple, validated risk score for 30-day mortality after pancreaticoduodenectomy developed using the ACS-NSQIP database.

Science.gov (United States)

Gleeson, Elizabeth M; Shaikh, Mohammad F; Shewokis, Patricia A; Clarke, John R; Meyers, William C; Pitt, Henry A; Bowne, Wilbur B

2016-11-01

Pancreaticoduodenectomy needs simple, validated risk models to better identify 30-day mortality. The goal of this study is to develop a simple risk score to predict 30-day mortality after pancreaticoduodenectomy. We reviewed cases of pancreaticoduodenectomy from 2005-2012 in the American College of Surgeons-National Surgical Quality Improvement Program databases. Logistic regression was used to identify preoperative risk factors for morbidity and mortality from a development cohort. Scores were created using weighted beta coefficients, and predictive accuracy was assessed on the validation cohort using receiver operator characteristic curves and measuring area under the curve. The 30-day mortality rate was 2.7% for patients who underwent pancreaticoduodenectomy (n = 14,993). We identified 8 independent risk factors. The score created from weighted beta coefficients had an area under the curve of 0.71 (95% confidence interval, 0.66-0.77) on the validation cohort. Using the score WHipple-ABACUS (hypertension With medication + History of cardiac surgery + Age >62 + 2 × Bleeding disorder + Albumin procedure. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Co-digestion of solid waste: Towards a simple model to predict methane production.

Science.gov (United States)

Kouas, Mokhles; Torrijos, Michel; Schmitz, Sabine; Sousbie, Philippe; Sayadi, Sami; Harmand, Jérôme

2018-04-01

Modeling methane production is a key issue for solid waste co-digestion. Here, the effect of a step-wise increase in the organic loading rate (OLR) on reactor performance was investigated, and four new models were evaluated to predict methane yields using data acquired in batch mode. Four co-digestion experiments of mixtures of 2 solid substrates were conducted in semi-continuous mode. Experimental methane yields were always higher than the BMP values of mixtures calculated from the BMP of each substrate, highlighting the importance of endogenous production (methane produced from auto-degradation of microbial community and generated solids). The experimental methane productions under increasing OLRs corresponded well to the modeled data using the model with constant endogenous production and kinetics identified at 80% from total batch time. This model provides a simple and useful tool for technical design consultancies and plant operators to optimize the co-digestion and the choice of the OLRs. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A rapid and simple determination of caffeine in teas, coffees and eight beverages.

Science.gov (United States)

Sereshti, Hassan; Samadi, Soheila

2014-09-01

Caffeine was extracted and preconcentrated by the simple, fast and green method of dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction (DLLME) and analysed by gas chromatography-nitrogen phosphorus detection (GC-NPD). The influence of main parameters affecting the extraction efficiency investigated and optimised. Under the optimal conditions, the method was successfully applied to determination of caffeine in different real samples including five types of tea (green, black, white, oolong teas and tea bag), two kinds of coffee (Nescafe coffee and coffee), and eight beverages (regular Coca Cola, Coca Cola zero, regular Pepsi, Pepsi max, Sprite, 7up, Red Bull and Hype).The limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantification (LOQ) were 0.02 and 0.05 μg mL(-1), respectively. Linear dynamic range (LDR) was 0.05-500 μg mL(-1) and determination coefficient (R(2)) was 0.9990. The relative standard deviation (RSD) was 3.2% (n=5, C=1 μg mL(-1)). Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Verifying the botanical authenticity of commercial tannins through sugars and simple phenols profiles.

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Malacarne, Mario; Nardin, Tiziana; Bertoldi, Daniela; Nicolini, Giorgio; Larcher, Roberto

2016-09-01

Commercial tannins from several botanical sources and with different chemical and technological characteristics are used in the food and winemaking industries. Different ways to check their botanical authenticity have been studied in the last few years, through investigation of different analytical parameters. This work proposes a new, effective approach based on the quantification of 6 carbohydrates, 7 polyalcohols, and 55 phenols. 87 tannins from 12 different botanical sources were analysed following a very simple sample preparation procedure. Using Forward Stepwise Discriminant Analysis, 3 statistical models were created based on sugars content, phenols concentration and combination of the two classes of compounds for the 8 most abundant categories (i.e. oak, grape seed, grape skin, gall, chestnut, quebracho, tea and acacia). The last approach provided good results in attributing tannins to the correct botanical origin. Validation, repeated 3 times on subsets of 10% of samples, confirmed the reliability of this model. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Rapid and simple colorimetric method for the quantification of AI-2 produced from Salmonella Typhimurium.

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Wattanavanitchakorn, Siriluck; Prakitchaiwattana, Cheunjit; Thamyongkit, Patchanita

2014-04-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of Fe(III) ion reduction for the simple and rapid quantification of autoinducer-2 (AI-2) produced from bacteria using Salmonella Typhimurium as a model. Since the molecular structure of AI-2 is somewhat similar to ascorbic acid it was expected that AI-2 would also act as a reducing agent and reduce Fe(III) ions in the presence of 1,10-phenanthroline to form the colored [(o-phen)3 Fe(II)]SO4 ferroin complex that could be quantified colorimetrically. In support of this, colony rinses and cell free supernatants from cultures of all tested AI-2 producing strains, but not the AI-2 negative Sinorhizobium meliloti, formed a colored complex with a λmax of 510nm. The OD510 values of these culture supernatants or colony rinses were in broad agreement with the % activity observed in the same samples using the standard Vibrio harveyi bioluminescence assay for AI-2 detection, and with previously reported results. This methodology could potentially be developed as an alternative method for the simple and rapid quantification of AI-2 levels produced in bacterial cultures. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A simple and rapid creatinine sensing via DLS selectivity, using calix[4]arene thiol functionalized gold nanoparticles.

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Sutariya, Pinkesh G; Pandya, Alok; Lodha, Anand; Menon, Shobhana K

2016-01-15

A new, simple, ultra-sensitive and selective approach has been reported for the "on spot" colorimetric detection of creatinine based on calix[4]arene functionalized gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) with excellent discrimination in the presence of other biomolecules. The lower detection limit of the method is 2.16nM. The gold nanoparticles and p-tert-butylcalix[4]arene were synthesized by microwave assisted method. Specifically, in our study, we used dynamic light scattering (DLS) which is a powerful method for the determination of small changes in particle size, improved selectivity and sensitivity of the creatinine detection system over colorimetric method. The nanoassembly is characterized by Transmission electron microscopy (TEM), DLS, UV-vis and ESI-MS spectroscopy, which demonstrates the binding affinity due its ability of hydrogen bonding and electrostatic interaction between -NH group of creatinine and pSDSC4. It exhibits fast response time (creatinine and has long shelf-life (>5 weeks). The developed pSDSC4-AuNPs based creatinine biosensor will be established as simple, reliable and accurate tool for the determination of creatinine in human urine samples. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The design and development of GRASS file reservation system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Huang Qiulan; Zhu Suijiang; Cheng Yaodong; Chen Gang

2010-01-01

GFRS (GRASS File Reservation System) is designed to improve the file access performance of GRASS (Grid-enabled Advanced Storage System) which is a Hierarchical Storage Management (HSM) system developed at Computing Center, Institute of High Energy Physics. GRASS can provide massive storage management and data migration, but the data migration policy is simply based factors such as pool water level, the intervals for migration and so on, so it is short of precise control over files. As for that, we design GFRS to implement user-based file reservation which is to reserve and keep the required files on disks for High Energy physicists. CFRS can improve file access speed for users by avoiding migrating frequently accessed files to tapes. In this paper we first give a brief introduction of GRASS system and then detailed architecture and implementation of GFRS. Experiments results from GFRS have shown good performance and a simple analysis is made based on it. (authors)

Delayed recovery of right ventricular systolic function after repair of long-standing tricuspid regurgitation associated with severe right ventricular failure.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Jong Hun; Kim, Kyung Hwa; Choi, Jong Bum; Kuh, Ja Hong

2016-03-01

After tricuspid valve surgery for long-standing tricuspid regurgitation associated with right ventricular failure, reverse remodelling of the enlarged right ventricle, including recovery of right ventricular systolic function, is unpredictable. We present the case of a 31-year old man with early reduction of dilated right ventricular dimensions and delayed recovery of impaired right ventricular systolic function after valve repair for traumatic tricuspid regurgitation lasting 16 years. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery. All rights reserved.

Dynamic functional brain networks involved in simple visual discrimination learning.

Science.gov (United States)

Fidalgo, Camino; Conejo, Nélida María; González-Pardo, Héctor; Arias, Jorge Luis

2014-10-01

Visual discrimination tasks have been widely used to evaluate many types of learning and memory processes. However, little is known about the brain regions involved at different stages of visual discrimination learning. We used cytochrome c oxidase histochemistry to evaluate changes in regional brain oxidative metabolism during visual discrimination learning in a water-T maze at different time points during training. As compared with control groups, the results of the present study reveal the gradual activation of cortical (prefrontal and temporal cortices) and subcortical brain regions (including the striatum and the hippocampus) associated to the mastery of a simple visual discrimination task. On the other hand, the brain regions involved and their functional interactions changed progressively over days of training. Regions associated with novelty, emotion, visuo-spatial orientation and motor aspects of the behavioral task seem to be relevant during the earlier phase of training, whereas a brain network comprising the prefrontal cortex was found along the whole learning process. This study highlights the relevance of functional interactions among brain regions to investigate learning and memory processes. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Simple additive manufacturing of an osteoconductive ceramic using suspension melt extrusion.

Science.gov (United States)

Slots, Casper; Jensen, Martin Bonde; Ditzel, Nicholas; Hedegaard, Martin A B; Borg, Søren Wiatr; Albrektsen, Ole; Thygesen, Torben; Kassem, Moustapha; Andersen, Morten Østergaard

2017-02-01

Craniofacial bone trauma is a leading reason for surgery at most hospitals. Large pieces of destroyed or resected bone are often replaced with non-resorbable and stock implants, and these are associated with a variety of problems. This paper explores the use of a novel fatty acid/calcium phosphate suspension melt for simple additive manufacturing of ceramic tricalcium phosphate implants. A wide variety of non-aqueous liquids were tested to determine the formulation of a storable 3D printable tricalcium phosphate suspension ink, and only fatty acid-based inks were found to work. A heated stearic acid-tricalcium phosphate suspension melt was then 3D printed, carbonized and sintered, yielding implants with controllable macroporosities. Their microstructure, compressive strength and chemical purity were analyzed with electron microscopy, mechanical testing and Raman spectroscopy, respectively. Mesenchymal stem cell culture was used to assess their osteoconductivity as defined by collagen deposition, alkaline phosphatase secretion and de-novo mineralization. After a rapid sintering process, the implants retained their pre-sintering shape with open pores. They possessed clinically relevant mechanical strength and were chemically pure. They supported adhesion of mesenchymal stem cells, and these were able to deposit collagen onto the implants, secrete alkaline phosphatase and further mineralize the ceramic. The tricalcium phosphate/fatty acid ink described here and its 3D printing may be sufficiently simple and effective to enable rapid, on-demand and in-hospital fabrication of individualized ceramic implants that allow clinicians to use them for treatment of bone trauma. Copyright © 2016 The Academy of Dental Materials. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Microplastic ingestion decreases energy reserves in marine worms.

Science.gov (United States)

Wright, Stephanie L; Rowe, Darren; Thompson, Richard C; Galloway, Tamara S

2013-12-02

The indiscriminate disposal of plastic to the environment is of concern. Microscopic plastic litter (environment, originating from the fragmentation of plastic items and from industry and personal-care products [1]. On highly impacted beaches, microplastic concentrations (impacts remain understudied [1]. Here, we show that deposit-feeding marine worms maintained in sediments spiked with microscopic unplasticised polyvinylchloride (UPVC) at concentrations overlapping those in the environment had significantly depleted energy reserves by up to 50% (Figure 1). Our results suggest that depleted energy reserves arise from a combination of reduced feeding activity, longer gut residence times of ingested material and inflammation. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Development of a simple detector response function generation program: The CEARDRFs code

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wang Jiaxin, E-mail: jwang3@ncsu.edu [Center for Engineering Applications of Radioisotopes (CEAR), Department of Nuclear Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695 (United States); Wang Zhijian; Peeples, Johanna [Center for Engineering Applications of Radioisotopes (CEAR), Department of Nuclear Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695 (United States); Yu Huawei [Center for Engineering Applications of Radioisotopes (CEAR), Department of Nuclear Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695 (United States); College of Geo-Resources and Information, China University of Petroleum, Qingdao, Shandong 266555 (China); Gardner, Robin P. [Center for Engineering Applications of Radioisotopes (CEAR), Department of Nuclear Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695 (United States)

2012-07-15

A simple Monte Carlo program named CEARDRFs has been developed to generate very accurate detector response functions (DRFs) for scintillation detectors. It utilizes relatively rigorous gamma-ray transport with simple electron transport, and accounts for two phenomena that have rarely been treated: scintillator non-linearity and the variable flat continuum part of the DRF. It has been proven that these physics and treatments work well for 3 Multiplication-Sign 3 Double-Prime and 6 Multiplication-Sign 6 Double-Prime cylindrical NaI detector in CEAR's previous work. Now this approach has been expanded to cover more scintillation detectors with various common shapes and sizes. Benchmark experiments of 2 Multiplication-Sign 2 Double-Prime cylindrical BGO detector and 2 Multiplication-Sign 4 Multiplication-Sign 16 Double-Prime rectangular NaI detector have been carried out at CEAR with various radiactive sources. The simulation results of CEARDRFs have also been compared with MCNP5 calculations. The benchmark and comparison show that CEARDRFs can generate very accurate DRFs (more accurate than MCNP5) at a very fast speed (hundred times faster than MCNP5). The use of this program can significantly increase the accuracy of applications relying on detector spectroscopy like prompt gamma-ray neutron activation analysis, X-ray fluorescence analysis, oil well logging and homeland security. - Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer CEARDRF has been developed to generate detector response functions (DRFs) for scintillation detectors a. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Generated DRFs are very accurate. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Simulation speed is hundreds of times faster than MCNP5. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer It utilizes rigorous gamma-ray transport with simple electron transport. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer It also accounts for scintillator non-linearity and the variable flat continuum part.

A simple behavioral test for locomotor function after brain injury in mice.

Science.gov (United States)

Tabuse, Masanao; Yaguchi, Masae; Ohta, Shigeki; Kawase, Takeshi; Toda, Masahiro

2010-11-01

To establish a simple and reliable test for assessing locomotor function in mice with brain injury, we developed a new method, the rotarod slip test, in which the number of slips of the paralytic hind limb from a rotarod is counted. Brain injuries of different severity were created in adult C57BL/6 mice, by inflicting 1-point, 2-point and 4-point cryo-injuries. These mice were subjected to the rotarod slip test, the accelerating rotarod test and the elevated body swing test (EBST). Histological analyses were performed to assess the severity of the brain damage. Significant and consistent correlations between test scores and severity were observed for the rotarod slip test and the EBST. Only the rotarod slip test detected the mild hindlimb paresis in the acute and sub-acute phase after injury. Our results suggest that the rotarod slip test is the most sensitive and reliable method for assessing locomotor function after brain damage in mice. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A simple finite element method for boundary value problems with a Riemann–Liouville derivative

KAUST Repository

Jin, Bangti; Lazarov, Raytcho; Lu, Xiliang; Zhou, Zhi

2016-01-01

© 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. We consider a boundary value problem involving a Riemann-Liouville fractional derivative of order α∈(3/2,2) on the unit interval (0,1). The standard Galerkin finite element approximation converges slowly due to the presence of singularity term xα-¹ in the solution representation. In this work, we develop a simple technique, by transforming it into a second-order two-point boundary value problem with nonlocal low order terms, whose solution can reconstruct directly the solution to the original problem. The stability of the variational formulation, and the optimal regularity pickup of the solution are analyzed. A novel Galerkin finite element method with piecewise linear or quadratic finite elements is developed, and ^L2(D) error estimates are provided. The approach is then applied to the corresponding fractional Sturm-Liouville problem, and error estimates of the eigenvalue approximations are given. Extensive numerical results fully confirm our theoretical study.

Agar/gelatin bilayer gel matrix fabricated by simple thermo-responsive sol-gel transition method.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Yifeng; Dong, Meng; Guo, Mengmeng; Wang, Xia; Zhou, Jing; Lei, Jian; Guo, Chuanhang; Qin, Chaoran

2017-08-01

We present a simple and environmentally-friendly method to generate an agar/gelatin bilayer gel matrix for further biomedical applications. In this method, the thermally responsive sol-gel transitions of agar and gelatin combined with the different transition temperatures are exquisitely employed to fabricate the agar/gelatin bilayer gel matrix and achieve separate loading for various materials (e.g., drugs, fluorescent materials, and nanoparticles). Importantly, the resulting bilayer gel matrix provides two different biopolymer environments (a polysaccharide environment vs a protein environment) with a well-defined border, which allows the loaded materials in different layers to retain their original properties (e.g., magnetism and fluorescence) and reduce mutual interference. In addition, the loaded materials in the bilayer gel matrix exhibit an interesting release behavior under the control of thermal stimuli. Consequently, the resulting agar/gelatin bilayer gel matrix is a promising candidate for biomedical applications in drug delivery, controlled release, fluorescence labeling, and bio-imaging. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Simple hybrid method for fine microaneurysm detection from non-dilated diabetic retinopathy retinal images.

Science.gov (United States)

Sopharak, Akara; Uyyanonvara, Bunyarit; Barman, Sarah

2013-01-01

Microaneurysms detection is an important task in computer aided diagnosis of diabetic retinopathy. Microaneurysms are the first clinical sign of diabetic retinopathy, a major cause of vision loss in diabetic patients. Early microaneurysm detection can help reduce the incidence of blindness. Automatic detection of microaneurysms is still an open problem due to their tiny sizes, low contrast and also similarity with blood vessels. It is particularly very difficult to detect fine microaneurysms, especially from non-dilated pupils and that is the goal of this paper. Simple yet effective methods are used. They are coarse segmentation using mathematic morphology and fine segmentation using naive Bayes classifier. A total of 18 microaneurysms features are proposed in this paper and they are extracted for naive Bayes classifier. The detected microaneurysms are validated by comparing at pixel level with ophthalmologists' hand-drawn ground-truth. The sensitivity, specificity, precision and accuracy are 85.68, 99.99, 83.34 and 99.99%, respectively. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A simple finite element method for boundary value problems with a Riemann–Liouville derivative

KAUST Repository

Jin, Bangti

2016-02-01

© 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. We consider a boundary value problem involving a Riemann-Liouville fractional derivative of order α∈(3/2,2) on the unit interval (0,1). The standard Galerkin finite element approximation converges slowly due to the presence of singularity term xα-¹ in the solution representation. In this work, we develop a simple technique, by transforming it into a second-order two-point boundary value problem with nonlocal low order terms, whose solution can reconstruct directly the solution to the original problem. The stability of the variational formulation, and the optimal regularity pickup of the solution are analyzed. A novel Galerkin finite element method with piecewise linear or quadratic finite elements is developed, and ^L2(D) error estimates are provided. The approach is then applied to the corresponding fractional Sturm-Liouville problem, and error estimates of the eigenvalue approximations are given. Extensive numerical results fully confirm our theoretical study.

Age-related differences during simple working memory decisions: ERP indices of early recognition and compensation failure.

Science.gov (United States)

Tays, William J; Dywan, Jane; Capuana, Lesley J; Segalowitz, Sidney J

2011-06-01

Imaging data has identified frontal cortical activation in older adults during simple recognition tasks that relates positively with performance and could, therefore, be considered compensatory. However, in a previous electrophysiological study involving a Sternberg task with proactive interference manipulations, we observed a frontal positive scalp potential between 400 and 500 ms that was unique to older adults and predictive of poorer performance. These results led us to ask whether unique frontal activation in older adults serves a compensatory role only during relatively simple tasks when stimulus familiarity provides an unambiguous basis for response selection. In the current study, we tested this hypothesis by having younger and older adults complete a verbal Sternberg task without interference manipulations. In younger adults, we observed an early posterior negativity (90-120 ms) that predicted performance accuracy. Older adults failed to show this early negativity but did produce the expected frontal positivity. However, the frontal positivity was again associated with poorer performance. These data support the view that younger adults are able to bias early target discrimination to benefit response selection whereas older adults rely on later controlled processes that are not always effective in buffering against normative age-related decline. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Simple Kidney Cysts

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... Solitary Kidney Your Kidneys & How They Work Simple Kidney Cysts What are simple kidney cysts? Simple kidney cysts are abnormal, fluid-filled ... that form in the kidneys. What are the kidneys and what do they do? The kidneys are ...

Parents: Avoid Kids Foot Problems with the Right Shoes

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... Print | Share Avoid Kids Foot Problems with the Right Shoes Before you head to the store to ... College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons (ACFAS), All Rights Reserved. Privacy Statement | Disclaimer | Terms and Conditions | Site ...

Human demography and reserve size predict wildlife extinction in West Africa.

Science.gov (United States)

Brashares, J S; Arcese, P; Sam, M K

2001-12-07

Species-area models have become the primary tool used to predict baseline extinction rates for species in isolated habitats, and have influenced conservation and land-use planning worldwide. In particular, these models have been used to predict extinction rates following the loss or fragmentation of natural habitats in the absence of direct human influence on species persistence. Thus, where direct human influences, such as hunting, put added pressure on species in remnant habitat patches, we should expect to observe extinction rates higher than those predicted by simple species-area models. Here, we show that extinction rates for 41 species of large mammals in six nature reserves in West Africa are 14-307 times higher than those predicted by models based on reserve size alone. Human population and reserve size accounted for 98% of the observed variation in extinction rates between reserves. Extinction occurred at higher rates than predicted by species-area models for carnivores, primates and ungulates, and at the highest rates overall near reserve borders. Our results indicate that, where the harvest of wildlife is common, conservation plans should focus on increasing the size of reserves and reducing the rate of hunting.

Sutura simples e âncora em quadris de coelhos Simple suture and anchor in rabbit hips

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fernando Cal Garcia Filho

2012-01-01

Full Text Available OBJETIVO: Por meio de ensaios biomecânicos, comparar as capsulorrafias com sutura simples e com âncoras, em quadris de coelhos. MÉTODO: Foram utilizados 13 coelhos, 26 quadris, todos machos da raça Nova Zelândia albinos (Oryctolaguscuniculus. Inicialmente, realizamos um projeto piloto em três coelhos (seis quadris. Este experimento constou de 10 coelhos, divididos em 2 grupos: o Grupo 1 submetido à capsulorrafia (quadris direito e esquerdo com sutura simples utilizando fio absorvível de ácido poliglicólico e o Grupo 2 submetido a capsulorrafia (quadris direito e esquerdo com âncora de titânio. Após o período de quatro semanas de operados, todos animais foram submetidos à eutanásia e seus quadris congelados. Após um descongelamento prévio das peças, no mesmo dia das análises biomecânicas, foram avaliados os parâmetros de rigidez, força máxima, deformidade máxima e energia. RESULTADOS: Não houve diferença estatisticamente significante em relação à força no limite de proporcionalidade, rigidez e força máxima entre os grupos com sutura simples e com âncora. CONCLUSÃO: Por meio dos ensaios biomecânicos, tendo como parâmetro a rigidez, a força máxima, a deformidade máxima e a energia, ficou demonstrado que as capsulorrafias em quadris de coelhos com sutura simples e com âncora são semelhantes entre si. Nível de Evidência II, Estudo Prospectivo Comparativo.OBJECTIVE: Using biomechanical studies, this research aims to compare hip capsulorrhaphy in rabbits, carried out with two different techniques: capsulorrhaphy with simple sutures and with anchors. METHOD: Thirteen New Zealand Albino (Oryctolaguscuniculus male rabbits, twenty-six hip joints, were used. First, a pilot project was performed with three rabbits (six hip joints. This experiment consisted of ten rabbits divided into two groups: group 1 underwent capsulorrhaphy on both right and left hips with simple suture using polyglycolic acid absorbable thread

45 CFR 7.4 - Option to acquire foreign rights.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... 45 Public Welfare 1 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Option to acquire foreign rights. 7.4 Section 7.4... Option to acquire foreign rights. In any case where it is determined that all domestic rights should be...-wide regulations issued thereunder, that the Government shall reserve an option to require the...

POPPER, a simple programming language for probabilistic semantic inference in medicine.

Science.gov (United States)

Robson, Barry

2015-01-01

Our previous reports described the use of the Hyperbolic Dirac Net (HDN) as a method for probabilistic inference from medical data, and a proposed probabilistic medical Semantic Web (SW) language Q-UEL to provide that data. Rather like a traditional Bayes Net, that HDN provided estimates of joint and conditional probabilities, and was static, with no need for evolution due to "reasoning". Use of the SW will require, however, (a) at least the semantic triple with more elaborate relations than conditional ones, as seen in use of most verbs and prepositions, and (b) rules for logical, grammatical, and definitional manipulation that can generate changes in the inference net. Here is described the simple POPPER language for medical inference. It can be automatically written by Q-UEL, or by hand. Based on studies with our medical students, it is believed that a tool like this may help in medical education and that a physician unfamiliar with SW science can understand it. It is here used to explore the considerable challenges of assigning probabilities, and not least what the meaning and utility of inference net evolution would be for a physician. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Is simple nephrectomy truly simple? Comparison with the radical alternative.

Science.gov (United States)

Connolly, S S; O'Brien, M Frank; Kunni, I M; Phelan, E; Conroy, R; Thornhill, J A; Grainger, R

2011-03-01

The Oxford English dictionary defines the term "simple" as "easily done" and "uncomplicated". We tested the validity of this terminology in relation to open nephrectomy surgery. Retrospective review of 215 patients undergoing open, simple (n = 89) or radical (n = 126) nephrectomy in a single university-affiliated institution between 1998 and 2002. Operative time (OT), estimated blood loss (EBL), operative complications (OC) and length of stay in hospital (LOS) were analysed. Statistical analysis employed Fisher's exact test and Stata Release 8.2. Simple nephrectomy was associated with shorter OT (mean 126 vs. 144 min; p = 0.002), reduced EBL (mean 729 vs. 859 cc; p = 0.472), lower OC (9 vs. 17%; 0.087), and more brief LOS (mean 6 vs. 8 days; p < 0.001). All parameters suggest favourable outcome for the simple nephrectomy group, supporting the use of this terminology. This implies "simple" nephrectomies are truly easier to perform with less complication than their radical counterpart.

2007 Microsoft® Office System Plain & Simple

CERN Document Server

Joyce, Jerry

2009-01-01

Here's WHAT You'll Learn Easily navigate the new user interfaceCreate documents, Web pages, and other publicationsOrganize your e-mail, calendar, and tasksBuild spreadsheets to manage and analyze dataBuild a simple databaseDesign and deliver a slide show presentation Here's HOW You'll Learn It Jump in wherever you need answersEasy-to-follow STEPS and SCREENSHOTS show exactly what to doHandy TIPS teach new techniques and shortcutsQuick TRY THIS! exercises help you apply what you learn right away

Efficacy of bi-component cocrystals and simple binary eutectics screening using heat of mixing estimated under super cooled conditions.

Science.gov (United States)

Cysewski, Piotr

2016-07-01

The values of excess heat characterizing sets of 493 simple binary eutectic mixtures and 965 cocrystals were estimated under super cooled liquid condition. The application of a confusion matrix as a predictive analytical tool was applied for distinguishing between the two subsets. Among seven considered levels of computations the BP-TZVPD-FINE approach was found to be the most precise in terms of the lowest percentage of misclassified positive cases. Also much less computationally demanding AM1 and PM7 semiempirical quantum chemistry methods are likewise worth considering for estimation of the heat of mixing values. Despite intrinsic limitations of the approach of modeling miscibility in the solid state, based on components affinities in liquids under super cooled conditions, it is possible to define adequate criterions for classification of coformers pairs as simple binary eutectics or cocrystals. The predicted precision has been found as 12.8% what is quite accepted, bearing in mind simplicity of the approach. However, tuning theoretical screening to such precision implies the exclusion of many positive cases and this wastage exceeds 31% of cocrystals classified as false negatives. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

An Alternative Method of Intermaxillary Fixation for Simple Pediatric Mandible Fractures.

Science.gov (United States)

Farber, Scott J; Nguyen, Dennis C; Harvey, Alan A; Patel, Kamlesh B

2016-03-01

Mandibular fractures represent a substantial portion of facial fractures in the pediatric population. Pediatric mandibles differ from their adult counterparts in the presence of mixed dentition. Avoidance of injury to developing tooth follicles is critical. Simple mandibular fractures can be treated with intermaxillary fixation (IMF) using arch bars or bone screws. This report describes an alternative to these methods using silk sutures and an algorithm to assist in treating simple mandibular fractures in the pediatric population. A retrospective chart review was performed and the records of 1 surgeon were examined. Pediatric patients who underwent treatment for a mandibular fracture in the operating room from 2011 to 2015 were identified using Common Procedural Terminology codes. Data collected included age, gender, type of fracture, type of treatment used, duration of fixation, and presence of complications. Five patients with a mean age of 6.8 years at presentation were identified. Fracture types were unilateral fractures of the condylar neck (n = 3), bilateral fractures of the condylar head (n = 1), and a unilateral fracture of the condylar head with an associated parasymphyseal fracture (n = 1). IMF was performed in 4 patients using silk sutures, and bone screw fixation was performed in the other patient. No post-treatment complications or malocclusion were reported. Average duration of IMF was 18.5 days. An algorithm is presented to assist in the treatment of pediatric mandibular fractures. Silk suture fixation is a viable and safe alternative to arch bars or bone screws for routine mandibular fractures. Copyright © 2016 American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Implicit assumptions underlying simple harvest models of marine bird populations can mislead environmental management decisions.

Science.gov (United States)

O'Brien, Susan H; Cook, Aonghais S C P; Robinson, Robert A

2017-10-01

Assessing the potential impact of additional mortality from anthropogenic causes on animal populations requires detailed demographic information. However, these data are frequently lacking, making simple algorithms, which require little data, appealing. Because of their simplicity, these algorithms often rely on implicit assumptions, some of which may be quite restrictive. Potential Biological Removal (PBR) is a simple harvest model that estimates the number of additional mortalities that a population can theoretically sustain without causing population extinction. However, PBR relies on a number of implicit assumptions, particularly around density dependence and population trajectory that limit its applicability in many situations. Among several uses, it has been widely employed in Europe in Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA), to examine the acceptability of potential effects of offshore wind farms on marine bird populations. As a case study, we use PBR to estimate the number of additional mortalities that a population with characteristics typical of a seabird population can theoretically sustain. We incorporated this level of additional mortality within Leslie matrix models to test assumptions within the PBR algorithm about density dependence and current population trajectory. Our analyses suggest that the PBR algorithm identifies levels of mortality which cause population declines for most population trajectories and forms of population regulation. Consequently, we recommend that practitioners do not use PBR in an EIA context for offshore wind energy developments. Rather than using simple algorithms that rely on potentially invalid implicit assumptions, we recommend use of Leslie matrix models for assessing the impact of additional mortality on a population, enabling the user to explicitly define assumptions and test their importance. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Right colon cancer: Left behind.

Science.gov (United States)

Gervaz, P; Usel, M; Rapiti, E; Chappuis, P; Neyroud-Kaspar, I; Bouchardy, C

2016-09-01

Prognosis of colon cancer (CC) has steadily improved during the past three decades. This trend, however, may vary according to proximal (right) or distal (left) tumor location. We studied if improvement in survival was greater for left than for right CC. We included all CC recorded at the Geneva population-based registry between 1980 and 2006. We compared patients, tumor and treatment characteristics between left and right CC by logistic regression and compared CC specific survival by Cox models taking into account putative confounders. We also compared changes in survival between CC location in early and late years of observation. Among the 3396 CC patients, 1334 (39%) had right-sided and 2062 (61%) left-sided tumors. In the early 1980s, 5-year specific survival was identical for right and left CCs (49% vs. 48%). During the study period, a dramatic improvement in survival was observed for patients with left-sided cancers (Hazard ratio [HR]: 0.42, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.29-0.62, p colon cancer patients, those with right-sided lesions have by far the worse prognosis. Change of strategic management in this subgroup is warranted. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

EMPIRICAL EVIDENCE ON DYNAMICS OF CREDIT GROWTH AND FOREIGN RESERVE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Satrugan Sinah

2017-09-01

Full Text Available The paper presents a model for looking into the nature of change in foreign reserve from movements in domestic credit. This model is relevant to foreign reserve targeting, small and open economies. The model denotes that measures undertaken by central banks to constraint domestic credit growth with the view of controlling capital outflows will also be detrimental to foreign reserves level. The empirical studies with application of Fourier Transformation technique have been used to build a model, which shows that growth in domestic credit is more biased towards positive swings in foreign reserves, rather than being unfavorable. The small and open economies, particularly, the Pacific Island nations, have the right set up for application of this model to safeguard foreign reserves level.

A simple oblique dip model for geomagnetic micropulsations

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

J. A. Lawrie

Full Text Available It is pointed out that simple models adopted so far have tended to neglect the obliquity of the magnetic field lines entering the Earth's surface. A simple alternative model is presented, in which the ambient field lines are straight, but enter wedge shaped boundaries at half a right-angle. The model is illustrated by assuming an axially symmetric, compressional, impulse type disturbance at the outer boundary, all other boundaries being assumed to be perfectly conducting. The numerical method used is checked from the instant the excitation ceases, by an analytical method. The first harmonic along field lines is found to be of noticeable size, but appears to be mainly due to coupling with the fundamental, and with the first harmonic across field lines.

Key words. Magnetospheric physics (MHD waves and instabilities.

a simple a simple excitation control excitation control excitation

African Journals Online (AJOL)

eobe

field voltages determined follow a simple quadratic relationship that offer a very simple control scheme, dependent on only the stator current. Keywords: saturated reactances, no-load field voltage, excitation control, synchronous generators. 1. Introduction. Introduction. Introduction. The commonest generator in use today is ...

Use of ECG and Other Simple Non-Invasive Tools to Assess Pulmonary Hypertension.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gabor Kovacs

Full Text Available There is a broad consensus that pulmonary hypertension (PH is to be diagnosed by right heart catheterization (RHC and that the most important non-invasive tool is echocardiography. However, the role of simple non-invasive tools in the work-up of PH is not clearly defined. We hypothesized that the use of simple non-invasive techniques may help to guide important decisions in the diagnostics of pulmonary hypertension.We aimed to develop an algorithm with the use of simple, non-invasive tools in order to identify patients with very high or very low likelihood of PH.We retrospectively analyzed all consecutive patients undergoing RHC between 2005 and 2010 in our center and performed logistic regression of simple non-invasive parameters regarding detection and exclusion of PH and derived a two-step algorithm. In a prospective study we evaluated this algorithm between 2011 and 2013.The retrospective cohort consisted of n = 394 patients of which 49% presented with PH. Right axis deviation in the ECG was present in 90/394 patients and had a positive predictive value (PPV of 93% for PH. The combination of non-right axis deviation, N-terminal pro brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP<333pg/ml, arterial oxygen saturation (SO2≥95.5% and WHO functional class I-II was present in 69/394 patients and excluded PH with a negative predictive value (NPV of 96%. The prospective study confirmed these results in a cohort of n = 168 patients (PPV:92%, NPV:97%. Taken together, simple non-invasive tools allowed a prediction regarding the presence or absence of PH in 42% of patients with suspected PH.ECG, NT-proBNP, SO2 and WHO functional class may predict the presence or absence of PH in almost half of the patients with suspected PH, suggesting an important role for these variables in the work-up of patients at risk for PH.NCT01607502.

A simple method for environmental cell depressurization for use with an electron microscope.

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Ogawa, Naoki; Mizokawa, Ryo; Saito, Minoru; Ishikawa, Akira

2017-12-01

With the aid of the environmental cell (EC) in electron microscopy, hydrated specimens have been observed at high resolutions that optical microscopy cannot attain. Due to the ultra-high vacuum conditions of the inner column of the electron microscope, the EC requires sealing films that are sufficiently thin to allow electron transmission and that are sufficiently tough to withstand the pressure difference between the inside and outside of the EC. However, most hydrated specimens can be observed at low vacuum because the saturated vapor pressure of water is known to be 0.02 atm at room temperature. These concepts have been used in the differential pumping system, but it is complicated and relatively expensive. In this work, we propose a simple method for depressurization of the EC using a 'balloon structure' and demonstrate the theoretical benefits and practical improvement for specimen observations in low-vacuum conditions. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Japanese Society of Microscopy. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Simple DNA extraction of urine samples: Effects of storage temperature and storage time.

Science.gov (United States)

Ng, Huey Hian; Ang, Hwee Chen; Hoe, See Ying; Lim, Mae-Lynn; Tai, Hua Eng; Soh, Richard Choon Hock; Syn, Christopher Kiu-Choong

2018-06-01

Urine samples are commonly analysed in cases with suspected illicit drug consumption. In events of alleged sample mishandling, urine sample source identification may be necessary. A simple DNA extraction procedure suitable for STR typing of urine samples was established on the Promega Maxwell ® 16 paramagnetic silica bead platform. A small sample volume of 1.7mL was used. Samples were stored at room temperature, 4°C and -20°C for 100days to investigate the influence of storage temperature and time on extracted DNA quantity and success rate of STR typing. Samples stored at room temperature exhibited a faster decline in DNA yield with time and lower typing success rates as compared to those at 4°C and -20°C. This trend can likely be attributed to DNA degradation. In conclusion, this study presents a quick and effective DNA extraction protocol from a small urine volume stored for up to 100days at 4°C and -20°C. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The Role of People's Knowledge and Attitudes in Conservation of Wildlife in the Natural Reservations: A Case Study of the Ibex Reservation in ALRiyadh Region, Saudi Arabia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

AlShayaa, Mohamad S; ElHag, A; Muneer, Siddig E

2007-01-01

The National Commission for Wildlife Conservation and Development (NCWCD) was established in 1406 (H), and enacted plans to control grazing, wood gathering and hunting in the protected areas of Saudi Arabia. However, its efforts have not been successful in putting an end to uncontrolled grazing, trees felling and hunting in the protected areas. This is mainly due to the non-enforcement of the ban on hunting which is considered a local tradition, the freedom of trade in allowed and non-allowed animals, and people low level of awareness about the rules and regulations of hunting, grazing and trees felling. The aim of this study is to determine the level of knowledge, attitudes and people's behaviors towards the Ibex reserve, to recommend solutions that can put an end to illegal hunting, and to show the role of education programs in solving this problem. The study population consisted of all people residing around the Ibex reserve, in the towns of Haotat Bany Tammem , Al-Helwa and Al-Hareek. A simple random sample of 400 people was taken. The response rate was 86%. Furthermore, more than 25 focus group discussion sessions took place, in which the researcher met with 240 local people. Percentages, means, standard deviations and simple correlation were used to analyze the study data using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). The study indicated that the young generation's level of knowledge regarding the importance of wildlife is low. The main reason for this is the lack of educational programs that deals with the importance of wildlife conservation. The study also showed that the respondents have good information about the Ibex reserve location and the patrolling system used to protect it, while their information about the plants and animals' life in the reserve is limited. The respondents perceived that the enforcement of punishment is the only way to put an end to illegal hunting in the reserve. It is recommended to have television educational programs

Novel simple process for tocopherols selective recovery from vegetable oils by adsorption and desorption with an anion-exchange resin.

Science.gov (United States)

Hiromori, Kousuke; Shibasaki-Kitakawa, Naomi; Nakashima, Kazunori; Yonemoto, Toshikuni

2016-03-01

A novel and simple low-temperature process was used to recover tocopherols from a deodorizer distillate, which is a by-product of edible oil refining. The process consists of three operations: the esterification of free fatty acids with a cation-exchange resin catalyst, the adsorption of tocopherols onto an anion-exchange resin, and tocopherol desorption from the resin. No degradation of tocopherols occurred during these processes. In the tocopherol-rich fraction, no impurities such as sterols or glycerides were present. These impurities are commonly found in the product of the conventional process. This novel process improves the overall recovery ratio and the mass fraction of the product (75.9% and 51.0wt%) compared with those in the conventional process (50% and 35wt%). Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Development of a rapid, simple and sensitive HPLC-FLD method for determination of rhodamine B in chili-containing products.

Science.gov (United States)

Qi, Ping; Lin, Zhihao; Li, Jiaxu; Wang, ChengLong; Meng, WeiWei; Hong, Hong; Zhang, Xuewu

2014-12-01

In this work, a simple, rapid and sensitive analytical method for the determination of rhodamine B in chili-containing foodstuffs is described. The dye is extracted from samples with methanol and analysed without further cleanup procedure by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) coupled to fluorescence detection (FLD). The influence of matrix fluorescent compounds (capsaicin and dihydrocapsaicin) on the analysis was overcome by the optimisation of mobile-phase composition. The limit of determination (LOD) and limit of quantification (LOQ) were 3.7 and 10 μg/kg, respectively. Validation data show a good repeatability and within-lab reproducibility with relative standard deviations rhodamine B in foodstuffs. This method is suitable for the routine analysis of rhodamine B due to its sensitivity, simplicity, reasonable time and cost. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Advance reservation access control using software-defined networking and tokens

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chung, Joaquin; Jung, Eun-Sung; Kettimuthu, Rajkumar; Rao, Nageswara S. V.; Foster, Ian T.; Clark, Russ; Owen, Henry

2018-02-01

Advance reservation systems allow users to reserve dedicated bandwidth connection resources from advanced high-speed networks. A common use case for such systems is data transfers in distributed science environments in which a user wants exclusive access to the reservation. However, current advance network reservation methods cannot ensure exclusive access of a network reservation to the specific flow for which the user made the reservation. We present here a novel network architecture that addresses this limitation and ensures that a reservation is used only by the intended flow. We achieve this by leveraging software-defined networking (SDN) and token-based authorization. We use SDN to orchestrate and automate the reservation of networking resources, end-to-end and across multiple administrative domains, and tokens to create a strong binding between the user or application that requested the reservation and the flows provisioned by SDN. We conducted experiments on the ESNet 100G SDN testbed, and demonstrated that our system effectively protects authorized flows from competing traffic in the network. (C) 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Endoperoxide polyketides from a Chinese Plakortis simplex: further evidence of the impact of stereochemistry on antimalarial activity of simple 1,2-dioxanes.

Science.gov (United States)

Chianese, Giuseppina; Persico, Marco; Yang, Fan; Lin, Hou-Wen; Guo, Yue-Wei; Basilico, Nicoletta; Parapini, Silvia; Taramelli, Donatella; Taglialatela-Scafati, Orazio; Fattorusso, Caterina

2014-09-01

Chemical investigation of the organic extract obtained from the sponge Plakortis simplex collected in the South China Sea afforded five new polyketide endoperoxides (2 and 4-7), along with two known analogues (1 and 3). The stereostructures of these metabolites have been deduced on the basis of spectroscopic analysis and chemical conversion. The isolated endoperoxide derivatives have been tested for their in vitro antimalarial activity against Plasmodium falciparum strains, showing IC50 values in the low micromolar range. The structure-activity relationships were analyzed by means of a detailed computational investigation and rationalized in the light of the mechanism of action proposed for this class of simple antimalarials. The relative orientation of the atoms involved in the putative radical generation and transfer reaction was demonstrated to have a great impact on the antimalarial activity. The resulting 3D pharmacophoric model can be a useful guide to design simple and effective antimalarial lead compounds belonging to the class of 1,2-dioxanes. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Sagittal imbalance in patients with lumbar spinal stenosis and outcomes after simple decompression surgery.

Science.gov (United States)

Shin, E Kyung; Kim, Chi Heon; Chung, Chun Kee; Choi, Yunhee; Yim, Dahae; Jung, Whei; Park, Sung Bae; Moon, Jung Hyeon; Heo, Won; Kim, Sung-Mi

2017-02-01

Lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS) is the most common lumbar degenerative disease, and sagittal imbalance is uncommon. Forward-bending posture, which is primarily caused by buckling of the ligamentum flavum, may be improved via simple decompression surgery. The objectives of this study were to identify the risk factors for sagittal imbalance and to describe the outcomes of simple decompression surgery. This is a retrospective nested case-control study PATIENT SAMPLE: This was a retrospective study that included 83 consecutive patients (M:F=46:37; mean age, 68.5±7.7 years) who underwent decompression surgery and a minimum of 12 months of follow-up. The primary end point was normalization of sagittal imbalance after decompression surgery. Sagittal imbalance was defined as a C7 sagittal vertical axis (SVA) ≥40 mm on a 36-inch-long lateral whole spine radiograph. Logistic regression analysis was used to identify the risk factors for sagittal imbalance. Bilateral decompression was performed via a unilateral approach with a tubular retractor. The SVA was measured on serial radiographs performed 1, 3, 6, and 12 months postoperatively. The prognostic factors for sagittal balance recovery were determined based on various clinical and radiological parameters. Sagittal imbalance was observed in 54% (45/83) of patients, and its risk factors were old age and a large mismatch between pelvic incidence and lumbar lordosis. The 1-year normalization rate was 73% after decompression surgery, and the median time to normalization was 1 to 3 months. Patients who did not experience SVA normalization exhibited low thoracic kyphosis (hazard ratio [HR], 1.04; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.02-1.10) (pimbalance was observed in more than 50% of LSS patients, but this imbalance was correctable via simple decompression surgery in 70% of patients. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Geometry and self-righting of turtles.

Science.gov (United States)

Domokos, Gábor; Várkonyi, Péter L

2008-01-07

Terrestrial animals with rigid shells face imminent danger when turned upside down. A rich variety of righting strategies of beetle and turtle species have been described, but the exact role of the shell's geometry in righting is so far unknown. These strategies are often based on active mechanisms, e.g. most beetles self-right via motion of their legs or wings; flat, aquatic turtles use their muscular neck to flip back. On the other hand, highly domed, terrestrial turtles with short limbs and necks have virtually no active control: here shape itself may serve as a fundamental tool. Based on field data gathered on a broad spectrum of aquatic and terrestrial turtle species we develop a geometric model of the shell. Inspired by recent mathematical results, we demonstrate that a simple mechanical classification of the model is closely linked to the animals' righting strategy. Specifically, we show that the exact geometry of highly domed terrestrial species is close to optimal for self-righting, and the shell's shape is the predominant factor of their ability to flip back. Our study illustrates how evolution solved a far-from-trivial geometrical problem and equipped some turtles with monostatic shells: beautiful forms, which rarely appear in nature otherwise.

[Single coronary artery and right aortic arch].

Science.gov (United States)

Martínez-Quintana, Efrén; Rodríguez-González, Fayna

2015-01-01

Coronary anomalies are mostly asymptomatic and diagnosed incidentally during coronary angiography or echocardiography. However, they must be taken into account in the differential diagnosis of angina, dyspnea, syncope, acute myocardial infarction or sudden death in young patients. The case is presented of two rare anomalies, single coronary artery originating from right sinus of Valsalva and right aortic arch, in a 65 year-old patient with atherosclerotic coronary artery disease treated percutaneously. Copyright © 2014 Sociedad Española de Arteriosclerosis. Published by Elsevier España. All rights reserved.

Newly approved antibiotics and antibiotics reserved for resistant infections: Implications for emergency medicine.

Science.gov (United States)

Mazer-Amirshahi, Maryann; Pourmand, Ali; May, Larissa

2017-01-01

Millions of patients are evaluated every year in the emergency department (ED) for bacterial infections. Emergency physicians often diagnose and prescribe initial antibiotic therapy for a variety of bacterial infections, ranging from simple urinary tract infections to severe sepsis. In life-threatening infections, inappropriate choice of initial antibiotic has been shown to increase morbidity and mortality. As such, initiation of appropriate antibiotic therapy on the part of the emergency physician is critical. Increasing rates of antibiotic resistance, drug allergies, and antibiotic shortages further complicates the choice of antibiotics. Patients may have a history of prior resistant infections or culture data indicating that common first-line antibiotics used in the ED may be ineffective. In recent years, there have been several new antibiotic approvals as well as renewed interest in second and third line antibiotics because of the aforementioned concerns. In addition, several newly approved antibiotics have the advantage of being administered once weekly or even as a single infusion, which has the potential to decrease hospitalizations and healthcare costs. This article reviews newly approved antibiotics and antibiotics used to treat resistant infections with a focus on implications for emergency medicine. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Monoclonal antibody heterogeneity analysis and deamidation monitoring with high-performance cation-exchange chromatofocusing using simple, two component buffer systems.

Science.gov (United States)

Kang, Xuezhen; Kutzko, Joseph P; Hayes, Michael L; Frey, Douglas D

2013-03-29

The use of either a polyampholyte buffer or a simple buffer system for the high-performance cation-exchange chromatofocusing of monoclonal antibodies is demonstrated for the case where the pH gradient is produced entirely inside the column and with no external mixing of buffers. The simple buffer system used was composed of two buffering species, one which becomes adsorbed onto the column packing and one which does not adsorb, together with an adsorbed ion that does not participate in acid-base equilibrium. The method which employs the simple buffer system is capable of producing a gradual pH gradient in the neutral to acidic pH range that can be adjusted by proper selection of the starting and ending pH values for the gradient as well as the buffering species concentration, pKa, and molecular size. By using this approach, variants of representative monoclonal antibodies with isoelectric points of 7.0 or less were separated with high resolution so that the approach can serve as a complementary alternative to isoelectric focusing for characterizing a monoclonal antibody based on differences in the isoelectric points of the variants present. Because the simple buffer system used eliminates the use of polyampholytes, the method is suitable for antibody heterogeneity analysis coupled with mass spectrometry. The method can also be used at the preparative scale to collect highly purified isoelectric variants of an antibody for further study. To illustrate this, a single isoelectric point variant of a monoclonal antibody was collected and used for a stability study under forced deamidation conditions. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Let thy left brain know what thy right brain doeth: Inter-hemispheric compensation of functional deficits after brain damage.

Science.gov (United States)

Bartolomeo, Paolo; Thiebaut de Schotten, Michel

2016-12-01

Recent evidence revealed the importance of inter-hemispheric communication for the compensation of functional deficits after brain damage. This review summarises the biological consequences observed using histology as well as the longitudinal findings measured with magnetic resonance imaging methods in brain damaged animals and patients. In particular, we discuss the impact of post-stroke brain hyperactivity on functional recovery in relation to time. The reviewed evidence also suggests that the proportion of the preserved functional network both in the lesioned and in the intact hemispheres, rather than the simple lesion location, determines the extent of functional recovery. Hence, future research exploring longitudinal changes in patients with brain damage may unveil potential biomarkers underlying functional recovery. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Fully automated synthesis of ¹¹C-acetate as tumor PET tracer by simple modified solid-phase extraction purification.

Science.gov (United States)

Tang, Xiaolan; Tang, Ganghua; Nie, Dahong

2013-12-01

Automated synthesis of (11)C-acetate ((11)C-AC) as the most commonly used radioactive fatty acid tracer is performed by a simple, rapid, and modified solid-phase extraction (SPE) purification. Automated synthesis of (11)C-AC was implemented by carboxylation reaction of MeMgBr on a polyethylene Teflon loop ring with (11)C-CO2, followed by acidic hydrolysis with acid and SCX cartridge, and purification on SCX, AG11A8 and C18 SPE cartridges using a commercially available (11)C-tracer synthesizer. Quality control test and animals positron emission tomography (PET) imaging were also carried out. A high and reproducible decay-uncorrected radiochemical yield of (41.0 ± 4.6)% (n=10) was obtained from (11)C-CO2 within the whole synthesis time about 8 min. The radiochemical purity of (11)C-AC was over 95% by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis. Quality control test and PET imaging showed that (11)C-AC injection produced by the simple SPE procedure was safe and efficient, and was in agreement with the current Chinese radiopharmaceutical quality control guidelines. The novel, simple, and rapid method is readily adapted to the fully automated synthesis of (11)C-AC on several existing commercial synthesis module. The method can be used routinely to produce (11)C-AC for preclinical and clinical studies with PET imaging. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A simple awareness campaign to promote food waste reduction in a University canteen.

Science.gov (United States)

Pinto, Renata Soares; Pinto, Renata Machado Dos Santos; Melo, Felipe Fochat Silva; Campos, Suzana Santos; Cordovil, Cláudia Marques-Dos-Santos

2018-03-01

to be only efficient with the collaboration of the canteen staff that needs solid education. From the results, a set of measures was presented to the University Social Services for adoption to ensure a permanent reduction of food waste and recyclables in the University canteens. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Upholding pregnant women's right to life.

Science.gov (United States)

Cook, Rebecca J; Dickens, Bernard M

2012-04-01

Recent decisions of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), the Inter-American Court of Human Rights, and the High Court of Delhi have shown how the pregnancy-related deaths of individual women have been bases on which these authoritative tribunals have held Brazil, Paraguay, and India respectively accountable for avoidable maternal mortality not only in these cases, but also among their populations more generally. The right to life is the most fundamental of women's human rights, recognized in international human rights treaties and national laws. Failure of governments to apply their resources adequately to address, respect, and protect this right violates the law of human rights. These cases show, however, that governments may fail to allocate adequate resources to women's survival of pregnancy. Tribunals can build on the failures in individual cases to set standards of performance to which governments will legally be held to achieve safe motherhood. Copyright © 2012 International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

12 CFR 717.25 - Reasonable and simple methods of opting out.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... simple methods for exercising an opt-out right do not include— (i) Requiring the consumer to write his or... out. (a) In general. You must not use eligibility information about a consumer that you receive from an affiliate to make a solicitation to the consumer about your products or services, unless the...

Bronchoscopic Treatment in the Management of Benign Tracheal Stenosis: Choices for Simple and Complex Tracheal Stenosis.

Science.gov (United States)

Dalar, Levent; Karasulu, Levent; Abul, Yasin; Özdemir, Cengiz; Sökücü, Sinem Nedime; Tarhan, Merve; Altin, Sedat

2016-04-01

Bronchoscopic treatment is 1 of the treatment choices for both palliative and definitive treatment of benign tracheal stenosis. There is no consensus on the management of these patients, however, especially patients having complex stenoses. The aim of the present study was to assess, in the largest group of patients with complex stenoses yet reported, which types of tracheal stenosis are amenable to optimal management by bronchoscopic treatment. The present study was a retrospective cohort study including 132 consecutive patients with benign tracheal stenoses diagnosed between August 2005 and January 2013. The mean age of the study population was 52 ± 18 years; 62 (47%) were women and 70 (53%) were men. Their lesions were classified as simple and complex stenoses. Simple stenoses (n = 6) were treated with 12 rigid and flexible bronchoscopic procedures (mean of 2 per patient); 5 stents were placed. The total success rate was 100%. Among the 124 complex stenoses, 4 were treated directly with surgical intervention. In total, 481 rigid and 487 flexible bronchoscopic procedures were performed in these patients. In this group, the success rate was 69.8%. From the present study, we propose that after accurate classification, interventional bronchoscopic management may have an important role in the treatment of benign tracheal stenosis. Bronchoscopic treatment should be considered as first-line therapy for simple stenoses, whereas complex stenoses need a multidisciplinary approach and often require surgical intervention. However, bronchoscopic treatment may be a valid conservative approach in the management of patients with complex tracheal stenosis who are not eligible for operative treatment. Copyright © 2016 The Society of Thoracic Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Design of arbitrarily homogeneous permanent magnet systems for NMR and MRI: theory and experimental developments of a simple portable magnet.

Science.gov (United States)

Hugon, Cedric; D'Amico, Francesca; Aubert, Guy; Sakellariou, Dimitris

2010-07-01

Starting from general results of magnetostatics, we give fundamental considerations on the design and characterization of permanent magnets for NMR based on harmonic analysis and symmetry. We then propose a simple geometry that takes advantage of some of these considerations and discuss the practical aspects of the assembly of a real magnet based on this geometry, involving the characterization of its elements, the optimization of the layout and the correction of residual inhomogeneities due to material and geometry imperfections. We report with this low-cost, light-weight magnet (100 euros and 1.8 kg including the aluminum frame) a field of 120 mT (5.1 MHz proton) with a 10 ppm natural homogeneity over a sphere of 1.5 mm in diameter. Copyright (c) 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A Simple and Direct LC-MS Method for Determination of Genotoxic Impurity Hydroxylamine in Pharmaceutical compounds.

Science.gov (United States)

Kumar, Thangarathinam; Ramya, Mohandass; Srinivasan, Viswanathan; Xavier, N

2017-08-01

Hydroxylamine is a known genotoxic impurity compound that needs to be controlled down to ppm level in pharmaceutical processes. It is difficult to detect using conventional analytical techniques due to its physio-chemical properties like lack of chromophore, low molecular weight, absence of carbon atom and high polarity. In addition to that, analysis of the pharmaceutical samples encounters considerable obstruction from matrix components that greatly overshadow the response of hydroxylamine. This study describes a simple, sensitive and direct Liquid Chromatographic-Mass Spectrometric method (LC-MS) for detection of hydroxylamine in pharmaceutical compounds. The LC-MS method was detected up to 0.008 ppm of hydroxylamine with S/N > 3.0 and quantified up to 0.025 ppm of hydroxylamine with S/N ratio >10.0. This validated method can be applied as a generic method to detect the hydroxylamine for pharmaceutical process control and drug substance release. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Obtaining natural-like flow releases in diverted river reaches from simple riparian benefit economic models.

Science.gov (United States)

Perona, Paolo; Dürrenmatt, David J; Characklis, Gregory W

2013-03-30

We propose a theoretical river modeling framework for generating variable flow patterns in diverted-streams (i.e., no reservoir). Using a simple economic model and the principle of equal marginal utility in an inverse fashion we first quantify the benefit of the water that goes to the environment in relation to that of the anthropic activity. Then, we obtain exact expressions for optimal water allocation rules between the two competing uses, as well as the related statistical distributions. These rules are applied using both synthetic and observed streamflow data, to demonstrate that this approach may be useful in 1) generating more natural flow patterns in the river reach downstream of the diversion, thus reducing the ecodeficit; 2) obtaining a more enlightened economic interpretation of Minimum Flow Release (MFR) strategies, and; 3) comparing the long-term costs and benefits of variable versus MFR policies and showing the greater ecological sustainability of this new approach. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Targeted and untargeted high resolution mass approach for a putative profiling of glycosylated simple phenols in hybrid grapes.

Science.gov (United States)

Barnaba, Chiara; Dellacassa, Eduardo; Nicolini, Giorgio; Giacomelli, Mattia; Roman Villegas, Tomas; Nardin, Tiziana; Larcher, Roberto

2017-08-01

Vitis vinifera is one of the most widespread grapevines around the world representing the raw material for high quality wine production. The availability of more resistant interspecific hybrid vine varieties, developed from crosses between Vitis vinifera and other Vitis species, has generated much interest, also due to the low environmental effect of production. However, hybrid grape wine composition and varietal differences between interspecific hybrids have not been well defined, particularly for the simple phenols profile. The dynamic of these phenols in wines, where the glycosylated forms can be transformed into the free ones during winemaking, also raises an increasing health interest by their role as antoxidants in wine consumers. In this work an on-line SPE clean-up device, to reduce matrix interference, was combined with ultra-high liquid chromatography-high resolution mass spectrometry in order to increase understanding of the phenolic composition of hybrid grape varieties. Specifically, the phenolic composition of 4 hybrid grape varieties (red, Cabernet Cantor and Prior; white, Muscaris and Solaris) and 2 European grape varieties (red, Merlot; white, Chardonnay) was investigated, focusing on free and glycosidically bound simple phenols and considering compound distribution in pulp, skin, seeds and wine. Using a targeted approach 53 free simple phenols and 7 glycosidic precursors were quantified with quantification limits ranging from 0.001 to 2mgKg -1 and calibration R 2 of 0.99 for over 86% of compounds. The untargeted approach made it possible to tentatively identify 79 glycosylated precursors of selected free simple phenols in the form of -hexoside (N=30), -pentoside (21), -hexoside-hexoside (17), -hexoside-pentoside (4), -pentoside-hexoside (5) and -pentoside-pentoside (2) derivatives on the basis of accurate mass, isotopic pattern and MS/MS fragmentation. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Crossing simple resonances

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Collins, T.

1985-08-01

A simple criterion governs the beam distortion and/or loss of protons on a fast resonance crossing. Results from numerical integrations are illustrated for simple sextupole, octupole, and 10-pole resonances

Crossing simple resonances

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Collins, T.

1985-08-01

A simple criterion governs the beam distortion and/or loss of protons on a fast resonance crossing. Results from numerical integrations are illustrated for simple sextupole, octupole, and 10-pole resonances.

Civil and Constitutional Rights of Adjudicated Youth.

Science.gov (United States)

Landess, Jacqueline

2016-01-01

Mental health clinicians serving child and adolescent patients are frequently asked to evaluate youth who have been arrested for various offenses or who are otherwise involved with the juvenile justice system. To help orient clinicians and other stakeholders involved with such cases, this article describes the evolution of the juvenile justice system and summarizes the history and current status of the civil and constitutional rights of youth involved in the adjudicatory process. This article also points out key areas in which due process rights are still evolving, particularly in the case of status offenders. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Neural correlates of the difference between working memory speed and simple sensorimotor speed: an fMRI study.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hikaru Takeuchi

Full Text Available The difference between the speed of simple cognitive processes and the speed of complex cognitive processes has various psychological correlates. However, the neural correlates of this difference have not yet been investigated. In this study, we focused on working memory (WM for typical complex cognitive processes. Functional magnetic resonance imaging data were acquired during the performance of an N-back task, which is a measure of WM for typical complex cognitive processes. In our N-back task, task speed and memory load were varied to identify the neural correlates responsible for the difference between the speed of simple cognitive processes (estimated from the 0-back task and the speed of WM. Our findings showed that this difference was characterized by the increased activation in the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC and the increased functional interaction between the right DLPFC and right superior parietal lobe. Furthermore, the local gray matter volume of the right DLPFC was correlated with participants' accuracy during fast WM tasks, which in turn correlated with a psychometric measure of participants' intelligence. Our findings indicate that the right DLPFC and its related network are responsible for the execution of the fast cognitive processes involved in WM. Identified neural bases may underlie the psychometric differences between the speed with which subjects perform simple cognitive tasks and the speed with which subjects perform more complex cognitive tasks, and explain the previous traditional psychological findings.

A simple microplate-based method for the determination of α-amylase activity using the glucose assay kit (GOD method).

Science.gov (United States)

Visvanathan, Rizliya; Jayathilake, Chathuni; Liyanage, Ruvini

2016-11-15

For the first time, a reliable, simple, rapid and high-throughput analytical method for the detection and quantification of α-amylase inhibitory activity using the glucose assay kit was developed. The new method facilitates rapid screening of a large number of samples, reduces labor, time and reagents and is also suitable for kinetic studies. This method is based on the reaction of maltose with glucose oxidase (GOD) and the development of a red quinone. The test is done in microtitre plates with a total volume of 260μL and an assay time of 40min including the pre-incubation steps. The new method is tested for linearity, sensitivity, precision, reproducibility and applicability. The new method is also compared with the most commonly used 3,5-dinitrosalicylic acid (DNSA) method for determining α-amylase activity. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

rights reserved Geophysical Identification of Hydrothermally Altered

African Journals Online (AJOL)

ADOWIE PERE

Geophysical Identification of Hydrothermally Altered Structures That Favour .... aircraft. Total line kilometers of 36,500 were covered in the survey. Magnetic ... tie lines occur at about 2000 metres interval in the ... visual inspection of the map.

rights reserved Geophysical Identification of Hydrothermally Altered ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

ADOWIE PERE

the pole to the magnetic data aided in mapping of various hydrothermally altered structures that may favour gold mineralisation. The interpretation of the aero data set has enhanced a lot of ... water serves as a concentrating, transporting and depositing agent through faults (structures) to the earth's surface. Hydrothermal ...

Simple unification

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ponce, W.A.; Zepeda, A.

1987-08-01

We present the results obtained from our systematic search of a simple Lie group that unifies weak and electromagnetic interactions in a single truly unified theory. We work with fractionally charged quarks, and allow for particles and antiparticles to belong to the same irreducible representation. We found that models based on SU(6), SU(7), SU(8) and SU(10) are viable candidates for simple unification. (author). 23 refs

Usefulness of a simple sleep-deprived EEG protocol for epilepsy diagnosis in de novo subjects.

Science.gov (United States)

Giorgi, Filippo S; Perini, Daria; Maestri, Michelangelo; Guida, Melania; Pizzanelli, Chiara; Caserta, Anna; Iudice, Alfonso; Bonanni, Enrica

2013-11-01

In case series concerning the role of EEG after sleep deprivation (SD-EEG) in epilepsy, patients' features and protocols vary dramatically from one report to another. In this study, we assessed the usefulness of a simple SD-EEG method in well characterized patients. Among the 963 adult subjects submitted to SD-EEG at our Center, in the period 2003-2010, we retrospectively selected for analysis only those: (1) evaluated for suspected epileptic seizures; (2) with a normal/non-specific baseline EEG; (3) still drug-free at the time of SD-EEG; (4) with an MRI analysis; (5) with at least 1 year follow-up. SD-EEG consisted in SD from 2:00 AM and laboratory EEG from 8:00 AM to 10:30 AM. We analyzed epileptic interictal abnormalities (IIAs) and their correlations with patients' features. Epilepsy was confirmed in 131 patients. SD-EEG showed IIAs in 41.2% of all patients with epilepsy, and a 91.1% specificity for epilepsy diagnosis; IIAs types observed during SD-EEG are different in generalized versus focal epilepsies; for focal epilepsies, the IIAs yield in SD-EEG is higher than in second routine EEG. This simple SD-EEG protocol is very useful in de novo patients with suspected seizures. This study sheds new light on the role of SD-EEG in specific epilepsy populations. Copyright © 2013 International Federation of Clinical Neurophysiology. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Federal reservation of geothermal resources

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Silver, R.M.

1978-01-01

Union Oil had developed or was seeking to develop wells on the land in Sonoma County, California in order to produce geothermal steam for generating electricity. The US Attorney General brought a quiet title action pursuant to 21(b) of the Geothermal Steam Act of 1970 to determine whether geothermal resources are included in the mineral reservation under the Homestead Act. The US District Court granted Union Oil's motion to dismiss for failure to state a claim upon which relief may be granted. On appeal, the Ninth Circuit reversed and remanded. In summary, the court concluded on the basis of the legislative history of the Stock-Raising Homestead Act that sources of energy are intended to remain in the government's possession, and the purposes of the Act will be best served by including geothermal resources in the reservation of mineral interests. Noting the strictly agricultural purpose of the Act, the subsurface estate reservation was broadly interpreted, even though title passed to all rights that were not expressly reserved. The court left open on remand the question of estoppel of the government from interfering with private lessees by developing subsurface resources compensation.This is a unique and intriguing decision, as it opens wide the definition of ''mineral interest,'' construing it in the timely terms of a valuable natural resource that may be in great demand for future energy needs. The decision is being appealed to the United States Supreme Court, and it will be interesting to observe whether this liberal interpretation of mineral interests will be upheld.

34 CFR 7.4 - Option to acquire foreign rights.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 34 Education 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Option to acquire foreign rights. 7.4 Section 7.4 Education Office of the Secretary, Department of Education EMPLOYEE INVENTIONS § 7.4 Option to acquire... issued thereunder, that the Government shall reserve an option to require the assignment of such rights...

Sequential bidding in day-ahead auctions for spot energy and power systems reserve

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Swider, Derk J.

2005-01-01

In this paper a novel approach for sequential bidding on day-ahead auction markets for spot energy and power systems reserve is presented. For the spot market a relatively simple method is considered as a competitive market is assumed. For the reserve market one bidder is assumed to behave strategically and the behavior of the competitors is summarized in a probability distribution of the market price. This results in a method for sequential bidding, where the bidding prices and capacities on the spot and reserve markets are calculated by maximizing a stochastic non-linear objective function of expected profit. With an exemplary application is shown that the trading sequence leads to increasing bidding capacities and prices in the reverse rank number of the markets. Hence, the consideration of a defined trading sequence greatly influences the mathematical representation of the optimal bidding behavior under price uncertainty in day-ahead auctions for spot energy and power systems reserve. (Author)

A simple and efficient methodology to improve geometric accuracy in gamma knife radiation surgery: implementation in multiple brain metastases.

Science.gov (United States)

Karaiskos, Pantelis; Moutsatsos, Argyris; Pappas, Eleftherios; Georgiou, Evangelos; Roussakis, Arkadios; Torrens, Michael; Seimenis, Ioannis

2014-12-01

To propose, verify, and implement a simple and efficient methodology for the improvement of total geometric accuracy in multiple brain metastases gamma knife (GK) radiation surgery. The proposed methodology exploits the directional dependence of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-related spatial distortions stemming from background field inhomogeneities, also known as sequence-dependent distortions, with respect to the read-gradient polarity during MRI acquisition. First, an extra MRI pulse sequence is acquired with the same imaging parameters as those used for routine patient imaging, aside from a reversal in the read-gradient polarity. Then, "average" image data are compounded from data acquired from the 2 MRI sequences and are used for treatment planning purposes. The method was applied and verified in a polymer gel phantom irradiated with multiple shots in an extended region of the GK stereotactic space. Its clinical impact in dose delivery accuracy was assessed in 15 patients with a total of 96 relatively small (series. Due to these uncertainties, a considerable underdosage (5%-32% of the prescription dose) was found in 33% of the studied targets. The proposed methodology is simple and straightforward in its implementation. Regarding multiple brain metastases applications, the suggested approach may substantially improve total GK dose delivery accuracy in smaller, outlying targets. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Validation and Application of a Simple UHPLC-MS-MS Method for the Enantiospecific Determination of Warfarin in Human Urine.

Science.gov (United States)

Alshogran, Osama Y; Ocque, Andrew J; Leblond, François A; Pichette, Vincent; Nolin, Thomas D

2016-04-01

A simple and rapid liquid chromatographic-tandem mass spectrometric method has been developed and validated for the enantiospecific determination of R- and S-warfarin in human urine. Warfarin enantiomers were extracted from urine using methyl tert-butyl ether. Chromatographic separation of warfarin enantiomers and the internal standard d5-warfarin was achieved using a Astec Chirobiotic V column with gradient mobile phase at a flow rate of 400 µL/min over 10 min. Detection was performed on a TSQ Quantum Ultra triple quadrupole mass spectrometer equipped with a heated electrospray ionization source. Analytes were detected in negative ionization mode using selected reaction monitoring. Calibration curves were linear with a correlation coefficient of ≥0.996 for both enantiomers over a concentration range of 5-500 ng/mL. The intra- and interday accuracy and precision for both analytes were within ±9.0%. Excellent extraction efficiency and negligible matrix effects were observed. The applicability of the method was demonstrated by successful measurement of warfarin enantiomers in urine of patients with kidney disease. The method is simple, accurate and reproducible and is currently being used to support warfarin pharmacokinetic studies. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Activation in the Right Inferior Parietal Lobule Reflects the Representation of Musical Structure beyond Simple Pitch Discrimination

Science.gov (United States)

Royal, Isabelle; Vuvan, Dominique T.; Zendel, Benjamin Rich; Robitaille, Nicolas; Schönwiesner, Marc; Peretz, Isabelle

2016-01-01

Pitch discrimination tasks typically engage the superior temporal gyrus and the right inferior frontal gyrus. It is currently unclear whether these regions are equally involved in the processing of incongruous notes in melodies, which requires the representation of musical structure (tonality) in addition to pitch discrimination. To this aim, 14 participants completed two tasks while undergoing functional magnetic resonance imaging, one in which they had to identify a pitch change in a series of non-melodic repeating tones and a second in which they had to identify an incongruous note in a tonal melody. In both tasks, the deviants activated the right superior temporal gyrus. A contrast between deviants in the melodic task and deviants in the non-melodic task (melodic > non-melodic) revealed additional activity in the right inferior parietal lobule. Activation in the inferior parietal lobule likely represents processes related to the maintenance of tonal pitch structure in working memory during pitch discrimination. PMID:27195523

Simple approach for the fabrication of screen-printed carbon-based electrode for amperometric detection on microchip electrophoresis.

Science.gov (United States)

Petroni, Jacqueline Marques; Lucca, Bruno Gabriel; Ferreira, Valdir Souza

2017-02-15

This paper describes a simple method for the fabrication of screen-printed based electrodes for amperometric detection on microchip electrophoresis (ME) devices. The procedure developed is quite simple and does not require expensive instrumentation or sophisticated protocols commonly employed on the production of amperometric sensors, such as photolithography or sputtering steps. The electrodes were fabricated through manual deposition of home-made conductive carbon ink over patterned acrylic substrate. Morphological structure and electrochemical behavior of the carbon electrodes were investigated by scanning electron microscopy and cyclic voltammetry. The produced amperometric sensors were coupled to polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) microchips at end-channel configuration in order to evaluate their analytical performance. For this purpose, electrophoretic experiments were carried out using nitrite and ascorbic acid as model analytes. Separation of these substances was successfully performed within 50s with good resolution (R = 1.2) and sensitivities (713.5 pA/μM for nitrite and 255.4 pA/μM for ascorbate). The reproducibility of the fabrication method was evaluated and revealed good values concerning the peak currents obtained (8.7% for nitrite and 9.3% for ascorbate). The electrodes obtained through this method exhibited satisfactory lifetime (ca. 400 runs) over low fabrication cost (less than $1 per piece). The feasibility of the proposed device for real analysis was demonstrated through the determination of nitrite concentration levels in drinking water samples. Based on the results achieved, the approach proposed here shows itself as an interesting alternative for simple fabrication of carbon-based electrodes. Furthermore, the devices indicate great promise for other kind of analytical applications involving ME devices. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Octopus movement: push right, go left.

Science.gov (United States)

Hooper, Scott L

2015-05-04

Octopus arms have essentially infinite degrees of freedom. New research shows that, despite this potentially great complexity, to locomote octopuses simply elongate one or more arms, thus pushing the body in the opposite direction, and do so without activating the arms in an ordered pattern. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Simple technologies for on-farm composting of cattle slurry solid fraction

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Brito, L.M., E-mail: miguelbrito@esa.ipvc.pt [Escola Superior Agraria, Instituto Politecnico de Viana do Castelo, Refoios, 4990-706 Ponte de Lima (Portugal) and Mountain Research Centre (CIMO), IPB, Campus de St Apolonia, Apartado 1172, 5301-855 Braganca (Portugal); Mourao, I. [Escola Superior Agraria, Instituto Politecnico de Viana do Castelo, Refoios, 4990-706 Ponte de Lima (Portugal) and Mountain Research Centre (CIMO), IPB, Campus de St Apolonia, Apartado 1172, 5301-855 Braganca (Portugal); Coutinho, J., E-mail: j_coutin@utad.pt [C. Quimica, DeBA, EC Vida e Ambiente, Universidade de Tras-os-Montes e Alto Douro, ap 1013, 5001-911 Vila Real (Portugal); Smith, S.R., E-mail: s.r.smith@imperial.ac.uk [Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Imperial College London, South Kensington Campus, London, SW7 2AZ (United Kingdom)

2012-07-15

Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Simple management techniques were examined for composting slurry solid fraction. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Composting slurry solids was effective without bulking agents, turning or rewetting. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Maximum rates of organic matter destruction were observed in short piles. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Thermophilic temperatures in tall piles maximised sanitation and moisture reduction. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The simple compost management approach maximised N retention and agronomic value. - Abstract: Composting technologies and control systems have reached an advanced stage of development, but these are too complex and expensive for most agricultural practitioners for treating livestock slurries. The development of simple, but robust and cost-effective techniques for composting animal slurries is therefore required to realise the potential benefits of waste sanitation and soil improvement associated with composted livestock manures. Cattle slurry solid fraction (SF) was collected at the rates of 4 m{sup 3} h{sup -1} and 1 m{sup 3} h{sup -1} and composted in tall (1.7 m) and short (1.2 m) static piles, to evaluate the physicochemical characteristics and nutrient dynamics of SF during composting without addition of bulking agent materials, and without turning or water addition. Highest maximum temperatures (62-64 Degree-Sign C) were measured in tall piles compared to short piles (52 Degree-Sign C). However, maximum rates of organic matter (OM) destruction were observed at mesophilic temperature ranges in short piles, compared to tall piles, whereas thermophilic temperatures in tall piles maximised sanitation and enhanced moisture reduction. Final OM losses were within the range of 520-660 g kg{sup -1} dry solids and the net loss of OM significantly (P < 0.001) increased nutrient concentrations during the composting period. An advanced degree of stabilization of the SF was indicated by low final

The evolution of human rights in World Health Organization policy and the future of human rights through global health governance.

Science.gov (United States)

Meier, B M; Onzivu, W

2014-02-01

The World Health Organization (WHO) was intended to serve at the forefront of efforts to realize human rights to advance global health, and yet this promise of a rights-based approach to health has long been threatened by political constraints in international relations, organizational resistance to legal discourses, and medical ambivalence toward human rights. Through legal research on international treaty obligations, historical research in the WHO organizational archives, and interview research with global health stakeholders, this research examines WHO's contributions to (and, in many cases, negligence of) the rights-based approach to health. Based upon such research, this article analyzes the evolving role of WHO in the development and implementation of human rights for global health, reviews the current state of human rights leadership in the WHO Secretariat, and looks to future institutions to reclaim the mantle of human rights as a normative framework for global health governance. Copyright © 2013 The Royal Society for Public Health. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

36 CFR 251.15 - Conditions, rules and regulations to govern exercise of mineral rights reserved in conveyances to...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... prospect for, mine and remove minerals, oil, gas, or other inorganic substances, said reservations shall be... repair, replacement or restoration. (iv) Failure to comply with the terms and conditions of the aforesaid...

Simple control law structure for the control of airplanes by means of their engines

OpenAIRE

Fezans, Nicolas

2011-01-01

In this paper a simple control law structure is presented for the control of airplanes using only the engines' thrust. For the design of such a propulsion controlled aircraft control law, the approach followed in this work is to look for the right level of performance in order to avoid both excessive engines activity and reduction of robustness properties. Another goal is to keep the control law and its tuning as simple as possible: for this a control law structure whose terms can easily be i...

SIMPLE for industrial radiography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Azhar Azmi; Abd Nassir Ibrahim; Siti Madiha Muhammad Amir; Glam Hadzir Patai Mohamad; Saidi Rajab

2004-01-01

The first thing industrial radiographers have to do before commencing radiography works is to determine manually the amount of correct exposure that the film need to be exposed in order to obtain the right density. The amount of exposure depends on many variables such as type of radioisotope, type of film, nature of test-object and its orientation, and specific arrangement related to object location and configuration. In many cases radiography works are rejected because of radiographs fail to meet certain reference criteria as defined in the applicable standard. One of the main reasons of radiograph rejection is due to inadequate exposure received by the films. SIMPLE is a software specially developed to facilitate the calculation of gamma-radiography exposure. By using this software and knowing radiographic parameters to be encountered during the work, it is expected that human error will be minimized, thus enhancing the quality and productivity of NDT jobs. (Author)

So simple, so hard: Taking medication as directed.

Science.gov (United States)

Burkholder, Rebecca; Linn, Elaine

Millions of Americans either fail to take the full course of prescribed medication or they take it incorrectly. The problem is particularly serious for people with cardiovascular disease, respiratory disease, and diabetes, and for racially and ethnically diverse populations. The (U.S.) National Consumers League through its Script Your Future medication adherence awareness campaign presented the conference "So Simple, So Hard: Taking Medications as Directed", convening health care professionals, community health workers, consumer and patient advocates, researchers, industry representatives, public agencies, and policymakers. This a one-day research symposium aimed to explore challenges and barriers to medication adherence and to highlight tools and strategies to improve adherence and health outcomes, particularly among underserved populations. The conference began with presentations on adherence research and health disparities, and continued with presentations on strategies and tools to improve adherence that could be utilized in health care practices or organizations (including assessing adherence, medication synchronization, and comprehensive medication management). Through group discussions, the conference provided a forum for participants to interact and lay the groundwork to develop partnerships for collaborative initiatives to improve appropriate medication use and adherence. Participants surveyed at the end of the day and 30 days after the conference reported that they found the meeting highly useful (rated 4.6 out of 5), with the vast majority saying they learned about research and tools they can apply in their work and made new connections for potential collaborations. The conference learnings are being shared by participants and disseminated to other interested organizations and individuals. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Medication Refusal: Resident Rights, Administration Dilemma.

Science.gov (United States)

Haskins, Danielle R; Wick, Jeannette Y

2017-12-01

Occasionally, residents actively or passively refuse to take medications. Residents may refuse medication for a number of reasons, including religious beliefs, dietary restrictions, misunderstandings, cognitive impairment, desire to self-harm, or simple inconvenience. This action creates a unique situation for pharmacists and long-term facility staff, especially if patients have dementia. Residents have the legal right to refuse medications, and long-term care facilities need to employ a process to resolve disagreement between the health care team that recommends the medication and the resident who refuses it. In some cases, simple interventions like selecting a different medication or scheduling medications in a different time can address and resolve the resident's objection. If the medical team and the resident cannot resolve their disagreement, often an ethics consultation is helpful. Documenting the resident's refusal to take any or all medications, the health care team's actions and any other outcomes are important. Residents' beliefs may change over time, and the health care team needs to be prepared to revisit the issue as necessary.

Comparative study between different simple methods manipulating ratio spectra for the analysis of alogliptin and metformin co-formulated with highly different concentrations.

Science.gov (United States)

Zaghary, Wafaa A; Mowaka, Shereen; Hassan, Mostafa A; Ayoub, Bassam M

2017-11-05

Different simple spectrophotometric methods were developed for simultaneous determination of alogliptin and metformin manipulating their ratio spectra with successful application on recently approved combination, Kazano® tablets. Spiking was implemented to detect alogliptin in spite of its low contribution in the pharmaceutical formulation as low quantity in comparison to metformin. Linearity was acceptable over the concentration range of 2.5-25.0μg/mL and 2.5-15.0μg/mL for alogliptin and metformin, respectively using derivative ratio, ratio subtraction coupled with extended ratio subtraction and spectrum subtraction coupled with constant multiplication. The optimized methods were compared using one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and proved to be accurate for assay of the investigated drugs in their pharmaceutical dosage form. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Pretest probability of a normal echocardiography: validation of a simple and practical algorithm for routine use.

Science.gov (United States)

Hammoudi, Nadjib; Duprey, Matthieu; Régnier, Philippe; Achkar, Marc; Boubrit, Lila; Preud'homme, Gisèle; Healy-Brucker, Aude; Vignalou, Jean-Baptiste; Pousset, Françoise; Komajda, Michel; Isnard, Richard

2014-02-01

Management of increased referrals for transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) examinations is a challenge. Patients with normal TTE examinations take less time to explore than those with heart abnormalities. A reliable method for assessing pretest probability of a normal TTE may optimize management of requests. To establish and validate, based on requests for examinations, a simple algorithm for defining pretest probability of a normal TTE. In a retrospective phase, factors associated with normality were investigated and an algorithm was designed. In a prospective phase, patients were classified in accordance with the algorithm as being at high or low probability of having a normal TTE. In the retrospective phase, 42% of 618 examinations were normal. In multivariable analysis, age and absence of cardiac history were associated to normality. Low pretest probability of normal TTE was defined by known cardiac history or, in case of doubt about cardiac history, by age>70 years. In the prospective phase, the prevalences of normality were 72% and 25% in high (n=167) and low (n=241) pretest probability of normality groups, respectively. The mean duration of normal examinations was significantly shorter than abnormal examinations (13.8 ± 9.2 min vs 17.6 ± 11.1 min; P=0.0003). A simple algorithm can classify patients referred for TTE as being at high or low pretest probability of having a normal examination. This algorithm might help to optimize management of requests in routine practice. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Some Nice Relations between Right-Angled Triangles and the Golden Section

Science.gov (United States)

Scimone, Aldo

2011-01-01

The international debate about experimental approaches to the teaching and learning mathematics is very current. While number theory lends itself naturally to such approaches, elementary geometry can also provide interesting starting points for creative work in class. This article shows how simple considerations about right triangles and the…

Pathology galactorrhea. Dynamic tests of prolactin secretion evaluation and the adenohypophyseal functional reserve

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Oliveira, B.C. de.

1979-01-01

Stimulus and supression tests of prolactin secretion and reserve evaluation of others hypophyseal trophin in thirty-seven patients, of feminine sex with galactorrhea and twelve normal volunteers with the objective of determinate the validity for etiologic diagnostic of pathologic galactorrhea are described. Simple radiography of brain and sella turcica on anteroposterior incidence and profile followed by plane tomography in all patients with pathological galactorrhea are also presented. (author)

Double-outlet right ventricle revisited.

Science.gov (United States)

Ebadi, Ameneh; Spicer, Diane E; Backer, Carl L; Fricker, F Jay; Anderson, Robert H

2017-08-01

Double-outlet right ventricle is a form of ventriculoarterial connection. The definition formulated by the International Society for Nomenclature of Paediatric and Congenital Heart Disease is based on hearts with both arterial trunks supported in their greater part by a morphologically right ventricle. Bilateral infundibula and ventricular septal defects are highly debated criteria. This study examines the anatomic controversies surrounding double-outlet right ventricle. We show that hearts with double-outlet right ventricle can have atrioventricular-to-arterial valvular continuity. We emphasize the difference between the interventricular communication and the zone of deficient ventricular septation. The hearts examined were from the University of Florida in Gainesville; Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital, St Petersburg, Fla; and Lurie Children's Hospital, Chicago, Ill. Each specimen had at least 75% of both arterial roots supported by the morphologically right ventricle, with a total of 100 hearts examined. The morphologic method was used to assess anatomic features, including arterial-atrioventricular valvular continuity, subarterial infundibular musculature, and the location of the hole between the ventricles. Most hearts had fibrous continuity between one of the arterial valves and an atrioventricular valve, with bilateral infundibula in 23%, and intact ventricular septum in 5%. Bilateral infundibula are not a defining feature of double-outlet right ventricle, representing only 23% of the specimens in our sample. The interventricular communication can have a posteroinferior muscular rim or extend to become perimembranous (58%). Double-outlet right ventricle can exist with an intact ventricular septum. Copyright © 2017 The American Association for Thoracic Surgery. All rights reserved.

[Right heart failure after pacemaker implantation].

Science.gov (United States)

Gallego Galiana, Juan; López Castellanos, Genoveva; Gioia, Francesca; Ruiz Ortega, Raúl Antonio; Cobo Reinoso, Maria Eugenia; Manzano Espinosa, Luis

2015-06-22

Severe tricuspid regurgitation (TR) secondary to interference pacemaker (PM) cable is a rare cause of progressive right heart failure (HF), which can worsen patient outcomes. We present 3 clinical cases of right HF secondary to TR after PM implantation. In these patients the clinic is right HF, which can appear early, as in our second patient, or after years of implementation of the PM, as in the first and third patients. The diagnosis is confirmed by echocardiography, the most accurate 3D, followed by transesophageal. The 2D transthoracic can not detect it, because it has low sensitivity for TR associated with PM. Medical treatment is always the first choice, since any other procedure carries significant morbidity and mortality. Probably this is a condition that we will diagnose with increasing frequency, because there are more and more patients with devices and, at the same time, the diagnostic tools are improving. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Changing stakeholder relationships in nature reserve management: a case study on Snake Island-Laotie Mountain National Nature Reserve, Liaoning, China.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhou, Dan; Wang, Ziyan; Lassoie, James; Wang, Xiaoping; Sun, Lixin

2014-12-15

The number and total area of nature reserves in China has increased rapidly over the past couple of decades; however, the ability to effectively manage these reserves has not kept pace and conflicts between conservation efforts and economic development have emerged. The Snake Island-Laotie Mountain National Nature Reserve (SILMNNR) currently is experiencing the challenges of balancing conservation with local community development. This paper uses components analysis of human ecosystems (HEC) to examine conflicts arising from the management of the nature reserve and uses a stakeholder analysis to identify and better understand stakeholder inter-relationships in the SILMNNR-HEC. The goal of this study is to identify critical factors influencing stakeholder relationships in order to find ways of relieving conflicts between the reserve management and development. The stakeholder analysis revealed that the key stakeholders in the SILMNNR-HEC are natural resources, the Liaoning SILMNNR Authority, local residents, and enterprise developers; however, there was unequal power among stakeholders in the decision making process affecting the nature reserve. The paper evaluated the conditions and processes of SILMNNR-HEC through a framework of stakeholder relationships where critical factors, such as policy, finance, technology, and labor, and their respective strengths and feedbacks among stakeholders, were assessed and showed unequal flows of power among stakeholders. Two approaches are provided for transforming the unbalanced relationships into a stable and sustainable framework to sustainably manage the nature reserve: the first is by changing stakeholder relationships from opposition to cooperation; and the second by enhancing feedbacks and dynamics among stakeholders. The analysis used in this paper can be used as a model to assess conflicts around other protected areas in China and elsewhere. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Intracorporeal Ileocolic Anastomosis in Laparoscopic Right Colectomy: A New Way to Make it Simple?

Science.gov (United States)

Rossini, Roberto; Lisi, Giorgio; Gentile, Irene; Barugola, Giuliano; Ruffo, Giacomo

2018-03-29

Although there has been a recent increase in the use of laparoscopy in colorectal surgery, the percentage of patients who undergo surgery using entirely minimally invasive techniques is still quite low, and there are substantial differences among centers. It has been argued that the limiting factor in the use of laparoscopic procedures is not the tumor or patient characteristics, but rather the number of surgeons with adequate skills to perform an entirely laparoscopic colectomy. To address this issue, we report here our totally laparoscopic right colectomy technique, with particular focus on a new way to perform the enterotomy closure, which may simplify ileocolic anastomosis.

Belief, motivational, and ideological correlates of human rights attitudes.

Science.gov (United States)

Crowson, H Michael; DeBacker, Teresa K

2008-06-01

Many people believe that an informed and thoughtful citizenry is essential to the maintenance of democratic ideals within the United States and the spread of those ideals abroad. Since the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, the evidence that Americans consider issues of human dignity and rights when making judgments about the U.S. government's war on terror has been mixed. In our study, we assessed the relative contributions of ideological, belief, and cognitive-motivational factors to the prediction of human rights and civil liberties attitudes. Individuals scoring high on measures of right-wing authoritarianism (RWA) and the belief that the structure of knowledge is simple were the most likely to support restrictions on human rights and civil liberties as part of the war on terror. In a subsequent regression analysis, individuals scoring higher on personal need for structure or exhibiting lower levels of epistemological belief complexity tended to score higher on RWA. Additionally, men were generally more likely to support restrictions on rights and liberties and to score higher on RWA than were women.

77 FR 21846 - Reserve Requirements of Depository Institutions: Reserves Simplification

Science.gov (United States)

2012-04-12

... Requirements of Depository Institutions: Reserves Simplification AGENCY: Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System. ACTION: Final rule. SUMMARY: The Board is amending Regulation D, Reserve Requirements of Depository Institutions, to simplify the administration of reserve requirements. The final rule creates a...

Right atrium positioning for exposure of right pulmonary veins during off-pump atrial fibrillation ablation.

Science.gov (United States)

Suwalski, Grzegorz; Emery, Robert; Mróz, Jakub; Kaczejko, Kamil; Gryszko, Leszek; Cwetsch, Andrzej; Skrobowski, Andrzej

2017-06-01

Concomitant surgical ablation of atrial fibrillation (AF) is recommended for patients undergoing off-pump coronary revascularization in the presence of this arrhythmia. Achievement of optimal visualization of pulmonary veins while maintaining stable haemodynamic conditions is crucial for proper completion of the ablation procedure. This study evaluates the safety and feasibility of right atrial positioning using a suction-based cardiac positioner as opposed to compressive manoeuvres for exposure during off-pump surgical ablation for AF. Thirty-four consecutive patients underwent pulmonary vein isolation, ganglionated plexi ablation and left atrial appendage occlusion during off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting. Right atrial suction positioning was used to visualize right pulmonary veins. Safety and feasibility end points were analysed intraoperatively and in the early postoperative course. In all patients, right atrial positioning created optimal conditions to complete transverse and oblique sinus blunt dissection, correct placement of a bipolar ablation probe, detection and ablation of ganglionated plexi and conduction block assessment. In all patients, this entire right-sided ablation procedure was completed with a single exposure manoeuvre. Feasibility end points were achieved in all study patients. This report documents the safety and feasibility of right atrial exposure using a suction-based cardiac positioner to complete ablation for AF concomitant with off-pump coronary revascularization. This technique may be widely adopted to create stable haemodynamic conditions and optimal visualization of the right pulmonary veins. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery. All rights reserved.

Curcumin-Eudragit® E PO solid dispersion: A simple and potent method to solve the problems of curcumin.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Jinglei; Lee, Il Woo; Shin, Gye Hwa; Chen, Xiguang; Park, Hyun Jin

2015-08-01

Using a simple solution mixing method, curcumin was dispersed in the matrix of Eudragit® E PO polymer. Water solubility of curcumin in curcumin-Eudragit® E PO solid dispersion (Cur@EPO) was greatly increased. Based on the results of several tests, curcumin was demonstrated to exist in the polymer matrix in amorphous state. The interaction between curcumin and the polymer was investigated through Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and (1)H NMR which implied that OH group of curcumin and carbonyl group of the polymer involved in the H bonding formation. Cur@EPO also provided protection function for curcumin as verified by the pH challenge and UV irradiation test. The pH value influenced curcumin release profile in which sustained release pattern was revealed. Additionally, in vitro transdermal test was conducted to assess the potential of Cur@EPO as a vehicle to deliver curcumin through this alternative administration route. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Stress differentially impacts reserve pools and root exudation: implications for ecosystem functioning and carbon balance

Science.gov (United States)

Landhäusser, Simon; Karst, Justine; Wiley, Erin; Gaster, Jacob

2016-04-01

Environmental stress can influence carbon assimilation and the accumulation and distribution of carbon between growth, reserves, and exudation; however, it is unclear how these processes vary by different stress types. Partitioning of carbon to growth and reserves in plants might also vary between different organs. Roots reserves are of particular interest as they link the plant with the soil carbon cycle through exudation. Simple models of diffusion across concentration gradients predict the more C reserves in roots, the more C should be exuded from roots. However, the mechanisms underlying the accumulation and loss of C from roots may differ depending on the stress experienced by the plants. In a controlled study we tested whether different types of stresses (shade, cold soil, and drought) have differential effects on the distribution, abundance, and form (sugar vs. starch) of carbohydrates in seedlings, and whether these changes alone could explain differences in root exudation between stress types. Non-structural carbohydrate (NSC) concentration and pool sizes varied by stress type and between organs. Mass-specific C exudation increased with fine root sugar concentration; however, stress type affected exudation independently of reserve concentration. Seedlings exposed to cold soils exuded the most C on a per root mass basis followed by shade and drought. Through 13C labeling, we also found that depending on the stress type, aspen seedlings may be less able to control the loss of C to the soil compared with unstressed seedlings, resulting in more C leaked to the rhizosphere. The loss of C beyond that predicted by simple concentration gradients might have important implications for ecosystem functioning and carbon balance. If stressed plants lose proportionally more carbon to the soil, existing interactions between plants and soils may decouple under stress, and may include unexpected C fluxes between trees, soils and the atmosphere with a changing climate.

Is exercise good for the right ventricle? Concepts for health and disease.

Science.gov (United States)

La Gerche, André; Claessen, Guido

2015-04-01

There is substantial evidence supporting the prescription of exercise training in patients with left-sided heart disease, but data on the effects of exercise are far more limited for conditions that primarily affect the right ventricle. There is evolving evidence that right ventricular (RV) function is of critical importance to circulatory function during exercise. Even in healthy individuals with normal pulmonary vascular function, the hemodynamic load on the right ventricle increases relatively more during exercise than that of the left ventricle, and this disproportionate load is far greater in patients with pulmonary hypertension. Exercise-induced increases in pulmonary artery pressures can exceed RV contractile reserve (so-called arterioventricular uncoupling), resulting in attenuated cardiac output and exercise intolerance. In this review, we explore the spectrum of RV reserve-from transient RV dysfunction observed in athletes after extreme bouts of intense endurance exercise to RV failure with minimal exertion in patients with advanced pulmonary hypertension. Recent advances and novel approaches to echocardiographic and cardiac magnetic resonance imaging have provided more accurate means of assessing the right ventricle and pulmonary circulation during exercise such that quantification of exercise reserve may provide a valuable means of assessing prognosis and response to therapies. We discuss the potential benefits and risks of exercise training in both health and disease while recognizing the need for prospective studies that assess the long-term efficacy and safety of exercise interventions in patients with pulmonary vascular and RV pathologic conditions. Copyright © 2015 Canadian Cardiovascular Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Simple gaze-contingent cues guide eye movements in a realistic driving simulator

Science.gov (United States)

Pomarjanschi, Laura; Dorr, Michael; Bex, Peter J.; Barth, Erhardt

2013-03-01

Looking at the right place at the right time is a critical component of driving skill. Therefore, gaze guidance has the potential to become a valuable driving assistance system. In previous work, we have already shown that complex gaze-contingent stimuli can guide attention and reduce the number of accidents in a simple driving simulator. We here set out to investigate whether cues that are simple enough to be implemented in a real car can also capture gaze during a more realistic driving task in a high-fidelity driving simulator. We used a state-of-the-art, wide-field-of-view driving simulator with an integrated eye tracker. Gaze-contingent warnings were implemented using two arrays of light-emitting diodes horizontally fitted below and above the simulated windshield. Thirteen volunteering subjects drove along predetermined routes in a simulated environment popu­ lated with autonomous traffic. Warnings were triggered during the approach to half of the intersections, cueing either towards the right or to the left. The remaining intersections were not cued, and served as controls. The analysis of the recorded gaze data revealed that the gaze-contingent cues did indeed have a gaze guiding effect, triggering a significant shift in gaze position towards the highlighted direction. This gaze shift was not accompanied by changes in driving behaviour, suggesting that the cues do not interfere with the driving task itself.

The right brain is dominant in psychotherapy.

Science.gov (United States)

Schore, Allan N

2014-09-01

This article discusses how recent studies of the right brain, which is dominant for the implicit, nonverbal, intuitive, holistic processing of emotional information and social interactions, can elucidate the neurobiological mechanisms that underlie the relational foundations of psychotherapy. Utilizing the interpersonal neurobiological perspective of regulation theory, I describe the fundamental role of the early developing right brain in relational processes, throughout the life span. I present interdisciplinary evidence documenting right brain functions in early attachment processes, in emotional communications within the therapeutic alliance, in mutual therapeutic enactments, and in therapeutic change processes. This work highlights the fact that the current emphasis on relational processes is shared by, cross-fertilizing, and indeed transforming both psychology and neuroscience, with important consequences for clinical psychological models of psychotherapeutic change. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2014 APA, all rights reserved.

Getting the right training and job.

Science.gov (United States)

Deschamps, Claude

2011-08-01

The authors discuss the factors to be considered in selecting locations in which to train and to practice, and in conducting successful interviews and site visits. The advantages and disadvantages of different types of surgical practice (ie, solo vs group) are also reviewed, as are issues surrounding negotiations related to contracts, benefits, and covenants. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A booklet on participants' rights to improve consent for clinical research: a randomized trial.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jocelyne R Benatar

Full Text Available OBJECTIVE: Information on the rights of subjects in clinical trials has become increasingly complex and difficult to understand. This study evaluates whether a simple booklet which is relevant to all research studies improves the understanding of rights needed for subjects to provide informed consent. METHODS: 21 currently used informed consent forms (ICF from international clinical trials were separated into information related to the specific research study, and general information on participants' rights. A booklet designed to provide information on participants' rights which used simple language was developed to replace this information in current ICF's Readability of each component of ICF's and the booklet was then assessed using the Flesch-Kincaid Reading ease score (FK. To further evaluate the booklet 282 hospital inpatients were randomised to one of three ways to present research information; a standard ICF, the booklet combined with a short ICF, or the booklet combined with a simplified ICF. Comprehension of information related to the research proposal and to participant's rights was assessed by questionnaire. RESULTS: Information related to participants' rights contributed an average of 44% of the words in standard ICFs, and was harder to read than information describing the clinical trial (FK 25 versus (vs. 41 respectively, p = 0.0003. The booklet reduced the number of words and improved FK from 25 to 42. The simplified ICF had a slightly higher FK score than the standard ICF (50 vs. 42. Comprehension assessed in inpatients was better for the booklet and short ICF 62%, (95% confidence interval (CI 56 to 67 correct, or simplified ICF 62% (CI 58 to 68 correct compared to 52%, (CI 47 to 57 correct for the standard ICF, p = 0.009. This was due to better understanding of questions on rights (62% vs. 49% correct, p = 0.0008. Comprehension of study related information was similar for the simplified and standard ICF (60% vs. 64

A booklet on participants' rights to improve consent for clinical research: a randomized trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Benatar, Jocelyne R; Mortimer, John; Stretton, Matthew; Stewart, Ralph A H

2012-01-01

Information on the rights of subjects in clinical trials has become increasingly complex and difficult to understand. This study evaluates whether a simple booklet which is relevant to all research studies improves the understanding of rights needed for subjects to provide informed consent. 21 currently used informed consent forms (ICF) from international clinical trials were separated into information related to the specific research study, and general information on participants' rights. A booklet designed to provide information on participants' rights which used simple language was developed to replace this information in current ICF's Readability of each component of ICF's and the booklet was then assessed using the Flesch-Kincaid Reading ease score (FK). To further evaluate the booklet 282 hospital inpatients were randomised to one of three ways to present research information; a standard ICF, the booklet combined with a short ICF, or the booklet combined with a simplified ICF. Comprehension of information related to the research proposal and to participant's rights was assessed by questionnaire. Information related to participants' rights contributed an average of 44% of the words in standard ICFs, and was harder to read than information describing the clinical trial (FK 25 versus (vs.) 41 respectively, p = 0.0003). The booklet reduced the number of words and improved FK from 25 to 42. The simplified ICF had a slightly higher FK score than the standard ICF (50 vs. 42). Comprehension assessed in inpatients was better for the booklet and short ICF 62%, (95% confidence interval (CI) 56 to 67) correct, or simplified ICF 62% (CI 58 to 68) correct compared to 52%, (CI 47 to 57) correct for the standard ICF, p = 0.009. This was due to better understanding of questions on rights (62% vs. 49% correct, p = 0.0008). Comprehension of study related information was similar for the simplified and standard ICF (60% vs. 64% correct, p = 0.68). A booklet

Simple arithmetic: not so simple for highly math anxious individuals.

Science.gov (United States)

Chang, Hyesang; Sprute, Lisa; Maloney, Erin A; Beilock, Sian L; Berman, Marc G

2017-12-01

Fluency with simple arithmetic, typically achieved in early elementary school, is thought to be one of the building blocks of mathematical competence. Behavioral studies with adults indicate that math anxiety (feelings of tension or apprehension about math) is associated with poor performance on cognitively demanding math problems. However, it remains unclear whether there are fundamental differences in how high and low math anxious individuals approach overlearned simple arithmetic problems that are less reliant on cognitive control. The current study used functional magnetic resonance imaging to examine the neural correlates of simple arithmetic performance across high and low math anxious individuals. We implemented a partial least squares analysis, a data-driven, multivariate analysis method to measure distributed patterns of whole-brain activity associated with performance. Despite overall high simple arithmetic performance across high and low math anxious individuals, performance was differentially dependent on the fronto-parietal attentional network as a function of math anxiety. Specifically, low-compared to high-math anxious individuals perform better when they activate this network less-a potential indication of more automatic problem-solving. These findings suggest that low and high math anxious individuals approach even the most fundamental math problems differently. © The Author (2017). Published by Oxford University Press.

The psychology of corporate rights: Perception of corporate versus individual rights to religious liberty, privacy, and free speech.

Science.gov (United States)

Mentovich, Avital; Huq, Aziz; Cerf, Moran

2016-04-01

The U.S. Supreme Court has increasingly expanded the scope of constitutional rights granted to corporations and other collective entities. Although this tendency receives widespread public and media attention, little empirical research examines how people ascribe rights, commonly thought to belong to natural persons, to corporations. This article explores this issue in 3 studies focusing on different rights (religious liberty, privacy, and free speech). We examined participants' willingness to grant a given right while manipulating the type of entity at stake (from small businesses, to larger corporations, to for-profit and nonprofit companies), and the identity of the right holder (from employees, to owners, to the company itself as a separate entity). We further examined the role of political ideology in perceptions of rights. Results indicated a significant decline in the degree of recognition of entities' rights (the company itself) in comparison to natural persons' rights (owners and employees). Results also demonstrated an effect of the type of entity at stake: Larger, for-profit businesses were less likely to be viewed as rights holders compared with nonprofit entities. Although both tendencies persisted across the ideological spectrum, ideological differences emerged in the relations between corporate and individual rights: these were positively related among conservatives but negatively related among liberals. Finally, we found that the desire to protect citizens (compared with businesses) underlies individuals' willingness to grant rights to companies. These findings show that people (rather than corporations) are more appropriate recipients of rights, and can explain public backlash to judicial expansions of corporate rights. (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

Simple column-switching ion chromatography method for determining eight monosaccharides and oligosaccharides in honeydew and nectar.

Science.gov (United States)

Ni, Chengzhu; Zhu, Binhe; Wang, Nani; Wang, Muhua; Chen, Suqing; Zhang, Jiajie; Zhu, Yan

2016-03-01

Honeydew is excreted by aphids as a sweet waste and nectar is floral honey. Honeydew and nectar are complicated samples which consist of various sugars and amino acids. In this work, a simple ion chromatography with column-switching method was developed for the simultaneous analysis of 8 monosaccharides and oligosaccharides in honeydew and nectar. A reversed-phase column was used as a pretreatment column to eliminate organics on-line and sugars were eluted from a collection loop to analytical column by using column-switching technique. This method showed good linearity (r⩾0.9994) and afforded low limits of detection ranging from 1.55 to 10.17μgL(-1) for all the analytes. Recoveries ranged from 95% to 105% and repeatability results were acceptable with relative standard deviation of less than 3.21% (n=6). This method was successfully applied to quantification of these sugars in honeydew and nectar. These results showed honeydew had much more oligosaccharides than nectar. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A simple method to compare firing pin marks using stereomicroscope and Microsoft office (Windows 8) tools.

Science.gov (United States)

Suresh, R

2017-08-01

Pertinent marks of fired cartridge cases such as firing pin, breech face, extractor, ejector, etc. are used for firearm identification. A non-standard semiautomatic pistol and four .22rim fire cartridges (head stamp KF) is used for known source comparison study. Two test fired cartridge cases are examined under stereomicroscope. The characteristic marks are captured by digital camera and comparative analysis of striation marks is done by using different tools available in the Microsoft word (Windows 8) of a computer system. The similarities of striation marks thus obtained are highly convincing to identify the firearm. In this paper, an effort has been made to study and compare the striation marks of two fired cartridge cases using stereomicroscope, digital camera and computer system. Comparison microscope is not used in this study. The method described in this study is simple, cost effective, transport to field study and can be equipped in a crime scene vehicle to facilitate immediate on spot examination. The findings may be highly helpful to the forensic community, law enforcement agencies and students. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Awake right hemisphere brain surgery.

Science.gov (United States)

Hulou, M Maher; Cote, David J; Olubiyi, Olutayo I; Smith, Timothy R; Chiocca, E Antonio; Johnson, Mark D

2015-12-01

We report the indications and outcomes of awake right hemispheric brain surgery, as well as a rare patient with crossed aphasia. Awake craniotomies are often performed to protect eloquent cortex. We reviewed the medical records for 35 of 96 patients, in detail, who had awake right hemisphere brain operations. Intraoperative cortical mapping of motor and/or language function was performed in 29 of the 35 patients. A preoperative speech impairment and left hand dominance were the main indicators for awake right-sided craniotomies in patients with right hemisphere lesions. Four patients with lesion proximity to eloquent areas underwent awake craniotomies without cortical mapping. In addition, one patient had a broncho-pulmonary fistula, and another had a recent major cardiac procedure that precluded awake surgery. An eloquent cortex representation was identified in 14 patients (48.3%). Postoperatively, seven of 17 patients (41.1%) who presented with weakness, experienced improvements in their motor functions, 11 of 16 (68.7%) with seizures became seizure-free, and seven of nine (77.7%) with moderate to severe headaches and one of two with a visual field deficit improved significantly. There were also improvements in speech and language functions in all patients who presented with speech difficulties. A right sided awake craniotomy is an excellent option for left handed patients, or those with right sided cortical lesions that result in preoperative speech impairments. When combined with intraoperative cortical mapping, both speech and motor function can be well preserved. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Videodensitometric assessment of right and left ventricular functions by digital subtraction angiography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ikeda, Hisao; Yoshiga, Osamu; Shibao, Keigo

1987-01-01

Intravenous digital subtraction (DS) ventriculography was performed in a series of 50 patients with heart diseases to determine right and left ventricular volumes and systolic indices. Right ventricular volume and right ventricular ejection fraction obtained by DS ventriculography were well correlated with those by geometric methods. In 43 patients with left ventricular ejection fraction of 55 % or greater, end-diastolic volume, stroke volume, and ejection fraction in the right ventricle did not differ from those in the left ventricle ; however, both the 1/3 ejection fraction and the peak ejection rate of the right ventricle were significantly lower than those of the left ventricle, suggesting the different modes of left and right ventricular contraction. In the other seven patients with chronic left ventricular failure, right ventricular systolic function may be preserved, even when left ventricular function is severely impaired. Digital subtraction ventriculography has proved to be a simple, useful method in the quanlitative and quantitative assessments of the right and left ventricles. (Namekawa, K.)

32 CFR 552.35 - Rights-of-entry for survey and exploration.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... RESERVATIONS AND NATIONAL CEMETERIES REGULATIONS AFFECTING MILITARY RESERVATIONS Acquisition of Real Estate and... to enter upon non-Government-owned real estate during site selection, particularly for the purpose of... 32 National Defense 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 true Rights-of-entry for survey and exploration. 552...

Sexual and reproductive health and rights: integration as a holistic and rights-based response to HIV/AIDS.

Science.gov (United States)

Barroso, Carmen; Sippel, Serra

2011-11-01

For decades, donors, governments, and civil society have recognized the importance of sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) in efforts to alleviate poverty and advance gender equality and women's rights. More recently, in the battle against HIV/AIDS--and given the unique challenges the pandemic presents for health and development--the global community has acknowledged the benefits of synergizing sexual and reproductive health and HIV/AIDS interventions. However, the United States has been slow to incorporate lessons learned from the international experience when it comes to integrating HIV/AIDS, SRHR, and gender equality in the fight against HIV/AIDS. This article highlights the importance of SRHR and lessons learned from SRHR-HIV integration to inform U.S. domestic and global AIDS strategies and interventions. Copyright © 2011 Jacobs Institute of Women's Health. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

36 CFR 251.14 - Conditions, rules and regulations to govern exercise of timber rights reserved in conveyance to...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... timber products and in locating, constructing and using mills, logging roads, railroads, chutes, landings..., and to young growth or to trees left standing. All survey monuments and witness trees shall be preserved. (3) All trees, timber or timber products of species or sizes not specifically reserved which are...

MicroRNAs in right ventricular remodelling.

Science.gov (United States)

Batkai, Sandor; Bär, Christian; Thum, Thomas

2017-10-01

Right ventricular (RV) remodelling is a lesser understood process of the chronic, progressive transformation of the RV structure leading to reduced functional capacity and subsequent failure. Besides conditions concerning whole hearts, some pathology selectively affects the RV, leading to a distinct RV-specific clinical phenotype. MicroRNAs have been identified as key regulators of biological processes that drive the progression of chronic diseases. The role of microRNAs in diseases affecting the left ventricle has been studied for many years, however there is still limited information on microRNAs specific to diseases in the right ventricle. Here, we review recently described details on the expression, regulation, and function of microRNAs in the pathological remodelling of the right heart. Recently identified strategies using microRNAs as pharmacological targets or biomarkers will be highlighted. Increasing knowledge of pathogenic microRNAs will finally help improve our understanding of underlying distinct mechanisms and help utilize novel targets or biomarkers to develop treatments for patients suffering from right heart diseases. Published on behalf of the European Society of Cardiology. All rights reserved. © The Author 2017. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Does bilingualism contribute to cognitive reserve? Cognitive and neural perspectives.

Science.gov (United States)

Guzmán-Vélez, Edmarie; Tranel, Daniel

2015-01-01

Cognitive reserve refers to how individuals actively utilize neural resources to cope with neuropathology to maintain cognitive functioning. The present review aims to critically examine the literature addressing the relationship between bilingualism and cognitive reserve to elucidate whether bilingualism delays the onset of cognitive and behavioral manifestations of dementia. Potential neural mechanisms behind this relationship are discussed. PubMed and PsycINFO databases were searched (through January 2014) for original research articles in English or Spanish languages. The following search strings were used as keywords for study retrieval: "bilingual AND reserve," "reserve AND neural mechanisms," and "reserve AND multilingualism." Growing scientific evidence suggests that lifelong bilingualism contributes to cognitive reserve and delays the onset of Alzheimer's disease symptoms, allowing bilingual individuals affected by Alzheimer's disease to live an independent and richer life for a longer time than their monolingual counterparts. Lifelong bilingualism is related to more efficient use of brain resources that help individuals maintain cognitive functioning in the presence of neuropathology. We propose multiple putative neural mechanisms through which lifelong bilinguals cope with neuropathology. The roles of immigration status, education, age of onset, proficiency, and frequency of language use on the relationship between cognitive reserve and bilingualism are considered. Implications of these results for preventive practices and future research are discussed. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved.

Strategy as simple rules.

Science.gov (United States)

Eisenhardt, K M; Sull, D N

2001-01-01

The success of Yahoo!, eBay, Enron, and other companies that have become adept at morphing to meet the demands of changing markets can't be explained using traditional thinking about competitive strategy. These companies have succeeded by pursuing constantly evolving strategies in market spaces that were considered unattractive according to traditional measures. In this article--the third in an HBR series by Kathleen Eisenhardt and Donald Sull on strategy in the new economy--the authors ask, what are the sources of competitive advantage in high-velocity markets? The secret, they say, is strategy as simple rules. The companies know that the greatest opportunities for competitive advantage lie in market confusion, but they recognize the need for a few crucial strategic processes and a few simple rules. In traditional strategy, advantage comes from exploiting resources or stable market positions. In strategy as simple rules, advantage comes from successfully seizing fleeting opportunities. Key strategic processes, such as product innovation, partnering, or spinout creation, place the company where the flow of opportunities is greatest. Simple rules then provide the guidelines within which managers can pursue such opportunities. Simple rules, which grow out of experience, fall into five broad categories: how- to rules, boundary conditions, priority rules, timing rules, and exit rules. Companies with simple-rules strategies must follow the rules religiously and avoid the temptation to change them too frequently. A consistent strategy helps managers sort through opportunities and gain short-term advantage by exploiting the attractive ones. In stable markets, managers rely on complicated strategies built on detailed predictions of the future. But when business is complicated, strategy should be simple.

Simple artificial training device for respiratory muscle strength and lung volumes in healthy young male and female subjects: A pilot study.

Science.gov (United States)

Leelarungrayub, Jirakrit; Pinkaew, Decha; Yankai, Araya; Chautrakoon, Busaba; Kuntain, Rungtiwa

2017-10-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficiency of a simple artificial device for respiratory muscle strength training and lung volumes using either combined or non-combined exercise with elastic bands in healthy young participants. Forty healthy young participants (20 male and 20 female) aged 19-24 years old were randomized into two main experiments with four sub-groups; (1) artificial device (n = 10) & standard device (n = 10) training, and (2) artificial device training combined with elastic band (EB) exercise (n = 10) & standard device training combined with EB (n = 10) exercise. Respiratory muscle strength with maximal peak inspiratory pressure (PImax), and lung volumes; tidal volume (TV), inspiratory reserve volume (IRV), expiratory reserve volume (ERV) and vital capacity (VC) were evaluated before and after training once daily for 3 weeks. Moreover, the peak dyspnea score and vital sign parameters were compared between the experimental groups after final training. All parameters had no statistical differences (p > 0.5) between the training devices alone and those combined with EB exercise prior to any experiments. Results from the first experiment showed that training with an artificial device increased all parameters (PImax, VC, IRV, ERV) significantly (p artificial device training combined with EB exercise showed a significant increase in all parameters, except for TV, and they were the same as the increased results in training with the standard device combined with EB exercise. There was no significant difference of data between these groups after the training period. Finally, the results of peak dyspnea score and all vital sign parameters from using the artificial device, with or without EB exercise, showed no statistical difference when compared to use of the standard device. This study proposed that a simple artificial device can be used to train the respiratory muscle with or without elastic band exercise in healthy young subjects

Economic perspective of marine reserves in fisheries: a bioeconomic model.

Science.gov (United States)

Chakraborty, Kunal; Kar, T K

2012-12-01

The present paper describes a prey-predator type fishery model with prey dispersal in a two-patch environment, one of which is a free fishing zone and other is protected zone. The objective of the paper is to maximize the net economic revenue earn from the fishery through implementing the sustainable properties of the fishery to keep the ecological balance. Biological measures are introduced to increase the understanding of the mechanisms in the bioeconomic system. The importance of marine reserve is analyzed through the obtained results of the numerical simulations of proposed model system. The results depict that reserves will be most effective when coupled with harvesting controls in adjacent fisheries. The paper also incorporates the induced cost and premium from establishing a marine protected area in a fishery. It is found that premium of marine protected area (MPA) increases with the increasing size of the reserve. Results are analyzed with the help of graphical illustrations. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Simple WZW currents

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fuchs, J.

1990-08-01

A complete classification of simple currents of WZW theory is obtained. The proof is based on an analysis of the quantum dimensions of the primary fields. Simple currents are precisely the primaries with unit quantum dimension; for WZW theories explicit formulae for the quantum dimensions can be derived so that an identification of the fields with unit quantum dimension is possible. (author). 19 refs.; 2 tabs

Bilingualism provides a neural reserve for aging populations.

Science.gov (United States)

Abutalebi, Jubin; Guidi, Lucia; Borsa, Virginia; Canini, Matteo; Della Rosa, Pasquale A; Parris, Ben A; Weekes, Brendan S

2015-03-01

It has been postulated that bilingualism may act as a cognitive reserve and recent behavioral evidence shows that bilinguals are diagnosed with dementia about 4-5 years later compared to monolinguals. In the present study, we investigated the neural basis of these putative protective effects in a group of aging bilinguals as compared to a matched monolingual control group. For this purpose, participants completed the Erikson Flanker task and their performance was correlated to gray matter (GM) volume in order to investigate if cognitive performance predicts GM volume specifically in areas affected by aging. We performed an ex-Gaussian analysis on the resulting RTs and report that aging bilinguals performed better than aging monolinguals on the Flanker task. Bilingualism was overall associated with increased GM in the ACC. Likewise, aging induced effects upon performance correlated only for monolinguals to decreased gray matter in the DLPFC. Taken together, these neural regions might underlie the benefits of bilingualism and act as a neural reserve that protects against the cognitive decline that occurs during aging. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Getting it right for the North Atlantic right whale (Eubalaenaglacialis): a last opportunity for effective marine spatial planning?

Science.gov (United States)

Petruny, Loren M; Wright, Andrew J; Smith, Courtney E

2014-08-15

The North Atlantic right whale (Eubalaena glacialis) faces increasing pressure from commercial shipping traffic and proposed marine renewable energy developments. Drawing upon the successful Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary model, we propose a multi-stakeholder marine spatial planning process that considers both appropriate positioning of offshore wind farms and redefining commercial shipping lanes relative to whale migration routes: placement of wind turbines within certain right whale habitats may prove beneficial for the species. To that end, it may be advisable to initially relocate the shipping lanes for the benefit of the whales prior to selecting wind energy areas. The optimal end-state is the commercial viability of renewable energy, as well as a safe shipping infrastructure, with minimal risk of collision and exposure to shipping noise for the whales. This opportunity to manage impacts on right whales could serve as a model for other problematic interactions between marine life and commercial activities. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

People who use drugs, HIV, and human rights.

Science.gov (United States)

Jürgens, Ralf; Csete, Joanne; Amon, Joseph J; Baral, Stefan; Beyrer, Chris

2010-08-07

We reviewed evidence from more than 900 studies and reports on the link between human rights abuses experienced by people who use drugs and vulnerability to HIV infection and access to services. Published work documents widespread abuses of human rights, which increase vulnerability to HIV infection and negatively affect delivery of HIV programmes. These abuses include denial of harm-reduction services, discriminatory access to antiretroviral therapy, abusive law enforcement practices, and coercion in the guise of treatment for drug dependence. Protection of the human rights of people who use drugs therefore is important not only because their rights must be respected, protected, and fulfilled, but also because it is an essential precondition to improving the health of people who use drugs. Rights-based responses to HIV and drug use have had good outcomes where they have been implemented, and they should be replicated in other countries. Copyright 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Is a SIMPLe smartphone application capable of improving biological rhythms in bipolar disorder?

Science.gov (United States)

Hidalgo-Mazzei, Diego; Reinares, María; Mateu, Ainoa; Juruena, Mario F; Young, Allan H; Pérez-Sola, Víctor; Vieta, Eduard; Colom, Francesc

2017-12-01

Biological rhythms (BR) disturbance has been suggested as a potential mediator of mood episodes in Bipolar Disorder (BD). The Biological Rhythms Interview of Assessment in Neuropsychiatry (BRIAN) was designed as an assessment tool to evaluate BR domains comprehensively. In the context of a trial evaluating a smartphone application delivering personalized psychoeducational contents for BD (SIMPLe 1.0), the main aim of this study is to evaluate the potential impact of SIMPLe 1.0 in BR regulation using the BRIAN scale. 51 remitted BD patients were asked to use the application for 3 months. Paired t-test analyses were employed to compare baseline and follow-up BRIAN´s total and domains scores. The sample was divided into completers and non-completers of the study to evaluate differences between groups regarding BRIAN scores using ANCOVA analyses. The BRIAN's mean total score of the whole sample significantly decreased from baseline to post-intervention (35.89 (SD 6.64) vs. 31.18 (SD 6.33), t = 4.29, p = 0.001). At post-intervention, there was a significant difference between groups regarding the total BRIAN mean score (29.47 (SD 6.21) completers vs. 35.92 (SD 3.90) non-completers, t = 2.50, p = 0.02). This difference was maintained after conducting a one-way ANCOVA controlling for pre-intervention BRIAN scores, F (1, 46) = 10.545, p=0.002. A limited sample, pre-post measures, and a short study timeframe could have affected the results. Additional factors affecting BR, such as medication, could not be ruled out. Our results suggest that there are potential positive effects of a psychoeducational smartphone application as an adjunctive to treatment as usual on BD patients' BR. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Structure of simple liquids; Structure des liquides simples

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Blain, J F [Commissariat a l' Energie Atomique, Fontenay-aux-Roses (France). Centre d' Etudes Nucleaires

1969-07-01

The results obtained by application to argon and sodium of the two important methods of studying the structure of liquids: scattering of X-rays and neutrons, are presented on one hand. On the other hand the principal models employed for reconstituting the structure of simple liquids are exposed: mathematical models, lattice models and their derived models, experimental models. (author) [French] On presente d'une part les resultats obtenus par application a l'argon et au sodium des deux principales methodes d'etude de la structure des liquides: la diffusion des rayons X et la diffusion des neutrons; d'autre part, les principaux modeles employes pour reconstituer la structure des liquides simples sont exposes: modeles mathematiques, modeles des reseaux et modeles derives, modeles experimentaux. (auteur)

DNA barcoding coupled to HRM analysis as a new and simple tool for the authentication of Gadidae fish species.

Science.gov (United States)

Fernandes, Telmo J R; Costa, Joana; Oliveira, M Beatriz P P; Mafra, Isabel

2017-09-01

This work aimed to exploit the use of DNA mini-barcodes combined with high resolution melting (HRM) for the authentication of gadoid species: Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua), Pacific cod (Gadus macrocephalus), Alaska pollock (Theragra chalcogramma) and saithe (Pollachius virens). Two DNA barcode regions, namely cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) and cytochrome b (cytb), were analysed in silico to identify genetic variability among the four species and used, subsequently, to develop a real-time PCR method coupled with HRM analysis. The cytb mini-barcode enabled best discrimination of the target species with a high level of confidence (99.3%). The approach was applied successfully to identify gadoid species in 30 fish-containing foods, 30% of which were not as declared on the label. Herein, a novel approach for rapid, simple and cost-effective discrimination/clustering, as a tool to authenticate Gadidae fish species, according to their genetic relationship, is proposed. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Status of fossil fuel reserves; Etat des reserves des combustibles fossiles

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Laherrere, J

2005-07-01

Reserves represent the sum of past and future productions up to the end of production. In most countries the reserve data of fields are confidential. Therefore, fossil fuel reserves are badly known because the published data are more political than technical and many countries make a confusion between resources and reserves. The cumulated production of fossil fuels represents only between a third and a fifth of the ultimate reserves. The production peak will take place between 2020 and 2050. In the ultimate reserves, which extrapolate the past, the fossil fuels represent three thirds of the overall energy. This document analyses the uncertainties linked with fossil fuel reserves: reliability of published data, modeling of future production, comparison with other energy sources, energy consumption forecasts, reserves/production ratio, exploitation of non-conventional hydrocarbons (tar sands, extra-heavy oils, bituminous shales, coal gas, gas shales, methane in overpressure aquifers, methane hydrates), technology impacts, prices impact, and reserves growth. (J.S.)

Hemopathologic consequences of protracted gamma irradiation: alterations in granulocyte reserves and granulocyte mobilization

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Seed, T.M.; Cullen, S.M.; Kaspar, L.V.; Tolle, D.V.; Fritz, T.E.

1980-01-01

Aplastic anemia and myelogenous leukemia are prominent pathologic effects in beagles exposed to continuous, daily, low-dose gamma irradiation. In the present work, granulocyte reserves and related mobilization functions have been sequentially assessed by the endotoxin stress assay during the preclinical and clinical phases of these hemopoietic disorders. Characteristic patterns of granulocyte reserve mobilization are described that reflect given stages of pathologic progression. For radiation-induced leukemia, a five-stage pattern has been proposed. In contrast, a simple pattern of progressive, time-dependent contraction of granulocyte reserves and mobilization capacity was noted in the development of terminal aplastic anemia. Early preclinical phases of radiation-induced leukemia appear to involve an extensive depletion of the granulocyte reserves (phase I) during the first approx. 200 days of exposure followed by a partial renewal of the reserves and associated mobilization functions between approx. 200 and 400 days (phase II). Sustained, subnormal granulocyte mobilizations (phase III) following endotoxin stress typify the responses of dogs during the intermediate phase, whereas late preclinical, preleukemic stages (phase IV) are characterized by a further expansion of the reserves and in the mobilization capacities, particularly of the less mature granulocytes. Such late alterations in the pattern of granulocyte mobilization, together with other noted cellular aberrancies in the peripheral blood and marrow, appear to indicate leukemia (phase V) onset

Nuclear Cardiology: Are We Using the Right Protocols and Tracers the Right Way?

Science.gov (United States)

Dondi, Maurizio; Pascual, Thomas; Paez, Diana; Einstein, Andrew J

2017-12-01

The field of nuclear cardiology has changed considerably over recent years, with greater attention paid to safety and radiation protection issues. The wider usage of technetium-99m (Tc-99m)-labeled radiopharmaceuticals for single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) imaging using gamma cameras has contributed to better quality studies and lower radiation exposure to patients. Increased availability of tracers and scanners for positron emission tomography (PET) will help further improve the quality of studies and quantify myocardial blood flow and myocardial flow reserve, thus enhancing the contribution of non-invasive imaging to the management of coronary artery disease. The introduction of new instrumentation such as solid state cameras and new software will help reduce further radiation exposure to patients undergoing nuclear cardiology studies. Results from recent studies, focused on assessing the relationship between best practices and radiation risk, provide useful insights on simple measures to improve the safety of nuclear cardiology studies without compromising the quality of results.

Comparison of simple extraction procedures in liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry based determination of serum 7α-hydroxy-4-cholesten-3-one, a surrogate marker of bile acid synthesis.

Science.gov (United States)

LeníĿek, Martin; Vecka, Marek; Žížalová, Kateſina; Vítek, Libor

2016-10-15

The serum concentration of 7α-hydroxy-4-cholesten-3-one (C4), a marker of cholesterol 7α-hydroxylase activity, has recently become an attractive diagnostic tool for researchers interested in cholesterol and bile acid metabolism. The rapidly increasing demand of C4 measurement led to the development of various fast, mostly mass spectrometry-based analytical methods. Our aim was to compare four simple (i.e., not requiring solid phase extraction) extraction procedures (two "one-phase", and two "two-phase") in terms of basic analytical performance and their labouriousness. All methods exhibited comparable extraction recoveries (ranging from 88 to 97%) and intra-assay precision (variation coefficients below 10%), and failed in the removal of phospholipids. Although marked differences were observed in desalting and deproteination, all methods can be considered satisfactory. Simple acetonitrile precipitation can be recommended if a fast extraction and minimal hands-on time is preferred; while two-phase ammonium sulphate:acetonitrile extraction should be chosen when maximal deproteination is required. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The contribution of simple random sampling to observed variations in faecal egg counts.

Science.gov (United States)

Torgerson, Paul R; Paul, Michaela; Lewis, Fraser I

2012-09-10

It has been over 100 years since the classical paper published by Gosset in 1907, under the pseudonym "Student", demonstrated that yeast cells suspended in a fluid and measured by a haemocytometer conformed to a Poisson process. Similarly parasite eggs in a faecal suspension also conform to a Poisson process. Despite this there are common misconceptions how to analyse or interpret observations from the McMaster or similar quantitative parasitic diagnostic techniques, widely used for evaluating parasite eggs in faeces. The McMaster technique can easily be shown from a theoretical perspective to give variable results that inevitably arise from the random distribution of parasite eggs in a well mixed faecal sample. The Poisson processes that lead to this variability are described and illustrative examples of the potentially large confidence intervals that can arise from observed faecal eggs counts that are calculated from the observations on a McMaster slide. Attempts to modify the McMaster technique, or indeed other quantitative techniques, to ensure uniform egg counts are doomed to failure and belie ignorance of Poisson processes. A simple method to immediately identify excess variation/poor sampling from replicate counts is provided. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A simple automated system for appetitive conditioning of zebrafish in their home tanks.

Science.gov (United States)

Doyle, Jillian M; Merovitch, Neil; Wyeth, Russell C; Stoyek, Matthew R; Schmidt, Michael; Wilfart, Florentin; Fine, Alan; Croll, Roger P

2017-01-15

We describe here an automated apparatus that permits rapid conditioning paradigms for zebrafish. Arduino microprocessors were used to control the delivery of auditory or visual stimuli to groups of adult or juvenile zebrafish in their home tanks in a conventional zebrafish facility. An automatic feeder dispensed precise amounts of food immediately after the conditioned stimuli, or at variable delays for controls. Responses were recorded using inexpensive cameras, with the video sequences analysed with ImageJ or Matlab. Fish showed significant conditioned responses in as few as 5 trials, learning that the conditioned stimulus was a predictor of food presentation at the water surface and at the end of the tank where the food was dispensed. Memories of these conditioned associations persisted for at least 2days after training when fish were tested either as groups or as individuals. Control fish, for which the auditory or visual stimuli were specifically unpaired with food, showed no comparable responses. This simple, low-cost, automated system permits scalable conditioning of zebrafish with minimal human intervention, greatly reducing both variability and labour-intensiveness. It will be useful for studies of the neural basis of learning and memory, and for high-throughput screening of compounds modifying those processes. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Simple Rules, Not So Simple: The Use of International Ovarian Tumor Analysis (IOTA) Terminology and Simple Rules in Inexperienced Hands in a Prospective Multicenter Cohort Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Meys, Evelyne; Rutten, Iris; Kruitwagen, Roy; Slangen, Brigitte; Lambrechts, Sandrina; Mertens, Helen; Nolting, Ernst; Boskamp, Dieuwke; Van Gorp, Toon

2017-12-01

 To analyze how well untrained examiners - without experience in the use of International Ovarian Tumor Analysis (IOTA) terminology or simple ultrasound-based rules (simple rules) - are able to apply IOTA terminology and simple rules and to assess the level of agreement between non-experts and an expert.  This prospective multicenter cohort study enrolled women with ovarian masses. Ultrasound was performed by non-expert examiners and an expert. Ultrasound features were recorded using IOTA nomenclature, and used for classifying the mass by simple rules. Interobserver agreement was evaluated with Fleiss' kappa and percentage agreement between observers.  50 consecutive women were included. We observed 46 discrepancies in the description of ovarian masses when non-experts utilized IOTA terminology. Tumor type was misclassified often (n = 22), resulting in poor interobserver agreement between the non-experts and the expert (kappa = 0.39, 95 %-CI 0.244 - 0.529, percentage of agreement = 52.0 %). Misinterpretation of simple rules by non-experts was observed 57 times, resulting in an erroneous diagnosis in 15 patients (30 %). The agreement for classifying the mass as benign, malignant or inconclusive by simple rules was only moderate between the non-experts and the expert (kappa = 0.50, 95 %-CI 0.300 - 0.704, percentage of agreement = 70.0 %). The level of agreement for all 10 simple rules features varied greatly (kappa index range: -0.08 - 0.74, percentage of agreement 66 - 94 %).  Although simple rules are useful to distinguish benign from malignant adnexal masses, they are not that simple for untrained examiners. Training with both IOTA terminology and simple rules is necessary before simple rules can be introduced into guidelines and daily clinical practice. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Determining reserve requirements in DK1 area of Nord Pool using a probabilistic approach

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Saez Gallego, Javier; Morales González, Juan Miguel; Madsen, Henrik

2014-01-01

a probabilistic framework where the reserve requirements are computed based on scenarios of wind power forecast error, load forecast errors and power plant outages. Our approach is first motivated by the increasing wind power penetration in power systems worldwide as well as the current market design of the DK1...... System Operator). © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved....

77 FR 66361 - Reserve Requirements of Depository Institutions: Reserves Simplification

Science.gov (United States)

2012-11-05

... Requirements of Depository Institutions: Reserves Simplification AGENCY: Board of Governors of the Federal... (Reserve Requirements of Depository Institutions) published in the Federal Register on April 12, 2012. The... simplifications related to the administration of reserve requirements: 1. Create a common two-week maintenance...

Limited analytical capacity for cyanotoxins in developing countries may hide serious environmental health problems: simple and affordable methods may be the answer.

Science.gov (United States)

Pírez, Macarena; Gonzalez-Sapienza, Gualberto; Sienra, Daniel; Ferrari, Graciela; Last, Michael; Last, Jerold A; Brena, Beatriz M

2013-01-15

In recent years, the international demand for commodities has prompted enormous growth in agriculture in most South American countries. Due to intensive use of fertilizers, cyanobacterial blooms have become a recurrent phenomenon throughout the continent, but their potential health risk remains largely unknown due to the lack of analytical capacity. In this paper we report the main results and conclusions of more than five years of systematic monitoring of cyanobacterial blooms in 20 beaches of Montevideo, Uruguay, on the Rio de la Plata, the fifth largest basin in the world. A locally developed microcystin ELISA was used to establish a sustainable monitoring program that revealed seasonal peaks of extremely high toxicity, more than one-thousand-fold greater than the WHO limit for recreational water. Comparison with cyanobacterial cell counts and chlorophyll-a determination, two commonly used parameters for indirect estimation of toxicity, showed that such indicators can be highly misleading. On the other hand, the accumulated experience led to the definition of a simple criterion for visual classification of blooms, that can be used by trained lifeguards and technicians to take rapid on-site decisions on beach management. The simple and low cost approach is broadly applicable to risk assessment and risk management in developing countries. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Foreign Exchange Reserves and the Reserve Bank’s Balance Sheet

OpenAIRE

Christian Vallence

2012-01-01

The Reserve Bank of Australia holds and manages the nation’s foreign exchange reserve assets in order to meet its policy objectives. While Australia’s foreign exchange reserves are relatively modest by international standards, they nonetheless constitute a sizeable portion of the Bank’s balance sheet, and variations in the Australian dollar value of these reserves are usually the most volatile component of the Bank’s profit and loss statement. This article discusses some of the key decisions ...

Analysis on misdiagnosed cases of right colon cancer as appendicitis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sijia Liu

2016-08-01

Full Text Available The aim of this case report is to investigate the causes of misdiagnosing right colon cancer as appendicitis, in order to reduce the misdiagnosis rate. The process of diagnosing and treating 44 misdiagnosed right colon cancer cases was analyzed. It was found that the right colonic lumen in these patients was thick, and their cancer consisted mostly of the ulcerative type or of a cauliflower-like tumor that protruded into the intestinal cavity. Moreover, ring-shaped and structured cancer was rarely observed, which suggested a decreased likelihood of obstruction. The patients showed limited peritoneal irritation signs in their right lower abdomen, which was also a potential cause for misdiagnosis. Right colon cancer associated with appendicitis is easily misdiagnosed as simple appendicitis, chronic appendicitis, or appendiceal abscess. Therefore, it is necessary to raise general awareness on the manifestations of the disease in order to exclude other common complications during diagnosis and to reduce the misdiagnosis rate. An accurate early diagnosis and treatment will improve patient prognosis.

22 CFR 201.83 - No waiver of alternative rights or remedies by USAID.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... country or political subdivision thereof, nor shall any right or remedy herein reserved to USAID against a... 22 Foreign Relations 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false No waiver of alternative rights or remedies by... APPLICABLE TO COMMODITY TRANSACTIONS FINANCED BY USAID Rights and Remedies of USAID, and Waiver Authority...

DNA Polymerase Fidelity: Beyond Right and Wrong.

Science.gov (United States)

Washington, M Todd

2016-11-01

Accurate DNA replication depends on the ability of DNA polymerases to discriminate between correctly and incorrectly paired nucleotides. In this issue of Structure, Batra et al. (2016) show the structural basis for why DNA polymerases do not efficiently add correctly paired nucleotides immediately after incorporating incorrectly paired ones. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effectiveness of a Forward Collision Warning System in simple and in dual task from an electrophysiological perspective.

Science.gov (United States)

Bueno, Mercedes; Fort, Alexandra; Francois, Mathilde; Ndiaye, Daniel; Deleurence, Philippe; Fabrigoule, Colette

2013-04-29

Forward Collision Warning Systems (FCWS) are expected to assist drivers; however, it is not completely clear whether these systems are of benefit to distracted drivers as much as they are to undistracted drivers. This study aims at investigating further the analysis of the effectiveness of a surrogate FCWS according to the attentional state of participants. In this experiment electrophysiological and behavioural data were recording while participants were required to drive in a simple car simulator and to react to the braking of the lead vehicle which could be announced by a warning system. The effectiveness of this warning system was evaluated when drivers were distracted or not by a secondary cognitive task. In a previous study, the warning signal was not completely effective likely due to the presence of another predictor of the forthcoming braking which competes with the warning. By eliminating this secondary predictor in the present study, the results confirmed the negative effect of the secondary task and revealed the expected effectiveness of the warning system at behavioural and electrophysiological levels. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

[Assessment of the right ventricular anatomy and function by advanced echocardiography: pathological and physiological insights].

Science.gov (United States)

Lakatos, Bálint; Kovács, Attila; Tokodi, Márton; Doronina, Alexandra; Merkely, Béla

2016-07-01

Accurate assessment of right ventricular geometry and function is of high clinical importance. However, several limitations have to be taken into consideration if using conventional echocardiographic parameters. Advanced echocardiographic techniques, such as speckle-tracking analysis or 3D echocardiography are reliable and simple tools providing a cost-effective and non-invasive alternative of current modalities used to characterize the right ventricle. There is a growing interest in the diagnostic and prognostic value of these methods regarding pathological (right ventricular infarction, pulmonary hypertension, arrhythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia, follow-up of heart transplantation) and even physiological (athlete's heart) alterations of the right ventricle. Orv. Hetil., 2016, 157(29), 1139-1146.

Simple-MSSM: a simple and efficient method for simultaneous multi-site saturation mutagenesis.

Science.gov (United States)

Cheng, Feng; Xu, Jian-Miao; Xiang, Chao; Liu, Zhi-Qiang; Zhao, Li-Qing; Zheng, Yu-Guo

2017-04-01

To develop a practically simple and robust multi-site saturation mutagenesis (MSSM) method that enables simultaneously recombination of amino acid positions for focused mutant library generation. A general restriction enzyme-free and ligase-free MSSM method (Simple-MSSM) based on prolonged overlap extension PCR (POE-PCR) and Simple Cloning techniques. As a proof of principle of Simple-MSSM, the gene of eGFP (enhanced green fluorescent protein) was used as a template gene for simultaneous mutagenesis of five codons. Forty-eight randomly selected clones were sequenced. Sequencing revealed that all the 48 clones showed at least one mutant codon (mutation efficiency = 100%), and 46 out of the 48 clones had mutations at all the five codons. The obtained diversities at these five codons are 27, 24, 26, 26 and 22, respectively, which correspond to 84, 75, 81, 81, 69% of the theoretical diversity offered by NNK-degeneration (32 codons; NNK, K = T or G). The enzyme-free Simple-MSSM method can simultaneously and efficiently saturate five codons within one day, and therefore avoid missing interactions between residues in interacting amino acid networks.

Biodiversity conservation should focus on no-take Marine Reserves: 94% of Marine Protected Areas allow fishing.

Science.gov (United States)

Costello, Mark J; Ballantine, Bill

2015-09-01

Conservation needs places where nature is left wild; but only a quarter of coastal countries have no-take Marine Reserves. 'Marine Protected Areas' (MPAs) have been used to indicate conservation progress but we found that 94% allow fishing and thus cannot protect all aspects of biodiversity. Biodiversity conservation should focus on Marine Reserves, not MPAs. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

T-cell libraries allow simple parallel generation of multiple peptide-specific human T-cell clones.

Science.gov (United States)

Theaker, Sarah M; Rius, Cristina; Greenshields-Watson, Alexander; Lloyd, Angharad; Trimby, Andrew; Fuller, Anna; Miles, John J; Cole, David K; Peakman, Mark; Sewell, Andrew K; Dolton, Garry

2016-03-01

Isolation of peptide-specific T-cell clones is highly desirable for determining the role of T-cells in human disease, as well as for the development of therapies and diagnostics. However, generation of monoclonal T-cells with the required specificity is challenging and time-consuming. Here we describe a library-based strategy for the simple parallel detection and isolation of multiple peptide-specific human T-cell clones from CD8(+) or CD4(+) polyclonal T-cell populations. T-cells were first amplified by CD3/CD28 microbeads in a 96U-well library format, prior to screening for desired peptide recognition. T-cells from peptide-reactive wells were then subjected to cytokine-mediated enrichment followed by single-cell cloning, with the entire process from sample to validated clone taking as little as 6 weeks. Overall, T-cell libraries represent an efficient and relatively rapid tool for the generation of peptide-specific T-cell clones, with applications shown here in infectious disease (Epstein-Barr virus, influenza A, and Ebola virus), autoimmunity (type 1 diabetes) and cancer. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A simple and sensitive fluorescent sensor for methyl parathion based on L-tyrosine methyl ester functionalized carbon dots.

Science.gov (United States)

Hou, Juying; Dong, Jing; Zhu, Haishuang; Teng, Xue; Ai, Shiyun; Mang, Minglin

2015-06-15

In this paper, a simple and sensitive fluorescent sensor for methyl parathion is developed based on L-tyrosine methyl ester functionalized carbon dots (Tyr-CDs) and tyrosinase system. The carbon dots are obtained by simple hydrothermal reaction using citric acid as carbon resource and L-tyrosine methyl ester as modification reagent. The carbon dots are characterized by transmission electron microscope, high resolution transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction spectrum, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The carbon dots show strong and stable photoluminescence with a quantum yield of 3.8%. Tyrosinase can catalyze the oxidation of tyrosine methyl ester on the surface of carbon dots to corresponding quinone products, which can quench the fluorescence of carbon dots. When organophosphorus pesticides (OPs) are introduced in system, they can decrease the enzyme activity, thus decrease the fluorescence quenching rate. Methyl parathion, as a model of OPs, was detected. Experimental results show that the enzyme inhibition rate is proportional to the logarithm of the methyl parathion concentration in the range 1.0×10(-10)-1.0×10(-4) M with the detection limit (S/N=3) of 4.8×10(-11) M. This determination method shows a low detection limit, wide linear range, good selectivity and high reproducibility. This sensing system has been successfully used for the analysis of cabbage, milk and fruit juice samples. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Replacing reserve requirements

OpenAIRE

Edward J. Stevens

1993-01-01

An examination of the fading significance of the Federal Reserve System's reserve requirements and the recent flowering of required clearing balances, a rapidly growing feature of Reserve Bank operations.

Simple Finite Sums

KAUST Repository

Alabdulmohsin, Ibrahim M.

2018-01-01

We will begin our treatment of summability calculus by analyzing what will be referred to, throughout this book, as simple finite sums. Even though the results of this chapter are particular cases of the more general results presented in later chapters, they are important to start with for a few reasons. First, this chapter serves as an excellent introduction to what summability calculus can markedly accomplish. Second, simple finite sums are encountered more often and, hence, they deserve special treatment. Third, the results presented in this chapter for simple finite sums will, themselves, be used as building blocks for deriving the most general results in subsequent chapters. Among others, we establish that fractional finite sums are well-defined mathematical objects and show how various identities related to the Euler constant as well as the Riemann zeta function can actually be derived in an elementary manner using fractional finite sums.

Simple Finite Sums

KAUST Repository

Alabdulmohsin, Ibrahim M.

2018-03-07

We will begin our treatment of summability calculus by analyzing what will be referred to, throughout this book, as simple finite sums. Even though the results of this chapter are particular cases of the more general results presented in later chapters, they are important to start with for a few reasons. First, this chapter serves as an excellent introduction to what summability calculus can markedly accomplish. Second, simple finite sums are encountered more often and, hence, they deserve special treatment. Third, the results presented in this chapter for simple finite sums will, themselves, be used as building blocks for deriving the most general results in subsequent chapters. Among others, we establish that fractional finite sums are well-defined mathematical objects and show how various identities related to the Euler constant as well as the Riemann zeta function can actually be derived in an elementary manner using fractional finite sums.

Simple Device for Treating Prolapsing Loop Colostomy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ming-Yu Hsieh

2006-03-01

Full Text Available Stoma prolapse is a common complication of intestinal stoma. Although various surgical methods yield satisfactory results, nonsurgical treatment may be better for a temporary stoma. We report a case of a patient with a distal limb prolapse of a right transverse colostomy who received nonsurgical treatment with satisfactory results. For the treatment of a temporary transverse loop colostomy with distal limb prolapse, we designed a simple device consisting of a pediatric plastic medicine cup, which was rolled into a towel to shape the bottom of the cup into a compressor. The towel was put on the stoma outside of the colostomy bag with the compressor above the prolapsing limb of the colostomy. An abdominal binder was applied to fix the towel.

Human rights advances in women's reproductive health in Africa.

Science.gov (United States)

Ngwena, Charles G; Brookman-Amissah, Eunice; Skuster, Patty

2015-05-01

The African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights recently adopted General Comment No 2 to interpret provisions of Article 14 of the Protocol to the African Charter on the Rights Women. The provisions relate to women's rights to fertility control, contraception, family planning, information and education, and abortion. The present article highlights the General Comment's potential to promote women's sexual and reproductive rights in multiple ways. The General Comment's human rights value goes beyond providing states with guidance for framing their domestic laws, practices, and policies to comply with treaty obligations. General Comment No 2 is invaluable in educating all stakeholders-including healthcare providers, lawyers, policymakers, and judicial officers at the domestic level-about pertinent jurisprudence. Civil society and human rights advocates can use the General Comment to render the state accountable for failure to implement its treaty obligations. Copyright © 2015 International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Strategic Petroleum Reserve: United States energy security, oil politics, and petroleum reserves policies in the twentieth century

Science.gov (United States)

Beaubouef, Bruce Andre

The history of U.S. petroleum reserves policies in the twentieth century, including the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) program, provides a case study of the economic and political aspects of national security, and shows the ways in which the American political economy influences national security. One key problem plagued federal petroleum reserve programs and proposals throughout the twentieth century. In a political economy which traditionally placed strong emphasis upon the sanctity of private property and free markets, could the government develop an emergency petroleum reserve policy despite opposition from the private sector? Previous literature on the SPR and oil-stockpiling programs has largely disregarded the historical perspective, focusing instead upon econometric models, suggesting future oil-stockpiling policy options. This study will also make conclusions about the future of governmental oil-stockpiling policies, particularly with regard to the SPR program, but it will do so informed by a systematic history of the emergency petroleum reserve impulse in the twentieth century. Through a study of the emergency petroleum reserve impulse, one can see how the American political economy of oil and energy changed over the twentieth century. As petroleum became crucial to the military and then economic security of the United States, the federal government sought to develop emergency petroleum reserves first for the military, then for the civilian economy. But while the American petroleum industry could deliver the energy "goods" to American energy consumers at a reasonable price, the companies reigned supreme in the political equation. While that was true, federal petroleum reserve programs and proposals conflicted with and were overwhelmed by the historic American tradition of individual economic and private property rights. The depletion of American petroleum reserves changed that political equation, and the ensuing energy crises of the 1970s not only

Urdaibai Biosphere Reserve (Biscay, Spain): Conservation against development?

Science.gov (United States)

Castillo-Eguskitza, Nekane; Rescia, Alejandro J; Onaindia, Miren

2017-08-15

The protected area approach has extended from conserving biodiversity to improving human well-being. However, the relationship between conservation and socioeconomic and cultural development continues to be controversial. This paper combines land use variables with socioeconomic and cultural variables through multivariate ordination analysis and evaluates their evolution in two areas inside and outside a Biosphere Reserve since the approval of the Governance Plan for Use and Management in the Reserve. The results indicate a similar tendency in the two areas, from the abandonment of traditional rural activities and decline in pine plantations to naturalness, urban sprawl and the growth of the tertiary economic sector, welfare indicators and sustainability index. However, it can be broadly observed that the region included inside the protected area presents better conservation features (native forest) and rural systems (forestry and primary economic sector) than the region outside the protected area while maintaining similar socioeconomic and cultural conditions. We suggest that the designation of the Biosphere Reserve does not influence the local population negatively but does safeguard its conservation, which could have enhanced socioeconomic and cultural development. Thus, even though certain changes must be made to replace the conifer plantations and encourage agricultural activities, the designation of the protected area fulfills its sustainability goal and enhances the local population's quality of life. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

All rights reserved Intermolecular Model Potentials and Virial ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

ADOWIE PERE

Intermolecular Model Potentials and Virial Coefficients from Acoustic Data. 1* ... method of cluster expansion. Its merit is that, ... their determination is by the analyses of isothermal p- ρ-y data ... Carlo simulation method to calculate volumetric.

Shaping, adapting and reserving the right to play

OpenAIRE

Lamboll, Richard; Martin, Adrienne; Sanni, Lateef; Adebayo, Kolawole; Graffham, Andrew; Kleih, Ulrich; Abayomi, Louise; Westby, Andrew

2018-01-01

Purpose:\\ud The purpose of this paper is to explain why the high quality cassava flour (HQCF) value chain in Nigeria has not performed as well as expected. The specific objectives are to: analyse important sources of uncertainty influencing HQCF value chains; explore stakeholders’ strategies to respond to uncertainty; and highlight the implications of different adaptation strategies for equity and the environment in the development of the value chain.\\ud \\ud Design/methodology/approach:\\ud Th...

rights reserved Assessment of Indigenous Bacteria from Biodiesel

African Journals Online (AJOL)

ADOWIE PERE

Commons Attribution License (CCL), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, ... search for alternative sources of energy and ... plates. The purity of cultures was cross checked by gram staining procedure.

All rights reserved Optimization of bioethanol production from ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

ADOWIE PERE

and has the potential to suitably replace gasoline as a transportation ... fruit in the world after Banana and Citrus and. Nigeria, ranks 7th on the list of world producers of pineapple ... pulp was supplemented with mineral media without glucose ...

rights reserved Generalization and Modification of Hardy-Littlewood

African Journals Online (AJOL)

ADOWIE PERE

2018-03-20

Mar 20, 2018 ... everywhere of limits is the Lebesgue differentiation theorem: = lim. → ... norm of the centered Hardy-Littlewood maximal operator for all 0< ..... As in the one dimensional case this definition ... Weighted inequalities for the one-.

All rights reserved Development of Headspace Solid-Phase ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

ADOWIE PERE

1 Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Malaya, Pantai ... mixture of organic solvents was optimized using design of experiment (DOE) with simplex ... food pose a potential health risk to animal and human ... The GC oven temperature program was .... sample pH also helps to transform the analytes into.

All rights reserved Assessment of groundwater vulnerability and ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

ADOWIE PERE

2017-12-12

Dec 12, 2017 ... Pollution vulnerability assessment of groundwater resources provides information on how to protect areas ... the application of DRASTIC model, the relationship ..... mathematical structure of consistent matrices and the.

Women's right to health and Ireland's abortion laws.

Science.gov (United States)

Taylor, Maeve

2015-07-01

The provision of the Irish Constitution that guarantees "the unborn" a right to life equal to that of a pregnant woman has consequences for access to abortion and the care of women in pregnancy generally. Long-awaited legislation to give effect to the narrow constitutional right to abortion was enacted into law in 2013. In 2014, a guidance document for health professionals' implementation of the legislation was published. However, the legislation and guidance document fall far short of international human rights bodies' recommendations: they fail to deliver effective procedural rights to all of the women eligible for lawful abortion within the state and create new legal barriers to women's reproductive rights. At the same time, cases continue to highlight that the Irish Constitution imposes an unethical and rights-violating legal regime in non-abortion-related contexts. Recent developments suggest that both the failure to put guidelines in place and the development of guidelines that are not centered on women or based on rights further reduce women's access to rights and set unacceptable limitations on women's reproductive autonomy. Nevertheless, public and parliamentary scrutiny of cases involving Ireland's abortion laws is increasingly focusing on the need for reform. Copyright © 2015 International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

76 FR 68502 - National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska Oil and Gas Lease Sale 2011 and Notice of Availability of the...

Science.gov (United States)

2011-11-04

... Petroleum Reserve-Alaska Oil and Gas Lease Sale 2011 and Notice of Availability of the Detailed Statement of Sale for Oil and Gas Lease Sale 2011 in the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska AGENCY: Bureau of Land... tracts in the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska. The United States reserves the right to withdraw any...

Advancing palliative care as a human right.

Science.gov (United States)

Gwyther, Liz; Brennan, Frank; Harding, Richard

2009-11-01

The international palliative care community has articulated a simple but challenging proposition that palliative care is an international human right. International human rights covenants and the discipline of palliative care have, as common themes, the inherent dignity of the individual and the principles of universality and nondiscrimination. However, when we consider the evidence for the effectiveness of palliative care, the lack of palliative care provision for those who may benefit from it is of grave concern. Three disciplines (palliative care, public health, and human rights) are now interacting with a growing resonance. The maturing of palliative care as a clinical specialty and academic discipline has coincided with the development of a public health approach to global and community-wide health problems. The care of the dying is a public health issue. Given that death is both inevitable and universal, the care of people with life-limiting illness stands equal to all other public health issues. The International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR) includes the right to health care and General Comment 14 (paragraph 34) CESCR stipulates that "States are under the obligation to respect the right to health by, inter alia, refraining from denying or limiting equal access for all persons, ... to preventive, curative and palliative health services." However, these rights are seen to be aspirational-rights to be achieved progressively over time by each signatory nation to the maximum capacity of their available resources. Although a government may use insufficient resources as a justification for inadequacies of its response to palliative care and pain management, General Comment 14 set out "core obligations" and "obligations of comparable priority" in the provision of health care and placed the burden on governments to justify "that every effort has nevertheless been made to use all available resources at its disposal in order to satisfy, as

Design of a Simple and Cheap Water Electrolyser for the Production of Solar Hydrogen

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ram Prasad

2009-06-01

Full Text Available Commercially available conventional alkaline electrolyser and advanced polymer membrane electrolysers for water electrolysis are quite expensive. Taking into account this aspect, a very simple and cheap water electrolyser has been designed and fabricated utilising easily available economical materials for small scale production of hydrogen using renewable energy from photovoltaic panel. The construction details of the electrolyser with a schematic drawing of the experimental set-up for PV production of H2 are given. In order to fabricate the compact electrolyser, two coaxial tubular PVC pipes were used. The lower part of the inner pipe has fine perforations for the transport of ions through electrolyte between the electrodes. Two cylindrical electrodes, cathode and anode are kept in inner and outer pipes respectively. The performance of hydrogen production was measured using a photovoltaic panel directly connected to the electrolyser under atmospheric pressure and in 27wt% KOH solution. Flow rates of hydrogen and oxygen were measured using a digital flow meter. High purity fuel cell grade hydrogen (99.98% and oxygen (99.85% have been produced. The experimental results confirm that the present electrolyser has eligible properties for hydrogen production in remote areas. No such electrolyser has been reported prior to this work. Copyright (c 2009 by BCREC. All rights reserved.[Received: 20 May 2009, Revised: 14 August 2009, Accepted: 19 August 2009][How to Cite: R. Prasad. (2009. Design of a Simple and Cheap Water Electrolyser for the Production of Solar Hydrogen. Bulletin of Chemical Reaction Engineering and Catalysis, 4(1: 10-15.  doi:10.9767/bcrec.4.1.7113.10-15][How to Link/ DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.9767/bcrec.4.1.7113.10-15 || or local: http://ejournal.undip.ac.id/index.php/bcrec/article/view/7113 ] 

Design of a Simple and Cheap Water Electrolyser for the Production of Solar Hydrogen

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

R. Prasad

2009-06-01

Full Text Available Commercially available conventional alkaline electrolyser and advanced polymer membrane electrolysers for water electrolysis are quite expensive. Taking into account this aspect, a very simple and cheap water electrolyser has been designed and fabricated utilising easily available economical materials for small scale production of hydrogen using renewable energy from photovoltaic panel. The construction details of the electrolyser with a schematic drawing of the experimental set-up for PV production of H2 are given. In order to fabricate the compact electrolyser, two coaxial tubular PVC pipes were used. The lower part of the inner pipe has fine perforations for the transport of ions through electrolyte between the electrodes. Two cylindrical electrodes, cathode and anode are kept in inner and outer pipes respectively. The performance of hydrogen production was measured using a photovoltaic panel directly connected to the electrolyser under atmospheric pressure and in 27wt% KOH solution. Flow rates of hydrogen and oxygen were measured using a digital flow meter. High purity fuel cell grade hydrogen (99.98% and oxygen (99.85% have been produced. The experimental results confirm that the present electrolyser has eligible properties for hydrogen production in remote areas. No such electrolyser has been reported prior to this work. Copyright (c 2009 by BCREC. All rights reserved.[Received: 20 May 2009, Revised: 14 August 2009, Accepted: 19 August 2009][How to Cite: R. Prasad. (2009. Design of a Simple and Cheap Water Electrolyser for the Production of Solar Hydrogen. Bulletin of Chemical Reaction Engineering and Catalysis, 4(1: 10-15. doi:10.9767/bcrec.4.1.21.10-15][How to Link/ DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.9767/bcrec.4.1.21.10-15

Good distractions: Testing the effects of listening to an audiobook on driving performance in simple and complex road environments.

Science.gov (United States)

Nowosielski, Robert J; Trick, Lana M; Toxopeus, Ryan

2018-02-01

Distracted driving (driving while performing a secondary task) causes many collisions. Most research on distracted driving has focused on operating a cell-phone, but distracted driving can include eating while driving, conversing with passengers or listening to music or audiobooks. Although the research has focused on the deleterious effects of distraction, there may be situations where distraction improves driving performance. Fatigue and boredom are also associated with collision risk and it is possible that secondary tasks can help alleviate the effects of fatigue and boredom. Furthermore, it has been found that individuals with high levels of executive functioning as measured by the OSPAN (Operation Span) task show better driving while multitasking. In this study, licensed drivers were tested in a driving simulator (a car body surrounded by screens) that simulated simple or complex roads. Road complexity was manipulated by increasing traffic, scenery, and the number of curves in the drive. Participants either drove, or drove while listening to an audiobook. Driving performance was measured in terms of braking response time to hazards (HRT): the time required to brake in response to pedestrians or vehicles that suddenly emerged from the periphery into the path of the vehicle, speed, standard deviation of speed, standard deviation of lateral position (SDLP). Overall, braking times to hazards were higher on the complex drive than the simple one, though the effects of secondary tasks such as audiobooks were especially deleterious on the complex drive. In contrast, on the simple drive, driving while listening to an audiobook lead to faster HRT. We found evidence that individuals with high OSPAN scores had faster HRTs when listening to an audiobook. These results suggest that there are environmental and individual factors behind difference in the allocation of attention while listening to audiobooks while driving. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Simple and Efficient Trap for Bark and Ambrosia Beetles (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) to Facilitate Invasive Species Monitoring and Citizen Involvement.

Science.gov (United States)

Steininger, M S; Hulcr, J; Šigut, M; Lucky, A

2015-06-01

Bark and ambrosia beetles (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolytinae & Platypodinae) are among the most damaging forest pests worldwide, and monitoring is essential to damage prevention. Unfortunately, traps and attractants that are currently used are costly, and agencies rely on limited field personnel for deployment. The situation can be greatly aided by 1) the development of cost-effective trapping techniques, and 2) distribution of the effort through the Citizen Science approach. The goal of this study was to test a simple, effective trap that can be made and deployed by anyone interested in collecting bark and ambrosia beetles. Three trap types made from 2-liter soda bottles and, separately, four attractants were compared. Simple, one-window traps performed comparably at capturing species in traps painted or with multiple windows. A comparison of attractants in two-window traps found that 95% ethanol attracted the highest number of species but that Purell hand sanitizer (70% ethanol) and then Germ-X hand sanitizer (63% ethanol) were also effective. A perforated zip-top plastic bag containing Purell hanging over a trap filled with automobile antifreeze attracted the fewest species and individual specimens. Overall, >4,500 bark and ambrosia beetles, including 30 species were captured, representing a third of the regional species diversity. More than three quarters of the specimens were nonnative, representing nearly half of the known regional exotic species. These results suggest that simple one-window soda bottle traps baited with ethanol-based hand sanitizer will be effective and inexpensive tools for large-scale monitoring of bark and ambrosia beetles. © The Authors 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Entomological Society of America. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Contribution of brain or biological reserve and cognitive or neural reserve to outcome after TBI: A meta-analysis (prior to 2015).

Science.gov (United States)

Mathias, Jane L; Wheaton, Patricia

2015-08-01

Brain/biological (BR) and cognitive/neural reserve (CR) have increasingly been used to explain some of the variability that occurs as a consequence of normal ageing and neurological injuries or disease. However, research evaluating the impact of reserve on outcomes after adult traumatic brain injury (TBI) has yet to be quantitatively reviewed. This meta-analysis consolidated data from 90 studies (published prior to 2015) that either examined the relationship between measures of BR (genetics, age, sex) or CR (education, premorbid IQ) and outcomes after TBI or compared the outcomes of groups with high and low reserve. The evidence for genetic sources of reserve was limited and often contrary to prediction. APOE ∈4 status has been studied most, but did not have a consistent or sizeable impact on outcomes. The majority of studies found that younger age was associated with better outcomes, however most failed to adjust for normal age-related changes in cognitive performance that are independent of a TBI. This finding was reversed (older adults had better outcomes) in the small number of studies that provided age-adjusted scores; although it remains unclear whether differences in the cause and severity of injuries that are sustained by younger and older adults contributed to this finding. Despite being more likely to sustain a TBI, males have comparable outcomes to females. Overall, as is the case in the general population, higher levels of education and pre-morbid IQ are both associated with better outcomes. Crown Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Automated, simple, and efficient influenza RNA extraction from clinical respiratory swabs using TruTip and epMotion.

Science.gov (United States)

Griesemer, Sara B; Holmberg, Rebecca; Cooney, Christopher G; Thakore, Nitu; Gindlesperger, Alissa; Knickerbocker, Christopher; Chandler, Darrell P; St George, Kirsten

2013-09-01

Rapid, simple and efficient influenza RNA purification from clinical samples is essential for sensitive molecular detection of influenza infection. Automation of the TruTip extraction method can increase sample throughput while maintaining performance. To automate TruTip influenza RNA extraction using an Eppendorf epMotion robotic liquid handler, and to compare its performance to the bioMerieux easyMAG and Qiagen QIAcube instruments. Extraction efficacy and reproducibility of the automated TruTip/epMotion protocol was assessed from influenza-negative respiratory samples spiked with influenza A and B viruses. Clinical extraction performance from 170 influenza A and B-positive respiratory swabs was also evaluated and compared using influenza A and B real-time RT-PCR assays. TruTip/epMotion extraction efficacy was 100% in influenza virus-spiked samples with at least 745 influenza A and 370 influenza B input gene copies per extraction, and exhibited high reproducibility over four log10 concentrations of virus (extraction were also positive following TruTip extraction. Overall Ct value differences obtained between TruTip/epMotion and easyMAG/QIAcube clinical extracts ranged from 1.24 to 1.91. Pairwise comparisons of Ct values showed a high correlation of the TruTip/epMotion protocol to the other methods (R2>0.90). The automated TruTip/epMotion protocol is a simple and rapid extraction method that reproducibly purifies influenza RNA from respiratory swabs, with comparable efficacy and efficiency to both the easyMAG and QIAcube instruments. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The overloaded right heart and ventricular interdependence.

Science.gov (United States)

Naeije, Robert; Badagliacca, Roberto

2017-10-01

The right and the left ventricle are interdependent as both structures are nested within the pericardium, have the septum in common and are encircled with common myocardial fibres. Therefore, right ventricular volume or pressure overloading affects left ventricular function, and this in turn may affect the right ventricle. In normal subjects at rest, right ventricular function has negligible interaction with left ventricular function. However, the right ventricle contributes significantly to the normal cardiac output response to exercise. In patients with right ventricular volume overload without pulmonary hypertension, left ventricular diastolic compliance is decreased and ejection fraction depressed but without intrinsic alteration in contractility. In patients with right ventricular pressure overload, left ventricular compliance is decreased with initial preservation of left ventricular ejection fraction, but with eventual left ventricular atrophic remodelling and altered systolic function. Breathing affects ventricular interdependence, in healthy subjects during exercise and in patients with lung diseases and altered respiratory system mechanics. Inspiration increases right ventricular volumes and decreases left ventricular volumes. Expiration decreases both right and left ventricular volumes. The presence of an intact pericardium enhances ventricular diastolic interdependence but has negligible effect on ventricular systolic interdependence. On the other hand, systolic interdependence is enhanced by a stiff right ventricular free wall, and decreased by a stiff septum. Recent imaging studies have shown that both diastolic and systolic ventricular interactions are negatively affected by right ventricular regional inhomogeneity and prolongation of contraction, which occur along with an increase in pulmonary artery pressure. The clinical relevance of these observations is being explored. Published on behalf of the European Society of Cardiology. All rights

Pricing the Ramping Reserve and Capacity Reserve in Real Time Markets

OpenAIRE

Ye, Hongxing; Li, Zuyi

2015-01-01

The increasing penetration of renewable energy in recent years has led to more uncertainties in power systems. In order to maintain system reliability and security, electricity market operators need to keep certain reserves in the Security-Constrained Economic Dispatch (SCED) problems. A new concept, deliverable generation ramping reserve, is proposed in this paper. The prices of generation ramping reserves and generation capacity reserves are derived in the Affine Adjustable Robust Optimizat...

Redundancy gains in simple responses and go/no-go tasks

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gondan, Matthias; Götze, C.; Greenlee, M.W.

2010-01-01

In divided-attention tasks with two classes of target stimuli, participants typically respond more quickly if both targets are presented simultaneously, as compared with single-target presentation (redundant-signals effect). Different explanations exist for this effect, including serial, parallel...... times in both the simple and go/no-go responses were well explained by a common coactivation model assuming linear superposition of modality-specific activation. In Experiment 2, the go/no-go task was made more difficult. Participants had to respond to high-frequency tones or right-tilted Gabor patches...

Development of rapid and simple method for DNA extraction from cannabis resin based on the evaluation of relative PCR amplification ability.

Science.gov (United States)

Yamamuro, Tadashi; Iwata, Yuko T; Segawa, Hiroki; Kuwayama, Kenji; Tsujikawa, Kenji; Kanamori, Tatsuyuki; Inoue, Hiroyuki

2018-04-04

In recent years, analysis of cannabis DNA has been increasingly used in forensic drug tests. However, in the case of cannabis resin, a processed marijuana product, complicated procedures are required for the extraction of clean DNA, as the presence of various impurities inhibits PCR amplification. Therefore, in this study, we attempted to identify the factors that would allow quick and simple DNA extraction from cannabis resin with a commercially available kit. We also constructed a simple assay system for comparing relative amplification efficiencies by end-point PCR and used it to evaluate the purity of the obtained DNA solutions. For extraction with a kit that contains a silica column, reducing the starting amount of resin, using the residue remaining after methanol extraction, dilution of the final solution, extraction with an equal amount of powdered activated carbon or an excess amount of polyvinylpolypyrrolidone, and the addition of an appropriate amount of polyvinylpyrrolidone to the solution after extraction were effective measures that improved amplification efficiency. Furthermore, the use of the most rapid alkaline extraction kit combined with the addition of powdered activated carbon allowed obtaining DNA solutions with sufficient amplification efficiency in about 10min. These findings should be useful for routine DNA analysis of cannabis resin during forensic examination. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A simple method for determination of carmine in food samples based on cloud point extraction and spectrophotometric detection.

Science.gov (United States)

Heydari, Rouhollah; Hosseini, Mohammad; Zarabi, Sanaz

2015-01-01

In this paper, a simple and cost effective method was developed for extraction and pre-concentration of carmine in food samples by using cloud point extraction (CPE) prior to its spectrophotometric determination. Carmine was extracted from aqueous solution using Triton X-100 as extracting solvent. The effects of main parameters such as solution pH, surfactant and salt concentrations, incubation time and temperature were investigated and optimized. Calibration graph was linear in the range of 0.04-5.0 μg mL(-1) of carmine in the initial solution with regression coefficient of 0.9995. The limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantification were 0.012 and 0.04 μg mL(-1), respectively. Relative standard deviation (RSD) at low concentration level (0.05 μg mL(-1)) of carmine was 4.8% (n=7). Recovery values in different concentration levels were in the range of 93.7-105.8%. The obtained results demonstrate the proposed method can be applied satisfactory to determine the carmine in food samples. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Simple prostatectomy

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... Han M, Partin AW. Simple prostatectomy: open and robot-assisted laparoscopic approaches. In: Wein AJ, Kavoussi LR, ... M. is also a founding member of Hi-Ethics and subscribes to the principles of the Health ...

THE EUROPEAN CONVENTION ON HUMAN RIGHTS AND THE RIGHTS RELATED TO ARTICLE 6 UNDER THE ECHR JURISPRUDENCE: INDIPENDENT AND IMPARTIAL TRIBUNAL ESTABLISHED BY LAW

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Elena ANDREEVSKA

2014-05-01

Full Text Available Access to justice is a core fundamental right and a central concept in the broader field of justice. The case-law of the European Court of Human Rights on Article 6 is a complex body of rules. Article 6 of the Convention was inspired by Article 10 and 11(1 of the Universal Declaration of Human rights of 1948. It has also its counterpart – with minor differences in Article 14 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights on 1966. Article 6, which guarantees the right to fair trial, occupies a central place in the system of the Convention. it is a generally agreed that this provision is the most frequently cited one of the Convention, both at the national and international levels. This Article contains a variety of rights which are all related to the good administration of justice, not only criminal, but also in the civil and administrative matters. The ‘independent and impartial tribunal established by law’ is one of textual elements of the Fair Trial Right, as long as it has direct and explicit expression in the text of Convention. Even in simple logical way it can be considered as a suite of requirements referring to 1 the notion of tribunal 2 its attribute of being established by law 3 being independent and 4 being impartial.

Differential processing of melodic, rhythmic and simple tone deviations in musicians--an MEG study.

Science.gov (United States)

Lappe, Claudia; Lappe, Markus; Pantev, Christo

2016-01-01

Rhythm and melody are two basic characteristics of music. Performing musicians have to pay attention to both, and avoid errors in either aspect of their performance. To investigate the neural processes involved in detecting melodic and rhythmic errors from auditory input we tested musicians on both kinds of deviations in a mismatch negativity (MMN) design. We found that MMN responses to a rhythmic deviation occurred at shorter latencies than MMN responses to a melodic deviation. Beamformer source analysis showed that the melodic deviation activated superior temporal, inferior frontal and superior frontal areas whereas the activation pattern of the rhythmic deviation focused more strongly on inferior and superior parietal areas, in addition to superior temporal cortex. Activation in the supplementary motor area occurred for both types of deviations. We also recorded responses to similar pitch and tempo deviations in a simple, non-musical repetitive tone pattern. In this case, there was no latency difference between the MMNs and cortical activation was smaller and mostly limited to auditory cortex. The results suggest that prediction and error detection of musical stimuli in trained musicians involve a broad cortical network and that rhythmic and melodic errors are processed in partially different cortical streams. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Occurrence and simulation of trihalomethanes in swimming pool water: A simple prediction method based on DOC and mass balance.

Science.gov (United States)

Peng, Di; Saravia, Florencia; Abbt-Braun, Gudrun; Horn, Harald

2016-01-01

Trihalomethanes (THM) are the most typical disinfection by-products (DBPs) found in public swimming pool water. DBPs are produced when organic and inorganic matter in water reacts with chemical disinfectants. The irregular contribution of substances from pool visitors and long contact time with disinfectant make the forecast of THM in pool water a challenge. In this work occurrence of THM in a public indoor swimming pool was investigated and correlated with the dissolved organic carbon (DOC). Daily sampling of pool water for 26 days showed a positive correlation between DOC and THM with a time delay of about two days, while THM and DOC didn't directly correlate with the number of visitors. Based on the results and mass-balance in the pool water, a simple simulation model for estimating THM concentration in indoor swimming pool water was proposed. Formation of THM from DOC, volatilization into air and elimination by pool water treatment were included in the simulation. Formation ratio of THM gained from laboratory analysis using native pool water and information from field study in an indoor swimming pool reduced the uncertainty of the simulation. The simulation was validated by measurements in the swimming pool for 50 days. The simulated results were in good compliance with measured results. This work provides a useful and simple method for predicting THM concentration and its accumulation trend for long term in indoor swimming pool water. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Residents' Operative Skills: Feasibility and Engagement Study Using SIMPL Software for a Mobile Phone.

Science.gov (United States)

Kaban, Leonard B; Cappetta, Alyssa; George, Brian C; Lahey, Edward T; Bohnen, Jordan D; Troulis, Maria J

2017-10-01

data. Additional prospective trials to assess this tool further are planned. Copyright © 2017 American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

λ-Deformations of left–right asymmetric CFTs

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Georgiou, George, E-mail: georgiou@inp.demokritos.gr [Institute of Nuclear and Particle Physics, National Center for Scientific Research Demokritos, Ag. Paraskevi, GR-15310 Athens (Greece); Sfetsos, Konstantinos, E-mail: ksfetsos@phys.uoa.gr [Department of Nuclear and Particle Physics, Faculty of Physics, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens 15784 (Greece); Siampos, Konstantinos, E-mail: siampos@itp.unibe.ch [Albert Einstein Center for Fundamental Physics, Institute for Theoretical Physics/Laboratory for High-Energy Physics, University of Bern, Sidlerstrasse 5, CH3012 Bern (Switzerland)

2017-01-15

We compute the all-loop anomalous dimensions of current and primary field operators in deformed current algebra theories based on a general semi-simple group, but with different (large) levels for the left and right sectors. These theories, unlike their equal level counterparts, possess a new non-trivial fixed point in the IR. By computing the exact in λ two- and three-point functions for these operators we deduce their OPEs and their equal-time commutators. Using these we argue on the nature of the CFT at the IR fixed point. The associated to the currents Poisson brackets are a two-parameter deformation of the canonical structure of the isotropic PCM.

Coronary flow reserve index corrected by exercise load using Tl-201 SPECT

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kubota, Yasushi; Sugihara, Hiroki; Azuma, Akihiro

1990-01-01

For simple, non-invasive evaluation of coronary flow reserve during exercise, we investigated the coronary flow reserve index using the ratio of change of fractional distribution in the regional myocardium to oxygen demand. The subjects included 24 patients with effort angina pectoris and 11 normal volunteers. PTCA was peformed for 11 patients. Using the biological properties of Tl-201 single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) was performed at submaximal exercise and at rest by two successive injections of Tl-201 within a short time interval (double dose method). The correlation between the fractional distribution in the myocardium (Δ-Fract) and the oxygen demand during exercise and at rest were evaluated. Δ-Fract correlated well with the rate of change of the pressure rate product (Δ-PRP), and Δ-Fract/Δ-PRP (CRI) was a good indicator of the coronary flow reserve index. CRI in the ischemic region correlated well with the percent area stenosis of the supplying coronary artery and improved with resolution of percent area stenosis of the target coronary artery after PTCA, but in some cases they were not above the normal range. CRI as obtained by exercise SPECT using the double dose method is useful for non-invasively estimating the coronary flow reserve during exercise, and it can be used for evaluating the effect before and after PTCA. (author)

Relationships Between Simple Toe Elevation Angle in the Standing Position and Dynamic Balance and Fall Risk Among Community-Dwelling Older Adults.

Science.gov (United States)

Takatori, Katsuhiko; Matsumoto, Daisuke

2015-10-01

To investigate the relationships between toe elevation ability in the standing position and dynamic balance and fall risk among community-dwelling older adults. Cross-sectional survey. General community. Community-dwelling older adults (N = 287). Toe elevation angles in the standing position. Intra-rater and inter-rater reliability of measurements of the toe elevation angle was high (internal coefficient of correlation [ICC] (1,2) = 0.94 for the former and ICC (2,1) = 0.90 for the latter). Significant correlations were found between the toe elevation angle and age (r = -0.20, P fall in the previous 6 months had a significantly lower toe elevation angle compared with subjects who did not experience a fall (t = 2.19, P balance ability and appears to be a simple screening test for fall risk in community-dwelling older adults. Copyright © 2015 American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Two-chambered right ventricle resulting from aberrant muscle bundles: a case report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lim, T. H.; Ko, K. H.; Im, C. K.; Han, M. C.; Chi, J. G

1979-01-01

The 'Two-chambered right ventricle' is a rare, but unique congenital cardiac anomaly characterized by subdivision of the right ventricle into proximal high pressure chamber and distal low pressure chamber by hypertrophied aberrant muscle bundles. The aberrant muscle bundles traverse the right ventricle from the region of crista supraventricular is to the lower part of the anterior wall of the right ventricle. The ' Two-chambered right ventricle' is usually associated with other congenital cardiac anomalies such as ventricular septal defect, pulmonary valvular stenosis, etc. Therefore this anomaly could be mistakenly diagnosed as Tetralogy of Fallot or isolated interventricular septal defect. The need to separate this entity from other types of infundibular stenosis is emphasized because of the important surgical implications. Authors recently experienced a case of the T wo-chambered right ventricle' resulting from aberrant muscle bundles, that are associated with other cardiac anomalies i.e., pulmonary valvular stenosis, aysplastic tricuspid valve with regurgitation and partial anomalous pulmonary venous return to the right atrium. Here we present the findings of E.K.G., cardiac catheterization, simple chest pa, cine-right ventriculography, and autopsy together with a review of related articles.

Two-chambered right ventricle resulting from aberrant muscle bundles: a case report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lim, T. H.; Ko, K. H.; Im, C. K.; Han, M. C.; Chi, J. G [Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

1979-12-15

The 'Two-chambered right ventricle' is a rare, but unique congenital cardiac anomaly characterized by subdivision of the right ventricle into proximal high pressure chamber and distal low pressure chamber by hypertrophied aberrant muscle bundles. The aberrant muscle bundles traverse the right ventricle from the region of crista supraventricular is to the lower part of the anterior wall of the right ventricle. The ' Two-chambered right ventricle' is usually associated with other congenital cardiac anomalies such as ventricular septal defect, pulmonary valvular stenosis, etc. Therefore this anomaly could be mistakenly diagnosed as Tetralogy of Fallot or isolated interventricular septal defect. The need to separate this entity from other types of infundibular stenosis is emphasized because of the important surgical implications. Authors recently experienced a case of the {sup T}wo-chambered right ventricle' resulting from aberrant muscle bundles, that are associated with other cardiac anomalies i.e., pulmonary valvular stenosis, aysplastic tricuspid valve with regurgitation and partial anomalous pulmonary venous return to the right atrium. Here we present the findings of E.K.G., cardiac catheterization, simple chest pa, cine-right ventriculography, and autopsy together with a review of related articles.

Antigen-Addicted T Cell Reserves Trickle Charge the Frontline Killers.

Science.gov (United States)

Kalia, Vandana; Sarkar, Surojit

2016-07-19

Highly active killer T cells mediate a stable standoff during controlled persistent infections. In this issue of Immunity, Robey and colleagues describe a unique antigen-addicted T cell population bearing characteristics of both effector and memory CD8(+) T cells that provides a continuous supply of potent killer T cells to curb Toxoplasma gondii growth during latency. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A Simple Bone Cyst in Cervical Vertebrae of an Adolescent Patient

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Adriana Bruges Boude

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Introduction. Spinal simple bone cysts, also known as solitary cysts, are extremely unusual benign primary bone tumors with few cases reported in the literature. Case Presentation. Incidental Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI finding of a C2 Simple bone cyst in a 13-year-old female patient is reported. Complementary studies suggested the benign nature of the lesion. Patient underwent cervical curettage followed by tumor excision. A lateral submandibular approach to the upper cervical spine was used and careful bone resection was possible with a radiofrequency assisted burr and no instrumentation or fixation was required. The stability of the defect was ensured by filling it with bone allograft and by prescribing a postsurgical plastic cervical collar to maintain neck immobilization. Histological examination supported the diagnosis of simple bone cyst. At 6–12-month follow-up the patient presented no recurrence or symptomatology. Conclusions. Solitary bone cysts are infrequent entities in the cervical vertebrae and preservation of spine stability without instrumentation to avoid neurological complications is often challenging. In this case, the proximity of the cyst to the right vertebral artery and the risk of injury were high; however the surgical approach used was successful and no recurrence or instability was evidenced on postoperative MRI.

Same law-same rights? Analyzing why Sweden's disability legislation failed to create equal rights in mental health.

Science.gov (United States)

Maycraft Kall, Wendy

2014-01-01

This article analyzed the apparent paradox of disability rights in Sweden. Despite strong welfare state traditions and stated Government ambitions to create generous statutory entitlements for all disabled people using a single, comprehensive Disability Act, psychiatric disabilities were principally excluded from the Disability Act's rights and provisions. The study focused on Sweden's Mental Health Reform and Disability Reform using governance perspectives that traced and analyzed the policy-processes of both reforms. Theoretically guided analytical frameworks were developed to help understand the divergent reform outcomes. The first focused on legislative arguments of regulatory specificity and legal enforcement mechanisms to consider whether the Disability Act was formulated in a manner that was easier to apply to certain disabilities. The second analyzed ideological arguments and the influence of Government political beliefs that signaled specific reform 'visions' to implementers and thereby influenced policy implementation. The main findings are that both perspectives matter as the dual influences of legislative and ideological differences tended to exclude mental health service users from the Act's generous disability rights. The overall conclusion was that while legislation was an important regulatory mechanism, the Government's underlying ideological reform vision was also an essential governance instrument that signaled Government intentions to implementing agencies and thus influenced the creation of enduring disability rights. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Right ventricular strain in heart failure: Clinical perspective.

Science.gov (United States)

Tadic, Marijana; Pieske-Kraigher, Elisabeth; Cuspidi, Cesare; Morris, Daniel A; Burkhardt, Franziska; Baudisch, Ana; Haßfeld, Sabine; Tschöpe, Carsten; Pieske, Burket

2017-10-01

The number of studies demonstrating the importance of right ventricular remodelling in a wide range of cardiovascular diseases has increased in the past two decades. Speckle-tracking imaging provides new variables that give comprehensive information about right ventricular function and mechanics. In this review, we summarize current knowledge of right ventricular mechanics in heart failure with reduced ejection fraction and preserved ejection fraction. We searched PubMed, MEDLINE, Ovid and Embase databases for studies published from January 2000 to December 2016 in the English language using the following keywords: "right ventricle"; "strain"; "speckle tracking"; "heart failure with reduced ejection fraction"; and "heart failure with preserved ejection fraction". Investigations showed that right ventricular dysfunction is associated with higher cardiovascular and overall mortality in patients with heart failure, irrespective of ejection fraction. The number of studies investigating right ventricular strain in patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction is constantly increasing, whereas data on right ventricular mechanics in patients with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction are limited. Given the high feasibility, accuracy and clinical implications of right ventricular strain in the population with heart failure, it is of great importance to try to include the evaluation of right ventricular strain as a regular part of each echocardiographic examination in patients with heart failure. However, further investigations are necessary to establish right ventricular strain as a standard variable for decision-making. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Non-right handed primary progressive apraxia of speech.

Science.gov (United States)

Botha, Hugo; Duffy, Joseph R; Whitwell, Jennifer L; Strand, Edythe A; Machulda, Mary M; Spychalla, Anthony J; Tosakulwong, Nirubol; Senjem, Matthew L; Knopman, David S; Petersen, Ronald C; Jack, Clifford R; Lowe, Val J; Josephs, Keith A

2018-07-15

In recent years a large and growing body of research has greatly advanced our understanding of primary progressive apraxia of speech. Handedness has emerged as one potential marker of selective vulnerability in degenerative diseases. This study evaluated the clinical and imaging findings in non-right handed compared to right handed participants in a prospective cohort diagnosed with primary progressive apraxia of speech. A total of 30 participants were included. Compared to the expected rate in the population, there was a higher prevalence of non-right handedness among those with primary progressive apraxia of speech (6/30, 20%). Small group numbers meant that these results did not reach statistical significance, although the effect sizes were moderate-to-large. There were no clinical differences between right handed and non-right handed participants. Bilateral hypometabolism was seen in primary progressive apraxia of speech compared to controls, with non-right handed participants showing more right hemispheric involvement. This is the first report of a higher rate of non-right handedness in participants with isolated apraxia of speech, which may point to an increased vulnerability for developing this disorder among non-right handed participants. This challenges prior hypotheses about a relative protective effect of non-right handedness for tau-related neurodegeneration. We discuss potential avenues for future research to investigate the relationship between handedness and motor disorders more generally. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Green and simple analytical method to determine benzimidazoles in milk samples by using salting-out assisted liquid-liquid extraction and capillary liquid chromatography.

Science.gov (United States)

Tejada-Casado, Carmen; Del Olmo-Iruela, Monsalud; García-Campaña, Ana M; Lara, Francisco J

2018-08-01

A green and simple multiresidue method using capillary liquid chromatography (CLC) with UV-diode array detection (DAD) has been developed for the determination of sixteen benzimidazoles (BZs) and its metabolites in milk samples. The separation was achieved in  0.9985 for all BZs) with limits of detection (LOD) between 1.0 and 2.8 μg kg -1 . Relative standard deviations of repeatability and intermediate precision were below 1.6 and 14.2%, respectively. Satisfactory recoveries between 79.1 and 99.6% were also obtained for three types of milk samples (cow, sheep and goat). The advantages of a miniaturized technique such as CLC in terms of better efficiencies and reduced solvent consumption, combined with the simplicity of the SALLE procedure, make this method a useful alternative for the monitoring of these residues at trace level. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Righting wrongs and reforming rights.

Science.gov (United States)

Ivey, Laurie C

2014-03-01

Discusses issues faced by LGBT people, such as a lack of equal civil rights and the need for extra legal and financial protection for families because partners cannot be married. The author notes that, in our society, it is no longer acceptable to be racist, but it is still okay to be homophobic. The many campaigns against gay marriage and efforts in the legislature to prevent change toward equal civil rights and protections are prime examples. In our current political climate, two things are very clear: (a) homophobia is freely tolerated and (b) the times are changing as we inch closer to equal rights every day. We are "righting wrongs and reforming rights."

Right ventricular oxygen supply/demand balance in exercising dogs.

Science.gov (United States)

Hart, B J; Bian, X; Gwirtz, P A; Setty, S; Downey, H F

2001-08-01

This is the first investigation of right ventricular (RV) myocardial oxygen supply/demand balance in a conscious animal. A novel technique developed in our laboratory was used to collect right coronary (RC) venous blood samples from seven instrumented, conscious dogs at rest and during graded treadmill exercise. Contributions of the RV oxygen extraction reserve and the RC flow reserve to exercise-induced increases in RV oxygen demand were measured. Strenuous exercise caused a 269% increase in RV oxygen consumption. Expanded arteriovenous oxygen content difference (A-V(Delta)O2) provided 58% of this increase in oxygen demand, and increased RC blood flow (RCBF) provided 42%. At less strenuous exercise, expanded A-V(Delta)O2 provided 60-80% of the required oxygen, and increases in RCBF were small and driven by increased aortic pressure. RC resistance fell only at strenuous exercise after the extraction reserve had been mobilized. Thus RC resistance was unaffected by large decreases in RC venous PO2 until an apparent threshold at 20 mmHg was reached. Comparisons of RV findings with published left ventricular data from exercising dogs demonstrated that increased O2 demand of the left ventricle is met primarily by increasing coronary flow, whereas increased O2 extraction makes a greater contribution to RV O2 supply.

Neglect severity after left and right brain damage.

Science.gov (United States)

Suchan, Julia; Rorden, Chris; Karnath, Hans-Otto

2012-05-01

While unilateral spatial neglect after left brain damage is undoubtedly less common than spatial neglect after a right hemisphere lesion, it is also assumed to be less severe. Here we directly test this latter hypothesis using a continuous measure of neglect severity: the so-called Center of Cancellation (CoC). Rorden and Karnath (2010) recently validated this index for right brain damaged neglect patients. A first aim of the present study was to evaluate this new measure for spatial neglect after left brain damage. In a group of 48 left-sided stroke patients with and without neglect, a score greater than -0.086 on the Bells Test and greater than -0.024 on the Letter Cancellation Task turned out to indicate neglect behavior for acute left brain damaged patients. A second aim was to directly compare the severity of spatial neglect after left versus right brain injury by using the new CoC measure. While neglect is less frequent following left than right hemisphere injury, we found that when this symptom occurs it is of similar severity in acute left brain injury as in patients after acute right brain injury. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Droids Made Simple

CERN Document Server

Mazo, Gary

2011-01-01

If you have a Droid series smartphone - Droid, Droid X, Droid 2, or Droid 2 Global - and are eager to get the most out of your device, Droids Made Simple is perfect for you. Authors Martin Trautschold, Gary Mazo and Marziah Karch guide you through all of the features, tips, and tricks using their proven combination of clear instructions and detailed visuals. With hundreds of annotated screenshots and step-by-step directions, Droids Made Simple will transform you into a Droid expert, improving your productivity, and most importantly, helping you take advantage of all of the cool features that c

Association "Les Simples"

OpenAIRE

Thouzery, Michel

2014-01-01

Fondée par les producteurs du Syndicat Inter-Massifs pour la Production et l’Économie des Simples (S.I.M.P.L.E.S), l’association base son action sur la recherche et le maintien d’une production de qualité (herboristerie et préparations à base de plantes) qui prend en compte le respect de l’environnement et la pérennité des petits producteurs en zone de montagne. Actions de formation Stages de découverte de la flore médicinale sauvage, Stages de culture et transformation des plantes médicinale...

Value of the Electrocardiogram as a Predictor of Right Ventricular Dysfunction in Patients With Chronic Right Ventricular Volume Overload.

Science.gov (United States)

Alonso, Pau; Andrés, Ana; Rueda, Joaquín; Buendía, Francisco; Igual, Begoña; Rodríguez, María; Osa, Ana; Arnau, Miguel A; Salvador, Antonio

2015-05-01

Pulmonary regurgitation is a common complication in patients with repaired tetralogy of Fallot or congenital pulmonary stenosis. Electrocardiographic variables have been correlated with parameters used to evaluate right ventricular function. We aimed to analyze the diagnostic value of the width and fragmentation of the electrocardiogram in the identification of patients with right ventricular dysfunction and/or dilation. We selected 107 consecutive patients diagnosed with severe pulmonary insufficiency after repair of pulmonary stenosis or tetralogy of Fallot. The tests included electrocardiography, echocardiography, and magnetic resonance. Each electrocardiogram was analyzed manually to measure QRS duration. We defined QRS fragmentation as the presence of low-voltage waves in the terminal portion of the QRS complex in at least 2 contiguous leads. We found a significant negative correlation between QRS width and right ventricular function, as well as a positive correlation with right ventricular volume. The receiver operating characteristic curve indicated a cut-off point for QRS width of 140ms, which showed good sensitivity for a diagnosis of right ventricular dilation (> 80%) and dysfunction (> 95%). In logistic regression models, a QRS duration > 140ms was found to be the only independent predictor of right ventricular dilation and dysfunction. Electrocardiography is a rapid, widely available, and reproducible tool. QRS width constitutes an independent predictor of the presence of right ventricular dilation and dysfunction. This study is the first to provide a cutoff value for QRS width to screen for right ventricle involvement. Copyright © 2014 Sociedad Española de Cardiología. Published by Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Usefulness of right ventricular and right atrial two-dimensional speckle tracking strain to predict late arrhythmic events in adult patients with repaired Tetralogy of Fallot.

Science.gov (United States)

Timóteo, Ana T; Branco, Luísa M; Rosa, Sílvia A; Ramos, Ruben; Agapito, Ana F; Sousa, Lídia; Galrinho, Ana; Oliveira, José A; Oliveira, Mário M; Ferreira, Rui C

2017-01-01

To determine whether right ventricular and/or atrial speckle tracking strain is associated with previous arrhythmic events in patients with repaired tetralogy of Fallot. We studied right ventricular and atrial strain in 100 consecutive patients with repaired tetralogy of Fallot referred for routine echocardiographic evaluation. Patients were divided into two groups, one with previous documentation of arrhythmias (n=26) and one without arrhythmias, in a median follow-up of 22 years. Patients with arrhythmias were older (pFallot, although a prospective study is required. Copyright © 2016 Sociedade Portuguesa de Cardiologia. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Simple surface foam application enhances bioremediation of oil-contaminated soil in cold conditions.

Science.gov (United States)

Jeong, Seung-Woo; Jeong, Jongshin; Kim, Jaisoo

2015-04-09

Landfarming of oil-contaminated soil is ineffective at low temperatures, because the number and activity of micro-organisms declines. This study presents a simple and versatile technique for bioremediation of diesel-contaminated soil, which involves spraying foam on the soil surface without additional works such as tilling, or supply of water and air. Surfactant foam containing psychrophilic oil-degrading microbes and nutrients was sprayed twice daily over diesel-contaminated soil at 6 °C. Removal efficiencies in total petroleum hydrocarbon (TPH) at 30 days were 46.3% for landfarming and 73.7% for foam-spraying. The first-order kinetic biodegradation rates for landfarming and foam-spraying were calculated as 0.019 d(-1) and 0.044 d(-1), respectively. Foam acted as an insulating medium, keeping the soil 2 °C warmer than ambient air. Sprayed foam was slowly converted to aqueous solution within 10-12h and infiltrated the soil, providing microbes, nutrients, water, and air for bioaugmentation. Furthermore, surfactant present in the aqueous solution accelerated the dissolution of oil from the soil, resulting in readily biodegradable aqueous form. Significant reductions in hydrocarbon concentration were simultaneously observed in both semi-volatile and non-volatile fractions. As the initial soil TPH concentration increased, the TPH removal rate of the foam-spraying method also increased. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Accumulation of reserve carbohydrate by rumen protozoa and bacteria in competition for glucose.

Science.gov (United States)

Denton, Bethany L; Diese, Leanne E; Firkins, Jeffrey L; Hackmann, Timothy J

2015-03-01

The aim of this study was to determine if rumen protozoa could form large amounts of reserve carbohydrate compared to the amounts formed by bacteria when competing for glucose in batch cultures. We separated large protozoa and small bacteria from rumen fluid by filtration and centrifugation, recombined equal protein masses of each group into one mixture, and subsequently harvested (reseparated) these groups at intervals after glucose dosing. This method allowed us to monitor reserve carbohydrate accumulation of protozoa and bacteria individually. When mixtures were dosed with a moderate concentration of glucose (4.62 or 5 mM) (n = 2 each), protozoa accumulated large amounts of reserve carbohydrate; 58.7% (standard error of the mean [SEM], 2.2%) glucose carbon was recovered from protozoal reserve carbohydrate at time of peak reserve carbohydrate concentrations. Only 1.7% (SEM, 2.2%) was recovered in bacterial reserve carbohydrate, which was less than that for protozoa (P protozoa can sequester sugar away from bacteria by accumulating reserve carbohydrate, giving protozoa a competitive advantage and stabilizing fermentation in the rumen. Similar experiments could be used to investigate the importance of starch sequestration. Copyright © 2015, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Aspergillus tubingensis and Aspergillus niger as the dominant black Aspergillus, use of simple PCR-RFLP for preliminary differentiation.

Science.gov (United States)

Mirhendi, H; Zarei, F; Motamedi, M; Nouripour-Sisakht, S

2016-03-01

This work aimed to identify the species distribution of common clinical and environmental isolates of black Aspergilli based on simple restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis of the β-tubulin gene. A total of 149 clinical and environmental strains of black Aspergilli were collected and subjected to preliminary morphological examination. Total genomic DNAs were extracted, and PCR was performed to amplify part of the β-tubulin gene. At first, 52 randomly selected samples were species-delineated by sequence analysis. In order to distinguish the most common species, PCR amplicons of 117 black Aspergillus strains were identified by simple PCR-RFLP analysis using the enzyme TasI. Among 52 sequenced isolates, 28 were Aspergillus tubingensis, 21 Aspergillus niger, and the three remaining isolates included Aspergillus uvarum, Aspergillus awamori, and Aspergillus acidus. All 100 environmental and 17 BAL samples subjected to TasI-RFLP analysis of the β-tubulin gene, fell into two groups, consisting of about 59% (n=69) A. tubingensis and 41% (n=48) A. niger. Therefore, the method successfully and rapidly distinguished A. tubingensis and A. niger as the most common species among the clinical and environmental isolates. Although tardy, the Ehrlich test was also able to differentiate A. tubingensis and A. niger according to the yellow color reaction specific to A. niger. A. tubingensis and A. niger are the most common black Aspergillus in both clinical and environmental isolates in Iran. PCR-RFLP using TasI digestion of β-tubulin DNA enables rapid screening for these common species. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

A simple and automated sample preparation system for subsequent halogens determination: Combustion followed by pyrohydrolysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Pereira, L S F; Pedrotti, M F; Vecchia, P Dalla; Pereira, J S F; Flores, E M M

2018-06-20

A simple and automated system based on combustion followed by a pyrohydrolysis reaction was proposed for further halogens determination. This system was applied for digestion of soils containing high (90%) and also low (10%) organic matter content for further halogens determination. The following parameters were evaluated: sample mass, use of microcrystalline cellulose and heating time. For analytes absorption, a diluted alkaline solution (6 mL of 25 mmol L -1  NH 4 OH) was used in all experiments. Up to 400 mg of soil with high organic matter content and 100 mg of soil with low organic matter content (mixed with 400 mg of cellulose) could be completely digested using the proposed system. Quantitative results for all halogens were obtained using less than 12 min of sample preparation step (about 1.8 min for sample combustion and 10 min for pyrohydrolysis). The accuracy was evaluated using a certified reference material of coal and spiked samples. No statistical difference was observed between the certified values and results obtained by the proposed method. Additionally, the recoveries obtained using spiked samples were in the range of 98-103% with relative standard deviation values lower than 5%. The limits of quantification obtained for F, Cl, Br and I for soil with high (400 mg of soil) and low (100 mg of soil) organic matter were in the range of 0.01-2 μg g -1 and 0.07-59 μg g -1 , respectively. The proposed system was considered as a simple and suitable alternative for soils digestion for further halogens determination by ion chromatography and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry techniques. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Global solvability of the differential operators non-invariants on semi-simple Lie groups

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

El Hussein, K.

1991-09-01

Let G be a connected semi-simple Lie group with finite centre and let G=KAN be the Iwasawa decomposition of G. Let P be a differential operator on G, which is right invariant by the sub-group AN and left invariant by the sub-group K. In this paper, we give a necessary and sufficient condition for the global solvability of P on G. (author). 5 refs

Successful aspiration and ethanol sclerosis of a large, symptomatic, simple liver cyst: Case presentation and review of the literature

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

Wojciech C Blonski; Mical S Campbell; Thomas Faust; David C Metz

2006-01-01

Simple liver cysts are congenital with a prevalence of 2.5%-4.25%. Imaging, whether by US, CT or MRI,is accurate in distinguishing simple cysts from other etiologies, including parasitic, neoplastic, duct-related,and traumatic cysts. Symptomatic simple liver cysts are rare, and the true frequency of symptoms is not known.Symptomatic simple liver cysts are predominantly large (＞ 4 cm), right-sided, and more common in women and older patients. The vast majority of simple hepatic cysts require no treatment or follow-up, though large cysts (＞ 4 cm) may be followed initially with serial imaging to ensure stability. Attribution of symptoms to a large simple cyst should be undertaken with caution, after alternative diagnoses have been excluded. Aspiration may be performed to test whether symptoms are due to the cyst; however, cyst recurrence should be expected.Limited experience with both laparoscopic deroofing and aspiration, followed by instillation of a sclerosing agent has demonstrated promising results for the treatment of symptomatic cysts. Here, we describe a patient with a large, symptomatic, simple liver cyst who experienced complete resolution of symptoms following cyst drainage and alcohol ablation, and we present a comprehensive review of the literature.

32 CFR 552.36 - Rights-of-entry for construction.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... AND NATIONAL CEMETERIES REGULATIONS AFFECTING MILITARY RESERVATIONS Acquisition of Real Estate and... construction will be obtained by the district engineer only after a real estate directive or authorization to... 32 National Defense 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 true Rights-of-entry for construction. 552.36 Section...

Pricing of reserves. Valuing system reserve capacity against spot prices in electricity markets

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Just, Sebastian; Weber, Christoph

2008-01-01

This paper models the interdependencies between markets for secondary reserve capacity and spot electricity to derive the pricing of reserves under equilibrium conditions. Starting with the indifference condition between offering in both markets, the reservation price is derived from the opportunity cost consideration and the unit commitment conditions in a fundamental interrelated market framework. The reserve market examined compares widely to the German market for secondary reserves, but the general approach may also be used to investigate other reserve markets. The approach explores and formalizes the influence of reserve capacity on the spot market supply function. A numerical solution procedure is provided to this non-trivial case of market interaction. The model is used to estimate the expected reservation price development over the last years in Germany. (author)

Reconstructing Nearly Simple Polytopes from their Graph

OpenAIRE

Doolittle, Joseph

2017-01-01

We present a partial description of which polytopes are reconstructible from their graphs. This is an extension of work by Blind and Mani (1987) and Kalai (1988), which showed that simple polytopes can be reconstructed from their graphs. In particular, we introduce a notion of $h$-nearly simple and prove that 1-nearly simple and 2-nearly simple polytopes are reconstructible from their graphs. We also give an example of a 3-nearly simple polytope which is not reconstructible from its graph. Fu...

Identifying obstructive sleep apnea after stroke/TIA: evaluating four simple screening tools.

Science.gov (United States)

Boulos, Mark I; Wan, Anthony; Im, James; Elias, Sara; Frankul, Fadi; Atalla, Mina; Black, Sandra E; Basile, Vincenzo S; Sundaram, Arun; Hopyan, Julia J; Boyle, Karl; Gladstone, David J; Murray, Brian J; Swartz, Richard H

2016-05-01

Despite its high prevalence and unfavorable clinical consequences, obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) often remains underappreciated after cerebrovascular events. The purpose of our study was to evaluate the clinical utility of four simple paper-based screening tools for excluding OSA after stroke or transient ischemic attack (TIA). Sixty-nine inpatients and outpatients with stroke or TIA during the past 180 days completed the 4-Variable screening tool (4V), STOP-BAG questionnaire (ie, STOP-BANG questionnaire without the neck circumference measurement), Berlin questionnaire, and the Sleep Obstructive apnea score optimized for Stroke (SOS). They subsequently underwent objective testing using a portable sleep monitoring device. Cutoffs were selected to maximize sensitivity and exclude OSA (AHI ≥ 10) in ≥10% of the cohort. The mean age was 68.3 ± 14.2 years and 47.8% were male. Thirty-two patients (46.4%) were found to have OSA. Male sex, body mass index (BMI), and atrial fibrillation were independent predictors of OSA. Among the screening tools, the 4V had the greatest area under the curve (AUC) of 0.688 (p = 0.007); the sensitivity was 96.9% for a cutoff of stroke/TIA. Due to the atypical presentation of poststroke/TIA OSA, these tools are only moderately predictive; objective testing should still be used for OSA diagnosis in this population. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A fast, simple and green method for the extraction of carbamate pesticides from rice by microwave assisted steam extraction coupled with solid phase extraction.

Science.gov (United States)

Song, Weitao; Zhang, Yiqun; Li, Guijie; Chen, Haiyan; Wang, Hui; Zhao, Qi; He, Dong; Zhao, Chun; Ding, Lan

2014-01-15

This paper presented a fast, simple and green sample pretreatment method for the extraction of 8 carbamate pesticides in rice. The carbamate pesticides were extracted by microwave assisted water steam extraction method, and the extract obtained was immediately applied on a C18 solid phase extraction cartridge for clean-up and concentration. The eluate containing target compounds was finally analysed by high performance liquid chromatography with mass spectrometry. The parameters affecting extraction efficiency were investigated and optimised. The limits of detection ranging from 1.1 to 4.2ngg(-1) were obtained. The recoveries of 8 carbamate pesticides ranged from 66% to 117% at three spiked levels, and the inter- and intra-day relative standard deviation values were less than 9.1%. Compared with traditional methods, the proposed method cost less extraction time and organic solvent. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Right patient, Right blood

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Selberg, Hanne; Madsen, Trine Stougaard

2014-01-01

Right patient, Right Blood Simulation based training in blood transfusion practice in nursing education Background: In spite of strict checking procedures to handling transfusion of blood severe adverse reactions are likely to happen and the major cause of morbidity occurs to be liable to human...

Premorbid exercise engagement and motor reserve in Parkinson's disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Sunwoo, Mun K; Lee, Ji E; Hong, Jin Y; Ye, Byung S; Lee, Hye S; Oh, Jungsu S; Kim, Jae S; Lee, Phil H; Sohn, Young H

2017-01-01

Life-long experiences of cognitive activity could enhance cognitive reserve, which may lead individuals to show less cognitive deficits in Alzheimer's disease, despite similar pathological changes. We performed this study to test whether premorbid physical activity may enhance motor reserve in Parkinson's disease (PD) (i.e., less motor deficits despite similar degrees of dopamine depletion). We assessed engagement in premorbid leisure-time exercise among 102 drug naive PD patients who had been initially diagnosed at our hospital by dopamine transporter scanning. Patients were classified into tertile groups based on the frequency, duration, and intensity of the exercises in which they participated. Among patients with mild to moderate reductions in striatal dopaminergic activity (above the median dopaminergic activity), the exercise group of the highest tertile showed significantly lower motor scores (i.e., fewer motor deficits, 15.53 ± 6.25), despite similar degrees of dopamine reduction, compared to the combined group of the middle and the lowest tertiles (21.57 ± 8.34, p = 0.01). Nonetheless, the highest tertile group showed a more rapid decline in motor function related to reductions in striatal dopaminergic activity than the other two groups (p = 0.002 with the middle tertile group and p = 0.001 with the lowest tertile group). These results suggest that engagement in premorbid exercise acts as a proxy for an active reserve in the motor domain (i.e., motor reserve) in patients with PD. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Does obesity compromise ovarian reserve markers? A clinician's perspective.

Science.gov (United States)

Malhotra, Neena; Bahadur, Anupama; Singh, Neeta; Kalaivani, Mani; Mittal, Suneeta

2013-01-01

The aim of the study was to ascertain if increasing body mass index (BMI) adversely affects ovarian reserve among infertile women of Asian origin undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF). This prospective study on 183 women was carried out in the infertility clinic of All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India. Blood hormonal assay in all patients including follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH) and inhibin B was performed on day 2/3 of a spontaneous cycle. A transvaginal ultrasonographic examination on day 2-5 of the menstrual cycle was done for antral follicle count (AFC) and ovarian volume. A correlation between BMI and ovarian reserve parameters like FSH, LH, inhibin B, antral follicle count and ovarian volume was noted. Age was comparable in the three BMI groups. The mean duration of infertility was 8.38 years. Compared to the normal weight, the overweight and obese women had a statistically significantly low inhibin B (p women had a significantly low AFC (p right side. Incorporating anti-mullerian hormone, a newer marker for ovarian reserve, may benefit these obese infertile women. Further work is required to elucidate the mechanisms underlying the effect of obesity on inhibin B as a marker of ovarian reserve in infertile women. The best marker to check the ovarian reserve is perhaps the woman's performance during an IVF cycle. However, considering the psychological and financial stress of the procedure, it may seem wise to consider counseling of obese women on their expected performance in the first cycle of IVF through such studies.

12 CFR 987.2 - Law governing rights and obligations of Banks, Finance Board, Office of Finance, United States...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... 12 Banks and Banking 7 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Law governing rights and obligations of Banks, Finance Board, Office of Finance, United States and Federal Reserve Banks; rights of any Person against Banks, Finance Board, Office of Finance, United States and Federal Reserve Banks. 987.2 Section 987.2 Banks and Banking FEDERAL HOUSING FINANCE...

Communication rights: Fundamental human rights for all.

Science.gov (United States)

McLeod, Sharynne

2018-02-01

The right to communicate includes the right to "freedom of opinion and expression" and rights and freedoms "without distinction of … language". The 70th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights is a time to celebrate and reflect on communication as a human right, particularly with respect to Article 19 and its relationship to national and international conventions, declarations, policies and practices. This review profiles articles from the special issue of International Journal of Speech-Language Pathology (volume 20, issue 1) addressing communication rights from four perspectives: (1) communication rights of all people; (2) communication rights of people with communication disabilities; (3) communication rights of children and (4) communication rights relating to language. Divergent perspectives from across the globe are considered. First-hand accounts of people whose right to communicate is compromised/upheld are included and perspectives are provided from people with expertise and advocacy roles in speech-language pathology, audiology, linguistics, education, media, literature and law, including members of the International Communication Project. Three steps are outlined to support communication rights: acknowledge people - adjust the communication style - take time to listen. Future advocacy for communication rights could be informed by replicating processes used to generate the Yogyakarta Principles.

Cognitive Reserve and Brain Maintenance: Orthogonal Concepts in Theory and Practice.

Science.gov (United States)

Habeck, C; Razlighi, Q; Gazes, Y; Barulli, D; Steffener, J; Stern, Y

2017-08-01

Cognitive Reserve and Brain Maintenance have traditionally been understood as complementary concepts: Brain Maintenance captures the processes underlying the structural preservation of the brain with age, and might be assessed relative to age-matched peers. Cognitive Reserve, on the other hand, refers to how cognitive processing can be performed regardless of how well brain structure has been maintained. Thus, Brain Maintenance concerns the "hardware," whereas Cognitive Reserve concerns "software," that is, brain functioning explained by factors beyond mere brain structure. We used structural brain data from 368 community-dwelling adults, age 20-80, to derive measures of Brain Maintenance and Cognitive Reserve. We found that Brain Maintenance and Cognitive were uncorrelated such that values on one measure did not imply anything about the other measure. Further, both measures were positively correlated with verbal intelligence and education, hinting at formative influences of the latter to both measures. We performed extensive split-half simulations to check our derived measures' statistical robustness. Our approach enables the out-of-sample quantification of Brain Maintenance and Cognitive Reserve for single subjects on the basis of chronological age, neuropsychological performance and structural brain measures. Future work will investigate the prognostic power of these measures with regard to future cognitive status. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Gait parameter risk factors for falls under simple and dual task conditions in cognitively impaired older people.

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Taylor, Morag E; Delbaere, Kim; Mikolaizak, A Stefanie; Lord, Stephen R; Close, Jacqueline C T

2013-01-01

Impaired gait may contribute to the increased rate of falls in cognitively impaired older people. We investigated whether gait under simple and dual task conditions could predict falls in this group. The study sample consisted of 64 community dwelling older people with mild to moderate cognitive impairment. Participants walked at their preferred speed under three conditions: (a) simple walking, (b) walking while carrying a glass of water and (c) walking while counting backwards from 30. Spatiotemporal gait parameters were measured using the GAITRite(®) mat. Falls were recorded prospectively for 12months with the assistance of carers. Twenty-two (35%) people fell two or more times in the 12month follow-up period. There was a significant main effect of gait condition and a significant main effect of faller status for mean value measures (velocity, stride length, double support time and stride width) and for variability measures (swing time variability and stride length variability). Examination of individual gait parameters indicated that the multiple fallers walked more slowly, had shorter stride length, spent longer time in double support, had a wider support width and showed more variability in stride length and swing time (p<0.05). There was no significant interaction between gait condition and faller status for any of the gait variables. In conclusion, dual task activities adversely affect gait in cognitively impaired older people. Multiple fallers performed worse in each gait condition but the addition of a functional or cognitive secondary task provided no added benefit in discriminating fallers from non-fallers with cognitive impairment. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Positive rights, negative rights and health care.

Science.gov (United States)

Bradley, Andrew

2010-12-01

In the current debate about healthcare reform in the USA, advocates for government-ensured universal coverage assume that health care is a right. Although this position is politically popular, it is sometimes challenged by a restricted view of rights popular with libertarians and individualists. The restricted view of rights only accepts 'negative' rights as legitimate rights. Negative rights, the argument goes, place no obligations on you to provide goods to other people and thus respect your right to keep the fruits of your labour. A classic enumeration of negative rights includes life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Positive rights, by contrast, obligate you either to provide goods to others, or pay taxes that are used for redistributive purposes. Health care falls into the category of positive rights since its provision by the government requires taxation and therefore redistribution. Therefore, the libertarian or individualist might argue that health care cannot be a true right. This paper rejects the distinction between positive and negative rights. In fact, the protection of both positive and negative rights can place obligations on others. Furthermore, because of its role in helping protect equality of opportunity, health care can be tied to the rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. There is, therefore, good reason to believe that health care is a human right and that universal access should be guaranteed. The practical application, by governments and non-governmental organisations, of several of the arguments presented in this paper is also discussed.

The Design of SimpleITK

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bradley Christopher Lowekamp

2013-12-01

Full Text Available SimpleITK is a new interface to the Insight Segmentation andRegistration Toolkit (ITK designed to facilitate rapid prototyping, educationand scientific activities, via high level programminglanguages. ITK is a templated C++ library of image processingalgorithms and frameworks for biomedical and other applications, andit was designed to be generic, flexible and extensible. Initially, ITKprovided a direct wrapping interface to languages such as Python andTcl through the WrapITK system. Unlike WrapITK, which exposed ITK'scomplex templated interface, SimpleITK was designed to provide an easyto use and simplified interface to ITK's algorithms. It includesprocedural methods, hides ITK's demand driven pipeline, and provides atemplate-less layer. Also SimpleITK provides practical conveniencessuch as binary distribution packages and overloaded operators. Ouruser-friendly design goals dictated a departure from the directinterface wrapping approach of WrapITK, towards a new facadeclass structure that only exposes the required functionality, hidingITK's extensive template use. Internally SimpleITK utilizes a manualdescription of each filter with code-generation and advanced C++meta-programming to provide the higher-level interface, bringing thecapabilities of ITK to a wider audience. SimpleITK is licensed asopen source software under the Apache License Version 2.0 and more informationabout downloading it can be found at http://www.simpleitk.org.

Extreme right-handedness, older brothers, and sexual orientation in men.

Science.gov (United States)

Bogaert, Anthony F

2007-01-01

Two of the most consistent correlates of sexual orientation in men are handedness and fraternal birth order (i.e., number of older brothers). In the present study, the relationship among handedness, older brothers, and sexual orientation was studied in 4 samples of heterosexual and gay or bisexual men (N = 944). Unlike previous studies, which have only observed an increased rate of non-right-handedness in gay or bisexual men relative to heterosexual men, an elevated rate of extreme right-handedness was found in gay or bisexual men relative to heterosexual men. The results also demonstrated that older brothers moderate the relationship between handedness and sexual orientation. Specifically, older brothers increase the odds of being gay or bisexual in moderate right-handers only; in both non-right-handers and extreme right-handers, older brothers do not affect (or decrease) the odds of being gay or bisexual. The results have implications for an early neurodevelopmental origin to sexual orientation in men. (c) 2007 APA, all rights reserved.

Simulation of green roof runoff under different substrate depths and vegetation covers by coupling a simple conceptual and a physically based hydrological model.

Science.gov (United States)

Soulis, Konstantinos X; Valiantzas, John D; Ntoulas, Nikolaos; Kargas, George; Nektarios, Panayiotis A

2017-09-15

In spite of the well-known green roof benefits, their widespread adoption in the management practices of urban drainage systems requires the use of adequate analytical and modelling tools. In the current study, green roof runoff modeling was accomplished by developing, testing, and jointly using a simple conceptual model and a physically based numerical simulation model utilizing HYDRUS-1D software. The use of such an approach combines the advantages of the conceptual model, namely simplicity, low computational requirements, and ability to be easily integrated in decision support tools with the capacity of the physically based simulation model to be easily transferred in conditions and locations other than those used for calibrating and validating it. The proposed approach was evaluated with an experimental dataset that included various green roof covers (either succulent plants - Sedum sediforme, or xerophytic plants - Origanum onites, or bare substrate without any vegetation) and two substrate depths (either 8 cm or 16 cm). Both the physically based and the conceptual models matched very closely the observed hydrographs. In general, the conceptual model performed better than the physically based simulation model but the overall performance of both models was sufficient in most cases as it is revealed by the Nash-Sutcliffe Efficiency index which was generally greater than 0.70. Finally, it was showcased how a physically based and a simple conceptual model can be jointly used to allow the use of the simple conceptual model for a wider set of conditions than the available experimental data and in order to support green roof design. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Pseudo-simple heteroclinic cycles in R4

Science.gov (United States)

Chossat, Pascal; Lohse, Alexander; Podvigina, Olga

2018-06-01

We study pseudo-simple heteroclinic cycles for a Γ-equivariant system in R4 with finite Γ ⊂ O(4) , and their nearby dynamics. In particular, in a first step towards a full classification - analogous to that which exists already for the class of simple cycles - we identify all finite subgroups of O(4) admitting pseudo-simple cycles. To this end we introduce a constructive method to build equivariant dynamical systems possessing a robust heteroclinic cycle. Extending a previous study we also investigate the existence of periodic orbits close to a pseudo-simple cycle, which depends on the symmetry groups of equilibria in the cycle. Moreover, we identify subgroups Γ ⊂ O(4) , Γ ⊄ SO(4) , admitting fragmentarily asymptotically stable pseudo-simple heteroclinic cycles. (It has been previously shown that for Γ ⊂ SO(4) pseudo-simple cycles generically are completely unstable.) Finally, we study a generalized heteroclinic cycle, which involves a pseudo-simple cycle as a subset.

Drug policy, harm and human rights: a rationalist approach.

Science.gov (United States)

Stevens, Alex

2011-05-01

It has recently been argued that drug-related harms cannot be compared, so making it impossible to choose rationally between various drug policy options. Attempts to apply international human rights law to this area are valid, but have found it difficult to overcome the problems in applying codified human rights to issues of drug policy. This article applies the rationalist ethical argument of Gewirth (1978) to this issue. It outlines his argument to the 'principle of generic consistency' and the hierarchy of basic, nonsubtractive and additive rights that it entails. It then applies these ideas to drug policy issues, such as whether there is a right to use drugs, whether the rights of drug 'addicts' can be limited, and how different harms can be compared in choosing between policies. There is an additive right to use drugs, but only insofar as this right does not conflict with the basic and nonsubtractive rights of others. People whose freedom to choose whether to use drugs is compromised by compulsion have a right to receive treatment. They retain enforceable duties not to inflict harms on others. Policies which reduce harms to basic and nonsubtractive rights should be pursued, even if they lead to harms to additive rights. There exists a sound, rational, extra-legal basis for the discussion of drug policy and related harms which enables commensurable discussion of drug policy options. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The rights of drug treatment patients: Experience of addiction treatment in Poland from a human rights perspective.

Science.gov (United States)

Klingemann, Justyna

2017-05-01

Drug dependence is a recognized medical condition and therefore, right to health applies in the same way to drug dependence as it does to any other health condition. The human rights in patient care framework - which refers to the application of basic human rights principles in the delivery of health care services - was used to explore the experiences of equality in the dignity and rights protected by Polish law within four different specialist drug treatment settings in Poland. The views of patients and staff were examined and compared. Focus group interviews were conducted in 12 drug treatment facilities: three inpatient therapeutic communities, three outpatient programs, three opioid substitution programs and three harm reduction programs (drop-in/needle exchange/support). Interviews were conducted with a total of 43 staff and 73 patients. All interviews were audio-recorded with participants' prior consent and transcribed verbatim. Data were analysed according to the problem-centred interview methodology, using CAQDA. Patients described instances of abuse of their rights regarding dignity, privacy, confidentiality, personalized treatment, and respect of patient's time, right to information and to complain. Those accounts were complemented by the perspective of professionals working in drug treatment. Patients of Polish opioid substitution programs reported experiencing more humiliation and disenfranchisement than patients in other drug treatment settings. Drug testing and control, fuelled by prejudices of health professionals, are leading to discriminatory practices in substitution treatment and damaging the chances of therapeutic success. The concept of epistemic injustice illuminates the reasons behind discrimination against patients on opioid substitution programs, who are seen as continuously sick and their illness perceived as a mark of moral, social and epistemic failure. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

National Trends of Simple Prostatectomy for Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia With an Analysis of Risk Factors for Adverse Perioperative Outcomes.

Science.gov (United States)

Pariser, Joseph J; Pearce, Shane M; Patel, Sanjay G; Bales, Gregory T

2015-10-01

To examine the national trends of simple prostatectomy (SP) for benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) focusing on perioperative outcomes and risk factors for complications. The National Inpatient Sample (2002-2012) was utilized to identify patients with BPH undergoing SP. Analysis included demographics, hospital details, associated procedures, and operative approach (open, robotic, or laparoscopic). Outcomes included complications, length of stay, charges, and mortality. Multivariate logistic regression was used to determine the risk factors for perioperative complications. Linear regression was used to assess the trends in the national annual utilization of SP. The study population included 35,171 patients. Median length of stay was 4 days (interquartile range 3-6). Cystolithotomy was performed concurrently in 6041 patients (17%). The overall complication rate was 28%, with bleeding occurring most commonly. In total, 148 (0.4%) patients experienced in-hospital mortality. On multivariate analysis, older age, black race, and overall comorbidity were associated with greater risk of complications while the use of a minimally invasive approach and concurrent cystolithotomy had a decreased risk. Over the study period, the national use of simple prostatectomy decreased, on average, by 145 cases per year (P = .002). By 2012, 135/2580 procedures (5%) were performed using a minimally invasive approach. The nationwide utilization of SP for BPH has decreased. Bleeding complications are common, but perioperative mortality is low. Patients who are older, black race, or have multiple comorbidities are at higher risk of complications. Minimally invasive approaches, which are becoming increasingly utilized, may reduce perioperative morbidity. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A new ore reserve estimation method, Yang Chizhong filtering and inferential measurement method, and its application

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wu Jingqin.

1989-01-01

Yang Chizhong filtering and inferential measurement method is a new method used for variable statistics of ore deposits. In order to apply this theory to estimate the uranium ore reserves under the circumstances of regular or irregular prospecting grids, small ore bodies, less sampling points, and complex occurrence, the author has used this method to estimate the ore reserves in five ore bodies of two deposits and achieved satisfactory results. It is demonstrated that compared with the traditional block measurement method, this method is simple and clear in formula, convenient in application, rapid in calculation, accurate in results, less expensive, and high economic benefits. The procedure and experience in the application of this method and the preliminary evaluation of its results are mainly described

HYDROCARBONS RESERVES IN VENEZUELA

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gonzalez Cruz, D.J.

2007-07-01

Venezuela is an important player in the energy world, because of its hydrocarbons reserves. The process for calculating oil and associated gas reserves is described bearing in mind that 90% of the gas reserves of Venezuela are associated to oil. Likewise, an analysis is made of the oil reserves figures from 1975 to 2003. Reference is also made to inconsistencies found by international experts and the explanations offered in this respect by the Ministry of Energy and Petroleum (MENPET) and Petroleos de Venezuela (PDVSA) regarding the changes that took place in the 1980s. In turn, Hubbert's Law is explained to determine peak production of conventional oil that a reservoir or field will reach, as well as its relationship with remaining reserves. Emphasis is placed on the interest of the United Nations on this topic. The reserves of associated gas are presented along with their relationship with the different crude oils that are produced and with injected gas, as well as with respect to the possible changes that would take place in the latter if oil reserves are revised. Some recommendations are submitted so that the MENPET starts preparing the pertinent policies ruling reserves. (auth)

What's the Right Weight for My Height? (For Teens)

Science.gov (United States)

... cases, teens can be underweight because of a health problem that needs treatment. See a doctor if you notice any of these things: You ... Motivated to Exercise? When Being Overweight Is a Health Problem 5 Ways to Reach a Healthy ... diagnoses, and treatment, consult your doctor. © 1995- The Nemours Foundation. All rights reserved. Images ...

A simple parameter can switch between different weak-noise-induced phenomena in a simple neuron model

Science.gov (United States)

Yamakou, Marius E.; Jost, Jürgen

2017-10-01

In recent years, several, apparently quite different, weak-noise-induced resonance phenomena have been discovered. Here, we show that at least two of them, self-induced stochastic resonance (SISR) and inverse stochastic resonance (ISR), can be related by a simple parameter switch in one of the simplest models, the FitzHugh-Nagumo (FHN) neuron model. We consider a FHN model with a unique fixed point perturbed by synaptic noise. Depending on the stability of this fixed point and whether it is located to either the left or right of the fold point of the critical manifold, two distinct weak-noise-induced phenomena, either SISR or ISR, may emerge. SISR is more robust to parametric perturbations than ISR, and the coherent spike train generated by SISR is more robust than that generated deterministically. ISR also depends on the location of initial conditions and on the time-scale separation parameter of the model equation. Our results could also explain why real biological neurons having similar physiological features and synaptic inputs may encode very different information.

Simple purification method for a recombinantly expressed native His-tag-free aminopeptidase A from Lactobacillus delbrueckii.

Science.gov (United States)

Stressler, Timo; Tanzer, Coralie; Ewert, Jacob; Claaßen, Wolfgang; Fischer, Lutz

2017-03-01

The aminopeptidase A (PepA; EC 3.4.11.7) is an intracellular exopeptidase present in lactic acid bacteria. The PepA cleaves glutamyl/aspartyl residues from the N-terminal end of peptides and can, therefore, be applied for the production of protein hydrolysates with an increased amount of these amino acids, which results in a savory taste (umami). The first PepA from a lactobacilli strain was recombinantly expressed in Escherichia coli in a recently published study and harbored a C-terminal His 6 -tag for easier purification. Due to the fact that a His-tag might influence the properties of an enzyme, a simple purification method for the non-His-tagged PepA was required. Surprisingly, the PepA precipitated at a very low ammonium sulfate concentration of 5%. Unusual for a precipitating step, the purity of PepA was over 95% and the obtained activity yield was 110%. The high purity allows biochemical characterization and kinetic investigation. As a result, the optimum pH (6.0-6.5) and temperature (60-65 °C) were comparable to the His 6 -tag harboring PepA; the K M value was at 0.79 mM slightly lower compared to 1.21 mM, respectively. Since PepA is a homo dodecamer, it has a high molecular mass of approximately 480 kDa. Therefore, a subsequent preparative size-exclusion chromatography (SEC) step seemed promising. The PepA after SEC was purified to homogeneity. In summary, the simple two-step purification method presented can be applied to purify high amounts of PepA that will allow the performance of experiments in the future to crystalize PepA for the first time. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Development of a nematode offspring counting assay for rapid and simple soil toxicity assessment.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Shin Woong; Moon, Jongmin; Jeong, Seung-Woo; An, Youn-Joo

2018-05-01

Since the introduction of standardized nematode toxicity assays by the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) and International Organization for Standardization (ISO), many studies have reported their use. Given that the currently used standardized nematode toxicity assays have certain limitations, in this study, we examined the use of a novel nematode offspring counting assay for evaluating soil ecotoxicity based on a previous soil-agar isolation method used to recover live adult nematodes. In this new assay, adult Caenorhabditis elegans were exposed to soil using a standardized toxicity assay procedure, and the resulting offspring in test soils attracted by a microbial food source in agar plates were counted. This method differs from previously used assays in terms of its endpoint, namely, the number of nematode offspring. The applicability of the bioassay was demonstrated using metal-spiked soils, which revealed metal concentration-dependent responses, and with 36 field soil samples characterized by different physicochemical properties and containing various metals. Principal component analysis revealed that texture fraction (clay, sand, and silt) and electrical conductivity values were the main factors influencing the nematode offspring counting assay, and these findings warrant further investigation. The nematode offspring counting assay is a rapid and simple process that can provide multi-directional toxicity assessment when used in conjunction with other standard methods. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Stenting of the right ventricular outflow tract in 2 dogs for palliation of dysplastic pulmonary valve stenosis and right-to-left intracardiac shunting defects.

Science.gov (United States)

Scansen, Brian A; Kent, Agnieszka M; Cheatham, Sharon L; Cheatham, John P; Cheatham, John D

2014-09-01

Two dogs with severe dysplastic pulmonary valve stenosis and right-to-left shunting defects (patent foramen ovale, perimembranous ventricular septal defect) underwent palliative stenting of the right ventricular outflow tract and pulmonary valve annulus using balloon expandable stents. One dog received 2 over-lapping bare metal stents placed 7 months apart; the other received a single covered stent. Both procedures were considered technically successful with a reduction in the transpulmonary valve pressure gradient from 202 to 90 mmHg in 1 dog and from 168 to 95 mmHg in the other. Clinical signs of exercise intolerance and syncope were temporarily resolved in both dogs. However, progressive right ventricular concentric hypertrophy, recurrent stenosis, and erythrocytosis were observed over the subsequent 6 months leading to poor long-term outcomes. Stenting of the right ventricular outflow tract is feasible in dogs with severe dysplastic pulmonary valve stenosis, though further study and optimization of the procedure is required. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

US uranium reserves

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hansen, M.V.

1981-01-01

The current low level of demand, compounded by rapidly rising costs and low prices, has caused a significant reduction in drilling for uranium in the United States, and the trend is likely to continue for a few more years. The effect on uranium reserves will be fewer additions to reserves because less exploration is being done. Further reductions will occur, especially in low-cost reserves, because of increasing costs, continuing depletion through production, and erosion through the high grading of deposits to fulfill previous contractual commitments. During the past several years, it has been necessary to increase the upper reserve cost level twice to compensate for rising costs. Rising costs are reducing the $15 reserves, the cost category corresponding most closely to the present market price, to an insignificant level. An encouraging factor related to US uranium reserves is that the US position internationally, as far as quantity is concerned, is not bad for the longer term. Also, there is a general opinion that US consumers would rather contract for domestic uranium than for foreign because of greater assurance of supply. Still another factor, nearly impossible to assess, is what effect rising costs in other countries will have on their uranium reserves. The annual conferences between the Grand Junction Area Office staff and major uranium companies provide a broad overview of the industry's perception of the future. It is not optimistic for the short term. Many companies are reducing their exploration and mining programs; some are switching to other more marketable mineral commodities, and a few are investing more heavily in foreign ventures. However, there is general optimism for the long term, and many predict a growth in demand in the mid-1980s. If the industry can survive the few lean years ahead, rising prices may restore its viability to former levels

Clusters in simple fluids

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sator, N.

2003-01-01

This article concerns the correspondence between thermodynamics and the morphology of simple fluids in terms of clusters. Definitions of clusters providing a geometric interpretation of the liquid-gas phase transition are reviewed with an eye to establishing their physical relevance. The author emphasizes their main features and basic hypotheses, and shows how these definitions lead to a recent approach based on self-bound clusters. Although theoretical, this tutorial review is also addressed to readers interested in experimental aspects of clustering in simple fluids

A simple electron multiplexer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dobrzynski, L; Akjouj, A; Djafari-Rouhani, B; Al-Wahsh, H; Zielinski, P

2003-01-01

We present a simple multiplexing device made of two atomic chains coupled by two other transition metal atoms. We show that this simple atomic device can transfer electrons at a given energy from one wire to the other, leaving all other electron states unaffected. Closed-form relations between the transmission coefficients and the inter-atomic distances are given to optimize the desired directional electron ejection. Such devices can be adsorbed on insulating substrates and characterized by current surface technologies. (letter to the editor)

Application of 3D Laser Scanning Technology in Inspection and Dynamic Reserves Detection of Open-Pit Mine

Science.gov (United States)

Hu, Zhumin; Wei, Shiyu; Jiang, Jun

2017-10-01

The traditional open-pit mine mining rights verification and dynamic reserve detection means rely on the total station and RTK to collect the results of the turning point coordinates of mining surface contours. It resulted in obtaining the results of low precision and large error in the means that is limited by the traditional measurement equipment accuracy and measurement methods. The three-dimensional scanning technology can obtain the three-dimensional coordinate data of the surface of the measured object in a large area at high resolution. This paper expounds the commonly used application of 3D scanning technology in the inspection and dynamic reserve detection of open mine mining rights.

Optimal management of nutrient reserves in microorganisms under time-varying environmental conditions.

Science.gov (United States)

Nev, Olga A; Nev, Oleg A; van den Berg, Hugo A

2017-09-21

Intracellular reserves are a conspicuous feature of many bacteria; such internal stores are often present in the form of inclusions in which polymeric storage compounds are accumulated. Such reserves tend to increase in times of plenty and be used up in times of scarcity. Mathematical models that describe the dynamical nature of reserve build-up and use are known as "cell quota," "dynamic energy/nutrient budget," or "variable-internal-stores" models. Here we present a stoichiometrically consistent macro-chemical model that accounts for variable stores as well as adaptive allocation of building blocks to various types of catalytic machinery. The model posits feedback loops linking expression of assimilatory machinery to reserve density. The precise form of the "regulatory law" at the heart of such a loop expresses how the cell manages internal stores. We demonstrate how this "regulatory law" can be recovered from experimental data using several empirical data sets. We find that stores should be expected to be negligibly small in stable growth-sustaining environments, but prominent in environments characterised by marked fluctuations on time scales commensurate with the inherent dynamic time scale of the organismal system. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Amusia for pitch caused by right middle cerebral artery infarct.

Science.gov (United States)

Hochman, M Seth; Abrams, Kevin J

2014-01-01

A 61-year-old right-handed man with hypertension and dyslipidemia noted that he was singing along to classic rock songs on his car radio, but his voice was off pitch. Six days later, a magnetic resonance imaging scan of his brain revealed a cerebral infarct of the right temporal parietal cortex and insula. Case reports of the precise anatomic correlates of disordered pitch musical processing have been few and fragmentary. The anatomic involvement of our case coincides with the areas of involvement in 3 previously reported cases. Increased awareness of amusia as a rare clinical presentation of stroke should lead to earlier stroke intervention. Copyright © 2014 National Stroke Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Origins and consequences of congenital heart defects affecting the right ventricle.

Science.gov (United States)

Woudstra, Odilia I; Ahuja, Suchit; Bokma, Jouke P; Bouma, Berto J; Mulder, Barbara J M; Christoffels, Vincent M

2017-10-01

Congenital heart disease is a major health issue, accounting for a third of all congenital defects. Improved early surgical management has led to a growing population of adults with congenital heart disease, including patients with defects affecting the right ventricle, which are often classified as severe. Defects affecting the right ventricle often cause right ventricular volume or pressure overload and affected patients are at high risk for complications such as heart failure and sudden death. Recent insights into the developmental mechanisms and distinct developmental origins of the left ventricle, right ventricle, and the outflow tract have shed light on the common features and distinct problems arising in specific defects. Here, we provide a comprehensive overview of the current knowledge on the development into the normal and congenitally malformed right heart and the clinical consequences of several congenital heart defects affecting the right ventricle. Published on behalf of the European Society of Cardiology. All rights reserved. © The Author 2017. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

A simple way to an ultra-robust superhydrophobic fabric with mechanical stability, UV durability, and UV shielding property.

Science.gov (United States)

Ren, Guina; Song, Yuanming; Li, Xiangming; Wang, Bo; Zhou, Yanli; Wang, Yuyan; Ge, Bo; Zhu, Xiaotao

2018-07-15

Development of an ultra-robust superhydrophobic fabric with mechanical stability, UV durability, and UV shielding by a simple method is highly desirable, yet it remains a challenge that current technologies have been unable to fully address. Herein, the original fabric is immersed into the solution containing ZnO nanoparticle and PDMS (polydimethylsiloxane), and the fiber surfaces are uniformly covered by a ZnO-PDMS layer after thermal treatment at 110 °C for 30 min. Droplets of water and corrosive liquids including strong acid, strong alkali, and saturated salt solution display sphere shape on the ZnO-PDMS coated fabric surface. The stable binding of ZnO-PDMS layer onto the fibers allows for the fabric coating with robust superhydrophobicity, and the coated fabric still displays superhydrophobicity after hand twisting, knife scratching, finger touching, and even cycles of sandpaper abrasion. The ZnO-PDMS coated fabric can also keep its superhydrophobic property when exposed to long term UV illumination, demonstrating its UV resistance. Moreover, the uniformly distribution of ZnO nanoparticles on fibers allows the ZnO-PDMS coated fabric to display UV shielding property. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Complexity is simple!

Science.gov (United States)

Cottrell, William; Montero, Miguel

2018-02-01

In this note we investigate the role of Lloyd's computational bound in holographic complexity. Our goal is to translate the assumptions behind Lloyd's proof into the bulk language. In particular, we discuss the distinction between orthogonalizing and `simple' gates and argue that these notions are useful for diagnosing holographic complexity. We show that large black holes constructed from series circuits necessarily employ simple gates, and thus do not satisfy Lloyd's assumptions. We also estimate the degree of parallel processing required in this case for elementary gates to orthogonalize. Finally, we show that for small black holes at fixed chemical potential, the orthogonalization condition is satisfied near the phase transition, supporting a possible argument for the Weak Gravity Conjecture first advocated in [1].

An intrahepatic calculus superimposed over the right renal shadow: a case of mistaken identity.

Science.gov (United States)

Learney, Robert M; Shrotri, Nitin

2010-08-01

A 36-year-old Caucasian British woman presented with a classic case of right renal colic. Initial plain abdominal radiography and intravenous urography identified an 8 x 5 mm calculus apparently lying within a right lower pole calyx. Following failed extracorporeal lithotripsy and flexible ureterorenoscopy, cross-sectional imaging revealed a misdiagnosis by superposition of an intrahepatic calculus over the right renal shadow. This case serves to support cross-sectional imaging in the diagnosis of renal calculi. Copyright 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Comparison of six simple methods for extracting ribosomal and mitochondrial DNA from Toxocara and Toxascaris nematodes.

Science.gov (United States)

Mikaeili, F; Kia, E B; Sharbatkhori, M; Sharifdini, M; Jalalizand, N; Heidari, Z; Zarei, Z; Stensvold, C R; Mirhendi, H

2013-06-01

Six simple methods for extraction of ribosomal and mitochondrial DNA from Toxocara canis, Toxocara cati and Toxascaris leonina were compared by evaluating the presence, appearance and intensity of PCR products visualized on agarose gels and amplified from DNA extracted by each of the methods. For each species, two isolates were obtained from the intestines of their respective hosts: T. canis and T. leonina from dogs, and T. cati from cats. For all isolates, total DNA was extracted using six different methods, including grinding, boiling, crushing, beating, freeze-thawing and the use of a commercial kit. To evaluate the efficacy of each method, the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region and the cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (cox1) gene were chosen as representative markers for ribosomal and mitochondrial DNA, respectively. Among the six DNA extraction methods, the beating method was the most cost effective for all three species, followed by the commercial kit. Both methods produced high intensity bands on agarose gels and were characterized by no or minimal smear formation, depending on gene target; however, beating was less expensive. We therefore recommend the beating method for studies where costs need to be kept at low levels. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A simple method for the small scale synthesis and solid-phase extraction purification of steroid sulfates.

Science.gov (United States)

Waller, Christopher C; McLeod, Malcolm D

2014-12-01

Steroid sulfates are a major class of steroid metabolite that are of growing importance in fields such as anti-doping analysis, the detection of residues in agricultural produce or medicine. Despite this, many steroid sulfate reference materials may have limited or no availability hampering the development of analytical methods. We report simple protocols for the rapid synthesis and purification of steroid sulfates that are suitable for adoption by analytical laboratories. Central to this approach is the use of solid-phase extraction (SPE) for purification, a technique routinely used for sample preparation in analytical laboratories around the world. The sulfate conjugates of sixteen steroid compounds encompassing a wide range of steroid substitution patterns and configurations are prepared, including the previously unreported sulfate conjugates of the designer steroids furazadrol (17β-hydroxyandrostan[2,3-d]isoxazole), isofurazadrol (17β-hydroxyandrostan[3,2-c]isoxazole) and trenazone (17β-hydroxyestra-4,9-dien-3-one). Structural characterization data, together with NMR and mass spectra are reported for all steroid sulfates, often for the first time. The scope of this approach for small scale synthesis is highlighted by the sulfation of 1μg of testosterone (17β-hydroxyandrost-4-en-3-one) as monitored by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LCMS). Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Identity Rights and Sensitive Ethical Questions: The European Convention on Human Rights and the Regulation of Surrogacy Arrangements.

Science.gov (United States)

Mulligan, Andrea

2018-02-05

Attitudes to surrogacy vary widely across Europe, leading to great variation in the domestic legal regimes of the Member States of the Council of Europe. Confronted with such diverse approaches, the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) faces a difficult task in seeking to apply Convention rights in the surrogacy context, which it has tackled in the recent cases of Mennesson v France and Paradiso and Campanelli v Italy. The primary purpose of this article is to propose an argument as to what the Convention requires of the Member States in the field of surrogacy. It is argued that while tensions exist between the leading cases, they may be reconciled by appreciating the importance of the right to identity, a facet of the right to respect for private life. Properly understood, the case law imposes obligations on the Member States as regards the legal status of surrogate-born children in both cross-border and domestic surrogacy. The secondary purpose of this article is to argue that, in the surrogacy context, the concept of identity should be given a richer interpretation which encompasses the child's relationship with genetic, gestational, and intended parents, and therefore that a narrow margin of appreciation must apply to all State interventions concerning the legal status of surrogate-born children. © The Author(s) 2018. Published by Oxford University Press; All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy: contribution of different electrocardiographic techniques.

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Moreira, Davide; Delgado, Anne; Marmelo, Bruno; Correia, Emanuel; Gama, Pedro; Pipa, João; Nunes, Luís; Santos, Oliveira

2014-04-01

Arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy, also known as arrhythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia, is a condition in which myocardium is replaced by fibrous or fibrofatty tissue, predominantly in the right ventricle. It is clinically characterized by potentially lethal ventricular arrhythmias, and is a leading cause of sudden cardiac death. Its prevalence is not known exactly but is estimated at approximately 1:5000 in the adult population. Diagnosis can be on the basis of structural and functional alterations of the right ventricle, electrocardiographic abnormalities (including depolarization and repolarization alterations and ventricular arrhythmias) and family history. Diagnostic criteria facilitate the recognition and interpretation of non-specific clinical features of this disease. The authors present a case in which the diagnosis of arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy was prompted by the suspicion of right ventricular disease on transthoracic echocardiography. This was confirmed by detection of epsilon waves on analysis of the ECG, which generally go unnoticed but in this case were the key to the diagnosis. Their presence was also shown by non-conventional ECG techniques such as modified Fontaine ECG. The course of the disease culminated in the occurrence of ventricular tachycardia, which prompted placement of an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator. Copyright © 2013 Sociedade Portuguesa de Cardiologia. Published by Elsevier España. All rights reserved.

Recent revisions of phosphate rock reserves and resources: reassuring or misleading? An in-depth literature review of global estimates of phosphate rock reserves and resources

Science.gov (United States)

Edixhoven, J. D.; Gupta, J.; Savenije, H. H. G.

2013-09-01

Phosphate rock (PR) is a finite mineral indispensible for fertilizer production and a major pollutant. High grade PR is obtained from deposits which took millions of years to form and are gradually being depleted. Over the past three years, global PR reserves as reported by US Geological Survey (USGS) have seen a massive increase, from 16 000 Mt PR in 2010 to 65 000 Mt PR in 2011. The bulk of this four-fold increase is based on a 2010 report by International Fertilizer Development Center (IFDC), which increased Moroccan reserves from 5700 Mt PR as reported by USGS, to 51 000 Mt PR, reported as upgraded ("beneficiated") concentrate. IFDC used a starkly simplified classification compared to the classification used by USGS and proposed that agreement should be reached on PR resource terminology which should be as simple as possible. The report has profoundly influenced the PR scarcity debate, shifting the emphasis from depletion to the pollution angle of the phosphate problem. Various analysts adopted the findings of IFDC and USGS, and argued that that following depletion of reserves, uneconomic deposits (resources and occurrences) will remain available which will extend the lifetime of available deposits to thousands of years. Given the near total dependence of food production on PR, data on PR deposits must be transparent, comparable, reliable and credible. Based on an in-depth literature review, we analyze (i) how IFDC's simplified terminology compares to international best practice in resource classification and whether it is likely to yield data that meets the abovementioned requirements; (ii) whether the difference between ore reserves and reserves as concentrate is sufficiently noted in the literature, and (iii) whether the IFDC report and its estimate of PR reserves and resources is reliable. We conclude that, while there is a global development toward common criteria in resource reporting, IFDC's definitions contravene this development and - due to their

Stunning and Right Ventricular Dysfunction Is Induced by Coronary Balloon Occlusion and Rapid Pacing in Humans: Insights From Right Ventricular Conductance Catheter Studies.

Science.gov (United States)

Axell, Richard G; Giblett, Joel P; White, Paul A; Klein, Andrew; Hampton-Til, James; O'Sullivan, Michael; Braganza, Denise; Davies, William R; West, Nick E J; Densem, Cameron G; Hoole, Stephen P

2017-06-06

We sought to determine whether right ventricular stunning could be detected after supply (during coronary balloon occlusion [BO]) and supply/demand ischemia (induced by rapid pacing [RP] during transcatheter aortic valve replacement) in humans. Ten subjects with single-vessel right coronary artery disease undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention with normal ventricular function were studied in the BO group. Ten subjects undergoing transfemoral transcatheter aortic valve replacement were studied in the RP group. In both, a conductance catheter was placed into the right ventricle, and pressure volume loops were recorded at baseline and for intervals over 15 minutes after a low-pressure BO for 1 minute or a cumulative duration of RP for up to 1 minute. Ischemia-induced diastolic dysfunction was seen 1 minute after RP (end-diastolic pressure [mm Hg]: 8.1±4.2 versus 12.1±4.1, P right coronary artery balloon occlusion both cause ischemic right ventricular dysfunction with stunning observed later during the procedure. This may have intraoperative implications in patients without right ventricular functional reserve. © 2017 The Authors. Published on behalf of the American Heart Association, Inc., by Wiley.

Pre-Emption, Back-In And Redemption Rights As Well As The Right Of Priority In Acquisition Of Real Estate

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dadańska Katarzyna A.

2015-03-01

Full Text Available Among factors that might significantly diversify common and economic trading, in particular trading in real estate, pre-emption, back-in and redemption rights, as well as the right of priority in acquisition play an important role. These legal instruments, despite certain differences in their legal structures, serve a similar function. Namely, they may be utilized for the purpose of affecting the preferred ownership structure. The legislator in pursuit of the assumed ownership structure may – through the instruments of the pre-emption right, back–in right, redemption right and the right of priority in acquisition – particularly with their statutory character - restrict freedom to trade in ownership with regard to the selection of the real estate purchaser. Simultaneously, in the contracting process, the parties face a certain manner of proceeding imposed, the purpose of which is to conclude the contract on transferring real estate ownership with the partner preferred by the legislator. In certain cases, the legislator goes even further, granting the eligible party a claim under which the eligible party may demand that the party obliged shall submit an appropriate declaration of will, and in the event that the party obliged refuses – the eligible party may seek the judgment of the court replacing that declaration. Proper navigation in the field of real estate trading, in particular with regard to transactions in which the pre-emption right, back-in right, and redemption right, or the right of priority in acquisition is reserved for defined entities, requires defining the legal character of the given instrument, the manner of executing the due right by the eligible party, results of the failure of the parties to the contracting process to fulfill the obligations imposed by the act, and finally, defining whether there are means for the compulsory execution of the power guaranteed by the act and, if yes, what these means are.

Mercapto-ordered carbohydrate-derived porous carbon electrode as a novel electrochemical sensor for simple and sensitive ultra-trace detection of omeprazole in biological samples.

Science.gov (United States)

Kalate Bojdi, Majid; Behbahani, Mohammad; Mashhadizadeh, Mohammad Hosein; Bagheri, Akbar; Hosseiny Davarani, Saied Saeed; Farahani, Ali

2015-03-01

We are introducing mercapto-mesoporous carbon modified carbon paste electrode (mercapto-MP-C-CPE) as a new sensor for trace determination of omeprazole (OM) in biological samples. The synthesized modifier was characterized by thermogravimetry analysis (TGA), differential thermal analysis (DTA), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Fourier transform infrared spectrometry (FT-IR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), elemental analysis (CHN) and N2 adsorption surface area measurement (BET). The electrochemical response characteristic of the modified-CPE toward OM was investigated by cyclic and differential pulse voltammetry (CV and DPV). The proposed sensor displayed a good electrooxidation response to the OM, its linear range is 0.25nM to 25μM with a detection limit of 0.04nM under the optimized conditions. The prepared modified electrode shows several advantages such as high sensitivity, long-time stability, wide linear range, ease of preparation and regeneration of the electrode surface by simple polishing and excellent reproducibility. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Facile synthesis of zinc oxide nanoparticles decorated graphene oxide composite via simple solvothermal route and their photocatalytic activity on methylene blue degradation.

Science.gov (United States)

Atchudan, Raji; Edison, Thomas Nesakumar Jebakumar Immanuel; Perumal, Suguna; Karthikeyan, Dhanapalan; Lee, Yong Rok

2016-09-01

Zinc oxide nanoparticles decorated graphene oxide (ZnO@GO) composite was synthesized by simple solvothermal method where zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles and graphene oxide (GO) were synthesized via simple thermal oxidation and Hummers method, respectively. The obtained materials were thoroughly characterized by various physico-chemical techniques such as X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and Raman spectroscopy. Raman spectrum shows the intensity of D to G value was close to one which confirms the obtained GO and ZnO@GO composite possesses moderate graphitization. TEM images shows the ZnO nanoparticles mean size of 15±5nm were dispersed over the wrinkled graphene layers. The photocatalytic performance of ZnO@GO composite on degradation of methylene blue (MB) is investigated and the results show that the GO plays an important role in the enhancement of photocatalytic performance. The synthesized ZnO@GO composite achieves a maximum degradation efficiency of 98.5% in a neutral solution under UV-light irradiation for 15min as compared with pure ZnO (degradation efficiency is 49% after 60min of irradiation) due to the increased light absorption, the reduced charge recombination with the introduction of GO. Moreover, the resulting ZnO@GO composite possesses excellent degradation efficiency as compared to ZnO nanoparticles alone on MB. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The Danish Ombudsman – A National Watchdog with European Reservations

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Michael GØTZE

2009-12-01

Full Text Available The Danish Parliamentary Ombudsman occupies a central position as a watchdog over public authorities within the national context. The statutory and functional powers of the institution are wide and the ombudsman enjoys an a priori sympathy from e.g. Parliament and the media. In addition, there are no specialised administrative courts in Denmark and the ombudsman is thus unrivalled on the legal scene as the primary specialist protector of good administration. Nevertheless, the ombudsman subscribes to a narrow scope of focus in the protection of citizens’ rights. In practice the ombudsman often limits his review to the compliance by authorities of national law and in particular of general procedural requirements. The rights of citizens are only actively protected by the ombudsman as far as certain parts of general administrative law in concerned. The current strategy of selected preferences of the Danish ombudsman leaves European Union rights of citizens largely unidentified and unprotected. The Danish ombudsman is a watchdog with teeth but with discerning taste buds. As to EU Law, the ombudsman is reserved and has no appetite at all.

A Simple Method for the Simultaneous Determination of Pharmaceuticals and Personal Care Products in River Sediment by Ultrasound-Assisted Extraction Followed by Solid-Phase Microextraction Coupled with Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry.

Science.gov (United States)

Díaz, Alejandro; Peña-Alvarez, Araceli

2017-10-01

A simple method was developed using ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) combined with solid-phase microextraction (SPME) coupled with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) for the simultaneous determination of eight different pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) (ibuprofen, 2-benzyl-4-chlorophenol, naproxen, triclosan, ketoprofen, diclofenac, bisphenol A and estrone) in river sediment. UAE conditions were optimized involving extraction variables such as extraction solvent, extraction time, sample amount, extraction temperature, pH and salt addition. A 100 mg of sediment was extracted by optimized UAE process using 7 mL deionized water (pH 3) + 1% methanol as solvent, room temperature and 1 min extraction at 70% of amplitude. A 5 mL of supernatant was subsequently extracted by SPME; the extracted analytes were derivatized on fiber in head-space mode with N-methyl-N-(tertbutyldimethylsilyl) trifluoroacetamide and then analyzed by GC-MS. The developed method was evaluated by testing: precision (CV 0.98), recoveries (56-108%), limits of detection (simple and environmentally friendly, and provides straightforward analyses of these trace organic pollutants in sediment samples. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Development of a simple, low cost chronoamperometric assay for fructose based on a commercial graphite-nanoparticle modified screen-printed carbon electrode.

Science.gov (United States)

Nicholas, Phil; Pittson, Robin; Hart, John P

2018-02-15

This paper describes the development of a simple, low cost chronoamperometric assay, for the measurement of fructose, using a graphite-nanoparticle modified screen-printed electrode (SPCE-G-COOH). Cyclic voltammetry showed that the response of the SPCE-G-COOH enhanced the sensitivity and precision, towards the enzymatically generated ferrocyanide species, over a plain SPCE; therefore the former was employed in subsequent studies. Calibration studies were carried out using chronoamperometry with a 40µl mixture containing fructose, mediator and FDH, deposited onto the SPCE-G-COOH. The response was linear from 0.1mM to 1.0mM. A commercial fruit juice sample was analysed using the developed assay and the fructose concentration was calculated to be 477mM with a precision of 3.03% (n=5). Following fortification (477mM fructose) the mean recovery was found to be 97.12% with a coefficient of variation of 6.42% (n=5); consequently, the method holds promise for the analysis of commercial fruit juices. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Rights, laws and tensions: A comparative analysis of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and the WHO Resource Book on Mental Health, Human Rights and Legislation.

Science.gov (United States)

Duffy, Richard M; Kelly, Brendan D

Good mental health legislation is essential for ensuring high quality mental health care and protecting human rights. Many countries are attempting to bring mental health legislation in line with the UN - Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disability (UN-CRPD). The UN-CRPD requires policy-makers to rethink the 'medical model' of mental illness and existing laws. It also challenges WHO guidelines on drafting mental health law, described in the WHO Resource Book on Mental Health, Human Rights and Legislation (WHO-RB). This study examines the relationship between the UN-CRPD and the WHO-RB. It compares the documents, highlighting similarities and identifying areas of disagreement. The WHO-RB contains a checklist of human rights standards it recommends are met at national level. This study analyses each component on this checklist and identifies the relevant sections in the UN-CRPD that pertain to each. Both the UN-CRPD and WHO-RB address more than just acute exacerbations of illness, providing guidelines on, inter alia, treatment, education, occupation and housing. They are patient-centred and strongly influenced by social rights. The UN-CRPD, however, gives just superficial consideration to the management of acute illness, forensic and risk issues, and does little to identify the role of family and carers. The UN-CRPD has evolved from disability research and strong advocacy organisations. Careful consideration is needed to enable it to address the specific needs encountered in mental illness. Both the UN-CRPD and WHO-RB highlight common tensions that must be resolved by clinicians, and provide some guidance for stakeholders who commonly need to observe one principle at the expense of another. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Syndemic vulnerability and the right to health.

Science.gov (United States)

Willen, Sarah S; Knipper, Michael; Abadía-Barrero, César E; Davidovitch, Nadav

2017-03-04

Investigators working both in syndemics, a field of applied health research with roots in medical anthropology, and in the field of health and human rights recognise that upstream social, political, and structural determinants contribute more to health inequities than do biological factors or personal choices. Syndemics investigates synergistic, often deleterious interactions among comorbid health conditions, especially under circumstances of structural and political adversity. Health and human rights research draws on international law to argue that all people deserve access not only to health care, but also to the underlying determinants of good health. Taking the urgent matter of migrant health as an empirical focus, we juxtapose the fields of syndemics and health and human rights, identify their complementarities, and advocate for a combined approach. By melding insights from these fields, the combined syndemics/health and human rights approach advanced here can provide clinicians and other key stakeholders with concrete insights, tools, and strategies to tackle the health inequities that affect migrants and other vulnerable groups by: (1) mapping the effect of social, political, and structural determinants on health; (2) identifying opportunities for upstream intervention; and (3) working collaboratively to tackle the structures, institutions, and processes that cause and exacerbate health inequities. Undergirding this approach is an egalitarian interpretation of the right to health that differs from narrow legalistic and individual interpretations by insisting that all people are equal in worth and, as a result, equally deserving of protection from syndemic vulnerability. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The "Creative Right Brain" Revisited: Individual Creativity and Associative Priming in the Right Hemisphere Relate to Hemispheric Asymmetries in Reward Brain Function.

Science.gov (United States)

Aberg, Kristoffer Carl; Doell, Kimberly C; Schwartz, Sophie

2017-10-01

The idea that creativity resides in the right cerebral hemisphere is persistent in popular science, but has been widely frowned upon by the scientific community due to little empirical support. Yet, creativity is believed to rely on the ability to combine remote concepts into novel and useful ideas, an ability which would depend on associative processing in the right hemisphere. Moreover, associative processing is modulated by dopamine, and asymmetries in dopamine functionality between hemispheres may imbalance the expression of their implemented cognitive functions. Here, by uniting these largely disconnected concepts, we hypothesize that relatively less dopamine function in the right hemisphere boosts creativity by releasing constraining effects of dopamine on remote associations. Indeed, participants with reduced neural responses in the dopaminergic system of the right hemisphere (estimated by functional MRI in a reward task with positive and negative feedback), displayed higher creativity (estimated by convergent and divergent tasks), and increased associative processing in the right hemisphere (estimated by a lateralized lexical decision task). Our findings offer unprecedented empirical support for a crucial and specific contribution of the right hemisphere to creativity. More importantly our study provides a comprehensive view on potential determinants of human creativity, namely dopamine-related activity and associative processing. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

A simple device for the stereoscopic display of 3D CT images

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Haveri, M.; Suramo, I.; Laehde, S.; Karhula, V.; Junila, J.

1997-01-01

We describe a simple device for creating true 3D views of image pairs obtained at 3D CT reconstruction. The device presents the images in a slightly different angle of view for the left and the right eyes. This true 3D viewing technique was applied experimentally in the evaluation of complex acetabular fractures. Experiments were also made to determine the optimal angle between the images for each eye. The angle varied between 1 and 7 for different observers and also depended on the display field of view used. (orig.)

Wake-Up Right-Sided Hemiparesis and Dysarthria in a Heavy Snorer.

Science.gov (United States)

Brunetti, Valerio; Ferilli, Michela Ada Noris; Vollono, Catello; Di Franco, Antonino; Della Marca, Giacomo

2018-01-01

A 57-year-old man was referred to the ED for wake-up right-sided hemiparesis, hypoesthesia, dysarthria, and a National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score of 7. Urgent CT brain scanning showed an ischemic lesion of the left temporal and insular lobes. The patient was admitted to the stroke unit, and acetylsalicylic acid 300 mg and low-molecular-weight heparin 6,000 IU were administered. Copyright © 2017 American College of Chest Physicians. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

8 CFR 293.3 - Simple interest table.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... 8 Aliens and Nationality 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Simple interest table. 293.3 Section 293.3 Aliens and Nationality DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY IMMIGRATION REGULATIONS DEPOSIT OF AND INTEREST ON CASH RECEIVED TO SECURE IMMIGRATION BONDS § 293.3 Simple interest table. Following is a simple interest...

All rights reserved Performance Evaluation of a Locally Fabricated ...

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Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Benin, Benin City Nigeria .... The heat exchanger comprises tubing made of mild steel with the dimension of 70mm ... contact with the burning compartment to allow for heat exchange and ...

All rights reserved Investigation of the physical and mechanical ...

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structural use obtained at different areas of Kwara State, Nigeria. Physical properties of ... quantities of local raw materials which must be processed and used for .... F is less than the critical and P is greater than α, thus, there is no significant ...

rights reserved Numerical Solution of the Differential Equation for ...

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ADOWIE PERE

2017-12-10

Dec 10, 2017 ... permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited ... The mathematical model has been used to describe ..... Prachin Buri Rice Research Center for historical.

rights reserved Assessment of Home-Based Nigerian Engineers on ...

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The study thus establishes risk management practices as key to successful project management and its neglect as major causal factor for project failures in Nigeria. ... Commons Attribution License (CCL), which permits unrestricted use, ...

rights reserved Identification of some human pathogenic fungi using ...

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floccosum, Microsporum audouinii, Microsporum nanum, Trichophyton concentricum Trichophyton mentagrophytes var. quinckeanun, and Trichophyton violaceum. On the basis of their primary habitat associations, the above isolates are of three groups. These are the anthropophilic, zoophilic, and geophilic as depicted in ...

rights reserved Protective Effects of Aqueous Extract of Cinnamon

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oxidative stress by polyunsaturated fatty acids in the composition of renal ... laboratory animals (National Institute of Health. Guide for the Care .... encouragement throughout the period of this work. ... Journal of America College of. Nutrition ...

rights reserved Relationship between ABO Blood Groups and Lipid

African Journals Online (AJOL)

ADOWIE PERE

Key Words: Lipoproteins, Blood groups, cardiovascular diseases, triglycerides. After the discovery of ABO blood groups. (Lansteiner, 1900), several studies have reported that the occurence of some diseases can be correlated with blood group types e.g. carcinoma of stomach (Aird et al., 1953), cardiometabolic diseases ...

Human rights violations against sex workers: burden and effect on HIV.

Science.gov (United States)

Decker, Michele R; Crago, Anna-Louise; Chu, Sandra K H; Sherman, Susan G; Seshu, Meena S; Buthelezi, Kholi; Dhaliwal, Mandeep; Beyrer, Chris

2015-01-10

We reviewed evidence from more than 800 studies and reports on the burden and HIV implications of human rights violations against sex workers. Published research documents widespread abuses of human rights perpetrated by both state and non-state actors. Such violations directly and indirectly increase HIV susceptibility, and undermine effective HIV-prevention and intervention efforts. Violations include homicide; physical and sexual violence, from law enforcement, clients, and intimate partners; unlawful arrest and detention; discrimination in accessing health services; and forced HIV testing. Abuses occur across all policy regimes, although most profoundly where sex work is criminalised through punitive law. Protection of sex workers is essential to respect, protect, and meet their human rights, and to improve their health and wellbeing. Research findings affirm the value of rights-based HIV responses for sex workers, and underscore the obligation of states to uphold the rights of this marginalised population. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Calibration and diagnostic accuracy of simple flotation, McMaster and FLOTAC for parasite egg counts in sheep.

Science.gov (United States)

Rinaldi, L; Coles, G C; Maurelli, M P; Musella, V; Cringoli, G

2011-05-11

The present study was aimed at carrying out a calibration and a comparison of diagnostic accuracy of three faecal egg counts (FEC) techniques, simple flotation, McMaster and FLOTAC, in order to find the best flotation solution (FS) for Dicrocoelium dendriticum, Moniezia expansa and gastrointestinal (GI) strongyle eggs, and to evaluate the influence of faecal preservation methods combined with FS on egg counts. Simple flotation failed to give satisfactory results with any samples. Overall, FLOTAC resulted in similar or higher eggs per gram of faeces (EPG) and lower coefficient of variation (CV) than McMaster. The "gold standard" for D. dendriticum was obtained with FLOTAC when using FS7 (EPG=219, CV=3.9%) and FS8 (EPG=226, CV=5.2%) on fresh faeces. The "gold standard" for M. expansa was obtained with FLOTAC, using FS3 (EPG=122, CV=4.1%) on fresh faeces. The "gold standard" for GI strongyles was obtained with FLOTAC when using FS5 (EPG=320, CV=4%) and FS2 (EPG=298, CV=5%). As regard to faecal preservation methods, formalin 5% and 10% or freezing showed performance similar to fresh faeces for eggs of D. dendriticum and M. expansa. However, these methods of preservation were not as successful with GI strongyle eggs. Vacuum packing with storage at +4°C permitted storage of GI strongyle eggs for up to 21 days prior to counting. Where accurate egg counts are required in ovine samples the optimum method of counting is the use of FLOTAC. In addition, we suggest the use of two solutions that are easy and cheap to purchase and prepare, saturated sodium chloride (FS2) for nematoda and cestoda eggs and saturated zinc sulphate (FS7) for trematoda eggs and nematoda larvae. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Headspace-SPME-GC/MS as a simple cleanup tool for sensitive 2,6-diisopropylphenol analysis from lipid emulsions and adaptable to other matrices.

Science.gov (United States)

Pickl, Karin E; Adamek, Viktor; Gorges, Roland; Sinner, Frank M

2011-07-15

Due to increased regulatory requirements, the interaction of active pharmaceutical ingredients with various surfaces and solutions during production and storage is gaining interest in the pharmaceutical research field, in particular with respect to development of new formulations, new packaging material and the evaluation of cleaning processes. Experimental adsorption/absorption studies as well as the study of cleaning processes require sophisticated analytical methods with high sensitivity for the drug of interest. In the case of 2,6-diisopropylphenol - a small lipophilic drug which is typically formulated as lipid emulsion for intravenous injection - a highly sensitive method in the concentration range of μg/l suitable to be applied to a variety of different sample matrices including lipid emulsions is needed. We hereby present a headspace-solid phase microextraction (HS-SPME) approach as a simple cleanup procedure for sensitive 2,6-diisopropylphenol quantification from diverse matrices choosing a lipid emulsion as the most challenging matrix with regard to complexity. By combining the simple and straight forward HS-SPME sample pretreatment with an optimized GC-MS quantification method a robust and sensitive method for 2,6-diisopropylphenol was developed. This method shows excellent sensitivity in the low μg/l concentration range (5-200μg/l), good accuracy (94.8-98.8%) and precision (intraday-precision 0.1-9.2%, inter-day precision 2.0-7.7%). The method can be easily adapted to other, less complex, matrices such as water or swab extracts. Hence, the presented method holds the potential to serve as a single and simple analytical procedure for 2,6-diisopropylphenol analysis in various types of samples such as required in, e.g. adsorption/absorption studies which typically deal with a variety of different surfaces (steel, plastic, glass, etc.) and solutions/matrices including lipid emulsions. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Status of fossil fuel reserves

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Laherrere, J.

2005-01-01

Reserves represent the sum of past and future productions up to the end of production. In most countries the reserve data of fields are confidential. Therefore, fossil fuel reserves are badly known because the published data are more political than technical and many countries make a confusion between resources and reserves. The cumulated production of fossil fuels represents only between a third and a fifth of the ultimate reserves. The production peak will take place between 2020 and 2050. In the ultimate reserves, which extrapolate the past, the fossil fuels represent three thirds of the overall energy. This document analyses the uncertainties linked with fossil fuel reserves: reliability of published data, modeling of future production, comparison with other energy sources, energy consumption forecasts, reserves/production ratio, exploitation of non-conventional hydrocarbons (tar sands, extra-heavy oils, bituminous shales, coal gas, gas shales, methane in overpressure aquifers, methane hydrates), technology impacts, prices impact, and reserves growth. (J.S.)

Excel 2010 Made Simple

CERN Document Server

Katz, Abbott

2011-01-01

Get the most out of Excel 2010 with Excel 2010 Made Simple - learn the key features, understand what's new, and utilize dozens of time-saving tips and tricks to get your job done. Over 500 screen visuals and clear-cut instructions guide you through the features of Excel 2010, from formulas and charts to navigating around a worksheet and understanding Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) and macros. Excel 2010 Made Simple takes a practical and highly effective approach to using Excel 2010, showing you the best way to complete your most common spreadsheet tasks. You'll learn how to input, format,

The Right Ventricle in ARDS.

Science.gov (United States)

Zochios, Vasileios; Parhar, Ken; Tunnicliffe, William; Roscoe, Andrew; Gao, Fang

2017-07-01

ARDS is associated with poor clinical outcomes, with a pooled mortality rate of approximately 40% despite best standards of care. Current therapeutic strategies are based on improving oxygenation and pulmonary compliance while minimizing ventilator-induced lung injury. It has been demonstrated that relative hypoxemia can be well tolerated, and improvements in oxygenation do not necessarily translate into survival benefit. Cardiac failure, in particular right ventricular dysfunction (RVD), is commonly encountered in moderate to severe ARDS and is reported to be one of the major determinants of mortality. The prevalence rate of echocardiographically evident RVD in ARDS varies across studies, ranging from 22% to 50%. Although there is no definitive causal relationship between RVD and mortality, severe RVD is associated with increased mortality. Factors that can adversely affect RV function include hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction, hypercapnia, and invasive ventilation with high driving pressure. It might be expected that early diagnosis of RVD would be of benefit; however, echocardiographic markers (qualitative and quantitative) used to prospectively evaluate the right ventricle in ARDS have not been tested in adequately powered studies. In this review, we examine the prognostic implications and pathophysiology of RVD in ARDS and discuss available diagnostic modalities and treatment options. We aim to identify gaps in knowledge and directions for future research that could potentially improve clinical outcomes in this patient population. Copyright © 2017 American College of Chest Physicians. All rights reserved.

A simple and robust approach to immobilization of antibody fragments.

Science.gov (United States)

Ikonomova, Svetlana P; He, Ziming; Karlsson, Amy J

2016-08-01

Antibody fragments, such as the single-chain variable fragment (scFv), have much potential in research and diagnostics because of their antigen-binding ability similar to a full-sized antibody and their ease of production in microorganisms. Some applications of antibody fragments require immobilization on a surface, and we have established a simple immobilization method that is based on the biotin-streptavidin interaction and does not require a separate purification step. We genetically fused two biotinylation tags-the biotin carboxyl carrier protein (BCCP) or the AviTag minimal sequence-to six different scFvs (scFv13R4, scFvD10, scFv26-10, scFv3, scFv5, and scFv12) for site-specific biotinylation in vivo by endogenous biotin ligases produced by Escherichia coli. The biotinylated scFvs were immobilized onto streptavidin-coated plates directly from cell lysates, and immobilization was detected through enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. All scFvs fusions were successfully immobilized, and scFvs biotinylated via the BCCP tag tended to immobilize better than those biotinylated via the AviTag, even when biotinylation efficiency was improved with the biotin ligase BirA. The ability of immobilized scFvs to bind antigens was confirmed using scFv13R4 and scFvD10 with their respective targets β-galactosidase and bacteriophage lambda head protein D (gpD). The immobilized scFv13R4 bound to β-galactosidase at the same level for both biotinylation tags when the surface was saturated with the scFv, and immobilized scFvs retained their functionality for at least 100days after immobilization. The simplicity and robustness of our method make it a promising approach for future applications that require antibody fragment immobilization. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

NVU perspective on simple liquids’ quasiuniversality

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Dyre, J. C.

2013-01-01

The last half-century of research into the structure, dynamics, and thermodynamics of simple liquids has revealed a number of approximate universalities. This paper argues that simple liquids' reduced-coordinate constant-potential-energy hypersurfaces constitute a quasiuniversal family of compact...

"Taking the human out of human rights" human rights or group rights?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bojanić Petar

2015-01-01

Full Text Available What interest me are the reasons why “human” or “human rights” could be important or possibly most important in constituting a group (hence the introduction of the complicated word “group” and “group right(s” in the subtitle. If I had to justify the existence of the latest debates on nature, justification and universality of human rights, on their distinction from other normative standards, on the philosophy and (legal foundation of human rights, on “Human Rights without (or with Foundations” (Raz, Tasioulas, Besson, then I would immediately conclude that this “process of grandiose concretization” of a complete fabrication is far from over. Despite the innumerable pacts and international conventions established after World War II, the slew of obligations to which states have agreed in the last few decades, the establishment of rights to secession or humanitarian intervention it is as if the constitution of classification of basic human rights and their universality is far from over. [Projekat Ministarstva nauke Republike Srbije, br. 43007

Application of ecological criteria in selecting marine reserves and developing reserve networks

Science.gov (United States)

Roberts, Callum M.; Branch, George; Bustamante, Rodrigo H.; Castilla, Juan Carlos; Dugan, Jenifer; Halpern, Benjamin S.; Lafferty, Kevin D.; Leslie, Heather; McArdle, Deborah; Ruckelshaus, Mary; Warner, Robert R.

2003-01-01

Marine reserves are being established worldwide in response to a growing recognition of the conservation crisis that is building in the oceans. However, designation of reserves has been largely opportunistic, or protective measures have been implemented (often overlapping and sometimes in conflict) by different entities seeking to achieve different ends. This has created confusion among both users and enforcers, and the proliferation of different measures provides a false sense of protection where little is offered. This paper sets out a procedure grounded in current understanding of ecological processes, that allows the evaluation and selection of reserve sites in order to develop functional, interconnected networks of fully protected reserves that will fulfill multiple objectives. By fully protected we mean permanently closed to fishing and other resource extraction. We provide a framework that unifies the central aims of conservation and fishery management, while also meeting other human needs such as the provision of ecosystem services (e.g., maintenance of coastal water quality, shoreline protection, and recreational opportunities). In our scheme, candidate sites for reserves are evaluated against 12 criteria focused toward sustaining the biological integrity and productivity of marine systems at both local and regional scales. While a limited number of sites will be indispensable in a network, many will be of similar value as reserves, allowing the design of numerous alternative, biologically adequate networks. Devising multiple network designs will help ensure that ecological functionality is preserved throughout the socioeconomic evaluation process. Too often, socioeconomic criteria have dominated the process of reserve selection, potentially undermining their efficacy. We argue that application of biological criteria must precede and inform socioeconomic evaluation, since maintenance of ecosystem functioning is essential for meeting all of the goals for

Achieving social justice for children: How can children's rights thinking make a difference?

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, Anne B

2016-01-01

This article draws on themes from the author's book, Children’s Rights: Toward Social Justice , that emerge from surveying children’s rights issues in different childhood contexts; the family, education, child protection, and health services. The author has selected five examples of application of children’s rights to a policy area and identified the implications for policy and practice. There are four core rights that cut across all children’s rights issues that are mentioned before discussing specific areas. First, children, regardless of race, sex, language, religion, disability, or class, are entitled to rights. In other words, all children should enjoy their rights and should not be discriminated against. Second, “the best interests of the child” should be “a primary consideration” in actions or decisions concerning children. Third, children have the right to survival and development. And fourth, children have the right to be consulted and have their views heard in matters that affect them. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved

Depressive symptoms predict future simple disease activity index scores and simple disease activity index remission in a prospective cohort of patients with early inflammatory polyarthritis.

Science.gov (United States)

Leblanc-Trudeau, Charlotte; Dobkin, Patricia L; Carrier, Nathalie; Cossette, Pierre; de Brum-Fernandes, Artur J; Liang, Patrick; Masetto, Ariel; Boire, Gilles

2015-12-01

To determine whether depressive symptoms assessed in treated patients with early inflammatory polyarthritis (EPA) influence disease activity during follow-up. Consecutively recruited EPA patients were actively treated to remission. Simple disease activity index (SDAI) and Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) scores were calculated at inclusion and up to 42 months into disease. SDAI scores were log-transformed to compute univariate and multivariate linear regressions. Parametric interval-censored Kaplan-Meier and survival regressions using Weibull distribution were used to assess time to and predictors of SDAI remission. A total of 275 EPA patients were recruited at a median of 4 months into disease. In multivariate linear regression models, accounting for baseline demographic, clinical, serological and functional variables and 12-month inflammation markers, CES-D scores at 12 months into disease were correlated (r(2) = 0.14) with subsequent SDAI scores. Patients with 12-month high CES-D (≥19; suggestive of depression) had a lower proportion of SDAI remission (31.3% vs 84.3%; P < 0.001) and reached SDAI remission less rapidly [hazard ratio = 0.25 (95% CI 0.12, 0.53); P < 0.001]. Each follow-up SDAI correlated significantly with 12-month depressive symptoms, a median of 7 months after initiation of treatment. CES-D scores suggestive of depression at 12 months were strongly correlated with delay and failure to reach remission later on. Depressive symptoms in treated EPA patients represent important clinical issues with long-term association with disease activity. Interventions to alleviate persistent depressive symptoms in treated EPA warrant careful evaluation of their potential to improve disease remission rates. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Society for Rheumatology. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Right-Hand Side Dependent Bounds for GMRES Applied to Ill-Posed Problems

KAUST Repository

Pestana, Jennifer

2014-01-01

© IFIP International Federation for Information Processing 2014. In this paper we apply simple GMRES bounds to the nearly singular systems that arise in ill-posed problems. Our bounds depend on the eigenvalues of the coefficient matrix, the right-hand side vector and the nonnormality of the system. The bounds show that GMRES residuals initially decrease, as residual components associated with large eigenvalues are reduced, after which semi-convergence can be expected because of the effects of small eigenvalues.

Primary Cardiac Leiomyoma Causing Right Ventricular Obstruction and Tricuspid Regurgitation.

Science.gov (United States)

Careddu, Lucio; Foà, Alberto; Leone, Ornella; Agostini, Valentina; Gargiulo, Gaetano Domenico; Rapezzi, Claudio; Di Bartolomeo, Roberto; Pacini, Davide

2017-09-01

We report the unique case of a primary cardiac leiomyoma originating from the right ventricle and involving the tricuspid valve in a 43-year-old woman. Echocardiography showed a giant mass causing severe pulmonary stenosis and tricuspid valve regurgitation. The patient underwent surgical excision and histologic examination revealed a primary cardiac leiomyoma. To the best of our knowledge only three cases of primary cardiac leiomyoma have so far been reported, and this is the first case of primary cardiac leiomyoma involving the tricuspid valve apparatus. Copyright © 2017 The Society of Thoracic Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The Debate around the Need for an International Convention on the Rights of Older Persons

Science.gov (United States)

Doron, Israel; Apter, Itai

2010-01-01

In recent years, there has been a growing interest and debate around the question, whether there is a need for an international convention on the rights of older persons. The debate around this question is far from simple or consensual. Although there are strong voices in favor, there are also strong arguments against. Moreover, the mere fact that…

Osteoblast Production by Reserved Progenitor Cells in Zebrafish Bone Regeneration and Maintenance.

Science.gov (United States)

Ando, Kazunori; Shibata, Eri; Hans, Stefan; Brand, Michael; Kawakami, Atsushi

2017-12-04

Mammals cannot re-form heavily damaged bones as in large fracture gaps, whereas zebrafish efficiently regenerate bones even after amputation of appendages. However, the source of osteoblasts that mediate appendage regeneration is controversial. Several studies in zebrafish have shown that osteoblasts are generated by dedifferentiation of existing osteoblasts at injured sites, but other observations suggest that de novo production of osteoblasts also occurs. In this study, we found from cell-lineage tracing and ablation experiments that a group of cells reserved in niches serves as osteoblast progenitor cells (OPCs) and has a significant role in fin ray regeneration. Besides regeneration, OPCs also supply osteoblasts for normal bone maintenance. We further showed that OPCs are derived from embryonic somites, as is the case with embryonic osteoblasts, and are replenished from mesenchymal precursors in adult zebrafish. Our findings reveal that reserved progenitors are a significant and complementary source of osteoblasts for zebrafish bone regeneration. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Right is not always wrong: DTI and fMRI evidence for the reliance of reading comprehension on language-comprehension networks in the right hemisphere.

Science.gov (United States)

Horowitz-Kraus, Tzipi; Grainger, Molly; DiFrancesco, Mark; Vannest, Jennifer; Holland, Scott K

2015-03-01

The Simple View theory suggests that reading comprehension relies on automatic recognition of words combined with language comprehension. The goal of the current study was to examine the structural and functional connectivity in networks supporting reading comprehension and their relationship with language comprehension within 7-9 year old children using Diffusion Tensor Imaging (DTI) and fMRI during a Sentence Picture Matching task. Fractional Anisotropy (FA) values in the left and right Inferior Longitudinal Fasciculus (ILF) and Superior Longitudinal Fasciculus (SLF), known language-related tracts, were correlated from DTI data with scores from the Woodcock-Johnson III (WJ-III) Passage Comprehension sub-test. Brodmann areas most proximal to white-matter regions with significant correlation to Passage Comprehension scores were chosen as Regions-of-Interest (ROIs) and used as seeds in a functional connectivity analysis using the Sentence Picture Matching task. The correlation between percentile scores for the WJ-III Passage Comprehension subtest and the FA values in the right and left ILF and SLF indicated positive correlation in language-related ROIs, with greater distribution in the right hemisphere, which in turn showed strong connectivity in the fMRI data from the Sentence Picture Matching task. These results support the participation of the right hemisphere in reading comprehension and may provide physiologic support for a distinction between different types of reading comprehension deficits vs difficulties in technical reading.

Neuromelanin marks the spot: identifying a locus coeruleus biomarker of cognitive reserve in healthy aging.

Science.gov (United States)

Clewett, David V; Lee, Tae-Ho; Greening, Steven; Ponzio, Allison; Margalit, Eshed; Mather, Mara

2016-01-01

Leading a mentally stimulating life may build up a reserve of neural and mental resources that preserve cognitive abilities in late life. Recent autopsy evidence links neuronal density in the locus coeruleus (LC), the brain's main source of norepinephrine, to slower cognitive decline before death, inspiring the idea that the noradrenergic system is a key component of reserve (Robertson, I. H. 2013. A noradrenergic theory of cognitive reserve: implications for Alzheimer's disease. Neurobiol. Aging. 34, 298-308). Here, we tested this hypothesis using neuromelanin-sensitive magnetic resonance imaging to visualize and measure LC signal intensity in healthy younger and older adults. Established proxies of reserve, including education, occupational attainment, and verbal intelligence, were linearly correlated with LC signal intensity in both age groups. Results indicated that LC signal intensity was significantly higher in older than younger adults and significantly lower in women than in men. Consistent with the LC-reserve hypothesis, both verbal intelligence and a composite reserve score were positively associated with LC signal intensity in older adults. LC signal intensity was also more strongly associated with attentional shifting ability in older adults with lower cognitive reserve. Together these findings link in vivo estimates of LC neuromelanin signal intensity to cognitive reserve in normal aging. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Simple mathematical fireworks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

De Luca, R; Faella, O

2014-01-01

Mathematical fireworks are reproduced in two dimensions by means of simple notions in kinematics and Newtonian mechanics. Extension of the analysis in three dimensions is proposed and the geometric figures the falling tiny particles make on the ground after explosion are determined. (paper)

Rarity of invasiveness in right-sided infective endocarditis.

Science.gov (United States)

Hussain, Syed T; Shrestha, Nabin K; Witten, James; Gordon, Steven M; Houghtaling, Penny L; Tingleff, Jens; Navia, José L; Blackstone, Eugene H; Pettersson, Gösta B

2018-01-01

The rarity of invasiveness of right-sided infective endocarditis (IE) compared with left-sided has not been well recognized and evaluated. Thus, we compared invasiveness of right- versus left-sided IE in surgically treated patients. From January 2002 to January 2015, 1292 patients underwent surgery for active IE, 138 right-sided and 1224 left-sided. Among patients with right-sided IE, 131 had tricuspid and 7 pulmonary valve IE; 12% had prosthetic valve endocarditis. Endocarditis-related invasiveness was based on echocardiographic and operative findings. Invasive disease was rare on the right side, occurring in 1 patient (0.72%; 95% confidence interval 0.02%-4.0%); rather, it was limited to valve cusps/leaflets or was superficial. In contrast, IE was invasive in 408 of 633 patients with aortic valve (AV) IE (65%), 113 of 369 with mitral valve (MV) IE (31%), and 148 of 222 with AV and MV IE (67%). Staphylococcus aureus was a more predominant organism in right-sided than left-sided IE (right 40%, AV 19%, MV 29%), yet invasion was observed almost exclusively on the left side of the heart, which was more common and more severe with AV than MV IE and more common with prosthetic valve endocarditis than native valve IE. Rarity of right-sided invasion even when caused by S aureus suggests that invasion and development of cavities/"abscesses" in patients with IE may be driven more by chamber pressure than organism, along with other reported host-microbial interactions. The lesser invasiveness of MV compared with AV IE suggests a similar mechanism: decompression of MV annulus invasion site(s) toward the left atrium. Copyright © 2017 The American Association for Thoracic Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Institutionalizing shame: The effect of Human Rights Committee rulings on abuse, 1981-2007.

Science.gov (United States)

Cole, Wade M

2012-05-01

What motivates compliance with "toothless" international human rights norms? This article analyzes the effectiveness of procedures that allow individuals to petition an international human rights body, the Human Rights Committee, alleging state abuse of their treaty-protected rights under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. Using methodological tools that account for selection biases arising from a country's decision to authorize petitions and its subsequent propensity to be targeted by abuse claims, I find that basic civil rights and religious freedoms improved after states were found to have violated their human rights treaty obligations, whereas physical integrity abuses such as disappearances and extrajudicial killing were somewhat more impervious to change. These findings are interpreted with reference to the concept of "coupling" as borrowed from organizational sociology, and their implications for treaty design and enforcement are considered. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Detection of Cucurbit chlorotic yellows virus from Bemisia tabaci captured on sticky traps using reverse transcription loop-mediated isothermal amplification (RT-LAMP) and simple template preparation.

Science.gov (United States)

Okuda, Mitsuru; Okuda, Shiori; Iwai, Hisashi

2015-09-01

Cucurbit chlorotic yellows virus (CCYV) of the genus Crinivirus within the family Closteroviridae is an emerging infectious agent of cucurbits leading to severe disease and significant economic losses. Effective detection and identification methods for this virus are urgently required. In this study, a reverse transcription loop-mediated isothermal amplification (RT-LAMP) assay was developed to detect CCYV from its vector Bemisia tabaci. LAMP primer sets to detect CCYV were evaluated for their sensitivity and specificity, and a primer set designed from the HSP70h gene with corresponding loop primers were selected. The RT-LAMP assay was applied to detect CCYV from viruliferous B. tabaci trapped on sticky traps. A simple extraction procedure using RNAsecure™ was developed for template preparation. CCYV was detected in all of the B. tabaci 0, 1, 7 and 14 days after they were trapped. Although the rise of turbidity was delayed in reactions using RNA from B. tabaci trapped for 7 and 14 days compared with those from 0 and 1 day, the DNA amplification was sufficient to detect CCYV in all of the samples. These findings therefore present a simple template preparation method and an effective RT-LAMP assay, which can be easily and rapidly performed to monitor CCYV-viruliferous B. tabaci in the field. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Cavilaciones sobre el interés simple

OpenAIRE

Leonor Cabeza de Vergara

2010-01-01

Como producto de las reflexiones sobre la conceptualización del interés simple surgieron dos preguntas a nivel de clase: ¿Por qué, bajo la modalidad del interés simple, el presente de cada una de las cuotas constantes vencidas no es igual al presente de la anualidad vencida?, y ¿Qué porción de una cuota vencida bajo el interés simple se asigna a interés y a capital? Para trabajar estos interrogantes se partió de un caso práctico y con el soporte conceptual de interés simple, series, serie arm...

Disaggregating reserve-to-production ratios: An algorithm for United States oil and gas reserve development

Science.gov (United States)

Williams, Charles William

Reserve-to-production ratios for oil and gas development are utilized by oil and gas producing states to monitor oil and gas reserve and production dynamics. These ratios are used to determine production levels for the manipulation of oil and gas prices while maintaining adequate reserves for future development. These aggregate reserve-to-production ratios do not provide information concerning development cost and the best time necessary to develop newly discovered reserves. Oil and gas reserves are a semi-finished inventory because development of the reserves must take place in order to implement production. These reserves are considered semi-finished in that they are not counted unless it is economically profitable to produce them. The development of these reserves is encouraged by profit maximization economic variables which must consider the legal, political, and geological aspects of a project. This development is comprised of a myriad of incremental operational decisions, each of which influences profit maximization. The primary purpose of this study was to provide a model for characterizing a single product multi-period inventory/production optimization problem from an unconstrained quantity of raw material which was produced and stored as inventory reserve. This optimization was determined by evaluating dynamic changes in new additions to reserves and the subsequent depletion of these reserves with the maximization of production. A secondary purpose was to determine an equation for exponential depletion of proved reserves which presented a more comprehensive representation of reserve-to-production ratio values than an inadequate and frequently used aggregate historical method. The final purpose of this study was to determine the most accurate delay time for a proved reserve to achieve maximum production. This calculated time provided a measure of the discounted cost and calculation of net present value for developing new reserves. This study concluded that

Limited hair cell induction from human induced pluripotent stem cells using a simple stepwise method.

Science.gov (United States)

Ohnishi, Hiroe; Skerleva, Desislava; Kitajiri, Shin-ichiro; Sakamoto, Tatsunori; Yamamoto, Norio; Ito, Juichi; Nakagawa, Takayuki

2015-07-10

Disease-specific induced pluripotent stem cells (iPS) cells are expected to contribute to exploring useful tools for studying the pathophysiology of inner ear diseases and to drug discovery for treating inner ear diseases. For this purpose, stable induction methods for the differentiation of human iPS cells into inner ear hair cells are required. In the present study, we examined the efficacy of a simple induction method for inducing the differentiation of human iPS cells into hair cells. The induction of inner ear hair cell-like cells was performed using a stepwise method mimicking inner ear development. Human iPS cells were sequentially transformed into the preplacodal ectoderm, otic placode, and hair cell-like cells. As a first step, preplacodal ectoderm induction, human iPS cells were seeded on a Matrigel-coated plate and cultured in a serum free N2/B27 medium for 8 days according to a previous study that demonstrated spontaneous differentiation of human ES cells into the preplacodal ectoderm. As the second step, the cells after preplacodal ectoderm induction were treated with basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) for induction of differentiation into otic-placode-like cells for 15 days. As the final step, cultured cells were incubated in a serum free medium containing Matrigel for 48 days. After preplacodal ectoderm induction, over 90% of cultured cells expressed the genes that express in preplacodal ectoderm. By culture with bFGF, otic placode marker-positive cells were obtained, although their number was limited. Further 48-day culture in serum free media resulted in the induction of hair cell-like cells, which expressed a hair cell marker and had stereocilia bundle-like constructions on their apical surface. Our results indicate that hair cell-like cells are induced from human iPS cells using a simple stepwise method with only bFGF, without the use of xenogeneic cells. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Simple and conditional visual discrimination with wheel running as reinforcement in rats.

Science.gov (United States)

Iversen, I H

1998-09-01

Three experiments explored whether access to wheel running is sufficient as reinforcement to establish and maintain simple and conditional visual discriminations in nondeprived rats. In Experiment 1, 2 rats learned to press a lit key to produce access to running; responding was virtually absent when the key was dark, but latencies to respond were longer than for customary food and water reinforcers. Increases in the intertrial interval did not improve the discrimination performance. In Experiment 2, 3 rats acquired a go-left/go-right discrimination with a trial-initiating response and reached an accuracy that exceeded 80%; when two keys showed a steady light, pressing the left key produced access to running whereas pressing the right key produced access to running when both keys showed blinking light. Latencies to respond to the lights shortened when the trial-initiation response was introduced and became much shorter than in Experiment 1. In Experiment 3, 1 rat acquired a conditional discrimination task (matching to sample) with steady versus blinking lights at an accuracy exceeding 80%. A trial-initiation response allowed self-paced trials as in Experiment 2. When the rat was exposed to the task for 19 successive 24-hr periods with access to food and water, the discrimination performance settled in a typical circadian pattern and peak accuracy exceeded 90%. When the trial-initiation response was under extinction, without access to running, the circadian activity pattern determined the time of spontaneous recovery. The experiments demonstrate that wheel-running reinforcement can be used to establish and maintain simple and conditional visual discriminations in nondeprived rats.

The debate on family planning and reproductive rights in Bolivia.

Science.gov (United States)

De La Fuente, M

1991-01-01

Using Bolivia as the example, the author critiques international organization and health professional emphasis upon providing family planning services as inadequate to meet the needs and interests of poor women. The feminist and women's movements should be expected to fight to regain the right of self-determination, and to demand integral health care for women. Contraception will constitute but a component of this holistic approach. Poverty, natalism, development, and population policies are all interrelated issues in Bolivia as the country proceeds through a period of democratization. Where total fertility averages 5 children/women as it does in Bolivia, women should certainly have the right to choose contraception in the control of fertility. Simple provision of such services and supplies will not, however, suffice to solve more deeply rooted social and economic problems faced by those women. The author further fears that some parts of the feminist movement have forgotten that population and related policies developed and imposed by other cultures have little interest in respecting the self-determination of women as individuals. Support for these policies by movement members only reinforces and helps to reproduce existing conditions of poverty and unequal rights.

Conservation Reserve Program effects on floodplain land cover management.

Science.gov (United States)

Jobe, Addison; Kalra, Ajay; Ibendahl, Elise

2018-05-15

Growing populations and industrialized agriculture practices have eradicated much of the United States wetlands along river floodplains. One program available for the restoration of floodplains is the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP). The current research explores the effects CRP land change has on flooding zones, utilizing Flood Modeller and HEC-RAS. Flood Modeller is proven a viable tool for flood modeling within the United States when compared to HEC-RAS. Application of the software is used in the Nodaway River system located in the western halves of Iowa and Missouri to model effects of introducing new forest areas within the region. Flood stage during the conversion first decreases in the early years, before rising to produce greater heights. Flow velocities where CRP land is present are reduced for long-term scopes. Velocity reduction occurs as the Manning's roughness increases due to tree diameter and brush density. Flood zones become more widespread with the implementation of CRP. Future model implementations are recommended to witness the effects of smaller flood recurrence intervals. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A cost sensitive inpatient bed reservation approach to reduce emergency department boarding times.

Science.gov (United States)

Qiu, Shanshan; Chinnam, Ratna Babu; Murat, Alper; Batarse, Bassam; Neemuchwala, Hakimuddin; Jordan, Will

2015-03-01

Emergency departments (ED) in hospitals are experiencing severe crowding and prolonged patient waiting times. A significant contributing factor is boarding delays where admitted patients are held in ED (occupying critical resources) until an inpatient bed is identified and readied in the admit wards. Recent research has suggested that if the hospital admissions of ED patients can be predicted during triage or soon after, then bed requests and preparations can be triggered early on to reduce patient boarding time. We propose a cost sensitive bed reservation policy that recommends optimal bed reservation times for patients. The policy relies on a classifier that estimates the probability that the ED patient will be admitted using the patient information collected and readily available at triage or right after. The policy is cost sensitive in that it accounts for costs associated with patient admission prediction misclassification as well as costs associated with incorrectly selecting the reservation time. Results from testing the proposed bed reservation policy using data from a VA Medical Center are very promising and suggest significant cost saving opportunities and reduced patient boarding times.

Recent revisions of phosphate rock reserves and resources: a critique

Science.gov (United States)

Edixhoven, J. D.; Gupta, J.; Savenije, H. H. G.

2014-12-01

Phosphate rock (PR) is a finite mineral indispensable for fertilizer production, while P (phosphorus) is a major pollutant if applied or discharged in excess, causing widespread eutrophication (Carpenter and Bennet, 2011). High-grade PR is obtained from deposits which took millions of years to form and which are gradually being depleted. Recently, global PR reserves as reported by the US Geological Survey (USGS) have increased from 16 000 Mt PR in 2010 to 65 000 Mt PR in 2011 and further to 67 000 Mt PR in 2014. The majority of this 4-fold increase is based on a 2010 report by the International Fertilizer Development Center (IFDC), which increased Moroccan reserves from 5700 Mt PR as reported by USGS, to 51 000 Mt PR, reported as upgraded ("beneficiated") concentrate. The report also increased global resources from 163 000 Mt PR reported in the literature in 1989 to 290 000 Mt PR. IFDC used a simplified resource terminology which does not use the underlying thresholds for reserves and resources used in the USGS classification. IFDC proposed that agreement should be reached on PR resource terminology which should be as simple as possible. The report has profoundly influenced the PR scarcity debate, shifting the emphasis from resource scarcity to the pollution angle of the phosphate problem. In view of the high dependence of food production on PR and the importance of data on PR reserves and resources for scientific analysis and policy making, data on PR deposits should be transparent, comparable, reliable, and credible. We analyze (i) how IFDC's simplified terminology compares to international best practice in resource classification and whether it is likely to yield data that meet these requirements, (ii) whether the difference in volume between raw PR ore and upgraded PR concentrate is sufficiently noted in the literature, and (iii) whether the IFDC report presents an accurate picture of PR reserves and resources. We conclude that, while there is a global

A cost-effective assay for antioxidant using simple cotton thread combining paper based device with mobile phone detection.

Science.gov (United States)

Sateanchok, Suphasinee; Wangkarn, Sunanta; Saenjum, Chalermpong; Grudpan, Kate

2018-01-15

A cost-effective assay for antioxidant using simple cotton thread combining paper based device with mobile phone detection has been investigated. Standard and sample solutions flow along a bunch of cotton thread treated with sodium hydroxide via microfluidic behaviors without external pumping. The analyte solution reacts with the reagents that have been immobilized on the paper strip fixed at the end of the cotton bunch. The developed platforms were used for the assays of total phenolic content and antioxidant capacity by employing Folin-Ciocalteu and 2, 2-diphenyl-1-picryhydrazyl (DPPH) respectively. Simple detection can be made by employing a mobile phone camera (iPhone 4S) with Image J or Photoshop for image processing and evaluation. Gallic acid was used as a reference standard in this work, as its polyphenol structures can be found in many plants. The total phenolic content is expressed as gallic acid equivalents (GAE) (mg/g material). Inhibition capacity is calculated by the equation: % I = [(I o - I s )/ I o ] × 100, where I s is the relative magenta intensity (CMYK mode) of sample, and I o the relative magenta intensity of DPPH•. IC 50 inhibition can be estimated from the graph and can be used for the antioxidant capacity consideration. Applications to the assay green tea samples were demonstrated. The total phenolic contents in the green tea samples were found to be 48-105mg/g, with %RSD of less than 10 for that of higher 50 GAE mg/g and IC 50 values of the samples studied were 25-50mg/L. The results obtained by the developed methods agree with that of the standard methods. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Simple Tidal Prism Models Revisited

Science.gov (United States)

Luketina, D.

1998-01-01

Simple tidal prism models for well-mixed estuaries have been in use for some time and are discussed in most text books on estuaries. The appeal of this model is its simplicity. However, there are several flaws in the logic behind the model. These flaws are pointed out and a more theoretically correct simple tidal prism model is derived. In doing so, it is made clear which effects can, in theory, be neglected and which can not.

Comparative analysis of brain EEG signals generated from the right and left hand while writing

Science.gov (United States)

Sardesai, Neha; Jamali Mahabadi, S. E.; Meng, Qinglei; Choa, Fow-Sen

2016-05-01

This paper provides a comparative analysis of right handed people and left handed people when they write with both their hands. Two left handed and one right handed subject were asked to write their respective names on a paper using both, their left and right handed, and their brain signals were measured using EEG. Similarly, they were asked to perform simple mathematical calculations using both their hand. The data collected from the EEG from writing with both hands is compared. It is observed that though it is expected that the right brain only would contribute to left handed writing and vice versa, it is not so. When a right handed person writes with his/her left hand, the initial instinct is to go for writing with the right hand. Hence, both parts of the brain are active when a subject writes with the other hand. However, when the activity is repeated, the brain learns to expect to write with the other hand as the activity is repeated and then only the expected part of the brain is active.

Right to life, right to die and assisted suicide.

Science.gov (United States)

Chetwynd, S B

2004-01-01

In 2002 Diane Pretty went to the European Court of Human Rights to gain a ruling about assisted suicide. In the course of this she argued that the right to life implied a right to die. This paper will consider, from an ethical rather than a legal point of view, how the right to life might imply (or not) a right to die, and whether this includes either a right that others shall help us die, or a right against non-interference if others are willing to help us. It does this by comparing the right to life to conceptions of property rights. This is not because I think human life is property, but because some of our ways of talking and thinking about our control over our own lives seem to be similar to our thoughts about our control over our own property. The right to life has traditionally been taken as a negative right, that is a right that others not deprive us of life. Pretty's argument, however, seems to be moving towards a positive right, not just to remain alive, but to be enabled in doing what we want to with our lives, and thus disposing of them if we so choose. The comparison with property rights suggests that the right to die only applies if our lives are ours absolutely, and may itself be modified by the suggestion that suicide harms all of us by devaluing human life in general.

Palliative Care and Human Rights: A Decade of Evolution in Standards.

Science.gov (United States)

Ezer, Tamar; Lohman, Diederik; de Luca, Gabriela B

2018-02-01

Human rights standards to address palliative care have developed over the last decade. This article aims to examine key milestones in the evolution of human rights standards to address palliative care, relevant advocacy efforts, and areas for further growth. The article provides an analysis of human rights standards in the context of palliative care through the lens of the right to health, freedom from torture and ill treatment, and the rights of older persons and children. Significant developments include the following: 1) the first human rights treaty to explicitly recognize the right to palliative care, the Inter-American Convention on the Rights of Older Persons; 2) the first World Health Assembly resolution on palliative care; 3) a report by the UN Special Rapporteur on Torture with a focus on denial of pain treatment; 4) addressing the availability of controlled medicines at the UN General Assembly Special Session on the World Drug Problem. Development of human rights standards in relation to palliative care has been most notable in the context of the right to health, freedom from torture and ill treatment, and the rights of older persons. More work is needed in the context of the rights of children, and human rights treaty bodies are still not consistently addressing state obligations with regards to palliative care. Copyright © 2017 American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A Simple Tiltmeter

Science.gov (United States)

Dix, M. G.; Harrison, D. R.; Edwards, T. M.

1982-01-01

Bubble vial with external aluminum-foil electrodes is sensing element for simple indicating tiltmeter. To measure bubble displacement, bridge circuit detects difference in capacitance between two sensing electrodes and reference electrode. Tiltmeter was developed for experiment on forecasting seismic events by changes in Earth's magnetic field.

Sporadic simple groups and quotient singularities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cheltsov, I A; Shramov, C A

2013-01-01

We show that if a faithful irreducible representation of a central extension of a sporadic simple group with centre contained in the commutator subgroup gives rise to an exceptional (resp. weakly exceptional but not exceptional) quotient singularity, then that simple group is the Hall-Janko group (resp. the Suzuki group)

In vitro evaluation of physiological spiral anastomoses for the arterial switch operation in simple transposition of the great arteries: a first step towards a surgical alternative?

Science.gov (United States)

Sievers, Hans-Hinrich; Scharfschwerdt, Michael; Putman, Léon M

2015-08-01

The currently most frequently used technique for the arterial switch operation (ASO) in simple transposition of the great arteries (TGA) includes the transposition of the pulmonary artery anterior to the ascending aorta. This arterial arrangement is less anatomical, and although the initial results are excellent, some long-term data are indicating a certain risk of morbidity, encouraging the search for more physiological techniques. As a first step, we studied the feasibility of anatomical spiral anastomoses of the great vessels in vitro. A TGA model was constructed to simulate the different spatial positions of the great arteries followed by ASO with physiological spiral connections of the great arteries. It was possible to perform a physiological spiral connection of the great arteries without tension or torsion when the roots of the great vessels were arranged anterior-posterior and with up to 35° rotation of the aortic root to the right around the pulmonary root. With further rotation of the aorta, patch plasties were required for pulmonary artery elongation. The maximal width of the patch was 5 mm. In this TGA model, it was possible to perform tension- and torsion-free arterial anastomoses for ASO without artificial material, when the aortic root was positioned from 0° up to 35° to the right of the pulmonary root. Evaluation of coronary transfer is the next step. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery. All rights reserved.

Legal rights to safe abortion: knowledge and attitude of women in North-West Ethiopia toward the current Ethiopian abortion law.

Science.gov (United States)

Muzeyen, R; Ayichiluhm, M; Manyazewal, T

2017-07-01

high-impact interventions that would trigger women to understand and exercise their legal rights to safe abortion and other reproductive health securities. Copyright © 2017 The Royal Society for Public Health. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Quality of life differences in patients with right- versus left-sided facial paralysis: Universal preference of right-sided human face recognition.

Science.gov (United States)

Ryu, Nam Gyu; Lim, Byung Woo; Cho, Jae Keun; Kim, Jin

2016-09-01

We investigated whether experiencing right- or left-sided facial paralysis would affect an individual's ability to recognize one side of the human face using hybrid hemi-facial photos by preliminary study. Further investigation looked at the relationship between facial recognition ability, stress, and quality of life. To investigate predominance of one side of the human face for face recognition, 100 normal participants (right-handed: n = 97, left-handed: n = 3, right brain dominance: n = 56, left brain dominance: n = 44) answered a questionnaire that included hybrid hemi-facial photos developed to determine decide superiority of one side for human face recognition. To determine differences of stress level and quality of life between individuals experiencing right- and left-sided facial paralysis, 100 patients (right side:50, left side:50, not including traumatic facial nerve paralysis) answered a questionnaire about facial disability index test and quality of life (SF-36 Korean version). Regardless of handedness or hemispheric dominance, the proportion of predominance of the right side in human face recognition was larger than the left side (71% versus 12%, neutral: 17%). Facial distress index of the patients with right-sided facial paralysis was lower than that of left-sided patients (68.8 ± 9.42 versus 76.4 ± 8.28), and the SF-36 scores of right-sided patients were lower than left-sided patients (119.07 ± 15.24 versus 123.25 ± 16.48, total score: 166). Universal preference for the right side in human face recognition showed worse psychological mood and social interaction in patients with right-side facial paralysis than left-sided paralysis. This information is helpful to clinicians in that psychological and social factors should be considered when treating patients with facial-paralysis. Copyright © 2016 British Association of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Study protocol for the recreational stimulation for elders as a vehicle to resolve delirium superimposed on dementia (Reserve For DSD trial

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Leslie Doug

2011-05-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Delirium is a state of confusion characterized by an acute and fluctuating decline in cognitive functioning. Delirium is common and deadly in older adults with dementia, and is often referred to as delirium superimposed on dementia, or DSD. Interventions that treat DSD are not well-developed because the mechanisms involved in its etiology are not completely understood. We have developed a theory-based intervention for DSD that is derived from the literature on cognitive reserve and based on our prior interdisciplinary work on delirium, recreational activities, and cognitive stimulation in people with dementia. Our preliminary work indicate that use of simple, cognitively stimulating activities may help resolve delirium by helping to focus inattention, the primary neuropsychological deficit in delirium. Our primary aim in this trial is to test the efficacy of Recreational Stimulation for Elders as a Vehicle to resolve DSD (RESERVE- DSD. Methods/Design This randomized repeated measures clinical trial will involve participants being recruited and enrolled at the time of admission to post acute care. We will randomize 256 subjects to intervention (RESERVE-DSD or control (usual care. Intervention subjects will receive 30-minute sessions of tailored cognitively stimulating recreational activities for up to 30 days. We hypothesize that subjects who receive RESERVE-DSD will have: decreased severity and duration of delirium; greater gains in attention, orientation, memory, abstract thinking, and executive functioning; and greater gains in physical function compared to subjects with DSD who receive usual care. We will also evaluate potential moderators of intervention efficacy (lifetime of complex mental activities and APOE status. Our secondary aim is to describe the costs associated with RESERVE-DSD. Discussion Our theory-based intervention, which uses simple, inexpensive recreational activities for delivering cognitive stimulation

Right of Privacy, Right to Know: Which Prevails?

Science.gov (United States)

Simon, Morton J.

1977-01-01

Looks at the conflict between the 'right to know' and the 'right to privacy' by examining relationships and situations pertinent to both and concludes that the right to know and the right to privacy are two of the most ambiguous legal areas today facing government, the courts, the public and the individual. Available from: Public Relations Review,…

Experimental investigation and numerical simulation of 3He gas diffusion in simple geometries: implications for analytical models of 3He MR lung morphometry.

Science.gov (United States)

Parra-Robles, J; Ajraoui, S; Deppe, M H; Parnell, S R; Wild, J M

2010-06-01

Models of lung acinar geometry have been proposed to analytically describe the diffusion of (3)He in the lung (as measured with pulsed gradient spin echo (PGSE) methods) as a possible means of characterizing lung microstructure from measurement of the (3)He ADC. In this work, major limitations in these analytical models are highlighted in simple diffusion weighted experiments with (3)He in cylindrical models of known geometry. The findings are substantiated with numerical simulations based on the same geometry using finite difference representation of the Bloch-Torrey equation. The validity of the existing "cylinder model" is discussed in terms of the physical diffusion regimes experienced and the basic reliance of the cylinder model and other ADC-based approaches on a Gaussian diffusion behaviour is highlighted. The results presented here demonstrate that physical assumptions of the cylinder model are not valid for large diffusion gradient strengths (above approximately 15 mT/m), which are commonly used for (3)He ADC measurements in human lungs. (c) 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A simple and selective method for determination of phthalate biomarkers in vegetable samples by high pressure liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-tandem mass spectrometry.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhou, Xi; Cui, Kunyan; Zeng, Feng; Li, Shoucong; Zeng, Zunxiang

2016-06-01

In the present study, solid-phase extraction cartridges including silica reversed-phase Isolute C18, polymeric reversed-phase Oasis HLB and mixed-mode anion-exchange Oasis MAX, and liquid-liquid extractions with ethyl acetate, n-hexane, dichloromethane and its mixtures were compared for clean-up of phthalate monoesters from vegetable samples. Best recoveries and minimised matrix effects were achieved using ethyl acetate/n-hexane liquid-liquid extraction for these target compounds. A simple and selective method, based on sample preparation by ultrasonic extraction and liquid-liquid extraction clean-up, for the determination of phthalate monoesters in vegetable samples by liquid chromatography/electrospray ionisation-tandem mass spectrometry was developed. The method detection limits for phthalate monoesters ranged from 0.013 to 0.120 ng g(-1). Good linearity (r(2)>0.991) between MQLs and 1000× MQLs was achieved. The intra- and inter-day relative standard deviation values were less than 11.8%. The method was successfully used to determine phthalate monoester metabolites in the vegetable samples. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Construction of a simple optical sensor based on air stable lipid film with incorporated urease for the rapid detection of urea in milk.

Science.gov (United States)

Nikoleli, Georgia-Paraskevi; Nikolelis, Dimitrios P; Methenitis, Constantinos

2010-08-18

This work describes the construction of a simple optical sensor for the rapid, selective and sensitive detection of urea in milk using air stable lipid films with incorporated urease. The lipid film is stabilized on a glass filter by polymerization using UV (ultra-violet) radiation prior its use. Methacrylic acid was the functional monomer, ethylene glycol dimethacrylate was the crosslinker and 2,2'-azobis-(2-methylpropionitrile) was the initiator. Urease is incorporated within this mixture prior to the polymerization. The presence of the enzyme in these films quenched this fluorescence and the colour became similar to that of the filters without the lipid films. A drop of aqueous solution of urea provided a "switching on" of the fluorescence which allows the rapid detection of this compound at the levels of 10(-8) M concentrations. The investigation of the effect of potent interferences included a wide range of compounds usually found in foods and also of proteins and lipids. These lipid membranes were used for the rapid detection of urea in milk. Copyright 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Right hemisphere control of visuospatial attention in near space.

Science.gov (United States)

Longo, Matthew R; Trippier, Sarah; Vagnoni, Eleonora; Lourenco, Stella F

2015-04-01

Traditionally, the right cerebral hemisphere has been considered to be specialized for spatial attention and orienting. A large body of research has demonstrated dissociable representations of the near space immediately surrounding the body and the more distance far space. In this study, we investigated whether right hemisphere activations commonly reported for tasks involving spatial attention (such as the line bisection and landmark tasks) are specific to stimuli presented in near space. In separate blocks of trials, participants judged either whether a vertical transector was to the left or right of the centre of a line (landmark task) or whether the line was red or blue (colour task). Stimuli were seen from four distances (30, 60, 90, 120 cm). We used EEG to measure an ERP component (the 'line-bisection effect') specific to the direction of spatial attention (i.e., landmark minus colour). Consistent with previous results, spatial attention produced a right-lateralized negativity over occipito-parietal channels. The magnitude of this negativity was inversely related to viewing distance, being largest in near space and reduced in far space. These results suggest that the right occipito-temporal cortex may be specialized not just for the orientation of spatial attention generally, but specifically for orienting attention in the near space immediately surrounding the body. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A simple approach to nonlinear oscillators

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ren Zhongfu; He Jihuan

2009-01-01

A very simple and effective approach to nonlinear oscillators is suggested. Anyone with basic knowledge of advanced calculus can apply the method to finding approximately the amplitude-frequency relationship of a nonlinear oscillator. Some examples are given to illustrate its extremely simple solution procedure and an acceptable accuracy of the obtained solutions.

Left-right functional asymmetry of ventral hippocampus depends on aversiveness of situations.

Science.gov (United States)

Sakaguchi, Yukitoshi; Sakurai, Yoshio

2017-05-15

Many studies suggest that animals exhibit lateralized behaviors during aversive situations, and almost all animals exhibit right hemisphere-dominant behaviors associated with fear or anxiety. However, which brain structure in each hemisphere underlies such lateralized function is unclear. In this study, we focused on the hippocampus and investigated the effects of bilateral and unilateral lesions of the ventral hippocampus (VH) on anxiety-like behavior using the successive alleys test. We also examined the expression of c-fos in the VH, which was induced by an aversive situation. Results revealed that consistent right VH dominance trended with the anxiety level. Weaker anxiety induced both right and left VH functions, whereas stronger anxiety induced right VH function. From these results, we conclude that animals are able to adaptively regulate their behaviors to avoid aversive stimuli by changing the functional dominance of their left and right VH. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Climate Change, Human Rights, and Social Justice.

Science.gov (United States)

Levy, Barry S; Patz, Jonathan A

2015-01-01

human rights, promote social justice, and avoid creating new problems or exacerbating existing problems for vulnerable populations. Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Experimental investigations on the basis for intellectual property rights.

Science.gov (United States)

Fast, Anne A; Olson, Kristina R; Mandel, Gregory N

2016-08-01

Lay people routinely misunderstand or do not obey laws protecting intellectual property (IP), leading to a variety of (largely unsuccessful) efforts by policymakers, IP owners, and researchers to change those beliefs and behaviors. The current work tests a new approach, inquiring whether lay people's views about IP protection can be modified by arguments concerning the basis for IP rights. Across 2 experiments, 572 adults (recruited through Amazon Mechanical Turk) read 1 of 6 arguments about the basis for IP protection (incentives, natural rights, expressive rights, plagiarism, commons, or no argument). Participants then reported their general support for IP protection. Participants also reported their evaluations of 2 scenarios that involved infringement of IP rights, including cases in which there were mitigating experiences (e.g., the copier acknowledged the original source), and completed several demographic questions. Three primary findings emerged: (a) exposure to the importance of the public commons (and to a lesser extent, exposure to the argument that plagiarism is the basis of IP protection) led participants to become less supportive of IP protection than the incentives, natural rights, expressive rights, and control conditions; (b) people believed that infringement was more acceptable if the infringer acknowledged the original creator of the work; and (c) older adults and women were especially likely to see infringement as problematic. These findings illustrate several ways in which lay beliefs are at odds with legal doctrine, and suggest that people's views about IP protection can be shaped in certain ways by learning the basis for IP rights. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

Diagnosis of Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular Cardiomyopathy: Progress and Pitfalls.

Science.gov (United States)

Oomen, Ad W G J; Semsarian, Christopher; Puranik, Rajesh; Sy, Raymond W

2018-04-04

Arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy (ARVC) is an inherited cardiomyopathy that predominantly affects the right ventricle. With a prevalence in the range of 1:5000 to 1:2000 persons, ARVC is one of the leading causes of sudden cardiac death in young people and in athletes. Although early detection and treatment is important, the diagnosis of ARVC remains challenging. There is no single pathognomonic diagnostic finding in ARVC; rather, current international task force criteria specify diagnostic major and minor criteria in six categories: right ventricular imaging (including echocardiography and cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)), histology, repolarisation abnormalities, depolarisation and conduction abnormalities, arrhythmias and family history (including genetic testing). Combining findings from differing diagnostic modalities can establish a "definite", "borderline" or "possible" diagnosis of ARVC. However, there are limitations inherent in the current task force criteria, including the lack of specificity for ARVC; future iterations may be improved, for example, by enhanced imaging protocols able to detect subtle changes in the structure and function of the right ventricle, incorporation of electro-anatomical data, response to adrenergic challenge, and validated criteria for interpreting genetic variants. Copyright © 2018 Australian and New Zealand Society of Cardiac and Thoracic Surgeons (ANZSCTS) and the Cardiac Society of Australia and New Zealand (CSANZ). Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A Short Introduction to Intellectual Property Rights.

Science.gov (United States)

Voss, Trina; Paranjpe, Arvin S; Cook, Travis G; Garrison, Nicole D W

2017-06-01

Intellectual property (IP) is a term that describes a number of distinct types of intangible assets. IP protection allows a rightsholder to exclude others from interfering with or using the property right in specified ways. The main forms of IP are patents, copyrights, trademarks, and trade secrets. Each type of IP protection is different, varying in the subject matter that can be covered, timeframe of protection, and total expense. Although some inventions may be covered by multiple types of IP protection, it is important to consider a number of business and legal factors before selecting the best protection strategy. Some technologies require strong IP protection to commercialize, but unnecessary costs can derail bringing a product to market. IP departments of organizations weigh these various considerations and perform essential IP protection functions. This primer introduces researchers to the main forms of IP and its legal aspects. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Simple utility functions with Giffen demand

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sørensen, Peter Norman

2007-01-01

Simple utility functions with the Giffen property are presented: locally, the demand curve for a good is upward sloping. The utility functions represent continuous, monotone, convex preferences......Simple utility functions with the Giffen property are presented: locally, the demand curve for a good is upward sloping. The utility functions represent continuous, monotone, convex preferences...

Inflation and leptogenesis from right handed sneutrinos in supergravity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Peloso, Marco

2016-01-01

We describe a supergravity model of inflation where the inflaton is identified with one linerar combination of two right handed sneutrino fields. The potential along the inflationary trajectory is flatter than that of massive chaotic inflation, resulting in a detectable but not ruled out tensor-to-scalar ratio r. In general, the potential for the two sneutrinos has complex phases. As a result, the two neutrinos can develop a nonvanishing lepton charge through a simple modification of the Affleck-Dine mechanism. [This talk summarizes the work of Evans, Ghergetta, and Peloso, Phys. Rev. D 92, no. 2, 021303 (2015) (Ref. 1). Please refer to that work for details and for a more comprehensive list of references.

Dose rate mapping and quantitative analysis of radioactive deposition with simple monitoring instruments in Finland after the Chernobyl accident.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Koivukoski, J. [Ministry of the Interior, Rescue Dept., Helsinki (Finland); Paatero, J. [Finnish Meteorological Inst., Helsinki (Finland)], E-mail: janne.koivukoski@intermin.fi

2013-03-01

This article reviews the Finnish dose-rate mapping equipment and the system to process the obtained results, which were used immediately after the 1986 Chernobyl accident. We present the results of the external gamma-radiation monitoring carried out with simple civil-defence gamma monitoring instruments and compare them with the subsequent deposition mapping performed with research-grade instruments. The analysis shows that the quality of radiation mapping is good enough for decision makers to direct protective measures to the right areas. This review also demonstrates that a simple stationary external gamma radiation monitoring network can be effectively used for early warning in radiation emergency situations. (orig.)

Cognitive reserve in Parkinson's disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Hindle, John V; Martyr, Anthony; Clare, Linda

2014-01-01

The concept of cognitive reserve is proposed to explain the mismatch between the degree of pathological changes and their clinical manifestations and has been used to help understand the variation in the rate of cognitive decline and the development of dementias. It is not clear whether this concept applies to cognitive performance, cognitive decline and dementia in Parkinson's disease (PD). A systematic review was conducted using the most commonly described proxies for cognitive reserve of education, occupation and leisure activities. Thirty four papers were found on education and cognition in PD but there were no studies of the other proxies of reserve. A random effects meta-analysis was used to assess the associations between education and cross-sectional cognitive assessments, longitudinal global cognitive decline and a long term dementia diagnosis. There was a significant association between higher education and cross-sectional performance of MMSE, global cognition, mild cognitive impairment, attention, executive function, visuospatial function and memory. There was a small but significant association between higher education and a reduced rate of cognitive decline. There was no association with a final dementia diagnosis. There was not enough information to perform an analysis on the rate and timing of transition to dementia. Higher levels of education are associated with significantly better cognitive performance and a small but significant slowing in cognitive decline but are not associated with a reduction in long-term dementia in PD. More detailed, standardized, longitudinal studies are required to study conclusively the effects cognitive reserve in PD. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Brain activity during auditory and visual phonological, spatial and simple discrimination tasks.

Science.gov (United States)

Salo, Emma; Rinne, Teemu; Salonen, Oili; Alho, Kimmo

2013-02-16

We used functional magnetic resonance imaging to measure human brain activity during tasks demanding selective attention to auditory or visual stimuli delivered in concurrent streams. Auditory stimuli were syllables spoken by different voices and occurring in central or peripheral space. Visual stimuli were centrally or more peripherally presented letters in darker or lighter fonts. The participants performed a phonological, spatial or "simple" (speaker-gender or font-shade) discrimination task in either modality. Within each modality, we expected a clear distinction between brain activations related to nonspatial and spatial processing, as reported in previous studies. However, within each modality, different tasks activated largely overlapping areas in modality-specific (auditory and visual) cortices, as well as in the parietal and frontal brain regions. These overlaps may be due to effects of attention common for all three tasks within each modality or interaction of processing task-relevant features and varying task-irrelevant features in the attended-modality stimuli. Nevertheless, brain activations caused by auditory and visual phonological tasks overlapped in the left mid-lateral prefrontal cortex, while those caused by the auditory and visual spatial tasks overlapped in the inferior parietal cortex. These overlapping activations reveal areas of multimodal phonological and spatial processing. There was also some evidence for intermodal attention-related interaction. Most importantly, activity in the superior temporal sulcus elicited by unattended speech sounds was attenuated during the visual phonological task in comparison with the other visual tasks. This effect might be related to suppression of processing irrelevant speech presumably distracting the phonological task involving the letters. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Speaking Truth to Power: Women's Rights as Human Rights

Science.gov (United States)

Crocco, Margaret Smith

2007-01-01

The author considers the treatment of women's rights as human rights in the social studies curriculum. She discusses the role of the United Nations in promoting women's rights since the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948. She also reviews the treatment of women's rights within social studies curriculum today through a…

Keeping it simple: flowering plants tend to retain, and revert to, simple leaves.

Science.gov (United States)

Geeta, R; Dávalos, Liliana M; Levy, André; Bohs, Lynn; Lavin, Mathew; Mummenhoff, Klaus; Sinha, Neelima; Wojciechowski, Martin F

2012-01-01

• A wide range of factors (developmental, physiological, ecological) with unpredictable interactions control variation in leaf form. Here, we examined the distribution of leaf morphologies (simple and complex forms) across angiosperms in a phylogenetic context to detect patterns in the directions of changes in leaf shape. • Seven datasets (diverse angiosperms and six nested clades, Sapindales, Apiales, Papaveraceae, Fabaceae, Lepidium, Solanum) were analysed using maximum likelihood and parsimony methods to estimate asymmetries in rates of change among character states. • Simple leaves are most frequent among angiosperm lineages today, were inferred to be ancestral in angiosperms and tended to be retained in evolution (stasis). Complex leaves slowly originated ('gains') and quickly reverted to simple leaves ('losses') multiple times, with a significantly greater rate of losses than gains. Lobed leaves may be a labile intermediate step between different forms. The nested clades showed mixed trends; Solanum, like the angiosperms in general, had higher rates of losses than gains, but the other clades had higher rates of gains than losses. • The angiosperm-wide pattern could be taken as a null model to test leaf evolution patterns in particular clades, in which patterns of variation suggest clade-specific processes that have yet to be investigated fully. © 2011 The Authors. New Phytologist © 2011 New Phytologist Trust.

Brazilian uranium reserves

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Marques, J.P.M.

1981-01-01

Due to a growing demand of electric power to support Brasil's development, the use of nuclear energy will be indispensable. The nuclear fuel cycle for the production of energy, starts with the uranium exploration. The work performed in this field led to the discovery of several deposits in the country, which to-date totalize a reserve of 236,300t of U 308 , ranking Brazil in the 6th place among the nations of the western world holding uranium reserves. (Author) [pt

Spatial transferring of ecosystem services and property rights allocation of ecological compensation

Science.gov (United States)

Wen, Wujun; Xu, Geng; Wang, Xingjie

2011-09-01

Ecological compensation is an important means to maintain the sustainability and stability of ecosystem services. The property rights analysis of ecosystem services is indispensable when we implement ecological compensation. In this paper, ecosystem services are evaluated via spatial transferring and property rights analysis. Take the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (MA) as an example, we attempt to classify the spatial structure of 31 categories of ecosystem services into four dimensions, i.e., local, regional, national and global ones, and divide the property rights structure into three types, i.e., private property rights, common property rights and state-owned property rights. Through the case study of forestry, farming industry, drainage area, development of mineral resources, nature reserves, functional areas, agricultural land expropriation, and international cooperation on ecological compensation, the feasible ecological compensation mechanism is illustrated under the spatial structure and property rights structure of the concerned ecosystem services. For private property rights, the ecological compensation mode mainly depends on the market mechanism. If the initial common property rights are "hidden," the implementation of ecological compensation mainly relies on the quota market transactions and the state investment under the state-owned property rights, and the fairness of property rights is thereby guaranteed through central administration.

The application of simple metrics in the assessment of glycaemic variability.

Science.gov (United States)

Monnier, L; Colette, C; Owens, D R

2018-03-06

The assessment of glycaemic variability (GV) remains a subject of debate with many indices proposed to represent either short- (acute glucose fluctuations) or long-term GV (variations of HbA 1c ). For the assessment of short-term within-day GV, the coefficient of variation for glucose (%CV) defined as the standard deviation adjusted on the 24-h mean glucose concentration is easy to perform and with a threshold of 36%, recently adopted by the international consensus on use of continuous glucose monitoring, separating stable from labile glycaemic states. More complex metrics such as the Low Blood Glucose Index (LBGI) or High Blood Glucose Index (HBGI) allow the risk of hypo or hyperglycaemic episodes, respectively to be assessed although in clinical practice its application is limited due to the need for more complex computation. This also applies to other indices of short-term intraday GV including the mean amplitude of glycemic excursions (MAGE), Shlichtkrull's M-value and CONGA. GV is important clinically as exaggerated glucose fluctuations are associated with an enhanced risk of adverse cardiovascular outcomes due primarily to hypoglycaemia. In contrast, there is at present no compelling evidence that elevated short-term GV is an independent risk factor of microvascular complications of diabetes. Concerning long-term GV there are numerous studies supporting its association with an enhanced risk of cardiovascular events. However, this association raises the question as to whether the impact of long-term variability is not simply the consequence of repeated exposure to short-term GV or ambient chronic hyperglycaemia. The renewed emphasis on glucose monitoring with the introduction of continuous glucose monitoring technologies can benefit from the introduction and application of simple metrics for describing GV along with supporting recommendations. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Simple technologies for on-farm composting of cattle slurry solid fraction.

Science.gov (United States)

Brito, L M; Mourão, I; Coutinho, J; Smith, S R

2012-07-01

Composting technologies and control systems have reached an advanced stage of development, but these are too complex and expensive for most agricultural practitioners for treating livestock slurries. The development of simple, but robust and cost-effective techniques for composting animal slurries is therefore required to realise the potential benefits of waste sanitation and soil improvement associated with composted livestock manures. Cattle slurry solid fraction (SF) was collected at the rates of 4m(3)h(-1) and 1m(3)h(-1) and composted in tall (1.7 m) and short (1.2m) static piles, to evaluate the physicochemical characteristics and nutrient dynamics of SF during composting without addition of bulking agent materials, and without turning or water addition. Highest maximum temperatures (62-64 °C) were measured in tall piles compared to short piles (52 °C). However, maximum rates of organic matter (OM) destruction were observed at mesophilic temperature ranges in short piles, compared to tall piles, whereas thermophilic temperatures in tall piles maximised sanitation and enhanced moisture reduction. Final OM losses were within the range of 520-660 g kg(-1) dry solids and the net loss of OM significantly (Pcomposting period. An advanced degree of stabilization of the SF was indicated by low final pile temperatures and C/N ratio, low concentrations of NH(4)(+) and increased concentrations of NO(3)(-) in SF composts. The results indicated that minimum intervention composting of SF in static piles over 168 days can produce agronomically effective organic soil amendments containing significant amounts of OM (772-856 g kg(-1)) and plant nutrients. The implications of a minimal intervention management approach to composting SF on compost pathogen reduction are discussed and possible measures to improve sanitation are suggested. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Fibroblasts and the extracellular matrix in right ventricular disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Frangogiannis, Nikolaos G

2017-10-01

Cardiology. All rights reserved. © The Author 2017. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Human rights-based approach to unintentional injury prevention.

Science.gov (United States)

MacKay, J Morag; Ryan, Mark Andrew

2018-06-01

Unintentional injury remains an important global public health issue, and efforts to address it are often hampered by a lack of visibility, leadership, funding, infrastructure, capacity and evidence of effective solutions. The growing support for a socioecological model and a systems approach to prevention-along with the acknowledgement that injury prevention can be a byproduct of salutogenic design and activities-has increased opportunities to integrate unintentional injury prevention into other health promotion and disease prevention agendas. It has also helped to integrate it into the broader human development agenda through the Sustainable Development Goals. This growing support provides new opportunities to use a human rights-based approach to address the issue. The human rights-based approach is based on the idea that all members of society have social, economic and cultural rights and that governments are responsible and accountable for upholding those rights. It incorporates a systems approach, addresses inequity and places an emphasis on the most vulnerable corners of humanity. It also leverages legal statutes and provides organisations with the opportunity to build existing international goals and benchmarks into their monitoring efforts. This paper describes the approach and highlights how it can leverage attention and investment to address current challenges for unintentional injury. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2018. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

Solution of the schrodinger equation in one dimension by simple method for a simple step potential

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ertik, H.

2005-01-01

The coefficients of the transmission and reflection for the simple-step barrier potential were calculated by a simple method. Their values were entirely different from those often encountered in the literature. Especially in the case that the total energy is equal to the barrier potential, the value of 0,20 for the reflection coefficient was obtained whereas this is zero in the literature. This may be considered as an interesting point

Stockpiling anti-viral drugs for a pandemic: the role of Manufacturer Reserve Programs.

Science.gov (United States)

Harrington, Joseph E; Hsu, Edbert B

2010-05-01

To promote stockpiling of anti-viral drugs by non-government organizations such as hospitals, drug manufacturers have introduced Manufacturer Reserve Programs which, for an annual fee, provide the right to buy in the event of a severe outbreak of influenza. We show that these programs enhance drug manufacturer profits but could either increase or decrease the amount of pre-pandemic stockpiling of anti-viral drugs.

Arrhythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia: Atypical clinical presentation.

Science.gov (United States)

Marçalo, José; Menezes Falcão, Luiz

2017-03-01

A 67-year-old man was admitted to our hospital after episodes of syncope preceded by malaise and diffuse neck and chest discomfort. No family history of cardiac disease was reported. Laboratory workup was within normal limits, including D-dimers, serum troponin I and arterial blood gases. The electrocardiogram showed sinus rhythm with T-wave inversion in leads V1 to V3. Computed tomography angiography to investigate pulmonary embolism showed no abnormal findings. Transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) displayed massive enlargement of the right ventricle with intact interatrial septum and no pulmonary hypertension. Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) confirmed right ventricular (RV) dilatation and revealed marked hypokinesia/akinesia of the lateral wall. Exercise stress testing was negative for ischemia. According to the 2010 Task Force criteria for arrhythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia (ARVD), this patient presented two major criteria (global or regional dysfunction and structural alterations: by MRI, regional RV akinesia or dyskinesia or dyssynchronous RV contraction and RV ejection fraction ≤40%, and repolarization abnormalities: inverted T waves in right precordial leads [V1, V2, and V3]); and one minor criterion (>500 ventricular extrasystoles per 24 hours by Holter), and so a diagnosis of ARVD was made. After electrophysiologic study (EPS) the patient received an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD). This late clinical presentation of ARVD highlights the importance of TTE screening, possibly complemented by MRI. The associated risk of sudden death was assessed by EPS leading to the implantation of an ICD. Genetic association studies should be offered to the offspring of all ARVD patients. Copyright © 2016 Sociedade Portuguesa de Cardiologia. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Rights and the Role of Family Engagement in Child Welfare: An International Treaties Perspective on Families' Rights, Parents' Rights, and Children's Rights

Science.gov (United States)

Lenzer, Gertrud; Gran, Brian

2011-01-01

According to international human rights treaties, what rights do family members, parents, and children have in family engagement in child welfare decision-making? A sociolegal analytical approach produces a typology of rights, then applies the typology to eight countries' approaches to family engagement to show that strong bundles of rights are…

Generalized Gradient Approximation Made Simple

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Perdew, J.P.; Burke, K.; Ernzerhof, M.

1996-01-01

Generalized gradient approximations (GGA close-quote s) for the exchange-correlation energy improve upon the local spin density (LSD) description of atoms, molecules, and solids. We present a simple derivation of a simple GGA, in which all parameters (other than those in LSD) are fundamental constants. Only general features of the detailed construction underlying the Perdew-Wang 1991 (PW91) GGA are invoked. Improvements over PW91 include an accurate description of the linear response of the uniform electron gas, correct behavior under uniform scaling, and a smoother potential. copyright 1996 The American Physical Society

Falling balls and simple shearing strain

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brun, J L; Pacheco, A F

2006-01-01

The problem of particles falling under gravity allows us to relate Hamiltonian mechanics to such different subjects as elasticity and fluid mechanics. It is with this in mind that mechanics gives us the opportunity of introducing, in a rather simple and unusual form, some concepts such as vorticity, the incompressibility condition or simple shear strain to physics students at the undergraduate level

Simple flow injection for determination of sulfite by amperometric detection using glassy carbon electrode modified with carbon nanotubes-PDDA-gold nanoparticles.

Science.gov (United States)

Amatatongchai, Maliwan; Sroysee, Wongduan; Chairam, Sanoe; Nacapricha, Duangjai

2015-02-01

A new approach is presented for sensitive and selective measurement of sulfite (SO3(2-)) in beverages based on a simple flow injection system with amperometric detection. In this work, the sulfite sensor was a glassy carbon electrode modified with multiwall carbon nanotubes-poly(diallyldimethylammonium chloride)-gold nanoparticles composites (CNTs-PDDA-AuNPs/GC). Electrochemical oxidation of sulfite with this electrode was first studied in 0.1M phosphate buffer (pH 7.0) using cyclic voltammetry. The results indicated that the CNTs-PDDA-AuNPs/GC electrode possesses electrocatalytic activity for the oxidation of sulfite with high sensitivity and selectivity. Sulfite was quantified using amperometric measurement with the new sensor at +0.4V vs Ag/AgCl in conjunction with flow injection. The linear working range for the quantitation of sulfite was 2-200 mg L(-1) (r(2)=0.998) with a detection limit of 0.03 mg L(-1) (3σ of blank) and an estimated precision of 1.5%.The proposed method was successfully applied to the determination of sulfite in fruit juices and wines with a sample throughput of 23 samples per hour. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Vortex breakdown in simple pipe bends

Science.gov (United States)

Ault, Jesse; Shin, Sangwoo; Stone, Howard

2016-11-01

Pipe bends and elbows are one of the most common fluid mechanics elements that exists. However, despite their ubiquity and the extensive amount of research related to these common, simple geometries, unexpected complexities still remain. We show that for a range of geometries and flow conditions, these simple flows experience unexpected fluid dynamical bifurcations resembling the bubble-type vortex breakdown phenomenon. Specifically, we show with simulations and experiments that recirculation zones develop within the bends under certain conditions. As a consequence, fluid and particles can remain trapped within these structures for unexpectedly-long time scales. We also present simple techniques to mitigate this recirculation effect which can potentially have impact across industries ranging from biomedical and chemical processing to food and health sciences.

Comparison between the SIMPLE and ENERGY mixing models

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Burns, K.J.; Todreas, N.E.

1980-07-01

The SIMPLE and ENERGY mixing models were compared in order to investigate the limitations of SIMPLE's analytically formulated mixing parameter, relative to the experimentally calibrated ENERGY mixing parameters. For interior subchannels, it was shown that when the SIMPLE and ENERGY parameters are reduced to a common form, there is good agreement between the two models for a typical fuel geometry. However, large discrepancies exist for typical blanket (lower P/D) geometries. Furthermore, the discrepancies between the mixing parameters result in significant differences in terms of the temperature profiles generated by the ENERGY code utilizing these mixing parameters as input. For edge subchannels, the assumptions made in the development of the SIMPLE model were extended to the rectangular edge subchannel geometry used in ENERGY. The resulting effective eddy diffusivities (used by the ENERGY code) associated with the SIMPLE model are again closest to those of the ENERGY model for the fuel assembly geometry. Finally, the SIMPLE model's neglect of a net swirl effect in the edge region is most limiting for assemblies exhibiting relatively large radial power skews

Fractional Reserve in Banking System

OpenAIRE

Valkonen, Maria

2016-01-01

This thesis is aimed to provide understanding of the role of the fractional reserve in the mod-ern banking system worldwide and particularly in Finland. The fractional reserve banking is used worldwide, but the benefits of this system are very disputable. On the one hand, experts say that the fractional reserve is a necessary instrument for the normal business and profit making. On the other hand, sceptics openly criticize the fractional reserve system and blame it for fiat money (money n...

Fast, simple and efficient salting-out assisted liquid-liquid extraction of naringenin from fruit juice samples prior to their enantioselective determination by liquid chromatography.

Science.gov (United States)

Magiera, Sylwia; Kwietniowska, Ewelina

2016-11-15

In this study, an easy, simple and efficient method for the determination of naringenin enantiomers in fruit juices after salting-out-assisted liquid-liquid extraction (SALLE) and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with diode-array detection (DAD) was developed. The sample treatment is based on the use of water-miscible acetonitrile as the extractant and acetonitrile phase separation under high-salt conditions. After extraction, juice samples were incubated with hydrochloric acid in order to achieve hydrolysis of naringin to naringenin. The hydrolysis parameters were optimized by using a half-fraction factorial central composite design (CCD). After sample preparation, chromatographic separation was obtained on a Chiralcel® OJ-RH column using the mobile phase consisting of 10mM aqueous ammonium acetate:methanol:acetonitrile (50:30:20; v/v/v) with detection at 288nm. The average recovery of the analyzed compounds ranged from 85.6 to 97.1%. The proposed method was satisfactorily used for the determination of naringenin enantiomers in various fruit juices samples. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A label-free colorimetric aptasensor for simple, sensitive and selective detection of Pt (II) based on platinum (II)-oligonucleotide coordination induced gold nanoparticles aggregation.

Science.gov (United States)

Fan, Daoqing; Zhai, Qingfeng; Zhou, Weijun; Zhu, Xiaoqing; Wang, Erkang; Dong, Shaojun

2016-11-15

Herein, a gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) based label-free colorimetric aptasensor for simple, sensitive and selective detection of Pt (II) was constructed for the first time. Four bases (G-G mismatch) mismatched streptavidin aptamer (MSAA) was used to protect AuNPs from salt-induced aggregation and recognize Pt (II) specifically. Only in the presence of Pt (II), coordination occurs between G-G bases and Pt (II), leading to the activation of streptavidin aptamer. Streptavidin coated magnetic beads (MBs) were used as separation agent to separate Pt (II)-coordinated MSAA. The residual less amount of MSAA could not efficiently protect AuNPs anymore and aggregation of AuNPs will produce a colorimetric product. With the addition of Pt (II), a pale purple-to-blue color variation could be observed by the naked eye. A detection limit of 150nM and a linear range from 0.6μM to 12.5μM for Pt (II) could be achieved without any amplification. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Simple Driving Techniques

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rosendahl, Mads

2002-01-01

-like language. Our aim is to extract a simple notion of driving and show that even in this tamed form it has much of the power of more general notions of driving. Our driving technique may be used to simplify functional programs which use function composition and will often be able to remove intermediate data...

Micro-level stochastic loss reserving

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Antonio, K.; Plat, R.

2010-01-01

To meet future liabilities general insurance companies will set-up reserves. Predicting future cash-flows is essential in this process. Actuarial loss reserving methods will help them to do this in a sound way. The last decennium a vast literature about stochastic loss reserving for the general

A Systematic Review for Functional Neuroimaging Studies of Cognitive Reserve Across the Cognitive Aging Spectrum.

Science.gov (United States)

Anthony, Mia; Lin, Feng

2017-12-13

Cognitive reserve has been proposed to explain the discrepancy between clinical symptoms and the effects of aging or Alzheimer's pathology. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) may help elucidate how neural reserve and compensation delay cognitive decline and identify brain regions associated with cognitive reserve. This systematic review evaluated neural correlates of cognitive reserve via fMRI (resting-state and task-related) studies across the cognitive aging spectrum (i.e., normal cognition, mild cognitive impairment, and Alzheimer's disease). This review examined published articles up to March 2017. There were 13 cross-sectional observational studies that met the inclusion criteria, including relevance to cognitive reserve, subjects 60 years or older with normal cognition, mild cognitive impairment, and/or Alzheimer's disease, at least one quantitative measure of cognitive reserve, and fMRI as the imaging modality. Quality assessment of included studies was conducted using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale adapted for cross-sectional studies. Across the cognitive aging spectrum, medial temporal regions and an anterior or posterior cingulate cortex-seeded default mode network were associated with neural reserve. Frontal regions and the dorsal attentional network were related to neural compensation. Compared to neural reserve, neural compensation was more common in mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's disease. Neural reserve and compensation both support cognitive reserve, with compensation more common in later stages of the cognitive aging spectrum. Longitudinal and intervention studies are needed to investigate changes between neural reserve and compensation during the transition between clinical stages, and to explore the causal relationship between cognitive reserve and potential neural substrates. © The Author(s) 2017. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Principle Of Non-Regression And Social Security: Security And Trust Protection, Reservation Of The Possible And Non-Regression In The Fundamental Social Rights

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rodrigo Garcia Schwarz

2016-12-01

Full Text Available This paper aims to explain and analyze, from the perspective of the material and effective dimensions of fundamental social rights, questions that concern the relevance of security and trust for the social pact and, as a consequence, to the non-regression in the fundamental social rights in general and in the social security in particular. It reveals that, while the retrogression is not absolute, retrogression must be fully justified. The research is descriptive and explanatory, documentary-bibliographical.

Fabrication of micropatterned alginate-gelatin and k-carrageenan hydrogels of defined shapes using simple wax mould method as a platform for stem cell/induced Pluripotent Stem Cells (iPSC) culture.

Science.gov (United States)

Vignesh, S; Gopalakrishnan, Aswathi; M R, Poorna; Nair, Shantikumar V; Jayakumar, R; Mony, Ullas

2018-06-01

Micropatterning techniques involve soft lithography, which is laborious, expensive and restricted to a narrow spectrum of biomaterials. In this work we report, first time employment of patterned wax moulds for generation of micropatterned alginate-gelatin and κ-carrageenan (κ-CRG) hydrogel systems by a novel, simple and cost effective method. We generated and characterized uniform and reproducible micropatterned hydrogels of varying sizes and shapes such as square projections, square grooves, and circular grids and crisscrossed hillocks. The rheological analysis showed that κ-carrageenan hydrogels had higher gel strength when compared to alginate-gelatin hydrogels. Human Mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) and Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells (hiPSCs) were found to be cytocompatible with these hydrogels. This micropatterned hydrogel system may have potential application in tissue engineering and also in understanding the basic biology behind the stem cell/iPSC fate. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Seismic Safety Of Simple Masonry Buildings

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Guadagnuolo, Mariateresa; Faella, Giuseppe

2008-01-01

Several masonry buildings comply with the rules for simple buildings provided by seismic codes. For these buildings explicit safety verifications are not compulsory if specific code rules are fulfilled. In fact it is assumed that their fulfilment ensures a suitable seismic behaviour of buildings and thus adequate safety under earthquakes. Italian and European seismic codes differ in the requirements for simple masonry buildings, mostly concerning the building typology, the building geometry and the acceleration at site. Obviously, a wide percentage of buildings assumed simple by codes should satisfy the numerical safety verification, so that no confusion and uncertainty have to be given rise to designers who must use the codes. This paper aims at evaluating the seismic response of some simple unreinforced masonry buildings that comply with the provisions of the new Italian seismic code. Two-story buildings, having different geometry, are analysed and results from nonlinear static analyses performed by varying the acceleration at site are presented and discussed. Indications on the congruence between code rules and results of numerical analyses performed according to the code itself are supplied and, in this context, the obtained result can provide a contribution for improving the seismic code requirements

A simple model for indentation creep

Science.gov (United States)

Ginder, Ryan S.; Nix, William D.; Pharr, George M.

2018-03-01

A simple model for indentation creep is developed that allows one to directly convert creep parameters measured in indentation tests to those observed in uniaxial tests through simple closed-form relationships. The model is based on the expansion of a spherical cavity in a power law creeping material modified to account for indentation loading in a manner similar to that developed by Johnson for elastic-plastic indentation (Johnson, 1970). Although only approximate in nature, the simple mathematical form of the new model makes it useful for general estimation purposes or in the development of other deformation models in which a simple closed-form expression for the indentation creep rate is desirable. Comparison to a more rigorous analysis which uses finite element simulation for numerical evaluation shows that the new model predicts uniaxial creep rates within a factor of 2.5, and usually much better than this, for materials creeping with stress exponents in the range 1 ≤ n ≤ 7. The predictive capabilities of the model are evaluated by comparing it to the more rigorous analysis and several sets of experimental data in which both the indentation and uniaxial creep behavior have been measured independently.

Education on human rights and healthcare: evidence from Serbia.

Science.gov (United States)

Vranes, Aleksandra Jovic; Mikanovic, Vesna Bjegovic; Vukovic, Dejana; Djikanovic, Bosiljka; Babic, Momcilo

2015-03-01

Ensuring and enforcing human rights in patient care are important to promote health and to provide quality and appropriate healthcare services. Therefore, continued medical education (CME) is essential for healthcare professionals to utilize their sphere of influence to affect change in healthcare practice. A total of 123 participants attended three CME courses. Course topics covered: (i) the areas of human rights and healthcare, (ii) rights, obligations and responsibilities of healthcare professionals in relation to human rights and the rights of patients, (iii) healthcare of vulnerable groups and (iv) access to essential medical services. Evaluation of the CME courses involved two components: evaluation of participants' performance and the participants' evaluation of the teaching process. The participants were assessed at the beginning and end of each course. Each of the courses was evaluated by the participants through a questionnaire distributed at the end of each course. Descriptive statistics was used for data interpretation. Knowledge of the healthcare professionals improved at the end of all the three courses. The participants assessed several aspects of the courses, including the course topics, educational methods, the course methods, organization, duration and dynamics as well as the physical environment and the technical facilities of the course, and rated each very highly. Our results corroborate the importance and necessity of courses to heighten awareness of the state of current healthcare and human rights issues to increase the involvement of healthcare professionals both locally and globally. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Calculation program development for spinning reserve

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1979-01-01

This study is about optimal holding of spinning reserve and optimal operation for it. It deals with the purpose and contents of the study, introduction of the spinning reserve electricity, speciality of the spinning reserve power, the result of calculation, analysis for limited method of optimum load, calculation of requirement for spinning reserve, analysis on measurement of system stability with summary, purpose of the analysis, cause of impact of the accident, basics on measurement of spinning reserve and conclusion. It has the reference on explanation for design of spinning reserve power program and using and trend about spinning reserve power in Korea.

A simple model for binary star evolution

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Whyte, C.A.; Eggleton, P.P.

1985-01-01

A simple model for calculating the evolution of binary stars is presented. Detailed stellar evolution calculations of stars undergoing mass and energy transfer at various rates are reported and used to identify the dominant physical processes which determine the type of evolution. These detailed calculations are used to calibrate the simple model and a comparison of calculations using the detailed stellar evolution equations and the simple model is made. Results of the evolution of a few binary systems are reported and compared with previously published calculations using normal stellar evolution programs. (author)

Estimation of myocardial flow reserve utilizing an ultrafast cardiac SPECT: Comparison with coronary angiography, fractional flow reserve, and the SYNTAX score.

Science.gov (United States)

Miyagawa, Masao; Nishiyama, Yoshiko; Uetani, Teruyoshi; Ogimoto, Akiyoshi; Ikeda, Shuntaro; Ishimura, Hayato; Watanabe, Emiri; Tashiro, Rami; Tanabe, Yuki; Kido, Teruhito; Kurata, Akira; Mochizuki, Teruhito

2017-10-01

Quantitative assessment of myocardial flow reserve (MFR) by single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI) is challenging but may facilitate evaluation of multi-vessel coronary artery disease (CAD). We enrolled 153 patients with suspected or known CAD, referred for pharmacological stress MPI. They underwent a 99m Tc-perfusion stress/rest SPECT with an ultrafast cadmium-zinc-telluride (CZT) camera. Dynamic data were acquired and time-activity curves fitted to a 1-tissue compartment analysis with input function. K1 was assigned for stress and rest data. The MFR index (MFRi) was calculated as K1 stress/K1 at-rest. The findings were validated by invasive coronary angiography in 69 consecutive patients. The global MFRi was 1.46 (1.16-1.76), 1.33 (1.12-1.54), and 1.18 (1.01-1.35), for 1-vessel disease (VD), 2-VD, and 3-VD, respectively. In the 3-VD, global MFRi was lower than that in 0-VD (1.63 [1.22-2.04], Pfraction (OR: 61.6 [57.5-66.0]), and global MFRi (OR: 119.6 [111.5-127.7], P=0.002). A cut-off value of 1.3 yielded 93.3% sensitivity and 75.9% specificity for diagnosing 3-VD. Fractional flow reserve positively correlated with regional MFRi (r=0.62, P=0.008), and the SYNTAX score correlated negatively with global MFRi (r=0.567, P=0.0003). We developed and validated a clinically available method for MFR quantification by dynamic 99m Tc-perfusion SPECT utilizing a CZT camera, which improves the detectability of multi-vessel CAD. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The effectiveness of a clinical and home-based physical activity program and simple lymphatic drainage in the prevention of breast cancer-related lymphedema: A prospective randomized controlled study.

Science.gov (United States)

Dönmez, Ayşe Arıkan; Kapucu, Sevgisun

2017-12-01

To investigate the effectiveness of a clinical and home-based, nurse-led physical activity program (PAP) and simple lymphatic drainage (SLD) in the prevention of breast cancer-related lymphedema. A total of 52 breast cancer patients were randomized to either a PAP and SLD program (n = 25) or a control group (n = 27). Patients in both groups were also provided training for lymphedema. The PAP and SLD were administered through home visits by the investigators, twice a week for six weeks, in the intervention group. The control group did not undergo intervention. The circumference of the upper extremity, symptom severity, and physical function were measured in both groups. The upper extremity circumference increased by about two times from the baseline, in the control group, especially in the sixth week (p breast cancer surgery, starting from before surgery and continuing until after, to prevent breast cancer-related lymphedema. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Interpreting the mineral reservation of the Stock-Raising Homestead Act: Watt v. Western Nuclear, Inc

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Steel, C.

1985-01-01

The Supreme Court interpreted the Stock-Raising Homestead Act (SRHA) in Watt v. Western Nuclear, Inc. as reserving common gravel deposits to the US because they are minimal in character. This ignored traditional rules of statutory construction, an adopted an all-inclusive definition of the term minerals that is limited only by fluctuating market conditions. The Court subjugated the original congressional objective of settling the West to the current policy of reserving all assets absolutely. Rather than clarifying the definition of reserved minerals, this injected additional ambiguity into the land title area in which the Court has been unwilling to upset settled expectations. Such a departure from the common use and understanding of the term and from property rights cannot be justified by either policy considerations or notions of justice and fair play

Assessing reserve-building pursuits and person characteristics: psychometric validation of the Reserve-Building Measure.

Science.gov (United States)

Schwartz, Carolyn E; Michael, Wesley; Zhang, Jie; Rapkin, Bruce D; Sprangers, Mirjam A G

2018-02-01

A growing body of research suggests that regularly engaging in stimulating activities across multiple domains-physical, cultural, intellectual, communal, and spiritual-builds resilience. This project investigated the psychometric characteristics of the DeltaQuest Reserve-Building Measure for use in prospective research. The study included Rare Patient Voice panel participants. The web-based survey included the Reserve-Building Measure with one-week re-test, measures of quality of life (QOL) and well-being (PROMIS General Health; NeuroQOL Cognitive Function and Positive Affect & Well-Being short-forms; Ryff Environmental Mastery subscale); and the Big Five Inventory-10 personality measure. Classical test theory and item response theory (IRT) analyses investigated psychometric characteristics of the Reserve-Building Measure. This North American sample (n = 592) included both patients and caregivers [mean age = 44, SD 19)]. Psychometric analyses revealed distinct subscales measuring current reserve-building activities (Active in the World, Games, Outdoors, Creative, Religious/Spiritual, Exercise, Inner Life, Shopping/Cooking, Passive Media Consumption,), past reserve-building activities (Childhood Activities, Achievement), and reserve-related person-factors (Perseverance, Current and Past Social Support, and Work Value). Test-retest stability (n = 101) was moderately high for 11 of 15 subscales (ICC range 0.78-0.99); four were below 0.59 indicating a need for further refinement. IRT analyses supported the item functioning of all subscales. Correlational analyses suggest the measure's subscales tap distinct constructs (range r = 0.11-0.46) which are not redundant with QOL, well-being, or personality (range r = 0.11-0.48). The Reserve-Building Measure provides a measure of activities and person-factors related to reserve that may potentially be useful in prospective research.

Robust and durable superhydrophobic fabrics fabricated via simple Cu nanoparticles deposition route and its application in oil/water separation.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Jintao; Wang, Hongfei

2017-06-15

The exploitation of separation materials with high selectivity for oil pollutants is of great importance due to severe environmental damage from oil spillages and industrial discharge of oils. A facile in situ growth process for creating superhydrophobic-superoleophilic fabrics for oil-water separation is developed. This proposed method is based mainly on the deposition Cu nanoparticles and subsequent hydrophobic modification. Compared with the hydrophilicity of original fabric, the water contact angle of the modified fabric rises to 154.5°, suggesting its superhydrophobicity. The as-prepared fabrics also exhibit wonderful oil-water selectivity, excellent recyclability, and high separation efficiency (>94.5%). Especially, via pumping the fabric rolled into a multilayered tube, various types of oils on water surface can be continuously separated in situ without any water uptake. Furthermore, the superhydrophobic fabrics show excellent superhydrophobic stability, and can resist different chemicals, such as salty, acidic, and alkaline solutions, oils, and hot water. After the abrasion of 400cycles, the broken fabric still possesses highly hydrophobicity with water contact angle of 145°. Therefore, due to simple fabrication steps, low cost, and scalable process, the as-prepared fabrics can be applied in the separation of oils and other organic solvents from water. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Status of Women's Reproductive Rights and Adverse Birth Outcomes.

Science.gov (United States)

Wallace, Maeve Ellen; Evans, Melissa Goldin; Theall, Katherine

Reproductive rights-the ability to decide whether and when to have children-shape women's socioeconomic and health trajectories across the life course. The objective of this study was to examine reproductive rights in association with preterm birth (PTB; birth weight (LBW; births in the United States in 2012 grouped by state. A reproductive rights composite index score was assigned to records from each state based on the following indicators for the year before birth (2011): mandatory sex education, expanded Medicaid eligibility for family planning services, mandatory parental involvement for minors seeking abortion, mandatory abortion waiting periods, public funding for abortion, and percentage of women in counties with abortion providers. Scores were ranked by tertile with the highest tertile reflecting states with strongest reproductive rights. We fit logistic regression models with generalized estimating equations to estimate the odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals for PTB and LBW associated with reproductive rights score controlling for maternal race, age, education, and insurance and state-level poverty. States with the strongest reproductive rights had the lowest rates of LBW and PTB (7.3% and 10.6%, respectively) compared with states with more restrictions (8.5% and 12.2%, respectively). After adjustment, women in more restricted states experienced 13% to 15% increased odds of PTB and 6% to 9% increased odds of LBW compared with women in states with the strongest rights. State-level reproductive rights may influence likelihood of adverse birth outcomes among women residents. Copyright © 2016 Jacobs Institute of Women's Health. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Verification of intravenous catheter placement by auscultation--a simple, noninvasive technique.

Science.gov (United States)

Lehavi, Amit; Rudich, Utay; Schechtman, Moshe; Katz, Yeshayahu Shai

2014-01-01

Verification of proper placement of an intravenous catheter may not always be simple. We evaluated the auscultation technique for this purpose. Twenty healthy volunteers were randomized for 18G catheter inserted intravenously either in the right (12) or left arm (8), and subcutaneously in the opposite arm. A standard stethoscope was placed over an area approximately 3 cm proximal to the tip of the catheter in the presumed direction of the vein to grade on a 0-6 scale the murmur heard by rapidly injecting 2 mL of NaCl 0.9% solution. The auscultation was evaluated by a blinded staff anesthesiologist. All 20 intravenous injection were evaluated as flow murmurs, and were graded an average 5.65 (±0.98), whereas all 20 subcutaneous injections were evaluated as either crackles or no sound, and were graded an average 2.00 (±1.38), without negative results. Sensitivity was calculated as 95%. Specificity and Kappa could not be calculated due to an empty false-positive group. Being simple, handy and noninvasive, we recommend to use the auscultation technique for verification of the proper placement of an intravenous catheter when uncertain of its position. Data obtained in our limited sample of healthy subjects need to be confirmed in the clinical setting.

Advocating for sexual rights at the UN: the unfinished business of global development.

Science.gov (United States)

Ali, Saida; Kowalski, Shannon; Silva, Paul

2015-11-01

Twenty years ago, governments agreed that the right to have control over and decide freely and responsibly on all matters related to one's sexuality, free from coercion, discrimination and violence, is a fundamental human right. Since then, many aspects of sexual rights have been agreed by consensus at the global level, but the term "sexual rights" itself continues to be removed from negotiated outcomes and left out of international agreements, often at the last stages of negotiations. This commentary represents our point of view on the unfinished business of the UN with regards to the fight for sexual rights. Our perspective draws from lessons learned in cross-movement organizing in various regional UN spaces and outlines some of the tactics by conservative forces to push sexual rights to the periphery. The article reaffirms the position that broadening the debate and concepts surrounding sexual rights to be more inclusive, has enormous transformational potential and should inform collective advocacy efforts moving forward. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Introducing optional reserve ratios in Hungary

OpenAIRE

Lóránt Varga

2010-01-01

As of the reserve maintenance period commencing in November 2010, Hungarian credit institutions will be free to decide whether to apply the previously valid 2% reserve ratio, or to apply a higher mandatory reserve ratio. Credit institutions required to hold reserves may select from reserve ratios of 2, 3, 4 and 5%, and may change their decision on a semi-annual basis. In line with the international best practice, the purpose of the MNB’s reserve requirement system is to support credit institu...

[A right sided colon volvulus with necrosis in a young patient. A case reported].

Science.gov (United States)

Márquez-Díaz, Adrián; Ramírez-Ortega, Miguel Angel

2010-01-01

Colon volvulus (CV) is the twisting or rotation of an intestinal segment over the mesenterium, which causes occlusion and vascular compromise. It is a frequent disease in individuals over 65 years-old. We report a young patient with right CV and necrosis. A 17 year-old male with clinical findings of acute abdomen presented in the emergency room. During the surgical procedure, a right sided was found, CV with ileocecal valve and caecum ischemia and right colon necrosis with mesenteric vessels thrombosis. The case presented begun with sudden abdominal pain, with intestinal occlusion data, and widespread peritoneal rebound tenderles which suggested an intestinal occlusion. A simple abdomen Rx showed prominent right side colon distention with air levels in small bowel and a "coffee bean" image, suggestive of CVA hemicolectomy with termino-lateral ileocolic anastomosis was performed. Right-sided CV is considered as congenital in origin. They corresponded to 21% of cases in Mexico, with an average age of presentation at 62 years. The CV represents 10% of the causes of large bowel obstruction in Mexico. This is the first case in young people reported in Mexican literature.

Simple differential functional study of the kidney using sup(99m) technetium DMSA

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Handmaker, H.

1976-01-01

A simple technique has been developed to study the differential kidney function. It involves the intravenous injection of a product labelled with sup(99m)Tc, which possesses in vivo the characteristics of organo-mercurial derivatives. High-resolution kidney images are obtained, eliminating the excretion component which may be obtained with DTPA type products studying the glomerular filtration. The absolute quantitative uptake and the left kidney to right kidney activity ratio were measured successfully. This technique should find an increasing application in the evaluation of patients suffering from various kidney disorders including hypertension and acute pyelonephritis [fr

Risk factors and the preoperative assessment of right para-oesophageal lymph node metastasis in right lobe papillary thyroid carcinoma: A case series.

Science.gov (United States)

Qu, You; Zhang, Hao; Zhang, Ping; Dong, Wenwu; He, Liang; Sun, Wei; Liu, Jinhao

2017-06-01

Right para-oesophageal lymph nodes (RPELN) are included among the right central compartment lymph nodes (rCLN) and located behind right recurrent laryngeal nerve (rRLN). However, due to the likelihood of increasing postoperative complications, and the extremely difficulties of RPELN dissection, the decision to perform RPELN dissection remains controversial. The aim of this study was to explore the risk factors of RPELN metastasis and evaluate RPELN metastasis by preoperative examination. We reviewed the medical records of 163 consecutive papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) patients (125 females and 38 males) who underwent right lobe plus isthmic resection (91 patients) or total thyroidectomy (72 patients) with right or bilateral central compartment lymph node dissection. The RPELN dissections were performed in all patients and were individually dissected and recorded intraoperatively. All patients underwent thyroid ultrasound and enhanced neck computed tomography (CT) routinely during preoperative examination. RPELN metastasis was detected in 20 patients (12.3%), among whom 6 (3.7%) had RPELN metastasis without rCLN metastasis. Total rCLN metastasis and lateral compartment lymph node metastasis were confirmed in 57 (35.0%) and 24 (14.7%) patients, respectively. The tumour diameter, number of metastatic rCLN and lateral compartment lymph nodes, RPELN visible on CT, and enhanced CT value of RPELN were confirmed significantly associated with RPELN metastasis by univariate analysis (P 1 cm) in the right lobe or suspected rCLN metastasis were recommended to undergo prophylactic RPELN dissection, particularly in those with a high enhanced CT value (>132) of RPELN or those with the copresence of lateral compartment lymph node metastasis. Copyright © 2017 IJS Publishing Group Ltd. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Pursuing the Right to an Effective Remedy for Human Rights ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Undoubtedly, global and regional human rights instruments clearly entrench the right to an effective remedy for a human rights violation. The substantive nature of the right to an effective remedy makes it relevant to the realisation of the right to equality as well as the right to equal protection under the law. Cameroon, as a ...

Right: Left:: East: West. Evidence that individuals from East Asian and South Asian cultures emphasize right hemisphere functions in comparison to Euro-American cultures.

Science.gov (United States)

Rozin, Paul; Moscovitch, Morris; Imada, Sumio

2016-09-01

We present evidence that individuals from East or South Asian cultures (Japanese college students in Japan and East or South Asian born and raised college students in the USA) tend to exhibit default thinking that corresponds to right hemisphere holistic functions, as compared to Caucasian individuals from a Western culture (born and raised in the USA). In two lateralized tasks (locating the nose in a scrambled face, and global-local letter task), both Asian groups showed a greater right hemisphere bias than the Western group. In a third lateralized task, judging similarity in terms of visual form versus functional/semantic categorizations, there was not a reliable difference between the groups. On a classic, ambiguous face composed of vegetables, both Eastern groups displayed a greater right hemisphere (holistic face processing) bias than the Western group. These results support an "East - Right Hemisphere, West - Left Hemisphere" hypothesis, as originally proposed by Ornstein (1972). This hypothesis is open as to the degree to which social-cultural forces were involved in hemispheric specialization, or the opposite, or both. Our aim is to encourage a more thorough analysis of this hypothesis, suggesting both lateralization studies corresponding to documented East-West differences, and East-West studies corresponding to lateralization differences. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effect of hormone replacement on exercise cardiopulmonary reserve and recovery performance in subclinical hypothyroidism

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M.R.M. Mainenti

2010-11-01

Full Text Available Subclinical hypothyroidism (SH patients present cardiopulmonary, vascular and muscle dysfunction, but there is no consensus about the benefits of levothyroxine (L-T4 intervention on cardiopulmonary performance during exercise. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of L-T4 on cardiopulmonary exercise reserve and recovery in SH patients. Twenty-three SH women, 44 (40-50 years old, were submitted to two ergospirometry tests, with an interval of 6 months of normalization of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH levels (L-T4 replacement group or simple observation (TSH = 6.90 μIU/mL; L-T4 = 1.02 ng/dL. Patients with TSH >10 μIU/mL were excluded from the study to assure that they would receive treatment in this later stage of SH. Twenty 30- to 57-year-old women with no thyroid dysfunction (TSH = 1.38 μIU/mL; L-T4 = 1.18 ng/dL were also evaluated. At baseline, lower values of gas exchange ratio reserve (0.24 vs 0.30; P < 0.05 were found for SH patients. The treated group presented greater variation than the untreated group for pulmonary ventilation reserve (20.45 to 21.60 L/min; median variation = 5.2 vs 25.09 to 22.45 L/min; median variation = -4.75, respectively and for gas exchange ratio reserve (0.19 to 0.27; median variation = 0.06 vs 0.28 to 0.18; median variation = -0.08, respectively. There were no relevant differences in cardiopulmonary recovery for either group at baseline or after follow-up. In the sample studied, L-T4 replacement improved exercise cardiopulmonary reserve, but no modification was found in recovery performance after exercise during this period of analysis.

Bearing the right to healthcare, autonomy and hope.

Science.gov (United States)

Nkomo, Nkululeko

2015-12-01

In this article, I discuss the significance of understanding within the context of the campaign for affordable and accessible HIV/AIDS treatments in South Africa, the transformational effects of the interplay between political rationality and affect for HIV-positive subjectivities. The article focuses on the policy tactics, in 2001, of the lobbying for a policy to prevent mother-to-child-transmission of HIV. A close reading of the lobby groups' rationalization of healthcare as a fundamental human right reveals a strategic attempt to recast a sense of helplessness into self-responsibilization, which concurrently involved nourishing hope in the preferred future for women with HIV to be afforded the right to individual choice associated with self-determination. Therefore, the struggle for a policy to prevent mother-to-child-transmission of HIV - an exemplary initiative to reconstitute HIV-positive subjectivity - maneuvered within both rationalizing and emotive spaces. Ongoing engagement of the broader campaign's contribution to redefining being HIV-positive thus also necessitates accounting for the effects of the convergence of political rationality and emotion in its tactically emancipatory project. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A new "twist" on right heart failure with left ventricular assist systems.

Science.gov (United States)

Houston, Brian A; Shah, Keyur B; Mehra, Mandeep R; Tedford, Ryan J

2017-07-01

Despite significant efforts to predict and prevent right heart failure, it remains a leading cause of morbidity and mortality after implantation of left ventricular assist systems (LVAS). In this Perspective, we review the underappreciated anatomic and physiologic principles that govern the relationship between left and right heart function and contribute to this phenomenon. This includes the importance of considering the right ventricle (RV) and pulmonary arterial circuit as a coupled system; the contribution of the left ventricle (LV) to RV contractile function and the potential negative impact of acutely unloading the LV; the influence of the pericardium and ventricular twist on septal function; the role of RV deformation in reduced mechanical efficiency after device placement; and the potential of ongoing stressors of an elevated right-sided preload. We believe an appreciation of these complex issues is required to fully understand the expression of the unique phenotypes of right heart failure after LVAS implantation and for developing better prognostic and therapeutic strategies. Copyright © 2017 International Society for the Heart and Lung Transplantation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Differences in left and right carotid intima-media thickness and the associated risk factors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Luo, X.; Yang, Y.; Cao, T.; Li, Z.

2011-01-01

Aim: To investigate the difference between the left and right carotid artery intima-media thickness (CIMT) with increasing age and to analyse the importance of the various risk factors associated with left and right CIMT, respectively. Materials and methods: Four hundred and forty-seven people were assigned into six groups based on age. CIMT and haemodynamic parameters of both carotid arteries were measured using the Quality Intima-Media Thickness (QIMT) technique. In addition, biochemical and anthropometric indices were also measured. Their associations were evaluated using simple and partial correlation analysis, adjusted for age. Results: Bilateral CIMTs became thicker with age (p < 0.001) and the left CIMT was significantly thicker compared with the right between the ages of 35 and 65 years (p = 0.01-0.05). In addition, the right CIMT thickened 10 years later compared with the left. Partial correlation analysis showed that the right CIMT correlated better with haemodynamic parameters compared with the left CIMT, but the left CIMT showed better correlation with biochemical indices. Conclusion: Haemodynamic and biochemical changes had different effects on the CIMT depending on the side affected. In addition, the left CIMT was thicker than the right between the ages of 35 and 65 years old.

Two cases of sporotrichosis of the right upper extremity in right-handed patients with diabetes mellitus.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Yu; Hagen, Ferry; Wan, Zhe; Liu, Yufu; Liu, Yahong; Wang, Qingwen; de Hoog, Gert Sybren; Li, Ruoyu; Zhang, Junling

2016-01-01

Sporothrix species have proved to show high degrees of endemicity. Sporothrix globosa is the only pathogenic Sporothrix species that has till date been reported from China, where it is endemic in the northeastern provinces. We report two cases of lymphocutaneous sporotrichosis with diabetes mellitus as underlying disease in patients from the non-endemic area of China. A 59-year-old farmer and a 60-year-old gardener were admitted in February and June 2014, respectively. Both patients were right-handed men and presented with progressive plaques and nodules, which they had for several years, involving the right upper extremity. Skin biopsy from the granuloma was taken and cultured on Sabouraud medium, and molecular identification based on the calmodulin region was performed. Antifungal susceptibility testing was also performed with the microdilution method. Biopsy of the lesions showed the presence of infectious granuloma. The fungal cultures were identified as Sporothrix globosa by conventional methods, and confirmed by molecular identification. A subsequent course of oral antifungal therapy with low dosage of itraconazole was well tolerated and resolved the infection. Identification of fungal species and antifungal susceptibility testing are mandatory for epidemiological and therapeutic reasons. Early diagnosis of sporotrichosis is essential to prevent those sequelae when the disease progresses and provides highly effective methods for treating this emerging disease. Avoiding the exposure to plant material potentially contaminated with fungal spores should be recommended, especially in immunocompromised patients. Copyright © 2015 Revista Iberoamericana de Micología. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

A Century in Reserve and Beyond

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Monagle, James P

2008-01-01

... Reserve, this Strategy Research Project (SRP) describes the role of the Army Reserve from its beginning as a reserve corps of medical doctors to that of a strategic reserve force, and then to its current operational role...

Structural and computational aspects of simple and influence games

OpenAIRE

Riquelme Csori, Fabián

2014-01-01

Simple games are a fundamental class of cooperative games. They have a huge relevance in several areas of computer science, social sciences and discrete applied mathematics. The algorithmic and computational complexity aspects of simple games have been gaining notoriety in the recent years. In this thesis we review different computational problems related to properties, parameters, and solution concepts of simple games. We consider different forms of representation of simple games, regular...

Novel surgical performance evaluation approximates Standardized Incidence Ratio with high accuracy at simple means.

Science.gov (United States)

Gabbay, Itay E; Gabbay, Uri

2013-01-01

Excess adverse events may be attributable to poor surgical performance but also to case-mix, which is controlled through the Standardized Incidence Ratio (SIR). SIR calculations can be complicated, resource consuming, and unfeasible in some settings. This article suggests a novel method for SIR approximation. In order to evaluate a potential SIR surrogate measure we predefined acceptance criteria. We developed a new measure - Approximate Risk Index (ARI). "Number Needed for Event" (NNE) is the theoretical number of patients needed "to produce" one adverse event. ARI is defined as the quotient of the group of patients needed for no observed events Ge by total patients treated Ga. Our evaluation compared 2500 surgical units and over 3 million heterogeneous risk surgical patients that were induced through a computerized simulation. Surgical unit's data were computed for SIR and ARI to evaluate compliance with the predefined criteria. Approximation was evaluated by correlation analysis and performance prediction capability by Receiver Operating Characteristics (ROC) analysis. ARI strongly correlates with SIR (r(2) = 0.87, p 0.9) 87% sensitivity and 91% specificity. ARI provides good approximation of SIR and excellent prediction capability. ARI is simple and cost-effective as it requires thorough risk evaluation of only the adverse events patients. ARI can provide a crucial screening and performance evaluation quality control tool. The ARI method may suit other clinical and epidemiological settings where relatively small fraction of the entire population is affected. Copyright © 2013 Surgical Associates Ltd. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.